a Taske Heretofore I have shewed you that under two conditions only the Lord hath promised Life and Salvation Repentance and Faith which two conditions are the lowest rate he hath set life at Having therefore spent much time in the Doctrine of Repentance our course now is to speake of the Doctrine of Faith for howsoever it be that Repentance is a necessary Grace without which we cannot be saved yet notwithstanding all the Repentance in the world cannot save us although wee should weepe our eyes out unlesse wee have Faith some thinke that if they repent and mourne for their sinnes onely they shall be saved but the truth is we cannot be saved without Faith For First though Repentance may drive a man to seeke to be saved as the aking and pricking of a sore may drive a man to the Physitian or Chirurgion so sorrow and griefe may drive us to seeke to Christ there to shew our wounds but if we stay there and apply not the remedies we have no helpe for it is not Repentance that doth save us but the blood of Christ As it is 1 Iohn 1. 7. where he sheweth that The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all our sinnes and Câloss 1. 14. In Him we have Redemption through his blood that is the forgivenesse of sins Therefore when the Lord Zechar. 12. 10. promiseth to powre upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of grace and compassion that they should mourn for their sins In the next Chapter he promiseth that He would open unto them a fountaine for sin and uncleannesse to wit the blood of Christ and therefore besides a fountaine of our teares for sinne there must bee a fountaine of the blood of Christ to wash and cleanse us from our sinnes not Repentance onely but there withall Faith also Secondly because it is said without Faith we cannot please God Heb. 11. 6. therefore Repentance without Faith sufficeth not for Faith in Christ is that which makes a man acceptable before God for which cause in the matters of Faith nothing contents a Christian but Christ only in which case the Apostle flings away all accounting all but dirt and dung in regard of Christ Phil. 3. 8. Therefore though a man be sorry for his sins yet he hath need of Faith also to beleeve the promises and pardon of them As when a Rebell flies into another land where he is taken and sent home in a ship in which case the ship which brings him home can doe no more but there must bee some meanes besides to bring him in favour with the king to have a pardon So when we rebell against God by sinning we runne away from him Repentance is the ship to bring us home againe which can doe no more therefore there must be another means to reconcile us which is Faith in the Sonne of God Thirdly our Repentance is unperfect and therefore must be grounded on some perfect thing as the Schoolemen say Every unperfect thing must be grounded on something that is perfect So our Repentance being unperfect must be grounded on Christ apprehended by Faith one of them will not serve As a bird which hath two wings to flie with take away one of them well may the bird flutter and beat upon the ground but shee cannot flie So Faith and Repentance are the two wings of a Christian whereof take away one and they fall to the ground Now in the Doctrine of Faith divers things are to be observed 1. What the use of Faith is in the life of a Christian 2. How many kindes of Faith there be 3. The nature of true Faith 4. The Degrees of Faith 5. The effects and fruits of Faith 6. The extention and right object of Faith The first is the use of Faith in the life of a Christian for who will take care for a thing till hee knowes the use of it If a man tell us that such a herbe or such a stone is good the next question is but to what use serves it what is it good for So when wee heare of Faith this question may arise to what Vse serves my Faith For when men know the use of it this makes them seeke for it Now there bee foure uses of Faith in the life of a Christian too many know one use to make of their faith and that is to sweare by it but God hath not given us our faith to sweare by it but to other uses 1. To justifie us in the sight of God 2. To sanctifie us in this world 3. To live by it 4. To dye in Faith that when our friends and the world leave us then our faith may uphold us The first use of faith is that it doth justifie us in the sight of God for if we be detected by sinne and found infinitly guilty we have a discharge by faith for if the divell accuse us or our conscience condemne us then faith that acquitteth us and justifieth us in Gods sight as Rom. 3. 28. There may bee many graces but none of them can justifie us but faith only for Love is a work of the Law and so is Patience and many other graces but faith it is that justifieth us Rom. 3. 28. Therefore saith he wee conclude that a man is not justified by the workes of the Law but by faith onely Rom. 5. 1. Therefore being justified by faith wee haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ and Galatians 1. 15. saith hee We which are Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowing that a man is not justified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ and that for two reasons First because it lets all goe in the matters of salvation and brings Christ as the full price of our redemption to the Father for when the divell doth accuse us and we are found guilty and condemned then faith runnes to the Crosse of Christ into the grave and through the dens of death and brings Christ with his head crowned his backe whipped his sides wounded his hands and feete peirced and then a Christian is bold to stand up and say O Lord I have sinned against thee but behold here is my Redeemer and Saviour he hath answered thee whatsoever thou couldst require let his paines be my ease his shame my glory and his death my life c. A man arrested for a great debt he being in the Bailiffes hands readie to be carried and throwne into the Gaole perhaps hath a little Boy standing by who straight way runnes to his friends and tels them that his father is in the Bailiffes hands and ready to be throwne into the Gaole and so brings his friends who come with a great bagge of money powre it downe and so discharge the debt that the man goeth free even so when wee bee arrested with the judgements of God like Bailiffes and likely to bee throwne into Hell faith is like
Ambrose whilst they bite at the baite of some pleasing notions they are at the same time catched with the Spirits hooke Hee was skilfull in the originall languages and thereupon an excellent Text-man well read in writers that were of note in the severall ages of the Church which made him a well-furnished and able Divine his judgement was cleere and his conscience tender and which helpt him most he brought to the great worke of the ministerie an holy and gratious heart which raised and carried him to aimes above himselfe and the world In his conversing he was modest fruitfull wise and winning in his expressions witty and gracefull in so much that hee hath left a fresh and a sweet remembrance of him untill this day Towards his end her grow more spirituall setting light by all things here below and onely waited as his expression was for the comming of the Comforter at length his worke being finished breathing out his life with that wish of the spouse Yea come Lord Iesus Thus much I thought not unfit to be made knowne of the Man Now for the Worke it selfe it must be considered by the learned Reader that these things were spoken though to a People high-raisd in knowledge and more refined than ordinary by his teaching yet to the People not with a purpose that they should come to the view and censure of the learned But though they were delivered to the peopâââ yet are they not so popular but if my love to the man and the Worke deceive me not they will have the best Reader either more learned or more holy or both It must therefore bee remembred for the more favourable acceptation of this Worke that these Sermons were taken by one of his Parish a man though pious and of good parts yet not skilfull in the learned languages and therefore it must needs bee that many apt and acute sentences of the Fathers by which this learned man did use to beautifie and strengthen the Points hee delivered are fallen to the ground and lost for lacke of skill to take up But howsoever much of the spirits bee lost yet heere you have the corpes and bulke of the discourse and not without some life and vigour wherein this is peculiar in his manner of handling that hee hath chosen fit texts of Scripture to ground his exposition of every article upon Now for the Argument it selfe the Creed I thinke it fit to premise something because it hath beene omitted by the Author or at least not gathered with the rest The Creed is of middle authority betweene divine and humane and called the Apostles Creed not onely for consanguintty with the Apostles Doctrine but because it is taken out of the Apostles writings and therefore of greatest authority next the Scriptures It is nothing else but A summary comprehension of the counsell and worke of God concerning our supernaturall condition heere and hereafter The Doctrine of Salvation is spread through the Scriptures as spirits in the Arteries and blood in the veines as the soule in the body And heere for easier carriage the most necessary Points are gathered together as so many pearles or pretious stones that we might have a ready use of them upon all occasions being as it were a little Bible or Testament that Christians of all rankes as suited for all conditions may beare about with them every where without any trouble In every Article there is both a shallow and a depth milke for babes and meat for strong men Though there be no growth in regard of fundamentall Principles which have beene alike in all ages of the Church yet there hath and will be a proficiencie in regard of conclusions drawne out of those Principles The necessities of every Christian and the springing up of unsound opinions in the Church will continually inforce diligence and care in the further explication and application of these fundamentall truths It will not therefore bee amisse to set downe a few Directions for the more cleere understanding of the Creed and for the better making use of it And first for the understanding of it It hath the Name of Creed or Beleefe from the act exercised about it to shew that it doth not onely containe Doctrine to be beleeved but that that doctrine will doe us no good unlesse by mingling it with our Faith we make it our Beleefe therefore both the Act and the Object are implyed in one word Beleefe Secondly from the Execution in creation and incarnation wee must arise to Gods decree nothing done in time which was not decreed before all times knowne unto the Lord are all his workes from the beginning of the world Thirdly wee must arise from one Principall Benefit to all that follow and accompany it as in forgivenesse of sins follow righteousnesse Peace and Ioy the Spirit of Sanctification Christian liberty c. though the Articles be nakedly propounded yet are we to beleeve all the fruits and priviledges So to Gods creating of heaven and earth we must joyne his Providence in upholding and ruling all things in both Fourthly in the Consequent wee are to understand all thââ went before by way of Cause or Preparation as in the Crucifying of Christ his preceding Agony and the Cause of it Our sinnes and the love of God and Christ in those sufferings c. Fiftly though we are to beleeve Circumstances as well as the thing it selfe yet not with the same necessity of Faith as it is more necessary to beleeve that Christ was crucified than that it was under Pontius Pilate though when any Circumstance is revealed we ought to beleeve it and to have a preparation of minde to beleeve whatsoever shall be revealed yet in the maine points this preparation of minde is not sufficient but there must bee a present and an expressed faith We must know that as in the Law he that breaketh one Commandement breaketh all because all come from the same authority so in the grounds of faith he that denies one in the true sense of it denies all for both Law and Faith are copulatives the singling out of any thing it contrary to the obedience of faith For Particular and dayly use wee must knowâ First that every Article requires a particular faith not onely in regard of the Person beleeving but likewise in regard of the application of the Article beleeved or else the Dev ââ might say the Creed for he beleeves there is a Creator and that there is a Remission of sinnes c. but because hee hath no share in it it inrageth him the more Our adversaries are great enemies to particular faith and thinke we coine a thirteenth Article when wee inforce particular assurance because say they particular men are not named in the Scripture and what is not in Scripture cannot be a matter of faith But there is a Double Faith a Faith which is the Doctrine wee doe beleeve and Faith which is the grace whereby
wee beleeve and this Faith is matter of Experience wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of God It is sufficient that that faith which wee doe beleeve is contained in the Scriptures Now whereas they object that we make it a thirteenth Article their fourteenth Apostle adds to these twelve many more articles of faith which he inforceth to be beleeved with the same necessity of faith as these twelve neither hath he onely entred upon Christs prerogative in minting new articles of faith but likewise they have usurped over all Christian Churches by adding Romane to the Catholike Church in the Creed A bold imposture But for speciall faith the maine office of the Holy Spirit is In opening generall Truths to reveale our particular interest in those Truths and to breed special Faith whereby we make them our owne because the Spirit of God reveales the minde of God to every particular Christian for as the things beleeved are truths above nature so the Grace of faith whereby we beleeve is a grace above Nature and created as a supernaturall eye in the Soule to see supernaturall truths Secondly Where sacred truths are truely apprehended there the Spirit workes an impression in the soule sutable to the things beleeved every Article hath a power in it which the Spirit doth imprint upon the Soule The Beleefe of God to be the Father Almighty breeds an impression of dependance reverence and comfort The Beleefe and knowledge of Christ crucified is a crucifying knowledge The true knowledge and faith in Christ rising is a raising knowledge the knowledge of the Abasement of Christ is an abasing knowledge because faith sees it selfe one with Christ in both states We cannot truly beleeve what Christ hath wrought for us but at the same time the Spirit of Christ worketh something in us Thirdly it is convenient for the giving of due honour to every person to consider of the worke appropriated to every one all come from the Father all are exactly performed by the Son in our nature for the Redemption of those that the Father hath given Him The Gathering out of the world of that blessed society which we call the Church into an holy Communion and the Sanctifying of it and Sealing unto it all the priviledges believed as Forgivenesse of sinnes Resurrection of the body and Life everlasting c. proceed from the Holy Ghost Fourthly it hath pleased the great God to enter into a Treaty and covenant of agreement with us his poore creatures the articles of which agreement are here comprized God for his part undertakes to convey all that concernes our happinesse upon our receiving of them by beleeving on him Every one in particular that recites these articles from a spirit of faith makes good this condition and this is that answer of a good conscience which Peter speakes of whereby being demanded what our faith is every one in particular answeres to every Article I beleeve I not onely understand and conceive it but assent unto it in my judgement as true and consent to it in my will as good and build my comfort upon it as good too me this act of Beleefe carries the whole soule with it Fifthly though it is wee that answer yet the power by which wee answer is no lesse than that whereby God created the world and raised Christ from the dead The answer is ours but the power and strength is Gods whereby wee answere who performes both his part and ours too in the covenant It is a higher matter to beleeve than the common sort thinke it For this answer of Faith to these truths as it is caused by the power of Gods Spirit so is it powerfull to answer all temptations of Satan all seducements of the world all terrours of conscience from the wrath of God and the curse of the Law it setteth the soule as upon a rocke above all Sixthly these Articles are a touchstone at hand to try all opinions by for crooked things are discernded by bringing them to the rule what directly or by immediate and neere consequence opposeth these is to bee rejected as contrary to the platforme of wholesome doctrine That one monster of opinions of the bread turned into the body of Christ by transubstantiation overthrowes at once foure Articles of the Creed The incarnation of Christ Ascension Sitting at the Right hand of God and comming to judgment for if Christs body be so often made of a peece of bread being in so many places at once here upon earth how can all these Articles be true Againe seventhly these grounds of Faith have likewise a speciall influence in direction and incouragement unto all Christian duties A holy life is but the infusion of holy truths Augustine saith well non bene vivitur ubi bene de Deo non creditur men of an ill beleefe cannot be of a good life wherupon the Apostles method is to build their exhortations to Christian duties upon the grounds of Christian Faith But we must remember that as faith yeelds a good life and conscience so a conscience is the vessell to preserve the Doctrine of Faith else a shipwracke of faith will follow If there bee a delighting in unrighteousnesse there will not be a love of the truth and if we love not the truth then there will be a preparednesse to beleeve any lye and that by Goâ just judgement 2 Thes 2. 12. Eighthly as these fundamentall truths yeeld strength to the whole frame of a Christian life So they are so many springs and wels of consolation for Gods people to draw-from whereupon that good Prince George Anhalt whom Luthers time became a Preacher of the Gospell intending to comfort his brother Prince Iohn raiseth his comfort from the last three Articles Remission of sinnes Resurrection of the body and Life Everlasting which as they have their strength from the former Articles are able to raise any drooping spirit and therefore in the greatest agonies it is the readiest way to suck comfort from these benefits But I omit other things intending onely to say something by way of Preface And thus Good Reader I commend this worke unto thee and both it and thee to Gods blessing Thine in the Lord R. SIBBS AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED SERMON I. ROM 3. 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law AS the Children of Israel having sojourned long enough in Horeb were by Gods speaking to Moses commanded to remove thence and goe further off Deut. 6. So in some sort I may say we having in our ordinarie course gone through divers necessary points of Religion as the Lords Praier Repentance c. must now go on further to speake of the Doctrine of Faith a large and great Field ful of knowledge and exceeding comfort wherefore I shall have so much the more need to be helpâ on by your prayers as my weaknesse and inhabilitie is unfit for so great
the little Boy which runnes to our friend Iesus Christ who then comes and paies our debt pacifies the conscience and we goe free Secondly because it maketh us one with Christ as we see in the Galathians and in the Epistle to the Ephesians wee are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and therefore being one with him all the holy vertues that be in him are made ours the obedience of Christ his patience his love his meekenesse his goodnesse his holinesse and whatsoever is in him wee partake of it As we see in experience if a man be married to a woman whatsoever he hath hee communicates to his wife for if he be rich she cannot be poore if he be noble she cannot be base for looke what the man hath hee communicates to his wife even so being made one with Christ by faith looke what good things Christ hath that hee communicates to us his Righteousnesse his Holinesse c. Looke what he hath we cannot want If a man should commit treason against the king be condemned for it adjudged and sentence given that he shold have his hand cut off or his eyes pulled out if he had this cunning that he could make his hand or his eye to bee the eye of the kings sonne he should not have his hand cut off nor lose his eye because it then were the eye or hand of the kings sonne even so this is the skill and cunning of faith it makes us members and parts of Christ the sonne of God and therefore if wee be but the least bone in the body of Christ God will not cast us away we shall not perish for his sonnes sake So that faith doth not save us by reason it is a more holy quality than other graces or for the worthines of it above others but because it maketh us one with Christ as if a man had a stone in a ring that could heale many diseases we say it is the ring but indeed it is not the ring but the stone in the ring that cures them and even so it is said faith saveth us but not by the owne vertue but because it layeth hold on Christ and makes us one with him The second use of faith is to sanctifie us in this world for it doth not onely justifie us and take away the guilt of sinne but also sanctifies us in this world and taketh away the corruption of sinne So we see it is said Act. 15. Their hearts were purified by faith and Galatians 5. 6. that Faith worketh by Love There be two workes of faith First it worketh in heaven for when we have sinned and grieved God and are smitten in conscience for it accused and condemned then faith worketh in Heaven by tendring and offering up Iesus Christ to God for our Redemption and satisfaction of his justice Secondly faith worketh in earth by stirring up sanctified and holy motions Now two waies it may stirre up good motions First by the meditation of the death of Christ Secondly by combination or conjunction with Christ First by meditation for faith doth carry us to the crosse of Christ there to behold the great paines that Hee hath suffered for us how his body was racked and tormented for us and to this end Faith makes us consider these three things 1. The cause of his death 2. The end of his death 3. The manner of his death First to consider the cause of his death that it was nothing in himselfe but it was our sinnes and transgressions that caused his body to be whipped his face to be buffeted his hands to be peirced his feete to be nailed his Head to be crowned his sides to be launced with a speate So that our sinnes are the cause of the death of Christ and of all the grievous things that he suffered as it is in three and fiftieth chapter of Esay and the fifth verse But he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes wee are healed And 1 Peter 2. 24. Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that wee being delivered from sinne should live in righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed and therefore seeing our sinnes caused this cruell death and grievous paine to be upon Christ to doe the like to our sinnes to goe to the crosse of Christ to take them downe to crucifie them to hang them up to take the speare out of Christs side to thrust it into the side of sinne as in the Revelation we may see a voyce came to the Church concerning bloody Babylon Reward her as shee hath rewarded you so doth this voyce come to a Christian concerning sinne reward it as that hath rewarded Christ that would not let Christ to be at rest till it had killed him even so we should not let sinne be at rest till wee have killed it saith Augustine If one should kill thy father or thy mother wouldest thou entertaine him into thine house wouldest thou let him feede at thy table nay thou wouldest hate him and spit at him nay saith he sinne hath not killed thy father and mother but it hath killed Christ thy Saviour and Redeemer what saith hee wilt thou then entertaine sinne wilt thou let it sleepe in thy bosome wilt thou feede it Nay saith he hate it defie it and spit at it as at a Toade The second thing we are to consider is the end of Christs death now all the paines that Christ suffered it was to abolish sinne so wee see Heb. 9. 26. But now in the end of the world hath hee appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe 1 Ioh. 3. 8. For this purpose appeared the Sonne of God that hee might loose the worke of the divell And therefore seeing the death of Christ was to abolish sinne if wee live in it we make all the paines of Christs sufferings and his death of none effect wherein judge you what an injury and wrong is offered to Christ the Prophet complaineth Esai 49. 4. That He laboured and spent his strength in vaine and for nothing such a complaint may Christ take up against us on the crosse For this cause was I sent of my Father into the world to abolish sinne and for this cause was I inclosed ninth moneths in the darke wombe of the Virgin and for this cause was I borne in a stable and layd in a manger for this cause was I thirty three yeeres labouring among you for this cause did I dye a cursed death on the corsse all this was to abolish sinne and therefore if men live in sinne still it may seeme to them Christ hath spent all his labour and strength in vaine nay he may say he hath spent his blood even all his blood even five streames of blood that came from him and all this in vaine to them It is said
Esai 53. 11. of Christ hee shall see of the travell of his soule and shall bee satisfied and therefore if men bee brought to God if they live a holy life if they bee conscionable in their waââs and carefull to please God in their courses then this will satisfie Christ But if wee live in our sinnes in our prophanenesse in our lusts still then it shall grieve Him that ever he was borne into the world sweate in the garden died and shed his blood on the Crosse for us Thirdly wee are to consider of the manner of his death that it was in the greatest extremity that might be so Paul saith Philip 2. 8. Hee humbled himselfe and became obedient to that cursed death on the crosse and so in Esai 5 3. 12. it is said He hath powred out his soule unto death c. Now the greatest extremity that Christ suffered may make us consider of two things First the greatnesse of our sinnes And secondly the greatnesse of Gods mercie First wee may consider the greatnesse of our sinnes that when wee have sinned against God nothing will bring us into favour againe but it must cost blood and the blood of the Sonne of God therefore howsoever men make but a light matter of sinne yet when we have sinned all the powers of Heaven and earth cannot bring us into favour againe all the Angels in heaven cannot doe it nor all the blood of the Saints but it must bee the blood of the Sonne of God that must doe it if the king should make a law that if a man told a lye or sowre an oath or committed a sinne he should lose a droppe of his blood how afraid would he be of sinning Now when we sinne although it doth not cost us blood yet it cost the blood of the Sonne of God and therefore wee should bee afraid to sinne lest wee bee more wastfull of the blood of Christ than of our owne Secondly wee are to consider of the greatnesse of Gods mercie that when wee had sinned hee would send his owne Sonne to die for us as 1 Iohn 4. 10. Herein is Love not that wee loved God but that hee loved us and sent his Sonne to bee a reconciliation for our sinnes and so in Rom. 5. 8. But God setteth out his love towards us seeing that whiles we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us and therfore seeing God hath so loved us that he was content to part with his Sonne for us let us never sticke to part with our sinnes and lusts to serve him but we see it otherwise that God doth not sticke to part with his sonne to die for us and yet we sticke to part from our sinnes to serve him The second way that faith doth stirre up holy motions is because it doth combine and knit us unto Christ so it is by combination by being made one with Christ for as from the head doth flow into the rest of the members life even so Christ doth extend unto us his graces and vertues In the second of the Kings wee see that when the dead body of the Prophet did touch the dead body of the man life came into him much more if we went downe into the grave of Christ and touched him wee shall live being joyned with the living body of Christ who hath gloriously and triumphantly overcome death hell and the divell We see in experience that if a man would have water flow into his field he will make a trench and dig into the ground till he comes at the fountaine and then the fountaine will flow water into the field even so if men would have the graces of Christ to bee distilled into them let them never be at rest till they have joyned themselves to Iesus Christ and then hee will distill all his graces and vertues into them so faith never leaveth us till it brings us unto Christ Now the use of this point is that seeing we are sanctified in this world by faith as we find other uses thereof so we should labour to find this use and benefit of it and therfore whereas men thinke that some are too precise and too strict it is a sure thing that unlesse we be sanctified in this world we cannot be justified before God and yet do not looke to be sanctified before men And therefore search thy selfe oh man or woman I pray thee art thou brought to the hatred of sinne Or is it weakned in thee Doest thou labour to lead an holy life in the sight of men here Then thou art justified in the sight of God but if thou livest in sin and makest no conscience in thy waies but livest loosely never then looke to be justified in the sight of God It is a good observation that a learned man hath out of the eighth of the Romans of the golden chaine saith he There be foure Linkes of it two he hath in his owne hands and two he hath put out to us to lay hold on the two linkes that he hath in his hands are Predestination and Glorification the first and the last linkes and the two middle he hath left for us to lay hold on Vocation and Iustification and therefore doe thou oh man cast out thy hands and lay hold on these two linkes that thou mayst be called and justified that so thou maiest be glorified in the world to come This is comfortable that God hath left these two linkes for every man whereby hee may be drawne up to Heaven The third vse of faith is that which Paul speaketh of here Rom. 1. 17. The just man shall live by his faith so a man must not onely be justified by faith in the sight of God and sanctified in this world but he must live by his faith as Paul saith Thus I live yet not I now but Christ liveth in mee and in that I now live in the flesh I live by Faith in the Sonne of God who hath loved mee and gave Himselfe for mee A man may live the life of nature without faith hee may buy and sell and doe the workes of his calling hee may eate and drinke c. But he cannot live the life of grace without faith the greatest part of men care not to live in faith but they desire to die in faith They would die a comfortable death like Balaam that would desire to die the death of the righteous but care not to live so strict a life therefore if men doe not care to live in faith they cannot die in faith for this is the true use of faith to live by it so the prophet Habakuk saith the just shall live by his faith a man that hath lived by it hee shall die in faith also Heb. 11. 39. it is said all those dyed in Faith because as they had lived in faith so they died in faith too therefore if wee will die in faith wee must labour to live in faith and then
and sustaine him The uses hereof be two First that seeing we must have a word and warrant from God for the doing of any thing whatsoever we doubt of wee must not doe for if we doubt we cannot doe it in Faith because Faith expelleth doubting So wee see Rom. 14. 23. For he that doubteth is damned if he eate because he eateth not of Faith For whatsoever is not of Faith is sinne And therefore if thy conscience be doubtfull for the doing of any thing doe it not till thy conscience be resolved for if thou doest thou doest sinne dost thou doubt whether thou maiest doe such a thing or such a thing on the Sabbath day doe it not untill thou be resolved so likewise art thou in doubt whether thou maiest borrow mony at interest doe it not untill thou be resolved and so likewise of any thing wee doubt of It is the boldnesse of many that although they doubt of the doing of a thing yet they will doe it because others doe it well let them remember that all we do must be in faith for if it be not it is sinne in us The second use is that seeing whatsoever we doe we should have a ground out of Gods word for it whatsoever wee cannot have a ground for we cannot doe it in faith and if we doe it not in faith it is sinne to us There be many things wee cannot doe in faith wee cannot put our mony to usury in faith because we have the word of God against it Psal 15. And so when men be sicke likewise to goe out for helpe to witches we cannot doe it in faith because wee have the word of God against it and so likewise if a man be in want or necessity to seeke to releeve himselfe by unlawfull meanes he hath no warrant for it and therefore hee must not doe it yea whatsoever a man cannot doe in faith he must not doe it there be thousands of this kinde that wee cannot doe in faith and if wee doe it not in faith wee cannot please God nor assure our selves that God is pleased with us and so we cannot die in faith because we have not lived in faith or will not live by it Thirdly wee must doe it out of a perswasion that God will blesse us and give us such successe as he in his wisedome seeth meete as his promise is Psal 1. 3. Whatsoever he doth it shall prosper and Rom. 8. 28. Also we know that all things worke together for the best unto them that love God even these accidents that seeme to worke cleane contrary by the secret hand of God they shall all turne to our good As wee see in a clocke there bee some wheeles that turne the cleane contrary way yet all serve to one end to make the clocke goe even so it is with them that love and feare God although there be some things that worke one way and some another yet by the secret hand of God they are turned to the best for them that love him This is a great comfort that wee have such a promise that a man may assure himselfe that even such things as may seeme to turne to his hurt by the wisedome of God and by a secret hand they are all turned to the best for his people and therefore when we have done any good duty or any thing that he hath commanded us although wee doe not see such successe to follow as wee desire yet wee should commit it to the Lord and perswade our selves that hee will give such a blessings as shall be fit for us There bee two cares that men trouble themselves with How they may doe a thing and when they have done it they take care how and what successe will follow it Now the first care that every one must take how to doe the duties of his calling is that which God requireth but the second care that wee must commit to God what successe he will give to it Wee see an hundred men in a ship they are all at the masters disposition some of them he appointeth to the maste some to bee at the sterne some to the fore-decke some to the anchor and all tends to the bringing home of the ship in safetie and to the good of them all even so the Lord hath the disposing of us and turnes all our labours to our good And therefore when we have done the first the second we must commit to the Lord. But oh we see men so farre from doing things in Faith that they doe it in no hope of a blessing for let a man give admonitions and exhortations and good counsell as I pray you heare and receive the Sacraments and such like wee are farre enough from doing it in Faith when wee doe it not in hope of a blessing therefore wee must doe the first and commit the blessing to God The next thing is how we should suffer in Faith of which there are two kindes 1. Spirituall Desertion 2. Worldly Crosses Spirituall Desertions are when he taketh away the comfortable feeling of his favour the power of grace or the measure of feeling of it this kind is the greatest and heaviest to feele God departed from a man more than worldly crosses losses or any affliction that wee feele outwardly Now in both these Faith must sustaine and uphold us the lust he must live by his Faith In spirituall Desertions Faith upholds us by three wayes First that although wee feele not the comfortable feeling of Gods favour yet we are all one with Christ because we stand not in our owne apprehension but Christ doth apprehend us as it is Phil. 3. 12. Not as though I had already attained to it either were already perfect but I follow if that I may apprehend that for whose sake also I am apprehended of Christ Iesus And therefore howsoever we let goe our hold through weakenesse and frailtie yet Christ doth not let goe his Even as a mother taketh a Child by the hand when howsoever the Child let goe his hold yet the mother doth not let goe hers so howsoever we may let goe our hold through weakenesse or frailtie yet Christ doth not let goe his and therefore wee see it is said in Peter we are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation Therefore it is the power of God that doth keepe us So Psal 94. 18. saieth he When I said my foote slipped thy mercy O Lord held me up Even so being one with Christ Gods mercy it is that upholdeth us Trees that seeme to be dead in Winter yet because there is life and sap in the roote in the spring they do recover Even so although a man may seeme to be dead in his owne feeling yet because there is life in the roote life in Christ we shall recover againe The second action that Faith doth sustaine us by in spirituall desertions is that although wee feele not the comfortable feeling of
in the life of a Christian first that a man is justified by it before God secondly that he is thereby sanctified in this world thirdly that hee must live by his faith and fourthly that hee must die in faith wee raised from hence two points of exhortation the first was that wee labour to get faith whatsoever it cost us because wee are justified by it before God and sanctified by it in this world If a man goe to market and hee heare hee may have good advantage by buying of such and such commodities hee will not sticke at it whatsoever it cost or whatsoever the price be And even so seeing faith doth bring us such advantage let us not sticke at the price of it whatsoever it cost us our pleasures our ease or much labour The second point of exhortation was that wee labour to keepe and to nourish it by all meanes now because there bee divers faiths and lest the divell should deceive us with a dead faith as the mother was with the dead childe instead of her living therefore wee will speake of the divers kinds thereof For as wee must labour for it so wee must looke it be the true faith if a king should have a servant and should send him into his Treasurie and he should bid him take silver and gold or what jewels he would have and whatsoever he wanteth the servant would surely looke he had the key and the right key too or else hee might turne and turne and never the better so when God doth offer such rich treasures in the Gospell then the next thing is we must looke to it that we must have a right key that is true faith or else wee may turne and turne and never the better and therefore that we be not deceived we are to consider generally there be foure kinds of faith 1. Historicall faith 2. Temporary faith 3. Miraculous faith 4. True saving faith First Historicall faith is when a man beleeves the history of the Bible to be true without application of it that is cannot apply the word of God to the comforting of his conscience to the directing of his life nor to the humbling of himselfe This hath no grace in it it is no worke of God but it ariseth from the light of nature for as wee beleeve other stories so also wee may beleeve this and assentunto it and therefore no grace of God Iames 2. the divels have this kinde of faith they beleeve the Scriptures that there is a God and therefore tremble now he doth not so because he is illuminated by Gods Spirit but by the light of nature by this he knowes it and therefore a man may have this faith and not true faith Here we are to note a strange malice of the divell that he would keep from men that which he beleeveth himselfe for hee beleeveth that there is a God and beleeveth the word of God to bee true and that there is a hell to torment and yet many men beleeve not this they do not beleeve there is a God or that there is a hell or that the Scriptures bee true and therefore they come short of the faith of the divell have no grace and therefore it cannot be true faith A man may beleeve there is a God that he is a just God that the word of God is true that there is pardon for sinnes rewards for the Godly punishments for the wicked and yet this is not the true faith for it failes in two things first is failes in the true resolved grounds of faith for as the Schoolemen say True faith never rests till it come at his resolved ground to rest on God for as they say faith doth not beleeve the resurrection of the body because Peter or Paul wrote and the rest of the holy men but true faith doth beleeve it because God spake it so that true faith rests on God as the last ground So 2 Peter 1. 21. saith he For the Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost so these holy men did not write the Scriptures in their owne name but they wrote them as the Pen-men and Secretaries of Almighty God and therefore we are not to rest in them because they wrote them but because God spake them and it is his will and all Scripture is given by inspiration of God Tertullian hath a saying and that is this That the Kings and Princes of this world when they would have their Lawes knowne to men they send it by Shreeves to proclaime and make it knowne to them so saith he the Prophets and Apostles be as it were the Shreeves and Officers of Almighty God to make Gods Lawes knowne unto men And as another learned man saith namely Augustine That it is true that Christ did write the Scriptures but not in his owne Person for he is the head but the Prophets and Apostles did write them as the very parts of Christ the very hands of Christ or the fingers of Christ to write the Scriptures for whatsoever Christ would have written to his people concerning his will he hath wrote by his Prophets and Apostles Ezek. 9. 8. Christ is there described to haue an Inckhorne of a writer at his reines Christ had his Inckhorne at his backe to write his last will and testament to his people when hee turned his backe upon them even when he was departed And therfore wee see that true faith in the last resolution staies on God it doth not rest on the Scriptures because Peter and Paul and the rest of the holy men of God spake it but because God hath taught it Therefore here wee may consider the ground of an historicall faith generally to beleeve the Scriptures and the Reason why men beleeve the Bible and in their common speech talke of it is because they never heard otherwise since they were borne but that the Scriptures were true So that it doth not arise from the true ground The second thing that historicall faith doth faile in is because it wants particular application of the word of God it doth assent to it that it is true but it goes no further it beleeves there is a God but not beleeve hee is a God to him it beleeves there is pardon of sinnes but not that his sinnes be pardoned and that God is just but not to him This is a maine defect in this Faith it doth not apply the word of God in the body there be two sorts of veines some of them bee sucking and drawing the meate into the stomacke to concoct the other carrying the strength of it into every part of a man so true faith like to these sucking veines carrieth the word downe into a mans heart and applyeth it unto him In the Gospell when Christ spake to his Disciples generally that one of them should betray him straight-way they said every one Is it I Master Is
there is alwayes a seede and a roote of faith left though hee may feele the losse of the comfortable assurance yet there is the Sanctity and effects of faith still there is an hatred of sinne a love of goodnesse a desire of the presence of God and of his love and favour which may be his comfort We read Acts 20. 10. that Eutichus fell out of a window and was taken up dead but Paul went downe and fell upon him and imbracing him said Trouble not your selves for his life is in him so we may say of all the fals of Gods people There is life in them This may bee their comfort that in all their fals there is a seed of faith there is the sanctitie of faith still remaining in them this must be their stay and comfort in all their spirituall afflictions and desertions whatsoever The second is that although they lose the feeling of Gods favour yet it is not perpetuall but for a short time So it is said Psal 55. Hee will not suffer the righteous to fall for ever and Psal 94. 18. When I said my foote slippeth thy mercy O Lord held and stayed me up Trees in a great winde are shaken and beate this way and that way as if they would breake but if the windes goe downe and there bee a calme they come to their former estate againe so it is in faith in the time of temptation we may be shaken and carried this way and that way but when the temptation is at an end wee come unto our former estate againe and to as comfortable apprehension of the Love of God and of his favor as before so Zech. 10. 6. the Lord promised the same powerfull grace to his people after their fals as before for saith he And I will strengthen the house of Iudah and I will preserve the house of Ioseph and I will bring them againe for I pittie them and they shall be as though I had not cast them off for I am the Lord their God and will heare them And therefore seeing it is not perpetuall but for a little time this may comfort them and glad their hearts The third is The wise providence of God who disposeth all things to the good of his servants A man ye know when he plants a tree he casteth moulds about it puls and shakes it this way and that way and yet it is but to settle the tree so the Lord doth when he plants a man hee puls him this way and that way and all is but to settle him that he may be the better rooted and grounded as it is Rom. 8. 28. All things worke together for the good of those that love God Therefore let a man love God and then all things shall worke together for his good There be strange workes of God and some that seeme to bee against men and yet by a secret hand of God they are all carried and worke together for the good of them that love him As ye see in a Clocke there be some wheeles turne one way and some another way and yet all tend to one end to make the Clocke goe well so sometimes God sends a man adversity and sometimes prosperity sometimes he deales one way with us sometimes another and yet all is but to draw us neerer unto him in holinesse and obedience The fourth thing that may comfort them is that they cannot be at quiet or at rest till they have returned to the Lord againe still there is a thirsting of the heart after God and they cannot bee at rest till they bee returned againe so we see David Psal 119. ver ult saith I have gone astray like a sheepe that is lost oh seeke me for I have not forgotten thy Commandements as a lost sheepe cannot be at rest but he runnes here and there hee cries to the sheepheard and is not at rest and quiet till he be returned home unto the sheepfold so the people of God when they have gone astray cannot be at rest till they have runne here and there and cried to the sheepherd they can never be at quiet till they be returned home unto God therefore so long as a man cannot be at quiet in his fals and sinnes but that there is a thirsting of the heart after God and hee takes no rest till he be returned this may give him comfort We see in nature that if the shipmans needle be touched with the Loadstone it cannot be at rest nor at quiet till it looke upon the North Pole if it be hindred with any little thing it standeth trembling and shaking as if it were discontented so if a mans heart be touched and set a fire with faith in Christ it doth alwayes gather to Christ and if it be hindred by any meanes it is not at rest but it is discontented untill it come home to him When a man is in danger of drowning hee will fling out his armes and catch hold of every straw to save himselfe so we should doe when wee perceive our selves to be in danger of hell we should fling out our armes abroad and catch hold of Christ and so save our selves Now if any man should aske how he should recover againe when he is in this estate I answer first he must repent him of his sinnes and turne to God Secondly he must cry to God for his former falling so we see David did Psal 51. saith he Restore me to the joy of thy Salvation and Psal 4. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thirdly strive against the infidelitie of thy owne heart as David did Psal 42. saith he Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou thus disquieted within me waite still on God Fourthly to strengthen our faith from the former mercies and kindnesse of God as Rom. 11. 29. The graces and gifts of God are without Repentance And in another place Those whom the Lord loveth hee loveth unto the end and therefore if ever thou canst approve to thine own heart that God hath loved thee he will love thee still unto the end The third step and degree of faith is The full assurance of faith when a man is at this top and degree he is as it were at the top of the hill for as you know that a man being at the top of an hill hee may see the whole countrey round about him the latitude and length of it both by sea and land euen so when a man comes at this step and degree of faith he shal see the latitude and length of Gods love in Christ heaven open and Christ ready to receive him the holy Apostles ready to carry his soule into heaven as Lazarus was and all the Saints and Martyrs ready to entertaine him Now this Metaphor is taken from a ship at sea that hath sea roome enough being past rockes and sands and so out of danger saileth safely unto
his appointed place even so when a man is come to the full assurance of faith he is past all danger he saileth safely towards God and joyfully even untill hee come to heaven This is the most joyfull and blessed estate that any man can have or bee in here in this life but this is not the case of many for a man comes to this by degrees and it is a long while ere he can attaine unto it and many doe not feele it untill the time of their death Now having spoken of the degrees of faith we will in the next place speake of the Effects and Fruits of faith for as the Apostle saith Faith worketh by love it is not idle in a man nor lyeth still but sheweth it selfe by good effects and fruits for there is nothing in the world can save a man no outward thing neither circumcision nor uncircumcision but only faith which worketh by love In a Clocke when the great wheele stirres all the little ones will stirre because they doe depend upon it so faith is the great wheele in the life of a Christian that if it be stirred it will move all the rest of the wheeles all the rest of our graces It is said Iames 2. Shew me thy faith For many will talke and say they have faith but if you have faith Oh thou man or woman shew me thy faith make declaration of it for if thou canst not shew mee thy faith by good effects and fruits it is to be suspected that it is not true faith If one lay a little straw on the ashes if there be any live-coles they will catch hold on the straw so if there be faith in us it will shew it selfe by the fruites and effects Mat. 9. 2. it is said that Christ saw the faith of the sicke man and of those that brought him why could Christ see their faith could he see into their hearts Yes but hee saw also their faith because it did shew it selfe by the effects fruits wherefore if you have not a faith attended with good fruits and good effects it is not true faith It is a good observation of a learned man saith he A man that goeth upon a ladder to serve a Mason he must have two hands one to hold by and another to give up Morter and Bricke and such like so saith he a Christian must have two hands hee must have the hand of faith to lay hold on Christ to save himselfe and hee must have the hand of charitie to give out things to his brethren So we see the faith of a Christian must bee attended with good effects and fruits as yee have heard Now the fruits and effects of faith are many but I cannot stand to shew you them all and therefore I will onely point at the chiefe which the Apostle Paul doth aime at Hebrewes 11. First that faith makes a man offer a better sacrifice to God than others this is shewed by the example of Abel and Caine the Apostle telleth us that his was greater than Caines Gen. 4. 1. it is said that Abel did offer of the first fruits of his sheepe and of the fat of them and Caine of the worst they did both offer sacrifice what was that then that made the difference the Apostle telleth us that faith made the difference for Abel beleeved that God had pardoned his sinnes that God would save him and blesse him and bestow upon him all things needfull in this life and heaven and happinesse in the life to come and therefore hee thought nothing too good to offer unto God but Caine he had not faith he did not beleeve that God would save him and blesse him hee had no hope of heaven nor no hope of the pardon of his sinnes hee did not beleeve that God did love him and therefore hee thought any thing good enough for God So it is still faith doth make a man offer a better sacrifice and a greater than others for when men beleeve that God hath pardoned their sins that they shall be saved enjoy heaven and happines bee blessed in this life and in the life to come then they thinke all the service that they doe is too little to such a God that hath loved and bestowed such blessings upon them they satisfie others yet they cannot satisfie themselves because God will infinitely acquit them if they had a thousand bodies and soules all were too little to doe service unto him David saith in the 1 Chroâ 22. 14. Now behold according to my poverty have I prepared for the house of the Lord an hundred thousand talents of gold and a thousand thousand talents of silver and of brasse and iron passing weight for it is in abundance I have also prepared timber and stones here we see that David did accompt all this as nothing in regard of God So Matth. 26. Mary Magdalen brought a costly boxe of oyntment she broke her boxe and powred forth her oyntment on Christ she thought nothing too good or too deare for him thus much Christ instructs us in the Gospell that when wee have done all wee can yet wee are unprofitable servants It is a good saying of S. Bernard saith he it is an infinite debt that we owe unto God for our redemption if all the lives of the sons of Adam were in one man and all the vertues and good things that were in all the Patriarkes and Prophets and all the holy men yet all were nothing to doe service unto him yea saith hee for mine owne part I have but two farthings to pay the Lord withall and they bee farthings of the least size and measure my body and my soule nay indeed saith hee I have but one farthing and that is my good heart and my good will thus faith makes a man offer a better sacrifice than others because the men of this world doe not beleeve that their sinnes bee pardoned and have not hope of heaven they thinke a little will serve to please God a little prayer repentance and a little care this doth shew that it is not true faith for if a man have true faith hee cannot pray enough bee carefull enough take too much paines all will bee too little that hee doth in the service of God The second effect of faith is that it maketh a man exceeding carefull to please God and to walke with him as is shewed in the example of Henoch of whom it is reported Gen. 5. 24. that hee pleased God in his courses for hee beleeved that hee should lose nothing but bee well rewarded for it it was not in vaine to walke with God to please him and praise him so it is still if a man beleeve that God is a rewarder of all them that seeke unto him they will let all goe and desire to please God in their courses this was that made David say Psal 119. Teach mee thy way and I shall walke in it and Psal 56. 13. For
made more carefull to please God how justly may this lye upon a mans conscience at the day of death The second effect was They come in hast for all this do you consider how many lets they had to hinder them first the darke night might have hindered them secondly their flockes were in danger subject to be devoured of wilde beasts there being no body to looke to them thirdly there was no body that knew of it but they fourthly when they were entred into the city there was no body could tell them of Christ and yet their faith made them breake through all these lets Which may teach us that true faith will breake through all lets there is never a man that heares me this day but hee shall meete with lets yet wee must not bee dishartned but strive to breake through all as Mark 2. 4. when they brought the man that was sicke of the palsie they brake through the rooffe and let him downe to Christ so true faith will breake through a thousand lets we see in nature that a spring will breake through an heape of stones or a rocke so if there be a spring of grace in us we shall breake through all lets unto Christ therefore it must be our wisedome to breake through profits and pleasures and whatsoever is deare unto us to come to Christ But why did they come in hast to teach us that men can never make too much hast to come to Christ It is a great error in the world that men may make too much hast to repent to beleeve c Ioh. 11. 29. when Lazarus was dead and Christ was come to the grave as soone as Mary heard that she arose in hast and came unto Him so Ioh. 21. the Disciples being a fishing when Peter heard it was the Lord he leaped over the Boate to come to Christ The third effect was that They published all things abroad that they had seen and heard of Christ they did not keepe it but they did make Christ knowne to the world Which may teach us when wee know any good thing that wee should labour to make it knowne to others that they might see Iesus and he blessed by him as Ioh. 1. 41. saith Andrew we have found the Messiah which is by Interpretation the Christ so Iohn 4. when the woman of Samaria had talked with Christ she went into the city and told all those things she had heard and seene so Matth. 28. when the Angels had shewed Mary that Christ was risen shee told the Disciples in like manner when wee know any thing wee should tell it to others to draw them to Christ As in a shipwrack when some bee got to the shore or to the haven they get into the toppes of trees to hang out lights that so others might be directed into the haven or harbour so wee should doe when it pleaseth God to draw any of us home to Christ wee should by all meanes labour to draw others and to bring them home to the haven or harbour to bring them home to Christ And what did this worke why did the common sort wonder and marvell at it yet let all goe because they were not inlightned but of good Mary it is said she did ponder all those things in her heart when men heare of the great and glorious things in the Gospell they wonder and marvell at them as the people did Act. 2. 6. Now when this was noised abroad the multitude came together and were astonied because every man did heare them speake in his owne language and they were all amazed and marvelled saying one to another Behold are not all these which speake Galileans and so let the matter dye But good Mary with the people of God ponder these things in their hearts therefore howsoever others doe wonder and are moved for a time only yet we should gather them home to our hearts and ponder them in our soules that so we may have comfort by them in life and death The fourth effect was that they did returne againe to their callings and to their flocks they did not give over their callings when they had seene Christ but they did returne againe But with what caution did they returne againe the text saith praysing and lauding God for all that they had seene and heard This must teach us that when we go to the place of Gods worship and see Iesus we must returne againe to our callings but with this caution praising lauding God that he hath made his birth known unto us his life his death his paines and his passions and wee have our parts in them when yet he hath passed by many kings and queenes and great gentlemen of this world and hath looked upon us that bee but poore husbandmen and tradesmen therefore let us praise God for it and although we go againe to our labours yet let us never forget this little Iesus the light that shone about them did vanish and they saw it no more but the inward joy that tarried within in their inner houses their hearts and was a comfort to them in sicknesse and troubles and at their deaths so wee cannot heare these glorious things nor have Sermons every day yet let us get Christ home to our houses and into our hearts then wee shall have comfort in all our troubles and at the time of death then whensoever thou shalt shut up thine eyes in this world thou shalt open them in Gods kingdome And therefore I pray God wee may so shut our eyes up in this world that so wee may open them in the light of his blessed kingdome One would wonder seeing Christ was so obscurely borne how his Birth should breake out into the world and be knowne There were three waies of it 1. By the Angels to the Shepheards of this spoken already 2. By a starre to the Wisemen 3. By a secret motion of the Spirit to Simeon and Anna. In the manifestation of Christ to the Wisemen wee observe two things 1. The inquiry they made for Christ 2. The effects of their inquiry In the inquiry for Christ observe 1. The persons that made inquiry The Wisemen 2. The place from whence they came Out of the East 3. The place whither they went To Ierusalem 4. The end To seeke Christ 5. The cause that mooved them It was a Starre First the persons that made inquiry the Wisemen or as the Originall hath it the Magi that is learned wisemen men of great learning and knowledge the shepheards were poore and simple men and the Magi great learned rich men as it may appeare by their gifts they offered to Christ Of which there are two reasons why Christ appeared to the Shepheards and the to Wisemen first to shew that the grace of the Gospell appertaineth equally to poore men as well as rich it draweth all sorts of men to it even as the Vine that beginneth low at the bottome of the tree
to the fire to warme him All this doth shew the strangenesse of this effect which made some thinke it could not be true but wee may see that all the ancient Fathers of the Church read it so ever from the Apostles time as Irenaeus and Athanasius and divers others as also it agrees with the love of Christ towards us and therefore seeing it hath been thus read of all the ancient Fathers in the Church and is agreeable to the love that Christ shewes to us wee are to make no doubt of it In the sweating of Christ observe foure things 1. Who was the procuring cause of it 2. The cariage of Christ in it 3. The manner of it 4. The end First what was the procuring cause it was His Agonie Agonie doth signifie in Greeke a combate or a conflict now this same conflict which Christ had was not with any earthly power but with God and this was the cause of his sweating before Christ had a combate with feare and sorrow in the garden he had wrestled with the devill being tempted by him and with the Priests in the temple now he is come to combate and have a conflict with God Which may teach us that if we live in our sins and doe not repent of them and put them off to Christ we shall have an agonie too for we shall not only have the devill and an evill and bad conscience to combate with but wee shall have God himselfe to fight against us as Revel 2. 16. Repent or else I will come against thee shortly and will fight against thee with the sword of my mouth so that if men doe not repent they shall not onely have the devill and an evill conscience to combate and conflict with but God himselfe and this is the sorest combate that can be to have Him to fight against them it is a great matter for one to have a combate with the devill and for a poore man to have a combate with a great power but a farre greater matter to have a conflict with God We see that a Christian had neede of a great deale of faith wisedome and patience for he hath not onely his sinnes and the devill to conflict with but God to fight against him therefore wee had need to take Pauls counsell Ephes. 6. To take to us the whole Armour of God to be armed in every part for saith hee wee wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers c. a Christian hath not to doe with weake and fraile men onely but with the devill yea and many times with the Lord himselfe who doth combate with us therefore that wee may stand at that houre how ought we to be armed and to have the gifts of the Spirit The second thing observed was the carriage of Christ in this estate it is said he prayed the more earnestly the more hee felt himselfe pressed and burthened with our sinnes the more earnestly hee prayed Which may teach us that the sorer our temptations and the greater our conflicts bee the stronger must be our endeavour to resist them the more earnest our prayer we must strengthen our faith and renew our repentance that so we may stand in the temptation I have shewed you heretofore that little Bees in a storme or tempest catch up little stones in their clawes to ballance themselves against the winde and storme that so they be not carried away with storme or tempest so Christians must do when there is a tempest up get little stones as it were in our clawes get faith and repentance renewed pray the more earnestly that so wee be not carried away with the temptation and overcome with the conflict many a Christian complaines that he is troubled with evill motions that hee cannot rest nor bee at quiet and some complaine of the deadnesse of their hearts and insensiblenesse of them now in this case what must bee done the sorer the temptation is the greater must bee the indeavour to resist it therefore we should be the more earnest with God in prayer and apply our selves to the use of good meanes that so wee may not bee carried away with the temptation if a tree begin to dye at the top the way to helpe it is not to pick away the moulds from the rootes for this is the way to kill it quite but to lay fresh moulds to the roots so if a Christian begin to droope the way to recover him is not to withdraw himselfe from the meanes but to apply himselfe to it to pray read meditate heare the word preached and to receive the Sacraments When Iehoram was wounded of the Assyrians he turned into Iezreel to bee healed of his wounds so a Christian must doe when he feeles himselfe to be wounded in his love faith care or in his patience what must hee doe but returne to the use of good meanes to bee healed againe in his love and in his patience and in his grace Thirdly the manner of his sweat and this is declared in these five circumstances first it is said that he did sweat the Philosophers say that all sweating ariseth from too much labour or paine for nature being pressed above her strength doth cause sweating therefore so long as a man doth not exceede the power and ability of his nature hee doth not sweat but when hee is pressed above his strength that makes him sweat Gen. 3. saith the Lord to Adam Thou shalt eate thy bread in the sweat of thy face why did not Adam labour before this Yes but the labour which he had before was a delightfull not a painefull or penall labour so Christ being pressed with the burthen of our snnes and the weight of them this made Him to sweat Christ could have borne the heavinesse of the earth on his backe without sweating but our sinnes did so presse and burthen Him and the weight thereof was so heavy that it made him to sweat It is a wonderous thing that Christ should thus sweat under the burthen of our sinnes and wee goe away and feele nothing well sinne will either cost sweating heere or in hell better it were to sweat for them here where wee may have an end of sweating than in hell where there will be no end Secondly He did sweat blood Philosophers say that a man may not onely sweat water but blood as a man being stung with a serpent but Christ did sweat blood when there was no hand to touch him nothing but the serpent of our sinnes to sting Him The use is for our example that if Christ did sweat blood for our sinnes then our consciences should bleede in the consideration of them I have shewed you heretofore that if a man be slaine bring the partie that killed the dead man into the place where he is and his wounds will bleed afresh againe now we be the men that have slaine Christ therefore when wee come to the
suffer all his paines at one time but there was some space and intermission betweene them which must teach us that it is the Goodnesse and Mercy of God that all our afflictions come not upon us at one time but there is a space betweene them this the Prophet Esai 57. 16. doth note as a mercy of God where it is said For I will not contend for ever neither will I bee alwaies wroth for the Spirit should faile before me and the Soules which I have made all our troubles shall not come at an instant nor all our temptations lest our spritis should faile but there shall bee a space and a time betwixt them so Matth. 4. it is said that the devill left Christ for a season hence appeares not onely the goodnesse but the mercy of God that the devill doth leave tempting of us for a season yea even God himselfe doth leave and cease to bring all his afflictions upon us at one time still there is some intermission and space betweene them that so wee may bee quite overcome but may have a breathing time to recover our strength againe The third is that it was the ninth houre of the day a little before his death This must teach us that greatest extremitie for the most part of a Christian is at the time of his death so we see Esai 38. 12. Hezekiah complaining Mine age is departed and is remooved from me like a shepheards tent I have cut off like a weaver my life he will cut me off with pining sicknesse from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me c. so in the Revelation wee see because the devill hath but a short time to continue therfore he rages and takes on the more and bends all his forces to bring troubles upon the people of God There bee two especiall times that the devill is busiest to disturbe Gods people first at their entrance into a Christian calling so Matth. 4. no sooner was Christ called to his office but he was straight-way tempted of the devill the same still he doth to us no sooner are we entred into a Christian course or calling having given our names to Christ but we are assailed by him I have shewed you heretofore if a prisoner breake prison the jaylor will lay all the country about till he hath gotten him againe and if he take him he will lay more irons upon him and use him worse than he did before so the devill doth when a man is once converted and brought to God escaped out of his thraldome hee will labour by all meanes to catch hold on him againe so that wee see at the entrance of a Christian into an holy course the devill will bee most busie Secondly at the time our death when because the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death the devill thrusts himselfe in with death that he might make death more bitter and strong thereby to destroy us if hee could Ioh. 14. 30. saith Christ for the prince of the world commeth and hath nought in me so Gen. 15. when the Sunne was downe the fowles came and fell upon the carkasse of the beast that Abraham had killed for a sacrifice in like maner when sorrow is at hand or when death is come the devill will be most busie to hinder us therefore being forewarned wee should labour to get faith patience repentance with other graces fitting for a Christian that so we may stand at that time before God and bee able to say with Christ Ioh. 14. 30. The prince of the world commeth and hath nought in me Secondly what he complained of that he was forsaken of God it is a very strange thing that the Sonne of God should be forsaken yet very true in respect of the bitternesse of his passion and sense of his humanity he being oppressed with infinite dolour and paines and this complaint of his is not of desperation and diffidence for he cals God his God but of contention and strife with his most bitter and sorrowfull tentation This must teach us that if the Sonne of God was forsaken when hee found sinne upon him though it were but imputed then wee may bee sure that if God finde sinne upon us he will forsake us Here we are to observe foure things 1. What it is to be forsaken 2. How farre He was forsaken 3. For what Hee was forsaken 4. His carriage in this estate First to be forsaken of God is nothing else but to want the gratefull presence of God in goodnesse and grace Now there is a twofold presence there is a generall presence to sustaine and uphold us in our being and actions which is common to all thus the devill hath the presence of God which is that presence Paul speaketh of in the Acts In him we live moove and have our being let a Carpenter make a house and when he hath done let him goe whether hee will the house will stand but it is not so with us for God when hee hath made us must uphold us or else wee fall to the grave and come to nothing as a staffe in a mans hand as long as he holds it so long the staffe stands but if hee withdraw his hand it fals so it is with the world and all things in it Now besides this generall presence there is a particular presence in grace and goodnesse such as is spoken of Psalm 145. 18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth So that God is not onely present to sustaine and uphold us in the life of nature but to be present with us in the life of grace therfore to want the presence of God is to want the comfortable feeling of God in grace and goodnesse this is meant by being forsaken of God to finde Gods angry countenance against us for sinne Secondly how farre forth Christ and so a Christian may be said to bee forsaken I answer two waies 1. The one is in the life of nature 2. The other is in the life of grace First in the life of nature when God takes away our sight our strength our health our breath or life and thus the dearest servants of God may bee forsaken thus Christ was forsaken and the Theefe on the crosse he was not freed of his bodily paines yea and hee lost his life too but God did not forsake him in the life of grace hee gave him his Spirit and grace still And thus the poore Martyrs were forsaken in the life of nature Heb. 11. it is said some were racked and some were sawne asunder I but God did not forsake them in the life of grace therefore they suffered willingly the spoiling of their goods thus the dearest of Gods servants may be forsaken yea this kinde of forsaking is needefull as in some diseases when a Physitian comes and seeth a man hath abundance of blood whereby he is subject
for them much more will hee love and pray for his friends servants and people But how doe wee prove that Because he loved his enemies and prayed for them The chiefe Butler forgot Ioseph when he was lifted up and restored to his Office againe But Christ will not forget his servants and his people but even as good Ioseph when he was exalted in Aegypt his father and brethren being in distresse he goeth to Pharaoh and said Sir I have a poore father in the Land of Canaan and eleven brethren there is a famine in the Land and they are like to starve Sir you have bread and corne enough I pray you let me send for them and let them dwell in thy countrey and kingdome even in the Land of Goshen So Christ saith to his Father Father I have a great many of poore distressed servants in the world afflicted and troubled with the temptations of the Devil and their owne corruptions and with wicked and bad men Father let us send for them let them be in thy countrey and come into thy kingdome let them be in joy and in all that glory which thou hast prepared for them therefore labour thou to bee one of Gods servants and friends and then thou mayest assure thy selfe that Christ loveth and prayeth for thee every day and houre when thou art dead-hearted and heavie and canst not pray then Christ prayeth for thee this may give thee comfort Secondly What he prayeth for for the pardon of their sinnes that God would not lay them to their charge at the day of judgement Now the pardon of our sins is the greatest blessing that we can have in this world this it was that Christ prayed for Thirdly When he prayed for his enemies even in the very act when they drove the nailes into his hands and feet when the bloud did trickle downe when his shoulders were rent and torne with whipping when his face was swelled with buffetting even when all his paines were upon him In which observe two things First that it was in the heat of sin when admonition and good counsell would doe no good to them then he prayed for them which must teach us when we should pray for our enemies when admonition and good counsell can doe them no good When a clocke runs ryot what will a man goe and pull downe the plummets No then it may be he may have his load even to lay all on his head but they will goe to the great master-wheele that stirres all So we should doe when we see men goe head-long to sinne that nothing will stay them we must not runne to the plummets to stay them to the men but we must goe to the great master-wheele of the clocke to him that carries all things and ordereth all things that is to God as 1 Sam. we see in the example of Abigail Secondly in the very act of his crucifying when they were in the very heat of their malice when the bloud did trickle downe from his hands and feet then he prayed for them It may be some can pray for their enemies when the heat is over and there is a calme but see Christ prayeth in the very act of their malice so Act. 7. Steven did in the very act when a showre of stones came about his eares hee kneeled downe and said Lord lay not their sinnes to their charge Fourthly the reason why Christ prayed for his enemies because they did they knew not what Now the words were 1. Words of Compassion 2. Words of Extenuation First of Compassion as if he should have said Lord they know not what they doe for if they knew what an high sinne and great offence it were to kill the Sonne of God they would not doe it so wee may say when we see men runne into all kinde of sinnes of drunkennesse breaking the Sabbaths swearers and whoremongers c. Alas they know not how highly they sinne against God for if they did they would not doe so they doe not know that it is the Devill that blindeth them and leadeth them downe to hell by these meanes therefore good Lord spare them good Lord forgive them Secondly words of Extenuation Lord what they doe is not or knowledge but of ignorance therefore good Lord spare them which may teach us That sinne of ignorance be lesse than sinnes of knowledge therefore when men sweare and know it is a sinne to sweare it is a greater sinne than if they did it ignorantly for there is no kinde of ignorances worâe than sinnes of knowledge SERMON XXI IOHN 19. 26 27. When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the Disciple standing by whom he loved he saith unto his mo-mother Woman behold thy Sonne Then saith hee to the Disciple Behold thy mother And from that houre that Disciple tooke her unto his owne home WE began to speake the last day of the holy carriage of Christ on the Crosse many testimonies hee shewed in his life time of faith humility patience and of pietie but especially when he came to die and was upon the Crosse then all his graces did shine forth most cleerely which carriage of his I shewed must teach us to looke to our behaviour when we are under the crosse in any affliction and trouble for howsoever the speeches actions and carriage of a Christian should be seemely and holy at other times yet especially when he is under the crosse in trouble and in affliction then he must shew all his Christian graces and vertues as Iob did Iob 1. 22. when hee was on the racke it is said In all these did not Iob sinne nor charge God foolishly So the holy people Psal 44. 19. say they Thou hast smitten us in the dens of Dragons and covered us in the shadow of death yet have we not forgotten the Name of our God c. Thence we came to speake of the first words of Christ on the Crosse and divers other things which wee will not now repeat but come to that which followes The second words of Christ on the Crosse wherein we observe three things 1. The occasion of the speech 2. The speech it selfe 3. The effect of the speech First The occasion of the speech was that hee being on the Crosse saw his Mother and Iohn the Disciple whom hee loved for when others fled away from Christ these tarries with him and followed him to the Crosse to see what would become of him and got as neere it as possibly they could this was the occasion of which there be two Vses 1. A morall and 2. A spirituall Vse First the Morall use that as Mary and Iohn gathered to the crosse of Christ when he came to suffer So we should gather to our good friends when they be in any trouble or affliction especially when they be in their last extremitie ready to die that we be there to helpe and to comfort them
to heaven a place of glory and happinesse we therefore must labour to be obedient to God to doe his will and to be content to endure the troubles of this life with patience as the children of Israel walked in the wildernesse forty yeares together following God in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night enduring many troubles and afflictions till they came to the Land of Canaan so we must follow God labour to doe his will and be contented to endure the troubles and afflictions of this life be it forty or fifty yeares together till wee come to this heavenly Canaan The fourth words of Christ on the Crosse were My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee But having spoken of these words not long since I shall not need to speake of them againe at this time Onely I will give you the heads of them which are foure 1. What it is to be forsaken of God 2. How farre forth a true Christian may be forsaken 3 What a grievous thing it is to be forsaken of God 4. How a Christian should carry himselfe when hee is forsaken First What it is to be forsaken of God that is to want the gratefull and the acceptable presence of God which is two-fold First There is a presence of God in power to uphold his creatures and to give a being to them Secondly There is a presence of God in goodnesse and grace to want this presence is to be forsaken of God Secondly How farre forth a true Christian may be forsaken In the life of nature he may be forsaken in the life grace he cannot finally or totally for there is the power of grace and there is the comfortable feeling of grace Now every true Christian hath the power of grace but many times want the comfortable feeling of it and so farre a true Christian may be forsaken Thirdly What a grievous thing it is to be forsaken of God for if he have forsaken us whom shall we make our moane to it was the complaint of Saul that the Philistines were come upon him and God was departed from him wee count it a great matter to be forsaken of our kindred or of our friends O but it is a far greater matter to be forsaken of God therefore though our âândred our friends and the world forsake us yet pray to God that he doe not forsake us Fourthly How a Christian is to carry himselfe when he feeles himselfe forsaken which was shewed in the example of Christ First he carried himselfe mournefully Secondly he carried himselfe holily he rested himselfe on God by faith Thirdly he laboured to recover himselfe by prayer SERMON XXIII IOHN 19. 28 29. After this Iesus knowing that all things were now accomplished that the Scripture might be fulfilled saith I thirst Now there was set a vessell full of vineger And they filled a spunge with vineger and put it upon hyssope and put it to his mouth IN 1 Pet. 2. 21. the Apostle Peter doth offer to our consideration all that Christ did upon the Crosse Hee did not all as the price of salvation onely but also as an example of holy life and Christian vertues therefore looke how Christ carried himselfe when hee was on the Crosse so we must carry our selves when we be under our crosses in any affliction or trouble Many testimonies Christ shewed in his life time of love patience humilitie zeale pietie and number of other vertues yet when hee comes to die and was on the Crosse then all his graces were gloriously dispersed and displayed So howsoever a Christian is to shew many testimonies in his life time of faith patience and of pietie yet especially when he comes to die then all his graces must bee gloriously displayed and made to shine forth Now the Holy carriage of Christ is seene in the seven last words of Christ on the Crosse The first was his prayer for his enemies The second the care he had of his friends The third the promise he made the theefe upon his conversion at the houre of his death whereby all the people of God have assurance of a blessed and a happie change after death though they hang on the crosse in trouble and affliction in paines and in sicknesse here yet death shall take them downe from the crosse and shall transforme them from men to God from earth to heaven from mortalitie to immortalitie from paines to ease from sorrow to joy from shame to glory and as he said to the Theefe on the Crosse This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise so hee saith to his servants on their sicke beds this day shalt thou be at ease and rest Of these I have already spoken as also of the fourth His desertion when hee cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And now I am come to handle the fifth words of Christ on the Crosse containing a complaint that he made of bodily thirst wherein we are to consider foure things 1. What were the causes of his thirst 2. How he carried himselfe in his thirst 3. When he complained of thirst 4. What were the effects of his thirst First What were the causes of his thirst and they were two 1. Naturall 2. Morall The Naturall causes were these The first was long abstinence from meat and drinke hee was a whole night and day without any refreshing Hee never ate bit from the time hee ate the Passeover till this time this was a great matter especially in that Country for we read Luk. 13. 15. How the Iewes did loose their Oxen and their Asses on the Sabbath and had them to the water they could not well tarrie a day without drinking therefore it was a great matter for a man to tarrie without meate and drinke so long especially being so tossed and tumbled as Christ was indeede if he had beene idle and done nothing he might the better have borne it But Christ was in action and in imployment for they puld him in the Garden from thence hurried him to Annas and from Annas to Caiaphas and in the morning from Caiaphas to Pilate from Pilate to Herod from Herod backe againe to Pilate and then to the Crosse So Christ was in action and motion and yet all that while tooke no sustenance he was without any refreshing this could not chuse but make him thirsty When Sampson had killed a thousand Philistins hee cried out give me water or I shall die for thirst so when Christ had encountred not with the Philistins but with our spirituall enemies the Divell Sinne Death Hell and Damnation and had overcome them all he cried out I thirst The second reason was Exiccation or drinesse within him for he had lost much blood some in the Garden and some in Pilates Hall and on the Crosse for as the Philosophers say the blood is the Charriot of the Spirits which wanting moysture drieth up and then the spirits must needs
as Christ speakes Matth. 12. 40. As Ionas was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly so the sonne of Man shall be three dayes and three nights in the body of the earth therefore the body of Christ was no lower than the grave it descended no further And this may be a sweet comfort to us that the bodies of Christians descend no lower than the grave therefore when we see a Christian laid into his grave he is in the worst estate wee shall see him in but the wicked descend lower and lower til they come at hell though their bodies doe not descend when they be buried yet when they shall rise againe at the last Iudgement then not onely their soules but also their bodies shall goe to hell as Psal 9. The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God but when a Christian is buried and laid in his grave here is the worst estate shal befal them for where the body of Christ rested there the bodies of Christians shall rest after death to wit in the grave The second is That Christ went downe in his Spirit into hell or descended thither to preach to the damned to convert them This opinion seemes more unreasonable than the former but Bellarmine confutes it for hee saith that life is the time of grace there is no repentance nor converting unto God after death according as Christ saith Iohn 9. Worke while it is called today for the night commeth on when no man can worke And 2 Cor. 5. We shall all appeare before the judgement seat of God to answer for that we have done in the body whether it be good or bad So there is no repentance after death but then we must come to judgement to answer for that we have done in our flesh And Galath 6. Whiles we have time doe good here in this life-time is the doing of good and therefore it is a sure thing that if we doe not repent and turne unto God while wee live here wee shall not repent after death because this life-time is the time of grace and of repentance therefore it must be the wisdome of men to repent of their sins to turne unto God lay hold on life and salvation while they live here for if they be dead and laid in the grave it is impossible that they should repent because this life time is the time of repentance S. Chrysostome saith there be two kindes of Repentance fruitfull and unfruitfull or penall repentance Fruitfull repentance is in this life Penall repentance after this life in hell for it is true saith he the damned in hell shall repent them of their sins the whoremaster of his whoring the drunkard of his drunkennesse the swearer of his swearing but this repentance shall be unfruitfull though it be an afflictive repentance therefore if wee would have fruit and benefit by our conversion we must repent whiles we live here The third is That Christ descended into hell to suffer the paines and torments of hell in his soule where we should have suffered I answer the Scripture is plaine for this that Christ did not suffer for us in hell for hee suffered on the crosse where all was finished therefore hee did not need to descend into hell to suffer paines and torments there as Hebr. 2. 14. Forsomuch as the children were partakers of the flesh and bloud he also himselfe having tooke part with them that by death hee might destroy him that had power ever death that is the Devill so Christ did overcome the Devill by dying But it may be objected and said that we deserved to have suffered the paines of hell for ever and therefore Christ descended into hell for us To this I answer that if this reason were good then he in soule should not onely have suffered the torments of hell but his body too for wee deserve not onely to have our soules tormented but our bodies also therefore this cannot stand us in stead Christ suffered the paines of hell but not in the place of hell but partly in the Garden and partly on the Crosse which was sufficient for mans offence as a man that hath a summe of money to pay if he pay it though it be not in the same place all is well it cannot be required againe so Christ hath paid and satisfied God for our sinnes though not in the same place where we should have suffered but partly in the Garden when he was in the bloudy sweat and partly on the Crosse when he made that bitter complaint My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And therefore this may give us comfort that God is satisfied and will not require any more at our hands if wee be in Christ The Fourth is That Christ went not downe to hell but hee went to the upper skirts and brims of hell where the Fathers were floting so to fetch them thence This is the opinion of the Papists and is more unreasonable than any of the former for the Fathers were not in the upper skirts and brims of hel but were saved by the same faith we be as we see Act. 15. 11. But wee beleeve through the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ to be saved as they doe so the Fathers were saved by the same meanes we are for the same means were in the Old Testament that is in the New but that there was a veile before it To this effect we have Psal 102. 24. I said take mee not away in the midst of my dayes but there is a plainer place than this Eccles. 12. 7. Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit shall returne unto God that gave it So the soules of good men we see went not to the border of hell but to God as Luke 16. when Lazarus was dead his soule was carried into Abrahams bosome and Dives into hell Now there be two evidences that Lazarus was not in the border and skirts of hell First because his soule was carried by the Angels who doe not carry mens soules into hell but into heaven Secondly because that he was in a place of comfort and joy but there is poore comfort in hell therefore we may see that the Papists opinion is very erroneous and false But there is another Scripture to be answered where it is said Heb. 9. 12. that the way to the holiest of holy was not made by the bloud of Goats and Calves but by the bloud of Christ and then it followes there was no way to heaven but by the death of Christ To this I answer first that there was no way to heaven by the legal sacrifices only the vertue and power of Christs sacrifice laid the way open to us Secondly all that came to heaven must come by the vertue and power of Christ for his death was as vertuall and effectuall to save men from the beginning as
it is now therefore in the Revelation it is said He is the Lamb slaine from the beginning because it was effectual and vertuall in Gods account As when a man is arrested and carried to prison for a great summe of money and meets with his friend who askes him whither he is going he tels him he is going to prison who thus pleads with the man that this party was indebted to If ye let him goe I will pay the debt I have not so much money about mee as will pay thee now but at such a time I will pay all that money well he keepes the day and payes the money and all is well So wee be infinitely indebted to God and were going to prison Christ promiseth to God hee will satisfie him at the time appointed he brought him a bag of money that is of his merits then we were discharged God was pacified and pleased Thus yee have heard of those foure opinions that I cannot assent unto now we are to speake of that which in my poore judgement is neerer the truth and carries some probabilitie for it First That Christ descended into hell to subdue the Devill and conquer him in his owne house this is more probable than any of the other and there be learned men that do hold so but I dare not yeeld to it because I have reason to the contrary First because most of all Divines hold that Christs descension into hell is the lowest step and degree of his abasement yet let it be what it will be David rejoyceth at it as a thing of great deliverance that he had escaped the grave Therefore saith he my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope for thou wilt not leave my soule in grave neither yet wilt thou let thine Holy One see corruption And Augustine saith that by this poverty of our Lord Iesus Christ wee are enriched But if Christ descended into hell to triumph over the Devill in his owne house then it is not the lowest step of his humiliation and abasement but it will appeare that he had the first beginning of his Kingdome and first step of his exaltation in hell therefore in my judgement this cannot be the true sense of it Secondly all the Scriptures shew that his soule went not into hell but into heaven as Luke 23. Christ saith to the theefe on the crosse This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise so the soule of Christ went to Paradise not into hell and in the same chapter when Christ gave up the ghost he commended his soule into the hands of God so Christs soule was not in hell but was laid downe in the hands of God and his body remained here till he was taken up and Augustine saith if we thinke that the soule of the Theefe went to heaven then it were our sin to thinke that Christs soule did not as well as his Some shifts this and say his soule went to heaven first and presently after he was buried he descended into hell and some againe say his soule went to hell first and after it went to heaven but this is against that Scripture Luke 16. it is the speech betweene Abraham and Dives that there is a great space beeweene us that they which are here cannot come there and they which are there cannot come here there is no entercourse betweene them And Bellarmine saith he was in heaven and in hell all at one time but he that is in heaven cannot be in hell and hee that is in hell cannot bee in heaven because it is proper onely to the Godhead to be in all places at one time Thirdly Origen saith hee triumphed on the crosse and in this world over all his spirituall enemies and if hee did it in this world and upon the crosse then hee need not descend into hell to triumph over the divell and to subdue him In the Colossians the Apostle shewes how Christ did triumph on the crosse over principallities and powers there hee vanquished and overcame them and there hee trod downe all his spirituall enemies But here may an Objection arise how could he overcome them seeing he was overcome himselfe of death I answer hee overcame them in his soule by his holy graces he carryed away a glorious triumph though they seized upon his body so it is said of meaner men than Christ Rom. 8. 36. All the day long we are killed and are accounted as sheepe for the slaughter and yet for all this they were more than conquerours by the holy graces they had by their faith patience and care so they carried away the glorious triumph Now if men did triumph on the crosse much more Christ which must teach us that seeing Christ did triumph on the crosse every Christian should doe so when he is under the crosse then he should triumph over his spirituall enemies by his faith and holy graces so to carry away a glorious victory So Matth. 5. 29. our Saviour saith If thine eye offend thee plucke it out and if thine hand offend thee cut it off for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should bee cast into hell It is an easie matter to the world when they be in health and in peace to tread downe all the spirituall enemies but a difficult taske when they bee in sicknesse and in paines yet a Christian we see if hee will follow the example of his Lord and master Iesus Christ must triumph on the crosse Fourthly Saint Luke saith Act. 1. 1. I have made the former treatise O Theophilus of all that Iesus began both to doe and teach untill the day that hee was taken up now if Saint Luke did write of all that Christ did till the time hee was taken up then he would have wrote of this it being an act of Christ to descend downe into hell but Saint Luke hath not recorded it he hath not written of this and therefore Christ did not descend into hell to subdue the divell there Augustine saith well whatsoever our Saviour Christ would have us to beleeve he hath commanded his Disciples to record it but they have recorded no such thing therefore it is not to be beleeved Fifthly there be many Divines say that all the devils be in this world till the last day and then they bee not in hell Now I dare not say that all of them be in this world but I thinke the greatest part bee here for Ephes. 6. the devill is said to be in high places that is in the aire and Iob 1. the Lord asketh the devill from whence he came whose reply is from compassing the earth so the devill is in the earth and Matth. 8. our Saviour Christ cast out a devill out of a man and hee asked him what his name was and hee said Legion because there was alegion of devils is that a great number
so that the greatest part of the devils bee in this world therefore hee needed not to descend into hell to subdue the devils the most of which might be subdued here Lastly all the articles of our Christian faith are confirmed by plaine places of Scripture but there is no plaine place of Scripture to confirme this that Christ went downe into hell to subdue him in his owne house and Augustine saith that all those points of faith that are fit for a Christian to beleeve are confirmed by plaine places of Scripture but this is not so confirmed therefore not to be beleeved Now against this there bee three Scriptures alleaged the first is taken out of Psal 16. Thou wilt not leave my soule in grave or in hell neither wilt thou let thy holy One see corruption where by soule is meant life and by hell is meant the grave for the sense is thou wilt not leave my life in the grave Now that this is the true sense it may appeare by these two reasons First out of Psal 88. where the like phrase of Scripture is My soule draweth neere to hell that is my life draweth neere to the grave as appeares plainely by the words following I am counted amongst them that goe downe into the pit free among the dead like the slaine lying in the grave Secondly it may appeare by the same words that Peter brings in to proove the resurrection of Christ Act. 2. the Apostle there makes an opposition betweene Christ and David that Christ is ascended up into Heaven but David was not his body remaining in the grave so Christ was where David was not therefore wee cannot proove by this that Christs soule was in hell The second Scripture is out of Rom. 10. 7. Who shall descend into the deepe that is to bring Christ againe from the dead Now by the deepe is not meant the deepe of hell but of the grave the depth of the grave where the dead lye The third is out of Ephes. 4. 9. Now in that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lowest parts of the earth Chrysostome expounds the place and saith it is the very grave for in the Hebrew tongue there be two parts of the earth there is the face of the earth which is the place where we be and the lower part and that is the grave so that the lowest part of the earth that Christ did ascend to is the grave The second more probable opinion is that Christ descended into hell when hee left the paines of hell in the garden and on the crosse this is a true ground but it doth not agree with the order of the Creed for his descension into hell was a thing that was done after he was buryed and his sufferings in the garden and on the crosse was before now it was not repeated againe for in so short a confession men use not to repeat therefore it was something that was after his death and buriall Now that which I take to be the truth in my judgment is that Christ lay in the grave three daies together trampled and troden downe of death so that the descension of Christ into hell is nothing else but the captivating of Christ under death for a time For our instruction there bee two uses to bee made of this point first that as Christ descended lower and lower till he came to the lowest step of abasement before he ascended into glory so every one must labour to be contented to descend lower and lower till he come at the lowest step of humiliation before hee ascend into glory to this effect Paul saith of Christ he that descended is the same that ascended farre above all heavens so that a Christian must descend first before he can ascend Now there be two descents of a Christian the one is in his soule and the other is in his body the first is in soule to descend low into our selves and to sinke downe as low as Hell in the sense and feeling of our sinnes and vilenesse before God that God may advance and lift us up so the Prophet David did and other holy Saints recorded in the sacred Scripture and therefore Origen saith that those which God doth purpose to advance hee doth first make them descend low into themselves to become as no body that so they may be lifted up to glory secondly they must descend in their bodies they must be contented to descend into the grave and to lye in the dust many yeeres together kept under of death and then afterward they shall be raised to glory Secondly that as Christ descended lower and lower so wee should bee contented to come downe to the lowest degree that God shall assigne us there be many that be contented to come downe somewhat but to lose all and to part with all our goods there is not one of a thousand that will be contented when David daunced before the Arke Michal despised him for it unto whom he makes this answere that if it bee a vile thing to doe so he would be more vile so should we doe bee contented to become more vile in our owne eyes to come to any estate that it shall please God to bring upon us that so he may advance us as Iob 19. 25. when he was despised of his servants and all his goods lost yet hee was contented with it and cheareth up himselfe by faith saying I know my Redeemer liveth and in my flesh I shall see God so if wee be contented to be humbled here in the kingdome of grace we shall be advanced in the kingdome of glory SERMON XXX 1 CORINTHIANS 15. 4. And that hee was buried and that he rose againe the third day according to the Scriptures HAving spoken of the degrees of Christ Humiliaation now we are to speake of the degrees of his Exaltation but before wee speake of this the consideration of both of them together will not be unprofitable for us because from thence wee may learne this good instruction that as there was a time of humiliation and a time of exaltation unto Christ so all the people of God in severall ages have had these two times a time of humiliation and a time of exaltation so saith the Prophet Ierem. 30. Alas for that day is great so that none is like it it is even the time of Iaakobs trouble yet he shall be delivered out of it there is a time of trouble and a time of deliverance from trouble as Psal 105. 18 19. Ioseph had his feet in the stockes and was laid in Irons till his appointed time came and the Lords word had tryed him so there was a time of his trouble and a time of his deliverance out of his troubles This may be the comfort of all the people of God that as there is a time of humiliation so there is a time of exaltation which they may
therefore Christ did first appeare to her I will shew you six particulars wherein Mary did shew her love to Christ First that she continued seeking when others Peter and Iohn gave over Secondly in that she wept and mourned for the losse of Christ when others went away without mourning and weeping We see in nature if one comes to a birds-nest and take away her young ones the bird will flie about the nest take on and in some sort bewaile the losse of her young but the Devill may come and catch away the graces of Christ repentance faith patience the comfortable feeling of Gods favour with the hope of heaven and yet thou never weepest for the losse of these therefore it is a good thing when a man hath lost these graces if he can bewaile them It is said of Ioseph and Mary when they had lost Christ they sought him with heavie hearts even so when a man hath lost the comfortable feeling of Gods favour and the graces of Christ he seekes for them and doth weepe in regard of the losse of them this is a true note of true love to Christ Thirdly in that shee bowed downe into the Sepulchre and looked here and there if by any meanes shee could finde Christ Of these wee have spoken alreadie now to proceed Fourthly Her true love to Christ is seene by the continuance of her complaint For notwithstanding she had seene the comfortable sight of Angels the one sitting at the head the other at the feet of the Sepulchre shewing that they were not onely ready to attend the head but also to minister to the meanest of the members of Christ who gave her comfortable speeches asking why shee wept as if they should say to her Indeed if Christ should lye still trampled and trodden under-foot of death if thy sinnes were yet upon him and held him under there might be cause for it but Christ hath risen from the dead and hath vanquished and overcome Death Hell and the Devill and therefore thou hast no cause to weepe yet for all this sight she had seene and for all those good speeches the Angels could not give her comfort till she had the thing shee sought for So if a man have true love to Christ it is not all the Angels can give him comfort till he finde Christ and feele the comfortable assurance of the pardon of his sins and the hope of Gods favour nothing will make him glad till then as Mary complaines to the Angels and sayes They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him in whom I have laid up all my joy and comfort all my hope and all my delight so a Christian may complaine and say My sinnes have taken away Christ from me they have taken away the comfortable feeling of Gods favour the hope of heaven We marvell that the good speeches that Preachers and good Christians give to a man in distresse doe not comfort him but it is no marvell for the Angels cannot doe it till a man be possessed with Christ therefore no marvell that good Preachers and good Christians cannot give them comfort it is a pitifull thing that a number when they have lost Christ every little matter will comfort them they need not have Angels sent from heaven for a few angels of gold will doe it Fifthly The divulgation of her complaint shee complaines to the Angels and she complaines to Christ thinking he had beene the Gardener she was not ashamed that hee should know that the cause of her heavinesse sorrow and weeping was for Christ this is a certaine note of true love to Christ when we are not ashamed to let the world know or see that the cause of our sorrow and heavinesse is because wee have lost Christ by our sins and the comfortable feeling of Gods favor So in the Canticles when the Church had lost Christ she runs thorow the streets and lanes to see whether she could finde him she was not ashamed to let the world know that the matter of her griefe and sorrow was because she had lost Christ so afterwards she layes out for Christ If yee meet my love tell him that I am sicke of love shee was not ashamed to let the world know that she was sicke of love so when it is thus with a man that hee is not ashamed to let the world know and see that the matter of his sorrow and griege is because he hath lost the comfortable feeling of the pardon of his sins and of Gods favour this is a note of true love to Christ Hebr. 2. 11. it is said that he was not ashamed to call them brethren therefore if he be not ashamed of us let us never be ashamed of him Indeed there is good cause why he should bee ashamed of us there is such a deale of corruption and sin in us therefore he might be ashamed of us especially when hee shall stand before God in judgement Now if Christ bee not ashamed of us let us never be ashamed of him for if we be ashamed of him before men he will be ashamed of us before God and all the holy Angels The sixth note of true love which she bare to Christ was the strange proffer she made to Christ Tell mee saith she where thou hast laid him and I will take him away if he be never so deepe if it be never so far I am contented to take any paines to have him this is a strange proffer which she makes beyond her power and abilitie her weake armes were not able to carry Christ but herein she shewes her true love to him so when a man is contented to take any paines or labour to goe thorow it be it never so farre if he can finde Christ is contented this is a note of true love to Christ for Luke 7. 37. our Saviour saith that where the dead bodies be thither the Eagles will resort As the Eagles when they sent a dead body they will flie many a mile to it so we should like the Eagles get a sent of the dead body of Christ and be contented to goe many miles take any paines and labour that we might have Christ Ioh. 21. when the Disciples were a fishing Christ came and appeared to them upon which discovery Peter launches into the water the ship could not hold him but he leapes into the sea to come to Christ so when we know that Christ is to be found in the use of good meanes in the preaching of the Word nothing should keepe us from thence Mary was content beyond her strength and ability to seeke Christ so we should shew our love to him above our strength and abilitie as 2 Cor. 8. it is said of the Macedonians that to their power and beyond their power they were willing And as he sayes Psa 119. Thou hast commanded me to keep thy Precepts diligently O that my heart were
I will commend unto you two things First that they said one unto another Did not our hearts burne when hee spake unto us so wee should examine our selves when Christ hath spoken unto us whether our hearts burne whether we were afflicted with that which was taught us If we find not this we may say to our selves What did we heare why doe we misse-spend the time Secondly that they could not be at rest they could not tarry but they went and told it to their brethren so when God hath made any good thing knowne unto us we should not be at rest but should tell it to our wives to our children to our friends and to our acquaintance we remember what Christ said to the women Goe tell my brethren and even so I may say to you Go tell your friends and tell your brethren the good things yee have heard tell it to your wives and children and if yee cannot remember any more yet remember this how wee may retaine and keepe Christ namely with this short prayer of these disciples The day is farre spent and the night drawes on tarry with us so my life is night spent and the night of death drawes on Lord tarry with us and then we shall make a happy close of our life when Wee shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of heaven SERMON XXXV IOHN 20. 19. Then the same day at Evening being the first day of the weeke when the doores were shut where the Disciples were assembled for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them Peace be unto you FIve severall times Christ appeared the same day that he rose againe first To Mary Magdalen secondly To the two women going from the grave thirdly To the two Disciples going to Emmaus fourthly To all the Disciples being met together Thomas being away fifthly To Simon Peter I have shewed the reasons why Christ appeared so many times in one day which was to dedicate and institute the Christian Sabbath that Christ spending the whole day in heavenly apparitions might leave example to us to spend it in holy duties and service therefore a Christian hath no other originall of his Sabbaths than the Lord himselfe now if Christ hath ordained the Sabbath hee that hath all power in his hand then it must be our care to keepe it Iudas is condemned by the mouth of all men not onely that he stole but also that he stole from Christ so if we doe not apply our selves to the duties of the Sabbaths wee steale from Christ nay Iudas stole but his mony but thou stealest away Christian duties and service from him Now in this manifestation of Christ to his Disciples we may observe three things 1. In what Disposition they were 2. In what Manner he appearde 3. The Effects of it First what Disposition they were in laid downe two waies First they were assembled together after the death of Christ they were all scattered and did fly one from another but now they were assembled like a flocke of sheepe that are scattered with a dog which afterwards gather together againe which may teach us that if wee fall we should labour to rise againe and if we scatter wee should labour to gather together againe so Christ saith Revel 2. 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen Repent and doe thy first workes and Psal 119. ult David saith I have gone astray like a lost sheepe Lord seeke me for as a sheepe that is gone is not at rest but cries to the shepheard and the flocke and is not at quiet till it be in the fold againe so if we be scattered from God wee must not be at rest but cry unto God and unto the flocke till wee come home to God againe and although we fall yet we must labour to rise againe though one throw mud into a fountaine yet in time it will worke it selfe cleere againe so if we fall into any sinne we must labour to cleare our selves againe we see in nature the little Birds though they fly here and there in the day time yet they will home to their nests at night in like manner howsoever a man may have some fals in the day time yet let him returne home againe to God in the night this must be the care of Christians that seeing they have daily fearefull and dangerous fals yet they must labour to rise againe and to recover There be two reasons to be given of their gathering together First to nourish the little sparkes of Faith that was left in them this was the cause why the Disciples were assembled and may teach us that although there be but a little faith and life of grace in us after wee have battered it with the temptations of the devill yet wee should labour to nourish that little sparke that is left which is the counsell Christ gives us in the Revelation Bee awake and strengthen the things that remaine and are ââdy to dye although there be but a little faith and grace yet labour to nourish them so also lately wee heard our Saviour Christ did to the two Disciples going to Emmaus finding their faith weake hee doth labour to nourish and strengthen the same 2 King 9. as Iehoram when he was wounded of the Assyrians returned to Iezreel to be healed of his wounds so when the devill hath wounded us in our faith love care and in our zeale we must returne to the use of good means that so we may recover againe If a man have a tree that stands in his orchard if there bee but a little life left in it he will dig and dung it about and lay fresh moulds to the roote of it so if there bee a little life of grace left in us wee should labour to nourish the same by prayer hearing the Word preached and by receiving the Sacraments that so wee may recover againe thus the Disciples were assembled together to nourish that sparke of faith which was left in them Secondly because they were in hope thereby to finde a blessing upon them others had seene Christ and they assembled together in hope to see him too which may teach us that the blessing of God upon others in the use of good meanes must give us comfortable hope that if we use the same meanes we shall finde a blessing of God upon us that as others have beene brought by the preaching of the Word to faith and repentance and to a comfortable feeling of Gods favour to bee perswaded that their sinnes are pardoned so if wee use the same meanes we shall have the same blessing upon us As David saith Psal 48. Wee have thought of thy loving kindnesse O Lord in the middest of thy Temple other men have found a blessing upon them and therefore we looke for the like upon us But why were the Disciples desirous to see Christ because they had felt the
flung into the Grave for thy sinnes so it is Christ that brings us peace so the Apostle speakes Ephes. 2. 17. Hee came and preached peace to you which were afarre off and to them that were neere So Esay 26. 12. Lord unto us thou wilt ordaine peace for thou hast wrought all our workes for us Therefore every man that would have peace Must looke to have it in the death of Christ Here wee see what the maine benefit is Christ brought from the Grave with him peace yet it is restrained and with a limitation to you that is To those that have repented of their sinnes and long for Christ So then let every one looke to himselfe if hee have repented his sinnes and longed for Christ then Christ brings him peace but if he be impenitent and doe not long for Christ then there is no peace for him Therefore when thou dost consider Christ is come from the Grave and from the Crosse laden with a number of blessings thinke unlesse thou hast repented thee of thy sinnes thou shalt have no part in him There bee a number of men desire to have peace in the World but if they have not repented and doe not long for Christ he brings them no peace nor comfort Thirdly it is said Hee shewed them his hands and his feete which was for further confirmation of their faith for they had a number of phantasies and thoughts in their mindes they thought hee was a Spirit and therefore Christ bids them feele and handle him for a Spirit hath not flesh and blood as ye see me have therefore to take away these fantasies and these thoughts Christ did shew him his hands here we are to take notice of a corruption of ours that if wee goe about any good thing wee shall have a hundered thoughts to hinder us come into our minds as Zech. 3. 1. we may see when Iosua was offering of sacrifices Sathan stood at his right hand to resist him So when a Christian is going about any good thing he shall bee sure to have one thing or other to hinder it Secondly he shewed them he hands and feete To teach them hee did not rise with another body but with the same body that was crucified and killed which may serve for a further confirmation of our faith in the resurrection that we shall not rise with other bodies but with the same bodies Origen saith that it is not the same body we lay downe that shall rise againe but another but Saint Ierome confutes him and sayes the same bodies wee carrie about us and the same bodies we have sinned against God with the same wee shall rise with to receive judgement and Iob 19. saith hee I know that my Redeemer liveth and that hee shall stand the last upon Earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God with my flesh c. And therefore the same bodies wee lay downe the same shall rise againe The Vse is that seeing the same bodies shall rise againe that wee carry about us therefore how carefull ought wee to bee to keepe them pure for the same tongues wee have spoken filthie words with the same bodies we have defiled through unchastity and the same hands we have stollen with the same eyes wee have looked after vanity with the same feete that have carried us to disordered places with the selfesame shall wee stand before God And therefore how carefull should we be to keepe our bodies pure Thirdly The effect and fruite it is said The Disciples were glad when they had seene Christ after a great deale of labour and a great deale of paines so if wee can see Christ after a great deale of paines and labour by the eye of faith we should thinke our labour well bestowed for a man may see Christ with the eye of his body and yet perish but if wee see him by the eye of faith wee shall bee saved Therefore as the Disciples said wee have seene the Lord we have seene Christ though we had lost him so wee may thanke God though wee have lost Christ by our sinnes yet that wee have seene him againe and that although God send the crosse and affliction to us yet we are glad that we have seene Christ whom if we can see heere in this World by the eye of faith wee shall see one day in the kingdome of glory therefore happy is that man or woman that can see Christ Thus we have heard what riches and treasure Christ brought to the Church that hee came not empty from the crosse nor from the grave but laden with a number of rich graces for the good of the Church as Peace of conscience pardon of sinnes justification sanctification all these graces Christ brought with him Now in the next place we are to consider the care that Christ hath to communicate his graces to the Church and to apply them for though he have a number of rich graces in himselfe what were wee the better for it unlesse there were meanes to convey it to us therefore as the woman said to Christ Ioh. 4. The well is deepe and wee have nothing to draw withall so Christ is like a deepe well we cannot come by his graces unlesse we have meanes therefore also it is the care of Christ to appoint meanes to convey them unto us put us in possession of them as a man finding a spring in his ground will get pipes to convey it to his house so Christ is a fountaine of grace and it is his care how to convey it to us Now the ministery of the word is the means this is the hand of Christ to convey all his graces these be the pipes whereby we receive all the excellency that is in him all the benefits that he hath purchased he hath bound theÌ in a bundle together and laid them down that they may be conveyed to us this way as 2 Cor. 4. 7. the Apostle Paul saith We have this rich treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of power may be of God and 2 Corinth 5. 18. saith he And hath given unto us the ministery of Reconciliation so the Gospell is the meanes by the which Christ doth apply unto us all his rich graces wee see Gen. 42. 17. Ioseph filled his brethrens sacks with corne which they carried into the land of Canaan to preserve them alive till they came into Egypt so the true Ioseph Iesus Christ hath put these spirituall treasures into a sacke and hath sent his servants to dispence them and give them to his brethren to nourish and to comfort them till the good time they come home unto him this is the first care that Christ hath when hee came from the grave Hee sends out his Disciples Here observe foure things 1 He Armes them before he sends them 2 The Commission as my Father sent me so send I you 3 The Ability that he
strike terrour into the hearts of men to doe any injury to Ministers when they know the Lord sent them and although there bee nothing in themselves to cause us men to doe it yet wee must receive them for Christs sake The Apostles saith 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then are we Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you through us We pray you in Christs stead that yee would bee reconciled unto God And therefore seeing Christ sends the Ministers and they come of the Lords message it should be your care thankefully to receive them Secondly their Commission to what end they were sent to the same end that Christ was As my Father sent me so send I you Luk. 19. 10. it is said The sonne of man is come to seeke and to save that which was lost Now all true Preachers are sent to the same end to seeke and to save that which is lost Men are lost in sinne and runne away from God the Preachers therefore are sent to seeke that which is lost and to bring them home againe so it is an easie matter to go into the wildernesse but it is a hard matter to finde the way out againe It is an easie matter to goe into the world O but it is a hard matter to be brought to God therefore when men have lost themselves in their sinnes and runne away from God as farre as the prodigall sonne ran from his Father the true Preachers are sent to seeke them up againe and to bring them to God Secondly Christ was sent not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance as appeares Mat. 9. 13. to the same end all true Preachers are sent to bring men to Repentance to convert them to God and to turne them from their evill courses to a hatred and detestation of sinne and wickednesse Thirdly Christ came To preach deliverance to the captives as appeares Luk. 4. 18. All men by nature are become captives to the devill and slaves to sinne being unable to helpe themselves whrefore God seeing mans misery sent his onely Sonne Iesus Christ to take mans nature upon him thereby to set at liberty and free mankinde out of the vassalage of sinne and Satan and to this end also are the Preachers sent as the Apostle Paul witnesses 2 Tim. 2. 25. In meeknesse instructing those that oppose if God peradventure will give them repentance that they may know the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devill who are are taken captive by him at his will therefore let us not stand in our owne light but let us now arise to lay hold on so great a good as the redemption of our soules and bodies from the miserable slavery of sinne and Satan which now is offered unto us by the Ministers of the Word of God Thirdly the Ability Christ gave them to performe their charge hee breathed on them and said to them Receive the holy Ghost wherein two things are to be observed 1 What He gives them 2 By what signe First What he gives them the holy Ghost all our preaching can doe no good till it pleaseth Christ to send the holy Ghost and to mingle his spirit with our speeches and words that it may be effectuall to convert men to beget faith and increase grace in us This is an excellent blessing that it pleaseth Christ to mingle his Spirit with our words so that the spirit of Christ attends the Ministerie of his word as the apostle saith 2 Cor. 3. 6. Who also hath made ãâã able Ministers of the new Testament not of the letter but of the spirit for the letter killeth but the spirit giveth life It is called the Ministration of the spirit because the holy Ghost doth attend it and make it fruitfull and effectuall Therefore this is excellent comfort to all Gods people that it pleaseth Christ to mingle his spirit with the words of the Preacher for if a Preacher have but a little sparke of the spirit of Christ he is able to doe much We see if a man have but a little sparke of fire let him come to a house of gun-powder and this sparke will be a meanes to dissolve and bring the whole fabricke to nothing by blowing it up So if a Preacher have but a little sparke of the spirit of Christ it will dissolve this same huge house of corruption that the divell hath and at length bring it to nothing Therefore it is good for men to attend the word and regard it for Christ doth not send the bare Ministery of his word only but he giveth his spirit with it also Secondly by what signe he gave the holy Ghost He breathed on them Now we are not to thinke that this breath was the Holy Ghost it selfe for it was but a meere winde or aire but we may safely say and thinke it was a signe of it so wee see Esai 6. 7. And he laid it upon my mouth and said Loe this hath touched thy lips and thine iniquitie shall bee taken away and thy sinnes shall be purged wee may not thinke that the Prophets sinnes were taken away by touching his lips with a coale from the Altar for it was onely a signe of it so also Zech. 3. 3 4. Now Ioshua was cloathed with filthy garments and he stood before the Angell And hee answered and spake unto those that stood before him Take away the filthy garments from him And unto him he said Behold I have caused thine iniquities to depart froÌ thee Here we are not to thinke the Angell tooke away Ioshuas sinne by the outward act of taking away his filthy garments for this was nothing but a signe of it that as he tooke away those filthy garments from him so God did by his inward grace take from him all his sins and iniquities in like manner Christ by breathing on the Disciples gave them a signe that hee would also give them the holy Ghost But why did Christ give it by a signe that men might know that they had received of the same spirit which was in Christ we see when Moses did ordaine Elders Hee laid his hands upon them that men might know that they received of the same spirit that Moses had so Christ did breathe on them that they might know they had of the same spirit of Christ in them Secondly it was for the more assurance that he gave it by an outward signe for when men doe know that the spirit of Christ is in them and are perswaded of it it makes them regard and attend it Fourthly The authoritie whose sinnes yee binde on Earth shall bee bound in Heaven and whose sinnes yee retaine shall be retained Now here is great power given Whose sinnes ye binde on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whose sinnes ye loose on Earth shal be loosed in Heaven But yee Must know this power is not given to our persons but to our
anger so God is angry with us many times and would kill us but the true Ionathan Iesus Christ doth interpose himselfe and labour to mitigate his anger by presenting his wounds and body before God therefore when wee cannot lift up our voyce to God nor our hearts as wee should yet Christ makes intercession his body speakes when we cannot speake and his blood crieth when we cannot cry Now I shall not need to shew you the manner how Christ makes intercession for us having spoken of it but a little before and therfore I will now proceed without any repetition to the second end why Christ ascended Secondly That hee might more powerfully and more mightily administer and governe his Church for therefore God hath exalted him that he may rule the whole world for the good of the Church as the people rejoyced exceedingly at the crowning of Salomon so wee may much more rejoyce that Christ is all in all and that hee sits at the right hand of God for the good of the Church Now by foure actions Christ doth governe in his Church 1 He drawes people to himselfe 2 He doth guide and governe them 3 He doth exercise them with crosses and troubles 4 He doth protect and defend them against all their enemies First He doth draw and pull people unto himselfe and brings them to Faith and Repentance and an estate of grace that they may be saved so Christ saith to Ierusalem Matth. 23. 37. How often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and yee would not to the same effect also Ioh. 11. 52. It was said of him That hee dyed not for that nation onely but that hee should gather together in one the children of God which were scattered abroad so then it is Christ that doth gather and draw us there is not any man living that is able to draw himselfe out of the kingdome of the devill and pit of hell into the kingdome of grace and state of blessednesse it must be Christ onely that must draw him therefore it is said in the Acts that There were added to the Church daily such as should be saved so it was not they themselves that drew themselves out but it was Christ by his Word and by his Spirit that did draw them and pull them out of their sinnes and brought them to an estate of grace Now is there any man thus drawne out of his sinnes into an estate of grace let him know it is the hand of Christ that did draw and gather him for Christs sitting in heaven is as powerfull to draw and pull men out of their sinnes as the Adamant is to draw Iron to it Wherefore when men see themselves thus drawne out of their sinnes and pulled out of the kingdome of the devill and pit of hell they may say as Iudas did Ioh. 14. 22. What is the cause thou shewest thy selfe to us and not unto the world even so we must admire the goodnesse of Christ and say Lord what is the cause thou hast pulled us out of the kingdome of the devill and pit of hell and hast brought us to an estate of grace to Faith and to Repentance there was nothing in us Lord but it was thy good pleasure and meere mercy to doe it Now the meanes wherby he drawes and puls men unto himselfe is especially by the Preaching of the word and Gospell therefore Saint Paul saith Eph. 4. 12. he gave some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints and for the worke of the ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ c. so Esai 53. 1. the Word of God is called the Arme of God because that even as men doe draw and gather with their armes things to themselves so the Lord doth draw and gather men to himselfe by the preaching of the Gospell so it is the Arme of God to draw men out of the estate of damnation into an estate of salvation and out of the kingdome of the devill into the kingdome of Christ Hereof wee may make these profitable Vses following First seeing the preaching of the Gospell is the Arme of God to draw men unto himselfe therefore faithfull Ministers must remember that they bee the hand of Christ to draw and to pull men out of their sinnes Chrysostome compares Preachers to a number of servants in a great shop of whom some bee in one place and some in another yet all comes to the common boxe and is for the advantage of the master so saith hee this world may bee compared to a shop wherein some of the Preachers are in one place and some in another imployed in preaching and yet all must come to the common boxe all must turne to the advantage of our Lord and Master they must not turne it to themselves and to their owne advantage but they must labour to draw and to pull men to God because this is the ordinary meanes to draw them by Secondly seeing the preaching of the Word is the Arme of God to draw and pull men to God therefore wee must hold us to the meanes and keep close to them that so we may be brought to an estate of grace to faith and repentance and so to be saved It may be objected All come to the means but all are not drawne and gathered to God a number hang in their sinnes still I answere though thou doe not finde thy selfe to be drawne to God presently yet doe not neglect but come still for if thou dost despise it and come not at it then it is not possible that ever thou shouldst bee gathered and brought into the state of grace but if wee come to the meanes then wee may have hope that one day God will draw us unto himselfe though not at the first houre of the day yet hee may at the second and if not at the second yet at the sixth and if not at the sixth yet at the last houre of the day Therefore we must wait on the meanes and attend that till God give his blessing unto it Iohn 5. we see a lame man came to the poole to bee helped of his diseases and lay there a long time for he was intercepted by one or other that did step in before him yet hee continued still because there was meanes of his helpe and at last Christ came and did help him so when we come to the meanes to the preaching of the Word and come a long time and we see others catch away the blessing others are drawne to faith and to repentance and to an estate of grace and we are not yet let us not tarry at home for then wee may die in our sinnes but let us come to the meanes and waite and attend on it and then at last we shall finde Gods blessing upon us
Thirdly seeing the preaching of the Gospell is the meanes to draw us to God every man must labour to feele this worke of grace in himselfe for if a man heare never so often if hee be not gathered to God and his heart brought home but lieth still in his sinnes and corruptions hee can have little comfort by preaching therefore labour thou to bee brought home to God to Repentance to Faith and to an estate of Grace by it Wee see in experience when the Hen clockes the Chickins will runne after her and gather under her wings Now the Gospell is as it were the clocke of Christ whereby he doth call us and therefore when hee cals us by his Clocking let us runne unto him and gather under his wings that so wee may bee covered in the time of danger I have shewed you heretofore when Ieremie was in the Dungeon there was one that did put downe a cord to him and cast in a few ragges whereupon hee caught hold and put the ragges under his armes and so was pulled out in like manner we all lie in the Dungeon of sinne by the preaching of the Word the Lord puts downe a cord as it were to save us therefore it must bee our wisedome to apply our selves to it that so wee may be drawne out of our sinnes This is the first Action Secondly when Christ hath gathered a people to himselfe he doth not leave them at sixe and sevens but doth governe and guide them to Eternall life as Psal 48. 14. it is said For this God is our God for ever and ever and he shall be our guide till the day of our death So Luke 1. 79. it is said Christ came to give light to them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death and to guide our feete into the way of Peace So he doth not onely draw and gather people to himselfe and so leave them but he doth guide them by his Word and by his Spirit and attends them untill he have brought them to Heaven and happinesse A goodly figure we have of this in the Law when the children of Israel were in the wildernesse of Arabia and were travelling to the land of Canaan they knew not which way to take yet the Lord sent them a Cloud by day and a Pillar of fire by night to conduct them till they came to Canaan Now what is this but a plaine figure of our journey to Heaven For we are all passengers and travellers to Heaven and are to passe through the wildernesse of this World wherein there are a number of by-pathes and dangerous places where we are like to lose our selves and therefore Christ lest wee should goe astray and bee in danger of losing hath left his Word and Spirit to conduct and lead us to Heaven this is a great comfortable mercy that Christ doth not onely draw men unto himselfe but when hee hath gathered them he doth governe and guide them by his Word and Spirit Wee see it is not enough for a father to set downe his childe in the way but also takes him by the hand and leads him in it and when he is wearie he recovers rests him and when he comes at a bridge he carries him over so Christ doth by us for it is not enough for him to set us downe in the way that leads us to Heaven but when we be in it hee takes us by the hand and leads us and when wee be wearie hee takes us up and when wee bee fallen he doth recover us when wee come to a bridge that is when wee come to any hard pinch hee carries us over this is therefore our case and of all the children of God and wee must bee contented to bee governed and guided by him in all our actions It is the madnesse of the World to have Christ to bee their Redeemer but they will not have him to bee their Governour and Guide which is the reason why so many in the World miscarrie in their actions and their courses because they be not guided and governed by him therefore every man must labour to submit himselfe to the holy government of Christ In the 73. Psal 24. the Prophet David saith Thou wilt guide mee with thy Counsell and afterwards receive me to glory Hence wee may conclude that if a man will not be guided by Gods counsell whilst he lives here he shall never bee received to glory as also Acts 27. The Lord had given the lives of all them that were in the Ship to Paul if they did abide in it And therefore when they were in danger and would have taken another course Paul tells them they cannot be saved unlesse they abide in the ship so unlesse we abide in the true Ship Christ Iesus and be guided by his counsells whiles wee live here wee cannot bee saved and this is the second Action The third Action is That Christ doth exercise his Church with divers temptations and trials for their good we see in standing waters that Toads and Frogges breed but the Rivers carry them away even so when there is peace then there are many vilde lusts and sinnes breed in the heart of a Christian as wee may see in David and therefore God doth exercise his Church with many temptations and trials to scowre away the rust of their sinnes as Matth. 8. 23. When hee had called his Disciples he went into a Ship with them and a great Tempest did arise so as the Ship was in danger of drowning whilst Christ was asleepe in the Ship and his Disciples went and awaked him so there was a great calme Now what is this but a plaine figure of Christs dealing with us for hee placeth us here in this World as on the Sea Hee raises up many troubles and afflictions and seemes to be asleepe therefore we must goe to Christ with the Disciples and awake him by our Prayers and stirre him by our repentance and then hee will drive away our troubles this is one Act of Christs administration therefore when it is thus with a Christian that there is one trouble after another hee must remember it is one part of Christs holy government and therefore must submit himselfe unto it There be three causes why Christ doth exercise the Church with diverse temptations First To set aworke their graces for when God hath given them Faith Repentance Patience and other graces of his Spirit then he doth exercise them and set them aworke So Gen. 22. when God had given saith to Abraham then he tries him and sets aworke his Faith and his other Graces by offering up his Sonne And so likewise we see the Lord tried Iob by the Divell saith he Hast thou not considered my servant Iob how that he is a just and upright man The Lord would have the World and the Divell to see the graces that were in Iob and how he was
strengthned from Heaven and therefore the Lord let in the Divell upon him If a man make a curious glasse and would have one to see the pretiousnesse excellencie and strength of it hee would put it into ones hand and bid him fling it against the wall dash it against the ground be at it with a hammer and knocke it never so hard hee cares not so the Lord doth when he hath made a Christian he puts him sometimes into the hands of the World and lets it dash him against the ground or walls knocke him with a hammer and tread him under foote that men may see the vertues and graces that bee in him and how hee is strengthened from Heaven Secondly the Lord tries and exerciseth his Church with divers temptations and trials To pull downe spirituall pride that they swell not with the graces of God I have shewed you heretofore that when men have good wines they will lay them up in low cellars for if they lye high they will sowre so because spirituall pride will sowre Gods graces and we are ready to lose them and to runne into the world therefore the Lord is faine to exercise us with crosses to lay them low in us this is the reason why the Lord 2 Cor. 12. did send a pricke in the flesh and the messenger of Sathan to buffet Paul blacke and blew that he might not swell of his graces but that hee might lay them in a low cellar and so retaine them Thirdly to keepe them from sinne we see a father if he seeth his childe padling with fire and water hee will take him and make him afraid as though he would fling him into the fire or into the water and yet hee meaneth no hurt to him but doth it onely to make him afraid so the Lord deales with us for many times we be padling with sinnes and then the Lord takes us and makes as if he would throw us into hell as if hee would destroy us and yet hee meanes not hurt to us but doth it to fright us and to keepe us from sinne that so we may creepe to heaven and bee saved SERMON XL. HEBREWES 10. 12. But this man after Hee had offered one Sacrifice for sinnes sate downe on the right hand of God I Shewed you the last day that one speciall end why Christ did sit at the right hand of God is to rule and governe the whole world for the good of the Church so that Christs exaltation to glory I meane his sitting at the right hand of God tends to the good of the Church they have the benefit of it and not himselfe Now there bee foure Actions of his holy administration and government that he exerciseth towards the Church there whereof wee have spoken of already the fourth remaines which is That Christ doth preserve and protect his people and Church against all the enemies of it hee is that great Michael that is spoken of in Daniel that standeth up to defend his Church and but for whose defence there would not bee left a man or a woman to professe the name of Christ so this is one of the Actions of Christ to defend the Church against all the enemies and adversaries thereof Now by five meanes Christ doth defend and protect his Church first by bridling and restraining of them that they cannot doe all the hurt they intend as Gen. 31. Laban pursued after Iaakob and thought to have done him some hurt but the Lord came in a dreame to him and bad him take heed he spake nothing to Iaakob but good so many times when the men of the world doe follow and pursue the Church thinking to destroy and to hurt it then the Lord comes with this charge take heed yee speake not ought but good to them take heed ye doe them no hurt so Rev. 20. 2. saith Saint Iohn I saw an Angell come downe from heaven having the key of the bottomlesse pit and a great Chaine in his hand and he tooke the Dragon which is the old Serpent the devill and Sathan and he bound him for a thousand yeares and cast him into the bottomlesse pit and hee shut him up and sealed the doore upon him so it pleaseth God to lay a chaine upon the divell and upon Tyrants that they shall nor cannot doe all the hurt or mischiefe that they intend against the Church and against faithfull men this is the end why God doth restraine and binde them to give ease to the Church that it may grow and increase therefore labour to grow in grace when God gives thee rest that so thou maiest bee fitted the better against the time of trouble so we see the Church did Act. 9. 31. Then had the Churches rest throughout all Iudea and Galilee and Samaria and were edified and walked in the feare of God and comfort of the holy Ghost and were multiplied for when it pleaseth God to restraine Tyrants and to give rest unto the Church they must labour to gather Faith Repentance Patience and comfort against the time of trouble Basill reports that there bee seven daies in the dead of winter that are very calme without stormes wherein a little bird called the King-fisher gets to the sands makes her nest laies her egges hatcheth her young and then gets away from the sea so must wee doe in the winter of this world God gives rest sometimes therefore then wee must make our nests lay our egges and hatch our young that is we must get Faith Repentance and the Graces of Gods Spirit and so provide comfort against the time of trouble this is one meanes whereby God doth protect his Church by bridling and restraining the enemies that they cannot doe all the hurt they intend The second meanes is by bridling of the enemies and by shadowing of the Church by his owne hand from the fury of the world so Ierem. 36. 26. the king would have killed Ieremy and Baruch but the Lord did hide them and so likewise Revel 12. 14. it is said But unto the woman were given two wings of a great Eagle that she might fly into the wildernesse into her place where she is nourished for a time and times and halfe a time that is all the time of Antichrist the Lord did hide the Church with his holy hand in like manner Gen. 19. when the Angels came to Lots house into Sodom the men of the city came out of their houses and would have gone in to trouble Lot and the Angels but they were stroken with blindenesse and could not finde the doore so the enemies of the Church Papists Atheists and such like they have a long time beene seeking to trouble and molest Gods Church but the Lord hath stroken them with blindnesse that they grope about the Church and cannot finde the doore that is they cannot finde an entrance nor the way to begin this is another meanes how the Lord doth defend his
Church by hiding of them The Papists demand of us where our Church was before Luthers dayes To this I answer the Lord did hide them in the wildernesse all the time of the rage of Antichrist Saint Hilarie saith Yee doe not well to love the wals of the Church and to make such accompt of the Temple know yee not that Antichrist shall fit in the Temple of God boasting himselfe as if he were God therefore saith hee looke not for the true Church of God in the Temples but looke for it in mines caves and secret places The third meanes whereby Christ defends his Church is Miraculously and wonderously so the Lord delivered the Church out of Egypt from Pharoah and so likewise The three children out of the Firie fornace and Daniel out of the Lions den and Peter out of Prison when hee should have beene brought out the next day to execution Yea the Lord doth not onely defend his Church wonderfully but also gratiously as 1 Sam. 13. 26. it was told to Saul that David was in the wildernesse of Maon presently Saul and his men followed him and Saul with his men were on the one side of the mountaine and David with his men were on the other side but there came a messenger to Saul saying Haste thee and come for the Philistines have invaded the land so David was delivered gratiously though it were not miraculous and wonderfull but by a rumour and report onely heere wee see though the Lord doe not deliver us miraculously and wonderfully yet hee doth gratiously in making our greatest and chiefest enemies friendly unto us and so gives us peace The fourth meanes whereby Christ doth defend and protect the Church is By giving them invincible courage to endure all that the world shall put upon them so although they bee slaine at the foote of the Lambe and the blood come downe at their heeles yet they goe away with a glorious conquest So Paul Rom. 8. saith For thy sake are wee killed all the day long we are counted as sheepe for the slaughter neverthelesse in all these things wee are more than conquerours through him that hath loved us for through their Christian courage they carry away the conquest Revelation 12. 11. it is said But they overcame him by the blood of the Lambe and by the Word of their testimony and they loved not their lives to the death Cyprian saith well God would let the world see that though Christians be slaine and trodden under foot for the Gospell and for the testimony of the truth yet they cannot overcome them because they bee not affraid to dye in the cause of Christ for as Christ by dying overcame death so all his members must overcome by dying Augustine makes this question whether the Tyrant doth overcome or the Christian in the eye of sense and reason one would thinke that the Tyrant hath the better because hee takes away life and blood but it is the Christian that doth overcome because the Tyrant aimes doth not somuch at the life or blood but he labours to take away God Christ the hope of heaven and to destroy Faith and Religion but the Tyrant though hee take away liberty or blood or life yet he cannot take away God nor Christ nor the hope of heaven nor the pardon of their sinnes from them therefore a Christian is the conquerour hee hath the better As wee see in nature a man comes to kill a serpent hee strikes at the serpent the serpent labours to fence his head because his life lyes in his head hee will take a wound any where before hee will take it there now as long as the serpent fences his head and keepes his life hee hath the better because the man fought to take away his life and yet he keepes it so when a Tyrant labors to take away Christ God and faith from a Christian yet as long as hee can keepe Christ and his graces it is sufficient because hee is the head and life lyes in him though hee bee wounded in his name or in his goods or his life taken from him yet a Christian hath the better I will further shew it you in an example of Scripture wee see that the Divell was as it were let loose on Iob hee tooke away his children and his goods and hee left him nothing but the stench of his teeth yet Iob had the better because the divell did labour to take away his faith and comfort in God which he could not and therefore seeing Iob did keepe this God sets the crowne on his head and hee goes away the conquerour so though sicknesse take away a mans health and usurers his money and theeves his goods and tyrants his life and blood yet as long as a man keepes God Christ his faith and hope of heaven he hath the better The fifth meanes is By destroying and confounding all their enemies for although it pleased God to use them for the chastening of his children yet at last hee will destroy them a father useth a rod to chasten his sonne for his amendment yet at last hee will destroy the rod so wee see Exod. 5. what grievous taskes were laid on the children of Israel by Pharoah to make them willing to depart the land the Lord was faine to doe as men doe by bees to smoke them out to make them leave their hives so the Lord did smoke them out of the place and at last Pharaoh the rod it selfe was drowned in the red sea so Dan. 8. wee see the Little horne which was the King of Macedonia hee did overcome for a time and tread under the people of God yet at last his horne was broken so also Revelation 12. The Beast that had seven heads and ten hornes that did labour to devoure the woman hee also shall goe to destruction and therefore let not Christians be discouraged and dismaied though they see the Church hath great enemies for God will defend and protect them against all their enemies if they walke worthy of the Gospell and labour to please God in all their courses these bee the foure actions whereby Christ doth rule and governe the Church which for your memories sake I will briefly recapitulate unto you First that hee doth draw and pull them out of the condemned multitude of the world and bring them to an estate of grace secondly hee doth guide and governe them by his Word and Spirit Thirdly he doth exercise them with divers temptations and trials Lastly hee doth protect and defend them against all their enemies The Vses wee are to make of Christs sitting at the right hand of God are first that seeing Christ sits in the highest place next to God therefore wee must labour to submit our selves unto him sinke downe at the feet of Christ and bee contented to bee ruled and guided by him but they that are ruled by their owne lusts and sinnes they doe as it were pull downe Christ
out of his throne and set up their sinnes in his roome Psal 2. saith the Lord I have set my king upon mine holy hill it is the decree of God that wee should serve and feare him that we should labour To kisse him to submit our selves unto him lest his wrath be kindled and then we perish suddenly Secondly seeing Christ sits at the right hand of God therefore wee must take heede we doe not sinne against him and offend him because hee is in the next place to God It is a great matter to sinne against him and offend him as 1 Cor. 8. 12. saith he Now when yee sin against the brethren and wound their weake consciences ye sin against Christ It is a great matter indeed to sinne against Christ Augustine saith the Iewes condemned Christ and are blamed for it but there is a great difference betweene their sinnes and the sinnes of Christians under the Gospell for they sinned against Christ in the time of his humiliation when hee did hang on the crosse but thou art a christian sin'st him now he is exalted into glory and sits at the right hand of God we see David when he had cut off but the lap of Sauls garment his heart did smite him so much more should our hearts smite us when wee have sinned against him and offended him Thirdly seeing Christ sits at the right hand of God doe thou labor to bee in Christ a true Christian and then hee will defend thee from all dangers and turne all they troubles into comforts all thy paines to ease thy sorrow into joy thy sicknesse into health and thy death into life Acts 7. 36. we read that Stephen saw Heaven opened and Christ standing at the right hand of God ready to receive him so if a Christian man or woman behold Christ with the eye of Faith sitting at the right hand of God at the day of Death this will give them comfort against all their troubles Fourthly seeing Christ sits at the right hand of God therefore as Christ overcame the Divell and all our spirituall enemies so wee must first overcome sin the Divell and all our lusts and then we shall sit at the right hand of God this promise makes Revel 2. 21. To him that overcommeth will I grant to sit with me in my Fathers Throne even as I overcame and sit with my Father in his Throne and therefore doe thou never rest but labour to overcome sinne and thy owne corruptions whatsoever thy paines and troubles be and then thou shalt sit at the right hand of God Matth. 19. 28. saith Christ Ye which follow me in the regeneration shall sit on twelve Thrones and judge the twelve Tribes of Israel you that follow me in a holy life you that are borne againe anew and you that repent of your sins and make conscience of your waies you shall sit upon the throne of Christ when others shall sit down in the shadow of death and in the dungeon of Hell with the Divell and his Angels therefore as Christ overcame Sinne Death and Hell and the Divell and when he had done it hee sate downe then at the right hand of God so when we have overcome we shall sit at the right hand of God for ever SERMON XLI 1 PETER 4. 5. Who shall give account to him that is ready to Iudge the quicke and the Dead WE are come to speake of the last degree of Christs exaltation which is in the next Article of our Christian profession a branch whereof is that from thence he shall come to judge the quicke and the Dead He that was judged of others shall judge us even he that was judged of Pilate Caiaphas Iudas and Caine Hee shall judge the quicke and the Dead that is all the people that have beene in all ages and times even all that have beene dead many a thousand yeeres before and all the people that be living at the present for when all men have plaid their pageants on the stage of this World then the Lord Iesus Christ shall have his time to play his part to shut up all and gather his servants and saints together into Heaven but the wicked shall bee cast into Hell This is that which Iob speakes of I know my Redeemer liveth and hee shall stand the last on Earth when all men have plaid their parts on the stage of this World when kings have given up their Crownes and flung downe their Scepters at the feete of Christ then hee shall stand the last on the Earth to gather his Saints and people unto himselfe and to condemne the wicked to everlasting torment This is a point to bee considered bringing with it great comfort that hee which is our Saviour and Redeemer shall bee our Iudge Now there bee two commings of Christ mentioned in the Scriptures his first to worke mans redemption as it is Luk. 19. The Sonne of Man is come to seeke and to save that which is lost his second comming is to judge the whole World as it is Psal 96. 13. For be commeth to judge the Earth He will judge the world with righteousnesse and the People with Equitie therefore seeing Christs comming is to judgement it must be every mans wisedome to lay hold on his first comming labour to be converted and to repent of his sinnes and to get Faith and to bee brought to an estate of grace for his second comming is to judgement heerefrom wee may observe these sixe particulars 1. That there shall be a judgement day 2. Who shall be the Iudge 3. The place where be shall judge 4. The time when he shall judge 5. The Person that shall be judged 6. The manner of the judgement First There shall bee a judgement day and a solemne arraignment of the whole World there be many judgements as Zephan 3. 11. The just Lord is in the midst thereof he will doe no iniquitie every morning doth hee bring his judgements to light and he faileth not but the wicked will not learn to be asham'd so there is first particular and speciall judgements that light on partiticular persons as Genes 15. 13. the Lord said to Abrahm Thy seede shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs foure hundred yeeres and shall serve them and they shall come out with great substance notwithstanding the Nation whom they shall serve will I judge Secondly besides this judgement there is another more private at the day of death as Hebr. 9. Saint Paul saith It is appointed for all men to die and then commeth the judgement there is an appointed judgement at the day of death betweene God and a mans soule and conscience as further appeares Luk. 22. 23. And it was so that the begger died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome The rich man also died and was buried and being in Hell torments hee lifted up his eyes c. so we see the one went
the king would surely spare him for his sonnes sake so there is a sentence passed against us for our offences and wee are judged not onely to lose an hand or an eye or any one member but all our parts now if wee have the skill to make our hands eyes and members the hands eyes and members of Christ and become one with him then God will spare us for his Sonnes sake Thus to be found in Christ is very difficult and therefore let us consider these three things which are necessarily required thereto First Hee must make a remoove from himselfe that is from his sinnes and corrnptions and become a new Creature as Paul speakes 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ hee is a new Creature Therefore if any man stand in his sinnes and remaine in them hee cannot be in Christ Secondly He must long in Soule and Spirit for Christ as an hungry man doth for his meate and a thirsty man for his drinke and Matthew 5. Christ saith Blessed is hee that hungreth and thirsteth for righteousnesse c. So that if a man hunger and thirst for Christ he is a blessed and an happy man Thirdly He must be setled on Christ with all his affections he must cleave unto him by faith and apply him home to himselfe as the woman in the Gospell did throng and thrust to Christ to touch him and did draw vertue out of him to heale her so we should thrust and throng to Christ and touch him by the hand of Faith and so draw out his vertues and graces Secondly that seeing Christ is our Iudge wee must take heed wee doe not displease or offend him A number of men doe not regard him but attend their profits and pleasures set light by Christ and care not to please him no more than a man would please a Dogge with what face can these men looke on Christ How abashed and ashamed shall these men be to looke on him We see Gen. 45. when Ioseph did discover himselfe to his brethren and said I am Ioseph how abashed and ashamed were they If they had used him well they might have had comfort but their consciences told them that they had done injury and wrong unto him sold him for a slave and cast him into a pit therefore they were ashamed and abashed when hee said I am Ioseph so when men have done well when they have repented them of their sinnes and obeyed Christ then they shall have comfort when Christ shall come in the Clouds and say I am your brother Ioseph I am your Lord and Savior Iesus Christ but if they have done injury and wrong to Christ condemned his lawes despised him and set light by him how shall they then be ashamed confounded and abashed and with what faces shall they looke on him at that day Christ tells us Matth. 24. That when becomes in the Clouds all the kindreds of the Earth shall waile and weepe that they were mistaken in taking him for a bare man The Gentiles shall waile and weepe that they thought it folly to beleeve in one that was hanged on the Crosse and the cold and lukewarme Christian shall waile and weepe that hee loved the World more than Christ At that time Christ shall say unto them I descended from Heaven that you might ascend I was contented to bee borne in a Stable laid in a Manger that you might be in a better place I was crowned with thornes that you might be crowned with glory I was buffered and whipt that you might have case I was killed on the crosse that you might live I was contented to descend into the Grave that you might goe to glory where is the fruite of all these my labours and paines where is your repentance your care to please me I counted of you more pretious than my blood for I was contented to shed my most pretious blood for your sakes and yet you account of me most vile for of all the Elements the Earth is the most base and you account of mee baser than of it therefore wee see when men despise and contemne Christ heavie comfort shall follow them when he shall say unto them Receive damnation with the Divell and his Angels Thirdly seeing Christ shall be the judge it must be every mans care to please him If the world should be our judge then we might labor to please that or if a noble man kings or princes then we might please theÌ but insomuch as Christ is our judge it is nothing to please the world or to please the King or Princes as noble men unlesse we please Christ as 2 Cor. 5. 10. saith S. Paul Wherefore also we desire that dwelling at home and removing from home we may be acceptable to him why doth he desire to be acceptable to God because saith he We shall all appeare before the Iudgement seat of Christ because Christ shall be the Iudge There bee a number of civill men in the world that thinke all is well with them if the world cannot touch them for any fault but what is it for the world to approve of a man if Christ condemne him Chrysostome saith well A man in a race when hee runs for a prise doth not take heede of the applause of the standers by but his eyes bee on the Iudge of the game and his care is to please him because he shall give him his reward so seeing wee all runne in race to Heaven and Christ is the Iudge of the game Therefore let us not take heed of the applause of the standers by which are but men but let us eye Christ and labour to please him because it is he that must give vs our reward and our crowne Augustine on Psal 34. saith with what face shall I goe to Christ if I shall please others and sinne against him and offend him it may be saith hee that I may die to day or to morrow or the next day and then with what face shall I stand before him Fourthly seeing Christ shall bee our Iudge therefore this may give us infinite comfort that hee that was our Saviour and Redeemer shall be our Iudge hee that bought us with the pretious price of his blood if a man knew his father brother or his friend should bee his Iudge hee might hope hee should doe well but it is Gods great mercy to us in this that he hath not made our father brother or our friend our Iudge but hee hath made Christ our Iudge our Saviour and Redeemer one that hath done more for us than all the world beside the Butler was not afraid to goe before Pharaoh because Ioseph had told him hee would bee set at liberty so seeing Christ hath told us that this is a time of joy and liberty therefore wee should not be afraid to goe before him Luk. 22. saith Christ Lift up your heads with joy for the day of Redemption draweth neere Wee
he doth in the generall but God hath appointed and determined the very houre and time of speciall all and particular judgements therefore he hath appointed and determined the very day and houre of the great and generall judgement Now that hee hath appointed particular and speciall judgements and consequently knoweth the houre and time of them is manifest out of Gen. 6. where the Lord foretold the destruction of the old world and he prefixed a time Ion 1. That in fortie dayes Ninivie should be destroyed so also it is said Revel 9. 14. The foure Angels were loosed which were prepared at an houre and a day and a moneth and a yeere so that we see there is never a speciall judgement but God hath appointed the day and houre of it and therefore they are certaine to God much more there is the generall and great judgement But let us come to the âses First seeing the time of the last judgement is certain to God we may assure our selves that although it come not in a time we looke for yet it is certaine it wil come in the time God hath appointed therefore every man should be prepared for it as Matth. 24. 48. saith Christ But if the evill servant will say in his heart my master will deferre his comming and beginne to smite his fellow and to eat and drinke with the drunken that servants master shall come in a day when he lookes not for him and in an houre when he is not aware of and shall cut him off in twaine therefore it stands every man in hand to prepare for that time so it is said Psal 50. The Lord will come and he will not be silent though the Lord be silent whil'st we live here and winkes at us and saies nothing because this life time is a time of mercy yet when hee comes hee will not bee silent because it is a time of Iustice Secondly seeing it is certaine to God though it come not so soone as wee looke for yet wee should with patience wait for it though it comes not to day or to morrow nor the next day yea though it be many yeers yet we must wait with patience till the time commeth We see in Hab. 2. the Prophet saith For the vision is for an appointed time but at last it shall speake and not lye though it tarry yet wait for it it shall surely come and not stay Augustine saith well out of Psal 33. O man thou art Gods labourer and his worke man doe thy worke and thy businesse and hee will pay thee thy hire and thy wages when thou hast done thy worke when thy pay-day comes but if thou wilt not wait till the pay-day but wilt have thine hire before thou worke surely God will bee displeased at thee in like manner consider with thy selfe whosoever thou art if thou shouldst set a man at worke and hee should say give me mine hire first or my wages thou wouldst say Doe thy worke first and then I will pay thee but if he say nay I will bee paid first wouldst not thou be angry with him But our waiting on God is much more sure of paiment than from the hands of men for they may deceive us but God will not he will give every man that which is his due therefore though the judgement day come not so soone as we looke for yet we must with patience waite for it seeing God hath certainely appointed the time The second conclusion is that It is uncertaine to us wee know not the day or the yeere or the time or the age of it no nor the Angels nor Christ himselfe as he was man as Matth. 24. 36. But of that day and houre no man knoweth no not the Angels in heaven but my Father onely so Act. 1. 17. the Disciples of Christ asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome to Israel hee said unto them It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power therefore wee see the time is uncertaine to us wee know it not no not the Angels Hence we conclude they bee meere imposters and deceivers that set downe a certaine time when the judgement day shall be The Iewes had a prophesie that the world should continue six thousand yeeres two thousand yeeres before the Law two thousand under the Law and two thousand yeeres under the Gospell but a learned man saith well if he that made that prophesie could not set downe the certaine time before which was the easiest how should wee beleeve him for time to come for from the beginning of the Law till the comming of Christ it was but one thousand five hundred yeeres and from the creation to the giving of the Law two thousand yeeres In our time in Germany there was one that prophesied that the day of judgement should be in such a yeere and such a day which made the people to neglect their plowing and sowing and so were like to have starved themselves if they had not beene releeved by the Emperour so also there was one amongst us that prophesied that the world should bee at an end in the yeere one thousand five hundred eighty and eight after which he made a kalendar that the world should continue thirty yeeres after now we have lived many a yeere longer thankes be unto God to proove this a lye But why hath the Lord kept this unknowne to us I answer that wee might bee the more prepared for it therefore it stands every man in hand to labour to get faith and repentance and to bring himselfe into the estate of grace that so he may have comfort at that day Therefore Luk. 12. saith Christ Let your lampes be burning and your loines girded for the Sonne of man will come in an houre that yee are not aware of and Saint Ambrose saith the day of the Lord is uncertaine to man that he might prepare his heart for it for he knoweth he will come but hee knoweth not the time when and therefore wee must bee like the wise virgins with our lampes burning and our loines girded ready to enter into our masters joy The third conclusion is that although the time of this judgement day be uncertaine to us yet he hath given us certaine signes and tokens of his comming for the hope that is deferred is the drying of the bones and therefore that our hope might not faint the Lord hath given us certaine signes and tokens of his comming as Matth. 24. 33. When yee see all these things know that the kingdome of God is neere even at the doores So Luk. 21. Christ tels his Disciples when they see the darkning of the Sunne and Moone and the Starres and those signes that hee spake of there then they should lift up their hands and hearts with joy for the day of their Redemption draweth neer Whereupon Chrysostome saith when we see an old man
that creepeth on the ground by his staffe and is feeble and weak in his joints we say that man cannot live long though wee know not the time when hee will die yet it is certaine he cannot live long because nature is decaied in him so when wee see the world hath his burthen saith hee things grow old nature decaies and the creatures groane and are weary of bearing then it is certaine it cannot be long ere the world fall though we know not the time when it will be Now there bee two reasons why the Lord doth give us signes of his comming First for more certainety to assure us of his comming as 1 Sam. 10. when Samuel went to anoint king Saul he told him of certaine signes that hee should see as namely that the Asses were found that he went to seeke and that hee should see three men going to God to Bethel one carrying three Kids and another five loaves and another a bottle of wine that when Saul saw those things it might the more assure him of the truth of those things that Samuel told him so when wee see these things that Christ hath told us of come to passe we may the more assure our selves of the truth of his comming 1 King 13. when the Prophet did prophesie against the Altar and told them that there should bee a Childe borne to the house of David Iosiah by name and upon thee shall he sacrifice the Priests of the high places that burnt incense upon thee and they shall burne mens bones upon thee and hee gave them a signe that the Altar should cleave in sunder and the ashes should fall through to the end this signe might assure them of the truth and certainety of it though it were three hundred yeeres after so Christ doth give us signes that when wee doe see any of them wee may the more assure our selves of his comming for the Lord will not steale on the world and come upon them unawares but he giveth them signes of it We see when the king remooves the lackies and pages goe before whom when men see they know it will not be long ere the king come so signes bee as it were Gods reteiners his lackies or his pages they commonly goe before him therefore when we see these wee may know the Lord will remoove hee is not farre behinde he will quickly follow after Secondly for excitation To stirre up quicken and awaken the world that they may be provided for his comming as Matth. 25. it is said that at midnight there was a cry made Behold the Bridegroome commeth then all those Virgins arose out of their beds and trimmed their lampes and made ready to meet with the Bridegrome so every signe that wee see is as it were a loud voyce or cry The bridegroome commeth and therefore every one should bestirre himselfe get faith repentance the graces of the Spirit and make himselfe ready to meet with the Bridegroome for Christ gives us these signes that they might be as so many tokens and warnings unto us to make our selves ready to meet with Christ Now there bee two consequents that may bee deduced from this Doctrine First that the day of judgement cannot be farre off because all the signes that Christ told us of bee almost all passed already Matth. 24. and Luk. 21. Christ gives us many signes of his comming which are almost all come to passe already I meane such as are remooved signes and doe precede his comming for there bee signes that shall not bee till the immediate and present comming of Christ therefore the day of judgement cannot be farre behinde Hence for our instruction wee are to take notice of that seeing we know not how soone we shall stand in judgement before God every man must awake out of his sinnes and lay hold of salvation that so wee may stand with comfort at that day Rom. 13. 11. The Apostles exhortation is and that considering the season it is now time that we arise from sleepe for now is our salvation neerer than when wee first beleeved and so againe 1 Cor. 7. 30. But this I say Brethren because the time is short let them that have wives bee as they that have none and they that use the world as though they used it not and they that buy as if they possessed not for the fashion of this world passeth away as if he should say let all goe seeing the time is short and lay hold on salvation and make heaven sure to your selves One saith well it is good for men to know that it is but a short time to the day of judgement for it will make them the more earnestly apply themselves to vertue as a man in a long journey when he commeth within the sight of the city it will make him gather up himselfe and make haste because the way is but short for saith he quicke and nimble men in a long way grow heavy and dull and heavy men in a short way be nimble and gather up themselves In like manner we because we have but a short way should gather up our selves apply our selves to vertue The fathers before the flood are to be commended and wee are to be condemned because they knew not of the judgement day that it was so neere and yet they did apply themselves to vertue but Christ hath told us that the day of our redemption draweth nigh and yet for all this we sleepe in our sinnes and Gods wrath eternally is ready to breake in upon us The second consequent is that the day of judgement cannot be yet because all the signes be not yet come to passe There be two signes in my owne observation that must come to passe before that time The first is Revel 17. 12. that the tenne kings that did uphold the whore shall make her naked and desolate Now this signe is not come to passe yet because there be some of the kings that doe yet uphold her as the French king and the king of Spaine The second is the calling of the Iewes for they be not yet called It is true indeed that some particular men of the Iewish Nation bee called such as belong to Gods Election from day to day But the Scripture tells us that there shall be a publike profession amongst the Iewes as there is amongst the Gentiles with one consent Now these two signes be yet not accomplished and therefore the judgement day cannot bee yet Some silly people thinke that if there bee Thunder or an Earthquake the day of judgement is come and are exceedingly affraid It is good indeed to take occasion at such times to repent us of our sinnes and to turne to God for although the generall judgement day be delayed yet the day of thy death may come upon thee thou knowest not how soone and this is a particular judgement day to thee Now if a man should demand why
Clerke staid all with a word as it were saying We stand in jeopardie to be accused of this daies sedition So if men would thinke of this when they be in the heate of their affections and in the course of sinne it would stoppe them that one day they shall come to judgement and give in their accounts for all that they have done there is no man that can escape it no man that can avoide it When we have sinned through weaknesse and infirmity wee should not be at rest till we have gotten a pardon for it sealed with the blood of Christ As a man that is guilty of Treason cannot take contentment in any thing hee cannot eate drinke or sleepe in rest till hee hath gotten a pardon from the King so seeing we are guilty of Treason before God and have sinned many wayes against him wee should not bee at rest till wee have a pardon sealed with the blood of Christ and shewed it to God saying Lord I confesse I have sinned against thee but here is a pardon sealed with the blood of Christ I know thou wilt not deny it Sixthly The manner of the judgement whereto there belong divers Actions so that at the day of judgement there shall not be one Act onely but divers The first The burning up of the whole World even the whole frame of Nature all Creatures visible and sensible shall be destroied and brought downe into the dust Once the World was destroyed by water and now it shall be destroyed by fire God that set Sodome and Gomorrah on a fire in an instant and destroyed it shall set this whole World on a fire and no man shall be able to quench it and put it out David saith Psal 50. 3. Our God shall come and shall not keepe silence A fire shall devoure before him and a mightie tempest shall be moved round about him Daniel 7. 9. And he ancient of dayes did fit whose Garment was as white as snow and the haire of his head like purple wooll his Throne was like the fiery flame and his wheeles like the burning flame A firie streame issued and came forth So 2 Thes. 1. it is said When the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance unto them which know not God nor obey him in the Gospell so that in small time the whole World shall be consumed and all the glory of it shall be brought to nothing Now if any man shall demand and say What be the particulars that shall be destroyed I answer The Apostle sheweth 2 Pet. 3. 10. That the earth with all the workes thereof shall bee consumed and burnt up all the habitations where we now dwell shall bee consumed and come to nothing many times if ordinary and slight houses be burnt such as be of bricke and stone escape but at the day of judgement not only the slight buildings shall be burned but also the stronger houses such as are made of no combustible matter of bricke and stone We see 1 King 18. The fire that came downe upon Elias his sacrifice did not onely burne up the sacrifice and the wood but it did licke up the water and burne up the stones and the dust so the fire of heaven will not onely burne the slight buildings but also the strongest houses that bee made of solid matter of bricke and stone and marble yea if they were houses of iron they shall be destroyed and dissolved and brought to the matter they were made of so all the world shall be dissolved and burnt up From hence wee learne these Uses First seeing the earth with all the workes thereof shall be consumed and burnt therefore this should teach us to moderate our care for the things of this life that wee bee not so eager and greedy of them as to scrape and scratch together these things unconscionably seeing the fire of Gods wrath shall fall upon them and consume them they shall bee dissolved and burnt up all these goodly houses and gardens hawkes and hounds all shall be burned with fire therefore we should moderate our selves in the things of this life For which cause Matth. 20. when the Disciples came to Christ and shewed him the goodly buildings of the Temple saith Christ Doe yee so admire these things and dote upon them the time shall come that there shall not be left one stone on another so may we say when men dote on the things of this life and doe not seeke after heaven and happinesse Why doe yee so dote on these things the time shall come that there shall not bee a stone left upon a stone Zerxes when hee had a purpose to goe to warre did muster his men in a place and he saw seven hundred thousand men whom he went up unto an hil to take view of and at the sight of them wept his nobles asked him why hee did weepe he said that hee wept to consider how in the revolution of an hundred yeares there should not one of all these be left so it is good for a man to doe as Zerxes did to muster up all his delights pleasures and profits to take a view of them and to consider that after the revolution of a few yeares all shall come to nothing Secondly seeing this earth with all the workes thereof shall be burnt up therefore to labour for the rich graces of Christ which is the use Saint Peter makes thereof 2 Pet. 3. 11. Seeing therefore that all these things must be dissolved what manner of persons ought wee to bee in holy conversation and godlinesse and indeed how ought we to labour to get Faith and Repentance to be brought to an estate of grace that so we may be saved and stand with comfort at that day If a man should gather a great deale of wealth together and put it into an house if one should come and set the house on fire and burne up all he would cry I am undone I am undone so if we lay up all our comfort and joy here in this world when the fire of Gods wrath shall come downe from heaven and consume all these things wee may cry out Wee are undone and therefore it must bee our wisedome to lay up our treasure in heaven and then it will be safe this is the counsell that Christ gives us Matth. 6. Lay not up for your selves treasure upon earth where the moths and canker corrupt and where theeves digge through and steale but lay up treasure for your selves in heaven where neither the moth nor the canker corrupteth and where theeves neither dig through or steale Hereupon Augustine saith well there was a friend that came to a friends house that he had laid up his Corne in a low darke roome telling him that if hee laid it there it must needs corrupt and putrifie but lay it up on an high loft and then it will keepe
wicked be in that they shall desire the hils to fall upon them and to cover them from the presence of Christ as it is Revel 6. and what a griefe will it be to them to see the godly goe to heaven into joy and happinesse when they must be tormented in hell Philosophers say That no Element is weightie in his owne place as let a man be in the bottome of the Sea and have the Sea on his backe hee shall not feele the weight of it but take him out of the Sea and put a pailefull or a bucketfull of water on his head and then he shall see how weightie it is so this world being the proper place of sinne men feele not the weight of it because it is in his owne Element but bring it to the judgement barre of God and then they shall feele the weight and burthen of it SERMON XLIX MATTHEVV 25. 34. Then shall the King say unto then on his right-hand Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world IT is a busie time and I hope ye have learned that all businesse must yeeld to the Lords businesse Exod. 34. 31. the Lord saith Six dayes shalt thou worke and in the seventh day thou shalt rest both in earing-time and in the harvest thou shalt rest It is a worthy example we have 1 Sam. 6. 13. where it is said And the men of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat-harvest in the valley and they lifted up their eyes and saw the Arke and rejoyced to see it but afterwards they did fling downe their sickles left their labours and went and offered burnt offerings So we must doe at these times when the Sabbath commeth lay aside our labours and performe the dutie that God requireth at our hands and thus much to prepare us Now concerning the last Iudgement we are come to the last point the last day we spake of the Conviction of the offenders that all the wicked shall be convicted of all their sinnes that they have committed and then shall come the sentence of the Iudge which will be most joyfull and welcome to the godly and dolefull heavie and unwelcome to the wicked In the sentence of the Iudge we observe three things 1. The Quality of the sentence 2. The Order of the sentence 3. The Sentence it selfe First The qualitie of the Sentence that it is the finall and last sentence because it shall be the last which shall be pronounced therefore it shall be unrevocable for looke how the sentence passeth so we shal be found in weale or in woe for ever and ever never to be altered and changed As long as we live here we may finde mercie and favour with God if we repent our sinnes lay hold on Christ by faith and be brought into an estate of grace yea and although it be but the day before this judgement come but if once the sentence be passed all mercy is excluded and the gates of heaven and Hell shall be shut up and every man shall be so found in weale or woe for ever ever to abide and continue We see the five foolish virgins came knocked at the gate but because they came too late they were excluded so likewise Esau sought the blessing and that with teares as Heb. 13. and yet went without it because he sought it not in time this time of life is the time of Mercy and grace therefore we must seeke it in this world for it will be too late when once the sentence of the judge shall be pronounced It is a fit resemblance as long as a man hath a stone in his hand to fling he may incline the motions thereof this way and that way but if it be once throwne then he cannot so as long as we live here we may dispose of our selves this way or that way but if once the finall sentence of the Iudge be out it cannot be revoked or altered therefore it is good to repent as soone as may be and to lay hold on Gods mercy offered in Christ One compares the time of life to a drawbridge if a man should make a goodly house with gardens and walkes and all things needfull for it and make a drawbridge to it and this should be the order of the house that when the drawbridge were downe every man that would come might dwell there but if they did attend their profit and pleasure till the bridge were drawen up that there were no way to enter in they should be excluded so men may enter into the Kingdome of God in this life as long as the drawbridge is downe that is as long as there is life but if the drawbridge be once taken up that is if this life be once ended and the sentence pronounced it will bee too late to enter all such loyterers shall be excluded and shut out Therefore while we live heere it must be our wisedome to repent of our Sinnes to seeke for Gods favor in Christ for if once the finall and last sentence be pronounced it can never be altered and changed this is the qualitie of the sentence Secondly The Order of the Sentence For the order of the sentence it is first pronounced to the just Come yee blessed and then to the wicked goe ye cursed Divers Divines doe diversly conceive of this some thinke that the reason why the sentence is pronounced first to the just is because the Lord is more inclined to mercy than to judgment as Matth. 3. he will gather his corne into his barne and then he will burne the chaffe with unquenchable fire So because that the Lord is more inclined to workes of mercy which is most agreeable to his nature than to workes of justice this some thinke to be the reason why sentence is pronounced to the godly first There be others thinke that the Reason why the sentence is pronounced to the godly first is that it might be for the more comfort of the just because they should not be terrified with the terrible and dreadfull sentence pronounced against the wicked when he shall chase and drive them all into Hell So it is out of the tendernesse of Christ that sentence is given to the godly first But I take it that this order of the sentence is because the godly shall judge the World they shall be assessors with him at the day of judgment and sit in judgment with him which is the reason why the sentence is pronounced to the godly first Now that the Saints shall judge the World it is plaineby Scripture as Matth. 19. Christ saith that they which follow him in the regeneration shall sit on twelve Thrones and judge the twelve Tribes of Israel so also 1 Corinth 6. 2. saith the Apostle doe ye not know that the Saints shall judge the world and againe in the 3 vers know ye not that we
shall judge Angels c So they shall be assessors and sit in judgment with him which cannot but be a marvellous comfort to a Christian though the world take upon them to censure their care zeale and conscience now yet one day they shall be Iudges of such worldly caitiffes so that they which have judged others that is the Saints shall be judged of them at the day of judgment If Iosephs brethren had knowne that their brother Ioseph should have judged them when they stripped him of his coate cast him into a pit and sold him away Genes 37. they would have used him more kindly and better by farre in all probability so if the world did know that the Saints should judge them it would make them wary what they did to them and carefull to use them more kindly for howsoever they judge of Christians care zeale and conscience now yet one day the Saints shall judge them Thirdly Thââântence it selfe which is divers according as it lights on divers persons wherein we observe two things first the Sentence of Remuneration to the Sheepe on the right hand and secondly the Sentence of Condemnation to the Goates on the left hand In the Sentence of Remuneration we observe 4. things 1. An Invitation 2. A Commendation 3. An Assignation 4. A Reason The Invitation is in âhese words Come ye blessed it is a calling of all the holy and good people to come to Christ as if he should say Come ye holy people you that have repented you of your sinnes and walked in newnesse of life come to me but you that are drunkards whoremasters and covetous persons such as spend your time loosely away with you to Hell to the Devill to paines and torments but you that be holy and sanctified come unto me and enjoy the Kingdome ye have long looked for and as Genes 45. when Ioseph did discover himselfe to his brethren they were abashed at it and crept into a corner in conscience of their bad dealing with him but Ioseph bids them come neere my bretheren come neere be not abashed so at the day of judgment when we shall be ready to creepe into a corner and stand aloofe in conscience of our bad dealing that we have been disobedient to him and have not regarded him as we ought then he shall say to us Come neere me my brethren come neere me be not abashed nor afraid Now this Invitation or calling of the holy and godly people to Christ doth imply two things 1. An Association with Christ 2. A Dissociation from the wicked First an association with Christ all the people of God are called to come to Christ to enjoy him and live with him and indeed here all their desires are set on Christ their prayers tend to this end all the Sermons they heare the labor and paines that they take is to enjoy Christ and to live with him and it is Christs promise Iohn 14. 2 3. I goe to prepare a place for you And if I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe to receive you to my selfe that where I am there may ye be also and so Iohn 17. 24. in that holy prayer that Christ makes to his Father saith he Father I will that they which thou hast given me be with me even where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me So here then is the comfort of a Christian that he shall be with Christ as we read Ierem. 52. 31. that the King of Babel in the first yeare of his reigne lifted up the head of Iehâjachim King of Iuda and brought him out of prison and spake kindly to him and set his Throne above the Kings that were in Babel with him and changed his prison-garments and he did eate bread continually before him all the dayes of his life So Christ will deale with his faithfull people he will take them out of the prison out of the graves change their prison garments speake kindly to them and set their Throne above all the wicked Kings and Princes in this World and they shall eat bread with him all the dayes of their life that is enjoy all heavenly comforts in glory and happinesse for ever We read 1 King 10. 10. when the Queene of Sheba came to heaâââhe wisedome of Salomon and saw the order of his house and of his servants and his wisedome she said happy are thy men and happy are thy servants c. So when we shall see the glory happinesse of the Saints and shall heare the wisedome not of Salomon but of Christ how much more are the people of God happy and blessed thus much of the association with Christ that they shall be called to come to him Secondly a dissociation from the communion of the wicked and ungodly that vex them and trouble them here in this world The Church is like a Lily amongst the Thârnes as Cantic 2. 2. herâ they are troubled with a number of âad neighbours such as Ezekiel speaketh of a number of goats that tread downe the pasture mud the waters push with the hornes and kick with the prick but they shall be sundred and separated from them that do trouble annoy them they shall heare a voice from heaven saying Come up hither as it is Revel 11. 12. Where we may see the two witnesses that were slaine in the citty which spiritually is called Soâom and Egypt after three dayes and a halfe the Spirit of life from God shall come into them and they shall stand up on their feate and shall âeare a voyce from heaven saying Come up hither and their bodies shall be taken up in like manner all the godly shall be called to an association with Christ and a dissociation from the wicked and ungodly Now this come unto me depends on another come unto me for Mat. 11. Christ calls us to come unto him here in this world to come to him by Repentance faith and Obedience and then we may boldly come unto him at the day of judgment every man could be contented to come to Christ in the Kingdome of glory but first we must come to him here in the Kingdome of grace by repentance faith obedience and the like and then we shall be sure to come to him in the Kingdome of glory for no man comes to him in the Kingdome of glory but by the Kingdome of grace Secondly The Commendation This is layd down in these words Ye blessed of my Father O you be the blessed that heare me you that have repented of your sinnes that have faith and obedience that make conscience of your wayes you be the happy men and women here is the glory of the Saints that in the theater of this world they shall bee pronounced blessed and happy by the mouth of Christ before Angels and men in the hearing of the whole world Now this is to be opposed against all the
judgments of this world for the world counts him a blessed and a happy man that is rich that hath his barnes full of corne that hath a great deale of Land and money O but indeed he is the blessed and happy man that is in favour with God hath repented of his sinnes made conscience of his wayes and therefore why doe men so dote on this world to rake and gather together a deale of pelfe that will not stand them in stead at that day Then they shall see that the godly man is the blessed and happy man and that a dramme of Religion and of true saving faith is better than all the world besides and will doe them more good If a man were to goe into France and did heare that the coine in this Land would not goe there he would goe and change all his money for the coine of that country so seeing we are to goe into another countrey where our goods lands and money will not goe let us labour to change all that we have for that which will passe at that day let us get repentance faith and sanctified grace and then we shall finde comfort when this whole world will afford us none Now when the godly be pronounced happy and blessed by Christ then all the wicked shall be driven to Hell where they shall goe to paines and torments and this shall make their happinesse the greater Matth. 28. 4 5. when the Angel of God came downe from heaven and appeared in glory the keepers were astonied and became as dead men But the Angel answered and said to the women Bee not afraid for I know that ye seeke Iesus that was cruciââed Even so when Christ shall appeare to judge the world they shall be as dead men before him but he shall say to the holy people be not afraid for I know whom ye seeke ye seeke Iesus that was crucified and now him that ye have so long looked for ye shall enjoy as 2 Kings 10. 15. when Iohn was in a great fury and had killed the two Kings yât meeting with ãâã the Sonne of Rechab he tooke him by the hand and lifts him up into his chariot even so Christ shall doe when he hath driven all the wicked into Hell and meets with a good man he will say You are a good ãâã you are a blessed man and he wil take him up into his Throne to sit in glory with him And this is the glory that the Saints shall have when all the wicked shall be driven into Hell Thirdly The assignation wherein we are to observe two things 1. What is assigned a Kingdome 2. By what Title by Inheritance First what it is that is assigned it is no lesse than a Kingdome that God hath promised his people as Luk. 12. Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome so Dan. 7. 27. it is said and the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome ââdee the whole âeaven shall be given to the holy people of the most high whose Kingdome is everlasting Earthly Kings and Princes though they bâstow great gifts on their subjects yet they keepe the Kingdome to themselves meaner matters serve than a Kingdome so wee see although Pharoah did bestow great honor on Ioseph and did advance him yet he kept the Kingdome to himselfe none might sit on the Throne but the King but here is the bounty of Christ that hee bestowes a Kingdome on his servants It was a large proffer that Ahashuerosh made Hester 5. 6. in that hee would give Hester one halfe of his Kingdome but God hath made a larger promise to us not that wee shall have one halfe of his Kingdome but he will give us his whole Kingdome We read Luk. 12. 13. There was a Man that came to Christ and said unto him Master bid my brother divide the inheritance with me but Christ will not divide his Kingdome to his servants but will give it whole and the glory of it to them therefore men must labour to become converted and bee the servants of God because he will bestow a Kingdome on them Most men will labour and toyle in this world for lesse matters than a Kingdome some are scattered all the world over to gather straw and stubble as the children of Israel were and therefore how much more should men labour to repent of their sinnes to get faith in Christ to become one of Gods servants and then he will bestow a Kingdome on them But some man may be ready to say although it be a Kingdome that God will give his people yet it may be so meane as it is not worth the labour of obtaining therefore Christ tels us what a Kingdome it is it is an heavenly Kingdome a Kingdome prepared of God So it is such a Kingdome as is worth all our labour and paines Now this Kingdome is set out to us by three properties 1 It is a Kingdome prepared of God 2 It is prepared for his elect and chosen 3 It was prepared before the foundation of the world First it is a Kingdome prepared of God Therefore it is a most glorious Kingdome Saint Paul saith of it 1 Cor. 2. 9. The things which the eye hath not seene neither eare heard neither came into mans hart is that which God hath prepared for them that love him No tongue is able to expresse nor heart of man to conceive of the glory and excellency of this Kingdome so it is Psal. 31. 19. O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast layd up for them that feare thee done to them that trust in thee before the Sonnes of Men We may well thinke it is no small matter that all Gods attributes are set aâworke to furnish this Kingdome his wisedome power mercy and justice Therefore we may will conceive thereby the excellency and glory of it We see the more magnificent wise and potent that the first founders were of Kingdomes and cities the more famous excellent and noble were the Kingdomes founded by them Therefore it is said Genes 10. 10. of Nimrod that the beginning of his Kingdome was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calâeh in the Land of Shinar that is famous and noble cities and so likewise Nabuchadnezzar was a golden head in regard of the other Kings that did follow him Salomon also was a wise King and of great power of whose Kingdome it is said 1 Kings 10. 17. That he gave Silver as stones and Cedars as the wild figtrees that grow abundantly in the plaine that is as the crabtrees amongst us So then the more magnificent wise and potent the first founders were the more excellent were their countries and Kingdomes which granted it must necessarily follow that because no mans wisedome is able to compare with Gods wisedome no power with his power therefore as much as he wisedome of God goes beyond the wisedome of men and his power beyond the
thing at his hand it is the doctrine of their owne Schoole-men that a sinner cannot merit but we bee all sinners against God therefore we cannot merit any thing Now that we bee all sinners it is plaine by the Scriptures Iob 9. 3. If be would dispute with him hee could not answer him one of a thousand So Lament 3. 22. It is the Lords mercy that we are not consumed c. Saint Ierome saith Who is it that hath not sinned and if a man hath broken but one of the Commandements hee is guilty of the whole Law therefore no man can merit any thing at Gods hands The fourth ground is a disproportion betweene our workes and Gods justice For merits are grounded on Commutative justice as they say and Aristotle saith That commutative justice is equally to give weight for weight so much for so much but there is no proportion betweene our works and Gods justice for Saint Paul saith that all the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be shewed to us Rom. 8. 18. One saith well if a man should suffer all the sufferings that the people of God had done from Adam till this present time having all the vertues of the holy men yet he were not worthy of the glory of heaven if a man should live a thousand yeeres and spend them all religiously hee did not deserve to be in heaven halfe an houre To this the Papists have devised a subtill answer say they It is in justice that God should give heaven to the best men not by a proportion so much for so much but because God will bestow heaven on some body therefore it stands with the justice of God rather to bestow it on the godly than on the wicked I answer this is sophisticall that tels us it is justice that God should give heaven to some body but what justice is it it is not to give so much for so much weight for weight It is not commutative but distributive justice and therefore there is a disproportion betweene our workes and Gods justice Againe the Papists are overthrowne in their owne argument for they say it was commutative justice not by an Arithmeticall but a Geometricall proportion I answer commutative justice to give weight for weight so much for so much is not that but it is according to distributive justice not by Arithmeticall but by a Geometricall proportion seeing he must give heaven to give it to the best men So the answer of the Papist is sophisticall Now in these words are foure things to bee observed 1. That the Iudgement at the last day shall passe according to workes 2. That good workes shall be reported and rewarded 3. That they shall workes of mercy 4. That they shall bee such workes of Mercy as are done to Christians because they are Christians First The Iudgement at the last day shall be according to works Therefore looke what our workes be such shall be the judgement that shall passe on us So Rom. 2. 6. saith the Apostle Who will reward every man according to his workes So also Revel 20. 18. it is said And they were judged every man according to their workes And Matth. 12. 36. saith Christ But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speake they shall give account thereof at the day of Iudgement So then the judgement shall passe according to works but mistake me not I doe not say according to the merit of our workes for we deserve nothing but according to the qualitie of our workes Saint Gregory shewes out of Psal 7. It is one thing that God should render for a mans workes and another thing to render according to mans workes If God render according to a mans workes then it will bee well for good workes and evill for evill workes I but here a question may be made seeing wee shall be judged according iâ workes what shall faith doe then I answere Faith is all in all for Faith is proposed as the price of our Redemption to the Iustice of God because we are saved by Faith And Acts 18. 31. it is said Beleeve in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt bee saved and thy houshold and Ephes 2. 6. the Apostle saith by Grace are ye saved through Faith not of your selves And so 1 Pet. 1. 9. Receiving the end of your Faith even the Salvation of your soules So then we are saved by Faith In summe there bee two speciall properties in Faith First It makes us the sheepe of Christ it gathers us to him and sets us at his right hand and moreover it makes us of the Sonnes of Adam the Sonnes of God this is the power of Faith Secondly It makes our worke acceptable before God as Heb. 11. it is said By Faith Abel offered a greater sacrifice than Caine so Faith makes our workes acceptable before God I but seeing wee are saved by Faith why is there no mention of it then I answere because there shall bee a declaration of the just judgement of God Now Faith is secret in the heart of a Man and workes bee open therefore a man shall not bee judged by the secret and hidden graces that is in his heart but by the Effects and Fruits which are open and manifest to the World The use is that seeing wee shall bee judged according to the fruites and not to the secret graces that are in us therefore wee must joyne to our faith good workes for looke what our workes be such shall bee the verdict that shall passe upon at that day therefore Iames 2. saith he O man shew me thy faith by thy workes Thou sayest thou hast faith and thou talkest of faith but let mee see it let it appeare in thy life and conversation joyne good life to it and so Luke 5. 20. it is said that Christ saw their faith and he healed them Hee did not onely see with the eyes of his Divinitie but hee saw their faith by the effects and fruits of it for they laid the sicke man on a bed and did breake through the roofe of the house and let him downe to Christ Therefore as one saies well it is faith that is seene and visible that saveth us not that which is secret and close in the heart but it must bee visible shewed by workes Gen. 27. Isaac would not blesse Iaakob by the voyce or by his speech but hee feeles and handles him and when hee found they were Esaus hands he blessed him so Christ will not blesse Christians by the voyce when they shall say I am a Christian I am a professor but he will handle them and feele them If hee finde their hands to be Esaus hands that is his beloveds hands that they have done good and have beene open to the poore Saints and ready to minister to their necessities then the Lord will blesse them and entertaine them into his
graces and so fill us Fourthly by mortifying our lusts and sinnes as Rom. 8. 13. If yee mortifie the deedes of the body by the Spirit yee shall live for the Spirit workes on the flesh for the wasting of sinne and corruption as Rom. 7. the Apostle Paul complaineth being in the estate of grace of his corruption when hee had the Spirit of God to worke on his rebellion for the wasting and consuming of sinne therefore men may much more complaine being in the estate of nature when they want the Holy Ghost to worke on their hearts for the wasting and consuming of sinne and indeed no marvell though they are carried away with the world and cannot bee brought to performe good dueties seeing sinne hath such power and rule in their hearts We see Ioshua 10. that hee shut up 5. Kings in a cave that they should not stir nor escape till hee had time to kill them so the Holy Ghost getteth our sinnes into a cave as it were and roules a great stone upon it till he take away all the power of sinne and kill and subdue it Fifthly by renewing our hearts and mindes changing and altering of them whereas before they were carnall now they are spirituall whereas they were worldly before now they are heavenly and holily affected And therefore when wee feele this change and alteration sure it is the Holy Ghost that works it wee read Math. 8. how Christ saith to the Centurion when I come I will heale thy servant I will not bee idle and doe nothing But when I come I will heale him so when the Holy Ghost commeth into a man hee will not bee idle and doe nothing but will heale our sinnes and give us power and strength against them in some measure Sixtly by stirring up holy motions in us as I shewed you even now out of Ezek. 37. in the example of the dead bones And now will declare it by this similitude If a man could put vegetative life into a stone what would the stone doe It would grow as a plant doth if a man could put sensitive life into a stone what would the stone doe it would stir move as a worme doth if we could put a reasonable soule what would the stone doe it would talke as a man doth and discourse of matters of the world but if a man could put the Spirit of God and the Spirit of grace into a stone what would the stone doe it would speake of God and of Christ and of heaven and happinesse this is our estate and condition as long as there is nothing but the life of Reason we talke of nothing but the world and worldly things but if once the Spirit of God and of grace bee in us then wee talke of heaven and heavenly things Therefore if a man hath the Spirit of grace it stirres him up to holy motions and desires These bee the six meanes by which the Holy Ghost doth worke holinesse in us Now there bee many profitable and fruitefull questions to bee mooved concerning the Holy Ghost 1. How wee may come by the Holy Ghost 2. In what measure hee is given 3. How a man may know whether hee have the Holy Ghost or no 4. What bee the benefits wee have by him 5. Whether a man may lose the Holy Ghost or no 6. How wee may retaine and keepe him First how a man may come by the Holy Ghost But before wee come to speake of this wee must make answer to another question there hath been great disputing amongst the Schoolemen whether a man receiveth the Holy Ghost or onely the giftes and graces of the Holy Ghost To this I answer this question need bee no question seeing wee receive the Holy Ghost really and actually The Scripture is cleere for it as in the 1 Cor. 6. 19. know yee not that your bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost this is the exceeding great goodnesse of God to give the Holy Ghost to us to be a roote and a fountaine of holinesse in us If one give us a fruit tree it is better than to give us a little because the fruit is but for the present but the tree is for a long continuance so it is a greater goodnesse of God to give us the Holy Ghost than to give us the giftes and graces of his Spirits But the question in hand is how a man may come by the Holy Ghost here wee are to consider two things 1. By a remoovall of the false way 2. By taking the right way First by a removall of the false meanes for Acts 8. 18. Simon Magus would have bought the Holy Ghost with money but Peter tels him that his money and hee shall perish Therefore it is meer madnes of any man to thinke that they may attaine to have the Holy Ghost or any gift or grace for money we see in earthly Kingdomes that there be some things that a man may buy because hee may give the full value and true price for them and that in exact Iustice as foode and raiment and there bee some things that a man cannot buy because they bee unestimably good and unvaluable as to buy a mans life and the Kings Crowne because no man can give the worth of these so it is in the Kingdome of God all the graces and giftes of the Holy Ghost no man can buy because they cannot give to the worth of them for they bee unestimable and unvaluable things as 1 Pet. 1. 7. It is said of faith that it is more precious than gold so Psal 19. 10. hee shewes that the word is more to bee desired than fine gold even so the graces and giftes of Gods Spirit are above price or value all the wealth in the world cannot procure one of them therefore it is good for a Christian to thinke before hand that when hee lyes on his sicke bed hee cannot buy faith or repentance or any gift or grace with money for they are above value and price hence wee may conclude this is not the meanes to come by the Holy Ghost Secondly by taking the right way for the true meanes that God hath appointed for a man to come by the holy Ghost are three First by the hearing of the word preached which is the ordinary meanes wherby the Holy Ghost is conveyed into men therefore S. Paul demands Galath 3. 2. Received ye the Spirit by the workes of the Law or by the preaching of faith So Acts 10 44. when Peter preached the Holy Ghost fell on those that heard the word So that preaching is the ordinary meanes whereby God conveyes the Holy Ghost to us therefore it is good for men to attend preaching and to be hearers because it is one of the meanes whereby we may come by the Holy Ghost if a man would have good plants and herbs in his Garden then hee must labor
to have good seeds so if a man would have the H. Ghost hee must get the seed called by S. Peter the immortall seed of the word by the which wee are begotten againe It is a good thing to attend unto the word for howsoever wee doe not feele that which we doe desire yet let us heare it still and in due time wee shall have that which wee desire as Iohn 5. wee see the lame man lay by the Poole of Bethesda a long time when one or other did still intercept him and yet because he tarried still Christ came at length and did heale him so although we cannot finde the blessing of God upon us as wee doe desire to day yet let us come the next day If wee cannot finde it then yet let us not give over and at last wee shall feele the blessing of God upon us as wee doe desire Secondly by Prayer for if wee pray to God hee will give us the Holy Ghost as it is Luk. 11. 13. If you that are evill can give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Ghost to them that aske it a man may sow seed in his field and it may perish the wormes may eate it and the birds devoure it or it may rot in the ground but prayer is seede sowne in the eares of God nay it goeth deeper it is sowne in the heart of God And therefore although our seede perish that is sowen in the field yet our prayer shall not perish because it is sowne in the hart of God Saith David All any teares are in thy botle are they not in thy Register Thirdly by repentance and reconciliation with God as Ioel 2 Rent your hearts and not your garments and turne unto the Lord and weepe betweene the porch and the Atar And then saith the Lord I will powre out my Spirit upon you So that these bee the three meanes whereby wee may come by the Holy Ghost The second question is In what measure the Holy Ghost is given The answere whereto wee will lay downe in foure Conclusions First that God giveth but a portion of the Spirit in regard of efficacy and operation to his servants in this life indeed the holy Spirit dwels in us because the Holy Ghost is God and therefore hee is undividable and cannot bee divided into parts but in regard of the efficacy operation or working of the Spirit hee giveth but a portion So no man living hath all the gifts and graces of the Spirit because God giveth but a portion of the Spirit and a measure of it according as hee sees fit and meete So 1 Cor. 12. 8. S. Paul saith That to one is given the Spirit of wisedome to another the Spirit of knowledge to another faith to another the gift of healing and all these things worketh the selfe same Spirit distributing to every man as hee willeth and so againe Ephes 4. 7. saith hee but unto us is grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ and 1 Cor. 13. 9. saith hee for wee know in part and prophecie in part and a little after for now wee see through a glasse darkly but then face to face now I know in part c. So the Doctrine is plaine that God giveth but a portion of the Spirit in this life according as hee sees fittest for man But let us come to the uses which follow First seeing that God giveth but a portion of the spirit in this life a man may have the spirit bee a true Christian and yet want many of the gifts and graces that another hath thou seest another man hath the gift of knowledge of wisedome memory or the gift of utterance be not perplexed at it looke that thou have the maine that thou have the Spirit of God to mortifie thy lusts and sins and to quicken the to newnesse of life then all is wel with thee though thou have not al the graces of the Spirit yet thou may'st be a true Christian so S. Paul sheweth by a comparison taken from the members of our bodies Shall the foot say unto the body I am not of the body because I cannot gather and draw things to mee as the hand doth or shall the eare say because I cannot see my danger before it commeth neere me as the eye can therefore I am not of the body if all were handling where were going and if all were seeing where were hearing so that every member hath a severall gift Wilt thou say because thou hast not the great gifts which another man hath thou art no member of Christ or thou hast not the Spirit of God we see that every member hath a severall gift Augustine saith in his tract upon Iohn Peter cast out devils thou hast the same and yet thou canst not cast out any for all this thou art a member of the same body Peter was an eye and thou art a little toe or a little finger in the body of Christ better it is for a man to bee a toe or a little finger in the body of Christ or a little bone than to have all the excellent gifts of nature and perish therefore though a man have not those excellent gifts and graces that others have yet labour to have the maine labour to feele the Spirit of God to mortifie thy lusts and then thou may'st bee a true Christian notwithstanding all thy weakenesses Secondly seeing we have but a portion of the Spirit therefore there will be a tang and a tast of the flesh as long as we live here in this world if there were fulnesse of Spirit in us then it would change all into Spirit as fire changeth all into the nature of fire so if wee had fulnesse of Spirit it would change all into Spirit but because wee have but a portion of the Spirit therefore there will bee a tang and taste of the flesh howsoever the Spirit workes on the flesh for the wasting consuming and weakening of it yet a man shall feele the power of sinne bustling and vexing him while he lives whereof all the holy men have complained as Rom. 7. 21. Paul saith hee findes by the Law that when hee would doe good evill is present with him and againe Gal. 5. 17. he saith The spirit lusteth against the flesh and the flesh agaist the spirit and these are contrary me to the other so that yee cannot doe the same things that yee would hence it is manifest wee have but a portion of the Spirit in this life and there will be still a tang and a taste of the old man in us If a man put wine into a glasse then there will be a taste of nothing but wine but if hee put water into it howsoever it may change the colour of the water yet there will be a tang and a tast of the water even so if wee were all
Spirit then all we did would savour of the Spirit but because there is flesh therefore all that wee doe will have a tang and a tast of the flesh Cyrill doth observe that there is no rocke or stone so hard but it hath some seames in it whereby weeds may spring up and grow in it so there is no mans heart so filled with grace but there will some sinne or corruption appeare by one occasion or other as matter to humble us and yet to comfort us in that wee see and hate it The second conclusion is that it is but a small portion of the Spirit and measure of grace that God giveth at the first to his servants for all the great workes of God begin in weakenesse all the glory of this world was but a confused heape man was made of a lumpe of earth and Christ which is God over all blessed for ever Amen he was a little childe for as it is in the life of Nature so it is in the life of Grace in the life of Nature at the first when a childe is borne it hath all the parts of a man a face eyes hands and feete which though they bee but little at the beginning yet after in time they grow to the full growth that God hath appointed in him at first there are the true parts of a man though they are not come to the full perfection so it is in the life of Grace there is in a Christian at his first conversion Faith and Repentance Love Zeale and all the graces of the Spirit though but in weake measure yet truely and really which afterwards will grow up to a greater degree of strength till they come to full perfection and therefore as the man said Mark 9. I beleeve Lord but helpe mine unbeleefe so may every weake Christian say Lord I have faith but helpe the weakenesse of my faith I have repentance but helpe the weakenesse of my repentance I have love but helpe the weakenesse of my love so then all the graces of God begin in weakenesse But here some man may say what is the least measure of Grace that God giveth to any man that he saveth I answer there are two degrees of it First a desire to beleeve to repent and obey for generally Divines say that the desire of faith is faith it selfe the desire of repentance is repentance it self and the desire that we have to obey God is obedience it self not in deed and in act but in Gods acceptance because it pleaseth him to accept the will for the deede according to that which the Apostle Paul saith 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not so if there bee but a desire to beleeve repent and obey if they be constant setled and fleeting without doubt it shall be accepted and this is the least measure of grace that he giveth to any that he saveth Secondly the least measure of saving grace is to mourne and to grieve that wee cannot repent and beleeve in this case one mourneth and grieveth that hee findeth such hardnesse of heart in himselfe whereof the Church of God complaineth Esai 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy waies and hardned our hearts from thy feare when a man findes this there is surely a beginning of grace in him wee see a little Childe though it want power and strength to goe to the mother yet it will cry and moane it selfe to her so although a Christian wants power and strength to goe to God yet if they can cry to God and bemoane themselves to him they may have comfort and these be the least measures of grace that he giveth to any man that he saveth Now come we to make use of this point First that seeing God giveth but a small measure of grace at the first therefore no man ought to be discouraged for the small and weake beginnings of grace he finds in himselfe for Matth. 13. 31. the graces of God are likened to Seede now seeds are not trees by and by but they grow by little and little till they come to perfection so the graces of God are small at the beginning come not to perfection at the first but grow by little and little and therefore no man is to be discouraged though he feele but small and weake beginnings of grace Secondly seeing God giveth but a small portion of grace at the first no man must despise any for the smal and weake beginnings that he sees in his brethren Zech. 4. 10. saith the Prophet Who hath despised the day of small things but they shall rejoyce c. so Rom. 14. 1 we are enjoyned to the contrary him that is weake in faith receive unto thee doe not despise him because God is able to increase and to effect grace in him and therefore no man must despise the small and weake beginnings in any of his brethrn Thirdly seeing God giveth but a small portion or measure of grace at first therefore it must be every mans care to husband his graces well he that had but one Talent given him should have beene the best husband and ought to have beene so but indeed he was the worst so we contrary to his practice seeing wee have but a small measure of grace should labour therefore to increase it and to bee the better husbands Wee see young men that have but a little stocke when they begin the world will omit no time for their owne good if any man shall say to them why doe you labour thus and take so great paines they reply presently Alas I had but a small stocke and therefore I had need to take the more paines in like manner wee because wee have but a small beginning of grace should labour to increase it The third conclusion is that although God give but a small measure of grace yet it doth grow and increase in a Christian as I told you even now the graces of God are compared to Seed Matth. 13. 31. and not to a stone because a stone groweth not but seed if it bee sowne will grow and increase so if a man have the graces of God in him they will grow and increase if they be nourished by the use of good meanes therefore if thou finde not an increase and a growth of grace thou may'st doubt whether thou hast the graces of God or no we see when a man sowes seed in his garden if he water them and they grow not he saith Sure the seed was naught in like manner if we finde not a growth and increase of grace in us but are as ignorant and no more forward now than we were seven yeares agoe in the practise of knowledge and duties of faith and repentance wee justly may say the seed was not good and truly
seede that is the thornes sucke and draw away the heart of the ground that the good seede cannot thrive and prosper so the cares for the things of this life and about our worldly businesse doe sucke away the heart of the Spirit Fourthly by negligence for if we doe not stir up the fire lay the brands together and blow it it will quench and goe out so if men be negligent and doe not stirre up the graces of God that are in them and lay as it were the brands together and blow them the Spirit of God wil quench in them Therefore the Apostle exhorts 2 Tim. 1. 6. To stirre up the gift of God in him Origen Hom. 15. saith if God should kindle a fire to heat thee and it were like to goe out wouldst not thou lay the brands together stirre it up and so nourish it so God hath kindled a fire in our hearts by his Spirit therefore wee must not through negligence let it dye and goe out but stirre up the graces of God that are in us that they do not quench these be the foure meanes that will quench the spirit therefore corrupt nature is the greatest enemy to the graces of God in us that can be Chrysostome saith well No man hath any hurt but it is in himselfe in this case all the hurt that the spirit of God hath in us is by our selves by our earthlinesse and by neglecting of good things and for want of stirring up the graces of God that be in us The second conclusion is That a man may have common graces of the spirit such as are common to good and bad to the Elect and reprobate these a man may lose as first a man may be inlightned and indued with Heavenly knowledge and talke wisely of high points and yet he may lose this because this is a common grace as Heb. 6. 4. there were some that were inlightned and had tasted of the good Word of God and of the power of the world to come who neverthelesse may yet fall away Secondly there may bee a feeling of good things a man may have a desire to be saved and to behold God in glory as Balaam had Num 23. a man may lose these because they be common graces therefore it is a good observation of one That the wicked may taste of the Heavenly power and of the good Word of God but these bee not the things they live by as a Cooke that dresses a dinner hee may taste of the meate and licke his fingers but it is not that he liveth by he liveth by somewhat else so a reprobate may taste of the good Word of God and have feeling of good things as quietnesse of conscience and other of Gods favours and yet neverthelesse he shall not be saved thereby they shall not bee able to bring him to life everlasting Thirdly a man may have restraining grace and be restrained from a number of sinnes or a man may have the spirit of governement as Saul had and yet hee may lose it as we see 1 Sam. 10. 14. The Spirit of God departed from Saul so a man may bee fitted for a calling and discharge it wisely and yet may lose this because it is a common grace for all common graces a man may lose The third conclusion is That there be peculiar graces proper to Gods elect these shall never be lost as Regeneration Sanctification and Iustification which may comfort a Christian who though hee may lose his wife and children his goods and life yet if he hath the spirit of God hee cannot lose that and there is foure grounds for it The first is the promise of God as that Psal 89. 30 31. saith God But if his children forsake my Law and walke not in my judgements if they breake my Statutes and keepe not my commandements then will I visite their transgression with the rod and their iniquitie with strokes yet my loving kindnesse will I not take from him c. The second is the Power of God as 1 Pet. 1. 5. saith the Apostle of the Faithfull which are kept by the power of God through Faith to Salvation The third is the Prayer of Christ Iohn 17. 20. I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve in me through their Word so then this prayer of Christ was not onely effectuall for Peter and for the rest of the Apostles but also effectuall for all the Elect people of God The fourth is the nature of the Spirit which is alwayes as a seede remaining in them 1 Iohn 3. 9. so Christ saith Iohn 4. that the water which he should give them should be a Well of water springing up to Eternall life All these foure grounds doe confirme unto us that if a Man hath received the grace of God proper to the Elect hee shall never lose it totally nor finally and therefore this conclusion stands good though a man may lose common graces yet he shall not lose them which are proper to the Elect. Yet lest any man should presume let mee tell you first though such a one cannot lose the spirit yet he may lose the measure of the spirit and be brought to a low ebbe in himselfe there may be a shrewd abatement of this grace as Revel 2. Christ saith to the Church of Ephesus Remember from whence thou art fallen why the Church was not fallen from an estate of grace but it was fallen from a great measure of grace to a lesser from a great degree of it from a great measure of Care Love Faith Repentance and Zeale so a Christian though hee bee not quite deprived of the Spirit and have a totall losse thereof yet may want of the measure may finde a great abatement of it in himselfe Secondly A man may lose the comfort of the Spirit though he cannot lose the Spirit yet he may bring himselfe into a poore case by his sins that he may have as little feeling of the spirit and comfort as if hee had no presence of the Spirit as a man may have joynts but they may bee so benumbed with cold as a man cannot feele nor have use of them so a man may have the spirit and yet may be so benumbed with sinne that he may have no more feeling of the spirit nor comfort than if hee had not the spirit Thirdly A man may have the Spirit and yet may lose the working and operation thereof he may be overruled by the flesh as a man may have life in him in a dead sound and yet no operations so a man may have the Spirit and yet he may want the operations and workings of it this is the greatest extremitie that a Christian can be in Fourthly Though a man may lose the feeling of the Spirit the comfort operations and workings thereof yet it is but for a little time
hee cannot lose the ground or roote of the Spirit In the 6. of Esay the Prophet tels us that though the trees seeme to be dead in the winter and have no leaves not fruit on them yet they have in them Mackselat as it is in the Hebrew or Substantia as in the latine that is that there is a certaine moisture or sappe that lies in the roote and preserveth it that it dieth not so it is in all the falls of Gods people there is a certaine sappe or moysture of grace that lieth hid in the heart that preserveth them therefore although a man may lose the operations and feeling of the Spirit yet it is but for a little time for the grace that lieth hid in the heart preserveth them The Vse is that it is a sweete comfort to a Christian that if once he hath the spirit of grace the worke of regeneration justification and sanctification wrought in him he shall never lose this A man may lose all worldly friends and comforts his skinne and teeth yea life it selfe but if a man have the spirit hee shall not lose that As Act. 20. Saint Paul saith when Eutichus fell out at the window Trouble not your selves for there is life in him so wee may say in all the falls of Gods people trouble not your selves for there is life there is the spirit of God in them The second is seeing a man may lose the comfort of the spirit and the feeling thereof insomuch that one may have as little comfort as a man that is adjudged to Hell therefore he must take heed that hee doe not grieve the spirit but labour to nourish it by the use of good meanes as Exod. 33. when the Lord was departed from the Children of Israel but a little while no man would put on his best rayment but wept and mourned so a Christian if the Lord takes away the comfortable feeling of his spirit and is departed from him but a day or an hower hee cannot be merry till he feeles it againe and therefore it is good to husband the graces of the spirit that want of them doe not cause him to depart from them Thirdly seeing there are some graces that are proper to the elect and reprobate which a man may have and perish therefore every man should labour to bring himselfe into such estate of grace as hee shall never lose nor the devill and hell shall take away from him it is a pitifull thing that men doe not say to themselves indeed I have the grace of Illumination I have knowledge and restraining grace I have the graces that are proper to good and bad to the reprobate and Elect but what is this to the comfort of a Christian I may perish for all this therefore why doe I not labour for those graces that are proper to the Elect onely which if hee have hee hath assurance never to lose them againe he may lose his goods friends skinne and life but hee cannot lose the Spirit if a castle have three wals about it and the men that are within the first wall be surprised put to the sword and massacred they will labour to get within the second wall that so they may bee preserved so if a man bee come within the first wall that hee hath common graces where the devill may surprise him to escape his danger hee will labour to get within the second wall to get the graces that are peculiar to Gods people and then he shall be safe The last point is how wee may retaine and keepe the Spirit we read Luk. 6. 40. when Christ had raised up the Maide to life he commanded to give her meate thereby to teach us that when the life of nature or the life of grace bee begun there must bee meanes used to nourish it hence wee inferre it must bee every mans care that if he have the Spirit hee must labour to nourish it Now there bee five meanes whereby a man may nourish the Spirit First by a diligent use of the good meanes as preaching the Sacraments prayer reading the Scriptures and conferring of good things this is a speciall meanes to nourish the Spirit It is a principle in nature that bodies are nourished by the same things they were begun so looke by what meanes the Spirit comes into a man by the same things it must be nourished Now wee have heard that the Spirit of God comes into a man by the preaching of the Word prayer repenting of our sinnes so by the same meanes it is continued therefore let men attend to the use of good meanes to heare the Word preached receive the Sacraments pray read the Scriptures and conferre of good things which duties are speciall meanes to retaine the Spirit but if men will not heare the Word preached pray read the Scripture nor meditate of good things but spend time idlely no marvell though the Spirit decay in them for as a man may kill a tree although he want a Saw or an axe to chop downe the top by picking away the moulds from the roote so though a man lay no violent hands on the Spirit yet if hee picke away the moulds take away the use of good meanes the Spirit will decay in him therefore if men would retaine the Spirit let them hold them to the use of good meanes The second meanes to retaine and keepe the Spirit is to take heed wee doe not grieve the Spirit as Ephes 4. 30. Grieve not the Spirit by the which ye are sealed unto the day of redemption it is the Spirit that seales our redemption unto us all the hope we have in God of heaven and of glory it is from the Spirit therefore let us take heede wee doe not grieve the Spirit there are some things in nature that are ready to put forth themselves to man but let them never so little offend them and they are ready to pull in themselves as the eye of a man a snaile and shell-fish the eye of a man is ready to put forth to us but if you offend it never so little it is ready to close and shut up his light the Spirit of God is of this nature it is ready to put forth it selfe to a man but offend it never so little and it will close against him therefore we must take heed wee doe not grieve the Spirit And for your information I will shew you two wayes how a man may grieve the Spirit First when a man sinnes against his Illumination and inlightning when he lyes sweares commits uncleannesse steales against conscience and knowledge and against the first grace of God other sinnes grieve the Spirit but these in a speciall manner they doe as it were wound the Spirit and let out the life and bloud of it so God complaines Ezek. 8. 6. Sonne of man scest thou not what they doe even the great abominations that the house
these be two things whereon the faith of a Christian turnes concerning our faith in God wee beleeve that there is one God in substance and yet three distinct persons the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost The Father who created us by his Power the Son who redeemed us by his blood and the holy Ghost who is the inlightner and sanctifier of all the faithfull therefore after our faith in God Christian faith informs us to beleeve there is a Church of God because it is a rich store-house of all his grace and goodnesse and his true Temple as Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 9. 10. Know ye not that your bodie is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you c Augustine saith well the right order of beleeving is first to beleeve in the blessed Trinitie and then in the true Church first to the Maker and then to the House first to the Builder and then to the Citie So our faith must be first in God and then by and by turne to the Church of God Now herein are two things to be observed 1. Vnder what forme we must beleeve 2. What it is we must beleeve First under what forme wee must beleeve The Papists say wee must beleeve in the Church and the Romish Testament is for it upon 1 Tim. 3. and Bellarmine is not farre behinde he saith after a sort and after a certaine kinde we are to beleeve in the Church sundry Divines are contrary to this and they say that a Christian is to beleeve in none but God not in Angell nor Archangell nor in any creature but in God as Iohn 14. Christ saith Yee beleeve in God beleeve also in me marke the ground why we must beleeve in Christ because he is God so 1 Pet. 1. 21. saith the Apostle Which by his meanes doe beleeve in God that raised him from the dead and gave him glory that your Faith and hope might be in him not in the Church in Angell or Archangell but in God onely And an ancient father saith we beleeve there is an holy Church but wee doe not beleeve in the Holy Church wee must beleeve in none but God and the reason is because the Church is not God but the house of God Eusebius saith wee must beleeve Paul and Peter but wee must not beleeve in Paul nor in Peter the reason is because it is a transferring of the honour that is due to God to the creature and Chrysostome saith it is one thing to beleeve a Party and it is another thing to beleeve in a partie but it is proper to the divinity to bee beleeved in Hence wee see the light is so cleere in this point as no man neede doubt of it and Thomas Aquinas one of their owne Doctors saith it is better for a man to beleeve there is a Church than for a man to beleeve in the Church wherein hee grounded himselfe on Pope Leo in whose power the Church was to rest themselves Since that time they have refused this and say that a man must beleeve in the Church affirming that there bee three ancient fathers Saint Ierome Epiphanius and Cyrill that takes it in the same sense as they doe As for one of these which is Saint Ierome there was a chiefe bishop of Rome that brings his argument for us and inferres that this particle in is to bee remooved because in his best workes we doe not so read it Now for the two other their credit is the lesse because Arrius was the first that brought it into his Creed and Cyrill followes him as for Epiphanius though at first he might be carried with the streame of the times yet afterwards hee was overswayed by a number of ancient fathers at Alexandria who expound and take it as we doe Therefore it is out of question and without controulment that wee are not to beleeve in the Church but the right forme of beleeving is to beleeve that God hath a Church a holy people a holy company that he will blesse and save eternally Secondly what it is we must beleeve there are three speciall things we must beleeve 1. We beleeve that God hath a Church 2. We beleeve it is a holy Church 3. Wee beleeve it is an universall or Catholicke that it was from the beginning it hath beene in all ages and it is all the World over First that God hath a Church People and Family here in this world his number of saved ones as I may say though we cannot see nor designe them out Paul tells us Heb. 11. 1. that Faith is the evidence of things that are not seene therefore though we doe not alwayes see the Church of God yet by Faith we must beleeve that God hath his people family and his number of saved ones for the same Saint Paul shewes us in the generall apostacie of the Iewes Rom. 11. That there is a seede and a little remnant left this he resolves us of from an Oracle of God that there were seven thousand left thou had not bowed their knees to Baal which were hid and secret therefore though wee cannot see or designe them out yee wee must beleeve that God hath his Church and company of holy people and his number of saved ones The Vs es are first to answere to a demand that the papists make Where was your Churches before Luthers time I answer I beleeve the Church of God hath beene in all ages and from the beginning and shall continue to the end of the World therefore although wee cannot see nor designe it out yet we beleeve there is a Church of God as Gen. 1. the Lord made two great lights the one to rule the day and the other to rule the night Now although wee cannot alwayes see these lights because there is some clouds that doe cover them or some thicke mist yet faith doth assure us that those lights be still so it is with the Church of God though it be not patent and visible at all times yet Faith doth assure us that there is a Church of God still Secondly seeing that God hath his Church in all ages and his number of saved people Therefore every man must labour to bee one of that number for though God hath his Church and number of saved ones if we doe not appertaine to this Church and be of this number what are wee the better We see when Noah made his Arke all that did not get into it did perish in the waters so though God hath his Church and number of saved ones yet if wee doe not labour to bee of his Church and people we must perish Now for the better clearing of this point wee will shew 1. What the Nature of the Church of God is 2. What be the divers parts of it 3. The diverse estates of the Church of God here in this world 4. What be the true markes and notes of the true Church 5.
What be the priviledges of the Church First what the Church of God is wee are not to thinke it a materiall Church composed of lime and stone an Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 11. 18. but the Church of God is the company of the faithfull ones and the Elect people of God they be the members of Christs Augustine saith that the Church of God consists of Men and Angels but we beleeve that the redeemed onely be of the Church of God as Eph. 5. 27. saith hee Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for it that hee might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the Word So then the Church of god is the company of redeemed ones such as be sanctified and it may bee defined after this manner The Church of God is a companie of people called out of the condemned multitude of the World to blessednesse and happinesse by the meanes of Christ Whence wee observe foure things appertaining to the nature of the Church First it is a company of holy People for there is no body either mysticall or naturall but hath many members as Paul speakes Rom. 12. 5. So the Church of God doth not consist of one but of many members It is true it began in one In Adam but the Church of God is like a tree that hath one roote but spreadeth into many branches and boughes so the Church of God beganne in Adam as a roote and from him spreadeth to all his posterity that be elect and within the covenant of grace Thus Matth. 16. where Christ saith Goe tell the Church the Papists change the note and say Goe tell the Pope but the Pope is not the Church of God because he is but one for the Church of God is a company of people that consists of many members Secondly It is a company of people called all the true members are called to partake of the graces of Christ they are called to faith repentance and sanct fication therefore Saint Paul in all his epistles termes the faithfull the Called of God as Rom. 1. 7. To all you that bee at Rome beloved of God called to be the Saints and 1. Cor. 1. 16. Brethren you see your calling so 2 Tim. 1. 9. saith he who hath saved us and called us with one holy calling So then all the true members are called this is a speciall note and marke of them The uses are First seeing that all the true members are called therefore wee must take heed we doe not despise this voyce and call of God seeing he calls us by the voyce of his Gospell and Spirit to bring us to salvation and to an estate of grace that so we might be saved Abraham Gen. 12. was called out of his countrey and from his kindred and hee obeyed God and did follow him why now God doth not call us out of our countrey nor from our kindred we may enjoy them still but hee calls us out of sin out of blindnesse and ignorance therefore doe not thou despise the Call of God nor resist it We see Matth. 20. of the Laborers that were called into the Vineyard some were called in the first houre some in the scond and some in the third fourth and last houre marke saith Augustine hee that was called in the first houre did not put off till the second houre and he that was called in the fourth houre did not put it off till the last so when God calls us we should be ready to obey the call of God As Acts 26. 19. Paul speaking of his Calling to king Agrippa saith Therefore O king I was not disobedient unto the Heavenly vision so seeing God doth call us from day to day by his Gospell let us take heed wee doe not despise it but bee obedient to it Secondly seeing all the true members are called therefore every man must labour to finde this holy calling in himselfe that hee hath beene brought out of sinnes to an estate of grace and that hee is one of Gods people Saint Paul confesses of himselfe 1 Tim. 1. 12 13. I was a blasphemer and a persecutor but Lord I thanke thee thou didst shew mercy to mee I am now called so every man must labour to finde this calling in himselfe I was such and such a one I was a swearer and a drunkard and a bad liver but now it is otherwise with mee now I am Called and have repented for it Thirdly The Church of God is a company of people called out of the condemned multitude of this World for every man naturally is the childe of wrath Ephes 2. 3. saith he Wee are by nature the Children of wrath as well as others and verse 5. Even wee which were dead by sinnes hath hee quickned so the people of God are called out of the condemned multitude of this world as Lot was called out of Sodom by the Angell was haled and pulled out or else he would have perished in Sodom so wee should all perish in our sinnes with hundreds and thousands in this World but that it pleaseth God to call a number out to be saved The use is First seeing the Church of God is called out of the condemned multitude of this world to bee saved therefore wee may see the heavy estate every man stands in before he is called that he is no better than in a damnable and cursed estate how ever hee may in time bee one of Gods elect beloved of God yet for the present estate he is one of the condemned of the world O that wee had our eyes open that wee might see the heavy estate we be in till we bee brought to faith and repentance and to an estate of grace We read 2 King 6. 20. that Elisha did lead the Aramites into the mid'st of Samaria and then prayed to the Lord to open their eyes and presently they saw they were in the mid'st of their enemies so if God should open our eyes we should see that we were in the mid'st of hell and in the clawes of the devils our mortall enemies Secondly seeing the people of God are called out of the condemned multitude of this world whereas they might have perished eternally what cause have men to bee thankefull to God that finde this in themselves whereas they might have beene damned for ever it hath pleased God to call them to the estate of grace to faith to repentance that so they might be saved therefore as Mephibosheth saith to David 2 Sam. 19. 28. When all my Fathers house were but as dead men before my Lord the King yet did'st thou set thy servant among them that did eate meate at thy table so we may say to God I and my fathers house were but dead men before thee and yet notwithstanding it hath pleased thee to bring us to an estate of grace and to feed us in thine owne house whereas we
might have perished with the world therefore what cause have wee to be thankefull to God for so great a mercy The fourth thing that was observed in the parts of the Church is that they are called out of the condemned multitude of the world to blessednesse and happinesse to bee saved by Christ so Saint Paul saith in this place And the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved there is all the harme the Lord means us to save and to bring us to blessednesse and happinesse therefore every man must take heed hee doth not despise this holy Calling when the Lord invites him to repentance faith and to an estate of grace We see Mark 10. 9. when Christ cals the blinde man he flung away his cloake and got upon his legges and followed him so it should bee the care of every one when Christ cals him to fling away his sinnes and corruptions and make all hast to follow him for if the blinde man did follow him for the curing of his body much more should we for the curing of both soule and body First therefore let us take heed we doe not despisse this Call of God seeing all the harme he meanes us is to save us Secondly seeing Christ cals us to enjoy blessednesse and happinesse and to live in communion with him therefore there is no damned man that can be a member of Christ it is true indeed that the wicked may live in the Church as bad humors be in the body but they are no parts of the body the Scripture is cleere for it as 1 Iob. 2. 19. they went out from us but they were not of us for if they had beene of us they would have continued with us but they went out that it might bee made manifest that they were not all of us as if he had said if they had communion of grace and of the Spirit with us then they would have continued but because they had not therefore they went away The Papists say that a damned man may be a member of Christ but wee see it otherwise Col. 2. 19. saith the Apostle and not holding the head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increasing of God and Austine saith that there is no damned man can bee a true member of Christ because Christ is the Saviour of the body therefore let us labour to bee members of Christs body and then wee shall be saved but if we be not then wee are like to perish although wee should be the greatest Princes in the world but if we be true members of Iesus Christ then we doe beleeve that one day we shall bee blessed and happie whatsoever our estate be here therefore if there bee but one or two saved in a towne let us labour to be one of them if men should suffer Shipwrack and there should bee a boat found that would hold no more than tenne every one would labour to be one of the tenne so wee all have suffered shipwracke by the sin of Adam in the sea of this world now to save us the Lord hath given us a little boate which is his Church that whosoever can get into it shall be saved therefore if there bee but two in a country or one in a towne that is saved wee must labour to bee one of the number SERMON LX. ACTS 2. 47. And the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved A Good hearer is like to dry powder that every little sparke of fire will make it kindle but wet powder must bee often touched before it will take so the unfitter that men be to heare and unprepared the more paines it is to the speaker to worke affection in them Wee shewed you the last day that the faith of a Christian consists in two things in God and the Church of God and that the Church of God is a company of people called out of the damned multitude of this world whom God will eternally save with his owne selfe Whence these considerations offered themselves unto us first What the Church of God is in his owne Nature which wee did then dispatch secondly What bee the parts or the divers estates of the Church of God here in this world whereof wee are to speake at this present The Church considered according to its parts is twofold 1. The triumphant 2. The militant Church The Church triumphant is that which is blessed and happy with God in heaven so called because it is not in conflict and combate as we be warring against sinne lusts the devill and the world but having overcome all are now blessed in heaven Hereof the Apostle speakes Heb. 12. 22. but yee are come to the mount Sion and to the Citty of the living God the Celesticall Ierusalem to the company of innumerable Angels and to the Congregation of the first borne whose names are written in heaven and to God the Iudge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect so Col. 1. 20. saith he For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell and having made peace by the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe c. It is an opinion in the Greeke Church that the Saints are nor glorified in heaven till the judgement day but this opinion of theirs is false for it is first against the Scripture and secondly against reason First It is against the Scripture as Eccles 12. 7. Dust returnes to dust and the Soule returnes to God that gave it now this must needs be spoken of the blessed presence of God that the soule goes to in regard of power for God was present with it before so Luk. 23. 45. Christ said to the Theefe This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise marke saith Saint Augustine Christ doth not delay the Theefe but even from this woodden crosse he is translated into his heavenly kingdome so Paul speakes Phil. 1. 23. desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ and not onely speakes he this of himselfe but also of all the faithfull people of God as 2 Cor. 5. 8. Neverthelesse we are bold and be willing rather to remove out of the body and to dwell with God thus it is cleare by the Scripture that the soules of the beleeving and faithfull goe to heaven immediately to glory So then the Greeke opinion is false it cannot be denied but that some Scriptures seeme to looke this way as that Matth. 20. 6. when the evening was come every one had his penny they received their hire so that Col. 3. 4. When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall ye also appeare with him in glory Now these Scriptures and the like are to be understood of the glory of the body or else of the declaration of the glory that soule and body
the Militant Church warring against sinne the World and the Divell Therefore we must looke for no perfect peace here Secondly seeing the Church of God is Militant therefore every man must stand upon his guard and watch armed with Faith Patience and with the graces of Gods Spirit He must take unto him all the Armour of God that is spoken of Eph. 6. that so he may be armed against the temptations of the Divell the World and his owne sinnes and corruptions he must not be secure but he must stand on his watch We read Matth. 13. 25. Whilst men slept the Divell came and did sow tares not when their bodies slept but when their care indeavour and zeale was asleepe so when men bee secure and stand not upon their watch and guard then the Divell comes to surprise them therefore the watchfulnesse and diligence of the Divell should teach us to be watchfull and diligent We finde 1 King 3. when the true mother of the childe was asleepe the false mother came and stole away the live-childe and laid a dead childe in the roome of it so the Divell will doe when men sleepe in sinne hee will steale away the live-childe and lay a dead child in the roome of it that is he will steale away our lively faith hope repentance and will leave dead faith and dead affection in their roome Therefore the watchfulnesse of the Divell must make us watchfull to resist him Thirdly seeing the Church of God is militant it is cleare we cannot escape without wounds and blowes in this life therefore it must bee our wisedome when we take any to labour to cure and heale them that so we doe not bleede to death with them So Heb. 12. 13. saith the Apostle And make straight sâeppes unto your selfe lest that which is halting be turned out of the way but let it rather be healed and Revel 3. 2. awake and strengthen the things which remaine that are ready to die here wee see the Church had wounds but it must be the care of the Church to heale their wounds It is a fearefull thing that the Divell many times wounds a man in his care faith patience love or zeale and yet they have no care to recover againe they doe not runne to prayer to repent of their sinnes returne to God get faith and come to the preaching of the Word and to the Sacraments that so they might recover and be healed We read 2 Kings 8. when Iehoram was wounded of the Assyrians he returned into Iezreel to be healed of his wounds so when the Divell hath wounded us in our care faith or in our zeale it must be our wisedome to returne to the Word and to the Sacraments to be healed of them Fourthly though wee have a great deale of toyle and trouble here in the Church militant yet we may be comforted because it is the way and the gate to the church triumphant as Iohn 16. 2. Christ saith Verely verely I say unto you that ye shall weepe and lament but the World shall rejoyce and yee shall have sorrow but your sorrow shall be turned into joy So Revel 21. 4. saith he And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying nor no more paine So then although the people of God have a number of troubles and temptations here yet it may comfort them that one day they shall bee blessed in the Church triumphant We see as long as a man is at Sea in the Ship he is flung here and there and tossed up and downe and yet it is the Ship that must carry himsafe to the Haven and Shore so as long as wee live in the militant Church we cannot be at quiet it is a place full of trouble wee shall have the world the flesh and the Divell to vexe and trouble us yet because the militant Church is the ship that must carry us to the shore that is to Heaven therefore it must bee our care so to live in the militant Church that we may be a member in the Church triumphant that when we have passed the glassie Sea of this world wee may live in the blessed presence of Christ and for ever sing the song of Moses and the Lambe SERMON LXI REVELATION 1. 20. The seven golden Candlestickes which thou sawest are the seven Churches WEE spake the last day of the parts of the Church of God which generally are two the Triumphant part and the Millitant the triumphant part is that which is blessed with God in Heaven and it is so called because it is not in conflict and combate as wee bee but hath triumphed and overcome temptation the Divell sinne and lusts being now blessed in Heaven with God himselfe the millitant we shewed was so called because of that continuall warfare wee are in with the flesh the world and the Divell untill thereby wee are brought home into the triumphant Now for the particuler there be divers parts of the Church as the Ocean Sea is all one in it selfe yet by the reason there bee many armes and creekes of it which runnes by divers countries therefore it is called by the name of the countries and kingdomes it runnes by as the English Sea and the French Sea and the Spanish Sea so although the Church of God be one in her owne receit yet by reason that it spreadeth it selfe into divers Countries and Kingdomes it is called by the name of the Country or kingdome it is neere as the English Church and the French Church and the Dutch Church so there are many parts thereof all which make but one Church There was a Popish convert that made an objection against this saith he the Church of God is one and the reformed Churches are many therefore the reformed Churches are not the Church of God as Cantic 6. 8. But my Dove is all alone shee is the onely daughter of her mother To this I answere in this cavill there is first ignorance of the Scripture secondly ignorance of learning First it doth shew hee is ignorant of the Scripture for although the Church of God is but one in it selfe yet there be divers parts of it which are called Churches as in this place which is my Text The seeven golden candlestickes are the seven Churches So Gal. 1. 21. And after that I went into the coasts of Asyria and Cilicia for I was knowne by face unto the Churches of Iudea So 1 Cor. 14. 35. for God is not the Author of confusion but of peace as we see in all the Churches of the Saints so though the Church of God bee but one in it selfe yet there are diverse parts of it Secondly this shewes ignorance in learning the Church of God is but one but how is it but one It is one as a great line is one composed of a number of small lines so saith Cyprian
conceive the Church of God to be one as a great line is one yet composed of a number of small lines and as a tree is one which yet consists of many branches and as from one fountaine comes many Rivers and as Exod. 25. 37. God said to Moses and thou shalt make the seven lampes thereof and the lampes thereof shalt thou put thereon to give light Here were many lights yet all these made but one light which was composed of many So the Church is but one Thus much of the doctrine now for use Seeing the militant Church of God consists of diverse parts though it be one in it selfe therefore we should pray for the peace of it and wish well to the members thereof and be ready to releeve them if they stand in neede for there is but one Faith and one Head that quickneth all therefore as one member is ready to helpe another so wee should bee ready to minister to the necessities of other Churches as Acts 11. 28. there was a famine foretold by Agabus that shuld be all the world over which came to passe in Claudius Caesars time then the Disciples every man according to his ability purposed to send succour to the brethren which dwelt in Iudea so it is a laudible part of this Church of England to send releefe to other Churches and bee ready to minister to their necessities It is a good meditation that David hath 2 Sam. 7. Behold I dwell in a house of Cedar but the Arke of God remaineth within these Curtaines So it is good for a Christian to thinke I dwell in a house of Cedar I dwell in a faire house I stand in neede of nothing I have meate and drinke and a number of other comforts but the Arke of God remaines amongst the Curtaines there be many of the people of God that want reliefe and outward comforts therefore I will releeve them according as I am able The next point is that the Church of God is in divers estates and conditions here in this World sometimes a gathering sometimes a gathered and a constituted Church For the Church is like a house that is not a house by and by as soone as a man beginnes to build and hath got stones and timber but the stones must first be hewed the timber squared and then set together so men must bee gathered by the voyce of the Gospell hewed squared and made fit for the Church of God Christ did gather the Church of the Iewes but he left the constitution of it to his Apostles as Esay 2. 5. it is said The Law shall goe forth of Sion and the Word of God from Ierusalem so the Church of God beganne at Ierusalem there he laid the beginning of the Church Now the means by which Christ gathereth it is the preaching of the Gospell there is no man of his owne accord will gather himselfe into the Church Beasts and Birds will gather into their nests and holes but Men will not gather into the Church it must bee a speciall hand of God that must draw them As it is said Ephes 4. 11. He therefore gave some to be Apostles some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints and for the work of the ministery and for the edification of the Body of Chaist untill we all meete c. So also Matth. 23. saith Christ O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them that were sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy Children together as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wing and yee would not So then the meanes by the which Christ gathereth and draweth men into the Church is by the preaching of the Gospell Therefore consider with thy selfe where the preaching of the Gospell is there Christ hath a people that he meanes to draw into the Church to save them doe not hang off therefore from the Lord but be gathered and brought home Seeing Christ comes in the preaching of the Gospell to draw thee to faith and to repentance and to an estate of grace doe not live in thy sinnes and uncleannesse but be gathered and brought home to God If a thousand men should lye in a Dungeon and should lye in such a manner as not one of them could long continue therein if one should come and give them a key to come forth O what flocking and thronging would there be about the Doore to get out so this is our caâe wee are all naturally in the Dungeon of the Divell as it were so that there is not one of us but must die if wee remaine therein and not the death of the body only but also of the soule now it hath pleased God to send us the golden key of the Gospell to open this Dungeon door therefore how should wee labour to get out to bee gathered and brought home to God Againe as the Church of God is sometimes a gathering so sometimes it is dispersed and scattered as Acts 8. 4. when Paul made havocke of the Church of God entred into every house and drew out both men and women and put them in prison it is said Therefore they were scattered abroad and went to and frâ preaching the Gospell So wee read Heb. 12. 37. They were stoned they were howed asunder they were tempted they were slaine with the sword they wandred up and downe in Sheepes and in Goates skinnes being destitute and forsaken whom the World was not worthy of they wandred in Wildernesses and Mountaines and Dânnes and Caves of the Earth And neverthelesse though the Church somtimes be thus scattered yet it doth remaine a true Church still As a Dog or a Woolfe comming into a flocke of sheepe may scatter them this way and that way they are notwithstanding a flocke still so though the Church of God bee scattered in regard of persecution yet it is the Church of God still Sometimes in regard of Tyrants and through the fury of the world it is hidden from the eyes of men that it cannot be discerned So as it was in Elias time when Aâab and Iezabel had broken downe the Altars slaine the Prophets and sought to kill Elias also Revel 12. 14. when the Serpent raged against the woman and sought to devour her it is said There was given her two wings of a great Eagle that she might flie into the wildernesse into her place where shee is nourished for a time and times and halfe a time from the presence of the Serpent so it pleaseth God many times to hide the Church from the rage of the world Saint Ierome saith that the Arrians in his time were so overspread and set with malice against the Church of God as it could hardly bee seene and therefore wee neede not marvell and wonder that there be so few of the people of God seen for the Church may be hidden for a time because of Tyrants and the rage
of the world they are faine to creepe into Caves Dennes Vautes and secret places neither is it any marvell though writers have so little spoken of them and write of them as they have For as so Esay 26. 20. the Lord saith Come my people enter thereinto thy Chambers and shut thy Doores after thee hide thy selfe for a little season untill my indignation passe over So the Church of God is hidden sometimes from the rage of the world as that it cannot be descerned The Uses are That seeing the Church of God is sometimes hidden and sometimes scattered Therefore as soone as God giveth opportunitie wee should gather together againe into one assembly and setled Church We see in a storme if a Navie suffer some Shipwracke or be scattered as soone as the storme is over they will gather together againe so when a storme comes that is when persecution and trouble comes and so scatters the Church as soone as it is over that God giveth opportunity hee should gather together againe Secondly seeing the Church of God is sometimes a scattered Church and sometimes hidden therefore although wee be scattered in our bodies yet we should be one in faith the unitie of the Spirit and the acknowledging of the Sonne of God Sometimes the Church of God is visible and constituted in the way and order of Christ as were these Churches we read of in this place and divers others that be spoken of in the Scripture This is a rich blessing when the people of God may meete and live in societie together one with another to call upon God to heare the Word and to receive the Sacraments for the nourishing of faith and other graces of God in them whereas the Lord keepes open Schoole with us where wee may learne his will and wayes and where we may go to the Fountaines of grace to refresh our selves Therefore it must bee our wisedome to hold communion with the Church of God that we doe not separate from it for every light matter for toyes and trifles David saith Psal 26. 8. O Lord I have loved thy habitation and thine house the place where thine honour dwelleth so also Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seeke after even that I may dwell in the House of God all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visit his Holy Temple Now what is the reason that it is so great a blessing David could not be resolved hereof in a number of perturbations till hee went into the house of God as Psal 73. 16 17. he saith I thought to have found it out and it was too painefull for me untill I went into the Sanctuarie of God then un-understood I their end For betweene a scattered Church and a gathered Church this is the difference that the one being scattered stands by their owne strength and the other gathered stands by the mutuall help one of another as Acts 27. when Paul was in the Ship in danger and a number of others with him there were some that let downe the Boat out of the Ship and would have stollen away but Paul tells them Except ye abide in the ship ye are all like to perish so let us know that if wee doe not hold communion with the Church we cannot be saved Here wee are to observe two things First that this visible Church is a mixed company wherein is good and bad and therefore it is compared to a field wherein is wheate and tares and to a floore wherein is chaffe and corne and to a flocke wherein is sheepe and goates and because of this mixture wee are not to account the Church of God to bee no Church for a number of wicked men under the hope of ease and other priviledges doe joyne with the Church in outward duties but never partake of the life of grace and are not true members no more than a woodden legge is a true member of the body of a man for though it may bee a stay to the body yet it doth not partake of the life that is in the head therefore when the body is in safety the woodden legge may be in the fire so it shall be with all the wicked men that joyne in outward duties with the Church and doe not partake of the life of grace with them they shall bee cast into hell-fire when the true members shall goe into heaven therefore we must labour to bee true members of the Church and to feele a derivation of the life of grace from Christ or else when the true members be saved we goe to perdition Secondly a visible Church may bee in a more pure estate at some times than it is at other times even as a man that hath health and yet may catch a cold and diseases may breed upon him and may bee brought low so a constituted Church may lose the former beauty and good beginnings corruption of doctrine may creepe in and yet the Church bee a true Church still as were these seven Churches of Asia wherein were many corruptions crept for the which they were reprooved yea and the Church of Rome once was a pure Church but now it is a denne of devils Chrysostome saith such a Church may bee compared to spend-thrifts that when they have spent their money and treasure have nothing to brag of but their purses and chests so the Church of Rome having lost all her purity hath nothing to brag of but the name of a Church it hath lost the nature of the Church and retaines only the name Now here may a question be moved when a man should make separation from the Church First I answer though there be corruption in manners yet we are not to separate from it this is plaine by Scripture wee see the Children of Israel when they were in the wildernesse murmured against God and against Moses and committed many grosse sins yet Moses did not separate from them so in Christs time there were many corruptions amongst the Iewes and yet Christ did not separate from them so 1 Sam. 1. Wee see that Elkanah and his wife went up to the yeerely sacrifices when the Priests were wicked men for they lay with the women that did assemble at the doore of the Tabernacle and yet they joyned with them in the holy things of God Secondly wee are not to separate from the Church for some defects and wants for as a man may bee a true Christian a member of Christ and yet have many wants and defects so a Church may bee a true Church and yet have many wants and defects Thirdly we may not separate though there may bee some corruption in Doctrine in the worship and service of God we see that there was corruption of doctrine in Christs time for the Scribes and Pharisees had taught false doctrine Matth. 5. and yet Christ did not separate from them or his
Disciples but hee wils them to heare them so likewise in the booke of Kings the high places were not then taken away and yet they did not separate from them Now in two cases we may separate from them first when the Doctrine is corrupted in the fundamentall points for there bee some points which are the foundation of Religion and when they are corrupted the whole building must needs bee overturned as an house may bee an house though they take away the doores and windowes and some posts but if they take away the foundation then the house cannot stand it ceaseth to be an house so though religion be corrupted in some points yet it may bee so as the whole body may not bee subverted but if it bee corrupted in the foundation then it overturnes and will be destroyed in this case we are to separate from it Secondly we are to seperate when the worship and service is corrupted in the substance as when a man cannot joyne with them with a good conscience so when the worship of God was brought to the high places in that Ieroboam had set up calves in Dan and Bethel to worship then we see 2 Chron. 11. 14. the Priests and Levites came to Iudah and Ierusalem in this case wee are to separate and this is the reason why wee separate from the Church of Rome having both erred in the foundation and in the substance of Gods Worship SERMON LXII PSALME 87. 3. Glorious things are spoken of thee O Citie of God HAving declared what the Nature of the Church is and what bee the divers parts and estates of it in this world in the next place we are to consider what bee the priviledges and dignities of it for this assembly God hath graced with speciall dignities above all assemblies therefore wee should labour to bee members of it rather than of any other Now the dignities and priviledges may be considered in five heads First this that David speaketh of here that he cals the Church the Citie of God or as Paul termes it 1 Tim. 3. 15. the house of God because of all other places it is the speciall place where God dwelleth by the presence of his grace it is true indeed that God is present with his power in hell and this world is full of the presence of God in goodnesse as it is Psalm 119. 64. The earth is full of thy goodnesse but his gracious presence of quickning grace is to this assembly therefore because God dwelleth in a more eminent manner in this above all other assemblies it is called the house of God and the City of God Now this City excels all other cities in foure respects First all other cities were builded by men as Gen. 4. 17. it is said that Caine built a citie and called it by the name of his Sonne Henoch So also Gen. 10. 11. it is said that Nimrod out of that land sent forth Asher and builded Niniveh and the citie Rehoboth but this citie is builded and framed by God himselfe Matth. 16. Christ saith to Peter upon this rock will I build my Church c. and Ierem. 31. 4. saith God againe I will build thee and thou shalt bee builded O virgin Israel All other cities are builded by men but this citie is builded by God and hath its high originall from him And therefore wee may inferre because God is the builder thereof he will preserve and keepe it as Christ saith Matth. 16. that the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it so Zech. 12. 3. it is said and in that day will I make Ierusalem a burdensome stone all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in peeces though all the people of the earth were gathered together against it as Gen. 19. 13. the Sodomites did seeke to breake the doore open upon Lot but the Lord stroke them with blindnesse that they groped and could not finde the doore so it hath pleased God to cover the Church though the enemies thereof have sought to breake in upon it and to destroy it yet the Lord hath strooke them with blindnesse that they could not finde the meanes to doe it Therefore this citie hath this dignitie and roialtie above the rest because other cities are builded by men but this is builded by God Secondly they that live in other cities live in socities especially to preserve and mainetaine their bodies but in the Church of God in this citie they doe not so much live therein to mainetaine their bodies as their soules Againe in other cities they live in socitie to strengthen themselves against their enemies to mainetaine their lands and livings but in this which is the Church of God they live together not so much to maintaine their bodies and their outward estate but to mainetaine the inward graces of Gods Spirit and their interest unto heaven as Philip. 1. 27. saith Paul Onely let your conversation bee as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ that whether I come and see you or else bee absent I may beare of your matters that yee continue in one Spirit and in one minde fighting together in the faith of the Gospell And 1 Pet. 3. 7. Hee exhorts married couples to live together as heires of the grace of life So in this citie they live together especially to mainetaine faith and their comfort in God and their hope of heaven herein therefore in the second place this citie excels all other cities in the world Thirdly all the commodities of the country goe to the citie if there bee any thing better than other it is carried thither all to mainetaine a temporall life but in this citie which is the Church of God the Lord keepes publike market where a man may buy without money the graces of the Spirit where hee may have faith repentance and other graces needfull as Esai 55. 1. Hoe every one that thersteth come yee to the waters and yee that have no silver come buy and eate come I say and buy wine and milke without silver and money so Revel 3. 18. I counsell you to buy of mee gold tried in the fire that thee mayest bee made rich So then here in this citie the Lord keepes open market of spirituall graces that a poore Christian may furnish himselfe with whatsoever grace hee stands in need of and therefore it must bee our wisedome so to furnish our selves as that wee bee not to seeke when wee should use them Augustine saith well in the citie thy house is furnished with all good things those that bee rich amongst you have their houses furnished with a great deale of plate and pillars of marble and tapistrie and other fine ornaments but thou that art a Christian away with these they are but toyes and trifles in regard of spirituall graces but the house of God is furnished with spirituall graces faith repentance pardon of sinnes feeling of Gods favour and all holy and
so as no life flowes from the head to it hee will rubb and chafe it to bring heate and Spirits into it againe so when wee see our selves hang by as dead members and that hardly any life of grace flowes unto us wee should never bee at rest but use all the meanes wee can to heare the word pray repent of our sinnes get faith in Christ never to bee at quiet till wee feele a derivation of the graces of Christ unto us The third consequent is that seeing Christ is the head of the Church and the Church his body Therefore hee will preserve all the members of it There is never a little toe finger or a bone in the body of Christ that shall perish but hee will preserve them all We see in nature that the head will labour to preserve the rest of the members that they doe not perish much more will Christ preserve his mysticall body Hence therefore is our comfort that wee stand not by our own power but by the power of Christ and the life that wee live in grace wee have not by the power of nature but by Christ therefore hee will preserve us and keepe us as Iohn 17. 12. saith Christ of those that thou hast given mee have I lost none Wee are all dead by Adam but we are made alive by Christ so Revel 2. 16. Christ is called the roote and the generation of David It is a Metaphor taken from herbes in a garden that although the stalke and the leafe die in the winter time yet they are preserved in the roote and when the spring time commeth they will put forth againe so though wee die in our selves yet wee are preserved in the roote which is Christ although the stalke and the leafe die yet wee are safe in the roote The use is Seeing that the Church is the body of Christ therefore all injuries and wrongs that are done unto the Church Christ takes as if they were done to himselfe not onely the injuries and wrongs that the world puts on them but also the disgraces and shames that Christians bring upon themselves therefore thou that art a Christian consider with thy selfe thou art a member of Christ looke what disgrace thou bringest on thy selfe thou bringest on Christ as 1 Cor. 6. 15. saith S. Paul Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid or shall wee abuse them to drunkennesse looke what disgrace we cast on our selves we bring on Christ because we bee Christs Members Therefore Chrysostome saith well O man by thy sinne thou dost not disgrace thy owne selfe but another and the shame doth not rest on thy owne body but it rests on another mans that is on the body of thy Lord and Master Iesus Christ So Augustine saith if thou have no care of thine owne selfe yet have care of Christ and if thou care not for defiling of thine owne body and disgracing of it yet take heede of defiling and disgracing of the body of Christ rest not on thy selfe but on Christ therefore how carefull should we be that we doe not defile our bodies SERMON LXIII EPHESIANS 5. 25. Husbands love your Wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for it THere bee five things wherein the dignitie of the Church consists 1. It is called the Citie of God or the House of of God because there is a speciall presence of Gods Spirit 2. It is called the Body of Christ 3. The Spouse of Christ or the Bride 4. It is the Pillar and ground of Truth 5. It is like unto Noah his Arke that there is no salvation without it Two of these wee haue intreated of already and now are come to speake of the third which is this That the Church is the Spouse and the Bride of Christ because it hath pleased Christ to bestow himselfe on the Church to marry and to adjoine himselfe to it in the most neerest bond that may be Man and Wife are not neerer tyed one to another by the bonde of marriage than Christ hath tied and bound himselfe to her by the bond of the Spirit therefore the Church may well bee tearmed the Spouse and the bride of Christ as Cantic 5. 1. I am come into my garden my Sister my Spouse so Iohn 3. 29. He that hath the bride is a bridegrome but the friend of the bridegome which standeth and heareth him rejoyceth because of the bridegroomes voyce So Revel 21. 9. saith he Come I will shew thee the Bride the Lambes wife What a great comfort is this that such silly people as we be should be advanced to this honour as 1 Sam 25. 41. when David sent to Abigall to take her to wife saith she Let thy handmaid be a servant to wash the feete of thy servants of my Lord so wee may say what Lord wilt thou make mee thy Spouse and they Bride it is honour and glory enough for me to be a poore servant to wash the feete of the meanest of thy servants Now as many lines come from one Center so there may be many points deducted out of this point First seeing the Church is the Spouse and the Bride of Christ therefore He loves the Church the love betweene man and wife is great but the greatest love is betweene Christ and his Church as it is Gen. 2. 24. Therefore shall a man leave father and mother and cleave to his wife the greatest bond in nature is betweene them and the greatest bond in grace is betweene Christ and the Church It is said Esay 43. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast beene honourable and I have loved thee therefore will I give Man for thee and People for thy sake So Revel 3. 9. I will make them that they shall come and worship before thy feete and to know that I have loved thee In my Text we see Christ hath not onely loved the Church but hath made declaration of his love wee read Milac 1. 2. that the Lord saith to the people I have loved you and the people say to God Wherein hast thou loved us But thankes be to God wee need not say so for Christ hath not onely loved us but he hath made declaration of his Love that we may feele it and see it If Christ should have loved us and we should not have knowne it it had beene a great matter But the comfort is the greater that hee makes declaration of his Love to us Now in three things Christ makes declaration of his Love to the Church First in that Christ hath spared no paines nor labour nay hath given his owne life and blood to redeeme it greater love than this could no man shew than to give his life for his friend But Christ sets out his love towards us seeing whilst we were yet sinners He
he had seene that in time to come they would have beene therefore this practise of Christ the Prophets and Apostles in sending them to the Scriptures shewes that they were not corrupted nor depraved The fourth reason is drawne from the circumstance of time which both Saint Ierome and Bellarmine doe approve of that if the Scriptures were corrupted by the Iewes it was either before Christs time or soone after his time if it had beene corrupted before his time as hee did reproove other corruptions hee would have reprooved this also but he did not reproove this and therefore it was not corrupted before his time againe it was not after his time for as Augustine saith the Iewish Church indured but a while after his time and then it did diffuse it selfe into all the world then though the Iewes might have corrupted the bookes that were in their owne hands yet they could not corrupt all the bookes that were in so many sundry hands scattered all the world over and therefore it was impossible for the Iewes to corrupt any Philo and Iosephus report that the Iewes lived two thousand yeeres under the Law when there was not one word corrupted nay they say that the the Iewes would suffer a hundred deaths before they would have corrupted any one word So then this reason stands good that it was not corrupted before Christs time nor after his time and therefore it is not corrupted in the Originall The fifth reason is taken from the Iudgement of the learned saith Saint Ierome if wee make any doubt of any question in our Bibles we straight runne to bee resolved of it in the Originall tongue if it bee in the new Testament we goe to the Greeke if it be in the Old Testament we goe to the Hebrew likewise Saint Augustine saith if any man make any doubt or question of this or that in the Scripture by and by wee goe to the Hebrew Bible to cleere our controversie as to the Canon law Hence we conclude by these reasons that the Church hath preserved the letter of the Scripture without any corruption Whereof we should make that use that Paul teacheth 2 Cor 6. 1. Wee as workers together with him beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vaine so then it is a grace and a great grace that the Lord hath preserved the Scripture without any corruption in the Hebrew text therefore I beseech you that you would not receive this grace of God in vaine but labour to grow in knowledge and to nourish thy faith to increase the graces of his Spirit to the weakening of thy sinnes and corruptions Now here may a question be made indeed the Lord hath preserved the Scripture in the Originall tongue without any corruption but in the Latine and other tongues they have beene corrupted and therefore what is this to us we cannot understand Hebrew Againe there was a Popish priests who said that wee have no faith because wee have not the Word of God for faith is grounded on the Word of God but the Word of God saith he was written in Hebrew and in Greeke which translated into an other tongue is not the Word of God how then shall we in this case know it to be the Word of God To this I answer that the Lord doth by us as Ioseph did by his brethren Gen. 42. 12. first hee spake unto them by an interpreter and afterwards by his owne mouth so the Lord doth speake unto us by the mouth of his servants and afterwards by his owne as we know the king makes a proclamation of his will to his subjects in English which when it commeth into Wales where they cannot understand it by one of the kings subjects is taken and translated into Welch wherein it differeth not a haire from the other so it pleased God to proclaime his will to his servants in the Hebrew and the Greeke tongue at first after which they were translated into all tongues by his servants so that there is not a haire difference betweene them in substance I but how shall wee know they bee rightly translated Hereto I answer first out of Chrysostome that we need not doubt but whatsoever is needfull to salvation is set downe plainely and cleerely in the Scriptures and Augustine adds that all those places in the Scriptures which speake of Faith and good manners bee plaine and easie therefore in plaine and easie places the interpreters could not be deceived Secondly a man may know it is the Word of God in our tongue by the same meanes they may know it in Hebrew and that is by the purity sincerity majestie and the power thereof to worke on the soules and consciences of men Therefore when a Christian shall feele and see the power of it worke on mens consciences and soules with the same purity and majesty they may safely say It is God speakes and not man It is the voyce of my welbeloved that speaketh as it is in the Canticles if one put pretious water into a glasse and after put it into an earthen vessell by the taste and vertue of it he may know it to be the same water that it was in the glasse so we may know the Word of God which is in Hebrew and Greeke to be the same in our tongue by the vertue purity sincerity and power thereof therefore the Popish priests opinion is but a tricke of wit and scant that I but there are some differences in the translations I answer first they differ not in sense but in words and termes for the Scripture containes such high wisedome as no one man is able to expresse it therefore the divers translators goe as neere as they can to expresse it some in one thing and some in an other and all to make knowne the wisedome of God to us so that it cannot be denied but that the difference of translations is a great helpe to expound the Scriptures Secondly I answer that where there is any difference it is not in the substance or any materiall point but it is in genealogies and yeares and where any doe finde these differences they may bee satisfied in it by the helpe of their pastours and teachers to instance a few Matth. 1. 11. in the ordinary Bibles there is next unto Iosias Iakim which in the new translation is left out now if any man would know which of these are the better let him looke into the 17. vers where hee may see that all the Generations from Abraham to David are fourteene all betweene David and the captivitie fourteene and from the captivitie to Christs time are fourteene now looke into your ordinary Bibles where are fifteene generations betweene David and the captivitie therefore the new translation is the better so Exod. 3. 19. in the ordinary Bibles it is thus read And I know that the king of Egypt will not
to thanke God that it is not so common amongst us as it hath been There is also another fault amongst us that a poore man many times stands excommunicated three or foure yeers together indeed there may bee a fault in the poore man to stand so long but let us take heed it bee not for want of our helpe Therefore as wee are ready to contribute to the necessities of their bodies so we should bee to contribute to them in this case But here may a Christian demand whether were a man best to give money or to stand excommunicated still this question I will answer by another question what if a man fall into the hands of Theeves were hee better to lose his money or his life I answer hee were better to lose his money because his life is the greater even so a man were better to lose his money than the meanes of grace which is the greater Another may here object and say I but how if a man cannot bee absolved without hee should sinne against God and offend his conscience To this I answer that if the case be so that he cannot be absolved but he must sinne against God then hee were better lose the Communion of men which is the lesser than the Communion of God which is the greater as Iohn 9. wee see the blind man whom the Pharisees had cast out Christ meets with and said unto him doest thou beleeve in the Sonne of God as if hee should say notwithstanding this censure thy cause is good thou art a blessed man in like maner although the censure of excommunication hath passed upon thee if thou beleevest in the Sonne of God thy case is good this may comfort Christians Lawyers have a saying that unjust Lawes binde no man and Bellarmine saith that there is a double Communion an externall and an internall Communion the externall Communion of the Church of God is in the word preached prayer and in Sacraments the internall is in the graces of the Spirit Faith love and other graces Now a man may bee cast out from the externall Communion the word and Sacraments as when a man is put into prison or banished and yet may have the internall Communion with the Church a man may be cut off from his brethren in regard of outward societie but hee can not bee cut off from Christ And these bee the uses wee are to make of this point Now that wee have spoken of the Nature of the Church in the next place we are to speake of the properties of it which are two 1. It is a Holy Church 2. It is a Catholike Church First The Church of God is Holy there is a company of Holy People here in this world as Zech. 8. 5. thus saith the Lord I will returne unto Sion and will dwell in the midst of Ierusalem and Ierusalem shall be called a Citie of Truth and the Mountaine of the Lord of Hosts and the Holy Mountaine so in Dââiel the Church is called the Holy People of God and Revel 22. 2. saith S. Ioh. And I saw the holy Citie the new Ierusalem come downe from God so also 1 Cor. 3. 17. Saint Paul saith For the Temple of the Lord is Holy which ye are Therefore seeing the Church of God is an assembly of Holy People accordingly as it is Holy wee the Members thereof must labour to be Holy Now the Holinesse of the Church is opposed unto three things that seemeth to take away Holinesse from it First the judgement of the world for it thinkes that of all societies they are the vilest and the worst they thinke them to be but a company of dissemblers and hypocrites that professe the Word but deny the Power of it but we that are Christians beleeve that the Church of God is Holy though the World thinke them a company of dissemblers David saith Psal. 13. Yet God is good to Israel even to the pure in heart and in the 14. of Deut. 2. we read For thou art an Holy People to the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a precious people to him Therefore howsoever the World condemnes them yet wee beleeve that God hath a Holy company of People in the World The second thing that seemeth to take away Holinesse from the Church is that it is a united company of good and bad together for I have shewed you that the Church of God is like to a Flocke wherein are Sheepe and Goates a Floore wherein is Corne and Chaffe a Field wherein are Tares and Wheate and yet these bad persons are no true Members of the Church but like bad humours in the body Againe the Faith of a Christian opposeth and doth beleeve that there is a company of Holy People and that the wicked that live amongst them doe not defile the Holy things of God for it is Pauls rule 1 Cor. 11. 26. Let a Man therefore examine himselfe c. whereupon saith Augustine Marke thou that art a good Man thou mayest eat and drinke with comfort if thou doe examine thy selfe and againe he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation not so to thee that art a good Man but to the wicked that came like swine without any preparation at all The third thing that seemes to take away holinesse from the Church is the remainders of sinne and corruption for there is no Man in the estate of Grace but hath complained of this So David Psal 40. 12. My sinnes hath taken such hold on me that I am not able to looke up and Paul complayneth Rom. 7. The good thing that I would doe that doe I not but what I hate that doe I c. so in the best estate there is some remainders of sinne Therefore although the World and the Divell should condemne them yet we beleeve the Church of God is Holy SERMON LXVII 1 CORINTHIANS 3. 17. For the Temple of God is holy which yee are HAving spoken of the Nature of the Church we began to speake of the Properties of it the last day being two First we beleeve the Church of GOD is Holy Secondly that it is Catholike agreable to that part of our Christian profession Now the Church of God is holy foure manner of wayes First In regard of the Holinesse of their Faith or by the Holinesse of their Faith All other societies are fouly spotted and tainted with errour against the foundation but this remaines unspotted in the foundation therefore the Church is Holy because their Faith is Holy So Iude 20. But ye beloved edifying your selves in your most holy Faith keepe your selves in the Love of God So Matth. 7. 6. saith our Saviour Give not that which is holy to Dogges It cannot be denyed but that there may bee errours in the true Church for as they bee subject to all other sinnes so are they to the sinne of ignorance as
Levit. 4. 3. there was a sacrifice appointed for the Ignorance of the Priests and People and Habakuk 3. the Prophet intitles a prayer for the Ignorances Therefore the Church may bee ignorant of some things as the Church of Ierusalem was Acts 11. 10. The Church was ignorant of the calling of the Gentiles till they were informed by Peter and in Cyprians time there was rebaptising held in the true Church So in Augustines time it was held as a thing needfull to salvation for Children to receive the Lords Supper contrary to Saint Pauls rule 1 Cor. 11. Let a Man examine himselfe therefore it is out of question their may be errors in the true Church But the difference is twofold First that they doe not erre in the foundation their errours doe not strike at the heart and let out the life-blood of religion but it is like the scratching of a Thorne and therefore it remaineth Holy in the foundation Secondly Though it fall into errour it is so assisted by the Power of grace as it doth not rest till it recover againe as mud being throwne into a fountaine rests not till it workes it out and settles againe so though the Church fall into errour it is so assisted by the power of grace as that it recovers againe as Iohn 16. 11. saith Christ When hee is come that is the Spirit He shall lead you into all Truth that is possesse them with all truth and lead them in all Truth Peter himselfe did not know all for he was ignorant of the calling of the Gentiles till he saw the vision And then it was revealed unto him so though the Church of God be ignorant for some time it shall not so continue but the Holy Ghost will lead it into all truth Now with the holinesse of their Faith they must joyne holinesse of life as 2 Pet. 1. 5. saith he moreover joyne with your Faith vertue and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance c. with saith there must be joyned good life as of 1 Tim. 1. 19. saith S. Paul of some having faith and a good conscience which some have put away and as concerning faith hath made Shipwracke they were not wise enough to joyne to the holines of their faith holines of life but cast away a good coÌscience made no conscience of known duties and so made shipwracke of all the pretious graces that they had imbarked In the 2 Thes 2. 10. it is said Because they received not the love of Truth that they might be saved therefore did God send them strong delusions that they should beleeve lies Therefore if men will not receive the love of the truth that they may be saved it is just with God to send them strong delusions to beleeve lyes therefore it must bee our care that with holinesse of our faith we joyne a Holy life Secondly the Church is holy by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse as 1 Cor. 1. 30. it is said Christ is made to us of God the Father wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption so Christ is not onely our justification but our sanctification for his holinesse is imputed to us In the Law as wee may see Rom. 11. 16. In the first fruits all the rest was sanctified though they ââre not brought into the Temple nor presented before God yet by thâ first fruites the rest was made Holy by a certaine power to the eateâ and users of them so because Christ is the first fruits that was offered to God in all the puritie that might bee therefore the Church of God is made holy by relation from him To this the Schoolemen agree for saith Aquinas every imperfect thing presupposeth some certaine thing that is perfect that it might be helpt all our holinesse is unperfect in our selves therefore it must bee made perfect by the holinesse of Christ In all accusations of the Divell and conflicts of our consciences wee should come to God and say Lord though I am a sinner uncleane and have infinite wants in my selfe yet in my Head Christ I am sanctified and made Holy so that whatsoever I want in my selfe it is made good in him We see chrystall though it have no light nor lustre in it selfe yet set it in the Sunne and it receiveth the Sunne beames so although we have no light nor manner of lustre in our selves yet if we be brought to Christ wee receive all the graces of Christ therefore in the Revelation the Church is said to bee apparelled with the righteousnesse of Christ Thirdly the Church is holy by inherent holinesse because there is never a true member of the Church but doth labour to be holy though they be incumbred with a number of sinnes Therefore Heb. 3. they are called holy brethren and Esay 65. 12. It is said of them and they shall call them the holy People the redeemed of the Lord for it is the care of every true member to be holy though they be troubled with many incumbrances weaknesses and sinnes Therefore whosoever thou art that art not holy at all for wee cannot obtaine to bee perfectly holy in the estate of corruption labour to bee holy in some measure use the meanes and have care to rid and remove thy sinnes for otherwise thou art no true member of the holy Church A man may live in the Church till his flesh rot or his eyes fall out of his head and yet be no true member of the Church no more than a wodden legge is a true part of a Mans body which though it moove and goe with the body yet may be laid in the fire when the body is in safety because it is not joyned to it to draw life and motion from it in like manner a man may live in the Church and bee no true member thereof because hee is not joyned to Christ nor can approve himselfe to his owne conscience or to the conscience of others therefore as it is the care of every true member to be holy so it must be the care of us that are in the Church Fourthly the Church is holy because there be the meanes of holinesse It is not so holy as Corah Dathan and Abiram said Numb 16. 3. to Moses and Aaron ye take too much upon you seeing all the congregation is holy Thus to have no neede of Magistracie and Ministerie were a dangerous errour for any to thinke for the Church hath neede of all the meanes of holinesse though there be some beginnings of it yet they have neede of Moses and Aaron of Magistracie and Ministery as Psal 77. 20. it is said that The Lord led the People of Israel like Sheepe by the hand of Moses and Aaron the Lord led them with great tendernesse and respect hee led them like sheepe but it was by the hand of Moses and Aaron as long as the Church is in her Pilgrimage it hath neâde of all meanes of holinesse to guide and
first propertie The second propertie is that the Church of God is Catholike that is it is generally diffused and spread all the world over This word Catholike is not found in all the Bible yet as long as the sense is there we may retaine and keepe it seeing it is not against any point of our Christian profession As for the signification of it the word is the same both in Latine and Greeke and signifieth generall whence wee inferre the Church of God seemeth to take his name from our Lord Iesus himselfe where hee saith Act. 1. 8. And yee shall bee witnesses unto mee both in Ierusalem and in all Iudea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth Here the observation may bee this that if wee finde new words as long as the sense is not new nor the Doctrine wee may receive them but if both the words and the sense and Doctrine bee new that is if it bee not found in the Scripture then they are to bee rejected and refused therefore because transubstantiation is a new word and the Doctrine is new the sense not being to be found in the Scripture we are to reject it for before the Lateran Councell there was no such thing heard of which brought in both the word and Doctrine and made that a point of faith which before was never dreamt of Now the Church is said to bee Catholike in three regards 1. In regard of Place 2. In regard of Person 3. In regard of Time First the Church of God is Catholike in regard of place for it is not tied to one certaine place countrie or Kingdome but God himselfe hath inlarged and spread it over all the world farre and neere there was a time when it did belong to the Iewes and to those that did joine with them but now Christ hath broken downe the partition wall and hath laid all the world common now hee hath enlarged the Church and spread it all the world over This is that Peter speakes of Of a truth saith hee I perceive that God is no accepter of persons but in every nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him so Christ Matth. 8. saith That many shall come from the east and from the west and shall sit down with Abraham Isaak Iacob in the Kingdome of God so Eph. 2. 13 14. but now in Christ Iesus yee which were once a farre off are made members by the bloud of Christ for he is our peace which hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us and it is said Revel 7. 9. And after these things I beheld and lâe a great multitude of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the lambe cloathed with long Robes and palmes in their hands So then it is plaine by the Scriptures that the Church is Catholike in regard of place and is not abridged to no one countrey or Kingdome but is spread all the world over Augustine saith well We are not to thinke it was enough for Christ to shed out his most precious bloud for one countrey or Kingdome but it was to win the whole world to himselfe and againe hee saith By that which Christ gave for the redemption of man they may perceive the great price and payment which was his death and bloudshed a thing of so great value or price that it was not for any one country or Kingdome but for all and therefore it is called the Catholike Church The use is first seeing that the Church is Catholike or universall and consists of all countries and Kingdomes therefore we should bee thankfull to God that hath reserved us till this time for wee might have beene born when the light of the Gospell shined onely amongst the Iewes and then wee might have perished in unbeleefe therefore thankes bee unto God in that hee hath brought us forth in a time when the Gospell is preached And seeing it hath pleased God to doe so let us bee wise to lay hold on the good meanes that is layd before us come out of our sinnes and corruptions that so wee may bee saved from them if fish in a pond should bee nigh poisoned with stinking mud and water and one should come and cut a sluce through into fresh water what would they doe but goe out into the fresh water This is our case wee are like to fish in a pond that bee poisoned in the mud and stinking water of our sinnes and corruptions therefore seeing it hath pleased God to cut a sluce and trench through and to open the bosome of the true Church to us where the fresh water is the waters of life and salvation it must bee our wisedome to come out of our sinnes and to lay hold of the good meanes that are set before us Secondly seeing the Church of God is Catholike wherein there is the meanes of grace therefore it must be our consideration to apply our selves to lay hold on it in our life time while wee live heere It is S. Pauls exhortation 2 Cor. 6. 5. I beseech you brethren that you receive not the graces of God in vaine It is a great mercie that God doth offer in the true Church where the meanes of grace are used preaching prayer the use of the Sacraments therefore let us apply our selves to lay hold on it and to get good by it You your selves know that if earthly Paradise were to bee recovered and the Cherubins with the shaking sword removed so that wee might goe in without any danger would you lye down and sleepe would you idle out the time no I dare bee bold to say that you would flye to the trees gather of the fruit and eate of them especially of the tree of life that you might live for ever This is the grace that God doth offer to us for the militant Church is the Paradise of God where there are trees of all sorts therefore what should wee doe not lye down in the dust and idle out the time but apply our selves to eate of the fruit especially of the tree of life to feed on Christ by faith to draw out all his graces that so wee may live for ever Secondly the Church of God is Catholike in regard of the persons for it includeth all sorts of persons rich and poore high and low noble and ignoble wise and foolish bond and free and excludeth none To this purpose saith S. Paul Gal. 3. 28. There is neither Iew nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus and S. Peter Act. 10. saith I saw a vision of all sorts of birds and beasts and there came a voice too that bad him kill eate by which vision he did understand that God had then sanctified all sorts of men in the bloud of Christ there was
a time when divers men were excluded from the Congregation of the Lord as Num. 22. the Ammonites the Moabites because they did not meete the people of the Lord with bread and water but now it hath pleased God to take in all sorts of men so that no man is excluded unlesse hee will exclude himselfe as it is said Esai 65. 25. That the Wolfe and the Lambe shall feed together and the Lion shall eate straw like the Bullock and to the Serpent dust shall bee his meat the sense is that in the time of the Gospell the Lord will alter the naughtinesse of mens hearts and bring them to joine in holy sweet communion one with another but if they would not attend him but desire rather to live in their sinnes still than they should live in Gods curse the Serpent shall eate dust hence wee are taught seeing God doth exclude no man wee must take heede wee doe not exclude our selves If a man comes to a Kings Court in meane apparell and have no good attendance he can have small hope of accesse to the King oh but let him come to Gods court though hee come never so meanely and basely apparelled if hee bee well attended with faith and the graces of his Spirit then he shall have accesse into the presence Chamber of Almightie God therefore seeing no man is excluded doe not thou exclude thy selfe If a gift grant or pardon should come from the King to certaine persons that would claime it there is no man that would exclude himselfe and say it doth not belong to mee but every man would labour to have his part in it so the Lord hath given a gift and a grant to bestow pardon of sinnes the love and favour of God heaven and happinesse to all that will repent and beleeve in Christ Therefore no man must exclude himselfe and say it doth not belong to mee but labour to have his part in it Thus the Church is Catholike in regard of the persons Thirdly the Church of God is Catholike in regard of time for it hath beene in all ages and so shall continue to the end of the world it began in Adams time and shall continue to the last man that shall live it hath bin in all times and it shall continue so long as the world doth last For this world was made for the good of the Church therefore God lets it stand for their sakes and as soone as the people of God be gathered home then this world shall have an end as the Prophet David hath it Psal 48. O God according to thy Name so is thy praise unto the worlds end so also Psal 89. thy seed will I establish for ever and set up thy Throne from generation to generation and Dan. 2. 44. it is said And in the dayes of those Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdome that shall not be destroyed a Kingdome that shall not bee given to another but that shall breake and destroy all those Kingdomes and it shall stand for ever Here wee may see the honour that God brings us to to bee of that Communion and fellowship that all the Saints are of to bee of that Church that Adam Abel Henoch Noah Abraham Moses and all the rest of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and Christ himselfe were of and all the holy men that have lived as Ephes 1. 11. saith the Apostle Now therefore yee are no more strangers nor forrenners but citizens with the Saints and of the household of God and are builded upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone so Heb. 12. 17. Saint Paul saith for yee are not come to the mount that might bee touched c. but yee are come to the mount Sion and to the citie of the living God the celestiall Ierusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the congregation of the first borne whose names are written in Heaven and to God the Iudge of all men and to the Spirits of just and perfect men So then wee see that this is the honour that God hath brought us to to bee of the same Church and company that the Prophets Apostles holy men and Christ himselfe were of Therefore to apply it first let us not lose the graces of God like a slight huswife that keepes the emptie caske and boxe and loseth the Iewell but let us labour to partake of the same graces with them seeing wee are of the same Church that they bee of Secondly seeing the Church hath beene in all times past and shall continue to the worlds end therefore it may bee our comfort in all the troubles that doe befall it when wee see men conspire against and labour to destroy it yet notwithstanding all that they can doe it shall stand and continue to the worlds end It hath bin in all times and it shall continue for ever as Psal 48. 8. David saith As wee have heard so have wee seene in the citie of the Lord of Hosts in the citie of our God God will establish it for ever Therefore seeing hee hath established the Church it shall stand though all the world were set against it Augustine saith well The enemies of the Church though they come and gather themselves together to destroy and roote it out yet this is the comfort Christ will keepe it hee hath a sword to defend it he will tye up the devill and shut up hell that they shall not trouble the Church therefore though wee doe not see the Church visbile it not being patent and openly seene but sometime hidden as it was in the time of Elias from the fury of the world yee we must beleeve that the Church of God is Catholike or Universall that it hath beene in all times and it shall continue to the worlds end Now the Papists adde somewhat unto this Article and say that wee must beleeve in the Catholike Romish Church but this is first absurd in Religion and secondly absurd in Reason it is absurd in Religion because the Romish Church must fall in the time of Antichrist as the Scripture sheweth and as the Papists themselves say but the true Catholike Church that shall ever continue therefore it is absurd in religion to beleeve in the Catholike Romish Church Secondly it is absurd in Reason because that Rome when it was at the best could but be a part of the Church and a part cannot bee the whole Church as Scholars know therefore it is absurd in Reason But they say that the name of Catholike doth properly belong to them to this I answer as Christ did to some that lived in the Church Revel 2. 4. that said they were Iewes but saith Christ they are the Synagogue of Sathan so I may say of them though they terme themselves to be true Catholikes yet they be but a conspiracie against Christ Now by three reasons I
will prove that they cannot be true Catholikes First because alwayes the true Catholikes have taught that divine worship is to be given to God onely and to no creature else as Christ saith Matth. 4. to the devill thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve so likewise Revel 22. Iohn fell downe to worship the Angell but the Angell said unto him See that in no wise thou dost it for I am thy fellow servant and Saint Ierome saith that we Christians doe not worship any creature neither Angell nor Archangell but God onely now because they teach that we should worship stockes and stones and the workes of mens hands therefore they are no true Catholikes Secondly because true Catholikes teach that there is but one Mediator between God and man and that is Christ only according to the Apostle For there is but one God and one Mediator betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus so Heb. 13. 15. saith he Let us therefore by him offer the Sacrifice of praise alwayes to God so Origen also we Christians offer up all our prayers to God by the meanes of Christ but the Papists teach that there are a number of Mediators and that we may pray to the Virgin Mary to Peter and Paul therefore they are no true Catholikes Thirdly because the true Catholike Church hath taught for sixteene hundred yeeres together that men should not equivocate should not speake one thing and thinke another but should speake the truth from their hearts as Ephe. 4. 25. saith the Apostle Wherefore cast off lying and speake the Truth every man to his neighbour so Psalm 15. Hee that speaketh he truth in his heart is one of them that shall inhabite Gods holy hill therefore we cannot say one thing and meane another for the oath is according to him that taketh the oath and not according to the minde of him that sweareth but the Papists teach that a man may equivocate sweare one thing and meane another and therefore they are not true Catholikes Now the use of this is seeing in this world is the true Catholike Church and the meanes of Grace let it be our wisedome to lay hold on the good meanes that is set before us before wee remove hence I have shewed you heretofore if a man should send his servant into the Indies with a ship to fill with gold and there might have it but fils it with rubbish stones and gravell when this servant comes home hee may looke for a cold welcome home so the Lord hath sent us into this world as it were into the Indies with a ship with our soules and bodies and into the Church of God there we may have gold to fill our shippes with that is the graces of his Spirit therefore if wee shall fill our shippes with rubbish gravell or dirt that is with sinnes and corruptions we may looke for a cold welcome home for in the Church of God there are the springs and fountaines of grace therefore why doe wee not apply our selves to fill shippes with the purest gold to get faith repentance prayer and all the graces of the Spirit that so we may have comfort at our returne to God SERMON LXVIII 1 IOHN 1. 3. That which we have seene and heard declare we unto you that yee also may have fellowship with us and truely our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ HAving spoken of the Church in the next place wee are to speake of the speciall benefits and blessings that God doth bestow on it for the Church is Gods peculiar and chosen people that hee hath drawne out of this world therefore it pleaseth him to bestow greater blessings and more speciall favours on them than on all other societies and assemblies whatsoever It is true indeed that there be common blessings that hee bestowes upon others as it is said Psal 119. 69. that the earth is full of thy goodnesse O Lord and so Matth. 5. 45. For hee maketh the Sunne to shine on the evill and on the good and sendeth raine on the just and on the unjust these common blessings all the people of the world partake of O but there are a peculiar blessings and favours that belong to none but to Gods servants wherein none of the wicked have their parts and therefore as David saith Psal 31. 19. How great is thy goodnesse O Lord which thou hast laid up for them that feare thee and done to them that trust in thee c. the prophet doth not say positively much goodnesse is laid up for them that feare God but makes a question and saith how much goodnesse and so Psalm 147. ult hee hath not dealt so with every nation neither have they knowne his judgements so there bee speciall favours and blessings that none of the world have part in for howsoever the wicked of the world may have common blessings as riches favour amongst men wisedome and learning and bee enabled to mainetaine Arts and Sciences yet notwithstanding there are speciall blessings that none of the wicked have their parts in that doe belong to his children onely to enjoy by the meanes of Faith so Genes 17. 18 22. Abraham prayeth to God that Ismael might live in his sight the Lord told him that he had heard him concerning Ismael and that he would make a great nation of him but my covenant will I establish with Isaac even so now God blesseth the wicked in this world hee maketh great men of them and rich gives them wisedome children and such like but his covenant he doth establish with Isaac his speciall blessings and favours hee bestowes on none but his owne children to be enjoyed by Faith Now there bee two reasons why the Lord doth so and it is not unprofitable for a man to consider of them First because the godly may see what a goodly and rich portion the Lord hath appointed for them that so if any wayes either through the falsehood of the devill or other provocations they bee pulled out from the enjoying thereof they may labour to recover it againe knowing no where to have better entertainement than in the house of their father this it was that brought home the Prodigall sonne to his fathers house when he considered the happy estate of those that lived therein that they had bread and bread enough and not onely the sonnes but the servants and such as were hired but for a day even the meanest of them so when Christians shall consider the rich and happy estate of all the people of God what a deale of comfort and joy they have in the house of God that they are comfortable in their life and blessed at their death when they sleepe in the dust and when they shall be raised up to glory that is no small allurement for them to returne againe unto the house of God so we see Hos 2. 7. it is there
written of Gods people to whom he will shew a speciall favour Though shee follow after her lovers yet shall she not come at them though shee seeke them yet shall she not finde them then shall she say I will goe and returne to my first husband for at that time was I better than now in like manner when we are gone from God and fall from him by our sinnes this will be a great meanes to recover that we may returne againe when wee consider it was better with us when wee walked with God and made conscience of our wayes than now when wee in vaine labour in sinfull vanity so that then we returne when wee see wee can finde no where better entertainment than in the house of God Secondly it is not unprofitable for a man to consider what great blessings and benefits God bestowes particularly on the Church that the wicked of the world may see what goodly things they have lost and what rich blessings and benefits God hath given and granted out to the Church to such as be poore sinners and strangers that the consideration of these blessings and benefits may provoke them to come home to God and to have communion with the people of God that so they may have their parts in these blessings and benefits as Hest 3. 17. We may see that many of the land became Iewes for the feare of the Iewes fell upon them But what is the feare of an earthly King to the feare of God and what are the priviledges of an earthly kingdome to those blessings and benefits that God bestowes on his people therefore if such a small matter provoked them to be Iewes how much more should such great matters provoke the men of this world to become Christians and to be of the societie of Gods people Now there be two sorts of blessings given unto the Church some whereof appertaine to this life some to the life to come those that he hath given us to enjoy in this life are the coÌmunion of Saints and the forgivenesse of sins those that appertaine to the life to come are the resurrection of the Body and the life everlasting Such therefore is the goodnesse of God to us that he doth not onely lead us in the hope of future things but hee hath given us something present in hand till he bring us home to Heaven to the enjoying of all the rest of his blessings The Lord promised to the Children of Israel to bring them to the land of Canaan and to put them in possession of it but first they were a long while led in the wildernesse when Moses sent spies into the land which did bring home unto them of the fruite thereof to taste of it as it is Numb 12. 18. that so they might have comfortable hope that one day they should enjoy it even so it pleased God in the wildernesse of this world to give us a taste of Heaven and Glory and of the Life to come that wee might long after the full possession of Heaven and happinesse therefore wee may admire at the kindnesse of God who giveth us somewhat in hand present so that all our happinesse is not laid up in hope as Tertullian saith the Lord hath given us a pawne and pledge that one day hee will render the whole to us Now of the blessings that God doth bestow on his People in this life The first is the communion of Saints for wee doe beleeve that there is a blessed and holy Communion of Saints in this world and that there is no communion like it There be divers communions in this world there is a communion of theeves spoken of Prov. 1. 14. Cast in thy lot amongst us we will all have one purse So there is also a communion of darkenesse as Esay 5. 12. say they Come I will bring joy and wee will fill our selves with strong drinke and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant so likewise there is a communion of the enemies of God as Psal 2. 1. Why doe the Heathen rage and the People murmur in vaine the kings of the Earth band themselves together and the Princes of the Earth are assembled against the Lord and against his Christ so wee see that there be divers communions in this world but fearefull and heavy shall the end of all these be for as they have had communion together in sinne so shall they have communion in paines and torments So as you heard out of the Parable Matth. 13. Christ saith The tares shall be bound together in bundles that is all the wicked such as hinder the growth of the corne Augustine thus expounds that part of the Parable where Christ saith The tares shall be bound together in bundles that is every kinde of sinner shall bee bound up together the Adulterers together the Theeves together the Drunkards together and perjured persons together they shall be bound together in bundles for the further increase of their torments for as many strawes or stickes being bound together in a bundle serve to set one another on fire and to increase the flame so the number of the wicked being bound together shall increase one anothers torment and griefe so that it shall not be as the World saith the more the merrier but the more the greater torment fearefull and heavie shall the end of all such Communions be therefore let us labour to have Communion with the Saints in Faith Repentance the graces of the Spirit and then we shall have Communion with the Saints in glory As Mat. 8. Christ saith that They shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaak and Iaakob in the Kingdome of God So Gen. 25. it is said that Abraham when he died was gathered to his people Abraham was a holy and a faithfull man and therefore when he died hee was gathered to his people that is to such as he was to holy and faithfull people so likewise in the same Chapter Ismael when he died was gathered to his People he was a bad man and was gathered to such as himselfe was for looke of what communion a man is to the same hee shall be gathered If thou art an adulterer thou shalt bee gathered to such if a Theefe to Theeves if a Drunkard to Drunkards if a Swearer to Swearers for looke what communion thou art of to the same thou shalt be gathered Therefore if thou wouldst not then have communion with such as theeves bee c. have no fellowship with them in their sinnes but labour to have communion with the Saints in Faith and Repentance and in the graces of the Spirit in this life and then thou shalt be gather'd to such and enjoy with them glory in the life to come Now the communion of Saints consists in three things 1. That we have Communion with God 2. That we have Communion with Christ 3. That
death and merit so that whatsoever is due to Christ in regard of the right of his death and merit wee may claime at Gods hand the favour of God the pardon of our sins and the glory of Heaven is due to us in regard of the merit of his death as Peter saith By his stripes we are healed so a Christian may be bold to say Christ is mine and his death mine his life is mine and his crosse mine and his paines mine to my eternall comfort therfore in the troubles of conscience and accusations of the Divell we may goe to God and tender before him the death and merits of Christ if we should tender our owne righteousnesse this would shame and disgrace us If a man should be imprisoned for a debt which was payed by a suretie if he could finde the suretie he would bring him to the Iudge and say here is the Man that did discharge my debt here are the empty bagges that the money came out of that paid my creditor surely any Iudge would acquit that Man so when the Devill shall implead us for our sinnes we may goe to God and shew him Christ and we may quiet and stay our selves here saying This is he that hath paid my debt here is the emptie purse here are the empty veines that the blood came out of and then without all doubt God will acquit us Therefore we must tender the merits of Christ to God spread them before him and stand to them To this purpose saith Chrysostome Christ hath taken away the hand-writing which was against us and hath given us another bill bond or new writing whereby we may claime Christ He hath not done by us as the unjust Steward did by abatement but hee having quite wiped out all hath given us a new bill and hath made God a debtor to us Thirdly the power of our spirituall life We indeed are able by nature to move and stirre and to do the duties of our calling to buy and sell c. but are not able to stir a foote to Heaven to looke after that nor move towards it till Christ communicates a spirituall life unto us So 1 Iohn 5. 12. saith he He that hath the Sonne hath life and he that hath not the Sonne hath not life as 2 King 12. 21. the dead Souldier was not able to move or stir till being laid in the Sepulchre of Elisha he touched his loynes and then he revived and stood upon his feete so we are dead by nature and not able to move or stirre a foote in the wayes of God till we touch the Body of Christ by Faith then we revive and stand up life comes into us againe Fourthly the dignitie of his owne estate for by nature Christ is the Son of God and he makes us the Sonnes and Daughters of God by Adoption and Grace and drawes us into the same dignitie and honour with him to be called the Sonnes of God But it is a harder matter for us to be made the Sonnes of God than for Christ to bee made the Sonne of Man Now as Christ communicates something to us so wee something to him We communicate to him three things first our Nature secondly our sinnes thirdly our troubles and afflictions Here wee see what an exchange wee make with Christ Hee communicates to us himselfe the right of his death merit and spirituall life and the dignitie of his owne State and we communicate to him our nature our sinnes and troubles First wee communicate to him our Nature and that not in the best estate when it was in integrity but since it was disgraced and subject to sicknesses diseases and troubles this is the change wee make with Christ like Hiram and Salomon Hiram gave to Salomon gold and silver and Firre trees and what the heart of the King could desire and Salomon gave to him a few dirty Cities In like manner Christ giveth to us what our heart can desire his owne selfe the right of his death merit and spirituall life the dignitie of his owne estate and we give him a few dirty cloathes our bad nature disgraced with sinne subject to troubles and afflictions If wee would have communicated any thing it should have beene of the best because He is God blessed for ever Amen it should have beene when our nature had beene in the best estate but we communicate to him our sinnes and troubles therefore wee should admire Christs love and goodnesse to us that will accept of this exchange Secondly we have communicated a worse thing than this our sins as 1 Pet. 2. 14. who his own selfe bare our sins in his body on the tree c. all the wicked shall carry their owne sins on their backe to Hell with them but the sinnes of the godly are laid on the backe of Christ he bare them the cruell Souldiers laid the Crosse on Christ and made him to beare it but we laid a greater burthen than that on him the burthen of our sins for the weight of the crosse is nothing to the weight of our sinnes Thirdly we communicate to Christ our troubles and dangers as Esay 63. 9. In all their troubles he was troubled and Col. 1. 24. Now I rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fulfill the rest of the sufferings of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake so Christ suffereth still in his members by compassion and fellow feeling And these be the goodly things that we communicate to Christ nothing but our nature and sins our troubles and dangers as I told you a little before out of 1 Kings 9. 11. there was an exchange betweene king Salomon and Hiram he gave Salomon gold silver Firre trees and Cedar trees and all that the heart of the king could wish and Salomon gave Hiram twentie dirty cities in the land of Galile but it is a better exchange that Christ makes with us for he giveth all that the heart of a Christian can wish his wisedome righteousnesse himselfe his merits and death a spirituall life and the same dignitie and honour with him but we againe repay him with our nature sins and dangers therefore hence let us learn to admire this great kindnesse and love of Christ to us that will be content therewith Now as the Saints have communion with God and with Christ so have they communion with one another by meanes of love as Exod. 25. We see the golden Cherubim did so looke towards the Arke and the Mercy seat as that they looked one towards another So wee must looke to God and to Christ by the eye of faith as we must have one eye also to one another by love This societie is comfortable for Gen. 2. 18. God saith It is not good that man should be alone therefore if it were a good thing for man to have communion and societie in the life of nature much better is
1. In Exhortation 2. In Admonition and good Counsell 3. In Consolation 4. In Mutuall Prayer First In exhortation for the People of God must exhort one another to feare God and to make conscience of every holy dutie commanded as Heb. 3. 13. saith S. Paul Exhort one another dayly whilest it is called to day c. so Heb. 11. 24. Let us exhort one another to provoke one another to love and good works So it is not enough for a man to bring himselfe on in Religion but he must stirre up the care of other as Zech. 4. 2. the Prophet saw a vision of a golden Candlestick with a boule on the top of it and seven Lampes thereon with seven Pipes to the Lampes which were on the top thereof and two O live trees right over it to drop down fatnesse to nourish the lights with so every Christian is a shining Lampe and wee must bee as Olive trees to drop down fatnesse or oyle into the heart of our brother to nourish the light of God that is in him therefore it is woefull thing to see that men doe neglect this dutie that they doe not exhort one another and yet meet many times in the weeke and on the Sabboth day and passe away the time with a deale of idle talke and let this dutie slip so that they cannot say as the Disciples said did not our hearts burne when wee talked with such a man Secondly Admonition and good counsell when they bee fallen so to recover and restore them againe as Gal. 6. saith S. Paul Brethren if any man bee fallen by any occasion into any fault yee which are spirituall restore such a one with the Spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe lest thou also bee tempted The word in the originall is a metaphor taken from a Surgeon that is to set a joint who useth it with great tendernesse to bring it to his right place so wee must doe when wee see our brethren fallen into any fault use them gently to restore them againe and wee must labour to recover them with the Spirit of meeknesse considering lest wee also bee tempted It is not the manner of the world to doe so but they make table-talke of it and speak to the disgrace of others but wee must consider that wee our selves may bee overtaken and therefore as wee would have others to deale in meeknesse and love with us when we are fallen so we must doe to our brethren We see in a shipwrack that those that escape and get to the shore first get up to the top of a high tower mountaine or rocke and hang out lights and Lanthornes that so they may direct the rest of their company to the same harbour So wee must doe when we have suffered shipwrack in our consciences and are recovered againe wee must hang out as it were lights and lanthornes advise and admonish others and give them good counsell that so wee may bring them to the same harbour that wee are arrived at Thirdly wee owe to our brethren Christian consolation and mutuall comfort because that ordinarily the crosse doth follow them and accompany the people of God for if a man be a sincere Professour of the Gospell through the malice of the Devill and the furie of the world alwayes the crosse doth accompany him and therefore the brethren had need to comfort them as 1 Thes 4. 18. saith S. Paul Wherefore comfort your selves with these words and Prov. 31. 6. it is said Give yee strong drinke unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto him that hath griefe of heart As in a sick family where they are given to fainting they have bottles of Aquavitae and Rosasolis to refresh and comfort them so the Church of God is a sick family and therefore must have bottles of Aquavitae and Rosasolis to comfort and to cheare them that is wee must have comfortable words to cheare and refresh them but wee see Iob 6. 14. Hee complaines of this saith hee Hee that is in miserie ought to bee comforted of his neighbours but men have forsaken the feare of the Almightie so David complaines Psal 69. 20. Reproch hath broken my heart and I am full of heavinesse and I looked for some to have pitie on mee but there was none and to comfort mee but I found none Therefore wee must take heede that this bee not laid against us at the day of judgement Fourthly Mutuall Prayer to pray for one another as Iames 5. 16. it is said Pray one for another so that the Prayers of the Saints are for the common good of the whole bodie of them this is a great comfort to be one of the people of God in the time of danger and temptation for one cannot bee the least member of the Communion of Saints but he shall have his part and portion in all the Prayers of the Saints Wee see in one Countrie there are divers shippes goe to the Sea some traffique in one thing and some in another some for gold and silver some for other commodities but all such as they bring home is for the common good of the whole countrie So the Prayers of the Saints are like unto a number of ships that goe to Sea some of whom make request for this thing and some for that but whatsoever they bring home all tends to the common good of all the bodie Fourthly the Communion of the Saints consists in Communicating of Riches and goods to one another Gal. 6. 10. it is said while you have time doe good to all especially to the houshold of faith so Hebr. 13. 16. To doe good and distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased so also 2 Cor. 8. 7. Therefore as you abound in every thing in faith and utterance knowledge and in all diligence and in your love towards us see that yee abound in this grace also There is no one dutie that men come more short in than in this men are contented to pray and advise others but this they sticke at they cannot bee contented to communicate of their goods to them neither can they abide to part with any of their Riches this they stick at But Matth. 2. 11. wee see the wise men came to worship Christ and presented to him gifts gold frankincense and myrrhe They did not onely worship him but did also impart to him of their treasure and goods It is the manner of the world that they can bee contented to worship Christ but they will not let any thing come from them to refresh the Saints they will not part with any of their goods to them Augustine saith well It is not meet that in a Christian commonwealth one should surfet and another starve that one should live in plentie and another in want for wee have all one master and are redeemed with one bloud we came into the world all after one sort and
the Saints is the mutuall bearing one with another in their weaknesses and infirmities seeing all the People of God are subject to weaknesse and infirmitie being partly flesh and partly spirit the flesh many times having the better of the spirit As wine and water being put into a glasse the water taketh away the good taste of the wine so the flesh taketh away the good taste of the spirit insomuch that many times the best men have many frailties and weaknesses therefore there must be a mutuall bearing one with another which is that which holds together Christian communion as Rom. 15. 1. Saint Paul saith We which are strong ought to beare with the infirmities of the weake and in this place beare ye one anothers burthen and so fulfill the Law of Christ againe saith he Forbearing one another and forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake forgave you so then there must be a mutuall forbearing one of another as we would have others to beare with our weaknesse and infirmities so wee should beare one with another for if wee doe not we cannot hold communion one with another which is out of want of true love We see a mother will beare with the frowardnesse of her childe though it crie and be disquiet all the night yet she sings and dances it and in the morning smiles on it and is as good friends with it as she was before the reason whereof is because she loveth her childe so if there were true love amongst us the husband would beare with the weakenesse of the wife and the wife with the weakenesse of the husband the Parents with the Children and the Children with the Parents and one good neighbour and friend with another for because men want true love therefore they cannot digest the least matter that is Now this mutuall bearing one with another consists in three things First they be ready to hide and conceale the faults one of another they will not blaze them abroad and make table-talke of them but they will hide them and if there bee but one grace or vertue in them that they will take notice of but their infirmities they conceale contrariwise is the practise of the world if they see a great many graces and vertues and but one infirmitie and weakenesse in one they will conceale all his vertues and take notice of that weaknesse and infirmitie being like to the flie that passeth over all the whole parts of a man and lights on the sore place chiefly Secondly if they cannot hide and cover them they will be ready to excuse them as Acts 3. 17. Peter told the Iewes that they had killed the Lord of Life And now brethren saith he ye did it of ignorance as did your fathers so Ioseph Gen. 45. 5. saith he I am Ioseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt now therefore be not sad and grieved in your selves that yee sold mee thither for God did send me before for your preservation Thirdly when the fault is so great that they cannot excuse it and so open and manifest as that they cannot hide it yet still they can indure them wish well to them and pray for them As 1 King 12. 23. when the people had sinned against God in asking a king and had cast off Samuel and rejected him saith he God forbid that I should sinne against God and cease praying for you but I will shew you the good and right way I will not faile in dutie to you though you faile to me This is a rare example that when wee cannot excuse the matter nor hide it that yet we can pray for the party The use is seeing the communion and societie of the Saints is such a great helpe to further us to Heaven and to comfort us here in this world let it bee our wisedome to nourish this holy communion one with another and to strengthen one another in our faith repentance and holy graces as also to nourish holy meetings for the further instructing one of another But these Christian communions are now much decayed wee have seene what meetings in many townes there hath beene in former time to confer and pray one with another and to speak of good things doe Christians thinke there is no neede of helpe this way can they goe to Heaven without the helpe one of another The strength of Sampson lay in his haire which when Dalilah had cut hee became as another man so a great part of the strength of a Christian lieth in Christian communion and in the use of good meanes from which if the world can intice thee and cut off these good helps and meanes thy strength will decay and thou shalt become as another man therefore it must bee our wisedome to nourish this holy communion There is another communion now adayes that hath eaten out and overrun this to wit the communion of good fellowes that meete together to swill swagger drinke carouse mispend their time abuse the good creatures and dishonor God but there is as great difference betweene these two communions as betweene light and darknesse and therefore it is a pittifull thing that on this day in which men should get knowledge faith and repentance and bee the better for it all the weeke after they come to swill swagger and mispend their pretious time which I trust all good men that hope to enjoy the communion of Saints will shun detest and abhominate Now the Papists do further inlarge this point and say that the Saints may communicate their merits one to another for they say that the Saints can merit enough for themselves and give the overplus to their friends this is a monstrous opinion and yet the doctrine of that Church which by three reasons I will disproove First because no man can merit for himselfe so if hee cannot merit for himselfe he cannot merit for another and no man can merit for himselfe because merit is a worke that is not due seeing all that we can doe to God is but our duty Now all the service that we doe to God is but our dutie for it is said Deut. 6. 5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy might so then when we have done all we can we doe but our duty so also Christ saith Luk. 17. 10. when ye have done all you can say We are but unprofitable servants therefore if no man can merit for himselfe then much lesse can hee merit for another Secondly No man can merit for another but he must he his Saviour but no man can be a Saviour but Christ onely according as the Angell told Mary Matth. 1. 21. And then shalt bring forth a Sonne and shalt call his name Iesus for he shall save his people from their sinnes Now there is no man can be a Saviour unlesse he can give grace but
of the body therefore all our care must be for the salvation of our soules whatsoever becommeth of our bodies our care must bee for our soules yet wee see what a-doe there is about the body all our care is for to cloath and feed it and yet that shall come to the dust for a while and the soule shall live for ever in glorie or in paine therefore our chiefest care must bee for that Wee see the theefe on the crosse makes his Request to Christ that hee would remember him when hee comes in his Kingdome all his care was for the saving of his soule hee doth not pray Christ to pull the nayles and the splinters out of his hands and feete to asswage and mitigate his bodily paines but all his care is for saving of his soule in like manner when wee come to die our request must bee that God would save our soules whatsoever becommeth of the body I did shew you the other day that if a house were burnt downe and the men in it should escape wee use to say thankes bee to God for it so though our bodies goe to the dust yet prayse God that our soules goe to heaven into eternall joy and glorie The second thing that I will demonstrate is that the soule doth not sleepe in the body when it is dead this is against the is Anabaptists who say that the soule sleepes in the body when it is in the grave but I know no ground for this opinion for whereas Christ sayes Iohn 11. our friend Lazarus sleepeth c. that cannot bee meant of the soule but of the death of the body so Matth. 27. it is said that the Saints that slept arose so then they have no Scripture for their opinion but against them Now wee will see what Reason wee have against them First see what is the cause of sleeping for it is by reason of certaine vapours that arise from the bottome of the stomack and ascend into the head where they binde the senses Now this cause is not in the soule and therefore that cannot sleepe Againe if the soule should sleepe it must sleepe in the body for cast out of the body it cannot sleepe because as long as the soule is in the body there is life in a man as S. Paul saith Act. 20. 9. of Eutichus Trouble not your selves saith he for there is life in him when he fell out of the window and every one thought hee had beene dead If they say that the soule sleepes out of the body it must sleepe in Heaven or in Hell or in this world or in the grave It can not sleepe in Heaven for there is joy nor in Hell for there is paine nor in this world for there is labour and paine nor in the grave for there is corruption therefore away with this sleepy opinion Now there is another kinde of sleepe of the soule in the body which S. Paul speaketh of Ephes 5. Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee life therefore it is good for men to awake while they bee here out of this sleepe of sinne lest they bee fearefully awaked at the dreadfull day of judgement with this fearefull sentence Goe ye cursed into Hell fire prepared for the Devill and his Angells The third thing that I will demonstrate unto you is That the soules doe not goe to a middle place as the Papists say if men have done well then they goe to Heaven presently but if they have committed great faults then they rest in a middle place The Scriptures shew otherwise Eccle. 12. it is said that dust goeth to the earth and the soule to God that gave it and Christ said to the theefe This day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise Origen saith that that which Christ spake to the theefe on the Crosse hee spake to all his people that when they died their soules goe presently to joy and S. Paul shewes the same where hee saith 2 Cor. 6. 7. Therefore wee are bold and love rather to remove out of the body and to dwell with God Hence then wee see it plaine in the Scripture that so soone as a man dieth his soule goeth home to God to glorie and happinesse if hee bee a true beleever Therefore seeing the soule doth not die neither with the body as the Atheists say nor sleepe in the body as the Anabaptists say nor rest in a middle place as the Papists say it is a certaine truth that the soules of the Godly are gathered presently after death into the Kingdome of Heaven O then what a joyfull meeting will that be when my soule and thy soule and all the soules of Gods Children shall bee gathered to Angels and Archangels to the Patriarchs and Prophets to Abraham Isaak and Iaakob and all the Holy men of God that are departed in the faith of Christ therfore above all things my brethren labour to have Communion with the Saints here in the Kingdome of Grace that thou mayest have Communion with them in the Kingdome of glorie for if it bee a sweet thing to have Communion with the Saints here in this life much more it is a sweet and joyfull thing to have Communion with them in the Kingdome of glorie Now there are foure things in this life that hinder and allay the comfortable Communion that the Saints should have one with another 1. The mixture of wicked men 2. The Imperfection of good men 3. The Distance of place 4. The narrownesse of their love The first thing that taketh downe and allaieth the comfortable communion of the People of God in this World is mixture malorum The mixture of evill men and that in two respects First because they hurt and vexe them with their wrongs of the People of God be as Lambes amongst Wolves innocent and harmelesse and the wicked Ezekiel 34. 21. They are called Rammes that thrust with side and with shoulder and push at the weake with their hornes untill they have scattered them Therefore David complaines of the wicked Psal 144 That they eate Gods People as a man eats bread so also Psal 41. 9. saith he Yea my familiar friends whom I trusted which did eate of my bread have lift up the heele against me they that were of the same communion with him did much wrong him Saint Basil observeth that a ship in the Sea is in more danger of those rockes that are hidden with water than with those that may be seene a great way off so saith he the close and secret enemies of the Church and such as live amongst them are more dangerous than they that be open and apparent to be seene Secondly they grieve and offend them with their sinnes though they do not wrong nor hurt them otherwise yet with their sinnes and their uncivill conversation they doe vexe and grieve them as 2 Pet. 2.
hee comes for whilest the market lasts for if the market bee once over the opportunitie for that time is lost so the time of life is the market of the soule whilest this lasteth a man may have any sanctified Grace hee may faith Repentance favour with God and pardon for his sinnes but if hee tarrie till the market bee done and this life ended hee cannot have faith Repentance nor any sanctified grace nor one drop of Gods favour though hee would give a world for it Therefore let us bee exhorted to lay hold on the good time that God giveth us Now for the further inlargement of this wee are to consider two things 1. What wee are to beleeve in generall 2. What wee are to beleeve in particular In the generall we are to beleeve that if we can repent there is forgivenesse of sinnes and in particular I doe beleeve that my sinnes are pardoned and forgiven mee for what shall I bee the better to beleeve there is pardon of sinnes unlesse I can beleeve that my sinnes are pardoned now in generall there bee six particulars to bee beleeved 1. That all men bee sinners both in the estate of Nature and in the estate of grace 2. That there is no way to finde release but by the forgivenesse of them 3. That there is forgivenesse of sinnes if men will seeke it 4. There is forgivenesse of sinnes without limitation of Number bee they never so many or Quality bee they never so great 5. That God onely forgiveth sinnes 6. That God doth not absolutely forgive but it is upon condition if men repent them of their sinnes First Wee beleeve that all men bee sinners both in the estate of nature and in the estate of grace for in our Christian faith wee beleeve the forgivenesse of sinnes now there can be no forgivensse where there is no sinne and Christ teacheth us to pray daily for the forgivenesse of our sinnes to shew that the pardon of them is as needfull as our daily bread even in our best estate Iob. 9. 3. it is said If hee will contend with him hee cannot answer him one of a thousand and Psal 143. 13. David saith enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord for in thy sight no flesh is justified so Salomon shewes 1 King 8. 4. That there is no man that sinneth not and Iames 3. 2. it is said In many things wee sinne all so also 1 Iohn 1. ult If wee say wee have no sinne wee deceive our selves and there is no truth in us Hence then it is plaine by the Scriptures that all men are sinners both in the estate of nature and in the estate of grace And it is plaine by Reason also for look where the punishments of sinne bee there is sinne for by order of divine Iustice where there is sinne there is the punishment of it Now all men have in some measure tasted of the punishments of sinne some in one kinde some in another therefore there is sinne in all men Wee see in experience that if the Bayliffes be busie about a man and they arrest him and strain him in his goods they will say surely this man is in debt hee is but in a poore estate so when the Lords Bayliffes bee left about a man that is when the judgements and punishments of God distraine us in our goods and arrest us wee may say surely wee are in the Lords debt our estate is but meane and poore The use is seeing all men bee sinners both in the estate of Nature and grace therefore every man must labour for the forgivenesse of his sinnes Wee see that David when he came to the sight of his sinnes by the Prophet Nathan he was not at rest till hee had repented of them so when we are brought to the sight of our sinnes by any occasion we should not be at rest till we have repented of them If a man hath committed such an offence against the king that he is in danger of death hee cannot bee at rest till he hath gotten a pardon from the king sealed which when hee hath hee layeth it up in his chest and looketh on it many times to his comfort so when wee have sinned against God and are in danger of death let us not be at rest till wee have got a pardon from God sealed with the blood of Christ which a man must lay up in his heart and look on it at all times for his comfort Secondly there is no way to finde release of our sinnes but by forgivenesse therefore when we have sinned against God there is nothing that can release us neither Angell nor Archangell but it must be by forgivenesse our case is like the servants Matth. 18. 24. that ought a thousand talents a great deale and had nothing to pay it withall so wee have a great deale to pay unto the Lord and have not one halfepenny to pay him with we have nothing and therefore we are never able to satisfie for it neither is there any other way to release us but by forgivenesse The Church of Rome saith that a man may satisfie God for many of his owne sinnes and that according to justice and needeth not at all forgivenesse But this is contrary to the doctrine of their owne schoolemen and Reason is against it First every man that doth satisfie for any thing must doe as much good to the partie as be hath wronged him by his offence as Aquinas saith that satisfaction implyes a certaine equalitie But when we sinne against God wee offend an infinite thing therefore there must be infinite satisfaction for it but al the actions of men bee finite and therefore no man can satisfie God for any sinne Secondly no man can discharge one debt by paying another debt But all we doe is due debt to the Lord for as Christ saith When yee have done all that ye can say that We are unprofitable servants therefore because all that we doe is due debt unto the Lord therefore we cannot satisfie for any sinne Thirdly sinne hindreth the vertue of satisfaction for if a man be a sinner he can doe nothing that is pleasing and acceptable to God and if a man cannot please God he cannot satisfie for any sinne but there is no action we doe but we sinne in it therefore we cannot satisfie God for our sinnes This is cleare by the Scriptures and therefore their doctrine of the Church of Rome is not to be beleeved For we must acknowledge when wee have sinned that there is no way to satisfie God but by free pardon and forgivenesse But how is it free pardon and forgivenesse I answer It is free in regard of us It is due in regard of Christ for it cost him three and thirty yeeres travell in this world it cost him his life and his blood many streames of pure blood issued from him to obtaine a
things I write unto you that yee sinne not but if any man sinne wee have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the just therefore let our sins be what they will if we can repent of them God will forgive them without limitation of the number or the greatnesse of them There is but one sinne only that shall not be forgiven the sinne against the Holy Ghost which is spoken of Matth. 12. 31. Every sinne and blasphemy shall bee forgiven unto men but the blasphemie against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto them So 1 Iohn 5. 16. saith he there is a sin unto death I doe not say that thou shalt pray for it and Heb. 6. 6. it is said If a man hath tasted of the Word of God and of the powers of the world to come if he fall away it is impossible he should be renewed againe by repentance Now the reason why the Lord will not pardon it is not because his mercie cannot reach it for his mercy is infinite but because there is a defect in men that they cannot repent of it for this sinne is against all the beginnings of grace in them therefore they cannot relent for it nor repent so the defect is not in God but in men for if it were possible that men could repent this sinne God would forgive it The use of this is seeing God will forgive our sinnes though they be in number never so many and in measure never so great if we repent truely therefore we should repent and humble our selves before God that he may forgive us We see that David had committed two grosse and great sinnes yet he saith Psal 32. I said I will confesse against my selfe my owne wickednesse and thou forgavest the punishment of them and Saint Paul was a great sinner who faith of himselfe 1 Cor. 15. 9. I am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God and 1 Tim. 1. 13. saith he I was a blasphemer a persecuter and an oppressor but I was received to mercy c. Therefore let no man despaire though his sinnes bee never so many or so great if they can repent they shall finde mercy at Gods hands Augustine saith well upon Psal 81. speaking of the Iewes how that they killed and crucified Christ and yet many of them were saved this saith he is left for an example for us that no man should despaire though his sins were never so great and so many yet if he can repent of them God will forgive them for if the greatest sinnes were forgiven that were committed in this world which was the killing of Christ then doe not doubt but the Lord will forgive thee thy sinnes if thou canst repent of them This is the condition as we shall heare more hereafter if we will repent our sinnes God will forgive them but if we will not accept of this condition but still live in them from day to day and nourish and keepe them in our bosomes then doe not marvell though God will not forgive us The fifth thing is That none but God can forgive sinnes hee that raises up our bodies at the day of judgement and giveth everlasting life hee it is that must forgive us our sinnes and therefore they are placed together in the Articles of our Christian faith wee doe beleeve that God will forgive us our sinnes here that hee will raise our bodies at the last day and give us life everlasting so it is God onely that must forgive us our sinnes this is cleere both by the Scripture and by Reason First by Scriptures as Esay 43. 25. I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will remember thy sinnes no more so Ieremiah 31. 34. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know ye the Lords for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sinnes no more and 2 Sam. 12. 13. Nathan saith to David the Lord also hath put away thy sinnes thou shalt not die David Psal 32. saith I confessed my sinnes and thou forgavâst me the punishment of them so there can be no question about this but that it is God only that doth forgive sinnes This was a knowne truth amongst the Pharises as wee see Luke 5. for say they None but God can forgive sinnes A learned man speaking of this place saith that the ground was good that none but God can forgive but they failed in their application for they tooke Christ to be but a bare man And it is Augustines assertion The Donatists say that men may forgive sinnes but saith he in this they are worse than the Pharises for they say none but God can forgive sinnes Secondly by Reason and that first Because sinne is an infinite offence against God therefore it must be an infinite power that must take it away for as the Schoolemen say The thing that worketh must be of greater power and vertue than the thing that is wrought upon but all the power that is in man is finite and hath his bounds and limits therefore no man is able to forgive sinne For as a pecke cannot hold a thousand bushels so man being finite cannot have infinite power and threfore no man is able to take away sinne but God onely Secondly it is cleare from the doctrine of their owne Schoolemen who say that no man can take away sin unlesse he be able to infuse grace so Aquinas faith that there is no forgivenesse of sins but there must be therewith infusion of grace but there is no man that can infuse grace into any therefore there is no man that can take away sin or we may frame a reason thus He that justifieth a man he only it is that can forgive sins but there is none but God that can justifie a man therefore none but God can forgive sinnes Thirdly He that takes away the punishment of sinne Hee it is that must take away sinne as Christ promised to the man sicke of the Palsey Matth. 9. 6. for when Christ forgave him his sinnes hee forgave him the punishment of them also for saith hee unto him Take up thy bed and walke this he giveth him as a token that his sinnes are pardoned so if a man can take away the punishment of sinne with a word and say to a blinde man receive thy sight to a lame man goe then a man may pardon sinnes but there is no man that can take away the punishment of sinne therefore he cannot take away sinnes For if Man cannot take away the effect which is the lesser he cannot take away the cause which is the greater hence then it is manifest that none but God can take away sinne Some object if there is none but God that can forgive sinnes why then doth S.
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
doves much more will he be angry with them that pollute his spirituall Temple with their sinnes and corruptions and vile lusts The second thing that we are to beleeve concerning God the holy Ghost is That he is person really subsisting and distinct from the Father and the Sonne And here we are to observe two things First That the holy Ghost is a Person or a reall subsistence and not a quality or motion in God as certaine heretikes hold but hee is a Person that hath reall subsistence by himselfe which we may see by divers acts that he doth as to send the Prophets and Apostles and give spirituall gifts and graces Esay 48. 16. it is said The Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me therefore because the holy Ghost is said to send he is not a quality or a motion but a person So also Acts 13. 2. The holy Ghost said Separate me Paul and Barnabas for the worke whereunto I have called them So then it is plaine by the Scripture that the holy Ghost is person and not a qualitie or a motion in God Now two wayes the holy Ghost is taken in the Scripture for the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost as Matth. 12. Christ shewes He that sinnes against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven neither in this world not in the world to come A man may sinne against the Person of the holy Ghost and yet may be forgiven but the sinne that is here spoken of is the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost and in other places of the Scripture it is taken for the person of the holy Ghost Secondly the holy Ghost is a distinct Person from the Father and the Sonne Matth. 28. 19. Christ saith to his Disciples Goe teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and so also 1 Iohn 5. 7. he shewes there are three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one furthermore Matth. 3. when Christ was baptised there was the voice of the Father saying This is my welbeloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased and the holy Ghost descending on Christ in the likenesse of a Dove so it is plaine by the Scripture that the holy Ghost is a distinct person from the Father and the Sonne Now the use hereof is briefly that as we feele the power of God the Father in our creation and the mercy of the Sonne in our redemption so also we must labour to feele the worke of the holy Ghost in sanctifying of our hearts and quickning of us to all holy duties there were some as wee may reade of in the Acts that did not know there was a Holy Ghost but if we feele our hearts to be sanctified and the power of the holy Ghost to quicken us this is an argument to us against all heretikes to prove there is a holy Ghost The third point that we are to beleeve is that the holy Ghost is holy in himselfe and that he is the causer and effecter of holinesse in others So Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 12. 3. No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost that is no man is able to doe any thing that is pleasing to God but by the holy Ghost and vers 11. saith he All these things worketh even the selfe-some Spirit distributing to every one severally as he will So the holy Ghost is not onely holy in himselfe but he is the cause of holinesse in all the people of God The uses are first seeing the holy Ghost makes men holy there is never a man that hath one deep or dram of holinesse in himselfe but the holy Ghost must worke it in him as Ezek. 37. we see the dead bones were scattered all the field over till the Spirit of God came into them then there was a noise a clattering and running together of the bones so we be scattered all the field over and lye like dead bones till the Spirit of God come into our heart then there is a noise and a clattering together of the bones then men begin to stirre in the life of holinesse therefore doth any man desire spirituall graces and is often in prayer doth any man find in himselfe holy motions to good let him comfort himselfe for such desires are of and by the Spirit of God it is the holy Ghost that workes them in him for no man hath a dram or a drop of holinesse in himselfe but it is the holy Ghost workes it in him Secondly seeing it is the holy Ghost that makes men holy as often as we feele any good motions or good desires we may know from whence they come that it is the holy Ghost which is the beginner and worker of them If a man lye in a trance and neither moves nor stirres if one layes his eare to the man and heares him breath he may say there is life in the man even so although a man be not able to stirre in the life of holinesse yet if he doe but breath that there be good thoughts and good motions and good desires this is a token that there is the life of grace in him and that the holy Ghost hath begun to worke in him there is the beginning of grace in him SERMON LIV. IOHN 14. 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name hee shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you FOure points yee heard wee are to beleeve concerning the holy Ghost first That the holy Ghost is God secondly That he is a person and not a motion or a qualitie in God but hath a reall subsistence and that hee is a distinct Person from the Father and the Sonne thirdly That he is not onely holy in himselfe but he is the Effecter and Causer of holinesse in others and that no man hath one dram or drop of holinesse in him but it is wrought by the holy Ghost The fourth point which we are at this present to handle is that He is not onely the causer of holinesse in others but I must beleeve that he will particularly make me holy and give me such a measure of sanctitie as shall be meet and fit for me This is properly the faith of a Christian which herein goeth beyond the faith of all others the devils doe beleeve that the holy Ghost is God and that hee is a Person that hath reall subsistence and that he is a distinct Person from the Father and the Sonne and they doe beleeve that the holy Ghost is the causer of holinesse in all the faithfull people of God but they doe not beleeve that he will worke holinesse in them But here is the faith of a Christian to appropriate the holy Ghost to himselfe so they have not faith onely
in God the Father and in Iesus Christ their Redeemer but also in the holy Ghost and are perswaded he will worke grace in them and give them such a measure of holinesse as shall be meet for them here is properly the faith of a Christian which goeth beyond the faith of the wicked for they beleeve they have their sinnes but they doe not beleeve that the holy Ghost will weaken them or subdue and abolish their corruptions when as the people of God have their sinnes also and their great sinnes too but yet they beleeve that the holy Ghost will weaken subdue and abolish their strong corruptions for what is it to beleeve that there is a holy Ghost and be never a whit the better the people of God doe beleeve though they have their sinnes yet they shall have grace from God to subdue them for this is the promise of God to them Ezek. 36. 25. Then will I powre cleane water upon you and ye shall be cleane yea from all your filthinesse and from all your Idols will I cleanse you So Ephes 9. 26. the reason is given The hee might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the Word here is Gods promise that he will cleanse and wash his people from their sinnes and where there is a promise of God there is the faith of a Christian to apprehend it so then it is the faith of a Christian to beleeve God will wash away our sinnes and cleanse us from them but the divinity of the world is quite contrary for they beleeve God made them and the mercy of the Sonne in their redemption but they doe not beleeve that the holy Ghost will worke holinesse in them it is said There be three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are One and therefore as we have the witnesse of the Father and of the Sonne so we must have the witnesse of the holy Ghost therefore as we feele the power of God the Father in our creation and the mercy of God the Sonne in our redemption so also wee must labour to feele the grace and power of the holy Ghost in sanctifying and quickning of us to all duties for herein the faith of a Christian goeth beyond both devils and wicked men Now here is a very profitable point of enquiry to be made How doth the holy Ghost worke holinesse in us as Mary said Luke 1. 34. to the Angell when he told her that she should conceive and beare a Sonne How shall this be seeing I know ãâã âan Shee doubted not of the matter but of the manner so a Christian doubts not of the matter but of the manner of this sanctifying therefore wee may with holy reverence say to God How shall this be seeing I am a sinfull man For answere hereunto the Scripture declares by six meanes the operation of the Holy Ghost in us The first is by reprooving us of our want of holinesse shewing us the impuritie of our nature and that we have not a drop of holinesse in our selves It checkes us for our sinnes and reprooves us for them untill wee feele this wee can have no comfort that the Holy Ghost hath wrought holinesse in us as Iohn 16. 8. Christ shewes when the Spirit of God is come into the world hee shall reproove the world of sinne so if the Holy Ghost bee come once into a mans hart hee will shew him the impuritie thereof check and controule him for his sinnes we see if a man come into a house in the darke nothing shewes amisse but if the light shine in then wee may see all the sluttish corners of it so as long as a man is in darknesse all seemes well with him but if once the light shine in then all the slutrish corners of his heart will bee discovered This is the first work that the Holy Ghost workes in us to reproove us of our sinnes and our want of holinesse as if a man bee sick of a dead palsie the way to recover him is by hot oyles and bathes when if once a man come to feele the stiffenesse of his joynts there is hope that he will recover so it is in the worke of grace if a man see his own weaknes and wants how uncheerefull hee is in prayer and in Christ and duities that hee cannot repent though hee desires to repent that hee cannot beleeve as hee doth desire to beleeve there is comfortable hope hee shall recover and that there is a seed of grace in him But if the Spirit of God doth not reproove a man of his sinnes so as to see the impuritie of his nature and want of holinesse hee may feare that there is not the beginnings of grace Secondly by inlightning of us for naturally we are all blinde and ignorant of the wayes of God therefore when the Holy Ghost commeth into us hee makes us see what is pleasing to God and what is displeasing what is right and what is wrong as 2 Cor. 4. wee may see that the Iewes had a veyle hung over their hearts in the reading of the Law that they could not understand and see heaven and happinesse Now the holy Ghost takes away this veyle openeth our understandings and makes us to see know the good way that wee are to walke in So then the Holy Ghost doth inlighten us as 1 Iohn 2. 27. saith hee but the annointing which yee have received of him abideth in you and you need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things c. We see Genes 1. when God made the world one of the first things hee made was light so when the Holy Ghost commeth into a mans hart one of the first things that he doth is he inlightneth him it is observed when a good Tenant commeth into a house hee will make windowes into the same if need bee that hee may have good light to see how to doe his businesse by such a Tenant the holy Ghost is that when hee is come into a mans hart hee will make windowes and let in light that so the man may not doe things in darknesse but by the light of Gods words giving them heavenly knowledge Thirdly by uniting us to Christ because Christ is the fountaine of all holinesse as Paul saith Colos 1. 19. for it pleased the Father that in him should all fullnesse dwell Christ is the store house and the treasury-house of all riches to his Church and the Holy Ghost will never leave a Christian till hee hath brought him to the fountaine of grace if a man dig a trench hee will never leave till hee gets to the fountaine that it may flow into it and fill it with water so the Holy Ghost will worke us till he bring us to Christ which is the fountaine and then hee will convey into us spirituall
doubt our selves that our case is bad seeing wee cannot finde the graces of God in us for of a truth they will not lye hid but will grow and increase if they be nourished by the use of good meanes But here may be an objection made many a Christian complaineth he cannot feele there is a growth and an increase of grace in him to this I answer two things First a Christian may grow though he feele not the growth in one grace or other even as a tree groweth continually till it commeth to a perfection and to his full growth but it doth not alwayes grow in one place sometimes it groweth in the body sometimes in the bough and branches and sometime close and secret in the rootes which close and secret growth is as needfull for the tree as that which is sensible and visible so a Christian growes continually but not alwayes in one grace sometimes in one and sometimes in another sometimes in the body and sometimes in the branches and sometimes in the roote close and secret that is in humility which close and secret growth in a Christian is as needfull as that which is visible and sensible Secondly I answer that a Christian sees not his growth because there be some impediments that hinder the same we see in experience that a Childe may feed on good meat and yet he may not grow nor thrive with it and the reason is because it doth secretly eate chalke or coales or dirt or salt and then it will not grow even so it is in a Christian though he feed on good meat on the Word of eternall life yet because he feeds on chalke or coales or dirt or salt secretly that is he hath close and secret sins which he commits unseene and this it is that hindereth his growth in grace but if he leave his sinnes and repent of them then he shall feele a growth and an increase of grace in him The foruth conclusion is although the graces of God grow and in crease in a man yet they come not to perfection in any here in this life as Rom. 8. 23. saith the Apostle and not only the creatures but al we which have received the first fruits of the Spirit even wee which are Apostles and Teachers of the Church doe sigh and groane c. we see Numb 13. 23. that the Children of Israel being in the wildernesse sent certaine men to spy out the land who when they returned home brought with them a cluster of grapes that they might taste of the fruit of the land and so long possesse it so the Lord hath given us a taste of the Spirit and of heaven here in the wildernesse of this world that we might long for enjoying thereof and be in love with it Here an objection may be made is there no man full of the Spirit of God we see Act. 6. that Steven was full of the Spirit of God and Act. 11. Barnabas was full of the Spirit of God Now this may be answered three wayes First Comparatively in comparison of others they were said to bee full in regard they had a greater measure of the Spirit than others as Phil. 3. 12. the Apostle saith of himselfe that he is not yet perfect but he striveth to perfection and yet afterward he saith as many as be perfect let them be thus minded that is that are perfect in regard of others so they were full of the Spirit in comparison of others Secondly they were full in regard of the stirring and working of the Spirit fill a vessell brim-full and it will runne over fill a pot with water halfe full and set it on the fire and the heate of the fire will make it goe over and fill the pot so although a man bee not full of the Spirit yet hee may be full in regard of the working and stirring of the Spirit so they might be full of the Spirit Thirdly they might be full of the Spirit in regard of some particular act as the Schoolemen say that is that they were fitted for the place and office they were appointed to and so Stephan was full of the Spirit of God because he was fit for the office he was appointed and so likewise of Barnabas Now there be two consequents that arise from this Doctrine of which the next time if God please SERMON LV. ROMANS 8. 9. But yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so bee that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his TWo questions have beene handled already concerning the Holy Ghost first how a man may come by the Holy Ghost and secondly in what measure hee is given to the Faithfull the answer thereunto we laid downe in foure conclusions first That there is but a portion of the Spirit given to the Faithfull here in this life Secondly as it is but a portion of the Spirit that is given so it is but a little portion and a little measure because all the workes of God beginne in weakenesse Thirdly though it begin in weakenesse yet it growes and increases Fourthly though grace growes in a Christian yet that it never comes to fulnesse of spirit they doe receiver but the first fruits and beginnings of the Spirit Now follow the two consequents of this Doctrine First That seeing no man hath fulnesse of Spirit in this world therefore no man hath fulnesse of joy for all our comfort is mixed with sorrow like as in the cup that Christ did drinke of at this passion vineger and gall were mingled together So the cup of every man comfort here is mingled with griefe and sorrow If we had fulnesse of Spirit then wee should have fulnesse of joy but because wee have not therefore our joy is mingled with griefe Secondly that seeing no man hath fulnesse of the Spirit in this world therefore there is no man that is perfectly regenerated or perfectly sanctified in this world all the people of God lie under the burthen of their corruption groning as the Apostle Paul complaineth of himselfe Rom. 7. 22. When I would doe good evill is present with mee Many times when a prisoner is let out of prison his chaines and bolts are not straight knocked off but hee is glad to trayle them about with him till he hath begged his fees so although a man bee freed by the Spirit of God yet he must traile his chaines and his fetters about with him till hee hath begged his fees that is till the clogs and fetters of his sinnes bee knocked off by mortalitie and death hence wee conclude there is no freedome from this burthen till wee come to heaven The third Question is How wee may know whether wee have the holy Ghost iâ us or no which is a point worthy our learning because it is the Holy Ghost that seales us
sanctified graces In other cities there be markets for the body but in this citie the Lord keepes open market with spirituall graces to furnish our soules and therefore thirdly herein this citie excels all other cities in the world Fourthly in many other cities there be many other liberties and immunities all these immunities are but to free them from toyle and tribute but the Church of God doth not thus free men for Christ himselfe payed tribute Matth. 17. 27. and Paul exhorts us Rom. 13. 7. Give unto all men therefore their dues tribute to whom yee owe tribute custome to whom custome The Church of God doth not free men from taxes and tributes due to earthly powers and Potentates but from the bondage of sinne from the accusations of an evill conscience from the Devill and from Hell Thus Iohn 8. 36. saith Christ If the Sonne make you free yee shall bee free indeed And Gal. 4. 26. saith the Apostle But Ierusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all A man may bee a citizen of a great citie and yet lye in bondage to sinne and the Devill bee a slave to his lusts and be troubled with the accusation of an evill conscience But if a man bee a citizen of this citie hee shall bee free from sinne the Devill Hell the accusation of a bad conscience and from his wild lusts therefore in the fourth place this citie excels all other cities in the world The uses are First seeing the citie of God excels all the cities of the world therefore wee should account it a marvellous blessing that it pleaseth God to make us citizens of this citie as Ruth 2. 12. Boaz said unto Ruth the Lord recompence thy worke and a full reward bee given unto thee of the God of Israel under whose wings thou art come to trust So happy is the man over whom the Lord doth spread the wings of his love Wee see Psal 84. Davids affection that hee had rather bee a doore keeper in the house of God than to dwell in the Tents of wicked men hee had rather bee a meane man and a true member of the Church than to bee a great wicked man Therefore wee may bee sure that it is a greater blessing to bee a poore man and a member of the Church than to bee a great rich man in the world and no true member of the Church Secondly seeing the citie of God excels all the cities of the world therefore every man must have care to hold communion with it and take heed hee doe not suffer the Devill to draw him away from it because God dwells there by the presence of his Spirit Peter could say to Christ Ioh. 6. 68. Master to whom shall wee goe thou hast the words of eternall life heere is fulnesse of joy here is comfort to bee had and therefore howsoever others start out let us hold to it Thirdly seeing the citie of God excels all other cities therefore it must bee our care to live like such citizens Hath God made thee a citizen of such a citie live then happy man like such a citizen conforme thy selfe to the lawes of it and walke worthy of this heavenly citie The author to the Hebrews maketh the same use of it Hebr. 12. 22. But saith hee yee are come unto the Mount Zion and to the citie of the living God c. And therefore see that yee despise not him that speaketh for if they escaped not which refused him that spake on earth much more shall not wee escape if wee turne away from him that speaketh from heaven You bee of the citie of God and therefore doe not you live like the vild men of the world in your sinnes and corruptions but live like Saints and citizens of such a citie thus much of the first dignitie that the Church is called the citie of God because there is the presence of God in grace The second Dignitie of the Church of God is that it is called the body of Christ now there is a naturall body of Christ which hath parts and ligaments as our bodies have hands and feete c. And there is a mysticall body of Christ which are the company of true beleevers which are made one with Christ by faith through the communion of the Spirit which mysticall body is more deare to Christ than his naturall body for hee gave his naturall body to die for his mysticall body and to redeeme it the Church is this mysticall body as 1 Cor. 12. 27. now yee are the body of Christ and members in particular so Coloss 1. 14. Now I rejoyce in my sufferings and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church So then the Church of God is the bodie of Christ whence ariseth divers consequents First that hee is the onely head of the Church and no other but hee as Ephes 1. 22. saith the Apostle of Christ And hath made all things subject under his feete and hath appointed him over all things to bee the head of the Church so Colos 1. 18. hee is the head of the bodie of the Church for as the head ruleth the bodie so Christ rules his mysticall body Now that Christ is the onely head of the Church it may bee seen in three things First because the grace of God is most eminent in him for as life is most eminent in the head so the graces of God are most eminent in him hee excells all men and Angels therfore the Apostle saith Colos 1. 19. that it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell Secondly because of the neere conjunction that is between the head and the members the naturall head may bee parted with a blow from the body but the Devill and all the damned cannot part Christ and his mysticall body Thirdly in regard of ministration for as the head doth communicate life and motion unto the body so Christ doth the life of grace and the Spirit So it is a Royaltie onely belonging to the head not to Archangell nor Angell therefore away with the Pope The second consequent is that seeing Christ is head of the Church therefore as the head communicates life and motion into the body so from Christ flowes spirituall life and grace into the Church there is never a true member but Christ communicates life and grace unto him therefore every true Christian must feele a derivation of grace and spirituall life in him every one that would have true comfort must feele this and to say as Saint Paul doth Galath 2. 20. Thus I live yet not I now but Christ liveth in mee and in that I now live in the flâsh I live by the faith of the Sonne of God who hath loved mee and given himselfe for mee Wee see if a man hath any member that hangs dead and numb'd