little of this oyle of glaâ—nesse Therefore no marvell though men cannot be merry if they want this oyle for if they have it it will make them rise at midnight to sing Psalmes and will make them sleepe sweetly in the time of trouble Therefore it is our comfort whatsoever Christ hath done in the worke of redemption God will accept of it The third point is who it was that did anoint him It was God as Psalm 45. God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse above thy fellowes so Peter Act. 2. 36. Let all the house of Israel know for a surety that God hath made him Lord and Christ In the Law wee see one man anointed another as Moses anointed Aaron Samuel anointed Saul and Elias anointed Elisha but it was God that did Anoint Christ Of this there be three Vses First seeing God hath anointed him he is the Lords Anointed therefore we must take heede we doe no injury and wrong to Christ as Psal 105. 15. Touch not mine Anointed c. if hee bee Gods Anointed take heed we doe not wrong him Why may a man doe wrong and injury to Christ I answere with Paul Heb. 10. He that sinneth willingly there is no repentance for him but a fearefull looking for of judgement If men sinne and will not repent but live in them without repentance and commit sinnes against their knowledge wittingly and willingly grieving God trampling and treading under foot the bloud of the sonne of God in the dust and making it of none effect Secondly that seeing he is Gods Anointed take heede we doe no injury or wrong to Christ in his members for a man doing wrong to a Christian may doe wrong to Christ in his members it is Saint Pauls doctrine 1 Cor. 8. 12. When yee sinne so against the brethren and wound their weake conscience ye sinne against Christ Thirdly seeing God hath anointed him therefore wee must anoint him our hands must follow the hands of God wee see in the Gospell the woman got a boxe of costly ointment and did powre it on Christ as he sate at the Table so we must doe get a box of ointment and powre it out on Christ and so anoint him Bernard shewes there be three sorts of ointment First to anoint the feete of Christ as the woman that we read of Luk. 7. 46. so a Christian must begin at the feete of Christ first And with what must he anoint him first with the oyle of contrition griefe and sorrow for his sinnes to sit downe at the feete of Christ and to lament and mourne for them there is no ointment that is bought at the Apothecaries shop so sweete to us as this oyle of contrition is to Christ Secondly wee must anoint the head of Christ as the woman wee read of Matth. 26. 7. And with what with the oyle of devotion with the best dutie and service we can doe unto him if we know any thing that will please God best that we should doe Thirdly we should anoint the body of Christ as Ioseph of Aramathea did he bought a great deale of sweete spices to anoint the body of Christ and so we must do but with what should we anoint the body of Christ with the oyle of compassion and if there be any of the members of Christ that stand at need we should be ready to shew compassion on them our hands must follow the hands of God as hee anointed Christ so must wee Fourthly to what end he was anointed We all know he was anointed to be a Prophet a Priest and a King now there were three sorts of men anointed in the Law first Prophets as Elias anointed Elisha to bee a Prophet in his roome â— Kings 19. 16. secondly Priests were anointed as Aaron and Eleazer his son thirdly Kings were anointed as Saul and David 1 Sam. 10. In the time of the Law two of these offices fell out to bee in one man as Melchisedech was a Priest and a King and David was a Prophet and a King Ieremie was a Priest and a Prophet but all these offices were not in any one man untill Christ came in whom these were fulfilled the other anointings were but Types and shadowes he was the substance Christ was anointed to all these offices He was a Prophet to teach us his Fathers will a Priest to make atonement for us and intercession A King to raigne over us to defend and protect us First he is a Prophet to declare the will of God Christ hath declared the will of God to his people and therefore he is a Prophet so saith Peter Act. 3. 22. that Moses said to the Fathers the Lord your God shall raise up unto you a Prophet even of your Brethren like unto me ye shall heare him in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you so saith the woman of Samaria Sir I perceive thou art a Prophet c. All other Prophets did teach but part of Gods will but hee hath revealed his whole will and therefore Christ is the great Prophet of the Church as Luke 7. 16. when they saw Christ had raised up that man that was dead they glorified God and said a great Prophet is raised up among us and God hath visited his people It is said Matth. 4. 16. The people that sate in darkenesse saw great light and to them that sate in the region and shadow of death light is risen up all the Prophets that were before him were as little lights to him hee was the great light that made all things If a man set up a candle it will give light in one roome set up a torch and it will give a greater light but what are all these lights to the light of the Sunne so all the Prophets that were before Christ were but all little lights to this and pointed to Christ he was the great light that made all things manifest The use is that seeing Christ is the great Prophet of the Church therefore wee must heare him Ast. 3. 23. Saint Peter saith That every person which shall not heare that Prophet shall bee destroyed out from among the people therefore he that doth despise and will not heare him speaking unto us that person shall be cut off and destroyed So Heb. 2. 21. For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation c. And therefore seeing he is the great Prophet of the Church we must heare and regard him I shewed you in the morning it was a sweet thought in God Matth. 21. 38. when hee had sent his servants the prophets they beate them and killed them and stoned them at last he sent his sonne It may be saith he they will reverence him it was a sweet thought in God that not withstanding they had done all to his servants they
faith will not faile us when wee come to die Now that wee may live in faith two things are to bee required 1. All that we doe we must doe in Faith 2. All that wee suffer wee must suffer in Faith we must still looke to the promises when we doe any thing or suffer any thing Now that we must doe all that wee doe in Faith we have these two Scriptures The first is Rom. 14. 23. For hee that eateth is condemned if hee eate because hee eateth not of Faith and whatsoever is not of Faith is sinne so then if we doe any thing and hath not a warrant for it we cannot doe it of Faith and if it be not of Faith it is sinne So wee read Heb. 11. 6. But without Faith it is impossible to please God so then if we have not Faith we cannot please God and therefore all that we do wee must do in Faith It is the opinion of the world that some of our actions we should doe in Faith but not all but a man must do all his actions in faith because he is not at his owne disposing but at the Lords and therefore we are to bee ruled and governed by him and not to doe as we thinke good The Lawyers have a saying For our masters and not for our selves all must be at the masters disposing and not of the servants even so we are the servants and He is the Lord and therefore wee must bee at his disposing and not at our own and therfore Heb. 11. All the holy men are commended because all that they did was in faith so it is said of Noah that by faith being warned of God he went and made the Arke and so for this Rahab and Iacob and all the holy men there are recorded All which examples are to teach us that that which we doe we should doe in faith How must wee doe all in faith I answere in the faith of these three things First in the Faith of reconciliation that we are perswaded that God is our Father by the meanes of Christ and whereas hee was our enemy that now hee is our friend and loveth us as notwithstanding all our labours and paines we shall be blessed one day so we see it is said Iob. 14. 14. If a man die shall hee live againe all the dates of my appointed time will I waite untill my change shall be and Psalm 27. 10. saith David Though my father and my mother forsake mee yet the Lord will gather mee up So 1 Iohn 3. 2. Dearely beloved now are wee the sonnes of God but it doth not appeare what wee shall bee there was two kinds of labour which the children of Israel indured the labors of Egypt and the labours of the desart the labours of Egypt was penall labour which tended to no profit but the labour of the desart was fruitfull labour it tended to Canaan and even so all the labours of the wicked are like the labours of Egypt a penall labour no fruite or benefit comes by it but the labours of the godly are like the labours of the desart which tends to heaven The true Christian sustaineth himselfe with this comfort although he labour and take paines and endure much trouble yet that one day he shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heaven a number of people labour and take great paines and have but little comfort by it because it is not done in faith of our reconciliation to be perswaded that God is our friend and father by meanes of Iesus Christ and loveth us and therefore if we would have comfort in our labours and paines we must doe them in the faith of our reconcilement Secondly that we doe wee must do out of a ground of Faith which is the word of God where there is no word we must not do it we must have a ground for all our actions out of the word of God a warrant a command from God as Psal 119. 4 When David did understand that God had commanded to keepe his commandements diligently Oh saith hee that my heart were directed to keepe thy statutes Deuter. chapter 12. verse 32. saith Moses That whatsoever I command you take heede yee doe it thou shalt put nothing there-to nor take ought there-from And so likewise the prophet Esay sayes To the Law and to the Testimony there is the Rule of a Christian to directall his actions by when a ship goes to sea the Marriner sets his Carde and his Compasse how to direct him when he hath done so howsoever the skies may lowre and the windes blow hee is not affraid hee hath his rule and directions to sayle by even so a Christian must doe when hee doth any thing he must set his Compasse he must have a ground from Gods word for the doing of it and when hee hath done so howsoever the skies lowre and the winde blowe howsoever things seeme to make against him yet hee is safe because hee hath a Rule and a direction to walke by for howsoever a man may doe good things that are good in themselves as the labours of our callings and releeving of the poore cloathing of the naked feeding of the hungrie and such like if hee doe it not of Faith if he have not a ground and command from God the Lord doth not accept it we must doe it as a part of our duty commanded from God and then two Comforts doe ensue The first is that God doth like and allow and is well pleased with it because we have his word and warrant for the doing of it a Christian this is his comfort when hee doth any thing that he knoweth that God is well pleased with it when he hath a warrant and command from Gods word then he is sure that he shall please God then he may say as the Angell said in Ezek. the 9. that had the writers Inkhorne by his side I have done as thou hast commanded me The second is that seeing we doe that which God hath commanded us that God will sustaine and assist us in the same by his power as wee read Matth. 28. 19. our Saviour Christ sendeth his disciples to teach all nations baptizing them and teaching them to observe all things whatsoever hee had commanded and loe saith hee I am with you unto the end of the world so in Exod. 3. 12. saith the Lord to Moses I will be with thee I will be with thy mouth to assist thee and to direct thee and so likewise in Esai 41. 10. Saith God Feare not for I am with thee be not afraid for I am thy God I wil strengthen thee and helpe thee and will sustaine thee with the right hand of my Righteousnesse and therefore it is a comfort to a Christian that if he hath a command or warrant from God for the doing of his actions that hee shall have the power of God to assist
in Matthew the devils inquire of Christ Art thou come to torment us before our time the presence of Christ was a torment to the devils so if thou hast a bad conscience his comming and presence will be a trouble to thee when others shall receive comfort by it it will be a terrour to thee What was the reason the Iewes were troubled at the birth of Christ we see Herod had a bad conscience this troubled him but why were they troubled he was their Saviour and redeemer Zech. 9. 9. it is said Rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Sion shout O Daughter of Ierusalem Behold thy King commeth unto thee c. I answere they thought that Christ would not come into his kingdome but it would cost much hardship there would bee much trouble about it therefore rather than they would lose their worldly â—ase or peace they would lose Christ This is the sinne of the world still that if the Gospell hinder their worldly ease or peace they had rather lose Christ and the Gospell than lose their ease and peace so Iohn 11. 47. the Iewes holding a councell together how to kill Christ because they were afraid they should lose their worldly ease say they If we follow this man the Romans will come and take away our kingdome and our nation so that wee may see they had rather lose Christ than lose their worldly ease and peace Of which sinne let us by their example and ruine learne to shunne and beware of the like practise which hath justly brought so long-lasting miserie upon them SERM. XII MATTHEW 2â— 7 8 9. Then Herod when hee had privily called the Wisemen inquired of them diligently what time the Starre appeared And hee sent them to Bethlehem and said Goe and search diligently for the young Childe and when ye have found Him bring mee word againe that I may come and worship Him also When they had heard the King they departed c. THe next thing that I should shew you is how Herod made way out of his trouble for of his trouble you have lately heard First hee calleth the Scribes and Pharisees together to know the place where he should be borne secondly hee inquired of the Wisemen the place and time when he should be borne thirdly when he knew the place and time when Christ should be borne he thought to have killed him so to ease himselfe and make way out of all his trouble but the Lord kept him from touching his person so the wicked and vile men of the world when they be in trouble make way out of it by bad meanes wicked devises coozening and such like The second thing observed was the effects of the inquiry in the Wisemen wherein three things are to be observed 1. The endevour of the Wisemen 2. The blessing of God upon their endevour 3. With what affection they received it First the endevour of the Wisemen when they could not finde Christ at Ierusalem they set themselves upon good advice to seeke him elsewhere they departed from thence though there were two things that might have hindred them 1. Their bad successe 2. The bad example they saw The first thing that might have hindered them was the bad successe they had of their journey for they thought surely to have heard of him at Ierusalem but there was no speech of him yet for all that they departed from thence set themselves with good advice to seeke Christ which may teach us howsoever we finde a bad successe on our holy labours at the first yet to goe on although we cannot finde mortification for our sinnes and such a blessing upon our holy labours as we desire yet let us goe on and set our selves upon good courses still to waite on God till he give us good successe so we see the Church doth Psalm 123. 2. Behold as the eyes of servants looke unto the hand of their masters and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistresse so our eyes waite upon the Lord our God untill he have mercy on us Shee resolves although thou dost not this day nor the next nor the next yet wee will waite on thee till thou shew mercy in like manner we are exhorted Gal. 6. 9. Let us not be weary of well doing for in due time we shall reape if we faint not Therefore the bad successe wee may have must not hinder us for Cantic 3. 1. when the Church had lost Christ Shee sought him in her bed by night where when She could not finde him she gets her out into the lanes and streets shee inquires of the watchmen and although Shee meetes with many discouragements yet Shee never gives over untill She finde Christ and make him sure to her selfe so must we doe if wee doe not finde good successe on our holy labours nor finde Christ at first let us never give over till we have found him and so make him sure It is the impatience of the world that if they cannot finde a blessing upon them at first they will seeke no farther and it was the fault of the Iewes Hag. 1. when they went to build the Temple and were hindred having no good successe in their labours they gave over but it was their sinne they were reprooved for it so David in the 1 Chron. 13. when hee would have brought the Arke of God to his citie the Lord was angry with Vzzah and killed him therefore David was afraide to bring the Arke of God to his owne city but it was his fault and a great weakenesse therefore it must bee our care although God doe not answere us according as wee desire yet to goe on still and never give over untill wee have found his blessing upon us Gen. 26. 19. It is said that Isaaks servants digged in the vale and found a fountaine of living water it may be they digged a fadome and found none it may bee two fadome it may bee three it may bee six and yet found no water but they digged still at the last they found a fountaine of living water so wee may seeke comfort and it may be we shall not finde it this day nor the next day yet let us not give over but goe on still for at last we shall finde a fountaine of comfort Secondly that which might have hindered them was the bad example they saw for the Scribes and Pharisees were learned men skilfull in the Law of God and yet not one of them turned a foote to seeke Christ nor were mooved and yet for all this these Wisemen departed away to seeke Christ which may teach us not to rest on the bad example of any man let him be what he will for though they seeke not Christ nor stirre one foote to finde him yet let us goe on to finde Christ Wee read Mark 5. 18. the man out of whom the devill was cast when others desired him to depart the country he desired to tarry with him still hee
matter a little pleasure or profit therefore in this what doe we but as Iudas did sell Christ for a trifle God give us eyes to see it and hearts to abhorre it Thirdly The manner how Iudas betrayed Christ with a kisse a signe of great love and friendship and therefore Christ saith unto him Luk. 22. 44. What doest thou betray the Sonne of man with a kisse I would it were not so still that men kisse religion and yet betray their brethren kisse religion at the Church and yet betray it at home in their bad life and conversation Fourthly The issue and event When he had sold his Master and had but a little comfort First he bringeth the money againe to the Priests he could not abide it which may teach us to take heed how we come by our money if we come by it well we may have comfort but if badly it will one day lye as heavie as leade on a mans heart Secondly Iudas he comes and confesseth his sinne to the Priests and then he went and hanged himselfe he thought to have carried the matter closely and now he discovered it in the Temple Which may teach us that if we sinne against God though we thinke to carry away the matter closely and cunningly yet there will come a time when we shall discover the matter our selves and make it knowne and say I have beene a drunkard and a bad liver I have beene a whoremaster a covetous person and a deceiver of my brethren And as meat that is eaten by a weak stomacke cannot be at rest till it be up againe so a man cannot be quiet many times till hee have discovered all his sinnes himselfe this is the property of a bad conscience that it will egge a man to commit sinne and when he hath sinned then it wil never be at rest till have it brought a man to desperation Revel 20. 12. it is said that Iohn saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened that is their consciences For howsoever mens consciences may be sealed for a time that they cannot see their sinne yet one day they shall be opened and all the sinnes they have committed brought before them O what a fearefull thing will this be we see Iudas did but reade as it were a leafe or a page of this booke nay he read but as it were two or three lines and could not endure it but goeth out and hangs himselfe if it be so fearefull a thing to reade but a leafe or a page how fearefull will it be when a man shall reade every leafe and page in the booke Men that be of trades when they come to places of search they be unpackt and their fardels opened the searchers come and looke upon their ware when if they finde any false ware there is a forfeiture made of it So wee doe as it were in this world packe up our wares in a fardell in our conscience and when we shall stand before God at the day of judgement then our fardels shall be opened and if there be found any false wares sinnes that we have not repented of we may looke for that fearefull sentence Goe yee cursed c. And therefore every one should take heed what he packs up in his fardell seeing it shall one day be opened Having spoken of the Meanes of apprehending Christ wee are further to speake of the Manner which is laid downe in three Actions 1. In the taking of Christ 2. In the binding of him 3. In the leading him away first to Annas then to Caiphas First the taking of Christ and here two things are implied First The marvellous obduration of the Iews for it was a strange thing that they had the heart to take Christ notwithstanding they saw the works of his Power and of his Mercie First of his Power for so soone as he said I am he they straight went backward and fell to the ground and were fully confounded Secondly the workes of his Mercy in that whereas hee flang them downe yet he let them rise againe whereas he did but cast them to the ground he might have cast them to hell and when Peter had cut off Malchus eare being the busiest to take Christ he sets it on againe and healed it and yet for all this they lay hold on Christ as soon as they were up again although they had felt the power of Christ and had seene the workes of his mercy yet they would not be stopped in their course Which may teach us what a fearefull thing it is to have a hard heart that nothing then can stop and stay a man in the course of sinne neither the judgements nor the mercies of God for as we see at this day though God cast many downe to the ground as it were into their sicke beds and hath graciously raised them up againe and as hee healed Malchus eare hath healed them yet they straight-way stretch out their hands to sinne against God and to grieve him therefore wee see when a mans heart is obdurate and hardened with sin nothing will doe him good so it was in Pharaoh Exod. 8. 15. His heart was hardened and he harkened not to them as the Lord had said so likewise Numb 16. wee see the great judgements that befell Corah Dathan and Abiram that the earth did cleave and swallow them up so that all the people fled away at their crie and yet the next day after on the morrow all the multitude of the children of Israel did murmure against Moses and Aaron saying Yee have killed the Lords people c. Hence we may learne what a fearefull thing it is to have a hard and obdurate heart nothing will move it neither the mercie nor the judgements of God therefore let us pray to God to keepe us from this fearefull condition and to give us a soft heart that when he hath laid his judgements upon us wee may be bettered by them and when we taste of his mercies we may be moved with them and brought to repentance The second thing implied in the taking of Christ is that as he was taken of the Iewes so this should put us in minde of the fearefull taking at the last day for looke how Christ was taken in the Garden so every unrepentant sinner shall bee apprehended at the day of Iudgement the drunkard for his drunkennesse the swearer for his swearing the whoremaster for his whoring and so all unrepentant sinners shall be apprehended yea and it shall be in a more fearefull manner than Christs was For first he was apprehended of the wicked Iewes wee shall bee of the Angels Secondly he was brought before the barre of an earthly Iudge but we shall be brought before the barre of the heavenly Iudge which doth not only judge of the outward deeds and actions but of our hearts and thoughts so hee saith Revel 2. 23.
soule for this is the last charge that Christ gave to us to feed and to nourish our soules but if we neglect starve and famish them how shall we be able to looke on him at the day of judgement Now we come to the third speech of Christ on the crosse which was to the Theefe that was crucified with him wherein two things are to bee observed 1. The occasion of the speech 2. The speech it selfe First the occasion of the speech it was concerning the conversion of the Theefe for there were two theeves crucified with him of whom the one blasphemed and rayled on Christ because hee would not save his body nor asswage or mitigate his paines the other applied himselfe to Christ for the saving of his soule and did not care what became of his body so his soule were saved hee did not pray Christ to pull out they spickes out of his hands and feet nor to asswage his paines but his prayer was for the saving of his soule In which two are figured out all men when the come to die some desire to have their body saved and to have paines mitigated to be restored againe to their health and because they be not some of them murmure against God the other sort desire to have their soules saved and care not what become of their bodies so their soules may bee saved they desire not so much to have health and ease but let all goe so they may have their sinnes pardoned and have the salvation of their soules to come into Gods kingdome Now in the occasion of the speech which was the conversion of the theefe we may observe three things 1. The Party that was converted 2. The time when he was converted 3. The fruits and effects of his conversion First the party that was converted it was a Theefe a notorious offender and a bad liver and a naughty man all his life time yet now he is converted unto God and saved therefore let no man despaire of Gods mercies whatsoever thy sinnes be it may be thou hast been a vile liver all thy life time haply thou hast lived a whooremaster a drunkard haply thou hast been a scoffer of Religion a hater of good things a covetous person a coozener of thy neighbours doe not despaire of Gods mercy if thou canst repent and turne to God thou shalt be saved so Paul saith that it is a worthy saying and worthy of all men to be embraced that Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the cheife therefore seeing Christ came into the world to save sinners no man must exclude himselfe from Gods mercy so likewise Ier. 3. 1. saith the Lord If a man put away his wife and shee goe from him and become another mans shall he returne againe unto her shall not that land be greatly polluted but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers yet returne againe to me saith the Lord In like manner 1 Sam. 12. 20. The Prophet speaketh unto the people Feare not yee have done all this wickednesse yet depart not from following the Lord but serve the Lord with all your hearts c. So howsoever men have lived wickedly and done badly yet let them not turne away from serving the Lord but let them be desirous to please him to repent of their sinnes and they shall finde mercy with God when Caine had killed Abel he cryes out My punishment is greater than I can beare upon which words Augustine Thou lyest Caine the Lords mercy is greater than any mans sinnes if he can repent Bernard saith well We know right well O Lord thou dost not reject the Theefe that confessed the sinfull woman that wept unto thee nor the Canaanitish woman that did humble herselfe before thee nor the wicked Adultresse brought unto thee nor the Toller or Tribute gatherer that did follow thee nor the Publicane that repaired unto thee nor the Disciple that denied thee nor Saul that did persecute thee nor thy Tormentors that did nayle thy sacred body to the crosse O Lord all these are fragrant fruits of thy most sweete mercy and by the sent of these sweet ointments we runne unto thee and doe follow thee And from hence wee conclude that no man must wilfully exclude himselfe from Gods mercy Secondly The time when he was converted which is to be considered in three circumstances first it was when others did scoffe and scorne Christ and when the Iewes did mocke raile and revile at him with his fellow theefe then at that time hee was converted This should teach us that we be not carried away with the bad examples that be amongst us that although others set not a flye by Christ nor care for his precious blood which hee hath shed for us but rather despise it yet wee must regard it and set it at a high price and desire to have our parts in him as Gen. 6. the Lord said unto Noah Make thee an Arke when the world attended their pleasures and profits and did what they would hee provided an Arke so doe thou make thee an Arke labour to repent thee of thy sinnes and to turne unto God and to get faith in Christ that thou maist be saved though all the world does otherwise wee see by experience when a flood comes loose things and such as are not rooted and unsetled or light things are carried away with the streame but such as are rooted and setled these remaine the poore theefe was then converted when others did mocke at Christ railing at him and reviling him Secondly when Christ was on the crosse in his greatest humility and abasement not when he was walking on the sea or on the water or working of miracles giving sight to the blind making the dumbe to speake the deafe to heare cleansing of Lepers casting out devils raising the dead not when hee was giving life to others but when others were taking life from him even then the theefe was converted Hereupon Augustine saith well Moses beleeved God but when was it when he spake out of the firy Mount and Abraham was obedient to God to goe out of his countrey and from his kindred into a strange land when God spake from heaven the Patriarches beleeved when he spake in dreames and visions the Disciples and Mary saw the wonderous miracles the Centurion he was converted and beleeved when the veile of the Temple rent when the rockes did flye asunder and when the graves did open but the poore Theefe hee was converted when hee saw none of these wonders but when Christ was in the greatest abasement that might be now if the Theefe was converted to God when Christ was on the crosse in his humility and abasement how shall wee answer to God at the day of judgement that we are not converted to him now he is in his glory As Matth. 12. 41. our Saviour saith That the Ninivites shall rise up in judgement and
to us and wee will be one people Genesis 34. 16. Even so God saith to us if ye will be circumcised and cut off your lusts and your sinnes and be a sanctified and holy people then ye shall be one with me but if ye will not bee circumcised and cut off your lusts and your sins then yee will cause mee to depart away from you And this is the second thing whereby we may know when Christ makes a proffer to be gone Thirdly When we feele a decay of Gods graces in us when we have lost our zeale care and love as when the King removes from a place wee may know it by his carriage going before so the graces of Gods Spirit bee as it were the carriage therefore when this goes away know then Christ will remoove then he makes a proffer to be gone But why did Christ make a proffer to be gone It was not that hee had any purpose to depart but to trie their affections and to see what account they would make of him so the Lord doth still make a proffer to bee gone from us and to take away the Gospell and many times the comfortable feeling of his favour which hee doth to trie our faith and our affection and to trie what account wee will make of him So we see Matth. 15. 22. Christ deales with the woman of Canaan makes a proffer to bee gone as may appeare by conferring this with other places for it is said in Marke 17. 24. Christ went into an house and would have no man know it as if he would have beene gone from her yet shee followes him he goes into the fields and yet she followes him this was not that he had any purpose to be gone from her but to trie her faith and her affection As 1 Sam. 7. 2. the Arke was in the borders of Israel twentie yeeres together and all the people lamented after the Lord He kept the Arke twenty yeeres together aloofe of them to see how they would long for his presence So God deales with us hee withdrawes the comfortable feeling of his presence to see how wee will long after it and what account wee make of it as a loving mother sometimes hides her selfe from her childe not because she meanes to go from it quite but because shee would trie the love of her childe and how it longs after her so Christ doth shrinke away from us and hide his presence to trie our love our faith and our affection Therefore when Christ makes a proffer to be gone wee must doe as the people did Marke 1. 45. follow him not being at rest till they had found him though hee went into never so secret a place If hee be departed away from us wee should not bee at rest but follow him and labour to recover him againe by prayer meditation and the use of good meanes Now when Christ made a proffer to be gone these two Disciples would not let him goe but one hanged on the one arme as it were and the other on the other till they constrained him to tarry with them Hence wee must learne that if Christ makes a proffer to be gone we must not let him goe and doe as the World does If hee will goe let him goe and say wee cannot hold him but wee must importune him and constraine him to tarry with us as it is said of the good people Luke 4. 42. And when it was day he departed and went into a desart place and the people sought him and came to him and stayed him that he should not depart from them So when wee feele Christ to depart from us wee must constraine him to tarrie with us as Iacob did Genes 32. 26. When hee and the Angell wrestled together Iacob laid hold on him and would not let him goe till he had blessed him Now the Angell that did wrestle with Iacob was Christ So also Exodus 32. 15. When the Lord told Moses that hee would not goe with them but an Angell should goe with them Lord saith hee Carry us not away from this place unlesse thy presence goe with us Lord let me die here and goe no further unlesse thy presence goe with us so wee should pray to God not to carry us away from our houses that we may not stirre from the places where wee be unles the presence of God goe with us and when we feele the presence of God to be going from us we must pray him to tarrie with us and constraine him too But why doe they desire Christ to tarry with them because they had tasted of the goodnesse power sweet graces and excellency of Christ this was the reason of it therefore no marvell though the world let Christ goe and doe not desire him to tarry with them because they never felt the power of God neither tasted of the sweet and excellent graces that be in Christ but such as have tasted hereof will be contented to take any paines and labour to enjoy Christ therefore the Apostle Peter gives us this exhortation 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow therby as who should say If so be ye have tasted how good the Lord is you that bee Christians and have tasted of the Gospell and the sweetnesse of it even as a childe desires the milke of the breast and it is not at quiet till it hath it so desire yee the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow thereby and as Abraham said Gen. 18. Lord depart not from thy servant so wee should desire Christ to be with us and to say Lord depart not away from mee till the day of my death Now there are two especiall times wherein every Christian should pray that Christ may be with him 1. In the time of Trouble 2. At the time of Death First In the time of trouble when there is misery and extremity upon us then we had need to have a great deale of grace to sustaine us wee see ships in a great storme if they have not good Anchors and good Cables they may quickly miscarry and dash against some rockes and so make shipwracke in like manner if trouble and danger bee upon us if Christ be not with us we are like to miscarry therefore as the two Disciples said to Christ The day is farre spent and the night drawes on tarry with us so wee should say The day of prosperity is farre spent and there is a night of affliction drawing on therefore Oh Lord tarry with us and give us a good issue out of troubles so David prayeth Psal 22. 11. Be not farre from me O Lord because trouble is neere for there is none to helpe me this is a speciall time to have Christ with us Secondly At the day of death when wee come to end this life this is a speciall time to have Christ with us as the disciples
function this same binding and loosing is a Metaphor or borrowed speech taken from a man that is fast bound in fetters and chaines so as he is not able to stirre till he bee unloosed so every man by nature is bound in fetters and chaines with his sins and cannot be loosed till God sends true Preachers to loose them as we may see when Lazarus was in the Grave though hee had life in him yet he was not able to come forth being bound with his Napkins and cloths till hee was unbound so when the Philistines had taken Sampson they bound him and laid fetters and chaines upon him In like manner the Divell doth lay spirituall fetters and chaines upon us so as we are not able to stir in the life of holinesse till the Lord send Preachers to us to unloose us Therefore as a man that is in fetters and chains when the Iaylor comes to knocke off his chaines and fetters though he be never so much pinched and pained yet he will hold still and take it in good part because he shall bee freed and set at liberty so when the Preachers come to breake off our gives and chaines though it bee more painefull than before yet we must take it in good part because we shall be set at liberty by it Now two waies a Minister may forgive sinnes First By pronouncing forgivenesse of sinnes to such as doe repent and beleeve as the Priests in the old Law did pronounce those that were made cleane to bee cleane so a Minister when hee sees a man throughly washed and purified by the teares of true repentance may without feare absolve that man from all his sinnes and iniquities But how can this be may some man say seeing it is God onely that doth forgive sinne I answer There bee two Courts there is the Court of Heaven and there is the Court of this World In the Court of Heaven none but God can forgive but in the Court of this World a Minister may forgive upon the true confession that a man may make and the hearty repentance he may see in him he neede not feare to pronounce unto him the forgivenesse of his sinnes Secondly By way of authoritie not as the Papists do but when in distres of conscience hee sees cause to charge the party to beleeve the remission of sinnes as having just title to Heaven manifested in his good life and holy conversation amongst men though at that time God suffer him for triall to want the sense and feeling of his faith in Iesus Christ SERMON XXXVI IOHN 20. 24 25. But Thomas one of the twelve called Didymus was not with them when Jesus came The other Disciples therefore said unto him Wee have seene the Lord. But hee said unto them Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nailes and put my finger into the print of the nailes and thrust my hand into his side I will not beleeve FIve severall times Christ did appeare the same day that hee did rise from the Dead and this is the sixth time of his appearing and it was eight dayes after when Thomas was present for when Christ did appeare to his Disciples Thomas was away therefore when the Disciples saw Thomas they told him They had seene the Lord Thomas answers them Except I see in his hands the print of the nailes and put my hands into his side I will not beleeve Therefore Christ in compassion comes eight daies after and suffers him to put his hands into his side and bade him that he should not be faithlesse but faithfull Now in this appearance there bee foure things to bee considered 1. The Occasion of Christs appearing 2. The Time of it 3. The Manner of it 4. The Effects and fruits of it The Occasion was To heale the infidelitie of all his Disciples for hee had now but one that did remaine in infidelitie therefore hee comes to cure that one Here we see the tender care of Christ that having but one Disciple that did remaine in unbeleefe yet could not be at rest till hee had cured that one so we see the care of Christ doth not onely extend in generall to al his Disciples but also in particular to everie one which is a sweete comfort to a Christian that the care of Christ is not onely in generall for the good of the Church but in particular for every one so that if there bee but one weake and fraile member Christ hath a care of that one It is said Iohn 10. 3. that The good shepheard calleth his owne sheepe by name Hee doth not onely know the grosse summe and keepe the whole tale of them but he knowes every particular one If there be but one man or woman that doth belong to him Christ hath a care of him as wee see in that parable Luke 15. Of a man that had an hundred sheepe whereof when one of them goes astray hee leaves the ninetie and nine and goes and seekes for that one sheepe If there bee but one weake and fraile member Christ will have a care of that one for he himselfe saith Iohn 9. 18. Of them that thou hast given me I have not lost one so that if wee can once bring our selves to be members of Christ he will regard and have a care of us This is an excellent comfort to Gods people for as Numb 12. 15. When Miriam was shut out of the Host for her sinne the Lord would not let the Arke remove till she was recovered and brought in againe so if there be but one gone astray God will never rest till he have it home againe Therefore as Saint Paul saith boldly where hee doth apply Christ unto himselfe particularly Galath 2. 20. Neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in mee and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Sonne of God who hath loved me and given himselfe for me for when Christ was on the crosse he did not onely eye the generall good of the Church but in particular England Essex Clavering and so of every particular man and woman which may comfort us howsoever wee may erre and goe astray yet if wee belong to Christ there will bee a time when Christ will have a care of us and bring us backe againe to God for there was but one Disciple that did remaine in infidelitie and Christ had a care of that But let us enquire what were the causes that Thomas remained in unbeleefe there be two causes expressed in the Text. First Because hee was away when Christ came hee remaines in his unbeleefe here wee see what a losse it is to bee absent from holy meetings for thoughg it be but once for Thomas was but once away yet he lost the sight of Christ if he had beene present with the rest of the Disciples then it is like as they did beleeve hee would have beleeved for they were
love and most difficult Now since all our good workes shall be remembred and more especially our workes of mercie Therefore it is a good thing for a man to feede the hungrie to cloth the naked to visit the sicke and let us meditate with our selves in this case as David said 2 Sam. 7. 2. I dwell in a house of Cedar and the Arke of God remaines within curtaines so we should say I dwell in a goodly house and many of Gods people have not a house to put their heads in I lie in a soft bed when many of them have not a bed to lie on I have good food when they have not a bit of bread to eate So then it is a good thing for a man to go out of himselfe to consider the wants of other and to shew mercy to them especially at this time because God hath beene mercifull unto us in giving us seasonable times to inne the fruits of the earth to our comfort and giving to us the appointed weekes of the harvest as Ierem. 5. and giving of us strength to undergoe our labours we see Numb 31. 49. when the captaines had beene at warre and were returned home againe they muster their men and finde not a man lost therefore they bring an offering and offer it to the Lord in thankefulnesse for it so we should doe every one looke into his family and number his men and when hee sees that there is not one of them hath miscarried but that he hath his number still give thankes to God for it and as God hath beene mercifull to us so to bee mercifull to our brethren I but some will say I am a poore man and cannot feede the hungry cloath the naked nor as Christ speaketh doe any great matter what shall I doe I answer that the least and smallest matter that is done in true love to Christ shall not want his reward if it be but a draught of drinke or visite of the sicke so Christ shewes Matth. 10. 42. And whosoever shall give unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water to drinke onely in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall not lose his reward so we see Luk. 21. the poore widdow that cast into the treasurie but two mites was more accepted than them that cast in of superfluitie it is not the great quantitie that is accepted but with what affection for the smallest thing done Christ will accept if it be done in love Exod. 35. we see the people brought gold and silver and brasse and silke ramskins and goates haire and so forth for the building of the Tabernacle Origen saith well on that place Grant Lord saith he that I may bee found to bring something to the building of thy Temple that I may bee found to being a little gold to make the mercy-seate on or the Arke or to make the candlestick or a little silver to make the pillars on or a little brasse to make the bosses on or a little silke to make the curtaines on a little goates haire that so I may not be found empty to have brought nothing to the building of thy spirituall Temple So what a griefe may it be at that day when Christ shall say here is the gold silver brasse silke or the goats haire that such a man and such a woman brought and I shall be found to bring nothing what a shame and what a griefe I say will this bee therefore will I ever beseech God to give me the grace that I may be found able to bring something and bestow it on Gods spirituall house that it may bee a comfort to me at that day and let every man be exhorted to doe what they can out of true love to God and compassion to his poore members and no question it shall bee accepted though it be but a little goates haire wee see Math. 21. when Christ rode to Ierusalem every man was ready to doe him service and honor some strowed their garments in the way some cut downe boughs and branches to make way for his comming so doe thou if thou have not changes of garments to strow yet cut downe a boughe or some little branch bestow something on Christ on the Church of God on his poore Saints people and God will accept it for as it is 1 Cor. 8. if there be but a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that which hee hath not therefore let men doe what they are able and God will accept of it though it be but a little Fourthly the judgement that shall passe upon us at the day of judgement shall bee of such workes of mercy as are done to Christians because they are Christians it is good thing to doe good to all as Salomon saith Eccl. 11. cast thy bread on the waters for after many dayes thou shalt finde it though it seeme to thee to be lost and to bee cast away yet thou shalt finde it againe But especially doe good to Christians because they be Christians as it is Gal. 6. 9. doe good to all especially to the houshold of faith and so Rom. 12. 13. the Apostle exhorts to distribute to the necessities of the Saints for that which is done to the Saints is done to Christ himselfe thus 2 Sam. 9. David makes inquirie if none of the house of Saul was left for Ionathan was dead unto whom hee could shew no kindnesse therefore hee makes inquiry to see if any of his race were left that hee might shew kindnesse to them for Ionathans sake so Christ is in heaven wee cannot bestow our bread or our cloth on him O but there are a number of his brethren and servants here in want and in need these wee must feede cloath and shew kindnesse to for Christs sake againe though we are to doe good to all yet especially to Christians because they are Christians for there is such a neere conjunction betweene Christ and Christians that their wants hee takes to bee his wants their injuries and wrongs to bee as done to him Therefore one saith well that Christ takes all the injuries and wrongs that are done to his servants as if they were done to himselfe as Acts 9. Saul persecuted the Church and Christ cries out of heaven Saul Saul why persecutes thou mee Saul kicked at the foote and the head cries out of heaven why dost thou persecute mee such a neere conjunction there is betweene Christ and his members that all the injuries and wrongs that are done to them are accounted as done to Christ and all their wants to bee his wants Therefore tell me O man or woman if Christ should hang on the crosse and crie out and say I thirst what wouldst thou doe Let him thirst still nay wouldest thou not rather bring him wine or milke to comfort him this is the same case still for when a
flocke of sheepe the shepheard is awake and the Dog barkes so that the wolfe goeth away doth no harme yet saith hee a wolfe hee came and a wolfe hee goes away in like manner a man may come into a Church amongst Gods people and bee restrained from some sinnes either for feare of men or for feare of the law or of some punishment yet still hee is a wolse hee retaines his wolvish nature a wolfe hee comes and a wolfe hee goes therefore we must not onely restraine sinne but wee must kill and mortifie it Secondly they did refraine from some sinnes and not from all So wee see the Pharisee did refraine from some sinnes but not from all hee was not an extortioner or an unjust man but hee was a proud person a hater of the poore and a contemner of his brethren And so likewise Laban hee refrained from speaking ought but good to Iacob and yet he was an idolater or else hee would not have made such search for his idoles Therefore we must not refraine from some sinnes onely but wholly and universally from all of what kinde soever they bee Thirdly a man may bee inlightned and have a great deale of knowledge hee may know God and Christ what sinne is and punishment due unto it with many other profitable notions and yet want the Spirit of God Hebr. 6. 4. we read that there may be some that may bee inlightened and taste of the word of God and of the powers of the world to come and yet never bee renewed againe by repentance if they fall away so Iudas was a preacher had great knowledge and many good gifts and yet hee was a Devill therefore hee had not the sanctifying Spirit in like manner a man may have great gifts of memory and knowledge have a rare and an excellent gift in preaching and neverthelesse want the sanctitie of the Holy Ghost Here because illumination and knowledge is a gift of the Spirit of God and a thing to bee desired and labored for as S. Paul exhorts the Colossians to put off the old man and to put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge therefore I say because knowledge is a gift of the Spirit let us see what is the defect of this illumination and knowledge To this I answer There are two defects in it First men doe not labor for the right kinde of knowledge And secondly they doe not make a right use of their knowledge First men did not labour for a right kinde of knowledge For there are two kindes of knowledge First speculative Secondly practicall knowledge speculative knowledge is to know things to discourse of them and to make table-talke and to speake of them practicall knowledge is to know things to put them in practise that they may bee layd to their hearts and to their lives to bee reformed thereby Now let us all labour for this last kinde of knowledge and not for the first and this is the first defect of mans knowledge Secondly that men doe not make a right use of their knowledge they doe not apply it to their hearts and to their lives for the bettering and reforming of them for it is a sure thing we can have no more comfort of our knowledge than so farre as we put it in practise A man may have a flint stone in his pocket and yet bee a cold if hee doth not make use of it to strike fire so a man may have knowledge and have no comfort by it unlesse he make use of it to the bettering of himselfe Therefore it must bee our wisedome that when we have knowledge to bee sure to apply it to our hearts and to our lives for the bettering of both Fourthly a man may have a kinde of repentance hee may bee humbled for his sinnes cry out against them confesse them and weepe for them and yet neverthelesse want the Holy Ghost as Pharoah Exod. 9. 27. said to Moses and to Aaron I have now sinned the Lord is Righteous but I and my people are wicked Heere wee see that Pharoah saw his sinnes confessed them and yet hee had not the sanctifying spirit so Saul 1 Sam. 24. 17. where of him it is said and Saul lift up in his voyce and wept and said to David Thou art more righteous than I for thou hast rendred mee good and I have rendred thee evill so also of Iudas Matth. 27. 3. it is said Then when Iudas which betrayed him saw that hee was condemned hee repented him and brought back the thirty peeces of silver to the chiefe Priests and Elders saying I have sinned in betraying the innocent blood So then we see a man may repent of his sinnes confesse them bee humbled and weepe for them and yet want the Holy Ghost Now seeing repentance is a good gift of the spirit let us see what is the defect I answer it is in three things First these men did weepe and sorrow more for the judgment that was like to come upon them than for the hatred of the sinne So wee see Ahab did weepe and cry out when the judgment was pronounced against him by the Prophet and yet his repentance was faltie Secondly they did weepe for one and not for all their sinnes so we see Iudas did hee repented this one sinne of the betraying of Christ and had a number of other sinnes hee never repented of so Pharoah hee repented of this one sinne of detayning and holding back of the Children of Israel but did not repent of his other sinnes Thirdly They did weepe for their outward sinnes and not for their inward corruption Therefore thou whosoever thou art must labour of finde in thy selfe whether thou mournest for the hatred of sinne or for feare of Gods judgment if it bee for feare of punishment and for feare of Hell thou canst not have any comfort but if it bee for the hatred of sinne because it is displeasing to God thou mayest have comfort therefore as Augustine saith shew mee the man first that can weepe and mourne for sinne though hee knowes that God will not damne him that hell is shut up and the Divell shall not torment him this man may especially have comfort Secondly that so repents for one sinne as that hee drawes in all his sinnes as far as judgment informes him Thirdly that is humbled not onely for his outward sinnes but especially for his inward corruption Thus wee see Paul did Rom. 7. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from this body of sinne If thou canst finde these three things in thy repentance thou mayest have comfort in it Fifthly a man may have a kinde of love to heaven a desire to be saved and to behold God in glory and yet may want the holy Ghost Two examples wee have of it first of Balaam Numb 23. 10. who
to all her Children by the meanes of Pastors and Teachers which the Apostle delivers unto us Ephes 4. 11. where he saith When hee ascended up on high bee led captivitie captive hee gave gifts unto Men c. He therefore gave some to bee Apostles some Evangelists some Prophets some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery and for the edification of the Body of Christ that henceforth we be not Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in waite to deceive For the first it doth keepe and preserve the Tables of Truth in three respects 1. It keepes the letters of the Scripture 2. The true Canon of the Scripture that is the true number of the Canonicall Bookes 3. The Authoritie of the Scriptures First It keepes the letters of the Scriptures for the Scripture is the chiefest rich Iewell and Treasure that Christ hath left his people therefore it hath beene the care of the Church the Spouse to preserve and keepe the Scripture as the chiefest Iewell and Treasure left of her husband Christ we see in experience if a man leave a Iewell or some other treasure with his wife when he goes into a farre countrie she will be carefull to keepe it till he come home againe shee will locke it up or lay it in some Boxe or Chest so because the Scripture is a rich Iewell left unto the Church by her Husband Christ therefore there can be no doubt but the Church was carefull at all times to preserve and keepe it to this purpose Exod. 25. 16. The Lord commanded Moses to make an Arke of Shittim wood to put the Tables of the Covenant in that is the written Law of God and why should they put it into an Arke or Chest of Cedar But because it is the durablest wood which will not rot to teach us that the Lord would have the Scriptures preserved therefore S. Paul saith Rom. 3. 4. That the Lord hath of trust committed the Oracles of Truth unto the Iewes which were the Church of God so that it is the dutie of the Church to preserve and keepe them None hath done it but the Church which hath not failed in any point If a tender mother should have a spring that she and her Children live by to drinke of how carefull would she be to kepe it from all annoyances so because the Scripture is as a Spring that the Church lives by and drinkes of she and her children Therefore there can be no question but that the Church hath beene carefull to keepe it from all annoyances It hath beene an opinion of the Papists that the Scripture was corrupted by the Iewes in the Originall Text but if this opinion were true it were enough to bring in Atheisme and all prophanenes for no body can deny but if that the letters of the Scripture were corrupted in the Originall then that which is translated cannot be right Here then to confute this opinion of the Papists which is enough to bring in flat Atheisme and superstition I will shew you divers arguments and reasons to proove that the Scripture hath not beene corrupted which because it is a point of learning and a high one therefore as God when he gave the Law to the People came downe upon the Mount as low as might bee to deliver it to them so I will come downe as low as I can to make it plaine to your Capacities who heare me The first Is drawne by comparison from a King There is no King that would suffer his Statute lawes to be corrupted in the fundimentall Points and his publike Records if hee could helpe it but God is our King and the Scripture is the Statute-Law of God and his publike Records whereby he makes his Will knowne to Men and governes them and therefore can we thinke that the Lord will suffer any to corrupt it seeing he hath Power in his hand to help it unlesse we thinke that God hath lesse care than an earthly king would have of his lawes Iosephus reports and also Eusebius of a certaine Poet that tooke upon him to apply a Holy sentence to a wrong end who was stricken with blindnesse till he made confession of his fault And of another that tooke a peece of Scripture to make a jest of it who was taken with a phreneticall madnesse and hardly ever recovered againe Now therefore if God doe punish those that do prophane the Scripture then how much more will he punish them that doe corrupt it seeing God hath set this seale to it This God makes good Revel 22. 18. For I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the prophesie of this book If any Man shall adde to these things God shall adde to him the plagues that are written in this booke and if any Man shall take away from the words of the booke of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the Booke of Life therefore who durst meddle to corrupt it The second reason is drawen from the Promise of Christ in Matth. 5. 18. For verily I say unto you till Heaven and Earth perish one jot or one title of the Law shall not escape till all things be fulfilled now by the law he meanes the written Law of God here we have the promise of Christ that as long as Heaven and Earth indures there is not one jot or title of the Law that shall be corrupted The third is taken from the continuall practise of the Prophets Apostles and of Christ himselfe that still send the People of God to the Scriptures as the most sincere Iudges as Esay 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimonies if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them so 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a most sure word of the Prophets to the which ye doe well that ye take heede as unto a light that shineth in a darke place c. and Christ Iohn 5. 39. saith Search the Scriptures for in them you thinke to have Eternall Life they are they which testifie of me So wee see that Christ the Prophets and Apostles call us to the Scriptures as to the sincerest Iudge Now if the scriptures had beene corrupted and depraved they would not have sent us to them for there is no man that will send his servant to sea but hee will tell him the danger of it and of the Shelves Rockes and Sands and where they be that so hee may avoyde them so if the Scriptures had beene corrupted Christ the Prophets and the Apostles would not have sent us to the Scriptures but would have told us where the Rockes and Shelves and where the dangers had beene nay if Christ had knowne the Scriptures had beene corrupted he would have made it knowne or if
Levit. 4. 3. there was a sacrifice appointed for the Ignorance of the Priests and People and Habakuk 3. the Prophet intitles a prayer for the Ignorances Therefore the Church may bee ignorant of some things as the Church of Ierusalem was Acts 11. 10. The Church was ignorant of the calling of the Gentiles till they were informed by Peter and in Cyprians time there was rebaptising held in the true Church So in Augustines time it was held as a thing needfull to salvation for Children to receive the Lords Supper contrary to Saint Pauls rule 1 Cor. 11. Let a Man examine himselfe therefore it is out of question their may be errors in the true Church But the difference is twofold First that they doe not erre in the foundation their errours doe not strike at the heart and let out the life-blood of religion but it is like the scratching of a Thorne and therefore it remaineth Holy in the foundation Secondly Though it fall into errour it is so assisted by the Power of grace as it doth not rest till it recover againe as mud being throwne into a fountaine rests not till it workes it out and settles againe so though the Church fall into errour it is so assisted by the power of grace as that it recovers againe as Iohn 16. 11. saith Christ When hee is come that is the Spirit He shall lead you into all Truth that is possesse them with all truth and lead them in all Truth Peter himselfe did not know all for he was ignorant of the calling of the Gentiles till he saw the vision And then it was revealed unto him so though the Church of God be ignorant for some time it shall not so continue but the Holy Ghost will lead it into all truth Now with the holinesse of their Faith they must joyne holinesse of life as 2 Pet. 1. 5. saith he moreover joyne with your Faith vertue and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance c. with saith there must be joyned good life as of 1 Tim. 1. 19. saith S. Paul of some having faith and a good conscience which some have put away and as concerning faith hath made Shipwracke they were not wise enough to joyne to the holines of their faith holines of life but cast away a good coÌ„science made no conscience of known duties and so made shipwracke of all the pretious graces that they had imbarked In the 2 Thes 2. 10. it is said Because they received not the love of Truth that they might be saved therefore did God send them strong delusions that they should beleeve lies Therefore if men will not receive the love of the truth that they may be saved it is just with God to send them strong delusions to beleeve lyes therefore it must bee our care that with holinesse of our faith we joyne a Holy life Secondly the Church is holy by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse as 1 Cor. 1. 30. it is said Christ is made to us of God the Father wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption so Christ is not onely our justification but our sanctification for his holinesse is imputed to us In the Law as wee may see Rom. 11. 16. In the first fruits all the rest was sanctified though they â—â—re not brought into the Temple nor presented before God yet by thâ— first fruites the rest was made Holy by a certaine power to the eateâ— and users of them so because Christ is the first fruits that was offered to God in all the puritie that might bee therefore the Church of God is made holy by relation from him To this the Schoolemen agree for saith Aquinas every imperfect thing presupposeth some certaine thing that is perfect that it might be helpt all our holinesse is unperfect in our selves therefore it must bee made perfect by the holinesse of Christ In all accusations of the Divell and conflicts of our consciences wee should come to God and say Lord though I am a sinner uncleane and have infinite wants in my selfe yet in my Head Christ I am sanctified and made Holy so that whatsoever I want in my selfe it is made good in him We see chrystall though it have no light nor lustre in it selfe yet set it in the Sunne and it receiveth the Sunne beames so although we have no light nor manner of lustre in our selves yet if we be brought to Christ wee receive all the graces of Christ therefore in the Revelation the Church is said to bee apparelled with the righteousnesse of Christ Thirdly the Church is holy by inherent holinesse because there is never a true member of the Church but doth labour to be holy though they be incumbred with a number of sinnes Therefore Heb. 3. they are called holy brethren and Esay 65. 12. It is said of them and they shall call them the holy People the redeemed of the Lord for it is the care of every true member to be holy though they be troubled with many incumbrances weaknesses and sinnes Therefore whosoever thou art that art not holy at all for wee cannot obtaine to bee perfectly holy in the estate of corruption labour to bee holy in some measure use the meanes and have care to rid and remove thy sinnes for otherwise thou art no true member of the holy Church A man may live in the Church till his flesh rot or his eyes fall out of his head and yet be no true member of the Church no more than a wodden legge is a true part of a Mans body which though it moove and goe with the body yet may be laid in the fire when the body is in safety because it is not joyned to it to draw life and motion from it in like manner a man may live in the Church and bee no true member thereof because hee is not joyned to Christ nor can approve himselfe to his owne conscience or to the conscience of others therefore as it is the care of every true member to be holy so it must be the care of us that are in the Church Fourthly the Church is holy because there be the meanes of holinesse It is not so holy as Corah Dathan and Abiram said Numb 16. 3. to Moses and Aaron ye take too much upon you seeing all the congregation is holy Thus to have no neede of Magistracie and Ministerie were a dangerous errour for any to thinke for the Church hath neede of all the meanes of holinesse though there be some beginnings of it yet they have neede of Moses and Aaron of Magistracie and Ministery as Psal 77. 20. it is said that The Lord led the People of Israel like Sheepe by the hand of Moses and Aaron the Lord led them with great tendernesse and respect hee led them like sheepe but it was by the hand of Moses and Aaron as long as the Church is in her Pilgrimage it hath neâ—de of all meanes of holinesse to guide and
of our sinnes to get faith in Christ to walke before God in newnesse and holinesse of life and then after this life we shall live in all blessednesse in the kingdome of Heaven for ever SERMON LXXI LVKE 1. 77. To give knowledge of salvation unto his People by the remission of their sinnes AT length wee are come to the second maine blessing and benefit that God giveth unto us in this life the forgivenesse of sinnes wherein two things are to be considered First That the forgivenesse of sinnes is one of the greatest blessings that God giveth to his People here in this World Secondly That this blessing appertaineth to this life onely if we have it not here let us not looke for it in the life to come For the first That the forgivenesse of sinnes is one of the greatest blessing that God giveth to his People in this world We see Esay 33. 24. it is said The People that dwell therein shall have their iniquitie pardoned So Esay 40. 1. Comfort ye comfort ye my People saith God speake yee comfort unto Ierusalem and crie unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquitie is pardoned for she hath received of the Lords hand double for all her sinnes and Psal 32. David pronounceth the man blessed that hath his sinnes pardoned therefore Matth. 1. the Angell said to Mary and thou shalt call his Name Iesus for he shall save his People from their sinnes so then it is cleare by the Scripture that the pardon of sinnes is one of the greatest blessings that God giveth in this life It is a great blessing indeed to have food and rayment with things fit and needfull for this life but the pardon of our sinnes is a greater blessing than that for take any man abounding in all these things riches goods honours and credit yet if he want the pardon of his sinnes he is a miserable man and stands in a wofull condition for he stands not on cleare grounds The prisoners in the Tower are in a worse estate and condition than the poorest waterbearer is for though he have all good diet attendance fine roomes and a soft bed to lie on yet in his owne sense he is miserable because he lookes every day for his arraignment when sentence shall be given against him so if a man flow in all the wealth and deliciousnesse the world can afford and yet be unreconciled to God and hath not repented his sinnes he is in a worse condition and estate than the poorest of Gods Saints though they have but bread and water because that every day hee may looke when hee shall have the finall sentence pronounced against him to the wofull confusion of him for evermore When every thing goes well with us it is an hard matter for us to see the pardon of our sinnes to bee one of the greatest blessings but if the Lord should open our eyes to see our sinnes and to feele the burthen of them a little being touched in conscience for them then if the world were set on the one hand and the pardon of our sinnes on the other we would choose the pardon of our sinnes before all this world The use hereof shall be seeing the pardon of sinnes is one of the greatest blessings that God giveth in this world therfore though God give us food and raiment things needfull and necessarie for this life yet we should not be at rest till we finde the pardon and forgivenesse of our sinnes most men now a-dayes labour for these outward things never seeke for the pardon of sinnes but every one should checke himselfe and say I have laboured a long time for these outward things for a little bread and cloath yet the time is to come that ever I sought for the pardon of my sinnes the greatest blessing of all Exod. 8. 8. wee read how Pharoah came to Moses and Aaron saying Pray yee unto the Lord that hee may take away the frogges from mee Hee desired not him to pray to take away his sinnes which was the cause of them Iust the same is the case of the men of this world they cry out take away this judgement this sicknesse this lamenesse take away this povertie but never pray to God to take away their sinnes which are the cause thereof Gen. 15. God made to Abraham great and large promises who replies to God Lord what is all this seeing I goe childlesse so when God hath given a man Riches and goods and what the heart of a man can wish for yet he should say unto God Lord what is all this seeing I want the pardon of my sinnes therefore above all things Lord forgive mee my sinnes and pardon them The second thing is that pardon of sinnes appertaineth to this life onely for there are two sorts of blessings some that appertaine to this life some to the world to come those that appertaine to this life are First The Communion of Saints Secondly The forgivenesse of sinnes Here a man must seek it for so Christ shewes Matth. 5. agree with thine adversarie whilest thou art in the way Now Augustine saith that the time of life is the way to the judgement barre and therefore while wee are in the way wee must labour to seeke peace with God and the pardon of our sinnes lest our adversarie accuse us to the Iudge and the Iudge deliver us to the jaylour and the jaylour cast us into prison whence wee shall not come out untill wee have payed the uttermost farthing And Salomon saith Eccl. 9. 10. All that thy hand findeth to doe doe it with all thy power for there is neither worke invention nor knowledge in the grave whither thou goest So S. Cyprian saith when a man is once out of this world all opportunitie of doing good is gone So Chrysostome here in this world one must finde the pardon of his sinnes in the world to come it will bee too late to finde it And so Augustine there is a twofold Repentance a fruitfull Repentance which is in this life and penall or unfruitfull Repentance in the life to come so the wicked in Hell may repent them of their sinnes the whoremonger of his whroedome swearers of their swearing and the drunkard of his drunkennesse but this kind of Repentance is unfruitfull because they have no good by it but it serveth to increase their further torment But the fruitfull Repentance is in this life onely therefore we are taught hereby to make it our wisedome to lay hold on the good time that God giveth us to repent us of our siâ—nes to bee reconciled unto him and seeke favour at his hands for if we bee once dead and layd in the grave all opportimitie of doing good is taken away If a man sends his servant to the market to buy such things as they stand in need of when the market bell rings hee must apply himselfe to buy the things that
It is Iosephs blessing Genes 46. 4. That he should put his hands upon his father Iacobs eyes that is that hee shall not leave them in the time of death It is the tendernesse of many that they cannot abide to bee with their friends at the time of death but wee that bee Christians must labour to overcome this and performe this good duty to helpe and comfort them as much as we can It is said of Abraham Gen. 19. 16. That when the Angels came to his house and were to goe from him he brought them on the way the consideration of which dutie should put us in minde to performe another namely that when wee see them readie to depart we should attend them with good speeches with our prayers and never leave them till we have brought them as farre as we can we reade 2 King when God would take away Elias Elisha would not leave him but attended him till a firy chariot came and tooke him away and so carried him to heaven so we should not leave our friends and neighbours but attend them with good speeches and prayers till God hath received them into heaven a place of glory the very seat of God Secondly the Spirituall use is that as Mary and Iohn gathered to the Crosse as neere him as possibly they might so every man should gather to the Crosse of Christ as neere as possibly he can that when others attend their pleasures profits and their sins yet thou mayest get as neere the crosse as thou canst and joyne thy selfe to Christ that every drop of bloud there may fall upon thy soule and conscience If a man come where there is a fountaine of water if he be a-thirst he will make way to it upon his hands and knees so seeing God hath opened a fountaine for us in the bloud of his Sonne as it is Zech. 13. 1. If we be a-thirst we will creepe upon our hands and knees to make way to this fountaine and drinke of it that so wee may be nourished to eternall life The Papists run to Ierusalem to see the woodden crosse of Christ which when they have done they are never a whit the better for it but doe thou labour to mortifie thy sinnes in the crosse and death of Christ joyne thy selfe to him by a true faith and then thou shalt partake of his crosse eat his body to live eternally and to drinke his bloud to thy everlasting comfort Thus much for the spirituall use The second thing that was observed is The speech of Christ wherein wee observe two things 1. The tenour of his speech 2. The time of it First The tenour of it is Woman behold thy Sonne and to his Disciple behold thy mother as if he should say take this man for thy sonne and hee shall performe the duty of a sonne unto thee in my roome take him to be thy sonne and take this woman to be thy mother Secondly The time when hee spake it when hee was in paines and torments upon the crosse wherein divers things are to be observed First we may see the care of Christ for his mother that he provides carefully for her and therefore commends her to Iohn Which must teach us to be carefull to provide comfortably for those we leave behinde us in this world our wives and our children wee reade to this purpose Hebr. 11. 21. that Iaakob blessed both the sons of Ioseph by faith when he was a dying It is a heathenish saying when I am dead let heaven and earth run together such care for no body but themselves but we who are Christians must have a care of the good of those we leave behind us So Isaak did Gen. 27. 2. I am old saith he and know not the day of my death come and let me blesse thee before I die So likewise Elias saith to Elisha when he was to ascend in a firy chariot What shall I doe for thee before I bee taken from thee I but some may say I have no body to commit my wife and children to I have no friend nor kinsman I answer If thou have no body to commend them to neither friend nor kinsman then commend them to God and he will provide for them if thou layest them downe in the armes of God he will keepe them So saith our Saviour Christ Iohn 17. 11. having none but God to commend his Disciples to when he was to depart this world saith he And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee holy Father keepe them in thy Name So Paul Act. 20. 32. when he had no body to commend the people to he commends them to God when he was to depart from them saith he And now brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up further and to give you an inheritance amongst all them who are sanctified Therefore if wee have no friend nor kinsman to commit those we leave behinde to we must commit them to God and he will provide for them this must be our care when we are to depart this world Secondly this care of Christ may teach us that hee is not onely the Saviour of our soules but of our bodies therefore Luk. 22. 35. our Saviour saith to his Disciples When I sent you out without bagge and scrip and shoes lacked ye any thing And they said nothing so we see Christ did provide for the body and soule this is the reason why Christ did not onely teach the people but he did feede them too to shew that he was not onely the Saviour of the soule but of the body too hee did not onely take care of their soules but of their bodies also this meetes with the common corruption of these dayes in that men commit the care of their soules to God but they are afraid they shall want food rayment and things needfull for this life therefore they will take care for their bodies themselves but it is certaine that if Christ have care of our soules which is the greater hee will have a care of our bodies which is the lesser this Christ teaches us in reason Matth. 6. Is not the life more worth than meate and the body more worth than rayment and is not the kingdome of glory more worth than the things of this life therefore if he give the greater let us not doubt he will stand for to give us the lesser which are the things of this life Thirdly this care of Christ must teach us that we must so performe our duety to God as we doe not neglect it to men and we must so performe our duety to men that wee doe not neglect it to God therefore the Lord hath joyned both together as Mic. 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth at thy hand surely to doe justly and to
love mercy and to humble thy selfe to walke with 〈…〉 As Exod. 25. the Cherubines that did stand upon the Arke did 〈…〉 upon the mercy seate as they did looke with their faces one towards another so wee must performe our duety to God that we doe not neglect our duety to men but in what order must this be performed First wee must doe our duety to God then wee must doe it to men Chriâ—â— was carefull for his mother but it was from the crosse for first he did submit himselfe to the will of his father and was obedient to the death of the crosse after that he was carefull for his mother so we must doe when we have done our duety to God we must be carefull to performe duety of love and kindnesse one to another Fourthly if Christ were carefull for his mother let us not doubt but that he will be carefull for his church Ioseph when he was in Egypt and his father in Canaan saith unto Pharaoh Sir I have a poore father and eleven brethren that are like to starve you have corne enough I pray Sir let mee send for them and let them dwell in the land of Goshen so Christ saith to God his father I have a company of poore distressed servants in the world afflicted and troubled I pray thee send for them bring them home unto thee that they may behold thy glory I but some men may say indeed Christ was carefull for his mother because she was his mother and his good mother too but what is that to me How may I assure my selfe that he will be carefull for me too To this I answer that if we doe the will of God then wee are his brother his sister and his mother so Christ saith Matth. 12. For whosoever shall doe the will of my heavenly father he is my brother my sister and my mother so if we doe the will of God wee are his brother his sister and his mother and as he was carefull of his mother and did commend her to Iohn when hee was to depart this world so hee hath given a charge to this whole world concerning his church to heaven and earth hee hath given a charge to his Angels Psal 91. 11 12. For hee hath given his Angels charge ever thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes they shall beare thee in their hands that thou hurt nor dash thy foot against a stone Which although it be especially spoken of Christ yet there is not a member of Christ but it concernes too so hee hath given a charge to the whole world concerning his Church Psa 105. 15. Touch not mine annointed and do my Prophets no harme so also hee hath given particular men a charge to doe us good even a number we know not of as 1 King 17. 8. When Elias was in distresse at the river and wanted meate and drinke the river being dryed up The word of God came unto him saying arise get thee to Zarephath which is in Sidon and remaine there Behold I have commanded a widdow there to sustaine thee so God hath given a charge to a number of men we know not of to feed us and sustaine us therefore as Christ commended his mother to Iohn so God hath given a charge concerning his Church to Angels to the whole world to particular persons Secondly the time when he spake when hee was in paines and in torments upon the crosse which may teach us when bodily paines be upon us wee should stirre up our selves to doe good to those wee leave behinde us so Christ 〈◊〉 forgate his paines and trouble that was upon him and stirred 〈◊〉 himselfe to doe good I know through frailety of the flesh we shall have little minde to thinke or to speake of any good but Christians must not give place to the flesh but stirre up the graces of God which is in them so Steven Act. 7. comming neere his death when a shower of stones came about his eares kneeled downe and called upon the Name of God old Iaakob also when he came to dye he gathered up himselfe and worshipped towards the end of his staffe and bowed himselfe so a Christian must reare and stirre up the spirit of grace which is in him if a man fill a bottle of ale and fling it into the sea howsoever a man may pull downe the bottle it will rise againe if it be not held by plaine strength so howsoever a Christian man may bee held downe through the paines that be upon him yet as long as there is a Spirit of grace in him it wil shew it selfe at one time or other Thirdly The effects of the speech that from that time forth hee tooke her home to himselfe that is hee tooke her for his mother which must teach us that every one must bee carefull to performe the will of the dead if it be the will of the dead we must be carefull to doe it Gal. 3. 15. saith Paul Though it is a mans testament yet if it be confirmed no man does abrogate it or adde any thing to it so the will of a dead man is not to be disanulled and this is seated in nature that it is an injury and wrong to a dead man when they doe not performe his will as Ier. 35. 6. And I set before the children of Rechab bottles full of wine and said unto them Drinke wine But they said We will not drinke wine for Ionadab our father commanded us saying Yee shall drinke no wine you nor your sonnes fo ever which they observed onely because it was the will of their dead father much more we that be Christians how carefull should we be to performe the will of the dead seeing wee beleeve the Resurrection that we shall all rise againe and then with what faces can we looke on them at that day with what face can the wife looke on her husband and the childe on his father and one brother on another when we have not done their wils but have rather done injury and wrong to them Secondly as Iohn was obedient to Christ in the estate of his humility when he was upon the crosse much more we should be to him in the estate of his glory let us bee carefull to remember his will and commandements and doe them for although he hath not laid it may be the care of wife or of children on thee or of servants yet he hath laid the care of the preserving of thy owne soule and conscience take heed therefore doe not starve or famish it for if we doe neglect thar he puts us in trust to doe how shall wee looke upon him at the day of judgement we see in experience if a man commit a childe to one to nurse if she shall neglect starve and famish the childe how can she looke on the party that did put the childe to her so it is a greater sinne to starve thine owne