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
to the ensuing Acts. The third Act is The appearing of the signe of the Sonne of man after which signe immediately will follow Christs owne comming in Person unto judgement For the better clearing of this wee are to consider three things 1. Why it is called the signe of the Sonne of Man 2. What this signe is 3. What the Effects of it be First why it is called the signe of the Sonne of Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for excellencies sake because that Christ himselfe immediately upon the signe appeares for there be two sorts of signes either remooved signes such as precede and goe a long while before Christs comming which I mentioned heretofore or immediate signes such as are neer or in a manner joyned to his comming as some of the Prophets foretold long before Christs coÌ„ming but Iohn was the immediate forerunner he pointed at Christ and therefore when they saw Iohn they were rowsed up to the beholding of Christ so when we see this signe then we must presently looke for Christ for therefore it is called the signe of the Sonne of Man because of the excellencie that it goeth immediately before his comming Secondly What this signe is there bee divers opinions of this some thinke one thing and some another some take it to bee Christ himselfe but it cannot bee taken so because alwaies the signe is not the thing signified There is an opposition betweene these two so that the signe can never be the thing signified and therefore it is some other thing that is meant by the signe of the Sonne of Man Some others take it to bee the burning up of this World because it is said that A firie streame issued out when the ancient of dayes sate upon his Throne But it cannot bee this because that this signe appeares in Heaven onely and this universall fire is not onely in Heaven but also in Earth Others take it to be the sound of the last Trumpet but it cannot bee this because there is a distinction betweene them for Christ tels us of the signe of the appearing of the Sonne of Man verse 300 and of the sound of the Trumpet verse 31. The Papists they say that it is the signe of the Crosse and Bellarmine saith that all the fathers doe so expound it But there is a Iesuite one of their own fellowes that contradicts him who affirmes it is not certainly found out what is meant by the signe of the Sonne of Man for the fathers doe diversly expound it therefore we may â—ee that Bellarmine is too bold to say that all the fathers expound it so because there is no man that reads the fathers but may see it otherwise for Origen takes it for the miraculous power and vertues of Christ Saint Ierome takes it to be Christ himselfe Chrysostome expounds it of the wounds that bee in the hands and feete and side of Christ therefore whereas Bellarmine saies the fathers doe expound it to bee the Crosse any man that will consult them may see there is no one of the fathers who expound it so besides there bee two reasons why I dare not assent to take the signe of the Sonne of man to be the Crosse First it is true that there is the signe of Christ but the Crosse is no where taken for the signe of Christ in the Scriptures therefore there is no ground for this opinion Some of the Papists thinke that it is the wooden Crosse but that was broken into divers shivers therefore if it had pleased God to make that the signe of the Sonne of Man hee would have preserved that and have kept it as he did the bones of Christ that one of them was not broken Againe it is not the wodden Crosse for that is a thing that is turned to corruption unlesse we will beleeve there is a resurrection of the Crosse as there is a resurrection of the body The Church of Rome indeede doth keepe a feast in honor to the Crosse and say that it shall be joyned with his comming but thence to inferre it shall be so is no good consequence Some of them againe doe thinke it shall not be the wooden Crosse but a crosse that shall be in the Ayre the truth whereof I finde no where in the Scripture And now to tell you my heart told me alwaies that Christ did expound it in this chapter and that the Disciples did understand what the signe was or else they would have asked him of it as they did Matth. 13. when hee told them of the tares Master say they Tell us the meaning of the tares Then I perused the Chapter and I did light on verse 27. where it is said As the lightning commeth from the East and shineth into the West so shall the comming of the Sonne of Man be That is with infinite brightnesse and splendor shall he come at that day In which place Christ tels his Disciples that there bee many shall say Loe here is Christ and there is Christ but beleeve them not for I will give you a signe of my comming and that is when you shall see infinite brightnesse and splendor that shall come from the body of Christ the brightnesse whereof shall darken all other lights When they shall see this it shall awaken the World and stirre up every man to looke for Christ Now that there shall be such brightnesse and splendor come from the body of Christ it is cleare by the Scriptures Revel 21. 23. And the citie hath no neede of the Sunne nor of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God did light it and the Lambe is the light of it So the brightnesse of Christs body shall bee infinite more than all the lights of this World and Matth. 7. when Christ was transfigured on the Mount His face did shine as the Sunne and his clothes were as white as the light Moses when he came from the Mountain and had talked with God his face did shine and there was great glory put upon him but yet there was great difference between the glory that was on Christ and his For first this glory was but onely on Moses face but this was all Christs body over Secondly when Moses put a veile over his face they could not see his glory but Christ did shine through his garments Thirdly the glory that was on Moses was fearefull that the people fled away but the glory that was on Christ was amiable for Peter sayes It is good being here let us make three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias Fourthly Moses could not communicate his glory to any but Christ he communicates his glory to others for Matth. 13. it is said That the Iust shall shine as the Sunne in the Firmament So wee see that the glory of Christ is greater and yet this glory that was on Christ in
the true glasse of the Word of God there sinne will appeare in his true proportion and right quantitie But why is the neglect of doing good to his poore members so great a sinne I answere because in neglecting of them wee condemne Christ for they be the members of Christ and so Saint Paul saith 1 Corinth 8. 12. Now when ye sinne against the bretheren and wound their consciences yee sinne against Christ the contempt of Christ is lapped up in the contempt of his servants It is a good thing therefore for a man to bee mercifull and pittifull especially to the poore Saints and people of God and to relieve them in their wants and necessities so farre forth as a man is able and occasion shall be offered Saint Iames tels us that there shall be judgement mercilesse to him that shewes no mercy and Matth. 3. It is said Blessed art the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie therefore it is a good thing for a man to shew mercie to the Saints and People of God and thus much of the reason Now we come to the last point and that is what shall become of Christ and what be shall doe when he bee hath finished up the last judgement This Saint Paul shewes us 1 Cor. 15. from the 24. verse to the 28. the sâ—mme whereof is this He shall render up his kingdome to God that he may be all in all In which two things offer themselves to be observed 1. What he shall doe He shall render up his Kingdome to God 2. The End of it that God may be all in all First what â—e shall doe he shall render up the Kingdome to God Now this may be conceived two wayes First he shall render up the Kingdome that is all the Children of God the Elect and chosen hee shall bring them to God and deliver them to him that hee may blesse them and receive them into Heaven that he may be made partaker of all the glory that is prepared for them and he shall present them to God in the merits of his death and say Father these bee they that I have prayed for in the Mount swet in the Garden dyed for on the crosse and shed my most pretious blood for Therefore Father râ—â—eive them and blesse them hitherto have I kept them in thy Name thus hee shall render up the kingdome unto God when hee shall bring all the godly and holy people to the contemplation and beholding of the great glory prepared for them We heard out of Gen. 27. 3. how Ioseph tooke certaine of his brethren and did present them to Pharaoh so the true Ioseph Iesus Christ shall carry all the Elect and chosen people of God present them before him and desire him to receive them into glory and to bestow the best of Heaven upon them so Christ shall render up the Kingdome Wee read in Philemon when Onesimus had runne away from his master Saint Paul meets with him and sends him backe againe to his Master with a letter in his hand to the end his Master might receive him but Christ will doe much more for us hee will not onely send us with a letter in our hands to God but hee will take us by the hand and present us to God in the merits of his death that God may receive and blesse us Secondly he shall render up the kingdome that is his governement and office Now we cannot come to God without a Mediator all that we doe now is by meanes of a spokes-man but when Christ shall bring us home to God when we shall bee brought to Heaven then wee shall have recourse unto God without a spokes-man then we shall not need a Mediator and thus Christ shall render up the kingdome that is hee shall give up his office and his government into the hands of God A learned man thus expresseth it there is a number of Rebels that bee up in Armes against the king who makes his sonne Generall and sends him out to subdue the Rebels to shew mercy to those that would submit themselves to him and to execute and put to death them that would not which when the kings sonne hath done he returnes home againe to his father and tels him that he had done what hee was sent for and then renders up his Generalship to live with his father as he did before so God hath sent his Sonne here into the World to reconcile unto himselfe all his Elect people and to subdue his enemies when Christ hath performed this then he delivers up his office and lives with the Father as before Adam in the time of his innocency and Communion with God was without a Mediator so when wee are all brought home to God againe into Heaven then wee shall have communion with God without a Mediator Now because this is a hard point and that which some Divines stumble at therefore I will make it as plaine as I can A man that hath sore eyes he will have silke to hang before them or he must have a glasse to see by but when his eyes bee well hee will take away the glasse and lay aside his silkes so as long as wee were in our sinnes wee could not deale with God but wee must have our silkes it must bee by a Mediator but when our sinnes shall be healed then wee may lay aside our silkes and we shall see the face of God without a Mediator But here a question may be made some may may say How shall Christ render up the Kingdome seeing it is said Luk. 1. 33. that of his kingdome there shall be no end so Daniel 2. it is said His Kingdome shall not passe to another To this I answere His Kingdome shall continue still but not in the same forme the forme shall be altered for now he raignes as Man then as God now the glory of the Godhead is shadowed by the Manhood and then the glory of the Manhood shall be darkened by the Godhead not that the Manhood of Christ shall noâ— remaine or that the glory of it shall bee lesse than now but it shall be obscured as it were by a greater light I will make it plaine by a similitude light a candle in a darke night and it shines and giveth light but bring it into the bright Sunne-shine and the brightnesse and splendor of the Sunne darkens the light of the candle though it have the same light that it had before so though there bee the same glory in the Manhood of Christ that was before yet the glory and splendor of the Godhead shall so farre goe beyond the Manhood of Christs former manifestation as it shall darken that glory and thus much for the first point Secondly The End why he shall render up his kingdome to God that he may be all in all Here God is not all in all for there are many excellencies in the World Angels
mans conscience either to make choise of Christ and his graces or else of his owne sins and his delights there is Christ on the one side and all his graces with heaven and happinesse thereunto belonging and on the other hand sinne and all the delights thereof our vile lusts pleasures and profits wee stand in a middle betweene them both and put Christ into the one scale which we have in our hands and our sinnes and lusts into the other then this question is made in the court of every particular mans conscience which of these wilt thou make choise of whether Christ and his Spirit shall live in thee or thy vile sinnes if we answer it is better to live in our whoredomes in our prophannesse it is better to live in our pleasures than to choose Christ what doe wee else but preferre Barabbas before Him wee condemne the Iewes but wee have much more need to condemne our selves they did it in the time of their ignorance and we doe it in the time of our knowledge they did it in the time of Christs humilitie and we now he is in his glory they did it once but we often and therefore if there bee a question come into the court of thy conscience by the hearing of a Sermon whether the spirit of Christ shall dye or thy sinnes when wee make choice of our sinnes and let the spirit of Christ die in us what doe wee but as the Iewes did preferre Barabbas before Christ and therefore every one should labour to take this home to himselfe The fourth Meanes was Flagendo by whipping of Christ this was worst of all and when he had so done he puts on him a purple garment and so brought him forth then Pilate said unto them Behold the man as who should say if there be pity or any mercy in you Looke on the man and let it move you to let him goe now this one word of Pilate Looke on the man is good for every Christian to remember to looke upon the man to looke upon Christ to consider what a deale of paines hee hath suffered what a deale of labour it cost to redeeme us Ecce home Looke upon the man see how his shoulders were whipped his face buffetted his head crowned with thornes how his sides were pierced how his hands and feete were nailed his body racked and tormented all this he hath done to redeeme thy soule therefore doe not thou sell that for a small matter which cost Christ so deere Every morning let us consider this one word of Pilate Behold the man and when wee are about our labours in the fields when we goe to bed looke upon Christ and consider what a deale of paines it cost Christ to redeeme us Secondly we must looke upon Christ and consider what wee are to looke for at the hands of the world if Christ was crowned with a crowne of thornes then wee must not looke to bee crowned with a crowne of gold If he suffered such contumelies and reproaches then wee must not looke to goe scot-free if wee suffer with him wee shall raigne with him if we would partake with him in his glorious crowne then must we with him in some sort be crowned with thornes SERMON XVIII IOHN 19. 5. Behold the Man WE shewed the last day how before Pilate condemned Christ he used foure meanes to deliver Him first by speaking for Him secondly by sending Him to Herod thirdly by associating him with Barabbas fourthly by scourging him that so pitie might have staied the cruelty of the high Priests and Scribes but all would not availe their fury pressed on to his death The uses whereof wee were the last day cut short of by reason of the time therefore now we will prosecute the same The first use is that in looking on Christ wee may see what we are to looke for at the hands of the world for if hee was crowned with a crowne of thornes Then we must not looke to be crowned with a crowne of gold if he was mocked and scoffed at we must not looke to goe free Ecce homo behold the man if we suffer with him wee shall raigne with him in glory And therefore doe not thou looke to partake with him in his crowne of glory unlesse thou partake with him in the crown of thornes In the 18. of Iohn Pilate asked Christ if hee was a king he answered hee was but his kingdome was not of this world even so a Christian may say my kingdome is not of this world but I looke for a kingdome above the clouds a kingdome of glory and happinesse Secondly a Christian may comfort himselfe in afflictions and troubles by looking on Christ Ecce homo behold the man let thy troubles and thy afflictions be what they will be yet they are not like to Christs he was God we are men he the sonne and wee the servants he pure and holy we wretched and sinfull therefore let thy troubles bee what they will sure it is thou canst not attaine to the halfe of Christs to the crowne of thornes the buffettings mockings and railings upon to his whippings rackings and tormentings therefore if wee looke upon Christs wounds we shall finde ours to be nothing to his thus we must comfort our selves in our afflictions by looking on Christ Thirdly we may comfort our selves in temptations for as a Christian hath his Ecce homo so the devill will have his time for it when we be sick and like to die then he will come and say Ecce homo behold the man thou hast seemed to be a great professor but now death seazeth on thee and thou must be flung into the grave and there consumed to dust and therfore what canst thou doe for thy selfe A man must not be discouraged at this but must have his Ecce homo and send him backe againe to Christ and say behold the man behold Christ hee hath done for me hee hath gone before death hath seazed upon mee he hath beene trampled and trodden under foot of it flung into the grave and risen againe therefore seeing Christ hath gone before me I must not be afraid to follow his steps that he hath stepped in before me The third generall point which we observed in the condemnation of Christ is what it was that made Pilate stand so stiffe for Christ though after he was drawne on to condemne him partly through feare of Casar and partly through the importunitie of the people Now there were five reasons that made him stand so stiffe for Christ 1. His owne conscience 2. The admonition of his wife 3. Christs strange silence 4. His holy Confession and protestation 5. His Commination First his owne conscience for hee was perswaded hee was an innocent man and delivered unto him through the malice of the Iewes therefore hee was loth to condemne him and so sinne against his conscience and yet he was but a heathen man therefore what a pitifull
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
house he will take it downe peece by peece in parts with great care and diligence and will lay it up safe because he meanes to build with it againe so because wee know that our bodies shall rise againe at the last day therefore we must not destroy our bodies but labour to repose them and lay them downe well at the day of death Thirdly seeing the same body shall rise againe that we have here in this world and the same that we lay downe at the day of death therefore here this great question may be answered whether we may know one another at the day of judgement This question need be no question seeing we shall rise againe with the same bodies that we lye downe with here therefore surely wee shall know one another in Heaven and wee have reasons to confirme us in it First because our knowledge shall be more perfect at that time than ever Adams was in the time of innocencie for if Adam did know his wife as soone as she was brought him though hee never saw her before therefore much more wee shall know one another seeing our knowledge shall bee more perfect and we shall rise with the same bodies that wee lived with here Secondly On the Mount his Disciples had but a taste of the Heavenly glorie and yet Peter knew Moses and Elias although they were dead many thousand yeeres before if hee knew them when hee had but a taste of glory much more we shall know one another when wee shall have fulnesse of glory Thirdly Our happinesse shall bee greatly increased by meanes of the mutuall societie one with another Matth. 8. 11. But I say unto you that many shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaak and Iaakob in the Kingdome of God therefore seeing our happinesse shall bee greatly increased then by mutuall societie wee are not to thinke that we shall goe to a strange people where we know no body but wee shall goe to our godly friends and acquaintance and to such as we know Fourthly Wee shall heare the inditement of the wicked at the day of Iudgement there we shall here them arraigned and condemned for their vile facts Cain for killing of Abel Pharaoh for oppressing the Israelites Iudas for betraying of his Master Nero for killing of Christians when we heare them indited and condemned we shall know them And as wee shall know the wicked so we shall know the Godly too when they shall be rewarded which me thinkes may bee a motive to quicken us in our care to live holily and Christianly here in this World seeing wee goe not to a strange Countrie or people but to our friends and acquaintance and to such as know us Thirdly The Time when we shall rise that is at the day of judgement then and never till then so Martha sayes in this place I know my Brother shall rise againe in the Resurrection at the last day so also S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. 51. We shall not all sleepe but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trumpet for the Trumpet shall blow and the dead shall bee raised up so then wee shall rise at the last judgement and never till that time Now there are foure reasons of this delaying First Because there might be a proportion betweene Christ and his members for Christ when he was dead did not rise again by and by but lay a time trampled and troden underfoot of death so also that wee might lie a time under the chaines and fetters of death God suffers us not to rise till then Ireneus shuts up his Booke with this saying Even as our Heavenly Master did not flie to Heaven by and by but did remaine under death and in the Grave for a time so all his servants must be contented to lie in the Grave and to be trampled and trodden underfoote of death for a time before they goe to Heaven Secondly Because that the bodies of all the faithfull that are gone before and those that come after might have their full consummation of glory together Therefore they shall not rise to prevent one another in glory but they shall all goe together As Saint Paul saith 1 Thes 4. 15. For this say wee unto you by the Word of the Lord that we which live and are remaining unto the comming of the Lord shall not prevent them that sleepe so wee shall not get the start of them but we shall arise all together to glory This is a sweet comfort to us that live in the last age of the world that all the Saints that are departed shall not rise to this Heavenly glory till wee be ready but lie waiting in their Graves for us We read 1 Sam. 16. 11. When Samuel came to Ishai to annoint David Ishai called all his Sonnes before him to whom Samuel said Are there no more children but these there remaineth said Ishai yet a little one behinde that keepeth sheepe unto whom Samuel said Send and fetch him for we will not sit downe till he come hither so the People of God they lie waiting in their graves and are kept from their honour and glory and will not sit downe in the Kingdome of Heaven as it were till we all meete together Thirdly For the further declaration of the Power of Christ for it is a greater matter that Christ should raise men that have lien rotting in the Grave a thousand yeeres together than for to raise men when they are newly dead therefore Martha said to Iesus My brother stinketh already for he hath beene dead these foure dayes Therefore it is not so easie a matter to raise him as it was Iairus daughter and the widdowes sonne so Ezek. 37. 3. the Lord said unto him Sonne of Man can these dead and drie bones live and I answered saith the Prophet Lord thou knowest it is a hard matter to doe it therefore this declaration is for the further manifestation of the Power of Christ Fourthly For the further confirmation of our faith for looke how many there are of the dead bodies of the Saints amongst us so many pledges and pawnes there are of our Redemption for although wee might doubt in our selves of our owne bodies rising in regard of the badnesse of our lives and in regard of our vile sinnes yet because there bee so many bodies of the dead Saints amongst us wee neede not doubt but that he will raise them up one day to glory There are three bodies already ascended into Heaven Henoch in the time of Nature Elias in the time of the Law and Christ in the time of the Gospell and for these three bodies hee hath left many thousand bodies of the dead Saints remaining under death and in the grave to bee pledges and pawnes to us of our Resurrection one saith well we have here in
sure it is therefore that he will restore any part that his friend should lose for his names sake as Heb. 11. 35. it is said of the holy men that they would not bee delivered from those paines and torments which the wicked had devised against them that they might receive a better resurrection and in the story of the Macchabees we read a strange and worthy narration recorded also by Iosephus that when one of the seven Children of the mother came to suffer and was to have his tongue and other parts to be cut off he saith These have I received from the Heavens but now for the Law of God I despise them and trust that I shall receive them againe so because wee know that if wee lose any part for the Name of Christ he will restore it to us at the day of judgement Therefore wee should not bee affraid to lose it but contented and willing to part with all for Christ Now if any man should object that wee shall not then have all our parts restored againe because Christ saith Matth. 18. that a man were better to goe halt and lame into the Kingdome of God than having two hands and two feete to be cast into everlasting fire To this I answere That Christ doth not speake positively but by supposition for he doth not say ye shall goe halt and lame into life but hee saith it were better for a man to goe in any meane and base condition to God as blinde lame naked and poore than to goe into everlasting fire with all the glory that this world can afford Secondly I answer It is to be understood of the estate of the soule and not of the body for if a man were to lose his hands or feete yea all the parts of his body for this end onely to have his soule goe to Heaven it were better than that he should have all the parts of his body and go with the wrecke of his soule and conscience into everlasting fire Secondly the glory of the body consists in this that it shall be beautifull and lovely howsoever now our bodies may bee rotten deformed and ill-favoured especially when we be dead at which time the bodies of the best and beautifullest are ill-favoured to looke on We see good Abraham when Sara was dead desired to have a place to bury her out of his sight so lothsome and ill-favoured we be when we be dead but at the resurrection then our bodies shall bee made beautifull and lovely no man or woman is now so beautifull as we shall be then and that for two Reasons First Looke what estate Adam was in in the time of innocencie in the same estate shall the bodies of the Saints be at the resurrection but the body of man was so beautifull and glorious so full of brightnesse and spendor which issued from it as all the Beasts of the field stood gazing and looking on him in the same estate shall all the bodies of the Saints be at the resurrection Secondly all deformities blackenesse ill-favourednesse and crookednesse are punishments and penalties for sinne but when our sinnes and our corruptions shall cease then the penaltie and punishment shall cease Oh how should this quicken up our care to repent of our sinnes to get faith in Christ to walke holily here that wee may have our portion with the Saints Wee see here when men and womens bodies bee crooked and deformed they weare iron bodies and will indure any thing to make them straight againe besides if they be not well-favored they will send into Spaine and Italy to buy complexion which when they have it doth not help nature but they be the worse for it because it eats out their favour But if men will feare God repent their sinnes get faith in Christ and walke holily here our Lord Iesus Christ will repaire all and make our bodies beautifull and lovely when Salomon had built the Temple the Chaldeans came and destroyed it afterwards when it was built againe it came not to the former glory that it had but it shall not be so with the bodies of the Saints for they shall bee restored to a more beautifull and glorious estate than ever they had before Thirdly the glory of the bodies of the Saints shall consist in this that they shall be filled with brightnesse and splender now their bodies are darke and obscure but then they shall be like so many bright starres and shining Lampes when all the bodies of the wicked shall gather blackenesse and darknesse and shall looke like filthy scroules all the bodies of the Saints shall be like so many bright Stars as Daniel 12. 3. it is said And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Starres for ever and ever this Christ doth further inlarge Matth. 13. 43. The Iust shall shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father the Sunne did never looke more glorious upon this world than the bodies of the Saints shall shine with glory at that day therefore what a comfortable estate shall our bodies be in at that time We see when Moses had talked with God forty daies by the reflexion of Gods glory upon him his face did shine so that the children of Israel were not able to behold it how much more will the glory of Saints be when they shall abide with God not forty daies but for ever and ever if there shall be such glory and brightnesse in the bodies of the Saints how superexcellent shall the glory of the Soule bee then The use is that a Christian should solace himselfe in the meditation of this and not thinke his time lost in the Service of God but abstract his heart from the love of this world and worldly things to thinke on the future glory that God hath prepared for the Saints and cheare up thy heart with it as Gen. 13. the Lord makes an excellent promise to Abraham concerning the land of Canaan bidding him Arise and walke through the land in the length and breadth thereof so the Lord makes goodly promises to a Christian concerning Heaven Therefore though hee hath not put us in possession of it hitherto yet we should arise and walke through the land in the length and breadth of it that is meditate and thinke on the glory and goodly delights of it and solace our soules therewith Secondly seeing the Lord will honour our bodies then with such a deale of glory we must be carefull to spend our time well to live in all holinesse and righteousnesse while wee live here for how can wee looke that God should honour us when wee are not carefull to keepe our bodies holy and labor to honor them our selves It is a rule in Art that they that would finish their colors in brightnesse must lay grounds sutable so if thou
therefore let every man so attend to the things of this life as that he may labor for everlasting life which is the blessing of all blessings I but is everlasting life so great a blessing seeing the wicked shall bee raised to everlasting life I answer that the wicked shall bee raised up to everlasting life which life shall bee a continuall death to them for looke in what extremitie any man is in when hee is a dying grieving and groaning as though his Spirit were departing in the like extremitie shall all the wicked bee in dying and never dye breathing out their last breath and yet never breathing it out If a man for an offence should be adjudged to lye in such a hot furnace as was prepared for the three Children by Nebuchadnezzar but two yeeres hee would thinke he were better die a thousand deaths than to lye in such extremitie But what is temporarie fire to Hell fire It is nothing comparable to it what is the wrath of man to the wrath of God nothing there is no death to the death of the wicked and no torment like the torment of Hell for their death is continuall If a man were put to his choyce no doubt hee would die a thousand deaths temporary before hee would dye that death For though the deaths of mens devising bee terrible yet they are nothing compared to the death and punishments that God can devise for the wicked And yet wee see how men labor to avoid to flie temporarie death they will runne ride take physicke endure any paines to shunne it which is but a flea biting as it were if compared which eternall death and never feare never labor to shun this latter which is the most wofull of all other We see how afraid men bee of the plague so as they will labour by all meanes to avoide it which yet brings but temporarie death how much more afraid should wee bee of sinne because that is the cause of eternall death Here wee see the madnesse of the world which labours to avoid temporarie death and yet will not strive to avoid sinne which brings eternall But let us pray to God to avoid sinne that so wee may avoid eternall death for the wicked shall rise no to live eternally but to dye eternally nay their life shall bee worse than death if any thing can be worse but it is otherwise with the people of God they shall rise to everlasting life for hee bestowes that of none but his people and Church Now here wee are to consider two things 1. What it is that God doth promise 2. The Continuance of it First hee promiseth to his People Life now Life is two-fold 1. Naturall 2. Spirituall First the Naturall life is upheld by the use of meate drinke and physicke wherein both the good and bad have their part for this is proper to both but that is not the life that our christian faith here speakes of For to speake exactly it is but the way to life whereof Christ speakes Matth. 5. 25. Agree with thy adversarie quickly whilest thou art in the way with him c. where Christ shewes that this life is but the way to everlasting life Therefore it must bee every mans wisedome to passe this life so here as that hee may make it the way to everlasting life Now our spirituall life is upheld by having Communion with God for as the soule is the life of the body so God is the life of the soule because as the body cannot have life but by Communion with the soule so the soule cannot live unlesse it have Communion with God Which life is spoken of Psal 16. 11. Thou wilt shew mee the path of life in thy presence is the fulnesse of joy at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore And Iohn 5. 40. Christ sayes But yee will not come unto mee that ye may have life And this is the life which Christ promiseth here for it is nothing to live the life of nature to eate drinke and sleepe which doth but nourish the body and never looke to the life of grace but the speciall care of a Christian must bee for that a number of men thinke if they can live the life of nature they care not for living the spirituall life for faith or repentance or to live holily here the speciall thing I say which we should looke to is to live hereafter We finde Gen. 17. 18. Abraham saith unto God Oh that Ismael might live in thy sight so this should bee the request wee should make to God Oh that I may live the life of the Spirit indeed I live a naturall life but I desire to live the life of grace so David Psal 119. 175. saith Let my soule live and it shall praise thee my body liveth and I goe up and down with it but let my soule live and then I shall praise thee which is the blessing of all blessings to have Communion with God to draw neere to him and bee acquainted with him by prayer repentance and amendment of life Now there are two degrees of spirituall life 1. The Life of Grace 2. The Life of Glorie First in that the soule hath Communion with God by faith which Communion is many times darkened and eclipsed by sinne when yet in the interim it hath many a glimpse of it as the Sunne being under a cloude is kept from our sight that we cannot see it untill it breakes out so it is our sinnes which hinders this sweet Communion that is betweene God and the soule As it is with the light and the eye as long as the eye is well it dare boldly looke on the light but if it catch a blow or an hurt it must have somewhat to hang before it because the light offends it So it is between God and the soule as long as it stands in good termes with God so long it dare with boldnesse come unto God but if once it catch a blow have a hurt and a wound it is afraid to come before God This is the life of Grace Now the Life of Glorie is to live in the blessed presence of God in the Kingdome of Heaven where the sweet face of God shall shine on us and where wee shall have the Company of the Angells and Holy Spirits But this is the order First wee must live the life of grace and then the life of Glorie and therefore every man must acquaint himselfe with God by Prayer and in repenting for his sinnes that so we may looke to have Communion with him in the life to come but if we doe not acquaint our selves to prayer and in the use of holy meanes then we are as strangers to him and must not looke to have Communion with him in the life of Glorie But to inlarge my selfe further in the point of Eternall Life let us consider of it a little more
ought to keepe God our friend in this life if we expect to have him so at oâ—r death 256. †¶ Fulnesse of time 113. ¶ Christ came not till the fulnesse of time 114. ¶ G CHrist apprehended in a Garden because 1. Sinne began in a Garden 2. Christ prayed in the Garden 3. It was a place knowne to Iudas 177. c. The calling of the Gentiles in the wise mens comming to Christ 129. †That the Holy Ghost is God proved by Reason Scripture 479. The holy Ghost a Person really subsisting 481. distinct from father and Sonne 482. The holy Ghost really and actually in us 487. The holy Ghost Teacheth Governeth Comforteth us 509. c. The graces of the holy Ghost inestimably good 487. †The benefits wee receive by the holy Ghost 508. How the holy Ghost may be lost 515. †The meanes to come by the holy Ghost 488. The true markes to know whether the holy Ghost be in us or no. 489. Discovery of the false markes of the holy Ghosts being in us 494. The Defect Excesse of giving 593. Christ gave gifts personal to the Ministers royall to euery man 367. The life of Glory 650. The Saints Glory by Christs pronouncing them blessed at the end of the world 447. * Differences of Christs and Moses Glory 419. Foure properties of Goates 436. That there is a God proved by The workes of God The place where God is The nature of the creatures Our conscience Our experience 42. c. That there is but one God 46. How God is said to be Almighty 59. Things that imply Incapability Weaknesse Contradiction God caÌ„not doe 60. Vses of Instruction Comfort from Gods being Almighty 61. God is a true God inregard of his Nature Properties 48. We must beleeve God is our God in particular 49. God the Father of Christ 52. Vnion with Christ makes God our Father 53. Comforts that arise from Gods being our Father 56. Some men make their bellies their gods 46. ¶ A distinction of the Persons in the Godhead 50. †The Father the fountaine of the Godhead 51. ¶ Golgotha why so called 216. Many hindrances when wee goe about any thing that is good 340. †How God the Father communicates his goodnesse to the Sonne and holy Ghost 52. * The Church the Goshen of God therein light onely all the world besides being darke 565. ¶ The Gospell like a Vine in his growth 122. * The Gospell compared to a great glasse 219. †Christ more glorious in the preaching of the Gospell than in his bodily presence on Earth 130. * The wicked disobedient to Christs government 87. ¶ Christ governes his Church by 1. Drawing them to himselfe 375. 2. Guiding them the right way 377. 3. Exercising them with trials for their good 378. 4. Defending them from their enemies 380. Foure grounds that the true graces of Gods Spirit are never finally lost 518. In all Gods People a roote of Grace remains to be discerned three waies 505. * Common graces of the Spirit may bee lost 517. †Five meanes how to nourish the graces of the Spirit 520. No power in man to doe any thing unlesse God give him grace 445. Two things a weake beginner in grace must looke to 501. Grace at first small increases like seedâ— sowne 490. * Degrees of grace 490. †Growth of grace imperceptible 491. ¶ If grace be in the heart it will shew it selfe 190. * When wee rise in grace wee must leave the sinnes of nature behinde us 298. * The Papists opinion of the incertainty of grace confuted 494. Two defects in restraining grace 495. The graces of the Spirit compared to Oyle 81. Desire of grace fourefold 505. ¶ Comforts in the lying in our graves 633. Christs grave why new 279. Every man though hee have no house hath a grave to be buried in 278. * Christ at first made knowne to the poorer sort not great men 120. ¶ All sinne is a griefe to God 481. * The sinnes of Gods People doe more grieve Christ than of the prophaner sort 18. †The Spirit grieved by sinne against knowledge and disobedience 520. H THe right hand of God signifies 1. His Power 2. The glory of Heaven 3. Propinquitie of place to God in dignity 371. By Christs sitting at Gods right hand is implied His enobling our nature His governement of the Church 372. Christ sits at Gods right hand 1. To shew the worke of mans redemption is finished 2. All judiciary power is committed to him 3. He is in continuall act of judgement 374. Never can a man make too much haste to come to Christ 126. ¶ A good hearer like dry powder 528. ¶ How to know whether Christ bee conceived in the heart 105. ¶ The great stirre that is at the conception of Christ in the heart of a Christian 108. †The heart hardned in sinne nothing will do good upon 185. ¶ Pilate an Heathen goes beyond most Christians in fearing to sinne against God 209. * God the maker of Heaven and Earth 64 65. Of the reâ—â—ing of the Heavens and the Earth 412. All that come to Heaven must come by Christ 286. ¶ Heaven promised to sinners upon repentance 242. * Heaven prepared for the Elect before they were borne 451. Gods Children must be content to stay from Heaven for the good of those they live amongst 359. †In Heaven we shall be freed from 1. All necessities of nature 652. 2. All labours of this life ibid. 3. Originall sinne 653. 4. All worldly power and authoritie 654. 5. All society with the wicked ibid. 6. All sicknesses and diseases 655. The Heavens shall be new in regard of Vse Disposition Effects 413. In Heaven we shall enjoy 1. Immediate society with God 655. 2. Eternall presence of Christ ibid. 3. Societie of Saints and Angels 657. 4. Lordship over the world ibid. 5. A continuall Sabbath to the Lord. 658. Christ suffered the paines of Hell but not in place of Hell 242. * Women when good helps 206. * Christ borne when Herod was king to shew His Kingdome was not of this world The Iewes kingdome was at the lowest 115. Why Herod was troubled at Christs comming 132. †Herod desired to see Christ not for love but for his miracles sake 201. ¶ The holy Ghost the onely Author of holinesse 482. Sixe meanes whereby the holy Ghost workes holinesse in us 484. Two defects of Popish holinesse 572. All our hope and comfort must bee in Christ 140. * We ought to bee humbled seeing Christ was humbled for us 101. †Christs humiliation the first degree 100. The humilitie of Christ in his birth 117. ¶ None can hurt us but from power given from God 60. 179. * I THe Valley of Iehoshaphat not the place of the last judgement 398. Christ will deale with good men as Iehu with Iehonadab 447. ¶ Humane reason brought the wise men to Ierusalem divine to Bethlehem 130. †Why the Iewes were troubled at Christs birth 132. ¶ In
the Name Iesus is implied Christ to be our Savior No other Iesus but he He is our Iesus and will save us 72. Sinnes of ignorance lesse than sinnes of knowledge 228. * Commission of sinne after illumination dangerous 193. ¶ Impenitence worse than wormewood or â—all to Christ 250. * Importunitie prevailes with wicked men to any thing that is bad 210. * Impossibilities in nature are possibilities in the power of God 109. ¶ Our Heavenly Inheritance comes from God our Father 57. Our title to Heaven is by inheritance 452. Foure testimonies of Christs Innocencie 195. We ought to beware of wronging the Innocent 206. ¶ Iosephs grave in his garden why 279. How Christ makes intercession for us 457. It is finished Christs song of gratulation 250. ¶ Of Iudas's betraying Christ 181. Christ onely the Iudge at last day 394. ¶ Comforts from Christ being our Iudge 394. ¶ Two things required in a Iudge sufficient Knowledge to know all things Power to punish all offendors 391. Of Christs comming to Iudgement 385. The glory of Christs comming to Iudgement consists in His traine Brightnesse of his Body Eminencie of his soveraigne Power 422 There shall be a Iudgement day 386. The day of Iudgement not far off 400. ¶ The Earth the generall place where the last Iudgement shall be 395. * The Time Certaintie Signes of the last Iudgement 399. c. Two signes yet to come of the last Iudgement 403. Reasons of the delay of the day of Iudgement are Gods 1. Patience in waiting for mans redemption 2. Goodnesse to his creatures 3. Care of the Elect. 404. The persons that shall be Iudged 405. The manner of the last Iudgement 409. The sentence of the last Iudgement 443. The last Iudgement shall bee according to good workes 458. ¶ Difference in Iudgement may happen to the Saints but not in affection as in Physitians about a sicke Patient 585. ¶ Gods Children must bee affected with his Iudgements 168. ¶ All that desire to see Christ and to depart in peace must be Iust men 139. †Iustice and Religion must goe together 139. ¶ K NO doores or iron gates can keepe out Christ 339. * Christ hath two keyes 1. To lock the wicked into hel 2. To open heaveÌ„ to the godly 423 Christ a King to Gather Governe Doe good to Defend his Church and People 86. c. The Kingdome of Heaven prepared onely for the Elect. 451. Three properties of the Kingdome of Heaven 448. Gods attributes set aworke to furnish the Kingdome of Heaven 448. ¶ Foure excellencies of the Kingdome of Heaven 449. Gods goodnesse to his people to bring them out of the divels kingdome into Christs 87. †Christs Kingdome not of this world 115. †198. †Some kisse religion at Church as Iudas did Christ and betray it at home 184. †That we shall know one another at the Resurrection 630. Two defects in knowledge or illumination 496. Christ must bee made knowne abroad noâ— conceald in private 127. †Wee must make conscience of knowne truthes 284. * L NO labour too great to come to Christ 129. ¶ If we continue in sinne unrepentant Christ hath lost his labour 151. ¶ A Christian a shining lampe 589. * The Canon Law makes it unlawfull to sell Spirituall things What belongs to another 182. ¶ God sometimes leaves us to see how we love him 332. A man loses the Spirit as leaves fall off a tree 521. †An evill member of the Church compared to a wodden legge 537. * Why Christs legges were broken 266. No lets should binder Christians from comming to Christ 126. †Christs Letter to his Father 74. How a man may be busied for provision for this life 648. †Mans life compared to Weavers warpe 45. ¶ Life twofold of Nature Grace 171. * The time of this life the time of mercie and grace 444. This life compared to a drawbridge ibid. Of life everlasting 648. God promiseth to his People life Naturall in this world Spirituall in the world to come 649. ¶ Two degrees of spirituall life of Grace Glorie 650. †The continuance of life everlasting 669. Life everlasting no blessing but torment to the wicked 648. ¶ Christ by his life aswell as death wrought out our salvation 254. †As the Soule is the life of the body so God is the life of the soule 649. Sinners deserve not to have the light of the Sunne or Moone to shine on them 167. ¶ Christ Lord of the world in regard of Soveraigntie Service 95. Christ as Lord will dispose all to the good of his Church 96. †Christ our Lord by right of Creation Redemption Donation Voluntarie service 97. The abatements of the graces of the Spirit in a man whereby hee thinkes them lost 518. †Love beares with a number of faults as a mother with her childe 595. The marvellous love of Christ to die and suffer for us 151. * True love to Christ Endures no holding backe Followes Christ in bonds 190. True love to Christ stoopes to the meanest service for his members 276. †Christ loves his enemies much more his friends 226. ¶ Every man like the Iewes preferre their lusts before Christ 203. M IF Christ restored an Eare to Malchus his enemy much more will he be mercifull to his friends 638. ¶ God had rather abate of his Service thaâ— Man wâ—nt his comfort 459. Gods fitting a Man to his Kingdome compared to a Carpenters hewing of timber 500. ¶ The meanenesse of Mans beginning 67. God made Man last of all creatures to Honour him Teach him Further him in the best things 70. †Christ was made Man in regard of Necessitie Equitie Fitnesse 103. The Manhood of Christ darkned by the Godhead as a candle by the Sunne 477. * The manner of the manifestation of Christs birth 123. Three reasons why Christ was manifested first to the poorer sort 120. ¶ The Virgin Mary more blessed for bearing Christ in her heart than in her wombe 112. †Notes of Mary Magdalens love to Christ are her seeking him Continually when others gave over With teares for losse of him With diligence With complaint for not finding him With publishing her sorrow With proffer of any paines to enjoy him 306. c. Why Mary could not see Christ 310. Why Christ appeares first to Mary 313. ¶ Constant using the meanes a sure way to finde Christ 307. The meanes are to the Spirit as would to the nourishing of a tree 520. †The conscionable use of the meanes gives us comfortable hope of a blessing 538. * The office of a Mediator ceases when Christ renders up his Kingdome 476. †The Mediatorship compared to silke before sore eyes 476. ¶ All men are sinners 610. See Sinne and Sinners Mercie in the midst of wrath 58. Three reasons that no man can merit for another 596. Man can merit nothing 252. ¶ Watchfulnesse requisite to the members of the Church militant 531. ¶ GOD the Author of all Ministery 342. ¶ Christs