Twenty-Five Lectures Upon the Lords Last Sermon and Conference, Lecture 7
THE SEVENTH LECTVRE, OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION.
IOHN, CHAP. xiiii. VERS. 21.22.23.24.25.26.
21 Hee that hath my Commandements, and keepeth them, is hee that loueth mee: and h…e that loueth mee, ſhall bee loued of my Father: and I will louelove him, and will ſhew mine owne ſelfe to him.
22 Judas ſaide vntounto him, (not Iſcariot) Lord, what is the cauſe that thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe vntounto vsus, and not vntounto the world?
23 Jeſus anſwered, and ſaid vntounto him, If any man louelove mee, hee will keepe my word, and my Father will louelove him, and wee will come vntounto him, and will dwell with him.
24 Hee that loueth mee not, keepeth not my words, and the word which yee heare, is not mine, but the Fathers which ſent mee.
25 Theſe thinges have I ſpoken vntounto you, being preſent with you.
26 But the Comforter, which is the holy Ghoſte, whome the Father will ſend in my Name, hee ſhall teach you in all thinges, and bring all thinges to your remembrance, which I hauehave tolde you.
WEE hauehave heard (welbeloued Brethren) how Chriſt hath inſiſted much with his Diſciples, to aſſure them, that after his departure out of this world, he would giuegive them another Comforter: to wit, the holy Spirit, the Spirit of Trueth and he would giuegive them his preſence from the Heauen: Hee hath repeated his promiſe often, to aſſure them of the trueth thereof▪ Nowe hee returneth vntounto that ſeconde exhortation, and exhorteth his Diſciples of newe, to keepe his Commandementes in his abſence: Hee, ſayeth the Lord, who hath my Commandements, and keepeth them, is hee who loueth mee: As he would ſay, Wouldeſt thou know the man who loueth me, when I am in the Heauens, It is hee who keepeth my Cōmandements here on earth. Ye ſee the Lord is very earneſt, to exhort his Diſciples to keep his Cōmandemēts: as they vvould teſtifie to the vvorld, that they louelove him: The Lord knew vvell enough the hypocriſie of this vvorlde; and in this latter age chiefely, that men & vvomen vvould hauehave a pretence of louelove and faith, and hauehave none indeed in their heart: and therfore he inſiſteth vvith his Diſciples, that men ſhould kythe it indeede: The babler and the ſpeaker onelyonly, is not the louer, but the doer. Iohn in his firſt Epiſtle, Chap. 3. verſ. 18. ſaith, My little Children, let vsus not louelove in word, neither in tounge, but in deed and trueth. They who belieue, are not thoſe who ſpeake moſt, but thoſe who doe moſt. James, Chap. 2, verſ. 18. ſaith, Let me ſee thy fayth by thy workes, and I will ſhew thee my fayth by my works. Chriſt is not a voyce, or a ſound, ſounding in mens eares, but the Lord Ieſus is in deede and effect: and there are none who hauehave Chriſt, but they will bee fectfull: There is not a man or a woman, who deliteth in euill, that hath Chriſt dwelling within them.
When the Lord hath pointed out the man who loueth him, the Diſciples might hauehave thought, What vantage ſhal men then hauehave to louelove thee? for wee will doe nothing without vantage: thy louelove appeareth to be a burden till vsus, becauſe thou chargeſt vsus to keepe thy Commandements. The Lord meeteth this, and hee ſaieth, Hee that loueth me, ſhall be loued of my Father: he ſhall not louelove me for nothing, my Father ſhall meet him with louelove: Whoſoever loueth the Lord Ieſus, the Father loueth him: vvhoſoever hateth the Lord Ieſus, the Father hateth him: There is nothing but hatred in God againſt the Iewes and Pagans: vvho loueth not the Lord Ieſus, let him be Anathema. It vvould ſeeme by theſe vvords, Brethren, that our louelove preceedeth and paſſeth before the louelove of God, and becauſe wee louelove him firſt, therefore hee loueth vsus: But this is not the beginning of louelove that is meant here: God beginneth the louelove, and then we louelove him: Thereafter hee meeteth vsus with louelove: God loueth vsus ay firſt: vvhen we were his enemies he loued vsus: he loued vsus ere euer we were, or had any being: and becauſe he loued vsus, he choſe vsus. In this ſtandeth louelove, fayth Iohn, 1. Epiſt. Chap. 4. verſ. 10. not that wee loued him firſt, but that hee loued vsus firſt: to kythe this, hee ſent his only begotten Sonne, to bee a propitiation for our ſinnes. So God beginneth firſt to louelove vsus, ere euer wee begin to louelove him. Paul ſaith, Rom. 5. The louelove of God muſt bee ſhed abroad in our hearts, & the holy Spirit muſt teſtifie vntounto vsus of that fauour that God hath till vsus: and hee muſt water our drie heartes vvith a ſenſe of that louelove: and then when the Lord letteth vsus ſee that hee loueth vsus, and hath aſſured vsus of the remiſsion of our ſinnes, by the death of Chriſt: then wee begin to meete him with louelove. So, the louelove vvee hauehave to God, is nothing, but like a little ſpring of vvater, flowing from that great Fountaine of his louelove. Now vvhen the Lord ſeeth vsus begin to louelove him in ſome meaſure; vve begin not to louelove him ſo ſoone, but as he began to louelove vsus; hee commeth about, and compaſſeth our louelove. He is euer the firſt louer, and the laſt. There is none heart able to comprehende the louelove of the Lord: The louelove of the Lord to his owne, is endleſſe. Paul ſayeth to the Epheſians, Chap. 3. verſ. 18. Yee being rooted and grounded vponupon the louelove of God, (there is our roote, and our foundation vve ſtand vponupon) yee may be able to comprehend with all the Saincts, vvhat is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of that louelove. The louelove of God is infinite. The heart vvill feele the louelove of God: But the heart of the ſinner cannot comprehend it in full meaſure. But to ſpeake of our louelove, it is very ſober, it is nothing to ſpeake of: and except God meete this ſponke of louelove continually vvith that paſsing louelove, that ſponke, vvould ſoone be quenched: except he continued his grace vponupon vsus, our louelove would ſoone vaniſh away. Wee may finde this all by experience: For vvhen God hath heaped his benefites vponupon vsus, vvee meete him not aye vvith louelove: but our louelove is like to die and euaniſh out of our heartes. When God hath giuen a benefite, vvho is it that at the recept of it hath his heart drawne to God? When thou haſt eaten, and drunken, and ſlept, haſt thou thine heart drawne to God? The vvorlde forgetteth God, vvhen it hath gotten the benefites of God. In a worde: Our louelove is ſo ſmall and weake, that albeit hee preaſſe to intertaine it, it is like to die, and dwine awaye. It ſhould not bee ſo: For it vvill not bee vvel vvith them, and they vvere Kinges, Lordes, or Earles, vvhen they gette the benefites of GOD, vvho will not acknowledge him for them. And thinke once of the louelove of GOD, thou ſhalt not louelove him ſo ſoone, but thou ſhalt finde that louelove of GOD in thine heart. Preaſſe to louelove the LORDE, and hee ſhall ſtriue to louelove thee, and ſhall not reſt to louelove thee, till hee glorifie thee in the Heauens.
Hee addeth to, and hee ſayeth, Not onlie ſhall the Father louelove him, but the Son ſhall louelove him alſo. The louelove of the Father and of the Son is vnſeparable: whom the Father loueth, the Son loueth: & on the contrary, whom the Father hateth, the Sonne hateth alſo. So, and thou wouldeſt hauehave the louelove of the Father, hauehave the louelove of the Sonne. Howbeit theſe two loues bee ſet downe as ſundry loues, as though the Father had one louelove, and the Sonne another louelove, as wee ſee amongſt men, it is not ſo with the Father of Heauen, and with the Sonne of God. As there is but one eſſence of the Father, and of the Sonne, and one Majeſtie: and as there is but one power, and juſtice, and wiſdome; ſo there is but one and that ſelfe ſame louelove of the Father, and of the Sonne: and that ſame louelove vvhichwhich is the Sonnes, is alſo the Fathers: the nature of God is louelove: if there be but one nature of the Father, and of the Sonne, it muſt therefore followe, there is but one louelove of the Father, and of the Sonne. How then get wee the ſenſe and feeling of this louelove of God? Experience telleth vsus, that all the ſenſe of louelove that is in the Father, is all thorow the Sonne. Neuer man yet got a ſight or ſenſe of the louelove of the Father, but by the Sonne. Hee who neuer ſaw the Lord Ieſus, ſawe neuer the louelove of God, becauſe hee is the ſplendor of his glory, and the image of the inuiſible God. The Iewes may ſtriue to ſee the Father, but neuer ſhall they ſee him, till they turne them to the Sonne. What man is hee that euer felt the louelove of God without Chriſt? And what dow a ſinner without a ſenſe of louelove and mercy? Looke if it will not paſſe thy power to hauehave any ſenſe of the louelove of God, without Ieſus Chriſt: but when the heart is drawne to looke to him by fayth in Chriſt, then thou ſhalt get ſuch a ſweetneſſe, reſt, and joy, as cannot be vttered. What meaneth this? It meaneth, that the mercy that is layed vp for ſinners, it is layed vp in Chriſt. So, let vsus addreſſe our ſelues to Chriſt, and thorowe him wee ſhall hauehave acceſſe to the deepneſſe of that grace in God. That then is the vantage they ſhall get who loueth him, to wit, they ſhall be met with a two-fold louelove.
Now leſt they ſhould think this louelove but fectleſſe, as is the louelove of the creature, he telleth them what fruit ſhall come to them there thorow: If the Father ſhall louelove you, & I, then I ſhall ſhow mine owne ſelfe to you: I ſhall giuegive you mine owne preſence. So there is the profit that redoundeth of the louelove of the Father, and of the Son: Whateuer they bee, that the Lord Ieſus loueth, they ſhall ſee him by his holy Spirit, howbeit he be in the Heauens. Men will thinke this a matter of no great importance, but it is the happieſt thing in the worlde, though ſenſeleſſe ſinners thinke nothing of it, and count it of none importance. It is true, they who know not what ſinne meaneth, they who hauehave a ſleeping conſcience, will make a little account of it, and giuegive them the ſight of the world, they ſhall neuer deſire to ſee Ieſus Chriſt: but the joyfulleſt ſight that euer a ladened & wearied ſinner got, who ſeeketh him in any meaſure, is the ſight of Ieſus Chriſt: I ſhall make a ſuppoſition to you: If there were a man condemned to die, what would he deſire ſo earneſtly, as to get a mercifull ſight of the Prince? Nothing: for hee would hauehave hope of life. Now, what is the eſtate of vsus all by nature? Paul telleth vsus it in a word: Wee are but dead, and we are all concluded vnderunder ſinne and damnation. And what is it to die that death eternall? Paul telleth vsus, Rom. 1.18. The wrath of God is manifeſt againſt all vngodlineſſe, and vnrighteouſneſſe of men, from the Heauen. The ſinner thinketh hee is free, when hee ſayth, and doeth miſchiefe: but he is captiue to death and damnation: and our only deliuerance there from, ſtandeth in that mercifull preſence of the Lord Ieſus, by fayth in our ſoules. Thou ſhalt die that death euerlaſtingly in Hell, and thou get not a ſight of Ieſus Chriſt. Therefore let vsus all striue to ſee out owne filthineſſe: the faireſt of vsus all, is filthie: wee are all but rotten ſtockes▪ meete for nothing, but to be caſten into Hell. The firſt degree till happineſſe, to a ſinner, is to feele the ſenſe of his owne miſery: A ſicke body, who feeleth not the ſickneſſe, is in moſt danger: A ſinner, that lieth vnderunder ſinne, and feeleth it not, is moſt miſerable: but a ſinner, that feeleth ſinne, and groneth vnderunder the burthen of it, getteth a gracious ſight: A ſad ſinner, getteth the ſight of the Lord Ieſus his deliuerer. Dauid was glorious, yet hee counted nothing of all, if hee wanted the ſight of the face of God. Lift vp the light (sayth he, Pſal. 4. verſ. 6.7.) of thy countenance vponupon me, and giuegive mee a ſight of thy face, and I ſhall bee more joyfull in heart, than they will bee, when their Wheate and their Wine did abound. Therefore preaſſe to feele ſinne, that thou mayeſt ſeeke the preſence of Ieſus.
When the Lord ſpake this, one of his Diſciples entred in conference with him, named Iudas, not the traytor, but a kinſman of the Lord Ieſus, who wrote that Epiſtle of Iude which is nowe extant: hee asketh a queſtion, Wherefore is it, that thou wilt make thy ſelfe manifest to vsus, and not to the world? As hee would ſaye, Is there not grace enough? is there not mercy ſufficient in thee to the whole world? Why art thou then ſo ſparing of it, that ſo many die without fayth? Is there not grace enough in Ieſus Chriſt, to ſuffice a thouſand worlds? Why will then God make a choyſe? See the maruelling of the vvorld: Men conſidering there is ſo great grace and mercy in Ieſus Chriſt, as maye ſaue a thouſande worldes, they ſay, Why is it that ſo fewe are ſaued in the vvorlde? The Lord is not carefull to anſwere the queſtion, becauſe it was more curious than profitable. The world wondereth at the ſame this daye: but there is none occaſion of wonder. It was no wonder that God in his Iuſtice ſhoulde caſt all men into Hell: but the wonder is, that God is ſo mercifull to miſerable mankinde, that hee ſhould ſende his onelyonly Sonne to die for any: And the Angels maruell at this, and deſire to looke in into that myſtery, 1. Pet. 1.12. And this is the wondering of the godly, that euer they ſhould get mercy. And this was the wondering of Paul. Wonder and thou gette Chriſt: thou haſt cauſe to wonder, that euer hee ſhoulde hauehave ſaued thee. Paul, Rom. chap. 9. verſ. 19. vvhere he ſpeaketh of the eternall election, and the eternall reprobation, hee ſayeth, I hated Eſau, and I loued Iaakob, before the foundation of the worlde. The reaſon of man commeth in, and ſayth, Then God is vnjuſt: what was in Iaakob, more than in Eſau? There is our reaſon wee make. No, holde thy tongue, ſayth the Apoſtle, It was the will of God: hee giueth not another cauſe: on whom he will, he ſheweth mercy, and whom he will he caſteth off.
Our Leſſon is, Whether in time, after men bee come into the vvorld, it pleaſeth God to giuegive his preſence to ſome, and to denie his preſence to ſome other: We ſhould not bee curious in this, but glorifie God in his mercy, to vsus, vvho hauehave found the preſence of the Lord Ieſus, and in his juſtice towards the wicked. Or, vvhether thou goe higher, and conſider his election and reprobation, from all eternity. Be not curious to inquire, or to reaſon, but knowing that it was the will of God, ſaye, Bleſſed bee thy will, O Lord, thou made the creature, glorifie thy ſelfe in the creature. Reaſon not with him, but count all that hee doeth juſt: and thou vvho canſt count reuerently of God, thou ſhalt reigne with him. The reprobate commonly chideth with God, and is curious in theſe thinges: But as for the regenerate man, hee reuerenceth the vvill of God, and giueth him all honour, and glory, in all his vvorkes, vvhether from all eternity, or in time, albeit hee perceiue not euident cauſes thereof. Therefore ſpeake thou reuerently of thy God, and thinke reuerently of hi…, that thou with him mayſt reigne in glory.
Now to goe forward. In the words following he anſwereth Iudas: and marke well, hee will not giuegive a direct anſwere to the queſtion: but leauing to anſwere to that curioſitie, hee followeth foorth his exhortation, and ſayeth, Hee who will louelove mee, will keepe my Commandements. Leaſt that ſhould ſeeme a fectleſſe thing to keep his Commandements, he ſayth, J ſhall louelove him: and leaſt this ſhould ſeeme fectleſſe, hee ſayth, The Father ſhall louelove him, and I, and the Father, will come, and dwell with him. This all was exponed in effect alreadie. The Lord hee giueth not an anſwere to this curious queſtion. Hereby he learneth vsus, that we hauehave nothing adoe to be curious in queſtions, in ſearching out the ſecret will of God. It is ouer preſumptuous a thing to vsus to inquire that which is not communicated to the Angels: they will not get leaue to ſit on his ſecrete counſell. Doe as hee commandeth thee to doe: aske not, why hee biddeth thee.
To come to the purpoſe wee hauehave in hande: Wee ſhoulde not bee ſo curious to aske, vvhy will not the Lorde ſaue the vvorlde? as to enter into the waye of ſaluation our ſelues, and to ſee that wee keepe his Commaundementes, and louelove him, that hee may louelove vsus: and louing vsus, hee may come, and abide with vsus: and that not for a ſhort ſpace, but for euer. Wee ſhoulde enter into the way to get his preſence. Chriſtian Religion ſtandeth not ſo much in curioſitie, or in ſpeaches, as in the ſenſe of the heart, & in a practiſing of that louelove of the heart, in the life and conuerſation. The Apoſtle Paul, in the fourth Chap. to the Epheſ. verſ. 22.24. telleth vsus, what it is to learne Chriſt, euen to put off the olde man, and to put on the newe man. This for the anſwere. Yet hee inſiſteth in that, that they ſhould keepe his Commaundement: No, it cannot bee preached enough to keepe the Commandement of Chriſt, becauſe our nature is ſo backward. And as before he pointed out the man who loued him, ſo now he pointeth out the man who loueth him not: and that is he who keepes not his Command and bleſſed word, that he hath giuen for our weale. Who is it then who loueth him not? hee who keepeth not his Commandes. Marke, when yee ſee a man taking pleaſure to diſpleaſe God, and leading a life directlie contrary to the will of God; point out that man, and ſaye, This is a man who hateth God in his heart. Iudge not of a man by his tongue and ſpeaches: for oftentimes hee vvho doeth vvorſt, ſpeaketh beſt. Aske at an hypocrite, if hee bee a Chriſtian or not? hee will bee angrie with you, becauſe hee not ſeeing himſelfe, thinketh himſelfe as good as any other: (It is an eaſie thing to the tongue to cloake the filth of the heart of the hypocrite.) And vvhat will his hand be doing then? It will be vttering it ſelfe in a filthie life. So take not vp the diſpoſition of the heart of man or vvoman by the tongue, but by the hand: for the hand will ſaye to the tongue, Tongue, thou lieſt. John, 1. Epiſt. Chap. 2. Verſ. 4. If any ſay, I know God, and keepe not his Command, he is a lyar, and the trueth is not in him. And againe, Chap. 4. Verſ. 20. If any man ſay, I louelove God, and hateth his brother, he is but a lyar. Who is it that controlleth the tongue? and teſtifieth before the world, that the heart is but falſe? It is the hande, and the worke: the tongue is but a cloake of falſeneſſe. Marke a faythfull man by his h…nde, and not by his tongue. Our Lord ſayeth, in the ſeuenth Chap. of Matth. and the eighteenth verſ. It is vnpoſſible that an euill Tree can bring foorth good fruit.
Yet he inſiſteth in this matter, for hee is very earneſt to recommende this obedience to his Diſciples, and to vsus all: and hee furniſheth the laſt argument whereby they ſhould be moued to keep his Commandement: and he leadeth them vntounto that Fountaine of all his wordes, vvhichwhich was that glorious Majeſtie of his Father: The word, ſayth he, vvhichwhich yee heare, is not mine, but the Fathers vvhichwhich ſent mee. Would yee hauehave the ground and fountaine of all fayth? of all obedience? of all well-doing? and of all ſecuritie in this life? The ground of all, is the onelyonly mouth of the Father. So that when a man vnderſtandeth that word that hee ſhould belieue into, it is not the worde of man, but that Verity that floweth from the mouth of the Majeſty of God: then the heart gripeth vntounto it, & belieueth: then the hand executeth it: then there followeth obedience: But when the heart is not perſwaded, that the word flowes from that mouth of God, but from man, then the heart will draw abacke, it cannot belieue, and the life will not follow it.
Then Chriſt learneth vsus here, If wee would hauehave the people belieuing, and obeying his worde to drawe their eares to heare the Lord ſpeaking, and then the hearts of the faythfull will receiue it vvith joye, and practiſe it. Away with all the wordes of men, of all creatures, of all Angels: they cannot bee a ſolide grounde to our fayth: neither can the authoritv of the Kirke bee a ground to our fayth, albeit the fooliſh Papiſts affirme, that the cauſe wherefore vve belieue the Scripture, is, becauſe the Kirke ſayth, it is the word of God: for except the Scripture bare witneſſe of the ſelfe, that it vvere of God, and the word of God, truely the authoritie of the Kirke could neuer make vsus belieue, nor perſwade vsus the ſame: For the ground of our fayth muſt bee the voyce and teſtimony of God himſelfe ſpeaking to vsus. OnelyOnly this word of the Olde and Newe Teſtament, vvherein God himſelfe ſpeaketh, is able to eſtabliſh our fayth.
The Lord when hee hath exhorted them, perceiuing that his vvorde tooke not that effect in the heartes of his Diſciples that it ſhould hauehave done, notwithſtanding all his gracious ſpeaking (for he knew their hearts) he meeteth this, and he ſayth, J hauehave ſpoken theſe thinges being preſent with you: And howbeit they bee not ſo effectuall in you for the preſent, bee not diſcouraged: for when I ſhall paſſe to the Heauen, the Comforter, which is the holy Ghoſt, whome the Father will ſende in my Name, ſhall teach you all thinges, and hee ſhall call theſe wordes to your remembrance, which J hauehave tolde you. We may learne here firſt the word hath none effect in the heart, without the Spirit accompany it. Let it bee the worde of God, and flowe out of the mouth of God, yet and hee concur not with the worde by his Spirit, the word ſhall worke none effect in the heart.
There are two Doctors who teach vsus: one Doctor outwarde to the eare, and another inwarde, that is, the Spirit, vvho mollifieth the heart: Let the outwarde Doctor ſounde neuer ſo long in the eare, if the inwarde concur not, the worde ſhall doe no good: And except that Spirite open the eye of the ſoule to ſee, and open the heart, as he opened the heart of Lydia, (Act. Chap. 16. verſ. 14.) to receiue that ſeede of the worde, the heart ſhall bee as a cloſed Booke, and harder than it was of before. Marke another thing: The Spirit of the Lord Ieſus will not accompany the worde at all times, no, not in the hearts of the faythfull themſelues: The Apoſtles were a proofe of this: Howe much ſpake the Lord to them vvhen he was in the world? and how little effect tooke it in them, till he went to the Heauens? In the 29. chap. of Eſay. verſ. 11. ye reade, the word of the Lord is like a cloſed book to the vnfaithful. Nowe this is true likewiſe, the worde of God to the godly ſometimes is like a cloſed booke: and they will hauehave ſuch a hardneſſe at times, that they will hauehave no ſenſe of it; not to indure them, but to humble them. And if euer there was ma…ter of humiliation, heere it is, that when God ſpeaketh, thou wilt ſtande vp, and not regarde him, and receiue no fruite nor conſolation of it.
VponUpon this riſeth the Leſſon to vsus all, that the Lord Ieſus gaue vntounto his Diſciples, Howbeit at ſometimes wee will finde an euill diſpoſition of the ſoule, a deafneſſe, a blindneſſe, and ſenſeleſneſſe, Take this conſolation, Be not diſcouraged altogether: Let not the Miniſter leaue off to preach, and let not the people leaue off to heare: but let euer the ſ…ede bee ſowne, and let euer the heart receiue the ſeede, and holde euer vp the eare: and in deſpite of thine heart, when thine heart would loathe it, euer heare, and ſtriue to holde vp thine eares, and abide in patience, till the Lord ſend better. Peter, in his firſt Epiſt. chap. 1. verſ. 23. he calleth the ſeed of the word an immortall ſeed. It will neuer die: it may be choaked, & holden down: It can no more die, ſaith Peter, than God can die. So of neceſſity, in the ende, when it ſhall pleaſe God to waken that word, by his holy Spirit in the heart, then it ſhall afford ſolide joy and conſolation till vsus: theſe ſentences ſhalbe called to our remembrance, which wee heard before without fruit and edification. We hauehave found this in experience, whē man or woman hath moſt adoe in affliction, this ſame very Comforter will come to the heart, and renew the remembrance, and will cauſe them to hauehave a joy in that word which they heard before with deafe eares. And this is true, that at the laſt hee ſhall comfort his owne with that worde which they hearde with deafe eares: for the worde cannot paſſe awaye without ſome effect. Hee ſayeth, The holy Spirite ſhall teach them all things. We know, he who teacheth, is called a Teacher: yet when he ſayth, The holy Spirit ſhall teach, he calleth him not a Teacher, but a Comforter, becauſe al his doctrine tendeth to conſolation. There is no comfortable doctrine, but that doctrine of the holy Spirit inwardly working in the ſoule. We will ſay, Men will teach comfortable doctrine: but all the comfortable doctrine we heare, proceedeth of this, that the holy Spirit accompanieth their doctrine, and worketh comfort inwardly. If thou haſt anie conſolation inwardlie by teaching, thou mayeſt rejoyce, and bee aſſured, that thou haſt a glorious Doctour, euen the third perſon of the Trinitie, in thine heart, There is no conſolation in the outwarde Teacher, without him, whome the Father ſhall ſende in my Name. The Father ſendeth the holie Spirite in the Name of the Sonne, and ſendeth that Spirit by his Sonne, as Mediator. The Spirite and all his graces, floweth till vsus from the Father, but mediatelie thorowe the Sonne, as a mediate perſon. There commeth not a grace till vsus, but thorow the Sonne. All power is giuen to him, and thorow him immediately all joye is conuoyed to the creature. The Iewes and Paganes paſſe ouer this, and thinke to climbe vp to God the Father without the Meſsias: but they ſhall neuer ſee him: for the God of Heauen hath placed in him, as in a ſtore-houſe, all grace, vvhichwhich he ſhall beſtow vponupon the vvorld: as Iuſtice, Mercy, Sanctification, Ioye, Peace, and tranquility of Conſcience: and hee hath bought them by no leſſe price, than by his Blood: they are all bought by the blood of the immaculate Lambe of God. Thou vvho haſt gotten a ſponke of that grace▪ thou haſt gotten a greater grace, than if thou hadſt gotten all the Kingdomes of the vvorlde.
But what ſhall he teach you? All things: Not all the fantaſies of men, not the inuentions of the Pope, but all things J hauehave tolde you. The Lord be mercifull to this worlde, vvhichwhich wandereth after the inuentions of men: And bleſſed art thou who reſteſt vponupon that vvord which the Spirit hath told. Marke: hath the vvorde preached none effect, but by the Spirit conuoying it? Not: Euen ſo on the other part, the Spirit will teach nothing, but that which hath come out of the mouth of Ieſus Chriſt. Bee not deceiued: What call I the word of Chriſt? That is the word of Chriſt, that …he Prophets ſpake of olde, as Peter teſtifieth: for the Prophets ſpake by the Spirit of Chriſt. Next, I call the word of Chriſt, that which he ſpake himſelfe in the worlde. Thirdly, that which the Apoſtles ſpake. Laſt, I call the worde of God, the Scriptures of the Olde and New Teſtament, vvhichwhich the Lord hath regiſtrated in his merciemercy: And take it awaye, miſerable darkneſſe ſhall come vponupon the vvorlde: Let it ſtand, giuegive it the owne power, it ſhall ſhine like light vntounto the worlde. They will ſaye, it hath not all that Chriſt ſpake, and that the Apoſtles ſpake. I anſwere, The Lord Ieſus ſpake nothing, nor his Apoſtles ſpake nothing, but all in effect is contained in this written word. There is not a word that the Spirit of Ieſus ſhall ſpeake vntounto thy ſoule, but onelyonly that which is regiſtrated in the Olde and New Teſtament. That Trueth ſhall ſtand inſpite of the world. This place therefore confuteth all them that are enemies to the Scriptures. Mahomet began, & ſaid, the Scripture was imperfect: The Pope brought in mens Traditions, to ſupply the wants of the Scriptures. Others, as the Anabaptiſtes, awaite on that reuelation of the Spirit, beſides that reuelation of Ieſus Chriſt in his worde: But inſpite of them, they ſhall get none other reuelation: nor the Spirit ſhall accompany no word but that which Ieſus hath ſpoken, & left in regiſter. Now, Lord if we, with whome hee hath let his light remaine, ſhoulde praiſe him! The Lord accompany his worde with the preſence of his Spirite, that Comforter, in our ſoules inwardly, till his comming in the Cloudes, and we ſee him face to face: To whom bee praiſe, honour, and glory, for euer and euer. Amen.