OVR blessed Savi­our descending from Heaven to Earth for the Re­demption [Page 2] of man: after hee had accomplished that great worke, he ascended thither againe. And knowing his Disciples would take his de­parture very heavily, he la­bours to arme them against the assaults of all griefe and sorrow that might otherwise oppresse them, and that by many arguments. Among the rest, this is not the least, that when he is gone away, he will send the Comforter unto them. God never takes away any thing from his children but hee sends them a better. And this Comforter whom hee promised to send shall beare them through in all their Ministery, all function, and in effect he thus bespeakes them. You my Disciples are to en­counter with the world, Be of [Page 3] good comfort, my Spirit shall goe along with you, and hee shall reproove the world of sinne, righteousnesse, and judgement. Of your selves you are too weake, but the Spirit shall strengthen you, and make way into the hearts of those that shall be saved, by convincing them of sinne, righteousnesse, and judgement; So that be not discouraged, the Spirit shall breath courage into you and make way for your do­ctrine. When the Comforter is came, he shall reproove, the world of sinne, and of righteousnesse, and judgement: Of sinne, because they beleeve not in me; Of righ­teousnesse, because I goe to the Fa­ther; Of judgement, because the Prince of this world is judged.

There are three maine parts of salvation.

[Page 4]Knowledge of our misery, knowledge of our deliverance, and a life answerable. The Holy Ghost shall worke all these, hee shall Convince the world of their owne sinne, of righteousnesse by a Mediator, and of a reformation of life: So that the Holy Ghost shall goe along with you in the car­riage of the whole businesse of mans salvation. Where hee begins, hee makes an end. Where he Convinces of sin, hee Convinces of righteous­nesse, and then of a necessity of a reformation, hee beares all afore him, and he doth it in a spirituall order.

Convin­cing of sinFirst, hee Convinces the world of sinne, then of righ­teousnesse, then of judgement, because it were in vaine to Convince of the righteous­nesse [Page 5] of Christ, unlesse he hath before Convinced of sinne; For who cares for balme that is not wounded? who cares for a pardon that is not con­demned? therefore hee Con­vinces of sinne first. I have spoken heretofore of Convin­cing of sinne.

Here is a threefold Con­vincing, of sinne, of righteous­nesse, and of judgement, and every one of these hath a rea­son added thereto. Of sinne, because they beleeve not in me; Of righteousnesse, because I goe to my Father; Of judgement, because the Prince of this world is judged.

The Holy Ghost begins with Convincing of sinne; What is this Convincing? It is a cleare and infallible de­monstration of our condition,What is this con­vincing. [Page 6] It brings a commanding light into the soule, It sets downe the soule and takes away all cavills, all turnings and win­dings. To Convince is to make a man as the Psalmists phrase is, lay his hand upon his mouth. Light is a convin­cing thing, now wee see the Sun we see it is day, though ten thousand men should say it is not day, wee would not be­leeve them, because the con­vincing hereof is undeniable, that he must bee an unreasona­ble man that gainesayes it.

So then, the Spirit of God brings a commanding light in­to the soule undeniable; thou art thus and thus, here no shif­ting, no winding and turning will serve the turne, when the Holy Ghost comes with this light. I do but plainely unfold this.

[Page 7]This Conviction of the Holy Ghost is not in generall onely, that all men are sinners, but particular and strong, thou art a sinner, and thou art in danger of damnation; And it is universall, taking in sinnes of nature, sinnes of life, sinnes of the understanding, will, and affections, and it is not of sinne onely, but of the misery by sinne, of the danger, folly, and madnesse of sinne, and of the aggravations that greaten sinne: as of stifling so many good motions, withstanding so many meanes, abusing so many mercies. The Holy Ghost Convinces us through­ly, that wee can have nothing to reply. Because I have spo­ken of this before, I am short. Beloved, unlesse the Holy Ghost Convince, there will [Page 8] be no Convincing, our deceit­full hearts have so many win­dings and turnings; proud na­ture armes it selfe with defen­ces, as a hedge-hogg winds himselfe round and defends himselfe by his prickes. So you have many cloath them­selves with strong words, ill translations upon others, fri­volous mitigations, the way of the multitude, as with a coate of male to keepe out this Con­viction, that did not the Holy Ghost strike in hard with their consciences, Thou art the man; this worke would never bee done.

Quest.But you will aske me this Question, how shall we know common Conviction of con­science from this of the Spi­rit? for carnall men that goe to Hell are Convinced by a com­mon [Page 9] conviction, what is this saving Conviction?

I answer,Answ. 1 Diffe­rence. Common Con­viction by the light of Na­ture is a weake Conviction, a little sparke will shew a little light, but it will not inlighten a roome, it must be the worke of some greater light, as the Sun; the Spirit is a strong light, stronger then naturall conscience. Naturall consci­ence and common light is of some breaches of the second Table. Naturall conscience never Convinces of corrupt nature, but the Spirit doth most of all, as you may see in David, Psal. 51. Psal. 51. He resolves all into this, as if hee should say, what should I tell you of my murther and Adultery, in sin did my mother conceive me, so a true Christian doth not [Page 10] look to the branches so much as to the root.

2 Diffe­rence.Then againe, a naturall conscience when it Convin­ceth a man, it is against his will, it makes him not the better man, he mends not up­on it, but hee is tortured and tormented; But a man that is convinced by the Ho­ly Ghost, he takes Gods part against himselfe, he is willing to be laid open that hee may find the greater mercy; So that there is a grand difference betweene common conviction of nature, and the Conviction of the Spirit. The Conviction of the Spirit is the light of the Spirit, which is of a higher nature then that of naturall conscience, I will send the Comforter, when hee comes hee will greatly inlighten and [Page 11] over-power the soule.

Againe, the Conviction of the Spirit sticks by a man, it never leaves the soule: But that of an ordinary conscience it is but for a flash, and after they are worse then they were before. I must cut off these these things, because the time is alwaies past upon these oc­casions before we begin.

Come we therfore to make some Use.Vse 1. The Spirit doth Convince of sin. But how? by the Ministery ordinarily, though not alone by the Mini­stery. Therefore we must la­bour willingly to submit to the Ministery Convincing of sin. Conscience will Convince first or last. Is it not better to have a saving Conviction now to purpose, then to have a bare desperate Conviction in Hell. [Page 12] O beloved all the admoniti­ons we heare, if wee regard them not now, we shall here­after, therefore labour to make good use of this Sword of the Spirit of God, and it is an ar­gument of a good heart to wish, O that the Ministery might meet with my corrup­tion, that it may be discovered to me to the full. A true heart thinkes sinne the greatest ene­my, and of all other miseries it desires to be freed from the thraldome thereof; For that defiles Heaven and Earth and separates God from his creature. Its that that threw Angels out of Heaven, Adam out of Paradice. What imbit­ters blessings and puts a sting into all afflictions but sinne? if it were not for sinne wee would take up any crosse, and [Page 13] beare any affliction more qui­etly then we doe.

Therefore as we desire to be saved, and to stand with com­fort before God at the day of judgement, let us desire and endeavour to bee throughly Convinced of sin. Take heed of resisting the Spirit of God in the Ministery: why are so many led captive of their lusts, but because they hate the Mi­nistery of the Word, they looke upon it as Ahab did upon Elias, Hast thou found me, O my Enemy. They na­turally are in love with their sinnes, and there is none so much hated as those that pre­sent themselves to themselves. A man take him in his pure naturalls, is a foolish creature, his heart rises against Convi­ction. You see the Pharisees [Page 14] Wise men, Learned men be­ing convinced they hated Christ to the death; why? because he did untombe them and discover the dead mens bones within. So many now a daies that are convinced, hate any that by life or speech dis­cover their sinne unto them, if it were possible and in their power to the death. Thus the Holy Ghost convinces of sin. But before I leave this point, let me add this from the rea­son or ground of this Convi­ction [because they beleeve not in me] That unbeleefe makes all other sinnes damnable, no sinne is damnable if we could beleeve and repent. There­fore we are convinced of sin, because we doe not beleeve: as we say of a man that is con­demned, because hee cannot [Page 15] reade, therefore hee is con­demned, he should escape if he could reade being for no great fault; so it is here, it is not be­leeving in Christ and repen­ting makes all other sinnes deadly.

The differing of one man from another is their faith and repentance, some there bee whose sinnes are greater then others, yet by the Spirit of God and faith, they worke them out every day. It is faith in the brazen Serpent that takes away the sting of the fiery Serpents.

I have done with the con­viction of sinne. Let us now come to speake of the convi­ction of Righteousnesse.

Of righteousnesse, Convi­ction of Righte­ousnesse. because I goe to my Father and you shall see mee no more; It is a fit time for [Page 16] the Holy Ghost to convince Gods people of righteousnesse when they are convinced of sinne before, then they can re­lish Christ: Balme is balme indeed when the wound is dis­covered and felt, O then a pardon is welcome when the party is condemned. The rea­son of this conviction of righ­teousnesse is, because I goe to my Father and you shall see me no more. The Holy Ghost as he sets on sin upon the consci­ence, so he takes off sinne by applying to the conscience the righteousnesse of Christ, this is his office, first, to convince the world of sin, and then to con­vince of righteousnesse, where­by we stand righteous before God.

And this righteousnesse here is not our owne inherent, [Page 17] but the righteousnesse of Christ a Mediator, God and man.

The Holy Ghost convinces of righteousnesse in this order of a fourefold gradation.A foure­fold gra­dation of convicti­on of righteous­nesse.

• First, that there must be a righteousnesse, and a full righ­teousnesse.
• The second is this, that there is no such righteousnesse in the creature.
• Thirdly, that this is to bee had in Christ the Mediator.
• Fourthly, that this righte­ousnesse is our righteous­nesse.

First,Grada­tion. there must be a righ­teousnesse, for we have to deale with a God who is righteous­nesse it selfe; and no uncleane thing shall come into Heaven, unlesse we have a righteous­nesse, how shall wee looke [Page 18] God in the face, or how can we escape hell.

Grada­tion.Now for the second, that it is not in any creature men or Angels; we have not a righte­ousnesse of our owne; for there are divers things to bee satisfied, God himselfe, and the Law, and our owne con­sciences, and the world. Per­haps we may have a righteous­nesse to satisfie the world, be­cause we live civilly; O but that will not satisfie consci­ence; And then there must be a satisfaction to the Law, which is a large thing that condemnes our thoughts, de­sires, but God is the most per­fect of all. Put case wee have a righteousnesse of a good carriage among men, this will not satisfie God, and the Law, it will not satisfie conscience; [Page 19] men they are our fellow-prisoners, conscience will not be contented but with that which will content God, when conscience sees there is such a righteousnesse found out by the wisedome of God that contents him: else conscience will be alwaies in doubts and feares.

Thirdly,Grada­tion. this righteousnesse is to be had in Christ. What is the righteousnesse of Christ? The righteousnesse of Christ is that righteousnesse that is founded upon his obe­dience, active fulfilling the Law, and passive discharging all our debts, satisfying Gods Justice; the meritoriousnesse of both of them is founded upon the purity of his Nature, all his sufferings and doings had their excellency from the [Page 20] personall Union of God and Man, in reference to which Union we may without blas­phemy averre that God per­formed the Law, God died for us.

Grada­tion.Fourthly and lastly, this righteousnesse is our righte­ousnesse, the Spirit convinces that this belongs to all belee­vers, for it is better then Adam had, his righteousnesse was the righteousnesse of a man; This righteousnesse is the righte­ousnesse of a Mediator; And it is such a righteousnesse, that when we are cloathed with it, we may goe through the Ju­stice of God, We may have accesse with boldnesse to the throne of grace, and say, Lord I come in the righteousnesse of Christ that hath appeased thy wrath and satisfied thy [Page 21] justice: this the Holy Ghost convinces of.

But you will aske me,Quest. how doth the Holy Ghost con­vince me of the righteousnesse of Christ?

I answer,Answ. First, the Holy Ghost presents to the soule the knowledge of this excellent righteousnesse, and then creates a hand of faith to im­brace it being proposed; you that are humble and broken­hearted sinners, here is Christ for you. The Spirit of God doth not onely reveale the ex­cellency of Christ, but that this belongs to me, that Christ is given for me, and that reve­lation of the Spirit doth sway the soule, when the Spirit doth not tell in generall only, that Christ is an excellent Saviour, but shall relate to a Christian [Page 22] soule God gave Christ for thee: this swayes the heart to rest upon Christ, whereupon the marriage is made up be­tweene the soule and Christ, the soule saies I am Christs, and I give my selfe to Christ, and to whatsoever accompa­nies Christ: and then as it is in marriage, the persons by ver­tue of that relation have inte­rest into each others substance & estate. So when this mystical marriage is made up betweene Christ and us, we have a right unto Christ by all rights, by titles of purchase and redemp­tion; He hath purchased Hea­ven for us, and us for Heaven; all that Christ hath is ours, all his good is ours, our sinnes his, and his righteousnesse ours; So when the Holy Ghost convinces mee of [Page 23] Christs righteousnesse, and gives me faith to imbrace it, then Christ is mine with all he hath. By this I have spoken you may see how the Spirit convinces, doe but imagine what a blessed condition the soule is in when this match is made.

But you will aske me why is the sending of the Spirit necessary for the convincing of this righteousnesse?

I answer, for divers rea­sons.

First,Reas. 1. because it is above the conceit of man, that there should bee such a righteous­nesse of God-Man; therefore it is discovered by the Spirit, and when it is discovered, the Spirit must open the eyes of the soule to see, els we shall have a naturall know­ledge [Page 24] of supernaturall things; for a man by a naturall know­ledge may understand them, so as to be able to discourse of them, therefore to change the soule, there must be a superna­turall sight to see supernaturall things. A divell incarnate may know all things and yet want to see, onely the Holy Ghost gives inward fight, in­ward eyes, and workes faith to see Christ as mine.

Againe, the sending of the Holy Ghost is necessary for this conviction,Reas. 2. because hee alone must set downe the soule and make the conscience qui­et, who is greater then the conscience. Conscience will clamour thou art a sinner, the Holy Ghost convinces, in Christ thou art righteous. The Holy Ghost onely knowes [Page 25] what is in the heart of God the Father, and in the heart of eve­ry man: Hee onely knowes the intent of the Father to eve­ry Christian, and can answer all inward Objections and Ca­vils of flesh and blood raised up against the soule; therfore the convincing of the Holy Ghost is necessary. Howsoe­ver Christ hath purchased our peace, yet the Holy Ghost must apply it: For the consci­ence is so full of clamours, that unlesse the Holy Ghost apply what Christ hath done, conscience will not be satisfi­ed: God the Father hath ap­pointed Christ, and Christ hath wrought it, but the third person must apply it to the soule, to assure us, that this be­longs to us. The application of all good things to the soule [Page 26] that Christ the Sonne hath wrought, is the proper office of the third person. In civill Contracts here there must not only be a purchase but a Seale, though Christ hath wrought righteousnesse for us, the Spi­rit must Seale it to every soule, this righteousnesse belongs to you, Christ is yours with all that is his.

Reas. 3.Againe, it must needs bee a worke of the Spirit, because flesh and blood is full of pride and would faine have some righteousnesse of their owne, the Jewes were of this temper, and it hath beene the greatest question from the beginning of the world till this day; what is that righteousnesse whereby we must stand before God, but Gods Spirit answers all obie­ctions. Beloved, the best of us [Page 27] though in an estate of grace, if the Holy Ghost doe not con­vince us, wee shall be in darke­nesse and call all into questi­on, therefore we must not bee convinced onely at the first, but in a continued course of Christianity: unlesse the Holy Ghost doth this, we shall fall into a dungeon of darkenesse, therefore the convincing of the Holy Ghost is necessary.

Beloved this should make us take heed how wee heare, and how we reade, even to beg this convincing of the Spirit in every Ordinance. O Lord vouch safe the Spirit of revela­tion, and take the scales off mine eyes, that as these are truths of themselves, so they may bee truths to me. Sway my soule that I may cast my selfe upon thy mercy in Christ, &c.

[Page 28]I must answer some Cases that many a poore soule is troubled withall.Ob. Alas I am not convinced by the Spirit, that Christ is my righteous­nes therfore what case am I in?

Answ.I answer, some are more strongly convinced, and some lesse. Let a man be carelesse of holy duties, and he is lesse con­vinced, but let him be constant therein, and hee shall finde the Holy Ghost convincing him more strongly, that the righte­ousnesse of Christ is his; there are many presumptuous per­sons that turne the grace of God into wantonnesse, who because through the Enthusi­asmes of Satan they never que­stion their estate, but conceit themselves to bee good men and in the estate of grace, think this to bee the convincing of [Page 29] the Holy Ghost: whereas this is a generall rule, Spirituall convincing is not totall but al­waies leaves in the heart some drugs of doubting, as a ship that rides at anchor, though it may reele too and fro, yet is it safe for the maine. So it is with the soule that is truly convin­ced, it is safe for the maine, yet it is tumbled and tossed with many doubts and feares, but their Anchor is in Heaven.

Take this for a ground of comfort subscribed unto in the experience of all beleevers, that the Spirit of God so farre convinces them of Christs righteousnesse, as preserves in them such a power of grace as to cast themselves upon the mercy of God in Christ; and God will not quench that sparke, though there be little [Page 30] or no light, yet there will bee heate; God will send his Spirit into the heart, so farre as it shall not betray it selfe to despaire, and let such a beame into the soule, as all the power in hell shall not be able to keepe out; but it is our owne neglect that we are not more strongly con­vinced, so as to break through all. This is the priviledge of a constant carefull Christian, to be strongly convinced of the righteousnesse of Christ.

Thus we see how the Holy Ghost convinceth us of righte­ousnesse, other things I must o­mit. If this be so,Vse. I beseech you let us not loose our priviledges & prerogatives, doth God give grace, and give Christ with all his righteousnesse, and shal not we improove them? Let us use this righteousnesse in all temp­tations. [Page 31] Let us pleade it to God himselfe, when hee seemes to be our enemy. Lord thou hast ordained a righteousnesse, the righteousnesse of Christ, that hath given full satisfaction to thy justice, and he hath given me a title to Heaven: howso­ever my soule be in darknesse, yet Lord I come unto thee in the name of my Saviour, that thou wouldest perswade my soule of that righteousnesse. I would glorifie thy Name. Wherein wilt thou be glorifi­ed? In mercy or justice? O in mercy above all. I cannot glo­rifie thee in thy mercy, unlesse thou perswade me of the righ­teousnesse of Christ. Can I love thee except thou love me first? Canst thou have any free and voluntary obedience from me, unlesse I be convinced that [Page 32] Christ is mine? Now Lord I beseech thee, let me be such as thou maist take delight in. Be­loved, since we have meanes of such a gift, let us never rest till we have it. If Satan set upon us, hold this out, if hee tell thee thou art a sinner, tell him I have a greater righteousnesse then my owne, even the righteous­nesse of God-Man, I have a righteousnesse above all my unrighteousnesse. Satan saith God is displeased with me, I but he is more pleased with me in Christ, then displeased with me in my selfe. Satan saith I have sinned against God, I but not against the remedy, send Satan to Christ. O but thou hast a corrupt nature that makes thee run into this sin and that sin; but there is a spring of mercy in God, and an over­running [Page 33] fountaine of righte­ousnesse in Christ, an over­flowing sea of the blood of Christ. Therfore let us labour to improove this righteous­nesse of Christ to God and Satan and against all tempta­tions, yea against our own con­sciences; I am thus and thus, yet God is thus and thus; all his Attributes are conveyed to me in Christ. Let us exalt God and Christ, and set up Christ above our sinnes, above any thing in the world, as S. Paul, who counted all things dung and drosse for the excellent knowledge of Christ.Quest. You will aske me, How shall wee know whether we be convin­ced of this righteousnesse or no?Answ. I answer, we may know by the Method Christ uses in convincing; First, he convin­ces [Page 34] of sinne and then of righte­ousnesse; for a man to catch at righteousnesse before he be convinced of sinne, it is but an usurpation; for the Holy Ghost first convinces of sin.

Therefore you have many perish because they never were abased enough. Beloved peo­ple are not lost enough, and not miserable enough for Christ, and not broken enough for him, and therefore they go without him.Quest. But how shall I know that the Holy Ghost hath convinced me enough of sinne, so that I may without presumption apply the righte­ousnesse of Christ unto my selfe?Answ. Onely thus, if the Holy Ghost have discovered my sinfull condition of nature and life, so as to worke in me an hatred of sinne, and to alter my [Page 35] bent another way, and so make Christ sweet unto me, then I am sufficiently convinced of sinne.

This in answer to that Que­stion by the way. To returne in the next place, I may know I am convinced throughly of the righteousnesse of Christ by the witnesse and worke of the Spirit. The Spirit brings light, and faith, the worke of the Spirit hath a light of its owne, as I know I beleeve, when I beleeve, but some­times we have not the reflect act of faith whereby to evi­dence our owne graces to our selves, but ever he that is con­vinced of the Spirit of God, his heart will be wrought to beare marveilous love to God; upon this apprehension, that God is mine, and Christ is [Page 36] mine, the soule is constrained to love, whereupon ensues an enlargement of heart & a pre­valency of comfort above all discomfort, for love casteth out feare. This one comfort that our sinnes are forgiven and that we have right and ti­tle to Heaven, when the soule is convinced of this it is in a blessed condition, then what is poverty and what is imprison­ment? not worthy to be reck­oned in respect of the glory that shall be revealed.

Againe, where the Holy Ghost convinces enough, there is inward peace and great joy sutable to the righteous­nesse. As the righteousnesse is an excellent righteousnesse of God-Man, so that peace and joy that comes from it is unspeakeable peace and joy: [Page 37] So that then the heart sees it selfe instated in'peace and joy, as you have it, Rom. 5. Being justified by faith wee have peace towards God, not onely inward peace and joy, but a peace that will shew it selfe abroad, a glorious peace, a peace that will make us glo­ry, verse 3. We glory in tribu­lation. A hard matter to glory in abasement: not onely so, but we glory in God, God is ours, and Christs righteous­nesse ours; when Christ hath satisfied Gods wrath, then wee may make our boast of God.

Againe, where this convicti­on of righteousnesse is, it an­swers all objections, the doub­ting heart will object this and that, but the Spirit of God shewes an. All-sufficiency in [Page 38] Christs obedience, and that sets the soule downe quietly in all crosses, and calmes it in all stormes in some degree. Where the soule is convinced of the righteousnesse of Christ, there the conscience demands boldly: It is God that justifies, who shall condemne? It is Christ that is dead and risen againe and sits at the right hand of God; Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen. So that a convinced conscience dares all creatures in Heaven and Earth, it works strongly and boldly. I shall not need to inlarge this, you know whether you are con­vinced. To end the point, I beseech you labour to live by this faith,Vse. heere is an evidence if we can live by it; How is that? Every day to make use [Page 39] of the righteousnes of Christ, as every day we run into sinne. Be sure we have our conscien­ces sprinkled with the blood of Christ, that as we increase new guilt, so we may have a new pardon, therefore every day labour to see God as re­conciled, and Christ as our Advocate with the Father. Christ is now in Heaven, if we sinne, make use of him, this should be the life of a Christi­an, to make use of Christs righteousnesse; when you finde nature polluted, goe to God, and say, Lord my nature though fowle in it selfe, yet is holy and pure in Christ, Hee tooke the weakenesse of the humane nature unto him that hee might communicate the worth and efficacy of his di­vine nature unto me, and for [Page 40] my actions I am a sinner, but Christ hath fully discharged all my debts, and is now in Heaven, hee hath performed all righteousnesse for me. Look not upon me as in my selfe, but looke upon me in Christ, He and I am one. This should be every daies exercise to see our selves in Christ, and so see him and our selves one. I should inlarge the point further, but I will speake a word of the reason.

What is the reason? why the Comforter may and shall convince of righteousnesse? Because I goe to the Father; what strength is there in that reason? why this, Christ took upon him to be our surety, and hee must acquit us of all our sinnes ere he can goe to his Father? If one sinne had [Page 41] beene unsatisfied for he could not have gone to his Father, but now he is gone to his Fa­ther, therefore all our sinnes are satisfied for, so that now the Ascention of Christ is a sufficient pledge to me that my person is accepted, and my sinnes pardoned, because he is gone to his Father to appeare before the Father for us, which he could not have done, had he not fulfilled all righteous­nesse.

But wherefore did he go to the Father? why, to make appli­catiō of what he had wrought. If Christ should not have gone to the Father, hee could not have sent the Holy Ghost to us. Therefore there is great use of this going to his Father. Satan pleads before God wee are such and such, I but saith [Page 42] Christ I have shed my blood for them, and there hee per­fumes all our weake prayers; if wee were not imperfect what need we a Mediator in Heaven. Therefore he is gone to Heaven to disanull all Sa­tans accusations, and to pro­vide a place for us, die when wee will, our place is rea­die.

Then againe hee is gone to the Father, to cloath us with a sweet relation, to make the Fa­ther our Father. For he saith, Iohn 12.17. I goe to my Fa­ther and to your Father; So that he is not ashamed to call us Brethren, by vertue of this we may goe to God and call him Father, & when we die we may without presumption say, Father into thy hands I com­mend my spirit, for the Fa­ther [Page 43] loves us as hee loved Christ, with one and the same love, though in a farre different degree. What a comfort is this, that when we die, we goe to our Father that is better then any earthly Fa­ther; Therefore it should joy us when the time of our de­parture comes: We see old Iacob when hee saw the Cha­riots come out of Aegypt, how his heart leaped because he should go to see his Sonne Ioseph: So when death is sent to transport us to Christ, to Heaven, had wee a strong faith we should be exceeding glad.

And let us learne here the art of faith from Christ, I goe to the Father saith hee, there was a great deale of time yet to passe no lesse then forty [Page 44] daies after his Resurrection before he went to the Father, yet he saith, I goe to the Fa­ther, to shew that faith pre­sents things future as present; faith sees Heaven as present, and the day of judgement as present, and doth affect the soule as if they were now existent. If we had a Spirit of faith it would thus pre­sent things farre off as nigh at hand. Therefore when we meet with any thing that may make our way to Heaven seeme long or troublesome, exercise your faith, and make your terme present to your spirits though remote from sence, say I go to the Father, what though I goe through blood and a shamefull death, yea perhaps a tormentfull death: yet I goe to the Fa­ther; [Page 45] when a man is once per­swaded that God is his Fa­ther in Christ, it will make him walke to Heaven before his time.

Let us make Use of this point of Christs going to the Father.Vse. Beloved, there is not a point of Religion but hath a wonderfull spring of com­fort, and it is want of faith that we doe not draw more com­fort from them. When there­fore we part with our friends by death, thinke they are gone to their Father. If ye loved mee saith Christ, yee would rejoyce, because I said I goe to the Father. If wee love our friends, wee should rejoyce when they die; Be­loved, this should comfort us, Christ is gone to his Father, O what welcome was there [Page 46] of Christ when he came into Heaven, the same welcome will there be when we goe to the Father? How joyfull in­tertainement shall we have of the Father and the Sonne? Therefore death should not be troublesome to us, say Christs righteousnesse is mine, therefore I know I shall goe to the Father, what care I then what kind of paines I goe through. If a man be go­ing to a desired place, howso­ever the way be troublesome, the sweetnesse of the end will make him forget the discouragements of his pas­sage. Perhaps we must wade to Heaven through a Sea of blood, it matters not, the end will recompence all, though wee lose our limbes by the way: It is better to [Page 47] limpe to Heaven, then dance to Hell.