the world was made Thy life beginnes at a decree that neuer had a beginning and ends in a glorie that neuer shall haue an end He calles it not simplie a good pleasure but all his good pleasure whereby he meanes here an ample thing He meanes with the decree of lyfe all the meanes that serues to bring vs to lyfe There is not one meane to lyfe but all must come of this decree Art thou called in tyme it commes of a decree Rom 8. 28. Art thou justified it commes of a decree Prayest thou it commes of a decree Nothing commes to thee in the mid-way of thy journey but all commes of a decree What euer commes whether it be prosperitie or aduersitie thinke noâ— it commes by chance but it is a meane that the Lord hes ordeined from all eternitie to bring thee to lyfe euerlasting 1. Pet. 2. 21. So lyfe euerlasting proceeds of a decree from all eternitie He calles it the good pleasure of his goodnesse By this word goodnesse he designes the cause of this eternal decree not to be any thing which God foresaw in vs but his owne onely goodnesse and that to the end he may haue all the praise of our saluation Read Ephes 1. 5. 6. 9. Yet there must be another thing ere one get lyfe What is it He calles it a vvorke that hes a beginning The worke that must be accomplished hes a beginning and then it ends and resolues in lyfe And what is the worke Faith in Iesus Christ What is lyfe euerlasting then 〈…〉 but the accomplishment of this faith that we haue in this God Faith is this building that goes vp continuallie Iohn chap. 6. verse 29. When the Iewes glories in their workes Christ sayes This is the vvorke of God that ye beleeue in me This is the building that must be builded euen Faith Thou must euer be building this faith this day one stone to morrowe againe another vntill thou come to the toppe stone which is glorie and lyfe eternall Paul sayes 2. Timoth. chap 4. vers 7. 8. I haue gone forward in this building I haue keeped the fayâ—h novv the crovvne of righteousnesse is laid vp for me Then life euerlasting is the crowne of faith without faith nor crowne Who can crowne thee except thou haue faith It is faith that must be crowned Lookest thou to be crowned and in the mean-time hast thou no faith thou deceaues thy selfe Therefore seeke euer faith in Christ or else seeke neuer to get that crowne Then he sayes vvith povver This must be done with power or else it shall neuer be done All the Monarchs of the world and all the Angels shall not be able to lift vp this crowne to set it on thy head It must be onely the infinite power of Christ that must liftâ—vp that crowne and set it on thy â—ead after thou hast gone forward in that worke and come to the end It is said Phill. 3. chap. 21. verse When the Lord shall come this vyle body shall be transformed and made lyke that glorious body of Christ What is the meane Throgh the effectualnesse of his povver vvhereby he is able to subdevv all things the deuill sin and death that would hold thee aback from that glorie There must be power in the Lord to kil sin Hell and to ouercome the deuill and all thy enemies And the Lord by his power must giue thee power ouer all before thou be made conforme to him Now to come to the last verse He sets downe the last end of his praying That the name of the Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye in him Then the cheefe respect he hes in praying is not their glory but Godsâ— glory Howbeit he would haue the Thessalonians to be saued yet that is not his last end but al their saluation is that God may be glorified in them The end of his praying is that God may be glorified in them because our glory should rend to the glory of God Now mark one rule in praying When we pray for life either to our selues or to others let not our mindes be so much set on our and their glorie and saluation as God 's ' gglory cheefly to bee requyred in our praier that the God of glory may be glorified and say Lord I seeke glory and saluation that in my glorifying and saluation thou mayest be glorified and so let euer that glory of God be more pretious and deare to vs nor all the glorie and life can come to vs. And they that gets grace to pray this waies they may be assured they shall be glorified for euer So renounce all Heauen it self our joy our glory and our inheritance in Heauen to the end that he to whom all glory pertaines may be glorified This did Moses and Paul they craued to be â—â—athema that God might be glorified And this should be the desire of euery man seeke if it were thy owne condemnation rather ere God who created thee be not glorified prefer Gods glory to thy owne saluation Lord giue vs this zeale to his glorie What shall the end be Trowest thou to lose any thing by so doing No looke what God saies to Moses Exod. 32. chap. 33. verse when Moses desired to be scraped out of the booke of life No the Lord sayes Moses thou who so earnestly desired my glory I will glorifie thee and will scrape them out that deserues to be scraped out Then the way to come to life eternall is to renounce thy self to seek onely that thy God may be glorified O the joy that is in the hart when we find that zeale that we can prefer Gods glory to our own saluation That joy surpasses all joy that euer was He addes to another thing to this He saies That he may be glorified in you and ye in him Learne there is no peece of glorie that Christ gets but it redounds to his elect Is he glorified in thee that same glory commes back againe to thee and glorifies thee I shall tell you how it stands First thy lyfe and glory that ye call euerlasting lyfe is nothing but a faire glance that strikes from the glorious face of Iesus Christ as ye see the Sunne shining on a man makes him to shine So thy glory and lyfe is as a verie glance 〈…〉 that strikes from the glorious countenance of Christ as the glance of the Sun striking on a black body makes that body glance ô much more will the beames of the face of Christ beating on thee make thee to shine What was the shining of the face of Moses that made the people afraied but a glance of the face of God Then when the glory of God hes first shined on vs we shine and then our shining again with a reflex goes back to that Son of righteousnesse it came from and he of new shineâ— againe on vs in a fairer shining nor before Now in this mutuall reflex and shining yea
discharge of a King in keeping the people in good order and peace will be the meane of thy crowning in heauen Art thou a pastor intending to win manie soules to the kingdome of heauen it shall be a meane of thy crowning in that great day When a crowne shall be set on a kings head or a pastors head it shal not be his calling that shal be the cause of his crowning he was an Emperor therefore he must haue a crovvne in heauen it vvill not follow if there be no more He vvas a pastor therfore he must haue a crovvne in heauen no it shall be that blessing and frute that God gaue thee in the faithfull discharge in thy calling heere that shall be the meane of thy crowning And therefore let neuer fleshe glorie in any calling if there be no more if the blessing of the Lord be not with thy calling thou hast cause of mourning and thou shalt say in that day woe to me that euer I was a King an Emperour a Pastor if there be not a faithfull discharge of thy calling the greater damnation falles vnto thee the greater thy calling be Now to end he is speaking of this rewarde that he was to receiue at Christs comming and he speakes not of these earthlie stipends how beit their be much adoe and stryfe for them in the land if they wer neuer so selie he speakes not of these goods or anie thing that pertained to them but the reward of his Apostleship he speaks of is that he claimes themselues ye are my hope sayes he ye are my ioy euen ye your selues So in one worde the rewarde of a faithfull Apostle shall not be the 〈◊〉 of this earth for as niggard as men are of it no it shall not be his manâ—e his 〈◊〉 two or three â—halders of â—â—â—uall or an hndreth marke rest all not be this but it shall be the soules of all them hee did vvinne heere on earth and the Lord shall say to him take them and let them be a matter of joy of glorie and honour for euer to thee Well he will not wishe ought of the durt of the earth but their owne selues whom he will professe as the rewarde of his faithfull calling to his euerlasting joy I goe forward before whom and in whose presence shall this joy and crowne of glorying be He sayes before the Lord Iesus Christ it must be done in his sight hee must be before hee must be the doer of all it must be he that shall take thee by the hand and giue thee to the Apostle and pastor and saye Take man there is the matter of thy glorie and crowne make it a matter to thee of thy joy for euer Brethren there is no joy but in the face and presence of Iesus there is no light but that that comes from his face and countenance It is true the pastor ministers light but if in the meane time the light of Iesus shine not in thy heart all is but vaine and lost labour And therefore Paul 2. Cor. 4. 6. sayes all this light must come from Iesus Christ and thou must holde vp that heart of thine that the light of Iesus may shine in it And he sayes also as soone as the heart is turned the vaâ—le is remoued 2. Cor. 3. 16. and the face of the Lord illuminates thee For what trow you the light be the joy be the glorie be that we shall receiue in one word vvhat trow you heauen be Al the light in heauen is nothing but as a reflexe of that light that is in Iesus Christ al the light and glory of heauen is 〈◊〉 like sparkles scattred from him for all glorie is in him And therefore if ever thou looke for joy and glorie addresse thy selfe for Ieses Christ and as thou wouldst liue either here or hence 〈◊〉 to his presence and thinke neuer thou art well vntill you get 〈…〉 that presence Let nothing so bewitch thee 〈…〉 of heart vntill thou getst some light of Iesus Christ 〈…〉 is no life nor joye within him I aske thy conscience Didst thou euer feele that solide joy and life but when thy heart was set on that countenance of Iesus Foole thou mayst rejoice like a dog or beast with a sensuall pleasure but woe to thy joye and peace there is no peace to the vvicked for when thou art so passing thy time out of Iesus the judgement shall sodainelie ouertake thee for there is no saluation out of Iesus When shal this be At this comming It is true we vvalke heere in his presence and that joye that comes downe from Heauen it comes through that glorious bodie wherewith he is cled but the sacietie of all shall not be vntill the eye see it thy glorie shall not be perfited while then I tell you all the light we haue now the Apostle calles it the light of the Euangell of the glorie of God it is his face that shines in a mirror thou seest him no otherwise but then this mirror shall be taine avvay and the face of Iesus shall be holden vp in your sight Brethren while we are here the light coÌ„mes from heauen and ouer shadowes and transformes the soule onlie and that not fullie but in a part but when he shall come he shall transforme not the soule onelie but these vilde bodies and make them conforme to his glorious bodie Phil. 3. 21. And so there must be a greater force in his owne presence nor is in the mirror of the Gospell And thou that takest a pleasure to see Iesus in the mirror of the Gospell and to be ouershadowed with the light of the Gospell the face of Iesus shall shine on thee and by the contrair thou that takest no pleasure in the mirror of the Gospell thou shalt neuer attaine to the sight of Iesus Wilt thou continue in hatred of the ministrie of Iesus Christ thou shalt neuer see the glorious countenance of Iesus In the end of this chapter not being content to tell this once he sayes it againe yes ye are my ioy This doubling proceedes of a persuasion that he had of that glorie in a word let a Minister be faithfull to winne many soules to pleasure God and Iesus Christ who will recompence him so aboundantlie The glorie is sure the joy is sure and if he finde faithfulnesse and a blessing in his calling in this lyfe as the joye and glorie is certaine so when he is going out of this lyfe he may be sure and may say with confidence I shall enter in my joy and my soule and bodie shall be crowned with his crowne of joy and glorie and all in the presence of the Lord Iesus To whom with the Father the holie Spirite be all praise AMEN THE TENTH LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 3. vers 1. 2. 3. 4. 1 Wherefore since vve could no longer forbeare vve though it good to remaine at Athens alone 2 And haue
the purpose of the Apostle in this place was to comforte the Thessalonians against the afflictionâ—s vvhere-vvith for the tyme they vvere exercised The first and the cheefest argument of consolation vvas taine from that just jugdement of God when he commes for the afflictions that the godly and innocent suffers in this lyfe for the name of Iesus Christ are as a mirror vvherein we may see the Lord Iesus comming to judgment to take vengence on the afflicters and to render and to giue rest 〈◊〉 his own The Apostle taking occasion of this argument points out the Lord Iesus comming to judge the world He notes the place from which he shall come an Heauen aboue all these visible Heauens he notes the companie where-with in his comming he shall he accompanied First the Angels of his power enarmed with the power of the Iudge the Lord Iesus to execute his just judgement The next company is a flamming fire This fire at the comming of the Lord Iesus shall burne vp the Heauen shall melt the elements shall burne vp this earth and all the workes that is in it as Peter declares in his 2. Epistle chap. 3. and at last shall consume and deuore the wicked and that euerlastingly euer burning without end When he hes painted out the Lords comming to judge the world he subjoynes the effects that shall follow vpon his comming and judgement The first effect is he shall inflict vengence to them who in this world knew not God and would not obey the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ And after this he descryues this vengence more particularlie it shall be an vtter destruction so that they shall neuer get vp their head againe and this destruction shall be endlesse a death without a death the sorest death that euer man died the cause of the perdition shall be the face and angry countenance of the Iudge his face shall be as fire and they shal be as waxe the heate of his face shall melt them as the fire melts the waxe the cause of the eternitie of their perdition shall be the glorie of his power his power shall neuer haue an end and therefore their paine anguishe and perdition shall neuer haue an end The power shall euer holde them still in a torment and so this vvraith euerlasting shall sease and feede vpon them for euermore And so they shall euer be doing and neuer be dead Now in this text we haue the second effect that shall follow on the comming of the Lord to his judgement The first effect concerned the wicked This effect concernes the godly To come to the wordes shortlie He sayes When he shall come to be glorified in his Saintes The meaning is this vengence of perdition euerlasting shall be inflicted on the rebels of God and Christ at that tyme when he shall come to glorifie his owne the Saintes that in their glory and lyfe euerlasting he may be glorified himselfe Chief end of Christs coÌ„ming is to glorifie the soules This is the meaning shortly Now if ye will marke the first wordes When he shall come Ye may see that the first and cheefe end of the comming of the Lord Iesus to judgement is not the wrack of the reprobate but his cheefe end in his comming to judgement shall be the glorifying of his owne that in their glorie he may be glorified for euer The order of the giuing out of their doome and sentence of lyfe and death at that day makes this master plaâ—ne Read the order of the giuing foorth of this sentence in the 25. chap. of Matthevv vers 34. c. Iohâ— 5. cha 29. vers The sentence shall be giuen first to the godly and the Lord shall say first to them ere he open his mouth to the other Come ye blessed of my Father and 〈◊〉 that kingdome that is prepared for 〈◊〉 Then when that sentence is past he shall draw the godly to be assessours to him and with their consent and approbation in a maner he shal come to the doome of the reprobat and shal say Depâ—â— from me to the deuill and his Aâ—gels Iohn 5. chap. vers 28 29 The houre shall come vvhen all that are in the graues shall heare his voice and they shall come forth that haue doâ—e good to the resurrecâ—â—â—â— of life but they that haue done euill to the resurrection of condemnation This his order of proceeding showes that the cheefe end of Christs comming is the glorifying of his owne The cause is because in the glorifying of his elect cheefly shall God be glorified And seeing the Lord cheefly respects his owne glory therefore the first respect he shall haue in judging shall not be to punish the wicked for â—e shall cast them by his hand as dogges but to glorifie his owne To goe forward in the words When he shall come to be glorified in his Saintes That is to say when he shall come first to glorifie his Saints and so consequently to glorify himself For he cannot be glorifyed in his Saintes except he glorifie them first And therefore it must be vnderstood that he must glorifie them that in their glorie he may be glorified Now marke As the first and cheefe end of the comming of the Lord to judgement shall be the glorifying of his Saintes So the cheefe meane whereby the Lord shall be glorified shall not be the damnation of the reprobate but it shall be the lyfe and saluation of the godlie because in the godly at that day shall be manifested to the whole world the goodnesse of the Lord Iesus his mercy his omnipotent power in one word his Majestie and his glory cheefly shal be manifested in them So that the whole world when they see them stand vp as it were in a shout shall cry Glorie glorie glorie be to the Lambe that sits on the Throne when they shall see the elect so shining in glorie they shall brust forth in crying glorie glorie glorie and nothing shall be heard but glorie euer more These are the thinges we shall once see and heare either to our euerlasting glorie or to our euerlasting destruction It is true the Lord Iesus that day shall be glorified also in the damnation of the reprobat and that in his justice Ye read in the 14. of Exod. I shal be glorified in Pharao and his armie in powring out a vengence on them I shall drowne them But yet the justice God the justice of Christ serues not so much to his glorie as his mercie does And it is a greater matter yea and more glorie shall come to him by the sauing of one soule at that day nor by the condemning of an hundreth Came Christ Iesus in the world for this end cheeflie that God should be glorified in his justice No. Christ came and the Gospell of mercy is giuen vs that men and Angels in that day should glorifie God cheeflie in his mercie Now to goe forward And to be made marueilous in all them that beleeue
neuer come to grace and saluation except thou humble thy selfe vnder this preaching which thou by nature and in thy judgement thinkes foolishe If thou beleue not in this take thee this doome neuer shalt thou be justified in that great day Now to come to the last words in the verse In that day There is an Emphasis in this word that day the Lord shall be glorified in the godly in the glory of his owne in that day It is true brethren at this time in this same moment the Lord Iesus is glorified and the Saints and faithful hes their own glory But the glory of Iesus and his Saintes is not in that fulnesse which shall be at that day Thou seest him now as it were in a mirrour darklie he is comming behind thee and thou art looking in a glas but at that day thou shalt see him face to face with these bodily eyes thou seest him now in glorie but in that day thou shalt see him in a surpassing and exceeding great glorie It is euen so with the Saints We are the Sonnes of God now we are glorious now but in that day we shall haue another kinde of glorie The Apostle Iohn 1. Epistle 13 chap. 2. verse sayes Dearly beloued vve are the Sonnes of God novv but it appeares not vvhat vve shall be The very sight of him shall transforme vs. So that day in the 2. chap. to the Rom. 1. verse is called the day of manifestation all things shall be manifested Glorie righteousnes Heauen Hel and all hid now But in that day all shall be brought forth to that light and be manifested The Heauen shall be opened to see that glorie in it the Hell to see that darknesse and shame in it The Sun shall shine then most clearly right shall then appeare right in the own garment of righteousnesse wrong shall be seene to be wrong sinne shall appeare in the own cullour euerie one shall see it perfitely all things shall be maid manifest Now in the next verse to the end of the chapter the Apostle to conquise to himselfe the beneuolence and good lyking of the Thessalonians why should not the teacher haue the good wil of his people whom he teaches lets them see all that he does is for their cause Wherefore sayes he vve also pray alvvaies for you that our God may make you vvorthy of this calling c. Well this sets out this part of the Minister as he teaches life to the people So let his prayer be euer to God to helpe them forward to that lyfe and glorie he speakes of This for his part Then ye see againe Prayer a meane to lyfe among all the meanes of bringing men to lyfe Prayer is one Thy ovvne prayer the prayer of the Pastour for thee I call it the meane not the cause for thy ovvne prayer vvill neuer merite Heauen albeit thou pray continuallie and be of that opinion that thy prayer vvill merite Heauen vaine art thou thou shalt neuer get it Yet the Lord hes appointed prayer as a meane to further men and wemen to Heauen If thou neglect thy duetie thou shalt neuer come to Heauen The Lord raise vs out of this beastlines and senslesnes that makes vs so vnwilling to pray Men will rise in the morning and go to bed at night without one motion of praier but if thou continue so thou shalt neuer come to Heauen for mark the Lords doing As the Lord hes ordained thee for life so he hes ordained thee a mid-way wherby he bids thee go forward to liâ—e If thou take not the straight way the Lord hes giuen thee but takâ—â— by rode of thy own thou shalt neuer come to Heauen What should keep Christ with vs but only this praier what should sanctifie al the speaches of our mouth actions of our hands but this continuall praying The remembring of this life should stir vs vp to prayer for it is and shall be found the way to that life But to come to the matter of his praier He saies for this cause we pray for you That God vvould make you vvorthy of his calling By this calling he meanes life euerlasting by the meane he vnderstandes the end for he takes not the word calling properly but he takes it for the end of our calling which is life euerlasting Then ye see he craues this life and glory at the handes of God Then Life euerlasting the gift of God learn This life euerlasting is the onely gift of God thou hast it not by nature in thy owne selfe it must be giuen thee as a free gift of God or thou shalt neuer get it Further I see one or two meanes whereby we must come to this life set down heere Before thou come to that lyfe thou must haue a calling to it albeit thou would reaue a kingdome here by tirannie yet thou shalt not come to this kingdome except thou haue a former calling to it And when hast thou this calling When this same word of the Gospell soundes in thy eare 〈…〉 and thou beleuest in it If thou lay not to thy eare here thou shalt neuer be called and lackest thou that calling by the word thou shalt neuer get life euerlasting Then the other thing I see here that goes before life and glorie is a vvorthinesse a dignitie ere thou enter in that kingdome thou must haue a worthinesse Who will choose a man to an earthly kingdome without dignitie and worthines Therefore he sayes that he vvould make you vvorthie O but vnderstand it is not my worthinesse nor thy worthinesse inherent in me or thee No it is that worthinesse of Christ Iesus that must be imputed to vs. Christs worthinesse must be imputed to vs and we clad with it When ye heare this word worthines in the Scripture take it neuer to be an inherent worthinesse in thee or in me but the worthinesse of that onely worthie one Christ the Lord made ours by faith Then to the words following He pointes out more clearelie this lyfe euerlasting and sayes That he vvould fulfill all his good pleasure Which good pleasure Which commes of his gentlenes and goodnesse Then he addes And that he would fulfill What a vvorke Whereof of faith After what maner vvith povver and might Then there must be a power or else faith will not be fulfilled Now to returne to euery word That he vvould fulfill Marke then Lyfe euerlasting glorie euerlasting is the accomplishment of a thing begun of the decree going before of lyfe euerlasting First there must be an entrie to it there must be a beâ—ginning going before and then life euerlasting commes on as fulfilling of the thing going before What is the thing that goes before It is his good pleasure By his good pleasure is vnderstood the decree of lyfe that was giuen out from all eternitie concerning his owne So lyfe euerlasting is but the accomplishment of a decree that was made in that glorious kingdome of Heauen before
al in al thy speaking and doing on the glorie of that God I confesse there are many impediments casten in betwixt thy eyes and the glorie of God but striue to get a sight of that glorie or else thou shall neuer be partaker of that glorie Thou may haue a shadow of glorie in the world for a while but as the must before the Sunne vanishes away so shall thou and thy glorie vanish away to thy euerlasting confusion if thou striue not to haue the glorie of God before thy eyes Then hes thou anie good graces in thy selfe giue God the glory What hast thou that thou hast not receyued 1. Cor. 4. 7. Giue him the glorie and praise of all if it were eating and drinking at thy dinner looke that thou eat to his glorie and drinke to his glorie 1. Cor. 10. 31. And say in the meane-tyme I doe not this so much to feede this mortall bodie as I doe it to glorifie thy Majestie When thou liues liue to him deying die to him consecrate thy life and death to him Fye on vs that can not learne to giue the glorie of all to our Redeemer As for mee brethren I craue nothing more nor that the glorie of God may shine before my eyes in my vocation that when I speake or thinke all maye be to his glorie that in the end I may haue this assurance that I shall bee glorified vvith him for euer But yet to sticke to the wordes He sayes not I giue thanks but vve giue thankes I and Siluanus and Timotheus giue thanks Hee sayes not for an handfull or a certaine nomber of you but for you all He sayes not for a tyme but alvvayes Marke all these wordes He sayes vve all and that for all vve thanke euer It is a large thanking and it testifies that the graces shovvne on the Thessalonians vvere large When the graces of God are shovvne on me on thee or on anie people thy heart must not bee narrovv but it must bee enlarged and thy mouth must be oppenned vvyde to praise and magnifie God the geuer of all Or else I assure thee vvhen his grace is large if thy heart be narrovv and thy mouth be oppenned but a little the Lord shal draw in his hand diminish his grace to thee So is sene of it in Edinburgh this day the graces of god on thee ô Edinburgh were large but thy heart was narrow and thy mouh was not oppened wide Therefore the Lord is pinching his graces if it so continew woe will be to thee Go this grace of the Ministrie away and the Lord close mens mouthes and let them not speak to thee all thy grace is gone and I thinke the Lord is beginning to pinche his graces on vs for that glorious Gospell which was preached with great libertie and was so powerfull in the land hes lost the power and the nomber of the godlie of the land is contracted for the one depends vpon the other therefore cry that the Lord may make his grace abound and that he would continew with vs the light of his Euangell Now to the next words He joynes with thankes-geuing prayer Praier ioyned vvith thāks-geuing Making mention of you in our prayers It is not aneugh to thank God for the grace that eyther we or others haue receyued but also thou must pray Cry for grace and continuance of grace for I assure thee if vvith thankes-geuing there be not prayer for continuance the grace receyued shall decay Amongst all the rest of the meanes the Lord hes appoynted for continuance of grace earnest prayer to God is an especiall meane So as thou vvouldst haue thy selfe standing in grace pray euer for grace for there is no moment but vve are readie to fall away except the Lord hold vs vp The meane to entertaine grace is earnest prayer The Lord holde vs vp and let vs not fall but if the meane be not vsed fall shall vve thogh all the vvorld had said the contrair It is to be marked farther He sayes in our prayers As hee would say in our daylie prayers we are accustomed to pray to God in our daylie prayers we forget you not but we remember you Marke this Brethren He is not meete to pray for others that can not pray for himselfe nor hes no acquaintance nor accesse to God Who can solist for any man when he hes no accesse to him vvhom hee folists Canst thou pray for me to my God and thou haue no accesse to him He vvho vvill pray for others must be vvell acquainted vvith God and haue a daylie accesse to him And hovv svveete a thing is it to haue familiar accesse to him for all the joy of the world is not comparable to that joy which the soule findes when it is exercised with the Lorde familiarlie for when thy heart is with him no doubt he is with thee Alasse beastlie man fy on thee that euer thou was borne and thou haue not that svveete sense of joy that flowes from the meditation on the Lord wilt thou let thy soule be euer stupide and senslesse vvilt thou neuer be a Citizen of Heauen expecting for the glorious comming of Christ but ay ly as a sowe muzling and grountling vpon the earth vvilt thou neuer look vp with thy eyes to Heauen vvilt thou ay be looking dovvn If thou doe so thou shalt fall dovvn at last to that euerlasting damnation The Lord raise vs vp for heauy are we we are dead lumps ay tending downward can get no rising vp the Lord raise vp our soules therfore to heuen Now followes the cause wherefore he rejoyses with them in the next verse Without ceasing remembring your effectuall faith That is one and diligent loue that is tvvo the third is and the patience of your hope in the Lord Iesus Christ in the sight of God euen our Father Heere brethren not to escape the wordes I see first an vncessant and perfite remembrance of the graces God hes geuen his people as Faith Charitie and Patience I see then in the example of Paul Siluanus and Timotheus that in the memorie and heart of the godlie the graces of God showen eyther on themselues or others makes a deepe impression when they see the graces of God they take a deepe apprehension of them In the wicked it is otherwise let God raine down graces from Heauen on them selues and others also as they come so they goe they remember neuer a good turne doen to them Now on this remembrance followes prayer they remember with joy euer praying remembring by night euer praying remēbring by day euer praying at lest in the hart if not outwardly in words Marke it a man that would pray wel to God must be of a good remembrance vvould thou pray well remember well Prepare thee to pray by remembrance of the blessings of God and pray then What matter hast thou of prayer when thou remembers not his blessings So all tends to this that thou
consolation or to thy damnation accordinglie as thou liuest and thou making men to follow thy euill example in doing shalt aggredge thy judgement looke how little a thing will do much euill we should then walke warelie this life will away blessed is he that can make his name to serue to the glorifying of God Thou Scotland hadst a glorious name in many Countreyes Scotlands glorious name the rose-garland of Scotland was the puritie of the Gospell of Christ taught therein and goe it away the Kings honour shall passe and I feare grace also shall goe avvay The Lord oppen mens eyes to see this and lette vs not lose this name vvhich vve haue in the mouthes of good men in other countries Novve the last vvordes of this verse That vve need not to speake any thing As he would say the fame of your faith spred so abroade that vvhere euer I come it mette me so that my mouth vvas closed that I needed not to speake of your graces The Apostle vvhen he had conuerted anie people he euer commended them to the people he vvent to and tolde of their graces as the Acts beares Novv comming to other Countries after the conuerting of the Thessalonians before he coulde speake one vvorde of them the brute of them mette him so the Thessalonians did holde in that parte of his trauaile It is most true the people may disburdeene the Pastor of many thinges for euerie one of them shoulde edifie an other as he preaches and edifyes in publict if euerie one of them would edifie others in priuate conference they vvoulde releeue him of a great burdene The end of his whole trauailes is to edifie and if euerie one of you edifie others yee releeue him of a great part of his burdene His office is to builde vp the house of the Lorde and euerie one of you is bound to take a stone in your armes to lay vpon the building and euerie one in their own vocation is bounde to helpe vp the building of the house of the Lord by conference communication and such other meanes But alas hovv is this practised in this nation they burdene the builder not onelie to build but also to build without an helper for none there is that builds with him The bloodie murtherer will come in with a foul slander and will beat down all that the builder hes builded in the hearts of many the foull adulterer with a foull slander and he will beat down that which the builder hes builded the blasphemer with a foull mouth and he will beat down that which is builded This is the fashioÌ„ of Scotland in building the house of the Lord. Woe to thee adulterer murtherer blasphemer c. thou art a destroier of the house of God and shalt be chalenged in that great day therefore Now he make 〈◊〉 more plain in the next verse I neded not to speak any thing for ereâ— open my mouth he or she comes to tel me that thing I should haue spoke so he brings in their narration vvich spoke of his labour in conuerting the Thessalonians For they themselues shevv vnto vs vvhat manner of entering vve had vnto you and hovv yeturned to God from Idols Ere they spoke of you Thessalonians they spoke of my selfe vvhat manner of entering I had amongst you vvith povverfull preaching and libertie as I haue tolde you before There is his part So that vvhere euer the Country-men amongst whom he was spoke to him of the Thessalonians and of the grace they receyued by his preaching they spake to him of him selfe of the grace God had geuen them by him The commendation of grace Commendation of the people pastor 〈◊〉 patience and charitie in the people should not be without commendation of the Pastor whom God hes imployed as his instrument to their well This commendation ye se beginnes at Paul they speake of the grace of God in him ere they speake of the Theslalonians And in that great day when the true praise shall be the people shall not be glorified without the Pastor If he hes had care in winning of you to Christ he shal be crowned standing by you Paul saith A Crovvn of righteousnesseâ—â— as laid vp for him 2. Tim 4. 8. and in this same Epist to the Thess 2. 19. What is my hope my ioy my Crovvâ— ye are my glory my ioy Meaning they could not be glorified without him and his glorie and joy consisted in their glorie All this telles vs in that great day what glorie and honour the faithfull Ministers of Christ shall haue for they shall shine as starres byde a little while it is not long to If thou be an instrument to make the people faithfull if they get a crowne thou shalt get a crowne also This for his own part Then he comes on to their part And as concerning you vvhere euer I trauelled they shevv me the manner of your conuersion and hovv ye turned from Idols to serue the true God So the thing that was reported to the Apostle of the Thessalonians is their turning Brethren the first effect that is required in a man or woman in this world is to turne them round about to turne their face where their backe was to turne them off the course they were on they are in an euill course running to destruction and their eye is on Hell There is the first effect of the Gospell Connersiâ— the first effects of the Gospel to turne them about to take their eye off the Deuill and set it on God thy heart thy soule and thy affection that is set on the Deuill must be turned about within thy breast and set on God if this turning be not wroght in thee by the Gospel looke not for grace remission of sinnes and lyfe euerlasting Art thou a murtherer and hast thy heart set on blood-shed at the hearing of the Gospell if thy heart be not turned thy sinne shall neuer be taken avvay He vvho is nevv comde from murther he vvill come in and holde vp his eare to the Gospell and heare of remission of sinnes and lyfe euerlasting through Christ and he will take all to him and in the meane tyme he will haue his foull heart stuffed with murther and reuenge Away with thee ô foole it is impossible to get pardon remission of sinnes when thy heart remaines yet vnturned from sinne thou hast no part in Iesus I debar thee from him Trowest thou to get remission and lyfe vvhen thy heart bydes vnturned lying still in that stincking filth In a vvord thou shalt get no effect of the Gospell except thy heart be turned to God So as thou vvoulde haue lyfe after this lyfe looke thy heart be turned avvay from sinne and turned to God So then there is the first effect that the Gospell vvorkes Parts of conuersion Repentance and turning Wherein stands it Looke to the vvordes it stands first in this pointe in leauing off Idols if thou be
day from the fearce wrath of God Consider this the world bindes vp mens eyes that they should not see Christes comming and it makes vs neuer to desire to heare nor know of an other life or of Christs comming Therefore take vp this necessitie and let all this lyfe be a preparation to a better life in al thy exercise in this life say Lord I am exercisde heere in this vocation or that vocation at thy command but Lord for all this bussines I am a pilgrime here my life is not in this world and my heart and eye is beyond this worlde vvith thee The Lord giue vs grace to haue this hope woe to that soule that must departe and hes no hope of a better life Now I will go forward in the Chapter following Wherein first the Apostle sets out a discourse of himselfe and of his own Ministrie and the successe the Lord gaue him in his Ministrie towards the Thessalonians This he telles in the two first verseâ— of this chapter Parts of the secoÌ„d Chap. Then he comes to the recounting of the graces of God wrought in them by his ministrie to the 17. verse Then vntill the end of the chapter he telles the great sorrow he had that he could not win to theÌ„ shewes the impediments Sathan vvithstoode him These are the three parts of the chapter To come to the first part he sayes For ye your selues knovve brethren that our entrance in vnto you vvas not in vaine When I came to Macedonia to vvin a number of soules that God had there my entrie was not in vaine without effect or power the reasone is in the next verse followinge For saieth hee vvee vvere boulde in our GOD to speake vnto you the Gospell of God vvith great stryuing The power of God vvas perceyued in my preaching and all my libertie in preaching of the gospell was of God He aggreadges this his libertie by telling of the stayes and impediments he got ere he came to them he suffered manie afflictions and was euill entertained at Philippi and comming to them he was not free of affliction but all his preaching was with fighting and daylie battell there is the meaning of these verses To come then shortlie to the lessons First Ise the people that hes beene grounded and edified in faith by the ministrie of the Pastor and by the grace and power of God they should not forget the graces of God they got by him and ere they should forget the Pastor him selfe is bound by the example of Paule for to stand vp and to bring them in remembrance of the grace not for his owne praise but for the glorie of God who hes geuen thee grace that the grace of God be not obscured but that his glorie may shine I will lay you a ground in the first Epistle Corinth 2. 4. 5. Your faith is builded vpon the power of God that is geuen to the Ministrie To the Ministrie yea to the Ministrie to the Ministrie man or else thou shalt neuer haue a ground of faith The Apostle sayes that your faith stands not in the vvisdome of men but vpon the povver of God And therefore brethren Faith stands vpon that same verie ground the power of God geuen to the Ministrie Thy eye should be drawn back to see the ground where-vpon thy faith hath beene grounded if thou forget to looke of it Pastors should draw thy 〈◊〉 about and let thee see that thy faith was grounded on the power of the word in the Ministrie I challenge your experience how oft ye remember the power of God in the ministrie whither ye rejoice or not saying well is me I haue not my faith grounded vpon the wisdom of man but vpon the power of God seeke it for the fondation of your faith that it be firme and sure for if thou haue not a sure foundation to ground thy faith on it shall fall And that thou may find it I counsell thee that thou neglect not the Pastor for if thou forget the Pastor his ministrie thou shalt not come to the fondation of thy faith I put it out of question the power of Gods word by his ministry is a ground wher vppon your faith is grounded If this ministrie go awaye faith saluation and all graces in this land will decay The second thing wheron stands this power is in the second verse It stands in a libertie boldnesse freedome in vttring the Gospell and speaking of Christ So brethren wher liberty wher boldnes in preaching the Gospell is there is effectualnes in it the man who hes this boldnes is a fectfull man his entry shall neuer be in vaine If the Lord giue thee libertie if all the worlde had said the contrair the effect shall not be in vaine and where the Lord geues not this libertie all the preaching is fectlesse and without frute I shall say nothing but that which Paul saieth where there is no liberty in the speaking of Iesus of his mercie and grace no freedome of mouth c. there is nothing but a dead Gospell Where there is no libertie in vsing all the parts of the ministrie in rebuking admonishing and comforting there is nothing but a dead Gospell I meane euer of a libertie grounded on God not on mans vaine affections where this liberte is not there is nothing but a dead ministrie I beleue this nation be come alreadie to the hight of this liberty not of the mouth only but of the heart And I think the Lord is binding vp the harts of men that they are not loused with that liberty if it were but in preaching the Gospel as they wer Lord be mercifull to vs. I beleue this worke be drawing to an end ye haue keped it long blessed shall they be that dies in the light And so when I looke a far off I pittie the posterity which appearantly shal be depâ—iued of that liberty al for our ingratitude we had a grace libertie which we contemned So God in justice is drawing it away Next marke againe In God sayes he not in man That is we vsed that libertie which God gaue vs. The libertie of the affection of man is nothing worth Looke then what euer be spoken by the Minister it be warranded by the word of God And looke againe that it ryse of the inward motions of the Spirite in the hart If a man speake of his owne priuate affection ô Lord if he should not haue a well sanctified affection that speaks in the name of the Lord it is better to him not to speake he indangers himselfe hes much to make account of But if thou hast warrands in the word break out with it with liberty for it is as great danger to thee to conceale it when thou hast a warrand as it is to speake it of thy owne affection And without question the Lord will controll them that will controll thy libertie here The Lord giue eyes to men that
shouldst seek to possesse is thy vessel thou cariest about with thee But how should thou possesse thy vessell First he showes after what maner they should possesse it and then after what maner they should not possesse it The maner how to possesse it is vvith holinesse and honour Fy on thee thou wilt keepe thy pot or thy pan cleane to thy meat the vyllest vessell in thy house thou wilt keepe it cleane Maner of possessing the vessell of the bodie and will haue it washen euerie day once and yet thou wilt not be carefull to keep cleane that vessell that keepes thy soule And yet more It is not enâ—ugh to keepe it cleane but thou must keep it in honour There are sundrie sort of vessels in an house some vessels to dishonor and some to honour They that are euen to dishonour must be keeped cleane but they that are to honour must both be keeped cleane and in honour Thy bodie which is the vessell of thy soule shoulde not be keeped cleane onely but in honour also for it is the vessell of a honourable soule Yea Paul sayes 1. Cor. 6. 19. It is the dvvelling of the holie Spirit which is more nor thy soule Thy body is dearer boght nor al the vessels in this earth it is boght with the precious bloud of Christ fy on thee who pollutes and defiles the bodie which is boght with so precious a bloude Aske some men and say to them why defilest thou thy bodie He will ansvvere My bodie is my ovvne But I say to thee thy body is not thy ovvn it is Christs he hes boght it vvith his precious bloude if it be not Christs it is the Deuils and he shall possesse it in the end And therefore seeing that bodie of thine is the Temple of the holie Spirit boght vvith the bloud of Christ keep it in holinesse and honour and if there were no more to moue thee but because it is the vessell of the soule thou should keepe it holie and cleane For an harlots bodie as a priuy stincks so in the nose of the soule that the soule shall say Lord if I vvere out of this stinking bodie O hovv much more vvill it stincke in the nose of the Lord. And vvhosoeuer keepes their bodies cleane all that they haue is cleane their heritage their moueables and vnmoueables all are cleane and honourable but if thy bodie be polluted thou art foull all is foull put thy finger to thy meate it fyles it all that goes out of thy body is foull stinking and polluted the verie earth thou goest on thou fylest it with thy foull feete albeit they be finelie decored and it grones vnder thee because thou art heauie to it The Lord let vs see this and giue vs grace to abstaine from this filthie vice harlotrie Trowest thou thy vvhorishe eyes shall see that faire glorious face of God No no they shall not see it Cry for the grace of sanctification and for the bloud of Christ that all may be cleansed and thou â—n the end may win to the end of the rinke euen Christ and liue in him and be cleansed in him Now to the next verse which containes the vvrong vvay of possessing thy bodie The vvordes are Not in the lust of concupiscence There is the vvrong vvay Weigh the vvordes Not vvith the passion The vvorde passion signifies a firy flame which breakes out of the bodie inflamed vvith foull lustes vvhich proceedes from the heart and settes the bodie in a fire The lust beginnes at the heart and breakes out through the whole members of the bodie vvith extreame passions and the bodie so exercised is a sicke and suffering bodie the bodie of an harlote is the seekest bodie that goes it is brunt vp vvith a fire within The thing that is enemie to the bodie is sicknesse and passions And therefore who euer would possesse their bodie well they must be carefull to keep the bodie from sicknesse and passions Novv among all the sicknesses that can come to a man the sicknesse of foull lust is the vvorst and most consuming sicknesse another sicknesse may well waste the moisture of the bodie but if thou be sanctified the Lorde shall make it a meane to sanctifie thee And oft times there vvill not be a â—holier bodie nor that bodie that is lying in sicknesse but this sicknesse of luste not onely vvastes the substance of the bodie and dryes it vp but it destroyes the holinesse and honour thou shouldest haue it is an enemie to holinesse It is a sicknesse that vvill neuer sanctifie thy bodie but destroy it and the longer thou ly in that sicknesse the fouller and vnholier art thou This is the nature of the sicknesse thou shalt not onely be consumed in bodie with sicknesse but thou shalt lose thy holinesse in thy soule And this is a fore matter A sicke man in another sicknesse vvill cry to the Lord for comfort but in the sicknesse of harlotrie he vvill neuer haue a voice to cry vnto the Lord for mercie if he repent not So abhorre this sicknesse aboue all other sicknesses The Lord makes all sicknesses and deathe to vvorke to the best to his ovvne but this sicknesse destroyes the soule and the bodie altogether Novv to moue men to abhorre this sicknesse He bringes in the ensample of the Gentiles and he sayes euen as the Gentiles vvho knevv not God As he vvoulde say It is a shame to you to be like the Gentiles among vvhom this foull vyce raigne first It is shame to you vvho are called to this holinesse to be lyke these foull Gentiles Brethren a bodie vvho sees not God nor Christ is a prophaine blinded bodie And he seeing a murtherer going before him in murther a thiefe in thiefrie he vvill follovv and committe the lyke vvickednesse and so the blinde following the blinde both falles in the pit together But he vvho hes gotten a sight of God and a glance of the glorious face of Iesus Christ in vvhose face the glorie of that Majestie shinnes vvhen he seeth an harlote he vvill bee so farre from following him that he will scarcelie looke to him but he vvill abhorre and detest him For in the light of the face of God that a man sees in the face of Iesus Christ as in a faire mirrour he will see the filthinesse and foulnesse of sinne None knowes how great a sinne the sinne of filthinesse and blasphemie c. is but that soule that lookes in the glorious face of Iesus Christ That mirrour is so faire and glancing that looking thereto and in it seeing the foulnesse of sinne he will be mooued to hate and detest sinne and darknesse And I say there are none who are truelie illuminated with the light of God but the more they see Idolatrie harlotrie and sinne the more they deteste them It will neuer giue me in my mynde that they who will go out of this land and at the first hand can find in their hart to
speaking of that day of judgement 2. Cor. 5. 11. he vtters the feare he had of it himselfe Knovving saies he the terrors of the Lord vve bring men to the Lord that when he shall come in that terrible judgment we may finde mercy Be not sensles at the threatning of God If men had not bene seusles at the judgemeÌ„ts of God by famine these yeers bygone this Pest had not comde if theribe not yet a greater fear of God he shal strik on with his judgmeÌ„ts Next I mark of this place Who is it that is comforted against Gods judgementes Consolations belong only to the godlie To whom belongs consolations promises and speaches of comfort in the Scriptures Speakes the Apostle to the Heathen that ly in ignorance and not conuerted to the faith of Christ They feared not where there is no feare nor down casting it is foolishnesse to comfort Whereto shold I comfort them who are lifted vp in pride wherto shold I prease to lift vp him who is ouer high and conceatie alreadie So consolation raising vp of the heart promises of God that serues to consolation pertaines nothing to the wicked that hes no sense of miserie and lyes in ignorance of God nothing pertaines to them but threatning vpon threatning judgement vpon judgement And when they say Peace and all things sure I may say a sudden destruction shall ouertake them And to the men in this land lying in a dead sleepe of this fleshly securitie and crying Peace when they are in the midst of harlotrie of murther c. I say a sudden destruction and vengence shall fall on them This shall euer be my cry vntill they feare and trimble and haue a sense of their miserie neuer another word to them but judgement out of my mouth Should I say to a man lying in darknesse brother ye are in the light judgement shall not come on you No no But I will say the Lord shall come suddenly on thee with judgement to destroy thee So consolation pertaines to the godly onely and who euer ye be that feares not Gods judgements I bidde you in Gods name take no promise of comfort to you no consolation vntill ye be touched with a sense of miserie and feele your sins Then to whom pertaines all the promises of consolation in the word of God To the godly onely who hes their eyes opened to see God in the face of Christ hes their heart opened to feele the grace of God through Christ to them they appertaine And therefore ye shall finde in all the Prophetes when a judgement is threatned immediately after the threatning they subjoine a sweet consolation to the godly least they should think the judgment to pertaine to them The third thing I note Marke the cause heere wherefore the Thessalonians shall escape that sudden destruction Because ye are not in darknesse Knovveledge of God in Christ the cause of escaping iudgement sayes he therefore that sudden destruction shall not ouertake you Marke this cause The ground of escaping this judgement is to be fred of darknesse to be fred of this grosse ignorance wherein we are inuolued by nature and to be translated to the light of God vvherein we may see the face of Christ and Heauen and the glorie thereof There is the ground Whosoeuer shall be found lying in darknesse at Christes comming albeit they be found lying waking and looking vp with bodilie eyes 〈…〉 yet if they be in blindnesse in the soule so that they can see nothing in Heauen God nor Christ judgement and destruction suddenlie shall ouertake them and all their braines shall be beaten out ere they get leasure to cry God mercie But againe who euer they be that at Christes comming shall be found in the light with the knowledge of God and Iesus Christ with some sight of Heauen they shall escape and shall liue eternally When the thiefe breakes in in an house whom is it that he suddenly oppresses Whom but these whom he findes sleeping with their eyes closed he will cut their throats ere they be wakned But when he breaks in on an house and they who are in the house be waking on their guard and ready for the danger then the thief shal not preuaile They will eschew the danger so shal it be at Christs comming if he find thee sleeping sudden destruction shall ouertake thee if he finde thee waking ready for the danger thou shalt escape and liue So ye see how needfull a thing it is to haue knowledge and light that euery man may be saued O what it is to knovve God to knowe Christ to get a â—ight of Heauen and of the lyfe to come Thy safetie consistes in it Then againe see how dangerous a thing is ignorance and specially the ignorance of God to put off the day and the night in ignorance of God Giue thee goode cheare rest play honour in the world thou wilt put off one day two daies three daies thou wilt say what care I more but woe to thee when Christ commes thou will be sleeping in â—inne sudden destruction shall ouertake thee all this tendes to this end ly not in drunkennesse get knovveldge out of the vvorde knovve God in tyme knovve him in mercie If thou knowe him not in mercy in this lyfe thou shalt feele him in judgement at that great day of Iudgement The Lord giue euerie one of vs grace to know him that hauing the right knowledge of him which leads to saluation we may at his comming be elected of him to raign in his euerlasting glory in the Heauens Novv that vvhich he had said before of darknesse in the next verse he makes it more plaine and sayes for ye are the children of light and of the day That is to say the fairest light that can be possible For vvhat in this vvorlde is fairer nor the light of the Sunne and day light As he vvoulde say ye are not in the common light but in the light of the Sunne that shynes most cleare ye are not children of the night but of the day These tvvo vvill neuer stande together to be the chylde of the night and of darknesse and to be the chylde of the light and of the day If thou be the chylde of light and day it is impossible to thee for to be the chylde of the night and darkenesse And if thou be the chylde of the night and darknesse it is impossible thou can bee the chylde of the day and light These tvvo can neuer agree both together Tvvo Kingdomes cannot stand in thee If God raigne not in thee the Deuill must raigne in thee and if God raigne in thee the Deuill cannot raigne in thee Indeed so long as vve are heere light and darknesse may be both in vs for vvee are neuer free of this darkenesse neyther is this light of God persite in vs but both cannot raigne together in vs but hovvbeit darknesse be in thee yet it hes no dominion ouer thee
Gospell The villane cares not to commit filthinesse in Gods presence he looking to vs viuely in the Gospell Well were it to thee thou hadst neuer heard of Christ and the Gospell Then more tolerable might thou haue sinned But when in the face of God and christ and in the face of the Gospell thou committes such sin how can it â—e but thy sinne is a thousand tymesâ— greater nor the sin of the Gentiles and thy damnation ten thousand tymes heauier And in Hell they that so sinnes shall curse the tyme that euer they heard the Gospell saying Woe to me I haue sinned in the face of Christ and the Gospell Be ware of this the greater grace the greater contempt thereof the greater judgement and damnation for it No not so much shalt thou be punished for being a thief a murtherer c. as for that will the Lord say thou spat in my face And therefore we ought instantly to seeke God to giue vs grace to reforme vs from this wilfull contempt in the cleare light of the Gospell To this God be glorie for euer Amen THE XXI LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 5. vers 8. 9. 10. 8 But let vs vvhich are of the day be sober putting on the brest-plate of faith and loue and the hope of saluation for an helmet 9 For God hath not appointed vs vnto vvraith but to obtaine saluation by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ 10 Which died for vs that vvhether vve vvake or sleepe vve shold liue together vvith him THE last exhortation of the Apostle brethren vnto the Thessalonians was that they should not sleepe nor be drunken but by the contrare they shold wake and be sober Two things are forbidden sleeping and drunkennesse Two things recommended waking and sobrietie the sleeping which he meanes is properlie a spirituall sleepe when the soule sleepes in a deadlie securitie Drunkennesse is not so much this bodily drunkennesse which is also forbidden as the drunkennes of the soule when the soule takes a surfet of these earthlie thinges so that it hes not the care not sense of that life but is set altogether on vain pleasures The waking he recommends is a spirituall waking wakrifenesse in soule when the senses of the soule are opened the eie of the soul to looke to the face of Christ to the glorie and life to come the care of the soule likewise opened to heare and receiue inwardly the Gospell which is the word of God vttered by the Minister The sobriety that is recommended is properly that teÌ„perance of the soule when the soule is content with a moderation of the things of this world and vses this world as thogh it vsed it not not passing the bounds of rejoicing in this life but setting the joy and pleasure on the life to come that is the inwarde sobriety of the spirituall man Now when he hes set down his exhortation he subjoines reasons thereto and the first reason to moue them not to sleepe not to be drunken is in respect of the time wherin they are and for the inconuenience of the time It is no time to be drunkeÌ„ he that sleeps sleeps in the night they that are drunken are drunkeÌ„ in the night No night now since Christ is come in the world there is a continuall daylight And therfore since it is not night it sets not you to sleep and to be drunken as if it were night For in all the actiones in this lyfe we ought to haue a speciall regarde of the tyme wherein we doe any thing and specially of these two tymes the day and the night The actiones that becommes the day settes not the night and by the contrare the actions of the night sets not to be done in the day The Lord so distributes the doings of men that he hes giuen the night his actiones and the day his actiones and in a maner it is a confusion of nature and of the ordinance of God to doe the actiones of the day in the night and the actiones of the night in the day and a kinde of beastlinesse But to come to this text In the first verse we haue red the Apostle giues the reason wherefore they should wake as he gaue the reason wherefore they should not be drunken It is in respect of the estate vvherein they stand presentlie But â—e are the children of the day Therefore ye should be vigilant and sober Euen as in all our doinges the tyme of doing is to be respected if we should doe euerie thing in the owne tyme that God hes appointed thereto So the condition of men and women who does any thing should be regarded in their doinges euerie one should doe as becommes their estate condition and calling thou that art of a calling should not do that which pertaines to another of another calling thy actions should be in that calling God hes placed thee in Now there are two sortes of estates and conditions of men in this world especiallie to be considered The first the estate of the children of light The second the estate of the children of darknes there are none but of necessity they are of one of these conditions Either they are the childreÌ„ of the night or else the children of the day Chuse thee if thou be not the childe of the night thou art the childe of the day if thou be not the childe of the day thou art the childe of the night if thou be not Gods thou art the Deuils In all the doings and actions of this life men does according to one of these two estates If thou be the childe of darknes be drunken on for in spite of thy teeth if thou be the childe of darknes thou shalt be drunkeÌ„ both in soule and body if thou be the childe of God doe as besets thy estate sleep not but wake wake in the spirit and soule and haue the inward senses of thy soule open If thou be the childe of the light and day be not drunken either in soule or body for none of them becommes the childe of the day If thou take vpon thee to be the childe of the day and light and giue thy self our to be a Christian and yet will sleepe and be drunken in thy soule and haue thy senses closed and haue no more of the childe of light but the baâ—e name it is better to be without it for the very name will aggreadge thy sin before the Iudge and in the latter day it will stand vp and testify in thy face against thee as it will aggreadge thy sin so it will make thy damnation the greater Wheras the judgmeÌ„t of a Gentile who took on him the name of dark-and not of light shal be tolerable in a maner thy judgment shal be intolerable and double A murtherer who bears the name of a christian commits double murther and therfore his judgement is double an harlot who takes the name
is a labourer but a honourable labourer Euen so euerie one that labours and hes offices in the Church are laborers but yet they are honorable laborers So the Ministers are laborers but honorable laborers for he is ouer thee and is thy superior And he hes a burdeene but a honorable burdeene and at the appearance of Iesus Christ in spyte of thee that contemnes him thou shalt see his honor and glory and thou shalt wonder at that day that euer he shold be promoued to that honor for he shall shine in the Heauen as a star this shall stand in despyte of the world Well come on now to the duetie of the people to their Pastor A Kings Master-houshold will be accounted of the Master-housholde of Christes Church what maner of honour shold ye haue him in Dueties of the people to the Pastor The first words that expresses the duety of the flock are knovve them misknowe them not The people would misknow them very faine yet what knowing is this It is the knowledge of the mind when in mind we take vp know that calling of the Ministry to be the Pastor by Iesus Christ the great Pastor to the Church to be a dispenser of the misteries of God and the in searchable riches of Christ such a dispenser as neuer was in the world not of bread and drinke as these world lie stewards No but of the insearchable riches of Christ and that to saluation and feeding of the soule to that life euerlasting wherin soule and body shal liue for euer This is the knowing be speaks of heere What more It is not a simple knowledge to know that he is a Minister but with knowing to joine reuerence giue him his own honor Paul 1. Cor. 4. 1. saies Let a man count of him not as thou couâ—â—s of Christ but count of him as a Minister and dispenser of the misteries of Christ giue him no more and cursed be that beast of Rome that wold take the place and honor of Christ on him Now this part of duety of the flock in reuerencing of the Pastor is answerable to that part of the calling of the Pastor he is a superior a superiority craues reuerence who euer he be that is a superior whether in families citties or common-wels or in Church if he be set ouer you honor him this is the ordinance of the Lord if the Lord haue set him ouer you honor him look not to the man but to the Lords ordinance And this I continuallie persaue there is a naturall hatred and contempt in the hearts of the people euer toward any superior whether in Church or Policy a naturall ioâ—y we are bred with it and we entertaine it and incresse it Thou hast a naturall hatred against thy superiour if thou wert neuer so good if thou wouldst faine haue him away if thou wouldst cast of all yock but this is a thing the Lord is offended with For I affirme this all superiour powers that are set ouer vs whether in Church or Policie reuerence and honor is craued to them God ordaines it and God will auenge the contempt thereof Now to speake generallie There are tvvo sortes of superiours One in the Policie ouer the bodies of men in the world another superiour in the Church of God which is nothing else but a stewartrie Now say I reuerence should be euer giuen to both reuerence the Magistrat whisper not against him but reuerence him if it be possible holde out euill thoughts out of thy heart let be euill wordes in thy mouth honour all beginne at the King and come to the lowest honour euery one in their owne ranke Againe in the Church honour the Ministrie as stewartes in a great familie the familie of the Lord of Lordes honour him as a faithfull stewart in the house of the Lord. If yee compare these two together euery one of them are bound to reuerence other the Politick Magistrate to reuerence the superiours in the Church Againe the superiours in the Church to reuerence the ciuile Magistrate I tell you my minde mutuallie they are superiours to others The Church man is inferiour to the Magistrate in things ciuile and therefore as a common man is bound to reuerence him and should teach all reuerence to them in that estate And by the contrare the Magistrate if it were the King shoulde be ruled by the Minister in thinges spirituall and he who is a stewart in the Church of God the King is bound to take out of his hand the thing wherevpon his soule feedes and so he and all other Magistrates are bound to reuerence him as Gods stewart If this mutuall reuerence were keeped well were it to Church and Commonwel but where it is not keeped no well in Church nor Policie and I shall craue euer to get this mutuall reuerence keeped and my trauell and exercise hes been this yeere bygone to get it keeped God is my witnesse Now this is for the first part of the duetie of the people The second thing he sayes haue them in singulare loue for their vvorker sake Not in a common loue but in a singulare loue it includes all the whole affectiones of the heart and yet there is more to be vnderstood heere the consequentes of this loue and the effects that followe therevpon If loue be in the heart it will break out in the hand So there are two thinges heere The one the singular loue in the heart the other the outward good deed in the hand If the Ministers giue to you thinges spirituall to enterteine the heauenly lyfe is it a great matter to you to giue them thinges temporall thinges to enterteine this fraile lyfe Now brethren this point of the duetie of the people answeres to that parte of the duetie of the Pastour which standes in labour A labourer would haue loue of them he labours for if it were but the seruant that labours in your kitching ye ought to loue him loue them who loues you Now he who labours not in a vyle office but in an honourable labour to your saluation how much more should ye esteeme of him honourablie and reuerence him An honourable labour woulde be honourablie handled Ye see the meeting that the Apostle craues The Pastour lyes vnder a burdeene and an honourable burdeene On the peoples parte he craues a meeting because the burdeene is honourable and the Pastour should haue preferment therefore he craues reuerence And because the Pastour labours therefore he cranes loue and entertaining of the people It is a common saying Friendship wil not stand long on the one side If this meeting be not of the people to the Pastor the Ministry cannot staÌ„d and the men cannot be able to beare the burdeene Brethren what shal I say alas experience telles vs for fault of this meeting on the part of the people and specially of these in Policie to whom this matter appertaines this Ministry is not like for to stand And I
follow on and keep it in our hart There are two needs of praier One need of grace another need to keep the grace we haue receiued So there is two sorts of begging the first is for grace the next is for keeping of the grace Neuer wearie to aske The Lord wold haue thee euer begging Ay say Lord giue me Then say Lord keepe this grace thou hast giuen me otherwaies I will lose it For I assure thee if the Lords hand be not euerie moment holding grace in thy hart thou art ay ready to lose it Therefore the Apostle sayes Pray continually Alas if we knew what thing we are bound to we would discharge a better duety to our God we should not passe the time in playing but we should pray continually Ye vvill thinke it an hard thing to be euer praying ye vvill say should we do no other thing but ay pray should this be our exercise continually Take heed By praying is vnderstood not preceesly this outward forme of prayer the falling down on our knees the lifting vp of our hands and eyes so that we do not another turne No I meane not so Thou hast a lawfull vocation go win thy liuing according to thy calling He that said Pray continually The same said Go labour and win thy liuing otherwaies thou shalt not eat Avvay vvith Munkries and Nunries Then when continuall prayer is craued no other thing is craued but that thy hart and minde be euer exercised on God Let thy hart and contemplation of thy mynde be euer on him be neuer so distracted with any exercise of the world but keep God euer in some measure before thy eyes seeking his grace and blessing to thy exercise When thou art busiest in thy exercise let thy hart be seeking blessing thereto Paul saies 1. Cor. 10. chap. 31. verse Whether ye eat or drinke or what euer ye do all to the glory of God If I eat to the glory of God my hart must be blessing thanking him for the benefit receiued seeking a blessing of him that it may doe me good desyring also that heauenly foode I tell thee this earthly foode should be nothing else to thee but a remembrance of heauenly things and of Christ that is onely the foode of the soule Then in all thy exercises euer hold thy hart on God let thy hart be praying when thy tongue is speaking of these thinges that concernes thy exercise so thy exercise shall be in the Lord. The Apostle vses to say do this and do that in the Lord. What means he but only in that doing thy hart shold be set on the Lord Ay enterteine Gods Spirit Thinke not that the exercising of the hart on Christ shal hinder thee in any thing in thy exercise No but by the contrare the face of God looking on thee it brings blessing keep him in thy eie and think on him and so thy exercise shall be sweete keepe God in thy eye and thou shalt finde a wonderfull joy and an helpe in thy exercise Now I end with this prayer Lord seeing there is no blessing but when we keep Iesus Christ in our eyes Lord grant that the face of Christ go neuer out of our eyes let neuer the remembrance of Iesus depart from vs. To this Christ be honour and glorie for euer AMEN THE XXV LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 5. vers 18. 19. 18 In all thinges giue thankes for this is the vvill of God in Christ Iesus tovvard you 19 Quench not the Spirit THE last part of this Epistle Brethren which we haue in hand presently stands in an exhortation to an holie lyfe and conuersation vvorthie of the Lord Iesus Christ The last day we shew you there are three preceptes joyned together the precepte of patience to beare vvrong and injuries in this vvorlde patientlie and not to rander euill for euill as we are bent by nature but to do good for euill Then next the precept of joy the inward joy and peace of soule and conscience that passes all vnderstanding that euermore we shold rejoyce And last the precept of prayer which standes in two partes the one in seeking at the hands of God the other in thanking him for the grace receiued at his handes We shew you that conjunction that is among these graces patience joy and prayer patience is the effect of joy and the inward joy that is heauenly and spirituall is the meane to enterteine patience and to make a man beare patiently the wrongs he suffers in this present world for in a maner it rauishes him vp aboue the world and all thinges in the world and makes him to looke ouer all these earthly thinges and injuries that falles out in the world as though they were not and in some measure he hes his contemplation with God in Heauen So that the joy he hes will swallow vp all these earthly troubles and the life of God in him will swallow vp mortalitie and death Againe praier is the meane to enterteine that joy we haue with God for it keeps Gods presence and the face of Iesus in our sight and the face of Iesus is so joyfull as no tongue can tell For all the light and joy we haue in our harts proceedes from the face of Iesus and from the face of God in Christ and then it shynes on vs. And this face of Iesus it shines in the Gospell And therefore blessed were we if we could looke euer in the mirrour of the Gospell where we shall get this light and the face of Christ that makes vs rejoyce it appeares in a mirrour now but we shall see him face to face when the body of Iesus shall be perfect all is but a beginning now that we haue here he is far from vs and al the sight we haue of him is but a blenke let euery one looke to experience there are so many thinges goes in betweene vs and him that we can skarcely keepe his face in the which standes our joy Alwaies it is prayer that enterteines this presence of God looke to it by experience take away prayer that men pray not to God take away mediatation and thanking of God take away this communing with God it shall passe thy power to haue any presence of him and without his presence no joy in him Then shortly to come to the matter in hand This prayer consistes in two parter In asking and seeking at him according to the needs and misters we haue we are ful of wants and misters There is none of vs all from the greatest to the lowest from the King to the begger but great is the need we haue so euery one of vs hes need to be begging neuer was there a begger at our doore that hes so great neede to beg as we haue neede to beg at Gods hand beg things spirituall and things temporall things for this life things for the life to come for if we beg not we
as it were in a mirror I may see or thou may see Christ comming to judge the world to render to euery one according to their deserts for looke how I or thou may reason When I see a person troubled for righteousnes sake I will conclude here is an innocent man here are godly people troubled wrongously therefore of necessitie there must be a judgement wherein all ods must be made euen I looke certainly for a judgement to come God cannot be God if there be not a judgement wherein he shall be anenged for the wrong done to this man I will not conclude a particulare and an earthly judgement I will not say when I see a godly man troubled therefore the troublers of him shall be plagued ere they go off the world it is ouer high Indeede the Prophetes of olde had this reuelation but it is ouer high for vs because experience in all ages hes proued that some of the greatest persecutors hes died in peace and no visible judgement hes ouertaine them heere But this I am sure of when I see godly men opprest I may say there shall be a day of generall judgement vvherein God shall be anenged of the persecutours if repentance interceede not Novv vvold ye knovv any token that Christ shall come againe and put an end to the vvorld and that there shall be a generall judgement Looke if ye see or heare tel that the godly and innocent are troubled in the world take that for as sure an argument as can be that a generall judgment shal be And as surely as the master is comming after the forerunner as surely shall the general judgment come after the suffring of the godly they must dravv on a judgment and at the last they must draw Christ out of Heauen to take vpon him the place of a Iudge to rander to euery man according to his doing Now another thing He comfortes them taking his reason from the generall judgement he telles them there shall be a terrible judgement when a terrible judge shall come and sit downe in a judgement seat What comfort is this Ye see many vvill shake and shudder when they heare of it and faine would desire neuer to heare of it It is true the promise of the generall judgement will neuer comfort the wicked and they that troubles others the more that they heare of it the more will they trimble and shiuer But it is as true that the most comfortable voice they that suffers wrong can heare is the hearing of the comming of Christ in that latter day and it is the matter of patience it vvill make them ly vnder affliction with exceeding joy the thought of the comming of Christ giues patience in all troubles and this may be found in experience the cheefe joy of the godly is the remembring of Christs comming It is not mens judgement their absolution and condemnation that we should stand vpon What cares me if all the world would absolue me if I be condemned by God And againe vvhat careâ— me if all the vvorld condemne me if God absolue me It is not mens absoluing or condemning that bringes the true joy or heauinesse to the hart but it is Gods absolution and condemnation that will doe this And therefore as thou would haue comfort in that terrible judgment doe well and suffer wrong and byde patiently for surely it will not be long there is such a crying of bloude and such vvronges in this vvorld that truelie in this decrepite age Christ must come shortlie Then this is the first argument of consolation The other is more effectuall I shall touch it Ye that suffers shall be thought vvorthie of the kingdome of God for the vvhich ye suffer He commes nearer as he would say ye haue no cause to trimble and feare ye shall be absoluted from that terrible judgement and ye shall be counted worthie of the kingdome of God The enemies of the trueth gathers of these words that there is a merite and worthinesse for suffering But Paul Rom. chap. 8. verse 18. sayes All this suffering is not vvorthie this vveight of glorie So I answere This worthinesse is not our owne but that which is Christs worthines and properly pertaines to him heere is improperly ascryued to vs for throgh that strate conjunction we haue with Christ he and we are made one and therefore his graces after a sort are ascriued to vs. I hauing Christ may challenge his merite and worthines his graces that he hes conquised as life euerlasting c. to me as euer man might challenge any land or heritage Therefore gather not here any worthines simplie without Christ Alwayes I see the cheefe cause of consolation to the godly that suffers here is not so much that the wicked shall be punished for euer as that the godly shal be adjudged to glory There is the cheefe ground of my consolation Let a man doe all the euill he can to me my comfort is not that he shal be punished at that latter day but that then God shall glorifie me at that latter day Desire not so much the latter judgement that then the wicked may be punished as that thou may be glorified Look Gods purpose he hes appointed this latter day onely to this end that the godly may be glorified The other end of the punishment of the offenders is not the cheefe end for the cheefe end that God looks to is that he may be glorified in mercy It is true he will be glorified in justice but he delytes most to be glorified in mercy He seeks to be glorified in all his properperties in his wisdome power c. But the mercy of the Lord passes all and he seekes aboue all that his glory should shyne in his mercy toward sinners And certainely Christ was sent in the world that his glory should shine in mercy His preaching was to mercy God hes greater glory in sauing one sinfull soule in Christ nor he hes in condemning of millions of the wicked So brethren wonder not that many goes to Hell but wonder that euer a sinner should be safe and maruell more at the mercy of God in sauing of one sinner nor at his justice in the perdition of ten thousands So the mercy of God is wonderfull his power and all is wonderfull but his mercy passes all his properties To him be glory for euer AMEN THE SECOND LECTVRE VPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 2. THESSA CHAP. 1. vers 6. 7. 8 9. 6 For it is a righteous thing vvith God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you 7 And to you vvhich are troubled rest vvith vs vvhen the Lord Iesus shall shovv himselfe from heauen vvith his mighty Angels 8 In flaming fire rendring vengence vnto them that doe not knovv God and vvhich obey not vnto the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ 9 Which shall be punished vvith euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of
This is in effect that same which he spok of before euen the glorifying of God for it is one thing the Lord to be glorified and to wonder at him The meaning is shortly When he shall come First he shal make the faithful wonderful in the sight of the world and then in their wonderfulnes all the world shall wonder at him who hes made them wonderfull Now marke The Lord Iesus in Esay 9. chap. 6. vers among all the names he gets there he is called the vvonderfull and the maruellous one Now this name in effect shal show the selfcheefly in that day of judgement for cheefly in that day Christ shall be wonderful and all the world shall wonder at him It is but a litle wondring we haue here Christ at his comming vvoÌ„derfull Ye know wondring presuppones nouelties things of exceeding great importance Then it must followe that the Lord Iesus at that day shall be reueiled to the world in such a wonderful glory at neuer man nor Angel saw yetâ— it shal be such a glory as neuer eye saw ear heard or once entered into the hart of man as the Apostle â—aies 1. Cor. 2. chap. 9. vers They who saw him â—â—aniâ—ed in a vyle habite judged condemned scourged and crucified vnder Pontius Pilat they shall wonder when they shall see that Lord whom they thoght once so vile raised vp and exalted to such a sublimity and hight of glory Pilat then shal wonder the Priests shall wonder they that with their wicked handâ— crucified him shall wonder at that day And in one word there shall be nothing in that day in Heauen and earth but a wondering at the Lord Iesus Christ and his Saintes glorified Ye see here next the cheefe mean that shall make the Lord wonderful to be the wonderfulnesse of the glorie of his Saintes and elect whom in that day he shall make wonderfull The world shall looke in and wonder at them and then they shall looke to the Iudge and wonder at him Then in that day they who hes beleued in Iesus in this life looke what faith brings with it shall be blessed and made glorious For first these faithfull shall be made so maruelous in glory that they shall astonish the whole world I tell thee more when thou shalt be so translated when thy vyle bodie shall be so changed thou shalt wonder at thy selfe for the eare hath not heard the eye hath not seene c. that wonderfull glorie which then thou shalt enjoy As for the wicked of the world the troublers and afflicters of the godly when they shall looke to any one of the glorious elect they shall weepe and wonder This is set downe in the 5. chapter of the booke of wisdome albeit Apocrypha First they shall mourne and weepe when they shall see the glorie of the godly and say O we fooles and sensles bodies esteemed we not the life of these godly in the world a miserable lyfe Then they shall come on with wondering How is this that this vyle bodie so shynes and that he is so exalted So they shall both mourne at this sight and wonder and vveeping and vvondering they shall count themselues to haue bene fooles and sensles bodies The Lord giue vs grace to seeke that true wisdome in tyme. For certainly that true wisdome is esteemed foolishnesse in this world and he that would be wise let him be a foole first he shall neuer be counted wise that day except he haue bene a foole first and humbled vnder this foolish preaching of the Gospell It is true the condemnation of the reprobate shall be a meane to make the world wonder and to make the Iudge wonderfull O the paines that shall be inflicted on the reprobate shall be wonderfull and they shall be set vp as spectacles of shame at that day and the godly shall wonder at their shame and confusion O wonderfull shall that weightinesse of judgement be they shall wonder that euer there should be such a wraith in God they shall wonder that euer the arme of God should be so heauy vpon them O Hell is lighted now will they say the wraith of God is lighted now O what a masse and weight of wraith is this that we see now Men will now leape here and there and make litle count of the weightinesse of the Lords hand and securely contemne threatnings and judgement but in that day to their euerlasting woe they shall finde it the heauiest thing that euer was for by the weight of it they shall be so pressed downe that they shall neuer be able to prease vp againe Alas what a dead senslesnesse is this of men in this world that they regarde neither Heauen noâ— Hell liuing like beastes and not as men Lord waken vs in tyme to acknowledge these thinges Now to goe forward Who are these that shall be made wonderfull that in them the Lord Iesus may be made wonderfull In one word He calles them beleeuers a base and simple style among vs. He called them before Saintes holy ones and now he commes to the ground of their holinesse and calles it faith It will not be a faire honest ciuile dealing with our neighbour that will doe the turne albeit many men thinks so No but faith in Christ must be the ground any man that in any measure hes had a sense and feeling of that lyfe he will finde in his experience he can not haue hope or assurance of lyfe in the fairest outwarde dealing that euer men did except he finde his hart setled on God and his anchor casten on Christ This is the onely cause of thy saluation faith in Christ As for all thy good workes they are onely effects and tokens that thou hast that faith in Christ which will doe the turne and is the onely cause of thy saluation O blessed for euer is that hart that hes faith keeped let neuer thy remembrance be off it What euer thou thinke or speake keepe it hast thou it be assured of thy saluation lackest thou it doe all thou can thou shalt die Seeke euer to haue Christ in thy hart And seeing we who are now liuing may die in one moment Lord if we should not seeke earnestly to haue Christ dwelling in our harts It is onely his merites that saues vs. In the next wordes he defines them that he calles beleeuers and pointing them out he sayes not they that beleeues in Iesus Christ but they vvho in this lyfe hes beleeued my testimony the Gospell teached by me by my fellowâ—seruants by the rest of the Apostles and Pastors So take vp the nature of this faith and be not â—egyled with it It is not faith in Christ barely but faith in Christ preached By whom by a selie bodie What was Paul a selie bodie So looke neuer for lyfe nor saluation in that great day except thou humble thy selfe vnder the foolishe preaching as men thinkes it and beleeue the foolishe teaching of the Gospell Thou shalt