end our life in Iesus Christ we passe vp to a wonderfull glorie Now how comes this glorie Comes it on any thing we haue done heere in earth Comes it of our workes or merites No as holinesse in this life comes of the free mercie of God in Christ so the crowne of glorie in that life onelie comes of the mercie of God in Christ We shall be glorified in Heauen but hovv Through the grace of God that he will giue vs in Christ And as the crowne of glorie shall be giuen vs of free grace so the standing in that estate of glory shall indure for euer of grace So all comes of grace Perseuerance of holinesse in this lyfe is onely by the grace of God All perseuerance in glorie in the life to come of grace and mercie nothing in earth nothing in Heauen but free grace in mercy Wherefore is this the Lord will haue nothing in Heauen nor earth but mercie To this end that all the glorie of our saluation may be giuen to him and he that glories in it should glorifie him Grace free mercie onely in him And let this be our song on earth vvhen vve speake of the grace of God on earth Glorie to God mercie to vs onelie in God The Lord giue vs grace that we may giue al and the onely praise of mercie and of glorie in this life and in the life to come To this God with the Son and the holy Spirite be immortall praise and glorie foreuer AMEN THE XVI LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 4. vers 9. 10. 11. 12. 9 But as touching brotherlie loue yee neede not that I vvrite vnto your for ye are taught of God to loue one another 10 Yea and that thing verelie ye doe vnto all the brethren vvhich are throughout all Macedonia but vve beseech you brethren that ye increase more and more 11 And that ye studie to be quyet and to meddle vvith your ovvne businesse and to vvork vvith your ovvn hands as vve cōmanded you 12 That yee may behaue your selues honestlie tovvards them that are vvithout and that nothing be lacking vnto you THE Apostle brethren after hee hes set downe his general exhortation to sanctification and holinesse This is the will of God sayes he euen your sanctification that ye be holie in soule holie in bodie holie in all your actions within and without He discends and comes to the particulare parts of this generall exhortation The first part of it respects a man or vvoman in their own person that they keepe their person to God as the vessell of honor keepe it from fornication which is a sinne that especiallie and in the highest degree fyles the person of a man both in bodie and soule which should be keeped in holinesse to God who made it The next part of this sanctification concernes our brother our neighbour that wee doe no wronge nor oppresse him by violence we circumvene him not by fraude and guile in businesse concerning this life but in all affaires we be as carefull he haue aduantage as we are that our selues haue aduantage When thou art onelie set to make vantage to thy selfe by thy own selfe loue that aduantage is wrong We heard the arguments the Apostle vses to moue them to this First the will of God If the will of God will not moue thee from harlotrie from doing euill vnto thy neighbour let the vengeance of God moue thee for that is the second argument and it shall ouertake thee in the end if thou continue therein Then he came to that holie and Christian calling that should moue vs to liue holie We are called to be holie let vs keepe therefore our owne person holie let vs be holie to our brother let vs be holie in our hand holie in our faculties Then he goes forward to another argument He that will not be holie when he is called by man he saies it is not with man he hes adoe but with God It is God that bids thee keepe thy bodie cleane from harlotrie thy hand from wrong Therefore thou disobeying thou disobeyes not man but God What is it to disobey me or him that speakes It is that great God that thou rebellest against and in that great day thou shalt be challenged as a rebell to that great God These argumentes are all set downe to this end to moue vs to holinesse Then at last in the end of the last verse he castes to an argument from the holie Spirite giuen vs by God to this end Getst thou the holie Spirit to play the harlote getst thou that holy Spirite that glorious gift the third person of the glorious Trinitie dwelling in thee as in a Temple to the effect thou shouldst commit filthinesse No as all things oblishes thee to be holie so especiallie the holie Spirite of God dwelling within thee crauing an holie Temple craues holinesse otherwayes with thy filthinesse thou shalt disludge him and anger him vntill at last he shall depart from thee and then that foull spirit of wickednesse shall possesse thee Nowe to come to the text In the first part thereof he goes forward to another particulare part of this sanctification which is brotherlie loue So the third part of this sanctification stands in brotherlie loue called beneficience and liberalitie to thy brother a grace and vertue crauing an open hand to bestow on the necessitie of thy brooher So when he hes exhorted not to doe wrong to thy neighbour not to oppresse him by violence or surprise him by deceite then he exhorts that thou be beneficiall to him liberall to him to support his want and necessitie Hee sayes then But as concerning brotherlie loue bountifulnes towards thy brother ye neede not that I vvrite vnto yo◠The reason of it is What need haue I who am a man to be ouer diligent in teaching outwardlie when God is the inward teacher of you and when he teaches this point of doctrin in special to loue euerie one another Ther is the substance of the first words Now to obserue something on the wordes Ye see it is not eneugh not to do euil but true sanctification craues that we do good also De◠〈◊〉 from euill sayes Dauid in his 34. Psal vers 15. and doe good There are two things It is not eneugh not to do wrong to our neighbour or brother not to oppresse him not to beguile him but true holines craues that we benefite him we bestowe on him a goode deede we supplie his necessitie want and pouertie All the parts of this which we call sanctification holines of life that are as manie graces of God in Christ are so inseparablie linked together as the linkes of a chaine are one in another All the parts of sanctification link it together that if anie of them be a missing in anie person man or woman and be not in him in some measure I cannot saye that that person hes truelie anie
al in al thy speaking and doing on the glorie of that God I confesse there are many impediments casten in betwixt thy eyes and the glorie of God but striue to get a sight of that glorie or else thou shall neuer be partaker of that glorie Thou may haue a shadow of glorie in the world for a while but as the must before the Sunne vanishes away so shall thou and thy glorie vanish away to thy euerlasting confusion if thou striue not to haue the glorie of God before thy eyes Then hes thou anie good graces in thy selfe giue God the glory What hast thou that thou hast not receyued 1. Cor. 4. 7. Giue him the glorie and praise of all if it were eating and drinking at thy dinner looke that thou eat to his glorie and drinke to his glorie 1. Cor. 10. 31. And say in the meane-tyme I doe not this so much to feede this mortall bodie as I doe it to glorifie thy Majestie When thou liues liue to him deying die to him consecrate thy life and death to him Fye on vs that can not learne to giue the glorie of all to our Redeemer As for mee brethren I craue nothing more nor that the glorie of God may shine before my eyes in my vocation that when I speake or thinke all maye be to his glorie that in the end I may haue this assurance that I shall bee glorified vvith him for euer But yet to sticke to the wordes He sayes not I giue thanks but vve giue thankes I and Siluanus and Timotheus giue thanks Hee sayes not for an handfull or a certaine nomber of you but for you all He sayes not for a tyme but alvvayes Marke all these wordes He sayes vve all and that for all vve thanke euer It is a large thanking and it testifies that the graces shovvne on the Thessalonians vvere large When the graces of God are shovvne on me on thee or on anie people thy heart must not bee narrovv but it must bee enlarged and thy mouth must be oppenned vvyde to praise and magnifie God the geuer of all Or else I assure thee vvhen his grace is large if thy heart be narrovv and thy mouth be oppenned but a little the Lord shal draw in his hand diminish his grace to thee So is sene of it in Edinburgh this day the graces of god on thee ô Edinburgh were large but thy heart was narrow and thy mouh was not oppened wide Therefore the Lord is pinching his graces if it so continew woe will be to thee Go this grace of the Ministrie away and the Lord close mens mouthes and let them not speak to thee all thy grace is gone and I thinke the Lord is beginning to pinche his graces on vs for that glorious Gospell which was preached with great libertie and was so powerfull in the land hes lost the power and the nomber of the godlie of the land is contracted for the one depends vpon the other therefore cry that the Lord may make his grace abound and that he would continew with vs the light of his Euangell Now to the next words He joynes with thankes-geuing prayer Praier ioyned vvith thāks-geuing Making mention of you in our prayers It is not aneugh to thank God for the grace that eyther we or others haue receyued but also thou must pray Cry for grace and continuance of grace for I assure thee if vvith thankes-geuing there be not prayer for continuance the grace receyued shall decay Amongst all the rest of the meanes the Lord hes appoynted for continuance of grace earnest prayer to God is an especiall meane So as thou vvouldst haue thy selfe standing in grace pray euer for grace for there is no moment but vve are readie to fall away except the Lord hold vs vp The meane to entertaine grace is earnest prayer The Lord holde vs vp and let vs not fall but if the meane be not vsed fall shall vve thogh all the vvorld had said the contrair It is to be marked farther He sayes in our prayers As hee would say in our daylie prayers we are accustomed to pray to God in our daylie prayers we forget you not but we remember you Marke this Brethren He is not meete to pray for others that can not pray for himselfe nor hes no acquaintance nor accesse to God Who can solist for any man when he hes no accesse to him vvhom hee folists Canst thou pray for me to my God and thou haue no accesse to him He vvho vvill pray for others must be vvell acquainted vvith God and haue a daylie accesse to him And hovv svveete a thing is it to haue familiar accesse to him for all the joy of the world is not comparable to that joy which the soule findes when it is exercised with the Lorde familiarlie for when thy heart is with him no doubt he is with thee Alasse beastlie man fy on thee that euer thou was borne and thou haue not that svveete sense of joy that flowes from the meditation on the Lord wilt thou let thy soule be euer stupide and senslesse vvilt thou neuer be a Citizen of Heauen expecting for the glorious comming of Christ but ay ly as a sowe muzling and grountling vpon the earth vvilt thou neuer look vp with thy eyes to Heauen vvilt thou ay be looking dovvn If thou doe so thou shalt fall dovvn at last to that euerlasting damnation The Lord raise vs vp for heauy are we we are dead lumps ay tending downward can get no rising vp the Lord raise vp our soules therfore to heuen Now followes the cause wherefore he rejoyses with them in the next verse Without ceasing remembring your effectuall faith That is one and diligent loue that is tvvo the third is and the patience of your hope in the Lord Iesus Christ in the sight of God euen our Father Heere brethren not to escape the wordes I see first an vncessant and perfite remembrance of the graces God hes geuen his people as Faith Charitie and Patience I see then in the example of Paul Siluanus and Timotheus that in the memorie and heart of the godlie the graces of God showen eyther on themselues or others makes a deepe impression when they see the graces of God they take a deepe apprehension of them In the wicked it is otherwise let God raine down graces from Heauen on them selues and others also as they come so they goe they remember neuer a good turne doen to them Now on this remembrance followes prayer they remember with joy euer praying remembring by night euer praying remēbring by day euer praying at lest in the hart if not outwardly in words Marke it a man that would pray wel to God must be of a good remembrance vvould thou pray well remember well Prepare thee to pray by remembrance of the blessings of God and pray then What matter hast thou of prayer when thou remembers not his blessings So all tends to this that thou
see him why should not our desire be to see him wherefore should all this feare be of this latter day seeing thou wilt neuer be established in heart nor get thy full glorie vntil his comming at that day thy blessednesse shall be perfite there I finde in the Scripture the perfection of all graces differred vntill that time Ye shall finde no grace PerfectioÌ„ of al graces differred til the â—utter day but the perfection thereof is remitted vntill that day Paul in the same Epistle 2. chap. 19. vers My joy is in the sight of God and of Iesus Christ at his comming He gets not perfection of joy vntill he come And therefore he will not promise to the Thessalonians their joy vntill that day no perfection of grace mercie and peace vntill God put an end to sinne to death and wickednesse Looke then if we should long for that latter day we looke heere and there for this thing and that thing but who lookes for that comming of the Lord Alas if we knevv vvhat grace and joy Christs comming brought to vs vve vvould looke for nothing so much as for his comming We are earthlie and therefore all our lookes are for earthlie thinges we are not spirituall and so we cannot looke for that spirituall grace The Lord prepare vs to looke for and desire that glorious comming All these earthlie thinges goes away Heauen onelie abydes What foolishnesse is this seeing we are subject to mortality that we should set our hearts on this world our dwelling must not be here but in Heauen in endliesse joy Seeke it earnestly therefore Novv in the end of this verse he telles vs in vvhat company and with whom we shal be established in holinesse before God thou shalt not be holy thy selfe alone thou shalt not be an a per se in holinesse doe as thou wilt either shalt thou be in a societie in a companie vvith many more nor thou All graces in the societie of the sants or else thou shalt neuer be holie nor see the face of God This is plaine Either thou shalt be in the Church which is the communion of the Saintes of God or else thou shalt neuer see Gods presence He will leape out of it at this side and he at that side but if thou come not in again in that same societie yea and to the number of this church and of the Saintes that professes Christ this day in Scotland thou shalt neuer see Gods face All blessinges grace mercie and peace euerlasting before God is in the companie of the Church that professe the truth and puritie of the Gospell of Christ not in the company of them who will take the name of a Church or that false Church the Romane Church So let him vvho vvill stand vvith holinesse in the number of the Saintes seuere from Babylon or else he shall be partaker of the judgement So brethren to come againe ye shall not read in the Scripture of any grace giuen to any man but ye shall finde that it is giuen to him as a member of that bodie as one of the Saintes in the societie of the Saintes In the first to the Ephesians verse 18. speaking of the riches of the glorie of the inheritance of Heauen he sayes thou shalt neuer get it but among the Saintes Then againe he sayes chap. 3. vers 18. Who shall vnderstand the loue and charitie of God None but they that are in the societie of the Saintes No light mercie nor knowledge of God but to them that stands knit vp as members in the bodye of Christ ye see cut off a member of the body and cast it away no sap can follow from the body to it So if thou be cut off from the number of the Saintes vvho are the Church of God thou shalt neuer get any grace of Christ Now to the next chapter In the fourth and fift chapters followes the last part of this Epistle containing the doctrine of maners exhorting to holinesse of lyfe and godlinesse But to the wordes He sayes And furthermore As he would say all is not tolde I will tell that which rests which is the doctrine of maners precepts of godlie lyfe and conuersation When we haue teached all the yeere ouer when we haue tolde you the doctrine of justification sanctification c. so long as there is no speaking of a godly lyfe and conuersation and so long as we haue not tolde you how ye should lead your lyfe there is euer something behinde vnspoken of Neuer a full and perfite preaching wher there is nothing spoken of a good or of an euill lyfe and conuersation For there is such a necessitie laid on men and wemen in this world that all serues for nothing except they liue a good holy life Thy profession of loue righteousnesse mercie all the rest is but vanitie and winde if thy conuersation toward thy neighbour be not aunswerable to thy profession it is a shame to thee to speake of Christ of holinesse of righteousnesse of life euerlasting except thou liue conforme thereto And therefore ye shall neuer read any Epistle of Paul but euer vvhen he hes spoken of faith justification c. then in the end he subjoynes precepts charging vs to liue a godlie lyfe And more then this Trow ye in the end at Christs comming to judgement that the pretence of faith or righteousnes will be sufficient to thy eternal saluation No but we must liue holie for al the blessinges of God in Christ tends to this end that we may liue holie yea this is the end of election it selfe Ephes 1. 4. Paul sayes We are chosen from all eternitie that we should be holie Then we should liue soberlie and justlie with our neighbour Tit. 2. 12. And therefore either cast avvay profession of Christianitie and heare neuer a word of faith righteousnesse c. or else striue to liue conforme thereto This in generall Now to the wordes I beseech and exhort you and that in the Lord Iesus Christ What exhorts he that they increase more and more in godlie lyfe and conuersation As for the forme of your going forward I haue tolde you the forme hovv ye should vvalke in this world walke conformable thereto The words would be well marked I beseech and exhort you sayes he in the Lord Iesus He might haue well said I command you as wrytting to Philemon vers 8. 9. he sayes When I might command thee in the name of Iesus yet rather for loues sake I pray thee Loue turnes the command in a prayer All doctrin that comes from any person must come of loue or else it is deare of the hearing Now he showes his loue in speaking for the wordes comes from the heart and so among al the rest of the wayes whereby he vtters the loue he had in his heart this is one when precept and commaund is turned ouer to requeesting When he may commaund he will not but he turnes it ouer and
then to finde no rest nor fruite of his labor at night but I say to thee if thy walking be not to please God thou shalt neuer get any frute of thy walking if thy walking be not euer to please thy God thou shalt neuer get the right way thou shalt goe like a doting bodie and be the farther from that glorious butt and in the end thou shalt effectuat nothing but in that great day thou shalt curse all thy labors and exercises and thou shalt say Alas my labours are all lost I haue wearied my selfe and now I am no better But if thy walking be to please God thou shalt finde a sweetnesse in thy labor and joy in the end thereof And when that blessed day of resurrection shall come thou shalt say Blessed am I in my labours that I wrought to please my God for now I haue gotten the butt I finde the frute of my laboures Paul sayes 1. Cor. 9. 26. I runne but not to an vncertaintie Learne neuer to runne to an vncertaintie but euer runne to a butt effectuat something by your doing The onely way to make you runne well is to please God A Minister or any other in the world who woulde runne right must run to pleasure their God and then they shall finde sweetnesse in their running Now well is the soule that can endeuore the selfe to pleasure God for ther is no joy in the creature but when it is set to glorify God night and day in this world for to this end are we set in the world 1. Cor. 10. 31. and if we doe this he shal set vs in the heauens to glorifie him Now in the next verse he takes themselues to be witnesses that he had set before them the preceptes and lawes whereby they should walke in the journey Ye knovve vvhat commandement vve gaue you by the Lord Iesus It is an happie thing to a Minister in his calling when with a good conscience he appeals the consciences of the people that he cried to them and saide ô people I bade you goe I prescriued you rules to goe into your blood be on your owne head I haue discharged a faithfull duetie to you Brethren what auailes it vs if we should euer preache the Gospell if we be not saued thereby And when we teache you the Gospell we also stir our selues forward to come to that butt Christ our owne teaching is the meane whereby we are saued as it is the meane whereby ye are saued Therefore let all goe forward together in the rinke Now in the verse following he beginnes to set down to them the rules of walking and going forward That which he had spoken by tongue being at Thessalonica the same thing he puts in writ by his pen. It is a foolish thing to a man to say The Apostle spoke one thing and wrote another No brethren Paul neuer spake one sentence to confirme any people but it is registrate to vs. It is blasphemie to thinke that Paul and Peter c. wrote not that which they spoke it is follie for there was no sentence they spoke pertaining to our saluation but it is written Then the rule is The vvill of God vvhich is your sanctification That is that ye be holie in your soules and the whole affections thereof in your bodie and all the members of your bodie and all the actions of your members So he drawes the whole rules which are to be obserued in this course and rinke we haue to Heauen and life euerlasting to holinesse and sanctification Then in one word there is the manner how thou shalt goe forward to this butt Be holie be holie thou must be holie holie in heart hand mouth foot in all the members of thy body separate thee from the worlde which is full of sinne full of foull affections displeasing the eye of thy God and put on holinesse Who euer they be that goe forward in holinesse assuredlie they shall come to the marke Liue thou an holie life what vocation that euer it be in assure thee thou shalt come to the prise of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Philipp 3. 14. To turne it ouer againe Busie thy self as thou wilt if that thy businesse be not in holinesse thou art foolishe the faster thou runnest thou art the farther behinde Alas how many are there who busies them selues in wickednesse and the more they wearie themselues the farther are they from Heauen Blessed are they who can goe forward to Heauen Stryue to holinesse and say Lord I am on my journey I cannot goe forward except I finde an holie heart to thinke an holie mouth to speake an holy hand to touch Lord sanctifie them that I runne not in vaine The way to runne holilie is to keepe euer before thy eies God that holie one in the face of Iesus and to cry O Lord guide me in holinesse And I assure thee if thou wilt striue to liue holilie and cry to God to guide thee in holinesse thou shalt come to that endlesse joy But if thou let God out of thy eye thou shalt perishe Brethren this life will away and therefore set your harts to run to that euerlasting life Nowe hauing set downe the generall he deduces it in parts and the first part he takes vp is cleannesse of the bodie as he would say fyle not the bodie with fornication fyle thou thy bodie with fornication thou shalt not thinke a cleane thought speake a cleane word or doe any cleane deed Surelie all sinnes pollutes and fyles The sinne that comes from the heart if it were but an euill motion it goes back againe and leaues a foull blot behinde it a rotten deed leaues a blot behinde it a foull worde in the mouth goes back and leaues a foull blot in the hart when thou hast spoken a word thou art not quite thereof but it comes back againe and fyles the soule It goes not from thee so lightlie as thou trowest no it leaues ay a foull blot behinde it So this corruption growes daily Brethren I tell you all sinnes fylles the bodie yet of all sinnes harlotrie especiallie fyles the bodie Looke the comparison the Apostle vses 1. Cor. 6. 18. The bodie of an harlote of all bodies is the foullest Alas such a fyling of the bodie and soule followes vpon adulterie that it is wonderfull to tell Seeing therefore speciall pollution of the bodie followes on fornication I beseech you as ye would present your selfe before God in cleannesse abstaine from harlotrie An harlot will trauell long ere he come to heauen thy heart and bodie must be sanctified before thou come to Heauen And so as thou would come forward to Heauen stryue to keepe a cleane bodie and soule to God and speciallie abstaine from this vyce of fornication Lord keepe vs from it vntill we come to the end of our journey that we may be presented clean before christ To whom with the Father and holie Spirit be honour and praise for
so stagring as thou art except thou leane on Christ This is most true It is not so much our apprehension we haue of Christ as his apprehension of vs that holds vs vp A chylde that is learning to goe albeit he grippe he cannot holde himselfe vp but it is the grip of the Nourse that holdes vppe the chylde It is so betweene God and vs We are all infantes Iesus hes vs in his hand we make a glifring to grip him againe but when he lettes vs goe then we fall So this is our comfort that vve are gripped by God and his grip vpholdes vs for vvhen he grippes to the heart of any man his hand neuer lowses againe and thou shalt neuer goe out of his grippe yea euen in that time when thou thinkest thou art gone and the Lord hes casten thee offyn the meane-time he hes thee in his grip and in that meane-tyme vvhen thou appearest to be left call to remembrance that he hes gripped thee and then assure thee yet he grips thee And say Who shall be able to separate me from the loue of Christ Rom. 8. 35. And Iesus sayes None is able to reaue my sheepe out of my hand Iohn 10. 28. Who shall be able to lowse his hand This is all in one vvorde Seeke this apprehension and stand fast in Christ and death shall not seuer thee from him but lyfe shall follow death glorie shall follow ignominie immortalitie shall svvalovv vp the mortalitie that vve are heere subject to Well then brethren who wait when we shall be striken Therefore let vs euer be prepared and let vs not looke to the Pest Nothing shall be able to seuere vs from God if he haue gripped vs ` Paul sayes Philipp 3. 8. 9. that he counted all thinges but dongue that he might be found of him and knowe him and the force of his resurrection Yet to insist in the words expressing this resurrection he saies that God shall bring vs vvith him that is with Christ So our resurrection what is it VVhat is our resurrection but a bringing of vs to God to be joyned with him in that blessed societie Our felicitie and blessednesse both in body and soule is to be joined with God For vnderstand so long as thy bodie lyes in the graue lyes in ignominie in a maner it is seuered from God it is apart from God in some maner it is not so near him as it wil be it is yet lying in ignominy Now in the resurrection of the dead that body that was separated frō God and lay in ignominie for a tyme ryses to be joyned with God to the end it may be glorified for euer This is the resurrection of the bodies of the godlie But it is farre otherwaies with the resurrection of the vngodly They rise indeed and must rise for they shall be pulled out of the graue for faine would they ly still they must ryse to receiue that paine of damnation they shall ryse but neuer to be brought to God The Scripture indeed speakes that they shall rise but neuer to be broght to God but they rise to be seuered from God more nor they were They are seuered when they are in the graue but when the body shall be joyned to the soule then they shall be farther seuered And looke how far is betweene the hie Heauens and the low Helles as far distance shall there be betweene God and the reprobate They shall not be conuoyed vp to meete Christ in the cloudes as the bodies of the godly are No but they shall stand on the earth Yet to insist Are the bodies of the elect broght them alone to God No what euer bodie must be brought to God in the resurrection it must be broght in companie it must be in a societie and conjunction ere that bodie be conjoined with God He saies vvith Christ. That bodie must be brought to that glorious societie with God but first it must be joyned with Iesus otherwaies thou shalt neuer rise to God Then would ye haue the order Paul speaks of in this resurrection for euerie one shall rise in order The first is Christ Christ the first of them that rises his glorious body rose first Then after that they who are in Christ that is they who stands in that conjunction with him as imps in the tree vvho are ingraft in his bodie then they shall ryse with him Therefore in one word Wouldst thou knowe whether thou shalt be joined with God or not looke if thou standst fast in that conjunction and vnion with Christ in this lyfe and if thou finde thy selfe vnited with Christ in this lyfe then in the glorious resurrection with God shalt thou be And so this is a thing that I euer aduertise you of Looke euer that thou be a member of that glorious bodie Be either an eye or foote or hand be some part of the bodie of Christ And certainly being joined with him when he is joyned with God euen God the Father of necessitie thou being a member of the bodie thou must be joined with God For thy conjunction with God is not immediat but thou must first bee joyned with Christ and being conjoyned with Christ thou shalt be joyned with God also in glory Now vvho shall be the doer of this It is a great vvorke to draw vp this bodie out of the graue to Heauen and set it in that glorie Will the bodie rise the alone where got it that strength will any Angell draw it vp No all the Angels in Heauen is not able to raise vp a bodie to Heauen all the power in earth cannot raise vp a dead bodie Then who must doe it No power in Heauen nor earth but the power of God Paul Ephes chap. 1. verse 19. calles it the effectualnesse of the strong povver of God There is no vvorke in this vvorld vvherein the povver of God appeares more nor in the vvorke of the rising first of Christ vvhen he vvas dead and then of our bodies that are in him The power and strength of God as greatlie appeares in the raising of the bodie as it did in making of the world when before it vvas not It is as great a matter to make a thing to liue as to make it There is as great power to make the dead to liue as to make any thing of nothing And this povver is onely proper to God The power of the world may put out the life but no power can giue lyfe but onely Gods There are many slayers but none to giue lyfe but onely God Therefore let vs glorifie the God of lyfe Then marke two causes of our glorious resurrection 2. causes of our resurrectiō He speakes not of the resurrection of the reprobate The first cause is the conjunction with Iesus begunne in this lyfe The second cause is the power and might of God in raising of them being found in Iesus Take any of these two away thou shalt neuer be brought
changed and get the next sight This before ye heard taught to you Now in the text we haue red the Apostle takes occasion of that which he spoke of immediatly before concerning the ranking and order of those that shall bee found dead on that great day To enter in this matter more deeplie and to fall out in a description of the Lords comming in that latter day He pointes out the manner of it and that glorie that shall appeare Thereafter he commes to that effect that shall follovv there-vpon The first effect shall be the resurrection of the dead ere euer they vvho are alyue be changed vvhich shall be in a moment the dead rysing first shall be rest vp to the cloudes and then they vvho shall be changed shall be rest vp after them The estate of both is they shall meete the Lord and bee vvith him for euer Then in the last verse he desyres the Thessalonians vvith such speaches as these euerie one to comfort another vvhether he sorrovv for his owne or for anothers death and to speake one to another of the resurrection and of the glorie that shall followe on it Now this text standes in a narratiue of the forme of Christes comming vvhereof I vvill speake no farther nor I can gather thereof out of the Scripture and with as great shortnesse as I may For it is follie to speake any thing heerein vvhich is not reuealed and spoken of in the Scriptures Now Brethren I shall speake first according to the Scriptures of God of the signes and tokens that shall appeare in the world before Christes comming For ere he be seene they who shall be found aliue at that great day shall see signes and tokens of his comming Next I shall speake of his comming and of the manner of it And in the third rovvme I shall speake of the effectes that shall followe in the vvorlde immediatlie on his comming As for the signes that shall be seene ere he be seene There are some of them that shall goe before his comming immediatlie before he ryse out of his Throne vvhere he sittes at the right hand of his Father euen immediatlie before his rysing there shall some signes be shovven to vvarne the vvorlde that the King of Glorie is comming Then there shall be some other signes that shall be adjoyned vvith his comming as hee commes through the Heauens and aire to judge the world So the signes are of tvvo sortes some signes before his comming immediatlie Signes immediatly preceding Chrâ—stes comming some joyned with his comming The signes immediatlie preceeding the Lords rysing out of his Throne to judge the vvorld are The vvhole vvorlde shall shake Heauen and earth shall trimble they who shall be liuing at that day shall see it The vvhole povvers of the Heauen shall be shaken The Sunne the Moone shall be darkned all shall be obscured the Sunne shall haue no light the starres shall fall downe or at the least shall appeare so because they shall giue no light and light shall be away nothing in the face of the earth but darknesse nothing in Heauen but darknesse Ye may read this Matt. chap. 24. verse 29. Luke chap. 21. verse 25. Christ giues these same signes himselfe that shall be immediatlie before his comming What shall be the estat in the mean-time of those who are liuing when these signes shall appear Al consciences shall be wakned all shall get vp there shall be no sleeping The murtherer vvho hes his conscience sleeping now shall be wakned then the harlots conscience shall waken There shall be two sorte of folke found liuing then some reprobate some elect the world is neuer vvithout these tvvo As for the reprobate vvhen they shall looke vp and see such a wonderfull alteration the shaking of the Heauens the darkning of the Sunne and Moon then they shall beginne to shudder and to be striken with such a terrible fear that they shal be as they wer dead and for fear of that judgment that is to follow they shall run and seeke holes and secret places to hide them from the face of the Lord and cry Hilles fall dovvn on vs Mountains couer vs Yea euen ere they see the Lord before his comming down Read of this in Luke 21. 27. Reuelat. chap. 6. verse 16. c. Now as to the elect that shall be found aliue at that tyme they shall conceiue at the sight of these first signes an vnspeakable joye and shall not be afraide but shall avvaite for that Redemption which they shall see to be at hand that full Redemption in the Redeemer the Lord Iesus And therefore they shall not runne away and seeke holes to hyde them in but they shall stand vp and lift vp their heades and faces to the Heauens and shall looke greedilie for the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ indeede it is true they shall conceiue a sorrowe and shall be touched vvith a remorse and shall vveepe bitterlie but a sweete weeping they shall weepe that euer their sinnes procured the death of the Lord Iesus Christ that Lord of glorie Therefore they shall be both joyfull and sorrowfull joyfull because the Redeemer is at hand sorrowfull for their sinnes that Christ should haue died for them that they should haue peirced him through with them Reade of this at length Luke chap. 21. verse 28. Zachary chap. 13. verse 11. Reuel chap. 1. verse 7. yea they who peirced him through with their sinnes shall bewaile him All the godlie Kinges of the earth shall bewaile him all the elect shall sorrow that their sinnes should haue procured the death of this sweete and glorious Lord. This for the signes immediatly going before his comming Vnderstand brethren that there shall be a processe of tyme in the day of judgement so that one thing shall by a certaine space goe before another It shall be sodaine but not so sodaine but they who are aliue shall see one thing done by a space of time before another it shall be so sensible that euerie one that is liuing at that day shall see euery thing done sensible Now to come to the signes joined with his comming At his down comming Signes ioyned vvith the comming of Christ when the Lord rises out of his Throne before he be seene the whole world that shooke before he rose shal be set on fyre and there shall be a terrible dissolution All thinges shall be dissolued and so shaken lowse that the world shall not appeare vnto the tyme it bee made a nevv Worlde a nevv Heauen a new Earth as Peter speakes Come to the particulares As to the Heauens they shall bee burnt vp and being burnt vp they shall passe away with a sound and noyse saies Peter as the sounding of Chariot-wheeles The elements the aire the water all shall be consumed with fire and be burnt vp and euanish The earth and all the workes on the earth planting building all shall be burnt vp with fire nothing shall be spared
These shall be the signes that shall be joined inseparablie with Christs comming The signe of Christ In the meane tyme he shall come down when all the world shall be on a fire And this is called by Matthevv 24 verse 30. the signe of Christ the signe that shall be conjoined with his comming Reade of this whole matter in this 24. chap. of Matthevv verse 30. 2. Epist of Pet. chap. 3. verse 10. 12. Reuelat chap. 20. verse 11. and chap. 21. verse 1. Then brethren if there was such a commotion in the heart of men in the first signes that past before what commotion shall there be in the harts of men when they shall see the whole world on fire A wondrous thing When all this consumption shall be no body shall be burnt but the power of the judge shall reserue the bodies to the judgement that is to follow immediatlie Peter when he hes tolde of these signes saies If such a dissolution of the world be what maner of men should we be how should we studie to prepare vs to meete the Lord So on that great day all these thinges shall not make the godly to shrinke but they shall ay prease forward to meete the Lord in the cloudes As to the reprobate ô that horrour and terrible feare that shall ouertake them at his comming Now this for the two sorts of signes The first going before his comming the second joined inseparably with his comming down to judge the world Now shortly to speake of Christs owne comming And this is it which the Apostle speakes of in this place Which for our vnderstanding I shall gather out of this and sundry other places of the Scripture Christes coÌ„ming Now as for the comming of the judge he shall not come from the Sea from the Earth from the Plane Wherefrom commes all the Kings of the earth when they are in their triumph The Romane Emperours came out from the Capitoll in their Chariots But the King of Kinges shall come from the Heauen of Heauens abone all these heauens that we see from the highest place The maner of his comming is sodaine These signes that I spake of shall come on a sodaintie and yet there shall be a processe of tyme in doing thereof He shall come on a sodaine as the deluge of Noah did as the 24 chap. Matt verse 37. telles The people knew not of the deludge that ouerwhelmed them vntill it came No more shall this miserable world know Christes comming vntill he come sodainlie And therefore considering this in the Scripture the Lord giues a watch-word to his Disciples Many hundreth yeeres are past since and repeate it heere he saies Matt. 24. 42. Watch for ye knovv not vvhen the Lord shall come The sodaintie vncertainty of his comming shoulde make vs euer readie to looke for it The Chariot he shall be caried in is the cloudes of the aire As in his ascending the cloudes resaued him from our sight so shall the cloudes resaue him at his comming Such a Chariot got neuer Emperour in all his highest triumph none of them was caried in the clouds The company that shall conuoy him he shal come saies Matt. chap. 24. verse 30. with the Angels and a flame of fire that fyre that shall burne vp the world and shall burne vp the reprobate in the owne tyme. 2. Thess 1. 7. 8. Iude sayes verse 14. He shall come with millions of Angels there shall not be an Angell but all shall come in that conuoye to let all the worlde see that all the Angels are but seruants to that Lord and seruantes standing about him to obey his vvill vvhat hee commandes that his glorie and Majestie may be seene In the meane-tyme he hes no neede of them for they neyther can adde to his glorie nor diminish it yet it hes pleased him so to vtter his glorie to the vvorld And in that meane-tyme when he is comming he will not come in silence Ye see when an Armie marches forward there is a great noyse and crying shouting and blovving of trumpets So there shall bee a noyse in the Lords comming dovvne The Angels of Heauen shall blovve the trumpets So he speakes Matth. 24. verse 31. Paul in this place sayes there shall ryse a sound The worde in this place is a vvorde of exhortation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 borrovved from that sound vvhich the Mariners vses to others euerie one to moue others to rovv A shout direct to the dead that lyes in the graue it shall pearce through the graue and eares of the dead and shall waken them vp With the shout shall be conjoyned the voice of the Archangell and with the voyce of the Archangell the sound of the trumpet of God and this shall be the last trumpet and neuer shall the voyce of the trumpet be heard againe and it shall be the shâ—â—llest trumpet that euer was heard Now when the Lord in his comming downe shall come to the place where he is ordained to sit to judge the worlde which shall be in the cloudes Then all the Angels shall showe their presence and the Angels shall make a glorious Throne to the Lord of glorie and there he shall sit This much shortlie for the comming and appearing I shall be short in this matter For I will speake nothing but make a narration of it out of other parts of Scripture Would ye vnderstand the effectes that followes on his comming Effectes follovving Christs coÌ„ming Certainlie notable effectes must followe on it The Lord prepare vs for it The Father shall be there the Sonne shall be there coÌ„ming the holie Spirite shall be there vvith all their power and all their Majestie The glorie of the Father neuer appeared so glorious as it shall appeare that day The glorie of the Sonne neuer appeared so glorious as it shall appeare that day The glorie of the holie Spirit neuer appeared so glorious as it shall appeare that day Ye see in the Parliament the Kings of the earth appears in their greatest glory to the people so the Lord of the world shall appeare with an infinite and vncapable sight of glorie Now to come to the effects that shall follow on his comming AsseÌ„bly The first effect There shall be an assemblie a conuention the fairest conuention that euer was since the world stoode There are none that euer tooke lyfe but all shall bee there all shall be sommonded with the shout of the trumpetuall shall compeare no excuse the graue shall not excuse death shal not excuse dead and liuing neuer man nor woman excepted all shall be there So the first effect that shal follow the comming of the Iudge shall be a conuention of the whole world elect reprobate dead and liuing And I shall tell you after what order it wil be by the Scripture The first that shall come there to the conuention shall be they who were dead they shall preueene them who were alyue And Adam and
Eue shall be with the first and in the first ranke For before they vvho in the vvorlde shall be changed which shall be in the twinkling of an eye and it shall stand to them in stead of death ere this change be made the dead shall ryse first 1. Corint 15. 51 52. Some of them who are dead shall ryse to lyfe and honour to witte the elect Some of them to wit the reprobat to dishonour ignominie and death and a worse death nor they ly in presently Then when the dead is raised vp and compeares first then shall follow that sodaine change of them who shall be alyue the elect that shall be alyue shal be altred in a moment in the twinckling of an eie to a glorious estate The reprobat aliue shall be altered to but if they wer ignominious before they shal be more ignominious then for not only their soule but soule and body shal be vgly and if they had any beauty Estate of the bodies of the elect it shall bee changed in a wonderfull foulues But to speak of the body of the elect for the Scripture speaks most of them Paul 1. Cor. 15. verse 35. moues the question with what bodies shall they ryse what bodie shall the elect haue For he is not curious of the bodies of the reprobate but he markes narrowlie the rising of the bodies of the godlie at that day And the first qualitie he giues them is that whereas their bodies wer naturall when they were laid down in the graue their bodies in that day shall be made spirituall Not that our bodies shall be changed in spirites no our bodies shall be bodies indeed of that same substance they haue now The verie same substance of the bodie thou hast in this lyfe the same verie substance thou shalt haue in that lyfe and no other It shall be present at that day that same verie bodie that same very hand and foote c. and no other bodie nor no other hand nor foote c. And there shall be none of the ashes of the bodie but it shall be keeped vntill that day and shall be gathered vp and joined better nor euer it was before Then the bodie shall abyde Our lyfe shall be much better I liue heere a naturall lyfe by a naturall power in my soule but in the resurrection my lyfe shall be spirituall and I shall not liue a naturall lyfe Now I liue by a naturall power in my soule but then I shall liue spirituallie by a spirituall power in Christ Yet there shall be more Another propertie of the bodie shall follow on this This bodie if it were neuer so faire yet in respect of the glorie it shall take vp it is but ignominious but the bodie shall rise glorious and shyning as the Sunne not by this naturall skin and colour that we haue here but by a passing light and brightnesse conforme to that brightnesse of Christ when he was transformed on the Mountaine Reade Matt. 17. 1. and conforme to his glorie in Heauen as the Apostle telles Philipp chap. 3. verse 21. Yet more ye see our bodies weake The strongest man is soone beatten downe for all his strength all the povver of man is feeble and weake but in the resurrection the bodie shall be strong and pithie One man to be homely with you stronger in the resurrection nor an hundreth yea nor thousands are now For all feeblenesse shall be left behinde him in the graue and he shall ryse strong lyke the Angels in glorie and strength Yet more then this What matter of all this former glorie if it were possible that this spirituall bodie could perish The Apostle addes to this We shall rise incorruptible immortail to lyfe euerlasting when we shall ryse in that strength that power and freedome immortalitie shall follow after mortalitie glorie after ignomnie strength after weaknesse spiritualitie after naturalitie In lyfe we shall be spirituall in qualitie glorious in tyme euerlasting there is no end of it This is the propertie that Paul speakes of our bodies in the resurrection Now to goe forward There shall followe more in this conuention That same power that shall conueene all men together Separation of the elect from the reprobats that same power shall make a seuering The Angels the Ministers of that glorious judge shall stoppe in betweene the elect and the reprobate and putte them a sunder They shall seuere the sheepe from the goates they shall put the sheepe at the right hand of the judge and the goates at the left hand Reade Matt. chap. 25 verse 33. Appearantlie Paul heere would meane to vs another kynde of seuering and yet all is one This appearantlie vvoulde be his meaning They shal al be gathered together on the earth and all shall stand together in a troup and then this seuering shall be made Then all the elect shall be rest vp to the cloudes to meete the Lord in the cloudes As for the reprobate they shall all stand still on the earth and shall not get that honour to be rest vp in the aire but shall byde on the earth and receyue their judgement there For Paul vvhen he sayes they shall be rest vp to meete the Lord in the aire he speakes onely of the elect Then there shall be a seuering after which there shall neuer be a meetting againe a great golfe shall be betweene them that none may passe We are all mingled heere through other and none knowes other The sheepe oft-tymes are taken for the goates and the goates for the sheepe but at that great day the sheepe shall be seuered from the goates and shall neuer meete againe be it man with wyfe parents with children There are two effects a conuention of all and a seuering of all Yet the Iudge and the power of the Iudge shall passe forwarde and the third effect followes When the Judge hes all gathered together and none avvay vvhen the rovve is called and all are present Then vvhen one sorte shall be placed at the right hand IudgemeÌ„t pronounced and the other at the left hand then shall he fall to judgement He cannot judge before he seuere the verie seuering telles the judgement but before the seuering the judgement shall not be pronunced Then generallie he shall judge all according to their workes The bookes shall be opened the book of conscience shall be opened the booke of workes shall be opened and al their judgement shal be according to their works 〈◊〉 vnderstand this The elect man shall be judged according to his works not that his works shall be the cause that shal proâ—â—â— his lyfe but he shall be judged by his works as a testimony of his faith in Christ and of the maner of lyfe that he hes liued in the worlde as a member of Christ So he shall be judged by his workes not as a cause but as a token of the true cause as ye would judge a man by a witnesse for the
day be not in vaine wordes Heauen and lyfe euerlasting is not in wordes but looke that it be fectfull in the heart and that of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speake Before thou speake feele it in thy heart and then speake So sayes Paul 2. Cor. chap. 4. verse 13. I beleeue I shall ryse and therefore I speake to you And Dauid sayes I beleeue and therefore I spake Psal 116. 10. And say I pray God that I beleeue all these thinges that I speake to you The Lord giue euerie one of vs grace that we may beleeue all these thinges of Christes comming and of the glorious resurrection For vvithout Faith and Hope of these thinges no comfort no lyfe The Lord giue vs Faith and Hope vntill he bring vs to the full sight and fruition of these thinges throgh Christ To whom with the Father and the holie Spirite be all honour and praise for euer and euer AMEN THE XIX LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 5. vers 1. 2. 3. 1 But of the tymes and seasons brethren ye haue no neede that I vvrite vnto you 2 For ye your selues knovve perfectly that the day of the Lord shall come euen as a thiefe in the night 3 For vvhen they shall say Peace and safetie then shall come vpon them sudden destruction as the trauaile vpon a vvoman vvith childe and they shall not escape IN the text immediatlie going before ye haue heard brethren of the comming of the Lord Iesus the Iudge of the world in that day appointed to judge the quicke and the dead Of the resurrection of the dead especially of the chosen that shal be dead before that day of the changing of them that shall be found liuing that day by vertue of the resurrection of Christ and of the lyfe glorie and joy that they shall enjoy after they are rest vp in the clouds They shall be with him for euer Now to come to this text we haue in hand The Thessalonians hearing and vnderstanding that the Lord will come from heauen Iesus will come and judge the world might haue moued the question to the Apostle about the tyme of his comming when he will come what yeer what day what houre what time generally shall we looke for him The Apostle meetes this and answers It is not needfull brethrer that I vvrit vnto you of the times and seasons for ye yourselues knovv perfectly that the comming of the Lord shall be as a thâ—efe in the night And therefore why should I goe calculat dayes and yeeres to you seeing that the Lord shall come at vnwares and on a suddainty the world shal not wit vntil he come And he proues this in the next verse from the effect of his comming They who shall be found in a deadlie securitie sleeping they shall be striken sodainly For vvhen they shall say Peace and safetie then shall come vpon them sodaine destruction as the trauaile vpon a vvoman vvith chylde and they shall not escape And vpon that followes an exhortation to vigilance Now to come to the words of the text I need not vvrit to you saies the Apostle concerning times and seasons It is not needfull would he say it is not expedient it is not profitable to you yea more it pertaines not to you to know it As the Lord saies Act. 1. 7. when the Disciples a litle before his ascension was curious to know the times he saies It is not expedient to you to knovv the tymes and the seasons the Lord hes in his 〈◊〉 By times is meant all times lesse or more whether it be the time of an houre a day a weeke yeere or any greater tyme. It pertaines not to you to knowe anie tyme of Christes comming yea to knowe in what age of the worlde let be the moneth weeke yeere or day it shall be It pertaines not to you to knowe any definite or certaine tyme. The next word is 〈…〉 It meanes a more strait and particular tyme when things commes to passe according to the Lords preseryued tyme in his counsell the artickle of tyme God hes appointed to it There is nothing the Lord hes appointed but it shall fâ—ll out in that same moment and artickle of tyme. Now would ye know what meanes these seasons I vnderstand by them the morning noon-tide euening In the 1. chap. Act. It is not for you saies Christ to knovv tymes and seasons vvhich the Lord â—es put in his ovvn povvers Ye should not know the time of his comming whether he come in the morning euen tyde midnight or cock-â—â—â—w So the answere the Apostle makes is ye should not be curious about the time of Christs comming asking for daies weeks months yeers it is not for you to know this Now to marke something for I vvill not goe deeplie in this matter We learne of the text immediatly going before There is nothing vnder the Sunne more sure not this that Christ vvill come Certainty of Christs comming This is a thing that euerie one of vs is bound to knowe that Christ will come and sit in judgement and put an end to all thinges in this worlde And this is an artickle of our Creed From thence he vvill come to iudge the quick and the dead If thou beleeue not that Artickle howbeit thou beleeue all the rest of the Artickles thy faith is nothing Then the second thing I marke of this is the curiositie of the Thessalonians This curiositie hes beene in all ages that when any man heard tell that the Lord Iesus is to come againe and to judge the world and to put an end to all thinges in all ages there hes risen vp men curious to vnderstand the tyme and to searche when he shall come The Apostles begouth this Curiositie in searching the tyme of Christes comming repressed for immediatlie before the ascension of our Lord they vttered this curiositie asking the tymes and seasons of his comming againe But incontinent their curiositie is snibbed and repressed by the Lord Act. 1. 7. From that tyme men hes neuer left off to be curious of these tymes and seasons Men hes beene curious to lay an account if Christes comming shall be in this yeere in this age yea men in our age hes done this but all is vanitie Now thirdly I note on Pauls part and his answere to them Men should not search in curiouslie anent the tyme of Christes comming Men should not seeke the moneth day yeere nor age that perteines not to them There is great difference betweene the first comming of Christ and his second comming As to the first comming it was the will of the Lord that the tyme of his comming should be knowne to the world And therefore he reuealed the yeere of his comming to the olde Prophetes As ye may see 9 Daniell And as Peter telles 1. Epist chap. 1. verse 10. They searched in to the very tyme of this comming and they did nothing
speaking of that day of judgement 2. Cor. 5. 11. he vtters the feare he had of it himselfe Knovving saies he the terrors of the Lord vve bring men to the Lord that when he shall come in that terrible judgment we may finde mercy Be not sensles at the threatning of God If men had not bene seusles at the judgemeÌ„ts of God by famine these yeers bygone this Pest had not comde if theribe not yet a greater fear of God he shal strik on with his judgmeÌ„ts Next I mark of this place Who is it that is comforted against Gods judgementes Consolations belong only to the godlie To whom belongs consolations promises and speaches of comfort in the Scriptures Speakes the Apostle to the Heathen that ly in ignorance and not conuerted to the faith of Christ They feared not where there is no feare nor down casting it is foolishnesse to comfort Whereto shold I comfort them who are lifted vp in pride wherto shold I prease to lift vp him who is ouer high and conceatie alreadie So consolation raising vp of the heart promises of God that serues to consolation pertaines nothing to the wicked that hes no sense of miserie and lyes in ignorance of God nothing pertaines to them but threatning vpon threatning judgement vpon judgement And when they say Peace and all things sure I may say a sudden destruction shall ouertake them And to the men in this land lying in a dead sleepe of this fleshly securitie and crying Peace when they are in the midst of harlotrie of murther c. I say a sudden destruction and vengence shall fall on them This shall euer be my cry vntill they feare and trimble and haue a sense of their miserie neuer another word to them but judgement out of my mouth Should I say to a man lying in darknesse brother ye are in the light judgement shall not come on you No no But I will say the Lord shall come suddenly on thee with judgement to destroy thee So consolation pertaines to the godly onely and who euer ye be that feares not Gods judgements I bidde you in Gods name take no promise of comfort to you no consolation vntill ye be touched with a sense of miserie and feele your sins Then to whom pertaines all the promises of consolation in the word of God To the godly onely who hes their eyes opened to see God in the face of Christ hes their heart opened to feele the grace of God through Christ to them they appertaine And therefore ye shall finde in all the Prophetes when a judgement is threatned immediately after the threatning they subjoine a sweet consolation to the godly least they should think the judgment to pertaine to them The third thing I note Marke the cause heere wherefore the Thessalonians shall escape that sudden destruction Because ye are not in darknesse Knovveledge of God in Christ the cause of escaping iudgement sayes he therefore that sudden destruction shall not ouertake you Marke this cause The ground of escaping this judgement is to be fred of darknesse to be fred of this grosse ignorance wherein we are inuolued by nature and to be translated to the light of God vvherein we may see the face of Christ and Heauen and the glorie thereof There is the ground Whosoeuer shall be found lying in darknesse at Christes comming albeit they be found lying waking and looking vp with bodilie eyes 〈…〉 yet if they be in blindnesse in the soule so that they can see nothing in Heauen God nor Christ judgement and destruction suddenlie shall ouertake them and all their braines shall be beaten out ere they get leasure to cry God mercie But againe who euer they be that at Christes comming shall be found in the light with the knowledge of God and Iesus Christ with some sight of Heauen they shall escape and shall liue eternally When the thiefe breakes in in an house whom is it that he suddenly oppresses Whom but these whom he findes sleeping with their eyes closed he will cut their throats ere they be wakned But when he breaks in on an house and they who are in the house be waking on their guard and ready for the danger then the thief shal not preuaile They will eschew the danger so shal it be at Christs comming if he find thee sleeping sudden destruction shall ouertake thee if he finde thee waking ready for the danger thou shalt escape and liue So ye see how needfull a thing it is to haue knowledge and light that euery man may be saued O what it is to knovve God to knowe Christ to get a â—ight of Heauen and of the lyfe to come Thy safetie consistes in it Then againe see how dangerous a thing is ignorance and specially the ignorance of God to put off the day and the night in ignorance of God Giue thee goode cheare rest play honour in the world thou wilt put off one day two daies three daies thou wilt say what care I more but woe to thee when Christ commes thou will be sleeping in â—inne sudden destruction shall ouertake thee all this tendes to this end ly not in drunkennesse get knovveldge out of the vvorde knovve God in tyme knovve him in mercie If thou knowe him not in mercy in this lyfe thou shalt feele him in judgement at that great day of Iudgement The Lord giue euerie one of vs grace to know him that hauing the right knowledge of him which leads to saluation we may at his comming be elected of him to raign in his euerlasting glory in the Heauens Novv that vvhich he had said before of darknesse in the next verse he makes it more plaine and sayes for ye are the children of light and of the day That is to say the fairest light that can be possible For vvhat in this vvorlde is fairer nor the light of the Sunne and day light As he vvoulde say ye are not in the common light but in the light of the Sunne that shynes most cleare ye are not children of the night but of the day These tvvo vvill neuer stande together to be the chylde of the night and of darknesse and to be the chylde of the light and of the day If thou be the chylde of light and day it is impossible to thee for to be the chylde of the night and darkenesse And if thou be the chylde of the night and darknesse it is impossible thou can bee the chylde of the day and light These tvvo can neuer agree both together Tvvo Kingdomes cannot stand in thee If God raigne not in thee the Deuill must raigne in thee and if God raigne in thee the Deuill cannot raigne in thee Indeed so long as vve are heere light and darknesse may be both in vs for vvee are neuer free of this darkenesse neyther is this light of God persite in vs but both cannot raigne together in vs but hovvbeit darknesse be in thee yet it hes no dominion ouer thee
For vvhere any sparke of the light of God is the light raignes and God raignes in thee albeit thou haue great darknesse in thee For vvhereuer God is in any measure he euer raignes He sayes Ye are all the children of the light and the children of the day Marke the vvordes For they import a pithie meaning They meane that not onely they are in a light but that in substance in a maner they are light As I am light and thou art light if thou be the chylde of light in substance thou art light euen so as in substance thou art a bodie in substance likevvise a soule So in a maner in substance thou art light For ye must vnderstand this the chylde is euer by nature of the substance of the Father and Mother Then if ye be the children of light of necessitie ye must be in some maner of the substance of light Paul Ephes chap. 5. verse 8. sayes to the Ephesians that some tymeye vvere Gentiles sometyme ye vvere darknesse but novv ye are light in the Lord vvalke as children of light He sayes not ye vvere in darknesse but he sayes in verie deed ye vvere in a maner a verie lumpe of darknesse Then againe he sayes not ye are in the light but ye are light your substance and nature is changed in the conâ—rarie vvhere ye vvere in substance darknesse novv ye are in substance light turned from the substance of daknesse to the substance of light Now the words this way exponed take vp an higher ground and of the escaping of judgement at the comming of Christ It is not enough to be found in the light onely but thou must be found to be light it selfe and the child of light I shall make this plaine There are two sorts of thinges and bodies in this world that hes light There are some bodies that in themselues hes no light in the worlde they are darke in themselues yet they will be in the light As for example Ye see the black floore ye sit on it hes no light of it selfe it is black but when the Sun shynes on it it hes light and shynes There are other bodies that are not onely in the light but in the owne nature are light as the Sun it is not onely in the light but it is light the selfe and there is no other light to giue it light except the selfe Now to apply this There are two sortes of men and wemen in the Church of God I leaue Pagans Turkes and Iewes and I speak of these who are in the Church and professes themselues to be Christians There are some of them in the light in the midst of the Saintes of God and professing the worde as the Saintes does that hes no light of themselues the light they haue is the light of others as for themselues they are but black bodies and black soules Hypocrites that hes nothing in themselues but blacknesse an hypocrite hes nothing but blacknesse and yet he will be in the Church and as farre in as any man but shynes in the light of the word and of the Saintes of God Againe there are some who are not onely in the light shynes not onely in the light of others but in themselues are light and shynes in their own light and there are beames that commes from them and lightens both themselues and others that sittes with them as the Sun both shynes the selfe and makes other inferiour creatures to shyne Of the which sort were the Philippians Paul writes to them Philip 2. 15. and sayes Ye are compast with Pagans and Heathen and ye shyne in the midst of them So who euer gets this grace to haue this light and to carie it out to the world they are the children of light Now in the day of judgement it will not be enough to be in the Church to be among the faithfull and renewed creatures and among them who are light to be at preaching of the word except thou be light of thy selfe what care I if the light wherein I shyne be not my owne but the light that shynes from another If thou haue no more thou shalt be suddenlie destroyed Therefore if thou wouldest be fred from this sudden destruction seeke light regeneration illumination and neuer rest nor be glad vntill thou find in some measure the regeneration of thy nature and thy selfe to be light in Christ Againe marke heere the vniuersall partickle ye all He sayes not some but he cals all the Thessalonians the children of light and of the day he maks no exception he is not so precise as men are now This learnes vs both Pastor and people a good lesson to be obserued to thinke and to judge the best of euerie man and woman that hes once receiued the seale of Baptisme and hes giuen their names in baptisme to Christ and professes christ outwardlie For albeit many of them will be hypocrites yet it is our part after the exemple of Paul to call them the children of light Thou art ouer seueare a censurer to call them who hes taine the name of Christ vpon them the children of darknesse Seuere not thou the popple from the wheet the caffe from the corne the goates from the sheepe vntill the Lord come and he shall seuere them Put not men in Heauen vvhen thou vvilt and men in Hell vvhen thou vvilt but be ware vvith this rashe judgement Now to come to the next verse Vpon the groundes he hes laid that all are in light and not in darknesse and that which is more that they are the children of light and not of darknesse he gathers his exhortation Then sayes he if it be so that we are the children of light let vs not sleepe but let vs vvatch and be sober This is the effect of the wordes There are two thinges that heere are forbidden and two things that are commaunded The two things that are forbidden are sleeping and drunkennesse for vnder sleeping as the text that followes makes plaine is comprehended drunkennesse These two thinges goe commonlie together a drunken bodie is ay doting and sleeping for the senses of him are so burdened with surfet he can doe nothing but ly downe and sleepe Now there are two thinges recommended watching and sobernesse these two agree also together for a temperate man who hes moderation in drinking that man is able to watch when others sleepe and to do a good turne in the night But to goe through euerie one of them and to begin at sleeping for he beginnes at it heere There are two sortes thereof First a bodilie sleeping vvhen the senses of this bodie are chosed Sleeping the eyes closed the eare closed and all the senses closed so that they leaue their function that is called a bodilie sleepe There is another called a spirituall sleepe and it is the sleeping of the soule and spirite vvhen the eye of the soule is bound vp so that it hes no sight of God the eare of
obtained by Christ And therefore fy on him that thinkes that he is safe by merite It is a wonderfull thing God of free mercie appointes to saluation and yet ere we come to it be will haue it boght What free mercy is this No neuer thing was so deare boght as thy saluation For it was not boght with gold nor siluer but with the bloude of the immaculate Lambe Iesus Christ And therefore he sayes in the first Epistle to the Corint chap. 6. verse 20. ye are boght vvith a pryce he calles it a price by reason of the high excellencie thereof As thogh there were no pryce but onely the bloud of Iesus to be esteemed of and yet it is a free grace of God How can it be afree grace and boght to If I buy it and that with a deare price how can it be free Indeed it is true if thou hadst payed the price thy selfe it had not beene a free gift but seeing it is not boght with a price that coÌ„mes out of thy hand but with the precious bloud of Iesus who is Gods Son it is a free gift to thee For who gaue the Son but the Father Who gaue the price but he that receiued it God gaue as it were out of his owne purse the price for thee The mercy and loue of God to his seruants is wonderfull Wilt thou looke to thy saluation nothing but mercy in God if thou hast nothing to glory in but free grace and mercie without any deseruing otherwaies if thou joine any part of merite with mercie and say the mercy of God and my merite did it shame shall come to thee And therefore the Apostle sayes we are onely saued by Christ and speaks not of merite Now to goe forwarde to the next ground where-vpon he buildes the hope of saluation As thou would haue an assurance of life euerlasting it is needfull for thee to spy out the grounds The next ground of thy saluation is the thing that fell out in tyme. The sec ground of the hope of saluation christs death He sayes Christ died for vs that vvhether vve vvalke or sleep vve should lâ—ue together vvith him As our saluation is builded vpon God ordinance so it is builded vpon the bloude of Iesus Christ not liuing but crucified and slaine And as the bloude of Iesus is the ground of thy saluation so the ground of the certainty of thy hope is the sight of Iesus crucified Except I see Christ bleeding for my sin I can neuer assure me that I am safe except I see that sacrifice offred vp for my sin as it is a sacrifice offered vp for my sin so it is a merite to obtaine lyfe to me I will neuer thinke I am safe How necessare therefore is it to me neuer to let the bloude of Iesus goe out of my minde Men will say I wait well I am safe and neuer will haue an eye to Christ crucified and his bloude But I say to thee except thy eye be fixt on the bloud of Iesus Christ when thou fairest thou art safe thou liest falslie Therefore looke euer to Christ deying and sheding his bloud for thy sin Another thing I see There is no lyfe but through death he hes died for vs that we should liue throgh him to learne men and wemen not to count so much of death and to scare at it for I tell thee this generall will stand No lyfe but through death it springes out thereof as thou seest the stalk of the corne ryse out of the dead pickle So except thy lyfe spring through death it is not possible to thee to liue For first death is the price of it not thy death but the death of Christ for he hes gotten lyfe by his death Then after Christ hes purchased lyfe to vs yet the way whereby we must enter to lyfe is by the way of death Through many troubles behoues it vs to enter into the Kingdom of Heauen Act. 14. verse 20. for straite is the way to Heauen thou must be drawen as it were through Hell ere thou come to Heauen and yet thy suffering and death shall not merite The onely merite standes in Iesus Brethren this lets vs see how hard a thing it is to a sinner falling from lyfe as Adam fell and we all in him to come to lyfe againe Thinke it not an easie matter There must be a death yea two deaths ere euer thou come there O the great suffering Christ hes suffered for vs land againe thou must suffer and die thy selfe ere thou gette lyfe Therefore learne how hard a matter it is to get lyfe Many difficulties interueenes death must enter ere lyfe come which lets vs see what it is to offend God be loath therefore to offend God The godly knowes this how hard a thing it is when they haue offended to get againe the Spirite which they haue extinguished the Lord will not looke on them for a tyme as it were Looke in Dauid after his fall But ô the sweetnesse of mercie after the restorance They who hes tasted in any measure of the sweetnesse of Christ giue them all the pleasures of the worlde they will neuer get contentation vntill they get a sight of Gods â—â—ce againe lost by their sin Dauid would haue giuen his kingdome for it againe when he made the 51. Psalme The Apostle heere saies vvhether ye sleepe or vvake ye shall liue vvith Christ. Then ye see if Christ hes once died for our lyfe we shall liue That is the certainty and ground of our hope that Christ hes died for vs. Then when I feele this nothing can stay lyfe nothing can hinder me to liue with him There is nothing in this world that will hinder thee to liue with him but liue must thou Sleepest thou in thy bed thy sleepe hinders nothing thou liuest in him wakest thou thou art liuing with him liuest thou this lyfe thou art liuing in him art thou dying and drawing thy last breath yet thou art liuing with him what euer thou art doing in the worlde thou art ay liuing eating drinking if thou be one of the godly for whom he hes died thou art liuing with him Yea I dare say more if he haue once died for thee thy sin shall not hinder thee from that lyfe to come Dauids sin his murther and adulterie hindered him not from that life but the Lord turned it so about that he made them worke all to his well All thinges turnes to the best to them who loues the Lord. Albeit thou finde thy sinnes many yet stay not on them nothing shall hinder thee from Christ Yet this should not make thee to take pleasure in sin For if thou loue Christ well thou wilt be loath to offend him Then if we in so many troubles in this life liue with Christ shall we not much more liue with him in that lyfe to come where there shall be no trouble no impediments and in the midst of all these troubles
and prayer and he sayes This is that confidence vve haue in the Lord that if vve aske any thing according to his vvill he vvill heare vs There is confidence in prayer that when we pray we should haue that assurance that God will giue vs these things we seeke not according to our will but according to his owne will It is his will that we should haue these heauenly things through the bloud of Christ And therefore our prayer for them should rise on confidence that God will grant them for Christs sake Yet farther I see in this place three thinges joyned together First he exhorts them to a continuance in an holy lyfe to the end Secondly he prayes for the same continuance in holinesse that God would preserue them to the comming of the Lord Iesus Exhortatiō praier and promise conioyned Thirdly there is a sure promise made to them of that same thing he prayed for that God would perfite his worke in them and neuer leaue his worke vntill he crowne it and these three continuance in holinesse prayer for it and promise thereof cannot be well seuered It auailes not to stand vp and exhort to any good thing except the exhorter pray to God that it would please him to grant them that grace he hes exhorted them to the man that cannot pray for that grace he hes exhorted them to he is not meete to exhort Then againe prayer without promise auailes little A man who hes not assurance in his hart to promise grace from the hands of God vnto any people or person is not meete to pray for any people or person He to whom the Lord hes not giuen that grace in hart to promise with assurance he is not meete to pray for pithie prayer must ryse on some confidence in the hart To be short In a Pastor these three must goe together He must be a man that is meete to exhort that hes a grace to pray and an accesse to God and last he must haue an assurance in his hart of that grace of God so that he dar be bold to promise to them that grace he exhortes them to and craues at God And that which I speake of a Pastor I speake of all men For all should be exhorters and euery one teachers of their brethren and so euery one should see if they haue these graces to exhort to stir them vp to godlinesse to pray for them and to promise to them grace with assurance Now to goe forward He sets not downe his promise simply and barely the Lord will doe it but he layes downe the ground and foundation where-vpon he builds his promise vvhich 〈◊〉 their effectuall and inward calling He is faithfull that he◠called you So the ground of this promise is their inward and effectuall calling By this calling I vnderstand no other thing but an inward declaration of the eternall will of God in the hart of any man concerning his saluation 2. sorts of calling To speake the trueth this calling of a man by the word is nothing but a reuealing inwardly in his hart that election and choising of God that was from all eternitie He calles him when he reueales that eternall election to him and assures him that he hes chosen him before al eternity There is another calling when the word soundes in the care without perswasion of the calling in the hart This is an outward calling Many are called this way but few gets this inward calling in their hart to saluation Then this is the meaning of the Apostle as if he had said to them if ye be called Thessalonians if ye find the Lord to declare inwardly to your hart his eternall will in your election I dare be bolde to promise that that God who hes made that declaration in your hart shall neuer leaue you vntill he persite his worke and put you in Heauen This ground standes sure that God shall neuer leaue you who hes gotten the assurance of election vntill he crowne his worke in you There are the wordes shortly Then marke brethren The promise that one can make to another that God will not leaue them to the end it must not be spoken absolutely but it must be conditionall The condition is of thy effectuall calling This condition holding sure that thou art effectually and inwardly called to life surely the promise may be made to thee with assurance God wil neuer leaue thee to the end And I or any man vpon this condition may boldly make you this same promise that Paul made to the Thessalonians and I may say to you this ground holding that ye are called inwardly and that ye haue receiued an inward declaration as it were out of the mouth of God of your election in Christ I may promise you that God shall neuer leaue you vntill he crown his worke Then if it be so who euer would haue comfort of the promise of God made in Christ when lyfe is promised perseuerance is promised the crowne of glorie is promised who wold haue comfort in these promises let him go to the ground looke if thou findst in thy hart thy inward calling looke if God by his Spirit inwardly assures thee that thou shalt haue lyfes if thou findst it assure thee the promise perteines to thee but if thou finde it not spoken inwardly by God to thee thou hast no warrand that the promise of grace perteins to thee thinke neuer thou wilt be crowned and that he shall perfite his worke in thee seeing he neuer began to worke in thee God will neuer perfite the worke he neuer began Therefore euerie one of vs should take heed when we read or heare the promises of God in the Scripture if we haue this ground or not if I finde I haue the ground I may fullie assure me there is no promise but it is made to me but if I see not the ground no promise perteines to me Then on this marke further Gods fashion of doing This is his maner of doing Gods calling vnchāgable First he calles that is to say he lettes men and women vnderstand by faith inwardly that he and she is one whom he hes taine purpose from all eternitie to saue There is the beginning Then he goes forward and neuer leaues them vntill he persite his worke in them No if he beginne once with them and giue them assurance that they are inwardly called the gates of Hel will neuer preuaile against them albeit they be in Hell at that same tyme of their calling they shall end in Heauen he will draw them through Hell to Heauen through death to lyfe all the world shall not alter his purpose If he begin once he will end Therefore to the Philipp 1. chap. 6. verse he sayes I am persvvaded that he that hes begunne the good vvorke in you he vvill perfite it to the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ I am perswaded there is neuer one with whom he beginnes the worke of their
judges is oft-tymes so blinded that he sees not the thing that is just for he will take vp the thing that is vnjust to be just and the thing that is just to be vnjust Then againe supponing by the light of the minde he see the thing that is just yet there is such a peruersnesse in his will and affection that in spyte of the light of the mynde he will peruert justice that thing he knowes to be just he will call it vnjust And the thing he knowes to be vnjust he will call it just But it is not so with God for first he by that infinite judgement in him sees that thing that is just to be just nothing can begyle him at the verie first looke he vvill knovve that vvhich is just And then againe vvhen he sees it to be just there is such an vprightnesse in him that he vvill decerne it to be just Then brethren it is vvell vvith vs that our lyfe and death dependes not on men vpon their judgement their speaking it is vvell vvith vs that our saluation and condemnation depends not on their blind and corrupt affection but on him that sees euery thing as it is and judges justlie There is the ground of our saluation Novv to goe forvvarde The effect of his justice vvhat is it The just Iudge sitting in his judgement seate he renders to euerie man their ovvne his justice standes in distribution He renders to the troublers by the saw called Lex talionis euen such thing as they did to wit trouble But to the godly he giues rest joy and comfort for euer What should he render to the afflicters but affliction To the troublers but tribulation againe So what euer man does he gettes the lyke repayed to him againe in his hand God readers infinite trouble to the afflicters of the godlie afflictes he he shall be afflicted trouble he he shall be troubled if all the world had said the contrare Indeed it is true brethren the affliction that he receiues albeit it be alyke in qualitie for affliction is euer like affliction yet looke to the quantitie of that trouble the troublers shall receyue It is incomparable in quantitie for in quantitie it shall be infinite All that which they may do to the godly is but finit and hes and end But that affliction where-with they shall be repayed home againe is infinite And therefore read the Rom. chap. 2. vers 8. 9. where Paul telles of that rendring alike at that great day he cannot get words sufficiently to expresse their affliction They shall get indignation then wraith they shall be opprest with tribulation anguish and shall be casten in the presse of affliction Whereto should we speake of this Can any words expresse it No all the words of the Angels of Heauen and men in the earth cannot expresse the affliction they shall be afflicted with in that day Indeed the afflictions the godly sustaines here may be suffered but the affliction the wicked shall suffer at that day shal be intolerable Now ye may say how can this stand with Gods justice to repay a thing infinite for a finite thing to render infinite affliction for finite affliction to render the paines of Hell for a short temporall paine I answer God in repaying wrong to them that hes done wrong lookes not so much to the wrong that one man does to another as to the wrong done to his owne Majesty that is infinite Thou oppressest thy neighbour thou troublest a brother The Lord when he commes to judge he looks not so much to the wrong thou hast done to thy neighbour or to thy brother as to the wrong done to himselfe He respects the wrong done to him who is infinite and therefore thou shalt be repayed with an infinite paine This is Gods justice Then againe Neuer a man that did wrong and that hes tane pleasure to do wrong did euer the wrong nor was able to doe so great wrong as he would haue done if he had gotten his will fulfilled in doing wrong there would neuer be an end of his wrong If the trouber had his vvill in troubling no end of his trouble If the murtherer had his vvill in murthering his bloodie svvord vvould neuer be put vp but he vvould euer be murthering he vvould be euer oppressing And therefore God in his judgment lookes not so much to the thing thou doest to the stroke of thy hand to the word of thy mouth as he looks to the thoght and will of thy mynde It hes no end of euill The Lord for thy endlesse euill vvill in hart vvill render thee an endlesse paine This much for the first rendering The second rendring is the rendring to the godly according to Gods justice What renders God to the godly Not as he did to the wicked affliction for affliction trouble for trouble but by the contrare vvhere they vvere afflicted lying tread dovvne in the presse of affliction then the Lord shall louse their bondes and take the oppressours and vvrap them in the same bondes and tread them vnder his feete So the second sort of rendering God renders infinite glory to the godly afflicted is rendering not alyke to alyke but a thing that is vnlyke rendering to the afflicted relaxation for euer Brethren there is no comparison betvveene the afflictions of the godlie and that vvhich the Lord shall render to them for their affliction That vvhich the godlie suffers is but a meane and small thing It is not vvorthie to be spoken of to be rent on the Raoks to be burnt quick for the name of Iesus is not vvorthie to be spoken of in respect of that wonderfull glorie we shall possesse The Apostle in that second chap. to the Romans 10. verse cannot get words to expresse their glory which they shall enjoy at that latter day Honour and glory that passes all the ignominie that can be in the world a thousand stages immortalitie thou shalt neuer die againe lyfe and lyfe that is without end peace and joy euerlasting There is no comparison In the 2. Corinth chap. 4. verse 17. Paul calles the afflictions of the godlie the momentaneall lightnesse of affliction they are first light then their afflictions lastes but for a moment Yet sayes he they shall vvorke to you an euerlasting vveight of glorie and glorie that is excellentlie excellent he cannot get vvordes to expresse it The glorie is in quantitie a vveight in tyme it is euerlasting in dignitie it is excellentlie excellent Whereto shall I speake it All the tongues that is in Heauen and earth is not able to expresse that glorie as it is vvorthie to be spoken of For in the 1. Epist to the Corinth chap. 2. verse 7. it is said These thinges hes not entered in the hart of man that the Lord hes prepared for them that loue him And who are they if not they who suffers for him This much for the rendring both to the one and the
other according to the just nature of God Now in the end he addes to this word vvith vs. He shall render relaxation to you and to me also I am troubled as you are And therefore I hope for the same deliuerance and relaxation that I promise to you Promise nothing to the people but the thing thou thinkest to get a parte of thy selfe Promise no resurrection except thou thinkest to get a parte thereof But the thing I marke is this I see all grace and glorie is in a societie vvith the Saintes resurrection lyfe euerlasting is vvith the godlie For as there is a communion vvith the Saintes in afflictiones 1. Peter chap. 5. verse 9. so there is a communion with the Saintes in rest in grace and glorie Ephes chap. 3. verse 14. 1. Thessa chap. 3. verse 13. And this thing we may take vp euer in this Apostle he speakes of no grace but euer together vvith the Saintes all is in one conjunction Let none therefore prease to come to Heauen but in this conjunction Thou wilt leape from the Church but I assure thee leape as thou wilt and think to come to Heauen without that societie thou shalt neuer come to Heauen thou shalt neuer get relaxation but in this society Thinke it no small matter to be of the number of the godly thou shalt neuer be glorified in that latter day if thou be not one of that nomber Then marke another thing He sayes they shall get relaxation with him Then it followes that he was afflicted with them Who gettes rest but they who are troubled Who will come to Heauen None but they who for Christs sake on the earth hes suffered some affliction either within or without No look not that a man will come sleeping to Heauen Heauen is a relaxation out of bondes who can be lowsed but they who haue â—ene bound This may learne vs to take in patience to be bound to be euill spoken of and to suffer either one thing or other for the hope of that lyfe euerlasting Novv to goe forvvarde in the text follovving ye haue a short but a pithie description of the Lord Iesus comming to judgement to render and repay When shall this rendring be When shall affliction be rendered to the afflicters and relaxation to the bound and troubled When our Lord Iesus Christ shall come to iudge the vvorld Not till then There is the dyet nothing but patience vntill then Thou art ouer sudden Thou would haue the Lord rendering to thee rest and to thy enemie trouble at the first moment Thou would haue him to put thee in Heauen at the first hand and thy enemies in Hell at an instant No byde till the tyme of the manifestation come Tyme of rendring Then the tyme of rendering is the tyme of manifestation of light it is the day of light of such a light as was neuer in the world for while Christ come all is hid Heauen is hid Hell is hid Right is hid wrong is hid damnation is hid saluation is hid lyfe hid death hid godlie men is hid reprobate men hid all hid till Christ come to judgment 1. Iohn chap 3. verse 2. When Christ shall come he shall be first reuealed from Heauen an infinite light shall come from Heauen accompanying that glorious Majestie Then Hell shall be seene Heauen shall be seene faire and broad lyfe shall be seene death shall be seene all shall appeare then as they are So byde still a whyle and byde in patience thou who would haue relaxation and thy bondes shall be loused in patience byde till that tyme. Thou that would see afflicters afflictedâ—ly still in patience for in that moment when thou shal see the Lord comming from Heauen thou shalt see an end of all these thinges such rendring as euer thou would haue desyred So nothing but patience Now marke the style the Lord gettes in this reuelation and comming He is called The Lord A style of glorie a name of power So the Lord in his comming and manifestation shall be manifested lyke a Lord and in a surpassing power ouer quick and dead Rom. chap. 14. verse 9. He died and rose againe that he might be Lord both of the quick and the dead Then againe he is called Iesus that is a Sauiour as he shall be manifested at that day as a Lord so shall he be manifested as a sweete Sauior Iesus to the just and godly of this world So then his appearance shall be as a Lord and Sauior to the comfort of his elect and as a Lord in power to the destruction of the wicked Now to goe forward I shall not be â—urâ—ous but shall open onely the wordes The Lords comming and reuealing himselfe as Lord and as Iesus the Sauior is descriued and set out in an high glorie Christ shal come froÌ„ heauen His reuelation shall first be from the Heauen That word Heauen is not put in lightly He is reuealled not from the earth or from any low part No Monarchs that euer reuealled themselues in the world came downe yet from Heauen The Lords reuelation when he shall show himselfe to the world shal be from the Heauen The Heauen now is a vaile casten in betweene our eyes and the Lord. So that we cannot see him but at that day the Lord of glorie shall break downe throâ—gh the vaile and come down to the aire to be seene by vs. Now if ye wil aske what an Heauen this is Paul 4. chap. to the Ephes vers 9. 10. saies he was caried to an heauen aboue aâ— theâ—e heauens which we see And therefore these Heauens from the which the Lord shal appeare is a place aboue He shall break throgh all these Heauens while he offer himself to be seene in the clouds Then this comming from Heauen lets vs see he shall come to his in glory The greater glorie the greater comfort to vs the greater discomfort to the wicked the greater feare and trembling to the reprobate Take heed to this ye who takes pleasure in sin what feare and terror shall ouertake you in that day So this is the first part Now in the next wordes he is desâ—ryued from his companie that shall conuoy him Angelles shal accoÌ„pany Iesus in his coÌ„ming The Lord in his second comming he shal not come his alone in the first comming he came in the world basely like a poore man accompanied with no glorious traine The Lord was made poore that thou should be made rich the Lord took vpon him igâ—â—miny that thou shold get glory Now in the second comming he shall be gloriously aâ—companied No neuer Monarch was so accompanied when they came to their kingdom as the Lord Iesus shal They shal woÌ„der that he going in his first comming in the world so poorely should haue such glory The first company he shal come with shall be Angels the gloriousest creatures that euer was not one or two but millions of Angels principalities and powers Iude
sayes 14. vers the Lord 〈◊〉 come vvith thoulands of his Sâ—ints And I say as I think there shall not be an Angell in Heauen but all shall come with Iesus And what shall be then habite They shall come like an armie al as it were in aâ—mes Men who are in their armour in their harnes they appeare most glorious to the world So all the Angels shall come as an army armed with power and therefore it is said Angels of his povver terrible to the wicked because they shall be enarmed against them comfortable to the godly for they come for their defence The Angels in their owne nature are strong by their creation potent they are principalities powers by vertue of their own nature But the word would import more They shall not onely be strong with their owne power but they shall come enarmed with the power of Christ with an exceeding and extraordinary kinde of power such a power that they were neuer sene in before in such a majesty as neuer was seene of before and al to the glory of that glorious Lord Iesus who is Lord and judge blessed for euer An earthly king when he is in his greatest glory is but accompanied with selie infirme creatures who hes little strength But the Lord Iesus who is King of kings shall be accompanied at his comming with Angels of such an infinite strength that the deuill and all the world shall not be able to withstand any one of them Now to goe forward the next companie that shall be with him shall be creatures something inferior Not so glorious as the Angels Flaming fyre shall accoÌ„pany Christ. but very glorious a flamming fire a fire with a great flame and therefore fire that shall cast downe from it exceeding great heat and light to the world Ye will aske what fire will this be I will not be curious heerein but I think that that fyre that shall be at that day shall be that same naturall element that the Lord created when he made the rest of the creatures This appeares very vvell of Peter in his second Epistle chap. 3. vers 6. 7. When he sayes the first world was destroyed by vvater and the second vvorld shall be destroyed vvith fyre Certainely as the first vvorld vvas destroyed by a naturall vvater so shall the second vvorld be destroyed by a naturall fyre This fyre shall then appeare in such a glorie quantitie and light as it vvas neuer of before because it is imployed in the seruice of a most glorious Lord. Would ye knovve vvhat shall be the vse of this glorious fyre Read 2. Epist of Peter chap. 3. This fire going before him shall burne first the heauens then it shall come to the elements and melt them all vvith heat It shal next come to the earth and shall burne vp the earth and all the works Would ye know what shall come after There shall be a new heauen and a new earth And so this fire shall serue for the purifying and burning of the drosse of the creatures for all the creatures the Heauen the Earth the Sunne the Moone heâ— drawen on a corruption through our sinnes But is there no other vse of this fire This fire shall also in the Lords justice be a fire to deuoure the aduersaries Heb. chap 10. verse 27 to burne the reprobate for eeuer And therefore vaine man who takes pleasure in thy sinnes let â—he memorie of this flamming fire terrifâ—e thee that in tyme thou may repent Now this much for that glorious companie where-with the Lord Iesus shall be accompanied in that glorious comming Now come to the effects in the next words When he is come from the Heauen accompanied with the glorious Angels and flamming fire certainely he will not come for nothing Kings in the earth may fliâ— their campes for nothing but the King of glorie will not doe so Now the effect in one word is rendering repaying recompencing the judgement is in rendering to euery one his owne due In rendering first he beginnes at the godles and wicked after his comming in such a glorie He shall render the wicked that which is due to them that is vengeance To whom To them that knovv God on this earth 〈◊〉 them that obeyed not the Gospell of the Lord Iesus Marke it The Lord keepe vs from the causes of this rendering There shall be none that knew not God Faith accoÌ„panied vvith a troup of graces and obeyed not the voyce of Christ in the Gospell but vengence shall ouertake them in that glorious appearing of that judge in the world These are the two great â—aultes and sinnes that shall procure in the day of judgement vengence from Iesus Christ Now as there are two thinges that procures this vengence so there are two things that brings life at that great appearance of the Lord Iesus Christ The first is the knowledge of God The next is the knowledge of his Sonne the Lord Iesuâ— Christ Iohâ— chap. 17. verse 3. This is lyfe euerlasting to know thee to be the onely God and whom thou hast 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ knowe these two knowe God knowe Christ in his Gospell 〈◊〉 vengence shall not ouertake thee Then by the plaine contrare There are two grounds and causes of death and damnation The misknowing of God and the 〈…〉 of Iesus heere 〈◊〉 in his Gospell and these two are 〈…〉 gether Then brethren in one word Let not the Iew be bold to say he knowes God when he knowes not his Son all the knowledge a man can haue of God when he knowes not his Sonne is nothing for God the Father cannot be knowne but in his Son Iesus Christ and without the knowledge of God in his Son there is no saluation from judgement The Son is the Image of God and God will be knowne in him Heb. chap. 1. verse 3. He is the brightnesse of his glory and the ingraued forme of his person So that there can be no sight of God but in the face of Christ the man Ioyne these two together know God know the Son know the Son that thou may know the Father for no sight of the Father but in the Son This further wold be marked When he speaks of obedience to Christ He sayes not they that obeyed not the Lord Iesus but he sayes They vvho obeyed not the Gospell of the Lord Iesus This is spoken to the commendation of the Gospell and of the preaching of it and this base ministry which men esteemes so litle of Looke how he rankes this Gospell and the preaching of it with Christ himselfe He counts them that obey the Gospell to obey Christ and he counts them who are rebellious to the Gospell to be rebels to Christ And therefore say I boast as thou wilt of Christ and of the knowledge of him if thou despise this Gospel and this base ministry vengence shall light on thee Thou wilt say thou knowest Christ and in the meane time there wil be nothing in
that will vpset it The lose thou getst by deceite will neuer be vpset all the kings and doctors vnder Heauen will neuer set vp thy lose thou getst by defection Alas what hes that 〈◊〉 win when he hes win all the world and lost his soule by falling away from the trueth Now the Lord let euery man see that there is nothing comparable to this hurt of deceiuing What pleasure can thou haue of all the kingdomes of the world when thou hast a troubled hart and conscience when thou hast an vnquyet soule within thee Therfore as we say It is good to sleepe in a sound skinne Change not a setled minde and pacified hart with all the world and preferre a sound minde inlightned with the knowledge of Christ to all the honours and dignity in the world And because we are so vnstable mynded and so ready to alter that except we be surely anchored on Christ we shall be euer beatten away with euery light wind of false doctrine Therefore we haue to pray that our soules may be anchored by a sure faith on Christ The Lord therefore by his grace anchor our soules on Christ To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour and praise for euer AMEN THE FIFTH LEC TVRE VPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 2. THESSA CHAP. 2. vers 34. for that day shal not come except there come a departing first and that that man of sinne be disclosed euen the sonne of perdition 4 Which is an aduersary and exalteth himselfe against all that is called God or that is vvorshipped so that he doth sit as God in the Temple of God shovving himselfe that he is God WELBELOVED brethren ye haue heard the request the Apostle makes in the beginning of this second chapter to the Thessalonians He requests and adjures them by the comming of the Lord Iesus and by our assembling vnto him at his comming that they suffer not themselues to bee deceyued or put by their mindes troubled in hart and affection especially in this head of doctrine that concernes the comming of the Lord in the latter day and that they should not be deceiued by false teachers who weÌ„t about to deceiue them in this point teaching that the day of the Lord is at hand he shall come incontinent ye shall be found aliue when he shall come This age and generation shall not be past when he shall come This pointe of false doctrine that these false teachers went about to perswade the Thessalonians and so to vnqiuet them held them ay in vexation of sprit and minde looking ay for Christs comming assuring them that he should come ere that presentage should end Now in this text the Apostle enters to a refutation of that false doctrine and he proues that the day of the Lord was not instant that the day of the Lord would not beat such a tyme that it should not fall out in that present age Now marke his reasons If the day of the Lord were instant then there should not bee an vniuersall Apostasie and defection from the faith of the Lord Iesus Christ before the day and comming of the Lord Vniuersal defection must goe before the Lords coÌ„ming For vvhy This Apostasie must craue a large space of tyme. Then he subjoines but so it is before that day shall come there shall be an vniuersall Apostasie and defection from the faith and trueth of Christ Iesus And so hee concludes Therefore it is not so as they say The day of the Lord is not instant and is not so neere hand as they goe about to perswade you Marke his reason The proposition and first part of the argument is not expressed in the text The next parte the assumption is sette dovvne in the text to witte The day of the Lord shall not bee before that an vniuersall defection be first Now before I come to the wordes take vp shortlie this one thing The Thessalonians to whom he wrytes being deceiued thought that incontinent Christ should come and that they should be rest to the Heauen with him and glorified from hand The Apostle to put them out of this consaite tels them ere they and the Church be rest vp to Heauen and glorified there that they shall suffer yet on the earth some trouble there shall be yet a great alteration and vexation in the Church of God Brethren mark it The battell must goe before the victory let none looke for the victory before he fight thou wilt not come sleeping to Heauen Thou must fight on earth ere thou come to glorie and ere thou triumph in Heauen thou must be victorious on earth throgh many tribulations we must enter in the kingdom of heauen This is that which the Apostle teaches the Thessalonians Novv to come to the vvordes of the text and to make this matter plaine we shall insist particularlie on euery word taking vp the meaning of Gods Spirite heere And first â—here occurres this vvord Apostasie which must be before the day of the Lordes comming This Apostasie is nothing but a falling avvay a flyding aback This Apostasie is not a particulare Apostasie or defection of this man or that man onely of any one person or any two or three persons onely But it is an vniuersal defection of multitudes of men and wemen in this world For the word ye see is generallie set downe in the text to be a departure without any restriction It is not said a departing of this man or that man but generallie a departing Therefore the Apostle must meane of a departing and falling away of multitudes and great multitudes Now all the question is what Apostasie meanes the Apostle of I am not ignorant how a great number of the olde Latine fathers in the Church vnderstandes this Apostasie to be meant of the defection of many Nations from the Empyre of Rome It is true indeede the Nations of the world fell away from the Romane Empyre But how well and rightly they vnderstood this Apostasie of that falling away from the Romane Empyre God knowes And it is a wonder that so many learned and quick spirited men should haue erred together in this pointe so long Indeede it is likly that when one of them fel in this error all the rest followed on in troupes without further discretion or judgement But I leaue them What Apostasie is this then that the Apostle meanes of heere I shall tell you It is an vniuersall defection not from an Emperour or earthly King but from the King of Heauen Iesus Christ and from his faith This agrees with the course of this text and with that which followes immediatly of the Antichrist the head of this Apostasie This agrees with the speaking of this same Apostle in sundry other places In the 1. Tim. chap. 4. verse 1. he foretels of this vniuersall defection from the faith The wordes are The spirit speakes euidently that in the latter dayes some shall depart from the faith and
wrought by the Spirit of God thou must liue holilie in his sight and then thou must beleeue thou must haue faith that is throgh the trueth of Iesus Christ or else thou wert neuer chosen If thou hast not faith if thou hast not an holy life no saluation for thee Then shortly in the next verse Hauing spoken of faith he showes how a man commes by faith how he gets it He sayes vnto the vvhich ye are called Faith thou is gotten by calling if a man be not called and cryed on as it were with a shout from Heauen O the dead bodie will not waken for if thou be not cry edon thou wilt not get grace to beleeue if thou be not cried vpon by the cry of God in his word thou shalt neuer get faith for faith is kindled vp by the voice of the Euangell The Lord sayes Iohn 5. 28. 29. The houre shall come and novv iâ— vvhen the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue meaning the dead in sinne So faith rises by a crye and call when he sayes come out of that death thou that sâ—eepest if thou heare thou shalt incontinent arise and beleeue O the power of the voice of God! It is his voice onely that makes the dead soule heare and to beleeue It is not thy free-will that makes thee to answere it is the cry of God onely that kindles vp faith in thee and what meanes vses he to call men by Euen the Gospell of Iesus Christ which is the voice of God For what is the word of God but the voyce of God shouting and crying vpon thee So calling is by a word and voice Now calles he thee by the voyce of the Law No long would thou haue lyeâ— ere thou had answered to the voyce of the Law the more it cry vpon thee thou wiltly the longer dead What is the voice then The sweet voice of the Gospell of Iesus Christ when it is tolde to thee that the Sonne of God is incarnate for thy sake he hes suffered and is risen that thou may get remission of sinnes and life euerlasting in one word the speach of the crosse of a dead man it is the speach that puts life in thee and so no faith without calling and no calling without the voice of the Gospell and no life without the voice of the Gospell Thou shalt neuer see the face of God without thou heare the voice of the Gospell Yet marke He sayes our Gospell that is that I Paul and my fellow laborers ministred Then I aske what is the mouth out of the which the voice of the Gospell sounds and by the which the Lord calles the dead man Euen the mouth of sillie simple men and therefore Paul cals it his Gospel Pauls mouth Peters mouth and the mouth of all the faithfull ministers are the voice of God to the end of the world calling thee to faith and therefore doe they call this Gospell their Gospell The Lord hes so ordeined that without the mouthes of sillie men no voice of God should be heard in the earth Goe to thy chamber read as thou wilt thou shalt nor come to Heauen if thou contemne the mouth of sillie men for without the voice of sillie men that soundes this Gospell there is no voice of God calling thee to faith And therefore without this base ministrie is no saluation for thee I say farther If the mouth of this ministrie whereby the Lord speaks be contemned by thee there is no faith no life appointed for thee God hes so bound himself to this ministrie that if thou contemne this ordinance thou shalt neuer see Heauen He will haue thee safe by a foolish preaching or else thou shalt neuer see heauen Say not might he not send Angels No close thy mouth for by foolish preaching thou shalt be safe and by no other means Mark this ye that contemne the preaching of the word of God out of the mouthes of sillie men Now in the end of the verse he sets downe another end of this calling the first end was faith the other is the participation of the glorie of Heauen in Iesus Christ all is in Christ glorie is in him so thou shalt not get either grace or glorie if thou get not Christ alwaies this is an end both of election and vocation life euerlasting Election is from all eternitie vocation is in tyme and lyfe euerlasting followes as the onely effect and end of both Now the calling beginnes here and what other thing is al our preaching but this come to Iesus Christ the Anchor of your faith and life and this cry holds 〈◊〉 till Christ Iesus come and then he will cry out that last cry Come ye blessed of my Father and inherite the kingdome prepared for you and then the chosen shall enter in the participation of that glorie through Christ that neuer shall end And therefore to this Iesus the Anchor of our life and the caller of vs to life and glory with the Father and holy Spirit we render al praise and honor for now and euermore AMEN THE NINTH LECTVRE VPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 2. THESSA CHAP. 2. vers 15. 16. 17. 15 Therefore brethren â—tand fast keep the instructions vvhich ye haue bene laught either by our vvord or by our Epistle 16 Novv the same Iesus Christ our Lord and our God â—â—en the Father vvhich hath loued vs and hath 〈◊〉 vs euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace 17 Comfort you harts and stablishe you in 〈…〉 and good vvorke AFTER the Apostle heâ— ended that Prophecy of the vniuersall defection from the trueth and faith of Christ Iesus and of the reueiling and manifesting of the Antichrist and his power he doeth three things in the end of this chapter First he comforts the Thessalonians against this Apostaâ—ie and defection assuring them it should not touch them because they were grounded vpon that stable foundation of the eternall election of God of the which they had sure tokens and testimonies the sanctification of the Spirit and faith in the trueth the calling of God to faith and participation of the glory of Iesus Christ Next in the text we have red there are conteined two things The first is 〈◊〉 exhortation to the Thessalonians to stand and perâ—euere to the end The other is a prayer conceiued by the Apostle to God the Father and to the Lord Iesus that it would please them first to comfort the harts of the Thessalonians next to establish them in euery good word and worke Then shortly to come to the text We haue set downe in the first words an exhortation to the Thessalonians that they should standfast But first we shall consider how this exhortation followes on the doctrine passing before Therefore sayes he Then it must be inferred by a consequent vpon the doctrine preceeding The cause of their standing and perseuerance must be in the text preceding
and speaking of it There is another sort when it runnes through the harts of men that is when in her course she is powerfull in the harts to worke a true faith in them working sanctification an altering and changing of the soule and reforming the harts of men and conforming them to the Image of God As concerning the first she gets no glorie nor honor but she is rather stayned by it As to the other she runnes with glory and majestie and she is caried throgh the world like a glorious Queene and is magnified by men and Angels Now among whom is she glorified and among whom is she defamed When she is powerfull in men to sanctification there she is glorified who euer liues holily glorifies the Gospel and when men hes nothing but a bare word of it and liues licentiously and wickedly then the Gospell is defamed and shamed by these men as the Apostle witnesses Rom. 2. 24. out of the 52. of Esay For your sakes sayes he my name is blasphemed among the nations all the day long Then they who liues a life contrare to the Gospell of Iesus they shame the Gospell and therefore in the world to come they shall receiue shame for shaming of the Gospell In the end of the verse he sayes as it is vvith you To moue them to this purpose to pray for him or rather for the Gospell he brings in their own example and experience Thessalonians I wish you not to pray for another thing but that ye haue experimented your selues see whether or not the Gospell be glorified among you yea it is glorified Ye are not bare professors of it then are ye not bound to pray the Lord to communicate to other that grace that is bestowed on you So they who findes the Gospell glorified in themselues and findes her powerfull in their harts to a sanctified lyfe are bound to wish and craue this blessing to euery soule if it were possible Wherefore shall I haue a grace if I pray not to God to communicate that grace to another Wherefore should I enter in Heauen and not put out my hand to helpe others to that kingdome if it be possible Wherefore should I not pray thy kingdome come which is nothing in effect but Lord open Heauen to thy people and let many enter in that thou may be glorified And it is most certaine that col if a man haue entered himselfe in Heauen he will not inuy to haue others with him but he will stryue to make rowme if it were to all the world that they may enter in He will not be like the Pharisies that will not enter in Heauen themselues neither yet will let others enter in it A man that is once in the light he would haue all in the light As a man that is in darknesse would haue all in darknesse with him Now in the next verse he desires them to pray for his owne person and for the rest of his fellow-laborers that they may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men Marke something before we enter in the words Ye see the next care is of himselfe that he may be fred from his enemies The thing that man shold care for next after the Gospell that worthy thing should be the person of the men that caries this Gospell before the world for when she runnes she is borne vp in the harts and mouthes of men so next her selfe there should be a special care had of them that beares that glorious Queene that they that sees her may be safe Next that Heauenly treasure the Gospell that is the vnsearchable riches of Iesus Christ care I say should be had of the laime vessell wherein it is contained 2. Cor. 4. 7. A man is but a laime vessell wherein the Lord puts so rich a treasure But wherefore should there be a care of him Euen for the treasures sake for that pretious things sake The person himselfe or the Minister is bound to care for his owne person in respect of the treasure And the people to whom he distributes so pretious a treasure is bound as euer any man was bound to any thing to haue a speciall care of the person of the Pastor for the treasures sake for if he haue this treasure they will get more good of him nor he will get by any benefite in this world that they can bestow on him God himselfe for his treasures sake ere he suffer the vessell to be broken Mark the great care God hes of his pastors he will mingle Heauen and earth together and stupifie the world with wonders and by wonders he will worke the deliuery of the man in whom he hes put his treasure so long as he hes adoe with him for the dispersing and distributing of his treasure for the saluation of men Heauen and earth shall goe together ere that man perish Was not Peter casten in a strate prison were there not watches within and watches without was not the doore locked was he not in irons Act. 12. and yet in the night an Angell is sent from Heauen and he commes in the house with an exceeding light and calles vpon Peter and bids him rise he shakes off his fetters the doores are made open and all without doing of any man the watches perceiues not Peter escapes Wherefore does he this Peter vvas a vessell in the which the Lord had his treasure This vessell was not yet emptied of the treasure The Lords worke was yet in Peters hand but as soone as Peter had finished his worke he suffered him to die without much adoe so did he with Paul for albeit oft-tymes before wonderfully he deliuered him yet when he hes done his worke with him the Lord let him goe his way and suffer without any miracle So long as the Lord hes ought adoe with any man all the world shall not be able to to beat him off his seete he hes such a care of him Now to end this I dare say and affirme they that hes no care of the persons of men whom the Lord vses to be his mouth to preach this his Gospell that they had neuer care of the Gospell it selfe If thou hast no care of the preacher praise the Gospell as thou wilt thou art an enemy to the Gospell He that would breake the vessell he would scatter all the riches of Iesus Christ that is in that vessell that is he would make a lose of the glorious riches of the Gospell Therefore vvhen ye haue adoe vvith this base ministrie it is not vvith men that ye haue to doe but vvith the treasures of Heauen and vnsearchable riches of God Lord if men novv vvould once consider this Now to the words Pray for me sayes he and my fellow-laborers And wherefore that we may be deliuered in our owne person was he in any danger at this tyme wherefore he craues their prayer Appearandly he was in his journey towards Ierusalem and so he was to go among as