making of the world and filling it even so the Lord is many dayes in furnishing the soule of man with graces though grace bee but weake at first in us yet it shall be perfect in time therefore the graces of God are compared to a seede that is but little at the first and not to a stone for a stone groweth not but a seede albeit it bee little at the beginning yet it will grow greater No man therefore ought to bee discouraged at small beginnings of grace for although they bee little at first yet they shall bee perfect in time And although things depend on the power of nature yet they doe much more depend on the power of God for before the Lord made the Sunne and Moone and the starres he made the trees to bud and hearbs to grow where nature was wanting his power was assistant Psal 78. 19. say the children of Israel Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse they looked not to the power of God so likewise of Moses who was a good man Numb 20. 11. it is said Hee stroke the rocke twice hee looked to the power of nature but the power of God is beyond the power of nature when the power of nature faileth yet the power of God is able to doe anything and therefore wee see Abraham beleeved God when the power of nature failed Rom. 4. Hee considered not the deadnesse of his owne body which was almost an hundred yeers old nor the deadnes of Sarahs womb neither doubted he of the promise of God through unbeleefe but was strengthened in the faith and gave glory to God being fully assured that he that had promised was able to performe it so thou that art a Christian never doubt but that God is able to raise thee out of thy sins or out of the grave and to give thee life for things depend not so much on the power of nature but much more on the power of God Seventhly the order first hee made the heavens and then the earth as we see Gen. 1. And therefore where God beginnes his worke first there a Christian must beginne his care to seeke for heaven our Saviour saith Matth. 6. 33. First seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all other things shall be ministred unto you so that where God beginnes his worke there a Christian must beginne his care to make heaven sure to himselfe which when hee hath done hee may the better looke for these earthly things it is a corruption that men seeke for these earthly things first and never seek for heavenly till they be sick or come to dye Secondly in the order that God made the world wee may observe that God made all the creatures before he made man hee was the last some man may say Why was He the last that was made I answere there be three reasons of it 1. It was to honour man 2. To teach him 3. To further him in the best things First it was to honour man for it was a great honour to man that God did not bring him into a bare and naked world but that hee had first furnished it with all things needefull for mans use and delight Even as a king when he is purposed to goe to a towne or place his provision goeth before all is furnished and made ready before hee comes which makes for the honour of the King so God had made all for mans use and had furnished the world with them before he made man This serves for the honour of man and therefore seeing God hath honoured man let us labour to honour him againe Secondly to teach man that hee was not the maker of them for if all the creatures were made before man was made he being the last and there found them all before this is a plaine evidence that man made them not and therefore if there be any creature that is comfortable or delightfull to us God is to be thanked and praised for it not our selves Thirdly to further man in the best things for the Lord provided all things for the use of man to delight him that he might take the more time to provide for heavenly things for the richer a man is and the more plentifull the Lord hath provided for Him the better heart and encouragement hee may take to looke after the things of eternall life and the greater vantage hee hath in the worship and service of God Therefore when as God doth give a man riches and furnish him with all things needefull for his life he should not misspend them neither in wantonnesse or prophanenesse in swilling or drinking and such like but he should take the more time for things of eternal life as Deu. 10. 12. And now O Israel what doth the Lord require at thy hands but to feare the Lord thy God and to walke in all his waies and to love him and to serve him with all thy heart and with all thy soule when they had filled their barnes and houses with corne and other fruites of the earth saith the Lord And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare him and to walke in all his wayes so when God hath filled our barnes with corne and hath made a supply of things needefull then the Lord lookes we should love feare and serve him for if we will not serve the Lord for his blessings we shall serve our enemies in want so we see in Deut. 28. 47. Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulnesse and with a good heart for the abundance of all things Therefore thou shalt serve thine enemies which the Lord thy God shall send upon thee in hunger and in thirst and in nakednesse c. Eighthly the end why God made this world and all things It was for mans good and mans benefit It was to do good to mankinde that God made Heaven and earth the Sunne Moone and starres that hee made all the creatures And whereas God was most blessed in himselfe before there was a Heaven or earth and needed not to have beene grieved with our sinnes yet notwithstanding Hee was not content to bee blessed in himselfe and to keepe it but hee would communicate his goodnesse and his blessednesse to his creatures and draw man into communion with him and therefore wee should bee ashamed to grieve God with our sinnes seeing hee powreth out his goodnesse and his blessings unto us dayly SERM. VII MATTH 1. 21. And thou shalt call his Name Jesus c. THe faith of a Christian is like the Fishes in a pond that as long as there is water in it so long they tarry but if the water goe out of the Pond then the Fishes goe with it so is the faith of a Christian God the Father hee is the fountaine of the Deity therefore as long as the Deity remained in the Fountaine so long our faith was there but when
matter a little pleasure or profit therefore in this what doe we but as Iudas did sell Christ for a trifle God give us eyes to see it and hearts to abhorre it Thirdly The manner how Iudas betrayed Christ with a kisse a signe of great love and friendship and therefore Christ saith unto him Luk. 22. 44. What doest thou betray the Sonne of man with a kisse I would it were not so still that men kisse religion and yet betray their brethren kisse religion at the Church and yet betray it at home in their bad life and conversation Fourthly The issue and event When he had sold his Master and had but a little comfort First he bringeth the money againe to the Priests he could not abide it which may teach us to take heed how we come by our money if we come by it well we may have comfort but if badly it will one day lye as heavie as leade on a mans heart Secondly Iudas he comes and confesseth his sinne to the Priests and then he went and hanged himselfe he thought to have carried the matter closely and now he discovered it in the Temple Which may teach us that if we sinne against God though we thinke to carry away the matter closely and cunningly yet there will come a time when we shall discover the matter our selves and make it knowne and say I have beene a drunkard and a bad liver I have beene a whoremaster a covetous person and a deceiver of my brethren And as meat that is eaten by a weak stomacke cannot be at rest till it be up againe so a man cannot be quiet many times till hee have discovered all his sinnes himselfe this is the property of a bad conscience that it will egge a man to commit sinne and when he hath sinned then it wil never be at rest till have it brought a man to desperation Revel 20. 12. it is said that Iohn saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened that is their consciences For howsoever mens consciences may be sealed for a time that they cannot see their sinne yet one day they shall be opened and all the sinnes they have committed brought before them O what a fearefull thing will this be we see Iudas did but reade as it were a leafe or a page of this booke nay he read but as it were two or three lines and could not endure it but goeth out and hangs himselfe if it be so fearefull a thing to reade but a leafe or a page how fearefull will it be when a man shall reade every leafe and page in the booke Men that be of trades when they come to places of search they be unpackt and their fardels opened the searchers come and looke upon their ware when if they finde any false ware there is a forfeiture made of it So wee doe as it were in this world packe up our wares in a fardell in our conscience and when we shall stand before God at the day of judgement then our fardels shall be opened and if there be found any false wares sinnes that we have not repented of we may looke for that fearefull sentence Goe yee cursed c. And therefore every one should take heed what he packs up in his fardell seeing it shall one day be opened Having spoken of the Meanes of apprehending Christ wee are further to speake of the Manner which is laid downe in three Actions 1. In the taking of Christ 2. In the binding of him 3. In the leading him away first to Annas then to Caiphas First the taking of Christ and here two things are implied First The marvellous obduration of the Iews for it was a strange thing that they had the heart to take Christ notwithstanding they saw the works of his Power and of his Mercie First of his Power for so soone as he said I am he they straight went backward and fell to the ground and were fully confounded Secondly the workes of his Mercy in that whereas hee flang them downe yet he let them rise againe whereas he did but cast them to the ground he might have cast them to hell and when Peter had cut off Malchus eare being the busiest to take Christ he sets it on againe and healed it and yet for all this they lay hold on Christ as soon as they were up again although they had felt the power of Christ and had seene the workes of his mercy yet they would not be stopped in their course Which may teach us what a fearefull thing it is to have a hard heart that nothing then can stop and stay a man in the course of sinne neither the judgements nor the mercies of God for as we see at this day though God cast many downe to the ground as it were into their sicke beds and hath graciously raised them up againe and as hee healed Malchus eare hath healed them yet they straight-way stretch out their hands to sinne against God and to grieve him therefore wee see when a mans heart is obdurate and hardened with sin nothing will doe him good so it was in Pharaoh Exod. 8. 15. His heart was hardened and he harkened not to them as the Lord had said so likewise Numb 16. wee see the great judgements that befell Corah Dathan and Abiram that the earth did cleave and swallow them up so that all the people fled away at their crie and yet the next day after on the morrow all the multitude of the children of Israel did murmure against Moses and Aaron saying Yee have killed the Lords people c. Hence we may learne what a fearefull thing it is to have a hard and obdurate heart nothing will move it neither the mercie nor the judgements of God therefore let us pray to God to keepe us from this fearefull condition and to give us a soft heart that when he hath laid his judgements upon us wee may be bettered by them and when we taste of his mercies we may be moved with them and brought to repentance The second thing implied in the taking of Christ is that as he was taken of the Iewes so this should put us in minde of the fearefull taking at the last day for looke how Christ was taken in the Garden so every unrepentant sinner shall bee apprehended at the day of Iudgement the drunkard for his drunkennesse the swearer for his swearing the whoremaster for his whoring and so all unrepentant sinners shall be apprehended yea and it shall be in a more fearefull manner than Christs was For first he was apprehended of the wicked Iewes wee shall bee of the Angels Secondly he was brought before the barre of an earthly Iudge but we shall be brought before the barre of the heavenly Iudge which doth not only judge of the outward deeds and actions but of our hearts and thoughts so hee saith Revel 2. 23.
our friend then the more power there is in God the more is our comfort but if God be our enemy and displeased with us for our sinnes then our terrour is the greater because hee is so much the more powerfull to destroy and bring us to nothing therefore let us labour to make God our friend and father and then the more power there is in God the more will bee our comfort Now we come to speake of the second Attribute that he is the Maker of heaven and Earth in this there be divers particulars to be observed 1. Who made heaven and earth And that was God 2. What he made Heaven and earth and all things in them 3. How hee made them or with what Instrument With his Word 4. Of what he made the world Of nothing 5. In what estate he made the world In a good estate 6. In what time he made it In six daies whereas hee might have made it in a moment or in six houres but for singular cause he was six daies a making the world 7. In what order he made Heaven and Earth at first The Heaven for man to rest in and Earth for man to labour in 8. To what end he made it To convey his glory and his goodnesse to his creatures First who made Heaven and Earth It was God no man nor Angell made it nor it made not it selfe but God made it Genesis 1. 1. In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth and so Paul saith in this place that I have read unto you I preach unto you that ye should turne from these vaine idols unto the living God that made heaven and Earth and the Sea and all things that in them are so Heb. 3. 4. For every house is builded by some man but he that hath builded all things is God so then the point is cleared none can deny it Now let us come to make use of it First seeing God made the world and it was not made by man nor Angell neither did it make it selfe but God made it therefore if there be any comfort or any delight to bee found in any creature God is the Author of it and to be thanked for it for we cannot make a sticke nor a straw a feather an eare of corne nor a stalke of grasse therefore seeing God hath made a number of good things for our comfort and benefit God is to bee thanked for it If a man should set up an house for a poore man to dwell in so often as hee looketh on the house he thinkes of the good will of him that set up the house so God hath set up heaven as it were to cover us earth to beare us sea and land to feed us therefore so often as we looke on any of these we are to be thankfull So David Psal 8. 1. O Lord how excellent is thy name in all the world Who hast set thy glory above the heavans and verse 4. What is man that thou art so mindefull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him So Davids affections were swallowed up in the consideration of it Secondly seeing God made heaven and earth take heed we doe not displease him for hee that made all is able to destroy all As it is Gen. 6. 7. And the Lord said I will destroy from the earth the man whom I have created from man to beast and to the fowles of the heaven and to the creeping things therefore seeing he made all take heed we doe not sinne against him remembring what is said Esai 51. 12. I even I am hee that comforteth you who art thou that thou shouldest feare a mortall man and the sonne of man who shall bee made as grasse and forgettest the Lord thy maker c. Wee see men are afraid of men to displease them but we ought to bee much more afraid of the power of God who is able to destroy all if a man should hang from the top of an high tower by a twine threed and in such manner as if he that held him should let it goe he would dash him all to peeces how afraid would hee bee to offend him and how glad to please him So wee all hang as it were out of an high tower by the threed of our life God holds the threed who if he should forgoe his hold wee fall and dash to nothing therefore how afraid should we be to offend or to displease him with our sinnes and carefull to please him in all our courses if men had grace to consider this they would not live in knowne sinnes as they doe Thirdly seeing he made all hee is able to dispose of all at his owne will and pleasure for the workeman is able and may dispose of his owne worke wee are the workemanship of God and therefore wee should bee content with his disposing whatsoever it bee sicknesse or health prosperity or adversity Esay 45. 9. it is written Woe be to him that striveth with his maker let the potsheard with the potsheards of the earth Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it What makest thou c and therefore we should labour to be content with Gods disposing whatsoever it be he made all he may dispose of all as it best pleaseth him The second point is What he made he made the heaven and the earth the heavens where God and his Angels be and the lower world where sinfull men and women are he made visible and invisible things and whatsoever is within the compasse of heaven and earth So saith Paul Act. 14. 15. I preach unto you that you should turne from your vaine Idols to the living God who made heaven and earth the sea and all that therein is and so it is written Iohn 1. 3. All things were made by it and without it was nothing made that was made The use of this is seeing God made all things take heed we doe not injurie and wrong God with them saith Paul Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid so say you shall wee take the Creatures that God hath made and abuse them and so wrong God God forbid This provokes God to vengeance as it is Hoseah 2. 9. Therefore will I returne and take away my Corne in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof and will recover my flaxe and wooll lent to her to recover her shame therefore if we abuse Gods blessings and turne them to the dishonour of his name he will take them from us Secondly seeing God made all things therefore we should acknowledge them as the gifts of God put into our hands by the Lord and to receive them as from his hands The rivers receive their waters from the sea by secret passages and againe runne into the sea and so carry it backe againe thither in like manner as we receive all from the hands of
stirre at the voyce of the Sonne of God speaking unto them but once and therefore how shall this condemne us that Christ hath spoken so many times and yet wee doe not once stirre or move at it which are living men to goe about our businesse therefore this shall condemne us that the dead cinders of men that have lien in their graves many a yeare shall startle and move at one voyce of Christ and yet wee doe not at a thousand of his voyces Fourthly seeing Christ is the onely Sonne of God wee must take heed we doe not despise him Psal 2. it is said Kisse the Sonne lest hee bee angry O labour to kisse him seeke his favour do not grieve him woe be to him that shall lift up his hand against him to grieve him 1 Cor. 8. 12. Saith the Apostle Now when ye sinne so against the brethren and wound their weake consciences ye sinne against Christ therefore we must take heed wee doe not sinne against our brethren and so sinne against Christ for the sinnes of us Christians more grieve Christ than the sinnes of the world because wee professe he is our Lord and Master and will bee ruled and governed by him and be his servants therfore in this case when a man sinneth against him it is more than the sinne of a stranger or an alien Wee see in the Scripture how Christ complaines One of you shall betray me but wee be to him that doth it and when Iudas came to betray him he saith To what end art thou come art thou come to betray me As if he had said Why thou art a disciple of mine thou professest that thou art my servant and that I am thy Lord and Master and doest thou come to betray me so Ioh. 1. it is said Hee came amongst his owne but his owne received him not if he had come amongst strangers and aliens and had been so used by them the matter had been the lesse but seeing he came amongst his owne and they received him not this it was that did grieve Christ the more so Hosea 4. 12. God complaines My people aske counsell of their stockes and their staffe declareth unto them Wells beloved let us take this to heart when a prophane man liveth in his sinnes impenitent what doth Christ hee doth not so complaine of them But when a Christian shall live in sinne uncleanesse maliciousnesse or deceite this it is that grieveth Christ and maketh him to complaine Fifthly seeing Christ is the onely Sonne of God we must shew the greater measure of thankefulnesse to him for who can sufficiently speake of his goodnesse that he being the onely Sonne of God and God over all would abase himselfe to take our nature upon him and dye for us We have heard of the love of Rebecca to her sonne Iacob when shee gave him counsell to goe to his father to get the blessing hee was afraid his father would have felt and handled him and so in stead of a blessing he might have procured a curse but shee bids him not to feare it On mee bee the curse my sonne if there be any comfort on thee be the blessing but on me be the curse Such and farre greater is the Love of Christ to us he saith On me be the curse my people but if there bee any good or any blessing or comfort to be had by my sufferings or paines on you be the blessing therefore seeing Christ hath made such a change with us who can render sufficient thankefulnesse to him for it Nehem. 11. wee see the people blessed those that would dwell at Ierusalem because it was a dangerous place Now if this people thanked them that would dwell with them hazard and venture their lives O how thankefull ought we to bee unto Christ who hath given his life for us and therefore how are we bound in all love and thankefulnesse to him The late powder treason that was in the yeere of our Lord 1605. the delivery from it is a fruit and benefit we have by Christ and therefore it was carefully and religiously provided of our Magistrates to set apart a day to give thankes in a service to be performed for it for he hath not onely delivered our soules but also our bodies from the jawes of hell Now I come to speake of His dominion which is the second thing in the dignity of His Person our Lord wherein two things are to bee considered 1. That he is the Lord of the World 2. That he is our Lord. First hee is the Lord of the whole world and hath all kingdomes at his command Luk. 1. 33. And hee shall raigne over the house of Iacob for ever and of his kingdome there shall bee no end so Act. 2. 3. Let the house of Israel say and know that God hath made him both Lord and Christ Now Christ is the Lord of the world in two regards First in regard of the Soveraignty that is in himselfe he hath all power under him to dispose of at his will and pleasure as Matth. 11. 27. All things are given me of my father both the possession and the disposition of them and Act 2. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feete so Luk. 10. 17. And the seventy returned againe with joy saying Lord even the devils are subdued to us through thy name All things are subject to him he is the great Lord of the world Secondly hee is the Lord of this world in regard of service for all things doe serve him whatsoeuer Psal 119. 91. They continue to this dayly by thine ordinances for all thy servants therefore seeing there is nothing but doth service to him he is the Lord of this world Now there is a double service a service which the godly and a service which the wicked performe there is a voluntary service which the godly performe and unvoluntary which the wicked performe as the Axe in the hand of the hewer doth service voluntary so doe the wicked when they doe any service to God they doe it by constraint unwillingly all things doth service unto God either willingly or by constraint for wee cannot stirre a foote or a hand or doe any thing but it is by the appointment of God It is a good saying of Augustine Now grant Lord saith he that we may doe the good service for whether wee bee willing or not willing we shall serve thee thy providence and hidden will if we serve thee unwillingly then we serve thee like slaves but grant Lord that wee may serve thee willingly and voluntarily as thy children ought to serve thee and thine owne people And thus Christ is the Lord of the world The use is first seeing Christ is the Lord of the world it shall bee well with the Church and the members thereof and as Christ is the Lord so hee will order every thing to the good of them in Psal 96. 10. it is said The
Lord raigneth surely the earth shall be stable and not mooved he shall judge the people in righteousnesse And therefore seeing Christ raigneth let every man and woman rejoyce and bee glad it shall bee well with Christs servants as long as Christ is their Lord for the divell cannot take a pinne from their sleeves nor a leafe from a tree nor touch a pigge in thy yard without Christ permit him it was a comfort to Iosephs brethren to heare he was the Lord of Egypt so it is a comfort to a Christian to know that Christ our elder brother is Lord of the world Secondly seeing Christ is the Lord of the world we must take heede we doe not resist him for seeing he is a Lord so powerfull it is in vaine to resist him Psal 110. 2. it is written Bee thou ruler in the midst of thine enemies therefore let us take heede we doe not resist or strive against him lest wee bee overmatched we read 2 King 10. 3. Iehu said to the Samaritans Consider therefore which of your Masters sonnes be best and most fit and meete set him on his fathers throne and fight for your masters house but they were exceedingly afraid and said Behold two kings could not stand before him how then shall we stand so we may say two kings could not stand against him nay all the powers that rose up against him could not stand before him how then shall I be able to stand And therefore every one should submit himselfe unto him Thirdly seeing Christ is the Lord we must be contented that Christ dispose of us and of our estates whether it bee by sicknesse or health death or life prosperity or adversity he is the Lord hee may dispose of us therefore we must learne to be contented with his good pleasure so David Psal 39. 9. I was dumb and said nothing because thou diddest it so Eli 2 Sam. 3. 18. It is the Lord let him doe with me as it pleaseth him best or good in his owne eyes we finde Matth. 21. when Christ sent for the Asse to Ierusalem he saith If any one aske you what yee doe with him tell him The Lord hath neede of him and hee will let him goe so if the Lord neede any thing for his honour or for the good of our brethren we should be content to let it goe it is his owne no body must check or grudge against him none must controule him Fourthly seeing Christ is the Lord it shewes that all the powers in the world stand under a greater government and power therefore we must take heede we doe no injury or wrong to any for there is no power so great but he stands under a greater power so Col. 4. 1. the Apostle exhorteth them Ye masters doe to your servants that which is just and equall knowing yee have a Master in Heaven and Iob saith I durst not doe so and so because Gods judgements were fearefull to me and I could not bee delivered Secondly wee beleeve Hee is our Lord Hee is a Lord indeed to all the world but we must beleeve he is our Lord we can have no true comfort till we can lay hold on Christ and say as Thomas said My Lord and my God Origen hath a pretty saying What am I the better saith hee to know that Christ possesseth the city or the country unlesse hee possesse my heart and my soule and set up his Lawes and subdue my flesh so wee may say what am I the better to know Christ hath subdued the world and yet hath not subdued my heart and set up his Lawes therein and subdued my flesh therefore as wee beleeve in generall hee is our Lord so we must beleeve in particular he is my Lord Now foure waies Christ may bee said to be the Lord of the Church 1. By right of Creation 2. By right of redemption 3. By right of donation or free gift 4. By voluntary service First Christ is our Lord by right of Creation for it is he that hath made us and not we our selves Psal 100. 3. therefore seeing he hath made us we must doe him service If wee had made our selves wee might have served our selves but seeing Christ made us we must serve him he is our Lord. Secondly hee is our Lord by right of Redemption so Zacharie in his song Luk. 1. 68. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for hee hath visited and redeemed his people hee hath redeemed us with his precious blood therefore he is our Lord by right of Redemption And as one saith he hath not onely bought us with his money but he hath bought us with his owne blood c. Therefore we are his servants he is our Lord. Thirdly he is our Lord by free gift because we are given of God to him as Psal 2. 8. saith God Aske of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possessions Fourthly he is a Lord by voluntary service Paul when hee was converted Acts. 9. saith Lord what wouldest thou have me to doe he was ready to doe any service that Christ required so are other Converts at least in resolution and desire The uses are Three First seeing Christ is our Lord wee must live in obedience to him servants must be obedient to their masters and therfore as the Samaritans said to Iehu King 10. Wee are thy servants so wee should to Christ We are thy servants thou hast made us of nothing thou hast redeemed us when we were lost by our sins we will therefore do whatsoever thou command us It is a fearefull thing and a high sinne when men professe themselves to bee servants to Christ to take him for their Lord and yet live in no obedience unto him but in uncleanesse prophanesse and in knowne sinnes still for if Christ bee our Lord let us live in obedience Secondly seeing Christ is our Lord where his presence is wee must labour to be we see that servants will be with their master where he is thither will they flocke even so where we know there is a presence of Christ thither we must flocke Ioh. 21. 7. the Disciples that were a fishing came swimming over to Christ when they heard where Christ was and left all so when we know there is a presence of Christ in the house of preaching wee must leave all and goe thither Mark 1. 33. when Christ was in Peters house all the city flocked and thronged about the doore because Christs presence was there and yet it was but a poorefisher mans cabbin so when wee heare there is a presence of Christ or know it in the place of preaching we must flocke and throng thither whatsoever the place and howsoever meane it be Thirdly seeing Christ is our Lord know that wee must give up our accounts to him as servants must give up theirs to their masters therefore we must not
and the king there is not so great disproportion it is all one hand that made them they were all made of one matter of the earth and when they are turned to the earth againe there is no difference betweene them but there is no proportion betweene the sonne of God and the nature of man for the Philosophers could say There is no proportion betweene an infinite thing and a finite therefore it was a greater matter that God would take our nature upon him than a king to become the meanest creature for the good of his subjects We read 1 King 8. 27. But will God indeed dwell on the earth Behold the heaven of heavens cannot containe thee c. If Salomon did admire and wonder that God would dwell in the Temple which was all glorious as the wit of man could devise how then may we admire and wonder that God would dwell in mans fraile and weake nature when it was fallen into disgrace if he had taken our nature upon him when our first parents stood in their innocency when all the Creatures did service to them then it had not beene so great a matter But when mans nature was in disgrace had sinned against God and was bound over to the diuell it was a great abasing to the sonne of God If a man should take a noblemans colours and cloth as long as a nobleman is in favour with the king it were no disgrace to him but if a man should take his colours or cloth when hee is proclaimed to be a Traytor this were a great disgrace to him so when mans nature was in favour with God then it was not such a disgrace but for Christ to take it when it had sinned against God and when it was so deformed was a great humiliation The Use is twofold First seeing the sonne of God was contented to be humbled for us to the estate of a servant how should we be contented to be humbled and to stoope to any service and dutie to become nothing to our selves to doe him service The Apostle Phil. 4. 12. saith I have learned in all estates to be contented how to want and how to abound In all things I am instructed c. and David Psal 22. 6. I am a worme and no man c. David saw the Son of God should be abased and humbled hence he humbleth himselfe therefore seeing Christ was contented to be humbled for us wee should be humbled for him It is our sinne that we cannot abide to bee humbled or to stoope to any condition of humilitie Now if Christ was contented to be a servant for us we must be contented to be poore for his sake to stoope to any estate he appoints for us Secondly that seeing the Sonne of God was humbled for us we must be contented to be humbled one for another which our Saviour teacheth us Iohn 13. 14. If your Lord and Master wash your feet how ought you to wash one anothers feete so Philip. 2. 5. Let the same minde bee in you that was in Christ why what was that Who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God yet he tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made like a man and humbled himselfe to the death of the Crosse Those that keepe sweete wines must keepe them in deepe Cellars and low vaults or else they will lose their good taste and relish so if we would keepe the good graces of God in our hearts wee must keepe them in a broken heart and humble spirit for if we be high-minded then our graces will lose their good taste and relish And therefore we must lay them in humble hearts low in our owne conceit as Christ humbled himselfe for us so we should humble our selves one for another Now in the first degree of Christs Humiliation in the taking of the nature of man upon him we observe 1. How farre forth he tooke mans nature upon him 2. The reasons why he was man 3. The speciall ends why he tooke our nature upon him 4. The manner of it First how farre he tooke mans nature upon him This is laid downe in two conclusions First that he tooke the nature of man wholly upon him not a part of mans nature but the whole nature of man both a body and a soule He tooke a body to him as Col. 1. 21 22. And you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your minde by wicked workes yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight so 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his owne body on the tree that wee being dead to sinnes should live unto righteousnesse by whose stripes wee are healed Hence wee see it is out of question hee had a body so also it is most certaine Hee had a soule as he said Matth. 26. 38. My soule is heavy unto death And in another place My soule is troubled within me so that he had the whole nature of man a body and a soule The Fathers argue well against the heretikes in those dayes If Christ had taken but one part of mans nature then hee could have redeemed but one part And therefore Irenaeus saith well Hee gave his body for our bodies and his soule for our soules and Athanasius It was unpossible that if he had taken but one part he could have redeemed us Hee had therefore a body to redeeme our bodies and a soule to redeeme our soules so that he had the whole nature of man The second conclusion is that he had not onely the whole nature of man but the infirmities of man the fraileties and weakenesse of our nature so we read that he was hungry thirsty weary c. Here wee may wonder at the kindnesse mercy and compassion of Christ that hee would not take the best only but the worst things even our weakenesses and infirmities men can bee contented to take the honour of Christ but are loth to take his shame This must teach us therefore that wee should not be contented to take the best things onely for Christ but even the worst things also for his sake Now wee must understand with a distinction how Christ tooke our infirmities first there be infirmities that be sinfull and secondly that be unblameable passions Christ tooke not the first sort of infirmities but the latter of which there be two sorts 1. Some that be common to all men 2. Some that be personall Now Christ tooke not our sinfull infirmities upon him for the sanctitie of his nature doth exclude them as water being dropped or powred on hot coales it doth drinke up the water so the sanctitie of his nature doth exclude sinne for hee could not take our sinfull infirmities as 1 Pet. 2. 22. it is said Who did not sinne neither was there guilt found in his mouth
offer their treasures Gold Frankincense and Myrrh so this must teach us not onely to worship Christ but we must be contented to part with our wealth to give unto him as the Woman in the Gospell brought her boxe of oyntment powred it upon Christ 〈◊〉 contented to part with it so must we be contented to part with 〈◊〉 wealth to the members of Christ it is a great corruption that many a man can bee contented to worship Christ but cannot endure to part with any goods wealth or to open their treasures to Christ but we must not onely worship him but also offer to him and be contented to part with our wealth for his sake I but some man may say that hee would bee contented to offer to Christ but hee hath no gold no frankincense to offer I answere thee though thou hast no gold to offer yet thou hast thy sinnes and a soule and body to offer first thou hast thy sinnes kill and crucifie them and thy vile lusts offer them to God this will be an acceptable sacrifice to God The Iewes did offer their cattle for sacrifices but offer thou thy sinnes slay them and it will bee pleasing to God Secondly although thou hast no gold to offer yet thou hast a body and soule to offer to Gods service as Roman 12. 1. I beseech you brethren by the mercy of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God therefore all our members wherewith we have served sinne wee should now turne them to the service of God so the Apostle saith as you have given your members as weapons of unrighteousnesse to serve sinne so now give your members as weapons of righteousnesse to serve God Thirdly the Wisemen were warned of God in a dreame that when they had seene Christ they should not returne and goe backe to Herod againe so we have the same charge still that when we have seene Christ wee should not returne againe to Herod that is to our vile lusts againe There is a strange ceremony in the Law spoken of Ezech. 46. 9. that when the people went into the Temple at one doore they were commanded to goe out at the other doore if they went in at the South they must goe out at the North doore and if they came in at the North they must goe out at the South doore the meaning whereof is this that they must not goe out as they came in but they must bee altered and changed if they came covetous persons they must goe away liberall if swearers they must goe away sober and reverent speakers if unchast persons they must depart chast if bad livers they might goe away good and so they must be altered and changed from their sins to the contrary vertues in like manner let us doe when wee come to the ministery of the Word and then wee shall be blessed both in life and death Hitherto we have heard how the birth of Christ was made manifest seeing Hee was so obscurely borne and that first by Angels to the Shepheards secondly to the Wisemen by a starre adding in the third place how Ierusalem was affected with the brute and fame of it Now when Christ was five weekes old his parents brought him into the temple to doe for him according to the law then Simeon came into the Temple by a motion of the Spirit and tooke him into his armes and embraced him and thus it was made more manifest at Ierusalem In this manifestation of the birth of Christ to Simeon we are to observe three things 1. The specification of the Person 2. The manner 3. The effects In the specification of the person we are to observe three things First his Name hee was called Simeon which was a name famous amongst the Iewes and therefore so much the fitter was hee to make Christ knowne in Ierusalem Secondly the place he dwelt in it was at Ierusalem he was not a stranger but one that dwelt amongst them Thirdly his qualitie and vertues and they are three 1. He was a just man 2. A devout religious man 3. That he waited for the consolation of Israel First for his Name it was Simeon famous amongst the people of Ierusalem and therefore the more fit was he for the manifestation of Christ amongst them in his time Secondly the place where he dwelt at Ierusalem he was not a stranger unknowne amongst them but such an one as dwelt amongst them and was of great account with them therefore the more fitter to make Christ knowne unto them Here we may see the wise dispensation of God to appoint one so fit for it for if he had appointed the Shepheards to have done it they might have beene despised because they were poore men if the Wisemen should have done it because they were strangers they would not have beene beleeved therefore the Lord makes choise of a man amongst them one that was not a stranger but a dweller in Ierusalem for home examples are most fit to moove and therefore the Apostle Paul to Titus because he would adde weight to his speech saith One of your owne Poets saith so Hence wee are to consider the goodnesse of God to us that hath not onely sent strangers to incite and to stirre us up but home examples to moove and provoke us as Iohn 4. the Woman of Samaria that talked with Christ shee reported the matter to the men of the city and many of them beleeved because of the Womans words and so to the Romans the Apostle shewes that their zeale provoked many so our Saviour laieth it as a heavy burthen on the Scribes and Pharises that they were not mooved to repentance by the home examples they daily saw One saith well that home examples are like to little forkes and staies that beare up the young plants till they get ripenesse Heb. 11. the whole world was condemned by Noahs example in that he made an Arke for the saving of himselfe and his family and yet they were not mooved thereby so the painefulnesse of one shall condemne the idlenesse of another the good life of one shall condemne the ignorance or bad life of another therefore it is good to profit by the home examples that be amongst us Thirdly his qualities and vertues which are three first he is said be a just man not a contentious man or a bad liver but an innocent and a just man a good dealer in the world this is the first title that is given him which should teach us that if ever we desire to see Christ and depart in peace we must labour to be just men and good dealers in the world This is much commended in the Scriptures Gen. 6. Noah is said to be a just man in his generation and Iob 1. God saith to the devill Hast thou not considered my servant Iob that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and an upright man fearing God and eschewing evill so Psal 37.
redeemed us by his Sonne not onely by his life but by his death also And therefore as S. Andrew saith I am more beholding to thee O Lord for the worke of my redemption by the death of thy Sonne than for the power by which I was created therefore if a man should be thankfull for his creation much more should he be for the worke of his redemption for it was a marvellous love of Christ the hee tooke our nature upon him to come into the world to worke our redemption to lose his life to finish and perfect it and therefore how thankefull ought we to be for so great a mercy Secondly seeing our redemption and salvation is perfected and finished by the death of Christ wee may see the grievousnesse and greatnesse of our sinnes that when we had sinned against God all the powers in heaven and earth could not doe it but it must bee Christ that eternall Sonne of God and it was not with his life only but with his death wee thinke much of suffering any little affliction or trouble but Christ must die to expiate sinne and to abolish it whereas neither Angels nor Archangels nor all the Saints and holy men in the world could have done it therfore seeing Christ paid so deare for it we must take heed we doe not account it a light matter to sinne Therefore let us take heed how we grieve him by our sinne seeing hee was contented to lose his life and to shed his heart blood for us SERMON XXV LVKE 23. 46. And when Iesus had cryed with a loud voyce hee said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit And having said thus he gave up the ghost OF the seven last words which Christ spake on the crosse this is the last which containes an holy Resignation of the soule and spirit of Christ into the hands of his Father wherein something in generall and something in particular is to bee considered The generall is this That all the speeches and words that Christ did speake on the crosse from the first to the last were holy and good so hee did not onely begin well but did end well also he made an holy close of his life when he came to breathe out his last breath which must teach us what the care of a Christian should be when he is in sicknesse and trouble not onely to begin well but to continue well till he come to dye and breathe out his last breath and then to make an holy close of his life this is that which Christ speaketh of Mat. 24. Hee that continueth unto the end shall bee saved and the spirit of God Revel 2. 10. Bee thou faithfull to the death and I will give thee a crowne of life An Archer though hee ayme and draw well yet if hee in the loose let his hand slip or sinke downe he will be wide of the marke so though we begin and ayme well yet if we start aside or sinke downe when wee come to die wee lose all our glory therefore it must bee our care not onely to begin but to end well also It is in sanctified motions as it is with wheeles that bee swiftest at the first and afterwards slower and slower till the wheele stand still so it is in sanctified motions they bee swiftest at the first and afterward by little and little they abate till at last they dye if they bee not supplied by good meanes therefore it is good not onely to begin well but also to end well too when we breathe out our last breath Iohn 2. Christ set out the best wine at the last But quite contrary it is the manner of the world to bee best at first and worst at last with the people of God it must not be so for if there bee any worst it must bee the first and the best at the last Indeed it is the fashion of the world to begin well and to end ill but the people of God must not doe so they must not onely begin well but also continue well and end well and so make an holy close of their life when they breathe out their last breath and when they shut up their eyes from the light of this world they may see the kingdome of heaven The next thing to be considered is the practice of Christ when hee came to dye In which observe five things 1. To whom he commended his spirit to his Father 2. What it was he commended his spirit 3. When he commended his spirit at the instant of his death 4. Vpon what ground he commended his spirit upon a perswasion that he was his Father 5. What comfort wee may have by the commending of his spirit into the hands of his Father First to whom hee commended his spirit the Text sheweth to his Father When we be alive we commend our selves to our friends in hope of comfort but when we come to die we must commend ourselves to God only therefore as Christ when hee came to dye shut up his eyes and did not looke upon his mother nor his disciples nor upon any beloved but hee did wholly commend himselfe into the hands of his Father in hope of comfort so when wee come to dye wee must shut up our eyes and not comfort our selves in our wives children friends and those we love deareliest but we must commend our soules into the hands of God Yea the people of God have good cause to doe so in regard he is all in all to us as David saith Psal 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee therefore hee cast himselfe upon God in hope of comfort so a man while he liveth may have many friends to commend himselfe to but when hee commeth to dye there is none but God that we can commend our soules to Therefore seeing no man hath any body to commend his soule to at last but God onely it must be our wisedome to keepe God our friend for if we despise him in our health it is just with him to despise and reject us when we come to die We read Iudg 10. 14. when the Children of Israel had forsaken the Lord and followed Baalam and Astaroth and served them in their distresse when they came and cried to God to save them out of the hands of their enemies the Lord said unto them Goe and crie unto the gods whom ye have chosen Let them save you in the time of your tribulation In like manner the Lord will say to us when wee have despised him in the time of our health and have followed our pleasures profits and our old sinnes goe and crie unto the gods whom yee have served see if your money will save and helpe you you that have made your pleasures your belly and your sinnes your God now see if these will helpe you for if ye despised God in your life time it is just with
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
poore woman and yet shee did informe them of one of the greatest mysteries of Salvation the Resurrection of Christ which may teach us how meane soever the person be not to despise to learne any good of them so we see Exod. 18. that Moses was contented to take the counsell of Iethro his father in law one that was infinitely short of the gifts and graces of Moses so also Acts 18. Apollos was instructed by Aquila and Priscilla poore Tent-makers therefore it must bee the wisedome and humilitie of a Christian to take good by the meanest persons that may be Secondly whom shee must tell his brethren this is a strange thing that Christ calls them his brethren he might have said Goe and tell my Disciples my revolters backsliders and such as have denied and forsaken mee yet wee see the goodnesse and kindenesse of Christ that hee puts a speciall tearme of dignity upon them Go and tell my brethren partakers of the same glory and immortality with mee whereas hee might have said One of them did betray me and another denied mee and all of them did shamefully forsake me yet he is contented to swallow up all because though they had sinned yet they sinned of weakenesse they had repented for it and wept bitterly therefore Christ sends such sweete termes and cals them brethren Which may teach us that although wee fall into great sinnes if we fall of weakenesse and if we have repented for it hee will take us for his brethren we see in experience that although a man turnes his backe upon the Sunne and is going from it yet the Sunne followes him with his heate light and with his beames so when we turne our backes on God and are going away from him yet he followes us with his beames of goodnesse kindenesse and with his love though we forsake him yet he doth not forsake us Thirdly what the message was that shee should tell his brethren That I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God From hence ariseth a twofold comfort First Goe and tell my brethren that I ascend what is this such a comfort that Christ ascends that he goes away and leaves them yea it is a comfort and a great comfort too as appeares First because hee is ascended to Heaven as a pledge and pawne to take possession and to prepare our place till we come there As Augustine saith the Head going before all his Members shall follow Christ ascended as a pledge and pawne to hold possession for us So Iohn 14. 2. 3. I go to to prepare a place for you and if I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe and take you up to my selfe that where I am there you may be also So it is a comfort to a Christian to know that Christ as ascended Secondly it is a comfort to know that Christ is ascended for our good to befriend us in the Court of Heaven to procure the graces of his Spirit to reconcile us unto God and to make Intercession for us therefore howsoever some men may thinke it to bee a great comfort to have Christ on the Earth amongst us yet it is a farre greater comfort that Christ is ascended into Heaven to procure the graces of his Spirit to reconcile us unto God as our Saviour saith Iohn 16. 7. It is expedient for you that I go away to reconcile you to God to procure the graces of his Spirit to make intercession for you Therefore it is a comfort unto us that Christ is ascended to Heaven The second comfort is that Christ saith Hee ascended to my Father and to your Father to my God and your God For when wee know the Father of Christ is become our Father and the God of Christ is become our God by the meanes of him wee cannot chuse but hee comforted There was a time when God was our enemy by reason of our sinnes but now Christ saith I ascend to my Father and to your Father to my God and your God therefore this is a great comfort that wee have such a Father as is able to blesse us and to doe us good for seeing he is become our Father He will make a supply of all our wants as shall bee needfull for us A Christian may say Lord Iesus doe thou ascend into Heaven to hold a place for mee against I come to procure the graces of thy Spirit to reconcile mee unto God to make intercession for mee and then I shall bee happie And thus wee see it is for the good of Christians that Christ is ascended SERMON XXXIII LVKE 24. 13. And behold two of them went that same day to a Village called Emmaus which was from Ierusalem about threescore furlongs TWelve severall times Christ did manifest himselfe after his resurrection five whereof were in one day The first was to Marie Magdalen The second To the women comming from the grave Of these two wee have spoken and are come to the third to these two Disciples going to Emmaus In which manifestation there are diverse things to be considered First what disposition Christ did finde them in laid downe in two circumstances First That they went to a Towne called Emmaus that was about threescore furlongs off Ierusalem They did not attend the grave and seeke for Christ as Marie did but they were going away from him and from Ierusalem as men cleane out of heart Here we are to consider the kindnesse and goodnesse of Christ that he did not onely manifest himselfe to them that sought him and did attend the grave but to them also that did go away from him so wee see the disciples were in another condition they heard a brute of Christs rising yet they were not wise to nourish this same sparke but they were as men out of hope and yet Christ goes after them and leaves them not till hee had brought them home to the companie of beleevers So here is the goodnesse and kindnesse of Christ not onely to manifest himselfe to those that seeke him and attend upon good meanes but also to those that goe away and have not a thought of him so we see Iohn 7. the woman of Samaria that came to draw water shee had not a thought of Christ and yet he did manifest himselfe unto her and Luke 2. 8. the Sheepheards were tending their flockes by night they had not a thought of Christs comming but the Angels came unto them and told them that Christ was borne when they looked not for it so also Matth. 8. when Matthew was about his bagges and his money matters he had not a thought of Christ yet then he called him Here wee may see it is Gods mercie to prevent us with his love when wee have not a thought of him but are busie about our profits and pleasures then he seekes us and brings us home unto himselfe even when we are going from him as
Clerke staid all with a word as it were saying We stand in jeopardie to be accused of this daies sedition So if men would thinke of this when they be in the heate of their affections and in the course of sinne it would stoppe them that one day they shall come to judgement and give in their accounts for all that they have done there is no man that can escape it no man that can avoide it When we have sinned through weaknesse and infirmity wee should not be at rest till we have gotten a pardon for it sealed with the blood of Christ As a man that is guilty of Treason cannot take contentment in any thing hee cannot eate drinke or sleepe in rest till hee hath gotten a pardon from the King so seeing we are guilty of Treason before God and have sinned many wayes against him wee should not bee at rest till wee have a pardon sealed with the blood of Christ and shewed it to God saying Lord I confesse I have sinned against thee but here is a pardon sealed with the blood of Christ I know thou wilt not deny it Sixthly The manner of the judgement whereto there belong divers Actions so that at the day of judgement there shall not be one Act onely but divers The first The burning up of the whole World even the whole frame of Nature all Creatures visible and sensible shall be destroied and brought downe into the dust Once the World was destroyed by water and now it shall be destroyed by fire God that set Sodome and Gomorrah on a fire in an instant and destroyed it shall set this whole World on a fire and no man shall be able to quench it and put it out David saith Psal 50. 3. Our God shall come and shall not keepe silence A fire shall devoure before him and a mightie tempest shall be moved round about him Daniel 7. 9. And he ancient of dayes did fit whose Garment was as white as snow and the haire of his head like purple wooll his Throne was like the fiery flame and his wheeles like the burning flame A firie streame issued and came forth So 2 Thes. 1. it is said When the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance unto them which know not God nor obey him in the Gospell so that in small time the whole World shall be consumed and all the glory of it shall be brought to nothing Now if any man shall demand and say What be the particulars that shall be destroyed I answer The Apostle sheweth 2 Pet. 3. 10. That the earth with all the workes thereof shall bee consumed and burnt up all the habitations where we now dwell shall bee consumed and come to nothing many times if ordinary and slight houses be burnt such as be of bricke and stone escape but at the day of judgement not only the slight buildings shall be burned but also the stronger houses such as are made of no combustible matter of bricke and stone We see 1 King 18. The fire that came downe upon Elias his sacrifice did not onely burne up the sacrifice and the wood but it did licke up the water and burne up the stones and the dust so the fire of heaven will not onely burne the slight buildings but also the strongest houses that bee made of solid matter of bricke and stone and marble yea if they were houses of iron they shall be destroyed and dissolved and brought to the matter they were made of so all the world shall be dissolved and burnt up From hence wee learne these Uses First seeing the earth with all the workes thereof shall be consumed and burnt therefore this should teach us to moderate our care for the things of this life that wee bee not so eager and greedy of them as to scrape and scratch together these things unconscionably seeing the fire of Gods wrath shall fall upon them and consume them they shall bee dissolved and burnt up all these goodly houses and gardens hawkes and hounds all shall be burned with fire therefore we should moderate our selves in the things of this life For which cause Matth. 20. when the Disciples came to Christ and shewed him the goodly buildings of the Temple saith Christ Doe yee so admire these things and dote upon them the time shall come that there shall not be left one stone on another so may we say when men dote on the things of this life and doe not seeke after heaven and happinesse Why doe yee so dote on these things the time shall come that there shall not bee a stone left upon a stone Zerxes when hee had a purpose to goe to warre did muster his men in a place and he saw seven hundred thousand men whom he went up unto an hil to take view of and at the sight of them wept his nobles asked him why hee did weepe he said that hee wept to consider how in the revolution of an hundred yeares there should not one of all these be left so it is good for a man to doe as Zerxes did to muster up all his delights pleasures and profits to take a view of them and to consider that after the revolution of a few yeares all shall come to nothing Secondly seeing this earth with all the workes thereof shall be burnt up therefore to labour for the rich graces of Christ which is the use Saint Peter makes thereof 2 Pet. 3. 11. Seeing therefore that all these things must be dissolved what manner of persons ought wee to bee in holy conversation and godlinesse and indeed how ought we to labour to get Faith and Repentance to be brought to an estate of grace that so we may be saved and stand with comfort at that day If a man should gather a great deale of wealth together and put it into an house if one should come and set the house on fire and burne up all he would cry I am undone I am undone so if we lay up all our comfort and joy here in this world when the fire of Gods wrath shall come downe from heaven and consume all these things wee may cry out Wee are undone and therefore it must bee our wisedome to lay up our treasure in heaven and then it will be safe this is the counsell that Christ gives us Matth. 6. Lay not up for your selves treasure upon earth where the moths and canker corrupt and where theeves digge through and steale but lay up treasure for your selves in heaven where neither the moth nor the canker corrupteth and where theeves neither dig through or steale Hereupon Augustine saith well there was a friend that came to a friends house that he had laid up his Corne in a low darke roome telling him that if hee laid it there it must needs corrupt and putrifie but lay it up on an high loft and then it will keepe
lords of this earth though they stay not there Thirdly the Earth shall bee renewed in regard of the wicked that they may the more sensibly see what a deale of glory their sins have deprived them of they shall not come into heaven to see that for Revel 21. it is said No uncleane thing shall come there therefore the Earth shall be renewed that by it they may have a glance of Heaven and a slash of the glory that shall bee in Heaven as it were through a Crevis that so it might bee a further vexation to them We read 2 Kings 7. 9. when there was great plenty of victuals and other things foretold by the Prophet which the Prince there would not beleeve the Prophet saith to him Thou shalt see it with thine eyes but thou shalt not taste thereof so it shall be unto the wicked surely not without great anguish and terrour when they shall see the Earth renewed and themselves to have no part in it Now the Vses hereof may be First seeing there shall be a new Heaven and a new Earth wee should labour to be new Creatures because none but such dwell in this new Heaven and new Earth For the Text saith Wee looke for a new Heaven and a new Earth according to his promise wherein dwels righteousnesse that is righteous men such as bee renewed by the Spirit and grace of God Here in this World there is a mixture of good and bad together as in Adams house Cain and Abel in Abrahams Ishmael and Iacob and amongst Christs Disciples Iohn and Iudas But in this new Heaven and Earth there shall dwell never a wicked man therefore labour thou whosoever thou art to be renewed by the Spirit of Grace and to repent thee of thy sinnes to returne unto God and thou shalt have thy part in this new Heaven and new Earth for evermore Secondly that seeing the Heaven and the Earth shall be renewed there is never a wicked man that can claime or challenge a foote of it to himselfe here in this world they may have hundreds and thousands of Acres of Land they may say in such and such a place I have so much land here is the Patrimonie that my Father gave me here is that which I did purchase Oh but in the new World they cannot claime a foote of it Therefore they may see what a faire threed they have spun to deprive themselves of all their lands even such as have had great revenewes here of the old Earth shall not have a foote of this new Earth It is reported by some Historians of a certaine Nation that every yeere did elect and chuse themselves a king who had as goodly attendance as might bee rich apparell and all things fit and meete for a king but when the yeere was expired they did turne him naked into an Iland where hee did endure extreame misery Now there was one of them who was wiser than the rest that had closely and secretly before his yeere was expired conveyed into this Iland rich apparell and servants to attend on him and had builded him a house and sent all things fitte and meete for him thither beforehand so that when his yeere was expired and they had turned him into this Iland naked he having provided for himselfe before was not distressed The truth of this I stand not to discusse but the morall I am sure may be profitable for this Kingdome is a Type and figure of this World where there bee a number of men that have all things that their hearts can desire but when death commeth then they are turned as it were into a wast Wildernesse naked there to endure extreeme misery and therefore it must bee our wisedome to doe as the wise kings did every day to send something before and to provide comfortably for our selves that when we are turned out of this World wee may have comfort in the World to come Thirdly seeing there shall be a new Heaven and Earth this may bee a comfort to poore Christians that though they have but a small portion here in this World yet they may have a great portion of the new Heaven and Earth if they please God and walke conscionably before him as Revel 21. 7. It is said Hee that overcommeth shall inherit all things c. What is that which he shall inherit Saint Iohn tels us that hee saw a new Heaven and a new Earth namely the things that are spoken of before To him that overcommeth that is To him who can overcome his lusts his sinnes and his corruptions and is not carried away with the bad examples of the World the new Heaven and Earth shall bee for a possession as Dauid doth acknowledge with thankfulnesse to God that hee had given unto him the Land of Canaan much more should wee acknowledge with thankefulnesse that the Lord hath assigned to us a Celestiall Canaan therefore comfort you your selves O yee holy people of God in this that you shall have your parts in the New Heaven and new Earth It is this that which Paul saith Eye hath not seene nor Eare heard nor Tongue is able to expresse the great joyes that God hath prepared for them that love him as The Queene of the South when shee came and heard the wisedome of Salomon said The one halfe was not told her which she found So the holy people of God they shall say that good people did not tell them the one halfe of the joy and comfort that they shall finde therefore beware you doe not â—ell this for toyes and trifles for what a comfort shall it be when Christ shall looke out of the Clouds and hee shall say unto the Godly Come yee blessed of my Father receive the kingdome prepared for you when he shall chase and drive all the wicked to Hell and shall say unto them Goe ye cursed of my Father into everlasting fire prepared for the Divell and his Angels And here let every one of us be exhorted to repent his sinnes for now is the time yet the gate is not shut Hereafter thou if thou now refusest thou shalt not inherit with the people of God but mayest with the foolish Virgins knocke too late when Heavens gates shall for ever be shut upon thee SERMON XLVI MATTHEVV 24. 30 31. And then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the Earth mourne and they shall see the Sonne of Man comming in the Clouds of Heaven with Power and great glory And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the foure winds from one end of Heaven to the other HEretofore yee have heard of the two Acts considered in the manner of the last judgement First The burning of the whole World Secondly The renewing of the Heaven and the Earth whence at this present wee are to proceed
love and most difficult Now since all our good workes shall be remembred and more especially our workes of mercie Therefore it is a good thing for a man to feede the hungrie to cloth the naked to visit the sicke and let us meditate with our selves in this case as David said 2 Sam. 7. 2. I dwell in a house of Cedar and the Arke of God remaines within curtaines so we should say I dwell in a goodly house and many of Gods people have not a house to put their heads in I lie in a soft bed when many of them have not a bed to lie on I have good food when they have not a bit of bread to eate So then it is a good thing for a man to go out of himselfe to consider the wants of other and to shew mercy to them especially at this time because God hath beene mercifull unto us in giving us seasonable times to inne the fruits of the earth to our comfort and giving to us the appointed weekes of the harvest as Ierem. 5. and giving of us strength to undergoe our labours we see Numb 31. 49. when the captaines had beene at warre and were returned home againe they muster their men and finde not a man lost therefore they bring an offering and offer it to the Lord in thankefulnesse for it so we should doe every one looke into his family and number his men and when hee sees that there is not one of them hath miscarried but that he hath his number still give thankes to God for it and as God hath beene mercifull to us so to bee mercifull to our brethren I but some will say I am a poore man and cannot feede the hungry cloath the naked nor as Christ speaketh doe any great matter what shall I doe I answer that the least and smallest matter that is done in true love to Christ shall not want his reward if it be but a draught of drinke or visite of the sicke so Christ shewes Matth. 10. 42. And whosoever shall give unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water to drinke onely in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall not lose his reward so we see Luk. 21. the poore widdow that cast into the treasurie but two mites was more accepted than them that cast in of superfluitie it is not the great quantitie that is accepted but with what affection for the smallest thing done Christ will accept if it be done in love Exod. 35. we see the people brought gold and silver and brasse and silke ramskins and goates haire and so forth for the building of the Tabernacle Origen saith well on that place Grant Lord saith he that I may bee found to bring something to the building of thy Temple that I may bee found to being a little gold to make the mercy-seate on or the Arke or to make the candlestick or a little silver to make the pillars on or a little brasse to make the bosses on or a little silke to make the curtaines on a little goates haire that so I may not be found empty to have brought nothing to the building of thy spirituall Temple So what a griefe may it be at that day when Christ shall say here is the gold silver brasse silke or the goats haire that such a man and such a woman brought and I shall be found to bring nothing what a shame and what a griefe I say will this bee therefore will I ever beseech God to give me the grace that I may be found able to bring something and bestow it on Gods spirituall house that it may bee a comfort to me at that day and let every man be exhorted to doe what they can out of true love to God and compassion to his poore members and no question it shall bee accepted though it be but a little goates haire wee see Math. 21. when Christ rode to Ierusalem every man was ready to doe him service and honor some strowed their garments in the way some cut downe boughs and branches to make way for his comming so doe thou if thou have not changes of garments to strow yet cut downe a boughe or some little branch bestow something on Christ on the Church of God on his poore Saints people and God will accept it for as it is 1 Cor. 8. if there be but a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that which hee hath not therefore let men doe what they are able and God will accept of it though it be but a little Fourthly the judgement that shall passe upon us at the day of judgement shall bee of such workes of mercy as are done to Christians because they are Christians it is good thing to doe good to all as Salomon saith Eccl. 11. cast thy bread on the waters for after many dayes thou shalt finde it though it seeme to thee to be lost and to bee cast away yet thou shalt finde it againe But especially doe good to Christians because they be Christians as it is Gal. 6. 9. doe good to all especially to the houshold of faith and so Rom. 12. 13. the Apostle exhorts to distribute to the necessities of the Saints for that which is done to the Saints is done to Christ himselfe thus 2 Sam. 9. David makes inquirie if none of the house of Saul was left for Ionathan was dead unto whom hee could shew no kindnesse therefore hee makes inquiry to see if any of his race were left that hee might shew kindnesse to them for Ionathans sake so Christ is in heaven wee cannot bestow our bread or our cloth on him O but there are a number of his brethren and servants here in want and in need these wee must feede cloath and shew kindnesse to for Christs sake againe though we are to doe good to all yet especially to Christians because they are Christians for there is such a neere conjunction betweene Christ and Christians that their wants hee takes to bee his wants their injuries and wrongs to bee as done to him Therefore one saith well that Christ takes all the injuries and wrongs that are done to his servants as if they were done to himselfe as Acts 9. Saul persecuted the Church and Christ cries out of heaven Saul Saul why persecutes thou mee Saul kicked at the foote and the head cries out of heaven why dost thou persecute mee such a neere conjunction there is betweene Christ and his members that all the injuries and wrongs that are done to them are accounted as done to Christ and all their wants to bee his wants Therefore tell me O man or woman if Christ should hang on the crosse and crie out and say I thirst what wouldst thou doe Let him thirst still nay wouldest thou not rather bring him wine or milke to comfort him this is the same case still for when a
elect Angells are pure and Holy and cannot lye Now for the Booke of Iudith that is a storie devised for the Credit of the Iewes for there was never such a King as is there spoken of amongst the Iewes nor such a high Priest nor so long a time of tranquillitie and peace for so many yeeres together as is spoken of Chap. 6. 7 8. And for Ecclesiasticus Chap. 24. 12. there the eternall wisedome is said to bee a creature Therefore hereby it may appeare that although there bee some good things in them yet they rast of the vessell of earth whence they came and shew that they came not from heaven as the Canonicall did therefore the Church had good reason and ground not to receive these Bookes as the Scripture and also to preserve the true Canon of the Scripture without addition or subtraction and indeed it is well when the two Testaments may meet together without parting that their lippes may kisse each other to joine Moses and Christ the Law and the Gospell together seeing that the last words of the Old Testament ends with a Curse and the New beginneth with a blessing this is the generation of Iesus Christ the Sonne of David the Sonne of Abraham The uses are Seeing it hath beene the care of the Church to preserve the true rule and Canon of the Scripture without addition or distraction wee should blesse God and bee thankfull that hee hath not left us without a rule in so many worldly distractions where Kingdome is set against Kingdome one learned man against another in such varietie of opinions yet hee hath not left us without a guide to direct both our lives and consciences in the right way if wee will obey it as it is Esai 8. 29. To the Law and to the Testimonies if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them so Iohn 5. 39. saith Christ search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke to have eternall life and they are they which testifie of mee to the same purpose also 2 Pet. 1. 19. saith hee Wee have also a most sure word of the Prophets to the which yee doe well that yee take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place c. Therefore we see that God hath given us a rule to direct us by in the time of distraction and danger If one should have a long jorney to goe and one should put into his hand a glasse that would shew him every step hee should take that hee might not step one step awry how thankfull would this man bee such a glasse is the Scripture for wee have a long journey to goe from earth to Heaven wherefore the Lord hath put this glasse into our hands that is hee hath given us the Scripture to shew us every step which wee should take that if wee set but one foot awry wee may see it Therefore how thankfull should wee bee to God for it Act. 17. 11. when Paul had preached the word there being opposition amongst them they got to the Bible and searched out the truth of the matter whether it were so or no whereupon it is said many of them beleeved So when the learned men and preachers have oppositions there being distraction and diversities of opinions amongst them the Lord hath given us a rule Wee must to the Scriptures Therefore thankes bee to God hee hath not left us to erre and wander but hath given us a direction to guide us Augustin saith well concerning this point if there bee any distraction or opposition about this thing or that thing let Christ bee the Iudge for hee speaketh in the Scripture therefore this is an excellent blessing which we are to bee thankfull for that God hath given us a Rule to walke by The second use is seeing God hath given us a rule to walk by therefore no man can excuse himselfe and say I would have done it if I had knowen it or if some body had told it mee or if I had a rule to goe by Now there is no man can excuse himselfe and say hee hath not a Rule for God hath left him one in his word which makes all unexcusable as Iohn 15. 22. Christ speakes If I had not come and spoken to them they should not have had sinne but now their sinne abideth so if God had not left us a rule and a direction to guide our selves by in the Bible wee should have had no sinne but because God hath given us such a rule to walke by therefore if wee walke not according to it wee have no cloake for our sinne Seeing God hath left us a rule to walke by It must bee our wisedome to make use of this rule in our thoughts speeches and actions Wee see a man is much the better that hath a rule to worke by for hee will stick it at his backe worke by aime and not by ghesse so Psal 119. 33. saith David Teach mee O Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it to the end As if hee should say let mee but know thy will and I am contented to doe it If once wee know Gods will wee must direct all our speeches and actions to bee ruled by it It is a great infamy to any man to come into an order and not to hold him to his order as to bee a Soldier or a Scholler but much more to bee a Christian and yet not to humble ones self to the rules of Christianitie how just shall our condemnation bee the Rule of Gods Word teacheth a man to bee temperate and not to bee overtaken with surfeting and drunkennesse to bee mercifull to deale conscionably in our wayes and not to mispend our time to repent of our sinnes and therefore when men will not hold them to their rule to live temperatly walk holily and to make conscience of their wayes to deale truly and justly with men to take heede they doe not mispend their time to repent them of their sinnes if they doe not these things they are fallen from their rule and shamed in that they hold not to it Augustin saith there bee a number of things that seeme to bee straight but bring them to the rule and then wee may see their obliquities so there bee a number of things that seeme to be straight and good but lay them to the Rule bring them to the Scriptures and to the Law of God then wee may see a number of obliquities in them and how short they come of the Rule as 1 King 17. when Elias applied himselfe to the Child 's dead bodie his face to the Childs and his hands to the Childs hands then did appeare the dissimilitude between them and how short the Child came of him So when we shall compare our actions with the Law of God then wee shall see the dissimilitude and disproportions betweene them and when wee see how short
all one house and familie and appertaine to one Lord and master many times they all meet together and when they bee parted there is but a floore or a loft between them so the Church of God is a great house wherein there bee many lodgings some lodge in the upper Roome that is in Heaven and some in the lower the earth and yet they have but one Lord and Master and bee all of one familie there is but a floore as it were between them and that is the veile of this flesh which shall be taken away one day they shall come together one day They that are in the upper Roome shall come down into this lower to receive their bodies and they which are in this lower shall goe up into the upper Roome to receive their glorie and immortalitie The People of God in old time dwelled in Tents the husband had his Tent and the wife had hers as wee see Gen. 18. that Abraham had his Tent by himselfe and Sara had her Tent and yet there was Communion between them they met sometimes and conversed together and when they were asunder there was but a thinne canvase or cloath between them so the Saints departed live in one place a-part by themselves and the living Saints by themselves and yet there is a neere conjunction between them because they all meet together in the adoration of the true God when they are asunder there being as it were but a thinne cloth between them the veile of this flesh Therefore little doe men know what they doe deprive themselves of by their sinnes for they doe not onely lose Communion with weake and fraile men such as wee bee but with Angells and Archangells and all the Saints departed and blessed People of Heaven above Therefore pittie the madnesse and folly of men to deprive themselves of so great a blessing Thirdly the Communion of the dead with the dead consisting in two things First in desire that they may be buried lye together in the grave that they may rise together in glorie and happinesse We see Gen. 23. that Abraham might have buried Sarah when shee was dead in the best of the Sepulchers of the Heathen people but hee bought a peece of ground of them to burie her in And Gen. 49. 29. Iacob gave a charge to his Sonnes concerning the place of his buriall saying I am gathered unto my people bury mee with my Fathers in the cave that is in the fields of Ephron the Hittite in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah besides Mamre in the Land of Canaan which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession to burie in there they layd Abraham and Sarah and there they buried Isaak and Rebecca his wife and there I buried Leah and let mee lye amongst Gods Saints so 1. King 30. 31. the old Prophet said When I am dead bury mee also in the Sepulcher wherein the man of God is buried lay my bones by his bones and my body by his body c. So it is the desire of the Saints to lye together in the grave to have their ashes mingled together and their dust never separated that so they may rise to eternall glorie together Some thinke it is no matter where a man is buried when hee is dead and indeed all is one in regard of salvation but a man would bee loth to rise with whoremasters drunkards theeves and villaines therefore hee would hee loth to lye amongst them Secondly In that they shall meete together in the communion of the mysticall body of Christ for as in a circumference there are many points and lines all which come to one center so there be many bodies of the Saints scattered and severed some in the land some in another some in the Sea concavities and hollow places of the Earth yet all these shall meet at the Center in the body of Christ for howsoever the body may bee sundered by death from the soule for a time yet soule and body cannot be sundred from Christ Some thinke that the dead bodies of the Saints doe truely belong to Christ and are under the care of God because Christ saith that God is the God of Abraham Isaak and Iaakob but they doe not thinke that they have communion with Christ when they bee dead because they have communion with Christ by meanes of the Spirit onely but to this I answere that the dead bodies bee not onely members with Christ but they have communion with him for looke how it was with the materiall body of Christ when the soule and body was sundred by death yet it was alwayes united to the Godhead so the faithfull people though they bee dead yet are united to Christ. Againe I answere that all communion wee have is by the Spirit of Christ for our dead bodies doe communicate by his Spirit not according to all the effects of it but some namely that hee doth preserve and keepe their dust and one day will raise and quicken them againe to live in glory and happinesse so Saint Paul saith Rom. 8. 11. But if the spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwelleth in you hee that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies because his Spirit dwelleth in you Secondly the dead have communion one with another in regard of their soules for all the soules of the Saints when they leave this world shall bee gathered to the Saints that be departed so Gen. 15. 15. saith God But thou shalt goe to thy fathers in peace and shalt be buried in a good old age Now it could not bee meant of the bodies of his fathers for they were buried in another Countrie nor could it be meant of the soules of his fathers for they were idolaters but it was meant of the fathers of his faith to such as he was to holy and good men for looke what a man is to the same he shal be gathered to and such as a man converseth with whilest he liveth here on the earth unto such he shall bee gathered in the life to come Therefore to shut up all if thou wouldest not be gathered to whoremasters drunkards murtherers theeves villains and such like doe not converse with them nor partake with them in their sinnes but if thou have repented of thy sinnes got faith in Christ and made conscience of thy wayes conversing with good men then thou shalt bee gathered to Abraham Isaak and Iaakob and all the holy men therefore every man must so live in this life as that hee may live for ever in the life to come SERMON LXX HEBREVVES 10. 24 25. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good workes Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as yee see the day approaching IN Christian
unto God himselfe is the loveliest and most delightfull object or sight that is and it is that that Christ prayes for Iohn 17. 24. Father I will that they which thou hast given mee bee with mee where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me so also Revel 14. 4. it is said These are they which are not defiled with women for they are virgins these follow the Lambe wheresoever he goes Hence it is plaine we shall enjoy the eternall presence of Christ which how comfortable will it bee to a poore Christian even the chiefest even the onely thing which hee desires As Saint Paul saith I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all And the Wisemen Matth. 2. 10. when after a long journey and a great deale of travell they found Christ it is said that they rejoyced exceedingly and thought all their paines and travell well bestowed in that they had found him so when a Christian hath found Christ not poore and meane lying in a manger but gloriously sitting upon a Throne what a comfort will this be to him when he shall thinke all his labor and pains well bestowed what a comfort was it to Iosephs brethren Genes 45. 4. in their great distresse when he said I am Ioseph your brother c. so what a comfort will it bee to a poore Christian in that great distresse when Iesus Christ shall say I am your Brother your Saviour and Redeemer that have lost my life for you and shed out my pretious blood to redeeme you and gave my life and soule for your sakes Now enjoy me to your comfort How comfortable I say will this bee to a poore Christian in the perplexitie and great amazement which shall then come on the world Thirdly We shall enjoy the societie of all the holy Saints of Angels and Archangels Prophets and Patriarkes as Christ saith Matth. 8. 11. Many shall come from the East and West and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaak and Iaakob in the Kingdome of Heaven It was the end of Christs death to bring us to Heaven as it is Iohn 11. 52. where speaking of his owne death hee saith And not for that Nation onely but that he might gather together in one the Children of God which were scattered abroad so that wee must first bee gathered into the kingdome of grace and then into the kingdome of Glory We see what a comfort it is when a few friends meete together at a feast when they have beene absent a long time but much more will our comfort be when we shall meet together in heaven We see how Peter was rapt with joy when he saw but two Prophets with Christ in the transfiguration Matth. 17. 4. saith he It is good being here Let us make three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias if he were thus rapt with joy when he saw but two of the Prophets onely what will it bee when we shall not onely have a sight of two but we shall have societie together with Angels and Archangels Patriarkes and Prophets and all the holy men of God to live with them for ever and ever Thinke what a comfort it will be that after a few dayes spent here in the feare of God Repentance for our sinnes and new obedience we shall enjoy Heaven for ever Therefore thinke if thou canst thinke how comfortable it will bee and doe not lose heavenly things for earthly and for society with sinners doe not lose societie and fellowship with the People of God in the Kingdome of Heaven for ever Fourthly We shall enjoy Lordship over this whole world So we see Psal. 49. 14. where it is said The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning though the People of God be kept low in this life and have but little comfort yet when the great morning shall come the day of judgement then the People of God shall raigne over this whole world and have dominion and Lordship over it So Revel 21. 7. He that overcommeth shall inherit all things that is Hee that overcommeth his lusts and his sins this may be a comfort to a poore Christian though his estate be but meane and poore It may be thou wantest a house to put thy head in or hast but a poore one Be of good comfort if thou labourest to repent thee of thy sinnes and to overcome thy lusts and corruptions then thou shalt possesse the new Heaven and the new Earth and mayest say as it is 1 Pet. 5. 3. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance immortall and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for us If a man hath but little in possession and great matters in reversion hee will comfort himselfe and say I thanke God though mine estate bee but meane and poore now yet one day I shall have somewhat that will keepe mee like a man so a Christian may comfort himselfe and say I thanke God although my estate be but meane and poore so as I have but little in possession yet I have a great reversion I shall bee Lord over this whole world Fifthly We shall enjoy a continuall Sabbath to the Lord In this life wee keepe but every seventh day a Sabbath which day to a Spirituall man is the comfortablest but to a Carnall man heavie and irkesome Here we keepe but one of seven but there every day shall bee a Sabbath to them As wee see Esay 66. 23. And it shall come to passe as from one new Moone to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord so Heb. 4. 9. he saith there remaineth therefore a rest to the People of God Now wee keepe but one day of seven but then we shall keepe every day a Sabbath unto the Lord which is exceeding comfortable as it appeares Revel 15. 2. where we see how those that passed over the glassie Sea did sing the song of Moses and the Lambe So all the People of God when they have passed the glassie Sea of this world shall sing songs of deliverance and praise the Lord who hath delivered them from the power of sinne the Divell and Hell The Prophet David Psal 84. 4. saith Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will ever be praising thee and Augustine speaking of this place saith hee what is that which makes a man blessed Every man who is blessed is blessed either by possessing or doing of some thing but then we shall possesse the house it selfe and therefore shall be blessed For a man may dwell in these houses and yet be a poore man but he that dwels in the House of God is rich One may dwell in these houses
Death Power of the Divell Sinne c. 272. How Christ defends his Church 380. God deferres not good tidings from man 123. * Sinne hath made us so deformed that God doth not acknowledge us 150. Deformities are punishments for sinne 639. Deformities in the member of the Church as bad as that in the members of the body 573. †Pilates endevour to deliver Christ better than Peters 200. †Of Christs descension into Hell 283. Christs Body Soule did not descend into Hell 285. â— 287. Against the Papists Christ did not descend into Hell to Preach to the damned 285. †Suffer paines there ibid. ¶ No Skirts of Hell 286. Places of Scriptures alledged by the adversaries for Christ descension into Hell answered 289. The descension of Christ into Hell nothing else but the captivating of him under death for a time 289. ¶ Two descents of a Christian 290. Christs desertion on the crosse 164. Spirituall desertion what it is 170. †Tryals of good desires 28. Defects in unsound desire of Heaven 498. How the wicked desire grace 506. see Grace No man ought to despaire of Gods mercie 233. ¶ The Divell the Author of all division 478. Why Christ died no ordinary death 212. It was needfull Christ should dye 1. To satisfie Gods Iustice for Mans sinne 2. That our sinnes might dye in his death 3. To seale to true bileevers Gods promises in the Gospell 261 262. Why Christ dyed a painefull death 264 We must be willing to dye when wee have done Gods worke 263. We should labour to dye the servants of God 143. ¶ in peace of conscience 144. * Ill successe Bad example in holy labors should be no discouragements 134. What it was that Christ dranke on the crosse 217. God drawes man out of sinne 379. Perseverance in good duties never failes in obtaining a reward 488. * Duties to God must not abridge our duties to men 231. * E WIcked men get up early to follow their lusts 193. †How the earth shall be renewed 413. The Earth shall be renued in regard of Christ the Godly the wicked 414. The wicked can lay no claime to the Earth when it is renued 415. ¶ Ecce Homo a good memento for a Christian 203. ¶ Of the Disciples that went to Emmaus 316. Actions determined by their ends as a ship governed by the Sterne 407. †Good endevours shall finde Gods blessing 136. * Wee ought so to live as our enemies may haue no just cause of exception against us 195 ¶ Love to our enemies a Christian duty 225. * Five Motives thereto ibid. The wicked alwaies enemies to the friends and followers of Christ 191. ¶ How the true Church may erre 570. The comfortable estate of a Christian never to be forsaken of God 173. ¶ God able to raise from nothing to great worldly estates The exaltation of Christ 291. Christs humility our example 164. * Christs example our iâ—itation 245. †How examples are most fit to move 138. ¶ Bad example 135. Bad example should not transport us from Christ 234. ¶ No exception to bee taken against the two Bookes that shall be opened at the day of Iudgement 440. Excommunication a most fearefull sentence 568. * Whether better to sinne against God or stand excommunicated 568. ¶ VVhy the Disciples eyes that went to Emmaus were held 319. God must open our eyes before we can discerne Christ 335. †F THe great Object of Faith God 41. Two rules to governe our Faith concerning God 478. Faith Historicall 16. Temporary 18. Miraculous 19. Iustifying 20. Two reasons why Faith aloue justifieth 31 What required to a justifying Faith 20. Seven trials of true justifying Faith 22. Five companions of true justifying Faith 25. c. Degrees of true justifying Faith 26. Effects of true justifying Faith 37. There weakenings of Faith The scandall of the Crosse Too much hast to have our desires Tying to our eyes and hands 322. Wherein weaknesse of Faith consists 27. Trials to distinguish a weake Faith from no Faith 28. How to finde out weaknesse of Faith 30. Reasons why our Faith is shâ—keâ— 32. True Faith may be shrewdly shaken 321. †Comforts in weaknesse and want of feeling of Faith 34. Full assurance of Faith 36. He that takes away one main point of Faith takes away all 20. True Faith layes hold on every little word of Christ 311. ¶ True Faith breakes through all lets 126. †True justifying Faith assureth of salvation 31. 33. Wherein Faith is necessary to salvation though judgement be according to works 457. * Our Faith must bee grounded on the Scripture 329. ¶ Faith that is visible saveth 457. ¶ Faith must be in particular 77. * Faith vsefull in the life of a Christian 3. Two waies Faith stirres up holy motions in 〈◊〉 4. All things must be done in Faith 7. Comforts from doing things in Faith 9. Faith upholds 〈◊〉 in Spirituall desertions 11. Worldly crosses 12. The least Faith after a temptation must bee cherished 337. †How to die in Faith 14. After a fall in sinne a Christian must endeavour to rise 337. â— The fall of GODS Children not finall 173. Carefull provision for our families necessarily commanded 230. â— Caesars favour preferred before Gods 210. †Want of the feare of God occasions mens running into all disorder 236. †Christs feare on the crosse a dreadfull feare 153. The causes of Christs feare Gods judgement Death 144. The extremities of Hell fire 469. Hell fire eternall 470. †Hell fire is not naturall fire 468. The extreme torments of the wicked me meant by fire 4â—7 ¶ The Spirit quenched as fire 516. How the flesh may overcome the Spirit 595. The manner how Christ tooke flesh 105. Christ tooke flesh in his Conception Birth 105. How Gods people are said to flow 125. †A man may flie in persecution when hee hath not A calling to stay Sufficient strength to suffer 1â—2 None can forgive sinnes but God 615. How men may forgive sinnes 616. * God forgives sinnes with condition of repentance 617. How a man may know his sinnes are forgiven in particular 618. A Minister forgives sinnes two wayes 346. Forgivenesse of sins a great blessing 608. belonging to this life onely 609. Forgivenesse of sinnes in regard of Vâ—â— free Christ due 612. Forgivenesse of sinnes is without limitation of their Number Greatnesse 614. Comforts from forgivenesse of sinnes 621. God forsakes not his Children prov'd from the Promise Nature Power Vertue of Christs Prayer of God 172. Gods forsaking a man the greatest griefe 164. ¶ God may be said to forsake his Children in the life of nature but never in the lâ—fe of grace 173. A Christian forsaken of God in the sense and feeling of his grace must carry himselfe Mournefully Patiently Holily 175. Christ is forsaking a man when he Growes idle in the use of the meanes Lives in knowne sinnes Feeles a decay of grace 330. Forwardnesse and intrusion into bâ—sinesse needlessely a great fault 78. ¶ Wee
ought to keepe God our friend in this life if we expect to have him so at oâ—r death 256. †¶ Fulnesse of time 113. ¶ Christ came not till the fulnesse of time 114. ¶ G CHrist apprehended in a Garden because 1. Sinne began in a Garden 2. Christ prayed in the Garden 3. It was a place knowne to Iudas 177. c. The calling of the Gentiles in the wise mens comming to Christ 129. †That the Holy Ghost is God proved by Reason Scripture 479. The holy Ghost a Person really subsisting 481. distinct from father and Sonne 482. The holy Ghost really and actually in us 487. The holy Ghost Teacheth Governeth Comforteth us 509. c. The graces of the holy Ghost inestimably good 487. †The benefits wee receive by the holy Ghost 508. How the holy Ghost may be lost 515. †The meanes to come by the holy Ghost 488. The true markes to know whether the holy Ghost be in us or no. 489. Discovery of the false markes of the holy Ghosts being in us 494. The Defect Excesse of giving 593. Christ gave gifts personal to the Ministers royall to euery man 367. The life of Glory 650. The Saints Glory by Christs pronouncing them blessed at the end of the world 447. * Differences of Christs and Moses Glory 419. Foure properties of Goates 436. That there is a God proved by The workes of God The place where God is The nature of the creatures Our conscience Our experience 42. c. That there is but one God 46. How God is said to be Almighty 59. Things that imply Incapability Weaknesse Contradiction God caÌ„not doe 60. Vses of Instruction Comfort from Gods being Almighty 61. God is a true God inregard of his Nature Properties 48. We must beleeve God is our God in particular 49. God the Father of Christ 52. Vnion with Christ makes God our Father 53. Comforts that arise from Gods being our Father 56. Some men make their bellies their gods 46. ¶ A distinction of the Persons in the Godhead 50. †The Father the fountaine of the Godhead 51. ¶ Golgotha why so called 216. Many hindrances when wee goe about any thing that is good 340. †How God the Father communicates his goodnesse to the Sonne and holy Ghost 52. * The Church the Goshen of God therein light onely all the world besides being darke 565. ¶ The Gospell like a Vine in his growth 122. * The Gospell compared to a great glasse 219. †Christ more glorious in the preaching of the Gospell than in his bodily presence on Earth 130. * The wicked disobedient to Christs government 87. ¶ Christ governes his Church by 1. Drawing them to himselfe 375. 2. Guiding them the right way 377. 3. Exercising them with trials for their good 378. 4. Defending them from their enemies 380. Foure grounds that the true graces of Gods Spirit are never finally lost 518. In all Gods People a roote of Grace remains to be discerned three waies 505. * Common graces of the Spirit may bee lost 517. †Five meanes how to nourish the graces of the Spirit 520. No power in man to doe any thing unlesse God give him grace 445. Two things a weake beginner in grace must looke to 501. Grace at first small increases like seedâ— sowne 490. * Degrees of grace 490. †Growth of grace imperceptible 491. ¶ If grace be in the heart it will shew it selfe 190. * When wee rise in grace wee must leave the sinnes of nature behinde us 298. * The Papists opinion of the incertainty of grace confuted 494. Two defects in restraining grace 495. The graces of the Spirit compared to Oyle 81. Desire of grace fourefold 505. ¶ Comforts in the lying in our graves 633. Christs grave why new 279. Every man though hee have no house hath a grave to be buried in 278. * Christ at first made knowne to the poorer sort not great men 120. ¶ All sinne is a griefe to God 481. * The sinnes of Gods People doe more grieve Christ than of the prophaner sort 18. †The Spirit grieved by sinne against knowledge and disobedience 520. H THe right hand of God signifies 1. His Power 2. The glory of Heaven 3. Propinquitie of place to God in dignity 371. By Christs sitting at Gods right hand is implied His enobling our nature His governement of the Church 372. Christ sits at Gods right hand 1. To shew the worke of mans redemption is finished 2. All judiciary power is committed to him 3. He is in continuall act of judgement 374. Never can a man make too much haste to come to Christ 126. ¶ A good hearer like dry powder 528. ¶ How to know whether Christ bee conceived in the heart 105. ¶ The great stirre that is at the conception of Christ in the heart of a Christian 108. †The heart hardned in sinne nothing will do good upon 185. ¶ Pilate an Heathen goes beyond most Christians in fearing to sinne against God 209. * God the maker of Heaven and Earth 64 65. Of the reâ—â—ing of the Heavens and the Earth 412. All that come to Heaven must come by Christ 286. ¶ Heaven promised to sinners upon repentance 242. * Heaven prepared for the Elect before they were borne 451. Gods Children must be content to stay from Heaven for the good of those they live amongst 359. †In Heaven we shall be freed from 1. All necessities of nature 652. 2. All labours of this life ibid. 3. Originall sinne 653. 4. All worldly power and authoritie 654. 5. All society with the wicked ibid. 6. All sicknesses and diseases 655. The Heavens shall be new in regard of Vse Disposition Effects 413. In Heaven we shall enjoy 1. Immediate society with God 655. 2. Eternall presence of Christ ibid. 3. Societie of Saints and Angels 657. 4. Lordship over the world ibid. 5. A continuall Sabbath to the Lord. 658. Christ suffered the paines of Hell but not in place of Hell 242. * Women when good helps 206. * Christ borne when Herod was king to shew His Kingdome was not of this world The Iewes kingdome was at the lowest 115. Why Herod was troubled at Christs comming 132. †Herod desired to see Christ not for love but for his miracles sake 201. ¶ The holy Ghost the onely Author of holinesse 482. Sixe meanes whereby the holy Ghost workes holinesse in us 484. Two defects of Popish holinesse 572. All our hope and comfort must bee in Christ 140. * We ought to bee humbled seeing Christ was humbled for us 101. †Christs humiliation the first degree 100. The humilitie of Christ in his birth 117. ¶ None can hurt us but from power given from God 60. 179. * I THe Valley of Iehoshaphat not the place of the last judgement 398. Christ will deale with good men as Iehu with Iehonadab 447. ¶ Humane reason brought the wise men to Ierusalem divine to Bethlehem 130. †Why the Iewes were troubled at Christs birth 132. ¶ In
from the hand of a loving Father 5 We should part with any thing to give unto Christ Iudg. 14. Vse 2. Comfort First our dignity to be the Sons of God Secondly That God will be a Father to us Thirdly that God will give us a heavenly inheritance Fourthly All Gods chastisements shall turne to the best Simile Simile Mercie in the â—iddest of wrath Simile 5 Why God is said to bee Almighty Quest Ans. Simile Simile God is said to be Almighty foure waies First because he is able to doe whatsoever hee will Secondly because hee is able to doe whatsoever in Nature is possible Thirdly because the whole fulnesse of Power is in God Fourthly because all the power of the creatures is in God Simile Simile None can hurt us but by power from God given Simile Object Ans What thing God cannot doe because they imply weaknesse in one SER. VI. Secondly God cannot make the Creature God Simile Thirdly God cannot doe any thing which i plyeth Contradiction Vse 1. Men must stoop and bow before him Secondly to labour to make him our friend and bee in his favour Thirdly above all things sinne not against him Iob 31. 23. Fourthly in all extremities trust in him Rom. 8. 38. Vse 2. First that our salvation is in his hand Secondly wee shall bee safe under his protection Thirdly that all his promises shall bee fulfilled in due time Fourthly that he is powerfull to destroy our adversaries The more power there is in God the more should be our comfort Simile First God made heaven and earth Vse 1. Since God made the world hee is to be praised for the comforts in the same Simile Vse 2. Not to displease him who made all since hee is able to destroy all Simile Vse 3. Since God did make all he is able to dispose all at his owne pleasure The second point God made heaven and earth Vse 1. Since God made all not to wrong God with them Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. Simile The third point how God made all The third point how God made all Vse 1. Vse 2. The fourth point what he made all of Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile Vse 4. Fiftly in what estate God made the world Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. Simile Sixthly in what time God made all Dan. 2. 16. Quest Sol. 1 2 Simile Simile Seventhly in what order all things were made Quest. sol Reason 1. Simile Reason 2. Reason 3. SER. VII Eighthly all was made for mans benefit Simile ARTIC II. First Hee is Iesus Simile Simile Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile First whom he shall save Secondly boâ— Christ saves his people Simile Christs letter to the Father Guilt of Sinne what Triall Simile Secondly that there is no Iesus but our Iesus 1 2 3 4 5 Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile 3 Thirdly that hee will be our Iesus Iob 19. Simile Quest. Sol. The second Branch is that Jesus iâ— that Christ Act. 2. 36. First what is meant by Anointing First Assignation to the worke of Redemption Act. 2. 36. Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Act. 2. 37. The second worke of Anointing was to shew sufficiencie for the worke Iudg. 16. 3. The third use of Anointing was acceptation of all he dealt with Secondly with what he was anointed The Graces of the Spirit comparted to Oyle First Oyle softens 1 Sam. 19. 23. Secondly Oyle makes cheerefull Act. 16. 25. Thirdly with what he was Anointed Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. 1 3 Fourthly to what end Christ was anointed First Christ is a Prophet Iohn 4. Simile Vse Christ teacheth by the Word and Sacraments Cantic 5. 2. Secondly Christ was a Priest Simile Simile The foure Kingly Duties of Christ 1 Col. 1. 13. Simile The second Kingly Duty Matth. 27. 26. The third Kingly Duty Simile SER. VIII The fourth Kingly Duty Vse 1. Vse 2. The fruit and benefit of Christs Anointing Simile Quest Sol. The third title is that Jesus is the Sonne of God Simile Ioh. 149. Simile Foure Arguments that Christ is God 1 Arg. 2. Arg. 3. Arg. 4. Act. 7. 59. Why Christ onely must Redeeme us 1 2 3 Secondly Christ is the Onely Sonne of God Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. Heb. 1. 1. Vse 4. Vse 5. Simile Simile First Lord of all the world First having all Power under Him Secondly having all things serving Him Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Secondly that He is our Lord. Foure wayes Christ is Lord of the Church First by Creation Secondly by Redemption Thirdly by free gift Fourthly by voluntary service Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Simile Vse 3. Simile Vse 4. Vse 5. Simile Simile Vse 6. Simile Vse 7. Simile The first Degree of Christs Humiliation Simile SER. IX Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile First How farre Christ tooke mans nature The first conclusion The second conclusion Simile Quest. sol 1 2 3 4 Secondly why Christ was made man 1 2 3 Thirdly the ends why Christ tooke mans nature 1 Simile 2 Simile 3 Simile 4 Simile 5 Fourthly the manner how hee tooke flesh First of what he was Conceived Simile Simile 2 Secondly by what power He was conceived Quest Sol. 1 How Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost Simile 2 3 Simile Object Sol. Simile First of whom Christ is borne Three reasons why Christ was borne of a Virgin Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. First what stocke the Virgin Mary came of Secondly her estate Foure reasons why Christ was borne of such meane Parentage The first Reason of Christs low birth Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 4. SERM. X. First there is a fulnesse of time to fulfill Gods promises Vse 1. Vse 2. Secondly the fulnesse of time is comming Simile Thirdly God sent his Sonne in the fulnesse of time The first perticular time when Herod was king Christ was borne at the lowest ebb of the Jewish estate The second particular time The first cause The second cause Simile Thirdly the place of Christs birth Quest Sol. Reason 1. Simile Reason 2. Reason 3. Fourthly the manner of Christs birth Object Ans Vse 1. Vse 2. Secondly hee was borne meanely Foure Reasons of Christs meane Birth 1 2 Simile 3 4 Simile First unto whom Christ was manifested Three Reasons why Christ was first knowne to the meaner sort 2 Simile 3 Simile Object Sol. Simile Secondly in what disposition the shepheards were found Iudg. 6. 11. Calvin Dominus cum venit inveniet melbar antem Thirdly by whom Christs Birth was manifested Fourthly the time of the manifestation SER. XI The first effect Simile Simile Reason 1. Reason 2. The second effect made hast Simile The third effect they published all Simile The fourth effect they returned to their callings Two Reasons of Christs manifestation Reason 1. Simile Reason 2. Secondly the place whence they came Two reasons why the wisemen came so farre to Christ 1 2 Luk. 11. 31. Simile Object sol Simile Thirdly the place whither they went Simile