the power of death but wilt raise me againe from the dead And so consequently the Article of Christs descending into hell whereof these words are the foundation imports no more but that Christ went into the other world was in the state of the dead and under deaths dominion to wit untill his Resurrection This Exposition keeps the propriety of the words and the order of the Creed neither is there any thing that I know of weight against it The Hebrew word Sheol and the Greek Hades which are rendred sometimes hell do signifie the estate of the dead or the power of death Hell and destruction are before the Lord Prov. 15. 11. Jansenius a learned Writer of the Church of Rome upon the place notes that by hell and destruction Per infernum perditionem significatur status mortuorum non solum damnatorum ut nos ferè ex his vocibus auditis concipimus sed in genere status defunctorum Jansen ad loc is signified the state of the dead and not onely of the damned as we usually when we hear these words do conceive but the state of those in generall that are departed out of this life Thus also Genebrard another Romish Author and a skilfull Hebritian on Psal 30. 3. as we reckon Ab inferno id est è statu mortuorum liberasti Geneb ad loc where David sayes O Lord thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol hell our Translators have the grave Genebrard I say interprets it thus From hell that is out of the state of the dead hast thou delivered me And so that Psal 89. 48. What man is he that liveth and shall not see death and shall he deliver his soul from the hand of Sheol of hell So * Viz. That in the Booke of Common-Prayer Infernus significat totum mortuorum statum Gen. ad loc one of our Translations hath it the last Translation hath of the grave that likewise doth Genebrard expound in like manner though first he would draw it to their fained Limbus before-mentioned yet upon second thoughts which use to be wiser he addes Hell doth signifie the whole state of the dead And it is evident that by hell there cannot be meant the hell of the damned for David would not make it a thing impossible for any to escape that hell as he doth make it for any to escape the hell that he speaketh of Therefore by hell he must needs mean either the grave and then the word soul is not taken properly or the state of the state of the dead from which without extraordinary dispensation none is exempted Thus also is the Greek word Hades used 1 Cor. 15. 55. O Hades O hell so our Translators in the Margent render it though the Textuall reading be O grave where is thy victory There is no other hell but the state of the dead and the power of death which is vanquished and destroyed at and by the Resurrection of which the Apostle there speaketh So Rev. 20. 16. Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire that is death and the power of death For the hell of the damned the place of torment cannot there be meant by hell that hell being the lake of fire into which hell there spoken of is cast The meaning of the words is that at the Resurrection there shall be no more death nor any power of death any where but only in that lake of fire the place where the damned are in torment whose condition because of the wretchednesse of it is called death the second death Rev. 20. 6. And thus both Ecclesiasticall and Heathen Authors do use the word Hades making all that are dead and so under the power of death to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in inferno See B. Usher in hell as we English it And thus have some of the ancients expounded Christs descending into hell This is the Law of humane necessity saith Hilary Humanae ista Lex necessitatis ut consepultis corporibus ad inferos animae descendant Quam descensionem Dominus ad consummationem veri hominis non recusavit Hil. in Psal 138. that when the bodies are buried the souls descend into hell he means by hell the state of the dead in generall and the power of death keeping the soul separated from the body which descent the Lord Christ to prove himself true man did not refuse in like manner other of the Ancients S. Peters words also do confirm this Exposition Acts 2. 24. where speaking of Christ he saith Whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holden by it The word in the Originall signifies to be holden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by force and strong hand to be holden under ones power and dominion And to prove that Christ could not possibly be thus held by death he alledgeth the testimony of the Prophet David who speaking in the Person of Christ said Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell So that by Peters Commentary upon these words of David it appears that Christs not being left in hell signifies nothing els but his not being left under the power of death from which he was freed by his Resurrection of which Peter saith that David did speak in those words Acts 2. 31. And consequently Christs being in hell which is implied in these words of David Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell and expressed in the Creed imports nothing els but his being under the power of death under which he was kept for a while though not long So that of S. Paul Rom. 6. 9. Christ being risen from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him that also intimates that Christ being dead untill he rose from the dead death had dominion over him not whether he would or no but through his own permission Joh. 10. 18. Ob. But may some say according to this Exposition there is nothing more signified in the Article of Christs descending into hell then in the other that he died Answ I answer Yes there is more signified in the one then in the other For that Christ died imports only that his soul was separated from his bodie but that he descended into hell imports that his soule and bodie continued for a while in the state of separation to wit untill his Resurrection when they were again united one to the other Such difference as there is betwixt B. Usher birth and life here such also is there betwixt death and descending into hell Death performs its work in a moment but hell continues this work to wit the separation of the soule from the body untill the body rising again the soule and it are reunited together Therefore it may seem to be said Rev. 6. 8. that hell followed after death and thus both soul and body are said to be in Sheol or Hades or hell whilest they remaine separated one from
body as now it is in this life in comparison of what it shall be in the life to come Our vile body word for word according to the Originall it is the body of our vilenesse So that the blessed Mother of our Lord doth therefore magnifie the Lord because he so regarded her being of such low and mean estate in comparison of many others He hath put down saith she presently after in her Magnificat the mighty from their seat and hath exalted them of low degree Where also the word rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them of low degree is that from which is derived the other before mentioned The Rhemists here Vulg. exaltavit humlles also have and hath exalted the humble but not such as are vertuously humble are here meant by the force of the word that is used but such as are of low degree as is clear by this that they are opposed to the mighty such as are of high degree great and eminent in the world Besides what could have been more repugnant to true humility and lowlinesse of mind with which as with other graces we grant the Mother of our Saviour was replenished then to boast of it and to ascribe Gods bounty and favour unto it For these reasons both Jansenius and Maldonate learned men of the Romish Church do ingeniously confesse that not humility of mind but of estate is here meant 3. Whereas they pray unto all Saints departed an honour which is due onely unto God Psal 50. 15. Mat. 6. 9. Rom. 10. 14. this they do above all to our Lords Mother And here first they are no lesse ridiculous then impious in truning the Angels Salutation into a Prayer saying unto her Haile Mary c. wherein as a reverend Writer saith truly and wittily they do at once abuse the Virgin the Angell and the Salutation Againe some of their famous Doctors have So testifies Cassander one of their owne Authors in his Consultation avouched that whereas Ahasuerus promised to Esther the one half of his Kingdom if she would desire it God hath indeed given one half of his Kingdome to the Virgin Mary For his Kingdome consisting of mercy and judgement that part of it which concerns mercy they say he hath given unto her reserving to himselfe the other part concerning judgement or bequeathing it to his Son And thus also they speak in the forementioned Psalter Give O God thy judgement to Psalt B. Mar. Psa 71. the King and thy mercy to the Queen his Mother And the whole Book of Psalmes they have so metamorphosed and changed as instead of Lord to put in Lady and to ascribe that to her which David ascribeth to the Lord As Psal 7. In thee O Lady have I put In te Domina speravi de in i 〈…〉 is meis c. Usqu 〈…〉 Domina oblivis 〈…〉 In maâ—â—s tuas Domina commendo spiritum meum Domina refugium nostrum es in omni necessitate Venite ad eam omnes qui laboratis c. Ibid. Psal 2. my trust deliver my soul from mine enemies And Psal 12. or after the Hebrew the 13. How long wilt thou forget me O Lady And Psal 30. Into thy hands O Lady I commend my spirit And Psal 45. O Lady thou art our refuge in all our necessities And whereas Christ saith Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all that labour c. they apply it to his Mother and say Come unto her all ye that labour c. And if yet any thing can be more grosse they pray unto her to command her Son Bellarmine it seems was ashamed of this impiety for he complaines much of Calvin as being very injurious unto them in offering to charge them in this manner with great indignation he cries Quis nostrûm hoc dicit Cur non probat ullo exemplo Which of us doth speak so Why doth he not prove it by some example Yet their own Cassander for so he carried himself Cassand Consult as one of the Church of Rome though he disliked many things in it testifies that in some Churches publikely they did sing on this wise O O felix puerpera nostra pians Scelera jure Matris impera Redemptori happy child-bearing woman who dost expiate our wickednesse by the right of a mother command our Redeemer Surely if it be possible to dishonour God they do exceedingly dishonour him in presuming thus to honour her whom otherwise so we keep our selves within the bounds of sobriety we ought to honor But I leave this point and come to the other Doct. 2 which the Text doth hold forth unto us viz. That Mary the wife of Joseph was so the Mother of Christ as that neverthelesse when she bare him she was a most pure Virgin conceiving him not by the operation of man but by the power of the Holy Ghost Whereas it is said in the Text of the Holy Ghost it is meant of the Holy Ghost not as the matter but as the efficient in which sense it is said 1 Cor. 11. 12. All things are of God Again though the Holy Ghost only be expressed yet the other Persons of the Trinity are not excluded The Apostle speaking of the Father saith Of whom are all things 1 Cor. 8. 6. If all things be of the Father then Christs body was of him viz. as the worker and maker of it and as of the Father so also of the Son who is the same substance with the Father Ioh. 10. 30. And by whom likewise all things were made Ioh. 1. 3. Now that Mary was thus the Mother of Christ is evident both by the Text and also by that which goes before Mat. 1. 18. and that which followes after Mat. 1. 22 23 24 25. so by that Luk. 1. 34 35. Object It may be objected that Ioseph is called Christs Father Is not this Josephs Son said some of him Luk. 4. 22. Answ I answer They supposed so but it was not so as they supposed That this was but a supposition S. Luke shewes in the fore-going Chapter v. 23. where he saith that Christ was as was supposed the Son of Ioseph not so indeed but only as was supposed Object But may some say Mary her self did call Ioseph Christs Father Thy Father and I have sought thee sorrowing said she to Christ Luk. 2. 48. Answ True but how did she mean that Ioseph was his father not his naturall father that begot him but his legall father as being the husband of his mother Ioseph also was Christs foster-father or nursing-father he who did educate him and bring him up Object But some may yet object if Ioseph were not Christs naturall Father how is Christs Genealogie fetched from Ioseph how is Christ shewed to be the Son of Abraham and of David by this that Ioseph did descend from Abraham Mat. 1. Luk. 3. and from David How doth this follow except as Ioseph did proceed from them so Christ did proceed from Ioseph Answ
Church but so far as I see the Scripture speaks of the Church as consisting of men only and not of Angells The Angells are called Elect 1 Tim. 3. 21. but they are never said to be called which the Originall word for Church doth properly import The Angells I speak of the good Angells never were in any other estate then now they are in though now they be more confirmed in that estate then they were at first as appears by the fall of the evill Angells who kept not their first estate Jude v. 6. They never were in any estate of sin and misery out of which they should be called And for the Angels that sinned God spared not them as S. Peter tells us 2 Pet. 2. 4. Again the Angells are clearly distinguished from the Church Eph. 3. 10. To the intent that now unto the principalites and powers in heavenly places might be knowne by the Church the manifold wisdom of God But further the Church thus taken for such a Of the Church militant and the Church triumphant company of persons is divers wayes distinguished 1. There is the Church militant and the Church triumphant The Church militant is that company which is here upon earth in warfare warring with Satan the world and the flesh The Church triumphant is that company which having vanquished and overcome those adversaries doth reign and triumph in heaven This distinction is grounded upon the words of the Apostle I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole Family in heaven and earth is named Eph. 3. 14 15. And in other places sometimes the Church militant sometimes the Church triumphant is hinted Fight the good fight of faith said Paul to Timothy being a member of the Church militant 1 Tim. 6. 12. I have fought a good fight said he when he was about to passe from the Church militant to the Church triumphant 2 Tim 4. 7. So it is the Church triumphant that S. John speaks of saying After this I beheld and loe a great multitude which no man could number of all Nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lamb clothed with white robes and palmes in their hands viz. in token of the victory that they had atchieved Rev. 7. 9. But the Church militant is that which usually is spoken of in the Scriptures God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers c. 1 Cor. 12. 28. Yet in the Church I had rather speak five words with mine understanding that by my voice I might teach others also then ten thousand words in an unknown tongue 1 Cor. 14. 19. And so in many other places And the Church as here upon earth consists partly of such as are indeed of it partly of such as onely in shew and profession belong unto it For all are not Israel that are of Israel Rom. 9. 6. that is all are not indeed the people of God who professe themselves to be of that number No some call themselves Jewes that is Gods people yet are not but are the synagogue of Satan Rev. 2. 9. Onely true believers are indeed of the Church For if any one have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his Rom. 8. 9. Prophane persons and hypocrites are rather in the Church then of the Church like woodden leggs that are outwardly joyned to the body yet are indeed no parts of the body They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us 1 Joh. 2. 19. So speaks S. John of some Apostates and back-sliders shewing that then when they professed themselves to be of the Church yet indeed they were not of it And hence is another distinction of the Church into the Church visible and the Church invisible Of the Church visible and the Church invisible The visible Church is a visible company of people professing the Gospell whether they do it in truth and sincerity or no it doth consist of good and bad of elect and reprobate It is compared to a â—et that was cast into the Sea and gathered of every kind c. Mat. 13. 47. c. And to a field wherein were both wheat and tares Mat. 13. 24. c. And to a great house wherein are vessells of severall sorts some to honor and some to dishonor 2 Tim. 2. 20. The invisible Church consists only of such as are elect and are indeed that which they professe themselves to be like Nathanael Israelites indeed in whom is no guile Joh. 1. 47. The Church in this respect is called invisible because it is not visible to the eyes of men they can see the profession but whether it be sincere and proceed from the heart or no they cannot see For God only knowes the hearts of all the children of men 1 King 8. 39. And so he only knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. Of a particular Church and the Church universall 3. The Church is distinguished into particular and universall A particular Church is a company professing the faith in some particular place Thus we read of the seven Churches in Asia Rev. 1. 4. that is of Churches that were in seven Cities of Asia as it followes there v. 11. So we read of the Church that was at Antioch Acts 13. 1. the Church which was at Jerusalem Acts 8. 1. Yea we read of Churches in particular houses as in the house of Aquila and Priscilla Rom. 16. 5. in the house of Nymphas Col. 4. 15. in the house of Philemon Philem. v. 2. The universall Church This is the universall Church as upon earth otherwise the universall Church comprehends both the Saints on earth and the Saints in heaven is the whole company of believers throughout the world The Apostle having spoken first of a particular Church Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth c. presently after he speaks of universall Church with all that in every place call upon the Name of Jesus Christ c. 1 Cor. 1. 2. The universall Church is that which is mentioned in the Creed and is called the Catholike Church for Catholike is as much as generall or universall The Church of Rome most absurdly will be the Catholike Church Roman Catholike is frequent in the mouths of Papists but this is over-grosse Catholike importing the whole and Roman but a part The Church of Rome was once indeed an eminent part yet but a part of the Catholike Ribera â— Iesuite is forced to confesse that by Babylon is meant Rome or universall Church Rom. 1. But now it is so degenerate and corrupt that it is termed Babylon Rev. 17. and the people of God are required to come out of it Rev. 18. 4. In the Creed the Church is stiled holy and so it is They that are indeed of the Church are indeed holy Ye are washed ye are sanctified
again though perhaps they be Orthodox and deliver nothing but what is sound and true yet are faulty in this that they think it a sufficient yea a more then ordinary preaching of Christ to have his Name frequently in their mouthes and in a generall way to speake much of him when as yet they never shew what he is or what he hath done and suffered nor scarce ever handle any one Article of FAITH concerning Christ as if this were too triviall for them to trouble themselves about so that many poor souls though they hear Christ mentioned a thousand times yet still remain as ignorant of him and so as apt to entertain any false opinion concerning him as ever they were For the instructing of such as also for the confirming and further edifying of those who have more knowledge these Sermons here presented to publike view may thorough Gods blessing be usefull and profitable This is that which I aimed at in the preaching neither have I any other design in the publishing of them I know these times afford but small incouragement to the Writers and publishers of books of this nature For though we may seem to crosse the Proverb What have the Muses to do Quid Musis cum Marte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si literae non arma si arma non literae Sic Hebraei teste Buxtorfio in praefat More Neb. with Mars The pen and the pike seldome find room in one place Yet alas so it is either new Occurrences or new Opinions are the things which now most look after that which is sober serious and solid will find but few that will regard it But he who is wisdome it selfe doth tell us that wisdome is justified of her children Mat. 11. 19. And he who was as wise as any meer mortall saith A wise man will hear and will increase learning Prov. 1. 5. And again Give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser teach a just man and he will increase learning Prov. 9. 9. Some are apt to mind not so much the matter as the man not so much what it is that is spoken as who it is that speaks it What ever proceeds from some shall be applauded and what ever proceeds from others shall be sleighted But as the Jewish Doctours say well Look not on the canne but on that which is in it A preposterous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex personis probamus fidem an ex fide personas Tertul. de Praescript cap. 3. and perverse course it is in stead of judging the authour by the work to judge the work by the Authour But I fear I exceed the bounds of an Epistle I will adde no more but The Lord who is the God of truth Isai 65. 16. and the God of aâ— grace 1 Pet. 5. 10. by his word and Spirit lead us into keep us in all sanctifying and saving truth So I rest Thine to serve thee in the Lord Febr. 22. 1649. Chr. Cartwright THE FIRST SERMON HEB. 11. 6. He that cometh unto God must believe that God is FAith and a good conscience are two things which it concerns every one to have and to hold Holding faith and a good conscience 1 Tim. 1. 19. Faith hath the precedency that must go before without a right and sound faith there can be no good conscience Male vivitur si de Deo Aug. de Civ Deâ— lib. 5. cap. 10. noâ—â—enètâ—reditur saith Augustine Where there is not a right faith concerning God there will be exorbitancy in the conversation In this Chapter out of which the Text is taken we have a large Encomium or commendation of faith and a clear demonstration both of the necessity and of the efficacy of it that nothing can be done without it Without Faith it is impossible to please God v. 6. that nothing but may be done by it this is proved by a cloud of witnesses throughout the Chapter Faith is taken two wayes 1. There is fides quae creditur faith which we believe the object and matter of Faith thus is faith to be understood Jude v. 3. That you should earnestly contend for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints 2. Fides quâ creditur Faith whereby we believe the grace of faith inherent in the soule the act whereof is to believe thus is the word taken Rom. 1. 17. The just shall live by Faith and Jam. 1. 6. Let him ask in Faith and so in many other places this is the proper acception of the word though the other acception be not unusuall The object of Faith is God and whatsoever is revealed by God Secret things belong unto the Lord our God but things revealed unto us c. Deut. 29. 29. The first thing concerning God to be believed is as the Text doth tell us that God is He that cometh unto God must believe that God is it followes and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him this must also be believed but the other first and then this first that God is and then that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him I shall now by Gods help insist upon this first principle of Religion that God is or that there That there is a God is a God Let none think that this is a superfluous and needlesse labour to go about to demonstrate a thing so plain and evident as this is For 1. If this be a truth necessary for all to know and believe then it is not unnecessary to insist upon it and to confirm it that we may see we have just reason to believe as we do 2. The Scripture tells us of such fools as say in Psal 14. 1. their heart there is no God And we read of some though but few who have denyed it not onely in their hearts but with their mouths also 3. This is a corrupt age into which we are fallen most of the fundamentall truths are either denied or doubted of and though I doe not read or hear of any that yet seeks to shake this basis of Religion yet seeing as the Apostle saith evill men and seducers will wax worse and worse it 2 Tim. 3. 13. is good to be fore-armed and to prevent the worst 4. This being the main foundation of all Religion it must be laid sure that so the superstructure may be the more firm These things premised I come to the proof of the point viz. that there is a God And 1. We have in this the generall consent even of the Heathens although Diagoras they say denied it and Protagoras doubted of it yet generally the Heathens did acknowledge it yea it 's said that Protagoras was banished by his Countrey-men the Athenians because he presumed to question such a truth as this Tullie a Tul. de Nat. Deor lib. 2. Heathen man saith Nulla gens tam effera ac barbara quae non cognoscit esse Deum There is no Nation so rude and
vain in their imaginations Rom. 1. 21 and their foolish heart was darkned True it is the nature of God is of that infinite perfection that it is incomprehensible we can never attain to the full knowledge of it It 's reported of a Philosopher called Symonides that Cic. de Nat. Deor being asked what God is he desired a daies time to deliberate and consider what to answer after that he desired two dayes and then four and so still he doubled the time confessing that the more he did inquire into the nature of God the further he found himselfe from attaining to the knowledge of it And so it will be with us although we have a far clearer light to search by then he had Canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection Job 11. 7. No it cannot be the adequate and comprehensive knowledge of God to know him to the very utmost of his perfection is peculiar to God himself none but God can thus know God neither men nor Angels are capable of this knowledge For God is infinite and every creature is finite and nothing that is finite can adequately and fully comprehend that which is infinite besides our knowledge of God here in this life is very weak and imperfect in comparison of what it shall be hereafter in the world to come Thou canst not see my face for there shall no man see me and live said God to Moses Exod. 33. 20. Now saith S. Paul we see through a glasse darkly but then face to face now know I in part but then shall I know even as in the same manner but not in the same measure also I am knowne 1 Cor. 13. 12. we must not therefore as Oecumen in Heb. 11 6. one saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 curiously busie our selves about Gods essence but we must be wise unto sobriety Scrutator Majestatis opprimetur à gloria He that will be over presumptuous to prie into Gods Majesty shall be overwhelmed with his glory but yet so far forth as God hath been pleased to reveal himselfe we must study and indeavour to know him and this we may and must know concerning God that as the Text doth tell us he is a Spirit The words were spoken by our Saviour and that upon this occasion he was discoursing with a woman of Samaria who by what he had already said unto her perceived him to be some extraordinary person and therefore she propounded a case of conscience unto him and desired to be resolved by him viz. which was the right and true place of Gods worship for about this the Samaritans had a controversie with the Jewes they worshipping God in a certaine mountaine which they had as their Fathers had done before them the Jewes on the otherside affirming that Jerusalem was the place where men ought to worship Our Saviour first let her know that the Jewes were in the right they having Gods VVord for their warrant for that God in his VVord had appointed Jerusalem for the time then present to be the place of his VVorship but withall â—e told her that the hour was at hand when such difference of places should cease and instead of that ceremoniall and carnall VVorship that was then in use there should be a more pure and spirituall Worship consisting not so much in outward performances as before but more in the inward devotion of the heart and spirit and he gives a reason why God requires such a Worship viz. because it is most agreeable to his nature God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth Object But may some say this reason is of no more force for the time of the Gospell then for the time before For Gods nature was the same before he was then a spirit as much as now he is therefore no more reason to worship God in spirit now then before Answ Yes some more reason there is for though God were the same before that he is now yet he did not so clearly and fully make himselfe knowne before as now he doth and therefore though before he did require to be worshipped in spirit divers places there are to this purpose in the Old Testament some of which I shall alledge anon yet now he requires it much more Thus having shewed the coherence of the Text I will propound the Doctrine in no other termes then the Text it self doth contain in it viz. That Doct. God is a Spirit But what is meant by Spirit The word spirit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it hath many significations and is very variously taken The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the Hebrew ruach which signifie spirit are somtimes used for breath Ezek. 37. 5. I will cause breath to enter into you in the Originall the word is that which in that language usually signifieth spirit viz. ruach so Iam. 2. 26. The body without the spirit is dead in the Margent for spirit is put breath so Job 33. 4. The Spirit of the Lord hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life saith Elihu there the Spirit of the Lord and the breath of the Almighty are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 termes â—qâ—â—table one to the other Againe somtimes these Greek and Hebrew words which signifie spirit are used for the wind Joh 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth the word translated wind is the same with this in the Text whereas usually else-where it is translated spirit viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the Hebrew ruach in the Old Testament is often thus used viz. for the wind But thirdly the word spirit is after a sort appropriated to an incorporeall substance when Christ after his Resurrection appeared to his Disciples and they thought that they had seen a spirit Behold my hands and my feet said he unto them that it is I my selfe handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have Luk. 24. 37 39. and thus by spirit is sometimes meant the soule of man 1 Cor. 6. 20. Glorifie God in your bodie and in your spirit that is your soul so Heb. 12. 23. the soules of the godly separated from their bodies are called the spirits of just men made perfect somtimes by spirit is meant an Angell the good Angells are called spirits Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all ministring Spirits and so the evill Angells the Devills when the seventy Disciples came unto Christ saying Lord even the Devills are subject unto us through thy Name Christ answered Notwithstanding in this rejoyce not that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven Luk. 10. 17. 20. those whom the Disciples called Devills Christ called Spirits And in this sense viz. as by spirit is meant an incorporeall substance it is attributed to God and he is called a Spirit the name of spirit the spirit the
41. On the other side though the outward actions seem glorious yet if the inward affections be not right God doth little regard them Amaziah did that which in it selfe considered was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart 2 Chron. 25. 2. Let 's therefore have a care of our hearts and spirits whatsoever we doe Let us remember that of the Prophet Take heed to your spirit Mal. 2. 15. Let us be sure that as well our spirits as our bodies be ingaged in those services which wee performe unto God that our hearts be therein upright before him Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes that I may not be ashamed saith that man after Gods own heart David Psal 119. 80. THE THIRD SERMON DEUT. 6. 4. Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. THis place of Scripture the Jewes much magnifie and it is indeed a place very famous and remarkable When one asked our Saviour which was the first or chiefest Commandement he alledged these words together with those in the next Verse saying The first of all the Commandements is Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God Vide Fagium in Chald. Paraph. ad hunc locum with all thine heart c. Mar. 12. 29. 30. But the Jewes superstitiously abuse the place writing it in parchment and binding it to their head and to their hands and to the posts of their houses so they pervert the meaning of that Deut. 6. 8 9. And thou shalt bind them for a signe upon thine head and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house and on thy gates and so of those parallel places Exod. 13. 9. 16. some think that these Texts of Scripture are meerly metaphoricall only importing how mindfull people should be of Gods precepts See Aben Ezra on Deut. 6. 9. by whom it appears that some among the Jewes have understood those places in Moses as parallel to those in Solomon And else where indeed the like expressions are thus metaphorically used as Prov. 3. 3. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee bind them about thy neck and write them upon the table of thine heart and Prov. 7. 3. Bind them upon thy fingers write them on the table of thine heart But others more probably conceive that those Precepts in the Law were also literally to be observed even as that concerning fringes Numb 15. 38 39. Speak unto the children of Israel said God to Moses and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue and it shall be unto you for a fringe that you may looke upon it and remember all the Commandements of the Lord and do them c. That the Jews were to observe this even according to the Letter is without question the words cannot otherwise be understood and it seems that the other Precepts also were of the same nature viz. such as were to have a literall observation yet withall a mysticall signification For we find them joyned together as homogeneall Mat. 23. 5. They make broad their Phylacteries and inlarge the borders of their garments By the Phylacteries are meant those sentences of Scripture which the Iewes who call them Tephillin used of old and still use to write in parchment and to fasten upon their heads and hands as by the borders of their garments are meant the fringes which they wore in those borders of their garments Our Saviour there reproves the Scribes and Pharisees See Beza on Mat. 23. 4. alike for both not for having those Phylacteries and those borders but for making those Phylacteries broad and inlarging those borders as desirous to seem more religious and more holy then others so that the use of both it seems was required though the abuse were condemned and this abuse the Jewes were many of them guilty of of old and much more are they now guilty of it the ceremonie being out of date and not to be used at all in the times of Gospel But to returne to the words of the Text they contain in them an Exhortation directed at first to the Israelites but which concerns us and all Gods people Hear that is hearken mind observe and consider what is said as He that hath ears to hear let him hear Luk. 8. 8. And he that hath an ear let him heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Apoc. 2. 11. Hear and give ear Ier. 13. 15. O Israel Jacob was first called Israel because he prevailed with God Gen. 32. 28. after him his posterity whom God chose to be his peculiar people were also called Israel or the children of Israel or the people of Israel so that Israel and the people of God are used as terms equivalent Heare O my people and I will speak O Israel and I will testifie unto thee Psal 50. 7. so Gal. 6. 16. The Israel of God is as much as the people of God The Lord In the Hebrew it is as they call it the name of foure letters Jehovah as we Nomen tetragrammaton 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehovah comes of Havah which signifies the same with Hajah whence is Ehjeh rendred I am now pronounce it a name peculiar unto God and not communicable to any besides him Whose Name alone is Jehovah Psal 83. 18. Jehovah comes of a word that signifies to be and God is so called as having his being of himselfe and giving being to all things besides himself Our Translators sometimes yet but seldome have the word Jehovah about the pronounciation whereof learned men differ for the most part instead thereof they have Lord like as the Septuagint and the vulgar Latine Interpreter do constantly render it but so as that to distinguish this word from other words which signifie Lord also they use to write the word Lord when it is to expresse Jehovah all in great Letters thus LORD so that where in our Translations we find LORD so written all in great letters there in the Originall is Jehovah excepting some few places where it is Jah which is taken to be the contract of Jehovah Our God God is the God of all the world as being the Creator preserver and governor of all he is called the God of all flesh Jer. 32. 27. but in a more especial manner was he the God of that people to whom Moses spake viz. Israel they being the seed of Abraham with whom God entred into Covenant saying I wil be a God to thee to thy seed Gen. 17. 7. I am the Lord thy God said he unto them when he gave the law Exo. 20. 2. so he is stiled the God of Israel 2 Sam. 23. 3. The true God whom the people of Israel did worship is so distinguished from false gods which the Heathens worshipped All
not our own righteousnesse that we must build upon We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law Rom. 3. 28. By grace ye are saved thorough faith Eph. 2. 8. Not as faith is considered absolutely but as it is considered relatively not in respect of it self but in respect of Christ whom it layeth hold on and receiveth For Christ doth dwell in our hearts by faith Eph. 3. 17. And He is our peace Eph. 2. 14. and our hope 1 Tim. 1. 1. Christ is the medicine that doth work the cure faith the hand that doth apply it without which application though the medicine be never so Soveraign it can do us no good But herewithall we must remember that faith without works is dead Jam. 2. The same faith that looks at and layes hold on the promises which are Yea and Amen in Christ hath respect to the precepts also see Heb. 11. 7 8 17. And Christ came as to save sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. so to call sinners to repentance Mat. 9. 13. He came as to save so also to sanctifie see Eph. 5. 25 26. and Tit. 2. 14. In a word Christ is Lord as well as Jesus or Saviour and therefore except we yeeld obedience to him let us not think to be saved by him He is the Author of eternall salvation unto all them and only them that obey him THE NINTH SERMON HEB. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him THe scope of the Author of this Epistle is to shew that the Leviticall Priesthood was but a type and figure of Christs Priesthood and that all the rites and ceremonies of the Law were fulfilled in Christ And in this Chapter more peculiarly is shewed that Christ being a Priest after the order of Melchisedek his Priesthood was much more excellent then that of Aaron who was the first Priest under the Law In the two Verses before the Text it 's noted that under the Law there were many Priests one succeeding another because they were mortall and so one failing another must succeed in his place but that Christ is the only Priest having no Successor nor was there need of any because though he died as it was requisite he should he being both Priest and Sacrifice yet he quickly rose again and liveth for ever Hence he inferreth that Christ is a most sufficient Saviour Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Observe we therefore this Doctrine That Christ is a most powerful and a most sufficient Saviour Doct. He is mighty to save as it is said of him Esa 63. 1. He is a horn of salvation as he is called Luke 1. 69. that is a strong and mighty salvation for so the word horn in Scripture somtimes imports strength and might The Lord shall give strength unto his King and exalt the horn of his Annoynted 1 Sam. 2. 10. And thus David calls God his rock his fortresse and his deliverer his God his strength in whom he would trust his buckler and the horn of his salvation and his high Tower Psal 18. 2. Those many other titles which are heaped up together with it shew what is meant by this horn of salvation So Esa 28. 16. Christ is called a sure foundation It 's safe building upon LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the other Greek Interpâ—â—ters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vâ—lg non festinet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make hast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be ashamed him as it there followes Whosoever believeth in him shall not make hast that is not stumble and fall as they are apt to do that make hast The Apostle hath it shall not be ashamed Rom. 10. 11. viz. as they use to be whose confidence proves vain who trust in that which does them no good or not so much as they did expect from it And so the Greek Interpreters called the Septuagint render it the words in the Hebrew for to make hast and to be ashamed being somewhat alike in sound and in figure and the sense of them both equally agreeing to this place The power and sufficiency of Christ to save may appeare in these respects 1. He is able to save as well one as another He is not only able to save one or two or a few but all be they never so many Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth saith he Esa 45. 22. It is a light thing saith God unto him that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation unto the ends of the earth Esa 49. 6. See also Act. 13. 47. where this place is cited and expounded of Christ So Simeon having Christ as then a young babe in his armes said Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people Luk. 2. 29 30 31. True it is all are not saved by Christ but that is not through defect in Christ nor through any inability in him to save but through the indisposednesse that is in others to be saved The pool of Bethesda had in it vertue sufficient to cure any yet only such were cured by it as after the moving of the water by an Angell did first enter into it Joh. 5. 4. So there is sufficient vertue in Christ to save any yet only such as believe in him shall be saved by him By him all that believe are justified c. Acts 13. 39. To as many as received him to them he gave power to be the Sons of God even to them that believed on his name Joh. 1. 11 12. Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life Joh. 5. 40. 2. He is able to save as wel at one time as at another as well before his Incarnation as since Jesus Christ yesterday to day the same for ever Heb. 13. 8. They that were before Christs coming in the flesh did find the power and sufficiency of Christ to save them as well as they have been since his coming We believe that thorough the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they said Peter speaking of those that were before Christ Acts 15. 11. Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad said Christ Joh. 8. 56. 3. He is able to save as well from one enemy as from another he came for that end that we should be saved from the hand of all our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us Luk. 1. 71. He is able to save from corporall enemies Be not afraid said he unto Paul but speak and hold not thy peace for I am with thee and no man
Et jam nativitas non erit si proprietas naturae in nativitate non fuerit Secundum quod ait Quod ex carne nascitur caro est c. non ambiguum est nascenti diversum atque alienum aliquid ab eo ex quo natum sit non inesse Tenet nativitas eam ex qua subsistit naturam Filius Dei non aliud quà m quod Deus est subsistit Universa nativitas non potest non in eâ esse naturâ unde nascitur Hilar. de Trinit lib. 7. Vide etiam ibidem plura in hanc sententiam begotten of God is God even God of God as the ancients have expressed it one the same God with the Father This Argument drawne from hence that Christ is the begotten and the only begotten Son of God Hilary who lived in the time when the Arrians bore great sway Constantius the Emperour siding with them much and often urgeth against the adversaries and opposers of Christs consubstantiality with the Father proving that Christ being begotten as he is of the Father must needs have the same substance with the Father for that universally it holds in every thing that is properly begotten of another that it is of the same nature with that of which it is begotten 2. That Christ is God truly and properly and so one and the same in essence and substance with the Father may appear by comparing places of the Old Testament and of the New together For so we may see that what in the Old Testament is spoken of Jehovah the LORD the only true God that in the New Testament is interpreted of Christ and applied to him as meant of him Numb 21. we read how the Israelites in the wildernesse murmured against God and tempted him and therefore he sent fiery Serpents among them to destroy them The people spake against God c. v. 5. And the Lord sent fiery Serpents among the people c. S. Paul 1 Cor. 10. 9. applies this to Christ and sayes that they tempted him and warnes Christians to take heed of tempting him as they did Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of Serpents Though it be not expressed as some of them also tempted him viz. Christ yet in no congruity of speech or reason can it be otherwise interpreed And therefore this doth clearly prove that Christ is God the LORD So Psal 68. 18. The Psalmist speaking unto the LORD God as v. 16. 17. do manifest saith Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for men This the Apostle shewes to be spoken of Christ But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men Eph. 4 7 8. So that of David Psal 102. 25 26 27. Of old hast thou O my God v. 24. laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the work of thine hands They shall perish but thou shalt indure yea all of them shall wax old as a garment as a vesture â—â—alt thou change them and they shall be changed But thou art the same and thy years shall have no end That I say is cited Heb. 1. 10 11 12. as meant of Christ And whereas the Prophet Esay saith I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne c. Esa 6. 1. and addeth v. 9 10. that the Lord bad him go and say unto the people Hear ye indeed but understand not c. S. John citing the words of the Prophet saith that he spake them of Christ when he saw his glory Joh. 12. 39 40. 41. And whereas the Lord even he who is God and none else Esa 45. 22. saith I have sworne by my self c. that unto me every knee shall bow every tongue shall swear Esa 45. 23. The Apostle shewes this to appertaine to Christ for having said We shall all stand before the Judgement seat of Christ he confirmes it by this For saith he it is written As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confesse to God Rom. 14. 10 11. And to that place of Esay doth he allude Phil. 2. 9 10 11. Where speaking of Christ he saith Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and hath given him a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow c. And that every tongue should confesse that Jesus is the Lord c. 3. Divine attributes such as are proper and peculiar to the only true God are given unto Christ and therefore he is God truly and properly so called eternity immutability omnipotency and omniscience belong only unto God only God is eternall The Psalmist speaks it as a thing proper unto him Before the Mountaines were brought forth or ever thou hadst for 〈…〉 d the earth and the world from everlasting to everlasting thou art God Psal 90. 2. So God is described by this that he inhabiteth eternity Esa 57. 15. And he is stiled the eternall God Deut. 33. 27. So only God is immutable I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3. 6. Thou art the same Psal 102. 27. And onely God is omnipotent able to do all things he is called the Almighty Ruth 1. 20 21. He likewise only is omniscient one that knoweth all things Thou even thou only knowest the hearts of all the children of men 1 Kings 8. 39. So that all these Attributes are peculiar unto God yet they all belong unto Christ and are given unto him he is eternall His goings forth have been from of old from everlasting Mic. 5. 2. He is before all things Col. 1. 17. He is the first and the last Rev. 1. 17. So he is immutable to him is it spoken They shall be changed but thou art the same Heb. 1. 12. He also is omnipotent He is able to subdue all things unto himself Phil. 3. 21. And he is omniscient He needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man Joh. 2. 25. And Jesus knew their thoughts Mat. 12. 25. When Jesus perceived their thoughts c. Luke 5. 22. I am he that searcheth the reins and the hearts it is spoken by Christ Rev. 2. 23. Adde unto the fore-mentioned Attributes immensity which only God is capable of It is proper unto him to fill heaven and earth Jer. 23. 24. yet this also belongs unto Christ The Son of Man which is in heaven Joh. 3. 13. Even then when he was upon earth at the same time he was also in heaven which if he were meer man and not God also had not been possible 4. Divine works are ascribed unto Christ such as none can do but God only It is God that made all things Gen. 1. 1. Yet is it said of Christ that all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was
this rule viz. of a new creature of faith that worketh thorough love and of the keeping of Gods Commandements peace shall be upon them and mercy c. Gal. 6. 15. 16. In a word as Christ was crucified so also must we be crucified or els Christ crucified shal profit us nothing Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin Rom. 6. 6. I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ doth live in me and the life which I now live I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. ◠20. And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5. 24. Such as wilfully give themselves up to evill and sinfull courses are the enemies Terret ac fugat daemonas pellit mor bos omnia mala sanctificat ea quibus imprimitur Bellarm. of the Crosse of Christ as the Apostle calls them Phil 3. 18. They do what in them lies to make the Crosse of Christ of no effect For he his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree that we being dead unto sin should live unto righteousnesse 1 Pet. 2. 24. Caution But let us take heed and beware of the superstition and idolatry of the Papists who adore the Crosse and make an Idoll of it Bellarmine sticks not to affirm that the signe of the Crosse doth affright and chase away the devills drive away diseases and all evills and sanctifie those things upon which it is imprinted But the Scripture doth teach us otherwise viz. that it is faith in Christ crucified and not the signe of the Crosse whereby we must resist Satan and whereby we must obtain of God whatsoever is requisite and needfull for us The devill your adversary goeth about like a roaring Lion c. Whom resist stedfast in the faith 1 Pet. 5. 8 9. Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you Joh. 16. 23. Again we must also take heed and beware of the blasphemy of the Socinians who hold that Christ suffered death even the death of the Crosse only to confirm his Doctrine and to give us an example but not to bear the curse that was due unto us and so to satisfie the justice of God for us But what more repugnant to the Scripture which saith that Christ was made sin that is a * In the Hebrew the word that signifieth sin is often put for a sacrifice for sin sacrifice for sin and a curse for us 2 Cor. 5. 24. Gal. 3. 13. I conclude with the words of S. Peter Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these things before beware least ye also be carried away with the errour of the wicked and fall from your own sted fastnesse But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesut Christ to him be glory both now and for ever Amen 2 Pet. 3. 17 18. THE SIXTEENTH SERMON 1 COR. 15. 4. And that he was buried THe Apostle here in the beginning of this Chapter puts the Corinthians in mind of the Gospell which he had preached unto them and rehearseth some of the chief heads of it amongst the rest this of Christs buriall so that this is a point for Ministers to preach and for people to think of viz. That Christ was buried Doct. This is recorded by all the Evangelists and it was also long before spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah And he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death Esa 53. 9. It was likewise prefigured in that which happened to the Prophet Jonas For as Jonas was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly so shall the Son of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth that is in the grave said Christ Mat. 12. 40. Ob. It may be objected that such as were crucified as Christ was did not use to be buried but were wont to hang upon the Crosse untill they rotted and to that end there were Souldiers Solenne illud fuit crucifixorum corpora militari custodiâ signari donec putruissent ne quis ea ad sepulturam detraheret Lips appointed to watch them lest any should come to take them away to bury them Thus they used to deal with those that were crucified as they relate who are versed in the Antiquities of the Romanes among whom crucifying was in use and so as before was shewed they having dominion over the Jews by that means it was that Christ was crucified Ans I answer that although that were the custome of the Romanes not to permit those whom they did crucifie to be buried yet they were so indulgent to the Jews as to suffer them to observe their owne Lawes which God prescribed unto them Now one Law which the Jewes were to observe was this that if any were hanged on a tree he should not hang all night but be taken down at even Deut. 21. 23. And so S. John relates that the Jewes came to Pilate and desired him that the bodies of Christ and the other that were crucified with him might not remain on the Crosse on the Sabbath day which was the day after they were crucified Joh. 19. 31. There was then more especiall cause why they desired to have the bodies taken down because besides that Law in Deuteronomie before mentioned the day after was the Sabbath day and an extraordinary Sabbath as it is there said for that Sabbath day was an high day by reason of the feast of the Passeover which also was at that time But by this place of the Evangelist we may see that the Romans were not so strict with the Jewes but that they would let them injoy their liberty in things that did concern their Religion And moreover the Evangelists shew that there was speciall leave given by Pilate the Romane Governour for Christs buriall Joh. 19. 38. And the like may be seen in the other Evangelists It was meet that Christ should be buried First for the greater certainty of his death that it might the better appear that he was dead indeed and not in appearance only for none use to be buried but such as are first dead And Pilate was very carefull to be certified first of Christs death before he would give leave that he should be buried Mar. 15. 43 44 45. 2. For the greater certainty of his Resurrection And in this respect the Evangelists observe not only that Christ was buried but also they record the circumstances of his buriall and shew how he was buried viz. In a new sepulchre wherein never man was laid Joh. 19. 41 42. That so none might cavill and say it was not Christ but some other that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophylact ad loc did arise from the dead and that none also might pretend that Christ did not rise by
his owne power but by the touch of some other who had been buried in the same grave before As we read of one who being cast into the grave where the Prophet Elisha was buried by the touch of the dead bones of the Prophet revived 2 King 13. 21. And again the Evangelists record that Christ was laid in a sepulchre which was hewen out of a Rock and that a great stone was rolled to the door of the sepulchre and that the stone vvas sealed and a watch set to keep the sepulchre Mat. 27. 60 66. So that it could not with any probability be pretended that either by undermining or otherwise Christ was stolne out of the sepulchre 3. Christs burial was a further degree of his humiliation It was much for him to die and more to die the death of the Crosse and yet more to condescend and stoop so low as to be laid in the grave the common receptacle of the dead Job speaking of a man that is high and eminent in the world vvhile he liveth shevves that yet vvhen he dieth he shall be brought so low as to be laid in the grave Who shal declare his way to his face and who shal repay him what he hath done Yet shall he be brought to the grave and shal remain in the tomb the clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him c. Iob 21. 31 32 33. 4. This served to make Christs victory over death over him that had the power of death that is the Devill the more glorious that he not only died but also was buried death seemed to have ful conquest over Christ having gotten him into its den yet even there did Christ vanquish and subdue it Thus did he most gloriously triumph fulfilling that O death I will be thy plague O grave I will be thy destruction Hos 13. 14. Vse 1. This point concerning Christs buriall doth make much for the confirming of our faith in Christ to assure us that our sins are fully expiated and abolished by Christ that as they were nailed to his Crosse Col. 2. 14. so also buried in his grave never to rise up against us to our condemnation Christ bare our sins in his body on the tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. Therefore Christ being buried our sins also were buried with him so that we being united by faith unto Christ and having interest in him we are freed from sin and need Ioh. 1. not fear the imputation of it Ionah being cast into the sea and buried as it were in the belly of the fish presently the storm ceased and the Sea was calm So Christ being laid in the grave and buried our consciences though otherwise by reason of the guilt of sin full of vexation and horror have good cause to be calm and quiet Vse 2. Again here is good comfort and incouragement for us if we belong to Christ against the fear of death and the horrour of the grave Christ hath grapled with death and the grave and hath overcome them and therefore we need not to be afraid of them Christ having followed death into its den and there gotten victory over it we may assure our selves that though death prevail so far over us as to draw us into it's den yet it shall not be able to keep us there but Christ will make good that which is promised Hos 13. 14. I will ransome them from the power of the grave I wil redeem them from death So Christ assures us that the houre is coming in the which all that are in the grave shall hear his voice and shall come forth Joh. 5. 28. 29. In like manner the Apostle saith Then shall be brought to passe the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law But thanks be unto God who giveth us victory thorough Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Cor. 15. 54 55 56 57. The graves of the Saints are called beds wherein they lie and rest for a while but at length arise and come out of them They shall rest in their beds Isai 57. 2. So by Ecclesiasticall writers burying places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caemiteria are expressed by a word that properly signifies places to sleep in even as in Scripture death is usually termed sleep Vse 3. But if we would have such hope in Christ in that he was buried then we must be conformed unto him in respect of his buriall as he was buried literally so must we be buried mystically We are buried with him by baptisme saith the Apostle Rom. 6. 4. Our Baptism is a seal of our ingrafting into Christ and of our communicating with him and conforming unto him even in his buriall So Col. 2. 12. Buried with him in baptisme This is in respect of our old man as it is called Rom. 6. 6. that is our corrupt nature this must be crucified mortified and buried so as not to serve sin as there the Apostle doth expresse it Even as a dead body is laid in the ground and overwhelmed with earth so the corruption that is in us must be subdued and brought under that it may not reign in us nor have dominion over us Let not sin therefore reign in your mortall body Rom. 6. 12. The greatest tyrants and oppressours being in the grave all their tyranny and oppression ceaseth There the wicked cease from troubling Joh. 3. 17. So we being in the sense before expressed by way of analogy and resemblance buried with Christ sin shall not have that power over us as over the unregenerate I say not so as over the unregenerate But we must not think that whiles we are here we can be so conformed unto Christ so dead and buried with him as to be without sin to be quite free from it No If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves 1 Joh. 1. 8. In many things we offend all Iam. 3. 2. But if we have the spirit of Christ And if any have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his Rom. 8. 9. then we are so in a spirituall sense dead and buried with Christ as not to be under the reigning power of sin and the dominion of it Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under grace Rom. 6. 14. Again there is not the like reason of spirituall death and buriall and of that which it corporall For corporal death and buriall is finished at once but not so that which is spirituall this is done by degrees by little and little He that is already dead and buried in a spirituall sense that is he whose old man whose imbred corruption is as it were put to death and laid in the grave yet must still die in that kind and be buried still more and more because he hath still some reliques of the old man still some sin and
feeling there is life as there was in Paul who complained of the corruptions that were in him as grievous and burthensome unto him For I know said he that in me that is in my flesh no good dwelleth For to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not For the good that I would do I do not but the evill that I would not that I do I find then a law that when I would do good evil is present with me For I delight in the law of God after the inward man But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and leading me captive to the law of sin which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. 18 19 21 22 23 24. On the other side such appears to be alienated from the life of God as are without feeling Eph. 4. 18 19. such as are full of sin and of corruption and yet are nothing sensible of it but like the Angell of the Church of Laodicea think that they are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing when as indeed they are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. 4. A love of Gods Ordinances As they that have corporall life so also they that have spirituall life will desire food convenient for them whereby their life may be preserved and whereby they may grow As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby If so be that you have tasted that the Lord is gracious Pet. 2. 2 3. 5. Communion with God by prayer The Spirit which is the worker of this spirituall resurrection is the Spirit of grace and supplications Zach. 12. 10. The Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. Behold he prayeth said Christ to Ananias speaking of Saul after called Paul when a spirituall life was newly put into him Acts 9. 11. The ordinary means whereby this spirituall resurrection is wrought is the Word preached As at the last day the Trumpet shall sound and the dead corporally shall be raised 1 Cor. 15. 52. So they that are spiritually dead are raised by the Trumpet of Gods Word sounding in their ears Verily verily I say unto you saith Christ that the houre is coming and nâ—w is that the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Joh. 5. 25. That is spoken of the spirituall Resurrection as appears by these words and now is even as that which presently after followes v. 28. 29. is spoken of the corporall Resurrection The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth But the corporall Resurrection and the spirituall in this do differ that the corporall Resurrection is compleat and perfect at once In a moment in the twinkling of an eye 1 Cor. 15. 52. But the spirituall resurrection is carried on by degrees by little and little the inward man is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4. 16. Therefore they that are already in some measure made partakers of spirituall resurrection must still labour that they may be made more and more partakers of it Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. 18. So much for this point concerning Christs Resurrection That Christ did rise again from the dead I come now to speak a little of the time of his Resurrection the third day and here this point is to be considered Doct. That Christ did rise again the third day So we confesse in the Creed the Scripture is clear express for it Christ fore-telling his resurrection did likewise fore-tell this circumstance of time when it should be Destroy this Temple and after three dayes I will raise it up Joh. 2. 19. From that time farth began Jesus to shew unto his Disciples how that he must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the Elders and chief Priests and Scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day Mat. 16. 21. So Mat. 20. 18 19. Behold we go up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man shall be betrayed unto the chief Priests and unto the Scribes and they shall condemn him to death And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and crucifie him and the third day he shall rise again And so much the chief Priests and Pharisees had understood as appears by their words to Pilate Sir we remember that that deceiver said while he was yet alive after three dayes I will rise again And therefore they desired to have Christs Sepulchre watched but till the third day Mat. 27. 63 64. All the four Evangelists also do record as that Christ rose again so that he rose again the third day So also Paul preached how that Christ did for our sins according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day 1 Cor. 15. 3. 4. It was congruous and meet that Christ should rise again the third day not sooner nor later Not sooner to shew that he was truly dead and for a while under the power of death and the dominion of it which is meant by his being in hell as was shevved before Not later that so he might comfort and revive the drooping and dying spirits of his Disciples who after his death untill they heard of his resurrection mourned and wept Mar. 16. 10. And that he might strengthen their faith which was ready to fail as appears by that Luk. 24. 21. We trusted that it had been he that should have redeemed Israel Again it was not only congruous and meet but also requisite and necessary that Christ should rise the third day because so it was 1. prefigured viz. by that which happened unto Ionas his being three daies and three nights in the fishes belly neither more nor lesse signified that Christ should be so long neither more nor lesse in the grave Mat. 12. 40. Ob. If Christ were three daies and three nights in the grave how then did he rise again the third day Answ Those three daies and three nights are taken synecdochically that is not for three whole daies and three whole nights but for part of three daies and part of three nights Christ died and was buried as the Evangelists shew the day before the Jewish Sabbath that is on Friday as we call it towards evening that part of the day is by a synedoche reckoned for a day and to it belongs the night going before the Jews beginning the naturall day which consists of 24. hours at evening Levit. 23. 32. Then Christ lay in the grave the night following and the day after which we call Saturday here are two daies and two nights and so likewise he remained in the grave the night after and rose early in the morning
how to reserve the uniust to the day of iudgement to be punished Chiefly those that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse 2 Pet. 2. 9 10. 2. Swearers who never mention Christ but in their oaths never think of his sufferings his wounds his blood his death but to swear by them as much as in them lies they crucifie him again and again and continually make his wounds to bleed afresh Some such miscreants there are as Salvian complained of in his times They never lesse intend Nunquam minus cogitant quippiam facere quà m cum iurant per Christum se esse facturos Salv. de Gubernat l. 4. to do a thing then when they swear by Christ that they will do it Yea those things that are most evill and odious unto Christ they Cogitant se scelera etiam religiosè facturos Salv. Ibid. will swear by Christ that they will do as if saith he they thought that by this means their wicked acts shall be done religiously 3. Such as sleight or prophane the Ordinances of Christ his Word and his Sacraments Instead of observing that of the Apostle Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome Col. 3. 16. they are like those Jer. 6. 10. The Word of the Lord is a reproach unto them and they have no delight in it So for the Sacraments they think with Naaman Are not Abana and Parphar rivers of Damascus better then all the waters of Israel 2 King 5. 12. What is there more in the water of Baptisme then in other water What more in the bread and wine on the Lords Table then in bread and wine elsewhere 4. Such as despise and hate traduce and persecute Christs members These more especially shall give an account unto him who is ready to judge both the quick and the dead All the respect that is shewed unto the members of Christ and so all the indignity that is done unto them Christ at the last Judgement will take as shewed and done unto himselfe Come ye blessed c. For I was an hungred and ye fed me c. Forasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these of these my brethren ye have done it unto me Mat. 25. 34. c. On the other side Depart from me ye cursed c. For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat c. Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these my brethren ye did it not to me V. 41. c. Therefore whoso shall offend one of these little ones that believe in Christ it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea Mat. 18. 6. 5. They who in place and office are the Ministers of Christ but do not take heed to the Ministery which they have received in the Lord to Col. 4. 17. fulfill it How strictly did Paul charge Timothy to have a care of this setting before him Christs coming to Judgement I charge thee therefore said he before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge both the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome preach the Word be instant in season and out of season c. 2 Tim. 4. 1 2. So Peter The Elders that are among you I exhort c. Feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind neither being Lords over Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock And when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3 4. See Mat. 24. 45 51. Vse 2. Secondly here is comfort for those that belong unto Christ and have interest in him what need such to fear condemnation whenas it is Christ by whom they shall be judged He Advocatus noster factus est judex noster Greg. hom 34. in Evang. that is our Advocate who maketh intercession for us he shall be our Judge and how then shall we be condemned Though Satan be as his name imports and S. Peter terms him our adversarie 1 Pet. 5. 8. though he cease not to accuse us Rev. 12. 10. Yet we repenting and believing in Christ may say with the Apostle Who is he Rom. 8. 34 that condemneth seeing Christ is he that judgeth When the wicked shall be at their wits end and shall say to the mountains and to the rockes fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Rev. 6. 16 17. Then shall all true believers lift up their heads for that their redemption is at hand Then shall they say L◠Luk. 21. 28. this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us this is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation Esa 25. 9. Vse 3. Thirdly and lastly let us be admonished to consider Christ and to think of him not only as a Redeemer but also as a Judge let 's know and consider that as Christ came once to save sinners so he will come againe to condemn sinners even all impenitent sinners His first coming was in humility and meeknesse his second coming will be in majesty and terrour For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then he shall render to every man according to his works Mat. 16. 27. So Mat. 25. 31. When the Son of Man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall he fit upon the Throne of his glory The terriblenesse of Christs coming to judgement is lively set forth by the Apostle 2 Thes 1. 7 8 9. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angells in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Well might he say as he did Knowing therefore this terror of the Lord we perswade men 2 Cor. 5. 11. Let us take heed lest we now despise that sweet invitation Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you ease Mat. 11. 28. lest hereafter we hear that dreadfull denuntiation Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Mat. 25. 41. Let us remember that of Paul The grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Tit. 2.
11 12 13. And that of Peter Wherefore beloved seeing that you look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse 2 Pet. 3. 14. In a word let 's have a care so to assure our selves of interest in Christ by faith and so to shew forth our faith in Christ by our love and obedience unto him that as he saith Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man as his work shall be Rev. 22. 12. Surely I come quickly v. 20. So we may have courage and confidence to say as there immediately it followeth Amen even so come Lord Jesus The six and twentieth SERMON 2 COR. 13. 14. And the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all THese words are a part of the conclusion of this Epistle The Apostle usually begins and ends with prayer in the behalf of those to whom he writes So in other Epistles and so in this Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ Chap. 1. v. 2. And here in like manner The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen I am to treat only of that part of the verse which concerns the Holy Ghost and before I come to the doctrine which the words afford I must insist a little upon the name nature person and operation of the Holy Ghost 1. For the name Holy Ghost Ghost is as much as Of the name Holy Ghost spirit and ghostly as much as spirituall In the Scripture where this Person called the Holy Ghost is spoken of our Translators sometimes use the word Ghost and sometimes the word Spirit Yet as I observe they do not altogether use the words promiscuously but with this difference Where the word Holy is not prefixed they alwaies The word Ghost explained use the word Spirit and not the word Ghost And so also when this Person is spoken of in relation to God or to Christ although the word Holy be prefixed As the Spirit not the Ghost the Spirit of God or of Christ not the Ghost of God or of Christ his holy Spirit not his Holy Ghost Otherwise when this Person is spoken of without any such relation and with the Epithite Holy prefixed they use the word Ghost rather then Spirit But however the word in the Originall is the same and these words Ghost and Spirit differ in sound rather then in sense and signification Now the word in the Hebrew and in the Greek and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritus in the Latin the three learned Languages which is rendred sometimes Ghost but more frequently Spirit this word I say is attributed to divers things 1. Sometimes it is taken for breath I will cause breath to enter into you and you shall live Ezek. 37. 5. In the Originall the word rendred breath is that which usually is rendred Spirit So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 2. 26. Where it is said the body without the Spirit is dead in the margent for spirit is breath 2. The word sometimes is used for the wind as Joh. 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth so is every one that is born of the spirit In the Originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one and the same word which is rendred in the beginning of the verse Wind and in the end of the Spiritus ubi vult spirat verse Spirit the vulgar Latin there hath not Ventus which properly signifieth wind but Spiritus whence we have the word Spirit 3. This word Spirit is used to signifie an incorporeall and immaterial substance A spirit hath not flesh and bones Luk. 24. 39. And thus by spirit sometimes is meant the soul of man VVhen a man dies then shall the dust that is the body made of dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return to God that gave it Eccles 22. 7. Where by spirit is meant the soul of man which is a spirituall substance Thus also the Angels whether good or bad are called spirits The good Angels Are they not all ministring spirits c. Heb. 1. 14. The bad Angells when some said unto Christ Lord even the devils are subiect unto us thorough thy name Luk. 10. 17. Christ answered them Notwithstanding in this rejoyce not that the spirits are subject unto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in heaven v. 20. And in this sense is the word Spirit attributed unto God Ioh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit And so 1 Pet. 3. 18. By spirit is signified Christs divine nature which is the Son in all the three Persons Being put to death by the flesh that is the humane nature but quickned in the spirit that is the divine nature And peculiarly the third Person of the sacred Trinity hath the name of Spirit appropriated to him Sometimes this Person is called the Spirit Rom. 8. 16. Sometimes the Spirit of God 1 Joh. 4. 2. Sometimes the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 9. Sometimes the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost as in the Text and other places VVhy the third Person is peculiarly called the Spirit though the Father be a spirit and the Son a spirit as well as the Holy Ghost the Scripture doth not expresse neither is it much material for us to inquire Some give Secundum quod spiritus dicitur à spiritualitate sic convenit toti Trinitati Secundum autem quod dicitur à spiratione sic convenit illi soli Personae quae procedit ut amor c. Bonavent in Sent. l. 1. dist 10. quest 3. this reason that this Person proceeds from the Father and the Son by spiration or breathing which must be understood after a spirituall and ineffable manner It may be said that this divine Person is therefore called the Spirit because he was inspired or breathed into and did breath in the Prophets and Apostles This inward and spiritual inspiration was signified and confirmed by Cum arcanâ inspiratione possâ—t Christus gratiam conferre Apostolis visibilem flatum ad dere voluit ad cos melius confirmandos Calvin in Ioh. 20. 22. that outward and corporall breathing which is mentioned Ioh. 20. 22. Where it is said that when Christ gave the Holy Ghost unto his Apostles he breathed on them and said unto them Receive ye the Holy Ghost Ioh. 20. 22. This Person is called Holy Now there is a holinesse which is only externall and adherent which doth not constitute a thing holy in it self but only in its use and relation Thus Ierusalem is called the Holy City Mat. 4. 5. to wit because The word Holy expounded it had speciall relation unto God it was the City of the great King that is of God Mat. 5. 35. Thus also the Temple and the things of the Temple were holy And thus the water in Baptism and the
2. the spirit of glory 1 Pet. 4. 14. the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 9. the Spirit of God Rom. 8. 9. Yea this Spirit is God as hath been proved before and therefore this spirit must needs be excellent and so consequently the communion or fellowship of the Spirit 2. The commodity of this communion of the holy Ghost For 1. The Holy Ghost will teach informe and instruct Thou gavest thy good spirit to instruct them Neh. 9. 20. He is the spirit of counsell and knowledge and understanding Esa 11. 2. We are naturally blind and ignorant of the truth and many errors creep in and insinuate themselves under the name of truth but the Holy Ghost is the spirit of truth and will inlighten our minds and teach us to know and understand the truth Joh. 14. 26. 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 whatsoever I have said unto you Joh. 14. 26. Howbeit when the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth Joh. 16. 13. How ignorant were the Apostles before they had received the Holy Ghost in that measure as afterwards they did Are ye so without understanding also said Christ unto them Mar. 7. 18. when they thought that which was a plain speech to be a parable So Christ having spoken of his Passion it is said that they understood not this saying and it was hid from them that they perceived it not Luke 9. 45. So concerning some things that were done unto Christ according as it had been prophecied of him S. John saith These things understood not his Disciples at the first but when Jesus was glorified and so they had received a greater measure of the Spirit for the Holy Ghost â—â—s not yet given in such measure because Jesus was not yet glorified Joh. 7. 39. then remembred they that these things were written of him and that they had done these things unto him Joh. 12. 16. So Joh. 20. 9. As yet they knew not the Scripture that he must rise again from the dead Thus it was with them for a while but when the Holy Ghost was plentifully powred upon them then they were filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Esa 11. 9. So much their words and writings do make manifest 2. The Holy Ghost will strengthen and incourage The Prophet Jeâ—emie complains They are not valiant for the truth upon the earth Jer. 9. 3. Even they that both know and also love the truth yet may be so timorous and faint-hearted as not to dare to avouch it and to stand up in defence of it though God call them to it as is clear by the example of Peter when he denied Christ But the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of might and of power Esa 11. 2. and 2 Tim. 1. 7. How weak and fearfull were the Apostles whilst they had but as it were a scantling of the Spirit They all forsook Christ and fled from him when he was apprehended by his adversaries and Peter who had professed most courage and confidence of all others most bewrayed his weaknesse being not able to indure the encounter of a silly damosell as the story shews of him But afterward when they had the spirit in more abundant measure they were so full of courage and boldnesse that their greatest adversaries did admire it When the Jewish Rulers and Elders examined Peter and John about a miracle that tâ—â—y had wrought in making a lame man sound saying By what power or by what name have ye done this Then Pâ—ter filled with the Holy Ghost mark that said unto tâ—em Ye Rulers of the people and Elders of Israel If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man by what means he is made whole Be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth whom ye crucified whom God raised from the dead even by him doth this man stand here before you whole This is the stone which was set at nought by you builders which is become the head of the corner Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Now when they saw the boldnesse of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men they marvelled and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus Act. 3. 7. 13. So v. 31. it is said of the Apostles that they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and spake the word with boldnesse And v. 33. And with great power gave the Apostles witnesse of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus 3. The Holy Ghost will direct and order Courage without wisdom and discretion will do hurt rather then good but wisdome and courage joyned together will do much good and no hurt A wise mans heart discerneth both time and iudgment saith Solomon Eccl. 8. 5. that is a wise man knoweth both when to do a thing and how to do it Now the Holy Ghost being the spirit of wisdome will order and direct us to do things wisely in due time and in right manner Stephen being full of the Holy Ghost was also full of wisdome so that although he had to do with most implacable adversaries yet they were not able to resist the wisdome and the spirit by which he spake Act. 6. 10. So Christ promised unto his Disciples saying I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries shall not be able to gain-say or resist Luk. 21. 15. And how they should be indued with such wisdom we may see by that Luk. 12. 12. For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same houre what ye ought to say And so Mat. 10. 20. For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you 4. The Holy Ghost will comfort and incourage as to do the will of God so also to suffer what by his permission and providence shall be inflicted for so doing For though the godly behave themselves never so well and wisely yet they may fall into the hands of their inraged persecutors as that Protomartyr Stephen and so the other Martyrs did But though they do yet as it fared with Stephen and the Martyrs as their sufferings abound so shall their consolations abound also 2 Cor. 1. 5. For the spirit of glory and of God resteth on them 1 Pet. 4. 14. And this spirit will make them to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. It is such a peculiar work of the Holy Ghost to afford comfort that he is stiled the Comforter Ioh. 14. 16. 26. 15. 26. 16. 7. And sound joy is called joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. 3. Consider we the necessity of this communion of the Holy Ghost 1. Without
and his word together As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shal not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Isai 59. 21. And how did Cornelius and they that were with him receive the spirit but by the word While Peter yet spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word Act. 10. 44. And therefore Paul having said Quench not the spirit immediately adds Despise not prophecying 1 Thes 5. 19. 20. Prayer also is a means whereby to obtain the spirit Indeed we must first have the spirit in some measure before we can pray to any purpose as was shewed before but prayer is a means to obtain the Spirit in greater measure For God wil give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11. 13. They therefore who either restrain prayer before God or pray only in formality or fashion sake thinking it enough if they can read a prayer in a book or say a prayer by rote yea will scorn and deride praying by the spirit these I say plainly shew how little they look after the communion of the holy Ghost I am not against all use of book-prayer or of a form of drayer yet I may say to some in this respect as Paul said to the Athenians that they are too superstitious Whether Act. 17. 22. we pray with a book or without in a set form or otherwise yet must we howsoever pray with the spirit or els our prayer is to no 1 Gor. 14. 15. purpose 4. Do we study to bring forth the fruits of the Holy Ghost The fruit of the spirit is in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth Ephes 5. 9. The fruit of the spirit is love joy peace long suffering gentlenesse goonesse faith meeknesse temperance Gal. 5. 22 23. and v. 25. If we live in the spirit let us walk in the spirit that is if we pretend to be indued with the spirit let it appear by our spirituall life and conversation Vse 3. Thirdly and lastly suffer the word of exhortation and but a word Let this be our desire and care our study and indeavour that we may have the communion of the holy Ghost We have seen the excellency the commodity and the necessity of this communion let us not despise that which is so excellent nor undervalue that which is so commodious nor neglect that which is so necessary VVe have also seen the marks whereby to try whether we enjoy this communion in any measure or no and withall meanes whereby to obtain it let us labour to find those marks in our selves and let us have a care to use those means For so an entrance shall be ministred unto us abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Chrsst 2 Pet. 1. 11. The eight and twentieth SERMON MAT. 16. 18. And upon this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it CHrist having asked his Disciples whom men did say that he was they answered that some said that he was John the Baptist some Elias some Ieremias or one of the Prophets he asking them again whom they did say that he was Peter in the name of them all answered Thou art Christ the Son of the living God VVhereupon Christ commending that confession said Blessed art thou Simon Bar Jona for flesh and blood hath hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven And I say unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Vpon this rock The Papists make much ado about this place think it a Rock for them to build the Popes supremacy upon For by the Rock here mentioned they understand Peter and they will have the Church built upon Peter and so upon the Pope as being they say Peters Successor But first the Scripture shewes Christ and only Christ to be the foundation of the Church Thus saith the Lord God behold I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation c. Esa 28. 16. Which to be meant of Christ appears by S. Peter 1 Pet. 2. 5 6 7 8. And S. Paul is plain and peremptory Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. Object Some may object that Eph. 2. 20. Ye are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles Answ But first that makes nothing for Peter more then for the rest of the Apostles and for the Prophets also and so makes nothing for the Papists 2. It is meant in respect of Christ who was foretold by the Prophets and preached by the Apostles To him give all the Prophets witnesse said Peter Acts 10. 43. We preach not our selves but Christ Jesus the Lord said Paul 2 Cor. 4 5. So that Rev. 21. 14. where it is said that the new Jerusalem had twelve foundations Fundamenta igitur hujus muri sunt quia ipsi doctrinâ suâ exemplo aeterâ—ae tranquillitatis securitatis causa fuerunt electis Riber ad loc and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb that I say by the confession of Ribera a Iesuite is meant in respect of their Doctrine and example as they preached Christ and were followers of him 1 Cor. 11. 1. Here therefore by Rock is not meant Peter but Christ whom Peter confessed or which is to the same effect the confession which Peter made or the faith whereof he made confession Thus Augustine Chrysostome Theophylact and others have expounded it and those of the Ancients that have interpreted it of Peter are to be understood as meanning not his person but his faith and confession viz. in respect of Christ the object of it Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. ad Mat. 16. 18 the latest of the Ancients doth well shew the meaning both of them and of the Text it selfe The Lord saith he doth answer Peter and give him a great reward to wit that the Church should be built upon him For because Peter confessed him to be the Son of God he saith This confession which thou hast confessed shall be the foundation of Believers so that whosoever will build the house of faith must lay this confession for a foundation 2. Though the words in the Originall for Peter and Rock be neer akin yet rhey are different 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words and shew that Christ meant different things by them For otherwise Christ would have said Thou art Peter and upon thee or and upon this Peter I will build my Church Ob. It may be objected that the word in the Syriask Tongue which Christ used is
Jewes yet it is otherwise in respect of Christians more holinesse is now required in the time of the Gospell then was before in the time of the Law Ans I answer It is true the light being now more clear and the means of grace more abundant we ought to be more holy For unto whomsoever much is given of him shall much be required Luk. 12. 48. But neverthelesse the writings of the Apostles shew that even Christian Churches in their times were not free from grosse and scandalous offenders and yet they were still accounted Churches neither were any required to separate from them It hath been declared unto me of you my brethren by them which are of the house of Cloe that there are contentions among you Now this I say that every one of you saith I am of Paul and I am of Apollos and I am of Cephas and I am of Christ 1 Cor. 1. 11 12. Ye are carnall for whereas there are among you envyings and strife and divisions are ye not carnall and walk as men 1 Cor. 3. 3. Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not that you come together not for the better but for the worse For first of all when ye come together in the Church I hear that there be divisions among you and I partly believe it For there must also be heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest When ye come together therefore into one place this is not to eat the Lords Supper for in eating every one taketh before other his own supper and one is hungry and another is drunken What have you not houses to eat and drink in Or despise ye the Church of God and shame them that have not What shall I say unto you shall I praise you in this I praise you not 1 Cor. 11. 17 18 19 20 21 22. How say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15. 12. I feare lest when I come I shall not find you such as I would and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not lest there be debates envyings wraths strifes backbitings whisperings swellings tumults and lest when I come again my God will humble me among you and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already and have not repented of the uncleannesse and fornication and lasciviousnesse which they have committed 2 Cor. 12. 20 21. By these passages we may see how farre from that purity and holinesse that was requisite the Corinthians were and yet the Apostle stiled them the Church of God 1 Cor. 1. 2. 2 Cor. 1. 1. and blessed God for them 1 Cor. 1. 4. so far was he from admonishing any to separate from them notwithstanding the errours and disorders that were among them So it appears by the second and third Chapters of the Revelation how corrupt and unsound the Churches of Asia there spoken of were both in doctrine and manners yet still Christ accounted them Churches and only exhorted them to repent and amend otherwise threatning to powre his wrath upon them he never taxed any for abiding in them so that they did not joyn in those corruptions Ob. Some may object that of the Apostle Come out from among them and be ye separate 2 Cor. 6. 17. Answ But it was not the Apostles meaning that Christians should separate from a Church wherein are found wicked persons as if it were not lawfull to joyn with such in the use of Gods Ordinances for then we should not know where to find a Church upon earth to joyn our selves unto and the whole series and tenour both of the old and new Testament is against such separation but the meaning is that Christians must separate from all wicked ones so as not to joyn with them in their wickednesse So immediately there it follows touch not the unclean thing that is do not joyn with others in their pollutions So Ephes 5. 6 7. Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Be ye not therfore partakers with them viz. in those things for which the wrath of God cometh upon them v. 11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darkness but reprove them rather Thus then by Scripture the case is clear that such holinesse of Church-members as some stand upon is not essentiall to the Church nor any necessary mark of it And in this all our famous Protestant Divines that I know agree I will only cite one who for his worth and excellency may be in stead of all viz. Calvin the Anabaptists saith he say that Anabaptistae aiunt ubicunque mali non excluduntur à communione illic Christianum communicando sese polluere Nos è contrà dicimus Christianum maestitia affici debere cum sacrosanctam caenam pollui videt ab iniquis improbis qui ad eam admittuntur curare quantum in ipso est ne id fiat quod si fiat ipsi tamen sese privare caenâ à communione subducere non licere debere potius in eo persistere ut quamdiu in eo loco agit cum caeteris Deum adoret verbum audiat caenamque recipiat Calvin Instruct advers Anabaptist vide Ibid. plura wheresoever evill persons are not excluded from communion there a Christian doth pollute himself if he communicate We on the otherside say that a Christian ought to be grieved when he sees the Holy Supper polluted by the wicked that are admitted unto it and that he ought to indeavor what he can that it may not be so polluted But if it be yet he may not deprive himself of the Sacrament and withdraw himself from communion but must rather persist in this resolution so long as he abides there together with others to worship God hear the word and receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Much more he hath to this purpose alledging many places both of the old and new Testament for proof of it 2. Another note of the Church which some 2. Church Covenant much stand upon is a Church-Covenant viz. an expresse Covenant which all the members of the Church must enter into whereby they expressely and formally bind themselves to the performing such duties as they conceive to be required of them This some make so necessary as if there could be no true and rightly constituted visible Church without it They will not admit any to the Lords Table though they cannot but judge them such as have reall union and communion with Christ neither will they admit their children to Baptism except it appear that by such a Covenant they are in Church-fellowship or members of a Church that is gathered together by such a Covenant But so far as I can see the Scripture no where shews us that such a Covenant is requisite I grant that in some case upon speciall occasion it may be meet for
the members of a Church to Covenant together about those things that concern them viz. for the reforming or preserving of the Church from grosse corruptions that have got or are likely to get into it Thus Asa and the people of Judah entred into a Covenant as we read 2 Chron 15. But ordinarily such a Covenant is not necessary We read of many Churches planted by the Apostles yet of no such Covenant only we find that the members of the Church were admitted into it by Baptism by which all do vertually Covenant one with another Then they that gladly received the word were baptized and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls And they continued stedfast in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers Act. 2. 41 42. For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12. 13. There is one body and one spirit c. one Lord one faith one baptisme Ephes 4. 4 5. Having hitherto spoken of those notes of the True notes of the Church Church which the Papists and others do erroneously assign I come now to the true notes of it and they are these 1. The sound preaching of the word this is 1. The second preaching of the word a principall note whereby the Church is to be discerned For 1. The word is that whereby the members of the Church are begotten Being born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible by the word of God 1 Pet. 1. 23. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized Act. 2. 41. And so by the preaching of the word the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved v. 47. 2. The word is that whereby the members of the Church are nourished As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. 2. And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ c. Ephes 4. 11. 12. And now brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up c. Act. 20. 32. 3. The ministery of the word being taken away the Church ceaseth I will remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent Revel 2. 5. As if he should say I will dischurch thee I will make thee cease to be a Church viz. by taking away the word and ministry For in that respect Churches are called candlesticks Revel 1. 20. because they hold forth the light of Gods word by the ministry and dispensation of it A false and corrupt Church is known by false and corrupt doctrine Therefore on the other side a true and sound Church is known by true and sound doctrine True it is false doctrine may get into a true Church and through the prevalency of false teachers may bear sway in it but if it come to prevail so far as that all must either subscribe to it as in the Church of Rome or els they can have no communion with it then it ceaseth to be a true Church I mean such as wherein it is lawfull to abide but there is a necessity of making separation from it Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins c. Rev. 18. 4. and so far forth as any Church is infected with false doctrine so far forth it degenerateth into a false Church I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospell Gal. 1. 6. I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed on you labour in vain Gal. 4. 11. the Apostle feared least by that corruption of doctrine that was in the Churches of Galatia they would quite be dissolved and come to nothing And Christ speaking to the Angell or Pastor of the Church in Pergamus in the name of the whole Church saith thus But I have a few things against thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed unto Idols and to commit fornication So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate Repent or els I will come unto thee quickly c. Revel 2. 14 15 16. 2. Another true note of the Church is The 2. The right administration of the Sacraments right administration of the Sacraments When Christ sent his Apostles to gather his Church he commanded them as to preach so also to baptize Mat. 28. 19. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost That of the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 17. Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospel is not to be taken simply and absolutely that the Apostle was not at all sent to baptize for no doubt he had the same Commission as the other Apostles had and besides he there testifieth that he did baptize some though not many v. 14. 16. whereas if Christ had not sent him to baptize he might not have baptized any It is therefore spoken comparatively like that Receive instruction and not silver Prov. 8. 10. that is rather then silver and that I desired mercy and not sacrifice Hos 6. 6. that is rather then sacrifice So here Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospell that is not so much to baptize as to preach the Gospell But though in that Commission Mat. 28. 19. onely Baptisme is expressed as being the Sacrament of initiation that whereby we solemnly enter into the Church yet there is also the Sacrament of the Lords Supper which is to be administred in and celebrated by the Church See 1 Cor. 11. 23. c. These Sacraments as they are seals of the Covenant which God hath made with his Church so are they badges and cognizances whereby the Church is knowne and discerned For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body whether we be Jewes or Gentiles whether bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 13. As these Sacraments are more or lesse purely administred so the Church is more or lesse pure 3. A mutuall connexion and due order of 3. A mutuall connexion and due order of the parts and members of the Church the parts and members of the Church this is also a note and mark of it As in a naturall body the parts and members are united together and fitly ordered so is it in the mysticall body the Church 1. There must be union and connexion of the parts and members Let us not forsake the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is Heb. 10. 25. Mark those that cause divisions c. Rom. 16. 17.
be either eternally happy or eternally miserable it would make us to passe our time of sojourning here in fear 1 Pet. 1. 17. And to give diligence to make our calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. Now that we may be partakers of everlasting life 1. We must know that by nature we are estranged from it and have no right unto it For by nature we are dead in trespasses and sins and are the children of wrath Ephes 2. 13. 2. We must be translated out of Adam into Christ For in Adam all die and in Christ must all be made alive 1 Cor. 15. 22. God hath given unto us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 John 5. 11 12. 3. Holinesse of life here is requisite for the obtaining of the happinesse of the life to come God will render to every man according to his deeds To them who by patient continuance in wel-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life But unto them that are contentious and obey not the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evill Rom. 2. 6 7 8 9. Be not deceived God is not mocked as a man soweth so shall he reap He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shal of the spirit reap life everlasting Gal. 6. 7 8. Follow holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. Every one that hath this hope purifieth himself even as he is pure 1 John 3. 3. I 'le only adde this in a word to you that are parents As you have been instruments under God whereby your children obtain a temporall life so labour to be instruments whereby they may obtain eternall life As nature doth teach you to provide for them in respect of this life so let grace teach you to provide for them in respect of the life to come As you are careful to bring them up in learning and trades that they may live a while here so be carefull to bring them up in the Eph. 6. 4. nurture and admonition of the Lord that they may live for ever hereafter The six and thirtieth SERMON JUDE V. 3. That you should earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the This Sermon was preached at the Fast which in respect of errours heresies was kept March 10. 1646. Saints THe writer of this Epistle was Iude or Iudas as John 14. 22. or Judah as the word is in the Old Testament they are all one and the same name though diversly pronounced As there were two of the Apostles that were called Iames viz. James the son of Zebedeus the brother of Iohn and Iames the son of Alpheus the Lords brother Zanchius de Scripturâ Non connumeratur inter Apostolos Mat. 10. Judam Apostolum non lego sed Iscariotem Gal. 1. 19. that is his near kinsman so there were also two of them that were called Iudas viz. Judas Iscariot that betrayed Christ and Judas the brother of James viz. James the son of Alpheus and he it was that wrote this Epistle I marvell much at a learned Divine who thinks that the Author of this Epistle was no Apostle and saies that he finds no Judas to have been an Apostle but only Judas Iscariot Nothing to me is more clear then that this Jude or Judas was one of the twelve Apostles viz. the same that is called Thaddeus Mar. 3. 18. and Lebbeus Mat. 10. 3. For Luk. 6. 16. amongst the Apostles is expresly mentioned Judas the brother of James and so also Acts 1. 13. And the writer of this Epistle stiles himself Jâ—de the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James This Apostle after the inscription v. 1. and the salutation v. 2. tells them to whom he writes how desirous and carefull he was to write unto them and for what end v. 3. Beloved when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation it was needfull for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints And he shewes why there was such need that he should thus write unto them and exhort them v. 4. For there are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of our God into lasciviousnesse and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will adde no more concerning the Epistle but will come to the words of the Text That you should earnestly contend The simple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verb of which this here used is a compound signifies to strive as they used to do in the Olympian games or such like exercises wherâ—â—n by wrestling running and the like they did strive for mastery as the word is rendred 1 Cor. 9. 25. It is used metaphorically Col. 4. 12. for striving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with God by prayer it is rendred labouring fervently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Compound in the Text is more imphaticall the Preposition addes to the signification of the word and increaseth the force o 〈…〉 And therefore it is well rendred not simply to contend but to contend earnestly For the Faith There is faith by which we believe Fides quâ creditur thus is faith taken Româ—â— 1. justified by faith and so in many other places There is also faith which we believe viz. The Doctrine of Fides quae creditur Faith thus it 's said that Paul preached the faith which once he destroyed Gal. 1. 23. And so is it here taken for faith whereby we believe is infused into us but it is faith which we believe that is delivered unto us Delivered viz. first by preaching and then by writing The Apostles did deliver the faith to the Primitive Christians both wayes Gal. 1. 23. Ioh. 20. 31. But to the Christians of succeeding ages they delivered the Faith only by writing for being dead they could not deliver it by preaching neither can we tell what they preached but onely by seeing what they have written Therefore this delivering of the faith here spoken of as it concernes us and the Church ever since the Apostles times must be understood of delivering by writing As for Popish unwritten Traditions how groundlesse they are and how injurious to the written Word of God I shall shew more anon Once That is fully and perfectly as 1 Sam. 26. 8. Let me smite him I pray thee with the speare to the earth at once and I will not smite him the second time Heb. 10. 10. it is expressed once for all This is not so to be taken as if the faith were not again and again even continually while the world lasteth to be delivered but it must be no new faith that
is delivered but the same that was before delivered by the Apostles they have delivered the faith once that is the whole faith whatsoever is in matter of Religion to be believed we must hold that which they delivered and according to our callings deliver it but not any thing as matter of faith besides it much lesse against it Timothy keep that which is committed unto thy trust Upon which words an ancient Writer doth thus descant That which is committed Quod tibi creditum non à te inventum quod accepisti non excogitâsti Cùm dices novè non dicas nova Pròfectus sit fidei non permutatio Vincent Lirin unto thee not that which is invented by thee that which thou hast received not that which thou hast devised When thou speakest after a new manner do not speak new matter Let there be a growing in the faith not a change of the faith To the Saints So Christians are termed Eph. 1. 1. Phil. 4. 21 22. All that are called to be Christians are called to be Saints 1 Cor. 1 2. The words being thus explicated afford first this observation That the Doctrine of Faith is Doct. 1 fully delivered in the Scripture or that the Scripture containes in it whatsoever is in matter of Religion to be believed The Law of the Lord is perfect saith David Psal 19. 7. That is the Doctrine of the Lord as the word there used doth import and the Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehended in the Scripture The Rabbines indeed speak much of a Law given only by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word of mouth besides that which is written And there is nothing almost so frivolous but they will have it a thing delivered to Moses from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mount Sinai and so continued by Tradition But we know no such traditionall Law as they talk of Whatsoever things were written before were written for our learning Rom. 15. 4. Search the Scriptures for in them you think to have eternall life and they are they that testifie of me â—oh 5. 39. From a child thou hast knowne the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation thorough faith which is in Christ Jesus All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the Man of God may be perfect thorough furnished unto every good worke 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. Vse 1. This then serves first to confute the Papists who charge the Scripture with imperfection and hold that many things are necessary to be believed which are not contained in the Scripture and that therefore the defect of the Scripture must be supplied by unwritten Traditions But if the Scripture be the Word of God which they do not deny then by the testimony of God himself as the places before cited doe demonstrate the Scripture is so compleat that we have no need of Traditions Ob. They object that the Apostle commended 1 Cor. 11. â— the Corinthians for keeping the traditions so the word signifies though we read it Ordinances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he delivered them unto them Answ I answer all doctrine that is delivered though it be written is a tradition that is a thing delivered In the same Chapter v. 23. I have received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you c. the word is that from whence is derived the other that signifieth Tradition That which the Apostle there saith he delivered was delivered not only by speaking but also by writing as is evident by that which follovveth in the same place See also 1 Cor. 15. 3. Act. 6. 14. Ob. But say they the Apostle bade the Thessalonians hold the Traditions which they had been taught whether by word or by his Epistle and therefore unwritten Traditions are to be held as wel as those that are written Answ It follows not that because Paul delivered some things to the Thessalonians by word which he did not deliver by writing therefore some things are to be received by Tradition which are not contained in the Scripture For 1. Pauls Epistles to the Thessalonians are but a part of the Scripture so that many things are contained in the Scripture which are not contained in those Epistles 2. Paul might deliver something to the Thessalonians which was requisite for them and yet was no matter of faith necessary for all to hold If it were of such concernment the Papists for all their Traditions are as far to seek as we For I presume they can no more tell then we what it was which the Apostle delivered to the Thessalonians meerly by word which he did not deliver by writing But no marvel if the Papists so contend for Traditions when as they hold and maintain many Doctrines as Purgatory Prayer for the dead Prayer to Saints and a hundred more which have no ground at all in Scripture but are most repugnant to it they are like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pharisees who as Josephus relates of them delivered many rites and customs to the people which were not written but received only by Tradition And so much also the Scripture shews of them Mar. 7. 3 4. But see how our Saviour censured them for this Mar. 7. 7 8 9. Again they of the Church of Rome will not allow us to build upon the Scripture but upon the authority of the Church that is indeed upon the authority of the Pope for so they resolve all at length into him His decrees and determinations they wil have all to submit unto without any more ado without examining or considering whether they be consonant or no unto Scripture But to the Law and to the Testimony saith the Prophet Esay if they speak not according to this Isa 8. 20. word it is because they have no light in them Ob. They object that heretikes alledge Scripture and therefore it is not safe to rest in it Answ I answer so the devil did alledge Scripture yet did our Saviour confute him by Scripture Mat. 4. and so by Scripture must heretiques be confuted although in defence of their heresies they alledge Scripture See Act. 18. 28. But again they of the Romish Church withhold the Scripture from people and wil not without special dispensation allow them to look into it and how then should their faith be grounded upon it as it ought to be They pretend that the Scripture is dark and difficult and so by misunderstanding it people fal into errour and heresie but we wil believe the Scripture rather then them and the Scripture tels us that though there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— Pet. 3. 16. be some things in it hard to be understood yet that neither all things in it nor the most are such but that as there is that which may puzzle the most learned so that which may instruct the most simple
The testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple Psal 19. 7. The entrance of thy words giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple Psal 119. 130. therefore God would have the book of the Law read before all the Congregation of his people men women and children that saith he they may hear and that they may learn and fear the Lord your God and observe to do all the words of this Law and that their children which have not known any thing may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God c. Deut. 31. 11 12 13. 2. To confute the Enthusiasts who rely on immediate inspirations and revelations of the spirit and so vilifie and despise the Scriptures but let them boast of the spirit as much as they will certain it is that whilest they contemn the word as they do the spirit which they are led by is not that spirit which Christ promised the Spirit of Joh. 16. 13. Spiritus veritatis Isa 19. 14 Spiritus vertiginis Vulg. truth but that which the Prophet saith the Lord had mingled in the Egyptians a perverse spirit God in his perpetual and unchangeable Covenant hath joyned his spirit and his word together Isai 59. 21. And therefore most presumptuous are they who wil disjoyn them one from the other 3. To confute many opinions that are started up among us in these times they are called new lights but whether they be new or old they are falsly called lights being opposite to that true light the Scripture to which we must take heed 2 Pet. 1. 19. Isai 8. 20. as to a light shining in a dark place they that broach these opinions speak not according to the Law and the testimony and therefore there is no light in them That the moral Law is now of no use to a believer that he is not to confesse sin nor to be humbled for sin that the soul is not immortall that Christ is not God coessentiall with the Father if these and many such like doctrines which are now spread abroad in the Land be lights I wonder what we shall call darknesse Certainly the Prince of darknesse even in the darkest times of Popery did never devise such damnable heresies and hellish blasphemies as are now maintained I say with S. Peter Seeing you know these things before beware least ye also be carried away with the errour of the wicked and fall from your own stedfastness But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. 17. 18. Vse 2. Secondly if matters of faith be fully contained in the Scripture let it be our care to acquaint our selves well with the Scripture to embrace the doctrine therein delivered and to hold it fast There are 3. branches of this Exhortation 1. Let us acquaint our selves well with the Scripture Search in the book of God and read Isai 31. 16. Search the Scriptures John 5. 39. Let us consider 1. That God hath ordained the Scriptures for this end that we might be instructed and edified by them They were written for our learning Rom. 15. 4. 2. That it is a singular mercy that we have the Scriptures David magnifies the goodnesse of God towards the Israelites in this respect He hath given his word unto Jacob his statutes and his Ordinances unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation c. Psal 147. 19 20. So Paul notes this as the great priviledge which the Jews had above others that unto them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 1 2. The greater the mercy is the more grievous is the contempt of it I have written unto them saith God the great things of my Law and they were counted as a strange thing Hos 8. 12. 2. Let us embrace the doctrine delivered in the Scripture Not every doctrine that is preached or printed no take heed of that Believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God for there are many false Prophets gone out into the world 1 John 4. 1. Prove all things 1 Thes 5. 21. And how must we prove and try every doctrine but by the Scriptures so the Bereans did and they are commended for it Act. 17. 11. But having 1 Pet. 2. 8. tried a doctrine and found it agreeable to the Scripture we must embrace it we must take heed of stumbling at the word as Peter â—aith some do Some stumble because of the many opinions that are abroad because some hold one thing some another therefore they will hold nothing Take heed of this consider 1. That it hath been thus of old in matters of Religion In our Saviours time there were severall opinions concerning him Some said he is a good man others said nay but he deceiveth the people Joh. 7. 12. See also Joh. 7. 40. 43. and Mat. 19. 13 14. 2. The Scripture hath foreshewed that there shall be false doctrines and heresies There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets c. Mat. 24. 24. But there were false Prophets also among the people even as there shall be false Teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies c. 2 Pet. 2. 1. 3 Such is the malice of Satan that he will doe what he can to pervert the truth where God sowes good corne he will sow tares Mat. 13. 39. 4. God suffers it to be so first to try those that are his There must be heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest 1 Cor. 11. 19. See Deut. 13. 1 2 3. 2. That the truth may be more cleared and confirmed then otherwise it would be if it were not impugned and opposed See Acts 15. 1. 2. 6. 7 22. c. 30. 31. It is observed that the Doctors that were before Pelagius wrote more securely concerning grace and free will but when Pelagius arose and asserted free will so as that he overthrew grace then Austine and others bestirred themselves and made it evident that without Gods grace man hath no power nor ability in him to do any thing whereby to please God But again some stumble at this that such as were eminent for profession fall into grosse opinions but neither is there any cause to stumble at this For thus also it hath been even in the Apostles time Nicolas was of no mean repute in the Church as appears Acts 6. 5. Yet it seems he became the Author of a detestable Sect called the Nicolaitans Rev. 2. 15. So what account Paul made of Demas we see Col. 4. 14. and Philem. verse 24. yet he proved an Apostate 2 Tim. 4. 10. 2. This also is fore-told The Spirit speaketh expresly that in the later times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits c. 1 Tim. 4. 1. The falling away of Professors should make us take heed to our selves and cleave the more close to the truth as Peter admonisheth 2 Pet. 3. 17. Take heed lest ye also
Solomon who were Prophets as well as Kings but also they Kings only and not Prophets as Asa Jehoshaphat Ezekiah and Iosiah and memorable to this purpose is the example of Artaxerxes though a heathen See what a decree he madâ— Ezr. 7. 25 26. And how Ezra blessed God for it v. 27. 28. 2. By providing Orthodox Ministers to teach the truth and by incouraging them that do it Thus Jehoshaphat sent Levites who taught in Judah and had the book of the Law of the Lord with them and went about thoroughout all the Cities of Judah and taught the people 2 Chron. 17. 8 9. And Ezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord 2 Chron. 30. 22. Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the Priests the Levites that they might be incouraged in the Law of the Lord 2 Chron 31. 4. 3. By repressing such as pervert the truth and divulge errours The Magistrate is the Minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evill Rom. 13. 4. Now if they do evill that hurt the body and prejudice the temporall estate how much more they that hurt the soul and prejudice the eternall estate 2. Ministers must do it and that 1. By preaching and teaching the truth with all diligence See Act. 20. 28 31. 2 Tim. 4. 1 5. Tit. 1. 10 11. with 2. 1. 2. By refelling such as oppose the truth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non loquintur diserta sed fortia Cypr. confuting their errours a Minister must not only be apt to teach 1 Tim. 3. 2. but also able to convince gain-sayers Tit. 1. 9. To this end he must preach not with entising words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the spirit and of power 1 Cor. 2. 4. Apollos was eloquent and that is good but withall he was mighty in the Scriptures Act 18. 24. And so he mightily convinced the Jews and that publikely shewing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ v. 28. 3. Private Christians must doe it And 1. By praying for good and sound teachers they must pray that they may be sent Mat. 9. 38. And that they may do the work for which they are sent 2 Thes 3. 1. Col. 4. 3. Ephes 6. 19 20. 2. By affording them all incouragement that may be See 1 Thes 5. 12 13. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Heb. 13. 17. 3. By giving no assistance shewing no countenance to false teachers but doing what they may to restrain them See 3 Iohn 10 11. Deut. 13. 6 9. 4. By instructing and admonishing one another Col. 3. 16. 5. By humbling themselves and mourning for the errours that are vented and for those that are seduced See Psalm 119. 158. 136. Vse Let us then according to our places and callings be mindfull of this duty and carefull to perform it to this end let us consider 1. That truth especially the truth of Religion the truth of the Gospell is a thing most precious and excellent Col. 1. 5. most worthy to be contended for with all earnestnesse and to be maintained with all care and diligence God is the God of truth Isa 65. 16. Christ hath stiled himself the truth John 14. 6. the Holy Ghost is the spirit of truth John 16. 13. The Gospel is the word of truth Ephes 1. 13. If therefore we contend for other things which in comparison are vain and frivolous how much more should we contend for this which is of such worth of such excellency 2. That the Saints servants of God have ever shewed great zeal in this kind How zealous Paul was for the truth his Epistles every where shew See especially Gal. 1. 8 9 2. 5 11 12 13 14. 4 3. 1 3 4 11 19. 5. 7. 12. of S. John it is recorded by Eusebius and before him by Irenaeus that being in a bath and hearing that Cerinthus one who besides other hereticall opinions denied Christs divinity was come into the place he would stay no longer but departed with all speed saying to those that were with him Let us flie and be gone least the building fall upon us in which this enemy of the truth Cerinthus is So it is said of Polycarpus S. Iohns Disciple that meeting with Marcion another Arch-heretike and being asked by him if he knew him answered Yes I know thee to be the first born of the divell And such was the zeale of Hierome against heretikes and heresies that in his second Apology against Ruffinus he writes thus In this one thing I cannot In uno tibi consentire non possum ut parcam haereticis ut me Catholicum non probem Si ista est causa discordiae non possum tacere non possum yeeld unto thee that I should forbear heretikes and so not prove my self a sound and true believing Christian If this be the cause of our difference I cannot hold my peace I cannot do it 4. That wicked opinions are rather worse then wicked practises corrupt Doctrines more dangerous then corrupt manners Some do well observe that he who had the leprosie in his head is pronounced not simply unclean as others but utterly unclean Levit. 13. 44. Whence is collected that corruption in judgement is worse then corruption in practice And so it is the understanding is the eye and so the light of the soul and if the light be darkness how great is that darkness Mat. 6. 23. Sound doctrine is a means to reforme a corrupt conversation but corrupt doctrine is a means to marre a good conversation Evill communications corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15. 33. Whosoever shall break one of the least Commandements and teach men so c. Mat. 5. 19. 4. Great need especially at this time to be earnest for the truth and to do what we may for defence of it For first when was it ever more opposed then now it is What heresie almost was ever broached which is not now taken up and maintained by one or other Scarce any truth in all the sphere of Christian Religion is so sacred as to remain inviolate 2. These wicked opinions that are among us cause the name of God to be blasphemed and the way of truth to be evill spoken of Hereupon Papists take occasion to traduce our Religion and prophane persons to despise all Religion 3. These are times wherein God expects and we pretend Reformation Therefore that now in these times should be such Sects and Heresies amongst us is the more hainous I said surely thou wilt feare me thou wilt receive correction c. but they rose up early and corrupted all their ways Zeph. 3. 7. Thou saidst I will not transgresse when on every high hill and under every green tree thou wandredst playing the Harlot Ier. 2. 20. 4. We have solemnly sworne unto God and covenanted with him to indeavour in our places and callings the preservation of the truth and the extirpation of heresie and whatsoever is concrary to sound Doctrine Let us remember that of David Psal 76. 11. Vow and perform unto the Lord your God And that of Solomon Eccles 5. 4 5. When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it for he hath no pleasure in fools Pay therefore that which thou hast vowed Better is it that thou shouldst not vow then that thou shouldst vow and not pay Some have shewed themselves very zealous against Superstition Popery Prelacy c. but concerning Sects and Heresies which swarm in the Land have been remisse enough Why is not one part of the Covenant regarded as well as another Zeale if it be not impartiall is not right howsoever we may please our selves in it and vaunt of it as Iehu did Come see my zeal 2 King 10. 16. But Jehu regarded not to walk in the Law of the Lord with all his heart for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the soâ— of Nebat who made Israel to sin v. 31. Had his zeal been sincere it would have shewed it selfe as well against the Idolatrous Worship of thâ— Calves set up by Ieroboam as against that of Bâ—al set up by Ahab Let us consider these things and let the consideration of them incite us by prayer and humiliation and all good means as our places and callings require to indeavour that truth may be preserved and error suppressed that such as are yet in the truth may persist in it and such as are swerved from the truth may be reduced to it or at least may not seduce and draw others from it In a word let us do what in us lies that the land may be purged as from other pollutions and defilements so from these Sects and Heresies that are so rife in it that so the Lord may not as otherwise we must needs fear he will abhor us and depart from us but may still continue his gracious presence with us and rejoyce over us to do us good FINIS
holy spirit is appropriated to the third Person of the Trinity but the other Persons are a spirit too they are indeed all one and the same spirit having all one and the same essence and nature the divine nature of Christ is called the spirit 1 Pet. 3. 18. Being put to death in the flesh that is his humane nature but quickned in the spirit that is by his divine nature And our Saviour here in the Text having immediately before spoken of the Father the first Person of the Trinity saith God viz. the Father yet not excluding but including the Son and the Holy Ghost is a Spirit That God is a spirit may be further proved by these Arguments 1. That which is of most excellency must needs belong unto God O Lord how excellent is thy Name saith David Psal 8. 1. 9. His Name only is excellent saith he Psal 148. 13. Now as amongst all things substances so amongst all substances spirits are most excellent As substances are of more excellency then accidents so are spirits of more excellency then bodily substances the soul is more excellent then the body and Angels being meer spirits are more excellent then men who are not incorporeall as the Angels are God therefore being most excellent must needs be as a substance not an accident so a spirit not a bodily substance Indeed God is so excellent that no names can be found out whereby sufficiently to expresse his nature he infinitely transcends all other substances and all other spirits but yet apprehending God as we are able we cannot but attribute the names of substance and of spirit unto him 2. Invisible substances are called spirits by this our Saviour proved that he was not a spirit Luk. 34. 29. as the Disciples supposed because he was a visible substance The soul of man being a spirit is not visible so neither the Angells as being spirits They have indeed sometimes appeared unto men but that was only in respect of those bodies which for the time they assumed and after this manner hath God himselfe also appeared as we find in Gen. 18. and Gen. 32. and thus more especially by the Incarnation God viz. the second Person of the Trinity the Son one and the same God with the Father and the Holy Ghost was made visible by this means God was manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 15. The Word was made flesh that is the Son of God God the Son was made man and dwelt among us and we behâ—ld his glory c. Joh. 1. 14. but God in himself as God is invisible so he is stiled 1 Tim. 1. 17. and so Joh. 1. 18. it 's said No man hath seen God at any time and 1 Tim. 6. 16. whom no man hath seen nor can see It 's said indeed of Moses that he saw him that is invisible Heb. 11. 27. that is by the eye of Faith which is the evidence of things not seen Heb 11. 1. he saw him like as Abraham saw Christs day many ages before Christ came into the world Joh. 8. 56. but properly Moses did not see God neither could see him God being as in that very place is expressed invsible 3. Gods immensity and ubiquity his being in every place yet so as not to be included in any place proves that he is a spirit For although not every spirit is immense and every where present neither the souls of men nor the Angells are so yet every substance that is so must needs be a spirit For bodily substances are necessarily limited and circumscribed they have their bounds within which they are contained He is not here for he is risen said the Angell to those that came to seek Christ in the sepulâ—hre Mat. 28. 6. Christ having a true humane body in that respect could not be both in the grave and out of it at the same time But God is every where at all times Do not I the Lord fill heaven and earth saith he Jer. 23. 24. God is said to be in heaven as there especially shewing forth his glory Heaven is my Throne saith he Esa 66. 1. but he is not confined there no the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee said Solomon to God 1 King 8. 27. therefore God is no corporeall substance but a spirit Vse 1. This serves to confute that grosse conceit of the Anthropomorphites who held God to have the form and shape of a man and thus absurdly doe now some simple ones conceive of God but if God be a spirit then he neither hath the shape of a man nor any other bodily shape whatsoever Ob. But it is said that God made man after his own Image and likenesse Ans That is not meant in respect of bodily shape as if God had the like shape as man hath But first because man is a rationall and understanding creature in which respect still since the fall man retains in him the Image and likenesse of God Jam 3. 9. Gen. 9. 6. And secondly as man hath dominion over the other creatures in this respect man is said to be the Image of God 1 Cor. 11. 7. Thirdly and principally man was at first made after the image and likenesse of God in that he was made righteous and holy Put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4. 24. The image of God therefore is seated in the soul although it appear and shine forth in the body viz. as by outward and bodily actions man doth shew forth his reason and understanding and doth exercise authority over the creatures and if he be regenerate that righteousnesse and holinesse with which he is indued Ob. But in Scripture God is often said to have eyes ears hands c. Ans The Scripture speaks of God after the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manner of men condescending to the weaknesse of our capacitie because we see with eyes heare with ears work with hands therefore these bodily parts and members are attributed unto God only to signifie that God doth exercise the same acts though not in the same manner as we exercise with and by these parts and members to shew that God doth see the Scripture attributes eyes to shew that he doth heare it attributes ears and to shew that he doth work it attributes hands unto him but properly God doth see without eyes hear without ears and work without hands having no bodily part or member whatsoever Vse 2. This also makes for the confutation of Papists who make pictures and images whereby to represent God whereas he is a spirit and so cannot be set forth by any bodily representations the second Commandement forbids the making of any image of similitude to represent God by it And what a strict charge doth Moses give the Israelites The Lord saith he spake unto you out of the midst of the fire ye heard the voice of the words but saw no similitude onely ye heard a voice Take ye therefore
good heed unto your selves for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire least ye corrupt your selves and make you a graven image the similitude of any figure the likenesse if male or female the likenesse of any beast that is on the earth the likenesse of any winged fowle that flieth in the aire the likenesse of any thing that creepeth on the ground the likenesse of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth Deut. 4. 12. 15 16 17 18. and the Prophet Isaiah cries To whom will ye liken God or what likenesse will ye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plut. in Numa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. compare unto him It is very observable that Plutach records of Numa Pompilius the second King of the Romans viz. that he forbad the Romans to use any Image of God having the forme of a man or of any other living creature and the same Author moreover testifies that for 170. years after Rome was built they had no Image of God neither painted nor carved Temples he saith they had but no image at all in them and he gives this reason for it that it is not lawfull to resemble better things to worse nor possible to apprehend God otherwise then by the conception of the mind and understanding How is Rome now professing it selfe Christian become much more superstitious and idolatrous in this particular then it was when it was Heathenish Vse 3. Here again we may see what it is in respect of which man is excellent in Gods account it is not in respect of any corporall thing any thing belonging to the body as beauty strength c. much lesse in respect of things more extrinsecall as riches honour c. but it is in respect of things spirituall things belonging to the soule as grace and holinesse Looke not on his countenance or on the height of his stature because I have refused him for the Lord seeth not as man seeth for man beholdeth the outward appearance but the Lord beholdeth the heart thus spake the Lord to Samuel 1 Sam. 16. 7. when Samuel seeing the goodly personage of Eliab Davids eldest brother presumed that it was he whom God had sent him to annoynt King in the room of Saul So David saith that God neither delighteth in the strength of a horse nor taketh pleasure in the legs of a man but the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his mercy Psal 147. 10 11. Favour is deceitfull saith Solomon and beauty is vain but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised Prov. 31. 30. Thus beloved it is as our spirits are so doth God esteem of us He regardeth not the rich more then the poor saith Elihu Job 34. 19. No it 's not the rich but the righteous that God regardeth The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour saith Solomon Prov. 12. 26. although wicked men in respect of outward things be worth never so much yet with God they are of no account because as Prov. 10. 22. the Wiseman saith the heart of the wicked is little worth Therefore as we desire to be esteemed of God it behoves us to look and labour for spirituall things to furnish our soules and to adorne them with the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit S. Paul requires that women adorn themselves in modest apparell with shamefastnesse and sobriety not with broydred haire or gold or pearls or costly array but which becometh women professing godlinesse with good works 1 Tim 2. 9 10. those outward and bodily ornaments are not simply forbidden but they are to be sleighted and neglected in comparison of the other So in like manner S. Peter Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of gold or of putting on of apparell but let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price 1 Pet. 3. 3 4. Vse 4. Finally we may hence learne what Worship and Service it is that God requires and will accept at our hands viz. that which is spirituall which proceeds not onely from the outward man the body but principally from the inward man the heart and spirit this is the more to be considered in that as was shewed before for this very end Christ thus describes the nature of God and sayes That God is a Spirit from thence to inferre that he will be worshipped in Spirit and in truth this being that Worship which is agreeable to his nature My Son give me thy heart saith God Prov. 23. 26. Whom I serve with my spirit saith the holy Apostle Rom. 1. 9. For we are the circumcision saith the same Apostle which worship God in the spirit Phil. 3. 3. God expresseth all the detestation that may be of those Services though such as himselfe prescribed which are meerly outward and formall not proceeding from a pure heart and holy affections see Esa 1. 10 11 12 13 14. he threatens severely to punish those that draw neer him with their mouth and honor him with their lips but remove their heart far from him Esa 29. 13 14. Christ told the Pharisees that though they justified themselves before men yet God knew their heart and that which was highly esteemed amongst men was abomination in the sight of God Luk. 16. 15. and Mat. 23. many a woe doth Christ denounce against them for their hypocrisie saying seven severall times Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites and he bids his Disciples beware of the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees which is hypocrisie Luk. 12. 1. Though the outward performance be very weak yet if the heart be rightly affected God accepts it and will passe by the imperfection The high places were not taken away Quin damus id superis de magna quod dare lance Non possit magai Mâ—ssalae lippa propago Compositum jus fasque animi Sanctosque recessus Mentis incoctum generoso pectus honesto Hoc cedo ut admoveam templis farâ—e litabo Pers Sat. 2. out of Israel neverthelesse the heart of Asa was perfect that is sincere upright all his days 2 Chron. 15. 17. Ezekiah knew this and therefore when many did eat the Passeover otherwise then they should have done he prayed for them saving The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God the Lord God of his Fathers though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary 2 Chron. 30. 18 19. Thus our Saviour seeing his Disciples drowzie and not able to keep from sleeping when he had speciall reason to require their attendance yet knowing the sincerity of their hearts and affections towards him excused them saying The Spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak Mat. 26.