while So we dwelling in Cottages of clay in this World if one should aske us when we looke up to Heaven whose house is this and be answered by any of Gods people it is mine I thanke God Iesus Christ hath purchased it not with gold and silver but with his most pretious blood and one day I shall have it would not every man thinke this mans case to bee good and hee a blessed man This is the first reason why Christ is ascended into Heaven Now if Christ bee ascended to Heaven to prepare Heaven for us then every man must prepare himselfe and make him ready to receive Heaven â—evel 19. It is said That the Bride the Lambes wife is ready So wee should make our selves ready for Heaven we must repent and beleeve make conscience of our wayes and be obedient before God while we live here Secondly Christ ascended into Heaven To send downe the Holy Ghost into the hearts of his servants as hee saith Iohn 16. 7. It is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him unto you But had not the Disciples the Holy Ghost before Christ ascended I answer yes for they could not have the smallest meaâ—â—â—e of grace but it must bee by the Holy Ghost for as Saint Paul saith 1 Corinth 12. 3. No man can say Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost yet he full measure of grace and the abundance of the holy Ghost was not given till Christ ascended but was reserved till then therefore Iohn 7. 30. It is sâ—id That the Holy Ghost was not given because Christ was not ascended Even as a King whose gifts bestowed on his Favourites are but petty till hee bee installed and then bee they great gifts so the gifts of the Spirit be given but in a small measure till Christ was ascended and then were they great gifts unto which hee daily addes more gifts and graces of his Spirit still as a loving husband when hee is absent from his wife will bee sending of love-tokens some Gold-rings Iewels or Pearles to comfort and to cheare her sending still by every messenger that comes one thing or other till hee himselfe comes home so Christ being absent from us doth send unto us Rings Pearles and Iewels even the gifts and graces of his Spirit untill he come This is a great comfort howsoever wee want the presence of Christ here so long as wee have his Spirit to assure us of Gods favour and of the pardon of our sinnes and that Heaven is ours all is well wee know 2 Kings 2. 9. When Elias was to depart from Elisha saith be Aske what I shall give thee Elisha answers that thy spirit may bee doubled upon me So when Christ at his ascension bids us aske what we would have we must make this request Lord that thy Spirit may bee doubled upon me that so my minde may bee enlightned my will sanctified and all my affections rightly ordered Now as Christ is ascended to send down the graces of his spirit into our hearts so we must prepare our selves for it as the Disciples Acts 1. 14. Did all continue in Prayer and Supplications with one accord so seeing the Spirit is promised let us read the Scriptures meditate of them pray and so make our selves fit to receive the holy Ghost As 2 Kings 4. 10. when Elisha came to Shunem saith the Shunamitish woman to her husband Let us make him a little chamber I pray thee with wals and let us set him there a bed and a stoole and a candlesticke that he may turne in thither Now if this good Shunamite did prepare a chamber to receive the Prophet into how much more should wee prepare our hearts to receive the Spirit of God Thirdly Christ did ascend into Heaven to lead captivitie captive to triumph over Sinne Death Hell the Divell and our spirituall enemies when Sampson was beset with the Philistines in Gaza it is said He rose at midnight and tooke the doores of the gates of the Citie and the two posts and lift them away with the barres and put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of an high hill so Iesus Christ being beset with all our spirituall enemies hath triumphed over them and is gloriously ascended into heaven As Saint Paul saith Ephes 4. 8. When hee ascended up on high heeled captivity captive Death Hell Sin and the Divell so that now a Christian may see all his spirituall enemies in fetters and chaines I but some may say What is this to me seeing I am subject to Death Sinne and to the grave To this I answere that Christs victorie is our victory his triumph is our triumph there is not a true Christian but one day he shall triumph over all his spirituall enemies but it must be as Christ was For first he was killed and throwne into the dens of theeves and death then he arose againe and triumphed over all our spirituall enemies and did gloriously ascend into Heaven so when we bee killed and throwne into the dens of death and rise againe then wee shall triumph over all our spirituall adversaries and say as Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. O Death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victorie and then wee shall ascend into Heaven Therefore labour thou to bee a servant of God and then doubt not but as Christ triumphed over all our spirituall enemies so shalt thou for as Christ speakes Iohn 16. 33. In the World yee shall have trouble but in me you shall have peace be of good comfort for I have evercome the World Augustine saith some men will object what are wee the better for it that Christ hath overcome the world and triumphed over all our spirituall enemies why all that Christ did is for our sakes that one day wee may succeed in the same triumph Iudges 10. wee see Ioshâ—a when he had inclosed the Kings and shut them up in a Cave Hee brings them out and makes his Souldiers and Servants to tread on the neckes of them whom yet hee himselfe had conquered so making all his Servants Conquerors so Iesus Christ will make every true Christian to tread on the neckes of our spirituall enemies Sinne Death Hell and the Divell that so although the conquest be Christs yet he might make all us his Servants Conquerors Fourthly Christ ascended to fill the whole Church with his gifts As Ephes 4. 8. When hee ascended up on high he gave gifts to men and verse 10. of the same Chapter Hee that descended is the same that ascended farre above all Heavens that he might fill all things so that the goodnesse of Christ is spread all the World over Christs ascension is like a tree the rootes whereof be in the Earth but the fruite is above our heads but shake the tree and
hee cannot lose the ground or roote of the Spirit In the 6. of Esay the Prophet tels us that though the trees seeme to be dead in the winter and have no leaves not fruit on them yet they have in them Mackselat as it is in the Hebrew or Substantia as in the latine that is that there is a certaine moisture or sappe that lies in the roote and preserveth it that it dieth not so it is in all the falls of Gods people there is a certaine sappe or moysture of grace that lieth hid in the heart that preserveth them therefore although a man may lose the operations and feeling of the Spirit yet it is but for a little time for the grace that lieth hid in the heart preserveth them The Vse is that it is a sweete comfort to a Christian that if once he hath the spirit of grace the worke of regeneration justification and sanctification wrought in him he shall never lose this A man may lose all worldly friends and comforts his skinne and teeth yea life it selfe but if a man have the spirit hee shall not lose that As Act. 20. Saint Paul saith when Eutichus fell out at the window Trouble not your selves for there is life in him so wee may say in all the falls of Gods people trouble not your selves for there is life there is the spirit of God in them The second is seeing a man may lose the comfort of the spirit and the feeling thereof insomuch that one may have as little comfort as a man that is adjudged to Hell therefore he must take heed that hee doe not grieve the spirit but labour to nourish it by the use of good meanes as Exod. 33. when the Lord was departed from the Children of Israel but a little while no man would put on his best rayment but wept and mourned so a Christian if the Lord takes away the comfortable feeling of his spirit and is departed from him but a day or an hower hee cannot be merry till he feeles it againe and therefore it is good to husband the graces of the spirit that want of them doe not cause him to depart from them Thirdly seeing there are some graces that are proper to the elect and reprobate which a man may have and perish therefore every man should labour to bring himselfe into such estate of grace as hee shall never lose nor the devill and hell shall take away from him it is a pitifull thing that men doe not say to themselves indeed I have the grace of Illumination I have knowledge and restraining grace I have the graces that are proper to good and bad to the reprobate and Elect but what is this to the comfort of a Christian I may perish for all this therefore why doe I not labour for those graces that are proper to the Elect onely which if hee have hee hath assurance never to lose them againe he may lose his goods friends skinne and life but hee cannot lose the Spirit if a castle have three wals about it and the men that are within the first wall be surprised put to the sword and massacred they will labour to get within the second wall that so they may bee preserved so if a man bee come within the first wall that hee hath common graces where the devill may surprise him to escape his danger hee will labour to get within the second wall to get the graces that are peculiar to Gods people and then he shall be safe The last point is how wee may retaine and keepe the Spirit we read Luk. 6. 40. when Christ had raised up the Maide to life he commanded to give her meate thereby to teach us that when the life of nature or the life of grace bee begun there must bee meanes used to nourish it hence wee inferre it must bee every mans care that if he have the Spirit hee must labour to nourish it Now there bee five meanes whereby a man may nourish the Spirit First by a diligent use of the good meanes as preaching the Sacraments prayer reading the Scriptures and conferring of good things this is a speciall meanes to nourish the Spirit It is a principle in nature that bodies are nourished by the same things they were begun so looke by what meanes the Spirit comes into a man by the same things it must be nourished Now wee have heard that the Spirit of God comes into a man by the preaching of the Word prayer repenting of our sinnes so by the same meanes it is continued therefore let men attend to the use of good meanes to heare the Word preached receive the Sacraments pray read the Scriptures and conferre of good things which duties are speciall meanes to retaine the Spirit but if men will not heare the Word preached pray read the Scripture nor meditate of good things but spend time idlely no marvell though the Spirit decay in them for as a man may kill a tree although he want a Saw or an axe to chop downe the top by picking away the moulds from the roote so though a man lay no violent hands on the Spirit yet if hee picke away the moulds take away the use of good meanes the Spirit will decay in him therefore if men would retaine the Spirit let them hold them to the use of good meanes The second meanes to retaine and keepe the Spirit is to take heed wee doe not grieve the Spirit as Ephes 4. 30. Grieve not the Spirit by the which ye are sealed unto the day of redemption it is the Spirit that seales our redemption unto us all the hope we have in God of heaven and of glory it is from the Spirit therefore let us take heede wee doe not grieve the Spirit there are some things in nature that are ready to put forth themselves to man but let them never so little offend them and they are ready to pull in themselves as the eye of a man a snaile and shell-fish the eye of a man is ready to put forth to us but if you offend it never so little it is ready to close and shut up his light the Spirit of God is of this nature it is ready to put forth it selfe to a man but offend it never so little and it will close against him therefore we must take heed wee doe not grieve the Spirit And for your information I will shew you two wayes how a man may grieve the Spirit First when a man sinnes against his Illumination and inlightning when he lyes sweares commits uncleannesse steales against conscience and knowledge and against the first grace of God other sinnes grieve the Spirit but these in a speciall manner they doe as it were wound the Spirit and let out the life and bloud of it so God complaines Ezek. 8. 6. Sonne of man scest thou not what they doe even the great abominations that the house
therefore we must pray God that the holy Ghost may come upon us and make us fit temples for his Spirit to dwell in for as I shewed you in the morning one sparke of the Spirit of God is able to destroy a whole heape and lumpe of corruption Bring a man to a house full of powder there is matter enough to doe a great deale of mischiefe to blow up many cities and townes but bring but a little sparke of fire and put to it and it is all gone with a blast so there is power enough in the devill in our corruption and nature to doe a great deale of mischiefe I but bring to it a little sparke of the holy Ghost and it will bring all the power of nature to nothing therefore let us heartily pray to God we may have a little of the power of the Spirit given which is able to bring our corrupt nature to nothing and so much the rather let us pray for this because the judgements of God bee heavy upon the land and upon our neighbours in which case if the Lord doe not sanctifie our flesh it is like he will destroy us therefore let us pray to God that we may have a little of the Spirit of God to destroy our corruptions But why was Christ conceived by the holy Ghost That he might be pure and without sinne for all that are conceived by ordinary generation are sinfull as David Psal 51. 5. I was conceived in sinne and borne in iniquity so Iob Wee are all corrupted and who can bring a pure thing out of a corrupt fountaine why then was not Christ conceived ordinarily as the sons of Adam are but by the holy Ghost It was that hee might bee pure and holy Christ was the first that purified mans nature for sin and it were so joyned together that none could take mans nature but he must take his sinne now Christ hee hath parted mans nature and sinne and all that be in Christ shall feele this parting power of Christ to part mans nature and sinne these are so combined together as we dayly see that reprove a man of any sinne hee will presently answere it is my nature I pray you beare with wee I can doe no otherwise I cannot leave it Now if we be in Christ we shall feele this dividing power to part mans nature and sinne So saith Paul Roman 7. 19. The good thing that I would doe that doe I not and the evill thing that I would not doe that doe I so then it is no more I but sinne that dwelleth in me so sinne was one thing and mans nature was another thing Therefore wee must pray to God that wee may have this parting power of Christ that howsoever wee keepe the nature of man yet that sinne may be parted from us and this was the reason why Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost Now there is one thing that may be objected against this How could Christ be free from sinne seeing hee tooke mans nature upon him and was according to his humanity in the loynes of Adam for Rom. 5. it is said of Adam In whom all have sinned and Hebrew 7. that Levi also who received tithes paid tithes in Abraham For hee was yet in the loynes of his father when Melchizedech met him so that which Abraham did that Levi did being in his loynes thus Christ being in his humane nature in the loynes of Adam how could he be free from sinne To this I answere that if he had beene conceived and made by the power of nature he could not be without sin but he was conceived by the power of the holy Ghost and so made by it for the power of nature could not have brought forth Christ As we see in nature that the Substance of a chaire of State was in the tree and yet the Tree could not bring forth such a chaire of State fit for the king to sit in though it should grow a thousand yeeres but it must bee made and fashioned out by the skill and cunning of the Workeman for it could never grow to be one but is made one out of a tree by the workeman so though Christ were in the loynes of Adam yet nature could never bee able to bring forth Christ but it must be by the power of the holy Ghost Thirdly what adoe there was at Christs conception as wee know Ioseph could not sleepe Mary she must be called in question for her honestie and the Angell must come downe from heaven to quiet all so it is stil if Christ be conceived in the heart of a man all the country must heare and ring of it he must be table-talke and they say he is melancholy or mad there is such adoe about it yea there was never more adoe at the conception of Christ in the wombe of the Virgin than there is at the conception of Christ in the heart of a Christian Examples wee have Act. 2. when the Spirit of God came upon the Disciples who were but poore fishermen in firy tongues how did the people wonder and admire at it some said They were drunke some mad so it is still Christ cannot bee conceived in the heart of a Christian but the world runnes in a rout together and some say the party is mad some melancholy and some one thing and some another And thus much for the conception of Christ Now we come to speake of his birth wherein observe these five things 1. Of whom he was borne 2. The time when 3. The place where 4. The manner of his birth 5. The manifestation of it First of whom he was borne He was borne of the Virgin Mary as it is in the profession of our Christian faith and Matth. 1. 23. Hence two things are to be observed 1. That Christs was borne of a Virgin 2. That He was borne of the Virgin Mary First He was borne of a Virgin Of which there may bee given three reasons first that he might be freed of the guilt of sinne which comes by the course of nature for all that are borne according to the course of nature are sinfull therefore Christ was borne of a Virgin not by the course of nature all that were in the loynes of Adam as he sinned so did they as we may see in another case Heb. 7. Levi paid tithes to Melchisedech when he was in the loynes of Abraham so that which Abraham did Levi did being in his loynes in like manner Paul speaking of Adam saith In whom all have sinned Rom. 5. 12. therefore all that were in the loynes of Adam as he sinned so did they But Christ that hee might take mans nature upon him and be freed from sinne was borne of a Virgin as Augustine saith hee tooke mans nature without sinne that the purity of his birth might sanctifie the impurity of our birth for wee are conceived in sinne and borne in iniquity so David saith Psalm 51. now we are
despise this great mercy Peter he did wonder at the humility of Christ Ioh. 13. that he wold stoop so low as to wash his Disciples feet but how may we wonder at his strange humility that he would be borne as we are therefore we may upon this consideration breake forth and say O blessed Lord what am I that thou wouldest be borne thus for my sake that thou wouldest stoope so low for me How should I respect and regard thee The second use is seeing Christ was contented to stoope to the infirmities of thy birth thou shouldest be content to be borne spiritually I but to be borne of the Spirit is tedious why consider with thy selfe was Christ contented to be borne of a Virgin thou maiest be contented to bee borne of the Spirit He suffered prayed in the garden died on the crosse for thee was contented to bee borne of the Virgin thou mai'st well be contented then to be borne of the Spirit Secondly he was borne meanely in the poorest manner that might be and as we may see in this place there was no body to give him helpe no light shining nor Angell appearing no fine things to put him in but he was swadled in clouts rags This was a strange humiliation of Christ to be borne so basely that all the Angels might admire and wonder at it and bee confounded to thinke of the basenesse of Christs birth which hath made our adversaries devise strange stories to grace the birth of Christ with they say in the Gospell of Saint Iames which is a false Gospell that when Christ was borne the whole course of nature was stayed that the birds that were flying in the ayre could not stirre but hung there the goats that went to drinke could not move their lippes a shepheard putting foorth his hooke to catch his sheepe it hung in the ayre and the like fopperies for the world was not then able to consider why Christ was so poorely borne Another tale they devised to grace the birth of Christ was this that when Ioseph went for the midwife Christ was borne in the meane time at which time there was such a light as they might see aswell at midnight as at noone day but this could not be for there was no light shining in the roome no Angell none to give him helpe The world cannot conceive it but there bee divers reasons of it First to shew the infinite goodnesse and love of Christ thus to stoope so low to be so basely borne to save me and thee it was a strange love that he would be borne as we are and so creepe along with us to grow as we grow live as we live and stoope to all the infirmities of our nature yea even to dye and to lye in the grave with us that so wee might apply our sinfull bodies to his holy body our impure flesh to his pure flesh that so hee might quicken and give us life David when he considered the worke of creation Psal 8. 4. burst out into this speech Lord what is man that thou art so mindefull of him c. much more may we say admiring the worke of our Redemption not only what is man But what a good Lord is this that he would be contented to stoope so low to be so basely borne for my salvation which made holy Bernard say so much the more baser thou art borne the more deare thou art to my soule and to my heart in this regard Secondly to shew what a great matter it is to redeeme us and how wee are to make much of that Salvation that Christ would bee so basely borne to purchase for us Therefore seeing Christ was pleased to come thus into the world to save us how should we bee contented to be abased now to stand before God with comfort at the day of judgement as Paul Phil. 3. 8. Yea doubtlesse I count all things but lost for the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I suffered the losse of all things and judge them to be but dung and drâ—sse that I might winne Christ and might be found in him so Ignatius when he should suffer Lord saith he I care for nothing whether for things visible or invisible for the tearing my flesh or the losing of my members or for all the divels can devise against me so that I may bee made any thing to be saved As a cunning workeman takes a peece of clay to make a goodly jmage hee tempers the clay changeth it into twenty shapes and fashions before hee makes the image so the Lord this cunning workeman doth when hee would make the picture of Christ in us he doth as it were temper and change us into twenty shapes before hee makes his beautifull Image in us therefore wee should bee contented to be disposed at the good will of God to change us into any shape sicknesse poverty want or disgrace and be made any thing to be saved Thirdly to shew that the greatnesse of our sinnes tooke hold on him for he was no sooner come into the world but our sinnes were upon him and put all this basenesse and meannesse upon him Therefore dost thou wonder thou art a prophane man or an Adulterer or a drunkard or a Swearer that God brings poverty upon thee blindnesse lamenesse or an evill name why looke upon Christ and we shall see that the guilt of our sinnes being upon him brought all this basenesse and meanesse upon him Fourthly that the meanesse and hardnesse of Christs estate might sanctifie the poverty and hardnesse of our estates for he was deare and precious in the sight of God notwithstanding this abasement therefore doe thou labour to be a childe of God and then thou shalt be deare and precious in the sight of God now though this cannot bee by nature yet labour to be one by Adoption and grace and then God wil accept thee though thou be never so meane and basely accounted of heere Chrysostome compares a good man to a peece of gold that if we take it trample it and treade it in the durt yet the gold is never the worse so saith he let the world trample and treade upon a good man hee is not the worse he loseth none of his goodnesse and these be the reasons in regard of God why Christ was thus basely borne Now the reason in regard of the world the Evangelists doe shew was because there was no roome in the Inne this was strange was there no roome for Christ in the Inne was there never a chamber nor a corner of a roome for him to be borne in There was roome I warrant you for swaggerers and drunkards for dicers and carders for prophane persons but there was no roome for Christ to bee borne in these had taken up all the roomes so as Christ must bee turned to bee borne in a stable And I would to God it were not the sin of the world still
to maladies he will presently open a veine and take away the corrupter blood so God this same skilfull Physitian seeing that abundance of ease wealth and health would doe us hurt many times takes away from us our ease our health our wealth and our worldly comforts so David saith Psalm 119. 71. It is good for mee that I have been afflicted that I might learne thy statutes therefore although a man may be forsaken in the life of nature yet if hee may have the more strength in the life of grace and can feele it so with him or as Paul speakes that although he dieth daily yet his comfort and consolation in God increaseth then it is good for that man to bee thus forsaken of God The second desertion is in the life of grace which consists in the power of the Spirit and in the comfort of the Spirit it is nothing to be forsaken in the life of nature to have our sight or our wealth or our health or ease taken from us if God doe not take away his Spirit but if God doe not onely forsake us in the life of nature but also in the life of grace this is the greatest and the heaviest conflict that may befall a Christian and therefore wee had need pray to God for this that although he forsake us in the life of nature yet that hee would not take away his Spirit and grace from us so David prayeth Psalm 51. Take not away from mee thy holy Spirit as if he should say though thou take away from me my crown my kingdom or my life yet take not away from me thy Spirit so we should pray to God that although he take away from us our health goods wife children or worldly ease yet Lord take not from mee thy Spirit Here wee are to take notice of an errour in the world that if men be forsaken in the life of nature then they complaine but never are mooved when God takes away sanctified graces from them Saul complained when God had forsaken him in the life of nature as 1 Sam. 28. 15. The Philistines make warre against me and God is departed from mee and yet never was moved when the Spirit of the Lord departed from him and an evill spirit from the Lord was sent to trouble him as we may reade 1 Sam. 16. 14. Thus we can complaine when God hath forsaken us in the life of nature but are not troubled when we have lost any sanctified grace therefore howsoever poverty blindnesse of lamenesse be upon us yet let us pray to God as David did Psal 51. that Hee would not take away from us his Spirit and grace Now since we are fallen upon this point how farre forth a Christian may be forsaken in the life of grace wee will proceed in it a little farther for the satisfaction of every mans conscience and therefore chiefly take notice of these two things for the better understanding thereof That there is 1. The comfortable feeling of the Spirit 2. The grace or power of the Spirit For the first God is said to forsake a Christian when he takes away the comfortable feeling of his Spirit thus a Christian may be forsaken when he feeleth not the love and favour of God on him being so cast downe as if he should never be saved yet for that time he may have the power and grace of the Spirit Thus Christ was forsaken in the life of grace that he had no feeling of the Spirit or of Gods favour yet neverthelesse he had the grace and power of the Spirit Wee have many examples in the Scriptures that the people of God have wanted this same sweet feeling of Gods favour we see how David complaines I said in mine haste I am cleane cast out of thy sight So the Church in the Canticles Cant. 5. 7 8. being as it were forsaken went up and downe to seeke Christ yet the Church in that hard time did not want the operation and power of the Spirit though she wanted the sweet feeling therof and the joyfull and delightfull presence of Christ even so a Christian hath not alwayes a like feeling of it but when a man wants it then he must sustaine himselfe by faith as we shall heare hereafter Now if question be made how farre forth God may forsake a true Christian I answer in knowne termes That he doth not forsake totally and finally This I will first prove by certaine grounds secondly I will explaine it and thirdly I will make use of it First I will prove it by these foure grounds The first is drawne from the promise of God There is a promise made Iosh 1. 5. I will not faile thee nor forsake thee this promise made to Ioshua Saint Paul applyes to all the faithfull people of God Heb. 13. Now if God will not forsake his faithfull people then wee may have comfort that God will not forsake us if we be faithfull The second is drawne from the nature of God Now the nature of God is not changed for them whom he loveth he loveth to the end Ioh. 13. 1. And Rom. 11. 28. The gifts and graces of God are without repentance The third is drawne from the power of God 1 Pet. 1. 3. We are kept by the power of God to salvation And Iohn 10. 29. My Father that gave them me is greater than all and none is able to take them out of his hands The fourth is from the vertue of Christs Prayer Ioh. 17. 11. Holy Father keepe through thine owne name those whom thou hast given me So he prayed that Peters faith might not faile him Now as the prayer of Christ sustained and upheld Peter in his fals so it shall uphold and sustaine all the godly in their fals And these be the grounds Now I will explaine the same First that in all the fals of Gods people they fall not totally from grace and goodnesse they fall but in part for as it is 1 Ioh. 3. 9. There is a seed in them a seed and a root of goodnesse and grace remaining in them in all their fals as we see in David when he had fallen grievously Psal 51. Lord saith hee take not thy holy Spirit from me And so in his going astray he cries and cals to God Psal 119. 178. I have gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy servant for I have not forgotten thy Commandements So Matth. 26. 15. when Peter had denied his Master he crept away from the bad company and was not at rest till he had wept bitterly thus we may see that God doth not totally forsake his people And therefore Act. 20. 10. as Paul said of Eutichus when he fell out at the window Trouble not your selves his life is in him So we may say in all the fals of Gods people trouble not your selves nor be discouraged for there is life in them there is the Spirit of grace although men
feeling of their wants We see Christ complained of his thirst so we may complaine to God of our wants And is it not also as lawfull to complaine to men Yes but wee must be sure to use no unlawfull meanes to ease our selves but wait on God where we may see the difference between a true christian and a man of this worldâ— for the one may desire peace ease wealth and such like but there is a moderation in their desires not to have it with any coÌ„dition but by good means which if they thus obtaine not they can rest contented with the good wil of God so we may desire these things but not against the peace of conscience but the other the men of this world care not what means they use to have their desires as Matth. 4. when Christ was hungry the devill came to him and bade him turne stones into bread so the devill doth still when Christians are in want and necessity he will come to them and bid them turne stones into bread that is use unlawfull meanes put themselves upon bad courses to come out of it but wee must take heed of this if wee have not our desires yet wee must waite on God and be contented with his good will So Psal 123. the Church doth As the eyes of a servant looke to the hands of his master and as the eyes of a maiden to the hands of her mistris so our eyes waite on the Lord our God till he have mercy on us In like manner if we be in want or in any trouble we may desire to come out of it but we must use no unlawfull meanes only waite we must on God and be contented with his good will whatsoever it be in the use of good meanes Thirdly the time of his complaint When all things were accomplished when he had lost a great deale of blood and indured a great deale of paine All this time he held it to himselfe till he had set mans salvation in safetie and made that sure he never complaines of his thirst Wherein we may consider the marvellous love of Christ that till hee had made mans salvation sure did not looke to himselfe such a carefull eye he carried for our good and safetie Which love of Christ to us must teach us to shew the like love to him againe to forget our owne ease profit and pleasures that wee may doe service to him as Ioâ— did I have said he preferred the words of his mouth before my appointed food So Ioh. 4. Christ being weary set himselfe downe on a Well when his disciples were gone into the citie to buy meat in which time came a woman to draw water whom hee did convert after which when his disciples came againe with meat and would have had him to eate he made this answere That it was meate and drinke to him to doe his fathers will He had not so much regard to himselfe as to his Fathers will so it must bee with a Christian hee must passe by himselfe and care not what become of him so God may have glory Wee may see a worthy example hereof in Abrahams servant Gen. 24. 33 who being sent to get a wife for his masters sonne when there was meaâ—e â—et before him he could not eate till he had done his businesse he came about Now if a servant have so much care of his masters businesse that hee would not eate or drinke till hee had done it much more should we be carefull to do Gods will therefore when men have so much regard to their owne case and profit and passe by that which tends to Gods Glory this doth shew that there is not the like love to Christ we see in experience if a childe fall into the fire or water if the mother heare of it what businesse soever she hath shee lets all alone and cannot be at rest till she hath set her childe in safetie againe so it was with Christ he forgate himselfe till hee had set our saluation in safety and then he did thirst and we should shew as neere as may be the like love to Christ againe The fourth was The Event of his thirst Christ being on the crosse complaines of thirst Now is there any that brings him wine to comfort him or drinke to refresh him or water to coole him No but they give him vinegar to drinke And because it was not afflictive enough they gave him it with Hyssope to make it more bitter and sowre Here we may see the vilenesse of the souldiers to give such a draught to Iesus Christ our Lord and blessed redeemer in his extremity we are all ready to condemne them and that justly for it but I pray God we be not the men and women that doe the like For as Christ said vpon the crosse Sitio I thirst so be saith now to all the men and women by his spirit in the world Sitio I thirst what wilt thou stand still and gaze upon him or wilt thou not regard him I dare lay that there is never an one here but would be ready to say Lord what wouldst thou have what is it thou thirstest for Why I thirst not for the wine nor for the strong drinke nor for thy honey or thy milke But O man I thirst for thy salvation thy conversion thy Repentance and for thy faith And therefore seeing we heare that Christ doth thirst what wilt thou doe O man wilt thou give him vinegar to drinke as the souldiers did or wilt thou give him wormewood to drinke or temper a cup of poyson and give him Now the truth is There is no wormewood or gall so bitter to our taste as thy impenitencie hard-heartednesse and the sinnes thou livest in are unto Christ for every sinne we commit we doe as it were put a drop of poyson into a cup for Christ to drinke therefore whereas we condemne the souldiers we had neede condemne our selves and come home to our selves Let us therefore temper a better cup for Christ to drinke on than this let us repent us of our sinnes convert and turne to him this will satisfie Christ Wee reade in the English Chronicles of a Monke that got a Toade and pricked and pressed her inâ—â— a cup of wine and gave it to his Liege-lord to drinke Now I dare say there is never an one here but doth detest the fact But the truth is every sinne we commit we doe as it were temper such a cup of poison for Christ our blessed Saviour and Redeemer therefore I pray God whereas we condemne them for this vile fact that there be not just cause to condemne our selves SERMON XXIIII IOHN 19. 30. VVhen Iesus therefore had received the vinegar hee said It is finished AMongst the seven last words of Christ this is the sixth in order And it is a Song of Gratulation and a triumphing Song for the worke of mans Redemption and Salvation When Moses had led the children
him the reasons because he would their faith should be grounded on the Scriptures which must teach us that wee must ground our faith onely on the Word of God therefore Christ saith Search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke to have eternall life so it is not true faith till it bee founded on the Scriptures it may be a counterfeit or it may be an opinion or it may be a perswasion but it cannot be true faith till it hath his ground there so saith Paul Rom. 10. Faith commeth by hearing of the word preached as also the Schoolmen say the best resolution of faith is of God that they doe beleeve because God saith so here we are to take notice of an errour in the world that many say they have faith and yet have no ground for it but they will tell you such a Preacher said so or such a good man or wee heard it a great while agoe but it is not true faith till they can say that God spake it well he may have a perswasion or an opinion or a conceit but it cannot be true faith till it be founded on the word of God Thus we heard in the former verses how Christ did found the faith of the Disciples on the Scriptures he might have discovered himselfe at the first and have given them a sensible knowledge of him as hee did after in this chap. but Hee drew them on by little and little and did lead them through the Scriptures the booke of God that so he might open unto them all that was spoken of him In the next place we come to the discovery of him where wee may see that when they drew neere unto the towne they went to Christ makes a proffer to be gone as though he would have left them after he had begun the worke of grace in them and had kindled some sparkes in them in like manner through the wise dispensation of God hee doth still hee beginnes the worke of grace and kindles some sparkes of faith in us and then he will proffer to bee gone if we be not wise to lay hold on him and retaine him therefore Moses makes his prayer Numb 10. 36. every time the Arke removed Returne O Lord to the many thousands of Israel he knew that the people had given God just cause to be gone from them therefore he makes his prayer that God would yet returne againe to them In like maner David Psal 44. 9. makes his complaint But now thou art farre off and puttest us to confusion and goest not forth with our armies here David seeth the Lord to shrinke from him making a proffer to be gone therefore complaines he thus so we shall find that the Lord doth shrink from us and makes a profer to be gone and to take away the Gospell and our comfort if wee bee not wise to lay hold on him and stay him Now there bee three things by the which a man may know when Christs makes a proffer to be gone First When men grow idle and cold in the use of good meanes in prayer hearing the word reading and meditating thereon they doe not apply themselves to it as they have done but they attend about the world this makes Christ proffer to be gone Luk. 2. 47. Ioseph and Mary never lost Christ all the while they were in Aegypt they kept him when they were under the crosse and in affliction but when they were in peace and at Ierusalem then they lost him and the reason was because they attended their friends kinsfolkes and the rest of the company but did not attend Christ never looked after him therefore hee was presently lost even so most men as long as they be under the crosse keepe Christ but when they bee in peace then they lose him and the comfortable feeling of faith they attend to the world to their profits and pleasures and grow loose in the use of good meanes forgetting to nourish the good things and holy feelings of Gods favour in themselves to this effect Psal 51. 11. David prayes unto God That he would not take away his spirit from him he felt the Lord to shrinke from him and make a proffer to be gone and therefore he sayes Lord take not thine holy spirit from me whatsoever thou take away from mee though it bee my crowne and kingdome yet take not thy spirit from me As we see if a man hath fish in his pond as long as the water tarries so long the fish will remaine but if the water bee drawne out then the fish will follow the water even so as long as wee use good meanes so long Christ will tarry with us but if once we grow loose then Christ will follow the meanes And this is the first thing whereby we may know whether Christ makes a proffer to be gone Secondly wee may know whether Christ makes a proffer to bee gone When wee live in knowne sinnes against our judgement and conscience giving way to our flesh and following bad examples then we may justly feare hee will be gone or make a proffer to be gone For as Ezek. 8. 6. the Lord saith Son of Man seest thou not what they doe Even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here that I should goe farre off from my Sanctuarie So if we commit sins against God it will cause his Spirit to depart from us as also Exodus 33. 7. When the people of Israel had committed a great sinne against God in worshipping the Calfe Moses tooke the Tabernacle and did pitch it without the Host to shew unto the people that God was departing from them because of their sinnes if they were not wise to stay him by repentance and turning to him by Prayer Another example hereof we have Iudges 16. 20. Sampson who was a good man and yet because hee loved a harlot and sinned against God The Spirit of the Lord departed from him for when she said the Philistians bee upon thee Sampson hee awoâ—ke out of his sleepe and said I will goe out as at other times before and shake my selfe And hee wist not that the Lord was departed from him Even so if good Men sinne against God it will cause the Spirit of Christ to depart from them for when they have committed great sinnes against God though they shake themselves and thinke to doe as they have done before to pray and performe such like duties yet for their life they cannot because the Spirit of God is departed from them hence we may learne that though a man be a good man yet if he sinne against God God may give him over and he may lose the Spirit of grace and the comfortable feeling of it for a time therefore every man must take heed how hee give way to the flesh to commit sinnes against God and as Iacobs sonnes said to the Sichemites If yee will be circumcised then will we give our daughters to you and take your daughters
Christian is a-thirst or an hungred or in any want Christ cries out of heaveÌ„ I thirst I am an hungred I am in want and therefore looke what thou wouldest doe to Christ that doe to his servants and hee will accept it as if it were done to him Now their remaines something to be spoken morr but because the time passeth I will speake breifely of it The Saints replie and say to Christ when saw wee thee an hungred or a-thirst or naked did they not know it were they ignorant of it I answer they did know it but these words only are Parabolicall not that the saints do say so but it is to teach us somewhat as Luke 16. of the speech that passed betweene the rich man in Hell and Lazarus we are not to thinke that there was any such speech but it is Parabolicall to teach us that we must not looke for one to be sent from the dead to tell us newes but must looke unto the Scriptures and take warning by them so be these words Parabolicall and are to teach us two things First That Christ hath an eye to all the workes of Mercie that wee doe to our brethren and takes it as if it were done to himslfe Secondly That the People of God when they have done all the good they can they will not know of any thing they carrie themslves so humble and so low when they come to stand before Christ So when we have done all the good wee can when wee come to stand before God let us endeavour to bee humbled and carrie our selves very low If a man goe in at a low Doore hee can take no hurt by stooping low O but if hee rise one inch above the Doore hee may breake his head or dash his braines out So by sinking low and by humbling our selves before God we can take no hurt but carrying our selves too high we may breake our heads or bee confounded Therefore it is a good thing when men have done well to bee humble and to carry themselves submissively SERMON LI. MATTHEW 25. 41 42. Then shall hee say also to them on the left hand Depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divell and his angels For I was an hungred and ye gave mee no meate I was thirstie and ye gave me no drinke c. HAving spoken of the sentence of Remuneration or reward that all the godly shall receive at the day of judgement when Christ shall say Come ye blessed of my Father receive the Kingdome prepared for you having spoken I say of this first part of the sentence wee are now come to the latter part thereof which is the most dolefull and heavie sentence that shall passe upon the wicked and ungodly at the last day Now there be foure paines or punishments implyed in it 1. An Abdication or Ejection in these words depart from me 2. A Malediction in these words ye cursed 3. The place that they shall passe into or the Estate they shall goe into Fire and everlasting fire 4. The Societie and the companions that they shall have the Divell and his Angels These be the foure punishments or paines that shall passe upon the wicked and ungodly at the day of judgement the least whereof were enough to breake any mans heart to thinke of Daniel 5. 5. it is said of Belshazzer His coâ—ntenance was changed and his thoughts troubled so that the joynts of his loynes were loosed and his knees smote one against another when hee saw his sentence written on the wall and yet hee could not read it much more shall all the wicked of the world tremble and quake and their knees smite together for feare when they shall heare their owne sentence read by Iesus Christ how shall their eares tingle their thoughts be troubled and their hearts faile them O that all men would thinke of this and I pray the God of all spirits to grant us grace to avoid and to feare it First and Abdication or Ejection depart from me Christs voice as a clap of Thunder shall be of force to drive all the wicked out of his presence so there shall not be a wicked man left behinde even the sweet mouth of Christ that shall gather all the godly to him shall drive all the wicked into Hell for no sooner shall Christ give out the word and say depart from me but it shall bee of force to drive all to Hell there is never a wicked man that is able to withstand Depart from mee ye wicked and ungodly you that bee swearers lyers deceivers whoremasters drunkards and covetous persons such as prophane the Sabboth and spend your time loosely and badly depart I say from me away to Hell with you to the Divell to paines and torments Now what a fearefull thing is this to be cast out of Christs presence as Psal 1. 5. David saith the wicked shall not stand in the judgement they come into judgement but they shall not stand in it nor bee able to hold up their heads as Hest 7. 3. when Haman was out of favour with the king they covered his face and carried him out of the kings presence though once he was greatly in favor with him so it shall be with all the wicked of the world howsoever here they may be in great favour with Kings Princes and great men yet they shall bee cast out of the presence of Christ and expelled Therefore consider what a fearefull thing it is when Christ shall cast us out because in his presence is all fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore as it is Psal 16. Therefore to be cast out of Christs presence is to bee cast away from the fountaine of all joy and pleasure and out of the glory of this World O what a Hell and a torment will this be at that day Therefore the Apostle Paul saith of such 2 Thes 1. 9. Who shall bee punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power they shall not be able to behold the sweet face of Christ but shall bee all shut out as Exod. 33. when the Lord would not goe with the children of Israel but would send an Angell with them they would not put on their costly raiment but laid it aside which made Moses say unto God Carrie us not from this place unlesse thy presence goe with us Now if it were such a griefe and terrour to want the presence of God here for a little time in the kingdome of grace what a griefe and a terrour will it bee and worse than many thousand deaths to be cast out of the presence of God for ever and ever this will bee a terrour of all terrours and it will be the greater in that wee shall be excluded and shut out when others shall be admitted and shall see them goe to Heaven as Christ speakes Luke 13. There shall be weeping wailing and
27. But the anointing which yee receive dwelleth in you and yee need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you all things this is another benefit we have by the Holy Ghost to teach us all knowledge needfull for our salvation A number of people complaine they can learne nothing though they have meanes and good meanes too the reason is because they have not got this inward Doctor the Holy Ghost to teach them therefore let us pray to God to give us this inward Doctor to teach and instruct us and to give us all knowledge needfull for our salvation Now by two meanes the holy Ghost doth teach us first by opening our hearts to understand the Scriptures making us capable of the high things of God the Iewes had a veile hung over their hearts in the reading of the Law as ye may read 2 Corinth 3. 13. so all people have a veile hung over their hearts that in seeing they cannot see nor perceive Now the Holy Ghost takes downe this veile for as at the death of Christ the veile of the Temple was rent that a man might see into the most Holy place so the Holy Ghost doth teare this same veile that wee may see into the high things of God A man that sits in a darke house cannot see to doe any thing yet if one come and open a window or a casement and so lets in light he may then see to doe whatsoever pleaseth him so we be here as in a darke house and the Holy Ghost opens as it were a window or a casement and le ts sin light to us therefore it is said Act. 16. that the Lord opened the heart of Lydia and so Luk. 24. it is said then hee opened their understanding So the Holy Ghost it is that must open our understanding for we may read and heare but if the Holy Ghost doth not open our hearts we shall be never the better for that we read or heare The second meanes is by causing us to remember the good things that hath beene taught us through corruption of nature we are ready to forget the good things that wee have heard The woman in the Gospell had a flux of blood but we have a flux of memory to let slipthe a thing that is good to repaire which infirmity the Holy Ghost teacheth us how to retaine and keepe them so we see in this place Christ saith that the holy Ghost shall bring to our remembrance all things whatsoever hee hath taught us The old Romans had certaine men whom they called Amemores that is remembrances when they had any weighty matter to be done one put them in minde of it afore there was such a thing to be done so the Lord doth by the holy Ghost he makes him our remembrancer to put us in minde that there is such and such a thing to be done for there is a number of good things that wee forget whereof the Holy Ghost puts us in minde There be a number of people complaine that they cannot remember any thing their memory is so bad but let him labour to get the Holy Ghost and he will teach them to remember and help memory in a man The Disciples of Christ did not understand but forgot some things that he had told them of but when the Holy Ghost was sent to them hee brought it to their remembrance as soone therefore as he was risen from the dead it is said his Disciples remembred that hee thus and thus said unto them if a man have the Holy Ghost hee will bring a thousand things to our remembrance which we forget it is an opinion of some that if a man go to Church and learne nothing he were better be at home for say they hee were as good tarry at home and learne nothing as to goe to Church and carry away nothing To this I answer doe not tarry at home but come still though thou doe not understand them for the present nor remember them labour to get the Holy Ghost and he will make thee to understand them and bring them to thy remembrance though thou hast forgotten them The third benefit that wee have by the holy Ghost is holy regiment and government that he guides and governs the hearts of the faithfull as a man that dwelleth in a house will governe and guide the same all shall be subject to his will so the Holy Ghost dwelleth in the hearts of the faithfull to governe guide and to make them subject to his will therefore Saint Paul saith Rom. 8. 14. That the faithfull are led by the Spirit and Psal 143. 10. David prayeth Lord let thy good Spirit lead me unto the land of righteousnesse The sonnes of kings and princes though they ride abroad and goe here and there yet they have a Tutor and a governour to goe with them that they doe nothing unseemely or unfitting their place so the Lord doth though he sends us here into the world and lets us goe up and downe yet he sends the Holy Ghost with us to bee our monitor and Tutor that we should not commit any thing unbeseeming us in our Christian profession This is another benefit wee have by the Holy Ghost for if he did not guide us whither should we runne Now by two speciall actions the Holy Ghost doth governe us The first is by restraining and keeping of us backe from a number of sinnes that we should else fall into therefore when we are kept from any sinne it is the Spirit of God that doth it so Gal. 5. 17. saith the Apostle For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other insomuch that wee cannot doe the same things that wee would so Act. 16. 7. Paul would have gone to Bithynia and the Spirit suffered him not so then it is the Holy Ghost we see that keeps and holds us back from sinne There is no Christian but feeles this when his corruption puts him on sinne it is the Holy Ghost that keepes us backe and will not let us take our swing and sway therein what a number of sins should wee fall into if the Holy Ghost should not keepe us for we have the seeds and spawne of all sinnes in us therefore that we are kept from the sinnes and shames that others fall into it is because the Holy Ghost keeps us from falling into them Secondly by exciting and stirring of us up to good things putting holy motions and good thoughts into our minds as Act. 7. it is said that it came into Moses heart to goe and visit his brethren Moses lived in Pharaohs court where he wanted not any thing yet there was a thought came into his heart to goe and looke on the poore Church of God and to pittie them so when there is a motion comes into our minde to pittie our poore brethren and to releeve them
calling that a man can take in hand that he is able to perform till he be fitted for it by the holy Ghost There is a common complaint amongst men in regard of their servants and many disorders the reason of it is because men want the holy Ghost for if men had the holy spirit he would make a supply of our wants and amend all disorders The generall Vse that wee are to make of this doctrine is that men pray for this blessing of the holy Ghost when Elias was taken into Heaven from Elisha saith Elias to him What shall I doe for thee unto whom Elisha said I pray thee that thy Spirit may be doubled upon me And so Christ going to Heaven saith what shall I doe for thee our request must be that his Spirit may bee doubled upon us to comfort us in any distresse but specially in the great distresse of conscience at the time of death and that it may inable us to performe the speciall calling that wee bee now set to performe and live by SERMON LVIII 1 THESS 5. 19 20. Quench not the Spirit Despise not Prophesying HAving spoken of the benefits that wee have by the Holy Ghost in the next place wee are to consider whether we may lose the Holy Ghost or the grace that is once given us of God worldly blessings a man may lose he may lose riches favour of friends his lands and life his skinne and teeth he may lose his riches as Salomon saith that riches have wings like an Eagle hee may lose favour of friends as Iob 5. 15. Christ saith to the rich man Luke 12. This night will I come and take away thy soule and so of all other worldly blessings but if a man have once the Holy Ghost given him hee shall never lose the same therefore to have his comforts is a greater blessing than all worldly blessings whatsoever as Ioh. 14. Christ saith I will pray the Father and he will give you another Comforter another manner of Comforter than I am For I must leave the world and goe home to my Father I cannot tarry with you but this Comforter shall tarry and abide with you to end and shall not leave you till you are brought home to God therefore above all blessings let us desire this blessing and pray to God for it Now for the better clearing of this wee will lay downe these three conclusions The first conclusion is that nature is ready to quench and to expell the Spirit as much as may be I meane corrupt nature as it is tainted and corrupted with sinne and hereof we have two grounds The first is in that two contrary things comming together doe labour to destroy each other as fire and water the one being hot and the other cold doe make opposition so the Spirit and our nature are two contraries flat opposites one to another as the Apostle saith Gal. 5. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so as yee cannot doe what yee would so because they bee flat opposites one against another therefore they labour to destroy and seeke the overthrow one of another as much as may be so Rom. 7. we may see how the Spirit and the flesh bustle one with another for saith hee I delight in the law of God concerning the inner man But I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading mee captive unto the law of sinne which is in my members here is the flesh labouring to subdue and weaken the Spirit The second ground is that nature seekes to returne and to recover nature as much as may be as it is the nature of a stone to lye below in a low place therefore if ye take a stone and lay it on a shelfe it will abide as long as the shelfe holds it but take away the shelfe and the stone fals downe againe because it is the nature of it to lye below in like manner also it is the nature of many fowles to live in the water therefore as sonne as they be hatched almost they will runne into the water even so though Grace restraine nature for a little time yet it doth labour to returne againe as much as may be therefore Psal 88. 11. David prayes knit my heart unto thy Law so prone and apt was hee though a man after Gods owne heart to bee carried away from God to corruption and to slippe from him that hee prayes to God to uphold him and Paul exhorts Christians in this place that they doe not quench the Spirit the Spirit may be quenched but take heed that you doe not quench it Now because the Spirit is compared to fire therefore looke how many wayes a man may quench fire so many wayes a man may quench the Spirit First by with drawing the matter that should nourish the fire when men doe not bring fewell to nourish the fire the fire will quench and goe out therefore the Priests in the Law were commanded to bring fresh wood every morning and evening Levit. 5. 12. so the Spirit of God will quench in us if we withdraw that which should nourish it if wee doe not heare the Word preached pray and read the Scripture and conferre of good things for the Apostle joynes these two together quench not the Spirit despise not prophesying meaning when men despise prophesying they take the course to quench the Spirit and to decay it Secondly by powring on of cold water this will quench and put out the fire so the contrary motions of the Spirit will quench the Spirit for every sinne wee commit is as a bucket of water flung on the Spirit to quench and to put it out Iudg. 16. wee see that Sampson through loosenesse and wantonnesse keeping company with Delilah the Spirit of God was decaied in him and his strength for hee shooke himselfe and thought to have done as he did at other times but could not thus Sampson did quench the Spirit of God in him by his bad life so our sinnes being contrary motions to the Spirit doe quench the Spirit Thirdly by smothering out the fire for although a man doth not withdraw the matter that should nourish the fire or powre cold water on to quench it yet a man may quench fire by heaping on of earth and mold yea even the bare weight and burthen of greene wood will smother out the fire after the same manner though a man doth not withdraw himselfe from the use of good meanes nor doth commit grosse sinnes yet overmuch care for the World and the things of this life will quench the Spirit of God when a man spends all his time about his worldly businesse and hath no time to serve God this is a great meanes to quench the spirit Christ tels us Matth. 13. 22. that the thornes choake the good
of Israel committeth here to cause me to depart from my sanctuary so the sinnes we commit against God especially when we sinne against our inlightning they cause the Spirit of God to depart from us wee see when poore Bees have gathered a great deale of hony into their hive a man may drive them out with smoke so when the Spirit of God is come into a man and hath gathered a great deale of hony hath brought a great deale of comfort and joy to his soule hee may drive him out with his smoke as it were therefore we must take heed we doe not grieve him with our sinnes The second way that a man may grieve the Spirit of God is by not being obedient to the motions of it as Psalm 95. 10. saith the Lord Forty yeeres long was I grieved with this generation how did they grieve him they would not heare the voyce of God nor be obedient to the motions of his Spirit in like manner when men will not heare the voyce of God speaking to them from day to day nor obey the motions of his Spirit calling them to repent to beleeve to be charitable to their neighbours they doe grieve and offend the Spirit The third meanes to retaine and keepe the Spirit is to marke the removes of the Spirit for the Spirit doth not remove all at one time but by degrees by little and little as Ezek. 16. 4. 18. 19. we see the glory of God did not depart from the Temple all at once but first from the Cherub over the doore and then from the doore to the entring in of the gate so it is with the graces of God they doe not depart all at once but the degrees first a man loseth one grace and then another even as the leaves of a tree fal not al off together but some to day and some the next day till all the leaves be gone so it is with the graces of his Spirit therefore when a man findes the first remove of the Spirit that there is an abating of his zeale his care or of his love it must bee his wisedome to lay hold of the Spirit as Luke 24. when Christ had set afoot good things in the two Disciples hee makes a proffer to bee gone from them doe they let him goe no but they importune him and desire him to stay with them so if the Spirit of God makes a proffer to bee gone wee must not let it goe but lay hold on it and importune it when we feele it about going Thus David did Psal 51. 11. feeling the Spirit of God to remoove from him in regard of the foule sinne he had committed doth hee let the Spirit goe no but he prayes to the Lord that hee would not take away his Spirit and repents of his sinne so when a Christian hath given occasion by his sinnes that the spirit of God should depart from him hee must not let him goe but pray to God that the Lord would not take his spirit from him for if a Christian bee not carefull when hee feeles the spirit of God remove from him but lets it goe if it will fearefull will the fall of that man be It is a rule in Physicke if a man take it if it doth not stirre the humour the party will die so when we take Gods Physicke if it doth not stirre the humour nor we moved with it we are in danger of dying therefore we must marke the first removes of the Spirit The fourth meanes to retaine the Spirit is to use and to imploy the spirit for if men will not use the spirit excuse it to the bettering of their life and well ordering of their courses the Lord will take it away from them as Matth. 25. We see he that had but one Talent given him because he did not use and imploy it the Lord takes it away from him so if the Lord give us his Spirit and we doe not use and exercise it he will take it from us If a man lend a Saw or an Axe and he that borrowed it doth not use it but lets it ly rusting if the owner see it so he will take it away so when the Lord lends us his spirit and we doe not use it but let it lie rusting if so that doth not stir us up to the duties of Prayer and holinesse what may we looke for but that God will take away his Spirit The fifth meanes to retaine and keepe the spirit is that wee take heede that we doe not overcharge and burthen the spirit for if wee overcharge and burthen it this will drive it away I shewed you the last day that a man may not onely quench fire with water but he may also quench it by heaping upon it a great deale of Earth and Mould yea the very weight and burthen of greene wood will smother and put out the fire so we may quench the spirit not onely with our sinnes which are like cold water but wee may quench it by overburthening it with weighty worldly cares wee see when a mans heart is drawne away with the World what a hard matter it is to draw him to the duties of Prayer and Religion he is ready to say he can have no time for them Therefore men must take heed they doe not overcharge and burthen the Spirit with worldly cares wee see a Shippe will not onely sinke with leaking in of water at a hole but also if they overburthen the Shippe So if wee overburthen the Spirit with worldly cares they will drive away the Spirit These bee the five meanes by the which wee maintaine and keepe the spirit therefore as Christ said to his Disciples Blessed are ye if ye doe these things so say I to you Now ye know these things blessed are ye if ye doe them And because the holy Ghost is the greatest comfort that a man hath Therefore above all things let a man labour to retaine and keepe him If a man hath an hundred trees in his Garden or Orchard if there be one that is a tree of speciall use to him his wife and children friends and neighbours what will he doe He will be sure to nourish his tree and to lay fresh moulds to the roote of it whatsoever hee doth to the rest so the Holy Ghost as a tree of Life that hee his wife children and friends live by though a man have a number of other comforts yet how carefull should he be to nourish this comfort Thus at last wee have heard these profitable questions concerning the Holy Ghost and I pray God wee may so live in this life as that we may live everlasstingly in the life to come SERMON LIX ACTS 2. 47. And the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved I Have shewed before that the faith of a Christian consists in two things In God and the Church of God
life 4 The dignitie of his owne estate 2 Wee communicate to Christ three things 1 Our Nature Simile 2 Our sinnes 3 Our troubles and dangers Simile The Saints communion one with another Simile Simile The communion of Saints with the living stands in five things 1 Communion of affection Simile Simile 2 Communitie of Graces Simile Simile Simile 3 In spirituall Sacrifices Simile 1 Exhortation Simile 2 Admonition Simile Simile 3 Consolation Simile 4 Mutuall Prayer Fourthly the Saints Communication in Riches Simile SERM. LXIX Simile 1 That there ought to bee a Communion in goods Simile 2 The bounds and Limits of this Communion of goods 1 The Excesse of giving Simile Object Ans Simile Another kinde of Excesse 2 The Defects of giving 1 Defect 2 Defect 3 Defect Simile Simile Quest Ans Simile 5 Bearing with one another How the flesh may overcome the Spirit Simile Simile In three things Christians must beare with one another 1 They hide infirmities Simile 2 When they cannot cover they excuse them 3 They can endure the partie when the fault is open and unexcusable Vse 1. Simile Object Ans Three Reasons that no man can merit for another Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Vse 1. Simile 2 The Communion of the living with the dead Simile 2 Wee have the same faith and hope and love 3 The Communion of the Dead with the Dead in two things 1 Of in regard their bodies 2 Simile Object Ans 1. Simile Ans 2. 2 They have communion in regard of their soules SERM. LXX Simile ART X. Simile Simile 1 That the soule dieth not 1 Proofe by the Scripture 2 By Reason Reason 2. Reason 3. 1 2 Vse Simile Simile 2 That the soule sleepe not in the body Reasons against it Cause of sleepe 2 Object Ans 3 That the soules doe not goe to a middle place Foure lets of the communion of Saints 1 Let the mixture of evill men In wronging the Saints 1 Simile 2 They vexe them with their fine Simile 2 The imperfections of good men Simile 3 The distance of Place Simile Simile Simile 4 Narrownesse of their Love 1 Pardon of sins one the greatest blessing of this life Simile SERM. LXXI Vse Simile Simile 2 Pardon of sinne is onely for this life Simile 1 That all men bee sinners Simile Vse 1. Simile 2 No way to have release but by forgivenesse of sinnes Simile Object Ans Reasons against Mans satisfaction Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Quest Ans Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Simile 3 That forgivenesse of sinnes is to bee had if sought for Vse 1. Simile Simile Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. 4 That there is forgivenesse of sinnes without limitation Vse 5 That none but God can forgive sinnes Reason 1. That none but God can forgive sinnes Simile Reason 2. Reason 3. Object Ans Object Ans Ans 2. Vse 1. Simile Simile Vse 2. Simile Simile Simile 6 Gods pardon is conditionally if men repent Of particular forgivenesse of sinnes Quest Ans Generall Simile In Particular Foure wayes to know our sinnes are pardoned First if humbled for them Simile 2 If prayed heartily for forgivenesse 3 Whether wee have got strength against them Simile Simile Quest Ans 4 If wee have attained a peaceable Spirit Simile SERM. LXXII Quest Ans Three comfortts of forgivenesse of sinnes 1 Knowledge of Salvation 2 Then all that God sends us comes of Love Simile Simile ART XI 3 That with the pardon of sinne the punishment of them is removed 2 Benefit of the Life to come The Resurrection of the Body The Order that God takes in giving us blessings Simile 1 Wee beleeve to rise againe 1 Proofe by the Scriptures Reasons proving the Resurrection 1 From the Power of God 2 It is cleare also from the Iustice of God 1 2 3 From the mercy of God 4 From the end of Christs comming 5 From the Resurrection of Christ Object Ans 1 Obiection of the Atheists Ans Simile Object 2. Ans Simile Simile Object 3. Ans Simile Object 4. Ans Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. SERMON LXXIII Simile Secondly we shall rise againâ— with the same bodies Object 1. Ans 1. Object 2. Ans 2. Object 1. Ans Simile 2 Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Simile Simile Vse 3. Quest. Of knowing one another at the Resurrection Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. 3 The Time when we shall rise Foure Reasons why the Resurrection is delaid 1 Simile 2 Simile 3 4 Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. Quest What may comfort in our lying in the grave Ans. 1 2 Sam. 21. 10. Simile 2 Simile 3 4 Simile Vse Fourthly by whose power we shall rise Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Vse 3. 5 In what estate our bodies shall rise in Simile Simile The glory of the body consists in sixe things at the Resurrection 1 Intirenesse of parts Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Simile Object Ans Ans 2. 2 The body shall bee beautiful and lovely Reason 1. Reason 1. Simile Simile 3 In brightnesse and splendor Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile 4 In that they shall bee immortall and immutable Simile Simile Simile They shall bee spirituall Bodies Our Bodies shall bee spirituall in two Respects 1 Because upheld by the Spirit 2 Because subject to the Spirit Simile Simile 6 It shall bee a powerfull Bodie in three things 1 To act without wearinesse 2 Because it shall bee able to move it selfe nimbly in the aire 3 In that they shall bee pâ—ircing Simile In what estate the wicked shall rise 1 In a disgracefull estate 2 They shall bee clogged with all miserie necessitie and want Luk. 15. 19. Simile SERM. LXXIV Simile Exod. 19. 24. Quest 1. whether monsters borne shall rise monsters Simile Ans That the deformities of the Saints shall onely bee repaired Quest 2. In what Sex all shall rise againe Ans Quest 3. Whether Children and old men shall rise so againe or not Ans 1. 2 3 4 Reas 1. against the former opinion 2 3 Object Ans Simile Iohn 10. 27. Simile Simile Object Ans Object Ans Simile Simile 1 God promiseth to his people Life twofold 1 Naturall Life 2 Our spirituall Life 1 Degree of Spirituall Life The Life of Grace Simile Simile 2 The Life of Glorie Simile Simile 2 Cor. 12. 5. Simile Secondly from all the labours of this life Simile Simile Thirdly from Originall sinne Simile Fourthly from all worldly power and authority Fifthly from all society with the wicked Simile 6 We shall be freed from all sicknesses and diseases Simile What things we shall inioy in life everlasting 1 Immediate societie with God Simile 2 The Eternall presence of Christ wee shall enjoy Simile 3 The societie of all Saints Angels and Archangels c. 4 Lordship over all the world Simile 5 A conâ—inuall Sabbath to the Lord. Simile The continuance of Life everlasting Simile Simile Simile 1. Pet. 1. 4.