shalt still be the worse So this testifieth that the object of our faith is the surpassing mercy of God Then if thou wouldest search y e nature of God and search Him a thousand yeeres thou shalt neuer come to the ground of His deepnesse search out especially His loue mercy a man may faile vanish away in curiosity searching y e deepenesse of God but in searching out His mercy thou shalt neuer erre it shall be with a joy cōsolation of the heart Paul prayeth for the Ephesians chap. 3 vers 18. that they might attaine to that infinite deepnesse breadth length height in God for God is infinitly deepe in all things but wherefore is it that he prayeth Euen that they searching in God should search that infinit profoundity of the loue of God Surely if wee would know that profoundity of God search in to His nature thē let vs search alwayes in to that loue mercy of God in IESVS Christ And this searching hath euer a grouth and increase in faith till wee get a sight of Him euerlastingly To go forward He is not cōtent to say with Him is gentlenes but he subjoynes with Him is great redemption the words grow in highnesse these words comprehēd set out a greater mercy in God than the former now y e mercy of God in Iesus Christ is not all told in a word alas for want of feeling we speake slenderly lightly of it no in very deed all the words and the greatest words in the world of the most holy most wise most eloquent men is not able to set out point out that infinit greatnesse deepnes of it and he she that once haue tasted of mercy scarcely can they find words to expresse the thousand part of it whē they haue gotten a little taste apprehension of it they are not able to get words to expresse that apprehension of the heart Paul commonly calleth it the riches of mercy God who is rich in mercy according to His infinit great loue c. Ephes 2. 4. Paul Dauid the rest of them cānot get words to expresse that apprehension of mercy that they haue in their heartes No there is no creature that is capable of that infinite mercy for the worke that y e Spirite of Iesus Christ doeth worke in the heart whether it be a sense of dolour or a sense of joy the tongue of no creature can tell or expresse Paul calleth it sighes inexpressible Peter calleth it joy vnspeakeable So y e heart cannot expresse the greatnesse of the worke of the Spirit Men will thinke them hyperbolicall words but that is a token that they haue not tasted that joy and mercy in their owne hearts Now in the last words he commeth neare hand makes a particular promise of His mercy to His Church He will redeeme Israel His Church from all her iniquity as hee would say I haue told you He is mercifull full of redemption but I come nearer hand Thou shalt finde in experience that Hee is mercifull full of redemptiō So it is not enough to the Preachers of y e word to preach Gods mercy and redemption generally to the world no they must come nearer hand in promising they must make to the hearts of the people a particular application and say not only God is mercifull but He will be mercifull vnto you and He is full of redemption and He shall redeeme you and so say I I haue not beene speaking of mercy and redemption that appertaineth not to vs but the Lord shal be mercifull and redeeme you if ye belieue in Iesus Christ for there is no grace but in Him If this particular application be not made the cōscience of sinne is so great that the sinner dare not put foorth his hand to receiue mercy Now to whom pertaineth mercy and redemption He saith Hee shall redeeme Israel that is the Church militant The Church is militāt in this world but redemption pertaineth to it in the ende But where from shall the Lord redeeme y e Church Not from persecution and tribulation in this worlde but from all her sinnes So this presupponeth first That the Church is full of sin so long as it is in this world This is but a vaine dreame to imagine that there shall bee a Church or any member of the same in this worlde without spot away with that vanitie So next the redemption of the Church standeth nor so much in freeing it from persecution or tribulation although she shall be redeemed from all these things also as from redeeming her from sin the chiese redemption shall be from sin for why the greatest enemy of the Church is her own sins it is her own sins that is the cause of all her persecution and it is sin that the Lord mortifieth and slayeth by persecution and tribulation for if there were no sin there would not bee such a thing as a persecuter or a tyrant against her and the greatest burthen that y e godly feele is alwayes their owne sins they were neuer vnder so great perfecution no crosse no trouble comparable to the burthen of sin Paul saith Rom. 7. 24 Miserable man who shall deliuer me Where from Not from persecution albeit he was subject to as great persecution as anie man but from this body of sin because hee could not get that obedience to God that hee would haue had And wherfore died Christ Was it to redeeme vs from persecution or crosses in this world No the Lord died that Hee might redeeme vs from sin with His precious blood And Paul to y e Corin maketh mention of that triumph that the Church shall haue when the Lord Iesus shall come O death where is thy sting Then she shall glory that she is redeemed from sinne and from offending of GOD. And that shall be our chiefe felicity in that life to come that our hearts thoughtes shall be free of all sinne we shall offend God no more but al shall be full of obedience to Iesus Christ and then shall we be fully sanctified and glorified when wee get that blessed presence of the Lord Iesus which wee long for To whome bee praise and glory for euer Amen THE XIIII SERMON MATTH CHAP. XV. verse 21 And Iesus went thence and departed into the coasts of Tyrus and Sidon verse 22 And beholde a woman a Canaanite came out of the same coastes and cryed saying vnto him Haue inercie on mee O Lord the sonne of Dauid my daughter is miserably vexed with a deuill verse 23 But he answered her not a word Then came to him his disciples and besought him saying Sende her away for she cryeth after vs. verse 24 But he answered and said I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel verse 25 Yet shee came and worshipped him saying LORD helpe mee verse 26 And hee answered and saide It is not good to take
may finde such experience as he found and that they may glorifie the Lord also So the end he looketh to is to glorifie the Lord that He may bee glorified in manie belieuers and waiters on him The ende of the mercy of God tendeth to His own glory There are many properties in God he is infinite in wisdom in power in trueth infinit in glorie Majestie Now the Lord is glorified in all his properties in his wisdome power justice But aboue all thinges the LORD seeketh that the world should glorifie Him in that deepe riches of mercie and gentlenesse that is in Him that wee shoulde praise Him euerlastingly in His mercie And as this is His will and as the mercy of GOD serueth to His glory So the soule of a man that hath once tasted of the mercy of the Lord Iesus is caried away with such a zeale to His glory that it will cause am in forget himselfe and with Moses and Paul wish to be a curse and anathema to haue God glorified This man ye see when he hath tasted or His mercy hee turneth him to the whole Church and willeth them to trust in Him that they might find His mercy that so God may bee glorified So it is hee onely who hath tasted of the mercy of God who when he looketh thorow the miserable world can haue pity on any mā He that neuer tasted of that mercy of God had neuer true pitic vpon any mā Then y ◠thing which he craueth is this that many shoulde taste of His mercy that God may be glorified by many His heart is moued with pitie and so all his endeuour is to see if once he can gette them win to God for when hee looketh abroad vpon miserable sinners he is full of rueth and compassion But marke againe the zeale which hee hath to the glory of GOD is the first cause that mooued him to seeke that all the world should taste of mercy and glorifie God So first he beareth a loue to Gods glory and then he hath pitie towarde men the one is the cause the other the effect the one preceedeth the other followeth the one is the roote and the other the branch All the loue we cary to man should be for the loue vve haue to GOD. And vvhere these two goe together a zeale to the glory of God alas vvhere is zeale to Gods glory now adayes vvhich is a true token that His glory is departing away and then a pitie of the misery of man a desire of the saluation of man then that man vvill forget himselfe that hee maye seeke the saluation of the vvorld that so in it God may be glorified And the man that hath this disposition in his heart is fit to be a Minister Preacher of grace to the world otherwise if hee vvant this disposition it is but a colde preaching that he vvill make Now in the next vvords vvhen he hath proponed the exhortation and desired them to vvaite on the Lord to moue them the more he pointeth out to the Church the nature of God vvhat God is for vvee must know vvhat God is ere euer vvee put our trust and confidence in Him for why saith he with the Lord is mercie and gentlenesse as if hee would saye The Lord is full of mercy His mercies are incomprehensible yea infinite and neither man nor Angel can sound out the deepnesse therof He is all mercie and as S. Iohn saieth in his first Epist chap. 4. vers 8. The Lord is loue Therefore await on Him for why there is no want nor scant of mercy in Him This is vvell to be marked when hee exhorteth Israel to vvaite vpon the Lord hee saith not because He is omnipotent and infinite in justice onelie wise c. But hee giueth this reason because mercy is with Him therefore waite vpon Him This would be well considered What is the cause of this Nowe I will aske another question What thing in God neede wee moste into this worlde There are manie thinges which wee haue much neede of What is it that wee haue moste neede of Another question What is the estate that euerie one of vs is borne in in this worlde Are wee not borne sinners conceiued and borne in sinne and iniquitie And so are wee not all miserable For there is nothing for sinners but miserie death damnation and so all sinners are miserable So what thing is it that a sinner wanteth most vvhat is it that sinne and miserie craueth but mercie And if thou bee miserable the thing in this world that thou shouldest craue first is mercy that God woulde bee mercifull to thee So mercie and forgiuenesse of sinne is the first thing whereto thou oughtest to haue recourse And if thou wilt tell a miserable bodie that feeleth himselfe to bee miserable and the childe of wrath that God is omnipotent if thou point Him out in His wisedome in His justice hee shall bee so farre from receiuing anie comfort and consolation of anie of these things that by the cōtrarie he shall be so terrified that hee dare not presume to seeke God to looke to Him to come to Him c but hee will runne away from God But tell him that God is mercifull full of grace in Iesus Christ that is the sweetest speach that euer he heard But alas few of vs feeleth that burthen of sinne Who is he that groneth vnder sinne Who feareth the terrors of that wrath If thou find them then tell thee of the mercies of Iesus Christ it would bee the sweetest tale that euer thou heardest And when a man is once sensible of the infinite mercies of GOD in Iesus then tell him of all the infinite properties of God tell him of His power wisedome and prouidence they will all serue to his comfort for why he will thinke that all things that are in God appertaine to him and serue to his weale he will finde that all things will serue to his saluation Otherwise without this assurance of mercy hee will neuer thinke them comfortable So there is a sure ground The faith of a man or woman first of all is euer relatiue to the mercy of God and that is the first object of faith Indeed hauing gottē a gripe of mercie then it extendeth to all the rest but before that there is nothing in God that it can rest vpon Yee see by experience when the law is preached there is little allurance of the heart but when the Euangell and Christ Iesus is preached the heart is drawne on and allured What is the cause of this The doctrine of the law is a doctrine of extreame justice and His justice doeth nothing but terrifie the soule but the doctrine of the Euangell is a doctrine of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ which draweth to it the hearts of men Albeit thou heare the law preached an hundreth yeares heare no more thou shalt be so far from being the better that thou
mooue thee to doe thy duety so much as the feeling of this loue of Christ towardes thee And nothing will bee able to stay thee from Christ and honouring Him and it were with thine owne ignominie if once thou haue a sense of it In the next verse hee giueth two reasons why the loue of Christ constrained him The first reason is taken from that misery that Christ founde him in when he suffered for him The second is taken from the ende of the death of Iesus As to the first this was our miserable estate before Christ loued vs we were all dead how proueth he that If one be dead for all then were all dead if thou hadst not bene dead in vaine Christ died for thee if thou hadst bene but halfe dead as the Papists say who vaunt of their free will the Sonne of God had neuer died for thee if Paul had had this free will and so bene halfe dead Christ had neuer died for him and if there were none other argument but this To import that there is not a free wil nor sponke of godlines in mē by nature it is sufficient to say Christ hath died for all we were without all sponk of free will to good when Christ came Marke the force of the argument It is from that miserable estate and spirituall death wherein CHRIST found vs when Hee beganne to bestow His loue vpon vs. Wee were dead spirituallie in sinne dead in trespasses What is this corporall death to bee respected if thou bee dead in sinne thou art worse than a carion This spirituall death should moue vs to thinke that the loue of Christ was wonderfull towardes vs it should euer make vs aggrege that loue wherwith He hath loued vs Hee died for thee who was dead in sinne and trespasses and so an enemie to Him Who is hee saieth the Apostle that will die for his enemies Roman 5. 7. Thou being dead in sinne thou liuedst in sinne and so liuedst an enemie to the life of CHRIST And therefore thine heart can neuer sufficientlie aggrege the benefites of His death Men are miserable but alas they feele it not thou hast no want nor scant of miserie but thou wantest sense and the lesse feeling thou hast of thy deadnes the greater is thy deadnesse for the sense of death is the beginning of life the more thou wantest the sense of death thou art euer the deader the liuelier the sinner is leaping and playing in his wantonnesse the deader is hee in soule For hee hath a burthen vpon his backe that will presse him thorowe the earth and make him sinke to Hell one day and in the meane time he is running to his mischiefe and villanie and knoweth not that hee hath death euerlasting vpon his backe O wo be to that miserable catiue although he be a king Alas men are dead in sinne and halfe in Hell and will not consider it It is a pitifull thing to consider howe there is no sense of this infernall miserie that followeth vpon this death When it is tolde them The LORD hath died for them they will make none account of it The word of the Crosse of Christ hath beene to the multitude of this Land but a vaine sounde and they haue neuer esteemed of such a mercie And therefore what wonder is it to see these vexations O SCOTLAND thou shalt get another wakening thou hast so long contemned grace which is y e most precious thing that euer was The Lord cānot be Lord if He suffer so long contempt and lightlying of Christ and His loue vnpunished The seconde argument is taken from the ende and purpose that Christ had in dying looked Hee to this end that thou shouldest play thee and follow thine own lust that thou shouldest abuse that life which He had bought so deare with His precious blood No his purpose was that not only in his death satisfaction thou shouldest be justified coūted just but also that thou shouldest be sanctified that thou sholdest cast off the works of vncleannes dedicate thy life in holines to him it is said Rom. 14. 9. that he rose again that he might be Lord ouer thy life For there was neuer man that had such a right to an earthlie thing as Christ hath to thy life then doe what euer may pleasnte him if it were to die a thousand times if it were to bee a foole for His cause what euer may pleasure Him set thee to doe it or of necessitie thou shalt lose that life of thine But here is the misery Mē know not wherefore Christ died Will yee aske men and women when they are bathing themselues in wickednesse if they will goe to Heauen they will answere yes they will goe to Heauen before their feet be colde But vaine lowne thou neuer knewst Christes purpose in dying for thee His purpose was that thou shouldest be a new man and thou shouldest not liue to thine owne selfe but to Him And the end shall proue if thou proceed so liuing to thy selfe not to Him who died for thee that the death of Christ had neuer force in thee Therefore looke if thou liue to Christ and if thou doest so then assure thy selfe Christ died for thee Looke if in the morning thou canst say Lord thou died for me I will giue thee my life and consecrate to Thee this day all mine actions and all that I haue Well is the soule that can saye this way Then all turneth to this Seeing Christ died for me I will take this resolutiō I will liue to Him al my dayes The Lord grant vs this resolutiō that we may liue to Him in this life that herafter we may liue with Him in Heauen for euer To whome with the FATHER and the Holie GHOST be all Honour Praise and Glorie both now and euermore So bee it THE FIFT SERMON II. COR. CHAP. V. verse 16 Wherefore hencfoorth knowe wee no man after the flesh yea though wee haue knowne CHRIST after the flesh yet now hencefoorth know wee Him no more verse 17 Therefore if anie man bee in CHRIST hee is a new creature olde thinges are passed away Beholde all thinges are become new verse 18 And all things are of GOD who hath reconciled vs vnto Himselfe by IESUS CHRIST and hath giuen vnto vs the ministerie of reconciliation YEe hearde the last daye in the last part of this Chapter the reasons set down wherfore a man is bound and oblished in conscience to liue to God to consecrate his life his death and all his actions to Iesus Christ to wit First the loue of Christ constraineth and oblisheth vs so to loue Him againe that we be content euen to bee foolish to this world for His sake Another argument was taken from our own estate wherein we were when He shewed this loue of His vpon vs wee were dead in sinne and trespasses So this miserable condition that we did lie in which was the beginning of Hell euerlasting
science found out by man buâ— I shall get a naturall man that will comprehend it and oft times he will goe beyond the author himselfe But to this day there was neuer â— naturall man that could compreheÌ„d the wisdome of this Gospell For why she is spirituall supernaturall and aboue nature and therefore the naturall wit could neuer bee able to comprehend her I saye more to you the more a man hath of naturall wit and judgement the prouder hee is in his wit and stroke his owne head and thinke he hath a wise braine the more hee counteth of his owne wisdome the more shall this wisdome of the Gospell bee foolishnesse vnto him and euer the wiseâ—â— of the world accounteth the Gospell the greatest foolishnèsse I had rather take in hand to teach an idiot the Gospell and cause him to conceiue it â—â— God woulde giue mee grace than to take an high headed worldling that is puffed vp with the pride of nature to driue into-him one word of it Sillie ones who haue no conceite of their naturall wisdome will swallow it vp but a proude headed bodie cannot be capable of it Therefore the Apostle in this same first Epi. to the Cor. 3. 18. saieth veriâ— well Wilt thou be wise be a soole that thou mayest bee wise Renounce that reason of thine and take it captiue and make it a slaue otherwise thou shalt neuer see GOD to thy consolation for thy naturall reason is an enemie to God and His wisdom Roman 8.7 Hee giueth a reason in the end of the verse that testifieth that the Prince of this world knew not this wisdome yea not when it was laid open to them Hee saith For had they knowne it namely that great Prince Herode and Pilate that Romane President they would not haue crucified the Lord of glorie They had not done such indignitie to Him as to naile Him to an ignominious crosse How aggree these two together The Lord of glorie and an ignominious crosse Howe stand these two The King of glorie and such a shamefull death Because they knew not His glorie they exponed Him to such an ignominious death Thou that canst not see the glorie of God in the Gospell thou wilt commit the most ignominious the moste villanous thing in the world No if Christ were heere thou wouldest crucifie Him againe And therefore finde not fault with Herode nor Pilate Or anie of them that crucified Him and think not that thou hadst beene free of it if thou hadst bene there No I tell thee Thou that seest not the glorie of the Gospell of IESVS CHRIST if such a deede were to be done thou wouldest haue a share in it It will not be speaking that will seru the turne Let men speake of this Gospell and all this wisedome what they will their deedes will euer bewraye them I will not giue one pennie for thy mouth for thy tongue for thy speaking yea for thy preaching if thou haue not deedes also in thy calling Art thou a King Art thou a Counseller Art thou a Minister If I see not good deedes in thine owne calling all thy wordes are but winde When thou hast stood vp and tolde that thou knowest CHRIST and vnderstandest His worde and Gospeâ—l and then in thy life wilt bee an enemie to CHRIST and wilt dishonour Him and His Gospell in thy calling thy doinges bewraye and vtter what stuffe is within thee The god of this worlde and thy malicious heart haue put out thine â—yes thou hast a blinde minde wherefrom thy deedes proceede Wilt thou crucifie IESVS CHRIST and expone Him to ignominie anie way and persecute and trouble Him in His members and then wilt stand vp and say thou knowest CHRIST thy doings testifie to y e world that thou art a lyar The LORD open mens eyes to knowe what it is to deale with CHRIST or His meÌ„bers As euer thou wouldest testifie to the worlde that thou knowest CHRIST honour Him and His Ministers both and honour His members for whatsoeuer is done to one of them in the earth good or euill Hee counteth it all done vnto Himselfe Saul Saul Why persecutest thou Me saith He to Paul Act. 9. 4. He standeth not here but goeth forward in her commendation mark the words I beseech you to weigh them that seeing the eminency of this Gospel ye may learn to stoup giue obedience to it Sciences are commended from their subjectes whereof they entreat if they haue a glorious subject they are accounted high accurate sciences but their was neuer science that had such a fair glorious subject as this Gospel which we preach What is the subject of it I cannot tell it in better words than are here set downe The things which the eye hath not seene neither the eare hath heard neither entered into mans heart All sciences of this world and wisdom found out by man are of things either visible that are seen with y e eye or of things audible heard with the eare or of things intelligible vnderstood with the mind If I cannot see thine inuention if I cannot heare it at the least I will get some apprehension of it in my minde I haue that aduantage But as for the subject of this wisdome thy naturall eye neuer saw it thy naturall care neuer heard it and it neuer entered into thy naturall heart and therfore whosoeuer wil see these things he must seek an cye that is more than natural that is supernaturall that is spirituall seeke an eare that is supernaturall and spirituall Goe to the heart content not thy selfe with a naturall heart seeke an heart that is spirituall and supernaturall For gaze with thine eye as thou wilt laye to thine eare as thou wilt if thou shouldest heare an hundreth Preachings if thou haue but a naturall care and a naturall eye thou shalt neither see not heare but in hearing thou shalt not heare and in vnderstanding thou shalt not vnderstand as the Prophet Esaias in the sixt Chapter and ninth verse saieth Therefore seeke at GOD an Heauenlie eare and an Heauenlie eye and saye LORD giue mee an Heauenlie eare and an Heauenlie eye that I may conceaue these thinges and apprehende them Nowe in the ende of the verse hee bringeth them downe for as high as they were and telleth what they are Which GOD saieth hee hath prepared for them that loue Him They are predestinated from all Eternitie and they are prepared in time for so manie onelie as loue the LORD Therefore loue IESVS and thou shalt get a part of them The lesson is this Wonderfull are the thinges that GOD hath prepared for them that loue the LORD IESVS But how shal I knowe that such high and sublime thinges are prepared for mee Art thou marked with this token and carriest thou it about with thee Louest thou the LORD how beit not so well as thou wouldest Accursed bee hee that loueth not the LORD let him bee an Anathema Maranatha as the Apostle saieth in the
is marked with the marke of perdition yea if thou bee a king thou art a vessell ordained for shame and ignominie Then Brethren learne here seeing there must be a number that must perish and a number of all estates in the worlde must die that must goe to Hell ordained from all eternitie to perdition beguile not your selues and seeing to this number the Gospel must bee hidden and must be a closed booke they can neuer haue coÌ„solation of it Then thou that delitest to walke in the light of the Gospell of Iesus Christ thinke thou not euill of this Gospell thinke thou not euill of this Ministerie Ioyne these two together that cannot bee seuered the Gospel and the Ministery Thou that thinkest euill of y e Ministerie thou thinkest euill of the Gospell bee thou not ashamed of the Ministers nor of their bondes nor of their captiuitie nor of their death nor of no crosse that can be laid vpon them the 2. Epist to Timot. and the 8. Chapter For the multitude of the worlde thinketh shame of the Gospell and of the Ministers thereof when affliction once commeth vpon them Thou that louest the Gospel keepe thy comfort in thine own bosome and assure thy selfe there is none other way to Heauen and knowing well that this must bee the hazarde of the Gospell and of the Ministers take all these troubles for sure tokens of the trueth of God I loue not the Gospell that hath the countenance of the Princes of this world and hath the confluence of the multitude The Princes and multitude of this worlde hath euer borne the pure Gospell of Iesus Christ at hatred Thus sarre for the first cause wherefore the Gospell of Iesus Christ is hiddeÌ„ from manie to wit that perdition whereunto they are adjudged from all eternitie Nowe take vp in the next verse another cause wherefore the Gospel is hidden to many In whom saith he the god of this world hath blinded their minds The second cause is excecation blind-folding putting out of the eyes and all to this ende that they shoulde not get a sight of the glorious light of the Gospel and so be saued But how commeth this to passe howe are they blinded I shall tell you Once beeing adjudged to die and ordained in the counsell of God to perdition in commeth the god of this worlde that is the Deuill whome this worlde maketh a god of the God of Heauen sendeth him Whome to sendeth Hee him Vnto that catiue that miserable creature that is ordained for perdition as a torturer persecuter an hang-man to put that eternall decree in execution And what doeth hee when he commeth in The first turne that euer hee doeth hee bindeth him What bindeth hee his handes or his feete No he letteth them louse and letteth him worke on with them his owne ruine and runne on vnto his owne perdition But hee bindeth his eyes or rather pulleth them out that the miserable bodie may not see the gracious face of Christ Wherefore is he sent vnto him The cause is not onelie in the ordinance of God but in the catiue himselfe that maliciously repineth to the light and will not receiue the Gospell therefore the GOD of Heauen sendeth the Deuil to put out his eyes that he should not see Mark then the lesson They that are adjudged to die to perditioÌ„ in the world to come in this worlde ere euer they goe out of this life they are bounde like thieues and murtherers to bee presented bound to that damnation that is to ensue they are reserued in chaines till that great Daye What chaines are these Chaines of darknesse their eyes are plucked out that blindlinges in that great Day they may bee cast into Hell into that Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer There is neuer a soule y â— goeth to damnation in the worlde to come but in this life it is blinded Yee know the Ethnickes saying Quos perdere vult IVPITER iis mentem solet adimere It is a true saying and therefore take vp a sure note of perdition to come excecation blindnesse so that if thou canst not see that gracious face of CHRIST in the Gospel at no time for all thine hearing for all this Ministery that is in the world take heede to thy selfe and feare that euerlasting damnation Bee neuer at quiet night nor daye till thou seest a light in thy minde by the Gospell otherwise thy conscience shall condemne thee as a vessell of perdition The Gospell is not sent for nothing either shall it bee vnto thee a sauour of life vnto Life or a sauour of death vnto Death and this shall bee justified one day And except thou get light thou shalt curse the time that euer thou hearde the Gospell when it commeth to that damnation Another thing marke heere When commeth the god of this worlde to blinde men Looke to the order of the Text The first cause is counted perdition GODS ordinance then commeth in the Deuill When commeth in the Deuill When GOD hath first saide the worde I will haue this bodie perishing and will bee glorified in his perdition then commeth in the torturer and plucketh out his eyes So the Deuill is nothing to GOD but a persecuter a minister of His wrath when Hee is angrie than is the lowne at hande as a slaue to put in execution that wrath But it is a sore pitie to consider the miserable bodie on whome this wrath is executed When the hang-man commeth to bind the hands of a bodie that bodie is sorrowfull and sad but when the Deuill is binding thee thou art merrie in the meane time when he is a Deuil to thee thou thinkest hee is a God to thee Thou neuer rejoycest but in blindnes look to experience The multitude of this Land is neuer merrier than when he is binding them and drawing them to filthinesse to murther and villanie to gluttonie and dronkennesse Count not of such a man but saye or thinke if thou dare not say it O miserable catâ—ue the Deuill is blinding thee and leading thee to perdition Nowe marke in the thirde roome the causes which hasten this damnation and which must passe before the god of this worlde come as a torturer to put in execution the sentence of GOD. There must goe before this excecation and that damnation that followeth this excecation a cause in thy selfe thou must euer bee the causer of thine owne death notwithstanding the ordinance of God yet thou neuer perishest till thou be worthie of thine own death and merite thine own damnation What bringeth on this blindnesse A malicious false infidell heart repugning to the Gospel for thou first despisest it and rejectest it so maliciouslie and despiteâ—ullâ—e that in a maner thou wouldest spit on the face of Christ Iesus which shineth in the Gospell This hasteneth the wrath For wheÌ„ the Lord seeth the despitefulnes of thine heart that thou wilt not see not look in the light when it is offered to
sixt Chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes the twentie verse then yee were free from righteousnesse Marke heere a wonderfull power of God in this base and sillie Ministerie O! would to GOD men coulde knowe this power destroying the deceite of reason and beating down the pride of the heart of man mounting vp against GOD. Alas so great is the power of sinne that it hath no match vnder heauen but this Ministerie I will tell it ouer againe There is nothing to throw this power downe but this Ministerie When this Ministerie was not in the world amongst the Gentiles of the which SCOTLAND was one part for our Progenitors were Gentiles without GOD in the world sinne raigned to death Roman 5. 21 Multitudes of Gentiles perished but from the time that Iesus Christ the author of grace came into the world and brought with Him this Ministery first He himselfe thereafter His Apostles amongst whome Paul was as painfull as anie man made it manifest howe powerfull this Ministerie was by demolishing the kingdom of sinne for then grace beganne to reigne and the power of GOD was manifested Brethren I dare affirme the onelie thing that holdeth down the power of sinne is this sillie base Ministerie take it away for men wold faine haue it away and shoote it to the doore and for ought that I can sâ—â— I thinke it shall goe away sinne shall come to an hight Take away the thing that holdeth downe the head of sinne and it shall reigne Then O miserable Scotland heere I denounce shame ignominie shall come to thee shame and confusion to King and Court Land and Burgh if this candlesticke be remoued This shall be found by experience if euer thing was true And thou that wouldest â—un to damnation hast the remoouing of it that thou mayest hasteÌ„ thine own damnation Nowe the last thing I see is the proper effect of this Ministery of the blessed God would to God the worlde could see the glorie of it the proper effect is not to slay men but to saue them This worlde thinketh that wee are come to slaye them No wee are come to slay sinne in you that will slay you if it be not slaine Paul in the 1. epist to the Cor. chap. 3. vers 12. 13. compareth the Ministery to a burning fire that burneth vp haye stubble and trees euen so it burneth vp thy sinne and the drosse of thy nature andâ—â—l the vanities of thine heart but saueth thy selse Howe is this that the world cannot abide the meane of their saluation they cannot get rest neither night nor day till they get away the thing that saueth them Nowe it saueth the man by taking him and leading him captiue vnder the King of glorie Ye see they that are superiours in the battell when they say to anie man Bee taken if hee will not bee taken they will slay him there Euen so as truelie iâ— thou wilt bee stubburne and wilt not bee taken in this fielde this word shall slay thee Therefore blessed are they that can suffer the ordinance of GOD and stand still vntill sinne bee slaine and they themselues bee ledde captiues vnder Christ for that captiuitie vnder Him is true freedome To that immortall and euerlasting King bee all honour and glorie for euermore Amen THE TENTH SERMON PHILIPPIANS CHAP. I. verse 18 What then yet CHRIST is preached all maner of wayes whether it bee vnder a pretence or sincerelie and I therein joye and will joye verse 19 For I knowe that this shall turne to my saluation through your prayers and by the helpe of the Spirit of IESUS CHRIST verse 20 As I heartilie looke for and hope that in nothing I shall bee ashamed but that with all confidence as alwayes so nowe CHRIST shall bee magnified in my bodie whether it bee by life or by death verse 21 For CHRIST is to mee both in life and in death aduantage 22. And whether to liue in the flesh were profitable for mee and what to choose I know not verse 23 For I am greatlie in doubt on both sides desiring to bee loosed and to bee with CHRIST which is best of all verse 24 Neuerthelesse to abide in the flesh is more needefull for you verse 25 And this I am sure of that I shall abide and with you all continue for your furtherance and joye of your faith verse 26 That yee may more aboundantlie rejoyce in JESUS CHRIST for me by my comming to you againe PAVL lying in bandes at ROME there riseth vp two sortes of Preachers The first sort of them that preached sincerelie that GOD and His glorie might be aduanced The second sort of them that preached not sincerelie not for the aduancement of Christ nor His Gospell but to adde afflictions to Paule bands moued with ambition and enuie towards him In the first verse which wee haue read in your audience Paule vttereth his minde concerning these two sortes of Preachers and this is his mind in effect Let them saieth hee preach as they will preach let them preach of sinceritie for the glorie of Christ let them preach for the fashion howeuer they preach preaching the trueth of God CHRIST is preached euen by them who preacheth not sincerelie And therfore because Christ is preached I rejoyce notwithstanding of all that injurie which I receiue by their preaching I rejoyce and will rejoyce and no man will bee able to take my joye from me Shortlie then there is Paules minde concerning these two sortes My doctrine shall bee generall And the first thing that I marke heere is this and anie of you may see it The Lord is glorified Christ is magnified euen by a counterfeite doing of men when they doe the thing that is good yet not in sinceritie nor of purpose to glorifie GOD in their doing But their purpose not beeing to glorifie God in their doing they not doing sincerelie howbeit Hee getteth His owne glorie by their doing yet they shall get little thankes It is not so much the turne it selfe the action it selfe preaching or whatsoeuer it bee that procureth to a man thanks and grace at the handes of God as it is the purpose intention in doing I had rather doe the soberest thing in the world and if it were 〈…〉 eate my meate and drinke my drinke of purpose to glorifie God in my doing than to do the greatest and fairest worke that can be seene to the eye of man without purpose to glorifie God in that doing Marke it Whether yee eat whether ye drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe little or much do all to the glorie of God saieth Paul 1. Cor. 10. 31. And therefore Brethren there is nothing that a man should so much looke to in his doinges and actions as to his purpose and to the intention of his heart Looke thou as thou wilt the Lord looketh chiefelie to euerie mans intention and purpose He that preacheth what is to bee respected with what measure of grace he preach if in preaching
certaine the sufficiencie of grace is not giuen to one man or to one woman onelie but to the whole members of the bodie And therefore there must bee a concurrance of the whole all must concurre for thy good and saluation for if the hand will stand vp and saye to the eye to the mouth to the foote or to the rest of the members Care for your selues foote care for thy selfe wombe care for thy selfe c. I will care for my selfe were not this a foolish hand woulde not this hand perish and wither yea it woulde perish if the mouth fedde it not if the foote caried it not if the wombe receiued not sustenance to nourish it Euen so if thou sayest to the rest of the members of the Church Care for your selues I will care for my selfe thou shalt die like a drie member and be cut off no saluation but in the vnion of that blessed bodie of CHRIST which is the Church And none yet euer came to Heauen but by a certaine concurrance of the rest of the members of the Bodie by praying by preaching by admonishing exhorting and rebuking If thou refuse this concurrance in teaching admonishing and comforting thee thou shalt neuer get Heauen Paul in the 8. chap. to the Romanes vers 28. saith Wee knowe that all thinges worke together for the best to them that loue GOD. Marke the force of the wordes If there bee not a working-together for thy saluation thou shalt not come to Heauen There are two of the meanes whereby trouble and damnage is turned to saluation Yet there are more of them for hee saieth And by the helpe of the Spirite of IESUS CHRIST There is another meane As it is a fault to one member to refuse the helpe of the rest of the members of the body of the Church their prayers intercession so it is as great a fault to leane so vpon the care of anie of the members of the body of the Church or of the Ministerie in preaching praying exhorting and comforting that in the meane time thou haue no care of thy selfe to get the spirite and life within thee for Christs Spirit is thy life thou wilt not praye for thy selfe but wilt bid the Church Ministery pray for thee as if that were enough No except that Spirite bee within thee which is the Spirit of Adoption to make intercession with sighes vnspeakeable at the hands of God downe shalt thou goe albeit that the Church and whole members thereof would please to holde thee vp What if the hand had no motion life nor streÌ„gth in it selfe would the foote and the eye bee able to holde it vp No if the foote and the eye striue to holde it vp they should rotte with the hand and behoued to bee cut of For whereto serueth a rotten member It will infect the whole bodie if it be not cut off So if thou bee without spirite and life within thy selfe how beit all the rest of the members of the body of the Church would holde their hands about thee to holde thee vp thou shalt fall downe and die So as ye would haue others caring for you care for your selfe and see that yee haue the Spirit of God caring for you If Moses Abraham and all other faithfull men woulde praye for you it is nothing What good did Samuels prayers for Saul The Lord stopped his mouth and forbad him to praye for him Thus yee haue heard of three meanes whereby this wonderfull change is made The first is the care of God and His glorie The second is the intercession of the rest of the members of the body the third is the Spirite of Christ interceading for vs and the care which we haue of our selues We haue need of these meanes And certainlie the day is approaching that experience will tell the trueth of these thinges Paul a man euer afflicted in trouble and vnder danger telleth of his owne experience what hee founde But are there yet anie more meanes Looke the verse that followeth As I saith hee heartilie looke for and hope c. The worde importeth such an hope as when a man hath his head raised vp his eyes open and bent awayting for anie thing attentiuely Wee see when a man looketh earnestlie for any other his head will bee lifted vp his eyes will be bent looking to that place where from he should come and if he loue him well he wil looke attentiuely hauing both heart and eyes bended vp with hope of his comming The like worde in the 8. chap. to the Rom. vers 19. is ascribed to the creatures They awaite with feruent desire when the sonne of God shall be reuealed I shall make the words more plaine I hope according to mine attentiue exspectation that in nothing I shall bee ashamed that is that I shall neuer thinke shame of my Maister Iesus Christ because that if I thinke shame for any thing which I suffer for His cause I thinke shame of Himselfe Hee saith that in nothing I shall bee ashamed There is the negatiue I will be ashamed of nothing But what more With all boldnesse of spirite I shall magnifie Him in my bodie not in my soule onelie but in my bodie also and that Whether it bee in my life or in my death Hee casteth in the argument of this assurance as in all times by-gone euer to this houre I haue magnified Him in my bodie So this by-gone experience would he say maketh me to be assured by hope neuer to be ashamed of Him but to glorifie Him in life and death Then take vp the lesson Amongest the rest of the mean s whereby this change is made of miserie to felicitie of death to life and all thinges are made to serue to our saluation Hope is one and it is the fourth in number Wherein standeth this Hope That in no affliction which I suffer for Christes sake I will bee ashamed and so shame the Lord. For in suffering if thou blâ—shest and thinkest shame thou shamest Him But by the contrarie in all thinges that I shall doe or suffer in this bodie I shall doe with courage confidence and libertie I shall suffer with courage confidence and libertie And so in doing in suffering in the bodie I shall magnifie my LORD So this is the point If I glorifie Him before men with courage and boldnesse in mine afflictions I may bee assured Hee shall glorifie me before His Father in Heauen Mat. 10. 32. They that suffer with Him shall reigne with Him 2. Timoth. 2. 12. But by the contrary if thou with blushing think shame of Him and of His Gospel and of the afflictions of the Gospel if thou shame Him before the world He shall shame thee before His Father Mark 8. 38. So this Hope is no small matter for if thou haue an assured Hope during thy whole life thou shalt magnifie Christ whatsoeuer falleth out in life or death assure thy selfe all shall bee turned to the glory of God and thy
saluation All the troubles that shall bee laide vpon thee in this worlde shall bee so turned ouer that they shall serue to thy good and consolation But if this hope be away if thou lie sluggishly not hauing thine head raised vp with closed eyes not looking and hoping that thou shalt glorifie thy Lord not caring for His glorie either in thy life or in thy death all thy miserie that lighteth vpon thee shall remaine miserie and shall presse thee down to euerlasting damnation Looke then how precious this hope is Learne another thing here There standeth much in these two in shame and blushing in confidence libertie and courage I say to thee there standeth more in the consequeÌ„ts of suffering and doing than standeth in the suffering and doing it selfe I suppose thou suffer the death for Christes sake if thou bee ashamed in suffering and hast not libertie and courage thou sufferest not so much for CHRIST as for thy selfe and thy death is nothing else but a death to thee and thy suffering is nothing but a suffering to thy selfe Euen so do what thou wilt doe to glorifie Him if it be not done with libertie freedome and courage thou losest thy trauell Seeing then that so much standeth in the disposition of the heart let euery man looke that hee prepare himselfe with courage and confidence against the daye of triall that with confidence in suffering he may magnifie God Paul saith to Timothie in his 2. epist chap. 1. vers 8. Bee not ashamed of Christ nor of me that am His captiue Thinke shame of none that suffer for Christ but rather bee thou partaker of that affliction to suffer with courage and confidence those things with them Yet marke another thing here he saith that he might magnifie Christ in his bodie Hee speaketh not of the soule And so I obseru that of the very bodie let bee of the soule euen of the very bodily masse which thou bearest about with thee a great duety is required for the glorifying of God and His Christ When thou art liuing in thine actions when thou art dying in thy death it must be an instrument glorifying God when thou art going vpon thy feete it must bee an instrument of His glorie when thou art lying in thy bedde yea the Lord must bee glorified in it when it is dissolued into ashes in the graue I marke this against that vaine conceite of men who will saye What care I so I keepe a good minde to God let mee prostitute my body to harlotrie gluttony and all vices yet I will keepe my soule to God No either God will haue all or the Deuill will haue all Awaye thou idolater who wilt keepe thy soule to GOD and wilt bowe thy knee to Baal the Deuill will get both soule and bodie Paul saieth not that the Lord hath only bought thy soule with a price but that Hee hath bought both soule and body that they should glorifie God 1. Corin. 6. 20 â—ee are bought with a price yee are not your owne Fye filthie bodie that wilt say May I not doe with my bodie as I please Hast thou power to reaue it out of the handes of the Lord The Lord hath the power of thy body and in that last day thou shalt bee challenged with theft and sacriledge And when hee hath said ye are bought with a price hee subjoyneth Glorifie God not in your spirite onely but also in your bodies Either Hee will haue both or else none Thinkest thou to send thy soule to God and thy body to the Deuill No either the Lord shall get both or both shall goe to Hell Take heed how ye keepe these bodies ye shall render accompt of them Thy body should be the Temple of the holie Spirit if thou defile the seate of that holy One shame shall light vpon thee I marke heere To assure himselfe of continuance that hee shall continue in glorifying God in life and death he taketh an argument from his former experience Euer hitherto I haue glorified God in my body I haue a stedfast hope that I shall continue that all the actions of my body shall glorifie Him and when I am dead He shall be glorified in my body It is good then to begin well and to haue experience that thou hast serued GOD well in thy calling for experience bringeth hope and hope maketh thee no wayes ashamed Rom. 5. 4. 5. And if thou haue experience that thou hast serued GOD and Hee hath beene with thee and kept thy bodie in puritie thou mayest bee assured to continue to the ende Not that our continuance standeth in our self no our continuance standeth not in our selues for the best man that liueth is not able of himselfe to stand one moment but out standing is in God for if Hee would take His grace from vs in one moment we would fall It is the loue that He beareth to vs that holds vs vp be once assured of that loue of GOD towardes thee and then thou mayest bee assured that thou shalt glorifie God both in life and death Now in the next verse he saith For Christ is to me both in life and death aduantage Hee giueth a reason wherefore hee saide hee would magnifie God in his bodie both in life and death The reason is because of the aduantage hee hath of Him CHRIST IESVS is aduantage to him And when Not when I liue onelie saieth hee but in my death also Is it not good reason that I should glorifie Him both in life and death in whome I haue aduantage both in life and death All men doe for aduantage When a man hath done and suffered hee woulde haue aduantage When wee honour the Prince or anie man all is for aduantage If gaine mooueth to honour men to serue them where was there euer such a gaine and aduantage as may bee looked for at the handes of CHRIST If gaine will mooue thee where wilt thou get it if not in CHRIST Would thou haue gaine aduantage for thy doing in thy lifetime He will giue thee it Thou shalt not do one deed but thou shalt haue thine hire in thine hande Wouldest thou haue gain in thy death if thou die for Him thou shal get as fair an aduaÌ„tage as euer man got Indeede a man will giue thee gaine for honouring him in thy life-time but when thou art lying in thy deathbedde canst thou get aduantage out of the hand of a man Suppose a Monarch would giue thee a kingdome what aduantage is it to thee if thou liuest not to brooke it But I tell you plainelie The LORD is greater aduantage to vs in death than in life and all this aduantage which wee haue of Him in this life is nothing in respect of that aduantage which we shall get in the life to come Paul in the third chapter of the Epistle to the Philippians when hee hath counted al his aduantages and numbered out all the prerogatiues which hee had in this worlde