love and most difficult Now since all our good workes shall be remembred and more especially our workes of mercie Therefore it is a good thing for a man to feede the hungrie to cloth the naked to visit the sicke and let us meditate with our selves in this case as David said 2 Sam. 7. 2. I dwell in a house of Cedar and the Arke of God remaines within curtaines so we should say I dwell in a goodly house and many of Gods people have not a house to put their heads in I lie in a soft bed when many of them have not a bed to lie on I have good food when they have not a bit of bread to eate So then it is a good thing for a man to go out of himselfe to consider the wants of other and to shew mercy to them especially at this time because God hath beene mercifull unto us in giving us seasonable times to inne the fruits of the earth to our comfort and giving to us the appointed weekes of the harvest as Ierem. 5. and giving of us strength to undergoe our labours we see Numb 31. 49. when the captaines had beene at warre and were returned home againe they muster their men and finde not a man lost therefore they bring an offering and offer it to the Lord in thankefulnesse for it so we should doe every one looke into his family and number his men and when hee sees that there is not one of them hath miscarried but that he hath his number still give thankes to God for it and as God hath beene mercifull to us so to bee mercifull to our brethren I but some will say I am a poore man and cannot feede the hungry cloath the naked nor as Christ speaketh doe any great matter what shall I doe I answer that the least and smallest matter that is done in true love to Christ shall not want his reward if it be but a draught of drinke or visite of the sicke so Christ shewes Matth. 10. 42. And whosoever shall give unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water to drinke onely in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall not lose his reward so we see Luk. 21. the poore widdow that cast into the treasurie but two mites was more accepted than them that cast in of superfluitie it is not the great quantitie that is accepted but with what affection for the smallest thing done Christ will accept if it be done in love Exod. 35. we see the people brought gold and silver and brasse and silke ramskins and goates haire and so forth for the building of the Tabernacle Origen saith well on that place Grant Lord saith he that I may bee found to bring something to the building of thy Temple that I may bee found to being a little gold to make the mercy-seate on or the Arke or to make the candlestick or a little silver to make the pillars on or a little brasse to make the bosses on or a little silke to make the curtaines on a little goates haire that so I may not be found empty to have brought nothing to the building of thy spirituall Temple So what a griefe may it be at that day when Christ shall say here is the gold silver brasse silke or the goats haire that such a man and such a woman brought and I shall be found to bring nothing what a shame and what a griefe I say will this bee therefore will I ever beseech God to give me the grace that I may be found able to bring something and bestow it on Gods spirituall house that it may bee a comfort to me at that day and let every man be exhorted to doe what they can out of true love to God and compassion to his poore members and no question it shall bee accepted though it be but a little goates haire wee see Math. 21. when Christ rode to Ierusalem every man was ready to doe him service and honor some strowed their garments in the way some cut downe boughs and branches to make way for his comming so doe thou if thou have not changes of garments to strow yet cut downe a boughe or some little branch bestow something on Christ on the Church of God on his poore Saints people and God will accept it for as it is 1 Cor. 8. if there be but a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that which hee hath not therefore let men doe what they are able and God will accept of it though it be but a little Fourthly the judgement that shall passe upon us at the day of judgement shall bee of such workes of mercy as are done to Christians because they are Christians it is good thing to doe good to all as Salomon saith Eccl. 11. cast thy bread on the waters for after many dayes thou shalt finde it though it seeme to thee to be lost and to bee cast away yet thou shalt finde it againe But especially doe good to Christians because they be Christians as it is Gal. 6. 9. doe good to all especially to the houshold of faith and so Rom. 12. 13. the Apostle exhorts to distribute to the necessities of the Saints for that which is done to the Saints is done to Christ himselfe thus 2 Sam. 9. David makes inquirie if none of the house of Saul was left for Ionathan was dead unto whom hee could shew no kindnesse therefore hee makes inquiry to see if any of his race were left that hee might shew kindnesse to them for Ionathans sake so Christ is in heaven wee cannot bestow our bread or our cloth on him O but there are a number of his brethren and servants here in want and in need these wee must feede cloath and shew kindnesse to for Christs sake againe though we are to doe good to all yet especially to Christians because they are Christians for there is such a neere conjunction betweene Christ and Christians that their wants hee takes to bee his wants their injuries and wrongs to bee as done to him Therefore one saith well that Christ takes all the injuries and wrongs that are done to his servants as if they were done to himselfe as Acts 9. Saul persecuted the Church and Christ cries out of heaven Saul Saul why persecutes thou mee Saul kicked at the foote and the head cries out of heaven why dost thou persecute mee such a neere conjunction there is betweene Christ and his members that all the injuries and wrongs that are done to them are accounted as done to Christ and all their wants to bee his wants Therefore tell me O man or woman if Christ should hang on the crosse and crie out and say I thirst what wouldst thou doe Let him thirst still nay wouldest thou not rather bring him wine or milke to comfort him this is the same case still for when a
Ambrose whilst they bite at the baite of some pleasing notions they are at the same time catched with the Spirits hooke Hee was skilfull in the originall languages and thereupon an excellent Text-man well read in writers that were of note in the severall ages of the Church which made him a well-furnished and able Divine his judgement was cleere and his conscience tender and which helpt him most he brought to the great worke of the ministerie an holy and gratious heart which raised and carried him to aimes above himselfe and the world In his conversing he was modest fruitfull wise and winning in his expressions witty and gracefull in so much that hee hath left a fresh and a sweet remembrance of him untill this day Towards his end her grow more spirituall setting light by all things here below and onely waited as his expression was for the comming of the Comforter at length his worke being finished breathing out his life with that wish of the spouse Yea come Lord Iesus Thus much I thought not unfit to be made knowne of the Man Now for the Worke it selfe it must be considered by the learned Reader that these things were spoken though to a People high-raisd in knowledge and more refined than ordinary by his teaching yet to the People not with a purpose that they should come to the view and censure of the learned But though they were delivered to the peopâ—â—â— yet are they not so popular but if my love to the man and the Worke deceive me not they will have the best Reader either more learned or more holy or both It must therefore bee remembred for the more favourable acceptation of this Worke that these Sermons were taken by one of his Parish a man though pious and of good parts yet not skilfull in the learned languages and therefore it must needs bee that many apt and acute sentences of the Fathers by which this learned man did use to beautifie and strengthen the Points hee delivered are fallen to the ground and lost for lacke of skill to take up But howsoever much of the spirits bee lost yet heere you have the corpes and bulke of the discourse and not without some life and vigour wherein this is peculiar in his manner of handling that hee hath chosen fit texts of Scripture to ground his exposition of every article upon Now for the Argument it selfe the Creed I thinke it fit to premise something because it hath beene omitted by the Author or at least not gathered with the rest The Creed is of middle authority betweene divine and humane and called the Apostles Creed not onely for consanguintty with the Apostles Doctrine but because it is taken out of the Apostles writings and therefore of greatest authority next the Scriptures It is nothing else but A summary comprehension of the counsell and worke of God concerning our supernaturall condition heere and hereafter The Doctrine of Salvation is spread through the Scriptures as spirits in the Arteries and blood in the veines as the soule in the body And heere for easier carriage the most necessary Points are gathered together as so many pearles or pretious stones that we might have a ready use of them upon all occasions being as it were a little Bible or Testament that Christians of all rankes as suited for all conditions may beare about with them every where without any trouble In every Article there is both a shallow and a depth milke for babes and meat for strong men Though there be no growth in regard of fundamentall Principles which have beene alike in all ages of the Church yet there hath and will be a proficiencie in regard of conclusions drawne out of those Principles The necessities of every Christian and the springing up of unsound opinions in the Church will continually inforce diligence and care in the further explication and application of these fundamentall truths It will not therefore bee amisse to set downe a few Directions for the more cleere understanding of the Creed and for the better making use of it And first for the understanding of it It hath the Name of Creed or Beleefe from the act exercised about it to shew that it doth not onely containe Doctrine to be beleeved but that that doctrine will doe us no good unlesse by mingling it with our Faith we make it our Beleefe therefore both the Act and the Object are implyed in one word Beleefe Secondly from the Execution in creation and incarnation wee must arise to Gods decree nothing done in time which was not decreed before all times knowne unto the Lord are all his workes from the beginning of the world Thirdly wee must arise from one Principall Benefit to all that follow and accompany it as in forgivenesse of sins follow righteousnesse Peace and Ioy the Spirit of Sanctification Christian liberty c. though the Articles be nakedly propounded yet are we to beleeve all the fruits and priviledges So to Gods creating of heaven and earth we must joyne his Providence in upholding and ruling all things in both Fourthly in the Consequent wee are to understand all thâ—â— went before by way of Cause or Preparation as in the Crucifying of Christ his preceding Agony and the Cause of it Our sinnes and the love of God and Christ in those sufferings c. Fiftly though we are to beleeve Circumstances as well as the thing it selfe yet not with the same necessity of Faith as it is more necessary to beleeve that Christ was crucified than that it was under Pontius Pilate though when any Circumstance is revealed we ought to beleeve it and to have a preparation of minde to beleeve whatsoever shall be revealed yet in the maine points this preparation of minde is not sufficient but there must bee a present and an expressed faith We must know that as in the Law he that breaketh one Commandement breaketh all because all come from the same authority so in the grounds of faith he that denies one in the true sense of it denies all for both Law and Faith are copulatives the singling out of any thing it contrary to the obedience of faith For Particular and dayly use wee must knowâ— First that every Article requires a particular faith not onely in regard of the Person beleeving but likewise in regard of the application of the Article beleeved or else the Dev â—â— might say the Creed for he beleeves there is a Creator and that there is a Remission of sinnes c. but because hee hath no share in it it inrageth him the more Our adversaries are great enemies to particular faith and thinke we coine a thirteenth Article when wee inforce particular assurance because say they particular men are not named in the Scripture and what is not in Scripture cannot be a matter of faith But there is a Double Faith a Faith which is the Doctrine wee doe beleeve and Faith which is the grace whereby
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
is no Father in time of need will doe more for his child than God will doe for us nor no Father so ready to helpe his child as wee shall have helpe of God Psal 103. 13. As a Father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him and Esai 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham bee ignorant of us and Israel know us not yet thou O Lord art our Father and our Redeemer and therefore great is the comfort that wee shall finde seeing hee is our Father it is a comfort in the time of mutation of friends when they leave and forsake and cast us off yet wee may say with comfort Lord I thanke thee thou art my Father thou wilt not leave mee nor cast me off but stand by me when the world will forsake me and my worldly friends The third is that seeing God is our Father hee will give us an heavenly inheritance a father wil not die and leave his childe nothing if he be able so God will not be a Father and leave us nothing but he will bequeath unto us an heavenly inheritance so our Saviour saith Luke 12. 23. Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers will to give you a kingdome So also Heb. 11. 16. Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City God would have us men be ashamed to call him father if he had nothing to give us but seeing he hath prepared for us a City hee is not ashamed to bee called our Father therefore seeing hee hath provided such a heavenly inheritance it is a comfort to us art thou a poore man and hast thou little to live on or art thou a yonger brother and hast thou no inheritance labour to have God thy Father and although thou bee a meane man here yet thou shalt be great in heaven Christ shall be thy brother and heaven shall be thine inheritance The fourth is that seeing God is our Father all his chastisements shall turne to our good so Heb. 12. 6. the Apostle saith For whom the Lord loveth hee chasteneth and he scourgeth every sonne he receiveth If a father correct his childe it is for his good and amendment or at least-wise he would have us to thinke so in like manner as we would have others to thinke of us when wee are correcting of our children that wee doe it for their good let us be perswaded and thinke so of God that it shall turne to our good If a friend should temper a potion and give us it into our hands to drinke although it should worke furiously upon us yet wee would thinke that it shall turne to our good so seeing God is our friend and our father though our afflictions worke strongly upon us yet wee must bee perswaded that it shall turne to our good We heard in the morning out of the story of Abraham that Abimelich the King sought to Abraham to make a league with him at that time when hee was a great heavinesse for the losse of Ismael for Hagar and Ismael were cast out of his doores The Doctrine from hence was That the Lord never sendeth extraordinary crosses and troubles but he sends his servants extraordinary comfort and this ariseth of his fatherly care towards us if a Father gives to his child a sowre cup or a bitter cup he will secretly convey into his hand a peace of sugar to allay the bitternesse and sowrenesse so the Lord doth when he giveth us a bitter cup to drinke hee conveyeth into our hearts secretly as it were a peece of sugar some comfort to allay the bitternesse of it Chrysostome saith There were no man able to saile at Sea if there were no havens and shores and harbors for ships to lye in in the time of tempest so saith hee it were not possible for a Christian to passe this earth through if God should not give him comfort in the time of his trouble The fifth comfort is that seeing God is our Father wee may with comfort at the day of death lay downe our soules and bodies into his hands so wee see Christ doth Luke 23. 46. And Iesus cryed with a loud voyce Father into thy hands I commend my spirit this must teach us when wee come to die to commit our spirits into the hands of God It is the disposition of a childe if hee hath any Iewell in the time of danger to runne and put it into his father hands where he thinkes it a thousand times safer than in his owne so wee should doe seeing wee have but one jewell our soules in the time of danger wee should runne to God and commit it into his hands and thinke it a thousand times more safe than in our owne keeping Now having spoken of the Person of the Father the next in order and course is to speake of his Attributes which are two mentioned in this place 1. That he is Almighty 2. That he is the maker of Heaven and Earth First that he is Almightie Now God is said to be Almighty because he hath power in himselfe to doe whatsoever he will Psal 111. 3. But our God is in heaven and doth whatsoever he will and Psal 135. 6. Whatsoever pleaseth the Lord that did hee in heaven and in earth and in the sea so also Ephes. 3. 20. Vnto him therefore that is able to doe abundantly above all that we can aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in us be praise and Glory Philip. 3. 21. saith the Apostle Who shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe Here a question may be moved why we are taught to beleeve that God is almighty seeing the minde of man is finite and it is not able to conceive of an infinite thing such as is the power of God I answere as a man may stand on the sea shore and looke on the sea where though hee be not able to see the length and breadth of it yet he may see it is a goodly spâ—tious and a large thing so howsoever we are not able to conceive the greatnesse of God and his Almightinesse to see the largenesse of him yet apprehending of him as wee may we shall see him to bee great yea the further wee goe the greater we shall see him to be though we be not able to see his length and depth yet we may perceive the Almightinesse of him as if a man come to a mountaine which hee is not able to comprehend in his armes yet hee is able to apprehend it and to lay hold on it with his hands so howsoever we are not able to comprehend the Almightinesse of God yet we may apprehend it and lay hold on it Now God is said to bee Almighty foure
wayes first because he is able to doe whatsoever hee will his power is as large as his will as Esai 46. 10. My counsell shall stand and I will doe whatsoever I will and Numb 23. 19. God is not as man that hee should lye nor as the sonne of man that hee should repent hath hee said it and shall hee not doe it hath hee spoken it and shall hee not accomplish it So wee see God hath power to doe whatsoever hee willeth many times wee will a thing and wee have no power to doe it but whatsoever the Lord willeth hee hath power to doe it his power is as large as his will And therefore as the Leper said to Christ in Matth. 8. 2. If thou wilt thou canst make mee cleane so wee may say in our paines Lord if thou wilt thou canst give mee ease in my paines Lord if thou wilt thou canst give me health in sicknesse prosperity in adversity and in the times of my distresse comfort Secondly God is said to bee Almighty because hee is able to doe whatsoever in Nature is possible to bee done if there bee any power that can doe any thing for us God is able to doe it as Matth. 3. 9. It is said God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham and 2 Cor. 9. 8. God is able to make all grace to abound â—â—wards you that ye having alwayes sufficiently in all things may abound in every good worke therefore if there bee any thing possible in Nature to bee done God hath power to do it much more if we want any thing God by his power can make a supply of it if wee desire any thing God can helpe us wee need seeke no further he hath power in himselfe to helpe us In the second booke of the Kings 1. 6. Is it not saith Elâ—as to the King becausâ— there is no God in Israel that thou sendest to Baalzebub the God of Ekron therefore thou shalt not come downe from thy bed but thou shalt die â—o wee may say to them that seeke to witches and wizards for helpe is it not because there is no power in God to helpe thee that thou usest such base untoward shiftes to bring enterprizes to passe Therefore seeing there is power in God to doe any thing that is possible in Nature to bee done why doe wee not seeke to him in our wants why doe wee not relie upon his power Thirdly God is said to bee Almighty because the whole fulnesse of power is in God In the creatures there is but part of power yea in the most noblest creatures that bee but in God is all power so we â—ee fire can warme us but it cannot feede us because there is but a part of power meate can feed us but it cannot helpe us against diseases so likewise Physick cannot helpe us when death commeth the reason is because there is but a part of power in these Now in God is the whole power therefore God can make supplie unto us whatsoever our wants be Therefore it is the madnesse of the world to trust to their money to their goods to their worldly friends in which things there is but a part of power the whole fulnesse being in God what is there but hee hath what doe we want but hee can supply it And therefore let us all goe and rely on the fulnesse of power that is in God Fourthly God is said to bee Almighty because all the power of the creatures is in God or from him for by him we live move and have our being and breathing And therefore that a man goes stirres moves or does any thing he hath this power from God So Paul Acts 17. 28. For in him wee live and move and have our being The Philosophers say that the second cause cannot worke but by the power of the first cause As in a clocke if there bee a stand in the great wheeles there must needes be a stand in the little ones also because these doe depend on the great wheeles so if there bee a stand in God there must needs bee a stand in the creatures because they all depend on him for all the power we have to stand and move is from God therefore when we sinne against Him we turne the same power we have from God against him The Apostle Paul saith Shall wee take the members of Christ and make them the members of a Harlot God forbid so we may say shall we take the power wee have from God and turne it against him God forbid it is an heavy thing so to doe Therefore seeing all the power of the creatures is from God there is no enemy that can lift up a hand or a foote against us to doe us hurt but from the power they have from God As our Saviour saith to Herod Ioh. 19. 11. Thou couldst have no pwoer at all against mee except it were given thee from above And it is said Revel 9. 14. Loose the foure Angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates And the foure Angels were loosed Thus we may see that all adversary powers are not able to stirre or moove against us but by the power they have from God If one should see a Lion or a Beare chained and in the hand of his father he would not be afraid of them so seeing there bee a number of wicked spirits in vilde men that be like Lions and Beares yet are they chained and in the hands of our father wee need not bee afraid of them for they have no power to doe us any hurt but by the power they have from God But some man may say and object is there power in God to doe any thing There bee some things that God cannot doe How then is God Almighty As Tit. 1. 2. It is said that God cannot lye nor hee cannot deny himselfe And 2 Tim. 2. 13. Hee is faithfull and cannot deny himselfe so also God cannot dye Here then wee may see that there bee some things that God cannot doe I answer indeed God cannot doe these things for these things imply weaknesse and not power for why doe men deny themselves or why doe men lie because of weaknesse or why doe men die and have no power to withstand it if God should doe those things hee should destroy his owne nature for it is against the nature of God to lye or to deny himselfe God cannot doe any thing that implyes weaknesse God cannot doe any thing that destroyes his owne nature Secondly God cannot make the Creature God because the Creature is not capable of it it being a finite thing with bounds and limits therefore not capable of an infinitenesse now the want of power in this case is not in God but the defect is in the Creature as let a man take foure pottles of wine and put it into a pottle glasse the glasse is not able to receive it
our friend then the more power there is in God the more is our comfort but if God be our enemy and displeased with us for our sinnes then our terrour is the greater because hee is so much the more powerfull to destroy and bring us to nothing therefore let us labour to make God our friend and father and then the more power there is in God the more will bee our comfort Now we come to speake of the second Attribute that he is the Maker of heaven and Earth in this there be divers particulars to be observed 1. Who made heaven and earth And that was God 2. What he made Heaven and earth and all things in them 3. How hee made them or with what Instrument With his Word 4. Of what he made the world Of nothing 5. In what estate he made the world In a good estate 6. In what time he made it In six daies whereas hee might have made it in a moment or in six houres but for singular cause he was six daies a making the world 7. In what order he made Heaven and Earth at first The Heaven for man to rest in and Earth for man to labour in 8. To what end he made it To convey his glory and his goodnesse to his creatures First who made Heaven and Earth It was God no man nor Angell made it nor it made not it selfe but God made it Genesis 1. 1. In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth and so Paul saith in this place that I have read unto you I preach unto you that ye should turne from these vaine idols unto the living God that made heaven and Earth and the Sea and all things that in them are so Heb. 3. 4. For every house is builded by some man but he that hath builded all things is God so then the point is cleared none can deny it Now let us come to make use of it First seeing God made the world and it was not made by man nor Angell neither did it make it selfe but God made it therefore if there be any comfort or any delight to bee found in any creature God is the Author of it and to be thanked for it for we cannot make a sticke nor a straw a feather an eare of corne nor a stalke of grasse therefore seeing God hath made a number of good things for our comfort and benefit God is to bee thanked for it If a man should set up an house for a poore man to dwell in so often as hee looketh on the house he thinkes of the good will of him that set up the house so God hath set up heaven as it were to cover us earth to beare us sea and land to feed us therefore so often as we looke on any of these we are to be thankfull So David Psal 8. 1. O Lord how excellent is thy name in all the world Who hast set thy glory above the heavans and verse 4. What is man that thou art so mindefull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him So Davids affections were swallowed up in the consideration of it Secondly seeing God made heaven and earth take heed we doe not displease him for hee that made all is able to destroy all As it is Gen. 6. 7. And the Lord said I will destroy from the earth the man whom I have created from man to beast and to the fowles of the heaven and to the creeping things therefore seeing he made all take heed we doe not sinne against him remembring what is said Esai 51. 12. I even I am hee that comforteth you who art thou that thou shouldest feare a mortall man and the sonne of man who shall bee made as grasse and forgettest the Lord thy maker c. Wee see men are afraid of men to displease them but we ought to bee much more afraid of the power of God who is able to destroy all if a man should hang from the top of an high tower by a twine threed and in such manner as if he that held him should let it goe he would dash him all to peeces how afraid would hee bee to offend him and how glad to please him So wee all hang as it were out of an high tower by the threed of our life God holds the threed who if he should forgoe his hold wee fall and dash to nothing therefore how afraid should we be to offend or to displease him with our sinnes and carefull to please him in all our courses if men had grace to consider this they would not live in knowne sinnes as they doe Thirdly seeing he made all hee is able to dispose of all at his owne will and pleasure for the workeman is able and may dispose of his owne worke wee are the workemanship of God and therefore wee should bee content with his disposing whatsoever it bee sicknesse or health prosperity or adversity Esay 45. 9. it is written Woe be to him that striveth with his maker let the potsheard with the potsheards of the earth Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it What makest thou c and therefore we should labour to be content with Gods disposing whatsoever it be he made all he may dispose of all as it best pleaseth him The second point is What he made he made the heaven and the earth the heavens where God and his Angels be and the lower world where sinfull men and women are he made visible and invisible things and whatsoever is within the compasse of heaven and earth So saith Paul Act. 14. 15. I preach unto you that you should turne from your vaine Idols to the living God who made heaven and earth the sea and all that therein is and so it is written Iohn 1. 3. All things were made by it and without it was nothing made that was made The use of this is seeing God made all things take heed we doe not injurie and wrong God with them saith Paul Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid so say you shall wee take the Creatures that God hath made and abuse them and so wrong God God forbid This provokes God to vengeance as it is Hoseah 2. 9. Therefore will I returne and take away my Corne in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof and will recover my flaxe and wooll lent to her to recover her shame therefore if we abuse Gods blessings and turne them to the dishonour of his name he will take them from us Secondly seeing God made all things therefore we should acknowledge them as the gifts of God put into our hands by the Lord and to receive them as from his hands The rivers receive their waters from the sea by secret passages and againe runne into the sea and so carry it backe againe thither in like manner as we receive all from the hands of
c. Now penall infirmities and such as are voide of sinne hee tooke whereof there be two sorts First some that hee common to all the sonnes of Adam as to be hungry thirsty naked cold hot and such like secondly there be personall infirmities which arise upon particular causes as to have divers diseases now hee tooke not these infirmities upon him for hee tooke not any mans person upon him but the nature of man yea he tooke them that bee common to the whole nature of man And why did he take upon him these infirmities for three causes as the Schoolemen say First for satisfaction sake that he might satisfie for our sinnes for he that must satisfie for them must take the whole punishment for sinne therefore he tooke our infirmities upon him as we see in Matth. 8. 17. Hee tooke our infirmities upon him and bare our sicknesses Secondly to strengthen faith in the incarnation that wee might know hee was a perfect man because hee was subject to all our infirmities to eate sleepe bee weary and such like for if hee had not taken these infirmities was might have doubted whether he had beene man or no therefore he tooke our infirmities upon him that we might beleeve he was a man touching his Incarnation Thirdly for our example that as hee was subject to hunger thirst and nakednesse so we should be contented with it also for 1 Pet. 2. 21. it is written Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps c. Now besides these three reasons of the Schoolemen there is another reason Heb. 2. 17. why hee tooke our infirmities upon him there the Apostle saith Wherefore in all things it became him to bee made like unto his brethren that he might bee a mercifull and faithfull high Priest in things concerning God this was the reason why he tooke our infirmities upon him that he might be the more compassionate towards us Let a man come to one that is on his sick bed if he hath had the same disease he will be more compassionate and pitifull than twenty others so seeing Christ tooke our infirmities hee will have the more compassion towards us therefore as the Apostle saith Heb. 4. 14. Seeing then wee have not such an high priest which cannot bee touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne let us therefore goe boldly to the throne of grace c. Now the next thing that was observed were the reasons why he was made man and that in three respects First for necessities sake for hee must have something to offer as the price of sinne so Heb. 8. 4. For hee were not a Priest if hee were on the earth seeing there are priests that according to the Law offer gifts therefore hee that doth redeeme us and bring us unto Gods favour must have something to offer to God as a price for sinne but the Godhead could not be offered for that cannot dye and therefore of necessity Hee must bee man Secondly in regard of the equity of it for the same nature that had offended must be punished because it could not stand with Iustice to punish sin in another nature which had not offended therefore of necessity he must bee man for the same nature that had sinned must be punished Thirdly in regard of the fitnesse for he that is the Mediator and doth reconcile God and man together must be God to deale with God and man to deale with man The Philosophers say that to bring two extremes together it must be done by middle things so Christ must be betweene both the must be God to deale with God and man to deale with man so that he must be man in regard of the fitnesse of it Hee must be God also a fit Vmpire to lay his hand upon both Thirdly the speciall ends why he must take mans nature upon him are five in number First to redeeme man for in the same nature the devill had destroyed man in the same nature must he destroy the worke of the devill so Heb. 2. 14. For asmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood hee also himselfe tooke part of the same that he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devill and deliver them who for feare of death were all their life time subject to bondage It is a pretty saying of the councell of Ephesus even as a cunning workeman doth not only great matters in gold silver and precious stones but can also take a peece of clay and make such a peece of worke that may make the world to wonder at it so this cunning workeman Christ is not onely able to the doe great workes in gold and precious stones in his Godhead but even in a peece of clay with mans nature he can destroy the workes of the divell Secondly to restore the lost Image of God in man for Adam had lost it by his sinne and therefore he tooke mans nature to bring it to the former estate againe Saith Athanasius if a picture be defaced and hath lost its former beauty there is no way to restore it againe but to get the party that the picture was first drawne by to renew it so saith he when man had defaced the Image of God in him there was no way to have it restored againe but by bringing Christ into the world from whence this nature of man was drawne upon him Thirdly to advance mans nature which was so disgraced by sinne for mans nature was hatefull to God even as a toade is to us therefore seeing mans nature was in disgrace with God hee tooke our nature to advance it againe If a towne or a city be in disgrace with the king if he come againe into it abide and rest in it thereby it is advanced againe so when mans nature was in disgrace by the reason of sinne Christ came into mans nature and this did advance it againe Fourthly to make mans Nature dreadfull to the divell for Christ having overcome the devill in Mans nature this made his Nature terrible to him even as a fish when he is nibling at the baite and spieth the bare hooke is afraid to meddle with the baite after or as a man putting his hand into a hole if he pull out a toade will bee afraid to put his hand in againe so the devill having beene overcome by mans nature is afraid of it againe not because he thinkes hee shall meete with Christ for he knowes he is in heaven but because hee knowes hee shall meete or is afraid that hee shall meete with the power of Christ Fifthly that his incarnation might be as a glasse wherein we may see the infinite Goodnesse justice wisedome and power of God First wee may see the infinite goodnesse of God that when wee were lost by sinne
any thing so saith he Rom. 6. 22. But being freed from sinne wee are made servants to God this is another worke of the Spirit that a man is desirous to please God alwayes for Iustification and Sanctification still goe together there is no man can finde the pardon of his sinnes but in some measure hee shall hae strength against them these be the foure workes of the Spirit in a new beginner therefore consider with thy selfe hast thou beene ever humbled for thy sinnes not for some one as Iudas was but for all sinnes hast thou drawne in all thy sinnes as farre as thy judgement can informe thee then hast thou desired to be reconciled to God and to be at one with him to be brought into the covenant of grace hast thou desired I say it as an hungry man doth his meat or a thirstie man his drink dost thou desire it above life and liberty and whatsoever is deare in thy sight Againe hast thou laid hold on the promises that God hath made in Christ dost thou labour to be found in Christ Lastly hast thou a setled purpose to walke with God as farre as frailtie will permit if thou feele these things in thee bee of good comfort here is the worke of the Spirit but if thou feele not these things in thee there is as yet no worke of the Spirit for these things bee in a Christian though hee bee but a day old in Religion The second thing that we are to consider is whether there be a right order of the worke for the Spirit workes in order God is the God of order and therefore the spirit workes in order as Ezek. 37. in the raising of the dead bones First there was a voyce amongst them and did forewarne them that they were but dead and drie bones Secondly there was a noyse and clattering of bones a trembling and a running together of them Thirdly there were sinewes grew on the bones and flesh on the sinewes Fourthly life came into them and then they stand up so it is in the conversion of a sinner First there is a voyce to forewarne them that they are but dead and drie bones that there is no life of grace in them not being able to stir a foote in the wayes of God Secondly there is a noyse and running together of the bones a desire of reconciliation and to bee brought within the estate of grace Thirdly flesh on the bones that is to lay hold on the promises of God And lastly life comes into the bones they stand up then a man is inabled in some measure to walke with God And therefore consider with thy selfe Hast thou motions and desires and hast not beene humbled first in sense and feeling of thy sinne here indeede is a worke but it is not the right order of the worke for first they must be humble Now as the Spirit growes stronger so there are stronger motions and actions wrought in a Christian for as it is in the naturall life so it is in the life of grace wee see the weaker a man is the weaker bee his actions and the stronger he is the stronger bee his actions As when a man is sicke he may bee so weake that hee is not able to goe by a staffe but as he growes well so his strength growes againe and his actions are stronger so it is with a Christian although he bee weake and not able to creepe at first yet as he growes stronger so his Actions will be stronger and stronger Now the worke of the Spirit is in two things in a strong Christian 1. In his Mortification 2. In his quickning First Mortification and that is in three things as first A man that is strong in the spirit will make strong resistance against sinne and will not be easily foyled and put off for every little matter Wee see a weake tree the winde will bend and bow it as if it would fall downe and make the tops touch the ground and yet the tree may be rooted but if it bee a strong tree the winde cannot bend or bow it so if a Man be a weake Christian he is carried this way and that way with every winde as it were but if he be strong he will make strong resistance against sinne therefore it is said of Ioseph Gen. 39. 15. That hee consented not to his Mistris though she lay at him from day to day and 1 Pet. 5. 9. it is said Resist the Divell being strong in the Faith So then a strong Christian will make strong resistance against sinne therefore when as it is so with a man that there is a temptation offered and hee makes no resistance hath no strength against sinne but falls into it I will not say this man is no Christian but I will say he is but a weake Christian The second is That no Man that is strong in spirit although hee sinne through temptation doth fall into it so easily as others or with that delight but there is a reluctation and a striving against it as Peter Marke 14. 68. when he denied his Master he crept into the Porch hee would not willingly have done it If a Man strike a blow at one though hee cannot keepe of the blow yet he may breake it so that it shall not be so great so the Spirit of God doth though it keepe not a Man from sinne yet it may breake the force of it that a Christian shall not so easily commit it but that there will be a resistance and a reluctation against it they will not so easily commit it as others doe Thirdly although they fall into sinne yet they will not lie long in their sinne but will returne to God upon every little touch So David 2 Sam. ult when he had numbred the people his heart smote him and 2 King 7. the two Lepers their hearts smote them and they said we have not done well in concealing good newes so it is with a strong Christian every little touch will make him returne to God renew his faith repentance and hope of Heaven he is never at quiet till he bee brought home to God These are the workes of Mortification The second is workes of quickning in a strong Christian and they are foure First Hee that is strong in the Spirit the Spirit will enable him to performe spirituall Service put him on prayer and other Christian duties hee shall doe such things as hee never thought he should have done as Phil. 4. 13. saith the Apostle I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengthens me Secondly A strong Christian hath a strong Certificate that his sinnes are pardoned For the weaker a Christian is the weaker is his certificate and the stronger he is the stronger it is as a Childe in the cradle the weaker it is the weaker is the crie and the stronger it is the more strength hath
Law there were divers Saviours as wee may see Iud. 2. 16. it is said that the Lord raised up Iudges to deliver or to save them out of their oppressors hands but all these Saviours were but petty Saviours in regard of Iesus for they could not save their bodies or their goods but Iesus saveth our soules as Psal 33. 18. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that feare him and upon them that trust in his mercy to deliver their soules from death and to preserve them in famine Secondly these Saviours can but save us from tyrants and worldly misery but Iesus saveth us from hell the divell and damnation As Luk. 1. 74. That we being delivered from the hands of our enemies should serve him without feare all the daies of our life Thirdly they could but save them for a time for when they were dead straight way they were oppressed againe but Christ hath wrought eternall redemption for us so it is said Heb. 5. 9. And being consecrated he was made the Author of eternall Salvation unto all them that obey him Fourthly these Saviours can save but for one age they could not save them that were before them nor them that come after them but Iesus saveth men in all ages from the beginning of the world to the latter end of it Fifthly although they saved others yet they could not save themselves as Ioshua was discomfited when hee went to Aye and Sampson had his eyes plucked out therefore all these Saviours were but petty Saviours in respect of Iesus and beside Iesus there is no Saviour in the matters of salvation and redemption The use is first that seeing there is no Iesus can save us but this Iesus wee may see the horriblenesse of our sinnes and the grievousnesse of them for when wee have sinned no Angell could save us no Saint nor all the powers in heaven or earth but it must cast the blood of the Sonne of God it must be hee that must make atonement for us therefore as Augustine saith O man by the greatnesse of the price that was paid for thee thou maiest consider the greatnesse of thy sinnes for it was not a small matter that made God to kill his owne Sonne and therefore by the greatnesse of the price consider the greatnesse of thy sinnes Secondly seeing there is no Iesus can save us but this Iesus we should be carefull to avoide every sinne and to decline from it for when wee have sinned there is no power in heaven and earth whereby we can bee saved but it must cost the blood of Christ If a man should for every lye hee told or every sinne committed lose but a drop of his owne blood how affraid would he be of sinning Now there is never a sinne that we doe commit but it hath cost blood either it will cost our blood or the blood of the Sonne of God and therefore how affraid should we be of sinning against God lest we should be more lavish of the blood of Christ than we would be of our owne Thirdly we beleeve that as he is Iesus in generall so he will bee our Iesus and will save us at the day of death and judgement This is our comfort when wee are perswaded that Iesus is not onely a Saviour to others but hee is a Saviour to us Thomas could have no true comfort till he could say My God and my Lord and this it was that comforted Iob I know my Redeemer liveth c. This also was a comfort to David saith he I should have fainted but that I beleeved to see the goodnesse of God in the Land of the living here then is the comfort of a Christian when he can apply and appropriate Christ to himselfe A man can have but little comfort of a house or land when hee is shewed it unlesse it bee his owne so we can have but little comfort by Christ unlesse we can say that Christ is as truly ours as this house or land wee enjoy is ours and as truely may a Christian say that all Christs merits is his as a man may say his coate on his backe is his But how shall we come to know that Christ is ours I answere if wee bee his people if we be contented to be guided and governed by him if we will obey his voyce then we be his people but if we will not be gathered home unto him to live under his government be guided by him and obey his voyce we are none of his neither can we rightly apply him to our comfort The second thing we beleeve of Iesus is that this Iesus that was the Sonne of Mary and borne at Bethlem is the Christ as Peter shewes Therefore let all the house of Israel for a surely know that God hath made him both Lord and Christ this is also the confession the Disciples made of him Ioh. 6. 69. And we beleeve and know that thou art the Christ the Sonne of the living God and Act. 9. 22. But Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Iewes that dwelt at Damascus proving that this was the Christ and so the Angels proclaime him Luk. 2. 10. Be not afraid saith the Angell unto them for behold I bring you tydings of great joy that shall be to all people That is That unto you this day is borne in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord so the Angell proclaimed that Iesus was the Sonne of Mary and borne at Bethlem the devils also confesse him to be Christ Luk. 4 41. so then there can be no question of this but that Iesus is the Christ Now Christ is a Greeke word and doth signifie Anointed as Psal 103. 15. Touch not mine Anointed c. Anointed is as much as to say Christ Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same in the Old as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the new Testament as Ioh. 1. 41. We have found the Messias which is by interpretation the Christ and the Samaritans make this confession of him Ioh. 4 42. For we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeede the Christ the Saviour of the world so that Christ is the Saviour of the world and the Anointed and the Messias hee that was set apart for the great worke of redemption From hence that Christ is the Messias or the Anointed five things are to be considered 1. What is meant by Anointing 2. With what he was Anointed 3. By whom he was Anointed 4. To what he was Anointed 5. What benefit we haue by his Anointing First what is meant by Anointing In the Law were three things implied in Anointing 1. That the Party Anointed was designated or appointed to that worke or calling by God 2. A declaration that God had enabled him with graces to discharge or execute fitly that worke or calling that was assigned him 3. That the Party anointed was
made gratefull and acceptable to the people This wee may see in the anointing of Salomon in Mount Sion first that he was assigned and appointed by God secondly that hee was declared to be made fit for that calling that he was appointed to thirdly he was made gratefull and acceptable to the people so it was in the anointing of Christ 1. That hee was designated and appointed by God for the great worke of Redemption 2. A declaration that God had enabled him to the worke with gifts fit to discharge this calling 3. That hee was made gratefull and acceptable to the Church and all them that had to deale with him First as the partie anointed in the Law was thereby appointed for the worke so Christ was designed unto the great worke of Redemption and saving of man he did not intrude and thrust himselfe into this calling but he was appointed of God unto it so Heb. 5. 4. And no man taketh this honour unto himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron so likewise Christ tooke not this honour to be high Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Sonne this day begat I thee gave it him so that Christ did not intrude and thrust himselfe upon it but it was God that put him upon the businesse and appointed him for the worke of redemption Christ saith of himselfe Ioh. 7. 28. Yet am I not come of my selfe but hee that sent me is true whom ye know not And so Peter Let all the house of Israel know of a surety that God hath made him both Lord and Christ Now what may this teach us that Christ would not enter upon so needefull a businesse and so great a worke as the saving of mens soules that he would not intrude or thrust himselfe upon it till hee was assigned and appointed of God This therefore must teach us that we should not intrude or thrust our selves upon any businesse or upon any calling till it bee assigned or appointed of God unto us This is the reason in the Scripture why the holy men are so carefull to approve their calling as Exod. 3. 15. And God spake further unto Moses Thus shalt thou say unto the Children of Israel The Lord God of your Fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaak the God of Iacob hath sent me unto you so David confesses Psal 18. 43. Thou hast made me the head of the Gentiles so Ier. 17. 16. But I have not thrust in my selfe for a Pastor after thee and Amos 7. 14. Then answered Amos and said unto Amaziah I was no Prophet neither was I a Prophets sonne but I was an heardman and gathered wild figgs and the Lord tooke me as I followed the flocke and the Lord said unto me Goe prophesie unto my people Israel Thus wee see that we should not attempt or thrust our selves upon any businesse or calling till we be assigned or appointed of God to it we read Luk. 12. 14. when the man came to Christ to have divided his Inheritance Man saith hee who made mee a judge and a divider wee see that Christ would not intrude himselfe into that hee was not assigned to What shall we say then to them that are ready to thrust themselves upon every matter like Peter Iohn 21. 22. When Christ had told him what should befall him Peter saith to Christ What shall this man doe Christs answer is What is that to thee Looke to thine owne businesse and looke to thy owne calling so when we are busie about other mens callings or matters and intrude into them not having any calling from God Christs reproofe may well be applyed what is that to thee meddle with thy owne businesse and calling A river as long as it keepes within his owne bankes runnes cleare but if it swell and flow over the bankes it gathereth a great deale of soile and baggage so as long as a man keepes within his bounds and bankes all is well but if hee once breake over then hee gathereth a great deale of corruption therefore men must have wisedome not to intrude or meddle with a businesse till they have a calling from God seeing Christ would not take a needefull worke upon him till he was appointed of God unto it Secondly seeing God appointed and assigned unto Christ this office of Redeeming and saving us and that he is well pleased with him therefore we should so accept of him and receive him as Psal 2. 12. Kisse the Sonne lest he be angry as if he should say bee ready to entertaine and to take him as the Lord of your life the reason whereof is given before verse 6. Because he hath set him as King upon Sion his holy mountaine therefore we must kisse him and seeke to have his favour and to receive him as the Lord of our life We read Ioh. 1. 11. it was the sinne of the Iewes that Christ came amongst his owne and his owne received him not if they had beene strangers and had not knowne him to bee Christ then the matter had been the lesse but when they knew him yet did not receive him this made their sinne the greater so if wee bee strangers to him and know him not to be the Christ our sins are the lesse if we do not receive him and entertaine him but if wee know him that God hath made him Christ then our sins are so much the greater When Peter had proclaimed him to be Christ unto the Iewes straight way they were pricked in their hearts and were ready to receive him O that this might worke the like affection in us that when wee heare that God hath made him Christ and the Lord of life that wee might be pricked in our hearts and be contented to let all goe to lay hold of him Secondly this anointing was to be done upon the People to shew that he so chosen was furnished with all gifts and graces fit to discharge the calling and worke he was assigned unto For as I have shewed in the Law Anointing was an outward signe that the party Anointed was gifted and graced and had indowments of God given him fit to discharge the calling and worke hee was assigned unto so the Scripture speaketh of Christ that he was Anointed he had the gifts and graces of the Spirit powred upon him hee was not a weake one but he was enabled of God for the worke of redemption In Esay it is said the people make me no prince nor I can be no helper I have no bread in my house nor clothing but Christ cannot say so for God hath fitted him with gifts and graces to doe the worke hee hath assigned him unto Of Christ it is said Psal 89. 19. Thou speakest then in a vision unto thine holy One and saidest I have laid helpe upon one that is mighty so then it is not laid upon one that is a weake man to faint under the burden but one that is