Common-wealth It was that the woman travailed for Rev. 12. She lives in the Pagan Empire and is pained as much to make it a Christian as she is pinched by it The strong argument of perswasion is that Christ by his death and resurrection hath judged the prince of the world and defeated him of all judgement He held a right in the world till Christ removed it Hee is a Father of all that hee murthered by his lie in Paradise and therefore challengeth a right in his children Christ to bee partaker with these children takes their flesh and by death subdues the murtherer and delivers them from bondage Hebr. 2.14 15. It is therefore good reason that the children should be subject unto him leave the lyer and live in conformity to the new Law of the Gospell The Spirits application of judgement It is just Satan should bee expulsed and cast out by Christ and hee confesseth against blasphemers that his command over Divels was executed and effected by the Spirit Matth. 12.28.29 He enters into the strong mans house and being stronger than hee bindes him and spoyles him of his possession Hee casts downe in us the strong holds of this adversary and brings us into subjection and obedience to Christ and his rule and regiment and for this end also must the Spirit descend and dwell with us Thus have we the sinne of disobeying the Gospell in want of faith righteousnesse and holinesse the use followeth The worlds insufficiency and danger First I looke upon the world and wonder at pride and arrogancie Men neither know their debt nor danger They see not the charge of the Law nor discharge of the Gospel They live as men set at liberty by their owne lusts They looke up and feare no account Faith they minde not neither doe they feele or finde any want of it to get them a discharge Insufficient to beleeve and yet confident all is paid Trusting they are righteous and yet scorne to be beholding to any for justification They will barter with God and by commutative justice give him as much as they receive They pleade innocencie and yet impleade holinesse They will be honest and yet hate sincerity But seeing the guilt is most where the Gospel is preached let vs see our professours and pry into their sufficiency Many we have lesse morrall than Turkes and more ignorant than Heathens of their owne Religion They heare the Gospel and understand nothing Better these men had lived Turkes than Christians in name to incurre all the guilt of the Gospel Others presume they have faith and never knew they wanted it They were never acquainted with the conviction of Gods Spirit whose office is first to perswade men they want faith in Christ before he worke it in them They would loath be such Infidels as once to know or acknowledge the time when they beleeved not Ever since they were borne they have had a good faith and they hope they shall dye so God helpe them by his Spirit to search their deceitful hearts and to change the time of their untimely beliefe and learne to know that the first of convictions is to finde faith wanting in the heart Either conviction of the wat must precede or the gift will never follow but this was touched before though never too much The Spirits sufficiency Second Vse is to see how well Christ hath left us not to an insufficient and deficient Teacher but to a compleate and perfect Doctour armed with all arguments of conviction to bring us from infidelitie to faith from condemnation to justification and absolution from all our sinnes from uncleannesse to holinesse and from the thraldome of Satan to the liberty of sonnes God bee blessed for his Spirit hasten his kingdome that we may bee prepared for Christ to reigne and rule in us when hee destroyeth the world and triumphantly having ended all his victories hee may bring us bodies and soules to his Fathers house Amen The Christians triall Third Vse Disobedience to the Gospel is a fearefull sinne and brings a fearefull end we may by degrees make sure our safety if wee search and seeke to climbe to heaven by these staires or staves in Iacobs Ladder Matth. 5.3 First gaine poverty of Spirit labour to bee an indigent begger Know thou hast nothing but what must come from Christ Secondly be sensible of thy povertie be no sturdie begger that will not stoupe and stirre from his flashes and flourishes in a bold and impudent seeking as if the giver were as much in his debt for the receit as hee will be in the givers for the gift Verse 4. learne thou to mourne and to grieve that ever it was thy hard hap to fall into such misery as to incurre Gods displeasure of all plagues the greatest greater than Hell it selfe Mourne to have that taken off more than any judgement Say not with Pharaoh take away the plague of my Land but the hardnesse of my heart Say with David take away the trespasse and for the rest say no more but this here I am Lord doe and deale with me as thou pleaseth Thirdly ascend yet higher and be possessed of a meeke spirit even to the Lord as well as to men A man may mourn and remaine stubborne and unbroken but verse 5. bee thou blessed with a meeke and milde heart Mourne till thou be meeked and tamed for the Lords use Fourthly raise up thy selfe to hunger and thirst verse 6. even for that righteousnesse that will satisfie thy meeke and mournefull spirit Empty thy selfe first with sorrow and subjection to Gods will and then bee assured thou shalt be filled Fiftly blesse thy selfe with a mercifull heart to others Say unto God if thou hadst mercy in store thou wouldst bestow it liberally say thou art so eager for it that it would doe thee good to see God in denying it thee to give it to others It is that above all thy hunger and thirst is bent upon and by the want of it thou knowest the worth value and price of so rich a commoditie Certainely it cannot be long before the Lord will reach mercy to thy heart that art so mercifull to others and even fill all thy desires verse 7. Sixtly having obtained mercy to pardon all thy sinnes and to justifie thy person forget not the third conviction in studying for holinesse gaine a pure heart for that will bring thee still nearer unto God to see him in his Ordinances in this world and in his glory in the world to come verse 8. Seventhly being at peace with God thy selfe become a peace-maker for others Study that all may be partakers of thy peace both with God and man verse 9. Eightly and lastly take in the last beatitude and thinke thou hast made no ill bargaine to suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake Thou thy selfe art at peace with heaven and earth and desirest warre with no man If they make warre with thee and falsely smite thee with their tongues be patient and
Apostle that Godlinesse is great gaine and surely a godly life is to be preferred before all good things about us VVhat can it advantage a man to be well for the world and ill and vile for himselfe He gaines nothing that wins the world with the losse of himselfe Very Ethnicks in their Ethickes have laid it downe for a rule that nothing is so good for a man as to live well Honour riches pleasures have their valuations in the world and they are the greatest markes men shoot at and straine their consciences to the highest But howsoever men give these their good word yet they will be wanting in the day of death when nothing but the gaine of godlinesse will profit us To purchase honour we make riches our servants and yet even this consisteth for the most part in the applause of the multitude which it may be will follow us in faire weather but will be sure to forsake us in the first tempest of misfortune and steere away before the Sea and wind leaving us to the rualice of our destinies Who would trust such an heard of Animals that please themselves with the noise they make without any true knowledge of the cause or the distinction of vertue and fortune Let the impious prosper and they shall be applauded and let the vertuous be unhappy and they shall bee despised Fortune raiseth up men to the horse and rideth them who when they are descended and on foot like other men and they and their fortune parted we shall see a bitter contempt spurne at the one with as great liberty as a base Groome dare presume to beat the other Who seeth not then the profit of Godlinesse to be preferred before all worldly advantages That skill must needes be the best which can teach a man to know himselfe and that gaine the greatest which is accoÌ„panied with the favour of God grace of Christ and comfort of the Spirit and which can made us blessed in this life and the life to come The Saints sufferings and Sinners sorrowes have coÌ„trary beginnings and contrary endings Their beginnings are known by their shortnesse their endings cannot be knowne for their Eternity A good man knowes the worst at the first and his very sorrow is turned into joy and his joy is unspeakeable and glorious but a wicked man knowes his best at the first and his joy is turned into sorrow and his sorrow is not to bee defined All that our Text can say of it is What shall his end bee Nay there is yet more both in their joy and sorrow It is not an alteration but a conversion A good mans sorrow is not onely changed and removed but converted into joy as the matter of it but the joy of the wicked is not onely taken away but made the matter of his future sorrow and oftentimes as an unknowne sorrow springs from an unknowne sin as we shall discover in a second Sermon The joy and woe of this world how great soever will saile out of sight and then death which pursues us and keepes us in chase will lay hold and fasten on our bodies as prises for wormes and leave our soules to a worse reckoning O what an extreame madnesse were it in the shipwracke of all worldly things where all sinkes but the sorrow to save that for another world What then remaines to him that all his life hath injoyed fortune for a servant and time for a friend but the heavy secret sad and severe thoughts of another life where neither Time nor Fortune shall favour him Happy are all those that have grace to value worldly vanities at no more than their owne price and by retaining the comfortable memory of a well-acted life can behold death without dread and the grave without feare and imbrace both as necessary guides to endlesse glory The sorrowes of this life are but of two sorts The one hath respect to God when we complain to him against our selves and for our offences count him just in all that wee suffer and to such sorrow Saint Paul hath promised blessednesse The other hath respect to the world when wee mutter to our selves against God anâ— complaine of him as if hee had donâ— us wrong either it not giving or taking away what we desire to have anâ— to hold forgettinâ— that humble and juâ—â— acknowledgment oâ— holy Job The Lorâ— hath given and thâ— Lord hath taken blessed be the Name of thâ— Lord. And such sorrow the Apostle â—ath threatned with â—eath Questionlesse hee â—s either a foole or a â—ebell that wil quarâ—ell with God in his â—avours or frownes A foole if he be ignorant whence blessings and crosses come a rebell if he know it and bee â—mpatient How meane soever our estate be yet is thâ— same farre greateâ— than that which Goâ— oweth us and hoâ— sharpe soever oâ—â— afflictions be yet thâ— same are farre lesâ— than those whicâ— are due unto us 〈◊〉 know impatience full of excuses anâ— wee say wee rathâ—â— murmure at thâ— hand than the power that beats us bâ— take heed lest like some foolish Curres whilst we bite the stone wee barke against the hand that threw it See God in all his chastisements and beare with patience for whatsoever the beginning is the end shall be happy To conclude My desire is to all and you in speciall for the acceptation perusall and Patronage of these Sermons It is but a small testimony oâ— my unfained observance of you and alâ— that love the truth And thus I take my leave and commend both you and yours to the God oâ— mercy and truth who guide comfort deliver sanctifie and preserve you all and fill you with the comforts of the blessed hope of the appearing of Iesus Christ Yours in the service of Iesus Christ to be ever commanded JOHN YATES The Authors advertisement WHEN the Philosopher spake soberly to the people Laert. in vita Diog lib. 6. they gave him no audience but playing the Minstrell multitudes flocked after him Poets and Poetizing prophets have presumed to preach and prophecie of our calamities and we like gracelesse men are well content to reade them and make merry with our owne miseries and to laugh at our owne misfortunes Wee are in just and God is in good earnest and in the end we shall know to our cost what it is to trifle with God God will bend us or breake us before either he cease smiting or wee smarting Bee afflicted Iam. 4.9 10. and mourne and weep let your laughter be turned into lamentation and your joy into heavinesse Humble your selves in the sight of God and he shall lift you up J have laboured in this Treatise to treade out a way before you and even from the Saints sufferings and Sinners sorrowes to giue you good counsell Now is the time to glorifie God in suffering and by the beginnings of judgements to shew our selves to be of Gods familie My Text is a Briefe of judgements both upon Gods house and
upon the haters of it and gives the true distinction of the beginning and end thereof That judgement that begins with Gods people fals heavily in the end upon their enemies J may seeme in the middle of this Treatise to forsake my Text to seeke out the Commentary but J shall intreat my Reader for a favourable exposition of my minde and meaning The Text toucheth the sinne that ought to bee taught with all exactnesse and therefore J to helpe my Reader the better have bent my strength the more to deale thorowly with it in all the branches J shall easily render my account and by that other Text cleare my selfe of all unnecessary digressions and unprofitable searches of such secrets as that place J now mention will allow me Ioh. 16.7 8. It is a truth that Christ insists upon that his departure is as expedient and necessary as his comming into the world He came into the world to redeeme it and hee leaves the world that his Redemption may be preached and applyed This application is the worke of the Spirit and by conviction is to be wrought upon the world The things of which the world is convinced are all Evangelicall and essentially differ from things legall First in commands the Law commands us to doe and live the Gospel to beleeve and live The Law bids us looke to our owne righteousnesse The Gospel to the righteousnesse of Christ The Law does charge us with holinesse according to our own righteousnesse The Gospel with holines according to the Spirit Which being more exact is the cause that it is so much spurned at and contemned by the world Legall purity is not persecuted like Evangelicall purity A man may bee a Pharisee and favoured by the world but a strict Christian is out of hope to farewell even by the best worldlings Persecution hath waited more upon the Gospel than the Law The light of the one is farre too cleare for worldly eyes to behold it Jt is strange with the world to deny it selfe and beleeve in another Jt is hard to forsake a morall righteousnesse and seek to be justified by another Who can indure to have Satan so judged in him as quite to forsake all Lawes as to live by the new Commandement This is a large difference of legall and Evangelicall commands yet let them be accursed that so farre set at oddes Law and Gospel as either like Iewes doe reject the Gospel to defend the Law or like Familists renounce the Law to maintaine the Gospel Love and no Law is the lewd learning of our new Gospellers Duty say they is not worth the name of a Christian that must doe all of meere love Loose love that likes of nothing but free will offerings Such licences are not granted by Law or Gospel They both agree in the command of our lives and yeeld us liberty to obey no licence to live as wee list The Law will send us to Christ and the Christian being justied will be sent backe againe by the Gospel to walke unblameably by the Law Legall comminations follow our workes and curse us for our deedes but legall comminations follow our saith and where that is wanting tell us wee are condemned and as sure to goe to hell as if wee were there already Legall promises of life depend upon our merits and tell us we shall bee rewarded for our well-doing But Evangelicall promises depend upon our faith and Christs merit and tels us it shall be onely well with us in him Sinnes wee have against the Law and every booke intreats of them Sinnes wee have against the Gospel and it were well every Writer would in these dayes insist upon them J have ventured farre into their discourse and wish all Christians by the example of the Iewes in my Text to take heed of them There is one thing will bee admired at both for the Method and matter how J come to speake so much and in such a manner of the glorious kingdome of the blessed Trinitie My answer will be speedy having granted me the Commentary for my Text. The holy Ghost comes in the absence of Christ and by applying his redemption administers first in the kingdome of God taking possession of those subjects that God the Father hath chosen and whom JESVS Christ hath redeemed by his precious blood The Spirit workes for the Sonne and therefore returnes the Kingdome to him againe at his second comming The Son works for the Father and therefore so takes the Kingdome from the Spirit that in the end he gives it up to the Father for the full perfection of glory This mutuall working sends me in my discourse from one person to another and to all the world to let them see what may be gained or lost by obeying or disobeying the Gospell I have wondred in reading the most ancient Fathers what they meant by urging so frequently men to Martyrdome that they might not lose the honour of rising and reigning with Christ at his second appearing Surely they saw and beleeved that the Spirit of grace did not in vaine perswade them They shall have honour according to their hope and as above others they gave their lives for Christ so before others they seeme to live againe Rev 20.4 Let the meaning in that place be what it will for J will not determine thereof yet the age of the ten persecutions so conceived of it as by plentifull testimonies might appeare Jt is agreeable with Christs proceedings to honour them that honour him and as they are before others in their zeale and service so to be above others in their dignity and desert though not of merite and for their workes yet according to his mercy and their workes J could not well leave untouched with the comming of the holy Ghost upon Christs departure the returne of him againe and delivery up of all to the Father that the Family and Houshold in my Text might see their patience perfected in power and their power consummated in glory The Kingdome of God in the divers administrations of it will bee worthy the contemplation and Gods House shall bee most happy in their thoughts of it All their enemies most miserable in the losse and deprivation thereof Their ends shall be augmented in misery as many degrees as that Kingdome shall bee advanced in glory But J will stay my Reader no longer in the Preface but wish him good successe in the substance of that which followeth THE SAINTS Sufferings 1 PET. 4.17 For the time is come that judgement must beginne at the house of God and if it first beginne at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God WHen Samuel had finished his speech to Israel God himselfe secondeth the Prophet with a voyce from heaven and then the people tremble 1 Sam. 12.18 wee never have our hearers at an advantage till God make their eares to tingle with some judgement then they stoup with Samuel and say Speake Lord for
the dead conferreth forty dayes of this Kingdome Act. 1.3 and so departeth into heaven and makes further way for progresse in this kingdome and to perfect this sends his Spirit telling us of a truth how expedient this is for them that are now to bee left to preach his kingdome to have him depart that the second Doctor may come Expedient and necessary for all that are to be saved for Christ being risen againe had all power and iudgement from his Father Mat. 28. c. The present execution of this power had beene a woefull thing with the world being both unrighteous and unholy Christ redeemed it and therefore will not presently destroy it but commands in the same place that proclamation of his power bee made and being with his Heraulds unto the end will in the end call the world to an account and shew both his power their iudgement This great Embassage into all the world had need of some noble Agent to leade the way and bee present with the holy Apostles and their successours and this honourable person is the third person in the blessed Trinity in whose hands and administration Gods Kingdome is for this present age and of which wee are now to speake The Kingdome of Grace In the Lords prayer wee petition Thy kingdome come our understandings at this day abbreviate this petition and are defective in the expression of it and so consequently our prayers come short of their dutie deale with God for no more than they know We wil God assisting inlarge our thoughts in the regression of the Kingdome from the Spirit to the Father againe and shew First the administration of the Spirit Secondly of the Sonne Thirdly of the Father and so teach you plainely to pray for the Kingdome of grace Kingdome of power and Kingdome of glory when all is returned to the Father The Kingdome within and seated in mens hearts Luke 17.20 21. The Pharisees would have a Kingdome by observation but Christ knowing the Kingdomes administration first to rest in the Spirit and grace thereof takes away that error and according to the nature of the Kingdome sets and seates it within for such as is the government such must bee the Kingdome The government spirituall therefore the kingdome spirituall Grace and the Spirit of grace carry no outward pompe and externall state but are all glorious within And this is that kingdome that suffereth violence without and is oppressed by rebels and traitours to the Lord Iesus and their owne soules The Kingdome of violence The Kingdome of Gods Spirit is the most pious and peaceable Kingdome in the world yet suffereth more than all kingdomes as shall now appeare Math. 11.12 Luke 16.16 Gods kingdome under the Law and the Prophets suffered violence and so shall it under Iohn Christ his holy Apostles and Ministers doe for the time of the Gospell I know these texts are strained to another sense and so my selfe have beene a follower of this violence till that man of God M. Ioseph Meade cleared my sight by his industrious and judicious observation of the text It may bee we are both deceived it becomes humble men not to bee peremptory in crossing and controlling others We all agree of the violence offered to the Kingdome of grace and disagree in the proofe of it by these texts Heare then mine arguments and reasons which I subject to the spirit of the Prophets 1. Christs answer by the Law the Prophets sheweth the conformity betweene the old and the new Testament the ancient and surrogate Israel of God Violence waited upon the Church before Christ and so will it now and after him It is your error O foolish Iewes to looke now for a kingdome by observation and to see your selves more redeemed from the Romines and men than from devils your sleves more deadly enemies You have more neede to have Sathan displaced than your selves placed in a temporall Monarchy I am come to save your soules from sinnes and not your bodies from bondage Secondly Iohn that now preacheth the new Kingdome is in prison Math. 11.2 and must lose his head I looke for no greater favour my Apostles will succeede mee and by succession it will last till I come and take the Eagles off the carkeise Luk. 17.37 3. The Kingdome is preached a thing that the world hateth and therefore will every man have a blow at it and violent men will prey upon it this reading the texts will render without all renting and tearing the phrases 4. The word signifying violence or violent men was never taken by any Author for inward violence or motions free and voluntary but for outward force and externall power putting others to be patients of their persecutions and punishments The Spirits conquest God is not wanting to his poore servants but gives courage and consolation in all their oppressions The Spirit sets up such a Kingdome in the heart and soules of Gods people that no paine or perill can prevaile to conquer their faith and confidence They are resolved to carry their lives in their hands rather dye than deny that truth that the holy Ghost hath taught them This spiritual I Kingdome subdues all Kingdomes yea more than all Kingdomes for it gaines that victory over our selves which is more than any earthly conquest Conquest by convict on The greatest opposition to the Spirit of grace is in our selves It were easie to ruine all the world and in such conquests and conversions men have shewed their might and manhood but to enter the house held by the strong man both of corruption in our selves and suggestion of Sathan out of our selves is a potent and powerfull worke of grace Gods Spirit alone is able to beate downe these holds helpe in the conquest of our selves and subjection to the Kingdome preached and offered vs in the Gospell He it is that brings in faith to beleeve and excludes infidelity That raiseth up in us the comfort of Christs righteousnesse and rejecteth our owne That teacheth us holynesse and how to deny all ungodlinesse and every worldly lust and to live soberly in our selves righteously to others and godly to our King and Commander of the severall branches of conviction we shall intreate afterwards and shew what sinnes are convicted and controuled in us and how wee ought to see them and sorrow for them c. Conviction by supportation The Spirit in this Kingdome of grace worketh effecteth another strange worke and operation upon the world in giving his subjects power of conquest in trials and to triumph over the world and all its workings and mischiefes Rom. 8.37 In all these things we are more than conquerours What things even the worst that the world can doe unto us and that is to make us Martyres and themselves murtherers yea even to murther themselves to see us so little affected with their torments We stand still and do nothing and see our salvation of God To conquer by passion is cleane
propagates Evangelicall faith or the want of it to his posterity It is personall both in the habite and privation No man is saved but by his owne faith or condemned but by his owne infidelity The want of faith in Christ is every mans proper sinne and can be imputed to none without the Gospel Wee make it the Churches sinne and not of all the world Gods preparation and donation of faith Leaving the power of Mans innocency and vniversall freedome to beleeve legally or Evangellically wee fall into the safe way and say that wheresoeâ—â—â— the Gospel is preached God gives or is prepared to give faith in Christ Hee mockes no man but is serious in the salvation of every soule to which the Gospel is sent Every hearer in the Church is zealously perswaded to repent The Ministers minde and Gods meet in his holy ordinances and the Word is earnestly spoken to every eare God himselfe goes with his message from seate to seate and from man to man with true and hearty desire of his conversion yet notwithstanding he gives not equall grace to all as shall appeare in our distribution thereof The donation of faith Act. 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life beloved To the Elect hee gives faith He is not onely prepared to preach unto them his Gospell but hee prepares their hearts to receive it He gives unto his chosen ones the blessed Gospel of peace and reconciliation and hee gives them faith to beleeve it We have all the same capacity but not the same conformitie Our powers are alike in understanding and will but that obedientiall and filiall subjection to God and his Gospel is peculiar to some God is prepared to give faith to all that heare his Gospel Matth. 23.37 I would yee would not It is the will of God by the Gospel that all should be gathered unto him Mans will resisteth Gods will and makes that Gospel of none effect that should be effectuall unto all God may adde further grace and give men hearts to receive as freely as his Gospell is offered unto them but such grace is a royall prerogative and reserved for some of many All are beholding to God but some finde and feele the very riches of his grace and are never able to be thankefull enough that they above others should receive so much Of the righteousnesse of God To require performance and give no power is as unequall in the command to al as it is in the gift to some To seeke where hee sowes not and to reape without labour is unreasonable if not unrighteous Man never had power to obey and therefore a heavy and harsh command is imposed upon him Mans power to obey the Gospel There is never a man but is guilty of that power that God hath given him and does lesse than he is inabled by his owne freedome There is no man but he may frequent the meanes and come to the place of Gods worship Secondly being come hee hath eares to heare Thirdly he hath an understanding to know the logicke and language of the holy Ghost Fourthly by that knowledge to come to an historicall faith Fiftly to affect reverence and regard both Ministers and message Sixtly to bring forth some fruits Seventhly to attend and wait daily for the regenerating Spirit that may convert and turne him truely unto God This power man useth not and is justly condemned for the abuse of it Want of faith in Christ simply no sinne If condemnation were absolutely and originally from faith a power were necessary to beleeve but in divers cases faith is found to be no sinne in the want of it Adam in the estate of innocency had no faith in Christ as a Mediatour and was blamelesse because no Law injoyned it Secondly men that need this faith and yet want the Gospell to convince them are guiltlesse of the sinne though in some sense they may bee said to bee guilty of the punishment Every curse and want of favour being due to every sonne of Adam It therefore remaineth that they onely are to be taxed that have the Gospell Sinnes of the Gospell are aggravations of the Law It must bee presupposed that a man is guilty of sinne and death before the Gospell charge him with a greater measure of evill and make him worse both in sinnes and sorrowes It is not the want of faith barely that turnes a man into hell for finde payment in thy selfe and satisfaction to the Law and God will challenge thee no further but that is impossible and therefore the Law casts the first stone at thee and beares thee over with the blow of death then comes the Gospel and buries thee under that stone without all hope of mercy A man is blind and rejects a cure his wilfulnesse hath made him the worse and more worthy of greater woes so the Gospell tenders thee a pardon thou contemnes it and for contempt deserves the sorer punishment It is not therefore necessary for God to give every man power to beâ—eeve but it is necessary for every man to be carefull he abuse not the power he hath and so double his terments and punishments in â—eâ—l Conviction is the worke of the Spirit The Father gives over the administration to his Sonne the Sonne to the Spirit and he is the first that argueth and disputeth with men of mercy and salvation In his hands is now the kingdome of the Father and the sonne and this kingdome is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reggum violentiae the Kingdome that suffereth violence Mat. 11.12 13. Luke 16.16 In this kingdome the Saints in suffering are more than conquerors Rom. 8.37 This is more than ever any Emperour could utter who have gained and kept their conquests with hardnesse and hazzard Matth. 28.18 19. the power of Christ is to preach and proclaim that he will take his power and reigne in and over all men He is mercifull in giving warning before the execution and leaving his Spirit to make preparation for his kingdome which shall bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kingdome of power Rev. 11.17 ruling and over-ruling all the world Christ having ended the subjection of the world shall give over his kingdome to his Father which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15.24 O the divine administration of the Trinity The Father the first person passeth all to the Sonne the Sonne makes it descend againe to the holy Ghost The same is the order of regression that was in the progression as formerly we have declared The holy Ghost the first possessour of the kingdome returnes it into the possession of the Sonne and the Sonne leaves it in the hands of his Father where he first had it that he may be all in all From him was the proceeding and by good reason it must be to him againe The comming of the Holy Ghost The Gospel convinceth no man in the absence of the Spirit Wee must pray in hearing of the Word Come holy Spirit and visit our hearts
bring home the convictions of Grace that we may not with these stubborne Iewes disobey thy Gospel and bring upon us and our habitations their end and misery And thus much of their first sinne I will speed on in the rest and spend lesse time in my discourse It was needfull to beate this sinne home and make the greater stay because the greater stirre hath beene made about it The denyall of righteousnesse Morrall and civill men never knew the meaning of Evangelicall and Christian righteousnesse What Law acknowledgeth a man just by another mans justice or wise by another mans wisedome Papists deride it and the world hath not learned how to conceive of it It is a great sinne to live in this ignorance and an assurance to a man hee wants wisedome to know his own justification Hee rests in hope he is righteous and wanting the knowledge of Christ perisheth in his own pride and presumption Christ is both righteous in himselfe and for us and so is no man in the world A world of unrighteous men We have a world of wicked men that are destitute of common honesty but if we adde to them even another world of honest men that know no more than good neighbourhood what a vast heape and confusion have we of men and women unrighteous before God and destitute of Iesus Christ A world is heere condemned for want of righteousnesse and alas how did the blinde Iewes oppose this righteousnesse and seeing themselves just by another Law than the Gospel are now frying in hell for their disobedience Conviction of righteousnesse It is pitty the world should perish without reproofe of this sinne It is that which Christ and all his Apostles laboured to bring the Iewes unto They condemned Christ for a malefactour and by his resurrection and ascension hee prooved plaine that he was both just and the justifier of sinners Here is strong conviction by reason and force of argument No man can goe to God the Father that is unrighteous There is no acceptation of such into heaven Now I have many witnesses saith Christ of my ascension You shall see me ascend and see mee no more upon earth You are my faithfull ones to you I make demonstration of my righteousnesse that you may demonstrate the same to others The office of the Spirit in this conviction The world lies in sinne and is held by Satan in strong condemnation It was a lie at the first that murthered himselfe and all mankind Iohn 8.44 Hee stood not in the truth it was that which he opposed from the beginning First by a question Hath God said c. Secondly by a contradiction Yee shall not dye at all c. Thirdly by disputation God knowes and yee may know that to eate and feare no death will make you wise and worthy to be like God himselfe c. Thus was man murthered and by a lye deluded of his happinesse and became a loser of that righteousnesse that God imprinted in his soule when he first breathed it into his body This losse can never be repaired by another of the same stampe and therefore the Spirit of God beginning with feare to put a man beside himselfe and his own presumption openeth unto him his bondage and basenesse in sinne and from the very bottome of hell recovereth him by the righteousnesse of Christ and puts into him a more ingenuous Spirit to looke up to God in Christ and call him Father and by adoption and grace to finde himselfe the childe of God heire of righteousnesse and inheritour of the Kingdome of God Rom. 8.15 His comming for this end The great Doctour CHRIST IESVS absenting himselfe sends another to be present with us both for counsell and comfort He counselleth us to seeke the best righteousnesse and comforteth us with the fruition of it Hee perswades us to deny our selves and make sure to be found in Christ cloathed with his righteousnesse I wonder not to see civill honest men to wander naked of this cloathing in the nasty ragges of their owne rotten righteousnesse they have no better spirit than the spirit of the world to teach them a morall lesson and to grow proud to see themselves before their neighbours in the honour of their owne vertues This is the applause the best men of the world seeke for and rest in it as their summū benū Such were the Pharisees the Iewes here in my text that disobeyed the Gospel because they saw in their own thoughts a better way of justification than Christ by his Spirit taught them But all their supposed comfort is a poore and beggerly payment in the praise and applause of men with their comming short of heaven I disgrace not morality and civilitie in the world I wish there were more of their ranke so they rested not in that righteousnesse but reached at an higher price even the invaluable treasure in Christ willing in humility to let all goe for the gaine therof Yet I must conclude against the underlings of moral honestie that all such as are inferiours to them must needes come short of heaven because they come short of them that by Christs verdict are before them Now the best moralists come short of heaven and therefore must they needs come short that are left many leagues behinde them Gaine the Spirit and grace that in holinesse wee may exceed them all as we shall doe in righteousnesse by Christ Want of judgement This is the great sinne of the world in advancing against Christ Satans soveraignty and superioritie He reigneth and ruleth the world and is a speciall enemy to Christs kingdome Holinesse is the companion of righteousnesse we may not grow wanton because the grace of justification hath abounded God hath not left us to our liberties as if by the way of hell wee might advance to heaven Iudgement and spirituall government is appointed to order us in our wayes and to waft us by safe conduct over the Sea of this world to our harbour and haven in heaven A world of people without grace and sanctification The subject that the Spirit is to season is the unsavory world Holinesse is a by-word amongst men and derision hath banished it by the conceit of precise and strict walking with God A Saint is the worlds spectacle and a very gazing-stocke as if hee were as much runne out of himselfe and madde as he is runne from the world and his merry company But the wonder is in the world it selfe wilde in wickednesse and wretched in the hands of Satan His judgement is followed and government extolled in all places and persons Wee can but exempt a few from being followers of him no more than Saint Iohn exempts the world from guilt in this place Hee is plaine and chargeth the world with the Divels government and freeth none but by the Spirit from this misery Conviction of the best government The setting up of the Lord Iesus in the hearts and soules of men is the best
contrary to the world for so the world is conquered and hee that suffers becomes subject to another but we are slaine saith the Apostle and our slaughter is our victory nay more than victory in so doing we conquer the conquerours and command our oppressors More than conquerours is more than any Caesar achieved unto or ever Monarch effected in his greatest victories Who can say so but Christians Emperours have conquered with difficultie and lost with greater facility all their kingdomes They have beene lesse than conquerours and never gotten victory but left it to others to gaine it from them O the honour of this spirituall kingdome and excellency of grace that even thriveth best vnder oppressions and worldly violence The regression of the Kingdome All the honour of this Kingdome redoundeth unto Christ and shall then appeare when he appeares to take his Kingdome great dominion He should have had no subjects but for the Spirit and none so victorious but for Martyres who as they have first honoured Christ by death shall of him againe bee first graced with life Those that are alive and converted shall bee a glory to Christ as hee will bee a glory to them It is for the persons in the sacred Trinity mutually to raise glory one to another Wee are therefore ordine retrogrado come from the kingdome of grace to the Kingdome of power from the administration of the Spirit to the administration of the Son and seeke after three things as glorious as the former and yet more outward but not lesse spirituall for perfection in the Trinity is both wayes obserued and effected in progression the Father perfects his worke in the Sonne and the Sonne in the Spirit so in regression the holy Ghost perfects grace in power and the Son perfects power in glory We will speake of the Sons taking ruling and delivering up of this kingdome of power Christs taking of the Kingdome of power Heb. 2.5 mention is made of a world to come and the subjectioÌ„ thereof to Christ This wee see not saith the Apostle as yet accomplished but wee see Iesus Christ crowned and made a King in heaven His presence on earth as yet wee have not save in the holy Ghost But hee will appeare in his body and take this Kingdome and whole world to himselfe and turne out of it all the ungodly in the earth His enemies that would not suffer him to reigne over them by his Gospell are then to bee brought before him and slaine in his presence The taking of his great power Revel 11.17 At the last trumpet and the last woe all Kingdomes fall to Christ But how I pray you marke the text He shall take to himselfe his great power and reigne To himselfe immediately to himselfe for forme and manner of government He left it in the hands of the Spirit and now takes it againe to himselfe no more depriving the Spirit of the honour of it in the re-assumption than hee did himselfe when he deposed it into the hands of his Spirit Now the question will bee how this is done The answer is with great power greater than ever before for it destroyes them all that now destroy the earth How is it taken Daniel assoiâ—es this doubt and makes it glorious and wonderfull in his extraordinary description of it Dan. 7.9 10. c. First the Lord Iesus takes it from his enemies and casts downe their thrones and makes them seates for his Saints Rev. 20.7 he takes it from the last beast even because of the little horne and his blasphemous and bloody words Secondly hee takes it from the Ancient of daies who in a glorious and most illustrious manner installes the Lord Iesus into his kingdome Thirdly he is attended and waited upon by the innumerable company of Angels by whom hee is brought to the Ancient of dayes Reade the rest and admite at this inauguration and solemnization of the day of Christs coronation upon earth who now in heaven is crowned with glory and immortality When it is taken 2 Tim. 4.1 At the Epiphanie of his kingdome Marke 13.26 Luke 21.27 when the powers of heaven are shaken and the starres that shine in them are humbled to the ground Earthly potentates that are advanced above others shall bee made low The fall of such starres will not hinder the sight of Christ but honour it Other starres being bigger than the earth would overlay it and men and suffer no man to stand upon earth to see the Lord Iesus come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory Hee must bee seene of all eyes and therefore it is most safe to give the sense of the Scriptures by the Scriptures and to say of this day as of the former shadowes of it in Babylon and Aegypt Isa 13.10 and 14.12 13. Ezek. 32.7 8. The starres of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light The Sunne shall bee darkned in his going forth and the Moone shall not cause her light to shine the bright lights of heaven are put out when Pharaoh falleth by the Babilonians and Lucifer sonne of the morning ascended into heaven above the heights of the clouds and starres themselves to bee like the most High comes downe to the ground when by the Medes and Persians Belshazzar is pulled from the orbe of his height and honour Christ the bright shining starre of Iacob and the advanced Scepter of Israe is risen and shall rise to smite all corners and subdue all Nations Let us therefore advance him from the taking of the kingdome to the ruling of it Christs ruling and reigning in his kingdome Dan. 7.14 On this day dominion is given to Christ Zech. 14.9 One Lord one name and that over all the earth In this day will hee reigne in and over all mankinde Rev. 11 15. Now the world does not acknowledge him for one Lord as being ruled by many neither does it worship him by one name as being distracted into many religions but this will Christ remove at his day and rule by a more equall power and uniforme worship Paul is our witnesse 1 Cor. 15.24 25 26. c. that the end and delivery up of this kingdome to God even the Father cannot be till rule authority and power of devils in hell men upon earth and even death the last of enemies be fully vanquished and subdued and for this purpose I might produce all the Prophets and holy Apostles speaking glorious things of Christs reigning and ruling at the sound of the last trumpet and comming of the last woe Rev. 10.7 All the Prophets are witnesses and St. Peter speaking of the same thing adds to them all the Apostles 2 Pet. 3 2. They have ill done that have muzled up the mouthes of the Prophets with a Consummation and conclusion in Christs incarnation The Iewes dispute Dan. 2.35 and 7.11 That Messiah must come when the Monarchies are as chaffe before the winde and quite blowne out of the world When the
shall rule in it 5. to take away all doubt of a day it shall not consist of the parts of a naturall and created day not night and day which by the ordinances of heaven are perpetual but this shall be a voluntary and arbitrary day depending upon the will and motion of Christ and no measure of starres 6. contrary to all the dayes of the creation this shall bee light at the evening yea then shall bee the greatest light in the regression of the kingdome triumphantly from Christ to his and our Father The light of grace breaks forth into the light of power and the light of power into the light of glory What then shall be the glory of this day called the great notable and terrible day of the Lord Ioel 2.32 Iude vers 6. Rev 16.14 c. shall it vanish in the twinckling of an eye and that mystery Rev. 10.7 passe in a moment No assuredly wee are resolved by Christ that it shal be a day comprehending dayes Luke 17.22 26. many dayes that shall affoord times of refreshing and restitution Act. 3.19 dayes and times shall be upon this great day and reason is faire to favour this sense Christ takes his kingdome and power upon this day to reigne and rule and therefore it is reasonable to yeeld him some time before the delivery of it up to his Father to shew the glory and the excellency of it It agrees well with the regression to perfection that some stay should bee made for the honour of Heber and glory of the King Shall I offer other texts and tell you what they teach you to beleeve I will not command your faith where it is fit for me to suspend my owne It were presumption to resolve before the issue and reade the ridle before it be plaine in the action and event as well as in the prophecy and prediction Zech. 14.8 the Prophet seemes to describe unto us the day of judgement and to compute it by a day in summer and in winter and then the great day will mount to a yeere at the least Isa 65.20 If the new heavens and the new earth fall out upon this great day as Peter seemes to expound it 2 Pet. 3.13 then Isaiah will seeme to speake of an hundred yeeres at the least 2 Pet. 3.8 Rev. 20.4 If one day in Peter bee a day of judgement as the verse upon which it is inferred seemes to speake plainely then such a great day with the Lord Christ or to the Lord Christ as Zechary phraseth it is as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as such a day One day saies Zechary one day saies Peter and both seeme to say one thing But a thousand yeeres will be put for eternity and so no time is expressed but that which waits upon God and sheweth him to be eternall but yet S. Iohn will answer this and by an invincible argument take it from us if his thousand yeeres have relation with Peter to the same day for after eternity there is no history of time or relation of any succession but S. Iohn placeth a little season after the thousand yeeres and that wipes out the opinion of a thousand yeeres to be put for ever I will neither dispute nor relate any more wee have too many new opinions this is old enough and by carnall Chiliasts made both odious and erronious It is fittest wee bee silent and prepare for this great day let it bee of what sength the author pleaseth for to his liking must it last not in living to carnall lusts but heavenly joyes God give us grace to looke for it and inlarge our petition with calling for the perfection of grace in the perfection of power Wee live God knowes as if we were some seven months birth vitall but weake The kingdome of power will rouze us up for Christ takes it not onely to destroy our enemies but to stirre up our graces In the new heavens and new earth righteousnesse shall dwell it is now banished from kingdomes Chittim oppresseth it and a few sons of Iaphet are perswaded to imbrace it but the time shal come when it shall possesse mankinde plentifully and not Shem but all the sonnes of Seth shall imbrace it Numb 24.17 Moab as an enemy perisheth Sheth as a friend is subdued that Christ may have subjects I will touch the great change that Christs kingdome shall make in the world at his comming and so hasten the returne of it to the Father Alterations by Christs comming Isa 32.15 16 17. c. The Spirit that now is come to the Gentiles and departed from the Iewes must againe be powred on them then is wrought in the world wonderfull change 1. The field of Chittim that now flourisheth in the hands of wicked men shall bee turned into a forrest and made as barren and desolate as the wildernesse 2. The forrest of the Iewes shall alter into a fertile field and by Christ himselfe shall be made giorious Thirdly this goodly and flourishing field shall be planted and sowne with judgement and righteousnesse they shall even dwell in it and take up the whole possession of it Fourthly the fruit shall be peace and quietnesse no warre no molestation shall disturbe them Fiftly this Harvest of happinesse shall be with assurance for ever When Christ takes his power to reigne none shall any more rule over him or his Both hee and his Saints have suffered of this wicked world but the woe thereof commeth quickely and speedy vengeance will pay for all delayes Be admonished my brethren you are by the consent of Divines come to the second woe Rev. 9.13 above 300 yeeres agoe The next is the day of judgement and is ever delivered with this Item Behold it commeth quickely Rev. 11.14 adde to this Luke 18 8. Revel 3.7 and 16.15 and 21.12 Other woes linger and last long as being executed by men but this will be speedy as being immediately done by Christ himselfe who will not stand long about his enemies though his friends may enjoy a longer time of rejoycing in his presence The delivery up of his Kingdome to his Father 1 Cor. 15.24 compared with 2 Tim. 4.1 teach us the Epiphany and end of Christs administration and wee have heard what falls out betweene these two termes I must needs conceive it absurd till better reason convince me to conceive of an Epiphany of a kingdome and an end together let who will so conceive and conjecture I am not as yet of their minde some duration and succession of time will be from the Epiphany to the end when the end is come best knowne to Christ hee will returne all to the Father but you will object Revel 11.15 Hee shall reigne for ever and ever I answer the delivery up of the Kingdome is not an exclusion of Christ from reigning for as the Father reigneth in the Sonne and both of them in holy Ghost so in the regression the holy Ghost reigneth in the Sonne and both
of them in the I ather O ravishing Societie and blessed Communion wee shall enjoy in our Fathers house when all is given up unto him and yet in him all to be enjoyed In him we enjoy Christ and the blessed Spirit we are no losers but gainers by these wayes of Divine and deepe wisedome The regression of the Kingdome to the Father 1 Cor. 15.28 That God may be all in all v. 24. God even the Father God essentially shall blesse us but the Father in speciall shall be glorified in us This was Christs prayer upon earth Iohn 17.21 That we might be one in the blessed Trinitie as they are one in themselves and have all conspired to make us happy Christ prayeth they may be perfect in one that they may be where he is now c. The holy Ghost and the Sonne conclude in the Father and so must wee for our full happinesse Zech. 14.16 Why not the Passeover to be kept in the great day spoken of before this was the greatest feast in Israel but the feast of Tabernacles hath a more apt allusion to those times Our Mansions are in heaven as long as we stay upon earth though under assured safety and freedome from danger yet we are not at the best In the Kingdome of Grace we are well and happy In the Kingdome of power we are better and more happy but in the Kingdome of Glory we are best of all We have thus farre digressed and I hope transgressed no rule in Religion Wee can easily recall our selves to our first intention concerning the comming of the holy Ghost And when he is come he shall convince the world of sinne and of righteousnesse and of judgement Of Sinne. That is want of faith in Christ the signe of all sinne for we can expect no discharge without it All sinne in one sinne is convinced of the Law we are guilty in Adam and of this sinne wee are guilty in the Gospel The sinnes of the Law are strong enough to condemne us but this firme brings in our great condemnation Ioh. 3.19 the Law is not that light that containes life in it that light is Christ Ioh. 1.14 He came into the world both as the light and life of it and yet men loved darkenesse more than light not onely because their deeds were morrally evill but because they esteemed not to have them mended by this new principle of faith in Christ Infidels come not to the light of the Gospel because that does most convince them of sinne The Law is more sparing than the Gospel for it chargeth man no further than of originall and actuall sinne But the Gospel extends to his wants of such faith righteousnesse and holinesse as the Law leaves at liberty It commands us faith in God and is silent of faith in Christ It bids us bee righteous but not in another It bids us be holy but that is from our owne vertues and not spirituall graces The Spirits light is too strong for weake eyes to looke upon it It blunts and blindes him to thinke his deeds so ill as God does not approve the best of them It is strange to him to beleeve that without faith in Christ nothing that is done by him is accepted of God He conceives better of himselfe and trusts that his good meanings and vertuous actions are not so out of request with GOD but he shall gaine some favour and friendship at Gods hands to be esteemed of better then of the worst and most wicked man Hee must therefore know that if the Gospel prove him guiltie of the want of faith no sinne is spared or pardoned any more to him than the lewdest liver in the world Hee must therefore learne to love the truth of the Gospel and come to the light thereof that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God and the power of his Spirit and not in or by any of his good dispositions Let us in the holy feare of God looke to our lives and never applaud our selves by our owne vertues The whole world is guilty of a sinne it hath no sense or feeling of and even the best are in worst case let thē come to triall and by a conviction more than legall see what the Gospel reproveth let them thus reason with themselves It is too grosse and sottish to say I am a sinner I am worse I am an Infidell and wrapped up in the worlds condemnation It is high time for my soule to bee dealt withall and that by a more powerfull cause than the morrall Law or mine owne conscience I must to the Gospel and conviction of Gods Spirit and never rest till I finde the Spirit present and come home to my heart I shall afterwards intreat of all the heads of this first conviction I will first open the sinne secondly who are guilty of it Thirdly how they must be dealt withall Fourthly by whom Fiftly in what manner The same methode shall be observed in both the other convictions that by the instance in my Text of the Iewes disobedience and judgement we may learne to tremble and feare to live either without Evangelicall faith Evangelicall righteousnesse or Evangelicall judgement Three things in the Gospel inseparably lincked together He that beleeves in Christ hath righteousnesse imputed and hee that hath righteousnesse imputed hath holinesse infused to reject Satan and his service and receive the true judgement of the Spirit to bee at his command and Kingly government I shall wish every head propounded may have it's use and application Vse 1. Let the want of faith in Christ and righteousnesse from him and an holy subjection to Gods Spirit more perplex us than all earthly wants Let such especially as are profane thinke of it who beside the burden of the Law grosly abused have the Gospel to beat home their condemnation and beare them downe headlong to hell for contempt of great salvation tendred them in their sinnes But especially let the more morall men marke themselves if they were as forward as Paul to know none or little evill by themselves yet to thinke they are not so justified but the Gospel can bring upon them a greater condemnation than the Law and challenge them for more than ever was dreamed of by their owne account and reckoning by the Law Lastly let carnall Gospellers descend and see their presumption that will bee sure of faith without conviction They suppose it is soone gotten and lost and that to play at fast and loose with God is no danger They will have faith when they list and easie convictions leade them any wayes It is time for them to learne a better lesson and to bee soundly lashed from our Text that the convictions of Gods Spirit are no easie and morall perswasions fitted to our inclination but sound convictions taking from us all excuses be they never so witty and laying us low before God to be dealt withall at his pleasure Vse 2. These wants are
common as well as dangerous thousands dye and are never sensible of any hurt this way The world is to be dealt withall to take notice that these wants are the greatest poverty of it Vse 3. It is pitty the danger being so great and so common but that Ministers should faithfully preach and convince these sinnes before all others Sinnes of the Law light more clearely upon mens consciences but these sinnes finde conscience not onely asleepe but livelesse as never stirring in any thoughts that such evils lie at the doore more to watch vs with damnation than any other Vse 4. There is no preaching or meanes effectuall but that is accompanied by the Spirit There is a difference between Preachers as there is betweene an Infant and Gyant drawing the same Bow Yet the Arrow of a Gyant shot against the stone wall pierceth not but reboundeth backe againe with the greater violence So the most happy and dextrous Preacher flocked after for his gifts may shoot as unprofitably as a weaker Teacher his arrowes and errands to the soule speed no better for the hardnesse of it than if hee had never lost his labour or spent his strength in vaine upon so stubborne spirits Christ and all his Apostles were resisted by the unbeleeving Iewes their stiffe neckes would never bend to the yoake of the Gospel or uncircumcised hearts beleeve it Vse 5. Must bee for true triall and examination of our selves whether the Spirit be come and hath convinced us to give over all opposition and yeeld to live by a new principle rest upon a new righteousnesse and be ruled by a new Law I shall give the tryall in my further search unto this Conviction Luthers three Schoole masters have helped me in these thoughts Afflictions and accusations have set prayer on worke and both have put forth Meditations Humble repentance said that worthy Chancellour of Paris is the first staire of the Ladder of Contemplation I will not complaine of my wrongs yet if they had never beene thou mightst never have had my thoughts so legible I thanke God I never found the hands of Authority so ready to smite as evill tongues to accuse 1 Pet. 4.17.18 What shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God Where shall the ungodly and sinner appeare The great sinne and endlesse sorrow of Gods houshold Enemies HAving discharged my selfe of the first part concerning the sharpe and strict government of Gods Familie I come to the sharpest and severest of his judgements upon their enemies Peter instanceth in the Iewes for to them he writes both his Epistles and in both hee aimes at three things 1 the consolation of beleevers 2 the destruction and just punishment of their enemies 3 the future promises made to the Nation of the Iewes at the comming of Christ Beleevers had strong trials when S. Peter writ his Epistles and even their owne Nation was worst to their profession This Nation Christ threatens with an end and Saint Peter now applies it and by the accomplishment of signes gives assurance that it is now at hand Iudgements are begun at his owne house and familie and therefore will end suddenly upon their enemies This was the yeare when Nero made Bone-fires of the bodies of Christians and to extinguish the ignominie of his owne setting Rome on fire fireth Christians as Faggots and makes their flames to give light the whole night This is the fiery tryall beleevers are told of verse 12. and deserves to begin the first persecution It shall not be long before it bring an end upon the Iewes and their Nation for obstinacy and cruelty to their brethren It is supposed Saint Peter and Saint Paul suffered in this first fiery tryall Their sinne and disobedience They are taxed in this Text for the violation both of Law and Gospel neither Iustice nor Mercy affect them They disobey the Gospell and against the Law they are found guilty both of impiety and uncharitablenesse They are cast in both Courts In the Court of Iustice they are here arraigned for ungodly persons under the charge of the first Table and sinners and unrighteous under the charge of the second Table In the Court of Mercy they are branded with the Gospel as a rule disobeyed and a remedy despised Iustice might be pacified by Mercy and the Law taken off by the Gospel but these faithlesse and fearelesse wretches care neither for rule nor remedie They neither are mindfull of that which is against them in the Law or might doe them good in the Gospel Of the Gospel sinnes To disobey the Gospell is by Saint Iohn Chap. 16.8 summoned up in three particulars First in the want of faith Secondly in the want of righteousnesse Thirdly in the want of holinesse The disobedient Iewes found no want of faith in Christ They supposed they were full of righteousnesse in themselves and that they wanted no spirit of grace to displace Satan in his government and set up the government of Christ in their hearts I will from the instance and example in large my selfe in laying to the charge of the whole world this Gospell-sinne here applyed to the Iewes and by way of warrantable explication follow St. Iohn as a Commentary upon Saint Peter Three Gospel Controversies Iohn 16.8 And when he is come Hee will convince the world of sinne and of righteousnesse and of judgement Here lie three great Controversies betweene God and the whole world First what that sinne is which the world counts no sin Secondly what that righteousnesse is which in the esteem of the world is no righteousnesse Thirdly what that judgment is that the world reputes for no judgement There is a Law from God and conscience in man that tels the world of many sinnes that it yeelds unto that gives information of righteousnesse applauded in the vertues and actions of men and it takes from both a forme of judgement and government that for it owne safety it allowes and likes well of but alas in these three there is neither Law nor conscience to informe us nay to both they are ridiculous conceiving nothing reasonable in all these but that which is morall and naturall to our condition in the state of innocency and remainders therof in our corrupted natures Adam in Paradise was not apprehensive of these disputes neither were such doctrines agreeable to his insight These are for new creatures conquered and convinced by Gods Spirit The unknowne Sinne. All the world is ignorant of faith and would so perish but for the Gospel It was not the Law the Iewes so much insisted upon that could reach or resolve their reason in discovery of this secret and because they would know no more than Moses Law they perished in this sinne This finne is expounded to be want of faith in Christ verse 9. It is either the root or signe of all other sinnes He that wants faith in Christ is discharged of no sinne Convince him of this and convince him of all How