I will commend unto you two things First that they said one unto another Did not our hearts burne when hee spake unto us so wee should examine our selves when Christ hath spoken unto us whether our hearts burne whether we were afflicted with that which was taught us If we find not this we may say to our selves What did we heare why doe we misse-spend the time Secondly that they could not be at rest they could not tarry but they went and told it to their brethren so when God hath made any good thing knowne unto us we should not be at rest but should tell it to our wives to our children to our friends and to our acquaintance we remember what Christ said to the women Goe tell my brethren and even so I may say to you Go tell your friends and tell your brethren the good things yee have heard tell it to your wives and children and if yee cannot remember any more yet remember this how wee may retaine and keepe Christ namely with this short prayer of these disciples The day is farre spent and the night drawes on tarry with us so my life is night spent and the night of death drawes on Lord tarry with us and then we shall make a happy close of our life when Wee shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of heaven SERMON XXXV IOHN 20. 19. Then the same day at Evening being the first day of the weeke when the doores were shut where the Disciples were assembled for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them Peace be unto you FIve severall times Christ appeared the same day that he rose againe first To Mary Magdalen secondly To the two women going from the grave thirdly To the two Disciples going to Emmaus fourthly To all the Disciples being met together Thomas being away fifthly To Simon Peter I have shewed the reasons why Christ appeared so many times in one day which was to dedicate and institute the Christian Sabbath that Christ spending the whole day in heavenly apparitions might leave example to us to spend it in holy duties and service therefore a Christian hath no other originall of his Sabbaths than the Lord himselfe now if Christ hath ordained the Sabbath hee that hath all power in his hand then it must be our care to keepe it Iudas is condemned by the mouth of all men not onely that he stole but also that he stole from Christ so if we doe not apply our selves to the duties of the Sabbaths wee steale from Christ nay Iudas stole but his mony but thou stealest away Christian duties and service from him Now in this manifestation of Christ to his Disciples we may observe three things 1. In what Disposition they were 2. In what Manner he appearde 3. The Effects of it First what Disposition they were in laid downe two waies First they were assembled together after the death of Christ they were all scattered and did fly one from another but now they were assembled like a flocke of sheepe that are scattered with a dog which afterwards gather together againe which may teach us that if wee fall we should labour to rise againe and if we scatter wee should labour to gather together againe so Christ saith Revel 2. 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen Repent and doe thy first workes and Psal 119. ult David saith I have gone astray like a lost sheepe Lord seeke me for as a sheepe that is gone is not at rest but cries to the shepheard and the flocke and is not at quiet till it be in the fold againe so if we be scattered from God wee must not be at rest but cry unto God and unto the flocke till wee come home to God againe and although we fall yet we must labour to rise againe though one throw mud into a fountaine yet in time it will worke it selfe cleere againe so if we fall into any sinne we must labour to cleare our selves againe we see in nature the little Birds though they fly here and there in the day time yet they will home to their nests at night in like manner howsoever a man may have some fals in the day time yet let him returne home againe to God in the night this must be the care of Christians that seeing they have daily fearefull and dangerous fals yet they must labour to rise againe and to recover There be two reasons to be given of their gathering together First to nourish the little sparkes of Faith that was left in them this was the cause why the Disciples were assembled and may teach us that although there be but a little faith and life of grace in us after wee have battered it with the temptations of the devill yet wee should labour to nourish that little sparke that is left which is the counsell Christ gives us in the Revelation Bee awake and strengthen the things that remaine and are â—â—dy to dye although there be but a little faith and grace yet labour to nourish them so also lately wee heard our Saviour Christ did to the two Disciples going to Emmaus finding their faith weake hee doth labour to nourish and strengthen the same 2 King 9. as Iehoram when he was wounded of the Assyrians returned to Iezreel to be healed of his wounds so when the devill hath wounded us in our faith love care and in our zeale we must returne to the use of good means that so we may recover againe If a man have a tree that stands in his orchard if there bee but a little life left in it he will dig and dung it about and lay fresh moulds to the roote of it so if there bee a little life of grace left in us wee should labour to nourish the same by prayer hearing the Word preached and by receiving the Sacraments that so wee may recover againe thus the Disciples were assembled together to nourish that sparke of faith which was left in them Secondly because they were in hope thereby to finde a blessing upon them others had seene Christ and they assembled together in hope to see him too which may teach us that the blessing of God upon others in the use of good meanes must give us comfortable hope that if we use the same meanes we shall finde a blessing of God upon us that as others have beene brought by the preaching of the Word to faith and repentance and to a comfortable feeling of Gods favour to bee perswaded that their sinnes are pardoned so if wee use the same meanes we shall have the same blessing upon us As David saith Psal 48. Wee have thought of thy loving kindnesse O Lord in the middest of thy Temple other men have found a blessing upon them and therefore we looke for the like upon us But why were the Disciples desirous to see Christ because they had felt the
ever therefore againe and againe I pray God give us grace to feare it and care to avoid it SERMON LII MATTH 25. 42. For I was an hungred and yee gave mee no meat I was thirstie and ye gave me no drinke c. IT was my purpose to have ended this point with my last daies labour but because there remaineth something more of this point as the reason of the condemnation of the wicked to bee spoken of and one thing besides not yet handled which is what Christ shall doe after the last judgement therefore not I will finish up this Scripture and so will come the next time to that point wee spake of Wee heard out of the former verse of the heavy sentence that should passe on the wicked and ungodly first that they shall bee cast out of the presence of Christ secondly they should goe away with the curse of God on them the sweet mouth of Christ that shall blesse the godly shall curse them thirdly the place that they shall passe into is fire and everlasting fire fourthly the companions they shall live with the devill and his angels Now we come to the Reason of their condemnation for feare lest any man should thinke that it is for some horrible and heynous sinnes that they be judged to hell torments therefore Christ shewes in these words that the people of the world are deceived for they thinke that none but idolaters theeves murtherers whoremasters and such like persons shall goe to hell and that it cannot stand with the goodnesse of God that all these terrible and fearefull judgements should bee inflicted for small and petty sinnes Now Christ shewes that the world is deceived and that men shall bee condemned for small sinnes aswell as the great if they doe not repent for them In these words wee are to observe three things 1. That sinnes of Omission as well as sinnes of Commission will damne a man 2. Not onely great sinnes will damne a man but small sinnes will doe it 3. Though they seeme small to us yet they bee great in Gods accompt First sinnes of Omission will damne a man as well as sinnes of Commission for Christ will not say yee have robbed the poore and taken away their cloathes but ye have not fed the hungry cloathed the naked visited the sicke lodged the stranger the omitting duties of Prayer of holinesse to God of love that we owe one to another this wee shall bee damned for as well as sinnes of Commission For as Augustine saith how many things might Christ say to the wicked at the day of judgement If a wicked man should say Why hast thou judged us to Hell torments He might say because ye be murtherers theeves deceivers of your brethren swearers and because ye be bad livers But Christ shall say none of these things to them but it is because ye have not sed the hungry cloathed the naked lodged the stranger visited the sicke so then the very omitting of Christian duties Christ shall charge us with at the day of judgement will bee of force enough to condemne us Therefore the World is deceived for they thinke if they doe not body harme and pay every man his all is well enough though they doe no good but wee see that for the omitting of good and Christian duties a man shall as well bee damned as for sinnes of Commission therefore it is good for us to be wise and to profit by this lest we be cast out of the presence of Christ As a man may spend the day well in his daily vocation yet when night commeth if he creepe into his bed without prayer and wilfully remaine in that sinne he may be condemned for it if he repent not so likewise a man may eate his meate come to dinner or supper which a man may have because hee gets it with his labour but because he doth not sanctifie it by prayer and draw down a blessing from God upon it therefore notwithstanding other performances he may be damned so likewise on the Sabbath day though a man doe no worke though he doe not ride abroad yet if he lye idle at home and do not come to publike assemblies and is not carefull to keepe it holy to the Lord he may be damned for it And this is the first point that sinnes of Omission as well as sinnes of Commission damne a man if he doe not repent of them Secondly Christ shewes that not onely great sinnes damne a man and cast him out of the presence of Christ but the small too if hee doe not repent them this is another thing that the wicked are deceived in for they thinke if a man be not a theefe a murtherer a whoremaster or a great sinner all is well enough but Christ shewes us that little sinnes damne as well as great If we doe not feede the hungry cloth the naked visite the sicke and lodge the stranger the least sinne is enough to damne a man if he doe not repent of it As Matth. 12. 36. Wee shall answer for every idle word So Matth. 5. 39. Christ saith Whosoever shall breake one of the least of these commandements and teach men so to doe he shall be called the least in the Kingdome of Heaven So then the least sinne is enough to cast us from the presence of Christ we see if a Ship leake water though the hole be but as bigge as a mans finger if it bee not stopt it will drowne the Ship so the least sinne that is will damne a man if he doe not repent of it therefore we must take heed that wee doe not give way to the least sinne for as Saint Ierome saith there is no sinne so little but it deserveth the wrath of God and eternall condemnation Thirdly although these sinnes be small in our sight yet they are great in Gods account For would a man thinke in the light of nature and sight of reason that because a man doth not give bread to the hungry drinke to the thirstie and cloth to the naked these were such great sinnes with a number of others that seeme small in the eyes of the World for they thinke it is a small thing to tell a lie to sweare an oath to raile on a neighbor But Paul tels us 1 Cor. 6. 10. that raylers shall not inherit the Kingome of God and Revel 23. 15. For without shall be dogges inchanters whoremâ—ngers murtherers idolaters and whosoever loveth or maketh lies these although they seeme small in the sight of men yet are they great in the sight of God As if a man looke into a false glasse he can never see true proportion nor right quantitie but if hee looke into a true one then things will appeare in their true proportion and right quantitie so in the false glasse of this world and of mens judgement wee can never see the true proportion of sin nor the right quantitie of it but if we looke into
with Christ but I cannot see how this should be because there was none but Christ seene when hee rose againe it is said that the earth and the sea gave up their dead but we doe not read that the heavens gave up their dead The use hereof is that seeing the Angels and these Saints were contented when they had done the businesse and the worke of God they came for to lay aside their bodies and that they should dissolve and come to dust againe so when wee have done the worke of God wee came for in this world we should be contented meekely and patiently with the rest of our brethren to lay aside our bodies that they may dissolve and come to dust and ashes untill the time of the generall resurrection Having spoken thus of the manner of Christs rising now we come to the manifestation thereof for though no man saw him at the very instant when he rose yet when he was risen hee did manifest himselfe to the world so farre forth as was fit which may teach us that although the world doe not see the very instant or moment when we be humbled or when wee repent and turne to God or when wee are brought to an estate of Grace yet when we be converted and have turned unto God we must let the world see the fruits of our conversion so wee see the Theefe did as soone as he was converted hee did shew the fruits of his conversion for hee reprooved his fellow confessed his sinnes cleareth Gods judgements and pleadeth for Christ so Saint Iames saith shew me thy faith never talke thou hast faith unlesse thou shew it let the world see it shew it in thy speeches in thy actions and in thy life that thou art converted and turned unto God to this effect the same Apostle saith Chap. 3. 13. Who so is a wise man and is indued with knowledge amongst you let him shew it by good conversation so if thou hast repented and turned to God shew it in thy life and in thy speeches let thy words shew the fruits of it this is that which Christ himselfe exhorts to Matth. 5. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heaven for it is not enough to have light in our selves but wee must let our light shine Christ did rise and no man saw the very instant and moment and yet when he was risen he did manifest himselfe to the world so though no man see the instant when wee were converted yet when we be converted we should shew the fruits of our conversion for as it is in the life of nature that a man cannot have life in him but it will appeare either by stirring breathing or panting so it is in the life of grace if a man have life in him it will bee seene by one meanes or other Secondly this may serve as matter of comfort Christ was not seene at the instant or moment when hee did rise and yet did shew by infallible tokens that he was risen many an one are troubled that they know not the very instant or moment of their conversion and therefore make question of their Christian calling but this example is fit to relieve such that although a man knowes not the very instant or moment when he was converted yet if he can proove by infallible tokens and markes he is converted he may resolve undoubtedly that he is called We see in nature that a childe hath life and yet the mother doth not know the instant ormoment of its life quickning but by the stirrings movings shee doth know there is life initiated in her childe so it is in the life of grace there may bee life in a man though he know not the very instant and moment when hee first received that life yet if hee have evident markes of it hee may have comfort that hee is converted though hee know not the time of it Now there were twelve severall times that Christ did appeare wherein he did manifest himselfe to the world it is too long to speake of all therefore I will speake of them that are most fit for our instruction There were five severall times that Christ appeared that day hee rose in 1. To Mary Magdalen 2. To the two women going from the grave 3. To the two Disciples going to Emmaus 4. To Simon Peter 5. To the Disciples being together onely Thomas away Now what is the reason that Christ appeared so many times that day he did rise on so that all the day long hee did appeare to one or other at one place or another to his followers and did spend it in holy exercises and in holy apparitions I answere it was to dedicate and institute the Christian Sabbath therefore Christ did so many times appeare that day it is a great question amongst Divines who it was that did alter the Sabbath some thinke that it was the tradition of the Church but it is not the Church nor all the Churches in the world that can alter it it must be Christ onely that must doe it therefore he did appeare so many times that day to set it apart to holy uses by his owne example the Apostles did not institute the day nor dedicate it of themselves but gathered together by the divine knowledge they had that it was Christs meaning and will to teach them by his appearing so many times in one day to appoint that day for the Christian Sabbath and therefore the Apostle did put it in practise so wee see Act. 7. 20. and 1 Cor. 16. 2. and Revel 1. 10. where the name is given to it as the first day of the weeke and the Lords day whence it is manifest that Christ did dedicate and sanctifie the Christian Sabbath as Augustine saith well that by the resurrection of Christ on that day it was consecrated to be the Christian Sabbath The first appearing was to Mary Magdalen out of whom he cast seven devils And there bee three things to bee observed in this point of his appearing 1 The Cause why he did appeare to her 2 The Manner of his appearing 3 The end of it First The cause why hee did appeare to her not because shee was a great stateswoman a rich woman or a more holy woman than the rest for there was Mary the Mother of Christ an holier woman one would have thought hee would have appeared to Caesar or to Emperours and Kings to Noble men and to great men of the world or to the holiest and most sanctified women in the world or that he should have appeared to his Mother but he did appeare first to Mary Magdalen out of whom he had cast seven devils one that was infamous and a great sinner yet she was penitent for her sinnes and a true convert as appeares in that she did shew such speciall love to Christ upon her conversion in attending
to comfort and the other to paine Thirdly besides these both particular judgements that befall particular and speciall men and the private judgement that is at the day of death there shall also a generall judgement and a solemne arraignment of this whole World where every person shall be judged and arraigned as we beleeve in our Christian profession From thence he shall come to judge the quicke and the dead that is hee shall judge all sorts of people even every Man and Woman that hath lived in this World or shall live Now if any man demand what is the reason why there shall be a generall judgement seeing there is particular iudgements that light on particular men and the private judgement at the day of death I answere there be three reasons thereof First Because the Bodies must be judged as well as the Soules for seeing men sinne against God as well in their Bodies as in their Soules therefore both shall be judged as Revel 20. 12. the Evangelist saith And I saw the Dead both great and small stand before God they did not onely stand with bodies but with soules also for saith he The Sea gave up the dead in her and Death and Hell delivered up their Dead that were in them So we see the bodies rise againe to be judged as well as the Soules Secondly That there may be a declaration of the just judgement of God that all the World may see the judgements of God are just upon men for their sins as Rom. 2. 5. But thou after thy hardnesse of heart that cannot repent heapest upon thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the just judgement of God therefore besides the private and close judgement there must bee a generall and solemne arraignement in the view of the whole world that so there may be a declaration of the just judgement of God Thirdly Because they shall not be judged as private persons but as publike in the same body that they lived in either in the body of the Saints or in the body of the wicked for they shall be judged as they be members of the same body they rise in and as they are found to have done good or bad accordingly shal the division be made as appears Mat. 25. 31. where it is said And before him shall bee gathered all Nations and hee shall separate them one from another as a sheapheard doth separate his Sheepe from the Goats and he shall set the one at his right hand and the other at his left hand c. Now because this point is a great and a very waighty one and to be considered before others in a Christians life being like the great wheel of a clocke it turnes all the inferior wheeles so if a man be once perswaded of this that he must give an account to God for all his actions and must stand before God in judgement it will make him to passe his daies holily and vertuously while he lives here and therefore let us see briefly what bee the proofes and grounds that there shall bee a judgement which are chiefly these foure following The first is taken From the Truth of God because hee hath said it and therefore it shall come to passe for God is not as Man that hee should lye neither as the Sonne of Man that he should repent He hath said it and shall hee in doe it and hath he spoken it and shall he not accomplish it As it is Num. 23. 19. Therefore whatsoever he hath said it shall come to passe in the time that he hath appointed Now that Christ hath said there shall be a judgement day there bee many Scriptures for it As Matth. 10. 15. Truely I say unto you it shall bee easier for them of the land of Sodom and Gomorah in the day of judgement than for that Citie So also Matth. 12. 36. But I say unto you That of every idle word that men shall speake they shall give an account at the day of judgement And verse 41. The men of Ninevie shall rise up in judgement with this Generation and shall condemne it because they repented at the preaching of Ionas We see the Testimony of the Lord is plaine for this that there shall bee a judgement day Augustine saith God hath made us many promises and hath performed them and shall wee not thinke that the judgement day shall come according as hee hath foretold us It is said Psal 144. The Lord is righteous in all his waies and holy in all his workes If the Lord hath promised any thing it shall come to passe for the Lord hath left his Scripture which is his hand-writing to assure us of the truth of it And therefore dost thou not beleeve that there shall bee a day of judgement The Lord himselfe shall answere thee thou hast the hand-writing of GOD and what must thou doe Looke into that and see what a company of things hee hath promised in his Word as unlikely as this which are all come to passe he hath promised that He would send his Sonne into the World to worke thy Redemption Looke into his Word thou hast his hand-writing hath he performed this promise Then assure thy selfe likewise that one day he will come to iudgement Hee hath promised that Hee will send downe his spirit that should lead them in all truth thou hast his hand writing see if this promise be come to passe then assure thy selfe withall he will come to judge this World hath he promised He will preach the Gospell to all Nation looke into the Scriptures hath hee performed it Why then never doubt but that thy body also shall rise because he hath foretold it The second is because it is the nature of Gods Iustice to give to every man according to his due desert good things to good men and evill things to evill men but it is not so here in this life but the best men bee in the worst estate for the most part and evill men in the best for as Salomon saith Eccles 9. 2. All things come alike to all there is one event to the just and to the wicked to the pure and to the polluted and to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that sweareth not or feareth an oath so the worst be in the best estate and the good be in the worst estate hereof Habakkuk complaines Chap. 1. 13. Thou art of pure eyes and canst not behold wickednesse wherefore dost thou looke on the transgressors and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than be here in this life there be many aberrations and swervings from the right rule of justice therefore there must bee a judgement to bring that which deflects from the rule to rectitude and straightnesse Againe Augustine speaking out of Pssalm 101. saith God hath
might have perished with the world therefore what cause have wee to be thankefull to God for so great a mercy The fourth thing that was observed in the parts of the Church is that they are called out of the condemned multitude of the world to blessednesse and happinesse to bee saved by Christ so Saint Paul saith in this place And the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved there is all the harme the Lord means us to save and to bring us to blessednesse and happinesse therefore every man must take heed hee doth not despise this holy Calling when the Lord invites him to repentance faith and to an estate of grace We see Mark 10. 9. when Christ cals the blinde man he flung away his cloake and got upon his legges and followed him so it should bee the care of every one when Christ cals him to fling away his sinnes and corruptions and make all hast to follow him for if the blinde man did follow him for the curing of his body much more should we for the curing of both soule and body First therefore let us take heed we doe not despisse this Call of God seeing all the harme he meanes us is to save us Secondly seeing Christ cals us to enjoy blessednesse and happinesse and to live in communion with him therefore there is no damned man that can be a member of Christ it is true indeed that the wicked may live in the Church as bad humors be in the body but they are no parts of the body the Scripture is cleere for it as 1 Iob. 2. 19. they went out from us but they were not of us for if they had beene of us they would have continued with us but they went out that it might bee made manifest that they were not all of us as if he had said if they had communion of grace and of the Spirit with us then they would have continued but because they had not therefore they went away The Papists say that a damned man may be a member of Christ but wee see it otherwise Col. 2. 19. saith the Apostle and not holding the head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increasing of God and Austine saith that there is no damned man can bee a true member of Christ because Christ is the Saviour of the body therefore let us labour to bee members of Christs body and then wee shall be saved but if we be not then wee are like to perish although wee should be the greatest Princes in the world but if we be true members of Iesus Christ then we doe beleeve that one day we shall bee blessed and happie whatsoever our estate be here therefore if there bee but one or two saved in a towne let us labour to be one of them if men should suffer Shipwrack and there should bee a boat found that would hold no more than tenne every one would labour to be one of the tenne so wee all have suffered shipwracke by the sin of Adam in the sea of this world now to save us the Lord hath given us a little boate which is his Church that whosoever can get into it shall be saved therefore if there bee but two in a country or one in a towne that is saved wee must labour to bee one of the number SERMON LX. ACTS 2. 47. And the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved A Good hearer is like to dry powder that every little sparke of fire will make it kindle but wet powder must bee often touched before it will take so the unfitter that men be to heare and unprepared the more paines it is to the speaker to worke affection in them Wee shewed you the last day that the faith of a Christian consists in two things in God and the Church of God and that the Church of God is a company of people called out of the damned multitude of this world whom God will eternally save with his owne selfe Whence these considerations offered themselves unto us first What the Church of God is in his owne Nature which wee did then dispatch secondly What bee the parts or the divers estates of the Church of God here in this world whereof wee are to speake at this present The Church considered according to its parts is twofold 1. The triumphant 2. The militant Church The Church triumphant is that which is blessed and happy with God in heaven so called because it is not in conflict and combate as we be warring against sinne lusts the devill and the world but having overcome all are now blessed in heaven Hereof the Apostle speakes Heb. 12. 22. but yee are come to the mount Sion and to the Citty of the living God the Celesticall Ierusalem to the company of innumerable Angels and to the Congregation of the first borne whose names are written in heaven and to God the Iudge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect so Col. 1. 20. saith he For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell and having made peace by the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe c. It is an opinion in the Greeke Church that the Saints are nor glorified in heaven till the judgement day but this opinion of theirs is false for it is first against the Scripture and secondly against reason First It is against the Scripture as Eccles 12. 7. Dust returnes to dust and the Soule returnes to God that gave it now this must needs be spoken of the blessed presence of God that the soule goes to in regard of power for God was present with it before so Luk. 23. 45. Christ said to the Theefe This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise marke saith Saint Augustine Christ doth not delay the Theefe but even from this woodden crosse he is translated into his heavenly kingdome so Paul speakes Phil. 1. 23. desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ and not onely speakes he this of himselfe but also of all the faithfull people of God as 2 Cor. 5. 8. Neverthelesse we are bold and be willing rather to remove out of the body and to dwell with God thus it is cleare by the Scripture that the soules of the beleeving and faithfull goe to heaven immediately to glory So then the Greeke opinion is false it cannot be denied but that some Scriptures seeme to looke this way as that Matth. 20. 6. when the evening was come every one had his penny they received their hire so that Col. 3. 4. When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall ye also appeare with him in glory Now these Scriptures and the like are to be understood of the glory of the body or else of the declaration of the glory that soule and body
unto God himselfe is the loveliest and most delightfull object or sight that is and it is that that Christ prayes for Iohn 17. 24. Father I will that they which thou hast given mee bee with mee where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me so also Revel 14. 4. it is said These are they which are not defiled with women for they are virgins these follow the Lambe wheresoever he goes Hence it is plaine we shall enjoy the eternall presence of Christ which how comfortable will it bee to a poore Christian even the chiefest even the onely thing which hee desires As Saint Paul saith I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all And the Wisemen Matth. 2. 10. when after a long journey and a great deale of travell they found Christ it is said that they rejoyced exceedingly and thought all their paines and travell well bestowed in that they had found him so when a Christian hath found Christ not poore and meane lying in a manger but gloriously sitting upon a Throne what a comfort will this be to him when he shall thinke all his labor and pains well bestowed what a comfort was it to Iosephs brethren Genes 45. 4. in their great distresse when he said I am Ioseph your brother c. so what a comfort will it bee to a poore Christian in that great distresse when Iesus Christ shall say I am your Brother your Saviour and Redeemer that have lost my life for you and shed out my pretious blood to redeeme you and gave my life and soule for your sakes Now enjoy me to your comfort How comfortable I say will this bee to a poore Christian in the perplexitie and great amazement which shall then come on the world Thirdly We shall enjoy the societie of all the holy Saints of Angels and Archangels Prophets and Patriarkes as Christ saith Matth. 8. 11. Many shall come from the East and West and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaak and Iaakob in the Kingdome of Heaven It was the end of Christs death to bring us to Heaven as it is Iohn 11. 52. where speaking of his owne death hee saith And not for that Nation onely but that he might gather together in one the Children of God which were scattered abroad so that wee must first bee gathered into the kingdome of grace and then into the kingdome of Glory We see what a comfort it is when a few friends meete together at a feast when they have beene absent a long time but much more will our comfort be when we shall meet together in heaven We see how Peter was rapt with joy when he saw but two Prophets with Christ in the transfiguration Matth. 17. 4. saith he It is good being here Let us make three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias if he were thus rapt with joy when he saw but two of the Prophets onely what will it bee when we shall not onely have a sight of two but we shall have societie together with Angels and Archangels Patriarkes and Prophets and all the holy men of God to live with them for ever and ever Thinke what a comfort it will be that after a few dayes spent here in the feare of God Repentance for our sinnes and new obedience we shall enjoy Heaven for ever Therefore thinke if thou canst thinke how comfortable it will bee and doe not lose heavenly things for earthly and for society with sinners doe not lose societie and fellowship with the People of God in the Kingdome of Heaven for ever Fourthly We shall enjoy Lordship over this whole world So we see Psal. 49. 14. where it is said The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning though the People of God be kept low in this life and have but little comfort yet when the great morning shall come the day of judgement then the People of God shall raigne over this whole world and have dominion and Lordship over it So Revel 21. 7. He that overcommeth shall inherit all things that is Hee that overcommeth his lusts and his sins this may be a comfort to a poore Christian though his estate be but meane and poore It may be thou wantest a house to put thy head in or hast but a poore one Be of good comfort if thou labourest to repent thee of thy sinnes and to overcome thy lusts and corruptions then thou shalt possesse the new Heaven and the new Earth and mayest say as it is 1 Pet. 5. 3. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance immortall and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for us If a man hath but little in possession and great matters in reversion hee will comfort himselfe and say I thanke God though mine estate bee but meane and poore now yet one day I shall have somewhat that will keepe mee like a man so a Christian may comfort himselfe and say I thanke God although my estate be but meane and poore so as I have but little in possession yet I have a great reversion I shall bee Lord over this whole world Fifthly We shall enjoy a continuall Sabbath to the Lord In this life wee keepe but every seventh day a Sabbath which day to a Spirituall man is the comfortablest but to a Carnall man heavie and irkesome Here we keepe but one of seven but there every day shall bee a Sabbath to them As wee see Esay 66. 23. And it shall come to passe as from one new Moone to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord so Heb. 4. 9. he saith there remaineth therefore a rest to the People of God Now wee keepe but one day of seven but then we shall keepe every day a Sabbath unto the Lord which is exceeding comfortable as it appeares Revel 15. 2. where we see how those that passed over the glassie Sea did sing the song of Moses and the Lambe So all the People of God when they have passed the glassie Sea of this world shall sing songs of deliverance and praise the Lord who hath delivered them from the power of sinne the Divell and Hell The Prophet David Psal 84. 4. saith Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will ever be praising thee and Augustine speaking of this place saith hee what is that which makes a man blessed Every man who is blessed is blessed either by possessing or doing of some thing but then we shall possesse the house it selfe and therefore shall be blessed For a man may dwell in these houses and yet be a poore man but he that dwels in the House of God is rich One may dwell in these houses
Ambrose whilst they bite at the baite of some pleasing notions they are at the same time catched with the Spirits hooke Hee was skilfull in the originall languages and thereupon an excellent Text-man well read in writers that were of note in the severall ages of the Church which made him a well-furnished and able Divine his judgement was cleere and his conscience tender and which helpt him most he brought to the great worke of the ministerie an holy and gratious heart which raised and carried him to aimes above himselfe and the world In his conversing he was modest fruitfull wise and winning in his expressions witty and gracefull in so much that hee hath left a fresh and a sweet remembrance of him untill this day Towards his end her grow more spirituall setting light by all things here below and onely waited as his expression was for the comming of the Comforter at length his worke being finished breathing out his life with that wish of the spouse Yea come Lord Iesus Thus much I thought not unfit to be made knowne of the Man Now for the Worke it selfe it must be considered by the learned Reader that these things were spoken though to a People high-raisd in knowledge and more refined than ordinary by his teaching yet to the People not with a purpose that they should come to the view and censure of the learned But though they were delivered to the peopâ—â—â— yet are they not so popular but if my love to the man and the Worke deceive me not they will have the best Reader either more learned or more holy or both It must therefore bee remembred for the more favourable acceptation of this Worke that these Sermons were taken by one of his Parish a man though pious and of good parts yet not skilfull in the learned languages and therefore it must needs bee that many apt and acute sentences of the Fathers by which this learned man did use to beautifie and strengthen the Points hee delivered are fallen to the ground and lost for lacke of skill to take up But howsoever much of the spirits bee lost yet heere you have the corpes and bulke of the discourse and not without some life and vigour wherein this is peculiar in his manner of handling that hee hath chosen fit texts of Scripture to ground his exposition of every article upon Now for the Argument it selfe the Creed I thinke it fit to premise something because it hath beene omitted by the Author or at least not gathered with the rest The Creed is of middle authority betweene divine and humane and called the Apostles Creed not onely for consanguintty with the Apostles Doctrine but because it is taken out of the Apostles writings and therefore of greatest authority next the Scriptures It is nothing else but A summary comprehension of the counsell and worke of God concerning our supernaturall condition heere and hereafter The Doctrine of Salvation is spread through the Scriptures as spirits in the Arteries and blood in the veines as the soule in the body And heere for easier carriage the most necessary Points are gathered together as so many pearles or pretious stones that we might have a ready use of them upon all occasions being as it were a little Bible or Testament that Christians of all rankes as suited for all conditions may beare about with them every where without any trouble In every Article there is both a shallow and a depth milke for babes and meat for strong men Though there be no growth in regard of fundamentall Principles which have beene alike in all ages of the Church yet there hath and will be a proficiencie in regard of conclusions drawne out of those Principles The necessities of every Christian and the springing up of unsound opinions in the Church will continually inforce diligence and care in the further explication and application of these fundamentall truths It will not therefore bee amisse to set downe a few Directions for the more cleere understanding of the Creed and for the better making use of it And first for the understanding of it It hath the Name of Creed or Beleefe from the act exercised about it to shew that it doth not onely containe Doctrine to be beleeved but that that doctrine will doe us no good unlesse by mingling it with our Faith we make it our Beleefe therefore both the Act and the Object are implyed in one word Beleefe Secondly from the Execution in creation and incarnation wee must arise to Gods decree nothing done in time which was not decreed before all times knowne unto the Lord are all his workes from the beginning of the world Thirdly wee must arise from one Principall Benefit to all that follow and accompany it as in forgivenesse of sins follow righteousnesse Peace and Ioy the Spirit of Sanctification Christian liberty c. though the Articles be nakedly propounded yet are we to beleeve all the fruits and priviledges So to Gods creating of heaven and earth we must joyne his Providence in upholding and ruling all things in both Fourthly in the Consequent wee are to understand all thâ—â— went before by way of Cause or Preparation as in the Crucifying of Christ his preceding Agony and the Cause of it Our sinnes and the love of God and Christ in those sufferings c. Fiftly though we are to beleeve Circumstances as well as the thing it selfe yet not with the same necessity of Faith as it is more necessary to beleeve that Christ was crucified than that it was under Pontius Pilate though when any Circumstance is revealed we ought to beleeve it and to have a preparation of minde to beleeve whatsoever shall be revealed yet in the maine points this preparation of minde is not sufficient but there must bee a present and an expressed faith We must know that as in the Law he that breaketh one Commandement breaketh all because all come from the same authority so in the grounds of faith he that denies one in the true sense of it denies all for both Law and Faith are copulatives the singling out of any thing it contrary to the obedience of faith For Particular and dayly use wee must knowâ— First that every Article requires a particular faith not onely in regard of the Person beleeving but likewise in regard of the application of the Article beleeved or else the Dev â—â— might say the Creed for he beleeves there is a Creator and that there is a Remission of sinnes c. but because hee hath no share in it it inrageth him the more Our adversaries are great enemies to particular faith and thinke we coine a thirteenth Article when wee inforce particular assurance because say they particular men are not named in the Scripture and what is not in Scripture cannot be a matter of faith But there is a Double Faith a Faith which is the Doctrine wee doe beleeve and Faith which is the grace whereby
an Atheist is the most wicked creature that is because hee takes away God from us By the law of the land if a man bee condemned by twelve men hee must die the death but worthily may hee die that is not onely condemned of twelve men but of twelve thousand creatures If a man doubt there is a God let him step but one step out of this life and hee shall feele there is a God Chrysostome saith if thou doest not beleeve there is a God what doest thou O man in the house of God saith hee pay thine hire and get thee out of his house tread not on his ground feede not of his creatures but get thee another place Secondly seeing there is a God why doe a number of men live as if there were no God at all men cry out of the Atheists that say there is no God and thou saist there is a God and yet doest not serve and obey him here is the difference betwixt thee and him thou art an Atheist in practice and hee is an Atheist in judgement so although thou doest acknowledge in judgement there is a God yet in thy practice thou doest deny him The Apostle Paul saith Tit. 1. 16. They professe that they know God but by their workes they deny him being abhominable and disobedient and unto every good worke reprobate Thirdly seeing their is a God it is a sure thing that every man should looke after God and labour to serve and worship him to give him that glory which is due for he is the fountaine of all our comfort It was the condemnation of the world Rom. 1. when men knew there was a God yet did not worship and give him that glory which was due unto him so this is the condemnation of the world still that when men know there is a God they doe not worship him and give him that glory which is due If a man dwell in the Kings house and yet will not come at the kings Leetes to doe him service hee shall bee turned out of the kings house and service so if wee dwell here as in Gods house he being our Land-lord if wee doe not performe our service and duty to him giving him his due it were just with God to turne us out of his house and home Wee see the creatures obey God and doe that they were made for even those that have not that sense reason or knowledge that wee have being guided by the instinct of nature onely whereas wee having knowledge sense and faith doe not obey God and give him that honour that is his due but neglect and despise him from day to day It is a laudable custome among us that before wee beginne the harvest wee beginne in the Temple and that for two causes 1. To acknowledge the Soveraignty of God 2. That wee may shew wee desire to enjoy these blessings but with his love and leave Esai 38. 12. The life of man is compared to a Weavers Warpe which the beame windes up and so is filled which if they doe not fill it is found full of flawes bancks bracks and gaules when it is cut off so our life is the warpe and every day is as the beame to winde up somewhat of the life wee live Wherefore every day wee must bee doing somewhat to fill our warpe lest when wee bee cut off wee should not bee found filled but full of bracks gaules and flawes Now to helpe you this way wee have spent a great deale of time in the doctrine of faith and repentance which bee the fillings of our lives therefore let us not passe a day without renewing of repentance and faith Secondly wee beleeve that there is but one God as it is Deut. 4. 39. Vnderstand therefore and consider in thine heart that the Lord is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath there is none other And 1 Cor. 8. 4. Wee know that an Idoll is nothing in the world and that there is no other God but one So 1 Tim. 2. 5. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Iesus thus wee see there is but one God The heathen had a number of Gods the Romans had great Gods and little Gods the Grecians had heavenly Gods and earthly Gods Gods for the sea and Gods for the land but wee beleeve there is but one God Athanasius hath a pretty saying an instrument that hath many strings take many men to strike the strings and they have no order consent or sweet harmony betweene but take a man that hath cunning and skill to strike upon the strings then there appeares a sweet order consent and harmony so saith hee this world and the creatures bee as it were an instrument with a number of strings take men to strike upon the strings of the creatures then there is no order nor consent amongst them but let one God strike upon the strings of the creatures and then there is a sweet consent and agreement betweene them Now if a man should say why is there not more Gods than one This were a frivolous question we acknowledge divers persons and but one God in substance essence and power wee read 1 Ioh. 5. 7. There bee three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one A good Divine doth thus illustrate it water is but one thing in nature and yet hath divers beings as it is in the fountaine as it runnes into the river as it is conveied home to the house in pipes payles or buckets so the three persons are one in nature and essence but it is in the Father as the Fountaine in Christ as the River in the holy Ghost as a pipe or a payle to convey and bring it into our hearts So it is in a diverse manner but all one in essence substance nature and power The uses are first seeing there is but one God wee must take heed wee make not many Gods that wee make not a God of our pleasures of our goods of our bellies or of our sinnes as the Apostle complaines Phil. 3. 19. Whose belly is their God and whose glory is their shame who minde earthly things I but some man may say is there any man so bad to make his pleasure his belly his sinnes and his goods his god I answer it may be proved by these two Evidences First whatsoever he loveth above God that he maketh his god but it is evident that many a man loveth his pleasures more than God or his goods or his belly or his sinnes and therefore hee maketh them his gods If a man should set a Childe betweene two men let them both call the childe and looke which the childe loveth unto him will the childe runne so let a man be set betweene God and his pleasures God and his mony God and his sinnes which now a man runnes unto that he loveth
prepare a table for us so they say Can God helpe us in sicknesse Can he helpe us in affliction so likewise they presume to sinne and so take away the justice of God for though hee brings his judgements to light every day yet they will not learne to feare and be ashamed And so they soothe themselves as the Prophet complaines That every one that doeth evill is good in the sight of God or he delighteth in them or say where is the God of Iudgement so they take away wisedome and mercy from him as was shewed out of Ieremy But a Christian must beleeve the properties of God that he is powerfull therefore to trust and relye upon him Iust therefore to beleeve his promises wise therefore to be guided by him We may see a worthy example hereof in Hezekiah 2 King 19. 15. When Senacherib went against Ierusalem he told them that hee had destroyed such and such places and countries and their goods and shalt thou be delivered Then Hezekiah came before the Lord told it him spread the writing before him and prayed to the Lord. Thirdly we beleeve that God is our God by the meanes of Christ this is the maine point of all not to beleeve God in generall onely but to bring him home to our selves and to be perswaded that he is our God so the holy people as Esay shewes said This is our God we have waited on him and he will save us If he be our God that then whatsoever is in him as his power wisedome mercie justice love and goodnesse it doth appertaine to us wee shall have the benefit this faith is a comfort and that which God respects Thomas could have no comfort of his Faith till he could say My Lord and my God and Christ when he would comfort his Disciples at his departure saith Goe tell my brethren I ascend to my God and your God to my Father and your Father so if once a man come to this that he can perswade himselfe that God is his God by the meanes of Christ this will comfort and give him more peace than the world can yeeld The use is that seeing God is our God therefore we should respect and love him and be desirous to please him in our courses Mich. 4. 5. For all people will walke every one in the name of his God but we will walke in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever therefore as we doe professe that God is our God we must labour to please him in all our courses be loth to doe any thing that may displease him It was the speech of Delilah to Sampson Iudges 16. 15. How canst thou say thou lovest mee when thy heart is not with me so how can we say that we love God when our courses shew to the contrary it is a pittifull thing to see how men doe not regard God they doe so toile themselves with their labours that so soone as they be set in the Church they are fallen fast asleepe men professe they beleeve God is their God and yet doe not respect nor serve him In the 1 Sam. 9. mention is made of Samuels feast unto the people where one speciall dish given before unto the Cooke is brought forth it was a shoulder set up onely for the king that none but he should have it in like manner it should bee our wisedome so to spend our strength about the world in the weeke time that we reserve a part for the Lords Sabboth to doe him service with Hitherto God hath beene considered as he is in himselfe now wee come to speake what God is in relation and there is a twofold relation of God 1. To the Trinitie 2. To the Creatures First God stands in relation to the three Persons for I beleive in God stands in relation to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy Ghost Here are foure points of Faith to be beleeved 1. That there is a distinction of Persons in the Godhead 2. That there is a divine Person called the Father 3. That he is the Father of Christ 4. That he is our Father by the meanes of Christ First we beleeve that there is a distinction of Persons for though there be but one in Substance Essence and Power yet there bee three distinct persons subsisting in one Godhead as 1 Iohn 5. 7. There be three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one and so Matth. 28. in the charge that Christ gave his Disciples when he sent them out to preach in the Name of the Father the Sonne and Holy Ghost and elsewhere the Scripture doth teach distinction of Persons as Ioh. 5. 30. I can doe nothing of my selfe as I heare I judge and my judgement is just because I seeke not mine owne will but the will of my Father that sent me so Iohn 14. 26. But the Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things So then wee see plainely that the Father is a distinct person from the Sonne and the Sonne a distinct person from the Father and the Holy Ghost a distinct person from the Father and the Sonne There is a difference betweene the Faith of a Christian and a Turke the one beleeveth in one God distinct in three persons the other in one God without distinction of persons Now there bee two grounds that overthrow this opinion of the Turkes first it is a rule in Divinitie that whatsoever as God reveales himselfe to be so we must beleeve he is but God hath revealed himselfe to be one God and three Persons therefore so we must beleeve for no man can dive into the bottome of God to know what he is but he must reveale himselfe to us so Ioh. 1. 18. No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne of the Father he hath revealed him and 1 Timoth. 6. 16. saith the Apostle speaking of God Who onely hath immortalitie and dwelleth in the light that no man can attaine to whom never man saw neither can see unto whom be honour and glory everlasting Amen And therefore as a man going into the Sea in danger or to swimme so farre as his Corke will carry him up so farre he may goe safely but if this faile to carry him up he makes a stand and ventures no further in like manner so farre as our Corke will carry us up so farre we may walke safely so farre as we have warrant out of Gods Word but if we have no warrant out of Gods Word let us make a stand and goe no further therefore as God hath revealed himselfe so we must beleeve but he hath revealed himselfe to be one God and three distinct Persons and so wee must beleeve The second ground is that it is not possible to redeeme man without distinction of Persons for God the Father being offended with
the defect here is not in the power of man but in the glasse for hee was as able to powre out all of it as one drop but the glasse could not receive it Againe God cannot doe any thing that implyes contradiction as to cause a thing to bee and not to bee as the Sunne to shine and not to shine all at one time or a body to be in a place and not to be or to be in divers places at one time The uses are for Instruction and Comfort The first Instruction is that seeing God is Almighty all men must stoope and bow before him in the consideration of his great power as Esa 25. 3. Therfore shall the mighty people give glory unto thee the city of the strong nations shall feare thee Ier. 10. 7. Who would not feare thee O King of nations For to thee appertaineth the dominion for among all the wise men of the Gentiles and in all their kingdomes there is none like unto thee So Psal 95. 6. Come let us worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord our Maker therefore the great power that is in God must humble us bring us low and make us fall downe before him Secondly that seeing God is Almighty labour to make him thy friend and to be in his favour for nothing is almighty in this world but God wee see how men labour to bee in favour with Noblemen thinking thereby to procure some great matter to themselves but there is none greater than God therefore labour to have his favour This is that a Christian desires above all the things in this world so David Psal 4. 6. Lord saith hee lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and that shall make my heart more glad than they that have their corne and wine and oyle increased So Psal 80. 19. Turne us O Lord God of hostes cause thy face to shine upon us and wee shall be safe In which Psalme it is thrice repeated as the onely desire of a Christian Thirdly that seeing God is Almighty therefore above all things take heed we doe not sinne against and offend him for all the creatures are not able to doe the thousand part of that hurt that God can doe unto thee why then are men commonly so afraid of great men and of the hurt they can doe to them our Saviour tels them whom to feare Luk. 12. 4. saith hee Feare not him that can kill the body and after that is able to doe no more but feare him that is able to destroy both Soule and body and to cast them into hell fire him wee ought to feare therefore the power that is in God should make us afraid to offend him Wee see Iob saith Gods judgements were fearefull to mee and I could not bee delivered from his highnesse so we see the consideration of the power that was in God made Iob stand in awe of him a number of men never stand in awe of God are never afraid of his great power indeed they feare an earthly power are afraid of breaking the Princes lawes and the commandements of men but O that men could bee afraid of the great power that is in God who is able to destroy both soule and body Fourthly seeing God is Almighty therefore in all extremities wee are to rest and relie on the power that is in him for howsoever men runne here and there for helpe yet no man is able to helpe but hee A Christian must beleeve that God is able to helpe by meanes as Noah was saved in a wooden Arke and Moses in an Arke of reed so likewise wee must beleeve that God is able to helpe us without meanes against meanes or beyond meanes and above the meanes so as with the Apostle Paul we may say If God be on our side who can be against us Now the next thing observed was comfort First that seeing God is Almighty therefore our Salvation is in the hands of God if it were in our owne wee might lose it but seeing it is in Gods keeping it is safe as 1 Pet. 1. 5. it is said Wee are kept by the power of God In the time of mans innocency Adam had the keeping of his owne Salvation it was in his owne hands and hee lost it but now it is in Gods keeping and therefore we are sure we shall not lose it seeing his power is Almighty Secondly that seeing God is Almighty therefore wee shall bee safe under his protection so David saith Psal 27. 1. The Lord is my light and my Salvation whom shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I bee afraid And Psal 23. 4. Yea though I should walke through the valley of the shaddow of death yet I will feare none evill for thou art my God and thou art with mee If God bee our friend wee need not to care who is our foe for Gods power is Almighty Thirdly that seeing Gods power is Almighty therefore all his promises shall bee fulfilled in due time so Gen. 21. 1. Now the Lord visited Sarah as hee had said and the Lord did unto her according as hee had promised And Gen. 18. 14. saith the Angell shall any thing bee hard unto the Lord therefore seeing all Gods promises shall bee performed in due time and nothing is hard for him comfort thy selfe therein for hast thou a promise that God will raise thee out of the grave to glory and happinesse or hast thou any other promise it is most sure it shall be fulfilled in the due time by God Fourthly that seeing God is Almighty therefore we shall not need to doubt or feare but that hee is able to destroy our adversaries power whosoever shall rise against him or us Rev. 18. 8. Therefore shall her plagues come one day death and sorrow and famine and shee shall bee burne with fire for strong is the Lord our God which shall condemne her SERMON VI. ACT. 14. 15. That yee should turne from these vanities unto the living God which made Heaven and earth and the sea and all things that are therein COncerning the Almightinesse of God which is His first Attribute we have already spoken now wee come to the second which is Maker of Heaven and earth I will directly fall upon the point without any repetition onely remember wee that the more power there is in God the more is our true comfort for when a man knowes that all the power that is in God is for his good then the more there is in God the more is his comfort As if a man should see a great deale of armour laid up in the hands of his friend he might thinke it were the better for him he shall be the safer by it but if he see a great deale in the hands of his enemie this may strike a terrour into him so if we can finde that God is our Father and
thanke our selves and our sinnes for it thus much the very Heathen could tell Ionas that because there was a disorder in the creatures a great tempest causing the Sea to rage they thought there was somewhat amisse amongst them therefore they cast lots to see for whose cause it was And this shall bee the first use that seeing God made all good if there bee any defect in the creatures wee may thanke our selves and our sinnes Secondly Seeing God made all the creatures good wee must take heede wee doe not abuse and turne them to evill ends for God made apparell to cover our shame and to keepe us warme therefore wee must take heede we doe not use it to pride He made our meate to feede us and nourish us wee must take heede that wee abuse it not to gluttony and drunkennesse and so of the rest If a servant should be allowed a candle to doe his businesse by and should therewith goe and set the house on fire this were not the masters sinne but the servants hee shall answere for it for his master gave him a candle to doe his businesse by and not to set his house on fire so 〈◊〉 we abuse the creatures of God and turne them to wrong ends the fault is not in God that gave them but it is our fault and we shall answere for it Thirdly seeing God made all the world good wee should wish to reduce them to their former state which seeing wee cannot doe wee should labour to bring our selves to our former estate and goodnesse againe And should therefore apply our selves to the use of good meanes as preaching prayer reading of the word meditation the use of the Sacraments and the like If a man should make an Image or picture and it should bee defaced the eyes plucked out or the face deformed or wanting a hand or a part of it if the picture had life and reason whether would it goe to be renewed but to him that made it so seeing sinne hath defaced us whither should wee goe to be renewed but to him that made us As David makes his request Psal 119. 73. Thine hands have made me and fashioned me give me understanding that I may learne thy commandements even so should we if we feele any defects or wants in our selves goe to God and desire him to restore us againe so that although wee cannot reduce the creatures to their former estate yet we must labour to restore our selves againe Sixthly In what time the Lord made heaven and earth hee could have made it in a moment in sixe houres but hee was sixe dayes in making it Here wee may see the great power of God that he was able to doe that in sixe dayes that all the powers of heaven and earth are not able to doe in sixe thousand yeares nay not at all it is a long time since the world was made and yet all the creatures in the world could not make such an heaven and earth in all this time we can doe nothing without time although wee bee willing to doe for our friend yet we will say I pray you give mee time I must have time to doe it in Solomon was thirteene yeares in building the Temple and the Iewes were fortie yeares but God made the world in sixe daies Men must have time for all things so we see Moses was a long time in delivering the people out of Egypt and Ioshua was seven yeares in placing of them and Daniel must have time to interpret the dreame but Gods power is not tyed to any time hee is able at an instant to helpe us and therefore wee must take heed we doe not tye the power of God unto time Matth. 19. 20. The woman that had a bloody issue did but touch the hemme of Christs garment and was made whole and Luk. 5. 13. He did but touch the Leper and he was made clean and Mat. 8. when his Disciples were at the sea in great distresse when the winds blew and the ship was in danger of sinking and drowning Christ did but speake a word and there was a great calme such a change the Lord can make still that if there be any danger upon our persons or in our estates hee is able to remove it and to make a great calme in a moment therefore wee are not to tye Gods power to any time hee can doe great matters in a short time God made the world and all things in it in sixe dayes but hee was thirty three yeeres in redeeming of us therefore the worke of our redemption is a greater worke than the worke of our creation So S. Ambrose saith O Lord I am more beholding to thee for that thou hast redeemed me by thy blood of thy Sonne when I was lost by sinne than I am for that thou hast created mee by the hand of thy power Therefore it is a pittifull thing that neither the worke of our creation nor the worke of our redemption can moove us the Lord may say to us as hee did to the children of Israel in Esai 5. 4. What is it that I can doe more for my vineyard that I have not done so the Lord may say to us what could I have done more for you I have created you and made you reasonable creatures and when ye were lost by sinne I have redeemed you I was content to bee borne of a Virgin to bee laid in a manger to shead my blood and to dye for you what could I have done more for you Wee read Gen. 30. 16. Leah said unto Iacob Come in unto mee for I have bought thee and have paid for thee with my sonnes mandrakes such a claime and challenge the Lord may lay to us Come unto mee live and abide with me for I have bought you and paid for you I have not onely bought you with mandrakes but I have bought you with mine owne blood The Lord was but sixe dayes in making the world but he was thirty three years in redeeming of it hence this Question But why was the Lord sixe dayes in making of this world he could have made it in a moment in sixe houres I answer it was to determine the time of mans labor that seeing God did labour sixe daies together before hee rested and then rested the seventh day so wee should labour sixe dayes and rest the seventh day as Leviticus 23. 3. Sixe daies shall worke bee done but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest Againe hee was sixe dayes to shew the ordinary course of Gods labour that God brings not things together at once but by little and little even as a man when hee filleth a bottle or vessell first hee filleth it to the quarterne and then to the halfe and then unto the top so it is in the worke of grace it is not perfect at an instant but in time it shall bee perfect for as the Lord was sixe daies in
Law there were divers Saviours as wee may see Iud. 2. 16. it is said that the Lord raised up Iudges to deliver or to save them out of their oppressors hands but all these Saviours were but petty Saviours in regard of Iesus for they could not save their bodies or their goods but Iesus saveth our soules as Psal 33. 18. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that feare him and upon them that trust in his mercy to deliver their soules from death and to preserve them in famine Secondly these Saviours can but save us from tyrants and worldly misery but Iesus saveth us from hell the divell and damnation As Luk. 1. 74. That we being delivered from the hands of our enemies should serve him without feare all the daies of our life Thirdly they could but save them for a time for when they were dead straight way they were oppressed againe but Christ hath wrought eternall redemption for us so it is said Heb. 5. 9. And being consecrated he was made the Author of eternall Salvation unto all them that obey him Fourthly these Saviours can save but for one age they could not save them that were before them nor them that come after them but Iesus saveth men in all ages from the beginning of the world to the latter end of it Fifthly although they saved others yet they could not save themselves as Ioshua was discomfited when hee went to Aye and Sampson had his eyes plucked out therefore all these Saviours were but petty Saviours in respect of Iesus and beside Iesus there is no Saviour in the matters of salvation and redemption The use is first that seeing there is no Iesus can save us but this Iesus wee may see the horriblenesse of our sinnes and the grievousnesse of them for when wee have sinned no Angell could save us no Saint nor all the powers in heaven or earth but it must cast the blood of the Sonne of God it must be hee that must make atonement for us therefore as Augustine saith O man by the greatnesse of the price that was paid for thee thou maiest consider the greatnesse of thy sinnes for it was not a small matter that made God to kill his owne Sonne and therefore by the greatnesse of the price consider the greatnesse of thy sinnes Secondly seeing there is no Iesus can save us but this Iesus we should be carefull to avoide every sinne and to decline from it for when wee have sinned there is no power in heaven and earth whereby we can bee saved but it must cost the blood of Christ If a man should for every lye hee told or every sinne committed lose but a drop of his owne blood how affraid would he be of sinning Now there is never a sinne that we doe commit but it hath cost blood either it will cost our blood or the blood of the Sonne of God and therefore how affraid should we be of sinning against God lest we should be more lavish of the blood of Christ than we would be of our owne Thirdly we beleeve that as he is Iesus in generall so he will bee our Iesus and will save us at the day of death and judgement This is our comfort when wee are perswaded that Iesus is not onely a Saviour to others but hee is a Saviour to us Thomas could have no true comfort till he could say My God and my Lord and this it was that comforted Iob I know my Redeemer liveth c. This also was a comfort to David saith he I should have fainted but that I beleeved to see the goodnesse of God in the Land of the living here then is the comfort of a Christian when he can apply and appropriate Christ to himselfe A man can have but little comfort of a house or land when hee is shewed it unlesse it bee his owne so we can have but little comfort by Christ unlesse we can say that Christ is as truly ours as this house or land wee enjoy is ours and as truely may a Christian say that all Christs merits is his as a man may say his coate on his backe is his But how shall we come to know that Christ is ours I answere if wee bee his people if we be contented to be guided and governed by him if we will obey his voyce then we be his people but if we will not be gathered home unto him to live under his government be guided by him and obey his voyce we are none of his neither can we rightly apply him to our comfort The second thing we beleeve of Iesus is that this Iesus that was the Sonne of Mary and borne at Bethlem is the Christ as Peter shewes Therefore let all the house of Israel for a surely know that God hath made him both Lord and Christ this is also the confession the Disciples made of him Ioh. 6. 69. And we beleeve and know that thou art the Christ the Sonne of the living God and Act. 9. 22. But Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Iewes that dwelt at Damascus proving that this was the Christ and so the Angels proclaime him Luk. 2. 10. Be not afraid saith the Angell unto them for behold I bring you tydings of great joy that shall be to all people That is That unto you this day is borne in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord so the Angell proclaimed that Iesus was the Sonne of Mary and borne at Bethlem the devils also confesse him to be Christ Luk. 4 41. so then there can be no question of this but that Iesus is the Christ Now Christ is a Greeke word and doth signifie Anointed as Psal 103. 15. Touch not mine Anointed c. Anointed is as much as to say Christ Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same in the Old as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the new Testament as Ioh. 1. 41. We have found the Messias which is by interpretation the Christ and the Samaritans make this confession of him Ioh. 4 42. For we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeede the Christ the Saviour of the world so that Christ is the Saviour of the world and the Anointed and the Messias hee that was set apart for the great worke of redemption From hence that Christ is the Messias or the Anointed five things are to be considered 1. What is meant by Anointing 2. With what he was Anointed 3. By whom he was Anointed 4. To what he was Anointed 5. What benefit we haue by his Anointing First what is meant by Anointing In the Law were three things implied in Anointing 1. That the Party Anointed was designated or appointed to that worke or calling by God 2. A declaration that God had enabled him with graces to discharge or execute fitly that worke or calling that was assigned him 3. That the Party anointed was
stirre at the voyce of the Sonne of God speaking unto them but once and therefore how shall this condemne us that Christ hath spoken so many times and yet wee doe not once stirre or move at it which are living men to goe about our businesse therefore this shall condemne us that the dead cinders of men that have lien in their graves many a yeare shall startle and move at one voyce of Christ and yet wee doe not at a thousand of his voyces Fourthly seeing Christ is the onely Sonne of God wee must take heed we doe not despise him Psal 2. it is said Kisse the Sonne lest hee bee angry O labour to kisse him seeke his favour do not grieve him woe be to him that shall lift up his hand against him to grieve him 1 Cor. 8. 12. Saith the Apostle Now when ye sinne so against the brethren and wound their weake consciences ye sinne against Christ therefore we must take heed wee doe not sinne against our brethren and so sinne against Christ for the sinnes of us Christians more grieve Christ than the sinnes of the world because wee professe he is our Lord and Master and will bee ruled and governed by him and be his servants therfore in this case when a man sinneth against him it is more than the sinne of a stranger or an alien Wee see in the Scripture how Christ complaines One of you shall betray me but wee be to him that doth it and when Iudas came to betray him he saith To what end art thou come art thou come to betray me As if he had said Why thou art a disciple of mine thou professest that thou art my servant and that I am thy Lord and Master and doest thou come to betray me so Ioh. 1. it is said Hee came amongst his owne but his owne received him not if he had come amongst strangers and aliens and had been so used by them the matter had been the lesse but seeing he came amongst his owne and they received him not this it was that did grieve Christ the more so Hosea 4. 12. God complaines My people aske counsell of their stockes and their staffe declareth unto them Wells beloved let us take this to heart when a prophane man liveth in his sinnes impenitent what doth Christ hee doth not so complaine of them But when a Christian shall live in sinne uncleanesse maliciousnesse or deceite this it is that grieveth Christ and maketh him to complaine Fifthly seeing Christ is the onely Sonne of God we must shew the greater measure of thankefulnesse to him for who can sufficiently speake of his goodnesse that he being the onely Sonne of God and God over all would abase himselfe to take our nature upon him and dye for us We have heard of the love of Rebecca to her sonne Iacob when shee gave him counsell to goe to his father to get the blessing hee was afraid his father would have felt and handled him and so in stead of a blessing he might have procured a curse but shee bids him not to feare it On mee bee the curse my sonne if there be any comfort on thee be the blessing but on me be the curse Such and farre greater is the Love of Christ to us he saith On me be the curse my people but if there bee any good or any blessing or comfort to be had by my sufferings or paines on you be the blessing therefore seeing Christ hath made such a change with us who can render sufficient thankefulnesse to him for it Nehem. 11. wee see the people blessed those that would dwell at Ierusalem because it was a dangerous place Now if this people thanked them that would dwell with them hazard and venture their lives O how thankefull ought we to bee unto Christ who hath given his life for us and therefore how are we bound in all love and thankefulnesse to him The late powder treason that was in the yeere of our Lord 1605. the delivery from it is a fruit and benefit we have by Christ and therefore it was carefully and religiously provided of our Magistrates to set apart a day to give thankes in a service to be performed for it for he hath not onely delivered our soules but also our bodies from the jawes of hell Now I come to speake of His dominion which is the second thing in the dignity of His Person our Lord wherein two things are to bee considered 1. That he is the Lord of the World 2. That he is our Lord. First hee is the Lord of the whole world and hath all kingdomes at his command Luk. 1. 33. And hee shall raigne over the house of Iacob for ever and of his kingdome there shall bee no end so Act. 2. 3. Let the house of Israel say and know that God hath made him both Lord and Christ Now Christ is the Lord of the world in two regards First in regard of the Soveraignty that is in himselfe he hath all power under him to dispose of at his will and pleasure as Matth. 11. 27. All things are given me of my father both the possession and the disposition of them and Act 2. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feete so Luk. 10. 17. And the seventy returned againe with joy saying Lord even the devils are subdued to us through thy name All things are subject to him he is the great Lord of the world Secondly hee is the Lord of this world in regard of service for all things doe serve him whatsoeuer Psal 119. 91. They continue to this dayly by thine ordinances for all thy servants therefore seeing there is nothing but doth service to him he is the Lord of this world Now there is a double service a service which the godly and a service which the wicked performe there is a voluntary service which the godly performe and unvoluntary which the wicked performe as the Axe in the hand of the hewer doth service voluntary so doe the wicked when they doe any service to God they doe it by constraint unwillingly all things doth service unto God either willingly or by constraint for wee cannot stirre a foote or a hand or doe any thing but it is by the appointment of God It is a good saying of Augustine Now grant Lord saith he that we may doe the good service for whether wee bee willing or not willing we shall serve thee thy providence and hidden will if we serve thee unwillingly then we serve thee like slaves but grant Lord that wee may serve thee willingly and voluntarily as thy children ought to serve thee and thine owne people And thus Christ is the Lord of the world The use is first seeing Christ is the Lord of the world it shall bee well with the Church and the members thereof and as Christ is the Lord so hee will order every thing to the good of them in Psal 96. 10. it is said The
despise this great mercy Peter he did wonder at the humility of Christ Ioh. 13. that he wold stoop so low as to wash his Disciples feet but how may we wonder at his strange humility that he would be borne as we are therefore we may upon this consideration breake forth and say O blessed Lord what am I that thou wouldest be borne thus for my sake that thou wouldest stoope so low for me How should I respect and regard thee The second use is seeing Christ was contented to stoope to the infirmities of thy birth thou shouldest be content to be borne spiritually I but to be borne of the Spirit is tedious why consider with thy selfe was Christ contented to be borne of a Virgin thou maiest be contented to bee borne of the Spirit He suffered prayed in the garden died on the crosse for thee was contented to bee borne of the Virgin thou mai'st well be contented then to be borne of the Spirit Secondly he was borne meanely in the poorest manner that might be and as we may see in this place there was no body to give him helpe no light shining nor Angell appearing no fine things to put him in but he was swadled in clouts rags This was a strange humiliation of Christ to be borne so basely that all the Angels might admire and wonder at it and bee confounded to thinke of the basenesse of Christs birth which hath made our adversaries devise strange stories to grace the birth of Christ with they say in the Gospell of Saint Iames which is a false Gospell that when Christ was borne the whole course of nature was stayed that the birds that were flying in the ayre could not stirre but hung there the goats that went to drinke could not move their lippes a shepheard putting foorth his hooke to catch his sheepe it hung in the ayre and the like fopperies for the world was not then able to consider why Christ was so poorely borne Another tale they devised to grace the birth of Christ was this that when Ioseph went for the midwife Christ was borne in the meane time at which time there was such a light as they might see aswell at midnight as at noone day but this could not be for there was no light shining in the roome no Angell none to give him helpe The world cannot conceive it but there bee divers reasons of it First to shew the infinite goodnesse and love of Christ thus to stoope so low to be so basely borne to save me and thee it was a strange love that he would be borne as we are and so creepe along with us to grow as we grow live as we live and stoope to all the infirmities of our nature yea even to dye and to lye in the grave with us that so wee might apply our sinfull bodies to his holy body our impure flesh to his pure flesh that so hee might quicken and give us life David when he considered the worke of creation Psal 8. 4. burst out into this speech Lord what is man that thou art so mindefull of him c. much more may we say admiring the worke of our Redemption not only what is man But what a good Lord is this that he would be contented to stoope so low to be so basely borne for my salvation which made holy Bernard say so much the more baser thou art borne the more deare thou art to my soule and to my heart in this regard Secondly to shew what a great matter it is to redeeme us and how wee are to make much of that Salvation that Christ would bee so basely borne to purchase for us Therefore seeing Christ was pleased to come thus into the world to save us how should we bee contented to be abased now to stand before God with comfort at the day of judgement as Paul Phil. 3. 8. Yea doubtlesse I count all things but lost for the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I suffered the losse of all things and judge them to be but dung and drâ—sse that I might winne Christ and might be found in him so Ignatius when he should suffer Lord saith he I care for nothing whether for things visible or invisible for the tearing my flesh or the losing of my members or for all the divels can devise against me so that I may bee made any thing to be saved As a cunning workeman takes a peece of clay to make a goodly jmage hee tempers the clay changeth it into twenty shapes and fashions before hee makes the image so the Lord this cunning workeman doth when hee would make the picture of Christ in us he doth as it were temper and change us into twenty shapes before hee makes his beautifull Image in us therefore wee should bee contented to be disposed at the good will of God to change us into any shape sicknesse poverty want or disgrace and be made any thing to be saved Thirdly to shew that the greatnesse of our sinnes tooke hold on him for he was no sooner come into the world but our sinnes were upon him and put all this basenesse and meannesse upon him Therefore dost thou wonder thou art a prophane man or an Adulterer or a drunkard or a Swearer that God brings poverty upon thee blindnesse lamenesse or an evill name why looke upon Christ and we shall see that the guilt of our sinnes being upon him brought all this basenesse and meanesse upon him Fourthly that the meanesse and hardnesse of Christs estate might sanctifie the poverty and hardnesse of our estates for he was deare and precious in the sight of God notwithstanding this abasement therefore doe thou labour to be a childe of God and then thou shalt be deare and precious in the sight of God now though this cannot bee by nature yet labour to be one by Adoption and grace and then God wil accept thee though thou be never so meane and basely accounted of heere Chrysostome compares a good man to a peece of gold that if we take it trample it and treade it in the durt yet the gold is never the worse so saith he let the world trample and treade upon a good man hee is not the worse he loseth none of his goodnesse and these be the reasons in regard of God why Christ was thus basely borne Now the reason in regard of the world the Evangelists doe shew was because there was no roome in the Inne this was strange was there no roome for Christ in the Inne was there never a chamber nor a corner of a roome for him to be borne in There was roome I warrant you for swaggerers and drunkards for dicers and carders for prophane persons but there was no roome for Christ to bee borne in these had taken up all the roomes so as Christ must bee turned to bee borne in a stable And I would to God it were not the sin of the world still
belong to the rich also To this I answere that the grace of the Gospell is like to a Vine that runnes low first at the bottome of the tree and by little and little windes and twists it selfe up till it gets to the top so at first the grace of the Gospell began low it did as it were creepe along on the ground with poore men and after it did winde and twist up till it came at the top and so did winde within Scepters and crownes of kings which is the highest step that it can come to in this world Secondly in what disposition they were found the text saith they were keeping their flockes not Idle in their houses nor asleepe in their beds but attending their flockes in their callings Here we may see what a good thing it is for a man to be upon his calling If we looke into the Bible we shall see all the goodly apparitions that appeared were when they were upon their callings when was it that Iaakob saw in a vision Angels ascending and descending when he was in his journey upon his calling so Moses Exod. 2. when did the Lord appeare unto him as hee was keeping his flocke and so the Angell did appeare to Gedeon when hee was a threshing wheate in his calling so the Lord tooke David from following the sheepe great with young And when were the Disciples called was it not when they were a fishing in their calling not when they were idle which may shew us what an excellent thing it is for a man to be upon his calling to performe the duties of it if there be any blessing stirring or any good thing for the Angell of God to impart hee shall be sure to have his part in it at that time so saith our Saviour Blessed is that servant who when his Master shall come shall be found well doing and it was a good saying that a learned man had when his friends told him hee studied too much saith hee What would yee have the Lord come and finde mee Idle Thirdly by whom the birth of Christ was made manifest by the Angels when the Priests were silent in the Temple the Angels were not they could not keepe it here we may see how ready the Angels are to doe any service to Christ there is not an Angell nor an Archangell but is ready to doe service to him therefore much more should men be ready to serve and obey Him But it is otherwise with us for we be ready to doe service to sinne and to our lusts rather than unto Christ Matth. 21. when Iesus rode to Ierusalem upon an Asse some strowed garments in the way some did cut downe boughs and branches crying Hosanna there was not a childe playing in the streets but was ready to doe service unto Christ in like manner let us stirre up and quicken our selves to doe in the service of Christ and not as we were wont give our selves wholly to sin to the deceitfull lusts and vaine pleasures of this world Fourthly the time when Christs birth was made manifest the same night an Angel came post from heaven to make it knowne it was the love of God that he would not hold it till day any long time but presently he makes it knowne We read Gen. 18. of Gods love to his servants saith the Lord Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I doe c For I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after Him and they shall keepe the way of the Lord c. God would not conceale any thing from his servant Abraham so it was his love that he would not conceale the birth of Christ but make it knowne the same night Therefore seeing God made hast to send this message we should make hast to receive it as soone as may bee seeke him and not rest till wee have found him and as the Shepheards went out to Bethlem to see Christ so let us go forth to see him although he be not at Bethlem yet in his word there we may see Christ borne in a stable laid in a cratch praying in the mount sweating in the garden crowned with a crowne of thornes bleeding on the crosse hanging in paines and torments and gloriously sitting on his throne and as old Simeon tooke Christ in his armes and imbraced him so let us take him and lay hold on him by the hand of Faith and bring him into our hearts so as we may say with Paul Gal. 20. 2. The life which I now liue in the flesh I live by the faith of the Sonne of God c. so never part with Christ till the day of death for no man can have comfort although hee should see Christ borne in the stable laid in the cratch sitting in the lap of his mother praying in the mount bleeding on the crosse sitting gloriously on his throne unlesse hee can apply Christ and make him his owne by faith Fifthly the manner of the manifestation of his birth by a speciall message where two things are to be considered 1. That the Angell moveth attention 2. The message it selfe Now the Angell moveth attention two wayes 1. By remooving that which should hinder attention 2. By quickning up the affections in this word Behold First of the message it selfe which was that the Angels did bring them tidings of great Ioy. 1. It was tidings of joy 2. Of great joy 3. Not to one people nor to one nation but to all people And therefore seeing there is such an excellent message come wee should attend it Heere wee may observe what is the greatest joy that is that Christ is borne into the world this is the joy of us Christians to know that Christ is come into the world to save penitent and poore sinners he will heare us in our troubles releeve us when we bee poore give us health when we be sicke will be all in all unto us O let us then labour to joy in Christ for there is no true joy but in him therefore howsoever the covetous mans joy is in his goods the fleshly mans in his pleasures the usurers in his mony yet let the Christian more joy in Christ than in any thing and let every man labour to get him make him sure and then he shall joy in life in death in sicknesse health plenty and adversity SERMON XI LVKE 2. 15. And it came to passe as the Angels were gone away from them into Heaven the shepheards said one to another Let us goe now even unto Bethlem and see this thing which is come to passe which the Lord hath made knowne unto us OF the manifestation of Christs birth we spake the last day onely one thing more there is to be added which is the Specification of the Angels speech they doe not onely say that Christ is borne but by way of appropriation that Christ is borne to you you bee the men the parties that Christ was borne for
A man shall never have any true comfort to know that Christ is borne unlesse he can apply and appropriate Him to himselfe bring himselfe within this compasse that Christ was borne for him to say that Christs birth is his His passion His paines His life His death is his then he may have comfort for all our joy is by applying and making Christ our owne to appropriate His death life paines and passions to us then wee may have comfort then wee may rejoyce therefore every one must labour to apply Christ unto himselfe and to know that he is one of them for whom Christ was borne Esai 9. 6. it is said To us a Childe is borne to us a Sonne is given c. for though Christ be borne to others wee can have no comfort by it until we know that he was borne for us and as it is said Zech. 9. 9. Behold thy king commeth to thee so till we say my king commeth to me we can have no joy of him so Iohn 20. Thomas had beene a long time a Disciple of Christ and yet had but little comfort by it till hee came to say My Lord and my God In like manner one may heare a long time and yet have no joy in Christ feele little comfort till he can make particular application of Him Therefore every one should labour to apply Christ unto himselfe that he may have joy and comfort when hee can bring his heart within compasse of those the Angels speake of Christ is borne to you you be the parties you be the men and women that Christ is borne for The second thing we observe is The effects it wrought in the shepherds which are foure in number The first is that they said one to another let us goe then unto Bethlem and see this thing that is come to passe which the Lord hath shewed unto us Here we see the shepheards doe exhort and stirre up one another to goe and see this thing which was come to passe and it must teach us to exhort and stirre upone another to good things and take them to ourselves labouring to make others the better for them as upon any occasion to say to one another Wife or children or servants or neighbours come let us goe to the preaching of the Word where wee shall have Christ to our comfort It is the manner of the streame to carry away all movealbe things but if they bee rooted then it doth not stirre them Mich. 4. 1. the people of God are said to flow because they carry men to Christ when men be setled and rooted in their sinnes then they stand still but if they bee capable of good things then they are carried to Christ and therefore Heb. 3. 13. we are commanded to exhort one another daily while it is called to day and Heb. 10. 25. it is said But let us exhort one another so much the more because the day draweth neere so likewise in Esay it is said And many people shall goe and say Come let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob It is one of the graces of God that hee will bestow on his people that they shall be helpers to stirre up one another to good duties to faith repentance patience and the like wee see how ready the men of this world bee to incite up one another to sinne as Gen. 11. 4. say the wicked builders Goe to let us build a tower whose top shall reach to heaven in Esay the drunkards stirre up one another and Ierem. 18. 18. Then said they Come let us devise devises against Ieremiah for the law shall not perish from the priests nor counsell from the wise nor the Word from the Prophet Come and let us smite him with the tongue and let us not give heede to any of his words so also Proverb 1. 11. the theeves say Come let us lay waite for blood cast in thy lot amongst us and we will all have one purse O how this may shame us that they bee more ready to carry one another to hell and damnation than we to draw one another to life and salvation we see if one wheele of a clocke bee stirred it will stirre all the rest so it should be with us if one be stirred to goodnesse he should stirre others to it as these shepheards did as soone as the Angels were departed from them this must teach us not to let good motions die but as soone as wee understand them wee must bee ready to set them aworke Of which there be two reasons First because in time the devill will bee very laborious to quench them as Matth. 13. when the good man had sowen good seede in his field the envious man did sow tares so when there is any good motions in us the devill will labour to hinder them therefore as soone as may bee wee should labour to set them aworke Secondly because the first motions are the swiftest and the strongest as the Apostle saith to the Galatians yee did runne well what did let you at the first so thou did'st runne well the first motions were swiftest therefore seeing they are swiftest and strongest we must not let them die but labour to set them a worke But what did they exhort one another unto to goe to Bethlem and why to Bethlem because Christ was borne there Bethlem was one of the smallest townes yet because he was borne there thither they went We have out Bethlem as well as they the place of preaching of prayer and the place where the Sacraments are administred this is Bethlem this is the place where Christ was borne therefore howsoever the place is meane whither we may goe yet thither must we goe howsoever others goe to other cities and great places yet wee must goe to Bethlem Mark 1. 33. All the city was gathered together at the doore of Peters mothers house and yet it was but a meane place onely a fishermans cottage neverthelesse because there was a healing power of Christ thither they went and resorted therefore howsoever the place be meane if Christ may be found there thither let us goe when others goe to places of disorder of pleasure of gaming to places of drinking and swilling let us goe to Bethlem to places of preaching prayer where we shall not onely see Christ lying in the cratch as the shepheards did but even in heaven gloriously sitting on his throne as blessed Stephen saw him But why did they goe to Bethlem the text saith to see the things that the Lord would shew them this may teach us when we have knowledge to make use of it to the bettering of us in our life and conversation many have knowledge but they be not bettered by it whereof the Lord complaineth Esai 42. 20. Seeing many things but keepest them not and therefore when God doth give a man knowledge and he be not bettered by it and in his life
37. saith David Marke the upright man and behold the just for the end of that man is peace In 1 Sam. 12. 3. when Samuel came to resigne his office he standeth out to cleare himselfe to the people and saith Whose Oxe have I taken or whose Asse have I taken or whom have I defranded whom have I oppressed or of whom have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes withall so when a man can stand out at the day of his death and cleere himselfe as Samuel did and say O Lord I thanke thee that I have not beene a deceiver or an unjust dealer in the world but I have dealt justly and uprightly this may be a comfort to him at the day of his death therefore it is a good thing to be a just dealer Secondly it is said he was a devout man as it is in the new Translation the Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a religious man such a one as feared God so we must put both these together he was a just man and a religious man for it is nothing to be religious unlesse one be just nor nothing to bee just unlesse one be religious therefore if thou bee religious labour to bee just also if thou bee a just man labour also to bee religious for a man must so looke to his duties to God as that hee doe not neglect his service to men and so looke to men as that he doe not neglect his duety to God It is a corruption in the world that if a man be a good and a just dealer in the world he cares not for religion if he be religious hee cares not for good dealing therefore art thou a just man make conscience of religious dueties for howsoever thou mai'st stand before man and bee in account with him yet thou shalt not bee able to stand before God and art thou a religious man labour thou also to bee a just man a good dealer lest this lye on thy conscience at the day of thy death for no unjust man shall inherite the kingdome of God Thirdly hee waited for the consolation of Israel which implyes two things first that hee had laid up all his hope joy comfort and consolation in Christ which must likewise teach us to lay up all our hope and comfort in Christ as Phil. 3. the Apostle saith Christ was to him both in life and in death advantage and our Saviour saith Ioh. 8. 56. Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad so also Iohn 20. the Disciples said to Thomas Wee have seene the Lord and Mary she had laid up all her joy and comfort in Christ Many now adayes lay up their comfort in their friends some in their goods and lands or in their money but a Christian must lay up all his joy and comfort in Christ and then one day hee shall be happy with him let a man lay up his comfort in any thing but in Christ howsoever it may stand by him in the time of peace yet it will faile him in the time of trouble howsoever it stand by him in life yet it will faile him in the time of death but if we can lay up our comfort joy and hope in Christ then Christ will looke upon us with a sweete and comfortable face at his comming Secondly hee looked every day for the time of Christs comming so should we doe but there is a difference hee looked for his first comming in the flesh wee must looke for his second comming Rom. 8. 22. it is said the whole creation groaneth waiting for the comming of Christ much more should wee because wee shall have especially the fruit and benefit by it Iudges 5. The mother of Sisera looked out of a window and cryed why is his chariot so long a comming why tarry the wheeles of his chariots So when wee looke out of our doores or windowes we should long for Christs comming and say when will hee come and when will hee appeare thus wee should waite for Christs comming The second point is The manner how this manifestation was by a vision or as the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth by divine inspiration Christ was made manifest to the shepheards by an Angell to the Wisemen by a starre and to Simeon by a Vision Of which there are two parts First that he should not dye till he had seene Christ Hee was an old man and like to drop into his grave every day and yet he had a revelation given him that he should not dye till he had seene Christ so we should pray to God that we may have the same grace whether we bee young or old that we may not dye till we have seene Christ by the eyes of our faith for we have more cause to doe so than Simeon for if he had never seene Christ with the eyes of his body he might have beene blessed though he had wanted this comfort but if we doe not see him before we dye we are like to perish therefore we have much more cause to desire and pray God that we may see Christ before we dye before we bee downe in the dust and sleepe our long sleepe saith old Iaakob when his sonne Ioseph sent for him I will goe and see my Sonne Ioseph before I dye so a Christian should say I will goe and see Christ before I dye The second part of the vision was that he must goe into the Temple because Christ was to bee found there before Christ came there he was in the townes why did not Simeon goe out to meete him in the streets or why did not he goe to Bethlehem to see Christ as the shepheards did There be two reasons of it First that Christ might bee the more famously knowne secondly to teach us that if we will see Christ we must come into the Temple to the place of preaching and prayer for the Gospell as I have shewed you is a glasse wherein if we looke wee shall see Christ and all his graces even as Simeon did come by a motion of the Spirit so if wee would come to see Christ in the Temple we must come by a motion of the Spirit and of grace many come to the Temple but how come they by a motion of their friends or some other thing that mooveth them but let us come by a motion of the Spirit and then we shall see Christ to our comfort Thirdly the effects of the manifestation and they are threefold first as soone as he was come into the Temple he laid hold on Christ Simeon was an old man and had much adoe to scramble thither and yet hee was not contented to looke upon Christ and see him in the armes of Ioseph and in the lap of Mary but hee gets him into his owne armes embraces him and blesseth God that he lived to see these happy daies so must wee doe not content our selves to see Christ in
the armes of Ioseph in the lap of Mary in the armes of the Preachers or of other good Christians but wee must labour to have him in our owne armes the armes of our faith for though we may see Christ in the armes of our teachers yet for all this wee may perish and therefore so much the rather ought wee to receive and get him into our armes and apply him into our hearts because hee comes to present himselfe to thee and to me therefore if we doe not receive him wee shall be guilty of his blood If we should bee in a roome and a childe should cry to come unto us would wee neglect the childe would not we cast away that which wee had in our hands and take the childe into our owne armes I doe not say if it were the childe of a king we would doe so but if it were the childe of an honest poore man and therefore much more should we receive the Childe Christ beloved this Chide Christ doth in a sort cry to come unto us and saith as it were thus O good people receive me into your hearts receive me into your soules I doe not desire it for my owne sake but you shall be the better for it therefore O good people why doe ye not receive me if we doe not wee are like to perish and we shall be guilty of his blood and therefore this is our duty when Christ doth offer himselfe unto us we should bee ready to receive him so old Simeon did for it is nothing to see him unlesse wee get him in our armes by our faith and embrace him therefore why doe we not fling away all things that doe hinder us and receive him into our hearts and lay hold on him which is life and salvation offered to us The second was that when he had seene Christ he praiseth God for it that although he had seene a great deale of trouble and felt a great deale of sorrow yet that he lived to see those happy daies wherein he might see Christ so howsoever we have lived to see a great deale of trouble and sorrow yet wee should praise God that hee hath let us live to see Christ in the face of the Gospell therefore wee have great cause to praise God that hee hath let us live till this time to repent us of our sinnes to get faith in Christ howsoever we have had a great deale of sorrow and trouble in this world yet the comfort is that we have repented of our sinnes and lived to make heaven and happinesse sure unto us Matth. 13. 16. saith our Saviour But blessed be your eyes for they see and your eares for they heare as if he should say O blessed be God for this happy time wherein we live to see that wee see and to heare that which we heare so Iohn 20. when the Disciples had seene Christ they told Thomas of it They were glad that after a great deale of trouble they had seene Christ at last so it is said Act. 8. 39. the Eunuch went away rejoycing when Christ was made knowne to him therefore whatsoever wee have beene before yet if wee can repent of our sinnes get Christ into our hearts by faith wee have great cause to praise and to thanke God that wee have lived to see these daies hast thou beene a swearer or a drunkard or a bad liver and repented of thy sinnes lay hold on Christ thou hast great cause to praise God and to thanke him that he hath let thee live to see these happy daies The third effect was that he did utter these speeches Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace c. Now this saying of Simeon was the first song in the new Testament that was sung in the Temple wherein foure things may be observed 1. His willingnesse and profession to dye 2. What account he made of death 3. In what disposition he doth desire to dye 4. The Reason why he was willing to dye The first is a profession of his willingnesse to dye Now Lord I am willing to dye I am well contented to depart in peace for I have seene enough I have seene the Saviour and redeemer of the world I have embraced him in my armes and therefore I am willing to dye now So when we have seene Christ we should bee willing to dye for wee have seene enough for our salvation as long as God would have us live wee should be willing to live and when he would have us dye we should be willing to depart we see if a master send his servant to trade and traffique beyond sea so long as his master will have him to trade and traffique so long hee will trade but when his master will have him come home hee will packe up all and come away so as long as God will have us trade and traffique heere we should be content but when hee will have us packe up all and come home wee should be contented to doe so In the Gospell we finde that Christ fled from death and danger when God would have him fly but when the time of his death came he went out to meete it so likewise Moses hee could have beene contented to passe over Iordan but when God told him that he should not but he must goe and dye in the mount Nebo hee went as willingly up as any man goeth to a feast or banquet therefore it is a pitifull thing to see how men doe hang upon the world at that time when God would have them dye Secondly what account he made of death men make much adoe about it are afraid of it but Simeon accounteth it but a departing out of this one roome into another a departing from men to God from earth to heaven from mortality to immortality therefore wee may see what account wee should make of it The Philosophers say that death is the most terrible thing that may be because they thinke it is an utter destruction of nature but Simeon accounts of it as of a remooving or departure from one place to another therefore he is not afraid of it but embraceth it as a doore or gate to passe from earth to heaven from men to God from mortality to immortality and this is the account that all men should make of death Gen. 15. 15. saith the Lord to Abraham but thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace and shalt be buried in a good old age so that death is nothing but a going to the holy men those that have died in faith before and Christ accounts of it Ioh. 17. 13. but as a going to God to the blessed Angels and holy Spirits departed so also Paul in one of his epistles Neverthelesse wee are bold and love rather to remoove out of this body and to dwell with the Lord. Ahasuerus Hester 2. 13 14. had two houses for his women one was the house of sweete perfumes and odors that they might bee
of God on the crosse is shewed two wayes 1. By the Cause 2. By the Effects The first Cause was the darkening of the Sunne upon him the Effect was the bitter complaint that he makes that God had forsaken him as if he should say It doth not grieve me that my Disciples or my kindred notwithstanding the kindnesse and love that I have shewed them or that my mother hath forsaken me but this is that which grieved me that my good Father hath forsaken me for the sinnes of my people O let us thinke of this that it is the heaviest distresse that can befall us to have God departed from us therefore howsoever our friends forsake us and the world leave us yet take heed that God doth not depart from us It was Davids comfort that although his father and mother should forsake him yet God would not forsake him so this must uphold us that although our friends and kindred forsake us yet God will not for if God should what comfort can we have But what was the cause of it the apprehension of the fearefull darknesse of the Sunne three houres together almost all the time of his passion from twelve a clocke till three Now in this darknesse of the Sun we may observe three things 1. The Manner of it 2. The Cause of it 3. The End of it First the manner of the darknesse it was at twelve a clock at the brightnesse of the day at noone time secondly it was of long continuance almost all the time of his passion thirdly it was not onely about the Crosse and in Ierusalem but all the Land over There is some difference amongst Divines about the extension of the darknesse some hold it was all the Land of Iudah ouer some all the world over Tertullian saith that this heavie hap that the Sunne was darkened all the world over at the time of the Passion of Christ was put into a booke at Rome and also amongst the Grecians it was so reported of so likewise S. Cyprian saith that this darknesse was not in the Land of Iudah but all over the world And this was the manner of the darknesse Now this darknesse must put us in minde of the fearful darknesse that shall cover the faces of the wicked if they doe not repent for as Christs face was covered in the brightest time of the day so shall their faces be covered when things should be at the best with them even when they be at the height of their glory Amos 8. 9. In that day saith the Lord God I will even cause the Sun to go downe at noone-day and will darken the earth in the cleere day so that in the middest of their joy and in the middest of their glory the Lord will bring darknesse upon them and so dash all their glory and joy Prov. 13. 9. it is said God will put out the candle of the wicked And for example we see Haman when he was at the top of the Kings favour and in his chiefest glory then the Sunne was darkned upon him he was taken and hanged on the gallowes which he had set up for Mordecai so likewise Dan. 5. when Balthasar was drinking tipling and carousing in the vessels of the house of God and presently the hand-writing appeared on the wall and writ his destruction that night hee that was so merry was killed So Luke 12. 20. the rich man in the Gospell hee would goe build his barnes greater when presently there came a voice unto him Thou foole this might shall they take away thy soule even so all the wicked men of the world that are not carefull to give glory unto God when they be in the top of their mirth and of their pleasure all their mirth shall be turned into sorrow their glory into shame their peace into trouble So we see Herod Act. 12. when he was in shining apparell and had made an Oration to the people who cried out The voice of God and not of man because he was not careful to give glory unto God the Angell strooke him with a lothsome disease he was eaten of wormes and so died Thus the Lord will darken our comfort if we doe not repent for if God brought darknesse on his Sonne then hee will much more bring it on the wicked for ever If a poore man have an house and the Sunne doe shine in comfortably to refresh him and his children that be about him if the same man take a veile and hang betweene the Sunne and the house he doth deprive himselfe and his children of the comfort of the Sunne so God if he doth shine comfortably upon us and wee take the veile of our sinnes and hang up what doe wee but deprive our selves of those comforts and joyes which wee might have had and so bring darknesse upon our selves Now this darknesse that shall come upon the wicked although they may escape it in this life yet they shall be sure of it at the day of Iudgement So it is said Matth. 25. Take the unprofitable servant binde him hand and foot and cast him into utter darknesse And therefore howsoever the wicked may goe on in joy for a season and be partakers of the light of the Sunne of the Moone and many other comforts yet the time shall come that neither the light of the Sunne or Moone nor any Star or candle shall be any comfort to them as we may see in Exodus what a fearefull darknesse there was over the Land of Aegypt three dayes together that they could not goe one to another but how much more fearefull darknesse shall that be that shall not last onely three dayes together but for ever and ever therefore let us pray to God and repent of our sinnes get faith in Christ that we may be delivered from this fearefull darknesse that shall come upon the wicked and ungodly Secondly The cause of this darknesse It was not by any naturall cause but by the hand of God which I will prove by two Reasons First because there is no eclipse of the Sunne but it comes by the body of the Moone for the body of the Moone comming betweene the light of the Sunne and us makes the eclipse as the hand of a man being held betweene the light of a candle and his owne eyes doth hide away the light of the candle from his eyes so the body of the Moone comming betweene the Sunne and us makes the Sunne to be eclipsed Now the Moone comes not neere the Sunne but when shee changes but this was when the Moone was at the full and in a perfect diameter to the Sunne for we know that the Iewes Passeover was kept in the full of the Moone therefore it was no naturall cause Secondly it was no eclipse of the Sunne for the Moone could take away but part of the light because the Sunne is bigger by many degrees than the Moone so then there was no naturall
doe not see it Secondly though a Christian fall yet he fals not finally he shall not be forsaken for ever it is but for a little time as Esay 54. 7. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee in a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a little season but with everlasting kindnesse have I had compassion on thee So in another place it is said Though heavinesse endures for a night yet joy commeth in the morning I have shewed you heretofore that it is with a Christian as with a man in a swound bring a man then to the fire rub and chafe him and put a little Aqua-vitae in his mouth if there be any life in him he will recover againe So it is with a Christian in his fals if he be brought to the meanes to the Word preached to prayer or to the use of the Sacraments if there be the life of grace in him he will recover againe so then God doth not forsake a Christian finally The Vses are First seeing God doth not forsake totally and finally wee may see what a comfortable estate it is to be a true Christian hee may have assurance that God will not forsake him for ever this is an excellent priviledge and prerogative that a Beleever hath his friends and kindred may forsake him but God will never therefore such a man may say by himselfe privately Lord I thanke thee although my friends and my kindred have forsaken mee yet thou hast not on thee I will rely and put my whole confidence in thee for thou hast promised that whilest I trust in thee thou never wilt forsake mee And this is a sweet comfort that a Christian may have a servant may be forsaken of his master as the Amalekite was 1 Sam. 30. 13. and a childe may be forsaken of his mother as Moses was Exod. 2. 3. a husband may forsake his wife one friend another but God will never forsake them that be his servants Secondly seeing God doth not forsake his finally nor totally let us labour to be one of his servants and then we have an evidence that God will not leave us not forsake us a father may forsake his childe a master his servant a land-lord may cast off his tenants but God will not forsake them that doe depend upon him if wee be his servants then wee have an evidence to shew whereby we may assure our selves when all else leave us yet God will not forsake us Thirdly seeing God will not forsake us finally and totally it is a shame for us to forsake him the childe hath greater cause not to forsake the mother than the mother hath to forsake the childe for the childe cannot live without the mother but it is like to starve and perish but the mother can live without the childe so we have greater cause not to forsake God than he hath to forsake us wee cannot live without him and he can be glorified though we were in hell Therefore seeing God hath not forsaken us it is a shame for us to forsake him The third thing is To know what the cause is that God forsakes his people To answer briefly It is for sinne Why is sinne such a great matter that it will make God forsake his creatures I answer it is sinne and nothing but sinne let a mans estate be what it will be never so rich or poore if hee doe not repent his sinnes but live in them and commit them from day to day it will cause God to forsake him therefore art thou poore or rich doe not sinne against God and live in it without repentance for it will make God to depart from thee For looke what was the cause that God did forsake his owne Sonne the same will make him forsake thee Now sin was the impelling cause that made God forsake his Son for when he found our sinne upon him by imputation he forsooke him awhile therefore consider with thy selfe if God would not spare sin but punish it upon his owne Sonne though it were but imputed to him then it is sure if he finde sinne upon thee he will forsake thee if thou repent not for it for if God spared not the Angels when they had sinned neither spared his owne Sonne when he found our sinnes imputed unto him surely he will not spare thee unlesse thou repent howsoever thou do not find it in time of health and peace yet when the day of death or the day of judgment commeth thou shalt see thy selfe forsaken of God O that the wicked would consider this that if they live in their sinnes and doe not repent God wil forsake them It was sinne that made God depart away from his Temple and from his own house as Ezek. 8. 6. saith God Sonne of man seest thou not what they doe even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here to cause me to depart from my Sanctuarie So we see that sinne made God to forsake his owne house and the place that he had appointed for his owne glory if wee provoke him by our sinnes he will depart from us unlesse we repent Fourthly How a Christian should cary himselfe when he finds himselfe to be forsaken of God This may we see in the famous and memorable example of Christ for looke how Christ carried himselfe when he was in shew forsaken of God so should we carry our selves when we likewise finde our selves forsaken of him Now Christ carried himselfe 1. Mournefully for he did in that bitternesse come to God 2. Patiently he did not murmure or grudge against God 3. Holily First he carrieth himselfe mournefully he did bitterly complaine to God when he saw himselfe to be forsaken Now as Christ carried himselfe mournefully when he saw himselfe to be forsaken of God so wee should mourne and bitterly complaine to â—od when we see our selves forsaken of him as 1 Sam. 7. 2. wee see the people of Israel lamented after the Arke twenty yeeres together all the while being without it so we should weepe and lament many daies together so long as we finde our selves forsaken of God Ioh. 20. when Mary had lost Christ shee seekes for him and standeth weeping by his Sepulcher saith Christ to her Woman why weepest thou to which she answered they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him I have good cause to weepe they have taken him away or I have lost him in whom I have laid up all my hope comfort and joy so a Christian man or woman may say when he findes himselfe forsaken of God I have good cause to weepe and mourne many a-day together for I have lost Christ hee is departed from me in whom all my joy and comfort was laid up Secondly Christ did carry himselfe patiently he did not murmure and grudge against God for as a learned man saith these
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.
Then all the Churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the reines and hearts Thirdly he was apprehended to temporall paines but the wicked shall be taken to eternall torments as it is said Marke 9. the worme that never dieth there shall be no end of their torments And this shall be the fearfull apprehension of the wicked at the day of Iudgement wherefore as the Apostle Saint Paul 2 Cor. 5. 11. saith Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men c. So say I knowing of this fearefull apprehension of the wicked at the last day of Iudgement we perswade men to repent them of their sins and to please God that So they may avoid it If a man heare that the Kings Writ is comming out against him to arrest and carry him away to prison hee would surely make friends to stay the Processe and Writ so when we heare to know that there is a Writ against us from heaven to come upon us we must labour to stop it and send up our prayers to God to stay his judgements that so we be not farther vexed with them thus the taking of Christ should put us in minde of the fearefull taking of the wicked at the day of Iudgement The second was the binding of Christ one would not thinke that the Iewes would have bound him seeing he was so willing to be taken that he offered himselfe yet there be divers reasons thereof in regard of the Intention both of Man and of God and first in regard of the Intention of man I will give you these three reasons 1. For paine and punishment 2. For caution and securitie 3. To put the more shame and disgrace upon him First it was for Paine and punishment so Paul in his persecution bound them that called upon the Name of the Lord it was for punishment and for paine and so Christ was bound in regard of both Most thinke they can never be too harsh to Christ and to his members and never tender enough to themselves and to others but these shall bee put to all the paines So we see Psal 105. 18. it is said that Iosephs feet was in the stocks and the irons entered into his soule that is they entered into his live-flesh so Heb. 11. it is said of the faithfull that some of them were sawne in sunder some racked some were stoned and put to the greatest extremity that might bee Theeves and murtherers and vile persons can finde favour and mercy but Christ and his members can finde none at the hands of the world Secondly it was for caution sake and security because they would hinder him in his flight and so keepe him safe for this cause Peter Act. 12. had chaines laid upon him to abate his force that he should not hurt or resist them and so Sampson was bound now none of these reasons could move the Iewes to binde Christ for though he might have escaped yet he came and did offer himselfe and when they were downe on the ground Christ might have escaped and would not therefore there was no cause of feare but this is the property of a bad conscience to be afraid when there is no cause of feare especially of Christ and his servants Thirdly it was to put the greater disgrace and shame upon him therefore seeing Christ was content to have disgrace and shame put upon him for us we should be contented to suffer the like for him and for holy Religion now seeing Christ was contented to have disgrace and shame put upon him for us though he was God and wee men he the Creator and we the creatures hee our Lord and we his servants hee holy and we unholy therefore let us be contented to be ashamed and disgraced for him saith the Apostle Paul I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ c. So let every one of us say I am not ashamed of Christian and holy Religion And these be the Reasons why Christ was bound in regard of men Now as Christ was bound in regard of men so hee was bound in regard of Gods intention and that for three causes first To sanctifie the bounds of his servants that if any should suffer for his cause or for Religion his bands might bee sanctified to them if wee suffer with Christ then our sufferings become the sufferings of Christ he sitteth at one end of the ballance and we at the other Act. 26. saith the Apostle for the hopes sake of Israel I am bound with this chaine And Phil. 1. 13. So that my hands in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places This may give comfort to man in bonds and in affliction that by the meanes of Christs bonds they are sanctified to him this is the first cause why Christ was bound in regard of Gods Intention Secondly To teach us the desert of our sinnes for as Christ was bound and fettered for us so wee deserved to bee bound with the chaines of eternall condemnation and to be led away that we should never see God Esai 53. 5. saith the Prophet The chastisements of our peace was upon him he stood in our roome and place and therefore looke how the Iewes tied and bound Christ so we deserve to be tyed and bound with the chaines of darknesse for ever wee see how many a man goes jesting up and downe and does not consider how Christ was bound and chained but know thou whosoever thou art this is thy desert for sinne if God should draw out the arme of his justice against thee and give thee thy due deserving punishment It is the speech of the holy man Ieremie It is the Lords mercy that we are not all consumed it is his mercy that we have a house to put our heads in a bed to lye in one bit of bread to eate Thirdly Christ was bound that wee might be loosed his binding is our loosing for he was in our roome and place now in that Christ hath suffered and was bound for us wee are freed the old debt cannot be required of us for as the Lawyers say if the debt bee paid of the surety in good dealing it cannot bee required againe Now there bee two kinds of chaines that Christ doth free us from 1. The Chaine of Condemnation 2. The Chaine of Corruption First the chaine of condemnation for as Divines say the guilt of sinne is the binding of a man to answer at Gods judgement barre for it and therfore every sin that a man committeth is a spirituall chaine to binde him to answer for it and as poore prisoners goe bound in fetters and chaines to answer at the sessions so a man goes bound in chaines by his sinnes to answer at Gods judgement seate Now by Christ wee are freed from these chaines so soone as wee are converted and lay hold on Christ as Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to those
the light of Nature wee have the light of Gods grace it it a fearefull thing when a man shall sinne against his conscience though a man sinne of weaknesse and of infirmity yet let us take heed we sinne not against conscience for what a pitifull thing is it that a mans conscience shall say as the Lepers said O we doe not well that we doe so I doe not well to sin to sweare to prophane the Sabbaths I doe not well to nourish any sin to backbite my neighbours It is a fearefull thing to sin against conscience all other accusers one thing or other will stop them either bribes or favour or fiendship or intreatie or flattery but there is nothing that will stop the accusing of evill conscience neither bribes nor flattery nor friendship nor intreaty Revel 20. 12. conscience is compared to a booke that all things are written in when there is question about a debt come to the booke and that doth manifest the matter so there is a question whether thou hast sinned or not come to thy conscience and that will resolve thee all thy sins are written there although thou doe not see nor feele them yet at the Iudgement day when the booke shall bee opened then all shall bee manifest as if they were but new committed Secondly other accusers doe accuse us but certaine times either at Terme time or when anger is stirred but an accusing conscience will give them no peace at any time the worme of conscience wil torment a man at all times in the night and in the day when hee is in company and when he is alone Thirdly other accusers a man may flie from for if they be in one country hee may flie into another country but there is no man can flie from the accusing of an evill conscience unlesse a man flie from himselfe Augustine saith all other plagues a man may fly from from the famine from the envie of man from the pestilence he may flie but he can never from an evill conscience Man saith he get thee into thy chamber or into the secretest place that may bee and although thou shut the doore yet thou canst not shut out the accusing of an evill conscience unlesse thou shut up thy selfe If a man were in a close chamber full of small lights and there were in the same roome one great light though he should put out all the other and leave but this one yet that were sufficient to disclose and to lay open his shame so in the chamber of this world there be a number of lights if all should be put out and there be left this great light of a mans conscience this is sufficient to discover and to lay open a mans shame Thirdly The strange silence of Christ that answered nothing though Pilate did urge him and it did concerne his life therefore the more ready he should have been as one would have thought to defend himselfe for naturally men are ready to defend their lives as the Devill saith of Iob all that a man hath will hee give for his life But see Christ was silent which shewes how ready he was to lay downe his life for us and how willingly this was the reason why Christ was silent and said nothing here we may see the great love of Christ that whereas we should have lost our lives have perished in hell for ever hee was contented to lay downe his life for us Now Christ hath not laid downe his life onely that wee should lay downe our lives for him againe but that we should lay downe our sinnes he was willing to part with his life and wee are not willing to part with our sins for his sake Hester 6. when Ahashuerosh could not sleepe in the night time he cals to a servant to reade in the Chronicles and then found what Mordecai had done in preserving of his life and so makes this inquiry But what honour and dignity hath there been done to Mordecai for it So when a Christian cannot sleepe in his bed hee should be thinking how willing Christ was to lay down his life for him he should make this enquiry what honour and dignitie have I done unto Christ for it Augustine saith this is the reasoning betwixt Christ and us O man wilt thou make a change with me wilt thou forgoe thy sinnes and take my bloud take the merit of my death and I will take the punishment of thy sinnes Fourthly His protestation and confession that hee is the Sonne of God for when Pilate heard that he was afraid that God was ingaged against him and to oppose himselfe against God he was loth this it was that made him to stop and stay the reverence hee had to the name of Christ O that we Christians had this reverence to the name of God that it might stop and â—â—ay us in the course of sinne Pilate was stayed at the mention of the name of God but we heare of the name of God every day from day to day and yet it cannot stop us in the course of our sinnes we see Gen. 39. 9. that the reverent awe that Ioseph had of the name of God kept him from sinning against God so David Psal 21. 22. Because I kept the wayes of the Lord I did not wickedly against my God for all his lawes were before me and I did not cast his Commandements from me And so here Pilate an Heathen did reverence the name of God this it was that stopped him and made him stand so fast for Christ Fifthly The holy commination of Christ saith hee Hee that delivered mee to thee hath the greater sinne There is no man that can have his hand in the death of Christ but he must needs sinne This was it that made Pilate a Heathen man loth to condemne Christ be cause he should sinne against God This must teach us that when wee heare it is a sinne to sweare or lye not to doe it though it be to save a mans life Wee have heard it is a sinne to prophane the Sabbath to mispend the time wickedly and yet neverthelesse dare we goe on and doe it Surely Pilate shall rise up in judgement against us at the last day and condemne us for it We see 1 Sam. 14. 33. when Saul heard that the people had sinned in eating of blood hee laboured to stoppe and to stay them O that there were such affection in Christians to labour to stoppe others but especially themselves in the course of sin For it is Gods great mercie that any thing comes in the way to stoppe or stay us in the course of sinne whether it bee our conscience or the admonitions of our wives or any thing else The Philosophers say that the upper Heavens would set all the world together if they were not staid by the nether but whether that be true or no this is that there is such greedinesse in man to commit sinne that
grapes and thy teeth are set on edge with them It is I that have sinned but Lord thou hast done nothing worthy of these great paines therefore O Lord that I may never forget this great love of thine though I cannot perfume thy body as Mary did with sweet spices yet will I never cease to wash it with the daily teares of true repentance for my sinnes But alas we can weepe for the losse of our wives of our children but we cannot weepe for our sinnes therefore we should doe as the Physitian who when hee findeth men dangerously bleeding at the nose lets them bloud in another place and so turnes the course of the bloud another way so our weeping for worldly losses we should turne to weeping for our sinnes and for the losse of Gods favour that thus Christ was crucified for them Secondly seeing Christ was crucified we should labour to see all our spirituall enemies crucified with him for when Christ was upon the Crosse he pulled the Devill sinne death and damnation to the Crosse with him and so also were crucified so Christ was not crucified alone but all the enemies of mans salvation with him So the Apostle Coloss 2. 14. speaking hereof saith And putting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us he even tooke it out of the way and fastned it to his crosse and having spoiled the principalities and powers hee made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it therefore the same Crosse that served to crucifie Christ the same hath served to crucifie our spirituall enemies and though the Iewes saw none but Christ upon the Crosse thou that art a Christian must goe further and see all the enemies of mans salvation the Devill damnation and sinne crucified with him Thirdly seeing Christ was crucified upon the crosse we must be contented to crucifie our selves and therefore after a spirituall manner we must goe to the Crosse of Christ and naile our hands and feet unto the Crosse that we may not move a hand or a foot to displease God Nay we must goe further and crucifie our sinfull and carnall lusts and inordinate affections for the Apostle saith that they that are in Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof So that there is not a true Christian but hath beene upon the crosse already and hath carried his corruptions thither to be crucified therefore looke how busie the Iewes were in crucifying of Christ be thou as busie to crucifie thy sinnes and corruptions howsoever men may talke of the crucifying of Christ yet if thou have no care to crucifie thy sinnes and thy carnall lusts thou canst have no comfort by it be sure then as the Iewes did apprehend Christ condemned him set a crowne of thornes upon his head spet on his face nailed him to the Crosse killed him and flung him into the grave even so doe thou by thy sinnes labour thou to apprehend thy sinnes to condemne them set a crowne of thornes upon them spet at them doe all the disgrace that may be to them naile them to the crosse and bury them in the grave of Christ that so they never rise againe Fourthly seeing Christ was crucified and suffered such extremities This must teach us to see what extremitie all unrepentant sinners must looke for at the day of judgement for if Christ suffered such extremitie that had but the imputation of our sinnes upon him what shall become of them that live in their sinnes inherit them Our Saviour wee know saith If they doe this to the greene tree what shall become of the dry If they did so to Christ that had no sinne what shall become of thee I will tell thee if thou be found in thy sins and have not repented them thou must looke for no mercy for if he spared not his Sonne then look that he will not spare thee For as the Apostle saith Rom. 11. 21. if God spared not the naturall branches but cut them off take heed lest he spare not thee who art a wilde olive tree Fifthly seeing Christ was crucified and suffered such extremitie for the saving of thy soule then thou must be contented to suffer any thing to be saved For did Christ suffer for thee And art not thou that art a Christian contented to suffer any thing that thy soule may be saved If men did know the true value of their soules they would be contented to suffer any thing to save them as the Apostle ssaith Philip. 3. I count all things as dung and drosse to be found in Christ And so the holy Martyrs Hebr. 11. it is said Some of them were racked some were sawne asunder and would not be delivered that they might obtaine a better resurrection The third thing that the Evangelist shewes in his crucifying is how they did strip him they did pull off his clothes we see first they put off the purple robes and put on his owne garments and now when they naile him to the Crosse they strip off his owne garments and let him hang naked on the Crosse This sheweth the merit of our sinnes that wee deserve not the least bit of bread nor the meanest coat that may be to live or to die in hence we may learne that every must labour to finde this guiltinesse in himselfe for it is the Lords mercie that we have any thing as Christ was stripped at his death so we deserve to be stripped of all comfort at the day of death and as Iaakob said Lord I am lesse than the least of thy mercies so we may say Lord I am not worthy of the least bid of bread nor of the meanest coat nor of the least comfort that may be Thus the Prophet declares Gods goodnesse Lament 13. It is the Lords mercy that wee are not consumed and it is Gods mercy that we have a coat to put on our backes that we have a bit of bread to put in our mouths a bed to lye in an house to put our heads in and if we have any thing more than others we must acknowledge it is the Lords great mercy to us and wee are to blesse God for it that he hath made our life any way comfortable to us And the same Prophet Ieremie complaines of this neglect in his dayes Chap. 5. 24. Neither say they in their hearts let us now feare the Lord our God who gave us raine both early and late and appointed unto us the weekes of harvest And even so the Lord bestowes on us abundance of his blessings O that men would feare the Lord for those his blessings that from day to day they live in but we have our hearts hardened like them who Marke 6. 52. had not considered the matter of the loaves because their hearts were hardened Secondly seeing Christ was naked on the Crosse this must teach us how naked we are in the sight of God that wee have not a
for them much more will hee love and pray for his friends servants and people But how doe wee prove that Because he loved his enemies and prayed for them The chiefe Butler forgot Ioseph when he was lifted up and restored to his Office againe But Christ will not forget his servants and his people but even as good Ioseph when he was exalted in Aegypt his father and brethren being in distresse he goeth to Pharaoh and said Sir I have a poore father in the Land of Canaan and eleven brethren there is a famine in the Land and they are like to starve Sir you have bread and corne enough I pray you let me send for them and let them dwell in thy countrey and kingdome even in the Land of Goshen So Christ saith to his Father Father I have a great many of poore distressed servants in the world afflicted and troubled with the temptations of the Devil and their owne corruptions and with wicked and bad men Father let us send for them let them be in thy countrey and come into thy kingdome let them be in joy and in all that glory which thou hast prepared for them therefore labour thou to bee one of Gods servants and friends and then thou mayest assure thy selfe that Christ loveth and prayeth for thee every day and houre when thou art dead-hearted and heavie and canst not pray then Christ prayeth for thee this may give thee comfort Secondly What he prayeth for for the pardon of their sinnes that God would not lay them to their charge at the day of judgement Now the pardon of our sins is the greatest blessing that we can have in this world this it was that Christ prayed for Thirdly When he prayed for his enemies even in the very act when they drove the nailes into his hands and feet when the bloud did trickle downe when his shoulders were rent and torne with whipping when his face was swelled with buffetting even when all his paines were upon him In which observe two things First that it was in the heat of sin when admonition and good counsell would doe no good to them then he prayed for them which must teach us when we should pray for our enemies when admonition and good counsell can doe them no good When a clocke runs ryot what will a man goe and pull downe the plummets No then it may be he may have his load even to lay all on his head but they will goe to the great master-wheele that stirres all So we should doe when we see men goe head-long to sinne that nothing will stay them we must not runne to the plummets to stay them to the men but we must goe to the great master-wheele of the clocke to him that carries all things and ordereth all things that is to God as 1 Sam. we see in the example of Abigail Secondly in the very act of his crucifying when they were in the very heat of their malice when the bloud did trickle downe from his hands and feet then he prayed for them It may be some can pray for their enemies when the heat is over and there is a calme but see Christ prayeth in the very act of their malice so Act. 7. Steven did in the very act when a showre of stones came about his eares hee kneeled downe and said Lord lay not their sinnes to their charge Fourthly the reason why Christ prayed for his enemies because they did they knew not what Now the words were 1. Words of Compassion 2. Words of Extenuation First of Compassion as if he should have said Lord they know not what they doe for if they knew what an high sinne and great offence it were to kill the Sonne of God they would not doe it so wee may say when we see men runne into all kinde of sinnes of drunkennesse breaking the Sabbaths swearers and whoremongers c. Alas they know not how highly they sinne against God for if they did they would not doe so they doe not know that it is the Devill that blindeth them and leadeth them downe to hell by these meanes therefore good Lord spare them good Lord forgive them Secondly words of Extenuation Lord what they doe is not or knowledge but of ignorance therefore good Lord spare them which may teach us That sinne of ignorance be lesse than sinnes of knowledge therefore when men sweare and know it is a sinne to sweare it is a greater sinne than if they did it ignorantly for there is no kinde of ignorances worâ—e than sinnes of knowledge SERMON XXI IOHN 19. 26 27. When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the Disciple standing by whom he loved he saith unto his mo-mother Woman behold thy Sonne Then saith hee to the Disciple Behold thy mother And from that houre that Disciple tooke her unto his owne home WE began to speake the last day of the holy carriage of Christ on the Crosse many testimonies hee shewed in his life time of faith humility patience and of pietie but especially when he came to die and was upon the Crosse then all his graces did shine forth most cleerely which carriage of his I shewed must teach us to looke to our behaviour when we are under the crosse in any affliction and trouble for howsoever the speeches actions and carriage of a Christian should be seemely and holy at other times yet especially when he is under the crosse in trouble and in affliction then he must shew all his Christian graces and vertues as Iob did Iob 1. 22. when hee was on the racke it is said In all these did not Iob sinne nor charge God foolishly So the holy people Psal 44. 19. say they Thou hast smitten us in the dens of Dragons and covered us in the shadow of death yet have we not forgotten the Name of our God c. Thence we came to speake of the first words of Christ on the Crosse and divers other things which wee will not now repeat but come to that which followes The second words of Christ on the Crosse wherein we observe three things 1. The occasion of the speech 2. The speech it selfe 3. The effect of the speech First The occasion of the speech was that hee being on the Crosse saw his Mother and Iohn the Disciple whom hee loved for when others fled away from Christ these tarries with him and followed him to the Crosse to see what would become of him and got as neere it as possibly they could this was the occasion of which there be two Vses 1. A morall and 2. A spirituall Vse First the Morall use that as Mary and Iohn gathered to the crosse of Christ when he came to suffer So we should gather to our good friends when they be in any trouble or affliction especially when they be in their last extremitie ready to die that we be there to helpe and to comfort them
did hang on the crosse basely and contemptibly and that he had the dispensation and disposing of it The second is a perswasion that he will not keepe it to himselfe but that he will impart it unto others The third is that he will impart it to others who are poore penitent sinners not onely to the just but to the penitent and this was the ground of his prayer Now every one of us must lay this ground of prayer First he must be perswaded that Christ hath a kingdome and that he was come into it and hath the power and dispensation of it so Matth. 28. 18. All power is given wee in heaven and in earth so Ioh. 5. 22. For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Sonne Secondly a perswasion that he will not keepe it to himselfe but will impart it to others even as a conduite receiving water doth not keepe it to it selfe but conveies it to others so Christ received this kingdome not to keepe it to himselfe but to convey it unto us as Luk. 22. 29. therefore I appoint unto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me so Christ doth not retaine it to himselfe but hee doth impart it to all others Thirdly that he will impart it to poore penitent sinners Matth. 9. 13. our Saviour saith that he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance and therefore if men will repent of their sinnes let them not feare but that Christ will bestow it on them for he will not bestow his kingdome on the just onely but on poore penitent sinners this is the ground of his prayer Now for the prayer it selfe and herein wee observe two things 1. What he prayed for 2. The time when hee prayed First for what he prayed hee prayed to bee remembred when Christ came into his kingdome hee did not pray Christ to pull the nailes and spickes out of his hands and feet to have his body saved or his paines mitigated or asswaged but he desires to be remembred when he comes into his kingdome so he lets all the care of his body goe and applyeth himselfe to have his soule saved to be remembred when Christ comes into his kingdome Now with the other all his care was for the saving of his body and to have his body eased of his paines which because Christ would not asswage he railes on him but this man is contented to let all goe so his soule may be saved now in these Theâ—ves are figured out all the men in the world when they come to dye with some all their care is to have their life prolonged their bodies saved to have their paines asswaged and eased so wee see it was the care of Ahaziah king of Israel shall I recover my fall all his care was to know whether he should recover of a bodily cure so it is with the world all their care is to know whether they shall recover or no but the Saints care not so much for the saving of their bodies as their soules let the body suffer what it will they are contented to suffer any paines so they may have their soules saved I have shewed you heretofore that if an house bee on fire they will fetch out all the best things so that if any perish it shall bee the worst because if all cannot bee saved it is wisdome to save the best so if our soules and bodies bee in danger that wee cannot save both let us labour to save the best which is our soules as this theefe did not desire to have the spickes pulled out of his hands and feet to have his paines asswaged and eased but his desire is to bee remembred so what paines soever wee endure we must say I am contented to beare it save my soule onely If a man by a shipwracke bee cast into the sea a planke comming to him will hee not let goe his gold and silver and catch hold on the planke to save his life so we are all floating in the sea of this world ready to be drowned with the pleasures and profits therof ready to be sunke as low as hell therefore how much more had we need to castaway every thing that doth hinder us and take hold on the meanes that God hath appointed for saving of our soules I but what is it that he prayes for he prayes to be remembred why should he be remembred hee was a theefe a bad liver a notorious fellow one would have thought hee would have desired Christ to have forgotten him To this I answer that there be two kinds of Remembrances 1 Remembrance of God in Iudgement 2 Remembrance of God in Mercy First there is a remembrance of God in judgement as Psal 9. 12. For when the Lord maketh inquisition for blood he remembreth them he forgetteth not the complaint of the poore So likewise in Hos. 7. 2. And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickednesse The Lord remembreth all the others they have sworne all the lyes they have told all the Sabbaths they have prophaned all the houres they have mispent and so all their sinnes the Lord remembreth to punish them Secondly there is a remembrance of God in mercy as Gen. 8. it is said The Lord remembred Noah that was in goodnesse and mercy Psa and 132. 1. Lord remember David and all his afflictions and so the Theefe desired to be remembred not in judgment but in mercy in like manner David desired not to be remembred in judgment where he saith Psa 3. 25. Lord remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my rebellion hee desires God to remember him in his tender mercy and his loving kindnesse as also here the Theefe prayed Christ not to remember him in his sinnes and in his transgressions but to remember him in the multitude of his mercyes Secondly the time when he prayed and it was when hee was upon the crosse in paines and torments ready to dye then he stirred up himselfe to prayer and this must teach us that when wee come to dye wee must stirre up our selves to prayer and to repentance and to other Christian duties I know when paines be upon us wee shall have little minde to speake or to doe any thing but wee must then stirre up our selves to prayer and gather up our selves so wee see Stephen did in the 7. of the Act. even when a shoure of stones came about him then he stirred up himselfe and called on the name of God Now the next thing we are to speake of is the Answer of Christ and that is a Promise wherein we observe foure things 1 Vpon what his promise was made 2 Vnto whom it was made 3 What was promised 4 When he would performe his promise First upon what he made his promise upon his prayer which may teach us that true prayer shall not want his due fruit so Matth.
of Israel through the red sea and had drowned their enemies then they sung a song of thankes-giving for their deliverance Exod. 15. And so likewise Deborah and Barak Iudges 3. 1. when they had overcome Sisera sang a song of thankes-giving so also the holy people Revel 15. when they had passed through the glassy sea mingled with fire and were delivered out of trouble then they sang a song of thankes-giving to the Lord in like maner here Christ when he had conquered all our spirituall enemies death hell sinne and the devill sung this song on the crosse to the joy of the world It is finished Now is mans salvation accomplished and perfected As if he should say All this while it hath beene but a working out For this cause was I nine moneths in the wombe of the Virgin borne in a stable laid in a â—anger fasted forty dayes together prayed on the mount swet in the garden and did hang three houres together on the crosse in paines and torments but now I have finished and perfected mans salvation now it is at an end sinne is abolished death is destroyed hell is conquered the devill is subdued heaven is opened God is pacified and pleased this is that hee uttered in these words Now for the better understanding of them we are to consider three things 1. What he meant when he saith It is finished 2. The time when he saith It is finished 3. By what actions it was finished First what he meant when he saith It is finished The full meaning is not expressed in this place but it was some secret and close action that was in the minde and thought of Christ that he had an eye to the perfecting and fulfilling of Now what was that all these Scriptures shew us Luk 19. 10. The Sonne of man is come to seâ—ke and to save that which was lost Mat. 20. 28. The Sonne of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life for the râ—nsome of many and Hebr. 9. 12. Neither by the blood of Goats and â—alves but by his owne blood entered he once into the holy place and obtained eternall salvation and redemption for us these were in the heart and minde of Christ therefore it is out of question that Christ by saying It is finished meant the finishing and perfecting of the great worke of mans Redemption which the Apostle intimates Hebr. 10. 14. With one oblation and offering hath bee consecrated for ever them that are sanctified Alluding to this very action of Christ so that by this saying of Christ It is finished is to bee understood the finishing and perfecting of mans salvation and redemption Now besides this consummation or finishing there is another consummation that is spoken of Gen. 2. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the â—ost of them which finishing is of the worke of Creation but what comfort could a manhave that God hath made the heavens to cover us and the earth to beare us sea and land to feede us the sunne and moone and the starres to give us light if Christ also had not finished and perfected mans salvation and redemption on the crosse There is also another consummation and finishing which is spoken of Revel 10. 7. That the mysterie of God shall be finished as he hath declared to his servants the Prophets Now what is this mysterie of God It is the end of the world But alas what availes it us for the world to have an end if this redemption and salvation be not finished and perfected by Christ therefore all other consummation is nothing without this for what is it to finish a great building or to finish ones estate in greatnesse or to finish all his dayes in joy and delights unlesse hee have finished his salvation and applied Christ unto himselfe This is the happiest consummation that is this is the joy and content of a Christian when he lyeth on his death-bed he can say Lord I thanke thee I know my salvation is finished in Christ I have applied him unto my selfe and I finde by the merit of his death and passion my salvation to be perfected Therefore into thy hands will I commend my spirit stedfastly beleeving that at the latter resurrection I shall enjoy the blessed presence of my Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Happie yea thrice happy is the estate of such a man that shall thus depart in the Lord. The uses to be made hereof are these following First seeing our salvation and redemption is perfected and finished in Christ as the Apostle concludes Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to those that be in Christ Iesus Why because Christ hath answered the justice of God and hath beene condemned already therefore hee that is in Christ shall not be condemned As Esay 53. 5. It is said the chastisements of our peace is upon him and with his stripes we are healed and vers 6. All wee like sheepe have gone astray we have turned every one to his owne way and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquitie of us all Wee see Iohn 18. when the souldiers came to take Christ saith he If yee seeke for me let these goe let me suffer and let these goe free So Christ doth interpose himselfe to the Iustice of God and saith Father let my people goe free let me suffer that which they should suffer and beare that which they should beare Thus we see our salvation is made sure in the holy Person of Christ and there is no condemnation belongs to them who are in him therefore let us labor to be in Christ that wee may say with the Apostle The life which I live now in the flesh I live by the faith of the Sonne of God c. and then there is no condemnation belongs to us but life and salvation is sure because all is finished in the holy person of Christ Secondly seeing our salvation is perfected and finished in Christ all our care must be to apply and to lay hold on Christ for though hee hath purchased salvation for us yet if wee doe not apply him and lay hold on him we are never the better for it If a man should stand in the cold starke naked and one come by and see him who should show compassion to him and get clothes and put it to make for him how would this man carry his eye all the while to the workeman and when hee saw it all was finished would lay hold of it with both his hands and put it on his backe to cover his nakednesse so we ought to carrâ—e our eyes on Christ seeing salvation is wrought in the midst of us as the Psalmist saith therefore we ought to put forth both our hands and to lay hold on this salvation finished and perfected by Christ It is a strange corruption that many know it and heare of it that it is finished but they so attend their pleasures profits and
ease that they never regard it Therefore it must bee every mans care seeing salvation is finished by Christ to apply and lay hold of it Thirdly seeing salvation and redemption is finished and perfected by Christ we may see what a hatefull and a detestable doctrine the doctrine of Poperie is for they say that every one may finish his redemption without Christ and merit something at the hand of God by his owne workes Notwithstanding all the paines that Christ suffered to redeeme man and so they make the worke of mans redemption of none effect nay the moderatest of them saith that salvation is begunne in Christ but they must finish and perfect it in themselves whereas the Scriptures doth attribute all to Christ onely as Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to the uttermost to save them that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them and Heb. 10. 14. For with one offering hath he consecrated for ever them that are sanctified so then wee may see that Christ is a perfect Saviour But why then are we commanded to worke out our salvation with feare I answere Christ hath wrought salvation by himselfe alone but we must apply it Secondly the time when he said it is finished which is to be considered in two circumstances First when hee was ready to die and to part with this world then he said It is finished and never till then as if he should say all this while it hath beene a working and a doing and now by my death it is finished Foure thousand yeeres the World was in expectation of it all the Patriarkes and Prophets have looked for it and thirtie three yeeres hee himselfe upon earth was a working of it and never till now when he comes to die to the closing of his life did he crie out It is finished Thus wee may see what a deale of labour and paines it cost Christ to redeeme us He was foure thousand yeeres a preparing it and he was three and thirtie yeeres a working it which doth shew what a great worke the worke of mans redemption was God was but sixe daies a making the World but he was three and thirtie yeeres a long time of redeeming it Hence let us bee instructed that when wee have spent our dayes in Prayer in hearing of the Word reading of the Scriptures in meditation and in much labour and toyle If wee can stand before God with comfort and say at the last gaspe Lord I thanke thee my salvation and redemption is finished and perfected in Christ I have laid hold on him my salvation is sure then wee may have much comfort Therefore should we not thinke much though we spend all our life time in labor and paines if we can say at the last gaspe It is finished for all our paines then are well bestowed We see the Children of Israel wandred up and downe in the Wildernesse forty yeeres together sometimes in the day and sometimes in the night sometimes they wanted bread and sometimes water and they met with fierie Serpents by the way which did sting them yet they went on still till they came to the land of Canaan so wee should bee contented much more though wee live in much trouble and affliction and doe travell in the Wildernesse of this World twentie or fortie yeeres together till we be brought to the heavenly Canaan Secondly when he had encountred with our spirituall enemies with sinne the Divell Death Hell and damnation and had overcome them had made mans salvation and had finished it though all the world were in a conspiracie against him and hee had many combates with the Divell yet he overcame all and at the last gaspe crieth out It is finished Which must teach us that although all the men in the world should conspire against us and though wee endure many temptations of the Divel yet we should breake though all and apply Christ to our selves so Revel 2. Hee that over commeth shall not be hurt of the second death and Matth. 11. 12. Hitherto the kingdome of Heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force So that none but violent people can have Heaven this is a Metaphor taken from Souldiers that seeke to enter in upon a Towne that though the enemie come and beate them downe upon their hands and knees yet they will up againe and never give over till they have gotten their purpose So such violent people onely take the kingdome of Heaven that though they bee cast downe upon their hands and knees by the temptations of the Divell yet they should get up againe and never give over till they have gotten the kingdome of Heaven Thirdly By what actions it was finished Now it hath not relation to that which went before the giving of him vineger to drinke but to the action immediately following and how was it finished In the death of Christ So there is the consummation and finishing of mans salvation and redemption according to the testimonie of the Scriptures Heb. 2. 14. Forsomuch then as the children were partakers of the flesh and blood he also himselfe likewise tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the Divell and that he might deliver all those who for feare of death were all their life time subject to bondage And againe the same Apostle Rom. 5. 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Now although the Scriptures doe attribute mans salvation and redemption to the death of Christ yet we are not to exclude his life for hee was a working of it all his life time even from his very birth to his death So we see Philip. 2. 5. He tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likenesse of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himselfe and became obedient unto the death even the death of the crosse All his life long was a preparatory and a working of it And by his death it was accomplished and finished as a man filling of a cup first by a quart then by an halfe and so till the last drop come and make the cup runne over so Christ all his life time by little and little finished mans Redemption and by his death he did perfect it which was as the last drop for all the sufferings of Christ were for mans salvation And his death was that which did finish all The use is twofold First that seeing our Redemption and salvation is finished in the death of Christ we should be thankefull for it for it is a great mercy that God hath made us reasonable creatures and hath given us eyes to see withall hands to handle and feete to goe with but it is a greater mercy that God hath
passed that heaven and earth could not reverse it therefore either we must die in our own persons or Christ must die for us he took our nature upon him died for us and so gave satisfaction to the justice of God In the Law we see when lots were cast for the Goats he that the lot fell on was killed and the other escaped so there were lots cast whether we should die or he it pleased God that the lot fell on Christ hee was killed and we escaped wherein we may see the infinite love of Christ that died to satisfie the justice of God that we might not die we reade 2 Sam. 10. 33. David cried out O my sonne Absalom my sonne my sonne Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my sonne my sonne wherein he shewed the true affection of a father Now that which David desired for his sonne Christ hath performed for us and therefore when wee thinke of the death of Christ we may thinke of the infinite love of God to us If one should commit such a fault against the King that he should lose his head or his eye or some part of him how farre should a man goe to finde such a friend to take his punishment upon him and so free him But Christ doth more for us than this he hath not only lost an eye or an hand for us but hee died for us therefore as often as wee thinke of the death of Christ so often wee should thinke of the love of God The Centurion Luke 7. sent the Elders of the Iewes to Christ to tell him of one that loved their nation and builded them a Synagogue but Christ hath done more for us than to build a Synagogue for he hath loved us and wished away our sinnes in his bloud as Saint Iohn saith Revel 1. 5. And therefore as often as we thinke of the death of Christ so often let us thinke of the infinite love of Christ that he would die for us to satisfie the justice of God for sinne Secondly it was needfull that Christ should die that our sinnes might die in his death for he tooke all our sinnes upon him as Saint Peter saith Who in his owne body bare our sinnes upon the Crosse when he went to die on the crosse all our sinnes were bound unto him who carried them up with him unto the crosse that they might be crucified with him and die in his death this was another thing that made a necessity of the death of Christ therefore if we live in sinne what doe we but pull downe our sinnes from the crosse of Christ bring them to the fire rub and chafe them as it were put Aqua-vitae into the mouth of them that they may live againe Iosua 7. we read that Achan stole away a wedge of gold and a Babylonish garment of the spoile when Iericho was destroyed and that proved his owne destruction in the end so if wee steale our sinnes from the crosse of Christ notwithstanding Christ died that sin might die with him then these same stolne sinnes will be our destruction Thirdly it was needfull that Christ shold die to seale unto true beleevers the promises that God hath made in the Gospell God hath bequeathed life everlasting and Christ heaven and happinesse to those that repent and beleeve In the law there is nothing but death and destruction promised to those that did transgresse and breake it but in the new testament God hath promised to them that repent and beleeve life and salvation heaven and happinesse Therefore that these promises might be sealed and confirmed Christ must die for as long as the testator liveth the testament is of no force As it is Heb. 9. 16. For saith he the testament is confirmed when men be dead because it is of no force as long as he that made it is alive therefore that the promises of God might stand good unto us it pleased the sonne of God to die for us and to seale it with his blood all which is to sustaine and comfort us for although wee have nothing here but misery and trouble yet one day we shall bee put in possession of heaven and happinesse as a man that hath a patent or a sealed deed that hee shall have such lands and livings one day though hee have not any thing to help himselfe yet he wil comfort himselfe with that which is to come so though we be put in possession on these promises presently yet let us comfort our selves that one day they shall be verified unto us and although wee endure troubles and afflictions in this world yet we may bodly stand up and say Lord I thanke thee I have a sealed deed to shew that one day I shall enjoy the promises that thou hast made in the Gospell here we see for the comfort of a Christian it was needfull for Christ to die and to seale with his blood the promises that are made in the Gospell Secondly the time when he died when he had finished the worke of mans redemption and done the worke hee came for a long time did he hang on the crosse in paines and torments yet he dyed not till hee had done the worke hee came for which must teach us that wee should bee willing to die when we have done our worke when wee have repented of our sinnes and made Christ sure to us then we should be willing to die and never till then so it is said of David Act. 13. 36. After he had served his generation by the counsell of God he fell on sleepe and was laid unto his fathers and saw corruption so the Lord said to Moses Numb 31. 2. Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites and afterwards shalt thou be gathered unto thy people in like manner we must doe the will of God and fulfill the worke he sent us to doe and then we shall be willing to dye and never till then If a master should send his servant beyond sea to deale for him in his businesse if hee come home and doe the halfe onely and leave the other halfe undone hee must looke for a cold welcome home so God hath sent us into this world to doe his businesse whereof if we doe but the halfe leaving the rest undone we may looke for a cold welcome when wee come to dye 1 King 19. 4. we read that Elias laid him downe under a Iuniper tree and desired that he might die saying it is enough O Lord take away my life for I am no better than my fathers at which time an Angell came unto him and said Vp Elias eate and drinke for thy journey is too great for thee so many times a Christian may have a desire to dye when troubles and griefes are upon him but the Spirit of God comes unto him and bids him arise for God hath another service for him to doe We see Christ was not willing to dye
was the golden Key that did open heaven to all true beleevers our sins did shut up heaven but the death of Christ is as a Key to open heaven therfore blessed be God for the death of Christ because he hath made heaven open to us Act. 7. 56. Steven before his death saw heaven open and Christ standing at his right hand ready to receive him So it is a sweet comfort to a Christian when he comes to die that hee seeth heaven open and Christ standing at Gods right hand ready to receive him If a man should come to a Kings Palace and finde all the doores shut and locked up fast and a friend should come and put into his hands a key that hee might goe from chamber to chamber till hee came to the Kings Presence this would be a great comfort So the death of Christ is as a golden key to open heaven to us that wee may come into the Presence-chamber of God therefore blessed be God for the death of Christ Secondly it was to shew that the Ceremoniall Law was abrogated by the death of Christ The Priests must not offer any more sacrifices for now all the ceremonies had an end and by his death is cancelled the hand-writing that was against us as it is Ephes. 2. 14 15. He is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken downe the middle wall of Partition betweene us Having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the Law of Commandements contained in ordinances for to make in himselfe of twaine one new man so making peace therefore who ever shall bring in againe any of the Leviticall ceremonies either in whole or in part he doth set up the veile that Christ hath taken downe Act. 15. 28. the Apostle saith It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and us to lay no other burthen upon you than that which is necessary therefore it is a dangerous thing to bring in the Leviticall ceremonies againe Saint Ierome saith well Thou sayest that it is not a dangerous thing to bring in the Leviticall ceremonies but I tell thee and proclaime against thee that that man which shall bring in these ceremonies hee casteth himselfe head-long into the pit of hell The Schoole-men doe distinguish the Ceremonies into three times First as Thomas Aquinas saith there was a time when the ceremonies were profitable and that was before Christ because they were commanded of God Secondly after Christs death they were dead but not deadly till the Gospell was planted And then lastly they were both dead and deadly and therefore it is a dangerous thing to bring in these ceremonies againe in whole or in part Thirdly to shew that by that he had cancelled or torne downe the veile of our sinnes that made a separation betweene God and us that wee could not see the face of God as Esay 59. 2. But your iniquities have made a separation beâ— weene you and your God and your sinnes have hid his face from you that he will not heare Now they are taken downe and he hath hanged up another veile in the roome thereof that though our sinnes have hid Gods face from us yet in the death of Christ they are taken downe he having hanged up another veile in place of the other to looke thorow and behold us the veile of his flesh as Saint Paul saith Hebr. 10. 20. for when God looked on us he looked thorow the veile of Christs flesh or else if he had looked upon us in our selves there is such a deale of sinne and corruption that it would have made God to abhorre us and to that end Christ with the veile of his flesh hath covered all our sinnes as the Prophet David speakes Psal 85. 2. Thou hast forgiven the iniquities of thy people and covered all their sinnes The fourth Reason was to shew that the veile of ignorance was taken away in the Law for the Law was covered with a veile which was the reason why Mâ—ses face was covered with a veile as Saint Paul saith 2 Cor. 3. 13. but by the death of Christ this veile is taken away in the preaching of the Gospell And therefore seeing this veile is taken away if men remaine ignorant how will they answer it at the day of judgement The Papists hang up another veile and what is that but the veile of an unknowne tongue they reade the Scriptures to the people in a tongue they doe not understand and so set up the veile againe that Christ hath taken downe therefore let them looke how they will answer this to Christ at the day of Iudgement The second thing is the rending of the stones how the stones did cleave asunder at the death of Christ which hammers and other instruments could not cleave therefore we may see what stupiditie and hardnesse of heart there is in us that the stones did cleave and the earth quake at the death of Christ and yet we are never moved nor stirred at it therefore let us pray to God that the death of Christ may bee powerfull to move and to stirre up our hearts Thirdly The graves were opened and the bodies of the Saints which slept arose and went into the holy Citie and appeared to many even men that had been dead along time that were dissolved to dust and ashes by the power of Christs death the graves did open and they did rise againe to shew us that all the Saints one day shall rise by the power of Christs death the graves shall open Death cannot keepe them downe but they shall rise againe which is an excellent comfort to a man in misery all that the world can doe is to take away life which when it is gone they turne to dust and ashes yet a time will come when the Saints shall be raised to joy and glory the graves shall be opened by the power of Christs death for as Ionas was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly and then was cast upon the drie land when the Lord spake unto the Whale so Christ will speake to the earth to the sea and to the beasts that have devoured men and they shall give up their dead and as the graves did open by the power of the death of Christ so all the people of God at the time that God hath appointed shall have their graves opened by his power and death and their bodies shall rise by the power of Christs resurrection to everlasting happinesse and glory The next thing is The effects and fruits of Christs death whereof because I have spoken often heretofore I may bee the shorter in it at this time The first is that Christs death doth free us from eternall death Iohn 3. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne to die for us that whosoever beleeved in him should not perish but have everlasting life So also Iohn 5. 24. Verily verily I say unto you
though a great deale of sorrow and misery befall him yet one day hee shall see God with his eyes so also David saith Psal 16. 9. Wherefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoyceth my flesh also resteth in hope for thou wilt not leave my soule in the grave neither wilt thou let thy holy one to see corruption and more over this was that comfort that Christ gave to his Disciples Matth. 20. 19. when hee told them of his passion And they shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mocke and to scourge and to crucifie him but the third day he shall rise againe Now that which comforted Iob David and Christ must comfort us for as Christ did rise so all his members shall rise and therefore let us conjoyne our selves to Christ whilest wee live here that so wee may dye with Christ and let us lay our selves under him in the grave I meane our lusts and sinnes and then as Christ rose so we shall rise but if thou doe not conjoyne thy selfe with Christ in his death and lye under him in the grave then Christ shall rise and thou shalt lie still in the grave nay it were well if it might bee so for thou shalt rise againe but Christ shall rise to glory and thou to shame Christ shall rise to possesse eternall life and thou eternall death Secondly we shall not onely rise out of the grave but we shall also rise out of trouble for as there is a power of Christ to pull us out of the grave so there is a power of Christ to raise us out of trouble It is an opinion in the World that there is a power of Christ to raise them out of the grave yet they doe not know that there is also a power of Christ to raise them out of their troubles but howsoever this is unknowne to the world yet it should be knowne to a Christian To which effect the Apostle speakes 2 Corinth 4. 10. We alwaies beare about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life of Iesus might be made manifest in our mortall bodies And vers 14. saith he knowing that he which raised up the Lord Iesus shall raise us up also by Iesus and shall present us with you These words are to be understood of raising them out of trouble to comfort them in this world And so 2 Tim. 2. 9. Remember saith he that Iesus Christ made of the seede of David was raised againe from the dead Remember this you that suffer for good causes that as Christ was raised so you shall be raised to comfort and joy out of your troubles so these be the reasons why it was needefull Christ should rise First To assure us that our sinnes are expiated and pardoned Secondly To apply Salvation Thirdly To be an undoubted evidence to us that we shall rise out of the grave and out of our troubles in this world Secondly The time when hee did rise againe and that is exactly set downe the third day according as Christ foretold in the 2 of Iohn I will destroy this Temple and in three daies I will build it againe and Matth. 20 19. the place before mentioned and they shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mocke and to scourge and to crucifie him but the third day he shall rise againe and so in this place which I read unto you that he was buried and that hee rose the third day according to the Scriptures Now there is reason why hee rose no sooner and there is reason why he rose no later as that being the fittest time for him to rise in of which I will speake at this time First Because that it might he an evidence to the Iewes that he was truely dead for if he had risen the first day or the second then they would have thought he had beene in a trance or in a sound onely and therefore to cleare this point he did not rise till the third day because all the hope of the pardon of our sinnes hangs on the death of Christ and all the hope of Gods favor and therefore he would have this point sealed to the World and this was the first reason why Christ rose no sooner Secondly That the Disciples might have an evidence of the power of the death of Christ for there was a greater power in Christ to rise againe when he had beene possessed and vanquished of death three dayes than if he had rose the first day And Augustine saith that Christ did more shew his power in rising from death when they had killed him than hee should have done if he had come downe from the Crosse when they â—ad him so there was a greater power of Christ seene in rising the third day than if he should have risen the first day or the second it was a greater matter that hee should recover when all hope was passed the widdowes sonne in the Gospell was raised when he lay upon the Beere to bee carried to burying Entichus when he fell out of the window and the dead man assoone as he did touch the dead bones of Elisha but Christ recovered when hee had beene three dayes together vanquished of death and this doth shew the great power of Christ Thirdly To teach us Christians patience that if wee doe not arise out of trouble the first day or the second yet still to waite with christian patience till the third day that is many dayes together till the time that God hath appointed Therefore if wee be not raised out of trouble so soone as wee desire let us not murmure or grudge against God and be impatient but quiet our selves with the good will of God and waite with patience till the time he hath appointed for our deliverance It is the manner of the world if they be in their troubles but a day or two they say how long Lord how long as if they tarried too long but the patience of Christ must teach us patience and to quiet our selves with the good will of God so David did Psal 123. As the eyes of a servant looke to his master and the eyes of a Mayden to her Mistris so our eyes wait on thee till thou shew mercie and though it be not to day nor to morrow yet we waite on thee till thou shew mercie yee remember that Christ Iesus said to Marie when there wanted wine My houre is not yet come There be two houres God hath his houre and wee have our houre our houre is as soone as wee stand in neede but Christs houre is to helpe when all meanes faile there be many that desire ease and peace and comfort but we must tarrie Christs houre wee must waite with Christian patience till the third day come So much for the reasons why Christ rose no sooner now wee are come to speake why hee arose no later The first reason is To shâ—w that if he had deferred it any longer the Iewes might have
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
said to Christ Tarry with us for the day is farre spent and the night drawes on so a Christian should say at the time of his death My life is farre spent old age is come upon me and sicknesse and death drawes on Lord tarry thou with me and I pray thee that I may so shut up mine eyes in this world and that they may bee opened in the kingdome of heaven and that I may dye in thy favour in the pardon and forgivenesse of my sinnes and in the peace of a quiet conscience Thus David praieth in the Psal Yea even untill mine old age and gray head O Lord forsake me not And so againe Psal 27. 9. Hide not therefore thy face from me nor cast thy servant away in displeasure thou hast bin my succour leave mee not nor forsake mee O God of my salvation And these be the two times when we are specially to desire Christ to be with us Now we come to the next thing which is how Christ was knowne of them and it is said In the breaking of the bread here two questions are to be answered 1 What is meant by Bread 2 How Christ was knowne by the breaking of Bread First what is meant by Bread whether it were ordinary common Bread or whether it were sacred and consecrated to an holy use I answer that the Bread heere spoken of is not Sacramentall but ordinary Bread The Papists take advantage by this place as they doe by all others that seeme to serve their turne for when they be urged and asked why they breake the Lords institutions to give Bread and not wine contrary to the commandement of Christ seeing Christ instituted both to this they answer that the Church of Rome hath an example to doe so because Christ did administer the Sacraments to the two Disciples going to Emmaus But we can prove by these two reasons taken out of their owne Doctrine and Canons that this breaking of Bread cannot bee meant of Bread used in the institution of the Sacraments but of ordinary and common Bread First because they hold it a sacriledge for any Priest to consecrate Bread without Wine for they will have them both consecrated together though none but the Bread be administred but in this place there is none but Bread spoken of and therefore it was not Bread used in the Sacraments Secondly because their owne Doctrine and Canons say that it cannot bee a Sacrament without the five words of consecration Take eate this is my body but there were not these five words of consecration and therefore it is not meant of the Sacrament Now they have two reasons against this argument First In that they say there is the same forme of words that is used in the institution of the Sacrament both in Matth. 26. and also in the Gospell of Saint Luke where the institution is spoken of and that is that he tooke the bread and blessed it and gave it c. To this I answer they may as well prove the five loaves and the two fishes that Christ fed the people with Matth. 15. to be a Sacrament for there it is said he tooke the bread and blessed the same and gave it so there are the same forme of words Secondly they say if it had not beene this Sacrament Christ would not have administred it he would not have blessed the bread and brake it and have given it because he was a stranger To this I answer that it was the manner of the Iewes that the best men in the company gave thankes brake the bread and did not put it off to a childe as many doe at these dayes therefore because he was the best and most gravity did appeare in his face therefore hee did blesse it and gave it Now then if it were an ordinary foode or Repast this must teach us two things First that we should not take a bit of bread into our mouths till wee have blessed God for it and so it was the manner of the people to doe 1 Sam. 9. 15. the maids said to Saul that The people would not eate till Samuel came and had blessed the sacrifice and so Act. 27. Paul when he was amongst strangers in the ship in the presence of them all he gave thankes We see Christ did not take bread till he had given thanks and blessed it Therefore how dare any man take a morsell or a bit of meate into his mouth till he hath by holy prayer drawne downe a blessing upon him Christ he would not he that was the Creator of all and therefore how dare a Man that is but flesh and bloud take his dinner and supper and never give thankes nor blesse the bread surely man hath not more liberty than Christ Secondly that as these two Disciples did travell with Christ and when they came at their waies end did then eat and drinke with Christ and comfortably refresh themselves so let us travell with Christ here in this world and when we come at our journeies end we shall eate and drinke with him in the Kingdome of Heaven so wee see Luke 22. 29. Therefore I appoint unto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed to me that ye may eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome so Revel 2. To him that overcommeth will I give to eate of the hâ—dden Manna Therefore let us labour to travell with Christ here in this world and then howsoever we may have trouble and affliction heere yet when wee come at our journeyes end wee shall bee comfortably refreshed in the Kingdome of Heaven The second question is how Christ was knowne in the breaking of bread some say because hee brake the bread so smooth as if it had beene cut with a knife but it cannot be so because it is said hee was knowne in the breaking of the bread not by the breaking and some say he was knowne by the maner of his thanks-giving but it is not said that he was knowne by this but in breaking of the bread therefore it is best to follow the words of the Text That he was knowne of them in the breaking of the bread for their eies were held that they knew him not before and at that very instant at the act of breaking the bread then the Lord opened their eyes which may teach us that there may be a presence of God in our houses in the fields and in the places where we be and yet wee cannot see it unlesse the Lord open our eyes Therefore as the two blinde men cryed unto Christ and said O Sonne of David have mercy on us whom Christ asked what they would have they said Lord that our eyes may bee opened so we must cry to Christ to open our eyes that wee may see his goodnesse and mercy to us The next thing is what they did when Christ was vanished out of their sight here be divers things to be considered only
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
Lord. This then we see is a fearefull and lamentable corruption of our natures that wee soone fall into sinne but when we be fallen wee have no minde to recover nor turne backe againe till Christ bring us backe as appeares plainely Luk. 22. 60. When Peter had denied Christ his Master hee ranne further into sinne till Christ cast a gratious eye on him even so when wee sinne against God we shall goe further and further till hee cast a gratious eye on us Now the reason why Christ came not till the eighth day are chiefly these two following First to sanctifie this day as the Christian Sabbath and to dedicate it here wee may observe they had not a word of Christ all the dayes of the weeke besides but when the eight day came then Christ did appeare to them which may teach us to walke in the strength of that we get one Sabbath till the next for it may bee wee shall not heare a word of Christ till the next Sabboth therefore it must bee our wisedome to get so much at one baite as may serve to carrie us to another even as Travellers will so refresh themselves at one time as that it may carry them to the next baiting place so seeing we have a long journey to goe wee must so refresh our selves on the Sabbath as that it may comfortably carry us to the next Lords day Secondly to teach us that although wee cannot keepe our Easter with Christ and his Disciples the first day yet we should labour to keepe it with Thomas the eighth day that is if we cannot be of the first ranke of beleevers yet let us labour to be of the second ranke as Numb 9. 6. There were certain men that were defiled with a dead man so as they might not eate of the Passeover the same day therefore they came to Moses for resolution he referres the matter to God and the Lord answeres them that he that could not take it the first moneth in the season must take it the second Moneth so if we cannot bee of the first ranke of beleevers Let us labour to bee of the second ranke if not of the second then let us labour to bee of the third ranke if not of the third rather than to be of none let us labour to be of the last as Math. 20. the laborers that were sent into the vineyard some came in at the first houre some at the fourth and some at the eleventh houre so if wee cannot bee of the first ranke of those that beleeve and repent them of their sinnes yet let us labour to bee of the second sort nay to come into an estate of grace though it be in the last houre The third thing is The manner that he appeared in it was in the same sort as he did appeare before for he came in When the Doores were shut and stood â—â—ngst them and said Peace bee unto you and shewed them his hands and feete But why did Christ appeare in this manner There were two reasons of it First To confirme the faith of the Disciples for no doubt they had told to Thomas before how Christ was risen and had appeared to them before and therefore Christ comes in the same manner to confirme their faith Secondly Because Thomas had said in a private meeting that hee would not beleeve unlesse he did see therefore Christ answered him in his owne words and speeches which may teach us that Christ overheares us every word we speake in our private houses in our chambers when wee speake of this friend and that of this body and that and will relate them at the day of judgement even the same words we speake therefore every man must be carefull of his speech and of his words that he doe not speake filthy or idle words for at the day of judgement Christ will repeat them all againe as Hosea 7. 2. saith the Lord And they considered not in their hearts that I remembred all their wickednesse this is the reason why men run into sinne and wickednesse because they doe not consider that God remembers it for if they did then they would not doe as they doe they would not speake a word or thinke a thought contrary to Gods will Thomas indeede was much too blame to prescribe such a law to Christ and yet notwithstanding such was the goodnesse and mercy of Christ that he yeelds to his weaknesse And why doth Christ yeeld to him Because he did see there was a desire in him to beleeve and repent therefore Christ yeelds to him and his weaknesse Hence we may learne that such is the goodnesse and mercie of Christ to sinnefull men that notwithstanding they prescribe unjust and unequall lawes as Thomas did yet he will yeeld to their weaknesse if they have a true desire to beleeve So Marke 5. 23. It is said The Ruler of the Synagogue came unto Christ and besought him that hee would come and lay his hands upon his daughter and heale her where hee prescribed a kinde of law in thinking that unlesse hee would come to her he could not helpe her and if shee were dead hee could not give her life againe yet notwithstanding Christ condescends and yeelds to his weaknesse and goeth and helpeth his daughter This is the goodnesse and mercy of Christ to yeeld to our weaknesse Now here are two questions to bee answered First Whether there bee any wounds in a glorified body or no seeing Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. 43. That it is sowne in dishonour it riseth againe in honour it is sowne in weaknesse and it riseth in power I answer that commonly and ordinarily there is no wounds nor scars in a glorified body for as there is glory in one part so there is glory in all the parts as Tertullian saith of death that it is not in one part but in all so saith he there is not glory in one part but there is glory in every part and therefore commonly and ordinarily a glorified body hath no wounds but that Christs body had wounds in it it was by speciall dispensation for our good and benefit that wee might have faith in the resurrection of Christ for hee was contented for our good and benefit to abate of his glory this should teach us that wee should be content to abate of our glory for the good of our brethren and it is not mine but the lesson which S. Paul teacheth us Phil. 2. 5. Let the same minde be in you that was in Christ who humbled himselfe and became obedient to the death of the crosse for our good therefore wee should bee contented to humble our selves and to doe good to our brethren The second question is why hee would have his Disciples to looke on his wounds I answer to shew them where the comfort of a Christian was not in Christs walking on the water or raising of the dead or casting out of devils or
Church by hiding of them The Papists demand of us where our Church was before Luthers dayes To this I answer the Lord did hide them in the wildernesse all the time of the rage of Antichrist Saint Hilarie saith Yee doe not well to love the wals of the Church and to make such accompt of the Temple know yee not that Antichrist shall fit in the Temple of God boasting himselfe as if he were God therefore saith hee looke not for the true Church of God in the Temples but looke for it in mines caves and secret places The third meanes whereby Christ defends his Church is Miraculously and wonderously so the Lord delivered the Church out of Egypt from Pharoah and so likewise The three children out of the Firie fornace and Daniel out of the Lions den and Peter out of Prison when hee should have beene brought out the next day to execution Yea the Lord doth not onely defend his Church wonderfully but also gratiously as 1 Sam. 13. 26. it was told to Saul that David was in the wildernesse of Maon presently Saul and his men followed him and Saul with his men were on the one side of the mountaine and David with his men were on the other side but there came a messenger to Saul saying Haste thee and come for the Philistines have invaded the land so David was delivered gratiously though it were not miraculous and wonderfull but by a rumour and report onely heere wee see though the Lord doe not deliver us miraculously and wonderfully yet hee doth gratiously in making our greatest and chiefest enemies friendly unto us and so gives us peace The fourth meanes whereby Christ doth defend and protect the Church is By giving them invincible courage to endure all that the world shall put upon them so although they bee slaine at the foote of the Lambe and the blood come downe at their heeles yet they goe away with a glorious conquest So Paul Rom. 8. saith For thy sake are wee killed all the day long we are counted as sheepe for the slaughter neverthelesse in all these things wee are more than conquerours through him that hath loved us for through their Christian courage they carry away the conquest Revelation 12. 11. it is said But they overcame him by the blood of the Lambe and by the Word of their testimony and they loved not their lives to the death Cyprian saith well God would let the world see that though Christians be slaine and trodden under foot for the Gospell and for the testimony of the truth yet they cannot overcome them because they bee not affraid to dye in the cause of Christ for as Christ by dying overcame death so all his members must overcome by dying Augustine makes this question whether the Tyrant doth overcome or the Christian in the eye of sense and reason one would thinke that the Tyrant hath the better because hee takes away life and blood but it is the Christian that doth overcome because the Tyrant aimes doth not somuch at the life or blood but he labours to take away God Christ the hope of heaven and to destroy Faith and Religion but the Tyrant though hee take away liberty or blood or life yet he cannot take away God nor Christ nor the hope of heaven nor the pardon of their sinnes from them therefore a Christian is the conquerour hee hath the better As wee see in nature a man comes to kill a serpent hee strikes at the serpent the serpent labours to fence his head because his life lyes in his head hee will take a wound any where before hee will take it there now as long as the serpent fences his head and keepes his life hee hath the better because the man fought to take away his life and yet he keepes it so when a Tyrant labors to take away Christ God and faith from a Christian yet as long as hee can keepe Christ and his graces it is sufficient because hee is the head and life lyes in him though hee bee wounded in his name or in his goods or his life taken from him yet a Christian hath the better I will further shew it you in an example of Scripture wee see that the Divell was as it were let loose on Iob hee tooke away his children and his goods and hee left him nothing but the stench of his teeth yet Iob had the better because the divell did labour to take away his faith and comfort in God which he could not and therefore seeing Iob did keepe this God sets the crowne on his head and hee goes away the conquerour so though sicknesse take away a mans health and usurers his money and theeves his goods and tyrants his life and blood yet as long as a man keepes God Christ his faith and hope of heaven he hath the better The fifth meanes is By destroying and confounding all their enemies for although it pleased God to use them for the chastening of his children yet at last hee will destroy them a father useth a rod to chasten his sonne for his amendment yet at last hee will destroy the rod so wee see Exod. 5. what grievous taskes were laid on the children of Israel by Pharoah to make them willing to depart the land the Lord was faine to doe as men doe by bees to smoke them out to make them leave their hives so the Lord did smoke them out of the place and at last Pharaoh the rod it selfe was drowned in the red sea so Dan. 8. wee see the Little horne which was the King of Macedonia hee did overcome for a time and tread under the people of God yet at last his horne was broken so also Revelation 12. The Beast that had seven heads and ten hornes that did labour to devoure the woman hee also shall goe to destruction and therefore let not Christians be discouraged and dismaied though they see the Church hath great enemies for God will defend and protect them against all their enemies if they walke worthy of the Gospell and labour to please God in all their courses these bee the foure actions whereby Christ doth rule and governe the Church which for your memories sake I will briefly recapitulate unto you First that hee doth draw and pull them out of the condemned multitude of the world and bring them to an estate of grace secondly hee doth guide and governe them by his Word and Spirit Thirdly he doth exercise them with divers temptations and trials Lastly hee doth protect and defend them against all their enemies The Vses wee are to make of Christs sitting at the right hand of God are first that seeing Christ sits in the highest place next to God therefore wee must labour to submit our selves unto him sinke downe at the feet of Christ and bee contented to bee ruled and guided by him but they that are ruled by their owne lusts and sinnes they doe as it were pull downe Christ
out of his throne and set up their sinnes in his roome Psal 2. saith the Lord I have set my king upon mine holy hill it is the decree of God that wee should serve and feare him that we should labour To kisse him to submit our selves unto him lest his wrath be kindled and then we perish suddenly Secondly seeing Christ sits at the right hand of God therefore wee must take heede we doe not sinne against him and offend him because hee is in the next place to God It is a great matter to sinne against him and offend him as 1 Cor. 8. 12. saith he Now when yee sin against the brethren and wound their weake consciences ye sin against Christ It is a great matter indeed to sinne against Christ Augustine saith the Iewes condemned Christ and are blamed for it but there is a great difference betweene their sinnes and the sinnes of Christians under the Gospell for they sinned against Christ in the time of his humiliation when hee did hang on the crosse but thou art a christian sin'st him now he is exalted into glory and sits at the right hand of God we see David when he had cut off but the lap of Sauls garment his heart did smite him so much more should our hearts smite us when wee have sinned against him and offended him Thirdly seeing Christ sits at the right hand of God doe thou labor to bee in Christ a true Christian and then hee will defend thee from all dangers and turne all they troubles into comforts all thy paines to ease thy sorrow into joy thy sicknesse into health and thy death into life Acts 7. 36. we read that Stephen saw Heaven opened and Christ standing at the right hand of God ready to receive him so if a Christian man or woman behold Christ with the eye of Faith sitting at the right hand of God at the day of Death this will give them comfort against all their troubles Fourthly seeing Christ sits at the right hand of God therefore as Christ overcame the Divell and all our spirituall enemies so wee must first overcome sin the Divell and all our lusts and then we shall sit at the right hand of God this promise makes Revel 2. 21. To him that overcommeth will I grant to sit with me in my Fathers Throne even as I overcame and sit with my Father in his Throne and therefore doe thou never rest but labour to overcome sinne and thy owne corruptions whatsoever thy paines and troubles be and then thou shalt sit at the right hand of God Matth. 19. 28. saith Christ Ye which follow me in the regeneration shall sit on twelve Thrones and judge the twelve Tribes of Israel you that follow me in a holy life you that are borne againe anew and you that repent of your sins and make conscience of your waies you shall sit upon the throne of Christ when others shall sit down in the shadow of death and in the dungeon of Hell with the Divell and his Angels therefore as Christ overcame Sinne Death and Hell and the Divell and when he had done it hee sate downe then at the right hand of God so when we have overcome we shall sit at the right hand of God for ever SERMON XLI 1 PETER 4. 5. Who shall give account to him that is ready to Iudge the quicke and the Dead WE are come to speake of the last degree of Christs exaltation which is in the next Article of our Christian profession a branch whereof is that from thence he shall come to judge the quicke and the Dead He that was judged of others shall judge us even he that was judged of Pilate Caiaphas Iudas and Caine Hee shall judge the quicke and the Dead that is all the people that have beene in all ages and times even all that have beene dead many a thousand yeeres before and all the people that be living at the present for when all men have plaid their pageants on the stage of this World then the Lord Iesus Christ shall have his time to play his part to shut up all and gather his servants and saints together into Heaven but the wicked shall bee cast into Hell This is that which Iob speakes of I know my Redeemer liveth and hee shall stand the last on Earth when all men have plaid their parts on the stage of this World when kings have given up their Crownes and flung downe their Scepters at the feete of Christ then hee shall stand the last on the Earth to gather his Saints and people unto himselfe and to condemne the wicked to everlasting torment This is a point to bee considered bringing with it great comfort that hee which is our Saviour and Redeemer shall bee our Iudge Now there bee two commings of Christ mentioned in the Scriptures his first to worke mans redemption as it is Luk. 19. The Sonne of Man is come to seeke and to save that which is lost his second comming is to judge the whole World as it is Psal 96. 13. For be commeth to judge the Earth He will judge the world with righteousnesse and the People with Equitie therefore seeing Christs comming is to judgement it must be every mans wisedome to lay hold on his first comming labour to be converted and to repent of his sinnes and to get Faith and to bee brought to an estate of grace for his second comming is to judgement heerefrom wee may observe these sixe particulars 1. That there shall be a judgement day 2. Who shall be the Iudge 3. The place where be shall judge 4. The time when he shall judge 5. The Person that shall be judged 6. The manner of the judgement First There shall bee a judgement day and a solemne arraignment of the whole World there be many judgements as Zephan 3. 11. The just Lord is in the midst thereof he will doe no iniquitie every morning doth hee bring his judgements to light and he faileth not but the wicked will not learn to be asham'd so there is first particular and speciall judgements that light on partiticular persons as Genes 15. 13. the Lord said to Abrahm Thy seede shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs foure hundred yeeres and shall serve them and they shall come out with great substance notwithstanding the Nation whom they shall serve will I judge Secondly besides this judgement there is another more private at the day of death as Hebr. 9. Saint Paul saith It is appointed for all men to die and then commeth the judgement there is an appointed judgement at the day of death betweene God and a mans soule and conscience as further appeares Luk. 22. 23. And it was so that the begger died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome The rich man also died and was buried and being in Hell torments hee lifted up his eyes c. so we see the one went
two times there is a time of mercy and a time of judgement therefore doe thou not accompt God unjust though good and bad speede alike he makes the raine to raine on the just and the unjust the Sunne doth shine on both and they drinke all of one fountaine and draw in the same ayre yet doe not thinke God to be unjust because this is the time of mercy but there will come a time of judgement and therefore saith hee O my brethren bee wise an take heede doe not say I did naughtily to day and yet it was well with me and I will doe naughtily to morrow and I hope to doe well too this is but the time of Gods mercy there will come a time of His Iudgement wherein Hee will call thee to accompt for all thy sinnes The third is from the wisedome of God and wise order be hath in the governing of all things for in all well ordered commonwealths there are Assises Sessions and Law-daies and in every city towne and hamlet there are courts to order and determine things if it bee so in all well ordered commonwealths then it must needs be so in Gods Kingdome if this wisedome bee in man that is but finite much more surely is it in God that is infinite and therefore seeing in all well ordered common-wealths there is a time of judgement it holds much more that God should have a Iudgement day to arraigne the whole world in The fourth is from the common consent of all that is of Angels men and of devils Of Angels as we see Acts. 1. 11. Yee men of Galilee why stand ye heere gazing to heaven this Iesus whom ye see taken from you into heaven shall so come as yee have seene him goe into heaven And holy men doe acknowledge thus much as Saint Iohn in the Revelation and Henoch long before did prophesie of it Iude 14. so David Psalm 89. ult For he is come to judge the earth with righteousnesse shall hee judge the earth and the people with equity Yea the devils beleeve it and tremble as Matth. 8. Art thou come hither to torment us before our time therefore seeing there is a common consent of all Angels holy Men and devils it is certaine there shall be a judgement day which granted as needs it must let us make some profitable Vse for our instruction The first use is That seeing there is a judgement therefore wee should reverently stand in feare of it for one day thou shalt rise out of thy grave and shalt stand before Christ in judgement to answere for all thy thoughts words and actions and therefore it is not a light matter but stands every man in hand to bee reverently afraid of the judgement day which Paul cals the terrour of the Lord because it is a terrible thing to stand before God in judgement Wee see what a fearefull thing it is when a theefe shut up in the Iayle is to make his appearance before an earthly Iudge which is but the danger of this life how much more then will is strike terrour into us when accused of our own consciences we are to come before Christ in Iudgement who will judge both soule and body When Paul preached to Felix of temperance and judgement it is said Felix trembled now if he trembled at the name of judgement then how much more oughtest thou to tremble thou that art a cold Christian that hast lived loosely and badly how oughtest thou to to tremble I say hearing of the severity of Christ It is a good saying Saint Bernard hath if thou hast put away all shame which appertaines to so noble a creature as thou art yet cast not away feare for saith he men use to load an Asse and he beares it because he is an Asse but thrust him in the fire or into a pit and he will shunne it because he feareth death and loveth life therefore be not worse than the beast feare death feare hell feare Iudgement Secondly seeing there is a Iudgement day therefore we should be carefull to passe the time of our dwelling here in holinesse and feare because wee shall stand before God in judgement heaven and hell cannot avoide it the mountaines and hils cannot cover and hide us from his presence therefore every man must bee carefull to please God and to passe his time well here because he must stand before God in judgement hereafter Men that goe to markets and faires knowing that their packs shall be opened by the searchers to see what wares they bring will bee carefull what wares they packe up so seeing our packs and fâ—rdels shall bee opened at that day that is our consciences we must bee carefull what we packe and fardell up seeing all shall be discovered wee reade Iohn 11. 7. when there was word given out that it was the Lord that was on the shore Peter did gird his coate to him and cast himselfe into the Sea this was a strange action of Peter one would have thought rather he would have let it alone or have put off his coate but Peter did wisely consider that hee must stand before Christ and therefore that hee might stand seemely before him hee did gird himselfe so seeing wee shall one day stand before God in judgement wee must gird our coates unto us and cast our selves into the glassie sea of this world that so wee may stand seemely before him at that day Thirdly seeing there is a judgement day therefore wee must labour to repent us of our sinnes if we repent of them they shall be forgiven us if we doe not we shall answere for them at that day this counsell Christ doth give us Luke 12. 58. Whilest thou goest with thy adversarie to the ruler as thou art in the way give diligence that thou maiest bee delivered from him lest he bring thee before the Iudge and the Iudge deliver thee to the Iaylor and the Iaylor cast thee into prison I tell thee Thou shalt not depart thence till thou hast paid the uttermost mite so wee are all in the way to the judgement seate whil'st we live here therefore let us make our peace with God repent us of our sinnes and be reconciled to him for if wee doe not hee will deliver us to the Iaylor and we shall be cast into hell and shall never come out It is a good saying of Saint Austine if an earthly Iudge passe sentence against thee and should condemne thee to dye to morrow or the next day tell me what would'st thou doe would'st thou sleepe in thy chaines and fetters would'st thou idle out the time No but thou would'st goe to this friend and to that friend and would'st sell all thou had'st to purchase a pardon and if a friend should say to thee what dost thou meane to runne up and downe and sell that thou hast why thou would'st answere and say I am condemned to dye to
morrow or the next day therefore whil'st I have time I will labour to save my life so the heavenly Iudge hath given sentence of us and wee may dye to morrow or next day and therefore what must wee doe sleepe away the time or idle it away No but labour to make friends to sell all we have to part with our wealth and goods to pray unto God to repent us of our sinnes that so wee may escape that heavie sentence Fourthly seeing there is a judgement day this may give us comfort against all the injuries and wrongs that are done unto us Thus Paul doth comfort himselfe 1 Cor. 4. 4. But he that judgeth mee is the Lord therefore judge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who both will bring to light things that be hid in darkenesse and will make the counsels of the hearts manifest and then shall every man have praise of God Therefore howsoever a Christian man may be condemned for a dissembler an hypocrite and a proud person yet this may give him comfort that there is a judgement day and then men shall see whether they died in truth or no. This was Moses's comfort Numb 16. when Corah Dathan and Abiram came and told him be tooke too much upon him and counted him a proud person saith he To morrow the Lord shall shew who are his and who appertaine to him so this should be the comfort of a Christian when hee is slandered and evill spoken of and counted a dissembler hee may say to morrow the Lord shall shew you whether it bee so or no when the day of judgement is SERMON XLII ACTS 10. 42. And hee commanded us to preach unto the people and to testifie that it is hee which was ordained of God to bee the Judge of quicke and dead THat there shall bee a Iudgement day wherein Christ will arraigne the whole world besides the particular judgements that fall on particular men and the private judgements at the day of death together with the uses hath bin declared already what was then delivered I will not now repeat but come directly to the next point which is this Secondly Who shall be the Iudge Christ onely shall be the Iudge in this world there bee many tribunals for offenders to be judged at but when all these tribunals shall cease then Christ shall be the Iudge onely Paul telleth us 1 Cor. 15. 24. When hee hath put downe all things all rule and authority then God shall be all in all and Ioh. 5. 22. it is said he hath committed all judgement to the Sonne so in this place which I have read unto you Act. 10. 42. And hee commanded us to preach unto the people and to testifie that it is hee that is ordained of God to be the Iudge of quicke and dead as also Rom. 14. We shall all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ c. so wee see Christ is the Iudge and none but hee and there is a Reason for it for there are two things required of a Iudge 1 Sufficient Knowledge to know all things whatsoever 2 Sufficient Power to punish all offenders Which two are most eminent in God First There is sufficient knowledge because Christ knowes all things that are done there is nothing in all the world but he knowes it Angels know not the thoughts of men Divels know not mens intentions and men know not all actions that are done but Christ knowes mens thoughts intentions and actions Therefore it is said Matth. 9. That hee saw their thoughts And Ioh. 21. Peter saith unto Christ Lord thou knowest all things So Hebrew 4. 13. it is said That all things are naked and manifest before him with whom we have to do therefore he is the fittest for to be a Iudge Secondly as hee hath sufficient knowledge so hee hath Sufficient power to punish offenders when man hath killed the body hee can goe no farther hee cannot kill the soule but there is a power in Christ To kill both body and soule and cast it into hell fire Even hee Matthew 3. which hath his fan in his hand and will make cleane his flowre and gather his wheat into his garner but will burne up the chaffe with unquenchable fire And Revel 20. it is said And whosoever was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire so there is sufficient power in Christ to punish all offenders and sufficient knowledge therefore hee is fittest to be the Iudge Angels are not because they know not mens thoughts men bee not fit because there is a defect of power when they have killed the body they are not able to kill the soule Now if any man shall object and say Is Christ the Iudge onely seeing hee saith himselfe Mat. 19. That those which do follow him in this regeneration shall sit upon twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel which also Saint Paul seemes to agree with 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. Doe yee not know that the Saints shall judge the world How then shall Christ be the onely Iudge I answer It is true that when the Saints themselves have had judgement then they shall bee taken up and sit with Christ in judgement But how Christ shall give the finall sentence and they shall bee Approovers or Assisters so they shall judge but not as supreme Iudges but as Assisters as we see at the Assises the Iudge gives the finall sentence and the Iustices doe but assent ratifie and confirme it to bee true judgement so it is Christ that is the Supreme Iudge to give the finall sentence the Saints doe but assent to it and approve of the judgement to bee true judgement The Vses are First seeing Christ shall be our Iudge we must labour to be found in Christ and to be Members of his body because hee wisheth well to his owne body Therefore let us labour to bee found in Christ to live in him and then it shall goe well with us Paul tells us Rom. 8. There is no condemnation to those that be in Christ all the comfort of a Christian ariseth from this that hee is one with Christ that hee hath the Spirit and grace of Christ to say as Saint Paul doth Gal. 2. 20. Thus I live yet not I now but Christ liveth in mee then hee may have comfort at the day of judgement when he is found in Christ It was Pauls care Philip. 3. That he accounted all things as dung and drosse that hee might winne Christ or bee found in him Now that which was Pauls care must bee ours also that wee should account all things but dirt dung and drosse to bee found in Christ If a man have judgement passed against him to lose his hand his eye or some other member for his offence if he hath the skill that he can make his eye and his hand the hand and eye of the kings son
there bee a number of men that overdrive their wits and bring them into an high straine and so make them die therefore a learned man saith well It is better not to judge of things secret and hidden than to strive and contend about them There be a number of Papists that do determine the place where it shall be though the best Divines hold it uncertaine and they bring Scripture for it too Some say that the place is the valley of Iehosaphat Ioel 3. 12. Let the World be wakened and come up to the valley of Iehosaphat for there will I sit to judge all the Heathen round about which words are spoken not of the last judgement but the meaning is that the Lord would judge the Amorits and the Ammonites wich were the enemies of the people of God in those times there the Lord would overthrow and destroy them and to prove it is not intended of the last judgement there be divers reasons First because he speakes by way of Allusion It is a Metaphor and a borrowed speech as wee may see by other places of the same Chapter as verse 18. And in that day shall the Mountaines droppe downe new wine and the hils shall flow with milke and all the Rivers of Iuda shall flow with waters and a Fountaine shall come forth of the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shittim Now as those words cannot stand in their literall sense but be Metaphoricall and are spoken by allusion onely so likewise is it in this place and therefore it cannot bee meant of the last judgement Secondly because bodies must have distance and place as Augustine saith Take away distance and place and then bodies are no bodies therefore it is not probable that the valley of Iehosaphat should hold all the bodies of all the men that have lived from the beginning of the World to the latter end of all ages in all the Countries and kingdomes of the world It is not possible they can stand all there to bee judged at the same time Thirdly the Schoolemen say it is probable that it should bee on Mount Olivet because Christ did ascend to Heaven from thence Now if it should be on the Mount Olivet it could not he in the valley of Iehosaphat because they bee a great distance one from the other as 2 Chron. 20. 20. we may see when Iehosaphat went out to warre he went to Tekoa which was sixe miles from Bethlehem and Bethlehem was sixe miles from Ierusalem and then the valley of Iehosaphat must needs many miles bee distant from Ierusalem so this opinion overthrowes the other But they say the valley of Iehosaphat was neere Ierusalem betweene the Mount of Olives and that but it cannot bee so because it is said 2 Chron. 20. 27. that Iehosaphat and the men of Ierusalem and Iuda returned home to Ierusalem from the valley So that it was many miles distant from Ierusalem whereas the Mount of Olives was neere for Christ sate on that Mount and did see men cast into the Treasury therefore the valley of Iehosaphat cannot be the place where the last judgement shall be Fourthly because the dsciples Luk. 17. when they heard Christ speake of the fearefull separation that shall be at the last day of judgement that there shall be two in the bed of whom the one shall be taken and the other refused two in the fields one refused and the other taken said unto him where Lord and he said unto them whersoever the dead Carkas is thither shall the Eagles resort Now if it had been set downe in the Scripture Christ would never have left it as uncertaine to his disciples when they did aske him of it So then it is manifest the particular place where Christ shall judge the World is uncertaine Now if men will not be contented with this but say there must bee a determined place where he shall judge the World which is like to be where he was borne planted the Gospell did preach and worke most of his miracles I must say for mine owne part I doe incline that way But whether it shall bee in Bethlehem where Christ was borne or upon Mount Olivet from whence Christ ascended or whether it shall bee on Mount Calvery where Christ was crucified or on Mount Tabor where Christ was transfigured I dare not determine for that is left uncertaine to us Now the Vse be made of it is that seeing the particular place is uncertaine therefore let us labour to bee joyned with Christ to lie with him in the Manger pray with him on the Mount fall downe by him in the Garden to goe with him to the Crosse to bee killed and crucified with him to descend into the Grave with him and to lay our bodies by him and our bones by his bones and to bee joyned with him and then as hee did rise himselfe our of the grave so hee will raise thee out of thy grave and thou shalt be gathered unto him by the hand of an Angell and brought unto him wheresover the place be Fourthly The time of the judgement For when we heare there shall be a judgement day then we make enquiry when it shall be It is a desire in nature to looke after it if once beleeved therefore not onely the wicked say where is the promise of his comming but his Disciples also Matth. 24. came unto him and asked him when the end of the world should be Augustine saith well All men that labour desire to know or to have an end of their labour Therefore as the husbandman casts with himselfe how many weeks it will be to Harvest The Merchant man how many daies to Returne The Traveller what time hee shall get to his Inne So a Christian that hath tooke paines to get Heaven cannot chuse but bee desirous to know when the end of the world shall be that he may have amend of his labour Now concerning the time of the last judgement I will lay downe these three conclusions 1. That the Time is certaine to God 2. That the Time is uncertaine to us 3. Although it hee uncertaine to us yet hee hath given us certaine Signes and Tokens of it First The Time is certaine to God which I will prove by Scripture and by Reason First by Scripture Matth. 24. 36. But of that time and houre cometh no man No not the Angels in heaven but my Father onely So Acts 17. 30. But now hee doth admonish all men every where to repent Because bee hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world so Revel 14. 7. the Angell saith Feare God and give glory to him for the houre of his judgement is come Therefore although we doe not know the certaine time yet God knoweth the day and houre when it shall be Secondly we will prove it by reason for looke what God hath done in any special and particular judgement that
he doth in the generall but God hath appointed and determined the very houre and time of speciall all and particular judgements therefore he hath appointed and determined the very day and houre of the great and generall judgement Now that hee hath appointed particular and speciall judgements and consequently knoweth the houre and time of them is manifest out of Gen. 6. where the Lord foretold the destruction of the old world and he prefixed a time Ion 1. That in fortie dayes Ninivie should be destroyed so also it is said Revel 9. 14. The foure Angels were loosed which were prepared at an houre and a day and a moneth and a yeere so that we see there is never a speciall judgement but God hath appointed the day and houre of it and therefore they are certaine to God much more there is the generall and great judgement But let us come to the â—ses First seeing the time of the last judgement is certain to God we may assure our selves that although it come not in a time we looke for yet it is certaine it wil come in the time God hath appointed therefore every man should be prepared for it as Matth. 24. 48. saith Christ But if the evill servant will say in his heart my master will deferre his comming and beginne to smite his fellow and to eat and drinke with the drunken that servants master shall come in a day when he lookes not for him and in an houre when he is not aware of and shall cut him off in twaine therefore it stands every man in hand to prepare for that time so it is said Psal 50. The Lord will come and he will not be silent though the Lord be silent whil'st we live here and winkes at us and saies nothing because this life time is a time of mercy yet when hee comes hee will not bee silent because it is a time of Iustice Secondly seeing it is certaine to God though it come not so soone as wee looke for yet wee should with patience wait for it though it comes not to day or to morrow nor the next day yea though it be many yeers yet we must wait with patience till the time commeth We see in Hab. 2. the Prophet saith For the vision is for an appointed time but at last it shall speake and not lye though it tarry yet wait for it it shall surely come and not stay Augustine saith well out of Psal 33. O man thou art Gods labourer and his worke man doe thy worke and thy businesse and hee will pay thee thy hire and thy wages when thou hast done thy worke when thy pay-day comes but if thou wilt not wait till the pay-day but wilt have thine hire before thou worke surely God will bee displeased at thee in like manner consider with thy selfe whosoever thou art if thou shouldst set a man at worke and hee should say give me mine hire first or my wages thou wouldst say Doe thy worke first and then I will pay thee but if he say nay I will bee paid first wouldst not thou be angry with him But our waiting on God is much more sure of paiment than from the hands of men for they may deceive us but God will not he will give every man that which is his due therefore though the judgement day come not so soone as we looke for yet we must with patience waite for it seeing God hath certainely appointed the time The second conclusion is that It is uncertaine to us wee know not the day or the yeere or the time or the age of it no nor the Angels nor Christ himselfe as he was man as Matth. 24. 36. But of that day and houre no man knoweth no not the Angels in heaven but my Father onely so Act. 1. 17. the Disciples of Christ asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome to Israel hee said unto them It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power therefore wee see the time is uncertaine to us wee know it not no not the Angels Hence we conclude they bee meere imposters and deceivers that set downe a certaine time when the judgement day shall be The Iewes had a prophesie that the world should continue six thousand yeeres two thousand yeeres before the Law two thousand under the Law and two thousand yeeres under the Gospell but a learned man saith well if he that made that prophesie could not set downe the certaine time before which was the easiest how should wee beleeve him for time to come for from the beginning of the Law till the comming of Christ it was but one thousand five hundred yeeres and from the creation to the giving of the Law two thousand yeeres In our time in Germany there was one that prophesied that the day of judgement should be in such a yeere and such a day which made the people to neglect their plowing and sowing and so were like to have starved themselves if they had not beene releeved by the Emperour so also there was one amongst us that prophesied that the world should bee at an end in the yeere one thousand five hundred eighty and eight after which he made a kalendar that the world should continue thirty yeeres after now we have lived many a yeere longer thankes be unto God to proove this a lye But why hath the Lord kept this unknowne to us I answer that wee might bee the more prepared for it therefore it stands every man in hand to labour to get faith and repentance and to bring himselfe into the estate of grace that so he may have comfort at that day Therefore Luk. 12. saith Christ Let your lampes be burning and your loines girded for the Sonne of man will come in an houre that yee are not aware of and Saint Ambrose saith the day of the Lord is uncertaine to man that he might prepare his heart for it for he knoweth he will come but hee knoweth not the time when and therefore wee must bee like the wise virgins with our lampes burning and our loines girded ready to enter into our masters joy The third conclusion is that although the time of this judgement day be uncertaine to us yet he hath given us certaine signes and tokens of his comming for the hope that is deferred is the drying of the bones and therefore that our hope might not faint the Lord hath given us certaine signes and tokens of his comming as Matth. 24. 33. When yee see all these things know that the kingdome of God is neere even at the doores So Luk. 21. Christ tels his Disciples when they see the darkning of the Sunne and Moone and the Starres and those signes that hee spake of there then they should lift up their hands and hearts with joy for the day of their Redemption draweth neer Whereupon Chrysostome saith when we see an old man
Christ doth defer the judgement day seeing all Creatures groane and long for the comming of it as Paul saith Rom. 8. the creatures they groane by the instinct of Nature and the people of God by the instinct of Grace therefore we may marvell that God doth deferre the judgement day I answere there be three causes or reasons of this delay 1. Gods patience in waiting for mans repentance 2. His goodnesse to his Creature 3. His care of the Elect. First it ariseth out of the patience of God in that he waits for our repentance as Peter sheweth 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is not slacke concerning his promise as some men count slacknesse but is long-suffering towards us not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance so Gen. 6. the Lord gave the old world an hundred and twentie yeeres to repent in this S. Peter cals the patience of God in his first Epistle Chap. 3. verse 20. Because the Lord doth give us time to repent and doth deferre his judgements and waits with patience from yeere to yeere and from day to day to see when we will returne to him So then this delation of the judgement day ariseth out of the patience of God Revel 2. 21. it is said of the woman Iezabel that God gave her time to repent her of her fornications and when she did not the Lord did threaten to cast her into a bed of sicknesse so all the time that God gives us here is that we may repent and turne to him but if we doe not but despise the patience and kindnesse of God he will not onely cast us into a bed of sicknesse but he will cast us into hell Secondly it ariseth out of the goodnesse of God to his creature which hee extendeth to the reprobate so farre forth as it doth not impeach his justice for seeing it is a long time to lye in hell for ever and ever in torments where there shall bee no mitigation or intermission of paines but all the wicked shall be tormented day and night they shall have no Sabbath of rest nay they shall not have the least moment of ease therefore the Lord out of his goodnesse doth deferre the judgement day Mat. 8. the devils desired to be kept from hell and the Lord shewes his goodnesse to them Now if the Lord shewed his goodnesse to Divels much more to men Thirdly this delay ariseth out of the care and love that God hath of his Elect. There bee a number of men that bee yet unborne and a number now living unconverted therefore it pleaseth Christ to deferre the judgement day till the number of them bee accomplished It is said Revel 6. 9 10. The soules of them that lie under the Altar did crie unto the Lord saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them which dwell on the Earth and answer was made that they should rest for a season untill their brethren and fellow-servants should be killed as they were so there be a number of them that bee yet unborne and not yet converted that the patience of God stayes for and therefore the judgement is delayed as Gen. 19. the Angell could doe nothing to Sodome till Lot was in Zoar set in safety so the Lord Iesus will doe nothing till hee hath set his Elect people in safetie Wee see a Ship that takes in passengers lies at Anchor till the last passenger be come in then they hoist up saile and away they goe so the Lord Iesus lies as it were at Anchor here in this world to take in passengers for the number of his Elect and when the last man is come then the judgement day shall be But some man will say if the judgement day be not yet then it will make men secure To this I answere that although the judgement bee not yet yet we know not how soone the day of death may come therefore we should prepare our selves for it repent us of our sinnes get faith in Christ for As the day of death leaves us so the judgement day shall finde us It is almost sixteene hundred yeeres since Iudas dyed and yet he shall stand before God in the same condition he dyed in an unrepentant man and in the same condition and estate hee shall stand before God in judgement Augustine saith well on Psal 36. Suppose that the day of judgement cannot bee yet yet the day of death cannot bee farre off therefore O man prepare for it for looke in what estate death leaves us in the â—ame estate shall judgement finde us I but yee will say though the judgement day be not yet yet it is good to keepe men in feare of it To this I answer that Christ would not have his Disciples build on a false ground and Paul saith 2 Thes 2. 1. Now wee beseech you brethren by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our assembling unto him that you be not soone shaken in minde nor troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as though the day of the Lord were at hand Let no man deceive you by any meanes for that day shall not come except there come a departing first and that man of sin be disclosed so he would not have their feare grounded on a false ground and I accordingly excite every Christian man or woman to be quickned hereby that as death leaves him so judgement shall finde him therefore we should so shut up our eyes here in this world as that they may be opened againe in the kingdome of God Fifthly The persons that shall be judged be the quicke and the dead that is all the men and women that are dead and all them that are alive at his comming for all men shall stand before him of what estate and condition soever they be rich and poore high and low we which are present and they which are absent as S. Paul saith We shall all appear before the judgement seat of Christ no man can be absent from it there were many exempted from the marriage but there is no man that can bee exempted from this the mountaines cannot hide us hell cannot hold us but we must all appeare before Christ in judgement and I would to God this were written in our hearts with the point of a Diamond that it might not be forgotten There be many wayes to shift mens Courts and Tribunals they may flie the countrey or bribe the Iudge or compound and agree with their adversary or if this doe it not they may be prevented by death O but we cannot shifts Gods judgement barre wee cannot fly the countrey for whither shall wee goe but hee will finde us out hell cannot hide us from his presence we cannot bribe the Iudge because he is an heavenly and a righteous Iudge and will give to every man according to his workes neither can we
Clerke staid all with a word as it were saying We stand in jeopardie to be accused of this daies sedition So if men would thinke of this when they be in the heate of their affections and in the course of sinne it would stoppe them that one day they shall come to judgement and give in their accounts for all that they have done there is no man that can escape it no man that can avoide it When we have sinned through weaknesse and infirmity wee should not be at rest till we have gotten a pardon for it sealed with the blood of Christ As a man that is guilty of Treason cannot take contentment in any thing hee cannot eate drinke or sleepe in rest till hee hath gotten a pardon from the King so seeing we are guilty of Treason before God and have sinned many wayes against him wee should not bee at rest till wee have a pardon sealed with the blood of Christ and shewed it to God saying Lord I confesse I have sinned against thee but here is a pardon sealed with the blood of Christ I know thou wilt not deny it Sixthly The manner of the judgement whereto there belong divers Actions so that at the day of judgement there shall not be one Act onely but divers The first The burning up of the whole World even the whole frame of Nature all Creatures visible and sensible shall be destroied and brought downe into the dust Once the World was destroyed by water and now it shall be destroyed by fire God that set Sodome and Gomorrah on a fire in an instant and destroyed it shall set this whole World on a fire and no man shall be able to quench it and put it out David saith Psal 50. 3. Our God shall come and shall not keepe silence A fire shall devoure before him and a mightie tempest shall be moved round about him Daniel 7. 9. And he ancient of dayes did fit whose Garment was as white as snow and the haire of his head like purple wooll his Throne was like the fiery flame and his wheeles like the burning flame A firie streame issued and came forth So 2 Thes. 1. it is said When the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance unto them which know not God nor obey him in the Gospell so that in small time the whole World shall be consumed and all the glory of it shall be brought to nothing Now if any man shall demand and say What be the particulars that shall be destroyed I answer The Apostle sheweth 2 Pet. 3. 10. That the earth with all the workes thereof shall bee consumed and burnt up all the habitations where we now dwell shall bee consumed and come to nothing many times if ordinary and slight houses be burnt such as be of bricke and stone escape but at the day of judgement not only the slight buildings shall be burned but also the stronger houses such as are made of no combustible matter of bricke and stone We see 1 King 18. The fire that came downe upon Elias his sacrifice did not onely burne up the sacrifice and the wood but it did licke up the water and burne up the stones and the dust so the fire of heaven will not onely burne the slight buildings but also the strongest houses that bee made of solid matter of bricke and stone and marble yea if they were houses of iron they shall be destroyed and dissolved and brought to the matter they were made of so all the world shall be dissolved and burnt up From hence wee learne these Uses First seeing the earth with all the workes thereof shall be consumed and burnt therefore this should teach us to moderate our care for the things of this life that wee bee not so eager and greedy of them as to scrape and scratch together these things unconscionably seeing the fire of Gods wrath shall fall upon them and consume them they shall bee dissolved and burnt up all these goodly houses and gardens hawkes and hounds all shall be burned with fire therefore we should moderate our selves in the things of this life For which cause Matth. 20. when the Disciples came to Christ and shewed him the goodly buildings of the Temple saith Christ Doe yee so admire these things and dote upon them the time shall come that there shall not be left one stone on another so may we say when men dote on the things of this life and doe not seeke after heaven and happinesse Why doe yee so dote on these things the time shall come that there shall not bee a stone left upon a stone Zerxes when hee had a purpose to goe to warre did muster his men in a place and he saw seven hundred thousand men whom he went up unto an hil to take view of and at the sight of them wept his nobles asked him why hee did weepe he said that hee wept to consider how in the revolution of an hundred yeares there should not one of all these be left so it is good for a man to doe as Zerxes did to muster up all his delights pleasures and profits to take a view of them and to consider that after the revolution of a few yeares all shall come to nothing Secondly seeing this earth with all the workes thereof shall be burnt up therefore to labour for the rich graces of Christ which is the use Saint Peter makes thereof 2 Pet. 3. 11. Seeing therefore that all these things must be dissolved what manner of persons ought wee to bee in holy conversation and godlinesse and indeed how ought we to labour to get Faith and Repentance to be brought to an estate of grace that so we may be saved and stand with comfort at that day If a man should gather a great deale of wealth together and put it into an house if one should come and set the house on fire and burne up all he would cry I am undone I am undone so if we lay up all our comfort and joy here in this world when the fire of Gods wrath shall come downe from heaven and consume all these things wee may cry out Wee are undone and therefore it must bee our wisedome to lay up our treasure in heaven and then it will be safe this is the counsell that Christ gives us Matth. 6. Lay not up for your selves treasure upon earth where the moths and canker corrupt and where theeves digge through and steale but lay up treasure for your selves in heaven where neither the moth nor the canker corrupteth and where theeves neither dig through or steale Hereupon Augustine saith well there was a friend that came to a friends house that he had laid up his Corne in a low darke roome telling him that if hee laid it there it must needs corrupt and putrifie but lay it up on an high loft and then it will keepe
safe so saith he Christ is this friend that commeth to a friends house hee sees that we lay up our treasures in this World where they will corrupt and come to nothing therefore he gives us this Counsell that wee should lay up our treasures in Heaven in an high loft where wee may bee sure they will be safe If any man here make a doubt and put this question What is there nothing but this world and the workes thereof that shall bee consumed and burnt I answere him from the same place of Peter not onely the earth and the workes thereof but the heavens shall melt with heate and the elements so much as is visible and sensible even those that are most true and regular and constant in their courses clockes may deceive us but these will not they be true in their courses and yet these shall melt with heare and shall passe and runne away from the presence of Christ Heere we may see the lothsomenesse of sinne that doth not rest in the center of the earth but goeth thorough the clouds and doth infect the ayre almost to the seate of God himselfe I would to God men would thinke of this when wee see a man strangely taken away by untimely death or a house on fire we thinke it strange but for the sinne of man God will destroy the heavens and the earth Wee see in the Law that if a man had the Leprosie upon him he should bee shut up and the wals of the house should bee scraped and if it brake out againe then the house should be pulled downe and the timber and the stones and the 〈◊〉 carried away that it might not infect the people Levit. 40. 41. so the Lord doth scrape us as it were by his judgements but because sinne breakes out still he will pull downe the house even destroy this whole world so that at the last day no man shall know his former house or his land to say here is my house or here is my land as Iob speakes When a man dyeth he knoweth neither house nor land Now heere another question may be demanded seeing the heaven and the earth shall be dissolved and burnt up what shall become of the people of God To this I answere out of the Apostle Pauls words where he tels us as a Mystery We shall not all sleepe but we shall all be changed 〈◊〉 is all shall not dye for those that bee alive or that bee living at Christs comming shall be changed from mortality to immortality this shall be their estate at that day the creatures appointed for the fire shall bee burned and the fire shall fall on the wicked but all the people of God shall be preserved as the three Children were in the firy furnace Hence we learne what a comfortable thing it will be when Gods people shall see all the world on a fire about them over their heads and under their feet but it shall not touch them Moses told the Children of Israel that the Lord would bring great plagues on the Egyptians which should not touch any of them so the Lord at the day of judgement will bring downe fire on the wicked and the ungodly which shall not touch any of the people of God howsoever they be set light by here not accounted of nor regarded yet at that day they shall see what a comfortable thing it is to be a Christian Thirdly seeing the heavens and the earth shall bee dissolved and burnt with fire let us labour to be found in Christ to be one of the people of God and then the Lord will worke strangely for us if a towne or a country should be on fire and there should be a little house of stone where whosoever could get into it should be preserved from the fire O how men would thr◠and throng thither Beloved Christ is as a little house of stone and whosoever is in him shall bee preserved from the fire when the fire shall fall on the wicked and ungodly and burne them then they that be in Christ shall bee safe from danger therefore every man should labour to be in Christ that so hee may be saved we see Phil. 3. the Apostle Paul saith that hee accompts of all things to bee but dung and drosse that he may be found of Christ so it should be with a Christian to esteeme all things but dung and drosse that he may be found in Christ let who will take the world with all the delights and pleasures thereof wee must labour to lay up our comfort in Christ and to make God our friend and then we shall bee preserved when this world shall be dissolved When the unjust steward in the Gospell knew his master would turne him out of his office hee made a friend with his masters goods so because we know not how soone the Lord may turne us out of our offices out of our dwellings therefore let us labour to make God our friend and then it shall goe well with us howsoever SERMON XLV 2 PETER 3. 13. Neverthelesse wee according to his promise looke for new Heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth Righteousnesse THe last day wee began to speake of the actions that belong to the great day of judgement and then we discoursed at large of the first of them which is the burning up of the whole world and dissolution of the whole frame of nature together with the severall uses and instructions that did arise therefrom now therefore to avoid further repetition I will proceed to the actions following The second action is the renewing of Heaven and earth for as soone as this world is dissolved by the power of Christ it shall bee renewed againe as you see it is said in the words read unto you But we looke for a new Heaven and a new Earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth Righteousnesse The people of God they know this though the men of the world bee blinded as birds are blinded with snow but we that be Christians know it and looke for it as a promise from God as Esai 65. 17. For loe I will create a new Heaven and a new Eart◠and the former shall not bee remembred and to put it out of all doubt Saint Iohn saw it Revel 21. 1. so then it is plaine by the Scripture that wee shall have a new Heaven and a new Earth But how shall it bee new I answer not in regard of substance but in regard of quality whence we see the reason why the creatures are said to groane Rom. 8. 22. that is they have a kinde of longing or desire to have this time come when they shall be set at liberty by this renewing brought into as glorious a state as they were in before they were brought under the bondage of sin Psal 102. 26. it is said The heavens shall bee changed as a vesture c. whereupon one saith well
that the Heaven and the earth shall be changed even as a man when hee puts on a garment is changed and that is onely in the outward view not in the substance of his body And Saint Peter me thinkes is very strongly for it in this Chapter vers 6. and 7. where he sheweth as the world was once destroyed with water so it shall bee againe with fire how was that even in the outward view onely the outward beauty and glory thereof shall be destroyed but the substance shall remaine as a Christian is said to be a new creature though hee bee not new in regard of substance but in regard of his affection and disposition so 2 Cor. 5. 17. every man saith he that is in Christ is a new creature so the Heavens are the same in substance and new onely in quality and disposition Now the heavens are said to be new first in regard of the use of them now they bring us raine and snow and haile at the time appointed but at the day of judgement they shall bring Christ and exhibite him to the world the goodliest sight that ever mortall eye saw as Matth. 26. 64. saith Christ I say unto you hereafter shall you see the Sonne of man sitting at the Right hand of the power of God and comming in the clouds of the Heaven c. so we see that the heavens shall be changed in regard of the use of them Secondly the heavens shall be new in regard of a new disposition now they never stand still but wind and turne up somewhat of the thread of mans life but then when the expiration is come and all time ceases then they shall stand still so that there shall bee no more time which is manifest Revel 10. 6. Where the Angell sweareth by him that liveth evermore which created Heaven and the things that are therein and the earth and the things that are therein and the sea and the things that are therein that Time shall be no more And the Philosophers say that Time is nothing else but the mooving of the heavens and revolution of them therefore when all time ceases and eternity is come then the heavens must needs stand still Thirdly the heavens shall bee new in regard of new effects for now they bee the storehouse of judgements and his armorie-house from whence he brings his judgements upon the world as Psal 29. The Lord makes it to thunder from heaven c. But at the day of judgement they shall no more bee the armorie-house of His judgements but the Lord shall there cause to flow out abundance of goodnesse and kindenesse therefore the Prophet saith that at the day of judgement the mountaines shall drop downe new wine and the hils shall flow with milke so that the influence of Gods goodnesse shall bee distilled out from the clouds And thus much for the renewing of the Heavens wee proceed now to the Earth The Earth shall be new in foure regards first we see that now there is a great deale of it wast and barren possessed with wilde beasts Serpents and Ostriges for the sinne of man as Psalm 107. 34. A fruitfull Land is made barren for the sinnes of the people so now there is a great part of it wast and barren for the sinnes of men but when mans sinnes are taken away then the earth shall bee made fertile and every place shall bee replenished Secondly now the earth yeelds nothing without mans labour and paines because of the curse that was laid upon it for sinne but at the day of judgement there shall bee no more curse for then it shall yeeld fruit without labour and paines Thirdly now the earth is the valley of teares where the best men have most trouble but at the last day it shall bee a doore to let us into glory as Iosh 2. 15. the Lord doth promise to the Children of Israel to give them the valley of Achor for a doore of hope so this earth shall be the doore of our hope to let us in to glory here wee shall begin the glory which afterwards we shall have perfect and consummate in Heaven Fourthly the earth now is walled and paled and hedged in a great part of it wherein every man labours to draw the commodity of it to himselfe but at the last day all shall be laid common there shall not need to bee any statute against enclosures but all shall bee laid open for his Saints and people Now heere may a question arise seeing the just shall goe to heaven and the wicked to hell To what end shall this Earth be renewed I answer there be three causes of it 1 In Regard of Christ 2 In Regard of the Godly 3 In Regard of the wicked First In Regard of Christ because he shall set up his throne here in this earth and make it his judgement seat now we may not thinke that it can stand with the glory of Christ to set up his judgment seat on the dead cinders and fruitlesse ashes of this sinfull world therefore it shall be renewed to make it a fit place for Christ to sit in judgement as when Iudges come to sit in Iudgement though the place be mean and unhandsome before yet then they hang it with tapestry decke it and strew it to make it a fit place for the Iudges to sit in so this Earth shall bee renewed in regard of Christ Secondly the Earth shall be renewed In Regard of the Godly that they may see that there was nothing lost by Adam but it is made good againe by Christ for whatsoever was lost by the first is restored againe by the second Adam In the Law the yeare of Iubile being come when the trumpet sounded and liberty was proclaimed every owner returned to his possession againe that hee had beene kept from a long time so at the last Iudgement when the trumpet shall sound and liberty shall be proclaimed all the people of God shall returne againe to their possessions from which they have beene with-held ever since it was lost by the first Adam But why shall the earth be renewed for the Godly seeing they shall be in heaven I answer as Chrysostome saith great Kings and Princes though they keepe in their great chambers of estate yet they passe into them through some gallery or some court-yard so saith he though the people of God shall dwell in the great chamber of heaven yet because this earth is the gallery and court-yard that they must passe through therefore it shall be renewed Secondly For a further increase of glory as it is a glory and an honour to our king that hee is king and Lord of a great many of countryes though it may bee hee meanes never to come into them but dwells here in this land so this is a great honour to the people of God that they be kings and
the Mount was but a type and figure of the glory that shall be on Christ at the day of judgement and this glory and brightnesse that shall appeare before his comming I take to be the signe of the Sonne of Man Thirdly what the effects shall bee of the signe of the Sonne of man and surely fearefull shall they bee to the wicked and comfortable to the godly for when the signe of the Sonne of man shall appeare then all the wicked shall mourne weepe and cry out of their sinnes that they have not loved Christ but despised him have not obeyed his Lawes but contemned and set light by them therefore it will bee a fearefull time to the wicked but to the godly it shall bee great comfort for Christ telleth the Iewes Matth. 23. 29. Ye shall see me no more till that ye say Blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lord the very reprobate shall say these be the happy and blessed men howsoever wee have hated and despised them O that wee had lived as they did then wee should have beene happy too I have instanced often before in the example of Ioseph Gen. 45. 5. and because it is apt to the purpose I cannot passe it at this present for when Ioseph did discover himselfe to his brethren thren they were abashed and ashamed because their conscience told him that they had betrayed and sold him for a slave before nay some of them would have killed him if they had loved him and used him well then it might have beene a comfort to them when he did discover himselfe and say I am your brother Ioseph so I say of Christ what a terrour will it be to the wicked and ungodly because they have despised and condemned him if they had used him well they might have had comfort at his appearing wee read likewise 2 Sam. 2. 22. when Asahel prest upon Abner Abner said to him depart from me wherefore should I smite thee to the ground how then shall I bee able to hold up my face to Ioab thy brother so when wee shall sinne and offend Christ how shall wee hold up our faces at that day So then we see it shall be a terrour to the wicked and to such as have not repented them of their sinnes but unto the godly Christs comming shall be greatly comfortable as Augustine saith we see in reason if two men should be beyond sea and their lord and master should send for them the one to bee honoured for his good service the other to be punished for his offences though it may bee they both come home in one sâ—ip eate at one table lye in one bed arrive at one haven and come to one place yet their thoughts would be diverse for the one would thinke now is the time that I shall bee honoured for my good service therefore it is a comfortable time to him the other would thinke now is the time that I shall be punished for my offences therefore it must be a time of discomfort to him this is the direct case betweene the godly and the wicked that they may eate at one table lye in one bed dye all one kinde of death and yet their thoughts bee divers for the godly they shall rejoyce when that time commeth because they shall bee honoured and advanced and it shall bee a terrour to the wicked because they shall be punished for their offences as Iohn 20. when Christ appeared to Mary being grieved and dejected for the losse of him and said Mary she turned about and said Rabboni Master as if shee should say I am glad that I have found thee Heaven and earth could not make her so glad as she was when she found Christ so when a Christian hath looked out at his windowes and doores to see Christ many a time and at last shall see him come in glory and breaking the clouds and comming to Iudgement he may say as Mary did Rabbâ—ni Master I am glad to have found thee so they may say O Lord Iesus art thou come Thou art Hee that I have longed for a long time and blessed be God that this day is come therefore seeing Christians are desirous of Christs comming this should teach them to prepare for it we see a loving wife in the absence of her husband when she lookes for his returne shee will trimme up her house garden and walkes to have all things handsome so wee that bee Christians when we heare that Christ will come we must trimme up our houses that is our hearts and our consciences and make all fit to entertaine Christ Having declared the signes that goe before and also such as joyne with the comming of Christ wee proceede to the next thing which is the manner of his comming and that is glorious attended on by Angels hee shall come in the greatest glory that Heaven and Earth can afford There is great difference betweene the first and the second comming of Christ His first comming was base and meane contemned and despised of all sorts of men and wee see how unkindly hee was used at the hands of men in that they condemned him the Souldiers set a crowne of Thornes on his head they did mocke at him buffet him and crucifie him and why Because hee was apparelled and clothed with our sins which may teach us that the noblest and greatest one that is if sinne be upon him it will disgrace and put him downe therefore as Christ did cast away sinne and did put it off and then entred into glory so wee must labour to doe as Christ did to put off sinne to kill it to make a grave for it and to bury it and then as Christ comes in glory so wee shall come in glory also But if we do not put off sin nor cast the filthy ragges of it from us Christ will come in glory and wee fall to shame disgrace and contempt Now in the manner of Christs comming to judgement we may observe three things 1. How he shall come in glory 2. Wherein this glory consists 3. What Benefit we shall have by it First how he shall come it shall be in glory as we have heard a little before so also it is said Matth. 16. 27. For the Sonne of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then shall hee give to every man according to his deeds and againe Luke 9. 26. For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my Words of him shall the Sonne of Man be ashamed when hee shall come in his glory and in the glory of his Father and of the holy Angels So then Christ shall come in all the glory that Heaven and Earth can afford and therefore it is manifest there is great difference betweene his first comming and his second comming For his first comming was in the estate of humilitie he was despised and rejected of men Hee was a man full of
Dragon that old Serpent which is the Divell and Satan and he bound him a thousand yeeres and cast him into the bottomlesse pit and he shut him up and sealed the doore upon him c. Thus we see it is Christ that is this Angell that hath the key of Hell in his hand to shut up the Divell and the damned and the wicked into Hell so that there shall not be left a Devill nor a wicked man nor any of the damned to annoy or hurt any good man So Matth. 15. 41. The Sonne of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdome all things that offend and them which doe iniquitie Now in this world in the most sanctified Church and best reformed there is a number of disorders and corruptions that doth trouble toyle and offend the People of God but at the last day every thing that offends shall bee taken away the Divell the Damned and Wicked men shall bee shut into Hell so that a dogge as it were shall not so much as moove his tongue at one of Gods People Secondly the wicked shall not onely bee shut into Hell but Christ hath a key also to open Heaven and to let in the godly as Iohn 14. 3. He saith to his Disciples I goe to prepare a place for you and if I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my selfe that where I am there may you be also So when he hath locked up the wicked and ungodly in Hell then hee will make a way to Heaven and open it to his Servants as 2 Kings 10. 15. When Iehu had slaine Ahabs seventie sons and Ahaziahs brethren and the blood was yet warme upon his hands meeting with a good man Iehonadah the sonne of Rechab He blessed him and said unto him Is thine heart upright as mine is towards thine and Iehonadab answered It is If it be give me thine hand and he gave him his hand and tooke him into his Chariot so the Lord will doe when hee hath chased all the wicked to Hell and the blood of them is yet warme as it were on his hands meeting with a good man he will say You are a good man your heart is upright then he will take him up into his Chariot that is into Heaven so God will honour all his servants Thus a Thes 1. 10. it is said That he will come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made marvellous in all them that beleeve Hee will not account himselfe glorified till hee hath glorified his Saints therefore he will not be onely glorious in himselfe but he will also make his Saints glorious The Uses are First seeing Christ communicates his glory to his Saints therefore they should comfort themselves with the hope of this that one day there will bee a time of glory howsoever they are kept downe here in this world with many crosses and afflictions so Col. 3. 3. it is said Yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God there is a life in a Christian and that a glorious one too though the world cannot see it because it is hid in Christ yet it is truely in him as the beauty and life of the flower lieth hid in the roote all the winter-time so the life of a Christian and his glory lies hid in Christ but when he commeth then he shall be perspicuous then his glory shal appeare When Christ came before Pilate he asked him if he were a King sure he thought him but a poor king Christ answeres My kingdome is not of this world so a Christian may say in all his disgraces my kingdome is not of this world but is above the clouds a kingdome of glory and happinesse Chrysostome saith in this world is the place of conflict and combate therefore we must looke for nothing but blowes wounds and blood but when the combate is at an end then we may looke for crownes and rewards therefore wee may comfort our selves in the hope of this that one day we shall have glory Secondly seeing that Christ communicates his glory to his Saints all true Christians have good cause to long for his comming the wicked care not how long it bee ere hee come the longer hee tarries they thinke it the better O but the people of God they care not how soone he come because it is the better for them for when he comes they shall have glory therefore Saint Paul saith Rom. 8. that the creatures groane and the Saints groane desiring and longing when this time of glory will be as Iob 14. 14. saith he If a man dye shall he rise againe all the daies of my appointed time will I waite till my change come c. So Christians looke and waite for a change from mortality to immortality from an estate of humility to an estate of glory therefore they desire and long for Christs comming as Sisera's mother did waite and long for Sisera Iudg. 5. 28. where it is said The mother of Sisera looked out at a window and shee did cry out at the latise why is his chariot so long a comming and why tarrieth the wheeles of his chariot so the people of God long for Christs comming and when they looke out of their doores and windowes they may say O when will Christ come in his glory that wee may be glorified with him Thirdly seeing that Christ communicates his glory to his Saints and to his people doe thou labour to be one of them and it will be a comfortable day to thee therefore David saith Psal. 119. ult I have gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy servant for I have not forgot thy Commandements as if he should say I have gone astray I have beene a sinner but Lord seeke me and make me one of thy servants so a Christian may say with the holy father Bernard O Lord Iesus make me one of thy servants and receive mee and as thou tookest away the sinnes of thy people so doe thou now take away mine and Lord breede conscience and care in me that when thou glorifiest thy Saints I may be glorified with them there be many masters strive for my service as pride vaine-glory and covetousnesse but I strive against them all and I renounce them and bid farewell to them for I will bestow my love only on thee Christ shall be my king he shall be my Lord and Master and so when he comes in glory I shall have glory with him SERMON XLVII MATTHEW 24. 30 31. And they shall see the Sonne of Man comming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory And Hee shall send His Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together His Elect from the foure winds from one end of Heaven to the other WEE heard the last day that Christ shall come in glory to judge the whole world before hee came in the estate
of humility as a man cloathed with our sinne but now he shall come in glory before he came in the state of a servant but now hee shall come in the state of a Lord and King before he had Iohn Baptist to his forerunner but now hee shall have an Archangell to Usher him before he was attended with twelve poore Disciples but now hee shall have thousand thousands of Angels to guard him before hee was laid in a stable but now he shall sit on a glorious Throne before he did ride on an Asse to Ierusalem but now hee shall come on the clouds before he raised up some three or foure dead but now hee shall raise up all the dead Hence wee learne the greater glory Christ shall have the greater is the comfort of Christians for hee shall not onely bee glorious in himselfe but shall be made glorious in his Saints Now the glory of Christ shall be the greater that an Archangell shall goe before him to gather together all men and to set them before him or to summon or cite all men and to give warning to the whole world to appeare before Christ who sits as supreme Iudge to give sentence upon all men In which summons three things offer themselves to our observation 1. Who shall sound the Trumpet 2. What the power of the sound is 3. To what end it shall be First who shall sound the Trumpet It is an Archangell as 1 Thes. 4. 16. saith the Apostle For the Lord himselfe shall descend from heaven with a shout and with the voice of an Archangell and with the Trumpet of God Hence wee learne that there is never an Angell nor Archangell but shall be ready to doe service to Christ and to attend him and therefore much more should we be ready being but dust and ashes to doe him service and to attend him while wee live here We see Luk. 7. 38. how ready Mary was upon her conversion to doe service to Christ and to attend him for Shee sits downe at his feete she weepes and washeth them with her teares and wipes them with the haire of her head her eyes were as a bason of water to wash Christs feet in and her haire as a towell to wipe them In like manner wee upon our Conversion should be ready to doe service to Christ though we cannot sit at his feet as Mary did to wash them with our teares and wipe them with our haire yet we must bee ready to doe him service in the duties of Faith Repentance Love and Holinesse according to Pauls exhortation Rom. 14. 18. For whosoever in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men Therefore although wee cannot with Mary sit downe at the feet of Christ yet let us labour to doe him service in the duties of Love and holinesse for such service will be acceptable to Christ and therefore fie on the pride of men that disdaine to doe service unto him in the duties of Prayer hearing of the Word preached Repentance and the like whereas there is never a state in heaven Angell nor Archangell but is ready to doe him service and to attend him Secondly what shall be the power of the sound That appeares in two things first that the sound of it shall be heard all the world over to the furthest part of it and the living shall not only heare it but the dead such as have lyen rotting in their graves many yeeres together Secondly they shall not onely heare it but they shall stirre and startle at it and move out of their graves But from whence commeth this power I answere the voice is the voice of the Archangell but the power is of Christ so the Ministery is the Angels Therefore seeing all the dead shall heare it and shall not onely heare it but shall stirre and be awaked therewith what a pitifull thing is it that we daily heare Christ call unto us in the Ministery of his Word and yet we doe not stirre or bee awaked at it or move out of our sinnes and corruptions In Ezek. 37. we reade of a number of dead bones that lye scattered here and there and when the Prophet did prophesie to them There was a noise and a cluttering the bones together bone ran to bone and the sinewes and the flesh came up upon them But God by his Ministers hath prophesied to us a long time and yet there is no noyse nor cluttering of the bones amongst us bone does not runne to his bone nor sinewes grow on the bones grace does not grow in our hearts nor true repentance move us to newnesse of life there is never a man living but he shall heare the voyce of the Archangell for howsoever hee will not heare the voyce of Christ to his conversion in this world in the Ministery of his Word yet hee shall bee sure to finde it powerfull to his confusion at the great day of judgement in the world that is to come Thirdly to what end this sound shall be to summon and cite all men before Christ as the supreme Iudge to give warning to the whole world and to call all men together to give in their accounts not onely the living but the dead thousand thousands of men and women that the grave hath now devoured thousand thousands that the Caves Rockes and Dennes hath swallowed up thousands that the beasts and the birds have destroyed and thousand thousands that the sea hath devoured All shall come forth and make their appearance before Christ so saith Paul 1 Cor. 5. 10. For wee shall all appeare before the judgement seate of Christ not onely the living but the dead also all shall make their appearance and stand before Christ as the Iudge of this whole world Hence we learne how carefull every one of vs ought to be to passe his dayes in Reverence and Feare before God as that wee may stand with Comfort before him at that great and terrible day If we compare these two places together Exod. 19. 19. and Heb. 12. 21. wee shall finde that when Moses heard the trumpet blow lowder and lowder and shriller and shriller Moses said I exceedingly feare and quake Now if Moses was thus affraid and quaked at the giving of the Law when God did speake to him how affraid shall men bee at the day of Iudgement how shall they quake when the Lord shall come to punish the transgression of the Law Esay 6. 5. the Prophet cryes out Woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of polluted lips and I dwell amongst a people of uncleane lips for mine eyes have seene the king the Lord of hosts In like manner every wicked man of this world shall cry out at that day Woe is me I am undone I am a sinfull and polluted man I have despised Religion I have not walked carefully and conscionably before God and now mine eyes shall see the Lord of
hosts O how shall men quake and tremble and how terrible will that day be To illustrate this unto you and presse it home to your consciences give me leave to relate a story the truth whereof is not to the purpose to enquire for the morall is that which I intend and you may make profitable use of and this it is There was a certaine king that did weepe and was heavie and sad which when his brother saw he asked him why he was so heavie and sad Saith hee because I have judged others and now I must bee judged my selfe Why saith his brother art thou so heavie and sad for this it will be a long time ere that day come and besides that it is but a slight matter the king said little to it for the present now it was the order in that country when any man had committed any treason there was a Trumpet sounded at his doore in the night time and he was brought out the next day to bee executed now the king commanded a Trumpet to bee sounded at his brothers doore in the night time who waking out of his sleepe when hee heard it arose and came quaking and trembling to the king How now saith the king what is the matter you quake and tremble and are so afraid I am attached of treason answers he and I shall be executed the next morning why saith the king to him againe art thou so afraid and dost thou so tremble at that knowing that thou shalt bee judged by thy brother and for a matter that thy conscience tells thee thou art cleare of how much more therefore may I be affraid seeing that God shall judge me and not in a matter that my conscience frees me in but of that which I am guilty of and besides this if the worst come it is but a temporary death that thou shouldest dye but the death I am subject to is eternall both of body and soule Hereby wee may see what terrour will bee to a guilty conscience that hath not repented of his sinnes how dreadfull will that day bee when the bookes shall bee opened and all the thoughts words and works of every man shall be manifested as well the secretest lusts of the heart-adultery as the shamelesse blasphemies of open profanenes aswel the private corruptions of bribed justice as the publike gratings of heard-hearted oppression then neither poverty nor riches neither meanenesse nor honour no state or condition shall free us all must appeare and answere for themselves But what shall we doe in this case may some man say I answer we must doe as Iaakob did when his brother Esau came against him with foure hundred men Genes 34. I will pacifie his wrath with a present if I have found grace in thy sight then receive my gift so when wee know that God is comming our against us not with foure hundred men but with thousand thousands of his Angels we must doe as Iaakob did say I will give him a gift I will pacifie his wrath with a present that so I may finde favour in his sight to compose the matter with him before that great and terrible day come Now the next thing that shall be at the day of judgement is the assembling and gathering together of all men at that day so that which we heare now with our eares wee shall see then with our eyes for the Angels shall gather together God elect from the one end of heaven to the other so the words of Christ be In which gathering together of the elect wee observe three things 1. What they be that shall be gathered 2. By whom they shall be gathered 3. To whom they shall be gathered First who they bee that shall be gathered Gods elect as the text sheweth now it is out of all question that not onely Gods elect shall be gathered but the wicked also which Christ shewes in two parables first of the tares Matth. 13. 41. for as the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire so shall it be in the end of the world saith our Saviour The Sonne of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdome all things that offend and then vers 44. in the parable of the draw-net that is cast into the Sea and gathereth of all kinde of fishes which when it is full men draw to land and sit and gather the good into vessels and cast away the bad so the wicked shall bee gathered too I but seeing the wicked shall bee gathered aswell as the godly why is it said that the Angels shall gather together the elect onely I answer to shew the tender care that Christ hath of the elect that he would not have so much as a little bone lost or a finger or a toe or a haire of their heads such a tender care hath he of them as David gave a charge to his Captaines 2 Sam. 18. 5. concerning Absalom If you meet with the young man intreat him kindly for my sake such a charge Christ shall give to his Angels intreat the elect well for my sake have a tender care of them that there be not one of them wanting Now what is the reason that Christ hath such a tender care of the elect I answer because they be his mysticall members and he will bee compleat in all his members therefore if we be of hsi elect there shall not a bone or a finger or a little toe nor so much as the haire of their heads bee wanting such a tender care God hath of his elect but the wicked they shall be hurried and haled to the barre as theeves villaines and traytors when the other shall bee brought tenderly by the hands of Angels Therefore seeing there shall be such an assembly of all men both good and bad at that day how great should our care bee to provide our selves against that dreadfull appearance O man whoever thou art doe but consider with thy selfe and thinke what a number of men there have beene of the Romans since it was Rome what a number of men there have beene in England since it was inhabited or in France and so of all other Countries and then thinke of all the men that have beene in all ages and at all times from the beginning of the world to the latter end and that all these shall bee gathered together before Christ and then how canst thou chuse but bee carefull how thou passe thy daies heere that thou may'st stand with comfort before Christ in such an assembly David saith Psalm 1. the wicked shall not stand in the Iudgement if a man be a wicked man though he be a king or a lord or a kinght or whatsoever he be hee shall not bee able to hold up his head in judgement but the godly man though he be a poore man he shall lift up his head with comfort whereas there is never a man that is wicked which shall
stand before God in this great assembly therefore labour thou to repent of thy sinnes and to get faith in Christ and to be prepared for that day I would to God I could perswade you a little to sequester your thoughts from the world and to thinke of the day of the Lord that all men shall bee gathered together before the Lord and arraigned to give an accompt of all his actions that he hath done how would this worke on our hearts to lay up comfort for that day Esai 10. 3. The Prophet demands What shall yee doe now in the day of your visitation and of destruction so the wicked may say what shall we doe at that day when we shall be convicted and found haters of God despisers of good things contemners of religion and deceivers of our neighbours so the consideration of this might make every one to be prepared for it Thus we see that not onely the elect shall be gathered but the wicked also Secondly by whom they shall bee gathered by the Angels Now the Angels doe service to us first when we be living secondly when wee bee dead thirdly at the day of judgement First they doe us service whilst wee are living they attend us and carry us in their hands as it is said Psal 91. For hee shall give his Angels charge over thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes they shall beare thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy foote against a stone so Psal 34. 7. The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him and delivereth them Secondly at the day of death they bee round about our houses attend our chambers and our sicke beds and when wee are dead they carry our Soules into Heaven as we may see Luke 16. in the story of Lazarus Thirdly they doe us srvice at the day of judgement to open our graves to digge and pull away the mould and to conduct and carry us into the presence of Christ therefore doe thou labour to bee a servant of Christ and to feare God and the Angels shall not only attend thee while thou livest here but shall digge thee out of thy grave and take away the moulds and shall conduct and bring thee into the presence of Christ as Acts 12. when Peter was in prison the Angell came and opened the prison doore and there was a light did shine round about him and he smote off his fetters and chaines and led him into the streets of the Citie so the Angels shall do to the godly at the day of judgement they shall open their graves which is a Prison and shall knocke off the Gives of mortalitie a light shall shine round about them and they shall take them by the hand as it were and lead them from countrey to countrey till they come at the presence of Christ to the new Ierusalem to enjoy fellowship with God and his blessed Angels Thirdly to whom we shall be gathered To Christ first as to the Head and then one to another as to the members First wee shall bee gathered to Christ our Head there shall not one of his members bee wanting which may be a great comfort to all Christians for this is that they desire that all their praiers they conceive all the Sermons they heare all their labours and paines tend to it is the center of their desires for this they sigh and long to bee gathered home to their Head Iesus Christ So Phil. 1. Paul desireth to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ though it be with the losse of life or goods he was contented Gen. 45. 1. wee see when Ioseph and his brethren met together what joy there was Ioseph did weepe on his brethrens neckes and they on his so when Christ and his members meete O what joy there shall bee at the day of judgement they shall not weepe one upon anothers necke but there shall be joy unspeakeable and glorious Secondly they shall be gathered one to another as to members though they live now in diverse Countreyes and Kingdomes in diverse Townes and Houses and by reason of some corruptions it may be wee may have little comfort one of another yet at the day of judgement all shall meete together againe and then we shall rejoyce in the company of each other then we shall meet with all the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles Martyrs Confessors and all our godly friends and acquaintance that ever wee knew came of or heard of wee see when friends have beene absent a long time one from another and meete together againe how welcome are they one to another and how doe they rejoyce in the company of each other So at the day of judgement when we shall meete with our godly friends and acquaintance that have beene absent from us a long time what joy and comfort will there bee Wee see also when friends meete together at a Feast what joy there is one with another O but there shall be greater joy at the day of judgement when all the godly meete together and when every mans joy shall bee our joy So it shall bee a comfortable assembly to bee gathered to Christ and one Christian to another wee see here on Earth when Christians are met together to pray and conferre and to sing Psalmes what joy and comfort is there and yet there is many times meanes of discontentment but when all weaknesse shall be at an end and all imperfections shall cease much more joy and comfort in Heaven shall wee take one in another Therefore if wee have any wit in our heads or grace in our hearts let every one of us labour to be one of Gods people to be a member of Christ and then we shall bee gathered first to Christ our Head and then to one another as fellow-members Now we shall not only be aggregated and gathered together but there shall be also a separation for all the World shall be divided into two flockes or Heards the Sheepe shall be set at the right hand and the Goats at the left and they shall bee separated as a Shepheard separateth the Sheepe from the Goates who although they feede all the day long in one pasture drinke all of one water and are refreshed all under one shaddow yet when the night commeth hee gathereth the Sheepe into the Fold and leaves the Goates to bee devoured of the Wolves so the Lord Iesus Christ shall separate the good from the bad howsoever they lived together here in this world may sit all at one table and lie in one bed yet when the day of judgement comes hee will gather his sheepe into his fold and leave the wicked to be tormented with the Divell Now in this separation we observe three things 1 That there shall be a separation 2 The Time when it shall be 3 Who shall be separated First there shall bee a separation of the good from the bad by
the power of Christ The Scripture is plaine for it and when the Sonne of man commeth in his glory with all the holy Angels with him then shall hee sit on the Throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered all Nations which hee shall separate as a shepheard separateth the Sheepe from the Goates So Matth. 13. 24. The Sonne of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdome all things that offeud and them that dqe iniquitie and verse 49. saith Christ So shall it be in the end of the World The Angels shall goe forth and sever the bad from amongst the Iust and Luke 17. 34. saith Christ I tell you in that night there shall bee two in a bed the one shall be received and the other shall be left Two women shall be grinding together at the Mill the one shall be taken and the other shall be left So then there shall be a separation in the neerest and dearest societie that may be even betweene the most neerest and dearest friends there they shall not cast out the bondwoman and her son onely but the husband shall be taken from the wife and the wife from the husband and the father from the sonne and the sonne from the father and one friend from another such a separation there shall bee of them that have dwelt in a house a long time together laid in one bed and sate at one table the one shall goe to Heaven and the other to Hell the one shall goe to joy the other to paine the one shall goe to God and his Angels the other to the Divell and the damned Hence we learne for our instruction these profitable and comfortable Vses Seeing there shall bee a separation of the most dearest and neerest societie at the day of judgement this therefore should teach us what the care of good couples and friends should be so to live together heere in Gods feare as that they may not bee parted at that day To this Saint Peter exhorts married couples 1 Pet. 3. 7. Likewise yee husbands dwell with them as men of knowledge giving honour unto the woman as to the weaker vessell even as they which are heires together of the grace of life that your prayers be not interrupted Here wee see the Apostle would have good couples live together as heires of the grace of life that so they may not be parted at the day of judgement for what a heavie parting shall there bee when the husband shall bee taken from the wife or the wife from the husband the father from the childe or the childe from the father or one friend from another when there shall bee a separation in the most deerest and neerest societie even of those that have laid in a bed together sate at a table and dwelt in a house together a long time O thinke of this beloved brethren what a heavie parting it will bee at that time when they which have lived twentie or thirty yeeres together must be separated Let husbands and wives fathers and children masters and servants and one friend with another all consider it and therefore let them endeavour so to live together in the feare of God heere as that they may not be parted at the day of judgement when this fearfull separation shall be We see Luke 13. 28. It is an aggravation of the griefe of the wicked that they shall see Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of GOD and they themselves thrust out a-doores but it will be a farre greater griefe to us when we shall not onely see Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of GOD but our Husbands wives Childeren Friends and Neighbours and wee our selves shut out and never to come to them they to enjoy happinesse with God and the blessed Saints and Angels wee misery and everlasting torments with the Divels and damned reprobates Wee see what a sorrowfull separation there is when a wife buries her husband and commits him to the Grave to be devoured of the wormes she goes home weepes wails and takes on and yet they may meete together in Gods kingdome O but what a heavie parting will there bee when the one shall bee taken up into Heaven and the other shall be left to bee devoured in Hell where they shall never meete but shall be as farre asunder as Heaven and Hell as God and the Divell Therefore good brethren bee perswaded to thinke seriously of this heavy and dreadfull separation which will be at that day and let it bee the care of all good couples so to live together here in Gods feare as that they may not bee parted and separated at the day of judgement Secondly seeing there shall bee a separation at the day of judgement therefore the godly may comfort themselves with the hope of this howsoever they be troubled here with bad neighbors and wicked men that hate and persecute them yet at the day of judgement there shall bee a separation of the good from the bad and there shall not bee one wicked man left to trouble or annoy them It was Moses comfort Exod. 14. 13. saith he Feare ye not stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord which he will shew to you this day for the Egyptians whom ye have seene this day ye shall never see againe So the Lord will say to the godly stand still and behold the salvation of your God which hee will shew to you this day the wicked which ye now see ye shall never see them againe they shall not trouble nor molest you any more but shall bee throwne into Hell we have often heard that Iesus Christ shall come with a great key in his hand to locke up the Divell and all the damned in Hell and therefore wee neede not feare for there shall bee never a wicked man left to annoy or trouble Gods People Thirdly seeing there shall be a separation at the day of judgment therefore how should all the wicked of the world be affraid howsoever they dwell in the society of good people here in this world yet one day they shall dwell with the Devill and the damned here indeed in this World though they dwell not among the godly yet they may dwell among civill and sociable men such as will doe them no hurt for a world but at the day of judgment their case shall not be so good for they shall dwell with all the vile people and rascals murtherers theeves and all the scumme of the World Nay worse with the Devill and his Angels and therefore how afraid should a wicked man be to thinke of this Chrysostome saith well The very name of separation what a confusion is it to a wicked man for if saith he a King a Duke or a great man should picke one out of a great Company should imbrace him shew great kindnesse and favour to him and set him in his owne seate but should frowne on thee lowre
turne his backe on thee shut thee out of the doores with the Dogs what a terror would this be to thee Farre greater horror will it be when the Lord Iesus shall sit on his throne and shall say to the godly Come ye blessed of my Father shall imbrace and grace them before Angels and men but will frowne on thee that art a wicked man lowre turn his backe on thee and shut thee out of doores with the Dogs that is with the Divell and wicked men O let such consider this as goe on in their profanenesse and impenitency let the despisers of God and good people meditate hereon many there be now that cannot abide good people but at that day they would be glad to doe them any service to be hewers of wood and drawers of water to them as the Gibeonites were to the people of Israel Iosh 9. 21. We see in Hester that Haman was in great favour with King Ahashuerosh and was bid to the Banquet but when his sinnes brake out his face was covered and he was hanged on the gallowes which he set up for Mordecay so it shall be with all the wicked if they be not wise to make God their friend and repent of their sinnes though they may be in favour with Kings and great men if they be not in favour with God they shall be thrust into hell with the Divell and the damned Therefore let it be every mans wisedome to separate from his sinnes in this life that his sinnes doe not separate him from Christ at the day of judgment thus the Lord doth shew us hell to bring us to heaven he preaches terror to bring us to comfort as Augustine saith He doth as a man that sees a bird which hee loves ready to fall into a snare he hunts after the bird and makes a noise and so the bird escapes the snare so all the Prophets and our Lord Iesus himselfe foreseeing how we are like to fall into the snare of the Devill and into Hell they have lifted up their voyces and made exclamation to us and have cried to keepe us out of hell that we might avoid the danger of it beforehand Secondly The time when this separation shall be at the day of judgment so the text saith when the Sonne of Man shall sit on his throne Here in this world they may continually live and converse on with another live in a house lye in a bed sit at a table dwell in a towne meete together in a Church but at the day of judgment they shall bee separated the servants of God shall be separated from the servants of sinne So Psal 14. David saith that the wicked are like to the Chaffe which the winde driveth away we see in a floore of a bame where there lyes a heape of corne mingled with Chaffe when the winde ariseth it bloweth away the chaffe and the corne lyes still on the barne floore so the godly and the wicked are like unto a heape of corne and Chaffe in this world that lyes on the barne floore of Almighty God but let the winde of Gods wrath arise and it blowes all the wicked into Hell so there shall not remaine a wicked man in the floore of Gods House but this separation shall not be till the day of judgement The uses are First seeing the separation shall not be till the day of judgment therefore no man must looke for a perfect estate of a Church in this world because good and bad being layd together in this world as chaffe and corne the bad labor to hinder the good and if they cannot hinder them then they will corrupt them therefore one sayes well though there bee tares in a Church yet our faith must not be hindred nor no man ought to bee discouraged because the corne is not separated from the tares they shall remaine together till the day also judgment and therefore wee must not separate from the floore of Christ but hold to it for all this Secondly because the separation shall not be till the day of judgment therefore we can looke for no perfect peace in this world till that time so Exod. 23. 29. saith the Lord I will not cast forth the Canaanites out from thy face in one yeare lest the Land grow barren as a wildernesse and the beasts of the fields multiply against thee So the Lord would not destroy the Canaanites cleane but a remnant of them must remaine for the good of his people in like manner he will not roote out all the wicked but there shall some remaine for the good of his Church for there be a number of sinnes that breake out in Gods people from day to day and the wicked be as scourges to them and to set a-worke the graces of Christ in them therefore no man must looke for perfect peace in this world Thirdly Who they be that shall be separated The good and the bad sheepe and goates the sheepe shall be set at the right hand of Christ and the goates at the left Now the properties of the sheepe be these First They will heare the voyce of the shepheard and follow him they will not follow a stranger Iohn 10. 4. such a sheepe was Samuel 1 Sam. 3. 10. saith he speake Lord for thy servant heareth such a sheepe was David Psal 85. 8. I will hearken what the Lord sayth Let the world say what it will and my friends and my pleasure and my profit I will hearken what God sayes for he will speake peace in his people I will have none other teacher but he and therefore when men will not heare the voyce of Christ but will heare what the world what pleasure and profit saith they be none of the true sheepe of Christ The second is that they will leave all to follow Christ their shepheard their pleasures profit sinnes and whatsoever is deere to them even life it selfe such a sheepe was Paul Philip. 3. 8. where he saith that he accounted all things a◠dung and drosse to be found in Christ such sheepe were the Disciples Math. 19. 17. And therefore when men will not leave all to follow Christ all their sinnes pleasure and profits to follow him it is evident they are none of the sheepe of Christ The third is that they are never well till they be under the government of their shepheard such a sheepe was David Psal 119. Teach me O Lord the 〈◊〉 of thy statutes and Psal 40. 8. I desire to doe thy will O Lord c. Therefore when men desire not to live under the government of Christ but will be governed by themselves they are none of the true sheepe of Christ The fourth is when he hath lost the shepheard he runnes here and there and 〈◊〉 at rest till he hath found him againe so when men have lost Christ by their sinnes they should not be at rest but run here and there
bleate and take on til they have found the shepheard and be brought home againe to the sold Such a sheepe was David Psal 119. ult saith he I have gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy servant c. And therefore when men have lost Christ by their sinnes and can passe away the time and yeares merrily never socking after Christ it is a fearefull token they are none of the true sheepe of Christ The fifth is that they will carry fleece and wooll to the shepheard If there be any grace or vertue in them wherby they may doe service to Christ or good unto his members they will be ready to doe it He shall have the honour and glory of it therefore when men doe not carry their fleece and wooll to Christ to let Christ have all the honour and glory of the good things they have they are none of the sheepe of Christ Let me exhort you all therefore to labor to finde these properties of a sheepe in you to heare the voice of Christ and be contented to leave all to follow him to desire to live under his government and never be at rest when thou hast lost him till thou finde him againe to carry your fleece and wooll to Christ if there bee any vertue or grace in you let Christ have the glory of it therefore let every one labor to be a true sheepe of Christ and he shall sit at his right hand I doe not say labour to live amongst the sheepe but to bee one of the sheepe of Christ for a man may live amongst the sheepe that is in the visible Church and yet he may be shufled out amongst the stinking Goates It is good observation of a learned man that the World may be didivided in three rankes or conditions In the first are Heathen Infidels and Atheists and such as know not God In the second are Carnall professors such as know God Christ and his Word and yet they feele not the power of it in their lives and are not reformed by it In the third ranke are Gods Elect neere unto the center Christ and therefore O man consider thy standing of what ranke thou art of if thou bee of the first ranke such as know not God then never rest till thou art got within the second ranke till thou know God and his Word and when thou hast got within the second ranke labour to come within the third to be one of Gods Elect and to be as neere the Center Christ as may be Therefore labour to be a true Sheepe of Christ and then thou shalt bee set at the right hand of Christ We have done with the Sheepe and are come to the Goats whose properties or uses are chiefly these foure which I must dispatch in one word First the Goates in the Law were offered for a sinne offering to teach us that our sinnes will make us sit at the left hand of Christ Secondly a Goate is a stinking thing so our sinnes stinke in the nostrils of God Thirdly they toyle with their horne and annoy the water So wicked men are turbulent as Ezekiel speakes Fourthly they will feede on the toppe of the Rockes they cannot abide to feede on the Plaines so they will bee in the darke places of the Scripture they will not feede in the plaine places where Gods people feede but are full of wranglings and janglings which profit not SERMON XLVIII REVELATION 20. 12. And I saw the Dead small and great stand before God and the Bookes were opened and another Booke was opened which is the Booke of Life and the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Bookes according to their workes TWo things now onely remaine to bee handled of the last judgement 1. The conviction of the Offenders 2. The sentence of the Iudge First The conviction of the offenders for before the sentence of the Iudge the offenders shall bee convicted and shall acknowledge that the judgement of Christ is just upon them in regard of their sinnes Chrysostome saith well O man by the quality of thy place thou mayest read thine owne doome as when thou art brought into the presence of a Iudge or a King by the quality of the place thou mayest know whether it be for good or ill if thou art bid to come up neere to the King or to the Iudge then it is for good but if thou keepe aloofe or hee bid thee stand apart then it is for ill so by the quality of the place thou mayest know what shall bee thy sentence if thou be set at the right hand of Christ then thou art a sheepe of Christ but if thou bee set at his left hand then thou art a Goate and yet notwithstanding though every man may know what his sentence shall be by the quality of his place because there shall be as the Apostle saith a declaration of the just judgement of God therefore before sentence bee given there shall be a conviction of the offenders for the bookes shall bee opened and every mans sinnes shall be made manifest Now in this conviction we observe foure things 1. That there shall be a conviction of the offenders 2. The meanes by which they shall be convicted 3. The persons that shall be convicted 4. The effects of this conviction First that there shall be such a conviction it is plaine by Scripture and by Reason first by Scripture Rom. 2. 15. Their conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one another or excusing at that day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ So also 1 Cor. 4. 5. Therefore judge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who will bring to light things hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest So it is plaine by Scripture that there shall be a conviction of the wicked of all their sinnes and offences Secondly by Reason for in all courts of justice there is no man condemned till first he be convicted so because the court of Christ is the most exactest court of equitie and justice wee may well thinke that no man shall be condemned till he be first convicted and evident proofe made of all his sinnes and offences Now this conviction shall be in laying open of all our sins and offences for there be a number of sinnes that we have committed which wee doe not know the devill doth so blinde our eyes that we cannot see them but at that time all shall be made patent and open there is no sinne that we have committed all our life long but it shall come into our minde as fresh as if we had committed them at the present and ten thousand of sinnes which we tooke to be no sinnes then we shall know them to be sinnes and thousand thousands that we have forgot shall come into our mindes and then we shall know how we have offended God and
of Gods remembrance no man can take exception Neither can any against the booke of mans conscience because he shall not be judged by another mans conscience but by his owne which no other man hath the writing of but himselfe and wheresoever a man goes he alwayes carries it with him therefore against this booke no man living can take exception these be the two bookes that shall be opened at the day of Iudgement wherein every mans sinnes shall be made knowne and laid open at that day howsoever wee may forget them yet the Lord will remember them howsoever he passeth by them now and seemes to winke at them yet they are all written in the booke of his remembrance and one day this booke shall be opened and the world shall see them for the Lord will set them open before all men It is said Psal 50. 21. But I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes And Psal 90. 6. the Prophet complaines Thou hast set our iniquities before thee and our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance So out of the booke of Gods remembrance the Lord will declare all our sinnes Againe the booke of every mans conscience shall be opened and his conscience shall accuse him of every particular sinne that he hath committed here in this world A mans conscience is like a sealed booke though he have committed a number of sinnes and have offended many wayes yet the consscience never accuses but when the bookes shall be opened then every mans conscience shall crie out against him how he hath sinned against God and against men in this thing and that in this place and that and the devill will draw such a bill against us as we shall never be able to answer as the Lepers said in the 2 King 7. O we doe not well to doe thus So every mans conscience shall crie out against him and say I did not well to sweare to lye to deceive to slander to prophane the Sabbath and therefore what a fearefull thing will it be when a mans conscience shall thus crie out against him wee see what an intolerable burthen it is when in this world the Lord touches a mans conscience but for one sinne as Mat. 27. 3. when Iudas had betrayed his Master and his conscience touched him for it he could not abide it but he went and hanged himselfe Now if it were thus into lerable for one sinne what will it be when all our sinnes shal be made manifest before God If it were thus fearefull when Iudas did reade but one page or leafe of the booke what an intolerable burthen will it be when all the particular sinnes that we have committed from the first day to the last houre of our lives shall bee laid open when wee shall not reade a leafe or a page onely but all the whole booke from end to end how intollerable and unsupportable will it be Some use to say that they doe not love to come on the score they cannot abide it but of all scores take heed thou come not on Gods score and on the score of thine owne conscience it will be a fearefull thing therefore keepe an even reckoning with God that so thy conscience may be cleare And these be the meanes by which the offender shall be convicted at the day of Iudgement first by the booke of Gods remembrance and secondly by the booke of every mans conscience Thirdly the parties that shall be convicted which are not onely the wicked but the godly such as repent them of their sinnes and seeke reconciliation and atonement in the bloud of Christ and are brought in the estate of grace these shall not be convicted but they shall have a discharge of all from Christ and although they had their sinnes and infirmities as other men had yet because they did repent of them labour to be reconciled and to be at peace with God therefore they shall not answer for them as Rom. 8. 33. saith Saint Paul Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen â—is God that justifieth who shall condemne So Revel 7. 14. it is said of the godly These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their long white robes in the bloud of the Lambe They were not white by nature no nor did they not keepe them white the best men that were For as Saint Iames saith In many things wee sinne all and the best may pray with David Psalm 143. 2. Enter not into judgement with thy servants for in thy sight there shall none that liveth be justified So Iob 9. 3. saith he If he would contend with him hee could not answer him one of a thousand So that no man is white by nature no nor the best men cannot keepe themselves white but their garments are made white in the bloud of the Lambe And therefore although wee have sinnes as other men have yet let us labour to repent of them and to bee reconciled unto God and to lay hold on Christ by faith and to have our consciences washed in the bloud of Christ and then our sinnes shall not be laid to our charge we shall not be convicted of them at the day of Iudgement Dan. 9. 24. it is said of Christ that he should finish transgression and make an end of sins and make reconciliation for iniquitie which is a metaphore taken from a man that hath payed a debt he gets the bonds and bils and seales them up that no body should see them so Christ hath payed our debts and hath sealed up our sinnes which is a comfort to a Christian though hee hath committed many sinnes yet if hee can repent of them and lay hold on Christ by faith his sinnes are sealed up with this same great seale that neither the devill nor the world shall be able to finde them nor all the powers in earth or in hell Fourthly The effect of the Conviction and that is in a word They shall be judged even all the wicked gallants brave men and captaines they shall stand as dead men before Christ when these two bookes shall be opened and all their sinnes laid before them then they shall crie out of themselves that ever they offended Matth. 23. 39. saith Christ to the wicked Iewes yee shall see me no more henceforth till that yee say Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord So the wicked shall say of the godly O these be the blessed and happie men but we hated and despised them O that we had followed their counsell and that we had beene ruled by them and as it is in the booke of Wisdome This is he which we have had in derision and in a parable of reproch we fooles thought his life madnesse and his end without honour how is hee counted amongst the children of God and his portion among the Saints Wherefore how ashamed and confounded shall the
Christian is a-thirst or an hungred or in any want Christ cries out of heaveÌ„ I thirst I am an hungred I am in want and therefore looke what thou wouldest doe to Christ that doe to his servants and hee will accept it as if it were done to him Now their remaines something to be spoken morr but because the time passeth I will speake breifely of it The Saints replie and say to Christ when saw wee thee an hungred or a-thirst or naked did they not know it were they ignorant of it I answer they did know it but these words only are Parabolicall not that the saints do say so but it is to teach us somewhat as Luke 16. of the speech that passed betweene the rich man in Hell and Lazarus we are not to thinke that there was any such speech but it is Parabolicall to teach us that we must not looke for one to be sent from the dead to tell us newes but must looke unto the Scriptures and take warning by them so be these words Parabolicall and are to teach us two things First That Christ hath an eye to all the workes of Mercie that wee doe to our brethren and takes it as if it were done to himslfe Secondly That the People of God when they have done all the good they can they will not know of any thing they carrie themslves so humble and so low when they come to stand before Christ So when we have done all the good wee can when wee come to stand before God let us endeavour to bee humbled and carrie our selves very low If a man goe in at a low Doore hee can take no hurt by stooping low O but if hee rise one inch above the Doore hee may breake his head or dash his braines out So by sinking low and by humbling our selves before God we can take no hurt but carrying our selves too high we may breake our heads or bee confounded Therefore it is a good thing when men have done well to bee humble and to carry themselves submissively SERMON LI. MATTHEW 25. 41 42. Then shall hee say also to them on the left hand Depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divell and his angels For I was an hungred and ye gave mee no meate I was thirstie and ye gave me no drinke c. HAving spoken of the sentence of Remuneration or reward that all the godly shall receive at the day of judgement when Christ shall say Come ye blessed of my Father receive the Kingdome prepared for you having spoken I say of this first part of the sentence wee are now come to the latter part thereof which is the most dolefull and heavie sentence that shall passe upon the wicked and ungodly at the last day Now there be foure paines or punishments implyed in it 1. An Abdication or Ejection in these words depart from me 2. A Malediction in these words ye cursed 3. The place that they shall passe into or the Estate they shall goe into Fire and everlasting fire 4. The Societie and the companions that they shall have the Divell and his Angels These be the foure punishments or paines that shall passe upon the wicked and ungodly at the day of judgement the least whereof were enough to breake any mans heart to thinke of Daniel 5. 5. it is said of Belshazzer His coâ—ntenance was changed and his thoughts troubled so that the joynts of his loynes were loosed and his knees smote one against another when hee saw his sentence written on the wall and yet hee could not read it much more shall all the wicked of the world tremble and quake and their knees smite together for feare when they shall heare their owne sentence read by Iesus Christ how shall their eares tingle their thoughts be troubled and their hearts faile them O that all men would thinke of this and I pray the God of all spirits to grant us grace to avoid and to feare it First and Abdication or Ejection depart from me Christs voice as a clap of Thunder shall be of force to drive all the wicked out of his presence so there shall not be a wicked man left behinde even the sweet mouth of Christ that shall gather all the godly to him shall drive all the wicked into Hell for no sooner shall Christ give out the word and say depart from me but it shall bee of force to drive all to Hell there is never a wicked man that is able to withstand Depart from mee ye wicked and ungodly you that bee swearers lyers deceivers whoremasters drunkards and covetous persons such as prophane the Sabboth and spend your time loosely and badly depart I say from me away to Hell with you to the Divell to paines and torments Now what a fearefull thing is this to be cast out of Christs presence as Psal 1. 5. David saith the wicked shall not stand in the judgement they come into judgement but they shall not stand in it nor bee able to hold up their heads as Hest 7. 3. when Haman was out of favour with the king they covered his face and carried him out of the kings presence though once he was greatly in favor with him so it shall be with all the wicked of the world howsoever here they may be in great favour with Kings Princes and great men yet they shall bee cast out of the presence of Christ and expelled Therefore consider what a fearefull thing it is when Christ shall cast us out because in his presence is all fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore as it is Psal 16. Therefore to be cast out of Christs presence is to bee cast away from the fountaine of all joy and pleasure and out of the glory of this World O what a Hell and a torment will this be at that day Therefore the Apostle Paul saith of such 2 Thes 1. 9. Who shall bee punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power they shall not be able to behold the sweet face of Christ but shall bee all shut out as Exod. 33. when the Lord would not goe with the children of Israel but would send an Angell with them they would not put on their costly raiment but laid it aside which made Moses say unto God Carrie us not from this place unlesse thy presence goe with us Now if it were such a griefe and terrour to want the presence of God here for a little time in the kingdome of grace what a griefe and a terrour will it bee and worse than many thousand deaths to be cast out of the presence of God for ever and ever this will bee a terrour of all terrours and it will be the greater in that wee shall be excluded and shut out when others shall be admitted and shall see them goe to Heaven as Christ speakes Luke 13. There shall be weeping wailing and
know he hath the Spirit The first worke is That hee would not grieve God for a world hee hates sinne he cannot abide it hee would not sweare nor lie nor prophane the Sabboth nor commit any sinne willingly in this case he may assure himselfe he hath the Spirit of God in him Secondly that although hee falls into some sinne yet hee holds his care and love to all other holy duties as David did in that foule sinne of adultery when he had fallen into it yet hee came to the Temple did hold himselfe to performe holy duties still Thirdly to hold our love to God and to Gods people when he loves a Christian as a Christian saith S. Iohn hereby we know that we are translated from death to life because wee love the brethren First the Vse of this is that seeing in the falls of the Godly there is alwayes a roote left therefore wee should labour to nourish and to hold this roote that is to nourish these good desires the love of goodnesse and the hatred of sinne If a man hath a good plant in his Garden if bad fellowes come and cut downe the boughes and branches what will he doe he will goe and digge about the roote dung it and labor to preserve and nourish it so when there is a plant of goodnesse in a Christian if the Divell come and cut downe the boughes and branches neverthelesse we must labour to nourish the roote by the Use of good meanes Secondly seeing there is a roote left in all the falls of the godly therefore wee must bee thankefull to God when wee have a desire to please him in all our courses Thirdly seeing there is a roote of grace left in all the falls of the godly Therefore if we cannot finde these workings of the Spirit nor the desires in us but perceive our selves to be dead hearted it is a shrewd signe that there is no roote of grace yet I say not but that God may in time and in the use of meanes worke grace in such a heart but for the present I can give such a disposition no incouragement of that estate till God worke more in them SERMON LVII IOHN 14. 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name hee shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you HAving spoken of the meanes whereby a man may know by infallible arguments that the holy Ghost is in him in the next place we are to speake what good and benefit wee have by the Holy Ghost for when we know the great good that comes by the Holy Ghost it will make us to prise it when wee have it and to seeke for it when we want it Therefore it shall not be amisse to see what this great good and benefit is that we have by the holy Ghost The Prophet David Psal 51. 11. prayes Lord take not thy Holy Spirit from me though thou take away my peace my Children my crowne and kingdome and other blessings yet Lord take not thy Spirit from me David knew the Spirit of God was a greater blessing than Peace Children Crowne Kingdome than all other blessings and benefits whatsoever It is true indeede that the benefits of the Holy Ghost are unspeakeable that no man can see them in the full latitude and extention because God is infinite yet wee may see some of them A man who comes to the Sea stands and lookes on it hee joyes to see it though hee cannot see the length nor the breadth of it so although a man cannot comprife the number of them yet it is a comfort to see some of them Now there are sixe speciall benefits that we have by the Holy Ghost The first worke is to shew us our wretched and miserable estate that wee stand in till we be brought home to Christ for no sooner are wee beginning to enter into an estate of grace but presently there is kept a marvellous stirre which troubles and disquiets us as long as the strong man holds possession Luk. 1. 21. Because the Spirit of God once come into us shewes us our sinnes and the wrath of God against them and that Hell is ready for us and then our thoughts cannot chuse but bee exceedingly troubled and we are so amazed as wee know not how to turne us Thus we see Paul was Act. 9. three dayes together he eate no meate but prayed in heavinesse and sorrow as Ezechiel 37. before life came into the dead bones there was a noyse a ratling shaking and trembling amongst them so before the Lord puts spirituall life into us there is as it were a noyse and a trembling and a shaking for sinne This is the worst wee shall feele from the Holy Ghost which is harsh to the flesh but comfortable to the Spirit because it is as an holy vomit that the Lord gives us to purge out our sins and corruptions which though bitter in taste at first is comfortable and giving ease at the latter end So Matth. 5. Christ saith Blessed are ye that mourne for ye shall be comforted and Psal 126. They which sow in teares shall reape in joy So that there is no teares more blessed and happy than those that are shed out for sinne Therefore in the harshest worke of the Spirit there is comfort as Matth. 1. Ioseph was sore perplexed about Mary and he thought to put her away secretly till the Angell came to him and said Feare not Ioseph to take Mary to be thy Wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost So when a christian is perplexed and troubled with his sinnes let him not be afraid for it is from the Holy Ghost So Gen. 25. 21. when Rebecca had conceived the Children dashed in her wombe that is they strove together Why am I thus saith shee and thereupon asked the Lord who said unto her Two Nations are in thy Wombe of whom the one shall be mightier than the other and the elder shall serve the yonger So when a Christian shall feele a striving in him let him be of good comfort there are two within him the spirit and the flesh the elder shall serve the younger the flesh shall bee but a slave to the spirit So then in the harshest worke of the spirit there is comfort and if there bee comfort in the troublesomest worke what comfort is there in the rest of the benefits The second benefit is Illumination to teach us the whole will of God as shall bee needfull for our salvation and so Christ saith in this place But the comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance which I have told you and Iohn 6. 45. saith he they shall all be taught of God so also 1 Ioh. 2.
of the world they are faine to creepe into Caves Dennes Vautes and secret places neither is it any marvell though writers have so little spoken of them and write of them as they have For as so Esay 26. 20. the Lord saith Come my people enter thereinto thy Chambers and shut thy Doores after thee hide thy selfe for a little season untill my indignation passe over So the Church of God is hidden sometimes from the rage of the world as that it cannot be descerned The Uses are That seeing the Church of God is sometimes hidden and sometimes scattered Therefore as soone as God giveth opportunitie wee should gather together againe into one assembly and setled Church We see in a storme if a Navie suffer some Shipwracke or be scattered as soone as the storme is over they will gather together againe so when a storme comes that is when persecution and trouble comes and so scatters the Church as soone as it is over that God giveth opportunity hee should gather together againe Secondly seeing the Church of God is sometimes a scattered Church and sometimes hidden therefore although wee be scattered in our bodies yet we should be one in faith the unitie of the Spirit and the acknowledging of the Sonne of God Sometimes the Church of God is visible and constituted in the way and order of Christ as were these Churches we read of in this place and divers others that be spoken of in the Scripture This is a rich blessing when the people of God may meete and live in societie together one with another to call upon God to heare the Word and to receive the Sacraments for the nourishing of faith and other graces of God in them whereas the Lord keepes open Schoole with us where wee may learne his will and wayes and where we may go to the Fountaines of grace to refresh our selves Therefore it must bee our wisedome to hold communion with the Church of God that we doe not separate from it for every light matter for toyes and trifles David saith Psal 26. 8. O Lord I have loved thy habitation and thine house the place where thine honour dwelleth so also Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seeke after even that I may dwell in the House of God all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visit his Holy Temple Now what is the reason that it is so great a blessing David could not be resolved hereof in a number of perturbations till hee went into the house of God as Psal 73. 16 17. he saith I thought to have found it out and it was too painefull for me untill I went into the Sanctuarie of God then un-understood I their end For betweene a scattered Church and a gathered Church this is the difference that the one being scattered stands by their owne strength and the other gathered stands by the mutuall help one of another as Acts 27. when Paul was in the Ship in danger and a number of others with him there were some that let downe the Boat out of the Ship and would have stollen away but Paul tells them Except ye abide in the ship ye are all like to perish so let us know that if wee doe not hold communion with the Church we cannot be saved Here wee are to observe two things First that this visible Church is a mixed company wherein is good and bad and therefore it is compared to a field wherein is wheate and tares and to a floore wherein is chaffe and corne and to a flocke wherein is sheepe and goates and because of this mixture wee are not to account the Church of God to bee no Church for a number of wicked men under the hope of ease and other priviledges doe joyne with the Church in outward duties but never partake of the life of grace and are not true members no more than a woodden legge is a true member of the body of a man for though it may bee a stay to the body yet it doth not partake of the life that is in the head therefore when the body is in safety the woodden legge may be in the fire so it shall be with all the wicked men that joyne in outward duties with the Church and doe not partake of the life of grace with them they shall bee cast into hell-fire when the true members shall goe into heaven therefore we must labour to bee true members of the Church and to feele a derivation of the life of grace from Christ or else when the true members be saved we goe to perdition Secondly a visible Church may bee in a more pure estate at some times than it is at other times even as a man that hath health and yet may catch a cold and diseases may breed upon him and may bee brought low so a constituted Church may lose the former beauty and good beginnings corruption of doctrine may creepe in and yet the Church bee a true Church still as were these seven Churches of Asia wherein were many corruptions crept for the which they were reprooved yea and the Church of Rome once was a pure Church but now it is a denne of devils Chrysostome saith such a Church may bee compared to spend-thrifts that when they have spent their money and treasure have nothing to brag of but their purses and chests so the Church of Rome having lost all her purity hath nothing to brag of but the name of a Church it hath lost the nature of the Church and retaines only the name Now here may a question be moved when a man should make separation from the Church First I answer though there be corruption in manners yet we are not to separate from it this is plaine by Scripture wee see the Children of Israel when they were in the wildernesse murmured against God and against Moses and committed many grosse sins yet Moses did not separate from them so in Christs time there were many corruptions amongst the Iewes and yet Christ did not separate from them so 1 Sam. 1. Wee see that Elkanah and his wife went up to the yeerely sacrifices when the Priests were wicked men for they lay with the women that did assemble at the doore of the Tabernacle and yet they joyned with them in the holy things of God Secondly wee are not to separate from the Church for some defects and wants for as a man may bee a true Christian a member of Christ and yet have many wants and defects so a Church may bee a true Church and yet have many wants and defects Thirdly we may not separate though there may bee some corruption in Doctrine in the worship and service of God we see that there was corruption of doctrine in Christs time for the Scribes and Pharisees had taught false doctrine Matth. 5. and yet Christ did not separate from them or his
Disciples but hee wils them to heare them so likewise in the booke of Kings the high places were not then taken away and yet they did not separate from them Now in two cases we may separate from them first when the Doctrine is corrupted in the fundamentall points for there bee some points which are the foundation of Religion and when they are corrupted the whole building must needs bee overturned as an house may bee an house though they take away the doores and windowes and some posts but if they take away the foundation then the house cannot stand it ceaseth to be an house so though religion be corrupted in some points yet it may bee so as the whole body may not bee subverted but if it bee corrupted in the foundation then it overturnes and will be destroyed in this case we are to separate from it Secondly we are to seperate when the worship and service is corrupted in the substance as when a man cannot joyne with them with a good conscience so when the worship of God was brought to the high places in that Ieroboam had set up calves in Dan and Bethel to worship then we see 2 Chron. 11. 14. the Priests and Levites came to Iudah and Ierusalem in this case wee are to separate and this is the reason why wee separate from the Church of Rome having both erred in the foundation and in the substance of Gods Worship SERMON LXII PSALME 87. 3. Glorious things are spoken of thee O Citie of God HAving declared what the Nature of the Church is and what bee the divers parts and estates of it in this world in the next place we are to consider what bee the priviledges and dignities of it for this assembly God hath graced with speciall dignities above all assemblies therefore wee should labour to bee members of it rather than of any other Now the dignities and priviledges may be considered in five heads First this that David speaketh of here that he cals the Church the Citie of God or as Paul termes it 1 Tim. 3. 15. the house of God because of all other places it is the speciall place where God dwelleth by the presence of his grace it is true indeed that God is present with his power in hell and this world is full of the presence of God in goodnesse as it is Psalm 119. 64. The earth is full of thy goodnesse but his gracious presence of quickning grace is to this assembly therefore because God dwelleth in a more eminent manner in this above all other assemblies it is called the house of God and the City of God Now this City excels all other cities in foure respects First all other cities were builded by men as Gen. 4. 17. it is said that Caine built a citie and called it by the name of his Sonne Henoch So also Gen. 10. 11. it is said that Nimrod out of that land sent forth Asher and builded Niniveh and the citie Rehoboth but this citie is builded and framed by God himselfe Matth. 16. Christ saith to Peter upon this rock will I build my Church c. and Ierem. 31. 4. saith God againe I will build thee and thou shalt bee builded O virgin Israel All other cities are builded by men but this citie is builded by God and hath its high originall from him And therefore wee may inferre because God is the builder thereof he will preserve and keepe it as Christ saith Matth. 16. that the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it so Zech. 12. 3. it is said and in that day will I make Ierusalem a burdensome stone all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in peeces though all the people of the earth were gathered together against it as Gen. 19. 13. the Sodomites did seeke to breake the doore open upon Lot but the Lord stroke them with blindnesse that they groped and could not finde the doore so it hath pleased God to cover the Church though the enemies thereof have sought to breake in upon it and to destroy it yet the Lord hath strooke them with blindnesse that they could not finde the meanes to doe it Therefore this citie hath this dignitie and roialtie above the rest because other cities are builded by men but this is builded by God Secondly they that live in other cities live in socities especially to preserve and mainetaine their bodies but in the Church of God in this citie they doe not so much live therein to mainetaine their bodies as their soules Againe in other cities they live in socitie to strengthen themselves against their enemies to mainetaine their lands and livings but in this which is the Church of God they live together not so much to maintaine their bodies and their outward estate but to mainetaine the inward graces of Gods Spirit and their interest unto heaven as Philip. 1. 27. saith Paul Onely let your conversation bee as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ that whether I come and see you or else bee absent I may beare of your matters that yee continue in one Spirit and in one minde fighting together in the faith of the Gospell And 1 Pet. 3. 7. Hee exhorts married couples to live together as heires of the grace of life So in this citie they live together especially to mainetaine faith and their comfort in God and their hope of heaven herein therefore in the second place this citie excels all other cities in the world Thirdly all the commodities of the country goe to the citie if there bee any thing better than other it is carried thither all to mainetaine a temporall life but in this citie which is the Church of God the Lord keepes publike market where a man may buy without money the graces of the Spirit where hee may have faith repentance and other graces needfull as Esai 55. 1. Hoe every one that thersteth come yee to the waters and yee that have no silver come buy and eate come I say and buy wine and milke without silver and money so Revel 3. 18. I counsell you to buy of mee gold tried in the fire that thee mayest bee made rich So then here in this citie the Lord keepes open market of spirituall graces that a poore Christian may furnish himselfe with whatsoever grace hee stands in need of and therefore it must bee our wisedome so to furnish our selves as that wee bee not to seeke when wee should use them Augustine saith well in the citie thy house is furnished with all good things those that bee rich amongst you have their houses furnished with a great deale of plate and pillars of marble and tapistrie and other fine ornaments but thou that art a Christian away with these they are but toyes and trifles in regard of spirituall graces but the house of God is furnished with spirituall graces faith repentance pardon of sinnes feeling of Gods favour and all holy and
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
8. it is said that Lots soule was vexed every day with the uncleane conversation of the Sodomites dwelling amongst them and yet they did not hurt with their hands If one man should set up a number of goodly lights and one should come and make a smoke in the roome it would dimme the lights so the Lord hath set up a number of Saints to shine as lights in this World and the Divell he thrusts in a number of vile and wicked men to make a smoke to dampe their light which although they cannot quite quench yet they much dimme this doth hinder and allay the sweete and comfortable communion that the Saints should have one with another Now in the Kingdome of Heaven there shall be no such matter as Matth. 13. 41. It is said that Christ will thrust out of his kingdome all things that offend so there shall not bee a wicked man left to hurt nor offend them so Esay 11. 9. it is said They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine and likewise Revel 21. 27. it is said And there shall enter into it no uncleane thing neither whosoever worketh abomination or telleth lies againe Revel 22. 15. saith he For without shall be dogges inchanters whoremongers murtherers Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh lies So all the wicked shall be excluded and shut out of the kingdome of God there shall be no body to hurt the Saints nor to grieve and offend them O how comfortable will the communion of Saints bee in Heaven Secondly Imperfectio bonorum the imperfection of good men for they be not perfectly sanctified in this world they are regenerated but in part partly flesh and partly spirit so by reason hereof there bee many jarres and brangles that doe arise amongst them as Gregory saith out of Psal. 10. that many times friends have much adoe to agree for wee see Abraham and Lot were both sanctified and holy men and yet there was a jarre betweene them they were glad to be parted Gen. 13. 8. so Paul and Barnabas wee both good and holy men and yet they were so at oddes one with another that they parted company Acts 15. 39. Damascen observeth that as there is no rose since the fall of Man but hath his prickles so there is no man even the best that is but hath some thing or other in him that is distastefull but in Heaven all these infirmities shall be taken away and then there will bee infinite matter of comfort As Gen. 21. 10. yee see that there was a jarre betweene Abraham and Sarah about the bondwoman and her childe who when shee was cast out all was at peace so many times there is contention and strife betweene Christians all being about the bondwoman and her Childe that is the reliques and remainders of corruptions in the flesh but when they shall be taken from us then wee shall have sweet agreement therefore if the communion of Saints be comfortable here how much more comfortable will it be in Heaven Thirdly distantia locorum that they live in remote places one from another and yet there is a providence of God in it For the People of God are said to be the salt of the Earth Salt must not be laid all in one place but it is sprinkled and scattered in every place to make meat seasonable and savoury that is unto many so the Godly doe not live all in one Towne Countrie and Place but are scattered and sprinkled all the world over to season the hearts of their brethren and their soules to make them savoury unto God so because they be thus scattered and hindered one from another this doth hinder and allay the sweet and comfortable communion that they should have one of another It is said Iudges 5. 16. For the divisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart for Reuben was placed on the other side of Iordan so that they could not get mutuall helpe from them because there was a River betweene them In like manner because there is a Iordan betweene the People of God in this World some living in one Countrie and some in another so that they cannot lend their mutuall helpe one to another this maketh great thoughts of heart and allayeth the comfort that they might have one of another but at the day of death they shall all goe into the kingdome of God and live in one place As Matth. 8. Christ shewes that they shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaak and Iaakob in the Kingdome of God Wee see how comfortable it is when a few Christians are met together to conferre pray and sing Psalmes who notwithstanding have their weaknesse and frailties and if it be so comfortable here what will it be when all the People of God shall meete together in Heaven If one see an infinite number of godly Diamonds shinning scattered here and there and they bee all brought into one roome what a light and lustre would there bee So the People of God are as a company of shinning Pearles or Diamonds that are seated here in this world but one day when all they are gathered together and brought into Heaven then what a wonderfull glory and shining will there be Fourthly Angustia amorum the narrownesse of their love for the People of God are bound to love as brethren and to tender the good one of another Now there is such a narrownesse in our love that we have much adoe to love our friends much lesse all the Saints for there be a number of Saints that we know not neither doe wee love all we know as we should doe but at the day of death when wee shall all meete together in Heaven then our love shall be inlarged and we shall love the whole Israel of God no brother loveth his brother so dearely as we shall love one another yea though we never saw them before nor heard of them then consider how great will our comfort be at that day when we shall part from this world and live together in Heaven Now besides all these there is a double communion wee have with the Saints 1. A communion with them in Grace 2. A communion with them in Glorie Therefore it must be every mans care to labour to appertaine to the communion of saints in grace that so they may come to have cōmunion with them in the kingdome of glory Indeed all men desire to appertain to the communion of saints in glory to go to the kingdome of Heaven like Balaam that desired to die the death of the righteous to be in glory and happinesse with the People of God but cared not to live godlily here But if ever wee expect to have communion with the Saints hereafter in the kingdome of Glory wee must bee sure to have communion with them here in the kingdome of Grace And therefore let us labour to repent us
Paul exhort to forgive one another their sinnes Col. 3. 13. To this I answer that in every sin of injustice there are two parties offended God and Man now man may forgive his part but it is God only that must forgive his part Levit. 6. 5 6. it is said Whatsoever one hath sworn falsely he shall even restore it in the principall and shall adde the fifth part more thereto and give it unto him unto whom it appertaineth the same day he offreth for his trespasses Also he shall bring unto the Lord a Ramme without blemish out of the flocke in thy estimation worth two sheckles for a trespasse offering to the Priest Hence I inferre it is not enough to make satisfaction to man but when we have done with him then wee must make our peace with God also Againe it is Objected the Ministers may forgive sinnes in the Gospell As Iohn 20. 23. saith Christ Whosoever sinnes ye retaine are retained I answere there is two courts that sinne hath to deale in In foro mundi the Court of this World and In foro Coeli the Court of heaven In the Court of this World the Minister may forgive and one Man may forgive another but in the Court of Heaven there is none but God that can forgive our sinnes Moreover there is the power of remission and the ministery of remission the power of remission that belongs to God for none but he hath power to forgive but the ministery of remission that belongs to the Minister hee may pronounce the forgivenesse of sinnes As we see Levit. 13. In the cleansing of the Lepers it was God onely that made them cleare the Priest did but pronounce them cleane So then this point is cleare that it is none but God that can forgive sinnes For use first let us consider what a grievous thing sinne is that none but God can forgive and free us from it We see how affraid men bee to breake a legge or arme or to hurt themselves because they would not fall into the Chirurgions hand and yet many of them can set a joynt and helpe us againe but when a man hath sinned there is none in Heaven nor in Earth that can helpe him but onely God therefore wee should be affraid to sinne against Him Wee see in nature that there are some diseasses that are hard to cure as the Stone the Gout the Strangury and many others notwithstanding the great difficulty of curing it yet there be some that can cure these but when a man hath sinned against God he hath done that that no man in the world can cure but God onely therefore how affraid should we be to commit sinne Secondly seeing there is none but God can forgive sinnes therefore when we have sinned wee should cast our eyes from this World and worldly friends and seeke to God for the pardon of them Great men may doe us some good when wee bee well and our friends may comfort us when wee be sicke but when our consciences are dejected for sinne there is none but God can give us comfort A man may looke upon his gold and silver his goods and his lands as a sicke man lookes on his meate not taking delight in any thing because he lookes for the judgement and sentence of God to passe upon him this whole world cannot release him nor give him comfort but it must be God that must doe it therefore we must seeke to him for the pardon of our sinnes for howsoever a man doth not feele his sinnes in the time of securitie and peace yet when his sinnes shall come upon him and accuse him then he shall feele them then is the time that they shall stand in need of God as Iudges 10. 14. the Lord saith to the people Goe and crie unto your gods which ye have chosen let them free you in the time of your trouble so the Lord will say to us in the time of our distresse if we despise him in the time of our health and peace Goe and crie to the Gods that ye have served and see if they can helpe you in the time of your neede goe to your pleasur's and profits and see if they can help you we see that such a time will come that we shall stand in neede of his helpe therefore let us seeke for it in time while we may have it Wee say at this time wee have neede of raine but can your Kings and Queenes give it can your Princes and Nobles no none can doe it but God therefore we must have recourse to him for it and seeke it at his hands If a man dwell by the Sea side where there is a great banke betweene him and the Sea the Shippes passe by and all the commodities none whereof can bee brought unto him but if he can digge downe the banke and cut a sluce through into the Sea then hee may bring the commodities home to himselfe so we dwell by an infinite Sea of Gods goodnesse there being a great banke between us and that which is a banke of sinne so that all the commodities goodnesse and mercie of God passeth by us therefore wee must digge downe this banke of sinne and make a sluce through by prayer and repentance so to draw Gods goodnesse and mercy home to our selves and seeing there is none but God can forgive us our sinnes let us keepe God our friend and if wee have at any time offended him let us not be at rest till we have sought his favour againe and feele the comfort of the pardon and forgivenesse of our sinnes Sixthly God doth not absolutely forgive men their sinnes without any condition but it is upon condition if they will repent It is such a condition that we cannot have pardon of our sinnes without it It is not the cause of it but it is a necessary condition whereby wee are made fit and capable of Heaven and Heavenly things these two goe together repentance and forgivenesse of sinnes these Christ hath conveyed together here in this Scripture that I read unto you that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his Name so Acts 3. 15. Peter saith Amend your lives therefore and turne that your sinnes may be put away If wee will repent of them renounce them and labour to get strength against them then God will forgive them but if we will not repent of them nor renounce them but live in them and nourish them in our bosomes then wee can looke for no forgivenesse there are thousands that doe deceive themselves selves this way who thinke that forgivenesse of sinnes is absolute though they doe nothing but live as they list yet God will forgive them but we are to know it is conditionall if we doe repent of them And therefore let all men take heed that they doe not deceive themselves in this Thus much of the generall Now we come to the
sinnes are pardoned is to conside with ones selfe if his heart hath beene set at peace by the use of good meanes whereas before hee hath beene troubled in conscience for his sinnes if he hath repented of them and prayed unto God for the pardon of them if his heart hath beene set at peace in the use of these meanes hee may assure himselfe that his sinnes are pardoned this is Pauls Reason Rom. 5. 1. Then being justified by faith wee have peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ therefore if a man can finde peace in his conscience upon the use of good meanes this is an evidence that his sinnes are pardoned If a man be run in debt and danger and the kings writs be out against him the Bayliffes lying in every bush to take arrest and carry him into prison so that he cannot be at rest nor quiet for them now if this partie hath a friend to go to London to compound the matter and to agree it the question is how a man shall know whether his friend hath composed the matter or no I answer if the Bailiffes be gone home againe and the man at rest and quiet againe by this hee may bee sure that his friend hath composed and agreed the matter In like manner when we are runne in the Briers of debt and danger and heare that Gods writs are out against us the judgements of God lying in every bush as it were like Bayliffes to arrest us and carry us to prison if we can send a friend to compose the matter and agree it that is if we can send our prayers up to Heaven to compose the matter with God if upon this one finde his conscience to bee set at peace and the judgements of God to cease and be removed from him this is a comfortable evidence that his sinnes are pardoned therefore although a man may bee a sinner yet if a man can repent of them and finde by comfortable effects that his sinnes are pardoned hee shall have comfort both in life and death and when he hath lived here a few dayes in this world shall goe home to God to live with Abraham Isaak and Iaakob in the Kingdome of Heaven SERMON LXXII IOHN 11. 23 24. Jesus saith unto her Thy Brother shall rise againe Martha said unto him I know that he shall rise againe in the Resurrection at the last day IT was my purpose to have spoken no more at this time of Forgivenesse of sinnes but upon further meditation there is something more that I must impart unto you which is To know what that comfort is that a Christian man may have when hee beleeves his sins are pardoned and that he is acquitted and discharged for them before the judgement seat of God I answer that the comfort is exceeding great First because if a man knowes by infallible evidence that his sinnes are pardoned then he knowes he shall bee saved and death shall be as no death to him and that after this life hee shall goe into Heaven to glory and happinesse Seeing nothing can hinder a man from Heaven but sinne as it is Revel 21. ult And there shall enter in no uncleane thing Therefore if we know that our sinnes are pardoned we may be comforted for as soone as we leave this world we shall goe to God As Luke 23. as soone as the good Theefe had obtained pardon for his sinnes the next thing that Christ saith to him is This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and therefore if we know that our sinnes are pardoned then we know wee shall be saved and wee shall goe into the Kingdome of Heaven Secondly if our sinnes bee pardoned then wee know that all that God â—â—nds unto us comes of Love and that all our crosses and troubles he will turne to our good so that they bee not the wounds of an enemy but the love-tokens of a friend like the arrowes that were shot by Ionathan not to hurt but to forewarne so all crosses and troubles of this life shal turne to his good As soone as David had found the pardon and forgivenesse of his sinnes hee could say Of very faithfulnesse the Lord had afflicted him As a loving father giveth a bitter potion to his childe hee will put a peece of sugar into his hand secretly to allay the bitternesse of it so though the Lord give us a bitter potion that is a number of troubles and afflictions here in this life he puts into our hands as it were secretly a peece of sugar that is an assurance that all the troubles and afflictions of this life are sent in love to us and that they shall not hurt us but shall turne to our good Thirdly Then we know that as God hath taken away our sinne hee will take away the taile which followes it that is the punishment of sinne for the punishment of sinne followeth the act of it as the shadow doth the bodie for if we would remove the shadow wee must remove the body so God when he doth remove the body of sinne then the shadow must needs follow it We read Matth. 5. that when they brought a lame man to Christ the first thing that he saith to him is Sonne thy sinnes are forgiven thee after which the next words are Take up thy bed and walke So when the Lord takes away our sinnes he will take away the punishment of sinne Therefore in all the crosses and troubles that befall us we are not to deale with the shadow but with the body of sinne if we remove that we may be sure the shadow will be removed These be the three comforts that a man may have by the knowledge of forgivenesse of his sinnes therefore it is a good thing for a man to know in particular that his sinnes are forgiven Now wee come to speake of the other two blessings and benefits which the Lord doth give and grant to the Church in the life to come and the one is The raising of our bodies at the last day the other Life everlasting and these two blessings he hath reserved till the day of judgement closing up and making an end of all with them yet not a finall end for they shall have no end because the Lord will bestow eternall happinesse on them so that that day though it be a dolefull day to others yet it shall be a joyfull day to the Church of God and a day that they have many a day looked for and desired Now in handling of it we are first to consider The order of Gods distribution that he giveth us First the benefits and blessings of this life and then those of eternall life Hence we are instructed that that which is the order of Gods distribution must be the order in our intention for wee must labor to have communion with the saints here in this life and to have
say they If the same bodies rise then they rise with a number of needlesse parts for what shall a man need teeth seeing they shall eate no meate and what shall they need a stomacke seeing there is no concoction or digestion and what shall a man need bowels seeing there is no redundance to fill them Augustine shall answer this saith he concerning the teeth they bee needfull for a man hath two uses of them they serve to eate with and they are to helpe our speech therefore though we have no need of teeth in regard of eating yet we shall have need of them to speake with for in Heaven we shall praise God and sing the song of Moses and of the Lambe so then all our teeth are needfull Now for the other parts of the body they are saith hee for sight and comelinesse for though there be no need of the stomacke to concoct or of bowels because there is no redundance yet these shall bee as ornaments to the body to adorne and beautifie it for even in this life there are some things which a man hath that are not needfull as a mans beard it is not a needfull thing for a man might live without it hee might speake without it yet nature hath given us it for an ornament and comelinesse So likewise a woman shee hath breasts necessarily for to nourish and feede her child therewithall but why a man should have the like that seeing he hath no use or need of them we see no other reason but they are for an ornament and to beautifie the body In like manner though we shall not neede after this life a stomacke to concoct nor bowels to receive and disperse yet they shall bee for ornament to our bodies Thirdly say they the same bodies doe not rise because they be heavy and ponderous bodies for how shall heavie and ponderous bodies stay above the Clouds in the pure Heaven which is more pure and thin than the Ayre To this I answer that if a man may fill a great vessell of lead and make it swim above water by drawing the Ayre into it why then may not God draw his Spirit into us and fill us therewith so making our heavie bodies abide above the Clouds as well as a man can make a vessell of lead to swimme above the water Secondly I answer that every thing abides in his owne proper place at Gods appointment As the Clouds which are heavie and full of wet would fall downe to the ground if God had not appointed the Ayre to bee the proper place for them so likewise the water would bee above the land but that the Sea is the place that God hath appointed for the water so it is Gods assignement that makes the proper place of a thing And therefore because Heaven is the proper place of a glorified body as the Earth of a mortall body therefore I say our bodies shall remaine here till the day of judgement in this Earth and then when our bodies are made glorified bodies they shall abide in the Heavens As Psal 115. 16. David saith The Heavens even the Heavens are the Lords but He hath given the Earth to the Sonnes of Men so then the proper place of our mortall bodies is the Earth but when our bodies are glorified then they shall be as naturally in Heaven and live and abide there as they doe now on the Earth The uses are three First seeing wee shall rise with the same bodies therefore wee must be carefull to keepe them well that they may bee pure and unspotted without sinne It is Pauls conclusion 1 Cor. 6. 18. Flie fornication every sinne that a man doth is without the body but hee that commits fornication sinneth against the body so because we shall rise againe let us flie every sin and corruption and keepe our bodies unspotted that so wee may bee presented pure and holy before him at that day for what a shame will it be to stand before God in judgement when wee have wronged God by our sinnes grieved and offended him and when our heavenly Iudge shall say unto us Are not these the eyes that yee have let in lust with and looked after vanitie Are not these the tongues that yee have told so many lies with Are not these the mouthes that yee have sworne and blasphemed my Name with Are not these the hands yee have wrought wickednesse with Are not these the feete that have carried you to sinne and vanitie to places of disorder and then how shall wee be able to answer the Lord Therefore beloved how carefull should we be to live well to keepe our bodies unspotted that wee may have comfortat that day We see 2 Chron. 36. 8. when Iehoiakim was dead there was found the characters markes and prints of his â—orcery howsoever he could beare it out because he was a King and smother up the matter and keepe it close yet when hee was dead there was the markes and prints of his forcery found on his body so howsoever sinners may hide their sins and beare them out while they live yet when they be dead there shall be found the markes and prints and Characters of their foule sinnes that they have committed therefore let us keepe our bodies pure and unspotted that wee may have comfort at that day Secondly seeing the same bodies which wee lay downe shall rise againe therefore we should depose and lay them downe well at the day of death and make a holy close of our lives to die in Faith and Repentance that so we may goe to God If a man put off his garment and meanes to put it on againe he will not rend it off his backe and teare it but will put it off tenderly and lay it up safe that so it may doe him service againe and grace him before his friends so seeing our bodies are as garments for our soules when we put them off let us labor to depose and lay them downe well at the day of death to die in Faith and Repentance that our bodies may grace us and do us credit at the day of judgement before God To this purpose 2 Pet. 1. 14. saith Saint Peter I thinke it meete as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in minde seeing I know that the time is at hand that I must lay downe this my Tabernacle even as our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed me so also S. Paul 2 Cor. 5. saith for we know that if this earthly house of our Tabernacle be dissolved we have a building given us of God c. There is great difference betweene a souldier destroying of an house and one that dissolves a house he that destroyes an house will pull downe the timber and stones and careth not where he flings them nor what becommeth of them because he doth not purpose to use them againe But a man that dissolves an
house he will take it downe peece by peece in parts with great care and diligence and will lay it up safe because he meanes to build with it againe so because wee know that our bodies shall rise againe at the last day therefore we must not destroy our bodies but labour to repose them and lay them downe well at the day of death Thirdly seeing the same body shall rise againe that we have here in this world and the same that we lay downe at the day of death therefore here this great question may be answered whether we may know one another at the day of judgement This question need be no question seeing we shall rise againe with the same bodies that we lye downe with here therefore surely wee shall know one another in Heaven and wee have reasons to confirme us in it First because our knowledge shall be more perfect at that time than ever Adams was in the time of innocencie for if Adam did know his wife as soone as she was brought him though hee never saw her before therefore much more wee shall know one another seeing our knowledge shall bee more perfect and we shall rise with the same bodies that wee lived with here Secondly On the Mount his Disciples had but a taste of the Heavenly glorie and yet Peter knew Moses and Elias although they were dead many thousand yeeres before if hee knew them when hee had but a taste of glory much more we shall know one another when wee shall have fulnesse of glory Thirdly Our happinesse shall bee greatly increased by meanes of the mutuall societie one with another Matth. 8. 11. But I say unto you that many shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaak and Iaakob in the Kingdome of God therefore seeing our happinesse shall bee greatly increased then by mutuall societie wee are not to thinke that we shall goe to a strange people where we know no body but wee shall goe to our godly friends and acquaintance and to such as we know Fourthly Wee shall heare the inditement of the wicked at the day of Iudgement there we shall here them arraigned and condemned for their vile facts Cain for killing of Abel Pharaoh for oppressing the Israelites Iudas for betraying of his Master Nero for killing of Christians when we heare them indited and condemned we shall know them And as wee shall know the wicked so we shall know the Godly too when they shall be rewarded which me thinkes may bee a motive to quicken us in our care to live holily and Christianly here in this World seeing wee goe not to a strange Countrie or people but to our friends and acquaintance and to such as know us Thirdly The Time when we shall rise that is at the day of judgement then and never till then so Martha sayes in this place I know my Brother shall rise againe in the Resurrection at the last day so also S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. 51. We shall not all sleepe but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trumpet for the Trumpet shall blow and the dead shall bee raised up so then wee shall rise at the last judgement and never till that time Now there are foure reasons of this delaying First Because there might be a proportion betweene Christ and his members for Christ when he was dead did not rise again by and by but lay a time trampled and troden underfoot of death so also that wee might lie a time under the chaines and fetters of death God suffers us not to rise till then Ireneus shuts up his Booke with this saying Even as our Heavenly Master did not flie to Heaven by and by but did remaine under death and in the Grave for a time so all his servants must be contented to lie in the Grave and to be trampled and trodden underfoote of death for a time before they goe to Heaven Secondly Because that the bodies of all the faithfull that are gone before and those that come after might have their full consummation of glory together Therefore they shall not rise to prevent one another in glory but they shall all goe together As Saint Paul saith 1 Thes 4. 15. For this say wee unto you by the Word of the Lord that we which live and are remaining unto the comming of the Lord shall not prevent them that sleepe so wee shall not get the start of them but we shall arise all together to glory This is a sweet comfort to us that live in the last age of the world that all the Saints that are departed shall not rise to this Heavenly glory till wee be ready but lie waiting in their Graves for us We read 1 Sam. 16. 11. When Samuel came to Ishai to annoint David Ishai called all his Sonnes before him to whom Samuel said Are there no more children but these there remaineth said Ishai yet a little one behinde that keepeth sheepe unto whom Samuel said Send and fetch him for we will not sit downe till he come hither so the People of God they lie waiting in their graves and are kept from their honour and glory and will not sit downe in the Kingdome of Heaven as it were till we all meete together Thirdly For the further declaration of the Power of Christ for it is a greater matter that Christ should raise men that have lien rotting in the Grave a thousand yeeres together than for to raise men when they are newly dead therefore Martha said to Iesus My brother stinketh already for he hath beene dead these foure dayes Therefore it is not so easie a matter to raise him as it was Iairus daughter and the widdowes sonne so Ezek. 37. 3. the Lord said unto him Sonne of Man can these dead and drie bones live and I answered saith the Prophet Lord thou knowest it is a hard matter to doe it therefore this declaration is for the further manifestation of the Power of Christ Fourthly For the further confirmation of our faith for looke how many there are of the dead bodies of the Saints amongst us so many pledges and pawnes there are of our Redemption for although wee might doubt in our selves of our owne bodies rising in regard of the badnesse of our lives and in regard of our vile sinnes yet because there bee so many bodies of the dead Saints amongst us wee neede not doubt but that he will raise them up one day to glory There are three bodies already ascended into Heaven Henoch in the time of Nature Elias in the time of the Law and Christ in the time of the Gospell and for these three bodies hee hath left many thousand bodies of the dead Saints remaining under death and in the grave to bee pledges and pawnes to us of our Resurrection one saith well we have here in
this world many pawnes and pledges of our resurrection therefore let us not doubt but that the Lord one day will raise our bodies Saint Paul speaks hereof Heb. 11. ult God saith hee providing better things for us that they without us should not be made perfect so we shall not prevent one another but shall all goe together The use is First seeing the bodies of the Saints doe not rise till the day of Iudgement therefore we must be contented to lye under affliction and trouble till God deliver us We see all the bodies of the Saints be trampled and troden underfoot of death till the day of judgement and therefore we must be contented to wait with patience for a time til the Lord deliver us out of trouble seeing there will bee a day of deliverance The second use is that seeing the bodies of the Saints rise not till the day of judgement therefore we should waite for it desire it and long for it as Rom. 8. we read of two sorts of groners the Creatures grone by the instinct of Nature and the People of God grone by the instinct of grace so that there is never a Creature that is well ordered sensible or unsensible but doth grone and long for that day therefore much more shuld we long for that time and desire it If a man hath broken an Arme or put a Leg out of joynt if one hath promised him that he will come to set and put it into joynt againe at such an houre hee will every foote be looking out of his window for his comming so seeing at the day of judgement the Lord will restore us againe to our former integritie we should long for that day and be looking for it Thirdly seeing the Dead shall not rise till the day of judgement therefore why doe men so pamper their bodies to cloath them so fine and to feede them so daintily who cannot indure the winde to blow upon them seeing they must goe to the dust bee companions with the wormes and dwell in the house to rottennesse therefore all our care must be to save our soules to get faith in Christ to repent of our sinnes and so to shut up our eyes in this world as that they may bee opened in the Kingdome of glory for ever SERMON LXXIII IOHN 11. 23 24. Jesus saith unto her Thy Brother shall rise againe Martha said unto him I know that he shall rise againe in the Resurrection at the last day HAving shewed that our bodies rise againe and that the same bodies shall rise that we lay downe in the third place we came to consider the Time when we should rise At the day of Iudgement then and never till then As Iob 14. 11 12. saith he As the Waters faile from the Sea and the Flood decayeth and drieth up So Man lieth downe and riseth not till the Heavens be no more they shall not awake nor bee raised out of their sleepe and also 1 Cor. 15. 52. it is said For the Trumpet shall blow and the dead shall bee raised up so then wee shall rise and never till then Some reasons then I named why we shall not rise till then which now I will not repeat but goe on where we left Here a question may bee asked seeing wee must lye so many yeares and ages rotting in the grave what may the meane while bee our comfort to uphold and sustaine us I answer that there are some things to comfort us and sustaine us in this case First that God will be present with us that he will not leave us nor forsake us no not in the grave this is a sweet comfort to us our wives and friends bring us to the grave lay us in and there leave us for there is none of them that will goe downe with us to the place of rottennesse but here is comfort that the Lord will not leave us there but hee will goe to the grave with us and will watch over our dead ashes by the eye of his providence to keepe them till the day come in which hee will raise them up againe as Gen. 46. 4. saith God to Iaakob I will goe downe into Egypt with thee and I will bring thee up againe so the Lord will go downe with us into the grave and tarry with us and will watch over us with the eye of his Providence to keepe our dead ashes and bring us out againe Rizpah is condemned for that shee kept the dead bodies of Sauls sonnes that she did spread a tent over them and kept them that the fowles should not devour them by day nor the beasts by night but much more may wee admire and wonder at the goodnesse of God to us that hee goes downe into the grave with us spreads his tent over us and will keepe our dead ashes which one day hee will bring out againe this is a sweet comfort to a Christian that the Lord will not leave us nor forsake us no not in the grave though our wives and friends leave us yet God will not The second comfort is that although our bodies lye rotting in the grave yet our soules shall be blessed and happy this was Pauls comfort 2 Cor. 5. For we know that if this earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroyed we have a building given us of God c. and so Revel 6. 11. The soules that lay under the Altar cried How long Lord and it is said that long white robes were given them that is that they were comforted with the glorious and blessed estate of their soules Indeed if our soule should not goe to glory presently but should lye as the body in the paine of rottennesse then we might say as Salomon saith Proverb 17. 22. the hope that is deferred is the drying of the bones c. but because the soule goes presently to God and is in an estate of glory and happinesse though the body lye in the place of rottennesse therefore this may comfort us a good soule is like the good spies wee read of Numb 13. that were sent into the land of Canaan to search the land when they came backe againe to the children of Israel they tell them that the land is a good and pleasant land that they have tasted of the fruits thereof and therefore let us not bee slothfull to enter in so the good soule that goes before into the heavenly Canaan and hath a tast of the fruit of it when it returnes againe into the body to live in communion and fellowship with it will say to the body Here is a good and pleasant land I have tasted of the fruite of it therefore let us not bee slothfull to enter in and possesse it Thirdly this may comfort us in that although we lye in the grave a long time yet Christ hath sanctified and sweetned the grave unto us by lying in it himselfe and hath perfumed it as Chrysostome saith
corruptions to quicken thee up to newnesse of life or else thou shalt feele the power of Christ to raise thee at the last day to thy confusion Thirdly seeing all shall rise by the power of Christ therefore let us not doubt but that the Lord will raise us out of our troubles whatsoever they be seeing hee will raise our bodies at the last day Wee read Ezek. 37. that the Lord said to the Prophet Sonne of Man can these dead bones live and so bade him prophesie upon the bones till bone ran to his bone flesh and sinewes grew on them againe and there was a great army that stood up verse 11. saith the Lord Sonne of Man these bones are the whole house of Israel that did lie in captivitie and bondage therefore the Lord did shew the Prophet that as hee was able to raise these dead bones to life so hee was able to bring them out of trouble and bondage againe Therefore doe not thou doubt but that the Lord will raise thee out of thy troubles whatsoever they be As Psal 86. 13. David saith great iâ— thy mercy towards me and thou hast delivered my soule from the lowest grave Therefore if thou dost not beleeve that God will raise thee out of thy troubles whatsoever they be then blot this article out of thy Creede and search it out for it he can raise thy body out of the grave then doe not doubt but that he can raise thee out of thy troubles whatsoever they be Fifthly In what estate our bodies shall rise in in an estate of glory Now they are mortall and mutable subject to a number of infirmities to hunger nakednesse cold sicknesses diseases and paines now they are dull and heavie in the service of God but at the last day when we shall rise againe our bodies shall bee made immortall and shall bee subject to no infirmities of nature sicknesses or paines then they shall have strength to performe their owne actions in so excellent and perfect an estate our bodies shall rise If a Physitian should out of his Art and skill give us such a potion that we should never hunger nor thirst after it and should be free from sicknesses diseases paines and griefes a man would give many a pound to procure it such a potion the Lord will give us at the last day hee will give us a cup of immortalitie that wee shall have no more paines and sicknesses therefore how should wee long and desire for that day Matth. 18. 8. our Saviour Christ saith It were better for a man to enter into life hurt and maimed than having two hands and two feete to be cast into Hell fire It were better for a man to goe to Heaven wanting his parts than for a man to goe to Hell with all the glory that this world can afford him and yet we may have this assured hope that we shall not goe deformed to Heaven but we shall have all our parts and glory put on them but whosoever cares not for Christ or for religion they shall see this glory put upon the People of God and shall not taste of it Let us therefore be exhorted to labor to have communion with Christ to repent us of our sins and to feare God that when death commeth our eyes may be so shut up in this world as they may be open in the Kingdome of God for ever Chrysostome saith that the Goldsmith putteth into a pot his silver or his gold then hee sets the pot into the fire and melts it where he formes a bowle or a cup to set before the king so the Lord melts us by death and then out of the dead ashes and cinders of the bodies of his servants hee frameth and will make them goodly vessels of honour to stand before him in his Temple One sayes well It is a good thing to thinke of the future glory of the body especially in the time of sicknesse and in the houre of death against the crawling of the wormes and the place of rottennesse Iob comforteth himselfe with this for I am sure that my Redeemer liveth and hee shall stand the last on the Earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy this flesh yet shall I see God with my flesh Iob. 19. so wee must comfort our selves in the like time of extremity Now this glory shall not bee from the redundance of the spirit onely but in regard of the blessed and happy estate that the body shall be in at that time As 1 Cor. 15. 42. saith the Apostle It is sowen in corruption and is raised in incorruption it is sowen in weaknesse and it is raised in power so the glory of the body shall be in regard of the blessed estate that it shall be in at that time Now in sixe things the glory of the body consists First the glory of the body consists in that there shall be all the parts of the body perfect and entire they shall want nothing howsoever a man may be maimed or deformed want a hand or an eye a legge or a finger or an eye here yet all shall be supplied to him at that day and that for two Reasons First Because all things shall be reduced to their former estate for as Peter shewes Acts 3. 21. speaking of Christ whom the Heavens must containe and keepe untill the time that all things shall bee restored in the beginning the body of man was made perfect and intire wanting nothing either for beautie or comelinesse therefore to this estate it shall bee restored againe Secondly Tertullian raiseth it from another ground Revel 21. 4. where it is said there shall be no more death alwaies saith he in the greater is inferred the lesser therefore if death be expelled from the whole man then it seemeth to bee expelled from every particular member and therefore for conclusion the bodies of the Saints shall rise perfect and entire againe with all the parts The use is seeing all our parts shall be perfect and entire at that day we must comfort our selves with this though wee want an eye a hand or a foote for we know by faith that they shall all be restored againe at the last day if a man should want a member an eye a legge or an arme and there were one could restore it to him againe he would give many pounds to have it supplied but better by many degrees is the estate of Gods children for let a man feare God make conscience of his waies repent his sinnes and labour to please him and hee may bee assured the Lord will restore to him all his parts and that not onely to himselfe but also to his family and friends Secondly seeing at the day of judgement all our parts shall be restored againe by Christ we should not bee affraid to forgoe any of them for the Name of Christ for hee that did restore the eare of Malchus which was his enemy
as Philosophers say the end of a thing is the first thing in intention the last in execution which doth order the rest of the actions and is like the sterne of a ship that commeth behind but yet doth order and guide it this way and that in all the turnings so eternall life is the first thing in a Christian mans intention and the last thing in execution which must order all our actions for to what end doe wee pray repent us of our sinnes and walke holily and obediently here but to this end that wee may come to everlasting life Wee see when the Merchants have beene trading a long time at Sea at last they put their ship into the harbor to rest and stay there so when Christians have beene in the Sea of this world a long time trading they must put their ship into the harbour that is come to life everlasting there to rest and stay themselves Great is the folly of the men of this world who dote and thinke upon the things of this life which the Devill knew well when hee said Iob 1. all that a man hath hee will give for his life c. even the very skinne and yet this life is but a shaddow of that life and a way unto it Therefore brethren let us bee in love with eternall life let it bee our wisedome so to spend our time here in the feare of God as that wee may come to life everlasting Which is the next thing we are to speak of but here mans wisedome becomes folly in that the deepest reach of any created understanding is too shallow to comprehend the immeâ—sity of this life for as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 3. 9. Eye hath not seene neither eare heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him so saith David also Psal. 31. 19. O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid up for them that trust in thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sonnes of men S. Paul also saith That he was taken up into Paradise heard words which cannot bee spoken which are not possible to be uttered This is so great a matter as the tongues of Angells are not able to expresse it and therefore when I or any other am to speake of life everlasting wee are to consider that no man is able to expresse it for if a man stand on the Sea-shore and looke on it hee cannot see the length breadth and the extension of it yet they may see that it is an infinite great thing so though life everlasting bee a thing that no man can see the full extension of yet wee may conceive it to bee an exceeding glorious thing therefore whatsoever wee heare any man to speake of eternall life wee are to conceive it is more than any man can expresse It is not as David saith Psal 48. 8. As we have heard so wee have seene in the citie of our God But as the Queene of the South said of the wisedome of Salomon that the one halfe was not told mee which I have seene So wee may say when wee come to possesse everlasting life it was a true saying that Gods Preachers told mee of Heaven and of everlasting life but they have not told me halfe that which I finde and therefore oh that God should shew such mercie to poore sinners here in this life to give them hope of Heavenly things and make them partakers of everlasting life of whom wee may say with David 2 Sam. 7. 18. Who am I ô Lord God and what is my Fathers house that thou hast brought mee hitherto And this was yet a small thing in thy sight ô Lord God but thou hast spoken also of thy servants house for a great while to come c. So wee may say Lord what am I and what is my Fathers house that thou shouldest bestow this great mercie and goodnesse on mee so vile a creature Now wee are to consider of this in two heads 1 In the things we shall be freed from 2 In the things we shall enjoy First the things we shall be freed from are six first from all necessities of nature here are a number of things we stand in need of an house to put our heads in meat and drinke to nourish us cloathes to cover our nakednesse wee have need of fire to warme us and a bed to lye on and sleepe and physick and a number of things but in the life to come God shall be all in all to us musick to our eares Manna to our tast wee shall drinke of the Rivers of his pleasures and the kingdome of God shall be a house for us to dwell in and the armes of God a bed for us to lye in wee shall bee fed with Angels food with the contemplation of God for Christ wee know told the Iewes I have meat that yee know not Now if the contemplation of God bee so great here in the estate of Grace much more it will be in the life of Glory where wee shall no more hunger nor thirst nor be subject to nakednesse or infirmities of nature we shall have need of nothing for God shall be strength to our bones and rest to our eyes c. therefore thinke of this thou that art a poore Christian to comfort thy selfe with when thou art in want and necessitie when thou wantest food to feed thee clothes to keepe thee warme that one day thou shalt bee freed from all the necessities of nature but the wicked shall be subject to hunger and thirst and to all the miseries of nature if they doe desire but the least drop of water to refresh them they shall not have it The people of God shall be free from all these things which now kings and queenes are subject unto for God shall be all in all to them At thy right hand there are joyes and pleasures for evermore as David saith Psalm 16. 11. then we shall not need house food rayment or sleepe but shall be freed from all these things Secondly from all the labours of this life here wee are subject to sore labour for it is the sentence of God upon us all Gen. 3. 19. that in the sweat of our face we must eate our bread till wee returne to dust againe and Psal 128. 2. It is the blessing of Gods people that they shall eate the labour of their hands so we see all are subject to labour as it is Iob 5. 7. Man is borne to labour as the sparkes fly upwards but here is the comfort of it if a man feares God and repents him of his sinnes gets faith in Christ and walkes holily here he shall one day bee freed from all labours even so saith the Spirit Revel 14. 13. Blessed are they that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them and Saint Paul layes it
downe as a ground Heb. 4. 9. that there remaines a rest for the People of God here in this world they have a great deale of trouble therefore Habbak 1. 13. the Prophet complaineth Wherefore dost thou looke upon the transgressour and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than himselfe so Psalm 34. 19. David saith Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord doth deliver them out of all so here is the stay of a Christian though he hath a great deale of trouble and affliction yet there remaineth a rest for the people of God One saith well all Gods works were good who when he had laboured six dayes rested the seventh day so saith he if thy workes are good which thou doest then after thy labour thou shalt have rest when the wicked shall have neither rest nor peace The Children of Israel when they were in the wildernesse endured sore labour but here was their comfort that their labour tended to Canaan to give rest unto them as it is Ier. 30. 2. He walked before Israel to cause him to rest so though the People of God have sore labour forty yeares together yet because they bee in the way to Heaven and to the kingdome of God where they shall have rest endlesse comfort and bee free from all both bodily and spirituall labours they should be comforted now it is a labour for mee to preach to get learning but then all these things shall cease and we shall bee infinitely indued with all heavenly knowledge as 1 Cor. 12. 9. saith Saint Paul Now we know but in part prophecie in part but when that which is perfect is come then that which is imperfect shall be abolished so the Prophet Esay saith Wee shall be all taught of God therefore who would not but endure a little labour here seeing hee shall have eternall rest Philosophers say that All things rest when they come at their proper place but heaven is the proper place of Gods people where they shall have rest therefore let us be contented to take a little labour and paines that we may have rest in the life to come If a king should say to us goe walke in such a high way cole-pit or in such a mine but a few dayes after which ye shall be free from all labours then I will keepe and maintaine you for ever who is there but would bee contented to take any paines and labour for a little time that so he may be freed from everlasting torment so seeing the Lord will one day free us from all our labours if we will bee contented to labour here in this world and to doe that which the Lord commandeth us we shall one day bee free from all labours and shall rest in the kingdome of God It was the manner of the ancient Romans that if any man had gone out to warres and had returned safe home againe he should ever after bee kept without labouring any more so the Lord hath sent us out to warre against our sinnes lusts and the devill after which when we returne home to heaven we shall be freed from all our labours Thirdly wee shall be freed from originall sinne and the fruits of it in the time of this life what is it that a Christian would not give to bee free from originall sinne and the fruits thereof indeed a prophane man is loth to part from his sinnes which he cannot live without no more than a fish can live without the water as wee heard in the forenoone but Christians will part with their meat and drinke with any thing to bee rid of it for they desire above all things to bee rid of corruption so Paul cryeth out Rom. 7. Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from this body of this death After this life wee shall no more displease God but be free from originall sinne which is the corruption of nature now it may be repressed but not quite abolished till the day of death as the Childe was rent and torne by the devill when hee departed out of it so sinne will deale with us but here is the comfort that in the life to come wee shall be freed from it and the fruits of it and shall no more grieve God as Iosh 10. 25. when he had discomfited the five kings he did not kill them by and by but put them into a cave and rolled a great stone on them to keepe them in untill he had made an end of killing of his enemies then he commanding them to roll away the stone from the Caves mouth they brought out these kings that the chiefe of his men might set their feet on their necks ere he killed them in like manner our great captaine Iesus Christ will doe by originall sinne and the fruit thereof in us which shall not be quite killed in this life but subdued brought under put into a cave as it were and great stones rolled upon it that is by repentance obedience and prayer it shall bee subdued here and then at the day of judgement Iesus Christ shall abolish it when hee shall make us set our foot on the neck of it then the people of God shall say as it is 1. Cor. 15. 55. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory the sting of sinne is death and the strength of sinne is the law but thanks bee to God that hath given us victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Fourthly we shall be freed from all worldly authority and power then there shall be no king but God shall bee all in all as it is 1 Cor. 15. 27. And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Sonne himselfe likewise be subject unto him that did subdue all things under him that God may be all in all so then all the kingdomes of this world shall give place to it therefore how joyfull shall it bee when God shall raigne over us wee see when Salomon was crowned king 1 King 1. 40. how joyfull the people were it is said that they rejoyced with great joy so that the earth rang with the sound thereof but how much more joyfull shall it bee when all kings shall come and lay downe their crownes at Gods feete when God shall raigne over the house of Sion Psalm 91. it is said The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce c. therefore what a comfort will this bee to the people of God when God shall reigne over them so Esai 24. 23. it is said When the Lord of hosts shall reigne in mount Sion and in Ierusalem and glory shall bee before his ancient men so Esai 52. 7. saith he How beautifull upon the mountaines are the feet of them that declare and publish the glad tidings of peace and salvation saying unto Sion Thy God reigneth so the people of God shall bee freed from all worldly powers and bad government when God shall
be all in all Fifthly we shall be freed from all society with the wicked as Psalm 9. 17. David saith The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God so Matth. 13. 41. saith Christ The Sonne of man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdome all things that offend it and theâ— which doe iniquity here the wicked do trouble annoy and vex Gods people with their sinnes and uncleannesses as it is said of Lot That his righteous soule was vexed with the uncleane conversation of the Sodomites but at the day of judgement there shall not be left one wicked man to grieve or offend them of which time I may say as Moses did of the Egyptians Exod. 15. 13. to the Children of Israel Feare ye not but stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord which he will shew you this day for the Egyptians whom ye have seene this day yee shall never see any more so the Lord will say to us stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord which hee will shew you this day for these your enemies who pursue you you shall never see againe so that all the wicked shall bee turned into hell and there shall not be one left to grieve or offend Gods people Sixthly wee shall bee freed from all paines sicknesses and diseases as it is Revel 21. 4. And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there bee any more paine Now we are subject to the head-ach back-ach tooth-ach gout stone and to a number of diseases but in the Life to come wee shall bee freed from all We see how men can bee contented to endure any paines to be freed from these diseases and other charges much more should wee be contented to have the Law of God to search our consciences and to trie us so that we may be freed then from all paines and sicknesses these be the things we shall be freed from Here therefore thinke what a life it is that God hath called a Christian to and it must bee our care to make all things light unto us in comparison of those things wee shall enjoy hereafter and be contented to let goe all our pleasures and profits to lay hold on eternall life whereunto wee are called Let us part with all things which may hinder us as our lusts sinnes corruptions with all our pleasures and profits to lay hold on eternall life As Chrysostome saith if a man should be called to the honour of the kings court how lightly would hee passe by all things that may hinder him from thence the pleasant Meadowes Towers Castles and all the faire houses to hasten to the kings Court So thou that art a Christian saith he art called to a farre greater honor to the Court of Heaven therefore how lightly should such an one passe by all things that may hinder him from this honour where wee shall live with God for ever and ever So much for the things we shall be freed from we proceed Secondly The things we shall enjoy may be drawne into five heads First We shall have immediate societie with God himselfe as it is 1 Iohn 3. 2. Dearly beloved now are we Sonnes of God but it doth not appeare what we shall be and we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for wee shall see him as he is so Psal 36. 9. saith David In thy light shall we see light c. So Revel 22. 4. it is said And they shall see his face and his Name shall bee in their foreheads Divines say that the essentiall happinesse of the Saints consists in the beholding of God as in nature the more excellent and of the more higher nature any object is the more affected a man is with it and the more delight hee takes in the beholding of it as a pleasant Meadow and goodly Fountaine a heape of gold and silver c. But what is the bounty of the Creatures to that which is in God And therefore if a man delights in any of the Creatures much more hee shall delight in the beholding of God so the comfort that wee shall have by the beholding of God is like the light of the Sun that dimmes the light of the candle for our comfort in God shall bee so great that all the comfort of the Creatures is nothing to it as Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. 28. That God shall be all in all In this life I dare boldly speake it God is not all in all to the best of his servants Indeed he is somewhat and a good somewhat to them in this life to a comfortable portion as Ieremie saith Lament 3. 24. The Lord is my portion saith my soule therefore will I hope in him and Psal 63. 5. David saith For thy loving kindnesse is better than life So then God is somewhat to his servants but not all in all to them here but in the life to come he shall be all in all to them Manna to their taste Musicke to their eares Light to their eyes Ioy to their hearts and Rest to their loynes because the perfection of all creatures are in God for if there be any creature that giveth contentment to any man it is a thousand times more in God In this life God giveth out his goodnesse by parts and peece-meale as it were in his Creatures but then wee shall have immediate society with God himselfe Now hee doth reveale himselfe to us in his Word and Sacraments but in the life to come he shall be all in all Revel 21. 22. it is said that Iohn saw no Temple in Heaven for the Lord God Almighty and the Lambe are the Temple and the citie hath no neede of the light of the Sunne nor of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God did light it and the Lambe is the light of it Moses wee know put a veile on his face because the Children of Israel could not behold the glory of it so the Lord puts a veile before him in his Word and Sacraments but in the life to come he will plucke away the veile and reveale Himselfe as Hee is Therefore let us labour to cleare our eyes and to cleanse them from all sinne that so wee may looke on him to our comfort Wee see Esay 6. 5. when the Prophet saw the Lord in a vision how hee cryeth out and saith I am undone I am undone for I have seene the Lord of Hosts I am a man of polluted lippes and I dwell amongst a People of polluted lippes Now if Esay cried out thus when hee saw but a glimpse of him how shall all the sinners of this world cry out when they shall looke upon him and behold him in terrour and wrath Secondly We shall enjoy the eternall presence of Christ which next
making of the world and filling it even so the Lord is many dayes in furnishing the soule of man with graces though grace bee but weake at first in us yet it shall be perfect in time therefore the graces of God are compared to a seede that is but little at the first and not to a stone for a stone groweth not but a seede albeit it bee little at the beginning yet it will grow greater No man therefore ought to bee discouraged at small beginnings of grace for although they bee little at first yet they shall bee perfect in time And although things depend on the power of nature yet they doe much more depend on the power of God for before the Lord made the Sunne and Moone and the starres he made the trees to bud and hearbs to grow where nature was wanting his power was assistant Psal 78. 19. say the children of Israel Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse they looked not to the power of God so likewise of Moses who was a good man Numb 20. 11. it is said Hee stroke the rocke twice hee looked to the power of nature but the power of God is beyond the power of nature when the power of nature faileth yet the power of God is able to doe anything and therefore wee see Abraham beleeved God when the power of nature failed Rom. 4. Hee considered not the deadnesse of his owne body which was almost an hundred yeers old nor the deadnes of Sarahs womb neither doubted he of the promise of God through unbeleefe but was strengthened in the faith and gave glory to God being fully assured that he that had promised was able to performe it so thou that art a Christian never doubt but that God is able to raise thee out of thy sins or out of the grave and to give thee life for things depend not so much on the power of nature but much more on the power of God Seventhly the order first hee made the heavens and then the earth as we see Gen. 1. And therefore where God beginnes his worke first there a Christian must beginne his care to seeke for heaven our Saviour saith Matth. 6. 33. First seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all other things shall be ministred unto you so that where God beginnes his worke there a Christian must beginne his care to make heaven sure to himselfe which when hee hath done hee may the better looke for these earthly things it is a corruption that men seeke for these earthly things first and never seek for heavenly till they be sick or come to dye Secondly in the order that God made the world wee may observe that God made all the creatures before he made man hee was the last some man may say Why was He the last that was made I answere there be three reasons of it 1. It was to honour man 2. To teach him 3. To further him in the best things First it was to honour man for it was a great honour to man that God did not bring him into a bare and naked world but that hee had first furnished it with all things needefull for mans use and delight Even as a king when he is purposed to goe to a towne or place his provision goeth before all is furnished and made ready before hee comes which makes for the honour of the King so God had made all for mans use and had furnished the world with them before he made man This serves for the honour of man and therefore seeing God hath honoured man let us labour to honour him againe Secondly to teach man that hee was not the maker of them for if all the creatures were made before man was made he being the last and there found them all before this is a plaine evidence that man made them not and therefore if there be any creature that is comfortable or delightfull to us God is to be thanked and praised for it not our selves Thirdly to further man in the best things for the Lord provided all things for the use of man to delight him that he might take the more time to provide for heavenly things for the richer a man is and the more plentifull the Lord hath provided for Him the better heart and encouragement hee may take to looke after the things of eternall life and the greater vantage hee hath in the worship and service of God Therefore when as God doth give a man riches and furnish him with all things needefull for his life he should not misspend them neither in wantonnesse or prophanenesse in swilling or drinking and such like but he should take the more time for things of eternal life as Deu. 10. 12. And now O Israel what doth the Lord require at thy hands but to feare the Lord thy God and to walke in all his waies and to love him and to serve him with all thy heart and with all thy soule when they had filled their barnes and houses with corne and other fruites of the earth saith the Lord And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare him and to walke in all his wayes so when God hath filled our barnes with corne and hath made a supply of things needefull then the Lord lookes we should love feare and serve him for if we will not serve the Lord for his blessings we shall serve our enemies in want so we see in Deut. 28. 47. Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulnesse and with a good heart for the abundance of all things Therefore thou shalt serve thine enemies which the Lord thy God shall send upon thee in hunger and in thirst and in nakednesse c. Eighthly the end why God made this world and all things It was for mans good and mans benefit It was to do good to mankinde that God made Heaven and earth the Sunne Moone and starres that hee made all the creatures And whereas God was most blessed in himselfe before there was a Heaven or earth and needed not to have beene grieved with our sinnes yet notwithstanding Hee was not content to bee blessed in himselfe and to keepe it but hee would communicate his goodnesse and his blessednesse to his creatures and draw man into communion with him and therefore wee should bee ashamed to grieve God with our sinnes seeing hee powreth out his goodnesse and his blessings unto us dayly SERM. VII MATTH 1. 21. And thou shalt call his Name Jesus c. THe faith of a Christian is like the Fishes in a pond that as long as there is water in it so long they tarry but if the water goe out of the Pond then the Fishes goe with it so is the faith of a Christian God the Father hee is the fountaine of the Deity therefore as long as the Deity remained in the Fountaine so long our faith was there but when
do not meane it was hard because they had laid a great stone upon Him as the woman said Who shall rowle away this stone but it was hard in regard of another thing for when any man is laid into the Grave he hath but his owne sinnes to keepe him downe but Christ had the sinnes of all the Elect People of God upon Him Therefore it was a harder matter for Christ to rise than for a private man yet notwithstanding for all this Christ did rise againe Therefore doe thou never doubt but that He will raise thee againe onely our care must bee to have Communion with Christ in his life and death to live as He lived to die and to lie in the Grave with Him even to lay our bodies as neere His as may be with desire to make our bodies as it were a pillow for Him and then when He riseth we shall rise with Him to glory and happinesse But if we doe not live the life of Christ and die with Him and lie in the Grave with Him and make our bodies a pillow for Him then Christ shall rise and raise us to torments It were well with the wicked if it might be so that they should never rise againe but Christ shall raise them againe not as a Head but as a terrible and fearefull Iudge and shall send them into endlesse torments For when a man hath lived a thousand yeeres in it hee is as new to beginne as ever hee was therefore doe thou labour to have communion with Christ in his life and death that so thou mayest rise and goe into glory with him Now there are divers objections that the Atheists make against this Article to be answered First they say How is it possible that men that have lien rotting in the Grave a thousand yeeres together should rise againe I answer Though it bee above reason it is not against reason for we see that the flies that bee dead all the Winter time when the Summer commeth with the heat of the Sunne they revive againe if this may bee done by the power of Nature much more is the power of God able to raise dead men that have lien dead in the Grave many thousand yeeres together Secondly say they It is impossible for men to rise againe because their dust is mingled one with another and with the dust of other Creatures as let one come into the Churchyard and the dust is so mingled one with another that a man cannot say this is the dust of my father or of my mother for to make it plaine take a pint of milke and a pint of water and put them into the Sea there they remaine in their substance but are so mingled together as that they cannot be parted one with another so say they it is with dead men whose dust is so mingled one with another as it is impossible to sunder them To this I answer that although it is impossible for man to doe it yet as God saith All things are possible to God it is an easie matter to him to give to every man his dust againe and to sunder them one from another As a man that hath a handfull of divers seeds in his hand can take one seede from another so the Lord is able to take one dust from another and give unto every man that which belongeth to him I have heard there bee some men that have this cunning and skill that they can draw out of an Hearbe the foure Elements Fire Ayre Earth and Water if this cunning and skill be in man to draw this out of an Hearbe and to sunder the foure Elements much more is God able to sunder every mans dust and to bring them together againe Thirdly the Atheists object and say no man may eate the flesh of another man for then the mans flesh is become one with the other mans flesh and then if the one rise the other cannot To this I answer that it is true indeed but yet he was a perfect man before he ate him for it is a truth in Divinitie that every man shall rise againe with his own flesh but a man shall not rise with every thing that was once a part of him as if a man have a tooth beaten out and another come in the Roome of it hee shall not rise with both these so likewise a man hath a peece of flesh stricken off with a sword in place whereof new flesh comes hee shall not rise with all this but hee shall with so much as shall make him a perfect man so one man eats another mans flesh and it becomes one with his yet he shall not rise with that flesh but with asmuch as shall make him a perfect man againe Fourthly they bring Scripture against us that flesh and bloud cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven I answer the meaning is not that the substance of flesh and bloud shall enter into the kingdome of Heaven but that flesh as it is corrupted and sinnefull cloathed with infirmities and subject to mortality and death shall not enter into heaven so Paul takes it Heb. 2. 14. Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of flesh and bloud hee also himselfe likewise tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death c. therefore the meaning is that flesh and bloud in this transitory estate subject to infirmity shall not enter into the kingdome of God thus wee see that notwithstanding all the objections of the Atheists this Article stands good the dead shall rise againe The use is seeing the dead shall rise againe therefore though we dye as others doe are laid into the grave and dissolved to dust yet wee beleeve that wee shall rise againe This is the worst that the world can doe to us to take away life yet when they have done so we shall have it againe that must comfort us in all our troubles and distresses which did comfort Iob in his distresses and troubles Iob 12. For I am sure that my Redeemer liveth and he shall stand the last upon this Earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy my body yet shall I see God in my flesh c. and David did comfort himselfe thus Psalm 16. Wherefore my heart is glad and tongue rejoyceth and my flesh also resteth in hope for thou wilt not leave my soule in the grave neither wilt thou let thy holy one to see corruption so Christ saith to his Disciples Matth. 20. 19. The Sonne of man shall bee delivered unto the chiefe Priests and unto the Scribes and they shall condemne him to death and deliver him to the Gentiles to scourge and to crucifie him but the third day hee shall rise againe Now that which was Iobs Davids and Christs comfort must bee ours in all the troubles and distresses that befall us it was a comfort to old Iaakob Gen. 46. 3.
that the Lord said unto him Feare not to goe downe into Egypt c. so the Lord saith to his people feare not to goe into the ground into the dennes of death for I will raise you up againe death dealeth no otherwise with us than David did by Saul when hee was asleepe he tooke away his speare and water-pot and when hee was to awake he restored it againe so death takes away our speare our water-pot our strength and when we doe awake at the day of Iudgement hee will give it us againe Secondly seeing the dead shall rise againe this therefore must comfort us in regard of our dead friends that bee departed that although death hath sundred them for a time yet they shall all meete together againe so wee see here in this place Martha saith to Christ I know that my brother shall rise in the resurrection and Saint Paul saith 1 Thes 4. 14. Them that sleepe in Iesus will God bring with him Againe the Apostle saith in the same Chapter Comfort your selves with these words Chrysostome saith if a man take a long journey his wife and his children doe not weepe and take on because they know hee will come againe to them so saith he a man that dieth in Christ takes but a long journey and therefore wee should not weepe and take on for our dead friends because they know that wee shall meet againe Thirdly seeing that the dead shall rise againe this must make us carefull to spend our time well while wee live here if there were an utter destruction of nature that a man died as a beast then a man might live as he list but because wee shall rise againe with these bodies wherewith wee have sinned and offended God therefore wee should bee carefull to passe our time here in holinesse before God This was the use that Saint Paul makes of it Act. 24. 16. saith hee And have hope toward God that the resurrection of the dead which they themselves looke for shall be both of the just and unjust and herein I endeavour my selfe to have a cleere conscience towards God and towards man therefore let us labour to spend our time well and in the feare of God that so we may then stand with comfort before God We read Ioh. 21. 7. When Simon Peter heard it was the Lord he girded his coate unto him for he was naked and cast himselfe into the Sea One would have thought that rather he should have put off his garment and have laid it aside but Peter had this consideration that when hee came on the other side he should stand before his master therefore he girded himselfe that hee might stand seemely and comely before him so seeing when wee have passed the glassiâ— sea of this world wee are to stand before God therefore we are to have this consideration that wee gird our selves and make every thing ready that we may come seemely and holily before God at the last day To this purpose it is a good meditation that Saint Bernard hath O my body saith he doe not hinder thy reconcilement with thy God bee not a meanes to hinder thy owne peace be contented alwayes to labour with thy soule and to obey the motions of it be ready to assist it in any Christian duties and then say unto thy soule when it is ready to depart from thee and to goe to God which is thy guest as Ioseph said to the Butler Make mention of mee to Pharaoh so remember me to God for I obey thy good motions I joyne with thee in holy duties and then when thy soule is come home to God it will say O my Lord I had a poore body which led me in Christian duties and was ready to obey thy good motions O my Lord I pray thee remember this poore body of mine and then what will bee the issue surely that which is set downe Psalm 145. 19. Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him he will also heare their cry and will save them therefore let us labour to passe our time in holinesse and feare before God in this life that wee may come to peace and happinesse at the last day The second point is that wee beleeve that we shall rise againe at the last day with the same bodies as Iob 19. 25. I know that my redeemer liveth and he shall stand the last on the earth and though after this life wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God with my flesh so Ezek. 37. to the same dead and dry bones life came sinnewes and flesh grew on them But some will say that is a parable I answer the Prophet useth not this parable for nothing but it is to shew that that which falleth shall rise againe so Revel 20. 12. I saw the dead both great and small stand before God Tertullian saith the same body shall rise againe by the new resurrection for the resurrection is not of another body but of the same that falleth so it is not a new Creation but a raising up that which is fallen Saint Ierome saith it cannot stand with equity and right that one body should sinne and another bee punished neither will a just Iudge let one body obtaine the victory and shed his bloud another crowned for it but the same body that sinned shall be punished the same that hath gotten the victory shal have the Crowne the same body shall rise againe In the Resurrection of Christ the same body that was wounded did rise againe He could if it had pleased him have healed his wounds in three dayes seeing that he could heale all diseases and sicknesses with a word or a touch of his finger but he let them alone to confirme his Disciples that it was the same body that was crucified therefore Luk. 28. When his Disciples thought that he had beene a Spirit hee bids them handle and feele him for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones and therefore the same body that died did rise againe so it shall be with us for that which is true in the Head is also true in the Members Here some few objections shall be refelled and then we will proceed that 1 Cor. 15. 44. the Apostle saith It is sowne a naturall body it is raised a spirituall body therefore it is not the same body that was laid downe To this I answer that it is not spirituall in regard of substance but it is a Spirituall body in regard of estate and condition that they bee in for a naturall life is maintained and upheld by the use of meat drinke sleepe Phisicke and rest but then our bodies shal be upheld by the Power of God without the use of these meanes our bodies now are heavie but then our soules shall fill them full of agilitie and nimblenesse to move upwards and downwards so it is a Spirituall body not in regard of substance but in regard of qualitie and operation Secondly