he changeth his voice saith If I come againe I shall not spare you when I come againe I shall terrifie you with the power of God because ye throw it out of mee I see againe hee is verie sharpe against these false Oratours hee vseth no lenitie towardes them Yet there is a discretion to bee had betwixt the dealing with false teachers and with the people There should be lenitie vsed towards the people but what should bee with a deceiuing lowne that beginneth to bring the trueth in slander Hee must bee handled with seueritie and rigour no lenitie should bee vsed towardes these that crcepe in daylie to bring the trueth in slander Yee know their voyces Who made LVTHER a Minister Who made CALVIN a Minister But they shall finde it one day that LVTHER and CALVIN were Ministers and that there was a power in the word which LVTHER and CALVIN teached For this is true that PAVLE spake The LORD consumeth them daylie with the word that commeth out of the mouthes of His Ministers and shall consume them daylie vntill the Daye of the LORDS appearance In the third verse hee falleth out in a description of the maner of his walking Neuerthelesse though wee walke in the flesh c. Though wee liue in the flesh that is in the infirmitie of this common nature for to liue in the flesh heere is to liue in the weaknesse of nature yet we walke not or warre not according to the flesh that is our actions and doinges in our Apostleship are not fleshlie and weake Yee see the outward bodie is weake but measure not the inward man after the bodie and strength thereof for suppose my bodie be weake yet mine actions are strong So hee taketh to him one thing and refuseth another Nowe Brethren let euerie man that liueth take gladlie to him frailtie and weaknesse and if men call thee weake take it to thee for hee that will bee strong in himselfe cannot bee strong in GOD. In this same Epistle Chap. 12. verse 9. The power of GOD saieth hee is made perfect in mine infirmitie Of all men in the worlde a man whose calling is to bee a Minister shoulde take chiefelie vpon him this frailtie and weaknesse yea let him accept it more redilie than it can bee casten to him and as hee is fraile and weake so hee must feele his frailtie and weaknesse and the chiefest part of his preaching should bee of frailtie and that Minister that neuer felt his owne miserie cannot perswade the people that they are miserable and bring them to an acknowledging of it And heerein appeareth the wisdome of GOD who chooseth not to this Ministerie those who haue the greatest graces of nature and naturall giftes but Hee chooseth out the weake ones and contemptible bodies that are amongst men and Hee setteth them vp to bee Preachers to mankinde as Hee speaketh in the first Epistle to the CORINTHIANS in the first Chapter and the sixe and twentie verse Yee see Brethren your calling howe that not manie wise men amongst you according to the flesh not manie mightie not manie noble are called but GOD hath chosen the foolish thinges of the worlde to confound the wise and GOD hath chosen the weake thinges of the worlde to confound the mightie So the Lord chooseth the ignoble and sillie creatures and setteth them vp aboue kinges yea and the greatest Monarches of the worlde to beate them downe Marke againe as euerie man shoulde willinglie take to him this frailtie and weaknesse of nature so let him refuse the other that is to saye let him refuse to walk according to the flesh To walke according to the flesh and to warre according to the flesh is all one for the walking of a Christian is a warrefare Holde backe these fleshlie actions and namelie these actions of sinne take to thee the weaknesse of nature but cast off sinne For if thine actions bee altogether fleshlie bee thou sure thou hast no part of the power of God nor of the life of IESVS CHRIST thou hast but the life of a man or of a woman and shalt die like a man or a woman without the life of GOD. But aboue all men in the worlde let a Minister eschewe these actions of the flesh looke that his actions bee powerfull and that the power of GOD appeare in his walking so that when in outwarde appearance hee is but a weake bodie yet it may bee said of him y t he is strong in Christ For as weake as hee is to looke to yet hee is a strong warrier the Spirite is sensible in him hee speaketh not like a man onelie there is another grace conuoying his wordes than can accompanie the worde of man If thou bee a Minister although thou were neuer so strong in bodie if thou findest not GODS power in thy life and doctrine I will not giue one penny for thee looke that thou feele the power that Paule felt as yee reade in the 2. Epist to the Corin. chap. 4. vers 16. when hee was dying in the bodie then was the inner man quickest in him and the more the bodilie life was away the more the life of GOD was manifest in him A Minister that hath not the power of GOD within him howe can hee preach of CHRISTES power or of His life howe can hee bee a Minister of life that hath no tasto of life himselfe how can he preach of life that neuer felt life of necessity he must be a shamelesse man that will speake of Christ of His mercie life and power when in the meane time hee knoweth not what the mercie life power of Christ meaneth that man was neuer called of God to bee a Minister all that hee speaketh is like the babling of a Parockquet the power of God doeth the deede therfore God chooseth the weake instruments that the world may see that it is onelie His grace and not the gifts of the men that doeth the turne He calleth it not his walking but warring fighting The life of a Minister is but a warre-fare and hee who would bee a Minister shoulde make him for warre-fare make him for paine and labour otherwise let him neuer striue for that calling Yea there is nothing so laborious or painefull but the life of a Minister is compared vnto it We neuer read in the Scriptures where it is compared to any thing that importeth easinesse or idlenesse 1. CORIN 9. 26. The Minister is compared to a Warrier then to a runner running with all his maine speede striuing to come to the marke neuer looking ouer his shoulder to this or that thing as manie will doe saying I haue done this turne or that turne No when thou hast done all thou canst doe say thou hast done nothing Then hee is compared to a wrastler and to an husbandman that holdeth the plough from morning till euening In all these comparisons of the Scriptures the figure is not so great as the thing figurate when an
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
to Iesus discerne betwixt dead men and liuing men in this world Dead men are they who are natural men and no more Hast thou no more but nature with all the prerogatiues that can followe nature thou art dead although thou bee a king Liuing men are they who are borne againe by Christ Hast thou the Spirit of Christ thou liuest wantest thou the Spirit of Christ thou art but dead So there is a speciall point of Christes seruice discerne betwixt liuing men and dead men thou art in the middest of them and liuing men on the one hand dead men on the other hand Discerne betwixt them Count not of the dead man although hee had all the prerogatiues vnder Heauen If he haue no more but nature call him not blessed The liuing man is hee that hath the Spirit of Christ in him albeit he be a begger and the men who make an account of their worldlie prerogatiues and follow nature and the olde generation are but naturall men thou that accountest of dead men thou art dead thy self as thou art dead so all thine estimation is of dead men To goe forward to the wordes Hee amplifieth this by the example of Christ and saieth How beit I accounted once of Christ after the flesh before â— knewe Him well yet from hencefoorth I will knowe Him no more after the flesh and therefore why should wee knowe men after the flesh who are inferiours to Christ the head of all flesh Nowe â—o speake of this Lord When He was in this worlde Hee was clothed with these earthlie prerogatiues as other men yea I thinke Hee had these outwarde prerogatiues in His owne person in greatest measure aboue all men For neuer man descended of a more excellent rase and genealogie than He did Then looke to his beautie albeit it bee not set downe in the Scripture yet I thinke there was neuer man so faire in beautie as He He was most wise most eloquent of all meÌ„ therefore y e Apostles held Him in admiration for these prerogatiues But from once by His glorious resurrection as the Apostle â—aieth Roman 1. 4. Hee was declared mightily to be the Sonne of GOD then all these thing euanished and the onelie admiration remained of that glorie which Hee declared by His resurrection All these earthlie prerogatiues saieth Paule then passed out of their eyes and the graces of CHRIST onlie remained to be marueiled at The lesson is plain The LORD IESVS is the rule of the estimation of all flesh In thine estimation hold thine eye alwayes vpon CHRIST or els thou shalt fall First cast thine eyes vp to Heauen and then caâ—â— downe thine eyes on man who is but a worme on the earâ—â— Looke vp to a glorious GOD IESVS the Mediator and then to a worme on this earth though hee bee a king and say Those thinges that I will not count of in IESVS which He had beeing in Gâ—â—lâ—e and in the earth I will not count of them in thee that art but a worme I will not doe it But by the contrarie that thing which I esteeme of in Him that passing glorie which is in Him when I looke to thee and see a glaunce thereof in thee indeede for that little resemblance which I see in thee like to my LORD resembling Him in grace I will esteeme of thee otherwise I may well giue thee this worldlie reuerence bâ—â— if thou wantest this resemblance I will neuer count thee happie albeit thou hadst all the earthly prerogatiues in the world And certainelie they who hold men in â—…miration for their earthly prerogatiues neuer â—â—â—â— CHRIST nor His glorie Thou that wilt see a Tribunall a Monarch heere and maruell thereat thou neuer saw the Tribunall of CHRIST So the thing that causeth people to esteeme of men for their earthly prerogatiues is because they see not the glorie graces of CHRIST Would the people haue esteemed so much of Herod if they had knowne the Majestie of the Great GOD when they called him a god Acts 12. 22. No not for all the world and therefore seeke a sight of the glorie of GOD if ye would rightlie esteeme of men and giue them only their owne place Nowe to goe forward Yee haue heard of the purpose that the Apostle taketh in seruing of his LORD by the right esteeming of men in this world among whome hee liueth In the next verse he commeth to the estate of this world sheweth what alteration was made in the world by the alteration made in the person of IESVS for when IESVS altered all creatures altered with Him when He went from the earth to the Heauen and left behinde Him all these earthly pleasures there followed a wonderfull change and alteration in all the creatures But to come to the wordes Hee first speaketh of the estate of man and secondly of the estate of the rest of the creatures in the earth As for man hâ—â— saieth Therefore if anie man be in Christ let him â—â—â— a newe creature Marke this If anie man bee in CHRIST hee is a new creature hee is changed he is altered and wonderfully altered he is changed from an olde creature to a new creature from an olde dead creature to a newe liuing creature from nature to grace from death to life from Hel to HeaueÌ„ What shold become of an old rotteÌ„ stok but be casten into the fire So if thou hadst continued an olde rotten creature thou hadst beene brunt in that fire which is vnquenchable He setteth downe the meanes how this change is made First thou must be in Christ as euer thou sawe an impe ingraffed in a tree so thou must be planted and ingraffed in Him Being planted in Him then commeth that fresh sap out of Him into thee and transformeth thee and maketh thee a newe creature Then learne of this first looke the force of the alteration of IESVS when Hee altered from earthlie things to Heauenlie glorie man especiallie altered with Him Then looke secondly the dignitie of man among all creatures hee hath the first place of changing Christ was first effectuall in man to make him a newe creature And this preferment hath man aboue all the Heauens and aboue al the creatures The maner how this commeth to passe is this Ere thou bee altered thou must bee raised vp to Him and joyned with Him and ingraffed in Him as an impe in a tree then He and thou and thou and Hee being made one the glorie that is in Iesus spreadeth her selfe oued thee couereth thee But if thou bee not in Him thou shalt neuer get any part of His glory Looke that thou be in Him by faith for faith ingraffeth thee in Him and beeing in Him thou shalt get a part of His glory and yet thou art but a creature and not a creator The difference is in newnesse thou was made before olde but now made newe greene liuelie being once ingraffed planted in Christ thou art flourishing It is
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
heauenlie thing is compared with a worldlie thing the worldlie thing is nothing in respect of the heauenlie thing And therefore there is no man comparable to the Minister in labour the warrier the runner the plow-man is nothing to him The Apostle writing to Timothie saieth in his second Epistle Chap. 2. vers 5. If thou fight not thou shal◠neuer attaine to the crowne and why shouldest thou lose so faire a crowne for a momentes fighting No man saieth hee is crowned except hee fight faithfullie And 2. Timoth. 4. 8. There is a crowne of righteousnesse laide vp not onelie for mee but for all those that loue the bright comming of the LORD IESUS When Paul was an olde man and leauing this worlde I haue ended saieth hee my warrefare and I haue foghten a good fight and therefore I looke for that crowne If hee had neuer beene a runner hee would neuer haue taken this promise to himselfe A crowne is laide vp for mee And therefore the LORD giue vs grace to labour for a while that wee may rest from our labour in the life to come In the next verse hee prooueth that his warring and fighting in this worlde was not according to the flesh taking the argument from the weapons and armour wherewith hee fought such as the armour is such shall the warring bee if the armour bee weake the fight shall be weake if the armour bee strong the fight shall bee strong Our armour saieth the Apostle is not fleshlie our weapons are not of flesh nor fraile matter but our weapons are strong through GOD the power of GOD is in them GOD is in the worde which wee speake Hee setteth downe the ende To beate downe strong holdes This power will beate them downe nothing will gaine-stand it Brethren yee see by experience put a rasour into a childes hand it will cut this cutting commeth not of the strgēth of the childs hand but of the sharpnes of y ◠rasour Take a gun put it into a childs hand hee will slay a man or shoote thorow a woodden doore this is not by the strength of the childe but by the strength of the armour Euen so GOD by His worde in the mouth of the silliest and weakest bodie in the worlde will slaye and kill the strongest man that goeth vpon earth if He put His word it were but in a blabbering mouth as He did in Moses that word shall come and pierce in thorowe flesh and bone till it come to the mergh and shall diuide asunder the soule and the Spirit Hebr. 4. 12. It is not the man that doeth this but the weapon the word that is in his mouth The multitude of this world is beguiled if they see a poore man set vp they will measure y e grace of God by the man they think the inward man bee as weake as the outward and so Kinges and Princes are beaten downe this way and slaine Earles fall downe slaine men and women of all rankes fall downe slaine as sure as euer ye saw a man slaine in the bodie Ye remember the Historie of Samuel 1. Sam. 15. 32. he calleth for king Agag and as soone as Agag commeth forward and had eschewed the furie of the young king thought that he should eschewe the sword of the aged man also but Samuel calleth for the sword taketh it in his hand cutteth him in pieces So this worde in the mouth of weake bodies slayeth Kings and Queenes in the worlde when they are laughing playing they are slaine without their expectation Yet in this same verse marke the force of this armour Yee heare not of the building but of the throwing downe It is true he buildeth vp also but thou must first be brought down humbled and then be builded vp vpō a new ground What is he that will build a new worke vpon an olde rotten wall thou wouldest keepe nature and sinne yet be a new creature no thou must first renounce nature for the slaughter of the old man must go before the quickning of the new man In the verse following hauing spoken of the weapens he commeth to the warrefare and heere is a stranger battell than euer was foghten Wee throwe downe saieth hee the imaginations and euerie high thing c. There is a battell and a strange battell Paul is the fighter of this battell the warriour of the Lord Iesus a warrier to Him to win prisoners to Him to take Kinges and Princes by the cares and lead them to Christ That thing that is assaulted in this battell and against which Paul hath taken armour is first the cogitations By these cogitations is meaned the whole faculties of the soule for the principall function is the reason of man Nowe what is shee doing but sitting in her Castle building her rampiers and casting her fowsies about her and snaring her selfe in her owne nette And let thee bee thou needest none other to trappe thee thou wilt trappe thy selfe take thou as much pride in thine own engine as thou wil◠if thou haue no more woe is thee It shall fetter thee and take thee in the grinne as surelie as euer thou sawest a birde caught in the nette of a fowler The next thing that Paule assaulteth in this battell is euerie high thing that is exalted against GOD this I take to bee the pride of the heart which as an high mountaine rising vp as it were to the heauen exalteth it selfe against GOD and holdeth out GOD and the light of GOD. These then are the thinges which Paul assaulteth Nowe to come to the battell the first thing that Paule doeth hee wealdes his weapons so skilfullie that first of all he beateth down all the imaginations and reasonings of the mind which are as rampieres and fowsies wherewith shee circuiteth her selfe to holde out GOD and His light Next hee assaulteth the pride of the heart which as a mountaine exalted it self against GOD hee beateth it downe and maketh it equall with the ground Thirdlie hauing beaten downe all hee commeth and taketh the thiefe by the necke and leadeth him by the haire captiue to IESVS CHRIST not to himselfe that he should bee king ouer her No. IESVS CHRIST is the King ouer the soule as the Apostle in the second epist to the Corinth chap. 11. vers 2. voweth the Church of GOD not to himselfe but to her Spouse to the ende that shee may bee safe and GOD glorified The man that seeketh his owne gaine is but an hyreling There are three actions heere whereof the first two are none other thing but the destroying of the sinne that is in the mind and in the heart The third is the sauing of man by leading him captiue to Iesus Christ for the leading of a man captiue to Iesus Christ is his safetie and the libertie of the soule is this captiuitie and the slauerie of the soule is libertie to sinne When ye were slaues to sinne saith the Apostle Paul in the
euery sinne is in the heart of euery man in such sort that it wil make thee loath at it if thou sawest it but alas it is hidden from our eyes that wee cannot see it and therefore we loathe it not Againe in some men and women that seede of all lusts will breake out in actions A man that followeth harlotrie will bee a drunkard also an auaritious man will bee ambitious also c. It is a maruell to see howe manie sinnes will be reigning in one miserable slaue and to see howe that slaue will bee hurried from one sinne to another Fie on thee wilt thou neuer get thy fill of sinne thou shalt once bee filled with wrath and then thou shalt loathe at thy sinnes For albeit there were no more but one sinne in thee it is enough to cause thee to goe to Hell Nowe to goe forward Hee numbers out some of these concupiscences and the first is malice maliciousnesse in the heart against our neighbour Then commeth in her two daughters enuie and hatred When thou art sorie at thy neighbours weale and wouldest not see him thriue then thou wilt hate him There are three particulars and they are as manie pleasures to them that serueth them hee that hath malice thinketh himselfe neuer well but when there is malice in his heart from thence commeth enuie and the enuious heart is neuer well but when it speaketh euill of his neighbour for that is meate and drinke to it hee that hath hatred is neuer well but when hee hateth his neighbour and that is his meate and drinke Nowe I shall drawe these concupiscences into certaine rankes There are some of them against God some against our neighbour some against our selues amongst the which is intemperancie Fie on thee O Epicurian thou â—innest against thy selfe Now the Apostle in setting downe these concupiscences maketh a choise of the concupiscences against our neighbour for if we bee malicious against him wee are malicious against GOD. Whosoeuer is enemie to man hee is also enemie to God Now there is no harmonie amongst men that are onelie naturall For without GOD in Christ there is no true loue no true concord Put a man and a woman together without God will there bee anie concord there No for the dueties of the first Table are requisite for the discharging of the dueties of the second Table and must preceede them Howe canst thou loue thy wife or thy children without God No there is no true loue and the ende shall prooue it to haue beene but hatred onelie In the ende of the verse hee setteth downe two sortes of hatreds hee saieth hatefull that is hee that suffereth hatred then hee subjoyneth hating one another wee are odious to others and againe we hate others Alwayes marke one meeting here Thinkest thou to hate and not to be hated again It is but the just judgement of God that as thou enuiest and hatest thou also to bee hated and enuied What harmonie can bee heere when thou hatest mee and I thee No true concord but all is lose There is no conjunction but that which is in CHRIST IESVS When this conjunction is not amongst men awaye with all other conjunctions This is shortly the miserable estate wherein wee stood by nature before the participation of mercy in CHRIST Now I come to the other estate An alteration must bee made or else wee are gone For what can become of a body that dieth in madnesse Nowe looke howe wee are deliuered But saieth hee after that the bountifulnesse and loue of GOD our Sauiour appeared There is the way how our mercifull deliuery commeth on Yee reade not one word heere that man lying in misery began to find out a deliuery himselfe Ye reade not that the mad man of himselfe beginneth to take vp himselfe hee saieth not Then we took vp our selues No no we would haue lied long ere we had takeÌ„ vp our selues Then the naturall man waltering and wallowing in sinne and drinking in the foule pleasures thereof he will neuer take vp himselfe and let him goe on if hee should liue ten thousand yeeres hee will neuer bee the better but still worse and worse Can a man that is dead naturally thinke of any life to himselfe to rise vp and stand againe Not such a thing hee cannot so much as once thinke to rise vp Now Brethren we are all blacke dead spirituallie by nature there is not one spunke of that Heauenlie life in vs no more than in a dead bodie that is dead naturally there is a spunk of naturall life and we are not halfe dead only but are whole dead Can a naturall man once thinke of a spirituall life No and therefore Paul saith Ephes 2. 31. When wee were dead in our sinnes wee were quickned by CHRIST meaning that wee had no power in our selues to rise againe If it bee so then when I see a wicked man that hath beene seruing his foule lusts all his life-time take vp himselfe I will not saye that that man tooke vp himselfe I will say there is a dead man risen to life I will aske of thee In the beginning of the creation thoughtest thou of thy creation desiredst thou to thinke of it No no more thoughtest thou of thy regeneration thou thoughtest as little of thy second creation as thou thoughtest of thy first creation And therefore it is well saide Hee created thee without thee And as Hee created thee without thee so He redeemed thee without thee Darest thou saye that thou gauest counsell to thy redemption and thoughtest of it when GOD redeemed thee then how commeth this worke on We are preuented something appeareth that was hid there was one thing long hidden nowe it beginneth to shine And what was this bountifulnesse loue to mankinde it was hid and breaketh out And who is it that is bountifull is this any mans bountifulnes No it is the bountifulnesse of GOD and this quickning loue is GODS and that towards man And what God is this Hee calleth Him GOD our Sauiour For God is considered two wayes as a Creator and as a Sauiour It is the loue of Him as a Sauiour that is shewed to thee in thy Redemption And when was this loue reueiled when IESVS CHRIST came into the world and tooke vpon Him our nature then this loue brake out toward man Hee loued him from all Eternitie but it brake not out till then Marke then It is the loue of GOD that saueth it is GODS bountifulnesse that saueth our deliuerie behooued to proceede of a wonderfull bountifulnesse in God whereof the ground is loue If Hee had not loued thee Hee would not haue deliuered thee Then it is not a common loue which He beareth towards vs but there is a speciall loue in GOD to mankinde He loueth not these Heauens these Starres so well as Hee doeth men No Hee communicateth not the thousand part of those thinges that Hee communicateth to man either to the Heauens or to the
knocke at that gate except that the Lord put out His hand hold thee vp euen in the meane time when Hee is holding thee backe so wonderfull is the Lordes working with His owne He will be holding them abacke with the one hand and He will be pulling them in to Him as fast with the other hand when He will be disswading He will perswade when He forbiddeth to approach vnto Him hee inwardly allureth mâ—n to come vnto Him Nowe will yee heare the Lordes answere If the first answere was hard this is as hard and rough for with an angry countenance no doubt He answereth It is not lawfull saieth Hee to take the childrens bread and to cast it vnto dogges It is euen as much as if Hee had taken her by the shoulders and thrust her out first Hee saieth Thou art but a dogge a Gentile and this that thou seekest is a precious thing the bread of life this appertaineth onely to the children of GOD Shall I take that and giue it vnto a dog As if Hee had saide Goe thy waye dogge thou shalt not get such a precious benefite as thou requirest Then we see here because she was a Gentile therfore Hee calleth her a dogge Suppose thou bee a King I pray thee be not too proude in thine own conceit and yet a Gentile Ergo by nature a dogge He will cast a Kingdome an Empire a Monarchie to a man as one will cast a bone into the mouth of a dogge but all is nothing in respect of one droppe of grace and the hope of the kingdome of Heauen Albeit thou bee a begger and yet gettest but one droppe of grace through IESVS CHRIST anie hope of the Kingdome of Heauen anie beginning of regeneration then thou hast gotten a greater grace a more precious thing than Caesar that got all the worlde There is no comparison betwixt the meanest spirituall heauenly gift betwixt the greatest temporall and earthly thing Nowe I note againe the hardnesse to winne to the Kingdome of Heauen Would yee not thinke it a marueilous thing to turne a dogge into the Sonne of God It is as great a wonder to see a Gentile to be called to Heauen as to make dogges and stones the Sonnes of God Nowe know that before thou gettest accesse to Heauen although thou wert a king thou must bee humbled in thine owne conceite thou must know thine owne estate and condition thou must thinke thy selfe as vile and contemptible as a verie dogge by nature as this woman was brought to saye otherwise thou shalt neuer get heauen Then Brethren if the entrie to the Kingdome of heauen be so harde if thou like a dogge returne to thy vomite or as a sow to the puddle as Peter saieth 2. Pet. 2. 22. after thou art wasâ—en with the blood of that immaculate Lambe then it is a wonder if euer thou get grace to re-enter againe Now heare the poore womans answere she granteth all It is verie true thou sayest I am but a dog a vile and an vnworthie wretch and that bread of heauen is a precious thing I am not worthie that it should bee casten vnto mee Yet saieth shee the whelpes doe eate of the crummes which fall from their maisters table If thou wilt not shew mee this grace to eate bread with the children yet let me eate the paringes and crummes vnder the table Ere euer the Lord bestow grace and eternall life vpon thee hee will haue thee to accompt thy selfe vnworthie of anie grace yea hee will haue thee to accompt as vilely of thy selfe as of a dog albeit thou hadst neuer so many great prerogatiues otherwayes in the worlde ere thou get that life thy conscience will accuse thee to bee vnworthie of such a life and such a joye as the LORD ordained for his owne Shee scipped before nowe shee thrumbleth and thrusteth in at the gates of heauen and goeth like a violent woman not indeede preassing like a sturdie begger to be in whether the Lord would or not but by humilitie and acknowledging of her owne vnworthinesse in all submission comming as it were creeping like a sillie whelpe vnder the table that is the violence that is done to the Kingdome of heauen Matth. 11. 12. Shee taketh vp heauen by violence in all submission and humilitie And if thou bee once but a whelpe vnder the table of GOD in the house of GOD to gather vp the crummes of that plentifull table thou art called to a greater honour than if thou were made King of all the worlde I had rather bee a doore-keeper in the house of GOD than to bee king of all the worlde Nowe Brethren when shee is thronging in hee is loath to put her out againe No hee saieth O woman great is thy faith bee it vnto thee as thou desirest thy faith hath wonne the victorie From whence had this poore woman all this perseuerance and this continuance and this constancie but from him and yet hee standeth wondering at his owne graces The LORD beholde his doing when hee hath giuen thee grace and perseuerance when thou commest to heauen he will wonder at thee and there is the ende of all thy perseuerance a faire crowne of glorie And what more doeth hee That same moment that force that was in the worde that proceeded out of the mouth of IESVS extended it selfe to the womans daughter and healeth her and casteth the deuill out of her Now she sought only to creepe in as a whelp vnder the table to eat the crummes and now the LORD setteth her vp at the table to sit with Him in glory as CHRIST Himselfe saieth I say to thee saieth Hee manie shall come out of the East and out of the West into mine house into the Kingdome of Heauen and sit downe at the Table with Abraham Isaac and Iaakob Matth. 8. 11. And from whence are wee come Euen out of the furthermost point of the West And O SCOTLAND Belieue in IESVS seeke earnestlie grace at Him and waite patientlie when Hee tryeth thee and thou shalt find that thou shalt be set downe with ABRAHAM ISAAC and IAAKOB in glorie Wee are the Sonnes of GOD indeed but it appeareth not yet what wee shall bee but one daye it shall appeare when wee shall be crowned with the crowne of glorie The Lord worke this faith and earnest desire of grace in vs for Iesus Christs sake To whome bee all glorie honour and praise for euer and euer Amen THE XV. SERMON LVKE CHAP. VII verse 37 And beholde a woman in the citie who was a sinner when shee knewe that Iesus sate at table in the Pharisees house she brought a boxe of oyntment verse 38 And shee stood at his feete behinde him weeping and began to wash his feete with teares and did wipe them with the haires of her head and kissed his feete and anointed them with the ointment verse 39 Nowe when the Pharisie who bade him sawe it hee spake within himselfe saying If this man
too much vpon him more than he is able to performe So as the Pharisie concluded before that Hee was no Prophet now they conclude that Hee was no Mediator Well Brethren the worke of our saluation hath many impedimentes Wilt thou seeke saluation seek grace mercie then think not to come sleeping to grace for I say to thee ere thou wantest a stoppe to hinder thee from grace from remission of sinnes thine owne heart by the suggestion of the deuill shall stand vp in thy teeth and blaspheme as the Pharisie did first and as the rest at the table did thereafter and all to hinder the worke of thy saluation But see the ende Stayeth the Lord for all this Reâ—raiteth He His sentence againe and saieth thy sinnes are not forgiueÌ„ thee No no the Lords conclusion is past if Hee say it once to thine heart and if He giue once that perswasion in thine heart so that thou mayest saye Lord be blessed my sinnes are forgiuen me happy art thou they shal be forgiuen thee the Lord shall double it within thee so Hee speaketh to the woman as He would say Let them speake what they wil thou art in Heauen thy sins are forgiueÌ„ thee goe in peace There is no peace but the peace of the Lord comming from the remission of sinnes Crie peace as thou wilt but if thou goe not in the peace of the Lord thou gâ—est not in peace but in warre the Lord is at warre with thee and albeit thou gettest the Kinges peace and all the worldes peace yet if thou gettest not the LORDS peace thou hast no peace at all so wel is him that hath His peace for they only may goe in joy that may say Now Lord I am at peace with Thee thou hast forgiuen me my sinnes And if thou canst say this truely thou shalt haue such a joy in thy soule as all the Kings in the world cannot giue thee nor all outward comforts and pleasures affoord thee Nowe the LORD giue vs this peace and a blincke of that joye in the heart through the remission of our sinnes for then one day wee shall see the accomplishment of it to our euerlasting joye and saluation in IESVS CHRIST To whom with the FATHER and the Holie SPIRIT bee all Honour Praise Glorie Power and Dominion both now and euermore worlde without ende So bee it THE XVI SERMON IOHN CHAP. III. verse 6 That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that that is borne of the Spirit is spirit IN this conference that NICODEMVS hath with CHRIST welbeloued in the Lord IESVS First Nicodemus comming to Him by night and confesseth Him plainly that Hee was a Teacher that came from God because there was none that could worke those wonders that He wrought except the Lord were with him Then the Lord Iesus beginneth to playe the part of a Teacher to Nicodemus who was a Doctor in Isaael And the first ground that Hee beginneth to instruct him into is the ground of Regeneration For Christ came to make a new world again and to renewe man who was dead in sinnes and trespasses Therfore He beginneth to instruct Nicodemus in this doctrine of Regeneration and Hee bindeth him to learne it with such a necessity that except hee and whole mankinde bee regenerate there is none of them that shall see the kingdome of God and this Hee doeth with a great asseueration saying Verily verily Nicodemus hearing and fearing that heauie denunciation of banishment from the kingdome of GOD but not vnderstanding this regeneration beginneth to reason that it was a thing vnpossible that hee coulde bee borne againe because hee was an olde man and it is not possible that an olde man can enter into his mothers wombe againe Christ answereth and answering insisteth in that proposition of regeneration vrging him againe with a necessitie of the same regeneration Onely He addeth to that that He spake before the manner and waye of this begetting to wit of water and the Spirite It is not a fleshlie generation but a Spirituall generation whereby a man is begotten againe by y e renewing of the Holy Spirite in him of the which water is the seale to seale vp our faith in that assurance of that regeneration or new birth Nowe in this Text which I haue read Christ insisteth in the same doctrine and like as in the verse preceeding Hee hath proponed the manner of this new birth not to be naturall but spirituall so in this verse He sheweth Nicodemus what a kinde of birth it is That saith He that is begotten of the Spirit is Spirit that is the Spirit of the Lord IESVS working begetteth not a fleshly or corrupt creature but a Spirituall and Heauenly creature This Hee sâ—tteth not downe simplie but Hee setteth it downe by waye of comparison with the fleshlie generation to the ende that Nicodemus and all men seeing the corruption of the flesh they shuld esteeme the more highly of that Spirituall generation And Hee saieth that the thing begotten of the flesh is flesh that is as the flesh a corrupt masse of flesh and blood cannot beget but corrupt flesh Euen so the Spirit of the Lord Iesus cannot begâ—tte but that that is Spirituall and Heauenly and thus yeesâ—e the meaning of this place But because this place offereth occasion to speake somewhat of Regeneration whereof the worlde had neuer greater neede than at this present for I thinke the world is going backe againe to that old corruption from the which they were deliuered Therefore to the ende that all thinges may be the more cleare I shall speake to you first of the flesh and generation thereof Next of the Spirit Regeneration And the LORD make vs carefull to finde the Spiriâ—e to bee effectuall in euerie one of vs to regeneration Then beeing to speake of the flesh it shall bee expedient to deduce it from the fountaine There are two sortes of sinne in this worlde The one sort is called Originall that sinne that man and woman is borne with in this worlde which they drawe out of their mothers wombe vvith their birth The other sort is called Actuall sinne that standeth in a doing and vvorking and vvhich floweth and proceedeth from that originall sinne as from the fountaine I maye not insist vpon these thinges particularlie but I shall giue you a short viewe of them Originall sinne standeth in two partes The first is that horrible defection and apostasie which whole mankinde in the worlde from Adam to the ende of the worlde haue made in the loynes of Adam for yee must vnderstand it was not Adam alone that sinned and fell from GOD but it vvas thou and all others that euer vvere gotten of man and borne of woman whole mankinde made that defection for as it is saide in the seuenth Chapter to the Hebrewes the ninth verse that when Abraham paide tithes to Melchisedeck that Leui vvho long after vvas not begotten nor borne vvas tithed in the loynes of Abraham his
they had not care of naturall honestie or shame but they wrought all sort of vncleannesse because they deteined the trueth of God in vnrightiousnesse and suffered it not to reforme them And naturall men hath found this repining of this corrupt will contrary the reason and light of the minde and they haue saide Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor that is I see and allowe better thinges but I followe the worst And to bee short this wit of man repineth as fast against the Lordes will as the will of the deuill doeth for by nature we will that same thing that the deuill willeth and there was neuer anie thing so abhominable that the deuill hath pleasure in but wee haue pleasure of the same Yee saieth our Sauiour are of the deuill your father and the lustes of your father will yee fulfill Ioh. 8. 44. Beholde how great matter and occasion the Papistes haue to boast of free will to any good they are but vaine blinde bodies The will of man goeth wholly with the will of the deuill There is no such a thing There is not so much as one jot of the will of man free yet the corruption resteth not here but it goeth forward and polluteth and defileth all the affections that are in man as anger loue hope feare c. none of them are free they fight all against God they haue no conformitie but a great repugnance with that will of God I goe forward and I will not omit the naturall powers and faculties of the soule And I affirme that there are no powers of the soule that are naturall as the facultie and appetite of eating of digesting of expelling but all are infected with this post So that Brethren there is neuer a power of the soule that is free of this corruption Would ye vnderstand what becommeth of this corruption and what it doeth Beeing in the soule of man it maketh that there is neuer a thought that a man thinketh but it is a sinne And if thou haue no more than nature the least motion of thine heart is a sin in y e sight of God neuer a worde that thou speakest but it is a sin neuer a deed y t thou doest but it is a sin neuer a way thou wilt goe but it is a sin consequently it maketh thee alwayes subject to the heauie wrath of GOD If thou stirrest but thine hand or thy foote thou sinnest and the wrath of God will pursue and followe thee till at last thou bee casten into hell if thou bee not renewed Besides this so long as wee remaine in nature this corruption and pest is so forceable in euery one of vs that there is not one sinne in the worlde so great and abhominable but with pleasure and delight euery one of vs woulde performe it if the Lord of His mercy did not by His Spirite renew vs at least by His power restraine vs when occasion is presented The roote and seede of all mischiefe vnder the sunne is compacted in euerie man woman Maruell not when thou seest some running to adultery some to murther some to sorcery and witch-craft for that seede which is forceable in them would bee as forceable in thee to all mischiefe if the Lord restrained thee not Naturally thou art as bent and inclined to these thinges as they are if the Lord by His powerfull prouidence did not restraine thee When the Apostle Paule considereth the strength and the force of that corruption that was in his heart hee saieth I knowe that in mee that is in my flesh there is no good And in another place the Prophet saith Except the LORD had left a seede in vs wee had beene made like SODOME and GOMORRHA Esay Chap. 1. verse 9. Brethren this same seede and roote of bitternesse is in euery infant yee thinke they bee Angels and men commonly call them innocentes No no they are but wolues birdes and there is a vvorlde of mischiefe vvithin them vvhich vvill burst out when yeeres strength and occasion concurreth except the Lord restraine the same Further I aduertise you of the deceitfull lurking of this pest for it is not onely to bee feared when it bursteth foorth and is fruitfull in euill deedes but also when it lurketh yee see if there be a pest in the flesh of man before it be broken out many a time they will thinke they haue not a pest So it is with this pest it will lurke within the flesh and sinewes of the heart so quietly that a man wil thinke hee is the wholest body in the worlde but touch him present any object or small occasion yea apply but the holy Law of God to that heart incontinent his â—oule affections and lustes shall vtter themselues and burst out Euen as yee see sometimes that fire vvill bee so hidden and couered vnder the ashes that it vvill not appeare and men vvill thinke that there is no fire there but as soone as there is any meete and apt matter as wood powder or brimstone applyed then it vvill manifest it selfe and burst foorth in a flame Euen so albeit vvhen men feele not their foule lustes and affections they seeme to themselues to bee holy yet speake to them of the Lawe of GOD forbidding and discharging such and such thinges to bee done then they shall finde the passions of sinne vvhich appeared before to bee dead vvithin them to beginne to liue yea to rage in the soule and to bring foorth fruites vnto death as Paul saieth in his epistle to the Romanes the seuenth Chapter and fift verse And then vvhen these passions breake out happie is hee that hath some part of the Spirite of Regeneration to represse them and striue against them in some measure For naturallie there is nothing in vs to gaine-stand them but wholly with all our force and with griedinesse wee will accomplish them yea the deuill sitteth betwixt the shoulders yea in the very heart of man and carrieth him heere and there to accomplishe all sort of mischiefe in all kinde of filthinesse and shall neuer let him stay till hee bring him to destruction There is no power in man to resist And therefore sinne is saide to reigne and to haue a kingdome within vs And except the Spirite of Christ come and in mercie either holde downe or else mortifie and slaye that foule corruption it shall slay vs at the last Yee see then howe deceitfull it is and howe easily men are deceiued whilest this corruption lurketh within and vttereth not it selfe But Brethren more dangerous is the deceite thereof when it bursteth out We thinke that man to bee in a miserable estate who is raging in this bodily pest and yet is so blinded and senselesse that hee is not aware of the sicknesse till hee die in the same if hee were sensible of the disease hee were in a better estate and condition And so is the estate and condition of man naturally when this corruption beginneth to vtter it selfe
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.