and Archangels Principalities and Powers Kings and Princes Now there bâ—e many eminencies and excellencies but at the day of judgement Christ shall put downe all rule and authoritie under his feete and then God shall be all in all Secondly God shall be all in all in the fulfilling of the hearts of his servants with grace and goodnesse God is not all in all now in the hearts of his servants he is but something as Chastitie in Ioseph Constancie in David fortitude in Sampson wisedome in Salomon But then God shall be all in all to them we are all like to a bottle that hath at narrow neck that is east into the Sea and cannot fill all at once but receive the water drop by drop but at the day of judgement God shall fill our hearts and soules with all grace and goodnesse Saint Ierome saith well Now God is by a few vertues in us but then he shall be all in all in filling our hearts with graces and vertues and Augustine saith out of this place what is that Paul saith that God shall be all in all whatâ—oever the heart of Man can wish or desire that God will be to a Christian therefore dost thou desire meate and drinke God will be meate and drinke to thee dost thou desire peace God will bee all in all to thee in whatsoever thy heart can wish for and this is the end why Christ shall render up the Kingdome unto his Father that God may be all in all SERMON LIII IOHN 14. 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name hee shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you THe Creede as Tertullian termes it is the rule how to â—rder our Faith both concerning God and the Church of God And there are two rules to order our Faith by First that there are three Persons and but one God in substance and in essence and as there are three Persons and but one God So wee must labour to bee all one because we must seeke to resemble God as much as may be although we cannot be one in substance yet wee must be all one in affection and will So it is said Acts 4. 32. that the number of them that beleeved were all of one heart and of one minde and Christ prayes Iohn 17. 21. that as the Father and he is one so all his people may bee one And Rom. 15. 6. the Apostle prayes that they may with one minde and with one mouth praise God even the Father of our Lord Iesus as there is unitie in God so there must be unitie in us It was the Divell that first made division in the World hee divided Man from his God and Man from Man in the most deerest and neerest societie for the divided Adam from his wife and so it is the devill that makes division still in the world as Revel 6. 4. it is said of him There was power given him to take away peace c. So then all division proceedeth from the Divell God hee makes peace but it is the Divell that makes division and therefore it is our duty as God is one so we to labour to bee one though wee cannot in substance yet in affection and will The second Rule is that although they be one in Substance and Essence yet they be three distinct Persons the Father created Man by his power and he Sonne redeemed Man by his blood the Holy Ghost sanctified Man by his Spirit So all these three estates in Heâ—ven concurre and worke together for the good of Man And therefore it is a piteous thing that Man is found to be enemy to himselfe Hence then let every one consider how worthâ—ly doe Men perish and goe to Hell seeing all the Divine Persons worke for Mans good and hee alone is found enemy to himselfe Now we have spoken already of the first Person and also of the second at this present are come to speake of the third Person whereto foure things are to be considered 1. That the Holy Ghost is God 2. That he is a person having a Reall subsisting and that hee is distinct from the Father and the Sonne 3. That he is not onely holy in himselfe but hee is the Effecter and Causer of Holinesse in others 4. That as he makes others holy so he will make me holy and give mee such a measure of Sanctitie as shall bee fit for mee First That the holy Ghost is God it is a ground in Divinitie that hee that beleeves should beleeve in God and in no creature but wee are taught to beleeve in the holy Ghost therefore it is a surething that the holy Ghost is God But for the truth of this point because it is one of the grounds of our Christian faith I will prove it by Scripture and by reason First by Scripture Act. 5. 3. saith Peter to Anâ—nias Why hath Satan filled thy heart that thou shouldst lye unto the holy Ghost and in the very next verse Thou hast not lyed to man but unto God Againe 1 Ioh. 5. 7. There be three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one what one are they but one God The Papist telleth us that the Divinitie of the holy Ghost cannot be proved by the Scripture but by tradition but this is erroneous and false and there are Schoole-men teach to the contrary as Thomas Aquinas who saith A man must speake nothing of God or beleeve nothing but what is found in Scripture either in expresse words or sense and therefore if it cannot be proved by the Scriptures that the holy Ghost is God we are not to beleeve it because wee are to beleeve nothing but that which is grounded upon the Scripture Another of them saith that he can bring a whole swarme of testimonies to demonstrate unto us the Divinity of the holy Ghost So then we see it may strongly be confirmed by Scripture that the holy Ghost is God and Cyrill saith that it is the holy Ghost that is the inditer of the Scripture and therefore he testifieth of himselfe and revealeth himselfe as much as is fit and needfull for us to know of him that which he hath written of himselfe we may be bold to speake of And Augustine saith that all the ancient Fathers have laboured to confirme this by Scripture that there is three distinct Persons and one God besides in the Remish Testament 1 Iohn 5. 7. we finde observed upon the note of One that there be three divine persons in the Trinitie and therefore this doth affirme the God-head of the holy Ghost but here seeing it is so plaine by Scripture and by the testimonies of the Fathers and by their owne Schoole-men as many as bee well advised that the holy Ghost is God wee need not doubt of the truth of
prepare a table for us so they say Can God helpe us in sicknesse Can he helpe us in affliction so likewise they presume to sinne and so take away the justice of God for though hee brings his judgements to light every day yet they will not learne to feare and be ashamed And so they soothe themselves as the Prophet complaines That every one that doeth evill is good in the sight of God or he delighteth in them or say where is the God of Iudgement so they take away wisedome and mercy from him as was shewed out of Ieremy But a Christian must beleeve the properties of God that he is powerfull therefore to trust and relye upon him Iust therefore to beleeve his promises wise therefore to be guided by him We may see a worthy example hereof in Hezekiah 2 King 19. 15. When Senacherib went against Ierusalem he told them that hee had destroyed such and such places and countries and their goods and shalt thou be delivered Then Hezekiah came before the Lord told it him spread the writing before him and prayed to the Lord. Thirdly we beleeve that God is our God by the meanes of Christ this is the maine point of all not to beleeve God in generall onely but to bring him home to our selves and to be perswaded that he is our God so the holy people as Esay shewes said This is our God we have waited on him and he will save us If he be our God that then whatsoever is in him as his power wisedome mercie justice love and goodnesse it doth appertaine to us wee shall have the benefit this faith is a comfort and that which God respects Thomas could have no comfort of his Faith till he could say My Lord and my God and Christ when he would comfort his Disciples at his departure saith Goe tell my brethren I ascend to my God and your God to my Father and your Father so if once a man come to this that he can perswade himselfe that God is his God by the meanes of Christ this will comfort and give him more peace than the world can yeeld The use is that seeing God is our God therefore we should respect and love him and be desirous to please him in our courses Mich. 4. 5. For all people will walke every one in the name of his God but we will walke in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever therefore as we doe professe that God is our God we must labour to please him in all our courses be loth to doe any thing that may displease him It was the speech of Delilah to Sampson Iudges 16. 15. How canst thou say thou lovest mee when thy heart is not with me so how can we say that we love God when our courses shew to the contrary it is a pittifull thing to see how men doe not regard God they doe so toile themselves with their labours that so soone as they be set in the Church they are fallen fast asleepe men professe they beleeve God is their God and yet doe not respect nor serve him In the 1 Sam. 9. mention is made of Samuels feast unto the people where one speciall dish given before unto the Cooke is brought forth it was a shoulder set up onely for the king that none but he should have it in like manner it should bee our wisedome so to spend our strength about the world in the weeke time that we reserve a part for the Lords Sabboth to doe him service with Hitherto God hath beene considered as he is in himselfe now wee come to speake what God is in relation and there is a twofold relation of God 1. To the Trinitie 2. To the Creatures First God stands in relation to the three Persons for I beleive in God stands in relation to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy Ghost Here are foure points of Faith to be beleeved 1. That there is a distinction of Persons in the Godhead 2. That there is a divine Person called the Father 3. That he is the Father of Christ 4. That he is our Father by the meanes of Christ First we beleeve that there is a distinction of Persons for though there be but one in Substance Essence and Power yet there bee three distinct persons subsisting in one Godhead as 1 Iohn 5. 7. There be three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one and so Matth. 28. in the charge that Christ gave his Disciples when he sent them out to preach in the Name of the Father the Sonne and Holy Ghost and elsewhere the Scripture doth teach distinction of Persons as Ioh. 5. 30. I can doe nothing of my selfe as I heare I judge and my judgement is just because I seeke not mine owne will but the will of my Father that sent me so Iohn 14. 26. But the Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things So then wee see plainely that the Father is a distinct person from the Sonne and the Sonne a distinct person from the Father and the Holy Ghost a distinct person from the Father and the Sonne There is a difference betweene the Faith of a Christian and a Turke the one beleeveth in one God distinct in three persons the other in one God without distinction of persons Now there bee two grounds that overthrow this opinion of the Turkes first it is a rule in Divinitie that whatsoever as God reveales himselfe to be so we must beleeve he is but God hath revealed himselfe to be one God and three Persons therefore so we must beleeve for no man can dive into the bottome of God to know what he is but he must reveale himselfe to us so Ioh. 1. 18. No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne of the Father he hath revealed him and 1 Timoth. 6. 16. saith the Apostle speaking of God Who onely hath immortalitie and dwelleth in the light that no man can attaine to whom never man saw neither can see unto whom be honour and glory everlasting Amen And therefore as a man going into the Sea in danger or to swimme so farre as his Corke will carry him up so farre he may goe safely but if this faile to carry him up he makes a stand and ventures no further in like manner so farre as our Corke will carry us up so farre we may walke safely so farre as we have warrant out of Gods Word but if we have no warrant out of Gods Word let us make a stand and goe no further therefore as God hath revealed himselfe so we must beleeve but he hath revealed himselfe to be one God and three distinct Persons and so wee must beleeve The second ground is that it is not possible to redeeme man without distinction of Persons for God the Father being offended with
thankes unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light Who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and translated us into the kingdome of his deare Sonne WElbeloved in this Scripture and the like is set downe the ground of the first part of our Christian profession wherein as I told you there be foure points of Faith to be beleeved 1. That there is a distinction of Persons in the Godhead 2. That there is a Divine Person called the Father 3. That he is the Father of Christ of these three we have spoken 4. That he is our Father by the meanes of Christ which now wee are to handle By Faith we are made one with Christ and being one with Him God is our Father by the meanes of him This is comfort to a Christian when hee knowes God is his Father wee reade Iohn 20. 17. when Christ was to depart from his Disciples saith he to Mary Goe tell my brethren that I ascend to my Father and to your Father to my God and your God so Gal. 4. 6. He hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts whereby ye cry Abba Father This is a great Comfort and Blessing that we may call God our Father boldly which we have by the meanes of Christ all the Angels in heaven could not doe or procure it no not for the poorest or meanest man But Christ hath procured it and by no other meanes but by his death and bloudshed Indeed naturally we may say as Iob that Corruption is our father and the wormes our mother so naturally an earthly man may say Sinfull is our father the divell naturally is our father but yet by Adoption we are the sonnes and daughters of Almighty God the heires of heaven Therefore as it is written in the 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us againe to a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an Inheritance immortall and undefiled c. so also we may say Blessed be God that by the meanes of Iesus Christ is become our father O blessed be God our Father that hee hath begotten us to the hope of heaven Yea there is no man can looke up comfortably to call God Father but by the meanes of Christ The use of this is twofold for Instruction and Comfort First matter of Instruction that seeing God is our Father wee must labour to please to respect and obey him in all our courses and actions And therefore as Christ saith of himselfe that he was not come to doe his owne will but the will of his heavenly Father so we must say Lord I am not come to doe my owne will but to doe the will of my heavenly Father We see in Nature let a childe be betweene his father and a stranger let the stranger bid him to doe any thing and he will not regard it but let his father command him and straightway he will doe it so if God be a stranger unto us then we will not regard or obey him But if he be our Father then we will be ready to obey him in all things that hee commandeth us Ierem. 35. 5. we see it there related that there were pots full of wine and cups set before the Rechabites And I said unto them Drink wine but they said We will drinke no wine for Ionadab the sonne of Rechab our father commanded us saying Ye shall drinke no wine so a Christian man should say when he is tempted to sinne to lye or to sweare to deceive or to commit uncleannesse O I dare not doe it for God my heavenly Father hath forbidden it I dare not sweare or prophane the Sabbath day I dare not deceive commit uncleannesse for God my heavenly Father hath forbidden me and therefore if God be our Father we must respect and obey him It is a great sinne and corruption that men doe professe God to be their Father and yet they will not obey him but doe the quite contrary God hath commanded we should sanctifie the Sabboth but we prophane it that we should love our enemies and wee scant love our friends that we should speake with great reverence of his Name yet we take it in vaine and so of many others the Lord complaines of such Ierem. 3. 14. Didst thou not still cry unto me thou art my Father and the guide of my youth as if he should say Ye call me Father indeed but ye do not use me like a Father ye doe not obey me and walke in my wayes If I be your Father use me like a Father respect me obey me so Esay 1. 2. the Lord saith I have nourished and brought up children but behold rebellious children And therefore seeing we professe God to bee our Father we must obey him and regard him as a Father Secondly seeing God is our Father we must labour to be like him as much as may be for a Childe desires to bee like the Father and therefore seeing we professe to be the Children of God let us labour to be like him in all holinesse and uprightnesse So the Apostle exhorts Eph. 5. 1 2. Be ye therfore followers of God as deare children so 1 Pet. 1. 14. As obedient children not fashioning your selves unto the former lusts of your ignorance But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation If we his Children we must be like him in three things First we must be like unto God in doing good unto all men within the compasse of our ability therefore Matth. 5. 45. our Saviour shewes how wee should bee like our heavenly Father Hee maketh the Sunne to shine upon the evill and the good and sendeth raine on the just and unjust so our goodnesse should be extended to all men Secondly we must be like God in forgiving the injuries and wrongs that bee done unto us As Col. 3. 21. Now therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved put on tender mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind meeknesse long suffering forbearing and forgiving one another If any man have a quarrell to another even as Christ forgave you even so do ye Thirdly we must be like him in holinesse of life As 1 Pet. 1. 17. If yee call him Father which without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans workes passe the time of your dwelling here in feare and bee yee holy for hee is holy Wee see how wicked men imitate the steps of their fathers they will bee like them and therefore it is said of Abia 1 King 15. 3. That hee walked in all the sinnes of his father as hee had done before him So those wicked people Ier. 44. 17. say they Even as our Fathers have done before us so will wee doe Here wee see how ready
these were to follow the waies of their wicked fathers then how ready shold we be therfore to be like our heavenly Father God is mercifull and we be unmercifull ready to forgive us the injuries and wrongs that wee doe to him and wee backeward to forgive the injuries and wrongs that our brethren doe to us hee is holy and wee be unholy and therefore I marvell that we doe not blush to call God Father and yet walke in the steps of the divell God is holy and thou art prophane God is mercifull and thou art cruell This is the second instruction The third is that seeing God is our Father therefore wee must trust in him and rely on him as a Father we must labour to moderate the cares of this life because we have one God to take care for us Matth. 6. 25. our Saviour saith Bee not carefull what yee shall eate or what yee shall drinke nor yet for the body what ye shall put on c. and verse 32. he giveth a reason why wee should take no care for your heavenly Father knoweth that yee have need of all these things and out of his Fatherly care will make a supply of them by such good meanes as hee hath appointed therefore wee must wholy rely and trust on him If wee see a young man eager of the world carking caring scraping and gathering together riches men may say this man hath no Father to provide for him So if wee see men scraping gathering carking and caring for the things of this life surely wee may feare God is not his Father for if he were hee would rest upon him Chrysostome saith if a man were going to a feast would hee take care for meat if one were at a fountaine would hee take care for water God of his Fatherly care will provide a table for us and as a rich fountaine will make a supply of all our wants therefore we have no cause to carke or care for the things of this life let this bee thy comfort that if God bee our Father hee will provide for thee This therefore condemnes the scrapers and misers of this world that care not by what meanes they can get it or by what bad course they have it and therefore they doe not rest on God as a Father It is true indeed there is a provident care to bee had for the things of this life but this same carking and distrustfull care is that which the Scriptures condemne The fourth is that all the chastisements that come upon us we take as from the hand of a loving Father and patiently beare them so wee see Psal 39. 9. I was dumbe and said nothing because it was thy doing So 1 Sam. 3. 18. It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good And Luk. 22. 2. Father if thou wilt take away this cup from mee neverthelesse not my will but thy will bee done So every crosse and affliction we should take as a cup tempered and reached out by the hand of a loving Father and therefore wee should patiently beare it Wee see in experience if a stranger beat a child the child will murmur at it but if a Father correct it it will patiently beare that so if God bee a stranger to us then we will murmur at his corrections but if God be our Father then we will patiently beare his loving chastisements The fifth instruction hence is that seeing God is our Father we should bee content to part with any thing wee have to give unto Christ wee read in the story of Samson that when his Father and Mother was going to the wedding he went aside to looke on the carcase of the Lion which hee had killed where hee found a swarme of bees and hony whereof he did eate and gave to his Father and Mother so we should doe going to the heavenly wedding wee should give such good things as wee have seeing we cannot give them to Christs owne person let us give them to his needy members and Christ will accept it as done unto himselfe as Mat. 25. 45. Forsomuch saith he as ye have done it unto one of these little ones ye have done it unto mee Seeing God is our Father therefore all Christians are our brothers and wee should love them for our Fathers sake So Mal. 2. 10. Have wee not all one Father and hath not one God made us why doe wee transgresse every one against his brother and breake the covenant of our God and Father therefore seeing God is the Father of us all we must love them and regard them so Ioh. 8. 42. If God were your Father saith Christ then ye would love me so we may say if God were your Father then ye would love Christians but because yee hate and despise them therefore it is evident that God is not your Father The second thing that was observed was matter of comfort first that seeing God is our Father therefore wee are called to a greater dignity and honour than this world can afford us for it is the greatest preferment in the world to bee called the Sonnes of God and therefore 1 Ioh. 3. 1. hee bringeth it in with an ecce Behold what love the Father hath shewed on us that wee should bee called his Sonnes and therefore David to this purpose saith 1 Sam. 18. 23. Seemeth it a light thing unto you to bee the Sonne in law to a King Now then if it be such a matter to bee Sonne in law to a King what an honour is it to bee Son to the King of Kings to God if wee consider wee bee but dust and sinfull and the children of the divell therefore as David saith 1 Sam. 18. 18. Who am I and what is my life and the familie of my Father in Israel that I should bee Sonne in law to the King So wee may say Lord what am I or what is my Fathers house that this honour should bee put upon me to bee called thy Sonne And therefore whatsoever our estate be here in this world it is a great comfort to us to bee one of the Sonnes of God the greatest dignity that this world can afford I shewed you lately that it is the greatest goodnesse and mercy of God to put honour upon his servants that even Kings are glad of this favour and howsoever men cannot away with such now but despise and contemne them yet one day at the day of judgement or of their death to have honor with the meanest of Gods people they would bee glad if they could have but a looke and therefore it is a greater comfort to be one of Gods sonnes and daughters than to have all this world The second comfort is that seeing God is our Father therefore he will bee a Father to us as 2 Cor. 6. 18. I will bee a Father unto you and not in name but a Father in deed to us hee will performe the duty of a Father there
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
doves much more will he be angry with them that pollute his spirituall Temple with their sinnes and corruptions and vile lusts The second thing that we are to beleeve concerning God the holy Ghost is That he is person really subsisting and distinct from the Father and the Sonne And here we are to observe two things First That the holy Ghost is a Person or a reall subsistence and not a quality or motion in God as certaine heretikes hold but hee is a Person that hath reall subsistence by himselfe which we may see by divers acts that he doth as to send the Prophets and Apostles and give spirituall gifts and graces Esay 48. 16. it is said The Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me therefore because the holy Ghost is said to send he is not a quality or a motion but a person So also Acts 13. 2. The holy Ghost said Separate me Paul and Barnabas for the worke whereunto I have called them So then it is plaine by the Scripture that the holy Ghost is person and not a qualitie or a motion in God Now two wayes the holy Ghost is taken in the Scripture for the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost as Matth. 12. Christ shewes He that sinnes against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven neither in this world not in the world to come A man may sinne against the Person of the holy Ghost and yet may be forgiven but the sinne that is here spoken of is the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost and in other places of the Scripture it is taken for the person of the holy Ghost Secondly the holy Ghost is a distinct Person from the Father and the Sonne Matth. 28. 19. Christ saith to his Disciples Goe teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and so also 1 Iohn 5. 7. he shewes there are three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one furthermore Matth. 3. when Christ was baptised there was the voice of the Father saying This is my welbeloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased and the holy Ghost descending on Christ in the likenesse of a Dove so it is plaine by the Scripture that the holy Ghost is a distinct person from the Father and the Sonne Now the use hereof is briefly that as we feele the power of God the Father in our creation and the mercy of the Sonne in our redemption so also we must labour to feele the worke of the holy Ghost in sanctifying of our hearts and quickning of us to all holy duties there were some as wee may reade of in the Acts that did not know there was a Holy Ghost but if we feele our hearts to be sanctified and the power of the holy Ghost to quicken us this is an argument to us against all heretikes to prove there is a holy Ghost The third point that we are to beleeve is that the holy Ghost is holy in himselfe and that he is the causer and effecter of holinesse in others So Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 12. 3. No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost that is no man is able to doe any thing that is pleasing to God but by the holy Ghost and vers 11. saith he All these things worketh even the selfe-some Spirit distributing to every one severally as he will So the holy Ghost is not onely holy in himselfe but he is the cause of holinesse in all the people of God The uses are first seeing the holy Ghost makes men holy there is never a man that hath one deep or dram of holinesse in himselfe but the holy Ghost must worke it in him as Ezek. 37. we see the dead bones were scattered all the field over till the Spirit of God came into them then there was a noise a clattering and running together of the bones so we be scattered all the field over and lye like dead bones till the Spirit of God come into our heart then there is a noise and a clattering together of the bones then men begin to stirre in the life of holinesse therefore doth any man desire spirituall graces and is often in prayer doth any man find in himselfe holy motions to good let him comfort himselfe for such desires are of and by the Spirit of God it is the holy Ghost that workes them in him for no man hath a dram or a drop of holinesse in himselfe but it is the holy Ghost workes it in him Secondly seeing it is the holy Ghost that makes men holy as often as we feele any good motions or good desires we may know from whence they come that it is the holy Ghost which is the beginner and worker of them If a man lye in a trance and neither moves nor stirres if one layes his eare to the man and heares him breath he may say there is life in the man even so although a man be not able to stirre in the life of holinesse yet if he doe but breath that there be good thoughts and good motions and good desires this is a token that there is the life of grace in him and that the holy Ghost hath begun to worke in him there is the beginning of grace in him SERMON LIV. IOHN 14. 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name hee shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you FOure points yee heard wee are to beleeve concerning the holy Ghost first That the holy Ghost is God secondly That he is a person and not a motion or a qualitie in God but hath a reall subsistence and that hee is a distinct Person from the Father and the Sonne thirdly That he is not onely holy in himselfe but he is the Effecter and Causer of holinesse in others and that no man hath one dram or drop of holinesse in him but it is wrought by the holy Ghost The fourth point which we are at this present to handle is that He is not onely the causer of holinesse in others but I must beleeve that he will particularly make me holy and give me such a measure of sanctitie as shall be meet and fit for me This is properly the faith of a Christian which herein goeth beyond the faith of all others the devils doe beleeve that the holy Ghost is God and that hee is a Person that hath reall subsistence and that he is a distinct Person from the Father and the Sonne and they doe beleeve that the holy Ghost is the causer of holinesse in all the faithfull people of God but they doe not beleeve that he will worke holinesse in them But here is the faith of a Christian to appropriate the holy Ghost to himselfe so they have not faith onely
as occasion shall be offered to doe them good it is the Holy Ghost that doth put it in us as Paul saith Galath 4. 6. he hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts whereby wee cry Abba Father Hence wee see it is the Spirit of God that stirres us up to the duties of prayer and holinesse The fourth benefit is To give us power and ability to performe Christian duties and services for the Spirit of God doth not onely open our hearts to understand the Scripture excite and stirre us up to good duties but doth also enable us to doe them to repent of our sinnes to pray to God to love our brethren to rest and relye on God in the time of trouble In the story of Sampson we see that he did shake himselfe and did thinke to have done great maters yet for his life he could not because his strength was gone in like manner when wee see other men can pray repent of their sins when thou canst not doe so know it is the Holy Ghost that doth inable thee for there be a number of Christian duties that we are no more able in the estate of nature to doe than a dead man can remove a mountaine as when a man is truely humbled for sinne and cast downe that a naturall man should looke up to God by the eyes of faith to rest and to rely on him for the saving of his soule this hee is no more able to doe than a dead man to remove a mountaine so likewise for a man to resist a temptation agreeable to his nature he is no more able to doe it than a dead man to remoove a mountaine againe when a man is in want and in need then to rest and rely on God for the feeding of his body that as he hath trusted God with the saving of his soule so hee will rely on God for things needfull a naturall man is no more able to doe this than a dead man to remove a mountaine but the Spirit of God inables a man to doe that for that which is impossible to nature is made possible by the Spirit of God The fift benefit is to comfort in distresse although a Man wants house or land and a number of outward comforts yet if hee have the Holy Ghost to comfort and assist him hee neede not care for any thing else Therefore Christ saith to his Disciples I will send you a Comforter in the World ye shall have trouble but he shall mitigate and asswage all your troubles So Acts 9. 31. it is said Then had the Churches rest throughout all Iudea Galile and Samaria and were edified walking in the feare of God and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplyed Therefore whatsoever our trouble is yet it is a great stay that we shall have comfort in the Holy Ghost and not be driven to take up the complaint which David doth in the Person of Christ I looked for some to have pittie on mee but there was none and for comfort but I found none for though it be true of Christians that in their trouble they looke for some to pitty and comfort them but they finde none yet neverthelesse in their extremity the Holy Ghost doth comfort them therefore if men want comfort in the time of trouble what shall they doe send for fidlers and merry company to comfort them as Saul did and fall into relapses no but wee must labour to get the Holy Ghost to comfort us for the comfort of the Holy Ghost goes beyond all worldly comforts First because all worldly comforts may be taken from us let it bee in our goods or friends or whatsoever else these comforts may faile us because the ground of them is not good wee may be taken from them and they from us but the comfort of the Holy Ghost can never be taken from us because it is grounded on Gods Love and favour and hope of Heaven therefore the Divell and all the World shall never be able to take away this comfort Secondly because all the comforts in this life be not pure and intire comforts but have alwayes some sorrowes in them as wee see Hest 5. when Haman had all the glory that Ahashuerosh could afford him yet he was not at quiet because Mordecai sate at the kings gate the cup of our comfort here in this world is a mixed cup like to Christs cup mingled with wine and Myrrh much bitternesse so all our worldly comfort is mixed with gall But the comfort that we have by the Holy Ghost is pure and intire it comforts us in all the distresses that befall us It made Paul and Silas sing in Prison Acts 16. It made the Apostles goe away rejoycing that they had suffered rebuke for the Name of Christ Thirdly because all worldly comfort failes and leaves us at the day of death when the more comfort we have had by it the more griefe it will bee to part from it Therefore Christ saith Luk. 12. to the rich man Thou foole this night shall thy soule be pulled away from thee but the comfort of the Holy Ghost is most beneficiall and refreshing at the day of death because then we draw neere to the accomplishment of Gods promises as Paul saith 2 Tim. 4. 7. I have fought a good fight and have finished my course I have kept the faith from henceforth is laid up for mee the Crowne of righteousnesse which the righteous Iudge shall give at that day hence we conclude all worldly comfort is not comparale to it And here I thinke there is none but will assent with me to pray to God to give us the Holy Ghost as David prayes Psal 4. That God would lift up the light of his countenance upon him howsoever others desire other things let us pray to God though wee want many outward comforts yet that wee may have the holy Ghost to comfort us Now there are three speciall times that the Holy Ghost doth comfort in 1. In trouble and affliction 2. In the distresse of Conscience 3. In the day of death The Holy Ghost doth comfort us in trouble and affliction three wayes First by perswading us that God is our Father and that he will not leave us but will stand by us in the time of our trouble as Psal 23. 4. David saith Yea though I should walke through the valley of the shadow of death yet I will feare no evill for thou art with me So Psal 27. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I bee afraid this is one meanes whereby the Holy Ghost doth comfort therefore if a man have the holy Ghost he neede not care because that will comfort and uphold him in all the trouble that doth befall him Secondly by turning all things to our good as Rom. 8.