mooue thee to doe thy duety so much as the feeling of this loue of Christ towardes thee And nothing will bee able to stay thee from Christ and honouring Him and it were with thine owne ignominie if once thou haue a sense of it In the next verse hee giueth two reasons why the loue of Christ constrained him The first reason is taken from that misery that Christ founde him in when he suffered for him The second is taken from the ende of the death of Iesus As to the first this was our miserable estate before Christ loued vs we were all dead how proueth he that If one be dead for all then were all dead if thou hadst not bene dead in vaine Christ died for thee if thou hadst bene but halfe dead as the Papists say who vaunt of their free will the Sonne of God had neuer died for thee if Paul had had this free will and so bene halfe dead Christ had neuer died for him and if there were none other argument but this To import that there is not a free wil nor sponke of godlines in mē by nature it is sufficient to say Christ hath died for all we were without all sponk of free will to good when Christ came Marke the force of the argument It is from that miserable estate and spirituall death wherein CHRIST found vs when Hee beganne to bestow His loue vpon vs. Wee were dead spirituallie in sinne dead in trespasses What is this corporall death to bee respected if thou bee dead in sinne thou art worse than a carion This spirituall death should moue vs to thinke that the loue of Christ was wonderfull towardes vs it should euer make vs aggrege that loue wherwith He hath loued vs Hee died for thee who was dead in sinne and trespasses and so an enemie to Him Who is hee saieth the Apostle that will die for his enemies Roman 5. 7. Thou being dead in sinne thou liuedst in sinne and so liuedst an enemie to the life of CHRIST And therefore thine heart can neuer sufficientlie aggrege the benefites of His death Men are miserable but alas they feele it not thou hast no want nor scant of miserie but thou wantest sense and the lesse feeling thou hast of thy deadnes the greater is thy deadnesse for the sense of death is the beginning of life the more thou wantest the sense of death thou art euer the deader the liuelier the sinner is leaping and playing in his wantonnesse the deader is hee in soule For hee hath a burthen vpon his backe that will presse him thorowe the earth and make him sinke to Hell one day and in the meane time he is running to his mischiefe and villanie and knoweth not that hee hath death euerlasting vpon his backe O wo be to that miserable catiue although he be a king Alas men are dead in sinne and halfe in Hell and will not consider it It is a pitifull thing to consider howe there is no sense of this infernall miserie that followeth vpon this death When it is tolde them The LORD hath died for them they will make none account of it The word of the Crosse of Christ hath beene to the multitude of this Land but a vaine sounde and they haue neuer esteemed of such a mercie And therefore what wonder is it to see these vexations O SCOTLAND thou shalt get another wakening thou hast so long contemned grace which is y e most precious thing that euer was The Lord cānot be Lord if He suffer so long contempt and lightlying of Christ and His loue vnpunished The seconde argument is taken from the ende and purpose that Christ had in dying looked Hee to this end that thou shouldest play thee and follow thine own lust that thou shouldest abuse that life which He had bought so deare with His precious blood No his purpose was that not only in his death satisfaction thou shouldest be justified coūted just but also that thou shouldest be sanctified that thou sholdest cast off the works of vncleannes dedicate thy life in holines to him it is said Rom. 14. 9. that he rose again that he might be Lord ouer thy life For there was neuer man that had such a right to an earthlie thing as Christ hath to thy life then doe what euer may pleasnte him if it were to die a thousand times if it were to bee a foole for His cause what euer may pleasure Him set thee to doe it or of necessitie thou shalt lose that life of thine But here is the misery Mē know not wherefore Christ died Will yee aske men and women when they are bathing themselues in wickednesse if they will goe to Heauen they will answere yes they will goe to Heauen before their feet be colde But vaine lowne thou neuer knewst Christes purpose in dying for thee His purpose was that thou shouldest be a new man and thou shouldest not liue to thine owne selfe but to Him And the end shall proue if thou proceed so liuing to thy selfe not to Him who died for thee that the death of Christ had neuer force in thee Therefore looke if thou liue to Christ and if thou doest so then assure thy selfe Christ died for thee Looke if in the morning thou canst say Lord thou died for me I will giue thee my life and consecrate to Thee this day all mine actions and all that I haue Well is the soule that can saye this way Then all turneth to this Seeing Christ died for me I will take this resolutiō I will liue to Him al my dayes The Lord grant vs this resolutiō that we may liue to Him in this life that herafter we may liue with Him in Heauen for euer To whome with the FATHER and the Holie GHOST be all Honour Praise and Glorie both now and euermore So bee it THE FIFT SERMON II. COR. CHAP. V. verse 16 Wherefore hencfoorth knowe wee no man after the flesh yea though wee haue knowne CHRIST after the flesh yet now hencefoorth know wee Him no more verse 17 Therefore if anie man bee in CHRIST hee is a new creature olde thinges are passed away Beholde all thinges are become new verse 18 And all things are of GOD who hath reconciled vs vnto Himselfe by IESUS CHRIST and hath giuen vnto vs the ministerie of reconciliation YEe hearde the last daye in the last part of this Chapter the reasons set down wherfore a man is bound and oblished in conscience to liue to God to consecrate his life his death and all his actions to Iesus Christ to wit First the loue of Christ constraineth and oblisheth vs so to loue Him againe that we be content euen to bee foolish to this world for His sake Another argument was taken from our own estate wherein we were when He shewed this loue of His vpon vs wee were dead in sinne and trespasses So this miserable condition that we did lie in which was the beginning of Hell euerlasting
fore-father hee payed his tithe as vvell as Abraham did Euen so vvee beeing euerie one of vs in the loynes of Adam vvhen hee sinned vve made all defection from the LORD and sinned in him Vpon this defection there followed a guiltinesse wherethorow there is none of vs but vvee are obliged to die euerlastinglie And if there vvere no more sinne in all this vvorlde but that first Apostasie only there is matter enough of thine euerlasting damnation thou needest not to heape sinne vpon sinne there is thine obligatioÌ„ to thine euerlasting death and to damnation This is the first part of originall sinne The second part of originall sinne is the effect that followeth vpon the first a foule and horrible corruption that entered in the whole nature of man so that from the top to the toe of man there is not so much whole as one intch Man is a vile leprous creature there is not a whole intch neither in bodie nor soule but all is infected for Brethren that first defection past not away so but it brought with it a fearefull ruine and wracke to mankinde and it leaueth behinde it a foule stinke and terrible darknesse and that came of the just judgement of GOD punishing sinne by sinne And this corruption of nature bringeth with it the owne guiltinesse obligation to eternall death so that sundrie wayes we are guiltie of death The Apostle Paul Ephes 2. 3. setteth downe this guiltinesse when hee saâ—eth Wee were all children of wâ—ath This second part of it Is it that Christ calleth heere flesh in another place it is called the olde man for by flesh we vnderstand not this fleshlie and bodily lumpe which wee cary about with vs nor yet as the Papists call it a concupiscence in this lumpe and nothing in the soule No no but this flesh is a corruption both in soule and bodie and in all the powers and faculties thereof So that there is neuer an intch free from that pest The Lord who made man Genes 8. 21. expresseth the worke and the force of the flesh after the fall where it is saide that after Hee looked and sawe this corruption He saide that the whole in aginations of the cogitations of the heart of man are wicked and euill continually which wordes import that man from his youth yea euen from his mothers wombe could doe nothing but imagine thinke and forge euill wickednesse and all sortes of mischiefe And when Hee sawe this Hee vttered a sadde and an heauie voyce It forthinketh mee that euer I made man Genes 6. 6. And it was no small thing no question that made the Creator to repent that He made man What is man nowe but a filthie creature and a pest to infect Heauen and earth if it were possible But that yee may the better vnderstand the incomparable greatnesse of this euill which is in man I shall let you see howe it hath spred it selfe thorowe the whole power of the soule of man for as for the bodie I speake nothing of it it is true indeede it neuer leaueth that bodie till it resolue it in earth againe which otherwise was made to bee immortall and in the meane time till death come it maketh the body to bee subject to many great and fearfull sicknesses and diseases Where from come these biles the feuers the palsie the pest the leprosie and other diseases but from this corruption But I speake nothing of it I will let you see howe it hath spred it selfe in the soule of man Brethren there is neuer a power nor facultie in the soule but all is infected This pest it hath not only infected the inferiour appetite as the blinde Philosophers thought and as the Papists doe this day affirme But where beginneth it What is the most excellent power of the soule It is the vnderstanding the minde and this is it that we call reason This corruption it hath so entered into the soule of man that when as that vnderstanding should be as a light going before to direct all our actions motions and thoughts the right way according to Gods worde and ordinance It doeth nothing but fight and repine against the wisdome of the God of Heauen It is an hard matter y t God hath created this vnderstanding and yet it fighteth against Him Paul saieth Rom. 8 7. that the wisdome of the flâ—sh is enemie against God that is the very vnderstanding of man which is the most excellent thing in man is enemy to God let bee the inferiour appetites And therefore Ephes 4. 23. hee desireth not onely that the inferiour appetites should bee renewed but that regeneration should begin at that which is most excellent in the soule euen that they may bee renewed in the Spirite of their minde Then yee see this vnderstanding of man is altogether corrupt and that light of the minde is turned vnto terrible darknesse and that this wisedome fighteth directly against God for this reason of man fighteth not onely against the wisdome of GOD set downe and declared in the law but chiefly against that which is more against His wisdome manifested in the Euangell He esteemeth it naturally to bee but meere foolishnesse that euer a man shoulde get saluation by a crucified man 1. Cor. 1. 18. And to goe fordward This pest ceaseth not here nor resteth not in the minde onely but it entereth into the rootes of the heart into the will and affections of man it hath entered so into his vvill that when as this will of ours this power of our soule that we call the will should haue chosen that which is good and refused that which is euill according to the reason going before informing what is to be chosen and pursewed and what is to be refused and eschewed it fighteth not onely directly against that most holy wisedome and will of God but euen against that sponke of knowledge light and reason that is left in man for when man fell in Adam the Lord tooke not all kinde of light from man but Hee left in His great mercy in man some sponke of light and knowledge of the Majestie of GOD the Creator whereby hee might in some measure knowe his Creator And Hee left in man also some knowledge judgemeÌ„t of politike things coÌ„cerning our coÌ„uersation dealing with our neighbors what is just what is vnjust what is reasonable what is vnreasonable he left in him also some judgemeÌ„t discretioÌ„ of naturall things whereas He might haue set vp man as brutish as a dogge or an asse Notwithstanding of this the raging corruption of the malicious will repineth against this sponke and striueth to blotte it out that it should neuer vtter it selfe to reformation and to glorifie God and to discharge a duetie to man in such sort that it were a just judgement of God that they should be made as brute as beasts as it went with the Gentiles Rom. 1. 24. whome Hee gaue ouer vnto reprobate mindes so that
vnto him then if thou takest no care of the purging of that corruption which hee hath contracted from thy loynes that same pest shall bee laide to thy charge in that great day Therefore nowe hauing spoken something of the fleshe and the generation thereof let vs nowe speake shortlie of the Spirite and His generation What is meaned by the Spirite This Spirite is the Spirite of the LORD IESVS this Spirit is y â— Spirit of Regeneration who reneweth men women of olde and sinfull creatures maketh them new and holy againe For as soone as a sinfull man beginneth to laye holde on the Lord Iesus by a true and liuely faith so soone findeth hee power and grace conuoyâ—d by His Spirit into his soule to renew it Then to speake of Christ because this Spirit is His Spirit As Iesus Christ is our elder Brother so is Hee also our Father Hee is called the Father of Eternitie Esai 9. 6. He is called the second Adam Rom. 5. 14. He is our spirituall Father who begetteth vs by His Holy Spirit Nowe compare the naturall parent with this spirituall parent Our naturall parent is not onely culpable and guilty of that first defection but also of innumerable sinnes and transgressions following thereupon Our spirituall parent Christ is culpable of no sinne at all but is full of all kinde of obedience for Hee was obedient to the Father to the death euen to the death of the Crosse Our naturall parent is altogether naturally corrupt yea a lumpe of sinne but Christ our spirituall parent is not only cleane in nature from all spot of sinne and perfectly holie as Hâ—e is man but also Hee is Holinesse it selfe because He is the Sonne of God from all Eternitie and what can bee cleaner than Cleannesse it selfe Now to come to their generation The naturall parent begetteth by the force of nature there is a force in nature to beget our spirituall parent Iesus is farre more able to beget by the power of His Spirit who is the author of nature The naturall parent by the force of nature will beget flesh a corrupt masse a sinfull creature yea the image of the deuill this will hee giue to his childe but our Heauenly parent the Lord Iesus by His Spirit begetteth the Spirit that is a spirituall man an holy cleane man who hath no delite nor pleasure in sinne for Sainct Iohn saith in his 1. Epistle Chap. 3. verse 9. Hee that is borne of God sinneth not that is sinneth not as the worldlinges doe with pleasure and delight sinne reigneth not in him why sinneth hee not because saieth hee the seede of God remaineth in him that is His Spirit by whom as a liuely seede wee are begotten and made newe creatures And what saith he more He saith such a man cannot sinne that is he cannot sinne that is he cannot sinne as the naturall and vnregenerate man sinneth hee cannot follow the course of this worlde and wallow in the puddle of sinne as they doe And why can he not sinne so because saieth hee he is borne of God It is a marueilous force that the Spirit of GOD hath Hee maketh a man that he cannot sinne all the worlde will not make him to sinne The naturall man can doe nothing but sinne all his actions are sinnes but hee that is borne of God cannot sinne Nowe this generation of the Spirite is called Regeneration which word albeit it be commonlie in many mens mouthes yet fewe vnderstand what it meaneth therefore wee shall set downe the nature and definition thereof and touch some particular circumstances which may serue for the better vnderstanding thereof Then what is Regeneration It is an alteration and changing of the whole nature of man accomplished and performed by the powerfull operation of the Holie Spirite When I call Regeneration a changing of nature I meane not that there shoulde be any change of the substance essence it selfe either of the soule or of y â— bodie as if that by Regeneration the olde substance were quite abolished and a newe substance brought foorth but I meane that there is a change and alteration of the qualities which are in the substance I will let you see this in the powers and faculties of the soule as in the minde and reason in the will and in the affections In the minde and reason there must bee a change of the vvisedome of the flesh into the vvisedome of GOD nothing is a greater enemie to GOD and His glorie to thy selfe and thy saluation than the vvisedome of the flesh And therefore if thou wouldest be saued this wisedome must be mortified thou must become a foole that thou mayest bee wise as yee maye reade in the first Epistle of S. Paule to the Corinthians the 3. Chapter and the 18. verse In stead of this vvisedome must bee powred into the minde the wisedome of GOD. In the vvill and affections there must bee a change of the frowardnesse and wicked inclination into holinesse and a good inclination Whereas before there was nothing in them but frowardnesse LORD that man is a froward creature when GOD commandeth him to goe one waye hee will goe the plaine contrarie that must be mortified and slain and in stead of it there must bee wrought in the heart a propension and willingnesse in some measure to pursue and to doe that which the LORD commandeth and hath pleasure into Nowe howbeit I call Regeneration a change onelie of the qualities yet it is not so light a matter and so easilie performed as men would think for it is a greater worke to renewe man than to create him In the beginning GOD created all thinges with His word but before man could bee renewed the Sonne of God behooued to become the sonne of man and suffer shame and ignominy die an accursed death euen the death of the Crosse It is an easie thing for thee to saye I must bee changed ere euer I see Heauen But Brethren it is not so soone done it is the moste difficill thing vnder the Sunne to gette the heart of a creature changed And they who haue found this vvorke sensiblie to haue beene begunne in them haue found howe harde it is by their owne experience for I tell thee that before thou bee renewed thou must denie thine owne selfe CHRIST saieth Thou must renounce thy selfe and take vp thy crosse daylie and followe Him LVKE Chapter 9. verse 23. If the LORD had onelie bidden vs renounce our friendes our father our mother our riches our landes and such other thinges as are without vs we would haue thought it a matter hard enough and scarcely would we haue bene induced to giue obedience as ye see in the young man in the Gospell Matth. 19. 16. But when the Lord commandeth vs to renounce our selues euen that thing that is moste excellent that which is moste wise this reason it selfe the wisedome of the flesh that furnisheth so many reasons to disswade meÌ„ either to
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
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
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
at last will crowne all your good deedes with glorie The LORD make you to goe on from grace to grace and in all thinges direct you by His Spirite that yee may bee long happie in this life and for euer happie in the life to come Amen Edinburgh the 22. of Ianuarie Anno Dom. 1616. Yours in the Lord H. C. W. A. THE FIRST SERMON II. COR. CHAP. V. verse 1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle bee destroyed wee haue a building giuen of GOD that is an house not made with handes but eternall in the Heauens verse 2 For therefore wee sigh desiring to bee clothed with our house which is from Heauen verse 3 Because that if we bee clothed wee shall not be found naked verse 4 For indeede we that are in this tabernacle sigh and are burthened because we would not be vnclothed but woulde bee clothed vpon that mortalitie might be swallowed vp of life IN the Chapter immediatlie going before the Apostle Paul hath bene speaking of the afflictions that hee suffered in his owne person and hath declared that there was two things that helde him vp in those afflictions the one thing present the other thing to come The thing present the power of God the life of Iesus this held him vp in such sort saith hee that when he was dying vnder affliction in the bodie yet the life of Iesus was manifest in him he was liuing in soule and the more his bodie was decaying wearing away the more the inner-man that spirituall life that floweth from Christ grew and was renewed Woe to that man that dieth altogether thou must die and this bodie and life must bee separated the bodie must goe to dust but looke that soule and bodie goe not together looke that as thou findest the bodie and life naturall to decay so thou finde that spirituall life that floweth from the Lord of life to grow or else of necessitie thou must haue a woefull departure This is the thing present that helde him vp Another thing and greater which was not present but to come helde him vp vnder aâ—l the afflictions that were laide vpon him which hee vttereth in thâ—se words The momentanean lightnesse of affliction worketh vnto vs an euerlasting weight of glorie that passeth in excellencie These are the wordes of the Apostle wherein hee woulde learne vs that after all these afflictions are done and ended there abydeth a glorie after this life that passeth in infinite degrees aboue all the afflictions that euer came to man in this life Will yee looke to the nature of the afflictions First they are light that is one propertie then they last but for a moment that is another property the weight of them is light the time of their during is but a moment but the glorie marke euerie word of the Apostle the glorie saith he passeth in excellencie It is not onlie excellent but iâ— excelleth in excellencie excellent aboue excellencie an heape aboue an help mounting vp to an infinite heape Then looke to the weight thereof it is not light but it is heauie the afflictions were as light as a fether or as the winde in comparison of this glorie but the glorie is heauie and weightie a weight of glorie that passeth in excellencie this is the first propertie Then looke to the time the afflictions were but for a moment And if thou shouldest liue a thousand yeeres and bee afflicted as manie yeeres for all thy dayes and thy best dayes if thou shouldest liue neuer so well â—re but dayes of affliction all the thousand yeeres are but a moment in respect of that eternitie that followeth Then let your eye be euer vpon eternitie of joy or eternity of pain eternity either of torment or of rest Affliction is but for a moment this glorie that passeth in excellencie is eternall in time Loe how great things are spoken in few words A glorie passing in weight eternitie And when he hath tould you all that he can he hath not attained to the thousand part of the greatnesse of that glorie neuer man thought of it as it is nor it could neuer enter into the heart of man that excellent glorie that is prepared for them that loue God 1. Cor. 2. 9. When he hath set down these two points in y e end of the chap. preceeding he goeth forward aâ—d hee sheweth what he is doing in the meane time whilst he getteth this excellent glory Learne to doe as he is doing hee saith Mine eyes are not vpon the worlde my looke is not set vpon these visible things which meÌ„ haue so great pleasure into but mine eyes are lifted vp I am looking to thinges inuisible that the mortall eye of man cannot see because al these things visible are but temporall wil decay If it were a kingdom and thou begin to rest or repose vpoÌ„ it it will decay and thou shalt fall downe together with it and perish euerlastinglie But the things inuisible are eternal and he who leaneth reposeth thereon shall get eternitie Looke to the condition of those thinges whereupon thou reposest in this world for if they bee thinges heauenlie spirituall and eternall thou shalt be heauenlie spirituall and eternall And as euer thou wouldest wish to see that glorie looke that thine eye be set thereon in this earth looke that thine eye bee mounted vp aboue all these earthlie things that thou keepe the heauenly things in thy sight forget them not for if thou die and they bee out of thy sight thou shalt neuer see them Take pleâ—sure to looke to that excellent glorie and thou shalt obtaine it otherwise not Now I come to the text I shall let you see the disposition of the Apostle and what he esteemeth of this life present whereof we account so much and whereupon our hearts mindes are so set to keepe it All our terrour is for the parting of the soule from the body looke to Paul what he doth and behold his disposition either in life or death Brethren wee haue the more neede to take heede to these things because wee shall all be put to the proofe happie is hee that can bee prepared The Apostle hauing spoken this that his eye was set on that heauenlie glorie it might haue beene saide thou settest thine eye vpon a life aboue but take heed Paul thou shalt die in the meane time is not life and death two contraries thou must die and that bodie of thine must bee dissolued lookest thou euer to rise agine thinkest thou anie other thing but to be disappointed of life lookest thou that that bodie of thine beeing dissolued in dust shall rise againe to glorie This is a sore temptation and sundrie thinketh after this maner The Apostle answereth We know that if our earthlie house of this tabernacle be dissolued we haue a building giuen of God an house not made with handes but eternall in the heauens Learne a lesson here Ye see while
a man is looking to heauen he will not be without temptation no not Paul himselfe nor none other man nor woman that haue their conuersation in heauen And the special temptation of him who wold faine haue life is death and the dreadfull sight of death and death is euer in his eye Hee was neuer borne but death will tempt him death wil be terrible to flesh and blood and when hee is looking vp to that light and glorie in heauen it will come in betwixt his eye and the sight of heauen as it were a terrible blacke cloude and sometime will sunder him and that sight of Heauen As when a man is looking vp to the Sunne a cloude will come euen suddenlie and take the sight of the Sunne from him Euen so when a man is looking vp to the Sunne of righteousnes CHRIST IESVS that cloude of death will come in and catch the sight of CHRIST from him This is our estate here there is none acquainted with Heauenlie things but hee will find this in experience as PAVL did But what is the remedie In the first word of the Text that we haue read he sâ—ieth Wee knowe and wee are assured for the worde importeth a full assurance and faith and a full perswasion Then the remedie against this temptation of death is onelie Faith a full perswasion and light in the minde of the knowledge of the glorie of GOD in the face of CHRIST with a gryping and apprehension thereof this is the onelie remedie The man that lyeth in ignorance and hath not this knowledge hee is oppressed by death So euer seeke and seeke earnestlie for light CHRIST is light and let your pleasure bee in light for death is darkenesse and smootheâ—â—th the soule except it bee lightned with this light that commeâ—h from the face of IESVS But to bee more speciall what light and knowledge must this bee what assurance must this be Thou must knowe and bee assured not that thou wilt bee free from death naye beguile not thy selfe die thou must and therefore resolue thy selfe to die so it must not be such an assurance as to be perswaded that thou shalt not die opponing thy self to death saying I wil not die I shal not die Then what assurance knowledge must this be Euer this that after I am dead I shall rise againe to life It is true O death thou shalt cease vpon my bodie and thou shalt not leaue it till it bee dissolued into dust but when thou hast gotten this body dissolued I shall recouer a new glorious bodie There is the meeting of this temptation assure thy selfe of life after death Seeke this assurance and labour to pierce with the eye of Faith thorow the clouds of temptation to see that life in Christ which is hid vp aboue those cloudes Seeke that eye of Faith to pierce in through those cloudes to shew thee that life and the Sunne of righteousnes Christ Iesus Nowe the wordes would be weighed particularly and first marke a description of this death and of the temptations that woulde separate thee from that life eternall The words are these If our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolued Then what is death a dissolution and loosing of a thing that was joyned together a dissoluing and scattering of the partes of it it is not an vtter destruction of it the thing that it dissolueth it destroyeth not vtterlie It lyeth not in the handes of death to destroye the thing it dissolueth it may well loose it and cast it asunder but it cannot destroye it Then death is a dissolution and not a destruction a dissoluing whereof not of the soule it lieth not in the power of death to loose thy soule or sunder the parts thereof thou hast that aduantage Death will dissolue and loose thine house the lodging that thou dwellest in that is this bodie which clotheth thy soule Thou art termed by thy soule and the soule properlie maketh a man to be a man it is y e chiefe part of man and the bodie is called the lodging of the soule and the soule dwelleth in it as in an house So death is the dissolution of the bodie of the house which it looseth into powder yea it wil loose all the members and parts of the house O! but marke when it commeth to powder and asshes it lieth not in the handes of death to destroy the powder and ashes of the bodie but that powder and ashes in despite of death will be gathered and set together in a more glorious forme of bodie than euer it was before Yet looke howe the Apostle describeth this house First from the matter secondlie from the forme thereof As for the matter he calleth it our earthlie house This bodie is but claye euen a lumpe of that claye and earth whereupon thou goest esteeme of it as thou wilt yee see the matter of this bodie is vile and contemptible as for the forme thereof it is an house not an house that hath a foundation or builded on a ground-stone but a tabernacle and flitting tent it is set down here to day tomorrow taken vp and set downe in another place thy body is a pauilion that men transport hither and thither as they please Then thou seest that thy bodie is a thing litle worth whether thou looke to the matter whereof it is made of the earth or to the form thereof an vnstable tent or pauilion Now marke this well brethren who speaketh this it is Paul how speaketh he it by faith speaketh the bodie this no what then the soule that dwelleth in the bodie as in a lodging speaketh it The soule is speaking of the bodie the faithfull soule of Paul is speaking of his fraile bodie Then learne how little faith counteth of death Learne also how little the faithfull soule counteth of the body yea euen then when it is dwelling in the bodie it will lightlie the lodging thereof it will call it a lumpe of claye a tabernacle a tent a fraile house it will count no more thereof than a glorious king will count of a cottage he hauing manie faire palaces We 'l brethren it is faith that doth this it is not the soule alone that can count so lightlie of death or of the fraile body if thou hast onely the soule in the bodie and want this faith the soule will thinke the bodie sweet to dwell in It is faith and the faithfull soule that doeth the turne and there is not a better argument than this to see if thy soule bee faithfull or not Looke what estimation thou hast of thy bodie and carcasse what account thou makest thereof I saye to thee if thou hast thy chiefe pleasure in esteeming of thy body decking and feeding it following thine appetite wallowing in the lust thereof if thou liuest in such estimation of thy body I say thou hast a faithlesse soule remaining within thy bodie Woe to that faithlesse man that hath none other pleasure not can gripe
nor seek to none other thing but to the pleasing of that fleshly body without regarde of the precious soule alas in pleasuring thy bodie thou losest thy soule thou makest thy bodie thy Heauen and thou testifiest plainly that thou wantest that light and sense of that Heauenly bodie which shall be after this life Thus farre for the description of the death of the body which is the house of the soule learning vs to esteeme of the soule and body as they are indeed and that not with a fleshly sense but with the Spirituall eyes of Faith Nowe wee come to the life that is contrarie to death There is two partes of man his soule and bodie this glorie of the which wee speake is not the glorie of the soule onely but the glorie of the bodie likewise a glorie belonging both to soule and bodie Wee saieth hee shall get a building not a sillie house as this earthly body was but a faire building Hee calleth the body which wee haue presently an house but the body which we shall get hee termeth it a building Thou gottest this bodie from nature that other is aboue nature nature cannot giue thee that other bodie GOD shall giue thee it aboue nature and against nature What building is this It is an house not builded with the hands of men it is builded with GODS owne hand the LORD immediatelie with his owne hand builded vp this building The former house of this body was vnstable and had no abiding for this body passeth away but this second building is an house that shall neuer fall nor slit but shall be eternall When thou shalt get this building thou shalt not need to be afraid for the dissolution thereof it shall neuer be dissolued Where shall this building be builded men regard much situation in building this house in the which we dwel here it is builded in the earth and it is a tabernacle pitched somtimes in this place somtimes in that place but the situatioÌ„ of this building shall bee in the Heauen for I assure thee when a man is once glorified entereth into that glorie hee shall no more returne to the earth The earth cannot beare a glorified person Christ beeing glorified coulde not abide in the earth but He went to that glorious mansion in the Heauens Thou shalt no sooner bee glorified but thou shalt mount vp to Heauen as CHRIST did Well then there is the glorie and there is no worde heere but it aggregeth that passing glorie Euerie worde lâ—tteth vs see the greatnesse of that glorie and yet it is not all tolde Nay Paul cannot tell thee all the glorie that shall bee in the glorified bodie he hath giuen but a little inckling of it It is but a building whereof hee telleth thee Yet marke Who is this that speaketh this It is Paul How speaketh he it by faith Is it his mouth that speaketh it no it is the soule that lodgeth in the bodie that falleth out in the extolling of that building that it shall dwell in As a sillie man in a cottage appointed to glorye shoulde saye I am nowe sitting in a sillie house but I shall once sit in a glorious Palace So marke Faith will cause the soule mount vp aboue the bodie and whilst the soule is in the bodie Faith and Hope will lift it vp and put it in a maner into Heauen Therefore this same Paul saith in the third Chapt. to the Phillip the 30 vers By Faith and Hope hee had his conuersation in Heauen while hee was yet dwelling on the earth Get therefore Faith and Hope that entereth thee into the possessioÌ„ of that glorie and before the soule bee seuered from the bodie they will in a maner put thee in possession thereof It is the too-looke to heauen that maketh the soule of Paul to rejoyce in this glorie The cottager that hath not a too-looke to a better house is a foole to despise his cottage but hee that hath a too-looke to a better who can blame him to despise this cottage I will tell thee my counsell before thou dislodge out of this bodie for as fraile as it is be assured of a better goe not out of the house doore except thou knowe that thou shalt enter into a glorious house I assure thee if thou bee not prouided for a better house and haue not Faith and Hope of a better than that which thou lodgest in thou shalt enter in a worse thou shalt get that bodie againe which was euill before but then it shall bee a thousande times worse for the soule shall bee shot into that bodie againe and then thou shalt be shot both soule and bodie into that foule dungeon of Hell So brethren looke for a glorious building thou that esteemest not of this bodie bee carefull for a better A vaine prodigall man will cast his soule out of this bodie and in the meane time will not bee prouided for a better lodging thereto Hee is not esteemed a man in these dayes that wil not hazard and cast out his life for an euill cause and quarell Trustest thou that that soule of thine shall get any better lodging hereafter and thou not prouided thereof by Faith and Hope here nay nay O blessed is that man that dieth in a good cause And what better cause can be than Christes cause who is the God of life Assure thee thou that wilt die for Christs cause thou shalt get a building in Heauen thou that takest no care of this life for Christs cause death shall be aduantage to thee The Lord graunt vs a too-looking to that Heauenlie building an assurance of that Heauenlie life Thus much for the assurance that Paule hath that hee shall dwell in Heauen Nowe in the verse following learne howe hee groundeth this assurance and what warrande hee hath for him Faith is not a word as to say I belieue and Hope is not a word as to say I hope Nay but thou must haue a warrand of thy saluation in this life or else I assure thee in the Name of GOD thou shalt neuer get Heauen It is a straite way to come to Heauen and it is wondrous hard to get the assurance of it It is no small matter to get an assurance of life euerlasting after death Then looke what warrandes this man PAVLE had that thou mayest preasse to haue the like The first grounde of his assurance is in this seconde verse For this cause saieth hee wee sigh desiring to bee clothed to put on as it were a garment Wherewith With our house which is from Heaven These are his wordes Then his first warrande and ground of his assurance is a desire of that same glory What sort of desire An earrest desire with sighing and sobbing not a colde desire but day and night crying and sobbing for life Thinkest thou so easily to get Heauen that canst neuer say earnestly in thine heart GOD giue mee that Heauenly life no thou wilt bee
it is sowne in dishonour and is raised in glorie it is sowne in weakenesse and is raised in power The weakest bodie in Heauen shall be stronger than the strongest man in earth Then saieth hee it is sowne a naturall bodie and is raised a spirituall bodie So the change is in qualitie and therefore he saith to the Philippians chap. 3. vers 21. When CHRIST commeth Hee shall transforme not abolish but transforme in qualitie our vile bodies like to His owne glorious body Christ keepeth in y e Heauen that same very body which he had in the earth thou shalt keep the same bodie in HeaueÌ„ which thou hast in earth but it shall be altered in qualitie as far as y e HeaueÌ„ earth is different BrethreÌ„ this ministreth comfort there is none of vs but naturally we loue this body then let this comfort thee that suppose thy soule shall bee for a time without this bodie yet thou shalt get it again Another comfort death cannot destroy it the graue shall not bee able to swallow vp that body but the graue shal keep it the dust substance thereof till the comming of Christ then it shall be compelled to render it againe Life shall swallow vp death but death nor the graue shall not be able to swallow vp the bodie of Godâ— Elect But the reprobate shall be swallowed vp of death both in soule bodie In the 8. chap. to the ROMANES the 10. and 11. verses Paul ministreth these two consolations against death Hee saieth The bodie must die because of sinne but hee subjoyneth The soule in the meane time shall liue and the Spirit of Iesus shall take it couer it with that blood And albeit it was a sinfull soule yet assoone as the Father blinketh vpon it wimpled and wrapped as it were in the blood of Iesus immediately hee biddeth it passe to glorie He goeth forward And where it might haue bene said shall we haue no consolation in the body He answereth If the Spirite of Him that raised Iesus from the dead dwell in your mortall body what then He that is GOD the Father that raised vp Christ from the dead He by His Spirit shall raise your bodies that same body that is dead and laid in graue that same body by Gods Spirit for the Spirit of Iesus and the Spirite of the Father is all one shall be raised vp Learne then if this holy Spirit of God once take lodging in you He shall neuer leaue you in soule nor body He shal accompanie the body in the graue and conuoy the soule to Heauen The Spirit of Iesus shall goe with y e soule lift it vp The earth getteth the body when the soule is separated from it yet the Holy Spirit shall goe to the graue with the body and shall remain with it in the graue and with the least part of the dust thereof And when Christ shall come He shall gather it together and make it a whole body So happy are they that haue once lodged this guest in their soules for neither fire nor water nor none other power euer shall bee able to destroy them because that Holy Spirit euer remaineth with theÌ„ Now in the next verse because it might haue bene said and objected Thou wouldst not want the bodie why sighest thou then and what meaneth this desire if thou wouldst keepe the body Wee the faithfull that are in this tabernacle we sigh are burthened but marke our desire because wee would not be vnclothed as some will say Soule to God and bones to the dung-hill in contempt of the body but thinkest thou to be glorified in HeaueÌ„ without a body No but would be clothed vpon that mortalitie might bee swallowed vp of Life As if hee would say I wold haue this faire cloke of glory put vpon this body that it might consume and swallow vp all this stinke of sinne that is in the body Learne then first the body as it is now is a burthen Hee saieth Wee that are in this tabernacle sigh and are burthened It is a loade laide vpon the backe of the soule it is a tabernacle but a burthenable tabernacle as an house smoothering him down and he holding the same vpon his shoulders that appearantly it would be better for him to bee out of it Learne secondly the estate of them that dwell in this tabernacle If the body be a burthen then the soule must sigh grone as a man vnder a heauie burthen And the body is nothing but an house of mourning to the faithfull soule as long as it dwelleth therein The wanton light man thinketh this body which he beareth about to bee no burthen and will run and leape with it as though this carcasse were as light as a fether Alas hee feeleth not the burthen hee is senselesse and like one in a feuer and in a rage that knoweth not what hee doeth nor what hee suffereth A mountaine is lying vpon him and hee feeleth it not Woe to those men that are so wanton vnder this miserie Amend in time or the LORD shâ—ll thrust thee downe to Hell Fye on thee that dwellest in Bethania the house of mourning canst not mourn Mourne in time or else I assure thee thou shalt mourne for euer This beeing the condition of men who dwell in this tabernacle sighing and desiring as a womâ—n with childe to bee relieued what is the ende of this desire The ende of the mourning of the Godlie is not that they woulde bee quite of the house as manie desire that were wrong for manie will mourne vnder this house desperatelie and the bodie will bee a burthen to the soule in them and their life will be vnpleasant to them they will thinke to get a reliefe of the burthen by the want of this present life and will put hand in themselues but then beginneth their euerlasting mourning for they neuer knew what mourning was till that end come So then this is not the way to bee deliuered of the burthen but the way is To seeke to put on a cloathing on this bodie and heere is the ende of our desire It is clothed with mortalitie and that is all the matter of thy mourning It is not the substance of the bodie that causeth thee to mourne but sinne that possesseth thy bodie and corrupteth the marowe of thy bones death accompanying sinne Then this mortalitie beeing an accident of sinne which is the chiefe cause thereof the remedie is Seeke to bee cloathed with the life that commeth from Christ Sucke in by Faith a droppe of that life of Christ This will not destroy thy bodie but it will destroy the death sinne that possesseth thy bodie And the life of Iesus Christ in a moment wil swallowe vp all that death and sinne and all that miserie that laye on thee There is the way to dwell with ease in the bodie Seeke not to destroy the bodie But seeke the slaughter of that sinne and death that lieth
vpon thy bodie otherwise soule and bodie both shall perish the house shall fall downe and the man that lodged in the house shall bee destroyed Remember then Life and Death are not matters to bee scorned withall they are not wordes nay nay Thinke grauelie of them and before thy soule bee dislodged looke that thou bee prepared for a better life Looke that thou finde the LORD of Life CHRIST IESVS by His Spirit working the death of mortalitie in thee and the beginning of the Life that shall last for euer The LORD by His Spirit worke these thinges in your heartes To whom bee all Praise Honour and Glorie for euer and euer AMEN THE SECOND SERMON II. COR. CHAP. V. verse 5 And He that hath created vs for this thing is GOD who also hath giuen vnto vs the earnest of the Spirit verse 6 Therefore wee are alwayes bolde though wee knowe that Whilst wee are at home in the bodie wee are absent from the LORD verse 7 For we walke by faith and not by sight verse 8 Neuerthelesse we are bolde loue rather to remooue out of the bodie and to dwell with the LORD BRethren yee that were present the last day hearde what was the purpose of Paul in this place First hee beginneth to comfort himselfe and all others that are to die and to be dissolued against death the terrours of death He as he saith in the chap. preceeding 18. vers is looking vp to Heauen and whilst he is looking vp to Heauen to see that end that he was once to attaine to there cometh in betwixt his sight and the light of that glorie and life a cloude of death to haue caught away out of his eies if it had bene possible all too-looke to life euerlasting The remedic against it wee shewed you was Faith and a constant Hope with a sharpe earnest and stedfast looking euē to pierce in throrow death and that cloude of death and thorow death to get a sight of that life and light of glorie which lieth hid vp in Heauen beyond death We know saith the Apostle and are assured that our bodies and the earthlie house of this tabernacle shall bee dissolued yet wee shall get a building for an house a building that is from God not made with mens hands but an eternall building that is situated in the Heauens aboue the carth When hee hath set down this remedy he beginneth to comfort himselfe and others by a sure Faith that after death he shall liue againe after the dissolution of his mortall bodie hee shall receiue a glorious bodie The first argument of his assurance is from the desire hee had of life sighing with an earnest desire of that Kingdome which is from Heauen This desire neuer disappointed man Neuer was there anie man that had an earnest desire of life glorie and had the true knowledge and meane to attaine to this glorie that was disappointed of his desire but who euer desired most earnestlie to be glorified most certainly they liue now in Heauen and at this houre they are glorified there and none there shall be that shall haue this desire and striue to throng into Heauen violently Mat. 11. 12. but they shall enjoy Heauen after their departing Now in the Text which we haue read we followe out the assurances and warrandes which the Apostle hath of the glorie of the life to come The second assurance and warrand of the life to come is in the first words Hee saith the Apostle that hath created vs for this thing is God c. The argument of the life to come in these words is from the ende of our creation GOD hath created vs to this ende to wit That in the ende this mortalitie wherewith wee are clothed might bee swallowed vp of Life therefore liue must wee in Heauen This is the ende of our creation therefore it cannot faile but wee must bee glorified Learne then The maner of our glorifying is this It is GOD not man that hath made vs and created vs to this ende It is impossible that GOD can be disappointed of the ende which He setteth before Him of His worke man may bee disappointed for hee will begin a worke for some purpose but oft times hee will bee disappointed of that purpose Hee will build an house to dwell in but it may be hee neuer dwell in it another will dwell therein GOD when He worketh a worke to anie ende it is impossible that Hee can bee disappointed All the world if they would stand vp and oppone to GODS worke they cannot hinder it That worke that GOD worketh in vs is such a worke that tendeth to Life as to the ende thereof Who shall condemne vs saith the Apostle it is God that justifieth vs Roman 8. 33. Will Hee justifie thee all the world shall not bee able to condemne thee Will Hee saue thee all the worlde shall not bee able to make thee perish So is it of His whole Church in generall Suppose all the worlde were conspired against His Church He wil haue it safe and wonderfully worketh He the saluation of His Church euery member thereof through death He bringeth them to life so that it is folly to men to striue against the works of GOD. Yet looke to the wordes Hee that hath created vs to this end is God What creation is this that he meaneth of Is this that first creation of Adam and Eua of euery one of vs in them that was at the beginning Not so that creation failed Indeede wee were first created to liue and thorowe that first creation euerie one of vs got a certaine right to liue for euer but that right wee lost in our owne default wee are fallen from that right of our creation in the fall of Adam So we must seeke another creation or else wee shall neuer see Life for wee haue no right to that first creation which was in all Holinesse according to the image of GOD Ephes 4. 24. If thou sticke to that first creation and olde birth-right thou shalt neuer see Life Then the Apostle meaneth of another What other making or creating of vs is this It is our regeneration or renewing againe which is nothing else but as it were a newe birth and begetting from the which we are called new creatures 2. Corin. 5. 17. Then Brethren wouldst thou haue a sure argument that thou shalt liue after this life wo to thee if thou liuest not after this life woe to them that euer sawe this worlde and they get not a life after this life for this life will away Looke if thou art regenerated and renewed looke if thou art sanctified and findest a slaying of thy lusts within thee Looke if thou findest the life of God by his Spirit working within thee not this naturall life but this Heauenly and spirituall life begunne in thee not by nature but by grace If thou hast this thou hast a warrand that thou shalt liue and albeit
this naturall life shall bee taken from thee thou shalt get another life euerlasting in glory but if thou findest thy self not renewed by the Spirit of grace take this life from thee thou shalt not get life euerlasting in glorie So looke if thou be a newe creature thou hast gotten a greater grace than to be borne to an earthly kingdome if so be thou mayst assure thy selfe of lif euerlasting What is this newnesse in the new creature This newnes that is in the new creature is nothing els but that same life which we shall liue in Heauen and is begun here This newnesse is only this new life of regeneration which life so long as thou liuest heere from the time that thou hast gotten a sponke thereof piece and piece eateth vp the olde and cankered nature The life of God within thee will consume euen as thou consumest the meat thou eatest the olde corruption which lieth in thy nature and in the ende in the glorious resurrection of the dead it shall bee altogether abolished This life then which is begunne heere it shall open the mouth and swallow vp death and death thereafter shall haue no more place This life is onely eating vp by little and little death heere but at that time it shall swallowe it vp wholly and thou shalt say with Paule Death is swallowed vp 1. Cor. 15. 54. So well is the soule that hath a warrande of his new creation whether he die in his bed or out of it he shall die with joy Then my counsell is seeing death is daylie threatned let euery one striue to get this assurance of this new life begun in him heere that it may swallowe vp death Woe bee to them that haue not this assurance This is the second assuraÌ„ce of life euerlasting I pray you marke these assurances for Paule had such an earnest desire that hee sought all assurances and warrandes of this life and hee is reigning now in Heauen So thou who thirstest after life learne at him Nowe resteth the thirde warrande in the next wordes Who also hath giuen vs the earnest of the Spirite Learne the words for al the doctrine riseth of the words Then the third warrand is the Spirit of Christ Iesus in thee If euer thou mindest to haue life hereafter thou must haue Gods Spirit in thee not onlie thine owne Spirite but Gods Spirite flowing from God through Iesus Christ entering into thy bodie soule Beholde the liberality of God when Hee by His Spirite hath renewed thee Hee will not take that Spirite from thee as a man will doe when he hath builded a worke hee will take his hand from it stand if it will or not But the Lord doeth not so Hee hath renewed thee by His Holie Spirite which Hee putteth within thee O how the Lord putteth the third person of the Trinitie in thee and maketh Him an earnest-pennie to thee of Life euerlasting Because thy regeneration is vnperfect and thou hast not yet attained to that Life therefore Hee letteth His Spirit abide in thee assuring thee as an earnest-pennie that whatsoeuer God hath promised He shal perform it to thee and thou shalt not bee disappointed of a jot thereof Such is the infidelitie of our nature that all the promises all the othes which He maketh to confirme His promises all His SacrameÌ„ts which Hee hath joyned to His promises cannot perswade vs. But looke to this thirde warrande Hast thou the Spirit of God if Hee bee in thee He will bee quicke working joye with sighs He cannot be idle Hee will be working the worke of regeneration both day and night Then anger Him not Ephes 4. 30. Away with filthie cogitations away with euerie rotten worde away with euerie euill deede labour to pleasure Him day night and striue to keepe Him and thou shalt hauea warrande of life in thy bosome and when thou art dying thou shalt find such sweetnesse in death as is wonderfull to tell None euer had the Spirite of God but in death they had vnspeakable joye Then seeke to bee in Christ and get His Spirite within thee and hauing gotten this Spirite keepe Him diligently and powre out thine owne spirite but never Gods Spirit for then in all distresses thou shalt have comfort Now to resume all Yee who take great pleasure in your Charters the Evidences of your inheritance and land take heed to this Your inheritance is in Heaven and thou art a foole who thinkest that thou hast an inheritance in earth For either shalt thou be pulled from it or it shall bee pulled from thee Nay looke as ever thou wouldest be an inheriter that thine inheritance be in Heaven Thou art the foolishest begger and the poorest that ever was if thou bee a King if thou thinkest thine inheritance to be in earth Having laid this count with thy selfe Mine inheritance is in Heaven then next looke that thou have thine evidence For thou shalt never possesse Heaven except thou have the evidence thereof laid up in thy charter kist Now thine evidences are the same euidences that Paul had and the same kind of evidences serve for all it is an inheritance that all men must get one sort of charter must serve for one inheritance What then can be the charter and evidence Canst thou sigh for that Heavenly inheritance Canst thou have a desire of it There is thy first evidence Then findest thou thy selfe to bee renewed Findest thou CHRISTS life in thee The life of Iesus is manifest in me saith Paul 2. Cor. 4. 10. Findest thou the wicked life of this world reformed There is the second evidence Yet more findest thou the worker of the desire and the worker of thy regeneration the Spirit of Christ within thee then keepe him well There is the best evidence of all the evidences of thine inheritance having these assure thy selfe of Heaven but wantest thou these or any of them thou shalt never get that inheritance in Heaven As these three are three evidences of thine heavenly inheritance so they are three props of Faith that gripe this Heavenly life They are the three pillars that hold up Faith which is builded upon them cut one of these pillars away and thou shalt lose Faith and Hope But here it may be asked Are all these three of the nature of the life to come I answere As for the desire sighing and sobbing for that heavenly inheritance it endeth with this life and in that life to come all weeping shall bee taken away REVEL 21. 4. Mourne and groane in time then heereafter shall come ioy aud pure ioy A troubled ioy is â—eere in this life but heereafter there shall bee a pure and solid ioy and nothing but ioy So this mourning ceaseth then and is not of the nature of the life to come but as to the new creature and regeneration it is of the nature of the life to come and it is the beginnning and first part of that heavenly glorie so that our
CHRIST be fulfilled to vs. And therfore He is called the Spirit of trueth Iohan. 15. 26. Notwithstanding of all this confideÌ„ce and assurance vnder-propped with these three pillers Desire Regeneration and the Spirit the Apostle hath not full contentation of heart and the reason is because he seeth not the LORD Hee is yet wandring as a pilgrime in this world hath not gotten that joyfull countenance of CHRIST in the which countenance is onelie sacietie of pleasures For assure you the faithfull heart shall neuer haue contentation till it see CHRIST Therefore to attaine to this thing and to get the full satisfactioÌ„ of the heart he maketh choise of death and remouing out of the bodie hee preferreth it to all grace that can be had in this life Hee preferreth it to that confidence and assurance and to all other graces that hee can haue in this bodie that he might go vp to that presence of CHRIST Thus farre wee haue spoken hitherto Now to come to the text that we haue presently read The Apostle considering that sight that once we shall see and that presence that once wee shall haue of y e LORD IESVS which he hath not gotteÌ„ nor will not get till the time it please the LORD to call on him and none of vs will get it albeit wee woulde neuer so faine till that the LORD call on vs he sheweth therefore what he will do till that time come that he get that presence anâ— how hee will bee occupied liuing here in this pilgrimage what will bee his studie and care in lifâ— and death Therefore saith hee also we couet that baâ— dwelling at home and remoouing from home we may bâ— acceptable to Him There is his care in the meanâ— time All my care would he say so long as I liue iâ— this earth shall be to bee acceptable to my Lord to whom I goe that I may be the welcomer when I come Yet Brethren because the words are weightie euery word would be weighed We couet saith hee there is the first worde and in the first language this word importeth not onely a common desire but an ambition So by this word he vttereth that he is griedy of honour and ambitious for there iâ— an holy ambition that is lawfull that is requisite that is needefull in euery Christian man euen in the purest man that is But to come to the honour which he coueteth We couet saith he that we may be acceptable There is the honour to be acceptable to bee counted and liked of The worldlie man that hunteth after the honour of the worlde he desireth to be esteemed of to bee had in admiration and to be in grace So is it with the man of God the honour which he desireth is esteematioÌ„ he would be accounted of hee would bee in grace and good liking and if it were possible he would be esteemed aboue all the men in the world but whome would hee haue to esteeme of him The worldly ambitious man would bee accounted of by men hee hath no regarde of GODS estimation of him hee would haue the Prince accounting of him aboue all Courtiers hee would haue the people accounting much of him But the man of GOD that hath this holie ambition and griedinesse of honour hee careth not for the account and estimation of men neither seeketh his praise of men but of GOD and CHRIST with whom hee must dwell after this life hee desireth in this pilgrimage to bee assured that CHRIST hath a liking of him that after this life hee may reigne with CHRIST as a king for euer That is his honour To goe forward in the wordes When seeketh hee to bee acceptable to CHRIST at what time There is two times One time of liuing and another time of dying A time when the soule dwelleth in the bodie and another time when shee flitteth The ambitious holie man seeketh to bee acceptable to the LORD at both these times both dwelling at home and flitting from home All the honour of the worldlie man is in this life and whilst the soule is dwelling in this bodie But once laide downe in his bedde and let death assaile him there hee layeth downe his honour and if yee tell him of the honour which hee was seeking hee will spitte at it But the godly man if euer he was griedy of honour in this life in the houre of his death he is griedier thereof and the nearer death the griedier of the honour of CHRIST hee can haue no contentation in heart till hee know his soule is acceptable to that LORD whom to hee is going As for the meanes whereby hee seeketh to come to this honour ye will heare of them in the next verse hereafter This same Apostle 2. Timoth. 2. 15. setteth them downe also when hee hath desired Timothiâ— to studie to approoue himselfe to GOD immediately hee subjoyneth If thou wouldest bee approoued bee a worke-man thou wilt not get this acceptation by driuing ouer thy life in idlenesse or sluggishnesse let euery man in whatsoeuer estate bee a worke-man The worldly man is clyming to his honour by vnlawfull meanes by flatterie by falshood c. but it endeth in miserie But the godly maÌ„ let him seek to be approued by the King of kings being a faithfull worke-man in his calling diligent therein There is the meane of thine acceptation in this life In thy dying when all thy senses thy tongue thine hand and all faileth thâ—e and art not able to worke yet suffer with patience and set thine heart patiently to suffer death that in thy dying GOD may be glorified and so thou mayest consecrate both death life to Him Marke heere a lesson Paul of before he maketh a choise to go dwell with Christ he would faine haue bene dead but here is another desire which must goe before that and thou must haue the like desire before thou desire to flit out of this bodie and to bee with CHRIST First desire whilst thou art in this bodie to bee acceptable to Him and then desire to flit otherwise not for certainely if thou die before thou bee acceptable to GOD in thy life thou shalt not bee welcome to Him and he shal be the most terrible sight to thee that euer thou saw I shall neuer desire to see Him when I die if I desire not to bee acceptable to Him first in life and death Therefore studie by a faithfull discharge of thy duetie heere on earth to bee acceptable to thy LORD beguile not thy selfe Learne againe heere When hee hath made a choise to goe and dwell with the LORD hee desireth that hee may liue a godly life heere first then the lesson is A godly life heere is a too-looke to that life which wee shall haue in CHRIST which maketh a faithfull Pilgrime desire to bee with CHRIST It is an easie thing to haue an eye to the life to come if thou studie to liue well in this life And on the other
c. Hee was assured of GODS testimonie but hee trusted that the Corinthians also would beare him recorde that hee had traneiled truelie Hee saieth in your consciences It is to bee marked that he appealeth to their consciences not their mouthes but their consciences for the mouth of man will giue one testimonie but the conscience will giue another And when the conscience will bee saying the man hath spoken truelie and in sinceritie the mouth in the meane time will bee backebiting him and the conscience will say thou lyest mouth Speake therefore euer according to conscience for if thy conscience speak one thing and thy mouth another thou shalt bee challenged of a lye It is true indeede men knowe not the heart of man as when a Minister is speaking yee cannot judge of his heart the LORD judgeth it yet a faithfull and sincere man hee will vtter sometime the inwarde sinceritie of his heart in his wordes and deedes that all that seeth and heareth him will looke in therethorowe and see the inwarde sinceritie of the heart and giue an outward confession of it Now Brethren then in this example of Paule yee haue such a protestation as the faithfull Pastor shoulde make in the houre of his death and which should be his testament There is two things in his Ministerie the outwarde speaking and the inwarde sinceritie of the heart If hee would protest of his faithfulnesse looke that hee protest as PAVLE did First outwardly I haue vsed all diligence in discharging all the outward partes of my calling I haue kept nothing abacke and then inwardly As for my sinceritie First I take GOD to bee witnesse who knoweth and onely seeth mine heart with what sinceritie I haue spoken and then I take you to witnesse that haue beene conuersant with mee so farre as yee can knowe the inwarde sinceritie of mine heart by my liuing and outwarde actions Woulde to GOD wee coulde haue this sinceritie And I praye the LORD graunt mee this sinceritie and I beseech Him that as Hee hath beene with mee since the beginning of my Ministerie so Hee would neuer leaue mee vntill the time I finish my course with joye to His glorie and comfort of His CHVRCH through IESVS CHRIST our LORD To whome with the FATHER and the Holie GHOST bee all Honour Praise and Glorie both now and euermore So bee it THE FOVRTH SERMON II. COR. CHAP. V. verse 12 For wee praise not our selues againe vnto you but giue you an occasion to rejoyce of vs that yee may haue to answere against them who rejoyce in the face and not in the heart verse 13 For whether wee bee out of our wit wee are it to GOD or whether wee bee in our right minde we are it vnto you verse 14 For that loue of CHRIST constraineth vs. verse 15 Because wee thus judge that if one bee dead for all then were all dead and Hee died for all that they that liue shoulde not hence foorth liue vnto themselues but vnto Him who died for them and rose againe TO repeat shortlie that which we haue heard in this Chapter We hearde first of that assurance of glorie and life euerlasting which is the only remedy against death and the dissolution of this body Wee hearde secondly of the three warrandes of this assurance of life glorie The first the earnest desire which the heart had of that glorie and life The second Regeneration and renewing The thirde the Holie Spirite who is the worker of all grace in our heartes and who neuer leaueth vs but abideth in vs as an assured earnest-pennie of the full accomplishment of all that glorie promised to vs in the word of GOD. And yet for all this wee heard that the Apostle had not that contentation nor full satisfaction of his heart because he is yet a pilgrime liuing heere by confidence and hath not gotten the full presence of his LORD hee chooseth to leaue all the thinges in this life and therefore hee taketh resolution what hee will doe in life and death to the ende that when hee commeth to his LORD in the Heauens hee may bee welcome The thing hee resolueth to doe is this hee endeuoureth himselfe in his calling to be acceptable to Him in life and death and hee will consecrate all the actions and sufferinges of both to Him Beside that glory to come which moueth him to studie to bee acceptable to his LORD he setteth downe another motiue a terrible Tribunall which abideth him and all men and women who studie not to bee acceptable to the LORD The soule shall not so soone depart out of the bodie but it shall also as soone bee presented before that Tribunall and shall receiue that dolorous sentence if they haue not studied to bee acceptable to Him Therefore the Apostle concludeth Knowing therefore that terrour of the LORDm we trauell in our calling to preach Christ and to bring men to faith and that not for the fashion but in sinceritie of heart so that wee take God who seeth the heart to be witnesse to vs of our sinceritie And as to you Corinthians vpon whom we haue bestowed our labour wee appeale to your consciences and wee take you to be witnesse of that same sinceritie of our calling This is the summe of all which ye haue heard hitherto in this Chapter Now to come to this Text which we haue read In the first verse the Apostle hauing spoken of his sinceritie in preaching the Corinthians who had not that liking of him which they shoulde haue had might haue objected Well Paule yet vauntest thou of thy selfe thou hast once vaunted of thy selfe as appeareth in the second and third Chapters preceeding and yet art thou commending thy selfe He answereth no I commend not my selfe againe I vaunted not of my selfe before nor now neither but when I said We are made manifest to GOD and I trust also that wee are made manifest in your consciences in these words I giue you occasion to glorie of me and not so much for my cause as for the cause of false flattering Apostles who glorie in their outward doings without sinceritie of the heart the repressing of these mens vaine glorying is the cause of this my speaking This is the meaning of this verse Then this Text beeing plaine learne these lessons I marke first in the person of the Corinthians who objecteth this vaunting to the Apostle mistaking his words Scarse may a godly man speake a worde or two of the grace which the Lord hath giuen him and that not to his owne praise but to the praise of his God when he is mistaken by euill men who set thēselues to wryth euery word that is spoken And if euer there was an age in y e which this vice reigned I am assured experience proueth it none age may bee compared in that case to this age Yea a godly man can do nothing but incontinent he is mistaken he can speake nothing but he is misconstrued and especially
damnation shoulde mooue vs neuer to thinke on pleasing of our selues but onely to pleasure Him who hath deliuered vs from such damnation The third argument was taken from the purpose which the Lord had in dying for vs to wit that the life that was bought by His death should bee consecrated to Him and employed in His seruice for beeing once redeemed by Him we are no more our own men but His who hath bought vs. And therefore as the seruant setteth his eye vpō his lord waiting to pleasure him euen so in all our actions with our whole minde wee shoulde bee set to pleasure our Lord who bought vs when we were bond-slaues to sinne and Sath in Otherwise we shal fall abacke to that damnation from which wee were redeemed Now to come to this Text that we haue read in the first verse thereof we haue the resolution of the Apostle Paule and the purpose which hee taketh concerning this matter Seeing CHRIST his LORD hath set Himselfe to please him and to redeeme him from death and to purchase life to him his resolution is to giue Him againe that life which Hee hath purchased to him to employ the whole life of him in the seruice of that Lord who hath redeemed him Therefore Brethren before I goe forward learne a lesson of this generall If this was the purpos 〈…〉 CHRIST in dying for vs in dying so shamefull a death that we for whom He died should liue to Him and not to our selues our purpose shoulde bee on the other part to giue Him this life that He hath bought so dearely giue Him it or else thou shalt giue it to a worse man Imploy it in His seruice or else thou shalt imploy it in the seruice of a worse man And euerie one should say for their owne parts as Paul did for his part Hath Christ died for me to this purpose that I should liue to Him then will I take purpose and will resolue in mine heart to giue Him the life that He hath purchased to mee by His death this was His purpose in His death concerning mee I will not disappoint Him of His purpose that life that He hath wonne to me I will consecrate it to His seruice It is true thou canst neuer disappoint the Lord of His purpose His purpose standeth immooueable the man to whom He looked in His death hee must liue and euerie man for whome Christ died was in His eyes when Hee died No godlie man was out of His minde in His suffering but He saide in His heart I will die for this man and for this woman that they may liue to mee So He will not be disappointed But looke thou disappoint not thy selfe If thou sayest Christ died for me and in the meane time thou wilt not giue thy life to Him but wilt liue to thy lusts and not to Him thou of necessitie in the ende shalt bring thy selfe to a miserable point There is nothing in the world that a man should take more heede to than to the life to come to their maner of liuing heere and to the actions that they haue in hand and the thinges about the which they are occupied in their conuersation for if thou haue a conscience thy conscience will tell thee by thine actions what part thou hast in CHRIST if in thine actions thou be seruing Him thy cōscience wil tell thee thou hast a part in the LORD whom thou art seruing and thou in the meane time if thou bee but eating thy dinner if thou doest it to His glorie thou shalt finde a sweete apprehension of the death of CHRIST and it shall raise a great joye in thine heart But by the contrarie if thou be euill occupied and about to do an euill deede thy conscience within thee will giue thee a secrete warning and will saye O man thy worke testifieth thou hast nothing adoe with CHRIST and thou shalt find in thine hart no comfort of Christs death nor of His resurrection So it is good to be well occupied euery man in his owne calling and in all his doings euer to haue CHRIST before his eyes who hath giuen him this life Wouldest thou then trie whether the deedes that thou doest bee seruice done to y e Lord or not I shall tell thee how thou shalt know I will not speake of outward tokens but looke day and night within thy selfe to thine owne heart what thou feelest there feelest thou a conscience by night and by day testifying to thee that thou art vpon a good course and seruing CHRIST who died for thee it is well with thee if thy cōscience be rightly informed thou finde in the meane time a sweete apprehension of CHRISTS death passion and rising it is well But if thou feelest not this testimonie of a good conscience but rather a displeasure and grudging in thy soule all is wrong Well art thou if thou finde in all thy doinges a sweete apprehension of CHRISTES death and resurrection if thou finde it not woe is thee leaue that deede away with it Away with all businesse that will not furnish a joye of conscience in CHRIST and will not make thee to saye CHRIST is mine I am doing Him seruice Nowe to come to the purpose The speciall point of seruice that should be giuen to CHRIST is set downe in these wordes From hencefoorth know wee no man after the flesh These are the wordes weigh them The special point of seruice set down here is the right estimatiō of men among whom we liue in y ◠world It is no small matter to esteeme of men women as we shuld do The rule whereby the Apostle will esteeme of them is not in the flesh nor by fleshly doing that is by nonē outward thing All these outward things as kindred nobilitie beautie wisdome worldly eloquence riches honour c. with all the rest of these things which men hold in admiration are nothing This is not the rule of the Apostle nor we should not by that rule esteem of them How then What is contrarie to the flesh the spirite What is contrarie to nature grace What is contrarie to the olde man regeneration Then what ought to be the rule according to the which wee should judge of men the spirit grace and regeneration But ye will say Are not all these worldlie thinges benefites of God shoulde not men bee esteemed of for them I answere The Apostle speaketh not simplie of them but in comparison in respect of the spiritual graces The nobilitie of the king is but dung in respect of the least droppe of the blood of Christ the least sponke of grace is worth whole nature the least portion of Heauenlie glorie is worth all the glorie in the world the least sponke of regeneration is worth all the genealogies that can bee in this worlde When Christ commeth with His spirit grace and regeneration all these earthlie prerogatiues vanish as the mist Then marke There is the speciall point of seruice done
of my wisdome in the sight of these I am wise and in their audience I speake wisdom howbeit earthly men thinke all that I speake but follie This is the meaning th' effect of the Apostles answere shortly As to this word of perfectioÌ„ I will not iusist in it A full perfection is not heere meaned but a striuing to perfection No man nor woman in this life is perfect but the perfectest of vs all that liueth in this worlde one lie are striuing to perfection thorowe infinite infirmities Therefore this worde of perfection is not to be vnderstood of that consummate perfection which wee shall haue in that other life but as it is opponed vnto them that haue no perfection no spirituall nor Heauenly sight or knowledge of things Heauenly spirituall Then there is the lesson in one word Yee know the sentence spoken commonly Wisdome is justified of her owne children Mat. 11. 19 Let the world account of it as they will wisdome shall euer be wisdome to them that haue any wisdome fooles will neuer count that Heauenlie wisdome to be wisedome nor the wise of this world will neuer esteeme of it Much consisteth in the disposition of the hearts of the hearers that which is wisdome to one is meere follie to another and all because the disposition is diuers and contrary Set together a man that is HeaueÌ„ly minded a man that is only earthly minded speak the wisdome of God to them both and wisdome to the Heauenly minded man shall be wisdom to the earthly minded man it shall bee foolishnesse The speech of the Crosse saieth the Apostle in the 1. chap. of this epi. vers 18. to them that perish is foolishnesse but to them that are saued it is the wisedome and power of GOD Art thou one that art ordained to bee saued The Gospell of Iesus Christ shall be wisdome and onlie wisedome vnto thee And therfore seeing there standeth so much in the disposition of the hearer before thou commest to heare look to thy disposition leaue thine earthly minde behind thee lest thou receiue thine own damnatioÌ„ bring an heauenly mind with thee that y e wisdom of God may be y e power of saluatioÌ„ to thee there hath bene loÌ„g hearing teaching among vs in this Towne buâ— the issue of things testifie that there hath bene an euill disposition in the heartes of the multitude the present trouble of this Towne telleth what hath bene the disposition of manie for what euer bee the worke of men herein yet no question the Lord hath His worke in it to spoyle thee for thine ingratitude and euill disposition of thine heart of the libertie of His glorious Gospell and if this Gospell goe away then shame and confusion shall light not onelie vpon this Towne but also on the whole Land and euerie estate thereof Then to goe forward The Apostle falleth out in an high description commendation of this wisedome which â—ee preached which is the wisedome of God Marke it he saith Not the wisedome of this worlde nor of the Princes of this worlde who come to naught In this description there is nothing that may commende anie science or wisedome of this world which is not brought in heere to the commendation of this Heauenlie wisedome Sciences and wisdome vse to be commended from the Authors from them that inuented them they vse to be commended from their secrecie and hidnesse in that they are hidden vp in a mysterie from the eyes of men they vse to be commended from the ende and vse for the which they were ordained they vse to be commended from their sublimitie subtilitie when they passe the capacitie of men men holde them in admiration and wonder at them they vse to be commended from their subject which they entreat of if it be a worthie subject it is a worthie science These things recommend vnto vs Sciences inuented by the braine of man All these thinges are in an higher degree in the wisedome of God than euer they were in anie worldlie science Now marke euerie word The Apostle beginneth his commendation at the Author and first he letteth you see who is not the Author then he letteth you see in verie deede who is the Author of this wisedome All this is spoken of the Gospell which we preach to you and therefore note euerie circumstance marke the excellencie of this Gospel which the Apostle to the Philippians chap. 3. vers 8. calleth the eminencie of the knowledge of Iesus Christ which mounteth aboue all knowledge in this world Then whom saith hee not to bee the Author of it This world neuer found it out neuer inuented it it came neuer from y e heads of worldlie men Indeede it is true this worlde is wise in her owne kind Luke 16. 8. and this world and all the men thereof from the beginning of it vnto this houre hath beene occupied in counsels in laying of plottes in setting downe purposes and taking consultation they haue bene verie busie But amongst all the things that euer man aduised vpon there was neuer found so much as one thought in the head of a man of the remedie against sinne and death but sitting from the beginning in their counsels they sate like as manie damned creatures without anie thought howe they should be relieued of that damnation this is that Heauenly wisdome spokeÌ„ of here that telleth vs of the remedie against sinne death damnation wherein we lye Yea Brethren let be they had not anie thought of this matter they did nothing in al their wise consultatioÌ„s for the most part but inuolued themselues more and more in their guiltinesse augmented their damnation wherein all men were fallen by Adam Then it was not the world that found it out O! but there are some Princes in the world that passe others in wisdome there are wise high spirited men that will put order to others and with their wit will compasse Heauen and earth that will search out the deepnesse of nature and bee occupied in high things it may bee that these men haue found out this wisdome The Apostle meeteth this No saith hee none of the princes of this world whether Iewes or Gentiles found out this wisedome All the great Monarches all the Philosophers with their wisdome and philosophie neuer thought once on such a thing it is true indeed there is some in this world that haue euer bene occupied in hie things aboue the reach of the common sort of people sitting on high places searching into the deepnes of nature but among all their occupations high conceits and deuises there was neuer so much as a thought or suspiâ—ion or a dreame of that onlie remedie against sin and death of that onlie way and meanes of saluation and deliuerie of a lost sinner A wonderfull thing condemned men sitting in such occupations without any thought of their damnation Emperours condemned men and yet neuer such a thing as a thought howe they should be
relieued of their condemnation It is true the Philosophers among the nations aspired to a wisdome and knowledge of God to know Him and some of them laboured to set downe a science of Him Plato traueiled much on this purpose and therfore he was called Diuine but all their knowledge was of GOD the Creator as Hee created this world and by His prouidence gouerneth it But will ye speake of GOD the Redeemer in His Sonne Iesus Christ they had neuer such a thing as a thought of Him and yet for all the businesse that they had about the Creation and GOD the Creator what were they fooles and euanished in their owne cogitations as ye may reade Rom. 1. 22. 23. in stead of the true God they set vp an idole to bee worshipped Then seeing they found it not out and seeing it is so necessary for al men euē for Princes for they shal neuer see life except they get a part of this wisedome they are bounde to keepe that wisedome in sinceritie and not to prejudge her libertie one whit but to maintaine her and keep her from all her enemies that would peruert her Thou foundest her not out keep her therfore in her liberty The Lord grāt that men may be occupied this way in their coūsels not in impairing but in preseruing the libertie of this wisedome that onelie must saue them Thy kingdome thy life thine honour and all these earthlie riches will away onelie this wisedome will abide Then this wisedome is not founde out by this world or by the Princes thereof Yet before wee come to the Author whereof it is come ye haue a reason wherefore she cannot bee of the Princes of the worlde who come to naught they are abolished they euanish shee is eternall and will neuer haue ende A perishing head will neuer inuent a science that will last for euer albeit his head were neuer so quicke so curious but as the head perisheth and goeth to graue so shall the wisedome thereof die in her owne time And therefore there was neuer anie Arte nor Science inuented by the braine of man which shall not die perish because they are all come of perishing heads howbeit the head die and the wisdome remaine for a space yet that science and wisedome shall also die in her owne time Aristotle is dead his wisedome abideth yet but it shall die Plato is dead his wisdome abideth yet but it shall also die But the immortall GOD when He findeth out a wisedome it shall bee immortall also In the first Epistle of Peter Chap. 1. vers 23. there are two thinges joyned together The immortall seede of the word and a liuing and immortall God who abideth for euer The seede of the worde is immortall and wherefore is it immortall Because it commeth from a God that abideth for euer If it be once sown in thine heart it shall neuer die out of thine heart No this word shall goe to Heauen with thee and there it shall spring out in a wonderfull glorie and shall abide in him who found it out and in thee in whome it is sowne for euer Then if the world be not the author of it who hath found it out We speake saith the Apostle not our owne wisedome but the wisedome of God Paul inuented it not neuer a man that preached this Gospell was the author of it the Lord who is onelie wise found it out Then marke Brethren If God of His infinite mercie after thou madest that foule fall in Adam and fell from grace innocencie had not found out to thee the onelie meanes of thy deliuerance from death and sin thou hadst neuer risen againe for thou hadst neuer so much as once a thought of the way of thy redemption Adam when hee had fallen and hid himselfe in an hole had not so much as one cogitation of his deliuerance That God that created thee without thee redeemed thee also without thee when He made thee of nothing in the beginning Hee called not thee to the counsell because thou was not no more was thou on the counsell of thy redemption when He took purpose to redeeme thee No there was neuer an Angell on the counsell of thy redemption And this is that that is spoken Rom. 11. 34 Who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who hath giuen Him counsell No all is of Him all is from Him only He is the onlie finder out as well of thy redemption as of thy creation that the onlie glorie may bee giuen vnto Him I might speake something here against the enemies of the trueth but I will not insist If thou takest any part of that worke to thy selfe thou bereauest God of a part of His glorie Therfore seeing thou hast neither arte nor part in it let Him haue the onelie glorie for euer and euer Nowe followeth the seconde part of the commendation of the Gospell In a mysterie It is in a mysterie it was hid vp Sciences vse to bee commended because of their secrecie for men wil say O! it is a mysticall and secrete thing therefore it is a commendable and precious thing But if euer anie science or wisedome in the worlde merited commendation thorowe the secrecie of it especiallie this wisedome of GOD for there was neuer so secrete a wisedome so manie ages from Adam till CHRIST came all closed vp in a mysterie hidden from the world and if there was anie blinke of it it was verie obscure Brethren there are sundrie wisedomes of God There is a wisdome of the creation and gouernament of the worlde and there is a wisedome of God of the redemption of the worlde once created and making defection from that blessed estate of creation As for the wisedome of creation as soone as euer the worlde was created this wisedome brake foorth and was reuealed and made knowne to men and it shineth yet in the creatures looke to them thou shalt see the image of that wisedome shining in them and more than this man receiued this wisdome of creation written in his heart So this wisedome was not kept close but made patent to the eyes of men Angels to looke vpon it But as for the wisdome of God of the redemption of the worlde in the creation Hee neither vtred it in word nor writing He wrote not one letter of it in the heart of man in the creation But after the fall of Adam He gaue an inkling of it but very obscure Nowe wherefore was this that the Lord hid vp this wisdome Thereby no doubt He would testify to the world that this wisdome contained a precious thing a jewell there was inclosed in it the whole treasure of Heauen The treasure of Heauen is Christ Iesus who is inclosed in this mysterie and therefore the Lord woulde not reueale it till Iesus Christ came into the world Is it reuealed now It hath beene reuealed euer since CHRIST came into the worlde and this daye in SCOTLAND that treasure is laid
his intention be to glorifie God Christ whatsoeuer anie man or woman doeth let them looke aboue all things that in doing their intention be to glorifie God as euer they would looke for thanks at His hands This is a lesson I see here another thing The Gospell is aduanced IESVS CHRIST is glorified in Paules hurt and who is a dearer man to Christ than ` Paul The lesson then is this Wee see the Lord is glorified when those whom He loueth best is damnified in this world in their hurt and domage Hee getteth His glorie that thing which is done against them in malice the Lord therein is glorified Well then I learne by the example of Paule If so bee that my GOD is glorified in mine hurt if He getteth aduantage by my damnage skathe then vnderstanding that glorie redoundeth vnto Him by my suffering and it were by my death I am bound to rejoyce I rejoyce saieth the Apostle and shall rejoyce I am bound to rejoyce and thou art bound to rejoyce still in glorifying God to the ende So aboue all thinges the glory of Christ shold be sought What am I to be respected my shame hurt death what art thou to be respected thy shame hurt and death if it redound to y e glory of Him who made me and thee for His glorie Now when he hath shewed his joye and mind concerning these two sortes of men in the next verse he commeth to the cause of his joye in that the LORD was glorified in his hurt and domage For saieth hee I knowe that this shall turne to my saluation c. That thing that is done to mine hurt it shall bee so chaunged and turned about that against the expectation of men who woulde hurt mee the LORD shall worke out my saluation There is the lesson If I can rejoyce thou canst rejoyce that the LORD getteth glory by thine or mine hurt or skathe wee may bee assured that our trouble shall be wonderfullie altered changed that which was done to our hurt shall turne to our saluation The Apostle Paul saieth in the 8. chapter of the epistle to the Romanes verse 28. To them who loueth God all things commeth for the best For if the glorie of GOD bee deare to thee if thou preferre His glory aboue thy saluation be assured thy life and saluation shall bee deare vnto Him yea thy saluation shall bee dearer vnto Him than His glorie can bee vnto thee for thou canst not loue Him so well as He loueth thee Moses Exod. 32. 32. vttereth a wonderfull zeale to GODS glorie and saieth Ere Thou destroye this people raze mee out of the booke of Life that is altogether destroye mee But what answere gets hee No Moses I had rather raze them out of my booke who haue sinned against mee Paul desireth that he may be an Anathema Rom. 9. 3. and that for the zeale hee had to the glorie of God But Mose shall neuer bee scraped out of the booke of God because hee loueth Gods glorie Paul shall neuer bee accursed because hee loueth Gods glorie And if thou wilt looke to His glorie all that euill which thou canst wish to thee for His glory shall be turned to thine health and saluation Then yee see there is nothing that we can lose by seeking of Gods glorie Our damnage shal be euer turned to our aduantage In the next part of the verse and the verse following is set downe the maner and the ordinarie manes whereby the hurt and domage that the godlie suffer for the glorie of God is turned ouer to their good The Lord onelie is able to turne it to their good Who is able to turne darknesse into light death into life ignominie into honour but Hee It passeth the cunning of all the creatures to make this wonderfull change The Lord onlie is able to make this change And certainlie the shame trouble and affliction that the godlie suffer in this life woulde all bee the beginning of Hell except that moste skilfull crafts-man the Lord come in and made this wonderfull alteration and turned all these thinges to their aduantage except Hee turned death to life ignominie to honour and trouble to joye the estate of the godlie in their sufferinges were moste miserable Thinke not that these thinges are good in themselues No death is not good of it selfe it is a punishment for sinne Rom. 6. 23. The Lord onlie maketh the change and maketh death to bee the entrie to life but the Lord doeth all this by ordinarie meanes and middle and yet all the meanes which Hee vseth derogateth nothing to His glorie because they all come of Him and Hee hath the glorie of all Seeing then in making of this wonderfull chāge of darknesse into light of death into life of woe into joye c. there must bee ordinarie meanes woe be to thee that contemnest the meanes for if thou doe it the trouble shall lie still on thee till thou bee troubled in Hell Sicknesse shall bee sicknesse indeede to thee death shall bee death indeede and the beginning of Hell to thee Then let vs take vp the meanes as they lie here in order Yee haue heard of one alreadie to wit Rejoycing that God is glorified in trouble If as I haue saide thou canst haue that heart and care of His glorie that thou canst rejoyce in thy trouble that thy trouble glorifieth Him bee assured a wonderfull alteration shall bee made of thy trouble Trouble shall be no trouble affliction shall be no affliction death shall bee no death Onelie get thou this desire of His glorie Nowe followeth the next meane The Apostle saith I am assured that this thing shall turne to my saluation through your prayers As the care to the glorie of God is a meane to make this alteration and to turne our troubles to our saluation so the care and solicity of the body of the Church the intercession and prayer that the godlie maketh for vs who lye in trouble is another meane for the prayers of the godlie for anie member of the bodie of the Church hath a wonderfull effect They will turne miserie into joye darknesse into light yea death into life Yet howbeit others haue care of thee lying in distresse if thou thy selfe contemnest and despisest their care if thou regardest not whether they pray for thee or not no body make intercession at GODS handes for thee there shall bee nothing but trouble to thee trouble shall alwayes continue trouble affliction shall alwayes remaine affliction And as thou contemnest and despisest the prayers of the Sainctes and the godlie for thee so thou shalt lye still in miserie and drowne in miserie at last It is a follie to a man to thinke that his owne care onelie for himselfe will serue the turne contemning and despising the care of all others for him I cannot thinke that such a one hath one spunke of godlinesse in him who will cōtemne the care of others For it is
saluation All the troubles that shall bee laide vpon thee in this worlde shall bee so turned ouer that they shall serue to thy good and consolation But if this hope be away if thou lie sluggishly not hauing thine head raised vp with closed eyes not looking and hoping that thou shalt glorifie thy Lord not caring for His glorie either in thy life or in thy death all thy miserie that lighteth vpon thee shall remaine miserie and shall presse thee down to euerlasting damnation Looke then how precious this hope is Learne another thing here There standeth much in these two in shame and blushing in confidence libertie and courage I say to thee there standeth more in the consequeÌ„ts of suffering and doing than standeth in the suffering and doing it selfe I suppose thou suffer the death for Christes sake if thou bee ashamed in suffering and hast not libertie and courage thou sufferest not so much for CHRIST as for thy selfe and thy death is nothing else but a death to thee and thy suffering is nothing but a suffering to thy selfe Euen so do what thou wilt doe to glorifie Him if it be not done with libertie freedome and courage thou losest thy trauell Seeing then that so much standeth in the disposition of the heart let euery man looke that hee prepare himselfe with courage and confidence against the daye of triall that with confidence in suffering he may magnifie God Paul saith to Timothie in his 2. epist chap. 1. vers 8. Bee not ashamed of Christ nor of me that am His captiue Thinke shame of none that suffer for Christ but rather bee thou partaker of that affliction to suffer with courage and confidence those things with them Yet marke another thing here he saith that he might magnifie Christ in his bodie Hee speaketh not of the soule And so I obseru that of the very bodie let bee of the soule euen of the very bodily masse which thou bearest about with thee a great duety is required for the glorifying of God and His Christ When thou art liuing in thine actions when thou art dying in thy death it must be an instrument glorifying God when thou art going vpon thy feete it must bee an instrument of His glorie when thou art lying in thy bedde yea the Lord must bee glorified in it when it is dissolued into ashes in the graue I marke this against that vaine conceite of men who will saye What care I so I keepe a good minde to God let mee prostitute my body to harlotrie gluttony and all vices yet I will keepe my soule to God No either God will haue all or the Deuill will haue all Awaye thou idolater who wilt keepe thy soule to GOD and wilt bowe thy knee to Baal the Deuill will get both soule and bodie Paul saieth not that the Lord hath only bought thy soule with a price but that Hee hath bought both soule and body that they should glorifie God 1. Corin. 6. 20 â—ee are bought with a price yee are not your owne Fye filthie bodie that wilt say May I not doe with my bodie as I please Hast thou power to reaue it out of the handes of the Lord The Lord hath the power of thy body and in that last day thou shalt bee challenged with theft and sacriledge And when hee hath said ye are bought with a price hee subjoyneth Glorifie God not in your spirite onely but also in your bodies Either Hee will haue both or else none Thinkest thou to send thy soule to God and thy body to the Deuill No either the Lord shall get both or both shall goe to Hell Take heed how ye keepe these bodies ye shall render accompt of them Thy body should be the Temple of the holie Spirit if thou defile the seate of that holy One shame shall light vpon thee I marke heere To assure himselfe of continuance that hee shall continue in glorifying God in life and death he taketh an argument from his former experience Euer hitherto I haue glorified God in my body I haue a stedfast hope that I shall continue that all the actions of my body shall glorifie Him and when I am dead He shall be glorified in my body It is good then to begin well and to haue experience that thou hast serued GOD well in thy calling for experience bringeth hope and hope maketh thee no wayes ashamed Rom. 5. 4. 5. And if thou haue experience that thou hast serued GOD and Hee hath beene with thee and kept thy bodie in puritie thou mayest bee assured to continue to the ende Not that our continuance standeth in our self no our continuance standeth not in our selues for the best man that liueth is not able of himselfe to stand one moment but out standing is in God for if Hee would take His grace from vs in one moment we would fall It is the loue that He beareth to vs that holds vs vp be once assured of that loue of GOD towardes thee and then thou mayest bee assured that thou shalt glorifie God both in life and death Now in the next verse he saith For Christ is to me both in life and death aduantage Hee giueth a reason wherefore hee saide hee would magnifie God in his bodie both in life and death The reason is because of the aduantage hee hath of Him CHRIST IESVS is aduantage to him And when Not when I liue onelie saieth hee but in my death also Is it not good reason that I should glorifie Him both in life and death in whome I haue aduantage both in life and death All men doe for aduantage When a man hath done and suffered hee woulde haue aduantage When wee honour the Prince or anie man all is for aduantage If gaine mooueth to honour men to serue them where was there euer such a gaine and aduantage as may bee looked for at the handes of CHRIST If gaine will mooue thee where wilt thou get it if not in CHRIST Would thou haue gaine aduantage for thy doing in thy lifetime He will giue thee it Thou shalt not do one deed but thou shalt haue thine hire in thine hande Wouldest thou haue gain in thy death if thou die for Him thou shal get as fair an aduaÌ„tage as euer man got Indeede a man will giue thee gaine for honouring him in thy life-time but when thou art lying in thy deathbedde canst thou get aduantage out of the hand of a man Suppose a Monarch would giue thee a kingdome what aduantage is it to thee if thou liuest not to brooke it But I tell you plainelie The LORD is greater aduantage to vs in death than in life and all this aduantage which wee haue of Him in this life is nothing in respect of that aduantage which we shall get in the life to come Paul in the third chapter of the Epistle to the Philippians when hee hath counted al his aduantages and numbered out all the prerogatiues which hee had in this worlde
That hee was a Iew a Pharisee his father a Pharisee of the Tribe of Ben-jamin none so zealous of the Lawe as hee c. manie aduantages and great prerogatiues but after that hee once commeth to CHRIST and getteth Him hee sayeth All is but dung in respect of that excellent knowledge of that aduantage of IESVS CHRIST As I counted much would he say of these earthlie aduantages before I knew Christ euen so after that â— once had gotten a sight of Him I counted them nothing but dirt and dung And therefore hee telleth out the aduantages and gaines that hee founde in Christ That saith he I may be found in Him that is not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through faith There is the first aduantage Thou art justified before the Tribunall of GOD. What king can giue thee that aduantage to set thee vp as a free-man before the Tribunall of God And albeit thou hadst gotten all the aduantages that kings can giue thee if thou gettest not this aduantage to stand before that Tribunall cloathed with Christ thou shalt goe to damnation Then hee addeth to another aduantage That I may knowe Him and the vertue of His resurrection and the fellowship of His afflictions and bee made conformable vnto His death if by any meanes I might attaine to the resurrection of the dead There is the second aduantage thou art made like vnto Him in holinesse and both in suffering and in glory thou art comformed vnto Him Well is y e man that can get this aduantage to be glorified What are all aduaÌ„tages to be couÌ„ted of that can come to thee in this life in respect of this aduantage that when thou art lying a vilde bodie in the graue Christ shall take thee vp and set thee in that glory which is prepared for the sonnes of GOD. Alas if men coulde see the aduantages which are in CHRIST For all faileth for fault of sight If men got but one blink of CHRIST they woulde not giue that sight for all the kingdomes in the earth Wee want spirituall eyes and senses These spirituall aduantages in CHRIST are seene onelie with a spirituall eye and for fault of that spirituall sight wee see not the aduantages which are in Him There is nothing which wee shoulde more desire than these spirituall senses wherewith wee maye get a sight and fore-taste of these thinges which are in IESVS CHRIST Nowe in the next verse taking occasion of the wordes that CHRIST was aduantage to him both in life and death hee beginneth to doubt whether it were better for him to liue or die And whether saieth hee to liue in the flesh were profitable for mee or what to choose I knowe not I thinke I woulde bee dead to see mine aduantage which I will get in death for my gaine which I get liuing is nothing to that aduantage which I will get in death But I am straited whether to liue in the flesh or to goe out of the bodie Then he bringeth in the reason It is better for mee to bee loosed and to bee with CHRIST I will bee at Him yet hee saieth I am in doubt and not resolued Neuerthelesse to remaine in the flesh is more needefull for you For albeit it bee better for me to be dead yet when I looke to you it is worse for you After this doubting and reasoning hee concludeth I will liue then and the LORD will keepe mee for your weale Then Brethren I will marke heere one or two thinges and so I shall ende Yee see a doubting in PAVL whether hee shoulde liue or die which distracteth his minde This doubting is common to manie For sometimes wee woulde liue and other whiles wee woulde bee dead But looke to the cause that distracted PAVLES minde and made him to doubt whether hee shoulde desire to liue or die Some men woulde die because there is nothing in this worlde but miserie Some men woulde die for other causes because of sicknesse some because of shame following some offense for the life is tedious to a miserable bodie the life which shoulde bee comfortable is tedious in distresse But howe manie commeth to this point To desire to bee dissolued for the glorie that is with IESVS and saieth If I were away I woulde get this aduantage of glorie Who woulde be awaye for the glorie of Heauen and aduantage that is laide vp there It is a rare grace to get this desire No question thinke as yee will infinite joy glorie and passing aduantage is in Heauen Againe some men woulde liue wherefore because they are fresh greene and able men they would passe their time yet Some men would liue because they haue wife and children and woulde care for them I condemne not lawfull care but all this desire is vaine Where wilt thou get that man that would liue to help the poore Church of CHRIST with his labour How manie will come on with this to liue onelie for the weale of the Church of CHRIST I desire such a Pastor who is minded to liue for the care y t he hath to leade manie by the hand to Heauen ere he goe away that he may winne manie soules to CHRIST that hee may bee the welcomer when hee commeth there himselfe He is happie It is the sight of that Heauenlie glorie that maketh men to haue this foresaide desire Howe manie seeth that Heauenlie glorie Fie on vs seeing such a glorie laide vp in Heauen for vs that yet will not make a meane to get it wee perish for fault of sense There is â—o lacke of aduantage in CHRIST but the lacke is in me in thee I haue no desire of that glorie thou hast no desire of that glorie and so wee perishe Therefore get this sense of glorie in time or else thy soule shall bee drawne out of thy bodie Doe accordinglie Wouldest thou haue it sweetlie loosed Then get in time a sense of this glorie Wouldest thou haue it pulled out by force TheÌ„ neglect the sense and sight of this glorie Obserue another thing of the care of Paul He counted nothing of all these afflictions in respect of the care which he had of the Church of God I wonder at this care of his considering now our carelesnesse For if euer care was dead out of the hearts of men it is now dead Farewell the care of the Church of God in Scotland for fault of y e zeale of Gods glory the care of the Church of God I see this Land and the Church of GOD therein decaying Learne another thing of PAVLES resolution Yet he resolueth to liue that for the weale of the Church of Christ Marke it There is none of vs but wee should desire to haue the fruition of the glory and joye that is in the face of Iesus yet we who may profite in the Church of God in this life are bounde to
desire to liue for a while that the Church may be holpen The Lord accounteth more highly of this desire than of a desire that a man hath to die and to bee with Iesus The Lord accounted more of PAVLES liuing to helpe the Church than of his glorifying Him in his death Thinke yee that PAVL woulde haue liued so long except the Lord had seene him profitable to His Church And no question y e Lord Iesus knowing the misery of this earth would haue taken vp His Apostles at His ascention with Him if He had not loued the weale of His Church There is no good body but the Lord woulde haue them with Him yet Hee letteth them remaine heere in paine that they may help the Church otherwise there would not be a good body left liuing in SCOTLAND Hee would take them all away and glorifie them But so long as Hee hath a Church in SCOTLAND Hee will let good men continue but when Hee taketh them away wo be to them that tary behind It is wonderfull to see how the Lord will keepe a man by whose trauels Hee will helpe His Church All the worlde will not get leaue to hurt an haire of his head HEROD taketh PETER and putteth him into prison laying him betwixt two souldiers thinking to execute him y e next morning Act. 12. But the Lord by His Angell wakeneth him and bringeth him safe out and yet hee wist not what hee was doing PAVL and PETER were wonderfully deliuered so long as the Lord had to doe with them but when He had done His turne and they fell into the hands of NERO there is no more dinne of them they were slaine So long as the Lord hath adoe with any man He will shake Heauen and earth ere hee perish Well the care of the Church of God is decaying in SCOTLAND Leâ—vs crie LORD put the care of this Church and the care of the members of the body of Christ into the hearts of men that euery man may care for the saluation of another and that God maye bee glorified in them through His Sonne Christ Iesus our Sauiour To whome with the Father and the Holy Ghost bee all Prayse Honour and Glory both now and for euermore AMEN THE ELEVENTH SERMON TITVS CHAP. III. verse 3 For we our selues were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lustes and diuerse pleasuâ—es liuing in maliciousnesse and enuie hatefull and hating one another verse 4 But when the bountifulnesse and loue of GOD our Sauiour toward man appeared verse 5 Not by the workes of righteousnesse which wee had done but according to His mercie Hee saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and the renewing of the Holie Ghost verse 6 Which Hee shedde on vs aboundantlie through IESUS CHRIST our Sauiour verse 7 That wee beeing justified by His grace should bee made heyres according to the hope of eternall life IF we shall consider this Text welbeloued in IESVS CHRIST we shall find in it three things The first the miserable estate and condition of man wherein hee stood before hee was called to grace by IESVS CHRIST The next is his mercifull deliuerie froÌ„ that miserable estate and condition The last is the ende of his mercifull deliuerie to wit That he should serue God all the dayes of his life in all maner of thankfulnesse for so mercifull a deliuerie And seeing our communicating with the bodie and blood of the LORD approaches our preparation caÌ„not stand in three better thinges than these First in a knowledge of our miserie before that we knew God in CHRIST Next in a knowledge of our mercifull deliuerie from that miserable estate And thirdlie in a duetie toward God for our deliuerie We shall speake at this time of the first two Now to returne and to goe thorow the words as the Lord will giue vs grace The occasion of the setting downe of this first part to wit of our miserie before we knew Christ is this Immediatelie before he hath exhorted TITVS to vse all kinds of lenitie towardes them that were not conuerted not to deale with them in rigour but to deale with them in meeknesse Hee giueth the reason Looke what they are now euen such were we before wee were called liuing in concupiscence our mindes were rebellious against God therefore let vs deale with them as wee woulde haue beene dealt with our selues at that time I marke here first That our miserable estate that we stood in before we were called to this grace through Iesus Christ shoulde neuer be forgotten The miserie of nature wherein wee are conceiued and borne and wherein wee liue for a time till wee knowe Christ should neuer goe out of our remembrance When thou hast plaide the foole a while in sinne when thou hast followed harlotry committed murther oppressed thy neighbour when God hath called thee out of that miserable condition made thee to know Him in Christ forget neuer thy former misery forget neuer that thou hast followed filthinesse murthered oppressed c. Saieth the Apostle to the Ephesians who were Gentiles after their conuersion in Christ Forget your olde done deedes saith he so No but he saith Remember that ye were Gentiles Brethren it is true the estate of grace in Christ hath a sweetnesse with it if a man or woman haue a sense of it but looke that the sweetnesse of it m is-â—elish not so the taste that in the meane time thou lose all sense of thy former misery Keepe therefore both the misery and the deliuery in thy mind that thereby the true sense of GODS mercie may be stirred vp in thine heart for none haue the true sense of the mercie of God in Christ except hee onelie that sigheth for the miserie which we did lie in before This is the first Another thing I marke here This same remembrance of our misery it should make euery one of vs that stand in grace to haue a compassion vpon sinners where euer thou seest them labour to winne them but with pitie and let bee thy bitternesse A man that hath no pitie but is full of bitternesse against a sinner that man hath forgotten that hee was a sinner before There is no man so cleane but there is a remaining corruption in him albeit hee see it not They that haue the true zeale of God they will indeede bee seuere against sinners Why not but they beginne alwayes at their selues and then reprooue others Hypocrites beginne not at themselues but they hide and cloake their owne sinnes and are alwayes seuere against others But the man that beginneth at himselfe his seueritie is aye mixed with pitie But to come to the words Wee were such as they are now we were mad and out of our right wit we were beside our selues There is the first part of our miserie in nature for wee were all miserable by nature there is not one soule but it is borne miserable by nature Yee see then Brethren our miserie beginneth not at our
Spirit who may transchange thee transforme thee and take thee out of nature and plant thee in grace for so long as thou remainest in nature thou canst not thinke well thou canst not speake well thou canst doe nothing well yea thou art worse than a very beast But because the wordes are very weightie wee will yet consider them better What meaneth hâ—â— when he saieth Lord let thine eare bee attentiue to my prayer Thought he that the Lord heard him noâ—â— and that the Lord played the part of a deafe man No He meaneth not this look to the estate of the godly when y e hand of the Lord is vpoÌ„ them when y e Lord afflicteth vs any way we think that He neither heareth nor seeth vs nor remembreth vpoÌ„ vs Indeed I grant it is not so in effect for God neuer altereth His affection towardes His owne but the faithfull oftentimes judge and apprehend so and all the fault of this is in vs. Yee see how Dauid oftentimes complaineth to the Lord that Hee had forsaken him Hee had left him and desireth that He shold look vpoÌ„ him I aske Is it so indeed that when the faithfull soule crieth Lord heare see and remeÌ„ber that He heareth not He sâ—eth not He remembreth not No question but He doth for Hee that made the eye seeth Hee not Hee that made the eare heareth He not Hee that formed the heart of man vnderstandeth He not remembreth He not Psal 94. Yea all things are patent to His Majesty albeit when Hee maketh it not manifest by some sensible effectes and operation we think He heareth not He seeth not He remembreth not His fauour affection is neuer indeed altered noâ— chaÌ„ged froÌ„ his own children Then wheÌ„ they cry for His presence are they altogether destitute depriued of his preseÌ„ce no they want it not for who gaue the heart to saye Lord heare me Lord see and remember me if that thou hadst not some presence of the Lord in thine heart thou couldest neuer vtter these voyces to God TheÌ„ I say If I haue the presence of God when I crie vnto Him why crie I and pray I as though I had not His presence Are not such prayers in vaine No for although we haue the presence of God when wee praye yet for all that our prayers to God are not in vaine for if we had Him of before in any measure by our prayers He will manifest Himselfe more sensibly piece and piece more and more And looke howe much more strongly thou cryest so much the more will the Lord bee drawne to thy soule and so much the more shalt thou finde the increase and grouth of grace in thy soule It is vnpossible that the prayer of a faithfull man if it were but one worde that proceedeth from the Spirit of adoption can passe away without comfort for the Lord giueth His Spirit to no man in vaine but because He knoweth the meaning of His owne Spirit therefore He will graunt that thing for which hee maketh request there is nothing more certaine And therefore the Lord Matth. 5. 6. pronounceth them blessed who hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for saith hee they shall bee filled and satisfied And so Christ speaketh to that woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. 13. 14. If thou soughtest a drinke I shoulde giue thee a drinke of the water of life for the water that I shall giue shall bee in a man or woman a Well of water springing vp into eternall life meaning generally that whosoeuer hath gotten the first fruites of the Spirite and the beginnings of grace desireth and seeketh for further progresse and increase that the LORD shoulde euer furnish them with something to quench their thirst and that because they shoulde euer haue a fountaine within their bellie to furnishe something to them when they thirsted so that when as they shoulde seeke refreshment they might gette it in aboundance And if we felt this thirst and drinesse of the soule we would seeke earnestly for there was neuer such a drynesse and such an heate in any man naturally as there is in vs through sinne Consider thine owne experience when thou hast felt somtimes the great burthen of sinne and the terrours of the wrath of God for sinne whensoeuer in this estate thou camest to God and prayedst for mercie and said I am a miserable sinner LORD giue mee mercie hast thou not felt that the Lord hath answered thee comfortably and hath filled thine heart with joye euen when in thy prayer thou sighest and sobbest vnspeakeablie What meaneth that joye Euen that as soone as thou openest thy mouth with libertie to seeke that water of life the Lord conuayeth some portion of it into thine heart to quench thy thirst Now after hee hath cryed twise hee subjoyneth in the next wordes If thou O Lord straightly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand This no question followeth by way of preoccupation It might haue bene objected to him in his prayer for manie are the temptations of the godly by his conscience pleading for GOD against him or GOD Himselfe might haue saide Thou prayest to mee and yet thou art a sinner how should I heare thee How darest thou stand before mee It is a wonder that in my fierce wrath I destroye thee not To this hee answereth first by waye of confession It is true O LORD that if thou wilt straitelie marke iniquitie that no flesh can stand in thy presence but they must bee consumed through the rage of thy displeasure Then hee answereth by waye of correction But mercie is with thee the meaning is Thou takest none heede to our iniquities but of thy free mercie and grace thou pardonest them all in thy Sonne IESVS CHRIST for none of the Saincts none of the Fathers none of the Prophets euer got mercy but thorow that blood of IESVS CHRIST who was slaine from the beginning of the worlde through His blood only was the wrath of God pacified except Gods justice bee first satisfied there is no place left to mercy therefore saith he my refuge is to thy mercie Indeed our estate who liue now is farre better than the estate of them who liued before Christ came into the world for they saw the death satisfaction of Christ remission of sin in his blood but a far of but we see now all already past wee may say that now God in Christ is merciful to vs is become our Father and hath forgiuen all our sins Now out of these words by this example of the Prophet yee maye see what is the estate of Gods children in prayer to wit when in affliction they seeke to repaire to GOD by prayer they will not so soone begin to pray but as soone their guiltie consciences will beginne to knocke and challenge them as vnworthie to bee heard the conscience will stand vp and if it be not cleansed it will present thy sinnes before thee and set them in order in all their circumstances
then say Lord I deserue to be threatned alwais to be plagued but Lord thou knowst my nature thes things wil not make me to come to Thee but will put mee away from Thee therefore let mee see Thy manifolde mercies towards sinners to allure me and then I shall come vnto Thee So wee see the remidie against an euill conscience to wit an humble confession of sinne and vnworthinesse and a fleeing from the justice of God to His mercie The fairest sweetest thing in the worlde is to feele the mercie of GOD. But herein there is great hardnesse and difficultie It is not so easilie attained vnto as men commonlie thinke for His mercie is compassed about with His justice and with His wrath against sinners as with a wall of fire and he who will come to grace he must come through a consuming fire and when hee preasseth to come neare the fire of Gods wrath will holde him off and will strike out and burne vp the impenitent sinner as fire doeth the stubble So it is an harder thing than manie think it to be to win to Gods mercy And how shal this be remidied By what meanes shall wee gette thorowe this wall of fire Truely hee who woulde meane to passe thorow fire had neede to bee well armed the man who preasseth to approach neare to that inuialable Majestie who can abide no sort of vncleannesse and woulde drawe neare to the Throne of His grace must bee well armed against the justice and wrath of GOD which debarreth sinners Surelie there is none armour in the world that can preserue vs from that raging and consuming fire of the justice and wrath of GOD but only the righteousnesse and satisfaction of Iesus Christ Let a man vse all the meanes in the world and he be not found in Christ he shall haue none accesse to come thorowe the justice and wrath of God to the Throne of grace yea his soule and his conscience must bee sprinkled and purged from dead workes with that blood which was offered vp to GOD to that ende by His eternall Spirite Heb. 9. without he bee dipped in that blood hee will finde GOD a terrible Iudge And after that through faith in the death and blood of IESVS thou commest to that Throne of grace thou shalt heare the sweetest and moste comfortable voyce that euer was that is All thy sinnes are forgiuen thee in that blood And if a man were cōdemned to die for some haynous cryme if the king would saye I absolue thee I forgiue thee thou shalt liue What joye and comfort woulde that voyce bring to the heart of him who was condemned The Apostle saieth Hebr. 10. 22. Let vs goe to the Throne of grace with a true heart and purged from an euill conscience through the blood of IESUS CHRIST that is Thinke not to come to that Throne of grace except first thou bee purged with that blood Therefore as euer thou wouldest bee in Heauen or see the face of GOD to thy comfort seeke to haue faith in CHRIST IESVS Looke vvhat necessitie is laide vpon a sinner either must hee bee banished from the presence and face of GOD for euer and be casten into the societie of the damned or else if he would bee saued hee must bee imped and ingraffed by a true and liuely faith in Iesus Christ make thee for it with all thy maine to get a gripe of Christ as euer thou wouldest be saued Nowe after hee hath met this objection which God or his owne conscience in Gods cause might haue casten in that hee was so vnworthie to bee heard by an humble confession of vnworthinesse and by fleeing from His justice and claiming to His great mercies bee setteth downe the ende of this mercie and free forgiuenesse of sinnes when he saieth But mercie is with Thee that Thou mayest bee feared The ende whereof the Lord granteth mercie and forgiuenesse of sinnes to sinners is that they may obey serue and worship God with pleasure and alacritie No man can euer be able to glorifie God and to serue Him chearfully but the man who hath assurance that his sinnes are freely forgiuē him in that eternall loue of God through the blood of Iesus for none can glorifie God except first he be glorified of God Albeit the naturall man got neuer so manie and great benefites yet because hee hath none assurance of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes he can neuer glorifie God nor be thankfull to Him On the other part It is vnpossible and if thou haue a sure perswasion that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee but thou wilt bee careful in some measure to meet the Lord God in loue to pleasure Him and to thanke Him for the first effect that floweth from the remission of sinnes is sanctification or glorification And it is not possible but if thou bee glorified thou must glorifie the Lord againe But the question may be here proponed Wherein standeth our glorifying of God hath He neede of our glorification Can our seruice bee profitable to Him Can our well-doing extend to Him Hath He need of any thing that wee can doe I answere Indeede it is true our well-doing cannot extende to Him as Dauid confesseth of himselfe in the 16. Psalme and the 2. vers All the Kinges and Monarches in the world cannot doe any thing that is profitable and steadable to God We are not able to adde any thing to the glory of God for His glory is infinite and to an infinite thing nothing can bee added for if anie thing coulde bee added it were not infinite The Father the Sonne and the Holy Spirite perfectlie glorified one another from all eternitie Glorifie Mee saieth Christ with that glorie which I had with Thee before the foundation of the world was laide That blessed Trinitie was as perfect in glorie before the creation of the world as it hath beene euer since Our glorifying of God stādeth only in this when the Lord illuminateth our minds that we may see His glorie in all his properties that wee in our heartes with pleasure and chearfulnesse consent thereunto allow of it and with our mouthes proclaime that glory which we see to be in Him And it lieth not in man nor angel to compare His glory The good the euil the well y e wo the commodity incommodity of al cōmeth to our own selues and happy is that man that glorifieth God miserable is he y ◠glorifieth Him not for our felicity standeth not in that y ◠we our selues be glorified but in this that we glorify our Lord eternally for that end were we created to y ◠ende were we redeemed with that precious ransom euē that we shuld glorify y e Lord happy is that creature that hath some purpose thirst desire to glorify God in this life for he may be assured that one day the Lord shall glorify him eternally in Heauen That soule I say shall be perfected in the life to come
may finde such experience as he found and that they may glorifie the Lord also So the end he looketh to is to glorifie the Lord that He may bee glorified in manie belieuers and waiters on him The ende of the mercy of God tendeth to His own glory There are many properties in God he is infinite in wisdom in power in trueth infinit in glorie Majestie Now the Lord is glorified in all his properties in his wisdome power justice But aboue all thinges the LORD seeketh that the world should glorifie Him in that deepe riches of mercie and gentlenesse that is in Him that wee shoulde praise Him euerlastingly in His mercie And as this is His will and as the mercy of GOD serueth to His glory So the soule of a man that hath once tasted of the mercy of the Lord Iesus is caried away with such a zeale to His glory that it will cause am in forget himselfe and with Moses and Paul wish to be a curse and anathema to haue God glorified This man ye see when he hath tasted or His mercy hee turneth him to the whole Church and willeth them to trust in Him that they might find His mercy that so God may bee glorified So it is hee onely who hath tasted of the mercy of God who when he looketh thorow the miserable world can haue pity on any mā He that neuer tasted of that mercy of God had neuer true pitic vpon any mā Then y ◠thing which he craueth is this that many shoulde taste of His mercy that God may be glorified by many His heart is moued with pitie and so all his endeuour is to see if once he can gette them win to God for when hee looketh abroad vpon miserable sinners he is full of rueth and compassion But marke againe the zeale which hee hath to the glory of GOD is the first cause that mooued him to seeke that all the world should taste of mercy and glorifie God So first he beareth a loue to Gods glory and then he hath pitie towarde men the one is the cause the other the effect the one preceedeth the other followeth the one is the roote and the other the branch All the loue we cary to man should be for the loue vve haue to GOD. And vvhere these two goe together a zeale to the glory of God alas vvhere is zeale to Gods glory now adayes vvhich is a true token that His glory is departing away and then a pitie of the misery of man a desire of the saluation of man then that man vvill forget himselfe that hee maye seeke the saluation of the vvorld that so in it God may be glorified And the man that hath this disposition in his heart is fit to be a Minister Preacher of grace to the world otherwise if hee vvant this disposition it is but a colde preaching that he vvill make Now in the next vvords vvhen he hath proponed the exhortation and desired them to vvaite on the Lord to moue them the more he pointeth out to the Church the nature of God vvhat God is for vvee must know vvhat God is ere euer vvee put our trust and confidence in Him for why saith he with the Lord is mercie and gentlenesse as if hee would saye The Lord is full of mercy His mercies are incomprehensible yea infinite and neither man nor Angel can sound out the deepnesse therof He is all mercie and as S. Iohn saieth in his first Epist chap. 4. vers 8. The Lord is loue Therefore await on Him for why there is no want nor scant of mercy in Him This is vvell to be marked when hee exhorteth Israel to vvaite vpon the Lord hee saith not because He is omnipotent and infinite in justice onelie wise c. But hee giueth this reason because mercy is with Him therefore waite vpon Him This would be well considered What is the cause of this Nowe I will aske another question What thing in God neede wee moste into this worlde There are manie thinges which wee haue much neede of What is it that wee haue moste neede of Another question What is the estate that euerie one of vs is borne in in this worlde Are wee not borne sinners conceiued and borne in sinne and iniquitie And so are wee not all miserable For there is nothing for sinners but miserie death damnation and so all sinners are miserable So what thing is it that a sinner wanteth most vvhat is it that sinne and miserie craueth but mercie And if thou bee miserable the thing in this world that thou shouldest craue first is mercy that God woulde bee mercifull to thee So mercie and forgiuenesse of sinne is the first thing whereto thou oughtest to haue recourse And if thou wilt tell a miserable bodie that feeleth himselfe to bee miserable and the childe of wrath that God is omnipotent if thou point Him out in His wisedome in His justice hee shall bee so farre from receiuing anie comfort and consolation of anie of these things that by the cōtrarie he shall be so terrified that hee dare not presume to seeke God to looke to Him to come to Him c but hee will runne away from God But tell him that God is mercifull full of grace in Iesus Christ that is the sweetest speach that euer he heard But alas few of vs feeleth that burthen of sinne Who is he that groneth vnder sinne Who feareth the terrors of that wrath If thou find them then tell thee of the mercies of Iesus Christ it would bee the sweetest tale that euer thou heardest And when a man is once sensible of the infinite mercies of GOD in Iesus then tell him of all the infinite properties of God tell him of His power wisedome and prouidence they will all serue to his comfort for why he will thinke that all things that are in God appertaine to him and serue to his weale he will finde that all things will serue to his saluation Otherwise without this assurance of mercy hee will neuer thinke them comfortable So there is a sure ground The faith of a man or woman first of all is euer relatiue to the mercy of God and that is the first object of faith Indeed hauing gottē a gripe of mercie then it extendeth to all the rest but before that there is nothing in God that it can rest vpon Yee see by experience when the law is preached there is little allurance of the heart but when the Euangell and Christ Iesus is preached the heart is drawne on and allured What is the cause of this The doctrine of the law is a doctrine of extreame justice and His justice doeth nothing but terrifie the soule but the doctrine of the Euangell is a doctrine of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ which draweth to it the hearts of men Albeit thou heare the law preached an hundreth yeares heare no more thou shalt be so far from being the better that thou
for yee see some raging in murther with pleasure and washing their handes in innocent blood with griedinesse c. And some committing adulterie vvithout any remorse yea boasting and vaunting of it amongst their companions Others abusing the benefites of God thorowe intemperance in drunkennesse vvithout any griefe of conscience And others deliting to oppresse and spoyle vvith violence such as they may ouer-come and in the meane time they haue no griefe prick nor trouble in their conscience for such doing Are not such men miserably deceiued who when they are going to judgement and wrath rejoyce yea when they are posting to destruction take their pastime when they are running to condemnation laugh and who when they are most miserable thinke themselues moste happy And this is the estate of many and chiefely of the great men in this countrey they rejoyce and boast of their sinnes and they thinke themselues in a good and happie estate because they finde no remorse nor griefe in their consciences I shall vse an homely similitude to declare this matter A man will haue a worme in his finger or tooth it will keepe it selfe quiet and cease from gnawing for a season he will thinke he is whole enough but take a little vineger or some such like pearcing and sharpe water then shee will beginne to gnawe and then the sillie man will complaine that hee was beguiled when hee thought hee was well enough Euen so it is with the conscience of man for it lieth in the soule of man lurking as a worme lieth in the flesh sometimes it gnaweth and sometimes it lieth still and letteth the murtherer the adulterer the oppressor goe forward in murther adulterie oppression and other moste abhominable sinnes vvithout anie accusation griefe remorse or feare of the law of GOD and threatning of the curses thereof I shall tell you more than that Sometimes the conscience of a miserable male-factor will bee so senselesse that it will no wayes bee moued by the Preaching A murtherer will bee sitting before the Minister A vile filthy adulterer will bee sitting there deuising howe to accomplish their abhominable lustes in the meane time that the Minister will bee threatning judgement against their wickednesse they will not be moued with the threatninges but will disdaine and scorne them in their heartes and will say This fellow doeth nothing but prate and raise what hee pleaseth and after Preaching vvill goe out merrily to his dinner and there curse and sweare and blaspheme Gods Name and thereafter goe to his bedde as a beast or a senselesse sow But I admonish thee O miserable wretch in despite of thy teeth thy conscience shall not sleepe alwayes the conscience of all flesh shall bee wakened one day either to their weale or to their woe And that Lawe which so securely men contemne many a time shall bee so powerfull to waken the coÌ„sciences to torment hem that by no meanes nor policie shall they bee able to pacifie them againe Their drinking their halking their hunting their carding their dycing and other pastimes will not then bring comfort or true peace to the soule Then that man who thought himselfe most happy when he was enjoying the pleasures of sinne shall thinke himselfe the most miserable wretch that euer the earth bore Brethren the lawe that was giuen and threatning thereof is wondrous terrible and for as little as many men account of it yet either one time or other it shall be effectuall to stirre vp and to waken the conscieÌ„ces of men I except no man And if the conscience sleepe still on in this life till death ouer-take men as it doeth in many yet it shall be so wakened after this life in Hell that it shall neuer get leaue to sleepe againe it shall so gâ—â—w vpon the soule that it shall neuer get rest And in that Great day wheÌ„ that righteous Iudge shall appeare the lawe shall bee moste forceable to raise in the soule dolour griefe and anguish for euer which is impossible for any flesh to ouercome expell and put away yea it is as impossible as it is to ouercome the majesty of God His owne selfe for as the Gospell is the power of GOD to saluation to euery one that beleeueth So the law is the power of God to raise vp dolour terrour and anguish in the soules of impenitent sinners and at last to bring it into condemnation Therefore happy is that man who in the time of grace when the Gospel is crying vpon euery wearie and laden soule to come to Iesus and promising to ease and disburthen all that cometh vnto Him findeth this conscience wakened in mercie for nowe Iesus Christ by His seruantes is going thorow the world offering to cure all sorts of diseases yea euen these that are most incurable And miserable is that man who sleepeth on till death ouer-take him for then the time of grace is past repentance then will bee to late it will not auaile remission of sinnes then cannot bee obtained the voyce of the Lawe shall euer â—ounde Cursed art thou miserable wretch for euer the comfortable voyce of the Gospell crying Come all yee wearie and laden shall neuer bee heard anie more Suffer therefore your selues to bee launced wounded in time that yee may bee compelled to come to Iesus and the Lord waken the consciences of these bloodie murtherers adulterers and oppressors in time that they maye see where awaye they are going and at last may returne to God Nowe hitherto wee haue handled this naturall corruption and this noble flesh which men glorie so much into Nowe let vs speake something of the naturall birth That which is borne of the flesh is flesh And what can corruption breede but corruption What can a leprous man bring out but a leprous childe Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse No not one Iob Chapter 14. verse 4 For why Brethren In this naturall generation as the parent naturallie communicateth nature and his owne substance so looke what venome vilenesse and detestablenesse is in his nature hee giueth and communicateth it all to his children Men glorie commonlie much of these thinges which they gette thorowe their parentes they will saye I haue gotten great heritages much honour and great riches by my father But I saye that no man euer got so surelie these things thorowe their parentes as they gette through them and their birth a poyson and pest with their flesh whereby they are made the children of wrath and shall get Hell for their inheritance Brethren happie is the man that can consider this naturall vncleannesse and is touched in conscience with the pollution which hee giueth to his children and striueth to haue it purged for in so doing hee both acquireth a good conscience to himselfe and giueth his children a better heritage than if hee left him all the heyreships of the worlde When thou hast begotten thy childe and gathered goods and riches together and acquired great possessions
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
saith hee therefore did I speake Psal 116. 10. Look to the Apostles with what faith assurance they speake of it because saith Paul 2. Cor. 4. 13. We haue the same Spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken wee also beleeue and therefore we speake So when thou hearest or speakest of this grace of the Lord Iesus seek to haue this assurance in thine heart and saye Lord giue me Thy grace in speaking and hearing of the benefite of Christ that I may speake and heare with assurance And if ye take heede to the words of the preface he riseth vp in commending of this sentence that Christ came into the world to saue sinners and hee saieth not onelie This is a true saying that wee may assuredlie beleeue but likewise hee saieth and by all meanes worthie to bee receiued Hee welcommeth in a manner Christ Iesus comming into the world he embraceth that saluation that Hee brought vvith Him And would to God whether wee bee Preachers or hearers that wee coulde attaine to that measure of grace that so oft as wee name the comming of Iesus Christ that in speaking of it our hearts may be mooued to embrace Him and that life and saluation which He hath purchased for vs. So this preface serueth to confirme our hearts deepelie to imprint in them the doctrine of the grace of Christ of remission of sinnes of saluation through Him c. for by nature there is in euerie one of vs such a mistrusting doubting thereof y ◠albeit God wold a thousand times offer it vnto vs albeit Christ himselfe would teach neuer so much vnto vs yet are we euer still in doubt and questioning in our owne heartes whether it be so or not Against all this mistrusting and reasoning of our owne hearts we must bee armed with this preface of the Apostle as with a buckler that it is a true saying by al means worthy to be receiued But to come to the saying it self It reckoneth vp y e whole Euangell for what is the Euangell in fewe wordes The Lord Iesus the Sonne of God is come into the world by his manifestation in the flesh taking vpon him our nature and in it hee hath suffered the moste shamefull death of the Crosse for the sinnes of man and rising againe from death hath passed vp to glorie and all to this ende For the saluation of man There is the whole Gospell Alas if we took heed to these tithings our hearts woulde not bee carried after so manie vanities The Apostle 1 Timoth. 3. 16. calleth this the mysterie of godlinesse and a great mysterie That GOD is manifested in the fleshe justified in the Spirite seene of the Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeued on in the worlde receiued vp into glorie c. All this hee setteth downe here in a word Christ Jesus came into the worlde and hee telleth vs it was to saue sinners that wee who are sinners might haue joye and rejoyce at His comming for wee should neuer heare nor reade such sentences but with joye But the wordes woulde bee weighed hee saieth CHRIST came into the worlde to saue sinners What is this that hee calleth sinners there are two sorts of sinners in the worlde The first are they who thinke they haue no sinne they are so hardned in their sinne they neuer got their hearts opened to see their owne sinne and wretchednesse for an indured sinner feeleth no sinne but by the contrarie they thinke themselues just they are puft vp with a cōceit of their own righteousnes they thinke thēselues whole free frō the disease of sin and these are the greatest part of the world An example we haue in that proude Pharisie who would stand vp and justify himselfe before God say I thanke thee O God that I am not a sinner as other men extortioners vnjust adulterers or euē as this Publicane Luke 18. 11. But it is not for the saluation of those men that Christ came into the world no mercy belōgeth not to them they will neuer taste of any mercy of God in Iesus Christ and therfore Christ saith Mat. 9. 12. 13. The whole need not a Phisition that is they who are whole free of the sicknesse of sin in their own conceit I am not come to call the just that is indured sinners who think thēselues just because they are touched with no sense of sin and well had it bene for them if Christ had neuer come into the world for they want not only grace in Him but by the contrary by the contemning of the grace that is offered they heap on cōdemnation on their own heads There is another sort of sinners who haue a true sense of sin and grone vnder the burthen thereof who are sore grieued in their owne consciences for it and it is of these sinners that th' Apostle speaketh here for Christ sheweth mercy only on these sinners He came into the world to saue them only therfore He saith Mat. 9. 13. I come to call sinners to repētāce meaning these sinners who haue their consciences wakened with y e sense of sin these sinners only He inuiteth to come vnto Him to get grace refreshmēt Come vnto me saith He all ye that weary laden I will refresh you Mat. 11. 28. These sinners will get grace to heare the word and wil get their minds illuminated with it whereas indured sinners the more they heare the more are they blinded and therefore Christ saith Joh. 9. 39. I am come vnto judgement into this world that they that see not may see to wit the penitent sinners and that they see that is indured sinners may bee blinded if thou be an indured sinner thou canst not heare the word with profite thou canst not be inlightened thereby But albert thou be a blasphemer an adulterer an harlot the greatest sinner that is if thou harden not thine heart at the hearing of the word of God O how wonderfully will it worke in thy soule it wil bring thee to a sense of thy sin it will make thee to bee grieued for thy sin and to lament mourne vnfainedly for it it will make thee to runne seeke for grace mercy in Christ that thy sin may be done away an example of this ye haue in Dauid when he had committed adultery murther no sooner is y e word preached to him by Nathan but assoone his heart is pierced with the sense of his sin he confesseth acknowledgeth it hee is sore grieued for it hee crieth for mercy in the Messias to put away his iniquities as ye may see 1. Sam. 12. 13. Psal 51. Such like ye see in Paul who before was persecuting the Church assoone as he heareth the voyce of Christ his consciēce is wakened he trembleth he is astonied he humble intreateth for mercy hee offereth seruice to the Lord saieth Lord what wilt thou that I doe Acts 9.