of Adams lost posteritie as he according to his purpose and pleasure of his will hath decreed to make partakers of the kingdome of glory according to the election of grace before the foundation of the world and therefore in the fulnesse of time sent him into the world and as it were planted him in the graue who by and by Math. 28. within the space of three dayes like a liuely root sprang vp and rested not till his top mounted vp to heauen and till his branches were spread to the vtmost ends of the earth till the Gospell was preached to the most remote regions vnder the Sunne euen to the Scythians Sauromatans Aethiophians Persians and Indians and within a short space after CHRISTS ascention which may seeme wonderfull not only the Roman * Empire Tertull. adversus Iudaeos cap. 7. 8. Sed Brittanorum loca Romanis in accessa Euangelio Christi subdita sunt but euen those places of Britain speaking of Scotland which the Imperiall sword was neuer able to vanquish or subdue are now vanquished become subiect vnto the Gospell of CHRIST but this shall yet seeme more wonderfull if we shall but consider those that haue vanquished both the Roman Empire and those whom the Roman Empire could not conquer and what sort of men they were SOPHRONIVS Patriarch of Ierusalem tels vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our fishers saith he our Publicanes and that tent maker speaking of St PAVL hath constrained all nations all people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to imbrace the Lawes of CHRIST crucified and yet the manner how this was done how this conquest was made is most wonderfull of all for it was done non pugnando not by fighting sed patiendo but by suffering suffering of tortures of chaines of imprisonings and of death it selfe and the more their sufferings was the greater their persecution was the larger was their victories for their blood was the seed of the Church and the more abundantly that it was sowne the Lord did reape the greater haruest of true beleeuers to bee ingraft in him that is their euerlasting stock and roote which neuer shall be consumed by time Two feets of grafts The branches or grafts are twofold externall and internall as to the first all the members of the visible Church entred into a profession of Christ externally baptized with water but not with the holy Ghost may be called externall members or grafts But this kinde of graft will suffer an amputation or cutting off and will come within the presinke of that Rom. 11.22 If thou remaine not in his bountifulnesse thou shall also bee cut off for they haue not the sop of grace ministred vnto them from the stocke of life but are as dead-trees hauing leaues without fruit 2. Tim. 3.5 I meane good fruit they haue fruit indeed but it is labrusca non vua some sower or hedge grape not good to eate but no sweet grape Like that which grew in Baal-hamon 8. Cant. 11. Howsoeuer it hath a faire shew like gawdie flowers among the corne yet fitly it may bee compared to Sodoms apples outwardly faire but rotten inwardly to that which glisters like gold but when it is touched is found to bee but copper but most properly to ESAV who did lye in the bellie with IACOB borne and brought vp in IZACKS house which for the time was the Church of God marked with the same Sacrament of circumcision too but because he proudely dispised grace was rejected so shall it stand with all those that shall bee baptized in the true Church and remaine not in Gods bountifulnesse neither shall it auaile them any thing that by an externall forme of ingrafting they haue beene joyned to the societie of the visible Church But by the contrary it shall stand as an evidence in that blacke roule and register of a bad conscience against them and most justly shal it make them to be punished with double stripes because they knew their masters will and did it not The internall grafts are of those that beside their externall ingrafting and entering in the visible Church by the Sacrament of Baptisme are also internally ingrafted by the holy spirit and the baptisme with fire in this roote IESVS in such a firme manner and condition that Christ is in them and they in Christ they are ingrafted by Gods right hand grounded in faith rooted in charitie watered by the word of Gods ministerie digged and manured by the discipline of Magistrates and in euery manner of good worke brings forth a plentifull vintage of good and sweete grapes which are pressed in a contrite heart raised vp to a liuely and confident thankefulnes And as wine is cōmonly knowne by the tast and colour so is this too For its taste is a good conscience within its colour is a holy conuersation without These grafts may say with the Apostle Now we liue yet not we any more Gal. 2.20 but Christ liueth in vs. They haue in them the same minde that was in IESVS and this is a faithfull witnesse an vnfallible argument vnto them of their vnion with Christ and that they are ingrafted in him and by the contrary seeing contraries must bring forth contrary sequels those that are not ruled quickned by the spirit of Christ are not ingraft in this roote neither haue they as yet any vnion or conjunction with him and so the Apostle Rom. 8.9 Rom. 8.9 tels vs If any man haue not the spirit of Christ the same is not his Not assuredly for those that are not ruled by this spirit they cannot chuse but wander and goe astraying walking after the flesh by which they cannot be absolued from judgement from Tophet and adjudged vnto everlasting life and thus much for the stock and grafts And now I come to the manner of ingrafting which is twofold A twofold ingrafting secret and manifest secret in Gods eternall counsell for before the foundation of the world was layed and long before that man was created God knew his owne children and by inserting their names in the booke of life did eternally and before all time ingraft them in this stocke and roote CHRIST IESVS their redeemer Secondly it is manifest and done in time but spiritually wrought by the holy Ghost who creating faith in our hearts makes vs to goe out of our selues transire in Christum transport our selues into Christ and so to relye vpon him that by his spirit wee are quickned by his light wee are illuminated and by the continuall furniture of his grace we perseuere and increase in spirituall strength and courage and so liues in him that wee die in our selues Zach. 4. and to the world In the 4. of Zachar. As euery lampe of the golden Candlesticke hath its owne pipe thorow which these two Oliues which stand with the ruler of the whole world Simile emptie themselues in the gold so euery member of the Church of CHRIST receiueth grace from that
the Law that which should be abolished but the Gospell glorious and that which remaineth that vnder the law the Iewes did onely see but thorow a vaile but we in our Church vnder the Gospell behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord with open face O vnthankfull Gentiles O ingratefull Christians and O most ingratefull England of all the Christians in the world for howsoeuer that other Nations may pretend some excuse yet surely O England thou is vnexcusable especially these 60. yeares in which this sunne of the glorious Gospell hath continually without ecclipse shined in thy Horizon and still doth runne his circular motion and yet neuerthelesse what is the darknesse in which wee doe not walke Alas I meane what iniquitie doe we not drinke in like water What is the vanity after the which we doe not seeke And what is that grace of GOD which wee turne not into wantonnesse Especially leauing at this time all other things this glorious Gospell this spirituall Manna this heauenly food the plentie whereof produceth nothing but a loathing of the same except it be most rarely cook'd in and garnished with humaine conceites to satisfie your daintie appetites when it is cooked to you after this manner which is a sort of Preaching too much vsed in this Land and deserueth more discommendation yet are yee contrary to all other creatures vnder the sunne that grow the fairer the fatter and the better too the more choise diet they feede on as for example when trees are remoued to a more fertile soyle they will spread further and be more fertile then before when cattell are put into a better pasture they will be of a greater growth and labour better too But it is not so with vs No for after never so learned a sermon there will be both disliking liking of it but this liking tendeth not to retaine the principall parts thereof in our memories and to practise the same in our liues and conuersations No No but onely a liking that the Preacher did well and that he is a good Scholler and this is all and if it bee so it is much too But O Lord I pray thee that giueth both the will and the deed to thy people to bestow vpon them new hearts to renew within their bowels a right spirit that they may apprehend thy bountifulnesse toward them and magnifie thy Name for such plentifulnesse of thy word sowen amongst them in regard whereof many Nations like a Forest stands not put to tillage and for such light in thy glorious Gospell in respect whereof many yea almost all people are but conducted by the Moone which I beseech the O Lord neuer to extinguish neuer O Lord to let the Sunne of thy Gospell in this Land set so long as the Sunne and Moone endure Fifthly the Church is taken among Christians for the whole body and assembly of the Elect and of those that GOD by the way of sanctification hath predestinated to bee the heyres of the Kingdome of glory and this Church is composed of three sorts of The Church of the Elect composed of three sorts of men people first of such as were vpon the earth but now are not because their soules and their bodies are sundred their bodies till the day of judgement are committed to the graue where they must returne vnto the earth out of which they were taken but their soules are conjoyned with CHRIST in heaven which one day shall bee reunited againe to their bodies and magnifie God both in body and soule and this is called The triumphant Church because the members thereof haue ouercome by the good fight of Faith powers principalities and spirituall wickednesse in this life and now in that other life which is much better then this they tryumph and haue receiued albeit not fully the fruits of their labour and GOD hath giuen them beautie for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning and the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heavinesse Secondly this Church of the Elect is composed of men that are vpon earth presently aliue fighting against sinne Sathan the world and their owne corrupt affections making their Election sure vnto themselues by well doing but or it bee long shall be no more and this is the Militant Church the members whereof are visible as men but not as members of this Church and elect men because Election is not discerned by the eye but charitably presumed on by faith and good workes which are inseparable companions as the Sunne and light fire and heate water and aliquiditie so that if a man want good workes wee may boldly say hee hath no faith but wee dare not affirme for all this that hee is not a vessell of Election because Election is a thing which God hath reserved to himselfe yea it is altogether vnknowne to a man himselfe it runneth so secretly vntill the time that by his internall vocation God make it manifest and knowne to him so that when I see a prophane man a persecuter an vnfruitfull tree I may say and that with reason that such a one hath no faith and as yet is not internally called but that God hath not elected him and will not call him it is a damnable presumption and to diue in the bottomlesse gulfe of GODS vnrevealed will and to fall within the compasse of that which our Saviour expresly dischargeth Math. 7.1 Iudge not that yee bee not iudged for with what iudgement yee iudge yee shall be iudged Thirdly this Church of the Elect is composed of such as are not but shall bee as are not yet borne but are in the counsell of GOD registrated and inrolled to bee borne to fight in his warre in future time and ordained to obtaine victorie This Church of the elect Foure names giuen to the Church of the elect hath many names in Scripture especially foure First in the 1. of Pet. the 2. chapter and 9. verse It is called a Chosen generation and herein is distinguished from all other Churches Distinguished from all other Churches First from the Church of the Heathen and Infidels which is generatio malignantium a Wicked generation Secondly from the Church of the Papists which is generatio Antichristianorum an Antichristian generation Revel 17. a great Whore arrayed in purple and scarlet gilded with gold precious stones and pearles sitting vpon many waters people multitudes Nations tongues and seaven Mountaines which raigneth over the Kings of the earth giving heed vnto Spirits of errour teaching Doctrines of Devils forbidding to marry and commanding to abstaine from meates which God hath created to bee received with giving thankes drunken with the blood of Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of IESVS I meane with the blood of many good Christians as Lyons in France called Waldenses from IOHN WALDVS as they call vs Calvinists from CALVIN whom their King to his immortall infamie and dishonour excited by the Papacie did most cruelly butcher with the blood
garment may be called a winters garment quia tegit because it covers vs. The second may be called a summers garment quia ornat because it adorneth vs and maketh vs fine The third may bee called a stand of armour quia protegit because it protecteth vs. And the fourth may bee called our Wedding garment because wee must not put it on till our Marriage day with the Lambe The first three garments may bee called our work a day suites because euery good Christian must put them on euery day so long as hee remaineth in this valley of teares here belowe But the fourth must bee called our holidayes suite because wee must not put it on till the weeke of our Pilgrimage in baca bee ended and the day of our appearance before GOD in Sion in that new Ierusalem in which no arrow can bee shot begin I returne to the first garment the garment of CHRISTS imputed Righteousnesse The first Garment Christs righteousnesse and our Saviour himselfe speaketh of it Revel 3.18 I counsell thee to buy of mee white rayment that thou mayest bee cloathed and that thine filthy nakednesse doe not appeare The Prophet Esay speaketh of this garment too but more plainly GOD hath cloathed mee with the garments of Salvation and covered me with the robes of Righteousnesse Esay 61.10 But what righteousnesse is this What righteousnesse this is Is it not the righteousnesse of his Diuine nature No for that is not communicable but the glory which hee will not giue vnto another What then Is it not the righteousnesse of his Humaine nature consisting in a perfect obedience of the morall Law No not that alone neyther for that alone were perbrene too short non vult tegere it will not cover vs from the frostie blasts of Gods wrath and from the fearefull winter tempests of his infinite Iustice What righteousnesse then I pray you A righteousnesse neuer imposed to Man nor Angell euen that righteousnesse which hee as our Mediator by fulfilling the singular law of a Redeemer hath purchased and acquired to the end that hee might communicate it and giue it freely vnto his Church for her justification by which shee is absolued from death whereunto by reason of sinne both originall and actuall she was subject and is adjudged vnto life And this is CHRISTS imputed righteousnesse wherewith hee first couers those that puts him on How it couers vs. euen our winters garment which is so perfect and so compleat that it covereth all our nakednesse from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foote both of body and soule for in both our Mediator suffered his blessed Head was crowned with thornes to satisfie for the proud Imaginations of our stout braines his sacred hands and feete which neuer offended were pierced with nailes of Iron to satisfie for the wicked deeds which wee haue done with our hands and runne to with our feet and alas daily by our sinnes wee draw him againe to the same torture and crucifie againe to our selues the Sonne of God and make a mockerie of him Heb. 6.6 Hee suffered the wrath of GOD in his soule so heauily as that both heauen and earth did stand amazed to behold it The Heauens did draw their curtaine and darknesse was vpon the face of the earth that they should see their maker in such paine the Sunne for shame would not looke vpon the Sonne of GOD in such a case the vayle of the Temple rent it selfe in two for griefe to see its Lord so dishonoured the Stones in the street did cleaue a sunder for woe to see that Stone refused of the builders which is the head of the corner And finally the Bodies of the dead rose out of their graues astonished to behold the Lord of life so troubled in soule that their soules might in joy perpetuall peace with GOD and be cloathed with the garments of his imputed righteousnes The second garment is a garment of Sanctification The second garment Sanctification Now wee are cloathed with this garment when like the Elect wee put on tender mercy kindnesse humblenesse of minde meeknesse and long suffering Col. 3.12 But specially when wee put on loue When it is put on 1. Thes 5.8 Or to say with St PETER When wee decke the hidden man of our heart with a quiet and meeke spirit 1. Pet. 3.4 This is our summers garment which adorneth vs and maketh vs fine this is that pure fine and shining linnen which is the righteousnesse of the Saints A garment not partie coloured as IOSEPHS was but made of many vertues and graces of IESVS CHRIST These are the badges and cognisances by which wee are knowne to bee his seruants and the putting on thereof is the putting on of Iesus Christ These are the graces by which the Holy Ghost translateth vs out of nature transformeth vs into the Image of the Sonne of GOD and maketh vs become one with our Redeemer When it is giuen vs. This garment and the former are both giuen vs at one time The former garment of CHRISTS imputed Righteousnesse defendeth vs from the fierie flames of Gods burning wrath This garment of Sanctification reformeth our corrupted nature renueth the same These 2. What it worketh garments both cures and couers our filthy nakednes they turne our sicknesse into health and our darknesse into light for whosoeuer putteth on IESVS CHRIST for righteousnes to Iustification puts him likewise on for holinesse to Sanctification So full of grace and vertue is the Lord that hee not onely by the merit of his sufferings pacifieth the wrath of God toward all those in whom hee is but likewise by this vertue sanctifieth them and by creating a new heart within their breast and a right spirit within their bowels maketh them new creatures changing them from one thing to another both in body and soule Act. 26. from sinne to sanctification from darknesse to light from death to life and finally from the power of Sathan to the power of God That is to Righteousnes Iustice and soberly to walke in this life in which except our sanctified carriage neyther is that compleat for man heere is but onely in a part sanctified otherwise hee were more then a man but is perfectly justified or else were hee no more then a sinner all things are not onely transitorie and vayne But vanitie it selfe The 3. Garment and its 3. names The third garment wherewith CHRIST cloatheth his Church and those that put him on is a suite of compleat armour hoc protegit this protecteth the Christian man against all the assaults of Sathan and maketh him stand out against all the invasions of his Spirituall enemies Sathan enuying this vnion betweene CHRIST and his Church endeuoreth incessantly to defile the members of the same to rent them a sunder and teare them in peeces sometime assaulting their Patience Iob. 1. Gen. 9.21 Gen. 19.33 2. Sam. 11.4 as he did IOBS sometime their
oile in our lampes into his chamber into the kingdome of heauen and in a word we must haue heauen in inchoation in this life if we will haue it in perfection after this life The 4. Circumstance Fourthly as there are mutuall gifts betweene two persons to be joyned in the honourable and vndefiled bed of marriage so is there betweene Christ and his Church Christs guifts to the Church twofold CHRIST giueth his first which are twofold for his Church and to his Church for his Church he sendeth to his father the gifts of his righteousnesse and meretorious satisfaction for her justification To his Church he sendeth the gifts of his mercy compassion of Election Predestination justification Vocation Sanctification and hope of Glorification The Church is not ingratefull The Churches guifts twofold but hath her two-fold gifts too Contrition and Thankesgiuing the first is a composition the second a simple without ingredients The ingredients whereof Contrition is composed The ingredients thereof Contrition is composed 〈◊〉 two are our sinnes and a godly sorrow for the same for the child of God a member of this Church and everie member of the same takes all their sinnes at least so many of them as they know and in a sorrowfull heart as in a morter beateth them so as they are borne downe in some measure yea in a great measure never riseth vp so high therafter and therof is Contrition composed made which is sent vp by deuout prayer and innumerable sighes which cannot be vttered whereof the Lord most willingly accepteth for the Sacrifices of the Lord are a contrite spirit saith DAVID Psal 51.17 A contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise The other gift Thankesgiuing Thankesgiuing the greatest gift which wee can giue vnto God is a simple and hath none ingredients But is a voluntarie a willing retribution of one good thing for another a sweet and a godly reioycing in the vndeserued mercies of God which is one of the greatest gifts which we can or are able to offer vnto God in which regard the Apostle exhorts vs alwaies in all things to giue thankes 1. Thes 5.18 Prayer and Thankesgiuing paralelled Prayer Thanksgiuing are two notable parts of diuine worship but of the two Thankesgiuing is the most heavenly and Angelike for in Prayer we respect our selues and haue regard vnto such things as wee desire to haue But by Thankesgiuing we retribute vnto God what is competent vnto him only regards his Divine essence Prayer againe properly pertaines to vs whilest we are in baca this valey of teares Et est egentium ac miserorum and belongs to wanting and miserable people But Thankesgiuing shall pertaine to vs when all teares shal be wiped from our eyes Et est angelorum ac glorificatorum and belongs vnto vs when we shall raigne like Angels and be joyned to the fellowship and societie of the glorified Church the spirits of perfect and blessed men that sings continually Praise bee vnto God and Glory to the Lambe that sitteth vpon the throne for evermore Fiftly there is a contract The 5. Circumstance a matrimoniall written and sealed in which it is contracted that God shall be out God and we shall bee his people that whosoeuer is wearie and laden Math. 11. that in comming to our redeemer he shall be eased and refreshed which is he shall be purged from all his sinnes in the blood of his Sauiour for in the 3. of St. Iohn 36. The blood of Christ purgeth vs from all sinne This contract is written by the Apostles the penmen of the holy Ghost that led them in all truth and veritie sealed with the blood of our Saviour and ratified by the blood of many a Martyr since both vnder the first and the second beast vnder the cruell Emperours and raging antichristian Popes The 6. Circumstance Sixtly as the procreation of children is necessarie in Earthly marriage so is it in this spirituall marriage In earthly marriage this was the blessing of God in the beginning Gen. 2.15 Increase and multiply Gen. 2.15 And without this there is often but little content in marriage when the Lord had promised to ABRAHAM twise the land of Canaan to be his buckler and exceeding great reward all was nothing there could be no true contentment because said he I goe childlesse But when IZACK was promised when the Lord told him that SARAH should beare him a sonne then ABRAHAM fell vpon his face and laughed Gen. 17.17 and when he was borne SARA confessed that the Lord had made her to rejoyce Gen. 21.6 * RACHELL was more impatient for in the 30. of Gen. 1. she would either haue children or die but when IOSEPH was borne she was content that God had taken away her rebuke And in the 1. of Samuel HANAH one of the wiues of ELCANAH did weepe because she was barren but when Samuel was borne she rejoyced and brake out in this glorious triumph mine heart reioyceth in the Lord mine horne is exalted in the Lord mine mouth is enlarged over mine Enemies 1. Sam. 2.1 Iust so there could be no peace if in this spirituall marriage the spouse should be barren and howsoeuer that in some earthly marriages for other respects there may be peace with barrennesse and loue too Yet in this spirituall marriage the procreation of children is of an absolute necessitie and must not cease nor leaue off till the consummation of the world neither shall the world subsist any longer then till the Church be barren for then the whole and full number of those whose names are written in the booke of life are brought out and come into the world and then shall the world end and not till then Who are our Father and mother in this spirituall Marriage Now our Parents in this spirituall marriage is Christ and Ierusalem the Church militating here below the procreation is made at the preaching of the Gospell by the operation of the holy Spirit and after this manner at one Sermon made by St. PETER Act. 2. there was 3. Thousand children procreated vnto Christ three thousand soules turned to the faith of IESVS and wheresoever this Gospell is preached or shall be preached the Church will never be barren because the Lord addeth daily vnto his Church such as should bee saved Act. 2. and in whatsoever place of the world there is any of those whose names are written in the booke of life for their cause conversion the Gospell shall be preached in that same place that piece that is called their hearts shall be disforested put to tillage and turned into a fertile field or a fruitfull garden and if there were but one elected Familie in a whole Citie the Gospell will come to that City for that one families vocation Luk. 19.1 as it did * to Ierico for the vocation of Zacheus and his familie and wheresoever