Twenty-Five Lectures Upon the Lords Last Sermon and Conference, Lecture 12
THE TWELFTH LECTVRE, OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION.
IOHN, CHAP. xv. VERS. 19.20.21.22.23.24.25.26.27.
19 Jf yee were of the world, the world would louelove his owne: but becauſe yee are not of the world, but I hauehave choſen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20 Remember the word that I ſaide vntounto you, The ſeruant is not greater than his Master: if they hauehave perſecuted mee, they will perſecute you alſo: if they hauehave kept my word, they will alſo keepe yours.
21 But all theſe thinges will they doe vntounto you for my Names ſake, becauſe they hauehave not knowne him that ſent mee.
22 If I had not come, and ſpoken vntounto them, they ſhould not hauehave had ſinne: but now hauehave they no cloake for their ſinne.
23 Hee that hateth mee, hateth my Father alſo.
24 Jf J had not done workes among them, which none other man did, they had not had ſinne: but now: hauehave they both ſeene, and hauehave hated both mee, and my Father.
25 But▪ it is that the worde might bee fulfilled, that is written in their Law, They hated mee without a cauſe.
26 But when that Comforter ſhall come, whome I will ſende vntounto you from my Father▪ euen the Spirit of trueth, which proceedeth of the Father, hee ſhall teſtifie of mee.
27 And yee ſhall witneſſe alſo, becauſe yee hauehave beene with mee from the beginning.
AFter the Lord Ieſus (beloued in him) hath giuen ſundry exhortations to his Diſciples, at laſt, in the 16. verſ. he giueth a direction to them, that after his aſcenſion to Heauen, they ſhould paſſe out into the world, and teach all Nations, & baptize them. The words here, are that they ſhould go, & bring out f…uit: that is, win ſoules to the kingdome of Heauen. Secondly, he ſets down the ground of his ordinance: he ſets downe what right he hath to giuegive it: I hauehave choſen you, & ye hauehave not choſen me, ſaith he: I preuented you, when there was no ſuch thing in your mind: & therfore I hauehave juſt right to giuegive you this ordinance. After he hath giuen this ordinance, he begins to furniſh them, & inarme thē againſt the time they ſhold paſſe out: the firſt piece of armour was prayer: they ſhold pray to the Father. But how? In his Name. Look they heart in prayer be groūded by faith in Ieſus Chriſt. The next piece of their armour, is louelove, & chiefly that louelove which eueryevery one ſhould beare to another: they ought not only louelove him, whom they teach: but the fellow labourers ſhould louelove mutually: when the fellow-labourers agree among themſelues, then the work of the Lord goes forward pleaſantly. The third piece of armour, is patience, that they ſhould ſuffer patiently all the hatred of the world. Now he inſisteth vponupon this place, and vſeth ſundry arguments: The firſt he had, was from his owne example: hee ſaieth, HaueHave they not hated mee before you? then why ſhould yee take it heauily, that the worlde hate you? for the seruant is not greater than his Master. I goe forward. In the beginning of this Text, we hauehave the ſecond argument, whereby the Lord moueth his Diſciples to beare patiently the hatred of the world: If yee were of the world, the world would louelove his owne, ſaith he, but becauſe ye are not of the worlde, but I hauehave choſen you out of the worlde, therefore the worlde hateth you. The meaning is this in effect, If the world hate you, it is a good token, that I hauehave choſen you out of the vvorlde, and relieued you from that damnation which ye were ſubject to. Ye ſee in this argument, when the world loueth any man, certainlie it is a token that there is little good in that man: for the wicked worlde, ordained for damnation, will louelove no man without a cauſe, except it find a conformitie with it: And as Paul ſaieth, Rom. 12. verſ. 2. except it find a likeneſſe in humour and affection, it will not louelove a man. It is true, wicked men will louelove a good man, but neuer for any good, neuer for Gods cauſe, but for ſome particular reſpect, as kinred, alliance, blood, or ſome policie: But for a good cauſe, wicked men will neuer louelove a good man. By the contrarie, when the worlde hateth a man, it is a token there is ſome good in that man. Ere euer the worlde beginne to hate a man, God loueth him: Ere euer the worlde beginne to ſhoote that man out of the worlde, the Lord hath exempted him out of the worlde. It is true indeede, the worlde will hate a wicked man, as a man who doeth great and horrible murders, committeth adulterie, and inceſt, &c. but the worlde will neuer hate wickedneſſe for wickedneſſe cauſe, becauſe it is an offence to God, but for ſome priuate hurt and dammage; as becauſe he is noyſome to the Common-wealth, and troubleſome to the peace of the Countrey, and ſuch like. This ſame which I ſpeake of men, may bee well drawne to Religion: That Religion which the multitude of the worlde runneth after, is not moſt to be approued: No, the Lord ſaue me from it. Neither that Religion which the world deteſteth, is to be rejected: No, the hatred of the Deuill, and of the world, is a good to ken. When the world hateth godly men, there is matter of patience, and of joye: and it is a ſure token, the hatred of the worlde ſhall not ſo ſoone touch the heart, but as ſoone the Lord ſhall meet it with his louelove: and the greater the hatred bee, the greater ſhall the louelove of God be. Rom. 5. verſ. 3. Faith worketh patience, patience experience, to wit, of the fauour and louelove of God: which hee ſaith afterward, is ſhed abroad, by his holy Spirit, into our hearts.
I goe forward: The third argument, Remember, ſaieth the Lord, the word that I ſaide to you, The ſeruant is not greater than his Master: Looke what they did to me, they will doe the ſame to you. As hee would ſay, It may ſuffice you to be in that eſtate that I was in before you: for why? yee are but ſeruantes, and I am the Lord: and therefore it may ſuffice you well, to bee in that eſtate that I hauehave bene in before you. He calleth them to remembrance of that word which he ſpake before in the 13. Chap. and 16. verſ. when he exhorted them to humilitie. Would any man or woman after the example of Chriſt, be humbled, lowly, and obedient, and patient; let them euer holde their eyes vponupon Ieſus Chriſt and vponupon that highneſſe and Lordſhip, wherein hee ſitteth at the right hand of the Father: and then when thou ſeeſt howe high hee is, looke downe to thy ſelfe, and thou ſhalt ſee, the fardeſt that thou canſt claime to, is this, To be but his ſeruant, though thou wereſt a King: (and woe be to thee, if thou be not a ſeruant of Chriſts) Then looking vp to Chriſt, and downe to thy ſelfe, reaſon thus, Hath my Lord, who is aboue me, ſuffered many things patiently, ſhall not I, who am a ſeruant, ſuffer ſomething patiently? And then the ſoule ſhall ſay, Suffer patiently for him, and I ſhall count it honour to be partaker of his ſuffering: for of all the honours of the world, it is the greateſt, to ſuffer for Chriſt. Were not the Apoſtles blythe while they ſuffered for Chriſt? Reade Act. 5. verſ. 41. there it is ſaid, They departed from the Councill reioycing that they were counted worthie to ſuffer rebuke for his Name. Paul, Phillip. 1. verſ. 29. ſaith, To you is giuen for Chriſt, not onelie to belieue in him, but alſo to ſuffer for his ſake. They who ſuffer for Chriſt, may thinke they hauehave gotten a great gift.
Farder of this argument, I marke this, The hatred and louelove of men is common to Ieſus Chriſt, with his members: ſo that they who louelove Ieſus Chriſt, they louelove alſo his ſeruantes: and they who are foes to Chriſt, they are foes alſo to his ſeruantes. But it is well to bee marked, that this hatred and fauour of men beginneth euer at Chriſt: ere euer one louelove the ſeruant, hee muſt louelove the Maſter: and hee that hateth the ſeruant, hee hateth the Maſter firſt: Hateſt thou him who beareth the Meſſage of Chriſt? thou hateſt Chriſt, who ſent him, ſaye what thou wilt: and thou who loueſt Chriſt, thou wilt louelove the ſillieſt member of Chriſt.
Nowe I come to the fourth argument, and it is from the cauſe which they had in hande: Whatſoeuer the worlde ſhould doe vntounto them, it ſhoulde bee for a good cauſe, it ſhoulde bee for my Names ſake, and for my Fathers ſake. Hee letteth the Diſciples ſee farder than the worlde ſawe in their hatred to the Diſciples: for Chriſt in all his ſpeaking, chiefelie with the Scribes and Phariſees, hee letteth them ſee with whome they had to doe: they had to doe firſt with the Father of Heauen: all their perſecution was a misknowledging of the Father. The malicious perſecution of men, ſtriketh firſt vponupon the GOD of Heauen: firſt ere it bee on the Sonne, it muſt ſtrike on the Father. As the Iewes then, that woulde boaſt that they loued God, and hated his Diſciples, had in their heartes firſt the hatred of the Father: ſo nowe men will ſaye in the middeſt of the hatred of the ſeruantes of Ieſus Chriſt, that they louelove Ieſus Chriſt: but the Spirite of Ieſus Chriſt ſayeth, They lie: and the ground of their hatred, is the hatred of Chriſt. Bee not deceiued: I will laye downe this as a ſure ground: It is vnpoſſible for one to louelove Chriſt, or his Father, and to raile vponupon the ſeruantes of Chriſt. This for the fourth argument, wherein wee may ſee the firſt thing required in a Chriſtian, is patience. Among all the argumentes, to moue a man to patience, this ſuffering for a good cauſe, is principall: for it bringeth with it great joy. Whē a man ſuffereth as an euil doer, as a thiefe, an adulterer, or murderer, he will not ſuffer patiently & joyfully. The Lord will not let joy come of ſin: but if they hauehave joy, that comes vponupon the aſſurance their ſinnes are forgiuen them, which cauſed them to hold down their head. Bleſſed is the man who ſuffereth for a good cauſe! and the beſt cauſe, is to ſuffer for Ieſus Chriſt: and if euer one found joy in ſuffering, they found the greateſt joy: for as it is ſaid 1. Pet. 4.14. of thoſe who ſuffer for Chriſt, the Spirit of glory, & of God, reſteth vponupon them: the Spirit of Chriſt ſits downe in the ſoule, & reſteth & holdeth vp the ſoule with joy. No words can teach this ſo wel as experience: the Martyrs were witneſſes herof, who in moſt exquiſit torments were patient, & rejoyced wonderfully: & what was the cauſe thereof? Euen becauſe that the Spirit of Chriſt filled their ſoules with joy: and that joy ouercame & ate vp all the pain. Therfore, if thou wouldeſt ſuffer, look that it be for a good cauſe: let it be for the cauſe of Ieſus Chriſt, that our ſuffering may be joyfull, & in laying down of this life, we may be aſſured, that we ſhal be tranſported to that bleſſed life: Bleſſed, ſaith Chriſt, Matth. 5.10, are thoſe who ſuffer for righteouſneſſe ſake, for theirs is the Kingdome of God. Now leſt the ignorance of the Father ſhold hauehave bene thought to hauehave bene a ſimple ignorance, he ſaith, Jf I had not come, and ſpoken vntounto them, (he meaneth of the Scribes & Phariſees) they ſhould hauehave had no ſinne: that is, If I had not reuealed the whole ſecret of the Father, their ignorance had bene tollerable: but now they hauehave no pretence to cloake their ignorance, but their mouth ſhall bee cloſed vp.
Nowe yee ſee in theſe wordes, howe hee bringeth this perſecution of his Diſcilples to the head grounde: Firſt, There is the hatred of the Diſciples: Secondly, there is the hatred of the Sonne: And thirdlie, there is the miſſe-knowledge of the Father. The ground of this is the bitterneſſe of the heart. So it is called, Act. 8. verſ. 23. when Peter ſpeaketh to Simon Magus. The ground then of ignorance, was the roote of bitterneſſe in the heart, reſiſting the holy Spirit. From this maliciouſneſſe ſloweth the ignorance of God, the hatred of the Sonne, and the hatred of the Diſciples. All perſecution commeth of malice firſt, and then of ignorance. All the perſecuters that euer were in the world, were like as many blind men. Indeed I grant, that all perſecution will not proceede in alike meaſure, from malice, and the gall of bitterneſſe; albeit there is none ignorance, but it is joyned with ſome malice of the heart: but the malice is not alike great: for in ſome hearts there is nothing but venome, and a bag of gall: and ſome there are who hauehave leſſe: and that perſecution proceedeth of a blinde zeale, more than of bitterneſſe. Looke what Paul ſpeaketh of himſelfe, 1. Timoth. 1. verſ. 13. hee had ſuch a blind zeale, that hee perſecuted the Kirke: and when he was going to Damaſcus, he had a kinde of zeale: but afterwarde, when hee ſaw Chriſt, hee called that zeale a madneſſe, and woodneſſe. So there is ſome perſecution that commeth of a blind zeale: & ſome there is, that commeth of maliciouſneſſe altogether: And as theſe two differ in grounds, ſo they differ in mercy alſo. Paul, 1. Timoth. 1. ſaith, Before, I was a blaſphemer, a perſecuter, and an oppreſſour: but God had mercy on me, for I did it ignorantly, thorow vnbeliefe: and therefore the Lord laid it not to my charge. But as touching the other perſecution, that cōmeth of maliciouſneſſe againſt the holy Spirit, woe to that perſecuter: for ſurely it is a rare thing for ſuch a man to gette grace: And hee who is obdured in maliciouſneſſe, (for it is the ground of ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt,) very hardly obtaineth ſaluation, becauſe with great difficultie is it rooted out of the ſoule.
Take heed, there is none of vsus, but there is a piece of venome in vsus, and wee ſpoute out venome. So wee knowing that God deſpiteth that venome, wee ſhould trauell to gette it away by prayer to God, as we feele it: for there is no power in Heauen, nor in earth, that can purge vsus, but that holy Spirit: and he who hath this Spirite of Chriſt, when hee feeleth this bitterneſſe in the heart, will loathe at it, and then he will hauehave his refuge to Chriſt.
Take vp, in this laſt verſe, that Chriſt and his Goſpel ſerueth to make the world inexcuſable: for their ignorance is wilfull. There is neuer a ſoule that is condemned, or goeth to Hell, that can pretende ignorance, becauſe their ignorance is voluntary. It is true, that ere euer a man goe to Hell, he is blinded, and the eyes of him are taken away by his owne corruption: But it is alſo true, that ere euer a man die, his mouth ſhall bee cloſed, and hee ſhall not hauehave a worde to ſpeake in the daye of judgement: No damned ſoule ſhall hauehave a word to ſpeake in that day: when that voyce is pronounced againſt them, they ſhall paſſe awaye, with the greateſt ſhout that euer▪ was, becauſe they dare not pretende ignorance: for his ignorance ſhall bee inexcuſable. Any man would thinke, that if any were excuſed for ignorance, that the Gentiles would be excuſed: yet the Apoſtle ſaieth, Rom. 1. verſ. 21. There is not a Gentile that died, but their conſcience ſhall make them inexcuſable: becauſe of the light of nature that they had into them: Looke then to the ſharpneſſe of the judgement of God: And if thou hadſt no more but the light of nature, all theſe creatures ſhall ſtande vp againſt thee, & condemne thee, though there were no more to condemne thee. If that light of nature make men inexcuſable in that great day, let vsus take heed how we heare the Scriptures: for if the Gentiles were inexcuſable, what ſhall bee the eſtate of the people, who hauehave not onelyonly the light of nature, but that ſpirituall light from Heauen, reuealed by the mouth of Ieſus Chriſt? Shall that ſoule ſpeake a word in that day? Therefore I beſeech you, in the bowels of Ieſus Chriſt, to receiue knowledge, or elſe it were better for vsus, that wee had neuer heard of Chriſt: and better ſhall it be with the Gentiles, and with Sodome and Gomorrha, than with vsus: the greater light, the greater condemnation: Therefore, as wee would ſee Heauen, let this light ſhine in our heartes, that wee may bee transformed from the courſe of the world, and ſhine before Chriſt in newneſſe of life.
Nowe in the next wordes, hee giueth the ſeconde argument of that hatred, and aggreageth it more: They who hate mee, hate the Father alſo. And he is ſpeaking of the obſtinate Iewes, who pretended a louelove to God. We heard heretofore, that the hatred of the world againſt the Diſciples of Chriſt, was againſt Chriſt himſelfe: the hatred that extended to the one part, extended alſo to the other. Now we heare that the hatred of the world againſt Chriſt, extendeth to the Father alſo: and that hee who hateth Chriſt, hateth God alſo: And euen as the Iewes hated the Diſciples, becauſe they ſawe ſome grace of Chriſt in them, and becauſe they were indued with his Spirite: (for the worlde will neuer hate one that is his owne:) ſo for that ſame cauſe, hateth the world Chriſts members: yea, the hatred of the world againſt Chriſt himſelfe, was for none other cauſe, but becauſe they ſaw God dwelling in him bodily: they ſaw that glorious Godhead dwelling in the nature of man: howbeit they caſt vp his kinred to him, yet they hated him not becauſe of the fleſhe, but becauſe God dwelt in him. The thing that the men of this world hate moſt, is the God of Heauen: & if they hate any creature of God, it is for Gods cauſe. It is a wonderfull thing, that ſuch a thought can be in the hart of the creature againſt the Creator. Let vsus then ſee the cauſe! God is light, ſaith Iohn, 1. epiſt. 1. verſ. 5. And whatſoeuer man in the world doth wickedly, he hateth the light deadly, yea, if it were but the day light, and the light of the Sun, hee hateth it, becauſe it craueth a decent behauiour. Rom. 13. verſ. 13. And the wicked ſoule craueth aye filthineſſe: and much more they hate the light of the worde of God, becauſe it pierceth into the conſciences of men, it ſtingeth them: and then moſt of all they hate God himſelfe, who is the light: when hee beginneth to ſhine vponupon their conſciences, they find ſuch an horror & dread our, that they would wiſhe him out of the worlde, ſo vehementlie they hate him: they can abide to ſee the Deuil, or any creature; but they cannot abide the ſight of God. Now looke our nature: darknes & light ſight not ſo much, heat & cold fight not ſo much together, as God and our nature: and this battell ſhall neuer hauehave an ende; no, not when the miſerable catiue is in Hell. Whereon riſeth Hell, but vponupon the diſſention betwixt the Creator, and the creature? So this battell ſhall neuer take an ende, except it pleaſe God of his grace, who made light to ſhine out of darkneſſe, to inlighten, and to reforme the ſoule, and to ſcatter this palpable darkneſſe▪ wherein wee are wrapped.
I goe forwarde to the thirde argument, If I had not wrought ſuch works among them, which none other man in this world did, they wold not hauehave had ſinne. The argument then is taken from his workes: They ſawe Ieſus Chriſt to bee ſuch a man, as there was neuer the like of him. They ſawe that diuinitie in him: and this ſight aggreageth their hatred. By the workes, I vnderſtand all the prooues the Lord gaue of his Diuinitie to the worlde; whether they were the miraculous workes, in reſtoring the blinde to ſight, the lame to limmes, the deafe to eares; or it was his holy life in the worlde. Neuer man liued ſo holily, and heauenly, as he: for he ſaith, Iohn, 5. verſ. 36. My works teſtifie of …e▪ that I am not a man only. And indeede, not only thoſe who were his friendes, and his Diſciples, and ſeruantes, tooke this vp: (Iohn ſaith, We ſaw him full of grace and veritie, and wee ſaw his glorie▪ like the glorie of the onelyonly begotten Sonne of God, John, 1. verſ. 14.) but alſo his very enemies ſaw it: when as the ſouldiours came to take him, they ſaid, Neuer one ſpake, as he ſpeaketh, John, 7. verſ. 46. His words bound the mens hands: and the Phariſees, who were his enemies, were compelled to ſay, If he had beene a ſinner, he could not hauehave healed the blind, John, 9. verſ. 16. And ſo we who now liue, howbeit we ſee him not bodily, working wonders in the world, thereby to perſwade, or to conuince vsus; yet by this worde of the Croſſe preached, which to his owne is the power and wiſdome of God, we are perſwaded that Chriſt is the only Sonne of God, there is ſuch a Majeſty in it: And ſo, if there were no more to teſtifie vntounto vsus, but this word of the Goſpel, it conuinceth the conſciences of all men, that the Lord, of whom it is ſpoken, is not man only, but God alſo.
Then hee ſaieth, They hauehave both ſeene, and hauehave hated both mee, and my Father. There is a maruell, that they knowing God, they hated God: it would ſeeme tollerable, if they knewe not God, to hate him: but to know him, and hate him, it is a thing not to bee comporteth with. It was ſaide of before, that the worlde, who hated him, knewe not the Father. Howe can theſe two ſtand? They ſtand both well: for firſt of all, there is a certaine knowledge of God, by the which the moſt wicked in the worlde knoweth God: but then the canker of the heart expelleth this knowledge: and on this commeth ignorance, and on ignorance commeth hatred. Marke by what degrees ſinne riſeth vp: and eueryevery one of vsus may finde this in ſome meaſure: there is no ſinner, who doeth a great ſinne, but firſt they hauehave a knowledge of God, of good and of euill. Paul, Rom. 1. verſ. 21. ſpeaking of the Gentiles, ſaieth, they knew God. There is ſuch a bitterneſſe and maliciouſneſſe in the heart, that that maliciouſneſſe blotteth out the knowledge in the heart. A wicked man will ſtoppe both his fingers in his eyes, that he ſhould not ſee. The Apoſtle afterward ſays, They not taking pleaſure to intertain the knowledge of God, they put out knowledge: knowledge departed, blacke ignorance cōmeth in, by the judgement of God; & then farewell conſcience: then they loſe all feeling: and being blind, and paſt ſenſe, they run headlonges to all miſchiefe: And that is it the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, Epheſ. 4.19. So yee ſee, that all this miſchiefe that men committeth in the world, falleth out immediatly of blindnes: ere euer one go to doe wickednes, ignorance cōmeth in firſt: & then commeth in a want of conſcience. Durſt a man goe out ſo boldly before God, to doe wickedneſſe, if hee had a conſcience? And thinke yee that wicked men in this Countrey, who take paſtime in murder, in filthineſſe, &c. and aboue all, thoſe men who hauehave committed ſuch hainous things againſt God, againſt Religion, againſt their owne natiue Countreye, and the Crowne; thinke yee they woulde hauehave ſuch a boldneſſe, if they ſtopped not their fingers in their eyes, and blunted the conſcience? I pronounce, in the Name of God, they are bound in the chaines of darneſſe, (looſe them who will,) if they repent not.
The laſt thing I mark: what is the thing that maketh all ſinne inexcuſable? Knowledge cloſeth the mouth of the ſinner: knowledge taketh away all excuſes: it taketh awaye ignorance, and ignorance ſhall excuſe no man in the daye of the Lord: and the greater the knowledge bee, the leſſe excuſe is there for ſinne. I ſaye more: Knowledge not onelyonly maketh ſinne inexcuſable, but knowledge doubleth ſinne: Murder is ſinne, but murder with knowledge is double ſinne: and the greater the knowledge is, the greater the ſinne ſhall bee, in the daye of Iudgement. And if thou hadſt but the knowledge of the elements, thou ſhalt be inexcuſable: And if the Lord ſpeake out of Heauen to thee, thy ſinne ſhall bee tripled: and well were it with thee, who nowe ſinneſt vnderunder the light of the Goſpel, without repentance, that thou hadſt bene one of Sodome, in that great day: and thou thy ſelfe ſhalt wiſh in that daye, that ſo it had beene. There is no tongue can tell the judgement that ſhall fall vponupon that man, who heareth this worde, and abideth in ſinne. Yet the worlde will not bee wakened: Crie on them, they are not the better. Thus much for the ſecond argument.
In the verſe following, leſt it ſhoulde bee thought or objected, that the obſtinate Iewes ſhould hauehave done this in deſpite of God, the Lord meeteth this, & ſaith, All this is done that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their Lawe, They hated mee without a cause. The place is in the 35. Pſalme, verſ. 19. It is called the Lawe, becauſe all Prophecie is a pendicle to Moyſes Lawe; and all the Prophets were vnderunder the Law. This is a complaint of Dauid, of his enemies, who hated him without a cauſe. There was a great cauſe of louelove in Chriſt, and not of hatred. Then this yee will ſee commonly, that when the Spirit in the Scripture maketh mention of croſſes▪ troubles, and perſecution of Chriſt, which are euill things, he ſpeaketh ſo warily of them, that nothing bee derogate to Gods glorie, hee ſaith, The Lord ordained them from all eternitie. And there is not a thing, yea, not the moſte vnworthie thing, that is done to the faythfull of Chriſt this daye, but it commeth by that eternall Decree: it was preordained: and if it had not beene ſo, the godly had cauſe to ſorrowe, and the God of Heauen woulde bee diſgraced. And marke this, that the ordinance of God ſhall not excuſe thee, who is the inſtrument, when thou doeſt anie thing againſt his reuealed will. The Murderer may ſaye, What hauehave I done, but the will of God? O murderer! ſay I, thou art not to bee excuſed: thou haſt not done the will of God reuealed: and ſo ſay I to the Adulterer, and to all others, that commit ſinnes, which God hath forbidden. After that he hath aggreaged this hatred of the Iewes, againſt his Diſciples, he leaueth it, and returneth to his Diſciples, to comfort them. The laſt thing hee comforteth them with, Hee ſhall ſende them that Comforter from the Father: for hee commeth firſt from the Father: and the Father ſendeth him by the Sonne: he calleth him the Spirit of trueth: and, He ſhall teſtifie into your heart of mee. As if hee would ſaye, The teſtimony theſe Iewes got, it was but outwardly: but to you I ſhall ſende my Spirit, an inward witneſſe. The Leſſon is: Wee ſee heere two ſortes of witneſſes: the one outwarde, the other inwarde: to wit, the Spirit. The firſt is his word, his miracles: and it is good to heare the worde: but and if the Spirite bee not preſent, it were better for thee neuer to hauehave heard the worde. And ſuppoſing wee had CHRIST with vsus, euen in the middeſt of vsus, as hee was amongſt the Iewes, if it pleaſed him not to ſende his Spirite into our heartes, it woulde doe vsus no good. And therefore, thinke it not enough to ſaye, And if wee had CHRIST, as the Iewes had him, wee woulde belieue, and wee woulde bee well. No, no, If thou hadſt not the Spirite, all woulde not auaile thee. Bee not content to bee hearers onelie, for all that will ſerue but to da…nation, except thou feeleſt that Comforter to worke in thine heart, to reforme thine heart, and to worke fayth into thee. And therefore let this bee thy prayer, in hearing that worde, LORD, let thy Spirit worke into mine heart. And if hee bee into thine heart, hee will let thee feele ſuch a comfort, and ſuch a peace, and ſuch a reſt into thine heart, that the worlde cannot tell what it meaneth.
This is to be conſidered, that he ſaith, he will ſend the Comforter to them from the Father: for it importeth, That the Spirit floweth firſt from the Father, & then from himſelfe. So he ſaid in the Chapter preceeding, tha… the Father ſhould ſende the Spirit in his Name: for the Father ſendeth the Spirit by the Sonne, ere the Sonne ſende him from the Father. Seeing then, he proceedeth from them both, he muſt beare witneſſe both of the Father, and of the Sonne: but of the Father, by the Sonne, in whom the Father manifeſteth himſelf viſibly.
Thereafter he comforteth them another way, for he ſayth, Yee ſhall alſo witneſſe of mee. So he honoureth them, to make them witneſſe-bearers to him. The greateſt honour in the world, when a man is ſent to beare witneſſe to Chriſt: howbeit thou ſhouldeſt die into the meſſage, thou haſt gotten an honour aboue all honours. It is true, this cauſe wherefore they bare witneſſe of him, was becauſe they ſaw him, and heard him, and handled him with their handes: and this was a great helpe. But take vp heere the chiefe ground, in bearing witneſſe of Chriſt, when he ſendeth into the heart, the Spirit of comfort: And I ſay, ſuppoſe neuer a man ſaw Chriſt, (as we this day ſee him not bodily,) or neuer handled him, yet if it pleaſe the Lord, to ſende that Spirit into the heart, he will demonſtrate Chriſt vntounto him, as euidently, as though he had beene in Heauen to ſee that grace. Not onelie Miniſters muſt doe this, but all men muſt confeſſe Chriſt: and ſo let vsus preaſſe to gette that Spirit: for as Paul ſayde, No man is able to name the Lord, without that Spirit. 1. Corinth. Chap. 12. verſ. 3. At the Name of IESVS all knees ſhould bee bowed, and the tongue ſhoulde bee looſed, with ſuch a grace of the heart, that the heartes of men who heare, ſhould bee edified at the hearing of the worde: And wee ſhoulde aye bee edified more and more, till in the ende wee growe to perfection in Chriſt: To whome, with the Father, and the Holie Spirite, bee all prayſe, honour, glorie, power, and dominion, for euermore.
AMEN.