But of the vitious life of this woman who toucheth him and washeth his feet he is altogether ignorant It cannot be therefore that he is what I took him to be The Proposition he takes for granted 1 King 14.6 2 King 1.3 2 King 5.26 which yet is not true for every Prophet knew not every thing no nor did the best Prophet ever know all things their knowledge reacheth onely so farre as it shall please God to extend it See 2 King 4.27 c. 2. ver 3 4. The Assumption he thus makes good did he know how vitious a woman this is he would not suffer her to come behind him and wash his feete c. But this he suffers willingly therefore he questionlesse is ignorant what she is Our Blessed Saviour well perceiving Simons error to arise out of Ignorance or weake mistaking and not proceeding from a malicious spirit as did other Objections made by some of his fellow Pharisees Returnes a Convictive Answer by way of Parable telling him of a certaine Creditor which had two debtors wherein he doth first vindicate himselfe and make it evident to Simon that he knew both this womans life and heart and so was a Prophet yea and more then so Secondly defends this woman proving that she was not now what she had beene nor as he conceived her to be For she was changed from what she was and therefore not to be censured for that she is not In which Parable we have First the Prologue or preface to it v. 40. Secondly the Parable it selfe to be considered v. 41. 50. The Parable is prefac'd First with the words of the Evangelist to us And Iesus answering said And Secondly with our blessed Saviours wordes unto Simon I have somewhat to say unto thee c. The wordes of the Evangelist to us acquaint us both with the Author and the Occasion The Author of the ensuing Parable is Iesus A Prophet mighty both in word and deed however Simon esteemed him to be The Occasion was the Objection that Simon made within himselfe upon the ground you heard before His Heart made the Question and Christ makes Answer to it The wordes of our Saviour to Simon conteyne in them An Excitation of Simon to Attention Simon I have somewhat to say unto thee To which is added the Replication that Simon made to Christ Master say on In the Former we have considerable 1. The Person nominated Simon 2. The Purpose or Intent of our blessed Saviour specified I have somewhat to say unto thee In the Latter we may take notice First of the Reverend Appellation given by Simon to our Saviour Master Secondly of his Submissive obedience and ready attention Say on The Parable it selfe followes from vers 41. to the end Where more particularly consider we First the Allegoricall narration The was a certaine Creditor c. vers 41. 44. Secondly The Morall or Application And he turned to the Woeman and said c. vers 44 c. In the Narration we have First a case propounded verse 42. And then resolved and determined v. 43. In the Propounding part we have First A Relation made of the parties whom the case concernes vers 41 Secondly a Quere made upon it vers 42. The Parties are A Creditor and his two Debtors The Creditor is described to us First in Generall he was a certaine Vsurer for so the word is Secondly by his Practise or dealing with these his Debters in particular hee frankly forgave them both The Debters are set forth First by their Number Two Secondly By their Condition which is to be considered First As it was Alike and that in two things 1. Both were indebted 2ly Both were forgiven Secondly as it was Vnlike and that in two things 1. One ought a greater summe then the other 2. That one loved more then the other The Quere made upon this Relation we have in those wordes Tell me therefore c. vers 42. Wherein consider we First the Demand made Tell me Secondly the Ground thereof Therefore It beeing as hath bin related to thee This Case being thus Propounded is Resolved and determined vers 43. Simon answered and said Wherein we have considerable First Simons Sentence I suppose he to whom he forgave most Secondly our Saviours approbation of it thou hast rightly judged The Application followes vers 44. to the end Wherein observe we First the Posture our Saviour used Secondly the Speech our Saviour made Our Saviours Posture is layed downe in these wordes And he turned to the woeman Where first his Action secondly the Object must be considered Our Saviours Speech is directed First to Simon Then unto the Woeman To Simon vers 44. 48. And it conteyneth in it First an Interrogation or Question Seest thou this woeman Secondly an Expostulation with Simon about what had formerly passed I entred into thy house c. In the Interrogation there is first a Duty imposed seest thou i.e. Behold her better see her Conversation and behaviour 2. The Person on whom this duty is imposed Thou who holdest thy selfe to be more righteous and just then she In the Expostulation made with Simon we have first a Preference vers 44 45 46. Secondly an Inference vers 47. The Preference hath in it First a Reprehension of Simon for his defects Secondly a Commendation of the Woeman for her respects And these are layed downe Antithetically the one by way of opposition to the other for the better illustration Simons defects for which he was reprooved were three 1. Against Civility he gave him noe water for his feete 2. Against Charity he gave Christ noe kisse 3. Against Hospitality he annointed not his head with oyle yet Invited him to a feast The Woemans respects were seene in supplying all these wants 1. The want of water she supplies with her Teares 2. In stead of kissing his cheeke or lips shee kisseth Christs Feet the lowest member of his body 3. In stead of annoynting his head shee powers her oyntment upon his feet which before she had washt and kissed Next our Saviour directs his speech unto the woeman And he said to her vers 48 49 50. Wherein we have 1. Her Absolution vers 48 49. 2. Her Dismission vers 50. In the Former we have First the Sentence given And in it consider 1. By whom hee said 2. To whom Thy sinnes c. Secondly Offence thereat taken vers 49. Where the Persons that are Offended They that sate at meate 2. The Ground of it and that was their Ignorance of Christ and his office Who is this c. In the Latter the woemans dismission vers 50. We have mention made first of the Instrumentall cause of her justification Thy faith hath saved thee 2. Of the Effect Goe in peace Parables like Trees have in them both Barke and Pith. It is not Gods minde that we should sticke in the Barke Creditor I l'e Deus est in cujus albo omni um mortalium continentur nomina Aret
it and shews that Love was the cause why her many sins were forgiven her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idem valet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aret. in loc But are they ignorant of this the For is oftentimes a note of Inference or Consequence and as well an argument of the Effect from the Cause as of the Cause from the Effect We say it is Spring-time Why so For or Because the Fig-tree puts forth and buds The putting forth of the Figg-tree argues the Spring-time Dilectio hic nō dicitur esse venia causa sed posterius signum Calv. but the budding and putting forth of the Fig-tree is not the Cause of Spring-time I say this child is alive because it cryes or this man lives because he mooves will any so understand me as if I meant the crying of the one and the mooving of the other is the Cause of life and motion in the one or in the other Our Saviour himselfe useth this kind of arguing as we find Iohn 15.15 I have called you Friends for all things I have heard of my Father I have made knowne unto you where declaring of those things to them is the Effect not cause of his Love And that our Saviour here reasoneth from the Effect to the Cause is evident enough from the whole discourse the scope wherof is to shew that the forgivenesse of the debt of sinne is a just cause of Love according to the measure and rate of the sins forgiven as is evident in such debters from whom the similitude is taken who beare no speciall love unto their creditours untill they know how they shall bee dealt withall Now if it should be as the Papists would have it that Love and the Fruits therof should be a cause of Remission our Saviours Application should be directly contrary to that which in this Parable he had propounded for then the greater Sinner should have somewhat to satisfie when the Parable saith that not so much as the lesser can doe it And that which in the Parable hee had made the Cause of the Love of the Forgiven Person heere hee should make the Effect of it Besides the other clause immediately following doth evidence it sufficiently that our Saviour argueth from the Effect For to whom little is forgiven saith our Saviour the same loveth little so that according to the proportion of Forgivenesse the proportion of Love followeth S. Ambrose thus understands the plate Bellar. depaenit lib. 2. c 14. resp ad object and Bellarmine himselfe saith that these words of Christ Many sinnes are forgiven her Confirmant absolutionem invisibiliter datam doe confirme the Absolution invisibly before given So then the Absolution which was given before was confirmed by her Love and by it shee might know and rest assured that her sins were remitted according to that of St. Iohn 1 Epist 3.14 Wee know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren This Collection then of theirs you see is but grating upon a word and contrary to the sence of the place a meere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A folly it is to follow them too far we come to such as the Text will naturally afford as first Doct. A Proofe a posteriore from the Effect is a strong Proofe and very Demonstrative Thus the Truth of our Faith is to be prooved Iames 2.18 And of Repentance 2 Cor. 7.11 And of Charity 1 Iohn 3.14 And so Saint Iames prooves Wisedome from above by the Effects Iames 3.17 Still Scripture puts us upon the Tryall of our Graces by these kinde of Proofes Grace is invisible in its Nature it cannot be seene in habitu Therefore as GOD was seene to Moses so is Grace to men by its Backe-parts and as the wind which no man can see in its proper Essence by the full sayles of the Ship is perceived which way it stands Vse Let this be a Direction to us in our Examination and tryall of our selves I deny not but a Proofe or Demonstration a priori from the Cause to the Effect is better and more excellent in its owne nature then the other But for us in the tryall of our spirituall estates it is safer and more demonstrative to proceed from the Effect to the Cause Would I know if the Sun shines there is no climbing up to the Sky to be resolved nor examining what matter it is made off I looke upon the beames shining on the Earth I perceive it is up and shines by the light and heat it gives Would I know if GOD hath elected me to life and to salvation There is no climbing up into Heaven to know his Decrees and hidden Counsell as too many would most audaciously but study well the markes of it from the Effects The head of Nilus cannot be found but the sweet Springs issuing from thence are well knowne No surer way to the Sea then by taking a River by the hand Our Vocation and Sanctification will carry us to Election Rom. 8.30 2 Pet. 1 5-10 These are the meanes whereby our Election and Salvation is made certaine not the efficient Causes wherby it comes to be decreed The Sun not the shadow makes the Day yet we know not how the Day goes by the Sunne but by the shadow In a word as the Planets are knowne by their Influence the Diamond by his Lustre and the Soule by her Vitall Operations so Grace is most sensibly knowne to us by the Effects therof Doct. Secondly we observe from hence That a true and unfeined love of Christ is a sure signe that our sins are remitted David thus reasons Psal 18.1 2. I will love thee O Lord my strength he got that lesson by heart yea in his heart now presently he takes forth The Lord is my Rocke and my Fortresse and my deliverer my God my strength in whom I will trust my Buckler and the horne of my Salvation This Argument our Saviour useth to raise up and comfort Peter after his fall who questionlesse was much cast downe under the sight and sense of his sin Simon thou sonne of Jonah lovest thou me Ioh. 21.15 q. d. If this be in thee be of good comfort know thy sins are remitted and God reconciled to thee So 1 Iohn 4.16 Hee that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in GOD and GOD in him Now as the Prophet speaks Can two walke together except they be agreed Questionlesse God is reconciled to them who truly love him els he would not bee an Inhabitant within them Soe 1 Pet. 1.3 4 8. Reason And it cannot otherwise be in that true Love ariseth and springeth from Faith Therfore in the place of S. Peter before noted 1 Tim. 1.5 after he said they loved the Lord he inferreth presently they also beleeved in him Which as we shall after see vers 50. is the instrumentall Cause of our Iustification It is Faith that brings the holy Fire of Love into our frozen hearts Gal. 5.6 or they would never
Reason why Happinesse is thus called is rendered to be this for that it is easier to tell what shall not be in Heaven than what shall be there And of this kind is the Salvation our Saviour speaks of in this place This Salvation is to be considered Aug de Civ Dei l. 19. c. 20.27 either as it is initiall and begun here or as it is complementall and shall be perfected hereafter as it is here begun so Ephes 2.7 By Grace you are saved Here it is given us and assured unto us though that full and absolute perfection of it in respect of degree is reserved for another world and thus our Saviour saith to Mary Thy Faith hath saved thee It is done allready for Substance and not now to doe Thence Observe Doct. The true and beleeving Penitent even in this life is salved The Evidence of this Truth appeareth by the contrary for if the wicked and unbelieving be condemned already as is evident Ioh. 3.18 then it will not be hard to conceive that the Beleever is saved already But what need we seeke for further proofe when it appeares so evidently by Gods owne testimony who frequently affirmes of such as are penitent and believing and of that estate of theirs which is only via even in this their pilgrimage that they are blessed saved c. Mat. 51. Psal 1.1 32.1 Ephes 2.7 Iohn 17.3 For first we have Salvation in the Promises of it as 2 Cor. 7.1 Secondly Wee have it in those Graces which beginne it Iohn 17.3 Tit. 3.5 And 2.12 Iohn 3.8 3. We have it in the Assurance of it 2 Cor. 1.10 2 Tim 2 19. Act. 5.39 doth the Lord say and shall he not doe His Foundation standeth sure and hath his seale And if this Counsell be of God as Gamaliell said in another case ye cannot destroy it Vse 1 This may first informe us of the happy estate of every such one as believes and repents unfainedly Let their outward estate be what it will be yet their Salvation is certaine Rom. 8.38 Rom. 14 8. they are already saved and have the beginnings of eternall Life in them so that neither Life nor Death shall be able to deprive them of that Say we be in as great a strait as were the Israelites betwixt the Red-Sea and Pharaoh's Hoast One danger before us ready to ingulfe us another behind us ready to destroy us yet if thou beest righteous and truly penitent I will speake in the confidence of Moses Feare not stand still behold the Salvation of the Lord. Thine enemies may interrupt thine Assurance but they shall never overthrow thy Salvation As for outward things resigne up thy selfe wholy to Gods absolute dispose whither it be by Life or Death Say with Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good and as David 2 Sam. 15.26 Let him doe to me as he pleaseth Keepe thou the coast of Faith and Repentance and feare not thy comming to the holy Land Vse 2 But as for such who acquaint not themselves with Salvation here woe to those If there be no Salvation here had expect none hereafter The Gate of Heaven is here below Christ is the Doore by which we must enter into the Paradise of God Who so layes hold on him with his merits by the beliefe of his soule hath gotten Salvation already But in not believing and repenting a man is condemned allready Woefull therefore is the estate of such men who never acquaint themselves with Salvation before the end of their dayes and then begin to dreame of another condition Cyp tractat de habit Virgin 1 Sam. 14.13 Non est facilis ad magna ascensus saith S. Cyprian things which are great are not easily climbed unto What sweat and labour takes a man before he comes to the top of an Hill as you find Ionathan and his Armour-Bearer tooke before they came to the Philistins garrison And can we thinke to attaine the height of Mount Sion with a leape Wherefore let nothing delivered cause Security but put us on to a working out our Salvation with feare and trembling Thy Faith Text. Here we have the Instrumentall cause or meanes of the Iustification and Salvation of this Penitent Where observe we two things First The Quality 2. The Propriety The Quality of the Means is Faith The Propriety Thy Faith First of the Quality We may observe in that Remission of sins was before attributed to this womans Charity and now is said to come of her Faith That true Faith is joyned with Love Hope and other Graces It is not alone where one is there is the other likewise Doct. Faith Hope Charity and other graces are concomitants Where one is there is the other Her Love was spoken of before and here Her Faith is mentioned so that it is cleare enough both were in the same subject The frequent Conjunctions of these Graces in the Apostles writings makes this good as 1 Thes 1.3 3.6 7. Colos 1.4 Philemon verse 5. 1 Cor. 13.13 This is a truth which the Papists seeme with their strongest forces to gaine-say Stifly maintaining that Faith may be without Love and indeed we grant that fides Daemonum the faith of Divells may but not fides Christianorum the Faith of Christians A man may have an Historicall Faith which is that Faith of the Church of Rome defined by a Catechisme authorized by the Counsell of Trent and yet want Charity Yea he may have a miraculous Faith and yet be without true Love 1 Cor. 13.2 But a Iustifying faith which is that Faith must save cannot bee separated from it 1 Iohn 4.7 16. 1 Iohn 5.1 And wheras their Schoolemen in resolving of this case assigne to Faith a double subsistence Tho 1. â— q 6â— art 4. one in genere naturae when it hath all the Essentialls of its nature wherby it is distinct from other intellectuall habits and is principle of the proper acts therof in respect of its proper objects The other in genere moris when it is grown to have a virtuous subsistence in us that is Scot in 3. Dist 36. art 4. an acceptablenesse with God as Scotus interprets it and becomes to be a disposition to beatitude which they confesse cannot be without Charity They say little herein against us For we grant that in Nature and Property these Graces may be distinguished one from another If we consider them as Habits of the renewed soule they be distinct graces But that in the Vse they should be severed or that there should be such a kind of faith as gives interest to Christs Righteousnesse and eternall life without Charity we deny Vse 2 To come nearer home by our Love proove we the truth of our Faith Our blessed Saviour hath foretold a scarcity of Faith on Earth in the last times Luk. 18.18 And yet never were times fuller of Faith then these times which yet are the last times if it be
true dealing to be found from them They are so farre from cloathing of their Faith as I said before that they strip it as Iosephs Bretheren stripped him and leave it as naked as Idolatry left the Israelites Alas my beloved are you no farther yet what all your life long in S. Paul and never take forth so farre as to come unto S. Iames. Are Gods Commandements torne out of your Catechismes and nothing left in it besides the Creed for you to learne How can wee thinke but by such a Faith you make onely a pretence to protect prophanenesse with 1 Kings 3.16 Play not the Harlots part to overlay the Infant A smothered Faith will not save you Abrahams Faith was a working Faith so was Rahabs so must yours be if you would that it should bring you unto Heaven Where there is no light I may say there is no Sunne 2 Kings 4.31 and as Elishaes servant said of the Shunamites sonne when he saw that there was neither speech nor sense The child is not yet awaked So where workes are not you must give me leave to tell you your Faith is ghostlesse Vse 2 Wherefore up and be Going The divine Goodnesse as here you see dischargeth the sinnes not of sleepers but of workers and Goers Mat. 19.17 The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared saith S. Paul T it 2.11 And whither doth it send us To the denying of ungodlinesse and worldly lusts to a sober righteous and godly living If then thou wouldest enter into life keepe Gods Commandements Quest But doth not this savour of Popery so earnestly to presse good workes Resp. If it be Popery we must crave leave to teach it The times through our long peace and plenty so much abused waxe so prophane and irreligious as that it may be thought good discretion to preach rather for workes then Faith but I must further tell you the Papists and wee on both sides agree that to doe good workes is necessary for every man who expects to bee Iustified and saved by Christ. Extra causam justificationis opera satis laudari non possuÌ„t ad causam hujus admitti non debent The difference consists in this they say good workes are necessary to Iustification as being Causes of it wee say they are necessary to Iustification as being Effects thereof To Iustifie thy Person before God they are fruitlesse but to approove thy Iustification both to thy selfe and others they are needfull By these thou mayest have some assurance of thy Faith and salvation And reason a posteriori thus I have workes therefore I have Faith I have Faith therefore I have Christ I have Christ therefore I have Heaven Tam certus esse debes saith S. Austin de requie Aug. in Ps 94. de faelicitate si mandata ejus custodieris quà m certus es de perditione si ea contempseris By thy keeping of Gods Commandements thou mayest be as sure of happinesse and salvation as through thy despising and contemning of them thou mayest be sure of perdition Aliud est fiduciam ponere in operibus aliud est fiduciam oriri ex operibus It is one thing to put ones Confidence in works and another thing to have a Confidence from ones workes Though we put not the confidence of our salvation in our workes as the Papists doe yet we hold that a confidence of our salvation may arâ—se unto us from our workes because our workes do testifie our Faith whether it be lively or no. Object But workes may be hypocriticall and imperfect Resp True but being sincere they may assure us of salvation Moses putting his hand into his bosome tooke it out leprose putting it in again into his bosome he tooke it out cleane The hand is the instrument of working and the workes of men are sometimes leprous and unsound sometimes healthy and good Whence is this but from the bosome or heart of man If they proceed from an honest and good heart and done by Gods direction then they are good the fruits of Faith and will yeeld thee comfort If they come from a Corrupt heart and be done for base and mercinary ends then they are leprous and abhominable Thus see thou make thy calling and election sure unto they selfe by good workes for that end they are necessary Secondly they are necessary in respect of others that they may see and glorify God By the finger without we know how the Clock goes within so by our outward obedience how Faith stirres When the Sunne shines upon the Dyall it reflects a shadow whereby the passenger perceiveth how the day passeth So doth Faith reflect the shadow of a good and Christian conversation whereby others may perceive how the day of grace goes with us And in these respects wee are called on to call on you to shew forth good workes Tit. 3.8 By this that hath beene said it may appeare how easily S. Paul and S. Iames may be reconciled Piscator S. Paul calls for Faith without workes S. Iames calls for workes averring that Faith is no Faith without them understand both rightly and there is no contradiction These two Apostles did handle two divers Questions S. Paul spends his pains in proving Quod fides justificat That Faith doth justifie S. Iames in shewing Qualis fides justificat what kind of Faith doth justifie The one speakes of a justice of justification the other of a justice of testification Faith doth justifie saith S. Paul he meanes before God and that it doth it apprehensivé Workes do justifie saith S. Iames he meanes before men and that they do â—fstensive Thus of what is enjoyned on this penitent The next and last thing to speake of is the way prescribed or set forth In Peace Text. Peace is twofold First there is Pax apparens a bad and appearing Pace Secondly Pax vera a true and sincere Peace Bad Peace is threefold First Pax inquinata a defiled and polluted Peace as is that we find mentioned Ps 2.1 2. 9.21 83.4 5 6. so Ephraim against Manasses Manasses against Ephraim and both against Iudah Herod against Pilat Pilat against Herod and both against Christ Est Daemâ—num legio concors there is such a peace as this amongst the Divells seven could agree well together in Marye's heart Mark 5.9 yea a Legion we read of were in another If a house be divided against it selfe it cannot stand Secondly 2 Sam. 3.27 13.28 Mat. 26.49 Pax simulata a dissembled and counâ—erfetted Peace when a man pretends Peace but intends mischiefe So Ioab spake peaceably to Abner when he stab'd him Absolom invited Ammon to a Feast when be intended to murther him Iudas kissed Christ when he went about to betray him Thirdly Gen. 3.6 13.9 Pax inordinata an inordinate Peace which is when the greater and better obeyes the lesse and inferiour So Adam obeyed Eve Abraham yeelded unto Lot c. None of these kindes of
be warmed with it In Nature we see nothing can moove in desire to this or that till first it hath apprehended it lovely whilst the debtor thinkes of the rigour of his Creditour he doth feare him not affect him truly so our affections cannot in love and desire move to God and unite themselves with God till by Faith we discerne him as reconciled to us and an amiable object for us sinners to imbrace But when once it comes to see Gods love forgiving it many sins then it cannot but love much again Vse And this serves to the overthrowing of their opinion who hold that Assurance of Pardon of Sin cannot in this life be attain'd unto If the Assurance of our Love to God may be had then may the Assurance of the Pardon of our Sins be attaind unto but the former may be had therfore the latter That the Assurance of our Love to God may be had is cleare S. Peter was undoubtedly assured of it and that even in the time of the great dejectednesse of his spirit els he would never have said as he did Joh. 21.17 Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee So the faithfull in whose name the Apostle speaketh 1 Iohn 3.14 were undoubtedly assured that they loved the children of GOD by which Love likewise they were assured that they were translated from Death to Life for that none can truely love the Children of God but they must love the Father also Ob. But every Grace hath its counterfit and the heart is deceitfull above all things Resp. This Grace can the hardliest be counterfetted of any other Grace There is scarce any thing els that we can instance in saith one but a Hypocrite may go cheeke by jowle with a good Christian He may do all outward services D. Preston his Treat of Love p. 151. on Effectuall faith page 72. he may abstaine from sinnes a great change may be wrought in him we know how farre the third ground went Matth. 13. And those Hebr. 6. But this they cannot counterfeit to love the LORD A Hypocrite may heare the Word Pray give Almes but to doe these out of Love that is a thing which no Hypocrite is able to reach unto Secondly though saving Graces have their Counterfets yet a man may be assured by the Word that he hath this and other Graces in him in Sincerity so as that he cannot be deceived in them For as God gave Moses in the Mount a Patterne according to which he would have all things made in the Tabernacle Hebr. 8.5 So that when he viewed the worke and saw all was done according to that Patterne he was sure he had done right and blessed them as we read Exod. 39.43 So hath God given us a Patterne in his Word according to which he would have every thing in his spirituall Tabernacle as Faith Repentance Love Obedience c to be wrought And if a man can find that the Grace he hath be according to the Patterne as if he take paines with himselfe to view the work as Moses did he may then he may be sure it is right and shall have cause of rejoycing as the Apostle saith Gal. 6.4 Vse 2 Secondly Learne hence a notable way to establish our hearts in the Assurance of the pardon of Sinne. Thou needest not climbe up into Heaven to search Gods Books whither they be crost or no there to behold the Face of God whither he smile or frowne but dive into thine owne soule and there find out what love thou bearest to thy Maker and blessed Saviour if thou findest that thou lovest him unfainedly that is that thou lovest him more than these lovest him for himselfe for those beauties and excellencies that are in him It is the greatest Comfort that thou canst have in this life for that thou mayest rest assured hereupon that God is reconciled to thee and that thy sins be they never so great or many are forgiven thee Finding this in thee thou mayest be sure and never till than canst thou be assured of it For we may easier carry Coales in our bosome without burning than by Faith apprehend truly this Love of God in the pardoning of sin without finding our hearts burne in Love to him answerably But in finding that we have the giving hand of Love giving to God as Mary here did those duties that are owing we may assure our selves that we have likewise the receiving hand of Faith wherby we have apprehended and laid hold of those mercies which are peculiar to Gods elect in Christ though for the present it may be thou maist have no feeling of it Only see that our Love be rightly qualified that it hath these requisites which Gods Word speaks off that it be with all our hearts with all our soules with all our might Deut. 6.5 Mark 10.30 By which variety of words God would teach us that he must be loved with all whatsoever is in us and in our powers both intensively and extensively as farre as is possible All the affections and powers of the soule must be gathered together and united like the Sunne-beames in a burning-Glasse to make our Love more hot and fervent Our love to him must be greater then to our selves or to any other thing belonging to us Plusquam te plusquam tua plusquam tuos as St. Bernard speaketh otherwise as Simon Peter said to Simon Magus in another case Thou hast neither part nor portion in this businesse In the third place we do observe Doct. That loving much argues much mercy received from the beloved party When men have bin extraordinarily kind unto us you know how marvellously it works with us upon the apprehension of it so was it here with Marie and so with Peter and so with other of the Saints still you shall find the deeper sense they have had of their own sin and wretchednesse the more have their hearts bin instamed with love to Gâ—â—â—â—pon the apprehension of his Mercie in their Râ—â—â—ssion the more zealous have they bin for his Glory the more thankefull for his Mercy the more desirous to please him the more fearefull to offend him and the more ready to turne unto him by Repentance as hath bin before shewed vers 43. Now because the next part or member of this verse is brought in as an Illustration of this Position we will add only a word or two for Application Vse Be informed hence of one Reason why God is delighted in forgiving great offences why he is so ready to forgive much surely he would be loved much And who deserves to be loved much if not this God who hath forgiven much Let a man but consider what God hath done for him in giving him his Son c. every other common mercy would be as bellowes to blow our Love to a greater flame and till we enter upon that thought we shall not love with any great fervency of spirit as follows in the opposite clause