haue entered into this way to the Father by Christ as he is the Trueth wee must next enter into the way to the Father by Christ as he is Life But how enter we into this way by him as he is Life How bringeth Christ vs to the Father as he is Life I answere Whilest we are going to the Father wee must stedfastly belieue and bee fully assured that Christ is Life and that all life is from him as from the Fountaine and that whatsoeuer life wee haue we haue it through him Then ye see Christ is the way to the Father first because he is the Trueth next because he is the Life If thou wouldest come to Life begin at the Trueth for the first leadeth vs to the second For this word of Trueth euen the Gospel of the Lord Iesus when it is preached if we heare it reuerentlie and stedfastly belieue it and let it settle deeply in our soules it will bee powerfull at the last to bring foorth life in vs Were thy soule neuer so dead in sinnes and trespasses yet receiuing this Word of Trueth thou shalt rise from death and liue The Lord in the sixt Chapter of Iohn and the 63. verse letteth vs see this great force of this Word when he saith The words that I speake to you are Spirit and Life that is they are a most powerfull meane to minister and furnish vnto vs that Spirite and that Life of God And in that same Chapter also vvhen the Lord asketh at the Apostles If they would leaue him as many of them did who had followed him before Peter answereth in the name of the rest To whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life where ye see Peter out of his own experience affirmeth that the vvords vvhich hee heard of Christ vvere effectuall to vvorke eternall life vvhich made him and the rest of the Apostles vvith pleasure to remaine vvith Christ Thou that by the hearing of the vvord findest the life of God to bee conuoyed to thy soule vvilt easily bee perswaded that hee vvho is the Author of that vvord is life himselfe for how vvere it possible that there could be such a power in that vvorde to giue life except hee vvhose vvorde it is vvere the Fountaine and Well-spring of all life Then ye see by vvhat order vve come to the Father Wee must first begin at the Trueth then by the vvord of Trueth vve must be led to Life and then we must goe on piece and piece in that Life vvee must continue and perseuer in it and so doing it is not possible but at last vvee shall come into that eternall Life vvhich is hid vp in God and shall bee reuealed in that great day Then in a vvord vvouldest thou haue the summe of all that vve haue spoken in this matter This is it Euen that vvee belieue in the Lord Iesus Christ The vvay to the Father is Christ vvhen vvee belieue in him vvee are vvalking in this vvay vvhen our fayth increaseth piece and piece vvee goe on forward vve continue and perseuer in that vvay Now in the ende of the verse he preuenteth and answereth the thing that some might haue objected against this doctrine That he was the way for it might haue bene said to Christ Albeit thou bee the way to the Father yet thou art not the only way there are many other wayes beside thee To this the Lord answereth I am the onelie waye to come to the Father for sayeth hee None commeth to the Father but by mee That is I am so the waye to the Father that there is none other waye to come to the Father beside me And whosoeuer seeketh to come to the Father by another way beside me or whosoeuer seeketh to come to the Father any other way but by me he shall be disappointed he shall neuer find the Father thou that seeks to come to HeaueÌ„ another way nor by Christ I giue thee that doome thou shalt neuer see Heauen Men dreame to themselues another way to come to Heauen nor by Christ the Papists deceiue themselues and the whole worlde teaching them to seeke Heauen by their owne merits by their own works and to come to the Father by the mediation intercession of Angels of the Saincts departed c. But all this is folly for there is one only way to Heauen and that a very strait and narrow way by Iesus Christ Indeed the way to Hell is a very broade way that is there are many wayes that leade to damnation for there is not a sinne that thou committest against God but it leadeth thee to Hell Whoredome leadeth a man to Hell Murder leadeth a man to Hell Drunkennesse leadeth a man to Hell all the foule affections of thine heart leade thee to Hell But there is one only way to come to Heauen Fayth in Iesus Christ Therefore thou who wouldest come to Heauen and dwell with the Father for euer leaue all other wayes for they are but pathes that leade to damnation and take thee to that only one way belieue in the Lord Iesus Christ and through him thou shalt bee assured to get life and glory To this Lord Iesus with the Father and the holy Spirit be all prayse and honour for euer Amen THE THIRD LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xiiii VERS 7.8.9.10 7 Jf yee had knowne mee yee should haue knowne my Father also and from hencefoorth yee know him and haue seene him 8 Philip said vnto him Lord shew vs thy Father and it sufficeth vs. 9 Iesus said vnto him J haue beene so long time with you and hast thou not knowne mee Philip Hee that hath seene mee hath seene the Father how then sayest thâ—u Shew vs thy Father 10 Belieuest thou not that J am in the Father and the Father is in mee The wordes that I speake vnto you I speake not of my selfe but the Father that dwelleth in mee hee doeth the workes YEE heard Welbeloued in the Lord Iesus among the rest of the comforts that the Lord furnished to his Disciples that they should not bee troubled when hee should depart this was one and the last Yee knowe the place whither I am to goe first and where yee are to goe next in your time and also yee knowe the waye Therefore woulde hee saye comfort your selues with this knowledge while I come againe and take you to that place Vpon this last argument the conference falleth out betwixt Christ and his Disciples and first Thomas one of his Disciples speaketh and vttereth as it were a contradiction to the worde of the Lord Wee know not the place where thou art to goe sayeth hee and howe then can wee knowe the waye Vpon this speach of Thomas the â—ord taketh occasion to instruct Thomas and the rest in these pointes whereof they were ignorant concerning the place where hee was to goe and concerning the waye and first hee pointeth out the waye vnto them hee pointeth the waye
leadeth vs in the way of trueth and verity We are all out of the way till he leade vs in the way of saluation There is neuer man nor woman who is not naturally full of vanity and his heart full of lies no trueth chiefly in the way that leadeth to life and saluation The spirit of errour occupieth naturally the heartes of men and women vntill this blessed Spirite enter into their heartes The name is to bee marked First hee is called the Comforter Secondlie the Spirit of trueth The one of these is the cause of the other And the Spirite of GOD is the Comforter and ministreth comfort to the soules of men and vvomen because hee is the Spirite of veritie For Brethren this knowledge of God is the grounde of all comfort and vvithout the knowledge of our saluation there is no comfort in this life When the Spirite of God entereth into the soule of a man or woman he first beginneth to let the creature see the sinfulnesse that lieth in nature the miserie death and damnation that followeth on sinne The first knowledge we can haue is to knowe vvhat we are by nature So the first worke of the Spirit of Veritie is when he letteth a man or woman see that hee is but sinfull and dead vnder sinne The second point of knowledge that the Spirite vvill leade thee vntill hee vvill let thee see mercy in thy deliuerance from sinne and death The best sight that euer a miserable creature sawe and the ioyfullest this sight vvill bee accompanied vvith such a ioy as the heart of man cannot expresse As the sight of sinne was heauy so this sight of grace mercy in Iesus Christ is sweet yea the ioyfullest sight that euer the creature got The third point of knowledge he vvill leade thee vnto is hee vvill let thee see the vvay howe thou shouldest meete that mercifull God and vvhat shoulde bee thy duety for such a mercifull deliuerance If any man or vvoman haue this Spirit of Verity he must see these three things and if they see not these three they vvist neuer what vvas the Spirite of Verity Looke vvhat followeth on these three sights all the ioye in the vvorlde the heart vvist neuer vvhat ioye vvas vvhile then If one had all the riches in the vvorlde all the pleasures in the vvorlde if they vvant the Spirite they vvant that true ioye in death in life hee that vvanteth that Spirit can haue no ioy vvhen death commeth to him and the vvorld leaueth him how can he reioyce no he cannot So vvouldest thou haue ioye and chiefely in the houre of death and that is a sad houre when the vvorlde is leauing thee and thou leauing it for thou must leaue it Get this blessed sight and this Spirite of Verity and hee shall vvorke comfort in thy soule both in thy life and in the houre of death Now againe the second time he aggreageth this benefite for the benefite of the soule cannot bee aggreaged enough before he aggreageth it in that it should abide vvith them for euer Now he aggreageth it from the condition of the vvorld and hee sayth Hee is such a Spirit that the worlde cannot receiue The aggreaging of this benefite to the soule is by opposition to the vvorlde The vvorld sayth the Lord receiued not this Spirit of Verity vvhom yee shall receiue It hath a great force the Spirite of GOD vvhen hee vvoulde amplifie the grace that the Chosen gette in the vvorlde vseth to sette downe a grace opposite to the worlde vvho getteth not this grace but in place of it getteth miserie So in the threescore Chapter of Esay and the twelfth Verse hee sayeth The Lord shall rise vp and make the beames of his mercie to shine vpon his owne Hee setteth not downe this simplie but to let them see the greatnesse of the benefite hee subjoyneth an opposition And darknesse sayeth hee shall couer the Earth and grosse darknesse the people but the Lord shall rise vp to shine vpon thee with the beames of that his mercy and his glory shall bee seene vpon thee This is done that the godly should see the greatnesse of the mercy of God towards them One contrary will make another the better to be knowne Brethren wee see this all the aduersaries vse this argument against vs Your Kirke is contracted in little boundes and your Profession is but narrow and fewe imbrace it where yee finde one who professeth as yee professe ye will find an hundreth who contemne your Doctrine So say they because the multitude imbraceth it not it is not the true Light But these wordes condemne them The Lord sayeth The vvorlde cannot receiue the Spirite of Veritie They say The vvorlde must receiue the Spirite of Veritie or else it is not the Spirite of Veritie So to ende this Wee must bee so farre from that to count the lesse of this blessed Light and of these whome the Lord vsed as instrumentes after hee had taken them out of the darke Kingdome of the Antichrist to make this Light shine like the Sunne that euen by the contrary wee must count the more of it And it is an argument that it is the Trueth because the Lord will not communicate it with the multitude And woe is the soule that neuer saw this Light Precious thinges are but rare The more pecious a grace bee euermore since the beginning of the worlde it is the rarer No man getteth this Light communicated to them but those secret ones whom the Lord hath chosen And we one day shall blesse this Light that euer we saw it The worde is to bee marked The worlde cannot receiue him This worde importeth that the fault wherefore the worlde receiueth not this Spirite is not in the Spirite but the fault is in the vvorlde it selfe vvho vvanteth the hand and so neither will nor can receiue such a grace The Lord in his worde offereth to all men indifferentlie this Spirite and as it were by his vvorde knocketh at the heartes of men and women to receiue such a guest There is none of vs who heareth this glorious Euangel but the Lord knocketh at the doore of his soule to take in this Holy Spirit to dwell with him But looke howe hee is answered All receiueth not this Spirit and all hearts are not opened to take him in yea very fewe there bee who take in this Spirite in their heart when they heare this Euangel Take heed there is no grace nor welfare without this Spirit and howe can the heart bee glad without him Yet they are few who get him To speak the trueth There is no man nor woman who is naturally borne to receiue this Spirit of God The naturall man sayth Paul is not capable of the thinges that are of God 1. Cor. 2.14 So by nature all men and women are alike Then who maketh the difference sayth Paul to the Corinthians What hast thou that thou hast not receiued 1. Cor. 4.7 Then if there bee a
grorifie God fie on that fleshe that will not glorifie God but will ascribe any thing to himselfe and will stand vp and say I did this or that fie on thee that wilt say so and wilt not honour him who hath honoured thee Beware to speake any thing that may derogate to the glory of God and not only in deede but also in word glorifie him that they who heare you speake may glorifie God thorow your speach and by your example Now hauing spoken of the ground we come to the benefite of life euerlasting it selfe As before wee heard the glorifying of Iesus Christ serued to the glory of the Father so we haue now that the glory of Iesus serueth also to our glory So ye may see of what importance is the glory of Iesus Christ the fairest fruites that euer were follow on that glory thorow his glory glory commeth to the Father and life to the world The chiefe two things in the worlde are The glory of God and the saluation of the Kirke which both proceede from the glory of Iesus Christ Life euerlasting marke it well it commeth and it floweth of the glorious life of Iesus Christ when hee rose from the dead all our life is by the rising of Iesus Christ from death to life What is this life euerlasting or the Spirituall life which wee haue It is but a little sponke that floweth from that fulnesse of that glorious life which Iesus Christ liueth in the Heauens at the right hande of the Father And this quickening Spirit which euery one of vs receiueth in sober measure is nothing but a portion of that Spirit of life which is in Iesus Christ hat is in him in all superaboundance and aboue all measure Wee in the Kirke his members haue the Spirit of life flowing from him in some measure Paul in the 6. Chapter to the Romanes vers 5. hath a notable sentence concerning this matter If wee bee planted with him in the likenesse of his death wee shall bee planted with him in the likenesse of his life meaning that this mortification of the olde man commeth by the vertue of the death and Crosse of Iesus Christ and this newe life commeth by the vertue of his Resurrection and life And in the first Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 15. vers 17. Jâ— Christ had not risen from the dead wee had yet lyen still in our sinnes So then wouldest thou haue one of the chiefe arguments to knowe whether Christ hath died for thee or not if thou knowest not this thou knowest nothing descende downe into thine heart and see if thou findest in any measure that foule and cankered nature slaine into thee that thou bee dead to sinne if thou finde it thou hast cause to bee blythe for thou hast a sure warrande that the Lord Iesus hath died for thee for if hee had not died for thee thou hadst not had anie mortification of sinne Then wouldest thou knowe if the Lord Iesus hath risen from the death as Paul speaketh for thy justification Looke if thou hast anie part or that spirituall life Woe is to that soule that feeleth no life no spirite no quickening c. for that soule hath no warrande that euer Christ rose to justifie or saue it Therefore as yee woulde knowe if Christ hath died or risen for you looke your warrande and if yee finde anie mortification or anie sense of the Spirite then bee sure yee haue a warrande But and if thou findest it not say not that Christ died for thee thou hast no warrande of the death and resurrection of Christ for thee What is this wee are doing Wee are seeking busilie Charters and Euidentes for Landes and Liuinges and earthlie possessions but seeke a warrande for Landes and all the worlde as thou wilt shame shall come vpon thee if thou wantest the warrande of life euerlasting Now in the next vers This is life euerlasting to know thee to be the only true God and whome thou hast sent Jesus Christ In this vers marke it hee letteth vs see the necessitie there is in glorifying of him if euer such a thing should be that one who is chosen should be glorified for hee reasoneth after this manner Father thou knowest what is life it is a knowledge of thee and of mee whom thou hast sent but except I bee glorified the worlde cannot know thee nor mee therefore Father except I bee glorified there is no life for the worlde So there is the necessitie of the glorifying of Christ to get life euerlasting because there cannot be knowledge of God without Christ and except he be glorified But to consider these wordes more norrowlie hee sayeth This is life to knowe thee to bee the onelie true God not onelie to knowe thee to bee God but to knowe thee to bee the onelie God that is to put a difference betwixt thee and the Idole gods of the Gentiles This excludeth not the Sonne and the holie Spirite but hee respecteth the time for before the comming of CHRIST the Gentiles were not called but the worlde was full of Idoles and men were blinded with errour and ignorance Nowe see what is life there are manie that will speake of life euerlasting and yet they knowe not what it meaneth Life euerlasting standeth in a sight and in a knowledge if thou be ignorant thou shalt neuer gette life It standeth in the light of the mind thou art full of darknesse and that darknesse must bee out and light must come in ere thou gettest life But it standeth not in the knowledge of euery thing many one seeketh knowledge but run where thou wilt to seeke knowledge if thou seest not him who is the Fountaine of life from whome all life floweth thou knowest nothing I meane not of a bare knowledge for if thou haue no more it shall not auaile thee but with the knowledge thou must haue faith in thine heart to drawe out life out of the Fountaine of life Who is the Fountaine of life It is the Father of Iesus Christ who is the Fountaine of all life the life which the Sonne himselfe hath commeth out of that Fountaine as Christ himselfe confesseth in the fifth Chapter of this Gospel The Father hath giuen to the Sonne to haue life in himselfe Then all the life of the Angels and all the life of the creatures and all our life spirituall or naturall floweth out of that Fountaine So except a man or woman get a sight of the Father and of the Lord Iesus they cannot gette life Lord if it bee not a great thing to gette a sight of him For as the Apostle sayth to Timothie Hee dwelleth in a light that hath none accesse That deepnesse of light which hee dwelleth in is wonderfull yea incomprehensible and there is no knowledge of the Father without the Sonne if thou seest not the Sonne thou shalt neuer see the Father and so thou shalt neuer see life Awaye with that dreame of the Iewes and
say it is a foolish question I will bee there as soone as any Minister of them all howbeit they contemne this worde and this presence of the Lord. This is like to prophane Esau who solde his part of Heauen for the filling of the belly of him vvhat doeth he in the meane time passeth ouer the time and thinketh he hath his Birth-right hee looketh for that blessing but vvhen it commeth to the blessing it is taken from him and it is giuen to Iaakob So men will not thinke that this contempt of the Spirit will close Heauen from them vntill that latter sentence Esau mourned and wept when the blessing was giuen to Iaakob but mourne as he would hee could not get that blessing but lay still with the curse on him So at that day sore shall the lamenting be and we shall heare them roaring howling and crying vvho contemne this worde But let them howle and they were kinges they shall neuer mend themselues or free themselues from that eternall fire So as wee would see Christ comming in that day to our joye let vs make much of this worde in the which Christ is present Or else I giue thee doome and thou do it not thou shalt neuer see him but to thy shame When hee hath set downe the estate of them who contemne him next hee layeth downe the estate of his Disciples who contemned him not But sayth he yee shall see mee Howbeit that this sight that now yee haue bee taken away yet shall yee get another sight more comfortable This sight is the sight of Iesus in his Spirit thorowe his worde The Spirit is not without the worde And there bee no word there is no Spirit Contemnest thou the word thou contemnest the meane that the Lord hath appointed to get that Spirit Then the word of the Gospel and the Spirit that followeth on the word letteth a man or woman see Christ Hast thou heard the worde preached and by the worde hast found consolation thou hast seene Christ thou hast felt and griped him The Spirit of Christ by the worde and Sacramentes entereth into the soule of man and woman and filleth the soule and bringeth Christ into the soule and filleth the whole senses with him The hands wil feele him the eyes will see him Get this Spirite thou shalt get himselfe and when thou hearest that worde out of the mouth of a weake instrument thou shalt heare his owne voyce and thine heart shall gripe him euen as sensibly as thine handes will gripe a sensible body and thou shalt haue more joy sweetnesse and peace than all the world can giue thee Haue ye euer heard him or tasted him then haue yee felt this joy Howbeit wee see him not yet as Peter sayth wee belieue and rejoyce with a joye that is vnspeakable So this fayth wee speake of and this Gospel is not vaine wordes that passe away not a superficiall thing but the moste effectuall thin◠〈◊〉 the world to our consolation The Christian Religion is the most solide and most joyfull thing of all thinges in the worlde all other Professions are but vanity they haue no solidity But to belieue in CHRIST both in life and death is most comfortable And once thou get that Spirite thou mayest feele that Spirite better than all the things in the world And we want this joy the fault is not in the Spirit but in vs who cannot apprehend him He subjoynes the reason why they should see him this is it There is nothing that can slay this sight but death and hee prooueth that death cannot staye it If death could staye it it must bee either your death or my death but so it is I liue and yee shall lâ—ue yee shall not die therefore death shall not staye it as for me I haue life eternally I haue the life of God aâ— for you yee shall liue by the life which is in mee The manner of speaking would be marked Ye shall liue because I liue He sayth not I shall liue but J liue This is a weighty speach the meaning is I liue from all eternity my life had neuer a beginning The forme of speaking importeth a life from all eternity a life by gone a life present and a life to come And the Lord liueth not as the creatures but he is life it selfe and the Fountaine of all life therefore he liueth by himselfe In the end of the eight Chapter hee speaketh such like Ere Abraham was I am that is I had my beginning from all eternity As in the Reuelation Chap. 1 vers 4. I am hee who is was and shall bee And there were no more to testifie that Christ is God and one with the Father this is an argument to tell vs that our Lord is God There is no creature man nor Angel can say I am it is proper to God Exod. 3.14 This phrase importeth a being by himselfe and by him we liue moue and are Act. 17.28 No creature can saye I liue onely the Lord can say it So this word importeth necessarily that the Lord is God of Heauen The thing I note on this argument is Wee may see the ground of sight is life and no man can see except hee bee liuing What can the eye of a dead body see The ground of the naturall sight is naturall life So they who would see heauenly thinges must haue life A dead man will neuer see Heauen This life what a life must it be Must it be a naturall life Noâ— And thou hadst ten thousand naturall liues thou wilt neuer see Christ without another life I say more This life naturall is so defiled with sinne that it hindereth vs from the sight of Heauen And the more powerfull the natural man be in his own sight the more are his eyes closed froÌ„ Heauen As Paul sayth The naturall man is not capable of Spirituall things for they are foolishnesse to him The naturall man will thinke the Crosse of Christ is but scorne It is an harde thing for a naturall witted man to receiue Christ because his head is full of naturall wit So ere a man get a sight of that life there must be a mortification of this corrupt nature and wisdome of the flesh And thou wouldest be heauenly wise be a foole to the world that thou mayest be wise 1. Cor. 3.18 Thou must learne to make this worldly wit a seruant to this Heauenly knowledge So this life which is the cause of sight must be the life of Christ there shall neuer one see Christ but he who hath this life into him in some measure A man who hath gotten a sponke of the life of Christ hee will see Christ for hee liueth not by himselfe as Paul sayeth but hee liueth by Christ Gal. 2.20 As yee would see Iesus Christ bee not content to haue a naturall life occupied in the things of the world but see thou find that life of Iesus be in thee Rest not night nor day as thou wouldest liue
the Son Whateuer they bee that the Lord Iesus loueth they shall see him by his holy Spirit howbeit he be in the Heauens Men will thinke this a matter of no great importance but it is the happiest thing in the worlde though senselesse sinners thinke nothing of it and count it of none importance It is true they who know not what sinne meaneth they who haue a sleeping conscience will make a little account of it and giue them the sight of the world they shall neuer desire to see Iesus Christ but the joyfullest sight that euer a ladened wearied sinner got who seeketh him in any measure is the sight of Iesus Christ I shall make a supposition to you If there were a man condemned to die what would he desire so earnestly as to get a mercifull sight of the Prince Nothing for hee would haue hope of life Now what is the estate of vs all by nature Paul telleth vs it in a word Wee are but dead and we are all concluded vnder sinne and damnation And what is it to die that death eternall Paul telleth vs Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is manifest against all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of men from the Heauen The sinner thinketh hee is free when hee sayth and doeth mischiefe but he is captiue to death and damnation and our only deliuerance there from standeth in that mercifull presence of the Lord Iesus by fayth in our soules Thou shalt die that death euerlastingly in Hell and thou get not a sight of Iesus Christ Therefore let vs all striue to see out owne filthinesse the fairest of vs all is filthie wee are all but rotten stockes meete for nothing but to be casten into Hell The first degree till happinesse to a sinner is to feele the sense of his owne misery A sicke body who feeleth not the sicknesse is in most danger A sinner that lieth vnder sinne and feeleth it not is most miserable but a sinner that feeleth sinne and groneth vnder the burthen of it getteth a gracious sight A sad sinner getteth the sight of the Lord Iesus his deliuerer Dauid was glorious yet hee counted nothing of all if hee wanted the sight of the face of God Lift vp the light sayth he Psal 4. vers 6.7 of thy countenance vpon me and giue mee a sight of thy face and I shall bee more joyfull in heart than they will bee when their Wheate and their Wine did abound Therefore preasse to feele sinne that thou mayest seeke the presence of Iesus When the Lord spake this one of his Disciples entred in conference with him named Iudas not the traytor but a kinsman of the Lord Iesus who wrote that Epistle of Iude which is nowe extant hee asketh a question Wherefore is it that thou wilt make thy selfe manifest to vs and not to the world As hee would saye Is there not grace enough is there not mercy sufficient in thee to the whole world Why art thou then so sparing of it that so many die without fayth Is there not grace enough in Iesus Christ to suffice a thousand worlds Why will then God make a choyse See the maruelling of the vvorld Men considering there is so great grace and mercy in Iesus Christ as maye saue a thousande worldes they say Why is it that so fewe are saued in the vvorlde The Lord is not carefull to answere the question because it was more curious than profitable The world wondereth at the same this daye but there is none occasion of wonder It was no wonder that God in his Iustice shoulde cast all men into Hell but the wonder is that God is so mercifull to miserable mankinde that hee should sende his onely Sonne to die for any And the Angels maruell at this and desire to looke in into that mystery 1. Pet. 1.12 And this is the wondering of the godly that euer they should get mercy And this was the wondering of Paul Wonder and thou gette Christ thou hast cause to wonder that euer hee shoulde haue saued thee Paul Rom. chap. 9. vers 19. vvhere he speaketh of the eternall election and the eternall reprobation hee sayeth I hated Esau and I loued Iaakob before the foundation of the worlde The reason of man commeth in and sayth Then God is vnjust what was in Iaakob more than in Esau There is our reason wee make No holde thy tongue sayth the Apostle It was the will of God hee giueth not another cause on whom he will he sheweth mercy and whom he will he casteth off Our Lesson is Whether in time after men bee come into the vvorld it pleaseth God to giue his presence to some and to denie his presence to some other We should not bee curious in this but glorifie God in his mercy to vs vvho haue found the presence of the Lord Iesus and in his justice towards the wicked Or vvhether thou goe higher and consider his election and reprobation from all eternity Be not curious to inquire or to reason but knowing that it was the will of God saye Blessed bee thy will O Lord thou made the creature glorifie thy selfe in the creature Reason not with him but count all that hee doeth just and thou vvho canst count reuerently of God thou shalt reigne with him The reprobate commonly chideth with God and is curious in these thinges But as for the regenerate man hee reuerenceth the vvill of God and giueth him all honour and glory in all his vvorkes vvhether from all eternity or in time albeit hee perceiue not euident causes thereof Therefore speake thou reuerently of thy God and thinke reuerently of hiâ— that thou with him mayst reigne in glory Now to goe forward In the words following he answereth Iudas and marke well hee will not giue a direct answere to the question but leauing to answere to that curiositie hee followeth foorth his exhortation and sayeth Hee who will loue mee will keepe my Commandements Least that should seeme a fectlesse thing to keep his Commandements he sayth J shall loue him and least this should seeme fectlesse hee sayth The Father shall loue him and I and the Father will come and dwell with him This all was exponed in effect alreadie The Lord hee giueth not an answere to this curious question Hereby he learneth vs that we haue nothing adoe to be curious in questions in searching out the secret will of God It is ouer presumptuous a thing to vs to inquire that which is not communicated to the Angels they will not get leaue to sit on his secrete counsell Doe as hee commandeth thee to doe aske not why hee biddeth thee To come to the purpose wee haue in hande Wee shoulde not bee so curious to aske vvhy will not the Lorde saue the vvorlde as to enter into the waye of saluation our selues and to see that wee keepe his Commaundementes and loue him that hee may loue vs and louing vs hee may come and abide with vs and that not for a short space but
Weigh the wordes for they are weighty Peace I leaue you sayeth the Lord No question hee alludeth to that common fashion of salutation that was vsed amongst the Iewest in their meetinges and departinges wherein they wished peace one to another by the which word they vnderstood all kind of prosperitie in thinges earthly and heauenly So the Lord would say I am now to depart from you but I leaue something behind mee to you to wit my blessing prosperity for euer Now least it should haue bene thought that he left peace vnto them no other wayes than the men of this world vse to do he subjoyneth My peace I giue you There is an emphasis in these wordes My peace and I giue you it As the Lord would saye Men may well wish peace to men but it lieth in no mans hands to giue peace there is no Angel in Heauen able to giue peace but I sayeth the Lord shall giue you it I am not only sayth the Lord a wisher but a giuer There is no man able to giue his owne peace because no man hath peace to giue Men may wish peace from God as to the Philipp 4.7 It is called the peace of God None of the Apostles will say My peace but the peace of God and therefore hee is called the God of peace Rom. 16.20 The Lord Iesus hath peace to giue as the Father hath peace Yea more he would signifie by this peace not a common sort of peace but an inwarde peace of conscience the rest to the soule of a sinner that peace that passeth all vnderstanding Philipp Chap. 4. Vers 7. The rest of the soule as ye may reade in Matthewes Gospel Chap. 11. Vers 29. where Christ sayeth Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and laden and I will ease you and yee shall finde rest to your soules Take this peace away there is no rest to the soule This peace is called Christes peace because it floweth from him immediately till vs that wee may haue a good conscience that we may haue assurance of the remission of our sinnes for herein standeth chiefelv a good conscience when it sayeth thy sinnes are freely forgiuen thee Wee knowe this good conscience standeth in fayth thorow the blood of CHRIST Take awaye the blood of CHRIST there is no conscience that is good Heb. 9.14 The blood of Christ purgeth our conscience from dead works to serue the liuing God that is it purgeth vs from our sins So ye see this that all the joy of the soule floweth from the blood of Christ Iesus and therefore worthily he calleth it his peace because it commeth thorow his blood vvithout the which peace there is no rest howbeit yee had all the peace of all the Princes of the worlde Let the Traytors haue the Kinges peace and let them vvant this peace let them passe as they will they haue no peace Yet he insisteth the third time and subjoyneth Not as the worlâ—e giueth giue I it He marketh the manner of the giuing and maketh an exposition of the giuing of it Worldly men will take vpon them to giue peace but the worldes peace is but for a fashion the mouth will wish peace and the heart will curse this is the peace of the world That peace of the world is so fectlesse that scarcelie vvill a man wish that peace from his heart As the Lord woulde say I speake not only with my mouth but from mine heart I wish it and I shall effectuate it indeede A man may wish well but it vvanteth effect Yee see now this three-folde repetition Will yee vveigh the words yee shall finde a wonderfull intier loue and vnspeakeable heartinesse vttered by the Lord in his Farewell These vvords let vs see that he not only leaueth peace and loue behinde him but his very heart Besides all the grace wee haue of Iesus Christ they who loue Christ they haue his heart Looke how tenderly he loueth faythfull men howbeit hee bee in the Heauen yet he leaueth them his very heart and inwarde affection there is an vnspeakeable loue Now when he hath taken his good-night he concludes Seeing I haue left you peace and I giue you it vvhat then needeth you to bee troubled Marke then this conclusion Where the peace of the Lord is not there the soule of man hath no rest there is nothing but trouble and griefe there It is true great sinners vvho vvill haue no part of Iesus Christ vvill haue some kind of rest and who vvill bee so merry as they Bloody murderers vvicked blasphemers and vile adulterers vvill by appearance haue peace But Brethren this is but a false peace and assuredly it is better a thousand times to haue an vnquiet and restlesse soule than to haue a secure life for a senselesse carnall security is a sure token of a sudden judgement to come Paul in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians Chap. 5. Vers 3. sayeth When they say there is peace and safety then shall come vpon them sudden destruction as the trauell vpon a vvoman with child and they shall not escape The loune will bid cloze the yates and bid watch let him bid as hee vvill the judgement of God shall not passe by him and his yates shall not holde out the wrath of God but it shall come on him as the paine commeth on a woman in the time of her birth So in one vvorde they who want this peace they haue no peace No peace to the wicked Isai 57. By the contrary vvhen the Lord Iesus giueth peace to the heart of a sinfull man or woman vvhose heart is troubled then the heart of a sinner hath peace I put the case that a man were in great danger euen at deaths doore yea and he were in the fire and the Lord Iesus giue him his peace and saye I giue thee my peace then the soule shall be in exceeding joye Tyrantes haue marueiled that the Martyres who suffered for Iesus should haue had such a joye as they had So if the Lord Iesus will once say My peace I giue you then the soule will rest on him with such a joye as is vnspeakeable So the Apostles felt this indeede In one vvorde the peace of Iesus Christ guardeth the soule and maketh it sure as Paul sayeth to the Philipp Cha. 4. Vers 7. Thus farre now hath the Lord comforted his Disciples Nowe in the next Verse hee beginneth to speake more sharply and hee as it were findeth fault with them that they loued him not well enough and they vttered it in that they were so grieued and displeased at his departure This forme that the Lord vseth teacheth vs this that in comforting of heauy hearted sinners Who should bee comforted but the heauy hearted thou vse gentle reproofes for the heart that is heauy and sad vvill hardly take consolation but will delite in sadnesse Looke howe yee shall comfort them not to holde vp the heart aye with comfort but reproue it with some piece
bee the sense of the loue of God Therefore let vs striue to feele the sense chiefelie of that mercie and that loue and then our knowledge shall bee joyfull and pleasant vnto vs. But heere I aske a question Beganne God to loue vs then onelie when wee beganne to knowe him Beganne not God to loue euerie one of vs before wee knewe him Appearinglie in this place as it would seeme hee maketh the loue of God to beginne and flowe of the knowledge of God The aunswere is easie Looke the wordes hee sayeth That thy loue may bee in them It is true from all eternitie ere euer wee were in the worlde I speake of the Chosen hee loued vs and of loue hee choosed vs and hee loued vs after wee came into the worlde When wee were enemies to him hee loued vs. But marke againe Brethren The loue of God is neuer in vs but without vs till wee knowe him and haue fayth in Iesus Christ That is the meaning Neuer one feeleth in their heart that God loueth them but hee who knoweth God Hee loueth thee but thou feelest it not till thou hast gotten knowledge and then when thou hast gotten knowledge thou beginnest to feele it and to haue a sense of that loue in thine heart And this is it that the Apostle sayeth Rom. 5. vers 5. The loue of God is shed abroade in our heartes through that holie Spirite which is giuen vs. Before wee gette that knowledge there is no shedding abroade of that loue in the heart But when thou gettest the knowledge of God and fayth in Iesus Christ then thou feelest that loue with a sweetnesse and joye vnspeakeable Experience may tell vs this Thou that hast not gotten fayth in Iesus Christ at anie time and knowest not God I appeale thy conscience if euer thou hast felt the loue of God Sayest thou that thou feelest Gods loue I dare saye that thou feelest it not And by the contrarie when men and women knowe God and finde fayth in Iesus Christ from whome all grace floweth and distilleth into our soules they shall finde in experience with the knowledge such a sweete sense of loue that the tongue of man nor Angel cannot expresse And therefore as euer thou wouldest feele the loue of God What pleasure canst thou haue without that sense as euer thou wouldest haue joye and comfort in thine heart in the middest of the miseries of this world learne to know God assuring thy selfe that before thou get the sight and knowledge of God in Iesus Christ thou shalt neuer get the sense of loue Striue to see God haue faith in Iesus Christ and the farther sight thou gettest of him thy delight shall bee to pierce in more and more into the mysterie of thy saluation and I promise thee in his Name that sense and feeling shall increase and the more thou seest and knowest the more thou shalt feele that loue of God So wouldest thou haue joye and comfort striue to see Christ and thinke not that thou canst see enough Now would to God wee had the halfe of that desire to looke into the face of Iesus Christ that we haue of worldly things For al our blessednes and comfort standeth in this to look into the face of Iesus Christ that the beams which strike out from him may shine in our souls In the last words he sayth And I in them He commendeth this presence of the loue of God in their harts by the presence of Christ himselfe who accompanieth it as if hee had sayde So shall it bee seene if thy loue bee in them that I am in them These two are inseparable Companions the loue of the Father and the presence of the Sonne in the heart Is the loue of the Father in thine heart Then IESES CHRIST is there And by the contrarie is IESVS CHRIST into thine heart then the loue of the Father is into thine heart these two goe inseparable together and where the one lodgeth the other must bee there also Blessed are they that feele the loue of God for Christ is with them in their heartes for one grace draweth on another And if thy God loue thee the glorious Spirite shall bee with thee A question here may bee moued There are two Companions heere the loue of the Father and the presence of the Sonne but which of them is first Whether is the presence of the Sonne or the loue of God in thine heart first I answere Howbeit they bee in thine heart together in one moment of time yet the one in order is before the other And first Iesus Christ taketh possession in thine heart ere the loue of the Father bee in thine heart And because Iesus Christ is entered into thine heart therefore the loue of the Father is into thine heart Before Christ came into thine heart there was neuer grace in it all the grace all the peace and all the joy and all the comfort that is in the heart of a sinner followeth on Christ Christ commeth first and then all grace commeth in after him Hee is neuer him alone but peace joye and gladnesse accompany him then followeth that joye when hee commeth Looke Rom. 5. vers 5. hee telleth vs this order when hee hath said Because when wee were enemies Christ died for vs Because Christ died for thee hee loued thee And thinkest thou that thou wouldest feele that loue of God if Christ had not died for thee and except thou imbrace in thine heart that death by a liuelie fayth Goe to experience What is hee or shee that will feele that loue of God that endlesse comfort or that peace or joye who belieueth not in Iesus Christ It shall passe thy power to feele anie joye before thou feele that Christ died for thee Therefore I beseech thee gripe greedilie to Iesus Christ that hee may dwell in thine heart Nowe yee may aske at mee Howe is Christ in the heart Is not Christ bodilie present at the right hand of the Father How then sayeth hee And I in them Howe can thine heart gette him vvho is in Heauen The answere is easie The Lord Iesus dwelleth in the heart of man and woman by fayth Belieuest thou in him Reacheth thine heart thorowe the Heauens to get a gripe of him If thou belieue as Paul sayeth Ephes 3. vers 17. Christ dwelleth in thee if thine heart bee set on him and if thou belieue that hee died and is risen for thee thou hast him dwelling in thee And thinke yee Brethren that CHRIST can bee in any man or woman but they feele him No where CHRIST is hee is liuing in the heart and that is a glorious life If hee bee in thine heart by fayth there hee is liuing and as hee is liuing in thee so shall hee make thee to liue another life than this life hee shall make thee to liue an Heauenlie and Spirituall life as the Apostle PAVL saith in the second CHAPTER to the GALATIANS and the twentieth VERS I liue no more sayeth hee it is not I that liueth I am dead but IESVS CHRIST liueth in mee And what more The life that I liue in the fleshe and in this mortall bodie I liue it by fayth in the Sonne of GOD who hath loued mee and giuen his owne selfe for mee Is IESVS CHRIST in thine heart by fayth looke the effectes first thou art dead this mortall life is mortified the olde man is slaine If IESVS CHRIST bee in thee hee will slaye this sinfull life for our life naturallie is but a pudling in sinne and wickednesse when hee liueth within thee hee beareth the rule and not the olde man And what more As hee liueth within thee so hee giueth thee another life an Heauenlie and a glorious life Hee beginneth within thee that life which thou shalt liue with him in the Heauens where there is no more mortalitie nor no corruption So all tendeth to this Wouldest thou haue life wouldest thou haue grace in thine heart wouldest thou feele that vnspeakeable loue in thy vaine heart For that is a vaine heart which is not reformed and lieth dead in sinne and is not reuiued and quickened with the life of IESVS CHRIST Wouldest thou haue all this in this life and in that life euerlasting In a worde Wouldest thou reigne in glorie Striue to gette IESVS CHRIST in thine heart and when thou hast gotten him keepe him well and if once thou gettest him thou shalt gette one of the moste glorious thinges that euer was euen the loue of the Father wherein is all sweetnesse That loue of the Father shall flowe downe to thee and with the same loue wherewith the Father loueth the Sonne the Father of IESES CHRIST shall loue thee Well howe commeth all grace vnto vs Euen by IESVS CHRIST the Father powreth on all grace vpon the Sonne our Head Nowe hee bieng the Head and wee the bodie that precious ointment and fulnesse of all grace which is on him floweth downe on vs. So that grace is first powred out on the Sonne thine Head and then it floweth from the Head to the members so that there is not one member of that bodie but it getteth a share though it were neuer so sober a member and if it were but a foote Nowe blessed is hee or shee that is a member of that bodie And blessed is the soule that hath in it the loue of the FATHER in IESVS CHRIST To whom with the FATHER and the Holy SPIRIT bee all Honour and Prayse for euermore AMEN ΤΩ ΘΕΩ ΔΟΞΑ A H