that his loue be For if the partie wronged shall yéelde vnto him that doeth the wrong and shall séeke his good will and his good what rare loue do we account it yea so rare as is seldome the more is the pittie to be séene among vs. This loue of God therefore in this poynt is a rare loue and excéeding admirable in that hee loued vs being his enemies and sought after vs when wee sought not after him according to that he saieth by the Prophet Esay 65.1 I haue offred my selfe to be found of them that asked not For so the verbe Passiue there vsed is to bee translated Like as the Apostle Ro. 10.20 rendreth it I haue bene made manifest For otherwise the sence of the first comma in that swéete sentence cannot be perceiued I offered my selfe saieth God to bee founde of theÌ„ that asked not I was found of theÌ„ that sought mee not I saide behold mee beholde me to a Nation that called not vpon my name And as by the ministerie of his Prophets in former time so by our Ministerie now doeth he still seeke after vs that continue still our enmitie to him For wee are the embassadours saith the Apostle 2. Corinth 5.20 for Christ as though God did beséech you thorow vs we pray you in Christ stead that ye bee reconciled vnto God The greatnesse therfore of God his loue towards vs in this behalfe doeth the Apostle S. Paule highly as it deserueth renowne Doubtlesse saieth he for a righteous man one can scarcely be found that will die but for a good man it may bee one dare die but God magnifieth his mercie vnto vs Rom. 5 that when we were his enemies Christ dyed for vs. And againe when wee were enemies we were reconciled vnto him by the death of his Sonne This he prosecuteth in many words in the 2. Ephes but especially in the 4. verse in these words But God which is rich in mercie thorow his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when we were dead in sinnes that is his mortall enemies he quickned vs together in Christ Thus wee sée how in this respect this holy Apostle magnifyeth the greatnesse of Gods loue and grace Ephe 2 7. calling it the exceeding riches of his grace for that he loued vs when we were his enemies And therefore doe wee not accounte them worthily enemies to the grace of God who doe obscure or rather denie this his great grace operibus praeuisis by workes fore-séene and I know not what the Lord Iesus himself saw no such workes fore-séene when he taught vs to say we are vnprofitable seruants we haue done but that which was our dutie to doe This our Apostle sawe no such fore-séene workes and there fore he renowneth this loue of GOD Rom. 11. â— because hee loued vs first saying in the 4. chap. 10. Herein is loue not that we loued God but that hee loued vs first and againe in the 19. verse We loue him for he loued vs first This doctrine then teacheth vs that by grace we are saued and therfore not by works alone nor by grace and workes together for workes and grace cannot goe together in the worke of iustifycation for so the Apostle reasoneth If it be of grace it is no more of works or else were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke Aug de fide et oper Cap. 14 Well therefore saith S. Augustne concerning good workes Sequutur iustificaâ—uÌ„ non praecaedunt iustificandum they follow him that is iustifyed they goe not before him that is to be iustifyed For by the way this is to be noted that though workes saue vs not yet we are the workmanship of God created in Christ Iesus vnto good works for to glorifie him that saued vs according as Zacharias sayth in his song Wee are deliuered from the hands of our enemies that wee might serue him without feare all the dayes of our life in holinesse and righteousnesse before him And the grace of God saieth the Apostle vnto Titus that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that wee should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world And our Apostle maketh this to be our dutie namely to purge our selues wherof if time would permit to come to the handling of the part which is the second parte of our text we would by the grace of God more largely speake Secondly this doctrine teacheth vs to loue one another which lesson this our Apostle inferreth vpon the loue of God 1. Thes 4.9 in the 11. verse of this Chapter Beloued if God so loued vs wee ought also to loue one another 1. Iohn 3.18 So S. Paule sayeth We are taught of God that is by the example of God Iohn 2.16 to loue one another and that not in worde and in tongue giuing onely faire words Goe in peace be filled bee warmed and giue naught and thinke naught but in deede and in truth that is wee ought to manifest our loue vnto all by dealing faithfully and truely with all men and to them that are in want by ministring vnto their necessitie For hereby is loue proued as by a touch-stone If any man hath this worlds goods 1. Ioh. 3.1 and seeth his brother want and shutteth vp his compassion froÌ„ him how dwelleth the loue of God in him as if hee should saye Such a man neither loueth God nor man And beloued now is the time if euer you will that you must manifest your loue to God by tender compassion on them that are in néede I néed not to vtter vnto you the great miserie of the poore of this Citie and of the Suburbs thereof the want of the Widdow and of the fatherlesse and of the poore man of occupation who in this time wanteth woorke and therefore wanteth foode for him and his familie Their crie is come before you out of this place and you haue most honorably and charitably considered of it I beséech you in the tender bowels of the Lord Iesus consider of it still for the sicknesse thus still though not in so great measure the Lord be euer praised for it continuing the Winter so hard approching and none or litle worke as they say stirring the number of the poore their necessity do encrease daily your liberality therefore must also encrease Rather then the poore should want make a banke for the poore it would be the most honorable banke that euer was made and most profitable for the aduenturers Let him that hath twentie thousand pound cast in two thousande Let him that hath ten thousand pound cast in a thousand Let him that hath a thousand cast in a hundreth let him that hath an hundreth cast in ten I know I shall be censured by many to speake like a foole but I regard not their censure For this
more then the honour of his birth-right And deserue we not a greater condemnatiō if we prefer earth to heauē a momentable pleasure to an eternall endles weight of glorie Our kingdome beloued is not the lesse to bee accepted for that it is not earthly but ten thousand thousand times the more to be estéemed for were our kingdome earthly it should be also transitorie were our kingdome earthly wee should haue therein much sorrow care and griefe mixed with smal felicity were our kingdome earthly wee might soone be dispossessed thereof either by open warres or by secrete conspiracie How suddenly was Zedechias dispossessed of his kingdome and caried captiue into Babilon his eies thrust out Iere. 52.11 and him selfe thrust into perpetuall prison Howe lamentably doth Moyses when he was made gouernour of that people complaine of the heauie burthen thereof Num. 11.15 and in the bitternesse of his soule desireth of the Lord that he would rather kill him then to laye so heauie a loade vpon him And for the transitorie estate of kingdomes as of al other earthly things both small and great who séeth not that they can endure no longer then the earth endureth ◠Pet. 3 7 which yet it belong must by fyer be consumed with all the workes therein And yet who hath a lease of his life or an assurance to hold his good til then How many thousands of our brethren within some fewe wéekes by their spéedie death hath left vnto vs a president of this our fickle and vncertaine state many of them leauing their substance not an inheritance for their babes but a praye a spoyle to strangers to waste and to deuoure 1. Pet. 1.3.4.5 Blessed therefore be God the Father of our Lord Iesus who according to his aboundant mercie hath begotten vs to a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead To an inheritance not mortal but immortall inuisible vndesiled neuer fading reserued not on earth but in heauen for vs Which are kept by the power of God thorow faith vnto saluation which is prepated to bee shewed in the last time Thus we haue séene how euery maner of waye this our heauenly enheritance excelleth all earthly kingdomes and thereby to how great a dignitie it is that we are exalted vnto in that we are made the sonnes of God and heires of that euerlasting kingdome of glorie And the consideration hereof ministreth great comfort vnto vs in regards of our deare friends deceased for that we know that so many of them as dyed in the faith of Christ they haue receiued the possession of this kingdome enfranchized with a more glorious fréedome then all the fréedomes of the world and haue gotten the victorie of Satan sinne and Hell 1. Thes 4.16 and death no longer to holde their bodies thē the trumpet shal sound Arise ye dead and come into iudgement Why therefore should we bewaile them who from miserie are gone vnto glorie who from pouertie are ascended vp into a throne of maiestie who from continuall labour and toyle are remooued into a place of perpetuall rest and quietnesse◠according vnto that voice that saide vnto Iohn Write Reuel 14.13 blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours For ourselues whom God in mercie hath yet passed by and granted to liue to sée this day we may hereby receiue this comfort that we being his children this visitation if it shall please him to laye it vpon vs as he hath done vpon many of our brethren better then wee shall not tende vnto our destruction but to the giuing of vs season and liuerie as it were and full possession of this our heauenly inheritance But you will say vnto me Is there then no note of God his displeasure and anger in this sicknesse Is it not an heauie iudgement of God which our sinnes haue drawne downe vpon vs Yes verilie manifest notes of God his iust conceiued wrath and fearefull iudgements appeareth in this visitation and that as to the bad so to the good as to them that are dead so to vs that remaine aliue A feareful iudgement it is to the wicked and reprobate if there be any such that haue departed who as they liued not in the feare so died not in the fauour of God For this sudden cutting them off sheweth that their sinnes were ripe and growne to a full height and that they are now gathered as it were in bundles to be throwne into hell fyer A fearefull iudgement also it is euen to God his owne children that are departed the guilt and eternall punishment of whose sinnes though they bee forgiuen in Christ and they receiued to mercie through him yet God by this extraordinarie and sharpe though temporall affliction would shew that hee was highly displeased both with them and with vs for our sinnes and that therefore he hath taken them away the most of them in the prime and middest of their daies from further enioying the blessing of long life which also he promiseth vnto them that truely doe loue and honour him A fearefull iudgement it is vpon vs that are remaining for what is this deuiding in so vncomfortable a maner of the husband from the wife of the wife from the husband of parents from their children children from their parents of friend from friend and acquaintance from acquaintance but as it were a torturing and deuiding of the same bodie into diuerse pieces when the husband dieth the wife hath lost her head when the wife dieth the husband hath lost his right hand When the parents die the children haue lost the eye to guide them when the children die the parents haue lost the sight that should comfort them when a brother dieth the brother hath lost parte of his owne flesh and bones when a friend dieth his friend hath lost as the Philosopher calleth him alter idem another himselfe Besides the calamities which befal the common states as not onely whole families to be desolated but Cities and Townes to be dispeopled the number of poore Widowes and Orphanes to bee encreased trades and occupations to be ceased yea tillage it selfe to be decaied whereby sore famine is threatned It passeth my reach beloued to sounde the depth of God his fearefull iudgement in this behalfe for this breach made vpon so many thousands of the people is as it were a breach made in the wall of a citie whereby the enemie entreth and possesseth the same What then remaineth but that wee turne from our sinnes that God may turne from his wrathfull indignation A naturall Father though hee loue his sonne well wil not leaue chastising him till hee hath left offending and if in the time of his chastisement hee sheweth himselfe stubborne and to haue an obstinate minde to continue in his naughtines he wil lay on more heauie stripes and his soule shall not spare for his murmuring we haue a most tender and mercifull Father
himselfe expresse as we haue shewed in saying Col. 2.14 God so loued the world that hee gaue his only begotten sonne vnto death that whosoeuer should beleeue on him should not perish but haue life euerlasting This also doeth our Apostle renowne in the fourth Chapter verse 10. Herein is loue Iohn 3.16 not that wee loued God but that hee loued vs and sent his onely begotten sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes Where the loue of God is set in the first place for the cause efficient and principall his sonne sent for the cause materiall and to be a reconciliation for our sinnes for a cause finall nothing required of vs but that we beléeue in him and loue one another for him as he hath loued vs. If the consideration hereof were throughly layed to hart it would quickly remooue all proud opinion of our owne merit which is thus excluded by including the merit of Christ as alone the sufficient sacrifice propitiatorie for our sinnes and it would swallow vs vp with an admiration of the excéeding loue of God toward vs Epe 318. The height the depth the length the breadth whereof is incomprehensible and make vs ashamed of our owne corruption Gold and siluer and pretious stones being of no valew all the Sacrifices and ceremonies of the old Law being of no worth his blessed and glorious Angels being insufficient to effect our ransome whoÌ„ he so loued he spared not his owne onely sonne who was in his bosome more deare vnto him than the signet of his owne right hande who willingly said also Loe I come and gaue him to the death by his death to redéeme Psal 40.6 7 Heb. 10 5 â—â— vs according to that swéet saying of S. Peter We were not redeemed by siluer or gold 1. Pet. 1.18.19 or by any other corruptible things but by the pretious bloud of Iesus Christ as of a Lambe immaculate and without spot And wee in the meane while wretched men and women straine at euery curtesie and thinke euery thing too much we do in loue towards our brethren whom wee should not onely loue by supplying their wants in the expeÌ„ce of our goods as before we haue shewed but also loue by laying downe our liues for them by the expence of our bloud if néede so require as our Apostle by this example of our blessed Sauiour teacheth vs saying here in is loue that hee laide downe his life for vs wee ought therefore to laye downe our liues for the brethren 1. Ioh. 3.16 There remayneth in this clause yet one worde that further amplifyeth this loue of God in the greatnes thereof vnto vs For besides that it hath pleased him to make vs euen vs that were his enemies to be his sonnes to be his heires and ioynt heires with his owne natural sonne of such an inheritance that is immortall and that of his méere loue by gift not deserued by vs but purchased for vs by the pretious death and passion of our blessed Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus he vouchsafeth for the further assurance of our faith herein coÌ„fort of our soules to cal himself our father for adopting vs in his welbeloued Son Eph. 1.7 as his welbeloued Son by nature is not ashamed as the authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews wel obserueth to cal vs euen vs that were adopted from a thing of naught his brethreÌ„ saying Hebr. 2 16. I wil declare thy name vnto my brethren so God his Father the Father by excellencie disdaineth not to cal himselfe our Father saying 2. Cor. 6.18 I wil bee your Father and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters The worde Father is a swéet worde and serueth to be obserued for many vses First it confirmeth al the former doctrine of GOD his louing vs fréely for as the childe receiueth nothing but from his Father and his Father bestoweth all things vpon him fréely in regard onely that he is his Father the childe deseruing not the least iotte of his loue So God being our Father it followeth that we receiue all from him our being our lyuing our mouing Act 17 28 benefites Temporall blessings Spirituall that of his owne méere loue because he is our Father without any desert or merit of ours Secondly it expresseth more sensibly the tender mercie and compassion of our good God vnto vs for thereby wee vnderstand that he tendreth vs as a Father according to that of the Prophet Like as a father pittieth his owne children Psal 103 13 euen so the Lord hath compassion on them that feare him Fatherly and Motherlie loue we know to bee verie great and none know it but they which are veri Patres Fathers indéede their bowels are mooued with more than an ordinarie affection toward their childreÌ„ as appeareth by the example of the harlot whose compassion was kindled toward her childe wheÌ„ she heard sentence giuen 1 King 3.26 and the sword drawen to haue it diuided God in like maner testifyeth Hos 8.11 that his hart is turned in him that his repentance is rouled together euen as a fathers doth wheÌ„ he taketh in hand to punish his childe he will beate him and he will not beate him loath he is and therefore though he doeth it hee doeth it vnwillingly so doeth also our heauenly Father he doth not punish vs with his heart saieth Ieremie in his Lamentations Lamen 3 33 but besides this his compassion farre excelleth in that not onely it reacheth further than is possible for any naturall affection to reach vnto but also for that it is immutable it neuer changeth A mother may forget the fruit of her wombe A Father may turne away his face from his owne sonne and renownce him for euer But though a woman should forget the fruite of her wombe yet would not forget thee Esa 49.15 saith the Lord for I am the Lord and am not chaÌ„ged Therfore the Apostle saieth Rom 11.2 His gifts and callings are without repentance And the Euangelist sayeth Iohn 13.1 Whome hee loueth hee loueth vnto the ende And right Honorable and beloued there is not a greater comfort vnto our soules and consciences in this our present heauinesse and distresse than this to consider that hee is our Father that doeth thus correct vs who though he be iustlie displeased with vs and his wrath fore kindled against vs for our sinnes yet herein he sheweth himselfe to be infinitely gratious and mercifull vnto vs in that hee hath taken the rod into his owne hand not deliuered it into their handes that hate vs to strike vs therewith The Spaniards hath often hoped to haue got this rod into their hands and haue as it were snatched to haue pulled it vnto them that they might haue bene Gods executioners A bloudie day had that bene beloued for the corps whom you haue séene honorably and reuerently in peace caried to their graues you should haue séene them lying waltering in their