a further degree of the same punishment one begun here and the other eternally continued hereafter both due by that just sentence In the day thou sinnest thou shalt dye the death Doctr. The last judgement shall be not more glorious than righteous for if Jesus Christ be the Judge and if every person to bee judged shall receive according to his workes a righteous sentence the judgement must bee most just Rom. 2. 2. We know that the judgement of God is true that is equall and just And the Apostle abhorreth with detestation the least thought of any unrighteousnesse in God c. 3. 5. Is God unrighteous God forbid how should he then judge the world this will not stand with the proper office of God which is to be the Judge of all the world shall not hee deale justly 1. Where all helpes of righteous judgementare the judgement must needs bee righteous but so are they here for first in the person of the Judge there is wisedomeâ— and piercing understanding farre above Salomans to finde out the truth and equitie of things He discernes persons and causes truly and infallibly as they are Hee can disclose and discover all secrets of hearts intentions and purposes which no creature can discern All other Judges may be deceived who judge only of the worke running into the senses and so mis-judge of men as David himselfe did of Mephibosheth But this Judge seeth the heart and hidden counsels of it This ground of righteous judgement is laid in Jeremy 17. 10. I the Lord search the heart and reynes to give to every man according to his workes Herein is this Throne exalted above all tribunals in that the most secret thoughts escape him not which the highest seats of justice in earth can take no notice of All things are naked to him Heb. 4. 13. Another helpe of righteous judgement is the opening of the bookes both in Gods custodie and in the custodie of the parties God hath a booke of providence in which all things and causes are written Psal. 139. 16. and a booke of memorie wherein all the good services of his Saints are recorded Mal. 3. 16. and a booke of life in which the names of the Elect are written Phil. 4. 3. these bookes shall be opened and read Rev. 20. 12. And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another book was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes The booke in the parties custodie is the book of every mans conscience either accusing or excusing Rom. 2. 15. These bookes shall be opened and if the conscience accuse God is greater than the conscience 1 Joh. 3. 20. 2. Where all letts are removed that judgement must bee most righteous but so is it here for this is a white throne like Salomons white ivory throne for the puritie of the Judge and judgement First here is no concealement of things no dawbing up of bad matters in corners no pleading of Lawyers to varnish falshood and cloud the truth no Proctors no Advocates but every man must give account of himselfe to God Secondly here is no respect of persons but causes no friends to gratifie no mans cloth or service shall protect an offender Thirdly here shall be no inducement by gifts gold shall gild no bad causes Fourthly here shall bee no sanctuaries no priviledged places to disturbe the course of justice no appeales no protections to avoid the sentence which shall lye eternally upon sinners From all which grounds we conclude the righteousnesse of this judgement Which serves first according to the scope of our Saviour to excite every one in the care of saving his soule and worke in us selfe-deniall taking up of our crosse and following of Christ for then shall every man receive according to his worke As the seed hath been so shall be the harvest As the worke hath beene so shall the wages bee Hee that hath sown to the flesh or to the world shall reape corruption but hee that hath sowne to the spirit shall reape immortalitie and life 1 Cor. 3. 8. Every one shall receive according to his owne labour Secondly here is a ground of repentance Act. 17. 31. He admonisheth all to repent because hee hath appointed a day in which hee will judge the world in righteousnesse The reason is strong now the Lord after a sort hideth his righteousnesse and useth patience and connivence with many sinners but then he shall draw it out Yea thou mayest now hide thine owne sinne with Adam and carry it close from men but that is a day of revelation then shall the bookes be opened and all thy sins except thou hast repented and got a cover in Christ shall hee manifest and openly read before God men and Angels Thinke not to avoid or â—lude the justice of this throne but stand in awe and sinne not get an awfull reverence of that God whose pure eyes behold all the wayes of man whose soule perfectly hateth all iniquitie whose hand will not spare but without respect of persons judge every mans workes and whose justice will reward every one according to that he hath done in the flesh be it good or evill By what stronger argument would the Apostle affright the the hard-hearted sinner who heapes up wrath against the day of wrath and declaration of the just judgement of God but this same that God will reward every man according to his workes Rom. 2. 5 6. So what more affectuall motive can wee use to terrifie wicked enemies out of their sinnes than that of the spirit of God Rev. 22. 11. He that is unjust let him be unjust still and hee that is filthy let him be filthy still let the enemies of grace of the word of grace of the preachers of grace be unjust malitious and scornfull still at their perill let the swearer sweare still so the drunkard harlot usurer But take the next verse with it vers 12. Behold I come shortly and my reward is with mee to give to every one according as his worke shall bee Thirdly here is a ground of patience in the midst of the confusions of the world and the many contempts and opprobries cast against the godly seeing every man shall receive a righteous sentence according to his works Phil. 4. 5. Let your moderation bee knowne unto all men the Lord is at hand Beware of revenge in the meane time commit all to him that judgeth righteously Storme not to receive unjust sentences against us to see our righteous wayes depraved our good repaid with evill every Barrabas preferred before Christ. There is a day wherein God shall make our righteousnesse breake out as the Sunne in his strength And even from hence the Scriptures conclude a providence and a future judgement Eccles. 3. 16. When
and holiest men can make attonement but onely his blood which removeth the curse of the Law by satisfying for our sins which opens heaven now shut upon us and obtaines a perfect redemption Heb. 9. 2â— Next the Vertue and Preciousnesse of this Cure Oh it was a powerfull and precious blood and that in five respects 1. In respect of the quality it is the blood incorruptible All other diseases are cured with corruptible things but this is opposed to all corruptible things in the world 1 Pet. 1. 18. Yee are not redeemed with corruptible things but with the precious blood of Iesus Christ. 2. In respect of the person it was the blood of God Act. 20. 28. and therefore of infinite merit and price to purchase the whole Church 3. In respect of the subject of it no other cure or remedy can reach the soule All others drugs conduce for healthfull life and worke upon the body but this makes for an holy life and workes upon the soule the sicknesse whereof the most precious thing in the world cannot cure Minister to a wounded spirit Aurum potabile Bezoar Alchermes dust of Pearles all is in vaine it is onely this blood which heales soules and spirits 4. In respect of the powerfull effects of it above all other cures in the world for first they may frame the body to some soundnesse of temperature but this makes sound soules according to the conformity of Gods Law Secondly they may preserve naturall life for a while but this brings a supernaturall life for ever Thirdly they may restore strength and nature decayed but this changeth and bringeth in a new nature according to the second Adam Fourthly they cannot keepe away death approaching but this makes immortall Fifthly they cannot raise or recover a dead man but this raiseth both dead in sinne dead in soule and dead in body Lastly in respect of time All other physicke is made of drugs created with the world but this was prepared before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 18. Againe all the worke of all other physicke is done in death but the perfection and most powerfull worke of this is after death By all this take we notice of our extreme misery by sinne seeing nothing else can cure us but the blood of the Sonne of God Gold enough can ransome the greatest Potentate on earth but here nothing can doe it but the blood of the Kings sonne If we had such a disease as nothing but the heart-blood of our dearest friends alive suppose our wife husband mother or childe could cure us what an hopelesse and desperate case were it it would amaze and astonish the stoutest heart But much more may it smite our hearts that we have such a disease as nothing else but the heart-blood of the Sonne of God can cure Looke upon the execration of thy sinne in this glasse If any thing can worke the hatred of sinne this may 1. To see the fire of Gods wrath kindled and nothing but this blood can quench it 2. To see the deadlinesse 〈◊〉 the disease in the price of the physicke and the dearenesse of the remedy 3. The danger of sinning against so precious a blood for if Abels blood being shed cryed from earth for vengeance much more will this blood trod under foot But those never saw their sinne in this glasse who conceive the cure as easie as the turning of an hand a light Lord have mercy or an houre of repentance at death and have lived in sinne and loved their sinne as if there were no danger in it passe away their daies and live in ignorance swearing cursing Sabbath-breaking lying covetousnesse filthinesse and all unrighteousnesse whereas had they eyes to see they might out of the price and greatnesse of the remedy gather the danger and desperatenesse of the disease For all the earth affords not any herbe or simple nor drug of this vertue but the Sonne of God from heaven must shed his blood Nay all the men on earth and all the Angels of heaven could not make a confection to cure one sinne or sinner Neither any of Salomons fooles who make a mocke of sinne ever saw it in this glasse Is it not extremity of folly to make a tush of sinne and to take pleasure and delight in it O consider in time that the sinne thou makest so light of cost Christ deare and the least sinne thou delightest in must either cost Christ his blood or thee thine in endlesse torments It is no safe jesting with edged tooles and to east darts and fire-brands and say Am I not in jest In this Cure we may observe a world of wonders First wonder and admire this Physician who is both the Physician and the Physicke Was ever the like heard of in all nature Secondly admire the confection that the Physician must temper the remedy of his owne heart-blood He must by passion be pounded in the mortar of Gods wrath he must be beaten smitten spit upon wounded sweat water and blood be trodden on as a worme be forsaken of his Father the Lambe of God must be slaine the just suffer for the unjust Doest thou not here stand and wonder 〈◊〉 there ever such a Prece 〈…〉 〈◊〉 the world that the wo 〈…〉 〈◊〉 one man should heale ano 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—ound or that the wo 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Captaine should heal 〈…〉 souldiers The 〈◊〉 suffered darkenesse the earth quaked the rockes rent asunder the graves opened the dead arose to shew the admirable confection of this Cure and are we senslesse still Thirdly admire the power of weaknesse and the Omnipotent worke of this Cure by contraries as in the great worke of Creation there the Sonne of God made all things not out of something but out of nothing so in this great worke of our Cure by Redemption he works our life not by his life but by his owne death he makes us infinitely happy but by his owne infinite misery he opens the grave for us by his owne lying in the grave he sends us to heaven by his owne descending from heaven and shuts the gates of hell by suffering hellish torments He honours us by his owne shame he breakes away our temptations and Satans molestations by being himselfe tempted Here is a skilfull Physician tempering poyson to a remedy bringing light out of darkenesse life out of death heaven out of hell In the whole order of nature one contrary refisteth another but it is beyond nature that one contrary should produce another Wonder Fourthly admire the care of the Physician who provided us a remedy before our disease before the world was or we in it together with his bounty who bestowed on us so precious a balme when there was none in Gilead when neither all the gold in India nor all the metals or minerals in the bowels of the earth could save one soule nor all the wealth in the world oure one
so necessary as without it the whole frame of profession would prove ruinous For 1. The Context affirmeth a twofold necessity of this selfe-deniall both in the words immediately going before for without it a man cannot bee a Disciple of Christ and in the words immediatly following for whereas every Christian must bee acquainted with the crosse no man can take up his crosse patiently who hath not first denied himselfe and therfore that is rightly set after this 2. The corruption of nature is such before grace as that a man in every thing is wholly tainted and contrary to the image of God Now all that vicious disposition must bee renounced before Gods image can bee renewed even as all old rubbish must be carried away before a new frame can be reared 3. All true wisedome is lost by the fall and an infinite lumpe of folly bound up in the heart of every naturall man Now though true wisedome be offered againe in the word yet can it never bee embraced before the other bee displaced no more than light can be manifest before darknesse bee chased away 4. The Gospel offereth Christ as a Physitian only to the sicke and diseased and as a Saviour to the lost sheep of the house of Israel And therefore necessarily must a man deny all the meanes hee can make or devise to help himselfe before hee can come to see what need hee hath of Christ. Hee must come first to discerne his miserie and lost estate before hee can beleeve and relye on Christ for salvation 5. The whole scope of the Word is that golden rule of all the Law and Prophets namely to teach us to love God Christ above all and our neighbour for his sake as our selves And therefore that corruption of nature whereby every man loveth himselfe and seeketh himselfe his owne profits rather than Gods glory and his neighbours good must bee denied before wee can take out any lesson of the word 6. No obedience can be acceptably performed to God without selfe-deniall for many commandements are hard and difficult as that to Abraham of killing his son many are dangerous that may cost a man his life as Johns Ministery did many are costly and may cost a man his whole estate Now never can any of these bee cheerfully and willingly undertaken till these strong holds of flesh in man bee demolished A man may professe himselfe a servant of Christ but little is the service he shall do him till this be done As wise master-builders therefore are most carefull in laying the lowest and first stone so must wee begin the building of Christianity where our Lord enjoynes us namely in the deniall of our selves Faile in this foundation and the whole frame of Christianity tottereth and falleth to the ground For 1. Can a servant please his Master or a wife her husband who denies not her selfe and subjects not her will to his And canst thou bee wedded to Christ and not subject thy will to his 2. Whence doe men follow the course of the world and will be taught no better they must sweare and lye and drinke and raile and serve the times and persons and pleasures but because they think it folly and precisenesse to deny themselves or their ordinary liberties to follow Christ And 3. Is it from any other cause that men thrust themselves into Gods chaire of estate to revenge their own wrongs and challenge take challenges into the field to the perpetrating of horrible murders or else basely stabbe and wound but because they thinke it disgrace and cowardise to deny a mans selfe and to put up the least wrongs 4. Whence is it else that many pretend to follow Christ but upon condition they may not deny themselves for they must be gainers by their religion which must be another Diana to bring profit to the Crafts-Masters Have those learned selfe-deniall that measure their religion by their gettings but will be sure to bee no losers by it like the Swallowes that will take their Summer with us but not our Winter 5. Whence is it that some in case of necessity can cast no part of their superfluity into the Treasury when the widow can cast in all that ever she had And Ananias Sapphira that had not denied themselves could give three parts of their estate away to pious uses and how farre are most behind them who professe selfe-deniall Nay it is the sin of many great professors that what need soever Christ in his members hath they must remit nothing of their costly apparrell full diet and following of fashions which shew them lovers of pleasures more than of God Crumbes now and then they can part withall but endure no deâ—riment no abatement These certainly have not yet denied themselves 6. Whence is all the deniall of Christ at this day but for want of selfe-deniall Why did Peter deny his Lord but because hee could not deny himself Whence are so many Apostates Demasses in our age that fall to Popery to novelties to false or no worship but for want of self-deniall They must please rise serve the times themselves and the appetites of Patrons and then farewell Christ and his truth This was the cause that many Disciples walked no more with him John 6. 66. for they could not deny their own wisdome to subscribe to his And many among the Rulers beleeved in him but durst not confesse him because they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God chapt 12. 42. 43. Quest. But the duty being so necessary as without it can be no Christianity and so difficult as scarce one of a thousand is willing to undertake it what are the helpes and meanes by which wee may be forwarded herein for the Lord hath not left us destitute of meanes if wee bee not wanting to our selves Answ. True And therefore 1. Wee must not conceive it naturall for a man to crosse his corrupt nature for nature fortifies it self in all the holds It must be therefore a superiour fire that must descend to make a man hate himselfe for the love of God Christ. Regeneration is a worke of the Spirit and strength to overcome our selves is not from our selves And therefore wee must pray for the truth of this grace of Regeneration and never bee at rest till wee finde it in our selves in some degree of it encouraging our selves in that promise that the Spirit is given to those that aske him is powred on the thirsty grounds 2. Consider what an advantage it will bee to take our selves in hand before our lusts be growne strong in us and how they are farre more easily denied in the first motion and rising of them than when they have seated themselves with delight in the affections and members and are growne from motions to acts from acts to customes from customes to
Scripture must be understood with exception of repentance as all promises with exception of the crosse Peter upon his repentance saved his lost life so doubtlesse many in this land were forced under Antichrist to abjure the truth who as they fell with Peter did also rise againe with him And whosoever shall lose his life for my sake Not he that loseth his life as a malefactor as Saul Judas others nor those that for vain-glory or discontent or hope of bettering their estate bereave themselves of life But for my sake that is 1. For the profession of the Gospel as did innumerable Christians in the Primitive Church and many in Queen Maries daies who in love to Christ were prodigall of their lives if they had had a thousand lives they should all have gone 2. For discharge of duty answerable to that profession as David John Baptist the Prophets Apostles Stephen and others who suffered for righteousnesse sake Mat. 5. 10. He shall save it that is he shall have it returned to him wiâ—h advantage of a miserable and temporary life it shall bee changed into an everlasting and blessed life hee hath suffered with Christ and hee must reigne with him Object But then martyrdome meriteth eternall life Answ. No for first the sufferings of this life are not worthy the glory that shall bee revealed Rom. 8. 18. there being no proportion betweene the body and soule betweene life temporall and life eternall Secondly the promise is made not to the suffering but the sufferer being a member of Christ and performed not for any merit for it is but our duty and a thankfull returne of our lives to him who gave his for us but for the faithfulnesse of the promise apprehended by the faith of Beleevers Object But shall none save his life but he that loseth it Answ. Yes many of the Patriarkes and faithfull in all ages lived and died peaceably in a good old age But two rules must bee resolved upon 1. If occasion be offered and God call for the life in the witnesse of faith and well-doing it may not be saved and now if it be saved it is lost 2. If occasion bee not given yet there must bee an expectation a resolution a readinesse of minde to it whensoever it may bee given For we reade among the Ancient of mentall Martyrs or votary Martyrs without fire or bloud in whom the readinesse of minde to lose the life for God and his truth is accepted of GOD as the losing of the life for God accepts the will for the deed and accounts of Abraham as if hee had sacrificed his sonne and saith of him hee spared not his sonne though hee was spared And of David that he had built him an house when hee had it but in his heart to build one for this built him an house Object But it seemes if a man to save his life flye in persecution hee loseth his life by so saving it Answ. Distinguish of persons Some are bound not to flye and these by saving their lives doe lose them Others are free and may safely flye To say something of each of these For the former 1. Some are bound inwardly by an inward call and voice of the Spirit as Paul was bound in spirit to goe up to Jerusalem even to suffer Acts 20. 22. and was endued with such a spirit of courage and fortitude that his life was not deare unto him but he was ready to endure all extremitie for Christ. Such a spirit GOD gave to Luther when hee went to Wormes to dispute that though hee saw nothing but death danger before him yet so many Divels as there were tiles on the houses could not turne him off And to many of the Martyrs in Queen Maries daies God gave in silly bodies noble and stout spirits to contemne all threats and torments These may not flye in persecution 2. Some are externally bound to stand by vertue either of the generall calling of a Christian as when by a mans flight the whole Church and truth is indangered which must be dearer than a mans life or of the speciall calling as when by the worke of it GOD may bee more glorified and the Church edified I must keep mee in the way notwithstanding the perill ensuing For example If the persecution bee generall and common to the whole Church the Minister may not flye for the weak are in great danger most need the support of the strong now the duty of the calling must be dearer than his life Whereas if the persecution were personall directed against the Pastor onely hee were in his owne liberty to withdraw himself only for a time 3. Some are tyed bound not to flye by reason of their present estate especially in two cases First when God hath cut off all law full meanes and wayes of flying and a man cannot escape but by unlawfull meanes as an officious lye hearing of Masse equivocations pealing discovering the brethren or the like Here a man must abide the will of God who hath called him to stand out and do no evill to save his life Secondly when a man is in hand or hold under the custody of the Magistrate though unjustly prosecuted he may not break prison nor use violence but obey the Magistrate in unjust sufferings alwaies counting it thank-worthy to endure griefe for GOD and Christ wrongfully 1 Pet. 2. 19. Quest. But what if the prison-doore be left open as sometime it may be or hath been Ans. If God open a doore this is not a breaking of prison The Apostles Acts 5. 19. used no violence to get out but when the Angel opened the door they went away shifted for themselvs thus not themselves only but the Church was preserved in them Now all these that are thus brought by God to the wrestling-place must strive for the best game without shrinking or starting away But there are a second sort that are more free and have liberty to avoid persecution by flight in these three cases 1. If any have not attained strength sufficient to bear the extremity for Christ our Saviour would have these costs to bee fore-cast as in the Parable of the Builder of the Captain mustering his forces Only in not finding strength bewail thy weaknes use means of further strength 2. If the danger be certain and present not suspected or surmised for a man may not as Jonas by casting feares cast himself out of his calling but if hee see certaine perill to himselfe and no great hope of doing good by his stay he may flye 3. If avoiding private respects as loosing himselfe from duty or out of excessive feare shifting for himselfe hee ayme directly at the furthering of Gods glory and Christs Kingdome for it is a rule in which wisdom conscience must over-rule If it may make more for Gods glory to flie flie if to stay
preserve our life by thus casting it away A man that will save his seed not cast it away into the grrund loseth it by such saving but if hee sowe it he reneweth it multiplies it somtime an hundred fold So to lose thy self for Christ is to save thy selfe and to reap an hundred fold for it is but sowne to spring out unto the eternall harvest Ever remember that the right love of a mans self is in and for Christ. Ob. You speake of nothing but hindrance loss as if a Christian may not have riches friends life and comforts of it Ans. 1. Yes he may have them must save them but not in Christs cause when hee is called from them 2. Divorce not the parts of the text as there is losse in the text so there is a greater gain by it as the harvest makes him a gainer who in seed-time seemed a loser Ob. But that is a long day we would have something in hand Answ. So thou hast in hand an hundred not for ten but for one in this life with persecution Mar. 10. 30. for thy father forsaken thou hast God to thy father for thy mother Gods Church for thy goods Gods rich graces for thy friends lost the favour of God of his Angels and all Saints for thy trouble without peace of conscience within for thy lands the deeds assurances of an heavenly inheritance and for thy life temporall life eternall Wouldst thou have more in hand Ob. Oh but this is a very hard thing to rowe thus against the streame and do as no body doth Ans. Indeed few enter into this narrow way but it is good going to heaven although without company And yet thou wantest no good company but hast the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Christ himselfe before thee who also suffereth and smarteth in all the sorrowes of the Saints Object But is it not hard to be counted die for an hereticke Ans. Not of hereticks Christ was counted no lesse for thee Ob. But I have wife children and friends depending on me Ans. The case indeed is heavie as Christ implied saying Wo be to them that give suck in those dayes but 1. thou art a saver if thou savest nothing but Christ thou lovest well enough if in case of confession thou lovest nothing but Christ 2. cast thy care on the Lord who is wont to save his against all appearance And speake not one word for them that depend on thee and two for thy selfe Ob. But it may be I have a flock which will be scattered Ans. But thy bloud shed for the truth which thou hast preached preacheth with much more fruit and furtherance of the Gospel than all thy life and labours as in Abel Stephen and the Martyrs whose bloud yet speaketh Let all of us therfore who are pressed under this banner of Christs holy profession resolve to do our Master saithfull service even to the death and strive to beleeve the words of our Lord that to lose the life in this cause is to winne it in everlasting glory Object But the dayes thankes bee to God are peaceable and there is no great need nor use of this doctrine Answ. Yet 1. a wise Pilot will in peace provide for a storme 2. Wee know not how soon wee may have use of it one powder-blow from under-ground may shake all our foundations Little did the Christians in King Edwards daies thinke of such a suddaine change as Queene Mary brought in 3. Never were Gods people neerer danger than when they thought themselves furthest off and cried Peace peace 4. No Christian is well furnished but hee that in peace hath attained a ready disposition to lay down his life at any warning for the Name of Christ. Object But who would not give his life for Christ all say they are ready Answ. Yet first if times should change would they indeed who now in daies of protection are ashamed of the Gospel of Christ would they stick to Christ crowned with thornes who when hee weares a golden Crowne thinke it good policie not to bee seene with him Secondly is it to bring mens lives in their hands to Christ and his profession to shrinke now for feare at the name of a Professor and bee ready to faint to heare a damosell say Surely thou art one of them Thirdly would they suffer for the profession that now scoffe scorne at Professors under reproachful titles that now are persecutors themselves goe as far in persecuting as they can and the lawes wil suffer No no those that now robbe them of their good names while the Gospel is publikely professed protected would easily bereave them of their lives if times would afford them lawes and liberty So as the great part of the world is not resolved of this truth that to lose the life for Christ is to save it and those that now deny him in the peace of the Gospel are farre from dying with him in the triall Now because this is a building which requireth great fore-cast and is above naturall strength we had need furnish our selves with all the helpes to set it forward and fit our selves well to the obedience of so difficult a commandement Quest. What are they Ans. 1. Begin with God presume not of thine owne strength as Peter It is a worke of sound conversion and of mighty power by that Spirit of fortitude by which of weake wee become strong And therefore wee must pray earnestly that hee would please to stablish us unto this triall strengthen us with all patience long-suffering and joyfulnesse Col. 1. 10. For none have more cowardly lost the field than such as have most boasted of their valour and strength at home Pray also for that eye-salve which may let thee behold the glory of Christ and thine eternall felicity hid with him this wil make thee forget thy self as the Disciples did at Christs Transfiguration long after him and indeed a little taste of his glory wil make us valiant to take the Kingdome by force as himselfe did for the glory that was before him 2. Then take thy selfe in hand and strive daily in thine owne mortification and deniall of thy selfe beware of self-love love not the world nor the things in it account not of riches wealth above their worth If thy life bee too deare to thee or the world swell in thine eye or if thou mindest earthly things or settest too fast a hand on any thing wert thou never so wise learned civil nay didst thou follow Christ at heeles wert able to worke miracles and cast out Divels yet at length thou wouldst play false prove an Apostate as Judas and Demas who forsook the truth to embrace the present world 3. Get sound judgement in matters of Faith firmly and distinctly to beleeve the truth of Religion for this must be the ground of undaunted profession 2 Cor. 4. 13. I beleeved and
but also as man though not by creation as Adam nor by adoption as the beleeving sonnes of Adam yet by personall union of the Deitie with the humane nature Or if he would by his forme of speech make us know that hee is in his humanitie visibly to come and bee seene the sonne of man yet hee might have used a more royall title as that hee was the sonne of David or the sonne of Kings But this base title for the time of his abasement best pleased him 1. Because he was to be a patterne of humilitie and low linesse of minde His example was to bee our rule his action our instruction 2. His office and calling was not to be served but to serve nor to seeke to raise himselfe in the world but to raise our estate He must abase himselfe and make himselfe of no reputation to take our nature and sinnes upon him Hee hid for a time the glory and divine Majestie of his person He avoided often the applause and fame of men for that hee sought not the honour of men Hee refused preferments offered upon bad termes both by Satan who promised him all the glory of all the Kingdomes of the world and by men who would have made him a king Hee suppressed his owne praises Joh. 5. 34. 41. In a word his whole life was devoted to profit and helpe others with neglect of himselfe Now let the same minde bee in you that was in Christ Jesus Get humilitie into the minde the seat most proper for it and then it will outwardly appeare in speeches and behaviours Get the same minde not the same measure or degree of humilitie for no creature can fall from such height as our Lord did But whosoever will bee chiefe of all let him be servant of all for so was Christ. The primacie of a servant and Disciple of Christ is to bee servant to all Gods Saints Not that Christianitie brings in disorder or confusion or doth not observe this distinction of place gifts and condition in Church or commonwealth for Saints as Starres differ in glory But to shew that the highest place and advancement in the kingdome of Christ must expresse humilitie of minde and a willingnesse to lay hands under the feete of the least and lowest of the Saints for their good Now let us trie our selves a little 1. Christs humble mind makes him speake lowly of himselfe and call himselfe ordinarily the sonne of man being the Sonne of God But how doe wee boast our selves that every man shall know what wee are if wee bee borne of a little higher stocke than ordinary if wee have a little more knowledge or wealth or honour or friends than other men Alas what would wee doe if wee had Deitie and heavenly glory to stand upon Christ might have stood on his royall descent on his high birth on his wealth being Lord of heaven and earth and heire of all things But he emptied himselfe and brought himselfe almost to nothing that his example might plucke downe our top-sailes and wee learne to decke our selves with lowlinesse of minde 2. Christs humilitie made him beare the infirmities of others and seeke the things of others more than his owne life Yea though when hee became man he ceased not to bee God yet hee comes to his enemies seekes reconciliation with them stoupes to helpe them and save them with losse of his life Now if hee bee our root why draw wee not vertue from him if wee bee implanted into him why grow wee not up in all things in him Where is our charitie and compassion to our brethren yet he was compassionate to his enemies When doe wee emptie our selves to goe to our enemies and to seeke reconciliation nay wee can reject it and live in rancour hatred malice and contentions yeares and ages almost more like Scythians and Barbarians than Christians 3. Christ cast himselfe under all men to doe good unto all But where is our submitting one to another and that better esteeming of every one than of our selves no wee stand on our turret and full height and what should I yeeld to him c. Oh how many good lessons are lost and abuses unreformed and godly motions or duties stopt and crossed why because such and such move it and like of it and rather than please their humours let all things runne to ruine and wracke Did Christ so no had hee stood on his height and reputation and beene so stout against thee as thou art to his Ministers and members thou hadst ere this beene in the bottomlesse pit of hell What had become of thee that wilt beare no infirmitie in thy brethren if he had not stouped to beare all thine what had beene thy lot who wilt shew no mercie nor bowells of love in the distresses of the Saints thou passest by as the Priest and Levite thou cloathest not feedest not visitest not the afflicted members of Christ if he had so shut up his bowels against thee where hadst thou beene 4. As Christ by his speeches declared himselfe the sonne of man but by his workes the Son of God so must wee bee lowly in our speeches but let our works testifie wee are the sonnes and daughters of God expressing his vertues and shining as lights in the midst of a crooked generation So of the first thing in these words The second is the action of comming shall come Christ commeth to us either in spirit or in person In spirit hee comes 1. in the Ministry to win and perswade us to come to him thus hee went and preached in Noahs time to the spirits now in prison 1 Pet. 3. 19. 2. In some speciall manifestation of his presence in mercie or judgement The former when hee meets us with comfort strength and increase of any grace Joh. 14. 18. I will not leave you comfortlesse but will come unto you vers 23. My father will love him and wee will come unto him and make our abode with him The latter in judgement and testification of displeasure Rev. 2. 16. repent or I will come against thee shortly so in Joh. 16. 8. In person he comes two waies in carnem and in carne first into flesh afterward in flesh first in humilitie then in glory first in his incarnation at his first appearing the other in his glorious return at the last day the former to be judged the latter to judge all flesh and all things done in the flesh good and evill Of this latter he speakes here Where consider 1. Whence hee commeth 2. Whither 3. When. For the first He commeth from heaven 1 Thess. 4. 16. The Lord himselfe shall descend from heaven that is the third and highest heaven And why 1. Because it was according to Gods decree foretold not only by the Prophets as Jude 14. in the ancient prophesie of Enoch but also by Christ himselfe Mat. 26. 64. Hereafter yee shall see the sonne
of man come in the clouds of heaven 2. That was the place whither he ascended and from thence he must descend as Act. 1. 11. Yee men of Galilee why stand ye gazing into heaven this Jesus which is taken from you into heaven shall so come as yee have seene him goe into heaven 3. It is meet that Christ should come from heaven to judge because it is not meet that wicked men and Angels should come thither to him although to receive their sentence for that holy Citie can admit no uncleane thing Rev. 21. 27. 4. As it is in earthly judgements so must it be in this great Assise which must be held and the judgement set up in the same country or about the place where the facts and crimes to bee judged were committed But whither shall he come Some thinke into the valley of Jehosaphat which lyeth situate between mount Sion and mount Olivet neare Jerusalem so called from the noble victory which God gave Jehosaphat over the enemies of the Church for which they alledge Joel 3. 12. Let the Heathen be wakened and come to the valley of Jehosaphat for there I will sit to judge all the Heathen round about But allegoricall and typicall prophecies are not to be expounded according to the letter but according to the type and similitude which seemes to be this As that valley of Engeddi called the valley of Jehosaphat from the noble victory of Jehosaphat against the Moabites Ammonites and other enemies gathered against the Church was situate in the sight of the city Jerusalem and mount a type of the Church so the Lord will revenge and judge all his enemies before or in the last judgement day in the sight of all his holy people and Saints who in their manner shall judge the world And hence some godly and judicious Divines have probably conceived that the judgement-seat shall bee set up in some place neare Jerusalem both to increase the terror of the judgement and the glory of Christ to sit there as Judge where himselfe was judged But to conclude it as a resolved opinion is rash and ungrounded Others thinke it shall be upon the earth that the sentence may bee given where the facts have beene committed that Christ may shew himselfe a Conqueror where the combate was and justly condemne others where himselfe was unjustly condemned And sundry things of the Fathers sound hereunto But in vaine should wee seeke a reason of that which whether it selfe shall be is altogether unknown If the Scriptures had said it should bee on earth then the reasons were good But wherever it is the wicked shall looke on him whom they have pierced The Apostle seemes to settle the place of judgement in the aire 1 Thess. 4. 17. the elect shall be caught up to meete the Lord in the aire And as hee was carried up in a cloud so the Scripture saith hee shall come in the clouds of heaven So as it is most probable where wee shall meet him the judgement shall bee namely in the clouds of the aire neare the earth where the divells shall be conquered and sentenced in the very place where they have ruled all this while as Princes But whether over mount Olivet whence hee ascended or above the valley of Jehosaphat or the City of Jerusalem were folly to define seeing Gods wisedome hath not clearely determined The conclusion is that the Judge is of power and wisdome to set up the throne of his glory wheresoever himselfe thinketh most fit But when shall he come In the end of the world But the particular age yeare or day is not knowne to man or Angell Mark 13. 32. Of that day and houre knoweth no man nor the Angels of heaven no nor the Son himselfe but the Father onely because 1. the end of the world is fit to bee knowne to him onely who onely knew a fit time for the beginning of it 2. this secret is none of them which Christ had heard from his Father for then had he revealed it to the Apostles and so to the Church Neither 3. was it among them which the Spirit promised and sent revealed or taught the Apostles who yet were led by him into all necessary truth Joh. 16. 13. 4. Christ must come as a theefe in the night and as in the dayes of Noah when men knew nothing which could not bee if the time were knowne 5. Of what validitie were all those exhortations to watch and be warie because wee know not the houre unlesse the time were concealed Mat. 24. 42. 44. 6. Many are the reasons why God would not have us to know it as not knowing the set houre wee may bee prepared every houre our faith and patience may bee exercised and our hope upheld not limiting the Lord to times and seasons which are in his owne power The greater hath beene the sin and folly of many learned men of old and of late who have set their wits so childishly to play in so serious a businesse Augustine relates that many about his time defined the day of the Lords comming some to an hundred some five hundred some to a thousand yeares after his ascension Since that time Joachimus Abbas who set the yeare 1258. Arnoldus de villa nova the yeare 1345. Michael Stiphelius Saint Lukes day in the yeare 1533. Cyprianâ—s Leovitius Italus the yeare 1583. Johannes Regiomontanus the yeare 1588. Adelbertus Thermopedius the yeare 1599. and third of Aprill Nicolaus Cusanus the yeare 1700. Cardanus 1800. Ostander out of Cabala 1689. Picus Mirandula 1904. I will not name some worthy Writers on the Revelation but wish they had forborne that curiositie in this computation wherein I thinke they ungroundedly troubled themselves and many others The most I have named carrie alreadie the chastisement of their temeritie and have reaped onely the scorne of their errour that wee by them might learn to be wise to sobrietie Rom. 12. 3. and not seeke to know or make knowne that which the Angels and Christ himselfe was content to be ignorant of But though Christ knew it not then as man being for our sakes ignorant of many things which hee was not bound to know as of this day and the time of figs c. yet now he knoweth it and so it may now be communicated to the Angels and blessed spirits and why then may it not bee revealed to the Church True it is that Christ now glorified hath laid downe all infirmities and knowes both the day and houre and in this his exalted estate is ignorant of none of the workes of God which have beene are or shall bee his Deitie enlightning his humane soule But therefore to conclude that every such thing is revealed to the Angels and blessed spirits is frivolous For if every thing which belongs to the exalted head were necessary to bee communicated to the principall members they should bee
as eating and drinking all must be to the glory of God or civill authority subjection marriage and duties of the speciall calling and oeconomicall duties all must bee contained within the limits of Gods word or religious duties of Gods worship publike or private Whatsoever I command thee that doe onely all the Tabernacle the whole and parts even to the smallest pinnes must be framed to the patterne in the mount or ludicrous sports recreations Gods statutes must direct which are lawfull which not how far lawfull or not and so for circumstances of time place and persons and for manner and end all to helpe matters more serious 5. David implyes in this similitude that whosoever are out of this way and transgresse these statutes they wander from the God of peace and from life are out of Gods protection and lyable to all the curses of the Law as men out of the Kings high-way are out of the Kings protection Hence it is said of wicked men Psal. 14. 3. They are all gone out of the way and the way of peace they have not knowne And as a man having lost his way knowes not where he shall lodge so such as goe on their owne wayes following the lusts of their hearts and eies are blind-folded and carried by Satan to the lodging of death even eternall These things lye in the Metaphor Then for the singularity of this way he saith thy way not wayes for Gods way is but one but by-paths are many Many are the sciences and other knowledges worthy our labour and paines but David above all desires the knowledge of this one and onely way of God and of salvation Obiect 1. The heavenly Ierusalem hath twelve gates therfore the way is not one Ans. The place speaks not of so many wayes but that from all coasts the Israel of God enters by this one way Obiect 2. Wee read of the wayes of God Acts 13. 10. Ans. Those be so many steps in the way of God but not so many severall wayes David knew but one way of statutes which he would be taught that hee might avoyd all by-paths and so come happily to the end of his way But for the fourth generall why doth David desire to bee taught of God he had Gad and Nathan the Prophets hee had ordinary Levites hee had the Scriptures why then doth hee not apply himselfe to the means to which God tyeth him Ans. 1. David had good meanes and was most diligent in the â—â—se of them he was a diligent reader and spent nights and dayes in meditation of the Woâ—rd but yet to all these and above all these he desireth Gods teaching without which all thâ—se are in vaine Paul may pl 〈…〉 nt and Apollo water but God giveth the increase 2. Hee knowes that all other Teachers can but teach the eare God alone teacheth and openeth the heart as Lydâ—a Acts 16. 14. And whereas Satan and wicked men may have a great deale of speculative knowledge and goe to hell hee desires an inward Teacher and to bee inwardly taught by the teaching of the Spirit 3. Hee here â—raveth foure things in this one petition beyond all mens teaching First teach me to attend the way of thy statutes that I may understand them and thy word be not a clasped booke unto me neither may I by missing the right scope pervert the same to mine owne destruction aâ— many abuse many places to strengthen their owne lusts v. c. that place of providing for the familie to maintaine covetousnesse and the sinnes of Patriarkes to defend the like where the right scope and sense is not attended Secondly teach mee to affect the way of thy statutes that my heart may melt as Iosiahs at the hearing of the Law and be pricked and broken with the threats of it as were those Converts that cryed Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saved Acts 2. 37. When the Promises are preached or promulgated let my heart dilate and open it selfe as the thirsty ground and reioyce that it understandeth the Word taught as Neh. 8. 13. This must we pray that the more we know the more wee may love God that the Word of God by the worke of the Spirit may be as fire not onely for the light of knowledge but also for the heat and warmth of affection c. Thirdly teach me to beleeve thy statutes for all true and comfortable knowledge is applicatory it rests not in the understanding but is a firme assent in the Will laying hold on the thing knowne And this must we pray seeing all knowledge not mingled with faith is unprofitable And then we are taught to beleeve when according to the word of the Law we choose and worship the true God for our God and according to the voyce of the Gospel we beleeve in him whom the Father hath sent acknowledging him not onely a Christ and Iesus but mine at Thomas said My Lord and my God and as Iob My Redeemer liveth and that Iesus Christ brings salvation to me through remission of sinnes Luk 1. 7. 7. Fourthly teach mee to obey thy statutes for all sound knowledge is practicall and to know Christ as the truth is in Christ is to cast off the old man with his lusts and put on the now This must bee our prayer that the Lord would so teach us his way as we may walke in it that hee would so take us into his schoole as to become both more skilfull and more holy that seeing not hearers but doers are â—ustified our portion may bee in their blessednesse that heare the Word and keepe it This was Davids ayme in this prayer Quest. But why is he so earnest being a man of so deepe knowledge and understanding already Ans. 1. A good heart inflamed with love of God can never bee neare enough love loveth and liveth in union If it be in the way to him it would get further still 2. Though hee bee taught in part yet he seeth what a small measure hee hath attained and desireth to bee taught further No marvell if hee that hath 〈◊〉 taste of this knowledge desire â—is fill and satiety He that see 〈…〉 th but in part desireth to see more perfectly Nature abhors â—acuity and emptinesse and much more grace 3. Hee is earnest to know the way to shew that he shall never come at God who cares not to â—eepe the way to him Many desire to come to God but it must be in the way of the world or of pleasure or of custome or carnall fellowship or lusts of their owne hearts All these are dead desires leading from God David will desire the way as well as the end And wee also must not bawke the meanes if we ayme at the end This of the Exposition of our Text. Now follow the instructions Doctr. 1. In that David goeth to the Lord to be taught learne
be sprinckeled which sprinkling notes the very applying of Christs blood to the soule of a sinner But when is this medicine applyed For time there is no application but in this â—â—fe no curing after this life no procuring of oyle after the Bridegroomes comming And consequently there is no purgatory no satisfactions no helpe from men or Angels hereafter Detestable is that wicked heresie of Bellarmine that the sufferings of the living helpe the dead three wayes 1. By way of merit of congruity 2. By way of intreaty 3 By way of satisfaction Contrary to that of Augustine Ibi erit paenitentiae dolorem habens sed medieinam non habens Repent they doe after death but without any cure That is the time of justice onely this is the acceptable time In vaine should you minister physicke to a dead man And faith then ceaseth with all the workes of it Seeing onely beleevers have the benefit of Cure above all things labour for faith Want faith thou perishest art deadly sicke without recovery Christ could doe no great worke in his owne Countrey because of their unbeleefe He that beleeveth not the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh 3. uls Hast thou faith be of good comfort according to thy faith it shall bee unto thee not according to thy money wealth friends but thy faith makes thee whole If God hath not given thee so much wealth so fine clothes so liberall fare as to others yet if he hath given thee so much faith he is liberall enough Oh that I had never so little a graine of faith but I have none so this blood can doe mee no good it is impossible for me to be cured But first hast thou none labour for it thou mayest have it If thou beleevest all things are possible Secondly distinguish betweene want and weakenesse of faith betweene the want of the grace and the want of sense If thou hast any faith never so weake as these grones desires prove then remember that excellent place Rom. 14. 3 God chuseth the weake in faith Hee makes choyce of thee then doe not thou refuse him And remember that the Cure was not ordained for Angels in heaven nor for Saints triumphant but militant that fight with unbeleefe corruptions and lusts If thou weâ—t perfect thou shouldst not need it If thou beest not perfect thou hast no cause to renounce but embrace it Come sicke as thou art come weary come bruised come despairing in thy selfe it is a medicine for the sicke a refreshing of the weary a builder up of the broken spirit nay and a quickener of the dead Here is that tree of life the leaves whereof doe heale the nations Let not thine owne unbeleefe be as a shaken sword in thine owne hand to keepe thee from it Remember the Text The whole need not the Physician but they that are â—â—â—ke Againe seeing there is a time to heale come in season Eccleâ— 3. 3 neglect not the opportunity get into the water so soone as the Angell moveth make benefit of advantages worke with God and the means accept the offers and invitations for thine owne welfare Thou mayest seeke oyle too late blessing too late the Word and faith too late and repentance too late Againe content not thy selfe onely to heare of this remedy but seeke to know that it is applyed to thee in particular and to feele the vertue of it in thy selfe as Paul desired to know nothing but the vertue of Christs death and resurrection Phil. 3. 9 10. Quest. How may I know it Answ. As Physicke taken into the body workes often so painefully that men are even at the gate of death in their present sense and no other but dead men so this Physicke worketh kindely when it worketh paine in the Party through the sense and sight of sinne and apprehension of Gods anger feare of damnation and utter despaire in themselves For this is the worke of the spirit of bendage namely generall faith in the Beleevers applying the Law and threatnings to their owne deepe humiliation No man can saile to heaven but by the gates of hell 2. As Physicke kindly working delivers the party not only from death but such humors as were the cause of his sickenesse at least that they be not predominant Even so must this Physicke rid us of our sinne and these peccant humors which were the matter of our sickenesse and that both from the condemnation and corruption of them 1 Iohn 1. 7. The blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne purgeth us from all sinne First from the condemnation of sinne this blood is shed for the remission of sinnes Galat. 3. 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Otherwise it must be with us as with him who in a desperate disease without Physicke must dye Secondly from the corruption of sinne both the disease of naturall and originall sinne and the leprosie of actuall sinnes Now looke into thy selfe examine whether this blood be a corrosive in thy soule to eat out the corruption of nature whether it purge the conscience from dead workes Hebr. 9. 14. whether it hath quitted thee as well from the dominion of sinne as from the damnation of it whether it hath brought thee to leave sinne c. Reason with the Apostle hath Christ dyed to kill sinne in me and shall I live to quicken it nay rather as 1 Peter 4. 1. forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh we must arme our selues with the same minde for that hee which hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sinne Thirdly as physicke is profitably applyed when it brings ease and rest having carried away the matter of the paine So is this physicke well applyed when faith quiets the heart by assuring it that Christ and his benefits are his and hath set him above the Law sinne hell death even in this life as a Conquerour and all this because he beleeves the Gospell Now come in peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost Beleeving yee reioyce with ioy unspeakeable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. When these take place instead of former gripes and stings of conscience this blood is soundly applyed For as nothing could cure the stung Israelites but the beholding of the brazen Serpent so nothing can pacifie the stung conscience but the blood of Christ lifted on the Crosse. 4. As after application of proper physicke wee finde a great change in our bodies as if wee had new bodies given us so after the kindly worke of this physicke we may finde our selves cast into a new mould this blood applyed makes us new Creatures new men having new mindes new wils new words new affections new actions new conversations Our strength is renewed to Christian actions and passion Wee are strong for our journey for our combate and strong to carry burdens with a strong