with liking makes a remembrance of her graces I know thy workes and thy labour and patience and how thou canst not forbeare them that are evill c. yet vers 4. I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love thy pristine originall purity thy zeale hath lost his ardor and become chilly and cold as Caucasus and for this relapse he threatens the confiscation of her Candlesticke the removing of his favours as they have sufficiently proved in experience remaining under the most inhumane tyrant in the world the Turke in the most irreligious religion the licentious inventions of the Arabian Mahomet Thus will the Lord deale with us for sinne Amos 4. 12. and this is the bitter fruite that springs and sproutes from the cursed roote of this blacke and poysonous Hellebore It cast the Angells from heaven Adam out of Paradise destroyed the old world burned Sodome and Gomorrha and turned them to a sulphureous lake of stinking brimstone cursed the earth defileth the land making Lebanon a Forrest Sharon a wildernesse Carmel a desert For sinne mirabile dictu God disclaimes and disavowes his owne creature the worke of his owne hands the frame of his owne wisedome the care of his owne providence whom he visites every morning Math. 25 12. Verily I say unto you I know you not Miserably wretched then is every wicked man that hath by sinne so distamped the Image of God and moulded himselfe into the similitude of Satan that God will never take notice of such a metamorphosed changeling And for sinne the creature groanes desiring to be delivered and renued which shall shortly come to passe in the conflagration of this goodly and glorious architecture of the vaulted heavens the spangled skies and this strong pillared earth And if we demaund a reason why God so hateth sinne it is Reason 1. because of his owne purity he is of pure eyes and if he looke upon sinne it is but as the pure eyed Sunne shines upon the nasty dunghill and yet remaines pure if he takes notice of it he puts upon himselfe the person of a revengeing Iudge Heb. 13. last verse a consuming-fire cloathes himselfe with majesty and honour puts off his roabes of Mercy and puts on the bloudy garments of fury and anger and glorifies himselfe in his Iustice So odious is sinne that God will not spare it in his most deerely beloved The devill from a bright Angell of light is thrust downe to hell not for any defect in the creature for that is good but for sinne The priviledge of being mother to the worlds Saviour would not have pleaded salvation for the blessed Virgin if she had bin found in the power of sinne without faith and repentance Nay if it had bin found in the spotlesse humanity of our Saviour CHRIST himselfe though the very Sonne and substance of his love it had beene sufficient in the purity of his Iustice to have bound him for ever under the chaines of perpetuall darkenesse The venemous poyson of the aspe viper basiliske Amphisbena having two heads as if she were not hurtfull enough to cast her poyson at one mouth onelie yet they are never hurtfull to themselves But sinne as the Ivie embracing the Oake till it have sucked up his sap leaving him marrowlesse and dead and which is an enemy to all plants as Plinie saith destroyeth the subject in which it is nourished and viper-like devoureth the wombe wherein it was conceived Iam. 1. 13. When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death the wages and guerdon thereof Rom. 6. last verse Reason 2. because it is most repugnant opposite contrary and contradictory to the essence of God and seekes to its utmost power not onely to hurt but even to destroy God extolling and exalting it selfe against him 2 Cor. 10. 5. of which Iob 15. 26. speaking of the wicked man warring with God he runneth uppon him even on his necke upon the thicke bosses of his bucklers as it were to push him with the hornes of his pride and prophanenesse like the Iron hornes of Zedekiah 1 King 22. 11. and to pull him downe from the throne of his eternall happinesse this is Giant-like to wage battle with heaven And yet with Nimrod Gen. 11. thou buildest but the Babell of thine owne confusion for who hath ever beene proud against God and prospered It is Elihu's Axiome in divinity Iob. 35. 6. If thou sinnest what dost thou against him What canst thou do to the impassible God but even as Caligula thunder against the true Iehovah as he against the fained Iove till thou be destroyed with the loude and cloud-rending clappes of true Thunder Ier. 14. 26. I will powre their wickednesse upon them So we see how hatefull sinne is to God and that for it he will plucke off even the branches whom he loves so dearely Though we stood in his favour as Zorobabell the signet upon his finger as Iedidia his beloved yet if we sinne he will chasten us and if we continue in it he will damne us he will deprive us of his word his worship and then bring on the maine Ocean of his anger as he did to the Iewes when the Christians were remooved from them to Pella and make us feele and know that he is not bound to any people or place but sinne breaks the leagues were it as â—rong as the three fold cord of Salomon as unlooseable as the Gordian knot And so much for the Doctrine the Vses follow Seeing then that when the Iewes fell away from God he had the Centiles in store to graffe in their stead and the arme of the Lord is not shortened When any one people will not bring forth the fruite of the Gospell but abuse it he will take it away and bestowe it elsewhere it serves to caveat First the Minister Secondly the whole body of the people Thirdly every particular person First then to thee that ministrest at the Altar and waitest upon the holy things of God 1 Cor. 9. 5. that art set in the place of that good and faithfull steward which should distribute to every one his portion in due season that messenger interpreter one of a thousand that must declare unto man his righteousnesse and deliver him that he goe not downe into the pit Iob. 33. 23. If thou decay in love to God to his word to thy brethren if thou lie in any knowne sinne and grosse impiety it is a meanes to deprive thee either of thy gifts or of thy calling as was done to Iudas when he was found a traytor in his Apostleship he was remooved and the price of bloud required at his hands and Matthias appoynted in his place Acts 1. 26. When Ieremie failed in delivering the Lords message to the people either for feare or impetience the Lord himselfe becomes a Prophet unto him If
disciples were sted yet his new disciple boldly confesseth him before his enemies Here is a marveilous Faith others beleeved on him when he raised the dead thou beleevest on him when he is dying Abraham beleeved God speaking from heaven Gen. 12. Esay from his throne Esay 6. Moses from the bush but thou beleevest him hanging on the Crosse more like a malefactor than a Messias a sinner than a Saviour Surely many have bin glorious beleevers but thou surpassest them all by one word speaking is he made heire of Paradise this theefe that came the last to his worke receives his first paiment This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luke 23. The like may we see Math. 20. some were called early in the morning some at the third houre some at the sixt and ninth houre some at the eleventh houre So some are called in their youth as Iosiah some at one time some at another some one way some another We must neither prescribe time nor meanes to almighty God the supreame Lord and maker of time and meanes The wind bloweth where it listeth Iohn 3. 8. where the spirit is compared to wind for the free liberty of it's blowing and for the power of it As no man can resist the wind so no man can resist the working of the Spirit when God will as we may see in the conversion of that rare Luminary of the Church St. Augustine little did he dreame of it when hee went rather for carping than profiting to heare Saint Ambrose Thus Acts 2. 41. Three thousand were called at one sermon of Peters which even now were mocking the extraordinary giftes of the Spirit in the Apostles so that God can give grace and shew mercy inter pont em fontem betwixt the brooke and the bridge His voyâ—e that causeth the Thunder and maketh the Hindes to calve and that mighty voyce of CHRIST Iohn 11. 17. which shall raise the dead shall raise thee from the death of sinne as he did Lazarus that stuncke in the grave Comfort thy selfe then he that receiveth the Gentiles casteth away none that come unto him Iohn 6. 37. Hee that breaketh not the bruised reede nor quencheth the smoaking flaxe will not reject thee Here is comfort for Parents if they have wicked Children Masters if they have wicked servants and especially for Ministers if they have prophane Parishioners and that as yet they have laboured in vaine and brought forth to the wind Yet they must expect with patience Some are called sooner some later the vision is yet for an appoynted time but in the end it shall speake and not lye though it tarry waite for it because it will surely come and will not tarry Hab. 2. 3. The Marriner leaves not the sea though his voyage be not profitable at the first the Husbandman leaves not plowing though as yet he have an ill Harvest so must not you Pastors and Parents be discouraged but with Iob for your children with Paul and Samuel for the people offer the incense of your prayers for them Instruct them correct them perswade them goe as patternes of good lives wisely in and out before them and who can tell if the Lord will be mercifull unto them But I would not have any emboldned by this to climbe as high as the sinne of Presumption Psal 19. 13. For as one Swallow makes not a Summer so the priviledges of a few make not a generall rule He saved saith Saint Augustine one at the last gaspe that we should not despaire and but one that we should not presume We know a wound the longer it is festered the harder it is to be cured a bird newly taken struggles in the Cage but being accustomed is content with her bondage enemies being entred are hardly expelled so with the sinner in his repentance the longer deferred the more unfit is a man to performe it Therefore beloved rise from the bed of thine iniquities the stinking grave of thy sinnes and though thou wert as blacke as the tents of Kedar hadst seven devils with Magdalene nay as many as hee whose name was Legion as prophane as a Gentile as spotted as a Leopard as filthy as a Swine or a Dogge upon thy true repentance the bloud of CHRIST shall purge thee and perfume thee and make thee white as snow in Salmon To teach vs that seeing none are so miserable but the Gospell can make them happy none so farre gone in sinne but the mighty voyce of CHRIST can raise them then to bewaile the hardnesse of our hearts that have the same powerfull meanes of salvation in a greater abundance and plentie then they had and yet remaine obduraâ—e CHRIST IESVS is not the flower of the garden enclosed but of the field not private to a few but may be gathered of all first indeed Iudg. 6. 37. The fleece of Gideon was wet and the barne-floore dry then the barne-floore was wet and the fleece dry So first God gave his Law to the seed of Abraham but afterwards we which were the wilde Olives were ingraffed and the naturall Olives rejected Rom. 11. 17. God is now rich unto all that call upon him faithfully the Crosse is not the altar of the Temple but the altar of the world CHRISTS death is sufficient not onely for part 2. Cor. 12. 9. but for the whole world of beleevers though never so weake My strength is made perfect in weakenesse If thou wilt not then gather this flower of saving grace it is thine owne negligence it 's not enclosed in the garden but groweth in the common field Cant. 2. 1. Can the Gospel the inexhausted treasury of grace so mightily and powerfully conquer these worlds of people to the obedience of faith striking them downe to the ground with Saul Acts 9. 4. bringing them to such a tender sence of the glorious riches thereof and are not our hearts melted and stirred within us Though the Lord cry and roare and rouze up himselfe in jealousie as a man of warre and are not we still deafe and heare not blind and see not still putting off our repentance the forsaking of our vanities the breaking of our Sampson-like cords of sinne our removing from our Sodome our love to the Garlicke and Onions of Egypt the stinking sulphurious lakes of lusts and prophanenesse our-returning with Noahs dove to the arke of safety and with the profuse prodigall Gentile to our owne fathers house Many are eternally damned and finally detained in their sinnes because they returne not when the Lord calleth but say to morrow wee will repent while the gate of mercy bee shut To morrow is the voyce of the Raven which returned not to the Arke Gen. 8. 7. but the dove comes home with her Olive of peace Why will yee dye O house of Israels standing in the desperate estate of the young man which was dead unto CHRIST and unto God Or like Pauls wanton widdowes which are
dead whilst they live 1. Tim. 5. 6. Was the Word able to raise the Gentiles suffer it then to conquer thy lusts to mollifie thy hard heart to wash thee to supple thee in the fountaine of Israel the Spring of living waters to be a lanthorne unto thy feet and a light unto thy pathes Psal 119. It is worthy the consideration of the most considerate that CHRIST is come unto thee Ioh. 1. 14. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us And if thou continue a wicked Cham a cursed Canaan a prophane Esau a flowting Ismael and comest not unto him by prayer and obedience and he into thee by his Spirit Iohn 14. 17. be sure he will come to thee and against thee in his judgements to thy most fearefull ruine and destruction as he came to Herod Iulian Antiochus like a Lionesse bereft of her whelpes and to the rest of his enemies Luke 19. 27. Those mine enemies That would not that I should reigne over them bring hither and stay them before me Kisse the Sonne least he be angry and yee perish in the way Psal 2. Inflame my heart O Lord with zeale to desire thee desiring thee to seeke thee and give me grace by seeking to finde thee in the word Sacraments c. To teach us that untill a mans eyes be opened his heart touched and his soule enlightned and hee by the Gospell endued with the power of grace from above he seeth no glory nor excellency in religion and Christianity like those Gentiles so long as they wallowed in their sinnes and superstitious vanities the pretious word of reconciliation was to them but as pearles cast before Swine Math. 7. 6. Or the childrens bread unto doggs Math. 15. 26. But when the unsearchable riches of CHRIST was preached unto them a mysterie which from the beginning of the world was hid in God and not opened to the sonnes of men nor to very Angels principalities and powers Eph. 3. 5. 8. 9. the accomplishment of which riches is the glory and joy of heaven 1 Pet. 1. 12. the Angels desire and delight to looke into it we see how inwardly they are affected with it and they see no glory in any thing else as the wife of Phineas 1 Sam 4. 21. calling the arke the glory of Israel As Saul before an Herod a Iulian persecuting CHRIST with as much fury as any tyrant breathing out nothing but fire and faggot yet when he was smitten downe to the ground by the powerfull voyce of CHRIST he became a most zealous Preacher of the trueth in which formerly hee saw no glory and a pillar of that Church which even now he would have pulled downe and desires to know nothing but CHRIST and him crucified Gal. 6. 14. he joyes in nothing else Those also Acts 2. 13. that were mocking the gifts of the Spirit in the Apostles affirming the heate of too much wine to cause that volubility of straÌ„ge languages among them Yet when Peter had taught them that it was the accomplishment of Gods faithfull promise prophecyed by Ioel chap. 2. 28. of the powring out the bottomlesse Ocean of Gods Spirit in the gifts and graces thereof upon all flesh and had applied a corrasive of redargution and reproofe unto them for crucifying CHRIST they are changed and pricked in their hearts longing after the way of salvetion vers 37. Men and brethren what shall we doe The like wee see Acts 16 in the laylor when hee heard Paul and Silas praying and singing Psalmes in the Prison he is presently like King Saul 1 Sam 10. 9. when the Spirit of God came upon him changed into another man So in him was a strange alteration being cast downe by the miraculous earthquake and the cohibition of Paul verse 29. his backwardnesse into forwardnesse he called for a light and sprang in his pride into humility he came trembling and fell downe his cruelty in his former insulting over them into compassionate mercy he brought them forth his desire which was formerly to persecute them to be saved by them What shall I doe to be saved So the sinne-sunke citizen woman that had a long time almost rotted in the Dead Sea and sulphureous Asphaltites of loathsome lust hearing of a IESVS a Saviour though in a proud Pharisies house Luke 7. 37. stickes neither for costly oyntment to annoynt him nor sâ—aâ—e to stand behind him nor plenty of teares to wash his feete who was watering her soule with the dewe of Grace nor her haire which sometime like Nauplius his lights to bring the Grecian fleet to destruction in revenge of his sonne Palamedes was as a baite to ensnare the hurtlesse passenger to wipe his feete which was to wipe her soule with the immaculate sacrifice of his owne bloud Iohn 1. 29. Thus we see Publicans and sinners when once they are touched in remorse for finne how deepely they are affected and inwardly touched Rom. 7. 24. Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death even with Ezekiah Esay 38. 14. To chatter like a Crane or a swallow and mourne like a dove with David Iob and the children of God with prayers teares watchings mournings to fill heaven and earth for the pardon of theyr sinnes their reconciliation with God the peace of conscience the comfort of the Spirit of comfort and the Salvation of their soules When the civill honest man is scarcely moved with any sence or feeling of the need of his conversion he feeles no sweetnesse in the word which is sweeter than honie or the honie combe Psal 19. 10. He feeles no need of it and yet Iob esteemes it above his ordinary food we have our spirituall life by it 1 Pet. 1. 23. Being borne anew not of mortall but of immortall seede by the word of God which liveth and endureth for ever We have Gods benefits for his words sake 2 Sam. 7. 21. For thy words sake and according to thy promise hast thou done all these great things The preaching there of makes Saâ—an fall downe as lightning Luke 10. 18. Witnesse those new found Indiâ—â— lamaica Iappo Virginia which have formerly had a strange familiar commerce with Satan and have sacrificed unto him though not for love yet for feare of heart as the Pigusians every morning runne with baskets full of rice to pacifiâ— him in the shape of a blacke dogge with many more brutish benevolences to him So soone as Christopher Columbus and others had discovered them and planted the Gospell in some parts of them how deepely have these poore Pagans bin affected the kingdome of Satan demolished that now seldome or never he appeares among them He sees no power in it he accounts of the threatnings denounced out of the Word but as Morbasan the Turke did of the Excommunication of Pius 2. when he sent him word to call in his Epigrams Thus doe wicked men and civil honest men
when God threatens the confiscation of their consciences their banishment from heaven and hanging in hell Like those Esay 28. 15. which have made a covenant with death and are at an agreement with hell when the overflowing scourge shall passe through it shall not come nigh us when as heaven and earth shall passe and be melted like waxe at the presence of God in the day of conflagration before one title either of the threatnings or promises of God in the Word shall be dissolved but fulfilled Hee sees no comfort in the Sacrament which is offered the true and living bread which came downe from heaven Ioh 6. 32. the bread of life verse 48. My flesh is meate indeed and my bloud is drinke indeed and so of the rest of Gods holy ordinances in which the sonnes of the earth find no favour no sweetnesse or comfort but like the Cocke on the dunghill esteeme a barley corne above a pearle Whereas the man whose eyes are opened makes them his comfort in the house of his pilgrimage he sees nothing in those mundane and sublunary vanities but griefe and vexation of spirit onely in Religion and the wayes of godlinesse is his repose and rest he saith with Paul Without controversie great is the gaine of godlinesse his soule is filled with marrow and fatnesse be esteemes it as Balaam prophecied of the glory of the Church Numb 24. 5. How goodly are thy tents O Iacob and thy tabernacles O Israel O let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Num. 23. 10. To teach us to acknowledge the wonderfull power of God in the salvation of man when our estates in Gentilisme were most desperate and miserable 1 Iohn 5. 9. The whole world lying in wickednesse Or as Esay Chap. 35. 1. cals the Gentiles a wildernesse a desert unfruitfull barren rough and good for nought but to be dennes for wilde Beasts Dragons and Serpents Even so we were a habitation not for the mighty God of Iacob but for the infernall Dragon the Devill yet by Gods powerfull grace this wildernesse exceeds Lebanon and Carmel for fruitfulnesse he hath made this desert to flourish as a rose he hath made this wilde Olive to be grafted in and be made partaker of the roote and fatnesse of the Olive tree Rom. 11. 17. hath made us unto God the sweet savour of Christ 2 Cor. 2. 15. From rejected refuse and cast-away stones which the builders refused hath powerfully raised us up children to Abraham Mat. 3. 9. hath made us of strangers from the true God sacrificing with the Athenians Act. 17. 23. to the unknowne God Psal 96 5. The gods of the Nations are vanities to be partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. hath given us the Spirit of wisedome Eph. 1. 17. He hath opened the barren wombe of Sara and made it fruitfull in the Childe of promise hath opened the uncircumcised hearts of the uncircumcision of the Gentiles hath turned the dry rockes into pooles of water so that these things which are impossible with men are possible with God Learne then to acknowledge it the mighty power of God to call a sinner from Iezabels loathed bed into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God Say then with Dauid The right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to passe And let us which are abjects of the Gentiles which have no true honour but in Gods covenant draw water with comfort out of these wels of Salvation Esay 12. 3. because God is no accepter of persons The promises of the Gospell are universall he respects not thy outward respects thy learning riches circumcision or uncircumcision but his owne determinate will in electing thee What could he see in us Gentiles but a masse of Idolatries and stained pollutions yet he hath purified us by faith in the bloud of Christ 1 Iohn 1. 7. Polititians and Statists can see no honour but in earthly Kingdomes prophaning their lives in making it their scope and drift to get riches and honours But this is that which makes us truely honourable to be translated out of death into life to be taken as Abraham a brand out of Chaldea from Gentilisme to true religion Let this then be thy comfort that when all the Machiavils Statists and Polititians in the world that have died without CHRIST and never could see any glory but in vaine-glory shall be tumbled headlong into ruine and perdition Esay 30. last verse thou shalt be received into everlasting habitations O taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him Psal 34. 8. All the Kings of the earth could not have done this Cyrus Alexander and all the rest who in the power of their armies and pride of their hearts have wept because there were no more worlds to conquer with all their authorities commands and threatnings could never heale a dogge of his lamenesse as we see in those two greatest kings of Syria and Israel both which could not cure Naamans leprosie as the King of Israel answered 2 Kings 5. 7. Am I a God to kill and give life that hee doth send to mee to cure a man of his leprosie much lesse can they cure a spirituall leprosie of sinne he can open our lips Psal 51. 17. open our eyes to know the hope of our calling Eph. 1. 18. open our eares Iob 33. 16. by corrections which he had sealed he can raise us from death for he is our resurrection John 11. 25. which all the power of man the poole of Bethesda the water of Siloam cannot doe but onely that Fountaine opened to the house of David and the Inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and uncleannesse which is CHRIST Zach. 13. 1. it springs up in thee to eternall life and thou shalt never thirst after Iohn 4. 14. As other waters flow as high as they descend So this having it's Spring and Fountaine from life being the chiefest aqua vitae stayes not till it bring a man to life through the Channels and conduits of the Word and Sacraments so the Word is said to drop and distill Iob 29. 22. This is then the comfort Esay 55. 7. He that thirsteth come then to the waters and drinke yee that have no silver come buy and eate come buy wine and milke without silver and money Draw then with joy thou abject of the Gentiles at this common Fountaine least being unquenched and as yet scorching in thy transgressions thou be forced with the luxurious Apicius and pampered Epulone to thirst without mercy or pitty in the place of torments for euermore Luke 16. 24. To teach us that are Gentiles by nature and yet called by the inmeasurable mercy of God and that freely by the righteousnes of God made manifest without the Law Rom. 3. 21. and made the true Israel of God not outwardly in the flesh but inwardly by faith
off be willing to be drawne from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that thou mayest receive forgivenesse of sinnes â—nd inheritance among them which are sanctified Acts 26. 18. True faith is afraid to fall and therefore striveth by all meanes to shunne the rockes and shelves of securitie and is farre from rejoycing in any outward estate without the correspondence of obedience As a man upon a high Tower is afraid to fall though he be safely environed with battlements So thou Gentile though now thou bee in grace and under the protection of the most High take heed to thy standing lest in the midst of thy peace the evill one come and sow tares in thy harvest steale away thy graces and leave thee to be cast off with the Iew the certainty of thy standing is in the performance of thy obedience If yee will hearken and obey yee shall eate the good things of the land But for our further instruction let us make a Quaere with the Apostle Rom. 11. 1. Hath God cast away his people God forbid for salvation is of the Iewes Ioh. 4. 22. The royall stocke of Sem are but like Philemons unprofitable servant departed for a season that they may be received for ever If the casting them off be the reeonciling of the world what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead Rom. 11. 15. Though they be now in the depth of Infidelity and obstinacy yet before the consummation of the world they shall beleeve the Messiah as the Prophets have prophecied and the Pen-men and Notaries of the holy Ghost have testified they shall be Choristers of Gods praise Gregory the Great is also of opinion that in the often and earnest calling of the Shulamite Cant. 6. 13. which signified the people of Ierusalem so called of Shalem peace is clearely intimated a prophecie of the finall vocation of the Iewes which have beene so long forsaken as also it is evident by eight Reasons alleadged by the Apostle to this purpose The first being drawen from the end of their rejection which was not to their utter perishing in unbeleife but seeing the calling of the Gentiles they might be provoked to emulation God appointing their fall and rejection not simply but for the end which is good else it were against the divine goodnesse of God which never suffers as Augustine saith any evill to be done but to bring good out of it Second argument is drawen from the lesser to the greater If their fall be riches to the world much more shall their reconciliation be life from the dead Thirdly from the condition of the Patriarch Abraham If the first fruites be holy so it the lumpe if the roote be holy so are the branches but they are 1 Pet. 2. 9. A chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people which is not meant of an actuall holinesse which was in them but that they shall be restored to the holinesse of theyr Fathers Fourthly from Gods omnipotencie who is able to restore them againe as a man to awake out of his sleepe if he be able to raise the dead and give sight to the blind which are miraculous workes above the course of nature then much more to restore them which is but a replantation and grafting in a worke of nature So that fiftly according to likelyhood If God engrafted the wilde olive contrary to nature how much more shall the naturall branches be regrafted into their owne place Sixtly from the prophecies of Esay chap. 59. There shall come out of Zion the deliverer and shall turne away ungodlines from Iacob the testimony of Ieremie which are the Prophets of God and have prophecyed of their Conversion Seventhly from a distinction concerning the Gospell They are enemies for their sakes but as touching election they are beloved for their fathers sake Eightly from a proportion As you Gentiles were sometimes in unbeliefe without God in the world Eph. 2. and by mercy are now called so shall they obtaine mercy to come out of their Cimmerian blindnesse of unbeliefe so shall yee both be ioyned in the unity of faith building up the temple of God perfecting his house joyntly singing unto God your Hallelujahs 〈◊〉 praise and thanksgiving It must teach us then the precept and the practice of the Apostle of the Gentiles Rom. 11. 14. By all meanes to provoke them to emulation that they may be saved as that speach of Moses Deut. 32. 21. is applyed to us Gentiles Who have found him whom we sought not after Esay 65. 1. That they are beloved for their fathers sake honoured with the humanity of CHRIST Rom. 9. 5. for whose salvation theyr Paul was so zealous as for their good he wished himselfe separated from CHRIST Ought not we then which are by grace made partakers of the same roote to feede their dead branches with our living sap by opening unto them that IESVS and worlds Saviour whose sides they pierced Zach. 12. 10. and which was the substance of all their sacrifices Was he not shewed in the old Testament in the Angell Exod. 23. 20. in Aaron Exod. 28. 4. in the scepter Gen. 49. 10. in the brazen serpent Num. 21. 9. in the scape-goate Levit. 16. 21. in Balaams starre Num. 24. 17. c. Was he not seene in the new Testament in his humanity doctrine miracles and death all of them like the finger in a Diall pointing with Iohn Baptists Ecce Iohn 1. 29 at the Messiah agreeing in his parentage person and place of his birth as the wings of the Cherubins which touched each other upon the Mercy-seate 1 Kings 6. 27. the one confirming the others affirmation his infancie answering the Types hee was seene a Starre by the Gentile Prophet and found by a starre of the Gentiles Matth. 2. 10. in Rama was weeping as Ieremie had heard Ier. 31. 15. out of Egypt he was called Hos 11. 1. and was brought up in Nazareth as was prophecied His Life was unreprooveable the Prince of this world could find nothing amisse Ioh. 14. 30. his Miracles sufficiently testifying his Godhead that even his adversaries confessed it his Death as effectually acted as it was foretold Zach. 13. 7. I saw the Shepheard the Lords fellow smitten and the sheepe scattered his being prized and sould for thirty peeces of silver Zach. 11. 12. The purchase of the Potters field the piercing his hands and feet the dividing of his garments c. Two and thirty of which we may see in Matthew and all fulfilled and we may even briefely gather all into one and let it be him against whom they cannot they dare not except their owne Prophet Esay of their blood-royall Chap. 53. wherein the Iew may plainely see that our Evangelists have recorded nothing but what was foretold and to whom can this be applyed but to IESVS whom yee crucified even his death was acted without the gate as the
of faith and repentance sanctified in their soules bodies and spirits not like the blacke Apostata who after his cleansing is repossessed with seven spirits worse then the former or the Dog returning to his vomit or the Sowe to wallow in her myre and which is more fully made plaine in the fifth which are his corroborating mercies whereby hee continues in the state of grace not falling and backsliding with Adam in the state of mutabilitie but as mercy brought him to it so it continueth and keepeth him in it Sixtly and lastly are his crowning mercies whereby he shall perfect his worke begun in us and performe his Kingdome promised to us where there shall be no hurtfull thing but wee estated in the paradise of eternall happinesse shall have our Vnion and Communion with Christ and the heavenly Hierarchie of the high and holy Saints for ever such a measure of Beatitude Isa 64 4. As eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath entred into the heart of man 1 Cor. 2. 9. This unmeasurable extent of Gods mercies serves first to urge upon us the drift of the Prophet in this place viz. To praise God for his mercy the whole worke of our salvation goes under this Title 1 Pet. 2. 10. Which in time past were not the people of God but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercie but now have obtained mercie to what part soever we looke the whole frame of it is made of mercy if wee begin at Gods election the foundation and ground-worke of all and passe downe to the last period of all which is glorification and aske from what roote each part sprung this onely Mercie must answer all Mercie in chusing mercie in sending CHRIST in calling justifying sanctifying strengthening preventing preserving and the admitting of us to an Inheritance immortall and undefiled 1 Pet. 1. 4. all from mercy so that the burden of our song must still be with David Psal 132. 1. For his mercie endureth for ever In the parable of the profuse prodigals returne the whole streame of his Fathers carriage toward him is nothing but mercy when he was yet a farre off his father saw him had compassion on him ranne to meete him fell on his necke kissed him c. In the whole worke there is nothing but mercie Luke 15. 20. c. So that light and darkenesse God and the Devill hot and cold and not in a line of greater opposition then mercie and merit in the worke of mans salvation which Antichristian Doctrine is like a Centaure halfe man halfe horse or like that brood of Nilus halfe frog halfe earth or the minotaure halfe bull halfe man contraries in a remisse degree may admit intention and remission as heate and cold in tepide luke-warmenesse but in the highest degree they cannot So though we graunt with Saint Augustine good workes to bee necessary in regard of their presence not of their efficiency and with Bernard that they are the way to the Kingdome Yet in the case of Iustification Rom. 3. 28. Rom. 4. 6. and Rom. 6. 23. Considered in their highest degree even to the very sufferings of Martyrs Rom. 8. 18. they can no more stand with mercy then Dagon of the Philistines is able to confront the holy Arke of IEHOVA 1 Sam. 5. 3. By which wee see the Papist like an unskilfull Empiricke in Physicke make a Potion for a sicke soule as he that went into the field to gather herbes but found a wilde Gourd and put it into the pottage while the eaters cryed out Death in the pot 2 Kings 4. 39. So doe they temper the soules-salving herbe of grace with the poysoning Gourd of humane merrit dealing with the Church of God as unkindly as unnaturall Parents or Nurses giving their children a stone for bread and a Scopion for a fish as the Philistines with Isaacks wels stopping them with earth Gen. 26. 15. Choaking and damming up the fountaine of Grace which ought to be open to the house of Iacob Zach. 13. 1. Changing the reward of favour and promise Col. 3. 24. into their owne of debt Nay further it is the corrupt and dangerous conceite of many who would not bee accounted popish but seeme to magnifie the free mercies of God which yet will be saved by well-doing good meanings and good prayers like the children of the Iewes who marrying with the Ashà odites spake halfe in their language Neh. 13. 24. which is an impeachment to their sufferings which trode the wine-presse cleane Isa 63. which will not give to others nor communicate this his glory with others Isa 42. 8. It is onely mercy without merrit that must lift a man from the gates of despaire when the angry brow of the Almighty is bended against him for sinne as we see in David Psal 51. c. and our Saviour Christ standing in the gappe of Gods wrath being but our surety and pledge yet his soule was heavy unto death trickling down those thicke drops of blood in his miraculous sweat in the Garden thou mayest for a while with David cast the darke cloud of security over thy sins to hide them as the fish Sepia casts up a blacke liquor to hide her selfe but woe be to them that seeke in deepe to hide their counsell from the Lord their workes are in secret and they say who sees it Isa 29. 15. Eccles 23. 18. Hee that searcheth Ierusalem with a lanthorne will find thee out and rouze up thy slumbering Conscience and then so heavy is the sinne of conscience that without any more evidence it passeth Iudgement upon it selfe Pro. 18. 14. A wounded spirit who can beare even none but God In all other troubles miseries and molestations we wrastle with men or divels but here impar congressus weake man with his Maker brittle clay with it's Potter sinfull man with holy God which is of purer eyes then to looke upon evill Hab. 1. 13. and a consuming fire Heb. 12. 29. In other things man is a friend and favourite to himselfe as Peter perswades CHRIST to pittie himselfe but here he is his owne enemy and often in the rage of his conscience his owne executioner as in Iudas and Pilate Iere. 20. 4. Rehold I will make thee a terrour to thy selfe thy memorie reason every sense and faculty of thy soule is a Gorgonian-hell-â—urie to torment thee Now in this case when a mans bones is full of the sinnes of his youth Iob 20. 11. His heart broken with one breaking upon another Iob 16. 14. His conscience upon the racke his God writing bitter things against him Iob 23. 26. Then comes the mercy of God to comfort him all other comforts of workes merits satisfactions c. are miserable comforters Iob 16. 2. And will consume as a rotten thing and as a garment that is moth-eaten the soule of a Christian is like Noahs Dove which finds no safety