Esai 53. 11. of Christ hee shall see of the travell of his soule and shall bee satisfied and therefore if men bee brought to God if they live a holy life if they bee conscionable in their waâ—â—s and carefull to please God in their courses then this will satisfie Christ But if wee live in our sinnes in our prophanenesse in our lusts still then it shall grieve Him that ever he was borne into the world sweate in the garden died and shed his blood on the Crosse for us Thirdly wee are to consider of the manner of his death that it was in the greatest extremity that might be so Paul saith Philip 2. 8. Hee humbled himselfe and became obedient to that cursed death on the crosse and so in Esai 5 3. 12. it is said He hath powred out his soule unto death c. Now the greatest extremity that Christ suffered may make us consider of two things First the greatnesse of our sinnes And secondly the greatnesse of Gods mercie First wee may consider the greatnesse of our sinnes that when wee have sinned against God nothing will bring us into favour againe but it must cost blood and the blood of the Sonne of God therefore howsoever men make but a light matter of sinne yet when we have sinned all the powers of Heaven and earth cannot bring us into favour againe all the Angels in heaven cannot doe it nor all the blood of the Saints but it must bee the blood of the Sonne of God that must doe it if the king should make a law that if a man told a lye or sowre an oath or committed a sinne he should lose a droppe of his blood how afraid would he be of sinning Now when we sinne although it doth not cost us blood yet it cost the blood of the Sonne of God and therefore wee should bee afraid to sinne lest wee bee more wastfull of the blood of Christ than of our owne Secondly wee are to consider of the greatnesse of Gods mercie that when wee had sinned hee would send his owne Sonne to die for us as 1 Iohn 4. 10. Herein is Love not that wee loved God but that hee loved us and sent his Sonne to bee a reconciliation for our sinnes and so in Rom. 5. 8. But God setteth out his love towards us seeing that whiles we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us and therfore seeing God hath so loved us that he was content to part with his Sonne for us let us never sticke to part with our sinnes and lusts to serve him but we see it otherwise that God doth not sticke to part with his sonne to die for us and yet we sticke to part from our sinnes to serve him The second way that faith doth stirre up holy motions is because it doth combine and knit us unto Christ so it is by combination by being made one with Christ for as from the head doth flow into the rest of the members life even so Christ doth extend unto us his graces and vertues In the second of the Kings wee see that when the dead body of the Prophet did touch the dead body of the man life came into him much more if we went downe into the grave of Christ and touched him wee shall live being joyned with the living body of Christ who hath gloriously and triumphantly overcome death hell and the divell We see in experience that if a man would have water flow into his field he will make a trench and dig into the ground till he comes at the fountaine and then the fountaine will flow water into the field even so if men would have the graces of Christ to bee distilled into them let them never be at rest till they have joyned themselves to Iesus Christ and then hee will distill all his graces and vertues into them so faith never leaveth us till it brings us unto Christ Now the use of this point is that seeing we are sanctified in this world by faith as we find other uses thereof so we should labour to find this use and benefit of it and therfore whereas men thinke that some are too precise and too strict it is a sure thing that unlesse we be sanctified in this world we cannot be justified before God and yet do not looke to be sanctified before men And therefore search thy selfe oh man or woman I pray thee art thou brought to the hatred of sinne Or is it weakned in thee Doest thou labour to lead an holy life in the sight of men here Then thou art justified in the sight of God but if thou livest in sin and makest no conscience in thy waies but livest loosely never then looke to be justified in the sight of God It is a good observation that a learned man hath out of the eighth of the Romans of the golden chaine saith he There be foure Linkes of it two he hath in his owne hands and two he hath put out to us to lay hold on the two linkes that he hath in his hands are Predestination and Glorification the first and the last linkes and the two middle he hath left for us to lay hold on Vocation and Iustification and therefore doe thou oh man cast out thy hands and lay hold on these two linkes that thou mayst be called and justified that so thou maiest be glorified in the world to come This is comfortable that God hath left these two linkes for every man whereby hee may be drawne up to Heaven The third vse of faith is that which Paul speaketh of here Rom. 1. 17. The just man shall live by his faith so a man must not onely be justified by faith in the sight of God and sanctified in this world but he must live by his faith as Paul saith Thus I live yet not I now but Christ liveth in mee and in that I now live in the flesh I live by Faith in the Sonne of God who hath loved mee and gave Himselfe for mee A man may live the life of nature without faith hee may buy and sell and doe the workes of his calling hee may eate and drinke c. But he cannot live the life of grace without faith the greatest part of men care not to live in faith but they desire to die in faith They would die a comfortable death like Balaam that would desire to die the death of the righteous but care not to live so strict a life therefore if men doe not care to live in faith they cannot die in faith for this is the true use of faith to live by it so the prophet Habakuk saith the just shall live by his faith a man that hath lived by it hee shall die in faith also Heb. 11. 39. it is said all those dyed in Faith because as they had lived in faith so they died in faith too therefore if wee will die in faith wee must labour to live in faith and then
burthens Christian patience can beare as blindnesse sicknesse losse of goods or such like but the burthen of sin maketh the stoutest man to stoope as Psal 38. 4. For my iniquities are gone over my head as an heavie burthen they are too heavie for me So also Psal 40. 12. David complaines thus For innumerable troubles have compassed me my sinnes have taken such hold on me that I am not able to looke up Now we have three Vses First seeing that sinne is such a burthen that Christ is not able to beare it we should be afraid to deale with it and therefore before we meddle with sin we should doe as Porters doe that are to carry a burthen they will first peyse it and feele whither they be able to beare it and if they be not it shall not come on their backes so before we meddle with sinne wee should peyse and feele the burthen of it and since it is such an intolerable burt hen we would take heede how we meddle with it Secondly seeing sinne is such a heavy burthen that it made Christ to fall upon the ground not being able to stand under the burthen of it wee must take heed wee doe not adde to the burthen of Christ now by every sinne we commit we doe adde to this burthen and when wee see Christ lying under the burthen of our sinnes what doe wee doe we seeke to ease him of his burthen No we commit one sinne to day and another to morrow and so wee adde from time to time to make more heavy the burthen that Christ bare for us for there is great difference betweene the sinnes that the Heathen commit and those of a Christian for the sinnes of Christians they be upon the backe of Christ but the sinnes that the Heathen commit they rest upon themselves Exod 23. the Lord saith that if a man seeth his enemies Asse under a burthen hee is commanded to helpe him up now if we be bound to shew mercy to a beast much more to Christ therefore we must take heed that we doe not adde to the burthen of Christ Thirdly seeing Christ was burthened with our sinnes we must feele the burthen of them too it is a marvellous thing that we never feele the burthen of them nor be not touched for them Of which there be three Reasons First because sinne is in suo loco in the place of sinne for as the Philosophers say No Element is heavy or burthensome in his owne place as in the Sea let a man bee in the bottome of it although hee hath the whole Sea on his backe yet hee feeles it not but let him take up a bucket full out of the Sea out of his place and then he shall feele how heavy it is so wee doe not feele the weight of sinne in us because this place is the place of sinne but let a man be taken out of this life let him be brought before Gods judgement barre and then we shall feele the weight and burthen of sinne Secondly because of the deadnesse and insensibility of our conscience Ephes 2. 1. saith the Apostle Yee who were dead in trespasses and sinnes we know if a man bee dead we may tumble a house downe upon him and he will not feele it so because we be dead in sinnes and trespasses this is the reason why wee cannot feele the burthen of sinne in us although it be a great weight and burthen Thirdly because we looke upon the face and not upon the tayle of sinne upon the pleasures and delights of it but not upon the tayle thereof that is to the punishment which shall follow the pleasures of sin may be compared to the streames of Iordan a pleasant streame wherein the fish tooke great delight play leape skip and friske but at last it carrieth them into the dead Sea and so are killed so men delight themselves as it were with the streames of Iordan the pleasures and delights of sin but it carrieth them into the dead sea to hell and destruction therefore because men looke on the face of sinne and not on the taile therof this is the Reason why they feele it not The second thing that was observed was the carriage of Christ in Prayer wherein we are to consider two things 1. What Hee praied for 2. The limitation of his prayer First what he prayed for that this cup might passe from him we are not to thinke that this cup was a materiall cup but the cup of Gods wrath which he was to drinke and which our sinnes had tempered that cup that David speaketh of Psal 75. 8. every sinne is like a drop of poyson put into this cup for Christ to drinke if a childe should goe into a garden and gather rue wormewood and a number of bitter things and temper a cup with them and give them to his father to drinke this childe might bee condemned at every bodies hands so we may be censured in that we temper a cup not for our father to drinke but for Christ our Saviour and Redeemer the Iewes gave him gall and vinegar to drinke but wee give him a cup tempered with our sinnes more bitter than gall therefore we must pray to God to forgive us and remember that when we sinne wee are tempering a cup for Christ to drinke and as Christ prayed that God would take away the cup from him so must wee for if it bee not taken away from us wee are like to drinke it our selves The second thing observed in his prayer is the limitation of it Father not as I will but as thou wilt Hee had a desire indeede that the cup might passe away from him but with this limitation if it were the will of God for if it had passed from him it had come to thee and to me Now as Christ prayed with limitation so must wee doe when wee see any crosse or affliction is ready to light on us wee may pray to God against it but it must bee with limitation if it bee his good will therefore this doth check the world that whatsoever they pray for they must have it without any limitation at Gods hands or else they are impatient Thirdly wee have to consider the wonderfull marvellous and strange effect that it wrought which was that the pressure and burthen of our sins caused Christ to sweat not an ordinary sweat as wee doe but to sweat blood and that not thinne but thick and congealed blood besides it was not in a sparing manner but in such abundance that it came through his garments and left the markes and prints behinde upon the ground such was the weight and burthen of our sinnes that it made him to sweat on this manner as we have heard and that not when he was in the warme house but in the garden cold ayre on cold ground and in such a cold time as Peter was glad to creepe
the light of Nature wee have the light of Gods grace it it a fearefull thing when a man shall sinne against his conscience though a man sinne of weaknesse and of infirmity yet let us take heed we sinne not against conscience for what a pitifull thing is it that a mans conscience shall say as the Lepers said O we doe not well that we doe so I doe not well to sin to sweare to prophane the Sabbaths I doe not well to nourish any sin to backbite my neighbours It is a fearefull thing to sin against conscience all other accusers one thing or other will stop them either bribes or favour or fiendship or intreatie or flattery but there is nothing that will stop the accusing of evill conscience neither bribes nor flattery nor friendship nor intreaty Revel 20. 12. conscience is compared to a booke that all things are written in when there is question about a debt come to the booke and that doth manifest the matter so there is a question whether thou hast sinned or not come to thy conscience and that will resolve thee all thy sins are written there although thou doe not see nor feele them yet at the Iudgement day when the booke shall bee opened then all shall bee manifest as if they were but new committed Secondly other accusers doe accuse us but certaine times either at Terme time or when anger is stirred but an accusing conscience will give them no peace at any time the worme of conscience wil torment a man at all times in the night and in the day when hee is in company and when he is alone Thirdly other accusers a man may flie from for if they be in one country hee may flie into another country but there is no man can flie from the accusing of an evill conscience unlesse a man flie from himselfe Augustine saith all other plagues a man may fly from from the famine from the envie of man from the pestilence he may flie but he can never from an evill conscience Man saith he get thee into thy chamber or into the secretest place that may bee and although thou shut the doore yet thou canst not shut out the accusing of an evill conscience unlesse thou shut up thy selfe If a man were in a close chamber full of small lights and there were in the same roome one great light though he should put out all the other and leave but this one yet that were sufficient to disclose and to lay open his shame so in the chamber of this world there be a number of lights if all should be put out and there be left this great light of a mans conscience this is sufficient to discover and to lay open a mans shame Thirdly The strange silence of Christ that answered nothing though Pilate did urge him and it did concerne his life therefore the more ready he should have been as one would have thought to defend himselfe for naturally men are ready to defend their lives as the Devill saith of Iob all that a man hath will hee give for his life But see Christ was silent which shewes how ready he was to lay downe his life for us and how willingly this was the reason why Christ was silent and said nothing here we may see the great love of Christ that whereas we should have lost our lives have perished in hell for ever hee was contented to lay downe his life for us Now Christ hath not laid downe his life onely that wee should lay downe our lives for him againe but that we should lay downe our sinnes he was willing to part with his life and wee are not willing to part with our sins for his sake Hester 6. when Ahashuerosh could not sleepe in the night time he cals to a servant to reade in the Chronicles and then found what Mordecai had done in preserving of his life and so makes this inquiry But what honour and dignity hath there been done to Mordecai for it So when a Christian cannot sleepe in his bed hee should be thinking how willing Christ was to lay down his life for him he should make this enquiry what honour and dignitie have I done unto Christ for it Augustine saith this is the reasoning betwixt Christ and us O man wilt thou make a change with me wilt thou forgoe thy sinnes and take my bloud take the merit of my death and I will take the punishment of thy sinnes Fourthly His protestation and confession that hee is the Sonne of God for when Pilate heard that he was afraid that God was ingaged against him and to oppose himselfe against God he was loth this it was that made him to stop and stay the reverence hee had to the name of Christ O that we Christians had this reverence to the name of God that it might stop and â—â—ay us in the course of sinne Pilate was stayed at the mention of the name of God but we heare of the name of God every day from day to day and yet it cannot stop us in the course of our sinnes we see Gen. 39. 9. that the reverent awe that Ioseph had of the name of God kept him from sinning against God so David Psal 21. 22. Because I kept the wayes of the Lord I did not wickedly against my God for all his lawes were before me and I did not cast his Commandements from me And so here Pilate an Heathen did reverence the name of God this it was that stopped him and made him stand so fast for Christ Fifthly The holy commination of Christ saith hee Hee that delivered mee to thee hath the greater sinne There is no man that can have his hand in the death of Christ but he must needs sinne This was it that made Pilate a Heathen man loth to condemne Christ be cause he should sinne against God This must teach us that when wee heare it is a sinne to sweare or lye not to doe it though it be to save a mans life Wee have heard it is a sinne to prophane the Sabbath to mispend the time wickedly and yet neverthelesse dare we goe on and doe it Surely Pilate shall rise up in judgement against us at the last day and condemne us for it We see 1 Sam. 14. 33. when Saul heard that the people had sinned in eating of blood hee laboured to stoppe and to stay them O that there were such affection in Christians to labour to stoppe others but especially themselves in the course of sin For it is Gods great mercie that any thing comes in the way to stoppe or stay us in the course of sinne whether it bee our conscience or the admonitions of our wives or any thing else The Philosophers say that the upper Heavens would set all the world together if they were not staid by the nether but whether that be true or no this is that there is such greedinesse in man to commit sinne that
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
did hang on the crosse basely and contemptibly and that he had the dispensation and disposing of it The second is a perswasion that he will not keepe it to himselfe but that he will impart it unto others The third is that he will impart it to others who are poore penitent sinners not onely to the just but to the penitent and this was the ground of his prayer Now every one of us must lay this ground of prayer First he must be perswaded that Christ hath a kingdome and that he was come into it and hath the power and dispensation of it so Matth. 28. 18. All power is given wee in heaven and in earth so Ioh. 5. 22. For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Sonne Secondly a perswasion that he will not keepe it to himselfe but will impart it to others even as a conduite receiving water doth not keepe it to it selfe but conveies it to others so Christ received this kingdome not to keepe it to himselfe but to convey it unto us as Luk. 22. 29. therefore I appoint unto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me so Christ doth not retaine it to himselfe but hee doth impart it to all others Thirdly that he will impart it to poore penitent sinners Matth. 9. 13. our Saviour saith that he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance and therefore if men will repent of their sinnes let them not feare but that Christ will bestow it on them for he will not bestow his kingdome on the just onely but on poore penitent sinners this is the ground of his prayer Now for the prayer it selfe and herein wee observe two things 1. What he prayed for 2. The time when hee prayed First for what he prayed hee prayed to bee remembred when Christ came into his kingdome hee did not pray Christ to pull the nailes and spickes out of his hands and feet to have his body saved or his paines mitigated or asswaged but he desires to be remembred when he comes into his kingdome so he lets all the care of his body goe and applyeth himselfe to have his soule saved to be remembred when Christ comes into his kingdome Now with the other all his care was for the saving of his body and to have his body eased of his paines which because Christ would not asswage he railes on him but this man is contented to let all goe so his soule may be saved now in these Theâ—ves are figured out all the men in the world when they come to dye with some all their care is to have their life prolonged their bodies saved to have their paines asswaged and eased so wee see it was the care of Ahaziah king of Israel shall I recover my fall all his care was to know whether he should recover of a bodily cure so it is with the world all their care is to know whether they shall recover or no but the Saints care not so much for the saving of their bodies as their soules let the body suffer what it will they are contented to suffer any paines so they may have their soules saved I have shewed you heretofore that if an house bee on fire they will fetch out all the best things so that if any perish it shall bee the worst because if all cannot bee saved it is wisdome to save the best so if our soules and bodies bee in danger that wee cannot save both let us labour to save the best which is our soules as this theefe did not desire to have the spickes pulled out of his hands and feet to have his paines asswaged and eased but his desire is to bee remembred so what paines soever wee endure we must say I am contented to beare it save my soule onely If a man by a shipwracke bee cast into the sea a planke comming to him will hee not let goe his gold and silver and catch hold on the planke to save his life so we are all floating in the sea of this world ready to be drowned with the pleasures and profits therof ready to be sunke as low as hell therefore how much more had we need to castaway every thing that doth hinder us and take hold on the meanes that God hath appointed for saving of our soules I but what is it that he prayes for he prayes to be remembred why should he be remembred hee was a theefe a bad liver a notorious fellow one would have thought hee would have desired Christ to have forgotten him To this I answer that there be two kinds of Remembrances 1 Remembrance of God in Iudgement 2 Remembrance of God in Mercy First there is a remembrance of God in judgement as Psal 9. 12. For when the Lord maketh inquisition for blood he remembreth them he forgetteth not the complaint of the poore So likewise in Hos. 7. 2. And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickednesse The Lord remembreth all the others they have sworne all the lyes they have told all the Sabbaths they have prophaned all the houres they have mispent and so all their sinnes the Lord remembreth to punish them Secondly there is a remembrance of God in mercy as Gen. 8. it is said The Lord remembred Noah that was in goodnesse and mercy Psa and 132. 1. Lord remember David and all his afflictions and so the Theefe desired to be remembred not in judgment but in mercy in like manner David desired not to be remembred in judgment where he saith Psa 3. 25. Lord remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my rebellion hee desires God to remember him in his tender mercy and his loving kindnesse as also here the Theefe prayed Christ not to remember him in his sinnes and in his transgressions but to remember him in the multitude of his mercyes Secondly the time when he prayed and it was when hee was upon the crosse in paines and torments ready to dye then he stirred up himselfe to prayer and this must teach us that when wee come to dye wee must stirre up our selves to prayer and to repentance and to other Christian duties I know when paines be upon us wee shall have little minde to speake or to doe any thing but wee must then stirre up our selves to prayer and gather up our selves so wee see Stephen did in the 7. of the Act. even when a shoure of stones came about him then he stirred up himselfe and called on the name of God Now the next thing we are to speake of is the Answer of Christ and that is a Promise wherein we observe foure things 1 Vpon what his promise was made 2 Vnto whom it was made 3 What was promised 4 When he would performe his promise First upon what he made his promise upon his prayer which may teach us that true prayer shall not want his due fruit so Matth.
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.
Paul exhort to forgive one another their sinnes Col. 3. 13. To this I answer that in every sin of injustice there are two parties offended God and Man now man may forgive his part but it is God only that must forgive his part Levit. 6. 5 6. it is said Whatsoever one hath sworn falsely he shall even restore it in the principall and shall adde the fifth part more thereto and give it unto him unto whom it appertaineth the same day he offreth for his trespasses Also he shall bring unto the Lord a Ramme without blemish out of the flocke in thy estimation worth two sheckles for a trespasse offering to the Priest Hence I inferre it is not enough to make satisfaction to man but when we have done with him then wee must make our peace with God also Againe it is Objected the Ministers may forgive sinnes in the Gospell As Iohn 20. 23. saith Christ Whosoever sinnes ye retaine are retained I answere there is two courts that sinne hath to deale in In foro mundi the Court of this World and In foro Coeli the Court of heaven In the Court of this World the Minister may forgive and one Man may forgive another but in the Court of Heaven there is none but God that can forgive our sinnes Moreover there is the power of remission and the ministery of remission the power of remission that belongs to God for none but he hath power to forgive but the ministery of remission that belongs to the Minister hee may pronounce the forgivenesse of sinnes As we see Levit. 13. In the cleansing of the Lepers it was God onely that made them cleare the Priest did but pronounce them cleane So then this point is cleare that it is none but God that can forgive sinnes For use first let us consider what a grievous thing sinne is that none but God can forgive and free us from it We see how affraid men bee to breake a legge or arme or to hurt themselves because they would not fall into the Chirurgions hand and yet many of them can set a joynt and helpe us againe but when a man hath sinned there is none in Heaven nor in Earth that can helpe him but onely God therefore wee should be affraid to sinne against Him Wee see in nature that there are some diseasses that are hard to cure as the Stone the Gout the Strangury and many others notwithstanding the great difficulty of curing it yet there be some that can cure these but when a man hath sinned against God he hath done that that no man in the world can cure but God onely therefore how affraid should we be to commit sinne Secondly seeing there is none but God can forgive sinnes therefore when we have sinned wee should cast our eyes from this World and worldly friends and seeke to God for the pardon of them Great men may doe us some good when wee bee well and our friends may comfort us when wee be sicke but when our consciences are dejected for sinne there is none but God can give us comfort A man may looke upon his gold and silver his goods and his lands as a sicke man lookes on his meate not taking delight in any thing because he lookes for the judgement and sentence of God to passe upon him this whole world cannot release him nor give him comfort but it must be God that must doe it therefore we must seeke to him for the pardon of our sinnes for howsoever a man doth not feele his sinnes in the time of securitie and peace yet when his sinnes shall come upon him and accuse him then he shall feele them then is the time that they shall stand in need of God as Iudges 10. 14. the Lord saith to the people Goe and crie unto your gods which ye have chosen let them free you in the time of your trouble so the Lord will say to us in the time of our distresse if we despise him in the time of our health and peace Goe and crie to the Gods that ye have served and see if they can helpe you in the time of your neede goe to your pleasur's and profits and see if they can help you we see that such a time will come that we shall stand in neede of his helpe therefore let us seeke for it in time while we may have it Wee say at this time wee have neede of raine but can your Kings and Queenes give it can your Princes and Nobles no none can doe it but God therefore we must have recourse to him for it and seeke it at his hands If a man dwell by the Sea side where there is a great banke betweene him and the Sea the Shippes passe by and all the commodities none whereof can bee brought unto him but if he can digge downe the banke and cut a sluce through into the Sea then hee may bring the commodities home to himselfe so we dwell by an infinite Sea of Gods goodnesse there being a great banke between us and that which is a banke of sinne so that all the commodities goodnesse and mercie of God passeth by us therefore wee must digge downe this banke of sinne and make a sluce through by prayer and repentance so to draw Gods goodnesse and mercy home to our selves and seeing there is none but God can forgive us our sinnes let us keepe God our friend and if wee have at any time offended him let us not be at rest till we have sought his favour againe and feele the comfort of the pardon and forgivenesse of our sinnes Sixthly God doth not absolutely forgive men their sinnes without any condition but it is upon condition if they will repent It is such a condition that we cannot have pardon of our sinnes without it It is not the cause of it but it is a necessary condition whereby wee are made fit and capable of Heaven and Heavenly things these two goe together repentance and forgivenesse of sinnes these Christ hath conveyed together here in this Scripture that I read unto you that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his Name so Acts 3. 15. Peter saith Amend your lives therefore and turne that your sinnes may be put away If wee will repent of them renounce them and labour to get strength against them then God will forgive them but if we will not repent of them nor renounce them but live in them and nourish them in our bosomes then wee can looke for no forgivenesse there are thousands that doe deceive themselves selves this way who thinke that forgivenesse of sinnes is absolute though they doe nothing but live as they list yet God will forgive them but we are to know it is conditionall if we doe repent of them And therefore let all men take heed that they doe not deceive themselves in this Thus much of the generall Now we come to the
Gods favour yet it shewes us that this forsaking is but for a time as it is said Esai 54. 8. For a little while have I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee for a moment in mine anger I hide my face from thee for a season but with ever lasting mercie I have had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer And therefore although wee feele not the Love of God at the present yet Faith must uphold us and wee must perswade our selves it is but for a little time And so likewise Psal 55. 22. it is said He will not suffer the righteous to fall for ever Howsoever they may fall yet they shall rise againe And Mic. 7. 8. The Church doth sustaine her selfe by this Rejoyce not against me O mine enemie although I fall yet I shall rise againe If a man fall into a swoond that he neither breathe nor pant yet bring him to the fire and chafe him put a little Aquavitae into his mouth and he will recover againe if there be any life in him even so if a man fall into a spirituall swoond that he neither breathe nor pant yet if he be brought to the use of good meanes as prayer preaching and the Sacraments if there be the life of grace in him he will recover againe This we see in David and Peter that when Nathan came to David and told him of his fault he straightway recovered and so Peter that had but a looke of Christ recovered If a man cast mud into a fountaine it will in time worke it selfe cleere So in Ioh. 4. 14. A Christian is compared to a fountaine in which although there be mud cast yet it will worke it selfe cleere The third action whereby faith sustaineth us in spiritual desertions is that al is for their good that God is departed from them For Ioh. 16. it is said It is expedient for you that I goe away from you So the absence of Christ from the Church is for their good that they may the more long for him when he is departed earnestly seeke after him and set the greater price upon him when they have him If a man have poysoned himselfe a Physition cannot helpe him but by giving him some ranke poyson even so the Lord lets us fall into some great sinne to expell some other sinnes And therefore as Christ said Ioh. 11. of Lazarus his sickenesse That it was not unto Death but for the glory of God So wee may say of all the falls of Gods people that there falls are not unto death but for the glory of God Now for worldly crosses faith sustaineth foure wayes First it perswadeth us that all the judgements of God that fal upon us are just and that he doth us no wrong thereby therefore that we must quiet our selves yeelding to the good will of God So we see the Church doth in Micah 7. 9. I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I have sinned against him So Ier. 10. saith he It is my sorrow and I must beare it As though he should say it is mine owne sinne I may thanke mine owne selfe for it it is my sorrow and I will beare it The good Theefe Luk. 23. 41. confesses Wee are indeed justly punished heere for wee receive things worthy for that we have done And therefore let us never murmur nor grieve at it we are heere righteously these things be justly come upon us Thus Faith makes us to quiet our selves in looking at the good will of God The second way whereby Faith sustaineth us in worldly crosses is that it makes us shut up our eyes and wholly to relie upon God So David in the Psal 73. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever So Psal 119. 49 50. Remember thy promise made unto thy servant wherein thou hast made me to hope It is my comfort in my trouble for thy promises have quickened me And so likewise Iob saith Though hee kill me yet I will trust in him Faith it makes believe one contrary in another that although we die and rot yet wee shall live and we shall live againe and rise againe though God doth seeme to be our enemie yet Faith doth perswade us that he is our friend and although wee bee miserable yet that wee are blessed and happie thus Faith makes us beleeve one contrary in another Thirdly Faith doth hereby sustaine us in worldly crosses because it assures us that God is present with us in all our troubles in our sicknesse about our beds in our graves and in the gaole Even as God was with Moses in the bush and with the three children in the fiery sornace so God is with all his servants in all their troubles and afflictions The want of this consideration that God was not present with Saul made his affliction the greater saith he The Philistims made warre against me and God is departed from mee therefore when Faith shall assure us that in all our troubles and afflictions God is present with us this is a mighty meanes to sustaine and uphold us So sayes David Psalme 23. 4. Yea though I should walke through the valley and shaddow of Death yet I will feare none ill thy rod thy staffe they comfort me and Rom. 8. 31. If God be with us saith he who can bee against us When old Iacob was sent for into Egypt as wee may see Gen. 46. 3. The Lord spake in a vision to Iacob and said Feare not Iacob to goe downe into Egypt for I will goe with thee Even so when the Lord shall say to us feare not to goe into the grave for I will bee with you or into the dennes of death or into the gaole or into any other trouble whatsoever seeing hee will bee present to sustaine and to uphold us we ought to doe it cheerefully Fourthly Faith doth sustaine us in worldly crosses with this consideration and comfort that when all temporall things faile yet wee shall bee made partakers of spirituall and heavenly things Thus wee see Iob did sustaine himselfe when all temporall things failed him when hee had lost his children his goods and all then he comforteth himselfe in this I know that my Redeemer liveth And although after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh c. So David in the person of Christ in Psal 16. 9. Howsoever they deprived him of these temporall things and killed him yet saith hee comfortably My heart is glad and my tongue rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope for thou wilt not leave my soule in grave neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption And Psal 27. 13. I should have fainted but that I beleeved to see the goodnesse of God in the land of the living and therefore howsoever temporall things faile us yet Faith perswadeth us of most happy and heavenly
best so it is evident that men make these things their god Secondly whatsoever a man takes most paines for that he makes his god But it is evident that men take more paines about their pleasures and money than they doe about God and therefore they doe make that their god Chrysostome saith Aske not thy tongue whether thou lovest God or no or takest more paines about thy pleasures money belly or thy sinnes than for him But aske thy life and conversation and that will tell thee that thou lovest thy pleasures more than thy God therefore he that saith he loveth God and yet loveth his pleasure more than God he lyeth hereby we must take heede that we doe not set our profits and our pleasures in the roome of God Secondly seeing there is but One God wee must labour to bee one as he is One For Gods labour is to bring all the decaied Creatures to be one as hee is One It is the Devill that brought in division and set man against God and one man against another but God laboureth to bring all to one though we cannot be all one in substance yet let us labour to be one in affection as it is said that the number of them that beleeved were of one heart and of one mind so we must labour to be of one heart and of one minde Ephes 4. 5. It is said There is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all so Mal. 2. 10. It is said Have we not all one Father hath not one God made us why doe we transgresse every one against his brother and breake the covenant of our Father Therefore seeing God is one we must labour to be one as he is one Ezek. 37. wee read how the Prophet saw a number of bones lye scattered here and there but when once the Word of God came amongst them they ran bone to his bone sinewes grew upon them and flesh on the sinewes so howsoever we be scattered in our affections yet if the Word of God come amongst us we bee one as God is one straight way we runne together and be made one though not in substance one yet in affection heart and minde The fourth use is that seeing God is one therefore there is but one meanes of life and salvation as Rom. 3. 30. For it is one God who shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and the uncircumcision through faith There is but one meanes whereby he gathereth all men unto him so that the best and holiest men that ever were are saved by the same meanes that the meanest and poorest are and the greatest sinner is saved by It is an opinion of some that they shall be saved in what Religion soever they professe but this cannot be because there is but one meanes of the saving of all men There was but one Tree of life one Doore in the Arke one high Priest one Mediator betweene God and man and therefore there is but one way to life and salvation if we be out of that way wee are in the way to damnation Therefore we must doe as a man in a journey O Sir saith he I am in a way but whither doth this way lead if he be told it leadeth to the kings court where he shall have great favour shewed or to a garden of pleasure or a place of Comfort then he will goe on cheerefully but if he be told that it leadeth to a prison a dungeon or to a place of torment he will stay and goe no further so should we say O sir we are in a way but whither doth it lead If to heaven to Gods favour to joy and comfort unspeakeable then we may with comfort go on but if we be told that the way we walke in leadeth to hell destruction and to torment we should make a stand and go no further therefore seeing there is but one way to life every one should labour to walke in that way Thirdly we professe that we beleeve he is a true God True first in regard of his Nature secondly in regard of his properties First he is a true God in regard of his Nature for he is of a spirituall no bodily substance there is no extention of his parts he doth not consist of parts as we doe but he is of a spirituall substance as Ioh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit Secondly he is infinite in time and in place there is no bounds nor limitations of him he cannot be comprehended as it is Psal 145. 3. Great is the Lord and most worthy to be praised and his greatnesse is incomprehensible so that his wisedome power justice and mercy no man can comprehend Thirdly he is the fountaine of all good things so that whatsoever good things the Creature hath it is from God For by him we live move and have our being and breathing as it is in Acts 17. 28. God doth give a being to us he hath a being of himselfe and therefore he hath no need of us he is not the better for our prayers nor the service wee doe him but we be the better for it and therefore every one when he conceiveth of God must see he hath a right apprehension of him hee must so conceive him as he hath revealed himselfe in his Word or else hee setteth up an idoll of his owne in his heart The heathen did deride Christians asking them where their God was and bidding them shew their God for they could shew theirs in such a Church and such a place Saith the Christian I cannot shew thee my God for he is a Spirit and cannot bee seene and therefore he is the true God yours may bee seene therefore he is not the true God but saith he if you would see my God get you the eyes of faith and I will shew you my God Men that have weake eyes get them eyes of a Chrystall glasse and then they see a number of things that they could not see before so when we cannot see God we should get Chrystall eyes the eyes of Faith and then wee shall see that we never saw before A number of people in the world cannot see God in the fields in their publike meetings in their houses but let them get the eyes of Faith and they shall see him very comfortably Secondly as we beleeve God to be true in Nature so we beleeve God to be true in his Properties He is a powerfull a wise a just a mercifull a loving God And therefore if wee beleeve that God is powerfull why then doe wee not trust in him If hee bee wise why be we not guided and governed by him If he bee just why doe wee not beleeve him in his promises And why are wee not affraid of offending him If hee be mercifull why should we despaire But a number of men take away the power of God for as the children of Israel in the wildernesse said Can God
these were to follow the waies of their wicked fathers then how ready shold we be therfore to be like our heavenly Father God is mercifull and we be unmercifull ready to forgive us the injuries and wrongs that wee doe to him and wee backeward to forgive the injuries and wrongs that our brethren doe to us hee is holy and wee be unholy and therefore I marvell that we doe not blush to call God Father and yet walke in the steps of the divell God is holy and thou art prophane God is mercifull and thou art cruell This is the second instruction The third is that seeing God is our Father therefore wee must trust in him and rely on him as a Father we must labour to moderate the cares of this life because we have one God to take care for us Matth. 6. 25. our Saviour saith Bee not carefull what yee shall eate or what yee shall drinke nor yet for the body what ye shall put on c. and verse 32. he giveth a reason why wee should take no care for your heavenly Father knoweth that yee have need of all these things and out of his Fatherly care will make a supply of them by such good meanes as hee hath appointed therefore wee must wholy rely and trust on him If wee see a young man eager of the world carking caring scraping and gathering together riches men may say this man hath no Father to provide for him So if wee see men scraping gathering carking and caring for the things of this life surely wee may feare God is not his Father for if he were hee would rest upon him Chrysostome saith if a man were going to a feast would hee take care for meat if one were at a fountaine would hee take care for water God of his Fatherly care will provide a table for us and as a rich fountaine will make a supply of all our wants therefore we have no cause to carke or care for the things of this life let this bee thy comfort that if God bee our Father hee will provide for thee This therefore condemnes the scrapers and misers of this world that care not by what meanes they can get it or by what bad course they have it and therefore they doe not rest on God as a Father It is true indeed there is a provident care to bee had for the things of this life but this same carking and distrustfull care is that which the Scriptures condemne The fourth is that all the chastisements that come upon us we take as from the hand of a loving Father and patiently beare them so wee see Psal 39. 9. I was dumbe and said nothing because it was thy doing So 1 Sam. 3. 18. It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good And Luk. 22. 2. Father if thou wilt take away this cup from mee neverthelesse not my will but thy will bee done So every crosse and affliction we should take as a cup tempered and reached out by the hand of a loving Father and therefore wee should patiently beare it Wee see in experience if a stranger beat a child the child will murmur at it but if a Father correct it it will patiently beare that so if God bee a stranger to us then we will murmur at his corrections but if God be our Father then we will patiently beare his loving chastisements The fifth instruction hence is that seeing God is our Father we should bee content to part with any thing wee have to give unto Christ wee read in the story of Samson that when his Father and Mother was going to the wedding he went aside to looke on the carcase of the Lion which hee had killed where hee found a swarme of bees and hony whereof he did eate and gave to his Father and Mother so we should doe going to the heavenly wedding wee should give such good things as wee have seeing we cannot give them to Christs owne person let us give them to his needy members and Christ will accept it as done unto himselfe as Mat. 25. 45. Forsomuch saith he as ye have done it unto one of these little ones ye have done it unto mee Seeing God is our Father therefore all Christians are our brothers and wee should love them for our Fathers sake So Mal. 2. 10. Have wee not all one Father and hath not one God made us why doe wee transgresse every one against his brother and breake the covenant of our God and Father therefore seeing God is the Father of us all we must love them and regard them so Ioh. 8. 42. If God were your Father saith Christ then ye would love me so we may say if God were your Father then ye would love Christians but because yee hate and despise them therefore it is evident that God is not your Father The second thing that was observed was matter of comfort first that seeing God is our Father therefore wee are called to a greater dignity and honour than this world can afford us for it is the greatest preferment in the world to bee called the Sonnes of God and therefore 1 Ioh. 3. 1. hee bringeth it in with an ecce Behold what love the Father hath shewed on us that wee should bee called his Sonnes and therefore David to this purpose saith 1 Sam. 18. 23. Seemeth it a light thing unto you to bee the Sonne in law to a King Now then if it be such a matter to bee Sonne in law to a King what an honour is it to bee Son to the King of Kings to God if wee consider wee bee but dust and sinfull and the children of the divell therefore as David saith 1 Sam. 18. 18. Who am I and what is my life and the familie of my Father in Israel that I should bee Sonne in law to the King So wee may say Lord what am I or what is my Fathers house that this honour should bee put upon me to bee called thy Sonne And therefore whatsoever our estate be here in this world it is a great comfort to us to bee one of the Sonnes of God the greatest dignity that this world can afford I shewed you lately that it is the greatest goodnesse and mercy of God to put honour upon his servants that even Kings are glad of this favour and howsoever men cannot away with such now but despise and contemne them yet one day at the day of judgement or of their death to have honor with the meanest of Gods people they would bee glad if they could have but a looke and therefore it is a greater comfort to be one of Gods sonnes and daughters than to have all this world The second comfort is that seeing God is our Father therefore he will bee a Father to us as 2 Cor. 6. 18. I will bee a Father unto you and not in name but a Father in deed to us hee will performe the duty of a Father there
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
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
despise this great mercy Peter he did wonder at the humility of Christ Ioh. 13. that he wold stoop so low as to wash his Disciples feet but how may we wonder at his strange humility that he would be borne as we are therefore we may upon this consideration breake forth and say O blessed Lord what am I that thou wouldest be borne thus for my sake that thou wouldest stoope so low for me How should I respect and regard thee The second use is seeing Christ was contented to stoope to the infirmities of thy birth thou shouldest be content to be borne spiritually I but to be borne of the Spirit is tedious why consider with thy selfe was Christ contented to be borne of a Virgin thou maiest be contented to bee borne of the Spirit He suffered prayed in the garden died on the crosse for thee was contented to bee borne of the Virgin thou mai'st well be contented then to be borne of the Spirit Secondly he was borne meanely in the poorest manner that might be and as we may see in this place there was no body to give him helpe no light shining nor Angell appearing no fine things to put him in but he was swadled in clouts rags This was a strange humiliation of Christ to be borne so basely that all the Angels might admire and wonder at it and bee confounded to thinke of the basenesse of Christs birth which hath made our adversaries devise strange stories to grace the birth of Christ with they say in the Gospell of Saint Iames which is a false Gospell that when Christ was borne the whole course of nature was stayed that the birds that were flying in the ayre could not stirre but hung there the goats that went to drinke could not move their lippes a shepheard putting foorth his hooke to catch his sheepe it hung in the ayre and the like fopperies for the world was not then able to consider why Christ was so poorely borne Another tale they devised to grace the birth of Christ was this that when Ioseph went for the midwife Christ was borne in the meane time at which time there was such a light as they might see aswell at midnight as at noone day but this could not be for there was no light shining in the roome no Angell none to give him helpe The world cannot conceive it but there bee divers reasons of it First to shew the infinite goodnesse and love of Christ thus to stoope so low to be so basely borne to save me and thee it was a strange love that he would be borne as we are and so creepe along with us to grow as we grow live as we live and stoope to all the infirmities of our nature yea even to dye and to lye in the grave with us that so wee might apply our sinfull bodies to his holy body our impure flesh to his pure flesh that so hee might quicken and give us life David when he considered the worke of creation Psal 8. 4. burst out into this speech Lord what is man that thou art so mindefull of him c. much more may we say admiring the worke of our Redemption not only what is man But what a good Lord is this that he would be contented to stoope so low to be so basely borne for my salvation which made holy Bernard say so much the more baser thou art borne the more deare thou art to my soule and to my heart in this regard Secondly to shew what a great matter it is to redeeme us and how wee are to make much of that Salvation that Christ would bee so basely borne to purchase for us Therefore seeing Christ was pleased to come thus into the world to save us how should we bee contented to be abased now to stand before God with comfort at the day of judgement as Paul Phil. 3. 8. Yea doubtlesse I count all things but lost for the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I suffered the losse of all things and judge them to be but dung and drâ—sse that I might winne Christ and might be found in him so Ignatius when he should suffer Lord saith he I care for nothing whether for things visible or invisible for the tearing my flesh or the losing of my members or for all the divels can devise against me so that I may bee made any thing to be saved As a cunning workeman takes a peece of clay to make a goodly jmage hee tempers the clay changeth it into twenty shapes and fashions before hee makes the image so the Lord this cunning workeman doth when hee would make the picture of Christ in us he doth as it were temper and change us into twenty shapes before hee makes his beautifull Image in us therefore wee should bee contented to be disposed at the good will of God to change us into any shape sicknesse poverty want or disgrace and be made any thing to be saved Thirdly to shew that the greatnesse of our sinnes tooke hold on him for he was no sooner come into the world but our sinnes were upon him and put all this basenesse and meannesse upon him Therefore dost thou wonder thou art a prophane man or an Adulterer or a drunkard or a Swearer that God brings poverty upon thee blindnesse lamenesse or an evill name why looke upon Christ and we shall see that the guilt of our sinnes being upon him brought all this basenesse and meanesse upon him Fourthly that the meanesse and hardnesse of Christs estate might sanctifie the poverty and hardnesse of our estates for he was deare and precious in the sight of God notwithstanding this abasement therefore doe thou labour to be a childe of God and then thou shalt be deare and precious in the sight of God now though this cannot bee by nature yet labour to be one by Adoption and grace and then God wil accept thee though thou be never so meane and basely accounted of heere Chrysostome compares a good man to a peece of gold that if we take it trample it and treade it in the durt yet the gold is never the worse so saith he let the world trample and treade upon a good man hee is not the worse he loseth none of his goodnesse and these be the reasons in regard of God why Christ was thus basely borne Now the reason in regard of the world the Evangelists doe shew was because there was no roome in the Inne this was strange was there no roome for Christ in the Inne was there never a chamber nor a corner of a roome for him to be borne in There was roome I warrant you for swaggerers and drunkards for dicers and carders for prophane persons but there was no roome for Christ to bee borne in these had taken up all the roomes so as Christ must bee turned to bee borne in a stable And I would to God it were not the sin of the world still
Then all the Churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the reines and hearts Thirdly he was apprehended to temporall paines but the wicked shall be taken to eternall torments as it is said Marke 9. the worme that never dieth there shall be no end of their torments And this shall be the fearfull apprehension of the wicked at the day of Iudgement wherefore as the Apostle Saint Paul 2 Cor. 5. 11. saith Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men c. So say I knowing of this fearefull apprehension of the wicked at the last day of Iudgement we perswade men to repent them of their sins and to please God that So they may avoid it If a man heare that the Kings Writ is comming out against him to arrest and carry him away to prison hee would surely make friends to stay the Processe and Writ so when we heare to know that there is a Writ against us from heaven to come upon us we must labour to stop it and send up our prayers to God to stay his judgements that so we be not farther vexed with them thus the taking of Christ should put us in minde of the fearefull taking of the wicked at the day of Iudgement The second was the binding of Christ one would not thinke that the Iewes would have bound him seeing he was so willing to be taken that he offered himselfe yet there be divers reasons thereof in regard of the Intention both of Man and of God and first in regard of the Intention of man I will give you these three reasons 1. For paine and punishment 2. For caution and securitie 3. To put the more shame and disgrace upon him First it was for Paine and punishment so Paul in his persecution bound them that called upon the Name of the Lord it was for punishment and for paine and so Christ was bound in regard of both Most thinke they can never be too harsh to Christ and to his members and never tender enough to themselves and to others but these shall bee put to all the paines So we see Psal 105. 18. it is said that Iosephs feet was in the stocks and the irons entered into his soule that is they entered into his live-flesh so Heb. 11. it is said of the faithfull that some of them were sawne in sunder some racked some were stoned and put to the greatest extremity that might bee Theeves and murtherers and vile persons can finde favour and mercy but Christ and his members can finde none at the hands of the world Secondly it was for caution sake and security because they would hinder him in his flight and so keepe him safe for this cause Peter Act. 12. had chaines laid upon him to abate his force that he should not hurt or resist them and so Sampson was bound now none of these reasons could move the Iewes to binde Christ for though he might have escaped yet he came and did offer himselfe and when they were downe on the ground Christ might have escaped and would not therefore there was no cause of feare but this is the property of a bad conscience to be afraid when there is no cause of feare especially of Christ and his servants Thirdly it was to put the greater disgrace and shame upon him therefore seeing Christ was content to have disgrace and shame put upon him for us we should be contented to suffer the like for him and for holy Religion now seeing Christ was contented to have disgrace and shame put upon him for us though he was God and wee men he the Creator and we the creatures hee our Lord and we his servants hee holy and we unholy therefore let us be contented to be ashamed and disgraced for him saith the Apostle Paul I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ c. So let every one of us say I am not ashamed of Christian and holy Religion And these be the Reasons why Christ was bound in regard of men Now as Christ was bound in regard of men so hee was bound in regard of Gods intention and that for three causes first To sanctifie the bounds of his servants that if any should suffer for his cause or for Religion his bands might bee sanctified to them if wee suffer with Christ then our sufferings become the sufferings of Christ he sitteth at one end of the ballance and we at the other Act. 26. saith the Apostle for the hopes sake of Israel I am bound with this chaine And Phil. 1. 13. So that my hands in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places This may give comfort to man in bonds and in affliction that by the meanes of Christs bonds they are sanctified to him this is the first cause why Christ was bound in regard of Gods Intention Secondly To teach us the desert of our sinnes for as Christ was bound and fettered for us so wee deserved to bee bound with the chaines of eternall condemnation and to be led away that we should never see God Esai 53. 5. saith the Prophet The chastisements of our peace was upon him he stood in our roome and place and therefore looke how the Iewes tied and bound Christ so we deserve to be tyed and bound with the chaines of darknesse for ever wee see how many a man goes jesting up and downe and does not consider how Christ was bound and chained but know thou whosoever thou art this is thy desert for sinne if God should draw out the arme of his justice against thee and give thee thy due deserving punishment It is the speech of the holy man Ieremie It is the Lords mercy that we are not all consumed it is his mercy that we have a house to put our heads in a bed to lye in one bit of bread to eate Thirdly Christ was bound that wee might be loosed his binding is our loosing for he was in our roome and place now in that Christ hath suffered and was bound for us wee are freed the old debt cannot be required of us for as the Lawyers say if the debt bee paid of the surety in good dealing it cannot bee required againe Now there bee two kinds of chaines that Christ doth free us from 1. The Chaine of Condemnation 2. The Chaine of Corruption First the chaine of condemnation for as Divines say the guilt of sinne is the binding of a man to answer at Gods judgement barre for it and therfore every sin that a man committeth is a spirituall chaine to binde him to answer for it and as poore prisoners goe bound in fetters and chaines to answer at the sessions so a man goes bound in chaines by his sinnes to answer at Gods judgement seate Now by Christ wee are freed from these chaines so soone as wee are converted and lay hold on Christ as Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to those
grapes and thy teeth are set on edge with them It is I that have sinned but Lord thou hast done nothing worthy of these great paines therefore O Lord that I may never forget this great love of thine though I cannot perfume thy body as Mary did with sweet spices yet will I never cease to wash it with the daily teares of true repentance for my sinnes But alas we can weepe for the losse of our wives of our children but we cannot weepe for our sinnes therefore we should doe as the Physitian who when hee findeth men dangerously bleeding at the nose lets them bloud in another place and so turnes the course of the bloud another way so our weeping for worldly losses we should turne to weeping for our sinnes and for the losse of Gods favour that thus Christ was crucified for them Secondly seeing Christ was crucified we should labour to see all our spirituall enemies crucified with him for when Christ was upon the Crosse he pulled the Devill sinne death and damnation to the Crosse with him and so also were crucified so Christ was not crucified alone but all the enemies of mans salvation with him So the Apostle Coloss 2. 14. speaking hereof saith And putting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us he even tooke it out of the way and fastned it to his crosse and having spoiled the principalities and powers hee made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it therefore the same Crosse that served to crucifie Christ the same hath served to crucifie our spirituall enemies and though the Iewes saw none but Christ upon the Crosse thou that art a Christian must goe further and see all the enemies of mans salvation the Devill damnation and sinne crucified with him Thirdly seeing Christ was crucified upon the crosse we must be contented to crucifie our selves and therefore after a spirituall manner we must goe to the Crosse of Christ and naile our hands and feet unto the Crosse that we may not move a hand or a foot to displease God Nay we must goe further and crucifie our sinfull and carnall lusts and inordinate affections for the Apostle saith that they that are in Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof So that there is not a true Christian but hath beene upon the crosse already and hath carried his corruptions thither to be crucified therefore looke how busie the Iewes were in crucifying of Christ be thou as busie to crucifie thy sinnes and corruptions howsoever men may talke of the crucifying of Christ yet if thou have no care to crucifie thy sinnes and thy carnall lusts thou canst have no comfort by it be sure then as the Iewes did apprehend Christ condemned him set a crowne of thornes upon his head spet on his face nailed him to the Crosse killed him and flung him into the grave even so doe thou by thy sinnes labour thou to apprehend thy sinnes to condemne them set a crowne of thornes upon them spet at them doe all the disgrace that may be to them naile them to the crosse and bury them in the grave of Christ that so they never rise againe Fourthly seeing Christ was crucified and suffered such extremities This must teach us to see what extremitie all unrepentant sinners must looke for at the day of judgement for if Christ suffered such extremitie that had but the imputation of our sinnes upon him what shall become of them that live in their sinnes inherit them Our Saviour wee know saith If they doe this to the greene tree what shall become of the dry If they did so to Christ that had no sinne what shall become of thee I will tell thee if thou be found in thy sins and have not repented them thou must looke for no mercy for if he spared not his Sonne then look that he will not spare thee For as the Apostle saith Rom. 11. 21. if God spared not the naturall branches but cut them off take heed lest he spare not thee who art a wilde olive tree Fifthly seeing Christ was crucified and suffered such extremitie for the saving of thy soule then thou must be contented to suffer any thing to be saved For did Christ suffer for thee And art not thou that art a Christian contented to suffer any thing that thy soule may be saved If men did know the true value of their soules they would be contented to suffer any thing to save them as the Apostle ssaith Philip. 3. I count all things as dung and drosse to be found in Christ And so the holy Martyrs Hebr. 11. it is said Some of them were racked some were sawne asunder and would not be delivered that they might obtaine a better resurrection The third thing that the Evangelist shewes in his crucifying is how they did strip him they did pull off his clothes we see first they put off the purple robes and put on his owne garments and now when they naile him to the Crosse they strip off his owne garments and let him hang naked on the Crosse This sheweth the merit of our sinnes that wee deserve not the least bit of bread nor the meanest coat that may be to live or to die in hence we may learne that every must labour to finde this guiltinesse in himselfe for it is the Lords mercie that we have any thing as Christ was stripped at his death so we deserve to be stripped of all comfort at the day of death and as Iaakob said Lord I am lesse than the least of thy mercies so we may say Lord I am not worthy of the least bid of bread nor of the meanest coat nor of the least comfort that may be Thus the Prophet declares Gods goodnesse Lament 13. It is the Lords mercy that wee are not consumed and it is Gods mercy that we have a coat to put on our backes that we have a bit of bread to put in our mouths a bed to lye in an house to put our heads in and if we have any thing more than others we must acknowledge it is the Lords great mercy to us and wee are to blesse God for it that he hath made our life any way comfortable to us And the same Prophet Ieremie complaines of this neglect in his dayes Chap. 5. 24. Neither say they in their hearts let us now feare the Lord our God who gave us raine both early and late and appointed unto us the weekes of harvest And even so the Lord bestowes on us abundance of his blessings O that men would feare the Lord for those his blessings that from day to day they live in but we have our hearts hardened like them who Marke 6. 52. had not considered the matter of the loaves because their hearts were hardened Secondly seeing Christ was naked on the Crosse this must teach us how naked we are in the sight of God that wee have not a
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
redeemed us by his Sonne not onely by his life but by his death also And therefore as S. Andrew saith I am more beholding to thee O Lord for the worke of my redemption by the death of thy Sonne than for the power by which I was created therefore if a man should be thankfull for his creation much more should he be for the worke of his redemption for it was a marvellous love of Christ the hee tooke our nature upon him to come into the world to worke our redemption to lose his life to finish and perfect it and therefore how thankefull ought we to be for so great a mercy Secondly seeing our redemption and salvation is perfected and finished by the death of Christ wee may see the grievousnesse and greatnesse of our sinnes that when we had sinned against God all the powers in heaven and earth could not doe it but it must bee Christ that eternall Sonne of God and it was not with his life only but with his death wee thinke much of suffering any little affliction or trouble but Christ must die to expiate sinne and to abolish it whereas neither Angels nor Archangels nor all the Saints and holy men in the world could have done it therfore seeing Christ paid so deare for it we must take heed we doe not account it a light matter to sinne Therefore let us take heed how we grieve him by our sinne seeing hee was contented to lose his life and to shed his heart blood for us SERMON XXV LVKE 23. 46. And when Iesus had cryed with a loud voyce hee said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit And having said thus he gave up the ghost OF the seven last words which Christ spake on the crosse this is the last which containes an holy Resignation of the soule and spirit of Christ into the hands of his Father wherein something in generall and something in particular is to bee considered The generall is this That all the speeches and words that Christ did speake on the crosse from the first to the last were holy and good so hee did not onely begin well but did end well also he made an holy close of his life when he came to breathe out his last breath which must teach us what the care of a Christian should be when he is in sicknesse and trouble not onely to begin well but to continue well till he come to dye and breathe out his last breath and then to make an holy close of his life this is that which Christ speaketh of Mat. 24. Hee that continueth unto the end shall bee saved and the spirit of God Revel 2. 10. Bee thou faithfull to the death and I will give thee a crowne of life An Archer though hee ayme and draw well yet if hee in the loose let his hand slip or sinke downe he will be wide of the marke so though we begin and ayme well yet if we start aside or sinke downe when wee come to die wee lose all our glory therefore it must bee our care not onely to begin but to end well also It is in sanctified motions as it is with wheeles that bee swiftest at the first and afterwards slower and slower till the wheele stand still so it is in sanctified motions they bee swiftest at the first and afterward by little and little they abate till at last they dye if they bee not supplied by good meanes therefore it is good not onely to begin well but also to end well too when we breathe out our last breath Iohn 2. Christ set out the best wine at the last But quite contrary it is the manner of the world to bee best at first and worst at last with the people of God it must not be so for if there bee any worst it must bee the first and the best at the last Indeed it is the fashion of the world to begin well and to end ill but the people of God must not doe so they must not onely begin well but also continue well and end well and so make an holy close of their life when they breathe out their last breath and when they shut up their eyes from the light of this world they may see the kingdome of heaven The next thing to be considered is the practice of Christ when hee came to dye In which observe five things 1. To whom he commended his spirit to his Father 2. What it was he commended his spirit 3. When he commended his spirit at the instant of his death 4. Vpon what ground he commended his spirit upon a perswasion that he was his Father 5. What comfort wee may have by the commending of his spirit into the hands of his Father First to whom hee commended his spirit the Text sheweth to his Father When we be alive we commend our selves to our friends in hope of comfort but when we come to die we must commend ourselves to God only therefore as Christ when hee came to dye shut up his eyes and did not looke upon his mother nor his disciples nor upon any beloved but hee did wholly commend himselfe into the hands of his Father in hope of comfort so when wee come to dye wee must shut up our eyes and not comfort our selves in our wives children friends and those we love deareliest but we must commend our soules into the hands of God Yea the people of God have good cause to doe so in regard he is all in all to us as David saith Psal 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee therefore hee cast himselfe upon God in hope of comfort so a man while he liveth may have many friends to commend himselfe to but when hee commeth to dye there is none but God that we can commend our soules to Therefore seeing no man hath any body to commend his soule to at last but God onely it must be our wisedome to keepe God our friend for if we despise him in our health it is just with him to despise and reject us when we come to die We read Iudg 10. 14. when the Children of Israel had forsaken the Lord and followed Baalam and Astaroth and served them in their distresse when they came and cried to God to save them out of the hands of their enemies the Lord said unto them Goe and crie unto the gods whom ye have chosen Let them save you in the time of your tribulation In like manner the Lord will say to us when wee have despised him in the time of our health and have followed our pleasures profits and our old sinnes goe and crie unto the gods whom yee have served see if your money will save and helpe you you that have made your pleasures your belly and your sinnes your God now see if these will helpe you for if ye despised God in your life time it is just with
directed to keep thy Statutes I cannot do as I would but would to God my heart were directed to keepe thy Statutes David had no strength to doe as he would but he desires it above his strength so should we Secondly The manner how Christ did appeare to her He shewed himselfe strange a long time and held her in suspence and yet Mary sought for Christ and sought for him when others gave over with teares which may teach us that many a good Christian may seeke for Christ with teares that is in truth of affection and yet not presently finde him they may seeke long and attend upon the meanes but as Christ did appeare to Mary so in due time thou shalt see him to thy comfort Now there were two causes why Christ did not appeare to Mary nor shew himselfe to her presently First through her owne default for when Christ appeared to her shee thought it had beene the Gardiner Hee did not appeare in such a forme but Marie thought so she did so sorrow and mourn for Christ that though he were before her she could not see him it was through her owne default so God many times gives comfort to us when through our owne default we see not the comfort that is before us through the sorrow and griefe wee sustaine but refuse it when it is offered and this is the cause why it is so longâ—ere some can receive comfort As Psal 77. David saith My soule refused comfort so it is with Christians many times God offereth comfort to them and they refuse it this is the estate of the best so likewise Christ appeared to the World when through their owne default they could not see him through the blindnesse and ignorance that remained in them even to this day they see not though hee speakes unto them day by day they have not the eyes of Faith to see him This is the estate of the World though God speakes unto them they know it not they thinke it is the Gardiner they thinke it is the voyce of a Man and not of God but the true Church of Christ knowes when Christ is speaking unto her It is the voyce of my welbeloved so Christ no sooner speakes but they know it but the greatest part of the world doe not so though hee speakes unto them from day to day Christ appeares unto them and through their owne default they doe not see him The second cause was Through a speciall dispensation that shee might the more repent of her sinnes and make a triall of her faith to make the present more comfortable as Ioseph made himselfe strange to his brethren a long time and afterward did reveale himselfe unto them so though Christ make himselfe strange and hold us in suspence for a time it is because hee would have our faith tried and because wee might have the greater comfort when we finde him Now though he held himselfe a long time in suspence yet Christ did discover himselfe by a word for he saith Marie and she turned about and said Rabboni Master so it was but a word of Christ that gave comfort he can doe it by a word hee can make all our discomforts to cease and give comfort with a word Thus wee see Matth. 8. that the Centurion said to Christ Doe but speake the word and thy servant shall be whole If Christ doe but speake a word his wisedome is to lay hold on that word which must teach us that wee must catch hold on every little word of Christ I have shewed you heretofore that it is the nature of the Vine to catch hold on every little sticke or on every little thing with his twigs to lift up himselfe so a Christian must lay hold on every little word of Christ to help him by But it is a pittifull thing that one word of Christ will not serve nor all the words of Christ nor the mercies nor the judgements of God to turne us to him as Marie catched hold on every little word so it must bee our wisedome to lay hold on the least word that may bring us to Christ From hence two things are to be considered First That true faith doth lay hold on every little word of Christ It is like the Vine that layeth hold on every little sticke and post with his keyes and clanvers to lift up himselfe so true faith will lay hold on every little means to lift up it selfe if it be but a word it will lay hold on it as wee see Iohn 2. Christ saith to his mother Marie Woman my houre is not yet come she layes hold on this word of Christ and saith to the servants whatsoever hee bids you doe that doe you and you shall not want wine so Matth. 15. It was but a word that Christ spake to the woman of Canaan and a sowre word too yet the poore woman catches hold of it so in the booke of Kings when Benhadads servants came unto the king they catched hold on every word thus where there is true faith it will lay hold on every little word of Christ therefore when men cannot catch hold on one word of Christ nor all the words of Christ this doth shew the dulnesse and deadnesse of mens hearts It is said Ionah 2. They which follow lying vanities forsake their owne mercies and there is great mercie offered in the Word in the preaching of the Gospell but they which despise and refuse it despise and forsake this great mercy that is offered unto them The second thing is The infinite comfort that a Christian hath after hee findes Christ Heaven and Earth cannot give that comfort that a Christian hath after he hath found him Therefore although it cost a man sore travell and labour and a great deale of paines yet hee thinkes his labour well bestowed if he can finde him at last so we see in Marie that she sought Christ and sought him with teares and yet when she had found him how joyfull was she saying Rabboni Master thou art the man I sought for thou thou art he I did long for so Ioh. 1. 41. Andrew saith to Simon Peter we have found the Messias and the wise men Matth. 2. when they had found Christ they rejoyced exceedingly therefore whatsoever paines a Christian takes to seeke Christ if once hee have found him the World cannot make him so glad he thinkes all his paines and labours well bestowed If a man finde a bag of gold how glad will he be but all the gold in the World is not like to it the Apostle counteth all things dung and drosse in regard of it It is like the pearle that the Merchant went and sold all that he had to buy the field where the Pearle was Thirdly the end why Christ did Manifest himselfe to Marie was twofold 1. By information and instruction to informe her selfe 2. To Comfort his Disciples First these words touch
me not are words of information and of instruction to her for shee would have imbraced Christ but Christ refused her Now this is strange that Marie had sought so long for Christ and sought him with teares and now finding him he forbids her to touch him therefore these words are words of instruction wherein are two limitations The first is Noli me tangere touch mee not now for I am not yet ascended there will be time enough hereafter but now I have a more needfull duty for you to doe Goe and tell my brethren that I am risen for the Disciples were at the grave and saw nothing but the grave-clothes therefore they went away with a conceit that some body had stollen away Christ taken away his body and so their faith was in danger and if it should bee longer held in suspence might bee sore shaken if not utterly ruined and therefore it was that Marie must be sent in such post to acquaint them with his rising and may not stay the time to touch Christ now though it were a good thing to doe so yet shee must preferre this more needfull thing First goe and tell his Disciples that hee was risen which must teach us that we must apply our selves to the duty that God cals us too there bee many examples of it in the Scripture as Ios 7. 10. Hee humbled himselfe fasted and prayed unto the Lord and the Lord said unto Ioshua Vp Ioshua what dost thou there I have another dutie for thee to doe it is a good thing indeed to fast and pray but I will not have thee to doe it now I have another service and dutie for thee to doe there is an execrable thing committed goe and finde it out And so Matth. 8. Christ bids the man to follow him but hee will first goe and bury his father though Christ saith Let the dead bury the dead but follow thou mee It is a good thing to bury ones father but Christ calls him to another duty therefore it was not needfull then to doe it To make use of it to ouer selves it is a good thing to performe the duties of our calling to buy and sell to bargaine plant and to sow and such like but when the Sabbath day commeth doe it not then God calleth us to doe duties of Prayer repentance hearing of the Word receiving of the Sacraments and such like so it is a good thing to read on a good booke or in the Scripture but when we come to Church God calls us to another duty to heare to pray with the Minister and therefore doe it not The second limitation is Noli me tangere Touch me not so touch me not with the hands of thy body but touch mee with The hands of thy faith it was Thomas his resolution Vnlesse I touch him with my hands and put my fingers into his side I will not beleeve Christ replies Thomas because thou hast seene mee thou hast beleeved Blessed are they that have not seene and yet have beleeved Ioh. 20. 29. It is a good thing to touch Christ with the hands of our bodies O but it is a blesseder thing to touch him with the hand of our faith hence we learne That to enioy Christs bodily presence is not so great a thing as to apprehend him by the hand of our faith Augustine speaking of the woman that had the bloody issue said There were a number of people that did throng and thrust Christ but they drew no vertue out of him shee onely did and that by a touch of her faith therefore it is a more blessed thing to touch Christ with the hand of faith than with the hand of our body there bee a number thinke that unlesse they touch Christ and feele him and handle him it is nothing I but doe thou labour to touch Christ by the hand of Faith and this will be of force to draw vertue from him The second end was to send comfort to his Disciples for Christ did not onely dye for them and us but when hee had done he tooke care to apply it this is the great goodnesse and mercy of Christ not only to dye for us but also to apply his death to us Now in this sending of Mary wee may observe three things 1. The party that did cary it It was Mary 2. Vnto whom To his brethren 3. The message it selfe That I ascend to my Father and to your Father to my God and your God First who it was that carried it Mary but why did not Christ goe himselfe I answere it was to finde them the more humbled for their sinnes and their offences It was a great wisedome in Christ and a singular dispensation to send Mary for what might the Disciples thinke of it that Christ had appeared to Mary and had not appeared to them Thus wee be unworthy of his company wee have so often denyed and forsaken him therefore that he might finde them the more humbled for their sinnes and their offences he sent Mary In like manner when wee see others receive comfort against their sinnes and we cannot others be in peace and we bee not what may we thinke but what we be unworthy of it therefore that we may be the more humbled for our sinnes and offences and the fitter to receive him Christ doth deferre his comfort from us as 1 King 19. when Elias was in the cave there came first a whirlewind then an earthquake then a fire then a still and soft voyce where God was why did God come thus with a whirlewinde an earthquake and fire it was to make the Prophet the more humbled when he came and the more fit to receive the charge that was to be imposed upon him so Act. 9. when Christ came unto Paul hee flung him off his horse and stroke him with blindenesse that hee might make him the more humbled for his sinnes and his offences and the fitter to receive the charge which should be given him Secondly to shew how ready wee should bee to communicate good things one to another for when we have received any good we should be ready to impart it to another We see the little birds when they have got a worme they fly home to their yong ones and make them partakers with them so when wee have gotten any good thing we should carry it home and make our families partakers of it As naturally the Sunne casts his light on the Moone and Stars and the Moone and Starres casts it downe againe on the earth so all the light of knowledge that is cast upon us we should cast upon our brethren and as Christ said to Mary Goe tell my brethren so I say to you Go and tell your friends your acquaintance your neighbours and your owne children and families the good things that God hath revealed unto you Thirdly to instruct the disciples which were the doctors and pastors of the Church Mary was but a
in the comparison I shewed you a little before though a man turne his backe upon the Sunne and goe away from it yet the Sunne followes him with his heat light and beames so when we are going away from Christ he followes us with his kindnesse and followes us with his goodnesse and mercie so Christ did manifest himselfe to these two Disciples when they were going from him therefore let us thinke of the kindnesse and goodnesse of Christ Esay 55. saith the Lord I was found of them that sought me not It is a great mercy of God that he will be found of them that seeke him but a greater mercy that when men goe away from him and have not a thought of him then he to seeke after them The second circumstance is that although they were going from Christ and from Ierusalem yet they were talking of him by the way there was some sparkes and seeds of goodnesse left Now this Towne they went to was not a Towne of Religion though a Countrie Towne and it is very like that they went about country businesse yet as they went by the way they talked of Christ 〈◊〉 must teach us what manner of talke a Christian must have though 〈…〉 worldly businesse going to a Faire or to a Market or any other journey We read 2 Kings 2. 11. when Elias and Elisha went together they went walking and talking till a firie Chariot came and parted them tooke away Elias and left Elisha on his calling And what were they talking of not of money matters but of immortalitie and of Heavenly things so in the Acts when the Eunuch was on his way riding in his Chariot and had no body to talke with hee puls out his Bible and would have God to talke with him and to this end Deuter. 6. 7. wee have a Commandement from God to speake of his Word When wee rise when we lie downe when we goe by the way and when we be at our meate Thus Psal 37. 30. David saith The mouth of the righteous will speake of wisedome and his talke will be of judgement and he gives a reason of it because the Law of God is in his heart so a righteous mans mouth will speake of good things hee will be talking of Religion If a man have a Spring in his ground hee can hardly hold it but it breakes foorth into other grounds in like manner if there be a spring of grace and of goodnesse in a mans heart he cannot hold it but it will breake foorth and flow out to others therefore when men goe up and downe and never speake of the Word it shewes there is not a Spring of grace in them It is a good thing for a Christian to talke of Christ and of the worke of Redemption and of the great things that God hath prepared for them even when they are about their worldly businesse and labors and if it be a good thing to speake of Christ and of the Word when we be about our labors and businesse then it is much better to talke of the Word when we come from a Sermon and from hearing the Word preached on the Sabbath day or at other times Nehem. 8. 1◠It is said The people rejoyced that they had heard the law read unto them and that they did understand the sense of it so when wee heare the Word of God preached we should goe away rejoycing that we have heard it and understood the sense of it Luk. 2. 44. When they returned from Ierusalem from the feast they went in Troopes and a great company together the reason was because they might speake of the good things that they had heard so it is a Christians dutie to goe in companies together to conferre of the good things they have heard We see when men come from the Sea they will speake of the Sea or from the Warre they will speake of the Warre or from the Market they will talke of the Market and if men have beene at their worke they will talke of their worke but many times wee goe to a Sermon and speake not a word of that the Marriner may speake of the Sea the Souldier of his Warre the Husbandman of his Markets but it is a pittifull thing that Christians will not speake of the good things they have heard out of the Word of God There be three causes why men doe not speake of it The first a prophane contempt of God and goodnesse because they desire to have as little to doe with him as may be as the divels Matth. 8. 29. cryed out and said What have wee to doe with thee Iesus thou Sonne of God so they say What have we to doe with God and goodnesse and as in Iob 21. 15. the wicked said who is the Almightie that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we should pray to him The second is want of caution that 〈…〉 watchfull over their wayes but suffer a great deale of idle speech to come from them as the waste water of a conduit for many men doe not consider that they shall answere for every idle word not onely for the bad words but for the idle also that tend to no good end Wee see in a conduit there is not onely a pipe to let out the water but a cocke also to hold it in so we must have a cocke as it were to keepe in our speeches therefore as David praieth Psal 141. 3. Lord set a watch before the doore of my lips so we must goe to God and pray him to set a watch before the doore of our lips The third is want of love to our brethren because wee doe not love them therefore wee doe not speake of good things to them for if wee did love them then wee would be ready to impart the good things that God hath made knowne to us The second generall point is how he did manifest himselfe unto them and that was first when they were talking of Christ by the way then hee came and did joyne himselfe unto them Here wee see the blessing of God upon good talke let men talke of Christ when they be going on their way and when they be at their labours when they be journeying and they shall finde the blessing of God upon their speeches therefore wouldest thou have Christ present at thy table and at thy labors and as thou goest by the way then speake of him for there is such a drawing power in good speech as it will draw Christ to thee and let us speake of him and of Religion and then we shall finde the blessing of God upon us but as long as there is filthy speech and cursing amongst us Christ will not come to us but that will drive him away from us Secondly in the manner we may observe that Christ did manifest himselfe and they did not know of it their eyes were
that did weaken their faith so men must take care of this that they doe not tye their faith to their eyes and fingers that they will beleeve God no longer than they see with their eyes and feele with their fingers for a Christian must beleeve God against sense and reason It is the manner of the world as long as they see with their eyes and feele with their hands as long as they have peace and ease and wealth so long they doe beleeve God but when this failes then their faith failes them I but Christ saith to Thomas Blessed are they which beleeve and see not Thomas did beleeve when he saw but it is a more blessed thing to beleeve and see not and therefore we must rest in the promises of God against sense and reason Now finding this weakenesse of faith in them hee doth labour to re-establish and strengthen them loe here we may see the goodnesse of God that by the weakenesse of their faith hee doth take occasion to strengthen the same It is the great mercy of God that all things shall worke together for the good of them that love him there be a number of things in the world that seeme to work against the people of God but God turnes all of them to the good of his people and of them that love him as we see in a Clocke that some wheeles turne one way and some another yet all serve to make the Clocke go so there be many crosses and contrary things in this world but all serve to one end even to worke for the good of them that love him This may bring comfort to Christians that the weakenesse of their faith the Lord can turne to their good wee see in experience if a man set yong Trees he will pull and shake the Tree as if he would pull it up and all that hee doth is but to settle the Tree the faster even so the Lord doth many times as if hee would overthrow a Christian and yet all is to settle his faith and to make him cleave the faster to God Now Christ doth strengthen the faith of his disciples two wayes 1. By reproving and rebuking of them 2. By informing them First hee reproves and rebukes them that they were slow of heart to beleeve the scriptures which may teach us that if there be a presence of God among us hee will bee reprooving of us whereas many thinke they may goe away with any sinne closely yet if there bee a presence of Christ among us hee will reprove us for our sinnes and for the weakenesse of our faith This is that which Christ speakes in the Gospell of Saint Iohn That when the Spirit of Christ is come into the world he shall reprove the world of sinne c. so if the spirit of Christ be come into our harts he will reprove us for misspending the time for our ignorance for every thing that is amisse but if it bee not so with thee but thou art at peace and securely sleepest in thy sinne then the spirit of Christ is not come into thee for if the spirit of Christ bee come into thee he will reprove thee of thy sinnes and make thee say as the Lâ—pers said We doe not well to tarry here c. O we doe not well to breake the Sabbath to be drunken to speake filthily wee doe not well to lye or to sweare Now what was that he reproves them for That they were slow of heart to beleeve the Scriptures and here wee are to take notice of a corruption that is in us that we are slow to beleeve the Scriptures and the Gospel but quicke to beleeve a foolish tale or a lye or a false report of our neighbours from this the Lord hath much adoe to stay us although hee hath strictly charged us to enquire the truth of it Deut. 17. 4. where hee saith If it bee told thee and thou hast heard it then shalt thou enquire diligently if it bee true and the thing certain before we speake of it If there be a false report of a good Minister or of a good Christian that wee can beleeve presently but we are slow to beleeve the Scripture or any good thing we are tardy here is our fault and this corruption hath beene in our nature ever since the fall of Man for we see Genes 3. The Lord told Adam That in the day that he did eate of the fruit he should dye the death but the divell came and told him Ye shall not dye at all cleane contrary and yet we see that they were more ready to beleeve the divell than God Will yee see a comparison to explaine it the better If an earthly king should say to us If yee will bee contented to doe mee some service a few dayes and to attend mee I will afterwards advance you and bestow great honour upon you what man is there that would not rest himselfe upon the kings promise In like manner God hath said unto us Attend me in the duties of holinesse and doe mee service a few dayes whilest thou livest heere and afterward I will make you an Heire of the Kingdome of Heaven and thou shalt bee neere unto mee and yet wee will not beleeve God Now there bee two uses to bee made of this Doctrine which shall bee declared unto you God assisting the next time of our meeting SERMON XXXIIII LVKE 24. 26 27. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe WEe heard the last day how Christ did labour to strengthen the weake faith of his Disciples when they were going to Emmaus and therefore let us travell with them and over-heare them that so that which did serve to strengthen them in their faith may serve to strengthen us in ours If a man have a legge or an arme out of joynt he cannot bee at rest untill it be set againe even so when we feele weakenesse of faith let us not bee at rest till wee have gotten the same strength of faith that wee had before therefore let us creepe into the company of Christ and goe as farre as Emmaus with him If a man hang on the top of an high Tower by the hand and there bee a number of sharpe stones under him that if hee fall it will burst him in pieces how carefull will he be to strengthen that hand lest he fall downe so faith is the hand we lay hold on God by and wee hang as it were at the top of an high Tower whence if wee fall wee are like to fall to hell how carefull therefore should we bee to strengthen that hand Now two wayes I told you Christ doth labour to strengthen their faith 1. By reproving of them 2. By informing of them Of the first wee spake the last day and therefore are
gives them to performe their charge 4 The Authoritie First before Christ sends his Disciples He armes them saith he Peace be unto you It is a strange thing that seeing there is such great good offered in the Gospell that it should be so unwelcome one would have thought it would have beene entertained and received joyfully but Christ knew that of all messages this is unwelcomest and therefore Christ faies Behold I send you as sheepe among wolves though yee bee as sheepe yet yee shall meete with wolves and what is that he comforts thē with that God is at peace with them this is all the armor he fences them with against the unkindnesse and hard dealings of the world to know that God is at peace with them and loves them by the meanes of Christ so Ioh. 16. he saith In the world ye shall have trouble but in me ye shall have peace be of good comfort for I have overcome the world this may teach us that if a Christian bee at peace with God and knowes that his sinnes bee pardoned and that God loves him by the meanes of Christ here is enough to beare him out against al the encounters and unkindnesses that the world affords therefore when a Christian man is in any trouble or affliction let him descend into his owne heart and see if God be at peace with him by the meanes of Christ that his sinnes are pardoned and that he knowes he shall bee saved this will give a man comfort so we see Lam. 3. the Church did and Ier. 14. saith he in the greatest distresse that might be The Lord is my portion saith my soule therefore will I hope in him I have shewed you heretofore that if a man fall into the hands of theeves and robbers and they robbe him and take away his goods or his money if hee hath a jewell of infinite price about him and they leave him that hee will say Lord I thanke thee I have my jewell still howsoever I have lost my goods and my money so a man may say though sicknesse had taken away my health and bad neighbours my money yet Lord I thanke thee I have my jewell I have my peace with thee and assurance that my sinnes bee pardoned Heb. 10. 34. it is said of the good people That they suffered with joy the spoyling of their goods knowing that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance so as long as a man hath peace of conscience pardon of his sinnes hope of Heaven he is armed and fenced against all troubles and all the unkindnesses the world can offer unto him The second is the Commission As the Father sent me so send I you here are two things to be considered 1. Who it is that sends 2. To what end he sends First by whom they were sent by Christ As my Father sent me so send I you thence we learne It is Christ that is the Authour of all Ministery he it is that sends Ministers to the Church as Matt. 23. 34. Behold I send unto you Prophets and wise men Scribes c. so Esay saith The Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me so it is Christ that is the Author of all Ministery as Ephes. 4. 14. When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men And these were the gifts He therfore gave some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists some Pastors and some Teachers so it is Christ that sends Ministers at this day but yet there is a difference for he sent the Apostles immediately by himselfe and hee sends Ministers at this day mediatly by the meanes and authority of the Church Now there are good uses to be made of this point some that do concerne us Ministers and some that doe concerne you First seeing it is Christ that sends us hee will assist and blesse us in our labours as Matth. 28. Goe and teach all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost And loe I am with you alwayes to the end of the world Secondly seeing it is Christ that sends us we must doe the businesse and the worke he sends us to doe so Christ saith of himselfe Iohn 5. 30. Because I seeke not mine owne will but the will of my Father that sent mee If a Merchant should send his servant beyond sea to bee a Factor for him who should apply himselfe to gather money and to make an estate to himselfe neglecting his master hee may looke for a cold welcome home so seeing he hath sent us to bee Factors for him and to doe his businesse if wee shall apply our selves to get money and to make an estate to our selves and so leave the Lords businesse undone wee may looke for a cold welcome home when we shall goe to God Thirdly seeing it is Christ that sent us we must give our accompt to him at the day of judgement for every man must give account to him that sends him we see Luke 10. that the Disciples being sent of Christ to preach they returne againe and give account of that they have done And so in Iob. 2. the divell being sent of God returnes againe to tell what he hath done Now the uses that concerne you be these First seeing it is Christ that sends Preachers yee must learne to acknowledge the great goodnesse of Christ that he would make any sending to such as ye be it had beene much if he had sent to us men when we had sought him and turned to him but that he should send when we had not a thought of him but were sinning against him this is a farre greater mercy therefore how thankefull should we be to Christ that he sends to us Daniel chap. 6. 22. doth acknowledge this as a great blessing saith he My God hath sent his Angell and hath shut the mouthes of the Lions that they have not hurt me so wee are to acknowledge it a great mercy and kindnesse of God to send his Preachers and Ministers not when wee lay bound in the Lions denne but when wee lay fast bound with the divels and hath preserved us from them It was a great kindnesse and favour that Ioseph would send to his father and to his brethren and bade them leave all and come into the land of Egypt and willed them that they should not care for their stuffe for they should have the best of the land notwithstanding the unkindenesse of his brethren Iosephs brethren were not so unkinde to him as wee bee to Christ and yet wee may see the goodnesse and the mercy of the Lord Iesus that hee should send to such as we be Secondly seeing Christ sent Preachers and Teachers then it is your duties to receive them Esay saith The Lord sent me and Ieremie said so when the people would have stoned him one would thinke it were enough to
cleansing of the Lepers but in Christs bleeding and dying on the crosse so the comfort of a Christian is from the wounds of Christ. The fourth generall point is The effect and fruit of his appearing Thomas conversion for he presently saith with great affection my Lord and my God as if he should say what a pitifull estate was I in I might have perished in mine infidelity and unbeleefe if thou hadst not condescended to my weakenesse therefore seeing thou hast shewed so great mercy Thou art my God and my Lord so a Christian may say when he feeles the goodnesse and the mercy of Christ unto him in the pardon of his sinnes O Lord I thanke thee I might have perished in mine ignorance and blindnesse I was going the broad way to hell and it hath pleased thee to give me faith in thy promises repentance for my sinnes care to walke before thee in newnesse of life thou art therefore my God and my Lord I am glad and I rejoyce in it SERMON XXXVII ACTS 1. 9 10 11. And when hee had spoken these things while they beheld hee was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as hee went up behold two men stood by them in white apparell Which also said Yee men of Galilee why stand yee gazing up into heaven This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seene him goe into heaven WEe heard the last day that though wee have not kept our Easter with Christ and his Disciples the first day that he rose yet that we should labour to keepe it with Thomas the eighth day that is if we cannot bee of the first ranke of those that have repented and beleeved yet to labour to be of the second ranke if not of the second then yet of the third yea labour to be of the last sort rather than none at all and though wee cannot see Christ in his rising the first day with the Disciples nor yet with Thomas the eighth day yet let us cleare our eyes and see Iesus Christ triumphantly ascending into heaven Now having spoken of the Resurrection of Christ wee come to speake of his Ascension wherein we are to observe these particulars 1. Why it was needfull Christ should Ascend 2. The time when he did Ascend 3. The place from whence he did Ascend 4. The manner of his Ascension 5. The fruits and benefits of his Ascension First Why it was needfull that Christ should Ascend Howsoever wee may thinke it had beene better for Christ to converse with us here yet Christ tels us that it is for our good and benefit that he doth ascend Iohn 16. 7. It is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come unto you For as the Sunne doth us more good being in the Skie than if it were amongst us because then every Hill and House and every Barne would keepe the light from us so if Christ were personally heere amongst us then hee would be confined to one Countrey Towne House or to one Man and when he were present in one place he would be absent in another Therefore as the Sunne being in the Skie doth send out his light heate and beames to all So Christ being in Heaven doth infuse his graces unto all his people every where Now this argument of utility may make us quietly rest on God for as a mother when she is going from her childe uses to still and quiet it by saying hold thy peace I will fetch thee a good thing so Christ did still his Disciples when they were in heavinesse It is for your good that I goe away to convey the rich graces of my Spirit to you There be five reasons why Christ ascended First To prepare a place for us for wee cannot alwaies live here in this World a time will come when wee must away and therefore Christ is gone to prepare a place for us that when Earth excludes us Heaven may receive us when we part with men wee may goe to God and when wee leave these Earthly houses wee may have in Heaven a Mansion house As Christ saith Iohn 14. 4. I goe to prepare a place for you If I goe not away the Comforter will not come But if I goe I will come againe and receive you to my selfe that where I am there may ye be also For as I said Christ is gone to prepare a place for us and to hold possession for us till wee bee ready to enter and take possession our selves As Genes 45. it is said That Ioseph was sent into Egypt to prepare a place for his old father and for his bretheren and to take up the best of the land So the true Ioseph Christ is gone into Heaven to prepare a place for us even the best Heaven it selfe and to take possesion till we come and enter our selves 1 Pet. 1. 4. To an inheritance immortall and undefiled and that fadeth not reserved in Heaven for us This inheritance is kept in the hands of our Lord Iesus till wee bee ready for it who will faithfully deliver it to us Even as a Guardian doth not take up land for himselfe but for the Heire who when the time doth come doth willingly resigne it againe to him So Christ is ascended into Heaven to take possession of it for us and when the time comes hee will faithfully deliver it to us Ephes 2. 6. It is said God hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Iesus Christ Here Augustine saith we sit not in our selves nor in our owne persons but Christ sits in our right till wee bee ready for it This is a sweet comfort to a Christian in all extremitie that Heaven is our inheritance and Christ sits there in our right till wee bee ready for it well may death take away our lives bad neighbors our good name theeves our goods but they cannot take Heaven from us Therefore a poore christian may say though I am not a great man in this world though I have no great Revenewes Lands or Livings yet I thanke God Heaven is mine Inheritance Christ doth keepe possession of it till I am ready And when he lookes up to Heaven he may say There is my Countrey there is my house Christ holds possession of it and one day hee will faithfully deliver it to me If a stranger should goe into a farre countrey if he should see a number of little Cabbins or Cottages and but one brave Building and asking whose house it is a poore man should answere and say It is mine house a good friend did purchase it with a great deale of gold and silver for mee and one day I shall have it would not this man thinke that his estate were good though hee dwelt now in a Cottage a
friend and all the Angels and Saints dost thou want comfort God will bee thy comfort and therefore bee not afraid of trouble nor of death but bee like the five wise Virgins that had their lamps ready burning and their loyns girt ready to enter into their Masters joy Secondly seeing Christ is ascended into Heaven our salvation is the neerer to him wee see in nature as long as the head is above the water the body cannot be drowned in like manner so long as our Head is safe in Heaven he will save all his members To this effect Paul saith Ephes 2. 6. That hee hath set us together in heavenly places and how hath hee set us together in heavenly places not in our owne persons but in the Person of Christ he holds it and hee will one day faithfully deliver it into our hands Thirdly seeing Christ is ascended we may bee bold in the time of our neede trouble and affliction to go to God in Prayer and may have comfort that Christ will heare us and that we shall be regarded This is the use Saint Paul makes of it Heb. 4. 14. where he saith Seeing we have a great high Priest which is entred into Heaven even Iesus Christ the Son of God Let us goe boldly to the Throne of Grace that wee may finde mercie and receive grace to helpe in the time of neede So chapter 10. 19. saith hee Seeing therefore Brethren that by the blood of Christ wee may bee bold to enter into the holy places by the new and living way which hee hath prepared for us through the veile that is his flesh let us draw neere c. If a man had a great suit at Court and did know no body there a man may looke for small comfort when he comes thither but if he knew that the Kings sonne would be ready to speake for him to his father and to grace him before all the company this will give him comfort so if we go to God as to a Stranger then we can looke but for cold comfort I but if we know that Christ will speake for us to God grace us and bring us into favor with him this may comfort us and make us with boldnesse goe to the Throne of Grace There was great difference betwixt the time when Iosephs brethren knew him and when they knew him not for when Ioseph would not acknowledge them for his brethren hee handled them roughly and tooke them for Spies but when he did acknowledge them to be his brethren then he did kindly entertaine them and did fill their sackes with corne that they might bee preserved till they came into Aegypt so there is great difference when wee be strangers and when Christ doth acknowledge us for when hee knowes us he will speake to God for us and grace us will fill our sackes with the best of Heaven therefore the true Christian may have great comfort to go to God in Prayer in the time of his need and he shall be heard and regarded of God SERMON XXXIX MARKE 16. 19. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them Hee was received up into Heaven and sate on the right hand of God AS in the climbing of a Tree a man will catch hold of the upper boughes and so will goe higher and higher till hee come at the toppe so wee must doe in the rising of Christ wee must rise in our affections as hee rises and therefore having followed him in two degrees of his exaltation his resurrection from the Dead and ascension into Heaven wee will proceed now unto the third which is his Session at the right hand of God as if wee were got within the veile to see Iesus Christ sitting at the right hand of his Father in glory and majestie as Cantic 3. 11. The daughters of Sion are called out to behold king Salomon crowned with the crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his Espousalls and in the day of the gladnesse of his heart So I may say come forth all yee people of the land out of your houses and out of your Townes and places where yee dwell and behold Iesus Christ the true Salomon fitting at the right hand of God crowned with honor and glory so that when others shall aske ye what ye went out to see as Christ asked the people yee may say and answere againe we went to see Christ crowned with honour and glory Heb. 2. 8. Thus Iohn 20. 25. the Disciples tell Thomas as a matter of great joy that they had seene the Lord and yet they had seene him but rising out of the grave and out of the denne of death therefore much more should we be glad and rejoyce that wee have seene the Lord not rising out of the Grave or out of the dens of death but sitting at the right hand of God for the good of the Church And therefore I say good Brethren stir up your selves to behold Christ within the veile sitting at the right hand of God for the good of the Church Now in speaking hereof we will observe five things 1. What is meant by the right hand of God 2. What it is to sit at the right hand of God 3. Why he is said to sit and not to stand 4. To what end he sits at Gods right hand 5. The fruites and benefits wee have by his sitting at Gods right hand First what is meant by the right hand of God To speake properly God hath neither right hand nor left hand for he is a spirit as it is Iohn 4. 24. Therefore seeing he is a Spirit he hath no bodily parts nor dimensions and therefore neither right hand nor left but it is a borrowed speech taken from the manner of Kings and Princes who are wont to advance their favourites next to their selves in any office or dignity Augustine saith well If it be a wicked thing to make an image or a picture of God to make him like an old man with hands and feete and to set it up in a Church or a Temple seeing God is a Spirit much more saith he is it a vilde thing to frame an Image of him in a mans heart seeing it is a Temple for God and his Spirit to dwell in Now the right hand of God is taken in three senses in Scripture First the right hand of God doth signifie his power because the chiefest power and strength of a man lies in his right hand for by this right hand he doth worke and bring things to passe so by the right hand of God is meant the power of God by the which he is able to doe whatsoever he will So Exod. 15. The right hand of God is glorious in power the right hand of the Lord hath bruised the enemies and Psal 118. 15. The right hand of God is taken for the Power of God but it cannot so bee understood in this place because
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
the king would surely spare him for his sonnes sake so there is a sentence passed against us for our offences and wee are judged not onely to lose an hand or an eye or any one member but all our parts now if wee have the skill to make our hands eyes and members the hands eyes and members of Christ and become one with him then God will spare us for his Sonnes sake Thus to be found in Christ is very difficult and therefore let us consider these three things which are necessarily required thereto First Hee must make a remoove from himselfe that is from his sinnes and corrnptions and become a new Creature as Paul speakes 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ hee is a new Creature Therefore if any man stand in his sinnes and remaine in them hee cannot be in Christ Secondly He must long in Soule and Spirit for Christ as an hungry man doth for his meate and a thirsty man for his drinke and Matthew 5. Christ saith Blessed is hee that hungreth and thirsteth for righteousnesse c. So that if a man hunger and thirst for Christ he is a blessed and an happy man Thirdly He must be setled on Christ with all his affections he must cleave unto him by faith and apply him home to himselfe as the woman in the Gospell did throng and thrust to Christ to touch him and did draw vertue out of him to heale her so we should thrust and throng to Christ and touch him by the hand of Faith and so draw out his vertues and graces Secondly that seeing Christ is our Iudge wee must take heed wee doe not displease or offend him A number of men doe not regard him but attend their profits and pleasures set light by Christ and care not to please him no more than a man would please a Dogge with what face can these men looke on Christ How abashed and ashamed shall these men be to looke on him We see Gen. 45. when Ioseph did discover himselfe to his brethren and said I am Ioseph how abashed and ashamed were they If they had used him well they might have had comfort but their consciences told them that they had done injury and wrong unto him sold him for a slave and cast him into a pit therefore they were ashamed and abashed when hee said I am Ioseph so when men have done well when they have repented them of their sinnes and obeyed Christ then they shall have comfort when Christ shall come in the Clouds and say I am your brother Ioseph I am your Lord and Savior Iesus Christ but if they have done injury and wrong to Christ condemned his lawes despised him and set light by him how shall they then be ashamed confounded and abashed and with what faces shall they looke on him at that day Christ tells us Matth. 24. That when becomes in the Clouds all the kindreds of the Earth shall waile and weepe that they were mistaken in taking him for a bare man The Gentiles shall waile and weepe that they thought it folly to beleeve in one that was hanged on the Crosse and the cold and lukewarme Christian shall waile and weepe that hee loved the World more than Christ At that time Christ shall say unto them I descended from Heaven that you might ascend I was contented to bee borne in a Stable laid in a Manger that you might be in a better place I was crowned with thornes that you might be crowned with glory I was buffered and whipt that you might have case I was killed on the crosse that you might live I was contented to descend into the Grave that you might goe to glory where is the fruite of all these my labours and paines where is your repentance your care to please me I counted of you more pretious than my blood for I was contented to shed my most pretious blood for your sakes and yet you account of me most vile for of all the Elements the Earth is the most base and you account of mee baser than of it therefore wee see when men despise and contemne Christ heavie comfort shall follow them when he shall say unto them Receive damnation with the Divell and his Angels Thirdly seeing Christ shall be the judge it must be every mans care to please him If the world should be our judge then we might labor to please that or if a noble man kings or princes then we might please thē but insomuch as Christ is our judge it is nothing to please the world or to please the King or Princes as noble men unlesse we please Christ as 2 Cor. 5. 10. saith S. Paul Wherefore also we desire that dwelling at home and removing from home we may be acceptable to him why doth he desire to be acceptable to God because saith he We shall all appeare before the Iudgement seat of Christ because Christ shall be the Iudge There bee a number of civill men in the world that thinke all is well with them if the world cannot touch them for any fault but what is it for the world to approve of a man if Christ condemne him Chrysostome saith well A man in a race when hee runs for a prise doth not take heede of the applause of the standers by but his eyes bee on the Iudge of the game and his care is to please him because he shall give him his reward so seeing wee all runne in race to Heaven and Christ is the Iudge of the game Therefore let us not take heed of the applause of the standers by which are but men but let us eye Christ and labour to please him because it is he that must give vs our reward and our crowne Augustine on Psal 34. saith with what face shall I goe to Christ if I shall please others and sinne against him and offend him it may be saith hee that I may die to day or to morrow or the next day and then with what face shall I stand before him Fourthly seeing Christ shall bee our Iudge therefore this may give us infinite comfort that hee that was our Saviour and Redeemer shall be our Iudge hee that bought us with the pretious price of his blood if a man knew his father brother or his friend should bee his Iudge hee might hope hee should doe well but it is Gods great mercy to us in this that he hath not made our father brother or our friend our Iudge but hee hath made Christ our Iudge our Saviour and Redeemer one that hath done more for us than all the world beside the Butler was not afraid to goe before Pharaoh because Ioseph had told him hee would bee set at liberty so seeing Christ hath told us that this is a time of joy and liberty therefore wee should not be afraid to goe before him Luk. 22. saith Christ Lift up your heads with joy for the day of Redemption draweth neere Wee
judgments of this world for the world counts him a blessed and a happy man that is rich that hath his barnes full of corne that hath a great deale of Land and money O but indeed he is the blessed and happy man that is in favour with God hath repented of his sinnes made conscience of his wayes and therefore why doe men so dote on this world to rake and gather together a deale of pelfe that will not stand them in stead at that day Then they shall see that the godly man is the blessed and happy man and that a dramme of Religion and of true saving faith is better than all the world besides and will doe them more good If a man were to goe into France and did heare that the coine in this Land would not goe there he would goe and change all his money for the coine of that country so seeing we are to goe into another countrey where our goods lands and money will not goe let us labour to change all that we have for that which will passe at that day let us get repentance faith and sanctified grace and then we shall finde comfort when this whole world will afford us none Now when the godly be pronounced happy and blessed by Christ then all the wicked shall be driven to Hell where they shall goe to paines and torments and this shall make their happinesse the greater Matth. 28. 4 5. when the Angel of God came downe from heaven and appeared in glory the keepers were astonied and became as dead men But the Angel answered and said to the women Bee not afraid for I know that ye seeke Iesus that was cruciâ—â—ed Even so when Christ shall appeare to judge the world they shall be as dead men before him but he shall say to the holy people be not afraid for I know whom ye seeke ye seeke Iesus that was crucified and now him that ye have so long looked for ye shall enjoy as 2 Kings 10. 15. when Iohn was in a great fury and had killed the two Kings yâ—t meeting with 〈◊〉 the Sonne of Rechab he tooke him by the hand and lifts him up into his chariot even so Christ shall doe when he hath driven all the wicked into Hell and meets with a good man he will say You are a good 〈◊〉 you are a blessed man and he wil take him up into his Throne to sit in glory with him And this is the glory that the Saints shall have when all the wicked shall be driven into Hell Thirdly The assignation wherein we are to observe two things 1. What is assigned a Kingdome 2. By what Title by Inheritance First what it is that is assigned it is no lesse than a Kingdome that God hath promised his people as Luk. 12. Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome so Dan. 7. 27. it is said and the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome â—â—dee the whole â—eaven shall be given to the holy people of the most high whose Kingdome is everlasting Earthly Kings and Princes though they bâ—stow great gifts on their subjects yet they keepe the Kingdome to themselves meaner matters serve than a Kingdome so wee see although Pharoah did bestow great honor on Ioseph and did advance him yet he kept the Kingdome to himselfe none might sit on the Throne but the King but here is the bounty of Christ that hee bestowes a Kingdome on his servants It was a large proffer that Ahashuerosh made Hester 5. 6. in that hee would give Hester one halfe of his Kingdome but God hath made a larger promise to us not that wee shall have one halfe of his Kingdome but he will give us his whole Kingdome We read Luk. 12. 13. There was a Man that came to Christ and said unto him Master bid my brother divide the inheritance with me but Christ will not divide his Kingdome to his servants but will give it whole and the glory of it to them therefore men must labour to become converted and bee the servants of God because he will bestow a Kingdome on them Most men will labour and toyle in this world for lesse matters than a Kingdome some are scattered all the world over to gather straw and stubble as the children of Israel were and therefore how much more should men labour to repent of their sinnes to get faith in Christ to become one of Gods servants and then he will bestow a Kingdome on them But some man may be ready to say although it be a Kingdome that God will give his people yet it may be so meane as it is not worth the labour of obtaining therefore Christ tels us what a Kingdome it is it is an heavenly Kingdome a Kingdome prepared of God So it is such a Kingdome as is worth all our labour and paines Now this Kingdome is set out to us by three properties 1 It is a Kingdome prepared of God 2 It is prepared for his elect and chosen 3 It was prepared before the foundation of the world First it is a Kingdome prepared of God Therefore it is a most glorious Kingdome Saint Paul saith of it 1 Cor. 2. 9. The things which the eye hath not seene neither eare heard neither came into mans hart is that which God hath prepared for them that love him No tongue is able to expresse nor heart of man to conceive of the glory and excellency of this Kingdome so it is Psal. 31. 19. O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast layd up for them that feare thee done to them that trust in thee before the Sonnes of Men We may well thinke it is no small matter that all Gods attributes are set aâ—worke to furnish this Kingdome his wisedome power mercy and justice Therefore we may will conceive thereby the excellency and glory of it We see the more magnificent wise and potent that the first founders were of Kingdomes and cities the more famous excellent and noble were the Kingdomes founded by them Therefore it is said Genes 10. 10. of Nimrod that the beginning of his Kingdome was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calâ—eh in the Land of Shinar that is famous and noble cities and so likewise Nabuchadnezzar was a golden head in regard of the other Kings that did follow him Salomon also was a wise King and of great power of whose Kingdome it is said 1 Kings 10. 17. That he gave Silver as stones and Cedars as the wild figtrees that grow abundantly in the plaine that is as the crabtrees amongst us So then the more magnificent wise and potent the first founders were the more excellent were their countries and Kingdomes which granted it must necessarily follow that because no mans wisedome is able to compare with Gods wisedome no power with his power therefore as much as he wisedome of God goes beyond the wisedome of men and his power beyond the
kingdome Secondly All our good workes shall bee remembred and rewarded at the day of judgement and Christ will make rehearsall of them there is never a good deed we have done but it shall be remembred and rewarded so that our labour shall not bee in vaine as Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. ult so Revel 20. 12. it is said And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of Life and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes So the Lord hath all the good deeds of his servants written in a booke which shall bee remembred reported and rewarded therefore what a comfort is this to a poor Christian that in the hearing of all the world all his good deeds shall be reported how many painefull Iourneyes they have taken to heare the Word how many houres they have spent in prayer how many teares they have wept for sinne that they have entertained the Saints that they have fed the hungry cloathed the naked visited the sicke what a great inticement this is to doe good to thinke what honor it is that all their good deeds shall be remembred and rewarded Matth. 26. 15. Christ saith of the woman when she had powred the ointment on him that this which shee had done should bee spoken of her wheresoever this Gospell shall bee preached for a memoriall of her But what is the speech of men to the speech of Christ the praise of men to the praise of Christ when hee shall stand out and make a report of all our good deeds wee have done therefore what a comfort will this be I but have not the people of God sinne I answer they have their sinnes and their great sinnes too even the best men that be but here is the comfort when the day of judgment commeth they shall not bee remembred but pardoned and carried on the shoulders and necke of Christ and our good deeds onely shall be remembred As Esay 33. ult it is said The people that dwell therein shall have their iniquity forgiven So Ieremie 31. 33 34. saith the Lord I will make a new Covenant with them and I will write my lawes in their hearts and I will bee their God and they shall be my People and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know mee from the greatest to the least saith the Lord and I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sinnes no more Here is the comfort of Christians that all their sinnes shall be forgotten onely their vertues shall be remembred Exodus 34. Moses put a veile on his face that the children of Israel should not see the glory of it but Christ hath hanged a veile over our sinnes that they should not be seene even his holinesse and sanctifie that the world should not see nor behold them for they are all pardoned remitted and covered with the Robe of his righteousnesse Thirdly the judgement which shall passe upon us shall bee according to the workes of mercie and not only workes of mercie but all other good workes shall have a reward as Malach. 3. 16. it is said Then spake they that feared God every one to his neighbour and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared God and thought upon his Name So there was a booke written of all the good deeds of them that did feare God and so Matth. 5. 11 12. saith our Saviour Blessed are ye when men revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evill against you for my Names sake falsly Rejoyce and bee glad for great is your reward in Heaven as also Matth. 10. 32. Whosoever shall confesse me before men him will I also confesse before my Father which is in Heaven So then wee see all our good workes shall be rewarded But why doth Christ mention onely workes of mercie I answere there be two reasons of it First because the Lord doth not accept of any worke we doe of hearing of the Word of praying nor of any other good dutie we doe if wee doe not shew mercie and compassion to our brethren As 1 Cor. 13. 3. And though I feede the poore with all my goods and though I give my body that it bee burnt and have not love it profiteth me nothing and Esay 1. 14. saith God My soule hateth your new Moones and your appointed Feasts they are a burthen to me I am wearie of bearing them and the reason was because they did not shew compassion to their brethren as may be gathered out of the 15. verse In like manner the Prophet bringeth in the people expostulating with God and he answering them Esay 58. 3. Wherefore have we fasted and thou seeft not wherefore have we punished our selves and thou regardest is not c Is not this the fasting that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickednesse to take off the heavie burthens is let the oppressed goe free and that ye breake every yoke verse 6 7. Is it not to breake thy bread to the hungrie and that thou bring the poore that wander unto thy house and when thou seest the naked that thou cover him and hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh and therefore wee may assure our selves the Lord will accept of none of our workes without we be mercifull to our brethren Secondly because as it is Hos 6. 6. The Lord desires mercy and not sacrifice when both may stand together then God will have both But if they cannot he will have mercy shewed hee had rather lose his owne part than a poore man should lose his So the command is Heb. 13. 16. But to doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased Such is the tendernesse of God that hee is contented to abate of his owne service rather than man should want of his comfort As Matth. 5. 23. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leave there thine offering before the Altar and goe thy way first bee reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Hence we see though it be a great dutie that we owe to God yet for mans good hee will bee contented to stay for his owne service Philosophers say that the fire which is farthest remooved is the hottest and most vehement so it is in love that love which is furthest remooved from God is the hottest and the most vehement love of all other It is an easie matter to love God in himselfe O but for a man to love God in his poore distressed members to love him in his poore Saints and People this is the hottest
might have perished with the world therefore what cause have wee to be thankefull to God for so great a mercy The fourth thing that was observed in the parts of the Church is that they are called out of the condemned multitude of the world to blessednesse and happinesse to bee saved by Christ so Saint Paul saith in this place And the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved there is all the harme the Lord means us to save and to bring us to blessednesse and happinesse therefore every man must take heed hee doth not despise this holy Calling when the Lord invites him to repentance faith and to an estate of grace We see Mark 10. 9. when Christ cals the blinde man he flung away his cloake and got upon his legges and followed him so it should bee the care of every one when Christ cals him to fling away his sinnes and corruptions and make all hast to follow him for if the blinde man did follow him for the curing of his body much more should we for the curing of both soule and body First therefore let us take heed we doe not despisse this Call of God seeing all the harme he meanes us is to save us Secondly seeing Christ cals us to enjoy blessednesse and happinesse and to live in communion with him therefore there is no damned man that can be a member of Christ it is true indeed that the wicked may live in the Church as bad humors be in the body but they are no parts of the body the Scripture is cleere for it as 1 Iob. 2. 19. they went out from us but they were not of us for if they had beene of us they would have continued with us but they went out that it might bee made manifest that they were not all of us as if he had said if they had communion of grace and of the Spirit with us then they would have continued but because they had not therefore they went away The Papists say that a damned man may be a member of Christ but wee see it otherwise Col. 2. 19. saith the Apostle and not holding the head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increasing of God and Austine saith that there is no damned man can bee a true member of Christ because Christ is the Saviour of the body therefore let us labour to bee members of Christs body and then wee shall be saved but if we be not then wee are like to perish although wee should be the greatest Princes in the world but if we be true members of Iesus Christ then we doe beleeve that one day we shall bee blessed and happie whatsoever our estate be here therefore if there bee but one or two saved in a towne let us labour to be one of them if men should suffer Shipwrack and there should bee a boat found that would hold no more than tenne every one would labour to be one of the tenne so wee all have suffered shipwracke by the sin of Adam in the sea of this world now to save us the Lord hath given us a little boate which is his Church that whosoever can get into it shall be saved therefore if there bee but two in a country or one in a towne that is saved wee must labour to bee one of the number SERMON LX. ACTS 2. 47. And the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved A Good hearer is like to dry powder that every little sparke of fire will make it kindle but wet powder must bee often touched before it will take so the unfitter that men be to heare and unprepared the more paines it is to the speaker to worke affection in them Wee shewed you the last day that the faith of a Christian consists in two things in God and the Church of God and that the Church of God is a company of people called out of the damned multitude of this world whom God will eternally save with his owne selfe Whence these considerations offered themselves unto us first What the Church of God is in his owne Nature which wee did then dispatch secondly What bee the parts or the divers estates of the Church of God here in this world whereof wee are to speake at this present The Church considered according to its parts is twofold 1. The triumphant 2. The militant Church The Church triumphant is that which is blessed and happy with God in heaven so called because it is not in conflict and combate as we be warring against sinne lusts the devill and the world but having overcome all are now blessed in heaven Hereof the Apostle speakes Heb. 12. 22. but yee are come to the mount Sion and to the Citty of the living God the Celesticall Ierusalem to the company of innumerable Angels and to the Congregation of the first borne whose names are written in heaven and to God the Iudge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect so Col. 1. 20. saith he For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell and having made peace by the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe c. It is an opinion in the Greeke Church that the Saints are nor glorified in heaven till the judgement day but this opinion of theirs is false for it is first against the Scripture and secondly against reason First It is against the Scripture as Eccles 12. 7. Dust returnes to dust and the Soule returnes to God that gave it now this must needs be spoken of the blessed presence of God that the soule goes to in regard of power for God was present with it before so Luk. 23. 45. Christ said to the Theefe This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise marke saith Saint Augustine Christ doth not delay the Theefe but even from this woodden crosse he is translated into his heavenly kingdome so Paul speakes Phil. 1. 23. desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ and not onely speakes he this of himselfe but also of all the faithfull people of God as 2 Cor. 5. 8. Neverthelesse we are bold and be willing rather to remove out of the body and to dwell with God thus it is cleare by the Scripture that the soules of the beleeving and faithfull goe to heaven immediately to glory So then the Greeke opinion is false it cannot be denied but that some Scriptures seeme to looke this way as that Matth. 20. 6. when the evening was come every one had his penny they received their hire so that Col. 3. 4. When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall ye also appeare with him in glory Now these Scriptures and the like are to be understood of the glory of the body or else of the declaration of the glory that soule and body
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
pardon from God for us O that we could consider this great goodnesse of God! It is true indeede that wee have pardon and forgivenesse free to us but it is due to Christ Let the use be first to exhort us to take heed how wee sinne against God If a man had a curious glasse and it should fall and get a cracek which no man in the world save one could make whole againe who would not be hired for any thing in this world to mend all that shold breake though he did some few out of his love and good will how affraid would a man be to let it fall such a curious glasse is the soule of man that if it fall if it sinne against God it will catch a cracke and then there is not one in all the world that can make it or repaire it againe but God onely and he will not be hired to doe it for silver or gold or for any thing in this world but all hee doth is out of his love and of meere mercy and good will to some few therefore how should men take heede that they do not fall into sinnes and corruptions so to crake their soules and deface them Secondly seeing there is no way to have release and pardon for our sinnes but by forgivenesse therefore we must labor to keepe God our friend and to take heed that wee doe not offend nor grieve him with our sinnes If our life should depend upon any man in such sort as that he might take it away at his pleasure how carefull would wee bee to please him we would not speake a word nor doe any thing that should offend him the salvation of our soules depends on the Will of God to save or condemne us it is his mercy to save us and his justice to condemne us therefore we should bee carefull to keepe God our friend howsoever the world doe little regard it now yet when we shall come before him every man would bee glad at that time to have him his friend when he shall bee our Iudge and then wee shall stand or fall all according to his sentence Thirdly we beleeve there is forgivenesse of sinnes if men will seeke it It is true indeed that all mens sinnes are not pardoned yet wee beleeve if men will seeke forgivenesse they may have it So David saith Psal 32. 5. I confessed my sinnes and thou forgavest the punishment of them so Esay 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his waies and the unrighteous his owne imaginations and returne unto the Lord and hee will have mercie upon them and to our God for he will abundantly pardon So also Micah 7. saith the Prophet Who is a God like unto thee that takest away iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his Heritage c. So then it is cleare by the Scripture there is forgivenesse of sins if men will seeke it The uses are First seeing there is forgivenesse of sinnes if men seeke it therefore it must be our wisedome to seeke it and not rest till wee have found it as Esay 55. 6. saith he Seeke ye the Lord while he may be found call yee upon him while he is neere and the Lord will have mercy and forgive therefore doe not live in thy sinnes for then thou shalt perish but seeke unto God and then they shall bee forgiven thee If a man bee in danger of the kings writ if he be wise he will labour to compound the matter as soone as may be so if wee are in Gods danger and stand not in cleere termes Gods writs comming out against us from day to day if we be wise we will seeke to God to compound the matter so soone as may be as 1 King 20. 31. when Benhadad was shut up his servants said unto him We have heard that the kings of Israel are mercifull kings wee pray thee lâ—t us put sackecloth about our loynes and ropes about our neckes and goe unto the king of Israel it may be he will save thy life in like manner when we heare that God is mercifull and ready to forgive why doe wee not seeke to him and humble our selves that so wee may finde mercy and favour with God Secondly seeing there is forgivenesse of sinnes if men will seeke it therefore we must take heed we fall not into the same sinne againe the Prophet David saith There is mercy with thee O Lord that thou mayest bee feared it is a strong conclusion that David gathereth because God is mercifull therefore David is loth to offend God and affraid to do evill hee hath found such mercie and goodnesse at his hands but the world frameth another conclusion cleane contrary to this because the Lord is mercifull therefore they will sinne the more Blessed therefore are the People of God who the more mercifull God is and the more hee loveth them the more they labour to please him and are affraid to offend him If a man did lie in prison many a cold winter and a friend should come to him and knocke off his fetters open the Prison doore for him and let him out and if any should lay hold on him after that to carry him to the Prison againe O how would he crie out and be affraid to come there any more So wee were locked up here in the prison-house of sinne and have beene a long time the Lord hath knocked off our bolts and fetters unlocked the prison doore and let us out therefore if sinne should lay hold on us to carry us backe againe O how should we cry out for mercy and favour at Gods hands and be grieved that we have offended so good a God Thirdly seeing that there is forgivenesse of sinnes if wee seeke it therefore as God is ready to forgive us so we should bee to forgive one another the injuries and wrongs that are done us This is Saint Pauls admonition Col. 3. 15. saith he Forgiving one another if any man have a quarrell to another even as God forgave you so doe ye Matth. 18. wee read that there was one that ought a thousand talents whose master forgave him but his fellow owing him but an hundred pence He tooke him by the throat and said to him Pay me that which thou owest me to whom he said Appease thine anger towards me and I will pay thee all yet hee would not but cast him into prison but when his master heard of it hee was wroth with him and cast him into prison also Now there is no man offends us so much as wee doe God therefore as God is ready to forgive us so we should bee to forgive one another Fourthly We beleeve there is forgivenesse of sinnes without limitation of the number or greatnesse of them so that let the number bee never so many or never so great if we can repent of them they shall bee forgiven us So 1 Iohn 2. 5. These
our sinnes pardoned and then the Lord will raise up our bodies at the last day and give us life everlasting but on the contrary if wee have not communion with the Saints in this life and have not our sinnes pardoned we can never looke that God will raise up our bodies at the day of Iudgement and give us life everlasting Therefore beloved brethren be exhorted to labour to have communion with the Saints here in this World with the forgivenesse of sinnes and then God will raise up our bodies at the day of judgement and give us life everlasting As Revel 20. 6. it is said Blessed and holy is he that hath his part in the first Resurrection for on such the second death shall have no power Hee is a blessed man that riseth out of his sinnes and his corruptions in this life on such a one the second death shall have no power If a man make a bargaine and giveth somewhat in hand some earnest then he expecteth the performance of covenants about the bargaine but if he hath no earnest given him then he lookes for no bargaine so the Lord hath made a bargaine with us to give us Heaven and happinesse after which if hee hath given us earnest somewhat in hand in this life that is the communion of Saints and the forgivenesse of sinnes now then wee may looke to have our bodies raised and to have life everlasting We may expect the rest but if wee have no earnest in hand in this life that wee have not our parts in the Communion of Saints nor the forgivenesse of sinnes then when wee come to die we cannot looke for the blessings in the life to come Moreover in this Article we are to consider divers particulars First We beleeve that although we shall be laid into the grave and dissolved into dust yet that one day we shall rise againe by the power of Christ this is the property of a Christians faith The Heathen doe beleeve that they shall all dye and bee dissolved to dust but not that they shall rise againe now this point of the Resurrection is cleare by Scripture and by Reason First we will prove it by Scripture as Esay 26. 19. Thy dead men shall live even with my Body shall they rise that is when I rise all the dead shall rise so Dan. 12. 2. and many of them that slept in the dust shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt so also Paul Acts 24. 15. saith And have hope towards God that the Resurrection of the dead which they themselves looke for shall be both of the just and unjust and so Revel 20. 12. saith he I saw the dead both great and small stand before God so then it is cleare by Scripture seeing all other things are come to passe which the Scripture hath foretold then wee may bee sure that this shall come to passe also in the time that God hath appointed Now the Reasons to proove that there is a Resurrection are five in number 1. From the Power of God 2. From the Iustice of God 3. From the Mercie of God 4. From the End of Christs comming 5. From the Resurrection of Christ First From the Power of God for as Tertullian saith it seemes a harder matter for God to make a man being nothing out of the dust of the Earth than to raise and repaire him out of the dust being something and no question but that the Power of God is able to raise the dead at the resurrection as our Saviour reasoneth against the Pharises Matth. 22. 29. saith he Ye erre not knowing the Scripture nor the power of God c. as who should say the Lord hath Power to raise the dead The second Reason is drawne from the Iustice of God for it is agreeable to Iustice that those that bee partakers in good and evill actions should be also partakers in rewards and punishments but the bodies of men are partners in good and evill actions with the soule therefore the Lord will raise up the bodies of men to reward them that have done well and punish them that have done evill Tertullian saith well Wee must not thinke that God is unjust or slothfull First we may not thinke that God is unjust that he will reward the soule and destroy the body and that he will punish the soule and not the body therefore hee will raise up mens bodies to reward them that have done well and to punish the evill Againe secondly we must not thinke that God is slothfull that he will not put himselfe to that paines to raise up the dead bodies of men to punish them for their sinnes and offences therefore hee will raise our bodies to punish or reward them with our soules Thirdly From the Mercie of God for mercy extends as much as may be to all and this mercy is in men that if they could they would raise all the dead bodies of their friends but the mercy of God is infinitely greater than the mercy that is in men whose mercie extends in goodnesse to all the bodies and soules of men therefore hee will raise them and doe all the good he can to them he loveth as Christ saith Matth. 22. He is the God of Abraham Isaak and Iaakob Hee is not the God of the dead but of the living So he will raise their bodies or else he were God but to one part of Abraham but his mercy extends to both parts therefore he will raise the bodies of dead men Fourthly From the end of Christs comming which was to dissolve the workes of the Divell as it is said Iohn 3. 8. For this purpose appeared the Sonne of God that he might dissolve the workes of the Divell for the Divell first brought in sinne and sinne brought death this was his end for he brought in sinne to bring death upon us And therefore because hee aimed at this Christ came to dissolve this great worke of the Divell which is not done except there be a resurrection of the body therefore the dead shall rise againe Fifthly From the Resurrection of Christ for hee did not rise like a private Person as the Widdowes Sonne did and as Lazarus but He rose as the publike Head of the Church Saint Paul saith That Hee was the first fruits of them that slept so in the rising of Christ all the People of God did virtually rise that which went before in the Head shall follow in the Members as Augustine saith and Cyril saith well that Christ entred into Heaven by the narrow passage of his sufferings and death to make a wide passage for us into Heaven so in Christs rising we rise I but some say It was an easie matter for Christ to rise because He was God I answer it was a hard matter for Christ to rise againe after he was laid into the grave I
corruptions to quicken thee up to newnesse of life or else thou shalt feele the power of Christ to raise thee at the last day to thy confusion Thirdly seeing all shall rise by the power of Christ therefore let us not doubt but that the Lord will raise us out of our troubles whatsoever they be seeing hee will raise our bodies at the last day Wee read Ezek. 37. that the Lord said to the Prophet Sonne of Man can these dead bones live and so bade him prophesie upon the bones till bone ran to his bone flesh and sinewes grew on them againe and there was a great army that stood up verse 11. saith the Lord Sonne of Man these bones are the whole house of Israel that did lie in captivitie and bondage therefore the Lord did shew the Prophet that as hee was able to raise these dead bones to life so hee was able to bring them out of trouble and bondage againe Therefore doe not thou doubt but that the Lord will raise thee out of thy troubles whatsoever they be As Psal 86. 13. David saith great iâ— thy mercy towards me and thou hast delivered my soule from the lowest grave Therefore if thou dost not beleeve that God will raise thee out of thy troubles whatsoever they be then blot this article out of thy Creede and search it out for it he can raise thy body out of the grave then doe not doubt but that he can raise thee out of thy troubles whatsoever they be Fifthly In what estate our bodies shall rise in in an estate of glory Now they are mortall and mutable subject to a number of infirmities to hunger nakednesse cold sicknesses diseases and paines now they are dull and heavie in the service of God but at the last day when we shall rise againe our bodies shall bee made immortall and shall bee subject to no infirmities of nature sicknesses or paines then they shall have strength to performe their owne actions in so excellent and perfect an estate our bodies shall rise If a Physitian should out of his Art and skill give us such a potion that we should never hunger nor thirst after it and should be free from sicknesses diseases paines and griefes a man would give many a pound to procure it such a potion the Lord will give us at the last day hee will give us a cup of immortalitie that wee shall have no more paines and sicknesses therefore how should wee long and desire for that day Matth. 18. 8. our Saviour Christ saith It were better for a man to enter into life hurt and maimed than having two hands and two feete to be cast into Hell fire It were better for a man to goe to Heaven wanting his parts than for a man to goe to Hell with all the glory that this world can afford him and yet we may have this assured hope that we shall not goe deformed to Heaven but we shall have all our parts and glory put on them but whosoever cares not for Christ or for religion they shall see this glory put upon the People of God and shall not taste of it Let us therefore be exhorted to labor to have communion with Christ to repent us of our sins and to feare God that when death commeth our eyes may be so shut up in this world as they may be open in the Kingdome of God for ever Chrysostome saith that the Goldsmith putteth into a pot his silver or his gold then hee sets the pot into the fire and melts it where he formes a bowle or a cup to set before the king so the Lord melts us by death and then out of the dead ashes and cinders of the bodies of his servants hee frameth and will make them goodly vessels of honour to stand before him in his Temple One sayes well It is a good thing to thinke of the future glory of the body especially in the time of sicknesse and in the houre of death against the crawling of the wormes and the place of rottennesse Iob comforteth himselfe with this for I am sure that my Redeemer liveth and hee shall stand the last on the Earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy this flesh yet shall I see God with my flesh Iob. 19. so wee must comfort our selves in the like time of extremity Now this glory shall not bee from the redundance of the spirit onely but in regard of the blessed and happy estate that the body shall be in at that time As 1 Cor. 15. 42. saith the Apostle It is sowen in corruption and is raised in incorruption it is sowen in weaknesse and it is raised in power so the glory of the body shall be in regard of the blessed estate that it shall be in at that time Now in sixe things the glory of the body consists First the glory of the body consists in that there shall be all the parts of the body perfect and entire they shall want nothing howsoever a man may be maimed or deformed want a hand or an eye a legge or a finger or an eye here yet all shall be supplied to him at that day and that for two Reasons First Because all things shall be reduced to their former estate for as Peter shewes Acts 3. 21. speaking of Christ whom the Heavens must containe and keepe untill the time that all things shall bee restored in the beginning the body of man was made perfect and intire wanting nothing either for beautie or comelinesse therefore to this estate it shall bee restored againe Secondly Tertullian raiseth it from another ground Revel 21. 4. where it is said there shall be no more death alwaies saith he in the greater is inferred the lesser therefore if death be expelled from the whole man then it seemeth to bee expelled from every particular member and therefore for conclusion the bodies of the Saints shall rise perfect and entire againe with all the parts The use is seeing all our parts shall be perfect and entire at that day we must comfort our selves with this though wee want an eye a hand or a foote for we know by faith that they shall all be restored againe at the last day if a man should want a member an eye a legge or an arme and there were one could restore it to him againe he would give many pounds to have it supplied but better by many degrees is the estate of Gods children for let a man feare God make conscience of his waies repent his sinnes and labour to please him and hee may bee assured the Lord will restore to him all his parts and that not onely to himselfe but also to his family and friends Secondly seeing at the day of judgement all our parts shall be restored againe by Christ we should not bee affraid to forgoe any of them for the Name of Christ for hee that did restore the eare of Malchus which was his enemy
as Philosophers say the end of a thing is the first thing in intention the last in execution which doth order the rest of the actions and is like the sterne of a ship that commeth behind but yet doth order and guide it this way and that in all the turnings so eternall life is the first thing in a Christian mans intention and the last thing in execution which must order all our actions for to what end doe wee pray repent us of our sinnes and walke holily and obediently here but to this end that wee may come to everlasting life Wee see when the Merchants have beene trading a long time at Sea at last they put their ship into the harbor to rest and stay there so when Christians have beene in the Sea of this world a long time trading they must put their ship into the harbour that is come to life everlasting there to rest and stay themselves Great is the folly of the men of this world who dote and thinke upon the things of this life which the Devill knew well when hee said Iob 1. all that a man hath hee will give for his life c. even the very skinne and yet this life is but a shaddow of that life and a way unto it Therefore brethren let us bee in love with eternall life let it bee our wisedome so to spend our time here in the feare of God as that wee may come to life everlasting Which is the next thing we are to speak of but here mans wisedome becomes folly in that the deepest reach of any created understanding is too shallow to comprehend the immeâ—sity of this life for as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 3. 9. Eye hath not seene neither eare heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him so saith David also Psal. 31. 19. O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid up for them that trust in thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sonnes of men S. Paul also saith That he was taken up into Paradise heard words which cannot bee spoken which are not possible to be uttered This is so great a matter as the tongues of Angells are not able to expresse it and therefore when I or any other am to speake of life everlasting wee are to consider that no man is able to expresse it for if a man stand on the Sea-shore and looke on it hee cannot see the length breadth and the extension of it yet they may see that it is an infinite great thing so though life everlasting bee a thing that no man can see the full extension of yet wee may conceive it to bee an exceeding glorious thing therefore whatsoever wee heare any man to speake of eternall life wee are to conceive it is more than any man can expresse It is not as David saith Psal 48. 8. As we have heard so wee have seene in the citie of our God But as the Queene of the South said of the wisedome of Salomon that the one halfe was not told mee which I have seene So wee may say when wee come to possesse everlasting life it was a true saying that Gods Preachers told mee of Heaven and of everlasting life but they have not told me halfe that which I finde and therefore oh that God should shew such mercie to poore sinners here in this life to give them hope of Heavenly things and make them partakers of everlasting life of whom wee may say with David 2 Sam. 7. 18. Who am I ô Lord God and what is my Fathers house that thou hast brought mee hitherto And this was yet a small thing in thy sight ô Lord God but thou hast spoken also of thy servants house for a great while to come c. So wee may say Lord what am I and what is my Fathers house that thou shouldest bestow this great mercie and goodnesse on mee so vile a creature Now wee are to consider of this in two heads 1 In the things we shall be freed from 2 In the things we shall enjoy First the things we shall be freed from are six first from all necessities of nature here are a number of things we stand in need of an house to put our heads in meat and drinke to nourish us cloathes to cover our nakednesse wee have need of fire to warme us and a bed to lye on and sleepe and physick and a number of things but in the life to come God shall be all in all to us musick to our eares Manna to our tast wee shall drinke of the Rivers of his pleasures and the kingdome of God shall be a house for us to dwell in and the armes of God a bed for us to lye in wee shall bee fed with Angels food with the contemplation of God for Christ wee know told the Iewes I have meat that yee know not Now if the contemplation of God bee so great here in the estate of Grace much more it will be in the life of Glory where wee shall no more hunger nor thirst nor be subject to nakednesse or infirmities of nature we shall have need of nothing for God shall be strength to our bones and rest to our eyes c. therefore thinke of this thou that art a poore Christian to comfort thy selfe with when thou art in want and necessitie when thou wantest food to feed thee clothes to keepe thee warme that one day thou shalt bee freed from all the necessities of nature but the wicked shall be subject to hunger and thirst and to all the miseries of nature if they doe desire but the least drop of water to refresh them they shall not have it The people of God shall be free from all these things which now kings and queenes are subject unto for God shall be all in all to them At thy right hand there are joyes and pleasures for evermore as David saith Psalm 16. 11. then we shall not need house food rayment or sleepe but shall be freed from all these things Secondly from all the labours of this life here wee are subject to sore labour for it is the sentence of God upon us all Gen. 3. 19. that in the sweat of our face we must eate our bread till wee returne to dust againe and Psal 128. 2. It is the blessing of Gods people that they shall eate the labour of their hands so we see all are subject to labour as it is Iob 5. 7. Man is borne to labour as the sparkes fly upwards but here is the comfort of it if a man feares God and repents him of his sinnes gets faith in Christ and walkes holily here he shall one day bee freed from all labours even so saith the Spirit Revel 14. 13. Blessed are they that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them and Saint Paul layes it
Simile 1 The invitation Simile 1 Association with Christ Simile 2 Dissociation from the wicked 2 The commendation Simile First the thing assigned Simile Three properties of the Kingdome of heaven 1 A Kingdome prepared of God Excellencies of heaven before all other Kingdomes 1 For limits 2 For time 3 In regard of defects 4 In regard of tranquillitie Quest. Sol. Vse 1. Our estate better than Adams in sixe things 1 2 3 4 5 6 Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. 2 A kingdome prepared for his Elect. Simile Simile 3 It was prepared of old Secondly the title and tenour Simile SERM. L. Simile 4 The reason of the Assignation Object Sol. Workes not the couse of our obtaining heaven Simile Foure Reasons against the merit of workes Reason 1. Object Sol. Reason 2. Object Sol. Reason 3. Reason 4. Object Sol. 1 The judgement shall be according to workes Quest Sol. 2 1 Properties of Faith 2 Quest Sol. Simile 2 All good workes shall be remembred and rewarded Simile Object Sol. Simile 3 The iudgement shall passe according to workes of mercie Quest 1 Sol. Why the Iudgement passes chiefly by works of mercie 1 2 Gods mercie so great that hee had rather abate of his owne service than man want his comfort Simile Simile Simile Object Sol. Simile Simile 4 The Iudgement shall passe according to works of mercie to Christians Simile Simile 1 2 Simile SERM. LI. Simile 1 An Abdication or Eiection They shall be shut out of Heaven Simile Quest. Sol. A two-fold presence of God Simile How far wicked men desire the presence of God Simile 2 They shal be shut out of the earth Simile Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Simile 2 Punishment or malediction Vse 1. Simile Simile Vse 2. Vse 3. 3 The estate the wicked shall fall into Foure reasons shewing hell fire not to be naturall fire 1 Damas. lib. 4. cap. ult Reason 2. Reason 3. SER. LII Reason 4. Two reasons of the extremity of Hell fire Reason 1. Simile Simile Simile Reason 2. Simile For ever Simile Simile Simile Simile Quest Sol. How it stand with the justice of God to punish sin eternally Vse 1. 2 Vse 1. Simile Simile 2 A sinner compared to Pharaohs Kine Simile Simile 4 They are ranked with the Divell and his Angels Simile Simile Simile Simile Reasons of the wickeds condemnation First sinnes of Omission as well as Commission damnes Secondly small sinnes damne as well as great ones Thirdly small sinnes are great before God Simile Quest. Why neglect of the Poore is so great a sinne Sol. First what Christ shall doe after the last judgement Simile Simile 2 Simile Simile Simile Quest. Sol. SERM. LIII Simile Secondly the end why he shall render up the kingdome How Christ shall be all in all at the day of judgement 1 2 Simile 〈◊〉 VIII Two reasons whereby to rule our â—aith Reason 1. The devâ—ll the Author of â—ivision Reason 2. 1 That the Holy Ghost is God Proved first by Scriptures Foure Reasons to prove the Holy Ghost to be God Reason 1. Object Sol. Reason 2. 1 2 3 Reason 3. Reason 4. Vse 1. Simile All sinne is a griefe to God Simile Simile Vse 2. How man destroyes the Temple of God 1 2 Simile 1 The Holy Ghost is not a quality or motion in God Sinne against the Holy Ghost 2 He is a distinct Person from the Father and the Sonne Vse 3 That the Holy Ghost is not onely holy in himselfe but causer of it in others Vse 1. Simile SER. LIV. Vse 2. Simile Fourthly the Holy Ghost will make me holy 1 Iohn 5. 7. Quest. How the Holy Ghost workes holinesse in us Sol. 1 By convincing us of our impuritie Simile Simile 2 By inlightning us Simile Simile 3 By uniting us to Christ Simile 4 By mortifying our sinnes Simile 5 By renewing us Simile 6 By stirring up holy motions in us Simile Quest. Sol. The Holy Ghost is really and actually in us Simile 1 How to come by the Holy Ghost 1 A removall of the false meanes Simile 3 Meanes to come by the Holy Ghost 1 Simile Simile 2 Meanes Simile 3 Meanes 1 Conclusion 1 Cor. 12. 8. Vse 1. 1 Cor. 12. Simile Vse 2. No fulnesse of Spirit in this life Simile Simile Simile The second conclusion ART VIII Simile Quest The least measure of saving grace what Ans. 1. It stands more in desires than actions 2 Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile The third conclusion Simile Simile Object Of such who complaine for want of seeling Ans. 2. The third conclusion Simile Object Of fulnesse of spirit that some had Ans. 1. A fulnesse comparative Secondly there is a fulnesse in working different Thirdly a fulnesse may be in regard to some particular act SER. LV The first Consequent Simile Matth. 27. 34. The second consequent Simile 3 How to know that wee have the Holy Ghost The Papists opinion is contrary First to the Scripture Secondly to Reason Simile Thirdly to their owne Divines Simile 5 False marks of the Holy Ghosts being in us 1 Many good parts of nature prooves it not Simile 2 False marke restraining grace Two defects in restraining grace 1 It doth not kill sinne Simile Simile 2 It doth not refraine from all sinnes 3 False marke some kinde of inlightning Colos 3. 10. Quest. Ans Two defects in knowledge 1 Such knowledge is not of a right kinde Speculative knowledge Practicall knowledge 2 Such make no right use of their knowledge 4 False marke an unsound sorrow and repentance Quest. Ans The defects in repentance 1 Sorrow more for the judgment than the sinne 2 Sorrow not for all sinnes 3 Sorrow not for inward corruption S. Augustines wish 1 2 5 False marke an unsound desire of heaven and glorie The defect of unsound desire of heaven First in a fleeting unconstant desire Secondly such desires are idle and lazie ones Thirdly such desires are not earnest ones 2 The true mark 1 Generally two wayes 1 He makes a great change Simile Simile Simile Simile Secondly hee stirs and moves to holinesse Simile Simile Simile 2 Particularly divers degrees of the Spirit Simile Two things a weake beginner must looke to 1 A right worke of the Spirit in foure things First that there be humbling Simile Secondly desire of reconciliation Simile Thirdly it stirs up to lay hold on the Promises Fourthly a setled walking with God 2 There must be a right orâ—er of the worke Simile Strength of action increases according to the strength of the spirit Simile The worke of the spirit mortifying in three things 1 Simile Simile 3 4 Workes of quickning in a strong Christian 1 2 Simile 3 4 Simile SER. LVI How a strong weakned Christian may know the Holy Ghost is in him Simile Quest 1 Sol. The roote is not gone Simile 4 By desires of grace left 1 To grieve that we cannot griev for sinne 2 Desire of reconciliation 3 A desire to beleeve 4 A desire to pleas God in all things Object Sol. 3 By some