Spirit attends the Ministery of his Word 345. The authoritie of the Ministery is to forgive sinnes 346. All true Ministers are sent to Seeke that which was lost Call sinners to repentance Preach deliverance to the captives 342. Why meâ—tion is made of Christs sufferings and not of his miracles 145. †Money ill come by will one day lie heavie on the conscience 184. †Mortification wherein it consist 503. ¶ How Moses may bee said to accuse us 554. ¶ Why Christ dranke myrth mingled with wine 217. ¶ The mystery of God spoken of Revel 10. 7. the end of the world 251. ¶ N REverence due to the Name of God 208. ¶ We are naturally naked in the sight of God 222. †A good nature no signe of grace 494. Nature hardly restrained by grace 516. * Christ tooke on him both the whole Nature of man as soule and body and the infirmities thereof 102. Christ tooke on him such infirmities of mans nature as were not sinnefull but unblameable passions and those not personall but common to all men 102. ¶ Christ tooke the infirmities of mans nature 1. For satisfaction sake 2. To strengthen faith in the incarnation 3. For our example 4. To compassionate us 103. c. Christ tooke mans nature inregard of Necessitie Equitie Fitnesse 103. ¶ The ends why he tooke it are to Redeeme man Restore the lost Image of God in man Advance mans nature Make it dreadfull to the divel Declare thereby the Wisedome Goodnesse Iustice Power of God 164. Mans nature and sinne hardly parted but by the power of the holy Ghost 107. †Impossibilities to a naturall man 511. * Better not to speake at all than ill of our neighbours 195. ¶ We may not hurt our neighbours though it be in our powers 200. * Noah left all to save his soule 38. Christs words Noliâ—e tangere 312. ¶ God is able to make a man somewhat when he is nothing 66. ¶ O THe marvellous obduration of the Iewes 185. Obedience due to God that Made Can destroy Disposes all things 64 65 Obedience due to Christ as Lord. 97. ¶ A man that hath nothing to offer to God must offer his sinnes 137. ¶ The threefold office of Christ 83. Oile of gladnesse why so called 81. ¶ Difference in opinions hath beene in all ages 283. †The danger of letting slip an opportunitie 348. Christ over-heares every word wee speake 351. P THe Papists feare the Popes curse more than Gods 467. †Christ borne of meane Parentage to Sanctifie the meanest births Pull downe the pride of the world Teach us contentment Declare the greatnesse of Gods love 111. Christs care extends not onely to all in generall but to every one in particular 347. We must beleeve in particular 77. * Christ the true paschall Lambe 266. 268. ¶ Christs Passion two-fold of Necessitie Arbitrary this he Vnderwent Refused 218. No perfect peace on earth whilst the Church is Militant 531. * Christ brings peace whithersoever he comes 339. ¶ True peace of conscience is only to be sought in the death of Christ 340. Gods People are sensible of their owne wants 248. ¶ Perseverance obtaines the Crowne 255. ¶ Why Peter girt his coat unto him when hee cast himselfe into the Sea and swim to Christ 627. Philip of Macedonia his dayly memento 407. ¶ God as a Physitian gives his people such a potion as shall free them from all diseases 641. ¶ Pilate sought to cleare Christ 197. ¶ Pilate laboured to deliver Christ Loquendo Mittendo Iungendo Flagellando 200. Of Pilates labouring to deliver Christ 205. In foure respects we must be Pilgrims here 40. The places of trouble God will make places of comfort 360. What to plead against Satan 152. Wee ought to remember death in the midst of all our pleasures 279. ¶ Neglect of the poore a great sinne 475. Christ the poore mans portion 121. ¶ Christ not to bee despised for his povertie 137. * What Christ prayed for in the Garden 160. * Christ prayed for his enemies 225. Prayer is seede sowne in Gods eares and heart 488. †As Christs so our prayers must be limited to Gods good will 160. The stronger conflicts the more earnest our prayers 161. ¶ Prayer should take place where admonition will not 227. †Ground of prayer 240. * Hearty prayer shall not want its due fruit 242. * Praising of God must follow holy Services 127. ¶ Preparation to Heaven illustrated by a Simile of a Traveller 447. †A personall precept bindes not every man 492. ¶ No man must prescribe conditions to God 349. †Wee must labour to bee in the presence of Christ 98. * A twofold presence of God 1. Generall to sustaine us in the life of Nature 2. Particular to assist us in the life of Glory 170. 465. Christ a Priest to Reconcile us to God Intercede for us 84 c. The longer we live here the neerer we draw to the accomplishment of Gods Promises 114. †God 's Promises accomplished in the fulnesse of time 113. Patient waiting for Gods promises commended 114. * Christ a Prophet to declare the will of God 83. The soule goes not to Purgatory or a middle place 604. Q HOw the Spirit is quenched 516. R AS the Rechabites observed their father Ionadab so wee must observe and obey God 54. * Reconciliation to God is by Christ 152. * Our reconciliation to God cost Christ thick blood 163. †Our reconciliation no easie thing 212. †The difficultie of recovering out of sinne if long lyen in 350. ¶ The worke of redemption greater than of creation 68. ¶ The great and long labour of our redemption 253. * The consummation of our redemption in the words It is finished 251. †The power of grace in the heart makes Gods people to rejoyce 136. ¶ T is nothing to be religious if not just withall 139. ¶ Two remembrances of God in Iudgement Mercie 241. †Repentance cannot save without faith for three reasons 1. 2. Repentance Fruitfull only in this Vnfruitfull or penall in the other life 609. ¶ Defects in unsound repentance as in Ahab c. 497. The danger of late repentance 235. No repentance in Hell 285. †Christ alwaies comes to repentant sinners 306. †No resisting Christ the Lord of the world 96. ¶ Of the resurrection of the body 623. Reasons proving it drawne from the Power Iustice Mercie End of Christs comming Resurrection of Christ of God 623. Objections of Atheists against the resurrection answered 625. The glory of the body at the resurrection consists in 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Intirenesse of parts 638. Beauty and lovelinesse 639. Brightnesse and splendor ibid. Immortalitie and immutabilitie 640. Spiritualitie 642. Power 643. Of Christs resurrection 292. Christs resurrection of necessity to Assure us of pardon of sinnes Apply salvation Assure our resurrection out of the Grave Trouble 292. c. The companions of Christs resurrection 300. The manifestation of Christs resurrection 304. Reasons that wee
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
new master therefore as every man should looke to his behaviour at other times so especially hee should when he comes to the crosse and in affliction Now the carriage of Christ on the crosse is seene in the seven last words of Christ which he uttered on the crosse The first is Father forgive them for they know not what they doe Here we may see the love of Christ that he prayeth for his enemies and for such kinde of enemies as were his sorest and greatest such as did not take away his garments onely but tooke away his life and that hee prayed at such a time when the blood ranne downe his hands and feete when his shoulders were rent and torne with whipping and his face was swelled with buffeting Now from these first words of Christ on the crosse we may observe these foure things 1. Whom it was he prayed for for his enemies his greatest and sorest enemies such as did not take away his garments onely but his life also 2. What he prayed for that their sinnes might be forgiven them and that they might not answer for them at the day of judgement 3. The time when he prayed at that instant when the action was a doing at that time when he did hang on the crosse when the blood ranne from his hands and feete when his shoulders were rent and torne with whipping when his face was swelled with buffeting 4. The reason why hee prayed that God would forgive them because they knew not what they did First whom it was that he prayed for it was for his enemies not such as did take away his garments onely but such who tooke away his life also in the greatest extremity that might bee Which teacheth us two things First to love our enemies and to pray for them that hate and persecute us such as doe not onely take away our garments but our lives in the greatest extremity that may be so we see 1 Pet. 2. 21. For even hereunto were yee called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that wee should follow his steepes and Col. 3. saith the Apostle forbearing one another and forgiving one another even as Christ forgave you so doe yee this is the first lesson that Christ taught us on the crosse for as Augustine saith Christ made a pulpit of the crosse and the lesson that he taught us was that we should love our enemies But in these daies of sinne and corruption we are so farre from loving our enemies that we can hardly love our friends whom we are bound to love both by the Law of nature and Religion therefore how farre are we from that example of Christ which shewes that every one is bound to love his enemies and pray for them I know a man shall have much adoe to bring his heart to doe this neither am I a Pope to give you a discharge if you doe it not but this I say that if you will take no more upon you than comes easily yee shall never bee true Christians nor truely religious a man must force and dresse himselfe against the haire as they say against his nature we see naturally water will runne downe the hill but to make it runne up wee must force and drive it up by violence so we must force our selves and goe against nature against the haire as it were if wee would come to heaven if a man come into a strange country where he can have nothing but wine to drinke if his stomacke will not beare it the custome is to allay it with a little water so seeing heere is in us a great heate of sinne that wee can hardly love our friends and our enemies wee must therefore labour to allay this heate in us that so we may not onely love our friends but our enemies also and that we may doe this there bee five considerations to helpe us and to further us First the commandement of Christ Math. 5. 44. But I say unto you Love yor enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that persecute you I say unto you I that am your Lord I that am your Saviour love your enemies and although you cannot love them for your owne sake yet love them for the Lords sake as Luk. 5. 4. Our Saviour bids Peter cast downe his net into the sea saith Peter wee have travelled all night and caught nothing as if hee should say it is against the haire we are like to doe no good of it it is in the night time yet at thy commandement I will doe it So ought we to obey the command of Christ how unlikely soever the issue be God will reward it wee shall have an happie end and issue Secondly The example of God Matth. 5. 45. Hee maketh the Sunne to shine on the evill and on the good and the raine to fall on the just and on the unjust So because Gods generall goodnesse comes to all sorts men alike to good and to bad our goodnesse must extend it selfe to all sorts of men good and bad if we be the children of God we must be like him Balaam could say when he was sent for to curse the people of God How can I curse them whom God hath blessed So if God bid us blesse them we must not curse them unlesse wee will bee worse than Balaam Againe though they be our enemies yet they may be Gods friends and them which hee loveth as also it is a gift that God doth bestow upon his children to love their enemies Thirdly Because it is the greatest love to love that which is not capable of love It is nothing for a man to love his friends but it is a hard matter to love our enemies The Philosophers could say that which is the hottest fire burnes up that which is not capable to burne as we see in the Kings The fire that burned the sacrifices did licke up water and consumed that which was not capable to burne so that is the greatest love which workes upon an object where there is least matter of love as the love of God to us was Fourthly Because it is the best way to make our enemies love us as wee cannot quench fire with fire but must quench it with water so wee must overcome enemies with kindnesse as the Apostles counsell is Rom. 12. Be not overcome of evill but overcome evill with goodnesse Fifthly Because if it doe not bring a blessing upon them yet it will bring a blessing upon our selves as Matth. 10. our Saviour bids his Disciples when they come to an house they should say Peace be in this house and if it did not rest on the house yet it should returne to them againe so when we pray for our enemies and blesse them if it doe not rest on them it shall returne to us againe Secondly Seeing Christ loved his enemies and prayed
for them much more will hee love and pray for his friends servants and people But how doe wee prove that Because he loved his enemies and prayed for them The chiefe Butler forgot Ioseph when he was lifted up and restored to his Office againe But Christ will not forget his servants and his people but even as good Ioseph when he was exalted in Aegypt his father and brethren being in distresse he goeth to Pharaoh and said Sir I have a poore father in the Land of Canaan and eleven brethren there is a famine in the Land and they are like to starve Sir you have bread and corne enough I pray you let me send for them and let them dwell in thy countrey and kingdome even in the Land of Goshen So Christ saith to his Father Father I have a great many of poore distressed servants in the world afflicted and troubled with the temptations of the Devil and their owne corruptions and with wicked and bad men Father let us send for them let them be in thy countrey and come into thy kingdome let them be in joy and in all that glory which thou hast prepared for them therefore labour thou to bee one of Gods servants and friends and then thou mayest assure thy selfe that Christ loveth and prayeth for thee every day and houre when thou art dead-hearted and heavie and canst not pray then Christ prayeth for thee this may give thee comfort Secondly What he prayeth for for the pardon of their sinnes that God would not lay them to their charge at the day of judgement Now the pardon of our sins is the greatest blessing that we can have in this world this it was that Christ prayed for Thirdly When he prayed for his enemies even in the very act when they drove the nailes into his hands and feet when the bloud did trickle downe when his shoulders were rent and torne with whipping when his face was swelled with buffetting even when all his paines were upon him In which observe two things First that it was in the heat of sin when admonition and good counsell would doe no good to them then he prayed for them which must teach us when we should pray for our enemies when admonition and good counsell can doe them no good When a clocke runs ryot what will a man goe and pull downe the plummets No then it may be he may have his load even to lay all on his head but they will goe to the great master-wheele that stirres all So we should doe when we see men goe head-long to sinne that nothing will stay them we must not runne to the plummets to stay them to the men but we must goe to the great master-wheele of the clocke to him that carries all things and ordereth all things that is to God as 1 Sam. we see in the example of Abigail Secondly in the very act of his crucifying when they were in the very heat of their malice when the bloud did trickle downe from his hands and feet then he prayed for them It may be some can pray for their enemies when the heat is over and there is a calme but see Christ prayeth in the very act of their malice so Act. 7. Steven did in the very act when a showre of stones came about his eares hee kneeled downe and said Lord lay not their sinnes to their charge Fourthly the reason why Christ prayed for his enemies because they did they knew not what Now the words were 1. Words of Compassion 2. Words of Extenuation First of Compassion as if he should have said Lord they know not what they doe for if they knew what an high sinne and great offence it were to kill the Sonne of God they would not doe it so wee may say when we see men runne into all kinde of sinnes of drunkennesse breaking the Sabbaths swearers and whoremongers c. Alas they know not how highly they sinne against God for if they did they would not doe so they doe not know that it is the Devill that blindeth them and leadeth them downe to hell by these meanes therefore good Lord spare them good Lord forgive them Secondly words of Extenuation Lord what they doe is not or knowledge but of ignorance therefore good Lord spare them which may teach us That sinne of ignorance be lesse than sinnes of knowledge therefore when men sweare and know it is a sinne to sweare it is a greater sinne than if they did it ignorantly for there is no kinde of ignorances worâ—e than sinnes of knowledge SERMON XXI IOHN 19. 26 27. When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the Disciple standing by whom he loved he saith unto his mo-mother Woman behold thy Sonne Then saith hee to the Disciple Behold thy mother And from that houre that Disciple tooke her unto his owne home WE began to speake the last day of the holy carriage of Christ on the Crosse many testimonies hee shewed in his life time of faith humility patience and of pietie but especially when he came to die and was upon the Crosse then all his graces did shine forth most cleerely which carriage of his I shewed must teach us to looke to our behaviour when we are under the crosse in any affliction and trouble for howsoever the speeches actions and carriage of a Christian should be seemely and holy at other times yet especially when he is under the crosse in trouble and in affliction then he must shew all his Christian graces and vertues as Iob did Iob 1. 22. when hee was on the racke it is said In all these did not Iob sinne nor charge God foolishly So the holy people Psal 44. 19. say they Thou hast smitten us in the dens of Dragons and covered us in the shadow of death yet have we not forgotten the Name of our God c. Thence we came to speake of the first words of Christ on the Crosse and divers other things which wee will not now repeat but come to that which followes The second words of Christ on the Crosse wherein we observe three things 1. The occasion of the speech 2. The speech it selfe 3. The effect of the speech First The occasion of the speech was that hee being on the Crosse saw his Mother and Iohn the Disciple whom hee loved for when others fled away from Christ these tarries with him and followed him to the Crosse to see what would become of him and got as neere it as possibly they could this was the occasion of which there be two Vses 1. A morall and 2. A spirituall Vse First the Morall use that as Mary and Iohn gathered to the crosse of Christ when he came to suffer So we should gather to our good friends when they be in any trouble or affliction especially when they be in their last extremitie ready to die that we be there to helpe and to comfort them
while So we dwelling in Cottages of clay in this World if one should aske us when we looke up to Heaven whose house is this and be answered by any of Gods people it is mine I thanke God Iesus Christ hath purchased it not with gold and silver but with his most pretious blood and one day I shall have it would not every man thinke this mans case to bee good and hee a blessed man This is the first reason why Christ is ascended into Heaven Now if Christ bee ascended to Heaven to prepare Heaven for us then every man must prepare himselfe and make him ready to receive Heaven â—evel 19. It is said That the Bride the Lambes wife is ready So wee should make our selves ready for Heaven we must repent and beleeve make conscience of our wayes and be obedient before God while we live here Secondly Christ ascended into Heaven To send downe the Holy Ghost into the hearts of his servants as hee saith Iohn 16. 7. It is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him unto you But had not the Disciples the Holy Ghost before Christ ascended I answer yes for they could not have the smallest meaâ—â—â—e of grace but it must bee by the Holy Ghost for as Saint Paul saith 1 Corinth 12. 3. No man can say Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost yet he full measure of grace and the abundance of the holy Ghost was not given till Christ ascended but was reserved till then therefore Iohn 7. 30. It is sâ—id That the Holy Ghost was not given because Christ was not ascended Even as a King whose gifts bestowed on his Favourites are but petty till hee bee installed and then bee they great gifts so the gifts of the Spirit be given but in a small measure till Christ was ascended and then were they great gifts unto which hee daily addes more gifts and graces of his Spirit still as a loving husband when hee is absent from his wife will bee sending of love-tokens some Gold-rings Iewels or Pearles to comfort and to cheare her sending still by every messenger that comes one thing or other till hee himselfe comes home so Christ being absent from us doth send unto us Rings Pearles and Iewels even the gifts and graces of his Spirit untill he come This is a great comfort howsoever wee want the presence of Christ here so long as wee have his Spirit to assure us of Gods favour and of the pardon of our sinnes and that Heaven is ours all is well wee know 2 Kings 2. 9. When Elias was to depart from Elisha saith be Aske what I shall give thee Elisha answers that thy spirit may bee doubled upon me So when Christ at his ascension bids us aske what we would have we must make this request Lord that thy Spirit may bee doubled upon me that so my minde may bee enlightned my will sanctified and all my affections rightly ordered Now as Christ is ascended to send down the graces of his spirit into our hearts so we must prepare our selves for it as the Disciples Acts 1. 14. Did all continue in Prayer and Supplications with one accord so seeing the Spirit is promised let us read the Scriptures meditate of them pray and so make our selves fit to receive the holy Ghost As 2 Kings 4. 10. when Elisha came to Shunem saith the Shunamitish woman to her husband Let us make him a little chamber I pray thee with wals and let us set him there a bed and a stoole and a candlesticke that he may turne in thither Now if this good Shunamite did prepare a chamber to receive the Prophet into how much more should wee prepare our hearts to receive the Spirit of God Thirdly Christ did ascend into Heaven to lead captivitie captive to triumph over Sinne Death Hell the Divell and our spirituall enemies when Sampson was beset with the Philistines in Gaza it is said He rose at midnight and tooke the doores of the gates of the Citie and the two posts and lift them away with the barres and put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of an high hill so Iesus Christ being beset with all our spirituall enemies hath triumphed over them and is gloriously ascended into heaven As Saint Paul saith Ephes 4. 8. When hee ascended up on high heeled captivity captive Death Hell Sin and the Divell so that now a Christian may see all his spirituall enemies in fetters and chaines I but some may say What is this to me seeing I am subject to Death Sinne and to the grave To this I answere that Christs victorie is our victory his triumph is our triumph there is not a true Christian but one day he shall triumph over all his spirituall enemies but it must be as Christ was For first he was killed and throwne into the dens of theeves and death then he arose againe and triumphed over all our spirituall enemies and did gloriously ascend into Heaven so when we bee killed and throwne into the dens of death and rise againe then wee shall triumph over all our spirituall adversaries and say as Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. O Death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victorie and then wee shall ascend into Heaven Therefore labour thou to bee a servant of God and then doubt not but as Christ triumphed over all our spirituall enemies so shalt thou for as Christ speakes Iohn 16. 33. In the World yee shall have trouble but in me you shall have peace be of good comfort for I have evercome the World Augustine saith some men will object what are wee the better for it that Christ hath overcome the world and triumphed over all our spirituall enemies why all that Christ did is for our sakes that one day wee may succeed in the same triumph Iudges 10. wee see Ioshâ—a when he had inclosed the Kings and shut them up in a Cave Hee brings them out and makes his Souldiers and Servants to tread on the neckes of them whom yet hee himselfe had conquered so making all his Servants Conquerors so Iesus Christ will make every true Christian to tread on the neckes of our spirituall enemies Sinne Death Hell and the Divell that so although the conquest be Christs yet he might make all us his Servants Conquerors Fourthly Christ ascended to fill the whole Church with his gifts As Ephes 4. 8. When hee ascended up on high he gave gifts to men and verse 10. of the same Chapter Hee that descended is the same that ascended farre above all Heavens that he might fill all things so that the goodnesse of Christ is spread all the World over Christs ascension is like a tree the rootes whereof be in the Earth but the fruite is above our heads but shake the tree and
anger so God is angry with us many times and would kill us but the true Ionathan Iesus Christ doth interpose himselfe and labour to mitigate his anger by presenting his wounds and body before God therefore when wee cannot lift up our voyce to God nor our hearts as wee should yet Christ makes intercession his body speakes when we cannot speake and his blood crieth when we cannot cry Now I shall not need to shew you the manner how Christ makes intercession for us having spoken of it but a little before and therfore I will now proceed without any repetition to the second end why Christ ascended Secondly That hee might more powerfully and more mightily administer and governe his Church for therefore God hath exalted him that he may rule the whole world for the good of the Church as the people rejoyced exceedingly at the crowning of Salomon so wee may much more rejoyce that Christ is all in all and that hee sits at the right hand of God for the good of the Church Now by foure actions Christ doth governe in his Church 1 He drawes people to himselfe 2 He doth guide and governe them 3 He doth exercise them with crosses and troubles 4 He doth protect and defend them against all their enemies First He doth draw and pull people unto himselfe and brings them to Faith and Repentance and an estate of grace that they may be saved so Christ saith to Ierusalem Matth. 23. 37. How often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and yee would not to the same effect also Ioh. 11. 52. It was said of him That hee dyed not for that nation onely but that hee should gather together in one the children of God which were scattered abroad so then it is Christ that doth gather and draw us there is not any man living that is able to draw himselfe out of the kingdome of the devill and pit of hell into the kingdome of grace and state of blessednesse it must be Christ onely that must draw him therefore it is said in the Acts that There were added to the Church daily such as should be saved so it was not they themselves that drew themselves out but it was Christ by his Word and by his Spirit that did draw them and pull them out of their sinnes and brought them to an estate of grace Now is there any man thus drawne out of his sinnes into an estate of grace let him know it is the hand of Christ that did draw and gather him for Christs sitting in heaven is as powerfull to draw and pull men out of their sinnes as the Adamant is to draw Iron to it Wherefore when men see themselves thus drawne out of their sinnes and pulled out of the kingdome of the devill and pit of hell they may say as Iudas did Ioh. 14. 22. What is the cause thou shewest thy selfe to us and not unto the world even so we must admire the goodnesse of Christ and say Lord what is the cause thou hast pulled us out of the kingdome of the devill and pit of hell and hast brought us to an estate of grace to Faith and to Repentance there was nothing in us Lord but it was thy good pleasure and meere mercy to doe it Now the meanes wherby he drawes and puls men unto himselfe is especially by the Preaching of the word and Gospell therefore Saint Paul saith Eph. 4. 12. he gave some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints and for the worke of the ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ c. so Esai 53. 1. the Word of God is called the Arme of God because that even as men doe draw and gather with their armes things to themselves so the Lord doth draw and gather men to himselfe by the preaching of the Gospell so it is the Arme of God to draw men out of the estate of damnation into an estate of salvation and out of the kingdome of the devill into the kingdome of Christ Hereof wee may make these profitable Vses following First seeing the preaching of the Gospell is the Arme of God to draw men unto himselfe therefore faithfull Ministers must remember that they bee the hand of Christ to draw and to pull men out of their sinnes Chrysostome compares Preachers to a number of servants in a great shop of whom some bee in one place and some in another yet all comes to the common boxe and is for the advantage of the master so saith hee this world may bee compared to a shop wherein some of the Preachers are in one place and some in another imployed in preaching and yet all must come to the common boxe all must turne to the advantage of our Lord and Master they must not turne it to themselves and to their owne advantage but they must labour to draw and to pull men to God because this is the ordinary meanes to draw them by Secondly seeing the preaching of the Word is the Arme of God to draw and pull men to God therefore wee must hold us to the meanes and keep close to them that so we may be brought to an estate of grace to faith and repentance and so to be saved It may be objected All come to the means but all are not drawne and gathered to God a number hang in their sinnes still I answere though thou doe not finde thy selfe to be drawne to God presently yet doe not neglect but come still for if thou dost despise it and come not at it then it is not possible that ever thou shouldst bee gathered and brought into the state of grace but if wee come to the meanes then wee may have hope that one day God will draw us unto himselfe though not at the first houre of the day yet hee may at the second and if not at the second yet at the sixth and if not at the sixth yet at the last houre of the day Therefore we must wait on the meanes and attend that till God give his blessing unto it Iohn 5. we see a lame man came to the poole to bee helped of his diseases and lay there a long time for he was intercepted by one or other that did step in before him yet hee continued still because there was meanes of his helpe and at last Christ came and did help him so when we come to the meanes to the preaching of the Word and come a long time and we see others catch away the blessing others are drawne to faith and to repentance and to an estate of grace and we are not yet let us not tarry at home for then wee may die in our sinnes but let us come to the meanes and waite and attend on it and then at last we shall finde Gods blessing upon us
me So this is the Reason of the Assignement The Popish Church lay hold on these words and would prove thereby that their workes merit at the hands of God because Christ gives heaven to those that doe good to his servants and because they shall be judged by their workes To which I answer although this be the reason why the Lord assignes heaven to them that they did workes of mercy and although we shall be judged by our workes yet workes are not the meritorious cause of it why he gives us heaven but the signes and tokens who be the persons so qualified that shall have heaven such as love Christ and shew mercy to his needy members and doe good to them I will cleere it you by an example The King of England makes a promise to bestow on his subjects a great reward out of his bountie and there came before him his subjects and his enemies and he saith to his subjects I will bestow this gift on you for when I was in France ye did attend on me and shewed your love to mee â—ow this gift shewes who be the subjects of the King and who be the enemies So at the last day when the good and bad shall be before Christ and Christ shall tell them this is the reason why I bestow heaven on you because I was hungry and yee gave mee meat this is not the cause of it but it shewes onely who be the persons that God hath assigned heaven to to those that love him and regard him in his members therefore one sayes well Christ shewes not for what he bestowes heaven in this place but on what kinde of persons he will bestow it And Chrysostome saith though the Saints doe a thousand such things as these yet they deserve nothing at the hands of God it is his bountie to bestow heaven on them for so small and meane things as these So then we see workes are not the cause why Christ assignes heaven to us And there be foure grounds for it The first groundâ— is from the estate and condition we be in all are servants Therefore whatsoever we doe is but our dutie and if it be our duty we cannot merit any thing at the hand of God So saith Christ Luke 17. 10. When yee have done all these things which are commanded you say We are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our dutie to doe Therefore the very estate and condition that wee are in doth shâ—w that wee cannot merit any thing at the hands of God And Chrysostome saith No man is able to shew such an holy conversation of life to deserve any thing at the hands of God but when he hath done all he is but an unprofitable servant The Papists reply against this and say That although a man cannot merit any thing being in the estate of a servant yet if of a servant hee become a friend hee may merit Now that hee may bee a friend it is plaine by the words of Christ Iohn 15. 15. Hence call I you no servants for the servant knoweth not what his master doth but I have called you friends and in the verse before Yee are my friends To this I answer we are servants still though it please God to accept of us as his friends we are only made friends by acceptance in the merit of Iesus Christ which alters not the former condition of duty and service as may be proved by these places Rom. 6. 18. Being then made free from sinne yee are made the servants of righteousnesse and in the 1 Pet. 2. 16. he exhorteth them As free and not using the libertie for a cloake of maliciousnesse but as the servants of God And Christ saith Ioh. 15. 19. Yee are my friends if yee doe whatsoever I command you therefore because we be servants still and remaine in the same estate and condition wee cannot merit any thing but when wee have done all wee doe but our dutie The second ground is our owne impotencie that we are not able to doe any good thing of our selves much lesse can wee merit anything Now that we can doe no good thing it is plaine by the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the grace of God I am that I am And 2 Cor. 3. 5. saith he Not that we are sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God So Phil. 2. 13. For it is God that worketh in you both the will and the dead even of his good pleasure Now then if all we doe is by the power of grace and if it is God onely which worketh both the will and the deed then we are beholding to God for it and God is not beholding to us Origen saith well No workes of man can deserve any thing at Gods hand because they cannot thinke any good or doe any good but it must be from God The Papists reply and say that God may give a man grace which he may so husband as that hee may deserve any thing at Gods hand and they make it plaine by this similitude A father gives a farme to his son and gives him a stocke now the sonne may so raise the stocke and play the good husband as he may purchase any thing that the father hath in like manner say they God may give a man grace and hee may so husband it as he may purchase any thing at Gods hand To this I answer If a father should give his sonne a farme and a stock to use and when he had done so his childe could not earne a penny but it must be the father and the son could not stirre a foot or a hand without the father then the father is not beholding to the sonne but the son to the father This is the case betweene God and us for when he gives us any grace he must give us a second grace to use and to imploy it wel and therefore it is manifest we cannot merit any thing at Gods hands it is the doctrine of the Schoole-men and Aquinas makes it plaine hee puts the question and resolves it saith he A man may receive a benefit from another and may deserve it at his hands as a man may give one an house which he may deserve but if a man when he hath given another an house must give him also power to use the house and wisdome to governe the same that man cannot be beholding to him that receives but the receiver must needs be beholding to him that gave it so although God give a man grace which he cannot use well unlesse he also give him power to use it Therefore God is not beholding to us for any thing but we are to God and therefore we cannot merit any thing at Gods hands The third ground is our imperfection that in every thing we doe we sinne against God and if we sinne against him then we cannot merit any
and Archangels Principalities and Powers Kings and Princes Now there bâ—e many eminencies and excellencies but at the day of judgement Christ shall put downe all rule and authoritie under his feete and then God shall be all in all Secondly God shall be all in all in the fulfilling of the hearts of his servants with grace and goodnesse God is not all in all now in the hearts of his servants he is but something as Chastitie in Ioseph Constancie in David fortitude in Sampson wisedome in Salomon But then God shall be all in all to them we are all like to a bottle that hath at narrow neck that is east into the Sea and cannot fill all at once but receive the water drop by drop but at the day of judgement God shall fill our hearts and soules with all grace and goodnesse Saint Ierome saith well Now God is by a few vertues in us but then he shall be all in all in filling our hearts with graces and vertues and Augustine saith out of this place what is that Paul saith that God shall be all in all whatâ—oever the heart of Man can wish or desire that God will be to a Christian therefore dost thou desire meate and drinke God will be meate and drinke to thee dost thou desire peace God will bee all in all to thee in whatsoever thy heart can wish for and this is the end why Christ shall render up the Kingdome unto his Father that God may be all in all SERMON LIII IOHN 14. 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name hee shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you THe Creede as Tertullian termes it is the rule how to â—rder our Faith both concerning God and the Church of God And there are two rules to order our Faith by First that there are three Persons and but one God in substance and in essence and as there are three Persons and but one God So wee must labour to bee all one because we must seeke to resemble God as much as may be although we cannot be one in substance yet wee must be all one in affection and will So it is said Acts 4. 32. that the number of them that beleeved were all of one heart and of one minde and Christ prayes Iohn 17. 21. that as the Father and he is one so all his people may bee one And Rom. 15. 6. the Apostle prayes that they may with one minde and with one mouth praise God even the Father of our Lord Iesus as there is unitie in God so there must be unitie in us It was the Divell that first made division in the World hee divided Man from his God and Man from Man in the most deerest and neerest societie for the divided Adam from his wife and so it is the devill that makes division still in the world as Revel 6. 4. it is said of him There was power given him to take away peace c. So then all division proceedeth from the Divell God hee makes peace but it is the Divell that makes division and therefore it is our duty as God is one so we to labour to bee one though wee cannot in substance yet in affection and will The second Rule is that although they be one in Substance and Essence yet they be three distinct Persons the Father created Man by his power and he Sonne redeemed Man by his blood the Holy Ghost sanctified Man by his Spirit So all these three estates in Heâ—ven concurre and worke together for the good of Man And therefore it is a piteous thing that Man is found to be enemy to himselfe Hence then let every one consider how worthâ—ly doe Men perish and goe to Hell seeing all the Divine Persons worke for Mans good and hee alone is found enemy to himselfe Now we have spoken already of the first Person and also of the second at this present are come to speake of the third Person whereto foure things are to be considered 1. That the Holy Ghost is God 2. That he is a person having a Reall subsisting and that hee is distinct from the Father and the Sonne 3. That he is not onely holy in himselfe but hee is the Effecter and Causer of Holinesse in others 4. That as he makes others holy so he will make me holy and give mee such a measure of Sanctitie as shall bee fit for mee First That the holy Ghost is God it is a ground in Divinitie that hee that beleeves should beleeve in God and in no creature but wee are taught to beleeve in the holy Ghost therefore it is a surething that the holy Ghost is God But for the truth of this point because it is one of the grounds of our Christian faith I will prove it by Scripture and by reason First by Scripture Act. 5. 3. saith Peter to Anâ—nias Why hath Satan filled thy heart that thou shouldst lye unto the holy Ghost and in the very next verse Thou hast not lyed to man but unto God Againe 1 Ioh. 5. 7. There be three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one what one are they but one God The Papist telleth us that the Divinitie of the holy Ghost cannot be proved by the Scripture but by tradition but this is erroneous and false and there are Schoole-men teach to the contrary as Thomas Aquinas who saith A man must speake nothing of God or beleeve nothing but what is found in Scripture either in expresse words or sense and therefore if it cannot be proved by the Scriptures that the holy Ghost is God we are not to beleeve it because wee are to beleeve nothing but that which is grounded upon the Scripture Another of them saith that he can bring a whole swarme of testimonies to demonstrate unto us the Divinity of the holy Ghost So then we see it may strongly be confirmed by Scripture that the holy Ghost is God and Cyrill saith that it is the holy Ghost that is the inditer of the Scripture and therefore he testifieth of himselfe and revealeth himselfe as much as is fit and needfull for us to know of him that which he hath written of himselfe we may be bold to speake of And Augustine saith that all the ancient Fathers have laboured to confirme this by Scripture that there is three distinct Persons and one God besides in the Remish Testament 1 Iohn 5. 7. we finde observed upon the note of One that there be three divine persons in the Trinitie and therefore this doth affirme the God-head of the holy Ghost but here seeing it is so plaine by Scripture and by the testimonies of the Fathers and by their owne Schoole-men as many as bee well advised that the holy Ghost is God wee need not doubt of the truth of
shall have at the day of judgement at this present the soules of the faithfull are in glory and the world sees it not but a the day of judgement there shall be further declaration of it So then wee see the former opinion is false Now it is not onely against Scriptures but against reason and that both naturall reason and sanctified or rectified reason First it is against naturall reason because all motions are without cessations till they come to their proper place unlesse they be hindred by some violence as a stone flung down a hill rests not till it comes at the bottome unlesse it be hindered by violence so the proper place of the Saints is heaven thither they move unlesse they be hindered now there is nothing can hinder them but sinne but when they are dead they have no sinne therefore they must needs goe to heaven that they have no sinne it is plaine by the Scripture as Rom. 6. 7. for he that is dead is free from sinne and Augustine saith wee live not without sinne so long as wee bee here but when we be out of this life then sinne ceaseth to this the Schoolemen agree that all sinne ceaseth in a Christian when he is dead In the estate of grace there is no man without sinne but when this life is ended then sinne ceaseth Now if any shall say that the decree of God is hinderance enough I answer there is no such decree set downe in the booke of God Secondly it might seeme injustice in God to delay glory where there is not cause to keepe them from it so the Greekes opinion is against naturall reason Secondly it is against rectified or sanctified reason for the Lord is more inclined to mercy than to judgement as soone as the wicked are dead their soules goe into hell as Luke 16. the soule of the rich man as soone as he was dead was carried into hell while his brethren were alive and had Moses and the Prophets to speake to them therefore it is agreeable to justice that the soules of the just should goe to heaven so soone seeing he is inclined more to mercy than to judgement Augustine saith the soule of a good man goeth to God when hee is dead to enjoy blessednesse and happinesse and the soules of the wicked goe to hell therefore it is out of question that the soules of the godly goe to heaven before the judgement day Secondly the Church Militant is that part of the Church which is a warring and fighting in this world against sinne the devill the world and temptations where although it pleaseth God to give them many victories conquests and triumphs in this world as the Apostle â—aith Rom. 8. In all these things we are more than conquerers yet because it is not without paine and labour toyle and trouble yea not without blood as is shewed Heb. 12. 4. Yâ—â— have not yet resisted unto blood the Church of God hath a number of these incursions and conflicts and as one saith that the devils follow them like a number of barking and bawling dogs and are never at rest therefore it is called the militant Church To this purpose 1 Tim. 6. 12. Paul exhorts Timothie to fight the good fight of faith laying hold of eternall life and 2 Tim. 2. 3. Thou therefore suffer affliction as a good Souldier of Iesus Christ the people of God bee never at rest here the devill will follow and pursue them the world will have a â—ing at them and their sinnes will trouble and annoy them therefore they must lye in campe against all their enemies These are the two maine parts of the Church and this is the order betweene them that the Church militant is a doore gate or poâ—ch to the Church triumphant for wee must be members first of the Church militant before wee come to bee members of the Church triumphant as Dan. 1. 4. there were certaine of the Children of Israel fed with the kings meate that at three yeeres end they might stand before the king so it pleaseth God the great King of Heaven and Earth to feed us here in the militant Church that one day wee may stand before him in the Church triumphant We have heard heretofore out of the Booke of Ester that king Ahashuerosh had two houses for his Maides there was a house of sweete perfume where they were kept for a season before they were brought to the kings house so God hath two houses there is the militant Church and the Church triumphant whereof this is the order that first they must live in the Church militant being perfumed with the graces of his Spirit before they can come to live in the Church triumphant therefore it must be the care of every man so to carry himselfe in the militant church as that be may come to live in the Church Triumphant Thus much of the doctrine now for the use First seeing the Church of God is Militant here in this world therefore wee must looke for no perfect peace here although it pleaseth God sometimes to give the Church rest as it is said Acts 9. 31. That the Churches had rest yet usually it is but a little breathing time it will not be long we must prepare for a new encounter for 1 Cor. 15. it is said The last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death Therefore till death come that we may lie downe in the grave we must looke for vexation and trouble never to be at rest till then for when the Divell doth cease tempting of us and the world is at quiet with us then we have our owne lusts and sinnes to trouble us Augustine saith well the life of a Christian here in this world is nothing but a warfare this is not the place of triumph for what are these but the speeches of warre The good things that I would doe that doe I not but what I hate that doe I and againe I see a law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde leading mee captive to the Law of sinne and death Here is nothing but speech of leading captive and rebellion and he askes the question when will this warre be at an end His answere is When this corruption shall put on incorruption and when this mortall shall put on immortalitie Therefore we must looke for no perfect peace in this World for our sinnes and corruptions will trouble us the world will be against us and the Divell will barke and bawle against us so that a Christian cannot be at quiet while he lives here There be some weake Christians who thinke that because they have many temptations troubles and afflictions that therefore they are no members of Christ nor of the Church of God for if they were they think they should be at peace but here the Divell proceeds against them with false Logicke for they ought rather thus to argue because we live in
sinnes are pardoned is to conside with ones selfe if his heart hath beene set at peace by the use of good meanes whereas before hee hath beene troubled in conscience for his sinnes if he hath repented of them and prayed unto God for the pardon of them if his heart hath beene set at peace in the use of these meanes hee may assure himselfe that his sinnes are pardoned this is Pauls Reason Rom. 5. 1. Then being justified by faith wee have peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ therefore if a man can finde peace in his conscience upon the use of good meanes this is an evidence that his sinnes are pardoned If a man be run in debt and danger and the kings writs be out against him the Bayliffes lying in every bush to take arrest and carry him into prison so that he cannot be at rest nor quiet for them now if this partie hath a friend to go to London to compound the matter and to agree it the question is how a man shall know whether his friend hath composed the matter or no I answer if the Bailiffes be gone home againe and the man at rest and quiet againe by this hee may bee sure that his friend hath composed and agreed the matter In like manner when we are runne in the Briers of debt and danger and heare that Gods writs are out against us the judgements of God lying in every bush as it were like Bayliffes to arrest us and carry us to prison if we can send a friend to compose the matter and agree it that is if we can send our prayers up to Heaven to compose the matter with God if upon this one finde his conscience to bee set at peace and the judgements of God to cease and be removed from him this is a comfortable evidence that his sinnes are pardoned therefore although a man may bee a sinner yet if a man can repent of them and finde by comfortable effects that his sinnes are pardoned hee shall have comfort both in life and death and when he hath lived here a few dayes in this world shall goe home to God to live with Abraham Isaak and Iaakob in the Kingdome of Heaven SERMON LXXII IOHN 11. 23 24. Jesus saith unto her Thy Brother shall rise againe Martha said unto him I know that he shall rise againe in the Resurrection at the last day IT was my purpose to have spoken no more at this time of Forgivenesse of sinnes but upon further meditation there is something more that I must impart unto you which is To know what that comfort is that a Christian man may have when hee beleeves his sins are pardoned and that he is acquitted and discharged for them before the judgement seat of God I answer that the comfort is exceeding great First because if a man knowes by infallible evidence that his sinnes are pardoned then he knowes he shall bee saved and death shall be as no death to him and that after this life hee shall goe into Heaven to glory and happinesse Seeing nothing can hinder a man from Heaven but sinne as it is Revel 21. ult And there shall enter in no uncleane thing Therefore if we know that our sinnes are pardoned we may be comforted for as soone as we leave this world we shall goe to God As Luke 23. as soone as the good Theefe had obtained pardon for his sinnes the next thing that Christ saith to him is This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and therefore if we know that our sinnes are pardoned then we know wee shall be saved and wee shall goe into the Kingdome of Heaven Secondly if our sinnes bee pardoned then wee know that all that God â—â—nds unto us comes of Love and that all our crosses and troubles he will turne to our good so that they bee not the wounds of an enemy but the love-tokens of a friend like the arrowes that were shot by Ionathan not to hurt but to forewarne so all crosses and troubles of this life shal turne to his good As soone as David had found the pardon and forgivenesse of his sinnes hee could say Of very faithfulnesse the Lord had afflicted him As a loving father giveth a bitter potion to his childe hee will put a peece of sugar into his hand secretly to allay the bitternesse of it so though the Lord give us a bitter potion that is a number of troubles and afflictions here in this life he puts into our hands as it were secretly a peece of sugar that is an assurance that all the troubles and afflictions of this life are sent in love to us and that they shall not hurt us but shall turne to our good Thirdly Then we know that as God hath taken away our sinne hee will take away the taile which followes it that is the punishment of sinne for the punishment of sinne followeth the act of it as the shadow doth the bodie for if we would remove the shadow wee must remove the body so God when he doth remove the body of sinne then the shadow must needs follow it We read Matth. 5. that when they brought a lame man to Christ the first thing that he saith to him is Sonne thy sinnes are forgiven thee after which the next words are Take up thy bed and walke So when the Lord takes away our sinnes he will take away the punishment of sinne Therefore in all the crosses and troubles that befall us we are not to deale with the shadow but with the body of sinne if we remove that we may be sure the shadow will be removed These be the three comforts that a man may have by the knowledge of forgivenesse of his sinnes therefore it is a good thing for a man to know in particular that his sinnes are forgiven Now wee come to speake of the other two blessings and benefits which the Lord doth give and grant to the Church in the life to come and the one is The raising of our bodies at the last day the other Life everlasting and these two blessings he hath reserved till the day of judgement closing up and making an end of all with them yet not a finall end for they shall have no end because the Lord will bestow eternall happinesse on them so that that day though it be a dolefull day to others yet it shall be a joyfull day to the Church of God and a day that they have many a day looked for and desired Now in handling of it we are first to consider The order of Gods distribution that he giveth us First the benefits and blessings of this life and then those of eternall life Hence we are instructed that that which is the order of Gods distribution must be the order in our intention for wee must labor to have communion with the saints here in this life and to have
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