God hath a house.

The sense of this proposi­tion is plainely and fully ex­pressed in 1 Tim. 3.15. That thou maiest know how thou oughtest to behave thy selfe in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God. This house then is the Church; a holy, spirituall, living and growing house 1. Pet. 2.5. Eph. 2.21. No house in the world, that is honoured with these properties be­sides: and therefore fittest for the holy, spirituall, and living God to dwell in. Other houses are all mate­riall and corporall; wherein God is neither included, nor out of which he can be ex­cluded, in regard of his in­finite essence: though in the [Page 6]manifestation of his essence hee resideth ever in his Church after a transcendent manner. Where shall a mai­ster most delight to be, but at home? and what home hath God: but his Church? The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse of it: but the Church is his speciall possession, and the mansion of his glory.

The Church is Gods house, because he is both owner and maker of it. The Lord (if you marke it) is maister of his house, not af­ter the custome of men; who first owne and then build; for God should have nothing to owne, did hee not first make. Psal. 100.3. He hath made us, and not we our selves, we are his people and [Page 7]the sheepe of his Pasture. Be­side this grand title, God makes challenge to his Church by other rightfull claimes; as election, Amos 3.2. by redemption, Tit. 2.14. Provision, Psal. 31.19.84.11. protection, Isa. 31.5.

Ʋses in respect of the house­holder.

Vse 1. To cast our care up­on God; who being maister of his family will take care for it. 1 Pet. 5.7. Casting presupposeth confidence; for he that doubteth, will scarce rest securely on God: Like as a man that treadeth on the Ice and quaketh at the least cracking, will bee loth to cast downe his body, where he feareth to venture [Page 8]his foot. But we need not be timorous, when wee are to cast our care upon God; but may trust him with our bodies and soules, and then try him; as the maister of that household, whereof we are members.

Secondly, It must also teach us holinesse, for holi­nesse becommeth Gods house for ever. Psal. 93.5. Hence is it, that the Lord lets the wicked lie unclean­sed, as habitations unfit for the majestie of heaven, and therefore suffred to drop downe in their owne rot­tennesse and corruption: but rather than his owne house should not be clensed, hee himselfe will take his fanne and purge his sloore; and [Page 9]handle the besome to sweep out every dirty and noy­some corner: yea hee will punish it, that hee may re­fine and repaire it, Isa. 27.9. Our pollutions in this kingdome must have a sweeping; for the Lord ha­ving begun with us, if wee be his house, hee will not give over untill hee hath searched every corner and hallowed us to his owne use.

Ʋses in respect of the family.

1. It must perswade us to unity, the very sight of two things in the house of God made Paul exceeding joy­full, Col. 2.5. faith and order: Faith makes fast God and his house so firme in socie­tie, that nothing can devide [Page 10]them. Steadfastnesse of faith makes Gods house stand and rest immovable, yet would it be as a confu­sed heape, if order should not beautifie it: Order sets God in the family as Mai­ster, all other as servants, and teacheth us hee must com­mand, and wee obey, and happy is the family when it is so ordered. True faith and right order are the two grounded pillars for this house to rest upon, which reeleth and is ready to fall upon their first and least re­movall. Wee must there­fore take heed to the first and least disjoyning of these two; admit error or evill in eyther, and it will indan­ger the whole. A house de­vided [Page 11]in it selfe cannot stand, our devisions eyther in do­ctrine or discipline make a rent in the house of God. By the one we weaken faith, and by the other the beau­tie of order. Peace which all men call for, must bee grounded on these two pil­lars; no truth, no true peace; no order, no sure peace; ney­ther is it enough to have them in the Lawes of the family, but they must bee within, even in the heart and soules of all those that will accord in one house.

Alas, when we plead for peace, wee observe not the rule. Mar. 9.50. Have salt in your selves, and peace one with another. Vnseasoned and unsanctified men want the [Page 12]true ciment, that should knit them into one building with the Saints of God. As long as we are rotten with­in wee will rage without, and cry out of the most in­nocent for the breach of peace. Peace is lovely; but where there wants the true love of God and his truth: (that sanctifieth the heart) there is no roome for true concord. The house of a wicked man saluted with peace repels it backe to him that offred it. Math. 10.13. He must be a sonne of peace that will admit the salutati­ons of Gods messengers, Luk. 10.6. Filius Ecclesiae, must be filius Dei. He that is a stranger to the Lords ta­bernacle is most forward [Page 13]to disjoynt the frame of it; and will prove in his mai­sters family that unruly ser­vant, that smites his fellow servants, and first com­plaines of breach of peace. Oh let truth and peace kisse each other, and happy shall be the house of God. Let every man say with David Psal. 120.7. I am for peace in Gods family, and cursed be they that are for warre.

Secondly, we must learne from hence compassion and mutuall pitty, as being all of the same household. In a body if one member suffer, all suffer with it; and the tongue will complaine of the little fingers ake. Let us commi­serate our brethren over­seas, and not suffer the seas [Page 14]more to devide us, than the wals of a house can devide a family. Those cold winds that blow betweene us must no whit coole the fervor of our love; which wee must labour to keepe in heart, by our affections to them and prayers for them; every one labouring to expresse the forwardnesse of his heart according as God offers abi­lity and meanes; for in this house Kings may doe that, which subjects cannot: the rich may doe that poore men are not able: men may doe what women are too weake to effect; But all may send prayers to heaven, like fire to fall upon the earth, and consume their ene­mies.

Apoc. 8.5. The Lord Iesus takes fire from the Altar, whereon our prayers are offred, and casts it upon the earth: which presently cau­seth voyces, thundrings, lighte­nings and an earthquake: that is, worketh our revenge, and our adversaries ruine.

Revelat. 11. verse 5. Out of their mouthes proceedeth fire; the prayers and pro­phecies of the witnesses devoureth their enemies. Act. 12. verse 5. upon the Churches prayers Peter is delivered and bailed from prison. Herods souldiers and chaines, the first and second ward of keepers, doores and yron gates, are unable to deteine, when the forcible and fervent prayers of the [Page 16]Church pull to heave him out. Oh pray, pray, pray for the peace of Zion; they shall prosper that thus love her. Never did the Church of God enjoy any great deli­verance, but prayer procu­red it. If wee cannot pray, wee may not hope for any good to Gods people. Let us with Peter and Iohn at the howre of prayer, goe up to the temple, Act. 3.1. and likewise to the tops of our houses, Act. 10.9. and both publikely and privately im­portune our Father, who seeth in secret as well as in the synagogue, to have mer­cy upon Zion. Hypocrites that pray onely in publike, have their rewardes (that they are not heard of God, [Page 17]but seene of men) and do ra­ther hinder than helpe in prayer; being an abomina­tion unto the Lord. Yee that feare the Lord, both privately and publikely, make your requests knowne to him, that is ready to heare you: Take unto you words, and say, Spare thy peo­ple O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them &c.

Last-use in respect of ill neighbours.

The last use is to shew us that the house of God hath alwaies beene pestered with peevish, perverse and persecuting neighbours: lit­tle love hath beene lent to this house by sinners, which [Page 18]are liberall enough in the hurt and hatred of it. Saints in a manner live by them­selves, and are seldome kindly visited by this un­kind world. If heaven were not more propitious and bountifull, they of the household of God were most miserable. Warres on all sides are waged against this house, and all cry downe with it, downe with it even to the ground. Rome seekes the ruine of it and runnes hasti­ly to such a prey; but wee are to know that all the warres of our adversaries are sacrilegious warres; as assaulting the very house of God. If any man destroy the temple of God, him will God destroy. What is more abo­minable [Page 19]to God and man than to pull downe Chur­ches? The holy warre of Rome is to ruinate Gods houses, and reare up the houses of Baal. Such holi­nesse is hellish; and though it prosper for a time; yet it returnes at last upon the hairy scalpe of such as goe on to supplant his house, and crusheth them under the ruines of their owne mine. Zech. 12.2.3, 6. the Church proveth at last a cup of poyson, to eate out the en­terals of these that devovre it: a burdensome stone, to quash in peeces such as lift at it: a hearth of fire to con­sume the drosse and stubble that would choake and op­presse it.

God judgeth his house.

The people of God drink of the cup, Ie. 49.12. but not in judgement, that is, the judgement of perdition, 2. Pet. 3.7. Iudgement (saith the text) doth but begin with them: but where it endeth, it is a judgement in­deed: God may bathe his sword in the heaven of his Church, but it will come downe upon the People of his curse to judgement, Isa. 34.5.

How the Lord judgeth his house.

Iudgements fall upon this house either secretly or openly, Hos. 12.14. Secret judgements are compared to the moth and rottennesse: I will be unto Ephraim as a [Page 21]moth, and to the house of Iudah as rottennesse, Tinea damum facit, non sonitum. Thus God is sooner found in the issue, than felt in the blow. A moth frets a garment secret­ly; and rottennesse eates into a tree unsensibly. As a moth to a garment, and rot­tennesse to a tree: so is God to the proceedings of Ephraim and designes of Iu­dah: that is, hee frustrateth their indeavours and makes their enterprises fruitlesse. The purest garment is sub­ject to the moth, and the strongest tree to rottennesse: so the best and most wor­thy attempts may in their event and successe, for the sinnes of a nation, prove abortive and unprofitable: [Page 22]As may appeare in these five particulars: First in wealth. Secondly, in strength: Thirdly, in Counsels. Fourth­ly, in courage. Fiftly, in religi­on: for in these especially may wee observe the secret and most hidden judge­ments of God.

1. God is often a moth in our wealth and out­ward estate.

Wealth is the blessing of God: yet Deut. 28, 16, 17, 18. a curse is threatned a­gainst it, and for disobedi­ence often executed: our ob­teyning, possessing, expen­ding of wealth, are often blasted of God with secret judgements. When wee have secret waies to gather, God hath as secret wayes [Page 23]to scatter. Pro. 11.24. Wee learne of an ill maister, Matth. 4.3, rather to desire to make stones bread, or raise a living out of lying & other hard and unwarran­table courses, than to make bread of Gods Word: wee thinke it necessary, that wee live, but how we care not: following the heathens rule, that wealth must bee gotten to supply necessity, no matter for right. Hor. Vnde habeat nemo quaerit, sed oportet habere. Theeves, Vsurers, oppressors, deceitfull Mer­chants and tradesmen are resolved they must live, but how, in what manner, and by what meanes, they weigh not. O that wee would never force any stone [Page 24]to releive us: that every word of God might be our warrant, to take up whatso­ever we owne or use; and we no more willing to sin against God than not to live.

2. God is often a moth in our strength.

Strength of body is ano­ther blessing of God, and [...] fitts a man to be serviceable to God and his countrey. The Church hath now need of able and hardy men, tha [...] may indure to stand in the open field, and fight for his truth. It is not our goods and lives that our enemies seeke for: it is our God and Religion that they thrust at so to make roome for their owne. Oh how should me [...] [Page 25]fit themselves for this ser­vice, and give over their drunken quarrels, veneries, and other effeminate cour­ses, which have almost en­feebled our English nation, and disabled our bodies to fight or brooke the open ayre. Iust it is with God to make us dye before our e­nemies that will not dye to these sins, nor seeke to live according to the ancient discipline and example of our worthy progenitors, who have beene ranked with the best and ablest soldiers in the world, when now being soaked in ease, and disused to labour, wee are thrust downe to the lowest forme, and reputed of small esteeme amongst [Page 26]our Neighbours.

3. God is often a moth in our Counsels.

Counsell and wisedome direct men to the fayrest and most hopefull meanes of their security. Therefore to be smitten in the braine (Deut. 28.28. Zach. 12.4.) viz. either not to see the way, or in the event and issue of good Counsell not to prosper, is one of Gods sorest judgements, and the truest forerunner of ruine. Our sinnes (saith the Pro­phet) with-hold good things. Ier. 5.25. Even our best con­sultations are blasted with the noysome and pestilent breath of our sins. Oh that wee were sensible of this judgment, & could mourne for it. Who seeth not in this, [Page 27]this, Gods hand against us: & yet (alas) how few lament it. We laugh at our Sorrowes, and lay nothing to heart. This is the way to make him that was a moth unto Ephraim, a moth unto us, to smite us even in our Coun­sells, and make them fruit­lesse in their hopefullest and best proceedings: and thus may God make the best of our Counsells & consultati­ons rotten and moatheaten.

4. God is often a moth in our courage.

It was the high dignity of Ephraim to speake with majestie in the midst of all the tribes, and to cause trem­bling round about him. Hos. 13.1. But when he offered in Baal, he died. Sinne is the [Page 28]dampe of courage, and the death of the heart, and de­cay of all excellency. And here wee finde God againe smiting, Deu. 28.28. Zach. 12.4. who as he takes away Counsell by blindnesse and madnesse, so doth hee take away courage by astonish­ment and amazement of heart.

5. God is often a moth in our Religion.

Religion of all blessings is the greatest, and yet in this we are often secretly smitten of God. This whole land hath great cause to prayse God that the truth of the Gospell is so publik­ly mainteined. This blessing we would learne to esteeme, if wee were in the skins of [Page 29]our forefathers, or neigh­bour brethren abroad. The time was when wee would gladly have served God in Woods and Caves, and secret Cells: and how glad would our brethren abroad be, to see but one of our dayes: yet we enjoying full liberty of profession & pra­ctise under good and whole­some lawes, wee nothing answer Gods goodnesse un­to us, but live as if we wan­ted these inestimable pri­viledges, and shew plainely the secret curse of God up­on us. Errors and evills, such as Poperie and Idola­trie, may steale and creepe in at a posterne gate: but (blessed be God) at an open and wide gate they finde no [Page 30]entrance. The sword of au­thority like the Cherubims, stands at the gates of our Eden to keepe out the re­bellious. Would God to our lawes, there were the like execution, and happie successe in the meanes. The neglect in these, may cause God to bee a moth in the rest, & secretly to withhold from us the blessed influ­ence of a Blessed Religion, and of our blissefull lawes. Thus much of Gods se­cret judgements upon his house.

The more open and apparant judgements.

Gods secret judgements consist rather in the priva­tion of good things, than in the sensible smart of [Page 31]positive plagues. But when we are not apprehensive of the moth, then he roares as a Lyon, teares and rends in peeces, takes away his prey, and suffers none to rescue. When the good gifts of God want their blessing, when in our estates wee be­come poore, in our bodies weake, and in our soules blind, fearefull and unholy; these wants should stirre us up to seeke God: but if we like senselesse people move not, God to make us more sensible, inflicts upon us so­rer judgements, and makes us feele our losses in our lives, and our blowes in our bloud, and smites us as hee once smote the Philistims, first a farre of, in laying some [Page 32] Dagon which we adore, flat on the ground: then stri­king off hands and head, (wherein wee trust for helpe) he leaves it an useles stumpe. When blockish men regard not this, The Lord drawes nearer, and smites their bodies with sharpe paynes, and yet proceeding farther, he take away their lives with the sword. Easy warnings neglected, end in greater woes, & God that at first would faine be heard, at last will worke his plea­sure, and will not heare. Ezoc. 14.21. tells us of foure sore judgements, the Sword, Famine, Pestilence, and noy­some Beasts. Some of these have raged in this Land, and wee may feare the rest will [Page 33]follow, unlesse we prevent them by our repentance. The Lyon hath rored: who will not feare? The Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophecie?

God in judging his house makes choyce of a fit time.

The originall word [...] imployeth rather the con­venience of season, than the continuance of time. As God knoweth when to de­liver his, so he hath his sea­son wherein to punish and chastize them: and that first, to revenge the quarrell of his covenant, Lev. 26.25. It is ill contesting with God, espe­cially for them that are linked in covenant with him. You have I knowne of all [Page 34]the families of the earth: there­fore I will punish you for all your iniquities, Amo. 3.2. Secondly in respect of the Gospell, which cannot bee preached without oppositi­on of outward violence, Matth. 11.12. Luk. 16.16, violent men will prey upon Gods kingdome, and every wicked man will have a­blow at it. Like Kites upon a Carkeise so are Gods ene­mies upon his Church, Luke 17.37. Thirdly, this season here poynted at, ful­fills the prophecie of Christ, Matth. 24.9. For here Peter writing to the dispersed Iewes, five yeares before the destruction of Ierusalem, tells them that now is the time to deliver them up to [Page 35]be afflicted, killed, and hated as his master Christ foretold before his death. Fourthly, Christiās are too great stran­gers in their afflictions, as in an estate unwonted: there­fore Peter bringeth this rea­son to bring Christians to themselves, for the time is come, &c. that is, God hath sent you the fittest season of your tryall: and therefore [...] be not strangers in things familiar and sea­sonable, and wherein you ought to bee the best studi­ed. Fiftly, the season bids you expect the harvest: you sow in teares, and shall reape in joy: When others that sowe in joy, shall reape in sorrow. Philip. 1.28. 2. Thess. 1.6.7. Little doe the Iewes know [Page 36]their approching miseries; their perdition hastneth, and you shall be cōforted when you see Christ as good as his word. Vpon this ground I verily beleeve is that to the Hebrewes, Heb. 10.36, 37. Yet a little while, and hee that shall come will come, and will not tarry. You have a promise that Christ will come upon the unbeleeving Iewes and destroy them: bee you patient and waite: live by faith: and the Lord will come and save you, when that disobedient na­tion perisheth. Iames 5.1. Goe to now ye rich Iewes, weepe and houle, &c. The Apostle fetcheth his reason from their last dayes and mise­ries neere at hand, that is, [Page 37]the very periode of your kingdome and policye is now approching, &c. It shall bee a comfort to us to see the downefall of Rome according to holy prophe­cie, as it was to the belee­ving Iewes to see Christs promise fulfilled upon Ie­rusalem; hee had threatned and in time executed his decree in punishing the un­godly.

Vse 1. To teach us that afflictions should not bee strange to the godly, that live at home in their Fa­thers familie, and make his word their stay. For what can be strange that falls out seasonably? Yee and Snow in winter, thunder and ligh­tening in Sommer, are no [Page 38]wonders: no more can af­flictions seeme strange, see­ing they are alwayes fitted to their owne proper time.

Vse 2. Afflictions are not dangerous nor hurtfull; (howsoever sharpe and bit­ter) because seasonable. Ma­ny a thing is undone, by missing its owne season. If sowen corne be not buried with winter snow, and nip­ped with frosts (whereby wormes and weedes are de­stroyed) it will not flourish afterward, no not in the strength of Sommer. The want of seasonable correcti­on hazardeth many a soule, & thousands perish, because they know not even this their acceptable time. But those happie crosses that [Page 39]fall seasonably upon us, ne­ver departe without a blessing. This makes a Chri­stians chaines to bee chaines of gold, and the markes of the Lord Iesus to be glo­rious.

Vse 3. Afflictions are glo­rious and beautifull in the eyes of the Lord. Every thing (saith the wise man) is comely in his season: then it flourisheth and floureth, and expresseth beauty to e­very beholder. The scars of a souldier received in the field are ensignes of valour: and the wounds which a Christian suffereth in figh­ting the good fight, are im­pressions of honour.

Vse 4. Afflictions are pro­fitable; time and season make [Page 40]for the good of all things. The poore woman of Edessa fearing to come too late to suffer with Christians, for­gets her selfe, and with her child in her arines, and her clothes halfe on, meets the Deputy in the face, and fea­red not to tell him the cause of he haste, to wit, least he should have made an end before her comming; who desired as well to dye, as to live with Christians.

Vse 5. Afflictions are changeable. No season will last alwayes, there will bee an end of the Saints suffe­rings, the rod shall not al­wayes rest upon them, Psal. 125.3. God knowes how to take off, and lay on his owne blowes, how to bring in [Page 41]and bring out his owne sea­sons. Sommer it selfe would bee teadious if Winter should not follow it out, and bring it in. Afflictions should never have an after fruite; were they ever grevious for the present, and had no change. They are but an exercise, which without change cannot bee endured.

God having a fit time, doth but begin with his house.

In these words is expres­sed the measure and method of afflictions; the beleeving Iewes have the first hansell. Their share is the first and least, but not the last of the cup, Psal. 75.6. The best of good, and the worst of ill, doth alwayes settle to the [Page 40] [...] [Page 41] [...] [Page 42]bottome. Hence it is that wicked men sip of the cup of pleasure before the god­ly: but the godly tast of the cup of sorrow before the wicked: Isa. 49.12.34.5. Rom. 2.9. Heaven first en­dures the sword, then the earth, Ier. 25.17, 18, 19. All Nations, Egypt, and the min­gled people, must pledge in that cup, wherein Ierusalem begins. Every soule must smart for sinne, but the Iew first, and then the Gentile, Rom. 2.9.

Ʋse 1. Learne Gods seve­rity that will not spare sinne in his owne, no not when he spares it in a wicked man. A maister of a family will often winke at the misbeha­viour of stangers, but will [Page 43]not suffer his children to looke awry.

Vse 2. See Gods mercy; that having tempered the bitter cup of his wrath, ap­poynts his owne to tast the top, reserving all the dregs for the wicked; who must wring them out; whiles his owne servants do but wash their lips, and let downe some drops, to know how bitter sin is in the bad fruites of it.

Vse 3. This helps to plead the cause of Gods house against the enemies thereof; Papists vpbraide Protestants with their calamities, as a curse upon their cause; af­firming that our Churches (if true) would flourish, and appeare by those visi­ble [Page 44]signes which accompa­ny the glorious monarchy of the Catholick Church. But stay there; Romanists reckon without their host, and take an intruder for the maister of the house. Their holy father hath played the false Prophet, and healed the wound of the Romane Monarchy with a plaister of new Idolatry, so that all the world wondereth after him, Rev. 13.3. No marvaile then, if their Church flourish, having such a wicked throng to defend it; whose portion is the botome of the cup in Gods hand: and therefore in order of time the last Bohemia, the Palati­nate, Churches of Germany and France, have drunke and be­gun [Page 45]to others; yet never the lesse pretious in Gods eye, because the first in trou­ble. Let others expect that time when the Lord Iesus shall arme himselfe with that power, which as yet stirs not, and reigne not one­ly in his owne, but over his enemies, by making them angry; when the time of his wrath commeth, to recompence his servants for their sufferings, and sinners for their wicked­nesse; That the one may glory in the perfection of their blessednesse, and the other pine under the pres­sure of their miseries. They that now destroy the earth, must themselves be destroy­ed, Rev. 11.17.18. The times [Page 46]for persecution, ratified by an oath, Dan. 12.7. are by the oath of the same Angel proclaymed to continue no longer, Rev. 10.6. The con­tinuance of Antichrists suc­cesfull tyranny is the lesse to be admired, seeing Christ hath sworne, that the Ro­mane monarchy in the ten hornes, shall enjoy so long a terme to doe mischeife both to the naturall few, and to the surrogate Israel of God, Luk. 22.24. Rev. 11.2. But when the time, times and halfe a time shall be no lon­ger, and the oath of the 42. moneths shall expire: then the latter end of Antichrist shall be worse than his be­ginning. Pleade therefore the cause of Gods people, [Page 47]and let the world take no­tice, that these judgements begun in the Church, will end in her enemies.

Vse 4. Let every Christi­an learne hence to plead his owne cause, and not to cast away his confidence in the evill houre of tentation; for the Devill will put hard to perswade him, that hee is in worse case than other men, and more hated of God because his hand is heavier upon him. But know, that in chastisements, God be­gins with his best servants; who therefore must take it as an argument of his love.

Sinners Sorrow.

Where God begins to judge, [Page 48]hee makes not there an end.

The end of Iudgement is wofull; and the last lash of Gods scourge workes the bitterest smart. In the dis­obedient or rebellious here mentioned, wee have a ter­rible patterne for ungodly men. The Iewes wished the blood of Christ to be upon them and their children. Reade but their end in sto­ry, and it will suffice to move a heart of flint, and make us compassionate to desperate sinners. Besides, this their end was eternall perdition: for that is the end of ungodly men diso­beying the Gospel. It is no­ted in story, that when the Romans had slaine a great number of them upon the [Page 49]bankes of Iordan, and tum­bled their carkeises into the river, they never left swimming till they fell into the lake of Sodom, where they were buried as in a grave: a tipe of the sinking of their soules, into the gulfe of hell; for S^t. Iohn living to see their miserable end, turnes the stile of hell, and tearmes it the lake of fire and brimstone, Rev. 19.20. where I beleeve that he al­ludes to this fearefull pre­sage of the Iewes eternall perdition. The better to conceive of the end menti­oned in the text, let us con­sult with our Saviour, who by the end understands the destruction of Ierusalem. Matth. 24.6.13.14. The end [Page 50]is not yet: that is, with the first signes foregoing Ieru­salems destruction. He that endures to the end shall be sa­ved, i.e. he that houlds out in other signes of persecu­tion, scandall, apostacy, shall bee saved even temporally when the end of Ierusalem is come; as all the Christi­ans were; being warned by a voyce from heaven to remoove to Pella. Then shall the end come: that is, no soo­ner shall the Gospell bee preached to the Gentiles, and the Iewes rejected, but the Romane Army shall come and destroy Ierusalem, Dan. 9.26. Messiah being once cut off from the Iewes, they shall no longer bee his peo­ple, but another that he will [Page 51]choose shall come, and spread over them the wing of abomination: Notwith­standing with many shall he confirme his covenant, and by seaven yeares labour ga­ther a Church amongst the Iewes, which hee will save, when hee suffers the rest to perish. This is likewise the end which Peter mentio­neth, vers. 7. before the text; by consideration whereof, he exhorteth the Christian Iewes to sobriety, watchful­nesse, and prayer. Iohn out li­ving this Apostle, points it out by an houre, 1 Iohn 2.18.

This example of the end of the Iewish Nation, must become a rule to all Nati­ons, to take heed of rebelli­on [Page 52]against the Gospell: God that spared not the Iewes, will spare none, that long provoke his patience. And here let us observe foure things.

1. All the wicked must have an end; and that first, of Gods patience: 2. of their pleasures: 3. of their lives. God will not alwaies beare the reproaches of sin­ners, neither shall they al­wayes injoy their pleasures, which at the best are but pleasures of sinne for a sea­son; and with their naturall lives all their jollities in this world come to their peri­od.

2. The end of the wicked is miserable; for when it commeth it lasteth and con­tinueth; [Page 53]one misery over­taketh an other, they must drinke, and be drunke, and spue, and fall, and rise no more; Ier. 25.27. Neither can they re­fuse to drinke, because Gods people have drunke before them; And if they drinke whose sinnes are pardoned, then such as have no par­don, must needs have judge­ment endlesse, easelesse, and remedilesse. Now the mise­ry of this end of the wic­ked consists, 1. In the ex­treamity of it; hence com­pared to unquenchable fire, utter darkenesse, the never dy­ing worme, and everlasting perdition.

2. In the place, called hell, a prison, tartarus, gehenna, and bottomlesse pit. Hell is [Page 54]beneath all comfort: a pri­son is a streight custody of the soule; tartarus [...], a place of horror and feare­full spectacles: Gehenna, a vally, where Idolaters burnt their children with fire, and to prevent all pitty, drum [...] were beaten up, to drowne the horrible hideous cryes of Infants. No pitty in hell, for all the yelling of dam­ned spirits: a bottomlesse pit, out of which the dam­ned shall never bee able to creepe or craule.

3. In their lamentation, they shall weepe their bel­lies full, and bee never the better. To weeping they shall adde wailing & wrin­ging of hands: and the height of their lamentation [Page 55]shall be gnashing of teeth. Their teeth shall chatter, as if extremity of cold chilled them: much weeping cools the heart, daunts the spirits, and sets the whole body in a shaking. Such cooling shal the wicked finde in the hot­test fire.

3. Though the damned feele exquisite torments, yet they shall never know their full extremity. Peter stands amazed in expressing their end, and smothers the ter­rour under a question, as un­utterable: What shall the end be? Good men can fathom the depth of their sorest ca­lamities, and Peter here de­termines their crosses with a beginning; but when hee commeth to decipher the [Page 56]end of the wicked, as being at a non plus hee stops the currant of his discourse and conceales the rest under a cloud of admiration. A wicked mans end is un­knowne, from the capacity of the subject: he shall ne­ver know, what his strength is able to beare. He might count himselfe happy, if hee were as a stone in a rocke of flint, which as it tasteth no joy, so feeles no paine. 2. It is not to bee expressed for the extremity of the tor­ment; So that a wicked man shall never know his worst. 3. It cannot be knowne for the perpetuity of it, whence wee may say of their tor­ments, as of the joyes of heaven: The eye of man ne­ver [Page 57]saw them, yea, such as the eare hath not heard; nor (which surpasseth the high­est straine) they never en­tred into the heart of man; which of all things created, approacheth neerest to an infinite nature.

4. That which shall bee knowne, shall be enough to crush and confound every wicked sinner. He shall not know where to appeare or hide his head. Happy man, if the mountaines would overlay, and the rocks crush him in pieces: no burthen would then be too heavy, no waight or pressure too painefull, no punishment too great, that would shelter him from the piercing eye and revenging stroke of his [Page 58]angry judge. Alasse, how can men living contest with the Almighty, outface his word, outbrave his justice? who when they are dead, cannot brooke the frowne of his countenance, nor put to silence the voyce of des­paire. I should now con­clude this point with the counsell of Christ, Math. 5.25. Agree with thy adversary quickely, whilst thou art in the way, least at any time, (for thou knowest not when thy appearance shall be) he deli­ver thee to the Iudge, the Iudge to the laylor, the laylor to the prison, where thou must lye for ever.

But in the close of this verse and that which fol­loweth, mention is made of [Page 59]the true cause of all this mi­sery, & that is especially the disobedience of the Gospel. The Law is added as a light of former sinnes, consisting of impiety against God, and cruelty against man. The Iewes crucified Christ, a le­gall sinne, but they crucified themselves in rejecting his bloud, and the Gospell that offered them pardon for that sinne and all others. The fault was foule enough to murther Christ, but to murther their soules in de­nying salvation by his blood, was of all sinnes the greatest. They are branded for ungodly persons by the testimony of the Law, and their owne wicked actions, of Idolatrie and obstinacy. [Page 60]They are sinners deepe sey­zed in singular bloodshed and butchery of Christ and his Saints: but the transcen­dent sinne is here fairely characterized by a speciall act, and by a speciall object. The act is Evangelicall dis­obedience; and the object, the Gospell it selfe.

The Gospell.

In giving the Gospell to a Nation, it is more than he does to all Nations: where the Gospell is given, faith and obedience are but given to some in that Nation. The Gospell distinguisheth Nations; faith and the gift thereof, the men that pro­fesse it. Grace is given where it is not received. Given to a Nation, of which [Page 61]it may more easily bee re­jected than embraced. Psal. 147.19, 20. here the Word is not revealed alike to all. Psal. 81.11. here rejected by them to whom it was given. Psal. 119.70. Davids heart being pined with want, takes pleasure in the Word; others having their hearts fat and greasie, de­spise it. Isai. 6.9, 10. Men have hearts too fatte to be­leeve, eares too heavy to heare, and eyes closed up from seeing. The Gospell is as strange to some that heare it, as those that never heard it, Hos. 8.12. Christ came to his owne, and yet was not owned by them, Iohn 1.11. Some received him, vers. 12. when the na­tion [Page 62]rejected him. These 1. had power to beleeve. 2. to receive. 3. to be sonnes. In the mysteries of the Gospell, prudent men come short of Infants, Luke 10.12. and re­ceive in parrables, what o­thers receive in power, Luke 8.10. yea, finde that savour death unto death, which to others is life unto life, 2 Cor. 2.15, 16.

Gods free Grace.

Shall wee say this is the worke of our owne wils, and the good use of our owne freedome? This were to render more than wee receive, and to glory in our owne power and praise. Thus to differ were to dis­grace the Gospell, that grants unto us deliverance [Page 63]from enemies, and obedi­ence unto friends, Luke 1.74. Our good friends in heaven mutually conspired our victory and obedience. God the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost, bound not up the hands of our enemies, but gave us also hearts to obey for this gift.

1 Cor. 4.7. presseth upon the pride of us all, Physical­ly, Politically, Theologically. Who made man, or man to differ from a beast? He were a beast, that would not ac­knowledge God for the Author of both: Who rai­seth man to honour or di­stinction of civill order? Surely the same God that made him preferres him. But above all, grace is least [Page 64]in our command, and most in the power of God; nay, wholly from him, as ap­peares by the gift of faith, a new principle, nature never acknowledged; by righteous­nesse, a purchase, that never came out of our vertues; by holynesse, a worke, not of our wils, but the sanctifying Spirit.

Faith is a firme principle of the Gospell, and keepes us by the power of God, and not our owne, unto sal­vation, 1 Pet. 1.5. I know what advantage is taken, Ier. 32.40. by turning the text from They shall not de­part, into They may not de­part. Loath the words should be more peremptory than possible. Possible they [Page 65]would have it runne, and then raise their answer a­gainst Gods grace, that faith or feare is not so cer­tainely placed in the heart; but as it may stay, so depart, if wee will forward either. God puts in our hearts a new principle, and that for this end, that we might bee assured of the new Cove­nant, and of our cleaving to God; and therefore fuller assurance than of a possibili­tie and power in our selves. The Legall and Evangelicall principles of well living, (as we shall afterwards de­clare) differ much in nature, office, and end. God by ori­ginall righteousnesse left man to the tryall of his owne power. But by Faith [Page 66]or the new principle, hath cast man upon himselfe, and a holy and happy depen­dencie upon his power for salvation: The Gospel is his best law for life, and surest power of God, Rom. 1.16, to save him; yet with this caution, that wee beleeve. Promises are generall, and must bee received as they are propounded; Faith makes them particular to us, and in our deeds and de­terminations wee may pre­sume no further than the generall evidence applied; we must silence all search of further secrets, and Gods will revealed must bee our rule, and to reach higher by his decrees, is to outreach our selves and rove about the truth.

If any say, why have some the Gospel and not Faith? I silence his presumption with Gods freedome, and say, why hath hee either? His Gospell is a pledge of his love, and thy faith of his favour, thou hast no wrong whē he counts thee worthy of neither. If he have a list to leave thee an Infidel, thou art but thy selfe. His Law containes wonders, and workes them daily in prea­ching. All heare the same word, yet have not the same affection. Hee speakes too boldly of Gods coun­sels, that will reason by our dispositions. O the depth of the riches, both of the wisedome and wayes of God! His judge­ments must bee past our fin­ding, [Page 68]and fadoming: Wee must feare to search too much, and take heed of an evill eye, because his is good. Hee cals and com­mands by his word, and of them he chooseth as few or many as hee pleaseth. Hee makes some last in Vocati­on, first in Election, & some he cals first that hee never chooseth. The Iewes by Pe­ter in my text are divided, and the nation differenced in receiving and rejecting the Gospell.

70. Famous yeeres.

Foure things would fur­ther bee unfolded: 1. the time of this end. 2. the per­sons. 3. the judgement. 4. the cause. The time is the last yeere, or at least the last [Page 69]weeke of the 70. weekes of Daniel, Dan. 9.24, The Gen­tiles, Luke 21.24, have times to fulfill, and from former times they come to latter times, 1 Tim. 4.1. which di­vide themselves, Dan. 7.25. & 12.7. Rev. 12.14. into a time, times, and halfe a time. So the Iewes have the like account and computation, and falling upon their last times, have them by Daniel determined in the number of 70. weekes. These make seaven points or periods of their time, every period containing 70. yeares, and six of them are to bee held for the expectation of the Messiah: The seaventh is the most famous and illu­strious of all the rest. First, [Page 70]for the incarnation of our Saviour. 2. For his doctrine and death. 3. For Ierusalems desolation and destruction, which is the end wee have now in hand. 70. yeeres take up this time; the first yeere begins with Christs birth and blessed comming into the world, and for 30. yeeres, Luke 3.23. he lives in obscurity, save his disputa­tion with the Doctors at his age of 12. yeeres: 18. yeeres more he spends in la­bour and subjection to his parents. This time puts well on the 70. yeeres, and for one weeke, counting from 30. to 38. is Christ most fa­mous in publishing him­selfe Messiah, Dan. 9.27. and for 7. yeeres confirmes the [Page 71]covenant with many. Hee preacheth by himselfe for halfe of this weeke, he dies in the middst of it, and char­geth his Apostles to conti­nue the rest and remainder of it to the Iewes onely.

A wonderfull mercy to this nation, if there had beene any good nature in it: never man spake like him, did like him, or suffered like him. He will neither off the Crosse, nor out of the Pul­pit, till hee have accompli­shed a weeke of extraordi­nary mercy to an ill deser­ving nation: but this weeke ended, in the 38. yeere of his incarnation, hee comes to Peter in a voyce and vision, to perswade him hee may freely preach and converse [Page 72]with the Gentiles, Act. 10. Paul takes this for another argument of mercy in the beginning of judgement. Rom. 11.14. He provokes to emulation and salvation by the Gentiles; and thus conti­nued the Gospell betweene Iew and Gentile a long time: But this obstinate people would bee moved by no­thing, and therefore in the last weeke, if not the last yeere, are destroyed.

The desolator Christ, or the Romanes, (it mattereth not,) now executeth the words of him that in the daies of his flesh uttered them, Math. 22.7. Christ the King sendeth forth his armies, and destroies the murtherers, and burnes their Citie. I have [Page 73]received it from the Oracle of God, and learned Exposi­tor, M. Ioseph Meade, the best Delian diver that ever I found in these mysteries; that S. Iames Chap. 5.7, 8. meanes by the comming of Christ, his comming in the Romane army: So Zachary hath it, Zach. 14.4. his feete in the Romanes stand upon the same mount he prophe­cied; and this wary Expo­sitor takes further warrant from an Ancient Writer, and alleageth Oecumenius so clearing the text before him.

Brethren, the Bible is the best History in the world; it triumpheth over all hu­mane knowledge, and carri­eth our minds and memo­ries [Page 74]over the vast and de­vouring space of time, not onely past, but yet to come. It makes us live now, as if we had lived with our dead Ancestors, or were to live with our surviving posteri­ty. It gives us piercing eies, & makes us see into the very deepth of darkenesse, and to foretell deeds that are yet to be done.

Onely much wisedome, and much watchfulnesse are required of him that will apply for good such secrets. The pure oyle, Exod. 27.20. for the lights to cause the lamps to burne, must bee beaten; for with much la­bour and affliction the light of Gods word must bee prepared, and with patience [Page 75]preached, and made to shine in the Church. Would God this nationall example of the Iewes, might bee the in­struction of our nation: we have had better than a 70, yeeres continuance of the glorious Gospell; if we pro­voke God like these stub­borne Iewes, it is our duty from the like danger to looke for the like punish­ment. I will say no more, I see the patience and punish­ment of the same God: take him whilst he offereth mercy, least hee leave thee, when thou would bee glad to finde his favour.

The persons.

The persons here punish­ed, are the Iewes, and must be an example unto us, of ob­stinacy [Page 76]and wilfulnesse a­gainst God. They are bold to sinne, and must beare with basenesse the marke of God above all people.

Their end and misery.

Their end is the very tra­gedie of all miseries, and compendium of the last woe. They are punished as if doomesday were come upon them. God it is that will bee the Author of all tragedies, and write out all men the parts they are to play in this world. Hee is not partiall to the greatest, when they grow insolent a­gainst him. Darius of a great Emperour is put to play the poore begger, and in the drought of death to call for drinke from an ene­mie. [Page 77] Baiazet the grand Sig­nior of the Turkes, turnes the stage of his honour, into a footstoole for Tamberlane to mount on horse-backe. Valerian, by Sapores is com­manded the same service, and thousands more of ex­amples might bee brought. The greatest Worthy, and the least worme are subjects to God, and without wrong, must bee made to serve his providence. For­tune (wee say) on the great Theater of the world deales with us, as wee doe with our selves in the change of our garments in our lesser Chambers: when we have unclad our selves, every man weareth but his owne skin: and so the proudest, and [Page 78]most presumptuous are of the same nature with the meanest, when they are stripped of some few raggs they weare: wee are to meete with an hard master, that will not pardon us far­things, Math. 5.26.

In the way we might have done well, but now being come to the end of our journey, we must abide both our pay and paine. Hell fire will be the hotter, by how much God in patience hath beene the cooler: Tarditas supplicij gravitate pensatur, the calme of Gods mercy, ends in the tempest of his justice. Men shall see now how to sorrow, but not to solace themselves. Isid. l. 1. de sum. bon. Ad aggrevatum [Page 79]ut videant unde doleant, non ad consolationem, ut videant unde gandeant, they have played with those things that now will not please them. When they come to number with God as well for magnitude as multitude of sinnes, they shall perceive themselves burthened as wel for consci­ence as memory. There is sinne (saith a Father) both in weight and number, etsi non timeas quando expendis, time quando numeras. The many seventies injoyed by the Iewes, became severe in the count, and for short weekes they have now sharpe miseries. Cum illis ludunt quae illis laedunt, They sport with that which will not spare them. They be­come [Page 80]carelesse of their e­vils, and then carelessenesse, sadnesse & suddennesse will overtake them. The time was when God called for that, which they would not give, and now may call for that which God will not grant; like Dives they deny morsels, and want dropps when they neede them. Would they give their soules to God, when they have given them to the devils, he will none of them but commands (as the text hath it) the devils to fetch them without their wils. It is small happinesse that con­cludes with so heavy newes. Some say he is a happy sonne whose father goes to the devill: but an heire of such [Page 81]happinesse may have as hea­vy an end. Abraham re­membred Dives of paines in hell for pleasures upon earth.

Men that have despised the Gospell were blessed, if they might die like beasts, and be buried like wormes. A Toad is touched with lesse misery in the hatred of man, than men that for sinne are hated of God. A bitter cup that is in Gods keeping, and though ven­geance bee not powred out of it, yet it neither sleepeth, nor resteth there for ever. Iudgements doe not follow crimes as thunder doth lightning, neither is a wic­ked mans pang alwayes su­perscribed in his forehead. [Page 80] [...] [Page 81] [...] [Page 82]Wickednesse hath Sugar in the mouth and sorrow in the heart; wantonnesse like oyle shineth in the face, and is festered in the soule: worldly things upon the best termes are vaine, but vile with sinne: men may up and be rich with injury, grow great by secret evils, and not know their wofull end. If these things had better conditions they were no great friends to us, but as they are by us to cor­rupted, they are no lesse then tormenters. A gay coate will not alwayes beare out a corrupt heart, nor high title a hell in the con­science.

Sophar in the booke of Iob powreth out curses up­on [Page 83]the head of an impious man, te les him hee shall sucke the gall of Aspes and be slaine by a Vipers tongue. The sunne that shineth faire six dayes upon a wicked mans tabernacle, may bee clouded the seventh, and then for delay he comes to pay the interest. Surely when the heavens shall shrivell as a scrole, and the Mountaines move like frighted men, then no Cave shall bee found to receive, or mighty Mountaines to fall upon them. Count them miserable who for a while are made fortunate by im­piety, fooles are at no time happy: if wicked men were wise they would cease to be evill. Iniquity is an un­doubted [Page 84]proofe, both of fol­ly and misery. Grieve not at the sinners impunitie and prosperity, because rightly discerned they even then neither prosper or goe un­punished.

Vulgar people for their names lie buried with their bodies: but great persons and kingdomes stand upon record. We are marveilous blind in their use, men thinke such and such per­sons miscarried not by sin, but simplicity. They are dare hazzard the same way, and looke for better suc­cesse. Let mee never bee credited if they fare bet­ter then their neighbours. Their Chronicles wil come out with the same edition [Page 85]and addition of better wits. It is no working against Gods workes that hath al­wayes cursed ill courses: mans end in this world, ends not his misery in hell. Hee stands for a time upon the slippcrie yee, and being in darkenesse knowes not when Gods Angell shall push him into hell, Psal. 35.6. Three aggravations of his misery, first, the place of his standing, this is slipperie. Secondly, it is possessed with darkenesse, and therefore being in the way to fall, hee cannot have the wit to place one foote for safety. Hee that walkes upon the yee in darkenesse must needs have a downefall as deadly, as a break-neck.

God is angry every day with sinners, and could find in his heart to cast them in­to hell, that he spares them is his patience not his par­don, for hee will punish in the end. Hee will one day breath fire upon those coles that in mercy hee breathed into us. His fire shall fall as raine, catch them like snares. To sire he will adde brimstone, and to both an horrible tempest, Psal. 11.6. The streame and cur­rent of Gods wrath shall runne like a River of brim­stone, the very pile of the pit is fire, and that fire hath also much wood to worke on, Isa. 30.33. This after­clap of hell is the worst, and should have our greatest [Page 87]care of prevention before it be too late, and wee have lost both our lives and him that is unto us both life and length of daies.

One hand by the pulse askes the other how wee doe, and our eye is on our Vrine to divine in what danger wee are: why is there not a pulse panting and beating within to ad­monish us of our inward estate? With what presump­tion doe we daily provoke God to blow these Soules into hell that once he brea­thed into our bodies? The Lord teach us Wisedome to thinke of our end, that when wee are taken of our feete to fall on our beds, and from them to the cold [Page 88]earth, we may not be raised off our foundation, but rest on him that will sustaine us, if we obey his Gospell. Let the good departure of my Soule to salvation, bee alwaies evi­dent to my faith, and I shall be the lesse curious to care how darke and deadly it entred into my body. It is the going out more then the comming that con­cernes every hearer of Gods Gospel. This was S^t. Au­gustines meditation, and shall be mine for ever; that my end may conclude my sorrowes, and begin my joyes.

The true cause.

For the cause of this end we are taught by our Text to be sinne, and in speciall [Page 89]the sinne of the Gospell. Ir­religious honest men, and civill insidels know not this sinne, they have no light and leading unto it: Con­science applies no such fact to the Law, as to disobey the Gospell, neither does the Law trouble any man with accusation of this sin. It is solely and solitarily the Gospels office to convince of this fault. To want faith in God is reproved by the Law; but in a Mediator, by the Gospell: To want per­sonall righteousnesse, is the crime the Law will charge us with; but to want the righteousnesse of another, must come to bee evinced by the Gospell. Holinesse of nature is what the Law [Page 90]requireth, and condemneth the contrary; but holinesse of Grace infused by the Spi­rit, is the light of the Gos­pell, and to bee destitute thereof is the greatest con­demnation, Iohn 3.19.

This must teach us first to distinguish the sinnes of the Law and the Gospell, & how to aggravate them. Secondly, seeing faith and the Gospell are free gifts, wee must neither bee closse freinds unto nature, nor o­pen friends unto grace. We have no power to reach so high as the Gospell, or call for faith at our pleasure: wee are more ready to re­ject both, and reason against them with the stubborne Iewes, than convinced and [Page 91]yeeld them our obedience. Thirdly, wee must looke to our danger. Turkes and Tar­tars that never heard of the Gospell, shall escape better than Christians: They shall be beaten with few stripes for that little they have re­ceived, we with many for our great and gracelesse neg­lects: In stead of rods God will lash us with Scorpi­ons, who have neither an­swered the utmost of our power, or greatnesse of our meanes, Math. 11.15. and 13.12.

Civil & moral men under the Gospell are in greatest danger, because they op­pose their owne righteous­nesse to Christs righteous­nesse, and will not be moved [Page 92]to master themselves, in a meane conceite of their best proficiencies: These are in danger to want faith, be­cause it is needlesse for those that have thoughts of fulnesse in themselves. Their vertues and good actions are all they boast of, and therefore these men prove barren under the Gospell. With these full Pharisees wee have another sort of people in as great danger upon a contrary ground; faith is their glory, and they seare not to [...]ee found with the best in Gods favour: Aske th [...]se [...] in good earnest, [...] they were con­vinced of sinne, and they will bee briefe with you, that they scorne but to bee [Page 93]lesse holy than the best, and to reprove them is audaci­ous slander: Why, but are you not sinners? yes, for fa­shion sake they will not de­ny that, Are we not all sin­ners?

But what say you to want of faith in Christ; to this they have a vulgar and grosse answer; marry, God forbid I should be so bad as not to beleeve in Christ; I thanke God I love him with my very heart, and so have done ever since I was borne. But were you never sound­ly convinced by the Gos­pell and Gods Spirit, of this great want? What? would you make us infidels? wee abhorre to thinke of such questions: goe and aske [Page 94]them the Turkes, for we by the grace of God will never turne Turkes, and take part against Christ. But when came this perswasion into your hearts, and by what meanes was it wrought? I finde, Iohn 16.8, 9. a Spirit of conviction; what say you? Have you heard of this Spirit since you were baptized? how and in what manner hath this Spirit wrought in you? Truly we beleeve there is such a per­son in the Trinity, for so we were baptized; but for such a gift, it is all one to us, as if there were no Spirit at all. Now (poore soules) you have put them besides all their divinity, and convin­ced them of that for which [Page 95]they give God thankes, blessing God they never wanted faith, which assures them they never had it; for to want it, is the way to have it, and to beleeve the contrary, an undoubted te­stimony of their dangerous presumption. God open their eyes, and bring them to a better triall by the truth of his word.

I will therefore descend into a more strickt exami­nation of the sinne and the judgement in my text, and deale right downe in the whole worke of the convi­ction, Iohn 16.8. and then a­gaine repeate the judge­ments, and summon up as many particulars as my me­mory and Gods mercy shall [Page 96]suggest unto mee. I will reade this text alleadged, and deale by faire and capi­tall titles, for the more firme and faithfull remem­brance of my Reader, in all that followeth.

A glorious Kingdome.

Iohn 16.8, And when he is come, &c.

There bee two great Do­ctors come from the Father into the world, by whom he will convince the world before he judge it, and these two succeed the one the o­ther; the first absents him­selfe, and the other comes in his roome. To finde Christ a successor in man, is the crime of the Church of [Page 97] Rome, of which they are now ashamed, and by cor­rection mend their Au­thors and bid them say, the Pope is the Vicar of Christ, and Successor of S. Peter. But by their leave, they yet want an Index expurgatorius, to expunge and wipe out the Pope, and put in a more equall for Christ, left by himselfe, when he left this earth, fitter to bee both Christs Vicar and Succes­sous. These two excellent Teachers undertake the conviction of the world be­fore the condemnation of it. So dealt Iesus Christ with the Iewes. We will en­large our selves in the worke of the Trinity, and bee ample in the view of [Page 98]their Kingdome.

The excellent and admirable administration of Gods King­dome.

There bee three persons in the Divine nature that worketh all things, yet are all things wrought in a wonderfull and most di­stinct and unconfused man­ner. The Father of himselfe and to himselfe worketh all things, and so is the begin­ning and end of every acti­on, 1 Cor. 8.6. The progres­sion from this beginning, and regression to this end, is the rarest and sweetest mysteries in the Bible. In the progression the Father goes on by the Sonne, and both Father and Sonne by [Page 99]the blessed Spirit; and here beginnes the immediate ad­ministration of the King­dome within, the Spirit al­wayes taking the possessi­on of it. I will open clearely this Divine and ravishing secret, and set men on work with no new notion, but an old truth; for I abhorre to deflect from the wayes of Antiquity.

Of the progression and re­gression of the Kingdome from and to the Father.

S^t. Paul setling true religi­on upon the surest pillars, pluckes downe the rotten and ragged pillars of Pagans and Papists, 1 Cor. 8.6. To us there is but one God, the Father of whom are all things, [Page 100]and wee to him. &c. Many gods confound themselves in their beginning and end, and therefore if creatures were from them, they should bee confounded in their originall, & this con­fusion would breed a grea­ter, they should not know whom to serve: But wee (saith the Apostle) have this errour corrected in one God, neither neede wee be confounded with many persons, for they are our best helpe in religion. Take the first person, make him the beginning of all crea­tures, and our end in speci­all, and we shall know both to whom wee are behol­ding, and to whom we owe our thankes. The Heathen [Page 101]have no such knowledge, they neither know Author nor end of their actions & praise.

In this wee agree with them, that to goe to God without a mediator is pre­sumption in both, and there­fore they have their many lords to goe by to their ma­ny gods, and are here againe confounded in their praiers, not knowing to what Saint to turne. Fryer Teitis, made a sermon that Saints might bee served with the Lords prayer; for that it was a common question with the Romane Chanters to de­mand, to whom do you say your Pater noster. This is a straine of the old religion, and many lords of the Hea­then, [Page 102]and therefore Christ being put out, or shuffled in with the multitude, it was no marvaile such a question should bee raised; for to God must we goe by a me­diator: but Paul in the progression of our religion hath given us better dire­ction, that as the Father by one Lord Iesus Christ hath made all things; so we, if we will proceede aright, must by the same Lord Iesus Christ, and no other, goe to the same Father, and so in conclusion, after a long and glorious perigrination up­on earth, we shal be brought to the Father, that hee in us (as Paul witnesseth, 1 Cor. 15.28.) may be all in all.

Of the Sonnes mediation in this Kingdome.

It was expedient for us that the Father should send his Sonne; for wee which are the best of his creatures, being lapsed, cannot with­out Christ serve our end. He is [...], 1 Cor. 8.6. Ephs. 4.5. 1 Tim: 2.5. and 6 [...]15. &c. the alone mediator, and power­full potentate with God for us. For this end he is incar­nate, and to this purpose he lives and dies, riseth from the dead, conferreth forty dayes of this Kingdome, Act. 1.3. and so departeth into heaven, and makes fur­ther way for progresse in this kingdome, and to per­fect this, sends his Spirit, [Page 104]telling us of a truth how expedient this is for them that are now to bee left to preach his kingdome, to have him depart that the se­cond Doctor may come. Expedient and necessary for all that are to be saved; for Christ being risen againe, had all power and iudge­ment from his Father, Mat. 28. &c. The present executi­on of this power, had beene a woefull thing with the world, being both unrigh­teous and unholy. Christ re­deemed it, and therefore will not presently destroy it, but commands in the same place, that proclamati­on of his power bee made; and being with his He­raulds unto the end, will in [Page 105]the end call the world to an account, and shew both his power, & their iudgement. This great Embassage into all the world had need of some noble Agent to leade the way, and bee present with the holy Apostles and their successours: and this honourable person is the third person in the blessed Trinity, in whose hands and administration Gods King­dome is for this present age, and of which wee are now to speake.

The Kingdome of Grace.

In the Lords prayer wee petition, Thy kingdome come, our understandings at this day abbreviate this petition, and are defective in the ex­pression of it, and so conse­quently [Page 106]our prayers come short of their dutie, & deale with God for no more than they know. We wil (God as­sisting) inlarge our thoughts in the regression of the Kingdome, from the Spirit to the Father againe, and shew, First, the administra­tion of the Spirit. Secondly, of the Sonne. Thirdly, of the Father; and so teach you plainely to pray for the Kingdome of grace, King­dome of power, and King­dome of glory when all is returned to the Father.

The Kingdome within and seated in mens hearts.

Luke 17.20, 21. The Pha­risees would have a King­dome by observation: but [Page 107]Christ knowing the King­domes administration, first to rest in the Spirit and grace thereof, takes away that error, and according to the nature of the Kingdome sets and seates it within; for such as is the government; such must bee the King­dome. The government spi­rituall, therefore the king­dome spirituall. Grace and the Spirit of grace, carry no outward pompe and exter­nall state; but are all glori­ous within: And this is that kingdome that suffe­reth violence without, and is oppressed by rebels and traitours to the Lord Iesus, and their owne soules.

The Kingdome of violence.

The Kingdome of Gods [Page 108]Spirit is the most pious and peaceable Kingdome in the world; yet suffereth more than all kingdomes, as shall now appeare, Math. 11.12. Luke 16.16. Gods king­dome under the Law and the Prophets suffered vio­lence, and so shall it under Iohn, Christ, his holy Apo­stles, and Ministers, doe for the time of the Gospell. I know these texts are strai­ned to another sense, and so my selfe have beene a fol­lower of this violence, till that man of God M. Ioseph Meade, cleared my sight by his industrious and judici­ous observation of the text. It may bee we are both de­ceived, & it becomes hum­ble men not to bee peremp­tory [Page 109]in crossing and con­trolling others. We all agree of the violence offered to the Kingdome of grace, and disagree in the proofe of it by these texts. Heare then mine arguments and reasons which I subject to the spi­rit of the Prophets.

1. Christs answer by the Law & the Prophets, shew­eth the conformity be­tweene the old and the new Testament; the ancient and surrogate Israel of God. Violence waited upon the Church before Christ, and so will it now, and after him. It is your error (O foolish Iewes) to looke now for a kingdome by observa­tion, and to see your selves more redeemed from the [Page 110] Romines and men, than from devils, & your sleves, more deadly enemies: You have more neede to have Sathan displaced, than your selves placed in a temporall Mo­narchy: I am come to save your soules from sinnes and not your bodies from bon­dage. Secondly, Iohn that now preacheth the new Kingdome is in prison, Math. 11.2. and must lose his head: I looke for no greater favour, my Apostles will succeede mee, and by succession it will last till I come and take the Eagles off the carkeise, Luk. 17.37, 3. The Kingdome is prea­ched, a thing that the world hateth, and therefore will every man have a blow at [Page 111]it, and violent men will prey upon it: this reading the texts will render, with­out all renting and tearing the phrases. 4. The word signifying violence, or vio­lent men, was never taken by any Author for inward violence, or motions free and voluntary, but for out­ward force and externall power, putting others to be patients of their persecuti­ons and punishments.

The Spirits conquest.

God is not wanting to his poore servants, but gives courage and consola­tion in all their oppressions. The Spirit sets up such a Kingdome in the heart and soules of Gods people, that no paine or perill can pre­vaile [Page 112]to conquer their faith and confidence. They are resolved to carry their lives in their hands, & rather dye than deny that truth that the holy Ghost hath taught them. This spiritual I King­dome subdues all King­domes, yea, more than all Kingdomes, for it gaines that victory over our selves which is more than any earthly conquest.

Conquest by convict on.

The greatest opposition to the Spirit of grace, is in our selves. It were easie to ruine all the world, and in such conquests and conver­sions men have shewed their might and manhood: but to enter the house held by the strong man, both of [Page 113]corruption in our selves, and suggestion of Sathan out of our selves, is a potent and powerfull worke of grace; Gods Spirit alone is able to beate downe these holds, helpe in the conquest of our selves, and subjection to the Kingdome preached and of­fered vs in the Gospell. He it is that brings in faith to beleeve, and excludes infi­delity; That raiseth up in us the comfort of Christs righteousnesse, and rejecteth our owne; That teacheth us holynesse, and how to deny all ungodlinesse, and every worldly lust, and to live so­berly in our selves, righte­ously to others, and godly to our King and Comman­der: of the severall bran­ches [Page 114]of conviction, we shall intreate afterwards, and shew what sinnes are con­victed and controuled in us, and how wee ought to see them, and sorrow for them, &c.

Conviction by supportation.

The Spirit in this King­dome of grace, worketh & effecteth another strange worke and operation upon the world, in giving his sub­jects power of conquest in trials, and to triumph over the world, and all its wor­kings and mischiefes, Rom. 8.37. In all these things we are more than conquerours: What things? even the worst that the world can doe unto us, and that is to make us Mar­tyres, and themselves mur­therers, [Page 115]yea even to mur­ther themselves to see us so little affected with their torments. We stand still and do nothing, and see our sal­vation of God. To conquer by passion is cleane contra­ry to the world; for so the world is conquered, and hee that suffers becomes sub­ject to another: but we are slaine (saith the Apostle) and our slaughter is our vi­ctory; nay, more than victo­ry; in so doing we conquer the conquerours, and com­mand our oppressors. More than conquerours, is more than any Caesar achieved un­to, or ever Monarch effected in his greatest victories. Who can say so, but Chri­stians? Emperours have [Page 116]conquered with difficultie, and lost with greater facili­ty all their kingdomes. They have beene lesse than conquerours, and never got­ten victory, but left it to o­thers to gaine it from them. O the honour of this spiri­tuall kingdome, and excel­lency of grace, that even thriveth best vnder oppres­sions and worldly vio­lence.

The regression of the King­dome.

All the honour of this Kingdome redoundeth un­to Christ, and shall then ap­peare when he appeares to take his Kingdome & great dominion. He should have had no subjects but for the Spirit, and none so victori­ous, [Page 117]but for Martyres, who as they have first honoured Christ by death, shall of him againe bee first graced with life. Those that are alive and converted, shall bee a glory to Christ, as hee will bee a glory to them. It is for the persons in the sacred Tri­nity, mutually to raise glo­ry one to another: Wee are therefore ordine retrogrado, come from the kingdome of grace to the Kingdome of power, from the admini­stration of the Spirit, to the administration of the Son, and seeke after three things as glorious as the former, and yet more outward, but not lesse spirituall; for per­fection in the Trinity, is both wayes obserued and [Page 118]effected in progression, the Father perfects his worke in the Sonne, and the Sonne in the Spirit: so in regressi­on, the holy Ghost perfects grace in power, and the Son perfects power in glory. We will speake of the Sons taking, ruling, and delive­ring up of this kingdome of power.

Christs taking of the King­dome of power.

Heb. 2.5. mention is made of a world to come, and the subjectiō thereof to Christ. This wee see not (saith the Apostle) as yet accompli­shed, but wee see Iesus Christ crowned and made a King in heaven. His pre­sence on earth as yet wee have not, save in the holy [Page 119]Ghost. But hee will appeare in his body, and take this Kingdome and whole world to himselfe, and turne out of it all the ungodly in the earth. His enemies that would not suffer him to reigne over them by his Gospell, are then to bee brought before him and slaine in his presence.

The taking of his great power.

Revel. 11.17. At the last trumpet, and the last woe, all Kingdomes fall to Christ. But how I pray you? marke the text, He shall take to him­selfe his great power, and reigne. To himselfe imme­diately, to himselfe for forme and manner of go­vernment. He left it in the hands of the Spirit, and now [Page 120]takes it againe to himselfe, no more depriving the Spi­rit of the honour of it in the re-assumption, than hee did himselfe, when he depo­sed it into the hands of his Spirit. Now the question will bee how this is done? The answer is, with great power; greater than ever before; for it destroyes them all, that now destroy the earth.

How is it taken?

Daniel assoi [...]es this doubt, and makes it glorious and wonderfull in his extraor­dinary description of it, Dan. 7.9, 10. &c. First, the Lord Iesus takes it from his enemies, and casts downe their thrones, and makes them seates for his Saints. [Page 121] Rev. 20.7. he takes it from the last beast, even because of the little horne, and his blasphemous and bloody words. Secondly, hee takes it from the Ancient of daies, who in a glorious and most illustrious manner installes the Lord Iesus into his king­dome. Thirdly, he is atten­ded and waited upon by the innumerable company of Angels, by whom hee is brought to the Ancient of dayes. Reade the rest and ad­mite at this inauguration and solemnization of the day of Christs coronation upon earth, who now in heaven is crowned with glory and immortality.

When it is taken.

2 Tim. 4.1. At the Epi­phanie [Page 122]of his kingdome, Marke 13.26. Luke 21.27. when the powers of heaven are shaken, and the starres that shine in them are hum­bled to the ground. Earthly potentates that are advan­ced above others shall bee made low. The fall of such starres will not hinder the sight of Christ, but honour it. Other starres being bigger than the earth, would over­lay it and men, and suffer no man to stand upon earth to see the Lord Iesus come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Hee must bee seene of all eyes, and therefore it is most safe to give the sense of the Scriptures by the Scriptures, and to say of this day as of [Page 123]the former shadowes of it in Babylon and Aegypt, Isa. 13.10. and 14.12, 13. Ezek. 32.7, 8. The starres of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light. The Sunne shall bee darkned in his going forth, and the Moone shall not cause her light to shine, the bright lights of hea­ven are put out, when Pha­raoh falleth by the Babiloni­ans, and Lucifer sonne of the morning, ascended into hea­ven, above the heights of the clouds, and starres them­selves to bee like the most High, comes downe to the ground; when by the Medes and Persians Belshazzar is pulled from the orbe of his height and honour. Christ the bright shining starre of [Page 124] Iacob, and the advanced Scep­ter of Israe, is risen, and shall rise to smite all corners, and subdue all Nations. Let us therefore advance him from the taking of the kingdome, to the ruling of it.

Christs ruling and reig­ning in his kingdome.

Dan. 7.14. On this day dominion is given to Christ, Zech. 14.9. One Lord, one name, and that over all the earth. In this day will hee reigne in and over all man­kinde. Rev. 11, 15. Now the world does not acknow­ledge him for one Lord, as being ruled by many; nei­ther does it worship him by one name, as being distra­cted into many religions: but this will Christ remove at [Page 125]his day, and rule by a more equall power, and uniforme worship. Paul is our wit­nesse, 1 Cor. 15.24, 25, 26. &c. that the end and delive­ry up of this kingdome to God, even the Father, cannot be, till rule, authority, and power of devils in hell, men upon earth, and even death, the last of enemies be fully vanquished and subdu­ed: and for this purpose, I might produce all the Pro­phets and holy Apostles, speaking glorious things of Christs reigning and ruling at the sound of the last trum­pet, and comming of the last woe, Rev. 10.7. All the Pro­phets are witnesses; and S^t. Peter speaking of the same thing, adds to them all the [Page 126]Apostles, 2 Pet. 3 2.

They have ill done, that have muzled up the mouthes of the Prophets with a Consummation and conclusion in Christs incarnation. The Iewes dis­pute, Dan. 2.35. and 7.11. That Messiah must come when the Monarchies are as chaffe before the winde, and quite blowne out of the world: When the feete and foundation, even the ten di­vided toes in the bottome of that terrible image are crushed, and conquered by the victorious stone, whose kingdome becomes a moun­taine, filling the whole earth. Hee must then take place when the last beast is slaine, his little horne (ha­ving [Page 127]eyes to watch the ten hornes, and to speake blas­phemies against God) is consumed. Vtter ruine must befall all Christs enemies before he take from the An­cient of dayes his dominion and universall command o­ver all the world. Hence they would conclude against Christians, that their Messi­ah is not come, for they urge us by our owne confes­sion, that hee came in the dayes of Augustus Caesar, when the last beast flourish­ed most, & was farre enough from chaffe or clay: it was not then come to the tenne toes, or ten hornes, in which it hath held to this day, and therefore as yet Messiah is not yet come.

Stay (stubborne Iewes) wee will not take these texts from you but grant them, and yet deny your conse­quent: for Messiah by the testimony of the same Pro­phet must first come to re­deeme, Dan. 9.24. Your weekes are gone, and might assure you Messiah is come, and hath made reconciliati­on for you & us. He is gone to heaven, and hath left his kingdome in the hands of his Spirit; against him you have rebelled, and brought upon your selves the end in my text: repent and hee will returne to you, and you shal see him, as Daniel hath deli­vered unto you, and witnes­sed by an Apostle of Christ, Act. 3.19, 20, 21. and is the [Page 129]onely and last reason of the stay and slackenesse of his comming, and performance of his promise to you in special, 2. Pet. 3.9. Would God you were at as good agreement with our holy Apostles, as wee are with your Prophets, we should soone and suddenly both meete in this kingdome of power.

Balaams prophecie, Numb. 24.15. to the end.

Of this kingdome Ba­laam is forced to speake, and by a starre and his shadowes gives in parables an excellent prospective for the view of things a farre off but not nigh, at a great distance of time, but not present in this age. The star [Page 130]smites Moab in the sha­dowes of it: but it shall un­wall all the sonnes of Seth, im­mediately by it selfe and last appearance, Amalecke the first of Nations is de­stroyed by the prayers of Moses, and sword of Ioshua, true types of Christ; and Chittim the last of Nations shall by Christ himselfe im­mediately perish. Of both these it is said more than of all the rest, They shall perish for ever. The reason is plaine, Amaleke was the first that fought with the ancient Is­rael in the wildernesse to hinder their passage into Canaan; and therefore must be smitten for ever. Now is the surrogate Israel of God in the like wildernesse, [Page 131] Rev. 12.6, 14. and Chittim onely makes warre with it, and therefore as Amalek of old, must perish for ever.

To Ashur all Nations were smitten by the sha­dowes of the rising starre: but from Ashur to Chittim, the starre Christ, by conjun­ction and secret influence, makes one Starre smite ano­ther, and as he sets the. E­gyptians against the Aegypti­ans, Isa. 19.2. so be sets Ashur against Ashur, & Chittim a­gainst Chittim, & both against Heber, till his honour come by Christ. Ashur is the land of Assyria, Chittim is put for the Iles of the Gentiles. Ashur begins with Nimrod, Gen. 10. a sonne of cursed Cham. He is the first mighty hun­ter [Page 132]after honour, and begins his kingdome with Babylon, the building of confusion, both for religion, language, and love. From Babylon hee hunts into Ashur or the land of Assiria, and builds Nineveh, and at length fils the great Continent of the world with his Monarchy. The Babylonians take it and hold it, till the Medes and Persians become Lords of their kingdome and Conti­nent. Thus the Lord dasheth kingdome against king­dome, and like a potters vessell breaketh them one upon another.

From the Continent to the Iles of the Gentiles, the same Christ translateth the Mo­narchies, and ends them in [Page 133]the Sonnes of laphet. Chit­tim a sonne of Iaphet, Gen. 10. being divided from the Continent by the Seas, finds posterity in time to passe the Seas, and by ships from his Coasts carrieth Alex­ander the Great, Dan. 2.32, and 7.6. and 11.3. 1 Maccab. 1.1, with his Army; who killeth Darius, and from Ashur to Chittim translateth his kingdome. The rising starre knowes how by his secret opperation to stirre up Chittim against Chittim, and to punish the Iles for Idolatry and tyranny; he sets the inhabitants thereof to­gether by the eares for their sinnes, and by the Romanes at length brings the Monarchy from the Graecians to us, and [Page 134]settles the glory of it in Rome, where it slourished to the birth of Christ, and long after. At length this massie monarchie drencht in blood, even the best blood, the blood of Saints, began to reele and totter, and from one Caesar fals to ten Kings, from yron legs strongly united to ten toes weakely divided; they hang upon the same feet of the Image, but their divisi­on is fatall to the Empire.

These toes in the Image, and ten hornes on the head of the last beast, are the last of Chittim, and remaine to this day for perdition by Christ, as farre as Iaphet is not perswaded to dwell in the tents of Shem, Gen. 9.22. [Page 135]what now remaines but that the third Sonne of Noah alwayes chosen of God for his chiefe servant, should obtaine the kingdome, and that Heber hitherto affli­cted by Ashur and Chittim, should be made glorious at the comming of the Lord Iesus? The promise of the new heavens and the new earth is made to them, Isa. 65.17, 18. and 66.22. this quoted by S. Peter, 2 Pet. 3.13. applyed by him to the Iewes, and by them to be ex­pected in the day of judge­ment, when hee takes his great power to reigne. The same is repeated, Rev. 21.1. and applyed to Ierusalem, vers. 2. of this as a mystery, S. Paul speakes, Rom. 11.25. [Page 136]and quotes Isaiah, who Isa. 59 18. brings it in with the subversion of Chittim, or the Ilands. What shall I say more? let Peter expound Isaiah, and Isaiah, Peter; and we, shall quickly resolve of this mystery.

Of the length of the day of Iudgement.

Zech. 14.7. Having spo­ken of Ierusalems desolation as Christ did, Math. 24. comes in the like manner to their consolation, and saies, The Lord my God shall come, and all the Saints with thee; then describes the day of judgement; 1. by light, to manifest all deeds of dark­nesse. 2. by the purity of this light, it shall not be cleare and darke, that is, one part light [Page 137]and another darke, like a day of creation, but it shall be light without darknesse. 3. the unity of this day, it is to be one how long soever; Christ will not be interrup­ted in his kingdome, or stayed in his judgement. 4. the knowledge of this day, both when it shall begin, how long it should conti­nue, and when it shal end, is onely belonging to the King that shall rule in it. 5. to take away all doubt of a day, it shall not consist of the parts of a naturall and created day, not night and day, which by the ordinan­ces of heaven are perpetual: but this shall be a voluntary and arbitrary day, depending upon the will and motion of [Page 138]Christ, and no measure of starres. 6. contrary to all the dayes of the creation, this shall bee light at the evening, yea, then shall bee the grea­test light in the regression of the kingdome trium­phantly from Christ to his and our Father.

The light of grace breaks forth into the light of po­wer, and the light of power into the light of glory. What then shall be the glo­ry of this day, called the great, notable, and terrible day of the Lord? Ioel 2.32. Iude vers. 6. Rev 16.14. &c. shall it vanish in the twinckling of an eye, and that mystery, Rev. 10.7. passe in a moment? No assuredly, wee are resolved by Christ, [Page 139]that it shal be a day compre­hending dayes, Luke 17.22, 26. many dayes that shall af­foord times of refreshing and restitution, Act. 3.19. dayes and times shall be up­on this great day, and rea­son is faire to favour this sense. Christ, takes his king­dome and power upon this day to reigne and rule, and therefore it is reasonable to yeeld him some time before the delivery of it up to his Father, to shew the glory and the excellency of it. It agrees well with the regres­sion to perfection, that some stay should bee made, for the honour of Heber, and glory of the King.

Shall I offer other texts, and tell you what they teach [Page 140]you to beleeve? I will not command your faith, where it is fit for me to suspend my owne. It were presump­tion to resolve before the issue, and reade the ridle be­fore it be plaine in the acti­on and event, as well as in the prophecy and predicti­on. Zech. 14.8. the Prophet seemes to describe unto us the day of judgement, and to compute it by a day in sum­mer and in winter, and then the great day will mount to a yeere at the least.

Isa. 65.20. If the new hea­vens and the new earth, fall out upon this great day, as Pe­ter seemes to expound it, 2 Pet. 3.13. then Isaiah will seeme to speake of an hun­dred yeeres at the least, [Page 141]2 Pet. 3.8. Rev. 20.4. If one day in Peter bee a day of judgement, as the verse up­on which it is inferred seemes to speake plainely; then such a great day with the Lord Christ, or to the Lord Christ (as Zechary phraseth it) is as a thousand yeares, and a thousand yeares, as such a day: One day, saies Zechary; one day, saies Peter, and both seeme to say one thing.

But a thousand yeeres will be put for eternity, and so no time is expressed, but that which waits upon God, and sheweth him to be eternall: but yet S. Iohn will answer this, and by an invincible ar­gument take it from us, if his thousand yeeres have re­lation [Page 142]with Peter to the same day; for after eternity there is no history of time, or rela­tion of any succession; but S. Iohn placeth a little season after the thousand yeeres, and that wipes out the opi­nion of a thousand yeeres to be put for ever. I will nei­ther dispute nor relate any more, wee have too many new opinions, this is old enough, and by carnall Chi­liasts made both odious and erronious. It is fittest wee bee silent, and prepare for this great day, let it bee of what sength the author plea­seth; for to his liking must it last, not in living to carnall lusts, but heavenly joyes. God give us grace to looke for it, and inlarge our petiti­on, [Page 143]with calling for the per­fection of grace, in the per­fection of power. Wee live (God knowes) as if we were some seven months birth, vi­tall, but weake. The king­dome of power will rouze us up; for Christ takes it not onely to destroy our e­nemies, but to stirre up our graces. In the new heavens and new earth righteousnesse shall dwell; it is now banished from kingdomes, Chittim oppresseth it, and a few sons of Iaphet are perswaded to imbrace it: but the time shal come, when it shall possesse mankinde plentifully, and not Shem, but all the sonnes of Seth shall imbrace it. Numb. 24.17. Moab as an enemy perisheth: Sheth as a [Page 144]friend is subdued, that Christ may have subjects. I will touch the great change that Christs kingdome shall make in the world at his comming, and so hasten the returne of it to the Father.

Alterations by Christs comming.

Isa. 32.15, 16, 17. &c. The Spirit that now is come to the Gentiles, and departed from the Iewes, must againe be powred on them, & then is wrought in the world: wonderfull change. 1. The field of Chittim that now flourisheth in the hands of wicked men, shall bee turned into a forrest, and made as barren and desolate as the wildernesse. 2. The forrest of the Iewes shall alter into a [Page 145] fertile field, and by Christ himselfe shall be made gio­rious. Thirdly, this goodly and flourishing field shall be planted and sowne with judgement and righteousnesse, they shall even dwell in it; and take up the whole pos­session of it. Fourthly, the fruit shall be peace and quiet­nesse, no warre, no molestati­on shall disturbe them. Fift­ly, this Harvest of happi­nesse shall be with assurance for ever. When Christ takes his power to reigne, none shall any more rule over him or his. Both hee and his Saints have suffered of this wicked world, but the woe thereof commeth quickely, and speedy ven­geance will pay for all de­layes. [Page 146]Be admonished (my brethren) you are by the consent of Divines, come to the second woe, Rev. 9.13. above 300 yeeres agoe. The next is the day of judge­ment, and is ever delivered with this Item, Behold it commeth quickely, Rev. 11.14. adde to this, Luke 18 8. Revel. 3.7. and 16.15. and 21.12. Other woes lin­ger and last long, as being executed by men: but this will be speedy, as being im­mediately done by Christ himselfe, who will not stand long about his ene­mies, though his friends may enjoy a longer time of rejoycing in his presence.

The delivery up of his King­dome to his Father.

1 Cor. 15.24. compared with 2 Tim. 4.1. teach us the Epiphany and end of Christs administration, and wee have heard what falls out betweene these two termes. I must needs con­ceive it absurd, till better reason convince me to con­ceive of an Epiphany of a kingdome and an end toge­ther: let who will so con­ceive and conjecture, I am not as yet of their minde; some duration and successi­on of time will be from the Epiphany to the end, when the end is come (best knowne to Christ) hee will returne all to the Father: [Page 148]but you will object, Revel. 11.15. Hee shall reigne for ever and ever. I answer, the delivery up of the King­dome, is not an exclusion of Christ from reigning, for as the Father reigneth in the Sonne, and both of them in holy Ghost: so in the re­gression, the holy Ghost reigneth in the Sonne, and both of them in the I ather. O ravishing Societie, and blessed Communion wee shall enjoy in our Fathers house, when all is given up unto him, and yet in him all to be enjoyed. In him we enjoy Christ, and the blessed Spirit; we are no losers but gainers by these wayes of Divine and deepe wisedome.

The regression of the King­dome to the Father.

1 Cor. 15.28. That God may be all in all, v. 24. God even the Father. God essentially shall blesse us, but the Father in speciall shall be glorified in us. This was Christs pray­er upon earth, Iohn 17.21. That we might be one in the blessed Trinitie, as they are one in themselves, and have all conspired to make us happy. Christ prayeth they may be perfect in one, that they may be where he is now, &c. The holy Ghost and the Sonne conclude in the Father, and so must wee for our full happinesse, Zech. 14.16. Why not the Passeover to be kept in the [Page 150]great day spoken of before? this was the greatest feast in Israel: but the feast of Tabernacles hath a more apt allusion to those times. Our Mansions are in heaven; as long as we stay upon earth, though under assured safety and freedome from danger, yet we are not at the best. In the Kingdome of Grace we are well and happy. In the Kingdome of power we are better and more happy: but in the Kingdome of Glory we are best of all.

We have thus farre di­gressed, and I hope trans­gressed no rule in Religion. Wee can easily recall our selves to our first intention, concerning the comming of the holy Ghost. And [Page 151]when he is come, he shall con­vince the world of sinne, and of righteousnesse, and of judge­ment.

Of Sinne.

That is, want of faith in Christ, the signe of all sinne, for we can expect no dis­charge without it. All sinne in one sinne is con­vinced of the Law, we are guilty in Adam, and of this sinne wee are guilty in the Gospel. The sinnes of the Law are strong enough to condemne us, but this firme brings in our great condem­nation, Ioh. 3.19. the Law is not that light that con­taines life in it, that light is Christ, Ioh. 1.14. He came into the world both as the [Page 152]light and life of it, and yet men loved darkenesse more than light, not onely be­cause their deeds were morrally evill, but because they esteemed not to have them mended by this new principle of faith in Christ. Infidels come not to the light of the Gospel, be­cause that does most con­vince them of sinne. The Law is more sparing than the Gospel, for it chargeth man no further than of originall and actuall sinne. But the Gospel extends to his wants of such faith, righteousnesse and holinesse as the Law leaves at liber­ty. It commands us faith in God, and is silent of faith in Christ. It bids us bee [Page 153]righteous, but not in ano­ther. It bids us be holy, but that is from our owne ver­tues, and not spirituall gra­ces.

The Spirits light is too strong for weake eyes to looke upon it. It blunts and blindes him to thinke his deeds so ill, as God does not approve the best of them. It is strange to him to beleeve, that without faith in Christ, nothing that is done by him is accepted of God. He conceives bet­ter of himselfe, and trusts that his good meanings, and vertuous actions are not so out of request with GOD, but he shall gaine some favour and friend­ship at Gods hands, to be [Page 154]esteemed of better then of the worst and most wic­ked man. Hee must there­fore know that if the Gos­pel prove him guiltie of the want of faith, no sinne is spared or pardoned any more to him than the lew­dest liver in the world. Hee must therefore learne to love the truth of the Gos­pel, and come to the light thereof, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God and the power of his Spirit, and not in or by any of his good dispositions.

Let us in the holy feare of God looke to our lives, and never applaud our selves by our owne ver­tues. The whole world is [Page 155]guilty of a sinne it hath no sense or feeling of, and even the best are in worst case: let thē come to triall, and by a conviction more than le­gall, see what the Gospel re­proveth, let them thus rea­son with themselves; It is too grosse and sottish to say I am a sinner, I am worse, I am an Infidell and wrapped up in the worlds condemnation. It is high time for my soule to bee dealt withall, and that by a more powerfull cause than the morrall Law or mine owne conscience: I must to the Gospel and conviction of Gods Spirit, and never rest till I finde the Spirit present and come home to my heart.

I shall afterwards intreat of all the heads of this first conviction. I will first o­pen the sinne: secondly, who are guilty of it. Thirdly, how they must be dealt withall. Fourthly, by whom. Fiftly, in what manner. The same methode shall be ob­served in both the other convictions, that by the in­stance in my Text of the Iewes disobedience and judgement, we may learne to tremble and feare to live either without Evangelicall faith, Evangelicall righte­ousnesse, or Evangelicall judgement.

Three things in the Gos­pel inseparably lincked to­gether: He that beleeves in Christ, hath righteousnesse [Page 157]imputed; and hee that hath righteousnesse imputed, hath holinesse infused to reject Satan and his service, and receive the true judgement of the Spirit to bee at his command and Kingly go­vernment. I shall wish eve­ry head propounded, may have it's use and applica­tion.

Ʋse 1. Let the want of faith in Christ, and righte­ousnesse from him, and an holy subjection to Gods Spirit, more perplex us than all earthly wants. Let such especially as are profane thinke of it, who beside the burden of the Law grosly abused, have the Gospel to beat home their condemna­tion, and beare them downe [Page 158]headlong to hell for con­tempt of great salvation ten­dred them in their sinnes. But especially let the more morall men marke them­selves, & if they were as for­ward as Paul to know none, or little evill by themselves, yet to thinke they are not so justified: but the Gospel can bring upon them a grea­ter condemnation than the Law, and challenge them for more than ever was drea­med of by their owne ac­count and reckoning by the Law. Lastly, let carnall Gos­pellers descend and see their presumption, that will bee sure of faith without con­viction. They suppose it is soone gotten and lost, and that to play at fast and loose [Page 159]with God, is no danger. They will have faith when they list, and easie convicti­ons leade them any wayes. It is time for them to learne a better lesson, and to bee soundly lashed from our Text, that the convictions of Gods Spirit are no easie and morall perswasions fit­ted to our inclination, but sound convictions taking from us all excuses, be they never so witty, and laying us low before God to be dealt withall at his pleasure.

Vse 2. These wants are common as well as dange­rous; thousands dye and are never sensible of any hurt this way. The world is to be dealt withall to take no­tice that these wants are [Page 160]the greatest poverty of it.

Ʋse 3. It is pitty the danger being so great and so common, but that Ministers should faithfully preach and convince these sinnes before all others. Sinnes of the Law light more clearely upon mens consciences, but these sinnes finde conscience not onely asleepe, but livelesse, as never stirring in any thoughts that such evils lie at the doore, more to watch vs with damnation than any o­ther.

Vse 4. There is no prea­ching or meanes effectuall but that is accompanied by the Spirit. There is a diffe­rence between Preachers, as there is betweene an Infant and Gyant, drawing the [Page 161]same Bow. Yet the Arrow of a Gyant shot against the stone wall, pierceth not, but reboundeth backe againe with the greater violence. So the most happy and dex­trous Preacher, flocked after for his gifts, may shoot as unprofitably as a weaker Teacher; his arrowes and errands to the soule speed no better for the hardnesse of it, than if hee had never lost his labour, or spent his strength in vaine upon so stubborne spirits. Christ and all his Apostles were re­sisted by the unbeleeving Iewes: their stiffe neckes would never bend to the yoake of the Gospel, or un­circumcised hearts beleeve it.

Ʋse. 5. Must bee for true triall and examination of our selves, whether the Spirit be come and hath convin­ced us to give over all oppo­sition, and yeeld to live by a new principle, rest upon a new righteousnesse, and be ruled by a new Law. I shall give the tryall in my further search unto this Conviction. Luthers three Schoole ma­sters have helped me in these thoughts. Afflictions and accusations have set prayer on worke, and both have put forth Meditations. Hum­ble repentance, said that worthy Chancellour of Pa­ris, is the first staire of the Ladder of Contemplation. I will not complaine of my wrongs, yet if they had ne­ver [Page 163]beene, thou mightst ne­ver have had my thoughts so legible. I thanke God, I never found the hands of Authority so ready to smite, as evill tongues to accuse.

1 Pet. 4.17.18. What shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God? Where shall the ungodly and sinner appeare?

The great sinne and endlesse sorrow of Gods houshold Enemies.

HAving discharged my selfe of the first part, concerning the sharpe and strict government of Gods Familie, I come to the shar­pest and severest of his [Page 164]judgements upon their ene­mies. Peter instanceth in the Iewes, for to them he writes both his Epistles, and in both hee aimes at three things; 1 the consolation of beleevers; 2 the de­struction and just punish­ment of their enemies. 3 the future promises made to the Nation of the Iewes at the comming of Christ. Be­leevers had strong trials when S. Peter writ his Epi­stles, and even their owne Nation was worst to their profession. This Nation Christ threatens with an end, and Saint Peter now ap­plies it, and by the accom­plishment of signes, gives assurance that it is now at hand. Iudgements are be­gun [Page 165]at his owne house and familie, and therefore will end suddenly upon their enemies. This was the yeare when Nero made Bone-fires of the bodies of Christians, and to extin­guish the ignominie of his owne setting Rome on fire, fireth Christians as Faggots, and makes their flames to give light the whole night. This is the fiery tryall be­leevers are told of, verse 12. and deserves to begin the first persecution. It shall not be long before it bring an end upon the Iewes and their Nation, for obstinacy and cruelty to their bre­thren. It is supposed Saint Peter and Saint Paul suffered in this first fiery tryall.

Their sinne and disobedience.

They are taxed in this Text for the violation both of Law and Gospel, neither Iustice nor Mercy affect them. They disobey the Gospell, and against the Law they are found guilty both of impiety and uncha­ritablenesse. They are cast in both Courts. In the Court of Iustice they are here arraigned for ungodly persons under the charge of the first Table, and sinners and unrighteous under the charge of the second Table. In the Court of Mercy, they are branded with the Gos­pel, as a rule disobeyed, and a remedy despised. Iustice might be pacified by Mer­cy, [Page 167]and the Law taken off by the Gospel: but these faith­lesse and fearelesse wretches care neither for rule nor re­medie. They neither are mindfull of that which is a­gainst them in the Law, or might doe them good in the Gospel.

Of the Gospel sinnes.

To disobey the Gospell is by Saint Iohn, Chap. 16.8. summoned up in three par­ticulars; First, in the want of faith. Secondly, in the want of righteousnesse. Thirdly, in the want of ho­linesse. The disobedient Iewes found no want of faith in Christ. They supposed they were full of righteous­nesse in themselves, and [Page 168]that they wanted no spirit of grace to displace Satan in his government, and set up the government of Christ in their hearts. I will from the instance and example in large my selfe in laying to the charge of the whole world this Gospell-sinne here applyed to the Iewes, and by way of warrantable explication follow S^t. Iohn as a Commentary upon Saint Peter.

Three Gospel Controversies.

Iohn 16.8. And when he is come, Hee will convince the world of sinne, and of righ­teousnesse, and of judgement. Here lie three great Con­troversies betweene God and the whole world. First, [Page 169]what that sinne is which the world counts no sin. Se­condly, what that righteous­nesse is w^ch in the esteem of the world is no righteous­nesse. Thirdly, what that judgment is that the world reputes for no judgement. There is a Law from God, and conscience in man, that tels the world of many sinnes that it yeelds unto, that gives information of righteousnesse applauded in the vertues and actions of men; and it takes from both a forme of judgement and government, that for it owne safety it allowes and likes well of: but alas, in these three there is neither Law nor conscience to in­forme us; nay, to both they [Page 172] [...] [Page 173] [...] [Page 170]are ridiculous, conceiving nothing reasonable in all these, but that which is mo­rall and naturall to our con­dition in the state of inno­cency, and remainders ther­of in our corrupted na­tures. Adam in Paradise was not apprehensive of these disputes, neither were such doctrines agreeable to his insight. These are for new creatures, conquered and convinced by Gods Spi­rit.

The unknowne Sinne.

All the world is ignorant of faith, and would so perish but for the Gospel. It was not the Law (the Iewes so much insisted upon) y^t could reach or resolve their rea­son [Page 171]in discovery of this se­cret; and because they would know no more than Moses Law, they perished in this sinne. This finne is expoun­ded to be want of faith in Christ, verse 9. It is either the root or signe of all other sinnes. He that wants faith in Christ is discharged of no sinne. Convince him of this, and convince him of all.

How great a sinne it is?

Want of faith in Christ is of all sinnes the greatest. it denies the mercy of God, and makes a man the murtherer of himselfe. It tals for Iustice, and refu­seth a pardon. It convinceth of sin, and rejects the reme­dy. [Page 172]It casts a man into the jawes of death, and cares not for helpe or hand that should pull him out. Moses Law is not without punish­ment, but this without es­cape. If the Gospel deny us mercie, our misery is irre­coverable.

The neglect.

Heb. 2.2, 3. The Law of Moses in every transgressi­on and disobedience, is re­payed with recompence and reward. All the benefite is that an escape is granted from the rigour of this Iu­stice: but if we neglect the great salvation of the Gos­pell, we have no way to a­voyd vengeance and wrath to come. Lose the oppor­tunity [Page 173]of the Gospel, and all is lost. Wee may recover the losses of the Law, but if we looke not to the Gospel, our case will bee despe­rate.

The Contempt.

There is no mercie, Heb. 10.28. to the despiser of Moses Law; and yet ver. 29. there is sorer punishment to him that despiteth the Spirit of grace, speaking in the Gospel. No mercy is the hight of misery, and yet Moses Law cannot be strai­ned so high, as to deny all mercy. It may inflict death, but the Gospel may take off the eternall punishment thereof: but alas, if the Gospell be abused, and mer­cy [Page 170] [...] [Page 171] [...] [Page 172] [...] [Page 173] [...] [Page 174]denyed, what Law shall remove that curse, and bee able to release the sin­ner?

Evangelicall Apostacy.

We are all fallen in the first man, and are for our Apostacy to be loathed and left of God without pittie: But the Lord dealt not so with us for our sinnes. He had mercy upon us, in the Mediatour, and made him a meanes to reconcile us a­gaine, and bring us into fa­vour: but reade with trem­bling (all Apostataes frō the Gospell) and see with hor­rour your dreadfull, doome, Heb. 10.38. If any draw backe, my soule shall have no pleasure in him. Woe unto [Page 175]us if such words had beene uttered against us for our Apostacy in Adam. The Lord never set his soule against us, but even with it pittied us and pardoned us graciously: but now to A­postatize and forsake his mercy, his very heart riseth against us, and we are most loathsome and abominable in his eyes. Hee abhorres for ever to cast a favourable looke upon us, or once to vouchsafe us acceptation againe. Christian Apostataes are the worst of men, and shall have wages with the greatest vengeance. Matth. 12.31, 32. Blasphemie a­gainst the Gospell cannot be forgiven: All legall blas­phemie is pardonable, the [Page 176]Father pardoneth it against himselfe, the Sonne will re­mit it for his part: but if it proceed to touch the Spi­rit, it passeth all mediation. I will not bee peremptory, and yet I presume never any man committed this sinne against the Law. I conceive it onely to be a Gospel-sinne that will ad­mit of no pardon in the re­jection of mercy. The Iewes committed this sinne in the Scribes and Pharisees, and I feare all this rabble here condemned in Peter, were not farre from it, ha­ving had the Gospell so long continued, and so vio­lently and wilfully opposed. It is enough that I have tou­ched it as the height of dis­obedience [Page 177]against the Gos­pell, and have wished men to take warning of this woe and wickednesse.

Evangelicall despaire.

The preparation of the Law, is to bring the sinner to despaire in himselfe and all worldly helpe, and so is a meanes to bring him to Christ: but Evangelicall despaire of mercy after the meanes of the Gospell offe­red and contemned, is dead­ly and dangerous, and few ever went out of it. Men lie long under the sense of their owne misery without comfort: but they may with confidence wait and expect to the last, and rest in hope they shall not alwayes bee [Page 178]denyed their suites and sup­plications. Onely desperate contemners of the Gospell when they fall into some extraordinary judgement of God, and the horror of their owne consciences, are little better than Devils, waiting for the damnation and ut­ter perdition of their soules. Satan will be sure to per­swade men first that God will not punish, and then that GOD will not par­don.

The world is guilty of this sinne.

Want of faith in Christ is as common as it is dange­rous; for Saint Iohn stickes not to charge all the world with it, and truely either in [Page 179]the penalty or the sinne, wee may judge no mā exempted. Where the Gospel is not preached, it is the punish­ment of their first rebellion. God is not tyed to give faith to any, or to affoord him his Gospell. These mercies are transcendent, and of no mutuall right be­tweene God and his crea­ture. The Gospell was preached in Paradise, but Adam had no Covenant that it should be hereditary, and follow him and all his posterity. The Law was in­tailed, but the Gospell is the free blessing of Almighty God.

Want of faith, the penalty and punishment of all Man­kinde.

Faith in a Mediatour, and faith in God, are of a large difference. The Law in com­manding, threatning promi­sing, is to be beleeved, and the want of this faith brought Adam into sinne, and it is the roote of all sin, and deserver of all judge­ment. What GOD com­mands, that the creature must beleeve to be his duty; what he threatneth he must in faith and feare yeeld unto, and what he promiseth, hee must likewise with the same faith imbrace. Now this faith is an affection or rather a piece of Gods I­mage, [Page 181]framing the affectiōs in a conformable power to all Gods cōmands, cōminations & promises: but Evangelicall faith is no part or piece of the created image of God: but a new principle put into the soule in place of origi­nall righteousnesse to bring forth actuall obedience, both in the inward and outward man. The want of this faith (as I said before) is not the root of all sinne, for where there is no Gospel, the want of this faith will never bee imputed for a sinne. The want of that other, is truely and indeed the root of all sinne, and originall of all pu­nishment. Not to beleeve in God was the sinne of A­dam and all his posterity. [Page 182]But want of beleeving in Christ, is not of the same extent. It is a signe that no sin is discharged, & we may safely say, it is the desert of all men, for the want of the first faith to be deprived of this. Negative Infidelity condemnes no man for sin; take away the meanes of Conviction, and the sinne ceaseth. Non positis medijs, &c. Deny men the Gospel, and free them of the Gos­pel-sinnes: but positive In­fidelitie is a sin, and where God affords his Gospel hee lookes for obedience, and condemnes the contrary.

Want of faith the sinne of the Church.

To want faith where the [Page 183]Gospel is preached, is an hainous and horrible sinne; better such men had never heard it, than that the sound of it should passe away without sense and sanctifi­cation. This is that, that truely makes the world guilty. Legall sinne may binde us to the penalty, and want of faith in God may punish us with want of faith in Christ: But want of faith in Christ, in Chri­stians and Professors of the Gospel, is a guilt above all guiltinesse.

The worlds conviction by the Gospel.

Ioh. 15.22.24. The Iewes had been without the sinne of the Gospel, if by the [Page 184]Gospel Christ had not con­vinced them. This Cōvicti­on takes away every cloake from sinne, and leaves no co­vering to cast over a sinner, Ioh. 9.41. If the Iewes had remained in their blindnesse without the Gospel, they had in comparison beene without sinne: but saying wee see better than thou canst teach us, therefore Christ concludes against them that their sinne remai­neth, that is, their sinne a­gainst the Gospel. But here comes in the great doubt and difficulty, what power have men to be convinced by the Gospel, and how is God righteous in these Gospel-punishments? I shall answer as followeth.

Mans capacitie of Con­viction.

That man is capable of Evangelicall Conviction is by no man to bee denyed. Wee are not stockes and stones under the words of reproofe. We have under­standings and wils, and by the same created understan­ding, I apprehend the Law, by the same I apprehend the Gospel, and by the same will, I obey the one and the other: but these powers are too remote to remove the doubt, wee must not speake of faculties, but their obedientiall and conforma­ble power to the Lawes gi­ven them by their Crea­tour.

Mans conformity to Con­viction.

God having made man the free beginner of his owne [...]ctions, besides the facultie of will and under­standing, gave man originall righteousnesse, to further him in the production of actuall obedience, that if he pleased, hee might in all things conforme himselfe to his Creators commands. If God had done no more for Adam than made him reasonable and free, hee had wanted the obedientiall power, and had beene una­ble to conforme himselfe to the commands, commina­tions and promises of the Law; Therefore God to [Page 187]perfect his worke, added a further helpe needfull for obedience, in placing in man his owne Image, and printing upon his soule a perfect patterne of all that hee was to follow, and to imitate his Creator in. Ha­ving lost this Image, yet there still remained suffici­ent for conviction and con­demnation: But we are now to try whether this will teach the Gospel, of the law no question is made.

Of power to beleeve in Christ by creation.

Many learned and godly Divines have asserted and assured us, that Adam in his innocency had power to beleeve in Christ. Of the ca­pacitie [Page 188]no man doubteth: but that will not solve the difficultie; for all the que­stion lyeth upon the obedi­entiall and conformable power of Adam. This hee had not to the Law without originall righteousnesse, and I beleeve we shall be puz­led to find it in Adam with­out a new principle in the place of his first righteous­nesse, being expulsed by sinne. Without faith it selfe, I feare no man can con­forme himselfe to the Gos­pel; not that faith which was a part of Gods Image by creation: but that faith which is the principle of the life and obedience of the new man. Such a principle as never came within the [Page 189]kenne or cognisance of A­dam, upon the best day of his creation and perfecti­on. I will presse but three arguments, and leave them to the answer of those that are wedded to this opini­on.

The principle of life and Religion.

No power is obedientiall and conformable to GOD without a principall, as well as instrumentall causes. The faculty is subservient to the principall cause. It may livide from it, but without it [...] cannot doe well. Man had reason and will to know and obey God, and to both was added by the Almighty, his owne Image [Page 188] [...] [Page 189] [...] [Page 190]or originall righteousnesse, that both reason might bee directed, and the will or­dered to obey and serve him. Man had power to separate his understanding from true knowledge, and his will from a holy and righteous impression of Gods Image in speciall up­on it. He might refuse to doe well, but to attaine that end without such grace it was utterly impossible. The like must be understood of man in his lapsed estate, hee is not deprived of will and understanding: yet such faculties are not sufficient without faith infused, that may as a principle helpe us to action and pleasing of God. Not faith in God, for [Page 191]that turnes the minde to le­gall obedience: but faith in Christ, which serves us to obey Evangelically: contrary principles cannot produce the same effect, or bring to the same end; we cannot by the same faith live in Christ, and live in our selves.

Contrariety of commands.

There is no obedientiall power that can yeeld at the same time to doe contrary things. The Law commands us to doe and live, the Gospel to beleeve and live. He that must conforme to the one, cannot by the same power immediately conforme to the other. Whiles Adam stands bound to the Law for life, hee cannot stand [Page 192]bound to the Gospel for the same. It is impossible for any man to have power (in beleeving his duty is) to bee saved by his workes, and at the same time to bee saved by faith. It were a strange subjection to command the creature to live by his deeds, and then at the same time to crosse it, and say, not so, but by the same power, Beleeve and thou shalt be saued. Such teaching we may suspect, and seeke for better satisfaction by some more reasonable, faire and even resolution; for in truth this is rather subversion than subjection of will and power.

A power needlesse and needfull.

Adam in the estate of innocency, had no need of faith in Christ, and then [...]e give him power to beleeve in him: Man fallen, hath need and necessary use both of power and faith, and then hee hath lost both. Poore creature, God abounds in goodnesse, when thou hast no neede of his helpe, and forsakes thee in the extre­mity and greatest necessity. Are these the waies of Gods wisedome, to be lavish of power where man hath no need, and to leave him where his helpe is of use: no certainely, God does no­thing in vaine, but gives [Page 194]man what is usefull, and re­serves himselfe to give more when, where, and to whom he pleaseth.

A power to beleeve in Christ by Redemption.

Faith is the free gift of God. It was necessary by creation that man should not want the sanctified affe­ction of faith to beleeve in the Creatour. It was debi­tum naturae, Natures debt to ingage God to make his creature holy and righte­ous: but now it is of grace to give him the new prin­ciple of life to fetch from Christ both righteousnesse and holinesse for the whole man. Heere is nothing he­reditary or naturall, the [Page 195]Gospel is free when, where, & to whom to bestow it. It was given in Par [...]dise to all the sonnes of men, yet des­cended not by propagation from fathers to children. Adam might have propa­gated originall righteous­nesse, as well as originall [...]inne. But be neither pro­pagates Evangelicall faith, or the want of it to his po­sterity. It is personall both in the habite and privation. No man is saved but by his owne faith, or condemned but by his owne infidelity. The want of faith in Christ is every mans proper sinne, and can be imputed to none without the Gospel. Wee make it the Churches sinne, and not of all the world.

Gods preparation and donati­on of faith.

Leaving the power of Mans innocency, and vni­versall freedome to beleeve legally or Evangellically, wee fall into the safe way, and say, that wheresoe [...] the Gospel is preached, God gives or is prepared to give faith in Christ. Hee mockes no man, but is seri­ous in the salvation of eve­ry soule, to which the Gos­pel is sent. Every hearer in the Church is zealously perswaded to repent. The Ministers minde and Gods meet in his holy ordinances, and the Word is earnestly spoken to every eare. God himselfe goes with his mes­sage [Page 197]from seate to seate, and from man to man, with true and hearty desire of his conversion; yet notwith­standing he gives not equall grace to all, as shall appeare in our distribution there­of.

The donation of faith.

Act. 13.48. As many as were ordained to eternal life, beloved. To the Elect hee gives faith. He is not one­ly prepared to preach unto them his Gospell, but hee prepares their hearts to receive it. He gives unto his chosen ones, the blessed Gospel of peace and recon­ciliation, and hee gives them faith to beleeve it. We have all the same capacity: [Page 198]but not the same conformi­tie. Our powers are alike in understanding and will: but that obedientiall and fi­liall subjection to God and his Gospel is peculiar to some.

God is prepared to give faith to all that heare his Gospel.

Matth. 23.37. I would, yee would not. It is the will of God by the Gospel that all should be gathered unto him. Mans will resisteth Gods will, and makes that Gospel of none effect that should be effectuall unto all. God may adde further grace and give men hearts to re­ceive as freely, as his Gos­pell is offered unto them: [Page 199]but such grace is a royall prerogative, and reserved for some of many. All are beholding to God, but some finde and feele the very ri­ches of his grace, and are never able to be thankefull enough, that they above others should receive so much.

Of the righteousnesse of God.

To require performance, and give no power, is as un­equall in the command to al, as it is in the gift to some. To seeke where hee sowes not, and to reape without labour is unreasonable, if not unrighteous. Man ne­ver had power to obey, and therefore a heavy and harsh [Page 200]command is imposed upon him.

Mans power to obey the Gospel

There is never a man but is guilty of that power that God hath given him, and does lesse than he is inabled by his owne freedome. There is no man, but he may frequent the meanes, and come to the place of Gods worship. Secondly, being come, hee hath eares to heare. Thirdly, he hath an understanding to know the logicke and language of the holy Ghost. Fourthly, by that knowledge to come to an historicall faith. Fiftly, to affect, reverence and re­gard both Ministers and [Page 201]message. Sixtly, to bring forth some fruits. Seventh­ly, to attend and wait daily for the regenerating Spirit, that may convert and turne him truely unto God. This power man useth not, and is justly condemned for the abuse of it.

Want of faith in Christ simply no sinne.

If condemnation were absolutely and originally from faith, a power were necessary to beleeve: but in divers cases faith is found to be no sinne in the want of it. Adam in the estate of innocency, had no faith in Christ as a Mediatour, and was blamelesse, because no Law injoyned it. Secondly, [Page 202]men that need this faith and yet want the Gospell to convince them, are guiltlesse of the sinne, though in some sense they may bee said to bee guilty of the punishment. Every curse and want of favour be­ing due to every sonne of Adam. It therefore remai­neth that they onely are to be taxed that have the Gos­pell.

Sinnes of the Gospell are ag­gravations of the Law.

It must bee presupposed that a man is guilty of sinne and death before the Gos­pell charge him with a greater measure of evill, and make him worse both in sinnes and sorrowes. It [Page 203]is not the want of faith barely that turnes a man in­to hell; for finde payment in thy selfe, and satisfaction to the Law, and God will challenge thee no further: but that is impossible, and therefore the Law casts the first stone at thee, and beares thee over with the blow of death; then comes the Gos­pel and buries thee under that stone without all hope of mercy. A man is blind and rejects a cure: his wil­fulnesse hath made him the worse and more worthy of greater woes: so the Gos­pell tenders thee a pardon, thou contemnes it, and for contempt deserves the sorer punishment. It is not there­fore necessary for God to [Page 204]give every man power to be [...]eeve, but it is necessary for every man to be care­full he abuse not the power he hath, and so double his terments and punishments in [...]e [...]l.

Conviction is the worke of the Spirit.

The Father gives over the administration to his Sonne, the Sonne to the Spi­rit, and he is the first that argueth and disputeth with men of mercy and salvation. In his hands is now the kingdome of the Father and the sonne, and this king­dome is [...] reg­gum violentiae, the Kingdome that suffereth violence, Mat. 11.12, 13. Luke 16.16. In [Page 205]this kingdome, the Saints in suffering are more than conquerors, Rom. 8.37. This is more than ever any Em­perour could utter, who have gained and kept their conquests with hardnesse and hazzard. Matth. 28.18, 19. the power of Christ is to preach and proclaim that he will take his power, and reigne in and over all men. He is mercifull in giving warning before the execu­tion, and leaving his Spirit to make preparation for his kingdome, which shall bee [...] a kingdome of power, Rev. 11.17. ruling and over-ruling all the world. Christ having en­ded the subjection of the world shall give over his [Page 206]kingdome to his Father, which is [...], 1 Cor. 15.24. O the divine ad­ministration of the Trinity! The Father the first person, passeth all to the Sonne, the Sonne makes it descend a­gaine to the holy Ghost. The same is the order of regression, that was in the progression, as formerly we have declared. The holy Ghost the first possessour of the kingdome returnes it into the possession of the Sonne, and the Sonne leaves it in the hands of his Father where he first had it, that he may be all in all. From him was the proceeding, and by good reason it must be to him againe.

The comming of the Holy Ghost.

The Gospel convinceth no man in the absence of the Spirit. Wee must pray in hearing of the Word, Come holy Spirit and visit our hearts, bring home the convictions of Grace, that we may not with these stubborne Iewes disobey thy Gospel, and bring upon us and our habitations, their end and misery. And thus much of their first sinne, I will speed on in the rest, and spend lesse time in my dis­course. It was needfull to beate this sinne home, and make the greater stay, be­cause the greater stirre hath beene made about it.

The denyall of righteous­nesse.

Morrall and civill men never knew the meaning of Evangelicall and Christian righteousnesse. What Law acknowledgeth a man just by another mans justice, or wise by another mans wise­dome? Papists deride it, and the world hath not lear­ned how to conceive of it. It is a great sinne to live in this ignorance, and an assu­rance to a man, hee wants wisedome to know his own justification. Hee rests in hope he is righteous, and wanting the knowledge of Christ, perisheth in his own pride and presumption. Christ is both righteous in [Page 209]himselfe and for us, and so is no man in the world.

A world of unrighteous men.

We have a world of wic­ked men that are destitute of common honesty: but if we adde to them even ano­ther world of honest men, that know no more than good neighbourhood, what a vast heape and confusion have we of men and wo­men unrighteous before God, and destitute of Iesus Christ? A world is heere condemned for want of righteousnesse: and alas how did the blinde Iewes oppose this righteousnesse, and see­ing themselves just by another Law than the Gos­pel, [Page 210]are now frying in hell for their disobedience.

Conviction of righteousnesse.

It is pitty the world should perish without re­proofe of this sinne. It is that which Christ and all his Apostles laboured to bring the Iewes unto. They condemned Christ for a ma­lefactour, and by his resur­rection and ascension hee prooved plaine that he was both just and the justifier of sinners. Here is strong con­viction by reason and force of argument. No man can goe to God the Father that is unrighteous. There is no acceptation of such into heaven. Now I have many witnesses (saith Christ) of [Page 211]my ascension. You shall see me ascend, and see mee no more upon earth. You are my faithfull ones, to you I make demonstration of my righteousnesse, that you may demonstrate the same to others.

The office of the Spirit in this conviction.

The world lies in sinne and is held by Satan in strong condemnation. It was a lie at the first that murthered himselfe and all mankind, Iohn 8.44. Hee stood not in the truth, it was that which he opposed from the beginning. First, by a question, Hath God said, &c. Secondly, by a contradiction, Yee shall not [Page 212]dye at all, &c. Thirdly, by disputation, God knowes, and yee may know, that to eate and feare no death, will make you wise and worthy to be like God himselfe, &c. Thus was man murthered and by a lye deluded of his happinesse, and became a lo­ser of that righteousnesse that God imprinted in his soule, when he first breathed it into his body. This losse can never be repaired by another of the same stampe; and therefore the Spirit of God beginning with feare to put a man beside him­selfe and his own presump­tion, openeth unto him his bondage and basenesse in sinne, and from the very bottome of hell recovereth [Page 213]him by the righteousnesse of Christ, and puts into him a more ingenuous Spirit to looke up to God in Christ and call him Father, and by adoption and grace to finde himselfe the childe of God, heire of righteousnesse, and inheritour of the Kingdome of God, Rom. 8.15.

His comming for this end.

The great Doctour CHRIST IESVS ab­senting himselfe, sends ano­ther to be present with us, both for counsell and com­fort. He counselleth us to seeke the best righteous­nesse, and comforteth us with the fruition of it. Hee perswades us to deny our selves, and make sure to be [Page 214]found in Christ cloathed with his righteousnesse. I wonder not to see civill ho­nest men to wander naked of this cloathing in the na­sty ragges of their owne rotten righteousnesse; they have no better spirit, than the spirit of the world to teach them a morall lesson, and to grow proud to see themselves before their neighbours in the honour of their owne vertues. This is the applause the best men of the world seeke for, and rest in it as their summū be­nū. Such were the Pharisees & the Iewes here in my text, that disobeyed the Gospel, because they saw in their own thoughts, a better way of justification than Christ [Page 215]by his Spirit taught them. But all their supposed com­fort is a poore and beggerly payment in the praise and applause of men, with their comming short of heaven. I disgrace not morality and civilitie in the world, I wish there were more of their ranke, so they rested not in that righteousnesse, but rea­ched at an higher price, even the invaluable treasure in Christ, willing in humility to let all goe for the gaine therof. Yet I must conclude against the underlings of moral honestie, y^t all such as are inferiours to them must needes come short of hea­ven, because they come short of them, that by Christs verdict are before [Page 216]them. Now the best mora­lists come short of heaven, and therefore must they needs come short, that are left many leagues behinde them. Gaine the Spirit, and grace, that in holinesse wee may exceed them all, as we shall doe in righteousnesse by Christ.

Want of judgement.

This is the great sinne of the world in advancing a­gainst Christ Satans sove­raignty and superioritie. He reigneth, and ruleth the world, and is a speciall ene­my to Christs kingdome. Holinesse is the companion of righteousnesse; we may not grow wanton, because the grace of justification [Page 217]hath abounded. God hath not left us to our liberties, as if by the way of hell, wee might advance to heaven. Iudgement and spirituall government is appointed to order us in our wayes, and to waft us by safe conduct over the Sea of this world to our harbour and haven in heaven.

A world of people without grace and sanctification.

The subject that the Spi­rit is to season, is the unsa­vory world. Holinesse is a by-word amongst men, and derision hath banished it by the conceit of precise and strict walking with God. A Saint is the worlds spe­ctacle and a very gazing­stocke, [Page 218]as if hee were as much runne out of himselfe and madde, as he is runne from the world and his merry company. But the wonder is in the world it selfe, wilde in wickednesse, and wretched in the hands of Satan. His judgement is followed, and government extolled in all places and persons. Wee can but ex­empt a few from being fol­lowers of him, no more than Saint Iohn exempts the world from guilt in this place. Hee is plaine, and chargeth the world with the Divels government, and freeth none but by the Spi­rit from this misery.

Conviction of the best go­vernment.

The setting up of the Lord Iesus in the hearts and soules of men, is the best Common-wealth. It was that the woman travailed for Rev. 12. She lives in the Pagan Empire, and is pained as much to make it a Christian, as she is pinched by it. The strong argu­ment of perswasion is, that Christ by his death and re­surrection hath judged the prince of the world, and de­feated him of all judgement. He held a right in the world till Christ removed it. Hee is a Father of all that hee murthered by his lie in Pa­radise, and therefore chal­lengeth [Page 220]a right in his chil­dren. Christ to bee parta­ker with these children, takes their flesh, and by death subdues the murthe­rer, and delivers them from bondage, Hebr. 2.14, 15. It is therefore good reason that the children should be subject unto him, leave the lyer, and live in conformity to the new Law of the Gos­pell.

The Spirits application of judgement.

It is just, Satan should bee expulsed and cast out by Christ, and hee confesseth against blasphemers, that his command over Divels was executed and effected by the Spirit, Matth. 12.28.29. [Page 221]He enters into the strong mans house, and being stronger than hee, bindes him, and spoyles him of his possession. Hee casts downe in us the strong holds of this adversary, and brings us into subjection and obedience to Christ and his rule and regiment; and for this end also must the Spirit descend and dwell with us. Thus have we the sinne of disobeying the Gospell in want of faith, righteousnesse and holinesse, the use follow­eth.

The worlds insufficiency and danger.

First, I looke upon the world, and wonder at pride [Page 222]and arrogancie. Men nei­ther know their debt nor danger. They see not the charge of the Law, nor dis­charge of the Gospel. They live as men set at liberty by their owne lusts. They looke up and feare no ac­count: Faith they minde not, neither doe they feele or finde any want of it to get them a discharge. In­sufficient to beleeve, and yet confident all is paid. Tru­sting they are righteous, and yet scorne to be beholding to any for justification. They will barter with God and by commutative justice give him as much as they receive. They pleade in­nocencie, and yet im­pleade holinesse. They will [Page 223]be honest and yet hate since­rity. But seeing the guilt is most where the Gospel is preached, let vs see our pro­fessours, and pry into their sufficiency. Many we have lesse morrall than Turkes, and more ignorant than Heathens of their owne Re­ligion. They heare the Gos­pel, and understand nothing. Better these men had lived Turkes than Christians in name, to incurre all the guilt of the Gospel. O­thers presume they have faith, and never knew they wanted it. They were ne­ver acquainted with the conviction of Gods Spirit, whose office is first to per­swade men they want faith in Christ, before he worke [Page 224]it in them. They would loath be such Infidels, as once to know or acknow­ledge the time when they beleeved not. Ever since they were borne they have had a good faith, and they hope they shall dye so. God helpe them by his Spirit to search their deceitful hearts, and to change the time of their untimely beliefe, and learne to know that the first of convictions is to finde faith wanting in the heart. Either conviction of the wat must precede, or the gift will never follow: but this was touched before, though never too much.

The Spirits sufficiency.

Second Vse is to see how well Christ hath left us, [Page 225]not to an insufficient and deficient Teacher: but to a compleate and perfect Doctour armed with all ar­guments of conviction, to bring us from infidelitie to faith, from condemnation to justification, and absolu­tion from all our sinnes, from uncleannesse to holi­nesse, and from the thral­dome of Satan, to the liber­ty of sonnes. God bee bles­sed for his Spirit, hasten his kingdome that we may bee prepared for Christ to reigne and rule in us when hee destroyeth the world, and triumphantly having ended all his victories, hee may bring us bodies and soules to his Fathers house. Amen.

The Christians triall.

Third Vse. Disobedience to the Gospel is a fearefull sinne, and brings a fearefull end: we may by degrees make sure our safety, if wee search and seeke to climbe to heaven by these staires or staves in Iacobs Ladder, Matth. 5.3. First gaine po­verty of Spirit, labour to bee an indigent begger, Know thou hast nothing but what must come from Christ. Se­condly, be sensible of thy po­vertie, be no sturdie begger that will not stoupe and stirre from his flashes and flourishes in a bold and im­pudent seeking, as if the giver were as much in his debt for the receit, as hee [Page 227]will be in the givers for the gift. Verse 4. learne thou to mourne and to grieve that ever it was thy hard hap to fall into such misery as to incurre Gods displea­sure, of all plagues the grea­test, greater than Hell it selfe. Mourne to have that taken off more than any judgement. Say not with Pharaoh, take away the plague of my Land, but the hardnesse of my heart. Say with David, take away the trespasse, and for the rest, say no more but this, here I am, Lord, doe and deale with me as thou pleaseth. Third­ly, ascend yet higher, and be possessed of a meeke spirit, even to the Lord, as well as to men. A man may mourn [Page 228]and remaine stubborne and unbroken, but verse 5. bee thou blessed with a meeke and milde heart. Mourne till thou be meeked and tamed for the Lords use. Fourthly, raise up thy selfe to hunger and thirst, verse 6. even for that righteous­nesse that will satisfie thy meeke and mournefull spi­rit. Empty thy selfe first with sorrow and subjection to Gods will, and then bee assured thou shalt be filled. Fiftly, blesse thy selfe with a mercifull heart to others. Say unto God, if thou hadst mercy in store, thou wouldst bestow it liberally; say thou art so eager for it, that it would doe thee good to see God, in denying it thee, [Page 229]to give it to others. It is that above all, thy hunger and thirst is bent upon, and by the want of it thou knowest the worth, va­lue and price of so rich a commoditie. Certainely it cannot be long before the Lord will reach mercy to thy heart that art so merci­full to others, and even fill all thy desires, verse 7. Sixt­ly, having obtained mercy to pardon all thy sinnes and to justifie thy person, for­get not the third convicti­on in studying for holinesse, gaine a pure heart, for that will bring thee still nearer unto God, to see him in his Ordinances, in this world, and in his glory in the world to come, verse 8.

Seventhly, being at peace with God, thy selfe become a peace-maker for others. Study that all may be parta­kers of thy peace, both with God and man, verse 9. Eightly and lastly, take in the last beatitude, and thinke thou hast made no ill bar­gaine to suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake. Thou thy selfe art at peace with heaven and earth, and desirest warre with no man. If they make warre with thee and falsely, smite thee with their tongues, be pati­ent and rejoyce, that hea­ven is and will be more pro­pitious and favourable unto thee than this vale of mi­sery. And so I end the Gos­pels disobedience, and come [Page 231]to the punishments, leaving the legall sinnes untouched, which every mans consci­ence will touch without an interpretour. The Iewes were unbeleevers, that was their great sinne: but their owne Law of which against the Gospel, they made their boast, was transgressed in every branch.

The punishment of the Gospell.

Consisteth in an end in this world, misery in the world to come, ignorance of that misery, and shame unsupportable as you have heard. The unbeleeving Iewes are now within five yeares of their end, and yet I know not (saith Peter) what their end shall be. It [Page 232]were well with them, if their end here did end their torment hereafter: but I stand amazed and confoun­ded to thinke what tor­ments wait upon them li­ving, dying, and dead, such as they shall never bee able to know or understand. They shall never see their worst, or what woe may further be laid upon them: yet so much shall they see and sorrow for, as to bee confounded for ever, and not to know where to ap­peare, or how to looke up to behold his face, whom they can neither avoyd or abide.

The temporall end of the Iewes.

Matth. 24.6.13.14. The end is thrice repeated and appyled to Iewes, as may appeare by the signes, v. 5. I came in my Fathers Name, and could not be ad­mitted. Others shall come in their owne, and bee graced of you with an us recipietis. But this will [...]ell you roundly in both [...]ares, of what you feared to lose by mee and might have saved: The Romans will come and take away your kingdome verse 6. No marvell rumours of warre rise in all places for rebel­lion: but these two signes will not bring the end, for others are to follow, these [Page 234]are but the beginnings of sor­row, v. 9. Persecution begin­ning at Gods house, will bee another signe and sure to­ken of an end upon Rebels, more against God than men. verse 10. Apostacie will follow persecution, and cold Christians will soon shrinke with the first affronts of evill: but the promise is if any will ride out the storme at a safe Anchor of hope, when the end comes, hee shall be saved and not pe­rish with Rebels. Ʋerse 14. The departure of the Gospel is another evidence of the end, Dan. 9.26. & non ei, is a short and sharpe speech, as abrupt for Ierusa­lems ruine as they sense: To Messiah shall the Iewes be [Page 235]longer a people. Matth. 21.43. The kingdome goes in effect when the Gospel de­parts, Dan. 9.27. One weeke is granted for the stay of it, that is, as before wee have delivered, seven yeeres, be­ginning when Christ be­gan to preach to them, and so held on all his dayes, and three yeeres and an halfe af­ter, that is, from the thir­tieth yeere of his Incarnati­on to the 38. And in that yeere was the Commission inlarged, Act. 10, 11, 12. &c. a vision and voyce from heaven assures Peter he may goe to Cornelius the Roman, and preach the Gos­pel. This vision is allead­ged often for confirmation of the passage of the Gospel [Page 236]to the Gentiles, and is fur­ther confirmed by the gifts of the holy Ghost, bestow­ed upon them with the Gospel. I take it for cer­taine, that our Saviour in the related places, spake of no other end but this of the Iewes, which in foure things I will expresse as followeth. The history of their calamities upon earth, may be as an instance for all people to be warned by it, and take example of rebelli­on against the Gospel.

The losse of the Gospel.

Matth. 21.43. The Iewes rejected the stone that God laid in Sion for salvati­on, and all to rest upon; for this rejection they are re­jected, [Page 237]and the first thing that removes from them is the Gospel, and then fals the stone Christ heavy up­on their Nation. They first stumble at it and stirre it by their strength and rebellion, and then it rebounds upon them, and grinds them to powder, Ezek. 9.4.18. and 10, 22, 23. Divers removes before Gods glory depart, and enemies draw nearer.

The losse of their Kingdome.

The Kingdome of God goes first, and then their Na­tion perisheth. The Gos­pel moves from them slow­ly. Seven yeeres it stirres not though they ill deser­ved it. It begins with Cor­nelius in a private house, [Page 238]passeth more publikely to Cities and Regions of the Gentiles. God still provo­king the Iewes to recall it: but they rather persecute it and all that professe it; and therefore judgement and the end hastned; and with­in lesse than the doubling of thirty eight yeeres the Iewes perished. In the first of the last of seventy yeeres Christ came, in the middle he died, and in the end destroyed Ie­rusalem, Dan. 9.24. Seven­ty weekes containe seven times seventy yeeres. Eve­ry seventy is famous, but the last excelleth all the rest, as being the time of Christs birth, passion, and perdition of Rebels; but we repeate our former notes. [Page 239]The Iewes might have been wise out of Daniel, and dealt better for themselves: but prophecies are of none effect to those that are de­vouted to ruine.

Epistles to Iewes that give warning of this end.

It is observed by a lear­ned Divine, that I am to ho­nour with all respects of love and friendship (Master Ioseph M [...]de) that Aposto­licall Epistles written to the Gentiles, expresse nothing of an end at hand: but rather upon mistake of Epistles to the Hebrewes, give warning to the Gentiles of the con­trary, 2 Thess. 2.2. I will by his directions point out some passages, Heb. 10.37. [Page 240]The Apostle exhorteth be­leeving Iewes to patience, because sudden vengeance is ready to fall upon their enemies, the unbeleeving Iewes. Christ had threate­ned their ruine, his long stay and lingring was tedi­ous to flesh and bloud, espe­cially being tyred by trou­bles: Paul therefore cheeres up the hearts of the hearers with assurance Christ will not tarry long, but come quickely, and revenge his owne bloud and the bloud of his Saints upon that per­secuting Nation. It shall glad our hearts to see Christ as good as his word in the ruine of Rome, Iames 5.7, 8. Be patient, &c. The same exhortation, and the same [Page 241]argument, 1 Pet. 4.7. The like theame and disputati­on, 1 Ioh. 2.18. Wee have an Advocate, &c. and not wee onely that are Iewes: but also the whole world, &c. the Epistle is generall, yet may have speciall di­rection, and that to the Iewes in my apprehension. He tells them it is the last [...]oure, for he lived to see it [...] the destruction of Ierusa­salem, and gives one of Christs signes, Matth. 24.5. in false Christs flocked af­ter by the Iewes.

The calamitie of the Iewes.

Dan. 12.1. Matth. 24.21. never greater, 1 Pet. 4.7. the end of all things, as if it [...]ad beene Doomesday, as [Page 242]many understand Peter, who should bee crosse to Saint Paul, 2 Thess. 2.2. ex­cept hee were thus under­stood. I writ to you Iewes to be sober and to watch unto prayer, for our Nation is ready to suffer and lose all. Weepe and howle, Iam. 5.1. ye rich Iewes, for your miseries ready to come upon you. You have but gathered your wealth for your enemies, and such canker and rust of sinne cleaves unto it, that it will witnesse and worke against you. Your pleasures, pro­fits, preferments and wan­tonnesse have fed and filled your hearts for the day of slaughter. You have killed the just without resistance, [Page 243]but by their patience and your persecution, you are now to perish, and the Lord is nigh to execute the same upon you. I touch still what I have taught before, because I would be remem­bred, and made fruitfull to my Reader.

The losse of their lives and liberties.

Never died people more desperately, and the market they had made to sell the bloud of Gods servants for nothing, is now made for them. The Romans buy theirs as cheape as ever they sold Christs. Never Tragedy more lamentable; and if Iesus Christ had not [Page 244]taken some pitty upon them, there had not beene left one piece of their flesh untorne in pieces, Mat. 24.22. Nei­ther was captivity better than death, Ier. 22.10. That was never more verifyed thā now, for to this day have they lived in their remain­ders, as the most remarke­able wretches in the world. Let this end of the Iewes be our instruction and admo­nition, that we may be wise, and not perish for the con­tempt of the Gospel.

Their misery in the world to come.

The bloud of Christ pur­sues them to Hell. It is not satisfied with the bloud in [Page 245]their bodies, but deservedly makes them a prey to Di­vels as well as men. It were an harsh censure to say they went all to Hell that perished by the Ro­mans. We will examine their case by Scripture, and a fearefull presage thereof in the Revelation.

The eternall end of the Iewes.

Matth. 24.13. Hee that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved. Men even amongst you will apostatize and fall to the Iewes againe: but whosoever shall hold out till their end come, shall not perish with them; v. 15. Men are bidden reade with [Page 246]understanding: An Item set upon no other signe but this: When you see the Ro­man Army placed in the Mount of Olives, escape for your lives. But how shall they escape when the Ar­my lies in their way, and a watch against them on eve­ry side the City? I answer, God raised the first Army, and gave liberty to all that would reade and under­stand, to be gone: and now went the Christians to Pel­la, as I have shewed, this prophecie for their safety being seconded with a sound from heaven, saying, Goe to Pella, goe to Pella. The promise is that Christians sound and sincere in faith to the end, shall escape. Hi­story [Page 247]tels us they escaped: who then perishes but re­bels to the Gospel? The Text tels us, that the belee­ving Iewes had the begin­ning, and that the end was for all those that obeyed not the Gospel. It give men leave to be charitable, but I desire sinne may have his due, and especially Gospel­sinnes. Let men tremble that have a minde to treate more favourably of this end, and see what it is to call for the bloud of Christ to be upon them.

The presage of their eter­nall woe.

Saint Iohn lived to see it, and penned his Revelation [Page 246] [...] [Page 247] [...] [Page 248]after the destruction of the Citie. He alters the style of Hell, and gives it a name that no Prophet or Apostle did before him. Hee de­serves to be named that hel­ped me to this knowledge, Master Ioseph Mede, whose praise, to Gods glory bee it spoken, I can never blazen too much. I shall recall what I quoted in one place for the style of Hell, Rev. 19, 20. The Lake of Sodome, or fire and Brimstone. A new appellation of Hell up­on this accident, as that judi­cious and industrious man relateth it. Multitudes of Iewes being met withall by the Romans, upon the banks of Iordan, are miserably slaughtered, as formerly [Page 249]was touched, and their dead bodies buried in the River: But GOD will not suffer them there to rest, but by the strength of the streame tumbles them from place to place, till hee plunge them into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone for their buriall and graves. A sad spectacle in my judge­ment, and no small conje­cture that their soules were buried in hell. Saint Iohn seemes to intimate so much to me. I will not bind any man to the strict observati­on of it, still my desire is to presse the punishment of disobedience to the Gospel. Such notes I am sure thou mayest credite better than Popish legends and fables [Page 250]to make men feare hell, into which by Idolatry they teach them to leape, and ne­ver listen after any legend or reading to prevent that. I will now wholly leave the instance of the Iewes, and teach all the misery of Hell, in the lamentable ex­tremity of it, and extreame lamentation. Matthew 13.42. A furnace of fire, there is the lamentable ex­tremitie: wailing and gnash­of teeth, there is extreame lamentation. The extre­mitie we will expresse in foure termes; first, fire; secondly, darkenesse; third­ly, worme; fourthly, perdi­tion.

The fire of Hell.

Fire and water as they are of best use, so wee say of them, they are without mercy. It is their nature to doe what they doe: but it is the nature and property of God to have mercy, and therefore most unnaturall to be without mercie. It is just with God to change his mercy into justice, and kindle for the damned an unmercifull fire. Wee can quench our unmercifull fires with water: but in hell no water, no not a drop will bee allowed, not to quench, but not so much as to coole the heate of that flame upon the tippe of the [Page 252]tongue. The fire is a feare­full extremity that nothing can allay it. Spirits are a­gents too subtile to be pati­ents in our fire, they are more quicke in avoyding than that element can smite them. It hath beene much questioned by Schoolemen what we might deeme hell fire to be. If corporall, how shall it torment spirits and soules of men? If spirituall, how bodies and the flesh of men? It were casie to answer, by adding to fire the breath of the Almighty, who is able to extend or contract any creature to touch bodies or spirits with what torments he pleaseth I had rather rest in some lively example, than busie [Page 253]my selfe with rules of uncer­tainties. Our blessed Lord and Saviour is best able to tell us by experience, what fire that is that God kindles against sinne, and with what extremitie it scorcheth and scourgeth the poore soule that must buckle and bend under it. I will present un­to you, for an example, Iesus Christ in the Garden, and upon the Crosse.

Christs agony in the Garden.

Feare and sorrow begin his Passion. The objects that feare Christ, and worke him to sorrow, are no easie scarcrowes and spectrums of men. Nay, all the Devils in hell are not able to put [Page 254]Christ into a Passion. To make him heavy in heart and soule, is no small weight of woe; to com­plaine it presseth him to the very death, is a sad symp­tome of some severe and un­speakeable sorrow. Passe we to his prayer, and see with submission how hee intreateth for the departure of it. Father, if there be any possible meanes to redeeme man without mee, and save me from the sorrow I am in, let the bitter Cup escape my taste. It is not a thing I sue for once, but againe and againe I continue my fuite, and seeke more ear­nestly than ever formerly in any prayer I expressed my selfe unto thee. It was [Page 255]no small burden that Christ would have shifted from his shoulders, and setled up­on some other meanes and mediation. Hee will not shrinke to have man saved, but it would glad him to see himselfe eased. If it be possible, my will is to bee eased: but thy will bee o­beyed, what ever I suffer. From sorrow Christ fals to prayer, from prayer into an agony, and then he prayes more earnestly as the bur­den is increased. Now he sweates and drops with bloud. It passeth through the veines, flesh, skinne, not like some thinne dewie sweat by an ordinary trans­sudation, that Physitians dis­course of for cause and cure: [Page 256]but it breakes violently out by great lumpes, and leapeth forcibly from his veines, and with a strong current is cast from them to his up­per garments, rumbling to the ground. To talke of diseases when veines burst, breake open their mouthes, or have their coates and containers thinned to sweat out the bloud, is idle, to tell us of examples of the like, blasphemous. Never was there sickenesse, sorrow, or example like this, meerely from apprehension and true consideration of his owne sufferings to be thus per­plexed, no cause antecedent or conjunct, but what pas­sed betweene Christ our Saviour and Suretie, and his [Page 257]Father angry and displeased for our sinnes. This first combate had beene enough to have annihilated or swal­lowed up a meere creature, Angel or Man.

His Passion upon his Crosse.

His preparation in the Garden brings him better armed to his Crosse, he pas­seth by the wrongs of men and Angels: yet the one with the power of the hand, and the other with the hand of power, doe to him their worst for divers houres. The power of darkenesse, after mans ma­lice was ended, laid at him, and left him not for many encounters. Hee that in the [Page 258]Wildernesse assaulted him thrise, and often afterwards in the course of his life, brings now all the power of hell, and for his farewell to the world, hopes to have successe in his and all our ruines and destructions. But these are light skermi­shes and meane affronts to that which followed. All these are not worth the speaking of he never opens his mouth to complaine of such dealings and deeds of darkenesse, enough to plunge the best of us into hell: but after these troopes of wic­kednesse shaken off, he fals to the greatest shocke and meetes with his match. His Father now takes him to taske, and turnes him to an­other [Page 259]tune. He is compelled to cry out, and utter words of complaint, fearefull for despaire, if that word My Father, had not supported his faith; My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? here is apprehension of dereli­ction and desertion, there is nothing that keepes Christ to God but faith. On his Fathers part he complaines of desertion, on his owne he will not despaire, as long as God is his in application. The Father leaves; the Sonne cleaveth and claspeth close about him. Suppose the case had beene mans in either of these assaults; hee had upon the first appre­hension been, not onely dis­mayed, but confounded. [Page 260]Yet this would have put him into desperation and de­spaire for ever. He had not been able to lispe one word of a better life, or laid the least of his thoughts upon God. In stead of my God he would have blasphemed and gnashed his teeth at his tormentor. Deare Christi­ans, dread this fire that fa­stened upon the Innocent Sonne of God, and thinke what extremity it would be to you, but to touch the most utmost flame. Learne for ever to obey his Gospel, and bee thankefull for his mercy and deliverance.

Viter darkenesse.

The greatest comfort of [Page 261]the fire is light, heate with­out it is an hell in our bo­dies, and we see a burning Ague how it scorcheth us and sends forth nothing but smoake and poyson. It di­stracts men with rage and madnesse. Poore soules, we never felt such a fire in the sharpest Ague, as we shall find in our soules when hell fire entreth us, and we it. Vtter darkenesse is but a privation, yet the losse will make it a sensible torment. The Father of lights is God, that will bee gone. The Fountaine opened to us is Christ, but he will not vi­site us. The light of Grace and Glory vanish with the Spirit. No inward or out­ward light to comfort us [Page 262]will shew it selfe. Heaven and earth will curse us, wee shall be blind in our selves, and burne without sight of our owne miseries. Sense shall not be wanting, nor sorrow to our senses. Let darkenesse dismay us to dis­obey, and let the light, whiles we have it, stirre us up to follow it.

The never-dying Worme.

The worme that gnawes upon the living man, and eates him up being dead, may both be killed and con­sumed with us: but this Worme is as immortall as our selves. Wee may de­sperately send our soules from our bodies: but [Page 263]sinne and conscience cannot be dismissed. We may soo­ner part with our selves than with our tormentors. It were well a man might be as a flint in a rocke of stone, which as it findes no plea­sure, so it feeles no paine: but this will not be gran­ted, his wounded Spirit will never leave him, Prov. 18.14. A man sustained by the Spirit of God, may beare any infirmitie: but when his owne spirit is as much wounded by God as him­selfe, what man shall beare it? Once againe remember the Gospel, and let it helpe and heale this misery.

Ʋtter perdition.

Wee often pitty men when we heare Briefes of utter undoing, and we com­monly complaine of lamen­table losses, as if all were gone when we have parted with no more than our worldly goods. Never thinke men of being undone in spirituall losses. There is not the poorest Begger in the world, but in losing his soule, he leaveth more than a King that is cast out of his kingdome; nay, his losse is greater than to lose the whole world. Better the soule bee saved, than a world purchased; and yet sottish sinners to seeke [Page 265]wealth upon earth, will haz­zard their soules. I lose my goods, yet I am not ut­terly undone as long as I have friends. I lose my friends, yet I am not utterly undone, as long as I have my selfe. I lose my life, yet still I am farre from being undone, as long as God stands by me. But then I am undone indeed, when I have lost God, then have I lost my selfe. And all good Christians, once more heare me friendly and favoura­bly: feare God, love his Gos­pel, live well, and never feare to dye ill. Many wretches feare to suffer ill, that never feare to sinne, and of evils they ever feare the least, loo­king to their temporall life, [Page 266]and never regarding their spirituall. Thousands feare to dye a corporall death, that never heed what it is to die an eternall. Feare were better placed upon sinne than sorrow. If wee would feare to sinne, wee should not need to feare to suffer; and in suffering wee were better place our feare upon the second than first death. Vtter perdition is not in this world, that is re­served for the day of death, and dungeon of hell.

The misery of the place.

It is sometimes called a prison, and judge what an hell it were to live and lie in a dungeon with Mon­sters [Page 267]of men in this world. It is Tartarus of [...], a Pagan name, for fearefull and formidable Spectacles. They have imagined hell full of horrour for such shapes and shadowes as they have fancied and fa­bled by their Poets: but those are poore affright­ments to the dreadfull and terrible face of God and his frowning countenance. Cō ­science will skarre them more than shadowes, and darkenesse, than doating dreames. It is Tophet or Gehenna, a mercilesse place. Infants yelling in the fire of Gehenna, had their voyces, cryings and shri­kings drowned by Drums from being heard of their [Page 268]parents. The brands of Hell may roare in the Lake, and none will bee found to pitty them. They cry too late, the doore of mercy being shut against them, and God of heaven turned their irreconcileable ene­mie.

Extreame lamentation.

They shall weepe their bellies full, and to weeping adde wailing, and wishing they had never beene. They shall wring their hands and curse the day they were ever borne. And when sorrow shall doe no good, gnash their teeth and grinde them against God for their excessive [Page 269]plagues. Teares shall not be taken for repentance, but serve to coole the heart and dant the spirits, so that extremity of cold may make their teeth chatter and gnash together. Heat and cold with all excesses and aggravations of sorrow may meet together. We have but lightly touched what they must deepely taste; would God it might teach us by so miserable an end to make a happy beginning of our salvation and subje­ction to the Gospell in this world. I will now dispatch the rest more briefely and wish thee the benefit in the whole.

Vnknowne misery.

Peter questioneth what we quarrell withall, and say hell is not so hot as Prea­chers make it. Peter knowes not how to make it hot enough. He had rather aske the question and say, What shall the end be, than deter­mine. It were some com­fort to a subject of hell to know his worst. Men so solace their soules upon earth, with a stubborne re­solution to their tormen­tors, doe your worst, I know what you can doe, and there is an end: but it will not be so in hell, their sturdy sto­mackes must come downe, and not dare the Almighty [Page 271]to the tryall of his strength. The reasons why in hell men shall never faddom the bottome of their woes, are these; first, he that smites is infinite, and therefore can augment every blow hee gives. Wee whip our children often till they bee senselesse and carelesse of the rod: but God will worke them feeling, as well as whipping, and if need be, by an unwonted blow fetch bloud out of another veine. Men shall sooner be weary with suffe­ring, than he with smiting, and every touch shall deare them more than other. Se­condly, man shall never know his owne capacitie. Hee hath enough to day to [Page 272]fill him to the brimme, his vessell shall be stretched and strained to hold as much or more the next day, and so for all eternitie hee shall be inlarged to receive torments. Thirdly, eterni­ty of extremity can never be brought to light; there is still behind, whatsoever the measure be for the present. We onely that obey the Gospell know our worst, and what can be done for us in this world. happy time we suffered for God and his truth, that we may never suffer for sinne in hell.

The confusion of unbeleevers.

Where shall they appeare? Sinners and ungodly persons [Page 273]shall be ashamed to be seene, and shall finde no place where to hide their shame. A marveilous alteration shall befall them, and it shall be a wonder to see what a change is made in all their behaviour. Impudency and boldnesse did attend them in all places, now feare and shame shall accompany them where soever they are. I will touch them in two things here related, their appearance and place: as no ground can hold them from trembling; so no sight but it will put them to shame.

The appearance of unbe­leevers.

It can hardly be credited with what audacious bold­nesse, and bold audacity, men and women, dare ap­peare before God in this world, not once thinking that they are either in his debt or danger. They pre­pare not for their audite and account. They are like that impudent Ruffian that pi­ctured upon his Target God and the Devill, with an inscription under both. Vnder God was written, si tu nolis, if thou wilt not have me, I am at a point with thee of defiance, &c. Vnder the Devill, directly [Page 275]opposite to God, iste rogitat, I am for the Divell and his service. God must take them as they are; for they meane not to mend, and if hee like them not at their worst, take them Divell. Men live as if they were ei­ther to be happy here, or without hope hereafter. To gaine the world, they count all things lawfull, and judge they have nothing to injoy when they leave it. This makes them appeare empty before God, and a­shamed of their madnesse and misery.

Our speech and language might learne us the lesson of our folly. We say when wee would be credited for certainty, It is as certaine as [Page 276]death, and then like fooles we crosse our selves, and al­ter the stile when we have forgotten our selves, I did no more thinke of it than my death. I judge you by your owne mouthes, and mani­fest your madnesse. You beleeve there is nothing that is more certaine than death, and confesse there is nothing you lesse thinke of. As God shall judge mee, is as ready as words, and yet by workes you deny it, fearing nothing lesse than his judgement. To contemne his Law, and despise his Gospell, is your ordinary practise. He may command, you will not obey. He may threaten, you will not feare. He may [Page 277]promise you will not be­leeve. His justice you dare affront, his mercy controul, his anger does but provoke you, his goodnesse embol­dens you to sinne. You re­sist and rebell against his Spirit, outface and disgrace his Ordinances, rage and raile against his Ministers, scoffe and scorne at your brethren, and there is not any wickednesse you blush at, or once checke or chal­lenge your selves for the wrong you doe to God and men, Law and Gos­pel.

But tell me what you will doe, and how you will deale at your appearance and meeting with your judge: you have made others trem­ble [Page 278]defore you, and accor­ding to your authority have lorded it over your inferi­ours. Thinke seriously of your standing before a grea­ter Lord, and gaine an Ad­vocate to pleade with him. You shall not bee able to shew your faces, or open your mouthes without him. Laugh no longer (yee impudent sinners) at your audacious practises, take counsell betimes. Bee affli­cted, and mourne, and weepe; let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to hea­vinesse. Humble your selves in the fight of the Lord, and hee shall lift you up, Iam. 4.9, 10. Lift not up your selves and brow-beat his Ordinances, but beare downe the stout [Page 279]and stubborne heart to bee ashamed betimes, and the Lord will encourage you in the evill day. Presumptu­ous persons will pricke on in their pride, and perish in the end. It will be terri­ble for them to appeare be­fore God, that never appea­red before him in prayer, but alwayes against him. Thinke of this appearance and by the Gospel make your preparation.

Ʋnbeleevers have no place free from feare.

Where shall they ap­peare? They may not hide themselves, and yet no place shall be safe for their appea­rance. They will be calling [Page 280]to rockes and mountaines to fall upon them and cover them from from the dire­full and irefull Iudge: But no hill will be intreated to hide them, no rocke to rush upon them. Miserable wret­ches that can beare their sinnes with ease, had rather lie under hards rockes and massie mountaines, than the least touch of Gods wrath. Sampson tooke the Gates of Gaza with the posts and barres upon his shoulders, and bare them to the very top of the hill; such stout Sampsons are our sinners that stick at no sinne, breake open the floud-gates of all impietie, pull up all posts and barres that should shut them up, and carry all down [Page 281]before them, and raise up to the very top of the hill, the hight of their horrible crimes. All places are de­filed with their unclean­nesse, and they leave no roome in the earth for righ­teousnesse to dwell in. Such as they brew, such must they drinke, and God will not leave them a place where to shew their heads or shelter themselves from danger. No Cave shall co­ver them, no den of darke­nesse keepe them from eter­nall darkenesse. I will con­clude with Saint Paul, 2 Cor. 5.11. Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord, wee per­swade men, but wee are made manifest to God, and trust al­so, are made manifest in your [Page 282]consciences. If the terrour of the Lord (as we have tou­ched it) were made manifest vnto men they would bee perswaded: but, alas, it will never worke till men ap­ply it to their consciences: in them have I laboured to fixe this worke, and have found ill hearers of it. My comfort shall be with assu­rance that to God wee are made manifest, we deale sin­cerely, and wish it may worke kindly in all for their timely conversion, and holy conversation to the end, Amen.