let you goe but by strong hand the new translation hath it And the king of Egypt will not let you goe no not by a strong hand now how may a man know which is the better I answer hee may know it although he have no other helpe than his owne let him looke into Exod. 6. 1. there the Lord saith to Moses now shalt thou see what I will doe to Pharoah for by a strong hand shall be let them goe so herein the ordinary Bibles are the better from these wee inferre a wise Christian may helpe himselfe by the helpe of his minister in any doubt about the difference of texts of Scripture and to shut up all in a word it is plaine and manifest by these premises that the true Church throughout all ages hath preserved the letter and text of the Scripture from all annoiances taint of corruption or the least soile that may bee The use hereof is First seeing it hath beene the care of the Church in all times to preserve the letter of Scriptures therefore it must be every mans care to read it be acquainted with it and to meditate therein so to profit by it as Ioh. 5. 39. Christ counsels us Search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke to have eternall life they are they which testifie of me so 2 Tim. 3. 15. Timothie was commended for that he had knowne the Scriptures of a Childe which were able to make him wise unto salvation in like manner wee must know the Scriptures and be acquainted with them to make us truely wise Augustine saith well to this purpose that the two testaments are the two breasts of the Church that every Christian man must sucke to draw spirituall nourishment from that he may live eternally by it and another learned man saith that the holy Scripture is an Epistle sent from the Creator to the creature if an earthly king should send us a letter what would we let it lye by us would we not bestow some time to read meditate of it and bee acquainted with it to know what were the kings will with us so saith he the holy Scripture is the letter and Epistle of Almighty God let us labour to bee acquainted with it bestow some time to read it and meditate therein another learned man saith Now the Paradise of God is in this world the bookes of the Scriptures are the trees of Life whereof no man is forbidden to eate therefore it must be our care to heare the Scriptures read and to reade them our selves meditate in them and tell the good things that wee learne from thence one to another Secondly seeing it hath beene the care of the Church to preserve the Scripture it must bee our care not onely to reade and to meditate in it but also to beleeve it and to put it in practice as Psal 124. David did where hee saith by the words of thy lips I kept mee from the pathes of the cruell man and againe Psal 119. 11. I have hid thy promise in my heart that I might not sinne against thee See wee must learne by the Scriptures to put it in practice to sanctifie us in our wayes to keep us from sinning against God and to direct us in all the things wee take in hand this fruit and benefit wee must draw out from it saith Christ to the Iewes I will not accuse you but there is one will accuse you even Moses in whom yee trust How shall Moses accuse them not in his person but by his Bookes and Doctrine for that they did not beleeve nor practise but neglect the things that were commended to them therein so Moses shall accuse them and draw such a fearefull bill against them as they shall not bee able to answer so wee that bee your Pastours and teachers wee doe not accuse you but Moses Paul and Peter doth accuse you and will write such a fearefull bill of indictment against you as you shall not bee able to answere Therefore labour yee to repent of your sinnes to make conscience of your wayes to put in practice the good things that have beene taught you that so there bee not framed a fearfull bill of indictment against you which yee shall not bee able to answer especially remember it at this time to make use of it seeing yee see by evident tokens that God is displeased with us doe not thinke that time will weare it out but search into your hearts and into your lives to see what is amisse repent of your sinnes and turne to God that he may turne away this fearefull judgment that is come upon this land Oh my good brethren let us not passe away these things and make no accompt of them but let us labour to put them in practise seeing wee know them lest there bee such a fearefull bill of indictment framed against us as wee shall not be able to answer SERMON LXV 1 TIMOTHY 3. 15. That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy selfe in the House of God which is the Church of the Living God the Pillar and ground of the Truth WEE heard the last day that the Church hath three wayes preserved the tables of truth First in preserving the Letter of the Scripture which I then dispatched Secondly in preserving the Canon of the Scripture I meane the true number of Canonicall Books Thirdly in preserving the Authoritie of the Scriptures Wee come now to the next Point which is that the Church hath preserved the true Canon of the Scripture that is the true number of the Canonicall Bookes without adding or diminishing Canonicall Scripture is that which is given us of God is bee a rule of faith and good life by the which yee may bee sure wee may please God The word Canon is a Greeke word signifying a Rule so the Scripture is a rule to square out our actions by Those which worke in curious buildings doe not work by aime and ghesse but by rule so in the spirituall building of a mans soule and conscience in making a spirituall house for God wee must not goe by aime and ghesse but by rule Wee must hold us to our rule so saith S. Paul Gal. 6. 16. As many as walke according to this rule peace shall bee upon them and mercy and upon the Israel of God And Exod. 25. 40. saith the Lord to Moses Looke therefore that thou make all after the pattern that was shewed thee in the mount There the Lord had given Moses a paterne Such a charge as this comes to every Christian concerning all his actions see that thou doest it according to the paterne which the Lord hath lest thee in the Scriptures to bee a rule of faith and good life and to build up thy soule and conscience in the assurance of thy salvation and hope of an heavenly life Therefore it hath beene the care of the Church to preserve the true number of the Canonicall Bookes intire Paul tells
wee beleeve and this Faith is matter of Experience wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of God It is sufficient that that faith which wee doe beleeve is contained in the Scriptures Now whereas they object that we make it a thirteenth Article their fourteenth Apostle adds to these twelve many more articles of faith which he inforceth to be beleeved with the same necessity of faith as these twelve neither hath he onely entred upon Christs prerogative in minting new articles of faith but likewise they have usurped over all Christian Churches by adding Romane to the Catholike Church in the Creed A bold imposture But for speciall faith the maine office of the Holy Spirit is In opening generall Truths to reveale our particular interest in those Truths and to breed special Faith whereby we make them our owne because the Spirit of God reveales the minde of God to every particular Christian for as the things beleeved are truths above nature so the Grace of faith whereby we beleeve is a grace above Nature and created as a supernaturall eye in the Soule to see supernaturall truths Secondly Where sacred truths are truely apprehended there the Spirit workes an impression in the soule sutable to the things beleeved every Article hath a power in it which the Spirit doth imprint upon the Soule The Beleefe of God to be the Father Almighty breeds an impression of dependance reverence and comfort The Beleefe and knowledge of Christ crucified is a crucifying knowledge The true knowledge and faith in Christ rising is a raising knowledge the knowledge of the Abasement of Christ is an abasing knowledge because faith sees it selfe one with Christ in both states We cannot truly beleeve what Christ hath wrought for us but at the same time the Spirit of Christ worketh something in us Thirdly it is convenient for the giving of due honour to every person to consider of the worke appropriated to every one all come from the Father all are exactly performed by the Son in our nature for the Redemption of those that the Father hath given Him The Gathering out of the world of that blessed society which we call the Church into an holy Communion and the Sanctifying of it and Sealing unto it all the priviledges believed as Forgivenesse of sinnes Resurrection of the body and Life everlasting c. proceed from the Holy Ghost Fourthly it hath pleased the great God to enter into a Treaty and covenant of agreement with us his poore creatures the articles of which agreement are here comprized God for his part undertakes to convey all that concernes our happinesse upon our receiving of them by beleeving on him Every one in particular that recites these articles from a spirit of faith makes good this condition and this is that answer of a good conscience which Peter speakes of whereby being demanded what our faith is every one in particular answeres to every Article I beleeve I not onely understand and conceive it but assent unto it in my judgement as true and consent to it in my will as good and build my comfort upon it as good too me this act of Beleefe carries the whole soule with it Fifthly though it is wee that answer yet the power by which wee answer is no lesse than that whereby God created the world and raised Christ from the dead The answer is ours but the power and strength is Gods whereby wee answere who performes both his part and ours too in the covenant It is a higher matter to beleeve than the common sort thinke it For this answer of Faith to these truths as it is caused by the power of Gods Spirit so is it powerfull to answer all temptations of Satan all seducements of the world all terrours of conscience from the wrath of God and the curse of the Law it setteth the soule as upon a rocke above all Sixthly these Articles are a touchstone at hand to try all opinions by for crooked things are discernded by bringing them to the rule what directly or by immediate and neere consequence opposeth these is to bee rejected as contrary to the platforme of wholesome doctrine That one monster of opinions of the bread turned into the body of Christ by transubstantiation overthrowes at once foure Articles of the Creed The incarnation of Christ Ascension Sitting at the Right hand of God and comming to judgment for if Christs body be so often made of a peece of bread being in so many places at once here upon earth how can all these Articles be true Againe seventhly these grounds of Faith have likewise a speciall influence in direction and incouragement unto all Christian duties A holy life is but the infusion of holy truths Augustine saith well non bene vivitur ubi bene de Deo non creditur men of an ill beleefe cannot be of a good life wherupon the Apostles method is to build their exhortations to Christian duties upon the grounds of Christian Faith But we must remember that as faith yeelds a good life and conscience so a conscience is the vessell to preserve the Doctrine of Faith else a shipwracke of faith will follow If there bee a delighting in unrighteousnesse there will not be a love of the truth and if we love not the truth then there will be a preparednesse to beleeve any lye and that by Goâ— just judgement 2 Thes 2. 12. Eighthly as these fundamentall truths yeeld strength to the whole frame of a Christian life So they are so many springs and wels of consolation for Gods people to draw-from whereupon that good Prince George Anhalt whom Luthers time became a Preacher of the Gospell intending to comfort his brother Prince Iohn raiseth his comfort from the last three Articles Remission of sinnes Resurrection of the body and Life Everlasting which as they have their strength from the former Articles are able to raise any drooping spirit and therefore in the greatest agonies it is the readiest way to suck comfort from these benefits But I omit other things intending onely to say something by way of Preface And thus Good Reader I commend this worke unto thee and both it and thee to Gods blessing Thine in the Lord R. SIBBS AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED SERMON I. ROM 3. 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law AS the Children of Israel having sojourned long enough in Horeb were by Gods speaking to Moses commanded to remove thence and goe further off Deut. 6. So in some sort I may say we having in our ordinarie course gone through divers necessary points of Religion as the Lords Praier Repentance c. must now go on further to speake of the Doctrine of Faith a large and great Field ful of knowledge and exceeding comfort wherefore I shall have so much the more need to be helpâ— on by your prayers as my weaknesse and inhabilitie is unfit for so great
descention into Hell as all doe agree Now for the particulars I must grant there bee divers opinions of it some thinke one thing some another yea there is not onely diversities of opinions between the Protestants and the Papists but in both sides even in the bosome of their Churches and amongst themselves It is the opinion of some Papists that Christ was not in the place of the damnd of Hel but they say he was in the skirts and brimmes thereof but Bellarmine hee dissents from them and affirmes he was in the vaults and chambers in Hel and another saith he was not in Hell bodily but by efficacy and vertually so we see the Papists be not all of one minde but there be divers opinions amongst them Now before wee goe any further there bee two sorts of men that must be satisfied First such as say seeing there is such a diversitie of opinions they will beleeve nothing till all be agreed To such I answere if thou wilt beleeve nothing till all be agreed then thou wilt never beleeve at all and so thou shalt never be saved because there have been dissentions in all ages Moses was withstood by Iannes and Iambres Elias with Baals Priests Ieremie with the false Prophets Christ with the Pharisies and the Apostles with Simon Mogus so there hath been diversitie of opinions from the beginning and will be as long as there is the seede of the vvoman and the seede of the Serpent so long as the Flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh so long as we see but in part as it were in a glasse and therefore if thou wilt not beleeve till all agree thou wilt never beleeve and so thou shalt never bee saved as in Chrysostomâ— time many heathen came unto him and told him that they would bee Christians but that there were such diversities of opinions amongst them and such divisions every one pretending the truth Now Origen doth worthily answer this saith he Wilt thou not be a Christian because there be diversity of opinions thou hadst as good say thou wilt not be of any calling for there is no calling but hath its diversities of opinions and dissent in judgement wilt thou bee a Philosopher some of them be of one judgement and some of another and there is an hundred opinions amongst them Wilt thou bee a Physition there is diversity of judgements amongst them too Wilt thou be a Lawyer why one interprets the law one way and one another way yea there is not any Art but therein are dissentions in judgement one from the other and therefore if thou wilt doe nothing till all bee agreed thou canst not be of any calling It is a strange thing that men should doe more foolishly in religion than in any thing else If a man hath his lands to sow and he goe and aske his neighbour when it is best to sow some will say at such a time and some at such a time and every man will speake according to the judgement and light of knowledge he hath therefore wilt thou neglect sowing thy land so it may be thou mayest be starved Now since for diversitie of mens opinions concerning the season thou wilt not omit the time of sowing much more doe not thou neglect the saving of thy soule This is the madnesse of men they will not neglect the sowing of their land nor the building of their houses and yet they will neglect the saving of their soules Another sort of men that must bee satisfied are such who say if great Doctors and learned men are not able to settle themselves how shall we bee able that are unlearned I answere that if a man make conscience of plaine truths God will reveale the other so farre forth as shall bee needfull for him Saint Paul gives us a rule for it Philip. 3. 15. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveale even the same thing unto you Neverthelesse in that whereunto wee are come let us proceede by one rule that wee may minde one thing Now there be some truths that wee all generally agree in we hold that whoredome is a sin that drunkennes swearing lying and slandering our neighbour be sinnes and dealing unjustly is a sin and if we make not conscience of these knowne truthes it is just we should care and wander in the great matters therefore let us make conscience of knowne truthes and God will reveale the other to us As we see Acts 10. in the example of Cornelius he being ignorant in a maine point fasted praied made conscience of knowne truthes and God did informe him in the same by Peter so likewise Peter in the same Chapter being ignorant of the conversion of the Gentiles preached and prayed on the house toppe and making conscience of that knowne truth God did reveale the other to him in a vision So likewise Apollos Acts 18. knowing nothing but the Baptisme of Iohn went on and preached life and salvation by Christ and making conscience of that knowne truth God did reveale the other hee stirred up Aquila and Priscilla and they informed him therefore let us make conscience of knowne truthes and God will reveale the other as far form as shall be needfull for us If a man powre water into a glasse if the glasse foule the water and mud it hee will stay his hand and will powre in no more but if it remaines cleare hee fils it up to the top so if God powre knowledge into a man if he marres his knowledge or soyles it then God will stay his hand but if hee with his knowledge labour to glorifie God and make conscience of his wayes then God will fill him up to the toppe This may bee the stay of a true Christian when great Doctors erre and wander and be unsetled if thou make conscience of thy wayes and walke in the plaine truths God will reveale unto thee the other Now having satisfied these two sorts of men I will shew you first what I allow not of secondly what I take to be more probable and come more neere the truth thirdly what I take to be the truth in my judgement all under correction of the more grave and learned First what it is that I reject and allow not of for though no man can presently know the certaine truth of this yet it is good to avoid the dangerous opinions As a man that is at sea if he cannot hit of the right haven to arrive at yet if he can avoid the dangerous rockes and sands it is well So although we cannot know all certaine truths yet it is well if we can avoid uncouth and false opinions Now there be foure opinions which I allow not of First That his body descended into hell this in my judgement stands not with the Scripture for Christs body was in the grave three nights and three dayes
that did weaken their faith so men must take care of this that they doe not tye their faith to their eyes and fingers that they will beleeve God no longer than they see with their eyes and feele with their fingers for a Christian must beleeve God against sense and reason It is the manner of the world as long as they see with their eyes and feele with their hands as long as they have peace and ease and wealth so long they doe beleeve God but when this failes then their faith failes them I but Christ saith to Thomas Blessed are they which beleeve and see not Thomas did beleeve when he saw but it is a more blessed thing to beleeve and see not and therefore we must rest in the promises of God against sense and reason Now finding this weakenesse of faith in them hee doth labour to re-establish and strengthen them loe here we may see the goodnesse of God that by the weakenesse of their faith hee doth take occasion to strengthen the same It is the great mercy of God that all things shall worke together for the good of them that love him there be a number of things in the world that seeme to work against the people of God but God turnes all of them to the good of his people and of them that love him as we see in a Clocke that some wheeles turne one way and some another yet all serve to make the Clocke go so there be many crosses and contrary things in this world but all serve to one end even to worke for the good of them that love him This may bring comfort to Christians that the weakenesse of their faith the Lord can turne to their good wee see in experience if a man set yong Trees he will pull and shake the Tree as if he would pull it up and all that hee doth is but to settle the Tree the faster even so the Lord doth many times as if hee would overthrow a Christian and yet all is to settle his faith and to make him cleave the faster to God Now Christ doth strengthen the faith of his disciples two wayes 1. By reproving and rebuking of them 2. By informing them First hee reproves and rebukes them that they were slow of heart to beleeve the scriptures which may teach us that if there be a presence of God among us hee will bee reprooving of us whereas many thinke they may goe away with any sinne closely yet if there bee a presence of Christ among us hee will reprove us for our sinnes and for the weakenesse of our faith This is that which Christ speakes in the Gospell of Saint Iohn That when the Spirit of Christ is come into the world he shall reprove the world of sinne c. so if the spirit of Christ be come into our harts he will reprove us for misspending the time for our ignorance for every thing that is amisse but if it bee not so with thee but thou art at peace and securely sleepest in thy sinne then the spirit of Christ is not come into thee for if the spirit of Christ bee come into thee he will reprove thee of thy sinnes and make thee say as the Lâ—pers said We doe not well to tarry here c. O we doe not well to breake the Sabbath to be drunken to speake filthily wee doe not well to lye or to sweare Now what was that he reproves them for That they were slow of heart to beleeve the Scriptures and here wee are to take notice of a corruption that is in us that we are slow to beleeve the Scriptures and the Gospel but quicke to beleeve a foolish tale or a lye or a false report of our neighbours from this the Lord hath much adoe to stay us although hee hath strictly charged us to enquire the truth of it Deut. 17. 4. where hee saith If it bee told thee and thou hast heard it then shalt thou enquire diligently if it bee true and the thing certain before we speake of it If there be a false report of a good Minister or of a good Christian that wee can beleeve presently but we are slow to beleeve the Scripture or any good thing we are tardy here is our fault and this corruption hath beene in our nature ever since the fall of Man for we see Genes 3. The Lord told Adam That in the day that he did eate of the fruit he should dye the death but the divell came and told him Ye shall not dye at all cleane contrary and yet we see that they were more ready to beleeve the divell than God Will yee see a comparison to explaine it the better If an earthly king should say to us If yee will bee contented to doe mee some service a few dayes and to attend mee I will afterwards advance you and bestow great honour upon you what man is there that would not rest himselfe upon the kings promise In like manner God hath said unto us Attend me in the duties of holinesse and doe mee service a few dayes whilest thou livest heere and afterward I will make you an Heire of the Kingdome of Heaven and thou shalt bee neere unto mee and yet wee will not beleeve God Now there bee two uses to bee made of this Doctrine which shall bee declared unto you God assisting the next time of our meeting SERMON XXXIIII LVKE 24. 26 27. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe WEe heard the last day how Christ did labour to strengthen the weake faith of his Disciples when they were going to Emmaus and therefore let us travell with them and over-heare them that so that which did serve to strengthen them in their faith may serve to strengthen us in ours If a man have a legge or an arme out of joynt he cannot bee at rest untill it be set againe even so when we feele weakenesse of faith let us not bee at rest till wee have gotten the same strength of faith that wee had before therefore let us creepe into the company of Christ and goe as farre as Emmaus with him If a man hang on the top of an high Tower by the hand and there bee a number of sharpe stones under him that if hee fall it will burst him in pieces how carefull will he be to strengthen that hand lest he fall downe so faith is the hand we lay hold on God by and wee hang as it were at the top of an high Tower whence if wee fall wee are like to fall to hell how carefull therefore should we bee to strengthen that hand Now two wayes I told you Christ doth labour to strengthen their faith 1. By reproving of them 2. By informing of them Of the first wee spake the last day and therefore are
injuried our brethren despised his judgements and abused his mercies these sinnes and a thousand others which wee thinke not on at that very time shall come into our mindes and or hearts shall frame such a bill against us as we shall be never able to answer howsoever now they be close and covered wee see in experience of nature if a man write a faire peece of paper with the juyce of a Lemman or an Onion there will be nothing seene but bring it to the light of a candle or to the flame of the fire and then all the letters will be seene and it may be read so it is with sinne some men write it with such a cunning pen that none can discover it the paper their fore-heads is faire and cleane but bring it to the flame of Gods wrath and to the bright candle of Gods Law and then all the uglinesse of their sins shall be laid open Hence the use is Seeing there shall be such a conviction at the day of Iudgement therefore how carefull ought we to be to live well because all the sinnes we have done shall then be laid open before us so Salomon saith Ecclesiast 12. 13. Feare God and keepe his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man for God will bring every worke to judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or bad Therefore because every sinne shall be knowne how carefull should we be to please God If a man should think nothing speak nothing nor doe nothing but it should be cried up and downe in the next Market-towne he would take heed what he thought spake and did it should be much more the care of Christians to take heed what they thinke speake and doe for it shall be proclaimed in the Theater of this world before all men neither shall any part of their actions though never so closely acted lye hid and not be manifested Gen. 44. when Iosephs brethren did goe out of Aegypt they went in peace and all was well because their sacks were shut up O but when they were made after and the sackes opened and Ioseph cup found in one of their sackes then they rent their clothes and tooke on pitifully so it is with a number of men in this world when they die and goe out of this world they goe with peace because their sackes their consciences be shut they doe not reprove them O but when the Lord shall open their consciences when their sackes shall be opened then see what a deale of bad stuffe there is in them therefore we should take heed what we gather into our sacks As it is in the story of Aesop his master beat him for eating of figs but he desired his master before he beat him to give unto every one of his fellowes a draught of warme water which his master did and they did vomit up the figs againe whereby the false accusation laid unto Aesop was discovered so it is in this world there be figs eaten and some say this man hath eaten them and some say that man and no body knowes who hath the figs There is something taken away injury and wrong done this man is blamed and that man well the Lord shall give us such a heavie draught at the day of Iudgement that we shall vomit up all the sinnes that be in the secret corners of our hearts and then will be seene who hath eaten the figges who hath had this thing and that hereby is manifest that there will be a day when the wicked shall be convicted and all their sins laid open therefore we must take heed what we doe and speake and thinke we see in the story of Iaakoh Gen. 31. when he fled into Assyria Lahan made after him and when hee had overtaken him he went into his tent and did search to see if he could finde any thing that was his which if hee had found hee would have carried all backe againe so when we flie away from the devill he will make after and search us to see whether we have gotten any thing of his he would make us his bond-slaves carry us into bondage into hell and therefore consider what yee gather and what yee take into your packes Secondly The meanes by which they shall bee convicted shall bee by opening of the bookes which we are not to take literally that they be paper or parchment bookes but it is a metaphor taken from earthly Iudges who reade all their Indictments out of a booke so all our sinnes shall be laid open before us as if they were written in a booke not by any report or surmises of others Wee finde in Scripture mention made of two bookes 1. The booke of Gods remembrance 2. The booke of every mans conscience First there is no sinne that we doe commit but it is written in Gods remembrance howsoever wee may forget them and make little account of them yet the Lord will remember them So we see Hos 7. 2. And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickednesse and Malach. 3. 14. wee may see how the wicked did scoffe at the godly and said It is in vaine to serve God and what profit is it that we keepe his Commandements c. Then spake they that feared the Lord every one to his neighbour and the Lord harkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his name Now as the Lord hath a booke written of the good deeds of his servants to remember them so it is certaine that he hath a booke of remembrance to record all the deeds of the wicked in The second booke is the booke of every mans conscience For there is never a fin we commit but it is written in our consciences Rom. 2. 15. Their conscience bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one another and excusing at that day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ So their conscience is a witnesse to them whether they have done well or ill Now against these two bookes no man can take exception First they cannot take exception against the booke of Gods remembrance because God cannot remember that which never was for he is prima veritas the fountaine of truth and therefore he is not capable of any untruth he cannot lye like to us As the Sunne is the fountaine of light and therefore is not capable of any darknesse and the fire is the fountaine of heat and therefore is not capable of cold so God is the fountaine of all truth and therefore he is not capable of any untruth and therefore against this booke no man can take exception againe Philosophers say That which is never done and that which is false cannot be remembred nor come into minde much lesse then can God remember it who is most true in himselfe therefore against the booke
to all her Children by the meanes of Pastors and Teachers which the Apostle delivers unto us Ephes 4. 11. where he saith When hee ascended up on high bee led captivitie captive hee gave gifts unto Men c. He therefore gave some to bee Apostles some Evangelists some Prophets some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery and for the edification of the Body of Christ that henceforth we be not Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in waite to deceive For the first it doth keepe and preserve the Tables of Truth in three respects 1. It keepes the letters of the Scripture 2. The true Canon of the Scripture that is the true number of the Canonicall Bookes 3. The Authoritie of the Scriptures First It keepes the letters of the Scriptures for the Scripture is the chiefest rich Iewell and Treasure that Christ hath left his people therefore it hath beene the care of the Church the Spouse to preserve and keepe the Scripture as the chiefest Iewell and Treasure left of her husband Christ we see in experience if a man leave a Iewell or some other treasure with his wife when he goes into a farre countrie she will be carefull to keepe it till he come home againe shee will locke it up or lay it in some Boxe or Chest so because the Scripture is a rich Iewell left unto the Church by her Husband Christ therefore there can be no doubt but the Church was carefull at all times to preserve and keepe it to this purpose Exod. 25. 16. The Lord commanded Moses to make an Arke of Shittim wood to put the Tables of the Covenant in that is the written Law of God and why should they put it into an Arke or Chest of Cedar But because it is the durablest wood which will not rot to teach us that the Lord would have the Scriptures preserved therefore S. Paul saith Rom. 3. 4. That the Lord hath of trust committed the Oracles of Truth unto the Iewes which were the Church of God so that it is the dutie of the Church to preserve and keepe them None hath done it but the Church which hath not failed in any point If a tender mother should have a spring that she and her Children live by to drinke of how carefull would she be to kepe it from all annoyances so because the Scripture is as a Spring that the Church lives by and drinkes of she and her children Therefore there can be no question but that the Church hath beene carefull to keepe it from all annoyances It hath beene an opinion of the Papists that the Scripture was corrupted by the Iewes in the Originall Text but if this opinion were true it were enough to bring in Atheisme and all prophanenes for no body can deny but if that the letters of the Scripture were corrupted in the Originall then that which is translated cannot be right Here then to confute this opinion of the Papists which is enough to bring in flat Atheisme and superstition I will shew you divers arguments and reasons to proove that the Scripture hath not beene corrupted which because it is a point of learning and a high one therefore as God when he gave the Law to the People came downe upon the Mount as low as might bee to deliver it to them so I will come downe as low as I can to make it plaine to your Capacities who heare me The first Is drawne by comparison from a King There is no King that would suffer his Statute lawes to be corrupted in the fundimentall Points and his publike Records if hee could helpe it but God is our King and the Scripture is the Statute-Law of God and his publike Records whereby he makes his Will knowne to Men and governes them and therefore can we thinke that the Lord will suffer any to corrupt it seeing he hath Power in his hand to help it unlesse we thinke that God hath lesse care than an earthly king would have of his lawes Iosephus reports and also Eusebius of a certaine Poet that tooke upon him to apply a Holy sentence to a wrong end who was stricken with blindnesse till he made confession of his fault And of another that tooke a peece of Scripture to make a jest of it who was taken with a phreneticall madnesse and hardly ever recovered againe Now therefore if God doe punish those that do prophane the Scripture then how much more will he punish them that doe corrupt it seeing God hath set this seale to it This God makes good Revel 22. 18. For I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the prophesie of this book If any Man shall adde to these things God shall adde to him the plagues that are written in this booke and if any Man shall take away from the words of the booke of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the Booke of Life therefore who durst meddle to corrupt it The second reason is drawen from the Promise of Christ in Matth. 5. 18. For verily I say unto you till Heaven and Earth perish one jot or one title of the Law shall not escape till all things be fulfilled now by the law he meanes the written Law of God here we have the promise of Christ that as long as Heaven and Earth indures there is not one jot or title of the Law that shall be corrupted The third is taken from the continuall practise of the Prophets Apostles and of Christ himselfe that still send the People of God to the Scriptures as the most sincere Iudges as Esay 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimonies if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them so 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a most sure word of the Prophets to the which ye doe well that ye take heede as unto a light that shineth in a darke place c. and Christ Iohn 5. 39. saith Search the Scriptures for in them you thinke to have Eternall Life they are they which testifie of me So wee see that Christ the Prophets and Apostles call us to the Scriptures as to the sincerest Iudge Now if the scriptures had beene corrupted and depraved they would not have sent us to them for there is no man that will send his servant to sea but hee will tell him the danger of it and of the Shelves Rockes and Sands and where they be that so hee may avoyde them so if the Scriptures had beene corrupted Christ the Prophets and the Apostles would not have sent us to the Scriptures but would have told us where the Rockes and Shelves and where the dangers had beene nay if Christ had knowne the Scriptures had beene corrupted he would have made it knowne or if
do not meane it was hard because they had laid a great stone upon Him as the woman said Who shall rowle away this stone but it was hard in regard of another thing for when any man is laid into the Grave he hath but his owne sinnes to keepe him downe but Christ had the sinnes of all the Elect People of God upon Him Therefore it was a harder matter for Christ to rise than for a private man yet notwithstanding for all this Christ did rise againe Therefore doe thou never doubt but that He will raise thee againe onely our care must bee to have Communion with Christ in his life and death to live as He lived to die and to lie in the Grave with Him even to lay our bodies as neere His as may be with desire to make our bodies as it were a pillow for Him and then when He riseth we shall rise with Him to glory and happinesse But if we doe not live the life of Christ and die with Him and lie in the Grave with Him and make our bodies a pillow for Him then Christ shall rise and raise us to torments It were well with the wicked if it might be so that they should never rise againe but Christ shall raise them againe not as a Head but as a terrible and fearefull Iudge and shall send them into endlesse torments For when a man hath lived a thousand yeeres in it hee is as new to beginne as ever hee was therefore doe thou labour to have communion with Christ in his life and death that so thou mayest rise and goe into glory with him Now there are divers objections that the Atheists make against this Article to be answered First they say How is it possible that men that have lien rotting in the Grave a thousand yeeres together should rise againe I answer Though it bee above reason it is not against reason for we see that the flies that bee dead all the Winter time when the Summer commeth with the heat of the Sunne they revive againe if this may bee done by the power of Nature much more is the power of God able to raise dead men that have lien dead in the Grave many thousand yeeres together Secondly say they It is impossible for men to rise againe because their dust is mingled one with another and with the dust of other Creatures as let one come into the Churchyard and the dust is so mingled one with another that a man cannot say this is the dust of my father or of my mother for to make it plaine take a pint of milke and a pint of water and put them into the Sea there they remaine in their substance but are so mingled together as that they cannot be parted one with another so say they it is with dead men whose dust is so mingled one with another as it is impossible to sunder them To this I answer that although it is impossible for man to doe it yet as God saith All things are possible to God it is an easie matter to him to give to every man his dust againe and to sunder them one from another As a man that hath a handfull of divers seeds in his hand can take one seede from another so the Lord is able to take one dust from another and give unto every man that which belongeth to him I have heard there bee some men that have this cunning and skill that they can draw out of an Hearbe the foure Elements Fire Ayre Earth and Water if this cunning and skill be in man to draw this out of an Hearbe and to sunder the foure Elements much more is God able to sunder every mans dust and to bring them together againe Thirdly the Atheists object and say no man may eate the flesh of another man for then the mans flesh is become one with the other mans flesh and then if the one rise the other cannot To this I answer that it is true indeed but yet he was a perfect man before he ate him for it is a truth in Divinitie that every man shall rise againe with his own flesh but a man shall not rise with every thing that was once a part of him as if a man have a tooth beaten out and another come in the Roome of it hee shall not rise with both these so likewise a man hath a peece of flesh stricken off with a sword in place whereof new flesh comes hee shall not rise with all this but hee shall with so much as shall make him a perfect man so one man eats another mans flesh and it becomes one with his yet he shall not rise with that flesh but with asmuch as shall make him a perfect man againe Fourthly they bring Scripture against us that flesh and bloud cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven I answer the meaning is not that the substance of flesh and bloud shall enter into the kingdome of Heaven but that flesh as it is corrupted and sinnefull cloathed with infirmities and subject to mortality and death shall not enter into heaven so Paul takes it Heb. 2. 14. Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of flesh and bloud hee also himselfe likewise tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death c. therefore the meaning is that flesh and bloud in this transitory estate subject to infirmity shall not enter into the kingdome of God thus wee see that notwithstanding all the objections of the Atheists this Article stands good the dead shall rise againe The use is seeing the dead shall rise againe therefore though we dye as others doe are laid into the grave and dissolved to dust yet wee beleeve that wee shall rise againe This is the worst that the world can doe to us to take away life yet when they have done so we shall have it againe that must comfort us in all our troubles and distresses which did comfort Iob in his distresses and troubles Iob 12. For I am sure that my Redeemer liveth and he shall stand the last upon this Earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy my body yet shall I see God in my flesh c. and David did comfort himselfe thus Psalm 16. Wherefore my heart is glad and tongue rejoyceth and my flesh also resteth in hope for thou wilt not leave my soule in the grave neither wilt thou let thy holy one to see corruption so Christ saith to his Disciples Matth. 20. 19. The Sonne of man shall bee delivered unto the chiefe Priests and unto the Scribes and they shall condemne him to death and deliver him to the Gentiles to scourge and to crucifie him but the third day hee shall rise againe Now that which was Iobs Davids and Christs comfort must bee ours in all the troubles and distresses that befall us it was a comfort to old Iaakob Gen. 46. 3.
that although they should desire but a drop of comfort they shall goe without it Wee see the rich Glutton fared delicately every day lay soft had rich apparell and had a knot of knaves to attend on him but when he was in Hell hee could not have so much as a drop of water to refresh him this extremitie all the wicked shall bee in they shall be subject to necessities of nature and to all paines torments A number of men doe not beleeve us now but one day they shall see and feele it for if wee live not holily in this world I that am the Preacher and you that are the hearers we shall all see it and our hearts shall tremble at it The Godly they shall bee in an estate of glorie but the wicked in an estate of shame then how shall they crie out against the other and say yee would not bee ruled by us nor heare our counsell and advice Wee have heard what S. Paul said to the men that were in the ship Act. 27. 21. Had you hearkned to mee you might have scaped this losse saved your ship and your goods So good preachers shall stand up in that day against men and say if you had hearkned to us you might have shunned this losse if you had repented of your sinnes gotten faith in Christ and walked in a Holy course you might have saved your bodies and soules SERMON LXXIIII IOHN 10. 27 28. My Sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me And I give unto them eternall Life and they shall never perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand THe sacred Story shewes 2 Sam. 6. 13. after David brought the Arke from Obed-Edoms house when they had gone sixe paces they stood still and offered Oxen and fatlings to give God thankes for their good beginning which they had made so should Christians doe in any labour that they goe about stand still as it were and give God thankes for the good entrance they have made on their labours At this time therefore amongst other holy duties which wee are to performe to God on the Sabboth let us be thankefull to him for the good entrance wee have made in our harvest labours that so by this harvest wee may remember that great harvest wherein we shall all reape that which wee have sowne in the time of life Now having finished the Doctrine of the Resurrection yet there remaines some questions to bee answered although for mine owne part I could be contented to passe them over because as David saith Psal 131. 1. I have not exercised my selfe in great matters or in things too high for me and to observe the order expressed in the Law where the Priests as well as the People had their bounds set them which they might not passe beyond Neverthelesse I purpose to answer your desires and expectations in making supply of them as farre as by the light of Gods Truth I can and as I gather by the grace of God given me The first question is whether such as were borne monsters and mishapen shall rise monsters at the last day To this Augustine answers that they shall not rise monsters but shall rise corrected and amended in all the parts Because saith he if a workeman should make a thing ill-favoured and deformed he lets it not alone so but will melt it againe till it bee most excellent and beautifull much more can the Lord when he hath made them deformed melt them by death and so make them glorious bodies fashioned like to the Saints Now to his Iudgement I assent thus farre that all the bodies of them that are godly and holy people and his chosen their bodies shall rise glorious and beautifull though they were borne monsters and mishapen but they that be wicked shall have the same deformities upon them at the day of Iudgement that they had in this world for deformednesse and to bee mishapen is a punishment for sinne but at the day of Iudgement the punishment of sinne to them shall not bee lessened but further increased as the Schoolemen say If a wicked man have a hand cut off or lose an eye justly for his offence by the Magistrate they shall bee restored to him at the day of Iudgement to his further increase of torment unto which I assent because there are two courts the Court of men and of God the Court of men extendeth but to this life onely and there ceaseth they cannot make them lose their members for ever but the Iudgements of God beginne in this life to a wicked man and are perfected in the life to come and therefore if a man be borne a monster and mishapen and a wicked man he shall rise so againe so we see here in this world what a man that is mishapen and deformed would give to have it redressed and amended and yet they doe not consider to live in their sinnes is a meanes to bring all deformities upon them The second Question is in what Sex we shall rise againe whether or not men shall rise men and women women as they bee I answer they shall rise in the same Sex they lived in as wee see Matth. 22. 28. the Sadduces came to Christ saying There was a woman that had seven husbands and at last she died therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she bee of the seven for seven had her to wife whereunto Christ doth not say there shall bee no woman at the resurrection but that they shall not marrie but shall bee as the Angells of God in Heaven the Sexes shall not cease and S. Ierome saith upon that place that Christ giveth us to understand where hee saith that they shall not marrie nor give in marriage that both shall rise againe men shall rise men and women shall rise women and the Greeke words will beare it though the Latine will not so 1 Peter 3. 7. hee exhorts men and women to live together as heires of the grace of life and Matth. 12. 42. it is said The Queene of the South shall rise up in Iudgement with this generation and shall condemne it c. Hence it is manifest both Sexes shall rise againe The third Question is In what age wee shall rise whether Children shall rise Children and old men old men Augustine answers that they shall all rise at the age of Christ that is at 33 yeeres of age whereunto the Schoolemen agree but I dare not assent unto it because there is no warrant out of the Scripture for it for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne and that which hath not his warrant from the word of God cannot bee of faith which must bee grounded on the Scripture And Augustine himselfe saith whether little Children shall rise Children wee doe not finde in the Scripture or in what age men shall rise indeed there is one place that seemes to confirme