may behold and hate the turpitude and deformity of sinne from this one effect that it putteth vs in the state of dead men as S. Paul speaketh of the widow liuing in pleasure shee is dead euen while she liueth A spirituall death in a naturall life Thou hast a name saith God vnto the church of Sardis Apocal. 3.1 that thou liuest but thou art dead And so J may say vnto a sinful man it is but a name a shadow of life which thou hast for thogh thy body liue by thy soule yet thy soule liueth not by grace and consequently thou art separated from GOD the author and fountaine of thy life Thus a sinner is farre from God and God is farre from a sinner the first in grace the second in mercy But from whom God is farre in mercy he is neer in iustice for their destruction sleepeth not 2. Pet. 2.3 So much of the second motiue or cause to wit the great loue of God wherewith he loued vs when we were dead in sinne Now ensueth the third and last namely GRACE for so it followeth by grace you are saued Whereof I will intreat as briefly as I can It may be a question why Not before is now turned into Vos Before he said God loued vs to wit Iewes and Gentiles Now he saith You are saued to wit the Gentiles The answere is Though Iewes and Gentiles haue a common right in Christ yet the right of the Iewes was more singular then ours and in order at the least before ours by reason of their priuiledges as I shewed you before Whence it is that our Sauiour himselfe testifieth in this manner I am not sent saue to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Math. 15.24 Likewise he gaue his commission vnto his disciples Goe not into the way of the Gentiles but goe rather vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Math. 10.5.6 Conformable whereunto is the testimony of Saint Paul vnto the vngratefull Iewes It was necessary that the word of God should first haue been spoken vnto you but seeing you put it from you and iudge your selues vnworthy of eternall life loe wee turne vnto the Gentiles c. Whereupon the Gentiles glorified God and receiued the Gospell with great alacrity of heart that so it might bee verified which the Prophet declared long before Reioice ô barren that didst not beare breake forth into ioy and reioyce thou that didst not trauaile with child for the desolate hath more children then the married wif◠Esay 54.1 Specially therefore the Gentiles were saued by grace But by what grace There is the grace of God toward vs which respecteth vs as the obiects of it there is the grace of God in vs which respecteth vs as the subiects of it So that we are in the first grace the second grace is in vs. It is the first therefore not the second by which we are saued For we are not saued by the grace of God wrought within vs by his Spirit but shewed vnto vs in his Son You are saued by grace that is by the free and voluntary fauour of God the Father in Iesus Christ his Sonne For the grace of which S. Paul doth here speake is referred vnto God euen the Father howsoeuer our translation supplying some words which are not in the originall seemeth to refer it vnto the Son But the matter is not great For this grace is equally in all the persons but originally in the Father exhibitiuely in the Son by whom and in whom the Father hath declared his mercy loue and grace To proceed then We are saued by grace What by grace only We are saued by Christ by faith by hope by grace By all these but in a different manner By Christs death as the only meritorious cause by Faith as the proper instrumentall meanes by Hope Rom. 8.24 as sustaining our expectation of things to come by Grace as mouing God If therefore the question bee as it is properly in this place what was the first motiue of our saluation The answere is The grace of God For as the end of our saluation is his glory so the beginning of it is his grace Our election to life is free our vocation inwardly by the spirit outwardly by the word is free our iustification by the bloud of Christ is free our sanctification by the holy Ghost is free finally our glorification in heauen is free also as Fulgentius obserueth very well Datur ex gratia non solùm iustificatis vita hona sed etiam glorificatis vita aeterna Not only a good life vnto them who are iustified but also eternall life vnto them who are glorified is giuen freely and by the grace of God Not of works lest any man should boast himselfe Ephes 2.9 This is the argument vpon which S. Paul doth spend a great part of his Epistles this is the thing which he doth euery where inforce to wit the grace of God in Iesus Christ O S. Paul S. Paul Vas misercoridiae tuba gratiae the vessell of mercy and the trumpet of grace For in none was the mercy of God more expressed then in thee and in none was his grace more exalted then by thee And this he doth not to destroy actum operis but opinionem meriti not the performance of good works but the opinion of merit thereby and specially the merit of Condignity which the Church of Rome defendeth precisely in this sense to wit that after the first iustification by Christ the second being by works as they teach a man being in state of grace may performe and some doe performe such good works as in their owne worth and proper value deserue eternall life This they call merit of Condignity But this is an indignitie to God a disgrace to his grace and blasphemy against his honour More truely saith our Apostle Non sunt condignae c. the afflictions of this present life are not worthie of the glory which shall bee shewed vnto vs Rom. 8.18 Neither our actions nor our passions can deserue the same And I pray you marke the opposition in this behalfe SVNT they are worthy saith the Church of Rome NON SVNT they are not worthy saith S. Paul Away away with merit let vs establish the grace of God which is more honourable vnto him and more comfortable vnto vs. But J leaue the prosecution heereof and after a brief reflexion vpon that which is already past I will proceed vnto the residue of my text First then concerning the Mercy of God Trust in it Trust in it onely Trust in it euer Trust in it without diffidence for in the mercies of the most High you shall not miscarrie Psalm 21.7 Trust in it onely without any other plea. We doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnesse but for thy great tender mercies Dan. 9.18 Trust in it euer without wearinesse for his compassions faile not Lam. 3.22 As the oyle did not cease till there
A SERMON PREACHED at Pauls Crosse the third of March 1610. By Theophilus Higgons In testimony of his heartie reunion with the Church of England and humble submission thereunto Published by Command MICAH 7.8 Reioice not against me ô mine enemie though I fall I shall rise againe when I shall sit in darkenesse the Lord shall be a light vnto me AT LONDON Imprinted by WILLIAM HALL for William Aspley 1611. GEntle Reader whereas in the former impression by reason of importunate haste of the Worke some few faults escaped and especially page 4. l. 22. in this second thou shalt finde them corrected Farewell A SERMON PREACHED AT PAVLS Crosse the third of March 1610. EPHES. 2. vers 4.5.6.7 4 But God who is rich in mercy through his great loue wherewith he loued vs 5 Euen when we were dead by sinnes hath quickned vs together in Christ by whose grace you are saued 6 And hath raised vs vp together and made vs sit together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus 7 That he might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindnesse towards vs in Christ Iesus THere is a fourefold condition or estate of Man The first of Innocency the second of Sinne the third of Grace the fourth of Glory The first by creation from God the second by propagation from our Parents the third by regeneration from the Spirit the fourth by reall possession of Heauen Now as the substance of my text leadeth me to entreate peculiarly of the third conditiō or estate which is the state of Grace so the very first word and entrance thereof BVT a discretiue particle directeth me vnto a consideration of our second estate to wit the state of Sinne which the Apostle describeth in this manner 1. And you hath he quickned that were dead in trespasses and sinnes 2. Wherein in times past you walked according to the course of this world and after the Prince that ruleth in the aire euen the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience 3. Among whom we also had our conuersation in times past in the lusts of our flesh in fulfilling the will of the flesh and of the mind were by nature the children of wrath as wel as others It followeth now in my Text But God who is rich in mercy c. This is the connexion and dependency of these wordes Before there was the state of Sin here is the state of Grace the one opposed vnto the other whereby the deformity of the first dignity of the second doth more spectably appeare For in the former we learne what we were by nature corrupted not created nature in the other we learne what we are by grace In the former we behold our owne misery in the second we contemplate the mercy of God In the former we see our captiuity in the second our deliuerance In the former we see our death in sinne in the second our life in Christ Therfore excellently saith our Apostle Where sin abounded there grace abounded much more that as sinne had raigned vnto death so might grace also raigne by righteousnes vnto eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5 20.21 Thus the state of sinne in time and order is before the state of Grace as the euening was before the morning Gen. 1.5 and the darkenes before the light You were once darkenes but now you are light in the Lord. Ephes 5.8 For some liued without the Law as Gentiles some vnder the Law as Iewes now both are vnder grace But it is one thing to be in grace another thing to be vnder grace Many liue now vnder grace but not in it many liued heretofore in grace but not vnder it For properly to liue in grace is opposed vnto the state of sinne to liue vnder grace is opposed vnto the state of the Law The first is the state of persons who haue grace dwelling in them the second is the state of time wherein grace is offered vnto all Both are ioined heere together in my Text. The state of time we are vnder grace the state of persons wee are in grace so that we are deliuered from the power of the law and of sinne from the condemnation of the first and from the dominion of the second Sin preuaileth not to dominion why we are in grace The Law preuaileth not to condemnation why we are vnder grace And this is the scope of my Text. Wherein there is such amplitude and varietie of matter that plenty it selfe hath made mee poore it being hard to say where and whence I should take the beginning of my discourse as also it is hard to say where I may conclude the same But since the time hath power ouer my thoughts at the least ouer my words and boundeth them within the limits of an houre or two I cannot speake all of a little in my Text as I would therfore I will speake a little of all therein as I may obseruing fiue generall circumstances as they present themselues in order vnto your view The first is the Author of our saluation God or God in Christ For God was in Christ reconciling the world vnto himselfe 2. Cor. 5.19 The second is the causes which mooued God vnto this excellent worke and they are three First Mercy v. 4. not bare mercy but with an addition rich in mercie Secondly Loue and that not a naked loue but with an addition great loue Thirdly Grace iv 5. not simply grace also but with an addition exceeding riches of his grace v. 7. And here with this motiue or cause I will ioine the effect also by grace you are saued The third is the persons or subiect vpon which the benefits are conferred Vs. Wherein you may obserue First the extension of the subiect to wit Iewes and Gentiles both included therein Secondly the condition dead in sinne The fourth is the benefits bestowed vpon vs and they are three First viuification of the spirit Hee hath quickned vs together in Christ vers 5. Secondly resurrection of soule and body He hath raised vs vp together vers 6. Thirdly Session of both in heauen He hath made vs sit together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus The Fifth and last is the end and finall cause of all this happinesse towards vs and indulgence from God That he might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindnes towards vs in Christ Iesus First of the Author THe Author of our saluation is he that is the author of our creation GOD. Non est qui reficiat nisi qui fecit saith S. Bernard None can make vs good of euill but hee that made vs something of nothing It is he that in my creation dedit me mihi gaue me vnto my selfe by creating me after his owne image It is he that in my Redemption dedit se mihi gaue himselfe vnto me by redeeming mee with his owne bloud But you must vnderstand that this
sacred name of GOD is taken sometimes essentially sometimes personally and this is necessary to be knowne in the explication of my text Essentially it includeth the three persons subsisting in one vndiuided nature as Gen. 1.1 In the beginning GOD created the heauen and the earth Therefore the originall hath it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 creauit Dij the Gods created The noune is plurall the verbe singular to shew a trinity of persons in the vnity of essence Sometimes this sacred name is taken personally importing one person of the diuine nature as Iohn 1.1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with GOD That is the Sonne was with the Father With him because from him With him Deus apud Deum by eternall coexistencie from him Deus de Deo by personall procession In which respect precisely the Father is not with the Sonne the Father and the Sonne are not with the holy Ghost but the Sonne is with the Father and the holy Ghost is with them both For as God is the God of order in all his creatures and externall works so he is a God of order in himselfe also and in his internall workes There is a priority of order in the Father before the Sonne and in them both before the holy Ghost So that the Father being the fountaine of the other hath a prerogatiue of order in his person and consequently a prerogatiue of order also in this glorious name of GOD. And thus it is in my Text GOD who is rich in mercy that is the Father For though it be true in faith that euery person is equally mercifull louing and gracious yet in this place it is proper to say that God the Father is rich in mercy and great in loue and exceeding in grace For here is a necessary relation of one person to the other God quickned vs in Christ that is the Father in the Sonne Now to the matter it selfe It is God that quickneth vs raiseth vs c. not Angels not Man not his owne Works not his owne Will Not Angels they are ministring spirits Heb. 1.14 not quickning not raising spirits Suggerunt bonum non ingerunt hortantur ad bonum non bonum creant saith S. Bernard They may exhort vnto good by their suggestion they cannot powre it into vs by infusion they may perswade it they cannot create it in vs. Not Man himselfe for the wandring sheepe sought not the shepheard but the carefull shepheard sought out the sheepe Matth. 18.12 Not the Workes of man for can a dead tree bring forth liuing fruit or an euill tree good fruite Matth. 7.18 Finally not the Will of man for we did not preuent God in desire but it is he that worketh in vs both the will and the deed of his owne pleasure Phil. 2.13 For though in actions naturall and ciuill man hath a libertie of will yet in actions spirituall and supernaturall his will is dead vntill it bee reuiued by GOD. Thus all other meanes excluded God is the onely Agent in this great and glorious worke Saluation is of the Lord Ionah 2.9 Therefore saith God vnto his people I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for my owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes Esay 43.25 I with an ingemination euen I excluding all other meanes for mine owne sake excluding all other motiues And this point is excellently inforced by Moses speaking thus vnto the children of Israel lest they should attribute that vnto themselues which was due vnto God alone The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a precious people vnto himselfe aboue all people that are vpon the earth The Lord did not set his loue vpon you nor chuse you because you were more in number then any people for you were the fewest of all people But because he loued you and because he would keepe the oath which he had sworne vnto your Fathers Deut. 7.6.7 8. No merit in them but grace in him that so they might truely say Not vnto vs ô Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glory Psalme 115.1 Now if the Iewes could plead nothing but the loue of God for his peculiar fauour what can the Gentlies plead for themselues also but the same loue of the same God Therefore saith our Apostle God who is rich in mercy c. he hath quickened vs c. So that now we are come from the Author which is GOD vnto the Motiues which are Mercy Loue and Grace in him Secondly of the Motiues IN these also there is an order as well in the attributes of God as formerly in his name Here is Mercy releeuing vs and caused by his Loue. Here is loue embracing vs and caused by his Grace Here is grace sauing vs and caused by his Goodnesse For some learned Diuines obserue that these foure properties Mercy Loue Grace and Goodnesse as they are very like in their effect toward vs so they are all one in God but yet with a difference of order Goodnesse is the cause of all the rest but immediatly of Grace Grace is the cause of the other but immediatly of Loue Loue is immediatly the cause of mercy So in God his Goodnesse is a cause only and his Mercy an effect only the other are causes and effect too And this is a golden chaine the first linke whereof is Goodnesse in God the last is Mercy which reacheth vnto vs. First then of MERCY as it is here first placed in my Text. GOD who is rich in mercy That there is mercy in God it sheweth the compassion of his nature that hee is rich in mercy it sheweth the abundance thereof In both we haue a singular comfort For be it that he hath mercy that is a comfort but our comfort is greater because diues est he is rich in mercie for with him there is plentifull redemption Psal 130.7 Or be it that he is rich it sheweth an abundance and sufficiency in himselfe But where is our comfort euen this Diues est in misericordia he is rich in mercy the sweetest propriety of his diuine nature So then He is not simply rich but in mercie nor hath he simply mercie but is also rich therein Which as it is abundantly discouered vnto vs by the effects thereof so it is testified vnto vs by his owne mouth and we know that his testimony is true For when God descended from heauen which descent was not by mutation of place but by exhibition of presence and proclaimed his owne name see what a style he giueth himselfe The Lord the Lord strong mercifull gratious slow to anger abundant in goodnesse truth reseruing mercie for thousands forgiuing ininquitie transgression and sin not making the wicked innocent visiting the iniquity of the fathers vpon their children vnto the third and fourth generation Exod. 34.6.7 Consider here first the proprieties themselues mercifull gracious slow to anger abundant in goodnesse reseruing mercy forgiuing iniquity vnto all these he opposeth two
other the one negatiue he maketh not the wicked innocent the other affirmatiue he visiteth iniquitie Consider secondly the extent of the one and other His mercy extendeth vnto thousands his iudgement vnto three or foure generations Here is mercie and riches of mercie This therefore being so peculiarly annexed vnto the diuine nature the Church for many hundred yeeres harh vsed that excellent Collect O God whose nature and property is euer to haue mercy c. And this bringeth vnto my remembrance the saying of Tullie so much applauded by S. August lib. 9. de Cruit Dei when hee pleaded before Caesar for the life and liberty of Ligarius his friend O Caesar saith he none of thy vertues is more admirable or gracious then thy MERCIE Men come neere vnto God in nothing so much as in sauing the afflicted Thy fortune hath nothing greater then that thou hast power thy nature nothing better then that thou hast will to shew mercie and to saue others So I may say of all Gods proprieties none is more admirable and gracious then his mercy It is not his power it is not his knowledge it is not his wisdome but it is his Mercy wherein we chiefely reioice I should despaire if there were not mercy in him since there is so much iniquity in me But because of sinners hee shall be called mercifull 2. Esdr 8.31 Thus his mercy hath an aduantage by our sinnes to declare and to expresse it selfe For though in him there is an habit if I may so speake of mercy alwaies yet the act of mercy requireth sinne precedent in vs which giueth matter and occasion vnto the same There is a double matter of mercie the one whence it proceedeth the other where it is shewed The first is in God onely the second in vs. The heauens neede not the mercy of God saith August in Psal 32. because there is no misery in them but the earth needeth it and where the misery of man hath abounded there the mercie of God hath abounded much more If therefore I haue committed sinne then I haue fit matter for the declaration of his mercy In this ô Lord thy goodnesse shall be praised if thou be mercifull vnto vs who haue not the substance of good works 2. Esdr 8.36 In truth many haue the shadow not the substance of good works Now though it is an euill cause saith Seneca which requireth mercy yet there is no cause so euill which can despaire of mercy For as I haue the matter of or for mercy in me to wit my sins so if I haue the means to apprehend this mercy which meanes is faith alone the mercy of God shall bee commended through mine iniquity and my owne sinne shall turne to my owne safety All things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose Rom. 8.28 Omnia cooperantur saith S. Augustine all things worke etiam peecata Domine euen our sins also ô Lord. For by sinne we haue experience of our infirmity our infirmity draweth vs vnto humility humility lifteth vs vp vnto God in God euery man hath his quietus est perfect rest and endlesse peace Thus it is true that sinne which naturally and of it selfe worketh damnation may occasionally and by accident worke saluation also but by his power who brought light out of darkenesse and worketh our good out of our own euill I dare not therefore adde this grieuous sin vnto my other sinnes to despaire of mercy For as to commit a sinne it is the death of the soule so to despaire of mercy it is to descend into hell And some feare not to affirme that Iudas sinned more by despaire of mercy then by treason against his Lord. For what is more sacrilegious saith Fulgentius then to deny Gods mercy in forgiuing our sins If he be a skilfull physitian he can cure all our infirmities if a mercifull God hee can forgiue all our sinnes Therefore Dauid Psal 103. exhorteth his owne soule to praise the Lord and again to praise the Lord. Why He forgiueth all thy sinne healeth all thine infirmities If this be so let no man despaire of the physitian and remaine in his sicknes let no man extenuate Gods mercy and pine away in his sinnes For Christ died for sinners Rom. 5.8 And Christ came into the world to saue sinners 1. Tim. 1.15 If I were not a sinner he were not a Sauiour Qualecumque fit ergopeccatum c. Whatsoeuer then thy sinne be God can and will pardon it if thou by despaire doest not close vp his hands and shut vp the gate of indulgency against thy self Finally he concludeth his exhortation out of the prophet Esay 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his wayes and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and he will haue mercy vpon him and to our God for he is very ready to forgiue Yea multus ad ignoscendum as he rendreth it neerer vnto the originall text In hoc multo nihil deest in quo est omnipotens misericordia omnipotentia misericors He can pardon for his mercy is omnipotent he will pardon for his omnipotency is mercifull Therefore let no man despaire Thus much of the first motiue or cause to wit the mercy of God And so I come vnto the second which is his LOVE as it followeth here in my Text through his great loue wherwith he loued vs euen when we were dead by or in sins Here is loue the cause of mercy I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue therefore with mercy haue I drawne thee Ierem. 31.3 The riuer of mercy issueth from the fountaine of loue But of this I haue spoken * Pag. 8. before Now for the Text it selfe you may obserue First that this affection or attribute is comfortable because it is loue specially in God Secondly that this loue is commendable because it is great Thirdly that this greatnes is admirable because it is toward vs. Concerning the First to wit the affection or attribute loue in God the beloued disciple teacheth vs that God is loue 1. Io. 4.8 And so loue is attributed vnto him in the abstract because it is in him not as an accident and by participation but by essence as S. Bernard speaketh diuinely of this other properties in God He loueth as charity he knoweth as truth he fitteth as equity he ruleth as maiesty he gouerneth as the beginning he defendeth as health he worketh as power he reuealeth as light he assisteth as piety All these things the Angels doe yea we also doe but yet in an inferiour manner not by that good which we are or haue in our selues but which we participate of him But it is otherwise in GOD whatsoeuer is attributed vnto him is God himself For he is a simple vncompounded being in whom all things are one So that the variety of his attributes is not from a diuersity of affection in him but of effects vnto vs. But J
manner Quid ergo nos c. What then shall we doe shall we despaire No but we will hope so much the more and chiefely for this cause Why Licet enim SOLVS sed profectò TOTVS intrabit os non comminuetur ex eo for though hee alone shall enter into heauen yet hee shall enter whole and entire and a bone of him shall not be broken We are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh He is the Head and wee the members the one is not found in the kingdome without the other And now my brethren what doe wee vpon this earth we who are already seated in heauen Why doe many men nay all men for all men seeke their owne and not that which is Iesus Christs Phil. 2.21 so earnestly seeke the first and so carelessely neglect the second The voluptuous man placeth his felicity in pleasures the ambitious man in honor the couetous man in riches Their end is damnation their God is their belly their glory is to their shame they mind earthly things saith S. Paul Philip. 3.19 He addeth But our conuersation is in heauen from whence also we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ Here then is a contemplation for euery soule My Lord is ascended into heauen shall I neglect so good a place as heauen and so blessed company as my IESVS O where can I bee ill with him or where can I be well without him As he hath prepared a kingdome for me so I will prepare my selfe for that kingdome where J may reioice with him for euer and no man shall take my ioy from me Thus beloued in Christ we must ascend first in affection as wee shall afterward in soule and finally in body that so we may liue in him by grace die in him with peace raigne with him in glorie for euer and euer Amen Of the Finall Cause of Gods benefits bestowed vpon vs. I Am now come vnto the FIFTH and last circumstance of my text to wit the finall cause or end of Gods benefits bestowed vpon vs That he might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindnesse toward vs in Christ Iesus My method shall be this First I will make a briefe suruay of each particular in this verse Secondly J will reflect vpon the generall doctrine contained in the same The particulars may be reduced vnto foure The FIRST is the End itselfe that he might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace The SECOND is the Tendernesse of Gods affection demonstrated in this end through his kindnesse The THIRD is the persons or obiect vnto which this kindnesse is extended vnto vs. The FOVRTH and last is the Meanes by which God doth extend the same in Christ Iesus In the FIRST which is the end it selfe you may obserue the Manner how it is expressed that hee might shew the Time when in the ages to come the Matter which is expressed the exceeding riches of his grace Briefely of each 1. The Manner That he might shew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the originall and it is of greater force then our translation doth retaine that he might shew it forth by demonstration and euidence that so the world might see admire and applaud the bounty of his grace Now there are two manner of waies by which God doth shew himselfe First by his Word which is full of maiestie and power I meane not verbum Dominus the Word which is God but verbum Domini the word of God And of this our Apostle saith The word of God is liuely and mighty in operation c. Hebru 4.12 Secondly by his Workes By the worke of Creation so the heauens declare the glory of God the firmament sheweth the worke of his hands Psal 19.1 By the worke of Conseruation in the singular administration of all his creatures and admirable prouision for the same But specially in the worke of Redemption in which God hath shewed his Iustice his Power and his Loue. His iustice in the punishment of sin his power in conquering the forces of Satan his loue in redeeming captiues 2 The time in the ages to come For hee hath made his wonderfull works to be had in remembrance Psal 111.4 Hee suffereth them not to be obscured in darknesse nor buried in obliuion Therfore he sheweth them in the ages to come not for a day nor a yeare but for eternity to be conueighed from one generation vnto another We will not hide them from our children but to the generation to come we will shew the praises of the Lord his power also and his wonderfull works that he hath done Psal 78.4 Our tongue must be the trumpet of his praise our heart the register of his works a faithfull register to preserue thē for euer Many men are moued at the benefits of God for a time their motion is quick in the beginning but slow in the end and yet it commeth soone to an end also So it was with the people of Israel They forgate his acts and his wonderfull works that he had shewed them Psal 78.11 3. The Matter it selfe the exceeding riches of his grace What this grace is J told you * Pag. 20. before to witte the free and voluntary fauour of God exhibited vnto vs in Iesus Christ his Sonne Here it is accompanied with a paire of epithetes expressing the nature and quality therof It is rich yea exceeding rich A Sea of grace which neuer can be exhausted An abyssus a bottomlesse pit of grace which neuer can bee sounded Which as all men may admire for the greatnes therof so specially a penitent sinner may apply vnto himselfe for his own comfort How can I doubt of remission and forgiuenes of my sinnes from him who is so full of grace If you require examples for your better assurance they are not wanting in this behalfe I haue been an Idolater so was Manasses I haue been lewd of my body so was Dauid I haue been ouertaken with wine so was Noah I haue fled from God so did Ionah I haue denied my Lord so did Peter I haue persecuted him in his members so did Paul I haue despoiled men of their goods so did the penitent theefe who was conuerted vpon the crosse Finally I am full of iniquity so was Mary Magdalen peccatrix the sinful woman All these obtained pardon by the grace of God which they apprehēded by faith He wil not therfore reiect me that embraced them They could plead nothing but grace and this also I can plead as well as they Therefore faint not vnder temptation but take heede of the Diuels false glasse wherein he representeth thy sinnes otherwise then they are indeed For he hath two false glasses the first he bringeth when he tempteth vs to sinne the second when he tempteth vs to despaire First when he tempteth vs to sinne he bringeth his false glasse which maketh the sin and the punishment too appeare
little in our eyes as Lot said of Zoar is it not a little one and my soule shall liue Gen. 19.20 yea perhappes none at all God said by a direct affirmation thou shalt not eate of the tree of knowledge for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Gen. 2.17 The woman commeth in with a mincing hesitation lest perhaps you die Genes 3.3 The Diuell with a peremptorie negation you shall not die at all Such goodly creatures as you die for an apple or some fruit of litle value No saith he you shall not die But Gods word was the truer for Adam did die the death The lesser the precept was in respect of the matter and thing it selfe the greater was the sinne in respect of the disobedience contempt Secondly when we haue committed a sinne vpon his suggestion our consent then he bringeth another false glasse wherein he maketh our sinne appeare so great that God himselfe is not great enough to forgiue the same My sinne is greater saith desperate Cain Gen. 4.13 then that it can be forgiuen But here Cain I dare giue thee the lie or rather thy Diuell who is the father of lies Ioh. 8.44 for no sin is so great but that God can such is his power and will such is his goodnes forgiue the same Js it not simply the sinne committed but our impenitencie added vnto sinne which maketh it irremissible in euent that is otherwise remissible in it selfe In all such temptations therefore which doe or may assault vs it is good to haue S. Peters counsell 1. Pet. 5.9 euermore set before our eyes Resistite resist him How must we resist him Fortes being strong and stedfast Wherein must we be strong and stedfast In fide in faith that it may apprehend the grace of God For if I sinne he hath grace If my sinnes be great there is the riches of his grace If my sins be in number as the sands of the sea and were euery sand a milstone there is the exceeding riches of his grace Exceeding aboue all my sinnes For if it be true and it is most true that the mercy of God is ouer or aboue all his works Psal 145.9 is it not ouer aboue all my works also Howsoeuer his be good and very good Genes 1.31 mine euill and very euill that is not the point he will not haue his grace and mercy to bee exceeded by my sinnes Plus potest dimittere quà m ego committere he can remit more vnto me then I can cōmit against him And so much of the first The SECOND particular is the Tendernesse of Gods affection through his kindnes Sweete is the name and sweeter is the thing Thy louing kindnesse is better then life therefore my lips shall praise thee Psal 63.3 Let mee repeate it once againe O that I might dwell for euer in the contemplation of this heauenly and diuine sentence Thy louing kindnes is better then life therefore my lippes shall praise thee O Lord thou art without passion but not without compassion The Lord is mercifull and righteous and our God is full of compassion Psal 116.5 In regard whereof it is that in the holy Scriptures wee finde him compared sometimes to a Friend somtimes to a Father somtimes to a Mother sometimes to an Husband that so by these familiar speeches we might aspire vnto some sense knowledge of his indulgent and compassionate nature But since before his other attributes were attended with certaine epithetes to amplifie the dignity thereof as rich Mercy great Loue exceeding Grace is there none here for his Kindnesse which is the spring and fountaine whence all the rest proceed It needed not the cause is sufficiently commended by the effects Howbeit wee may assume certaine epithetes from some other passages of Scripture as in that place which I mentioned before Thy louing kindnesse and Ionah 42. Thou art of great kindnesse Compound these simples and you shall haue great louing kindnesse in God This this is it which aboue all other things doth winne our hearts vnto God if not in piety yet in good nature For what doth more singularly affect vs then the kindnesse and sweet disposition of a Friend or what can oblige vs more in the straitest bonds of loue Woe is me saith Dauid for thee my brother Ionathan Why Very kind hast thou beene vnto me 2. Sam. 1.26 But the kindnesse of God doth as far surpasse the kindnes of man as GOD excelleth MAN that is to say infinitely beyond all proportion and without any measure And so much of the second The THIRD particular is the Obiect of this kindnesse Vs his kindnesse toward vs. Not toward the good Angels they were in the possibility not in the act of sinne So they needed not redemption from sinne but confirmation in grace and consequently they needed not the kindnes of God at the least not in this sense whereof I now intreat Not toward the bad Angels whom God left iustly vnto obduration in their pride against him and malice against vs. Not toward vnreasonable creatures they were not capable thereof But toward vs. Men who needed it and fell by the suggestion of others and were capable of this kindnesse but had no means to redeem our selues from the power of Satan who held vs in the captiuity of sinne and death Here then was a fit case wherein the kindnesse of God might fully and excellently declare it selfe And truly God did thus declare his kindnesse but yet in iustice also S. Bernard describeth it ingenuously and bringeth in the Sonne of God speaking in this manner Behold how for my sake my Father doth lose his creatures The Angels affected my highnesse but presently he strooke them with an incureable wound Then Man affected my knowledge vpon him also my Father had no pitie neither did his eye spare him Hath be then care of oxen He made onely two noble creatures partakers of reason and capeable of felicity to wit Angels and Men but loe for mee he hath destroied all Men and many Angels Now therefore that men may know how I loue the Father recipiat per me quos quodammodò propter me amisisse videtur Let him receiue them againe by my meanes whom he seemeth in a maner to haue lost for my sake So the Sonne of God restored vs againe vnto his Father by iustice paying the iust price and full ransom of our sins Thou hast redeemed vs vnto God by thy bloud Apocal. 5.9 By the expense of his temporall he hath purchased our eternal life That we might haue it as a gift he hath giuen himselfe for vs. Therefore wel saith the Apostle here in my text that the kindnes of God towards vs was in Iesus Christ And this is the FOVRTH particular in this verse First of the words secondly of the matter In the words there are many obseruable points but I may not be copious therein as namely Iesus is a name of saluation Christ a name