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
the Divell and hâ—â—ngels 471. The wickedâ— ares shall bee bound together in buâ—es for the greater increase of torment 582. * How farre â—â—ed men desire the presence of God 465. The wickedâ—hing â—hing the better for Christs resurrectiâ— 300. †The punishâ—â— of the wicked shall be Gods curse 466. Reason of thâ—icked their condemnation 473. Gods Will tâ—â—fold of his â—â—ree comandment 198. The wills of dead must bee performed 232. ¶ Witnesses 〈◊〉 might have beene found for Christâ—â—â—cencie none against it 196. * False witneâ—er â—er scapes unpunished ibid. Fine wits aâ—litike pates must be imploied for Ch. 202. †Christs maâ—tation to the Wisemen 128. The reasons â—â—of ibid. The Wisemâ—â— their search for Christ discourage by Bad â—esse Ill exâ—e 134. Wives ought â—â—y and stoppe their husbands in â—â—urse of sinne 206. * God made allâ—â— by his Word 66. All Creatures save man yeeld obedience to Gods Word 66. †All Christs last Words holy and good 255. Workes not the cause of our obtaining heaven but onely signes who be the Persons 454. Reasons against the merit of workes ibid. A difference betweene for workes and according to workes 457. * To worke out our salvation what it is 253. * The last judgement shall be according to our workes 456. The reason thereof 459. †All good workes shall bee remembred and rewarded 458. Gods workes were done by degrees 69. †God made the world exceeding good 67. What time God made the world 68. In what order God made the world 70. The Iewish prophesie that the world should continue 6000. yeeres 401. * The world made of nothing 66. †God is able to dissolve the world to nothing 67. * The world shall be burnt 409. None worse than they that have had a taste of religion and have lost it 180. * A threefold worship due to God Adoration Invocation Faith 92. Whether Christs wounds remained in his glorified body 452. Christ takes all wrongs done to his servants as done to himselfe 461. ¶ Y OF the yong man that followed Christ 189. Yong Men ought to looke after Christ ibid. ¶ Z ZEale for the honour of God a signe of conversion 138. †Zerxes sorrow when hee looked upon 100000. Souldiers 210. * Eccles 12. 10. Eze. 33. 32. Revel 22. 20. 1 Act. 15. 18. 3 4 5 6 Fides non eligit objectum Bulla Pii quarti 1 Cor. 2. 11 12. 2 3 4 1 Pet. 3. 5 6 7 8 Simile Simile 1 Vse of Faith The first Reason why Faith alone Justifieth The second Reason why Faith alone justifieth Gal. 3. 17. Epheâ— 3. 17. The second use of Faith Two workes of Faith 1 2 1 Consideration How to deale with sinne 2 Consideration The third Consideration 1 The greatnesse of our sinnes 2 The greatnesse of Gods Mercy The second way How Faith stirs up holy motions 2 King 13. 21. Gal. 2. 20. Habak 2. 2. 1 2 1 All things must be done in Faith Quest. How to doe all our actions in Faith 1 Answ 2 Meanes to doe all in Faith Esai 8. 20. Two comforts of doing things in Faith 1 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. The third meant to doe all in Faith How to Suffer all in Faith The first meanes how Faith upholds us in desertion 1 Pet. 1. 5. The second meanes how faith upholds us in desertion The third means how Faith upholds in Desertions In worldly cresses Faith supports soure waies The second way how Faith sustaineth in crosses Iob 13. 15. 1 Sam. 28 1â— Foure meanes whereby Faith supports us in Afflictions Iob 19. 25. 4 Vse of Faith in our life-time Foure waies to dye in Faith 1 The second way to dye in Faith Acts 7. 56. Gen. 28. 1. The fourth way to die in Faith Vse 1. Vse 2. 1 Historicall Faith what Note 2 Tim. 3. 16. The second defect of Historicall Faith Secondly Temporary Faith The first Cause The second Cause Thirdly Miraculous Faith Fourthly Iuâ—fying and Saving Faith Three things required in Iustifying Faith 1 Object Answ The first Defect Psalm 7â— â—19 2 Kings 7. 2. The second Defect The second thing in sanctifying Faith Iob 5. 7. The third thing in sanctifying Faith Seven trials of true Faith The first The second triall of true Faith Note The third triall of true Faith The fourth triall of true Faith The fifth triall of true Faith The sixth triall of true Faith The seventh triall of true Faith By five Companions The first Companion of true Faith The second Companion of true Faith The third Companion of true Faith The fourth Companion of true Faith The fifth Companton of true Faith Phil. 3. Foure uses Three degrees of Faith 1 2 3 Object Sol. First weake Faith in judgement weaknesse of Faith in apprehension Foure trialls of weake from no Faith Quest. Sol. Three trialls of a right desire 1 2 3 The second triall of weake Faith The third triall of weake Faith The fourth triall of weake Faith The first triall of weake Faith The second triall of it The third triall of it The fourth triall of it The fift triall of it Vse 1. Vse 2. Argument 1 2 Foure Reasons why our Faith is shaken 1 2 3 4 Quest Sol. Object Sol. Two sorts of assurance of Salvation Object Answ Foure coÌ„sorts in want of feeling assurance of salvation The first The second comfort The third comfort The fourth Comfort Note Quest. Sol. 1 2 3 4 3 Full assurance of Faith Gal. 5. 6. Effects of true Faith 1 Bernards two farthings The second effect of true Faith The third effect of true Faith 1 2 Gen. 19. 4 Effect of true Faith 5 Effect of true Faith In foure respects we are Pilgrims here 1 2 3 4 1 That there is a God Note 1 The workes of God prove a Deity 1 The workes of Creation 2 The workes of Government 2 The place of God 3 By the Nature of the Creatures 1 Motion 2 Multitudes 4 By Conscience 5 By our owne Experience Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. 2 That there is but one God Vsesi Obiect Sol. 1 Evidence The seemd evidence Vse 2. Act. 4. 32. Vse 4. 3 He is a true God in regard of his Nature 1 2 3 God is true in his Properties SERM. V. Fourthly that God is our God Ioh. 20. 27. Simile Simile ARTIC I. The first ground to proove a Trinity of Persons The second ground for Distinction of Persons Secondly that the Father is a distinct Person Simile Simile Quest. Sol. Simile Simile Vse Simile Thirdly God is the Father of Christ Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Exod. 29. 6. By Faith in Christ we are adopted Iob 17. 14. Vse First since God is our Father we must labour to please him in all things Simile Secondly If God be our Father we must labour to be as like him as may be Three things to be like God in 1 In doing good to all 2 In forgiving wronge and iniuries 3 In holinesse of life 3 To moderate the cares of this life 4 All our chastisements then come
it in all true beleevers The corrupt nature of man is ready to oppose against it so that we shall have much adoe to hold our faith and to keepe it By experience every man may finde this in himselfe that even when temptations cease hee shall have much adoe to holde and keepe his faith therefore in the Revelation it is said Hold fast that which thou hast and let no man take away thy crowne And in Iâ—de Strive for the maintenance of faith once given to the Saints Let a man attend to preaching prayer and the use of good meanes yet hee shall have much adoe to hold his faith but it is an easie matter to hold the faith of the world there is no opposition made against it and therefore it is not the true and saving faith One opposition against true faith is sinne for this alwayes weakens faith in a true beleever so in Psalme 51. Wee see Davids faith was weakened by the reason of his sinnes Cast mee not away from thy presence and so likewise Iob 13. 26. his faith staggered by the meanes of his sinnes saith hee Thou writest bitter things against mee and makest mee to possesse the Iuiquities of my youth But the faith of the world is not weakened by sinne for although they commit never so many sinnes and grievous yet their faith is not weakened but it is as strong as ever it was and as confident in God and therefore this faith is not true faith The sixth point whereby wee may discerne true faith from the faith of the world is by the power of faith for whatsoever they suffer or endure they bee contented with it and labour to quiet themselves with the good will of God This wee see in Iob Though thou killest mee yet will I trust in thee And so the good Theefe Lâ—k 23. We are indeed righteously here for wee receive things worthy of that wee have done so they never murmur nor grudge at it but quiet themselves with the good will of God Now there is no such matter in the faith of the world for let trouble come and they bee at their wits end they have no comfort in God nor in Christ and therefore it is no true faith The Philosophers tell us how wee should know true gold from that which the Alchymists make although it cannot be discerned by the colour touch or by the weight yet take it in extremitie and it will comfort the heart it is cordiall but counterfeit gold will not And even so wee may discerne of true faith from the faith of the world for in extremitie it is cordiall it will comfort the heart The seventh signe whereby wee may discerne true faith from the faith of the world is by the companions of faith and holy traine that doth attend it and they bee five First Ioy unspeakable and glorious that God hath given us faith whereby wee may bee saved and that hee will respect us never was any child so glad of his fathers lands and livings and of that his father did bequeath him as they are glad that God hath bequeathed Christ life and eternall happinesse unto them so wee see Paul Ephes 1. 3. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed us with all blessings in heavenly things And 1 Peter 1. 3. Blessed bee God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance immortall undefiled c. The 2. companion in the traine of faith is Holy admiration and admiring and wondering at the kindnesse and mercie of God that hath refused others and chosen us that he hath made of us that were slaves servants of servants sonnes of sonnes heires and heires with his sonne Christ Ioh. 14. As Iudas saith there What is the cause that thou shewest thy selfe to us and not unto the world Even so wee may admire and wonder at the kindnesse and mercie of God why hee should shew himselfe unto us and passe by others that be better than we The third companion in the traine of faith is Exceeding love to God Seeing he hath done so much for us we cannot doe too much for him and therefore we must be ready to do his will in all things that he commandeth The fourth companion in the traine of faith is Forsaking of the world and to lay all downe at the feete of Christ and to be contented that hee should dispose of our health and of our goods and of our lives and to say with David here am I doe as it pleaseth thee dispose of my health and of my goods and of my life I am contented with it The fifth companion in the traine of faith is A desire to have a more neere conjunction with Christ in heaven whereby men are contented to leave all behinde and to goe with him and much more will it bee when wee shall live with him for ever and ever and therefore the Apostle desireth to be with him saying I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ but the faith of the world hath not such companions and such a traine to attend it If a Lady comes to a poore mans house how shall wee know whether shee be there still and see her not wee may know it by her traine and those that attend her although we see her not yet if we see her traine it is certaine she is there still and even so a man may know whether there be faith in his heart or no although he cannot see it if there be the companions and traine of faith then it is certaine that there is faith still Therefore every man should try and examine himselfe by these signes whether hee hath true faith or no that hee may not be deceived for wee all shall die at the time appointed either sooner or later and if wee have it not wee are like to perish for ever for wee must stand before God and the divell and our consciences will bee ready to accuse us for our sinnes and then if wee have not Faith to stand by us and to pull out a bagge of the merits of Christ for us a pardon sealed with his blood we shal surely be condemned at that day The uses are foure seeing true Faith is accompanyed with such a traine and with such companions First to rejoyce in God Secondly to admire at the mercy of God Thirdly to love God Fourthly to forsake the world Fifthly to desire a more neere conjunction with God Now the Faith of the world hath not this traine nor abundance and therefore let us take heed that wee bee not deceived with a false Faith instead of the true Faith If a man were to passe into another countrey and hee should put his whole estate into a ship even all that ever hee hath if hee should
Ambrose whilst they bite at the baite of some pleasing notions they are at the same time catched with the Spirits hooke Hee was skilfull in the originall languages and thereupon an excellent Text-man well read in writers that were of note in the severall ages of the Church which made him a well-furnished and able Divine his judgement was cleere and his conscience tender and which helpt him most he brought to the great worke of the ministerie an holy and gratious heart which raised and carried him to aimes above himselfe and the world In his conversing he was modest fruitfull wise and winning in his expressions witty and gracefull in so much that hee hath left a fresh and a sweet remembrance of him untill this day Towards his end her grow more spirituall setting light by all things here below and onely waited as his expression was for the comming of the Comforter at length his worke being finished breathing out his life with that wish of the spouse Yea come Lord Iesus Thus much I thought not unfit to be made knowne of the Man Now for the Worke it selfe it must be considered by the learned Reader that these things were spoken though to a People high-raisd in knowledge and more refined than ordinary by his teaching yet to the People not with a purpose that they should come to the view and censure of the learned But though they were delivered to the peopâ—â—â— yet are they not so popular but if my love to the man and the Worke deceive me not they will have the best Reader either more learned or more holy or both It must therefore bee remembred for the more favourable acceptation of this Worke that these Sermons were taken by one of his Parish a man though pious and of good parts yet not skilfull in the learned languages and therefore it must needs bee that many apt and acute sentences of the Fathers by which this learned man did use to beautifie and strengthen the Points hee delivered are fallen to the ground and lost for lacke of skill to take up But howsoever much of the spirits bee lost yet heere you have the corpes and bulke of the discourse and not without some life and vigour wherein this is peculiar in his manner of handling that hee hath chosen fit texts of Scripture to ground his exposition of every article upon Now for the Argument it selfe the Creed I thinke it fit to premise something because it hath beene omitted by the Author or at least not gathered with the rest The Creed is of middle authority betweene divine and humane and called the Apostles Creed not onely for consanguintty with the Apostles Doctrine but because it is taken out of the Apostles writings and therefore of greatest authority next the Scriptures It is nothing else but A summary comprehension of the counsell and worke of God concerning our supernaturall condition heere and hereafter The Doctrine of Salvation is spread through the Scriptures as spirits in the Arteries and blood in the veines as the soule in the body And heere for easier carriage the most necessary Points are gathered together as so many pearles or pretious stones that we might have a ready use of them upon all occasions being as it were a little Bible or Testament that Christians of all rankes as suited for all conditions may beare about with them every where without any trouble In every Article there is both a shallow and a depth milke for babes and meat for strong men Though there be no growth in regard of fundamentall Principles which have beene alike in all ages of the Church yet there hath and will be a proficiencie in regard of conclusions drawne out of those Principles The necessities of every Christian and the springing up of unsound opinions in the Church will continually inforce diligence and care in the further explication and application of these fundamentall truths It will not therefore bee amisse to set downe a few Directions for the more cleere understanding of the Creed and for the better making use of it And first for the understanding of it It hath the Name of Creed or Beleefe from the act exercised about it to shew that it doth not onely containe Doctrine to be beleeved but that that doctrine will doe us no good unlesse by mingling it with our Faith we make it our Beleefe therefore both the Act and the Object are implyed in one word Beleefe Secondly from the Execution in creation and incarnation wee must arise to Gods decree nothing done in time which was not decreed before all times knowne unto the Lord are all his workes from the beginning of the world Thirdly wee must arise from one Principall Benefit to all that follow and accompany it as in forgivenesse of sins follow righteousnesse Peace and Ioy the Spirit of Sanctification Christian liberty c. though the Articles be nakedly propounded yet are we to beleeve all the fruits and priviledges So to Gods creating of heaven and earth we must joyne his Providence in upholding and ruling all things in both Fourthly in the Consequent wee are to understand all thâ—â— went before by way of Cause or Preparation as in the Crucifying of Christ his preceding Agony and the Cause of it Our sinnes and the love of God and Christ in those sufferings c. Fiftly though we are to beleeve Circumstances as well as the thing it selfe yet not with the same necessity of Faith as it is more necessary to beleeve that Christ was crucified than that it was under Pontius Pilate though when any Circumstance is revealed we ought to beleeve it and to have a preparation of minde to beleeve whatsoever shall be revealed yet in the maine points this preparation of minde is not sufficient but there must bee a present and an expressed faith We must know that as in the Law he that breaketh one Commandement breaketh all because all come from the same authority so in the grounds of faith he that denies one in the true sense of it denies all for both Law and Faith are copulatives the singling out of any thing it contrary to the obedience of faith For Particular and dayly use wee must knowâ— First that every Article requires a particular faith not onely in regard of the Person beleeving but likewise in regard of the application of the Article beleeved or else the Dev â—â— might say the Creed for he beleeves there is a Creator and that there is a Remission of sinnes c. but because hee hath no share in it it inrageth him the more Our adversaries are great enemies to particular faith and thinke we coine a thirteenth Article when wee inforce particular assurance because say they particular men are not named in the Scripture and what is not in Scripture cannot be a matter of faith But there is a Double Faith a Faith which is the Doctrine wee doe beleeve and Faith which is the grace whereby
wee beleeve and this Faith is matter of Experience wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of God It is sufficient that that faith which wee doe beleeve is contained in the Scriptures Now whereas they object that we make it a thirteenth Article their fourteenth Apostle adds to these twelve many more articles of faith which he inforceth to be beleeved with the same necessity of faith as these twelve neither hath he onely entred upon Christs prerogative in minting new articles of faith but likewise they have usurped over all Christian Churches by adding Romane to the Catholike Church in the Creed A bold imposture But for speciall faith the maine office of the Holy Spirit is In opening generall Truths to reveale our particular interest in those Truths and to breed special Faith whereby we make them our owne because the Spirit of God reveales the minde of God to every particular Christian for as the things beleeved are truths above nature so the Grace of faith whereby we beleeve is a grace above Nature and created as a supernaturall eye in the Soule to see supernaturall truths Secondly Where sacred truths are truely apprehended there the Spirit workes an impression in the soule sutable to the things beleeved every Article hath a power in it which the Spirit doth imprint upon the Soule The Beleefe of God to be the Father Almighty breeds an impression of dependance reverence and comfort The Beleefe and knowledge of Christ crucified is a crucifying knowledge The true knowledge and faith in Christ rising is a raising knowledge the knowledge of the Abasement of Christ is an abasing knowledge because faith sees it selfe one with Christ in both states We cannot truly beleeve what Christ hath wrought for us but at the same time the Spirit of Christ worketh something in us Thirdly it is convenient for the giving of due honour to every person to consider of the worke appropriated to every one all come from the Father all are exactly performed by the Son in our nature for the Redemption of those that the Father hath given Him The Gathering out of the world of that blessed society which we call the Church into an holy Communion and the Sanctifying of it and Sealing unto it all the priviledges believed as Forgivenesse of sinnes Resurrection of the body and Life everlasting c. proceed from the Holy Ghost Fourthly it hath pleased the great God to enter into a Treaty and covenant of agreement with us his poore creatures the articles of which agreement are here comprized God for his part undertakes to convey all that concernes our happinesse upon our receiving of them by beleeving on him Every one in particular that recites these articles from a spirit of faith makes good this condition and this is that answer of a good conscience which Peter speakes of whereby being demanded what our faith is every one in particular answeres to every Article I beleeve I not onely understand and conceive it but assent unto it in my judgement as true and consent to it in my will as good and build my comfort upon it as good too me this act of Beleefe carries the whole soule with it Fifthly though it is wee that answer yet the power by which wee answer is no lesse than that whereby God created the world and raised Christ from the dead The answer is ours but the power and strength is Gods whereby wee answere who performes both his part and ours too in the covenant It is a higher matter to beleeve than the common sort thinke it For this answer of Faith to these truths as it is caused by the power of Gods Spirit so is it powerfull to answer all temptations of Satan all seducements of the world all terrours of conscience from the wrath of God and the curse of the Law it setteth the soule as upon a rocke above all Sixthly these Articles are a touchstone at hand to try all opinions by for crooked things are discernded by bringing them to the rule what directly or by immediate and neere consequence opposeth these is to bee rejected as contrary to the platforme of wholesome doctrine That one monster of opinions of the bread turned into the body of Christ by transubstantiation overthrowes at once foure Articles of the Creed The incarnation of Christ Ascension Sitting at the Right hand of God and comming to judgment for if Christs body be so often made of a peece of bread being in so many places at once here upon earth how can all these Articles be true Againe seventhly these grounds of Faith have likewise a speciall influence in direction and incouragement unto all Christian duties A holy life is but the infusion of holy truths Augustine saith well non bene vivitur ubi bene de Deo non creditur men of an ill beleefe cannot be of a good life wherupon the Apostles method is to build their exhortations to Christian duties upon the grounds of Christian Faith But we must remember that as faith yeelds a good life and conscience so a conscience is the vessell to preserve the Doctrine of Faith else a shipwracke of faith will follow If there bee a delighting in unrighteousnesse there will not be a love of the truth and if we love not the truth then there will be a preparednesse to beleeve any lye and that by Goâ— just judgement 2 Thes 2. 12. Eighthly as these fundamentall truths yeeld strength to the whole frame of a Christian life So they are so many springs and wels of consolation for Gods people to draw-from whereupon that good Prince George Anhalt whom Luthers time became a Preacher of the Gospell intending to comfort his brother Prince Iohn raiseth his comfort from the last three Articles Remission of sinnes Resurrection of the body and Life Everlasting which as they have their strength from the former Articles are able to raise any drooping spirit and therefore in the greatest agonies it is the readiest way to suck comfort from these benefits But I omit other things intending onely to say something by way of Preface And thus Good Reader I commend this worke unto thee and both it and thee to Gods blessing Thine in the Lord R. SIBBS AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED SERMON I. ROM 3. 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law AS the Children of Israel having sojourned long enough in Horeb were by Gods speaking to Moses commanded to remove thence and goe further off Deut. 6. So in some sort I may say we having in our ordinarie course gone through divers necessary points of Religion as the Lords Praier Repentance c. must now go on further to speake of the Doctrine of Faith a large and great Field ful of knowledge and exceeding comfort wherefore I shall have so much the more need to be helpâ— on by your prayers as my weaknesse and inhabilitie is unfit for so great
a Taske Heretofore I have shewed you that under two conditions only the Lord hath promised Life and Salvation Repentance and Faith which two conditions are the lowest rate he hath set life at Having therefore spent much time in the Doctrine of Repentance our course now is to speake of the Doctrine of Faith for howsoever it be that Repentance is a necessary Grace without which we cannot be saved yet notwithstanding all the Repentance in the world cannot save us although wee should weepe our eyes out unlesse wee have Faith some thinke that if they repent and mourne for their sinnes onely they shall be saved but the truth is we cannot be saved without Faith For First though Repentance may drive a man to seeke to be saved as the aking and pricking of a sore may drive a man to the Physitian or Chirurgion so sorrow and griefe may drive us to seeke to Christ there to shew our wounds but if we stay there and apply not the remedies we have no helpe for it is not Repentance that doth save us but the blood of Christ As it is 1 Iohn 1. 7. where he sheweth that The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all our sinnes and Câ—loss 1. 14. In Him we have Redemption through his blood that is the forgivenesse of sins Therefore when the Lord Zechar. 12. 10. promiseth to powre upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of grace and compassion that they should mourn for their sins In the next Chapter he promiseth that He would open unto them a fountaine for sin and uncleannesse to wit the blood of Christ and therefore besides a fountaine of our teares for sinne there must bee a fountaine of the blood of Christ to wash and cleanse us from our sinnes not Repentance onely but there withall Faith also Secondly because it is said without Faith we cannot please God Heb. 11. 6. therefore Repentance without Faith sufficeth not for Faith in Christ is that which makes a man acceptable before God for which cause in the matters of Faith nothing contents a Christian but Christ only in which case the Apostle flings away all accounting all but dirt and dung in regard of Christ Phil. 3. 8. Therefore though a man be sorry for his sins yet he hath need of Faith also to beleeve the promises and pardon of them As when a Rebell flies into another land where he is taken and sent home in a ship in which case the ship which brings him home can doe no more but there must bee some meanes besides to bring him in favour with the king to have a pardon So when we rebell against God by sinning we runne away from him Repentance is the ship to bring us home againe which can doe no more therefore there must be another means to reconcile us which is Faith in the Sonne of God Thirdly our Repentance is unperfect and therefore must be grounded on some perfect thing as the Schoolemen say Every unperfect thing must be grounded on something that is perfect So our Repentance being unperfect must be grounded on Christ apprehended by Faith one of them will not serve As a bird which hath two wings to flie with take away one of them well may the bird flutter and beat upon the ground but shee cannot flie So Faith and Repentance are the two wings of a Christian whereof take away one and they fall to the ground Now in the Doctrine of Faith divers things are to be observed 1. What the use of Faith is in the life of a Christian 2. How many kindes of Faith there be 3. The nature of true Faith 4. The Degrees of Faith 5. The effects and fruits of Faith 6. The extention and right object of Faith The first is the use of Faith in the life of a Christian for who will take care for a thing till hee knowes the use of it If a man tell us that such a herbe or such a stone is good the next question is but to what use serves it what is it good for So when wee heare of Faith this question may arise to what Vse serves my Faith For when men know the use of it this makes them seeke for it Now there bee foure uses of Faith in the life of a Christian too many know one use to make of their faith and that is to sweare by it but God hath not given us our faith to sweare by it but to other uses 1. To justifie us in the sight of God 2. To sanctifie us in this world 3. To live by it 4. To dye in Faith that when our friends and the world leave us then our faith may uphold us The first use of faith is that it doth justifie us in the sight of God for if we be detected by sinne and found infinitly guilty we have a discharge by faith for if the divell accuse us or our conscience condemne us then faith that acquitteth us and justifieth us in Gods sight as Rom. 3. 28. There may bee many graces but none of them can justifie us but faith only for Love is a work of the Law and so is Patience and many other graces but faith it is that justifieth us Rom. 3. 28. Therefore saith he wee conclude that a man is not justified by the workes of the Law but by faith onely Rom. 5. 1. Therefore being justified by faith wee haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ and Galatians 1. 15. saith hee We which are Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowing that a man is not justified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ and that for two reasons First because it lets all goe in the matters of salvation and brings Christ as the full price of our redemption to the Father for when the divell doth accuse us and we are found guilty and condemned then faith runnes to the Crosse of Christ into the grave and through the dens of death and brings Christ with his head crowned his backe whipped his sides wounded his hands and feete peirced and then a Christian is bold to stand up and say O Lord I have sinned against thee but behold here is my Redeemer and Saviour he hath answered thee whatsoever thou couldst require let his paines be my ease his shame my glory and his death my life c. A man arrested for a great debt he being in the Bailiffes hands readie to be carried and throwne into the Gaole perhaps hath a little Boy standing by who straight way runnes to his friends and tels them that his father is in the Bailiffes hands and ready to be throwne into the Gaole and so brings his friends who come with a great bagge of money powre it downe and so discharge the debt that the man goeth free even so when wee bee arrested with the judgements of God like Bailiffes and likely to bee throwne into Hell faith is like
Esai 53. 11. of Christ hee shall see of the travell of his soule and shall bee satisfied and therefore if men bee brought to God if they live a holy life if they bee conscionable in their waâ—â—s and carefull to please God in their courses then this will satisfie Christ But if wee live in our sinnes in our prophanenesse in our lusts still then it shall grieve Him that ever he was borne into the world sweate in the garden died and shed his blood on the Crosse for us Thirdly wee are to consider of the manner of his death that it was in the greatest extremity that might be so Paul saith Philip 2. 8. Hee humbled himselfe and became obedient to that cursed death on the crosse and so in Esai 5 3. 12. it is said He hath powred out his soule unto death c. Now the greatest extremity that Christ suffered may make us consider of two things First the greatnesse of our sinnes And secondly the greatnesse of Gods mercie First wee may consider the greatnesse of our sinnes that when wee have sinned against God nothing will bring us into favour againe but it must cost blood and the blood of the Sonne of God therefore howsoever men make but a light matter of sinne yet when we have sinned all the powers of Heaven and earth cannot bring us into favour againe all the Angels in heaven cannot doe it nor all the blood of the Saints but it must bee the blood of the Sonne of God that must doe it if the king should make a law that if a man told a lye or sowre an oath or committed a sinne he should lose a droppe of his blood how afraid would he be of sinning Now when we sinne although it doth not cost us blood yet it cost the blood of the Sonne of God and therefore wee should bee afraid to sinne lest wee bee more wastfull of the blood of Christ than of our owne Secondly wee are to consider of the greatnesse of Gods mercie that when wee had sinned hee would send his owne Sonne to die for us as 1 Iohn 4. 10. Herein is Love not that wee loved God but that hee loved us and sent his Sonne to bee a reconciliation for our sinnes and so in Rom. 5. 8. But God setteth out his love towards us seeing that whiles we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us and therfore seeing God hath so loved us that he was content to part with his Sonne for us let us never sticke to part with our sinnes and lusts to serve him but we see it otherwise that God doth not sticke to part with his sonne to die for us and yet we sticke to part from our sinnes to serve him The second way that faith doth stirre up holy motions is because it doth combine and knit us unto Christ so it is by combination by being made one with Christ for as from the head doth flow into the rest of the members life even so Christ doth extend unto us his graces and vertues In the second of the Kings wee see that when the dead body of the Prophet did touch the dead body of the man life came into him much more if we went downe into the grave of Christ and touched him wee shall live being joyned with the living body of Christ who hath gloriously and triumphantly overcome death hell and the divell We see in experience that if a man would have water flow into his field he will make a trench and dig into the ground till he comes at the fountaine and then the fountaine will flow water into the field even so if men would have the graces of Christ to bee distilled into them let them never be at rest till they have joyned themselves to Iesus Christ and then hee will distill all his graces and vertues into them so faith never leaveth us till it brings us unto Christ Now the use of this point is that seeing we are sanctified in this world by faith as we find other uses thereof so we should labour to find this use and benefit of it and therfore whereas men thinke that some are too precise and too strict it is a sure thing that unlesse we be sanctified in this world we cannot be justified before God and yet do not looke to be sanctified before men And therefore search thy selfe oh man or woman I pray thee art thou brought to the hatred of sinne Or is it weakned in thee Doest thou labour to lead an holy life in the sight of men here Then thou art justified in the sight of God but if thou livest in sin and makest no conscience in thy waies but livest loosely never then looke to be justified in the sight of God It is a good observation that a learned man hath out of the eighth of the Romans of the golden chaine saith he There be foure Linkes of it two he hath in his owne hands and two he hath put out to us to lay hold on the two linkes that he hath in his hands are Predestination and Glorification the first and the last linkes and the two middle he hath left for us to lay hold on Vocation and Iustification and therefore doe thou oh man cast out thy hands and lay hold on these two linkes that thou mayst be called and justified that so thou maiest be glorified in the world to come This is comfortable that God hath left these two linkes for every man whereby hee may be drawne up to Heaven The third vse of faith is that which Paul speaketh of here Rom. 1. 17. The just man shall live by his faith so a man must not onely be justified by faith in the sight of God and sanctified in this world but he must live by his faith as Paul saith Thus I live yet not I now but Christ liveth in mee and in that I now live in the flesh I live by Faith in the Sonne of God who hath loved mee and gave Himselfe for mee A man may live the life of nature without faith hee may buy and sell and doe the workes of his calling hee may eate and drinke c. But he cannot live the life of grace without faith the greatest part of men care not to live in faith but they desire to die in faith They would die a comfortable death like Balaam that would desire to die the death of the righteous but care not to live so strict a life therefore if men doe not care to live in faith they cannot die in faith for this is the true use of faith to live by it so the prophet Habakuk saith the just shall live by his faith a man that hath lived by it hee shall die in faith also Heb. 11. 39. it is said all those dyed in Faith because as they had lived in faith so they died in faith too therefore if wee will die in faith wee must labour to live in faith and then
in the life of a Christian first that a man is justified by it before God secondly that he is thereby sanctified in this world thirdly that hee must live by his faith and fourthly that hee must die in faith wee raised from hence two points of exhortation the first was that wee labour to get faith whatsoever it cost us because wee are justified by it before God and sanctified by it in this world If a man goe to market and hee heare hee may have good advantage by buying of such and such commodities hee will not sticke at it whatsoever it cost or whatsoever the price be And even so seeing faith doth bring us such advantage let us not sticke at the price of it whatsoever it cost us our pleasures our ease or much labour The second point of exhortation was that wee labour to keepe and to nourish it by all meanes now because there bee divers faiths and lest the divell should deceive us with a dead faith as the mother was with the dead childe instead of her living therefore wee will speake of the divers kinds thereof For as wee must labour for it so wee must looke it be the true faith if a king should have a servant and should send him into his Treasurie and he should bid him take silver and gold or what jewels he would have and whatsoever he wanteth the servant would surely looke he had the key and the right key too or else hee might turne and turne and never the better so when God doth offer such rich treasures in the Gospell then the next thing is we must looke to it that we must have a right key that is true faith or else wee may turne and turne and never the better and therefore that we be not deceived we are to consider generally there be foure kinds of faith 1. Historicall faith 2. Temporary faith 3. Miraculous faith 4. True saving faith First Historicall faith is when a man beleeves the history of the Bible to be true without application of it that is cannot apply the word of God to the comforting of his conscience to the directing of his life nor to the humbling of himselfe This hath no grace in it it is no worke of God but it ariseth from the light of nature for as wee beleeve other stories so also wee may beleeve this and assentunto it and therefore no grace of God Iames 2. the divels have this kinde of faith they beleeve the Scriptures that there is a God and therefore tremble now he doth not so because he is illuminated by Gods Spirit but by the light of nature by this he knowes it and therefore a man may have this faith and not true faith Here we are to note a strange malice of the divell that he would keep from men that which he beleeveth himselfe for hee beleeveth that there is a God and beleeveth the word of God to bee true and that there is a hell to torment and yet many men beleeve not this they do not beleeve there is a God or that there is a hell or that the Scriptures bee true and therefore they come short of the faith of the divell have no grace and therefore it cannot be true faith A man may beleeve there is a God that he is a just God that the word of God is true that there is pardon for sinnes rewards for the Godly punishments for the wicked and yet this is not the true faith for it failes in two things first is failes in the true resolved grounds of faith for as the Schoolemen say True faith never rests till it come at his resolved ground to rest on God for as they say faith doth not beleeve the resurrection of the body because Peter or Paul wrote and the rest of the holy men but true faith doth beleeve it because God spake it so that true faith rests on God as the last ground So 2 Peter 1. 21. saith he For the Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost so these holy men did not write the Scriptures in their owne name but they wrote them as the Pen-men and Secretaries of Almighty God and therefore we are not to rest in them because they wrote them but because God spake them and it is his will and all Scripture is given by inspiration of God Tertullian hath a saying and that is this That the Kings and Princes of this world when they would have their Lawes knowne to men they send it by Shreeves to proclaime and make it knowne to them so saith he the Prophets and Apostles be as it were the Shreeves and Officers of Almighty God to make Gods Lawes knowne unto men And as another learned man saith namely Augustine That it is true that Christ did write the Scriptures but not in his owne Person for he is the head but the Prophets and Apostles did write them as the very parts of Christ the very hands of Christ or the fingers of Christ to write the Scriptures for whatsoever Christ would have written to his people concerning his will he hath wrote by his Prophets and Apostles Ezek. 9. 8. Christ is there described to haue an Inckhorne of a writer at his reines Christ had his Inckhorne at his backe to write his last will and testament to his people when hee turned his backe upon them even when he was departed And therfore wee see that true faith in the last resolution staies on God it doth not rest on the Scriptures because Peter and Paul and the rest of the holy men of God spake it but because God hath taught it Therefore here wee may consider the ground of an historicall faith generally to beleeve the Scriptures and the Reason why men beleeve the Bible and in their common speech talke of it is because they never heard otherwise since they were borne but that the Scriptures were true So that it doth not arise from the true ground The second thing that historicall faith doth faile in is because it wants particular application of the word of God it doth assent to it that it is true but it goes no further it beleeves there is a God but not beleeve hee is a God to him it beleeves there is pardon of sinnes but not that his sinnes be pardoned and that God is just but not to him This is a maine defect in this Faith it doth not apply the word of God in the body there be two sorts of veines some of them bee sucking and drawing the meate into the stomacke to concoct the other carrying the strength of it into every part of a man so true faith like to these sucking veines carrieth the word downe into a mans heart and applyeth it unto him In the Gospell when Christ spake to his Disciples generally that one of them should betray him straight-way they said every one Is it I Master Is
it I And so true faith doth apply the word particularly to themselves historical faith doth not so but is like the Apothecaries boy that gathered herbes and simples for other mens diseases and not for his owne even so many men gather good things out of the word and others have the benefit of it and they have none all their comfort hangs on this to talke and speake of the judgements of God and of the good things that be in Him but it goes no further it doth not apply home the word and therefore it is another kinde of faith that wee must looke and labour for The second kinde is Temporary faith this kinde goes further than the first did For it doth not onely assent to the word of God that it is true but doth particularly apply it in part and there is also some unsoundnesse left behinde it this kinde of faith is spoken of in Matthew 13. 20. it is said to be the stony ground that brings forth fruit for a time all is not well with them for they do not continue they go away This is the common faith of the world to heare the word of God to apply it in some part so farre as it goeth with them but if it crosse them then it faileth and is carried away with the sway of corruption in them that as the weeds eate out the heart of the corne so corruption eateth out the heart of their saith Now it is called Temporary faith c. 1. Because it ariseth from Temporary causes 2. Because it is but of Temporarie continuance The temporary causes are three first because that men have a desire to get knowledge above the rest and to keepe Table-talke and to put downe others when they bee in company The second is to keepe credit with the world they would not be counted odde men and to bee pointed at this is the reason why Simon Magus Act. 8. beleeved became a great man in the world because he would not be pointed at or counted an odde man The third cause is worldly ease and benefit there is somewhat to bee gotten by it or some are afraide that if they doe not so as others doe they shall bee brought in danger of the Law As Iohn 6. 26. the people followed Christ but it was to be fed of him and in Numbers wee see the hope of liberty and the priviledges that the Israelites had made other to joyne with them So likewise Hester 8. 17. Many of the people of the land became Iewes for the feare of the Iewes fell upon them but wee must have a better ground than this if ever wee will be saved or blessed of God and saved at the day of judgement Secondly it is called temporary faith because it is but of temporary continuance for a time it is stony and hard at the bottome it doth not hold because it hath no roote it wants a roote of judgement and roote of affection First it wants a roote of judgement because they beleeve as others do and never heard otherwise they doe not beleeve it because God hath taught and revealed it therefore they are in danger to fall away but if they beleeved it because God hath spoken it and it is his will it is not all the world that could beare them over in it This wee see in the Primitive Church and in Queene Maries daies that the great Doctors and Schollers could not over-beare them although they were but poore men because they were rooted in judgment therefore if men will hold out unto the end they must labour to have this roote in judgement Psal 85. The prophet David saith I will hearken what God saith I will not hearken what the world my corruptions nor what men say but I will hearken what God saith Secondly in regard of affection a man must love the word esteeme it and set a high price upon it or else hee may well have a roote of judgement but no roote of affection and there will be no continuance and therefore dost thou love it and regard it be ready to apply it to thy selfe joy in it as the chiefest treasure and count it as the greatest blessing and be contented to part and to let all goe in regard of it Thirdly Miraculous Faith is a perswasion that God will use some men for some excellent worke to worke some miraculous thing this kind of Faith was in Iudas and many such others that Christ will say unto at the last day Depart from mee yee workers of iniquitie As what is it to cast out the divell and not to cast out a mans owne sinnes what is it to clense a Leper and yet cannot clense our selves from our corruptions to raise the dead and thou to lie still in thy sinnes to give sight to the blind and thou not see the good things of God to open the eares of the deafe and thou wilt not have thine eares open to heare the good things of God And therefore if thou hast justifying Faith to cast out thy sinnes corruptions thou hast a more excellent gift than to worke miracles to raise the dead to clense the soule Leper to give sight to the blind to make the dumbe to speake the lame to goe the deafe to heare for thou shalt goe to heaven when they they shall goe to hell Wee see Luk. 10. 17. c. When Christ had sent out his Disciples to cast out divells at their returne they came againe rejoycing and told him that the spirits were subdued through his name they rejoyced but our Saviour bids them not to rejoyce at this but rejoyce that their names were written in heaven And therefore if thou hast by true faith cast out thy sinnes if thou canst cast up thine eyes of faith to heaven and there behold and see thy name written this shall bee greater comfort to thee than the casting out divells The fourth kind of saith is true Iustifying and saving faith all is nothing without this faith in Christ this it is that must justifie and sanctifie fie us which faith is an assent to the whole word of God to make use of it to ourselves and a particular application of the promises of God made untous in Christ wherein we stand perswaded of our reconciliation in the blood of Christ Now there be three things required in this justifying and saving faith First there must be an assent to the whole word of God for it doth not beleeve God in one point and not in another but it beleeves the whole word of God The schoole-men say a true beleever maks no choice what point he will beleeve if God hath revealed them he will beleeve them all it is said 2 Cor. 10. 5. Casting downe the imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivitie every thought to the obedience of Christ it doth so bring under and captivate his wits that whatsoever Christ
speaketh it will beleeve The common faith of the world is not so for they beleeve God in one thing and not in another they beleeve God in his promises and not in his threatnings in his mercy but not in his judgement they beleeve God in one commandement and not in another therefore this is not the true faith that the Scripture speakes of for all the parts of true faith be so joyned and knit together that if wee take away one wee destroy all even as it is in a stone wall take away one part and the rest falls and even so take away one part of true faith and yee destroy all and as one cracke in a bell spoyles the sound of a bell even so one part of our faith being taken away destroyes our faith To this effect Gal. 1. 6. The Apostle saith I marvell yee are so soone turned to another Gospell they missing one point of faith he shewes they destroyed all If any man object and say How can that be that a man failing in one point of faith should faile in all Wee see Abraham beleeved God in one thing and not in another I answere wee are to consider two things First what he beleeved and what hee beleeved not all points be not of one consequence some bee of greater moment and some of lesse for as Aquinas saith some points bee the grounds of faith and those bee of greatest weight and moment and there bee some that bee in relation to others so many things in the story of the Bible bee most directed to faith as grounds and some be in relation to others to helpe and further it now Abraham doubted not of any maine point of faith but hee doubts of the lesse hee beleeves God for saving of his soule that God for Christs sake would save that but hee doubts of this that God would not give him a child so hee doubts not of the maine matter but of the lesser a man may beleeve God in the maine beleeve God for the saving of his soule and doubt of the lesser this doth not destroy true faith Even as a man comming to a shelfe where be a number of dishes a man may take away one and the rest may stand but if hee take away the shelfe all the dishes fall downe even so it is in faith take away one point which is in relation to another all the rest will stand but take away that which is the ground and beareth up all of them and then all the rest fall Now the causes of this defect are First because they beleeve it not not out of any distrussfulnesse of God as the children of Israel said in the Psal Can God prepare a table c. And as the Prince wee read of in the second booke of the Kings that doubted of the power of God but it ariseth for want of light that they doe not see it to bee so or because they have not beene as yet taught it out of the word of God The second defect is for want of strength for although hee sees it to bee a truth yet hee cannot beleeve it but is carried away with the sway and swinge of Nature against his judgement that hee is faint to strive and struggle against it This is the maine difference betweene the people of God and the world for although they beleeve not some particular thing yet they strive to beleeve even as the man in the Gospell said Lord I beleeve helpe my unbeleefe But the world doth not so for they doubt and doe not beleeve many particular things and yet they doe not strive against their unbeleefe and therefore if we doe not find it so in ourselves that there is not a striving to beleeve it is no true faith for true faith doth beleeve God in the maine matters it doth beleeve that God will give them Christ and yet many times they doubt of health it beleeves Christ will give them heaven and through weaknesse doubts that God will not give them seasonable weather and yet there is a striving to beleeve all The second thing that wee are to observe in saving faith is That it makes use unto it selfe of the word of God and not in generall but it applieth every promise of God made for our good As Eliphas saith to Iob take this and take to thy selfe so true faith beleeve this and beleeve it for thy selfe so that it doth not beleeve in generall but it makes use and applies every promise of God made home and to say with David I have respect unto all thy Commandements Herein true faith differeth from the faith of the world whosoever beleeveth the word of God in generall and yet cannot apply it to themselves may bee compared to the Apothecary which giveth others Physicke but doth not take it himselfe whereas true faith applies the promises of God for its owne good this is a justifying faith The third thing in true saving faith is that as it applies all the promises of God to it selfe so espicially it applies and takes hold of the great promises made unto us in Christ wherein wee stand perswaded of our redemption by the blood of Christ Even as a man being carried away in a great streame looketh up and espying a great tree hang over him takes hold of it and saveth himselfe from drowning so when a man is carried away in the streame of corruption and lookes up by the eye of faith hee espieth Christ like a tree hang over him takes hold of him and by this meanes hee saveth himselfe when thousands of others perish It is true indeed that true faith looketh to the whole word of God it beleeveth the threatnings and the promises of God as in Heb. 11. That by the same faith that Noah beleeved God for the saving of his soule by the same hee beleeved God for the saving of his bodie by an Arke and so likewise Abraham by the same faith hee beleeved that God would give him heaven by the same faith hee beleeved that God would keepe him in a strange countrey so Moses by the same faith that hee beleeved that God would preserve him from hell by the sanie faith hee beleeved that God would preserve him from the wrath of Pharaoh Yet in the matters of our salvation true faith lookes at Christ onely and at the promises made unto us in him even as the people of Israel that were stung with the firie serpents with the same eye wherewith they looked on Moses Aaron on the people and on their tents with the same eye they looked on the brasen serpent which was it that hoâ—pe them so it is in true saith it lookes to all the promises of God made unto us and yet in the matters of salvation it must bee the great promise made unto us in Christ that must save us which true faith lookes at All the hope we have of heaven hangs on faith and lest we should be
deceived of our faith and so deceived of heaven I will give you seven true notes and markes of faith whereby wee may discerne true faith from the faith of the world which are these that follow The first signe of true faith whereby wee may discerne it from the faith of the world is By the efficient cause which is preaching For thence it ariseth so it is preaching that workes faith in us so wee see in Rom. 10. Faith commeth by hearing the Word of God preached it doth not arise of nothing but comes of preaching therefore it is called Semen the seede of the Word that even as plants and herbs come of seedes so of the preaching of the Word comes faith but the faith of the world that doth not arise of the preaching of the Word but of the speech of people and by a report they have heard of ever since they can remember who never heard otherwise and therefore this is not the true faith Wherefore every one should looke how he comes by his faith and by what means if it comes not by preaching it cannot be true faith Now if preaching be the meanes to get true faith in us let us labour to have it because it is the meanes to worke true faith for how can wee have it if wee want the meanes if wee have not seede wee can have no corne and hee that stealeth away a handfull of our feede doth us more hurt than hee that stealeth much more out of our barne so if we have no preaching which is the meanes we can have no faith and he that takes away preaching doth us more hurt than to take any thing else from us The second signe or marke of true faith whereby wee may discerne it from the faith of the world is That it begins in weakenesse Even like a childe that is weake at the first and afterwards it groweth stronger and stronger through the nourishment it takes so our faith is weake at the first and by the use of good meanes it groweth stronger and stronger Iudges 6. we see how weake Gideons faith was at the first and so the disciples of Christ their faith was so weake at the first that Christ did reprove them for it Now the faith of the world that doth not begin in weakenesse but it is as strong the first day as it is many yeares after there is no doubting of Gods mercy they leape into the full assurance of faith at the first and therefore this cannot bee true faith for this beginnes in weakenesse and after by little and little it comes to the full assurance of faith Even as a man that climbes up to the top of a tree he catcheth hold first on the lower boughs and so by little and little he windes himselfe into the Tree till at last he comes at the top so wee come not to the full assurance of faith at first but wee must winde our selves into it by prayer meditation conference and such like duties till wee come unto the full assurance thereof It is the bold presumption of the world that they thinke they shall bee saved as soone as they looke into Religion when as it comes onely by the use of good meanes many a day together The third point wherby wee may discerne true faith from the faith of the world That it groweth although it begins in weakenesse yet it growes by the use of the good meanes that it was gotten by as by preaching of the Word prayer and such like good meanes as the Apostle shewes 1 Thes 2. 13. For this cause also thanke wee God without ceasing that when ye received the Word of God ye received it not as the word of man but as it is indeede the Word of God which worketh in you which beleeve The graces of God are compared to a little seede and not to a stone for that stands at a stay Now true faith groweth by the use of good meanes so we see 1 Pet. 2. 1. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow thereby The faith of the world doth not grow but keepes at a stay and doth not increase by the preaching of Gods word and prayer and by the use of good meanes therefore it cannot be true faith if a man hath a little child and they feede it and give it meate and the child grows not therby but stands at a stay they may say it is a changeling but this is not alwayes true It is observed to bee a judgement of God to restraine the blessing of foode although it be not alwaies true in this yet it is true in our faith if it keepe at a stay and doe not grow when there is good meanes it is no true faith no better than a changeling The fourth point whereby wee may discerne of true faith from the faith of the world is By the qualities of the person in whom it is found for it is not found but in a heart bruised and broken with sinne as Acts 2. they were pricked in their hearts and in Acts 16. the Iayler there trembled so that true faith is alwayes in a heart broken and bruised for sinne Now in the faith of the world there is no compunction nor sorrow for sinne they never mourne nor grieve for it therefore because it is not found in a heart bruised and broken it cannot be true faith they bee as merry at the first as at the last day If a Physitian should tell us that such a herbe would helpe us against all Infections whatsoever but it alwayes growes in a watery place and hee should tell us that there is another herbe like that in colour stalke leafe smell and in blossome but it groweth on a rocke or on a stone wall if wee should finde such an herbe on a rocke or on a stone wall wee could not say it were that which would preserve us against the infection because it groweth not in a watery place even so the heavenly Physitian hath told us that true saving faith doth alwayes grow in a heart that is broken and bruised for sinne in a watery conscience and therefore if wee find one like it in in all things and find it on a rocke or on a stone wall if we find it in an impenitent and hard heart and a heart never touched for sinne this is not the true faith Wee read that Mary Magdalen brought a boxe of costly oyntment to Christ and broke her boxe and powred it our which Christ did accept of all other oyntments are best in a whole boxe but this oyntment of faith Christ doth not accept but in a broken boxe in a heart broken for sinne and because the world hath not their faith in a broken boxe in an heart broken for sinne therefore Christ doth not accept of it The fifth point whereby wee may discerne true faith from the faith of the world is by the opposition that is made against
espie a leake in the ship how affraid would hee bee to adventure his goods this were but to hazard goods but if a man hath a fault in his Faith hee doth not adventure his goods and hazard them but hee doth hazard his soule And therefore take heed thou bee not deceived with a false Faith a poore man may dwell in his house all Summer and may thinke hee is as well as they that dwell in a better house but when Winter comes and it raines into his house in twenty places so as hee cannot bee at rest in it then hee seeth his error so a man thinkes himselfe as well that hath but a counterfeit as he that hath a true Faith all the summer time of his life but when the winter death and the judgement day comes then hee shall see his error and therefore let us labour that wee may have true Faith whiles wee live heere lest wee be condemned then Now the next thing we are to handle by order course is the degrees of Faith There is not only one measure and degree but there be diverse degrees of it the two Cherubines in the temple were all of one size and measure but there be diverse degrees thereof according to the severall growths of Faith now there are three degrees of it first Weake Faith Secondly strong Faith Thirdly full assurance of Faith So the Apostle 1 Ioh. 2. 12. shews the three degrees of it according to the three ages of men by babes young men and by old men by babes weake Faith by young men strong Faith by old men the full assurance of Faith Now weake Faith is accompanied with much wandering and doubting and yet there must bee in it an apprehension of the promise made unto us in Christ but it is so accompanied with wandering and doubting that sometimes it cannot tell whether it doe or no even like the smoaking flaxe that lieth smoaking and paddering that it cannot bee discerned whether there bee any fire or no but by the smoaking so there may be such weake apprehension of the promises of God made unto us in Christ that wee can hardly discerne whether there bee any Faith or no. I but there is weaknesse in all even in the strongest I answer there is great difference betweene a strong man weakened by sicknesse and the weakenesse of a child so there is a great difference betweene the Faith of a strong Christian weakened by sinne and the weakenesse of Faith in a new beginner a childe in religion and of this weaknesse there bee two reasons first weaknesse of judgement Secondly weaknesse of apprehension First weaknesse in judgement so wee see the disciples of Christ how weake their judgement was in regard of knowledge that they did not beleeve one of the articles of Faith they did not beleeve the resurrection of the dead the Evangelist Marke shewes and so likewise in Iohn 4. how weake the Faith of the Samaritane in regard of her knowledge and so of Rahab her faith was weake in judgement for she had heard of the wonders that were done in Egypt and had a desire to bee joyned to the people of God and this is the weake Faith that is here spoken of Rom. 14. 10. The second is weaknesse in apprehension of the promises of God that it is not able to apply Christ unto it selfe one would doe it but hee cannot hee beleeves there is a pardon for his sinnes if hee could apply Christ and yet he cannot doe it so we see Iohn 20. what a long time it was ere Thomas could apply Christ to him and say hee was his Lord and his God so it is long ere a Christian can apply the promises of Christ unto himselfe Now this is weake Faith and this weaknesse of Faith is in all beleevers beginnes in weaknesse and therefore none ought to bee discouraged although they cannot apply Christ to themselves because weaknesse of Faith is in all and if thou be stronger in Faith than thy brother doe not exclude or discourage him but labour by all meanes to nourish and to strengthen it so the Apostle saith him that is weake in the Faith receive unto thee and so likewise Zecharie 4. 10. For who hath despised the day of small things and therefore if it be but the smallest and the least that may bee labour to nourish and encrease it the reason is because the least measure of true Faith is able to save us for if a man hath but as much true Faith as a graine of mustard seede it is able to worke wonders to remove mountaines as wee see Luk. 17. We see in experience that the hand of a little child is able to lay hold of a bagge of gold when the father giveth it indeed the hand of a strong man is able to take it out of the hand of the father but yet the hand of a child can lay hold of it Even so weake Faith may lay hold of the promises of God as well as strong faith although it doth not so strongly apply Christ as Num. 21 when the people were bitten with the fiery serpents there was a brasen serpent set upon a pole that so many as being bitten looked upon it should be healed which did not only help the strongest but the weakest sighted also if they were able but to cast up their eyes to it and not onely so but those that lay on their sicke beds in the tents if they were able but to espy him at a litle chinke or crevise they were healed So not only they that have the strongest Faith are saved but even those that have but a weake also yea although they lye on their death-beds yet if they can but espie Christ by the eye of Faith at a little chinke or crevise they shall be saved But how may wee know weake Faith from no Faith I answer it may be knowne foure waies First When it is attended with good desires That a man hath a desire to beleeve to repent to doe the will of God but cannot as David saith I desire to doe thy will O God although I cannot so wee see weake Faith is attended with good desires therefore where there be not these good desires there is not weake Faith but no Faith I but are there not good desires in some that have not true Faith I answer Balaam hee had good desires hee desired to die the death of the righteous so then there be desires in both but the desires of weake Faith have these three properties first they bee earnest and servent secondly constant and setled thirdly actuall and lively First they bee earnest they cannot bee at rest till they have the thing they desire Even as a child that is hungry nothing will content him till hee have meate give him this and that thing yet will hee not bee quiet till hee hath foode so it is with a Christian nothing will content him till hee hath
Christ and the pardon of his sinnes and assurance of his salvation he cannot be at rest The second propertie is That they bee constant and setled desires They give not over till they have the things they desire many have desires but they bee floating and unsetled they give over before they have the thing that they desire where there are such desires there is not weake Faith but no Faith The third propertie is That they bee lively and actuall they bee contented to take any paines and labour for to have the things that they desire In the Proverbes it is said The sluggard hee lusteth and yet he hath not what wants hee hee hath desires but he is loth to take any paines or labour to come by that which hee desireth and therefore he goeth without But the desires of a Christian bee lively will put them upon any paines and labor they will not sticke at any thing so that they may have the things that they desire The second signe whereby we may know that wee have weake Faith from no Faith is That it worketh according to the measure of weaknesse as Matt. 8. when the Disciples were in the ship and in danger of drowning they goe to Christ and cry unto him Helpe Master wee perish Christ doth not reprove them because they had no Faith but because they had but little Faith it was but weake and yet this weake Faith did worke in them and drove them to Christ to cry to him for helpe this was true Faith though weake so if wee cry to Christ in extremity and seeke to him for helpe there is true Faith but when men seeke to witches as Saul did and sorcerers for helpe there is not weake Faith but no Faith The third thing whereby we may know weake Faith from no Faith is That it doth desire to encrease and to get strength by the use of good meanes Even as a tree being set into the ground it sends downe its rootes and spreads them this way and that way to get strength and nourishment unto it selfe that it may grow so weake Faith it doth desire to encrease by all good meanes by prayer preaching the use of the Sacraments reading and such like things So wee see the Disciples came to Christ and say Lord encrease our Faith And the man in the Gospell I beleeve Lord helpe my unbeleefe So wee see weake Faith that desires to encrease and therefore if we doe not desire to encrease our Faith there is not weake Faith but no Faith The fourth thing whereby we may know weake Faith from no Faith is That it is ready to lay hold upon every little helpe even as the vine is ready to catch hold of every post and every wall and every sticke and sprig with her windes about it to rest upon it even so true Faith laies hold on every little helpe and every little word as Iohn 2. It was but a little word and a sowre word that Christ spake to Marie Woman my houre is not yet come and yet the Faith of Marie laid hold upon it for shee did beleeve that hee had his houre for she saith after to the the servants whatsoever hee biddeth you doe that doe yee And so in Matth. 15. It was but a word that Christ spake to the woman of Canaan and a sowre word it was too It is not lawfull to take the childrens bread and to give it unto dogs and yet her Faith laid hold of it and therefore what shal we say of the Faith of the world Doe they profit by the meanes God giveth them hath not God sent his mercies and his judgements amongst us wee have preaching and teaching and yet wee doe not lay hold of it profit by it be not brought to walke conscionablie before God shall wee say there is weake Faith in us Nay there is no Faith for weake Faith will grow and encrease and lay hold upon every little meanes of helpe SERMON III. ROM 1. 17. For thereby is the righteousnesse of God revealed from Faith to Faith AS it was in the Temple so it is in Faith in it there was certaine steps and staires whereby as men ascended higher and higher the neerer they came to the presence of God so there be certaine steps and staires in Faith that the higher wee mount therein the neerer wee come to Gods presence and a view of his love in Christ even as a man ascending up some steepe high hill The first step he sees somewhat when he is higher he sees more but when he is at the top of the hill then he sees the whole Countrie round about him flatnesse length breadth Latitude both of Sea and Land So when wee have weake Faith we see somewhat when strong Faith we see more but when wee come to the full assurance of Faith to the top of the hill as it were then wee see the length and breadth of Gods love in Christ Hauing spoken of weake Faith and how it may bee discerned wee are now come in the next place to speake of strong Faith which is another degree of Faith but first by your patience I desire to shew you some trialls and markes how a man shall discover his weakenesse of Faith for every man that would know this weakenesse must doe these two things he must labour 1. To finde it out 2. To helpe it as soone as may be First one shall finde and know weakenesse of Faith in himselfe when hee doubteth of the favour of God that hee cannot rejoyce nor have his heart made glad with it and standeth in doubt of his own salvation this doth shew weaknesse of Faith as Peter Mat. 14. 30. When he saw the wind arise hee was afraid of drowning which did shew weaknesse of Faith in him so Iames 1. 6. saith hee But let him aske in Faith and waver not so then if a man aske any thing at Gods hand and standeth in doubt of it here is weake Faith The second thing whereby wee may know weake Faith in our selves is when wee trust God for one thing and not for another when wee trust God for the saving of our soules but not for the feeding and cloathing of our bodies and of the saving of them So Abraham he beleeved God in one thing doubted in another he beleeved God for the saving of his soule but doubted of a child as wee see Gen. 15. And Matth. 8. the disciples were afraid that their bodies should perish and therefore when wee trust God for one thing and will not for another this doth shew weaknesse of Faith in us or if wee trust him in one trouble and when another is comming faint this is weaknesse of Faith The third thing whereby wee may know weaknesse of Faith in our selves is When we are comfortable to our selves in time of peace but faint hearted in the time of trouble as it is Proverbs 24. 10. If thou faint in the
day of adversity thy strength is but small If a man come to a tree and shake it with his finger this way and that way it doth shew that the tree is not well rooted even so when the least trouble that comes unjoynts vexes and shakes us on euery side it shewes that we are not well rooted and grounded in Faith The fourth thing whereby wee may discerne weaknesse of saith in our selves is When wee beleeve God can helpe us but it must bee by such and such meanes So Iarus beleeved Christ would helpe his daughter but it must bee by touching and laying on his hands as wee see Matth. 5. this was weake faith to beleeve that Christ can helpe but it must bee by such and such meanes And so in Iohn 6. The disciples beleeved that Christ could feed five thousand but they must have two hundred pennie worth of bread for to doe it withall So likewise Moses beleeved that God could give him water enough for the children of Israel but not out of a rocke but it must bee out of the river this then is weaknesse of faith to beleeve that God can helpe us but it must bee by such and such meanes The fift thing whereby wee may know weaknesse of faith is By the effects of faith when they bee weake in us as in the booke of Iudges wee see how Sampson did know he was growne weak and that his strength was departed from him it was by the weaknes of his actions not being able to resist the Philistimes as formerly so may we know weaknesse of faith in our selves when wee bee weake in our actions in our prayers and in the performance of other holy duties therefore howsoever men talke of strong faith if they bee weake in the performance of holy duties and are not strong to stand against the temptations of the divell and to resist them it is but weake faith The use of this is that if we finde weake faith in our selves we must take accompt of it labour to bee humbled for it and to say with David Psal 6. I am weake but Lord helpe my weaknesse and as the man in the Gospell said Lord I beleeve but helpe thou mine unbeleefe Lord I have weaknesse of faith but Lord helpe this weaknesse of faith in me The second use is that if wee find weaknesse of faith in our selves we should labour to strengthen it by the use of good meanes by praier reading preaching and by such like meanes Wee know if a poore man dwell in a rotten house if the wind arise hee will get props and shoares to underprop it that so hee may keepe it from falling so seeing wee dwell in rotten houses if the winds of temptations arise we should labour to prop up our faith by the use of good meanes by preaching prayer the use of the Sacraments and such like that so wee may bee able to stand in the time of temptation for as we have heard before faith is compared to a seed and not to a stone because a seed will grow to be a tree but a stone groweth not and therfore if we use good means and doe not grow by it it is to be suspected it is not weake but no faith for where true faith is although it be weake yet it growes to bee stronger by the use of good meanes strong faith never doubteth of salvation and the pardon of sinnes unlesse it bee in the time of temptation and doth assure it selfe of salvation and of the pardon of sinnes by a sylogisticall reason the ground whereof is laid in the word of God thus it may be framed God hath said in his word that whosoever repenteth and beleeveth shall undoubtedly be saved this is the great ground and maxime whereon strong faith doth stay it selfe which is built on the word of God then the true beleeving heart saith Lord but I upon the search of my conscience doe find that I doe truly repent and beleeve and then the conclusion ariseth therefore I shall undoubtedly and certainely be saved The papists say that we cannot be assured of the padon of our sinnes and of the salvation of our soules here in this life but I would have them to answer me these two reasons the first is That whatsoever God hath spoken in his word wee are bound to beleeve it under the conduct and certainty of faith but God hath said in his word that whosoever repenteth and beleeveth is bound by the certainty of his word and of his faith to beleeve his salvation and the pardon of his sinnes The second is That whatsoever we are bound to pray for that we are bound to beleeve but wee are bound to pray for the pardon of our sinnes and for our salvation as wee may see in the fifth petition of the Lords Prayer therefore wee are bound to beleeve it Now strong faith is not so strong but that it may bee shrewdly shaken in the time of temptation as Davids faith was hee saith I am cast out of thy presence and so Peter was shaken for the time and yet Christ had prayed that his faith might not faile him therefore wee see that strong faith may bee shaken and weakned of which there bee these occasions or reasons First Because we have given way to some sinne and have not been watchfull to keepe the doores of our hearts shut against it but given way unto it this will weaken strong faith a man that is strong may catch a cold or a surfeit and be made so weake that hee cannot bee able to goe with a staffe so a man may catch a cold that is hee may commit some sinne that hee may make his faith so weake that hee shall not bee able to stirre or feele any comfort in respect of his offence that hee hath done Secondly By the neglecting of the use of good meanes as preaching prayer reading and such like so it may become weake Mark 3. wee read there was a man that had a withered hand the reason whereof was because there were obstructions in the veines that it could not carry downe nourishment to that hand which withered so when there be obstructions that doe hinder us that we cannot draw downe nourishment to our hearts by the use of good meanes our faith will bee weakned our assurance withered and drie Thirdly The malice of the divell for hee will doe as the Philistimes did with Sampson knowing his strength lay in his haire they cut it off and hee became weake so the divell doth knowing that all the strength of a Christian lyeth in his faith therefore hee labours to weaken it as much as may be Fourthly The wise providence of God to humble us to make us take the faster hold for all that the Lord doth is but to settle us that wee should bee the deeper rooted As a man when hee goeth to plant a tree when he hath set into the ground and put
his appointed place even so when a man is come to the full assurance of faith he is past all danger he saileth safely towards God and joyfully even untill hee come to heaven This is the most joyfull and blessed estate that any man can have or bee in here in this life but this is not the case of many for a man comes to this by degrees and it is a long while ere he can attaine unto it and many doe not feele it untill the time of their death Now having spoken of the degrees of faith we will in the next place speake of the Effects and Fruits of faith for as the Apostle saith Faith worketh by love it is not idle in a man nor lyeth still but sheweth it selfe by good effects and fruits for there is nothing in the world can save a man no outward thing neither circumcision nor uncircumcision but only faith which worketh by love In a Clocke when the great wheele stirres all the little ones will stirre because they doe depend upon it so faith is the great wheele in the life of a Christian that if it be stirred it will move all the rest of the wheeles all the rest of our graces It is said Iames 2. Shew me thy faith For many will talke and say they have faith but if you have faith Oh thou man or woman shew me thy faith make declaration of it for if thou canst not shew mee thy faith by good effects and fruits it is to be suspected that it is not true faith If one lay a little straw on the ashes if there be any live-coles they will catch hold on the straw so if there be faith in us it will shew it selfe by the fruites and effects Mat. 9. 2. it is said that Christ saw the faith of the sicke man and of those that brought him why could Christ see their faith could he see into their hearts Yes but hee saw also their faith because it did shew it selfe by the effects fruits wherefore if you have not a faith attended with good fruits and good effects it is not true faith It is a good observation of a learned man saith he A man that goeth upon a ladder to serve a Mason he must have two hands one to hold by and another to give up Morter and Bricke and such like so saith he a Christian must have two hands hee must have the hand of faith to lay hold on Christ to save himselfe and hee must have the hand of charitie to give out things to his brethren So we see the faith of a Christian must bee attended with good effects and fruits as yee have heard Now the fruits and effects of faith are many but I cannot stand to shew you them all and therefore I will onely point at the chiefe which the Apostle Paul doth aime at Hebrewes 11. First that faith makes a man offer a better sacrifice to God than others this is shewed by the example of Abel and Caine the Apostle telleth us that his was greater than Caines Gen. 4. 1. it is said that Abel did offer of the first fruits of his sheepe and of the fat of them and Caine of the worst they did both offer sacrifice what was that then that made the difference the Apostle telleth us that faith made the difference for Abel beleeved that God had pardoned his sinnes that God would save him and blesse him and bestow upon him all things needfull in this life and heaven and happinesse in the life to come and therefore hee thought nothing too good to offer unto God but Caine he had not faith he did not beleeve that God would save him and blesse him hee had no hope of heaven nor no hope of the pardon of his sinnes hee did not beleeve that God did love him and therefore hee thought any thing good enough for God So it is still faith doth make a man offer a better sacrifice and a greater than others for when men beleeve that God hath pardoned their sins that they shall be saved enjoy heaven and happines bee blessed in this life and in the life to come then they thinke all the service that they doe is too little to such a God that hath loved and bestowed such blessings upon them they satisfie others yet they cannot satisfie themselves because God will infinitely acquit them if they had a thousand bodies and soules all were too little to doe service unto him David saith in the 1 Chroâ— 22. 14. Now behold according to my poverty have I prepared for the house of the Lord an hundred thousand talents of gold and a thousand thousand talents of silver and of brasse and iron passing weight for it is in abundance I have also prepared timber and stones here we see that David did accompt all this as nothing in regard of God So Matth. 26. Mary Magdalen brought a costly boxe of oyntment she broke her boxe and powred forth her oyntment on Christ she thought nothing too good or too deare for him thus much Christ instructs us in the Gospell that when wee have done all wee can yet wee are unprofitable servants It is a good saying of S. Bernard saith he it is an infinite debt that we owe unto God for our redemption if all the lives of the sons of Adam were in one man and all the vertues and good things that were in all the Patriarkes and Prophets and all the holy men yet all were nothing to doe service unto him yea saith hee for mine owne part I have but two farthings to pay the Lord withall and they bee farthings of the least size and measure my body and my soule nay indeed saith hee I have but one farthing and that is my good heart and my good will thus faith makes a man offer a better sacrifice than others because the men of this world doe not beleeve that their sinnes bee pardoned and have not hope of heaven they thinke a little will serve to please God a little prayer repentance and a little care this doth shew that it is not true faith for if a man have true faith hee cannot pray enough bee carefull enough take too much paines all will bee too little that hee doth in the service of God The second effect of faith is that it maketh a man exceeding carefull to please God and to walke with him as is shewed in the example of Henoch of whom it is reported Gen. 5. 24. that hee pleased God in his courses for hee beleeved that hee should lose nothing but bee well rewarded for it it was not in vaine to walke with God to please him and praise him so it is still if a man beleeve that God is a rewarder of all them that seeke unto him they will let all goe and desire to please God in their courses this was that made David say Psal 119. Teach mee thy way and I shall walke in it and Psal 56. 13. For
thou hast delivered my soule from death and â—lso my feet from falling that I may walke before God in the light of the liuing Micha 4. 5. For all people will walke every one in the name of his God and wee will walke in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever therefore if men bee not carefull to walke with God to leave their corrupt courses they have no faith And because every man will bee ready to catch hold on this and to say they walke with God then I answere If thou walkest with God thou must leave some markes and prints behinde so if we walke with God we must leave behinde us markes and prints we read 2 King 7. 15. That when the Israelites went after the Syrians unto Iordan loe all the way was full of cloathes and vessells which the Syrians had cast behind them so if we walke with God all the way that we goe shall leave markes behind us of patience of faith of holinesse of life till we come at Iordan viz. till wee come to die where men have not walked with God there is not any prints or markes left behind them The third effect and fruit of faith is That it will let all goe in the matters of this life and provide for saving of thy soule this is set forth unto us by the example of Noah Gen. 6. that builded an Arke for the saving of himselfe and his houshold when others were busie about their pleasures sports and following their worldly profits hee applyed himselfe to make an Arke what was the reason of it because he had the faith of these two things 1 That God would bring a floud 2 That he would save him by this meanes by the Arke First hee did beleeve that God would send a floud for the drowning of the world for as there was a time of mercy a time that God did patiently forbeare them so hee did beleeve that there would be a time of judgement when the Lord would punish the wicked and the ungodly Secondly he was perswaded that when others did perish he should bee saved nor by carrying him above the clouds nor by inclosing him in the waters or to make him walke in the dry land as the children of Israel did but hee did beleeve that God would save him in the Arke so a Christian must bee perswaded and settled in the assurance of these two things first that God will send a floud of destruction a floud of fire upon the world and that as there is a time of mercie so also there will bee a time and a day of judgement a time to call them to an accompt for all their sinnes Secondly wee must bee perswaded that there is no other meanes to bee saved but onely by Iesus Christ and when a man is setled in the faith of this it will make him let goe all and lay hold on Christ that he may bee saved in the day of judgement The Apostle saith Phil. 3 8. Hee accounteth all things but to bee dung and drosse that he may be found in Christ as if he should say Let the world goe take it with all the pleasures and profits I accompt it but dung and drosse that I may winne Christ and be found in him So Acts 26. 7. he sayes Whereunto our twelve tribes instantly serving God day and night hope to come to the resurrection and so stand with joy and comfort before God So if once this be settled in our hearts that there is no other meanes to bee saved but onely by Christ then a man will bee contented to let all goe and lay hold on Him that so hee may be saved and stand with joy and comfort before God we see in Genesis that when Lot went out of Sodome the Angels did haste him that he might not looke backe againe to his pleasures and profits and goods that hee had left behind him what was the reason of it that seeing God had given him the meanes of saving of himselfe he would apply himselfe to it where there is not this affection it comes not into ones heart nor his thoughts all his life long to consider how he shall be saved and be contented to let all goe and apply himselfe to the meanes The fourth effect is to obey the calling of God whatsoever it cost this is shewed unto us in Abrahams example when the Lord called him out of his countrey and from his kindred he did not hang upon them but he lost all and obeyed Gods Commandement so if a man hath faith in God call him to any service or dutie call him out of his sinnes or call him out of the world he will be contented to let all go and obey God whatsoever it cost him and what troubles soever he endureth So wee see Matthew when Christ called him left all his profits and followed him and so in Matthew 4. when Christ called his other disciples they left their fishes nets and followed him so if there be faith in us we wil obey God whatsoever it cost us therefore when men will not come out of their sinnes but sticke in them still there is not this effect of true faith in them howsoever the divell may perswade them to have it The fifth effect of true faith is That it will make us live like Pilgrimes herein this world to dwell in our houses like strangers ready to depart and leave all as the Patriarkes did who accounted themselves as Pilgrims and strangers here and heaven to be their home this is a great worke of faith Now in foure respects wee must live like strangers and Pilgrimes here in this world First a Pilgrime hath not his heart as you know settled upon the kingdomes and countries that he passeth through but his minde is set at home and if he comes where men be dauncing and taking their pleasure hee doth not attend it his minde is of his journey if he come where men be at play either in fencing or any other sporting he doth not minde it but his desire is bent only on his journey so we should be like Pilgrims and strangers in this respect our hearts should not bee set on the kingdomes and countries we passe through they must not bee set on this world If a man come where pleasures be hee must not have his heart intangled with them or attend on them he must not minde them but his bent must be set on his journey and his home I have shewed you heretofore a pretty story of a man travelling to Ierusalem the holy city who as he travelled came to a city where hee saw mustering of men trayning of souldiers and running of horses and hee being delighted therewith thought to have tarried there but this came into his minde this is not the holy land nor the holy city so away he went Then hee came to another city and there he law dauncing and sporting and many delights
and he had thought to have tarried there till this came into his thought this is not the holy land nor the holy city and so he departed thence then he came to another city where he saw goodly houses fine women good cheere where he thought to have tarried but he remembred this was not the holy land nor holy city so a Christian must doe when hee comes at the pleasures and profits of this life his heart must not bee intangled with them but this must come into his minde that this is not the holy land nor the holy citie that we looke for The second respect is to please the Lord of the countrey especially and the Lord of the soile that he is to passe through that so he may be at peace so it must be our care to please the Lord of the soile and countrey that wee passe through and seeing God is the Lord of the Earth it must bee our care to please him that so wee may with peace passe through this earth to heaven lest we be arrested and stayed in our journey The third respect is that a Pilgrime is ever hasting what company soever he comes in he is still gathering home whatsoever hee doth his minde is of home so we should be like Pilgrimes in this respect that what company soever we come into or whatsoever we doe our minde should still be gathering home as in the Philip. 1. 23. the Apostle Paul desireth to be dissolved and to be with Christ Iob 14. 14. saith All the daies of my appointed time I will waite till my change shall be The fourth respect is that a Pilgrime hath no care but this one to have so much foode as may serve him in his journey till he come at home that so he doe not starve so seeing we are strangers and Pilgrimes here in this world this must teach us to be carefull to get so much food knowledge faith as may serve us till we come at home be brought to heaven and happinesse there is much talke of faith and many thinke that they have it but when God shall bring us downe to the waters as Gideon did his men we shall finde but a few to have true faith if wee try our selves by these effects SERMON IIII. IOH. 14. 1. Ye beleeve in God beleeve also in me WE see in nature that rivers runne till at length they run into the Sea Even so wee have runne upon many points of Faith till now wee are come into an Ocean Sea of Faith The great Object thereof God in Trinitie of Persons considered We have spoken of the of Faith 1. Vtilitie 2. Kindes 3. Nature 4. Degrees 5. Effects And now lastly we come to the 6. Extention and Object of it The Object of Faith in the largest measure is to beleeve the whole Word of God and not to deny any point of it But the Object of saving faith and of our holy Religion is comprised in the Articles of our Creede The summe whereof is first to beleeve in God distinguished into three Persons Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and that this God hath gathered a Church or a Company of people out of this world on whom he will bestow his graces here in this world and glory in the life to come this is the summe of the faith that wee are justified and saved by And if any deny but one Article of this faith he doth as it were rase the foundation deny the Faith and destroy it in a house a man may pluck downe a sparre or pluck a lath off and the house may stand but if they take away a maine pillar or rase downe the foundation the house will fall so it is in faith a man may deny some points of Faith which be not the foundations of Religion but if he doe denie any of these articles that are comprised in the Creed any that are the grounds he denies all as it is said of some that they destroyed and denied the faith when indeed they denied but one point of it The first point is To beleeve in God Now God is to bee considered two wayes 1. Absolute in himselfe 2. By Relation to us Five things we are to beleeve concerning God as he is absolute in himselfe 1. That there is a God 2. That there is but one God 3. The true God 4. Our God 5. That we shall be the better for him And therefore wee put our selves our soules and bodies and them that appertaine unto us our trust and confidence in him First wee beleeve that there is a God for although wee doe not see him or feele him yet wee beleeve it through the light of nature and the light of the spirit This is the foundation of all Religion which foundation if it bee once laid that there is a God then the heart of man will bee ready to beginne and to looke after Relgion and I doe not doubt but that if a man come once to this to beleeve there is God then it is an easie matter to bring him to this that this God must bee served feared and honoured I doe not insist in this because I doubt or thinke that any doubt of this whether there bee any God or no but because there be some remaines and remnants of blindnesse and ignorance in us the divell also having his temptations but I doe in this as men that have planted young trees they shake the trees and tread the moulds downe to settle the tree so I doe as it were tread downe the moulds and settle the tree even you the more in this point that there is a God Which we may prove by these five things 1. By the workes of God 2. By the place where he is 3. By the nature of the Creatures 4. By our conscience 5. By our experience First by the works of God Rom. 1. For the invisible things of him his eternal power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world so the workes of God declare there is a God Now the workes of God are of two sorts 1. The workes of Creation 2. The workes of Government First the workes of Creation shew there is a God the Creatures could not make it the birds and beasts could not nor man could not for then the part should make the whole nor it made not it selfe but it was God that made it If a man should come into a strange Countrey and see a number of goodly houses and yet see no man there he would not say that the birds and beasts built them but he would thinke that it was some greater power that of men that built it so when wee see this goodly frame of heaven and earth shall we say that the birds and beasts did make it or man Nay it was some greater power even that of God Origen saith that if we should aske the Creatures who made them they if they could speake would tell us that God
best so it is evident that men make these things their god Secondly whatsoever a man takes most paines for that he makes his god But it is evident that men take more paines about their pleasures and money than they doe about God and therefore they doe make that their god Chrysostome saith Aske not thy tongue whether thou lovest God or no or takest more paines about thy pleasures money belly or thy sinnes than for him But aske thy life and conversation and that will tell thee that thou lovest thy pleasures more than thy God therefore he that saith he loveth God and yet loveth his pleasure more than God he lyeth hereby we must take heede that we doe not set our profits and our pleasures in the roome of God Secondly seeing there is but One God wee must labour to bee one as he is One For Gods labour is to bring all the decaied Creatures to be one as hee is One It is the Devill that brought in division and set man against God and one man against another but God laboureth to bring all to one though we cannot be all one in substance yet let us labour to be one in affection as it is said that the number of them that beleeved were of one heart and of one mind so we must labour to be of one heart and of one minde Ephes 4. 5. It is said There is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all so Mal. 2. 10. It is said Have we not all one Father hath not one God made us why doe we transgresse every one against his brother and breake the covenant of our Father Therefore seeing God is one we must labour to be one as he is one Ezek. 37. wee read how the Prophet saw a number of bones lye scattered here and there but when once the Word of God came amongst them they ran bone to his bone sinewes grew upon them and flesh on the sinewes so howsoever we be scattered in our affections yet if the Word of God come amongst us we bee one as God is one straight way we runne together and be made one though not in substance one yet in affection heart and minde The fourth use is that seeing God is one therefore there is but one meanes of life and salvation as Rom. 3. 30. For it is one God who shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and the uncircumcision through faith There is but one meanes whereby he gathereth all men unto him so that the best and holiest men that ever were are saved by the same meanes that the meanest and poorest are and the greatest sinner is saved by It is an opinion of some that they shall be saved in what Religion soever they professe but this cannot be because there is but one meanes of the saving of all men There was but one Tree of life one Doore in the Arke one high Priest one Mediator betweene God and man and therefore there is but one way to life and salvation if we be out of that way wee are in the way to damnation Therefore we must doe as a man in a journey O Sir saith he I am in a way but whither doth this way lead if he be told it leadeth to the kings court where he shall have great favour shewed or to a garden of pleasure or a place of Comfort then he will goe on cheerefully but if he be told that it leadeth to a prison a dungeon or to a place of torment he will stay and goe no further so should we say O sir we are in a way but whither doth it lead If to heaven to Gods favour to joy and comfort unspeakeable then we may with comfort go on but if we be told that the way we walke in leadeth to hell destruction and to torment we should make a stand and go no further therefore seeing there is but one way to life every one should labour to walke in that way Thirdly we professe that we beleeve he is a true God True first in regard of his Nature secondly in regard of his properties First he is a true God in regard of his Nature for he is of a spirituall no bodily substance there is no extention of his parts he doth not consist of parts as we doe but he is of a spirituall substance as Ioh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit Secondly he is infinite in time and in place there is no bounds nor limitations of him he cannot be comprehended as it is Psal 145. 3. Great is the Lord and most worthy to be praised and his greatnesse is incomprehensible so that his wisedome power justice and mercy no man can comprehend Thirdly he is the fountaine of all good things so that whatsoever good things the Creature hath it is from God For by him we live move and have our being and breathing as it is in Acts 17. 28. God doth give a being to us he hath a being of himselfe and therefore he hath no need of us he is not the better for our prayers nor the service wee doe him but we be the better for it and therefore every one when he conceiveth of God must see he hath a right apprehension of him hee must so conceive him as he hath revealed himselfe in his Word or else hee setteth up an idoll of his owne in his heart The heathen did deride Christians asking them where their God was and bidding them shew their God for they could shew theirs in such a Church and such a place Saith the Christian I cannot shew thee my God for he is a Spirit and cannot bee seene and therefore he is the true God yours may bee seene therefore he is not the true God but saith he if you would see my God get you the eyes of faith and I will shew you my God Men that have weake eyes get them eyes of a Chrystall glasse and then they see a number of things that they could not see before so when we cannot see God we should get Chrystall eyes the eyes of Faith and then wee shall see that we never saw before A number of people in the world cannot see God in the fields in their publike meetings in their houses but let them get the eyes of Faith and they shall see him very comfortably Secondly as we beleeve God to be true in Nature so we beleeve God to be true in his Properties He is a powerfull a wise a just a mercifull a loving God And therefore if wee beleeve that God is powerfull why then doe wee not trust in him If hee bee wise why be we not guided and governed by him If he bee just why doe wee not beleeve him in his promises And why are wee not affraid of offending him If hee be mercifull why should we despaire But a number of men take away the power of God for as the children of Israel in the wildernesse said Can God
God so we should returne all to him againe by publike thankefulnesse for them as Paul saith in this place that we should turne from these vaine idols to the living God that made heaven and earth the sea and all that therein is because he made them therefore we should goe backe againe in the consideration of it and returne thankes to him Thirdly seeing God made all things wee should not looke upon his workes without great consideration of them as his workes of mercy or judgement If a workeman make an excellent worke it is a great indignity and injury offered to the workeman to passe by it slight it not to looke on it or regard it so seeing the Lord hath hanged as it were the chamber of this world with many goodly workes of his mercy and judgements it is a great injury and indignity offered unto God for men to passe by them and never to looke upon them so God complaines Psal 28. 5. Because they regard not the workes of the Lord nor the operations of his hands therefore hee shall breake them downe and not build them up so it is a great sinne to passe by his wonderous workes and not to looke upon them and consider of them The third point is how hee made them By no instrument but by his word as Psal 33. 6. By the word of the Lord were the heavens and all the hoast of them by the breath of his mouth Now wee are not to thinke it was a vocall word of God but it was his commandement Psal 33. 9. For he spake and it was done hee commanded and it stood or was created So Psal 148. 5. Hee commanded and they were created Solomon when hee builded the Temple had thousands of workmen to doe it but God when hee made the world made it with his word therefore we may see the excellent power of the word of God that let him but speake and there is a new heaven and an earth and a sea and skie and beasts and birds for the use of man Therefore the Centurion saith well Matthew 8. Doe but speake the word and thy servant shall be whole So we must learne to acknowledge the excellent power of the word of God that if hee say to sicknesse depart it shall depart if to health come it shall come looke what God speaketh shall be done as it is said in the Psalme he sent out his word and healed them Secondly seeing God made the world with a word wee may wonder at our untowardnesse that there is never a creature save man but doth yeeld to the Word of God the Lord hath spoken ten words in his Law nay many more in the gospell unto us and yet what adoe is there an almighty power must ioyne with the word to bring a sinner to repentance therefore wee may wonder at our untowardnesse that the creatures yeeld to the word of God and yet sinfull man cannot submit to a thousand words of God to bring him to repentance The fourth point is what hee made the world of and that was of nothing Hebrewes 11. 3. Through faith wee understand that the world was made by the Word of God so that the things wee see were made of things that did not appeare Philosophers say of nothing nothing can hee made It is true in Nature but not in regard of Gods power In Nature indeede there is no Artificer that can make any thing unlesse he hath matter to make it of as a Smith cannot worke without Iron and a Mason must have stone and a Carpenter must have timber but God is able to make all things of nothing The use is first that seeing God did make the world of nothing hee is able to make a man somewhat when he is nothing he is able to give grace where there is none to create faith where there is no faith and to worke repentance where there is none so saith Paul 2 Cor. 4. 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkenesse hath shined into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ And therefore if God be able to make the world of nothing he is able to make a man something that is nothing in himselfe Secondly seeing God is able to make the world of nothing he is able when we are nothing in our worldly estates to raise us up of nothing and to make us great men in the world so faith Hanna 1 Sam. 2. 6 7. The Lord killeth maketh alive bringing downe to the grave and raising up the Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low and exalieth he raiseth the poore out of the dust and lifteth up the begger from the dunghill to set them amongst Princes Thirdly seeing God made the world of nothing so let us know the world would dissolve and come to nothing againe if God should not uphold it for naturally all things dissolve into that they were made of as a man made of dust so naturally turnes and comes to dust againe so Ice being made of water it turnes to water againe and Snow being made of raine it dissolves to it againe so the world being made of nothing would come to nothing if God should not uphold it Therefore how much are wee bound to God for every houres continuance of this world which Heb. 1. 3. is said to be upheld by his mighty power and word Fourthly seeing he made the world of nothing wee may see the meanes of our beginning that it was of nothing and therefore howsoever some swell with greatnesse of their Ancestors and of their Nobility yet we see the meannesse of our beginning wee came of nothing therefore this may serve to humble us how great soever we be Abraham hee confessed he was but dust this did humble him and were know the dust was made of nothing which should serve to humble us in that all our greatnesse came of nothing The fifth point is â— what estate God made this world in in exceeding good estate Genesis 1. 25. therefore if there be any creature that is not good or hath any defect in it we are to thanke our selves and our owne sinnes as we see in a clocke if there be any alteration or stop in the little wheeles it is because there was first a stop in the great wheeles for the little ones doe depend on the greater wheele so that if there bee a stand in that there is a stand in the little wheeles in like manner if there be any defect in the creatures or if there be any that be not good it is because there is a defect and a failing in us for man is as the great wheele of the Clocke therefore if hee bee out of order no marvell though the creatures be so also Hence we may learne that if there be any which be not good or have defect in them wee may
made more carefull to please God how justly may this lye upon a mans conscience at the day of death The second effect was They come in hast for all this do you consider how many lets they had to hinder them first the darke night might have hindered them secondly their flockes were in danger subject to be devoured of wilde beasts there being no body to looke to them thirdly there was no body that knew of it but they fourthly when they were entred into the city there was no body could tell them of Christ and yet their faith made them breake through all these lets Which may teach us that true faith will breake through all lets there is never a man that heares me this day but hee shall meete with lets yet wee must not bee dishartned but strive to breake through all as Mark 2. 4. when they brought the man that was sicke of the palsie they brake through the rooffe and let him downe to Christ so true faith will breake through a thousand lets we see in nature that a spring will breake through an heape of stones or a rocke so if there be a spring of grace in us we shall breake through all lets unto Christ therefore it must be our wisedome to breake through profits and pleasures and whatsoever is deare unto us to come to Christ But why did they come in hast to teach us that men can never make too much hast to come to Christ It is a great error in the world that men may make too much hast to repent to beleeve c Ioh. 11. 29. when Lazarus was dead and Christ was come to the grave as soone as Mary heard that she arose in hast and came unto Him so Ioh. 21. the Disciples being a fishing when Peter heard it was the Lord he leaped over the Boate to come to Christ The third effect was that They published all things abroad that they had seen and heard of Christ they did not keepe it but they did make Christ knowne to the world Which may teach us when wee know any good thing that wee should labour to make it knowne to others that they might see Iesus and he blessed by him as Ioh. 1. 41. saith Andrew we have found the Messiah which is by Interpretation the Christ so Iohn 4. when the woman of Samaria had talked with Christ she went into the city and told all those things she had heard and seene so Matth. 28. when the Angels had shewed Mary that Christ was risen shee told the Disciples in like manner when wee know any thing wee should tell it to others to draw them to Christ As in a shipwrack when some bee got to the shore or to the haven they get into the toppes of trees to hang out lights that so others might be directed into the haven or harbour so wee should doe when it pleaseth God to draw any of us home to Christ wee should by all meanes labour to draw others and to bring them home to the haven or harbour to bring them home to Christ And what did this worke why did the common sort wonder and marvell at it yet let all goe because they were not inlightned but of good Mary it is said she did ponder all those things in her heart when men heare of the great and glorious things in the Gospell they wonder and marvell at them as the people did Act. 2. 6. Now when this was noised abroad the multitude came together and were astonied because every man did heare them speake in his owne language and they were all amazed and marvelled saying one to another Behold are not all these which speake Galileans and so let the matter dye But good Mary with the people of God ponder these things in their hearts therefore howsoever others doe wonder and are moved for a time only yet we should gather them home to our hearts and ponder them in our soules that so we may have comfort by them in life and death The fourth effect was that they did returne againe to their callings and to their flocks they did not give over their callings when they had seene Christ but they did returne againe But with what caution did they returne againe the text saith praysing and lauding God for all that they had seene and heard This must teach us that when we go to the place of Gods worship and see Iesus we must returne againe to our callings but with this caution praising lauding God that he hath made his birth known unto us his life his death his paines and his passions and wee have our parts in them when yet he hath passed by many kings and queenes and great gentlemen of this world and hath looked upon us that bee but poore husbandmen and tradesmen therefore let us praise God for it and although we go againe to our labours yet let us never forget this little Iesus the light that shone about them did vanish and they saw it no more but the inward joy that tarried within in their inner houses their hearts and was a comfort to them in sicknesse and troubles and at their deaths so wee cannot heare these glorious things nor have Sermons every day yet let us get Christ home to our houses and into our hearts then wee shall have comfort in all our troubles and at the time of death then whensoever thou shalt shut up thine eyes in this world thou shalt open them in Gods kingdome And therefore I pray God wee may so shut our eyes up in this world that so wee may open them in the light of his blessed kingdome One would wonder seeing Christ was so obscurely borne how his Birth should breake out into the world and be knowne There were three waies of it 1. By the Angels to the Shepheards of this spoken already 2. By a starre to the Wisemen 3. By a secret motion of the Spirit to Simeon and Anna. In the manifestation of Christ to the Wisemen wee observe two things 1. The inquiry they made for Christ 2. The effects of their inquiry In the inquiry for Christ observe 1. The persons that made inquiry The Wisemen 2. The place from whence they came Out of the East 3. The place whither they went To Ierusalem 4. The end To seeke Christ 5. The cause that mooved them It was a Starre First the persons that made inquiry the Wisemen or as the Originall hath it the Magi that is learned wisemen men of great learning and knowledge the shepheards were poore and simple men and the Magi great learned rich men as it may appeare by their gifts they offered to Christ Of which there are two reasons why Christ appeared to the Shepheards and the to Wisemen first to shew that the grace of the Gospell appertaineth equally to poore men as well as rich it draweth all sorts of men to it even as the Vine that beginneth low at the bottome of the tree
to maladies he will presently open a veine and take away the corrupter blood so God this same skilfull Physitian seeing that abundance of ease wealth and health would doe us hurt many times takes away from us our ease our health our wealth and our worldly comforts so David saith Psalm 119. 71. It is good for mee that I have been afflicted that I might learne thy statutes therefore although a man may be forsaken in the life of nature yet if hee may have the more strength in the life of grace and can feele it so with him or as Paul speakes that although he dieth daily yet his comfort and consolation in God increaseth then it is good for that man to bee thus forsaken of God The second desertion is in the life of grace which consists in the power of the Spirit and in the comfort of the Spirit it is nothing to be forsaken in the life of nature to have our sight or our wealth or our health or ease taken from us if God doe not take away his Spirit but if God doe not onely forsake us in the life of nature but also in the life of grace this is the greatest and the heaviest conflict that may befall a Christian and therefore wee had need pray to God for this that although he forsake us in the life of nature yet that hee would not take away his Spirit and grace from us so David prayeth Psalm 51. Take not away from mee thy holy Spirit as if he should say though thou take away from me my crown my kingdom or my life yet take not away from me thy Spirit so we should pray to God that although he take away from us our health goods wife children or worldly ease yet Lord take not from mee thy Spirit Here wee are to take notice of an errour in the world that if men be forsaken in the life of nature then they complaine but never are mooved when God takes away sanctified graces from them Saul complained when God had forsaken him in the life of nature as 1 Sam. 28. 15. The Philistines make warre against me and God is departed from mee and yet never was moved when the Spirit of the Lord departed from him and an evill spirit from the Lord was sent to trouble him as we may reade 1 Sam. 16. 14. Thus we can complaine when God hath forsaken us in the life of nature but are not troubled when we have lost any sanctified grace therefore howsoever poverty blindnesse of lamenesse be upon us yet let us pray to God as David did Psal 51. that Hee would not take away from us his Spirit and grace Now since we are fallen upon this point how farre forth a Christian may be forsaken in the life of grace wee will proceed in it a little farther for the satisfaction of every mans conscience and therefore chiefly take notice of these two things for the better understanding thereof That there is 1. The comfortable feeling of the Spirit 2. The grace or power of the Spirit For the first God is said to forsake a Christian when he takes away the comfortable feeling of his Spirit thus a Christian may be forsaken when he feeleth not the love and favour of God on him being so cast downe as if he should never be saved yet for that time he may have the power and grace of the Spirit Thus Christ was forsaken in the life of grace that he had no feeling of the Spirit or of Gods favour yet neverthelesse he had the grace and power of the Spirit Wee have many examples in the Scriptures that the people of God have wanted this same sweet feeling of Gods favour we see how David complaines I said in mine haste I am cleane cast out of thy sight So the Church in the Canticles Cant. 5. 7 8. being as it were forsaken went up and downe to seeke Christ yet the Church in that hard time did not want the operation and power of the Spirit though she wanted the sweet feeling therof and the joyfull and delightfull presence of Christ even so a Christian hath not alwayes a like feeling of it but when a man wants it then he must sustaine himselfe by faith as we shall heare hereafter Now if question be made how farre forth God may forsake a true Christian I answer in knowne termes That he doth not forsake totally and finally This I will first prove by certaine grounds secondly I will explaine it and thirdly I will make use of it First I will prove it by these foure grounds The first is drawne from the promise of God There is a promise made Iosh 1. 5. I will not faile thee nor forsake thee this promise made to Ioshua Saint Paul applyes to all the faithfull people of God Heb. 13. Now if God will not forsake his faithfull people then wee may have comfort that God will not forsake us if we be faithfull The second is drawne from the nature of God Now the nature of God is not changed for them whom he loveth he loveth to the end Ioh. 13. 1. And Rom. 11. 28. The gifts and graces of God are without repentance The third is drawne from the power of God 1 Pet. 1. 3. We are kept by the power of God to salvation And Iohn 10. 29. My Father that gave them me is greater than all and none is able to take them out of his hands The fourth is from the vertue of Christs Prayer Ioh. 17. 11. Holy Father keepe through thine owne name those whom thou hast given me So he prayed that Peters faith might not faile him Now as the prayer of Christ sustained and upheld Peter in his fals so it shall uphold and sustaine all the godly in their fals And these be the grounds Now I will explaine the same First that in all the fals of Gods people they fall not totally from grace and goodnesse they fall but in part for as it is 1 Ioh. 3. 9. There is a seed in them a seed and a root of goodnesse and grace remaining in them in all their fals as we see in David when he had fallen grievously Psal 51. Lord saith hee take not thy holy Spirit from me And so in his going astray he cries and cals to God Psal 119. 178. I have gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy servant for I have not forgotten thy Commandements So Matth. 26. 15. when Peter had denied his Master he crept away from the bad company and was not at rest till he had wept bitterly thus we may see that God doth not totally forsake his people And therefore Act. 20. 10. as Paul said of Eutichus when he fell out at the window Trouble not your selves his life is in him So we may say in all the fals of Gods people trouble not your selves nor be discouraged for there is life in them there is the Spirit of grace although men
that bee in Christ some paine there may bee as when a jaylor comes to knock off a prisoners irons it may be he may wring him this way and that way and that may be more paine to him than his chaines were before yet he is well contented with it because it is to free him so when we bee converted to God and lay hold on Christ by faith when the chaines of condemnation be a knocking off we may have more trouble of conscience than before we had but because it is to free us we should be content with it it will not last Secondly wee are loosed from the chaine of corruption and of our sinnes for as a man that is fast chained and bound cannot stirre move goe or doe any thing so when men bee bound in their sinnes they cannot performe holy duties and services to the Lord therefore canst not thou pray nor performe any good duty to God then thou art not yet freed of thy chaines of corruption for those that Christ hath redeemed he hath redeemed to serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse Luk. 1. 51. Rom. 6. This is alwaies a consequent of the former therefore if thou bee still a swearer a drunkard a deceiver or a bad liver thou art not freed from the chaines of condemnation therefore wee must labour to bee freed from the latter chaine and then wee shall be sure to bee freed from the former chaine Againe seeing Christ was contented to bee bound of men wee should be contented to be bound of God Ezek. 4. 8. saith the Lord Sonne of man I will lay bands upon thee so the Lord hath put bands and holy ties upon us for every time we goe to the Lords Table wee binde and tye our selves to the Lord in holy vowes and resolutions to serve him Psal 118. 27. The beasts that were sacrificed were bound to the hornes of the Altar that they should not start away for feare of the bloody knife so we should be content to binde and tye our selves to God by all the holy bonds and ties that may bee that wee doe not start away from Gods service in trouble and temptation The third thing is the leading away of Christ first to Annas then to Caiphas Now as Christ was led up and downe and tossed from place to place so we deserve to be tumbled and tossed from place to place not to have an house to dwell in nor a bed to lye in nor to have any resting place for thus was Christ tossed up and downe first to Annas then to Caiphas and what was the manner how did they lead him quietly as his behaviour deserved no â—ut as Marke sheweth they led him away in so great rage and fury that a good man hearing of it being in the dead time of the night rose up and followed him in his shirt whom when the souldiers saw they straight-way laid hands on him so as the man lost his shirt and fled away to save himselfe which the Evangelist notes to shew the extremitie that they used they were so furious that they would not suffer a naked man to follow Christ but they would straight-way lay hold on him Thus we may see what a deale of labour and pain and toile it cost Christ to redeeme our soules that so we seeing it may not sell our soules to the Devill for a little ease pleasure or profit Doe thou but consider whosoever thou art that Christ doth speake unto thee in the way of his passion O man O woman for thy sake was I taken of the Iewes bound led away to be judged killed and said in the grave therefore seeing it cost me such a deale of paine and labour to redeeme thee doe not sell thy soule for a little matter But in this story of the naked man foure things are to be considered 1. A description of the person 2. A declaration of his love 3. The rage of the souldiers 4. The escape he made First A description of his person there is great question who this young man should be some of the Fathers take it to be Iames the Lords brother because he went in a linnen garment for they say he was one of the Priests To this I answer that it could not be Iames for these two reasons First because in the verse going before it is said that all the Disciples of Christ fled Now Iames was one of his Disciples and therefore it could not be he Secondly although the Priests did weare linnen garments yet they but weare them in the Temple when they went out they did plucke them off Ezek. 44. 19. therefore it could not be Iames some others thinke it was the Evangelist Iohn as Chrysostome and Gregory but it could not be he because Iohn did follow Christ into the high Priests Hall Iohn 18. 15. But this man did flie away And therefore I take their opinion to be most probable who thinke it was a good young man that dwelt thereabouts that hearing such a stirre and adoe about the taking of Christ did arise to see what would become of him but what ever he was we finde him thus described First he is said to be a young man that did follow Christ To teach us that young men must looke after Christ and be followers of him So the Wise-man Eecles 12. 13. Remember thy Creator now in the dayes of thy youth And Psal 119. 9. Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed there unto according to thy Word So wee see that young men should look after Christ it is the sinne of this age that such never looke after Christ but regard their ease liberty pleasures and profits they care not for Christ they are no followers of him Hos 12. 3. we may see that Iaakob did strive for the birthright in the wombe so men must strive to follow Christ when they be young for no man can come too soone We see when men ingrave letters on a tree as the tree groweth greater so will the letters so labour thou to put the seeds of grace into thy childe when he is young and hee will grow in grace as hee growes in yeeres Secondly it is said A certaine young man he was no great man of note there was no fame of him he was an obscure man and yet he did follow Christ when his Disciples fled Which may teach us that if the Spirit of grace be in us at one time or other it will shew it selfe in us Iames 2. it is said shew me thy faith for if a man have true faith it will shew it selfe at one time or other this man was but an obscure man and yet hee followed Christ when all his Disciples were fled so it falleth out sometimes when great professors fall away in the time of trouble then weak ones shew their religion and be followers of Christ as Iohn 19. we may see that Ioseph of Arimathea was
directed to keep thy Statutes I cannot do as I would but would to God my heart were directed to keepe thy Statutes David had no strength to doe as he would but he desires it above his strength so should we Secondly The manner how Christ did appeare to her He shewed himselfe strange a long time and held her in suspence and yet Mary sought for Christ and sought for him when others gave over with teares which may teach us that many a good Christian may seeke for Christ with teares that is in truth of affection and yet not presently finde him they may seeke long and attend upon the meanes but as Christ did appeare to Mary so in due time thou shalt see him to thy comfort Now there were two causes why Christ did not appeare to Mary nor shew himselfe to her presently First through her owne default for when Christ appeared to her shee thought it had beene the Gardiner Hee did not appeare in such a forme but Marie thought so she did so sorrow and mourn for Christ that though he were before her she could not see him it was through her owne default so God many times gives comfort to us when through our owne default we see not the comfort that is before us through the sorrow and griefe wee sustaine but refuse it when it is offered and this is the cause why it is so longâ—ere some can receive comfort As Psal 77. David saith My soule refused comfort so it is with Christians many times God offereth comfort to them and they refuse it this is the estate of the best so likewise Christ appeared to the World when through their owne default they could not see him through the blindnesse and ignorance that remained in them even to this day they see not though hee speakes unto them day by day they have not the eyes of Faith to see him This is the estate of the World though God speakes unto them they know it not they thinke it is the Gardiner they thinke it is the voyce of a Man and not of God but the true Church of Christ knowes when Christ is speaking unto her It is the voyce of my welbeloved so Christ no sooner speakes but they know it but the greatest part of the world doe not so though hee speakes unto them from day to day Christ appeares unto them and through their owne default they doe not see him The second cause was Through a speciall dispensation that shee might the more repent of her sinnes and make a triall of her faith to make the present more comfortable as Ioseph made himselfe strange to his brethren a long time and afterward did reveale himselfe unto them so though Christ make himselfe strange and hold us in suspence for a time it is because hee would have our faith tried and because wee might have the greater comfort when we finde him Now though he held himselfe a long time in suspence yet Christ did discover himselfe by a word for he saith Marie and she turned about and said Rabboni Master so it was but a word of Christ that gave comfort he can doe it by a word hee can make all our discomforts to cease and give comfort with a word Thus wee see Matth. 8. that the Centurion said to Christ Doe but speake the word and thy servant shall be whole If Christ doe but speake a word his wisedome is to lay hold on that word which must teach us that wee must catch hold on every little word of Christ I have shewed you heretofore that it is the nature of the Vine to catch hold on every little sticke or on every little thing with his twigs to lift up himselfe so a Christian must lay hold on every little word of Christ to help him by But it is a pittifull thing that one word of Christ will not serve nor all the words of Christ nor the mercies nor the judgements of God to turne us to him as Marie catched hold on every little word so it must bee our wisedome to lay hold on the least word that may bring us to Christ From hence two things are to be considered First That true faith doth lay hold on every little word of Christ It is like the Vine that layeth hold on every little sticke and post with his keyes and clanvers to lift up himselfe so true faith will lay hold on every little means to lift up it selfe if it be but a word it will lay hold on it as wee see Iohn 2. Christ saith to his mother Marie Woman my houre is not yet come she layes hold on this word of Christ and saith to the servants whatsoever hee bids you doe that doe you and you shall not want wine so Matth. 15. It was but a word that Christ spake to the woman of Canaan and a sowre word too yet the poore woman catches hold of it so in the booke of Kings when Benhadads servants came unto the king they catched hold on every word thus where there is true faith it will lay hold on every little word of Christ therefore when men cannot catch hold on one word of Christ nor all the words of Christ this doth shew the dulnesse and deadnesse of mens hearts It is said Ionah 2. They which follow lying vanities forsake their owne mercies and there is great mercie offered in the Word in the preaching of the Gospell but they which despise and refuse it despise and forsake this great mercy that is offered unto them The second thing is The infinite comfort that a Christian hath after hee findes Christ Heaven and Earth cannot give that comfort that a Christian hath after he hath found him Therefore although it cost a man sore travell and labour and a great deale of paines yet hee thinkes his labour well bestowed if he can finde him at last so we see in Marie that she sought Christ and sought him with teares and yet when she had found him how joyfull was she saying Rabboni Master thou art the man I sought for thou thou art he I did long for so Ioh. 1. 41. Andrew saith to Simon Peter we have found the Messias and the wise men Matth. 2. when they had found Christ they rejoyced exceedingly therefore whatsoever paines a Christian takes to seeke Christ if once hee have found him the World cannot make him so glad he thinkes all his paines and labours well bestowed If a man finde a bag of gold how glad will he be but all the gold in the World is not like to it the Apostle counteth all things dung and drosse in regard of it It is like the pearle that the Merchant went and sold all that he had to buy the field where the Pearle was Thirdly the end why Christ did Manifest himselfe to Marie was twofold 1. By information and instruction to informe her selfe 2. To Comfort his Disciples First these words touch
so Paul 2 Tim. 3. But continue thou in the thing thou hast learned a Christian must excell and goe before others in all things Secondly he was mighty in word and deed there is many an one mighty in word but not in deed but a Christian must labour to bee mighty in both Thirdly Before God and man so it is not sufficient to approve our selves to God but to men also as 2 Cor. 9. the Apostle saith we must procure things honest in the sight of men also so that a Christian must approve himselfe to God first and then to men Secondly The weakenesse of their faith was in these words But wee trusted it had beene he that should have delivered Israel and as touching all these things to day is the third day since they were done wee were of good hope that it was hee that should have delivered the Church but now wee doe not hope all our comfort is gone he is now crucified and killed and laid into the grave indeed we had good hope and we looked for great matters but now we doe not so that their faith was shrewdly shaken and it may teach us that a man may have true faith and yet bee shrewdly shaken the truth is it cannot bee wholly lost because as Saint Iohn saith there is a seede remaines yet it may come to such a stand as that hee may have little comfort of it as a man may have a little cole of fire by him and yet may sit till he be a cold till he rub his hands and knock his feet and heeles together so a man may have true faith and yet as little joy and comfort by it as though he had no faith as David did Psal 30. I said in my prosperitie I shall never bee mooved yet in the next Psalme hee saith I am cleane cast out of thy sight so Iob 20. saith hee I have sinned what shall I doe unto thee O thou preserver of men why hast thou set me as a marke against thee so that I am a burthen to my selfe so Matth. 14. 30. Peter walked upon the water at first but when hee saw the waves rise then his faith began to be at a stand so a good man may be at a stand in his faith therefore though a man feele weakenesse of faith in him yet he ought not to be discouraged but must labour to helpe the weakenesse thereof is the man in the Gospell cried out and said Lord I beleeve helpe my unbeleefe so wee must say Lord I have faith helpe the weakenesse of my faith I but what was it that did weaken the faith of these two Disciples and why did not they trust still in him I answere there were three things that did hinder their faith The first was Scandalum crucis the scandall of the crosse for as long as they saw Christ in his power walking on the sea casting out of devils giving sight to the blinde clensing of the Lepers raysing up of the dead so long they had faith in him but when they saw him hang on the crosse crucified and killed and laid into the grave then they began to stagger this it was that did weaken their faith and I would to God it were not so still for it is the scandall of the crosse that doth weaken out faith now adaies for as long as all things goe well with us that wee bee in health peace and want nothing wee are the beloved of the Lord I but let the crosse come and then wee begin to sincke and bee as men out of heart as the people of Israel when they came out of Aegypt by a strong hand with signes and wonders then they rejoyced but when they came into the wildernesse and wanted bread and water then they said would to God wee had died in Aegypt Exod. 17. so Iudg. 6. 18. this it was that did stagger the faith of Gideon saith the Angell God is with thee thou valiant man he replyes O my Lord if the Lord be with us why then is all this come upon us so Eliphaz saith to Iob 4. 3. Behold thou hast taught many and hast strengthened the weake hands but now it is come upon thee and thou art grieved it toucheth thee and thou art troubled the hand of God is upon thee and thou art out of heart and therefore it must be the wisedome of a Christian to strengthen his faith by the crosse and not to weaken it for it was the triumphant chariot to carry Christ to glory lest that for want of wisedome that which should bee a meanes to strengthen our faith become a meanes to weaken it for indeed this might strengthen our faith because the way to heaven is through many afflictions and tribulations as Paul saith Act. 14. 22. The second is The consideration of the time for they say this is the third day as if they should have said the scandall of the crosse we could have passed by but the consideration of the time that this is the third day and yet wee have not seene him how can wee chuse but doubt why though it was the third day yet it was not expired but they were too hasty and too nimble Esai 28. 10. it is said That he which beleeveth shall not make haste I but these were too quicke and too nimble for thogh the third day was come yet it was not expired and therefore they cast away their confidence and so this it was that did weaken their saith this is that which doth weaken the faith of many because they have not the thing that straight they desire they have not comfort by and by therefore they cast away the confidence they have in God good Moses was overtaken that way when hee complaines Exod. 5. 23. For since I came to Pharaoh to speake in thy Name he hath vexed this people and yet thou hast not delivered thy people there Moses was too nimble with God therefore it must bee every mans wisedome to waite on God till the time come of his comfort and deliverance they must not be too hasty and too quicke with God Galath 4. 4. it is said When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman c. there was great expecting and looking for of Christ when great men Kings and Queenes Patriarches and Prophets came into the world but Christ came not till the fulnesse of time was come and when that was come Christ came so when we looke for ease comfort and for deliverance out of trouble yet wee cannot have it till the fulnesse of time be come that God hath appointed and therefore wee must not be too hasty and quicke with God The third thing that did weaken their faith was that although the Angels had told the women that Christ was risen and the women had told the Disciples and there was great evidence that it was so yet they did not see him this it was
him the reasons because he would their faith should be grounded on the Scriptures which must teach us that wee must ground our faith onely on the Word of God therefore Christ saith Search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke to have eternall life so it is not true faith till it bee founded on the Scriptures it may be a counterfeit or it may be an opinion or it may be a perswasion but it cannot be true faith till it hath his ground there so saith Paul Rom. 10. Faith commeth by hearing of the word preached as also the Schoolmen say the best resolution of faith is of God that they doe beleeve because God saith so here we are to take notice of an errour in the world that many say they have faith and yet have no ground for it but they will tell you such a Preacher said so or such a good man or wee heard it a great while agoe but it is not true faith till they can say that God spake it well he may have a perswasion or an opinion or a conceit but it cannot be true faith till it be founded on the word of God Thus we heard in the former verses how Christ did found the faith of the Disciples on the Scriptures he might have discovered himselfe at the first and have given them a sensible knowledge of him as hee did after in this chap. but Hee drew them on by little and little and did lead them through the Scriptures the booke of God that so he might open unto them all that was spoken of him In the next place we come to the discovery of him where wee may see that when they drew neere unto the towne they went to Christ makes a proffer to be gone as though he would have left them after he had begun the worke of grace in them and had kindled some sparkes in them in like manner through the wise dispensation of God hee doth still hee beginnes the worke of grace and kindles some sparkes of faith in us and then he will proffer to bee gone if we be not wise to lay hold on him and retaine him therefore Moses makes his prayer Numb 10. 36. every time the Arke removed Returne O Lord to the many thousands of Israel he knew that the people had given God just cause to be gone from them therefore he makes his prayer that God would yet returne againe to them In like maner David Psal 44. 9. makes his complaint But now thou art farre off and puttest us to confusion and goest not forth with our armies here David seeth the Lord to shrinke from him making a proffer to be gone therefore complaines he thus so we shall find that the Lord doth shrink from us and makes a profer to be gone and to take away the Gospell and our comfort if wee bee not wise to lay hold on him and stay him Now there bee three things by the which a man may know when Christs makes a proffer to be gone First When men grow idle and cold in the use of good meanes in prayer hearing the word reading and meditating thereon they doe not apply themselves to it as they have done but they attend about the world this makes Christ proffer to be gone Luk. 2. 47. Ioseph and Mary never lost Christ all the while they were in Aegypt they kept him when they were under the crosse and in affliction but when they were in peace and at Ierusalem then they lost him and the reason was because they attended their friends kinsfolkes and the rest of the company but did not attend Christ never looked after him therefore hee was presently lost even so most men as long as they be under the crosse keepe Christ but when they bee in peace then they lose him and the comfortable feeling of faith they attend to the world to their profits and pleasures and grow loose in the use of good meanes forgetting to nourish the good things and holy feelings of Gods favour in themselves to this effect Psal 51. 11. David prayes unto God That he would not take away his spirit from him he felt the Lord to shrinke from him and make a proffer to be gone and therefore he sayes Lord take not thine holy spirit from me whatsoever thou take away from mee though it bee my crowne and kingdome yet take not thy spirit from me As we see if a man hath fish in his pond as long as the water tarries so long the fish will remaine but if the water bee drawne out then the fish will follow the water even so as long as wee use good meanes so long Christ will tarry with us but if once we grow loose then Christ will follow the meanes And this is the first thing whereby we may know whether Christ makes a proffer to be gone Secondly wee may know whether Christ makes a proffer to bee gone When wee live in knowne sinnes against our judgement and conscience giving way to our flesh and following bad examples then we may justly feare hee will be gone or make a proffer to be gone For as Ezek. 8. 6. the Lord saith Son of Man seest thou not what they doe Even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here that I should goe farre off from my Sanctuarie So if we commit sins against God it will cause his Spirit to depart from us as also Exodus 33. 7. When the people of Israel had committed a great sinne against God in worshipping the Calfe Moses tooke the Tabernacle and did pitch it without the Host to shew unto the people that God was departing from them because of their sinnes if they were not wise to stay him by repentance and turning to him by Prayer Another example hereof we have Iudges 16. 20. Sampson who was a good man and yet because hee loved a harlot and sinned against God The Spirit of the Lord departed from him for when she said the Philistians bee upon thee Sampson hee awoâ—ke out of his sleepe and said I will goe out as at other times before and shake my selfe And hee wist not that the Lord was departed from him Even so if good Men sinne against God it will cause the Spirit of Christ to depart from them for when they have committed great sinnes against God though they shake themselves and thinke to doe as they have done before to pray and performe such like duties yet for their life they cannot because the Spirit of God is departed from them hence we may learne that though a man be a good man yet if he sinne against God God may give him over and he may lose the Spirit of grace and the comfortable feeling of it for a time therefore every man must take heed how hee give way to the flesh to commit sinnes against God and as Iacobs sonnes said to the Sichemites If yee will be circumcised then will we give our daughters to you and take your daughters
as deepe in infidelity as hee but they being met together when Christ came were cured of it and it is very likely if Thomas had beene there hee would have beene also therefore wee may see what a losse he had by being absent from holy meetings Now when the Disciples met Thomas they told him that they had seene the Lord they had seene him that had triumphed over death and the grave and you have not so Christians may say when they have beene at holy meetings wee have seene Christ in the face of the Gospell we have had motions of faith and of repentance wee have beene brought to the sight of our sinnes and you have not therefore little doe men know what a losse they have by being absent from holy meetings though it bee but once for Luk. 8. 9. the Word is compared to seede and why because although the land be good yet it is hardened and beareth nothing till it be plowed and sowne so the increase comes of the seede if a man should steale but a pecke of seede from one he doth him more hurt than if he should steale a bushell of corne out of his barne because hee steales away his increase so our hearts being barren till the Word of God be sowne in them when the devill steales away but a little of this seede of the Word hee doth us more hurt than the world can doe otherwise and that by keeping us away From these holy meetings because hee steales away out increase of grace Wee read Act. 10. 6. That the Angell saith to Cornelius send for Peter and he shall speake words unto thee whereby thou shall be saved and all thine house so a man may chance to bee absent at that time when hee might heare words that hee might bee saved by for who knowes whether that time might not bee the time of his conversion and the time of his repentance and therefore little doth a man know what hee may lose by being absent but one time from holy meetings Thomas was away but once when Christ came and wee see how grievously hee fell in infidelity and this was the first reason why he remained an unbeleever Secondly Thomas prescribed a law of beleeving to himselfe and put on a condition upon Christ Except I see in his hands the print of the nailes and put my finger into the print of the nailes and thrust my hand into his side I will 〈◊〉 beleeve so this law that Thomas made unto himselfe was another reason why hee remained in unbeleefe and yet there was matter enough to make him beleeve though he had not seene him for Christ told him before that he should rise the third day and he had seene Christ raise Lazaâ—â— out of the grave a little before besides the Disciples told him that Christ was risen and hee had the Testimonies both of the Angels and women notwithstanding all which Thomas makes this Law to himselfe which may teach us that wee must take â—eed how wee prescribe a law unto our selves that we will not beleeve nor repent except God doe so and so for us Iob. 4. 48. our Saviour saith unto a certaine Ruler Yee will not beleeve unlesse ye see signes and wonders so Matth. 27. 42. the Iewes say to Christ Let him come downe from the crosse and wee will beleeve him and 2 King 5. 11. it is said of Naaman But Naaman was wroth and went may and said Behold I thought with my selfe he will surely come out and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God and put his hands on the place and heale the Leyer and if his servant had not beene wiser than himselfe he had gone away a Leper as he came therefore every man must take heede how hee prescribes a law of beleeving unto himselfe But what law was this that Thomas made I answere a strange unjust and unequall law for saith he Except I see in his hands the print of nailes and put my finger into the print of the nailes and thrust my hand into his side I will not beleeve Now there is nothing more contrary to true faith than this because as Saint Paul saith Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seene in naturall things we have first experience and after wee beleeve as feeling fire to be hot when we have experience of it then wee beleeve it to be hot and feeling water to bee cold we beleeve it to be cold so experience goeth before and faith followes after but in divinity faith goeth before and experience followes after for wee must beleeve though wee have no experience so then this law that Thomas makes is contrary to true faith I dare say wee are all ready to condemne Thomas but there be a number of us whose cases be like this they will beleeve no longer than they see with their eyes and feele with their hand the goodnesse of the Lord to them and when sense and feeling failes them then their faith failes them so Iudg. 6. 13. the Angell saith to Gideon God be with thee thou valiant man saith he O my Lord if the Lord be with us why then is all this come upon us because hee could not see Gods goodnesse and feele it with his fingers therefore he did not beleeve but we must take heed we doe not tye our faith to the sense sight or feeling but to relye upon God and to beleeve in him against sense and reason and to shut up our eyes and rest in the bare promises of God as that holy man Iob 13. 15. saith Though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee hee relied upon God against sense and reason so Christ when he did hang on the crosse he rested himselfe by faith on his fathers good will and therefore cries out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me so also David Psal 73. 26. My flesh faileth and mine heart also but God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for ever therefore Thomas's law is unjust unequall and contrary to faith The second thing is the Time when Christ appeared eight daies after so long Thomas lay in his sinnes and longer would have lyen if Christ had not come here wee are to take notice of our corruption how prone we are to fall into any sinne and how difficult and hard a matter it is to recover againe for being once plunged in of our selves wee have no minde to recover or to come out of our sinnes till Christ bring us backe againe an example hereof wee have in David who after hee had committed the great sinnes of adultery and murther lay in sinne a whole yeare and longer would have lyen in it if the Prophet Nathan had not come and told him of his sinne So the people of Israel Amos 4. 11. when the Lord brought a number of judgements upon them Yet have yee not returned unto me saith the
graces and so fill us Fourthly by mortifying our lusts and sinnes as Rom. 8. 13. If yee mortifie the deedes of the body by the Spirit yee shall live for the Spirit workes on the flesh for the wasting of sinne and corruption as Rom. 7. the Apostle Paul complaineth being in the estate of grace of his corruption when hee had the Spirit of God to worke on his rebellion for the wasting and consuming of sinne therefore men may much more complaine being in the estate of nature when they want the Holy Ghost to worke on their hearts for the wasting and consuming of sinne and indeed no marvell though they are carried away with the world and cannot bee brought to performe good dueties seeing sinne hath such power and rule in their hearts We see Ioshua 10. that hee shut up 5. Kings in a cave that they should not stir nor escape till hee had time to kill them so the Holy Ghost getteth our sinnes into a cave as it were and roules a great stone upon it till he take away all the power of sinne and kill and subdue it Fifthly by renewing our hearts and mindes changing and altering of them whereas before they were carnall now they are spirituall whereas they were worldly before now they are heavenly and holily affected And therefore when wee feele this change and alteration sure it is the Holy Ghost that works it wee read Math. 8. how Christ saith to the Centurion when I come I will heale thy servant I will not bee idle and doe nothing But when I come I will heale him so when the Holy Ghost commeth into a man hee will not bee idle and doe nothing but will heale our sinnes and give us power and strength against them in some measure Sixtly by stirring up holy motions in us as I shewed you even now out of Ezek. 37. in the example of the dead bones And now will declare it by this similitude If a man could put vegetative life into a stone what would the stone doe It would grow as a plant doth if a man could put sensitive life into a stone what would the stone doe it would stir move as a worme doth if we could put a reasonable soule what would the stone doe it would talke as a man doth and discourse of matters of the world but if a man could put the Spirit of God and the Spirit of grace into a stone what would the stone doe it would speake of God and of Christ and of heaven and happinesse this is our estate and condition as long as there is nothing but the life of Reason we talke of nothing but the world and worldly things but if once the Spirit of God and of grace bee in us then wee talke of heaven and heavenly things Therefore if a man hath the Spirit of grace it stirres him up to holy motions and desires These bee the six meanes by which the Holy Ghost doth worke holinesse in us Now there bee many profitable and fruitefull questions to bee mooved concerning the Holy Ghost 1. How wee may come by the Holy Ghost 2. In what measure hee is given 3. How a man may know whether hee have the Holy Ghost or no 4. What bee the benefits wee have by him 5. Whether a man may lose the Holy Ghost or no 6. How wee may retaine and keepe him First how a man may come by the Holy Ghost But before wee come to speake of this wee must make answer to another question there hath been great disputing amongst the Schoolemen whether a man receiveth the Holy Ghost or onely the giftes and graces of the Holy Ghost To this I answer this question need bee no question seeing wee receive the Holy Ghost really and actually The Scripture is cleere for it as in the 1 Cor. 6. 19. know yee not that your bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost this is the exceeding great goodnesse of God to give the Holy Ghost to us to be a roote and a fountaine of holinesse in us If one give us a fruit tree it is better than to give us a little because the fruit is but for the present but the tree is for a long continuance so it is a greater goodnesse of God to give us the Holy Ghost than to give us the giftes and graces of his Spirits But the question in hand is how a man may come by the Holy Ghost here wee are to consider two things 1. By a remoovall of the false way 2. By taking the right way First by a removall of the false meanes for Acts 8. 18. Simon Magus would have bought the Holy Ghost with money but Peter tels him that his money and hee shall perish Therefore it is meer madnes of any man to thinke that they may attaine to have the Holy Ghost or any gift or grace for money we see in earthly Kingdomes that there be some things that a man may buy because hee may give the full value and true price for them and that in exact Iustice as foode and raiment and there bee some things that a man cannot buy because they bee unestimably good and unvaluable as to buy a mans life and the Kings Crowne because no man can give the worth of these so it is in the Kingdome of God all the graces and giftes of the Holy Ghost no man can buy because they cannot give to the worth of them for they bee unestimable and unvaluable things as 1 Pet. 1. 7. It is said of faith that it is more precious than gold so Psal 19. 10. hee shewes that the word is more to bee desired than fine gold even so the graces and giftes of Gods Spirit are above price or value all the wealth in the world cannot procure one of them therefore it is good for a Christian to thinke before hand that when hee lyes on his sicke bed hee cannot buy faith or repentance or any gift or grace with money for they are above value and price hence wee may conclude this is not the meanes to come by the Holy Ghost Secondly by taking the right way for the true meanes that God hath appointed for a man to come by the holy Ghost are three First by the hearing of the word preached which is the ordinary meanes wherby the Holy Ghost is conveyed into men therefore S. Paul demands Galath 3. 2. Received ye the Spirit by the workes of the Law or by the preaching of faith So Acts 10 44. when Peter preached the Holy Ghost fell on those that heard the word So that preaching is the ordinary meanes whereby God conveyes the Holy Ghost to us therefore it is good for men to attend preaching and to be hearers because it is one of the meanes whereby we may come by the Holy Ghost if a man would have good plants and herbs in his Garden then hee must labor
these be two things whereon the faith of a Christian turnes concerning our faith in God wee beleeve that there is one God in substance and yet three distinct persons the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost The Father who created us by his Power the Son who redeemed us by his blood and the holy Ghost who is the inlightner and sanctifier of all the faithfull therefore after our faith in God Christian faith informs us to beleeve there is a Church of God because it is a rich store-house of all his grace and goodnesse and his true Temple as Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 9. 10. Know ye not that your bodie is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you c Augustine saith well the right order of beleeving is first to beleeve in the blessed Trinitie and then in the true Church first to the Maker and then to the House first to the Builder and then to the Citie So our faith must be first in God and then by and by turne to the Church of God Now herein are two things to be observed 1. Vnder what forme we must beleeve 2. What it is we must beleeve First under what forme wee must beleeve The Papists say wee must beleeve in the Church and the Romish Testament is for it upon 1 Tim. 3. and Bellarmine is not farre behinde he saith after a sort and after a certaine kinde we are to beleeve in the Church sundry Divines are contrary to this and they say that a Christian is to beleeve in none but God not in Angell nor Archangell nor in any creature but in God as Iohn 14. Christ saith Yee beleeve in God beleeve also in me marke the ground why we must beleeve in Christ because he is God so 1 Pet. 1. 21. saith the Apostle Which by his meanes doe beleeve in God that raised him from the dead and gave him glory that your Faith and hope might be in him not in the Church in Angell or Archangell but in God onely And an ancient father saith we beleeve there is an holy Church but wee doe not beleeve in the Holy Church wee must beleeve in none but God and the reason is because the Church is not God but the house of God Eusebius saith wee must beleeve Paul and Peter but wee must not beleeve in Paul nor in Peter the reason is because it is a transferring of the honour that is due to God to the creature and Chrysostome saith it is one thing to beleeve a Party and it is another thing to beleeve in a partie but it is proper to the divinity to bee beleeved in Hence wee see the light is so cleere in this point as no man neede doubt of it and Thomas Aquinas one of their owne Doctors saith it is better for a man to beleeve there is a Church than for a man to beleeve in the Church wherein hee grounded himselfe on Pope Leo in whose power the Church was to rest themselves Since that time they have refused this and say that a man must beleeve in the Church affirming that there bee three ancient fathers Saint Ierome Epiphanius and Cyrill that takes it in the same sense as they doe As for one of these which is Saint Ierome there was a chiefe bishop of Rome that brings his argument for us and inferres that this particle in is to bee remooved because in his best workes we doe not so read it Now for the two other their credit is the lesse because Arrius was the first that brought it into his Creed and Cyrill followes him as for Epiphanius though at first he might be carried with the streame of the times yet afterwards hee was overswayed by a number of ancient fathers at Alexandria who expound and take it as we doe Therefore it is out of question and without controulment that wee are not to beleeve in the Church but the right forme of beleeving is to beleeve that God hath a Church a holy people a holy company that he will blesse and save eternally Secondly what it is we must beleeve there are three speciall things we must beleeve 1. We beleeve that God hath a Church 2. We beleeve it is a holy Church 3. Wee beleeve it is an universall or Catholicke that it was from the beginning it hath beene in all ages and it is all the World over First that God hath a Church People and Family here in this world his number of saved ones as I may say though we cannot see nor designe them out Paul tells us Heb. 11. 1. that Faith is the evidence of things that are not seene therefore though we doe not alwayes see the Church of God yet by Faith we must beleeve that God hath his people family and his number of saved ones for the same Saint Paul shewes us in the generall apostacie of the Iewes Rom. 11. That there is a seede and a little remnant left this he resolves us of from an Oracle of God that there were seven thousand left thou had not bowed their knees to Baal which were hid and secret therefore though wee cannot see or designe them out yee wee must beleeve that God hath his Church and company of holy people and his number of saved ones The Vs es are first to answere to a demand that the papists make Where was your Churches before Luthers time I answer I beleeve the Church of God hath beene in all ages and from the beginning and shall continue to the end of the World therefore although wee cannot see nor designe it out yet we beleeve there is a Church of God as Gen. 1. the Lord made two great lights the one to rule the day and the other to rule the night Now although wee cannot alwayes see these lights because there is some clouds that doe cover them or some thicke mist yet faith doth assure us that those lights be still so it is with the Church of God though it be not patent and visible at all times yet Faith doth assure us that there is a Church of God still Secondly seeing that God hath his Church in all ages and his number of saved people Therefore every man must labour to bee one of that number for though God hath his Church and number of saved ones if we doe not appertaine to this Church and be of this number what are wee the better We see when Noah made his Arke all that did not get into it did perish in the waters so though God hath his Church and number of saved ones yet if wee doe not labour to bee of his Church and people we must perish Now for the better clearing of this point wee will shew 1. What the Nature of the Church of God is 2. What be the divers parts of it 3. The diverse estates of the Church of God here in this world 4. What be the true markes and notes of the true Church 5.
let you goe but by strong hand the new translation hath it And the king of Egypt will not let you goe no not by a strong hand now how may a man know which is the better I answer hee may know it although he have no other helpe than his owne let him looke into Exod. 6. 1. there the Lord saith to Moses now shalt thou see what I will doe to Pharoah for by a strong hand shall be let them goe so herein the ordinary Bibles are the better from these wee inferre a wise Christian may helpe himselfe by the helpe of his minister in any doubt about the difference of texts of Scripture and to shut up all in a word it is plaine and manifest by these premises that the true Church throughout all ages hath preserved the letter and text of the Scripture from all annoiances taint of corruption or the least soile that may bee The use hereof is First seeing it hath beene the care of the Church in all times to preserve the letter of Scriptures therefore it must be every mans care to read it be acquainted with it and to meditate therein so to profit by it as Ioh. 5. 39. Christ counsels us Search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke to have eternall life they are they which testifie of me so 2 Tim. 3. 15. Timothie was commended for that he had knowne the Scriptures of a Childe which were able to make him wise unto salvation in like manner wee must know the Scriptures and be acquainted with them to make us truely wise Augustine saith well to this purpose that the two testaments are the two breasts of the Church that every Christian man must sucke to draw spirituall nourishment from that he may live eternally by it and another learned man saith that the holy Scripture is an Epistle sent from the Creator to the creature if an earthly king should send us a letter what would we let it lye by us would we not bestow some time to read meditate of it and bee acquainted with it to know what were the kings will with us so saith he the holy Scripture is the letter and Epistle of Almighty God let us labour to bee acquainted with it bestow some time to read it and meditate therein another learned man saith Now the Paradise of God is in this world the bookes of the Scriptures are the trees of Life whereof no man is forbidden to eate therefore it must be our care to heare the Scriptures read and to reade them our selves meditate in them and tell the good things that wee learne from thence one to another Secondly seeing it hath beene the care of the Church to preserve the Scripture it must bee our care not onely to reade and to meditate in it but also to beleeve it and to put it in practice as Psal 124. David did where hee saith by the words of thy lips I kept mee from the pathes of the cruell man and againe Psal 119. 11. I have hid thy promise in my heart that I might not sinne against thee See wee must learne by the Scriptures to put it in practice to sanctifie us in our wayes to keep us from sinning against God and to direct us in all the things wee take in hand this fruit and benefit wee must draw out from it saith Christ to the Iewes I will not accuse you but there is one will accuse you even Moses in whom yee trust How shall Moses accuse them not in his person but by his Bookes and Doctrine for that they did not beleeve nor practise but neglect the things that were commended to them therein so Moses shall accuse them and draw such a fearefull bill against them as they shall not bee able to answer so wee that bee your Pastours and teachers wee doe not accuse you but Moses Paul and Peter doth accuse you and will write such a fearefull bill of indictment against you as you shall not bee able to answere Therefore labour yee to repent of your sinnes to make conscience of your wayes to put in practice the good things that have beene taught you that so there bee not framed a fearfull bill of indictment against you which yee shall not bee able to answer especially remember it at this time to make use of it seeing yee see by evident tokens that God is displeased with us doe not thinke that time will weare it out but search into your hearts and into your lives to see what is amisse repent of your sinnes and turne to God that he may turne away this fearefull judgment that is come upon this land Oh my good brethren let us not passe away these things and make no accompt of them but let us labour to put them in practise seeing wee know them lest there bee such a fearefull bill of indictment framed against us as wee shall not be able to answer SERMON LXV 1 TIMOTHY 3. 15. That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy selfe in the House of God which is the Church of the Living God the Pillar and ground of the Truth WEE heard the last day that the Church hath three wayes preserved the tables of truth First in preserving the Letter of the Scripture which I then dispatched Secondly in preserving the Canon of the Scripture I meane the true number of Canonicall Books Thirdly in preserving the Authoritie of the Scriptures Wee come now to the next Point which is that the Church hath preserved the true Canon of the Scripture that is the true number of the Canonicall Bookes without adding or diminishing Canonicall Scripture is that which is given us of God is bee a rule of faith and good life by the which yee may bee sure wee may please God The word Canon is a Greeke word signifying a Rule so the Scripture is a rule to square out our actions by Those which worke in curious buildings doe not work by aime and ghesse but by rule so in the spirituall building of a mans soule and conscience in making a spirituall house for God wee must not goe by aime and ghesse but by rule Wee must hold us to our rule so saith S. Paul Gal. 6. 16. As many as walke according to this rule peace shall bee upon them and mercy and upon the Israel of God And Exod. 25. 40. saith the Lord to Moses Looke therefore that thou make all after the pattern that was shewed thee in the mount There the Lord had given Moses a paterne Such a charge as this comes to every Christian concerning all his actions see that thou doest it according to the paterne which the Lord hath lest thee in the Scriptures to bee a rule of faith and good life and to build up thy soule and conscience in the assurance of thy salvation and hope of an heavenly life Therefore it hath beene the care of the Church to preserve the true number of the Canonicall Bookes intire Paul tells
us Gal. 3. 15. Though it bee but a mans Testament when it is confirmed yet no man abrogates it nor addes any thing thereto therefore seeing the Scripture is the best will and Testament of Iesus Christ there is no man that should adde or subtract any thing from it Now in the New Testament all is Canonicall It was the wisedome of the first Christians not to suffer any thing to goe hand in hand with the word of God lest the Lord should take up that complaint against them Ezek. 43. 8. Albeit they set up their thresholds by my thresholds and their posts by my posts and the wall between me and them c. In the new Testament all is Canonicall but in the old there are nine Bookâ—s which are not Canonicall the two Bookes of Esdras the Bookes of Tobit and Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Baruch the two Bookes of Macchabees with some fragments of Daniel and Hester as for the second Booke of Esdras it is very fabulous as S. Ierome doth affirme And Bellarmine confesseth where hee saith S. Ambrose himselfe doth foure times alleage it and yet it is not Canonicall because no councell tooke it to be so and it was not wrote in Hebrew In the sixt Chapter thereof there are two monsters spoken of that Sea and Land could not hold Now this is a fabulous thing and a very dreame therefore saith hee I wonder what came into his minde so a certaine Pope saith for so much as it was found written in the Greeke and not in the Hebrew which was the tongue that the Scripture was wrote in wee hold it to bee Apocrypha Therefore now if any man shall demand are there some Bookes Canonicall and some Apocrypha I answer that is called Canonicall which was written by the chosen Penmen of the Holy Ghost and hath sufficient authoritie in it selfe to confirme our faith and to perswade us that God is well pleased in the performance of those things which are required in it saith Augustine if were finde any hard place wee are not to blame it and to say it is not true but wee must say the fault is in the Printer or in the interpreter or it is because I doe not understand it Now the Apocrypha Bookes are such as were written by men not so inspired though they were learned men and such as were indued with the Spirit of God yet a man is not bound to beleeve them any further than they have warrant from the Canonicall Scripture S. Ierome saith though they were good men that wrote them yet they bee not of weight sufficient to confirme any Point of Doctrine no further than they have authoritie from the Scriptures And Damascen saith that they were good Bookes but yet they were not put into the Arke of God and kept as the Canonicall Scripture was now here is the difference between them the Canonicall Scripture is the very word of God c. The Apocrypha though there bee good things in it yet in it there is some taste of humane frailtie Now if any man shall aske why did not the Church receive this as the Canonicall Scriptures I answer there is good cause why they did not receive it which hath foure grounds for it First because the Iewes which were the Church and people of God did not receive it S. Paul saith Rom. 3. that to the Iewes were committed in trust the Oracles of God but they did not receive these Bookes therefore they were not the Oracles of God But how shall wee know that they did not receive them as the Scripture I answer First because Iosephus which was a Iew tells us in his booke against Appianus that the Iewes had two and twentie bookes which were written from God by Holy men inspired by the Holy Ghost saying that other bookes there bee which bee not of the like authoritie because they were written since the succession of the Prophets And S. Ierome saith that as the Iewes had two and twentie letters so they had two and twentie bookes that they admitted of and of no other booke besides into the Canon of the Scripture This is so cleare that Bellarmine himselfe confesseth it The second ground is this they which did write the Apocrypha were not the Penmen of the Scripture Wee see in the speech Luk. 16. 27. where Abraham is brought in saying to Dives they have Moses the Prophets let them heare them so Moses and the Prophets were the Penmen of the Scripture But the Apocrypha was not written by the Prophets First because they were not written in Hebrew which was the tongue that they wrote in againe they would not speake and write in an unknowne tongue to the people because they would not bring that curse upon them which is spoken of 1 Cor. 14. 21. In the Law it is written with men of other tongues and other lips will I speake to this people and yet for all that will they not heare mee saith the Lord. Secondly because the Succession of the Prophets were ceased at that time when these bookes were written as Iosephus saith for they were written in the time of the Macchabees and David tells us Psal 74. 9. prophecying of the destruction of the Church and true Religion which was in the time of the Macchabees wee see not our signes there is no more any Prophet neither is there among us any that knoweth how long Therefore seeing it was not writ in the tongue that the Prophets wrote in but in Greeke and they were written since the Prophets therefore the Prophets were not the Penmen of them The third ground is that they bee not in the number of the witnesses that Christ will stand to for these bee Christs witnesses Luk. 24. 27. where it is said and hee began at Moses and all the Prophets and interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe so verse 24. and hee said unto them these are the words which I spake unto you whilest I was with you that all things must bee fulfilled which was written of me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes Augustine faith well that the Iewes doe not accompt of any bookes save of Moses the Prophets and of the Psalmes to the which our Lord Iesus gave witnesse and Chrysostome saith that the Iewes did divide the Scriptures into three parts the Law and the Prophets and the Psalmes they bee the witnesses that Christ stands to But these Apocrypha Bookes are not within this number therefore the Apocrypha is not received equally as the Scriptures are of the Church The fourth is Because the Bookes themselves bewray that they bee of man and not of God as S. Paul saith Rom. 3. 4. Let God bee true and every man a lyar but these Bookes there is none of them but have some taste of humane fâ—ailty in it as Tobit 5. there an Angell is made to lye but the
the societie of the faithfull there is not one onely Angell that descended but God himselfe comes down by his grace and holy Spirit to blesse us and to make his word profitable to us therefore here we are to waite and to attend for this speciall blessing of God Fourthly because Christ raigneth onely in the Church of God all the rest of the world is under the power of the Divell and sinne so Mich. 4. 7. it is said there the Lord shall raigne over them in mount Sion for ever and ever as also Luk. 1. 33. and hee shall raigne over the house of Iacob for ever and of his Kingdome there shall bee no end that is of the Militant Church therefore because Christ raigneth in the Church of God the Divell taking all the rest as his own this is the fourth reason why there is no salvation without the Church Thus much for the Doctrine The uses are First seeing there is no salvation but in the true Church of Christ therefore wee should bee thankfull to God that hee hath made us members of it for wee might else have perished in ignorance and blindnesse this hath beene the practice of Gods Children in former ages for Gen. 9. 27. It was all the blessing that Noah gave to his Sonne Iapheth for his goodnesse in covering of the nakednesse of his Father saith hee God perswade Iapheth to dwell in the Tents of Shem and Ioseph become a great man in the Kingdome of Pharoah might have made his Sonnes great men also but hee had more care to adopt them into the true Church of God and to have Gods blessing powred out upon them than to make them great men in the Kingdome of Pharoah as wee may reade Gen. 43. 13. in like manner Hebr. 12. 24. it is said that Moses by faith when hee was come to age refused to bee called the Sonne of Pharoahs daughter and chose rather to suffer adversitie with the People of God whatsoever Moses did when hee was a Childe yet when hee comes to discretion hee refused to bee called the Sonne of Pharoahs Daughter and had raâ—her live in the Communion of the faithfull than bee called in the princely honours of the unfaithfull Therefore seeing it is such a great blessing to live in the societie of the faithfull wee ought to bee thankfull to God that hee hath brought us out of the belly of Poperie as Ionas was delivered out of the belly of the whale It is a pittifull thing to see a number of men live in the Church of God who doe not partake of the power of it they live in the Church as fishes in the Sea which although they breed live and dye in the Sea yet never taste of the saltnesse of it so there bee a number of men that are bred in the Church live and dye in it yet never tast of the power of it in their soules and consciences nor partake of the holy graces of it Therefore hath God brought thee to the Communion of the Church Labour to partake of the blessings and graces of it to grow in the feare of God in the love of our brethren in obedience to his commandements in care to please him in faith in repentance in knowledge in zeale of his glorie and so our comfort shall bee great at the day of judgement but if thou doe not grow in these things great shall thy terrour bee at that time Secondly seeing there is no salvation but in the true Church of God therefore we should hold communion with it and not suffer our selves to bee drawne from the societie of it as Iohn 6. 68. When many slipped away Peter himselfe could say when Christ said to him Will you all goe saith hee Master whither shall wee goe thou hast the words of eternall life so when wee see others to goe out of the societie of the Church and to bee drawne away let us say whither shall wee goe here are the words of eternall life here are the meanes to get Faith and repentance here are the meanes of salvation life everlasting Iohn 9. When there was a question made whether Iesus was of God or no the blind man answers as if hee should say is it not a strange thing that ye aske me whether he be of God or no and yet yee have seene the power of God in his person for wee read there these words whether hee bee a sinner or no I cannot tell but one thing I know that I was blâ—nd and now I see so men must bee wise to answer temptations when some shall say to them your Ministers are not the ministers of Christ there is a fault in their Ordinations Wee must answer againe I know not whether there bee any fault in their Ordination or no but this I know that once I was a swearer a bad person and a vile liver indeed I once lived in blindnesse and ignorance but by their ministery now I am come to see my sinnes bee humbled for them and to lay hold on Iesus Christ Therefore whatsoever thou thinke my beleefe is they bee the ministers of Christ Historians report that there is a certaine beast called an Hyena like a Wolfe that comes to the shepheards house and there mones and bewayles himselfe and if hee heares any body named hee calls them out of doores and then falls on them and makes a prey of them so a number of such Hyena's there bee in the world who come and mone and bewayle themselves when they heare their names they call them out of the doores that is out of the Church then they fall upon them and make a prey on them Therefore wee should bee wise to hold the Communion of the Church Thirdly seeing there is no salvation but in the true Church of God therefore the sentence of excommunication is the fearfullest sentence that is other sentences condemnes us in our bodies goods or our libertie but this declares us to bee of the Communion of the ungodly by other sentences wee are committed to the Iayle but by this censure we are committed to Sathan as 1 Cor. 5. 5. saith hee when yee bee gathered together and my Spirit with the power of our Lord Iesus Christ that such an one bee delivered unto Sathan for the destruction of the flesh Therefore this sentence is the fearfullest that can passe on a man But here I will speake my conscience it is a pittifull thing that such a censure should bee used for every light and pettie matter there is never a surgeon that dare cut off the least finger of the King though it were diseased but would use all meanes that might be before hee did it so there is never a poore Christian but is as deare to God as a King or the greatest Potentate that is and therefore what great caution should there bee used before this censure of excommunication be pronounced against any man but wee have now cause
to thanke God that it is not so common amongst us as it hath been There is also another fault amongst us that a poore man many times stands excommunicated three or foure yeers together indeed there may bee a fault in the poore man to stand so long but let us take heed it bee not for want of our helpe Therefore as wee are ready to contribute to the necessities of their bodies so we should bee to contribute to them in this case But here may a Christian demand whether were a man best to give money or to stand excommunicated still this question I will answer by another question what if a man fall into the hands of Theeves were hee better to lose his money or his life I answer hee were better to lose his money because his life is the greater even so a man were better to lose his money than the meanes of grace which is the greater Another may here object and say I but how if a man cannot bee absolved without hee should sinne against God and offend his conscience To this I answer that if the case be so that he cannot be absolved but he must sinne against God then hee were better lose the Communion of men which is the lesser than the Communion of God which is the greater as Iohn 9. wee see the blind man whom the Pharisees had cast out Christ meets with and said unto him doest thou beleeve in the Sonne of God as if hee should say notwithstanding this censure thy cause is good thou art a blessed man in like maner although the censure of excommunication hath passed upon thee if thou beleevest in the Sonne of God thy case is good this may comfort Christians Lawyers have a saying that unjust Lawes binde no man and Bellarmine saith that there is a double Communion an externall and an internall Communion the externall Communion of the Church of God is in the word preached prayer and in Sacraments the internall is in the graces of the Spirit Faith love and other graces Now a man may bee cast out from the externall Communion the word and Sacraments as when a man is put into prison or banished and yet may have the internall Communion with the Church a man may be cut off from his brethren in regard of outward societie but hee can not bee cut off from Christ And these bee the uses wee are to make of this point Now that wee have spoken of the Nature of the Church in the next place we are to speake of the properties of it which are two 1. It is a Holy Church 2. It is a Catholike Church First The Church of God is Holy there is a company of Holy People here in this world as Zech. 8. 5. thus saith the Lord I will returne unto Sion and will dwell in the midst of Ierusalem and Ierusalem shall be called a Citie of Truth and the Mountaine of the Lord of Hosts and the Holy Mountaine so in Dâ—â—iel the Church is called the Holy People of God and Revel 22. 2. saith S. Ioh. And I saw the holy Citie the new Ierusalem come downe from God so also 1 Cor. 3. 17. Saint Paul saith For the Temple of the Lord is Holy which ye are Therefore seeing the Church of God is an assembly of Holy People accordingly as it is Holy wee the Members thereof must labour to be Holy Now the Holinesse of the Church is opposed unto three things that seemeth to take away Holinesse from it First the judgement of the world for it thinkes that of all societies they are the vilest and the worst they thinke them to be but a company of dissemblers and hypocrites that professe the Word but deny the Power of it but we that are Christians beleeve that the Church of God is Holy though the World thinke them a company of dissemblers David saith Psal. 13. Yet God is good to Israel even to the pure in heart and in the 14. of Deut. 2. we read For thou art an Holy People to the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a precious people to him Therefore howsoever the World condemnes them yet wee beleeve that God hath a Holy company of People in the World The second thing that seemeth to take away Holinesse from the Church is that it is a united company of good and bad together for I have shewed you that the Church of God is like to a Flocke wherein are Sheepe and Goates a Floore wherein is Corne and Chaffe a Field wherein are Tares and Wheate and yet these bad persons are no true Members of the Church but like bad humours in the body Againe the Faith of a Christian opposeth and doth beleeve that there is a company of Holy People and that the wicked that live amongst them doe not defile the Holy things of God for it is Pauls rule 1 Cor. 11. 26. Let a Man therefore examine himselfe c. whereupon saith Augustine Marke thou that art a good Man thou mayest eat and drinke with comfort if thou doe examine thy selfe and againe he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation not so to thee that art a good Man but to the wicked that came like swine without any preparation at all The third thing that seemes to take away holinesse from the Church is the remainders of sinne and corruption for there is no Man in the estate of Grace but hath complained of this So David Psal 40. 12. My sinnes hath taken such hold on me that I am not able to looke up and Paul complayneth Rom. 7. The good thing that I would doe that doe I not but what I hate that doe I c. so in the best estate there is some remainders of sinne Therefore although the World and the Divell should condemne them yet we beleeve the Church of God is Holy SERMON LXVII 1 CORINTHIANS 3. 17. For the Temple of God is holy which yee are HAving spoken of the Nature of the Church we began to speake of the Properties of it the last day being two First we beleeve the Church of GOD is Holy Secondly that it is Catholike agreable to that part of our Christian profession Now the Church of God is holy foure manner of wayes First In regard of the Holinesse of their Faith or by the Holinesse of their Faith All other societies are fouly spotted and tainted with errour against the foundation but this remaines unspotted in the foundation therefore the Church is Holy because their Faith is Holy So Iude 20. But ye beloved edifying your selves in your most holy Faith keepe your selves in the Love of God So Matth. 7. 6. saith our Saviour Give not that which is holy to Dogges It cannot be denyed but that there may bee errours in the true Church for as they bee subject to all other sinnes so are they to the sinne of ignorance as
this world many pawnes and pledges of our resurrection therefore let us not doubt but that the Lord one day will raise our bodies Saint Paul speaks hereof Heb. 11. ult God saith hee providing better things for us that they without us should not be made perfect so we shall not prevent one another but shall all goe together The use is First seeing the bodies of the Saints doe not rise till the day of Iudgement therefore we must be contented to lye under affliction and trouble till God deliver us We see all the bodies of the Saints be trampled and troden underfoot of death till the day of judgement and therefore we must be contented to wait with patience for a time til the Lord deliver us out of trouble seeing there will bee a day of deliverance The second use is that seeing the bodies of the Saints rise not till the day of judgement therefore we should waite for it desire it and long for it as Rom. 8. we read of two sorts of groners the Creatures grone by the instinct of Nature and the People of God grone by the instinct of grace so that there is never a Creature that is well ordered sensible or unsensible but doth grone and long for that day therefore much more shuld we long for that time and desire it If a man hath broken an Arme or put a Leg out of joynt if one hath promised him that he will come to set and put it into joynt againe at such an houre hee will every foote be looking out of his window for his comming so seeing at the day of judgement the Lord will restore us againe to our former integritie we should long for that day and be looking for it Thirdly seeing the Dead shall not rise till the day of judgement therefore why doe men so pamper their bodies to cloath them so fine and to feede them so daintily who cannot indure the winde to blow upon them seeing they must goe to the dust bee companions with the wormes and dwell in the house to rottennesse therefore all our care must be to save our soules to get faith in Christ to repent of our sinnes and so to shut up our eyes in this world as that they may bee opened in the Kingdome of glory for ever SERMON LXXIII 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 HAving shewed that our bodies rise againe and that the same bodies shall rise that we lay downe in the third place we came to consider the Time when we should rise At the day of Iudgement then and never till then As Iob 14. 11 12. saith he As the Waters faile from the Sea and the Flood decayeth and drieth up So Man lieth downe and riseth not till the Heavens be no more they shall not awake nor bee raised out of their sleepe and also 1 Cor. 15. 52. it is said For the Trumpet shall blow and the dead shall bee raised up so then wee shall rise and never till then Some reasons then I named why we shall not rise till then which now I will not repeat but goe on where we left Here a question may bee asked seeing wee must lye so many yeares and ages rotting in the grave what may the meane while bee our comfort to uphold and sustaine us I answer that there are some things to comfort us and sustaine us in this case First that God will be present with us that he will not leave us nor forsake us no not in the grave this is a sweet comfort to us our wives and friends bring us to the grave lay us in and there leave us for there is none of them that will goe downe with us to the place of rottennesse but here is comfort that the Lord will not leave us there but hee will goe to the grave with us and will watch over our dead ashes by the eye of his providence to keepe them till the day come in which hee will raise them up againe as Gen. 46. 4. saith God to Iaakob I will goe downe into Egypt with thee and I will bring thee up againe so the Lord will go downe with us into the grave and tarry with us and will watch over us with the eye of his Providence to keepe our dead ashes and bring us out againe Rizpah is condemned for that shee kept the dead bodies of Sauls sonnes that she did spread a tent over them and kept them that the fowles should not devour them by day nor the beasts by night but much more may wee admire and wonder at the goodnesse of God to us that hee goes downe into the grave with us spreads his tent over us and will keepe our dead ashes which one day hee will bring out againe this is a sweet comfort to a Christian that the Lord will not leave us nor forsake us no not in the grave though our wives and friends leave us yet God will not The second comfort is that although our bodies lye rotting in the grave yet our soules shall be blessed and happy this was Pauls comfort 2 Cor. 5. For we know that if this earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroyed we have a building given us of God c. and so Revel 6. 11. The soules that lay under the Altar cried How long Lord and it is said that long white robes were given them that is that they were comforted with the glorious and blessed estate of their soules Indeed if our soule should not goe to glory presently but should lye as the body in the paine of rottennesse then we might say as Salomon saith Proverb 17. 22. the hope that is deferred is the drying of the bones c. but because the soule goes presently to God and is in an estate of glory and happinesse though the body lye in the place of rottennesse therefore this may comfort us a good soule is like the good spies wee read of Numb 13. that were sent into the land of Canaan to search the land when they came backe againe to the children of Israel they tell them that the land is a good and pleasant land that they have tasted of the fruits thereof and therefore let us not bee slothfull to enter in so the good soule that goes before into the heavenly Canaan and hath a tast of the fruit of it when it returnes againe into the body to live in communion and fellowship with it will say to the body Here is a good and pleasant land I have tasted of the fruite of it therefore let us not bee slothfull to enter in and possesse it Thirdly this may comfort us in that although we lye in the grave a long time yet Christ hath sanctified and sweetned the grave unto us by lying in it himselfe and hath perfumed it as Chrysostome saith
hinder a man from Christ 121. * How a strong Christian weakned by sinne may know whether the holy Ghost bee in him or no. 505. Christians of all men most happy because Christ is their Lord. 99. ¶ Good is to be done to Christians as they are Christians 461. †What the Church of God is 525. The Church Triumphant Militant 520. 530. No member of the Triumphant that is not of the Militant Church 530. The great blessing it is to be a member of the Church 566. ¶ Wee must beleeve a not in the Church 523. ¶ The Church a mixed company of good and bad 537. How the Church is one 534. The diverse estates of the Church here in this world 534. The Church sometimes hidden 535. ¶ The Church power at one time than another 537. Of cleaving to the Church 537. ¶ The blessings that proceed from the peace of the Church 536. ¶ The dignities of the Church 539. The Church as the Citie of God excels all other cities in foure respects 539. The Church the Body of Christ 542. * Christ Loveth Indoweth Adorneth Acquitteth Bringeth home Glorifieth the Church his Spouse 544. Vniversality a property of the Church 574. The Church the pillar and ground of truth 549. The Church preserves the Letters Canon Authority of the Scripture 550. Holinesse a property of the Church 569. Iudgement of the world mixture of good and bad remainder of sinne seeme to take away the holinesse of the Church 569. The Church said to bee Holy by 1. Faith and good conversation 2. Impâ—tation of Christs righteousnesse 3. Inherent holinesse in the true members 4. Having the means of holinesse 570. Reasons why there is no salvation without the Church 565. ¶ The Church Betâ—lehem thither we must goe to finde Christ 126. * All things tend to the good of the Church as crosse wheeles in a clocke 88. ¶ The come unto me in glory depends on the come unto me in grace 446. ¶ Christ comes to a man when things bee at the worst 115. ¶ The comfort of the Holy Ghost excels all other comforts 511. To appropriate Christs merit a great comfort 124. †Two times to commend our soules to God In danger every day 258. 3. grounds of coÌ„mending our selves to God because hee is the Father of Spirits our Father in Christ hath afforded us former favours 258. Why Christ gives signes of his comming 402. God communicates his wisdome c. to us we our griefes to him 583. Christ communicates to us Himselfe right of his death merit Power of Spirituall life Dignity of his owne estate 584 We communicate to Christ our Nature Sinnes Troubles and dangers 383. Christ communicates his graces to his Church 341. Of the communion of the Saints 579. By the communion of Saints a Christian hath a thousand helps 597. ¶ The communion of Saints consists in communion with God with Christ one with another 582 Foure lets of the communion of saints 605. The communion one with another consists in the commmuion of the 1. Living with the living 587 c. 2. Living and the Dead in wishing well to conversing with one another 598 3. Dead with the dead in 1. Lying together in the Grave 2. Being members of Christ 3. Being gathered to the Saints departed 599. The communion of the living with the living stands in community of Affection 587. Graces 588. Spirituall sacrifices ibid. Temporall blessings 590. Bearing one with another 594. The communitie of goods is limited in the Excesse Defect 592. Communions of the wicked 579. Christs company a great comfort 243. †Christs complaint on the crosse 168. Christ conceived of the flesh of the Virgin 105. †by the power of the holy Ghost how 106. Christ conceived by the Holy Ghost that he might be pure and without sin 107. †The stirre that was at Christs conception 108. * Of the condemnation of Christ 197. Conscience compared to a Booke wherein all things are written 207. ¶ To sin against conscience a fearefull thing 205. †207. †The property of a good conscience to be moved at Gods judgements 206. ¶ Bad consciences troubled at Christs comming 132. ¶ Wicked mens consciences may be sealed for a time but one day they shall be opened 184. ¶ No flying from an evill conscience 205. ¶ An evill conscience the worst accuser 207. ¶ A Christian though contemn'd in his life is honoured in his grave 278. ¶ Constancie in a good course requisite thogh without successe 199. * Of the conviction at the last day 437. Conversion makes men labour to draw others to the same estate 238. * Confession of sinne Cleering the Iustice of God Zeale for the honour of God a signe of conversion 238. No man knowes the instant of his conversion 305. No cost to be spared for Christ 280. ¶ Covetousnesse moved Iudas to betray Christ 181. †The workes of the Creation not to be lookt on but with due consideration 65. ¶ The Author Substance Manner Subject Estate Time Order End of the Creation c. 64. The motion multitude of the Creatures prove a Deitie 43. ¶ The Creature not God cause of sinne and defect 67. †We ought not to abuse the Creatures seeing God made them 65. Wee ought to pray for restauration to the creatures 68. * Christ died the death of the Crosse because it was most Accursed Shamefull Painefull Apparent 211. Christs behaviour on the Crosse 224. The seven last words of Christ on the Crosse 224. c. The scandall of the Crosse weakens faith 321. Christs Disciples must bee carriers of the Crosse 214. ¶ No man must make a Crosse to himselfe but bee contented if God lay it on him 214. ¶ All Crosses must be borne ibid. The place where Christ was crucified 215. Why Christ was crucified aloft 213. * How Christ was led to be crucified 213. What torments are expressed in the word crucified 219. ¶ Vses from Christs crucifying 220. c. Five falsehoods in Popish crucifixes 223. Christs Cup what it is 160. * Sinne brings Gods curse upon 〈◊〉 467. * D ALL needlesse dangers are carefully to be shunned 338. †Whether the darkenesse of the Sunne at Christs passion was all the world over 165. †The horrid darknesse of wicked men at the last day 165. ¶ The holy Ghost illuminates as a window in a darke house 509. Dead bodies members of Christ having communion with him 600. Incertainty of death should stirre us up to conscionable walking 237. †At the day of death most care is to bee had of our soules 238. ¶ 257. ¶ 258. * Death but a departing 143. * The good change a Christian makes by death 242. ¶ The greatest extremitie befals Christians at the time of their deaths 169. ¶ We ought to prepare for death 179. †Christs Death 261. Voluntarie 265. The manifestation thereof 266. The Power thereof 269. ¶ The fruits of Christs Death are to us freedome from the Eternall Death Seing of Death Curse of Death Power of