mighty able to goe through with that he is appointed and therefore as mighty Sampson rose at midnight and carried away the gates of Gaza unto the top of an high mountaine so this Christ the mighty one hath risen from death and carried away the gates of hell and of death and is ascended into Heaven by reason whereof Heb. 7. 25. It is said He is able perfectly to save them that came unto God by him seeing he liveth ever to make intercession for them therefore wee come not to a weake man as the other high Priests were but to a mighty One. This is a comfort unto a Christian that God hath furnished him with gifts and graces and hath enabled him to goe through this great worke of redemption therefore he will not leave it in the middle but will goe through with the great worke assigned him it was the comfort of the Leper Matth. 8. when he came to Christ that if Christ would he could make him cleane so it is the comfort of a Christian when hee knowes there is power in Christ to helpe him that Christ the Lord if hee will can make him cleane and save him Thirdly by his anointing the party was made gratefull and acceptable to all that had to deale with him as in the Law the Priests and Prophets and Kings such as were anointed drew all to them whom they had to doe withall in delight of their persons and their sweet anointments that was powred upon them so the anointing of Christ and the sweete graces of the Spirit powred without measure on him doth draw all that have to deale with him to delight in him His Person was first acceptable to God secondly to the Church First hee was acceptable to God as Ephes. 5. 2. it is said And hath given himselfe for us to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling savour to God When our sinnes were upon him they made a strong and stinking smell in the nostrils of God the sinnes wee live in and be guilty of therefore if it were not for this same sweete ointment that is powred out on him the graces of his Spirit our sinnes would make us odious and hatefull in the sight of God such a strange and stinking smell our sinnes have Now as the Person of Christ was made delightfull and acceptable to God so he was acceptable to the Church as Cantic 1. 2. it is said Because of the savor of thy good ointments thy Name is as a pretious ointment powred forth therefore doe the virgins love thee all that be virgins that have chast soules so Psal 45. 8. All thy garments smell of Myrrh Aloes and Cassia therefore Kings daughters stand at thy right hand and the honourable women the gallant people of the world are drawne by the sweetnesse of his cloathes But it is a pitifull thing to see the world doth not delight light in the presence of Christ and are not drawne unto him the reason is because they doe not smell the sweet ointment that was powred out upon Christ they smell a sweetnesse in their pleasures profits and in their sinnes but they doe not smell the sweet ointment powred out on Christ and therefore they doe not seeke to him and delight in him We see in the Gospell that the people flocked thronged and followed after Christ three daies journey together what was the reason of it because they had tasted of the Spirit and had smelt of this same sweet ointment which made them leave all and follow him so the graces that were powred upon him made him delightfull to all that had to deale with him to God and to the Church The second maine thing is with what he was anointed in the Law they were anointed with materiall oyle As 1 Sam. 10. Samuel powred out an horne of oyle on Saul but Christ was not anointed with materiall oyle but with the holy Ghost with the gifts of the Spirit of which the oyle was but a shadow as Esai 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me therefore the anointing of Christ is not by powring out materiall oyle on him but by powring out the gifts and graces of the Spirit upon him Psal 45. 7. it is said that God had Anointed him with the oyle of gladnesse above his followes Now the reason why these graces are compared to oyle is because oyle will soften and make a thing supple for take a little oyle and anoint any one part and it will make that part lithy and nimble or take a little oyle and put it into a locke and it will make it nimble to stirre this way and that way so if once a little of this oyle bee powred into our hearts it will make us quicke and nimble which before were slow and dull in the service of God this is one reason why it is compared to oyle Of Sampson Iudg. 14. it is said that the Spirit of God came upon him and then he was able to doe great matters and Acts. 2. when the holy Ghost came downe upon the disciples in cloven tongues then they were able to speake to Gods glory and when the Spirit of God came upon Saul he would prophesie so then wee see the Spirit of God will make a man fit and nimble for any service that God doth call unto many men complaine they bee heavy harted and dull in the service of God and they cannot pray let them get but a little of this oyle and it will make them fit for any service and duty that God requireth Secondly it is called the Oyle of gladnesse because it makes every man glad that hath it for let a man have but a drop of this Oyle and it will make him glad more to rejoyce than all things else The worldly man delights in his profits the wanton in his pleasure but if we have but a drop of this oyle it will make us rejoyce in the love and favour of God Psal 4. 6 7. David saith Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us this shall glad our hearts more than they of their great increase of corne and wine and oyle so if wee get but a little of this oyle the graces of his Spirit it will make us glad Act. 8. 37. The Eunuch had but a little of this oyle and he went away rejoycing the city of Samaria had but a little of this oyle and they received the word with great joy There be a number complaine they cannot be merry they have joy in nothing the reason is because they want this oyle therefore let us fling away our sinnes and corruptions labour to repent of them and get of this oyle that makes every man glad which made Paul and Silas sing at midnight in a dungeon and the three Children rejoyce in the firy furnace and Peter sleepe in his chaines what was the reason of this because they had got a
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
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.
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
left she replies that shee had nothing left but a little cruse and a little oyle in it where upon the Prophet bids her goe and borrow vessels of her neighbours then shut the doores to her selfe and powre into those vessels and fill them which she did and so payed her creditours and lived of the rest This is the Churches case the Divell impleade her for debt and the Church hath nothing left but as it were a little Pitcher the body of Christ and yet out of this there hath runne out such a deale of oyle as that it hath sufficiently discharged all the debt of the Church and this is another comfort to her that hee will discharge all her debts Fiftly seeing the Church is the body and the spouse of Christ that one day wee shall bee brought home unto him to live with him for ever as Psal 45. 14 it is said shee shall bee brought to the King in â—aâ—ment of needle worke and in the next verse With gladnesse and rejoicing shall they be brought they shall enter into the Kings Palace Therefore this is a comfort to the Church that although she cannot see him because she lives here on earth and Christ in Heaven yet there will be a time when shee shall live for ever with him in glorie and happinesse It was Christs request Iohn 17. 24. Father I will that those which thou hast given mee bee with mee even where I am that they may behold my glorie which thou hast given mee it was one of Christ last suits to his father that we should be brought home unto him This is another comfort to the Church that one day they shall enjoy Christ and live with him for ever in glory howsoever they may have a great deale of trouble and affliction here as Revel 19. 6 7. there was a great voyce like a clap of Thunder saying Halleluiah for our Lord God Almighty hath raigned let us bee glad and rejoice and give glorie to him for the mariage of the Lambe is come and his Wife hath made her sâ—lfe ready All harts should bee filled with joy for this and all soules should bee replenished with glâ—dnesse for that one day the marriage shall bee solemnized when wee shall bee brought home unto him to live with him for ever Lastly seeing the Church is the Bride and the Spouse of Christ therefore he will not bee ashamed of us no good man will be ashamed of his wife though she be but meane in any place nor before any company no more will Christ be ashamed of us but will confesse us before God though we be but meane as Heb. 2. 11. For both he that sanctifieth and they which are sanctified are all of one wherefore hee is not ashamed to call them brethren saying I will declare thy Name unto my brethren in the midst of the Church will I sing praises unto thee And againe behold here am I and the children that thou hast given me so Luk. 12. 8. Whosoever shall confesse me before men him shall the Sonne of Man confesse before God and his Angels As Ioseph confessed his father and brethren before Pharoah and was not affraid of them so will Christ one day acknowledge his Brethren the Elect of God this is another comfort that Christ will not be ashamed of us howsoever wee are not respected and regarded here yet one day we shall be highly promoted Christ will say to us Come ye blessed of my Father receive the Kingdome prepared for you before the beginning of the World Therefore beloved brethren sequester your thoughts from things present and think on the things to come think upon this joyfull meeting of Christ and all the holy people of God consider how great will our comfort be at that time therefore love Iesus Christ be carefull to passe your time here in holinesse and feare labour to repent of your sinnes and to get faith in Christ that yee may finde favour with God at that time Now there is another thing that I would commend unto you in regard of the time That seeing Christ is such a comfortable Husband to us let us take heed we doe not displease him we see a good wife will be loth to displease her husband at any time if she hath given him any occasion of offence she will not be at rest till she be reconciled and her husband pacified and pleased with her so seeing it is manifest at this present by evident tokens that our loving Husband is displeased by taking away the comforts of the Earth for what a thing is it that wee should live on the Earth and yet not see the fruits of it comfortably but be strangers from it in regard of the multitude of our sinnes therefore I say seeing we see him displeased with us let us not be at rest till we be reconciled unto him let us repent us of our sinnes pray unto him and never give over till he be pacified and pleased with us SERMON LXIV 1 TIMOTHY 3. 15. That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy selfe in the House of God which is the Church of the Living God the Pillar and ground of the Truth THe greater the Church of God is the more is our comfort to be members of it therefore I hope it will not be tedious to any to speake further of the dignities and priviledges of the Church for if one have a stately House or a fruitfull Field hee will not bee weary to heare one tell him of the goodly Scituation and Commodities that doth belong unto it so because the glory of the Church is our glory therefore it shall not be amisse nor I hope tedious to any that I insist to speake of the dignities of the Church of God Fourthly the dignitie of the Church is conspicuous in that it is called the Pillar and ground of Truth A metaphor taken from building that as a Pillar sustaines and upholds the house from falling so the Church of God is a Pillar to uphold the Scripture and the Gospell which otherwise the prophane multitude of the World would let fall and it cannot stand with another Societie but only with the Church of God because there God is knowne so we see Psal 76. It is said God is knowne is Iuda his Name is great in Israel For in Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling in Zion So also Psal 147. 19. Hee sheweth his Word unto Iaakob His Statutes and his Iudgements unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation neither have they knowne his Iudgements so then it is an honour peculiar belonging to the Church of God to uphold and maintaine the doctrine of saving truth which otherwise would bee extinguished by the prophane multitude of the World Now two wayes the Church is the Ground and Pillar of Truth 1. Because it doth preserve and keepe the Tables of Truth 2. Because it doth deliver the doctrine of Truth
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
Spirit attends the Ministery of his Word 345. The authoritie of the Ministery is to forgive sinnes 346. All true Ministers are sent to Seeke that which was lost Call sinners to repentance Preach deliverance to the captives 342. Why meâ—tion is made of Christs sufferings and not of his miracles 145. †Money ill come by will one day lie heavie on the conscience 184. †Mortification wherein it consist 503. ¶ How Moses may bee said to accuse us 554. ¶ Why Christ dranke myrth mingled with wine 217. ¶ The mystery of God spoken of Revel 10. 7. the end of the world 251. ¶ N REverence due to the Name of God 208. ¶ We are naturally naked in the sight of God 222. †A good nature no signe of grace 494. Nature hardly restrained by grace 516. * Christ tooke on him both the whole Nature of man as soule and body and the infirmities thereof 102. Christ tooke on him such infirmities of mans nature as were not sinnefull but unblameable passions and those not personall but common to all men 102. ¶ Christ tooke the infirmities of mans nature 1. For satisfaction sake 2. To strengthen faith in the incarnation 3. For our example 4. To compassionate us 103. c. Christ tooke mans nature inregard of Necessitie Equitie Fitnesse 103. ¶ The ends why he tooke it are to Redeeme man Restore the lost Image of God in man Advance mans nature Make it dreadfull to the divel Declare thereby the Wisedome Goodnesse Iustice Power of God 164. Mans nature and sinne hardly parted but by the power of the holy Ghost 107. †Impossibilities to a naturall man 511. * Better not to speake at all than ill of our neighbours 195. ¶ We may not hurt our neighbours though it be in our powers 200. * Noah left all to save his soule 38. Christs words Noliâ—e tangere 312. ¶ God is able to make a man somewhat when he is nothing 66. ¶ O THe marvellous obduration of the Iewes 185. Obedience due to God that Made Can destroy Disposes all things 64 65 Obedience due to Christ as Lord. 97. ¶ A man that hath nothing to offer to God must offer his sinnes 137. ¶ The threefold office of Christ 83. Oile of gladnesse why so called 81. ¶ Difference in opinions hath beene in all ages 283. †The danger of letting slip an opportunitie 348. Christ over-heares every word wee speake 351. P THe Papists feare the Popes curse more than Gods 467. †Christ borne of meane Parentage to Sanctifie the meanest births Pull downe the pride of the world Teach us contentment Declare the greatnesse of Gods love 111. Christs care extends not onely to all in generall but to every one in particular 347. We must beleeve in particular 77. * Christ the true paschall Lambe 266. 268. ¶ Christs Passion two-fold of Necessitie Arbitrary this he Vnderwent Refused 218. No perfect peace on earth whilst the Church is Militant 531. * Christ brings peace whithersoever he comes 339. ¶ True peace of conscience is only to be sought in the death of Christ 340. Gods People are sensible of their owne wants 248. ¶ Perseverance obtaines the Crowne 255. ¶ Why Peter girt his coat unto him when hee cast himselfe into the Sea and swim to Christ 627. Philip of Macedonia his dayly memento 407. ¶ God as a Physitian gives his people such a potion as shall free them from all diseases 641. ¶ Pilate sought to cleare Christ 197. ¶ Pilate laboured to deliver Christ Loquendo Mittendo Iungendo Flagellando 200. Of Pilates labouring to deliver Christ 205. In foure respects we must be Pilgrims here 40. The places of trouble God will make places of comfort 360. What to plead against Satan 152. Wee ought to remember death in the midst of all our pleasures 279. ¶ Neglect of the poore a great sinne 475. Christ the poore mans portion 121. ¶ Christ not to bee despised for his povertie 137. * What Christ prayed for in the Garden 160. * Christ prayed for his enemies 225. Prayer is seede sowne in Gods eares and heart 488. †As Christs so our prayers must be limited to Gods good will 160. The stronger conflicts the more earnest our prayers 161. ¶ Prayer should take place where admonition will not 227. †Ground of prayer 240. * Hearty prayer shall not want its due fruit 242. * Praising of God must follow holy Services 127. ¶ Preparation to Heaven illustrated by a Simile of a Traveller 447. †A personall precept bindes not every man 492. ¶ No man must prescribe conditions to God 349. †Wee must labour to bee in the presence of Christ 98. * A twofold presence of God 1. Generall to sustaine us in the life of Nature 2. Particular to assist us in the life of Glory 170. 465. Christ a Priest to Reconcile us to God Intercede for us 84 c. The longer we live here the neerer we draw to the accomplishment of Gods Promises 114. †God 's Promises accomplished in the fulnesse of time 113. Patient waiting for Gods promises commended 114. * Christ a Prophet to declare the will of God 83. The soule goes not to Purgatory or a middle place 604. Q HOw the Spirit is quenched 516. R AS the Rechabites observed their father Ionadab so wee must observe and obey God 54. * Reconciliation to God is by Christ 152. * Our reconciliation to God cost Christ thick blood 163. †Our reconciliation no easie thing 212. †The difficultie of recovering out of sinne if long lyen in 350. ¶ The worke of redemption greater than of creation 68. ¶ The great and long labour of our redemption 253. * The consummation of our redemption in the words It is finished 251. †The power of grace in the heart makes Gods people to rejoyce 136. ¶ T is nothing to be religious if not just withall 139. ¶ Two remembrances of God in Iudgement Mercie 241. †Repentance cannot save without faith for three reasons 1. 2. Repentance Fruitfull only in this Vnfruitfull or penall in the other life 609. ¶ Defects in unsound repentance as in Ahab c. 497. The danger of late repentance 235. No repentance in Hell 285. †Christ alwaies comes to repentant sinners 306. †No resisting Christ the Lord of the world 96. ¶ Of the resurrection of the body 623. Reasons proving it drawne from the Power Iustice Mercie End of Christs comming Resurrection of Christ of God 623. Objections of Atheists against the resurrection answered 625. The glory of the body at the resurrection consists in 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Intirenesse of parts 638. Beauty and lovelinesse 639. Brightnesse and splendor ibid. Immortalitie and immutabilitie 640. Spiritualitie 642. Power 643. Of Christs resurrection 292. Christs resurrection of necessity to Assure us of pardon of sinnes Apply salvation Assure our resurrection out of the Grave Trouble 292. c. The companions of Christs resurrection 300. The manifestation of Christs resurrection 304. Reasons that wee