speaketh it will beleeve The common faith of the world is not so for they beleeve God in one thing and not in another they beleeve God in his promises and not in his threatnings in his mercy but not in his judgement they beleeve God in one commandement and not in another therefore this is not the true faith that the Scripture speakes of for all the parts of true faith be so joyned and knit together that if wee take away one wee destroy all even as it is in a stone wall take away one part and the rest falls and even so take away one part of true faith and yee destroy all and as one cracke in a bell spoyles the sound of a bell even so one part of our faith being taken away destroyes our faith To this effect Gal. 1. 6. The Apostle saith I marvell yee are so soone turned to another Gospell they missing one point of faith he shewes they destroyed all If any man object and say How can that be that a man failing in one point of faith should faile in all Wee see Abraham beleeved God in one thing and not in another I answere wee are to consider two things First what he beleeved and what hee beleeved not all points be not of one consequence some bee of greater moment and some of lesse for as Aquinas saith some points bee the grounds of faith and those bee of greatest weight and moment and there bee some that bee in relation to others so many things in the story of the Bible bee most directed to faith as grounds and some be in relation to others to helpe and further it now Abraham doubted not of any maine point of faith but hee doubts of the lesse hee beleeves God for saving of his soule that God for Christs sake would save that but hee doubts of this that God would not give him a child so hee doubts not of the maine matter but of the lesser a man may beleeve God in the maine beleeve God for the saving of his soule and doubt of the lesser this doth not destroy true faith Even as a man comming to a shelfe where be a number of dishes a man may take away one and the rest may stand but if hee take away the shelfe all the dishes fall downe even so it is in faith take away one point which is in relation to another all the rest will stand but take away that which is the ground and beareth up all of them and then all the rest fall Now the causes of this defect are First because they beleeve it not not out of any distrussfulnesse of God as the children of Israel said in the Psal Can God prepare a table c. And as the Prince wee read of in the second booke of the Kings that doubted of the power of God but it ariseth for want of light that they doe not see it to bee so or because they have not beene as yet taught it out of the word of God The second defect is for want of strength for although hee sees it to bee a truth yet hee cannot beleeve it but is carried away with the sway and swinge of Nature against his judgement that hee is faint to strive and struggle against it This is the maine difference betweene the people of God and the world for although they beleeve not some particular thing yet they strive to beleeve even as the man in the Gospell said Lord I beleeve helpe my unbeleefe But the world doth not so for they doubt and doe not beleeve many particular things and yet they doe not strive against their unbeleefe and therefore if we doe not find it so in ourselves that there is not a striving to beleeve it is no true faith for true faith doth beleeve God in the maine matters it doth beleeve that God will give them Christ and yet many times they doubt of health it beleeves Christ will give them heaven and through weaknesse doubts that God will not give them seasonable weather and yet there is a striving to beleeve all The second thing that wee are to observe in saving faith is That it makes use unto it selfe of the word of God and not in generall but it applieth every promise of God made for our good As Eliphas saith to Iob take this and take to thy selfe so true faith beleeve this and beleeve it for thy selfe so that it doth not beleeve in generall but it makes use and applies every promise of God made home and to say with David I have respect unto all thy Commandements Herein true faith differeth from the faith of the world whosoever beleeveth the word of God in generall and yet cannot apply it to themselves may bee compared to the Apothecary which giveth others Physicke but doth not take it himselfe whereas true faith applies the promises of God for its owne good this is a justifying faith The third thing in true saving faith is that as it applies all the promises of God to it selfe so espicially it applies and takes hold of the great promises made unto us in Christ wherein wee stand perswaded of our redemption by the blood of Christ Even as a man being carried away in a great streame looketh up and espying a great tree hang over him takes hold of it and saveth himselfe from drowning so when a man is carried away in the streame of corruption and lookes up by the eye of faith hee espieth Christ like a tree hang over him takes hold of him and by this meanes hee saveth himselfe when thousands of others perish It is true indeed that true faith looketh to the whole word of God it beleeveth the threatnings and the promises of God as in Heb. 11. That by the same faith that Noah beleeved God for the saving of his soule by the same hee beleeved God for the saving of his bodie by an Arke and so likewise Abraham by the same faith hee beleeved that God would give him heaven by the same faith hee beleeved that God would keepe him in a strange countrey so Moses by the same faith that hee beleeved that God would preserve him from hell by the sanie faith hee beleeved that God would preserve him from the wrath of Pharaoh Yet in the matters of our salvation true faith lookes at Christ onely and at the promises made unto us in him even as the people of Israel that were stung with the firie serpents with the same eye wherewith they looked on Moses Aaron on the people and on their tents with the same eye they looked on the brasen serpent which was it that hoâ—pe them so it is in true saith it lookes to all the promises of God made unto us and yet in the matters of salvation it must bee the great promise made unto us in Christ that must save us which true faith lookes at All the hope we have of heaven hangs on faith and lest we should be
God so we should returne all to him againe by publike thankefulnesse for them as Paul saith in this place that we should turne from these vaine idols to the living God that made heaven and earth the sea and all that therein is because he made them therefore we should goe backe againe in the consideration of it and returne thankes to him Thirdly seeing God made all things wee should not looke upon his workes without great consideration of them as his workes of mercy or judgement If a workeman make an excellent worke it is a great indignity and injury offered to the workeman to passe by it slight it not to looke on it or regard it so seeing the Lord hath hanged as it were the chamber of this world with many goodly workes of his mercy and judgements it is a great injury and indignity offered unto God for men to passe by them and never to looke upon them so God complaines Psal 28. 5. Because they regard not the workes of the Lord nor the operations of his hands therefore hee shall breake them downe and not build them up so it is a great sinne to passe by his wonderous workes and not to looke upon them and consider of them The third point is how hee made them By no instrument but by his word as Psal 33. 6. By the word of the Lord were the heavens and all the hoast of them by the breath of his mouth Now wee are not to thinke it was a vocall word of God but it was his commandement Psal 33. 9. For he spake and it was done hee commanded and it stood or was created So Psal 148. 5. Hee commanded and they were created Solomon when hee builded the Temple had thousands of workmen to doe it but God when hee made the world made it with his word therefore we may see the excellent power of the word of God that let him but speake and there is a new heaven and an earth and a sea and skie and beasts and birds for the use of man Therefore the Centurion saith well Matthew 8. Doe but speake the word and thy servant shall be whole So we must learne to acknowledge the excellent power of the word of God that if hee say to sicknesse depart it shall depart if to health come it shall come looke what God speaketh shall be done as it is said in the Psalme he sent out his word and healed them Secondly seeing God made the world with a word wee may wonder at our untowardnesse that there is never a creature save man but doth yeeld to the Word of God the Lord hath spoken ten words in his Law nay many more in the gospell unto us and yet what adoe is there an almighty power must ioyne with the word to bring a sinner to repentance therefore wee may wonder at our untowardnesse that the creatures yeeld to the word of God and yet sinfull man cannot submit to a thousand words of God to bring him to repentance The fourth point is what hee made the world of and that was of nothing Hebrewes 11. 3. Through faith wee understand that the world was made by the Word of God so that the things wee see were made of things that did not appeare Philosophers say of nothing nothing can hee made It is true in Nature but not in regard of Gods power In Nature indeede there is no Artificer that can make any thing unlesse he hath matter to make it of as a Smith cannot worke without Iron and a Mason must have stone and a Carpenter must have timber but God is able to make all things of nothing The use is first that seeing God did make the world of nothing hee is able to make a man somewhat when he is nothing he is able to give grace where there is none to create faith where there is no faith and to worke repentance where there is none so saith Paul 2 Cor. 4. 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkenesse hath shined into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ And therefore if God be able to make the world of nothing he is able to make a man something that is nothing in himselfe Secondly seeing God is able to make the world of nothing he is able when we are nothing in our worldly estates to raise us up of nothing and to make us great men in the world so faith Hanna 1 Sam. 2. 6 7. The Lord killeth maketh alive bringing downe to the grave and raising up the Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low and exalieth he raiseth the poore out of the dust and lifteth up the begger from the dunghill to set them amongst Princes Thirdly seeing God made the world of nothing so let us know the world would dissolve and come to nothing againe if God should not uphold it for naturally all things dissolve into that they were made of as a man made of dust so naturally turnes and comes to dust againe so Ice being made of water it turnes to water againe and Snow being made of raine it dissolves to it againe so the world being made of nothing would come to nothing if God should not uphold it Therefore how much are wee bound to God for every houres continuance of this world which Heb. 1. 3. is said to be upheld by his mighty power and word Fourthly seeing he made the world of nothing wee may see the meanes of our beginning that it was of nothing and therefore howsoever some swell with greatnesse of their Ancestors and of their Nobility yet we see the meannesse of our beginning wee came of nothing therefore this may serve to humble us how great soever we be Abraham hee confessed he was but dust this did humble him and were know the dust was made of nothing which should serve to humble us in that all our greatnesse came of nothing The fifth point is â— what estate God made this world in in exceeding good estate Genesis 1. 25. therefore if there be any creature that is not good or hath any defect in it we are to thanke our selves and our owne sinnes as we see in a clocke if there be any alteration or stop in the little wheeles it is because there was first a stop in the great wheeles for the little ones doe depend on the greater wheele so that if there bee a stand in that there is a stand in the little wheeles in like manner if there be any defect in the creatures or if there be any that be not good it is because there is a defect and a failing in us for man is as the great wheele of the Clocke therefore if hee bee out of order no marvell though the creatures be so also Hence we may learne that if there be any which be not good or have defect in them wee may
there bee a number of men that overdrive their wits and bring them into an high straine and so make them die therefore a learned man saith well It is better not to judge of things secret and hidden than to strive and contend about them There be a number of Papists that do determine the place where it shall be though the best Divines hold it uncertaine and they bring Scripture for it too Some say that the place is the valley of Iehosaphat Ioel 3. 12. Let the World be wakened and come up to the valley of Iehosaphat for there will I sit to judge all the Heathen round about which words are spoken not of the last judgement but the meaning is that the Lord would judge the Amorits and the Ammonites wich were the enemies of the people of God in those times there the Lord would overthrow and destroy them and to prove it is not intended of the last judgement there be divers reasons First because he speakes by way of Allusion It is a Metaphor and a borrowed speech as wee may see by other places of the same Chapter as verse 18. And in that day shall the Mountaines droppe downe new wine and the hils shall flow with milke and all the Rivers of Iuda shall flow with waters and a Fountaine shall come forth of the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shittim Now as those words cannot stand in their literall sense but be Metaphoricall and are spoken by allusion onely so likewise is it in this place and therefore it cannot bee meant of the last judgement Secondly because bodies must have distance and place as Augustine saith Take away distance and place and then bodies are no bodies therefore it is not probable that the valley of Iehosaphat should hold all the bodies of all the men that have lived from the beginning of the World to the latter end of all ages in all the Countries and kingdomes of the world It is not possible they can stand all there to bee judged at the same time Thirdly the Schoolemen say it is probable that it should bee on Mount Olivet because Christ did ascend to Heaven from thence Now if it should be on the Mount Olivet it could not he in the valley of Iehosaphat because they bee a great distance one from the other as 2 Chron. 20. 20. we may see when Iehosaphat went out to warre he went to Tekoa which was sixe miles from Bethlehem and Bethlehem was sixe miles from Ierusalem and then the valley of Iehosaphat must needs many miles bee distant from Ierusalem so this opinion overthrowes the other But they say the valley of Iehosaphat was neere Ierusalem betweene the Mount of Olives and that but it cannot bee so because it is said 2 Chron. 20. 27. that Iehosaphat and the men of Ierusalem and Iuda returned home to Ierusalem from the valley So that it was many miles distant from Ierusalem whereas the Mount of Olives was neere for Christ sate on that Mount and did see men cast into the Treasury therefore the valley of Iehosaphat cannot be the place where the last judgement shall be Fourthly because the dsciples Luk. 17. when they heard Christ speake of the fearefull separation that shall be at the last day of judgement that there shall be two in the bed of whom the one shall be taken and the other refused two in the fields one refused and the other taken said unto him where Lord and he said unto them whersoever the dead Carkas is thither shall the Eagles resort Now if it had been set downe in the Scripture Christ would never have left it as uncertaine to his disciples when they did aske him of it So then it is manifest the particular place where Christ shall judge the World is uncertaine Now if men will not be contented with this but say there must bee a determined place where he shall judge the World which is like to be where he was borne planted the Gospell did preach and worke most of his miracles I must say for mine owne part I doe incline that way But whether it shall bee in Bethlehem where Christ was borne or upon Mount Olivet from whence Christ ascended or whether it shall bee on Mount Calvery where Christ was crucified or on Mount Tabor where Christ was transfigured I dare not determine for that is left uncertaine to us Now the Vse be made of it is that seeing the particular place is uncertaine therefore let us labour to bee joyned with Christ to lie with him in the Manger pray with him on the Mount fall downe by him in the Garden to goe with him to the Crosse to bee killed and crucified with him to descend into the Grave with him and to lay our bodies by him and our bones by his bones and to bee joyned with him and then as hee did rise himselfe our of the grave so hee will raise thee out of thy grave and thou shalt be gathered unto him by the hand of an Angell and brought unto him wheresover the place be Fourthly The time of the judgement For when we heare there shall be a judgement day then we make enquiry when it shall be It is a desire in nature to looke after it if once beleeved therefore not onely the wicked say where is the promise of his comming but his Disciples also Matth. 24. came unto him and asked him when the end of the world should be Augustine saith well All men that labour desire to know or to have an end of their labour Therefore as the husbandman casts with himselfe how many weeks it will be to Harvest The Merchant man how many daies to Returne The Traveller what time hee shall get to his Inne So a Christian that hath tooke paines to get Heaven cannot chuse but bee desirous to know when the end of the world shall be that he may have amend of his labour Now concerning the time of the last judgement I will lay downe these three conclusions 1. That the Time is certaine to God 2. That the Time is uncertaine to us 3. Although it hee uncertaine to us yet hee hath given us certaine Signes and Tokens of it First The Time is certaine to God which I will prove by Scripture and by Reason First by Scripture Matth. 24. 36. But of that time and houre cometh no man No not the Angels in heaven but my Father onely So Acts 17. 30. But now hee doth admonish all men every where to repent Because bee hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world so Revel 14. 7. the Angell saith Feare God and give glory to him for the houre of his judgement is come Therefore although we doe not know the certaine time yet God knoweth the day and houre when it shall be Secondly we will prove it by reason for looke what God hath done in any special and particular judgement that
to thanke God that it is not so common amongst us as it hath been There is also another fault amongst us that a poore man many times stands excommunicated three or foure yeers together indeed there may bee a fault in the poore man to stand so long but let us take heed it bee not for want of our helpe Therefore as wee are ready to contribute to the necessities of their bodies so we should bee to contribute to them in this case But here may a Christian demand whether were a man best to give money or to stand excommunicated still this question I will answer by another question what if a man fall into the hands of Theeves were hee better to lose his money or his life I answer hee were better to lose his money because his life is the greater even so a man were better to lose his money than the meanes of grace which is the greater Another may here object and say I but how if a man cannot bee absolved without hee should sinne against God and offend his conscience To this I answer that if the case be so that he cannot be absolved but he must sinne against God then hee were better lose the Communion of men which is the lesser than the Communion of God which is the greater as Iohn 9. wee see the blind man whom the Pharisees had cast out Christ meets with and said unto him doest thou beleeve in the Sonne of God as if hee should say notwithstanding this censure thy cause is good thou art a blessed man in like maner although the censure of excommunication hath passed upon thee if thou beleevest in the Sonne of God thy case is good this may comfort Christians Lawyers have a saying that unjust Lawes binde no man and Bellarmine saith that there is a double Communion an externall and an internall Communion the externall Communion of the Church of God is in the word preached prayer and in Sacraments the internall is in the graces of the Spirit Faith love and other graces Now a man may bee cast out from the externall Communion the word and Sacraments as when a man is put into prison or banished and yet may have the internall Communion with the Church a man may be cut off from his brethren in regard of outward societie but hee can not bee cut off from Christ And these bee the uses wee are to make of this point Now that wee have spoken of the Nature of the Church in the next place we are to speake of the properties of it which are two 1. It is a Holy Church 2. It is a Catholike Church First The Church of God is Holy there is a company of Holy People here in this world as Zech. 8. 5. thus saith the Lord I will returne unto Sion and will dwell in the midst of Ierusalem and Ierusalem shall be called a Citie of Truth and the Mountaine of the Lord of Hosts and the Holy Mountaine so in Dâ—â—iel the Church is called the Holy People of God and Revel 22. 2. saith S. Ioh. And I saw the holy Citie the new Ierusalem come downe from God so also 1 Cor. 3. 17. Saint Paul saith For the Temple of the Lord is Holy which ye are Therefore seeing the Church of God is an assembly of Holy People accordingly as it is Holy wee the Members thereof must labour to be Holy Now the Holinesse of the Church is opposed unto three things that seemeth to take away Holinesse from it First the judgement of the world for it thinkes that of all societies they are the vilest and the worst they thinke them to be but a company of dissemblers and hypocrites that professe the Word but deny the Power of it but we that are Christians beleeve that the Church of God is Holy though the World thinke them a company of dissemblers David saith Psal. 13. Yet God is good to Israel even to the pure in heart and in the 14. of Deut. 2. we read For thou art an Holy People to the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a precious people to him Therefore howsoever the World condemnes them yet wee beleeve that God hath a Holy company of People in the World The second thing that seemeth to take away Holinesse from the Church is that it is a united company of good and bad together for I have shewed you that the Church of God is like to a Flocke wherein are Sheepe and Goates a Floore wherein is Corne and Chaffe a Field wherein are Tares and Wheate and yet these bad persons are no true Members of the Church but like bad humours in the body Againe the Faith of a Christian opposeth and doth beleeve that there is a company of Holy People and that the wicked that live amongst them doe not defile the Holy things of God for it is Pauls rule 1 Cor. 11. 26. Let a Man therefore examine himselfe c. whereupon saith Augustine Marke thou that art a good Man thou mayest eat and drinke with comfort if thou doe examine thy selfe and againe he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation not so to thee that art a good Man but to the wicked that came like swine without any preparation at all The third thing that seemes to take away holinesse from the Church is the remainders of sinne and corruption for there is no Man in the estate of Grace but hath complained of this So David Psal 40. 12. My sinnes hath taken such hold on me that I am not able to looke up and Paul complayneth Rom. 7. The good thing that I would doe that doe I not but what I hate that doe I c. so in the best estate there is some remainders of sinne Therefore although the World and the Divell should condemne them yet we beleeve the Church of God is Holy SERMON LXVII 1 CORINTHIANS 3. 17. For the Temple of God is holy which yee are HAving spoken of the Nature of the Church we began to speake of the Properties of it the last day being two First we beleeve the Church of GOD is Holy Secondly that it is Catholike agreable to that part of our Christian profession Now the Church of God is holy foure manner of wayes First In regard of the Holinesse of their Faith or by the Holinesse of their Faith All other societies are fouly spotted and tainted with errour against the foundation but this remaines unspotted in the foundation therefore the Church is Holy because their Faith is Holy So Iude 20. But ye beloved edifying your selves in your most holy Faith keepe your selves in the Love of God So Matth. 7. 6. saith our Saviour Give not that which is holy to Dogges It cannot be denyed but that there may bee errours in the true Church for as they bee subject to all other sinnes so are they to the sinne of ignorance as
things I write unto you that yee sinne not but if any man sinne wee have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the just therefore let our sins be what they will if we can repent of them God will forgive them without limitation of the number or the greatnesse of them There is but one sinne only that shall not be forgiven the sinne against the Holy Ghost which is spoken of Matth. 12. 31. Every sinne and blasphemy shall bee forgiven unto men but the blasphemie against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto them So 1 Iohn 5. 16. saith he there is a sin unto death I doe not say that thou shalt pray for it and Heb. 6. 6. it is said If a man hath tasted of the Word of God and of the powers of the world to come if he fall away it is impossible he should be renewed againe by repentance Now the reason why the Lord will not pardon it is not because his mercie cannot reach it for his mercy is infinite but because there is a defect in men that they cannot repent of it for this sinne is against all the beginnings of grace in them therefore they cannot relent for it nor repent so the defect is not in God but in men for if it were possible that men could repent this sinne God would forgive it The use of this is seeing God will forgive our sinnes though they be in number never so many and in measure never so great if we repent truely therefore we should repent and humble our selves before God that he may forgive us We see that David had committed two grosse and great sinnes yet he saith Psal 32. I said I will confesse against my selfe my owne wickednesse and thou forgavest the punishment of them and Saint Paul was a great sinner who faith of himselfe 1 Cor. 15. 9. I am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God and 1 Tim. 1. 13. saith he I was a blasphemer a persecuter and an oppressor but I was received to mercy c. Therefore let no man despaire though his sinnes bee never so many or so great if they can repent they shall finde mercy at Gods hands Augustine saith well upon Psal 81. speaking of the Iewes how that they killed and crucified Christ and yet many of them were saved this saith he is left for an example for us that no man should despaire though his sins were never so great and so many yet if he can repent of them God will forgive them for if the greatest sinnes were forgiven that were committed in this world which was the killing of Christ then doe not doubt but the Lord will forgive thee thy sinnes if thou canst repent of them This is the condition as we shall heare more hereafter if we will repent our sinnes God will forgive them but if we will not accept of this condition but still live in them from day to day and nourish and keepe them in our bosomes then doe not marvell though God will not forgive us The fifth thing is That none but God can forgive sinnes hee that raises up our bodies at the day of judgement and giveth everlasting life hee it is that must forgive us our sinnes and therefore they are placed together in the Articles of our Christian faith wee doe beleeve that God will forgive us our sinnes here that hee will raise our bodies at the last day and give us life everlasting so it is God onely that must forgive us our sinnes this is cleere both by the Scripture and by Reason First by Scriptures as Esay 43. 25. I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will remember thy sinnes no more so Ieremiah 31. 34. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know ye the Lords for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sinnes no more and 2 Sam. 12. 13. Nathan saith to David the Lord also hath put away thy sinnes thou shalt not die David Psal 32. saith I confessed my sinnes and thou forgavâ—st me the punishment of them so there can be no question about this but that it is God only that doth forgive sinnes This was a knowne truth amongst the Pharises as wee see Luke 5. for say they None but God can forgive sinnes A learned man speaking of this place saith that the ground was good that none but God can forgive but they failed in their application for they tooke Christ to be but a bare man And it is Augustines assertion The Donatists say that men may forgive sinnes but saith he in this they are worse than the Pharises for they say none but God can forgive sinnes Secondly by Reason and that first Because sinne is an infinite offence against God therefore it must be an infinite power that must take it away for as the Schoolemen say The thing that worketh must be of greater power and vertue than the thing that is wrought upon but all the power that is in man is finite and hath his bounds and limits therefore no man is able to forgive sinne For as a pecke cannot hold a thousand bushels so man being finite cannot have infinite power and threfore no man is able to take away sinne but God onely Secondly it is cleare from the doctrine of their owne Schoolemen who say that no man can take away sin unlesse he be able to infuse grace so Aquinas faith that there is no forgivenesse of sins but there must be therewith infusion of grace but there is no man that can infuse grace into any therefore there is no man that can take away sin or we may frame a reason thus He that justifieth a man he only it is that can forgive sins but there is none but God that can justifie a man therefore none but God can forgive sinnes Thirdly He that takes away the punishment of sinne Hee it is that must take away sinne as Christ promised to the man sicke of the Palsey Matth. 9. 6. for when Christ forgave him his sinnes hee forgave him the punishment of them also for saith hee unto him Take up thy bed and walke this he giveth him as a token that his sinnes are pardoned so if a man can take away the punishment of sinne with a word and say to a blinde man receive thy sight to a lame man goe then a man may pardon sinnes but there is no man that can take away the punishment of sinne therefore he cannot take away sinnes For if Man cannot take away the effect which is the lesser he cannot take away the cause which is the greater hence then it is manifest that none but God can take away sinne Some object if there is none but God that can forgive sinnes why then doth S.
Ambrose whilst they bite at the baite of some pleasing notions they are at the same time catched with the Spirits hooke Hee was skilfull in the originall languages and thereupon an excellent Text-man well read in writers that were of note in the severall ages of the Church which made him a well-furnished and able Divine his judgement was cleere and his conscience tender and which helpt him most he brought to the great worke of the ministerie an holy and gratious heart which raised and carried him to aimes above himselfe and the world In his conversing he was modest fruitfull wise and winning in his expressions witty and gracefull in so much that hee hath left a fresh and a sweet remembrance of him untill this day Towards his end her grow more spirituall setting light by all things here below and onely waited as his expression was for the comming of the Comforter at length his worke being finished breathing out his life with that wish of the spouse Yea come Lord Iesus Thus much I thought not unfit to be made knowne of the Man Now for the Worke it selfe it must be considered by the learned Reader that these things were spoken though to a People high-raisd in knowledge and more refined than ordinary by his teaching yet to the People not with a purpose that they should come to the view and censure of the learned But though they were delivered to the peopâ—â—â— yet are they not so popular but if my love to the man and the Worke deceive me not they will have the best Reader either more learned or more holy or both It must therefore bee remembred for the more favourable acceptation of this Worke that these Sermons were taken by one of his Parish a man though pious and of good parts yet not skilfull in the learned languages and therefore it must needs bee that many apt and acute sentences of the Fathers by which this learned man did use to beautifie and strengthen the Points hee delivered are fallen to the ground and lost for lacke of skill to take up But howsoever much of the spirits bee lost yet heere you have the corpes and bulke of the discourse and not without some life and vigour wherein this is peculiar in his manner of handling that hee hath chosen fit texts of Scripture to ground his exposition of every article upon Now for the Argument it selfe the Creed I thinke it fit to premise something because it hath beene omitted by the Author or at least not gathered with the rest The Creed is of middle authority betweene divine and humane and called the Apostles Creed not onely for consanguintty with the Apostles Doctrine but because it is taken out of the Apostles writings and therefore of greatest authority next the Scriptures It is nothing else but A summary comprehension of the counsell and worke of God concerning our supernaturall condition heere and hereafter The Doctrine of Salvation is spread through the Scriptures as spirits in the Arteries and blood in the veines as the soule in the body And heere for easier carriage the most necessary Points are gathered together as so many pearles or pretious stones that we might have a ready use of them upon all occasions being as it were a little Bible or Testament that Christians of all rankes as suited for all conditions may beare about with them every where without any trouble In every Article there is both a shallow and a depth milke for babes and meat for strong men Though there be no growth in regard of fundamentall Principles which have beene alike in all ages of the Church yet there hath and will be a proficiencie in regard of conclusions drawne out of those Principles The necessities of every Christian and the springing up of unsound opinions in the Church will continually inforce diligence and care in the further explication and application of these fundamentall truths It will not therefore bee amisse to set downe a few Directions for the more cleere understanding of the Creed and for the better making use of it And first for the understanding of it It hath the Name of Creed or Beleefe from the act exercised about it to shew that it doth not onely containe Doctrine to be beleeved but that that doctrine will doe us no good unlesse by mingling it with our Faith we make it our Beleefe therefore both the Act and the Object are implyed in one word Beleefe Secondly from the Execution in creation and incarnation wee must arise to Gods decree nothing done in time which was not decreed before all times knowne unto the Lord are all his workes from the beginning of the world Thirdly wee must arise from one Principall Benefit to all that follow and accompany it as in forgivenesse of sins follow righteousnesse Peace and Ioy the Spirit of Sanctification Christian liberty c. though the Articles be nakedly propounded yet are we to beleeve all the fruits and priviledges So to Gods creating of heaven and earth we must joyne his Providence in upholding and ruling all things in both Fourthly in the Consequent wee are to understand all thâ—â— went before by way of Cause or Preparation as in the Crucifying of Christ his preceding Agony and the Cause of it Our sinnes and the love of God and Christ in those sufferings c. Fiftly though we are to beleeve Circumstances as well as the thing it selfe yet not with the same necessity of Faith as it is more necessary to beleeve that Christ was crucified than that it was under Pontius Pilate though when any Circumstance is revealed we ought to beleeve it and to have a preparation of minde to beleeve whatsoever shall be revealed yet in the maine points this preparation of minde is not sufficient but there must bee a present and an expressed faith We must know that as in the Law he that breaketh one Commandement breaketh all because all come from the same authority so in the grounds of faith he that denies one in the true sense of it denies all for both Law and Faith are copulatives the singling out of any thing it contrary to the obedience of faith For Particular and dayly use wee must knowâ— First that every Article requires a particular faith not onely in regard of the Person beleeving but likewise in regard of the application of the Article beleeved or else the Dev â—â— might say the Creed for he beleeves there is a Creator and that there is a Remission of sinnes c. but because hee hath no share in it it inrageth him the more Our adversaries are great enemies to particular faith and thinke we coine a thirteenth Article when wee inforce particular assurance because say they particular men are not named in the Scripture and what is not in Scripture cannot be a matter of faith But there is a Double Faith a Faith which is the Doctrine wee doe beleeve and Faith which is the grace whereby
day of adversity thy strength is but small If a man come to a tree and shake it with his finger this way and that way it doth shew that the tree is not well rooted even so when the least trouble that comes unjoynts vexes and shakes us on euery side it shewes that we are not well rooted and grounded in Faith The fourth thing whereby wee may discerne weaknesse of saith in our selves is When wee beleeve God can helpe us but it must bee by such and such meanes So Iarus beleeved Christ would helpe his daughter but it must bee by touching and laying on his hands as wee see Matth. 5. this was weake faith to beleeve that Christ can helpe but it must bee by such and such meanes And so in Iohn 6. The disciples beleeved that Christ could feed five thousand but they must have two hundred pennie worth of bread for to doe it withall So likewise Moses beleeved that God could give him water enough for the children of Israel but not out of a rocke but it must bee out of the river this then is weaknesse of faith to beleeve that God can helpe us but it must bee by such and such meanes The fift thing whereby wee may know weaknesse of faith is By the effects of faith when they bee weake in us as in the booke of Iudges wee see how Sampson did know he was growne weak and that his strength was departed from him it was by the weaknes of his actions not being able to resist the Philistimes as formerly so may we know weaknesse of faith in our selves when wee bee weake in our actions in our prayers and in the performance of other holy duties therefore howsoever men talke of strong faith if they bee weake in the performance of holy duties and are not strong to stand against the temptations of the divell and to resist them it is but weake faith The use of this is that if we finde weake faith in our selves we must take accompt of it labour to bee humbled for it and to say with David Psal 6. I am weake but Lord helpe my weaknesse and as the man in the Gospell said Lord I beleeve but helpe thou mine unbeleefe Lord I have weaknesse of faith but Lord helpe this weaknesse of faith in me The second use is that if wee find weaknesse of faith in our selves we should labour to strengthen it by the use of good meanes by praier reading preaching and by such like meanes Wee know if a poore man dwell in a rotten house if the wind arise hee will get props and shoares to underprop it that so hee may keepe it from falling so seeing wee dwell in rotten houses if the winds of temptations arise we should labour to prop up our faith by the use of good meanes by preaching prayer the use of the Sacraments and such like that so wee may bee able to stand in the time of temptation for as we have heard before faith is compared to a seed and not to a stone because a seed will grow to be a tree but a stone groweth not and therfore if we use good means and doe not grow by it it is to be suspected it is not weake but no faith for where true faith is although it be weake yet it growes to bee stronger by the use of good meanes strong faith never doubteth of salvation and the pardon of sinnes unlesse it bee in the time of temptation and doth assure it selfe of salvation and of the pardon of sinnes by a sylogisticall reason the ground whereof is laid in the word of God thus it may be framed God hath said in his word that whosoever repenteth and beleeveth shall undoubtedly be saved this is the great ground and maxime whereon strong faith doth stay it selfe which is built on the word of God then the true beleeving heart saith Lord but I upon the search of my conscience doe find that I doe truly repent and beleeve and then the conclusion ariseth therefore I shall undoubtedly and certainely be saved The papists say that we cannot be assured of the padon of our sinnes and of the salvation of our soules here in this life but I would have them to answer me these two reasons the first is That whatsoever God hath spoken in his word wee are bound to beleeve it under the conduct and certainty of faith but God hath said in his word that whosoever repenteth and beleeveth is bound by the certainty of his word and of his faith to beleeve his salvation and the pardon of his sinnes The second is That whatsoever we are bound to pray for that we are bound to beleeve but wee are bound to pray for the pardon of our sinnes and for our salvation as wee may see in the fifth petition of the Lords Prayer therefore wee are bound to beleeve it Now strong faith is not so strong but that it may bee shrewdly shaken in the time of temptation as Davids faith was hee saith I am cast out of thy presence and so Peter was shaken for the time and yet Christ had prayed that his faith might not faile him therefore wee see that strong faith may bee shaken and weakned of which there bee these occasions or reasons First Because we have given way to some sinne and have not been watchfull to keepe the doores of our hearts shut against it but given way unto it this will weaken strong faith a man that is strong may catch a cold or a surfeit and be made so weake that hee cannot bee able to goe with a staffe so a man may catch a cold that is hee may commit some sinne that hee may make his faith so weake that hee shall not bee able to stirre or feele any comfort in respect of his offence that hee hath done Secondly By the neglecting of the use of good meanes as preaching prayer reading and such like so it may become weake Mark 3. wee read there was a man that had a withered hand the reason whereof was because there were obstructions in the veines that it could not carry downe nourishment to that hand which withered so when there be obstructions that doe hinder us that we cannot draw downe nourishment to our hearts by the use of good meanes our faith will bee weakned our assurance withered and drie Thirdly The malice of the divell for hee will doe as the Philistimes did with Sampson knowing his strength lay in his haire they cut it off and hee became weake so the divell doth knowing that all the strength of a Christian lyeth in his faith therefore hee labours to weaken it as much as may be Fourthly The wise providence of God to humble us to make us take the faster hold for all that the Lord doth is but to settle us that wee should bee the deeper rooted As a man when hee goeth to plant a tree when he hath set into the ground and put
thanke our selves and our sinnes for it thus much the very Heathen could tell Ionas that because there was a disorder in the creatures a great tempest causing the Sea to rage they thought there was somewhat amisse amongst them therefore they cast lots to see for whose cause it was And this shall bee the first use that seeing God made all good if there bee any defect in the creatures wee may thanke our selves and our sinnes Secondly Seeing God made all the creatures good wee must take heede wee doe not abuse and turne them to evill ends for God made apparell to cover our shame and to keepe us warme therefore wee must take heede we doe not use it to pride He made our meate to feede us and nourish us wee must take heede that wee abuse it not to gluttony and drunkennesse and so of the rest If a servant should be allowed a candle to doe his businesse by and should therewith goe and set the house on fire this were not the masters sinne but the servants hee shall answere for it for his master gave him a candle to doe his businesse by and not to set his house on fire so 〈◊〉 we abuse the creatures of God and turne them to wrong ends the fault is not in God that gave them but it is our fault and we shall answere for it Thirdly seeing God made all the world good wee should wish to reduce them to their former state which seeing wee cannot doe wee should labour to bring our selves to our former estate and goodnesse againe And should therefore apply our selves to the use of good meanes as preaching prayer reading of the word meditation the use of the Sacraments and the like If a man should make an Image or picture and it should bee defaced the eyes plucked out or the face deformed or wanting a hand or a part of it if the picture had life and reason whether would it goe to be renewed but to him that made it so seeing sinne hath defaced us whither should wee goe to be renewed but to him that made us As David makes his request Psal 119. 73. Thine hands have made me and fashioned me give me understanding that I may learne thy commandements even so should we if we feele any defects or wants in our selves goe to God and desire him to restore us againe so that although wee cannot reduce the creatures to their former estate yet we must labour to restore our selves againe Sixthly In what time the Lord made heaven and earth hee could have made it in a moment in sixe houres but hee was sixe dayes in making it Here wee may see the great power of God that he was able to doe that in sixe dayes that all the powers of heaven and earth are not able to doe in sixe thousand yeares nay not at all it is a long time since the world was made and yet all the creatures in the world could not make such an heaven and earth in all this time we can doe nothing without time although wee bee willing to doe for our friend yet we will say I pray you give mee time I must have time to doe it in Solomon was thirteene yeares in building the Temple and the Iewes were fortie yeares but God made the world in sixe daies Men must have time for all things so we see Moses was a long time in delivering the people out of Egypt and Ioshua was seven yeares in placing of them and Daniel must have time to interpret the dreame but Gods power is not tyed to any time hee is able at an instant to helpe us and therefore wee must take heed we doe not tye the power of God unto time Matth. 19. 20. The woman that had a bloody issue did but touch the hemme of Christs garment and was made whole and Luk. 5. 13. He did but touch the Leper and he was made clean and Mat. 8. when his Disciples were at the sea in great distresse when the winds blew and the ship was in danger of sinking and drowning Christ did but speake a word and there was a great calme such a change the Lord can make still that if there be any danger upon our persons or in our estates hee is able to remove it and to make a great calme in a moment therefore wee are not to tye Gods power to any time hee can doe great matters in a short time God made the world and all things in it in sixe dayes but hee was thirty three yeeres in redeeming of us therefore the worke of our redemption is a greater worke than the worke of our creation So S. Ambrose saith O Lord I am more beholding to thee for that thou hast redeemed me by thy blood of thy Sonne when I was lost by sinne than I am for that thou hast created mee by the hand of thy power Therefore it is a pittifull thing that neither the worke of our creation nor the worke of our redemption can moove us the Lord may say to us as hee did to the children of Israel in Esai 5. 4. What is it that I can doe more for my vineyard that I have not done so the Lord may say to us what could I have done more for you I have created you and made you reasonable creatures and when ye were lost by sinne I have redeemed you I was content to bee borne of a Virgin to bee laid in a manger to shead my blood and to dye for you what could I have done more for you Wee read Gen. 30. 16. Leah said unto Iacob Come in unto mee for I have bought thee and have paid for thee with my sonnes mandrakes such a claime and challenge the Lord may lay to us Come unto mee live and abide with me for I have bought you and paid for you I have not onely bought you with mandrakes but I have bought you with mine owne blood The Lord was but sixe dayes in making the world but he was thirty three years in redeeming of it hence this Question But why was the Lord sixe dayes in making of this world he could have made it in a moment in sixe houres I answer it was to determine the time of mans labor that seeing God did labour sixe daies together before hee rested and then rested the seventh day so wee should labour sixe dayes and rest the seventh day as Leviticus 23. 3. Sixe daies shall worke bee done but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest Againe hee was sixe dayes to shew the ordinary course of Gods labour that God brings not things together at once but by little and little even as a man when hee filleth a bottle or vessell first hee filleth it to the quarterne and then to the halfe and then unto the top so it is in the worke of grace it is not perfect at an instant but in time it shall bee perfect for as the Lord was sixe daies in
little of this oyle of glaâ—nesse Therefore no marvell though men cannot be merry if they want this oyle for if they have it it will make them rise at midnight to sing Psalmes and will make them sleepe sweetly in the time of trouble Therefore it is our comfort whatsoever Christ hath done in the worke of redemption God will accept of it The third point is who it was that did anoint him It was God as Psalm 45. God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse above thy fellowes so Peter Act. 2. 36. Let all the house of Israel know for a surety that God hath made him Lord and Christ In the Law wee see one man anointed another as Moses anointed Aaron Samuel anointed Saul and Elias anointed Elisha but it was God that did Anoint Christ Of this there be three Vses First seeing God hath anointed him he is the Lords Anointed therefore we must take heede we doe no injury and wrong to Christ as Psal 105. 15. Touch not mine Anointed c. if hee bee Gods Anointed take heed we doe not wrong him Why may a man doe wrong and injury to Christ I answere with Paul Heb. 10. He that sinneth willingly there is no repentance for him but a fearefull looking for of judgement If men sinne and will not repent but live in them without repentance and commit sinnes against their knowledge wittingly and willingly grieving God trampling and treading under foot the bloud of the sonne of God in the dust and making it of none effect Secondly that seeing he is Gods Anointed take heede we doe no injury or wrong to Christ in his members for a man doing wrong to a Christian may doe wrong to Christ in his members it is Saint Pauls doctrine 1 Cor. 8. 12. When yee sinne so against the brethren and wound their weake conscience ye sinne against Christ Thirdly seeing God hath anointed him therefore wee must anoint him our hands must follow the hands of God wee see in the Gospell the woman got a boxe of costly ointment and did powre it on Christ as he sate at the Table so we must doe get a box of ointment and powre it out on Christ and so anoint him Bernard shewes there be three sorts of ointment First to anoint the feete of Christ as the woman that we read of Luk. 7. 46. so a Christian must begin at the feete of Christ first And with what must he anoint him first with the oyle of contrition griefe and sorrow for his sinnes to sit downe at the feete of Christ and to lament and mourne for them there is no ointment that is bought at the Apothecaries shop so sweete to us as this oyle of contrition is to Christ Secondly wee must anoint the head of Christ as the woman wee read of Matth. 26. 7. And with what with the oyle of devotion with the best dutie and service we can doe unto him if we know any thing that will please God best that we should doe Thirdly we should anoint the body of Christ as Ioseph of Aramathea did he bought a great deale of sweete spices to anoint the body of Christ and so we must do but with what should we anoint the body of Christ with the oyle of compassion and if there be any of the members of Christ that stand at need we should be ready to shew compassion on them our hands must follow the hands of God as hee anointed Christ so must wee Fourthly to what end he was anointed We all know he was anointed to be a Prophet a Priest and a King now there were three sorts of men anointed in the Law first Prophets as Elias anointed Elisha to bee a Prophet in his roome â— Kings 19. 16. secondly Priests were anointed as Aaron and Eleazer his son thirdly Kings were anointed as Saul and David 1 Sam. 10. In the time of the Law two of these offices fell out to bee in one man as Melchisedech was a Priest and a King and David was a Prophet and a King Ieremie was a Priest and a Prophet but all these offices were not in any one man untill Christ came in whom these were fulfilled the other anointings were but Types and shadowes he was the substance Christ was anointed to all these offices He was a Prophet to teach us his Fathers will a Priest to make atonement for us and intercession A King to raigne over us to defend and protect us First he is a Prophet to declare the will of God Christ hath declared the will of God to his people and therefore he is a Prophet so saith Peter Act. 3. 22. that Moses said to the Fathers the Lord your God shall raise up unto you a Prophet even of your Brethren like unto me ye shall heare him in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you so saith the woman of Samaria Sir I perceive thou art a Prophet c. All other Prophets did teach but part of Gods will but hee hath revealed his whole will and therefore Christ is the great Prophet of the Church as Luke 7. 16. when they saw Christ had raised up that man that was dead they glorified God and said a great Prophet is raised up among us and God hath visited his people It is said Matth. 4. 16. The people that sate in darkenesse saw great light and to them that sate in the region and shadow of death light is risen up all the Prophets that were before him were as little lights to him hee was the great light that made all things If a man set up a candle it will give light in one roome set up a torch and it will give a greater light but what are all these lights to the light of the Sunne so all the Prophets that were before Christ were but all little lights to this and pointed to Christ he was the great light that made all things manifest The use is that seeing Christ is the great Prophet of the Church therefore wee must heare him Ast. 3. 23. Saint Peter saith That every person which shall not heare that Prophet shall bee destroyed out from among the people therefore he that doth despise and will not heare him speaking unto us that person shall be cut off and destroyed So Heb. 2. 21. For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation c. And therefore seeing he is the great Prophet of the Church we must heare and regard him I shewed you in the morning it was a sweet thought in God Matth. 21. 38. when hee had sent his servants the prophets they beate them and killed them and stoned them at last he sent his sonne It may be saith he they will reverence him it was a sweet thought in God that not withstanding they had done all to his servants they
could that God would send his Sonne therefore seeing he hath sent him wee must heare him unlesse wee will perish But how can wee heare Christ he is in heaven I answere two waies Christ reacheth his Church here 1. By His Word 2. By the Sacraments First Hee teacheth his Church by his Word for the Word is nothing else but the very voyce of Christ and therefore when wee read the Word wee ought to reverence it as the voyce of Christ speaking to us Secondly he teacheth his Church by the mystery of the Sacraments which when they speake to us in his name it is the voyce of Christ so 1 Pet. 3. 19. By the which Spirit he went preached to the spirits that were in prison c. Christ did not preach unto them in his own Person but by man so Ephes. 2. 17. it is said that Christ came and preached peace to them afarre off and to them that were neere Now Christ did not preach to the Gentiles in his owne Person but by the Ministery of his servants therefore as often as his servants come to us in his name with his word in their mouths it is Christ that teacheth us and then so often as we heare we heare the voyce of Christ as the Church saith in the Can. 5. 2. It is the voyce of my beloved The greatest part of the world do not beleeve this they are not perswaded when the minister speaketh unto them from the word of God that it is the voyce of Christ therefore they condemne it and doe not regard it but when we know that Christ speaketh unto us by the Ministery of his Word or by his servants we should say as Samuel said Speake Lord for thy servant heareth so Psal 85. David saith I will harken what God saith for he speakes peace to his people let the world speake of their pleasures profits and talke what they will of me I will hearke what God saith so a Christian must doe whatsoever the world talke and speake yet he must harke what Christ speaketh unto him Secondly he was Anointed to be a Priest as Psal 110. 4. Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech so Heb. 7. 26. For such an high priest it become us to have which is holy harmelesse undefiled separated from sinners made higher than the heavens Of his Priestly office there bee two parts 1. To reconcile and make us at one with God 2. To make intercession for us In the Law when a man had sinned hee brought an offering to the Priest the Priest must offer for him and so make reconciliation betweene God and him so when we have sinned against God it must bee Christ that must reconcile us and make us at one againe with God But there is a great difference betweene Christs sacrifice and the Priests for the Priests in the Law made an atonement with the bloud of beasts but Christ makes an atonement with his owne bloud there was never a Priest in the Law that would shed his bloud for the best of the people but Christ hath shed his bloud for the meanest of his servants and therefore we have great cause to esteeme of the Priesthood of Christ for all the joy we have in God and hope of heaven hangs on him for when a man hath sinned against God there is no man dare stand before God till Christ hath ingaged himselfe answered God and made him at one with him when a man hath sinned against God all the Angels cannot make Atonement for him nor all the powers in heaven and earth all the gold in Ophir câ—â—â—ot redeeme a soule but it must be Christ with his owne blood that mâ—â—t make reconciliation with God for us therefore wee are highly to esteeme of the Priesthood of Christ for all other comforts and joy depend on it The second Priestly duty is that hee makes intercession for us being entred into the heavens within the clouds to appeare before God and to make intercession for us so we see Heb. 1. 25. Wherefore he is able perfectly to save them that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them so Heb. 9. 24. for Christ is not entred into places that are made with hands which are similitudes of the true sanctuary but is entred into the heavens to appeare now in the sight of God for us there bee two bloods that cry unto God the blood of the Martyrs and the blood of Christ the blood of the Martyrs cries for to be revenged but the blood of Christ cries for mercie it cryeth not onely from the crosse for mercy but it cryeth now as freshly within the throne and the vaile as ever it did he makes request for us and as Austen saith hee makes request after this manner Good Lord grant mercy to them Father forgive them I have bought them with my bloud they be my poore servants Therefore here is a comfort to us when wee cannot pray as we ought nor wee have none that can helpe us this is the comfort that we Christians may have that Christ is ascended to heaven and makes intercession for us The use is that seeing we have such a benefit by the high priesthood of Christ it should make us hold fast our profession this is the use that Paul maketh saith he Seeing then we have a great high Priest which is carriâ—â— into heaven even Iesus the Sonne of God Let us hold fast our profession Let us therefore goe boldly to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and finde grace to helpe in the time of neede therefore let us not doubt but that wee shall be saved Indeede if the matter lay in us then wee might doubt of it but seeing Christ hath undertaken it we must not doubt unlesse wee will be so prophane to thinke that Christ will faile us I but what may a man doe that Christ may undertake the matter for him he must doe as a man that goeth to a Lawyer he tels him his case and he prayeth the Lawyer to undertake the matter for him so a Christian must doe hee must goe to Christ and make his case knowne to him and pray him to undertake the matter and so commit it unto him and then Christ will not faile him SERM. VIII HEBREWES 1. 8 9. But unto the sonne He saith Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever a Scepter of Righteousnesse is the Scepter of thy kingdome Thou hast loved Righteousnesse and hated iniquity therefore God even thy God hath Anointed thee with the Oyle of gladnesse above thy fellowes IN the Anointing of Christ there were five things offered to our consideration first what is meant by the anointing secondly with what he was anointed thirdly what it was that did anoint him fourthly to what he was anointed fifthly what benefit we have by his anointing He was Anointed to bee a Prophet a Priest and a King How Christ is the
for them much more will hee love and pray for his friends servants and people But how doe wee prove that Because he loved his enemies and prayed for them The chiefe Butler forgot Ioseph when he was lifted up and restored to his Office againe But Christ will not forget his servants and his people but even as good Ioseph when he was exalted in Aegypt his father and brethren being in distresse he goeth to Pharaoh and said Sir I have a poore father in the Land of Canaan and eleven brethren there is a famine in the Land and they are like to starve Sir you have bread and corne enough I pray you let me send for them and let them dwell in thy countrey and kingdome even in the Land of Goshen So Christ saith to his Father Father I have a great many of poore distressed servants in the world afflicted and troubled with the temptations of the Devil and their owne corruptions and with wicked and bad men Father let us send for them let them be in thy countrey and come into thy kingdome let them be in joy and in all that glory which thou hast prepared for them therefore labour thou to bee one of Gods servants and friends and then thou mayest assure thy selfe that Christ loveth and prayeth for thee every day and houre when thou art dead-hearted and heavie and canst not pray then Christ prayeth for thee this may give thee comfort Secondly What he prayeth for for the pardon of their sinnes that God would not lay them to their charge at the day of judgement Now the pardon of our sins is the greatest blessing that we can have in this world this it was that Christ prayed for Thirdly When he prayed for his enemies even in the very act when they drove the nailes into his hands and feet when the bloud did trickle downe when his shoulders were rent and torne with whipping when his face was swelled with buffetting even when all his paines were upon him In which observe two things First that it was in the heat of sin when admonition and good counsell would doe no good to them then he prayed for them which must teach us when we should pray for our enemies when admonition and good counsell can doe them no good When a clocke runs ryot what will a man goe and pull downe the plummets No then it may be he may have his load even to lay all on his head but they will goe to the great master-wheele that stirres all So we should doe when we see men goe head-long to sinne that nothing will stay them we must not runne to the plummets to stay them to the men but we must goe to the great master-wheele of the clocke to him that carries all things and ordereth all things that is to God as 1 Sam. we see in the example of Abigail Secondly in the very act of his crucifying when they were in the very heat of their malice when the bloud did trickle downe from his hands and feet then he prayed for them It may be some can pray for their enemies when the heat is over and there is a calme but see Christ prayeth in the very act of their malice so Act. 7. Steven did in the very act when a showre of stones came about his eares hee kneeled downe and said Lord lay not their sinnes to their charge Fourthly the reason why Christ prayed for his enemies because they did they knew not what Now the words were 1. Words of Compassion 2. Words of Extenuation First of Compassion as if he should have said Lord they know not what they doe for if they knew what an high sinne and great offence it were to kill the Sonne of God they would not doe it so wee may say when we see men runne into all kinde of sinnes of drunkennesse breaking the Sabbaths swearers and whoremongers c. Alas they know not how highly they sinne against God for if they did they would not doe so they doe not know that it is the Devill that blindeth them and leadeth them downe to hell by these meanes therefore good Lord spare them good Lord forgive them Secondly words of Extenuation Lord what they doe is not or knowledge but of ignorance therefore good Lord spare them which may teach us That sinne of ignorance be lesse than sinnes of knowledge therefore when men sweare and know it is a sinne to sweare it is a greater sinne than if they did it ignorantly for there is no kinde of ignorances worâ—e than sinnes of knowledge SERMON XXI IOHN 19. 26 27. When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the Disciple standing by whom he loved he saith unto his mo-mother Woman behold thy Sonne Then saith hee to the Disciple Behold thy mother And from that houre that Disciple tooke her unto his owne home WE began to speake the last day of the holy carriage of Christ on the Crosse many testimonies hee shewed in his life time of faith humility patience and of pietie but especially when he came to die and was upon the Crosse then all his graces did shine forth most cleerely which carriage of his I shewed must teach us to looke to our behaviour when we are under the crosse in any affliction and trouble for howsoever the speeches actions and carriage of a Christian should be seemely and holy at other times yet especially when he is under the crosse in trouble and in affliction then he must shew all his Christian graces and vertues as Iob did Iob 1. 22. when hee was on the racke it is said In all these did not Iob sinne nor charge God foolishly So the holy people Psal 44. 19. say they Thou hast smitten us in the dens of Dragons and covered us in the shadow of death yet have we not forgotten the Name of our God c. Thence we came to speake of the first words of Christ on the Crosse and divers other things which wee will not now repeat but come to that which followes The second words of Christ on the Crosse wherein we observe three things 1. The occasion of the speech 2. The speech it selfe 3. The effect of the speech First The occasion of the speech was that hee being on the Crosse saw his Mother and Iohn the Disciple whom hee loved for when others fled away from Christ these tarries with him and followed him to the Crosse to see what would become of him and got as neere it as possibly they could this was the occasion of which there be two Vses 1. A morall and 2. A spirituall Vse First the Morall use that as Mary and Iohn gathered to the crosse of Christ when he came to suffer So we should gather to our good friends when they be in any trouble or affliction especially when they be in their last extremitie ready to die that we be there to helpe and to comfort them
soule for this is the last charge that Christ gave to us to feed and to nourish our soules but if we neglect starve and famish them how shall we be able to looke on him at the day of judgement Now we come to the third speech of Christ on the crosse which was to the Theefe that was crucified with him wherein two things are to bee observed 1. The occasion of the speech 2. The speech it selfe First the occasion of the speech it was concerning the conversion of the Theefe for there were two theeves crucified with him of whom the one blasphemed and rayled on Christ because hee would not save his body nor asswage or mitigate his paines the other applied himselfe to Christ for the saving of his soule and did not care what became of his body so his soule were saved hee did not pray Christ to pull out they spickes out of his hands and feet nor to asswage his paines but his prayer was for the saving of his soule In which two are figured out all men when the come to die some desire to have their body saved and to have paines mitigated to be restored againe to their health and because they be not some of them murmure against God the other sort desire to have their soules saved and care not what become of their bodies so their soules may bee saved they desire not so much to have health and ease but let all goe so they may have their sinnes pardoned and have the salvation of their soules to come into Gods kingdome Now in the occasion of the speech which was the conversion of the theefe we may observe three things 1. The Party that was converted 2. The time when he was converted 3. The fruits and effects of his conversion First the party that was converted it was a Theefe a notorious offender and a bad liver and a naughty man all his life time yet now he is converted unto God and saved therefore let no man despaire of Gods mercies whatsoever thy sinnes be it may be thou hast been a vile liver all thy life time haply thou hast lived a whooremaster a drunkard haply thou hast been a scoffer of Religion a hater of good things a covetous person a coozener of thy neighbours doe not despaire of Gods mercy if thou canst repent and turne to God thou shalt be saved so Paul saith that it is a worthy saying and worthy of all men to be embraced that Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the cheife therefore seeing Christ came into the world to save sinners no man must exclude himselfe from Gods mercy so likewise Ier. 3. 1. saith the Lord If a man put away his wife and shee goe from him and become another mans shall he returne againe unto her shall not that land be greatly polluted but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers yet returne againe to me saith the Lord In like manner 1 Sam. 12. 20. The Prophet speaketh unto the people Feare not yee have done all this wickednesse yet depart not from following the Lord but serve the Lord with all your hearts c. So howsoever men have lived wickedly and done badly yet let them not turne away from serving the Lord but let them be desirous to please him to repent of their sinnes and they shall finde mercy with God when Caine had killed Abel he cryes out My punishment is greater than I can beare upon which words Augustine Thou lyest Caine the Lords mercy is greater than any mans sinnes if he can repent Bernard saith well We know right well O Lord thou dost not reject the Theefe that confessed the sinfull woman that wept unto thee nor the Canaanitish woman that did humble herselfe before thee nor the wicked Adultresse brought unto thee nor the Toller or Tribute gatherer that did follow thee nor the Publicane that repaired unto thee nor the Disciple that denied thee nor Saul that did persecute thee nor thy Tormentors that did nayle thy sacred body to the crosse O Lord all these are fragrant fruits of thy most sweete mercy and by the sent of these sweet ointments we runne unto thee and doe follow thee And from hence wee conclude that no man must wilfully exclude himselfe from Gods mercy Secondly The time when he was converted which is to be considered in three circumstances first it was when others did scoffe and scorne Christ and when the Iewes did mocke raile and revile at him with his fellow theefe then at that time hee was converted This should teach us that we be not carried away with the bad examples that be amongst us that although others set not a flye by Christ nor care for his precious blood which hee hath shed for us but rather despise it yet wee must regard it and set it at a high price and desire to have our parts in him as Gen. 6. the Lord said unto Noah Make thee an Arke when the world attended their pleasures and profits and did what they would hee provided an Arke so doe thou make thee an Arke labour to repent thee of thy sinnes and to turne unto God and to get faith in Christ that thou maist be saved though all the world does otherwise wee see by experience when a flood comes loose things and such as are not rooted and unsetled or light things are carried away with the streame but such as are rooted and setled these remaine the poore theefe was then converted when others did mocke at Christ railing at him and reviling him Secondly when Christ was on the crosse in his greatest humility and abasement not when he was walking on the sea or on the water or working of miracles giving sight to the blind making the dumbe to speake the deafe to heare cleansing of Lepers casting out devils raising the dead not when hee was giving life to others but when others were taking life from him even then the theefe was converted Hereupon Augustine saith well Moses beleeved God but when was it when he spake out of the firy Mount and Abraham was obedient to God to goe out of his countrey and from his kindred into a strange land when God spake from heaven the Patriarches beleeved when he spake in dreames and visions the Disciples and Mary saw the wonderous miracles the Centurion he was converted and beleeved when the veile of the Temple rent when the rockes did flye asunder and when the graves did open but the poore Theefe hee was converted when hee saw none of these wonders but when Christ was in the greatest abasement that might be now if the Theefe was converted to God when Christ was on the crosse in his humility and abasement how shall wee answer to God at the day of judgement that we are not converted to him now he is in his glory As Matth. 12. 41. our Saviour saith That the Ninivites shall rise up in judgement and
ease that they never regard it Therefore it must bee every mans care seeing salvation is finished by Christ to apply and lay hold of it Thirdly seeing salvation and redemption is finished and perfected by Christ we may see what a hatefull and a detestable doctrine the doctrine of Poperie is for they say that every one may finish his redemption without Christ and merit something at the hand of God by his owne workes Notwithstanding all the paines that Christ suffered to redeeme man and so they make the worke of mans redemption of none effect nay the moderatest of them saith that salvation is begunne in Christ but they must finish and perfect it in themselves whereas the Scriptures doth attribute all to Christ onely as Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to the uttermost to save them that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them and Heb. 10. 14. For with one offering hath he consecrated for ever them that are sanctified so then wee may see that Christ is a perfect Saviour But why then are we commanded to worke out our salvation with feare I answere Christ hath wrought salvation by himselfe alone but we must apply it Secondly the time when he said it is finished which is to be considered in two circumstances First when hee was ready to die and to part with this world then he said It is finished and never till then as if he should say all this while it hath beene a working and a doing and now by my death it is finished Foure thousand yeeres the World was in expectation of it all the Patriarkes and Prophets have looked for it and thirtie three yeeres hee himselfe upon earth was a working of it and never till now when he comes to die to the closing of his life did he crie out It is finished Thus wee may see what a deale of labour and paines it cost Christ to redeeme us He was foure thousand yeeres a preparing it and he was three and thirtie yeeres a working it which doth shew what a great worke the worke of mans redemption was God was but sixe daies a making the World but he was three and thirtie yeeres a long time of redeeming it Hence let us bee instructed that when wee have spent our dayes in Prayer in hearing of the Word reading of the Scriptures in meditation and in much labour and toyle If wee can stand before God with comfort and say at the last gaspe Lord I thanke thee my salvation and redemption is finished and perfected in Christ I have laid hold on him my salvation is sure then wee may have much comfort Therefore should we not thinke much though we spend all our life time in labor and paines if we can say at the last gaspe It is finished for all our paines then are well bestowed We see the Children of Israel wandred up and downe in the Wildernesse forty yeeres together sometimes in the day and sometimes in the night sometimes they wanted bread and sometimes water and they met with fierie Serpents by the way which did sting them yet they went on still till they came to the land of Canaan so wee should bee contented much more though wee live in much trouble and affliction and doe travell in the Wildernesse of this World twentie or fortie yeeres together till we be brought to the heavenly Canaan Secondly when he had encountred with our spirituall enemies with sinne the Divell Death Hell and damnation and had overcome them had made mans salvation and had finished it though all the world were in a conspiracie against him and hee had many combates with the Divell yet he overcame all and at the last gaspe crieth out It is finished Which must teach us that although all the men in the world should conspire against us and though wee endure many temptations of the Divel yet we should breake though all and apply Christ to our selves so Revel 2. Hee that over commeth shall not be hurt of the second death and Matth. 11. 12. Hitherto the kingdome of Heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force So that none but violent people can have Heaven this is a Metaphor taken from Souldiers that seeke to enter in upon a Towne that though the enemie come and beate them downe upon their hands and knees yet they will up againe and never give over till they have gotten their purpose So such violent people onely take the kingdome of Heaven that though they bee cast downe upon their hands and knees by the temptations of the Divell yet they should get up againe and never give over till they have gotten the kingdome of Heaven Thirdly By what actions it was finished Now it hath not relation to that which went before the giving of him vineger to drinke but to the action immediately following and how was it finished In the death of Christ So there is the consummation and finishing of mans salvation and redemption according to the testimonie of the Scriptures Heb. 2. 14. Forsomuch then as the children were partakers of the flesh and blood he also himselfe likewise tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the Divell and that he might deliver all those who for feare of death were all their life time subject to bondage And againe the same Apostle Rom. 5. 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Now although the Scriptures doe attribute mans salvation and redemption to the death of Christ yet we are not to exclude his life for hee was a working of it all his life time even from his very birth to his death So we see Philip. 2. 5. He tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likenesse of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himselfe and became obedient unto the death even the death of the crosse All his life long was a preparatory and a working of it And by his death it was accomplished and finished as a man filling of a cup first by a quart then by an halfe and so till the last drop come and make the cup runne over so Christ all his life time by little and little finished mans Redemption and by his death he did perfect it which was as the last drop for all the sufferings of Christ were for mans salvation And his death was that which did finish all The use is twofold First that seeing our Redemption and salvation is finished in the death of Christ we should be thankefull for it for it is a great mercy that God hath made us reasonable creatures and hath given us eyes to see withall hands to handle and feete to goe with but it is a greater mercy that God hath
to us and wee will be one people Genesis 34. 16. Even so God saith to us if ye will be circumcised and cut off your lusts and your sinnes and be a sanctified and holy people then ye shall be one with me but if ye will not bee circumcised and cut off your lusts and your sins then yee will cause mee to depart away from you And this is the second thing whereby we may know when Christ makes a proffer to be gone Thirdly When we feele a decay of Gods graces in us when we have lost our zeale care and love as when the King removes from a place wee may know it by his carriage going before so the graces of Gods Spirit bee as it were the carriage therefore when this goes away know then Christ will remoove then he makes a proffer to be gone But why did Christ make a proffer to be gone It was not that hee had any purpose to depart but to trie their affections and to see what account they would make of him so the Lord doth still make a proffer to bee gone from us and to take away the Gospell and many times the comfortable feeling of his favour which hee doth to trie our faith and our affection and to trie what account wee will make of him So we see Matth. 15. 22. Christ deales with the woman of Canaan makes a proffer to bee gone as may appeare by conferring this with other places for it is said in Marke 17. 24. Christ went into an house and would have no man know it as if he would have beene gone from her yet shee followes him he goes into the fields and yet she followes him this was not that he had any purpose to be gone from her but to trie her faith and her affection As 1 Sam. 7. 2. the Arke was in the borders of Israel twentie yeeres together and all the people lamented after the Lord He kept the Arke twenty yeeres together aloofe of them to see how they would long for his presence So God deales with us hee withdrawes the comfortable feeling of his presence to see how wee will long after it and what account wee make of it as a loving mother sometimes hides her selfe from her childe not because she meanes to go from it quite but because shee would trie the love of her childe and how it longs after her so Christ doth shrinke away from us and hide his presence to trie our love our faith and our affection Therefore when Christ makes a proffer to be gone wee must doe as the people did Marke 1. 45. follow him not being at rest till they had found him though hee went into never so secret a place If hee be departed away from us wee should not bee at rest but follow him and labour to recover him againe by prayer meditation and the use of good meanes Now when Christ made a proffer to be gone these two Disciples would not let him goe but one hanged on the one arme as it were and the other on the other till they constrained him to tarry with them Hence wee must learne that if Christ makes a proffer to be gone we must not let him goe and doe as the World does If hee will goe let him goe and say wee cannot hold him but wee must importune him and constraine him to tarry with us as it is said of the good people Luke 4. 42. And when it was day he departed and went into a desart place and the people sought him and came to him and stayed him that he should not depart from them So when wee feele Christ to depart from us wee must constraine him to tarrie with us as Iacob did Genes 32. 26. When hee and the Angell wrestled together Iacob laid hold on him and would not let him goe till he had blessed him Now the Angell that did wrestle with Iacob was Christ So also Exodus 32. 15. When the Lord told Moses that hee would not goe with them but an Angell should goe with them Lord saith hee Carry us not away from this place unlesse thy presence goe with us Lord let me die here and goe no further unlesse thy presence goe with us so wee should pray to God not to carry us away from our houses that we may not stirre from the places where wee be unles the presence of God goe with us and when we feele the presence of God to be going from us we must pray him to tarrie with us and constraine him too But why doe they desire Christ to tarry with them because they had tasted of the goodnesse power sweet graces and excellency of Christ this was the reason of it therefore no marvell though the world let Christ goe and doe not desire him to tarry with them because they never felt the power of God neither tasted of the sweet and excellent graces that be in Christ but such as have tasted hereof will be contented to take any paines and labour to enjoy Christ therefore the Apostle Peter gives us this exhortation 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow therby as who should say If so be ye have tasted how good the Lord is you that bee Christians and have tasted of the Gospell and the sweetnesse of it even as a childe desires the milke of the breast and it is not at quiet till it hath it so desire yee the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow thereby and as Abraham said Gen. 18. Lord depart not from thy servant so wee should desire Christ to be with us and to say Lord depart not away from mee till the day of my death Now there are two especiall times wherein every Christian should pray that Christ may be with him 1. In the time of Trouble 2. At the time of Death First In the time of trouble when there is misery and extremity upon us then we had need to have a great deale of grace to sustaine us wee see ships in a great storme if they have not good Anchors and good Cables they may quickly miscarry and dash against some rockes and so make shipwracke in like manner if trouble and danger bee upon us if Christ be not with us we are like to miscarry therefore as the two Disciples said to Christ The day is farre spent and the night drawes on tarry with us so wee should say The day of prosperity is farre spent and there is a night of affliction drawing on therefore Oh Lord tarry with us and give us a good issue out of troubles so David prayeth Psal 22. 11. Be not farre from me O Lord because trouble is neere for there is none to helpe me this is a speciall time to have Christ with us Secondly At the day of death when wee come to end this life this is a speciall time to have Christ with us as the disciples
said to Christ Tarry with us for the day is farre spent and the night drawes on so a Christian should say at the time of his death My life is farre spent old age is come upon me and sicknesse and death drawes on Lord tarry thou with me and I pray thee that I may so shut up mine eyes in this world and that they may bee opened in the kingdome of heaven and that I may dye in thy favour in the pardon and forgivenesse of my sinnes and in the peace of a quiet conscience Thus David praieth in the Psal Yea even untill mine old age and gray head O Lord forsake me not And so againe Psal 27. 9. Hide not therefore thy face from me nor cast thy servant away in displeasure thou hast bin my succour leave mee not nor forsake mee O God of my salvation And these be the two times when we are specially to desire Christ to be with us Now we come to the next thing which is how Christ was knowne of them and it is said In the breaking of the bread here two questions are to be answered 1 What is meant by Bread 2 How Christ was knowne by the breaking of Bread First what is meant by Bread whether it were ordinary common Bread or whether it were sacred and consecrated to an holy use I answer that the Bread heere spoken of is not Sacramentall but ordinary Bread The Papists take advantage by this place as they doe by all others that seeme to serve their turne for when they be urged and asked why they breake the Lords institutions to give Bread and not wine contrary to the commandement of Christ seeing Christ instituted both to this they answer that the Church of Rome hath an example to doe so because Christ did administer the Sacraments to the two Disciples going to Emmaus But we can prove by these two reasons taken out of their owne Doctrine and Canons that this breaking of Bread cannot bee meant of Bread used in the institution of the Sacraments but of ordinary and common Bread First because they hold it a sacriledge for any Priest to consecrate Bread without Wine for they will have them both consecrated together though none but the Bread be administred but in this place there is none but Bread spoken of and therefore it was not Bread used in the Sacraments Secondly because their owne Doctrine and Canons say that it cannot bee a Sacrament without the five words of consecration Take eate this is my body but there were not these five words of consecration and therefore it is not meant of the Sacrament Now they have two reasons against this argument First In that they say there is the same forme of words that is used in the institution of the Sacrament both in Matth. 26. and also in the Gospell of Saint Luke where the institution is spoken of and that is that he tooke the bread and blessed it and gave it c. To this I answer they may as well prove the five loaves and the two fishes that Christ fed the people with Matth. 15. to be a Sacrament for there it is said he tooke the bread and blessed the same and gave it so there are the same forme of words Secondly they say if it had not beene this Sacrament Christ would not have administred it he would not have blessed the bread and brake it and have given it because he was a stranger To this I answer that it was the manner of the Iewes that the best men in the company gave thankes brake the bread and did not put it off to a childe as many doe at these dayes therefore because he was the best and most gravity did appeare in his face therefore hee did blesse it and gave it Now then if it were an ordinary foode or Repast this must teach us two things First that we should not take a bit of bread into our mouths till wee have blessed God for it and so it was the manner of the people to doe 1 Sam. 9. 15. the maids said to Saul that The people would not eate till Samuel came and had blessed the sacrifice and so Act. 27. Paul when he was amongst strangers in the ship in the presence of them all he gave thankes We see Christ did not take bread till he had given thanks and blessed it Therefore how dare any man take a morsell or a bit of meate into his mouth till he hath by holy prayer drawne downe a blessing upon him Christ he would not he that was the Creator of all and therefore how dare a Man that is but flesh and bloud take his dinner and supper and never give thankes nor blesse the bread surely man hath not more liberty than Christ Secondly that as these two Disciples did travell with Christ and when they came at their waies end did then eat and drinke with Christ and comfortably refresh themselves so let us travell with Christ here in this world and when we come at our journeies end we shall eate and drinke with him in the Kingdome of Heaven so wee see Luke 22. 29. Therefore I appoint unto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed to me that ye may eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome so Revel 2. To him that overcommeth will I give to eate of the hâ—dden Manna Therefore let us labour to travell with Christ here in this world and then howsoever we may have trouble and affliction heere yet when wee come at our journeyes end wee shall bee comfortably refreshed in the Kingdome of Heaven The second question is how Christ was knowne in the breaking of bread some say because hee brake the bread so smooth as if it had beene cut with a knife but it cannot be so because it is said hee was knowne in the breaking of the bread not by the breaking and some say he was knowne by the maner of his thanks-giving but it is not said that he was knowne by this but in breaking of the bread therefore it is best to follow the words of the Text That he was knowne of them in the breaking of the bread for their eies were held that they knew him not before and at that very instant at the act of breaking the bread then the Lord opened their eyes which may teach us that there may be a presence of God in our houses in the fields and in the places where we be and yet wee cannot see it unlesse the Lord open our eyes Therefore as the two blinde men cryed unto Christ and said O Sonne of David have mercy on us whom Christ asked what they would have they said Lord that our eyes may bee opened so we must cry to Christ to open our eyes that wee may see his goodnesse and mercy to us The next thing is what they did when Christ was vanished out of their sight here be divers things to be considered only
I will commend unto you two things First that they said one unto another Did not our hearts burne when hee spake unto us so wee should examine our selves when Christ hath spoken unto us whether our hearts burne whether we were afflicted with that which was taught us If we find not this we may say to our selves What did we heare why doe we misse-spend the time Secondly that they could not be at rest they could not tarry but they went and told it to their brethren so when God hath made any good thing knowne unto us we should not be at rest but should tell it to our wives to our children to our friends and to our acquaintance we remember what Christ said to the women Goe tell my brethren and even so I may say to you Go tell your friends and tell your brethren the good things yee have heard tell it to your wives and children and if yee cannot remember any more yet remember this how wee may retaine and keepe Christ namely with this short prayer of these disciples The day is farre spent and the night drawes on tarry with us so my life is night spent and the night of death drawes on Lord tarry with us and then we shall make a happy close of our life when Wee shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of heaven SERMON XXXV IOHN 20. 19. Then the same day at Evening being the first day of the weeke when the doores were shut where the Disciples were assembled for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them Peace be unto you FIve severall times Christ appeared the same day that he rose againe first To Mary Magdalen secondly To the two women going from the grave thirdly To the two Disciples going to Emmaus fourthly To all the Disciples being met together Thomas being away fifthly To Simon Peter I have shewed the reasons why Christ appeared so many times in one day which was to dedicate and institute the Christian Sabbath that Christ spending the whole day in heavenly apparitions might leave example to us to spend it in holy duties and service therefore a Christian hath no other originall of his Sabbaths than the Lord himselfe now if Christ hath ordained the Sabbath hee that hath all power in his hand then it must be our care to keepe it Iudas is condemned by the mouth of all men not onely that he stole but also that he stole from Christ so if we doe not apply our selves to the duties of the Sabbaths wee steale from Christ nay Iudas stole but his mony but thou stealest away Christian duties and service from him Now in this manifestation of Christ to his Disciples we may observe three things 1. In what Disposition they were 2. In what Manner he appearde 3. The Effects of it First what Disposition they were in laid downe two waies First they were assembled together after the death of Christ they were all scattered and did fly one from another but now they were assembled like a flocke of sheepe that are scattered with a dog which afterwards gather together againe which may teach us that if wee fall we should labour to rise againe and if we scatter wee should labour to gather together againe so Christ saith Revel 2. 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen Repent and doe thy first workes and Psal 119. ult David saith I have gone astray like a lost sheepe Lord seeke me for as a sheepe that is gone is not at rest but cries to the shepheard and the flocke and is not at quiet till it be in the fold againe so if we be scattered from God wee must not be at rest but cry unto God and unto the flocke till wee come home to God againe and although we fall yet we must labour to rise againe though one throw mud into a fountaine yet in time it will worke it selfe cleere againe so if we fall into any sinne we must labour to cleare our selves againe we see in nature the little Birds though they fly here and there in the day time yet they will home to their nests at night in like manner howsoever a man may have some fals in the day time yet let him returne home againe to God in the night this must be the care of Christians that seeing they have daily fearefull and dangerous fals yet they must labour to rise againe and to recover There be two reasons to be given of their gathering together First to nourish the little sparkes of Faith that was left in them this was the cause why the Disciples were assembled and may teach us that although there be but a little faith and life of grace in us after wee have battered it with the temptations of the devill yet wee should labour to nourish that little sparke that is left which is the counsell Christ gives us in the Revelation Bee awake and strengthen the things that remaine and are â—â—dy to dye although there be but a little faith and grace yet labour to nourish them so also lately wee heard our Saviour Christ did to the two Disciples going to Emmaus finding their faith weake hee doth labour to nourish and strengthen the same 2 King 9. as Iehoram when he was wounded of the Assyrians returned to Iezreel to be healed of his wounds so when the devill hath wounded us in our faith love care and in our zeale we must returne to the use of good means that so we may recover againe If a man have a tree that stands in his orchard if there bee but a little life left in it he will dig and dung it about and lay fresh moulds to the roote of it so if there bee a little life of grace left in us wee should labour to nourish the same by prayer hearing the Word preached and by receiving the Sacraments that so wee may recover againe thus the Disciples were assembled together to nourish that sparke of faith which was left in them Secondly because they were in hope thereby to finde a blessing upon them others had seene Christ and they assembled together in hope to see him too which may teach us that the blessing of God upon others in the use of good meanes must give us comfortable hope that if we use the same meanes we shall finde a blessing of God upon us that as others have beene brought by the preaching of the Word to faith and repentance and to a comfortable feeling of Gods favour to bee perswaded that their sinnes are pardoned so if wee use the same meanes we shall have the same blessing upon us As David saith Psal 48. Wee have thought of thy loving kindnesse O Lord in the middest of thy Temple other men have found a blessing upon them and therefore we looke for the like upon us But why were the Disciples desirous to see Christ because they had felt the
Lord. This then we see is a fearefull and lamentable corruption of our natures that wee soone fall into sinne but when we be fallen wee have no minde to recover nor turne backe againe till Christ bring us backe as appeares plainely Luk. 22. 60. When Peter had denied Christ his Master hee ranne further into sinne till Christ cast a gratious eye on him even so when wee sinne against God we shall goe further and further till hee cast a gratious eye on us Now the reason why Christ came not till the eighth day are chiefly these two following First to sanctifie this day as the Christian Sabbath and to dedicate it here wee may observe they had not a word of Christ all the dayes of the weeke besides but when the eight day came then Christ did appeare to them which may teach us to walke in the strength of that we get one Sabbath till the next for it may bee wee shall not heare a word of Christ till the next Sabboth therefore it must bee our wisedome to get so much at one baite as may serve to carrie us to another even as Travellers will so refresh themselves at one time as that it may carry them to the next baiting place so seeing we have a long journey to goe wee must so refresh our selves on the Sabbath as that it may comfortably carry us to the next Lords day Secondly to teach us that although wee cannot keepe our Easter with Christ and his Disciples the first day yet we should labour to keepe it with Thomas the eighth day that is if we cannot be of the first ranke of beleevers yet let us labour to be of the second ranke as Numb 9. 6. There were certain men that were defiled with a dead man so as they might not eate of the Passeover the same day therefore they came to Moses for resolution he referres the matter to God and the Lord answeres them that he that could not take it the first moneth in the season must take it the second Moneth so if we cannot bee of the first ranke of beleevers Let us labour to bee of the second ranke if not of the second then let us labour to bee of the third ranke if not of the third rather than to be of none let us labour to be of the last as Math. 20. the laborers that were sent into the vineyard some came in at the first houre some at the fourth and some at the eleventh houre so if wee cannot bee of the first ranke of those that beleeve and repent them of their sinnes yet let us labour to bee of the second sort nay to come into an estate of grace though it be in the last houre The third thing is The manner that he appeared in it was in the same sort as he did appeare before for he came in When the Doores were shut and stood â—â—ngst them and said Peace bee unto you and shewed them his hands and feete But why did Christ appeare in this manner There were two reasons of it First To confirme the faith of the Disciples for no doubt they had told to Thomas before how Christ was risen and had appeared to them before and therefore Christ comes in the same manner to confirme their faith Secondly Because Thomas had said in a private meeting that hee would not beleeve unlesse he did see therefore Christ answered him in his owne words and speeches which may teach us that Christ overheares us every word we speake in our private houses in our chambers when wee speake of this friend and that of this body and that and will relate them at the day of judgement even the same words we speake therefore every man must be carefull of his speech and of his words that he doe not speake filthy or idle words for at the day of judgement Christ will repeat them all againe as Hosea 7. 2. saith the Lord And they considered not in their hearts that I remembred all their wickednesse this is the reason why men run into sinne and wickednesse because they doe not consider that God remembers it for if they did then they would not doe as they doe they would not speake a word or thinke a thought contrary to Gods will Thomas indeede was much too blame to prescribe such a law to Christ and yet notwithstanding such was the goodnesse and mercy of Christ that he yeelds to his weaknesse And why doth Christ yeeld to him Because he did see there was a desire in him to beleeve and repent therefore Christ yeelds to him and his weaknesse Hence we may learne that such is the goodnesse and mercie of Christ to sinnefull men that notwithstanding they prescribe unjust and unequall lawes as Thomas did yet he will yeeld to their weaknesse if they have a true desire to beleeve So Marke 5. 23. It is said The Ruler of the Synagogue came unto Christ and besought him that hee would come and lay his hands upon his daughter and heale her where hee prescribed a kinde of law in thinking that unlesse hee would come to her he could not helpe her and if shee were dead hee could not give her life againe yet notwithstanding Christ condescends and yeelds to his weaknesse and goeth and helpeth his daughter This is the goodnesse and mercy of Christ to yeeld to our weaknesse Now here are two questions to bee answered First Whether there bee any wounds in a glorified body or no seeing Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. 43. That it is sowne in dishonour it riseth againe in honour it is sowne in weaknesse and it riseth in power I answer that commonly and ordinarily there is no wounds nor scars in a glorified body for as there is glory in one part so there is glory in all the parts as Tertullian saith of death that it is not in one part but in all so saith he there is not glory in one part but there is glory in every part and therefore commonly and ordinarily a glorified body hath no wounds but that Christs body had wounds in it it was by speciall dispensation for our good and benefit that wee might have faith in the resurrection of Christ for hee was contented for our good and benefit to abate of his glory this should teach us that wee should be content to abate of our glory for the good of our brethren and it is not mine but the lesson which S. Paul teacheth us Phil. 2. 5. Let the same minde be in you that was in Christ who humbled himselfe and became obedient to the death of the crosse for our good therefore wee should bee contented to humble our selves and to doe good to our brethren The second question is why hee would have his Disciples to looke on his wounds I answer to shew them where the comfort of a Christian was not in Christs walking on the water or raising of the dead or casting out of devils or
anger so God is angry with us many times and would kill us but the true Ionathan Iesus Christ doth interpose himselfe and labour to mitigate his anger by presenting his wounds and body before God therefore when wee cannot lift up our voyce to God nor our hearts as wee should yet Christ makes intercession his body speakes when we cannot speake and his blood crieth when we cannot cry Now I shall not need to shew you the manner how Christ makes intercession for us having spoken of it but a little before and therfore I will now proceed without any repetition to the second end why Christ ascended Secondly That hee might more powerfully and more mightily administer and governe his Church for therefore God hath exalted him that he may rule the whole world for the good of the Church as the people rejoyced exceedingly at the crowning of Salomon so wee may much more rejoyce that Christ is all in all and that hee sits at the right hand of God for the good of the Church Now by foure actions Christ doth governe in his Church 1 He drawes people to himselfe 2 He doth guide and governe them 3 He doth exercise them with crosses and troubles 4 He doth protect and defend them against all their enemies First He doth draw and pull people unto himselfe and brings them to Faith and Repentance and an estate of grace that they may be saved so Christ saith to Ierusalem Matth. 23. 37. How often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and yee would not to the same effect also Ioh. 11. 52. It was said of him That hee dyed not for that nation onely but that hee should gather together in one the children of God which were scattered abroad so then it is Christ that doth gather and draw us there is not any man living that is able to draw himselfe out of the kingdome of the devill and pit of hell into the kingdome of grace and state of blessednesse it must be Christ onely that must draw him therefore it is said in the Acts that There were added to the Church daily such as should be saved so it was not they themselves that drew themselves out but it was Christ by his Word and by his Spirit that did draw them and pull them out of their sinnes and brought them to an estate of grace Now is there any man thus drawne out of his sinnes into an estate of grace let him know it is the hand of Christ that did draw and gather him for Christs sitting in heaven is as powerfull to draw and pull men out of their sinnes as the Adamant is to draw Iron to it Wherefore when men see themselves thus drawne out of their sinnes and pulled out of the kingdome of the devill and pit of hell they may say as Iudas did Ioh. 14. 22. What is the cause thou shewest thy selfe to us and not unto the world even so we must admire the goodnesse of Christ and say Lord what is the cause thou hast pulled us out of the kingdome of the devill and pit of hell and hast brought us to an estate of grace to Faith and to Repentance there was nothing in us Lord but it was thy good pleasure and meere mercy to doe it Now the meanes wherby he drawes and puls men unto himselfe is especially by the Preaching of the word and Gospell therefore Saint Paul saith Eph. 4. 12. he gave some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints and for the worke of the ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ c. so Esai 53. 1. the Word of God is called the Arme of God because that even as men doe draw and gather with their armes things to themselves so the Lord doth draw and gather men to himselfe by the preaching of the Gospell so it is the Arme of God to draw men out of the estate of damnation into an estate of salvation and out of the kingdome of the devill into the kingdome of Christ Hereof wee may make these profitable Vses following First seeing the preaching of the Gospell is the Arme of God to draw men unto himselfe therefore faithfull Ministers must remember that they bee the hand of Christ to draw and to pull men out of their sinnes Chrysostome compares Preachers to a number of servants in a great shop of whom some bee in one place and some in another yet all comes to the common boxe and is for the advantage of the master so saith hee this world may bee compared to a shop wherein some of the Preachers are in one place and some in another imployed in preaching and yet all must come to the common boxe all must turne to the advantage of our Lord and Master they must not turne it to themselves and to their owne advantage but they must labour to draw and to pull men to God because this is the ordinary meanes to draw them by Secondly seeing the preaching of the Word is the Arme of God to draw and pull men to God therefore wee must hold us to the meanes and keep close to them that so we may be brought to an estate of grace to faith and repentance and so to be saved It may be objected All come to the means but all are not drawne and gathered to God a number hang in their sinnes still I answere though thou doe not finde thy selfe to be drawne to God presently yet doe not neglect but come still for if thou dost despise it and come not at it then it is not possible that ever thou shouldst bee gathered and brought into the state of grace but if wee come to the meanes then wee may have hope that one day God will draw us unto himselfe though not at the first houre of the day yet hee may at the second and if not at the second yet at the sixth and if not at the sixth yet at the last houre of the day Therefore we must wait on the meanes and attend that till God give his blessing unto it Iohn 5. we see a lame man came to the poole to bee helped of his diseases and lay there a long time for he was intercepted by one or other that did step in before him yet hee continued still because there was meanes of his helpe and at last Christ came and did help him so when we come to the meanes to the preaching of the Word and come a long time and we see others catch away the blessing others are drawne to faith and to repentance and to an estate of grace and we are not yet let us not tarry at home for then wee may die in our sinnes but let us come to the meanes and waite and attend on it and then at last we shall finde Gods blessing upon us
Thirdly seeing the preaching of the Gospell is the meanes to draw us to God every man must labour to feele this worke of grace in himselfe for if a man heare never so often if hee be not gathered to God and his heart brought home but lieth still in his sinnes and corruptions hee can have little comfort by preaching therefore labour thou to bee brought home to God to Repentance to Faith and to an estate of Grace by it Wee see in experience when the Hen clockes the Chickins will runne after her and gather under her wings Now the Gospell is as it were the clocke of Christ whereby he doth call us and therefore when hee cals us by his Clocking let us runne unto him and gather under his wings that so wee may bee covered in the time of danger I have shewed you heretofore when Ieremie was in the Dungeon there was one that did put downe a cord to him and cast in a few ragges whereupon hee caught hold and put the ragges under his armes and so was pulled out in like manner we all lie in the Dungeon of sinne by the preaching of the Word the Lord puts downe a cord as it were to save us therefore it must bee our wisedome to apply our selves to it that so wee may be drawne out of our sinnes This is the first Action Secondly when Christ hath gathered a people to himselfe he doth not leave them at sixe and sevens but doth governe and guide them to Eternall life as Psal 48. 14. it is said For this God is our God for ever and ever and he shall be our guide till the day of our death So Luke 1. 79. it is said Christ came to give light to them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death and to guide our feete into the way of Peace So he doth not onely draw and gather people to himselfe and so leave them but he doth guide them by his Word and by his Spirit and attends them untill he have brought them to Heaven and happinesse A goodly figure we have of this in the Law when the children of Israel were in the wildernesse of Arabia and were travelling to the land of Canaan they knew not which way to take yet the Lord sent them a Cloud by day and a Pillar of fire by night to conduct them till they came to Canaan Now what is this but a plaine figure of our journey to Heaven For we are all passengers and travellers to Heaven and are to passe through the wildernesse of this World wherein there are a number of by-pathes and dangerous places where we are like to lose our selves and therefore Christ lest wee should goe astray and bee in danger of losing hath left his Word and Spirit to conduct and lead us to Heaven this is a great comfortable mercy that Christ doth not onely draw men unto himselfe but when hee hath gathered them he doth governe and guide them by his Word and Spirit Wee see it is not enough for a father to set downe his childe in the way but also takes him by the hand and leads him in it and when he is wearie he recovers rests him and when he comes at a bridge he carries him over so Christ doth by us for it is not enough for him to set us downe in the way that leads us to Heaven but when we be in it hee takes us by the hand and leads us and when wee be wearie hee takes us up and when wee bee fallen he doth recover us when wee come to a bridge that is when wee come to any hard pinch hee carries us over this is therefore our case and of all the children of God and wee must bee contented to bee governed and guided by him in all our actions It is the madnesse of the World to have Christ to bee their Redeemer but they will not have him to bee their Governour and Guide which is the reason why so many in the World miscarrie in their actions and their courses because they be not guided and governed by him therefore every man must labour to submit himselfe to the holy government of Christ In the 73. Psal 24. the Prophet David saith Thou wilt guide mee with thy Counsell and afterwards receive me to glory Hence wee may conclude that if a man will not be guided by Gods counsell whilst he lives here he shall never bee received to glory as also Acts 27. The Lord had given the lives of all them that were in the Ship to Paul if they did abide in it And therefore when they were in danger and would have taken another course Paul tells them they cannot be saved unlesse they abide in the ship so unlesse we abide in the true Ship Christ Iesus and be guided by his counsells whiles wee live here wee cannot bee saved and this is the second Action The third Action is That Christ doth exercise his Church with divers temptations and trials for their good we see in standing waters that Toads and Frogges breed but the Rivers carry them away even so when there is peace then there are many vilde lusts and sinnes breed in the heart of a Christian as wee may see in David and therefore God doth exercise his Church with many temptations and trials to scowre away the rust of their sinnes as Matth. 8. 23. When hee had called his Disciples he went into a Ship with them and a great Tempest did arise so as the Ship was in danger of drowning whilst Christ was asleepe in the Ship and his Disciples went and awaked him so there was a great calme Now what is this but a plaine figure of Christs dealing with us for hee placeth us here in this World as on the Sea Hee raises up many troubles and afflictions and seemes to be asleepe therefore we must goe to Christ with the Disciples and awake him by our Prayers and stirre him by our repentance and then hee will drive away our troubles this is one Act of Christs administration therefore when it is thus with a Christian that there is one trouble after another hee must remember it is one part of Christs holy government and therefore must submit himselfe unto it There be three causes why Christ doth exercise the Church with diverse temptations First To set aworke their graces for when God hath given them Faith Repentance Patience and other graces of his Spirit then he doth exercise them and set them aworke So Gen. 22. when God had given saith to Abraham then he tries him and sets aworke his Faith and his other Graces by offering up his Sonne And so likewise we see the Lord tried Iob by the Divell saith he Hast thou not considered my servant Iob how that he is a just and upright man The Lord would have the World and the Divell to see the graces that were in Iob and how he was
to comfort and the other to paine Thirdly besides these both particular judgements that befall particular and speciall men and the private judgement that is at the day of death there shall also a generall judgement and a solemne arraignment of this whole World where every person shall be judged and arraigned as we beleeve in our Christian profession From thence he shall come to judge the quicke and the dead that is hee shall judge all sorts of people even every Man and Woman that hath lived in this World or shall live Now if any man demand what is the reason why there shall be a generall judgement seeing there is particular iudgements that light on particular men and the private judgement at the day of death I answere there be three reasons thereof First Because the Bodies must be judged as well as the Soules for seeing men sinne against God as well in their Bodies as in their Soules therefore both shall be judged as Revel 20. 12. the Evangelist saith And I saw the Dead both great and small stand before God they did not onely stand with bodies but with soules also for saith he The Sea gave up the dead in her and Death and Hell delivered up their Dead that were in them So we see the bodies rise againe to be judged as well as the Soules Secondly That there may be a declaration of the just judgement of God that all the World may see the judgements of God are just upon men for their sins as Rom. 2. 5. But thou after thy hardnesse of heart that cannot repent heapest upon thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the just judgement of God therefore besides the private and close judgement there must bee a generall and solemne arraignement in the view of the whole world that so there may be a declaration of the just judgement of God Thirdly Because they shall not be judged as private persons but as publike in the same body that they lived in either in the body of the Saints or in the body of the wicked for they shall be judged as they be members of the same body they rise in and as they are found to have done good or bad accordingly shal the division be made as appears Mat. 25. 31. where it is said And before him shall bee gathered all Nations and hee shall separate them one from another as a sheapheard doth separate his Sheepe from the Goats and he shall set the one at his right hand and the other at his left hand c. Now because this point is a great and a very waighty one and to be considered before others in a Christians life being like the great wheel of a clocke it turnes all the inferior wheeles so if a man be once perswaded of this that he must give an account to God for all his actions and must stand before God in judgement it will make him to passe his daies holily and vertuously while he lives here and therefore let us see briefly what bee the proofes and grounds that there shall bee a judgement which are chiefly these foure following The first is taken From the Truth of God because hee hath said it and therefore it shall come to passe for God is not as Man that hee should lye neither as the Sonne of Man that he should repent He hath said it and shall hee in doe it and hath he spoken it and shall he not accomplish it As it is Num. 23. 19. Therefore whatsoever he hath said it shall come to passe in the time that he hath appointed Now that Christ hath said there shall be a judgement day there bee many Scriptures for it As Matth. 10. 15. Truely I say unto you it shall bee easier for them of the land of Sodom and Gomorah in the day of judgement than for that Citie So also Matth. 12. 36. But I say unto you That of every idle word that men shall speake they shall give an account at the day of judgement And verse 41. The men of Ninevie shall rise up in judgement with this Generation and shall condemne it because they repented at the preaching of Ionas We see the Testimony of the Lord is plaine for this that there shall bee a judgement day Augustine saith God hath made us many promises and hath performed them and shall wee not thinke that the judgement day shall come according as hee hath foretold us It is said Psal 144. The Lord is righteous in all his waies and holy in all his workes If the Lord hath promised any thing it shall come to passe for the Lord hath left his Scripture which is his hand-writing to assure us of the truth of it And therefore dost thou not beleeve that there shall bee a day of judgement The Lord himselfe shall answere thee thou hast the hand-writing of GOD and what must thou doe Looke into that and see what a company of things hee hath promised in his Word as unlikely as this which are all come to passe he hath promised that He would send his Sonne into the World to worke thy Redemption Looke into his Word thou hast his hand-writing hath he performed this promise Then assure thy selfe likewise that one day he will come to iudgement Hee hath promised that Hee will send downe his spirit that should lead them in all truth thou hast his hand writing see if this promise be come to passe then assure thy selfe withall he will come to judge this World hath he promised He will preach the Gospell to all Nation looke into the Scriptures hath hee performed it Why then never doubt but that thy body also shall rise because he hath foretold it The second is because it is the nature of Gods Iustice to give to every man according to his due desert good things to good men and evill things to evill men but it is not so here in this life but the best men bee in the worst estate for the most part and evill men in the best for as Salomon saith Eccles 9. 2. All things come alike to all there is one event to the just and to the wicked to the pure and to the polluted and to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that sweareth not or feareth an oath so the worst be in the best estate and the good be in the worst estate hereof Habakkuk complaines Chap. 1. 13. Thou art of pure eyes and canst not behold wickednesse wherefore dost thou looke on the transgressors and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than be here in this life there be many aberrations and swervings from the right rule of justice therefore there must bee a judgement to bring that which deflects from the rule to rectitude and straightnesse Againe Augustine speaking out of Pssalm 101. saith God hath
two times there is a time of mercy and a time of judgement therefore doe thou not accompt God unjust though good and bad speede alike he makes the raine to raine on the just and the unjust the Sunne doth shine on both and they drinke all of one fountaine and draw in the same ayre yet doe not thinke God to be unjust because this is the time of mercy but there will come a time of judgement and therefore saith hee O my brethren bee wise an take heede doe not say I did naughtily to day and yet it was well with me and I will doe naughtily to morrow and I hope to doe well too this is but the time of Gods mercy there will come a time of His Iudgement wherein Hee will call thee to accompt for all thy sinnes The third is from the wisedome of God and wise order be hath in the governing of all things for in all well ordered commonwealths there are Assises Sessions and Law-daies and in every city towne and hamlet there are courts to order and determine things if it bee so in all well ordered commonwealths then it must needs be so in Gods Kingdome if this wisedome bee in man that is but finite much more surely is it in God that is infinite and therefore seeing in all well ordered common-wealths there is a time of judgement it holds much more that God should have a Iudgement day to arraigne the whole world in The fourth is from the common consent of all that is of Angels men and of devils Of Angels as we see Acts. 1. 11. Yee men of Galilee why stand ye heere gazing to heaven this Iesus whom ye see taken from you into heaven shall so come as yee have seene him goe into heaven And holy men doe acknowledge thus much as Saint Iohn in the Revelation and Henoch long before did prophesie of it Iude 14. so David Psalm 89. ult For he is come to judge the earth with righteousnesse shall hee judge the earth and the people with equity Yea the devils beleeve it and tremble as Matth. 8. Art thou come hither to torment us before our time therefore seeing there is a common consent of all Angels holy Men and devils it is certaine there shall be a judgement day which granted as needs it must let us make some profitable Vse for our instruction The first use is That seeing there is a judgement therefore wee should reverently stand in feare of it for one day thou shalt rise out of thy grave and shalt stand before Christ in judgement to answere for all thy thoughts words and actions and therefore it is not a light matter but stands every man in hand to bee reverently afraid of the judgement day which Paul cals the terrour of the Lord because it is a terrible thing to stand before God in judgement Wee see what a fearefull thing it is when a theefe shut up in the Iayle is to make his appearance before an earthly Iudge which is but the danger of this life how much more then will is strike terrour into us when accused of our own consciences we are to come before Christ in Iudgement who will judge both soule and body When Paul preached to Felix of temperance and judgement it is said Felix trembled now if he trembled at the name of judgement then how much more oughtest thou to tremble thou that art a cold Christian that hast lived loosely and badly how oughtest thou to to tremble I say hearing of the severity of Christ It is a good saying Saint Bernard hath if thou hast put away all shame which appertaines to so noble a creature as thou art yet cast not away feare for saith he men use to load an Asse and he beares it because he is an Asse but thrust him in the fire or into a pit and he will shunne it because he feareth death and loveth life therefore be not worse than the beast feare death feare hell feare Iudgement Secondly seeing there is a Iudgement day therefore we should be carefull to passe the time of our dwelling here in holinesse and feare because wee shall stand before God in judgement heaven and hell cannot avoide it the mountaines and hils cannot cover and hide us from his presence therefore every man must bee carefull to please God and to passe his time well here because he must stand before God in judgement hereafter Men that goe to markets and faires knowing that their packs shall be opened by the searchers to see what wares they bring will bee carefull what wares they packe up so seeing our packs and fâ—rdels shall bee opened at that day that is our consciences we must bee carefull what we packe and fardell up seeing all shall be discovered wee reade Iohn 11. 7. when there was word given out that it was the Lord that was on the shore Peter did gird his coate to him and cast himselfe into the Sea this was a strange action of Peter one would have thought rather he would have let it alone or have put off his coate but Peter did wisely consider that hee must stand before Christ and therefore that hee might stand seemely before him hee did gird himselfe so seeing wee shall one day stand before God in judgement wee must gird our coates unto us and cast our selves into the glassie sea of this world that so wee may stand seemely before him at that day Thirdly seeing there is a judgement day therefore wee must labour to repent us of our sinnes if we repent of them they shall be forgiven us if we doe not we shall answere for them at that day this counsell Christ doth give us Luke 12. 58. Whilest thou goest with thy adversarie to the ruler as thou art in the way give diligence that thou maiest bee delivered from him lest he bring thee before the Iudge and the Iudge deliver thee to the Iaylor and the Iaylor cast thee into prison I tell thee Thou shalt not depart thence till thou hast paid the uttermost mite so wee are all in the way to the judgement seate whil'st we live here therefore let us make our peace with God repent us of our sinnes and be reconciled to him for if wee doe not hee will deliver us to the Iaylor and we shall be cast into hell and shall never come out It is a good saying of Saint Austine if an earthly Iudge passe sentence against thee and should condemne thee to dye to morrow or the next day tell me what would'st thou doe would'st thou sleepe in thy chaines and fetters would'st thou idle out the time No but thou would'st goe to this friend and to that friend and would'st sell all thou had'st to purchase a pardon and if a friend should say to thee what dost thou meane to runne up and downe and sell that thou hast why thou would'st answere and say I am condemned to dye to
Christ doth defer the judgement day seeing all Creatures groane and long for the comming of it as Paul saith Rom. 8. the creatures they groane by the instinct of Nature and the people of God by the instinct of Grace therefore we may marvell that God doth deferre the judgement day I answere there be three causes or reasons of this delay 1. Gods patience in waiting for mans repentance 2. His goodnesse to his Creature 3. His care of the Elect. First it ariseth out of the patience of God in that he waits for our repentance as Peter sheweth 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is not slacke concerning his promise as some men count slacknesse but is long-suffering towards us not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance so Gen. 6. the Lord gave the old world an hundred and twentie yeeres to repent in this S. Peter cals the patience of God in his first Epistle Chap. 3. verse 20. Because the Lord doth give us time to repent and doth deferre his judgements and waits with patience from yeere to yeere and from day to day to see when we will returne to him So then this delation of the judgement day ariseth out of the patience of God Revel 2. 21. it is said of the woman Iezabel that God gave her time to repent her of her fornications and when she did not the Lord did threaten to cast her into a bed of sicknesse so all the time that God gives us here is that we may repent and turne to him but if we doe not but despise the patience and kindnesse of God he will not onely cast us into a bed of sicknesse but he will cast us into hell Secondly it ariseth out of the goodnesse of God to his creature which hee extendeth to the reprobate so farre forth as it doth not impeach his justice for seeing it is a long time to lye in hell for ever and ever in torments where there shall bee no mitigation or intermission of paines but all the wicked shall be tormented day and night they shall have no Sabbath of rest nay they shall not have the least moment of ease therefore the Lord out of his goodnesse doth deferre the judgement day Mat. 8. the devils desired to be kept from hell and the Lord shewes his goodnesse to them Now if the Lord shewed his goodnesse to Divels much more to men Thirdly this delay ariseth out of the care and love that God hath of his Elect. There bee a number of men that bee yet unborne and a number now living unconverted therefore it pleaseth Christ to deferre the judgement day till the number of them bee accomplished It is said Revel 6. 9 10. The soules of them that lie under the Altar did crie unto the Lord saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them which dwell on the Earth and answer was made that they should rest for a season untill their brethren and fellow-servants should be killed as they were so there be a number of them that bee yet unborne and not yet converted that the patience of God stayes for and therefore the judgement is delayed as Gen. 19. the Angell could doe nothing to Sodome till Lot was in Zoar set in safety so the Lord Iesus will doe nothing till hee hath set his Elect people in safetie Wee see a Ship that takes in passengers lies at Anchor till the last passenger be come in then they hoist up saile and away they goe so the Lord Iesus lies as it were at Anchor here in this world to take in passengers for the number of his Elect and when the last man is come then the judgement day shall be But some man will say if the judgement day be not yet then it will make men secure To this I answere that although the judgement bee not yet yet we know not how soone the day of death may come therefore we should prepare our selves for it repent us of our sinnes get faith in Christ for As the day of death leaves us so the judgement day shall finde us It is almost sixteene hundred yeeres since Iudas dyed and yet he shall stand before God in the same condition he dyed in an unrepentant man and in the same condition and estate hee shall stand before God in judgement Augustine saith well on Psal 36. Suppose that the day of judgement cannot bee yet yet the day of death cannot bee farre off therefore O man prepare for it for looke in what estate death leaves us in the â—ame estate shall judgement finde us I but yee will say though the judgement day be not yet yet it is good to keepe men in feare of it To this I answer that Christ would not have his Disciples build on a false ground and Paul saith 2 Thes 2. 1. Now wee beseech you brethren by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our assembling unto him that you be not soone shaken in minde nor troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as though the day of the Lord were at hand Let no man deceive you by any meanes for that day shall not come except there come a departing first and that man of sin be disclosed so he would not have their feare grounded on a false ground and I accordingly excite every Christian man or woman to be quickned hereby that as death leaves him so judgement shall finde him therefore we should so shut up our eyes here in this world as that they may be opened againe in the kingdome of God Fifthly The persons that shall be judged be the quicke and the dead that is all the men and women that are dead and all them that are alive at his comming for all men shall stand before him of what estate and condition soever they be rich and poore high and low we which are present and they which are absent as S. Paul saith We shall all appear before the judgement seat of Christ no man can be absent from it there were many exempted from the marriage but there is no man that can bee exempted from this the mountaines cannot hide us hell cannot hold us but we must all appeare before Christ in judgement and I would to God this were written in our hearts with the point of a Diamond that it might not be forgotten There be many wayes to shift mens Courts and Tribunals they may flie the countrey or bribe the Iudge or compound and agree with their adversary or if this doe it not they may be prevented by death O but we cannot shifts Gods judgement barre wee cannot fly the countrey for whither shall wee goe but hee will finde us out hell cannot hide us from his presence we cannot bribe the Iudge because he is an heavenly and a righteous Iudge and will give to every man according to his workes neither can we
me So this is the Reason of the Assignement The Popish Church lay hold on these words and would prove thereby that their workes merit at the hands of God because Christ gives heaven to those that doe good to his servants and because they shall be judged by their workes To which I answer although this be the reason why the Lord assignes heaven to them that they did workes of mercy and although we shall be judged by our workes yet workes are not the meritorious cause of it why he gives us heaven but the signes and tokens who be the persons so qualified that shall have heaven such as love Christ and shew mercy to his needy members and doe good to them I will cleere it you by an example The King of England makes a promise to bestow on his subjects a great reward out of his bountie and there came before him his subjects and his enemies and he saith to his subjects I will bestow this gift on you for when I was in France ye did attend on me and shewed your love to mee â—ow this gift shewes who be the subjects of the King and who be the enemies So at the last day when the good and bad shall be before Christ and Christ shall tell them this is the reason why I bestow heaven on you because I was hungry and yee gave mee meat this is not the cause of it but it shewes onely who be the persons that God hath assigned heaven to to those that love him and regard him in his members therefore one sayes well Christ shewes not for what he bestowes heaven in this place but on what kinde of persons he will bestow it And Chrysostome saith though the Saints doe a thousand such things as these yet they deserve nothing at the hands of God it is his bountie to bestow heaven on them for so small and meane things as these So then we see workes are not the cause why Christ assignes heaven to us And there be foure grounds for it The first groundâ— is from the estate and condition we be in all are servants Therefore whatsoever we doe is but our dutie and if it be our duty we cannot merit any thing at the hand of God So saith Christ Luke 17. 10. When yee have done all these things which are commanded you say We are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our dutie to doe Therefore the very estate and condition that wee are in doth shâ—w that wee cannot merit any thing at the hands of God And Chrysostome saith No man is able to shew such an holy conversation of life to deserve any thing at the hands of God but when he hath done all he is but an unprofitable servant The Papists reply against this and say That although a man cannot merit any thing being in the estate of a servant yet if of a servant hee become a friend hee may merit Now that hee may bee a friend it is plaine by the words of Christ Iohn 15. 15. Hence call I you no servants for the servant knoweth not what his master doth but I have called you friends and in the verse before Yee are my friends To this I answer we are servants still though it please God to accept of us as his friends we are only made friends by acceptance in the merit of Iesus Christ which alters not the former condition of duty and service as may be proved by these places Rom. 6. 18. Being then made free from sinne yee are made the servants of righteousnesse and in the 1 Pet. 2. 16. he exhorteth them As free and not using the libertie for a cloake of maliciousnesse but as the servants of God And Christ saith Ioh. 15. 19. Yee are my friends if yee doe whatsoever I command you therefore because we be servants still and remaine in the same estate and condition wee cannot merit any thing but when wee have done all wee doe but our dutie The second ground is our owne impotencie that we are not able to doe any good thing of our selves much lesse can wee merit anything Now that we can doe no good thing it is plaine by the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the grace of God I am that I am And 2 Cor. 3. 5. saith he Not that we are sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God So Phil. 2. 13. For it is God that worketh in you both the will and the dead even of his good pleasure Now then if all we doe is by the power of grace and if it is God onely which worketh both the will and the deed then we are beholding to God for it and God is not beholding to us Origen saith well No workes of man can deserve any thing at Gods hand because they cannot thinke any good or doe any good but it must be from God The Papists reply and say that God may give a man grace which he may so husband as that hee may deserve any thing at Gods hand and they make it plaine by this similitude A father gives a farme to his son and gives him a stocke now the sonne may so raise the stocke and play the good husband as he may purchase any thing that the father hath in like manner say they God may give a man grace and hee may so husband it as he may purchase any thing at Gods hand To this I answer If a father should give his sonne a farme and a stock to use and when he had done so his childe could not earne a penny but it must be the father and the son could not stirre a foot or a hand without the father then the father is not beholding to the sonne but the son to the father This is the case betweene God and us for when he gives us any grace he must give us a second grace to use and to imploy it wel and therefore it is manifest we cannot merit any thing at Gods hands it is the doctrine of the Schoole-men and Aquinas makes it plaine hee puts the question and resolves it saith he A man may receive a benefit from another and may deserve it at his hands as a man may give one an house which he may deserve but if a man when he hath given another an house must give him also power to use the house and wisdome to governe the same that man cannot be beholding to him that receives but the receiver must needs be beholding to him that gave it so although God give a man grace which he cannot use well unlesse he also give him power to use it Therefore God is not beholding to us for any thing but we are to God and therefore we cannot merit any thing at Gods hands The third ground is our imperfection that in every thing we doe we sinne against God and if we sinne against him then we cannot merit any
it but for the unbeleevers sake if any should be here I will give foure reasons to prove it First because it is proper to none but God to be in all places at one time as Ierem. 23. 24. Doe not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord This is the propertie onely of God on bodily substance can because they cannot be but in one place at one time and must be bounded in their owne essence but the Holy Ghost is in all places he is in heaven and earth and in the hearts of the faithfull all the world over therefore the Holy Ghost is God I but some man may say the light of the Sunne is all the world over To this I answer although the light of the Sunne be all the world over yet there are divers parts of it But the Holy Ghost is all one and the same and is not divided but he fils heaven and earth and hee is in the hearts of the godly all the world over and therefore the holy Ghost is God Secondly Because none but God can create and make things of nothing none but God knoweth all things none but God can give gifts of grace to his servants but the Holy Ghost doth all this and therefore the Holy Ghost is God First we may see the Holy Ghost creates as well as the Father and the Sonne as Iob 33. 4. The Spirit of the Lord hath made mee and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life So Psal. 33. 6. By the Word of the Lord were the heaven and the earth made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth Secondly no man knoweth the things of God but God the Holy Ghost knoweth all and therefore he is God as 1 Cor. 2. 11. For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Thirdly none but God gives gifts of grace to men but the Holy Ghost doth therefore the Holy Ghost is God Now that the Holy Ghost doth give gifts and graces it is plaine 1 Cor. 12. 6. There are diversities of operations but God is the same that worketh all seeing then it is the Holy Ghost that doth create that knoweth the things of God and that gives gifts of grace into the hearts of men therefore the holy Ghost is God Thirdly No man is to be baptised into the name of any creature but into Gods only but wee are commanded to be baptised into the name of the Holy Ghost therefore the Holy Ghost Now that no man is to be baptised into the name of any creature it is plaine by the Apostles words 1 Cor. 1. 13. where he demands Were yee baptised into the name of Paul I baptised I thanke God name of you but Crispus and Gaius lest any man should say that I baptised into mine owne name Againe We that be baptised are grafted into another stocke and so draw spirituall grace into our selves but if a man be baptised into any other name he cannot draw spirituall grace and therefore wee are to be baptised into none other name but into Gods Name besides there is an expresse charge and command to baptise in no other name but in the Name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost Therefore the Holy Ghost is God Now I spend the more time in this that yee might have your Christian faith grounded for Matth. 13. wee see that the seed that was sowen in the stony ground withered and came to nothing because it wanted a root of judgement so if our knowledge be not rooted and grounded it will come to nothing every temptation will shake it and therefore we must labour to have our knowledge grounded Let us come to make use of it First seeing the holy Ghost is God therefore we must take heed we doe not grieve him with our sins and our corruptions this is the use Saint Paul makes of it Ephes 4. 30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God by whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption It is a great fault to grieve man but it is a greater to grieve God it is said in the Law that the people grieved God and Moses his servant and Esay 7. 10. the question is asked Is it a small thing to grieve man but ye will also grieve my God Now there is never a sinne we commit but wee grieve God every oath wee sweare every lye we tell c. and therefore we must take heed we doe not sin to grieve the holy Spirit and to cause him to depart from us as Heb. 3. 10. God complaines Forty yeeres long was I grieved with this generation c. so it is our sinnes that grieve the holy Ghost If a man hath a guest that commeth to his house to tarry but a night he will be wary lest hee offend him much more wee should be loth to offend the holy Ghost seeing he commeth to dwell with us not a night but for ever consider with thy selfe O man if thou have a friend that will helpe thee in all times of extremitie and releeve thee wilt thou offend him nay thou wouldst labour to please him So the holy Ghost is a friend to us and will speake comfortably and kindly to us at the day of death and in our troubles therefore if we grieve him what comfort can we looke for at the day of death and in the time of trouble Secondly seeing the holy Ghost is God we must take heed that we doe not destroy the temple of the holy Ghost now our bodies be the temples of the holy Ghost therefore we must take heed we doe not destroy the So 1 Cor. 3. 16. saith the Apostle Know ye not that yee are the temples of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you and if any man destroy this temple God will destroy him which is done first by pulling downe the wals and then by defacing of it which bloudy tyrants doe when they kill good people and deface them If a Noble-man have his house pulled downe over his head he will not take it well at their hands but he will labour to destroy them who did it so if tyrants pull downe Gods Temple he will not take it well at their hands but will destroy them Secondly we may destroy this temple by polluting it for though they let the wals stand yet they may destroy Gods temple by destroying the sanctitie and the holinesse of it by their bad lusts and vile sinnes that they doe commit and then God will destroy them as Iohn 2. you see how angry Christ was that hee made a whip and did scourge them out of the Temple that brought oxen and sheepe and doves to sell there now if Christ were angry with them that defiled the materiall Temple with their oxen sheepe and
of the world they are faine to creepe into Caves Dennes Vautes and secret places neither is it any marvell though writers have so little spoken of them and write of them as they have For as so Esay 26. 20. the Lord saith Come my people enter thereinto thy Chambers and shut thy Doores after thee hide thy selfe for a little season untill my indignation passe over So the Church of God is hidden sometimes from the rage of the world as that it cannot be descerned The Uses are That seeing the Church of God is sometimes hidden and sometimes scattered Therefore as soone as God giveth opportunitie wee should gather together againe into one assembly and setled Church We see in a storme if a Navie suffer some Shipwracke or be scattered as soone as the storme is over they will gather together againe so when a storme comes that is when persecution and trouble comes and so scatters the Church as soone as it is over that God giveth opportunity hee should gather together againe Secondly seeing the Church of God is sometimes a scattered Church and sometimes hidden therefore although wee be scattered in our bodies yet we should be one in faith the unitie of the Spirit and the acknowledging of the Sonne of God Sometimes the Church of God is visible and constituted in the way and order of Christ as were these Churches we read of in this place and divers others that be spoken of in the Scripture This is a rich blessing when the people of God may meete and live in societie together one with another to call upon God to heare the Word and to receive the Sacraments for the nourishing of faith and other graces of God in them whereas the Lord keepes open Schoole with us where wee may learne his will and wayes and where we may go to the Fountaines of grace to refresh our selves Therefore it must bee our wisedome to hold communion with the Church of God that we doe not separate from it for every light matter for toyes and trifles David saith Psal 26. 8. O Lord I have loved thy habitation and thine house the place where thine honour dwelleth so also Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seeke after even that I may dwell in the House of God all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visit his Holy Temple Now what is the reason that it is so great a blessing David could not be resolved hereof in a number of perturbations till hee went into the house of God as Psal 73. 16 17. he saith I thought to have found it out and it was too painefull for me untill I went into the Sanctuarie of God then un-understood I their end For betweene a scattered Church and a gathered Church this is the difference that the one being scattered stands by their owne strength and the other gathered stands by the mutuall help one of another as Acts 27. when Paul was in the Ship in danger and a number of others with him there were some that let downe the Boat out of the Ship and would have stollen away but Paul tells them Except ye abide in the ship ye are all like to perish so let us know that if wee doe not hold communion with the Church we cannot be saved Here wee are to observe two things First that this visible Church is a mixed company wherein is good and bad and therefore it is compared to a field wherein is wheate and tares and to a floore wherein is chaffe and corne and to a flocke wherein is sheepe and goates and because of this mixture wee are not to account the Church of God to bee no Church for a number of wicked men under the hope of ease and other priviledges doe joyne with the Church in outward duties but never partake of the life of grace and are not true members no more than a woodden legge is a true member of the body of a man for though it may bee a stay to the body yet it doth not partake of the life that is in the head therefore when the body is in safety the woodden legge may be in the fire so it shall be with all the wicked men that joyne in outward duties with the Church and doe not partake of the life of grace with them they shall bee cast into hell-fire when the true members shall goe into heaven therefore we must labour to bee true members of the Church and to feele a derivation of the life of grace from Christ or else when the true members be saved we goe to perdition Secondly a visible Church may bee in a more pure estate at some times than it is at other times even as a man that hath health and yet may catch a cold and diseases may breed upon him and may bee brought low so a constituted Church may lose the former beauty and good beginnings corruption of doctrine may creepe in and yet the Church bee a true Church still as were these seven Churches of Asia wherein were many corruptions crept for the which they were reprooved yea and the Church of Rome once was a pure Church but now it is a denne of devils Chrysostome saith such a Church may bee compared to spend-thrifts that when they have spent their money and treasure have nothing to brag of but their purses and chests so the Church of Rome having lost all her purity hath nothing to brag of but the name of a Church it hath lost the nature of the Church and retaines only the name Now here may a question be moved when a man should make separation from the Church First I answer though there be corruption in manners yet we are not to separate from it this is plaine by Scripture wee see the Children of Israel when they were in the wildernesse murmured against God and against Moses and committed many grosse sins yet Moses did not separate from them so in Christs time there were many corruptions amongst the Iewes and yet Christ did not separate from them so 1 Sam. 1. Wee see that Elkanah and his wife went up to the yeerely sacrifices when the Priests were wicked men for they lay with the women that did assemble at the doore of the Tabernacle and yet they joyned with them in the holy things of God Secondly wee are not to separate from the Church for some defects and wants for as a man may bee a true Christian a member of Christ and yet have many wants and defects so a Church may bee a true Church and yet have many wants and defects Thirdly we may not separate though there may bee some corruption in Doctrine in the worship and service of God we see that there was corruption of doctrine in Christs time for the Scribes and Pharisees had taught false doctrine Matth. 5. and yet Christ did not separate from them or his
he had seene that in time to come they would have beene therefore this practise of Christ the Prophets and Apostles in sending them to the Scriptures shewes that they were not corrupted nor depraved The fourth reason is drawne from the circumstance of time which both Saint Ierome and Bellarmine doe approve of that if the Scriptures were corrupted by the Iewes it was either before Christs time or soone after his time if it had beene corrupted before his time as hee did reproove other corruptions hee would have reprooved this also but he did not reproove this and therefore it was not corrupted before his time againe it was not after his time for as Augustine saith the Iewish Church indured but a while after his time and then it did diffuse it selfe into all the world then though the Iewes might have corrupted the bookes that were in their owne hands yet they could not corrupt all the bookes that were in so many sundry hands scattered all the world over and therefore it was impossible for the Iewes to corrupt any Philo and Iosephus report that the Iewes lived two thousand yeeres under the Law when there was not one word corrupted nay they say that the the Iewes would suffer a hundred deaths before they would have corrupted any one word So then this reason stands good that it was not corrupted before Christs time nor after his time and therefore it is not corrupted in the Originall The fifth reason is taken from the Iudgement of the learned saith Saint Ierome if wee make any doubt of any question in our Bibles we straight runne to bee resolved of it in the Originall tongue if it bee in the new Testament we goe to the Greeke if it be in the Old Testament we goe to the Hebrew likewise Saint Augustine saith if any man make any doubt or question of this or that in the Scripture by and by wee goe to the Hebrew Bible to cleere our controversie as to the Canon law Hence we conclude by these reasons that the Church hath preserved the letter of the Scripture without any corruption Whereof we should make that use that Paul teacheth 2 Cor 6. 1. Wee as workers together with him beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vaine so then it is a grace and a great grace that the Lord hath preserved the Scripture without any corruption in the Hebrew text therefore I beseech you that you would not receive this grace of God in vaine but labour to grow in knowledge and to nourish thy faith to increase the graces of his Spirit to the weakening of thy sinnes and corruptions Now here may a question be made indeed the Lord hath preserved the Scripture in the Originall tongue without any corruption but in the Latine and other tongues they have beene corrupted and therefore what is this to us we cannot understand Hebrew Againe there was a Popish priests who said that wee have no faith because wee have not the Word of God for faith is grounded on the Word of God but the Word of God saith he was written in Hebrew and in Greeke which translated into an other tongue is not the Word of God how then shall we in this case know it to be the Word of God To this I answer that the Lord doth by us as Ioseph did by his brethren Gen. 42. 12. first hee spake unto them by an interpreter and afterwards by his owne mouth so the Lord doth speake unto us by the mouth of his servants and afterwards by his owne as we know the king makes a proclamation of his will to his subjects in English which when it commeth into Wales where they cannot understand it by one of the kings subjects is taken and translated into Welch wherein it differeth not a haire from the other so it pleased God to proclaime his will to his servants in the Hebrew and the Greeke tongue at first after which they were translated into all tongues by his servants so that there is not a haire difference betweene them in substance I but how shall wee know they bee rightly translated Hereto I answer first out of Chrysostome that we need not doubt but whatsoever is needfull to salvation is set downe plainely and cleerely in the Scriptures and Augustine adds that all those places in the Scriptures which speake of Faith and good manners bee plaine and easie therefore in plaine and easie places the interpreters could not be deceived Secondly a man may know it is the Word of God in our tongue by the same meanes they may know it in Hebrew and that is by the purity sincerity majestie and the power thereof to worke on the soules and consciences of men Therefore when a Christian shall feele and see the power of it worke on mens consciences and soules with the same purity and majesty they may safely say It is God speakes and not man It is the voyce of my welbeloved that speaketh as it is in the Canticles if one put pretious water into a glasse and after put it into an earthen vessell by the taste and vertue of it he may know it to be the same water that it was in the glasse so we may know the Word of God which is in Hebrew and Greeke to be the same in our tongue by the vertue purity sincerity and power thereof therefore the Popish priests opinion is but a tricke of wit and scant that I but there are some differences in the translations I answer first they differ not in sense but in words and termes for the Scripture containes such high wisedome as no one man is able to expresse it therefore the divers translators goe as neere as they can to expresse it some in one thing and some in an other and all to make knowne the wisedome of God to us so that it cannot be denied but that the difference of translations is a great helpe to expound the Scriptures Secondly I answer that where there is any difference it is not in the substance or any materiall point but it is in genealogies and yeares and where any doe finde these differences they may bee satisfied in it by the helpe of their pastours and teachers to instance a few Matth. 1. 11. in the ordinary Bibles there is next unto Iosias Iakim which in the new translation is left out now if any man would know which of these are the better let him looke into the 17. vers where hee may see that all the Generations from Abraham to David are fourteene all betweene David and the captivitie fourteene and from the captivitie to Christs time are fourteene now looke into your ordinary Bibles where are fifteene generations betweene David and the captivitie therefore the new translation is the better so Exod. 3. 19. in the ordinary Bibles it is thus read And I know that the king of Egypt will not
us Gal. 3. 15. Though it bee but a mans Testament when it is confirmed yet no man abrogates it nor addes any thing thereto therefore seeing the Scripture is the best will and Testament of Iesus Christ there is no man that should adde or subtract any thing from it Now in the New Testament all is Canonicall It was the wisedome of the first Christians not to suffer any thing to goe hand in hand with the word of God lest the Lord should take up that complaint against them Ezek. 43. 8. Albeit they set up their thresholds by my thresholds and their posts by my posts and the wall between me and them c. In the new Testament all is Canonicall but in the old there are nine Bookâ—s which are not Canonicall the two Bookes of Esdras the Bookes of Tobit and Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Baruch the two Bookes of Macchabees with some fragments of Daniel and Hester as for the second Booke of Esdras it is very fabulous as S. Ierome doth affirme And Bellarmine confesseth where hee saith S. Ambrose himselfe doth foure times alleage it and yet it is not Canonicall because no councell tooke it to be so and it was not wrote in Hebrew In the sixt Chapter thereof there are two monsters spoken of that Sea and Land could not hold Now this is a fabulous thing and a very dreame therefore saith hee I wonder what came into his minde so a certaine Pope saith for so much as it was found written in the Greeke and not in the Hebrew which was the tongue that the Scripture was wrote in wee hold it to bee Apocrypha Therefore now if any man shall demand are there some Bookes Canonicall and some Apocrypha I answer that is called Canonicall which was written by the chosen Penmen of the Holy Ghost and hath sufficient authoritie in it selfe to confirme our faith and to perswade us that God is well pleased in the performance of those things which are required in it saith Augustine if were finde any hard place wee are not to blame it and to say it is not true but wee must say the fault is in the Printer or in the interpreter or it is because I doe not understand it Now the Apocrypha Bookes are such as were written by men not so inspired though they were learned men and such as were indued with the Spirit of God yet a man is not bound to beleeve them any further than they have warrant from the Canonicall Scripture S. Ierome saith though they were good men that wrote them yet they bee not of weight sufficient to confirme any Point of Doctrine no further than they have authoritie from the Scriptures And Damascen saith that they were good Bookes but yet they were not put into the Arke of God and kept as the Canonicall Scripture was now here is the difference between them the Canonicall Scripture is the very word of God c. The Apocrypha though there bee good things in it yet in it there is some taste of humane frailtie Now if any man shall aske why did not the Church receive this as the Canonicall Scriptures I answer there is good cause why they did not receive it which hath foure grounds for it First because the Iewes which were the Church and people of God did not receive it S. Paul saith Rom. 3. that to the Iewes were committed in trust the Oracles of God but they did not receive these Bookes therefore they were not the Oracles of God But how shall wee know that they did not receive them as the Scripture I answer First because Iosephus which was a Iew tells us in his booke against Appianus that the Iewes had two and twentie bookes which were written from God by Holy men inspired by the Holy Ghost saying that other bookes there bee which bee not of the like authoritie because they were written since the succession of the Prophets And S. Ierome saith that as the Iewes had two and twentie letters so they had two and twentie bookes that they admitted of and of no other booke besides into the Canon of the Scripture This is so cleare that Bellarmine himselfe confesseth it The second ground is this they which did write the Apocrypha were not the Penmen of the Scripture Wee see in the speech Luk. 16. 27. where Abraham is brought in saying to Dives they have Moses the Prophets let them heare them so Moses and the Prophets were the Penmen of the Scripture But the Apocrypha was not written by the Prophets First because they were not written in Hebrew which was the tongue that they wrote in againe they would not speake and write in an unknowne tongue to the people because they would not bring that curse upon them which is spoken of 1 Cor. 14. 21. In the Law it is written with men of other tongues and other lips will I speake to this people and yet for all that will they not heare mee saith the Lord. Secondly because the Succession of the Prophets were ceased at that time when these bookes were written as Iosephus saith for they were written in the time of the Macchabees and David tells us Psal 74. 9. prophecying of the destruction of the Church and true Religion which was in the time of the Macchabees wee see not our signes there is no more any Prophet neither is there among us any that knoweth how long Therefore seeing it was not writ in the tongue that the Prophets wrote in but in Greeke and they were written since the Prophets therefore the Prophets were not the Penmen of them The third ground is that they bee not in the number of the witnesses that Christ will stand to for these bee Christs witnesses Luk. 24. 27. where it is said and hee began at Moses and all the Prophets and interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe so verse 24. and hee said unto them these are the words which I spake unto you whilest I was with you that all things must bee fulfilled which was written of me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes Augustine faith well that the Iewes doe not accompt of any bookes save of Moses the Prophets and of the Psalmes to the which our Lord Iesus gave witnesse and Chrysostome saith that the Iewes did divide the Scriptures into three parts the Law and the Prophets and the Psalmes they bee the witnesses that Christ stands to But these Apocrypha Bookes are not within this number therefore the Apocrypha is not received equally as the Scriptures are of the Church The fourth is Because the Bookes themselves bewray that they bee of man and not of God as S. Paul saith Rom. 3. 4. Let God bee true and every man a lyar but these Bookes there is none of them but have some taste of humane fâ—ailty in it as Tobit 5. there an Angell is made to lye but the
first propertie The second propertie is that the Church of God is Catholike that is it is generally diffused and spread all the world over This word Catholike is not found in all the Bible yet as long as the sense is there we may retaine and keepe it seeing it is not against any point of our Christian profession As for the signification of it the word is the same both in Latine and Greeke and signifieth generall whence wee inferre the Church of God seemeth to take his name from our Lord Iesus himselfe where hee saith Act. 1. 8. And yee shall bee witnesses unto mee both in Ierusalem and in all Iudea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth Here the observation may bee this that if wee finde new words as long as the sense is not new nor the Doctrine wee may receive them but if both the words and the sense and Doctrine bee new that is if it bee not found in the Scripture then they are to bee rejected and refused therefore because transubstantiation is a new word and the Doctrine is new the sense not being to be found in the Scripture we are to reject it for before the Lateran Councell there was no such thing heard of which brought in both the word and Doctrine and made that a point of faith which before was never dreamt of Now the Church is said to bee Catholike in three regards 1. In regard of Place 2. In regard of Person 3. In regard of Time First the Church of God is Catholike in regard of place for it is not tied to one certaine place countrie or Kingdome but God himselfe hath inlarged and spread it over all the world farre and neere there was a time when it did belong to the Iewes and to those that did joine with them but now Christ hath broken downe the partition wall and hath laid all the world common now hee hath enlarged the Church and spread it all the world over This is that Peter speakes of Of a truth saith hee I perceive that God is no accepter of persons but in every nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him so Christ Matth. 8. saith That many shall come from the east and from the west and shall sit down with Abraham Isaak Iacob in the Kingdome of God so Eph. 2. 13 14. but now in Christ Iesus yee which were once a farre off are made members by the bloud of Christ for he is our peace which hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us and it is said Revel 7. 9. And after these things I beheld and lâ—e a great multitude of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the lambe cloathed with long Robes and palmes in their hands So then it is plaine by the Scriptures that the Church is Catholike in regard of place and is not abridged to no one countrey or Kingdome but is spread all the world over Augustine saith well We are not to thinke it was enough for Christ to shed out his most precious bloud for one countrey or Kingdome but it was to win the whole world to himselfe and againe hee saith By that which Christ gave for the redemption of man they may perceive the great price and payment which was his death and bloudshed a thing of so great value or price that it was not for any one country or Kingdome but for all and therefore it is called the Catholike Church The use is first seeing that the Church is Catholike or universall and consists of all countries and Kingdomes therefore we should bee thankfull to God that hath reserved us till this time for wee might have beene born when the light of the Gospell shined onely amongst the Iewes and then wee might have perished in unbeleefe therefore thankes bee unto God in that hee hath brought us forth in a time when the Gospell is preached And seeing it hath pleased God to doe so let us bee wise to lay hold on the good meanes that is layd before us come out of our sinnes and corruptions that so wee may bee saved from them if fish in a pond should bee nigh poisoned with stinking mud and water and one should come and cut a sluce through into fresh water what would they doe but goe out into the fresh water This is our case wee are like to fish in a pond that bee poisoned in the mud and stinking water of our sinnes and corruptions therefore seeing it hath pleased God to cut a sluce and trench through and to open the bosome of the true Church to us where the fresh water is the waters of life and salvation it must bee our wisedome to come out of our sinnes and to lay hold of the good meanes that are set before us Secondly seeing the Church of God is Catholike wherein there is the meanes of grace therefore it must be our consideration to apply our selves to lay hold on it in our life time while wee live heere It is S. Pauls exhortation 2 Cor. 6. 5. I beseech you brethren that you receive not the graces of God in vaine It is a great mercie that God doth offer in the true Church where the meanes of grace are used preaching prayer the use of the Sacraments therefore let us apply our selves to lay hold on it and to get good by it You your selves know that if earthly Paradise were to bee recovered and the Cherubins with the shaking sword removed so that wee might goe in without any danger would you lye down and sleepe would you idle out the time no I dare bee bold to say that you would flye to the trees gather of the fruit and eate of them especially of the tree of life that you might live for ever This is the grace that God doth offer to us for the militant Church is the Paradise of God where there are trees of all sorts therefore what should wee doe not lye down in the dust and idle out the time but apply our selves to eate of the fruit especially of the tree of life to feed on Christ by faith to draw out all his graces that so wee may live for ever Secondly the Church of God is Catholike in regard of the persons for it includeth all sorts of persons rich and poore high and low noble and ignoble wise and foolish bond and free and excludeth none To this purpose saith S. Paul Gal. 3. 28. There is neither Iew nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus and S. Peter Act. 10. saith I saw a vision of all sorts of birds and beasts and there came a voice too that bad him kill eate by which vision he did understand that God had then sanctified all sorts of men in the bloud of Christ there was
sinnes are pardoned is to conside with ones selfe if his heart hath beene set at peace by the use of good meanes whereas before hee hath beene troubled in conscience for his sinnes if he hath repented of them and prayed unto God for the pardon of them if his heart hath beene set at peace in the use of these meanes hee may assure himselfe that his sinnes are pardoned this is Pauls Reason Rom. 5. 1. Then being justified by faith wee have peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ therefore if a man can finde peace in his conscience upon the use of good meanes this is an evidence that his sinnes are pardoned If a man be run in debt and danger and the kings writs be out against him the Bayliffes lying in every bush to take arrest and carry him into prison so that he cannot be at rest nor quiet for them now if this partie hath a friend to go to London to compound the matter and to agree it the question is how a man shall know whether his friend hath composed the matter or no I answer if the Bailiffes be gone home againe and the man at rest and quiet againe by this hee may bee sure that his friend hath composed and agreed the matter In like manner when we are runne in the Briers of debt and danger and heare that Gods writs are out against us the judgements of God lying in every bush as it were like Bayliffes to arrest us and carry us to prison if we can send a friend to compose the matter and agree it that is if we can send our prayers up to Heaven to compose the matter with God if upon this one finde his conscience to bee set at peace and the judgements of God to cease and be removed from him this is a comfortable evidence that his sinnes are pardoned therefore although a man may bee a sinner yet if a man can repent of them and finde by comfortable effects that his sinnes are pardoned hee shall have comfort both in life and death and when he hath lived here a few dayes in this world shall goe home to God to live with Abraham Isaak and Iaakob in the Kingdome of Heaven SERMON LXXII IOHN 11. 23 24. Jesus saith unto her Thy Brother shall rise againe Martha said unto him I know that he shall rise againe in the Resurrection at the last day IT was my purpose to have spoken no more at this time of Forgivenesse of sinnes but upon further meditation there is something more that I must impart unto you which is To know what that comfort is that a Christian man may have when hee beleeves his sins are pardoned and that he is acquitted and discharged for them before the judgement seat of God I answer that the comfort is exceeding great First because if a man knowes by infallible evidence that his sinnes are pardoned then he knowes he shall bee saved and death shall be as no death to him and that after this life hee shall goe into Heaven to glory and happinesse Seeing nothing can hinder a man from Heaven but sinne as it is Revel 21. ult And there shall enter in no uncleane thing Therefore if we know that our sinnes are pardoned we may be comforted for as soone as we leave this world we shall goe to God As Luke 23. as soone as the good Theefe had obtained pardon for his sinnes the next thing that Christ saith to him is This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and therefore if we know that our sinnes are pardoned then we know wee shall be saved and wee shall goe into the Kingdome of Heaven Secondly if our sinnes bee pardoned then wee know that all that God â—â—nds unto us comes of Love and that all our crosses and troubles he will turne to our good so that they bee not the wounds of an enemy but the love-tokens of a friend like the arrowes that were shot by Ionathan not to hurt but to forewarne so all crosses and troubles of this life shal turne to his good As soone as David had found the pardon and forgivenesse of his sinnes hee could say Of very faithfulnesse the Lord had afflicted him As a loving father giveth a bitter potion to his childe hee will put a peece of sugar into his hand secretly to allay the bitternesse of it so though the Lord give us a bitter potion that is a number of troubles and afflictions here in this life he puts into our hands as it were secretly a peece of sugar that is an assurance that all the troubles and afflictions of this life are sent in love to us and that they shall not hurt us but shall turne to our good Thirdly Then we know that as God hath taken away our sinne hee will take away the taile which followes it that is the punishment of sinne for the punishment of sinne followeth the act of it as the shadow doth the bodie for if we would remove the shadow wee must remove the body so God when he doth remove the body of sinne then the shadow must needs follow it We read Matth. 5. that when they brought a lame man to Christ the first thing that he saith to him is Sonne thy sinnes are forgiven thee after which the next words are Take up thy bed and walke So when the Lord takes away our sinnes he will take away the punishment of sinne Therefore in all the crosses and troubles that befall us we are not to deale with the shadow but with the body of sinne if we remove that we may be sure the shadow will be removed These be the three comforts that a man may have by the knowledge of forgivenesse of his sinnes therefore it is a good thing for a man to know in particular that his sinnes are forgiven Now wee come to speake of the other two blessings and benefits which the Lord doth give and grant to the Church in the life to come and the one is The raising of our bodies at the last day the other Life everlasting and these two blessings he hath reserved till the day of judgement closing up and making an end of all with them yet not a finall end for they shall have no end because the Lord will bestow eternall happinesse on them so that that day though it be a dolefull day to others yet it shall be a joyfull day to the Church of God and a day that they have many a day looked for and desired Now in handling of it we are first to consider The order of Gods distribution that he giveth us First the benefits and blessings of this life and then those of eternall life Hence we are instructed that that which is the order of Gods distribution must be the order in our intention for wee must labor to have communion with the saints here in this life and to have
house he will take it downe peece by peece in parts with great care and diligence and will lay it up safe because he meanes to build with it againe so because wee know that our bodies shall rise againe at the last day therefore we must not destroy our bodies but labour to repose them and lay them downe well at the day of death Thirdly seeing the same body shall rise againe that we have here in this world and the same that we lay downe at the day of death therefore here this great question may be answered whether we may know one another at the day of judgement This question need be no question seeing we shall rise againe with the same bodies that we lye downe with here therefore surely wee shall know one another in Heaven and wee have reasons to confirme us in it First because our knowledge shall be more perfect at that time than ever Adams was in the time of innocencie for if Adam did know his wife as soone as she was brought him though hee never saw her before therefore much more wee shall know one another seeing our knowledge shall bee more perfect and we shall rise with the same bodies that wee lived with here Secondly On the Mount his Disciples had but a taste of the Heavenly glorie and yet Peter knew Moses and Elias although they were dead many thousand yeeres before if hee knew them when hee had but a taste of glory much more we shall know one another when wee shall have fulnesse of glory Thirdly Our happinesse shall bee greatly increased by meanes of the mutuall societie one with another Matth. 8. 11. But I say unto you that many shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaak and Iaakob in the Kingdome of God therefore seeing our happinesse shall bee greatly increased then by mutuall societie wee are not to thinke that we shall goe to a strange people where we know no body but wee shall goe to our godly friends and acquaintance and to such as we know Fourthly Wee shall heare the inditement of the wicked at the day of Iudgement there we shall here them arraigned and condemned for their vile facts Cain for killing of Abel Pharaoh for oppressing the Israelites Iudas for betraying of his Master Nero for killing of Christians when we heare them indited and condemned we shall know them And as wee shall know the wicked so we shall know the Godly too when they shall be rewarded which me thinkes may bee a motive to quicken us in our care to live holily and Christianly here in this World seeing wee goe not to a strange Countrie or people but to our friends and acquaintance and to such as know us Thirdly The Time when we shall rise that is at the day of judgement then and never till then so Martha sayes in this place I know my Brother shall rise againe in the Resurrection at the last day so also S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. 51. We shall not all sleepe but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trumpet for the Trumpet shall blow and the dead shall bee raised up so then wee shall rise at the last judgement and never till that time Now there are foure reasons of this delaying First Because there might be a proportion betweene Christ and his members for Christ when he was dead did not rise again by and by but lay a time trampled and troden underfoot of death so also that wee might lie a time under the chaines and fetters of death God suffers us not to rise till then Ireneus shuts up his Booke with this saying Even as our Heavenly Master did not flie to Heaven by and by but did remaine under death and in the Grave for a time so all his servants must be contented to lie in the Grave and to be trampled and trodden underfoote of death for a time before they goe to Heaven Secondly Because that the bodies of all the faithfull that are gone before and those that come after might have their full consummation of glory together Therefore they shall not rise to prevent one another in glory but they shall all goe together As Saint Paul saith 1 Thes 4. 15. For this say wee unto you by the Word of the Lord that we which live and are remaining unto the comming of the Lord shall not prevent them that sleepe so wee shall not get the start of them but we shall arise all together to glory This is a sweet comfort to us that live in the last age of the world that all the Saints that are departed shall not rise to this Heavenly glory till wee be ready but lie waiting in their Graves for us We read 1 Sam. 16. 11. When Samuel came to Ishai to annoint David Ishai called all his Sonnes before him to whom Samuel said Are there no more children but these there remaineth said Ishai yet a little one behinde that keepeth sheepe unto whom Samuel said Send and fetch him for we will not sit downe till he come hither so the People of God they lie waiting in their graves and are kept from their honour and glory and will not sit downe in the Kingdome of Heaven as it were till we all meete together Thirdly For the further declaration of the Power of Christ for it is a greater matter that Christ should raise men that have lien rotting in the Grave a thousand yeeres together than for to raise men when they are newly dead therefore Martha said to Iesus My brother stinketh already for he hath beene dead these foure dayes Therefore it is not so easie a matter to raise him as it was Iairus daughter and the widdowes sonne so Ezek. 37. 3. the Lord said unto him Sonne of Man can these dead and drie bones live and I answered saith the Prophet Lord thou knowest it is a hard matter to doe it therefore this declaration is for the further manifestation of the Power of Christ Fourthly For the further confirmation of our faith for looke how many there are of the dead bodies of the Saints amongst us so many pledges and pawnes there are of our Redemption for although wee might doubt in our selves of our owne bodies rising in regard of the badnesse of our lives and in regard of our vile sinnes yet because there bee so many bodies of the dead Saints amongst us wee neede not doubt but that he will raise them up one day to glory There are three bodies already ascended into Heaven Henoch in the time of Nature Elias in the time of the Law and Christ in the time of the Gospell and for these three bodies hee hath left many thousand bodies of the dead Saints remaining under death and in the grave to bee pledges and pawnes to us of our Resurrection one saith well we have here in
That of a lothsome prison house Christ hath made the grave to be a storehouse to keepe all the bodies of his servants till the day of resurrection hath made the grave as a sweet bed to rest on so we see Esai 57. 2. it is said Peace shall come upon them they shall rest in their beds every one that walketh before me One saith well that Christ hath made the grave a beaten and a plaine way to heaven for he himselfe went no other way thither but through the grave and dennes of death therefore wee must looke to goe no other way than this seeing wee may finde in this way the footsteps markes and prints of our Lord Iesus Christ and our deare friends and therefore also wee may be bold to venture the Children of Israel went through the wildernesse a place of stinging Serpents and endured much hardship yet because this was the way to Canaan this made them bold to venture so though the grave be a dreadfull place yet Christians know that it is the way to the Heavenly Canaan and in which Christ hath gone before us therefore we should be bold to venter this same way The fourth comfort is That although we lie a long time in the Grave yet we have assured hope that one day we shall rise againe This was Davids comfort Psal 16. 9. saith he Wherefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoyceth my flesh also rests in hope for thou wilt not leave my soule in the Grave neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption This is not onely true of Christ that he would not suffer himselfe to lie in the grave for ever but it is true also of all his members that God will not suffer them for ever to dwell in the Grave but will one day raise them up againe We see when Ionas was cast into the Sea there was a Whale that did swallow him up one would have thought that there had beene an end of him and that he had beene utterly consumed and no man should have heard any more of him yet the Lord did but speake a word to the Whale and he cast him up on the drie land so when a man is put into the Grave some thinke there is an end of him we shall never heare more of him yet let the Lord speake but a word and the grave shall give up his dead This is comfort to a Christian that although one may lie a long time in the grave yet he may have assured hope that he shall one day be raised up The use is seeing that there be these comforts notwithstanding that a man may lie a long time in the grave why then should a Christian be affraid to die for when the world thinkes that hee is at the worst then he is a blessed and happy man because the Lord will never leave him nor forsake him but hee will bee present in the grave with him and though his body be in the place of rottennesse yet his soule shall be blessed and happy for that is an estate of blessednesse and the Grave that was a lothsome prison house is made as a store house to keepe the bodies of Gods People in and as a beaten way to Heaven Indeed life is an excellent blessing because the time of life is the time of Grace and of Repentance Therefore we should labour to preserve this candle of our life but when the time commeth that God hath appointed and death approacheth neere why should we be affraid to die seeing that we may have such comfort that notwithstanding all our enemies wee shall rise againe Christ when he drew neere his death said he thirsted and the cruell souldiers presently gave him vinegar to drinke but Christ doth not so by us hee hath tempered us a cup of comfort Hee sayes to us as he said to the Theefe This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise this day shall be a blessed day to thee therefore our care must bee to repent our sinnes to get faith in Christ and to live holily here and then when death commeth our soules shall goe to Heaven and though our bodies lie in the grave a long time yet one day they shall rise at the time appointed The fourth point is By whose power we shall rise the Scripture shewes by the Power of Christ no man can rise by his owne power it cannot bee done by the power of nature So Iob. 14. 14. saith he If a man die shall he live againe meaning that if a man die hee cannot rise of himselfe the power of nature cannot put life into him againe no man can raise himselfe nor no body else can doe it it must be by the power of Christ onely So saith David Psal 49. 7. None of them can by any meanes redeeme his brother nor give to God a ransome for him and the Scripture elsewhere makes it plaine unto us that it must be by the power of Christ that wee shall be raised for he is said to be the resurrection and the life and further 1 Cor. 15. 22. saith the Apostle For as in Adam all died even so in Christ shall we all be made alive so Psal 49. 15. But God shall deliver my soule from the power of the grave for hee will receive mee so then all shall rise by the power of Christ but there is great difference in their risings for hee will raise the godly as a mercifull Saviour and Redeemer as a Head to give life to his Members and quicken them Thus all the People of God shall be infinitly made glad of the power of Christ but the wicked of the world and such as have despised God and goodnesse they shall rise with feare and astonishment and shall wish that the Sea or the Grave might have retained and kept them yea they shall desire the hils and mountaines to fall upon them to cover them The use is first seeing all shall rise by the power of Christ we must learne to magnifie this power that shall raise us from the power of the Grave and out of the belly of rottennesse In the story of Ioseph Gen. 40. 13. when hee lay in the prison house hee said unto Pharoahs butler Remember me to Pharoah that thou mayest bring mee out of his house for I was taken out of my Countrie and sold c. So the body should say to the soule remember me to Iesus Christ that he may bring mee from this prison house and place of rottennesse that he may raise me out of the dust and bring me to Heaven Secondly seeing all shall rise by the power of Christ therefore let all labour to feele the power of Christ here in this life to their conversion or else they shall feele the power of Christ to their terrour at the day of judgement Therefore labour thou here whosoever thou art to feele the power of Christ to raise thee out of thy sinnes and
be all in all Fifthly we shall be freed from all society with the wicked as Psalm 9. 17. David saith The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God so Matth. 13. 41. saith Christ The Sonne of man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdome all things that offend it and theâ— which doe iniquity here the wicked do trouble annoy and vex Gods people with their sinnes and uncleannesses as it is said of Lot That his righteous soule was vexed with the uncleane conversation of the Sodomites but at the day of judgement there shall not be left one wicked man to grieve or offend them of which time I may say as Moses did of the Egyptians Exod. 15. 13. to the Children of Israel Feare ye not but stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord which he will shew you this day for the Egyptians whom ye have seene this day yee shall never see any more so the Lord will say to us stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord which hee will shew you this day for these your enemies who pursue you you shall never see againe so that all the wicked shall bee turned into hell and there shall not be one left to grieve or offend Gods people Sixthly wee shall bee freed from all paines sicknesses and diseases as it is Revel 21. 4. And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there bee any more paine Now we are subject to the head-ach back-ach tooth-ach gout stone and to a number of diseases but in the Life to come wee shall bee freed from all We see how men can bee contented to endure any paines to be freed from these diseases and other charges much more should wee be contented to have the Law of God to search our consciences and to trie us so that we may be freed then from all paines and sicknesses these be the things we shall be freed from Here therefore thinke what a life it is that God hath called a Christian to and it must bee our care to make all things light unto us in comparison of those things wee shall enjoy hereafter and be contented to let goe all our pleasures and profits to lay hold on eternall life whereunto wee are called Let us part with all things which may hinder us as our lusts sinnes corruptions with all our pleasures and profits to lay hold on eternall life As Chrysostome saith if a man should be called to the honour of the kings court how lightly would hee passe by all things that may hinder him from thence the pleasant Meadowes Towers Castles and all the faire houses to hasten to the kings Court So thou that art a Christian saith he art called to a farre greater honor to the Court of Heaven therefore how lightly should such an one passe by all things that may hinder him from this honour where wee shall live with God for ever and ever So much for the things we shall be freed from we proceed Secondly The things we shall enjoy may be drawne into five heads First We shall have immediate societie with God himselfe as it is 1 Iohn 3. 2. Dearly beloved now are we Sonnes of God but it doth not appeare what we shall be and we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for wee shall see him as he is so Psal 36. 9. saith David In thy light shall we see light c. So Revel 22. 4. it is said And they shall see his face and his Name shall bee in their foreheads Divines say that the essentiall happinesse of the Saints consists in the beholding of God as in nature the more excellent and of the more higher nature any object is the more affected a man is with it and the more delight hee takes in the beholding of it as a pleasant Meadow and goodly Fountaine a heape of gold and silver c. But what is the bounty of the Creatures to that which is in God And therefore if a man delights in any of the Creatures much more hee shall delight in the beholding of God so the comfort that wee shall have by the beholding of God is like the light of the Sun that dimmes the light of the candle for our comfort in God shall bee so great that all the comfort of the Creatures is nothing to it as Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. 28. That God shall be all in all In this life I dare boldly speake it God is not all in all to the best of his servants Indeed he is somewhat and a good somewhat to them in this life to a comfortable portion as Ieremie saith Lament 3. 24. The Lord is my portion saith my soule therefore will I hope in him and Psal 63. 5. David saith For thy loving kindnesse is better than life So then God is somewhat to his servants but not all in all to them here but in the life to come he shall be all in all to them Manna to their taste Musicke to their eares Light to their eyes Ioy to their hearts and Rest to their loynes because the perfection of all creatures are in God for if there be any creature that giveth contentment to any man it is a thousand times more in God In this life God giveth out his goodnesse by parts and peece-meale as it were in his Creatures but then wee shall have immediate society with God himselfe Now hee doth reveale himselfe to us in his Word and Sacraments but in the life to come he shall be all in all Revel 21. 22. it is said that Iohn saw no Temple in Heaven for the Lord God Almighty and the Lambe are the Temple and the citie hath no neede of the light of the Sunne nor of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God did light it and the Lambe is the light of it Moses wee know put a veile on his face because the Children of Israel could not behold the glory of it so the Lord puts a veile before him in his Word and Sacraments but in the life to come he will plucke away the veile and reveale Himselfe as Hee is Therefore let us labour to cleare our eyes and to cleanse them from all sinne that so wee may looke on him to our comfort Wee see Esay 6. 5. when the Prophet saw the Lord in a vision how hee cryeth out and saith I am undone I am undone for I have seene the Lord of Hosts I am a man of polluted lippes and I dwell amongst a People of polluted lippes Now if Esay cried out thus when hee saw but a glimpse of him how shall all the sinners of this world cry out when they shall looke upon him and behold him in terrour and wrath Secondly We shall enjoy the eternall presence of Christ which next
Spirit attends the Ministery of his Word 345. The authoritie of the Ministery is to forgive sinnes 346. All true Ministers are sent to Seeke that which was lost Call sinners to repentance Preach deliverance to the captives 342. Why meâ—tion is made of Christs sufferings and not of his miracles 145. †Money ill come by will one day lie heavie on the conscience 184. †Mortification wherein it consist 503. ¶ How Moses may bee said to accuse us 554. ¶ Why Christ dranke myrth mingled with wine 217. ¶ The mystery of God spoken of Revel 10. 7. the end of the world 251. ¶ N REverence due to the Name of God 208. ¶ We are naturally naked in the sight of God 222. †A good nature no signe of grace 494. Nature hardly restrained by grace 516. * Christ tooke on him both the whole Nature of man as soule and body and the infirmities thereof 102. Christ tooke on him such infirmities of mans nature as were not sinnefull but unblameable passions and those not personall but common to all men 102. ¶ Christ tooke the infirmities of mans nature 1. For satisfaction sake 2. To strengthen faith in the incarnation 3. For our example 4. To compassionate us 103. c. Christ tooke mans nature inregard of Necessitie Equitie Fitnesse 103. ¶ The ends why he tooke it are to Redeeme man Restore the lost Image of God in man Advance mans nature Make it dreadfull to the divel Declare thereby the Wisedome Goodnesse Iustice Power of God 164. Mans nature and sinne hardly parted but by the power of the holy Ghost 107. †Impossibilities to a naturall man 511. * Better not to speake at all than ill of our neighbours 195. ¶ We may not hurt our neighbours though it be in our powers 200. * Noah left all to save his soule 38. Christs words Noliâ—e tangere 312. ¶ God is able to make a man somewhat when he is nothing 66. ¶ O THe marvellous obduration of the Iewes 185. Obedience due to God that Made Can destroy Disposes all things 64 65 Obedience due to Christ as Lord. 97. ¶ A man that hath nothing to offer to God must offer his sinnes 137. ¶ The threefold office of Christ 83. Oile of gladnesse why so called 81. ¶ Difference in opinions hath beene in all ages 283. †The danger of letting slip an opportunitie 348. Christ over-heares every word wee speake 351. P THe Papists feare the Popes curse more than Gods 467. †Christ borne of meane Parentage to Sanctifie the meanest births Pull downe the pride of the world Teach us contentment Declare the greatnesse of Gods love 111. Christs care extends not onely to all in generall but to every one in particular 347. We must beleeve in particular 77. * Christ the true paschall Lambe 266. 268. ¶ Christs Passion two-fold of Necessitie Arbitrary this he Vnderwent Refused 218. No perfect peace on earth whilst the Church is Militant 531. * Christ brings peace whithersoever he comes 339. ¶ True peace of conscience is only to be sought in the death of Christ 340. Gods People are sensible of their owne wants 248. ¶ Perseverance obtaines the Crowne 255. ¶ Why Peter girt his coat unto him when hee cast himselfe into the Sea and swim to Christ 627. Philip of Macedonia his dayly memento 407. ¶ God as a Physitian gives his people such a potion as shall free them from all diseases 641. ¶ Pilate sought to cleare Christ 197. ¶ Pilate laboured to deliver Christ Loquendo Mittendo Iungendo Flagellando 200. Of Pilates labouring to deliver Christ 205. In foure respects we must be Pilgrims here 40. The places of trouble God will make places of comfort 360. What to plead against Satan 152. Wee ought to remember death in the midst of all our pleasures 279. ¶ Neglect of the poore a great sinne 475. Christ the poore mans portion 121. ¶ Christ not to bee despised for his povertie 137. * What Christ prayed for in the Garden 160. * Christ prayed for his enemies 225. Prayer is seede sowne in Gods eares and heart 488. †As Christs so our prayers must be limited to Gods good will 160. The stronger conflicts the more earnest our prayers 161. ¶ Prayer should take place where admonition will not 227. †Ground of prayer 240. * Hearty prayer shall not want its due fruit 242. * Praising of God must follow holy Services 127. ¶ Preparation to Heaven illustrated by a Simile of a Traveller 447. †A personall precept bindes not every man 492. ¶ No man must prescribe conditions to God 349. †Wee must labour to bee in the presence of Christ 98. * A twofold presence of God 1. Generall to sustaine us in the life of Nature 2. Particular to assist us in the life of Glory 170. 465. Christ a Priest to Reconcile us to God Intercede for us 84 c. The longer we live here the neerer we draw to the accomplishment of Gods Promises 114. †God 's Promises accomplished in the fulnesse of time 113. Patient waiting for Gods promises commended 114. * Christ a Prophet to declare the will of God 83. The soule goes not to Purgatory or a middle place 604. Q HOw the Spirit is quenched 516. R AS the Rechabites observed their father Ionadab so wee must observe and obey God 54. * Reconciliation to God is by Christ 152. * Our reconciliation to God cost Christ thick blood 163. †Our reconciliation no easie thing 212. †The difficultie of recovering out of sinne if long lyen in 350. ¶ The worke of redemption greater than of creation 68. ¶ The great and long labour of our redemption 253. * The consummation of our redemption in the words It is finished 251. †The power of grace in the heart makes Gods people to rejoyce 136. ¶ T is nothing to be religious if not just withall 139. ¶ Two remembrances of God in Iudgement Mercie 241. †Repentance cannot save without faith for three reasons 1. 2. Repentance Fruitfull only in this Vnfruitfull or penall in the other life 609. ¶ Defects in unsound repentance as in Ahab c. 497. The danger of late repentance 235. No repentance in Hell 285. †Christ alwaies comes to repentant sinners 306. †No resisting Christ the Lord of the world 96. ¶ Of the resurrection of the body 623. Reasons proving it drawne from the Power Iustice Mercie End of Christs comming Resurrection of Christ of God 623. Objections of Atheists against the resurrection answered 625. The glory of the body at the resurrection consists in 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Intirenesse of parts 638. Beauty and lovelinesse 639. Brightnesse and splendor ibid. Immortalitie and immutabilitie 640. Spiritualitie 642. Power 643. Of Christs resurrection 292. Christs resurrection of necessity to Assure us of pardon of sinnes Apply salvation Assure our resurrection out of the Grave Trouble 292. c. The companions of Christs resurrection 300. The manifestation of Christs resurrection 304. Reasons that wee