The Glorious Feast of the Gospel, Sermon 6
THE Sixth Sermon.
ISAIAH 25. 8.
And he ſhall ſwallow up death in victory, and God will wipe away teares from all faces, that the rebukes of his people may be taken away from off the earth, for the Lord hath ſpoken it.
YOu have heard heretofore of a feaſt provided for Gods people, the founder of it being God himſelfe, who only can indeed comfort (that which is ſpecially to be comforted) the ſoule and the conſcience, he being above the conſcience. The place where the feaſt is kept is Mount Syon, the Church of God; the delicacies are deſcribed by fat things, wine refined on the lees, &c. The beſt of the beſt that can be thought of, which is Chriſt with all his benefits; who is bread indeed, and drinke indeed, that cheriſheth and nouriſheth the ſoule to life everlaſting. And becauſe there ſhould be nothing to diſturbe the ſolemnity of the feaſt, he promiſeth to deſtroy the face of covering, to take away the vaile ſpread over all nations, the vaile of ignorance and infidelity, to ſhine upon the ſoule, and fill it full of knowledge, and heavenly comfort. And becauſe there can be no comfort where death is feared, being the greateſt enemy in this life; therefore he will ſwallow up death in victory, and all that makes way for death, or attends death: and when this is taken away, all the attendants vaniſh with it, God will wipe away all teares from all faces. Becauſe the beſt things have not the beſt entertainment in the world, nor the beſt perſons, God promiſeth that the rebukes of his people ſhall be taken away from off the earth; what they are they ſhall be knowne to be. Theſe be very great matters, and therefore there is a great confirmation, they have a ſeale, and what is that? The Lord hath ſpoken it.
The laſt day I ſhewed that Gods children ſhall ſhed teares,Man ſince the fall ſubject to ſorrow. and that they have cauſe to do it. I will now inlarge it a little.
It is the condition of men ſince the fall,No ſorrow in Paradiſe, nor ſhall any be in heaven. in Paradiſe, before there was no cauſe of teares, nothing was out of joynt, all inframe; there was no ſinne, therefore no ſorrow, therefore no apprehenſion of ſorrow. And ſo in heaven there ſhall be no teares, becauſe no cauſe of it▪ they ſhall be as farre from heaven as the cauſe. This life is a valley of teares, a life of miſery, and therefore we ſhed teares here: And wee want no cauſe of it as long as ſinne is in the world, and ſorrow, and miſery that followeth ſinne. Our own ſins, and the ſins of others, our owne miſeries, and the miſeries of others. And ſurely a child of God finds this the greateſt cauſe of mourning in this world,The greateſt cauſe of the godlies mourning, ſin within him. that he hath a principle in him alwaies moleſting him in the ſervice of God, he cannot ſerve God with that chearfulneſſe, his unfeelingneſſe that he cannot be ſo ſenſible of God diſhonoured by himſelfe and others is his burthen; hee is grieved that he cannot grieve enough; he can find teares for other things, matter of this enough, as the heathen man could ſay. A man loſeth his eſtate, and hath teares for them, but forceth teares for other things, which are the true ground of griefe; a child of God hath a remainder of corruptions which puts him on to offend againſt God, and hinders him in his ſervice, in the liberty and chearfullneſſe of it: And this he complaines of with Paul and others, Miſerable man that I am, Rom. 7. 24.not for his affliection though that was much; but, who ſhall deliver me from this body of death.
I will here adde a caſe.1. A caſe about teares. Some ſay they cannot weep, but they can grieve, whether then is it neceſſary or no to weepe? Teares are taken for the ſpring of teares, griefe, all griefe ſhall be taken away. Teares are but the meſſengers of griefe; and often times the deepeſt apprehenſion that takes things deepely, cannot expreſſe it in teares. In ſome the paſſages fetching the conceit to the heart are made more tender that they can weepe. Now the griefe of a Chriſtian is a judiciall griefe, a rationall griefe, not onelyonly ſenſible teares muſt have ſenſible griefe, but a Chriſtians griefe is a ſenſible judiciall griefe; hee hath a right judgement of things that cauſe ſorrow, willeth it, and teares are onelyonly an expreſſion of it.
But how ſhall I know whether griefe be right or no? There be teares God hath no bottle for:Pſa. 56. 8. Thou putteſt my teares into thy bottle, he makes much of them, they be Vinum Angelicum as he ſaith,God hath no bottle for ſome teares. God is an Angell to his people to wipe away their teares: but ſome teares God hath no bottle for, hypocriticall teares, Dalilahs teares, teares of revenge and anger, Eſaus teares. And therefore the true teares that God will wipe away, are ſuch as firſt of all follow our condition here, our miſery, God will wipe them away.Marks of good teares. 1. When their ſpring is the love of God. If wee ſpeake of teares from a judiciall ground; the ſpring of true teares is the love of God, and of Chriſt, and of his Church, and the love of the ſtate of Chriſtianity. Teares ſpring from love, theſe teares ſpecially.
O a Chriſtian takes to heart that God ſhould be ſo ill uſed in the world, that Chriſt the Saviour of the world ſhould finde ſuch entertainement, that he ſhould have any thing in him that ſhould offend ſuch a Saviour: this unkindneſſe ſtingeth him to the heart, he takes it grievouſly that God ſhould be abuſed. Laetitia habet ſuas lachrimas, there is not onelyonly griefe that is the immediate cauſe of teares, but another cauſe before hand, that is love. Joy likewiſe hath its teares, though they be not here meant ſpecially.
Againe teares are good and ſound,2. When wee weepe for our own ſins, and ſins of others. when wee weepe for our owne ſinnes, as well as the ſinnes and miſeries of others? And I will adde more, wee muſt weepe for the ſinnes of others, as well as for our owne; For it is a greater ſigne of the truth of grace to take to heart the ſinnes of others,Truth of grace appeares more in grieving for others ſins then our own. more then our owne. You will ſay this is a kind of paradox, for often a man may take to heart his owne ſinnes, as matter of terror of conſcience; not his ſinnes, as contrary to God, having antipathy to him, being oppoſite to the ſtate of the ſoule, not as ſinne is properly ſinne, but to be grieved and vexed for ſinne, as it hath vexation and terror of conſcience. When a man can take to heart the ſinnes of another, and that truly as it is an offence of his good God, and a crucifying againe of his ſweet Saviour, theſe be true teares indeed: It is more ſigne of grace, then to weepe for a mans owne ſinnes.
Some are taken up with terrors of conſcience, that let their children, family, and friends alone, their heart is eaten up with ſelfe love, and they be neer eaten up with their owne terrors of conſcience: but here is true griefe and an hatred of ſinne in a right reſpect, when it exerciſeth it ſelfe upon others, as well as upon our ſelves.
Againe teares ariſe from the right ſpring,3. When our teares are ſhed in ſecret. from true griefe, when wee can weepe in ſecret. O ſaith Jeremy, if you doe ſo,Jer. 13. 17. and ſo, My ſoule ſhall weepe in ſecret for your pride; here was a good ſoule indeed: many will have teares of comfort in publicke, &c. I but when they can weepe in ſecret for their owne ſinnes, and the ſinnes of others, it is an evidence of a right ſpring of griefe.
Againe,4. When they tend to reformation of what they are ſhed for. when teares tend to reformation of what they grieve for; for elſe they be Steriles lachrimae, barren teares: doe they tend to reforme what wee weepe for? doe they tend to action? Affections are then good when they carry to action; as griefe, love, joy, they are all for action: when wee weepe and grieve, and reforme withall, it is a good ſigne. I will name no more; you ſee then, that griefe is ſound, when it ſpringeth from the love of God, and is for the ſinnes of others, as well as our owne, and our owne, as well as others; when it ſtirres up to reformation; when it is in ſecret; and therefore let us examine our griefe by theſe and the like evidences, it will be a good character of a gracious ſoule. Then God will carry himſelfe as a ſweet nurſe, or loving mother to her child that ſheddeth teares; God will wipe away all theſe teares. O the tranſcending love of God, his love is a tender love; the love of a mother, the love of a nurſe! it is not love, but the bowels of love, the bowells of mercy and compaſſion: how low doth he ſtoope to wipe away the teares of his children! God will wipe away all teares.
I will propound one queſtion more, and then proceed. But wee are bid to rejoyce alwaies; why then is it required that we weepe and mourne? can two contraries ſtand together?
I anſwer,2. Caſe. very well; for wee may grieve, as wee have matter of griefe, and are in a condition of griefe: And we may rejoyce,How can a Chriſtian joy and grieve together. and ought to rejoyce, as we look to the promiſe that God will wipe away all teares. When we thinke of the preſent cauſe wee cannot but grieve, but when wee looke beyond all troubles, we cannot but joy, it hath influence of joy into our heart: nay for the preſent we may joy, and grieve, without looking to eternity ſometimes. If we conſider that we have offended God, done that that grieveth his ſpirit, that is matter of griefe: but when we conſider wee have Chriſt at his right hand, that ſpeaketh peace for us, and makes our peace by vertue of his mediation, that giveth comfort; So that wee have cauſe of joy, and cauſe of griefe, about the ſame things at the ſame time.
Wee are never in ſuch a ſtate of griefe here, but if we looke about us, looke foreward, looke upward, A Chriſtian, that is, a good Chriſtian, is a perſon that hath many things to looke after, that he may mannage his eſtate of Chriſtianity wiſely: He is to looke to himſelfe and his ſinnes, to the mercies of God in Chriſt, to the conſtancie of it, that it is anſwerable to the fruit of it in peace and joy here, and happineſſe hereafter, which are conſtant too; his grace, as himſelfe is conſtant, the fruits of it conſtant:Phil. 4. 4. Therefore rejoyce evermore. And (ſaith the Apoſtle: I know what I ſay, I am well adviſed) evermore rejoyce. So that the life of a Chriſtian is a mixed life; nay the ground of our joy, is our ſorrow, and griefe, and joy is ſowne in griefe. If we will rejoyce indeed, let us mourn indeed; true joy ariſeth and ſprings out of ſorrow.
I proceed to the next. And the rebukes of his people ſhall be taken away from of the face off the earth. Another benefit that makes the Feaſt ſweet and comfortable is this; Hee will take away the rebukes of his people.Gods people here are under rebuke and reproach. And here is the ſame method to be uſed: that Gods children, his Church and people, are under rebukes, and under reproach.
We need not ſtand to prove the truth of it. It is true, Firſt, the head of the Church, and the Church it ſelfe, and every particular member, they goe under rebukes. For the head of the Church, we ſhould ſpend the time to no purpoſe to prove it; what was Chriſts life? it was under a vaile, he appeared not to be what he was; you know he was eſteemed the chiefe of Devills, an enemy to his Prince, to Caeſar. I will not ſpend time in cleare truths.
For the Church it ſelfe you ſee in the Booke of Heſter 3. There is a strange people that acknowledge no law, they be againſt the lawes of the Prince; they paſſe under the imputation of rebells: the poore Church that had thoughts of peace, the meek Church of God, they counted as enemies of the ſtate; as Chriſt the head was. And ſo the Church in Babylon, under what rebukes was it?Pſal. 137. they reproached them, By the waters of Babylon we ſat downe and wept, when they ſaid ſing us one of the ſongs of Syon. The Church ſitteth by the waters of Babylon all this life: The world is a kind of Babylon to Gods people, and then ſing us one of your ſongs; where is now your God, ſay the hearts of wretched people? when they ſaw the people of God in diſgrace. Tully could ſay of the nation of the Jewes; It ſheweth how God regardeth it, it hath bin ſo often overcome. Thus the heathen man could ſcorne the ſtate of Gods people. You ſee how the Pſalmiſt complaines in the name of particular Chriſtians,Pſal. 22. 78. where is his God, he truſted in him, let him ſave him. Oh this was daggers to Davids heart, Pſal. 42. 10. It peirced to my heart, when they ſaid where is thy God. To touch a Chriſtian in his God, as if God had no care of him, it is more then his owne griefe and affliction. So when a child of God is rebuked and affronted, when religion muſt ſuffer by it. So that the head of the Church, the members of the Church, are under rebukes, as it may be proved, if I carry you through all ſtories.
At this day, the Church of the Jewes you ſee what it is come to: the nation of the Jewes under what reproach it is. And ſurely this Prophecy aimeth partly at the converſion of the Jewes;This text points at the converſion of the Jewes. it ſhall be accompliſhed at the reſurrection, when all teares ſhall be perfectly wiped away: But it hath relation to the converſion of the Jewes. In what ſtate are they now? are they not a word of reproach? Moſes ſpeech is verified of them; They ſhall be a hiſſing to all Nations, and is not it a proverbe? Hated as a Jew.
But what is the reaſon of it?Reaſ. Not to ſtand long upon the point;There be two ſeeds in the world. 1. Of the Serpent. 2. Of the woman. you know there be two ſeeds in the world, the ſeed of the ſerpent, and the ſeed of the woman; and the enmity between them is the true ground, and the antipathy in the hearts of carnall men to goodneſſe. There is a light ſhineth in the life of them that be good; and them that be ill hate the light, as diſcovering themſelves to themſelves, and to the world, not to be that they ſeeme to be. There is a ſaltneſſe in the truth; it is ſavory, but it is tart, whether in the word preached, or howſoever truth layeth open,Carnall men would have all men thought of alike. what is croſſe to corruption: and hereupon pride and ſelfe-love in carnall men, ſtudyeth how to overcaſt all they can, the names of thoſe that be better then themſelves, with a cloud of diſgrace. It is the property of vile men, to make all others vile, that they may be alike: men cannot abide diſtinctions of one from another. The Scripture diſtinguiſheth the righteous man, more excellent then his neighbour, but they will not have that. The hatred of diſtinction is the cauſe they make all as bad as they can:Men put a falſe vaile both on godlineſſe, and wickedneſſe. And hereupon it is that good things were never cloathed in the right habit, nor ill things neither, but doe paſſe under a vaile: take away the true garment of grace, and holineſſe and goodneſſe, and put a falſe vaile upon it, it paſſeth not under that, that it is in this world, becauſe wicked men will not ſuffer it, but will raiſe up the credit of other things, of empty learning, or empty things, or vaine courſes, and cry up the credit of worldly things, that they may ſeeme to be wiſe and not fooles, that are carried to thoſe things. The beſt things had never the happineſſe to paſſe under their owne names; but they had other coverings. Trueth goeth alwaies with a torne and ſcratched face; it is a ſtranger in the world, and hath ſtrange entertainment.
If this be ſo,Uſe 1. wee ought to take heed of laying a ſcandall or reproach upon religion;Take heed of laying ſcandal on religion. Salvian complaines in his time, that wickednes had gotten that head, that thoſe that were good and honourable, mali eſſe volunt, ne a malis▪ abhorreantur: They that were good, ſtudied to be vile, that they might not be villified of others. Oh ſaith hee, how much is Chriſt beholding to the world, that thoſe that owne him, and owne goodneſſe, and owne his cauſe, ſhould be therefore baſe, becauſe they be his friends; take heed of taking ſcandalls.
Uſe 2.Uſe 2. Wee had need be wiſe, that wee be not taken in this ſnare of Satan,To ſtudy to be wiſe, that wee be not miſled by the miſrepreſentation of things. to miſtake error for truth, and good for evill; Satan and his agents make things paſſe under contrary repreſentations: Superſtition goeth for Religion, and Religion for ſuperſtition▪ Schiſme, and Hereſie. It hath alwaies bin ſo; therefore ſeeke wiſdome to diſcerne aright.The devill a lyar, that he may be a murtherer. The devill hath two properties, hee is a liar, and a murtherer; the one makes way for the other, for he could not murther unleſſe he did lie. The devill himſelfe will not be an open murtherer, if he can helpe it: The fraudulent perſecution is worſe than the violent. If he can bring to hell by fraud, and lying, hee will never doe it by violence. Hee is a lyar, that hee may be a murtherer: for when he can raiſe an imputation upon the Church and children of God, that they be Rebels, enemies of ſtate, then he may cum privilegio be a murtherer: when he hath tainted Gods people in the conceit of the world, then they finde that entertainment not which they deſerve, but which they be apprehended to deſerve, when the conceit of other men towards them is poyſon'd.Why its the courſe of the world to ſlander. Oh this Sect is ſpoken againſt every where, ſay they to Paul, Acts 28. 22. Therefore wee had need be wiſe; for if the inſtruments of Satan▪ led with his ſpirit, had not hoped that ſlanders ſhould take, they would never have bin ſo skillfull in that trade. But they know they ſhall finde ſome ſhallow fooles, that will believe them without ſearching into the depth of them, and take up perſons and things under prejudice. It is enough for them, that this is ſaid of them, they have neither wit nor judgement, nor ſo much patience, from following their luſts, as to examine them: And that makes them ſo mad as they are. Calumniare audacter aliquid haerebit, Slander ſtoutly, ſomething will ſticke they are ſure of it. That which hath raiſed, and ruined many a man, is that of Hamans caſting of jealouſie upon thoſe that are better then themſelves. That was Hamans trick, and ſo will be the practice of the wicked, as it hath bin from the beginning, ſo to the end of the world. Thou art not Caeſars friend ſay they, and its enough to Pilate; thus it hath bin and will be to the end of the world. Therefore we had need to be wiſe, that wee be not miſled: Men will never leave to ſpeake ill, till they have learned to ſpeak better, till the ſpirit of God hath taught them.
Now it is ſaid that Chriſt will take away the rebukes of his people.Things ſhall be known to be as they ar…. That is the promiſe; as they are, they ſhall be knowne to be; he will ſet all in joynt againe. Harmony is a ſweet thing, and order is a ſweet thing: time will come when things that are now out of order to appearance, ſhall be all ſet in their due order againe: Thoſe that are baſeſt, ſhall be loweſt, and thoſe that be excellent, ſhall be higheſt; this is a working and framing now. In this confuſion we muſt looke to the cataſtrophe, the concluſion of all; hee will take away the rebukes of all. God is the Father of truth, and truth is the daughter of time; time will bring forth truth at laſt. And thoſe that be honourable indeed, ſhall be honourable.Reaſon It is as true as God is juſt; for goodneſſe and holineſſe are beames of God;From Gods juſtice. and will he ſuffer it alwaies to paſſe under a falfe vaile. There is not an attribute of God, but ſhall ſhine forth gloriouſly; even all his excellency and dignity: There is nothing ſhall be above him and his excellency; noe, though he ſeemes for a a while not to rule in the world, or have power, but fers them to goe away with it, that are his enemies; he is working another thing by ſuffering them, he is working the glory of his children, and confuſion of his enemies. There is nothing in God but ſhall gloriouſly ſhine, and nothing in his children, no beames of God, but ſhall gloriouſly ſhine to the confuſion of the world: They that are good, ſhall be knowne to be good, God will bring their righteouſneſſe to light. The Witneſſes that vexed the world,Revel. 11. and had baſe entertainement, they were ſlaine and diſgraced, but they roſe againe and were carried to heaven, as Elias. So there will be a reſurrection of name, a reſurrection of reputation: That that is good ſhall be good, and that that is bad ſhall be bad; it ſhall be knowne to be as it is. This is for comfort.
You hear therefore what courſe to take under diſgrace;Uſe 1. what ſhall wee doe,To direct what courſe to take under diſgrace and ſcandall. when the Church paſſeth under diſgrace? as it is now: A Proteſtant is worſe then a Turke or a Jew, amongſt the railing Papiſts. Among our ſelves wee ſee under what reputation the beſt things goe, it is too well knowne to ſpeake of: And the ſcandall taken from hence doth extreamely harden, it keepes men from religion, it draweth many from religion that have entred into it, becauſe they have not learned ſo much ſelfe denyall, as to venture upon diſgrace. And ſurely where no ſelfe-denyall is, there is no religion. Chriſt knew what doctrine he taught, when he taught ſelf-denyall in this reſpect.
What ſhall wee doe therefore?1. Labour to be innocent. Labour firſt of all for innocency; that if men wil reproach, they may reproach without a cauſe.
Then labour for a ſpirit of patience to ſerve Chriſt with;2. To be patient. great is your reward when men ſpeake evill of you for a good cauſe. It is the portion of a Chriſtian in this life, to doe well, and ſuffer ill. Of all, certainely they are beſt that out of love to goodneſſe, are carried to goodneſſe without looking to rewards, or diſgrace, that followes, with a ſingle eye. Labour therefore for patience, and not onelyonly ſo,3. To be couragious. but for courage; for the Moone goeth its courſe, and lets the dog barke: Wee have a courſe to runne, let us keepe our courſe conſtantly; paſſe through good reports, and bad reports, be at a point, what the world thinkes, wee ſeeke applauſe at another theater then the world.
Againe then,4 To be ſincere. labour for ſincerity under rebukes, that wee have a good aime, ſuch an aime as Paul had: If I be mad and out of my wits; 2 Cor. 5. 13. 14he being earneſt for his Maſter Chriſt, they count him out of his wits; If I be out of my wits it is for Chriſt. If I be ſober it is for you, the love of Chriſt conſtraineth me to be ſo. Get the love of Chriſt, and that will make a man care for nothing. If I goe beyond my ſelf, it is to God: As David ſaid, when he was mocked by Micholl: 2 Sam. 6. 20. 21.It is to the Lord, when he danced before the Arke. Bonus ludus a good dance, where Micholl ſcoffeth, and David danceth; where gracious men magnifie God, and have Micholls to ſcoffe at them, it is bonus ludus: God will looke upon them, for it is to the Lord. Labour that our aimes be good, and it is no matter what the world judgeth of them.
And when all will not doe,5. Commend our credits to God by prayer. commend our credits to God by prayer, as wee commend our ſoules and conditions, ſo or reputations; that he would take care of them, that hee would bring our righteouſneſſe to light, that it ſhould ſhine out as the noone day. So David doth, hee complaines to God, and commendeth all to him, prayeth him to take part againſt his enemies, to right his cauſe; and when wee have done that,Comfort your ſelfe in your own true worth. wee have done our duty: yet with all hope for better things; be content to paſſe under the world as unknowne men, and to be inwardly worthy, and paſſe as unknown men. Rich men if truly rich, they will applaud themſelves in their boſomes, though the world diſgrace them, yet at home I am thus furniſh'd. And ſo a Chriſtian that knoweth his worth, that he is a child of God, heire of heaven, that he is attended upon by Angels, that hee is a jewell to God in his eſteem, to be abſolutely the beſt thing in the world. Hee knoweth the worth of a Chriſtian, and his owne worth as being a Chriſtian; he applauſeth and comforteth himſelfe, in that he knoweth he hath a hidden life, a ſtate of glory hidden in Chriſt. Now it is covered with diſgrace, and diſreſpect in the world, ſcorned and reproached, but what is that to him? it is an hidden life, and for the preſent he knoweth his owne excellency, and therefore can paſſe through good report,1 Cor. 4. 3. and bad report. I care not for mans day ſaith Paul, there is another day to which I muſt ſtand.
And thus if we do,1 Pet. 4 14. as Peter ſaith, There is a ſpirit of glory ſhall reſt upon us. The ground wee have of comfort under rebuke, and diſgrace, there is a ſpirit of glory, what is that? a large ſpirit inlarging our hearts, with inward comfort, inward joy, inward love of God. A ſpirit of glory ſhall reſt upon you, and ſhall continue with you, as long as diſgrace ſhall continue: hee oppoſeth this to all diſgrace he meeteth with in the world.
God putteth ſometimes a glory and excellency upon his children under diſgrace,God putteth a glory upon his children under diſgrace. and ill uſage in the world; that he will daunt the world, as Stephens face did ſhine, as the face of an Angell, which came from a ſpirit of glory that reſted upon him, and expreſſed himſelfe to be the ſervant of God, He that takes away from our good report, if we be good, he addeth to our reward: Our Saviour Chriſt ſaith as much.Mat. 5. 11. 12. Bleſſed are you when you be ill ſpoken of, for great is your reward.