The Saints Sufferings and Sinners Sorrows, Part 71 – Part 93
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 foreign reggum violentiae, the Kingdome that ſuffereth violence, Mat. 11.12, 13. Luke 16.16. In 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 foreign 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 kingdome to his Father, which is foreign, 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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, yt 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 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 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, 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 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. 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 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 be honeſt and yet hate ſincerity. But ſeeing the guilt is moſt where the Goſpel is preached, let vsus 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 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, 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 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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, 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, 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. 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. 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 argument, 1 Pet. 4.7. The like theame and diſputation, 1 Ioh. 2.18. Wee have an Advocate, &c. and not wee onelyonly 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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.