while So we dwelling in Cottages of clay in this World if one should aske us when we looke up to Heaven whose house is this and be answered by any of Gods people it is mine I thanke God Iesus Christ hath purchased it not with gold and silver but with his most pretious blood and one day I shall have it would not every man thinke this mans case to bee good and hee a blessed man This is the first reason why Christ is ascended into Heaven Now if Christ bee ascended to Heaven to prepare Heaven for us then every man must prepare himselfe and make him ready to receive Heaven â—evel 19. It is said That the Bride the Lambes wife is ready So wee should make our selves ready for Heaven we must repent and beleeve make conscience of our wayes and be obedient before God while we live here Secondly Christ ascended into Heaven To send downe the Holy Ghost into the hearts of his servants as hee saith Iohn 16. 7. It is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him unto you But had not the Disciples the Holy Ghost before Christ ascended I answer yes for they could not have the smallest meaâ—â—â—e of grace but it must bee by the Holy Ghost for as Saint Paul saith 1 Corinth 12. 3. No man can say Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost yet he full measure of grace and the abundance of the holy Ghost was not given till Christ ascended but was reserved till then therefore Iohn 7. 30. It is sâ—id That the Holy Ghost was not given because Christ was not ascended Even as a King whose gifts bestowed on his Favourites are but petty till hee bee installed and then bee they great gifts so the gifts of the Spirit be given but in a small measure till Christ was ascended and then were they great gifts unto which hee daily addes more gifts and graces of his Spirit still as a loving husband when hee is absent from his wife will bee sending of love-tokens some Gold-rings Iewels or Pearles to comfort and to cheare her sending still by every messenger that comes one thing or other till hee himselfe comes home so Christ being absent from us doth send unto us Rings Pearles and Iewels even the gifts and graces of his Spirit untill he come This is a great comfort howsoever wee want the presence of Christ here so long as wee have his Spirit to assure us of Gods favour and of the pardon of our sinnes and that Heaven is ours all is well wee know 2 Kings 2. 9. When Elias was to depart from Elisha saith be Aske what I shall give thee Elisha answers that thy spirit may bee doubled upon me So when Christ at his ascension bids us aske what we would have we must make this request Lord that thy Spirit may bee doubled upon me that so my minde may bee enlightned my will sanctified and all my affections rightly ordered Now as Christ is ascended to send down the graces of his spirit into our hearts so we must prepare our selves for it as the Disciples Acts 1. 14. Did all continue in Prayer and Supplications with one accord so seeing the Spirit is promised let us read the Scriptures meditate of them pray and so make our selves fit to receive the holy Ghost As 2 Kings 4. 10. when Elisha came to Shunem saith the Shunamitish woman to her husband Let us make him a little chamber I pray thee with wals and let us set him there a bed and a stoole and a candlesticke that he may turne in thither Now if this good Shunamite did prepare a chamber to receive the Prophet into how much more should wee prepare our hearts to receive the Spirit of God Thirdly Christ did ascend into Heaven to lead captivitie captive to triumph over Sinne Death Hell the Divell and our spirituall enemies when Sampson was beset with the Philistines in Gaza it is said He rose at midnight and tooke the doores of the gates of the Citie and the two posts and lift them away with the barres and put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of an high hill so Iesus Christ being beset with all our spirituall enemies hath triumphed over them and is gloriously ascended into heaven As Saint Paul saith Ephes 4. 8. When hee ascended up on high heeled captivity captive Death Hell Sin and the Divell so that now a Christian may see all his spirituall enemies in fetters and chaines I but some may say What is this to me seeing I am subject to Death Sinne and to the grave To this I answere that Christs victorie is our victory his triumph is our triumph there is not a true Christian but one day he shall triumph over all his spirituall enemies but it must be as Christ was For first he was killed and throwne into the dens of theeves and death then he arose againe and triumphed over all our spirituall enemies and did gloriously ascend into Heaven so when we bee killed and throwne into the dens of death and rise againe then wee shall triumph over all our spirituall adversaries and say as Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. O Death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victorie and then wee shall ascend into Heaven Therefore labour thou to bee a servant of God and then doubt not but as Christ triumphed over all our spirituall enemies so shalt thou for as Christ speakes Iohn 16. 33. In the World yee shall have trouble but in me you shall have peace be of good comfort for I have evercome the World Augustine saith some men will object what are wee the better for it that Christ hath overcome the world and triumphed over all our spirituall enemies why all that Christ did is for our sakes that one day wee may succeed in the same triumph Iudges 10. wee see Ioshâ—a when he had inclosed the Kings and shut them up in a Cave Hee brings them out and makes his Souldiers and Servants to tread on the neckes of them whom yet hee himselfe had conquered so making all his Servants Conquerors so Iesus Christ will make every true Christian to tread on the neckes of our spirituall enemies Sinne Death Hell and the Divell that so although the conquest be Christs yet he might make all us his Servants Conquerors Fourthly Christ ascended to fill the whole Church with his gifts As Ephes 4. 8. When hee ascended up on high he gave gifts to men and verse 10. of the same Chapter Hee that descended is the same that ascended farre above all Heavens that he might fill all things so that the goodnesse of Christ is spread all the World over Christs ascension is like a tree the rootes whereof be in the Earth but the fruite is above our heads but shake the tree and
day of adversity thy strength is but small If a man come to a tree and shake it with his finger this way and that way it doth shew that the tree is not well rooted even so when the least trouble that comes unjoynts vexes and shakes us on euery side it shewes that we are not well rooted and grounded in Faith The fourth thing whereby wee may discerne weaknesse of saith in our selves is When wee beleeve God can helpe us but it must bee by such and such meanes So Iarus beleeved Christ would helpe his daughter but it must bee by touching and laying on his hands as wee see Matth. 5. this was weake faith to beleeve that Christ can helpe but it must bee by such and such meanes And so in Iohn 6. The disciples beleeved that Christ could feed five thousand but they must have two hundred pennie worth of bread for to doe it withall So likewise Moses beleeved that God could give him water enough for the children of Israel but not out of a rocke but it must bee out of the river this then is weaknesse of faith to beleeve that God can helpe us but it must bee by such and such meanes The fift thing whereby wee may know weaknesse of faith is By the effects of faith when they bee weake in us as in the booke of Iudges wee see how Sampson did know he was growne weak and that his strength was departed from him it was by the weaknes of his actions not being able to resist the Philistimes as formerly so may we know weaknesse of faith in our selves when wee bee weake in our actions in our prayers and in the performance of other holy duties therefore howsoever men talke of strong faith if they bee weake in the performance of holy duties and are not strong to stand against the temptations of the divell and to resist them it is but weake faith The use of this is that if we finde weake faith in our selves we must take accompt of it labour to bee humbled for it and to say with David Psal 6. I am weake but Lord helpe my weaknesse and as the man in the Gospell said Lord I beleeve but helpe thou mine unbeleefe Lord I have weaknesse of faith but Lord helpe this weaknesse of faith in me The second use is that if wee find weaknesse of faith in our selves we should labour to strengthen it by the use of good meanes by praier reading preaching and by such like meanes Wee know if a poore man dwell in a rotten house if the wind arise hee will get props and shoares to underprop it that so hee may keepe it from falling so seeing wee dwell in rotten houses if the winds of temptations arise we should labour to prop up our faith by the use of good meanes by preaching prayer the use of the Sacraments and such like that so wee may bee able to stand in the time of temptation for as we have heard before faith is compared to a seed and not to a stone because a seed will grow to be a tree but a stone groweth not and therfore if we use good means and doe not grow by it it is to be suspected it is not weake but no faith for where true faith is although it be weake yet it growes to bee stronger by the use of good meanes strong faith never doubteth of salvation and the pardon of sinnes unlesse it bee in the time of temptation and doth assure it selfe of salvation and of the pardon of sinnes by a sylogisticall reason the ground whereof is laid in the word of God thus it may be framed God hath said in his word that whosoever repenteth and beleeveth shall undoubtedly be saved this is the great ground and maxime whereon strong faith doth stay it selfe which is built on the word of God then the true beleeving heart saith Lord but I upon the search of my conscience doe find that I doe truly repent and beleeve and then the conclusion ariseth therefore I shall undoubtedly and certainely be saved The papists say that we cannot be assured of the padon of our sinnes and of the salvation of our soules here in this life but I would have them to answer me these two reasons the first is That whatsoever God hath spoken in his word wee are bound to beleeve it under the conduct and certainty of faith but God hath said in his word that whosoever repenteth and beleeveth is bound by the certainty of his word and of his faith to beleeve his salvation and the pardon of his sinnes The second is That whatsoever we are bound to pray for that we are bound to beleeve but wee are bound to pray for the pardon of our sinnes and for our salvation as wee may see in the fifth petition of the Lords Prayer therefore wee are bound to beleeve it Now strong faith is not so strong but that it may bee shrewdly shaken in the time of temptation as Davids faith was hee saith I am cast out of thy presence and so Peter was shaken for the time and yet Christ had prayed that his faith might not faile him therefore wee see that strong faith may bee shaken and weakned of which there bee these occasions or reasons First Because we have given way to some sinne and have not been watchfull to keepe the doores of our hearts shut against it but given way unto it this will weaken strong faith a man that is strong may catch a cold or a surfeit and be made so weake that hee cannot bee able to goe with a staffe so a man may catch a cold that is hee may commit some sinne that hee may make his faith so weake that hee shall not bee able to stirre or feele any comfort in respect of his offence that hee hath done Secondly By the neglecting of the use of good meanes as preaching prayer reading and such like so it may become weake Mark 3. wee read there was a man that had a withered hand the reason whereof was because there were obstructions in the veines that it could not carry downe nourishment to that hand which withered so when there be obstructions that doe hinder us that we cannot draw downe nourishment to our hearts by the use of good meanes our faith will bee weakned our assurance withered and drie Thirdly The malice of the divell for hee will doe as the Philistimes did with Sampson knowing his strength lay in his haire they cut it off and hee became weake so the divell doth knowing that all the strength of a Christian lyeth in his faith therefore hee labours to weaken it as much as may be Fourthly The wise providence of God to humble us to make us take the faster hold for all that the Lord doth is but to settle us that wee should bee the deeper rooted As a man when hee goeth to plant a tree when he hath set into the ground and put
before him clothed with our sinnes this made him afraid Secondly He was afraid of death which was neere at hand Now he was not afraid of death as it was a dissolution of nature a separation of the soule from the body but as it was joyned with the curse of God But let us consider these two causes of his feare a little better and we shall finde good matter of instruction in them First he was afraid to stand before God in judgement clothed and apparelled with our sinnes this was a strange thing that he which was the Sonne of God and the brightnesse of the glory of God should now be afraid to stand before God Now if he were afraid how much more may we be to stand before God in judgement to come before him in prayer to appeare in his holy presence If the Sonne of God was afraid then much more may we Indeed if we have repented for our sinnes carried them over unto Christ and doe beleeve in him then we may boldly stand before God in judgement and come before him in prayer and approch into his holy presence when we may say as David doth Psalm 26. Prove me O Lord and trie my wayes but if we have not repented of our sins nor carried them unto the shoulders of Christ if we doe not beleeve in him then we have just cause to be afraid Gen. 3. When Adam had committed but one sinne he was afraid to come before God in judgement and therefore hid himselfe If Adam was so afraid when he had committed but one sinne how much more should we be to come before him having committed many great and grievous sinnes therefore howsoever we may carry away the matter closely and be quiet in our consciences for a time yet if God should but bring his judgements upon us or death so that we come to appeare before God then we shall quake and tremble as Dan. 5. we see Belshazzar did who whilest he was making himselfe merry drinking and abusing the holy vessels of God and the hand-writing did but appeare on the wall quaked exceedingly so that his countenance was changed his thoughts troubled the joynts of his loynes were loosed his knees smote one against another Even so howsoever the wicked may be at peace and quiet a little while yet if God set up a throne of judgement then they will quake and be afraid to come before him In the Revelation we may see how the brave fellowes and gallant lads of this world and the great captaines howsoever they could carry away the matter and be at quiet for a little time when God sets up a tribunall seat to judge them they runne into caves and dens and desire the hils and mountaines to fall upon them to hide them from the presence of God So howsoever we may be at quiet for a time if we have not repented for our sinnes If God come to judge us we shall quake and tremble and desire the hils and mountaines to fall upon us and to hide us from the presence of God Secondly Christ was afraid of death which was neere at hand So Heb. 5. 7. Christ is said in the dayes of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares unto him that was able to save him from death It appeares he was afraid of death in that he prayed against it I but was Christ afraid of death we see that in the Revelation many of the Saints of God loved not their lives but did willingly embrace death And Act. 20. the Apostle Paul was not onely readie to bee bound for the name of God but to die for it And therefore wee see many of the people of God were not afraid of death how then was Christ afraid of it I answer that death may be considered two ways 1. As it is a dissolution of nature and a separation of the soule from the bodie 2. As it is joyned with the curse and wrath of God Now Christ was not afraid of death as it was a separation of the soule from the bodie but as it was joyned with the wrath and curse of God thus as it is a curse every man hath cause to be afraid of it but if it be joyned with the favour and love of God then we have no cause of feare Iohn 8. Christs threatens the Iewes that they should die in their sins Oh it is a fearful thing when men die in their sinnes under the wrath and curse of God unrepentant for them There is a great cause why such should be afraid of death a number of people there be that are contented to die and yet they are covetous persons vile livers swearers and drunkards but I tell thee if thou hast not repented for thy sinnes hast not caried them unto Christ and applied his righteousnesse unto thee thou hast great cause to be afraid of death Pull the sting out of the serpent and thou mayst put him into thy bosome but if thou let his sting alone be will sting thee So death hath a sting as 1 Cor. 15. 55. which is sinne therefore let this sting be taken away and then we have no cause to be afraid of death But Revel 20. 14. Death is said to goe before and Hell to follow after so that Hell is the tayle of Death and therefore wee have good cause to bee afraid thereof Bernard saith If thou hast put away all shame which appertaineth to so noble a a creature as thou art if thou feele no sorrow as carnall men doe not yet cast not away feare which is found in every beast Wee offer to load an Asse yet hee cares not for it though wee weary him out because he is an Asse but if thou wouldst thrust him into the fire or into a ditch he would avoid it as much as hee could for that hee loveth life and feareth death feare thou then and be not more insensible than a beast feare death feare judgement feare hell The second Affliction that wrought in Christ was heavinesse and sorrow and this not a common or an ordinary but a dreadfull sorrow Now what was the cause that Christ was thus sorrowfull I answer there were three causes of it First because he saw the face of God discomfortably to looke upon him which was wont to shine upon him with an amiable and loving countenance he that was wont to looke so sweetly upon him now to see him as an angry Iudge and not as a loving Father This was it that made him sorrowfull and heavie The Scribes and Pharisees looked upon him angerly yet he was never moved at it but when hee seeth Gods angry countenance towards him this did more touch him than all the bodily paines that hee felt for hee never complained of the spickes and nailes that were thrust into his hands and feet nor of his whipping or buffetting but when he saw Gods angry
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
to the fire to warme him All this doth shew the strangenesse of this effect which made some thinke it could not be true but wee may see that all the ancient Fathers of the Church read it so ever from the Apostles time as Irenaeus and Athanasius and divers others as also it agrees with the love of Christ towards us and therefore seeing it hath been thus read of all the ancient Fathers in the Church and is agreeable to the love that Christ shewes to us wee are to make no doubt of it In the sweating of Christ observe foure things 1. Who was the procuring cause of it 2. The cariage of Christ in it 3. The manner of it 4. The end First what was the procuring cause it was His Agonie Agonie doth signifie in Greeke a combate or a conflict now this same conflict which Christ had was not with any earthly power but with God and this was the cause of his sweating before Christ had a combate with feare and sorrow in the garden he had wrestled with the devill being tempted by him and with the Priests in the temple now he is come to combate and have a conflict with God Which may teach us that if we live in our sins and doe not repent of them and put them off to Christ we shall have an agonie too for we shall not only have the devill and an evill and bad conscience to combate with but wee shall have God himselfe to fight against us as Revel 2. 16. Repent or else I will come against thee shortly and will fight against thee with the sword of my mouth so that if men doe not repent they shall not onely have the devill and an evill conscience to combate and conflict with but God himselfe and this is the sorest combate that can be to have Him to fight against them it is a great matter for one to have a combate with the devill and for a poore man to have a combate with a great power but a farre greater matter to have a conflict with God We see that a Christian had neede of a great deale of faith wisedome and patience for he hath not onely his sinnes and the devill to conflict with but God to fight against him therefore wee had need to take Pauls counsell Ephes. 6. To take to us the whole Armour of God to be armed in every part for saith hee wee wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers c. a Christian hath not to doe with weake and fraile men onely but with the devill yea and many times with the Lord himselfe who doth combate with us therefore that wee may stand at that houre how ought we to be armed and to have the gifts of the Spirit The second thing observed was the carriage of Christ in this estate it is said he prayed the more earnestly the more hee felt himselfe pressed and burthened with our sinnes the more earnestly hee prayed Which may teach us that the sorer our temptations and the greater our conflicts bee the stronger must be our endeavour to resist them the more earnest our prayer we must strengthen our faith and renew our repentance that so we may stand in the temptation I have shewed you heretofore that little Bees in a storme or tempest catch up little stones in their clawes to ballance themselves against the winde and storme that so they be not carried away with storme or tempest so Christians must do when there is a tempest up get little stones as it were in our clawes get faith and repentance renewed pray the more earnestly that so wee be not carried away with the temptation and overcome with the conflict many a Christian complaines that he is troubled with evill motions that hee cannot rest nor bee at quiet and some complaine of the deadnesse of their hearts and insensiblenesse of them now in this case what must bee done the sorer the temptation is the greater must bee the indeavour to resist it therefore we should be the more earnest with God in prayer and apply our selves to the use of good meanes that so wee may not bee carried away with the temptation if a tree begin to dye at the top the way to helpe it is not to pick away the moulds from the rootes for this is the way to kill it quite but to lay fresh moulds to the roots so if a Christian begin to droope the way to recover him is not to withdraw himselfe from the meanes but to apply himselfe to it to pray read meditate heare the word preached and to receive the Sacraments When Iehoram was wounded of the Assyrians he turned into Iezreel to bee healed of his wounds so a Christian must doe when he feeles himselfe to be wounded in his love faith care or in his patience what must hee doe but returne to the use of good meanes to bee healed againe in his love and in his patience and in his grace Thirdly the manner of his sweat and this is declared in these five circumstances first it is said that he did sweat the Philosophers say that all sweating ariseth from too much labour or paine for nature being pressed above her strength doth cause sweating therefore so long as a man doth not exceede the power and ability of his nature hee doth not sweat but when hee is pressed above his strength that makes him sweat Gen. 3. saith the Lord to Adam Thou shalt eate thy bread in the sweat of thy face why did not Adam labour before this Yes but the labour which he had before was a delightfull not a painefull or penall labour so Christ being pressed with the burthen of our snnes and the weight of them this made Him to sweat Christ could have borne the heavinesse of the earth on his backe without sweating but our sinnes did so presse and burthen Him and the weight thereof was so heavy that it made him to sweat It is a wonderous thing that Christ should thus sweat under the burthen of our sinnes and wee goe away and feele nothing well sinne will either cost sweating heere or in hell better it were to sweat for them here where wee may have an end of sweating than in hell where there will be no end Secondly He did sweat blood Philosophers say that a man may not onely sweat water but blood as a man being stung with a serpent but Christ did sweat blood when there was no hand to touch him nothing but the serpent of our sinnes to sting Him The use is for our example that if Christ did sweat blood for our sinnes then our consciences should bleede in the consideration of them I have shewed you heretofore that if a man be slaine bring the partie that killed the dead man into the place where he is and his wounds will bleed afresh againe now we be the men that have slaine Christ therefore when wee come to the
to maladies he will presently open a veine and take away the corrupter blood so God this same skilfull Physitian seeing that abundance of ease wealth and health would doe us hurt many times takes away from us our ease our health our wealth and our worldly comforts so David saith Psalm 119. 71. It is good for mee that I have been afflicted that I might learne thy statutes therefore although a man may be forsaken in the life of nature yet if hee may have the more strength in the life of grace and can feele it so with him or as Paul speakes that although he dieth daily yet his comfort and consolation in God increaseth then it is good for that man to bee thus forsaken of God The second desertion is in the life of grace which consists in the power of the Spirit and in the comfort of the Spirit it is nothing to be forsaken in the life of nature to have our sight or our wealth or our health or ease taken from us if God doe not take away his Spirit but if God doe not onely forsake us in the life of nature but also in the life of grace this is the greatest and the heaviest conflict that may befall a Christian and therefore wee had need pray to God for this that although he forsake us in the life of nature yet that hee would not take away his Spirit and grace from us so David prayeth Psalm 51. Take not away from mee thy holy Spirit as if he should say though thou take away from me my crown my kingdom or my life yet take not away from me thy Spirit so we should pray to God that although he take away from us our health goods wife children or worldly ease yet Lord take not from mee thy Spirit Here wee are to take notice of an errour in the world that if men be forsaken in the life of nature then they complaine but never are mooved when God takes away sanctified graces from them Saul complained when God had forsaken him in the life of nature as 1 Sam. 28. 15. The Philistines make warre against me and God is departed from mee and yet never was moved when the Spirit of the Lord departed from him and an evill spirit from the Lord was sent to trouble him as we may reade 1 Sam. 16. 14. Thus we can complaine when God hath forsaken us in the life of nature but are not troubled when we have lost any sanctified grace therefore howsoever poverty blindnesse of lamenesse be upon us yet let us pray to God as David did Psal 51. that Hee would not take away from us his Spirit and grace Now since we are fallen upon this point how farre forth a Christian may be forsaken in the life of grace wee will proceed in it a little farther for the satisfaction of every mans conscience and therefore chiefly take notice of these two things for the better understanding thereof That there is 1. The comfortable feeling of the Spirit 2. The grace or power of the Spirit For the first God is said to forsake a Christian when he takes away the comfortable feeling of his Spirit thus a Christian may be forsaken when he feeleth not the love and favour of God on him being so cast downe as if he should never be saved yet for that time he may have the power and grace of the Spirit Thus Christ was forsaken in the life of grace that he had no feeling of the Spirit or of Gods favour yet neverthelesse he had the grace and power of the Spirit Wee have many examples in the Scriptures that the people of God have wanted this same sweet feeling of Gods favour we see how David complaines I said in mine haste I am cleane cast out of thy sight So the Church in the Canticles Cant. 5. 7 8. being as it were forsaken went up and downe to seeke Christ yet the Church in that hard time did not want the operation and power of the Spirit though she wanted the sweet feeling therof and the joyfull and delightfull presence of Christ even so a Christian hath not alwayes a like feeling of it but when a man wants it then he must sustaine himselfe by faith as we shall heare hereafter Now if question be made how farre forth God may forsake a true Christian I answer in knowne termes That he doth not forsake totally and finally This I will first prove by certaine grounds secondly I will explaine it and thirdly I will make use of it First I will prove it by these foure grounds The first is drawne from the promise of God There is a promise made Iosh 1. 5. I will not faile thee nor forsake thee this promise made to Ioshua Saint Paul applyes to all the faithfull people of God Heb. 13. Now if God will not forsake his faithfull people then wee may have comfort that God will not forsake us if we be faithfull The second is drawne from the nature of God Now the nature of God is not changed for them whom he loveth he loveth to the end Ioh. 13. 1. And Rom. 11. 28. The gifts and graces of God are without repentance The third is drawne from the power of God 1 Pet. 1. 3. We are kept by the power of God to salvation And Iohn 10. 29. My Father that gave them me is greater than all and none is able to take them out of his hands The fourth is from the vertue of Christs Prayer Ioh. 17. 11. Holy Father keepe through thine owne name those whom thou hast given me So he prayed that Peters faith might not faile him Now as the prayer of Christ sustained and upheld Peter in his fals so it shall uphold and sustaine all the godly in their fals And these be the grounds Now I will explaine the same First that in all the fals of Gods people they fall not totally from grace and goodnesse they fall but in part for as it is 1 Ioh. 3. 9. There is a seed in them a seed and a root of goodnesse and grace remaining in them in all their fals as we see in David when he had fallen grievously Psal 51. Lord saith hee take not thy holy Spirit from me And so in his going astray he cries and cals to God Psal 119. 178. I have gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy servant for I have not forgotten thy Commandements So Matth. 26. 15. when Peter had denied his Master he crept away from the bad company and was not at rest till he had wept bitterly thus we may see that God doth not totally forsake his people And therefore Act. 20. 10. as Paul said of Eutichus when he fell out at the window Trouble not your selves his life is in him So we may say in all the fals of Gods people trouble not your selves nor be discouraged for there is life in them there is the Spirit of grace although men
suffer of good but of bad men divers bee well enough contented to suffer of good men as David Psalm 141. Let the righteous smite me Lord and that shall bee good for me but for drunkards and vile persons to doe it they cannot endure it Oh say some men if they had been good men that had done it it would never have grieved us but to suffer of such bad men as they this trouble us well but we must be contented to suffer of the basest sort wee see sometimes it fals out that a noble man suffers at the hand of a baser man than himselfe to have his head taken off but he knowes that his power is directed by a greater power than his which makes him submit himselfe to suffer so many times a Christian may suffer at the hands of one baser than himselfe but hee must know that the power that he doth it by is directed by a power farre greater than his owne Now that which Christ suffered of men may bee considered in three things 1. His apprehension 2. His arraignement 3. His condemnation In the apprehension of Christ we observe foure things 1. The place where 2. The time when 3. His preparation for it 4. The meanes and manner of it First the place where Christ was apprehended the text saith In the Garden not in the city for there is a specification of the place and that is in the garden Of which there be three Reasons why Christ was apprehended in the garden First because sinne began in the garden the first Adam did begin sinne there that as a learned man saith where the wound began there the medicine might begin also Secondly because the garden was the place where Christ had prayed and meditated in and therefore he would be apprehended there teaching us all herein this most excellent instruction that it is a good thing when death or danger comes that it findes us in the place where we have repented of our sinnes and most constantly walked with God by holy meditation and prayer where we have prayed to God and humbled our selves so Dan. 6. wee see that his accusers did not onely finde him in the place but in the act of prayer this also gave comfort to Saint Paul in his trouble Act. 24. 18. that He was found in the Temple as if hee should say O Lord I thanke thee that I was not found in the place of drunkennesse of dishonesty and prophanenesse but in the Temple the place of prayer When Ioseph and Mary sought for Christ Luke 2. among their kindred they could not finde him there but they sought him in the Temple and there they found him so if any seeke for us it were good that we were found in the Temple in the place of preaching prayer and holy duties but I feare me if some were to be sought for they should not finde them in the Temple nor in the place of prayer but idle at home or a swaggering at the alehouse in places of drunkennesse and prophanenesse when Elias 1 King 19. was come into the cave there came a voyce unto him What dost thou here Elias thou art a Prophet of God this is not a fit place for thee to be in so when men are in prophane places of disorders the Spirit of God comes to them by the motions of it and saith What dost thou here thou art a Christian this is not a fit place for thee to be here therefore as Christ was found in the place of meditation and prayer when hee was apprehended so we should labour to be found when death and danger comes in the place where we have repented of our sinnes and where we have prayed in Thirdly because it was a knowne place to Iudas for Iesus resorted thither with his Disciples to shew that Christ went willingly to his death for if hee had not been willing hee would have gone to some other place more secret at other times hee shunned death but now hee was willing to dye which should teach us that so long as God would have us to live we should be contented to live and when he would have us to dye we should also be contented to dye when wee perceive the houre and the time is I have shewed you heretofore that if a merchant hath sent his servant to trade and traffique beyond the sea so long as his master will have him trade hee trades but when his master will have him pack up all and come away he doth so thus must a Christian doe so long as God will have us to trade here in this world wee should bee contented but when he will have us pack up all and returne we should be contented to doe so too Secondly The time when Christ was apprehended when his houre was come so Ioh. 19. 28. When Iesus knew all things were fulfilled of him addressed himselfe to dye So hee saith Luk. 22. 53. When I was dayly in the Temple yee tooke mee not but this is your houre hee was in danger many times and yet there was none that touched him because his houre was not yet come This is an excellent comfort to a Christian that there is no man can doe him any harme or take away his life till the very time come that God hath appointed So saith David Psal 31. My times are in thy hands as if he should say if they were in the hands of mine enemies then it might come shortly or if they might take me unawares but my time is in thy hands therefore untill our time be come there is no man can doe us any harme though they rage and take on nay all the devils in hell are not able to doe us any hurt or take away our lives till the very houre be come that God hath appointed Thirdly Christs preparation for it he did prepare and strengthen himselfe by prayer and meditation Now as he strengthened and prepared himselfe for his apprehension so wee should prepare our selves for the time of our death for if Christ which was the Sonne of God prepared himselfe much more ought wee for he was strong and full of holy courage and magnanimity wee poore and weake and besides that hee knew the time when hee should die the place where and the manner how but we are ignorant of all First we know not the time when whether in the day or night when we are yong or old whether this yeere or the next Secondly wee know not the place where whether we shall dye amongst our friends or foes whether in the fields or in the house whether on the sea or on the land Thirdly we know not the manner how whether wee shall dye sodainely or of a lingring disease of the plague or of the feaver therefore seeing we know none of these we ought to prepare our selves to repent of our sinnes to get faith patience and obedience so to further our reckoning for if Christ prepared himselfe
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.
18. 32. saith the lord I forgave thee thy debts because thou didst pray me And David Psal 120. 1. I called upon the Lord in the time of my trouble and hee heard me so Psal 11. I love the Lord because hee hath heard my voyce c. This is a great incouragement for a Christian man to pray unto God because prayer shall not want his due fruit but the Lord will heare him and make a supplie of his wants as shall be meet for his glory and our good Secondly to whom he made his promise to a poore penitent Theefe one that was a vile liver This is a sweet comfort and incouragement that Christ will promise heaven to a poore penitent sinner upon his repentance and put him in possession of it All the comforts and commodities in this life all pleasures and delights cannot doe it let the wantons set their minions before them the worldly man his goods the covetous man his money the hatefull man his reuenge and the proud man his fine apparell all these cannot doe it but upon repentance Christ promises heaven and puts us in possession of it nay the kings favour cannot doe it hee may put us in possession of lands and goods while we live here after death he cannot but repentance will put one in possession after death Thirdly what he promised he promised two things 1 Paradise 2 His owne companie First hee promised Paradise there were two Paradises spoken of in Scripture an earthly and an heavenly Paradise now it was not the earthly paradise for that was laid waste many thousands yeeres before Christ was borne but it was the heavenly Paradise of which Paul speaketh 2 Cor. 12. 2. I knew a man in Christ above foureteene yeeres 〈◊〉 whither in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth which was taken up into the third heavens Hence arise two points of instruction First wee may see what a goodly change a Christian makes at the time of death for all the while he liveth here he hangeth on the crosse as the theefe did in trouble and affliction in paines and in sicknesse but when death comes it sets an end of all it takes a man off the crosse it enters a man into heaven therefore a Christian hath no cause to bee afraid of death for if a man be prophane and live in his sinnes he hath cause to be afraid of death because it is an ugly gate to let him into hell but if hee be a man of repentance then death is onely a gate to let him into heaven therefore a Christian hath no cause to bee afraid of it If a King should promise one that if he would come unto him hee would bestow some great office or place upon him if there should bee at the palace gate an ugly and grisly Porter to let him in he would not cast his eye on the ugly porter but upon the Kings palace even so death is as this ugly and grisly porter to let a man into heaven let us not therefore looke upon the ugly face of death but upon heaven the place we are going to We see when Elias was taken up into heaven there came a firy chariot and horses of fire to fetch him and yet he was not afraid because it was the chariot and horses that should carry him to heaven So death though it came like a firy chariot and bring horses of fire with it yet let us not be afraid of it because it is the chariot and horses which shall carry us to heaven The second instruction is That a Christians estate is better than Adams was in the time of his innocencie for he had an earthly Paradise but a Christian shal have an heavenly Paradise therefore seeing we would be contented to take any paines to be put into possession of the earthly Paradise if it were possible how much more then should wee labour and take paines to be put into possession of the heavenly Paradise Secondly He promises him his company that he shall fare no worse than he fares and shall goe where he goes And this is a sweet comfort to a Christian that Christ hath made such a promise that he shall have his company as Iohn 17. 24. Father I will that they which thou hast given mee be with me even where I am that they may behold my glory So Ioh. 14. 3. And if I goe and prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my selfe that where I am there you may be also Therefore let a man labour to be joyned to Christ here in the use of good meanes in the kingdome of grace and he shall be joyned to him in the kingdome of glory he shall goe where Christ goes shall fare as Christ fares and shall bee where Christ is Fourthly The time when he promiseth Paradise and his company This day he would not deferre it for moneths and for yeares but This day Which may teach us that the soules of the faithfull when they die goe into heaven immediately the Papists say that there is a middle place that their soules must go to where they must stay a time til they be throughly purged from their sinnes but this errour is refuted in the example of the Theefe for when he died his soule went into Paradise immediately I but some object and say that this was a speciall priviledge of the theefe and to none other To this I answer that the same priviledge is to every faithfull man as we may see Luke 16. 22. when Lazarus was dead hee was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome into a place of rest and joy And the Rich-man when hee died was carried into hell a place of torment there are but these two places to goe to when a man is dead that the Scripture makes mention of there is no middle place when men die they goe either to Heaven or to Hell for we know that all men that die in the state of repentance goe to heaven they which die impenitent to hell and therefore it is a vaine thing to pray for them for their estates cannot be altered I but is there any hurt to pray for our dead friends I answer if thou knowest not I will tell thee what hurt there is by it it shewes thy infidelity and unbeleefe that thou doest not beleeve the Scriptures I but may I not speake of my dead friends would you have me say nothing of them If thou doest not know what to say of them say as Paul saith of the godly that they are asleepe in the Lord so we see what we may say of our friends that they be now asleepe in the Lord Or as Salomon saith that the remembrance of the just are blessed such an one is of holy remembrance such an one was an holy man The use of this point is seeing after death the godly goe
the fruite will tumble at our feete so the rootes of Christ bee here amongst us in this earth here hee was conceived borne and here he died and rose againe I but the fruit of Christ is in Heaven above our reach but if we touch him by the hand of faith and tongue of praier then all the fruites tumble at our feete This is a great comfort that Christ is ascended to give gifts to men to fill all places with his goodnesse Now as Christs ascension was for the good of the Church and to make men the better for it so every man must make his ascension like to Christs that the Church and the whole countrey may be the better for it And therefore hast thou any ascension from being a meane man Art thou become a gentleman from a meane man a knight from a gentleman or lord c Then make thy ascension like to Christs make the Church the better for it and the countrey where thou dwellest not to take gifts but to give gifts so that the Church and Countrey may have comfort by thine honour and by thine ascension Fifthly Christ ascended To make intercession for us hee did prostrate himselfe in the Garden and upon the crosse in the vale of his flesh for us and now hee is ascended into Heaven to make the Court of Heaven friendly and favourable unto us for we know if we have a matter in the law or a friend on the bench then the court of rigour is turned into a court of favour so seeing we have Christ our friend who is ascended into Heaven to make the Court of Heaven friendly to us wee may bee comforted in that the Court of Iustice is turned into the Court of mercie and the Court of rigor is become a Court of favour Revel 4. 3. wee see the Throne of God was compassed with a Rainbow Now the Rainbow was a token of Gods mercy and of his favor to teach us that that which was a Throne of Iustice now is made by the means of Christ a Throne of mercie and therefore Paul askes the question Rom. 8. 34. Who shall condemne us It is Christ that dyed yea or rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God to make intercession for us Hence therefore let us comfort our selves when we cannot pray yet Christ prayes for us But how doth Christ make intercession for us I answere there bee two kinds of prayer vocall prayer and reall prayer now wee are not to thinke that Christ makes any vocall prayer that hee doth prostitute himselfe at the feet of God as hee did in the garden for this will not stand with the majestie of Christ who is the Iudge of all men and God hath put all judgement into his hands but it is a reall prayer that hee makes and for your apprehension I will shew by a similitude what Reall prayer is Exod. 2. little Moses was put into an Arke and throwne into the water Pharaohs daughter comming downe to wash her saw this Arke and caused it to bee brought her and when she had opened it she saw the childe weepe now the childe spake never a word and yet this weeping of the childe was reall prayer unto her to shew mercy to it so though Christ speake never a word yet the presenting of his body before God is a Reall prayer effected two waies in his intercession First by presenting his pierced sides his nailed hands and feet and his bloody wounds so Christs body doth speake for us when we cannot speake and his blood cries when wee cannot cry for what was it that did uphold Peter in his dangerous fall but the fruite of Christs prayer as wee see Luk. 22. 32. Hee saith unto him I have prayed that thy faith faile not and so it is still the fruit of Christs prayer that doth uphold us in confidence whereof we may say as Christ did to the Woman in the Gospell Some body hath touched me for I feele vertue to goe out of me even so may wee say when we feele strength against sinne and grace increased it comes not by my selfe nor by mine owne vertue but by the intercession of Christ whose blood as Saint Paul Heb. 12. 24. saith speakes better things than the blood of Abel for that cried for vengeance but the blood of Christ for mercy Secondly Christ doth not onely present his owne person but also every faithfull man and woman as Exod. 28. 29. we see when the high Priest went into the holy place hee carried before him the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel so Christ doth not onely present the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel but the particular name of every faithfull man and woman therefore let this be our comfort when wee are dull and cannot pray that Christ is ascended into heaven and presents us dayly before God The unthankefull Butler did not remember Ioseph notwithstanding his kindenesse O but Ioseph did not forget his old Father and his brethren when he was advanced but he saith to Pharaoh Sir I have a poore father and poore brethren in the land of Canaan they are like to be famished they want bread I pray thee sir that I may have chariots to fetch them hither that they may dwell in the best of the land and even so the true Ioseph Iesus Christ remembers us to God saith he Father I have a number of poore servants in the world troubled and afflicted I pray thee send for them and let them enjoy the happinesse I have prepared for them And this is the blessing wee have by the ascension of Christ The second point is the time when Christ ascended laid downe in three circumstances First after he was risen so it is in the order of the Creed he was crucified dead and buried he descended into hell the third day he rose againe from the dead and then he ascended into heaven which must teach us that we must never looke to ascend to heaven till we be risen for as Christ rose out of the grave before he ascended so we must rise out of the grave of our sins and corruptions before we ascend therfore Saint Iohn saith Rev. 20. 6. Blessed are they that have their part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power now there be two resurrections there is the rising of the soule out of sin in this life to newnesse and holinesse of life and the rising of the body at the day of judgement to immortality and everlasting life therefore whosoever thou bee that dost not labour to rise in thy soule out of the grave of thy sinnes to rise I say to repentance and a turning to God in the care of an holy life then thy body shall not bee raised to immortality and life everlasting but if thou labour to rise out of thy grave of sinne and wickednesse to
seede that is the thornes sucke and draw away the heart of the ground that the good seede cannot thrive and prosper so the cares for the things of this life and about our worldly businesse doe sucke away the heart of the Spirit Fourthly by negligence for if we doe not stir up the fire lay the brands together and blow it it will quench and goe out so if men be negligent and doe not stirre up the graces of God that are in them and lay as it were the brands together and blow them the Spirit of God wil quench in them Therefore the Apostle exhorts 2 Tim. 1. 6. To stirre up the gift of God in him Origen Hom. 15. saith if God should kindle a fire to heat thee and it were like to goe out wouldst not thou lay the brands together stirre it up and so nourish it so God hath kindled a fire in our hearts by his Spirit therefore wee must not through negligence let it dye and goe out but stirre up the graces of God that are in us that they do not quench these be the foure meanes that will quench the spirit therefore corrupt nature is the greatest enemy to the graces of God in us that can be Chrysostome saith well No man hath any hurt but it is in himselfe in this case all the hurt that the spirit of God hath in us is by our selves by our earthlinesse and by neglecting of good things and for want of stirring up the graces of God that be in us The second conclusion is That a man may have common graces of the spirit such as are common to good and bad to the Elect and reprobate these a man may lose as first a man may be inlightned and indued with Heavenly knowledge and talke wisely of high points and yet he may lose this because this is a common grace as Heb. 6. 4. there were some that were inlightned and had tasted of the good Word of God and of the power of the world to come who neverthelesse may yet fall away Secondly there may bee a feeling of good things a man may have a desire to be saved and to behold God in glory as Balaam had Num 23. a man may lose these because they be common graces therefore it is a good observation of one That the wicked may taste of the Heavenly power and of the good Word of God but these bee not the things they live by as a Cooke that dresses a dinner hee may taste of the meate and licke his fingers but it is not that he liveth by he liveth by somewhat else so a reprobate may taste of the good Word of God and have feeling of good things as quietnesse of conscience and other of Gods favours and yet neverthelesse he shall not be saved thereby they shall not bee able to bring him to life everlasting Thirdly a man may have restraining grace and be restrained from a number of sinnes or a man may have the spirit of governement as Saul had and yet hee may lose it as we see 1 Sam. 10. 14. The Spirit of God departed from Saul so a man may bee fitted for a calling and discharge it wisely and yet may lose this because it is a common grace for all common graces a man may lose The third conclusion is That there be peculiar graces proper to Gods elect these shall never be lost as Regeneration Sanctification and Iustification which may comfort a Christian who though hee may lose his wife and children his goods and life yet if he hath the spirit of God hee cannot lose that and there is foure grounds for it The first is the promise of God as that Psal 89. 30 31. saith God But if his children forsake my Law and walke not in my judgements if they breake my Statutes and keepe not my commandements then will I visite their transgression with the rod and their iniquitie with strokes yet my loving kindnesse will I not take from him c. The second is the Power of God as 1 Pet. 1. 5. saith the Apostle of the Faithfull which are kept by the power of God through Faith to Salvation The third is the Prayer of Christ Iohn 17. 20. I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve in me through their Word so then this prayer of Christ was not onely effectuall for Peter and for the rest of the Apostles but also effectuall for all the Elect people of God The fourth is the nature of the Spirit which is alwayes as a seede remaining in them 1 Iohn 3. 9. so Christ saith Iohn 4. that the water which he should give them should be a Well of water springing up to Eternall life All these foure grounds doe confirme unto us that if a Man hath received the grace of God proper to the Elect hee shall never lose it totally nor finally and therefore this conclusion stands good though a man may lose common graces yet he shall not lose them which are proper to the Elect. Yet lest any man should presume let mee tell you first though such a one cannot lose the spirit yet he may lose the measure of the spirit and be brought to a low ebbe in himselfe there may be a shrewd abatement of this grace as Revel 2. Christ saith to the Church of Ephesus Remember from whence thou art fallen why the Church was not fallen from an estate of grace but it was fallen from a great measure of grace to a lesser from a great degree of it from a great measure of Care Love Faith Repentance and Zeale so a Christian though hee bee not quite deprived of the Spirit and have a totall losse thereof yet may want of the measure may finde a great abatement of it in himselfe Secondly A man may lose the comfort of the Spirit though he cannot lose the Spirit yet he may bring himselfe into a poore case by his sins that he may have as little feeling of the spirit and comfort as if hee had no presence of the Spirit as a man may have joynts but they may bee so benumbed with cold as a man cannot feele nor have use of them so a man may have the spirit and yet may be so benumbed with sinne that he may have no more feeling of the spirit nor comfort than if hee had not the spirit Thirdly A man may have the Spirit and yet may lose the working and operation thereof he may be overruled by the flesh as a man may have life in him in a dead sound and yet no operations so a man may have the Spirit and yet he may want the operations and workings of it this is the greatest extremitie that a Christian can be in Fourthly Though a man may lose the feeling of the Spirit the comfort operations and workings thereof yet it is but for a little time
1. In Exhortation 2. In Admonition and good Counsell 3. In Consolation 4. In Mutuall Prayer First In exhortation for the People of God must exhort one another to feare God and to make conscience of every holy dutie commanded as Heb. 3. 13. saith S. Paul Exhort one another dayly whilest it is called to day c. so Heb. 11. 24. Let us exhort one another to provoke one another to love and good works So it is not enough for a man to bring himselfe on in Religion but he must stirre up the care of other as Zech. 4. 2. the Prophet saw a vision of a golden Candlestick with a boule on the top of it and seven Lampes thereon with seven Pipes to the Lampes which were on the top thereof and two O live trees right over it to drop down fatnesse to nourish the lights with so every Christian is a shining Lampe and wee must bee as Olive trees to drop down fatnesse or oyle into the heart of our brother to nourish the light of God that is in him therefore it is woefull thing to see that men doe neglect this dutie that they doe not exhort one another and yet meet many times in the weeke and on the Sabboth day and passe away the time with a deale of idle talke and let this dutie slip so that they cannot say as the Disciples said did not our hearts burne when wee talked with such a man Secondly Admonition and good counsell when they bee fallen so to recover and restore them againe as Gal. 6. saith S. Paul Brethren if any man bee fallen by any occasion into any fault yee which are spirituall restore such a one with the Spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe lest thou also bee tempted The word in the originall is a metaphor taken from a Surgeon that is to set a joint who useth it with great tendernesse to bring it to his right place so wee must doe when wee see our brethren fallen into any fault use them gently to restore them againe and wee must labour to recover them with the Spirit of meeknesse considering lest wee also bee tempted It is not the manner of the world to doe so but they make table-talke of it and speak to the disgrace of others but wee must consider that wee our selves may bee overtaken and therefore as wee would have others to deale in meeknesse and love with us when we are fallen so we must doe to our brethren We see in a shipwrack that those that escape and get to the shore first get up to the top of a high tower mountaine or rocke and hang out lights and Lanthornes that so they may direct the rest of their company to the same harbour So wee must doe when we have suffered shipwrack in our consciences and are recovered againe wee must hang out as it were lights and lanthornes advise and admonish others and give them good counsell that so wee may bring them to the same harbour that wee are arrived at Thirdly wee owe to our brethren Christian consolation and mutuall comfort because that ordinarily the crosse doth follow them and accompany the people of God for if a man be a sincere Professour of the Gospell through the malice of the Devill and the furie of the world alwayes the crosse doth accompany him and therefore the brethren had need to comfort them as 1 Thes 4. 18. saith S. Paul Wherefore comfort your selves with these words and Prov. 31. 6. it is said Give yee strong drinke unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto him that hath griefe of heart As in a sick family where they are given to fainting they have bottles of Aquavitae and Rosasolis to refresh and comfort them so the Church of God is a sick family and therefore must have bottles of Aquavitae and Rosasolis to comfort and to cheare them that is wee must have comfortable words to cheare and refresh them but wee see Iob 6. 14. Hee complaines of this saith hee Hee that is in miserie ought to bee comforted of his neighbours but men have forsaken the feare of the Almightie so David complaines Psal 69. 20. Reproch hath broken my heart and I am full of heavinesse and I looked for some to have pitie on mee but there was none and to comfort mee but I found none Therefore wee must take heede that this bee not laid against us at the day of judgement Fourthly Mutuall Prayer to pray for one another as Iames 5. 16. it is said Pray one for another so that the Prayers of the Saints are for the common good of the whole bodie of them this is a great comfort to be one of the people of God in the time of danger and temptation for one cannot bee the least member of the Communion of Saints but he shall have his part and portion in all the Prayers of the Saints Wee see in one Countrie there are divers shippes goe to the Sea some traffique in one thing and some in another some for gold and silver some for other commodities but all such as they bring home is for the common good of the whole countrie So the Prayers of the Saints are like unto a number of ships that goe to Sea some of whom make request for this thing and some for that but whatsoever they bring home all tends to the common good of all the bodie Fourthly the Communion of the Saints consists in Communicating of Riches and goods to one another Gal. 6. 10. it is said while you have time doe good to all especially to the houshold of faith so Hebr. 13. 16. To doe good and distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased so also 2 Cor. 8. 7. Therefore as you abound in every thing in faith and utterance knowledge and in all diligence and in your love towards us see that yee abound in this grace also There is no one dutie that men come more short in than in this men are contented to pray and advise others but this they sticke at they cannot bee contented to communicate of their goods to them neither can they abide to part with any of their Riches this they stick at But Matth. 2. 11. wee see the wise men came to worship Christ and presented to him gifts gold frankincense and myrrhe They did not onely worship him but did also impart to him of their treasure and goods It is the manner of the world that they can bee contented to worship Christ but they will not let any thing come from them to refresh the Saints they will not part with any of their goods to them Augustine saith well It is not meet that in a Christian commonwealth one should surfet and another starve that one should live in plentie and another in want for wee have all one master and are redeemed with one bloud we came into the world all after one sort and
Spirit attends the Ministery of his Word 345. The authoritie of the Ministery is to forgive sinnes 346. All true Ministers are sent to Seeke that which was lost Call sinners to repentance Preach deliverance to the captives 342. Why meâ—tion is made of Christs sufferings and not of his miracles 145. †Money ill come by will one day lie heavie on the conscience 184. †Mortification wherein it consist 503. ¶ How Moses may bee said to accuse us 554. ¶ Why Christ dranke myrth mingled with wine 217. ¶ The mystery of God spoken of Revel 10. 7. the end of the world 251. ¶ N REverence due to the Name of God 208. ¶ We are naturally naked in the sight of God 222. †A good nature no signe of grace 494. Nature hardly restrained by grace 516. * Christ tooke on him both the whole Nature of man as soule and body and the infirmities thereof 102. Christ tooke on him such infirmities of mans nature as were not sinnefull but unblameable passions and those not personall but common to all men 102. ¶ Christ tooke the infirmities of mans nature 1. For satisfaction sake 2. To strengthen faith in the incarnation 3. For our example 4. To compassionate us 103. c. Christ tooke mans nature inregard of Necessitie Equitie Fitnesse 103. ¶ The ends why he tooke it are to Redeeme man Restore the lost Image of God in man Advance mans nature Make it dreadfull to the divel Declare thereby the Wisedome Goodnesse Iustice Power of God 164. Mans nature and sinne hardly parted but by the power of the holy Ghost 107. †Impossibilities to a naturall man 511. * Better not to speake at all than ill of our neighbours 195. ¶ We may not hurt our neighbours though it be in our powers 200. * Noah left all to save his soule 38. Christs words Noliâ—e tangere 312. ¶ God is able to make a man somewhat when he is nothing 66. ¶ O THe marvellous obduration of the Iewes 185. Obedience due to God that Made Can destroy Disposes all things 64 65 Obedience due to Christ as Lord. 97. ¶ A man that hath nothing to offer to God must offer his sinnes 137. ¶ The threefold office of Christ 83. Oile of gladnesse why so called 81. ¶ Difference in opinions hath beene in all ages 283. †The danger of letting slip an opportunitie 348. Christ over-heares every word wee speake 351. P THe Papists feare the Popes curse more than Gods 467. †Christ borne of meane Parentage to Sanctifie the meanest births Pull downe the pride of the world Teach us contentment Declare the greatnesse of Gods love 111. Christs care extends not onely to all in generall but to every one in particular 347. We must beleeve in particular 77. * Christ the true paschall Lambe 266. 268. ¶ Christs Passion two-fold of Necessitie Arbitrary this he Vnderwent Refused 218. No perfect peace on earth whilst the Church is Militant 531. * Christ brings peace whithersoever he comes 339. ¶ True peace of conscience is only to be sought in the death of Christ 340. Gods People are sensible of their owne wants 248. ¶ Perseverance obtaines the Crowne 255. ¶ Why Peter girt his coat unto him when hee cast himselfe into the Sea and swim to Christ 627. Philip of Macedonia his dayly memento 407. ¶ God as a Physitian gives his people such a potion as shall free them from all diseases 641. ¶ Pilate sought to cleare Christ 197. ¶ Pilate laboured to deliver Christ Loquendo Mittendo Iungendo Flagellando 200. Of Pilates labouring to deliver Christ 205. In foure respects we must be Pilgrims here 40. The places of trouble God will make places of comfort 360. What to plead against Satan 152. Wee ought to remember death in the midst of all our pleasures 279. ¶ Neglect of the poore a great sinne 475. Christ the poore mans portion 121. ¶ Christ not to bee despised for his povertie 137. * What Christ prayed for in the Garden 160. * Christ prayed for his enemies 225. Prayer is seede sowne in Gods eares and heart 488. †As Christs so our prayers must be limited to Gods good will 160. The stronger conflicts the more earnest our prayers 161. ¶ Prayer should take place where admonition will not 227. †Ground of prayer 240. * Hearty prayer shall not want its due fruit 242. * Praising of God must follow holy Services 127. ¶ Preparation to Heaven illustrated by a Simile of a Traveller 447. †A personall precept bindes not every man 492. ¶ No man must prescribe conditions to God 349. †Wee must labour to bee in the presence of Christ 98. * A twofold presence of God 1. Generall to sustaine us in the life of Nature 2. Particular to assist us in the life of Glory 170. 465. Christ a Priest to Reconcile us to God Intercede for us 84 c. The longer we live here the neerer we draw to the accomplishment of Gods Promises 114. †God 's Promises accomplished in the fulnesse of time 113. Patient waiting for Gods promises commended 114. * Christ a Prophet to declare the will of God 83. The soule goes not to Purgatory or a middle place 604. Q HOw the Spirit is quenched 516. R AS the Rechabites observed their father Ionadab so wee must observe and obey God 54. * Reconciliation to God is by Christ 152. * Our reconciliation to God cost Christ thick blood 163. †Our reconciliation no easie thing 212. †The difficultie of recovering out of sinne if long lyen in 350. ¶ The worke of redemption greater than of creation 68. ¶ The great and long labour of our redemption 253. * The consummation of our redemption in the words It is finished 251. †The power of grace in the heart makes Gods people to rejoyce 136. ¶ T is nothing to be religious if not just withall 139. ¶ Two remembrances of God in Iudgement Mercie 241. †Repentance cannot save without faith for three reasons 1. 2. Repentance Fruitfull only in this Vnfruitfull or penall in the other life 609. ¶ Defects in unsound repentance as in Ahab c. 497. The danger of late repentance 235. No repentance in Hell 285. †Christ alwaies comes to repentant sinners 306. †No resisting Christ the Lord of the world 96. ¶ Of the resurrection of the body 623. Reasons proving it drawne from the Power Iustice Mercie End of Christs comming Resurrection of Christ of God 623. Objections of Atheists against the resurrection answered 625. The glory of the body at the resurrection consists in 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Intirenesse of parts 638. Beauty and lovelinesse 639. Brightnesse and splendor ibid. Immortalitie and immutabilitie 640. Spiritualitie 642. Power 643. Of Christs resurrection 292. Christs resurrection of necessity to Assure us of pardon of sinnes Apply salvation Assure our resurrection out of the Grave Trouble 292. c. The companions of Christs resurrection 300. The manifestation of Christs resurrection 304. Reasons that wee
Fourthly the end of their iourney Three motione or reasons to seeke Christ 1 Simile 2 3 Simile Fifthly what mooved the Wisemen to seeke Christ 4 Simile Vse 1. 1 Quest sol SER. XII Two discouragements of the wisemen in seeking Christ 1 Observe Simile Simile 1 2 Simile 1 2 Object Sol. Rom. 6. 13. 3 Simile First Hee was man Secondly a Devout man Luk. 2. 25. Thirdly he waited for the Consolation of Israel 2 1 Thirdly the effects of Simeons manifestation of Christ 1 Simile 3 1 Simile 2 Simile 3 2 4 Simile SER. XIII Quest Sol. ARTI III. First the necessity of Christs Sufferings 1 Necessitas Precii Simile 2 Necessitas exempli Secondly who it was that suffered Vse 1. Simile Quest. Sol. Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile Thirdly for whom be suffered Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Simile Fourthly the â—nd why Christ suffered The generall end of his death 1 Object Sol. 2 Heb. 9. 12. 3 Simile The particular end of his death First to reconcile us Simile Plead against Satan Secondly to abolish sinne Simile Fifthly of whom Christ suffered Sixthly what Christ suffered 1 Affliction the curse of our sins wrought in Christ Two causes of Christs Feare 1 2 1 Causes of Feare Simile Simile 2 Cause of Christs Feare Simile Simile 2 Affliction of Christ. 1 Three causes of Christs Sorrow Vse 1. Simile 2 Simile Simile Simile 3 Affliction of Christ Vse 1. Simile SER. XIV Vse 2. Vse 3. Two reasons why sinne seemes so light 1 Simile 2 Simile 3 Simile First what Christ Praied for Simile Simile Secondly the limitation of his Prayer Thirdly the effects of Christs Afflictions First the procuring Cause Sin Secondly the carriage of Christ Simile Simile 2 King 8. 29. First He did sweat Secondly blood Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. 3 Thicke bloud Heb. 12. 1. Iob 15. 16. 4 It ran thorow his garments Simile Simile 5 It ran on the ground Simile Simile The second thing Christ suffered from God on the Crosse 1 Sam 28. 15. The first cause 1 The manner of it Vse Simile Simile The second cause of it Reason 1. Simile Reason 2. Simile Simile Simile 3 The end of the Darknesse Simile 2 The effect of Christs suffering on the Crosse 1 SER. XV. Simile Quest Sol. 2 3 Two times the devill tempts busily Simile 2 First what it is to be forsaken 1 Vse 2. Secondly how farre forth God forsaken 1 Simile The second desertion Simile How farre forth one may be forsaken in the life of grace Quest Sol. 1 Foure grounds proving that a Christian or a true beleever is neither totally nor finally forsaken of God 2 3 4 1 They fall in part Simile 2 He fals not finally Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile 3 Why God forsakes his people 4 How we should carry our selves being forsaken First mournefully Secondly patiently Simile Thirdly hâ—lily Simile Secondly what Christ suffered of men Three reasons to enable us to suffer from men 1 2 3 Simile Simile First the place where 2 Simile Simile 3 Simile Secondly the time when Thirdly the preparation for it Fourthly the meanes and manner Simile Simile SER. XVI The second thing what did moove Judas to betray Christ First the merchant Simile 2 The Chapman 3 The Ware sold 1 2 3 4 5 4 The Price Distinction of Shekels 1 2 3 The Manner 4 The Issue and event 1 2 Simile Simile Simile First in his taking two things 1 The Iewes obduration Secondly a meditation of the last Iudgement 1 2 3 Simile Simile 2 The binding of Christ three reasons of it in regard of mans intention First for paine and punishment Secondly for the more security Thirdly to put the more disgrace upon Him Secondly Hee was bound in regard of God for three causes 1 2 3 First the chaine of condemnation Simile Simile Secondly the chaine of corruption Simile Simile Thirdly Christs leading away 1 The Person 1 A Young man Simile 2 2 The declaration of his Love 1 2 1 2 3 3 The souldiers rage Matth. 7. 4 His escape Simile 1 SERM. XVII Before whom he was Arraigned Secondly the causes why Christ was arraigned 1 2 3 Iob 9. 20. Thirdly the manner of his arraignment Foure testimonies of Christs innocencie First his concealement Secondly his defence 2 3 4 1 2 Simile Simile First how often Pilate sought to deliver Christ. The first time 1 2 Simile 1 King 10. 8. The second time Proverbs The third time The fourth time 2 The meanes used to deliver Christ Quest 1. 2 Ans 1. Ans 2. 1 By speaking for Him Simile 2 By sending Him to Herod Simile Thirdly by ioyning Christ with Barabbas Simile Simile Fourthly by whipping of him Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Thirdly what made Pilate so stand for Christ. First his owne conscience Simile Simile Secondly the admonition of his wife First who sent the message Secondly when it was sent Thirdly the message Simile Fourthly the reason and cause SERM. XVIII Vse Simile 2 3 Simile 3 The strange silence of Christ Simile 4 Christs protestation 5 Christs Commination 4 What made Pilate to condemne Christ 1 The importunitie of the Iewes Simile Simile Simile 2 Feare to lose Caesars favour SERM. XIX The first thing Christ must die the death of the Crosse for foure reasons 1 Because it was onely accursed 2 Because it was a shamefulâ— death 3 Because it was one of the painefullest dâ—aths Reasons 4. 1 2 3 4 Vses 2. 1 2 Why Christ dyed not an ordinary death 4 1 2 The second point how Christ was led to bee crucified 1 In his owne garments Vse 1. Simile 2 2 They laid his Crosse upon him 1 2 3 Simile Iob. 6. 14. The third thing where Christ was crucified 1 Without the Gate Three Reasons why Christ suffered without the Gate 1 Simile Simile Simile 3 Simile Simile 2 In Golgotha SERM. XX 2 Simile Fourthly the manner of Christs crucifiing Matth. 27. 34. Mark 15. 25. Quest. Why Christ refused the bitter cup. 1 Sol. Division of Passion twofold Simile 2 Simile Fifthly the crucifying of Christ 1 2 3 4 5 Vse 1. Simile Simile Simile Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Of the stripping of Christ Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Next crucified betwint two theeves 1 2 Five falsehoods of popish Crucifixes 1 2 3 4 5 Fiftly Christs Behaviour on the crosse Simile Simile The seven last words of Christ upon the crosse The first word of Christ on the crosse First for whom Christ prayed 1 Simile Simile Five Considerations to move us to love our enemies 2 Simile 3 Simile 4 Simile 5 Simile The second Lesson Quest. Sol. Simile Simile 2 What Christ prayes for 3 When hee prayed for them 1 Simile 2 1 Of Compassion 2 Of Extenuation SER. XXI 1 Occasion of the speech First a Morall Simile Secondly a Spirituall use Simile 2 The Speech it selfe 1 2 1 Object Sol. 2 3 Order of our Duty Simile 4 Simile Object Ans Simile Secondly the time when he spake Simile Heb. 11. 21.