will extenuate sinne although it were but an euill thought against that inuiolable Majestie I knowe not whether such an one hath gotten remission of their sinnes or not and supposing they haue gotten remission of it yet it will bee but a little loue that they will haue vnto the Lord. But hee or shee that will come in and aggreadge their sinne though it were but a thought against that Majestie for thou art neuer able to aggreadge it enough and if thou find a remission of thy sinne then no man can thinke how heartily that bodie will loue the LORD for if once thou gettest grace to repent and to loue GOD thou mayest bee assured that thy sinnes though they were neuer so great neuer so weighty and many in number shall neuer hinder thee of grace and mercie And then againe I say to thee the greatest sinner y t counteth most of their sins once feeling y e remission of their sinnes euer the greater louer Paul an oppressor a persecuter blasphemer a wrongfull man once feeling the loue of the Lord forgiuing him O! how exceedingly loued he the Lord A penitent sinner shall farre surpasse them in loue that haue not sinned halse so much the world shall admire at him for his loue he shall be a miracle to all them that beholde him Now I proceed forward The Pharisie can judge well enough of this generall that hee that hath most forgiuen him loueth most and that loue is the effect of remission of sinnes Well art thou that louest the Lord for be assured that the Lord loueth thee and hath forgiuen thee thy sinnes But when it commeth to the assumption that that poore woman that sinful woman loued the Lord there hee erreth Beholde Brethren the light of nature and the blindnesse of nature by nature wee will know the generall well enough suppose thou haddest no more but that light of nature thou wilt confesse that a murtherer should die the death But if thou come to the particular O! but thou art a murtherer thou hast a bloodie heart a bloodie hand and thou art all bloodie Will anie man suffer that No no and therefore he will hold off this conclusion Therefore thou shouldest die the death and be takē to the place of execution and there lose thine head And would to God that our bloodie men whether they bee Noblemen lordes Earles Barons or others had bene headed long since for it is a maruell that plague solloweth not after plague continually till this land bee purged of this blood that cryeth continually in the streetes So the Pharisie could not belieue the particular that euer the poore sinner coulde get mercie hee was so hard a censurer of the poore woman But I count it nothing worth to judge vprightly in generall except also thou judge vprightly in particular The Iudges of the Land they will judge vprightly in generall but come to the particular to kinsfolkes friendes and alliances this man or that man with his bud O there there the judgement is peruerted Well is the Iudge that judgeth vprightly in particular for a Turke may judge vprightly in generall and woe is thee that judgest not vprightly in particular Now to come to the other part of the reason The Lord turneth Him to the poore woman and the more the Pharisie findeth fault with the Lord the more the Lord turneth Him toward her and saieth I say to thee Simon that this woman loueth mee more a thousand times than euer thou diddest If thou withholdest grace from a sinner then in despite of thy teeth the Lord will heape grace vpon him The assumption is this This woman loneth me exceedingly then the conclusion will follow in the owne roome Therefore this woman certainly hath all her sinnes forgiuē her Then He declareth the assumption by waye of comparison with the Pharisie Thou calledst me to dinner saith hee but this woman loued me better than thou doest I entered into thine house and thou gauest mee no water to my feat after the fashiō of the countrey but she hath washed my feet with teares looke if this be a token of loue then againe Thou gauest me no kisse after y e fashion of the countrey but she since the time I came in hath not ceased to kisse my feete Then Mine head with oyle thou didst not anoint but shee hath anointed my feete with ointment therefore shee loueth me better than thou Nowe the Pharisie coulde not discerne of the penitent sinner but the Lord letteth him see that Hee can discerne betwixt an hypocrite a true penitent sinner there Hee hath payed him in his owne hand And the Lord letteth vs see that He taketh heede and shall take heede to the ende of the worlde to the least thing that thou doest for His cause to anie of His. Who wuld haue thought that the Lord woulde haue taken heede to this The Lord will take heede who giueth Him water to washe His feete which is but a sober office The LORD will take heede who will stoupe downe and giue Him a kisse and washe His feete with teares The LORD will take heede who will bestowe common oyle to anoint Him with or who will bestowe precious ointment on Him and in the Great daye when all secretes shall bee reuealed looke if Hee tooke heede what wee were doing in the worlde Matth. Chapter 25. verse 34 Hee will saye Thou gauest Mee nothing when I was heere in the worlde thou visitedst Mee not and hee will point out place time and all the circumstances vnto thee Then Brethren if the LORD taketh so good heede what wee doe vvell is the soule that giueth but a piece of bread to an hungrie bodie for CHRISTES sake or a coate to a naked bodie for His sake And therefore euer haue Him before thine eyes and saye LORD I giue this to Thee that Thou mayest not say to me when Thou commest to judge the worlde Thou gauest Mee nothing Nowe I heare there is a great pouertie and famine in this Land and woe vnto them that are the instrumentes of hunger Let vs bee so farre from this to bee the causes thereof that on the contrarie wee may pintch our selues that wee may spare vpon the needie for I see the LORD will trie our liberalitie Therefore let vs spare vpon the poore in this Land that wee maye heare of the LORD in that Great daye Come yee blessed of My Father for yee gaue Mee meate and yee gaue Mee drinke in this worlde And further wee see heere the tryall of an hypocrite Howe shalt thou knowe an hypocrite The LORD layeth downe the rule Yee shall knowe them by their fruites Matth. 7. 16. Yee shal know by their doings an hypocrit hath many fair words I doubt not but this Pharisie whē he inuited the Lord to dinner had many faire words but there shall be little doing at the least hee shall neuer doe anie thing heartily Where is this Pharisies humilitie Hee offereth not to wash the Lordes
respect of it The Sunne is but a creature this is the light vncreated of the glorious GOD the verie essence of GOD count of it as thou wilt Now marke one thing of this This man by his speach leadeth vs to his hart what are words if they want the heart and if they haue no life what are wordes to bee respected suppose thou speakest a thousande yeeres of light and glorie if thou haue neither light nor glorie in thy soule Certainely there are none that will looke to these wordes but they may see the mans heart was replenished with this light and glorie whereof hee spake The face of IESVS shyned on his soule and so wonderfullie hee vttereth that conception and fulnesse of the heart in such wordes as are marueilous The heart of PAVLE was full of light and glorie But I see little light in the heartes of men and women in respect of that light which was in his heart And therefore Brethren to speake the trueth because this Gospell howbeit it hath beene sounding in the eare these manie yeeres in this Lande yet it hath not entered into the hearts of men womē it hath bene a sound in the eare but not a light in the soule because thou hast not suffered it to enter into thine heart kept it there therefore the Lord is threatning to take it from thine eare also and so will be seene on EDINBVRGH one day The eye is alwayes vpon men but thou lookest not to that poysonable heart of thine that is procuring y e away-taking of this Gospel out of thine eare and except ye descend into your owne hearts search the emptinesse of y t light in them it is not possible that it can remaine Can it bee possible that this contempt of the Gospell that of her owne nature is so effectuall in the hearts of men can bee borne with for euer No y e Lord will not suffer this contempt to bee vnpunished And therefore the Lord appearantly hath said I will put away my Gospel from this vngrateful people whom it hath not illuminated after so long time So ye y t haue bene long looking to instrumēts looke as long on your owne false hearts that are the cause of all Yet Brethren notwithstanding of al this contempt of y e Gospel the Lord saue me all them that I wish well to from this to be an instrument of the with-drawing of it for yet it was neuer seene that y e Lord vsed good men to be instruments in such a deed Who is it that is heere sent to blind this worlde who but the god of this world the Deuil and therfore I giue this watch-word Let no man preasse to bee the occasion of the away-taking of the Gospell Nowe I shall take vp the next verse shortly and so I shall end In the next verse the Apostle giueth the reason wherefore they to whome the Gospell was hidden behoued to be they who were ordained for perdition and whome the god of this world hath blinded His reason is takē euen from his sinceritie in preaching the Gospell For saieth hee wee preach not our selues Whom preach I then but IESUS CHRIST the LORD and I preached Him to be the Lord in my Gospel and what preached I of my selfe Our selues your seruantes for Christ Iesus sake For the Bridegromes cause I was a seruant to the Bride for His cause who is the onelie Head and LORD of the Church I was a seruant to the Church Then of this reason marke this lesson A man whome the LORD raileth to preach the Gospell not to seeke himselfe nor his owne aduancement nor worldlie riches nor honour but onelie to preach the Gospell in sinceritie what effect will hee haue in his preaching Strange effectes will followe him if hee saue thee not if hee winne thee not to God if he minister not comfort to thee by his Gospell what will hee doe I shall tell thee Hee will put a stampe vpon thee and thrust it into thine heart conscience testifying to thee in the owne time for the conscience wakeneth not in all men at all times that thou wast not faithfull but a reprobate ordained to perdition from all eternitie if thou gettest not repentance in time and if the Gospell preached by a sincere man hath not fructified in thee all his preaching is but a seale to thee of thy damnation and in the Great Day shall stand vp and aggrege thy judgement Marke another thing heere What is this that maketh this man so bold He will denounce perdition excecation and blind-folding by the god of this world I assure you this is a bolde speach to denounce damnation but what maketh him so bolde Yee see it in a worde the conscience of his owne sinceritie that in his preaching hee sought not himselfe but the LORD his Maister There is the lesson A man whom the LORD will sende and the LORD as certainlie will sende men to speake in sinceritie his message as euer he sent any Prophet in the worlde howbeit there be not an extraordinarie calling nowe A man I say whom the LORD will send he will denounce damnation to an obstinate and rebellious people and hee will bee bolde to take thee as it were by the eare suppose thou bee a king and leade thee to that Tribunall to heare the sentence of damnation pronounced against thee The LORD giue mee this sinceritie and then I will not care for all the kinges and all the men in the worlde for the LORD will giue boldnesse to the man whome he raiseth in sinceritie to cyte kinges before that Tribunall of IESVS CHRIST Another thing I see in this Text There is no lord but the Lord IESVS who will tread down all the lordes in the earth and treade vpon their neckes at his pleasure And more I see There is no Ladie nor Queene but the Church the Spouse of IESVS CHRIST As for Kinges Queenes Politickes in the earth all are but seruantes onelie Kinges seruantes Queenes seruantes Pastors and Ministers seruants and nourishers of the Church of IESVS The Apostles seruants ministring food to this glorious bodie of IESVS and feeding it with the sincere milke of the worde And that is it which the Apostle saith in the 1. epis to the Corin. chap. 3. vers 22. speaking of himselfe and others All is yours saith he whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas c. Euen so all is yours all are but seruants to you ye are Christes Hee is your Lord ye haue none other lord but Christ Thē the Church must haue a great prerogatiue jurisdiction and liberty She is a Queene and if euer there was in any countrey a jurisdiction and libertie shee hath it giuen her of her Spouse the Lord IESVS Then ye know what should follow If shee haue a libertie and jurisdiction I will speake that which the Apostle speaketh in the second epist to the Corin. chap. 13. vers 10. God hath not giuen me saith Paule
who before delited in kissing leaue your harlots and from this woman learne to kisse the LORD or else thou and thy vile mouth shalt burne in Hell Kisse the feete of the LORD who hath shedde His blood for thee for so oft as thou kissest the feete of the Lord thou shalt finde that thou suckest grace out of Him And this woman who was before a vile harlot now only she taketh pleasure to kisse the Lord. And what did this woman more It is said when shee had bestowed her body vpon Him shee taketh that boxe of costlie ointment that shee had prepared for Him and anointed his feete therewith Bestowe thy selfe first vpon the Lord and bestowe thy body vpon Him and His seruice and say to Him Nowe Lord I giue thee and I bestow vpon thee mine heart my soule my body all the members therof keepe thouthem in holinesse that they may bee consecrate to thee Then when thou hast bestowed first thine heart and thy selfe vpon Him it will be none hard matter to bestowe thy goods when His glory requireth And certainly when men are so nigard in the â—â—ds cause that they will not bestowe a pennie â—pon Him when his glory requireth or vpon His â—oore members it is a sure argument that they â—euer bestowed their heart vpon Him Many vain men and women will saye And if Christ were in the worlde for the loue I carie vnto Him I would followe Him serue Him imploye my body and all that I haue in His seruice and to His glorie but if thou wilt not bestowe thy goods vpon the needie vpon His seruants and vpon these who carie His image if Christ Himselfe were in the worlde thou wouldest bestowe nothing vpon Him for if once thou were sensible of that liberality that Iesus offereth vnto His owne thou wouldest loue Him so well that thou wouldest shewe thy selfe liberall to these who cary His image thou wouldest giue all that thou hast for His cause who is onelie able to make thee rich Now to goe forwarde in the Historie Whilest shee is thus exercised in weeping in washing the Lordes feete with her teares in drying them with her haire in anointing them with precious ointment what doeth the Lord what is His behauiour All this time the LORD speaketh neuer a worde vnto her all this time while shee findeth so great grace and mercie in Him Hee turneth not once His face vnto her If thou gettest once the Lordes backe neare vnto thee if thou gettest leaue to kisse His feete howbeit thou gettest not His face at the first nor His countenance at the entrie yet out of Him thou shalt sucke grace and mercie vnspeakeable It is a marueilous thing to see how a sinner will get grace When the Lord will seeme to turne His backe vpon thee yet follow thou on and leaue Him not till He turne His face toward thee and I assure thee thou shalt get His face at the last Therefore neuer depart from Him but sticke by His backe and His feete and certainly in the ende thou shalt get that sight of that joyfull countenance that shall compleate thy joy Nowe to come to the Pharisies part who called Him to dinner for we haue heard the part of the woman The Pharisie named Simon sitteth still and seeth all that is done and speaketh not one word but thinketh and hee thinketh the thing which is not good his mouth is closed but he blasphemeth in his heart If this maâ— were a Prophet saieth hee â—ee would know who and what manner of woman this were who toucheth him for she is a sinner he thought incontinent that the filthinesse of the woman woulde pollute the Lord would hee suffer this vile harlot to touch him if hee were a Prophet or an holie man Yee see now Brethren how disdainfullie he thinketh of her and howe hee contemneth her in his heart A Pharisie that is an hypocrite that wil counterfeite outwardly a kind of holinesse see how he will disdain a poore sinner that is an open sinner in the sight of the world An hypocrite is a foule sinner and he will doe such things in secrete that it is a shame to speake of because his sinne is cloaked from the sight of the world and from his owne eyes when hee beholdeth another sinner againe that sinneth openly in the sight of the world how disdainfully will hee count and speake of the open sinner and will spitte at him the seuerest censurer that euer was is an hypocrite and then he will stand vp admiring of himself and his coloured righteousnesse and saye I thanke God I am not like other men And what is the cause of this The Lord saieth The hypocrite is nothing but a whited tombe a painted graue that within is full of dead mens bones stinke and filthinesse Matth. 23. 27. And yet that cloake of hypocrisie beeing spred ouer the heart the hypocrite seeth not that filthinesse that is in his owne heart and that hypocrite that thinketh to beguile all the world chiefely he beguileth himselfe And if thou sawest that seede of all mischeiâ—e that is within thy selfe certainely thou wouldest disdaine thy selfe and thou wouldest be inclined to judge charitably of a poore sinner thou wouldest not bee so sore and rigorous a censurer of others as thou art And if thou sawest what kinde of stuffe were within thy selfe howbeit it breake not out thou wouldest say Now I see as great corruption in my selfe as in any body it is the Lord that letteth it not breake out the Lord purge and renew mee and the Lord purge renew yonder sinner from the sinne that breaketh out so openly in outward action Now as the Pharisie knoweth not himselfe so he knoweth not what the Lord is he knoweth Him not to bee the Mediator come into the worlde to saue poore sinners and therefore hee concludeth so blasphemously The Lord is not a Prophet Marke Brethren Who euer seeth not that miserie that is within themselues of necessitie they neuer saw that mercy that is in Iesus Christ These two goe together of necessitie Whosoeuer seeth not himselfe is ignorant of Christ and would not buy the mercy of Christ for one penny hee careth not for Christs kindnesse hee counteth grace and mercy all but vanity Now of these two followeth another thing Not seeing himselfe first next not seeing that mercy in Christ not knowing that He was that Sauiour of the world of these two followeth this wicked conceit in him seeing the sinner deale with Him to get grace mercy the Lord dealing so mercifully with her he scorneth contemptuously disdaineth in his heart this dealing y t the poore sinner hath with y â— Lord. The men who see not their own misery noâ— y e Lords mercy they will scorne disdaine a poore sinner either outwardly calling them sighing brethren sobbing sisters or at least in their hart inwardly And I am assured there are hypocrites enough this day who haue no sense
to remooue out of the bodie and to dwell with the LORD There are two good thinges The one confidence the other light The Apostle maketh a choise heere he will leaue confidence here in the bodie and hee chooseth to die that he may attaine to the light and in this respect he would change all the confidence hee hath with death Thou wilâ— not change a foot of earth with death but th' Apostle will change confidence with death and confidence is more preciou than all y e earth Few will doe this and yet thou wi 't die and thou hadst sworne it Well is that bodie that is so resolued to die as Paule was But maketh Paule a choise of death for death it selfe Certainely no man wil choose death for death it selfe for except the LORD lighten death and transforme it it is an entrie to Hell And if thou haue none other respect in death but to be quite of this miserable life as some will sâ—y Would GOD I were dead that I might bee quite of this miserie thou shalt bee in greater miserie after death than euer thou was whilst thou was liuing What then should bee the speciall cause that should mooue a man to say Would GOD I were dissolued euen this I am burthened with sinne I am burthened with mortalitie This burthen should bee a great motiue Well is the soule that is freede of sinne What pleasure is it to a soule that woulde faine serue GOD to liue euer in sinne Nay no pleasure This is the speciall motiue that should mooue vs to make choise of death To bee with IESVS CHRIST to dwell with Him and to bee in His companie in the participation of that glorie that is in the countenance of CHRIST For that caâ—se I would flit that I might bee with my LORD and embrace that joye So as the miserie of this worlde will put thee forwarde to GOD. so the sweetenesse of CHRISTS companie will draw thee forward Then to ende The Apostle hath preconceaued in himselfe a wonderfull joye of that glorie when hee sawe it not yet so must wee doe All his walking was by faith and not by sight but hee seeth before the hand an Heauenlie joy and pleasure in respect of that â—ruition that he shall once get of the countenance of CHRIST This shoulde learne thee to looke euer for more than thou â—eest thinke not that thou hast seene all the glorie that shall come to thee and hast felt all the pleasures that are laid vp for thee in Heauen But thinke that there is greater joye and glorie there thaÌ„ euer thou couldi heare of for CHRIST him selfe neuer vttered al the glory that is laid vp for the Sainctes All that wee see heere is but in a mirrour All the glorie of CHRIST in the Scripture is but in a mirrour liâ—e as when the Sunne shineth in the mirrour thou lookest not to the Sunne that shineth but to the glauncing thereof in the mirrour And as there is greater shining in the Sunne than in the glauncing thereof which thou seest so thinke euer there is greater glorie in Heauen than euer thou hearde of in the Scripture Suppose not that thou canst thinke of the joyes of Heauen as men on earth thinke on earthly thinges Who can thinke a thing greater than it is No the glory of Heauen and the joye with CHRIST mounteth vp aboue the reach of thy faith and hope and all thing that is able to conceiue the same It mounteth vp higher that the Heauen of Heauens is aboue the earth Therefore thinke not with thy selfe it is too much that I looke for Thou failest only in narrownesse thy Faith and Hope is so narrowe that they cannot comprehende the thousande part of that glorie And so wee should say I hope and I belieue more than I am able to comprehend And here is the cause that thou canst not get that full sight of glorie that is laide vp for thee The weake begunne grace of Faith and the Spirite of GOD in thee is not able to attaine to the thousand part of that glorie The LORD giue vs grace to preconceaue this glorie in some measure that wee may seeke the same and say with PAVL I haue Faith and Hope but that glorie passeth all The LORD grant vs this euen for CHRISTES sake So bee it THE THIRD SERMON II. COR. CHAP. V. verse 9 Whereâ—ore also we couet that both dwelling at home and remoouing from home wee may bee acceptable to Him verse 10 For we must all appeare before the judgement seate of CHRIST that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his bodie according to that that he hath done whether it be good or euill verse 11 Knowing therefore that terrour of the LORD wee perswade men and wee are made manifest vnto GOD and I trust also that wee are made manifest in your consciences WEe haue hearde Brethren these dayes past the remedie that the Apostle setteth downe against this temporall death the dissolution of the body In a worde it is a full assurance and perswasion of the heart that when we are dead concerning the body yet we shall liue againe and shall receiue at the handes of God a more glorious body than euer this bodie was It is an harde matter to get this assurance for the naturall reason of man cannot nor will not perswade him that hee once beeing dead the bodie beeing dissolued in ashes that euer that bodie shall bee recouered againe Therefore the Apostle bringeth in three argumentes of this assurance The first is the earnest desire that the Godly haue in this life to be glorified It is a thing impossible that this desire can bee in vaine Hee that giueth thee a desire of glorie and sighing for it He must giue thee the life and glorie that is desired and sighed for For otherwise Hee would neuer giue thee grace to sigh once for this life and glorie except Hee were purposed to put thee in possession of that glorie one day The second argument is taken from our regenâ—ration or the end of our regeneration GOD is Hee that maketh vs of new againe after we were dismaide by the fall of Adam Hee createth vs of newe againe to this ende that wee should liue the first creation It ended indeede and wee haue lost the right thereof euen in the first creation Wee were created to liue euerlastingly yet wee died But the second creation in IESUS will neuer breake but as in him wee are renewed to life liue shall wee in the Heauens euerlastingly it can neuer faile Peter saith in his first epist chap. 1. vers 3. Wee are regenerate againe into that liuely hope The third argument is the Spirit of CHRIST whereby GOD worketh in vs both the desire and regeneration hauing once giuen vs that Spirit He taketh Him not from vs againe but letteth Him dwell in soule and bodie to bee an earnest-pennie in vs assuring vs He shal neuer leaue vs till the whole promises in
faithfully to you Brethren see ye not heere the care which we should haâ—e of the glory of God of the Church of God and her saluation It should cause a man of this calling that Paul was of to be rauished in spirit and to be content to be counted a foole in this world that God may bee glorified and men helped forwarde to Heauen If God bee glorified in my madnes what regard I to be mad what respect is to be made of a maÌ„ in this world and what if men goe to ruine and decay so that God bee glorified But alas there is such a selfe-loue ingraffed in the heart of euery man that wee wil not suffer God to be honoured except it may stand with our honour we will say I will not be esteemed a foole I will not be disgraced if it may stand with mine honour and profite I will glorifie Him but if His honour and mine stand not together I will chiefely haue respect to mine own honour So it will neuer be well till wee get this cankred selfe-loue submitting it selfe to the glorie of God And it should be the greatest endeuour that euer we should haue in this world to cast out this selfe-loue that we may be content that God may bee glorified although it were to our dishonour yea though it were with our destruction It is not selfe-loue that bringeth honour and glory onelie honour is of God thou shalt neuer get honour except thou cast away selfe-loue that God may bee glorified Then to go forward Paul must haue somthing for him why he will bee mad for Gods cause hee will not bee mad without some reason therefore in the next verse he saith For the loue of God constraineth vs as if he would say I am constrained to this foolishnesse and a charge is laide on me to doe so I am bound and obliged so to doe that is to be a mad man for the glorie of my GOD. And from whence commeth this necessitie It is the loue of God saieth hee that constraineth mee this bande that bindeth me is the loue of Christ not the loue which I beare to Him that is too weake but the loue which Hâ—e beareth to mee it bindoth all my senses and vrgeth me to honour my God with my whole bodie These are the words Then the verie necessitie which lieth on thee to bee a mad man for GODS cause it is not a thing whereof thou canst free thy selfe there is a necessity aid on thee to bee counted mad for Christes cause Then if there be a necessitie laid on vs to doe this albeit it bee to our owne dishonour what if wee doe it not but will shake off this yoke Then I tell thee in place of it another necessitie must come in a necessitie of woe Paule saieth 1. Cor. 9. 16. Woe to me if I preach not the Gospell God hath laid this necessity on me to preach and if I cast it off another necessitie of woe shall be laide on mee Alas this world thinketh all this worshipping of God to be voluntarie that men may serue GOD as they please and that men may preach as they please this way or that way and speake heere and holde their tongue there as they will But I say to thee Wilt thou free me of that necessitie that lieth on mee Art thou able to take it off my backe If thou bee not able then for GODS sake let mee preach the Gospell with freedome and sinceritie of heart I tell thee There is such a necessitie laide vpon the shoulders of the Ministers to vtter euery thing which the Lord putteth into their mouthes that if thou shake off this necessity another necessitie of woe shall be laid vpon them And this shall be their crie on their dead-bed Woe to mee that I preached not the Gospell truelie Yet to goe forward From whence commeth this necessitie Hee saieth It is the loue of GOD that constraineth mee It is the loue of Christ which Hee shewed in His suffering for me that bindeth mee So it was the loue of Christ towardes Paule that moued him patiently to be called mad for Christs cause Christ for the loue which He did beare to vs suffered Himself not only to be called mad but to be called a Deuill Matt. 12. 24. He suffered the extremitie of paine and ignominie for our sakes and all the reuilinges and reproches that shoulde haue lighted vpon vs Hee tooke them vpon Him Such was His loue towardes vs. Then wilt not thou suffer to be called a mad man for His cause If thou wouldest haue a part of y e inheritaÌ„ce which Christ conquered thou must bee bound a necessitie must be laide vpon thee and if thou bee loosed thou art loosed from the loue of IESVS and then woe and euerlasting destruction shall come vpon thee I see then all our seruice of Christ is of necessitie Then what pleasure can bee in the seruice of CHRIST if it bee constrained seruice The thing I am compelled to doe I will haue little pleasure in the doing of it In deed it is true thou art not loose but bound From the time that thou enterest into the Church of Christ thou enterest into bonds but there is a great difference betwixt band and band one band will binde thee force thee to do a thing whether thou wilt or wilt not Another band will only leade thee the right way which thou art to goe Brethren this band that Paule speaketh of in this place it is a sweete band the band of the loue of Christ and it bindeth thee sweetly and louingly to discharge thy duety towards God and all thy duety by this band is voluntary and hee who is bound with this baÌ„d will rejoyce more to be called a foole for Christs sake than to be esteemed a king vpoÌ„ the earth But thou must take heed where this band is that bindeth thee that it may leade thee to doe thy duetie willinglie If the loue of Christ which is the band be outwith thee onelie sounding in thine eare as when it is tolde thee Christ loueth thee I tell thee it wil not bind thee All the preaching in the world will not bind thee if it be without thee Paul saith therefore Rom 5. 5. The loue of God is spread abroad in our hearts thorow the holy Spirit that is giuen vs. Then that that loue may binde thine heart it must bee powred in thee and when it entereth into the heart it looseth y e heart with such a sweetnesse to doe Gods will as is vnspeakeable it bindeth the heart with an exceeding joye Would to God wee had a taste of this loue All is but words There caÌ„ be no such sweetnesse as that is from once the Spirit hath powred the loue of Christ in thine heart then let all our trauels be when we heare of these things to get a sense of the loue of Christ in our hearts Al the powers in the world will not
is marked with the marke of perdition yea if thou bee a king thou art a vessell ordained for shame and ignominie Then Brethren learne here seeing there must be a number that must perish and a number of all estates in the worlde must die that must goe to Hell ordained from all eternitie to perdition beguile not your selues and seeing to this number the Gospel must bee hidden and must be a closed booke they can neuer haue coÌ„solation of it Then thou that delitest to walke in the light of the Gospell of Iesus Christ thinke thou not euill of this Gospell thinke thou not euill of this Ministerie Ioyne these two together that cannot bee seuered the Gospel and the Ministery Thou that thinkest euill of y e Ministerie thou thinkest euill of the Gospell bee thou not ashamed of the Ministers nor of their bondes nor of their captiuitie nor of their death nor of no crosse that can be laid vpon them the 2. Epist to Timot. and the 8. Chapter For the multitude of the worlde thinketh shame of the Gospell and of the Ministers thereof when affliction once commeth vpon them Thou that louest the Gospel keepe thy comfort in thine own bosome and assure thy selfe there is none other way to Heauen and knowing well that this must bee the hazarde of the Gospell and of the Ministers take all these troubles for sure tokens of the trueth of God I loue not the Gospell that hath the countenance of the Princes of this world and hath the confluence of the multitude The Princes and multitude of this worlde hath euer borne the pure Gospell of Iesus Christ at hatred Thus sarre for the first cause wherefore the Gospell of Iesus Christ is hiddeÌ„ from manie to wit that perdition whereunto they are adjudged from all eternitie Nowe take vp in the next verse another cause wherefore the Gospel is hidden to many In whom saith he the god of this world hath blinded their minds The second cause is excecation blind-folding putting out of the eyes and all to this ende that they shoulde not get a sight of the glorious light of the Gospel and so be saued But how commeth this to passe howe are they blinded I shall tell you Once beeing adjudged to die and ordained in the counsell of God to perdition in commeth the god of this worlde that is the Deuill whome this worlde maketh a god of the God of Heauen sendeth him Whome to sendeth Hee him Vnto that catiue that miserable creature that is ordained for perdition as a torturer persecuter an hang-man to put that eternall decree in execution And what doeth hee when he commeth in The first turne that euer hee doeth hee bindeth him What bindeth hee his handes or his feete No he letteth them louse and letteth him worke on with them his owne ruine and runne on vnto his owne perdition But hee bindeth his eyes or rather pulleth them out that the miserable bodie may not see the gracious face of Christ Wherefore is he sent vnto him The cause is not onelie in the ordinance of God but in the catiue himselfe that maliciously repineth to the light and will not receiue the Gospell therefore the GOD of Heauen sendeth the Deuil to put out his eyes that he should not see Mark then the lesson They that are adjudged to die to perditioÌ„ in the world to come in this worlde ere euer they goe out of this life they are bounde like thieues and murtherers to bee presented bound to that damnation that is to ensue they are reserued in chaines till that great Daye What chaines are these Chaines of darknesse their eyes are plucked out that blindlinges in that great Day they may bee cast into Hell into that Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer There is neuer a soule y â— goeth to damnation in the worlde to come but in this life it is blinded Yee know the Ethnickes saying Quos perdere vult IVPITER iis mentem solet adimere It is a true saying and therefore take vp a sure note of perdition to come excecation blindnesse so that if thou canst not see that gracious face of CHRIST in the Gospel at no time for all thine hearing for all this Ministery that is in the world take heede to thy selfe and feare that euerlasting damnation Bee neuer at quiet night nor daye till thou seest a light in thy minde by the Gospell otherwise thy conscience shall condemne thee as a vessell of perdition The Gospell is not sent for nothing either shall it bee vnto thee a sauour of life vnto Life or a sauour of death vnto Death and this shall bee justified one day And except thou get light thou shalt curse the time that euer thou hearde the Gospell when it commeth to that damnation Another thing marke heere When commeth the god of this worlde to blinde men Looke to the order of the Text The first cause is counted perdition GODS ordinance then commeth in the Deuill When commeth in the Deuill When GOD hath first saide the worde I will haue this bodie perishing and will bee glorified in his perdition then commeth in the torturer and plucketh out his eyes So the Deuill is nothing to GOD but a persecuter a minister of His wrath when Hee is angrie than is the lowne at hande as a slaue to put in execution that wrath But it is a sore pitie to consider the miserable bodie on whome this wrath is executed When the hang-man commeth to bind the hands of a bodie that bodie is sorrowfull and sad but when the Deuill is binding thee thou art merrie in the meane time when he is a Deuil to thee thou thinkest hee is a God to thee Thou neuer rejoycest but in blindnes look to experience The multitude of this Land is neuer merrier than when he is binding them and drawing them to filthinesse to murther and villanie to gluttonie and dronkennesse Count not of such a man but saye or thinke if thou dare not say it O miserable catâ—ue the Deuill is blinding thee and leading thee to perdition Nowe marke in the thirde roome the causes which hasten this damnation and which must passe before the god of this worlde come as a torturer to put in execution the sentence of GOD. There must goe before this excecation and that damnation that followeth this excecation a cause in thy selfe thou must euer bee the causer of thine owne death notwithstanding the ordinance of God yet thou neuer perishest till thou be worthie of thine own death and merite thine own damnation What bringeth on this blindnesse A malicious false infidell heart repugning to the Gospel for thou first despisest it and rejectest it so maliciouslie and despiteâ—ullâ—e that in a maner thou wouldest spit on the face of Christ Iesus which shineth in the Gospell This hasteneth the wrath For wheÌ„ the Lord seeth the despitefulnes of thine heart that thou wilt not see not look in the light when it is offered to
Starres Then it is not the loue of GOD the Creator that doeth this and is the ground of this bountifulnesse and of our life in Him but it is a speciall kinde of loue It is that loue that proceedeth of GOD the Sauiour It is not the loue of a Creator but of a Father not to the creature but to the sonne GOD loueth His sonne better than Hee doeth His creature He loueth vs as His sonnes If there were no further loue of GOD but as Hee is a Creator thou durst neuer crie Abba Father and except the Spirit spreade abroade into our heartes that loue which Hee beareth vnto vs for all the world thou durst not appeare before Him The time is set downe when Hee hath saued vs when His singular loue appeared in the world Hee saued vs beeing manifested in the fleshe Then it followeth that wee were lost and gone when GOD of His loue put to His hand and saued vs wee were out of our right wit rebelles to GOD wauering and vagabunding out of the right waye slaues to our owne lustes Whome count yee lost if these be not lost I will neuer count of a reprobate person who is giuen ouer to filthinesse to harlotrie to murther to oppression to mischiefe c. I will neuer count of him but as a madde desperate and lost bodie when hee is walking abroade and moouing in the world hee is but a dead carcasse and if hee come to GOD againe in mercie it may bee saide There is a dead bodie turned to life Hast thou followed harlotrie repentest thou thou hast bene dead in sinne but now thou art aliue The lost sonne when hee had spended his childes-part of goods yet he repented and came home to his father againe his father saieth Hee that was dead is liuing againe Luke 15. 24. So in a worde wee were lost men Thinkest thou that thou art not lost because thou canst breathe And thinkest thou a man not dead if hee can walke vpon the streete Thinkest thou thy selfe verie well if thou haue these vitall motions in thee O but suppose thou hadst all the naturall liues in the world if thou bee giuen ouer to thine owne affections and leauest not off thine olde sinnes and iniquities thou art a madde and a dead bodie Began then that loue towardes man only to appeare when Christ came into the world I answere The loue of God the Father appeared manifested it selfe in some measure to the godlie euen before Christ came into the world God forbid but this loue had bene appareÌ„t vnto Abraham and the rest of the godly before the incarnation of our Sauiour But at the comming of Christ it manifested it selfe more brightly than euer it did before for al His loue of before was in Christ to come but now since He came into the world the loue of God towards mankind hath appeared in greater aboundance The Lord grant vs an apprehension and sight of this loue that at the least wee maye striue to loue Him againe who hath loued vs so dearly in His Sonne IESVS CHRIST Nowe hee sheweth by what meanes this our saluation is procured at the handes of GOD hee telleth you by what meanes we are not saued Net saith he by the workes of righteousnesse which wee had done The meanes by the which we are not saued is our owne just works thou art not saued by thy just works leane to them as thou wilt I will promise thee in the name of that Great God they shall neuer saue thee Can a man that is mad and a rebell to GOD and a slaue to his owne lustes doe such works as may procure saluation But such were we saith the Apostle therefore wee can deserue nothing by our workes Fie on thee Papist with thy merites fie on the works of preparation can a madde man prepare himselfe for grace No such thing I tell you when GOD put to His hand to our saluation Hee founde no matter in vs of our saluation but damnation When GOD beginneth to loue Hee findeth no matter of loue in vs but of hatred And this commendeth the greatnes of His loue towards vs when He seeth nothing in vs but matter of damnation yet Hee of His free grace mercy loueth vs saueth vs RoÌ„ 5. 8. This setteth out His loue highly towards vs when that we were sinners He sent Christ to die for vs therefore seek not thy saluation neither before thou be in Christ nor after thou art in Him by y â— merite of works for thou shalt neuer get it y t way but thou shalt still be the further from it the more thou seekest it by that meane Then if good works be not the meane what is the meane The Apostle â—aith He hath saued vs according to His mercy These are flat contrary The mercy of God the merit of man If thou be saued by y â— mercy of God theÌ„ no merit because thy merite is not able to saue thee The first fountaine of our saluation is loue after loue commeth on mercy then pitie and compassion in His mercie presupponeth miserie Mercie is shewed to the miserable creature GOD seeing vs miserable madde rebelles following our own crooked affections beginneth to bee pitifull and to haue compassion of vs. Yee knowe mercie and pitie followeth vpon loue For when wee loue any one and see him in miserie then wee haue pitie vpon him if thou hate him suppose hee were in neuer so great miserie thou wilt not pitie him Then GOD seeing vs wrapped in sinne and miserie He hath pitie upon vs which pitie proceedeth of loue and with loue and pitie concurreth His power Wee will lone one and see him lie in miserie when it will passe our power to relieue him but GODS power is alwayes effectuall to deliuer all them who are subject to misery if once He extende His loue and compassion towardes them Then the cause of our saluation is in GOD onlie and no part in man who is saued The first cause is the loue of GOD which is the fountaine The next cause is mercie for ere euer this worlde was created GOD of His mercie tooke a purpose to saue vs. The Apostle saieth Ephes 1. 4. Hee purposed of Himselfe Hee sawe no thing in vs wherefore He should take purpose to saue vs. And when Hee commeth on to the execution of that eternall purpose of our saluation there is nothing in vs but all is in Himselfe for He is all-sufficient Himselfe and nothing is without Him The ende wherefore He died all of Himselfe without vs was to the praise of the glorie of His grace Ephes 1. 6. that thereby the whole glorie of our saluation might redounde to Him onelie because the cause is onelie in Him Thou that takest anie part in it and attributest it vnto thy selfe thou spoylest GOD of His glorie Either giue Him all the glorie of this action or take it all to thy selfe this glorie is too heauie for thee if thou
are very foule and vncleane A cloth that is very foule will require much vvater washing euen so vvee must haue aboundance of grace because vvee vvere so foule through sin but suppose vve vvere neuer so foule except vve get a sight of our filthinesse vve vvill neuer desire to be vvashen when Dauid felt himselfe verie filthie in murther and adulterie he cryed Wash mee O Lord and make mee cleane PSAL. 51. When a bodie commeth to a remorse of conscience it is a vvonder to see howe hee vvill drinke in that Spirite and desire to bee satiate vvith that vvater A foule bodie that hath not the sense of his filthinesse will neuer crie for vvashing The murtherer and the harlot vvill neuer crie Lord vvashe mee except they gette a sight of their owne vncleannesse Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be filled MATTH 5. 6. There may bee mooued a question heere Howe is it saide that the Spirite is powred out so aboundantly how many feeleth this riches Will a man or vvoman discende into their selues they will finde great lacke and scarcitie of this Spirit Brethren I answere One droppe of the Spirite of Iesus Christ is coūted great riches one droppe of grace is great riches one droppe of the vvater of life is greater riches than all the vvater in the vvorlde it vvill vveigh downe all the precious things that are vpon the face of y e earth Thou that hast gotten one droppe of grace in Iesus Christ thou art richer than all the kinges in the worlde Moreouer if this droppe of grace could bee dried vp in the heartes of the regenerate it were lesse to be coūted of but there is stil droppe after droppe and none ende of dropping Continually thou art refreshed now and then vvith new drops of grace so long as thou liuest So this cōtinuance in dropping is a great riches thou hast no cause to complaine that hath this continuance Well is the soule that getteth droppe after droppe for that soule may saye it hath gotten great riches Thus much for the first part of our saluatiō called regeneration when God putteth to His hande to saue vs He putteth to His hād vvasheth vs inwardly and outwardlie and giueth vs His Spirit Nowe followeth the next part That being justified by grace we may be made heyres according to the hope of life euerlasting The next part standeth in justification I vvill not insist I shall touch it in a worde It is none other thing but the imputing of the righteousnesse of IESVS CHRIST vnto vs. This righteousnesse is not inherent in vs but the satisfaction of IESVS CHRIST is imputed to vs. This Iustification in effect is none other thing but forgiuenesse of sinnes when God forgiueth thee thy sinnes accounteth Christs righteousnesse to bee thine and laieth not thy sinne to thy charge Al is one thing Iustification is not this y ◠men dreame of to wit a righteousnes inherēt in our selues but it is another mans justice which by imputation is made ours Compare these two together Iustification and Regeneration and consider the naturall order of them Iustification is first A man is justified by the blood of IESVS CHRIST imputed to him ere euer he be regenerate by the Spirit The Spirite that vvasheth him in regeneration commeth through the blood the blood first and then commeth in regeneration and vvasheth awaye the mother sinne and the foule stinking corruption that is in thee and both thy justification and regeneration commeth of free grace without merites for these two are euer opponed grace and mercie preasse not to deale these two to giue GOD one part and to attribute another part to thy selfe leaue thy merites behinde thee and take thee to the mercy of God otherwise there is no saluation for thee Thereafter commeth on another part of saluation vvee are made heires of euerlasting Life but there is something going betwixt that is not set downe here For yee see that when wee are justified and regenerated vvee are made sonnes by adoption before we be heyres vve must bee children But I leaue this because the Apostle speaketh not of it heere Then the last part is Wee are made heyres of the Kingdome of Heauen vvhat more can be required in saluation there is the highest degree Thou art placed in thine inheritance there is thy perfection According to the hope of eternall Lift lest vvee should thinke that vvee are alreadie put in possession of this inheritance he meeteth this and sheweth that albeit vve are in this life made heyres yet vvee are not in this life put into a reall possession of this heyrship but hee saieth according to hope vvee are heyres by hope but once hope and all shall goe awaye and vvee shall bee heyres in very deede Yet hope is necessarie so long as vvee liue heere so long as the Father is liuing the heyres haue a to-looke and a hope of the heyrship Hope thou or else thou shalt neuer see Heauen Nowe this hope is not so bare that in the meane time vvee haue no fruition of the thing hoped for yea euen in this life the fruition of Heauen is begunne in effect and if thou haue not the beginning of it heere hope neuer for the accomplishment of it heereafter Wee haue a beginning in this life but as for the full possession and fruition of our inheritance it is reserued to the life to come And therefore it is that the Godly in this life hope still for the comming of IESVS CHRIST till they bee set and placed vvith Him in that inheritance purchased to vs by His blood To vvhome vvith the Father and the Holy Spirite bee all Honour Prayse and Glory for euer and euer AMEN THE TWELFTH SERMON PSALME CXXX verse 1 Out of the deepe places haue I called vnto Thee O LORD verse 2 LORD heare my voyce let Thine eares attende to the voyce of my prayers verse 3 If Thou O LORD straightly markest iniquities O LORD who shall stand verse 4 But mercie is with Thee that Thou mayest bee feared THE inscription of this PSALME Brethren declareth that it is a PSALME most excellent The excellencie of it wee remit to the matter contained therein it hath bene penned by some holy man and Prophet of old but by whom it is not certaine It is sufficient to vs to knowe that the Spirite of GOD was the dyter of it To come to the matter and partes thereof The Prophet whosoeuer he was first setteth downe the estate and disposition of his soule in trouble to wit that he ranne to the Lord and prayed to Him for deliuerie and this hee doeth to the fift verse Next finding in verie deede the effectes of the prayer hee made and finding mercy and deliuerie as hee craued hee professeth before all the worlde that as he had before awaited vpon GOD so hee will await still vpon Him and He will put his confiden̄ce in Him and this he doeth to the seuenth
shalt still be the worse So this testifieth that the object of our faith is the surpassing mercy of God Then if thou wouldest search y e nature of God and search Him a thousand yeeres thou shalt neuer come to the ground of His deepnesse search out especially His loue mercy a man may faile vanish away in curiosity searching y e deepenesse of God but in searching out His mercy thou shalt neuer erre it shall be with a joy cōsolation of the heart Paul prayeth for the Ephesians chap. 3 vers 18. that they might attaine to that infinite deepnesse breadth length height in God for God is infinitly deepe in all things but wherefore is it that he prayeth Euen that they searching in God should search that infinit profoundity of the loue of God Surely if wee would know that profoundity of God search in to His nature thē let vs search alwayes in to that loue mercy of God in IESVS Christ And this searching hath euer a grouth and increase in faith till wee get a sight of Him euerlastingly To go forward He is not cōtent to say with Him is gentlenes but he subjoynes with Him is great redemption the words grow in highnesse these words comprehēd set out a greater mercy in God than the former now y e mercy of God in Iesus Christ is not all told in a word alas for want of feeling we speake slenderly lightly of it no in very deed all the words and the greatest words in the world of the most holy most wise most eloquent men is not able to set out point out that infinit greatnesse deepnes of it and he she that once haue tasted of mercy scarcely can they find words to expresse the thousand part of it whē they haue gotten a little taste apprehension of it they are not able to get words to expresse that apprehension of the heart Paul commonly calleth it the riches of mercy God who is rich in mercy according to His infinit great loue c. Ephes 2. 4. Paul Dauid the rest of them cānot get words to expresse that apprehension of mercy that they haue in their heartes No there is no creature that is capable of that infinite mercy for the worke that y e Spirite of Iesus Christ doeth worke in the heart whether it be a sense of dolour or a sense of joy the tongue of no creature can tell or expresse Paul calleth it sighes inexpressible Peter calleth it joy vnspeakeable So y e heart cannot expresse the greatnesse of the worke of the Spirit Men will thinke them hyperbolicall words but that is a token that they haue not tasted that joy and mercy in their owne hearts Now in the last words he commeth neare hand makes a particular promise of His mercy to His Church He will redeeme Israel His Church from all her iniquity as hee would say I haue told you He is mercifull full of redemption but I come nearer hand Thou shalt finde in experience that Hee is mercifull full of redemptiō So it is not enough to the Preachers of y e word to preach Gods mercy and redemption generally to the world no they must come nearer hand in promising they must make to the hearts of the people a particular application and say not only God is mercifull but He will be mercifull vnto you and He is full of redemption and He shall redeeme you and so say I I haue not beene speaking of mercy and redemption that appertaineth not to vs but the Lord shal be mercifull and redeeme you if ye belieue in Iesus Christ for there is no grace but in Him If this particular application be not made the cōscience of sinne is so great that the sinner dare not put foorth his hand to receiue mercy Now to whom pertaineth mercy and redemption He saith Hee shall redeeme Israel that is the Church militant The Church is militāt in this world but redemption pertaineth to it in the ende But where from shall the Lord redeeme y e Church Not from persecution and tribulation in this worlde but from all her sinnes So this presupponeth first That the Church is full of sin so long as it is in this world This is but a vaine dreame to imagine that there shall bee a Church or any member of the same in this worlde without spot away with that vanitie So next the redemption of the Church standeth nor so much in freeing it from persecution or tribulation although she shall be redeemed from all these things also as from redeeming her from sin the chiese redemption shall be from sin for why the greatest enemy of the Church is her own sins it is her own sins that is the cause of all her persecution and it is sin that the Lord mortifieth and slayeth by persecution and tribulation for if there were no sin there would not bee such a thing as a persecuter or a tyrant against her and the greatest burthen that y e godly feele is alwayes their owne sins they were neuer vnder so great perfecution no crosse no trouble comparable to the burthen of sin Paul saith Rom. 7. 24 Miserable man who shall deliuer me Where from Not from persecution albeit he was subject to as great persecution as anie man but from this body of sin because hee could not get that obedience to God that hee would haue had And wherfore died Christ Was it to redeeme vs from persecution or crosses in this world No the Lord died that Hee might redeeme vs from sin with His precious blood And Paul to y e Corin maketh mention of that triumph that the Church shall haue when the Lord Iesus shall come O death where is thy sting Then she shall glory that she is redeemed from sinne and from offending of GOD. And that shall be our chiefe felicity in that life to come that our hearts thoughtes shall be free of all sinne we shall offend God no more but al shall be full of obedience to Iesus Christ and then shall we be fully sanctified and glorified when wee get that blessed presence of the Lord Iesus which wee long for To whome bee praise and glory for euer Amen THE XIIII SERMON MATTH CHAP. XV. verse 21 And Iesus went thence and departed into the coasts of Tyrus and Sidon verse 22 And beholde a woman a Canaanite came out of the same coastes and cryed saying vnto him Haue inercie on mee O Lord the sonne of Dauid my daughter is miserably vexed with a deuill verse 23 But he answered her not a word Then came to him his disciples and besought him saying Sende her away for she cryeth after vs. verse 24 But he answered and said I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel verse 25 Yet shee came and worshipped him saying LORD helpe mee verse 26 And hee answered and saide It is not good to take
professe or followe Christ what can bee more hard But suppone reason were conuinced and the mouth thereof closed that it coulde gette no shift to answere yet thinkest thou so to bee quite of thy selfe No the will and the affections will stand obstinately against the judgement of the minde and follow out and pursue that which the minde discearneth to be euill So thou mayest easily see that there is nothing more harde than to gette this Regeneration yea thou mayest see that it is a thing altogether impossible except that Almighty Spirit of God be present and worke it effectually in the soule all the kings of the earth with all their weapons and engines of warre cannot be able to doe it No all the Angels in Heauen are not able to accomplish this worke The weapons of our warre-fare saith Paul are not carnall but mighty through God to cast downe strong holdes casting downe imaginations and euerie high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ 2. Cor. 10. 4. 5. There is no power in Heauen or earth but onely the Spirit of God that is able to renewe one creature And this power is granted to this our Ministerie the preaching of the Euangell Let great men let worldly men esteeme of it as they please God hath ordained this Ministery to minister this wonderfull power whereby the soules of men shall be regenerate Further thou must vnderstand that this Regeneration is not perfected in an instant but in processe of time it must continue all the dayes of thy life so long as thou liuest albeit thou liue a thousand yeeres this olde man will not bee perfectly and altogether mortified and slaine till the houre of death Thou must all the dayes of thy life-time be groaning vnder the burthen of sinne subject to crosses and troubles away with light-headed sinners who saye they woulde alwayes haue their heartes vp sadnesse becommeth a sinner well and thou must striue to finde the newe man to bee renewed degree by degree piece and piece euen till at last death bee swallowed vp of life and mortalitie of immortalitie And if thou wouldest haue this worke to goe forward in thee then set euermore Iesus thy Lord and thine head before the eyes of thy soule looke vpon Him with the eyes of faith for it is only His presence the sight of His glory that worketh this marueilous change for there is a great oddes betweene the sight of His glorie and the sight of the glorie of worldlie Princes for the sight of their glorie will not change thee nor make thee glorious but vanisheth awaye in a moment But the sight of the glorie of IESVS shall change thee and make thee glorious whensoeuer thou beholdest Him either by faith in this worlde or else face to face in the Kingdome of Glorie For when thou beholdest Him with the eyes of faith heere thou shalt bee changed according to the measure of thy faith and because thy faith is imperfect thy change heere must bee imperfect but when thou shalt see Him face to face and beholde Him as Hee is then shalt thou bee like vnto Him in glorie thy change shall bee perfect His presence shall bee effectuall to change thy vile bodie and to fashion it like vnto His owne glorious bodie when thou beholdest His glorie thou shalt bee changed into the same glorie Therefore yee see what neede wee haue to finde this Regeneration begunne in vs heere and to finde a continuall progresse therein all the dayes of our life that so wee maye bee assured that the LORD shall crowne His worke in vs with glorie in IESVS And nowe to ende then surelie yee see that corruption mischiefe and venome euerie man without exception communicate vnto their children by naturall generation Therefore Brethren this is mine exhortation to all both to great and small I except none from the King to the Begger Striue as yee are instrumentes of generation so to bee instrumentes of regeneration that your children maye bee taken out of nature and planted in grace and so bee made members of the mysticall bodie of IESVS CHRIST Striue to bring them vp in the knowledge of CHRIST that so yee maye bee free of that heauie judgement which remaineth for all such as neglect this duetie towardes their children and that yee maye see GODS blessing vpon your children heere and maye haue hope of that eternall life and glorie heereafter which the LORD hath promised to His owne in CHRIST IESVS To whome with the FATHER and the Holie SPIRIT three persons and one GOD be all Honour Glorie Praise Power Dominion both now and euermore So bee it THE XVII SERMON I. TIMOTH CHAP. I. verse 12 Therefore I thanke him who hath made mee strong that is Christ Iesus our Lord for hee counted mee faithfull and put me in his seruice verse 13 When before I was a blasphemer and a persecuter and an oppressour but I was receiued to mercie for I did it ignorantly through vnbeliefe verse 14 But the grace of our Lord was exceeding aboundant with faith and loue which is in Christ Jesus IN this Text beloued Brethren in Iesus Christ there is set downe to vs a notable example of thankfulnesse to God in the person of the Apostle Paul for that great and incomparable mercy which the Lord bestowed vpon him not onely in forgiuing him his grosse and manifold sinnes but also for setting of him in His seruice and for the committing to him the message of reconciliation making him an Apostle to preach repentance and remission of sinnes to others As the mercies which he found were wondrous great so is hee wondrous carefull alwayes to testifie his thankfulnesse to GOD And to the ende the more chearefully he may praise thanke God hee considereth and setteth downe by degrees and in order his vnworthinesse and the euill deedes that he did notwithstanding whereof the Lord extended His mercy most aboundantlie towardes him To come to the wordes Hee saieth Therefore I thanke him who hath made me strong that is Christ Jesus our Lord These wordes depend vpon the verse immediately going before hee saide before that the glorious Euangell of Iesus Christ was concredite to him for the which cause he bursteth forth in thankesgiuing and hee saieth Therefore I will be thankfull to Him who hath concredited it vnto mee Then yee see his thankfulnesse ariseth on two considerations First vpon the consideration of the excellency of the Euangel of Iesus Christ The Gospell is glorious in it selfe and it is come down from the blessed God next vpon the consideration of his owne vnworthinesse looke howe worthie the Gospell was as vnworthie was hee then considering that so worthy a thing was giuen vnto him and that hee himselfe was so vnworthy hee knoweth not what thankes to giue he cannot deuise what manner of waye to testifie his thankfulnesse If once wee could see what God were howe
what the Apostle saieth to this purpose to the Ephes. Chap. 3. verse 10. It is their pleasure to pierce in to that misterie and to looke to that mercie but miserable man to whom it belongeth commonlie wondreth not at it But albeit the prophane man when hee is sleeping in sinne and going on in an euill course thinking it but an easie thing to gette mercie and albeit hee wonder not much when he seeth another miserable sinner to get mercie but account it a matter of sober importance yet if it please the Lord once to waken his conscience and make his sinnes to appeare in their owne colour how great how vile and how detestable they are and what it is to offende that infinite and inuiolable Majestie that Omnipotent IEHOVAH who created all thinges and to finde the terrours and tormentes of that ineuitable wrath and euerlasting paine And if the Spirit of God leaue him there to his owne selfe and helpe him not forwarde hee woulde conclude that there were no mercie for him and hee would maruell that euer a sinner shoulde get mercie for hee woulde see the justice of God as a wall of fire standing before God holding off the sinner that hee preasse not to come neare to God So such persons woulde dite their owne dittie and giue out their owne doome against themselues And except it please the Lord to sende His Holie Spirit who searcheth all thinges yea the deepnesse of God out of His owne bosome to a miserable sinner thus exercised to conuoy him through His justice thorowe that wall of fire and to let him see and feele the mercie of God in the Lord Iesus he would neuer nor durst neuer claime to His mercie Onelie they who getteth that Holy Spirit who cometh out of that deepenesse to conuoye the creature to that vnsearcheable deepnesse for albeit the deepnesse of that mercie bee infinite yet the Spirit of GOD searcheth out that deepnesse will acclaime and apprehende mercie and then such persons will maruel that euer themselues or any other should haue found such infinite mercie And the Sainctes of God in the kingdome of Heauen shall euer be exercised in marueiling at the mercies of God vpon them It is true that manie vaine wanton men when they are going on in sinne beeing drunken and bewitched with the pleasures of sinne and mad in their damnable course will promise mercie to themselues and will applie mercie to sinne to make sinne more and more sweete as if it were not sweete enough before But away with thee for mercie appertaineth not vnto thee but wrath and judgement so long as thou remainest in that estate Thou art not in that estate that thou mayst claime to His mercie for onely the man who hath a sadde a contrite and a broken soule may acclaime to mercie and such a man in greatest sadnesse for sinne shall haue vnspeakeable joye Nowe after hee hath vvondered at the mercie of GOD in the ende of the verse hee setteth downe a cause not so much vvherefore GOD gaue him mercie as that GOD was so readie to giue him mercie Hee saieth that hee was an ignorant and that hee prooueth because hee wanted faith His ignorance deserued no mercie but rather made him culpable and guiltie For the Lord will not allowe such an excuse in that Great day but ignorance maketh the sinne the lesse The sinne that proceedeth from ignorance is not so great as the sinne that proceedeth from knowledge for the seruant vvho knoweth not the masters vvill and doeth it not shall bee striped with fewe stripes but the seruant vvho knoweth the masters vvill and doeth it not shall bee striped vvith manie stripes Luke 12. 47. 48. But for the better clearing of this point vvee must vnderstand that Paul meaneth not that euerie sinne vvhich is committed vvillinglie and vvittinglie men knowing vvell enough that they are sinning shall not bee forgiuen for in vvhat case should vvee all bee into then Doe vvee not all manie a time sinne vvittinglie and vvillinglie Doe not our consciences challenge vs in the verie act Will vve not doe vvrong to our neighbour in his person or in his goods or in his name and account yes no question and vve cannot justifie our selues in our doinges If therefore they vvho offend God euen with open eyes were condemned without hope of mercie alas in what case would wee bee into Hee meaneth not then of all sins in generall hee meaneth not of the sins committed against the secoÌ„d Table against our neighbours but by joyning ignorance and mis-beliefe together he sheweth that hee meaneth of the resisting of the trueth of God which is a far greater sinne than theft hooredome or backe-biting for they who resist the trueth doe as much as in them lieth to pluck God out of His seat and to put out the remembrance of His glorious Majestie that He reigne no more and they say in effect Let mee alone with God I shall handle him wel enough I shall bring him to nought hee shall not reigne I shall fight against him Therefore Paul speaking of such an accursed sinne saieth not without cause I did it of ignorance as if he had said It is true to blaspheme Gods name and to treade Gods word vnder feete and to persecute the Saincts of God is a sinne that surmounteth and surpasseth all sinnes and I am culpable of this sinne But what I did it not wittinglie for I thought I serued GOD when I was an enemie to the Gospell because I â—anted faith Indeede Paule was a learned man and brought vp in all good literature as we reade in the 3. Chap. to the Philipp As for the knowledge of the lawe and the tradition of the Pharisees hee surpassed the rest Galat. 1. 14. Yet for all this hee saieth hee was ignorant because hee wanted the knowledge of Christ. Suppose thou knowest all the worlde and yet if thou knowest not Iesus Christ thou knowest nothing And though thou knewest all the lawes in the worlde all humanitie all philosophie yet if thou knowest not Christ thou knowest nothing Now blessed is that soule that knoweth Christ albeit hee knewe no more for in the knowledge of Him standeth life euerlasting Marke againe hee saieth because hee was ignorant therefore hee was a blasphemer and persecuter Ignorance is a dangerous thing they who are ignorant of Christ they who haue not faith in Him they who knowe not what a glorious personage Hee is what incomparable benefite Hee brought with Him vnto the worlde who hath not founde His mercies who haue not beene sensible of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes who haue not founde the image of God repaired in them and they who haue not found that peace of conscience and joye in the Holie Ghost they will persecute Christ and His Gospell and His Sainctes It is a dangerous thing for the Sainctes of GOD to dwell among ignorantes and vnbeleeuers for such men are vnreasonable yea they are Atheistes The Apostle Paul
and all teares shal be wiped away from our eyes Now for Christes sake put away vanitie and wantonnesse and let euery one of vs take vp a new course of life that we may mourne and weep vnfainedly for our sinnes for we haue all neede that in stead of this worldly joy wee may get that solide vnspeakeable joy that ariseth out of sadnesse otherwise we only enjoy the name of Christians but as the disposition of the heart which is required in a Christian it is farre from vs. Yet marke further His conscience is not onelie wakened with the sense of sinne hee is not onelie touched with a true sorrow for it but also he maketh a cleare plaine confession of it Then mark it Before thou gettest mercy in Christ thou must first of necessity acknowledge confesse thy sin for confession of sinne must of necessity go before mercy Dauid found this by experience for so long as he held his tongue and would not confesse his sinne he could find nothing but the wrath heauie hand of God against him My bones saieth hee were consumed I roared all the day c but assoone as hee taketh this resolution with himselfe I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord then hee found the Lord to shew mercy on him and to forgiue him y e punishment of his sin Psal 32. 3. 4. 5. And to what purpose shoulde any man couâ—r his sinnes from God whose all-seeing eyes pierce into the braines and moste secrete corners of the heart and to whom all things are open patent and who knoweth euery mans sinnes better than he can doe himselfe Why shouldest thou then dissemble with Him why shouldest thou not make a plaine open confession of thy sinnes vnto Him that thou mayest get mercy Another thing would be marked Hee is not content to confesse his sin but he saith I am the chiefe of sinners Hee saieth not simply I am a sinner but the chiefest sinner the first sinner in the world Brethren if we had a sense of our sin euen the least sinner of vs would thinke he were the greatest hee would not goe about to excuse his sinne hee woulde not cloake it as Cam did hee would not extenuate it much lesse would hee haue a proude conceit of himselfe and of his own righteousnesse he would not enter in as that proude Pharisee did Luke 18. 10 who helde vp his head and saide I am not as other men extortioners vnjust adulterers or euen as this Publicane The poore Publicane was in y e meane time hinging down his head but hee was a greater sinner But if thou enter into comparison with others and haue a sense of thy sin thou wilt thinke with thy selfe There is not so great a sinner in the world as I am thou wilt say with Paul I am the first and chiefest of sinners Now when he hath applied the generall sentence to himselfe and shewed that the Lord had giuen him mercy and saluation He setteth downe next the end of this grace But herefore saieth hee he had mercy on me that he might first shew on me al long suffering there is an end another end is that I should be an example to others in the world Nowe Brethren when God sheweth mercy on any man it is not for nothing it is not without great manifest causes for He will not cast grace lightly away Indeed He will giue these temporall benefits to the wicked because He esteemeth not so much of them Hee will throwe a lordship an earledome yea a kingdome to a reprobate but as for one spunke of y â— spirituall grace of Iesus Christ He will know well to whom He giueth it He will take good heed to whom Hee giueth one drop of that precious blood of Iesus Christ and Hee will loue them exceedingly Thinke yee not that hee would loue a leprous man well that would washe him with his owne blood The preciousest liquor that euer was in the world is the blood of the Lord Iesus yea such is the worthinesse preciousnesse thereof that all the worlde will not buy one drop of it Shall we not thinke then that He loueth that man well whome Hee washeth with His blood Shall we not thinke that He beareth an vnspeakeable loue to that man whom He washeth with His Holy Spirit Marke it Brethren Mercy commeth by chance to no man it is vsually said Kingdomes come of hap but it is not so with mercy and the grace of Iesus Christ none gets it but these whose names are writteÌ„ vp in the booke of life none are called to the participation of one spunke of that sauing grace but they who were predestinated from all eternity And therefore if thou hast gotten one spunke of grace count with thy selfe that thou wast predestinated from all eternity to euerlasting life and count with thy selfe that thou hast gotten a more excellent and precious thing than if thou hadst gotten all the world Now as He will not lightly giue grace so He giueth it not for the person himself alone who receiueth the grace but Hee will haue a consequence following vpon the giuing of that grace and mercy first He will haue the glory of that grace and mercy to Himselfe and what more Hee will set him on whome Hee hath vouchsased that grace and mercy to be a spectacle and example of His mercy before the worlde To speake of the first ende That he should show on mee al clemency that is that shewing such mercy on me who was the greatest sinner Hee might manifest and declare the exceeding greatnesse of His mercie to the world Brethren the thing that God looketh to in His workes is that Hee might bee glorified in His essentiall properties but aboue all the rest of His properties Hee will bee glorified in His mercy He will bee glorified in His power in His wisedome in his justice Sodome and Gomorrha was a spectacle to sinners of His justice to terrifie sinners to the ende of the worlde But aboue all Hee seeketh to bee glorified in His owne mercy Aboue all things the Lord will haue His loue and mercy to shine in the worlde Hee will haue the creature to glorifie Him in His mercy What is the cause that Hee sent Christ into the worlde That in Christ His mercy might shine in the world What is the cause of this preaching of the Euangell Why is it sent That His mercy might shine in the worlde And all the Pastors should teach and proclaime this mercie of God and not speake of judgement but when men regardeth not His mercy Looke what the LORD will doe that His mercy should shine in the world Hee will take blasphemous persons persecuters oppressors such as Paul was and Hee will shewe mercy vpon them Hee will make them to be spectacles of His mercy in the sight of the world that all the worlde shoulde stand wondering that the Lord sheweth mercy vpon them And there is not one of them who are justified by Christ but they are spectacles of the mercy of God set before the world to make the world to wonder at his mercy that so wee may learne to knowe and deepely to consider the mercy of GOD not onely by His worde but also by His workes and examples of them that haue obtained mercy Now to come to the second ende hee saieth Unto the example of them that shall in time to come beleeue in him Then Paul getteth mercy not for himselfe onely but also for other sinners who seeing this mercy shewed vpon him might reason with themselues and say Yonder blasphemer yonder persecuter yonder oppressor hath gotten mercy and may not I likewise bee assured to get mercy Therefore when thou seest that the Lord is merciful to any man say with thy selfe It is not for nothing that the Lord hath giuen this man mercy but it is for my cause that I may by his example be stirred vp to seeke mercy therefore I will goe and get mercy at his handes But alas such is our security and senselesnesse that howbeit the Lord be continually calling vpon vs and offering mercy vnto vs by His worde and likewise by euer setting foorth before vs godlie men and women that of vnholy creatures are made holy creatures to be spectacles of His mercie that by them wee should take example yet all these meanes that God vseth to testifie His mercy vnto vs mooueth vs not to consider and take vp His mercy But blessed is that soule that can learn by anie of these meanes to take vp the mercie of GOD and to seeke for it for mercie is the preciousest jewell that euer was Therefore when thou findest not assurance of mercy then be sorie for it and striue earnestly to obtaine it for there is no surer token that the Lord is to shew mercie to anie soule than vvhen vpon the sight and feeling of the vvant thereof the soule is grieued and striueth and endeuoureth more and more to obtaine a more full assurance thereof And therefore vvhen I consider howe men in this Land are sleeping in sinne vvithout anie remorse of conscience and are so carelesse to seeke to haue assurance of mercie I am afraide that the LORD is about to vvith-draw mercie from this Nation The LORD auert His vvrath and be mercifull vnto this sinfull Nation for CHRISTES sake To vvhom vvith the Father and the Holy Spirit be all honour praise and glory vvorlde vvithout end AMEN FINIS