no more to them that wilfully refuse Happy is hee that knowes the day of his visitation and the things that belong to his peace which Jerusalem did not and therefore Christ wept over it which Saul and the Iewes in Ieremies time did not and therefore God forbad him to pray for them As there were certaine times when the Angel moved in the poole of Bethesda and he that then stept in was healed so are there certaine acceptable times wherein God doth as it were thaw and soften the hearts of men and then this time must be taken It is wisdome with the husbandmen then to put in the Plough when the ground is soft for the heart in such cases is like to the iron in the furnace easily wrought upon but stay while it is cold and it will not so easily be fashioned I beseech you therefore be exhorted to take the opportunity and be not like them of whom Esay complaineth who like Bull rushes doe hang downe the head for a day while some storme of outward or inward trouble is upon them but when a faire Sun-shine day is come to dry it up againe they lift up their heads as upright as ever If any man would sit down and cast his thoughts together but one halfe houre and consider this seriously I have but a little time to live here I have another place where I must live to all eternity as I spend this short time here so shal it be with me there and then for ever no more If a mans thoughts I say were such I should wonder if any thing else should take up our intentions but to take our seasons and make sure our elections But alas wee are robbed of our selves by our worldly delights and in great earnestnesse and contention we spend our selves in trifles But if we would not have with he Merchant an estate hanging upon ropes and depending upon uncertaine winds how much lesse should a man have his salvation depending upon uncertainties seeing grace whence repenance proceeds is as you see received and not in our owne power But here most mistake repentance and that is the cause why it is deferred It is not onely a sorrow for sinne as it is commonly thought to be nor a leaving of sinne out of feare of hell and desire to be saved which a man may doe out of the strength of nature wisdome and providence for his owne safety but it is when it acompanies salvation a much different thing to wit an act of life by one that was dead an act of a new creature by one that was old it is the change of the whole frame of the heart as if another soule dwelt in the same body or as he said I am not my selfe by repentance I differ from what I was In a word when a man is a quite other man then he was serving God out of an inward propension having the whole bent of his heart turned to delight in the Lord and in his Law without all by-respects And that this yet may be made clearer and put out of all doubt I would aske you this one question That repentance which men take up in age or times of extremity whence proceeds it If from selfe love as is usuall in such cases because the soule is thē most strongly possessed with an apprehension of death and hell and another life then there is no more then nature in him for the streame naturally riseth no higher then the fountaine A beast would as much for when he sinks into danger he would struggle to save himselfe But if it proceed from love to God why is it not done sooper why not in the flower of youth yea when it is done soonest would we not be heartily sorry that it is not done sooner If it proceed of love to him it cannot but rise from his holy Spirit the breathings whereof as they are most free so are they most precious Therefore when such a sparke is kindled in our hearts let us be carefull to put fuell unto it and not let it goe out againe All the creatures in heaven and earth cannot helpe us to them againe yea the best ordinances are but as pennes without Inke and empty Conduit Pipes which give not one drop of true grace except Christ who is the fountaine pleaseth to convey it by them Therefore let us take heed how we let such motions rise like bubbles and breake againe or goe out like sparks upon wet Tinder least often checking snibbing and quenching the spirit in the end we be found guilty of resisting the holy Ghost and then God sweare in his wrath that we shall not enter into his rest Here by the way observe that this Doctrine teacheth us not to be idle though all grace be received frō Christ we must not therefore leave all to God as we are slandered to say and doe but as St. Paul makes the cōsequence because God worketh in you the will and the deed therefore worke out your salvation with feare and trembling Others may be thought contrarily to inferre our selves work in our selves the will the deed therefore we need notwork out our salvatiō with such feare trēbling seeing we may do it at our pleasure But it will be said this is an hard case although a man would repent yet he cannot although he desire to serve God yet it is impossible except he receive it To remove move this scruple we must know that God is exceeding free and open handed in giving grace if it be taken in time And if ye will not beleeve it St Iohn comes here and tels you I have received of his fulnesse and not I onely but we that is I and all the Saints that either are or have been and since St Iohns time many thousands and shall not such a cloud of witnesses perswade us If a Begger heare of an open house kept or a great dole given it affecteth him and invites him to goe but when he sees many comming from it with armes full laps full is he thē confidēt this addeth wings to him So if a sick man doe but heare of a famous Physitian or an healing well it stirres him up to goe and try but if he meet with many hundreds and thousands comming from thence and saying I have been with him and am cured I have been there and am healed then he makes no question So doth Saint Iohn here all wee have received grace for grace therefore come As a bird that hath received from a full heap cals his fellowes so doe we one another Say not therefore Alas my sins are so great my wants so many that I shall not be supplied but rather thinke thus if there was grace for so many then surely there is enough for me Onely be sure to receive it in an acceptable time when it is offered in the houre of salvation least often
Paul and Saint Iohn came from him All the revelations of Adam Noah Abraham came from him Thus all received their light from this Sunne which from the very first moment of time shone to the darke world without setting more or lesse though the darkenesse comprehend it not As a Priest hee is full of favour with God whereby he hath audience alwayes full of compassion to men wherby he is ready to entertaine any suite or suiters full of merit by which he is able to prevaile in all his requests and intercession As a King he is full of authority All power is given him both in heaven and earth He is full of strength to defend his servants and resist his enemies till he hath made them his footstoole Lastly he is full of royall munificence wherby he is ready to supply to the wants of all his servants and to give them in the end a full recompence of reward In regard of his righteousnesse this fulnesse is attributed to him he is full of all righteousnesse originall actuall active passive generall and particular in all habits whereby we have this benefit first that he that was so full himselfe is able to helpe us if we want love faith or any other grace Secondly by this we know what a mediatour wee have to deale with even with one full of love patience compassion which may invite us to come unto him Thirdly that though our righteousnesse be weake and small yet in him we are compleate In regard of his effects and workes this fulnesse is given to him that there is scarce any action which Christ ever did but you shall find a fulnesse in it At the first miracle hee ever wrought he filled sixe water pots with Wine Afterwards hee filled five thousand Guests with five loaves and two fishes So he filled the nets with fishes so as they were ready to breake and which is the best fulnesse he filled his Disciples with the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost and after when they were said to be full of the Holy Ghost Thus is there a fulnesse given to Christ and there is reason for it both in respect of himselfe and in respect of us chiefly In respect of Christ himselfe he was the chiefe corner stone and therefore reason good that he should bee the fairest of the building He was the Prince of our salvation therefore meet it was he should be like Saul higher by the head and shoulders yea fully exalted above all Principalities and Powers In respect of us chiefly our emptinesse that with his fulnesse hee might replenish us and our vacuity Otherwise we could neither have seene nor received it of him Not have seene for the glorious beauty of the Divinity was too bright for us to behold Therefore it is reason that it should be put in the Lanthorn and vaile of Christs humanity that wee might behold it Neither could wee have received it for the Deity is an unaccessible fountaine therefore it is reason that Christs humanity should be a Cisterne to receive it for our use model It may be you will say that S. Stephē other Saints are said to be full of the Holy Ghost as well as Christ How then do these two fulnesses differ I answer that they differ three wayes First others are said to be full according to their measure but Christ above measure As a little dish may bee said to be full as well as the Ocean so they are filled according to the narrownesse of their present capacity Christ was full according to all dimensions length depth bredth and height of fulnes Secondly there was in them a fulnesse of the vessell but in Christ a fulnesse of the Spring In them was a derived and participated fulnesse in Christ a fulnesse of a fountaine proceeding from himselfe This is well expressed by the Schoolmen when they say that Christs the Saints fulnesse differ as fire and things set on fire The fulnesse of the Ocean is too little to expresse it for if you take a drop or two from it it is so much the lesse but the fulnesse of fire is such as though you light a thousand Torches at it it is not diminished Thirdly their fulnesse was in them comparatively Saint Stephen was full in comparison of other lesser Saints but in Christ it is an absolute fulnesse without limits or comparisons What shall we now deduce from hence for our benefit Foure consequences First that we ought to be invited to come to Christ to take of his full heape This Incentive Saint Paul often useth to inflame the desires of the Gentiles to come to CHRIST even the riches of that fulnesse which is in him which in the fulnesse of time was exposed to all commers which was hidden before but now as hee saith fully revealed seene before but in types and shadowes now with open face before preached to a few now to every creature under heaven before given by his Spirit by drops but now he that ascended up on high and led captivity captive hath so received for given gifts unto mē that he hath filled all things Let us therfore be exhorted when we heare of such a fulnesse not to take the grace of God in vaine but labour to have our parts therein that with the Corinthians we may be made rich in Christ filled with all knowledge and every grace Content we not our selves to know this onely for that is our common fault to rest in the notion of such things without practise but goe to Christ as Bees to a Meddow full of flowers as Merchants to the Indies that are full of Wines and Spices that you may experimentally feele your selves return from him full fraught with treasures of truth and grace In other things fulnes invites us much Iosephs full Barnes drew Iacob and his sonnes downe into Egypt Canaan was a land full of milke and honey that invited the Israelites to seeke it Solomons aboundance and fulnesse of wisedome invited the Queen of Sheba to come out of the South to his Court. In every thing fulnesse doth much allure and affect The Covetous man though he spend but a little yet he delights to take it from a full heape How much more then should the fulnesse of Christ worke in us seeing there is in him not onely a repletive but a diffusive fulnesse not only plenty but bounty But alas if we looke to the actions and lives of men we shall finde that they seek a fulnesse in every thing else almost A fulnesse in pleasure and delight a fulnesse in honour and preferment a fulnesse in profit and worldly incomes but this full hony-combe is almost every where despised But happy is he the bent of whose heart God hath turned the right way to seeke a fulnesse of faith and wisedome a fulnesse of the holy Ghost Happy he who cares not to be
lie in no knowne sinne that God bearing witnesse to our consciences we have a full and resolute purpose not to doe the least evill nor to omit the least good in a word that we make our hearts perfect with God in all things for without this there is no remission of sinnes then they are not beyond the price that was paide for them nor beyond the grace of him with whom we have to doe because there is fulnesse in him Now I beseech you take not this exhortation in vaine For there is nothing more effectuall to heale a rebellious heart to instill soveraigne saving grace to cause a sinner to change his course then to be perswaded that he shall be taken to mercy and that his sinnes shall bee forgiven in Christ. Even as the thiefe while the Hue and Cry pursues him never returnes willingly Rebels and Pyrats while the Proclamation of rebellion is against them never come in but if there be a Proclamation of pardon yea of some great advancement if that be beleeved once truly that and nothing but that causeth them to lay downe their courses and become loyall and loving subjects so is it with poore sinners upon the apprehension of Christs willing supply Therfore let the fulnesse of the mercy of Christ moove us to lay downe our armes of rebellion and to chuse God for our God and to give our selves wholly unto him And thus I passe the fulnesse given to Christ. Now next view for whom it is It is for us That we may receive grace for grace Note that as there is a fulnesse of grace in Christ so is it for this use that all grace may be received As all starres shine in the light of the Sunne so doe all the Saints through grace received The Scripture is evident for this It is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Wee are not sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God So that all grace and all preparations to grace and all ability to accept grace is all from God and not of our selves whatsoever men dreame and that for these reasons Because nothing can work beyond the Spheare of it's owne reach the effect exceedeth not the cause Therefore it is impossible for corrupt nature to get supernaturall grace or to doe any action preparing inclining or bending the will unto it For as the water cannot heate which is an action above the nature of it untill an higher principle of nature be infused into it no more can meere nature doe any thing tending to saving grace having no principle in it selfe whereby it can raise it Indeed to will is naturall but to will good is supernaturall and must needs arise from an higher Wels head then nature is For as an Hatchet will cut when it is handled but with a common hand but to make a Chaire or Stoole or like artificiall thing except it have the influence of an Artificer it cannot so though to will be natural yet to wil well to doe a supernaturall work in a supernaturall and holy way it cannot except it have the influence of a supernaturall agent to guide and direct it From this consideration arise two Corollaries to direct our judgments and practises First for our judgements this part shewes the errour of the Pelagians who ascribe the beginnings preparations and abilities of our accepting of grace to our selves and our owne free-will although the complement be of God But you see by that which hath been said that not onely the full streames but that every drop of grace hath beene received from his fulnesse This errour of theirs proceeds from their not distinguishing aright betwixt acquisite habits and those that are infused Indeed in acquisite habits the acts goe before the habits prepare for it But in infused habits it is clean contrary It is with them as with the naturall powers of the soul. We have first the faculty of seeing before we see and of hearing before wee heare so have we first the infused habitts before wee exercise the operations of it For as the wheele doth not runne that it may be made round so the heart doth not first doe the action whereby it may be set in a good frame but it is first fashioned and made a new creature by grace then it doth performe actions and bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life For that which is said of the soule it doth frame an house for it selfe and frame it selfe a roome is as truely said of grace it useth no harbenger for nothing can prepare for grace but grace If it be objected that such as Seneca and Socrates were much enlightened and did also approve the Law in the Inner man and had not onely an offer some way but had a certaine kind of universall and common grace This priviledge cannot be denyed to many of the heathen who as Alchimists though they misse of their end yet they finde many excellent things by the way So though they fayled of the right end of the glory of God yet were they not destitute of many common and excellent gifts wherein though one did goe farre beyond another as Seneca beyond Nero yet as they say of sins that they doe all alike passe the rule of rectitude though some goe further beyond it then others so were they all destitute of originall righteousnesse though some were more inlightened from it then others all are alike dead in sinnes though some as dead bodies were putrified and corrupted more then others Now to direct our practise If all grace be received then first deferre not repentance For no repentance is acceptable to salvation but what proceeds from sanctifying grace and that you see is received and given of God as he pleaseth It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but he hath compassion on whō he will and whom he will he hardeneth As I said the spirit breatheth where and when he pleaseth Therefore we should doe as Millers and Marriners take the Gale when it commeth and make use of it because they have not the wind in a bottle Suppose a man were to passe the Seas in twenty dayes upon paine of death if the wind should blow the first second and third dayes no wise man would omit that opportunity because he knowes the windes are not in his power But if the spirit shall breath into our hearts good motions of turning to God unfainedly in our youth yeares of age or whensoever it is the greatest wisedome in the world to take the opportunity and not to put it off Who knowes whether ever it will be had againe or no How many thousands are in hell who thought to have repented and did not because they neglected the breathings of the spirit when they were offered There are certaine acceptable times after which God offereth grace
grieving the spirit God suffer his spirit to strive no longer then though ye strive to enter ye be not able because as I said God hath sworne ye shall not enter forever Secondly if all grace bee received then let us be affected as receivers First let vs be thankfull to God for all receits The most gracious are the most gratefull Secondly let us carry our selves in humility towards men For what have we that we have not received shall our purse or vessell boast it selfe against another because the owner hath put more gold and more precious liquor into it or shall the wall that glistereth with the Sun-beames exalt it selfe against another that standeth in the shadow Thirdly let us beg grace at Gods hand by prayer For in obtaining any thing meerely given and received that is the most proper meanes therefore prayer is said to be the banket of grace and it is a true observation that a man of much prayer is a man of much grace Now prayer is either publike or private Private is that whereby wee expresse our private and publike occasions to God every day wherein we renew our repentance and covenants of abstaining from the sinne we are most prone unto and doing the duties whereto we are most unapt in a word that whereby we doe every day set our hearts streight before God in all things This is the very life of Religion and in this we must be frequent and fervent binding our selves with an invincible resolution to keep a constant course in it but of this there is no doubt The next is publike prayer which because it is more questioned and not received of all with the reverence it should I will adde a word or two of it and so conclude That a set forme of prayer is lawfull much need not be said The very newnesse of the contrary opinion is enough to shew the vanity and falshood of it It is contrary to the approved judgements of approved Councels learned Fathers and the continuall practise of the Church Tertullian who lived a little above an hundred yeares of the Apostles death saith Set and ordinary prayer going before it is lawfull to build upon them other petitions This shewes that they had some ordinary set allowed prayers to which some others might be added in words of more liberty In Origens time who lived neere Tertullian it is evident that there were set formes of Prayer used in the Church For in his 11 Homily he repeateth expoundeth some passages of them Vpon which Illiricus saith Without doubt at that time they had certaine formes of prayer Saint Basil in his sixty six Epistle saith that there were used Letanies in the Neocessarian Churches And Ambrose in his time affirmeth that the use of Letanies was frequent Constantine the Great prescribed a set forme of prayer to his souldiers which is set downe by Eâ—scâ—ius in his fourth booke And Calvine in his eighty third Epistle to the Protector of England saith that he doth greatly allow a set forme of Ecclesiasticall prayer which the Minister should be bound to observe But as I said before of the lawfulnesse there is little question That which is to be reprehenÌ„ded is asecret dis-esteeme of publike prayers by reason of which many neglect to come to them and they that doe come doe it in a perfunctory and overly manner which is an extreame madnesse Better it were that men would come to this disjunction either it is lawfull to use them or not if not why doe they not wholly abstaine if so why doe they not use them lawfully in a reverend manner One thing there is which if it were well considered would breed in our men another esteeme of publike prayer then indeed there is and that is that besides the end of attaining what wee want wherein yet publike prayer hath a promise there is another end of prayer and that is to worship God and performe a service to him For proving of which there are two places of Scripture unanswerable Anna served God with fasting and prayer night and day And the Prophets and Teachers of Antioch ministred to the Lord or observed a Liturgy to the Lord whence the word Liturgy is derived and this should breed reverence Ob. Besides how sleight is that which is objected against the lawfulnesse of it to wit that the spirit is stinted when we are fettered with words appointed Sol. I answer the freedome of the spirit stands not so much in the extent of words as in the intention of zeale wherein they are uttered Ob. It is againe objected that we cannot pray for occasionall necessities Sol. I answer that therefore we bind not onely to them but may and ought to use priuate prayer wherein we may expresse our private particular and accidentall occasions And if they be more publike there be prayers both before and after Sermons according to order wherein the Minister is left at more liberty according to fuller apprehension of the Lords prayer And if it be yet more generall belonging to the State and Church we adde to it more generall and publike prayers as in the time of publike infection warre and the Gun-powder Treason dayes But there needs not much to be said to convince the judgement that which is chiefly to be desired is that they may be better observed and more esteemed especially seeing our publike prayers are holy and good and which should be a great inducement the Church hath commanded them For if the Church be to be obeyed in indifferent things as it is then much more in Gods owne Ordinances And if a set forme be lawfull then must a set forme needs excell which is dictated by Christ him-himselfe and is therefore more frequently to be used and with all reverence both in minde and gesture Nor doth this want the practise and approbation of the ancientest It is Saint Cyprians speach by how much more effectually do we obtaine that which we aske in Christs name if we doe aske it in his owne prayer And Saint Augustine saith Learne ye and hold without booke the Lords Prayer and with all the Saints utter it with one same-sounding voyce Thus if we would shew our selves affected as good receivers both in private and publike prayers we shall finde that successe which both Iohn and the rest of 〈◊〉 Saints found who of his fulnesse received grace for grace This God grant for Iesus Christ his sake FINIS Perlegi hans Concionem dignamque judico quae typis mandetur THO. WYKES Detonare ab alto Fulnesse is given to Christ. In person Col. 2. 1. Iohn 1. In Offices In righteousnesse Col. 2. In effects Why fulnesse is given to Christ. In respect of himselfe In respect of us chiefly O◠〈◊〉 betwixt Christs fulnesse and others Sol. Ioh 3. plenitudo 1 vasis 2 fontis Igniâ— Ignita Application We are invited to come to Christ to take of his full heape De pleno tollere acerno We must answer the fulnes of Christ with a fulnesse of affection We must be content and satisfied with ful Christ. Col. 2. Christ is our fulnes in temporall things 〈…〉 Eccl. 1. Rom. 8. Col. 3. Psal. 37. There is a fulnesse in Christ against the fulnesse of sinne Rom. 5. All grace is received from Christ. Phil 2. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Influentias artificis Application To helpe judgment Fabricare fibi domiâ—ilium Ob. Sol. To helpe practice Wee must not defer repentance Rom. 9. 15. Luke 19. Ioh. 5. Es. 58. 2. Pet. â— Magno conatu magnâ—s nugas agimus Fortunam rudentibus aptâ—â— Ephes. 2. 1. 2 Cor 5. 17. Ego non sum ego 1 The 〈◊〉 5 Act. 7. Psal. 95. Though grace be received we must not be idle Phil. 2. Ob. Sol. 2 Cor. 6. Ephs. 4. Gen. 6. Luk. 13. 24. We must be affected to grace as receivers With thanks to God With humility to men With prayer Both in private And in publike prayer Set forms of prayer lawfull a Proemissa legitima ordinaria oratione jus est su perstruendi petitiones b Tunc temporis certas quasdâ—m orationis formulas proculdubio habuerunt * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse frequentem a Publike prayers are highly to be esteemed a Luke 2. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Act. 13. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a The excellency of the Lords prayer a Quanto essicacius impeti amus quod petimus Christi 〈◊〉 si 〈◊〉 oratione petamus Discite retiâ—ete 〈◊〉 dominicam iater omnes sanctes consoâ—o ore proferâ—tis