and send a pardon in the name of my Son and thy Jesus 2 Mercy is exercised about him as his creature to receive him into favour not to punish him above measure though he be out of measure sinful Isa 46.9 Remember the former things of old for I am God and there is none else I am God and there is none like me That God punishes sinful man is the act of his justice that he is not severe in punishing is an act of his mercy yea so loth he is to be cruel that he would have his creatures put him in mind of his mercy as if nothing so much delighted him as to have his servants to think and believe him to be merciful for so you read Put me in remembrance let us plead together declare thou that thou maiest be justified Isa 43.29 wherein he that runs may read this sacred truth that God is not alwaies extreme to mark what is done amiss but is full of compassion And this he doth 1. For his names sake which in holy Moses stile is no other then the Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Exod. 34.6 And that the power of this glorious name may never fall nor the remembrance thereof fail in the hearts of the sons of men he will still go on to make his merciful name in much glory in much majesty to pass before them for all the waies of the Lord are mercy and truth Ps 26.10 For though many sorrowes shall be to the wicked yet he that trusteth in the Lord mercy shall compass him about Ps 32.10 He is onely the God that heareth and can answer prayer therefore to him must all flesh come it is his glorious name alone which is as an oyntment poured out the excellency of whose favour perfumes the hearts of all that love him whose very goings rejoyce the morning and evening seasons Other names and titles may give us free passage among the sons of men and get or lose their favour but it is onely the name Iehovah who is mighty to save that can give us a name to live when dead in sin whose goodness crownes not onely the years Ps 60.11 but the hearts of his people with joy unspeakable and full of glory And so I pass to the second ground of mercy 2. For his natures sake whose very property is to have mercy therefore when God in mercy spares his people from demerited wrath he compares himself to a father vailing his compassion under that tender relation but when justice can no longer spare but by being injurious to its honour by the provocation of our sins calling for vengeance to be poured upon our persons then he represents himself like a woman big with pain and travailing with grief if I may so speak to bring forth that just ire he hath been long in conceiving Yea mercy appears and is seen in hell it self because though he punish to extremity of time yet not to a fulness of horror in intension of torment whereas justice like the harlots will have the sinner divided soul from body to be different sharers in eternal misery Let thy lawes O Lord be writ in bloody characters upon the sinners head is justices language that so he may eternally wound the hairy scalp of him that hath wilfully gone astray but mercy like the true mother continually cries spare the child Lord and save the sinner from eternal woe and at length this mournful voice proves effectual in the ears of Heaven and with Iacob obtaines the blessing for indeed mercy is the true mother of our lives which else had long since been a sacrifice for our sins had not the scape-goat carried them away into the land of forgetfulness and by becoming a victime for the same buried all our transgressions in his grave that so they may never be able to rise in judgement either against our persons or our services whose very nature it is to become an advocate for rebells and like an affectionate surety pay the debt that so the debtor may go free and this he doth not for our righteousness or any merit that is to be found in us or our performances but for his name and natures sake And so I pass to the third ground of mercy namely 3. For his glories sake For his glory 1. In general 2. In particular First for his glory in general that being the utmost my limited time and your patience will give leave to discuss reserving the more particular parts together with the dispatch of the two last doctrines to our second part of this discourse but I say 1. Generally and in that I shall onely but point you to those excellent graces wherewith he is pleased to furnish the hearts of the sons of men that thereby they may become vessels fit for the masters service God is delighted with shewing compassion and mercy is so joyned to his nature that he would have it wrought in as well as bestowed upon us that in this glorious attribute we may again bear his heavenly image to that end sometimes our trials are made the subject for his love to work on at other times he presents others misery as the opportunity for our mercy and therein he cals out our faith to believe that he who hath inclined our hearts to pitty others will shew abundant compassion to us our hope that God will deal no worse with our soules then he hath commanded us to use the soul of our brother and lastly he calls our charity to exercise its benevolence knowing that besides the hundred-fold which in this life we shall receive for one drop of cold water bestowed in his name and given for his sake we shall receive in the life to come a crown of righteousness which shall never be taken from us for his mercy is over all his works else should we be soon consumed which made holy Iob cry out Remember I beseech thee that thou hast made me as the clay and wilt thou bring me unto dust again Job 10.9 and again Job 7.17 20. What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him and that thou shouldest set thy heart upon him I have sinned what shall I do uâ—to thee O thou preserver of men why hast thou set me as a mark against thee c. Once for all take it in the 14. chap. 2. vers and so on Man cometh out like a flower and is cut down he fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not and doest thou open thine eyes upon such an one and bringest me into judgement with thee as a leaf also is he blown away with every wind so is our soul tossed with various temptations sometimes with the east wind of presumption on the contrary with the west of despair now hurried with the north of rage by and by carried away with the southwind of lust thus like a tennis-ball is poor man
world whose impatient billows serve but to force them so much the nearer dangers brink therefore let no man please himself in any sensual enjoyments for they are the wicked mans portion and as we are unwilling to undergo thei smart so let us refuse their seeming pleasure lest we find such gilded pills to be but the forerunner of a bitter potion 4 Tasting comes in also for its share in the unprofitable merchandise sinne hath brought poor man as the return of all his unlawful actions indeed it s holy Davids Exhortation that we should tast and see how good the Lord is but happy is the man that hath so much wisdome for we are so vitiated with the practice of evil that we have no palate at all to relish heavenly food minding rather to patch up our decaying carcases which are daily veterascent and mouldring away then the taking hold of any opportunity that may lead us to partake and tast of those immortal joyes whose duration runs parallel with eternity Temptations to evil alwaies appearing big with a promising fruition of pleasantness so that with Eves deceived eye we are often prevailed with to trie and taste their goodness fleeing from all holy consultation till with her we pay no less then the smart of a troubled mind for the satisfying of an unbridled lust I question not but your own experience can sadly witness the truth of this assertion that impatient and immoderate desires after carnal pleasures alwayes return laden with the intolerable burden of grief and sorrow 5 Touching which is the fifth sense that suffers with us and for our transgression evil appetites being borne do also grow up with us the consideration whereof induced me the rather to stretch the line of your patience to a particular enumeration thereof that so beholding our vileness we might be brought to consider that the sins of our bodies and senses such as are lusts will wither in time and decay of themselves but sinful habits and spiritual wickedness which vitiate and corrupt the mind except in this life they be put off by grace will continue to infect and oppress our souls to eternity of how much concernment then is it for us all to lay hold on those things that will stand by and witness for us in a day of trouble We see the drowning man will catch at a straw rather then let pass any thing that with safety may bring him to the shore and our selves are curious and careful to lay hold on those means that will either purchase or preserve temporal safety oh why then should we not be as wise for our spiritual estate to lay up treasure where neither moth nor rust can come to decay or lessen it In a word by all that hath been said it plainly appears that the subject of sinne is the soul and the body is the instrument that subject works by therefore sinne is said to reign in our mortal bodies so then the proposition is true not onely of them that with Ahab sell themselves for sinne making merchandise of that invaluable gemme which a righteous man would purchase with the loss of life it self could any thing but the blood of God make redemption thereof or them that make a league with sinne and death but even the saints of God also make too true a proof of this assertion Holy David a man after Gods own heart is sometimes found following the devises of his own though his freedome therefrom cost him no less then a bedewed couch or broken bones such fruit must all the sowers of sin expect to gather Nay holy Iob gives the same testimony against himself in 9. Iob 20. If I justifie my self my own mouth shall condemne me If I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse And if the task would not procure wearisomness to your patience I might in tracing holy ground present you with variety of examples out of sacred Writ Lot was no sooner delivered from devouring fire but himself presently burnes in unnatural lust Noah hath not long escaped the floods of waters but himself is drowned in a deluge of wine and he that was to be the rock upon which Christ will build his Church he himself falls from the spiritual rock Christ Jesus and if this be done in the green tree what will come of the drie that are no sooner tempted but yield assaulted but embrace it like the willing bulrush continually sink into its nourishment the filth and mire of a roaring sea so that the Pelagians impeccant purity and the Donatists unspotted sanctity are but Apochryphal and will never be inserted into the Christians Creed for we must say with holy David in the words of my Text If thou Lord wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss Lord who can abide it And the reasons of it are cleare 1 Because not onely our nature alone is found active in evil but it hath drawn in the will and affections also to be its companions in sin a truth which but now I have preacht to your ears my whole time for the most part hitherto being spent in the narration of our corruption both in soul and body of the rebellion of each against other and both against God so that if we eye our selves as the objects of Gods anger nothing but everlasting destruction can be expected the soul sins and the sin is conveyed thereunto by the organs of the body which by a free consent are joyned in rebellion against the Father of lights whose vengeance if severe in reckoning must be expected to destroy us 2 Because its easier in it self for man to do amiss than to walk uprightly for there must be the concurrence of all circumstances to denominate an action good whereas the defection and want but of one will make it become evil Our very conception is in sin therefore needs must there be facility for us to do amiss we need run no further then little infants who are but our selves multiplied for example in this kind how much difficulty and industry is required to work in them one moral action that may beare the name of goodness when on the contrary great restraints and much severity can scarce withhold them from multiplied acts of evil Nay that you may as soon bind a wolf with the guts of a tender kid as seek to bridle an impenitent wretch with the cords of love for by nature we are all King Solomons fools who make it our pastime to do evil but to do good have no understanding 3 That perfect symmetry of righteousness that obtaineth life if there be found therein but the obliquity of one act the demerit thereof will be eternal wrath so saith St. Iames 2. chap. 10. For whosoever shall keep the whole law and offend in one point is guilty of all Good reason then have we to stand in awe and sin not to watch over our wayes and be circumspect a little leven will leven the whole lump the smallest
bear witnesse 3. The Object the truth To this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world c. I have traversed over all the parts of my Text in the primary intention thereof as it concerned our Saviour and have entred upon the two last parts as they concern us in the extension thereof and have insisted upon the former of the latter parts namely To bear witness I shall now come to the third and last thing The Object The truth To this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness to the truth Truth is the first thing in intention though last in enjoyment as being the end of all and he that would be happy in the end must lay hold of truth in the beginning it was a question too good for a Pilate to ask What is truth St. John 18.38 because his jesting speech shewed he never intended a sober inquiry after it and besides the Schooles have wearied themselves in their Questions raised about the power and Infiniteness of God as distinguished into parts how all could be in one and yet that one in all so as that it is distinguished into past present and future and so he hath a time of giving and receiving Thus the body of the Sunne containes all light essentially in it self and when communicated to the Moon and Stars it is still the same though multiplyed So is truth according to the divers acceptations of it for as it is considered in it self so it is one intire being but as embraced by severall apprehensions it is divided though in it self still the same and this truth is that light which is really one in all yet so as this one light gives information to severall capacities For 1. There is essentially a cause of light in the understanding and this the Schooles call the first light and this you may understand to be as the light in the Sunne when intire in it self and uncommunicated to the lesser and inferiour Globes 2. There is a formal light and that consists in the exercising the dictates and right informations of the understanding and therefore Saint Austin rightly defines truth when exercised to be the creature of an enlightned understanding and this created truth is called a life exemplary from the increated truths of God and this is as the light of the sunne-beames to the moon and stars c. or the diffusions of truth from the understanding received into all the parts and faculties of the Soul together with the affections which are as the lesser stars but besides this there is also a secondary light conformable to the thing exprest and this whether it be in the minde or in words conceived or uttered it must first suppose a forme of knowledge received by the apprehension of a man according to the will of God and these two do but differ as the understanding to the thing conceived which in it self is so necessary that without it no Salvation can be received But then this truth as it may diversly be distinguished is not to be the object of our Faith so as that without the knowledge thereof we cannot be happy for there are truths naturall and truths theologicall but those truths which we are called out principally to witness unto in speaking and doing by words and workes are theologicall and that is those truths that are declared in the principles of divine Scriptures and they are the Scriptures of truth the law of truth the word of truth that necessarily call for our testimony together with all those doctrines of Faith and manners therein exprest as they are reduced from errors for every divine truth laid down in Scripture or drawn from Scripture is that the subject we are to bear witnesse unto and this is the truth that containes in it the doctrine of Faith and manners the one in words the other in workes so as that we in testimony of words and workes should bear witnesse to the truth 1. We must bear witnesse to the doctrines of Faith by the testimony of our words as with the heart man beleeves to righteousnesse so with the tongue confession is made unto Salvation Rom. 10.10 What we beleeve in our hearts we must confesse with our lips and in Saint Iohn 1.20 St. Iohn Baptist confessing himself not to be Christ it is clear he denyed not the truth but onely that he was not the Christ but he that confesses not the truth openly denies Christ in that place where God hath set him whether he be considered as a private man or a Minister as a Minister he denies Christ in words who is guilty of abusing the Scriptures by false glosses for the countenancing of rebellion or error either against God or man He denies Christ as a private man that omits to do what God wills as well as by doing of that which he nills you finde this in the song of Deborah though they denyed not to go out to battail yet because they stood still and appeared not for Israel it is said by the Angel of the Lord Curse ye Meroz curse them bitterly because they came not to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the mighty Jud. 5.23 and wherever there is truth of faith in the heart there wil be confession of God in the mouth for confession is an act of faith I believed therefore have I spoken c. he forsakes the truth that doth not profess it in words and works therefore let not any man think that onely silence where the truths of God are to be manifested will argue his consent for they that will bear witness must confess the truth indeed there is a confession which is onely by constraint even the Hereticks and hypocrites do so they will confess truth but they do it with equivocation for if it be from their minds it is extorted or if otherwaies they do it it is from conviction of conscience so we find the Egyptian sorcerers confessed it was the finger of God when they saw no likelyhood of longer deceiving the people for we find by experience that those that will not voluntarily and freely shall be driven by constraint to confess the truth thus Balaam shall bless those people for nothing he was formerly hired to curse But though some speake well of goodness against their wills and by constraint yet a voluntary acknowledging of the truth best becomes a Christian therefore saith Saint Peter sanctifie the Lord in your hearts and be ready alwayes to give an answer to any man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear 1 Saint Peter 3.15 But further it is not enough to witness a good confession though before a Pilate when brought thereunto as a Malefactor but also as a free Christian thou art bound to profess the truth openly not onely against persecutors and Schismaticks but also against Hereticks and all others whatever
or not doing what he commands for as he did endure the contradiction of sinners in witnessing to the Truth so should Christians and though they meet with unreasonable dealings from men yet they should undergo all with patience for since Christ was a pattern of goodness we must so look to Iesus in our lives that we should bear witness to the Truth for to this end were we as well as he born and for this cause came we into the world c. In which words I have already observed these three things 1. An Action 2. An End 3. An Object 1. The Action He was born he came into the world 2. The End Pointed at and Pointed out Pointed at for this cause and to this end Pointed out to bear witness 3. The Object The Truth I have discoursed over all the parts of the Text as they concerned our Saviour and came to the two last parts as they generally concern us and dispatcht the act the end of Christs coming into the world shal now go on with the last part of the Text The object the truth And shall shew 1. What it is so as that it is distinguished into past present and future truth is as the sun which hath an intrinsecal light in it self and as in the sun so there is an essence of light in the understanding and this is as the light of the sun uncommunicated But 2. There is an extrinsecal light communicated to other things which in their beings are no other then uncreated truths of things and these are divided from the created truths of God and are as the light of the sun to the moon and stars and then there is a proposition following the thing exprest which is no other in being but the thing it self and is demonstrated in the truth by a double application to the thing exprest and which is conceived in the mind by word and in the understanding by knowledge and this is as the light of the sun communicating it self to this region of the lower aire and this hath multiplicity of acts derived from the matter conceived and accordingly we must distinguish truth into these four parts there is a divine historical moral and civil truth though especially the divine truth is that which is to be witnessed unto though the other in a subordinate manner are to have their attestation also yet divine truths most of all whether we consider them as Principal or Less principal 1. Principal and they are the Scriptures of truth the law of truth and the word of truth 2. The less principal are the necessary conclusions which upon inferences are deduced from those grounds therefore every parcel of truth whether it be Scripture or deduced from Scripture is to be the subâ—ect matter of a Christians testimony and these are they which we are to witness unto and comprehend the truth of faith and manners which is to be witnessed unto both in words and works I have spoken of the doctrine of faith formerly and shewed that we are to witness to it by doing and suffering and if God call us thereunto by dying also I shall now come to the Second branch which contains these divine moral truths that are for the regulation of our lives laid down in the Scriptures of the old and new Testament there Gods law is the truth and the truth of the Gospel is that law whose precepts and promises we are to imitate It was a custome among the heathens to derive their lawes from their Gods giving them names accordingly but we that are Christians have our law from the true God who is the author of truth The law was given by Moses but Grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Saint Iohn 1.17 where you see the truth of salvation is ascribed to the Gospel and that which we are to consider the end of Christs coming into the world for is that it was not to give new lawes but to fulfil the old law for we find not the forme of the new Testament to carry in it the authority of a law but onely the precepts thereof to be brought in occasionally by our Saviour in a way of interpretation exhortation and also by application but not in a way of constitution therefore saith our Saviour think not that I came to destroy the law and the Prophets c. Saint Matt. 5.17.18 It is not that I come to take away the law and the Prophets but rather to fulfil them this is that law which is the rule of mens actions written First by Moses and Then by the Prophets It is to be understood of all the law as it was given unto the Jews and others whether they were men just or unjust but especially unto the Jewes in a more ample translation then to other people the law of works it is true was abolished by our Saviours comming but the law of doctrines and rules of holy living given by Almighty God in the Mount though these were in some sense perfected by bringing in the substance for the shadowes flie away when the substance appears yet I say this law is not disanulled but perfected in such a manner that it is now become the perfect rule of Christian piety whatever the Antinomians say in opposition thereunto as that it was nayled to the Cross of Christ and so abolished by his death but it is evident to the contrary that still the whole commanding power remains because the whole world shall be judged by the law and word of truth for every man shall be judged according to his works Rev. 2.23 and we are to bear witness to this truth by the testimony of our hands and tongues our words and works of our tongues and that two wayes Both by speaking the truth to the religious and also by defending of it against the erroneous 1. By speaking of the truth to the religious though they know it already yet that they may be established in the truth and therefore holy David makes it his prayer to get direction from God how to be enabled to walk in the truth of God under divers denominations Psalm 119. sometimes he prayes to be directed in the law of God verse 18. sometimes in the statues of God ver 26. sometimes in the Iudgements of God v. 7. sometimes in the truth of God ver 43 sometimes in the word of God ver 17. and sometimes in the Ordinances of God v. 91. thereby giving us to understand that in the most confirmed Saints there is still so much of corruption that if left to themselves they will be in danger of relapsing and therefore saith St. Paul to his Ephesians who were great Christians Let no man deceive you with vain words c. Ephes 5.6 intimating that there was a possibility for them to be led away with the error of the wicked for what Saint Peter long since foretold is in our dayes found too true as there were false teachers among them so there should be amongst us