manner Quid ergo nos c. What then shall we doe shall we despaire No but we will hope so much the more and chiefely for this cause Why Licet enim SOLVS sed profectò TOTVS intrabit os non comminuetur ex eo for though hee alone shall enter into heauen yet hee shall enter whole and entire and a bone of him shall not be broken We are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh He is the Head and wee the members the one is not found in the kingdome without the other And now my brethren what doe wee vpon this earth we who are already seated in heauen Why doe many men nay all men for all men seeke their owne and not that which is Iesus Christs Phil. 2.21 so earnestly seeke the first and so carelessely neglect the second The voluptuous man placeth his felicity in pleasures the ambitious man in honor the couetous man in riches Their end is damnation their God is their belly their glory is to their shame they mind earthly things saith S. Paul Philip. 3.19 He addeth But our conuersation is in heauen from whence also we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ Here then is a contemplation for euery soule My Lord is ascended into heauen shall I neglect so good a place as heauen and so blessed company as my IESVS O where can I bee ill with him or where can I be well without him As he hath prepared a kingdome for me so I will prepare my selfe for that kingdome where J may reioice with him for euer and no man shall take my ioy from me Thus beloued in Christ we must ascend first in affection as wee shall afterward in soule and finally in body that so we may liue in him by grace die in him with peace raigne with him in glorie for euer and euer Amen Of the Finall Cause of Gods benefits bestowed vpon vs. I Am now come vnto the FIFTH and last circumstance of my text to wit the finall cause or end of Gods benefits bestowed vpon vs That he might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindnesse toward vs in Christ Iesus My method shall be this First I will make a briefe suruay of each particular in this verse Secondly J will reflect vpon the generall doctrine contained in the same The particulars may be reduced vnto foure The FIRST is the End itselfe that he might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace The SECOND is the Tendernesse of Gods affection demonstrated in this end through his kindnesse The THIRD is the persons or obiect vnto which this kindnesse is extended vnto vs. The FOVRTH and last is the Meanes by which God doth extend the same in Christ Iesus In the FIRST which is the end it selfe you may obserue the Manner how it is expressed that hee might shew the Time when in the ages to come the Matter which is expressed the exceeding riches of his grace Briefely of each 1. The Manner That he might shew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the originall and it is of greater force then our translation doth retaine that he might shew it forth by demonstration and euidence that so the world might see admire and applaud the bounty of his grace Now there are two manner of waies by which God doth shew himselfe First by his Word which is full of maiestie and power I meane not verbum Dominus the Word which is God but verbum Domini the word of God And of this our Apostle saith The word of God is liuely and mighty in operation c. Hebru 4.12 Secondly by his Workes By the worke of Creation so the heauens declare the glory of God the firmament sheweth the worke of his hands Psal 19.1 By the worke of Conseruation in the singular administration of all his creatures and admirable prouision for the same But specially in the worke of Redemption in which God hath shewed his Iustice his Power and his Loue. His iustice in the punishment of sin his power in conquering the forces of Satan his loue in redeeming captiues 2 The time in the ages to come For hee hath made his wonderfull works to be had in remembrance Psal 111.4 Hee suffereth them not to be obscured in darknesse nor buried in obliuion Therfore he sheweth them in the ages to come not for a day nor a yeare but for eternity to be conueighed from one generation vnto another We will not hide them from our children but to the generation to come we will shew the praises of the Lord his power also and his wonderfull works that he hath done Psal 78.4 Our tongue must be the trumpet of his praise our heart the register of his works a faithfull register to preserue thē for euer Many men are moued at the benefits of God for a time their motion is quick in the beginning but slow in the end and yet it commeth soone to an end also So it was with the people of Israel They forgate his acts and his wonderfull works that he had shewed them Psal 78.11 3. The Matter it selfe the exceeding riches of his grace What this grace is J told you * Pag. 20. before to witte the free and voluntary fauour of God exhibited vnto vs in Iesus Christ his Sonne Here it is accompanied with a paire of epithetes expressing the nature and quality therof It is rich yea exceeding rich A Sea of grace which neuer can be exhausted An abyssus a bottomlesse pit of grace which neuer can bee sounded Which as all men may admire for the greatnes therof so specially a penitent sinner may apply vnto himselfe for his own comfort How can I doubt of remission and forgiuenes of my sinnes from him who is so full of grace If you require examples for your better assurance they are not wanting in this behalfe I haue been an Idolater so was Manasses I haue been lewd of my body so was Dauid I haue been ouertaken with wine so was Noah I haue fled from God so did Ionah I haue denied my Lord so did Peter I haue persecuted him in his members so did Paul I haue despoiled men of their goods so did the penitent theefe who was conuerted vpon the crosse Finally I am full of iniquity so was Mary Magdalen peccatrix the sinful woman All these obtained pardon by the grace of God which they apprehēded by faith He wil not therfore reiect me that embraced them They could plead nothing but grace and this also I can plead as well as they Therefore faint not vnder temptation but take heede of the Diuels false glasse wherein he representeth thy sinnes otherwise then they are indeed For he hath two false glasses the first he bringeth when he tempteth vs to sinne the second when he tempteth vs to despaire First when he tempteth vs to sinne he bringeth his false glasse which maketh the sin and the punishment too appeare
A SERMON PREACHED at Pauls Crosse the third of March 1610. By Theophilus Higgons In testimony of his heartie reunion with the Church of England and humble submission thereunto Published by Command MICAH 7.8 Reioice not against me ô mine enemie though I fall I shall rise againe when I shall sit in darkenesse the Lord shall be a light vnto me AT LONDON Imprinted by WILLIAM HALL for William Aspley 1611. GEntle Reader whereas in the former impression by reason of importunate haste of the Worke some few faults escaped and especially page 4. l. 22. in this second thou shalt finde them corrected Farewell A SERMON PREACHED AT PAVLS Crosse the third of March 1610. EPHES. 2. vers 4.5.6.7 4 But God who is rich in mercy through his great loue wherewith he loued vs 5 Euen when we were dead by sinnes hath quickned vs together in Christ by whose grace you are saued 6 And hath raised vs vp together and made vs sit together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus 7 That he might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindnesse towards vs in Christ Iesus THere is a fourefold condition or estate of Man The first of Innocency the second of Sinne the third of Grace the fourth of Glory The first by creation from God the second by propagation from our Parents the third by regeneration from the Spirit the fourth by reall possession of Heauen Now as the substance of my text leadeth me to entreate peculiarly of the third conditiō or estate which is the state of Grace so the very first word and entrance thereof BVT a discretiue particle directeth me vnto a consideration of our second estate to wit the state of Sinne which the Apostle describeth in this manner 1. And you hath he quickned that were dead in trespasses and sinnes 2. Wherein in times past you walked according to the course of this world and after the Prince that ruleth in the aire euen the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience 3. Among whom we also had our conuersation in times past in the lusts of our flesh in fulfilling the will of the flesh and of the mind were by nature the children of wrath as wel as others It followeth now in my Text But God who is rich in mercy c. This is the connexion and dependency of these wordes Before there was the state of Sin here is the state of Grace the one opposed vnto the other whereby the deformity of the first dignity of the second doth more spectably appeare For in the former we learne what we were by nature corrupted not created nature in the other we learne what we are by grace In the former we behold our owne misery in the second we contemplate the mercy of God In the former we see our captiuity in the second our deliuerance In the former we see our death in sinne in the second our life in Christ Therfore excellently saith our Apostle Where sin abounded there grace abounded much more that as sinne had raigned vnto death so might grace also raigne by righteousnes vnto eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5 20.21 Thus the state of sinne in time and order is before the state of Grace as the euening was before the morning Gen. 1.5 and the darkenes before the light You were once darkenes but now you are light in the Lord. Ephes 5.8 For some liued without the Law as Gentiles some vnder the Law as Iewes now both are vnder grace But it is one thing to be in grace another thing to be vnder grace Many liue now vnder grace but not in it many liued heretofore in grace but not vnder it For properly to liue in grace is opposed vnto the state of sinne to liue vnder grace is opposed vnto the state of the Law The first is the state of persons who haue grace dwelling in them the second is the state of time wherein grace is offered vnto all Both are ioined heere together in my Text. The state of time we are vnder grace the state of persons wee are in grace so that we are deliuered from the power of the law and of sinne from the condemnation of the first and from the dominion of the second Sin preuaileth not to dominion why we are in grace The Law preuaileth not to condemnation why we are vnder grace And this is the scope of my Text. Wherein there is such amplitude and varietie of matter that plenty it selfe hath made mee poore it being hard to say where and whence I should take the beginning of my discourse as also it is hard to say where I may conclude the same But since the time hath power ouer my thoughts at the least ouer my words and boundeth them within the limits of an houre or two I cannot speake all of a little in my Text as I would therfore I will speake a little of all therein as I may obseruing fiue generall circumstances as they present themselues in order vnto your view The first is the Author of our saluation God or God in Christ For God was in Christ reconciling the world vnto himselfe 2. Cor. 5.19 The second is the causes which mooued God vnto this excellent worke and they are three First Mercy v. 4. not bare mercy but with an addition rich in mercie Secondly Loue and that not a naked loue but with an addition great loue Thirdly Grace iv 5. not simply grace also but with an addition exceeding riches of his grace v. 7. And here with this motiue or cause I will ioine the effect also by grace you are saued The third is the persons or subiect vpon which the benefits are conferred Vs. Wherein you may obserue First the extension of the subiect to wit Iewes and Gentiles both included therein Secondly the condition dead in sinne The fourth is the benefits bestowed vpon vs and they are three First viuification of the spirit Hee hath quickned vs together in Christ vers 5. Secondly resurrection of soule and body He hath raised vs vp together vers 6. Thirdly Session of both in heauen He hath made vs sit together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus The Fifth and last is the end and finall cause of all this happinesse towards vs and indulgence from God That he might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindnes towards vs in Christ Iesus First of the Author THe Author of our saluation is he that is the author of our creation GOD. Non est qui reficiat nisi qui fecit saith S. Bernard None can make vs good of euill but hee that made vs something of nothing It is he that in my creation dedit me mihi gaue me vnto my selfe by creating me after his owne image It is he that in my Redemption dedit se mihi gaue himselfe vnto me by redeeming mee with his owne bloud But you must vnderstand that this
other the one negatiue he maketh not the wicked innocent the other affirmatiue he visiteth iniquitie Consider secondly the extent of the one and other His mercy extendeth vnto thousands his iudgement vnto three or foure generations Here is mercie and riches of mercie This therefore being so peculiarly annexed vnto the diuine nature the Church for many hundred yeeres harh vsed that excellent Collect O God whose nature and property is euer to haue mercy c. And this bringeth vnto my remembrance the saying of Tullie so much applauded by S. August lib. 9. de Cruit Dei when hee pleaded before Caesar for the life and liberty of Ligarius his friend O Caesar saith he none of thy vertues is more admirable or gracious then thy MERCIE Men come neere vnto God in nothing so much as in sauing the afflicted Thy fortune hath nothing greater then that thou hast power thy nature nothing better then that thou hast will to shew mercie and to saue others So I may say of all Gods proprieties none is more admirable and gracious then his mercy It is not his power it is not his knowledge it is not his wisdome but it is his Mercy wherein we chiefely reioice I should despaire if there were not mercy in him since there is so much iniquity in me But because of sinners hee shall be called mercifull 2. Esdr 8.31 Thus his mercy hath an aduantage by our sinnes to declare and to expresse it selfe For though in him there is an habit if I may so speake of mercy alwaies yet the act of mercy requireth sinne precedent in vs which giueth matter and occasion vnto the same There is a double matter of mercie the one whence it proceedeth the other where it is shewed The first is in God onely the second in vs. The heauens neede not the mercy of God saith August in Psal 32. because there is no misery in them but the earth needeth it and where the misery of man hath abounded there the mercie of God hath abounded much more If therefore I haue committed sinne then I haue fit matter for the declaration of his mercy In this ô Lord thy goodnesse shall be praised if thou be mercifull vnto vs who haue not the substance of good works 2. Esdr 8.36 In truth many haue the shadow not the substance of good works Now though it is an euill cause saith Seneca which requireth mercy yet there is no cause so euill which can despaire of mercy For as I haue the matter of or for mercy in me to wit my sins so if I haue the means to apprehend this mercy which meanes is faith alone the mercy of God shall bee commended through mine iniquity and my owne sinne shall turne to my owne safety All things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose Rom. 8.28 Omnia cooperantur saith S. Augustine all things worke etiam peecata Domine euen our sins also ô Lord. For by sinne we haue experience of our infirmity our infirmity draweth vs vnto humility humility lifteth vs vp vnto God in God euery man hath his quietus est perfect rest and endlesse peace Thus it is true that sinne which naturally and of it selfe worketh damnation may occasionally and by accident worke saluation also but by his power who brought light out of darkenesse and worketh our good out of our own euill I dare not therefore adde this grieuous sin vnto my other sinnes to despaire of mercy For as to commit a sinne it is the death of the soule so to despaire of mercy it is to descend into hell And some feare not to affirme that Iudas sinned more by despaire of mercy then by treason against his Lord. For what is more sacrilegious saith Fulgentius then to deny Gods mercy in forgiuing our sins If he be a skilfull physitian he can cure all our infirmities if a mercifull God hee can forgiue all our sinnes Therefore Dauid Psal 103. exhorteth his owne soule to praise the Lord and again to praise the Lord. Why He forgiueth all thy sinne healeth all thine infirmities If this be so let no man despaire of the physitian and remaine in his sicknes let no man extenuate Gods mercy and pine away in his sinnes For Christ died for sinners Rom. 5.8 And Christ came into the world to saue sinners 1. Tim. 1.15 If I were not a sinner he were not a Sauiour Qualecumque fit ergopeccatum c. Whatsoeuer then thy sinne be God can and will pardon it if thou by despaire doest not close vp his hands and shut vp the gate of indulgency against thy self Finally he concludeth his exhortation out of the prophet Esay 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his wayes and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and he will haue mercy vpon him and to our God for he is very ready to forgiue Yea multus ad ignoscendum as he rendreth it neerer vnto the originall text In hoc multo nihil deest in quo est omnipotens misericordia omnipotentia misericors He can pardon for his mercy is omnipotent he will pardon for his omnipotency is mercifull Therefore let no man despaire Thus much of the first motiue or cause to wit the mercy of God And so I come vnto the second which is his LOVE as it followeth here in my Text through his great loue wherwith he loued vs euen when we were dead by or in sins Here is loue the cause of mercy I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue therefore with mercy haue I drawne thee Ierem. 31.3 The riuer of mercy issueth from the fountaine of loue But of this I haue spoken * Pag. 8. before Now for the Text it selfe you may obserue First that this affection or attribute is comfortable because it is loue specially in God Secondly that this loue is commendable because it is great Thirdly that this greatnes is admirable because it is toward vs. Concerning the First to wit the affection or attribute loue in God the beloued disciple teacheth vs that God is loue 1. Io. 4.8 And so loue is attributed vnto him in the abstract because it is in him not as an accident and by participation but by essence as S. Bernard speaketh diuinely of this other properties in God He loueth as charity he knoweth as truth he fitteth as equity he ruleth as maiesty he gouerneth as the beginning he defendeth as health he worketh as power he reuealeth as light he assisteth as piety All these things the Angels doe yea we also doe but yet in an inferiour manner not by that good which we are or haue in our selues but which we participate of him But it is otherwise in GOD whatsoeuer is attributed vnto him is God himself For he is a simple vncompounded being in whom all things are one So that the variety of his attributes is not from a diuersity of affection in him but of effects vnto vs. But J
the deliuerance of Israel I will sing vnto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and him that rode vpon him hath hee ouerthrowne in the sea There is the First Behold the Second It followeth The Lord is my strength and my praise and he is become my saluation He is my God and I will prepare him a Tabernacle he is my Fathers God and I will exalt him Exodus 15.1.2 This latter glorification is that which here appertaineth vnto vs. GOD hath shewed his glory not in iudgement but in mercy in loue and in grace which he hath plentifully extended towards vs giuing vs life when we were dead raising vs vp when we were fallen placing vs in heauen when we were at the gates of hell Now for as much as God doth so highly honour vs in this world and will honour vs more in the world to come what shall we do but honour him also in this world whom we shall likewise honour in the next The end of our Creation requireth it All things were made for the vse of man man for the seruice of God The end of our Preseruation requireth it We liue by the benefits of God we must liue also to his honour The end of our redemption requireth it For what prisoner will not exalt and magnifie a King that giueth him his naturall life when he was ciuilly dead and by his mercy freeth him from the sword of iustice But as our estate was more miserable then the condition of any prisoner so God hath dealt more roially with vs then that any mortall Prince is able to performe the like Hee hath freed vs from the infernall prison of hell from the terrible iawes of Satan he hath restored vs vnto the glorious libertie of the sons of God yea more then this he hath but one kingdome and but one Sonne yet behold he hath made vs co heires with him therein Rom. 8.17 What then could he doe for vs and he hath not done it And now finally lest we should pretend a difficultie in this seruice see the facility thereof God hath shewed his benefits let vs also shew them and this is the seruice which he requireth at our hands Howbeit there is a great disparity betwixt his and our shewing the same He sheweth his benefits by donation wee by declaration his is reall ours verball He sheweth his benefits and we haue an accession or increase of our happinesse thereby We shew them but the infinite sea of his happinesse which dependeth not vpon his creatures is not increased by the riuers of praises which are poured foorth of our lips In a word he sheweth and it is his voluntary liberalitie toward vs we shew and it is our necessary duty toward him An easie and a iust seruice Therefore saith the Angel vnto Tobit and his sonne Praise God and confesse him and giue him the glory and praise him for the things that he hath done vnto you before all them that liue It is good to praise God and to exalt his name and to shew forth his euident works with honor therefore be not weary to confesse him It is good to keep close the secrets of a KING but it is honourable to reueale the works of GOD Tobit 12.6.7 His benefits then that are priuate vnto our selues we must make publike vnto others He was an vnfaithful and an vnwise seruant also who receiuing a talent from his master hid it in the earth Mat. 25.25 and did not imploy it to his aduantage Likewise he is an vngrateful person who receiueth a blessing from God and concealeth it in his bosome Let euery man therefore recount with himselfe the benefits which God hath bestowed vpon him Be they inward or outward spirituall or temporall concerning this life or the life to come shew them declare them first in word then in worke that men may glorifie your Father which is in heauen ANd that I may induce you vnto this acceptable seruice not onely by my speech but by my example also Fathers and Brethren Right Honourable right Worshipful and dearely beloued in Iesus Christ our Lord I present my selfe here this day as a 1. Cor. 4.9 aspectacle vnto the world and to Angels and to men though with some regret and reluctation of the flesh yet with great comfort and exultation of the spirit b Mark 14.38 The spirit indeed is ready but the flesh is weake Come therefore and hearken all ye that feare the Lord and I will tell you what he hath done to my soule So doth c Psal 66.16 Dauid inuite his auditors and so doe I inuite mine Come Who All ye that feare the Lord. For they that feare him not are as vnfit to heare this seruice performed by an other as they are vnable to performe it themselues But your religious concourse vnto this place your diligent attention of my speech your reuerent estimation of Gods word your zealous profession of his truth all these assure me that you are such indeed as the Prophet Dauid speaketh of in this place you feare the Lord. Therefore come and hearken al you and I will tell you what he hath done to my soule But yet before I tel you what God hath done vnto me I must tell you what I haue done vnto him for this is the truest methode to illustrate his gratious fauours Vide quid tibi debeatur saith S. Augustine quid tibi dederit qui gratis dedit see first what is due vnto thee secondly what God hath done for thee then how freely hee hath done the same First therefore because we giue glory vnto God by the humble confession of our sins so said Iosuah vnto Achan d Ios 7.19 My sonne I beseech thee giue glory vnto the Lord God of Israel and make confession vnto him and shew mee now what thou hast done I confesse vnto almighty GOD in the face of his CHVRCH that in part I haue denied my Lord with Peter betrayed him with Iudas and crucified him with the Iewes A grieuous sinne and a great punishment too malum culpae turned into malum poenae when one sinne is made the punishment of another the iustice of God shining in the iniustice of man Thus my vngratitude for his benefits my negligence in his seruice my affectation of vaine glory my impatience at calamities and my other sinnes were punished with the sinne of Apostasie and defection from the truth euen from the sincerity of the Gospel of Iesus Christ So that I proceeded from one fal vnto an other first in my Will then in my vnderstanding first à bono and then à verò first in manners and then in faith Here now peraduenture some will say vnto me as Michal vnto Dauid when she despised him in her heart e 2. Sam. 6.20.21.22 Thou hast vncouered thy selfe as a foole this day But vnto them I answere as Dauid vnto Michal It was before the Lord and I will yet be more vile then