after hee saieth It is good I depart for otherwayes ye shall not get the Comforter So I say the Spirit hath greater force now than he had then because the Lord is in his full glory in the Heauen Brethren all this consolation we haue by the holy Spirit now shall be nothing in comparison of that that we shall get when we shall bee drawne neare hand him Then those beames of grace those glances of glory that shall strike from him vvhen wee shall get a sight of his glorious Majesty that ioye that shall shine from him shall surpasse a thousand times all the ioy we shall get in this world Lord how great a thing it is to be beside Christ glorified nowe in the Heauen The Lord vvill transforme the creature in that same glory as Paul speaketh 2. Cor. 3.18 So this is our joy to awaite on the fulfilling of that same ioye and it ministreth ioye vnto vs to vvaite for that perfection of glory and blessed is hee that hath this exspectation I vvarne you to looke for his comming and blessed is hee vvho looketh for his comming in glory Wee haue to note in the Text vvho it is that shall giue this Comforter Hee saith The Father shall giue another Comforter It is said in the next Chap. vers 26. The Sonne giueth the Comforter Howe is it then saide The Father shall giue him There is no contradiction for both these stand vvell together The holy Spirit commeth from the Father and from the Sonne but this is the difference the holy Spirit commeth from the Father as from the Fountaine for the Father is the Fountaine of the Godhead Next the holy Spirite commeth from the Sonne as the seconde person both the Father and the Sonne are at the giuiâ—◠〈…〉 Spirite but they differ in order and therefore the Lord himselfe saith That hee vvill send his Comforter from his Father It is to be marked heere The Lord attributeth to the Father the sending of the holy Spirit Yea I say farder Ye shall see in the vvhole Gospel the Lord speaking of the Redemption of man to ascribe it to the Father as to the Fountaine All the graces that proceede from him hee ascribeth them to the Father That is to learne the world All our Redemption and all our grace is from the Father Wee must vnderstand that all grace commeth from the Father as from the Fountaine that wee shoulde giue the glorie of all to him for hee vvho is the beginner of all grace hee must bee the ender The Apostle considering this hee sayeth Of him and thorow him and for him are all thinges to him be glorie and praise and honour for euer Rom. 11.36 The Lord Iesus goeth before and giueth the glory to the Father and biddeth vs giue the glorie of our Redemption to the Father but not forgetting the Sonne for the Father and the Sonne and the holy Spirite haue their owne glory in all their workes The Father as the Fountaine the Sonne as the Mediator the Holy Spirit as the Comforter Nowe let vs see howe the Spirit is giuen and howe hee is gotten Hee is gotten by the meanes of the Lord Iesus when hee was in the worlde hee was euer praying for grace and mercy to the world And in the seuenteenth Chap. ye shall see his prayer to the Father and that prayer shall remaine to the end of the world and it shall neuer goe out of the minde of the Father This grace of the Holy Spirite is gotten first by the death of Iesus Christ and next by the earnest prayer and intercession of IESVS Ere euer man or woman gotte that Spirite it behooued the Lord IESVS to buye him vvith his precious bloode And if God had not died the vvorlde had not gotten the Spirite What dow a man and hee vvere a King and hee gette not that Spirite The LORD meriteth that Spirite by his death Ere euer we gette that Spirite hee hath merited it yea and CHRIST must rise againe and must passe vp to Heauen and bee glorified and there hee must bee an Aduocate and there sitte at the right hande of the Father and make intercession to his Father to giue this Spirite to his owne Chosen before they can gette him So yee see howe harde a thing it is to gette the Spirite of GOD the vvorlde thinketh it none harde thing to gette that Spirite The Spirite of GOD vvill not come vpon a man sleeping No before that Spirite enter into the soule there must bee a seeking morning and euening to gette him So sayeth the LORD Blessed bee they who hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall bee filled Matth. 5.6 Nowe to goe forwarde Hee commaundeth his Spirite to abide with them for euer As hee woulde saye Hee shall bee vvith you not for a daye or a weeke or a yeere onely but in all your temptations and in all your afflictions this Spirite shall bee vvith you hee shall neuer leaue you All the thinges in the vvorlde shall not separate thee from CHRIST and if thou haue this Spirite Howe shalt thou finde this None shall take your joye from you Iohn Chapter 16. Vers 22. If thou findest joye in thy calamitie that is a token of the presence of the Spirite There is no death can separate thee from CHRIST but the greater oppression thou lyest vnder and the greater the paine bee the more sure shalt thou bee of the Spirite the more shall hee comfort thee the greater shall thy joye bee The Martyres vvho haue beene burned in the fire haue felt this This is a false Doctrine that the Spirite of Christ can departe cleane awaye from them who haue once gotten him for as it is vnpossible that the death and intercession of Christ can bee of none effect so as vnpossible is it that the Spirite of God can bee taken awaye from them that haue once receiued him And as Iesus Christ vvho is that foundation vvherevpon all grace is builded for in him all the promises of God are Yea and Amen 2. Cor. Chap. 1 vers 20. cannot bee ouer-throwne no more can these graces that are builded vpon him be taken away The Spirit when he is angered and grieued in any person hee will hide and with-drawe himselfe for a while but neuer fully nor finally for thereafter by repentance he will vtter himselfe againe As wee may see in the person of Dauid Psal 51. This then is our comfort that the Spirit will neuer leaue vs And therefore let vs seeke to be in Iesus that thorow him wee may haue this Comforter to abide vvith vs for euer Nowe in the next vvordes the Lord sheweth to them who is this Conforter whome they shoulde haue in his absence and hee pointeth him out in his proper name and hee calleth him the Spirit of Trueth The Spirite of God is called the Spirite of Trueth because as wee haue heereafter hee instructeth men and women in all trueth And in the 16. Chap. vers 13. Hee
leadeth vs in the way of trueth and verity We are all out of the way till he leade vs in the way of saluation There is neuer man nor woman who is not naturally full of vanity and his heart full of lies no trueth chiefly in the way that leadeth to life and saluation The spirit of errour occupieth naturally the heartes of men and women vntill this blessed Spirite enter into their heartes The name is to bee marked First hee is called the Comforter Secondlie the Spirit of trueth The one of these is the cause of the other And the Spirite of GOD is the Comforter and ministreth comfort to the soules of men and vvomen because hee is the Spirite of veritie For Brethren this knowledge of God is the grounde of all comfort and vvithout the knowledge of our saluation there is no comfort in this life When the Spirite of God entereth into the soule of a man or woman he first beginneth to let the creature see the sinfulnesse that lieth in nature the miserie death and damnation that followeth on sinne The first knowledge we can haue is to knowe vvhat we are by nature So the first worke of the Spirit of Veritie is when he letteth a man or woman see that hee is but sinfull and dead vnder sinne The second point of knowledge that the Spirite vvill leade thee vntill hee vvill let thee see mercy in thy deliuerance from sinne and death The best sight that euer a miserable creature sawe and the ioyfullest this sight vvill bee accompanied vvith such a ioy as the heart of man cannot expresse As the sight of sinne was heauy so this sight of grace mercy in Iesus Christ is sweet yea the ioyfullest sight that euer the creature got The third point of knowledge he vvill leade thee vnto is hee vvill let thee see the vvay howe thou shouldest meete that mercifull God and vvhat shoulde bee thy duety for such a mercifull deliuerance If any man or vvoman haue this Spirit of Verity he must see these three things and if they see not these three they vvist neuer what vvas the Spirite of Verity Looke vvhat followeth on these three sights all the ioye in the vvorlde the heart vvist neuer vvhat ioye vvas vvhile then If one had all the riches in the vvorlde all the pleasures in the vvorlde if they vvant the Spirite they vvant that true ioye in death in life hee that vvanteth that Spirit can haue no ioy vvhen death commeth to him and the vvorld leaueth him how can he reioyce no he cannot So vvouldest thou haue ioye and chiefely in the houre of death and that is a sad houre when the vvorlde is leauing thee and thou leauing it for thou must leaue it Get this blessed sight and this Spirite of Verity and hee shall vvorke comfort in thy soule both in thy life and in the houre of death Now againe the second time he aggreageth this benefite for the benefite of the soule cannot bee aggreaged enough before he aggreageth it in that it should abide vvith them for euer Now he aggreageth it from the condition of the vvorld and hee sayth Hee is such a Spirit that the worlde cannot receiue The aggreaging of this benefite to the soule is by opposition to the vvorlde The vvorld sayth the Lord receiued not this Spirit of Verity vvhom yee shall receiue It hath a great force the Spirite of GOD vvhen hee vvoulde amplifie the grace that the Chosen gette in the vvorlde vseth to sette downe a grace opposite to the worlde vvho getteth not this grace but in place of it getteth miserie So in the threescore Chapter of Esay and the twelfth Verse hee sayeth The Lord shall rise vp and make the beames of his mercie to shine vpon his owne Hee setteth not downe this simplie but to let them see the greatnesse of the benefite hee subjoyneth an opposition And darknesse sayeth hee shall couer the Earth and grosse darknesse the people but the Lord shall rise vp to shine vpon thee with the beames of that his mercy and his glory shall bee seene vpon thee This is done that the godly should see the greatnesse of the mercy of God towards them One contrary will make another the better to be knowne Brethren wee see this all the aduersaries vse this argument against vs Your Kirke is contracted in little boundes and your Profession is but narrow and fewe imbrace it where yee finde one who professeth as yee professe ye will find an hundreth who contemne your Doctrine So say they because the multitude imbraceth it not it is not the true Light But these wordes condemne them The Lord sayeth The vvorlde cannot receiue the Spirite of Veritie They say The vvorlde must receiue the Spirite of Veritie or else it is not the Spirite of Veritie So to ende this Wee must bee so farre from that to count the lesse of this blessed Light and of these whome the Lord vsed as instrumentes after hee had taken them out of the darke Kingdome of the Antichrist to make this Light shine like the Sunne that euen by the contrary wee must count the more of it And it is an argument that it is the Trueth because the Lord will not communicate it with the multitude And woe is the soule that neuer saw this Light Precious thinges are but rare The more pecious a grace bee euermore since the beginning of the worlde it is the rarer No man getteth this Light communicated to them but those secret ones whom the Lord hath chosen And we one day shall blesse this Light that euer we saw it The worde is to bee marked The worlde cannot receiue him This worde importeth that the fault wherefore the worlde receiueth not this Spirite is not in the Spirite but the fault is in the vvorlde it selfe vvho vvanteth the hand and so neither will nor can receiue such a grace The Lord in his worde offereth to all men indifferentlie this Spirite and as it were by his vvorde knocketh at the heartes of men and women to receiue such a guest There is none of vs who heareth this glorious Euangel but the Lord knocketh at the doore of his soule to take in this Holy Spirit to dwell with him But looke howe hee is answered All receiueth not this Spirit and all hearts are not opened to take him in yea very fewe there bee who take in this Spirite in their heart when they heare this Euangel Take heed there is no grace nor welfare without this Spirit and howe can the heart bee glad without him Yet they are few who get him To speak the trueth There is no man nor woman who is naturally borne to receiue this Spirit of God The naturall man sayth Paul is not capable of the thinges that are of God 1. Cor. 2.14 So by nature all men and women are alike Then who maketh the difference sayth Paul to the Corinthians What hast thou that thou hast not receiued 1. Cor. 4.7 Then if there bee a
world but him who had the greatest power in the world And so in judging him the holy Spirit conuicteth the worlde That hee was the Iudge of the worlde Colloss 2. vers 15. it is saide When hee hung vpon the Crosse he sate most gloriously in a Chariot There was neuer an Emperour who was carried in such a glorious Chariot as the Lord howbeit hee was abject in the sight of the worlde In that Chariot hee taketh the Deuils and taketh all their power and leadeth them in triumph and maketh an open showe of them So there is his victory which hee gotte ouer the Deuill the prince of this world Indeede I grant that the Deuill as yet hath a great power in this worlde Ephes Chap. 2. vers 2. And hee runneth about like a roaring Lion yet he is ouercome and chained in darknesse Iud. 6. That is Hee is in chaines of terrible horrour and anguish howbeit hee will deceiue men women and make them to thinke that he is free to doe what he will be lies he is in a great horror Now the godly who find the mortification of that sinfull nature find that the Deuil is ouercome for except the Deuill were ouercome sinne would reigne in the worlde for the kingdome and tyranny of the Deuill and the kingdome of sinne and death are euer conjoyned So the godly who find that the old man is crucified finde that the Deuill is ouercome The vngodly also in whom the Deuill the prince of this world reigneth 2. Corint 4. vers 4. they are conuicted in their consciences That the Lord hath ouercome the Deuill The Murderers Blasphemers Adulterers c. are conuict by the light of the Gospel That Sathan whom they serue as as many slaues is but a slaue himselfe vanquished by Christ Iesus and bound with chains of darknesse albeit thorowe induration and malice of their heartes they prefer his bondage to the liberty of the Kingdome of Christ And I denounce In the Naâ—e of the Great GOD of Heauen If they continue their portion shall bee with the Deuill the Lord Iesus shall be auenged on them For albeit the Lord Iesus be in Heauen sitting at the right hand of that glorious Majesty yet hee leaueth not his poore members destitute of comfort As before hee said I will not leaue you comfortlesse as soone as he went to Heauen he sent downe his Spirit by whom hee reigneth in the worlde Nowe that Spirit is either conuerting the soules of men to Christ or else he is conuicting and condemming the obstinate And bee thou assured that if the holy Spirit conuert not thy soule by this worde hee shall conuict thee and stoppe thy mouth and keepe thee in chaines to that great Iudge the Lord Iesus and thou shalt bee so conuict in this world that thou shalt not haue a worde to saye in that great Day Paul speaketh of this 2. Cor. 10. vers 5. Those who will not bee conuerted but remaine disobedient I shall cause vengeance light vpon them and I shall bee the sauour of death vnto death to them So either shalt thou bee conuerted by the worde or else bee conuicted and condemned Now when he hath dipped into this doctrine hee cutteth off the speach and saieth J haue many moe things to speake to you but ye cannot beare them now That is ye are not capable of them now There were other causes no doubt that here vrged him to cut short his language as namely because the houre of his death was at hand as Chap. 14. vers 30. Another was because as hee saieth Chap. 15. vers 15. All thinges that I haue heard of my Father haue J made knowne vnto you and therefore now hee would not insist to repeate or expound theâ— heere but hee remitteth farder reuelation to the Spirite Foolishe therefore are the Papistes who grounde on this place their Traditions for all grace and power to vnderstand anie thing of Iesus Christ and of the saluation of man is of the Spirit The Lord knew well what power he hath giuen to euerie one to vnderstand the waye of saluation and according therevnto hee measureth his instruction hee submitteth himselfe to their rudenesse and capacitie If thou be an Infant hee will not giue thee solide and strong foode but Milke So hee willeth a Minister to measure the doctrine conforme to the grouth and power of the hearers The Ministers in euerie Congregation should know who are Infants and who are not and accordinglie vse discretion This worde is to bee marked I haue manie thinges to tell you and yet I will not tell you them now The Minister should instruct the soberest in meanest thinges and yet he should subjoyne this There is an higher mysterie if thou werest capable thereof that they may desire to growe in knowledge Some foolishe men will saye If I had the Creede and Pater noster and the Commandementes I care not for more knowledge that will not serue thee no no as thou gettest a sight of Christ so shouldest thou haue a great desire to receiue farder grouth and in-sight and striue to get a perfection for albeit wee appeare to our selues sometimes to haue cunning and knowledge enough yet it is but little which the best of vs hath in respect of that which wee should haue for heere wee see but in a part wee knowe but in a part Reade 1. Corinth 13. vers 9. We should therefore neuer be content of the knowledge we haue but should aye striue to get more and with all these Preachinges striue to get Iesus Christ and to see his face more and more as it were in a glasse till once our fayth bee turned into sight and then wee shall get sacietie of knowledge Howe dangerous a thing it is to a man who hath gotten but little knowledge there to bide the Apostle to the Hebrewes Chap. 6. vers 4. declareth for there he denounceth an heauie judgement against those who haue gotten a piece af knowledge and stand there yea and fall away from it hee saieth there is no place of repentance for them And indeed it is not possible but if a man gette once a solide taste and sight of those heauenlie thinges but hee will striue most earnestlie to haue a farder knowledge sight and fore-tasting of them night and daye euen till hee get full sacietie of joye and glorie 1. Petr. 2 vers 2. Therefore I beseech you neuer to rest till yee get a sight of Christ by and aboue all knowledge that in him yee may haue all perfection To whome with the Father and the holie Spirit bee all praise honour and glory worlde without ende So bee it THE XIV LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xvi VERS 13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.21.22 13 Howbeit when hee is come which is the Spirite of trueth hee will leade you into all trueth for hee shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoeuer hee shall heare shall hee speake and hee will shew you the thinges to
nowe am I no more in the worlde but these are in the worlde and J come to thee Holie Father keepe them in thy Name euen them whome thou hast giuen mee that they may bee one as wee are WElbeloued in the Lord Iesus in the seconde part of this Prayer the Lord prayeth for his Disciples whom hee was to leaue in the world behinde him when he should passe vp to the Heauens Hee vseth many arguments of his request and petition which hee maketh to his Father first from their calling out of the world by the Gospel from their election and choosing them from al eternity from this that they were the Fathers from this that they were giuen to him from this that they belieued in the Father and in him Now in the wordes which wee haue read first after many arguments yea a cloud of arguments all gathered together the Lord concludeth his petition and prayer and sayth O Father I pray for them As hee would saye Seeing so many thinges concur in them their vocation their election and the rest therfore I haue good cause to praye for them I praye for them O Father that thou wouldest keepe them it cannot be but thou must keepe them vpon whome thou hast showne so many graces Now happie are they on whom God beginnes to show any grace for on whom he begins to shew grace once there is none end of grace but continually grace vpon grace mercy followes mercy till at the last they bee glorified in the Heauens for euermore But to goe forward When he hath said I pray for them hee defineth them in speciall who they are for whom he prayeth J pray nor for the world sayth he not for the worlde that is not for the Reprobate and the wicked of the world but for them that thou hast giuen me these are they for whome hee prayeth hee excludeth the reprobates from his prayers he includeth only the Elect whom the Father hath giuen him for as the decreete of the election of God from all eternitie was limited and bounded al were not chosen all men and women were not written vp in that Booke of Life and euen as the gift that the Father gaue to the Sonne was limited and bounded hee gaue not all to the Son he gaue not euerie man and woman in this world but so many as hee had chosen to life euerlasting them hee gaue to the Sonne and no moe So I say as the decreet of election is bounded and as the gift of the Father to the Sonne is bounded euen so the intercession of the Sonne to the Father is bounded The Sonne intercedeth not with the Father for euery man and woman in this world and whether ye look to the intercession by prayer as ye see now he prayeth for the Chosen and for his Disciples in speciall whether yee looke to that intercession that was by his death and by that sacrifice the Lord he prayeth not for all that is a sure thing And when he died he died not for all but onlie for so many as the Father had chosen out from all eternity and hauing chosen them out he gaue them to his Sonne the mediator Only the Lord in the worlde made intercession for these Chosen that are giuen him So Brethren what shall wee say blessed is that man or woman that is of that chosen number and blessed is that person whom the Father hath put into the handes of the Sonne For for him the Sonne maketh intercession And woe is that soule that is not chosen and is not put into the hands of the Sonne to be kept and redeemed by him no intercession for that soule the prayer of the Lord Iesus appertaineth nothing to that soule nothing abideth that soule but anguishe and damnation euerlastingly So ye see how needfull a thing it is to haue assurance of our election to be assured perswaded in our harts that we are of that chosen number giuen to Iesus Christ This is the perswasion wee should seeke in this life if euer wee would haue comfort either in life or death and wee should aâ—e haue that respect of the life to come and set our hearts on another life than this life Therefore the thing that we should seeke most is to bee of the number of the Chosen and to be one of the number of them who are in the keeping of Iesus Christ But alas wee are so beastlie and senselesse that wee thinke there is no life no joye no glorie c. but in this life such is the blindnesse and beastlinesse of the nature of man Nowe Brethren and if yee marke againe the wordes well yee shall see a great difference betwixt the Prayer that Christ made and betwixt the Prayer of the faythfull in the worlde When wee pray for others our prayer is confused wee cannot separate the Reprobate from the Elect wee will praye for altogether good and euill because wee knowe not who is chosen and how is reprobate and casten awaye Then when wee pray for the Elect and for the Kirke our prayer is but confused and generall wee cannot praye for euerie particulare man or for euerie chosen one because wee knowe them not but generallie wee recommende vnto God the whole Kirke this is the manner of our prayer But it is farre otherwayes in this prayer which the Lorde maketh for his Disciples and for the Chosen The Lorde prayeth for his Elect but hee prayeth not for the Reprobate and particularlie heereafter hee excludeth Iudas because the Lord knewe who was elect and who was reprobate Then againe when hee prayeth for the Elect hee prayeth not confusedlie as wee doe but in his prayer his eye is set vpon euerie one of the Chosen particularlie There was neuer one of the Chosen that was that time that Christ was in the worlde or was since the beginning of the worlde or shall bee to the ende of the worlde but the LORD prayed for euerie one of them particularlie hee prayed for mee and hee prayed for thee and hee sawe euerie one of vs before the beginning of the worlde and nowe hee recommendeth vs to the Father Thinke not that the Lord Iesus prayeth confusedlie and generallie for all men no hee prayeth particularlie for the Chosen there is not one Chosen but the eye of the Lord is vpon them all Why The Lorde knewe who was chosen No there was not one little one yea the poorest vpon the face of the earth of the chosen number but in that time hee had his eye vpon them that the holie Spirit might flowe to them out of his death When the Lord died yee must not thinke that hee died for all hee died but for some hee died not for anie reprobate he separateth the Elect from the Reprobate by vertue of his death When hee offered himselfe to the death his eye was set vpon euerie one of the Elect that was in the worlde and when hee was going to death hee saide in his heart
time that the conscience be first sprinkled with the blood of Iesus and then the conscience being once thus sprinkled the soule will find such joy as no tongue can expresse Thus much for the eight argument The ninth argument is from that hatred wherewith the world persued his Disciples hated them The world hateth them therfore Father keep thou them they chase them here and there now Father be thou their refuge Alace it is a great misery to be chased hunted here there to be persued in the world in the mean time to get no rest in God when thou gettest no rest with God no rest in the world miserable is thy estate but when thou gettest rest in the bosom of God thou hast joy quietnes in thy hart this is it he recōmēdeth to the Father Father the world hateth them therfore let them get rest in thee because they are not of the world it hateth them the world loueth none but godles ill men now I haue giuen thy word to them it is thy word that hath sanctified them separated them frō the world for it is this word that will take thee out of the world if the word of Christ separate thee not from the pollution of the world thou shalt perish in the pollutiō stink of the world Then he compareth them with himselfe They are like vnto me thou shouldst loue them the better for the world loues them the worse that they loue me the word of Iesus as it makes vs vnlike the world so it makes vs like Iesus Christ if the word of Iesus make thee not holy nothing shal mak thee holy thē nothing shall euer mak thee like Iesus Christ but this holy word of Christ as it makes vs vnlike the world so it makes vs like our head Now he meanes that this likenes with him was the ground of persecution the world persecuted them becaus they were like him whom the world loued not for Brethren this is the ground of persecution to wit the hatred of God the hatred of the Light and the hatred of that Majestie of selfe Well then yee see the hatred and the persecution of this worlde is wrong vnderstood men thinke that when any man is persecuted or hated of the world that God hateth them also this is the judgement of the worlde when they see any man troubled for the cause of Iesus Christ they will saye God hateth this man Nowe this is so false a judgement that by the contrary the hatred of this world is the surest token that can be that God loueth thee If there were no more to tell thee but the sence and experience that godly men haue of Gods presence in the middest of the hatred of this worlde it will tell thee that God loueth them A man who is persecuted for Iesus Christ will feele such a presence in his heart of God that the tongue of man nor Angel cannot tell And when he is chased till he pant and bee breathlesse hee will feele such a presence that hee will count nothing of all the trouble of the world as Paul sayth Rom. 8. vers 31. Jf God bee with vs who can bee against vs And againe Who can separate vs from the loue of God in Iesus Christ Hee who feeleth this hee will stand vp and spit in the face of all the Tyrantes in the world he will defie the world the man who is farthest out of the worlde Iesus Christ is nearest him Goe out of the worlde goe out of Hierusalem bearing the reproach of Iesus and so thou shalt haue a sense of that joye the more thou conformest thee to the worlde the nearer man or woman is joyned with this cursed generation the moste cursed generation that euer was on the face of the earth thou shalt finde that thy God shall bee the farther from thee when thou liuest as they liue and speakest as they speake I appeale thy conscience if thou findest then the comfort and joye which thou foundest being from that societie And if thou sayest thou hast it thou liest If it were no more but that sense it may tell thee that this doctrine is true Nowe I shall ende the conclusion When he hath vsed this argument he subjoyneth I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the worlde but that thou shouldest keepe them from the euill of the worlde for I haue a worke to doe with them that is to sende them out to this cursed generation therefore Father keepe them this is the thing that I praye when I shall send them out to the world that thou leaue them not but in the middest of persecution keepe them till my worke bee ended He craueth not that they should be free of persecution for of before ye heard he sayth In the world yee shall haue oppression but bee of good comfort in me ye shall haue peace therefore hee craueth not that they should bee free of all persecution but that in the middest of persecution the Father should bee with them and make them victorious more than victorious euen to triumph Yee may marke in these words two remedies against the persecution of the worlde The godly haue two remedies against the persecution of the world the first is When the Lord taketh his owne out of this miserable world to dwell with himselfe in joy and felicity The other remedy against persecution is when the Lord letteth his owne still fight on in a battell and in the meane time keepeth them wonderfully in the middest of persecution so that the world will be compelled to wonder that a man or a woman who feeleth the Lordes presence will so triumph in affliction All this worlde hath no power to take their life so long as the Lord hath his worke in their hands All the Tyrants vnder the Heauen haue no power to harme them and namely a Preacher till he end his worke for the which the Lord set him in the world all the Tyrants in the Earth cannot take his life from him no they cannot touch the least hair of his head for they are numbred yea rather ere he get any harme the Lord will send his Angel out of Heauen as he sent him to Peter and pull him out of the throat of death Now Brethren looke to the order which the Lord vseth in these remedies he will not incontinent take his owne out of the world howbeit the world be vnworthy of them this world is not worthy of a good man he will let them tarry till his work be ended There is not one of vs when the Lord hath put a piece of work into our hands in our own calling that he will take out of this world till we end it to the glory of his holy Name As I told you of before it is a wonderfull thing how the Lord will keep his own and he will not at an instant take them out of this world Howbeit a man
Weigh the wordes for they are weighty Peace I leaue you sayeth the Lord No question hee alludeth to that common fashion of salutation that was vsed amongst the Iewest in their meetinges and departinges wherein they wished peace one to another by the which word they vnderstood all kind of prosperitie in thinges earthly and heauenly So the Lord would say I am now to depart from you but I leaue something behind mee to you to wit my blessing prosperity for euer Now least it should haue bene thought that he left peace vnto them no other wayes than the men of this world vse to do he subjoyneth My peace I giue you There is an emphasis in these wordes My peace and I giue you it As the Lord would saye Men may well wish peace to men but it lieth in no mans hands to giue peace there is no Angel in Heauen able to giue peace but I sayeth the Lord shall giue you it I am not only sayth the Lord a wisher but a giuer There is no man able to giue his owne peace because no man hath peace to giue Men may wish peace from God as to the Philipp 4.7 It is called the peace of God None of the Apostles will say My peace but the peace of God and therefore hee is called the God of peace Rom. 16.20 The Lord Iesus hath peace to giue as the Father hath peace Yea more he would signifie by this peace not a common sort of peace but an inwarde peace of conscience the rest to the soule of a sinner that peace that passeth all vnderstanding Philipp Chap. 4. Vers 7. The rest of the soule as ye may reade in Matthewes Gospel Chap. 11. Vers 29. where Christ sayeth Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and laden and I will ease you and yee shall finde rest to your soules Take this peace away there is no rest to the soule This peace is called Christes peace because it floweth from him immediately till vs that wee may haue a good conscience that we may haue assurance of the remission of our sinnes for herein standeth chiefelv a good conscience when it sayeth thy sinnes are freely forgiuen thee Wee knowe this good conscience standeth in fayth thorow the blood of CHRIST Take awaye the blood of CHRIST there is no conscience that is good Heb. 9.14 The blood of Christ purgeth our conscience from dead works to serue the liuing God that is it purgeth vs from our sins So ye see this that all the joy of the soule floweth from the blood of Christ Iesus and therefore worthily he calleth it his peace because it commeth thorow his blood vvithout the which peace there is no rest howbeit yee had all the peace of all the Princes of the worlde Let the Traytors haue the Kinges peace and let them vvant this peace let them passe as they will they haue no peace Yet he insisteth the third time and subjoyneth Not as the worlâ—e giueth giue I it He marketh the manner of the giuing and maketh an exposition of the giuing of it Worldly men will take vpon them to giue peace but the worldes peace is but for a fashion the mouth will wish peace and the heart will curse this is the peace of the world That peace of the world is so fectlesse that scarcelie vvill a man wish that peace from his heart As the Lord woulde say I speake not only with my mouth but from mine heart I wish it and I shall effectuate it indeede A man may wish well but it vvanteth effect Yee see now this three-folde repetition Will yee vveigh the words yee shall finde a wonderfull intier loue and vnspeakeable heartinesse vttered by the Lord in his Farewell These vvords let vs see that he not only leaueth peace and loue behinde him but his very heart Besides all the grace wee haue of Iesus Christ they who loue Christ they haue his heart Looke how tenderly he loueth faythfull men howbeit hee bee in the Heauen yet he leaueth them his very heart and inwarde affection there is an vnspeakeable loue Now when he hath taken his good-night he concludes Seeing I haue left you peace and I giue you it vvhat then needeth you to bee troubled Marke then this conclusion Where the peace of the Lord is not there the soule of man hath no rest there is nothing but trouble and griefe there It is true great sinners vvho vvill haue no part of Iesus Christ vvill haue some kind of rest and who vvill bee so merry as they Bloody murderers vvicked blasphemers and vile adulterers vvill by appearance haue peace But Brethren this is but a false peace and assuredly it is better a thousand times to haue an vnquiet and restlesse soule than to haue a secure life for a senselesse carnall security is a sure token of a sudden judgement to come Paul in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians Chap. 5. Vers 3. sayeth When they say there is peace and safety then shall come vpon them sudden destruction as the trauell vpon a vvoman with child and they shall not escape The loune will bid cloze the yates and bid watch let him bid as hee vvill the judgement of God shall not passe by him and his yates shall not holde out the wrath of God but it shall come on him as the paine commeth on a woman in the time of her birth So in one vvorde they who want this peace they haue no peace No peace to the wicked Isai 57. By the contrary vvhen the Lord Iesus giueth peace to the heart of a sinfull man or woman vvhose heart is troubled then the heart of a sinner hath peace I put the case that a man were in great danger euen at deaths doore yea and he were in the fire and the Lord Iesus giue him his peace and saye I giue thee my peace then the soule shall be in exceeding joye Tyrantes haue marueiled that the Martyres who suffered for Iesus should haue had such a joye as they had So if the Lord Iesus will once say My peace I giue you then the soule will rest on him with such a joye as is vnspeakeable So the Apostles felt this indeede In one vvorde the peace of Iesus Christ guardeth the soule and maketh it sure as Paul sayeth to the Philipp Cha. 4. Vers 7. Thus farre now hath the Lord comforted his Disciples Nowe in the next Verse hee beginneth to speake more sharply and hee as it were findeth fault with them that they loued him not well enough and they vttered it in that they were so grieued and displeased at his departure This forme that the Lord vseth teacheth vs this that in comforting of heauy hearted sinners Who should bee comforted but the heauy hearted thou vse gentle reproofes for the heart that is heauy and sad vvill hardly take consolation but will delite in sadnesse Looke howe yee shall comfort them not to holde vp the heart aye with comfort but reproue it with some piece
hee rose from the dead So that Godhead declared it selfe that it left him not after this life was exspired but raised him from corruption Then hee commeth to his argumentes to mooue his Father the first is Father the houre is come therefore Father glorifie thy Sonne the houre of death appointed from all eternitie that I should offer vp the Sacrifice for the redemption of man seeing this death approacheth neare let glorie follow that ignominious death my death will bee verie offensiue both to the multitude and to my Disciples as hee saide This night yee will all bee offended at mee and as hee would say O my Father leaue mee not in that ignominious death but out of death raise mee to glorie Christ Iesus all the time that hee was in the worlde the onlie thing which he sought was the glorie of Heauen for our life standeth in that Resurrection And if CHRIST had not beene raysed sayeth Paul all our preaching should bee in vaine and yee should lie still in your sinnes So during all the time that hee was in this worlde this was aye his prayer to his Father and chiefelie when hee sawe the houre of death hee was instant and earnest in seeking that glorie Wee may learne heere a lesson The nearer and the nearer wee are to death deceiue not our selues with a false life the more earnest wee should bee with GOD that hee would giue vs life and men and women as they growe in age and drawe nearer death they should bee the more instant to seeke life and when they growe to graye haires it is a great shame to see an olde bodie prophane they should prepare themselues for the houre of death for death is a dangerous thing death is not to bee jested with All men will say I will die but if thou diest once woe is to thee if thou gettest not life for why death is a port whereby wee either passe to that euerlasting death or then to euerlasting life Looke for no Purgatorie when as the soule is loosed from the bodie it seeth an horrible darknesse if in this present life it had not a fore-tasting of a better life Therefore during the time of grace when â—â— wee haue space in our life let vs seeke that life of Heauen not onâ—â—ie in our olde age but euen in our youthhood we should cast vs to seek life and happie is that young bodie that entereth into that race to life and aye goeth forwardes with the Apostle Paul neuer sitting downe but aye striuing to apprehende that Butte and Marke which is the Crowne of glorie in IESVS CHRIST Whether thou bee man or woman happie art thou who lookest for that life and sayest before the death drawe neare I must flitte So during this life heere wee shoulde aye groane to feele that life and fasten heart and hande to finde that life but then chiefely when we are drawing neare the doore of death and daylie we gette manie warnings to flitte and remooue out of this life And the Lord sayeth by these sicknesses and calamities Flitte flit but then greedily wee should gripe to Iesus Christ and fasten to him who is life and if wee gette a gripe of him that death which is terrible otherwayes it will bee turned to a sweet sleepe Paul sayeth Those who sleepe in him he shall rayse them vp there death is but a sweete sleepe Woe to them that haue no gripe of Christ for at the last houre death shall bee terrible vnto them Euen as I beganne so I ende Thinke not lightlie of death and if thou bestowest thy life looke that thou bestowe it well and for a good cause and if thou flittest and if thou changest this house of claye bee sure that thou gette a better and if this tabernacle of the bodie bee dissolued bee thou assured in thy soule that thou shalt bee cloathed with the glorie of Iesus Christ Paul in the seconde Epist to the Corinthians and the fifth Chapter was sure of this after the dissolution of his bodie from the soule when as hee sayeth I knowe perfectlie if once the earthlie house of this tabernacle were dissolued I shall gette a lodging not made with the handes of men but eternall in the Heauens Before yee flitte out of an house heere yee will bee sure of another to dwell in O foole art thou so wise in the thinges of this worlde and art not sure to bee cloathed with that building of the Heauens Therefore before thou losest this life see howe thou bestowest it and see that thou diest in a good cause and looke that thou haue a gripe of Iesus Christ and if thou wouldest die giue this life to him who is able to giue thee a better life And seeing the time of triall draweth neare for ought we see and the time will declare who will die with Iesus Christ and offer their liues vp to him the Lord giue euerie one of vs grace to die for Iesus Christ and saye in thy selfe Lord if it shall please thee to bring on that triall prepare mee to giue thee this life which thou hast giuen mee for I knowe assuredlie that I shall receiue a better of thee Well is the soule which is this wayes prepared And well is them who die for the cause of Iesus Christ for this glorious Gospel And woe is them who die in the contrarie parte The second argument is That thy Sonne may glorifie thee also This is the reason If thou glorifie mee Father I shall glorifie thee for the knowledge of thee standeth in the knowledge of mee if the worlde see not mee they cannot glorifie thee If the creature see not the glorie of the Sonne hee will neuer see the Father Yee see a sweete meeting heere betwixt the Father and the Sonne howe euerie one of them joyneth together in glorie the Father who is the Fountaine of all glorie beginneth and communicateth his glorie with the Sonne and the holie Spirite the Father hath not his glorie of them but he beginneth and communicateth his glorie with the Sonne and the holie Spirit the glorie of the Sonne and the holie Spirit redoundeth backe againe to the Father And that glorious Trinitie deliteth in glorifying one another for the glorie commeth from the Father vpon the Sonne and from the Sonne to the holie Spirit and back againe from the holie Ghost to the Sonne from the Sonne to the Father euen as the Sunne maketh reflexe from a mirrour towardes himselfe againe No words are able to expresse this for it is a thing incomprehensible to see that glorie betwixt the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost The consideration of this woulde confounde all the creatures both men and Angels howe the Father putteth on the beames of his glorie vpon the Sonne and from the Sonne to the holie Spirit and then it coÌ„meth about from the holie Spirit and striketh on the Son on the Father Of this we are not capable nor no Angel can sufficientlie
that band of perfection of charitie and loue And howe As thou and I am one Thou art in mee and I am in thee so they may bee one in vs that is Through their fayth in vs and that to this ende that the worlde may belieue in mee that thou hast sent mee Yee see howe this Prayer of Christ extendeth it selfe it beginneth narrowlie and then piece and piece it groweth It beginneth first at himselfe onelie and hee prayeth That the Father would glorifie him And then farther hee maketh his petition for his Disciples That hee would first keepe them and then sanctifie them Then he extendeth it farther out to the whole belieuers that shall belieue in him to the ende of the worlde So Brethren it is not contained within that Age in the which Christ was in the Earth this is a great consolation it pertaineth not onelie to those Iewes and Gentiles that were at that time but the Prayer of Iesus Christ euen this same Prayer wherewith hee did consecrate himselfe to the death of the Crosse it reacheth out to vs in this Age And looke howe manie of vs hath fayth in Iesus Christ wee may bee assured that that Prayer which Christ made was made for vs and euerie one that belieueth And when wee reade this Prayer and these wordes I pray not for them onelie but for them that shall belieue there is not one who findeth a sponke of fayth but hee may saye Christ made this Prayer for mee as assuredly as hee prayed for Peter and Iames and the rest of the Apostles For when the Lord prayed his eye was vpon euerie soule that should belieue in him to the ende of the worlde hee recommended euerie soule to his Father in this Prayer Not generallie but the Lord Iesus being God and man hee had euerie soule before his eye that euer was chosen and called or shall bee called to the ende of the worlde and he prayed particularlie for euerie soule So if thou findest fayth in thine heart thou mayest say The Lord made intercession for me as well as hee did for Peter and Paul or the rest But Brethren this is well to bee marked for whom it is that hee prayed not for euerie man and woman but for them who haue fayth for those that belieue in him Neuer soule got part of that Prayer or of his death or of his blessed resurrection or of that glorie that belieueth not Therefore let vs belieue as euer wee would haue anie grace for no grace shall euer appertaine to any soule but to that soule that belieueth It is not for scant of grace that the worlde perisheth The Prayer of Iesus Christ might extende it selfe to a thousande worldes Howe falleth it out then if hee might saue a thousande worldes that the worlde perisheth It is not for scant of vertue in the Prayer or in the death of Christ that the worlde perished but for want of fayth wee are not capable of the vertue of his death no soule is capable of that death but that soule that is faythfull that man that is faythfull is made partaker of all the Prayers of Iesus Christ and the vertue of that death shall strike out to his saluation Onelie belieue and thou shalt finde the effect of that Prayer but if thou belieuest not that Prayer shall not serue to thy saluation But this is to be marked How is this fayth gotten Those sayth hee who shall belieue in mee through their worde Fayth in Iesus Christ is ***** not gotten by euerie worde and euerie dreame and euerie vnwritten verity and fantasie of man The enemies haue filled the world with dreames and giue out fantasies and dreames to bee belieued The inuentions of the Pope and Cardinalls will not breede fayth in thine heart Looke the wordes They who belieue in mee through their worde No worde will breede fayth but the worde of the Apostles Christ will so honour them that hee will neuer worke fayth in the heart of man but by their worde onelie And so to the ende of the worlde no worde is to bee belieued but the worde of the Apostles and Prophets For this excludeth not the worde of the Prophets but the traditions of me If thou settest thine heart to seeke fayth by the worde of the Antichrist thou shalt neuer gette fayth in thine heart If thou wilt haue fayth heare this worde of the Apostles and if thou turnest thine eare from it all the wordes in the worlde shall not worke fayth in thine heart The thing which hee requireth would bee marked What requireth hee Hee requireth That they all may bee one So the thing which hee asketh for vs all to the ende of the worlde it is That wee bee joyned together in that conjunction of loue and made vp in one bodie and one newe man whereof the Head is the LORD IESVS and knitte vp with that band of perfection which is loue Without IESVS CHRIST there is no bodie there is no coniunction with the members no the sibbest conjunction in the worlde is not worth a pennie without IESVS CHRIST No the conjunction of man and woman which is a neare conjunction and the conjunction betwixt brother and sister and in a word all conjunction is nothing but a dispersion which is without Iesus Christ it is nothing but a variance This naturall life is nothing without Iesus Christ I might drawe this matter from the grounde After Adam had fallen and was seuered from God Adam and Eue had no true conjunction nor none of their posterie after them Then Brethren howe get wee our conjunction againe Euen by Iesus Christ and by that vertue in him for except in him nature and all these bandes bee sanctified by them men cannot bee joyned together amongst themselues For in him there is made a gathering together of all thinges both which are in Heauen and which are in Earth Ephes 1. vers 10. Coloss 1. vers 20. He insisteth vpon that vnion and he recommendeth it vnto vs and amplifieth it from the similitude between the Father and the Sonne The Father is in the Sonne and the Sonne is in the Father that is they are one by a wonderful and vnspeakable conjunction in a diuine nature and essence The thing in the world wherein we resemble moste that glorious Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the holie Spirit is this vnion Wouldest thou bee like the Father and like the Sonne and like the holie Ghost then bee vnited in heart and loue with the members of Iesus Christ There is no likenesse with the Father without this vnion A man full of malice in the heart is no more like to Iesus Christ and to the Father than the Deuill is and that is the thing which the Deuill seeketh moste of all to make men vnlike to God For as vnion with God bringeth life euerlasting so vnlikenesse with God and disseuering from him bringeth death euerlasting None shall bee safe in that Great daye but so manie as are vnited with
loued the faythfull as thou hast loued mee Wouldest thou knowe that God loueth the faythfull and that hee showeth mercie joyne thee to the bodie There are the two endes of the conjunction and joyning together of the members The first is the glorie of the Sonne the second is the glorie of the Father for by this conjunction it is knowne howe dearelie the Father hath loued the Sonne and by this it is knowne that the Father hath loued the world not with a common loue hee hath not loued the worlde onelie as a workeman loueth his worke-man-ship but as the Father hath loued the Sonne that is with a Fatherlie loue that is another sort of loue than a common loue What auaileth it to thee to knowe that God loueth thee as his creature if thou bee not assured that hee loueth thee with that entire loue wherewith he loued his Sonne and that hee loueth thee with that Fatherlie loue and with the bowels of pittie And if he loue thee as his Son he sheweth it in this That hee gaue his Sonne for thee for except the Father had loued thee as his Sonne with that Fatherlie loue hee had neuer sent Iesus Christ to redeeme thee The sending of Iesus Christ testifieth that hee loued thee with a Fatherlie loue Wee see heere wherefore God hath a Kirke in this worlde Wherefore is there a communion and conjunction of soules heere in this Earth Thinke not that a Kirke is gathered for none end Wherefore is it then that there is a Kirke In a worde It is that the glorie of the Father should shine in that societie and coniunction of the Sainctes in the Earth Iesus Christ is glorified in his Kirke and the Father of Iesus Christ is also glorified in it They who diuide and disseuer the Kirke of Iesus Christ in the Earth they doe nothing else but to deface the glorie of Iesus Christ and the glorie of the Father Wilt thou slay and persecute the Kirke of Christ What doest thou Nothing but defacest and scornest the glorie of Iesus Christ What are these men doing that persecute the Kirke that the Lord hath gathered in this Land Nothing but smoaring the glorie of the Father and the Sonne and the Lord shall turne their glorie to shame and confusion I giue them their doome The Father of Heauen shall turne them and all that shall conioyne with them to shame and confusion Marke the order howe the glorie of the Father and of the Sonne is knowne First wee knowe that the Sonne is sent from the Father for vs and our redemption Next by the sending of the Sonne for vs wee knowe tne vnspeakeable loue of the Father towardes vs. Nowe I goe forwarde When hee hath prayed for this coniunction and vnitie of the faythfull on the Earth that they may bee ioyned in one bodie hee is not content with this but hee seeketh more Father sayeth hee where I am I will that they bee there that they may see that glorie that thou hast giuen mee The Lord seeketh not onelie glorie to the faythfull in this life but glorie in the life to come Hee intercedeth not onelie for thee that thou mayest haue glorie in this life but also that thou bee glorified in the Heauens after this life For Brethren the Lord Iesus considered very well that our felicitie is not bounded within the compasse of this Earth That is a miserable happinesse that is bounded within this life thou art but a catiue if thou lockest for none other happinesse as PAVI sayeth in the first Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 15. Vers 19. Jf our fayth bee onelie in this worlde of all men in the worlde wee are the most miserable So if thou hast this grace onelie in this life thou art miserable for all the graces that thou gettest if thy felicitie reach not beyonde this worlde and beyond all eternitie thou art miserable Felicitie hath none ende the blessednesse of the faythfull man or woman hath none ende it is not drawne within the compasse of this Earth but it passeth aboue the Heauens and extendeth it to all eternitie Nowe our happinesse standeth in this coniunction and vnion partlie with our Head and our God and with our Neighbour to make one bodie to Iesus Christ In these two partes standenth our felicitie Thou beginnest this coniunction in this life but it shall neuer bee ended the perfection shall bee in Heauen when wee shall come to Heauen meete with him there then our coniunction with Christ and with the members of his body men and Angels shall be perfect The thing that worketh this coniunction and bringeth out charitie and ioyneth thee with thy neighbour is faith in Christ for we liue by faith and not by sight when thou castest thine eye afarre off to Christ for he is as farre from thee as the Earth is from the Heauen howbeit thou be in heauinesse and languor thou shalt once get peace and ioye when thou lookest to Heauen It is but a farre sight to looke thorowe the clowdes to see thy Redeemeer at the right hande of the Father but this is not the perfection the accomplishment is by a full and cleare sight when wee shall pierce the Heauens and shall see him not in a mirrour but face to face then the members shall bee perfected when wee shall see him and the glorie that the Father hath giuen vnto him This is common But O that thou couldest feele it sensiblie in thine heart to thy ioy and consolation J will that they be where I am that they may see the glorie that thou hast given mee before the foundation of the worlde Ere euer wee gette the presence of IESVS CHRIST ere wee see him face to face wee must chaunge our dwelling place wee will not gette the sight of Christ heere in this Earth Looke not to gette the sight of that glorie heere in the Earth thou must flitte out of the Earth to the Heauen Whatsoeuer soule would see his glorie that soule must flitte and before euer wee chaunge our dwelling place wee must first be chaunged wee must haue a chaunge of our selues There is neuer anie man nor woman that shall gette entrie into that SAnctuarie where the LORD IESVS sitteth in glorie but hee who is chaunged in himselfe It is impossible for a man or a woman to enter into Heauen with this mortalitie or with this death or with this corruption What are vvee but dead and mortall creatures Then thou must chaunge corruption into corruption and thou must chaunge thy mortall bodie into a glorious bodie Nowe this chaunge of man and woman cannot bee but by death What striketh more terrour to thine heart than death Yet there is no chaunge but by death or else that which shall stande vs in steade of death as when Christ shall come the clowdes in the latter day wee must bee chaunged in the twinkling of an eye This doctrine tendeth to this that wee abhorre not death altogether
and the leauing of this life that deat bee not so heauie to vs for howbeit nature abhorre it yet of a mortall bodie it maketh an immortall and it tendeth to take thee out of this Earth and to transport thee to that Heauenlie Paradise where Jesus Christ sitteth in glorie Yea and this I affirme There is no man nor woman that hath a desire to bee with Christ but hee groaneth vnder the burthen of mortalitie and would willingly imbrace death to bee with Christ yea the rememberance of his departure out of this life is ioyfull to him Fie vpon that man who hath his heart and affections knitee and glewed to the world euer seeking worldie honours or pleasures c. Thou souldest haue that disposition which Paul had looke what hee hee sayeth J desire to bee dissolued I haue confidence that J shall yet remaine with you but I choose rather to flitte out of this bodie and to goe and dwell with my Lord. Let vs not bee like Ethnickes who haue no blessednesse but beastlie blessednesse and looke for no blessednesse after his life If thou haue not an eye to Heaven and to that heauenlie blessednsse there is no blessednesse for thee This is to bee marked Who is it that will make this flitting from the Earth to Heauen Not euerie bodie but onelie so manie as the Father hath chosen from all eternitie Neuer one shall gette entrie to that Light and to that holie Sanctuarie but that soule whome the Father hath giuen to the Sonne If thou bee once giuen to the Sonne and once put into his handes howbeit thou bee a Pilgrime for while for thine inheritance is not heere howbeit thy bodie bee walking in sadnesse and heauinesse howbeit thou bee wandering farre from Christ on the Earth yet of necessitie thou shalt once dwell where Christ is This doctrine is verie common yet comfortable That bodie that is separated from his Lord and getteth not that fruition of his presence once hee shall goe where he shall get that presence howbeit not incontinent once hee shall bee lifted vp aboue the Earth and shall dwell in glorie with Iesus Christ The thing in the world that should be most perswaded of is That we are giuen to Iesus Christ There is no consolation for thee and thou needest not looke euer to dwell in Heauē with Iesus Christ if thou findest not this perswasion that Iesus Christ is become thy Lord and hath conquessed thee out of the handes of sinne and death There is none other consolation in life although thou shouldest liue ten thousande yeeres and much more in death without this thou shalt find no consolation but euen in death if thou findest this perswasion that thou lyest sleeping in the armes of Iesus Christ then thou shalt finde consolation and when the soule is departing out of the bodie it shall find in experience that joye Nowe yet the ende would bee marked There is the ende That they may see my glorie that thou hast giuen mee It is true indeede in this life the faythfull get a sight of the glorie of Iesus Christ for if there were not a sight of that glorie wherefore would all the pleasure of the worlde serue Thou wist neuer what joye meaned if thou gettest not a sight of that glorie But yet I say all the sight of Iesus Christ which wee haue in this life is as it were but in a mirrour and in a looking-glasse it is but a darke sight that thou hast of him This is by the Preaching of the Gospel wherein yee haue Christ first crucified and then glorified What is our Preaching but that Christ hath beene first crucified and nowe glorified at the right hande of the Father for the justification and sanctification of the worlde This is that darke sight which wee haue heere but one daye wee shall bee there where hee is and wee shall see him face to face and wee shall see such a glorious Majestie as wee would neuer haue looked for thou canst not looke for enough hope for as much as thou wilt when thou shalt bee with him it neuer entered into the heart of man that which once with the eyes of the bodie thou shalt see And therefore hee sayeth That they may see that glorie as though they sawe it neuer Wherefore shall it serue thee to see the glorie of Iesus Christ When once thou shalt see that Glorie face to face then perpetuallie tide and time thou shalt glorifie him What is the cause that wee cannot glorifie Christ in the Earth as wee shall doe in the Heauens Because wee haue not such a bright sight of his glorie in the Earth in this mortalitie as wee shall haue in the Heauens And if yee see a man yee will know him better than to heare speaking of him The greater sight thou hast of Christ the more thou shalt glorifie him A man that hath the smaller sight of him shall glorifie him the lesse but that man that hath no sight woe is him for hee will gette no glorie These dissolute men and women who haue no delight to glorifie him and haue gotten no sight of him shall gette no glorie Therefore when we shall gette the full sight euen that shining sight our delight shall bee to looke to our King and wee shall maruell that euer creature could see such a glorie and wee shall delight to glorifie him that sitteth vpon the Throne and when we shall see him then daye and night our Song shall bee as it is written in the Revelation Chap. 4. Vers 8. Holie holie holie is the Great GOD Almightie who was and who is and who is to come What is the cause of that Because of the brightnesse of the glorie which shall strike out from him vpon vs the crie shall neuer goe out of our mouth Well is that soule that will striue to glorifie him And that soule that can once studie to glorifie him that soule shall saye for euer Holie is the Lord. But shall wee not bee the better of it When thou lookest to a King in his glorie thou art neuer an haire the better But it shall bee farre otherwayes with thee when thou shalt see him So soone as wee shall see that glorie wee shall bee as soone transformed that bright face of the Sunne of Righteousnesse shall strike out the beames of his glory vpon thee and the beames shall goe to thine heart and shall illuminate thy soule and shall shoote out that darknesse and shall make thy bodie shine more brightlie that the Sunne So wee shall not so soone see him face to face after that glorious Resurrection but as soone thou shalt bee transformed to glorie and thou shalt shine like an Angel of Light Looke to the ende of the third Chapter of Paul in the 2. Epist to the Corinthians Wee with vncouered faces beholde as in a mirrour the glorie of the Lord and it transformeth vs into that same image from glorie to glorie The more that a man
consider the deepnes of this glorie yet wee may knowe that all glorie commeth of the Father and passeth on the Sonne and on the holie Spirit and as it were in a circle the beames of that glorie commeth backe againe glancing on the Father and the glorie of the Father is not diminished but euer hee remaineth infinitelie glorious and the Sonne and the holie Spirite are nothing inferiour in power majestie or glorie vnto the Father for they differ nothing except in order The Father is first and the Sonne is the seconde person of the glorious Trinitie begotten of the Father and the blessed holie Spirite the thirde person proceedeth of the Father and the Sonne all alike glorious Nowe I will leaue this There is euen such a meeting betwixt God and man in a manner for all the glorie which wee haue commeth of the Father for what is the glory of a King but a little small beame of that infinite glorie So the glorie of the creature redoundeth to God Looke to the Heauen and to the Earth there is great glorie in them yet the glorie of them shall all come to him againe and Heauen and Earth shall perish ere he want a jote of his glorie Rom. 11. By him thorow him and to him are all thinges So that to him redoundeth all glorie in ende all commeth home againe till him as in a circle And marke this he saith not this That thou mayst be glorified in the Sonne but That the Sonne may glorifie the Father If anie man hath gotten a sparke of that glorie let him not thinke that that glorie shall onelie come backe againe to God but let him bee the conuoyer of it and let him say yea if he bee a King who hath gotten a Crowne Lord I wil take this Crowne and with as good will as thou hast giuen it to mee will I giue it to thee againe for wee haue nothing but that which commeth from this God And so if thou hadst nothing but this life say Now Lord with as good will as I gotte it with as good will will I render it to thee otherwayes hee will bee glorified in thee whatsoeuer thou doest doe what thou canst but thy life shall bee turned into death and thine honour into shame and ignominie Therefore whensoeuer it pleaseth him to seeke our liues euen with heart and good will we should render them vnto him for if he take them from vs he will giue vs life euerlasting and if hee take a Crowne from a King hee will giue him the Crowne of life euerlasting And if hee take this worldly riches from thee hee will giue thee that rich treasure of glory in Iesus Christ and so with all other worldly things but if we giue them not with good will he will take them from vs wil giue them to others and we shall get shame and ignominie So in despite of thine heart God shall be glorified in whatsoeuer thing hee bestoweth on thee Therefore let euery one of vs whatsoeuer wee receiue of God bee so disposed that if it please God to haue our life riches or whatsoeuer commodities of this world we render all vnto God willingly as Job saieth The Lord giueth the Lord taketh blessed bee the Name of the Lord. As hee would say I haue gotten all from thee and I will giue all to thee againe What got Iob for rendring all to the Lord He gaue him the double Euen so thou shalt get the double Nowe the Lord prepare vs to offer vp this life willingly vnto him and to spende it thankfully for his glory and seruice being assured that wee shall gette a better life layde vp in the Heauens for vs through IESVS CHRIST To whom with the FATHER and the holie SPIRIT bee all Prayse Honour and Glorie world without ende AMEN THE XVIII LECTVRE OF CHRISTS PRAYER BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xvii VERS 2.3 As thou hast giuen him power ouer all flesh that hee should giue eternall life to all them that thou hast giuen him And this is life eternall that they knowe thee to bee the onelie verie God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ WEE shewed you the last daye Welbeloued in the Lord Iesus Christ that this Prayer which the Lord made to his Disciples before his death standeth in three parts First hee prayeth for himselfe and his owne glory Secondly he prayeth for his Apostles and for their preseruation Last he prayeth for the whole Faythfull the whole Kirke that should bee on the face of the earth to the ende of the worlde The last day we entered into the first part His petition in the first part was Father glorifie thy Sonne The first argument of his petition was The houre is at hande that is to saye The houre of my death is at hande therefore it is time that I should be glorified Let mee not lie for euer would hee he say in that terrible and ignominious and offensiue death but after the death after that shame and ignominie that I shall suffer immediately glorifie me Then the next argument was Glorifie thy Sonne Father that thy Sonne may glorifie thee I shall glorifie thee againe would hee saye and in mine exaltation and glorifying me thou shalt be glorified and so the whole glory shall redounde to thee therefore Father glorifie me In this Text which wee haue nowe read followeth the thirde reason of his petition why hee desireth that the Father should glorifie him The thirde reason is That I may giue life euerlasting to them that thou hast giuen to mee As he would say Father glorifie mee and I shall giue life euerlasting to thy Chosen it shall not bee for nothing but as my glory shall redounde to thy glory so it shall redounde to the saluation of thy Chosen to the ende of the world Ere he come to the argument he layeth downe the ground of it which is the authority that the Father had giuen to him Thou hast giuen mee authoritie ouer all flâ—sh sayth the Lord. This ground of the gift of life euerlasting is a power and authority which the Father hath giuen to the Sonne Whosoeuer giueth life hee must haue a great authority and a greater than all this earth hath All the Kings in the worlde haue not authority to giue life to a gnat Indeede the authority of a King may take away the life but they haue no power no if it were but to giue this life naturall let bee life euerlasting And so that power must be great to giue life euerlasting So this Princely and Kingly authority the Lord Iesus hath receiued of his Father Ye know his offices his Kingly office his Priestly and Propheticall office Life euerlasting and the gift of it is grounded on that Kingly authority which the Lord hath gotten from his Father But howe farre extendeth it Thou hast giuen mee authoritie ouer all flesh Neuer man nor woman is exempted from the Kingly power of Iesus Christ whether they be chosen or
reprobate Looke the fifth Chapter of this Gospel The Father hath giuen the Sonne all authoritie and judgement and by him doeth adjudge to life the chosen and to death the reprobate So there is neuer a soule exempted from his judgement The Lord himselfe in the 28. Chapter of Matth. vers 18. hee extendeth his authority larger The Father sayth he hath giuen mee all authoritie in Heauen and in Earth So that Iesus Christ hath not only authority ouer man and woman but ouer the Angels in Heauen he hath power ouer them all and ouer the Deuils and at the Name of IESVS all knees must bow of things Heauenlie and Earthlie if they bow not they shall bee broken I shall tell you more which is very comfortable This authority which the Lord hath gotten in Heauen and in Earth is not as he is God onlie bowbeit principally it be as he is God but this power that hee hath gotten ouer the Angels is euen as hee is man howbeit they bee glorious and farre more glorious that men yet they are not so glorious as the man the Lord Iesus So I saye euen as he is man he is head and King of the Angels Looke the 5. Chapter of Iohn vers 27. The Father hath giuen the Sonne all authoritie and judgement as he is the Sonne of man not onely hath hee this power as he is God but euen that nature of ours wherewith he is clad hath this power It is a worthie thing to bee marked what the Lord gathereth of this authoritie In the 28. Chap. of Matth. vers 18. The Father hath giuen mee all authoritie in Heauen and Earth Theâ—fore goe out saith he and preach and baptize all Nations in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the holie Ghost So ye see on that princelie authoritie which the Sonne hath he sendeth out his Disciples to preach And all that the Apostles did in the worlde in preaching and baptizing they did it on the authoritie of Christ Iesus their Lord. There was neuer an Ambassadour that went with such a power as the Apostles of Iesus Christ had in the world And Brethren to come to our selues I say euen this day all this preaching of the Gospel and all this ministring of the Sacraments and Discipline all proceedeth of this princely and kingly authority of the Lord Iesus Marke it The closing vp of Heauen and the opening vp of Heauen to penitent sinners whether it bee by word or discipline all is grounded on an higher authoritie than all the authoritie of the worlde There was neuer a King or Prince that had so great authoritie as this whereon the Discipline according to the worde of GOD and exercise of Religion is grounded And they who contemne this preaching of the Gospel and ministring of the sacramentes and Discipline they contemne not the ordinance of man it were better for them to contemne all the authoritie of Kinges but they contemne the authoritie of the great GOD for in the Kirke there is none authoritie but Christes authoritie and all that is done is founded on this auâ—hority We say not on the authority of Kings or of the Pope The Lord hath not translated this authority to any creature and therefore the Pope hath but an vsurped authority As for the Minister he hath no authority in his own person but onlie in the Lord Iesus And this is the difference betwixt the Kirke and the Policie The Lord Iesus hath giuen a part of his authority to the King or to the Magistrate but the Lord Iesus hath not giuen any part of his authoritie to any of the Kirke In the Policie there are Kinges but in the Kirke there is none but the Lord Iesus And all that tyrannie in the kingdome of the Antichrist is but vsurped there is not a minute of the word of GOD that can be a ground to it When he hath layde downe the ground of life hee telleth who will get this life Will euery one get this life No no neuer one getteth this life from him but the soule that the Father hath pulled out of this world and put into his hand The Lord will know well to whom he will giue this life euerlasting It may be he will throw a Kingdome to a man and giue him these earthly things in great aboundance but hee will not giue to euery one the Kingdome of Heauen If ye will weigh the words ye shall see distinctlie the part of the Father and of the Sonne in the worke of saluation The Father giueth men to the Sonne that is the part of the Father J will giue them life euerlasting that is the part of the sonne First the Father of the Lord Iesus choosed out so manie as hee would haue safe in his Sonne Christ Iesus and then in time hee calleth on them whome hee hath chosen hee knoweth them well enough hee calleth them by his worde and draweth the soules of them vnto him for if they bee not drawne they will not come as hee sayeth in the sixt Chapter of this Gospel vers 44. No man commeth to mee but them whome the Father draweth Hee draweth them by his holie Spirite to the Sonne and then hee and the Sonne keepeth them to the daye of their full redemption and giueth them life euerlasting So yee may see in this place and in the Epistle of Iude at the beginning that all who are safe in Iesus Christ are first called by the Father To them sayeth Iude who are called and sanctified by GOD and are saued by IESVS CHRIST I marke on this what is the grounde of this authoritie where hee sayeth These a home thou hast giuen mee J will giue them life euerlasting Hee ascribeth this authoritie to the Father and hee sayeth hee will saue none but these whome the Father hath giuen him All the Brethren reade of IESVS CHRIST the Sonne of GOD in this Euangel and thorowe out the whole Gospel yee shall neuer reade of him where hee speaketh of anie thing that hee is doing hath done or shall doe but hee giueth the whole glorie of it to the Father What meaneth this This is the ground of it He had his commission from the Father He came from the Heauen to the Earth out of the bosome of the Father he was an Ambassadour sent from his Father Nowe it is good reason that an Ambassadour sent in an Ambassadrie not only in deed but also in worde honour his Prince otherwayes hee is but a traytor The LORD IESVS was an Ambassadour sent from the Father therefore in all his actions and in all his wordes hee honoureth his Father There is not one of vs all but wee haue a commission from GOD and is placed in a calling and there is not one of vs high nor lowe but wee are borne to doe some thing Then if the Sonne of God equall with God hauing a calling of his Father sought to glorifie God so let vs also in word and deed