me not are words of information and of instruction to her for shee would have imbraced Christ but Christ refused her Now this is strange that Marie had sought so long for Christ and sought him with teares and now finding him he forbids her to touch him therefore these words are words of instruction wherein are two limitations The first is Noli me tangere touch mee not now for I am not yet ascended there will be time enough hereafter but now I have a more needfull duty for you to doe Goe and tell my brethren that I am risen for the Disciples were at the grave and saw nothing but the grave-clothes therefore they went away with a conceit that some body had stollen away Christ taken away his body and so their faith was in danger and if it should bee longer held in suspence might bee sore shaken if not utterly ruined and therefore it was that Marie must be sent in such post to acquaint them with his rising and may not stay the time to touch Christ now though it were a good thing to doe so yet shee must preferre this more needfull thing First goe and tell his Disciples that hee was risen which must teach us that we must apply our selves to the duty that God cals us too there bee many examples of it in the Scripture as Ios 7. 10. Hee humbled himselfe fasted and prayed unto the Lord and the Lord said unto Ioshua Vp Ioshua what dost thou there I have another dutie for thee to doe it is a good thing indeed to fast and pray but I will not have thee to doe it now I have another service and dutie for thee to doe there is an execrable thing committed goe and finde it out And so Matth. 8. Christ bids the man to follow him but hee will first goe and bury his father though Christ saith Let the dead bury the dead but follow thou mee It is a good thing to bury ones father but Christ calls him to another duty therefore it was not needfull then to doe it To make use of it to ouer selves it is a good thing to performe the duties of our calling to buy and sell to bargaine plant and to sow and such like but when the Sabbath day commeth doe it not then God calleth us to doe duties of Prayer repentance hearing of the Word receiving of the Sacraments and such like so it is a good thing to read on a good booke or in the Scripture but when we come to Church God calls us to another duty to heare to pray with the Minister and therefore doe it not The second limitation is Noli me tangere Touch me not so touch me not with the hands of thy body but touch mee with The hands of thy faith it was Thomas his resolution Vnlesse I touch him with my hands and put my fingers into his side I will not beleeve Christ replies Thomas because thou hast seene mee thou hast beleeved Blessed are they that have not seene and yet have beleeved Ioh. 20. 29. It is a good thing to touch Christ with the hands of our bodies O but it is a blesseder thing to touch him with the hand of our faith hence we learne That to enioy Christs bodily presence is not so great a thing as to apprehend him by the hand of our faith Augustine speaking of the woman that had the bloody issue said There were a number of people that did throng and thrust Christ but they drew no vertue out of him shee onely did and that by a touch of her faith therefore it is a more blessed thing to touch Christ with the hand of faith than with the hand of our body there bee a number thinke that unlesse they touch Christ and feele him and handle him it is nothing I but doe thou labour to touch Christ by the hand of Faith and this will be of force to draw vertue from him The second end was to send comfort to his Disciples for Christ did not onely dye for them and us but when hee had done he tooke care to apply it this is the great goodnesse and mercy of Christ not only to dye for us but also to apply his death to us Now in this sending of Mary wee may observe three things 1. The party that did cary it It was Mary 2. Vnto whom To his brethren 3. The message it selfe That I ascend to my Father and to your Father to my God and your God First who it was that carried it Mary but why did not Christ goe himselfe I answere it was to finde them the more humbled for their sinnes and their offences It was a great wisedome in Christ and a singular dispensation to send Mary for what might the Disciples thinke of it that Christ had appeared to Mary and had not appeared to them Thus wee be unworthy of his company wee have so often denyed and forsaken him therefore that he might finde them the more humbled for their sinnes and their offences he sent Mary In like manner when wee see others receive comfort against their sinnes and we cannot others be in peace and we bee not what may we thinke but what we be unworthy of it therefore that we may be the more humbled for our sinnes and offences and the fitter to receive him Christ doth deferre his comfort from us as 1 King 19. when Elias was in the cave there came first a whirlewind then an earthquake then a fire then a still and soft voyce where God was why did God come thus with a whirlewinde an earthquake and fire it was to make the Prophet the more humbled when he came and the more fit to receive the charge that was to be imposed upon him so Act. 9. when Christ came unto Paul hee flung him off his horse and stroke him with blindenesse that hee might make him the more humbled for his sinnes and his offences and the fitter to receive the charge which should be given him Secondly to shew how ready wee should bee to communicate good things one to another for when we have received any good we should be ready to impart it to another We see the little birds when they have got a worme they fly home to their yong ones and make them partakers with them so when wee have gotten any good thing we should carry it home and make our families partakers of it As naturally the Sunne casts his light on the Moone and Stars and the Moone and Starres casts it downe againe on the earth so all the light of knowledge that is cast upon us we should cast upon our brethren and as Christ said to Mary Goe tell my brethren so I say to you Go and tell your friends your acquaintance your neighbours and your owne children and families the good things that God hath revealed unto you Thirdly to instruct the disciples which were the doctors and pastors of the Church Mary was but a
that did weaken their faith so men must take care of this that they doe not tye their faith to their eyes and fingers that they will beleeve God no longer than they see with their eyes and feele with their fingers for a Christian must beleeve God against sense and reason It is the manner of the world as long as they see with their eyes and feele with their hands as long as they have peace and ease and wealth so long they doe beleeve God but when this failes then their faith failes them I but Christ saith to Thomas Blessed are they which beleeve and see not Thomas did beleeve when he saw but it is a more blessed thing to beleeve and see not and therefore we must rest in the promises of God against sense and reason Now finding this weakenesse of faith in them hee doth labour to re-establish and strengthen them loe here we may see the goodnesse of God that by the weakenesse of their faith hee doth take occasion to strengthen the same It is the great mercy of God that all things shall worke together for the good of them that love him there be a number of things in the world that seeme to work against the people of God but God turnes all of them to the good of his people and of them that love him as we see in a Clocke that some wheeles turne one way and some another yet all serve to make the Clocke go so there be many crosses and contrary things in this world but all serve to one end even to worke for the good of them that love him This may bring comfort to Christians that the weakenesse of their faith the Lord can turne to their good wee see in experience if a man set yong Trees he will pull and shake the Tree as if he would pull it up and all that hee doth is but to settle the Tree the faster even so the Lord doth many times as if hee would overthrow a Christian and yet all is to settle his faith and to make him cleave the faster to God Now Christ doth strengthen the faith of his disciples two wayes 1. By reproving and rebuking of them 2. By informing them First hee reproves and rebukes them that they were slow of heart to beleeve the scriptures which may teach us that if there be a presence of God among us hee will bee reprooving of us whereas many thinke they may goe away with any sinne closely yet if there bee a presence of Christ among us hee will reprove us for our sinnes and for the weakenesse of our faith This is that which Christ speakes in the Gospell of Saint Iohn That when the Spirit of Christ is come into the world he shall reprove the world of sinne c. so if the spirit of Christ be come into our harts he will reprove us for misspending the time for our ignorance for every thing that is amisse but if it bee not so with thee but thou art at peace and securely sleepest in thy sinne then the spirit of Christ is not come into thee for if the spirit of Christ bee come into thee he will reprove thee of thy sinnes and make thee say as the Lâ—pers said We doe not well to tarry here c. O we doe not well to breake the Sabbath to be drunken to speake filthily wee doe not well to lye or to sweare Now what was that he reproves them for That they were slow of heart to beleeve the Scriptures and here wee are to take notice of a corruption that is in us that we are slow to beleeve the Scriptures and the Gospel but quicke to beleeve a foolish tale or a lye or a false report of our neighbours from this the Lord hath much adoe to stay us although hee hath strictly charged us to enquire the truth of it Deut. 17. 4. where hee saith If it bee told thee and thou hast heard it then shalt thou enquire diligently if it bee true and the thing certain before we speake of it If there be a false report of a good Minister or of a good Christian that wee can beleeve presently but we are slow to beleeve the Scripture or any good thing we are tardy here is our fault and this corruption hath beene in our nature ever since the fall of Man for we see Genes 3. The Lord told Adam That in the day that he did eate of the fruit he should dye the death but the divell came and told him Ye shall not dye at all cleane contrary and yet we see that they were more ready to beleeve the divell than God Will yee see a comparison to explaine it the better If an earthly king should say to us If yee will bee contented to doe mee some service a few dayes and to attend mee I will afterwards advance you and bestow great honour upon you what man is there that would not rest himselfe upon the kings promise In like manner God hath said unto us Attend me in the duties of holinesse and doe mee service a few dayes whilest thou livest heere and afterward I will make you an Heire of the Kingdome of Heaven and thou shalt bee neere unto mee and yet wee will not beleeve God Now there bee two uses to bee made of this Doctrine which shall bee declared unto you God assisting the next time of our meeting SERMON XXXIIII LVKE 24. 26 27. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe WEe heard the last day how Christ did labour to strengthen the weake faith of his Disciples when they were going to Emmaus and therefore let us travell with them and over-heare them that so that which did serve to strengthen them in their faith may serve to strengthen us in ours If a man have a legge or an arme out of joynt he cannot bee at rest untill it be set againe even so when we feele weakenesse of faith let us not bee at rest till wee have gotten the same strength of faith that wee had before therefore let us creepe into the company of Christ and goe as farre as Emmaus with him If a man hang on the top of an high Tower by the hand and there bee a number of sharpe stones under him that if hee fall it will burst him in pieces how carefull will he be to strengthen that hand lest he fall downe so faith is the hand we lay hold on God by and wee hang as it were at the top of an high Tower whence if wee fall wee are like to fall to hell how carefull therefore should we bee to strengthen that hand Now two wayes I told you Christ doth labour to strengthen their faith 1. By reproving of them 2. By informing of them Of the first wee spake the last day and therefore are
I will commend unto you two things First that they said one unto another Did not our hearts burne when hee spake unto us so wee should examine our selves when Christ hath spoken unto us whether our hearts burne whether we were afflicted with that which was taught us If we find not this we may say to our selves What did we heare why doe we misse-spend the time Secondly that they could not be at rest they could not tarry but they went and told it to their brethren so when God hath made any good thing knowne unto us we should not be at rest but should tell it to our wives to our children to our friends and to our acquaintance we remember what Christ said to the women Goe tell my brethren and even so I may say to you Go tell your friends and tell your brethren the good things yee have heard tell it to your wives and children and if yee cannot remember any more yet remember this how wee may retaine and keepe Christ namely with this short prayer of these disciples The day is farre spent and the night drawes on tarry with us so my life is night spent and the night of death drawes on Lord tarry with us and then we shall make a happy close of our life when Wee shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of heaven SERMON XXXV IOHN 20. 19. Then the same day at Evening being the first day of the weeke when the doores were shut where the Disciples were assembled for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them Peace be unto you FIve severall times Christ appeared the same day that he rose againe first To Mary Magdalen secondly To the two women going from the grave thirdly To the two Disciples going to Emmaus fourthly To all the Disciples being met together Thomas being away fifthly To Simon Peter I have shewed the reasons why Christ appeared so many times in one day which was to dedicate and institute the Christian Sabbath that Christ spending the whole day in heavenly apparitions might leave example to us to spend it in holy duties and service therefore a Christian hath no other originall of his Sabbaths than the Lord himselfe now if Christ hath ordained the Sabbath hee that hath all power in his hand then it must be our care to keepe it Iudas is condemned by the mouth of all men not onely that he stole but also that he stole from Christ so if we doe not apply our selves to the duties of the Sabbaths wee steale from Christ nay Iudas stole but his mony but thou stealest away Christian duties and service from him Now in this manifestation of Christ to his Disciples we may observe three things 1. In what Disposition they were 2. In what Manner he appearde 3. The Effects of it First what Disposition they were in laid downe two waies First they were assembled together after the death of Christ they were all scattered and did fly one from another but now they were assembled like a flocke of sheepe that are scattered with a dog which afterwards gather together againe which may teach us that if wee fall we should labour to rise againe and if we scatter wee should labour to gather together againe so Christ saith Revel 2. 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen Repent and doe thy first workes and Psal 119. ult David saith I have gone astray like a lost sheepe Lord seeke me for as a sheepe that is gone is not at rest but cries to the shepheard and the flocke and is not at quiet till it be in the fold againe so if we be scattered from God wee must not be at rest but cry unto God and unto the flocke till wee come home to God againe and although we fall yet we must labour to rise againe though one throw mud into a fountaine yet in time it will worke it selfe cleere againe so if we fall into any sinne we must labour to cleare our selves againe we see in nature the little Birds though they fly here and there in the day time yet they will home to their nests at night in like manner howsoever a man may have some fals in the day time yet let him returne home againe to God in the night this must be the care of Christians that seeing they have daily fearefull and dangerous fals yet they must labour to rise againe and to recover There be two reasons to be given of their gathering together First to nourish the little sparkes of Faith that was left in them this was the cause why the Disciples were assembled and may teach us that although there be but a little faith and life of grace in us after wee have battered it with the temptations of the devill yet wee should labour to nourish that little sparke that is left which is the counsell Christ gives us in the Revelation Bee awake and strengthen the things that remaine and are â—â—dy to dye although there be but a little faith and grace yet labour to nourish them so also lately wee heard our Saviour Christ did to the two Disciples going to Emmaus finding their faith weake hee doth labour to nourish and strengthen the same 2 King 9. as Iehoram when he was wounded of the Assyrians returned to Iezreel to be healed of his wounds so when the devill hath wounded us in our faith love care and in our zeale we must returne to the use of good means that so we may recover againe If a man have a tree that stands in his orchard if there bee but a little life left in it he will dig and dung it about and lay fresh moulds to the roote of it so if there bee a little life of grace left in us wee should labour to nourish the same by prayer hearing the Word preached and by receiving the Sacraments that so wee may recover againe thus the Disciples were assembled together to nourish that sparke of faith which was left in them Secondly because they were in hope thereby to finde a blessing upon them others had seene Christ and they assembled together in hope to see him too which may teach us that the blessing of God upon others in the use of good meanes must give us comfortable hope that if we use the same meanes we shall finde a blessing of God upon us that as others have beene brought by the preaching of the Word to faith and repentance and to a comfortable feeling of Gods favour to bee perswaded that their sinnes are pardoned so if wee use the same meanes we shall have the same blessing upon us As David saith Psal 48. Wee have thought of thy loving kindnesse O Lord in the middest of thy Temple other men have found a blessing upon them and therefore we looke for the like upon us But why were the Disciples desirous to see Christ because they had felt the
1. In Exhortation 2. In Admonition and good Counsell 3. In Consolation 4. In Mutuall Prayer First In exhortation for the People of God must exhort one another to feare God and to make conscience of every holy dutie commanded as Heb. 3. 13. saith S. Paul Exhort one another dayly whilest it is called to day c. so Heb. 11. 24. Let us exhort one another to provoke one another to love and good works So it is not enough for a man to bring himselfe on in Religion but he must stirre up the care of other as Zech. 4. 2. the Prophet saw a vision of a golden Candlestick with a boule on the top of it and seven Lampes thereon with seven Pipes to the Lampes which were on the top thereof and two O live trees right over it to drop down fatnesse to nourish the lights with so every Christian is a shining Lampe and wee must bee as Olive trees to drop down fatnesse or oyle into the heart of our brother to nourish the light of God that is in him therefore it is woefull thing to see that men doe neglect this dutie that they doe not exhort one another and yet meet many times in the weeke and on the Sabboth day and passe away the time with a deale of idle talke and let this dutie slip so that they cannot say as the Disciples said did not our hearts burne when wee talked with such a man Secondly Admonition and good counsell when they bee fallen so to recover and restore them againe as Gal. 6. saith S. Paul Brethren if any man bee fallen by any occasion into any fault yee which are spirituall restore such a one with the Spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe lest thou also bee tempted The word in the originall is a metaphor taken from a Surgeon that is to set a joint who useth it with great tendernesse to bring it to his right place so wee must doe when wee see our brethren fallen into any fault use them gently to restore them againe and wee must labour to recover them with the Spirit of meeknesse considering lest wee also bee tempted It is not the manner of the world to doe so but they make table-talke of it and speak to the disgrace of others but wee must consider that wee our selves may bee overtaken and therefore as wee would have others to deale in meeknesse and love with us when we are fallen so we must doe to our brethren We see in a shipwrack that those that escape and get to the shore first get up to the top of a high tower mountaine or rocke and hang out lights and Lanthornes that so they may direct the rest of their company to the same harbour So wee must doe when we have suffered shipwrack in our consciences and are recovered againe wee must hang out as it were lights and lanthornes advise and admonish others and give them good counsell that so wee may bring them to the same harbour that wee are arrived at Thirdly wee owe to our brethren Christian consolation and mutuall comfort because that ordinarily the crosse doth follow them and accompany the people of God for if a man be a sincere Professour of the Gospell through the malice of the Devill and the furie of the world alwayes the crosse doth accompany him and therefore the brethren had need to comfort them as 1 Thes 4. 18. saith S. Paul Wherefore comfort your selves with these words and Prov. 31. 6. it is said Give yee strong drinke unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto him that hath griefe of heart As in a sick family where they are given to fainting they have bottles of Aquavitae and Rosasolis to refresh and comfort them so the Church of God is a sick family and therefore must have bottles of Aquavitae and Rosasolis to comfort and to cheare them that is wee must have comfortable words to cheare and refresh them but wee see Iob 6. 14. Hee complaines of this saith hee Hee that is in miserie ought to bee comforted of his neighbours but men have forsaken the feare of the Almightie so David complaines Psal 69. 20. Reproch hath broken my heart and I am full of heavinesse and I looked for some to have pitie on mee but there was none and to comfort mee but I found none Therefore wee must take heede that this bee not laid against us at the day of judgement Fourthly Mutuall Prayer to pray for one another as Iames 5. 16. it is said Pray one for another so that the Prayers of the Saints are for the common good of the whole bodie of them this is a great comfort to be one of the people of God in the time of danger and temptation for one cannot bee the least member of the Communion of Saints but he shall have his part and portion in all the Prayers of the Saints Wee see in one Countrie there are divers shippes goe to the Sea some traffique in one thing and some in another some for gold and silver some for other commodities but all such as they bring home is for the common good of the whole countrie So the Prayers of the Saints are like unto a number of ships that goe to Sea some of whom make request for this thing and some for that but whatsoever they bring home all tends to the common good of all the bodie Fourthly the Communion of the Saints consists in Communicating of Riches and goods to one another Gal. 6. 10. it is said while you have time doe good to all especially to the houshold of faith so Hebr. 13. 16. To doe good and distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased so also 2 Cor. 8. 7. Therefore as you abound in every thing in faith and utterance knowledge and in all diligence and in your love towards us see that yee abound in this grace also There is no one dutie that men come more short in than in this men are contented to pray and advise others but this they sticke at they cannot bee contented to communicate of their goods to them neither can they abide to part with any of their Riches this they stick at But Matth. 2. 11. wee see the wise men came to worship Christ and presented to him gifts gold frankincense and myrrhe They did not onely worship him but did also impart to him of their treasure and goods It is the manner of the world that they can bee contented to worship Christ but they will not let any thing come from them to refresh the Saints they will not part with any of their goods to them Augustine saith well It is not meet that in a Christian commonwealth one should surfet and another starve that one should live in plentie and another in want for wee have all one master and are redeemed with one bloud we came into the world all after one sort and
that they have roome in their houses for others but no roome for Christ at this time let us looke into the houses of Gentlemen and great men they have roome enough for swaggerers and swearers dicers and carders and mummers but no roome for Christ Religion prayer or for the Bible but Christ thy redeemer is as it were turned into the stable I beseech God that no such accusation may bee laid to us at the day of judgement therefore whosoever thou bee that keepest a roome to entertaine thy friend bee sure thou keepe a roome in thy house to entertaine Christ even his poore members to entertaine Religion prayer and all other Christian duties The Shunamite is commended in the 2 King 4. 10. for keeping a chamber for the man of God even this shall be thy commendations that thou keepest a roome in thy house to entertaine Christs members but if thou canst not keepe thus a chamber in thy house yet keepe a little roome or corner in thy heart for Christ wee see a number of men have roome in their hearts for every vile sinne and lust but no roome for Christ whatsoever wee doe let us not turne out Christ and let him have a roome to seeke but rather let us turne out our sinnes that so Christ may dwell with us and that we may dwell with him eternally The last thing observed in the birth of Christ was the manifestation thereof for seeing Christ was so obscurely borne in a stable laid in a cratch we may wonder how the world came to know it it was manifested three waies 1. By the Angels to the shepheards 2. By a Starre to the Wisemen 3. By a secret motion of the Spirit to Simeon and Anna in the Temple In the first manifestation of Christ to the shepheards we observe two things 1. The manifestation it selfe 2. The effects of it In the manifestation we may observe six things 1. To whom Christ was made manifest To the shepheards 2. What disposition they were in upon their calling watching their flocks 3. By whom by an Angell when the Priests were silent in the Temple 4. The time when The very same night 5. The manner of it By bringing a speciall message 6. The speech of the Angell First to whom Christ was made manifest not to the great men of the world nor to the priests contemners of grace but unto poore Shepheards one would have thought hee would first have manifested himselfe to kings and Queens and to the great men of the land and not unto poore shepheards Of which there be three Reasons First because it was one of the parts of the degrees of Christs Humiliation that hee had not the great men of the world to grace him at his birth but onely poore shepheards yea this is a great stumbling blocke still because poore men receive the Gospell it hinders many a man from receiving the truth or embracing Religion but let no man be offended at it it was so when Christ came into the world The Pharises aske the question Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees beeleved on him those that bee learned it is but a company of poore men and 1 Cor. 1. 26. saith the Apostle For ye see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise c. therefroe labour to be one of Christs Disciples and he will not despise thee although thou be poore and meane Secondly to shew that there is no condition or estate so bad that can hinder a man from Christ whatsoever it be tradseman shepheard or how meane soever he will not despise thee for thy meanenesse some would thinke that such great things should be ingrossed for the great men of this world as we see that the best things bee gathered up all the country over and ingrossed for kings and Queens and because the best thing of all is Christ therefore that kings and Queenes should have had the chiefe ineterst in him and the poore have gone without but we may see that no meane condition can hinder a man from Christ but the poore man hath as great a part in him as the rich We read Gen. 2. 9. The tree of life stood in the middest of the garden of Paradise that it might equally impart it selfe to all sorts and conditions of men and so Revel 22. 2. In the Heavenly Ierusalem there is a tree of life said to be in the middest of the street equally to impart it selfe to all sorts poore and rich therefore this may bee a comfort that no meane condition or estate doth hinder a man from Christ There bee many poore people will not come at Church because they have not good apparell it is good indeede that there bee as much decencie in this as may be that men and women when they come to the house of God should come as comely and handsomely as they can but if men have not decent and comely apparell to come in let them not refraine from comming to the Church because they want apparell to come but let them looke to the heart and conscience and then Iesus will be a Iesus to them Thirdly to shew that he must be the poore mans portion the rich man hath his portion in goods and in lands but the poore mans portion is in Christ so Iam. 2. 5. Hath not God chosen the poore of the world that they should be rich in faith and heires of the kingdome which he promised to them that love him and therefore this may bee a great comfort to a poore man although he hath not a great deale of goods and lands for his portion yet he may say I thanke God that Christ is my portion his birth cradle cratch life death passion and his merits are mine this it was that made Ieremy to rejoyce in his trouble Lamen 3. 24. The Lord is my portion saith my soule therefore will I hope in him and so Psalm 16. 5. saith David The Lord is the portion of mine Inheritance therefore thou that art a poore man and hast but a little goods or lands labour to make Christ thy portion take him home into thy heart apply him by faith and then thou hast an excellent portion if a man fall into the hands of his enemies or of theeves who rob him and take away his goods yet if he have a Iewell of great price lest about him hee may say Lord I thanke thee though they have taken away my money and goods yet they have left me may Iewell so howsoever the world may take away from a man his goods peace or his good name yet a Christian may have comfort and say Lord I thanke thee that I have still my Iewell they have not taken away Christ from me If any object and say is Christ the poore mans portion onely doth not he
faâ—le as we see many times men fall in the Streetes by reason of the want thereof according to that Lament 4. 4. where it is said The tongue of the sucking Childe cleaveth to the roofe of his mouth for thirst Thirdly Extremitie of griefe and sorrow that was upon him for mans sin for the Schoolemen say that a sorrowfull heart drieth up the bones And these were the Naturall causes of his thirst All which was to shew that it was not a light matter to redeeme us but it cost him a great deale of pains and sorrow Therefore we must take heed we doe not cast away that for a little ease pleasure or profit that cost so much to redeeme us The Morall causes were First hee thirsted that we might not thirst for such is our sinfulnesse that we deserve not when wee lie on our sicke beds and come to die to have a drop of wine nay we are not worthy of a drop of wine to refresh us nor of cold water to coole us wee that have so many pots to drinke by the pound or by the dozens by the yard the time may come that we cannot have a drop of water to coole us with We see the rich gluiton that in all probability had his tasters and all varietie of daintiest dishes and rarest wines to please his palate in this life being in Hell desires but a droope of water to coole him and could not have it and this is the desert of our sinnes But Christ thirsted that wee might not thirst And therefore wee may say O blessed bee God for the thirst of Christ for it hath procured many a sweete drop for us The second cause that Christ thirsted was to fulfill a Scripture This is a point very observable that all that Christ did was to fulfill the Scriptures which is a phrase very common through the whole Booke of God I will instance onely in the Gospell by Saint Matthew Christ was borne of a Virgin to fulfill the Scripture chap. 1. 22. So also he was borne at Bethlehem chap. 2. 5. He dwelt in Nazareth vers ult Went and dwelt in Capernâ—um chap. 4. 13. onely to fulfill the Scripture and so in many other places both of this and the other Evangelists it is said Christ did so and so that the Scriptures might bee fulfilled whence wee learne this point of instruction That all that Christians doe must be to fulfill a Scripture wee must not looke to our owne ease and to our owne content but wee must carrie our eye to the Scripture to fulfill that This must be the reason why we read why wee heare the Scriptures or come to heare the Word preached why we pray and come to Church why we doe give to the necessitie of the Saints and why we doe the duties of our Callings all to fulfill the Scriptures As Marriners when they be at Sea howsoever the windes blow here and there yet looke to their Card and Compasse and eye that because it is their direction so Christians must doe how ever the winds blow here and there yet they must eye the Scriptures because it is their direction and keepe close to them when prophane wretches the sons of Belial be swilling and drinking doe they eye the Scriptures doe they that they doe to fulfill the Scriptures No verily except it be this Scripture in the 1 Corinth 10. 7. They sate downe to eate and drinke and rose up to play or this Iob 21. 13. They spend their dayes in wealth and suddenly goe downe to the grave so they shall have but small comfort of such fulfilling the Scriptures But let us fulfill the Scriptures as Christ did and then wee shall have comfort in life and death He fulfilled many Scriptures before and had but this one to fulfill so that hee could not be at rest till hee had fulfilled it So when we have fulfilled many Scriptures and be upon our sicke beds if there come one more into our mindes there is such a Scripture to be fulfilled such a neighbor to be reconciled unto or there is some wrong to be righted we should not bee at rest till wee have done it It is the manner of the World if they have fulfilled one or two Scriptures they take a dispensation for the rest if they come to Church in the forenoone they thinke they neede not come in the afternoone If they pray in the morning they may live loosely all the day after If they have done one dutie or two they have done enough But a Christian must doe all the Scripture commands and have an eye to all the commandements of God to doe them As David did I have respect to all thy Commandements and Psa l me 18. for saith he His Lawes are before mee and I did not cast away his Commandements Therefore if a man hath done a number of good duties that the Lord commands him and he remembers one thing that hee hath not done he must labour to doe it for we must not make conscience of some duties and neglect others but ought to make conscience of all the Commandements of God The third cause is that by his thirst wee might learne to be a thirst for all the Actious of Christ on the Crosse are for our example Therefore as Christ thirsted for water so we should thirst for the Spirit of grace As he said I thirst so a Christian man must say O good neighbour I thirst but what dost thou thirst for not for wine and strong beare but I thirst for Iesus Christ for sanctified graces faith repentance the pardon of my sinnes for Heaven and happinessse and for Gods favour Augustine saith there be divers thirsts in the world some thirst after wine strong drink some after goods and lands some after honour and preferment some after pleasure and some after blood But thou O man doe thou thirst after Heaven and happinese be athirst for Gods favour for the pardon of thy sinnes and for righteousnesse and then thou shalt bee satisfied for our Saviour saith Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Indeede there bee a number of Christians in the World every one of whom hath his thirst the covetous man after his goods the hatefull man for revenge but the Christian man he must thirst for Gods favour So David saith My soule thirsteth after thee c. therefore howsoever the men of the world thirst after lands and livings thou that art a Christian must thirst after Iesus Christ and for the pardon of thy sins and thou shalt bee satisfied when they with the rich glutton in Hell shall thirst and have not a droppe of water to refresh them or coole them Secondly how Christ carried himselfe in his thirst hee complained and cryed out and said I thirst which may teach us that the people of God are not stockes and blockes but they have sense and
injuried our brethren despised his judgements and abused his mercies these sinnes and a thousand others which wee thinke not on at that very time shall come into our mindes and or hearts shall frame such a bill against us as we shall be never able to answer howsoever now they be close and covered wee see in experience of nature if a man write a faire peece of paper with the juyce of a Lemman or an Onion there will be nothing seene but bring it to the light of a candle or to the flame of the fire and then all the letters will be seene and it may be read so it is with sinne some men write it with such a cunning pen that none can discover it the paper their fore-heads is faire and cleane but bring it to the flame of Gods wrath and to the bright candle of Gods Law and then all the uglinesse of their sins shall be laid open Hence the use is Seeing there shall be such a conviction at the day of Iudgement therefore how carefull ought we to be to live well because all the sinnes we have done shall then be laid open before us so Salomon saith Ecclesiast 12. 13. Feare God and keepe his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man for God will bring every worke to judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or bad Therefore because every sinne shall be knowne how carefull should we be to please God If a man should think nothing speak nothing nor doe nothing but it should be cried up and downe in the next Market-towne he would take heed what he thought spake and did it should be much more the care of Christians to take heed what they thinke speake and doe for it shall be proclaimed in the Theater of this world before all men neither shall any part of their actions though never so closely acted lye hid and not be manifested Gen. 44. when Iosephs brethren did goe out of Aegypt they went in peace and all was well because their sacks were shut up O but when they were made after and the sackes opened and Ioseph cup found in one of their sackes then they rent their clothes and tooke on pitifully so it is with a number of men in this world when they die and goe out of this world they goe with peace because their sackes their consciences be shut they doe not reprove them O but when the Lord shall open their consciences when their sackes shall be opened then see what a deale of bad stuffe there is in them therefore we should take heed what we gather into our sacks As it is in the story of Aesop his master beat him for eating of figs but he desired his master before he beat him to give unto every one of his fellowes a draught of warme water which his master did and they did vomit up the figs againe whereby the false accusation laid unto Aesop was discovered so it is in this world there be figs eaten and some say this man hath eaten them and some say that man and no body knowes who hath the figs There is something taken away injury and wrong done this man is blamed and that man well the Lord shall give us such a heavie draught at the day of Iudgement that we shall vomit up all the sinnes that be in the secret corners of our hearts and then will be seene who hath eaten the figges who hath had this thing and that hereby is manifest that there will be a day when the wicked shall be convicted and all their sins laid open therefore we must take heed what we doe and speake and thinke we see in the story of Iaakoh Gen. 31. when he fled into Assyria Lahan made after him and when hee had overtaken him he went into his tent and did search to see if he could finde any thing that was his which if hee had found hee would have carried all backe againe so when we flie away from the devill he will make after and search us to see whether we have gotten any thing of his he would make us his bond-slaves carry us into bondage into hell and therefore consider what yee gather and what yee take into your packes Secondly The meanes by which they shall bee convicted shall bee by opening of the bookes which we are not to take literally that they be paper or parchment bookes but it is a metaphor taken from earthly Iudges who reade all their Indictments out of a booke so all our sinnes shall be laid open before us as if they were written in a booke not by any report or surmises of others Wee finde in Scripture mention made of two bookes 1. The booke of Gods remembrance 2. The booke of every mans conscience First there is no sinne that we doe commit but it is written in Gods remembrance howsoever wee may forget them and make little account of them yet the Lord will remember them So we see Hos 7. 2. And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickednesse and Malach. 3. 14. wee may see how the wicked did scoffe at the godly and said It is in vaine to serve God and what profit is it that we keepe his Commandements c. Then spake they that feared the Lord every one to his neighbour and the Lord harkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his name Now as the Lord hath a booke written of the good deeds of his servants to remember them so it is certaine that he hath a booke of remembrance to record all the deeds of the wicked in The second booke is the booke of every mans conscience For there is never a fin we commit but it is written in our consciences Rom. 2. 15. Their conscience bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one another and excusing at that day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ So their conscience is a witnesse to them whether they have done well or ill Now against these two bookes no man can take exception First they cannot take exception against the booke of Gods remembrance because God cannot remember that which never was for he is prima veritas the fountaine of truth and therefore he is not capable of any untruth he cannot lye like to us As the Sunne is the fountaine of light and therefore is not capable of any darknesse and the fire is the fountaine of heat and therefore is not capable of cold so God is the fountaine of all truth and therefore he is not capable of any untruth and therefore against this booke no man can take exception againe Philosophers say That which is never done and that which is false cannot be remembred nor come into minde much lesse then can God remember it who is most true in himselfe therefore against the booke
ever therefore againe and againe I pray God give us grace to feare it and care to avoid it SERMON LII MATTH 25. 42. For I was an hungred and yee gave mee no meat I was thirstie and ye gave me no drinke c. IT was my purpose to have ended this point with my last daies labour but because there remaineth something more of this point as the reason of the condemnation of the wicked to bee spoken of and one thing besides not yet handled which is what Christ shall doe after the last judgement therefore not I will finish up this Scripture and so will come the next time to that point wee spake of Wee heard out of the former verse of the heavy sentence that should passe on the wicked and ungodly first that they shall bee cast out of the presence of Christ secondly they should goe away with the curse of God on them the sweet mouth of Christ that shall blesse the godly shall curse them thirdly the place that they shall passe into is fire and everlasting fire fourthly the companions they shall live with the devill and his angels Now we come to the Reason of their condemnation for feare lest any man should thinke that it is for some horrible and heynous sinnes that they be judged to hell torments therefore Christ shewes in these words that the people of the world are deceived for they thinke that none but idolaters theeves murtherers whoremasters and such like persons shall goe to hell and that it cannot stand with the goodnesse of God that all these terrible and fearefull judgements should bee inflicted for small and petty sinnes Now Christ shewes that the world is deceived and that men shall bee condemned for small sinnes aswell as the great if they doe not repent for them In these words wee are to observe three things 1. That sinnes of Omission as well as sinnes of Commission will damne a man 2. Not onely great sinnes will damne a man but small sinnes will doe it 3. Though they seeme small to us yet they bee great in Gods accompt First sinnes of Omission will damne a man as well as sinnes of Commission for Christ will not say yee have robbed the poore and taken away their cloathes but ye have not fed the hungry cloathed the naked visited the sicke lodged the stranger the omitting duties of Prayer of holinesse to God of love that we owe one to another this wee shall bee damned for as well as sinnes of Commission For as Augustine saith how many things might Christ say to the wicked at the day of judgement If a wicked man should say Why hast thou judged us to Hell torments He might say because ye be murtherers theeves deceivers of your brethren swearers and because ye be bad livers But Christ shall say none of these things to them but it is because ye have not sed the hungry cloathed the naked lodged the stranger visited the sicke so then the very omitting of Christian duties Christ shall charge us with at the day of judgement will bee of force enough to condemne us Therefore the World is deceived for they thinke if they doe not body harme and pay every man his all is well enough though they doe no good but wee see that for the omitting of good and Christian duties a man shall as well bee damned as for sinnes of Commission therefore it is good for us to be wise and to profit by this lest we be cast out of the presence of Christ As a man may spend the day well in his daily vocation yet when night commeth if he creepe into his bed without prayer and wilfully remaine in that sinne he may be condemned for it if he repent not so likewise a man may eate his meate come to dinner or supper which a man may have because hee gets it with his labour but because he doth not sanctifie it by prayer and draw down a blessing from God upon it therefore notwithstanding other performances he may be damned so likewise on the Sabbath day though a man doe no worke though he doe not ride abroad yet if he lye idle at home and do not come to publike assemblies and is not carefull to keepe it holy to the Lord he may be damned for it And this is the first point that sinnes of Omission as well as sinnes of Commission damne a man if he doe not repent of them Secondly Christ shewes that not onely great sinnes damne a man and cast him out of the presence of Christ but the small too if hee doe not repent them this is another thing that the wicked are deceived in for they thinke if a man be not a theefe a murtherer a whoremaster or a great sinner all is well enough but Christ shewes us that little sinnes damne as well as great If we doe not feede the hungry cloth the naked visite the sicke and lodge the stranger the least sinne is enough to damne a man if he doe not repent of it As Matth. 12. 36. Wee shall answer for every idle word So Matth. 5. 39. Christ saith Whosoever shall breake one of the least of these commandements and teach men so to doe he shall be called the least in the Kingdome of Heaven So then the least sinne is enough to cast us from the presence of Christ we see if a Ship leake water though the hole be but as bigge as a mans finger if it bee not stopt it will drowne the Ship so the least sinne that is will damne a man if he doe not repent of it therefore we must take heed that wee doe not give way to the least sinne for as Saint Ierome saith there is no sinne so little but it deserveth the wrath of God and eternall condemnation Thirdly although these sinnes be small in our sight yet they are great in Gods account For would a man thinke in the light of nature and sight of reason that because a man doth not give bread to the hungry drinke to the thirstie and cloth to the naked these were such great sinnes with a number of others that seeme small in the eyes of the World for they thinke it is a small thing to tell a lie to sweare an oath to raile on a neighbor But Paul tels us 1 Cor. 6. 10. that raylers shall not inherit the Kingome of God and Revel 23. 15. For without shall be dogges inchanters whoremâ—ngers murtherers idolaters and whosoever loveth or maketh lies these although they seeme small in the sight of men yet are they great in the sight of God As if a man looke into a false glasse he can never see true proportion nor right quantitie but if hee looke into a true one then things will appeare in their true proportion and right quantitie so in the false glasse of this world and of mens judgement wee can never see the true proportion of sin nor the right quantitie of it but if we looke into
attend it For in the best there is such reluctation between the Spirit and the flesh as they cannot doe the good they would so Matth. 26. 40 41. The Disciples when they should have watched and prayed Christ found them a-sleepe and Rom. 7. 22. Paul saith I delight in the Law of God concerning the inward man but I see another law in my members rebelling against the Law of my mind and leading me captive to the law of sinne which is in my members so Ezek. 3. 14. saith the Prophet So I went but it was in the bitternesse and indignation of my Spirit hence wee see that in the best there hath beene reluctation between the flesh and the Spirit that the flesh laboureth to resist the Spirit but here is comfort to a Christian that one day it shall attend the Spirit and bee led by it in all holy duties Wee see when Rebekah had conceived Genes 25. 22. shee felt such strugling and striving in her that she was amazed and saith in that agonie Seeing it is so why am I thus as if shee should say seeing there is such a striving and strugling in mee I were as good bee barren but there was an Oracle of God that did answer her that two Nations were within her of whom the elder should serve the yonger so many times a Christian findes such striving and strugling in him that it makes him amazed the Oracle of God tells us that then there are two within us the flesh and the Spirit and that the flesh shall serve the Spirit if one come to a great heap of Gunpowder and bring but a little sparke of fire and put to it it will dissolve and bring it to nothing so although there bee a great heape of sinne and corruption in us yet if a man get but a little sparke of the Spirit of God in him it will dissolve and bring it to nothing therefore we must comfort our selves with the hope of this howsoever now our bodies are not subject to the Spirit that yet one day they shall bee ruled and guided by the Spirit The sixth thing wherin the glorie of the bodie consists is that it shall bee a powerfull bodie as S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. 43. It is sowen in weaknesse and it riseth in power Now the power of a glorified bodie is in three things First Because it shall have power to performe its owne actions without defatigation or wearisomnesse now wee cannot doe any action but in time wee shall bee wearie of it wearie with going sitting standing or doing of any thing We know Christ as hee was man was wearie Iohn 4. for it is said that hee being wearie sate him down on the well so Exod. 19. Moses hands were so wearie with holding up insomuch that Aaron and Hur did stay them up so the best Christians sometimes are wearie with doing the best things Wearie with kneeling at prayer with standing to heare and conferre and such like but at the last day wee shall have such power in our bodies that wee shall never bee wearie of standing before God or kneeling in Prayer for ever and ever there shall bee such power and such strength in the body therefore as oft as wee bee wearie in prayer or with doing any good thing in the labours of our callings wee must comfort our selves with this that one day wee shall have power and strength to doe any good dutie and service that God requires at our hands without defatigation or wearisomnesse Secondly In that the body shall move it selfe any way with ease and shall bee able to walke in the ayer and on the water as now we can walke on the ground Though our bodies bee weighty and ponderous yet then they shall have such power and strength as they shall bee able to move upward and downeward forward and backward with as much ease as a man lifts up his hand there shall bee such strength and agilitie in our bodies now they are subject to one motion onely to goe forward but then they shall bee able to move any way Thirdly In that they shall bee able to passe through any thing as a mans finger passes through soft cloth and therefore Iohn 21. 15. of Christ it is said Hee came into the place where the Disciples were met the doores being shut The Schoolemen say that the Creature gave way to the Creator but there was such power in the body of Christ that if it had beene shut up in a chest of steele Iron or marble it could have passeth through in like manner it shall bee with a glorified body it shall bee able to passe through any obstacle whatsoever therefore seeing it is so that the Lord will bestow on the bodies of Christians such goodly indowments let us thinke of these glorious things and comfort our selves with the hope of these and let us bee contented to walke a few dayes in holinesse and feare before God and then wee shall have our part in them Plinie reports of the little Bees that in a great winde or tempest they catch up little stones in their clawes to ballance themselves against the winde that they be not carried away by it so should Christians doe in winde and tempest that is in the time of temptation and trouble they should catch up stones in their clawes that is they should ballance themselves with the Promises of God and with the hope of blessednesse that so they bee not carried away with the winde of temptation and trouble Now wee come to speake in what estate the wicked shall rise this wee will shew in two things First In an estate of shame and disgrace the bodies of the Saints they shall bee beautifull and lovely to looke on but the bodies of the wicked shall rise deformed ilfavoured and loathsome to looke on as Esai 66. it is said And they shall goe forth and looke upon the carkasses of the men that have transgressed against mee for their worme shall not die neither shall their fire bee quenched and they shall bee an abhorring unto all flesh The bodies of the wicked shall bee as ugly and loathsome carkases to looke on and their faces shall gather darkenesse and blackenesse As in this life when a man is sicke a little and hath paines upon him it changes his favour and makes him looke pale O but what will it bee when bodies and soules shall bee tormented for ever and therefore all the glorie of the wicked is in this world Secondly the Godly shall bee free from all necessities of nature they shall not hunger thirst bee naked nor subject to diseases and paines but the wicked shall bee in hunger and thirst in all extremeties that may bee subject to head-ach tooth-ach back-ach belly-ach all the paines that may bee shall come upon them They shall not be free in any one part of them but bee in so great extremitie
that although they should desire but a drop of comfort they shall goe without it Wee see the rich Glutton fared delicately every day lay soft had rich apparell and had a knot of knaves to attend on him but when he was in Hell hee could not have so much as a drop of water to refresh him this extremitie all the wicked shall bee in they shall be subject to necessities of nature and to all paines torments A number of men doe not beleeve us now but one day they shall see and feele it for if wee live not holily in this world I that am the Preacher and you that are the hearers we shall all see it and our hearts shall tremble at it The Godly they shall bee in an estate of glorie but the wicked in an estate of shame then how shall they crie out against the other and say yee would not bee ruled by us nor heare our counsell and advice Wee have heard what S. Paul said to the men that were in the ship Act. 27. 21. Had you hearkned to mee you might have scaped this losse saved your ship and your goods So good preachers shall stand up in that day against men and say if you had hearkned to us you might have shunned this losse if you had repented of your sinnes gotten faith in Christ and walked in a Holy course you might have saved your bodies and soules SERMON LXXIIII IOHN 10. 27 28. My Sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me And I give unto them eternall Life and they shall never perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand THe sacred Story shewes 2 Sam. 6. 13. after David brought the Arke from Obed-Edoms house when they had gone sixe paces they stood still and offered Oxen and fatlings to give God thankes for their good beginning which they had made so should Christians doe in any labour that they goe about stand still as it were and give God thankes for the good entrance they have made on their labours At this time therefore amongst other holy duties which wee are to performe to God on the Sabboth let us be thankefull to him for the good entrance wee have made in our harvest labours that so by this harvest wee may remember that great harvest wherein we shall all reape that which wee have sowne in the time of life Now having finished the Doctrine of the Resurrection yet there remaines some questions to bee answered although for mine owne part I could be contented to passe them over because as David saith Psal 131. 1. I have not exercised my selfe in great matters or in things too high for me and to observe the order expressed in the Law where the Priests as well as the People had their bounds set them which they might not passe beyond Neverthelesse I purpose to answer your desires and expectations in making supply of them as farre as by the light of Gods Truth I can and as I gather by the grace of God given me The first question is whether such as were borne monsters and mishapen shall rise monsters at the last day To this Augustine answers that they shall not rise monsters but shall rise corrected and amended in all the parts Because saith he if a workeman should make a thing ill-favoured and deformed he lets it not alone so but will melt it againe till it bee most excellent and beautifull much more can the Lord when he hath made them deformed melt them by death and so make them glorious bodies fashioned like to the Saints Now to his Iudgement I assent thus farre that all the bodies of them that are godly and holy people and his chosen their bodies shall rise glorious and beautifull though they were borne monsters and mishapen but they that be wicked shall have the same deformities upon them at the day of Iudgement that they had in this world for deformednesse and to bee mishapen is a punishment for sinne but at the day of Iudgement the punishment of sinne to them shall not bee lessened but further increased as the Schoolemen say If a wicked man have a hand cut off or lose an eye justly for his offence by the Magistrate they shall bee restored to him at the day of Iudgement to his further increase of torment unto which I assent because there are two courts the Court of men and of God the Court of men extendeth but to this life onely and there ceaseth they cannot make them lose their members for ever but the Iudgements of God beginne in this life to a wicked man and are perfected in the life to come and therefore if a man be borne a monster and mishapen and a wicked man he shall rise so againe so we see here in this world what a man that is mishapen and deformed would give to have it redressed and amended and yet they doe not consider to live in their sinnes is a meanes to bring all deformities upon them The second Question is in what Sex we shall rise againe whether or not men shall rise men and women women as they bee I answer they shall rise in the same Sex they lived in as wee see Matth. 22. 28. the Sadduces came to Christ saying There was a woman that had seven husbands and at last she died therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she bee of the seven for seven had her to wife whereunto Christ doth not say there shall bee no woman at the resurrection but that they shall not marrie but shall bee as the Angells of God in Heaven the Sexes shall not cease and S. Ierome saith upon that place that Christ giveth us to understand where hee saith that they shall not marrie nor give in marriage that both shall rise againe men shall rise men and women shall rise women and the Greeke words will beare it though the Latine will not so 1 Peter 3. 7. hee exhorts men and women to live together as heires of the grace of life and Matth. 12. 42. it is said The Queene of the South shall rise up in Iudgement with this generation and shall condemne it c. Hence it is manifest both Sexes shall rise againe The third Question is In what age wee shall rise whether Children shall rise Children and old men old men Augustine answers that they shall all rise at the age of Christ that is at 33 yeeres of age whereunto the Schoolemen agree but I dare not assent unto it because there is no warrant out of the Scripture for it for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne and that which hath not his warrant from the word of God cannot bee of faith which must bee grounded on the Scripture And Augustine himselfe saith whether little Children shall rise Children wee doe not finde in the Scripture or in what age men shall rise indeed there is one place that seemes to confirme