Twenty-Five Lectures Upon the Lords Last Sermon and Conference, Lecture 13
THE XIII. LECTVRE, OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION.
IOHN, CHAP. xvi. VERS. 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.
THeſe thinges hauehave J ſaide vntounto you, that yee ſhould not bee offended.
2 They ſhall excommunicate you: yea, the time ſhall come, that whoſoeuer killeth you, will th…ke that hee doeth God ſeruice.
3 And theſe things will they doe vntounto you, becauſe they hauehave not knowne the Father, nor mee.
4 But theſe thinges hauehave J tolde you, that when the houre ſhall come, ye might remember, that I tolde you them. And theſe thinges ſaide I not vntounto you from the beginning, becauſe J was with you.
5 But now I goe my way to him that ſent mee, and none of you asketh mee, Whither goest thou?
6 But becauſe I hauehave ſaide theſe thinges vntounto you, your heartes are full of ſorrowe.
7 Yet J tell you the trueth, Jt is expedient for you that J goe away: for if I goe not away, that Comforter will not come vntounto you: but if I depart, J will ſende him vntounto you.
8 And when hee is come, hee will reprooue the worlde of ſinne, and of righteouſneſſe, and of judgement.
9 Of ſinne, becauſe they belieue not in mee:
10 Of righteouſneſſe, becauſe I goe to my Father, and yee ſhall ſee mee no more.
11 Of judgement, becauſe the prince of this world is judged.
12 I hauehave yee manie thinges to ſaye vntounto you, but yee cannot beare them nowe.
THe Lord being ſhortly to depart out of this world (Beloued in the Lord Ieſus) continueth his ſpeach with his Diſciples from the beginning of the fourteenth Chapter, to the ſeuenteenth; exhorting them, comforting them, and inſtructing them in all things they ſhould do after he was departed. Now in the ſixteenth Chapter he continueth in the ſame purpoſe. In the beginning of the Chapter he concludeth that doctrine which he had in the latter part of the former Chapter, that exhortation he gaue his Diſciples to patience, Theſe things hauehave J ſpoken vntounto you▪ that ye ſhould not be offended: that is, I hauehave ſpoken to you of the hatred of the world, and of the perſecution of the worlde for my cauſe, that yee ſhould not be offended at mee, and at my Croſſe. The Leſſon is, Brethren, Chriſt Ieſus, and the Croſſe, are things vnſeparable. Affliction followeth vponupon the Euangel: 1. Timoth. Chap. 1. verſ. 8. they are called the afflictions of the Euangel: Bee not aſhamed of the afflictions of the Euangel. Now the thing in the worlde that nature abhorreth, and can abide worſt, is the Croſſe: So if wee will looke to nature, there is no acceſſe to Chriſt: It is vnpoſsible for vsus, by nature to attaine to Chriſt, except by an heauenly power we be ſuſtained, that we may paſſe thorow the ſire of the Croſſe, wherewith hee is compaſſed. The Lord Ieſus is in a fire, and without: we paſſe thorow this fire, wee cannot bee partakers of Chriſt: and ere wee goe thorow the fire, we muſt be raiſed vp by an heauenly grace: for as fayth to belieue in Chriſt, is of grace; ſo affliction and ſuffering for Chriſt, is of grace. Philipp. Chap. 1. verſ. 29. Ʋnto you it is giuen for Chriſt, that not onelie yee ſhould belieue in him, but alſo to ſuffer for his ſake. Except a man be holden vp, he is not able to abide the afflictions of the Euangel.
Well then, in the time of calmneſſe, and while the Lord, giu…th vsus time to drawe our breath, this ſhould bee the chiefe thing wee ſhould ſtudy, to prepare ourſelues for affliction: knowing, that affliction followeth on the Goſpel. Yea, eueryevery one, who profeſſeth the Lord, and his Goſpel, ſhould bee ready, when it pleaſeth the Lord to lay on the burden. And chiefly this appertaineth to Preachers, ay to fore-warne, that affliction is to come: that at that day of affliction, men & women may be ready to ſuffer what the Lord will lay on them: for as it is ſaid, Hee who is fore-warned, is halfe armed: And thou ſhouldeſt ſay eueryevery day, Lord, as I profeſſe thy Goſpel, ſo I am ready to ſuffer for it: knowing, that the ende of affliction is joy.
When he hath concluded the ſpeach he hath had with them generally, he commeth in particularly, and fore-telleth of ſome afflictions which they ſhould ſuffer: The firſt is, They ſhall excommunicate you; The ſecond, The time ſhall come, when they ſhall ſlay you: and they ſhall thinke they ſerue God. Hee layeth downe the ground, Becauſe they know not the Father, nor me. The Text is eaſie: It is not one or two ſorts of afflictions only, that is joyned with Chriſt, & his Goſpel: but all kinde of affliction, and at laſt it will come to death it ſelfe: and what reck of a common death? but death with exquiſite torments. Reade the Bookes of the Martyres: the Apoſtles had experience of this, they paſſed forwarde, after Chriſt went away, from affliction to affliction; till at laſt they loſt their liues: they were ſcourged, & ſhot out of the Synagogue, & at laſt ſlain: the afflictiōs that follow on the Goſpel, are all kind of afflictions. So if any man would ſuffer, let him prepare himſelfe to ſuffer, though it were all the torments of the world. Look what the Lord ſpake to Peter, Ioh. 21.18. When thou waſt a young man, thou girdedſt thy ſelf, & walkedſt whither thou wouldeſt: but when thou ſhalt be old, thou ſhalt ſtretch foorth thine hands, and another ſhall gird thee, and leade thee whither thou wouldeſt not: That is, thy ſuffering ſhalbe in the will of thine enemies. Brethrē, the moſt exquiſite torments, as racking, burning, & ſuch others, wil not excuſe thee, if thou deny Chriſt for the paine: & therefore we ſhould make vsus for the moſt exquiſit torments: & this is one comfort, the Lord will not lay more vponupon thee than thou mayſt beare: & he will giuegive thee power to beare it out: & he, who ſends the tentation, wil giuegive thee a faire & joyfull out gate: So Paul ſaith, The momentaniall and light afflictions of this present life, worketh out an euerlaſting weight of glorie, 2. Cor. 4.17. Looke, 1. Pet. 1.7. Now followeth the cauſe of perſecution, They who will perſecute you, they ſhall th…nke they ſerue GOD. The foreſt perſecution, is vnderunder the cloake of Religion, and ſeruice of God. The faireſt cloake to doe a wicked turne, is the cloake of Religion: and ſo the foreſt crueltie, is vnderunder the cloake of Religion. There was neuer ſuch a crueltie as the Papiſtes vſe, vnderunder the pretence of Religion: Inquire about that holy houſe of Spaine, and that Maſſacre of Paris, which ſhall neuer bee forgotten before God: that blood of the Sainctes is crying for vengeance from the Heauēs: all the pretences they can make, ſhall not ſaue them from it. Nowe, marke the ground of their perſecution: Theſe thinges they ſhall doe to you, becauſe they knew not the Father, nor mee. The ground of all well-doing is light, when the eye of the ſoule is illuminate to ſee GOD, and IESVS CHRIST, and the Father in the face of the Lord Ieſus: when the mind is illuminat, then the judgement is vpright: & when the judgement is vpright, the hart & the affections are wel inclined: when the hart is well inclined, then the hand, and the outward inſtrumentes, are well occupied. Matth. 6. verſ. 22. Jf the eye ſee, the whole body is lightened: that is, if the eye of the ſoule be lightened, then the ſoule is wel diſpoſed: So when the mind is ſet vponupon Ieſus Chriſt, & lightned by that light, it is a joyfull thing: but if the mind, which is the eye of the ſoule, bee blinded, and ſee not the face of Ieſus Chriſt, then all the powers of the ſoule are blinded: the judgement is blind, & the hart is euill diſpoſed, the affections peruerſe, & then the hand is doing euill: a blind body is ay doing euil: if the eye be blind, the whole body is blind: if the light bee put out, then there is great darkneſſe: if the eye of the ſoule bee put out, then a man is but a lumpe of darkneſſe, and nothing abideth that creature, but that outward darkneſſe. Wherfore ſerueth darkneſſe, but to be caſten into darkneſſe? Therefore, as thou wouldeſt hauehave an vpright iudgement, ſtriue to hauehave an illuminate ſoule: and as thou wouldeſt doe well, keepe aye a cleare eye in thy ſoule. Neuer let the face of Ieſus depart from thine eye: for it is onelyonly that face that holdeth the eye in a clearneſſe, and giueth light to the ſoule: He is the light of the world, and take him away, there is nothing but darkneſſe in the world. When he hath fore-warned them of the afflictions, he ſets downe the end, wherefore he fore-warneth them, to wit, that they ſhould remember the Lord had fore-warned them of afflictions, & therefore, that they ſhould prepare thēſelues for trouble. But wheras they might hauehave ſaid, Wherfore forewarned thou vsus no ſooner? he anſwers to this, I fore-warned you not of this from the beginning, becauſe I was with you: but now I am to depart, & therfore I forewarn you. One of the beſt preparations wee can hauehave, is to heare much, (for this preaching will not abide ay) therefore let vsus heare well ſo long as we hauehave occaſion of hearing of the word which we preach to you: for why? in the day of affliction, that holy Spirit ſhall call to thy rememberance that which thou haſt heard, and ſo comfort thee: And in the day of affliction▪ the holy Spirit will be more effectuall to call to thy rememberance that which thou haſt hearde, better than when thou firſt heardeſt it: For why? the worde of God, and the Spirit of God, hath not the ſpeciall effect euer when the word is heard, but when the body is in moſt neceſsity: and of all times in the worlde, in the time of affliction, or in the houre of death, the word will be moſt ſweete. Therefore heare in time, if it were in the houre of death: that at leaſt, in the hour of death, thou mayſt hauehave ioy in thine hearr. Another thing here: beholde how the Lord loued his Diſciples in this world: certainly ſo long as hee was with them, he loued them wondrous tenderly: and let be that he would not let them ſuffer, he wold not once let them heare of the croſſe. And this is the thing, that the Diſciples of Iohn the Baptiſt come to Chriſt, and complaine of, Mat. 9. verſ. 14. ſaying, Why do we, and the Phariſees …aſt oft, and thy Diſciples faſt not? The Lord anſwereth, Can the Children of the Marriage Chamber mourne, ſo long as the Bridegrome is with them? But the dayes will come, when the Bridegrome ſhall bee taken from them, and then they ſhall faſt. And nowe, when the Lord is with them, hee fore-warneth them of their afflictions, and of death it ſelfe: and ſo indeed they felt it when hee departed. The ground of this is, becauſe the Diſciples of Chriſt had a time of grouth granted to them into the worlde: and ſo long as the Lord abode into the worlde, they were not ripe, and their ſtrength was more outwarde than inwarde: But now, when hee goeth away, they growe ripe: he ſent his Spirit vponupon them, as ye ſee, Act. Chap. 2. they had a greater conſolation by that Spirit in Chriſtes abſence, than they had during all the time that Chriſt was with them. So wee hauehave our owne time in growing: and the Lord, when hee ſeeth wee are not able to ſuffer, hee will not lay the Croſſe vponupon vsus, but hee will ſpa…e vsus. Then we hauehave a time when we come to ripeneſſe: that is, when wee get that Spirit, and then the Lord will laye on the burden. Nowe as for vsus, wee hauehave had a long time to ripen, and it is a wonder that the Lord hath giuen vsus ſo long a time, and ſpared vsus ſo long. But, Brethren, the time is comming, wherein wee ſhall ſuffer, and afflictions abide vsus for the Goſpel: And I praye the Lord, that hee may finde ſome ripeneſſe and maturity, and chiefely in vsus the Miniſters of the Goſpel, that we may ſeale vp the Goſpel with our blood, if need require. He falleth out in the verſ. following, in a gentle reproofe of his Apoſtles, I am to depart, and none of you asketh, where I am to goe: but, ſaith hee, your heartes are full of ſorrowe. The Diſciples of Chriſt, when hee was among them, ſo acquieſced vponupon his bodily preſence, and thought they had ſuch an eaſe with him, that they thought not of any other felicity: and therefore they were woe at ſuch ſpeaches: for they were more carnall, than ſpirituall; and tooke more heede to that carnall, than ſpirituall ioy. So this is our nature, that if we can get in the world ſuch aboundance of riches, pleaſure, honour, and ſuch companie as we would, we would neuer deſire to goe out of this world, but ay to remaine. And when wee heare tell that wee muſt ſlit out of this worlde, the rememberance of death will ſting vsus to the heart: the Diſciples were ſad, becauſe the Lord was to goe from them: It is the hardeſt thing in the worlde, to gette the ſoule diſſeuered from the world, and to get the eye ſet vponupon Heauen, and to get an hope of that Life: Woe to that ſoule that getteth not hope to reach aboue this worlde: that ſoule is in an euill eſtate: And the Lord knowing this, hee will take awaye from vsus, that companie that will drawe vsus from him, and piece and piece hee will take vsus vntounto himſelfe: for no man getteth the deſire of Heauen in a moment: but a man piece and piece ſtealeth out of the worlde, and goeth to Heauen. Thinke not thou, therefore, them happie, who hauehave the worlde at their will: No, no, it is well for that creature, whom the Lord draweth out of the worlde, by taking from them the thinges of the worlde: For miſerable are wee, if ou… hope bee not extended beyonde all earthlie, yea, ſpirituall comfortes, that euen can befall vsus in this life: as Paul ſaieth, Of all men wee are moſte miſerable, if in this life onelyonly wee hauehave hope in Chriſt. 1. Cor. 1. verſ. 19.
I goe forward: As before hee gently reprooued them, ſo in the next verſ. hee comforteth them: Jt is expedient for you, that J goe away: for it J goe not away, the Comforter ſhall not come to you: but if J goe away, I will ſende him to you. Heereby wee ſee, that the holie Spirit commeth by the Reſurrection and Glorification of IESVS CHRIST: and therefore it is ſaide, The holie Spirite was not giuen, becauſe Ieſus was not as yet glorified, Chap. 7. verſ. 39. And whatſoeuer grace was of the holie Spirite into the worlde, was by vertue of that Reſurrection of Chriſt to come: and all this conſolation wee hauehave, floweth out of his Reſurrection, & Glorification: for out of his fulneſſe, we receiue a part: he is full of glorie, & his ſoule is repleat, and paſſeth all the Angels in glorie: and ſo out of his fulneſſe, all grace floweth vntounto vsus: and euerie one of the members of Chriſt, hath a meaſure of that Spirit, as hee thinketh meete: and therefore Paul ſaieth, Hee aſcended on high, and gaue giftes to men, Epheſ. 4. verſ. …. And ſo, wouldeſt thou hauehave joy, caſt vp thine eye to heauē, and faſten thy faith on Ieſus Chriſt, & thou ſhalt find a portion of that Spirit. Wee ſee two ſortes of the preſence of Chriſt: One bodilie, as the Diſciples ſaw: another ſpirituall: Howbeit hee bee diſtant from vsus in the Heauen, yet he ſendeth down his holie Spirit: & by that Spirit he worketh a feeling in the hearts of his owne: and they will heare his voyce, and will ſee him with the eyes of their ſoule: And they will hauehave this ſenſe, with ſuch a joye, that the tongue of him who findeth that joye, is not able to expreſſe the thouſand part of it. Both theſe preſences are very good: and they who ſaw him, had a great benefit. Many Kings longed to ſee him, but they ſaw him not: as Dauid, and Abraham. The men who ſaw him when hee was an Infant, thought they gotte a greater grace, than if all the worlde had beene giuen them. But for all this, the other preſence is better: for hee ſaieth, Jt is good that I goe away from you. It had beene good for the Iewes, that they had neuer had his bodily preſence, becauſe they had not the ſpirituall preſence of the Lord in their hearts. But as for that ſpiritual preſence, in all reſpectes it is to bee preferred to his bodily preſence, in the dayes of his humiliation: becauſe by vertue of that preſence, (albeit ſo farre diſtant from vsus,) wee receiue the holy Spirite, and all his graces. Looke to Heauen, and ſee him glorified: that preſence is the chiefe preſence: and as ſoone as wee ſee that glory, in that day, the beames of his glory ſhall transforme vsus, and catch vsus vp in the clouds. So great is the glory of the Lord, that it will not remaine within the Heauens with our Head: but of neceſſity it muſt flowe to his members vponupon earth. Nowe when thou findeſt grace, and joye, and pleaſure into thine heart, (And thinke not thou haſt joy enough, howbeit thou hadſt all the pleaſures in the world, except thou hauehave that joye of Chriſt.) then aſſure thy ſelfe, that Ieſus Chriſt thine Head is glorified in the Heauens. And if wee finde ſuch a pleaſure, that wee will bee rauiſhed aboue the worlde, being now ſo farre diſtant from Chriſt; what ſhall bee that joy and pleaſure wee ſhall conceiue in our heart, when wee ſhall ſee him face to face? The tongue cannot tell it: but the heart that hath felt it, can beſt teſtifie it. The Lord grant, that while as wee are in the earth, wee may walke as Citizens in the Heauens, euer waiting that theſe vile bodies may bee transformed, and made conformable to that glorious body of Ieſus Chriſt.
Now to goe forward: After he hath fore-warned his Diſciples of the afflictions which after his departure they ſhold ſuffer, That they ſhould bee excommunicate, and alſo ſlaine: And after hee hath ſet downe the ende wherefore hee fore-warned them, to wit, that they ſhould not be offended, but confirmed: And after he hath reproued them gently, that they rejoyced not when he tolde them that he was to depart: And after he hath begun to comfort them, by letting the… ſee that is was for their weale that hee was to depart from them: For thorow his bleſſed Aſcenſion, they ſhould bee partakers of the holy Spirit, and his graces: which, if hee did not aſcend to his Father, they would not get: In the words following he falleth out vponupon another head of doctrine, & inſtructeth them concerning the office of the Spirite, which hee was to diſcharge in the worlde, during the time of his abſence: and this office is in reſpect of the world, and chiefely of the obſtinate Iewes, who would not belieue in Chriſt when hee was preſent with them: When hee ſhall come, that is, when that Spirite of trueth ſhall come, after that I am gone away, he ſhall rebuke the world: that is, the faythleſſe and obſtinate in the worlde, hee ſhall conuict them. But yee may ſaye, No man heareth the voyce of the Spirite, ſpeaking with his owne mouth: howe ſhall the Spirite then rebuke the worlde? The meaning is, The Diſciples, whome that Spirite ſhall comfort, ſhall by their Miniſterie rebuke the worlde. Wee hauehave then two effectes of the Spirite heere: The firſt is, in reſpect of the godlie, and thoſe who belieue in Ieſus Chriſt, the Spirite entereth into their heartes, and worketh the greateſt joye and conſolation that euer was. There was neuer a ſoule that knewe what true joye meaned, but thoſe that felt the Spirite. The other effect, is in reſpect of thoſe who abide rebellious againſt Chriſt. In reſpect of them, the holy Spirite is aye rebuking and threatning them to their damnation: and that, by the Miniſterie of poore men: for hee will ſet them vp, and make them ſtand vp, and rebuke all the obſtinate: yea, euen the Kinges of the earth, if they will not belieue. All theſe reproofes that come out of the mouthes of the ſeruauntes of IESVS CHRIST, howe ſimple ſoeuer they bee, they proceede not ſo much from the mouthes of men, as from the holie Spirite: and they contemne the holie Spirit, who contemne thoſe men, his Miniſters: and the Lord of Heauen will bee auenged on them in that great Daye.
But to come to the particulars: Hee ſhall rebuke the worlde, and conuict it of three thinges: The firſt is, Hee ſhall conuict the worlde of ſinne: Next, Of righteouſneſſe: And thirdlie, Of judgement. The firſt of theſe three concerneth the faythleſſe vvorlde: and the other two concerne the Lord Ieſus: Hee ſhall conuict the world, that the Lord Ieſus is not only holy and righteous, but alſo the great and glorious Iudge of the world. Firſt he ſaith, The holy Spirit, when hee ſhall come, hee ſhall conuict the world of ſinne. Then hee ſheweth the ground, Becauſe the world belieueth not in me. The ſinne is infidelitie▪ in that they belieue not in Ieſus Chriſt, the heauieſt ſinne that can fall vponupon any man, for it bringeth on the greateſt guiltineſſe and condemnation that euer was: Hee who belieueth not in mee, ſaith Chriſt, he is condemned already. Iohn, 3. verſ. 18. Looke how ſoone thou ſinneſt, if thou refuſe to turne thine heart to the Lord Ieſus; as ſoone thou art condemned: the Lord delayeth not the ſentence to the laſt daye: but when thou haſt ſinned, the Lord immediately aſcendeth as a Iudge, to his Tribunall, and giueth out the ſentence of wrath againſt thee, becauſe thou belieueſt not in the onelyonly begotten Sonne of God. So there is no greater ſinne, than infidelity, for where it is, all ſinnes are imputed: as by the contrary, the greateſt righteouſneſſe that any man in this world can hauehave, is to belieue in Chriſt: it is ſuch a righteouſnes that taketh away all the ſin whatſoeuer: where it is, no ſinne is imputed. Art thou a Murderer, a Blaſphemer, an Adulderer? &c. belieue in Chriſt, that he died for thee, and thy ſins ſhal not be laid to thy charge: for the righteouſnes of Chriſt cloatheth a guilty man with righteouſnes. And this moued a notable ſeruāt of God to ſay, There is no ſin without infidelity: & no righteouſnes without faith: Meaning, that of al the ſins in the world the ſin of infidelity is the greateſt: for if thou belieue not, the leaſt euil thought that thou canſt think, ſhal abide before God cōtinually: ſo long as infidelity abideth, all ſin abideth: & take it away, all thy ſins ſhallbe taken away. This is then the meaning: & would ye hauehave proofe of this, how the holy Spirit ſhal reproue the world of ſin, look Paul, 1. Cor. 14.24. there ye will find the experience hereof, for hee ſaieth, Jf a man propheſie conforme to the worde, if an idiote commeth in at the doore, o… an vnlearned man that belieueth not, hee is rebuked of all, and is judged of all: and ſo are the ſecretes of his heart made manifeſt: (to wit, that infidelitie that laye in his heart, is made manifeſt,) and then hee falleth downe on his face, and worſhippeth GOD: and ſayeth plainlie,, GOD is in you indeede. We hauehave the experience of this in our own ſelues: when Ieſus Chriſt is preached, there are none that heare, and are guiltie, but their heartes are conuicted: there is none of you but ye find this: for if thou be an harlot, when thou heareſt harlotry preached, thou art conuicted, except thou be conuerted by the holy Spirit, and canſt come to God, and ſay, Lord, for Chriſtes ſake, hauehave mercy on mee: for that perſon that doeth ſo, is not onelie vnconuicted, but alſo is comforted by the Spirite: And happie is that ſoule which findeth this wrought into it. Nowe, What is the next thing when the Spirite ſhall come, whereof he ſhall conuict the world, and vnbelieuing Iewes? Hee ſhall conuict the world, ſaith the Lord, of juſtice: that is, He ſhall conuict the worlde, and the vnbelieuing Iewes, That the Lord Ieſus was that holy One: for the Iewes counted him the moſt vnjuſt man that was in the world: they put him in the ranke of thieues: they preferred Barabbas to him. But the Spirit of God, when hee ſhall come, hee ſhall conuince the worlde, That hee was the holieſt man in the world, as hee is called, Act. 7. verſ. 52. The ground of the conuiction is this, Hee paſſed vp to the Father. It appeared that he was the juſteſt man in the worlde, ſeeing hee paſſed vp to Heauen, after his glorious reſurrection: For if he had bene a ſinner, hee had neuer ent…ed into that Heauenly Sanctuary. No vnholy thing can enter into Heauen: if a man hauehave but ſo much as one ſpot of ſinne, he cannot come there. So then, there was neuer ſoule that gotte entry into Heauen, that got acceſſe to the Majeſty of God, but the Lord Ieſus firſt: And then, ſo many as ſhall bee waſhen from their ſinnes, by faith in his blood: ſo many onelyonly ſhall enter into that Sanctuarie, as ſhall bee clad with the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt. If thou wouldeſt goe to Heauen, ſtriue to bee clad with that garment: that is, HaueHave faith, or elſe thou ſhalt neuer hauehave entreſſe into Heauen.
The proofe of this, That the Lord was the holieſt man in the world, appeared ſoone after Chriſt aſcended: An example yee hauehave in the ſecond Chapter of the Acts of the Apoſtles, verſ. 23. where Peter, or rather the Spirit of God, by the mouth of Peter, immediately after Chriſtes aſcention, objecteth to the Iewes, that him whome they had ſlaine with wicked handes, the Lord had raiſed him from the dead, and glorified him in the Heauens: Whereby the holy Spirite ſo conuicted, and pricked their heartes; that they ſaide to Peter, and the reſt, Men and Brethren, what ſhall wee doe? That is, How ſhall we be cleanſed from that innocent blood? So nowe it appeareth, that Chriſt was the juſteſt man that euer liued in the worlde, thorowe the working of the Spirit, that conuicteth them thereof.
The thirde point, whereof the holy Spirite ſhall reprooue the world, is, of judgement. So, as the Lord is juſt, ſo is hee the glorious Iudge of the worlde. On what ground ſhall this paſſe? Becauſe the prince of this worlde is judged. The LORD IESVS is the Iudge of the worlde, in that hee hath condemned the Deuill: hee hath not judged the ſillieſt, and the weakeſt in the world: but him who had the greateſt power in the world: And ſo in judging him, the holy Spirit conuicteth the worlde, That hee was the Iudge of the worlde. Colloſſ. 2. verſ. 15. it is ſaide, When hee hung vponupon the Croſſe, he ſate moſt gloriouſly in a Chariot. There was neuer an Emperour, who was carried in ſuch a glorious Chariot as the Lord, howbeit hee was abject in the ſight of the worlde: In that Chariot hee taketh the Deuils, and taketh all their power, and leadeth them in triumph, and maketh an open ſhowe of them. So there is his victory, which hee gotte ouer the Deuill, the prince of this world. Indeede I grant, that the Deuill as yet hath a great power in this worlde. Epheſ. Chap. 2. verſ. 2. And hee runneth about like a roaring Lion: yet he is ouercome, and chained in darkneſſe. Iud. 6. That is, Hee is in chaines of terrible horrour and anguiſh: howbeit hee will deceiue men women, and make them to thinke, that he is free to doe what he will: be lies, he is in a great horror. Now the godly, who find the mortification of that ſinfull nature, find that the Deuil is ouercome: for except the Deuill were ouercome, ſinne would reigne in the worlde, for the kingdome, and tyranny of the Deuill; and the kingdome of ſinne and death, are euer conjoyned. So the godly, who find that the old man is crucified, finde that the Deuill is ouercome. The vngodly alſo, in whom the Deuill, the prince of this world, reigneth, (2. Corint. 4. verſ. 4.) they are conuicted in their conſciences, That the Lord hath ouercome the Deuill. The Murderers, Blaſphemers, Adulterers, &c. are conuict by the light of the Goſpel, That Sathan, whom they ſerue, as as many ſlaues, is but a ſlaue himſelfe, vanquiſhed by Chriſt Ieſus, and bound with chains of darkneſſe: albeit thorowe induration, and malice of their heartes, they prefer his bondage to the liberty of the Kingdome of Chriſt. And I denounce, In the Na…e of the Great GOD of Heauen, If they continue, their portion ſhall bee with the Deuill: the Lord Ieſus ſhall be auenged on them: For albeit the Lord Ieſus be in Heauen, ſitting at the right hand of that glorious Majeſty; yet hee leaueth not his poore members deſtitute of comfort. As before hee ſaid, I will not leaue you comfortleſſe; as ſoone as he went to Heauen, he ſent downe his Spirit, by whom hee reigneth in the worlde. Nowe that Spirit is either conuerting the ſoules of men, to Chriſt; or elſe he is conuicting and condemming the obſtinate: And bee thou aſſured, that if the holy Spirit conuert not thy ſoule by this worde, hee ſhall conuict thee, and ſtoppe thy mouth, and keepe thee in chaines, to that great Iudge the Lord Ieſus: and thou ſhalt bee ſo conuict in this world, that thou ſhalt not hauehave a worde to ſaye in that great Day, Paul ſpeaketh of this, 2. Cor. 10. verſ. 5. Thoſe who will not bee conuerted, but remaine diſobedient, I ſhall cauſe vengeance light vponupon them, and I ſhall bee the ſauour of death vntounto death to them. So either ſhalt thou bee conuerted by the worde, or elſe bee conuicted, and condemned. Now when he hath dipped into this doctrine, hee cutteth off the ſpeach, and ſaieth, J hauehave many moe things to ſpeake to you, but ye cannot beare them now: That is, ye are not capable of them now. There were other cauſes, no doubt, that here vrged him to cut ſhort his language: as namely, becauſe the houre of his death was at hand, as Chap. 14. verſ. 30. Another was, becauſe, as hee ſaieth, Chap. 15. verſ. 15. All thinges that I hauehave heard of my Father, hauehave J made knowne vntounto you: and therefore now hee would not inſiſt to repeate or expound the… heere, but hee remitteth farder reuelation to the Spirite. Fooliſhe therefore are the Papiſtes, who grounde on this place their Traditions: for all grace and power to vnderſtand anie thing of Ieſus Chriſt, and of the ſaluation of man, is of the Spirit. The Lord knew well, what power he hath giuen to euerie one to vnderſtand the waye of ſaluation, and according therevnto hee meaſureth his inſtruction: hee ſubmitteth himſelfe to their rudeneſſe and capacitie. If thou be an Infant, hee will not giuegive thee ſolide and ſtrong foode, but Milke: So hee willeth a Miniſter to meaſure the doctrine, conforme to the grouth and power of the hearers: The Miniſters in euerie Congregation, ſhould know who are Infants, and who are not, and accordinglie vſe diſcretion.
This worde is to bee marked, I hauehave manie thinges to tell you, and yet I will not tell you them now. The Miniſter ſhould inſtruct the ſobereſt in meaneſt thinges, and yet he ſhould ſubjoyne this, There is an higher myſterie, if thou wereſt capable thereof; that they may deſire to growe in knowledge. Some fooliſhe men will ſaye, If I had the Creede, and Pater noſter, and the Commandementes, I care not for more knowledge: that will not ſerue thee: no, no, as thou getteſt a ſight of Chriſt, ſo ſhouldeſt thou hauehave a great deſire to receiue farder grouth and in-ſight, and ſtriue to get a perfection: for albeit wee appeare to our ſelues ſometimes to hauehave cunning and knowledge enough; yet it is but little which the beſt of vsus hath, in reſpect of that which wee ſhould hauehave: for heere wee ſee but in a part, wee knowe but in a part. Reade 1. Corinth. 13. verſ. 9. We ſhould therefore neuer be content of the knowledge we hauehave: but ſhould aye ſtriue to get more, and with all theſe Preachinges, ſtriue to get Ieſus Chriſt, and to ſee his face more and more, as it were in a glaſſe, till once our fayth bee turned into ſight, and then wee ſhall get ſacietie of knowledge. Howe dangerous a thing it is, to a man who hath gotten but little knowledge, there to bide, the Apoſtle to the Hebrewes, Chap. 6. verſ. 4. declareth, for there he denounceth an heauie judgement againſt thoſe, who hauehave gotten a piece af knowledge, and ſtand there, yea, and fall away from it, hee ſaieth, there is no place of repentance for them. And indeed it is not poſſible, but if a man gette once a ſolide taſte and ſight of thoſe heauenlie thinges, but hee will ſtriue moſt earneſtlie to hauehave a farder knowledge, ſight, and fore-taſting of them night and daye, euen till hee get full ſacietie of joye and glorie. 1. Petr. 2 verſ. 2. Therefore, I beſeech you neuer to reſt, till yee get a ſight of Chriſt by and aboue all knowledge, that in him yee may hauehave all perfection: To whome, with the Father, and the holie Spirit, bee all praiſe, honour and glory, worlde without ende.
So bee it.