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A11006 Fiue and twentie lectures, vpon the last sermon and conference of our Lord Iesus Christ, with his disciples immediately before his Passion contained in the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth chapters of the Gospel of Sainct Iohn. As also vpon that most excellent prayer, contained in the seuenteenth chap. of the same Gospel. Preached by the reuerend and faythfull seruant of God, M. Robert Rollok, minister of the Kirke (and rector of the Colledge) of Edinburgh. Rollock, Robert, 1555?-1599.; Charteris, Henry, 1565-1628.; Arthur, William, fl. 1606-1619. 1619 (1619) STC 21277; ESTC S116143 255,785 280

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grorifie God fie on that fleshe that will not glorifie God but will ascribe any thing to himselfe and will stand vp and say I did this or that fie on thee that wilt say so and wilt not honour him who hath honoured thee Beware to speake any thing that may derogate to the glory of God and not only in deede but also in word glorifie him that they who heare you speake may glorifie God thorow your speach and by your example Now hauing spoken of the ground we come to the benefite of life euerlasting it selfe As before wee heard the glorifying of Iesus Christ serued to the glory of the Father so we haue now that the glory of Iesus serueth also to our glory So ye may see of what importance is the glory of Iesus Christ the fairest fruites that euer were follow on that glory thorow his glory glory commeth to the Father and life to the world The chiefe two things in the worlde are The glory of God and the saluation of the Kirke which both proceede from the glory of Iesus Christ Life euerlasting marke it well it commeth and it floweth of the glorious life of Iesus Christ when hee rose from the dead all our life is by the rising of Iesus Christ from death to life What is this life euerlasting or the Spirituall life which wee haue It is but a little sponke that floweth from that fulnesse of that glorious life which Iesus Christ liueth in the Heauens at the right hande of the Father And this quickening Spirit which euery one of vs receiueth in sober measure is nothing but a portion of that Spirit of life which is in Iesus Christ hat is in him in all superaboundance and aboue all measure Wee in the Kirke his members haue the Spirit of life flowing from him in some measure Paul in the 6. Chapter to the Romanes vers 5. hath a notable sentence concerning this matter If wee bee planted with him in the likenesse of his death wee shall bee planted with him in the likenesse of his life meaning that this mortification of the olde man commeth by the vertue of the death and Crosse of Iesus Christ and this newe life commeth by the vertue of his Resurrection and life And in the first Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 15. vers 17. J● Christ had not risen from the dead wee had yet lyen still in our sinnes So then wouldest thou haue one of the chiefe arguments to knowe whether Christ hath died for thee or not if thou knowest not this thou knowest nothing descende downe into thine heart and see if thou findest in any measure that foule and cankered nature slaine into thee that thou bee dead to sinne if thou finde it thou hast cause to bee blythe for thou hast a sure warrande that the Lord Iesus hath died for thee for if hee had not died for thee thou hadst not had anie mortification of sinne Then wouldest thou knowe if the Lord Iesus hath risen from the death as Paul speaketh for thy justification Looke if thou hast anie part or that spirituall life Woe is to that soule that feeleth no life no spirite no quickening c. for that soule hath no warrande that euer Christ rose to justifie or saue it Therefore as yee woulde knowe if Christ hath died or risen for you looke your warrande and if yee finde anie mortification or anie sense of the Spirite then bee sure yee haue a warrande But and if thou findest it not say not that Christ died for thee thou hast no warrande of the death and resurrection of Christ for thee What is this wee are doing Wee are seeking busilie Charters and Euidentes for Landes and Liuinges and earthlie possessions but seeke a warrande for Landes and all the worlde as thou wilt shame shall come vpon thee if thou wantest the warrande of life euerlasting Now in the next vers This is life euerlasting to know thee to be the only true God and whome thou hast sent Jesus Christ In this vers marke it hee letteth vs see the necessitie there is in glorifying of him if euer such a thing should be that one who is chosen should be glorified for hee reasoneth after this manner Father thou knowest what is life it is a knowledge of thee and of mee whom thou hast sent but except I bee glorified the worlde cannot know thee nor mee therefore Father except I bee glorified there is no life for the worlde So there is the necessitie of the glorifying of Christ to get life euerlasting because there cannot be knowledge of God without Christ and except he be glorified But to consider these wordes more norrowlie hee sayeth This is life to knowe thee to bee the onelie true God not onelie to knowe thee to bee God but to knowe thee to bee the onelie God that is to put a difference betwixt thee and the Idole gods of the Gentiles This excludeth not the Sonne and the holie Spirite but hee respecteth the time for before the comming of CHRIST the Gentiles were not called but the worlde was full of Idoles and men were blinded with errour and ignorance Nowe see what is life there are manie that will speake of life euerlasting and yet they knowe not what it meaneth Life euerlasting standeth in a sight and in a knowledge if thou be ignorant thou shalt neuer gette life It standeth in the light of the mind thou art full of darknesse and that darknesse must bee out and light must come in ere thou gettest life But it standeth not in the knowledge of euery thing many one seeketh knowledge but run where thou wilt to seeke knowledge if thou seest not him who is the Fountaine of life from whome all life floweth thou knowest nothing I meane not of a bare knowledge for if thou haue no more it shall not auaile thee but with the knowledge thou must haue faith in thine heart to drawe out life out of the Fountaine of life Who is the Fountaine of life It is the Father of Iesus Christ who is the Fountaine of all life the life which the Sonne himselfe hath commeth out of that Fountaine as Christ himselfe confesseth in the fifth Chapter of this Gospel The Father hath giuen to the Sonne to haue life in himselfe Then all the life of the Angels and all the life of the creatures and all our life spirituall or naturall floweth out of that Fountaine So except a man or woman get a sight of the Father and of the Lord Iesus they cannot gette life Lord if it bee not a great thing to gette a sight of him For as the Apostle sayth to Timothie Hee dwelleth in a light that hath none accesse That deepnesse of light which hee dwelleth in is wonderfull yea incomprehensible and there is no knowledge of the Father without the Sonne if thou seest not the Sonne thou shalt neuer see the Father and so thou shalt neuer see life Awaye with that dreame of the Iewes and
that onelie merite of Christ saye that the Spirit of God speaketh not by vs but the spirite of Antichrist for heereby are the spirites discerned hee that teacheth Christ onelie speaketh by the Spirit of Christ but hee who teacheth anie thing besides Christ hath the spirit of the Antichrist 1. Ioh. 4. vers 2.3 And this is the spirit that teacheth the Pope and his Clergie and therefore goe away from them or else yee will bee deceiued and one day yee shall see this justified and this day yee should heare with your eares the Lord crying Away out of Babylon as thou wouldest bee safe and see Heauen I haue cryed this oftentimes It might haue beene saide Shall not the Spirit reueale that doctrine hee hath receiued of the Father Hee meeteth that now and saith Whatsoeuer things the Father hath are mine Marke this It appeareth verie well out of this place that the holy Spirit is sent immediatelie of the Sonne and that he hath his direction of the Sonne our Sauiour this may comfort vs indeed the Father sendeth him but by the Sonne and therefore it is saide Hee shall sende him in my Name and againe Whom I shall send from the Father Now that which I speake of the Spirit of Iesus Christ I vnderstand it of the Apostles and of all the faithfull Ministers in the Kirke Wee haue all our commission immediatelie from our Lord Iesus Christ so the silliest Minister that is faythfull hath not his calling from the Father immediatelie but from the Sonne Ephes Chap. 4. vers 11. Hee therefore gaue some to bee Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelistes and some Pastours and some Teachers And Paul speaking of himselfe calleth himselfe the Apostle of Jesus Christ and he addeth to by the will of the Father whereby hee telleth vs that hee was sent immediatelie from the Sonne and mediatelie from the Father What is the grounde of this The Father hath giuen his Sonne all power in Heauen and in Earth hee hath kept nothing from him All thine is mine as it is said in the next Chap. vers 10. And vpon this it commeth to passe that the holie Spirite commeth immediately from the Sonne and all the Apostles and Ministers in the Kirke are immediately from him and euen now hee sitteth like a King at the right hande of the Father I speake not this as if I affirmed that the Father had put off all power from himselfe wee must not thinke so no no for afterwardes hee saith All mine is thine so this hurteth not the Father And therefore these thinges which are giuen to the Sonne remaine in the Fathers handes But the Sonne is the Store-house of all grace and when the Father would giue grace hee taketh it out of the treasure of the Sonne and giueth it to vs by the hand of the Sonne The Father hath his glorie the Sonne hath his glorie and the holie Ghost hath his glorie but wee glorifie the Father as the Fountaine of all benefites the Sonne as Mediatour and the holie Spirite as our Sanctifier and wee giue them all one equall glorie amongst themselues because they are equall in Glorie and Majestie Therefore let vs glorifie the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost in this blessed Trinitie who liueth and reigneth world without ende Nowe to goe forwarde After hee hath fore-warned his Disciples of his departure and hath comforted them against that time promising that after his departure they should receiue the Comforter to wit the holie Spirite and therefore hee hath spoken much of the holie Spirite that shoulde come vnto them Nowe in these wordes hee continueth on in the same purpose and hee fore-warneth them of his departure and hee sayeth A little while and yee shall not see mee meaning that hee was to depart out of this worlde Then hee comforteth them in the next wordes Againe a little while and yee shall see mee meaning that after his departure hee should come againe in his Spirite and by his Spirite hee should giue them his presence and hee giueth the reason of this his presence for saieth hee J goe to my Father that is I am to passe vp to the Heauen and am to bee glorified and the Heauen shall not containe my glorie but it shall come downe to the Earth my Spirit wherewith I shall be filled shall come downe to you For albeit that Christ merited by his death all benefites to vs yet they come not to vs but by vertue of his Resurrection Ascension and Glorification for hee merited all thinges to vs as a Priest humbled on the earth but hee communicateth to vs the benefites which hee merited as a glorious King Nowe Brethren yee may see this of these wordes That the LORD hee neuer taketh his presence from his owne altogether if hee will take awaye his bodilie presence as indeede presentlie wee haue not his bodilie presence hee will recompence it with his spirituall presence for this is a sure thing The Godlie heere on the Earth cannot want some sight of CHRIST they cannot liue without some presence of IESVS CHRIST No there cannot bee a Kirke without some presence of him For first Howe is the Kirke made heere vpon the Earth Who maketh the separation Who but IESVS CHRIST Hee letteth such a number haue his presence and sanctifieth them by his holie Spirite and so maketh a Kirke And if there were not a continuance of his presence the Kirke coulde not stande There is not a member of the Kirke that coulde stand in holinesse if it pleased the LORD to withdrawe his presence Wee haue holinesse not of our selues but of the Spirite of the LORD IESVS CHRIST and if hee withdraw his Spirit from vs wee would become as prophane as the most wicked of this worlde So all our grace and all our standing commeth of the Spirit of Iesus Then marke this By what vertue receiue wee the Spirit of Iesus and that presence of Christ by his Spirit Wee receiue it in a word by vertue of his glorious Resurrection Ascension and Glorification in the Heauens for nowe being in the Heauens hee is full of glorie All the Angels in Heauen are nothing comparable to him in glory the Heauens are not able to containe his glory Now the head being full of glory a portion commeth downe from him and in some measure glorifieth the members And as Iohn sayeth Of his fulnesse wee all receiue a part Chap. 1. vers 16. And to the Ephesians Chap. 4. vers 8. Hee passed vp to the Heauens and filled vs all with his grace and so by the passing vp of Christ to the Heauen wee receiue the holy Spirit Therefore when thou considerest the Resurrection and Ascension of Iesus Christ it should moue thee to take a triall whether thou hast gotten the fruit of his Resurrection and glorification to see if thou hast gotten his holy Spirite in some measure or the graces of his holy Spirite for the Apostles by his Resurrection and
of loue in the worlde as this Nowe to come to Iesus Christ The Lord Iesus died not for his friends he had neuer a friend in the world till he died and by his death he purchased friends No man euer loued the Lord Iesus but by vertue of his death Looke the fift Chap. to the Rom. vers 8. This commendeth his loue that hee died for vs sinners and enemies to him There was neuer such a loue as the loue of Christ to man who suffered so shamefull a death in the body and so great anguish in conscience Indeede all men will say in worde that that loue was wonderfull but all the difficultie is to feele in the heart the greatnesse of the loue of Christ and to apprehende it Except there be some sense in the heart the heart is but sicke and euill disposed And therefore this was a point of Pauls prayer for the Ephesians Chap. 3. vers 18.19 Hee prayeth for them on his knees to God that the Ephesians being rooted and grounded in loue might be able to comprehend with all the Saincts what the hope is of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in the Sainctes and what is the breadth what is the length what is the infinitnesse of the loue of Christ that yee may knowe the loue of Christ which passeth all vnderstanding There is no saluation without that sense no peace no rest no joy for of all things vnder the Heauen wee should seeke to feele it the most and saye Lord as thou hast loued mee so let mee feele it If thou wouldest feele this loue get an assurance that the Lord hath died for thee when thou wast a sinner for therevpon shall rise such a sense in thy heart as thou neuer felt before First feele that thou wast condemned to die vnder sinne and the law then get an assurance that hee died for thee and shed his blood that thou mightest bee free That sinfull woman who washed the Lordes feet with her teares and dried them with the haires of her head and kissed his feete and anointed them with oyntment was filled with the sense of the loue of Iesus Christ Except the loue of Iesus Christ had loosed the heart of her shee had not had one teare Shee was a great sinner and hee sayeth Because much is forgiuen her shee loueth me the better Luke 7. vers 47. The moe sinnes that are forgiuen a sinner when be getteth this sense that Christ died for him he wil loue him the better Rom. 5. vers 5. Paul sayeth The loue of God in Christ is shed out into the heart ere euer that loue be shed out the blood of Christ must bee shed out and the heart must gripe to his death and bee washen with his blood and bathed in it and when the sinner feeleth that then floweth that sweetnesse of his loue and there is a mutuall loue betwixt the heart of the sinner and Iesus Christ and the sinner will feele such an exceeding loue that he will defie all the world as Paul sayth Rom. 8. vers 35. The Disciples might haue said We see thou doest for thy friendes and shewest a great loue to thy friends are we thy friends The Lord meeteth this Yee are my friendes but vnder this condition If ye loue mee and doe my will ye are my friendes Surely when wee heare such conditions as these That the Lord hath laide downe his soule for his friends we should search to know if we be of that number and should say to our hearts I see the Lord hath died for his friendes am I one of the friendes of Iesus Christ There is no life without his death and he died for none but for his friends and euery one of you who heareth me this day should trie your selues if yee bee the friendes of the Lord Yee shall knowe it by this if yee bee his friends ye shall not be fectlesse What serueth a fectlesse profession for in the mouth whē the heart is contrarious What serueth sucha a friend for as is a friend in the mouth a foe in the heart Look if thou hast an heart bent to doe his will take heede to thy tong and to the motions of thine heart that they bee sanctified and if thy tong be soule and thine hand be bathed with murder if thou seest this thine heart will testifie to thee that thou hast nothing to doe with Christ the loue of Christ hath nothing adoe with thee but that carcage of thine and that soule of thine shall bee dragged to Hell if thou abide in that estate But if thou finde in some measure a delite to pleasure him who hath pleasured thee died for thee Fie on him who will not striue to pleasure him If thou find in some measure good actions fall out of thine hand then thou mayest haue a good conscience and the heart will get a piece of that rest and peace which passeth all vnderstanding When a creature seeth that hee hath beene doing nothing all day but euill sleepe as thou wilt and wake as thou wilt thou hast the curse of God vpon thee Blessed is the man who hath good workes for they are tokens vnto him that hee is sealed vp in the blood of Christ Wee must not gather out of this place that because we were friends to Iesus therefore hee died for vs for by the contrary because hee died for vs therefore he made vs his friends Hee had neuer a friend till by his death hee acquired them And if thou finde the force of his death in thee thou must bee his friende and must preasse to pleasure him To whome with the Father and Holy Spirite bee all prayse honour and glory for euermore AMEN THE ELEVENTH LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. XV. VERS 15.16.17.18 15 Hencefoorth call J you not seruantes for the seruant knoweth not what his Master doeth but J haue called you friendes for all thinges that I haue heard of my Father haue I made knowne to you 16 Yee haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you and ordained you that yee goe and bring foorth fruit and that your fruit remaine that whatsoeuer yee shall aske of the Father in my Name hee may giue it you 17 These thinges command J you that yee loue one another 18 If the world hate you yee know that it hated mee before you HItherto in this Chapter Beloued in the Lord Iesus wee haue heard of sundrie exhortations which the Lord being to depart out of this world giueth to his Disciples who are to abide in this world behind him First hee exhorteth them to abide in that vnion with him Then hee exhorteth them to good workes Therefore hee commeth to the groundes of all good workes There are two groundes The first is the loue of God the next the loue of man Therefore hee exhorteth them first to the loue of God next to the loue of man He setteth downe his
any other felicity and therefore they were woe at such speaches for they were more carnall than spirituall and tooke more heede to that carnall than spirituall ioy So this is our nature that if we can get in the world such aboundance of riches pleasure honour and such companie as we would we would neuer desire to goe out of this world but ay to remaine And when wee heare tell that wee must slit out of this worlde the rememberance of death will sting vs to the heart the Disciples were sad because the Lord was to goe from them It is the hardest thing in the worlde to gette the soule disseuered from the world and to get the eye set vpon Heauen and to get an hope of that Life Woe to that soule that getteth not hope to reach aboue this worlde that soule is in an euill estate And the Lord knowing this hee will take awaye from vs that companie that will drawe vs from him and piece and piece hee will take vs vnto himselfe for no man getteth the desire of Heauen in a moment but a man piece and piece stealeth out of the worlde and goeth to Heauen Thinke not thou therefore them happie who haue the worlde at their will No no it is well for that creature whom the Lord draweth out of the worlde by taking from them the thinges of the worlde For miserable are wee if ou● hope bee not extended beyonde all earthlie yea spirituall comfortes that euen can befall vs in this life as Paul saieth Of all men wee are moste miserable if in this life onely wee haue hope in Christ 1. Cor. 1. vers 19. I goe forward As before hee gently reprooued them so in the next vers hee comforteth them Jt is expedient for you that J goe away for it J goe not away the Comforter shall not come to you but if J goe away I will sende him to you Heereby wee see that the holie Spirit commeth by the Resurrection and Glorification of IESVS CHRIST and therefore it is saide The holie Spirite was not giuen because Iesus was not as yet glorified Chap. 7. vers 39. And whatsoeuer grace was of the holie Spirite into the worlde was by vertue of that Resurrection of Christ to come and all this consolation wee haue floweth out of his Resurrection Glorification for out of his fulnesse we receiue a part he is full of glorie his soule is repleat and passeth all the Angels in glorie and so out of his fulnesse all grace floweth vnto vs and euerie one of the members of Christ hath a measure of that Spirit as hee thinketh meete and therefore Paul saieth Hee ascended on high and gaue giftes to men Ephes 4. vers ● And so wouldest thou haue joy cast vp thine eye to heauē and fasten thy faith on Iesus Christ thou shalt find a portion of that Spirit Wee see two sortes of the presence of Christ One bodilie as the Disciples saw another spirituall Howbeit hee bee distant from vs in the Heauen yet he sendeth down his holie Spirit by that Spirit he worketh a feeling in the hearts of his owne and they will heare his voyce and will see him with the eyes of their soule And they will haue this sense with such a joye that the tongue of him who findeth that joye is not able to expresse the thousand part of it Both these presences are very good and they who saw him had a great benefit Many Kings longed to see him but they saw him not as Dauid and Abraham The men who saw him when hee was an Infant thought they gotte a greater grace than if all the worlde had beene giuen them But for all this the other presence is better for hee saieth Jt is good that I goe away from you It had beene good for the Iewes that they had neuer had his bodily presence because they had not the spirituall presence of the Lord in their hearts But as for that spiritual presence in all respectes it is to bee preferred to his bodily presence in the dayes of his humiliation because by vertue of that presence albeit so farre distant from vs wee receiue the holy Spirite and all his graces Looke to Heauen and see him glorified that presence is the chiefe presence and as soone as wee see that glory in that day the beames of his glory shall transforme vs and catch vs vp in the clouds So great is the glory of the Lord that it will not remaine within the Heauens with our Head but of necessity it must flowe to his members vpon earth Nowe when thou findest grace and joye and pleasure into thine heart And thinke not thou hast joy enough howbeit thou hadst all the pleasures in the world except thou haue that joye of Christ then assure thy selfe that Iesus Christ thine Head is glorified in the Heauens And if wee finde such a pleasure that wee will bee rauished aboue the worlde being now so farre distant from Christ what shall bee that joy and pleasure wee shall conceiue in our heart when wee shall see him face to face The tongue cannot tell it but the heart that hath felt it can best testifie it The Lord grant that while as wee are in the earth wee may walke as Citizens in the Heauens euer waiting that these vile bodies may bee transformed and made conformable to that glorious body of Iesus Christ Now to goe forward After he hath fore-warned his Disciples of the afflictions which after his departure they shold suffer That they should bee excommunicate and also slaine And after hee hath set downe the ende wherefore hee fore-warned them to wit that they should not be offended but confirmed And after he hath reproued them gently that they rejoyced not when he tolde them that he was to depart And after he hath begun to comfort them by letting the● see that is was for their weale that hee was to depart from them For thorow his blessed Ascension they should bee partakers of the holy Spirit and his graces which if hee did not ascend to his Father they would not get In the words following he falleth out vpon another head of doctrine instructeth them concerning the office of the Spirite which hee was to discharge in the worlde during the time of his absence and this office is in respect of the world and chiefely of the obstinate Iewes who would not belieue in Christ when hee was present with them When hee shall come that is when that Spirite of trueth shall come after that I am gone away he shall rebuke the world that is the faythlesse and obstinate in the worlde hee shall conuict them But yee may saye No man heareth the voyce of the Spirite speaking with his owne mouth howe shall the Spirite then rebuke the worlde The meaning is The Disciples whome that Spirite shall comfort shall by their Ministerie rebuke the worlde Wee haue then two effectes of the Spirite heere The first is in respect
nowe am I no more in the worlde but these are in the worlde and J come to thee Holie Father keepe them in thy Name euen them whome thou hast giuen mee that they may bee one as wee are WElbeloued in the Lord Iesus in the seconde part of this Prayer the Lord prayeth for his Disciples whom hee was to leaue in the world behinde him when he should passe vp to the Heauens Hee vseth many arguments of his request and petition which hee maketh to his Father first from their calling out of the world by the Gospel from their election and choosing them from al eternity from this that they were the Fathers from this that they were giuen to him from this that they belieued in the Father and in him Now in the wordes which wee haue read first after many arguments yea a cloud of arguments all gathered together the Lord concludeth his petition and prayer and sayth O Father I pray for them As hee would saye Seeing so many thinges concur in them their vocation their election and the rest therfore I haue good cause to praye for them I praye for them O Father that thou wouldest keepe them it cannot be but thou must keepe them vpon whome thou hast showne so many graces Now happie are they on whom God beginnes to show any grace for on whom he begins to shew grace once there is none end of grace but continually grace vpon grace mercy followes mercy till at the last they bee glorified in the Heauens for euermore But to goe forward When he hath said I pray for them hee defineth them in speciall who they are for whom he prayeth J pray nor for the world sayth he not for the worlde that is not for the Reprobate and the wicked of the world but for them that thou hast giuen me these are they for whome hee prayeth hee excludeth the reprobates from his prayers he includeth only the Elect whom the Father hath giuen him for as the decreete of the election of God from all eternitie was limited and bounded al were not chosen all men and women were not written vp in that Booke of Life and euen as the gift that the Father gaue to the Sonne was limited and bounded hee gaue not all to the Son he gaue not euerie man and woman in this world but so many as hee had chosen to life euerlasting them hee gaue to the Sonne and no moe So I say as the decreet of election is bounded and as the gift of the Father to the Sonne is bounded euen so the intercession of the Sonne to the Father is bounded The Sonne intercedeth not with the Father for euery man and woman in this world and whether ye look to the intercession by prayer as ye see now he prayeth for the Chosen and for his Disciples in speciall whether yee looke to that intercession that was by his death and by that sacrifice the Lord he prayeth not for all that is a sure thing And when he died he died not for all but onlie for so many as the Father had chosen out from all eternity and hauing chosen them out he gaue them to his Sonne the mediator Only the Lord in the worlde made intercession for these Chosen that are giuen him So Brethren what shall wee say blessed is that man or woman that is of that chosen number and blessed is that person whom the Father hath put into the handes of the Sonne For for him the Sonne maketh intercession And woe is that soule that is not chosen and is not put into the hands of the Sonne to be kept and redeemed by him no intercession for that soule the prayer of the Lord Iesus appertaineth nothing to that soule nothing abideth that soule but anguishe and damnation euerlastingly So ye see how needfull a thing it is to haue assurance of our election to be assured perswaded in our harts that we are of that chosen number giuen to Iesus Christ This is the perswasion wee should seeke in this life if euer wee would haue comfort either in life or death and wee should a●e haue that respect of the life to come and set our hearts on another life than this life Therefore the thing that we should seeke most is to bee of the number of the Chosen and to be one of the number of them who are in the keeping of Iesus Christ But alas wee are so beastlie and senselesse that wee thinke there is no life no joye no glorie c. but in this life such is the blindnesse and beastlinesse of the nature of man Nowe Brethren and if yee marke againe the wordes well yee shall see a great difference betwixt the Prayer that Christ made and betwixt the Prayer of the faythfull in the worlde When wee pray for others our prayer is confused wee cannot separate the Reprobate from the Elect wee will praye for altogether good and euill because wee knowe not who is chosen and how is reprobate and casten awaye Then when wee pray for the Elect and for the Kirke our prayer is but confused and generall wee cannot praye for euerie particulare man or for euerie chosen one because wee knowe them not but generallie wee recommende vnto God the whole Kirke this is the manner of our prayer But it is farre otherwayes in this prayer which the Lorde maketh for his Disciples and for the Chosen The Lorde prayeth for his Elect but hee prayeth not for the Reprobate and particularlie heereafter hee excludeth Iudas because the Lord knewe who was elect and who was reprobate Then againe when hee prayeth for the Elect hee prayeth not confusedlie as wee doe but in his prayer his eye is set vpon euerie one of the Chosen particularlie There was neuer one of the Chosen that was that time that Christ was in the worlde or was since the beginning of the worlde or shall bee to the ende of the worlde but the LORD prayed for euerie one of them particularlie hee prayed for mee and hee prayed for thee and hee sawe euerie one of vs before the beginning of the worlde and nowe hee recommendeth vs to the Father Thinke not that the Lord Iesus prayeth confusedlie and generallie for all men no hee prayeth particularlie for the Chosen there is not one Chosen but the eye of the Lord is vpon them all Why The Lorde knewe who was chosen No there was not one little one yea the poorest vpon the face of the earth of the chosen number but in that time hee had his eye vpon them that the holie Spirit might flowe to them out of his death When the Lord died yee must not thinke that hee died for all hee died but for some hee died not for anie reprobate he separateth the Elect from the Reprobate by vertue of his death When hee offered himselfe to the death his eye was set vpon euerie one of the Elect that was in the worlde and when hee was going to death hee saide in his heart
that band of perfection of charitie and loue And howe As thou and I am one Thou art in mee and I am in thee so they may bee one in vs that is Through their fayth in vs and that to this ende that the worlde may belieue in mee that thou hast sent mee Yee see howe this Prayer of Christ extendeth it selfe it beginneth narrowlie and then piece and piece it groweth It beginneth first at himselfe onelie and hee prayeth That the Father would glorifie him And then farther hee maketh his petition for his Disciples That hee would first keepe them and then sanctifie them Then he extendeth it farther out to the whole belieuers that shall belieue in him to the ende of the worlde So Brethren it is not contained within that Age in the which Christ was in the Earth this is a great consolation it pertaineth not onelie to those Iewes and Gentiles that were at that time but the Prayer of Iesus Christ euen this same Prayer wherewith hee did consecrate himselfe to the death of the Crosse it reacheth out to vs in this Age And looke howe manie of vs hath fayth in Iesus Christ wee may bee assured that that Prayer which Christ made was made for vs and euerie one that belieueth And when wee reade this Prayer and these wordes I pray not for them onelie but for them that shall belieue there is not one who findeth a sponke of fayth but hee may saye Christ made this Prayer for mee as assuredly as hee prayed for Peter and Iames and the rest of the Apostles For when the Lord prayed his eye was vpon euerie soule that should belieue in him to the ende of the worlde hee recommended euerie soule to his Father in this Prayer Not generallie but the Lord Iesus being God and man hee had euerie soule before his eye that euer was chosen and called or shall bee called to the ende of the worlde and he prayed particularlie for euerie soule So if thou findest fayth in thine heart thou mayest say The Lord made intercession for me as well as hee did for Peter and Paul or the rest But Brethren this is well to bee marked for whom it is that hee prayed not for euerie man and woman but for them who haue fayth for those that belieue in him Neuer soule got part of that Prayer or of his death or of his blessed resurrection or of that glorie that belieueth not Therefore let vs belieue as euer wee would haue anie grace for no grace shall euer appertaine to any soule but to that soule that belieueth It is not for scant of grace that the worlde perisheth The Prayer of Iesus Christ might extende it selfe to a thousande worldes Howe falleth it out then if hee might saue a thousande worldes that the worlde perisheth It is not for scant of vertue in the Prayer or in the death of Christ that the worlde perished but for want of fayth wee are not capable of the vertue of his death no soule is capable of that death but that soule that is faythfull that man that is faythfull is made partaker of all the Prayers of Iesus Christ and the vertue of that death shall strike out to his saluation Onelie belieue and thou shalt finde the effect of that Prayer but if thou belieuest not that Prayer shall not serue to thy saluation But this is to be marked How is this fayth gotten Those sayth hee who shall belieue in mee through their worde Fayth in Iesus Christ is ***** not gotten by euerie worde and euerie dreame and euerie vnwritten verity and fantasie of man The enemies haue filled the world with dreames and giue out fantasies and dreames to bee belieued The inuentions of the Pope and Cardinalls will not breede fayth in thine heart Looke the wordes They who belieue in mee through their worde No worde will breede fayth but the worde of the Apostles Christ will so honour them that hee will neuer worke fayth in the heart of man but by their worde onelie And so to the ende of the worlde no worde is to bee belieued but the worde of the Apostles and Prophets For this excludeth not the worde of the Prophets but the traditions of me If thou settest thine heart to seeke fayth by the worde of the Antichrist thou shalt neuer gette fayth in thine heart If thou wilt haue fayth heare this worde of the Apostles and if thou turnest thine eare from it all the wordes in the worlde shall not worke fayth in thine heart The thing which hee requireth would bee marked What requireth hee Hee requireth That they all may bee one So the thing which hee asketh for vs all to the ende of the worlde it is That wee bee joyned together in that conjunction of loue and made vp in one bodie and one newe man whereof the Head is the LORD IESVS and knitte vp with that band of perfection which is loue Without IESVS CHRIST there is no bodie there is no coniunction with the members no the sibbest conjunction in the worlde is not worth a pennie without IESVS CHRIST No the conjunction of man and woman which is a neare conjunction and the conjunction betwixt brother and sister and in a word all conjunction is nothing but a dispersion which is without Iesus Christ it is nothing but a variance This naturall life is nothing without Iesus Christ I might drawe this matter from the grounde After Adam had fallen and was seuered from God Adam and Eue had no true conjunction nor none of their posterie after them Then Brethren howe get wee our conjunction againe Euen by Iesus Christ and by that vertue in him for except in him nature and all these bandes bee sanctified by them men cannot bee joyned together amongst themselues For in him there is made a gathering together of all thinges both which are in Heauen and which are in Earth Ephes 1. vers 10. Coloss 1. vers 20. He insisteth vpon that vnion and he recommendeth it vnto vs and amplifieth it from the similitude between the Father and the Sonne The Father is in the Sonne and the Sonne is in the Father that is they are one by a wonderful and vnspeakable conjunction in a diuine nature and essence The thing in the world wherein we resemble moste that glorious Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the holie Spirit is this vnion Wouldest thou bee like the Father and like the Sonne and like the holie Ghost then bee vnited in heart and loue with the members of Iesus Christ There is no likenesse with the Father without this vnion A man full of malice in the heart is no more like to Iesus Christ and to the Father than the Deuill is and that is the thing which the Deuill seeketh moste of all to make men vnlike to God For as vnion with God bringeth life euerlasting so vnlikenesse with God and disseuering from him bringeth death euerlasting None shall bee safe in that Great daye but so manie as are vnited with