haue entered into this way to the Father by Christ as he is the Trueth wee must next enter into the way to the Father by Christ as he is Life But how enter we into this way by him as he is Life How bringeth Christ vs to the Father as he is Life I answere Whilest we are going to the Father wee must stedfastly belieue and bee fully assured that Christ is Life and that all life is from him as from the Fountaine and that whatsoeuer life wee haue we haue it through him Then ye see Christ is the way to the Father first because he is the Trueth next because he is the Life If thou wouldest come to Life begin at the Trueth for the first leadeth vs to the second For this word of Trueth euen the Gospel of the Lord Iesus when it is preached if we heare it reuerentlie and stedfastly belieue it and let it settle deeply in our soules it will bee powerfull at the last to bring foorth life in vs Were thy soule neuer so dead in sinnes and trespasses yet receiuing this Word of Trueth thou shalt rise from death and liue The Lord in the sixt Chapter of Iohn and the 63. verse letteth vs see this great force of this Word when he saith The words that I speake to you are Spirit and Life that is they are a most powerfull meane to minister and furnish vnto vs that Spirite and that Life of God And in that same Chapter also vvhen the Lord asketh at the Apostles If they would leaue him as many of them did who had followed him before Peter answereth in the name of the rest To whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life where ye see Peter out of his own experience affirmeth that the vvords vvhich hee heard of Christ vvere effectuall to vvorke eternall life vvhich made him and the rest of the Apostles vvith pleasure to remaine vvith Christ Thou that by the hearing of the vvord findest the life of God to bee conuoyed to thy soule vvilt easily bee perswaded that hee vvho is the Author of that vvord is life himselfe for how vvere it possible that there could be such a power in that vvorde to giue life except hee vvhose vvorde it is vvere the Fountaine and Well-spring of all life Then ye see by vvhat order vve come to the Father Wee must first begin at the Trueth then by the vvord of Trueth vve must be led to Life and then we must goe on piece and piece in that Life vvee must continue and perseuer in it and so doing it is not possible but at last vvee shall come into that eternall Life vvhich is hid vp in God and shall bee reuealed in that great day Then in a vvord vvouldest thou haue the summe of all that vve haue spoken in this matter This is it Euen that vvee belieue in the Lord Iesus Christ The vvay to the Father is Christ vvhen vvee belieue in him vvee are vvalking in this vvay vvhen our fayth increaseth piece and piece vvee goe on forward vve continue and perseuer in that vvay Now in the ende of the verse he preuenteth and answereth the thing that some might haue objected against this doctrine That he was the way for it might haue bene said to Christ Albeit thou bee the way to the Father yet thou art not the only way there are many other wayes beside thee To this the Lord answereth I am the onelie waye to come to the Father for sayeth hee None commeth to the Father but by mee That is I am so the waye to the Father that there is none other waye to come to the Father beside me And whosoeuer seeketh to come to the Father by another way beside me or whosoeuer seeketh to come to the Father any other way but by me he shall be disappointed he shall neuer find the Father thou that seeks to come to HeaueÌ„ another way nor by Christ I giue thee that doome thou shalt neuer see Heauen Men dreame to themselues another way to come to Heauen nor by Christ the Papists deceiue themselues and the whole worlde teaching them to seeke Heauen by their owne merits by their own works and to come to the Father by the mediation intercession of Angels of the Saincts departed c. But all this is folly for there is one only way to Heauen and that a very strait and narrow way by Iesus Christ Indeed the way to Hell is a very broade way that is there are many wayes that leade to damnation for there is not a sinne that thou committest against God but it leadeth thee to Hell Whoredome leadeth a man to Hell Murder leadeth a man to Hell Drunkennesse leadeth a man to Hell all the foule affections of thine heart leade thee to Hell But there is one only way to come to Heauen Fayth in Iesus Christ Therefore thou who wouldest come to Heauen and dwell with the Father for euer leaue all other wayes for they are but pathes that leade to damnation and take thee to that only one way belieue in the Lord Iesus Christ and through him thou shalt bee assured to get life and glory To this Lord Iesus with the Father and the holy Spirit be all prayse and honour for euer Amen THE THIRD LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xiiii VERS 7.8.9.10 7 Jf yee had knowne mee yee should haue knowne my Father also and from hencefoorth yee know him and haue seene him 8 Philip said vnto him Lord shew vs thy Father and it sufficeth vs. 9 Iesus said vnto him J haue beene so long time with you and hast thou not knowne mee Philip Hee that hath seene mee hath seene the Father how then sayest thâ—u Shew vs thy Father 10 Belieuest thou not that J am in the Father and the Father is in mee The wordes that I speake vnto you I speake not of my selfe but the Father that dwelleth in mee hee doeth the workes YEE heard Welbeloued in the Lord Iesus among the rest of the comforts that the Lord furnished to his Disciples that they should not bee troubled when hee should depart this was one and the last Yee knowe the place whither I am to goe first and where yee are to goe next in your time and also yee knowe the waye Therefore woulde hee saye comfort your selues with this knowledge while I come againe and take you to that place Vpon this last argument the conference falleth out betwixt Christ and his Disciples and first Thomas one of his Disciples speaketh and vttereth as it were a contradiction to the worde of the Lord Wee know not the place where thou art to goe sayeth hee and howe then can wee knowe the waye Vpon this speach of Thomas the â—ord taketh occasion to instruct Thomas and the rest in these pointes whereof they were ignorant concerning the place where hee was to goe and concerning the waye and first hee pointeth out the waye vnto them hee pointeth the waye
that that denunciation perteined not to them because they were liuely members they were cleane through the worde which hee had spoken to them Our lesson is When thou hearest a denunciation of judgemeÌ„t or promise of mercy make euer application to thy selfe and say Lord perteineth this judgement to me and O Lord perteineth this mercy to mee Without this application there is no generall doctrine can do good or edifie thee So when we heare of this that some are liuing branches some dead we shold enter in triall with our selues whether we are to abide with Christ or to be cut off and casten into the fire It is true we haue not Christ to speak with vs and to resolue vs of such doubts yet the Lord hath neuer left anie faithful man or woman so destitute but he gets a certification assurance that he is a liuely member The Lord if he be in any man or woman he shall make that person know that he liueth in them The most sensible thing in the worlde is the life of Christ as sensibly wâ—l the creature feele the life of Christ in their harts as they wil feel this natural life Besides this if the sap of Christ be in a ma the fruit wil burst out if thou wouldst know a man look to his life good works let his life testify whether he be a liuely meÌ„ber or not if their life testify otherways I testify to thee in the Name of God they are no liuely meÌ„bers Certainly Christ caÌ„not dwel within one but he must vtter himself in the hand tong Now hereafter he subjoynes the reason wherfore they are clean how they are made cleane By the words saith he that J haue spoken ye are made cleane wherefore spake I so much to you but to make liuelie members of you who were drie branches The way to make a man a liuely branch is the worde of Iesus it cleanseth the soule which is foule My word is Spirit and Life John 6. vers 63. It is the force of the Spirit to purge the soule The worde sayeth Peter is that immortall seede of regeneration 1. Epist Chap. 1. vers 23. Our seede is mortall and so if wee haue not another seede of God wee are but dead It is no maruell that the word of God purgeth because it is Life and Spirit Looke but to that experience that godlie men haue in hearing the worde of Iesus Christ and that joye that riseth in the heart What meaneth this Will the vvordes of anie man worke this joye in the heart No but when men heare these promises of life and of grace and consolation O what consolation what peace what rest what joye will the sinner get And this testifieth that the worde is powerfull to worke in the soule that life of God The houre shall come sayeth the Lord that the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that shall heare shall liue John 5. vers 25. 1 Pet. 1. vers 22. Our soules are purged by the hearing of the worde If this bee the meane the Lord hath ordained to get life let vs take pleasure to heare the worde And I saye that man that hath not a pleasure in some mâ—asure to heare the word but coÌ„temneth it is no meÌ„ber of Christ and hath neuer beene truely ingraffed in Christ nor got neuer of that sappe which is in Christ and neuer wist what Iesus Christ was As thou therefore wouldest liue and as thou wouldest bee sanctified in this life glorified with the Lord in the HeaueÌ„s take pleasure to heare this word if thou would taste any sweetnes of Christ grow in holinesse and chiefely seeing thou must leaue this world begin to liue this life which neuer shall haue an end Now in the next words after he hath laide down the grounds he commeth to the first exhortation Abide in mee and I in you The meaning of the exhortation is this Ye haue begun to be joyned with me in Spirit and in fayth as yee haue begun so continue in that vnion to the ende He sayth not Abide still with me and I with you but abide in mee These wordes haue a greater signification than the other they signifie a straiter vnion with Christ for Brethren yee must marke the members of Iesus Christ not onelie abide with him here and dwell with him but euery one of them abideth in him and dwelleth in him as yee sâ—e the branches of the tree they are not sayde so much to abide with the tree as to abide in the tree so are we in him And on the other part the Lord Iesus is not said only to abide with his Kirke on the earth but howbeit hee bee in the Heauens to dwell in his Kirke and in euery member who belieueth in him yea in all their hearts euen as yee see the tree abideth in her branches so the Lord Iesus the Vine tree abideth in his branches This place requireth that wee speake somewhat of this vnion the members haue with Christ and hee with them This conjunction betwixt Christ and his members who are faythfull ye must not imaginate to be a bodily and naturall conjunction as ye see is betwixt creatures as the head with the body it is not so grosse a conjunction there is no conjunction bodily so neare so strait as that conjunction of Iesus Christ nowe in the Heauens with his members the heade is not so surely joyned with the body by nearnes as the Lord Iesus our Head is joyned with euery member who belieueth in him vpon this earth The body and the head may bee seuered but the members of Iesus Christ once truely ingraffed in him by his Spirit and by fayth shall neuer be cut off all the powers of Heauen and Hell shall not separate them What shall separate vs from the loue of Iesus Christ shall hunger and sworde c. yea in these wee are more than victorious Rom. 1.35.37 So yee see this conjunction is not to bee imagined to bee a grosse conjunction as the Papistes imagine but I leaue them But this conjunction is spirituall and mysticall I call that a spirituall vnion and conjunction that we haue with him because it is wrought after an heauenly and spirituall manner and is made not with bodily bandes as ligamentes and sinewes but with spirituall and heauenly bandes the one of them is called the Spirit of Iesus Christ the other is called Fayth To make that coniunction betwixt vs and him hee sendeth out of the Heauens his holy Spirit into our hearts and wee getting that Spirit sende vp to the Heauens againe to him our fayth Then yee see two bands to make this conjunction this conjunction must be mutuall so that as hee sendeth downe his Spirite to vs so wee must sende vp our fayth to him The order of the working of these two bandes would bee considered Wee neuer begin first no man beginneth first to gripe Christ but
of the godlie and those who belieue in Iesus Christ the Spirite entereth into their heartes and worketh the greatest joye and consolation that euer was There was neuer a soule that knewe what true joye meaned but those that felt the Spirite The other effect is in respect of those who abide rebellious against Christ In respect of them the holy Spirite is aye rebuking and threatning them to their damnation and that by the Ministerie of poore men for hee will set them vp and make them stand vp and rebuke all the obstinate yea euen the Kinges of the earth if they will not belieue All these reproofes that come out of the mouthes of the seruauntes of IESVS CHRIST howe simple soeuer they bee they proceede not so much from the mouthes of men as from the holie Spirite and they contemne the holie Spirit who contemne those men his Ministers and the Lord of Heauen will bee auenged on them in that great Daye But to come to the particulars Hee shall rebuke the worlde and conuict it of three thinges The first is Hee shall conuict the worlde of sinne Next Of righteousnesse And thirdlie Of judgement The first of these three concerneth the faythlesse vvorlde and the other two concerne the Lord Iesus Hee shall conuict the world that the Lord Iesus is not only holy and righteous but also the great and glorious Iudge of the world First he saith The holy Spirit when hee shall come hee shall conuict the world of sinne Then hee sheweth the ground Because the world belieueth not in me The sinne is infidelitie in that they belieue not in Iesus Christ the heauiest sinne that can fall vpon any man for it bringeth on the greatest guiltinesse and condemnation that euer was Hee who belieueth not in mee saith Christ he is condemned already Iohn 3. vers 18. Looke how soone thou sinnest if thou refuse to turne thine heart to the Lord Iesus as soone thou art condemned the Lord delayeth not the sentence to the last daye but when thou hast sinned the Lord immediately ascendeth as a Iudge to his Tribunall and giueth out the sentence of wrath against thee because thou belieuest not in the onely begotten Sonne of God So there is no greater sinne than infidelity for where it is all sinnes are imputed as by the contrary the greatest righteousnesse that any man in this world can haue is to belieue in Christ it is such a righteousnes that taketh away all the sin whatsoeuer where it is no sinne is imputed Art thou a Murderer a Blasphemer an Adulderer c. belieue in Christ that he died for thee and thy sins shal not be laid to thy charge for the righteousnes of Christ cloatheth a guilty man with righteousnes And this moued a notable seruaÌ„t of God to say There is no sin without infidelity no righteousnes without faith Meaning that of al the sins in the world the sin of infidelity is the greatest for if thou belieue not the least euil thought that thou canst think shal abide before God coÌ„tinually so long as infidelity abideth all sin abideth take it away all thy sins shall be taken away This is then the meaning would ye haue proofe of this how the holy Spirit shal reproue the world of sin look Paul 1. Cor. 14.24 there ye will find the experience hereof for hee saieth Jf a man prophesie conforme to the worde if an idiote commeth in at the doore oâ— an vnlearned man that belieueth not hee is rebuked of all and is judged of all and so are the secretes of his heart made manifest to wit that infidelitie that laye in his heart is made manifest and then hee falleth downe on his face and worshippeth GOD and sayeth plainlie GOD is in you indeede We haue the experience of this in our own selues when Iesus Christ is preached there are none that heare and are guiltie but their heartes are conuicted there is none of you but ye find this for if thou be an harlot when thou hearest harlotry preached thou art conuicted except thou be conuerted by the holy Spirit and canst come to God and say Lord for Christes sake haue mercy on mee for that person that doeth so is not onelie vnconuicted but also is comforted by the Spirite And happie is that soule which findeth this wrought into it Nowe What is the next thing when the Spirite shall come whereof he shall conuict the world and vnbelieuing Iewes Hee shall conuict the world saith the Lord of justice that is He shall conuict the worlde and the vnbelieuing Iewes That the Lord Iesus was that holy One for the Iewes counted him the most vnjust man that was in the world they put him in the ranke of thieues they preferred Barabbas to him But the Spirit of God when hee shall come hee shall conuince the worlde That hee was the holiest man in the world as hee is called Act. 7. vers 52. The ground of the conuiction is this Hee passed vp to the Father It appeared that he was the justest man in the worlde seeing hee passed vp to Heauen after his glorious resurrection For if he had bene a sinner hee had neuer entâ—ed into that Heauenly Sanctuary No vnholy thing can enter into Heauen if a man haue but so much as one spot of sinne he cannot come there So then there was neuer soule that gotte entry into Heauen that got accesse to the Majesty of God but the Lord Iesus first And then so many as shall bee washen from their sinnes by faith in his blood so many onely shall enter into that Sanctuarie as shall bee clad with the righteousnesse of Christ If thou wouldest goe to Heauen striue to bee clad with that garment that is Haue faith or else thou shalt neuer haue entresse into Heauen The proofe of this That the Lord was the holiest man in the world appeared soone after Christ ascended An example yee haue in the second Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles vers 23. where Peter or rather the Spirit of God by the mouth of Peter immediately after Christes ascention objecteth to the Iewes that him whome they had slaine with wicked handes the Lord had raised him from the dead and glorified him in the Heauens Whereby the holy Spirite so conuicted and pricked their heartes that they saide to Peter and the rest Men and Brethren what shall wee doe That is How shall we be cleansed from that innocent blood So nowe it appeareth that Christ was the justest man that euer liued in the worlde thorowe the working of the Spirit that conuicteth them thereof The thirde point whereof the holy Spirite shall reprooue the world is of judgement So as the Lord is just so is hee the glorious Iudge of the worlde On what ground shall this passe Because the prince of this worlde is judged The LORD IESVS is the Iudge of the worlde in that hee hath condemned the Deuill hee hath not judged the silliest and the weakest in the
grorifie God fie on that fleshe that will not glorifie God but will ascribe any thing to himselfe and will stand vp and say I did this or that fie on thee that wilt say so and wilt not honour him who hath honoured thee Beware to speake any thing that may derogate to the glory of God and not only in deede but also in word glorifie him that they who heare you speake may glorifie God thorow your speach and by your example Now hauing spoken of the ground we come to the benefite of life euerlasting it selfe As before wee heard the glorifying of Iesus Christ serued to the glory of the Father so we haue now that the glory of Iesus serueth also to our glory So ye may see of what importance is the glory of Iesus Christ the fairest fruites that euer were follow on that glory thorow his glory glory commeth to the Father and life to the world The chiefe two things in the worlde are The glory of God and the saluation of the Kirke which both proceede from the glory of Iesus Christ Life euerlasting marke it well it commeth and it floweth of the glorious life of Iesus Christ when hee rose from the dead all our life is by the rising of Iesus Christ from death to life What is this life euerlasting or the Spirituall life which wee haue It is but a little sponke that floweth from that fulnesse of that glorious life which Iesus Christ liueth in the Heauens at the right hande of the Father And this quickening Spirit which euery one of vs receiueth in sober measure is nothing but a portion of that Spirit of life which is in Iesus Christ hat is in him in all superaboundance and aboue all measure Wee in the Kirke his members haue the Spirit of life flowing from him in some measure Paul in the 6. Chapter to the Romanes vers 5. hath a notable sentence concerning this matter If wee bee planted with him in the likenesse of his death wee shall bee planted with him in the likenesse of his life meaning that this mortification of the olde man commeth by the vertue of the death and Crosse of Iesus Christ and this newe life commeth by the vertue of his Resurrection and life And in the first Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 15. vers 17. Jâ— Christ had not risen from the dead wee had yet lyen still in our sinnes So then wouldest thou haue one of the chiefe arguments to knowe whether Christ hath died for thee or not if thou knowest not this thou knowest nothing descende downe into thine heart and see if thou findest in any measure that foule and cankered nature slaine into thee that thou bee dead to sinne if thou finde it thou hast cause to bee blythe for thou hast a sure warrande that the Lord Iesus hath died for thee for if hee had not died for thee thou hadst not had anie mortification of sinne Then wouldest thou knowe if the Lord Iesus hath risen from the death as Paul speaketh for thy justification Looke if thou hast anie part or that spirituall life Woe is to that soule that feeleth no life no spirite no quickening c. for that soule hath no warrande that euer Christ rose to justifie or saue it Therefore as yee woulde knowe if Christ hath died or risen for you looke your warrande and if yee finde anie mortification or anie sense of the Spirite then bee sure yee haue a warrande But and if thou findest it not say not that Christ died for thee thou hast no warrande of the death and resurrection of Christ for thee What is this wee are doing Wee are seeking busilie Charters and Euidentes for Landes and Liuinges and earthlie possessions but seeke a warrande for Landes and all the worlde as thou wilt shame shall come vpon thee if thou wantest the warrande of life euerlasting Now in the next vers This is life euerlasting to know thee to be the only true God and whome thou hast sent Jesus Christ In this vers marke it hee letteth vs see the necessitie there is in glorifying of him if euer such a thing should be that one who is chosen should be glorified for hee reasoneth after this manner Father thou knowest what is life it is a knowledge of thee and of mee whom thou hast sent but except I bee glorified the worlde cannot know thee nor mee therefore Father except I bee glorified there is no life for the worlde So there is the necessitie of the glorifying of Christ to get life euerlasting because there cannot be knowledge of God without Christ and except he be glorified But to consider these wordes more norrowlie hee sayeth This is life to knowe thee to bee the onelie true God not onelie to knowe thee to bee God but to knowe thee to bee the onelie God that is to put a difference betwixt thee and the Idole gods of the Gentiles This excludeth not the Sonne and the holie Spirite but hee respecteth the time for before the comming of CHRIST the Gentiles were not called but the worlde was full of Idoles and men were blinded with errour and ignorance Nowe see what is life there are manie that will speake of life euerlasting and yet they knowe not what it meaneth Life euerlasting standeth in a sight and in a knowledge if thou be ignorant thou shalt neuer gette life It standeth in the light of the mind thou art full of darknesse and that darknesse must bee out and light must come in ere thou gettest life But it standeth not in the knowledge of euery thing many one seeketh knowledge but run where thou wilt to seeke knowledge if thou seest not him who is the Fountaine of life from whome all life floweth thou knowest nothing I meane not of a bare knowledge for if thou haue no more it shall not auaile thee but with the knowledge thou must haue faith in thine heart to drawe out life out of the Fountaine of life Who is the Fountaine of life It is the Father of Iesus Christ who is the Fountaine of all life the life which the Sonne himselfe hath commeth out of that Fountaine as Christ himselfe confesseth in the fifth Chapter of this Gospel The Father hath giuen to the Sonne to haue life in himselfe Then all the life of the Angels and all the life of the creatures and all our life spirituall or naturall floweth out of that Fountaine So except a man or woman get a sight of the Father and of the Lord Iesus they cannot gette life Lord if it bee not a great thing to gette a sight of him For as the Apostle sayth to Timothie Hee dwelleth in a light that hath none accesse That deepnesse of light which hee dwelleth in is wonderfull yea incomprehensible and there is no knowledge of the Father without the Sonne if thou seest not the Sonne thou shalt neuer see the Father and so thou shalt neuer see life Awaye with that dreame of the Iewes and
leadeth vs in the way of trueth and verity We are all out of the way till he leade vs in the way of saluation There is neuer man nor woman who is not naturally full of vanity and his heart full of lies no trueth chiefly in the way that leadeth to life and saluation The spirit of errour occupieth naturally the heartes of men and women vntill this blessed Spirite enter into their heartes The name is to bee marked First hee is called the Comforter Secondlie the Spirit of trueth The one of these is the cause of the other And the Spirite of GOD is the Comforter and ministreth comfort to the soules of men and vvomen because hee is the Spirite of veritie For Brethren this knowledge of God is the grounde of all comfort and vvithout the knowledge of our saluation there is no comfort in this life When the Spirite of God entereth into the soule of a man or woman he first beginneth to let the creature see the sinfulnesse that lieth in nature the miserie death and damnation that followeth on sinne The first knowledge we can haue is to knowe vvhat we are by nature So the first worke of the Spirit of Veritie is when he letteth a man or woman see that hee is but sinfull and dead vnder sinne The second point of knowledge that the Spirite vvill leade thee vntill hee vvill let thee see mercy in thy deliuerance from sinne and death The best sight that euer a miserable creature sawe and the ioyfullest this sight vvill bee accompanied vvith such a ioy as the heart of man cannot expresse As the sight of sinne was heauy so this sight of grace mercy in Iesus Christ is sweet yea the ioyfullest sight that euer the creature got The third point of knowledge he vvill leade thee vnto is hee vvill let thee see the vvay howe thou shouldest meete that mercifull God and vvhat shoulde bee thy duety for such a mercifull deliuerance If any man or vvoman haue this Spirit of Verity he must see these three things and if they see not these three they vvist neuer what vvas the Spirite of Verity Looke vvhat followeth on these three sights all the ioye in the vvorlde the heart vvist neuer vvhat ioye vvas vvhile then If one had all the riches in the vvorlde all the pleasures in the vvorlde if they vvant the Spirite they vvant that true ioye in death in life hee that vvanteth that Spirit can haue no ioy vvhen death commeth to him and the vvorld leaueth him how can he reioyce no he cannot So vvouldest thou haue ioye and chiefely in the houre of death and that is a sad houre when the vvorlde is leauing thee and thou leauing it for thou must leaue it Get this blessed sight and this Spirite of Verity and hee shall vvorke comfort in thy soule both in thy life and in the houre of death Now againe the second time he aggreageth this benefite for the benefite of the soule cannot bee aggreaged enough before he aggreageth it in that it should abide vvith them for euer Now he aggreageth it from the condition of the vvorld and hee sayth Hee is such a Spirit that the worlde cannot receiue The aggreaging of this benefite to the soule is by opposition to the vvorlde The vvorld sayth the Lord receiued not this Spirit of Verity vvhom yee shall receiue It hath a great force the Spirite of GOD vvhen hee vvoulde amplifie the grace that the Chosen gette in the vvorlde vseth to sette downe a grace opposite to the worlde vvho getteth not this grace but in place of it getteth miserie So in the threescore Chapter of Esay and the twelfth Verse hee sayeth The Lord shall rise vp and make the beames of his mercie to shine vpon his owne Hee setteth not downe this simplie but to let them see the greatnesse of the benefite hee subjoyneth an opposition And darknesse sayeth hee shall couer the Earth and grosse darknesse the people but the Lord shall rise vp to shine vpon thee with the beames of that his mercy and his glory shall bee seene vpon thee This is done that the godly should see the greatnesse of the mercy of God towards them One contrary will make another the better to be knowne Brethren wee see this all the aduersaries vse this argument against vs Your Kirke is contracted in little boundes and your Profession is but narrow and fewe imbrace it where yee finde one who professeth as yee professe ye will find an hundreth who contemne your Doctrine So say they because the multitude imbraceth it not it is not the true Light But these wordes condemne them The Lord sayeth The vvorlde cannot receiue the Spirite of Veritie They say The vvorlde must receiue the Spirite of Veritie or else it is not the Spirite of Veritie So to ende this Wee must bee so farre from that to count the lesse of this blessed Light and of these whome the Lord vsed as instrumentes after hee had taken them out of the darke Kingdome of the Antichrist to make this Light shine like the Sunne that euen by the contrary wee must count the more of it And it is an argument that it is the Trueth because the Lord will not communicate it with the multitude And woe is the soule that neuer saw this Light Precious thinges are but rare The more pecious a grace bee euermore since the beginning of the worlde it is the rarer No man getteth this Light communicated to them but those secret ones whom the Lord hath chosen And we one day shall blesse this Light that euer we saw it The worde is to bee marked The worlde cannot receiue him This worde importeth that the fault wherefore the worlde receiueth not this Spirite is not in the Spirite but the fault is in the vvorlde it selfe vvho vvanteth the hand and so neither will nor can receiue such a grace The Lord in his worde offereth to all men indifferentlie this Spirite and as it were by his vvorde knocketh at the heartes of men and women to receiue such a guest There is none of vs who heareth this glorious Euangel but the Lord knocketh at the doore of his soule to take in this Holy Spirit to dwell with him But looke howe hee is answered All receiueth not this Spirit and all hearts are not opened to take him in yea very fewe there bee who take in this Spirite in their heart when they heare this Euangel Take heed there is no grace nor welfare without this Spirit and howe can the heart bee glad without him Yet they are few who get him To speak the trueth There is no man nor woman who is naturally borne to receiue this Spirit of God The naturall man sayth Paul is not capable of the thinges that are of God 1. Cor. 2.14 So by nature all men and women are alike Then who maketh the difference sayth Paul to the Corinthians What hast thou that thou hast not receiued 1. Cor. 4.7 Then if there bee a
the like whereof thou neuer sawest euen the illumination of the soule So he dwelling and working within thee thou shalt know him Our Lesson is Dwell with vs who so will and let vs dwell with whome wee vvill in this worlde and if it were with Kinges and wee dwell not with the Spirite of CHRIST and hee dwell not into vs againe vvee are but miserable in our dwelling So let men looke what euer they bee doing that the Spirite of CHRIST bee with them sleepe they vvake they goe they to their bedde looke that hee bee with them And in one worde looke that hee bee a companion with thee for otherwayes and thou hadst all the vvorld with thee thou art but a miserable solitary body The wordes following I will not leaue you Fatherlesse but I will come to you It is the same thing in effect hee spake of before to confirme them I will not leaue you like Fatherlesse Children And man wanted Father and Mother and all his Kinne and all moyen worldly look how precious a thing it is to haue the Spirit of Christ and hee were casten out into the Wildernesse and he haue the Spirit of God hee is not alone hee wanteth not a good guide in this worlde the Spirit of Iesus is with him and hee shall loue him that in the greatest dangers in the worlde hee shall saue him and suppose hee lose his life hee shall get a better life and suppose hee haue a battell hee shall triumph and suppose hee die and the body bee dissolued into dust the Spirit shall not leaue the dust till hee lift vp the body and place it in the Heauen Dauid Psal 146. vers 5. sayeth Blessed is he who hath the God of Iaakob for his helpe vvhose hope is in the Lord his God It followeth not thou hast not a Father therefore God will bee thy Father or thou wantest a Mother therefore God will bee thy Mother It will not followe It will not bee vvant that will make GOD to bee thy Defender this must bee that Dauid sayeth Ere euer GOD bee the GOD of the Fatherlesse the Fatherlesse must hope in him and the Widdow must leane to him Woulde the Stranger and the Fatherlesse haue God with them let them leane vpon God and the Heauen shall fall ere this leaning stocke fall Our hope must bee in God Now on the other part Brethren this riseth on these vvordes Let a man haue his Father and his Mother and all the vvorld yet vvant he this companion the Spirit of Christ to accompany him to goe with him hee is euer Fatherlesse And hee were a King and hee were riding in the middest of his troupe and Gunnes and Canons about him hee is but solitary and Fatherlesse and vvithout a Guarde and a preye to the Deuill and to his enemies Experience teacheth vs this in all ages the greatest men haue fallen down miserably vvho vvanted this Spirit to be their guarde In one vvorde Let all the vvorlde guarde a man and GOD guarde him not hee hath no guarde All thinges are nothing vvithout GOD and GOD is all thinges As yee vvould bee saued in this life and in that life to come neuer rest night nor day vvithout yee finde the companie of this Spirite and say and it vvere but this vvorde vvhen yee rise LORD let thy Spirit rise vvith mee and accompany mee the vvhole daye and LORD let mee haue his blessed society that I may bee defended from mine enemies In this broken band should vvee not take vs to him vvho hath power to defende vs and should vvee not bee acquainted vvith him vvho vvill not leaue vs And seeing there is none of vs vvho findeth not in our selues a thousand vvantes and that vvee are subject to many dangers and seeing hee hath promised the presence of his Spirite to all vvho vvanteth and crieth for grace vve ought euery one in these troublesome dayes to seeke the presence of this Spirit to supplie all our vvantes To this Spirit vvith the Father and the Sonne bee all honour and glory for euermore Amen THE SIXT LECTVRE OF CHRISTES BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xiiii VERS 19.20 19 Yet a little while and the world shall see mee no more but yee shall see mee because J liue yee shall liue also 20 At that day shall yee know that I am in my Father and you in mee and J in you WEE heard Beloued in Christ the Lord beeing shortly to leaue this worlde and to take his bodily presence from it and from his Disciples hee not onely comforteth them against that time but hee exhorteth them to doe their duety in his absence The first exhortation was to fayth Belieue mee sayeth hee that I am in the Father and the Father in mee The seconde was to the keeping of his Commaundementes The argument was first in keeping his Commandementes they should testifie before the worlde that they loued him in his absence None loueth the Lord Iesus in his absence but they who striue to keepe his Commandements till his comming The next was a mouing argument If they should keep his Cōmandements he should recompense his absence and whereas when hee was present with them he was their Comforter if they should keepe his Commandements in his absence hee should send them another Comforter out of the Heauens who should abide with them He calleth him the Spirit of Trueth whom the worlde could not receiue because it knew him not nor saw him not but they knew him because they were familiar with him Then hee maketh a farder promise to them that the Spirit should be in an higher measure present with them after his Ascension than euer hee was before his Ascension Then hee repeateth this same promise in other wordes and hee sayeth I shall not leaue you comfortlesse but I shal returne againe to you Not as hee shall come in the daye of judgement but in his Spirit and in his power So if yee marke well yee will see the Lord hath promised three times his Spirite to comfort them and to abide with them First he said That he should pray the Father and he should giue them another Comforter Secondly That that Spirit should bee into them Thirdly That that Spirit should not leaue them In the beginning of the Text wee haue read hee repeateth the fourth time the same promise in effect Yet a little while and the world shall not see mee but yee shall see mee That is in my Spirit and in that Spirite yee shall see mee more effectually than euer I vvas of before during the time of my bodily presence What meaneth this oft repetition of the promises of the Spirit Had it not bene enough once to haue promised this Spirit Brethren it is an hard matter for sinners to receiue comfort to miserable creatures to look for grace or mercy they will be casten in such perplexitie difficulty that in a maner they will see no outgate all the words in the world will
word is as Peter saith 1. Epist. Chap. 2. vers 1.2 This place letteth vs see that it was not onely a part of the trueth that was committed to the Ministerie they receiued not an imperfect doctrine but the whole Mysterie of saluation was reuealed and laid before them and that which they receiued they deliuered againe faithfully Paul saith Act. 20. vers 27. I haue not hid any thing from you but I haue showne you the whole counsell of God And whatsoeuer thinges the Apostles preached in the world with their mouth all in effect and substance they wrote with their hands to the weale of the Kirke and there is not one point which either concerneth Gods glory or mans saluation but in effect we haue it registrated in the Olde and New Testament Away with the vnwritten verities whatsoeuer was preached all is registrated to the weale of the people And If all the Apostles were this daye preaching they woulde not preach one worde in effect but that which wee haue already registrated I will affirme that before God the holy Spirite will not teach any thing to the heart but that which is written in the Old and Newe Testament Yea more true fayth will drinke in none other thing but that which is within this compasse of the worde and if thou drinkest in any other thing than this I affirme before God thou neuer hadst true fayth Let no Spirit bee pretended to this let no fayth be pretended to this Away with those Papists who commend so highly the vaine traditions of men and vnwritten verities they haue no true fayth It is only the Spirit who leadeth vs in all verity Then he giueth them the reason Because that Spirit shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoeuer hee shall heare that shall hee speake As if hee had said Yee will credite me and I assure you that Spirite will speake nothing but that which hee hath receiued of mee Whatsoeuer the Spirite of God teacheth the world while as hee is in the Heauen hee receiueth it out of the mouth of Iesus Christ And farder whatsoeuer thing the Lord spake during the time he was in the world hee receiued it out of the mouth of the Father Looke this harmonie of teaching among the glorious persons of the Trinitie He saith not one thing and he another as men doe The Father beginneth and hee speaketh then the Sonne speaketh the same and the holy Spirit speaketh nothing but that which the Father and the Sonne haue spoken Looke the worde and decreet of our saluation It is a conclusion giuen out by all the three persons of the Godhead If it bee so certainly the worde of the Gospel of Iesus Christ it must be a thing of great authoritie For that decree which is laide in the Kings Counsell hath a great authoritie among the Subiectes and the worde of the Counsell is greater than the word of the King only If this be among Kinges in the earth of what authority should this be that commeth from the decree of the glorious Counsell of that blessed Trinitie in respect whereof all the Kinges of the earth are but drosse Nowe would to God the heartes of men could see this great authority of this worde So this worde must craue a great fayth The King would be angry if his decree were not credited then what judgement shall abide vs wormes if wee belieue not the decree of the glorious Trinitie I saye this before God The contempt of the Gospel of Iesus Christ bringeth on with it the heauiest iudgement in the worlde And if such a contempt of the worde in this Land continue an heauy iudgement no question shall light vpon them who haue not credited such a decree Iohn 12. vers 44. Therefore seeing the word of the Gospel is of such authoritie let all men who would see Heauen striue to belieue it in their hearts or else if they belieue not an heauie judgement shall ouer-take them let them beware In the ende of the vers hee bringeth in more particularly what the Spirit shall teach Hee saieth Hee shall shew you the thinges to come that is The thinges which shall followe after my departure mine ascension and glorification the thinges which were acquired by his death and applied by his resurrection as remission of sinnes justification and life eternall hee shall teach you them inwardlie and hee shall seale them vp into your heartes For after the Lord had suffered in the earth then grace came downe then remission of sinnes came downe that free righteousnesse of Christ came downe and life euerlasting came downe as also extraordinarie gifts came downe as the gift of Prophesie the gift of healing of working of miracles of speaking sundry languages c. for why when the Lord Iesus was filled with glory of that fulnesse the members heere in the earth receiued their part and grace for grace came downe as it was prophesied Hee went vp on high and led captiuitie captiue and gaue giftes vnto men And all these things gaue he by the holy Spirit illuminating the mind and working powerfull in the heart for other wayes what auaileth it to haue remission of sinnes life glory and happinesse for euer effected Except the Spirit of Iesus Christ accompany the word illuminate and mollifie the heart all shall bee of none auaile Therefore againe I bid you as yee would liue striue to feele that Spirite working into you Now in the next vers hee taketh vp summarily the effect of all that the Spirit shall teach them He shall glorifie me What is it the Spirit is doing and what is it wee are doing and whereto is all this preaching All is to glorifie Christ If thou bee not an instrument to glorifie Christ Iesus thou shalt haue no part of glorie with him He giueth the reason wherefore the Spirit shall glorifie him Because the thing hee shall shew you hee shall haue it in commission from me If the speaches of an Ambassadour be not to the honour of his Prince hee is but a Traitor The Sonne was sent as an Ambassadour from the Father therefore hee glorified the Father as he speaketh Chap. 17. vers 7. So the holy Spirit is sent from the Sonne therefore hee speaketh all to the glory of the Sonne But this would be well vnderstood how the Spirit of Christ glorifieth Christ vpon the earth Who giueth the Spirite who seeth him or who heareth his voyce How then glorifieth the Spirit the Lord The Spirit glorifieth the Lord Iesus by the Ministerie of the Gospel and by the mouthes of simple men thinke of them as yee will except by the mouthes of men yee shall neuer finde the Spirit glorifying the Sonne seeke where yee will If wee speake anie thing wherein God is not glorified say wee are but liars and the Spirit of Christ is not into vs. If wee begin to speake of Purgatorie and of the merites of men of intercession of Sainctes saye wee are but lyars If wee drawe you from
that onelie merite of Christ saye that the Spirit of God speaketh not by vs but the spirite of Antichrist for heereby are the spirites discerned hee that teacheth Christ onelie speaketh by the Spirit of Christ but hee who teacheth anie thing besides Christ hath the spirit of the Antichrist 1. Ioh. 4. vers 2.3 And this is the spirit that teacheth the Pope and his Clergie and therefore goe away from them or else yee will bee deceiued and one day yee shall see this justified and this day yee should heare with your eares the Lord crying Away out of Babylon as thou wouldest bee safe and see Heauen I haue cryed this oftentimes It might haue beene saide Shall not the Spirit reueale that doctrine hee hath receiued of the Father Hee meeteth that now and saith Whatsoeuer things the Father hath are mine Marke this It appeareth verie well out of this place that the holy Spirit is sent immediatelie of the Sonne and that he hath his direction of the Sonne our Sauiour this may comfort vs indeed the Father sendeth him but by the Sonne and therefore it is saide Hee shall sende him in my Name and againe Whom I shall send from the Father Now that which I speake of the Spirit of Iesus Christ I vnderstand it of the Apostles and of all the faithfull Ministers in the Kirke Wee haue all our commission immediatelie from our Lord Iesus Christ so the silliest Minister that is faythfull hath not his calling from the Father immediatelie but from the Sonne Ephes Chap. 4. vers 11. Hee therefore gaue some to bee Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelistes and some Pastours and some Teachers And Paul speaking of himselfe calleth himselfe the Apostle of Jesus Christ and he addeth to by the will of the Father whereby hee telleth vs that hee was sent immediatelie from the Sonne and mediatelie from the Father What is the grounde of this The Father hath giuen his Sonne all power in Heauen and in Earth hee hath kept nothing from him All thine is mine as it is said in the next Chap. vers 10. And vpon this it commeth to passe that the holie Spirite commeth immediately from the Sonne and all the Apostles and Ministers in the Kirke are immediately from him and euen now hee sitteth like a King at the right hande of the Father I speake not this as if I affirmed that the Father had put off all power from himselfe wee must not thinke so no no for afterwardes hee saith All mine is thine so this hurteth not the Father And therefore these thinges which are giuen to the Sonne remaine in the Fathers handes But the Sonne is the Store-house of all grace and when the Father would giue grace hee taketh it out of the treasure of the Sonne and giueth it to vs by the hand of the Sonne The Father hath his glorie the Sonne hath his glorie and the holie Ghost hath his glorie but wee glorifie the Father as the Fountaine of all benefites the Sonne as Mediatour and the holie Spirite as our Sanctifier and wee giue them all one equall glorie amongst themselues because they are equall in Glorie and Majestie Therefore let vs glorifie the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost in this blessed Trinitie who liueth and reigneth world without ende Nowe to goe forwarde After hee hath fore-warned his Disciples of his departure and hath comforted them against that time promising that after his departure they should receiue the Comforter to wit the holie Spirite and therefore hee hath spoken much of the holie Spirite that shoulde come vnto them Nowe in these wordes hee continueth on in the same purpose and hee fore-warneth them of his departure and hee sayeth A little while and yee shall not see mee meaning that hee was to depart out of this worlde Then hee comforteth them in the next wordes Againe a little while and yee shall see mee meaning that after his departure hee should come againe in his Spirite and by his Spirite hee should giue them his presence and hee giueth the reason of this his presence for saieth hee J goe to my Father that is I am to passe vp to the Heauen and am to bee glorified and the Heauen shall not containe my glorie but it shall come downe to the Earth my Spirit wherewith I shall be filled shall come downe to you For albeit that Christ merited by his death all benefites to vs yet they come not to vs but by vertue of his Resurrection Ascension and Glorification for hee merited all thinges to vs as a Priest humbled on the earth but hee communicateth to vs the benefites which hee merited as a glorious King Nowe Brethren yee may see this of these wordes That the LORD hee neuer taketh his presence from his owne altogether if hee will take awaye his bodilie presence as indeede presentlie wee haue not his bodilie presence hee will recompence it with his spirituall presence for this is a sure thing The Godlie heere on the Earth cannot want some sight of CHRIST they cannot liue without some presence of IESVS CHRIST No there cannot bee a Kirke without some presence of him For first Howe is the Kirke made heere vpon the Earth Who maketh the separation Who but IESVS CHRIST Hee letteth such a number haue his presence and sanctifieth them by his holie Spirite and so maketh a Kirke And if there were not a continuance of his presence the Kirke coulde not stande There is not a member of the Kirke that coulde stand in holinesse if it pleased the LORD to withdrawe his presence Wee haue holinesse not of our selues but of the Spirite of the LORD IESVS CHRIST and if hee withdraw his Spirit from vs wee would become as prophane as the most wicked of this worlde So all our grace and all our standing commeth of the Spirit of Iesus Then marke this By what vertue receiue wee the Spirit of Iesus and that presence of Christ by his Spirit Wee receiue it in a word by vertue of his glorious Resurrection Ascension and Glorification in the Heauens for nowe being in the Heauens hee is full of glorie All the Angels in Heauen are nothing comparable to him in glory the Heauens are not able to containe his glory Now the head being full of glory a portion commeth downe from him and in some measure glorifieth the members And as Iohn sayeth Of his fulnesse wee all receiue a part Chap. 1. vers 16. And to the Ephesians Chap. 4. vers 8. Hee passed vp to the Heauens and filled vs all with his grace and so by the passing vp of Christ to the Heauen wee receiue the holy Spirit Therefore when thou considerest the Resurrection and Ascension of Iesus Christ it should moue thee to take a triall whether thou hast gotten the fruit of his Resurrection and glorification to see if thou hast gotten his holy Spirite in some measure or the graces of his holy Spirite for the Apostles by his Resurrection and
the world But this is it that I meane That men euen liuing in the society of this worlde yet they should not liue as the worlde doeth they should separate their life from the society of the world Paul to the Philippians Chap. 2. vers 16. desireth them to liue like as many Lights Where Not in a backside but in the middest of this naughty and wicked generation bearing before them the word of life Thus should we liue as he sayth Philipp Chap. 3. vers 20. that while we be liuing we be Citizens in Heauen and howbeit our bodies be here that yet in the meane time our conuersation be in the Heauen and that we liue an Heauenly life as if we were not liuing in the Earth but in the Heauen with the Angels and with our Mediatour Now to goe forward shortly Hauing vsed this argument from their separation from the world in the next Vers he insisteth in it and of it he taketh the occasion of a new petition He hath prayed the Father to keepe his Disciples now he prayeth the Father to sanctifie them that is that as once the Father had begun to separate them from the world so he would continually separate them from the worlde till hee tooke them out of the worlde It is not enough to begin to bee sanctified that is to bee separated out of the world it is not enough once to begin to be holy but continually night and day wee must warble out of the pollution and filthinesse of this world and grow in holinesse of life and sanctification But wherewith shall they bee sanctified With the trueth It is the trueth of God in Iesus Christ that maketh man or woman holie Not euerie trueth maketh man or woman holie but the trueth of God in Iesus Christ who is the Way the Trueth and the Life This trueth is the worde of God which separateth thee from the world Well then it is the word that sanctifieth and maketh men and women holie for as the worde is the immortall seede whereby wee are borne againe so it is that sweete and sincere Milke as Peter sayeth whereby wee growe in him It is the worde that begetteth vs in him and maketh vs to growe on till wee see our Sauiour Wouldest thou begin to bee holy heare the word thou shalt neuer bee sanctified till thou heare the word Wouldest thou grow on here still that is the onlie meane that God hath appointed in this worlde Heare aye and grow on and at last thy glorie shall be perfected in Iesus Christ Brethren to mark somwhat here He prayeth that they may bee sanctified that is that more and more they may bee seuered from the world Then we must aye grow on in holinesse as ye reade in the Reuelation of Iohn Chap. 22. vers 11. Hee who is just let him bee just still and hee who is holie let him bee holie still c. Well it is a good thing to beginne to bee holie for he who beginneth truely to be holy he groweth on still Now the meane whereby we grow in holinesse is Prayer Ye see here the Lord he prayeth that his Disciples who were begun to be holy should grow on in holinesse and should be separated from the world So the speciall meane is Prayer Pray continuallie It is our sluggishnesse in prayer that causeth vs to want an holy hart and growth of that sanctification Wouldest thou be aye holy Pray euer If thou prayest not but loathest prayer thine holinesse shall faile Wouldest thou grow in holinesse Continue in prayer Now the instrument that maketh thee holy and that God hath ordained to take away the filth of thy nature and that the holy Spirit taketh in his hand as it were to wash away the pollution of thy nature is the word of Trueth As he vseth the meane of Prayer so he vseth the word of Trueth When the word of God is preached lay to thine eare to heare and pray still and heare on still How shalt thou heare In hearing pray that is when thou hearest the word of Trueth pray him that by the word of trueth he would sanctifie thee that is that by his holy Spirit that word may be effectuall in thy soule Say this wayes Now Lord as this is the only instrument appointed to sanctifie may soule and scoure away the corruption of my dead nature so let thine holy Spirit take it in his hand and conuoy it into my soule to sanctifie my soule Pray ay and heare euer and craue that the word may take effect to make thee holy When he hath made his petition to his Father to sanctifie and to separate his Disciples from the world and from the pollution of the world to this purpose he vseth one or two arguments in the words following The first is in these words As thou hast sent mee into the worlde so haue I sent them Father I haue sent them into the world therefore Father sanctifie them He declareth this by a comparison from himselfe As thou hast sent mee so haue I sent them Ye heard he made them like to himselfe in holinesse so now he maketh them like to himselfe in vocation It is a blessed thing to be like to Christ in many things And so by this likenesse with himselfe he recommendeth them to the Father The Disciples of Christ whom ye call the Apostles they were like Christ in calling and vocation The Lord Iesus was the great Apostle of our profession Hebr. 13. vers 11. and they were also sent by the will of the Father So they were in a manner like vnto him in calling and vocation but here is the difference The Lord Iesus was an Apostle immediately sent by the Father the Father sent him to the world immediately but the Apostles were not sent immediately by the Father but they were sent immediately by the Sonne The Lord Iesus as he was sent of the Father immediately so he sent his Apostles immediately yet at the will of the Father Looke the Epistles of Paul he calleth himselfe the Apostle that is the Ambassadour of Iesus Christ But how By the will of the Father So it fareth with the Pastors and Teachers in the Kirke of God No commission they haue from Iesus Christ but at the will of the Father As this is true that the Pastor or Teacher in the Kirke is immediately sent by the Sonne So it is true in al grace that commeth from Heauen to the Kirke all commeth immediately from the Sonne and not from the Father Whatsoeuer grace it be as vocation justification sanctification and life euerlasting or whatsoeuer gift it be all commeth immediately from the Sonne as in the fourth Chap. to the Ephes vers 10.11 where he citeth the testimony of Dauid Hee passed vp on high meaning of Christ that is to the Heauens hee ledde captiuitie captiue and hee gaue giftes to men that is the Lord Iesus who was humbled being exalted to glory sendeth downe grace on his Kirke he