vve shall finde as many destroyed by deceit as by violence and a faire clocke of justice casten ouer deceite And in vvhat thing should they not circumveene In any manner of dealling or trafficking The Lord so long as it pleases him that we remaine in this worlde hes appointed a mutuall buying and selling otherwayes we could not liue and he hes ordained this buying and selling to be so that bothe the parties winne the buyer winne the seller-winne and he vvho blockes aright and deales vvithin his neighbour according to the word of God aright he vvill not be content to vvinne himselfe alone No the conscience of him will say and must say I vnderstand as I haue made my ovvne vauntage so shoulde my brother make his vauntage also But alas such is our selfe loue that vve can neuer thinke vve get aduauntage except our brother get losse Alas this sin is ouer much vsed in Scotland The Lord amend it The Lord is the auenger of sinne And if in blocking thou seeke not the aduauntage of thy neighbor that blocks with thee with thy aduantage thy aduantage shall be a curse to thee and thou shalt cursse the time that euer thou got that aduantage Whom should they not deceaue He sayes a brother Thou shouldst not beguyle any man neither Turke nor Pagane much more shouldst thou beware to beguile a Christian a brother or sister for I assure thee God will not see them wrongde The Lord that is thy master he vvill repaire the vvrong He that is made a brother to the first begotten of the Father the Lord vvill not see that brother vvrongde The Apostle 1. Corinth chap. 6. verse 8. settes dovvne that matter as a great indignitie saying Ye doe injurie ye doe hurt to your brother and them vvho hes giuen their names to Christ ye shame your selues to beguyle your brethren But to open the matter more deeplie There are manie conjunctiones the Lorde hes ordained to be among men as of bloude affinity ciuile societie c. and euerie one of these conjunctiones oblishes them to do no wrong to that person with whom they are conjoined But when this Christian conjunction commes in in our elder brother Christ when we are all members of one bodie in one head Christ not sundrie bodies as brethren on earth are this conjunction aboue all conjunctiones bindes me and thee to deale truelie in anie blocke vve haue vvith our brother So vvhen thou art dealing vvith anie man say this vvith thy selfe he with vvhom I deale is my brother and a member of that bodie of Christ and therefore farre be it from me to deceyue him Alas if men coulde thinke on this at their blocking that they vse to deale vvith a brother in Christ and member of that bodie for all the vvorlde they vvoulde not set themselues to beguile their brother Many testifies by their deceite they are not brethren in this bodie for if they vvere brethren indeed for all the world they vvoulde not deceaue them Novv there is heere another thing I see among all conjunctiones that euer hes beene in any societie or conjunction in this earth the most powerfull conjunction to keep men together in one societie and mutuall loue and concord is this spirituall conjunction of vs in the Lord All the lawes and conjunctions that euer hes been in any commonwel since the beginning are not so powerfull to keepe men in societie as this conjunction we haue together in one head Marke it I tell you if men and wemen be not joined together in one head by a spirituall vnion it may be there be a face of vnitie in the Countrie but no societie and sinceritie in loue except the Lord be the binder and conjoiner together no true conjunction If Christ be not the conjoyner and the binder of the man with the wife the father with the sonne no true conjunction I will not say that that Romane and Grecian Common-well that had no part in God through Iesus Christ had euer any true conjunction or sinceritie in loue No sinceritie in concorde but that that is made vp in Iesus the Lord when we runne all in to be members of one bodie and he sitting and joyning vs altogether as peeces of that bodie then there will be a sweete conjunction Alas ye see this sweete harmonie and vnitie is not among people yea alas among them that professes Christianitie greater outcasts nor among Turkes The cause is there are manie and ouer manie that call themselues Christians and takes vpon them to be in the bodie that hes no part in Iesus and hes nothing adoe with him It is shame that they should take this name vpon them for it is true if thou wert a true member of that bodie thou wouldst not seuere thy selfe from the rest of the bodie by thy murther oppression deceit c. These homicides and murtherers does testifie men and wemen are not truelie conjoyned in this bodie but keepes the name of Christianitie without effect Now he casts to one reason of these two thinges saying God is the anâ—â—ger of all such thinges bothe of deceitfulusse and oppression The reason is terrible and it telles vs God sees all and teaches vs that in this rinke to Heauen if we be not hedged in with terrors yea the best of vs with terrors on this side and terrors on that side we will runne out of the way And therefore as God hes appointed faire promises to exhort men to goe forward saying Goe forward thou shalt get a faire Crowne So on the other part knowing faire promises will not doe the turne he threatens judgements saying Goe thou out of the way my vengence shall ouertake thee yea he does more nor this and casts in greater terrors he knowes that wordes will not doe the turne whiles he takes an harlote as it were by the neck and and in the sight of the world he will teare him in peeces and let men see that the vengence of God followes on sin and wil strike him with such a sodaine death that men will feare to doe the like We see daily such experience of Gods judgements whiles he vvill take an oppressour vvho hes oppressed men in this world and wil tred on him with his feet to terrifie the world and this is his daily doing in this world Now taking this man and that woman now and then punishing them to let the world see that punishment is for sinne and sin craues judgement yea and let them see there is a day of judgement comming when he wil tak soule and bodie and cast them into hel For these temporall judgements are but as many tokens to tell vs there is a day comming when all oddes shall be made euen When ye see a man plagued temporallie stand not there but thinke on the last punishment vnlesse repentance interueene Ye will maruell when ye see a man running in wickednesse that the Lord in our sight instantlie strikes him not No knowe
concerning those vvho are at sleepe That is I vvoulde not haue you ignorant of their estate vvhat is their estate while they lye in graue vvhat their estate shall be thereafter Of these and such things I vvould not haue you ignorant Now the lesson is easie There are none of vs but in some measure vve shoulde knowe what is the estate of them who are dead vvhat is their estate in the graue vvhat shall be their estate after the graue It appertaines to euerie Christian to know the estate of the dead in some measure as well as it pertaines to them to know the estate of the liuing not passing the reuelation that the Lord hes made therin Dreame not anie estate to the dead knovve no more of it nor it pleases God to reueale nor desire to know no more The Papistes passes in curiositie and can not be satisfied with the Lords reuelation but let vs be content with the reuelation of the Lord vntill that great reuelation come Alwaies it pertaines to vs in some measure to knovve the estate of the departed IgnoraÌ„ce brings sorrovv and knovvledg ioy Ignorance brings a great deale of sorrow vvith it The effects of ignorance in things vve should know are displeasure and sorrow Knowledge of the things vve should know and especially of the estate of those departed this life brings joy consolation Ignorance made Iacob excessiuelie to mourne for his sonne Ioseph without anie cause thinking he was dead when he was aliue Being fred from his ignorance and knowing the estate of his son and that he was aliue he found joy and consolation So light and knowledge brings joy The blinde opinion of this dreame of Purgatorie that the Papists hes inuented hes brought exceeding great displeasure to many To thinke that the soule lovvsed from the bodie should be tormented in Purgatorie ere it enter in glorie But men being fred from this ignorance and knowing assuredly that the soule immediatlie after it seueres from the bodie passes to eternall joy men and vvemen knovving this in the pointe of death no question they are exceeding glad Then brethren to speake it againe Ignorance brings great displeasure knowledge bringes joy when vve knowe the estate of thinges as they are indeed then there is joy Therefore the Apostle sayes That ye 〈◊〉 not as others vvho hes no hope That is as the Gentiles An ignorant and hopelesse bodie who hes no hope of the resurrection who knowes nothing of the resurrection and therefore hopes not for it his mourning and sorrowe will be excessiue This is the meaning of the Apostle Ignorance bringes 〈◊〉 in death it makes a man hopelesse not to hope for a lyfe after this lyfe nor for a resurrection to lyfe and being 〈◊〉 what joy can he haue a bodie dying without hope no 〈◊〉 if thou bee not in hope when thou art dying all the world shall not make thee to rejoyce By the contrair ye heare by the Apostle knowledge bringes hope for hope is the effect of knowledge and hope bringes joy and comfort in the houre of death None euer yet died in the hope of that glorious resurrection but in the houre of death they rejoyced with joy vnspeakable The joy that hope bringes being grounded on knowledge is wonderfull It will not be conteined in the heart but the mouth will open and glory in the joy it apprehendes throgh the hope of the resurrection in Iesus Christ The Apostle Rom. chap. 5. verse 2. saies We rejoyce vnder the hope of the glory of God I meane not brethren that that knowledge that workes hope and that hope that workes joy will take away from a man altogether all displeasure all heauinesse all mourning in the departure of our friendes and them we loue well No it will nor nor should not doe that There is no grace of God in Iesus that puts out any naturall affection none will take away either naturall joy or displeasure no faith and hope will not doe it but it makes that naturall affection sanctified and puts it in order Our dolour which by nature is immoderate it moderates hope will bring with it a measure knoweledge will bring with it a measure and faith which is the fountaine of all graces will bring with it a measure In a word Faith hope and knowledge will temper and mingle the affection of displeasure which is bitter with the affection of joy and make a sweete temperature in that bodie so that the bodie that hes knowledge and hope when it is mourning fastest it will haue greatest joy Beware of your mourning and looke that it be neuer altogether without some joy Sobst thou sighst thou vnspeakablie Looke that thy â—ighs be mingled with joy vnspeakable Will ye haue my counsell Let neuer joy be the alone but let euer joy be tempered with sorrow Haue not srrow the alone but let it 〈◊〉 be mingled with some joy So long as thou liuest thou art naturallie inclined to sinne and sinne procures sorrow And therfore so long as sinne dwelles in thy bodie let euer thy joy be tempered with sorow but let neuer thy sorow for sinne be it alone but tempered with some joy in the mercie of God This shoulde be the estate of a christian in laughing forget not sin but sorow for it be not vvanton vnder the burden of sin Againe in mourning let joy be for the mercie of Christ to vs. The Apostle sayes 1. Thess 5. 16. Reioice euer yea euen when thou art mourning for there is matter of eternall joy offered in Christ and therfore rejoice vvith a sanctified and with an holie joye This is the first lesson Then brethren I gather on the vvords of the Apostle As the Gentiles vvho haue no hope of resurrection where there is no hope there is no comfort vvhere a mans hope is bounded within the compasse of this life and reaches not out beyond the same there is no comfort make him king of all the worlde if his hope be onelie on the kingdomes of this earth if he hope not for that heauenlie kingdome Want of hope doth bring dispaire in death to be an inheritour there he hes no joye nor comfort I meane that solide joye and comfort vvhich the world neuer ministers to men Al the kingdoms in the earth will neuer minister to thee solide joy comfort consolation Novv brethren this is the estate of the Gentiles Paul Ephes 2. 12. speaking of their estate sayes they liued in the world without God aliants from the Common-well of Israell from the Church of God strangers from the couenants of promise without hope without God in the world and so hopelesse coÌ„fortlesse I can not say that euer any Gentile that liued as a Gentile what euer was their ranke on the earth that euer they had any comfort all these Monarches that liued without grace in the world I can not say that in the midst of their triumph greatest glory they had any comfort much lesse
of man is in rejoycing in God So that he who hes not that spirituall joy hes no blessednesse if they had al the world Then we see prayer bringes joy asking bringes joy so also vve see thanking bringes joy thanking of God rises on joy thanking of God ends in joy thanking of God standes in the midst Prayer will begin with sorrow and it ends in joy vpon this joy commes thanking vpon thanking commes joy againe So all endes in joy Would ye haue this out of the Scripture in that 4. Philipp verse 7. drawes not Paul that peace of God that passes all vnderstanding our of prayer and thanksgiuing In all things let your requests be shovvâ—n to God vvith prayer and supplication vvith thankesgiuing Then he subjoines when ye haue prayed and thanked that peace sayes he that passes all vnderstanding shall guard your mindes in Christ. Then peace rises on these two groundes prayer and thanksgiuing to God So thanking brings joy asvvell as prayer To go forward in the words Thank him sayes he in all things As he would say in all thinges that are incident and falles out in the world thanke him As all is matter of joy Prosperity and aduersitie vvell vvoe life death so let all be matter of thanking what euer he sends thanke him Is it a great matter to thanke him in prosperitie when thinges goes well with thee But I say thou hast not the grace of thanksgiuing except thou can thanke him asvvell in aduersitie as prosperity asvvell in death as in life Then I see these three thinges joy prayer and thanking they haue a common propertie which is continuance without intermission in all maner of thinges in prosperitie in aduersitie in well in woe in life in death rejoyce euermore in prosperitie in aduersitie in well in woe in life in death pray euer And last in prosperitie in aduersitie in vvell in vvoe in life in death in all thinges thanke him Will ye go through them As for joy thy estate can not be so euill in the world if thou be in Christ but thou hast matter of ioy Then againe vvere thy estate in this vvorld neuer so good yet thou hast neede to pray for so long as thou remainst here thou getst not all graces And last if thy estate vvere neuer so miserable yet if thou haue a grip of Christ thou hast matter to thanke God Then if this be true hes not the Apostle said well Reioyce euermore Then pray continually then in all thinges giue thankes to God Let not therefore these thinges be vvords onely but practise them in lyfe There is none of vs but vve haue matter to practise our ioy Who are in such a misery but they haue some matter of ioy yea there are none of vs but we haue cause to vse all these preceptes Rejoice euermore pray continually and in all things giue thankes Now to come to the reason in the next wordes For this is the vvill of God In all thinges in prosperitie in aduersitie thanke him Wherefore Because it is Gods will that ye should thanke him aswell in aduersitie as in prosperitie in death aswell as in life it is his will rest on his will Yet brethren to speake one vvord of this vvill I haue spoken of it sundrie tymes before I say and the Scripture sayes The onely light of this vvorld is Gods vvill Gods vvil the onely thinge to be knovvn the only rule of our actions And I say the onely knowledge and wisdome that a man can haue in this vvorld is to knovve vvhat is Gods vvill Fy on all the knowledge and vvisdome of men in this world if they knowe not this He will start vp and he will be called a vvise man All the Philosophers vvould be counted vvise men but vvhich of all the Philosophers did knovve vvhat vvas Gods vvill And these tvvo partes of his vvill is speciallie â—oulds vs in the Scripturel First vvhat vve should doe that vve may serue him And then vvhat he vvill doe with vs. A vaine Philosopher hee knovves much of nature but knovves he the vvill of God Knovves he it not Then he is a plaine foole Knovves he these thinges Then he is a vvyse man Paul to the Ephesians chap. 5. verse 17. Be not fooles but vnderstand vvhat is the vvill of God Then wherein standes wisdome To knowe what is the will of God Who is the foole He that knowes not what is the will of God Who knowes Gods will is wise and the end shall proue it Then as the onely true knowledge and wisdome in this world is to know Gods will so the onely 〈◊〉 and square of our life in the world is the rule of Godds will There are two thinges we haue to seeke knowledge and action Would thou haue knowledge Know Gods will Would thou haue action and do any thing that would merite any commendation Do according to Gods will The rule of all actions that is truely commendable in Gods sight is his will for that man who hes the commendation of God is onely the man that should be commended do any thing because God hes willed thee to do it go not to thy own will for thou do thy wil maners not being agreable with Gods wil shall lead thee to Hel. Then do nothing but according to Gods will First know what is Gods wil and then do nothing for al the world but that which is agreable thereto If thou doest thy own will or the will of any man looke that it be conformable to Gods will and so do it otherwaies not and then do it because it is the will of God and not because it is the will of man Then see ye not how graue an argument the Apostle sets downe knowing it is Gods will that we should thank him ay should we not repose on his will It is Gods vvill vvhich is the onely light and rule of all actiones Whosoeuer knowes his will they haue a faire light in all their actiones A man will neuer wander wrong who hes such a light before his eyes If thou see that it be Gods vvill that thou goe through wildernesse through darknesse yea through Hel obey his will and take journey and I promise thee thou shalt finde the fairest outgait that euer was Count not of the way if thou haue the light of the will of God before It is not possible that Hell shall preuaile against that bodie that settes the selfe to pleasure God Well is him that sets himselfe to pleasure him who is Lord ouer all and who onely is able to pleasure vs all The world shall not pleasure thee if God pleasure the not What matter to displease all the world if we set our selues to please him Marke further he sayes It is the vvill of God tovvardes you This is a speciall will that concornes all Christians not a generall will concerning the world but a speciall will concerning you that are Christians vvho hes giuen your names
therfore let vs come to some obseruations Ye see heere first of all great matter of thanksgiuing to God Grace in 〈◊〉 people dâ—uble mater of thanksâ—guing when this sweete harmonie is betweene the pastor and the people when as he teaches and instructs them louingly and faithfullie they receiue that worde he deliuers to them and therto they conforme their life conuersation There is a sweet meetting and if euer there was matter of thanksgiuing in this world heere is matter in the faithfulnes of the pastor and in the faith of the people meetting that faithfull discharge of the Pastor in his office It is true when the pastor findeth the grace of God in him selfe allone albeit he finde no meeting in the people he hes matter of thanks-giuing to God for hovve so euer it be if that he doe playe the part of a faithfull pastor he is a sweet smell to God as vvell in them that perishe as in them that shall be saued by the vvord 2. Cor. 2. 15. If ye meete him not he will be safe if that hee discharge a faithfull dewtie but your bloude shall be vpon you owne heades So he hath matte through the grace he hath receiued to rejoyce in God But brethren when grace meetes grace when the faith of the people doth meete the faithfulnes of the pastor when hee is not onelie a svveete smell to God but he is the sauour of life to life to the people there is the double matter of reioysing and thankesgiuing to God double grace and meetinge of grace craue double rejoysinge and thankes-giuing to God for the mercie double bestovved vppon them If anie man had euer anie grace Paule had it yet the man is neuer satisfied in his owne persone except he finde grace in those to whom he vttered grace meeting his grace except he finde his ministrie povverfull to them whom he teaches for otherwise he counts all his labour and running to be in vaine Therefore all teachers should striue to finde the povver of the worde in the people for wherefore are Ministers sent in the worlde but to see that that word be effectuall in the people to vvinne them to God and in verie deede he may rejoice when he sees the saluation of the people wrought by his teachinge This in generall Now to come to the words Their faith is set downe in sundrie degrees and marke them the first degree is hearing they heare the word of the Apostle 4. degries of saith there is the first grace in the people meetting the pastor when they giue their presence heare him patientlie It is of the grace of God that a man or woman can sit and heare the vvord of God and it appeares that it is the grace of God ye see manie in Scotland that gets neuer the grace to heare no preaching 1. Hearing of the vvord no hearing in many parts of the land miserable are they without preaching without hearing No question what euer other causes be of the lacke of preaching hearing it is a just judgement of God on the people and woe be to them that drawes away the moyen of preaching and hearing from the people miserable shall their end be For I see not how saluation shall be without preaching and hearing There are many againe that albeit occasion of hearing bee offred to them and the teacher be at hand yet they will not come to heare they may heare and will not heare Some will come to sit down but if any thing touch their affection they will heare with impatience all this showes you hearing is of grace First to get the occasion of hearing is grace next to heare patientlie to heare sin and vice rebuked in all estates of men and vvomen it is a grace for some in hearing their sinne rebuked they heare impatiently with grudging and as soone as they remoue and go out that impatience breakes out in bitter vvords As when Steueâ— in the 7. chap. Acts ver 57. 58. is speaking to that Councell of the Iewes that vvere conueened as soone as he speakes against them they put their fingers in their eares and rusâ—ing on him stone him to death The 19. chapt Acts verse 33. when Alexander stands vp among the Ephesians certaine people beeing conueened together when he begins to speake to them of the way of God against Demetrius they cry out all vvith one shoute immediatlie Great is Diana of the Ephesians The 22. chapter Acts verse 23. when Paul makes a discourse of his ovvne life and comes to this that he vvas called to be a teacher to the Gentiles they rent their clothes and cast dust vp in the aire All this telles vs the fury and rage of the heart against God against Christ his word And by the contrair it is a speciall grace of God that men and vvemen gets when they can sit still and heare the word of God patiently There is the first degree The second degre of their faith and meeting of the Apostle is receyuing of the vvord That is to say a receyuing and approuing of the word of God 2. generall allowance to be true and good euen a generall allowance therof When this man will say vvithin himselfe this is true that is spoken Many gets not this grace for many when they heare suppose they lend their eare to the vvorde in their minde they disalovv that which is spoken and albeit thy mouth be close yet the minde vvill be making contradiction The naturall man saies the Apostle 1. Cor. 2. 14. vvhen he heares of heauenlie things he vnderstands them not yea more he thinks them all but foolishnesse Set vp a naturall man he will scorne all that is spoken of Christ and of spirituall things and will laugh at them in his owne heart When Paul came to Athens Act. 17. vers 18. and entered among those high headed Philosophers and begouth to speake of the way of God They met him againe with scorning and they said What meanes this bablor they thought all that he spoke babling There are many of them in Scotland who thinks vvhen a man speaks of Christ that all is but babling Then it is a grace of God to geue an allowance to that vvhich is spoken There is farther heere 3. 〈…〉 heart The third degree of grace is embracing the word in the heart There are many that can heare that is a grace when they haue heard will giue a generall allowance that all is good all is true there is the second grace but in the meane tyme they will shoote it all out of their heart they will say it is true and good but what is that to me they neuer emembrace it in their owne heart Simon Magus as it is tolde Acts 8. 21. allowed of that which was spoken it is said he had faith in the meane time no application in his ovvne heart for shortlie after he vttered that gall of bitternesse which was in
in the hour of their death had they any cōfort joy and when they saw there was nothing but death and all pleasure was away then there was nothing but sorowe Hadrian the Emperour I remember who was one of the most glorious Conquerours in the world when he was on death-bed he flatters with his owne soule to see if she would haue bidden within the body saying My litle soule wilt thou bide within the body thou waits not where thou art going to without hope he was and therefore comfortlesse and dies in dispair To let vs see there is none that deceasses without the hope of lyfe and of that glorious resurrection but they die all in dispare from the King to the begger Who euer died since the beginning of the world without Christ and hope in him yea before he was manifested in the world but they deceassed in dispare So as ye wold die in joy striue to get Christ It is a thing flesh and bloud wil not giue thee and it is a greater wonder to see Christ nor to see a man through a rock ther are so many impediments to hinder his fight from 〈◊〉 Therefore we haue to craue that the sprit of Iesus wold lighten the eye of the mynde in vs aboue nature to see him and then we shall see him and so haue comfort in death Now to go forward in the wordes and to come to the heades in particulare concerning them that are departed The first thing he instructs them in I take it vp when he saies Concerning them that are asleepe is in respect of their estate present while as they lye in graue Bodies of the godlie sleepe in the graue The bodies lying in the graue sayes he is not dead Ye beleeue they be dead No death is one thing and sleepe is another They are onely sleeping for if ye will speake of death what it meanes properlie The death of the creature properlie is the euerlasing punishment and destruction of it for euer And they vvho dies and are dead they shall neuer liue againe at the least they shall neuer haue a sense of joy So the bodies of the godlie are not dead but sleeping and lying in graue and they haue a verie being a man that is sleeping is a man and hes a being a bodie in the graue hes a being and bydes lying in the graue in substance and shall abide continuallie And if it should be burnt in the fyre or drovvned in the vvatter the dissolution of the bodie in the graue shall not destroye the being thereof The turning of it in ashes is no other thing to speake of it properlie but a fyning of it as the goulde is fyned by the fyre and the drosse burnt vp so the bodie is fyned in the graue and the drosse of the bodie is but at vp that at the latter day the substance of the bodie being purified may rise as gold glistering to be conjoined with the soule The Apostle 1. Cor. 15. 53. 54. 55. when he speakes of death he sayes that the graue is not able to svvalovv the bodie but that mortality which is sin death in the body may be svvalovved vp of immortalitie So it is the mortalitie and drosse of the bodie that is burnt vp and not the substance but the substance of the bodie is cleansed and purified that it may raigne with the head Christ in glorie for euer Now to speake of this word sleeping The Scripture when it speakes of death cals it sleeping And when Iesus speakes of Lazarus he saies Our friend Lazarus sleepes but I goe to vvake him vp Ioh. 11. 11. And it is said of Steuen Act. chap. 7. verse 60. He sleeped In the olde Testament commonly there is a word added to it he sleeped with his Fathers he was joined with his Fathers Now to come to the purpose There are two parts of man A bodie and a soule When it is said that a man sleepes thinke not that his soule sleepes referring this word sleeping to the soule Some vaine men thinkes that the soule after the deceasing sleepes vntill the comming of Christ No the soule liues and sleepes not it liues and shall liue in dispyte of all the world either in paine or pleasure for euer The soule of the vngodly is translated immediatlie after death to paine and hes a wonderfull sense of paine and a liuing in paine a continuall paine anguish and torment If there were no more to testifie this but the parable of Lazarus and the rich Glutton it may suffice It tels thee that the soule of the riche Glutton had in Hell the own paine Luc. 16. 19. The soule of the godlie againe after death liues in joy And so Paul Philip 1. verse 23. sayes I vvould be dissolued and be vvith Christ viz. liuing in soule And 2. Cor. chap. 5. verse 8 I loue rather to remoue out of the bodie and to goe to God to dvvell vvith him And God is said to be the God of the liuing that is to say of the soales that liues in glorie Matt. 22. 32. So the word of sleeping is not to be referred to the soule but to the bodyes of men and wemen for as a bodie lyes downe in his bed so the bodie after dissolution is laid downe in the graue to sleepe vntill the day of resurrection There is no sleepe that by nature is euerlasting and vvhen a man hes sleeped and is satisfied vvith sleepe he must waken So the bodie if it sleepe in the graue of necessitie it must waken againe If there were no more but this word sleeping it testifies that there shall be a resurrection Now vnderstand farther that the word sleeping in the Scripture is referred to the bodies both of the reprobat and elect The bodie of the reprobat is said to sleepe The bodie of the elect is said also to sleepe So Daniell sayes chap. 12. verse 2. Many of them that are a sleepe in the dust in the earth some of them shall rise to lyfe some of them to shame and ignominie We are all sleeping but I see a diuersitie in resurrection the bodie of the elect shall rise to euerlasting glorie the body of the wicked to eternall death and damnation And yet albeit this word be common to both yet most properly it is ascriued to the bodies of the godly For euen as a man sleeps to this end that he may rise vp again more chearfully and be more able to take in hand any handy-worke do his calling So it is the body of the godly onely that sleeps to rise more chearfully to the actions and doings of that life eternall It is a wonderful change It lyes down a weak and infirme body it will rise again a strong body it lyes down in ignominy it wil rise againe a glorious body and there was neuer a man so altered comforted by naturall sleepe as the body of the elect shall be altered and comforted by that sleep in
so stagring as thou art except thou leane on Christ This is most true It is not so much our apprehension we haue of Christ as his apprehension of vs that holds vs vp A chylde that is learning to goe albeit he grippe he cannot holde himselfe vp but it is the grip of the Nourse that holdes vppe the chylde It is so betweene God and vs We are all infantes Iesus hes vs in his hand we make a glifring to grip him againe but when he lettes vs goe then we fall So this is our comfort that vve are gripped by God and his grip vpholdes vs for vvhen he grippes to the heart of any man his hand neuer lowses againe and thou shalt neuer goe out of his grippe yea euen in that time when thou thinkest thou art gone and the Lord hes casten thee offyn the meane-time he hes thee in his grip and in that meane-tyme vvhen thou appearest to be left call to remembrance that he hes gripped thee and then assure thee yet he grips thee And say Who shall be able to separate me from the loue of Christ Rom. 8. 35. And Iesus sayes None is able to reaue my sheepe out of my hand Iohn 10. 28. Who shall be able to lowse his hand This is all in one vvorde Seeke this apprehension and stand fast in Christ and death shall not seuer thee from him but lyfe shall follow death glorie shall follow ignominie immortalitie shall svvalovv vp the mortalitie that vve are heere subject to Well then brethren who wait when we shall be striken Therefore let vs euer be prepared and let vs not looke to the Pest Nothing shall be able to seuere vs from God if he haue gripped vs ` Paul sayes Philipp 3. 8. 9. that he counted all thinges but dongue that he might be found of him and knowe him and the force of his resurrection Yet to insist in the words expressing this resurrection he saies that God shall bring vs vvith him that is with Christ So our resurrection what is it VVhat is our resurrection but a bringing of vs to God to be joyned with him in that blessed societie Our felicitie and blessednesse both in body and soule is to be joined with God For vnderstand so long as thy bodie lyes in the graue lyes in ignominie in a maner it is seuered from God it is apart from God in some maner it is not so near him as it wil be it is yet lying in ignominy Now in the resurrection of the dead that body that was separated frō God and lay in ignominie for a tyme ryses to be joyned with God to the end it may be glorified for euer This is the resurrection of the bodies of the godlie But it is farre otherwaies with the resurrection of the vngodly They rise indeed and must rise for they shall be pulled out of the graue for faine would they ly still they must ryse to receiue that paine of damnation they shall ryse but neuer to be brought to God The Scripture indeed speakes that they shall rise but neuer to be broght to God but they rise to be seuered from God more nor they were They are seuered when they are in the graue but when the body shall be joyned to the soule then they shall be farther seuered And looke how far is betweene the hie Heauens and the low Helles as far distance shall there be betweene God and the reprobate They shall not be conuoyed vp to meete Christ in the cloudes as the bodies of the godly are No but they shall stand on the earth Yet to insist Are the bodies of the elect broght them alone to God No what euer bodie must be brought to God in the resurrection it must be broght in companie it must be in a societie and conjunction ere that bodie be conjoined with God He saies vvith Christ. That bodie must be brought to that glorious societie with God but first it must be joyned with Iesus otherwaies thou shalt neuer rise to God Then would ye haue the order Paul speaks of in this resurrection for euerie one shall rise in order The first is Christ Christ the first of them that rises his glorious body rose first Then after that they who are in Christ that is they who stands in that conjunction with him as imps in the tree vvho are ingraft in his bodie then they shall ryse with him Therefore in one word Wouldst thou knowe whether thou shalt be joined with God or not looke if thou standst fast in that conjunction and vnion with Christ in this lyfe and if thou finde thy selfe vnited with Christ in this lyfe then in the glorious resurrection with God shalt thou be And so this is a thing that I euer aduertise you of Looke euer that thou be a member of that glorious bodie Be either an eye or foote or hand be some part of the bodie of Christ And certainly being joined with him when he is joyned with God euen God the Father of necessitie thou being a member of the bodie thou must be joined with God For thy conjunction with God is not immediat but thou must first bee joyned with Christ and being conjoyned with Christ thou shalt be joyned with God also in glory Now vvho shall be the doer of this It is a great vvorke to draw vp this bodie out of the graue to Heauen and set it in that glorie Will the bodie rise the alone where got it that strength will any Angell draw it vp No all the Angels in Heauen is not able to raise vp a bodie to Heauen all the power in earth cannot raise vp a dead bodie Then who must doe it No power in Heauen nor earth but the power of God Paul Ephes chap. 1. verse 19. calles it the effectualnesse of the strong povver of God There is no vvorke in this vvorld vvherein the povver of God appeares more nor in the vvorke of the rising first of Christ vvhen he vvas dead and then of our bodies that are in him The power and strength of God as greatlie appeares in the raising of the bodie as it did in making of the world when before it vvas not It is as great a matter to make a thing to liue as to make it There is as great power to make the dead to liue as to make any thing of nothing And this povver is onely proper to God The power of the world may put out the life but no power can giue lyfe but onely Gods There are many slayers but none to giue lyfe but onely God Therefore let vs glorifie the God of lyfe Then marke two causes of our glorious resurrection 2. causes of our resurrectiō He speakes not of the resurrection of the reprobate The first cause is the conjunction with Iesus begunne in this lyfe The second cause is the power and might of God in raising of them being found in Iesus Take any of these two away thou shalt neuer be brought
to God If thy conjunction be not with Iesus in this lyfe the power of God in the latter day shall not raise thee to joyne thee to God Take this first cause away the second shall not follow Then againe if the hand of God at the day of the resurrection should not be put as it were out of Heauen to take vp thy bodie thou wouldst ly still Therfore joyne these two First the conjunction with Christ that is by Faith then joyne with Faith the power and vertue of God and so ryse shalt thou and be joyned with God in glorie Now as to the power of God to raise vs it is not extended to vs heere but we shall see it in that great day but the thing vve haue to care for is to looke that we haue saith and of necessitie the second must follow Hast thou faith and art thou joyned with Christ by Faith of necessitie the power of God must reache to thee to raise thee out of the graue Thou needest not to feare if thou be found in Christ All mercie power and glorie is in him if thou be out with Christ no glorie nor mercie but damnation for thee for the power of God shall be extended to thy destruction Now to the next verse Yet he goes forward and teaches them that not onely they shall rise and be broght to God and be joyned with him But he sayes This say vve vnto you by the vvord of God that vve vvho liue and are remaning at the comming of the Lord shall not preueene them vvho sleep He speakes heere of himselfe as thogh he should haue bene liuing at the day of judgement and yet he died more nor a thousand yeere since To teach vs euer to be in readinesse no houre nor moment should be but we should look for the cōming of Christ and think we shall be liuing whē he commes This is our vain thoght we think we shal die before the day of judgment No Paul spok not so we should not speak so but be ay ready to meet the Lord at his glorious appearance Now the third head wherein he instructed them is the order and ranke of men that shall meete the Lord in the cloudes All that judgement shall passe by order The God of order shall be judge Order in meeting the Lord after resurrectiō and all shall be in order and men shall be in ranke they who shall be raised vp from this earth to meete the Lord shall haue their own place and ranke Now the Apostle would teach them that they shal haue this order They who hes departed first this lyfe shall not be preuented they vvho shall be aliue shall not be put in the ranke before them but they who are dead shall be in the first ranke and order and ere euer that sodain change be made of them vvho shall be found alyue changing them from mortalitie to immortalitie vvhich change shall be in the twinckling of an eye the dead in the graue shall be raised vp first by the power of God their bodies shal be first glorified and then shall come on that sodain change of them who shall be aliue then all shal be rest vp to the clouds first they that were dead next they that were changed and so we shall come all to meete our head Christ This is the order Now to be short This same verie speaking of the Apostle and his instructing of them in this preferment teaches vs that there should be in vs such a desire to meete with Christ that we should striue who shal meet with him first striue to be first and not to be last cast vs to haue a parte of this preferment and considering this preferment is promised to them vvho dies first it should make vs joyfull to die first and to say to them vvho are standing about vs vvhen vve are on death-bed I vvill get a preferment I am called to death first before you I shall be preferred to you in meetting vvith my Lord in Heauen Ye shall liue after me but I shall meete first vvith my Lord. O vvhat it is to get preferment in heauenlie glorie Ye vvill count of preferment vvith Kinges of this earth and men vvill striue vvho shall first meete vvith the King O then should vve not striue to meete vvith the King of Kings in Heauen The Lord grant vs faith that we may be joined with Christ in this bodie that at that last day soule and bodie may be glorified in Heauen vvith Christ our Head To vvhom with the Father and the holy Spirite be all glory and praise for euer AMEN THE XVIII LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 4. vers 16. 17. 18. 16 For the Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen vvith a shout and vvith the voyce of the Archangell and vvith the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise againe Then shall vve vvhich liue and remaine be caught vp vvith them also in the cloudes to meete the Lord in the aire and so shall vve euer be vvith the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort your selues one another vvith these vvords THE Apostle brethren in this present text by the way as it were instructs the Thessalonians in that head of doctrine that concernes those who are departed this lyfe Of the which either they were ignorant or thought not of it as they should haue done And therefore in the death and departure of their kins-folke and friendes whom they loued well they mourned excessiuely as though there estate had beene miserable as though after this world there should haue been no more of them but they should perish like beasts And therfore the Apostle to the end that for death they shold not mourne so desperatlie he instructs them in certaine heades of doctrine concerning the departed The first was that they that died died not so much as sleeped this death is not so much to be called a death as a sleepe for there shall be a waking againe as a man lying down to sleepe shall awake againe The second point Their resurrection shall be glorious Being laid down in the graue they shall not ly for euer but shall be gloriouslie raised againe for heere he speakes of the resurrection of the elect and chosen Now the third thing he instructs them in is an peece of honour they shall haue in their resurrection They that are dead first shall see the Lord before them that shall be found aliue for the dead shall ryse first and then the change shall be made of them who are then liuing And as the dead shall rise first so they shall be first in ranke among them who shall goe to meete the Lord in the aire first the dead after their resurrection shall be rest vp to the cloudes then they who shall be liuing shall be rest vp after them So the dead shall get the first sight of Christ then they who shall be found alyue shall be
workes shall be the tokens of the true cause which is the onely justice of Christ imputed vnto vs by faith I dare say albeit the reprobate wortheâ—â—e shall be damned according to their workes yet they shall be speciallie condemned that they beleeued not in Iesus Christ but contemned his Gospell without faith Then to come to the sentence The Lord will beginne at the elect as best and worthiest and he shall giue them their sentence Come ye blessed of my Father and vvherâ—â—â— the Kingdome prepared for you before 〈…〉 of the vvorlde Matt. chap. 25 verse 32. From once this sentence is past out on them when this absolution from death and damnation is pronounced looke what estate they 〈◊〉 be in They shall stand with the Angles as assessours to judge the reprobate So Paul 1. Cor chap. 6. verse 3. saies knovv 〈…〉 iudge the Angels that is to say we shall allow that most just sentence of Iesus And among all the rest of the 〈◊〉 the twelf Apostles speciallie shall haue place For they shall sit on twelfe Thrones to justifie that just sentence that shall passe on the reprobate Then shall the sentence passe out on the reprobate the voice shall goe downe throgh the aire to the earth a terrible voice 〈◊〉 accursed of my Father to the fire prepared for the Deuill and all his Angels Brethren thinke not this a fable manie will not beleeue this vntil they feele it in them selues Now to be short To speake of the lyfe of the reprobate after this sentence they shall noâ— remaine on the earth In the verie moment of the doome that is certaine they shall passe to dâ—mnation 〈…〉 At that same verie moment thou receiuest the sentence of lyfe thou shalt goe to Heauen The moment the reprobate receiues sentence of damnation they shall go to Hell Now to speake of this death and lyfe I will not be curious there is much spoken in the Scripture thereof both to let vs see the glorie of the elect and the torments of the reprobate But I tell you in one word it was neuer all tolde Neuer Prophet nor Apostle expressed the greatnesse of the joy that shall come to the godlie nor of the paine that shall come to the vngodlie There shall bee another paine nor fyre and brimstone to bee tormented in Neyther can any expresse the joye in Heauen There shall be such glorie and joye as the eare of man neuer heard of the eye hes not seene nor yet hes it entered in the heart of man Novv looke hovv Paul speakes of this joye heere He sayes 〈◊〉 shall be 〈◊〉 vvith the Lord. He contentes him with these wordes To be with the Lord imports not a dwelling only vvith him but a lyfe and glorious lyfe joye that is vvith him vnspeakable I cannot tell it all the tongues in the vvorlde cannot tell it For all the joye in Heauen it is in the Sonne of God and shall shine through him that is through the naturall 〈◊〉 of man couered ouer vvith a Majestie and so all Heauens joye and glorie shall be vvith him and they vvho shall bee vvith him shall be in that glorie and joye vvith him I dare say more These thinges shall not be outvvith vs onely but vvithin our bovvels The joye and glorie shall not be outvvith the godlie as it is novv Commonlie the glorie the pleasure are ouâ—vvith vs the matter of joye outvvith vs and vve 〈◊〉 to it But then all matter of joye shall be in vs Christ first be in vs and God shall be all in all and God in 〈◊〉 be dvveling in vs and then vvhen thou hast all vvithin thee vvhat shall thou vvant And therefore in the Reuelation chap 21. verse 2 it is said We shall not neede thinges outvvith vs. neyther a Temple nor Sunne nor Moone for God being in thee shall be vnto thee a Temple hee is all in all and hee being in thee 〈…〉 all 〈…〉 thee In one vvord He shall be vvithin the◠〈…〉 because God in Christ shall dvvell vvithin thee and 〈…〉 part of that glorie and felicitie of that lyfe Novv is there no more nor this What matter if it vverfor a tyme vve vvere to be with him What matter of Heauen if Heauen lasted not What matter of a Kingdome that vanishes away A man set vp on a pompe to day casten down to morrow what matter of heauenlie glory let be the earthly glory if it lasted not but the Apostle saies we shall be with him for euer Take vp then our blessednesse It stands in two pointes first a passing and exceeding joy and glorie and secondlie in an eternity and euerlastingnesse of joy and glorie Paul plainly and pithilie settes these two together 2. Cor. chap. 4. verse 17. He calles it a weight of glorie that is excellent Then he calles it an euerlasting glorie There are two a weight of glorie and an euerlasting vveight of glorie and more excessiuelie excessiue He cannot get wordes to vtter it It is a weight that will vveigh dovvne all the vvorlde and then a weight of glorie excessiuelie excessiue and then eternall and euerlasting So our felicities in glorie and passing great glorie and an euerlasting glorie As for the paines of the reprobate I will not insist to speake of them because the Apostle is speaking heere to comfort the elect Now when the Apostle hes made a discourse of the comming of Christ He makes his exhortation and sayes and so I say also Comfort one another vvith these vvordes Brethren many hes sought comfort death is dolorous and wearisome in the owne nature and therefore many of the Heathen hes busied themselues to get comfort and matter of consolation in the houre of death What matter of death if there be a comfort therein but then is death dolorous when it is without comfort But vvas there euer any that got comfort that knew not Christ and the resurrection and a life after this life no neuer man neither king nor Emperor As for all the comforts they had all was but vanitie and dreames of comfort Againe I say Was there euer anie that gaue comfort to a bodie in death or that gaue comfort to them that vvas heauie for the death of their freinde but that man that hes a sense of that glorious resurrection of Christ and of his comming And therefore as thou wouldst haue comfort in death giue comfort for death know that the Lord is to come in the world knovv that there shall be a glorious resurrection and after the resurrection there shall be an eternall joy and glorie in Heauen And looke that this be not onely wordes in the mouth There are many vaine bablers of Christ and of that glorious resurrection A knaue an adulterer a murtherer will flatter himselfe and clatter of that glorie and joy but all is vanity Wilt thou be a knaue and then speake of these thinges The Lord shall punish thee Looke therefore that thy speaking of the latter
the thirde verse the Apostle giues the reason of the sodaintie of the comming of that day as a thief in the night For vvhen they shall cry Peace Peace c. As he woulde say The effect shall shovve it byde vntill he come The sodaine destruction at his comming shall shovve his sodaine comming When they shall say peace c. and say all is well shut the doores and be merie then on a sodaintie the destruction shall ouertake them Then I see that the death that men shall die at Christes comming shall bee a sodaine death Who euer shall die at Christes comming shall die sodainlie A great difference betweene this death which vve die novv and that death which shall be at Christs comming When men now dies they get leasure to die There is patience in God there is leuitie and long suffering for when we see we are on death-bed neuer to liue againe then he drawes vs to repentance and he wil not sodainlie strike vs to death but giues vs tyme to amend and turne to him A murtherer he will take him and cast him in prison and vvill let him aâ—yde there to see if hee vvill repent So there is patience now But in the day of judgement there shall be no lenitie nor patience And if thou be a reprobate thou shalt not haue grace nor tyme to say Lord be mercifull to me for er thou end the word when thou beginst to speak thou shalt be striken And what means this Euen that this is the acceptable day the day of Gods patience and long suffering Repent therefore Sit not the tyme for certanilie wilt thou sit the tyme vntill that comming no patience no grace no repentance but a change shall be in the twinckling of an eye The Lord when he giues vs tyme to repent giues vs grace also to repent Thinke it a great blessing when the Lord layes thee in paine that he giues thee that tyme to repent and make vauntage of it Now the wordes woulde be marked For vvhen they shall say peace then shall come on them sodaine destruction In the chapter going before the first death was called a sleepe yea the reprobate when he is striken it is called a sleepe and where sleeping is there is a waking againe But the second death is commonlie called destruction an vtter wreak and destruction and no death In the 2. Epist Thessal chap. 1. verse 9. Paul speaking of Christes comming to judgement and paine of the reprobate he castes to a propertie to this worde and calles it an euerlasting destruction Heere he calles it a sodaine hastie destruction How can these two stand Well eneugh for in the comming of Christ it shall be sodaine and yet albeit the comming be sodaine the destruction shall be endlesse and not sodaine Well were them if they were beastes for so soone as the branes of a beast are beaten out then the wreak of it is done But the reprobate shall ay be deing and neuer be dead ay wreaked and neuer an end of their wreaking What matter if at the end of ten thousand yeeres there could be an end of their destruction Paul in that place giues a reason of that endlesse destruction There is none of vs but we should vnderstand this Seeke the cause from the judge and striker The cause is not so much in the man striken as in him who strikes who is infinite And therefore the paine is infinite As for exemple Let a King or Monarch take a man torment him and yet holde his lyfe in Burne him and boyle him with â—yle yet that paine shall end Let him pull the skin off him doe what torment he can to him yet that paine shall end For neuer a Monarch yet could keepe a man in endlesse paine they may well pyne folke but that paine shall haue an end all the judges power is bounded and limited and therefore he must haue an end in his tormenting But the Lord is infâ—â—t And therefore he may torment in pain euerlastingly Al torment here is but childs play in respect of the heauy judgements of God what matter to fall in mans hands their wraith and power is nothing in respect of that infinite wraith of God who punishes without an end of paine Hell is not so light a thing as men trowes That terrible day is not as men beleeues Therefore in vvhose handes that euer thou cast thy selfe cast not thy selfe in the handes of an angrie God No rather chuse to die ten thousand tymes ere thou fall in the handes of an angrie God If thou knew the torments of Hell tho would be afrayed So the thing especiallie we should care for in this lyfe is euer to seeke to stand in friendship with him to be war of his wraith and rather take on thee the wraith of the whole world Now he notes the tyme when this sodaine destruction shall fall When they shall be saying Peace and safetie at this tyme scarcely shal he haue ended the word when the strok shal light We reade of Belshazzar Daniell 5. 5. who was prophaning the veshels of the Lords house and crying peace but he had not spoken the word when all his joints seuered and the hand writting on the wall afrayed him In the wordes marke tvvo things First on whom shall this sodain destruction fall secondly what tyme should this destruction be Then vvho is it on vvhom this sodaine destruction falles The vvord beares men and wemen making mirth in this earth without the care of God or man The thiefe when he breakes in in a house in the night vvho is it in the house he oppresses If there be a bodie that is founde sleeping he vvill cutte his throte but if there be anie waking and on his guarde that man vvill escape the thiefe So the Lord when he shall come and will compasse the whole vvorlde as it were in a spanne whom vvill he oppresse sodainelie Him vvhom he findes sleeping in the senslesse bed of securitie vvithout thought eyther of God or of the Deuill such a man the throate of him shall be cutted and hee vvill be casten in Hell incontinent But vvho shall be safe They who are watching and praying lying also in a securitie but in a spiritual securitie hauing an assurance of Gods grace and mercie to them Their throate shall not be cutted But when is it that the bodie sleeping in a deadlie securitie shall be destroyed Euen when they are in the highest degree of securitie Degrees of security Of this sleeping and securitie there are degrees The best that liues is not altogether fred from this sinne but there is some that glories in their sinne The murtherer glories in his murther and he will say He hes slaine one to me but I haue slaine three to him for it The whore glories in whoredome Then in the meane-tyme when he is on the hight of his sleepe eating and drinking then he is in the entresse to hell and when he is tumbling
let vs comforte our selues vvith thinking on the joy that we shall haue when we shall be in the Heauens with our Lord and Sauiour Now to marke the words He saies that vve should liue vvith him Looke the nature of the life that we get in the death of Iesus It is a life that we liue with Christ not a lyfe that we liue from him there cannot be a spirituall lyfe from him Death will not serue to lyfe if thou be from him but thou must be with him Thou must not onely liue with him as a man will liue with an house and family but thou must liue in him As by comparison the arme liues with the head so thou must liue with Christ Ye see the conjunction naturall that is between the head and the members that same conjunction must be betweene thee and the Lord Iesus If thou liue with him thou must liue as a member he must be thy head and thou must be a leg an arme or some part of the bodie Well is that soule that is any parte of the bodie of Christ Therefore draw euer nearer and nearer vnto him vntill thou be fully conjoyned with him we haue no lyfe except we be ingraft in him as the imp is ingraft in the tree and so prease euer to grow in that conjunction Look how thou was joined in him yesterday say Lord make a nearer conjunction this day and to morrowe say worke yet a nearer conjunction that I may draw nearer my head But brethren this full conjunction cannot be vntill we see him face to face we are far of now but we shall be with him we are from him now for a lytle space but then we shall be with him for euer and then in that great day thy blessednesse both in bodie and soule shall be perfited we shall be with him and stand for euer in that full conjunction with out head Christ in whom is all blessednesse To whom with the Father and the holie Spirite be all honour and praise for now and euer AMEN THE XXII LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 5. vers 11. 12. 13. 11 Wherefore exhort one another and edifie one another euen as ye doe 12 Novv vve beseech you brethren that ye knovve them vvhich labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you 13 That ye haue them in singular loue for their vvorks sake Be at peace among your selues IN the last exhortatation brethren the Apostle stirred vp the Thessalonians to be good souldiours and warriours vnder the banner of the Lord Iesus Christ In a warriour we shew you there are three things specially requyred First vigilance and wakrifnesse Secondlie sobriety and temperance And last of all that he be in his armour with his Helmet on his head and his brestplate on his brest and all the rest of his armour on For albeit he be waking and sober yet if he be naked the enemie will ouercome him So it is in the Christian warriour the same three thinges after a maner are requisite First he must be wakrife in soule Secondly temperate in soule hauing a soule not drunken with these earthlie thinges which drawes our whole heart and faculties away from God So that they who are full thereof are laid vp as it wer in a dead sleepe And last it is requisite that he be clad with his armour his owne Helmet which is Hope his owne brest-plate which is faith and loue take away hope faith and loue he is but a naked man in the world and shall soone be destroied if he be not clad with faith and loue in his brest and with hope in his head he will not be able to gainstand Followes now in the text ye haue heard another exhortation and it is to vse these meanes whereby we may continue in wakrifnesse in continuall sobriety and spirituall armour enarmed against the enemy There are the wordes of the exhortation Wherefore As he would say Seeing we must be wakrife sober and enarmed in the Christian warfare therefore I exhort you to get the meanes whereby these thinges are keeped The means are Exhort one another euen as ye doe alreadie So my exhortation is that ye continue to the end It is not eneugh to begin except ye continue to the end Now there are the meanes Then brethren this lesson offers the selfe to vs The meanes not to sleepe in the soule but to be wakrife not to be drunken but to be temperate not to be naked but to be clad with spirituall armour is instant exhortation Stir vp men and wemen by exhorting in edifying in an instant building vp and confirming them in the doctrine and knowledge that they haue once receiued This worke of building will not be done in one day or two dayes or twentie dayes but this building of the soule of men and wemen building them vp in that spirituall building must be raised vp higher nor euer Babell was yea it must rise to the Heauen of Heauens and to the head Iesus who sittes aboue all Heauens This building must be instant In one word The means to hold men waking and sober and temperate in the spirituall warfare and to holde this armour on them is instant exhortation Take me away the voice of exhortation take away building in the doctrine ye haue receiued and edifying therein in stead of wakrifenesse there shall come on you a dead slumber in stead of sobriety and spirituall temperance thou shalt be drunken in stead of armour nothing but nakednesse and ye shall be a pray to the Deuill this world and your owne cankerd nature assay it when ye will So then brethren in one word See the necessitie men hes of instant exhorting and edifying not for one day or two yea if thou shouldst liue Methusalems dayes the voice of exhortation should neuer goe out of thy eare For there are a thousand thinges to draw vs downe to cause vs sleepe vntill we die in sleeping many thinges to make thee drunken to ly dovvne lyke a drunken bodie vvithout sense of the lyfe to come Many thinges to denude thee of armour to set thee vp naked to the eneme Would to God this world wold consider the necessity of instant and continuall exhortation to moue them forwarde in the course of godlinesse Marke next Who is this that should exhort Who is this that should edifie who should hold men waking in Spirit hold them in sobriety and hold on their armour by exhortation and edifying who should doe it He sayes not the Pastor ye haue Ministers let them doe it it is their office It is true indeed they haue a speciall calling for that effect and are placed in the Church to hold you wakrife to cry in your eare vntill ye waken againe to exhort and edify continually to build vp that spiritual building and to build men and wemen vp as liuely stones in that spiritual building Therefore in the first Epistle to
vve haue great neede to be instructed in this because our nature is so bent to reuenge He sayes See that none recompence euill for euill vnto anie man There is an inhibition Whereof much might be spoken but I shall binde me to the words of the Apostle Then to come to the first words See beware look to it The word signifies an earnest care and studie As he would say take care be earnest beware in this turne for it will begyle you if you take not all the better heede to it This verie vvord he vses lettes vs see the great difficultie and hardnesse that is in obeying of this precepte in not randering euill for euill but by the contrarie randering goode for euill For brethren there is a wonderfull promptnesse and bentnesse in the nature of all men euer to reuenge the spirit of vengence is by nature in euerie one of vs yea in the silliest and simplest bodie that is This poynte of doctrine not to rander euill for euill but by the contrare good for euill abhorres from nature and nature abhorres it Say to a naturall man doe not euill for euill but doe good for euill he will scorne and laugh at it and many in Scotland scornes it Our nature abhors it so farre that the â—uld Philosophers who set down many good morall precepts neuer spoke one word of it among all their morall precepts ye will not get this precept Doe no euill for euill doe good for euill The Scrybes and Pharisies Matt. cha 5. vers 38. c. exponing the Law of God could not atteine to this but gaue out this meaning of the second table of the Law loue thy friend doe good to him that does good to thee hate thy enemie So they exponed the Law vntil Christ came and purged the Law Only then in the schole of Iesus only in the Gospell PatieÌ„â—â—in suffering vvronges bardle arâ—ed this pointe of doctrine is taught and learned that men should not doe euill for euill but good for euill Indeede brethren this lesson is very hard to be practised Good Christians who professes themselues to be schollers in Iesus schoole how long tyme will they spend ere they can get this lesson learned Who let see is brought to this poynte that gladly he can be content to suffer wrong or to suffer a double wrong ere he reuenge yea to doe good for euill ere he reuenge wrong Who can doe this No all these murtherers all these oppressors these contumelies wherewith the land is filled telles plainly that many thousands in the land hes neuer learned this precept of the Gospell that the Lord hes giuen to doe good for euill Who of our Lords and Lairds hes learned it If he hes gotten one slaine to him he will slay two yea come to the Gentle-men ye shall see that this lesson hes neuer beene learned of them Who of our wemen hes learned it for if were but with the bitternesse of their mouth they will reuenge their quarrell and they who hes atteined to any grace or any part of obedience of this precept yea the best of all the most patient soule how hardly can he with a patient mynde dejest injuries There is no grace of God no sort of obedience to Iesus but so long as we liue heere we keepe it with a battell hast thou any grace euer the canker of our corruption stryâ—â—s to put but the grace So that if we be not holden vp we shall lose this grace and among all graces that men gets I trow this grace of Patience we keep it with the greatest trouble There is no grace that hes so many assaults as this euer to stir vs vp to take vengence our own nature wicked company fy on on thee they wil cry beastly body thou hast receiued wrong and wil not reuenge it there is a thousand such instigations What matter if we could be content to rander wrong for wrong but our hart is so full of venome that it caÌ„not be satiat vntill we double and triple ten wrongs for one the hart is so full of hatred that if we could we would shut our enemy soule and body in Hell So this grace of Patience in not reuenging is the grace we keepe with the greatest assaults Read the 39. Psalme when Dauid had taine purpose to take heed to his waies that he should not speak an euill word against his enemies yet the hart begins to take fire and out goes the flame and he burstes out in murmuring against God himselfe All this telles vs how hard a thing it is to one to digest wrong and how much more hard to do good for euill And so we are to crâ—ue euer at God to giue vs this grace of Patience to suffer wrong Alas the company of this world is so wicked that we are euer stirred vp to vengence And so we should craue euer the Lord giue vs patience that with patience we may abide the wrong and the Lord will auenge The Lord sayes Vengence is mine and I vvill auenge it Deut. chap. 32. vers 35. Byde till this tyme come and surely will the Lord repay it And I darsay neuer man got wrong and with patience abode it but either he got reuenge here or else in that day he shall see his wrongs fully repayed by God This for the first words Now he sayes See that no man This precept perteines to all men it is generall he excemes no man no not the Kings of the world from the King to the begger no man exemed euery soule is inhibite to do wrong to rander euill for euil for it is the King of al kings that puts out this inhibition BrethreÌ„ the conceit men hes of their own estimation if the Lord cal them to any estate begyles them If a man be preferred to another he beguiles himselfe and he thinks he may do what he wil because of his preferment he may do double wrong and he will say I am such a man this is my estate will I suffer a wrong I cannot doe 〈◊〉 How can I suffer this indignitie The Lord sayes thy preferment is of me thou art no better nor the person that is vnder thee I command thee vnder the paine of death that thou patiently abide vntill it please me to auenge this deed Then he sayes doe no vvrong to any man without any exception thou art bound not to rander euill for euill to any man to the silliest and basest bodie that goes on the earth Measure not Gods Law by your owne discretion The holie Law of God forbids thee to rander injurie for injurie to the vylest bodie in the world And euen as the consait of men who are preferred begyles them euen so the opinion of the vyle estate of other men in their eyes begyles them How durst will they say such a vyle lowne or villaâ—e doe such a turne should I suffer such a wrong of such a raskall I shall wring my hands in his hart bloud
But I say the Lord that is Lord ouer thee and him both giues thee an inhibition if the man that does wrong were neuer so vyle handle him not but beare with him vntill I reuenge it But to come to the precept it selfe What forbids he and what bids he He forbids one thing and bids another thing he forbids to doe euill for euill he bids doe good to all men and that at all tymes mutuallie doe good euery one euer to another extend not your beneficence to the faithfull onely but extend it to all from the King to the begger to the Turke to the Iew c. But to come to the negatiue that is forbidden Doe no euill for euill 4. Sortes of randering There are foure sortes of randering First randering good for good Secondly randering good for euil Thirdly randering euill for euill The fourth sort randering euill for good The first randering good for good is euery where commanded as for randering good for euill it is also here commanded As to the third to rander euil for euill here it is forbidden As to the fourth randering euill for good it is much more forbidden The Apostle speakes not here expresly of it for in a maner it is thought that such foull vngratitude could not be in a man I thinke the Apostle hes thought such a precept needed not as being contrare to the Law of nature The Philosopher made not a law against a man for slaying his Father because said he I cannot trow that there can fall our such an vnnaturall fact So to rander euill for good it is such a thing that it should not once be named But â— Scotland is full of such mishant ingratitude in randering euill for good and the man who hes done most for him in his greatest need he will abhor that man most Fy if vengence shall ouertake him that randers euill for euill what vengence shall ouertake such an vngrate reprobate that randers euill for good Brethren vnderstand in this doctrine do not euill for euill He forbids not only the action of the hand or the speach of the mouth to speake an euill word to doe an euill deed but he forbids also the inward hatred of the hart the Law of God touches the hart And he saies On paine of death looke that thou keepe no vengence nor rankor in thy hart to him that hes done euil to thee for suppose thou would not do him euill with thy hand and would hold thy tongue yet if rankor and vengence be in thy hart thou and thy hart for breach of this precept shall perish suppose the Magistrat cannot punish thee if thou keep thy mouth and hand from euill yet the Lord that sees the heart will reuenge the inward rankor of the hart he forbids likewise that thou should do euill for euill to another Men are now very vyle in this pointe they will seeme to do no euill themselues yet by another they are doing euil he is not reuenging with his own hand but yet he is reuenging wrong for wrong with the hand of another man O but God will not be scorned thou shalt pay for it surely The Lord sees all the conuoy very wel it is worse then the other thou doest thy selfe I will say further Abuse not the Majesty of God in reuenging thy querrel yea euen when at the Magistrats hand thou seekest justice of them who hes done any injury to thee be ware that thou respect not thy particular It is lawfull to the magistrate to take vengence of them that hes done wrong but take heede to thy selfe vpon what minde thou seekest it looke that it come not of thy priuat affection that thou seeke not the hurt of the man to satisfy thy hart being caried with the thirst of reueÌ„ge that thou hast For he whom other waies the magistrat justly punishes I tell thee if thou do any thing to him vpon malice thou art guilty of his death and God shall think thee a man-slaier but seeke reuenge in the loue thou hast to justice that God may be glorified in justice in randering vengence to him that hes done wrong It is weldone that the wickedman suffers punishmeÌ„t for his fault but thou hast to look to thy hart Seeke not the satisfaction of thy foull hart for if thou do so thou shalt be the sâ—ayer of the man but seeke that God may be glorified in randering justice on the sinner Lord if we could do this It is a good turne to cut away a murtherer Alwaies albeit he had slaine thy father looke to Gods glory and not to thy own affection yea I say further be ware in dealing with thy God in seeking vengeÌ„ce Thou wilt say the Lord acquiâ—e him It is not of the loue of God but of vengence in thy hart thou saiest it and I tell thee if thou make such a prayer vengence shall turne to thy selfe Dauid hes many sad imprecations in his Psalmes not onely against Gods enemies but also against his owne enemies And yet this came not of that priuat affection to be reuenged of them but Dauid respected this that God should be glorified in randring vengence to the sinner Beware of it Men may know by themselues how hard it is to get this loue to our enemies but I tell you if there be not a striuing to these things and a resisting and mortifying of thy nature thou and thy nature both shall perish Well is the body that can fight against their wicked nature in this life albeit they come not to perfection No there is not a tree that hes spread the 〈◊〉 so broad in this earth as rancour and vengence hes rooted themselues in our harts So our stryuing must be euer to pul out peece and peece this rancour This day pull out one peece to morrow another peece ay striue to the slaughter of it They that will not striue shall neuer get the victorie Now to the second part of this precept Do good sayes he to aâ—men First to brethren and christians and then next to all sort of men albeit they be enemies This is far more How can our nature beare this It is enough to me thou wilt say to do him no euill the man that hes dong me so many wrongs must I doe I am good for euill Yea the Lord sayes do him good for euill do no euill to him but doe him good There are the wordes I say to thee the man or woman that does no good to another when they may if their neede craues if it were to their enemie in not doing good they do euill in not sauing they kill Reade in the Gospell of Mark 3. chap. 4. vers When Christ healed a man on the Sabboth day the Pharisies found fault with it The Lord sayes Whether it is better to doe good or euill on the Sabboth day To saue a mans lyfe or kill him whereby he meanes that he that saues not a mans lyfe being in danger and able to
his povver IN the first part of this chapter ye haue heard brethren next after the saluatation a preface wherein he rejoyces together with them for that increase and grouth of the graces of God in them namelie of their Faith Loue and Charitie In rejoycing with them he giues God the thankes and all the glorie of whatsoeuer grace they had receyued We entered the last day in the second parte which containes a consolation For these Thessalonians sustained affliction and trouble for the faith of Christ therefore the Apostle confortes them We heard the first argument of comfort he ministred to them was from the just judgment of God Your troubles and afflictions ye suffer are all sure tokens that Iesus Christ will come one day and judge this world justlie Among all the assurances of the latter judgement ths is one The trouble that the godlie suffers in this world In the affliction and trouble of the godly ye may see as it were in a mirror the Lord comming to judge the world when we see an innocent man troubled we may gather our conclusion there must follow of necessity a day of count and reckning it cannot be that the just Lord will suffer vnjust dealing to passe away vnpunished Then in the second argument he drawes nearer to them and sets downe the end of this just judgment that shall be the end shall be for their well For when the Lord shall come to judge the world they shall be counted worthy of that kingdom the kingdome of Heauen for the which they suffered Worthie not in themselues for all the affliction vnder Heauen will not make a man worthy of Heauen but worthy in the righteous merites of Christ where-with one day we shall be clad and for his worthinesse and merite shall be adjudged to life euerlasting Now in the beginning of this text he proues that the day of judgment they shall be adjudged to lyfe euerlasiting and glory He takes his argument from the nature of that Iudge It is a iust thing sayes he to God to recompence tribulation to them vvho troubles you As if he had said the Iudge is just yea by nature he is justice it selfe and therefore the judgement must be just and in his just judgement he must adjudge you to life and he must render to euery man his due being just he must render to them who hes afflicted you affliction againe And to you vvho are afflicted he must tender rest euen as he renders to vs For I in my owne person haue beene afflicted aswell as ye haue beene and I am assured he will render rest to me and so also will he to you there is the meaning of the words Then ye see brethren here he grounds their deliuerance in that latter judgment vpon the just nature of God ye may see our life euerlasting vnto the which we shall be adjudged in the day of judgment leanes on a solide foundation euen the most just nature of the Iudge all the world is not able to shake it if thou can shake God then thou may shake our life euerlasting Seuer justice from him and seuer life from his owne both are alyke do the one if thou may do the other And so brethren ye see where-vpon the assurance of your faith and hope of life euerlasting is grounded it is grounded vpon an insight of the nature of God vpon a knowledge of him what he is in his owne nature that he is just he is righteousnesse it selfe knowing then that he is just seeing as it were at the least in some measure in God and in his nature that he is just I take assurance that that just God shall adjudge me to life I make this more generall all assurance all hope of any grace we haue to receiue at the hands of God what euer it be must proceede from an insight and knowledge of the nature of God how can I or any man looke for any good at the handes of him vvho is not knovvne to me hovv shall I assure my selfe I shall get any good from him I know not Therefore the man or woman who would haue faith in God or hope of lyfe or any good at his hands must seeke to pearce in to the deepnesse of the infinite nature of God so farre as can be to knowe him in his justice wisdome power mercy and in all these infinite properties in his nature then knowing him in these infinite thinges he must assure himselfe of such and such graces at his hands I know him to be powerfull therefore with his power he will deliuer me I know him to be mercifull in his mercy I am assured he wil show mercy on me I know him to be wise therefore I am assured he will deale wisely with me he that is skilfull and the God of order will deale skilfully with me Then ye see that faith will neuer be builded vpon a scroofe and superficiall thing The world thinks it ynough to know there is a God to know his name and no more No thy hart cannot be builded on a sâ—roofe It is impossible to any to haue that solide and assured faith in God and that hope of lyfe except they haue a solide knowledge in some measure of his nature and of his properties And that bodie that preases not to pearce in to the deepnesse of God cannot haue that Spirit of God for in the first Epistle to the Corinth chap. 2. vers 10. it is said The spirit of God searches and what in to the infinit deepnesse of God and there he lets thee see Gods minde towardes thee So that if any be indewed with that searching Spirit of God of necessitie that Spirit must conuoy their eyes in some measure in to the secreetes of God to the deepnesse of that infinite nature It is a wonderfull sight that a true and solide faith hes in God It will peace in to the infinite nature of God and builde on that infinite nature the solide ground of faith I speake this that ye may seeke to knowe the nature of God Yet to the wordes It is a righteous thing vvith God not to men but to God The meaning of the Apostle is What euer seemes right in the eye of man this is righteous in the eye of God to render to euery man his due Now the Lord forbid that our life or death euerlasting hang vpon that that seemes just and vnjust to man Lord forbid that Heauen or Hell hang at mans girdle or depended on his judgement I assure you many would goe to Hell from hand As God in nature is a just Iudge euen so man by nature a wrangous and vnjust judge Let him be giuen ouer to himselfe hee shall neuer judges one whit of that which is just DiffereÌ„ce betvvene the iudgment of God and of men at the least he shall neuer judge sincerelie of that worke I shall tell you the differences between the judgement of God and man shortlie Man when he
and the 〈◊〉 Christ is both the beginning and the ending the shining begins at him and ends at him And therefore it is said Rom. 11. chap. 36. verse For of him and throgh him and for him are all things to him be glory for euer Now what shall be the cause of this glorie of ours He sets it downe in these words according to the grace of our God and of the Lord Iesus Christ Grace is the cause of our shining Grace from the Father grace from the Sonne Then there is nothing but grace there shall be nothing but grace in Heauen grace in earth no merite in this earth no merite in Heauen No merite in this earth but Iesus merite no merite in Heauen but onely grace grace and mercy in earth all standing here and in Heauen is only by grace And so the cause of our euerlasting standing is euerlasting grace the onely grace of God in Christ To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all glory for euer AMEN THE FOVRTH LECTVRE VPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 2. THESSA CHAP. 2. vers 1. 2. 3. 1 NOW vve beseech you brethren by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our assembling vnto him 2 That ye be not suddenly mooued from your mynde nor troubled neithr by spirit nor by vvord nor by letter as it were from vs aâ— though the day of Christ vvere at hand 3 Let no man deceiue you by any meanes IN the chapter preceding ye haue heard brethren first of the saluation of the Apostle wherein he wishes to the Thessalonians grace from God the Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ Then we came to his preface wherein he rejoices and giues thanks to God for the increase of grace of faith of loue they had receiued And thirdly we came to that consolation that he ministers to them against the affliction and trouble vnder the which they lay for the faith of Christ Now to come to this chapter In it the Apostle first admonishes the Thessalonians that they giue not eare to deceiuers and false teachers who would perswade them that the comming of the Lord Iesus was at hand and thereafter â—e enters in a refutation of this pointe of false doctrine and heresie Now to make this more plaine The occasion as it appeares of that which the Apostle wrytes in this chapter is this In his first Epistle written to them and fourth chapter thereof he spoke concerning the second comming of the Lord Iesus 〈…〉 and beside other thinges as we may read there he specifies these wordes We sayes he vvhich liue and are remaining in the comming of the Lord shall be caught vp in the cloudes vvith them vvho are departed this lyfe after their resurrection The Thessalonians reading this incontinent concludes Christ shall come ere euer we die we shall be found on lyfe at his comming and we shall be reâ—t vp in the aire to meete the Lord in the cloudes vvith them who are departed Now in this meane-tyme the deuill is busie to confirme them in this error and therefore he raises vp deceyuers and false teachers that went about to perswade them of the trueth of this as though it had beene true that they should be liuing at the Lords comming These false teachers alledged for them partlie the reuelation of the Spirite of God partlie a tradition of Paul which both were false Therefore the Apostle vnderstanding this tooke occasion to vvryte this Epistle and especiallie this second chapter wherein he admonishes or rather effectuouslie requestes them that they suffered not themselues to be deceiued as though the comming of the Lord were at hand and thereafter falles out in a refutation of this error To returne to the wordes In the wordes we haue read in the first verse we haue the earnest request of the Apostle together with an obtestation adjuring them with all grauitie by the comming of the Lord Iesus by the assembling of the elect to him at his comming that they should not suffer themselues so to be deceyued as though the comming of the Lord were at hand Now to insist in this first verse Novv vve beseech you sayes he by the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ and by our assembling vnto him The words bears a great obtestation wherein he straites them vnder the paine of lyfe and death that as euer they wold look to haue joy in Christs comming and to communicat with his glory they shold not suffer themselues to be deceiued Then brethren ye see in requesting and that in lenity he obtests and adjures them in grauity and in some seuerity He joines and tempers two contrare things together sweetnesse and lenity on the one part sowrenes and seuerity on the other part First he dravves them on and intreates them vvillinglie to obey that vvhich he requyres of them and then againe in a maner violentlie he pulles them He both leades and dravves Requesting in lâ—â—â—tie he leades them obtesting in seuerine he dravves them as it vvere violentlie Commonlie ye shall finde he vses this forme of requesting In the 2. Epist to the Cor. 10. chap. 1. verse 〈◊〉 I Paul myselfe beseech you by the meeknesse and gentlenesse of our Lord Iesus Christ. There ye haue the request vvith an adjuring and charging of them Novv brethren take these tvvo take lenitie vvith seueritie together they vvill haue a great force in the hearers to bring them forvvard sunder them none of them vvill be so effectuall lenitie the alone hes lesse force seueritie the alone is ouer sharpe It will destroy more nor vvin bind them together they haue a great power In the 2. Epistle to Timothie 4. chap. 2. verse 〈…〉 there is â—eueritie and againe exhort vvith all 〈◊〉 suffring and 〈◊〉 there is meeknesse Looke that these two be not seuered This was the Apostles maner of doing and thus forme â—e vses bindes euerie one of vs that speakes in the Church of God to the end of the world to vse the lyke Yet to insist in the vvordes I beseech you by the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ and by our assembling vnto him Ye see tvvo thinges heere vvhereby he adjures them to obey his request The first is the coâ—â—â—ing of Christ The second is our assembling to him at his comming Then it fellowes that seeing he obtesâ—s by these two thinges that we should not doubt but the Lord Iesus will come and when he commes that we shall assemble vnto him for all obtestations are made by things which are counted vndoubted trueths The things whereby any man objures and obtests another man should be sure grounds Now the Apostle obtests them by these two things Therefore we should not doubt but these two are true Christs secâ—nd comming to the cause of our assembling vnto him that Christ shall come and we shall assemble vnto him Yet compare these two together the first is the cause his comming the second is the effect our assembling vnto him
beatting dovvne of the beast onely Iesus Christ ought to haue the glorie of the victorie Whether ye looke to him who strikes the battell the armour or them who are souldiers in the battell all lettes you see the glorie should be giuen to Christ alone What is more vyle nor the vvord of the crosse and this vyle ministrie and yet he vvill haue him vvreaked and consumed with the word and ministrie He chuses not great and mightie things not kings and Emperours to this worke wonder not nor be not moued that ye see so many kings stand by the beast to see the Emperour the kings of France and Spaine stand for him but the Lord will vse base meanes to destroy the beast that the glorie may be giuen to him allone Now to come to the other pointe his abolishing He is abolished at the last When shall this be When Christ shall come againe How shall it be The face and presence of Iesus shall deuoure him As soone as the Lord shall come downe as soone shall he vanish and be burnt vp as caffe with the fire The word of the Gospell consumes him and burnes him but not quyte vp But the face of Iesus in that day shall burne him quite vp and then that prophecie of Iohn Reuel chap. 20. verse 10. shall be accomplished He shall be casten in a lack of fire and brimstone which shall neuer haue an end Then brethren beware of this word for if it worke not to lyfe but be a sauour of death to death if it doe thee no good in this lyfe be assured that most glorious face of the Lord in the world to come shall destroye thee Therefore looke that the word be an instrument to thy consolation and the power of God to thy saluation Looke how the word is effectuall to thee in this life for so shall the presence of Iesus be to thee in the life to come either to thy saluation or damnation The face of the Lord shal consume thee if the word hes wroght no renewing of thee in this life It is said in the chapter preceeding verse 9. They which did not obey the Gospell shall be punished vvith euerlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the gloree of his povver one blenke of that face shall consume in an instant all the reprobate Craue then that the word may be powerfull that ye may escape this fire of that presence of Iesus in his comming Then heere ye may perceiue that the kingdome of the Antichrist is not altogether abolished it takes a long tyme ere it be taken away Wonder not that he hes such a power in this earth for certainly this prophecie telles vs that there shall be some face of the Antichristes kingdome vntill Christ come Looke not that Papistry end ere Christ come look not that euery reformed Church shall be quite of them but they shall be as thornes in their sides till Christ come and let no man ouer soone triumph but let euery one make him for the battell There are none of the professours of Christs trueth but they should prepare them for battell Therefore let euery one seeke this armour that being enarmed with that spirituall armour so far as God will giue the grace echone may breath on the beast to his consumption that so God may be glorified and then shalt thou triumph for euer with him To whom be praise and glore for euer AMEN THE SEVENTH LECTVRE VPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 2. THESSA CHAP. 2. vers 9. 10. 9 Euen him vvhose comming is by the vvorking of Satan vvith all povver and signes and lying vvonders 10 And in all deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnesse among them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the trueth that they might be saued WE returne again in this text to the description of the Antichrist to be reueiled the Apostle before had casten in some things in the way pertaining to the present purpose Ye heard the Antichrist to be reueiled was descriued from his nature First of nature he should be a man like other men then hee is descryued from his properties first a sinfull man addicted to sinne a slaue of sin and iniquitie next the sonne of perdition a man from all eternitie ordeined to perdition Then he came to his actions that he shall doe when he shall be reueiled first in malice of his hart he shall oppone him to euery thing called God in Heauen and earth to the powers and majesties here on earth to the Majestie of God and Christ in Heauen Another action when he shall be reueiled in pride he shall exalt himself aboue all thing that is called God and is worshipped in the world Yet more in pride he shall sit in the Temple of God not like a common man but as God in Gods seate on the consciences of men and wemen in the Church of God And last he shall showe himselfe to be God in all things in all his titles and styles and al his dignities and shall bereaue God so far as lyes in his power of all dignities and honors that pertaines to him allone Novv to speake nothing of that hes beene spoken before In this 9. verse the Apostle returnes againe to the description of the Antichrist and in this place he descriues him from the effectualnes or effectuall power he shall haue in men ordeined for perdition when he shall come and be reueiled in the world Then to come to the words Satan effectual by and in the antichrist Whose comming sayes the Apostle shall be according to the effectuall povver of Satan As he would say when he shall come and be reueiled in the world Satan that sent him shall be effectuall and powerfull by him powerfull in men and weâ—en that perishes that are ordeined from al eternity to perdition Heerein shortly learne then Euen as God by Iesus Christ in his ministrie whom he sends out will be effectuall in these who are his if all the world had sworne the contrare So Satan the enemy of God and â—atan in this pointe will prease to be like God and in his maner will be effectuall and powerfull in them that are ordeined for death by the Antichrist As God in his church for saluation will be powerful by his ministry so the Antichrist wil be powerfull to them that are ordeined to perdition Yet brethren the words imports more to wit that Satan shall not onely be effectual by the Antichrist outwardly but he shal be effectuall inwardly in the hart of him and when he shal work by him he shal not work by the mouth or hand outwardly but by the effectual working in his hart and will inspire in his hart to do the turne In this pointe likewise Satan preases to be like God When God by his minister as effectuall he not onely workes by his mouth or his hand or any outward member but he workes by his soule and inward affections cheefly 1.
care should be had of the bodie Now to come to the last verse Yet sayes he count him not as an enemie but admonishe him as a brother In this verse we haue a kinde of mitigation and tempering of the rigour and seueritie of Excommunication for brethren if Excommunication had the ovvne force in any man the stroke of Excommunication would be the sorest stroke that euer one felt Read 2. Cor. 2. 7. Excommunication threw the incestuous person in such an heauy displesure that his soule vvas almost svvallovved vp vvith in him for when once the soule is casten in an heigh displeasure which is the effect of Excommunication then the deuill is readie to bring that man to dispare Therefore he sayes here verse 7. Forgiue him and comfort him for vve are not ignorant of the enterprises of Satan It is marueilous that sin blinds men so that many cares no more to be excommunicate then if excommunication wer the lightest thing in the world There is such a deadnes and senslesnes in the harts of men that there is no displeasure now for sin but rather a delite and rejoycing in it Certainely the lesse sense of the sharpnesse of that sword of Excommunication the greater miserie If there were any displeasure for sinne in thee it were an argument that there were helpe for thee but if thou byde senslesse at that ordinance of God if thou be hardned against the word and discipline both shall turne to thy destruction But when God is powerfull with in thee with it for as God is powerfull with the Word so is he powerfull by the Discipline then it shall turne to thy well and saluation Therefore seeing there is such a force in it mitigation is verie meete for it Now here the way how it is mitigate Count him not as an enemie The next admonish him as a brother The first of these touches the inward thought the second concernes thy outward speaking to him The first is lose not a good opinion of him hate him not lightly him not as thogh he wer a conjurde enemie against Christ and his Church but loue him lose not the loue in thy hart towards him but loue him as a brother Now louing him in thy hart speak to him also think him not vnworthie of any speaking but flatter him not in his folie and humor for that will hurt him for if thou loue him thou wilt not nor thou ought not to flatter him But I tell thee what thou shalt doe admonishe him both sharply and louingly true admonition commes from the loue of the hart and whom we loue we admonish but yet admonition must be so louing that it must be sharpe also and so it is effectuall in the hart of the sinner Now louing him first and admonishing him next is the way to win him and to bring him home againe who hes gone astray And if he be curable certainely admonition will doe the turne if admonition will not doe the turne nor will not mooue him alas brethren it is ouer sure an argument that that man is vncurable and that the Lord hes not ordeinde him for saluation If the Gospell be hid it is hid to them that perishes sayes the Apostle 2. Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospell will not worke it is ouer sure an argument of perdition vvherevnto long before they vvere ordeined as Iude sayes 4. vers Therefore let a man suspect himselfe when he is admonished and obeyes not and let him say shall I be for damnation The Lord saue me and mollifie my stony hart that I may giue obedience to the word well giue obedience to wholesome admonition that by man is giuen thee out of the word of God as thou would haue a sure warrand thou art of the number of those that are appointed to saluation Marke againe Nature and vse of Excōmunication He will not haue him called an enemie but a brother This lets vs see the nature and vse of Excommunication of a brother it makes not an enemie he is now a brother ere he be Excommunicate and being Excommunicate he remaines a brother That which was a member of Iesus Christ before Excommunication makes it not altogether to perishe neither cuts it so the rotten member from the bodie that it shall haue no more adoe with the bodie of a sheepe it makes not a goate that is not the vse of it of a christian it makes not an vnchristian he keeps his name It shoots him not out of the Couenant of grace God forbid but he standes in the bonde being Excommunicate What does it then I shall tell you A man that hes fallen from Christ by sinne which seueres thee from Christ it bindes him againe it bringes him in repentance and calles him home againe being wandring from God it holdes him within the Couenant A man going to be an enemie to Christ and his Church it straits him to byde still a brother So it does him no euill it is not ordeined for his perdition but for his well and saluation This whole ministrie of Iesus Christ and all the parts of it Preaching and Discipline promises and consolation and threatning of judgement al the parts of Discipline yea this Excommunication it selfe are al ordeined to saue soules that is the proper vse of the ministrie to saue all and neuer to lose one man Therefore in the 2. Cor. 10. 8. Paul sayes that he got povver to edification and not to destruction Neuer Minister got power to destroy one bodie but to edifie and if any perishe if the Word or Discipline be the sauor of death to death as to many it is let him not blame the word but let him blame himself For men by their obstinacy and malice turnes the word maliciously in an vnproper vse to their destruction and of the Spirit of life they make it the letter of death Therefore the Lord keepe vs from al slubbornnes and all repying against this Word and Discipline for I assure thee repine thou against the Gospel and Discipline which should be the power of life to thee it shall kill thee thou shalt not need another to kill thee euerlastingly And therefore the Lord grant euerie soule submission vnder the word of God which is the meane that he hes ordeind to saluation in Iesus Christ To whom with the Father and holy Spirit be al praise for euer AMEN THE FOVRTENTH LECTVRE VPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 2. THESSA CHAP. 3. vers 16. 17. 18. 16 Novv the Lord of peace giue you peace alvvayes by all meanes The Lord be vvith you all 17 The salutation of me Paul vvith my ovvvne hand vvhich is the token in euery Epistle so I vvryte 18 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be vvith you all Amen IN this text brethren we haue the end and conclusion of this Epistle it consistes wholly in prayer First he wishes peace to them from the Lord of peace for euer euery way Then he wishes to