Lord. This then we see is a fearefull and lamentable corruption of our natures that wee soone fall into sinne but when we be fallen wee have no minde to recover nor turne backe againe till Christ bring us backe as appeares plainely Luk. 22. 60. When Peter had denied Christ his Master hee ranne further into sinne till Christ cast a gratious eye on him even so when wee sinne against God we shall goe further and further till hee cast a gratious eye on us Now the reason why Christ came not till the eighth day are chiefly these two following First to sanctifie this day as the Christian Sabbath and to dedicate it here wee may observe they had not a word of Christ all the dayes of the weeke besides but when the eight day came then Christ did appeare to them which may teach us to walke in the strength of that we get one Sabbath till the next for it may bee wee shall not heare a word of Christ till the next Sabboth therefore it must bee our wisedome to get so much at one baite as may serve to carrie us to another even as Travellers will so refresh themselves at one time as that it may carry them to the next baiting place so seeing we have a long journey to goe wee must so refresh our selves on the Sabbath as that it may comfortably carry us to the next Lords day Secondly to teach us that although wee cannot keepe our Easter with Christ and his Disciples the first day yet we should labour to keepe it with Thomas the eighth day that is if we cannot be of the first ranke of beleevers yet let us labour to be of the second ranke as Numb 9. 6. There were certain men that were defiled with a dead man so as they might not eate of the Passeover the same day therefore they came to Moses for resolution he referres the matter to God and the Lord answeres them that he that could not take it the first moneth in the season must take it the second Moneth so if we cannot bee of the first ranke of beleevers Let us labour to bee of the second ranke if not of the second then let us labour to bee of the third ranke if not of the third rather than to be of none let us labour to be of the last as Math. 20. the laborers that were sent into the vineyard some came in at the first houre some at the fourth and some at the eleventh houre so if wee cannot bee of the first ranke of those that beleeve and repent them of their sinnes yet let us labour to bee of the second sort nay to come into an estate of grace though it be in the last houre The third thing is The manner that he appeared in it was in the same sort as he did appeare before for he came in When the Doores were shut and stood â—â—ngst them and said Peace bee unto you and shewed them his hands and feete But why did Christ appeare in this manner There were two reasons of it First To confirme the faith of the Disciples for no doubt they had told to Thomas before how Christ was risen and had appeared to them before and therefore Christ comes in the same manner to confirme their faith Secondly Because Thomas had said in a private meeting that hee would not beleeve unlesse he did see therefore Christ answered him in his owne words and speeches which may teach us that Christ overheares us every word we speake in our private houses in our chambers when wee speake of this friend and that of this body and that and will relate them at the day of judgement even the same words we speake therefore every man must be carefull of his speech and of his words that he doe not speake filthy or idle words for at the day of judgement Christ will repeat them all againe as Hosea 7. 2. saith the Lord And they considered not in their hearts that I remembred all their wickednesse this is the reason why men run into sinne and wickednesse because they doe not consider that God remembers it for if they did then they would not doe as they doe they would not speake a word or thinke a thought contrary to Gods will Thomas indeede was much too blame to prescribe such a law to Christ and yet notwithstanding such was the goodnesse and mercy of Christ that he yeelds to his weaknesse And why doth Christ yeeld to him Because he did see there was a desire in him to beleeve and repent therefore Christ yeelds to him and his weaknesse Hence we may learne that such is the goodnesse and mercie of Christ to sinnefull men that notwithstanding they prescribe unjust and unequall lawes as Thomas did yet he will yeeld to their weaknesse if they have a true desire to beleeve So Marke 5. 23. It is said The Ruler of the Synagogue came unto Christ and besought him that hee would come and lay his hands upon his daughter and heale her where hee prescribed a kinde of law in thinking that unlesse hee would come to her he could not helpe her and if shee were dead hee could not give her life againe yet notwithstanding Christ condescends and yeelds to his weaknesse and goeth and helpeth his daughter This is the goodnesse and mercy of Christ to yeeld to our weaknesse Now here are two questions to bee answered First Whether there bee any wounds in a glorified body or no seeing Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. 43. That it is sowne in dishonour it riseth againe in honour it is sowne in weaknesse and it riseth in power I answer that commonly and ordinarily there is no wounds nor scars in a glorified body for as there is glory in one part so there is glory in all the parts as Tertullian saith of death that it is not in one part but in all so saith he there is not glory in one part but there is glory in every part and therefore commonly and ordinarily a glorified body hath no wounds but that Christs body had wounds in it it was by speciall dispensation for our good and benefit that wee might have faith in the resurrection of Christ for hee was contented for our good and benefit to abate of his glory this should teach us that wee should be content to abate of our glory for the good of our brethren and it is not mine but the lesson which S. Paul teacheth us Phil. 2. 5. Let the same minde be in you that was in Christ who humbled himselfe and became obedient to the death of the crosse for our good therefore wee should bee contented to humble our selves and to doe good to our brethren The second question is why hee would have his Disciples to looke on his wounds I answer to shew them where the comfort of a Christian was not in Christs walking on the water or raising of the dead or casting out of devils or
Then all the Churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the reines and hearts Thirdly he was apprehended to temporall paines but the wicked shall be taken to eternall torments as it is said Marke 9. the worme that never dieth there shall be no end of their torments And this shall be the fearfull apprehension of the wicked at the day of Iudgement wherefore as the Apostle Saint Paul 2 Cor. 5. 11. saith Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men c. So say I knowing of this fearefull apprehension of the wicked at the last day of Iudgement we perswade men to repent them of their sins and to please God that So they may avoid it If a man heare that the Kings Writ is comming out against him to arrest and carry him away to prison hee would surely make friends to stay the Processe and Writ so when we heare to know that there is a Writ against us from heaven to come upon us we must labour to stop it and send up our prayers to God to stay his judgements that so we be not farther vexed with them thus the taking of Christ should put us in minde of the fearefull taking of the wicked at the day of Iudgement The second was the binding of Christ one would not thinke that the Iewes would have bound him seeing he was so willing to be taken that he offered himselfe yet there be divers reasons thereof in regard of the Intention both of Man and of God and first in regard of the Intention of man I will give you these three reasons 1. For paine and punishment 2. For caution and securitie 3. To put the more shame and disgrace upon him First it was for Paine and punishment so Paul in his persecution bound them that called upon the Name of the Lord it was for punishment and for paine and so Christ was bound in regard of both Most thinke they can never be too harsh to Christ and to his members and never tender enough to themselves and to others but these shall bee put to all the paines So we see Psal 105. 18. it is said that Iosephs feet was in the stocks and the irons entered into his soule that is they entered into his live-flesh so Heb. 11. it is said of the faithfull that some of them were sawne in sunder some racked some were stoned and put to the greatest extremity that might bee Theeves and murtherers and vile persons can finde favour and mercy but Christ and his members can finde none at the hands of the world Secondly it was for caution sake and security because they would hinder him in his flight and so keepe him safe for this cause Peter Act. 12. had chaines laid upon him to abate his force that he should not hurt or resist them and so Sampson was bound now none of these reasons could move the Iewes to binde Christ for though he might have escaped yet he came and did offer himselfe and when they were downe on the ground Christ might have escaped and would not therefore there was no cause of feare but this is the property of a bad conscience to be afraid when there is no cause of feare especially of Christ and his servants Thirdly it was to put the greater disgrace and shame upon him therefore seeing Christ was content to have disgrace and shame put upon him for us we should be contented to suffer the like for him and for holy Religion now seeing Christ was contented to have disgrace and shame put upon him for us though he was God and wee men he the Creator and we the creatures hee our Lord and we his servants hee holy and we unholy therefore let us be contented to be ashamed and disgraced for him saith the Apostle Paul I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ c. So let every one of us say I am not ashamed of Christian and holy Religion And these be the Reasons why Christ was bound in regard of men Now as Christ was bound in regard of men so hee was bound in regard of Gods intention and that for three causes first To sanctifie the bounds of his servants that if any should suffer for his cause or for Religion his bands might bee sanctified to them if wee suffer with Christ then our sufferings become the sufferings of Christ he sitteth at one end of the ballance and we at the other Act. 26. saith the Apostle for the hopes sake of Israel I am bound with this chaine And Phil. 1. 13. So that my hands in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places This may give comfort to man in bonds and in affliction that by the meanes of Christs bonds they are sanctified to him this is the first cause why Christ was bound in regard of Gods Intention Secondly To teach us the desert of our sinnes for as Christ was bound and fettered for us so wee deserved to bee bound with the chaines of eternall condemnation and to be led away that we should never see God Esai 53. 5. saith the Prophet The chastisements of our peace was upon him he stood in our roome and place and therefore looke how the Iewes tied and bound Christ so we deserve to be tyed and bound with the chaines of darknesse for ever wee see how many a man goes jesting up and downe and does not consider how Christ was bound and chained but know thou whosoever thou art this is thy desert for sinne if God should draw out the arme of his justice against thee and give thee thy due deserving punishment It is the speech of the holy man Ieremie It is the Lords mercy that we are not all consumed it is his mercy that we have a house to put our heads in a bed to lye in one bit of bread to eate Thirdly Christ was bound that wee might be loosed his binding is our loosing for he was in our roome and place now in that Christ hath suffered and was bound for us wee are freed the old debt cannot be required of us for as the Lawyers say if the debt bee paid of the surety in good dealing it cannot bee required againe Now there bee two kinds of chaines that Christ doth free us from 1. The Chaine of Condemnation 2. The Chaine of Corruption First the chaine of condemnation for as Divines say the guilt of sinne is the binding of a man to answer at Gods judgement barre for it and therfore every sin that a man committeth is a spirituall chaine to binde him to answer for it and as poore prisoners goe bound in fetters and chaines to answer at the sessions so a man goes bound in chaines by his sinnes to answer at Gods judgement seate Now by Christ wee are freed from these chaines so soone as wee are converted and lay hold on Christ as Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to those
espie a leake in the ship how affraid would hee bee to adventure his goods this were but to hazard goods but if a man hath a fault in his Faith hee doth not adventure his goods and hazard them but hee doth hazard his soule And therefore take heed thou bee not deceived with a false Faith a poore man may dwell in his house all Summer and may thinke hee is as well as they that dwell in a better house but when Winter comes and it raines into his house in twenty places so as hee cannot bee at rest in it then hee seeth his error so a man thinkes himselfe as well that hath but a counterfeit as he that hath a true Faith all the summer time of his life but when the winter death and the judgement day comes then hee shall see his error and therefore let us labour that wee may have true Faith whiles wee live heere lest wee be condemned then Now the next thing we are to handle by order course is the degrees of Faith There is not only one measure and degree but there be diverse degrees of it the two Cherubines in the temple were all of one size and measure but there be diverse degrees thereof according to the severall growths of Faith now there are three degrees of it first Weake Faith Secondly strong Faith Thirdly full assurance of Faith So the Apostle 1 Ioh. 2. 12. shews the three degrees of it according to the three ages of men by babes young men and by old men by babes weake Faith by young men strong Faith by old men the full assurance of Faith Now weake Faith is accompanied with much wandering and doubting and yet there must bee in it an apprehension of the promise made unto us in Christ but it is so accompanied with wandering and doubting that sometimes it cannot tell whether it doe or no even like the smoaking flaxe that lieth smoaking and paddering that it cannot bee discerned whether there bee any fire or no but by the smoaking so there may be such weake apprehension of the promises of God made unto us in Christ that wee can hardly discerne whether there bee any Faith or no. I but there is weaknesse in all even in the strongest I answer there is great difference betweene a strong man weakened by sicknesse and the weakenesse of a child so there is a great difference betweene the Faith of a strong Christian weakened by sinne and the weakenesse of Faith in a new beginner a childe in religion and of this weaknesse there bee two reasons first weaknesse of judgement Secondly weaknesse of apprehension First weaknesse in judgement so wee see the disciples of Christ how weake their judgement was in regard of knowledge that they did not beleeve one of the articles of Faith they did not beleeve the resurrection of the dead the Evangelist Marke shewes and so likewise in Iohn 4. how weake the Faith of the Samaritane in regard of her knowledge and so of Rahab her faith was weake in judgement for she had heard of the wonders that were done in Egypt and had a desire to bee joyned to the people of God and this is the weake Faith that is here spoken of Rom. 14. 10. The second is weaknesse in apprehension of the promises of God that it is not able to apply Christ unto it selfe one would doe it but hee cannot hee beleeves there is a pardon for his sinnes if hee could apply Christ and yet he cannot doe it so we see Iohn 20. what a long time it was ere Thomas could apply Christ to him and say hee was his Lord and his God so it is long ere a Christian can apply the promises of Christ unto himselfe Now this is weake Faith and this weaknesse of Faith is in all beleevers beginnes in weaknesse and therefore none ought to bee discouraged although they cannot apply Christ to themselves because weaknesse of Faith is in all and if thou be stronger in Faith than thy brother doe not exclude or discourage him but labour by all meanes to nourish and to strengthen it so the Apostle saith him that is weake in the Faith receive unto thee and so likewise Zecharie 4. 10. For who hath despised the day of small things and therefore if it be but the smallest and the least that may bee labour to nourish and encrease it the reason is because the least measure of true Faith is able to save us for if a man hath but as much true Faith as a graine of mustard seede it is able to worke wonders to remove mountaines as wee see Luk. 17. We see in experience that the hand of a little child is able to lay hold of a bagge of gold when the father giveth it indeed the hand of a strong man is able to take it out of the hand of the father but yet the hand of a child can lay hold of it Even so weake Faith may lay hold of the promises of God as well as strong faith although it doth not so strongly apply Christ as Num. 21 when the people were bitten with the fiery serpents there was a brasen serpent set upon a pole that so many as being bitten looked upon it should be healed which did not only help the strongest but the weakest sighted also if they were able but to cast up their eyes to it and not onely so but those that lay on their sicke beds in the tents if they were able but to espy him at a litle chinke or crevise they were healed So not only they that have the strongest Faith are saved but even those that have but a weake also yea although they lye on their death-beds yet if they can but espie Christ by the eye of Faith at a little chinke or crevise they shall be saved But how may wee know weake Faith from no Faith I answer it may be knowne foure waies First When it is attended with good desires That a man hath a desire to beleeve to repent to doe the will of God but cannot as David saith I desire to doe thy will O God although I cannot so wee see weake Faith is attended with good desires therefore where there be not these good desires there is not weake Faith but no Faith I but are there not good desires in some that have not true Faith I answer Balaam hee had good desires hee desired to die the death of the righteous so then there be desires in both but the desires of weake Faith have these three properties first they bee earnest and servent secondly constant and setled thirdly actuall and lively First they bee earnest they cannot bee at rest till they have the thing they desire Even as a child that is hungry nothing will content him till hee have meate give him this and that thing yet will hee not bee quiet till hee hath foode so it is with a Christian nothing will content him till hee hath
mighty able to goe through with that he is appointed and therefore as mighty Sampson rose at midnight and carried away the gates of Gaza unto the top of an high mountaine so this Christ the mighty one hath risen from death and carried away the gates of hell and of death and is ascended into Heaven by reason whereof Heb. 7. 25. It is said He is able perfectly to save them that came unto God by him seeing he liveth ever to make intercession for them therefore wee come not to a weake man as the other high Priests were but to a mighty One. This is a comfort unto a Christian that God hath furnished him with gifts and graces and hath enabled him to goe through this great worke of redemption therefore he will not leave it in the middle but will goe through with the great worke assigned him it was the comfort of the Leper Matth. 8. when he came to Christ that if Christ would he could make him cleane so it is the comfort of a Christian when hee knowes there is power in Christ to helpe him that Christ the Lord if hee will can make him cleane and save him Thirdly by his anointing the party was made gratefull and acceptable to all that had to deale with him as in the Law the Priests and Prophets and Kings such as were anointed drew all to them whom they had to doe withall in delight of their persons and their sweet anointments that was powred upon them so the anointing of Christ and the sweete graces of the Spirit powred without measure on him doth draw all that have to deale with him to delight in him His Person was first acceptable to God secondly to the Church First hee was acceptable to God as Ephes. 5. 2. it is said And hath given himselfe for us to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling savour to God When our sinnes were upon him they made a strong and stinking smell in the nostrils of God the sinnes wee live in and be guilty of therefore if it were not for this same sweete ointment that is powred out on him the graces of his Spirit our sinnes would make us odious and hatefull in the sight of God such a strange and stinking smell our sinnes have Now as the Person of Christ was made delightfull and acceptable to God so he was acceptable to the Church as Cantic 1. 2. it is said Because of the savor of thy good ointments thy Name is as a pretious ointment powred forth therefore doe the virgins love thee all that be virgins that have chast soules so Psal 45. 8. All thy garments smell of Myrrh Aloes and Cassia therefore Kings daughters stand at thy right hand and the honourable women the gallant people of the world are drawne by the sweetnesse of his cloathes But it is a pitifull thing to see the world doth not delight light in the presence of Christ and are not drawne unto him the reason is because they doe not smell the sweet ointment that was powred out upon Christ they smell a sweetnesse in their pleasures profits and in their sinnes but they doe not smell the sweet ointment powred out on Christ and therefore they doe not seeke to him and delight in him We see in the Gospell that the people flocked thronged and followed after Christ three daies journey together what was the reason of it because they had tasted of the Spirit and had smelt of this same sweet ointment which made them leave all and follow him so the graces that were powred upon him made him delightfull to all that had to deale with him to God and to the Church The second maine thing is with what he was anointed in the Law they were anointed with materiall oyle As 1 Sam. 10. Samuel powred out an horne of oyle on Saul but Christ was not anointed with materiall oyle but with the holy Ghost with the gifts of the Spirit of which the oyle was but a shadow as Esai 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me therefore the anointing of Christ is not by powring out materiall oyle on him but by powring out the gifts and graces of the Spirit upon him Psal 45. 7. it is said that God had Anointed him with the oyle of gladnesse above his followes Now the reason why these graces are compared to oyle is because oyle will soften and make a thing supple for take a little oyle and anoint any one part and it will make that part lithy and nimble or take a little oyle and put it into a locke and it will make it nimble to stirre this way and that way so if once a little of this oyle bee powred into our hearts it will make us quicke and nimble which before were slow and dull in the service of God this is one reason why it is compared to oyle Of Sampson Iudg. 14. it is said that the Spirit of God came upon him and then he was able to doe great matters and Acts. 2. when the holy Ghost came downe upon the disciples in cloven tongues then they were able to speake to Gods glory and when the Spirit of God came upon Saul he would prophesie so then wee see the Spirit of God will make a man fit and nimble for any service that God doth call unto many men complaine they bee heavy harted and dull in the service of God and they cannot pray let them get but a little of this oyle and it will make them fit for any service and duty that God requireth Secondly it is called the Oyle of gladnesse because it makes every man glad that hath it for let a man have but a drop of this Oyle and it will make him glad more to rejoyce than all things else The worldly man delights in his profits the wanton in his pleasure but if we have but a drop of this oyle it will make us rejoyce in the love and favour of God Psal 4. 6 7. David saith Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us this shall glad our hearts more than they of their great increase of corne and wine and oyle so if wee get but a little of this oyle the graces of his Spirit it will make us glad Act. 8. 37. The Eunuch had but a little of this oyle and he went away rejoycing the city of Samaria had but a little of this oyle and they received the word with great joy There be a number complaine they cannot be merry they have joy in nothing the reason is because they want this oyle therefore let us fling away our sinnes and corruptions labour to repent of them and get of this oyle that makes every man glad which made Paul and Silas sing at midnight in a dungeon and the three Children rejoyce in the firy furnace and Peter sleepe in his chaines what was the reason of this because they had got a
the Gospell when hee heard that Christ passed by cryed out and said O Sonne of David have mercy upon us so we should cry out to him and say O Iesus the Sonne of David have mercy upon us Secondly for her estate She was but a poore maid matched to a Carpenter who would have thought but that Christ would have made choyce of some great Queene or noble personage but he wee see was borne of this poore and meane Virgin Now if any doubt of this whether they were a poore couple or no let them looke Luke 2. and there they shall see that they brought for their offering a paire of Turtle doves and two young pigeons for Levit. 12. 8. these were the offerings of the poore Now what was the reason that Christ was so poorely borne I answere there be foure reasons of it First that by the meanesse of his birth he might sanctifie the meanest of our births therefore no man ought to despise any Christian for the meanesse of his birth for if hee doe it is like he will despise Christ It is said Psalm 113. He raiseth the needy out of the dust and lifteth up the poore out of the dunghill that he may set him with Princes so Psalm 78. 70. He chose David his servant and tooke him from the sheepefold even from the Ewes great with young brought hee him that he might feede Iacob his people and Israel his Inheritance Secondly to pull downe the pride of this world for a number doe so swell with their greatnesse as if they were little gods Christ he was borne thus meanely to pull downe their pride in that as he was man the Sonne of a poore Carpenter shall bee their Iudge many an one thinkes that he can doe any thing with his mony but mony cannot redeeme a soule therefore Christ hath done more for us by his poverty than all the bagges of money and riches of this world could have done Thirdly to teach us contentment in the estate that God shall assigne us unto for there is no man so poore but Christ was as poore therefore we should bee contented with what wee have Art thou a Gentleman and dost thou want living a Scholler wanting imployment art thou an Artificer and a good workeman wanting worke remember that Christ by the meanesse of his low estate hath sanctified this estate to thee who being obedient heere to his father and content with his estate for a little time was after advanced to glory so if we be obedient to God and contented with the estate that God doth assigne us wee shall afterwards be advanced to glory with Him for ever Fourthly the more to esteeme the greatnesse of Gods love that hee did not onely give Christ for us but gave him in such a poore estate that the Angels did wonder and admire at it that Christ was laid in a cratch therefore as the Lord saith Esai 5. 5. What could I have done more for my Vineyard that I have not done c So what could God have done more for us Suppose God should come downe and take a man here by the hand and should carry him into the garden there shew him Christ lying groveling on the ground sweating droppes of blood for him thence carry him into the judgment hall of Pilate there shew him Christ crowned with a crowne of thornes his face buffeted his body whipped afterwards carry him to mount Calvary and shew him Christ hanging upon the crosse in paines and torments with his backe whipped his face buffeted his side pierced his hands nailed And there Christ should say to him all this have I undergone for thy sake and yet thou art but my servant and my bad servant too I was contented to be borne in a stable laid in a manger swadled in clouts arraigned condemned before Pilate to bee crucified on the crosse sweat drops of blood in the garden consider with thy selfe how I have done all this for thee and for thy sake and yet thou art not contented to doe any thing for me O thou most ungratefull man or woman but rather delightest to vex and grieve me with thy sinnes The Papists take occasion in their fancies exceedingly to extoll the Virgin Mary calling her the Queene of Heaven and setting her throne above the throne of Christ we doe not doubt but that shee was a vertuous woman in her time and is now at rest with God and was more blessed for bearing of Christ in her heart than in her wombe shee was not blessed because shee did beare Christ onely but rather for beleeving in him for so we read Luk. 11. 27. There was a certaine woman in the company lifted up her voyce and said to Christ Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the paps that gave thee sucke but he said yea rather blessed are they which heare the word of God and keepe it Thus Augustine saith that she was more blessed for receiving the faith of Christ than for receiving the flesh of Christ in her wombe and Epiphanius upon the second of Iohn where Christ said to her Woman what have I to do with thee saith lest any should thinke too highly of her he saith Woman what have I to doe with thee He set her in the common rancke and order with other women for Christ by the spirit of prophesie did foresee what would come to passe afterwards And the Virgin Mary in her song saith My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit doth rejoyce in God my Saviour Therefore it is cleere the Virgin Mary was more blessed for beleeving in Christ than for bearing of Him SERM. X. GALATH. 4. 4 5. But when the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth His Sonne made of a Woman made under the Law To Redeeme them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sonnes IF it were possible for a man to have a glasse wherein hee might see the face of his absent friend though he did delight to looke therein yet when his friend should come would he not fling away the glasse to looke on his friend such a glasse is the Gospell which by my poore meanes is held out to you this day Therefore in the absence of our friend Christ set your selves I pray you to behold Him in this glasse untill his comming The second thing we are to handle in the birth of Christ is the time two wayes set forth in the Scripture 1. Generally 2. Particularly Generally in this place When the fulnesse of time was come that is the set time that God had appointed then Christ was borne Now three things are implyed touching this Time 1. That there is a fulnesse of time for the accomplishment of Gods promises 2. That this fulnesse of time is still a comming 3. When the fulnesse of time is come then God will performe his promises First there is a fulnesse of time for the accomplishment of Gods
despise this great mercy Peter he did wonder at the humility of Christ Ioh. 13. that he wold stoop so low as to wash his Disciples feet but how may we wonder at his strange humility that he would be borne as we are therefore we may upon this consideration breake forth and say O blessed Lord what am I that thou wouldest be borne thus for my sake that thou wouldest stoope so low for me How should I respect and regard thee The second use is seeing Christ was contented to stoope to the infirmities of thy birth thou shouldest be content to be borne spiritually I but to be borne of the Spirit is tedious why consider with thy selfe was Christ contented to be borne of a Virgin thou maiest be contented to bee borne of the Spirit He suffered prayed in the garden died on the crosse for thee was contented to bee borne of the Virgin thou mai'st well be contented then to be borne of the Spirit Secondly he was borne meanely in the poorest manner that might be and as we may see in this place there was no body to give him helpe no light shining nor Angell appearing no fine things to put him in but he was swadled in clouts rags This was a strange humiliation of Christ to be borne so basely that all the Angels might admire and wonder at it and bee confounded to thinke of the basenesse of Christs birth which hath made our adversaries devise strange stories to grace the birth of Christ with they say in the Gospell of Saint Iames which is a false Gospell that when Christ was borne the whole course of nature was stayed that the birds that were flying in the ayre could not stirre but hung there the goats that went to drinke could not move their lippes a shepheard putting foorth his hooke to catch his sheepe it hung in the ayre and the like fopperies for the world was not then able to consider why Christ was so poorely borne Another tale they devised to grace the birth of Christ was this that when Ioseph went for the midwife Christ was borne in the meane time at which time there was such a light as they might see aswell at midnight as at noone day but this could not be for there was no light shining in the roome no Angell none to give him helpe The world cannot conceive it but there bee divers reasons of it First to shew the infinite goodnesse and love of Christ thus to stoope so low to be so basely borne to save me and thee it was a strange love that he would be borne as we are and so creepe along with us to grow as we grow live as we live and stoope to all the infirmities of our nature yea even to dye and to lye in the grave with us that so wee might apply our sinfull bodies to his holy body our impure flesh to his pure flesh that so hee might quicken and give us life David when he considered the worke of creation Psal 8. 4. burst out into this speech Lord what is man that thou art so mindefull of him c. much more may we say admiring the worke of our Redemption not only what is man But what a good Lord is this that he would be contented to stoope so low to be so basely borne for my salvation which made holy Bernard say so much the more baser thou art borne the more deare thou art to my soule and to my heart in this regard Secondly to shew what a great matter it is to redeeme us and how wee are to make much of that Salvation that Christ would bee so basely borne to purchase for us Therefore seeing Christ was pleased to come thus into the world to save us how should we bee contented to be abased now to stand before God with comfort at the day of judgement as Paul Phil. 3. 8. Yea doubtlesse I count all things but lost for the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I suffered the losse of all things and judge them to be but dung and drâ—sse that I might winne Christ and might be found in him so Ignatius when he should suffer Lord saith he I care for nothing whether for things visible or invisible for the tearing my flesh or the losing of my members or for all the divels can devise against me so that I may bee made any thing to be saved As a cunning workeman takes a peece of clay to make a goodly jmage hee tempers the clay changeth it into twenty shapes and fashions before hee makes the image so the Lord this cunning workeman doth when hee would make the picture of Christ in us he doth as it were temper and change us into twenty shapes before hee makes his beautifull Image in us therefore wee should bee contented to be disposed at the good will of God to change us into any shape sicknesse poverty want or disgrace and be made any thing to be saved Thirdly to shew that the greatnesse of our sinnes tooke hold on him for he was no sooner come into the world but our sinnes were upon him and put all this basenesse and meannesse upon him Therefore dost thou wonder thou art a prophane man or an Adulterer or a drunkard or a Swearer that God brings poverty upon thee blindnesse lamenesse or an evill name why looke upon Christ and we shall see that the guilt of our sinnes being upon him brought all this basenesse and meanesse upon him Fourthly that the meanesse and hardnesse of Christs estate might sanctifie the poverty and hardnesse of our estates for he was deare and precious in the sight of God notwithstanding this abasement therefore doe thou labour to be a childe of God and then thou shalt be deare and precious in the sight of God now though this cannot bee by nature yet labour to be one by Adoption and grace and then God wil accept thee though thou be never so meane and basely accounted of heere Chrysostome compares a good man to a peece of gold that if we take it trample it and treade it in the durt yet the gold is never the worse so saith he let the world trample and treade upon a good man hee is not the worse he loseth none of his goodnesse and these be the reasons in regard of God why Christ was thus basely borne Now the reason in regard of the world the Evangelists doe shew was because there was no roome in the Inne this was strange was there no roome for Christ in the Inne was there never a chamber nor a corner of a roome for him to be borne in There was roome I warrant you for swaggerers and drunkards for dicers and carders for prophane persons but there was no roome for Christ to bee borne in these had taken up all the roomes so as Christ must bee turned to bee borne in a stable And I would to God it were not the sin of the world still
mans conscience either to make choise of Christ and his graces or else of his owne sins and his delights there is Christ on the one side and all his graces with heaven and happinesse thereunto belonging and on the other hand sinne and all the delights thereof our vile lusts pleasures and profits wee stand in a middle betweene them both and put Christ into the one scale which we have in our hands and our sinnes and lusts into the other then this question is made in the court of every particular mans conscience which of these wilt thou make choise of whether Christ and his Spirit shall live in thee or thy vile sinnes if we answer it is better to live in our whoredomes in our prophannesse it is better to live in our pleasures than to choose Christ what doe wee else but preferre Barabbas before Him wee condemne the Iewes but wee have much more need to condemne our selves they did it in the time of their ignorance and we doe it in the time of our knowledge they did it in the time of Christs humilitie and we now he is in his glory they did it once but we often and therefore if there bee a question come into the court of thy conscience by the hearing of a Sermon whether the spirit of Christ shall dye or thy sinnes when wee make choice of our sinnes and let the spirit of Christ die in us what doe wee but as the Iewes did preferre Barabbas before Christ and therefore every one should labour to take this home to himselfe The fourth Meanes was Flagendo by whipping of Christ this was worst of all and when he had so done he puts on him a purple garment and so brought him forth then Pilate said unto them Behold the man as who should say if there be pity or any mercy in you Looke on the man and let it move you to let him goe now this one word of Pilate Looke on the man is good for every Christian to remember to looke upon the man to looke upon Christ to consider what a deale of paines hee hath suffered what a deale of labour it cost to redeeme us Ecce home Looke upon the man see how his shoulders were whipped his face buffetted his head crowned with thornes how his sides were pierced how his hands and feete were nailed his body racked and tormented all this he hath done to redeeme thy soule therefore doe not thou sell that for a small matter which cost Christ so deere Every morning let us consider this one word of Pilate Behold the man and when wee are about our labours in the fields when we goe to bed looke upon Christ and consider what a deale of paines it cost Christ to redeeme us Secondly we must looke upon Christ and consider what wee are to looke for at the hands of the world if Christ was crowned with a crowne of thornes then wee must not looke to bee crowned with a crowne of gold If he suffered such contumelies and reproaches then wee must not looke to goe scot-free if wee suffer with him wee shall raigne with him if we would partake with him in his glorious crowne then must we with him in some sort be crowned with thornes SERMON XVIII IOHN 19. 5. Behold the Man WE shewed the last day how before Pilate condemned Christ he used foure meanes to deliver Him first by speaking for Him secondly by sending Him to Herod thirdly by associating him with Barabbas fourthly by scourging him that so pitie might have staied the cruelty of the high Priests and Scribes but all would not availe their fury pressed on to his death The uses whereof wee were the last day cut short of by reason of the time therefore now we will prosecute the same The first use is that in looking on Christ wee may see what we are to looke for at the hands of the world for if hee was crowned with a crowne of thornes Then we must not looke to be crowned with a crowne of gold if he was mocked and scoffed at we must not looke to goe free Ecce homo behold the man if we suffer with him wee shall raigne with him in glory And therefore doe not thou looke to partake with him in his crowne of glory unlesse thou partake with him in the crown of thornes In the 18. of Iohn Pilate asked Christ if hee was a king he answered hee was but his kingdome was not of this world even so a Christian may say my kingdome is not of this world but I looke for a kingdome above the clouds a kingdome of glory and happinesse Secondly a Christian may comfort himselfe in afflictions and troubles by looking on Christ Ecce homo behold the man let thy troubles and thy afflictions be what they will be yet they are not like to Christs he was God we are men he the sonne and wee the servants he pure and holy we wretched and sinfull therefore let thy troubles bee what they will sure it is thou canst not attaine to the halfe of Christs to the crowne of thornes the buffettings mockings and railings upon to his whippings rackings and tormentings therefore if wee looke upon Christs wounds we shall finde ours to be nothing to his thus we must comfort our selves in our afflictions by looking on Christ Thirdly we may comfort our selves in temptations for as a Christian hath his Ecce homo so the devill will have his time for it when we be sick and like to die then he will come and say Ecce homo behold the man thou hast seemed to be a great professor but now death seazeth on thee and thou must be flung into the grave and there consumed to dust and therfore what canst thou doe for thy selfe A man must not be discouraged at this but must have his Ecce homo and send him backe againe to Christ and say behold the man behold Christ hee hath done for me hee hath gone before death hath seazed upon mee he hath beene trampled and trodden under foot of it flung into the grave and risen againe therefore seeing Christ hath gone before me I must not be afraid to follow his steps that he hath stepped in before me The third generall point which we observed in the condemnation of Christ is what it was that made Pilate stand so stiffe for Christ though after he was drawne on to condemne him partly through feare of Casar and partly through the importunitie of the people Now there were five reasons that made him stand so stiffe for Christ 1. His owne conscience 2. The admonition of his wife 3. Christs strange silence 4. His holy Confession and protestation 5. His Commination First his owne conscience for hee was perswaded hee was an innocent man and delivered unto him through the malice of the Iewes therefore hee was loth to condemne him and so sinne against his conscience and yet he was but a heathen man therefore what a pitifull
of the Crosse that wee might be blessed die a death temporall that we might not die a death eternall Secondly because of all deaths it was a shamefull death for it was not onely a cursed death but a shamefull death therefore Paul saith Hebr. 12. 2. Who endured the Crosse and despised the shame The reason why Christ died this shamefull death was to sanctifie all kindes of deaths to his dying members so that let the death bee never so shamefull if one die in faith or in the pardon of his sinnes in the feare God his death is sanctified unto him he is a happie man Heb. 11. it is said of such They all died in faith they died not all in their beds or of a lingering disease but some of them were racked some stoned some sawne asunder but they all died in faith and therefore they were blessed men what death soeuer they died on So let men labour to die in faith and in the feeling of Gods love in the pardon of their sinnes then let their death be what it will be such a one he shall be an happie and a blessed man Thirdly because it was one of the painefullest deaths that was as appeares by these foure reasons First because they that were to die this kind of death were whipped and scourged for so Christs bloud was spent with whipping and scourging that hee was not able to carry his Crosse Secondly because they suffered in the most sensitive parts in the hollow of the hands and feet for these places are the quickest and fullest of sense As Galen saith because there all the ligaments and sinewes make a meeting therefore it must needes be painefull Thirdly because they that were crucified on the Crosse were sore racked For although they had a thing to rest their feete on yet they did hang by the hands with the weight of their whole bodies Therefore Peter saith Acts 5. The God of your Fathers hath raised up Iesus whom yee slue and hanged on the Tree Fourthly because it was a lingring death they were two or three daies a dying Now we may make these two good uses of this point Christ dying such a painful death First to teach us that it is an easie matter to reconcile us to God when wee have sinned wee thinke it an easie matter to bee reconciled to God but it cost Christ a painefull death and therefore it is not a easie but a great thing that must redeeme soules Secondly seeing Christ dyed such a painefull death and overcame that which was sorest wee know that hee will comfortably raise us up from other deaths that wee shall dye of Athanasius giveth a good reason why Christ dyed not an ordinary death as others doe but a painefull death he brings it in against the heretikes for they objected Why did not Christ dye an ordinary death as others doe To this hee answereth that men of ordinary deaths dye because of ordinary infirmities that they can live no longer sicknesse and diseases come upon them which they are not able to withstand but there can be no infirmitie in Christ he is the eternall word the Sonne of God I but why did he not make choice of some other kind of death but would dye such a painefull death To this he answereth that if he had made choice of some other death then they would have thought that hee had not had power to overcome any other death but that But now hee taking any death that they could put upon him even the most painefullest and sorest and having power to overcome that it is evident that hee hath power to overcome any other whatsoever And so gives us comfortable hope that hee will raise us up his members from all other deaths Even as a Champion comming into the field hee will not make choice of the weapon or the man hee is to fight with but will take that which is put upon him so Christ doth not make choice of what death he will dye but hee takes that which the world puts upon him This is the reason why hee dyed not by the sword as Iohn did nor was sawne asunder as Esaiah was nor knocked on the head as Amos was but was crucified So that he triumphing over his death we may know and have comfortable hope that we shall bee raysed from other deaths Fourthly because it was more eminent and apparent to be seene for they that were to be crucified were lifted up that all men might see them Of which two reasons may be given why Christ must dye thus aloft First to conquer the divell the prince of the Ayre in his owne country and at his owne doore And so dedicate a way to heaven and reare a ladder in his death and bloodshed that it might be a step or a scaffold whereby we might climbe up to heaven Secondly Christ dyed aloft that all the world might see and know hee was the meanes of mans reconciliation and redemption Therefore hee dyed not in a corner nor below but that all men might see and behold it aloft as good Moses set up a Brasen Serpent on a pole that so if any were flung with the firy serpent if they could but creepe to their tents and cast up their eyes to the brasen serpent they had helpe so God hath set up Christ on a pole on the Crosse that men may see the meanes of their salvation and redemption and so bee saved Therefore let us doe as Mary and Iohn did creepe to the Crosse of Christ as neere as they could get so that they heard the words of Christ speaking to them upon the the crosse in like manner though wee cannot heare the words of Christ speaking from the Crosse yet let us get as neare as wee can that so some of the warme drop of the blood of Christ may fall into our hearts to comfort and refresh us to clense and to wash away our sinnes The 2. point observ'd in his crucifying was how they led Christ to be crucified And to open it thrughly unto you let us consider these 2. cirūstances 1. Hee was led in his owne Garments 2. They made him beare his owne Crosse First he was led in his owne garments they put on him a purple robe to disgrace him but it is said they pluckt off that and put on his owne garments and that chiefly for these two reasons 1. That he might bee the better knowne to the people 2. To fulfill the scripture that had foretold that his garments shuld be divided Wherein we may consider that God that a secret hand in it the Iewes were in hast because of the preparation of the Sabath the 6. hour ere they could get Christ condemned about noone and yet they must needs tarry to put off the purple robe to put on his own garments which must teach us that the wicked for all their rage heate and
was to hasten his death and to rid him quickly of his paine for myrrh doth open the veines and in the margins of our Bibles wee finde it so noted Physitians say that wine being taken inwardly doth open the veines also but being taken outwardly doth stoppe them it is reported that it was the maner of the Iewes when they would hasten the death of any they gave them some bitter potion to drinke but this cannot be the reason why they gave it Christ for they did it not out of kindnesse or favour but in cruelty as we may gather by the words of David Psal 69. 21. where he saith they gave me also gall for my meat and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drinke Prov. 31. Solomon willeth us to give wine to those that are weake and strong drinke to those that bee afflicted so the Iewes did give wine to Christ but it was wine mingled with Myrrh it had a tang and a sowre tast with it so also many such mingled cups we give to our brethren it may bee wee releeve and helpe them but it is with a tang with bitternesse and sowrenesse it is said in the Scripture that God gives to us a pure cup of comfort and addes no sorrow to it such pure cups of comfort wee should give to our brother I dare say there is not any man but would bee ready to condemne the Souldiers and the Iewes because in his extremitie they gave him a mingled cup But let us looke into our selves what doe we wee give him such a mingled cup for every sinne we doe commit is as a drop of poyson put into a cup for Christ to drinke therefore whereas we see that we can complaine of the souldiers and of the Iewes we had neede learne to complaine of our selves much more Now Christ refused to drinke of this This may seeme a strange thing in Christ seeing hee yeelded his backe to the whip and his head to bee crowned his hands to be nailed his face to be spitted on and to bee buffeted refusing none of these things What therefore was the reason that he refused to drinke of this I answer first to teach us the true latitude and extention of Christian patience for there bee two sorts of passions some there be that be of necessity and some voluntary or arbitrary now those that be of necessity such our Saviour did not refuse such as was needfull for the salvation of man but those that were arbitrary and voluntary those our Saviour refused which may teach us this high point of wisedome that those passions that bee by authoritie and those that come immediate from God these we must with Christian patience beare but if it be an arbitrary or voluntary passion then we may refuse it it is an opinion of the world that a Christian must beare any thing that is put upon him but we see in the example of Christ how farre our Christian patience doth extend SERMON XX. MATTHEW 27. 34. They gave him vinegar to drinke mingled with gall and when he had tasted thereof hee would not drinke WE may behold the resemblance and similitude of a great tree in a glasse but not in the same proportion that it hath as it groweth but a great deale lesse for alwayes the resemblance is lesse than the thing it selfe that is resembled so the Gospell is a great glasse that doth shew unto us the great love of Christ in the worke of our redemption but as resemblances be lesse than the things resembled so whatsoever wee say of the love of Christ it comes farre short of the love it selfe which Christ hath shewed unto us as it will easily appeare by the due consideration of the manner of Christs crucifiing and therefore let us proceed in order from that which we left at The last day we made entrance upon the point when amongst other things we spake of that bitter cup presented unto him whereof hee refused drinke one reason whereof wee shewed then which was to teach us the extent of our Christian liberty now wee passe on to that which remaines The second was that we might more sensibly see the love of Christ to us for all the suffering which were needfull for our salvation he refused not but did with patience endure them but whatsoever was voluntary or did concerne himselfe those he refused Ionas he could not endure the heate of the Sunne for himselfe yet hee could abide to bee throwne into the sea for the good of others and for their safety so Christ was contented for our good to be apprehended condemned and to bee spet upon to bee crowned with thornes whipped nailed to the crosse flung into the grave and yet he would not suffer any thing that did concerne himselfe but refused it Now the next generall point to be observed is the very act of his crucifying shewed but in a word Hee was crucified and yet there is much paine much adoe a great deale of torment shut up in the belly and bowels of that word For first they threw downe the Crosse upon the ground Secondly they drew or pulled out all the fearfull instruments for that purpose Thirdly they stripped him Fourthly they laid him on his backe and they stretched out his hands and his feet upon the Crosse and nailed him unto it Lastly they did reare up the Crosse into the ayre as though he were unworthy to be upon the ground And thus we see what a deale of paine and torments is shut up in the bowels of this one word whence for our learning we may gather these good instructions following First seeing Christ was crucified for us this should make us bewaile our sinnes with bitternesse that we should be the parties should bring all these pains upon Christ forhe suffred not for his own sins for he was innocent and holy but for my sinnes and thy sinnes which we daily live in Esay 53. the Prophet saith The chastisement of our peace was upon him and 1 Pet. 3. 24. it is said Who in his owne bodie bare our sinnes upon the tree therefore seeing our sins brought all those paines upon Christ we have cause to bewaile them we can bewaile the punishments we bring upon our selves but how much more should we bewaile the punishment wee bring on Christ as the spickes and the nails being driven into the hands and feet of Christ when he was crucified made the bloud runne out at the holes so the meditation and consideration thereof should cause our consciences to bleed And now seeing our sinnes have brought Christ on the crosse what will we doe mock him as the wicked Iewes and the souldiers did or be silent as the Disciples were or stand still No but we must after a spiritual manner go to the crosse of Christ and say Lord wilt thou die for me and suffer such great paines and torments I have eaten sowre
though a great deale of sorrow and misery befall him yet one day hee shall see God with his eyes so also David saith Psal 16. 9. Wherefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoyceth my flesh also resteth in hope for thou wilt not leave my soule in the grave neither wilt thou let thy holy one to see corruption and more over this was that comfort that Christ gave to his Disciples Matth. 20. 19. when hee told them of his passion And they shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mocke and to scourge and to crucifie him but the third day he shall rise againe Now that which comforted Iob David and Christ must comfort us for as Christ did rise so all his members shall rise and therefore let us conjoyne our selves to Christ whilest wee live here that so wee may dye with Christ and let us lay our selves under him in the grave I meane our lusts and sinnes and then as Christ rose so we shall rise but if thou doe not conjoyne thy selfe with Christ in his death and lye under him in the grave then Christ shall rise and thou shalt lie still in the grave nay it were well if it might bee so for thou shalt rise againe but Christ shall rise to glory and thou to shame Christ shall rise to possesse eternall life and thou eternall death Secondly we shall not onely rise out of the grave but we shall also rise out of trouble for as there is a power of Christ to pull us out of the grave so there is a power of Christ to raise us out of trouble It is an opinion in the World that there is a power of Christ to raise them out of the grave yet they doe not know that there is also a power of Christ to raise them out of their troubles but howsoever this is unknowne to the world yet it should be knowne to a Christian To which effect the Apostle speakes 2 Corinth 4. 10. We alwaies beare about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life of Iesus might be made manifest in our mortall bodies And vers 14. saith he knowing that he which raised up the Lord Iesus shall raise us up also by Iesus and shall present us with you These words are to be understood of raising them out of trouble to comfort them in this world And so 2 Tim. 2. 9. Remember saith he that Iesus Christ made of the seede of David was raised againe from the dead Remember this you that suffer for good causes that as Christ was raised so you shall be raised to comfort and joy out of your troubles so these be the reasons why it was needefull Christ should rise First To assure us that our sinnes are expiated and pardoned Secondly To apply Salvation Thirdly To be an undoubted evidence to us that we shall rise out of the grave and out of our troubles in this world Secondly The time when hee did rise againe and that is exactly set downe the third day according as Christ foretold in the 2 of Iohn I will destroy this Temple and in three daies I will build it againe and Matth. 20 19. the place before mentioned and they shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mocke and to scourge and to crucifie him but the third day he shall rise againe and so in this place which I read unto you that he was buried and that hee rose the third day according to the Scriptures Now there is reason why hee rose no sooner and there is reason why he rose no later as that being the fittest time for him to rise in of which I will speake at this time First Because that it might he an evidence to the Iewes that he was truely dead for if he had risen the first day or the second then they would have thought he had beene in a trance or in a sound onely and therefore to cleare this point he did not rise till the third day because all the hope of the pardon of our sinnes hangs on the death of Christ and all the hope of Gods favor and therefore he would have this point sealed to the World and this was the first reason why Christ rose no sooner Secondly That the Disciples might have an evidence of the power of the death of Christ for there was a greater power in Christ to rise againe when he had beene possessed and vanquished of death three dayes than if he had rose the first day And Augustine saith that Christ did more shew his power in rising from death when they had killed him than hee should have done if he had come downe from the Crosse when they â—ad him so there was a greater power of Christ seene in rising the third day than if he should have risen the first day or the second it was a greater matter that hee should recover when all hope was passed the widdowes sonne in the Gospell was raised when he lay upon the Beere to bee carried to burying Entichus when he fell out of the window and the dead man assoone as he did touch the dead bones of Elisha but Christ recovered when hee had beene three dayes together vanquished of death and this doth shew the great power of Christ Thirdly To teach us Christians patience that if wee doe not arise out of trouble the first day or the second yet still to waite with christian patience till the third day that is many dayes together till the time that God hath appointed Therefore if wee be not raised out of trouble so soone as wee desire let us not murmure or grudge against God and be impatient but quiet our selves with the good will of God and waite with patience till the time he hath appointed for our deliverance It is the manner of the world if they be in their troubles but a day or two they say how long Lord how long as if they tarried too long but the patience of Christ must teach us patience and to quiet our selves with the good will of God so David did Psal 123. As the eyes of a servant looke to his master and the eyes of a Mayden to her Mistris so our eyes wait on thee till thou shew mercie and though it be not to day nor to morrow yet we waite on thee till thou shew mercie yee remember that Christ Iesus said to Marie when there wanted wine My houre is not yet come There be two houres God hath his houre and wee have our houre our houre is as soone as wee stand in neede but Christs houre is to helpe when all meanes faile there be many that desire ease and peace and comfort but we must tarrie Christs houre wee must waite with Christian patience till the third day come So much for the reasons why Christ rose no sooner now wee are come to speake why hee arose no later The first reason is To shâ—w that if he had deferred it any longer the Iewes might have
with Christ but I cannot see how this should be because there was none but Christ seene when hee rose againe it is said that the earth and the sea gave up their dead but we doe not read that the heavens gave up their dead The use hereof is that seeing the Angels and these Saints were contented when they had done the businesse and the worke of God they came for to lay aside their bodies and that they should dissolve and come to dust againe so when wee have done the worke of God wee came for in this world we should be contented meekely and patiently with the rest of our brethren to lay aside our bodies that they may dissolve and come to dust and ashes untill the time of the generall resurrection Having spoken thus of the manner of Christs rising now we come to the manifestation thereof for though no man saw him at the very instant when he rose yet when he was risen hee did manifest himselfe to the world so farre forth as was fit which may teach us that although the world doe not see the very instant or moment when we be humbled or when wee repent and turne to God or when wee are brought to an estate of Grace yet when we be converted and have turned unto God we must let the world see the fruits of our conversion so wee see the Theefe did as soone as he was converted hee did shew the fruits of his conversion for hee reprooved his fellow confessed his sinnes cleareth Gods judgements and pleadeth for Christ so Saint Iames saith shew me thy faith never talke thou hast faith unlesse thou shew it let the world see it shew it in thy speeches in thy actions and in thy life that thou art converted and turned unto God to this effect the same Apostle saith Chap. 3. 13. Who so is a wise man and is indued with knowledge amongst you let him shew it by good conversation so if thou hast repented and turned to God shew it in thy life and in thy speeches let thy words shew the fruits of it this is that which Christ himselfe exhorts to Matth. 5. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heaven for it is not enough to have light in our selves but wee must let our light shine Christ did rise and no man saw the very instant and moment and yet when he was risen he did manifest himselfe to the world so though no man see the instant when wee were converted yet when we be converted we should shew the fruits of our conversion for as it is in the life of nature that a man cannot have life in him but it will appeare either by stirring breathing or panting so it is in the life of grace if a man have life in him it will bee seene by one meanes or other Secondly this may serve as matter of comfort Christ was not seene at the instant or moment when hee did rise and yet did shew by infallible tokens that he was risen many an one are troubled that they know not the very instant or moment of their conversion and therefore make question of their Christian calling but this example is fit to relieve such that although a man knowes not the very instant or moment when he was converted yet if he can proove by infallible tokens and markes he is converted he may resolve undoubtedly that he is called We see in nature that a childe hath life and yet the mother doth not know the instant ormoment of its life quickning but by the stirrings movings shee doth know there is life initiated in her childe so it is in the life of grace there may bee life in a man though he know not the very instant and moment when hee first received that life yet if hee have evident markes of it hee may have comfort that hee is converted though hee know not the time of it Now there were twelve severall times that Christ did appeare wherein he did manifest himselfe to the world it is too long to speake of all therefore I will speake of them that are most fit for our instruction There were five severall times that Christ appeared that day hee rose in 1. To Mary Magdalen 2. To the two women going from the grave 3. To the two Disciples going to Emmaus 4. To Simon Peter 5. To the Disciples being together onely Thomas away Now what is the reason that Christ appeared so many times that day he did rise on so that all the day long hee did appeare to one or other at one place or another to his followers and did spend it in holy exercises and in holy apparitions I answere it was to dedicate and institute the Christian Sabbath therefore Christ did so many times appeare that day it is a great question amongst Divines who it was that did alter the Sabbath some thinke that it was the tradition of the Church but it is not the Church nor all the Churches in the world that can alter it it must be Christ onely that must doe it therefore he did appeare so many times that day to set it apart to holy uses by his owne example the Apostles did not institute the day nor dedicate it of themselves but gathered together by the divine knowledge they had that it was Christs meaning and will to teach them by his appearing so many times in one day to appoint that day for the Christian Sabbath and therefore the Apostle did put it in practise so wee see Act. 7. 20. and 1 Cor. 16. 2. and Revel 1. 10. where the name is given to it as the first day of the weeke and the Lords day whence it is manifest that Christ did dedicate and sanctifie the Christian Sabbath as Augustine saith well that by the resurrection of Christ on that day it was consecrated to be the Christian Sabbath The first appearing was to Mary Magdalen out of whom he cast seven devils And there bee three things to bee observed in this point of his appearing 1 The Cause why he did appeare to her 2 The Manner of his appearing 3 The end of it First The cause why hee did appeare to her not because shee was a great stateswoman a rich woman or a more holy woman than the rest for there was Mary the Mother of Christ an holier woman one would have thought hee would have appeared to Caesar or to Emperours and Kings to Noble men and to great men of the world or to the holiest and most sanctified women in the world or that he should have appeared to his Mother but he did appeare first to Mary Magdalen out of whom he had cast seven devils one that was infamous and a great sinner yet she was penitent for her sinnes and a true convert as appeares in that she did shew such speciall love to Christ upon her conversion in attending
I will commend unto you two things First that they said one unto another Did not our hearts burne when hee spake unto us so wee should examine our selves when Christ hath spoken unto us whether our hearts burne whether we were afflicted with that which was taught us If we find not this we may say to our selves What did we heare why doe we misse-spend the time Secondly that they could not be at rest they could not tarry but they went and told it to their brethren so when God hath made any good thing knowne unto us we should not be at rest but should tell it to our wives to our children to our friends and to our acquaintance we remember what Christ said to the women Goe tell my brethren and even so I may say to you Go tell your friends and tell your brethren the good things yee have heard tell it to your wives and children and if yee cannot remember any more yet remember this how wee may retaine and keepe Christ namely with this short prayer of these disciples The day is farre spent and the night drawes on tarry with us so my life is night spent and the night of death drawes on Lord tarry with us and then we shall make a happy close of our life when Wee shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of heaven SERMON XXXV IOHN 20. 19. Then the same day at Evening being the first day of the weeke when the doores were shut where the Disciples were assembled for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them Peace be unto you FIve severall times Christ appeared the same day that he rose againe first To Mary Magdalen secondly To the two women going from the grave thirdly To the two Disciples going to Emmaus fourthly To all the Disciples being met together Thomas being away fifthly To Simon Peter I have shewed the reasons why Christ appeared so many times in one day which was to dedicate and institute the Christian Sabbath that Christ spending the whole day in heavenly apparitions might leave example to us to spend it in holy duties and service therefore a Christian hath no other originall of his Sabbaths than the Lord himselfe now if Christ hath ordained the Sabbath hee that hath all power in his hand then it must be our care to keepe it Iudas is condemned by the mouth of all men not onely that he stole but also that he stole from Christ so if we doe not apply our selves to the duties of the Sabbaths wee steale from Christ nay Iudas stole but his mony but thou stealest away Christian duties and service from him Now in this manifestation of Christ to his Disciples we may observe three things 1. In what Disposition they were 2. In what Manner he appearde 3. The Effects of it First what Disposition they were in laid downe two waies First they were assembled together after the death of Christ they were all scattered and did fly one from another but now they were assembled like a flocke of sheepe that are scattered with a dog which afterwards gather together againe which may teach us that if wee fall we should labour to rise againe and if we scatter wee should labour to gather together againe so Christ saith Revel 2. 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen Repent and doe thy first workes and Psal 119. ult David saith I have gone astray like a lost sheepe Lord seeke me for as a sheepe that is gone is not at rest but cries to the shepheard and the flocke and is not at quiet till it be in the fold againe so if we be scattered from God wee must not be at rest but cry unto God and unto the flocke till wee come home to God againe and although we fall yet we must labour to rise againe though one throw mud into a fountaine yet in time it will worke it selfe cleere againe so if we fall into any sinne we must labour to cleare our selves againe we see in nature the little Birds though they fly here and there in the day time yet they will home to their nests at night in like manner howsoever a man may have some fals in the day time yet let him returne home againe to God in the night this must be the care of Christians that seeing they have daily fearefull and dangerous fals yet they must labour to rise againe and to recover There be two reasons to be given of their gathering together First to nourish the little sparkes of Faith that was left in them this was the cause why the Disciples were assembled and may teach us that although there be but a little faith and life of grace in us after wee have battered it with the temptations of the devill yet wee should labour to nourish that little sparke that is left which is the counsell Christ gives us in the Revelation Bee awake and strengthen the things that remaine and are â—â—dy to dye although there be but a little faith and grace yet labour to nourish them so also lately wee heard our Saviour Christ did to the two Disciples going to Emmaus finding their faith weake hee doth labour to nourish and strengthen the same 2 King 9. as Iehoram when he was wounded of the Assyrians returned to Iezreel to be healed of his wounds so when the devill hath wounded us in our faith love care and in our zeale we must returne to the use of good means that so we may recover againe If a man have a tree that stands in his orchard if there bee but a little life left in it he will dig and dung it about and lay fresh moulds to the roote of it so if there bee a little life of grace left in us wee should labour to nourish the same by prayer hearing the Word preached and by receiving the Sacraments that so wee may recover againe thus the Disciples were assembled together to nourish that sparke of faith which was left in them Secondly because they were in hope thereby to finde a blessing upon them others had seene Christ and they assembled together in hope to see him too which may teach us that the blessing of God upon others in the use of good meanes must give us comfortable hope that if we use the same meanes we shall finde a blessing of God upon us that as others have beene brought by the preaching of the Word to faith and repentance and to a comfortable feeling of Gods favour to bee perswaded that their sinnes are pardoned so if wee use the same meanes we shall have the same blessing upon us As David saith Psal 48. Wee have thought of thy loving kindnesse O Lord in the middest of thy Temple other men have found a blessing upon them and therefore we looke for the like upon us But why were the Disciples desirous to see Christ because they had felt the
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
to comfort and the other to paine Thirdly besides these both particular judgements that befall particular and speciall men and the private judgement that is at the day of death there shall also a generall judgement and a solemne arraignment of this whole World where every person shall be judged and arraigned as we beleeve in our Christian profession From thence he shall come to judge the quicke and the dead that is hee shall judge all sorts of people even every Man and Woman that hath lived in this World or shall live Now if any man demand what is the reason why there shall be a generall judgement seeing there is particular iudgements that light on particular men and the private judgement at the day of death I answere there be three reasons thereof First Because the Bodies must be judged as well as the Soules for seeing men sinne against God as well in their Bodies as in their Soules therefore both shall be judged as Revel 20. 12. the Evangelist saith And I saw the Dead both great and small stand before God they did not onely stand with bodies but with soules also for saith he The Sea gave up the dead in her and Death and Hell delivered up their Dead that were in them So we see the bodies rise againe to be judged as well as the Soules Secondly That there may be a declaration of the just judgement of God that all the World may see the judgements of God are just upon men for their sins as Rom. 2. 5. But thou after thy hardnesse of heart that cannot repent heapest upon thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the just judgement of God therefore besides the private and close judgement there must bee a generall and solemne arraignement in the view of the whole world that so there may be a declaration of the just judgement of God Thirdly Because they shall not be judged as private persons but as publike in the same body that they lived in either in the body of the Saints or in the body of the wicked for they shall be judged as they be members of the same body they rise in and as they are found to have done good or bad accordingly shal the division be made as appears Mat. 25. 31. where it is said And before him shall bee gathered all Nations and hee shall separate them one from another as a sheapheard doth separate his Sheepe from the Goats and he shall set the one at his right hand and the other at his left hand c. Now because this point is a great and a very waighty one and to be considered before others in a Christians life being like the great wheel of a clocke it turnes all the inferior wheeles so if a man be once perswaded of this that he must give an account to God for all his actions and must stand before God in judgement it will make him to passe his daies holily and vertuously while he lives here and therefore let us see briefly what bee the proofes and grounds that there shall bee a judgement which are chiefly these foure following The first is taken From the Truth of God because hee hath said it and therefore it shall come to passe for God is not as Man that hee should lye neither as the Sonne of Man that he should repent He hath said it and shall hee in doe it and hath he spoken it and shall he not accomplish it As it is Num. 23. 19. Therefore whatsoever he hath said it shall come to passe in the time that he hath appointed Now that Christ hath said there shall be a judgement day there bee many Scriptures for it As Matth. 10. 15. Truely I say unto you it shall bee easier for them of the land of Sodom and Gomorah in the day of judgement than for that Citie So also Matth. 12. 36. But I say unto you That of every idle word that men shall speake they shall give an account at the day of judgement And verse 41. The men of Ninevie shall rise up in judgement with this Generation and shall condemne it because they repented at the preaching of Ionas We see the Testimony of the Lord is plaine for this that there shall bee a judgement day Augustine saith God hath made us many promises and hath performed them and shall wee not thinke that the judgement day shall come according as hee hath foretold us It is said Psal 144. The Lord is righteous in all his waies and holy in all his workes If the Lord hath promised any thing it shall come to passe for the Lord hath left his Scripture which is his hand-writing to assure us of the truth of it And therefore dost thou not beleeve that there shall bee a day of judgement The Lord himselfe shall answere thee thou hast the hand-writing of GOD and what must thou doe Looke into that and see what a company of things hee hath promised in his Word as unlikely as this which are all come to passe he hath promised that He would send his Sonne into the World to worke thy Redemption Looke into his Word thou hast his hand-writing hath he performed this promise Then assure thy selfe likewise that one day he will come to iudgement Hee hath promised that Hee will send downe his spirit that should lead them in all truth thou hast his hand writing see if this promise be come to passe then assure thy selfe withall he will come to judge this World hath he promised He will preach the Gospell to all Nation looke into the Scriptures hath hee performed it Why then never doubt but that thy body also shall rise because he hath foretold it The second is because it is the nature of Gods Iustice to give to every man according to his due desert good things to good men and evill things to evill men but it is not so here in this life but the best men bee in the worst estate for the most part and evill men in the best for as Salomon saith Eccles 9. 2. All things come alike to all there is one event to the just and to the wicked to the pure and to the polluted and to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that sweareth not or feareth an oath so the worst be in the best estate and the good be in the worst estate hereof Habakkuk complaines Chap. 1. 13. Thou art of pure eyes and canst not behold wickednesse wherefore dost thou looke on the transgressors and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than be here in this life there be many aberrations and swervings from the right rule of justice therefore there must bee a judgement to bring that which deflects from the rule to rectitude and straightnesse Againe Augustine speaking out of Pssalm 101. saith God hath
there bee a number of men that overdrive their wits and bring them into an high straine and so make them die therefore a learned man saith well It is better not to judge of things secret and hidden than to strive and contend about them There be a number of Papists that do determine the place where it shall be though the best Divines hold it uncertaine and they bring Scripture for it too Some say that the place is the valley of Iehosaphat Ioel 3. 12. Let the World be wakened and come up to the valley of Iehosaphat for there will I sit to judge all the Heathen round about which words are spoken not of the last judgement but the meaning is that the Lord would judge the Amorits and the Ammonites wich were the enemies of the people of God in those times there the Lord would overthrow and destroy them and to prove it is not intended of the last judgement there be divers reasons First because he speakes by way of Allusion It is a Metaphor and a borrowed speech as wee may see by other places of the same Chapter as verse 18. And in that day shall the Mountaines droppe downe new wine and the hils shall flow with milke and all the Rivers of Iuda shall flow with waters and a Fountaine shall come forth of the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shittim Now as those words cannot stand in their literall sense but be Metaphoricall and are spoken by allusion onely so likewise is it in this place and therefore it cannot bee meant of the last judgement Secondly because bodies must have distance and place as Augustine saith Take away distance and place and then bodies are no bodies therefore it is not probable that the valley of Iehosaphat should hold all the bodies of all the men that have lived from the beginning of the World to the latter end of all ages in all the Countries and kingdomes of the world It is not possible they can stand all there to bee judged at the same time Thirdly the Schoolemen say it is probable that it should bee on Mount Olivet because Christ did ascend to Heaven from thence Now if it should be on the Mount Olivet it could not he in the valley of Iehosaphat because they bee a great distance one from the other as 2 Chron. 20. 20. we may see when Iehosaphat went out to warre he went to Tekoa which was sixe miles from Bethlehem and Bethlehem was sixe miles from Ierusalem and then the valley of Iehosaphat must needs many miles bee distant from Ierusalem so this opinion overthrowes the other But they say the valley of Iehosaphat was neere Ierusalem betweene the Mount of Olives and that but it cannot bee so because it is said 2 Chron. 20. 27. that Iehosaphat and the men of Ierusalem and Iuda returned home to Ierusalem from the valley So that it was many miles distant from Ierusalem whereas the Mount of Olives was neere for Christ sate on that Mount and did see men cast into the Treasury therefore the valley of Iehosaphat cannot be the place where the last judgement shall be Fourthly because the dsciples Luk. 17. when they heard Christ speake of the fearefull separation that shall be at the last day of judgement that there shall be two in the bed of whom the one shall be taken and the other refused two in the fields one refused and the other taken said unto him where Lord and he said unto them whersoever the dead Carkas is thither shall the Eagles resort Now if it had been set downe in the Scripture Christ would never have left it as uncertaine to his disciples when they did aske him of it So then it is manifest the particular place where Christ shall judge the World is uncertaine Now if men will not be contented with this but say there must bee a determined place where he shall judge the World which is like to be where he was borne planted the Gospell did preach and worke most of his miracles I must say for mine owne part I doe incline that way But whether it shall bee in Bethlehem where Christ was borne or upon Mount Olivet from whence Christ ascended or whether it shall bee on Mount Calvery where Christ was crucified or on Mount Tabor where Christ was transfigured I dare not determine for that is left uncertaine to us Now the Vse be made of it is that seeing the particular place is uncertaine therefore let us labour to bee joyned with Christ to lie with him in the Manger pray with him on the Mount fall downe by him in the Garden to goe with him to the Crosse to bee killed and crucified with him to descend into the Grave with him and to lay our bodies by him and our bones by his bones and to bee joyned with him and then as hee did rise himselfe our of the grave so hee will raise thee out of thy grave and thou shalt be gathered unto him by the hand of an Angell and brought unto him wheresover the place be Fourthly The time of the judgement For when we heare there shall be a judgement day then we make enquiry when it shall be It is a desire in nature to looke after it if once beleeved therefore not onely the wicked say where is the promise of his comming but his Disciples also Matth. 24. came unto him and asked him when the end of the world should be Augustine saith well All men that labour desire to know or to have an end of their labour Therefore as the husbandman casts with himselfe how many weeks it will be to Harvest The Merchant man how many daies to Returne The Traveller what time hee shall get to his Inne So a Christian that hath tooke paines to get Heaven cannot chuse but bee desirous to know when the end of the world shall be that he may have amend of his labour Now concerning the time of the last judgement I will lay downe these three conclusions 1. That the Time is certaine to God 2. That the Time is uncertaine to us 3. Although it hee uncertaine to us yet hee hath given us certaine Signes and Tokens of it First The Time is certaine to God which I will prove by Scripture and by Reason First by Scripture Matth. 24. 36. But of that time and houre cometh no man No not the Angels in heaven but my Father onely So Acts 17. 30. But now hee doth admonish all men every where to repent Because bee hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world so Revel 14. 7. the Angell saith Feare God and give glory to him for the houre of his judgement is come Therefore although we doe not know the certaine time yet God knoweth the day and houre when it shall be Secondly we will prove it by reason for looke what God hath done in any special and particular judgement that
Christ doth defer the judgement day seeing all Creatures groane and long for the comming of it as Paul saith Rom. 8. the creatures they groane by the instinct of Nature and the people of God by the instinct of Grace therefore we may marvell that God doth deferre the judgement day I answere there be three causes or reasons of this delay 1. Gods patience in waiting for mans repentance 2. His goodnesse to his Creature 3. His care of the Elect. First it ariseth out of the patience of God in that he waits for our repentance as Peter sheweth 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is not slacke concerning his promise as some men count slacknesse but is long-suffering towards us not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance so Gen. 6. the Lord gave the old world an hundred and twentie yeeres to repent in this S. Peter cals the patience of God in his first Epistle Chap. 3. verse 20. Because the Lord doth give us time to repent and doth deferre his judgements and waits with patience from yeere to yeere and from day to day to see when we will returne to him So then this delation of the judgement day ariseth out of the patience of God Revel 2. 21. it is said of the woman Iezabel that God gave her time to repent her of her fornications and when she did not the Lord did threaten to cast her into a bed of sicknesse so all the time that God gives us here is that we may repent and turne to him but if we doe not but despise the patience and kindnesse of God he will not onely cast us into a bed of sicknesse but he will cast us into hell Secondly it ariseth out of the goodnesse of God to his creature which hee extendeth to the reprobate so farre forth as it doth not impeach his justice for seeing it is a long time to lye in hell for ever and ever in torments where there shall bee no mitigation or intermission of paines but all the wicked shall be tormented day and night they shall have no Sabbath of rest nay they shall not have the least moment of ease therefore the Lord out of his goodnesse doth deferre the judgement day Mat. 8. the devils desired to be kept from hell and the Lord shewes his goodnesse to them Now if the Lord shewed his goodnesse to Divels much more to men Thirdly this delay ariseth out of the care and love that God hath of his Elect. There bee a number of men that bee yet unborne and a number now living unconverted therefore it pleaseth Christ to deferre the judgement day till the number of them bee accomplished It is said Revel 6. 9 10. The soules of them that lie under the Altar did crie unto the Lord saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them which dwell on the Earth and answer was made that they should rest for a season untill their brethren and fellow-servants should be killed as they were so there be a number of them that bee yet unborne and not yet converted that the patience of God stayes for and therefore the judgement is delayed as Gen. 19. the Angell could doe nothing to Sodome till Lot was in Zoar set in safety so the Lord Iesus will doe nothing till hee hath set his Elect people in safetie Wee see a Ship that takes in passengers lies at Anchor till the last passenger be come in then they hoist up saile and away they goe so the Lord Iesus lies as it were at Anchor here in this world to take in passengers for the number of his Elect and when the last man is come then the judgement day shall be But some man will say if the judgement day be not yet then it will make men secure To this I answere that although the judgement bee not yet yet we know not how soone the day of death may come therefore we should prepare our selves for it repent us of our sinnes get faith in Christ for As the day of death leaves us so the judgement day shall finde us It is almost sixteene hundred yeeres since Iudas dyed and yet he shall stand before God in the same condition he dyed in an unrepentant man and in the same condition and estate hee shall stand before God in judgement Augustine saith well on Psal 36. Suppose that the day of judgement cannot bee yet yet the day of death cannot bee farre off therefore O man prepare for it for looke in what estate death leaves us in the â—ame estate shall judgement finde us I but yee will say though the judgement day be not yet yet it is good to keepe men in feare of it To this I answer that Christ would not have his Disciples build on a false ground and Paul saith 2 Thes 2. 1. Now wee beseech you brethren by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our assembling unto him that you be not soone shaken in minde nor troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as though the day of the Lord were at hand Let no man deceive you by any meanes for that day shall not come except there come a departing first and that man of sin be disclosed so he would not have their feare grounded on a false ground and I accordingly excite every Christian man or woman to be quickned hereby that as death leaves him so judgement shall finde him therefore we should so shut up our eyes here in this world as that they may be opened againe in the kingdome of God Fifthly The persons that shall be judged be the quicke and the dead that is all the men and women that are dead and all them that are alive at his comming for all men shall stand before him of what estate and condition soever they be rich and poore high and low we which are present and they which are absent as S. Paul saith We shall all appear before the judgement seat of Christ no man can be absent from it there were many exempted from the marriage but there is no man that can bee exempted from this the mountaines cannot hide us hell cannot hold us but we must all appeare before Christ in judgement and I would to God this were written in our hearts with the point of a Diamond that it might not be forgotten There be many wayes to shift mens Courts and Tribunals they may flie the countrey or bribe the Iudge or compound and agree with their adversary or if this doe it not they may be prevented by death O but we cannot shifts Gods judgement barre wee cannot fly the countrey for whither shall wee goe but hee will finde us out hell cannot hide us from his presence we cannot bribe the Iudge because he is an heavenly and a righteous Iudge and will give to every man according to his workes neither can we
the Mount was but a type and figure of the glory that shall be on Christ at the day of judgement and this glory and brightnesse that shall appeare before his comming I take to be the signe of the Sonne of Man Thirdly what the effects shall bee of the signe of the Sonne of man and surely fearefull shall they bee to the wicked and comfortable to the godly for when the signe of the Sonne of man shall appeare then all the wicked shall mourne weepe and cry out of their sinnes that they have not loved Christ but despised him have not obeyed his Lawes but contemned and set light by them therefore it will bee a fearefull time to the wicked but to the godly it shall bee great comfort for Christ telleth the Iewes Matth. 23. 29. Ye shall see me no more till that ye say Blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lord the very reprobate shall say these be the happy and blessed men howsoever wee have hated and despised them O that wee had lived as they did then wee should have beene happy too I have instanced often before in the example of Ioseph Gen. 45. 5. and because it is apt to the purpose I cannot passe it at this present for when Ioseph did discover himselfe to his brethren thren they were abashed and ashamed because their conscience told him that they had betrayed and sold him for a slave before nay some of them would have killed him if they had loved him and used him well then it might have beene a comfort to them when he did discover himselfe and say I am your brother Ioseph so I say of Christ what a terrour will it be to the wicked and ungodly because they have despised and condemned him if they had used him well they might have had comfort at his appearing wee read likewise 2 Sam. 2. 22. when Asahel prest upon Abner Abner said to him depart from me wherefore should I smite thee to the ground how then shall I bee able to hold up my face to Ioab thy brother so when wee shall sinne and offend Christ how shall wee hold up our faces at that day So then we see it shall be a terrour to the wicked and to such as have not repented them of their sinnes but unto the godly Christs comming shall be greatly comfortable as Augustine saith we see in reason if two men should be beyond sea and their lord and master should send for them the one to bee honoured for his good service the other to be punished for his offences though it may bee they both come home in one sâ—ip eate at one table lye in one bed arrive at one haven and come to one place yet their thoughts would be diverse for the one would thinke now is the time that I shall bee honoured for my good service therefore it is a comfortable time to him the other would thinke now is the time that I shall be punished for my offences therefore it must be a time of discomfort to him this is the direct case betweene the godly and the wicked that they may eate at one table lye in one bed dye all one kinde of death and yet their thoughts bee divers for the godly they shall rejoyce when that time commeth because they shall bee honoured and advanced and it shall bee a terrour to the wicked because they shall be punished for their offences as Iohn 20. when Christ appeared to Mary being grieved and dejected for the losse of him and said Mary she turned about and said Rabboni Master as if shee should say I am glad that I have found thee Heaven and earth could not make her so glad as she was when she found Christ so when a Christian hath looked out at his windowes and doores to see Christ many a time and at last shall see him come in glory and breaking the clouds and comming to Iudgement he may say as Mary did Rabbâ—ni Master I am glad to have found thee so they may say O Lord Iesus art thou come Thou art Hee that I have longed for a long time and blessed be God that this day is come therefore seeing Christians are desirous of Christs comming this should teach them to prepare for it we see a loving wife in the absence of her husband when she lookes for his returne shee will trimme up her house garden and walkes to have all things handsome so wee that bee Christians when we heare that Christ will come we must trimme up our houses that is our hearts and our consciences and make all fit to entertaine Christ Having declared the signes that goe before and also such as joyne with the comming of Christ wee proceede to the next thing which is the manner of his comming and that is glorious attended on by Angels hee shall come in the greatest glory that Heaven and Earth can afford There is great difference betweene the first and the second comming of Christ His first comming was base and meane contemned and despised of all sorts of men and wee see how unkindly hee was used at the hands of men in that they condemned him the Souldiers set a crowne of Thornes on his head they did mocke at him buffet him and crucifie him and why Because hee was apparelled and clothed with our sins which may teach us that the noblest and greatest one that is if sinne be upon him it will disgrace and put him downe therefore as Christ did cast away sinne and did put it off and then entred into glory so wee must labour to doe as Christ did to put off sinne to kill it to make a grave for it and to bury it and then as Christ comes in glory so wee shall come in glory also But if we do not put off sin nor cast the filthy ragges of it from us Christ will come in glory and wee fall to shame disgrace and contempt Now in the manner of Christs comming to judgement we may observe three things 1. How he shall come in glory 2. Wherein this glory consists 3. What Benefit we shall have by it First how he shall come it shall be in glory as we have heard a little before so also it is said Matth. 16. 27. For the Sonne of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then shall hee give to every man according to his deeds and againe Luke 9. 26. For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my Words of him shall the Sonne of Man be ashamed when hee shall come in his glory and in the glory of his Father and of the holy Angels So then Christ shall come in all the glory that Heaven and Earth can afford and therefore it is manifest there is great difference betweene his first comming and his second comming For his first comming was in the estate of humilitie he was despised and rejected of men Hee was a man full of
stand before God in this great assembly therefore labour thou to repent of thy sinnes and to get faith in Christ and to be prepared for that day I would to God I could perswade you a little to sequester your thoughts from the world and to thinke of the day of the Lord that all men shall bee gathered together before the Lord and arraigned to give an accompt of all his actions that he hath done how would this worke on our hearts to lay up comfort for that day Esai 10. 3. The Prophet demands What shall yee doe now in the day of your visitation and of destruction so the wicked may say what shall we doe at that day when we shall be convicted and found haters of God despisers of good things contemners of religion and deceivers of our neighbours so the consideration of this might make every one to be prepared for it Thus we see that not onely the elect shall be gathered but the wicked also Secondly by whom they shall bee gathered by the Angels Now the Angels doe service to us first when we be living secondly when wee bee dead thirdly at the day of judgement First they doe us service whilst wee are living they attend us and carry us in their hands as it is said Psal 91. For hee shall give his Angels charge over thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes they shall beare thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy foote against a stone so Psal 34. 7. The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him and delivereth them Secondly at the day of death they bee round about our houses attend our chambers and our sicke beds and when wee are dead they carry our Soules into Heaven as we may see Luke 16. in the story of Lazarus Thirdly they doe us srvice at the day of judgement to open our graves to digge and pull away the mould and to conduct and carry us into the presence of Christ therefore doe thou labour to bee a servant of Christ and to feare God and the Angels shall not only attend thee while thou livest here but shall digge thee out of thy grave and take away the moulds and shall conduct and bring thee into the presence of Christ as Acts 12. when Peter was in prison the Angell came and opened the prison doore and there was a light did shine round about him and he smote off his fetters and chaines and led him into the streets of the Citie so the Angels shall do to the godly at the day of judgement they shall open their graves which is a Prison and shall knocke off the Gives of mortalitie a light shall shine round about them and they shall take them by the hand as it were and lead them from countrey to countrey till they come at the presence of Christ to the new Ierusalem to enjoy fellowship with God and his blessed Angels Thirdly to whom we shall be gathered To Christ first as to the Head and then one to another as to the members First wee shall bee gathered to Christ our Head there shall not one of his members bee wanting which may be a great comfort to all Christians for this is that they desire that all their praiers they conceive all the Sermons they heare all their labours and paines tend to it is the center of their desires for this they sigh and long to bee gathered home to their Head Iesus Christ So Phil. 1. Paul desireth to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ though it be with the losse of life or goods he was contented Gen. 45. 1. wee see when Ioseph and his brethren met together what joy there was Ioseph did weepe on his brethrens neckes and they on his so when Christ and his members meete O what joy there shall bee at the day of judgement they shall not weepe one upon anothers necke but there shall be joy unspeakeable and glorious Secondly they shall be gathered one to another as to members though they live now in diverse Countreyes and Kingdomes in diverse Townes and Houses and by reason of some corruptions it may be wee may have little comfort one of another yet at the day of judgement all shall meete together againe and then we shall rejoyce in the company of each other then we shall meet with all the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles Martyrs Confessors and all our godly friends and acquaintance that ever wee knew came of or heard of wee see when friends have beene absent a long time one from another and meete together againe how welcome are they one to another and how doe they rejoyce in the company of each other So at the day of judgement when we shall meete with our godly friends and acquaintance that have beene absent from us a long time what joy and comfort will there bee Wee see also when friends meete together at a Feast what joy there is one with another O but there shall be greater joy at the day of judgement when all the godly meete together and when every mans joy shall bee our joy So it shall bee a comfortable assembly to bee gathered to Christ and one Christian to another wee see here on Earth when Christians are met together to pray and conferre and to sing Psalmes what joy and comfort is there and yet there is many times meanes of discontentment but when all weaknesse shall be at an end and all imperfections shall cease much more joy and comfort in Heaven shall wee take one in another Therefore if wee have any wit in our heads or grace in our hearts let every one of us labour to be one of Gods people to be a member of Christ and then we shall bee gathered first to Christ our Head and then to one another as fellow-members Now we shall not only be aggregated and gathered together but there shall be also a separation for all the World shall be divided into two flockes or Heards the Sheepe shall be set at the right hand and the Goats at the left and they shall bee separated as a Shepheard separateth the Sheepe from the Goates who although they feede all the day long in one pasture drinke all of one water and are refreshed all under one shaddow yet when the night commeth hee gathereth the Sheepe into the Fold and leaves the Goates to bee devoured of the Wolves so the Lord Iesus Christ shall separate the good from the bad howsoever they lived together here in this world may sit all at one table and lie in one bed yet when the day of judgement comes hee will gather his sheepe into his fold and leave the wicked to be tormented with the Divell Now in this separation we observe three things 1 That there shall be a separation 2 The Time when it shall be 3 Who shall be separated First there shall bee a separation of the good from the bad by
wicked be in that they shall desire the hils to fall upon them and to cover them from the presence of Christ as it is Revel 6. and what a griefe will it be to them to see the godly goe to heaven into joy and happinesse when they must be tormented in hell Philosophers say That no Element is weightie in his owne place as let a man be in the bottome of the Sea and have the Sea on his backe hee shall not feele the weight of it but take him out of the Sea and put a pailefull or a bucketfull of water on his head and then he shall see how weightie it is so this world being the proper place of sinne men feele not the weight of it because it is in his owne Element but bring it to the judgement barre of God and then they shall feele the weight and burthen of it SERMON XLIX MATTHEVV 25. 34. Then shall the King say unto then on his right-hand Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world IT is a busie time and I hope ye have learned that all businesse must yeeld to the Lords businesse Exod. 34. 31. the Lord saith Six dayes shalt thou worke and in the seventh day thou shalt rest both in earing-time and in the harvest thou shalt rest It is a worthy example we have 1 Sam. 6. 13. where it is said And the men of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat-harvest in the valley and they lifted up their eyes and saw the Arke and rejoyced to see it but afterwards they did fling downe their sickles left their labours and went and offered burnt offerings So we must doe at these times when the Sabbath commeth lay aside our labours and performe the dutie that God requireth at our hands and thus much to prepare us Now concerning the last Iudgement we are come to the last point the last day we spake of the Conviction of the offenders that all the wicked shall be convicted of all their sinnes that they have committed and then shall come the sentence of the Iudge which will be most joyfull and welcome to the godly and dolefull heavie and unwelcome to the wicked In the sentence of the Iudge we observe three things 1. The Quality of the sentence 2. The Order of the sentence 3. The Sentence it selfe First The qualitie of the Sentence that it is the finall and last sentence because it shall be the last which shall be pronounced therefore it shall be unrevocable for looke how the sentence passeth so we shal be found in weale or in woe for ever and ever never to be altered and changed As long as we live here we may finde mercie and favour with God if we repent our sinnes lay hold on Christ by faith and be brought into an estate of grace yea and although it be but the day before this judgement come but if once the sentence be passed all mercy is excluded and the gates of heaven and Hell shall be shut up and every man shall be so found in weale or woe for ever ever to abide and continue We see the five foolish virgins came knocked at the gate but because they came too late they were excluded so likewise Esau sought the blessing and that with teares as Heb. 13. and yet went without it because he sought it not in time this time of life is the time of Mercy and grace therefore we must seeke it in this world for it will be too late when once the sentence of the judge shall be pronounced It is a fit resemblance as long as a man hath a stone in his hand to fling he may incline the motions thereof this way and that way but if it be once throwne then he cannot so as long as we live here we may dispose of our selves this way or that way but if once the finall sentence of the Iudge be out it cannot be revoked or altered therefore it is good to repent as soone as may be and to lay hold on Gods mercy offered in Christ One compares the time of life to a drawbridge if a man should make a goodly house with gardens and walkes and all things needfull for it and make a drawbridge to it and this should be the order of the house that when the drawbridge were downe every man that would come might dwell there but if they did attend their profit and pleasure till the bridge were drawen up that there were no way to enter in they should be excluded so men may enter into the Kingdome of God in this life as long as the drawbridge is downe that is as long as there is life but if the drawbridge be once taken up that is if this life be once ended and the sentence pronounced it will bee too late to enter all such loyterers shall be excluded and shut out Therefore while we live heere it must be our wisedome to repent of our Sinnes to seeke for Gods favor in Christ for if once the finall and last sentence be pronounced it can never be altered and changed this is the qualitie of the sentence Secondly The Order of the Sentence For the order of the sentence it is first pronounced to the just Come yee blessed and then to the wicked goe ye cursed Divers Divines doe diversly conceive of this some thinke that the reason why the sentence is pronounced first to the just is because the Lord is more inclined to mercy than to judgment as Matth. 3. he will gather his corne into his barne and then he will burne the chaffe with unquenchable fire So because that the Lord is more inclined to workes of mercy which is most agreeable to his nature than to workes of justice this some thinke to be the reason why sentence is pronounced to the godly first There be others thinke that the Reason why the sentence is pronounced to the godly first is that it might be for the more comfort of the just because they should not be terrified with the terrible and dreadfull sentence pronounced against the wicked when he shall chase and drive them all into Hell So it is out of the tendernesse of Christ that sentence is given to the godly first But I take it that this order of the sentence is because the godly shall judge the World they shall be assessors with him at the day of judgment and sit in judgment with him which is the reason why the sentence is pronounced to the godly first Now that the Saints shall judge the World it is plaineby Scripture as Matth. 19. Christ saith that they which follow him in the regeneration shall sit on twelve Thrones and judge the twelve Tribes of Israel so also 1 Corinth 6. 2. saith the Apostle doe ye not know that the Saints shall judge the world and againe in the 3 vers know ye not that we
me So this is the Reason of the Assignement The Popish Church lay hold on these words and would prove thereby that their workes merit at the hands of God because Christ gives heaven to those that doe good to his servants and because they shall be judged by their workes To which I answer although this be the reason why the Lord assignes heaven to them that they did workes of mercy and although we shall be judged by our workes yet workes are not the meritorious cause of it why he gives us heaven but the signes and tokens who be the persons so qualified that shall have heaven such as love Christ and shew mercy to his needy members and doe good to them I will cleere it you by an example The King of England makes a promise to bestow on his subjects a great reward out of his bountie and there came before him his subjects and his enemies and he saith to his subjects I will bestow this gift on you for when I was in France ye did attend on me and shewed your love to mee â—ow this gift shewes who be the subjects of the King and who be the enemies So at the last day when the good and bad shall be before Christ and Christ shall tell them this is the reason why I bestow heaven on you because I was hungry and yee gave mee meat this is not the cause of it but it shewes onely who be the persons that God hath assigned heaven to to those that love him and regard him in his members therefore one sayes well Christ shewes not for what he bestowes heaven in this place but on what kinde of persons he will bestow it And Chrysostome saith though the Saints doe a thousand such things as these yet they deserve nothing at the hands of God it is his bountie to bestow heaven on them for so small and meane things as these So then we see workes are not the cause why Christ assignes heaven to us And there be foure grounds for it The first groundâ— is from the estate and condition we be in all are servants Therefore whatsoever we doe is but our dutie and if it be our duty we cannot merit any thing at the hand of God So saith Christ Luke 17. 10. When yee have done all these things which are commanded you say We are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our dutie to doe Therefore the very estate and condition that wee are in doth shâ—w that wee cannot merit any thing at the hands of God And Chrysostome saith No man is able to shew such an holy conversation of life to deserve any thing at the hands of God but when he hath done all he is but an unprofitable servant The Papists reply against this and say That although a man cannot merit any thing being in the estate of a servant yet if of a servant hee become a friend hee may merit Now that hee may bee a friend it is plaine by the words of Christ Iohn 15. 15. Hence call I you no servants for the servant knoweth not what his master doth but I have called you friends and in the verse before Yee are my friends To this I answer we are servants still though it please God to accept of us as his friends we are only made friends by acceptance in the merit of Iesus Christ which alters not the former condition of duty and service as may be proved by these places Rom. 6. 18. Being then made free from sinne yee are made the servants of righteousnesse and in the 1 Pet. 2. 16. he exhorteth them As free and not using the libertie for a cloake of maliciousnesse but as the servants of God And Christ saith Ioh. 15. 19. Yee are my friends if yee doe whatsoever I command you therefore because we be servants still and remaine in the same estate and condition wee cannot merit any thing but when wee have done all wee doe but our dutie The second ground is our owne impotencie that we are not able to doe any good thing of our selves much lesse can wee merit anything Now that we can doe no good thing it is plaine by the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the grace of God I am that I am And 2 Cor. 3. 5. saith he Not that we are sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God So Phil. 2. 13. For it is God that worketh in you both the will and the dead even of his good pleasure Now then if all we doe is by the power of grace and if it is God onely which worketh both the will and the deed then we are beholding to God for it and God is not beholding to us Origen saith well No workes of man can deserve any thing at Gods hand because they cannot thinke any good or doe any good but it must be from God The Papists reply and say that God may give a man grace which he may so husband as that hee may deserve any thing at Gods hand and they make it plaine by this similitude A father gives a farme to his son and gives him a stocke now the sonne may so raise the stocke and play the good husband as he may purchase any thing that the father hath in like manner say they God may give a man grace and hee may so husband it as he may purchase any thing at Gods hand To this I answer If a father should give his sonne a farme and a stock to use and when he had done so his childe could not earne a penny but it must be the father and the son could not stirre a foot or a hand without the father then the father is not beholding to the sonne but the son to the father This is the case betweene God and us for when he gives us any grace he must give us a second grace to use and to imploy it wel and therefore it is manifest we cannot merit any thing at Gods hands it is the doctrine of the Schoole-men and Aquinas makes it plaine hee puts the question and resolves it saith he A man may receive a benefit from another and may deserve it at his hands as a man may give one an house which he may deserve but if a man when he hath given another an house must give him also power to use the house and wisdome to governe the same that man cannot be beholding to him that receives but the receiver must needs be beholding to him that gave it so although God give a man grace which he cannot use well unlesse he also give him power to use it Therefore God is not beholding to us for any thing but we are to God and therefore we cannot merit any thing at Gods hands The third ground is our imperfection that in every thing we doe we sinne against God and if we sinne against him then we cannot merit any
ever therefore againe and againe I pray God give us grace to feare it and care to avoid it SERMON LII MATTH 25. 42. For I was an hungred and yee gave mee no meat I was thirstie and ye gave me no drinke c. IT was my purpose to have ended this point with my last daies labour but because there remaineth something more of this point as the reason of the condemnation of the wicked to bee spoken of and one thing besides not yet handled which is what Christ shall doe after the last judgement therefore not I will finish up this Scripture and so will come the next time to that point wee spake of Wee heard out of the former verse of the heavy sentence that should passe on the wicked and ungodly first that they shall bee cast out of the presence of Christ secondly they should goe away with the curse of God on them the sweet mouth of Christ that shall blesse the godly shall curse them thirdly the place that they shall passe into is fire and everlasting fire fourthly the companions they shall live with the devill and his angels Now we come to the Reason of their condemnation for feare lest any man should thinke that it is for some horrible and heynous sinnes that they be judged to hell torments therefore Christ shewes in these words that the people of the world are deceived for they thinke that none but idolaters theeves murtherers whoremasters and such like persons shall goe to hell and that it cannot stand with the goodnesse of God that all these terrible and fearefull judgements should bee inflicted for small and petty sinnes Now Christ shewes that the world is deceived and that men shall bee condemned for small sinnes aswell as the great if they doe not repent for them In these words wee are to observe three things 1. That sinnes of Omission as well as sinnes of Commission will damne a man 2. Not onely great sinnes will damne a man but small sinnes will doe it 3. Though they seeme small to us yet they bee great in Gods accompt First sinnes of Omission will damne a man as well as sinnes of Commission for Christ will not say yee have robbed the poore and taken away their cloathes but ye have not fed the hungry cloathed the naked visited the sicke lodged the stranger the omitting duties of Prayer of holinesse to God of love that we owe one to another this wee shall bee damned for as well as sinnes of Commission For as Augustine saith how many things might Christ say to the wicked at the day of judgement If a wicked man should say Why hast thou judged us to Hell torments He might say because ye be murtherers theeves deceivers of your brethren swearers and because ye be bad livers But Christ shall say none of these things to them but it is because ye have not sed the hungry cloathed the naked lodged the stranger visited the sicke so then the very omitting of Christian duties Christ shall charge us with at the day of judgement will bee of force enough to condemne us Therefore the World is deceived for they thinke if they doe not body harme and pay every man his all is well enough though they doe no good but wee see that for the omitting of good and Christian duties a man shall as well bee damned as for sinnes of Commission therefore it is good for us to be wise and to profit by this lest we be cast out of the presence of Christ As a man may spend the day well in his daily vocation yet when night commeth if he creepe into his bed without prayer and wilfully remaine in that sinne he may be condemned for it if he repent not so likewise a man may eate his meate come to dinner or supper which a man may have because hee gets it with his labour but because he doth not sanctifie it by prayer and draw down a blessing from God upon it therefore notwithstanding other performances he may be damned so likewise on the Sabbath day though a man doe no worke though he doe not ride abroad yet if he lye idle at home and do not come to publike assemblies and is not carefull to keepe it holy to the Lord he may be damned for it And this is the first point that sinnes of Omission as well as sinnes of Commission damne a man if he doe not repent of them Secondly Christ shewes that not onely great sinnes damne a man and cast him out of the presence of Christ but the small too if hee doe not repent them this is another thing that the wicked are deceived in for they thinke if a man be not a theefe a murtherer a whoremaster or a great sinner all is well enough but Christ shewes us that little sinnes damne as well as great If we doe not feede the hungry cloth the naked visite the sicke and lodge the stranger the least sinne is enough to damne a man if he doe not repent of it As Matth. 12. 36. Wee shall answer for every idle word So Matth. 5. 39. Christ saith Whosoever shall breake one of the least of these commandements and teach men so to doe he shall be called the least in the Kingdome of Heaven So then the least sinne is enough to cast us from the presence of Christ we see if a Ship leake water though the hole be but as bigge as a mans finger if it bee not stopt it will drowne the Ship so the least sinne that is will damne a man if he doe not repent of it therefore we must take heed that wee doe not give way to the least sinne for as Saint Ierome saith there is no sinne so little but it deserveth the wrath of God and eternall condemnation Thirdly although these sinnes be small in our sight yet they are great in Gods account For would a man thinke in the light of nature and sight of reason that because a man doth not give bread to the hungry drinke to the thirstie and cloth to the naked these were such great sinnes with a number of others that seeme small in the eyes of the World for they thinke it is a small thing to tell a lie to sweare an oath to raile on a neighbor But Paul tels us 1 Cor. 6. 10. that raylers shall not inherit the Kingome of God and Revel 23. 15. For without shall be dogges inchanters whoremâ—ngers murtherers idolaters and whosoever loveth or maketh lies these although they seeme small in the sight of men yet are they great in the sight of God As if a man looke into a false glasse he can never see true proportion nor right quantitie but if hee looke into a true one then things will appeare in their true proportion and right quantitie so in the false glasse of this world and of mens judgement wee can never see the true proportion of sin nor the right quantitie of it but if we looke into
in God the Father and in Iesus Christ their Redeemer but also in the holy Ghost and are perswaded he will worke grace in them and give them such a measure of holinesse as shall be meet for them here is properly the faith of a Christian which goeth beyond the faith of the wicked for they beleeve they have their sinnes but they doe not beleeve that the holy Ghost will weaken them or subdue and abolish their corruptions when as the people of God have their sinnes also and their great sinnes too but yet they beleeve that the holy Ghost will weaken subdue and abolish their strong corruptions for what is it to beleeve that there is a holy Ghost and be never a whit the better the people of God doe beleeve though they have their sinnes yet they shall have grace from God to subdue them for this is the promise of God to them Ezek. 36. 25. Then will I powre cleane water upon you and ye shall be cleane yea from all your filthinesse and from all your Idols will I cleanse you So Ephes 9. 26. the reason is given The hee might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the Word here is Gods promise that he will cleanse and wash his people from their sinnes and where there is a promise of God there is the faith of a Christian to apprehend it so then it is the faith of a Christian to beleeve God will wash away our sinnes and cleanse us from them but the divinity of the world is quite contrary for they beleeve God made them and the mercy of the Sonne in their redemption but they doe not beleeve that the holy Ghost will worke holinesse in them it is said There be three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are One and therefore as we have the witnesse of the Father and of the Sonne so we must have the witnesse of the holy Ghost therefore as we feele the power of God the Father in our creation and the mercy of God the Sonne in our redemption so also wee must labour to feele the grace and power of the holy Ghost in sanctifying and quickning of us to all duties for herein the faith of a Christian goeth beyond both devils and wicked men Now here is a very profitable point of enquiry to be made How doth the holy Ghost worke holinesse in us as Mary said Luke 1. 34. to the Angell when he told her that she should conceive and beare a Sonne How shall this be seeing I know 〈◊〉 â—an Shee doubted not of the matter but of the manner so a Christian doubts not of the matter but of the manner of this sanctifying therefore wee may with holy reverence say to God How shall this be seeing I am a sinfull man For answere hereunto the Scripture declares by six meanes the operation of the Holy Ghost in us The first is by reprooving us of our want of holinesse shewing us the impuritie of our nature and that we have not a drop of holinesse in our selves It checkes us for our sinnes and reprooves us for them untill wee feele this wee can have no comfort that the Holy Ghost hath wrought holinesse in us as Iohn 16. 8. Christ shewes when the Spirit of God is come into the world hee shall reproove the world of sinne so if the Holy Ghost bee come once into a mans hart hee will shew him the impuritie thereof check and controule him for his sinnes we see if a man come into a house in the darke nothing shewes amisse but if the light shine in then wee may see all the sluttish corners of it so as long as a man is in darknesse all seemes well with him but if once the light shine in then all the slutrish corners of his heart will bee discovered This is the first work that the Holy Ghost workes in us to reproove us of our sinnes and our want of holinesse as if a man bee sick of a dead palsie the way to recover him is by hot oyles and bathes when if once a man come to feele the stiffenesse of his joynts there is hope that he will recover so it is in the worke of grace if a man see his own weaknes and wants how uncheerefull hee is in prayer and in Christ and duities that hee cannot repent though hee desires to repent that hee cannot beleeve as hee doth desire to beleeve there is comfortable hope hee shall recover and that there is a seed of grace in him But if the Spirit of God doth not reproove a man of his sinnes so as to see the impuritie of his nature and want of holinesse hee may feare that there is not the beginnings of grace Secondly by inlightning of us for naturally we are all blinde and ignorant of the wayes of God therefore when the Holy Ghost commeth into us hee makes us see what is pleasing to God and what is displeasing what is right and what is wrong as 2 Cor. 4. wee may see that the Iewes had a veyle hung over their hearts in the reading of the Law that they could not understand and see heaven and happinesse Now the holy Ghost takes away this veyle openeth our understandings and makes us to see know the good way that wee are to walke in So then the Holy Ghost doth inlighten us as 1 Iohn 2. 27. saith hee but the annointing which yee have received of him abideth in you and you need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things c. We see Genes 1. when God made the world one of the first things hee made was light so when the Holy Ghost commeth into a mans hart one of the first things that he doth is he inlightneth him it is observed when a good Tenant commeth into a house hee will make windowes into the same if need bee that hee may have good light to see how to doe his businesse by such a Tenant the holy Ghost is that when hee is come into a mans hart hee will make windowes and let in light that so the man may not doe things in darknesse but by the light of Gods words giving them heavenly knowledge Thirdly by uniting us to Christ because Christ is the fountaine of all holinesse as Paul saith Colos 1. 19. for it pleased the Father that in him should all fullnesse dwell Christ is the store house and the treasury-house of all riches to his Church and the Holy Ghost will never leave a Christian till hee hath brought him to the fountaine of grace if a man dig a trench hee will never leave till hee gets to the fountaine that it may flow into it and fill it with water so the Holy Ghost will worke us till he bring us to Christ which is the fountaine and then hee will convey into us spirituall
might have perished with the world therefore what cause have wee to be thankefull to God for so great a mercy The fourth thing that was observed in the parts of the Church is that they are called out of the condemned multitude of the world to blessednesse and happinesse to bee saved by Christ so Saint Paul saith in this place And the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved there is all the harme the Lord means us to save and to bring us to blessednesse and happinesse therefore every man must take heed hee doth not despise this holy Calling when the Lord invites him to repentance faith and to an estate of grace We see Mark 10. 9. when Christ cals the blinde man he flung away his cloake and got upon his legges and followed him so it should bee the care of every one when Christ cals him to fling away his sinnes and corruptions and make all hast to follow him for if the blinde man did follow him for the curing of his body much more should we for the curing of both soule and body First therefore let us take heed we doe not despisse this Call of God seeing all the harme he meanes us is to save us Secondly seeing Christ cals us to enjoy blessednesse and happinesse and to live in communion with him therefore there is no damned man that can be a member of Christ it is true indeed that the wicked may live in the Church as bad humors be in the body but they are no parts of the body the Scripture is cleere for it as 1 Iob. 2. 19. they went out from us but they were not of us for if they had beene of us they would have continued with us but they went out that it might bee made manifest that they were not all of us as if he had said if they had communion of grace and of the Spirit with us then they would have continued but because they had not therefore they went away The Papists say that a damned man may be a member of Christ but wee see it otherwise Col. 2. 19. saith the Apostle and not holding the head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increasing of God and Austine saith that there is no damned man can bee a true member of Christ because Christ is the Saviour of the body therefore let us labour to bee members of Christs body and then wee shall be saved but if we be not then wee are like to perish although wee should be the greatest Princes in the world but if we be true members of Iesus Christ then we doe beleeve that one day we shall bee blessed and happie whatsoever our estate be here therefore if there bee but one or two saved in a towne let us labour to be one of them if men should suffer Shipwrack and there should bee a boat found that would hold no more than tenne every one would labour to be one of the tenne so wee all have suffered shipwracke by the sin of Adam in the sea of this world now to save us the Lord hath given us a little boate which is his Church that whosoever can get into it shall be saved therefore if there bee but two in a country or one in a towne that is saved wee must labour to bee one of the number SERMON LX. ACTS 2. 47. And the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved A Good hearer is like to dry powder that every little sparke of fire will make it kindle but wet powder must bee often touched before it will take so the unfitter that men be to heare and unprepared the more paines it is to the speaker to worke affection in them Wee shewed you the last day that the faith of a Christian consists in two things in God and the Church of God and that the Church of God is a company of people called out of the damned multitude of this world whom God will eternally save with his owne selfe Whence these considerations offered themselves unto us first What the Church of God is in his owne Nature which wee did then dispatch secondly What bee the parts or the divers estates of the Church of God here in this world whereof wee are to speake at this present The Church considered according to its parts is twofold 1. The triumphant 2. The militant Church The Church triumphant is that which is blessed and happy with God in heaven so called because it is not in conflict and combate as we be warring against sinne lusts the devill and the world but having overcome all are now blessed in heaven Hereof the Apostle speakes Heb. 12. 22. but yee are come to the mount Sion and to the Citty of the living God the Celesticall Ierusalem to the company of innumerable Angels and to the Congregation of the first borne whose names are written in heaven and to God the Iudge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect so Col. 1. 20. saith he For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell and having made peace by the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe c. It is an opinion in the Greeke Church that the Saints are nor glorified in heaven till the judgement day but this opinion of theirs is false for it is first against the Scripture and secondly against reason First It is against the Scripture as Eccles 12. 7. Dust returnes to dust and the Soule returnes to God that gave it now this must needs be spoken of the blessed presence of God that the soule goes to in regard of power for God was present with it before so Luk. 23. 45. Christ said to the Theefe This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise marke saith Saint Augustine Christ doth not delay the Theefe but even from this woodden crosse he is translated into his heavenly kingdome so Paul speakes Phil. 1. 23. desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ and not onely speakes he this of himselfe but also of all the faithfull people of God as 2 Cor. 5. 8. Neverthelesse we are bold and be willing rather to remove out of the body and to dwell with God thus it is cleare by the Scripture that the soules of the beleeving and faithfull goe to heaven immediately to glory So then the Greeke opinion is false it cannot be denied but that some Scriptures seeme to looke this way as that Matth. 20. 6. when the evening was come every one had his penny they received their hire so that Col. 3. 4. When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall ye also appeare with him in glory Now these Scriptures and the like are to be understood of the glory of the body or else of the declaration of the glory that soule and body
shall have at the day of judgement at this present the soules of the faithfull are in glory and the world sees it not but a the day of judgement there shall be further declaration of it So then wee see the former opinion is false Now it is not onely against Scriptures but against reason and that both naturall reason and sanctified or rectified reason First it is against naturall reason because all motions are without cessations till they come to their proper place unlesse they be hindred by some violence as a stone flung down a hill rests not till it comes at the bottome unlesse it be hindered by violence so the proper place of the Saints is heaven thither they move unlesse they be hindered now there is nothing can hinder them but sinne but when they are dead they have no sinne therefore they must needs goe to heaven that they have no sinne it is plaine by the Scripture as Rom. 6. 7. for he that is dead is free from sinne and Augustine saith wee live not without sinne so long as wee bee here but when we be out of this life then sinne ceaseth to this the Schoolemen agree that all sinne ceaseth in a Christian when he is dead In the estate of grace there is no man without sinne but when this life is ended then sinne ceaseth Now if any shall say that the decree of God is hinderance enough I answer there is no such decree set downe in the booke of God Secondly it might seeme injustice in God to delay glory where there is not cause to keepe them from it so the Greekes opinion is against naturall reason Secondly it is against rectified or sanctified reason for the Lord is more inclined to mercy than to judgement as soone as the wicked are dead their soules goe into hell as Luke 16. the soule of the rich man as soone as he was dead was carried into hell while his brethren were alive and had Moses and the Prophets to speake to them therefore it is agreeable to justice that the soules of the just should goe to heaven so soone seeing he is inclined more to mercy than to judgement Augustine saith the soule of a good man goeth to God when hee is dead to enjoy blessednesse and happinesse and the soules of the wicked goe to hell therefore it is out of question that the soules of the godly goe to heaven before the judgement day Secondly the Church Militant is that part of the Church which is a warring and fighting in this world against sinne the devill the world and temptations where although it pleaseth God to give them many victories conquests and triumphs in this world as the Apostle â—aith Rom. 8. In all these things we are more than conquerers yet because it is not without paine and labour toyle and trouble yea not without blood as is shewed Heb. 12. 4. Yâ—â— have not yet resisted unto blood the Church of God hath a number of these incursions and conflicts and as one saith that the devils follow them like a number of barking and bawling dogs and are never at rest therefore it is called the militant Church To this purpose 1 Tim. 6. 12. Paul exhorts Timothie to fight the good fight of faith laying hold of eternall life and 2 Tim. 2. 3. Thou therefore suffer affliction as a good Souldier of Iesus Christ the people of God bee never at rest here the devill will follow and pursue them the world will have a â—ing at them and their sinnes will trouble and annoy them therefore they must lye in campe against all their enemies These are the two maine parts of the Church and this is the order betweene them that the Church militant is a doore gate or poâ—ch to the Church triumphant for wee must be members first of the Church militant before wee come to bee members of the Church triumphant as Dan. 1. 4. there were certaine of the Children of Israel fed with the kings meate that at three yeeres end they might stand before the king so it pleaseth God the great King of Heaven and Earth to feed us here in the militant Church that one day wee may stand before him in the Church triumphant We have heard heretofore out of the Booke of Ester that king Ahashuerosh had two houses for his Maides there was a house of sweete perfume where they were kept for a season before they were brought to the kings house so God hath two houses there is the militant Church and the Church triumphant whereof this is the order that first they must live in the Church militant being perfumed with the graces of his Spirit before they can come to live in the Church triumphant therefore it must be the care of every man so to carry himselfe in the militant church as that be may come to live in the Church Triumphant Thus much of the doctrine now for the use First seeing the Church of God is Militant here in this world therefore wee must looke for no perfect peace here although it pleaseth God sometimes to give the Church rest as it is said Acts 9. 31. That the Churches had rest yet usually it is but a little breathing time it will not be long we must prepare for a new encounter for 1 Cor. 15. it is said The last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death Therefore till death come that we may lie downe in the grave we must looke for vexation and trouble never to be at rest till then for when the Divell doth cease tempting of us and the world is at quiet with us then we have our owne lusts and sinnes to trouble us Augustine saith well the life of a Christian here in this world is nothing but a warfare this is not the place of triumph for what are these but the speeches of warre The good things that I would doe that doe I not but what I hate that doe I and againe I see a law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde leading mee captive to the Law of sinne and death Here is nothing but speech of leading captive and rebellion and he askes the question when will this warre be at an end His answere is When this corruption shall put on incorruption and when this mortall shall put on immortalitie Therefore we must looke for no perfect peace in this World for our sinnes and corruptions will trouble us the world will be against us and the Divell will barke and bawle against us so that a Christian cannot be at quiet while he lives here There be some weake Christians who thinke that because they have many temptations troubles and afflictions that therefore they are no members of Christ nor of the Church of God for if they were they think they should be at peace but here the Divell proceeds against them with false Logicke for they ought rather thus to argue because we live in
of the world they are faine to creepe into Caves Dennes Vautes and secret places neither is it any marvell though writers have so little spoken of them and write of them as they have For as so Esay 26. 20. the Lord saith Come my people enter thereinto thy Chambers and shut thy Doores after thee hide thy selfe for a little season untill my indignation passe over So the Church of God is hidden sometimes from the rage of the world as that it cannot be descerned The Uses are That seeing the Church of God is sometimes hidden and sometimes scattered Therefore as soone as God giveth opportunitie wee should gather together againe into one assembly and setled Church We see in a storme if a Navie suffer some Shipwracke or be scattered as soone as the storme is over they will gather together againe so when a storme comes that is when persecution and trouble comes and so scatters the Church as soone as it is over that God giveth opportunity hee should gather together againe Secondly seeing the Church of God is sometimes a scattered Church and sometimes hidden therefore although wee be scattered in our bodies yet we should be one in faith the unitie of the Spirit and the acknowledging of the Sonne of God Sometimes the Church of God is visible and constituted in the way and order of Christ as were these Churches we read of in this place and divers others that be spoken of in the Scripture This is a rich blessing when the people of God may meete and live in societie together one with another to call upon God to heare the Word and to receive the Sacraments for the nourishing of faith and other graces of God in them whereas the Lord keepes open Schoole with us where wee may learne his will and wayes and where we may go to the Fountaines of grace to refresh our selves Therefore it must bee our wisedome to hold communion with the Church of God that we doe not separate from it for every light matter for toyes and trifles David saith Psal 26. 8. O Lord I have loved thy habitation and thine house the place where thine honour dwelleth so also Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seeke after even that I may dwell in the House of God all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visit his Holy Temple Now what is the reason that it is so great a blessing David could not be resolved hereof in a number of perturbations till hee went into the house of God as Psal 73. 16 17. he saith I thought to have found it out and it was too painefull for me untill I went into the Sanctuarie of God then un-understood I their end For betweene a scattered Church and a gathered Church this is the difference that the one being scattered stands by their owne strength and the other gathered stands by the mutuall help one of another as Acts 27. when Paul was in the Ship in danger and a number of others with him there were some that let downe the Boat out of the Ship and would have stollen away but Paul tells them Except ye abide in the ship ye are all like to perish so let us know that if wee doe not hold communion with the Church we cannot be saved Here wee are to observe two things First that this visible Church is a mixed company wherein is good and bad and therefore it is compared to a field wherein is wheate and tares and to a floore wherein is chaffe and corne and to a flocke wherein is sheepe and goates and because of this mixture wee are not to account the Church of God to bee no Church for a number of wicked men under the hope of ease and other priviledges doe joyne with the Church in outward duties but never partake of the life of grace and are not true members no more than a woodden legge is a true member of the body of a man for though it may bee a stay to the body yet it doth not partake of the life that is in the head therefore when the body is in safety the woodden legge may be in the fire so it shall be with all the wicked men that joyne in outward duties with the Church and doe not partake of the life of grace with them they shall bee cast into hell-fire when the true members shall goe into heaven therefore we must labour to bee true members of the Church and to feele a derivation of the life of grace from Christ or else when the true members be saved we goe to perdition Secondly a visible Church may bee in a more pure estate at some times than it is at other times even as a man that hath health and yet may catch a cold and diseases may breed upon him and may bee brought low so a constituted Church may lose the former beauty and good beginnings corruption of doctrine may creepe in and yet the Church bee a true Church still as were these seven Churches of Asia wherein were many corruptions crept for the which they were reprooved yea and the Church of Rome once was a pure Church but now it is a denne of devils Chrysostome saith such a Church may bee compared to spend-thrifts that when they have spent their money and treasure have nothing to brag of but their purses and chests so the Church of Rome having lost all her purity hath nothing to brag of but the name of a Church it hath lost the nature of the Church and retaines only the name Now here may a question be moved when a man should make separation from the Church First I answer though there be corruption in manners yet we are not to separate from it this is plaine by Scripture wee see the Children of Israel when they were in the wildernesse murmured against God and against Moses and committed many grosse sins yet Moses did not separate from them so in Christs time there were many corruptions amongst the Iewes and yet Christ did not separate from them so 1 Sam. 1. Wee see that Elkanah and his wife went up to the yeerely sacrifices when the Priests were wicked men for they lay with the women that did assemble at the doore of the Tabernacle and yet they joyned with them in the holy things of God Secondly wee are not to separate from the Church for some defects and wants for as a man may bee a true Christian a member of Christ and yet have many wants and defects so a Church may bee a true Church and yet have many wants and defects Thirdly we may not separate though there may bee some corruption in Doctrine in the worship and service of God we see that there was corruption of doctrine in Christs time for the Scribes and Pharisees had taught false doctrine Matth. 5. and yet Christ did not separate from them or his
communion two things are to bee looked unto First that wee have communion with Christ and then with his members that wee may have communion with Christ wee must labour to get the Spirit of Christ for as Saint Paul saith Rom. 8. 9. If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ hee is none of his Now the meanes to come by it is by the Word and Sacraments which be the conduits and channels to convey the Spirit into us therefore wee must apply our selves to the hearing of the Word preached and to the receiving of the Sacraments and so often as wee use these meanes we should labour to feele the Power of Christ in us that wee may say with Saint Paul Gal. 2. I live not but Christ liveth in me If a man take Physicke the next question that useth to bee asked is what doth the Physicke worke for if it doth not it is very dangerous to him that taketh it and if he mend not speedily after it and gather strength they doe suspect the man to bee but a dead man even so the Word and Sacraments are Gods Physicke which when we have received the next thing that wee should enquire into is whether they worke upon us or no if they doe not stirre our bad humors as it were and bee a meanes to remove our sinnes and to get strength against them that we may be quickned in our soules with holy graces if wee doe not mend I say upon it our estate is full of danger Therefore it must bee our care to profit by the use these good meanes that we may feele the Power of Christ in us to kill sinne and to quicken up all the graces that are in us for the more wee increase in communion with Christ the lesse wee shall have communion with our sinnes To explaine this to you give me leave to use a familiar similitude A certaine man there was that had a foule yard who got gravell and stones to mend it yet still his yard was foule then having a little spring in it he opens that and turnes the streame through his yard which carried away all the rubbish filth and dirt so when wee feele and see our hearts to bee uncleane the way to mend them is not to put gravell stones upon them but there is a little spring of the blood of Christ which we must labor to turne into them and this will bee sure to carry all the filth rubbish and corruption that is in us Againe those that make opticke glasses they say can gather all the Sunne beames so together as by reflecting them on a ship they can set it on fire in like manner if we can gather all the gratious beames of the graces of Christ into our hearts though it doe not burne the ship yet it will burne up all our sinnes and corruptions therefore it must be our care by the use of good meanes to nourish this holy Communion that we have with Christ by the Spirit Now as we have communion with Christ so also with his Members by love I shewed that there is a threefold Communion of the living with the living of the living with the dead and of the dead with the dead which was twofold in their bodies and soules But of this sufficiently before for of the severall Communions of Saints one with another I have at divers times spoken my intention at this present is onely to prosecute such necessary consequences as depend upon this Doctrine which also I doe reduce chiefly to these three heads First That the soule of man dieth not against Atheists Secondly That the soule sleepeth not with the Body against Anabaptists Thirdly That the soule goeth not to Purgatorie against Papists Of these in Order and first That the soule of a man dieth not against the Atheists of this time who say that the soule dieth together with the body indeed it were well with them that their soules might die with their bodies as a beast dieth for it goeth but to the ground and there is an end of them but their soules I meane Atheists shall goe into paines and torments Now because this is a weightie point and of some importance I will prove it to you first by the Scripture and secondly by Reason by the Scripture for your sakes for they care not for the Scriptures and by Reason for their sakes because they may bee left without excuse First by the Scriptures Eccl. 12. 7. Then shall the dust returne to the earth and the Spirit to God that gave it likewise Christ saith to the theefe This day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise Luk. 23. Now this could not bee spoken of his bodie for that was in the hands of the Souldiers to burie therefore it was spoken in regard of his soule Secondly by Reasons which are chiefly three First That which is corrupted is corrupted by the contrarie of it but there is nothing contrarie to the soule but sinne as 1 Pet. 2. 11. S. Peter exhorts the brethren Dearly beloved I beseech your as Pilgrims strangers abstaine from fleshly lusts that fight against the soule Now sinne is not contrarie to the substance of the soule but to the puritie sanctitie thereof therefore though sinne destroy the puritie of the soule it cannot destroy the subtance of the soule and consequently the soule still liveth Secondly That if the soule may doe any action in the body that depends not of the body without the helpe of it then it may subsist without the body which wee may easily perceive aswell by demonstration out of the rules of Philosophy as by evident notes and markes proceeding from the operation of our soule within our selves as the severall operations of the intellectuall faculties that doe not depend at all on the body even so it is in existing but the soule may doe some action in the body that doth not depend on it as the judgement and the will therefore it may exist without the body Thirdly a thing that corrupteth must corrupt to something or to nothing If they say it doth corrupt to some thing then it will dissolve to the same thing that it was made of but it was not made of the foure Elements for then it would bee some thing nor of the temper of the Elements for then it should bee compounded but all Divines hold that the soule is not a compound thing but a thing undividable therefore the soule doth not corrupt to something And it doth not corrupt to nothing for of nothing nothing can bee made by the power of nature but by his owne power God is able to make something of nothing So this opinion is false therefore if the Atheists cannot tell us what becommeth of the soule and whether it dieth or not Gods word can tell that the soule doth not dye but that it is immortall The Use is seeing the soule liveth when it is out
8. it is said that Lots soule was vexed every day with the uncleane conversation of the Sodomites dwelling amongst them and yet they did not hurt with their hands If one man should set up a number of goodly lights and one should come and make a smoke in the roome it would dimme the lights so the Lord hath set up a number of Saints to shine as lights in this World and the Divell he thrusts in a number of vile and wicked men to make a smoke to dampe their light which although they cannot quite quench yet they much dimme this doth hinder and allay the sweete and comfortable communion that the Saints should have one with another Now in the Kingdome of Heaven there shall be no such matter as Matth. 13. 41. It is said that Christ will thrust out of his kingdome all things that offend so there shall not bee a wicked man left to hurt nor offend them so Esay 11. 9. it is said They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine and likewise Revel 21. 27. it is said And there shall enter into it no uncleane thing neither whosoever worketh abomination or telleth lies againe Revel 22. 15. saith he For without shall be dogges inchanters whoremongers murtherers Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh lies So all the wicked shall be excluded and shut out of the kingdome of God there shall be no body to hurt the Saints nor to grieve and offend them O how comfortable will the communion of Saints bee in Heaven Secondly Imperfectio bonorum the imperfection of good men for they be not perfectly sanctified in this world they are regenerated but in part partly flesh and partly spirit so by reason hereof there bee many jarres and brangles that doe arise amongst them as Gregory saith out of Psal. 10. that many times friends have much adoe to agree for wee see Abraham and Lot were both sanctified and holy men and yet there was a jarre betweene them they were glad to be parted Gen. 13. 8. so Paul and Barnabas wee both good and holy men and yet they were so at oddes one with another that they parted company Acts 15. 39. Damascen observeth that as there is no rose since the fall of Man but hath his prickles so there is no man even the best that is but hath some thing or other in him that is distastefull but in Heaven all these infirmities shall be taken away and then there will bee infinite matter of comfort As Gen. 21. 10. yee see that there was a jarre betweene Abraham and Sarah about the bondwoman and her childe who when shee was cast out all was at peace so many times there is contention and strife betweene Christians all being about the bondwoman and her Childe that is the reliques and remainders of corruptions in the flesh but when they shall be taken from us then wee shall have sweet agreement therefore if the communion of Saints be comfortable here how much more comfortable will it be in Heaven Thirdly distantia locorum that they live in remote places one from another and yet there is a providence of God in it For the People of God are said to be the salt of the Earth Salt must not be laid all in one place but it is sprinkled and scattered in every place to make meat seasonable and savoury that is unto many so the Godly doe not live all in one Towne Countrie and Place but are scattered and sprinkled all the world over to season the hearts of their brethren and their soules to make them savoury unto God so because they be thus scattered and hindered one from another this doth hinder and allay the sweet and comfortable communion that they should have one of another It is said Iudges 5. 16. For the divisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart for Reuben was placed on the other side of Iordan so that they could not get mutuall helpe from them because there was a River betweene them In like manner because there is a Iordan betweene the People of God in this World some living in one Countrie and some in another so that they cannot lend their mutuall helpe one to another this maketh great thoughts of heart and allayeth the comfort that they might have one of another but at the day of death they shall all goe into the kingdome of God and live in one place As Matth. 8. Christ shewes that they shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaak and Iaakob in the Kingdome of God Wee see how comfortable it is when a few Christians are met together to conferre pray and sing Psalmes who notwithstanding have their weaknesse and frailties and if it be so comfortable here what will it be when all the People of God shall meete together in Heaven If one see an infinite number of godly Diamonds shinning scattered here and there and they bee all brought into one roome what a light and lustre would there bee So the People of God are as a company of shinning Pearles or Diamonds that are seated here in this world but one day when all they are gathered together and brought into Heaven then what a wonderfull glory and shining will there be Fourthly Angustia amorum the narrownesse of their love for the People of God are bound to love as brethren and to tender the good one of another Now there is such a narrownesse in our love that we have much adoe to love our friends much lesse all the Saints for there be a number of Saints that we know not neither doe wee love all we know as we should doe but at the day of death when wee shall all meete together in Heaven then our love shall be inlarged and we shall love the whole Israel of God no brother loveth his brother so dearely as we shall love one another yea though we never saw them before nor heard of them then consider how great will our comfort be at that day when we shall part from this world and live together in Heaven Now besides all these there is a double communion wee have with the Saints 1. A communion with them in Grace 2. A communion with them in Glorie Therefore it must be every mans care to labour to appertaine to the communion of saints in grace that so they may come to have cōmunion with them in the kingdome of glory Indeed all men desire to appertain to the communion of saints in glory to go to the kingdome of Heaven like Balaam that desired to die the death of the righteous to be in glory and happinesse with the People of God but cared not to live godlily here But if ever wee expect to have communion with the Saints hereafter in the kingdome of Glory wee must bee sure to have communion with them here in the kingdome of Grace And therefore let us labour to repent us
things I write unto you that yee sinne not but if any man sinne wee have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the just therefore let our sins be what they will if we can repent of them God will forgive them without limitation of the number or the greatnesse of them There is but one sinne only that shall not be forgiven the sinne against the Holy Ghost which is spoken of Matth. 12. 31. Every sinne and blasphemy shall bee forgiven unto men but the blasphemie against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto them So 1 Iohn 5. 16. saith he there is a sin unto death I doe not say that thou shalt pray for it and Heb. 6. 6. it is said If a man hath tasted of the Word of God and of the powers of the world to come if he fall away it is impossible he should be renewed againe by repentance Now the reason why the Lord will not pardon it is not because his mercie cannot reach it for his mercy is infinite but because there is a defect in men that they cannot repent of it for this sinne is against all the beginnings of grace in them therefore they cannot relent for it nor repent so the defect is not in God but in men for if it were possible that men could repent this sinne God would forgive it The use of this is seeing God will forgive our sinnes though they be in number never so many and in measure never so great if we repent truely therefore we should repent and humble our selves before God that he may forgive us We see that David had committed two grosse and great sinnes yet he saith Psal 32. I said I will confesse against my selfe my owne wickednesse and thou forgavest the punishment of them and Saint Paul was a great sinner who faith of himselfe 1 Cor. 15. 9. I am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God and 1 Tim. 1. 13. saith he I was a blasphemer a persecuter and an oppressor but I was received to mercy c. Therefore let no man despaire though his sinnes bee never so many or so great if they can repent they shall finde mercy at Gods hands Augustine saith well upon Psal 81. speaking of the Iewes how that they killed and crucified Christ and yet many of them were saved this saith he is left for an example for us that no man should despaire though his sins were never so great and so many yet if he can repent of them God will forgive them for if the greatest sinnes were forgiven that were committed in this world which was the killing of Christ then doe not doubt but the Lord will forgive thee thy sinnes if thou canst repent of them This is the condition as we shall heare more hereafter if we will repent our sinnes God will forgive them but if we will not accept of this condition but still live in them from day to day and nourish and keepe them in our bosomes then doe not marvell though God will not forgive us The fifth thing is That none but God can forgive sinnes hee that raises up our bodies at the day of judgement and giveth everlasting life hee it is that must forgive us our sinnes and therefore they are placed together in the Articles of our Christian faith wee doe beleeve that God will forgive us our sinnes here that hee will raise our bodies at the last day and give us life everlasting so it is God onely that must forgive us our sinnes this is cleere both by the Scripture and by Reason First by Scriptures as Esay 43. 25. I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will remember thy sinnes no more so Ieremiah 31. 34. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know ye the Lords for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sinnes no more and 2 Sam. 12. 13. Nathan saith to David the Lord also hath put away thy sinnes thou shalt not die David Psal 32. saith I confessed my sinnes and thou forgavâ—st me the punishment of them so there can be no question about this but that it is God only that doth forgive sinnes This was a knowne truth amongst the Pharises as wee see Luke 5. for say they None but God can forgive sinnes A learned man speaking of this place saith that the ground was good that none but God can forgive but they failed in their application for they tooke Christ to be but a bare man And it is Augustines assertion The Donatists say that men may forgive sinnes but saith he in this they are worse than the Pharises for they say none but God can forgive sinnes Secondly by Reason and that first Because sinne is an infinite offence against God therefore it must be an infinite power that must take it away for as the Schoolemen say The thing that worketh must be of greater power and vertue than the thing that is wrought upon but all the power that is in man is finite and hath his bounds and limits therefore no man is able to forgive sinne For as a pecke cannot hold a thousand bushels so man being finite cannot have infinite power and threfore no man is able to take away sinne but God onely Secondly it is cleare from the doctrine of their owne Schoolemen who say that no man can take away sin unlesse he be able to infuse grace so Aquinas faith that there is no forgivenesse of sins but there must be therewith infusion of grace but there is no man that can infuse grace into any therefore there is no man that can take away sin or we may frame a reason thus He that justifieth a man he only it is that can forgive sins but there is none but God that can justifie a man therefore none but God can forgive sinnes Thirdly He that takes away the punishment of sinne Hee it is that must take away sinne as Christ promised to the man sicke of the Palsey Matth. 9. 6. for when Christ forgave him his sinnes hee forgave him the punishment of them also for saith hee unto him Take up thy bed and walke this he giveth him as a token that his sinnes are pardoned so if a man can take away the punishment of sinne with a word and say to a blinde man receive thy sight to a lame man goe then a man may pardon sinnes but there is no man that can take away the punishment of sinne therefore he cannot take away sinnes For if Man cannot take away the effect which is the lesser he cannot take away the cause which is the greater hence then it is manifest that none but God can take away sinne Some object if there is none but God that can forgive sinnes why then doth S.
our sinnes pardoned and then the Lord will raise up our bodies at the last day and give us life everlasting but on the contrary if wee have not communion with the Saints in this life and have not our sinnes pardoned we can never looke that God will raise up our bodies at the day of Iudgement and give us life everlasting Therefore beloved brethren be exhorted to labour to have communion with the Saints here in this World with the forgivenesse of sinnes and then God will raise up our bodies at the day of judgement and give us life everlasting As Revel 20. 6. it is said Blessed and holy is he that hath his part in the first Resurrection for on such the second death shall have no power Hee is a blessed man that riseth out of his sinnes and his corruptions in this life on such a one the second death shall have no power If a man make a bargaine and giveth somewhat in hand some earnest then he expecteth the performance of covenants about the bargaine but if he hath no earnest given him then he lookes for no bargaine so the Lord hath made a bargaine with us to give us Heaven and happinesse after which if hee hath given us earnest somewhat in hand in this life that is the communion of Saints and the forgivenesse of sinnes now then wee may looke to have our bodies raised and to have life everlasting We may expect the rest but if wee have no earnest in hand in this life that wee have not our parts in the Communion of Saints nor the forgivenesse of sinnes then when wee come to die we cannot looke for the blessings in the life to come Moreover in this Article we are to consider divers particulars First We beleeve that although we shall be laid into the grave and dissolved into dust yet that one day we shall rise againe by the power of Christ this is the property of a Christians faith The Heathen doe beleeve that they shall all dye and bee dissolved to dust but not that they shall rise againe now this point of the Resurrection is cleare by Scripture and by Reason First we will prove it by Scripture as Esay 26. 19. Thy dead men shall live even with my Body shall they rise that is when I rise all the dead shall rise so Dan. 12. 2. and many of them that slept in the dust shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt so also Paul Acts 24. 15. saith And have hope towards God that the Resurrection of the dead which they themselves looke for shall be both of the just and unjust and so Revel 20. 12. saith he I saw the dead both great and small stand before God so then it is cleare by Scripture seeing all other things are come to passe which the Scripture hath foretold then wee may bee sure that this shall come to passe also in the time that God hath appointed Now the Reasons to proove that there is a Resurrection are five in number 1. From the Power of God 2. From the Iustice of God 3. From the Mercie of God 4. From the End of Christs comming 5. From the Resurrection of Christ First From the Power of God for as Tertullian saith it seemes a harder matter for God to make a man being nothing out of the dust of the Earth than to raise and repaire him out of the dust being something and no question but that the Power of God is able to raise the dead at the resurrection as our Saviour reasoneth against the Pharises Matth. 22. 29. saith he Ye erre not knowing the Scripture nor the power of God c. as who should say the Lord hath Power to raise the dead The second Reason is drawne from the Iustice of God for it is agreeable to Iustice that those that bee partakers in good and evill actions should be also partakers in rewards and punishments but the bodies of men are partners in good and evill actions with the soule therefore the Lord will raise up the bodies of men to reward them that have done well and punish them that have done evill Tertullian saith well Wee must not thinke that God is unjust or slothfull First we may not thinke that God is unjust that he will reward the soule and destroy the body and that he will punish the soule and not the body therefore hee will raise up mens bodies to reward them that have done well and to punish the evill Againe secondly we must not thinke that God is slothfull that he will not put himselfe to that paines to raise up the dead bodies of men to punish them for their sinnes and offences therefore hee will raise our bodies to punish or reward them with our soules Thirdly From the Mercie of God for mercy extends as much as may be to all and this mercy is in men that if they could they would raise all the dead bodies of their friends but the mercy of God is infinitely greater than the mercy that is in men whose mercie extends in goodnesse to all the bodies and soules of men therefore hee will raise them and doe all the good he can to them he loveth as Christ saith Matth. 22. He is the God of Abraham Isaak and Iaakob Hee is not the God of the dead but of the living So he will raise their bodies or else he were God but to one part of Abraham but his mercy extends to both parts therefore he will raise the bodies of dead men Fourthly From the end of Christs comming which was to dissolve the workes of the Divell as it is said Iohn 3. 8. For this purpose appeared the Sonne of God that he might dissolve the workes of the Divell for the Divell first brought in sinne and sinne brought death this was his end for he brought in sinne to bring death upon us And therefore because hee aimed at this Christ came to dissolve this great worke of the Divell which is not done except there be a resurrection of the body therefore the dead shall rise againe Fifthly From the Resurrection of Christ for hee did not rise like a private Person as the Widdowes Sonne did and as Lazarus but He rose as the publike Head of the Church Saint Paul saith That Hee was the first fruits of them that slept so in the rising of Christ all the People of God did virtually rise that which went before in the Head shall follow in the Members as Augustine saith and Cyril saith well that Christ entred into Heaven by the narrow passage of his sufferings and death to make a wide passage for us into Heaven so in Christs rising we rise I but some say It was an easie matter for Christ to rise because He was God I answer it was a hard matter for Christ to rise againe after he was laid into the grave I
house he will take it downe peece by peece in parts with great care and diligence and will lay it up safe because he meanes to build with it againe so because wee know that our bodies shall rise againe at the last day therefore we must not destroy our bodies but labour to repose them and lay them downe well at the day of death Thirdly seeing the same body shall rise againe that we have here in this world and the same that we lay downe at the day of death therefore here this great question may be answered whether we may know one another at the day of judgement This question need be no question seeing we shall rise againe with the same bodies that we lye downe with here therefore surely wee shall know one another in Heaven and wee have reasons to confirme us in it First because our knowledge shall be more perfect at that time than ever Adams was in the time of innocencie for if Adam did know his wife as soone as she was brought him though hee never saw her before therefore much more wee shall know one another seeing our knowledge shall bee more perfect and we shall rise with the same bodies that wee lived with here Secondly On the Mount his Disciples had but a taste of the Heavenly glorie and yet Peter knew Moses and Elias although they were dead many thousand yeeres before if hee knew them when hee had but a taste of glory much more we shall know one another when wee shall have fulnesse of glory Thirdly Our happinesse shall bee greatly increased by meanes of the mutuall societie one with another Matth. 8. 11. But I say unto you that many shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaak and Iaakob in the Kingdome of God therefore seeing our happinesse shall bee greatly increased then by mutuall societie wee are not to thinke that we shall goe to a strange people where we know no body but wee shall goe to our godly friends and acquaintance and to such as we know Fourthly Wee shall heare the inditement of the wicked at the day of Iudgement there we shall here them arraigned and condemned for their vile facts Cain for killing of Abel Pharaoh for oppressing the Israelites Iudas for betraying of his Master Nero for killing of Christians when we heare them indited and condemned we shall know them And as wee shall know the wicked so we shall know the Godly too when they shall be rewarded which me thinkes may bee a motive to quicken us in our care to live holily and Christianly here in this World seeing wee goe not to a strange Countrie or people but to our friends and acquaintance and to such as know us Thirdly The Time when we shall rise that is at the day of judgement then and never till then so Martha sayes in this place I know my Brother shall rise againe in the Resurrection at the last day so also S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. 51. We shall not all sleepe but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trumpet for the Trumpet shall blow and the dead shall bee raised up so then wee shall rise at the last judgement and never till that time Now there are foure reasons of this delaying First Because there might be a proportion betweene Christ and his members for Christ when he was dead did not rise again by and by but lay a time trampled and troden underfoot of death so also that wee might lie a time under the chaines and fetters of death God suffers us not to rise till then Ireneus shuts up his Booke with this saying Even as our Heavenly Master did not flie to Heaven by and by but did remaine under death and in the Grave for a time so all his servants must be contented to lie in the Grave and to be trampled and trodden underfoote of death for a time before they goe to Heaven Secondly Because that the bodies of all the faithfull that are gone before and those that come after might have their full consummation of glory together Therefore they shall not rise to prevent one another in glory but they shall all goe together As Saint Paul saith 1 Thes 4. 15. For this say wee unto you by the Word of the Lord that we which live and are remaining unto the comming of the Lord shall not prevent them that sleepe so wee shall not get the start of them but we shall arise all together to glory This is a sweet comfort to us that live in the last age of the world that all the Saints that are departed shall not rise to this Heavenly glory till wee be ready but lie waiting in their Graves for us We read 1 Sam. 16. 11. When Samuel came to Ishai to annoint David Ishai called all his Sonnes before him to whom Samuel said Are there no more children but these there remaineth said Ishai yet a little one behinde that keepeth sheepe unto whom Samuel said Send and fetch him for we will not sit downe till he come hither so the People of God they lie waiting in their graves and are kept from their honour and glory and will not sit downe in the Kingdome of Heaven as it were till we all meete together Thirdly For the further declaration of the Power of Christ for it is a greater matter that Christ should raise men that have lien rotting in the Grave a thousand yeeres together than for to raise men when they are newly dead therefore Martha said to Iesus My brother stinketh already for he hath beene dead these foure dayes Therefore it is not so easie a matter to raise him as it was Iairus daughter and the widdowes sonne so Ezek. 37. 3. the Lord said unto him Sonne of Man can these dead and drie bones live and I answered saith the Prophet Lord thou knowest it is a hard matter to doe it therefore this declaration is for the further manifestation of the Power of Christ Fourthly For the further confirmation of our faith for looke how many there are of the dead bodies of the Saints amongst us so many pledges and pawnes there are of our Redemption for although wee might doubt in our selves of our owne bodies rising in regard of the badnesse of our lives and in regard of our vile sinnes yet because there bee so many bodies of the dead Saints amongst us wee neede not doubt but that he will raise them up one day to glory There are three bodies already ascended into Heaven Henoch in the time of Nature Elias in the time of the Law and Christ in the time of the Gospell and for these three bodies hee hath left many thousand bodies of the dead Saints remaining under death and in the grave to bee pledges and pawnes to us of our Resurrection one saith well we have here in
corruptions to quicken thee up to newnesse of life or else thou shalt feele the power of Christ to raise thee at the last day to thy confusion Thirdly seeing all shall rise by the power of Christ therefore let us not doubt but that the Lord will raise us out of our troubles whatsoever they be seeing hee will raise our bodies at the last day Wee read Ezek. 37. that the Lord said to the Prophet Sonne of Man can these dead bones live and so bade him prophesie upon the bones till bone ran to his bone flesh and sinewes grew on them againe and there was a great army that stood up verse 11. saith the Lord Sonne of Man these bones are the whole house of Israel that did lie in captivitie and bondage therefore the Lord did shew the Prophet that as hee was able to raise these dead bones to life so hee was able to bring them out of trouble and bondage againe Therefore doe not thou doubt but that the Lord will raise thee out of thy troubles whatsoever they be As Psal 86. 13. David saith great iâ— thy mercy towards me and thou hast delivered my soule from the lowest grave Therefore if thou dost not beleeve that God will raise thee out of thy troubles whatsoever they be then blot this article out of thy Creede and search it out for it he can raise thy body out of the grave then doe not doubt but that he can raise thee out of thy troubles whatsoever they be Fifthly In what estate our bodies shall rise in in an estate of glory Now they are mortall and mutable subject to a number of infirmities to hunger nakednesse cold sicknesses diseases and paines now they are dull and heavie in the service of God but at the last day when we shall rise againe our bodies shall bee made immortall and shall bee subject to no infirmities of nature sicknesses or paines then they shall have strength to performe their owne actions in so excellent and perfect an estate our bodies shall rise If a Physitian should out of his Art and skill give us such a potion that we should never hunger nor thirst after it and should be free from sicknesses diseases paines and griefes a man would give many a pound to procure it such a potion the Lord will give us at the last day hee will give us a cup of immortalitie that wee shall have no more paines and sicknesses therefore how should wee long and desire for that day Matth. 18. 8. our Saviour Christ saith It were better for a man to enter into life hurt and maimed than having two hands and two feete to be cast into Hell fire It were better for a man to goe to Heaven wanting his parts than for a man to goe to Hell with all the glory that this world can afford him and yet we may have this assured hope that we shall not goe deformed to Heaven but we shall have all our parts and glory put on them but whosoever cares not for Christ or for religion they shall see this glory put upon the People of God and shall not taste of it Let us therefore be exhorted to labor to have communion with Christ to repent us of our sins and to feare God that when death commeth our eyes may be so shut up in this world as they may be open in the Kingdome of God for ever Chrysostome saith that the Goldsmith putteth into a pot his silver or his gold then hee sets the pot into the fire and melts it where he formes a bowle or a cup to set before the king so the Lord melts us by death and then out of the dead ashes and cinders of the bodies of his servants hee frameth and will make them goodly vessels of honour to stand before him in his Temple One sayes well It is a good thing to thinke of the future glory of the body especially in the time of sicknesse and in the houre of death against the crawling of the wormes and the place of rottennesse Iob comforteth himselfe with this for I am sure that my Redeemer liveth and hee shall stand the last on the Earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy this flesh yet shall I see God with my flesh Iob. 19. so wee must comfort our selves in the like time of extremity Now this glory shall not bee from the redundance of the spirit onely but in regard of the blessed and happy estate that the body shall be in at that time As 1 Cor. 15. 42. saith the Apostle It is sowen in corruption and is raised in incorruption it is sowen in weaknesse and it is raised in power so the glory of the body shall be in regard of the blessed estate that it shall be in at that time Now in sixe things the glory of the body consists First the glory of the body consists in that there shall be all the parts of the body perfect and entire they shall want nothing howsoever a man may be maimed or deformed want a hand or an eye a legge or a finger or an eye here yet all shall be supplied to him at that day and that for two Reasons First Because all things shall be reduced to their former estate for as Peter shewes Acts 3. 21. speaking of Christ whom the Heavens must containe and keepe untill the time that all things shall bee restored in the beginning the body of man was made perfect and intire wanting nothing either for beautie or comelinesse therefore to this estate it shall bee restored againe Secondly Tertullian raiseth it from another ground Revel 21. 4. where it is said there shall be no more death alwaies saith he in the greater is inferred the lesser therefore if death be expelled from the whole man then it seemeth to bee expelled from every particular member and therefore for conclusion the bodies of the Saints shall rise perfect and entire againe with all the parts The use is seeing all our parts shall be perfect and entire at that day we must comfort our selves with this though wee want an eye a hand or a foote for we know by faith that they shall all be restored againe at the last day if a man should want a member an eye a legge or an arme and there were one could restore it to him againe he would give many pounds to have it supplied but better by many degrees is the estate of Gods children for let a man feare God make conscience of his waies repent his sinnes and labour to please him and hee may bee assured the Lord will restore to him all his parts and that not onely to himselfe but also to his family and friends Secondly seeing at the day of judgement all our parts shall be restored againe by Christ we should not bee affraid to forgoe any of them for the Name of Christ for hee that did restore the eare of Malchus which was his enemy
the Name Iesus is implied Christ to be our Savior No other Iesus but he He is our Iesus and will save us 72. Sinnes of ignorance lesse than sinnes of knowledge 228. * Commission of sinne after illumination dangerous 193. ¶ Impenitence worse than wormewood or â—all to Christ 250. * Importunitie prevailes with wicked men to any thing that is bad 210. * Impossibilities in nature are possibilities in the power of God 109. ¶ Our Heavenly Inheritance comes from God our Father 57. Our title to Heaven is by inheritance 452. Foure testimonies of Christs Innocencie 195. We ought to beware of wronging the Innocent 206. ¶ Iosephs grave in his garden why 279. How Christ makes intercession for us 457. It is finished Christs song of gratulation 250. ¶ Of Iudas's betraying Christ 181. Christ onely the Iudge at last day 394. ¶ Comforts from Christ being our Iudge 394. ¶ Two things required in a Iudge sufficient Knowledge to know all things Power to punish all offendors 391. Of Christs comming to Iudgement 385. The glory of Christs comming to Iudgement consists in His traine Brightnesse of his Body Eminencie of his soveraigne Power 422 There shall be a Iudgement day 386. The day of Iudgement not far off 400. ¶ The Earth the generall place where the last Iudgement shall be 395. * The Time Certaintie Signes of the last Iudgement 399. c. Two signes yet to come of the last Iudgement 403. Reasons of the delay of the day of Iudgement are Gods 1. Patience in waiting for mans redemption 2. Goodnesse to his creatures 3. Care of the Elect. 404. The persons that shall be Iudged 405. The manner of the last Iudgement 409. The sentence of the last Iudgement 443. The last Iudgement shall bee according to good workes 458. ¶ Difference in Iudgement may happen to the Saints but not in affection as in Physitians about a sicke Patient 585. ¶ Gods Children must bee affected with his Iudgements 168. ¶ All that desire to see Christ and to depart in peace must be Iust men 139. †Iustice and Religion must goe together 139. ¶ K NO doores or iron gates can keepe out Christ 339. * Christ hath two keyes 1. To lock the wicked into hel 2. To open heaveÌ„ to the godly 423 Christ a King to Gather Governe Doe good to Defend his Church and People 86. c. The Kingdome of Heaven prepared onely for the Elect. 451. Three properties of the Kingdome of Heaven 448. Gods attributes set aworke to furnish the Kingdome of Heaven 448. ¶ Foure excellencies of the Kingdome of Heaven 449. Gods goodnesse to his people to bring them out of the divels kingdome into Christs 87. †Christs Kingdome not of this world 115. †198. †Some kisse religion at Church as Iudas did Christ and betray it at home 184. †That we shall know one another at the Resurrection 630. Two defects in knowledge or illumination 496. Christ must bee made knowne abroad noâ— conceald in private 127. †Wee must make conscience of knowne truthes 284. * L NO labour too great to come to Christ 129. ¶ If we continue in sinne unrepentant Christ hath lost his labour 151. ¶ A Christian a shining lampe 589. * The Canon Law makes it unlawfull to sell Spirituall things What belongs to another 182. ¶ God sometimes leaves us to see how we love him 332. A man loses the Spirit as leaves fall off a tree 521. †An evill member of the Church compared to a wodden legge 537. * Why Christs legges were broken 266. No lets should binder Christians from comming to Christ 126. †Christs Letter to his Father 74. How a man may be busied for provision for this life 648. †Mans life compared to Weavers warpe 45. ¶ Life twofold of Nature Grace 171. * The time of this life the time of mercie and grace 444. This life compared to a drawbridge ibid. Of life everlasting 648. God promiseth to his People life Naturall in this world Spirituall in the world to come 649. ¶ Two degrees of spirituall life of Grace Glorie 650. †The continuance of life everlasting 669. Life everlasting no blessing but torment to the wicked 648. ¶ Christ by his life aswell as death wrought out our salvation 254. †As the Soule is the life of the body so God is the life of the soule 649. Sinners deserve not to have the light of the Sunne or Moone to shine on them 167. ¶ Christ Lord of the world in regard of Soveraigntie Service 95. Christ as Lord will dispose all to the good of his Church 96. †Christ our Lord by right of Creation Redemption Donation Voluntarie service 97. The abatements of the graces of the Spirit in a man whereby hee thinkes them lost 518. †Love beares with a number of faults as a mother with her childe 595. The marvellous love of Christ to die and suffer for us 151. * True love to Christ Endures no holding backe Followes Christ in bonds 190. True love to Christ stoopes to the meanest service for his members 276. †Christ loves his enemies much more his friends 226. ¶ Every man like the Iewes preferre their lusts before Christ 203. M IF Christ restored an Eare to Malchus his enemy much more will he be mercifull to his friends 638. ¶ God had rather abate of his Service thaâ— Man wâ—nt his comfort 459. Gods fitting a Man to his Kingdome compared to a Carpenters hewing of timber 500. ¶ The meanenesse of Mans beginning 67. God made Man last of all creatures to Honour him Teach him Further him in the best things 70. †Christ was made Man in regard of Necessitie Equitie Fitnesse 103. The Manhood of Christ darkned by the Godhead as a candle by the Sunne 477. * The manner of the manifestation of Christs birth 123. Three reasons why Christ was manifested first to the poorer sort 120. ¶ The Virgin Mary more blessed for bearing Christ in her heart than in her wombe 112. †Notes of Mary Magdalens love to Christ are her seeking him Continually when others gave over With teares for losse of him With diligence With complaint for not finding him With publishing her sorrow With proffer of any paines to enjoy him 306. c. Why Mary could not see Christ 310. Why Christ appeares first to Mary 313. ¶ Constant using the meanes a sure way to finde Christ 307. The meanes are to the Spirit as would to the nourishing of a tree 520. †The conscionable use of the meanes gives us comfortable hope of a blessing 538. * The office of a Mediator ceases when Christ renders up his Kingdome 476. †The Mediatorship compared to silke before sore eyes 476. ¶ All men are sinners 610. See Sinne and Sinners Mercie in the midst of wrath 58. Three reasons that no man can merit for another 596. Man can merit nothing 252. ¶ Watchfulnesse requisite to the members of the Church militant 531. ¶ GOD the Author of all Ministery 342. ¶ Christs
communicate his graces Simile Simile Simile 1 Christ armes them Simile Vse 1. For Ministers 2 Simile Vse 2. For the people 1 Vse 2. Secondly their commission to what end they were sent 1 2 3 Thirdly the ability Christ gives them First what he gives Secondly how he gives the holy Ghost Simile 1 2 4 The authoritie he gave them Simile Simile Simile How a Minister forgives sinnes two waies 1 2 SERMON XXXVI 1 The occasion of Christs appearing First the cause of Thomas's unbeleefe Simile The second cause of the unbeleefe of Thomas Secondly the time when Christ appeared Two reasons why Christ appeared the eighth day Simile 3 The manner how Christ appeared Why Christ appeared thus 1 2 1 Whether there be wounds in a glorified body 2 Fourthly the effect of Christs appearing SERM. XXXVII Why it was needfull that Christ should Ascend ARTI VI. Simile Simile Five Reasons why Christ ascended 1 Simile Simile Simile 2 Why Christ Ascended Simile Simile Simile Vse Simile 3 Cause why Christ ascended Iudg. 16. 3. Simile Object Sol. 4 To fill the Church with spirituâ—ll gifts Simile Vse 5 To make intercession for us Simile Quest How Christ makes intercession for us 1 Reall Prayer what Simile The first way of his Intercession 2 Simile Simile Secondly the time when Christ ascended 1 2 3 Thirdly the place where hee ascended 1 2 Fourthly the manner of his Ascension 1 Object Sol. 2 Simile Quest. Sol. Simile SERM. XXXVIII Differences betwixt the Ascension of Christ and others 1 2 4 5 Two reasons why Christ ascended to heaven leasurely 1 2 Simile Thirdly the maner Vse Fifthly the benefit we receive by Christs ascension 1 How to know whether wee ascend or not 1 Triall Simile 2 Triall Simile Vse 2. Simile Simile Simile Vse 3. 2 Gifts of Christs Ascension Vse 4. Vses of Comfort 1 Incouragement against the Crosse The second use of Comfort Simile The third Vse Simile Simile Simile Simile SERMON XXXIX 1 First what is meant by Gods Right hand Three severall acceptions of right hand in Scripture 1 The second acception The third sense How Christ is said to sit at the Right hand of God The first meaning The second meaning 1 Simile 2 Simile Simile Simile Thirdly why Christ is said to sit and not to stand at Gods right hand 1 Simile 2 3 Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Simile Fourthly to what end Christ sits at Gods right hand 1 Simile The second end what it is He doth draw people to himselfe Simile Simile Meanes of drawing Simile Vse Simile Vse 2. Object Sol. Simile Vse 3. Simile Simile 2 Being drawne hee governs them Simile â—imile 3 he exercises of he Church with divers tentations Simile Simile Three Causes why Christ exercises the Church with divers temptations 1 Iob 1. 3. Reason 2. Simile Reason 3. Simile Act. 4. Five meanes whereby Christ doth protect his Church 1 Simile Simile Simile Simile The second meanes The fourth meanes Simile The fifth means Simile Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile Vse 4. Simile SER. XLI Iob 19. 1 That there shall bee a judgement day Divers Judgements 1 2 3 Three Reasons of the Iudgement day Reason 1. Reason 2. The third Reason Simile Foure proofes that there shall be a Generall judgement The second Proofe The third Proofe Simile The fourth Proofe Vse 1. Simile Simile Simile Vse 2. Simile Simile Vse 3. Simile Simile Vse 4. Simile SER. XLII Secondly who shall be the Judge Two things needfull in a Iudge First knowledge 2 Power Object Sol. Simile Vse 1. Simile Three things required to bee found in Christ 1 2 Simile 3 Simile Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile Simile Simile 1 Simile Vse 1. Simile Simile SERMON XLIII Simile Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Vse 4 The time of the iudgement Simile 1 Conclusion The certainty of the last iudgement proved 1 By Scripture 2 By Reason ARTI VII Vseâ—â— Vse 2. Simile The second conclusion Simile Two causes why Christ gives signes of his comming 1 Simile Simile Simile 2 2 Consequents 1 Simile 2 Two signes to come 2 Three causes why the Iudgement is delayed 1 2 3 Simile Simile Object Sol. 5 The Person that shall bee judged Simile Simile SER. XLIV Simile Simile Simile Simile Sixthly the manner of the iudgement 1 Quest Sol. Simile Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Simile Simile Quest. Sol. Simile Simile Quest Sol. Vse 3. Simile Simile Simile Simile SERM. XLV Simile Simile Heavens how new 1 2 3 The Earth shall be new in foure Regards 1 2 3 4 Quest. Sol. Three Causes why the earth shall be renewed First in regard of Christ Simile Secondly in regard of the Godly Quest. Sol. 2 Simile 3 In regard of the wicked Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile 1 Cor. 2. 9 1 King 10. 7. Matth. 25. 34. 41. SERMON XLVI The third Act in the manner of the last judgement First why so called Simile Secondly what this signe is 1 Opinion 2 Opinion 3 Opinion 4 Opinion Two Reasons why by the signe of the Sonne of Man is not meant the Crosse 1 2 3 The signe of the Sonne of Man what it is Differences of Christ and Moses glory 1 2 3 4 Thirdly the effects of the Sonne of mans comming 1 Simile Simile Simile Simile Simile First Hee shall come in glory Simile Simile â—imile Simile Secondly wherein this glory consists Simile Secondly this glory consists in the brightnesse of his body Thirdly in the eminencie of his Soveraigne power Christ hath two keyes 1 Vse 1. Simile Simile Vse 2. Simile SERMON XLVII Vse 3. 1 Who shall sound the Trumpet Simile 2 What shall bee the power of the sound 1 3 To what end the sound shall be Simile Simile Quest. Sol. Simile The great gathering of all First who shall be gathered Quest. Sol. Simile Simile Secondly by whom they shall egathered First the Angels serve us living Secondly at our death they serve us Thirdly at the day of iudgement Thirdly to whom we shall be gathered 1 Simile 2 Simile Simile As a gathering of all so there shall be a separation of all Simile First there shall be a separation Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. Simile Simile Simile 2 The time of the separation Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Thirdly the Persons that shall be separated Properties of Sheepe 1 2 3 4 5 Three rankes of men 1 2 3 Foure properties of the Goates 1 2 3 4 SERMON XLVIII First that there shall be a conviction 2 Simile Vse Simile Simile Simile Simile 2 The meanes of their conviction Simile Two bookes opened at the day of Judgement First the booke of Gods remembrance Secondly the booke of Conscience No exception against thâ—se bookes Simile Simile Simile Simile Simile Simile 3 The parties convicted Simile The fourth effect of Conviction Simile Why the weight of sinne is no more felt SERMON XLIX Simile 2 The qualitie of the sentence Simile Simile Simile Simile 2 The Order of it Divers opinions 1 2 3
Simile 1 The invitation Simile 1 Association with Christ Simile 2 Dissociation from the wicked 2 The commendation Simile First the thing assigned Simile Three properties of the Kingdome of heaven 1 A Kingdome prepared of God Excellencies of heaven before all other Kingdomes 1 For limits 2 For time 3 In regard of defects 4 In regard of tranquillitie Quest. Sol. Vse 1. Our estate better than Adams in sixe things 1 2 3 4 5 6 Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. 2 A kingdome prepared for his Elect. Simile Simile 3 It was prepared of old Secondly the title and tenour Simile SERM. L. Simile 4 The reason of the Assignation Object Sol. Workes not the couse of our obtaining heaven Simile Foure Reasons against the merit of workes Reason 1. Object Sol. Reason 2. Object Sol. Reason 3. Reason 4. Object Sol. 1 The judgement shall be according to workes Quest Sol. 2 1 Properties of Faith 2 Quest Sol. Simile 2 All good workes shall be remembred and rewarded Simile Object Sol. Simile 3 The iudgement shall passe according to workes of mercie Quest 1 Sol. Why the Iudgement passes chiefly by works of mercie 1 2 Gods mercie so great that hee had rather abate of his owne service than man want his comfort Simile Simile Simile Object Sol. Simile Simile 4 The Iudgement shall passe according to works of mercie to Christians Simile Simile 1 2 Simile SERM. LI. Simile 1 An Abdication or Eiection They shall be shut out of Heaven Simile Quest. Sol. A two-fold presence of God Simile How far wicked men desire the presence of God Simile 2 They shal be shut out of the earth Simile Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Simile 2 Punishment or malediction Vse 1. Simile Simile Vse 2. Vse 3. 3 The estate the wicked shall fall into Foure reasons shewing hell fire not to be naturall fire 1 Damas. lib. 4. cap. ult Reason 2. Reason 3. SER. LII Reason 4. Two reasons of the extremity of Hell fire Reason 1. Simile Simile Simile Reason 2. Simile For ever Simile Simile Simile Simile Quest Sol. How it stand with the justice of God to punish sin eternally Vse 1. 2 Vse 1. Simile Simile 2 A sinner compared to Pharaohs Kine Simile Simile 4 They are ranked with the Divell and his Angels Simile Simile Simile Simile Reasons of the wickeds condemnation First sinnes of Omission as well as Commission damnes Secondly small sinnes damne as well as great ones Thirdly small sinnes are great before God Simile Quest. Why neglect of the Poore is so great a sinne Sol. First what Christ shall doe after the last judgement Simile Simile 2 Simile Simile Simile Quest. Sol. SERM. LIII Simile Secondly the end why he shall render up the kingdome How Christ shall be all in all at the day of judgement 1 2 Simile 〈◊〉 VIII Two reasons whereby to rule our â—aith Reason 1. The devâ—ll the Author of â—ivision Reason 2. 1 That the Holy Ghost is God Proved first by Scriptures Foure Reasons to prove the Holy Ghost to be God Reason 1. Object Sol. Reason 2. 1 2 3 Reason 3. Reason 4. Vse 1. Simile All sinne is a griefe to God Simile Simile Vse 2. How man destroyes the Temple of God 1 2 Simile 1 The Holy Ghost is not a quality or motion in God Sinne against the Holy Ghost 2 He is a distinct Person from the Father and the Sonne Vse 3 That the Holy Ghost is not onely holy in himselfe but causer of it in others Vse 1. Simile SER. LIV. Vse 2. Simile Fourthly the Holy Ghost will make me holy 1 Iohn 5. 7. Quest. How the Holy Ghost workes holinesse in us Sol. 1 By convincing us of our impuritie Simile Simile 2 By inlightning us Simile Simile 3 By uniting us to Christ Simile 4 By mortifying our sinnes Simile 5 By renewing us Simile 6 By stirring up holy motions in us Simile Quest. Sol. The Holy Ghost is really and actually in us Simile 1 How to come by the Holy Ghost 1 A removall of the false meanes Simile 3 Meanes to come by the Holy Ghost 1 Simile Simile 2 Meanes Simile 3 Meanes 1 Conclusion 1 Cor. 12. 8. Vse 1. 1 Cor. 12. Simile Vse 2. No fulnesse of Spirit in this life Simile Simile Simile The second conclusion ART VIII Simile Quest The least measure of saving grace what Ans. 1. It stands more in desires than actions 2 Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile The third conclusion Simile Simile Object Of such who complaine for want of seeling Ans. 2. The third conclusion Simile Object Of fulnesse of spirit that some had Ans. 1. A fulnesse comparative Secondly there is a fulnesse in working different Thirdly a fulnesse may be in regard to some particular act SER. LV The first Consequent Simile Matth. 27. 34. The second consequent Simile 3 How to know that wee have the Holy Ghost The Papists opinion is contrary First to the Scripture Secondly to Reason Simile Thirdly to their owne Divines Simile 5 False marks of the Holy Ghosts being in us 1 Many good parts of nature prooves it not Simile 2 False marke restraining grace Two defects in restraining grace 1 It doth not kill sinne Simile Simile 2 It doth not refraine from all sinnes 3 False marke some kinde of inlightning Colos 3. 10. Quest. Ans Two defects in knowledge 1 Such knowledge is not of a right kinde Speculative knowledge Practicall knowledge 2 Such make no right use of their knowledge 4 False marke an unsound sorrow and repentance Quest. Ans The defects in repentance 1 Sorrow more for the judgment than the sinne 2 Sorrow not for all sinnes 3 Sorrow not for inward corruption S. Augustines wish 1 2 5 False marke an unsound desire of heaven and glorie The defect of unsound desire of heaven First in a fleeting unconstant desire Secondly such desires are idle and lazie ones Thirdly such desires are not earnest ones 2 The true mark 1 Generally two wayes 1 He makes a great change Simile Simile Simile Simile Secondly hee stirs and moves to holinesse Simile Simile Simile 2 Particularly divers degrees of the Spirit Simile Two things a weake beginner must looke to 1 A right worke of the Spirit in foure things First that there be humbling Simile Secondly desire of reconciliation Simile Thirdly it stirs up to lay hold on the Promises Fourthly a setled walking with God 2 There must be a right orâ—er of the worke Simile Strength of action increases according to the strength of the spirit Simile The worke of the spirit mortifying in three things 1 Simile Simile 3 4 Workes of quickning in a strong Christian 1 2 Simile 3 4 Simile SER. LVI How a strong weakned Christian may know the Holy Ghost is in him Simile Quest 1 Sol. The roote is not gone Simile 4 By desires of grace left 1 To grieve that we cannot griev for sinne 2 Desire of reconciliation 3 A desire to beleeve 4 A desire to pleas God in all things Object Sol. 3 By some
that did weaken their faith so men must take care of this that they doe not tye their faith to their eyes and fingers that they will beleeve God no longer than they see with their eyes and feele with their fingers for a Christian must beleeve God against sense and reason It is the manner of the world as long as they see with their eyes and feele with their hands as long as they have peace and ease and wealth so long they doe beleeve God but when this failes then their faith failes them I but Christ saith to Thomas Blessed are they which beleeve and see not Thomas did beleeve when he saw but it is a more blessed thing to beleeve and see not and therefore we must rest in the promises of God against sense and reason Now finding this weakenesse of faith in them hee doth labour to re-establish and strengthen them loe here we may see the goodnesse of God that by the weakenesse of their faith hee doth take occasion to strengthen the same It is the great mercy of God that all things shall worke together for the good of them that love him there be a number of things in the world that seeme to work against the people of God but God turnes all of them to the good of his people and of them that love him as we see in a Clocke that some wheeles turne one way and some another yet all serve to make the Clocke go so there be many crosses and contrary things in this world but all serve to one end even to worke for the good of them that love him This may bring comfort to Christians that the weakenesse of their faith the Lord can turne to their good wee see in experience if a man set yong Trees he will pull and shake the Tree as if he would pull it up and all that hee doth is but to settle the Tree the faster even so the Lord doth many times as if hee would overthrow a Christian and yet all is to settle his faith and to make him cleave the faster to God Now Christ doth strengthen the faith of his disciples two wayes 1. By reproving and rebuking of them 2. By informing them First hee reproves and rebukes them that they were slow of heart to beleeve the scriptures which may teach us that if there be a presence of God among us hee will bee reprooving of us whereas many thinke they may goe away with any sinne closely yet if there bee a presence of Christ among us hee will reprove us for our sinnes and for the weakenesse of our faith This is that which Christ speakes in the Gospell of Saint Iohn That when the Spirit of Christ is come into the world he shall reprove the world of sinne c. so if the spirit of Christ be come into our harts he will reprove us for misspending the time for our ignorance for every thing that is amisse but if it bee not so with thee but thou art at peace and securely sleepest in thy sinne then the spirit of Christ is not come into thee for if the spirit of Christ bee come into thee he will reprove thee of thy sinnes and make thee say as the Lâ—pers said We doe not well to tarry here c. O we doe not well to breake the Sabbath to be drunken to speake filthily wee doe not well to lye or to sweare Now what was that he reproves them for That they were slow of heart to beleeve the Scriptures and here wee are to take notice of a corruption that is in us that we are slow to beleeve the Scriptures and the Gospel but quicke to beleeve a foolish tale or a lye or a false report of our neighbours from this the Lord hath much adoe to stay us although hee hath strictly charged us to enquire the truth of it Deut. 17. 4. where hee saith If it bee told thee and thou hast heard it then shalt thou enquire diligently if it bee true and the thing certain before we speake of it If there be a false report of a good Minister or of a good Christian that wee can beleeve presently but we are slow to beleeve the Scripture or any good thing we are tardy here is our fault and this corruption hath beene in our nature ever since the fall of Man for we see Genes 3. The Lord told Adam That in the day that he did eate of the fruit he should dye the death but the divell came and told him Ye shall not dye at all cleane contrary and yet we see that they were more ready to beleeve the divell than God Will yee see a comparison to explaine it the better If an earthly king should say to us If yee will bee contented to doe mee some service a few dayes and to attend mee I will afterwards advance you and bestow great honour upon you what man is there that would not rest himselfe upon the kings promise In like manner God hath said unto us Attend me in the duties of holinesse and doe mee service a few dayes whilest thou livest heere and afterward I will make you an Heire of the Kingdome of Heaven and thou shalt bee neere unto mee and yet wee will not beleeve God Now there bee two uses to bee made of this Doctrine which shall bee declared unto you God assisting the next time of our meeting SERMON XXXIIII LVKE 24. 26 27. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe WEe heard the last day how Christ did labour to strengthen the weake faith of his Disciples when they were going to Emmaus and therefore let us travell with them and over-heare them that so that which did serve to strengthen them in their faith may serve to strengthen us in ours If a man have a legge or an arme out of joynt he cannot bee at rest untill it be set againe even so when we feele weakenesse of faith let us not bee at rest till wee have gotten the same strength of faith that wee had before therefore let us creepe into the company of Christ and goe as farre as Emmaus with him If a man hang on the top of an high Tower by the hand and there bee a number of sharpe stones under him that if hee fall it will burst him in pieces how carefull will he be to strengthen that hand lest he fall downe so faith is the hand we lay hold on God by and wee hang as it were at the top of an high Tower whence if wee fall wee are like to fall to hell how carefull therefore should we bee to strengthen that hand Now two wayes I told you Christ doth labour to strengthen their faith 1. By reproving of them 2. By informing of them Of the first wee spake the last day and therefore are
now to proceede to the uses but before wee come to them give mee leave to shew you two reasons why we are so slow to beleeve the Scriptures 1. Nobilitas Objecti The noblenesse of the Object 2. Debilitas Subjecti The weakenesse of the Subject The first is Nobilitas Objecti the noblenesse of the Object for the Scriptures are the wisedome of God which wisedome goeth infinitely beyond our reach being of such infinite excellencie that we cannot attaine the height of them for as the Philosophers say that a thing exceeding sensible doth destroy the senses as too much light doth destroy the sight too much cold doth benumme the senses too much heate doth consume us too much noyse doth make one deafe so the wisdome of God being of so great excellency above us that it transcends the capacitie of our understandings cannot be apprehended by us and therefore we are slow to beleeve the Scriptures Secondly Debilitas subjecti The weakenesse of the subject the Scriptures excellency and the dulnesse of our apprehension makes us slow to beleeve for nature cannot worke above her power but the wisedome of God is above the power of nature for as the Apostle saith The naturall man perceiveth not the things that be of God because there must be a power above nature to make us to understand and beleeve them therefore as the woman of Samaria saith Iohn 4. The Well is deepe and I have nothing to draw with so we may say The Scriptures are deepe and we have not any thing to found them with therefore wee are slow to beleeve them Now the uses to be made of this first point are First seeing wee are so slow to beleeve the Scriptures no man neede to marvell though wee see so few converted or so few beleeve for every man hath a let in his owne nature therefore no marvell though so few beleeve Let a man fling a narrow-mouth bottle into the sea and if the mouth bee downeward it will receive no water so wee are like narrow-mouthed bottles for although we bee in an Ocean sea of good meanes yet we cannot receive it we have a let at home in our selves Secondly seeing wee are slow to beleeve the scriptures seeing wee have such a let in our selves at home therefore it must bee our care to take the more paines and to labour with our hearts that so we may beleeve the Scriptures If a man have nothing but greene wood hee must take the more paines to blow it and to lay it together that so it may burne so seeing our hearts are like unto greene wood wee must take the more paines with them to make them beleeve the Scriptures Secondly by informing of them and two things hee doth informe them of 1. Of the Necessitie of his suffering 2. The good Vse and utilitie of the same First that it is needfull that Christ should suffer and secondly that by suffering hee must enter into his glorie and thereby seeing this was the way for Christ to enter into his glory he takes away the scandall of the Crosse First It was of necessitie that Christ must suffer now the necessity was not in himselfe for he might have gone to glory the same houre he came into the World because it was hereditary to him but in regard of us for it was the good of us that made a necessitie and put this upon him Therefore Paul saith Ephes 5. 2. He gave himselfe for us and Heb. 2. Hee tasted of death for all men therefore he suffered not for himselfe but it was for us One askes the question What is the reason that Christ cals it his glory and answers he cals it so in regard of us for he could have gone some other way but we should have beene left heere therefore it was needfull in regard of us and that by reason of a double necessitie 1. The Necessitie of paying the price of Mans Redemption 2. The Necessitie of good Example The first was The Necessitie of paying the price of Mans Redemption because when we have sinned such is the Iustice of God that either we must suffer in our own persons or we must suffer in the person of Christ either Christ must suffer or wee therefore when the wrath of God was ready to seaze upon us it pleased Christ to suffer for us and to satisfie the Iustice of God We may remember by this occasion that which I have shewed heretofore that Oâ—esimus after he ran away from his master Paul converts and sends him home againe to his Master with a letter in his hand to this effect Receive him againe if hee have done thee any wrong set it on my score I will answere it so wee are run away from God and Christ hath sent us backe againe with a letter as it were in our hands to this effect Father admit them and receive them into thy favour make them partakers of thy glorie If they have done thee any wrong or ought thee any thing set it on my score I will answere it I Iesus have written it not with penne and Inke but with mine owne blood and therefore we see it was needfull that Christ should suffer to pay the price of mans Redemption Secondly it was needfull that Christ should suffer in regard of good exâ—â—ple for no man would goe to Heaven through so many troubles unlesse Christ had gone before them Saint Peter saith Christ hath suffered leaving us an example therefore did hee goe through all these troubles and shames that we might be contented to follow him If a Man goe through bushes briers rugged waies through dens and caves and rockes if hee finde the footesteps of his loving friend this giveth him comfort so seeing we finde the footesteps of Christ in these afflictions we may bee bold to goe on that way and therefore it was of necessitie that Christ must suffer as well in regard of good example as to pay the price of mans redemption what man then hath cause to be offended at the scandall of the crosse seeing it was so needfull that Christ should suffer these things I but some Man may say Was it of necessitie that Christ should suffer so many things that his head should be crowned with thornes that his backe should be whipped his face buffeted his sides pierced and hee himselfe at last to die such a shamefull death as on the crosse I answer it was needfull that Christ should suffer all these things which we have spoken of for if hee had suffered lesse then it would have done us no good Mans sinnes were so hatefull in the eyes of God that hee must suffer all these things howsoever the Friers say that one drop of the blood of Christ was enough to redeeme us yea all Men yet it cost Christ all his bloud to redeeme Man for when Man had sinned all the Angels or Archangels in Heaven