to the voice of Christ deliuered by the minister out of the Gospel Seeing then the spirit of God doth witnesse by the word vnto vs our adoption and saluation wee may learne from hence that it is a work of a man out of Christ not to beleeue and assent vnto the word but rather to stand out in reasoning against the euidence of it For so soone as a man is become the sheepe of Christ he cannot but presently heare his voiyce Ioh. 10.27 and hence Christ himselfe prooueth the carping Pharisies not to be of God because they could not abide to here his sayings Ioh. 8.43 and who be they to whom the Gospel is hid euen they that perish 2. Cor. 4.3 If wee would haue a more euident marke to know them by it is added that they bee such as the eies of whose minds the God of the world hath blinded wherein is implied a wilfull ioyning with Sathan to blind themselues further by their malice then they were by corrupted nature And if we would looke to our congregations we shall finde many such of whō we may pronounce that which Steuen did of the Iewes that they were resisters of the holy Ghost Act. 7.51 For whose words be these to the Almightie Iob 21.14 Depart from vs wee will not the knowledge of thy wayes and who is the Almightie that we should serue him For how many of vs that heare the word receiue the Sacraments and goe for Christians resolue yet not to leaue our sinnes till they leaue vs nay the obstinate purpose of our hearts is to practise them stil and what is this els but with the seruants in the parable Luk. 19.14 to send word into a farre countrie after the king that we will not haue him to rule ouer vs but our owne lusts shall still prescribe lawes vnto vs Againe when wee call the people as God did his Ier. 6.16 to walke in the old way that they may finde rest to their soules they answer vs with them we will not walke in that way the sound of the thing if not of the voyce speaketh for we call from swearing lying couetousnes which is idolatrie from Sabboth-breaking intemperance drinkings vncleanenesse but mens hearts speake by their liues we will sweare we will drinke to drunkennesse the waies of God are too straight and vnequall a man had as good be in prison as in these bonds By these instances wee may see as in a glasse that many are tainted amongst vs with this fearefull sinne of rising vp and reasoning against that light which shineth out in the word Secondly the Sacraments The second meanes whereby the spirit giueth vs assurance of our saluation is in the frequent vse of the sacraments which are added to the couenant of grace as seales not to confirme Gods promises in themselues which are so vndoubtedly true that they need no confirmation but to strengthen our faith in this assurance that they belong particularly vnto vs. For whereas in the word the promises of life and saluation are generally propounded to all beleeuers in the vse of the Sacraments they are particularly applied to euery worthy receiuer to the end that doubting being remoued they may be certainely assured that all the promises of the Gospel doe belong particularly to themselues To this end the Sacrament of circumcision is called the seale of the righteousnes of faith Rom. 4.11 because thereby as by a seale Abraham was confirmed in the truth of Gods promises and assured that the righteousnes of faith that is the righteousnes of Christ did belong vnto him And answerable to this Sacrament is Baptisme wherein Christ and all the gratious promises of life and saluation made in him are particularly applied to the party baptized Gal. 3.27 all that are baptised into Christ haue put on Christ The Apostle here compareth Christ to a garment which by the hand of faith is put on by euery particular beleeuer So in the administration of the Lords supper the bread and wine is particularly deliuered vnto all the communicants to signifie vnto them that euery one who stretcheth forth the hand of faith doth receiue Christ and all his benefits whereby his soule is nourished vnto euerlasting life Whosoeuer therefore hath faith he may be assured that he receiueth Christ he may be assured of his election and saluation Ioh. 1.12 for to as many as receiued him he giueth power to be the sonnes of God And who are these euen those that beleeue in his name Ioh. 6.54 and whosoeuer eats his flesh and drinks his blood hath eternall life Now if we would know how we feed vpon him it is by the mouth of faith Ioh. 6.47 The spirit of God properly as the efficient cause doth seale Eph. 4.30 because it doth confirme and stablish in our hearts the assurance of euerlasting life and saluation by his testimony but it doth it by the ministery of the word and sacraments so that in one blessing of God we may consider three things 1. that by his word God teacheth vs 2. by his sacraments be confirmeth vs 3. by the holy Ghost he illuminateth our minds that the word and sacraments may obtaine their proper end and vse When God giues any blessing to man it is to be receiued by man as God giueth it now God giueth Christ or at the least offreth him not generally to mankind but to the seuerall and particular members of the church In the Lords supper as in euery sacrament there is a relation or analogie betweene the outward signes and the thing signified The action of the Minister giuing the bread and wine representing Gods action in giuing Christ with his benefits to the particular communicants Againe the action of receiuing the bread and the wine seuerally representeth another spirituall action of the beleeuing heart which applieth Christ vnto it selfe for the pardon of sin and life euerlasting So then thus speaketh the spirit to the soule as sure as the water doth wash away the filth of thy body so doth the blood of Christ sprinkled vpon thy soule by the hand of faith and by the holy Ghost wash thee from all thy sinnes Ioh. 1.7 And as the bread and wine receiued into into thy body becommeth wholly thine so thy beleeuing soule receiueth withall Iesus Christ with his death and righteousnes to the sealing vp of thy euerlasting saluation For 1. Cor. 1.30 Christ is made of God vnto vs wisedome righteousnes c. 2. Cor. 5.21 aad he was made sinne that knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him And thus we haue heard the testimony of the spirit in the vse of the sacraments Thirdly the fruits of the spirit A third meanes wherby we may be assured that Gods spirit witnesseth vnto vs our election and saluation are the fruits and effects of the spirit for the effects argue the cause as the cause the effects and that not onely in natuaall things but also in those which are supernaturall and
thee to desire aboue all things the kingdome of heauen and the happines of the life to come now to quicken and to spurre on thy affection let me propound vnto thee some grounds motiues wherwith we cannot but be whetted on and haue a sharpe edge set on our desires And albeit many things here might be deliuered yet I will only rest contented to haue commended vnto thee these two First mans misery secondly the happines promised by the Lord in the Gospel If neither of these can preuaile with men to make them lust after the life that endureth for euer I must conclude they are no better then dead persons whose end is to be burned in vnquenchable fire Touching mans misery we are to consider that men naturally are the children of wrath Eph. 2.3 vnder the curse and malediction of God Galat. 3.10 subiect to horrible vexation and terrors of conscience Isa 57.20.21 like to the raging sea that cannot rest And all their life long they liue in feare of death and of such iudgements as are forerunners of death Heb. 2.14 Their prosperity and aduersity their callings and their afflictions are accursed nothing maketh them better but euery thing a great deale worse all beeing infected and poysoned vnto them by their owne sinnes and Gods fearefull vengeance vpon the same If they liue it is to the increase of their owne damnation if they die they goe to take present possession of eternall destruction if they refuse to eate or drinke for the preseruing of life they are murtherers of themselues if they doe eate and drinke they are vsurpers of that which is none of their owne if they come not to the word and sacraments they are contemners of Gods ordinances if they doe come they are profaners of the same and so shal be further hardned to their finall perdition In a word vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled Tit. 1.15 Here the Apostle setteth out the miserable state of a wicked man thus 1. he is one that is vncleane 2. an vnbeleeuer 3. one to whom nothing is pure 4. his mind 5. his conscience is polluted In all which respects he is a most odious person in whō is nothing but filthines of flesh and spirit 2. Cor. 7.1 the which the pure eies of the Lord cannot abide Abac. 1.13 If the wicked man be thus vncleane then hate his company Psal 119.115 the vile person is to be contemned Psal 15.4 come not neere him Psal 26.4.5 touch him and thou wilt be defiled he is filthie within and without and with the Leper must be thrust out of the camp for feare of infection Leuit. 13.14 And is not this a wretched case if then we consider our misery and the wofull fruit of our sinne which hath debarred vs from all comfort in heauen and earth from God or any of his creatures and if we remember that sinne hath wrapped vs vnder condemnation hath set God and his creatures as hosts and armies against vs hath made nothing ours but hell and damnation euen the sole representation of this miserie is sufficiently able to rauish a man with an insatiable desire to be freed from this grieuous estate and to be possessed of euerlasting happines Touching the happines which shal be enioyed in the world to come it is such as the eye hath not seene not the eare hath heard nor euer entred into mans heart 1. Cor. 2.9 If Salomons kingdome was so esteemed because of the wisdome which was in Salomon of the same and renowne that he had throughout all the world and because of the good order policie which was in his gouernement that he amazed the minde and vnderstanding of the Queene of Saba and because of the great abundance of gold and siluer and of all sorts of riches and goods and of the rest quietnes which was among the people of Israel at that time let vs thinke what is the excellencie and magnificence of Gods kingdome in which Iesus Christ that great Salomon raigneth which is the wisdome of God and he in whome all the treasures of knowledge and wisdome and of all the blessings of God are hidden for to bestow them to his subiects and to make them all partakers of them in as much as that kingdome of Salomons was not but the figure and shadow of our true Salomons kingdome the true peace who hath made peace between God and vs and hath deliuered vs from all our enemies Now this happines we shall enioy at the last day of our separation and at the last iudgement The first of these hath two parts First it containeth an absolute immunitie and freedome from all infirmities of bodie and soule as it is saide Apoc. 21.4 God shall wipe away all teares from our eies for the bodie shall be free from all labour care c. which is expressed in the word rest Psal 15.1 And the soule shall be free from all the suggestions of Satan to euill and all other corruptions wherewith the best and choisest of Gods seruants in this life are wonderfully assolted Secondly the body sleeping in the earth the soule shall absolutely bee freed from sinne and liue in the fauour of God so as there shall bee added vnto vs a present entrance into the Lords ioy Mat. 25.21 which is called the entrance into the Lords Paradise Luk. 23.43 and into the bosome of Abraham Luk. 16.22 But the glorie of the last day is farre greater and resteth in three things First in the resurrection and waking of the bodie at what time it shall be made conformable to the bodie of Christ Phil. 3.21 who shall change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like to his glorious bodie which is to bee vnderstood not of changing the substance forme or fashion or the members of our bodies but of deliuering of them from those qualities whereto they are subiect by the meanes of same and by beautifying them with the contrarie as 1. Cor. 15.52 wee shall be changed for this corruption must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortalitie at which time they shall need no naturall prouision nor maintenance Apoc. 7.16 but shall shine as the sunne Dan. 12.3 Secondly there shall be a new heauen and a newe earth wherein the Saints of God shall dwell and all things shall bee restored to their first maiestie Isa 65.17 2. Pet. 3.15 Apoc. 21.1 Thirdly which is the greatest of all wee shall then haue the beholding of the verie face of God 1. Ioh. 3.2 and there shall be no marks set to keep vs from the mount where the Lord dwelleth as was Exod. 19.12 but as S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 13.12 then shall we see face to face and knowe euen as wee are knowne And in this presence of God Psa 16.11 is fulnes of ioy and at his right hand there are pleasures for euermore Much more might be spoken of the excellencie of
blaspheme Christ Beza in Pa. homil 31. but not regarded among Christians The Israelites who were notorious Idolaters proclaimed a fast to shew how they detested the blasphemy which was obiected to Naboth 1. Kin. 21. but we that hate Idolatrie doe not hate blasphemy nay rather we glory in our abusing the holy name of our God Iam. 2.19 The deuills feare and tremble Pilate when he heard that Christ was the sonne of God Ioh. 19.8 was afraid but many are worse then Pilate nay worse then the deuills themselues customably and securely without all feare and regard of Gods Maiestie blaspheme and reuile the liuing God The land mourneth because of oathes Ier. 23.10 but many laugh it out and make but a pastime to take the name of God in vaine If a mortall man be held deare vnto vs we take not his name in vaine we will not endure that any make a scorne of him and when a matter of play and mockerie is proposed we cannot suffer with patience that he be brought in as on the stage for we take this to be his infamie and discredit And shall he haue greater priuiledge then the liuing God whose name commeth in our mouthes in our bargaines and pastimes c. It is a vice which ill beseemeth those that make profession of christianitie for a Christians speech should bee powdered with salt Col. 4.6 and not with blasphemies it should minister grace to the hearers Ephes 4.29 and not be as a contagious leptosie to infect the weake nor like thornes and swords to vexe and grieue the strong Psal 55.21 for howsoeuer euill men make nothing of it to here Gods name dishonoured yet if those who truely feared the Lord and be zealous of his glorie heare these blasphemies their heart quaketh their ioynts tremble and their haire standeth vp an ende Ecclus. 27.14 Salomon Eccles. 9.2 maketh it a true note of a faithfull man to haue a reuerent respect of an oath so he pinneth it as a badge vpon a wicked mans sleeue that hee maketh no conscience of customable swearing Sixtly to haue an earnest desire that Christ should come to iudgement Apoc. 22.20 the Church faith Euen so come Lord Iesus and Christ in his prayer hath taught vs to haue this affection when wee pray Matth. 6.10 Lord let thy kingdom come Now that this is a note of them that are elected to saluation appeareth 2. Tim. 4.8 where it is said that a crowne of righteousnesse is laid vp for all them that loue his appearing Rom. 8.23 They who haue the first fruites of the spirit do euen sigh in themselues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of their bodies when as their corruption shal put on incorruption c. 1. Cor. 15.53 Christ hath told vs that his children at his comming shall looke vp and lift vp their heads Luk. 21.28 And on the other side that the kingdomes of the earth shal mourne Matth. 24.30 and that the prophane worldlings shall say to the mountaines Fall on vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth vpon the throne and from the wrath of the lambe Apoc. 6.16 Naturally we abhorre to thinke of this fearefull daie and tremble with feare when mention is made thereof as Felix did Act. 24.26 because by our sinnes we haue deserued euerlasting death Rom. 6.23 but when the spirit of God by the ministerie of the word hath begotten faith in vs whereby we apply vnto our selues Christ with all his merits by whom we are reconciled vnto God then do we earnestly desire the comming of Christ our Sauiour to iudgement 1. Thess 1.9 You knowe saith blessed Paul what entring wee had and how we turned you from idols vnto God and to looke for his sonne from heauen no sooner were they turned to God but they waited for his sonne Hereby the faithfull are marked as by their propertie euen such as with the good seruants expect their Masters comming Matth. 24.45 such as looke for him Heb. 9.28 such as loue his appearing 2. Tim. 4.8 such as beeing wise virgins and louing spouses prepare themselues and euerie thing needefull for the bridegromes comming Matth. 25.4 and such as beeing strangers and pilgrims vpon earth haue their eies still toward their countrey who while they liue on earth yet haue their conuersation in heauen from whence they looke for a Sauiour Philip. 3.20 The sonnes of the Church begotten by the Gospel cannot but waite for the adoption of sonnes Rom. 8.19.23 The Church is sicke of loue after him whome her soule loueth Can. 2.5 The common voice of the spouse is Amen vnto the promise of Christs comming Apoc. 22.21 The bride saith come and doubleth her desire and ardencie saying Amen Amen Neuer thinke then that the heart is right affected vntill thou finde in it this desire and breathing after Christ thy life for this is a speciall note of discerning betweene the godly and the wicked the one hath the spirit which saith Come the other shake at the mention of his comming the one longeth that these shadowes flie away and that day breake on them Cant. 2.17 the other can no more desire his comming then the guiltie fellon can desire the comming and presence of the Iudge Some there are that beleeue not nor wait not for the day of Christ but deale as the Israelites did with Caleb and Iosua Numb 14.7 concerning the promised land who when they told the people that it was a good and a fat land and that if the Lord loued them he would giue it them and seat them in it they rebelliously bad stone them with stones but behold presently Gods sentence passed vpon them that they should neuer see that land ver 23. Such liue like the Sadduces who said that there is no resurrection nor angel nor spirit Acts. 23.8 Such was that Cardinall of Burbon who professed that he would not giue his part in Paris for his part in Paradise Such was that Pope who all his life could not be perswaded whether there was an heauen or hell and therefore at his death blasphemously vttered these words Now shall I know whether there be a God aâ— hell or any immortalitie of the soule and shortly after knew it to his cost Others are fallen asleepe with the euill seruant while their master maketh stay of his comming and in one dead sleepe of sinne or other out of which they will not be awakened wast out their dayes as though their soules should for euer sleep after death Others call on the Lord Iesus to come but neuer till they be cast on their death bed their hearts nor mouthes neuer harbour such requests in their life time and therefore in all likelihood they are vnsound Therefore call to minde the commandement of God Luk. 12.36 Be ye like men that waite for their master when he will returne from the wedding herein is put a difference betweene the godly and the wicked It was euer a marke of good men to wait for Christs