God and the Sonne another then in very deede faith in the one would prejudge the other for why faith in the heart cannot leane on two things or vpon two Gods or three So that we note here that faith must bee on one thing only if thou wilt put thy trust in any thing in this worlde on riches or honour c. it shall passe thy power to belieue in God if thou make many Gods it shall passe thy power to put thy trust in them all and it were no more but this that faith must be grounded on one only it is a sufficient argument to beare thee witnesse that there is but one God in substance the Father Sonne and holy Ghost So it is no prejudice to the Father that wee belieue in the Sonne yea I say more there is no fayth in the Father but thorowe the Sonne And if thy fayth reach not thorow the Sonne and thorow the nature of man in him it shall passe thy power to belieue in the Father for God dwelleth in a light without accesse no creature can come there no not the Angels without the Sonne there is no sight of that Majestie but in the Sonne the LORD IESVS Men trowes the Iewes trowes to get a sight of that Father and to pierce the cloudes without the Sonne No there is no sight of him without Christ Iesus and him crucified for in him only shineth the glorie justice mercy and power of his Father because he is the Image of the Father and the in-grauen forme of his person So wouldest thou belieue in God thou must passe thorow the Sonne to the Father This is the trueth search and see if it can bee possible to thee to get any grip of God or if thou canst get any joy without Iesus No thou canst not but when thou apprehendest Iesus Christ thou piercest in to that light and tastest of that joye This is the way to belieue in God The next argument he vseth to comfort them when hee should depart is this Jn my Fathers House are many dwelling places if it were not so I would haue tolde you I would not lie to you and now saith he I goe to prepare a place for you As though the Lord would say Be not troubled at my departure for why my departure is for your weale my departure is to prepare a place in Heauen for you and if I go not before you ye can haue no place there intill There was neuer yet since the beginning of the world and since the fall of Adam man or woman that euer entered into Heauen or shall enter there and get a place there but by the vertue of the Ascension of Iesus Christ The Fathers Adam Abraham Isaac and Iaakob neuer one of them entered into Heauen but by vertue of his Ascension and neuer one shall enter at that great day but by vertue of his Ascension Looke how we should belieue that Article of our Creede the Ascension of the Lord Iesus Before the Lord Iesus came into the world in the nature of man all the Fathers that liued before him from the beginning of the worlde after they departed this life came to Heauen onely by vertue of the Ascension of Christ It is true their soules went to Heauen immediately the soules of Abraham Isaac and Iaakob went to Heauen immediatlie But how By the vertue of Iesus Christ that was to come in the flesh and by the vertue of his Ascension that was to come What euer the good they got they got it all thorow him that was to come their soules went vp to the Heauen by fayth in him that was to come As for vs who liue now in this worlde after his manifestation neuer one of vs goeth to Heauen or seeth him or getteth any place in Heauen but by vertue of his glorious Ascension past already as the Fathers got entry into Heauen by vertue of his Ascension to come What euer grace hath bene and what euer shall come into the world all hath bene thorow Iesus Christ There is a difference here to be vnderstood betwixt the measure of grace the Fathers got before the Ascension and the grace wee get now since the manifestation of Iesus Christ Wee haue a great vantage of these Fathers all the grace they got was by vertue of Christ to come but wee get grace by vertue of Christ already come The vertue of him before his comming was not so great as it was at his comming and after he passed vp to Heauen Why should wee haue such a benefite and not knowe it Albeit the soules of mea went vp to Heauen before his comming yet not so many as nowe goe since hee came and since hee hath taken place in Heauen himselfe before there were but few got entry into Heauen there was but a little doore of Heauen open the great multitude got not entry there Therefore the Apostle Hebr. 9.8 saieth So long as that olde Tabernacle stoode the waye to the Sanctuary was not open But nowe what grace what mercy is showne to vs that are borne since the comming of Christ if wee get a sight of him But woe to vs if we belieue not The vertue of his comming into the world hath a thousand times greater force to open Heauen than of before Nowe all the yates of Heauen since hee ascended stand wide open and so the Lord saith Violence is come to the Heauen and it is violently reaft vp Matth. 11.12 As hee would say Whereas few entered into the Heauen before nowe they rush in since the Lord Iesus is come and the yates shall stand vp aye and till the multitude of soules and bodies shall enter in Seeing wee haue this grace therefore miserable is the man who would not enter in when the yates are open and patent to let him in and well is that soule that will enter there But yee will say Why is there not entry into Heauen but by the vertue of Iesus Christ I thinke ye would know the reason of this There is none that can enter into Heauen but with an offering of blood Heauen is won by blood It is vnpossible for a sinner to enter into Heauen but by a Sacrifice So there is no remission of sinne but by shedding of blood Hebr. 9.22 The hight Priest of olde who was a Type of Christ durst not enter into the earthly Sanctuary which was a figure of Heauen where the glorious Arke was but with a Sacrifice with an offering and blood otherwise he would haue bene striken to death This meaned there is none entry to the Heauen to that Sanctuary which is not made with mens handes but by the Sonne of God himselfe and by his blood and sacrifice And why Because the wrath of God is against sinners that wrath cannot bee satisfied but by blood his mercy cannot prejudge his justice This ground being laid The Lord Iesus entereth into Heauen by blood hee entereth not there without a Sacrifice hee taketh the
he must gripe vs first all thinges begin at him and his affection is to vs first ere we loue him hee loueth vs and because he imbraceth vs so friendly with his loue therefore wee loue him and the sense of the loue of God in Iesus Christ were not in vs first wrought wee would neuer loue him Euen so is it in that conjunction if he neuer conjoyned himselfe with vs first we would neuer gripe him Paul to the Philippians Chap. 3. Vers 12. he striueth to get a gripe of him by whom he was first griped And this should bee our strife To striue euer to gripe Christ and if this bee not thy strife miserable shall bee thine ende as it is in that conjunction so it is in the perseuerance No man can perseuer in that loue and in that fayth except it please the Lord to abide with vs by his Spirit In one worde all grace beginneth at Christ and if we haue any grace all floweth from him Our Lesson is When we heare the Lord exhorting vs after this manner Abide in mee and I in you answere Abide in mee Lord and I shall abide in thee Lord except thou abide in me I will fall and such like when the Lord sayeth Belieue in me say Lord take a gripe of mee by thy Spirit first So when it is said Loue mee answere Lord loue thou mee first for the loue I haue to thee floweth from the loue thou hast to me Now wee come to the reasons the Lord vseth to moue his Disciples to abide in that vnion with him The first argument hee vseth is from good works and a sanctified life and this is the argument Except yee abide in that vnion with me there cannot bee such a thing that any of you can bring foorth fruit Therefore as thou wouldest liue an holy life abide in me and sticke fast by me He declareth this b◠a comparison Except the branch abide in the Vine tree it can bring foorth no fruit So except yee be ingraffed in me and abide in me the true Vine tree no more can yee produce good works Marke it this reason craueth a consideration of an higher ground the ground is this There is a necessitie laide vpon euerie man and woman in the worlde to liue an holie life as euer they would see the face of God Nowe this necessitie being laide come to the reason But so it is No man can liue an holie life except he abide in Christ Therfore as euer any man wold taste of life let him striue to bee in Christ and neuer let Christ depart from him not a foot breade Ye see in this reason the way to strait any man to belieue in Iesus Christ first thou who wouldest belieue in Christ hast a necessity laid on thee that thou leade an holy life thou must be changed thou must haue a new life otherwayes take thee thy doome thou shalt neuer see the face of God I pronoūce in the Name of the great God that if thou liue not an holy life in some measure thou shalt neuer see the face of God The Lord saith to Nicodemus Ioh. 3. Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the Kingdome of God The next ground Without Christ Iesus there is no power to doe good without him thou canst not think a good thought without him thou art but a drie sticke without anie sappe Then I aske how can the Papistes who affirme that we haue free-will naturallie to doe good how can they I say perswade a man to belieue in Christ They deceiue the worlde Can this bee a good doctrine No I pronounce in the Name of the great God of Heauen Except a man denude himselfe of nature except hee stand vp naked and say Lord there is no power in me to anie good whatsoeuer hee shall neuer get Christ Except wee bee perswaded that without Christ we can doe nothing and that wee are but drie stickes the soule shall neuer cleaue till him But when the soule shall heare and knowe this then it shall runne with griedinesse to gripe him This for the first argument The next argument taken from good workes is in these words in the next verse I am the Vine tree and yee are the branches And if ye abide in mee yee will bring out much fruite They might aske Is it not possible to bring foorth fruite without thee Hee answereth Without mee yee can doe nothing The argument If ye abide in mee yee shall bring out much fruite Not onelie fruit but much fruite The longer a man bee in Christ the holier hee is Take vp another ground of fayth and an alluring argument to drawe the heart to Iesus Christ this is the ground That if a man would belieue in him they should not onelie be holie and leade an holie life but growe in holinesse This ground differeth from the other the former straiteth the soule as for this it is not a binding argument but a secret alluring argumēt If thou shalt belieue in Christ thou shalt abound in holinesse Whom moueth this Only those who see themselues withered and faine would haue that sappe of life in Iesus Christ Tell the soule who seeth the owne misery that and if it bee in Christ it shall liue and will get the sappe of life it will rejoyce it will not moue them who delite in a filthie and polluted life Marke our nature for the Lord knoweth it well and according to it he setteth down arguments in order there is not one but ere they come to Christ they must be straited and necessitie laid vpon their backe otherwayes we wil neuer seek to Christ because we are stubborn by nature That necessitie that was laid vpon Nicodemus must be told to vs all there is neuer one of vs but wee are straited with the same straite and when wee are straited this way except wee bee obstinate wee will run to Christ Next it is not enough to boast a man if there bee but boasting onelie there will bee no beliefe The Lord knewe this well and therefore hee subjoyneth to this a faire alluring argument Wee must not begin with faire words but we must strait men as they would liue to belieue in Christ and then come on with sweete promises If the Lord moue vs not with faire promises wee will bee obstinate for euer Surelie when a man seeth hee must doe such a thing and if hee doe it hee will get such a rewarde that hee shall bee filled with sappe to bring foorth an holie life well will hee say I see not onlie a necesitie to belieue but I see also that if I doe it I shall b◠made a fruitfull branch whereas I was but a rotten sticke to be casten into the fire and then he wil say to his soule My soule belieue in Christ and sticke vpon him and thou shalt see a blessed end Now another thing I gather I see heere hee counteth much of good works which he calleth fruits
he moueth them to belieue from this argumeÌ„t of good works The end of faith is a sanctified life and the end of that vnion with Christ is good works As the grace of God in Christ is to make a regenerate man and of a dead sticke to make a liuelie branch and Christ came into the worlde to repare that lost image of God in man the ende of election is to liue an holy life Ephes Chap. 14. The ende of our vocation of our justification is to liue an holie life To Titus Chap. 2. vers 11.12 The grace of GOD that bringeth saluation to all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that vvee shoulde denie vngodlinesse and vvorldlie lustes and that vvee shoulde liue soberlie righteouslie and godlily in this present world There is the whole end of the grace of God and of the Gospel So if a man haue not good works in some measure he felt neuer the grace of Christ the grace of God may shine in their faces but not in their hearts Now followeth the third argument Except a man abide in me first hee shall bee taken and casten out out of the Vineyarde and next as it were an vnfruiâ—full branch hee shall wither then when it is withered wherefore serueth it Shall it be imped againe No but it shall bee casten into the fire The fire of Hell is for them who will not come to Christ A man goeth not to Hell at once but by degrees Hee who hath not adoe with Christ hee is casten out of the Kirke that is the societie of the Lords Elect that is the true and inuisible Kirke howbeit for a season they remaine in the visible Kirke outwardly Another degree Being out of that societie hee withereth and the last degree he is casten into the fire If faire offers will not moue a man to belieue in Christ Iesus then let the fire of Hell moue him If thou wilt not belieue for faire promises thou shalt see nothing but horrible judgement and as the Apostle speaketh to the Hebrewes an vnquenchable fire Tell a man nowe of beliefe in Christ and of a sanctified life if they will belieue in him it will not moue them because their delite is in murther filthinesse and adulterie Then I tell thee in the Name of the great God thou who art not moued with these promises the fire of Hell abideth thee tell them this Indeede it is true the godliest man that liueth hath euer need to be holden in Christ by a flame of fire we are so inclined to infidelitie Knowing sayth the Apostle of himselfe 2. Corinth Chap. 5. the terriblenesse of the Lord wee bring men to Christ that is to say Wee doe our duetie in our calling And if hee had neede to bee holden in awe much more had wee The godlie who haue a wakened conscience will finde this as soone as they beginne to fall away a flame of fire striketh vpon them for without Christ there is nothing but fire and the wrath of God seaseth vpon the necke of the sinner and neuer leaueth him till it bring him to destruction and shoote him into the fire of Hell Indeede men and women will bee out of Christ where there is one who belieueth there are ten who belieue not and it is a rare thing truelie to belieue in Christ Some there bee who denie Christ altogether and some who are prophane hypocrites and yet the very infidels will finde rest into this worlde and who will bee so wanton as they the greatest infidels the wantonnest But thinke not howbeit they bee at rest that the wrath of God leaueth them No the wrath of God is most vpon them when they are least sensible of it and perceiue it least for the wrath of God striketh first the heart with a deafnes stupidity and next followes the bitterest dririest wakening that euer was When the wicked cries peace then that judgement comes on suddenly as the pains on a woman trauelling in birth and then driery sorowfull shall that wakening be Now to end take vp here the way to Hell and that step by step The first step of all misery is infidelity when a man is without Christ and hath no part with him So when one departeth from Christ either to the one hand or to the other he is in a step to Hell The second fra he fall away from Christ he is taken and flung ouer the Dike as hauing no society with the members of Christ I vnderstand the number of his secret ones if the Lord in the Heauen excommunicate him The third degree Once casten ouer the Dike then they begin to wither and drie vp and all grace goeth away There is no grace no mercy no life but to them who are in that blessed society Last wherefore serue they when they are rotten and drie In that great day they are gathered together and casten into the fire of Hell If any man would eschew the last degree to Hell thinke not Hell a Bogill for it is the sorest burning in the world beware of the first degree beware thou neuer swerue from Iesus Christ in any step but striue to bind thy selfe in that vnion When thou risest in the morning looke that hee be with thee and thou with him and so when thou liest downe at euen looke euer thou bee in Christ and if thou finde the heart sweruing from him and coldnesse to grow in it and thee to growe slacke striue euer to claime till him againe and say Lord holde mine heart still that I decline not an ihtch from thee Therefore striue euer to holde thee with Christ and let not thy heart be blyth except thou feele him againe in thy soule and euer grow in holinesse be exercising thee this way and thou shalt find in stead of feare an infinit joy in Christ And I promise to you if ye will belieue in Christ the joyfullest end that euer was Only belieue and seeing it standeth in no mans handes to belieue say to the Lord in your hearts Lord worke thou that fayth in vs for Christes sake To whom with the Father and the Spirit of Trueth be all praise honour and glory for euermore AMEN THE TENTH LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. XV. VERS 7.8.9.10.11.12.13.14 7 If yee abide in mee and my wordes abide in you aske what yee will and it shall bee done to you 8 Heerein is my Father glorified that yee beare much fruite and bee made my Disciples 9 As the Father hath loued mee so haue J loued you continue in that my loue 10 If yee shall keepe my Commaundementes yee shall abide in my loue as I haue kept my Fathers Commaundementes and abide in his loue 11 These thinges haue J spoken vnto you that my joye might remaine in you and that your joye might bee full 12 This is my Commaundement That yee loue one another as I haue loued you 13 Greater loue than this hath no man when anie man bestoweth
liâ—e and in the life to come for all this preaching and hearing of the Gospel of Iesus Christ is not for nothing and the Lord neuer calleth man nor woman by the preaching of the Gospel for nothing by calling he vttereth that he wil keepe them as this day if hee call on you inwardly by his Spirit hee vttereth that he will keepe and saue you both in this life and in the life to come So that when one findeth that the Lord calleth them and offereth this Gospel vnto them they may conceiue an hope into their heart that the Lord will saue them Why Because the Lord is calling on them by his word This is a token say thou that hee will keepe mee in this life and in the life to come And if Brethren any that is called in this life man or woman attaine not to saluation and that the Lord keepe them not the fault is in themselues because when the Lord called on them they would not answere No not one of you wee saye shall perishe for fault of preaching but because ye made your selues vnworthie when the Lord cried yee would not heare him Ingrate and foolish soule thou shalt perishe because thou wouldest not obeye the Lord so fairelie and gentlie calling on thee But if when thou art called to life by the preaching of the Gospel wilt say Lord I am here if the heart will resound and say Lord I am here if thou wilt answere that is belieue the word preached and bee ready to obey the same that is as sure an angument that the Lord will saue thee euerlastinglie as euer was in the world Now to goe forward to the rest of the arguments I haue sayth he manifested thy Name to thesâ— men whom thou gauest mee being chosen out of the worlde There is the second reason Father thou hast chosen them for thy selfe from all eternitie therefore good reason is it that thou shouldest keepe them Why should hee not keepe his owne Elect. Well then if the Lord vse this argument to the Father to moue him to keepe and saue his Disciples nowe certainly that person that seeth himselfe one of the chosen and elect of God to that life from all eternitie that person who findeth in his heart that he is one of that number hath a sure and infallible warrand that that God who hath chosen him shall warrand him Seeke aye to know your election for if ye be sure of your election ye haue a sâ—ale of your eternall saluation It is vnpossible that a man or woman who is chosen to life can perishe and that hee whose name is once written vp in the decree of God should be lost Ye may aske at mee Seeing it is vnpossible that the Chosen from all eternitie can perish or be lost wherefore then prayeth the Sonne to the Father that hee should keepe his Disciples chosen to life from all eternitie if of necessitie the Chosen must liue though all the world had sworne it wherefore is it then that the Sonne prayeth the Father so earnestly to keepe those who were chosen what neede had hee to pray for them seeing the Chosen must be saued The answere is easie It is true indeede that those who are chosen from all eternity must be safe liue of necessity but it is also true again Brethren he who chooses them to life ordaines them to liue of necessity the same very God from all eternity ordained such middles as prayer sayth good works such other meanes that by them we should attaine to life He who ordaineth life hee ordaineth prayer if thou want the meanes thou shalt neuer enter into life if thou want faith and prayer and good works say with thy selfe thou wast neuer ordained to life deceiue not your selues So Brethren we should take heed to these middles as necessarilie as the Lord hath appointed thee to life as necessarily thou must belieue as euer thou wouldest liue after this life for as necessarily the Lord hath chosen thee to doe good works from all eternitie as he hath chosen thee to life And then when we finde these middles and an heart to pray take heed he will keepe vs saue vs both in this life and in the life to come And when we finde good turns in our hands and faith in Iesus Christ then sayth Peter we confirme our election all these middles confirme our election for the Lord hath chosen vs to these aswell as to the end it selfe If we want these means we haue no warrand that euer the Lord appointed vs to life I will leaue this He coms forward heapeth arguments together to the Father that he would keepe saue them Thine they werâ— there is the reason they were thine own property by vertue of election whomsoeuer the Lord chooseth from all eternity they are the propertie of the Lorde by vertue of election So sayeth the Sonne to the Father They were thine by vertue of election therefore keepe and saue thine owne Whome wilt thou keepe if thou keepe not thine owne whome thou hast chosen Therefore keepe them Well Brethren vseth the Sonne of God these argumentes to mooue his Father to keepe and saue his Disciples now surely that man or that woman who findeth that they belong to God and that they are chosen from all eternity that may saye I am Gods I am his inheritance and property that person hath a sure warrand that God to whome they appertaine will keepe and saue them euerlastingly Get me this knowledge once that thou art Gods and thou shalt knowe assuredly in thine heart that God whome to thou appertainest shall neuer let thee bee lost yea Heauen and Earth shall goe together ere thou perish But yee will say Howe shall I knowe that I am Gods Marke it Brethren The man or the woman that appertaineth to God that God whome to they appertaine ere they slit out of this worlde hee will giue them aduertisement and will let them knowe and feele either one time or other early or late that they are his Paul in the eight Chapter to the Romanes vers 9. hath a notable saying Those who haue not the Spirite of Iesus they are not his On the contrary the man or woman who feeleth this Spirite are his Wouldest thou knowe whether thou be Gods or not If thou findest in thine heart that blessed Spirit that worketh redemption grace mortification of sinne quickening of the newe life and all blessednesse if thou findest him saye I am Gods for God will giue to none his holy Spirite but to his owne secret ones who are chosen from all eternity and so made the property of God Wouldest thou know the Spirite I shall giue thee a token which the Apostle setteth downe Rom. 5. vers 5. If the Spirit dwell in thee he will shed abroade and powre out that sweet loue of God into thine heart he will let thee feele sensibly in thine heart that God loueth thee and testifie to thee that
bee the sense of the loue of God Therefore let vs striue to feele the sense chiefelie of that mercie and that loue and then our knowledge shall bee joyfull and pleasant vnto vs. But heere I aske a question Beganne God to loue vs then onelie when wee beganne to knowe him Beganne not God to loue euerie one of vs before wee knewe him Appearinglie in this place as it would seeme hee maketh the loue of God to beginne and flowe of the knowledge of God The aunswere is easie Looke the wordes hee sayeth That thy loue may bee in them It is true from all eternitie ere euer wee were in the worlde I speake of the Chosen hee loued vs and of loue hee choosed vs and hee loued vs after wee came into the worlde When wee were enemies to him hee loued vs. But marke againe Brethren The loue of God is neuer in vs but without vs till wee knowe him and haue fayth in Iesus Christ That is the meaning Neuer one feeleth in their heart that God loueth them but hee who knoweth God Hee loueth thee but thou feelest it not till thou hast gotten knowledge and then when thou hast gotten knowledge thou beginnest to feele it and to haue a sense of that loue in thine heart And this is it that the Apostle sayeth Rom. 5. vers 5. The loue of God is shed abroade in our heartes through that holie Spirite which is giuen vs. Before wee gette that knowledge there is no shedding abroade of that loue in the heart But when thou gettest the knowledge of God and fayth in Iesus Christ then thou feelest that loue with a sweetnesse and joye vnspeakeable Experience may tell vs this Thou that hast not gotten fayth in Iesus Christ at anie time and knowest not God I appeale thy conscience if euer thou hast felt the loue of God Sayest thou that thou feelest Gods loue I dare saye that thou feelest it not And by the contrarie when men and women knowe God and finde fayth in Iesus Christ from whome all grace floweth and distilleth into our soules they shall finde in experience with the knowledge such a sweete sense of loue that the tongue of man nor Angel cannot expresse And therefore as euer thou wouldest feele the loue of God What pleasure canst thou haue without that sense as euer thou wouldest haue joye and comfort in thine heart in the middest of the miseries of this world learne to know God assuring thy selfe that before thou get the sight and knowledge of God in Iesus Christ thou shalt neuer get the sense of loue Striue to see God haue faith in Iesus Christ and the farther sight thou gettest of him thy delight shall bee to pierce in more and more into the mysterie of thy saluation and I promise thee in his Name that sense and feeling shall increase and the more thou seest and knowest the more thou shalt feele that loue of God So wouldest thou haue joye and comfort striue to see Christ and thinke not that thou canst see enough Now would to God wee had the halfe of that desire to looke into the face of Iesus Christ that we haue of worldly things For al our blessednes and comfort standeth in this to look into the face of Iesus Christ that the beams which strike out from him may shine in our souls In the last words he sayth And I in them He commendeth this presence of the loue of God in their harts by the presence of Christ himselfe who accompanieth it as if hee had sayde So shall it bee seene if thy loue bee in them that I am in them These two are inseparable Companions the loue of the Father and the presence of the Sonne in the heart Is the loue of the Father in thine heart Then IESES CHRIST is there And by the contrarie is IESVS CHRIST into thine heart then the loue of the Father is into thine heart these two goe inseparable together and where the one lodgeth the other must bee there also Blessed are they that feele the loue of God for Christ is with them in their heartes for one grace draweth on another And if thy God loue thee the glorious Spirite shall bee with thee A question here may bee moued There are two Companions heere the loue of the Father and the presence of the Sonne but which of them is first Whether is the presence of the Sonne or the loue of God in thine heart first I answere Howbeit they bee in thine heart together in one moment of time yet the one in order is before the other And first Iesus Christ taketh possession in thine heart ere the loue of the Father bee in thine heart And because Iesus Christ is entered into thine heart therefore the loue of the Father is into thine heart Before Christ came into thine heart there was neuer grace in it all the grace all the peace and all the joy and all the comfort that is in the heart of a sinner followeth on Christ Christ commeth first and then all grace commeth in after him Hee is neuer him alone but peace joye and gladnesse accompany him then followeth that joye when hee commeth Looke Rom. 5. vers 5. hee telleth vs this order when hee hath said Because when wee were enemies Christ died for vs Because Christ died for thee hee loued thee And thinkest thou that thou wouldest feele that loue of God if Christ had not died for thee and except thou imbrace in thine heart that death by a liuelie fayth Goe to experience What is hee or shee that will feele that loue of God that endlesse comfort or that peace or joye who belieueth not in Iesus Christ It shall passe thy power to feele anie joye before thou feele that Christ died for thee Therefore I beseech thee gripe greedilie to Iesus Christ that hee may dwell in thine heart Nowe yee may aske at mee Howe is Christ in the heart Is not Christ bodilie present at the right hand of the Father How then sayeth hee And I in them Howe can thine heart gette him vvho is in Heauen The answere is easie The Lord Iesus dwelleth in the heart of man and woman by fayth Belieuest thou in him Reacheth thine heart thorowe the Heauens to get a gripe of him If thou belieue as Paul sayeth Ephes 3. vers 17. Christ dwelleth in thee if thine heart bee set on him and if thou belieue that hee died and is risen for thee thou hast him dwelling in thee And thinke yee Brethren that CHRIST can bee in any man or woman but they feele him No where CHRIST is hee is liuing in the heart and that is a glorious life If hee bee in thine heart by fayth there hee is liuing and as hee is liuing in thee so shall hee make thee to liue another life than this life hee shall make thee to liue an Heauenlie and Spirituall life as the Apostle PAVL saith in the second CHAPTER to the GALATIANS and the twentieth VERS I liue no more sayeth hee it is not I that liueth I am dead but IESVS CHRIST liueth in mee And what more The life that I liue in the fleshe and in this mortall bodie I liue it by fayth in the Sonne of GOD who hath loued mee and giuen his owne selfe for mee Is IESVS CHRIST in thine heart by fayth looke the effectes first thou art dead this mortall life is mortified the olde man is slaine If IESVS CHRIST bee in thee hee will slaye this sinfull life for our life naturallie is but a pudling in sinne and wickednesse when hee liueth within thee hee beareth the rule and not the olde man And what more As hee liueth within thee so hee giueth thee another life an Heauenlie and a glorious life Hee beginneth within thee that life which thou shalt liue with him in the Heauens where there is no more mortalitie nor no corruption So all tendeth to this Wouldest thou haue life wouldest thou haue grace in thine heart wouldest thou feele that vnspeakeable loue in thy vaine heart For that is a vaine heart which is not reformed and lieth dead in sinne and is not reuiued and quickened with the life of IESVS CHRIST Wouldest thou haue all this in this life and in that life euerlasting In a worde Wouldest thou reigne in glorie Striue to gette IESVS CHRIST in thine heart and when thou hast gotten him keepe him well and if once thou gettest him thou shalt gette one of the moste glorious thinges that euer was euen the loue of the Father wherein is all sweetnesse That loue of the Father shall flowe downe to thee and with the same loue wherewith the Father loueth the Sonne the Father of IESES CHRIST shall loue thee Well howe commeth all grace vnto vs Euen by IESVS CHRIST the Father powreth on all grace vpon the Sonne our Head Nowe hee bieng the Head and wee the bodie that precious ointment and fulnesse of all grace which is on him floweth downe on vs. So that grace is first powred out on the Sonne thine Head and then it floweth from the Head to the members so that there is not one member of that bodie but it getteth a share though it were neuer so sober a member and if it were but a foote Nowe blessed is hee or shee that is a member of that bodie And blessed is the soule that hath in it the loue of the FATHER in IESVS CHRIST To whom with the FATHER and the Holy SPIRIT bee all Honour and Prayse for euermore AMEN ΤΩ ΘΕΩ ΔΟΞΑ A H
haue entered into this way to the Father by Christ as he is the Trueth wee must next enter into the way to the Father by Christ as he is Life But how enter we into this way by him as he is Life How bringeth Christ vs to the Father as he is Life I answere Whilest we are going to the Father wee must stedfastly belieue and bee fully assured that Christ is Life and that all life is from him as from the Fountaine and that whatsoeuer life wee haue we haue it through him Then ye see Christ is the way to the Father first because he is the Trueth next because he is the Life If thou wouldest come to Life begin at the Trueth for the first leadeth vs to the second For this word of Trueth euen the Gospel of the Lord Iesus when it is preached if we heare it reuerentlie and stedfastly belieue it and let it settle deeply in our soules it will bee powerfull at the last to bring foorth life in vs Were thy soule neuer so dead in sinnes and trespasses yet receiuing this Word of Trueth thou shalt rise from death and liue The Lord in the sixt Chapter of Iohn and the 63. verse letteth vs see this great force of this Word when he saith The words that I speake to you are Spirit and Life that is they are a most powerfull meane to minister and furnish vnto vs that Spirite and that Life of God And in that same Chapter also vvhen the Lord asketh at the Apostles If they would leaue him as many of them did who had followed him before Peter answereth in the name of the rest To whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life where ye see Peter out of his own experience affirmeth that the vvords vvhich hee heard of Christ vvere effectuall to vvorke eternall life vvhich made him and the rest of the Apostles vvith pleasure to remaine vvith Christ Thou that by the hearing of the vvord findest the life of God to bee conuoyed to thy soule vvilt easily bee perswaded that hee vvho is the Author of that vvord is life himselfe for how vvere it possible that there could be such a power in that vvorde to giue life except hee vvhose vvorde it is vvere the Fountaine and Well-spring of all life Then ye see by vvhat order vve come to the Father Wee must first begin at the Trueth then by the vvord of Trueth vve must be led to Life and then we must goe on piece and piece in that Life vvee must continue and perseuer in it and so doing it is not possible but at last vvee shall come into that eternall Life vvhich is hid vp in God and shall bee reuealed in that great day Then in a vvord vvouldest thou haue the summe of all that vve haue spoken in this matter This is it Euen that vvee belieue in the Lord Iesus Christ The vvay to the Father is Christ vvhen vvee belieue in him vvee are vvalking in this vvay vvhen our fayth increaseth piece and piece vvee goe on forward vve continue and perseuer in that vvay Now in the ende of the verse he preuenteth and answereth the thing that some might haue objected against this doctrine That he was the way for it might haue bene said to Christ Albeit thou bee the way to the Father yet thou art not the only way there are many other wayes beside thee To this the Lord answereth I am the onelie waye to come to the Father for sayeth hee None commeth to the Father but by mee That is I am so the waye to the Father that there is none other waye to come to the Father beside me And whosoeuer seeketh to come to the Father by another way beside me or whosoeuer seeketh to come to the Father any other way but by me he shall be disappointed he shall neuer find the Father thou that seeks to come to HeaueÌ„ another way nor by Christ I giue thee that doome thou shalt neuer see Heauen Men dreame to themselues another way to come to Heauen nor by Christ the Papists deceiue themselues and the whole worlde teaching them to seeke Heauen by their owne merits by their own works and to come to the Father by the mediation intercession of Angels of the Saincts departed c. But all this is folly for there is one only way to Heauen and that a very strait and narrow way by Iesus Christ Indeed the way to Hell is a very broade way that is there are many wayes that leade to damnation for there is not a sinne that thou committest against God but it leadeth thee to Hell Whoredome leadeth a man to Hell Murder leadeth a man to Hell Drunkennesse leadeth a man to Hell all the foule affections of thine heart leade thee to Hell But there is one only way to come to Heauen Fayth in Iesus Christ Therefore thou who wouldest come to Heauen and dwell with the Father for euer leaue all other wayes for they are but pathes that leade to damnation and take thee to that only one way belieue in the Lord Iesus Christ and through him thou shalt bee assured to get life and glory To this Lord Iesus with the Father and the holy Spirit be all prayse and honour for euer Amen THE THIRD LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xiiii VERS 7.8.9.10 7 Jf yee had knowne mee yee should haue knowne my Father also and from hencefoorth yee know him and haue seene him 8 Philip said vnto him Lord shew vs thy Father and it sufficeth vs. 9 Iesus said vnto him J haue beene so long time with you and hast thou not knowne mee Philip Hee that hath seene mee hath seene the Father how then sayest thâ—u Shew vs thy Father 10 Belieuest thou not that J am in the Father and the Father is in mee The wordes that I speake vnto you I speake not of my selfe but the Father that dwelleth in mee hee doeth the workes YEE heard Welbeloued in the Lord Iesus among the rest of the comforts that the Lord furnished to his Disciples that they should not bee troubled when hee should depart this was one and the last Yee knowe the place whither I am to goe first and where yee are to goe next in your time and also yee knowe the waye Therefore woulde hee saye comfort your selues with this knowledge while I come againe and take you to that place Vpon this last argument the conference falleth out betwixt Christ and his Disciples and first Thomas one of his Disciples speaketh and vttereth as it were a contradiction to the worde of the Lord Wee know not the place where thou art to goe sayeth hee and howe then can wee knowe the waye Vpon this speach of Thomas the â—ord taketh occasion to instruct Thomas and the rest in these pointes whereof they were ignorant concerning the place where hee was to goe and concerning the waye and first hee pointeth out the waye vnto them hee pointeth the waye
to bee Himselfe I am the Waye the Veritie and the Lâ—fe In a worde the waye to Heauen and the waye to the Father is the Lord Iesus and that because hee is the Trueth and Veritie and because hee is the Life Therefore all who would haue accesse to Heauen must enter in by the Lord Iesus first as he is Veritie and then as hee is Life they must belieue that the Lord Iesus the Sonne of God is Trueth and Life it selfe and that all our life spirituall floweth from him as from a Fountaine and we belieue not these two let vs neuer looke to see Heauen Then hee sayeth Except they enter in by this way they shall neuer come to the Father and thou goe in by another by-path besides the Lorde Iesus thou shalt neuer see Heauen with thine eyes This is thy doome No man from the King to the Beggar shall come to the Father but by him Now when he hath pointed out the way then hee beginneth and instructeth Thomas and the rest concerning the place where hee was to goe and these instructions are giuen by way of reproofe Hee findeth fault with Thomas and the rest that being so long with him they knew not the Father they might haue knowne the Father in him for they who see the Sonne may perceiue in him the Father If saith hee yee had knowne me ye should haue knowne my Father also As he would say Ye neuer knew me because ye know not the Father There is a necessitie that is laide on euery soule that commeth into this world if euer they would haue joy in this worlde and if euer they would dwell in Heauen that the creature knowe the glorious Creator Thou must know God if euer thou wouldest dwell with him Thou must know God not only the Creator but also the Redeemer of the lost world This necessity and burden is laide vpon our backe wee are straited to knowe God the Father for heerein standeth our felicitâ—i Now Brethren it is an hard thing to get a sight of that Majestie The Lord dwelleth in a light that hath none accesse 1 Tim. 6.16 Neuer man saw him Paul sayth He is a God that cannot bee seene the eye of the creature cannot be able to look vpon that passing glory So it is an hard thing to see God to know him therfore let neither man nor woman who preasseth to get a sight of God striue to pierce immediately thorowe that light Then howe shall wee see him The Lord perceiuing our infirmity hath prepared a way wee founde it not out but the Lord hath found it out What is the waye to see the Lorde in his infinite justice power wisedome glory and chiefely in his mercy And thou see him not in his mercy all is but in vaine and thou seest nothing howbeit thou shouldest see all the worlde The Lord hath found out the meane The Lord Iesus his owne Sonne his owne Image representeth vnto vs all the glorie of his Father and hee is the Image of the inuisible God the splendor of his glorie and the imprinted marke of his person Col. 1.15 and Heb. 1.3 The Lord hath ordained that in the Son euen in the nature of man humbled in the flesh wee should see that glory And this is the ende wherfore the Lord Iesus came into the world euen that we might see the glory of the Father in him This is so true that hee who seeth the Sonne seeth also the Father that when in the Gospel thou hearest and seest Iesus Christ humbled and glorified except in him thou see the Father his nature his justice his power his wisedome and his mercie thou canst not bee saide to haue a sufficient knowledge of the Sonne himselfe for hee himselfe sayeth heere If ye had knowne me yee should haue knowne my Father also Then he saith by way of correction No saith he Thomas thou knowest the Father and so I speake of the rest and thou hast seene him say what thou wilt say there is the meaning Vpon this speach two things arise The first the Apostles disciples of Iesus Christ they knew the Father The secoÌ„d they wist not that they knew him How can these two stand They knew him and saw him for Iohn saith We saw him vvith our eyes but they vvist it not What is the grounde of this ignorance that seeing the Sonne they knewe the Father and yet they wist it not It riseth on this they were ignorant that the Father and the Sonne were one in substance essence glory and Majesty And howbeit they sawe the Father and and the glory of God in the Sonne yet being ignorant of this ground they wist not that they knew the Father Nowe Brethren as concerning this seeing there is no solide comfort nor rest in the heart but in the sight of God keepe this sight night and day and sleepe on it for it vvill bee a blacke vvakening and vve rest not on him Wee may vvell rest on these pleasures on these Kingdomes c. but yet miserable shall be thy vvakening vvhen the soule shall bee taken from the body it shall tell thee that there is no rest but in him and thou shalt curse the time that euer thou restedst on any thing in the world There is no joy but in the sight of God Next except a man or woman knowe God to bee God vvhen they see his power and verity to appeare in the world aboue all things his mercy to sinners except they take vp God in these thinges and chiefely in his mercy except they knowe him to be God they vvill neuer haue solide comfort A man vvho hath bene out of his Fathers sight long vvhen hee seeth him and knoweth him not he vvill haue no comfort But then vvhen vvee see him and knowe him to bee our mercifull Father there is our joye When the sinner seeth God in Iesus Christ and knoweth him to bee his Father there is the chiefe joye But how shall we come to the knowledge of this We must know first of all that the Sonne is the splendor of his Father thou vvilt get no accesse to the Father but by the Sonne and therefore seeing the glory of the Father shineth in the Sonne vvhen thou commest to heare the Lord Iesus preached say thus In the Lorde Iesus vvhose Euangel I am to heare I shal see the glory of the Father And vvhen euer ye heare the Euangel striue to get that sight of the Father through the Sonne and then thine heart shall get exceeding joy into it This must euery one of vs doe if vve vvould goe to Heauen When Thomas hath spoken and the Lord hath answered him another of the Disciples spake for they vvere ignorant till the Lordes resurrection Philip speaketh next Lord saith he once shew vs the Father As he vvould say Once let vs see him and vve shall be contented Marke in this question there is one thing commendable and another thing discommendable not that
say it is a foolish question I will bee there as soone as any Minister of them all howbeit they contemne this worde and this presence of the Lord. This is like to prophane Esau who solde his part of Heauen for the filling of the belly of him vvhat doeth he in the meane time passeth ouer the time and thinketh he hath his Birth-right hee looketh for that blessing but vvhen it commeth to the blessing it is taken from him and it is giuen to Iaakob So men will not thinke that this contempt of the Spirit will close Heauen from them vntill that latter sentence Esau mourned and wept when the blessing was giuen to Iaakob but mourne as he would hee could not get that blessing but lay still with the curse on him So at that day sore shall the lamenting be and we shall heare them roaring howling and crying vvho contemne this worde But let them howle and they were kinges they shall neuer mend themselues or free themselues from that eternall fire So as wee would see Christ comming in that day to our joye let vs make much of this worde in the which Christ is present Or else I giue thee doome and thou do it not thou shalt neuer see him but to thy shame When hee hath set downe the estate of them who contemne him next hee layeth downe the estate of his Disciples who contemned him not But sayth he yee shall see mee Howbeit that this sight that now yee haue bee taken away yet shall yee get another sight more comfortable This sight is the sight of Iesus in his Spirit thorowe his worde The Spirit is not without the worde And there bee no word there is no Spirit Contemnest thou the word thou contemnest the meane that the Lord hath appointed to get that Spirit Then the word of the Gospel and the Spirit that followeth on the word letteth a man or woman see Christ Hast thou heard the worde preached and by the worde hast found consolation thou hast seene Christ thou hast felt and griped him The Spirit of Christ by the worde and Sacramentes entereth into the soule of man and woman and filleth the soule and bringeth Christ into the soule and filleth the whole senses with him The hands wil feele him the eyes will see him Get this Spirite thou shalt get himselfe and when thou hearest that worde out of the mouth of a weake instrument thou shalt heare his owne voyce and thine heart shall gripe him euen as sensibly as thine handes will gripe a sensible body and thou shalt haue more joy sweetnesse and peace than all the world can giue thee Haue ye euer heard him or tasted him then haue yee felt this joy Howbeit wee see him not yet as Peter sayth wee belieue and rejoyce with a joye that is vnspeakable So this fayth wee speake of and this Gospel is not vaine wordes that passe away not a superficiall thing but the moste effectuall thin◠〈◊〉 the world to our consolation The Christian Religion is the most solide and most joyfull thing of all thinges in the worlde all other Professions are but vanity they haue no solidity But to belieue in CHRIST both in life and death is most comfortable And once thou get that Spirite thou mayest feele that Spirite better than all the things in the world And we want this joy the fault is not in the Spirit but in vs who cannot apprehend him He subjoynes the reason why they should see him this is it There is nothing that can slay this sight but death and hee prooueth that death cannot staye it If death could staye it it must bee either your death or my death but so it is I liue and yee shall lâ—ue yee shall not die therefore death shall not staye it as for me I haue life eternally I haue the life of God aâ— for you yee shall liue by the life which is in mee The manner of speaking would be marked Ye shall liue because I liue He sayth not I shall liue but J liue This is a weighty speach the meaning is I liue from all eternity my life had neuer a beginning The forme of speaking importeth a life from all eternity a life by gone a life present and a life to come And the Lord liueth not as the creatures but he is life it selfe and the Fountaine of all life therefore he liueth by himselfe In the end of the eight Chapter hee speaketh such like Ere Abraham was I am that is I had my beginning from all eternity As in the Reuelation Chap. 1 vers 4. I am hee who is was and shall bee And there were no more to testifie that Christ is God and one with the Father this is an argument to tell vs that our Lord is God There is no creature man nor Angel can say I am it is proper to God Exod. 3.14 This phrase importeth a being by himselfe and by him we liue moue and are Act. 17.28 No creature can saye I liue onely the Lord can say it So this word importeth necessarily that the Lord is God of Heauen The thing I note on this argument is Wee may see the ground of sight is life and no man can see except hee bee liuing What can the eye of a dead body see The ground of the naturall sight is naturall life So they who would see heauenly thinges must haue life A dead man will neuer see Heauen This life what a life must it be Must it be a naturall life Noâ— And thou hadst ten thousand naturall liues thou wilt neuer see Christ without another life I say more This life naturall is so defiled with sinne that it hindereth vs from the sight of Heauen And the more powerfull the natural man be in his own sight the more are his eyes closed froÌ„ Heauen As Paul sayth The naturall man is not capable of Spirituall things for they are foolishnesse to him The naturall man will thinke the Crosse of Christ is but scorne It is an harde thing for a naturall witted man to receiue Christ because his head is full of naturall wit So ere a man get a sight of that life there must be a mortification of this corrupt nature and wisdome of the flesh And thou wouldest be heauenly wise be a foole to the world that thou mayest be wise 1. Cor. 3.18 Thou must learne to make this worldly wit a seruant to this Heauenly knowledge So this life which is the cause of sight must be the life of Christ there shall neuer one see Christ but he who hath this life into him in some measure A man who hath gotten a sponke of the life of Christ hee will see Christ for hee liueth not by himselfe as Paul sayeth but hee liueth by Christ Gal. 2.20 As yee would see Iesus Christ bee not content to haue a naturall life occupied in the things of the world but see thou find that life of Iesus be in thee Rest not night nor day as thou wouldest liue
for euer Wee shoulde enter into the way to get his presence Christian Religion standeth not so much in curiositie or in speaches as in the sense of the heart in a practising of that loue of the heart in the life and conuersation The Apostle Paul in the fourth Chap. to the Ephes vers 22.24 telleth vs what it is to learne Christ euen to put off the olde man and to put on the newe man This for the answere Yet hee insisteth in that that they should keepe his Commaundement No it cannot bee preached enough to keepe the Commandement of Christ because our nature is so backward And as before he pointed out the man who loued him so now he pointeth out the man who loueth him not and that is he who keepes not his Command and blessed word that he hath giuen for our weale Who is it then who loueth him not hee who keepeth not his Commandes Marke when yee see a man taking pleasure to displease God and leading a life directlie contrary to the will of God point out that man and saye This is a man who hateth God in his heart Iudge not of a man by his tongue and speaches for oftentimes hee vvho doeth vvorst speaketh best Aske at an hypocrite if hee bee a Christian or not hee will bee angrie with you because hee not seeing himselfe thinketh himselfe as good as any other It is an easie thing to the tongue to cloake the filth of the heart of the hypocrite And vvhat will his hand be doing then It will be vttering it selfe in a filthie life So take not vp the disposition of the heart of man or vvoman by the tongue but by the hand for the hand will saye to the tongue Tongue thou liest John 1. Epist Chap. 2. Vers 4. If any say I know God and keepe not his Command he is a lyar and the trueth is not in him And againe Chap. 4. Vers 20. If any man say I loue God and hateth his brother he is but a lyar Who is it that controlleth the tongue and testifieth before the world that the heart is but false It is the hande and the worke the tongue is but a cloake of falsenesse Marke a faythfull man by his hâ—nde and not by his tongue Our Lord sayeth in the seuenth Chap. of Matth. and the eighteenth vers It is vnpossible that an euill Tree can bring foorth good fruit Yet he insisteth in this matter for hee is very earnest to recommende this obedience to his Disciples and to vs all and hee furnisheth the last argument whereby they should be moued to keep his Commandement and he leadeth them vnto that Fountaine of all his wordes vvhich was that glorious Majestie of his Father The word sayth he vvhich yee heare is not mine but the Fathers vvhich sent mee Would yee haue the ground and fountaine of all fayth of all obedience of all well-doing and of all securitie in this life The ground of all is the onely mouth of the Father So that when a man vnderstandeth that word that hee should belieue into it is not the worde of man but that Verity that floweth from the mouth of the Majesty of God then the heart gripeth vnto it belieueth then the hand executeth it then there followeth obedience But when the heart is not perswaded that the word flowes from that mouth of God but from man then the heart will draw abacke it cannot belieue and the life will not follow it Then Christ learneth vs here If wee would haue the people belieuing and obeying his worde to drawe their eares to heare the Lord speaking and then the hearts of the faythfull will receiue it vvith joye and practise it Away with all the wordes of men of all creatures of all Angels they cannot bee a solide grounde to our fayth neither can the authoritv of the Kirke bee a ground to our fayth albeit the foolish Papists affirme that the cause wherefore vve belieue the Scripture is because the Kirke sayth it is the word of God for except the Scripture bare witnesse of the selfe that it vvere of God and the word of God truely the authoritie of the Kirke could neuer make vs belieue nor perswade vs the same For the ground of our fayth must bee the voyce and testimony of God himselfe speaking to vs. Onely this word of the Olde and Newe Testament vvherein God himselfe speaketh is able to establish our fayth The Lord when hee hath exhorted them perceiuing that his vvorde tooke not that effect in the heartes of his Disciples that it should haue done notwithstanding all his gracious speaking for he knew their hearts he meeteth this and he sayth J haue spoken these thinges being present with you And howbeit they bee not so effectuall in you for the present bee not discouraged for when I shall passe to the Heauen the Comforter which is the holy Ghost whome the Father will sende in my Name shall teach you all thinges and hee shall call these wordes to your remembrance which J haue tolde you We may learne here first the word hath none effect in the heart without the Spirit accompany it Let it bee the worde of God and flowe out of the mouth of God yet and hee concur not with the worde by his Spirit the word shall worke none effect in the heart There are two Doctors who teach vs one Doctor outwarde to the eare and another inwarde that is the Spirit vvho mollifieth the heart Let the outwarde Doctor sounde neuer so long in the eare if the inwarde concur not the worde shall doe no good And except that Spirite open the eye of the soule to see and open the heart as he opened the heart of Lydia Act. Chap. 16. vers 14. to receiue that seede of the worde the heart shall bee as a closed Booke and harder than it was of before Marke another thing The Spirit of the Lord Iesus will not accompany the worde at all times no not in the hearts of the faythfull themselues The Apostles were a proofe of this Howe much spake the Lord to them vvhen he was in the world and how little effect tooke it in them till he went to the Heauens In the 29. chap. of Esay vers 11. ye reade the word of the Lord is like a closed book to the vnfaithful Nowe this is true likewise the worde of God to the godly sometimes is like a closed booke and they will haue such a hardnesse at times that they will haue no sense of it not to indure them but to humble them And if euer there was maâ—ter of humiliation heere it is that when God speaketh thou wilt stande vp and not regarde him and receiue no fruite nor consolation of it Vpon this riseth the Lesson to vs all that the Lord Iesus gaue vnto his Disciples Howbeit at sometimes wee will finde an euill disposition of the soule a deafnesse a blindnesse and senselesnesse Take this consolation Be not discouraged altogether
What is the cause of this They neuer wist what Christ meaned they neuer wist what the Lord was and neuer felt of his sweetnesse and of the joye that is in his presence and therefore they haue no pleasure but when they want him And because they cannot gette their wicked will when Christ is present they hate him for where Christ is because he is the light of the world hee layeth open all wickednesse and maketh it manifest All the happinesse in the worlde is in the face of Christ therefore rest neuer till thou taste of him if thou wouldest be happy And againe miserable is that man who hath not tasted of that sweetnesse and of that grace that is in the Lord. Therefore as thou wouldest come to Heauen I warne thee yet againe rest neuer till thou gette that rest in Christ and that sweetnesse that is in him Let vs see the effect that followeth on his presence he saith Your sorrow shall be turned into joy He speaketh of that presence by his Spirit for after that Spirit is once entered into the soule hee worketh faith and openeth the eyes of the darke soule to see Christ as in a mirrour when the face of Christ is borne vp in the worde howbeit saith Pet. 1. Epist. Chap. 1. vers 8. we see him not yet belieuing we rejoyce with a ioye vnspeakeable and glorious So that darke sight of him worketh into the soule an exceeding joye when wee belieue I graunt indeede that as there is no joye in this life but it hath sorrowe with it so our joye in Christ hath heauinesse with it it is imperfect heere but it is better for thee to haue a meane portion of that joye than all the joyes in the worlde yea the very displeasure of the faythfull is so farre from that to hinder the joye that by the contrary it wakeneth vp the joye in the soule Looke the 2. Epist to the Cor. Chap. 5. when the soule is heauiest for sinne then it findeth such joye as they would not giue for all the joyes in the worlde and when this joye is wakened it swalloweth vp all sorrowes as in the 8. Chap. to the Rom. And in the end of the 15. Chap. of the 1. Epist to the Cor. saith the Apostle After this life mortalitie shall be swallowed vp of immortalitie and death shall be swallowed vp in victorie and all teares shall bee wiped away from their eyes Reuel 7. vers 17. And then they who haue sorrowe with joye heere shall haue joye without sorrowe for euer Looke about you looke within you or without you yee shall see nothing but matter of joye So yee see the effects of the departure of the Lord and of his returning againe Nowe heereafter hee maketh this doctrine of the sorrowe and joye of the godly more sensible by a familiare similitude and it is taken from a woman trauelling A woman when shee trauelleth sayth hee is in dolour because her houre is come but when shee is deliuered of the Childe shee remembereth no more her dolour for ioye that a man is borne into the worlde Then in the last vers hee applieth it Nowe yee are in heauinesse and yee are trauelling and that is because I am to depart from you The Disciples tooke heauilie with the away-going of CHRIST But I shall see you againe and yee shall see mee and get my presence by my Spirite and yee shall reioyce and it shall bee such a ioye that all the worlde shall not bee able to take it awaye The worlde maye take thy life from thee but neuer shall they take that joye from thee Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Two thinges are heere to bee marked the nature of the dolour of the godlie into this worlde wandring from their Lorde as Pilgrimes and the nature of their ioye The nature of their displeasure is like the dolour which a woman hath in trauelling So the Apostle Rom. Chap. 8. vers 21. he compareth the languor of the dumbe creatures and elementes after the comming of the Lorde Iesus to a woman trauelling The dolour of a woman trauelling is verie painfull but yet it is profitable Why Because that paine bringeth out a birth So a woman in trauell hath hope not onelie to bee saued from that paine but also to haue a Childe So hope in paine will haue joye mixed with it To applye this It is euen so with the displeasure of the godlie into this their Pilgrimage awaiting for their life which CHRIST will bring downe to them at his comming 2. Corinth Chap. 5. Looke what dolour Paul vttereth hee sighed vnder a burden hee desired to slit away and to goe to dwell with the Lord Albeit it be but a paine yet it tendeth to a pleasure in the ende to a birth and in the middest of dolour they haue an hope and with the hope they haue joye So a godly man in sorrowe will haue the greatest joye in the worlde albeit the joye of the godly bee with heauinesse yet that joye is vnspeakeable The displeasure of the vngodly is not so indeede the Scripture as in the first Epistle to the Thessal Chap. 5. compareth it vnto a woman trauelling but this is an hopelesse paine What recke if that soule had hope that that paine should cease but they shall neuer looke for a birth well were it to that soule that that body could bee turned to nothing after so manie thousand yeeres The sorrow of the godly is with hope and joye but the sorrowe of the wicked is without hope Iest not with Hell it is an horrible thing to fall into the handes of a consuming fire Hee sayeth When shee hath borne her birth shee remembereth not her trauell because shee hath borne her birth Euen so when wee addresse our selues to Heauen thronging thorowe this worlde wee must prepare our selues to goe thorowe thornes and brieres thorow temptations outwarde and inwarde a man who would goe to Heauen he shall not put downe his foote without a thorne or some offence But when wee are come to the Heauens then wee shall get such a birth of joye that wee shall remember no more the temptations of the worlde and then wee shall finde that saying of Paul to bee true 2. Corinth 4. vers 17. The momentaniall light afflictions shall worke an infinite weight of glorie the soule shall bee so occupied with joye into the Heauens that wee shall count nothing of all afflictions by-past This is true howbeit wee cannot feele it now sensiblie but once wee shall finde it in a full measure if wee appertaine to Christ The Lord therefore in the meane time graunt vs a fore-tasting of it that wee may ouercome all temptations and difficulties till wee obtaine the full possession thereof in Iesus Christ To whome with the Father and the holie Spirit bee all honour praise and glorie for euermore AMEN THE XV. LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xvi VERS 22.23.24.25.26.27 22
hee rose from the dead So that Godhead declared it selfe that it left him not after this life was exspired but raised him from corruption Then hee commeth to his argumentes to mooue his Father the first is Father the houre is come therefore Father glorifie thy Sonne the houre of death appointed from all eternitie that I should offer vp the Sacrifice for the redemption of man seeing this death approacheth neare let glorie follow that ignominious death my death will bee verie offensiue both to the multitude and to my Disciples as hee saide This night yee will all bee offended at mee and as hee would say O my Father leaue mee not in that ignominious death but out of death raise mee to glorie Christ Iesus all the time that hee was in the worlde the onlie thing which he sought was the glorie of Heauen for our life standeth in that Resurrection And if CHRIST had not beene raysed sayeth Paul all our preaching should bee in vaine and yee should lie still in your sinnes So during all the time that hee was in this worlde this was aye his prayer to his Father and chiefelie when hee sawe the houre of death hee was instant and earnest in seeking that glorie Wee may learne heere a lesson The nearer and the nearer wee are to death deceiue not our selues with a false life the more earnest wee should bee with GOD that hee would giue vs life and men and women as they growe in age and drawe nearer death they should bee the more instant to seeke life and when they growe to graye haires it is a great shame to see an olde bodie prophane they should prepare themselues for the houre of death for death is a dangerous thing death is not to bee jested with All men will say I will die but if thou diest once woe is to thee if thou gettest not life for why death is a port whereby wee either passe to that euerlasting death or then to euerlasting life Looke for no Purgatorie when as the soule is loosed from the bodie it seeth an horrible darknesse if in this present life it had not a fore-tasting of a better life Therefore during the time of grace when â—â— wee haue space in our life let vs seeke that life of Heauen not onâ—â—ie in our olde age but euen in our youthhood we should cast vs to seek life and happie is that young bodie that entereth into that race to life and aye goeth forwardes with the Apostle Paul neuer sitting downe but aye striuing to apprehende that Butte and Marke which is the Crowne of glorie in IESVS CHRIST Whether thou bee man or woman happie art thou who lookest for that life and sayest before the death drawe neare I must flitte So during this life heere wee shoulde aye groane to feele that life and fasten heart and hande to finde that life but then chiefely when we are drawing neare the doore of death and daylie we gette manie warnings to flitte and remooue out of this life And the Lord sayeth by these sicknesses and calamities Flitte flit but then greedily wee should gripe to Iesus Christ and fasten to him who is life and if wee gette a gripe of him that death which is terrible otherwayes it will bee turned to a sweet sleepe Paul sayeth Those who sleepe in him he shall rayse them vp there death is but a sweete sleepe Woe to them that haue no gripe of Christ for at the last houre death shall bee terrible vnto them Euen as I beganne so I ende Thinke not lightlie of death and if thou bestowest thy life looke that thou bestowe it well and for a good cause and if thou flittest and if thou changest this house of claye bee sure that thou gette a better and if this tabernacle of the bodie bee dissolued bee thou assured in thy soule that thou shalt bee cloathed with the glorie of Iesus Christ Paul in the seconde Epist to the Corinthians and the fifth Chapter was sure of this after the dissolution of his bodie from the soule when as hee sayeth I knowe perfectlie if once the earthlie house of this tabernacle were dissolued I shall gette a lodging not made with the handes of men but eternall in the Heauens Before yee flitte out of an house heere yee will bee sure of another to dwell in O foole art thou so wise in the thinges of this worlde and art not sure to bee cloathed with that building of the Heauens Therefore before thou losest this life see howe thou bestowest it and see that thou diest in a good cause and looke that thou haue a gripe of Iesus Christ and if thou wouldest die giue this life to him who is able to giue thee a better life And seeing the time of triall draweth neare for ought we see and the time will declare who will die with Iesus Christ and offer their liues vp to him the Lord giue euerie one of vs grace to die for Iesus Christ and saye in thy selfe Lord if it shall please thee to bring on that triall prepare mee to giue thee this life which thou hast giuen mee for I knowe assuredlie that I shall receiue a better of thee Well is the soule which is this wayes prepared And well is them who die for the cause of Iesus Christ for this glorious Gospel And woe is them who die in the contrarie parte The second argument is That thy Sonne may glorifie thee also This is the reason If thou glorifie mee Father I shall glorifie thee for the knowledge of thee standeth in the knowledge of mee if the worlde see not mee they cannot glorifie thee If the creature see not the glorie of the Sonne hee will neuer see the Father Yee see a sweete meeting heere betwixt the Father and the Sonne howe euerie one of them joyneth together in glorie the Father who is the Fountaine of all glorie beginneth and communicateth his glorie with the Sonne and the holie Spirite the Father hath not his glorie of them but he beginneth and communicateth his glorie with the Sonne and the holie Spirit the glorie of the Sonne and the holie Spirit redoundeth backe againe to the Father And that glorious Trinitie deliteth in glorifying one another for the glorie commeth from the Father vpon the Sonne and from the Sonne to the holie Spirit and back againe from the holie Ghost to the Sonne from the Sonne to the Father euen as the Sunne maketh reflexe from a mirrour towardes himselfe againe No words are able to expresse this for it is a thing incomprehensible to see that glorie betwixt the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost The consideration of this woulde confounde all the creatures both men and Angels howe the Father putteth on the beames of his glorie vpon the Sonne and from the Sonne to the holie Spirit and then it coÌ„meth about from the holie Spirit and striketh on the Son on the Father Of this we are not capable nor no Angel can sufficientlie
grorifie God fie on that fleshe that will not glorifie God but will ascribe any thing to himselfe and will stand vp and say I did this or that fie on thee that wilt say so and wilt not honour him who hath honoured thee Beware to speake any thing that may derogate to the glory of God and not only in deede but also in word glorifie him that they who heare you speake may glorifie God thorow your speach and by your example Now hauing spoken of the ground we come to the benefite of life euerlasting it selfe As before wee heard the glorifying of Iesus Christ serued to the glory of the Father so we haue now that the glory of Iesus serueth also to our glory So ye may see of what importance is the glory of Iesus Christ the fairest fruites that euer were follow on that glory thorow his glory glory commeth to the Father and life to the world The chiefe two things in the worlde are The glory of God and the saluation of the Kirke which both proceede from the glory of Iesus Christ Life euerlasting marke it well it commeth and it floweth of the glorious life of Iesus Christ when hee rose from the dead all our life is by the rising of Iesus Christ from death to life What is this life euerlasting or the Spirituall life which wee haue It is but a little sponke that floweth from that fulnesse of that glorious life which Iesus Christ liueth in the Heauens at the right hande of the Father And this quickening Spirit which euery one of vs receiueth in sober measure is nothing but a portion of that Spirit of life which is in Iesus Christ hat is in him in all superaboundance and aboue all measure Wee in the Kirke his members haue the Spirit of life flowing from him in some measure Paul in the 6. Chapter to the Romanes vers 5. hath a notable sentence concerning this matter If wee bee planted with him in the likenesse of his death wee shall bee planted with him in the likenesse of his life meaning that this mortification of the olde man commeth by the vertue of the death and Crosse of Iesus Christ and this newe life commeth by the vertue of his Resurrection and life And in the first Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 15. vers 17. Jâ— Christ had not risen from the dead wee had yet lyen still in our sinnes So then wouldest thou haue one of the chiefe arguments to knowe whether Christ hath died for thee or not if thou knowest not this thou knowest nothing descende downe into thine heart and see if thou findest in any measure that foule and cankered nature slaine into thee that thou bee dead to sinne if thou finde it thou hast cause to bee blythe for thou hast a sure warrande that the Lord Iesus hath died for thee for if hee had not died for thee thou hadst not had anie mortification of sinne Then wouldest thou knowe if the Lord Iesus hath risen from the death as Paul speaketh for thy justification Looke if thou hast anie part or that spirituall life Woe is to that soule that feeleth no life no spirite no quickening c. for that soule hath no warrande that euer Christ rose to justifie or saue it Therefore as yee woulde knowe if Christ hath died or risen for you looke your warrande and if yee finde anie mortification or anie sense of the Spirite then bee sure yee haue a warrande But and if thou findest it not say not that Christ died for thee thou hast no warrande of the death and resurrection of Christ for thee What is this wee are doing Wee are seeking busilie Charters and Euidentes for Landes and Liuinges and earthlie possessions but seeke a warrande for Landes and all the worlde as thou wilt shame shall come vpon thee if thou wantest the warrande of life euerlasting Now in the next vers This is life euerlasting to know thee to be the only true God and whome thou hast sent Jesus Christ In this vers marke it hee letteth vs see the necessitie there is in glorifying of him if euer such a thing should be that one who is chosen should be glorified for hee reasoneth after this manner Father thou knowest what is life it is a knowledge of thee and of mee whom thou hast sent but except I bee glorified the worlde cannot know thee nor mee therefore Father except I bee glorified there is no life for the worlde So there is the necessitie of the glorifying of Christ to get life euerlasting because there cannot be knowledge of God without Christ and except he be glorified But to consider these wordes more norrowlie hee sayeth This is life to knowe thee to bee the onelie true God not onelie to knowe thee to bee God but to knowe thee to bee the onelie God that is to put a difference betwixt thee and the Idole gods of the Gentiles This excludeth not the Sonne and the holie Spirite but hee respecteth the time for before the comming of CHRIST the Gentiles were not called but the worlde was full of Idoles and men were blinded with errour and ignorance Nowe see what is life there are manie that will speake of life euerlasting and yet they knowe not what it meaneth Life euerlasting standeth in a sight and in a knowledge if thou be ignorant thou shalt neuer gette life It standeth in the light of the mind thou art full of darknesse and that darknesse must bee out and light must come in ere thou gettest life But it standeth not in the knowledge of euery thing many one seeketh knowledge but run where thou wilt to seeke knowledge if thou seest not him who is the Fountaine of life from whome all life floweth thou knowest nothing I meane not of a bare knowledge for if thou haue no more it shall not auaile thee but with the knowledge thou must haue faith in thine heart to drawe out life out of the Fountaine of life Who is the Fountaine of life It is the Father of Iesus Christ who is the Fountaine of all life the life which the Sonne himselfe hath commeth out of that Fountaine as Christ himselfe confesseth in the fifth Chapter of this Gospel The Father hath giuen to the Sonne to haue life in himselfe Then all the life of the Angels and all the life of the creatures and all our life spirituall or naturall floweth out of that Fountaine So except a man or woman get a sight of the Father and of the Lord Iesus they cannot gette life Lord if it bee not a great thing to gette a sight of him For as the Apostle sayth to Timothie Hee dwelleth in a light that hath none accesse That deepnesse of light which hee dwelleth in is wonderfull yea incomprehensible and there is no knowledge of the Father without the Sonne if thou seest not the Sonne thou shalt neuer see the Father and so thou shalt neuer see life Awaye with that dreame of the Iewes and
of man Looke to this and in the meane time gather howe much wee are beholden vnto him What King would haue humbled himselfe so No there is no King who would haue put on a Beggars weed for a slaues cause let bee to humble himselfe so far Now looke how we are indebted to him yea if it were a thousand liues it is too little to giue for him who hath so humbled himselfe for vs. Nowe last yee see in what sense and meaning the Sonne of God seeketh this glory Hee seeketh not a glory which hee had not the time that he sought it for he had iâ—â—â—wayes from all eternity He sought not also to bee quite of the nature of man for then hee should not haue bene our Sauiour Hee seeketh not to be quite of the first cloude but of the second He seeketh to be quite of death and hee seeketh that that Godhead should glorifie the Sonne of man that the beames of that Godhead should strike out and glorifie the nature of man And indeede howe soone that Godhead that dwelt in him began to vtter it selfe when his head was lying low in the graue then the man getteth vp and life commeth into our nature And next when the Godhead vttered it selfe in that nature then that man is lifted vp to the Heauens And last when the Godhead vttered it selfe the man Christ is placed at the right hand of the Father and that nature of man shineth in such sort that it passeth all the glory of the Angels This is very comfortable Thou wilt say What recks me of all this glory and what is that to mee Howbeit that that man be glorified yet I abide here in the earth a vile body what recks mee if the worlde were glorified if I got not a share of it Now wilt thou take but once holde of that nature of man and once fix thine eye vpon it that is Wilt thou belieue in Iesus Christ God and man set thine heart on him that he first died for thee and secondly that he rose for thee belieue that all this was once done for thee then certainly as sure as the nature of man in Iesus died and was glorified as sure thou shalt bee glorified and as soone as thou touchest him the glorie shall strike out and ouershaddow thee in this life when thou lookest into the mirrour of his Gospel for wee see him here but in a mirrour it shall ouer-shaddow thee I say but when faith shall be changed into sight and wee see him face to face and sit fore-anent him and looke to his glorious face those glaunces which shall proceede from him as it is saide to the Philippians CHAP. 3. VERS 21. shall transforme thy vile bodie and shall conforme it to his glorious bodie There is such an effectualnesse in his power whereby hee subdued all thinges that if thou shalt gette a sight of him hee shall chaunge thy bodie in a moment and hee shall make it to shine more brighter than the Sunne Onelie belieue so long as thou art heere A man who hath faith in him shall see this glorie If thou gettest not a sight of Christ by fayth in this worlde thou shalt neuer see him heereafter to life and glorie So let vs belieue and stirre vp euerie one of vs another with exhortations that as euer wee would see glorie wee belieue in Iesus Christ To whome 〈◊〉 the Father and holie Spirit bee all honour glorie and pray 〈◊〉 world without ende AMEN THE XX. LECTVRE OF CHRISTES PRAYER BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xvii VERS 6.7.8 6 I haue declared thy Name vnto the men which thou gauest mee out of the worlde thine they were and thou gauest them mee and they haue kept thy worde 7 Nowe they knowe that all thinges whatsoeuer thou hast giuen mee are of thee 8 For I haue giuen vnto them the wordes which thou gauest mee and they haue receiued them and haue knowne surelie that I came out from thee and haue belieued that thou hast sent mee HItherto Welbeloued in the Lord IESVS in this Prayer the Lord hath prayed for himselfe that the Father would glorifie him To this purpose hee vsed sundry argumentes First sayeth hee The houre is come that is The houre of my death is at hand therefore Father glorifie mee Then hee sayeth Father if thou wilt glorifie mee I will glorifie thee therefore glorifie mee Yet farder If thou wilt glorifie mee J wll giue life euerlasting to these whome thou hast giuen mee therefore Father glorifie mee Yet marke I haue glorified thee on the Earth and I haue ended that worke which thou gauest mee to doe What resteth then sayeth hee But that thou O Father shouldest glorifie mee Then hee concludeth Therefore Father glorifie mee with thy selfe not in the Earth but in the Heauens with that glorie which I had with thee before the worlde was Nowe in the next parte of his Prayer the Lord prayeth for his Apostles eleuen in number Hee prayeth not for Iudas because hee was a reprobate There are two thinges which hee seeketh at the Father for them The first â—s That when hee shoulde goe his waye to the Heauen the Father shoulde keepe them from all euill in the worlde The seconde is That the Father shoulde sanctifie them to that worke which they were appointed vnto There are sundrie argumentes and reasons of this first parte of this Petition for his Disciples That the Father woulde keepe them and saue them Hee heapeth in the beginning manie argumentes as namelie from their calling and vocation from their election from that they were the Fathers from that they were giuen to him from that that they belieued the Worde and from that that hee was going to the Father He heapeth together these arguments reasons in praying for them that the Father would keepe and saue them But let vs marke the words narrowly and goe thorow euery argument and obserue such doctrine as shall be to our edification as God shall giue the grace He begins sayth first J haue declared thy Name vnto the men which thou gauest me out of the world So the first reason wherewith he moueth the Father to keepe them is from that hee had manifested vnto them the Name of the Father That is to saye That hee had called them by the Preaching of the glorious Euangel of IESVS CHRIST So our vocation and calling standeth in the manifestation of GOD in IESVS CHRIST by the preaching and hearing of the Gospel Wee are called when God and his will is manifested to vs by the preaching of the Gospel of Iesus Christ Well then if the Lord Iesus vseth this as an argument and reason to moue his Father to keepe them and to saue them now certainly when any person findeth that GOD calleth on them by the preaching of the Gospel as he is calling on you this day Then certainly they haue an argument and token that that God who calleth on them wil keepe and saue them both in this
followeth that whosoeuer findeth in their heartes that they haue glorified the Sonne in belieuing in him in confessing of him and in their life and conuersation that man or that woman may bee assured in their heart and saye The Father keepeth me and I am in his custodie I am assured that the Father hath a speciall care ouer mee because I finde my delite and pleasure to be set on Christ No no if the Father had not mee in his custodie I should not haue such a pleasure and delite to glorifie him The heart that findeth no delite nor pleasure to glorifie Christ Iesus in this life hath no warrand that it is in the keeping and custodie of the Father if thou findest no faith at no time and if thy life in some measure answere not to thy profession saye The care of the Father is not ouer me I am desolate I am not in Gods handes that is the most desolate creature in the worlde whome the Father hath not in his custodie yea though all the worlde should compasse him and guard him round about And by the contrarie whome the Father hath a care of they are better guarded than if all the Kings of the Earth were about them for Brethren yee may well know that the Father loueth that person well that loueth his welbeloued for he who loueth the Sonne the Lord Iesus he loueth the Father also and the Father loueth him and hee who honoureth the Sonne the Father shall honour him And by the contrary he who dishonoureth the Sonne the Father shall dishonour him and shame him in despite of all the worlde albeit all the world should honour him he will haue him shamed he shal set him vp to be an open shame to man and Angel he shall be Anathema yea and Anathema Maranatha that is cursed for euer who loueth not the Lord Iesus There is such a strait and narrow conjunction betwixt the Father and the Son that the honour of the Father is the honour of the Sonne and the honour of the Sonne is the honour of the Father and that the dishonour of the Sonne is the dishonour of the Father and the hatred of the Sonne is the hatred of the Father also Ye heard what Christ said Hee who honoureth me he honoureth him who sent me A Prince will thinke that his Ambassadour shoulde bee as well reuerenced as himselfe for all the honour that the Ambassadour receiueth commeth to the Prince who sent him Now the Sonne of God is more than an Ambassadour sent by the Father for he is not a simple Ambassador but also the Sonne of God equall with the Father who is more than all the Ambassadours in the world Will not then the Father thinke that the honour done to the Sonne whom hee hath sent is done to himselfe Yes certainlie But to leaue this Yet he continueth on and bringeth other arguments heapeth argument vpon argument to shew that great desire which he had that the Father should keepe and saue his Disciples who were in the world J am no more in the world I goe away and concerning my bodily presence I am no more with them they will abide still in the world therfore O Father keepe them in respect that I leaue them to thee and I am to goe out of the worlde and that shortlie therefore take thou the care of them Euen as a man dying leaueth them whom he loueth well to tender friendes Euen so the Lord Iesus leaueth his Disciples to his Father that he should take them in his custodie When I was with them saith hee I kept them but nowe I am going out of the worlde and I leaue them vnto thee therefore Father keepe them Brethren this absence of Christ in his bodie and our absence from him it is so farre from that to bee an argument that God hath left vs that by the contrarie this absence of Iesus Christ in his bodilie presence and the leauing of vs behinde him now in the Earth it is an argument to euerie one of vs that God is with vs and that the Father of Iesust Christ hath a speciall care of vs for looke the farder that Iesus Christ bee from vs in his bodilie presence the nearer is the Father vnto vs by his holie Spirite that Comforter So that yee woulde thinke it a wonderfull thing to consider the care that the Father hath of vs in the absence of Iesus Christ from vs. It is good for vs that Iesus Christ our Lord went to the Heauens in glorie And Christ sayeth himselfe If I goe not awaye that Comforter the Holie Spirite shall not come And this is sure the more desolate that anie bee in this Earth as the Fatherlesse Widdowes and Strangers c. if they bee Christes the greater is the care of God ouer them So yee will finde in the SCRIPTVRES hee will take into his hande and haue a speciall care of the Widdowes and Fatherlesse so that they bee Iesus Christes and once giuen to him If thou bee desolate looke that thou bee Iesus Christes and if thou wouldest not want the societie of Iesus Christ aboue all beware of Infidelitie which is nothing but the beginning of that euerlasting desolation Woulde wee haue joye or consolation in anie desolate estate in the worlde Woulde wee haue that presence of God and that consolation of the Holie Spirite No more but this See that thou bee Christes for Heauen and Earth shall goe together and all shall turne to nothing ere the Lorde bee not with thee to keepe thee and to guarde thy soule as the Apostle sayeth to the PHILIPPIANS with that peace with passeth all vnderstanding Hee will set that peace into thine heart when thou art in trouble and hee will set thine heart at rest and giue thee a greater peace than all the peace in the worlde Nowe when hee hath repeated these argumentes hee concludeth shortlie Holie Father keepe them in thy NAME them whome thou hast giuen mee that they maye bee one with vs as wee are one Marke Brethren these wordes which the LORD vttereth haue a great weight and also this petition which hee maketh to the Father it is full of affection and loue And it is full of affection first to the Father then to the Disciples for whom he prayeth It is full of affection to him whom to hee prayeth to them for whose cause he prayeth Looke when thou prayest that thy affectiō be to thy God to them also for whom thou prayest Hee sayeth Holie Father keepe them Will yee consider euerie worde and first these wordes Holie Father yee shall perceiue a great affection in the Sonne to the Father These wordes rise on two motiues the one is loue that is an affection which the Sonne bare to the Father When he calleth him Father he vttreth that wonderfull loue which he bare to the Father And then the other riseth on a great reuerence that Iesus Christ our Lord bare to his Father when
gaue some to be his Apostles some to be Euangelists some to be Pastors and some to be Doctors The ground of all is this The Father hath giuen all power in Heauen and in Earth to the Sonne Thou shouldest vnderstand this well What is the Sonne of God He is the Treasure-house of all the grace and mercy of the Father Whosoeuer would haue grace and mercy from the Father let him addresse himselfe vnto him for in him is the fulnesse of all grace and passing knowledge and wisedome in him is the deepnesse and fulnesse of the Godhead bodily as Paul sayth to the Coloss Chap. 2. vers 9. and all grace immediately is powred out from him on the Kirke Let him that would haue any grace addresse himselfe to the Sonne and desire him that the Father would giue some portion of grace out of that Treasure-house Iesus Christ If thou passest by him thou shalt neuer taste of grace Seeke grace where there is fulnesse of all grace in the world The thing which I marke of this argument is this shortly To mooue his Father to sanctifie his Disciples he vseth this argument Father I send them out to the world Now ye see the Lesson that riseth Whosoeuer commeth to the world to draw this world out of that pollution and filthinesse wherein it lieth to sanctifie the world and to make this world holy of an vncleane world to make it cleane of necessity hee must bee sanctified Alace Brethren an vnfaithfull and vnholy man let him bee a Minister as for Apostles we haue none not separated from the world but in all things like the world is vnmeet to preach and to be an Instrument or Minister of God to sanctifie the wicked worlde or to win soules to Heauen An vnholy man and in no measure separated from the world but in life and conuersation like the worlde in all vanity let him not open his mouth to speake of Christ There is not one that the Lord Iesus sendeth but in some measure hee will make them holy and therefore that man that liueth like this worlde and hath his conuersation in all pointes like the worlde I say and I assure thee the Lord neuer sent that man So if a Minister would haue a good conscience in his calling and would goe out to the worlde to draw men to Heauen let him try himselfe if he be separated from the world or no And if hee finde that hee is separated from the world then with the better conscience hee may speake of Iesus Christ and then hee may put out his hand to miserable men and draw them piece and piece out of this sinful world otherwayes he can haue no boldnesse Nowe let vs come to the seconde argument The seconde argument which hee vseth is from the ende of his sanctification For their sakes I haue sanctifie my selfe To what end That they may be sanctified through thy trueth I haue sanctified my self that is I haue consecrated my selfe to the death to bee a Sacrifice that by my death and thorow it they should be made holy and that by the ministerie of the Crosse The ground of all our sanctification is the Crosse and death of Iesus Christ It is that blood and that Sacrifice that maketh vs holy and which is that meritorious cause that hath procured holinesse to euerie one of vs. Well Brethren as little as men will count of holinesse our holinesse is deare bought there is not one that hath a sponke of holinesse little or much but it is bought by the precious blood of the immaculate Lambe it is the dearest Merchandize that euer was bought in the worlde So the ground of holinesse is the blood of God But I say againe except that the Crosse of Christ and his blood and his death and Sacrifice be made thine and applied to thee and apprehended to thee and except so to speake it the Crosse of Iesus Christ bee in thine heart and thy conscience sprinkled with his blood the Crosse of Iesus shall neuer doe thee good to make thee holy Now yee see the meane and instrument whereby the death of Christ is made ours It is the worde of Christ euen the worde of the Crosse This same Gospel of Iesus Christ wherein the Lord in a manner is crucified and painted out to thine eye that is the meane which applyeth to thy soule that death that it may bee effectuall in thee to sanctification and holinesse of life It will not bee Christ and his Crosse without thee that will sanctifie thee except thou belieue in him and by fayth drawe Christ and his blood into thine heart thou mayest well bee worse and the Crosse of Christ may condemne thee but thou shalt neuer bee the better of him But if thou belieuest this worde of the Crosse and so make Iesus Christ and his Crosse thine by fayth then the blood of Iesus Christ shall gushe out to thy sanctification It cannot bee ydle but it must sanctifie and separate thee from the worlde and make thee an Heire of Life Looke howe yee should haue a sight of the Crosse of Christ thinke it not enough that Christ suffered and died for sinners except when thou hearest this worde of the Crosse thine heart griedilie gripe and drawe Christ in to thy selfe and this aye should bee our exercise in the hearing of the word of the Crosse of Iesus Christ to get such a solide apprehension of the Crosse that thou mayest say The Lord Iesus died for me the greatest sinner in the world Look that thou find the effect and fruit to flow of that Crosse to the sanctification of thy soule mortification slaughter of thy sinfull nature day night So heare not with the eares only but with the apprehension of the heart or els that Crosse shal neuer be effectual to saue thee but for all this benefit of the word of the Crosse of Iesus Christ euerlasting death and damnation shall be thine ende Bee not secure in hearing but drawe in to thy selfe Iesus Christ and there shall followe such a joye and consolation that all the tongues of men nor Angels cannot expresse there is no pleasure comparable to that pleasure which the heart of a faythfull man will finde Now hitherto hee hath prayed for himselfe first That the Father would glorifie him and next for his Disciples eleuen in number for Iudas hath no part of that Prayer Now last he extendeth his Prayer farder out beyonde all the Apostles to the whole faythfull that shall belieue in him to the ende of the worlde And this is the third part of this Prayer a Prayer for the whole faythfull that should belieue in him to the ende of the worlde But to come to the wordes Not for them onelie that is Not for my Disciples alone doe I pray But J praye also for all them that shall belieue in me through their Worde And vvhat prayeth hee for them That they may bee made vp in one bodie joyned with