all one house and familie and appertaine to one Lord and master many times they all meet together and when they bee parted there is but a floore or a loft between them so the Church of God is a great house wherein there bee many lodgings some lodge in the upper Roome that is in Heaven and some in the lower the earth and yet they have but one Lord and Master and bee all of one familie there is but a floore as it were between them and that is the veile of this flesh which shall be taken away one day they shall come together one day They that are in the upper Roome shall come down into this lower to receive their bodies and they which are in this lower shall goe up into the upper Roome to receive their glorie and immortalitie The People of God in old time dwelled in Tents the husband had his Tent and the wife had hers as wee see Gen. 18. that Abraham had his Tent by himselfe and Sara had her Tent and yet there was Communion between them they met sometimes and conversed together and when they were asunder there was but a thinne canvase or cloath between them so the Saints departed live in one place a-part by themselves and the living Saints by themselves and yet there is a neere conjunction between them because they all meet together in the adoration of the true God when they are asunder there being as it were but a thinne cloth between them the veile of this flesh Therefore little doe men know what they doe deprive themselves of by their sinnes for they doe not onely lose Communion with weake and fraile men such as wee bee but with Angells and Archangells and all the Saints departed and blessed People of Heaven above Therefore pittie the madnesse and folly of men to deprive themselves of so great a blessing Thirdly the Communion of the dead with the dead consisting in two things First in desire that they may be buried lye together in the grave that they may rise together in glorie and happinesse We see Gen. 23. that Abraham might have buried Sarah when shee was dead in the best of the Sepulchers of the Heathen people but hee bought a peece of ground of them to burie her in And Gen. 49. 29. Iacob gave a charge to his Sonnes concerning the place of his buriall saying I am gathered unto my people bury mee with my Fathers in the cave that is in the fields of Ephron the Hittite in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah besides Mamre in the Land of Canaan which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession to burie in there they layd Abraham and Sarah and there they buried Isaak and Rebecca his wife and there I buried Leah and let mee lye amongst Gods Saints so 1. King 30. 31. the old Prophet said When I am dead bury mee also in the Sepulcher wherein the man of God is buried lay my bones by his bones and my body by his body c. So it is the desire of the Saints to lye together in the grave to have their ashes mingled together and their dust never separated that so they may rise to eternall glorie together Some thinke it is no matter where a man is buried when hee is dead and indeed all is one in regard of salvation but a man would bee loth to rise with whoremasters drunkards theeves and villaines therefore hee would hee loth to lye amongst them Secondly In that they shall meete together in the communion of the mysticall body of Christ for as in a circumference there are many points and lines all which come to one center so there be many bodies of the Saints scattered and severed some in the land some in another some in the Sea concavities and hollow places of the Earth yet all these shall meet at the Center in the body of Christ for howsoever the body may bee sundered by death from the soule for a time yet soule and body cannot be sundred from Christ Some thinke that the dead bodies of the Saints doe truely belong to Christ and are under the care of God because Christ saith that God is the God of Abraham Isaak and Iaakob but they doe not thinke that they have communion with Christ when they bee dead because they have communion with Christ by meanes of the Spirit onely but to this I answere that the dead bodies bee not onely members with Christ but they have communion with him for looke how it was with the materiall body of Christ when the soule and body was sundred by death yet it was alwayes united to the Godhead so the faithfull people though they bee dead yet are united to Christ. Againe I answere that all communion wee have is by the Spirit of Christ for our dead bodies doe communicate by his Spirit not according to all the effects of it but some namely that hee doth preserve and keepe their dust and one day will raise and quicken them againe to live in glory and happinesse so Saint Paul saith Rom. 8. 11. But if the spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwelleth in you hee that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies because his Spirit dwelleth in you Secondly the dead have communion one with another in regard of their soules for all the soules of the Saints when they leave this world shall bee gathered to the Saints that be departed so Gen. 15. 15. saith God But thou shalt goe to thy fathers in peace and shalt be buried in a good old age Now it could not bee meant of the bodies of his fathers for they were buried in another Countrie nor could it be meant of the soules of his fathers for they were idolaters but it was meant of the fathers of his faith to such as he was to holy and good men for looke what a man is to the same he shal be gathered to and such as a man converseth with whilest he liveth here on the earth unto such he shall bee gathered in the life to come Therefore to shut up all if thou wouldest not be gathered to whoremasters drunkards murtherers theeves villains and such like doe not converse with them nor partake with them in their sinnes but if thou have repented of thy sinnes got faith in Christ and made conscience of thy wayes conversing with good men then thou shalt bee gathered to Abraham Isaak and Iaakob and all the holy men therefore every man must so live in this life as that hee may live for ever in the life to come SERMON LXX HEBREVVES 10. 24 25. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good workes Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as yee see the day approaching IN Christian
to have good seeds so if a man would have the H. Ghost hee must get the seed called by S. Peter the immortall seed of the word by the which wee are begotten againe It is a good thing to attend unto the word for howsoever wee doe not feele that which we doe desire yet let us heare it still and in due time wee shall have that which wee desire as Iohn 5. wee see the lame man lay by the Poole of Bethesda a long time when one or other did still intercept him and yet because he tarried still Christ came at length and did heale him so although we cannot finde the blessing of God upon us as wee doe desire to day yet let us come the next day If wee cannot finde it then yet let us not give over and at last wee shall feele the blessing of God upon us as wee doe desire Secondly by Prayer for if wee pray to God hee will give us the Holy Ghost as it is Luk. 11. 13. If you that are evill can give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Ghost to them that aske it a man may sow seed in his field and it may perish the wormes may eate it and the birds devoure it or it may rot in the ground but prayer is seede sowne in the eares of God nay it goeth deeper it is sowne in the heart of God And therefore although our seede perish that is sowen in the field yet our prayer shall not perish because it is sowne in the hart of God Saith David All any teares are in thy botle are they not in thy Register Thirdly by repentance and reconciliation with God as Ioel 2 Rent your hearts and not your garments and turne unto the Lord and weepe betweene the porch and the Atar And then saith the Lord I will powre out my Spirit upon you So that these bee the three meanes whereby wee may come by the Holy Ghost The second question is In what measure the Holy Ghost is given The answere whereto wee will lay downe in foure Conclusions First that God giveth but a portion of the Spirit in regard of efficacy and operation to his servants in this life indeed the holy Spirit dwels in us because the Holy Ghost is God and therefore hee is undividable and cannot bee divided into parts but in regard of the efficacy operation or working of the Spirit hee giveth but a portion So no man living hath all the gifts and graces of the Spirit because God giveth but a portion of the Spirit and a measure of it according as hee sees fit and meete So 1 Cor. 12. 8. S. Paul saith That to one is given the Spirit of wisedome to another the Spirit of knowledge to another faith to another the gift of healing and all these things worketh the selfe same Spirit distributing to every man as hee willeth and so againe Ephes 4. 7. saith hee but unto us is grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ and 1 Cor. 13. 9. saith hee for wee know in part and prophecie in part and a little after for now wee see through a glasse darkly but then face to face now I know in part c. So the Doctrine is plaine that God giveth but a portion of the Spirit in this life according as hee sees fittest for man But let us come to the uses which follow First seeing that God giveth but a portion of the spirit in this life a man may have the spirit bee a true Christian and yet want many of the gifts and graces that another hath thou seest another man hath the gift of knowledge of wisedome memory or the gift of utterance be not perplexed at it looke that thou have the maine that thou have the Spirit of God to mortifie thy lusts and sins and to quicken the to newnesse of life then all is wel with thee though thou have not al the graces of the Spirit yet thou may'st be a true Christian so S. Paul sheweth by a comparison taken from the members of our bodies Shall the foot say unto the body I am not of the body because I cannot gather and draw things to mee as the hand doth or shall the eare say because I cannot see my danger before it commeth neere me as the eye can therefore I am not of the body if all were handling where were going and if all were seeing where were hearing so that every member hath a severall gift Wilt thou say because thou hast not the great gifts which another man hath thou art no member of Christ or thou hast not the Spirit of God we see that every member hath a severall gift Augustine saith in his tract upon Iohn Peter cast out devils thou hast the same and yet thou canst not cast out any for all this thou art a member of the same body Peter was an eye and thou art a little toe or a little finger in the body of Christ better it is for a man to bee a toe or a little finger in the body of Christ or a little bone than to have all the excellent gifts of nature and perish therefore though a man have not those excellent gifts and graces that others have yet labour to have the maine labour to feele the Spirit of God to mortifie thy lusts and then thou may'st bee a true Christian notwithstanding all thy weakenesses Secondly seeing we have but a portion of the Spirit therefore there will be a tang and a tast of the flesh as long as we live here in this world if there were fulnesse of Spirit in us then it would change all into Spirit as fire changeth all into the nature of fire so if wee had fulnesse of Spirit it would change all into Spirit but because wee have but a portion of the Spirit therefore there will bee a tang and taste of the flesh howsoever the Spirit workes on the flesh for the wasting consuming and weakening of it yet a man shall feele the power of sinne bustling and vexing him while he lives whereof all the holy men have complained as Rom. 7. 21. Paul saith hee findes by the Law that when hee would doe good evill is present with him and againe Gal. 5. 17. he saith The spirit lusteth against the flesh and the flesh agaist the spirit and these are contrary me to the other so that yee cannot doe the same things that yee would hence it is manifest wee have but a portion of the Spirit in this life and there will be still a tang and a taste of the old man in us If a man put wine into a glasse then there will be a taste of nothing but wine but if hee put water into it howsoever it may change the colour of the water yet there will be a tang and a tast of the water even so if wee were all
wouldst have Christ to finish up thy life in glory and brightnesse lay no sad grounds no blacke colors of sin and corruption for a foundation therefore if we would have Christ to honour our bodies it must be our care to repent us of our sins to get faith in Christ to keepe our bodies pure and cleane to possesse them in holinesse and then wee may have comfort that God will honour them at the day of judgement with brightnesse of Glory Fourthly It shall be immutable and immortall in this life our bodies are subject to changes and alterations as Iob 14. it is said He shooteth forth as a flower and is cut downe he vanisheth away as a shadow and never continueth in one stay here our bodies are subject to hunger and thirst to nakednesse cold and diseases but then they shall bee brought to an estate of permanencie that they shall rest in so that they shall not hunger nor thirst nor be naked as Revel 7. 16. They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them neither any heate and so also Revel 21. 4. it is said And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall bee no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine so then their bodies shall be free of all vexations and then they shall be at rest this we see is cleere by the Scripture and manifest also by reason for it is a ground in nature that all things labour to attaine to their last perfection and so to rest in it but the bodies of the Saints are not yet come to their last perfection while they live here therefore here they cannot bee at rest but at the last day when our bodies shall be brought to an estate of perfection then they shall rest in it and shall not be subject to change or alteration wee see in nature if the shipmans needle be touched with a load stone it turnes and turnes and is not at rest till it stands against the North-pole and if it bee hindered with any thing it stands trembling as if it were discontented but when it commeth there it is at rest and quiet so it is with the bodies of the Saints that are touched with the load-stone that is that have touched Christ by faith they bee not at rest and quiet here but subject to many infirmities of nature but when they come to the estate of perfection there they rest contented and are brought to live with Christ then our bodies shall be immutable and unchangeable In this world our bodies are subject to sicknesse and diseases to paines and aches to the stone gout and to the crampe c. by which death doth enter within our wals and labour to take the castle of our hearts but at that time our bodies shall bee made immutable and unchangeable immortall free from all these exigences therefore what must we doe when wee feele these decayes in nature and these infirmities I answer it is good to take Saint Peters counsell Act. 1. 19. That we should repent and turne unto the Lord that our sinnes may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord If a Physitian should give you such a diet that after a few daies taking of it yee should never bee sicke againe should feele no paine nor bee subject to any disease and have thy bodie brought into so good an estate that you should not hunger or thirst any more or be naked this were an excellent state but there is no Physitian in the world can doe it none but our Heavenly Physitian Iesus Christ and that by this meanes Wee should get faith in Christ repentance for our sinnes and walke in holinesse a few dayes while we live here and then he will set our bodies in such an estate as we shall never be sicke nor feele any more paine never bee a hungred or a thirst naked or cold here in this life time we must seeke it therefore let us labour to repent our sins to get faith in Christ and to walke holily here and then our bodies shall bee brought to such an estate as shall not alter and change It is a world to see what meanes men use to keepe their bodies from putrification they will keepe them up in lead imbalme them with sweet spices and lay them in marble yet none of these will serve but the bodies of Kings and Queenes must yeeld to it But doe thou labour to repent of thy sinnes to get faith in Christ to please God and to make conscience of thy wayes and then thy body shall bee brought to such an estate as it shall not bee subject to alter and change but shall bee made immutable and immortall Fifthly They shall bee spirituall bodies In this life our bodies are naturall but then they shall bee spirituall so S. Paul saith in 1 Cor. saith in 1 Cor. 15. 44. It is sowen a naturall body it is raised a spirituall body A naturall body in this life a spirituall body in the life to come Now it is not a spirituall body in regard of substance for it shall have breadth and length and thicknesse it shall have parts and dimensions as our bodies have so Luk. 14. when Christ entred into the house and stood amongst them they thought it had beene a Spirit but he tells them that a spirit had not flesh and bloud and bones as wee have Now in two Respects our bodies are said to bee spirituall First Because they shall bee sustained and upheld by the Spirit In this life our bodies are sustained and upheld by meate drinke sleepe and Physicke but then the Spirit of God shall quicken them and they shall have no need of these helpes Wee see Moses was fortie dayes in the mount where hee was so filled with the Glory of God that hee was neither an hungred nor a-thirst neither did hee as farre as wee know desire to sleepe or rest all that time if Moses was thus upheld with the Glory of God without the use of meate and drinke in the estate of mortalitie much more surely shall the bodies of the Saints bee upheld in the estate of glorie so that there shall not bee no need of the use of meate drinke sleepe and physick but God shall bee all in all to us Secondly The body shall bee subject to the Spirit and be ready to attend the Spirit in all good things Augustine saith it is not called a spirituall body because as some men thinke the substance of the body is turned into a Spirit but saith hee because it shall bee subject to the Spirit and shall attend it and some of the Schoolemen namely Thomas Aquinas saith that it is an evident truth that in the state of glory the Spirit shall not depend on the body but the body shall bee led by the Spirit and
wee beleeve and this Faith is matter of Experience wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of God It is sufficient that that faith which wee doe beleeve is contained in the Scriptures Now whereas they object that we make it a thirteenth Article their fourteenth Apostle adds to these twelve many more articles of faith which he inforceth to be beleeved with the same necessity of faith as these twelve neither hath he onely entred upon Christs prerogative in minting new articles of faith but likewise they have usurped over all Christian Churches by adding Romane to the Catholike Church in the Creed A bold imposture But for speciall faith the maine office of the Holy Spirit is In opening generall Truths to reveale our particular interest in those Truths and to breed special Faith whereby we make them our owne because the Spirit of God reveales the minde of God to every particular Christian for as the things beleeved are truths above nature so the Grace of faith whereby we beleeve is a grace above Nature and created as a supernaturall eye in the Soule to see supernaturall truths Secondly Where sacred truths are truely apprehended there the Spirit workes an impression in the soule sutable to the things beleeved every Article hath a power in it which the Spirit doth imprint upon the Soule The Beleefe of God to be the Father Almighty breeds an impression of dependance reverence and comfort The Beleefe and knowledge of Christ crucified is a crucifying knowledge The true knowledge and faith in Christ rising is a raising knowledge the knowledge of the Abasement of Christ is an abasing knowledge because faith sees it selfe one with Christ in both states We cannot truly beleeve what Christ hath wrought for us but at the same time the Spirit of Christ worketh something in us Thirdly it is convenient for the giving of due honour to every person to consider of the worke appropriated to every one all come from the Father all are exactly performed by the Son in our nature for the Redemption of those that the Father hath given Him The Gathering out of the world of that blessed society which we call the Church into an holy Communion and the Sanctifying of it and Sealing unto it all the priviledges believed as Forgivenesse of sinnes Resurrection of the body and Life everlasting c. proceed from the Holy Ghost Fourthly it hath pleased the great God to enter into a Treaty and covenant of agreement with us his poore creatures the articles of which agreement are here comprized God for his part undertakes to convey all that concernes our happinesse upon our receiving of them by beleeving on him Every one in particular that recites these articles from a spirit of faith makes good this condition and this is that answer of a good conscience which Peter speakes of whereby being demanded what our faith is every one in particular answeres to every Article I beleeve I not onely understand and conceive it but assent unto it in my judgement as true and consent to it in my will as good and build my comfort upon it as good too me this act of Beleefe carries the whole soule with it Fifthly though it is wee that answer yet the power by which wee answer is no lesse than that whereby God created the world and raised Christ from the dead The answer is ours but the power and strength is Gods whereby wee answere who performes both his part and ours too in the covenant It is a higher matter to beleeve than the common sort thinke it For this answer of Faith to these truths as it is caused by the power of Gods Spirit so is it powerfull to answer all temptations of Satan all seducements of the world all terrours of conscience from the wrath of God and the curse of the Law it setteth the soule as upon a rocke above all Sixthly these Articles are a touchstone at hand to try all opinions by for crooked things are discernded by bringing them to the rule what directly or by immediate and neere consequence opposeth these is to bee rejected as contrary to the platforme of wholesome doctrine That one monster of opinions of the bread turned into the body of Christ by transubstantiation overthrowes at once foure Articles of the Creed The incarnation of Christ Ascension Sitting at the Right hand of God and comming to judgment for if Christs body be so often made of a peece of bread being in so many places at once here upon earth how can all these Articles be true Againe seventhly these grounds of Faith have likewise a speciall influence in direction and incouragement unto all Christian duties A holy life is but the infusion of holy truths Augustine saith well non bene vivitur ubi bene de Deo non creditur men of an ill beleefe cannot be of a good life wherupon the Apostles method is to build their exhortations to Christian duties upon the grounds of Christian Faith But we must remember that as faith yeelds a good life and conscience so a conscience is the vessell to preserve the Doctrine of Faith else a shipwracke of faith will follow If there bee a delighting in unrighteousnesse there will not be a love of the truth and if we love not the truth then there will be a preparednesse to beleeve any lye and that by Goâ— just judgement 2 Thes 2. 12. Eighthly as these fundamentall truths yeeld strength to the whole frame of a Christian life So they are so many springs and wels of consolation for Gods people to draw-from whereupon that good Prince George Anhalt whom Luthers time became a Preacher of the Gospell intending to comfort his brother Prince Iohn raiseth his comfort from the last three Articles Remission of sinnes Resurrection of the body and Life Everlasting which as they have their strength from the former Articles are able to raise any drooping spirit and therefore in the greatest agonies it is the readiest way to suck comfort from these benefits But I omit other things intending onely to say something by way of Preface And thus Good Reader I commend this worke unto thee and both it and thee to Gods blessing Thine in the Lord R. SIBBS AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED SERMON I. ROM 3. 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law AS the Children of Israel having sojourned long enough in Horeb were by Gods speaking to Moses commanded to remove thence and goe further off Deut. 6. So in some sort I may say we having in our ordinarie course gone through divers necessary points of Religion as the Lords Praier Repentance c. must now go on further to speake of the Doctrine of Faith a large and great Field ful of knowledge and exceeding comfort wherefore I shall have so much the more need to be helpâ— on by your prayers as my weaknesse and inhabilitie is unfit for so great
and he had thought to have tarried there till this came into his thought this is not the holy land nor the holy city and so he departed thence then he came to another city where he saw goodly houses fine women good cheere where he thought to have tarried but he remembred this was not the holy land nor holy city so a Christian must doe when hee comes at the pleasures and profits of this life his heart must not bee intangled with them but this must come into his minde that this is not the holy land nor the holy citie that we looke for The second respect is to please the Lord of the countrey especially and the Lord of the soile that he is to passe through that so he may be at peace so it must be our care to please the Lord of the soile and countrey that wee passe through and seeing God is the Lord of the Earth it must bee our care to please him that so wee may with peace passe through this earth to heaven lest we be arrested and stayed in our journey The third respect is that a Pilgrime is ever hasting what company soever he comes in he is still gathering home whatsoever hee doth his minde is of home so we should be like Pilgrimes in this respect that what company soever we come into or whatsoever we doe our minde should still be gathering home as in the Philip. 1. 23. the Apostle Paul desireth to be dissolved and to be with Christ Iob 14. 14. saith All the daies of my appointed time I will waite till my change shall be The fourth respect is that a Pilgrime hath no care but this one to have so much foode as may serve him in his journey till he come at home that so he doe not starve so seeing we are strangers and Pilgrimes here in this world this must teach us to be carefull to get so much food knowledge faith as may serve us till we come at home be brought to heaven and happinesse there is much talke of faith and many thinke that they have it but when God shall bring us downe to the waters as Gideon did his men we shall finde but a few to have true faith if wee try our selves by these effects SERMON IIII. IOH. 14. 1. Ye beleeve in God beleeve also in me WE see in nature that rivers runne till at length they run into the Sea Even so wee have runne upon many points of Faith till now wee are come into an Ocean Sea of Faith The great Object thereof God in Trinitie of Persons considered We have spoken of the of Faith 1. Vtilitie 2. Kindes 3. Nature 4. Degrees 5. Effects And now lastly we come to the 6. Extention and Object of it The Object of Faith in the largest measure is to beleeve the whole Word of God and not to deny any point of it But the Object of saving faith and of our holy Religion is comprised in the Articles of our Creede The summe whereof is first to beleeve in God distinguished into three Persons Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and that this God hath gathered a Church or a Company of people out of this world on whom he will bestow his graces here in this world and glory in the life to come this is the summe of the faith that wee are justified and saved by And if any deny but one Article of this faith he doth as it were rase the foundation deny the Faith and destroy it in a house a man may pluck downe a sparre or pluck a lath off and the house may stand but if they take away a maine pillar or rase downe the foundation the house will fall so it is in faith a man may deny some points of Faith which be not the foundations of Religion but if he doe denie any of these articles that are comprised in the Creed any that are the grounds he denies all as it is said of some that they destroyed and denied the faith when indeed they denied but one point of it The first point is To beleeve in God Now God is to bee considered two wayes 1. Absolute in himselfe 2. By Relation to us Five things we are to beleeve concerning God as he is absolute in himselfe 1. That there is a God 2. That there is but one God 3. The true God 4. Our God 5. That we shall be the better for him And therefore wee put our selves our soules and bodies and them that appertaine unto us our trust and confidence in him First wee beleeve that there is a God for although wee doe not see him or feele him yet wee beleeve it through the light of nature and the light of the spirit This is the foundation of all Religion which foundation if it bee once laid that there is a God then the heart of man will bee ready to beginne and to looke after Relgion and I doe not doubt but that if a man come once to this to beleeve there is God then it is an easie matter to bring him to this that this God must bee served feared and honoured I doe not insist in this because I doubt or thinke that any doubt of this whether there bee any God or no but because there be some remaines and remnants of blindnesse and ignorance in us the divell also having his temptations but I doe in this as men that have planted young trees they shake the trees and tread the moulds downe to settle the tree so I doe as it were tread downe the moulds and settle the tree even you the more in this point that there is a God Which we may prove by these five things 1. By the workes of God 2. By the place where he is 3. By the nature of the Creatures 4. By our conscience 5. By our experience First by the works of God Rom. 1. For the invisible things of him his eternal power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world so the workes of God declare there is a God Now the workes of God are of two sorts 1. The workes of Creation 2. The workes of Government First the workes of Creation shew there is a God the Creatures could not make it the birds and beasts could not nor man could not for then the part should make the whole nor it made not it selfe but it was God that made it If a man should come into a strange Countrey and see a number of goodly houses and yet see no man there he would not say that the birds and beasts built them but he would thinke that it was some greater power that of men that built it so when wee see this goodly frame of heaven and earth shall we say that the birds and beasts did make it or man Nay it was some greater power even that of God Origen saith that if we should aske the Creatures who made them they if they could speake would tell us that God
is no Father in time of need will doe more for his child than God will doe for us nor no Father so ready to helpe his child as wee shall have helpe of God Psal 103. 13. As a Father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him and Esai 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham bee ignorant of us and Israel know us not yet thou O Lord art our Father and our Redeemer and therefore great is the comfort that wee shall finde seeing hee is our Father it is a comfort in the time of mutation of friends when they leave and forsake and cast us off yet wee may say with comfort Lord I thanke thee thou art my Father thou wilt not leave mee nor cast me off but stand by me when the world will forsake me and my worldly friends The third is that seeing God is our Father hee will give us an heavenly inheritance a father wil not die and leave his childe nothing if he be able so God will not be a Father and leave us nothing but he will bequeath unto us an heavenly inheritance so our Saviour saith Luke 12. 23. Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers will to give you a kingdome So also Heb. 11. 16. Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City God would have us men be ashamed to call him father if he had nothing to give us but seeing he hath prepared for us a City hee is not ashamed to bee called our Father therefore seeing hee hath provided such a heavenly inheritance it is a comfort to us art thou a poore man and hast thou little to live on or art thou a yonger brother and hast thou no inheritance labour to have God thy Father and although thou bee a meane man here yet thou shalt be great in heaven Christ shall be thy brother and heaven shall be thine inheritance The fourth is that seeing God is our Father all his chastisements shall turne to our good so Heb. 12. 6. the Apostle saith For whom the Lord loveth hee chasteneth and he scourgeth every sonne he receiveth If a father correct his childe it is for his good and amendment or at least-wise he would have us to thinke so in like manner as we would have others to thinke of us when wee are correcting of our children that wee doe it for their good let us be perswaded and thinke so of God that it shall turne to our good If a friend should temper a potion and give us it into our hands to drinke although it should worke furiously upon us yet wee would thinke that it shall turne to our good so seeing God is our friend and our father though our afflictions worke strongly upon us yet wee must bee perswaded that it shall turne to our good We heard in the morning out of the story of Abraham that Abimelich the King sought to Abraham to make a league with him at that time when hee was a great heavinesse for the losse of Ismael for Hagar and Ismael were cast out of his doores The Doctrine from hence was That the Lord never sendeth extraordinary crosses and troubles but he sends his servants extraordinary comfort and this ariseth of his fatherly care towards us if a Father gives to his child a sowre cup or a bitter cup he will secretly convey into his hand a peace of sugar to allay the bitternesse and sowrenesse so the Lord doth when he giveth us a bitter cup to drinke hee conveyeth into our hearts secretly as it were a peece of sugar some comfort to allay the bitternesse of it Chrysostome saith There were no man able to saile at Sea if there were no havens and shores and harbors for ships to lye in in the time of tempest so saith hee it were not possible for a Christian to passe this earth through if God should not give him comfort in the time of his trouble The fifth comfort is that seeing God is our Father wee may with comfort at the day of death lay downe our soules and bodies into his hands so wee see Christ doth Luke 23. 46. And Iesus cryed with a loud voyce Father into thy hands I commend my spirit this must teach us when wee come to die to commit our spirits into the hands of God It is the disposition of a childe if hee hath any Iewell in the time of danger to runne and put it into his father hands where he thinkes it a thousand times safer than in his owne so wee should doe seeing wee have but one jewell our soules in the time of danger wee should runne to God and commit it into his hands and thinke it a thousand times more safe than in our owne keeping Now having spoken of the Person of the Father the next in order and course is to speake of his Attributes which are two mentioned in this place 1. That he is Almighty 2. That he is the maker of Heaven and Earth First that he is Almightie Now God is said to be Almighty because he hath power in himselfe to doe whatsoever he will Psal 111. 3. But our God is in heaven and doth whatsoever he will and Psal 135. 6. Whatsoever pleaseth the Lord that did hee in heaven and in earth and in the sea so also Ephes. 3. 20. Vnto him therefore that is able to doe abundantly above all that we can aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in us be praise and Glory Philip. 3. 21. saith the Apostle Who shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe Here a question may be moved why we are taught to beleeve that God is almighty seeing the minde of man is finite and it is not able to conceive of an infinite thing such as is the power of God I answere as a man may stand on the sea shore and looke on the sea where though hee be not able to see the length and breadth of it yet he may see it is a goodly spâ—tious and a large thing so howsoever we are not able to conceive the greatnesse of God and his Almightinesse to see the largenesse of him yet apprehending of him as wee may we shall see him to bee great yea the further wee goe the greater we shall see him to be though we be not able to see his length and depth yet we may perceive the Almightinesse of him as if a man come to a mountaine which hee is not able to comprehend in his armes yet hee is able to apprehend it and to lay hold on it with his hands so howsoever we are not able to comprehend the Almightinesse of God yet we may apprehend it and lay hold on it Now God is said to bee Almighty foure
spirituall grace to cover our soules with for Christ was not so naked in the sight of men as we be naked in the sight of God every man can see the nakednesse of his bodie and can complaine of that but they cannot see the nakednesse of their soules according to that which the Spirit of God saith Revel 3. 17. Thou sayest I am rich and inclosed with goods and have no need of any thing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked Thirdly seeing Christ was naked on the crosse this his nakednesse doth serve to purchase and procure clothing for thee therefore Christ was naked on the crosse in the sight of men that thou shouldest not be found naked in the sight of God but that thou mayest stand with comfort before God at the day of judgement covered with the righteous robe of Christ Iesus The fourth thing observed in the manner of Christs crucifying was That he was crucified betweene two theeves and he was numbred amongst the wicked they did hang him in the middle as if he were the chiefe of them Whereby we learne first as it was the portion of Christ to be accounted and numbred amongst the wicked so it is the portion of Gods people to be numbred amongst the wicked still to this day Secondly seeing Christ was crucified betweene two theeves this must teach us wisely to distinguish betweene the crosse of Christ and the crosses of the theeves for although the punishment was alike yet the cause was not alike for Christ he died an innocent man but they died worthily for that which they had done and even so heere wee must learne to distinguish betweene the punishment of the godly and of the wicked for many times taste of the same punishment but the cause is not alike Yet let us beware of Popish superstitions which so admire the crosse outwardly that they eate out the life of all internall devotion thereby and to this end let us take notice of these five falsehoods in their Crucifixes First they picture Christ hanging on the crosse whereas he stood on his feet and wee have great authority for it as Irenaeus Iustine Martyr Gregory and Bellarmine all these affirme hee did not hang on the crosse but stood this is the first falsehood Secondly they affirme and make the wound to bee on the right side of Christ whereas it was on the left side for when the souldlers pierced him water and blood came out of it now there is water no where about a man but at the heart for that onely wants cooling which is the office of the water about it therefore in probability it was on the left side that being neerer the heart and this is a second falsehood Thirdly they naile his feet but with one naile whereas Christ had two nailes in each foot one the Heathen could say Away with him to the crosse two nailes to naile his hands and two nailes to naile his feet and every man cannot chuse but thinke more than one naile was needfull to naile his two feet A great Iesuite was the first inventor of this doctrine and hee pictured Christ with one naile in his feete this is the third falsehood Fourthly Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 11. Doth not even nature it selfe teach you that if a man weare long haire it is a shame to him It was not lawfull for a man to weare long haire except he were a Nazarite but they picture Christ with long shag haire Now we are to thinke that Christ would not sinne against nature for there was no sinne found in him againe he was no Nazarite after the custome of the Law though hee were of Nazareth or a Nazarene by reason of habitation or the place where hee dwelt for he did drinke wine and strong drinke which was not lawfull for the Nazarite to doe therefore it is very probable if not certaine that Christs haire was short this is the fourth falsehood Fifthly all the Evangelists say that the titles that were set over the head of Christ were written in Hebrew Greeke and Latine but in their crucifixes it is written in Latine onely this is the fifth falsehood So that wee see they are so farre from the true power and vertue of the crosse of Christ aâ— they have not a true forme of it therefore doe thou whosoever thou art leaving these dead images labour in the crosse of Christ to crucifie the immoderate care of the things of this life thy covetousnesse thy impatience thy sinfull anger thy uncleanenesse and though thou have no woodden crosse nor no stone crosse as the Papists have yet this crosse shall be thy comfort and joy in life and death The fifth point is The behaviour of Christ on the crosse which of all other is most worthy to be considered for though he did cary himselfe holily and patiently the graces of God being fully seen in him in his life time yet especially they did shine most bright and cleerely when he came to dye for as the starres doe shine brightest in the darkest nights so the vertues and graces of Christ did shine brightest when he was upon the crosse Now this carriage of Christ upon the crosse must teach us especially to looke to our behaviour in our crosses for although a Christian mans speeches actions and behaviour should be seemely and holy at all times there being no time wherein wee should not walke worthy of a Christian calling yet especially when hee is upon the crosse as it were then he must shew all his Christian vertues and holy graces for saith one such as a man is in trouble such he is indeed because then for the most part he cannot deissmble when trouble is upon him as he may at other times when he is in peace let one put water into a glasse if the water be cleere shake and joggle the glasse and there is nothing but cleere water seene but if there bee mud or dregges in the bottome if then you shake it it will flie all abroad and easily appeare so if a mans affections be pure stirre and shake him and there will nothing appeare but that which is pure but if there bee dregges or mud in the bottome sinnes or corruptions then shake and stirre him and all will fly about and be seene I have shewed you heretofore that the devill is like a dog whose quality is if a man let fall a bone or give him any thing when hee is at meat with him then the dogge will wait for more but if hee give him nothing let fall no bone or crumme the dogge will waite no longer he will seeke him a new master so the devill doth if a man bee in trouble afflicted with crosses hee will waite to see if a bad word or action doe escape if wee let fall any then he will waite still but if none fall the devill will seeke him a
God to despise you when you come to die therefore it is good to make God our friend whilest we be alive This is the counsell that Christ giveth us Luk. 16. 9. Make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse the Fathers take it for the poore that wee should make friends of the poore But the meaning is that we should make God our friend in our life time that we may have a friend of him when we come to die therefore because every man must commend himselfe to God when he dies it is good to please him and to walke holily in all our courses that we may commend with boldnesse our soule to him at the last gaspe Secondly what it was bee commended into the hands of God His Spirit his body he left to Pilates mercy but all his care was for his soule therefore he commends that into the hands of God which may teach us two things first though our bodies dye yet our soules doe live all the Scriptures shew this Eccles. 12. 7. Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the Spirit shall returne to God who gave it so Revel 6. 9. And when hee had opened the fifth seale I saw under the Altar the soules of them that were killed for the Word of God and for the Testimonie which they mainetained so also Heb. 12. 22. For yee are not come to the mount that might bee touched c. but yee are come to the mount Sion and to the city of the living God the celestiall Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels and to the congregation and Church of the first borne whose names are written in heaven and to God the judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect So it is a plaine truth in Christianity that though our bodies dye our soules are immortall therefore seeing our soules never dye but shall live for ever how carefull ought we to be for them and to passe our time in holinesse and feare before God as they may live with God for ever in heaven Indeed if our soules might dye our care might bee the lesse but seeing they shall never dye it is a wondrous corruption amongst most to see how they cloath the body feed and physick that runne from market to market to make provision for it which yet must dye and their immortall soules they take no care for therefore one saith well O man of all thy parts take care of thy immortall part that which never dieth Secondly it teacheth us that seeing Christ commended his Spirit into the hands of God wee see what the especiall care of a Christian should bee not to care so much what become of his body so his soule may be saved Christ he left his body to Pilates mercy but he commended his soule into the hands of God so a Christians care must be especially that his soule may be saved that it may come safe into the hands of God what soever become of the body this was the care of the holy theefe Lord remember mee when thou commest into thy kingdome all his care was for the saving of his soule it being provided for hee cares not what become of his body we see when a mans house is on fire if he have a pretious jewell he will labour to save that though the rest perish so seeing the soule is the most pretious jewell whatsoever thy labour and paines be labour to lay up thy soule safe in the hands of God as Steven did when a storme of stones came about his eares hee bowed himselfe downe and said Lord Iesus receive my soule all his care was for the saving thereof that it might come safe into the hands of God as if he should say Lord receive my soule I care not what becommeth of my body so that thou save my soule all shall be well this will content me Thirdly the time when he commended his Spirit at the time of his death which was the very close of his life when he was ready to breathe out his last breath which may teach us that every man should make this his practise when hee comes to dye to bee sure to make a holy close of his life then it is a time to commend his soule to God Now there bee other times for a man to commend his soule to God as first in the time of danger and perill so David did when he was in perill of Saul Psalm 31. 5. saith he Lord into thy hands doe I commend my spirit because I have no body else to commend it to nor no body to trust it with in assurance of safety therefore Lord into thy hands I commend it likewise Psalm 10. 14. the poore committeth himselfe unto the Lord seeing no man regards him nor cares for him hee commends himselfe to the care of God so that the time of distresse and danger is a time to commend our soules to God There is also another time that wee should commend our soules to God and that is daily because our life is uncertaine therefore wee should every morning when we doe rise and every night when we goe to bed not knowing not what will befall us in the day commend our soules to God there bee a number of men in the world that bee greatly overtaken in this they never commend their soules into the hands of God if a nurse goe abroad and leave her childe and doe not commit it to the care of some body to keepe and to looke after it if the childe catch any hurt they will blame the nurse for it so if wee doe not commit our selves our wives and children to God in the morning and at night if any hurt befall them we may thanke our selves for it the blame lieth upon our selves 1 Sam. 18. 28. we see when David came into the host to his brethren they asked him this question with whom hast thou left those few sheepe So we should commend our temporall estate to the keeping of some body where it may be safe and if we should commend that to keeping much more must we commend oursoules to God Now as at these times wee should commit our soules to God yet more especially we must doe it when we come to dye because the devill will then bee busie and wee have a long journey to goe if a man were to passe into France and to carry all his goods with him that hee hath scraped together all his life time hee would looke into what ship hee did commit his goods and if hee had a rotten bottome hee would beware how he committed his goods to it so seeing we are to passe from earth to heaven a long journey we must take heed wee doe not commit our soules to a rotten bottome but bee carefull to lay them up into the hands of God that so they may remaine safe there Fourthly upon what ground he commends his soule into the
hands of God upon a perswasion of the Fatherly care of God that God was his Father this made him bold to commend his soule into the hands of God and may teach us that all that commend their soules to God must commend them upon a good ground we must not commend them upon a merry conceit without a ground but wee must have a ground for it Now there bee three grounds upon which a man may comfortably commend himselfe to God First because he is the Father of Spirits and the God of all mens soules our bodies wee have mediately from our parents but our soules immediately from God therefore he is called the Father of Spirits Heb. 12. and Eccles. 12. it is said The soule goeth to God that gave it therefore seeing God gave them and made them wee may bee bold upon this ground to commend our spirits backe againe unto him for every workeman will preserve his owne worke therefore let us commend our soules to God as a faithfull Creator for seeing he made them he will preserve them if we will commit them to him Secondly a perswasion that God is our Father by the meanes of Christ if God be our Father we may be bold to commend our soules to him for with whom may one bee bold if a childe may not with his father therefore as hee is the Father of Christs so labour to make him thy Father and then mayst thou with comfort commend thy selfe into the hands of God Christ when hee would comfort his Disciples saith to them Tell my brethren I goe to my Father and to your Father to my God and 〈◊〉 your God when we can finde this that hee is not onely the Father of Christ but my Father we may be bold to commend out soules into his hands upon this ground Thirdly we may be bold to commend our soules to God upon the former experience we have had of Gods favour and mercy towards us this made David bold to commend himselfe to God Psal 31. 5. Into thy hands Lord I commend my spirit because thou hast redeemed my soule O Lord God of truth I have had experience of thy love and mercy therefore into thine hands I commend my spirit In like manner when we have experience of Gods goodnesse and mercy it makes us bold to commend our soules into the hands of God And these be the grounds for we must not doe it of nothing or of a meere conceit but of a good ground as Christ did so must we Fifthly What comfort we may have by the practises of Christ in commending his soule into the hands of God I answer we may have a two-fold comfort First as Christ did not commend his owne soule only into the hands of God but my soule thy soule and all the soules of the faithfull men in the world because all the soules of the faithfull are bound in a bundle with his therefore deposing and laying downe his soule in the hands of God all the soules of the faithfull are deposed and laid downe with it for as his body was a pawne and a pledge for our bodies so his soule is a pawne and a pledge for our soules therefore Athanasius saith well Our Lord Iesus when he did commend his soule into the hands of God he did not onely commend his owne soule but with it all the soules of the faithfull men in the world for as they die in Christs death and rise in his resurrection and ascend by his ascension so by his deposing and laying downe his soule into the hands of God hee doth with it commend all the soules of the faithfull men in the world which may be a great comfort to a Christian at all times that his soule is safely deposed in the hands of God when he dies Secondly seeing he laid downe his owne soule in the hands of God and with it our soules therefore when men die their soules doe not sleepe in their bodies nor wander about the graves nor passe up and downe in the world nor are in a place of torment as the Papists say but they be in the hands of God I think there is no man here but takes this speech to be a metaphor and borrowed speech for God hath no hands but by hands is meant that they are under Gods protection in safetie and securitie For as a man that hath a Iewell will not lay it down at his friends feet but he will put it into his hands for the more safetie so Christ hath put all the soules of the faithfull into the hands of God to bee kept in safetie till the resurrection and the last day of judgement Act. 5. Wee may see when the people had sold their possessions they laid downe their money at the Apostles feet but the soules of the faithfull servants of God are not laid downe at the feet of God but are put into the hands of God for more safety and securitie as Revel 1. it is said that Christ holds the seven Stars in his right hand to shew that he that puls away a preacher he must pull him out of the hands of God and so Ioh. 10. 29. saith Christ My sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hands neither wicked man nor devill no power can plucke them out of my hands therefore it is a sweet comfort that when a Christian dies his soule goeth into the hands of God if it were in our owne keeping then it were subject to the temptations of the Devill and a number of troubles and much hurt but being in the hands of God they shall be kept from all danger all the powers in heaven and earth shall not be able to hurt them And thus wee have heard briefly and with a great deale of weaknesse the seven last Words of Christ expounded which he spake on the Crosse SERMON XXVI IOHN 19. 30. VVhen Jesus therefore had received the vineger he said It is finished and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost HAving spoken of the Crucifying of Christ now in the next place we are to speake of his Death for when he had hung three houres in paines and torments on the Crosse Hee bowed downe his head and gave up the ghost that is he died as wee doe his soule and bodie were parted Now in the Death of Christ there be divers things to be considered 1. Why it was needfull that Christ should die 2. The time when he died 3. The manner of his death 4. The manifestation of it 5. The power of it 6. The effects of it First Why it was needfull Christ should die of which there was three causes that made a necessitie of his death First To satisfie the justice of God for mans sinne for such was the hainousnesse of mans sinnes sentence being
as Christ speakes Matth. 12. 40. As Ionas was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly so the sonne of Man shall be three dayes and three nights in the body of the earth therefore the body of Christ was no lower than the grave it descended no further And this may be a sweet comfort to us that the bodies of Christians descend no lower than the grave therefore when we see a Christian laid into his grave he is in the worst estate wee shall see him in but the wicked descend lower and lower til they come at hell though their bodies doe not descend when they be buried yet when they shall rise againe at the last Iudgement then not onely their soules but also their bodies shall goe to hell as Psal 9. The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God but when a Christian is buried and laid in his grave here is the worst estate shal befal them for where the body of Christ rested there the bodies of Christians shall rest after death to wit in the grave The second is That Christ went downe in his Spirit into hell or descended thither to preach to the damned to convert them This opinion seemes more unreasonable than the former but Bellarmine confutes it for hee saith that life is the time of grace there is no repentance nor converting unto God after death according as Christ saith Iohn 9. Worke while it is called today for the night commeth on when no man can worke And 2 Cor. 5. We shall all appeare before the judgement seat of God to answer for that we have done in the body whether it be good or bad So there is no repentance after death but then we must come to judgement to answer for that we have done in our flesh And Galath 6. Whiles we have time doe good here in this life-time is the doing of good and therefore it is a sure thing that if we doe not repent and turne unto God while wee live here wee shall not repent after death because this life-time is the time of grace and of repentance therefore it must be the wisdome of men to repent of their sins to turne unto God lay hold on life and salvation while they live here for if they be dead and laid in the grave it is impossible that they should repent because this life time is the time of repentance S. Chrysostome saith there be two kindes of Repentance fruitfull and unfruitfull or penall repentance Fruitfull repentance is in this life Penall repentance after this life in hell for it is true saith he the damned in hell shall repent them of their sins the whoremaster of his whoring the drunkard of his drunkennesse the swearer of his swearing but this repentance shall be unfruitfull though it be an afflictive repentance therefore if wee would have fruit and benefit by our conversion we must repent whiles we live here The third is That Christ descended into hell to suffer the paines and torments of hell in his soule where we should have suffered I answer the Scripture is plaine for this that Christ did not suffer for us in hell for hee suffered on the crosse where all was finished therefore hee did not need to descend into hell to suffer paines and torments there as Hebr. 2. 14. Forsomuch as the children were partakers of the flesh and bloud he also himselfe having tooke part with them that by death hee might destroy him that had power ever death that is the Devill so Christ did overcome the Devill by dying But it may be objected and said that we deserved to have suffered the paines of hell for ever and therefore Christ descended into hell for us To this I answer that if this reason were good then he in soule should not onely have suffered the torments of hell but his body too for wee deserve not onely to have our soules tormented but our bodies also therefore this cannot stand us in stead Christ suffered the paines of hell but not in the place of hell but partly in the Garden and partly on the Crosse which was sufficient for mans offence as a man that hath a summe of money to pay if he pay it though it be not in the same place all is well it cannot be required againe so Christ hath paid and satisfied God for our sinnes though not in the same place where we should have suffered but partly in the Garden when he was in the bloudy sweat and partly on the Crosse when he made that bitter complaint My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And therefore this may give us comfort that God is satisfied and will not require any more at our hands if wee be in Christ The Fourth is That Christ went not downe to hell but hee went to the upper skirts and brims of hell where the Fathers were floting so to fetch them thence This is the opinion of the Papists and is more unreasonable than any of the former for the Fathers were not in the upper skirts and brims of hel but were saved by the same faith we be as we see Act. 15. 11. But wee beleeve through the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ to be saved as they doe so the Fathers were saved by the same meanes we are for the same means were in the Old Testament that is in the New but that there was a veile before it To this effect we have Psal 102. 24. I said take mee not away in the midst of my dayes but there is a plainer place than this Eccles. 12. 7. Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit shall returne unto God that gave it So the soules of good men we see went not to the border of hell but to God as Luke 16. when Lazarus was dead his soule was carried into Abrahams bosome and Dives into hell Now there be two evidences that Lazarus was not in the border and skirts of hell First because his soule was carried by the Angels who doe not carry mens soules into hell but into heaven Secondly because that he was in a place of comfort and joy but there is poore comfort in hell therefore we may see that the Papists opinion is very erroneous and false But there is another Scripture to be answered where it is said Heb. 9. 12. that the way to the holiest of holy was not made by the bloud of Goats and Calves but by the bloud of Christ and then it followes there was no way to heaven but by the death of Christ To this I answer first that there was no way to heaven by the legal sacrifices only the vertue and power of Christs sacrifice laid the way open to us Secondly all that came to heaven must come by the vertue and power of Christ for his death was as vertuall and effectuall to save men from the beginning as
it but for the unbeleevers sake if any should be here I will give foure reasons to prove it First because it is proper to none but God to be in all places at one time as Ierem. 23. 24. Doe not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord This is the propertie onely of God on bodily substance can because they cannot be but in one place at one time and must be bounded in their owne essence but the Holy Ghost is in all places he is in heaven and earth and in the hearts of the faithfull all the world over therefore the Holy Ghost is God I but some man may say the light of the Sunne is all the world over To this I answer although the light of the Sunne be all the world over yet there are divers parts of it But the Holy Ghost is all one and the same and is not divided but he fils heaven and earth and hee is in the hearts of the godly all the world over and therefore the holy Ghost is God Secondly Because none but God can create and make things of nothing none but God knoweth all things none but God can give gifts of grace to his servants but the Holy Ghost doth all this and therefore the Holy Ghost is God First we may see the Holy Ghost creates as well as the Father and the Sonne as Iob 33. 4. The Spirit of the Lord hath made mee and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life So Psal. 33. 6. By the Word of the Lord were the heaven and the earth made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth Secondly no man knoweth the things of God but God the Holy Ghost knoweth all and therefore he is God as 1 Cor. 2. 11. For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Thirdly none but God gives gifts of grace to men but the Holy Ghost doth therefore the Holy Ghost is God Now that the Holy Ghost doth give gifts and graces it is plaine 1 Cor. 12. 6. There are diversities of operations but God is the same that worketh all seeing then it is the Holy Ghost that doth create that knoweth the things of God and that gives gifts of grace into the hearts of men therefore the holy Ghost is God Thirdly No man is to be baptised into the name of any creature but into Gods only but wee are commanded to be baptised into the name of the Holy Ghost therefore the Holy Ghost Now that no man is to be baptised into the name of any creature it is plaine by the Apostles words 1 Cor. 1. 13. where he demands Were yee baptised into the name of Paul I baptised I thanke God name of you but Crispus and Gaius lest any man should say that I baptised into mine owne name Againe We that be baptised are grafted into another stocke and so draw spirituall grace into our selves but if a man be baptised into any other name he cannot draw spirituall grace and therefore wee are to be baptised into none other name but into Gods Name besides there is an expresse charge and command to baptise in no other name but in the Name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost Therefore the Holy Ghost is God Now I spend the more time in this that yee might have your Christian faith grounded for Matth. 13. wee see that the seed that was sowen in the stony ground withered and came to nothing because it wanted a root of judgement so if our knowledge be not rooted and grounded it will come to nothing every temptation will shake it and therefore we must labour to have our knowledge grounded Let us come to make use of it First seeing the holy Ghost is God therefore we must take heed we doe not grieve him with our sins and our corruptions this is the use Saint Paul makes of it Ephes 4. 30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God by whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption It is a great fault to grieve man but it is a greater to grieve God it is said in the Law that the people grieved God and Moses his servant and Esay 7. 10. the question is asked Is it a small thing to grieve man but ye will also grieve my God Now there is never a sinne we commit but wee grieve God every oath wee sweare every lye we tell c. and therefore we must take heed we doe not sin to grieve the holy Spirit and to cause him to depart from us as Heb. 3. 10. God complaines Forty yeeres long was I grieved with this generation c. so it is our sinnes that grieve the holy Ghost If a man hath a guest that commeth to his house to tarry but a night he will be wary lest hee offend him much more wee should be loth to offend the holy Ghost seeing he commeth to dwell with us not a night but for ever consider with thy selfe O man if thou have a friend that will helpe thee in all times of extremitie and releeve thee wilt thou offend him nay thou wouldst labour to please him So the holy Ghost is a friend to us and will speake comfortably and kindly to us at the day of death and in our troubles therefore if we grieve him what comfort can we looke for at the day of death and in the time of trouble Secondly seeing the holy Ghost is God we must take heed that we doe not destroy the temple of the holy Ghost now our bodies be the temples of the holy Ghost therefore we must take heed we doe not destroy the So 1 Cor. 3. 16. saith the Apostle Know ye not that yee are the temples of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you and if any man destroy this temple God will destroy him which is done first by pulling downe the wals and then by defacing of it which bloudy tyrants doe when they kill good people and deface them If a Noble-man have his house pulled downe over his head he will not take it well at their hands but he will labour to destroy them who did it so if tyrants pull downe Gods Temple he will not take it well at their hands but will destroy them Secondly we may destroy this temple by polluting it for though they let the wals stand yet they may destroy Gods temple by destroying the sanctitie and the holinesse of it by their bad lusts and vile sinnes that they doe commit and then God will destroy them as Iohn 2. you see how angry Christ was that hee made a whip and did scourge them out of the Temple that brought oxen and sheepe and doves to sell there now if Christ were angry with them that defiled the materiall Temple with their oxen sheepe and
graces and so fill us Fourthly by mortifying our lusts and sinnes as Rom. 8. 13. If yee mortifie the deedes of the body by the Spirit yee shall live for the Spirit workes on the flesh for the wasting of sinne and corruption as Rom. 7. the Apostle Paul complaineth being in the estate of grace of his corruption when hee had the Spirit of God to worke on his rebellion for the wasting and consuming of sinne therefore men may much more complaine being in the estate of nature when they want the Holy Ghost to worke on their hearts for the wasting and consuming of sinne and indeed no marvell though they are carried away with the world and cannot bee brought to performe good dueties seeing sinne hath such power and rule in their hearts We see Ioshua 10. that hee shut up 5. Kings in a cave that they should not stir nor escape till hee had time to kill them so the Holy Ghost getteth our sinnes into a cave as it were and roules a great stone upon it till he take away all the power of sinne and kill and subdue it Fifthly by renewing our hearts and mindes changing and altering of them whereas before they were carnall now they are spirituall whereas they were worldly before now they are heavenly and holily affected And therefore when wee feele this change and alteration sure it is the Holy Ghost that works it wee read Math. 8. how Christ saith to the Centurion when I come I will heale thy servant I will not bee idle and doe nothing But when I come I will heale him so when the Holy Ghost commeth into a man hee will not bee idle and doe nothing but will heale our sinnes and give us power and strength against them in some measure Sixtly by stirring up holy motions in us as I shewed you even now out of Ezek. 37. in the example of the dead bones And now will declare it by this similitude If a man could put vegetative life into a stone what would the stone doe It would grow as a plant doth if a man could put sensitive life into a stone what would the stone doe it would stir move as a worme doth if we could put a reasonable soule what would the stone doe it would talke as a man doth and discourse of matters of the world but if a man could put the Spirit of God and the Spirit of grace into a stone what would the stone doe it would speake of God and of Christ and of heaven and happinesse this is our estate and condition as long as there is nothing but the life of Reason we talke of nothing but the world and worldly things but if once the Spirit of God and of grace bee in us then wee talke of heaven and heavenly things Therefore if a man hath the Spirit of grace it stirres him up to holy motions and desires These bee the six meanes by which the Holy Ghost doth worke holinesse in us Now there bee many profitable and fruitefull questions to bee mooved concerning the Holy Ghost 1. How wee may come by the Holy Ghost 2. In what measure hee is given 3. How a man may know whether hee have the Holy Ghost or no 4. What bee the benefits wee have by him 5. Whether a man may lose the Holy Ghost or no 6. How wee may retaine and keepe him First how a man may come by the Holy Ghost But before wee come to speake of this wee must make answer to another question there hath been great disputing amongst the Schoolemen whether a man receiveth the Holy Ghost or onely the giftes and graces of the Holy Ghost To this I answer this question need bee no question seeing wee receive the Holy Ghost really and actually The Scripture is cleere for it as in the 1 Cor. 6. 19. know yee not that your bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost this is the exceeding great goodnesse of God to give the Holy Ghost to us to be a roote and a fountaine of holinesse in us If one give us a fruit tree it is better than to give us a little because the fruit is but for the present but the tree is for a long continuance so it is a greater goodnesse of God to give us the Holy Ghost than to give us the giftes and graces of his Spirits But the question in hand is how a man may come by the Holy Ghost here wee are to consider two things 1. By a remoovall of the false way 2. By taking the right way First by a removall of the false meanes for Acts 8. 18. Simon Magus would have bought the Holy Ghost with money but Peter tels him that his money and hee shall perish Therefore it is meer madnes of any man to thinke that they may attaine to have the Holy Ghost or any gift or grace for money we see in earthly Kingdomes that there be some things that a man may buy because hee may give the full value and true price for them and that in exact Iustice as foode and raiment and there bee some things that a man cannot buy because they bee unestimably good and unvaluable as to buy a mans life and the Kings Crowne because no man can give the worth of these so it is in the Kingdome of God all the graces and giftes of the Holy Ghost no man can buy because they cannot give to the worth of them for they bee unestimable and unvaluable things as 1 Pet. 1. 7. It is said of faith that it is more precious than gold so Psal 19. 10. hee shewes that the word is more to bee desired than fine gold even so the graces and giftes of Gods Spirit are above price or value all the wealth in the world cannot procure one of them therefore it is good for a Christian to thinke before hand that when hee lyes on his sicke bed hee cannot buy faith or repentance or any gift or grace with money for they are above value and price hence wee may conclude this is not the meanes to come by the Holy Ghost Secondly by taking the right way for the true meanes that God hath appointed for a man to come by the holy Ghost are three First by the hearing of the word preached which is the ordinary meanes wherby the Holy Ghost is conveyed into men therefore S. Paul demands Galath 3. 2. Received ye the Spirit by the workes of the Law or by the preaching of faith So Acts 10 44. when Peter preached the Holy Ghost fell on those that heard the word So that preaching is the ordinary meanes whereby God conveyes the Holy Ghost to us therefore it is good for men to attend preaching and to be hearers because it is one of the meanes whereby we may come by the Holy Ghost if a man would have good plants and herbs in his Garden then hee must labor
up against the day of redemption as S. Paul saith Ephes 4. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God by whom yee are sealed unto the day of redemption so also in this place that I read unto you If any man hath not the Spirit of God in him hee is none of his Therefore it is good for a man to know by certaine and unfallible markes and tokens whether hee hath the Holy Ghost in him or no. The Papists say we cannot bee certaine and sure of this by unfallible tokens there may bee some probabilitie of it and some likelihood but it cannot be certaine But this is erronious and false For first it is contrary to the Scripture as 1 Iohn 4. 13. hereby know wee that hee dwelleth in us and wee in him because hee hath given us of his Spirit so also 2 Corinth 1. 22. who hath sealed us and hath given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts and Chapter 13. of the same Epistle know yee not your own selves how that Christ is in you except yee bee reprobates so it is plaine by Scripture that a man may know certainly that the Spirit of God is in him Secondly it is contrary to reason for we see in nature that a man cannot have life in him but it will bee seene by breathing stirring or moving so there cannot bee the Spirit of God in a man but it will bee seene by moving or stirring in the life of grace Thirdly it is contrary to the Doctrine of their own Divines not onely their old Schoolemen but also their late writers which now I will not trouble you with So we see our Doctrine is plaine by Scripture by reason and by their own Schoolemen and late writers who disproove them but wee will spend no more time about it but doe with this question as they did by the body of Amasa spreade a cloath over it that it doe not hinder us in the pursuite of better things Now the point is how a man may know whether the holy Ghost bee in him or no In handling wherof there must bee good caution used that the wicked bee not hardened and the godly discomforted Therefore wee will observe two things 1. A rejection of the false markes 2. A declaration of the true markes First a rejection of the false notes and markes being five in number First that there may bee many good things of nature in a man and yet he may want the holy Ghost hee may bee a mercifull man pittifull to the poore quiet and peaceable a just dealer a chaste man and yet hee may want the sanctifying Spirit as Rom. 2. 14. the Apostle shewes The Gentiles which have not the Law doe by nature the things contained in the Law Now the Gentiles had nothing but meere nature and yet they did many things contained in the Law they were inclined to love and to mercy c. So Act. 28. 2. when Paul and those that were with him had suffered a Shipwrack and were come to the shore the Barbarians kindled them a fire and being meere naturall men yet they were mercifull and pittifull men for it is said they shewed kindnesse to them so Math. 19. 11. Christ shewes that there were some chast that were so borne of their mothers belly they are not made chast by the Spirit of God but they have it by nature Now there bee thousands deceived this way because they bee peaceable and quiet men doe no body any harme are just dealers and chast livers they thinke the bee as holy as the Spirit of God can make them and their estate is very good but they are deceived because a man may have good parts of nature and yet want the Spirit of God goodnesse of nature is a good thing and as not to bee condemned so not to bee built upon therefore let us see what is the defect I answer the defect is that there was nothing but nature and they went no further than nature would lead them therefore we must not content our selves with meere nature but wee must labour to feele some things in our selves above it I will make this plaine by example a man by nature is able lift a hundred weight or two but if hee bee able to lift a thousand pound weight there is something above nature in him so by nature a man may love his friends but when hee feeles this that hee can love God above his enemies pray for them that hate him then there is something above nature in him So likewise by nature a man loves sinne and delights in it now when hee feeles in himselfe that hee hates sinne and labours to repent it and to beleeve the Gospell this is a comfortable evidence that there is something above nature that there is the worke of grace in him Secondly a man may have restraining grace and yet want the Spirit of God A man may refraine from swearing lying whoredome drunkennesse covertousnesse deceiving and from a number of sinnes and yet hee may want the sanctifie of the Holy Ghost as Luk. 18. 11. saith the Pharisee Lord I am not as other men extortioners unjust adulterers c. the Pharisee had restraining grace hee refrained from a number of sinnes and yet he wanted the Spirit of God for Christ tels us that the Publican went away justified rather than hee so likewise Lahan Genes 31. 29. saith to Iacob I am able to doe you evill but the God of your Fathers spake unto mee yesternight saying Take heede that thou speakest not to Iaakob ought save good Laban had restraining grace and yet wanted the Spirit of God for hee had a number of other small sinnes This deceiveth a number for because they refraine from swearing lying whoredome drunkenesse and from a number of grosse sinnes therefore they thinke they have the Holy Ghost in them But here we see that we may refraine from many sinnes and yet want the Spirit of God Now because restraining grace is a good thing and is that David prayeth for Psal. 19. Lord keepe me from presumptuous sinnes that is Lord restraine mee or Lord hold me back where is then the defect I answer the defect is in two things First They did labour to restraine their sinne and did not kill it Secondly They did restraine from some sinnes and did not refraine from all sinnes First they did restraine their sinnes and did not kill and mortifie them As a man that comes into his garden and sees a Moule hath cast up and hath made a foule racket and stir if hee treades it onely downe with his feete and doth not kill the Moule within a little while after it will bee as bad as it was at first so when men restraine sinne and doe not labor to kill it upon every occasion it will be ready to break our againe Augustine shewes this by an example if a wolfe commeth into a
will be operations and motions of the Spirit it will not be idle A ship on the Sea lies still when there is no body in it but put marriners therein then they will weigh up their anchors hoist up their sailes and away they goe so men lye idle in the wayes of God but if the Spirit of God be in them it will stirre and moove them to performe good duties to prayer to repent of their sinnes to duties of love and such like therefore when wee be idle and doe not feele this stirring and moving unto good things the holy Ghost is not in us because hee would be sure to stirre and moove us as Ezek. 1. 21. it is said of the wheeles that when the beasts went the wheeles went with them and when they stood they stood and when they were lifted up from the earth the wheeles were lifted up besides them for the spirit of the beasts were in the wheeles they had all one spirit so if the Spirit of God be in a man if Christ moves he will move and when Christ makes a stand he will stand and when Christ lifts up himselfe hee will lite up himselfe Hence we may be taught his sure marke that when a man feeles nothing is not stirred up to the duties of repentance prayer holinesse and love feeles no operation nor working of the Spirit in him let not that man wilfully put out his owne eyes for then of a truth he may see and there is no work of grace yet wrought the holy Ghost is not in him And thus much of the generall Now for the particular there be divers degrees for all have not one measure of the Spirit but some more some lesse therefore every one is to consider of his estate whether he be a beginner in religion or a strong Christian or whether he be weakned by sinne and temptations the weaker Christian hath weaker motions actions and operations the stronger hath stronger motions actions and operations of the Spirit we see in the life of nature that God gives divers degrees of life to his creatures there is not that degree of life in a little childe that is in a man who is come to his full growth therefore the actions and operations of a man are stronger than a childes Againe there is no man so strong but he may be weakened by sicknesse and distemperature so it is in the life of grace there be divers degrees of the Spirit in a weake Christian the actions and operations of the Spirit be weake in a strong Christian they be stronger and yet a strong Christian may be weakned by sinne therefore if a Christian would give a right judgement of himselfe whether he have the Spirit or no he must consider in what ranke hee is and in what estate whether a beginner in religion or a strong Christian or whether he be weakened by some sinnes If hee be a beginner in religion then he may looke to two things 1. Whether there be a right worke of the Spirit 2. Whether there be a right use of the worke First he must looke for a right worke of the Spirit and that we may consider in foure things First whether they have beene truly humbled for their sinnes and cast downe in the sense and feeling of them seeing that they were in an estate of damnation and under Gods curse till they be brought home to Christ as Act. 9. 6. we see Paul was first humbled and cast downe before God did raise him and give him comfort and so Act. 2. 37. the converts were first pricked in their hearts and cried out Men and brethren what shall we doe to bee saved before they were raised up by the ministery of the Apostles I have shewed you heretofore when a man appoints a tree to build with he first takes an Axe and cuts it downe by the root and layes it flat on the ground then he cuts off the boughes and branches and leaves it naked before he takes it into his building even so the Lord doth when he doth purpose to take us into his building he first comes with the axe of his Law cuts us downe and layes us on the ground then he cuts off the boughes and branches and leaves us naked without any hope of our owne merits or deserts before hee pluckes us into this same heavenly building And this is first worke of the Spirit Secondly the worke of the Spirit is an earnest desire to be reconciled to God to bee at one with him The hungry man doth not more desire his meat nor the thirsty man his drinke than he longs and desires in this estate to be in the covenant of grace as Act. 9. 22. Paul eat no meat for three dayes together but prayed and cried unto the throne of grace and could not be quiet till hee was certified by Ananias that his sinnes were pardoned A poore prisoner when he is condemned to die all he doth is for a pardon say what you will and doe what you will hee regards nothing else so it is with a Christian when he sees he is condemned by the Law of God and guiltie of eternall death say and doe what ye will all his mind is for a pardon which till he hath obtained nothing will quiet him nothing will content him till hee hath his discharge from God Thirdly It stirres up a man truly to lay hold on the sweet promises that God hath made to him in Christ So as he labours to be found in him and to renounce himselfe saying Lord I am a sinner but Christ hath satisfied thee for my sinnes I am uncleane but Christ hath washed me in his bloud I come short of that which thou requirest but Christ hath satisfied the Law for me so Act. 15. 11. Peter was bold to stand up and say We beleeve through the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ to be saved even as they doe so also Luke 1. 69. Zachariah blesseth and praiseth God because he hath raised up a horne of salvation unto us and Matth. 8. there was Leper that came to Christ and said unto him Lord I am an uncleane person but if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane in like manner the Spirit of God drives a man to Christ and makes him to say Lord though I am a Leper though I am an uncleane person and polluted yet if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane and therefore Lord wash me in thy most precious bloud that I may be found unblameable before thee Fourthly It workes a setled course to walke with God so farre forth as frailtie will permit so Psal 119. 106. David saith I have sworne and I will performe it to keepe thy righteous judgements and Act. 9. 6. Paul newly called saith What wilt thou that I doe before Saint Paul was stubborne and would not bend nor buckle to the will of God but now he is readie to yeeld to
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.
hee cannot lose the ground or roote of the Spirit In the 6. of Esay the Prophet tels us that though the trees seeme to be dead in the winter and have no leaves not fruit on them yet they have in them Mackselat as it is in the Hebrew or Substantia as in the latine that is that there is a certaine moisture or sappe that lies in the roote and preserveth it that it dieth not so it is in all the falls of Gods people there is a certaine sappe or moysture of grace that lieth hid in the heart that preserveth them therefore although a man may lose the operations and feeling of the Spirit yet it is but for a little time for the grace that lieth hid in the heart preserveth them The Vse is that it is a sweete comfort to a Christian that if once he hath the spirit of grace the worke of regeneration justification and sanctification wrought in him he shall never lose this A man may lose all worldly friends and comforts his skinne and teeth yea life it selfe but if a man have the spirit hee shall not lose that As Act. 20. Saint Paul saith when Eutichus fell out at the window Trouble not your selves for there is life in him so wee may say in all the falls of Gods people trouble not your selves for there is life there is the spirit of God in them The second is seeing a man may lose the comfort of the spirit and the feeling thereof insomuch that one may have as little comfort as a man that is adjudged to Hell therefore he must take heed that hee doe not grieve the spirit but labour to nourish it by the use of good meanes as Exod. 33. when the Lord was departed from the Children of Israel but a little while no man would put on his best rayment but wept and mourned so a Christian if the Lord takes away the comfortable feeling of his spirit and is departed from him but a day or an hower hee cannot be merry till he feeles it againe and therefore it is good to husband the graces of the spirit that want of them doe not cause him to depart from them Thirdly seeing there are some graces that are proper to the elect and reprobate which a man may have and perish therefore every man should labour to bring himselfe into such estate of grace as hee shall never lose nor the devill and hell shall take away from him it is a pitifull thing that men doe not say to themselves indeed I have the grace of Illumination I have knowledge and restraining grace I have the graces that are proper to good and bad to the reprobate and Elect but what is this to the comfort of a Christian I may perish for all this therefore why doe I not labour for those graces that are proper to the Elect onely which if hee have hee hath assurance never to lose them againe he may lose his goods friends skinne and life but hee cannot lose the Spirit if a castle have three wals about it and the men that are within the first wall be surprised put to the sword and massacred they will labour to get within the second wall that so they may bee preserved so if a man bee come within the first wall that hee hath common graces where the devill may surprise him to escape his danger hee will labour to get within the second wall to get the graces that are peculiar to Gods people and then he shall be safe The last point is how wee may retaine and keepe the Spirit we read Luk. 6. 40. when Christ had raised up the Maide to life he commanded to give her meate thereby to teach us that when the life of nature or the life of grace bee begun there must bee meanes used to nourish it hence wee inferre it must bee every mans care that if he have the Spirit hee must labour to nourish it Now there bee five meanes whereby a man may nourish the Spirit First by a diligent use of the good meanes as preaching the Sacraments prayer reading the Scriptures and conferring of good things this is a speciall meanes to nourish the Spirit It is a principle in nature that bodies are nourished by the same things they were begun so looke by what meanes the Spirit comes into a man by the same things it must be nourished Now wee have heard that the Spirit of God comes into a man by the preaching of the Word prayer repenting of our sinnes so by the same meanes it is continued therefore let men attend to the use of good meanes to heare the Word preached receive the Sacraments pray read the Scriptures and conferre of good things which duties are speciall meanes to retaine the Spirit but if men will not heare the Word preached pray read the Scripture nor meditate of good things but spend time idlely no marvell though the Spirit decay in them for as a man may kill a tree although he want a Saw or an axe to chop downe the top by picking away the moulds from the roote so though a man lay no violent hands on the Spirit yet if hee picke away the moulds take away the use of good meanes the Spirit will decay in him therefore if men would retaine the Spirit let them hold them to the use of good meanes The second meanes to retaine and keepe the Spirit is to take heed wee doe not grieve the Spirit as Ephes 4. 30. Grieve not the Spirit by the which ye are sealed unto the day of redemption it is the Spirit that seales our redemption unto us all the hope we have in God of heaven and of glory it is from the Spirit therefore let us take heede wee doe not grieve the Spirit there are some things in nature that are ready to put forth themselves to man but let them never so little offend them and they are ready to pull in themselves as the eye of a man a snaile and shell-fish the eye of a man is ready to put forth to us but if you offend it never so little it is ready to close and shut up his light the Spirit of God is of this nature it is ready to put forth it selfe to a man but offend it never so little and it will close against him therefore we must take heed wee doe not grieve the Spirit And for your information I will shew you two wayes how a man may grieve the Spirit First when a man sinnes against his Illumination and inlightning when he lyes sweares commits uncleannesse steales against conscience and knowledge and against the first grace of God other sinnes grieve the Spirit but these in a speciall manner they doe as it were wound the Spirit and let out the life and bloud of it so God complaines Ezek. 8. 6. Sonne of man scest thou not what they doe even the great abominations that the house
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
Disciples but hee wils them to heare them so likewise in the booke of Kings the high places were not then taken away and yet they did not separate from them Now in two cases we may separate from them first when the Doctrine is corrupted in the fundamentall points for there bee some points which are the foundation of Religion and when they are corrupted the whole building must needs bee overturned as an house may bee an house though they take away the doores and windowes and some posts but if they take away the foundation then the house cannot stand it ceaseth to be an house so though religion be corrupted in some points yet it may bee so as the whole body may not bee subverted but if it bee corrupted in the foundation then it overturnes and will be destroyed in this case we are to separate from it Secondly we are to seperate when the worship and service is corrupted in the substance as when a man cannot joyne with them with a good conscience so when the worship of God was brought to the high places in that Ieroboam had set up calves in Dan and Bethel to worship then we see 2 Chron. 11. 14. the Priests and Levites came to Iudah and Ierusalem in this case wee are to separate and this is the reason why wee separate from the Church of Rome having both erred in the foundation and in the substance of Gods Worship SERMON LXII PSALME 87. 3. Glorious things are spoken of thee O Citie of God HAving declared what the Nature of the Church is and what bee the divers parts and estates of it in this world in the next place we are to consider what bee the priviledges and dignities of it for this assembly God hath graced with speciall dignities above all assemblies therefore wee should labour to bee members of it rather than of any other Now the dignities and priviledges may be considered in five heads First this that David speaketh of here that he cals the Church the Citie of God or as Paul termes it 1 Tim. 3. 15. the house of God because of all other places it is the speciall place where God dwelleth by the presence of his grace it is true indeed that God is present with his power in hell and this world is full of the presence of God in goodnesse as it is Psalm 119. 64. The earth is full of thy goodnesse but his gracious presence of quickning grace is to this assembly therefore because God dwelleth in a more eminent manner in this above all other assemblies it is called the house of God and the City of God Now this City excels all other cities in foure respects First all other cities were builded by men as Gen. 4. 17. it is said that Caine built a citie and called it by the name of his Sonne Henoch So also Gen. 10. 11. it is said that Nimrod out of that land sent forth Asher and builded Niniveh and the citie Rehoboth but this citie is builded and framed by God himselfe Matth. 16. Christ saith to Peter upon this rock will I build my Church c. and Ierem. 31. 4. saith God againe I will build thee and thou shalt bee builded O virgin Israel All other cities are builded by men but this citie is builded by God and hath its high originall from him And therefore wee may inferre because God is the builder thereof he will preserve and keepe it as Christ saith Matth. 16. that the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it so Zech. 12. 3. it is said and in that day will I make Ierusalem a burdensome stone all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in peeces though all the people of the earth were gathered together against it as Gen. 19. 13. the Sodomites did seeke to breake the doore open upon Lot but the Lord stroke them with blindnesse that they groped and could not finde the doore so it hath pleased God to cover the Church though the enemies thereof have sought to breake in upon it and to destroy it yet the Lord hath strooke them with blindnesse that they could not finde the meanes to doe it Therefore this citie hath this dignitie and roialtie above the rest because other cities are builded by men but this is builded by God Secondly they that live in other cities live in socities especially to preserve and mainetaine their bodies but in the Church of God in this citie they doe not so much live therein to mainetaine their bodies as their soules Againe in other cities they live in socitie to strengthen themselves against their enemies to mainetaine their lands and livings but in this which is the Church of God they live together not so much to maintaine their bodies and their outward estate but to mainetaine the inward graces of Gods Spirit and their interest unto heaven as Philip. 1. 27. saith Paul Onely let your conversation bee as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ that whether I come and see you or else bee absent I may beare of your matters that yee continue in one Spirit and in one minde fighting together in the faith of the Gospell And 1 Pet. 3. 7. Hee exhorts married couples to live together as heires of the grace of life So in this citie they live together especially to mainetaine faith and their comfort in God and their hope of heaven herein therefore in the second place this citie excels all other cities in the world Thirdly all the commodities of the country goe to the citie if there bee any thing better than other it is carried thither all to mainetaine a temporall life but in this citie which is the Church of God the Lord keepes publike market where a man may buy without money the graces of the Spirit where hee may have faith repentance and other graces needfull as Esai 55. 1. Hoe every one that thersteth come yee to the waters and yee that have no silver come buy and eate come I say and buy wine and milke without silver and money so Revel 3. 18. I counsell you to buy of mee gold tried in the fire that thee mayest bee made rich So then here in this citie the Lord keepes open market of spirituall graces that a poore Christian may furnish himselfe with whatsoever grace hee stands in need of and therefore it must bee our wisedome so to furnish our selves as that wee bee not to seeke when wee should use them Augustine saith well in the citie thy house is furnished with all good things those that bee rich amongst you have their houses furnished with a great deale of plate and pillars of marble and tapistrie and other fine ornaments but thou that art a Christian away with these they are but toyes and trifles in regard of spirituall graces but the house of God is furnished with spirituall graces faith repentance pardon of sinnes feeling of Gods favour and all holy and
sanctified graces In other cities there be markets for the body but in this citie the Lord keepes open market with spirituall graces to furnish our soules and therefore thirdly herein this citie excels all other cities in the world Fourthly in many other cities there be many other liberties and immunities all these immunities are but to free them from toyle and tribute but the Church of God doth not thus free men for Christ himselfe payed tribute Matth. 17. 27. and Paul exhorts us Rom. 13. 7. Give unto all men therefore their dues tribute to whom yee owe tribute custome to whom custome The Church of God doth not free men from taxes and tributes due to earthly powers and Potentates but from the bondage of sinne from the accusations of an evill conscience from the Devill and from Hell Thus Iohn 8. 36. saith Christ If the Sonne make you free yee shall bee free indeed And Gal. 4. 26. saith the Apostle But Ierusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all A man may bee a citizen of a great citie and yet lye in bondage to sinne and the Devill bee a slave to his lusts and be troubled with the accusation of an evill conscience But if a man bee a citizen of this citie hee shall bee free from sinne the Devill Hell the accusation of a bad conscience and from his wild lusts therefore in the fourth place this citie excels all other cities in the world The uses are First seeing the citie of God excels all the cities of the world therefore wee should account it a marvellous blessing that it pleaseth God to make us citizens of this citie as Ruth 2. 12. Boaz said unto Ruth the Lord recompence thy worke and a full reward bee given unto thee of the God of Israel under whose wings thou art come to trust So happy is the man over whom the Lord doth spread the wings of his love Wee see Psal 84. Davids affection that hee had rather bee a doore keeper in the house of God than to dwell in the Tents of wicked men hee had rather bee a meane man and a true member of the Church than to bee a great wicked man Therefore wee may bee sure that it is a greater blessing to bee a poore man and a member of the Church than to bee a great rich man in the world and no true member of the Church Secondly seeing the citie of God excels all the cities of the world therefore every man must have care to hold communion with it and take heed hee doe not suffer the Devill to draw him away from it because God dwells there by the presence of his Spirit Peter could say to Christ Ioh. 6. 68. Master to whom shall wee goe thou hast the words of eternall life heere is fulnesse of joy here is comfort to bee had and therefore howsoever others start out let us hold to it Thirdly seeing the citie of God excels all other cities therefore it must bee our care to live like such citizens Hath God made thee a citizen of such a citie live then happy man like such a citizen conforme thy selfe to the lawes of it and walke worthy of this heavenly citie The author to the Hebrews maketh the same use of it Hebr. 12. 22. But saith hee yee are come unto the Mount Zion and to the citie of the living God c. And therefore see that yee despise not him that speaketh for if they escaped not which refused him that spake on earth much more shall not wee escape if wee turne away from him that speaketh from heaven You bee of the citie of God and therefore doe not you live like the vild men of the world in your sinnes and corruptions but live like Saints and citizens of such a citie thus much of the first dignitie that the Church is called the citie of God because there is the presence of God in grace The second Dignitie of the Church of God is that it is called the body of Christ now there is a naturall body of Christ which hath parts and ligaments as our bodies have hands and feete c. And there is a mysticall body of Christ which are the company of true beleevers which are made one with Christ by faith through the communion of the Spirit which mysticall body is more deare to Christ than his naturall body for hee gave his naturall body to die for his mysticall body and to redeeme it the Church is this mysticall body as 1 Cor. 12. 27. now yee are the body of Christ and members in particular so Coloss 1. 14. Now I rejoyce in my sufferings and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church So then the Church of God is the bodie of Christ whence ariseth divers consequents First that hee is the onely head of the Church and no other but hee as Ephes 1. 22. saith the Apostle of Christ And hath made all things subject under his feete and hath appointed him over all things to bee the head of the Church so Colos 1. 18. hee is the head of the bodie of the Church for as the head ruleth the bodie so Christ rules his mysticall body Now that Christ is the onely head of the Church it may bee seen in three things First because the grace of God is most eminent in him for as life is most eminent in the head so the graces of God are most eminent in him hee excells all men and Angels therfore the Apostle saith Colos 1. 19. that it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell Secondly because of the neere conjunction that is between the head and the members the naturall head may bee parted with a blow from the body but the Devill and all the damned cannot part Christ and his mysticall body Thirdly in regard of ministration for as the head doth communicate life and motion unto the body so Christ doth the life of grace and the Spirit So it is a Royaltie onely belonging to the head not to Archangell nor Angell therefore away with the Pope The second consequent is that seeing Christ is head of the Church therefore as the head communicates life and motion into the body so from Christ flowes spirituall life and grace into the Church there is never a true member but Christ communicates life and grace unto him therefore every true Christian must feele a derivation of grace and spirituall life in him every one that would have true comfort must feele this and to say as Saint Paul doth Galath 2. 20. Thus I live yet not I now but Christ liveth in mee and in that I now live in the flâ—sh I live by the faith of the Sonne of God who hath loved mee and given himselfe for mee Wee see if a man hath any member that hangs dead and numb'd
the societie of the faithfull there is not one onely Angell that descended but God himselfe comes down by his grace and holy Spirit to blesse us and to make his word profitable to us therefore here we are to waite and to attend for this speciall blessing of God Fourthly because Christ raigneth onely in the Church of God all the rest of the world is under the power of the Divell and sinne so Mich. 4. 7. it is said there the Lord shall raigne over them in mount Sion for ever and ever as also Luk. 1. 33. and hee shall raigne over the house of Iacob for ever and of his Kingdome there shall bee no end that is of the Militant Church therefore because Christ raigneth in the Church of God the Divell taking all the rest as his own this is the fourth reason why there is no salvation without the Church Thus much for the Doctrine The uses are First seeing there is no salvation but in the true Church of Christ therefore wee should bee thankfull to God that hee hath made us members of it for wee might else have perished in ignorance and blindnesse this hath beene the practice of Gods Children in former ages for Gen. 9. 27. It was all the blessing that Noah gave to his Sonne Iapheth for his goodnesse in covering of the nakednesse of his Father saith hee God perswade Iapheth to dwell in the Tents of Shem and Ioseph become a great man in the Kingdome of Pharoah might have made his Sonnes great men also but hee had more care to adopt them into the true Church of God and to have Gods blessing powred out upon them than to make them great men in the Kingdome of Pharoah as wee may reade Gen. 43. 13. in like manner Hebr. 12. 24. it is said that Moses by faith when hee was come to age refused to bee called the Sonne of Pharoahs daughter and chose rather to suffer adversitie with the People of God whatsoever Moses did when hee was a Childe yet when hee comes to discretion hee refused to bee called the Sonne of Pharoahs Daughter and had raâ—her live in the Communion of the faithfull than bee called in the princely honours of the unfaithfull Therefore seeing it is such a great blessing to live in the societie of the faithfull wee ought to bee thankfull to God that hee hath brought us out of the belly of Poperie as Ionas was delivered out of the belly of the whale It is a pittifull thing to see a number of men live in the Church of God who doe not partake of the power of it they live in the Church as fishes in the Sea which although they breed live and dye in the Sea yet never taste of the saltnesse of it so there bee a number of men that are bred in the Church live and dye in it yet never tast of the power of it in their soules and consciences nor partake of the holy graces of it Therefore hath God brought thee to the Communion of the Church Labour to partake of the blessings and graces of it to grow in the feare of God in the love of our brethren in obedience to his commandements in care to please him in faith in repentance in knowledge in zeale of his glorie and so our comfort shall bee great at the day of judgement but if thou doe not grow in these things great shall thy terrour bee at that time Secondly seeing there is no salvation but in the true Church of God therefore we should hold communion with it and not suffer our selves to bee drawne from the societie of it as Iohn 6. 68. When many slipped away Peter himselfe could say when Christ said to him Will you all goe saith hee Master whither shall wee goe thou hast the words of eternall life so when wee see others to goe out of the societie of the Church and to bee drawne away let us say whither shall wee goe here are the words of eternall life here are the meanes to get Faith and repentance here are the meanes of salvation life everlasting Iohn 9. When there was a question made whether Iesus was of God or no the blind man answers as if hee should say is it not a strange thing that ye aske me whether he be of God or no and yet yee have seene the power of God in his person for wee read there these words whether hee bee a sinner or no I cannot tell but one thing I know that I was blâ—nd and now I see so men must bee wise to answer temptations when some shall say to them your Ministers are not the ministers of Christ there is a fault in their Ordinations Wee must answer againe I know not whether there bee any fault in their Ordination or no but this I know that once I was a swearer a bad person and a vile liver indeed I once lived in blindnesse and ignorance but by their ministery now I am come to see my sinnes bee humbled for them and to lay hold on Iesus Christ Therefore whatsoever thou thinke my beleefe is they bee the ministers of Christ Historians report that there is a certaine beast called an Hyena like a Wolfe that comes to the shepheards house and there mones and bewayles himselfe and if hee heares any body named hee calls them out of doores and then falls on them and makes a prey of them so a number of such Hyena's there bee in the world who come and mone and bewayle themselves when they heare their names they call them out of the doores that is out of the Church then they fall upon them and make a prey on them Therefore wee should bee wise to hold the Communion of the Church Thirdly seeing there is no salvation but in the true Church of God therefore the sentence of excommunication is the fearfullest sentence that is other sentences condemnes us in our bodies goods or our libertie but this declares us to bee of the Communion of the ungodly by other sentences wee are committed to the Iayle but by this censure we are committed to Sathan as 1 Cor. 5. 5. saith hee when yee bee gathered together and my Spirit with the power of our Lord Iesus Christ that such an one bee delivered unto Sathan for the destruction of the flesh Therefore this sentence is the fearfullest that can passe on a man But here I will speake my conscience it is a pittifull thing that such a censure should bee used for every light and pettie matter there is never a surgeon that dare cut off the least finger of the King though it were diseased but would use all meanes that might be before hee did it so there is never a poore Christian but is as deare to God as a King or the greatest Potentate that is and therefore what great caution should there bee used before this censure of excommunication be pronounced against any man but wee have now cause
will prove that they cannot be true Catholikes First because alwayes the true Catholikes have taught that divine worship is to be given to God onely and to no creature else as Christ saith Matth. 4. to the devill thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve so likewise Revel 22. Iohn fell downe to worship the Angell but the Angell said unto him See that in no wise thou dost it for I am thy fellow servant and Saint Ierome saith that we Christians doe not worship any creature neither Angell nor Archangell but God onely now because they teach that we should worship stockes and stones and the workes of mens hands therefore they are no true Catholikes Secondly because true Catholikes teach that there is but one Mediator between God and man and that is Christ only according to the Apostle For there is but one God and one Mediator betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus so Heb. 13. 15. saith he Let us therefore by him offer the Sacrifice of praise alwayes to God so Origen also we Christians offer up all our prayers to God by the meanes of Christ but the Papists teach that there are a number of Mediators and that we may pray to the Virgin Mary to Peter and Paul therefore they are no true Catholikes Thirdly because the true Catholike Church hath taught for sixteene hundred yeeres together that men should not equivocate should not speake one thing and thinke another but should speake the truth from their hearts as Ephe. 4. 25. saith the Apostle Wherefore cast off lying and speake the Truth every man to his neighbour so Psalm 15. Hee that speaketh he truth in his heart is one of them that shall inhabite Gods holy hill therefore we cannot say one thing and meane another for the oath is according to him that taketh the oath and not according to the minde of him that sweareth but the Papists teach that a man may equivocate sweare one thing and meane another and therefore they are not true Catholikes Now the use of this is seeing in this world is the true Catholike Church and the meanes of Grace let it be our wisedome to lay hold on the good meanes that is set before us before wee remove hence I have shewed you heretofore if a man should send his servant into the Indies with a ship to fill with gold and there might have it but fils it with rubbish stones and gravell when this servant comes home hee may looke for a cold welcome home so the Lord hath sent us into this world as it were into the Indies with a ship with our soules and bodies and into the Church of God there we may have gold to fill our shippes with that is the graces of his Spirit therefore if wee shall fill our shippes with rubbish gravell or dirt that is with sinnes and corruptions we may looke for a cold welcome home for in the Church of God there are the springs and fountaines of grace therefore why doe wee not apply our selves to fill shippes with the purest gold to get faith repentance prayer and all the graces of the Spirit that so we may have comfort at our returne to God SERMON LXVIII 1 IOHN 1. 3. That which we have seene and heard declare we unto you that yee also may have fellowship with us and truely our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ HAving spoken of the Church in the next place wee are to speake of the speciall benefits and blessings that God doth bestow on it for the Church is Gods peculiar and chosen people that hee hath drawne out of this world therefore it pleaseth him to bestow greater blessings and more speciall favours on them than on all other societies and assemblies whatsoever It is true indeed that there be common blessings that hee bestowes upon others as it is said Psal 119. 69. that the earth is full of thy goodnesse O Lord and so Matth. 5. 45. For hee maketh the Sunne to shine on the evill and on the good and sendeth raine on the just and on the unjust these common blessings all the people of the world partake of O but there are a peculiar blessings and favours that belong to none but to Gods servants wherein none of the wicked have their parts and therefore as David saith Psal 31. 19. How great is thy goodnesse O Lord which thou hast laid up for them that feare thee and done to them that trust in thee c. the prophet doth not say positively much goodnesse is laid up for them that feare God but makes a question and saith how much goodnesse and so Psalm 147. ult hee hath not dealt so with every nation neither have they knowne his judgements so there bee speciall favours and blessings that none of the world have part in for howsoever the wicked of the world may have common blessings as riches favour amongst men wisedome and learning and bee enabled to mainetaine Arts and Sciences yet notwithstanding there are speciall blessings that none of the wicked have their parts in that doe belong to his children onely to enjoy by the meanes of Faith so Genes 17. 18 22. Abraham prayeth to God that Ismael might live in his sight the Lord told him that he had heard him concerning Ismael and that he would make a great nation of him but my covenant will I establish with Isaac even so now God blesseth the wicked in this world hee maketh great men of them and rich gives them wisedome children and such like but his covenant he doth establish with Isaac his speciall blessings and favours hee bestowes on none but his owne children to be enjoyed by Faith Now there bee two reasons why the Lord doth so and it is not unprofitable for a man to consider of them First because the godly may see what a goodly and rich portion the Lord hath appointed for them that so if any wayes either through the falsehood of the devill or other provocations they bee pulled out from the enjoying thereof they may labour to recover it againe knowing no where to have better entertainement than in the house of their father this it was that brought home the Prodigall sonne to his fathers house when he considered the happy estate of those that lived therein that they had bread and bread enough and not onely the sonnes but the servants and such as were hired but for a day even the meanest of them so when Christians shall consider the rich and happy estate of all the people of God what a deale of comfort and joy they have in the house of God that they are comfortable in their life and blessed at their death when they sleepe in the dust and when they shall be raised up to glory that is no small allurement for them to returne againe unto the house of God so we see Hos 2. 7. it is there
that the Lord said unto him Feare not to goe downe into Egypt c. so the Lord saith to his people feare not to goe into the ground into the dennes of death for I will raise you up againe death dealeth no otherwise with us than David did by Saul when hee was asleepe he tooke away his speare and water-pot and when hee was to awake he restored it againe so death takes away our speare our water-pot our strength and when we doe awake at the day of Iudgement hee will give it us againe Secondly seeing the dead shall rise againe this therefore must comfort us in regard of our dead friends that bee departed that although death hath sundred them for a time yet they shall all meete together againe so wee see here in this place Martha saith to Christ I know that my brother shall rise in the resurrection and Saint Paul saith 1 Thes 4. 14. Them that sleepe in Iesus will God bring with him Againe the Apostle saith in the same Chapter Comfort your selves with these words Chrysostome saith if a man take a long journey his wife and his children doe not weepe and take on because they know hee will come againe to them so saith he a man that dieth in Christ takes but a long journey and therefore wee should not weepe and take on for our dead friends because they know that wee shall meet againe Thirdly seeing that the dead shall rise againe this must make us carefull to spend our time well while wee live here if there were an utter destruction of nature that a man died as a beast then a man might live as he list but because wee shall rise againe with these bodies wherewith wee have sinned and offended God therefore wee should bee carefull to passe our time here in holinesse before God This was the use that Saint Paul makes of it Act. 24. 16. saith hee And have hope toward God that the resurrection of the dead which they themselves looke for shall be both of the just and unjust and herein I endeavour my selfe to have a cleere conscience towards God and towards man therefore let us labour to spend our time well and in the feare of God that so we may then stand with comfort before God We read Ioh. 21. 7. When Simon Peter heard it was the Lord he girded his coate unto him for he was naked and cast himselfe into the Sea One would have thought that rather he should have put off his garment and have laid it aside but Peter had this consideration that when hee came on the other side he should stand before his master therefore he girded himselfe that hee might stand seemely and comely before him so seeing when wee have passed the glassiâ— sea of this world wee are to stand before God therefore we are to have this consideration that wee gird our selves and make every thing ready that we may come seemely and holily before God at the last day To this purpose it is a good meditation that Saint Bernard hath O my body saith he doe not hinder thy reconcilement with thy God bee not a meanes to hinder thy owne peace be contented alwayes to labour with thy soule and to obey the motions of it be ready to assist it in any Christian duties and then say unto thy soule when it is ready to depart from thee and to goe to God which is thy guest as Ioseph said to the Butler Make mention of mee to Pharaoh so remember me to God for I obey thy good motions I joyne with thee in holy duties and then when thy soule is come home to God it will say O my Lord I had a poore body which led me in Christian duties and was ready to obey thy good motions O my Lord I pray thee remember this poore body of mine and then what will bee the issue surely that which is set downe Psalm 145. 19. Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him he will also heare their cry and will save them therefore let us labour to passe our time in holinesse and feare before God in this life that wee may come to peace and happinesse at the last day The second point is that wee beleeve that we shall rise againe at the last day with the same bodies as Iob 19. 25. I know that my redeemer liveth and he shall stand the last on the earth and though after this life wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God with my flesh so Ezek. 37. to the same dead and dry bones life came sinnewes and flesh grew on them But some will say that is a parable I answer the Prophet useth not this parable for nothing but it is to shew that that which falleth shall rise againe so Revel 20. 12. I saw the dead both great and small stand before God Tertullian saith the same body shall rise againe by the new resurrection for the resurrection is not of another body but of the same that falleth so it is not a new Creation but a raising up that which is fallen Saint Ierome saith it cannot stand with equity and right that one body should sinne and another bee punished neither will a just Iudge let one body obtaine the victory and shed his bloud another crowned for it but the same body that sinned shall be punished the same that hath gotten the victory shal have the Crowne the same body shall rise againe In the Resurrection of Christ the same body that was wounded did rise againe He could if it had pleased him have healed his wounds in three dayes seeing that he could heale all diseases and sicknesses with a word or a touch of his finger but he let them alone to confirme his Disciples that it was the same body that was crucified therefore Luk. 28. When his Disciples thought that he had beene a Spirit hee bids them handle and feele him for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones and therefore the same body that died did rise againe so it shall be with us for that which is true in the Head is also true in the Members Here some few objections shall be refelled and then we will proceed that 1 Cor. 15. 44. the Apostle saith It is sowne a naturall body it is raised a spirituall body therefore it is not the same body that was laid downe To this I answer that it is not spirituall in regard of substance but it is a Spirituall body in regard of estate and condition that they bee in for a naturall life is maintained and upheld by the use of meat drinke sleepe Phisicke and rest but then our bodies shal be upheld by the Power of God without the use of these meanes our bodies now are heavie but then our soules shall fill them full of agilitie and nimblenesse to move upwards and downwards so it is a Spirituall body not in regard of substance but in regard of qualitie and operation Secondly
attend it For in the best there is such reluctation between the Spirit and the flesh as they cannot doe the good they would so Matth. 26. 40 41. The Disciples when they should have watched and prayed Christ found them a-sleepe and Rom. 7. 22. Paul saith I delight in the Law of God concerning the inward man but I see another law in my members rebelling against the Law of my mind and leading me captive to the law of sinne which is in my members so Ezek. 3. 14. saith the Prophet So I went but it was in the bitternesse and indignation of my Spirit hence wee see that in the best there hath beene reluctation between the flesh and the Spirit that the flesh laboureth to resist the Spirit but here is comfort to a Christian that one day it shall attend the Spirit and bee led by it in all holy duties Wee see when Rebekah had conceived Genes 25. 22. shee felt such strugling and striving in her that she was amazed and saith in that agonie Seeing it is so why am I thus as if shee should say seeing there is such a striving and strugling in mee I were as good bee barren but there was an Oracle of God that did answer her that two Nations were within her of whom the elder should serve the yonger so many times a Christian findes such striving and strugling in him that it makes him amazed the Oracle of God tells us that then there are two within us the flesh and the Spirit and that the flesh shall serve the Spirit if one come to a great heap of Gunpowder and bring but a little sparke of fire and put to it it will dissolve and bring it to nothing so although there bee a great heape of sinne and corruption in us yet if a man get but a little sparke of the Spirit of God in him it will dissolve and bring it to nothing therefore we must comfort our selves with the hope of this howsoever now our bodies are not subject to the Spirit that yet one day they shall bee ruled and guided by the Spirit The sixth thing wherin the glorie of the bodie consists is that it shall bee a powerfull bodie as S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. 43. It is sowen in weaknesse and it riseth in power Now the power of a glorified bodie is in three things First Because it shall have power to performe its owne actions without defatigation or wearisomnesse now wee cannot doe any action but in time wee shall bee wearie of it wearie with going sitting standing or doing of any thing We know Christ as hee was man was wearie Iohn 4. for it is said that hee being wearie sate him down on the well so Exod. 19. Moses hands were so wearie with holding up insomuch that Aaron and Hur did stay them up so the best Christians sometimes are wearie with doing the best things Wearie with kneeling at prayer with standing to heare and conferre and such like but at the last day wee shall have such power in our bodies that wee shall never bee wearie of standing before God or kneeling in Prayer for ever and ever there shall bee such power and such strength in the body therefore as oft as wee bee wearie in prayer or with doing any good thing in the labours of our callings wee must comfort our selves with this that one day wee shall have power and strength to doe any good dutie and service that God requires at our hands without defatigation or wearisomnesse Secondly In that the body shall move it selfe any way with ease and shall bee able to walke in the ayer and on the water as now we can walke on the ground Though our bodies bee weighty and ponderous yet then they shall have such power and strength as they shall bee able to move upward and downeward forward and backward with as much ease as a man lifts up his hand there shall bee such strength and agilitie in our bodies now they are subject to one motion onely to goe forward but then they shall bee able to move any way Thirdly In that they shall bee able to passe through any thing as a mans finger passes through soft cloth and therefore Iohn 21. 15. of Christ it is said Hee came into the place where the Disciples were met the doores being shut The Schoolemen say that the Creature gave way to the Creator but there was such power in the body of Christ that if it had beene shut up in a chest of steele Iron or marble it could have passeth through in like manner it shall bee with a glorified body it shall bee able to passe through any obstacle whatsoever therefore seeing it is so that the Lord will bestow on the bodies of Christians such goodly indowments let us thinke of these glorious things and comfort our selves with the hope of these and let us bee contented to walke a few dayes in holinesse and feare before God and then wee shall have our part in them Plinie reports of the little Bees that in a great winde or tempest they catch up little stones in their clawes to ballance themselves against the winde that they be not carried away by it so should Christians doe in winde and tempest that is in the time of temptation and trouble they should catch up stones in their clawes that is they should ballance themselves with the Promises of God and with the hope of blessednesse that so they bee not carried away with the winde of temptation and trouble Now wee come to speake in what estate the wicked shall rise this wee will shew in two things First In an estate of shame and disgrace the bodies of the Saints they shall bee beautifull and lovely to looke on but the bodies of the wicked shall rise deformed ilfavoured and loathsome to looke on as Esai 66. it is said And they shall goe forth and looke upon the carkasses of the men that have transgressed against mee for their worme shall not die neither shall their fire bee quenched and they shall bee an abhorring unto all flesh The bodies of the wicked shall bee as ugly and loathsome carkases to looke on and their faces shall gather darkenesse and blackenesse As in this life when a man is sicke a little and hath paines upon him it changes his favour and makes him looke pale O but what will it bee when bodies and soules shall bee tormented for ever and therefore all the glorie of the wicked is in this world Secondly the Godly shall bee free from all necessities of nature they shall not hunger thirst bee naked nor subject to diseases and paines but the wicked shall bee in hunger and thirst in all extremeties that may bee subject to head-ach tooth-ach back-ach belly-ach all the paines that may bee shall come upon them They shall not be free in any one part of them but bee in so great extremitie
his opinion Ephes 4. 13. Till wee all come in the unitie of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Now by a generall consent the Fathers doe expound it otherwise Chrysostome saith that by the fulnesse of the age of Christ in this place is not meant the full age of Christ but the Gifts and Graces of Christ So another Father affirmes that by a perfect man in Christ is not meant the temporall age of the Sonne of God so S. Ierome saith of the same place that by the age of Christ is not meant the grounds of the bodies of the Godly but the inward man the gifts and graces of his Spirit of his soule and not of his body Secondly Tertullian is of another judgement saith hee let Christians remember this that our soules shall receive the same bodies from the which they departed and therefore looke in what stature and in what age and yeeres wee were of in the same wee shall rise againe Thirdly Augustine doth much relie on his own opinion for saith hee every age is capable of blessednesse and therfore I doe not purpose to contend of strive to know in what age wee shall rise in Fourthly there are some reasons to prove the contrarie First that there is nothing in a Child more than in a man to hinder them from the Kingdome of God for Christ saith Suffer little Children to come unto mee and forbid them not for unto such belong the Kingdome of God And therefore seeing there is nothing in a Child that may hinder him from the Kingdome of God why may not Children rise Children againe A Child may bee blessed for if a Childe could not have beene blessed what shall wee say if Adam had had Children in the time of innocencie should they not have beene blessed most certainly they should Now if Adams Children should have beene blessed in the time of innocencie much more shall Children bee blessed in Heaven Secondly Children may perfectly performe the chiefest act that the people of God are to doe in Heaven namely to praise God as wee see Psal. 8. Out of the mouthes of Babes and sucklings hast thou ordained praise Thirdly all those Christ raised in this life were raised in the same age and stature that they were in when they died as the Maide the widdowes Sonne and Lazarus and those that were raised at the Resurrection of Christ or else how should they been knowen to their friends againe so perfectly Now against this there is one Objection of some weight to bee answered A Child is not in an estate of perfection and there is no imperfect thing shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven To this I answer that a Child is imperfect onely in regard of labour and travell but not imperfect for the life of glorie and a spirituall life and therefore it must bee our wisedome and care to spend our time well in the feare of God in repentance for our sinnes and to get faith in Christ and then let our age sex or estate of our body bee what it will wee shall bee blessed and happy when wee dye and wee shall rise to a glorious estate It is a good saying of Chrysostome if a grave senatours should bring thee into his house and shew thee a number of grave senatour sitting on Thornes richly clothed with chaines of gold about their necks and crowns on their heads and should tell thee that after a few dayes hee would bring thee thither and make thee one of them how carefull wouldest thou bee to please him and fearefull to offend him in any thing This saith hee is our case Iesus Christ hath shewed us by the eye of faith Heaven and the blessed estate and condition of the godly and hath promised to bring us thither after a few yeares if wee will repent our sinnes get faith in Christ and walke holily before him therefore how carefull should wee bee not to offend him what fooles are men to lose eternall things for earthly for if men would live holily here they should live eternall in the life to come Thus at last wee are come to speake of Everlasting life for the Lord doth raise the dead out of the grave and out of the dennes of death to give them everlasting life and this is that which Christ hath promised to his people as we see Iohn 10. My sheepe heare my voice they follow mee and I give them everlasting life and Iohn 6. 47. saith Christ Verely verely I say unto you hee that beleeveth in mee hath everlasting life so also Psal 21. 4. saith the Prophet Hee asked life of thee and thou gavest it him even length of dayes for ever and ever So then everlasting life is the great blessing that hee hath promised to his people that none partake of but they it being the Center of a Christian mans desires all whose labours paines and endevours tend to this and no further for as wee know things when they bee at the center there they rest stay and goe no further so if once the people of God come at this there they stay and goe no farther with thoughts hereof they comfort themselves in the troubles and afflictions of this life Genes 28. 11. Iacob being wearie in his journey tooke stones and layd them under his head and slept where hee saw an heavenly vision a ladder carried up to heaven and Angels ascending and descending thereupon which comforted him in all his troubles and labours so Christians must comfort themselves in all the afflictions and travels of this life with this that Christ hath reared up a Ladder in his death and blood-shed that reacheth unto heaven therefore if Christians will bee contented to walke Christianly and holily here but a few dayes and yeeres hee will bring them to everlasting life I but some may say why doe yee speake of everlasting life now seeing every man is busie to get some thing to maintaine this life I answer a man doth well to bee busied in his honest labours to get some thing to maintaine this life because as wee shall heare afterwards this life is the way to eternall life and the seede time of a Christian But ô how miserable a thing is it for a man to provide for this life and neglect eternall life and therefore our care must bee to provide for this life so as it may further us to everlasting life In the Law the people of Israel were commanded to keepe the feast of reconciliation which was in the end of the yeere when harvest was done and their barnes and wine-presses full which was to teach us that in the middest of our joy and plentie wee should seeke for eternall life and should labour to have the pardon of our sinnes and to reconcile our selves to God so to bee fitted for eternall life
that he sends not all afflictions at once 169. †The three afflictions that Christ suffered 153. The behaviour of Christ in his afflictions 158. The effects of Christs afflictions 160. Christ was affraid To stand be fore God in Iudgemens clothed in our sinnes of death Not as a dissolution of Nature But as Gods curse 155. Christs agonie the cause of his sweat 161. All things made for mans benefit 71. How Christ shall bee All in all at the day of Iudgement 477. Almighty see God The amazement of Christ on the Crosse proceeded from Gods curse 157. Angels Ministers unto Christians 297. ¶ The Angels service to Of Christs anointing 78. Men. 430. Christ 122. ¶ What meant by anointing in the Law 16. Christ by being anointed was designed enabled made acceptable for the worke of redemption 78. With what By whom the end why Christ was anointed c. 81. The benefit of Christs anointing participation of His Graces the dignitie of his Person 89. We must anoint Christs Head Body and Feete with the Oyle of Devotion Compassion and Contrition 82. ¶ In the Law were anointed Prophets Priests Kings 83. No injurie must bee done to the Lords anointed 82. †Apocrypha see Scripture Of Christs appearing 305. Application of Christ to the heart better than Simeons holding him in his armes 141. †The wicked can doe no more than God hath appointed 213. ¶ 268. †Whatsoever betides a man is by Gods appointment 214. The Place Time Manner and Preparation of Christs apprehension 177. c. That apprehension of impenitent sinners worse than that of Christs in the Garden 186. * Comfortable words like Aqua-vitae 589. Christs armes his messengers 342. Christs arraignement frees us from arraignment and condemnation 194. * Of Christs ascension 353. The Necessity Time Place from whence Manner Fruits and benefits of Christs asscension from 353. to 365. Christ ascended to Prepare a place for us Send down the holy ghost Lead captivity captive Give gifts to his Church Make intercession for us 354 Difference betwixt Christs ascension and others 363. Christs ascension a pawne of ours 315. †Trials to know whether wee have ascended from sinne or no. 365. Of the great assembly to Iudgement 428. Gods assistance in troubles makes men confident 194. †B CHristians ought to beare with one another in Hiding the infirmities Excusing them Loving the partie 595. Christians ought to begin all their workes with prayer and thankesgiving 645. †Not to resist beginnings in sinne dangerous 181. ¶ Why the Shepheards went to Bethlehem 126. * By Christs binding we are loosed from the chaine of condemnation and corruption 188. Christs birth the greatest Ioy of the world 125. ¶ The Place 116. Time 113. Manner 117. of Christs birth The manifestation of Christs birth 120. Foure reasons of Christs meane birth 118. God bestowes on his Children blessing of this life and the life to come 581. The wise order God takes in giving us blessings 622. The communion of Saints an earthly blessings 581. In the blood of Christ that issued out of his side is something naturall and miraculous 268. Christs blood purifies us from the guilt and filth of sinne 269. The blood of Martyrs and Christ cry unto God for revenge and mercy 85. †Body see Resurrection As a Goldsmith melts gold to make a cup for the king so God melts our bodies to make vessels of honour for himselfe 637. ¶ The perfection of our bodies compared to a Shipmans needle touched with a Loadstone 641. * Our bodies spirituall because Vpheld by Subject to the spirit 642. Chris rose with the same body hee was crucified with 340. ¶ The power of a glorified body 643. What use of stomacke teeth c. in a glorified body 628. ¶ Christ saves not our soules onely but our bodies also 230. ¶ Two Bookes opened at the day of Iudgement 439. Christ borne when Herod was king Augustus taxed the world why 115 Christ borne in a base place to shew 10. the guilt of sinne 2. to procure us a better place 3. to make us content with any estate 116. ¶ Christ borne after the common and poorest manner 117 118. Christ was bonnd in regard of God To sanctifie the bonds of his servants To teach us the desert of sinne That we might bee loosed 187. Men for Paine and punishment Caution and securitie Shame and disgrace 186. Against the Papists giving the bread onely 334. * What meant by Christs breaking of bread with the Disciples that went to Emmaus 334. Christs breathing on the Disciples was a signe of giving the Holy Ghost 345. †Christ was buried To give us assurance of his death that hee might conquer death in his strongest hold to sanctifie and sweeten the grave for us that wee might have strength to bury him 273. Of the burning of the world 410. ¶ A Story of two Protestants in king Edward the sixths dayes touching burning for religion 277. †The burthen of sinne 158. * Every sinne addes to the burthen of Christ 159. * The benefit of Christs buriall 281. Foure waies to bury sinne to kill it hate the loathsome face of it remove it out of our sight and to rake moulds on it 282. C CHrist comes when a man is at his calling 122. †Calvins speech Dominus cum venit inveniet me laborantem 122. ¶ Moderation in worldly cares seeing God is our Father 55. What the word Catholike meanes 574. ¶ The Church said to be Catholike in respect of Place Persons and Time 575. c. The Papists beleeving in the Catholike Church absurd in religion and reason 578. * Reasons proving the Papists no true Catholikes 578. A twofold chaine on every naturall man of corruption sinne of condemnation and guilt of sinne 188. The wicked compared to chaffe 434. A great change and alteration after conversion 499. We must commit the seede of our charity into the bosome of the poore and hands of God 594. ¶ All chastisements came from God our loving Father and shall turne to our good 56 57. Gods Children why withheld from worldly blessings 580. Gods Children never totally finally forsaken of him proued by foure grounds 172. What Christ shall doe after the last Iudgement 475. see Iudgement The word Christ what it signifies 77. see Anointed Christ and Messiah all one 77. ¶ Christ the Sonne of God 90. Christ proved to be God from the Names Attributes Workes and Worship of God ascribed to him 91. Why Christ must bee both God and Mun. 92. ¶ Christ borne when Augustus Caesar taxed the world to fulfill a Prophesie to be under the taxe of Gods wrath for our sakes 116. * Christ the Head of the Church three proofes 542. The love and willingnesse of Christ to die for us 208. †Every little meanes is to bee laid hold of to bring us to Christ 131. ¶ Three things required in him that would be found in Christ 693. The infinite comfort after finding Christ 312. No condition can
life 4 The dignitie of his owne estate 2 Wee communicate to Christ three things 1 Our Nature Simile 2 Our sinnes 3 Our troubles and dangers Simile The Saints communion one with another Simile Simile The communion of Saints with the living stands in five things 1 Communion of affection Simile Simile 2 Communitie of Graces Simile Simile Simile 3 In spirituall Sacrifices Simile 1 Exhortation Simile 2 Admonition Simile Simile 3 Consolation Simile 4 Mutuall Prayer Fourthly the Saints Communication in Riches Simile SERM. LXIX Simile 1 That there ought to bee a Communion in goods Simile 2 The bounds and Limits of this Communion of goods 1 The Excesse of giving Simile Object Ans Simile Another kinde of Excesse 2 The Defects of giving 1 Defect 2 Defect 3 Defect Simile Simile Quest Ans Simile 5 Bearing with one another How the flesh may overcome the Spirit Simile Simile In three things Christians must beare with one another 1 They hide infirmities Simile 2 When they cannot cover they excuse them 3 They can endure the partie when the fault is open and unexcusable Vse 1. Simile Object Ans Three Reasons that no man can merit for another Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Vse 1. Simile 2 The Communion of the living with the dead Simile 2 Wee have the same faith and hope and love 3 The Communion of the Dead with the Dead in two things 1 Of in regard their bodies 2 Simile Object Ans 1. Simile Ans 2. 2 They have communion in regard of their soules SERM. LXX Simile ART X. Simile Simile 1 That the soule dieth not 1 Proofe by the Scripture 2 By Reason Reason 2. Reason 3. 1 2 Vse Simile Simile 2 That the soule sleepe not in the body Reasons against it Cause of sleepe 2 Object Ans 3 That the soules doe not goe to a middle place Foure lets of the communion of Saints 1 Let the mixture of evill men In wronging the Saints 1 Simile 2 They vexe them with their fine Simile 2 The imperfections of good men Simile 3 The distance of Place Simile Simile Simile 4 Narrownesse of their Love 1 Pardon of sins one the greatest blessing of this life Simile SERM. LXXI Vse Simile Simile 2 Pardon of sinne is onely for this life Simile 1 That all men bee sinners Simile Vse 1. Simile 2 No way to have release but by forgivenesse of sinnes Simile Object Ans Reasons against Mans satisfaction Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Quest Ans Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Simile 3 That forgivenesse of sinnes is to bee had if sought for Vse 1. Simile Simile Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. 4 That there is forgivenesse of sinnes without limitation Vse 5 That none but God can forgive sinnes Reason 1. That none but God can forgive sinnes Simile Reason 2. Reason 3. Object Ans Object Ans Ans 2. Vse 1. Simile Simile Vse 2. Simile Simile Simile 6 Gods pardon is conditionally if men repent Of particular forgivenesse of sinnes Quest Ans Generall Simile In Particular Foure wayes to know our sinnes are pardoned First if humbled for them Simile 2 If prayed heartily for forgivenesse 3 Whether wee have got strength against them Simile Simile Quest Ans 4 If wee have attained a peaceable Spirit Simile SERM. LXXII Quest Ans Three comfortts of forgivenesse of sinnes 1 Knowledge of Salvation 2 Then all that God sends us comes of Love Simile Simile ART XI 3 That with the pardon of sinne the punishment of them is removed 2 Benefit of the Life to come The Resurrection of the Body The Order that God takes in giving us blessings Simile 1 Wee beleeve to rise againe 1 Proofe by the Scriptures Reasons proving the Resurrection 1 From the Power of God 2 It is cleare also from the Iustice of God 1 2 3 From the mercy of God 4 From the end of Christs comming 5 From the Resurrection of Christ Object Ans 1 Obiection of the Atheists Ans Simile Object 2. Ans Simile Simile Object 3. Ans Simile Object 4. Ans Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. SERMON LXXIII Simile Secondly we shall rise againâ— with the same bodies Object 1. Ans 1. Object 2. Ans 2. Object 1. Ans Simile 2 Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Simile Simile Vse 3. Quest. Of knowing one another at the Resurrection Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. 3 The Time when we shall rise Foure Reasons why the Resurrection is delaid 1 Simile 2 Simile 3 4 Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. Quest What may comfort in our lying in the grave Ans. 1 2 Sam. 21. 10. Simile 2 Simile 3 4 Simile Vse Fourthly by whose power we shall rise Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Vse 3. 5 In what estate our bodies shall rise in Simile Simile The glory of the body consists in sixe things at the Resurrection 1 Intirenesse of parts Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Simile Object Ans Ans 2. 2 The body shall bee beautiful and lovely Reason 1. Reason 1. Simile Simile 3 In brightnesse and splendor Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile 4 In that they shall bee immortall and immutable Simile Simile Simile They shall bee spirituall Bodies Our Bodies shall bee spirituall in two Respects 1 Because upheld by the Spirit 2 Because subject to the Spirit Simile Simile 6 It shall bee a powerfull Bodie in three things 1 To act without wearinesse 2 Because it shall bee able to move it selfe nimbly in the aire 3 In that they shall bee pâ—ircing Simile In what estate the wicked shall rise 1 In a disgracefull estate 2 They shall bee clogged with all miserie necessitie and want Luk. 15. 19. Simile SERM. LXXIV Simile Exod. 19. 24. Quest 1. whether monsters borne shall rise monsters Simile Ans That the deformities of the Saints shall onely bee repaired Quest 2. In what Sex all shall rise againe Ans Quest 3. Whether Children and old men shall rise so againe or not Ans 1. 2 3 4 Reas 1. against the former opinion 2 3 Object Ans Simile Iohn 10. 27. Simile Simile Object Ans Object Ans Simile Simile 1 God promiseth to his people Life twofold 1 Naturall Life 2 Our spirituall Life 1 Degree of Spirituall Life The Life of Grace Simile Simile 2 The Life of Glorie Simile Simile 2 Cor. 12. 5. Simile Secondly from all the labours of this life Simile Simile Thirdly from Originall sinne Simile Fourthly from all worldly power and authority Fifthly from all society with the wicked Simile 6 We shall be freed from all sicknesses and diseases Simile What things we shall inioy in life everlasting 1 Immediate societie with God Simile 2 The Eternall presence of Christ wee shall enjoy Simile 3 The societie of all Saints Angels and Archangels c. 4 Lordship over all the world Simile 5 A conâ—inuall Sabbath to the Lord. Simile The continuance of Life everlasting Simile Simile Simile 1. Pet. 1. 4.