nor seek to none other thing but to the pleasing of that fleshly body without regarde of the precious soule alas in pleasuring thy bodie thou losest thy soule thou makest thy bodie thy Heauen and thou testifiest plainly that thou wantest that light and sense of that Heauenly bodie which shall be after this life Thus farre for the description of the death of the body which is the house of the soule learning vs to esteeme of the soule and body as they are indeed and that not with a fleshly sense but with the Spirituall eyes of Faith Nowe wee come to the life that is contrarie to death There is two partes of man his soule and bodie this glorie of the which wee speake is not the glorie of the soule onely but the glorie of the bodie likewise a glorie belonging both to soule and bodie Wee saieth hee shall get a building not a sillie house as this earthly body was but a faire building Hee calleth the body which wee haue presently an house but the body which we shall get hee termeth it a building Thou gottest this bodie from nature that other is aboue nature nature cannot giue thee that other bodie GOD shall giue thee it aboue nature and against nature What building is this It is an house not builded with the hands of men it is builded with GODS owne hand the LORD immediatelie with his owne hand builded vp this building The former house of this body was vnstable and had no abiding for this body passeth away but this second building is an house that shall neuer fall nor slit but shall be eternall When thou shalt get this building thou shalt not need to be afraid for the dissolution thereof it shall neuer be dissolued Where shall this building be builded men regard much situation in building this house in the which we dwel here it is builded in the earth and it is a tabernacle pitched somtimes in this place somtimes in that place but the situatioÌ„ of this building shall bee in the Heauen for I assure thee when a man is once glorified entereth into that glorie hee shall no more returne to the earth The earth cannot beare a glorified person Christ beeing glorified coulde not abide in the earth but He went to that glorious mansion in the Heauens Thou shalt no sooner bee glorified but thou shalt mount vp to Heauen as CHRIST did Well then there is the glorie and there is no worde heere but it aggregeth that passing glorie Euerie worde lâ—tteth vs see the greatnesse of that glorie and yet it is not all tolde Nay Paul cannot tell thee all the glorie that shall bee in the glorified bodie he hath giuen but a little inckling of it It is but a building whereof hee telleth thee Yet marke Who is this that speaketh this It is Paul How speaketh he it by faith Is it his mouth that speaketh it no it is the soule that lodgeth in the bodie that falleth out in the extolling of that building that it shall dwell in As a sillie man in a cottage appointed to glorye shoulde saye I am nowe sitting in a sillie house but I shall once sit in a glorious Palace So marke Faith will cause the soule mount vp aboue the bodie and whilst the soule is in the bodie Faith and Hope will lift it vp and put it in a maner into Heauen Therefore this same Paul saith in the third Chapt. to the Phillip the 30 vers By Faith and Hope hee had his conuersation in Heauen while hee was yet dwelling on the earth Get therefore Faith and Hope that entereth thee into the possessioÌ„ of that glorie and before the soule bee seuered from the bodie they will in a maner put thee in possession thereof It is the too-looke to heauen that maketh the soule of Paul to rejoyce in this glorie The cottager that hath not a too-looke to a better house is a foole to despise his cottage but hee that hath a too-looke to a better who can blame him to despise this cottage I will tell thee my counsell before thou dislodge out of this bodie for as fraile as it is be assured of a better goe not out of the house doore except thou knowe that thou shalt enter into a glorious house I assure thee if thou bee not prouided for a better house and haue not Faith and Hope of a better than that which thou lodgest in thou shalt enter in a worse thou shalt get that bodie againe which was euill before but then it shall bee a thousande times worse for the soule shall bee shot into that bodie againe and then thou shalt be shot both soule and bodie into that foule dungeon of Hell So brethren looke for a glorious building thou that esteemest not of this bodie bee carefull for a better A vaine prodigall man will cast his soule out of this bodie and in the meane time will not bee prouided for a better lodging thereto Hee is not esteemed a man in these dayes that wil not hazard and cast out his life for an euill cause and quarell Trustest thou that that soule of thine shall get any better lodging hereafter and thou not prouided thereof by Faith and Hope here nay nay O blessed is that man that dieth in a good cause And what better cause can be than Christes cause who is the God of life Assure thee thou that wilt die for Christs cause thou shalt get a building in Heauen thou that takest no care of this life for Christs cause death shall be aduantage to thee The Lord graunt vs a too-looking to that Heauenlie building an assurance of that Heauenlie life Thus much for the assurance that Paule hath that hee shall dwell in Heauen Nowe in the verse following learne howe hee groundeth this assurance and what warrande hee hath for him Faith is not a word as to say I belieue and Hope is not a word as to say I hope Nay but thou must haue a warrand of thy saluation in this life or else I assure thee in the Name of GOD thou shalt neuer get Heauen It is a straite way to come to Heauen and it is wondrous hard to get the assurance of it It is no small matter to get an assurance of life euerlasting after death Then looke what warrandes this man PAVLE had that thou mayest preasse to haue the like The first grounde of his assurance is in this seconde verse For this cause saieth hee wee sigh desiring to bee clothed to put on as it were a garment Wherewith With our house which is from Heaven These are his wordes Then his first warrande and ground of his assurance is a desire of that same glory What sort of desire An earrest desire with sighing and sobbing not a colde desire but day and night crying and sobbing for life Thinkest thou so easily to get Heauen that canst neuer say earnestly in thine heart GOD giue mee that Heauenly life no thou wilt bee
true all these things are not seene yet and this flourishing of vs in Christ is not found yet perfectlie and this conjunction of Him with vs is not so sensible as it shall be but this shall once be found true we shall find that wee were the sonnes of God and newe creatures when wee were on this earth and wee shall get the accomplishment of our felicitie in Heauen when we are reigning in glory with Him Now as to the rest of the creatures hee saith Olde thinges are past by behold all thinges are become newe He saith Beholde Marke the word hereby stirring vp their hearts to see the alteration and renewing of these creatures seing it is a thing difficill to be belieued by men There is no creature neither Angell nor man no the dumbe senselesse creatures as the Heauen earth fire water aâ—â—e but they were all benefited by that change made in Christ and by His glorious resurrection and ascension they receiued some alteration from the worse to the better The Angels who were before in glorie were bettered and their glorie was augmented by the rising of Christ The Apostle Eph. 1. 10. and 3. 10. and Col. 1. 20. sheweth tâ—â—â— But to speake of the inferiour creatures and their estate of this Heauen Sunne Moone Starres Earth Water c. that were created for the vse of man these creatures from the beginning euer altered with man When man was created in the beginning in perfection these creatures were in their perfectioÌ„ the Heauen in his perfection the Sunne in his perfection c. When man fell they fell also the Heauen fell from his perfection c. the earth was accursed for man Rom. 8. 20. As man grew olde that is as hee grewe in sinne vnto the time that sinne came to the height which fell in that same period of time when CHRIST came into the world then the Apostle saieth sinne superabounded and all was vnder sinne And surelie I thinke if the LORD had not come at that period of time wheÌ„ the world superabounded in sinne and sinne was come to the height the world had presentlie perished So I saye as men grewe olde by sinne the Heauens the Sunne the Moone and all the rest of the creatures grew olde Alasâ—man by sinne defileth the aire the Heauens c. When thou O man for whome all the rest of the creatures were made runnest forward in offending thy Creator thou drawest on all the rest of the creatures after thee And againe at the comming of CHRIST the old creatures beganne to be made new creatures and the creatures that were made to the vse of man were benefited with that benefite of man got a renewing as man their lord was renewed Againe after CHRISTS comming when man beganne of new to degenerate and grow olde then the creatures also beganne to grow olde So man growing in sinne draweth after him the creatures and as he decayeth the earth and all creatures decay also and therefore Paul Rom. 8. 19. 22. saieth that the senselesse dumbe creatures grone and make a mone for sin mourning as a woman traueiling of birth faine would be deliuered so the earth would faine be quite of thee O sinfull man that art made of the earth and treadest on y â— belly of the earth she groneth vnder the weight of thee for sin Fy on thee that caÌ„st not grone for sin thou shalt either grone here in this life and get relief or thou shalt grone after this life for euer without reliefe This is the groning that the poore creature maketh for the bearing of thee the earth would â—aine serue God in her own kind but shee is made subject to thy vanitie Rom. 8. 20 and therfore she groneth so the senslesse creatures are wearie and cry Lord put an end to this vanity and are crying this day this same houre But man for whome the earth and all is made subject to this miserie and vanitie is going playing him on the earth without groning Well at last when the sonnes of GOD shall bee reuealed and shall bee glorified Coloss Chap. 3. vers 4. then the earth which groned with them when they groned shall bee glorified with them and then the Sunne and the Moone shall receiue newnesse and as Peter saieth 2. epist 3. 〈◊〉 The sonnes of God shal receiue this same Heauen in substance but it shal be new and the earth shal be new then the earth shal be no loÌ„ger capable of a sinfull man Thou sinner shalt not get leaue to looke to this HeaueÌ„ only the sonnes of God that shall be glorified shal get this priuiledge they shal be kings of this newe earth Yee see then the estate of the creatures euanisheth according to mans estate and altereth as man doeth and in the ende the creatures shall haue the participatioÌ„ with man of that glorie which they longed for This for the opening vp of the Text. Learne here ye see y e creatures get renewing as well as man but marke the difference in the second roome Man is first renewed then the creatures are renewed MaÌ„ hath his preferment first next the creatures are renewed but not after that maner that maÌ„ is renewed and preferred for man is first graffed in Christ and he is made one with Him Iesus the Head y e Church the body and euery faithfull man and womans member of that body Eph. 1. 22. 23. But the creatures when they are renewed they are not ingraffed in Christ The Heauen when it is renewed is not called to that honor to be ingraffed in Christ it is no part of the body of Christ The earth when it is renewed is no part of the body of Christ No no such conjunction is betwixt Christ and those creatures as is betwixt Him His Church Then seeing these creatures that are renewed with maÌ„ are not honoured with that conjunction which is with Christ the Lord it must follow that the glory of the creatures is not equall with y â— glory of man When the Heauens shal be made new very glorious yet all shall be nothing to that glory of maÌ„ Thou O man shalt shine in body aboue the glorie of the Sun by a thousand stages Matth. 13. 43. The conjunction of Christ not being so made with the creatures as it is with man the glory of them cannot be compared with y e glory of man but al the glory of the creatures shall be as a participatioÌ„ of the glory of man Thou maÌ„ shalt be glorified with the glory of Iesus Christ himself the creatures shal bee glorified but with thy glory All this telleth vs what glory wee should looke for seeing this Lord that maketh this renovation is so glorious It is certain that at the coÌ„ming of Christ in the world and His passing vp to the Heauens a renewing of all the creatures in the world was made al things were renewed This is a ground that we must hold if we belieue that Christ
disappointed It is the violent that entreth into Heauen Matth. 11. 12. as yee will see a man violentlie thrust in at a doore Thou that wouldest goe to Heauen make thee for thronging thorowe till all thy gutâ—es bee almoste thrust out Paule in the eight chapter to the Romanes and the 22. and 23. verses vseth these argumentes against those wicked men that cannot sigh for Heauen First hee taketh his argument from the elementes the senselesse and dumbe reatures which sobbe and grone for the reuelation of the sonnes of GOD and trauell for that time as a woman in her birtâ— O miserable man The earth shall condemne thee the â—loore thou sittest on is sighing and woulde faine haue that carcasse of thine to Heauen The waters the aire the heauens all sighing for that last deliuerance the glorie appertaineth to thee and yet thou art laughing Alas what shall betide thee The other argument hee taketh from the sighing of men who haue gotten the Spirit of GOD We also saith he who haue the first fruites of the Spirit euen wee doe sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our bodie Thou that hast not gotten the Spirit shalt neuer sigh for Heauen flesh and blood will neuer shed one teare for Heauen It must onely bee the Spirite of IESVS that must fetch vp the sigh out of the heart and the teare in the eye Roman 8. 26. So hee taketh his argument from them who haue gotten a sense of the Spirit of GOD and redemption of the body to prooue the certainty of that Heauenly Kingdome and glory Nowe there cannot bee a surer argument to vs that euer wee shall obtaine glory than this sighing in heart for it and this earnest desire thereof If thou find thine heart desirous of glory a sure argument thou shalt bee partaker of glory It is saide Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnes for they shall be filled Matth. 5. 6. Seekest thou for CHRISTES righteousnesse and thy glorie assure thee thou shalt get a sweete filling Marke it I saye to thee thou hast not onlie through this earnest desire of glorie an assurance that thou shalt reigne in glorie but looke to your experience that desire is not so soone begun of that life and glorie but so soone also the soule of the faithfull beginneth to rise with joye Who euer yet was hee that gaue a sigh from his heart raised vp by the Spirite of Christ that felt not with that sigh a joye in his heart Learne it by your experience This letteth vs see that the desire and thirst of glory putteth vs in present possession of a part of glorie Ere thou come to it desire it earnestly and I promise thee in the Name of the Father thou shalt be presently put in possession of a part of that Heauenly inheritance It is true thou shalt not get it al here yet there is none other Heauen after this life but that Heauen which thou gettest begunne in thee in this life Alwayes looke euer for that joye that is by sight There are two ioyes the one by sight the other by faith 2. Cor. 5. 6. The ioye by faith is in our pilgrimage in this life The ioy by sight is after this life when with our eyes wee shall see Christ The ioy by faith is to looke to Christ a far of and yet wee reioyce and loue Him that is farre absent 1. Pet. 1. 8. Faith hath a ioye that it enioyeth by speaking and thinking Sight hath the ioye that it enioyeth by presence The ioye of the eye great in quantitie and the fulnesse of ioye The ioye of faith not so great for it is the ioye of a pilgrime not as yet come to his home The ioye of the sight is when wee shall see our glorious Lord face to face whom we see only now by faith 1 Cor 13 12. This is the fulnes of ioy The ioy of Faith which induring our pilgrimage is not so full O how great shal be the ioy at the perfect seeing of Christ Thinke never to have the ioy by sight after this life except in this life thou have the ioy by faith as the earnest-penny of the other except by Faith thou once get a ioy before thou depart from this life thou shalt never see the face of Christ nor have ioy in him So brethren it is a good thing to have that desire of Heaven Sigh and sob and desire with Paul for Heaven for it is a Charter Evidence of thine everlasting inheritance never earthly lord had a surer charter of his land than thou that hast a desire of heaven hast of thine inheritaÌ„ce in heaven for these earthly evidences of land are without theÌ„ in their kists but this evidence of thine is written ingraffed in thine hart Now when extremity is threatned it is time to seek thy warrands of this heaveÌ„ly in heritance this present country is good forthee the best country that ever thou shalt see except thou find this warrand of sighing and desire for that heaveÌ„ly inheritaÌ„ce And therfore let scorners mockers scorn as they wil the children of God must powre forth tears And this is it that y â— Lord hath bene desiring these many days past he hath benegently drawing out of us this sense but now He beginneth to presse it out of us that our eyes might burst out in teares and thou that canst not sob and desire in these miserable dayes to bee dissolved thou hast no true matter of ioy Woe bee to them that have none heart to sigh for the troubles of Christs Church but are ever ready to execute iudgement against Gods servants when the Lord is visiting them Well the Lord shall wring out teares out of them in His wrath that will not sob in the time of the danger and trouble of His Church Then what is it that Pavle sigheth for And what desireth he Hee desireth a new cloathing to bee put one above as a cloathing that is he would keep this same body in substance and cast off this filthy garment of sinand death put on that glorious shape of the body of Christ The reason is set down For when the Lord shal cloath us we shall not be found naked So this body shall remaine in substance but O the glory and immortality of it Mark the natur of the lodging which we shall receive it shal not be another body in substance than this body which we have heer in earth The same body in substance wee shall have in heaven which we have heer Heerein onely is the difference this body is vile it is mortall full of sinne and wickednesse unglorious ignominious full of corruption weak infirm But when this body shall be changed in heaven it shall not be changed in substance but in qualitie Paul 1 Cor. 15. 42. 43. 44. Saith The bodie is sawn in corruption and is raised againe in incorruption and is raised againe in incorruption
it is sowne in dishonour and is raised in glorie it is sowne in weakenesse and is raised in power The weakest bodie in Heauen shall be stronger than the strongest man in earth Then saieth hee it is sowne a naturall bodie and is raised a spirituall bodie So the change is in qualitie and therefore he saith to the Philippians chap. 3. vers 21. When CHRIST commeth Hee shall transforme not abolish but transforme in qualitie our vile bodies like to His owne glorious body Christ keepeth in y e Heauen that same very body which he had in the earth thou shalt keep the same bodie in HeaueÌ„ which thou hast in earth but it shall be altered in qualitie as far as y e HeaueÌ„ earth is different BrethreÌ„ this ministreth comfort there is none of vs but naturally we loue this body then let this comfort thee that suppose thy soule shall bee for a time without this bodie yet thou shalt get it again Another comfort death cannot destroy it the graue shall not bee able to swallow vp that body but the graue shal keep it the dust substance thereof till the comming of Christ then it shall be compelled to render it againe Life shall swallow vp death but death nor the graue shall not be able to swallow vp the bodie of Godâ— Elect But the reprobate shall be swallowed vp of death both in soule bodie In the 8. chap. to the ROMANES the 10. and 11. verses Paul ministreth these two consolations against death Hee saieth The bodie must die because of sinne but hee subjoyneth The soule in the meane time shall liue and the Spirit of Iesus shall take it couer it with that blood And albeit it was a sinfull soule yet assoone as the Father blinketh vpon it wimpled and wrapped as it were in the blood of Iesus immediately hee biddeth it passe to glorie He goeth forward And where it might haue bene said shall we haue no consolation in the body He answereth If the Spirite of Him that raised Iesus from the dead dwell in your mortall body what then He that is GOD the Father that raised vp Christ from the dead He by His Spirit shall raise your bodies that same body that is dead and laid in graue that same body by Gods Spirit for the Spirit of Iesus and the Spirite of the Father is all one shall be raised vp Learne then if this holy Spirit of God once take lodging in you He shall neuer leaue you in soule nor body He shal accompanie the body in the graue and conuoy the soule to Heauen The Spirit of Iesus shall goe with y e soule lift it vp The earth getteth the body when the soule is separated from it yet the Holy Spirit shall goe to the graue with the body and shall remain with it in the graue and with the least part of the dust thereof And when Christ shall come He shall gather it together and make it a whole body So happy are they that haue once lodged this guest in their soules for neither fire nor water nor none other power euer shall bee able to destroy them because that Holy Spirit euer remaineth with theÌ„ Now in the next verse because it might haue bene said and objected Thou wouldst not want the bodie why sighest thou then and what meaneth this desire if thou wouldst keepe the body Wee the faithfull that are in this tabernacle we sigh are burthened but marke our desire because wee would not be vnclothed as some will say Soule to God and bones to the dung-hill in contempt of the body but thinkest thou to be glorified in HeaueÌ„ without a body No but would be clothed vpon that mortalitie might bee swallowed vp of Life As if hee would say I wold haue this faire cloke of glory put vpon this body that it might consume and swallow vp all this stinke of sinne that is in the body Learne then first the body as it is now is a burthen Hee saieth Wee that are in this tabernacle sigh and are burthened It is a loade laide vpon the backe of the soule it is a tabernacle but a burthenable tabernacle as an house smoothering him down and he holding the same vpon his shoulders that appearantly it would be better for him to bee out of it Learne secondly the estate of them that dwell in this tabernacle If the body be a burthen then the soule must sigh grone as a man vnder a heauie burthen And the body is nothing but an house of mourning to the faithfull soule as long as it dwelleth therein The wanton light man thinketh this body which he beareth about to bee no burthen and will run and leape with it as though this carcasse were as light as a fether Alas hee feeleth not the burthen hee is senselesse and like one in a feuer and in a rage that knoweth not what hee doeth nor what hee suffereth A mountaine is lying vpon him and hee feeleth it not Woe to those men that are so wanton vnder this miserie Amend in time or the LORD shâ—ll thrust thee downe to Hell Fye on thee that dwellest in Bethania the house of mourning canst not mourn Mourne in time or else I assure thee thou shalt mourne for euer This beeing the condition of men who dwell in this tabernacle sighing and desiring as a womâ—n with childe to bee relieued what is the ende of this desire The ende of the mourning of the Godlie is not that they woulde bee quite of the house as manie desire that were wrong for manie will mourne vnder this house desperatelie and the bodie will bee a burthen to the soule in them and their life will be vnpleasant to them they will thinke to get a reliefe of the burthen by the want of this present life and will put hand in themselues but then beginneth their euerlasting mourning for they neuer knew what mourning was till that end come So then this is not the way to bee deliuered of the burthen but the way is To seeke to put on a cloathing on this bodie and heere is the ende of our desire It is clothed with mortalitie and that is all the matter of thy mourning It is not the substance of the bodie that causeth thee to mourne but sinne that possesseth thy bodie and corrupteth the marowe of thy bones death accompanying sinne Then this mortalitie beeing an accident of sinne which is the chiefe cause thereof the remedie is Seeke to bee cloathed with the life that commeth from Christ Sucke in by Faith a droppe of that life of Christ This will not destroy thy bodie but it will destroy the death sinne that possesseth thy bodie And the life of Iesus Christ in a moment wil swallowe vp all that death and sinne and all that miserie that laye on thee There is the way to dwell with ease in the bodie Seeke not to destroy the bodie But seeke the slaughter of that sinne and death that lieth
this naturall life shall bee taken from thee thou shalt get another life euerlasting in glory but if thou findest thy self not renewed by the Spirit of grace take this life from thee thou shalt not get life euerlasting in glorie So looke if thou be a newe creature thou hast gotten a greater grace than to be borne to an earthly kingdome if so be thou mayst assure thy selfe of lif euerlasting What is this newnesse in the new creature This newnes that is in the new creature is nothing els but that same life which we shall liue in Heauen and is begun here This newnesse is only this new life of regeneration which life so long as thou liuest heere from the time that thou hast gotten a sponke thereof piece and piece eateth vp the olde and cankered nature The life of God within thee will consume euen as thou consumest the meat thou eatest the olde corruption which lieth in thy nature and in the ende in the glorious resurrection of the dead it shall bee altogether abolished This life then which is begunne heere it shall open the mouth and swallow vp death and death thereafter shall haue no more place This life is onely eating vp by little and little death heere but at that time it shall swallowe it vp wholly and thou shalt say with Paule Death is swallowed vp 1. Cor. 15. 54. So well is the soule that hath a warrande of his new creation whether he die in his bed or out of it he shall die with joy Then my counsell is seeing death is daylie threatned let euery one striue to get this assurance of this new life begun in him heere that it may swallowe vp death Woe bee to them that haue not this assurance This is the second assuraÌ„ce of life euerlasting I pray you marke these assurances for Paule had such an earnest desire that hee sought all assurances and warrandes of this life and hee is reigning now in Heauen So thou who thirstest after life learne at him Nowe resteth the thirde warrande in the next wordes Who also hath giuen vs the earnest of the Spirite Learne the words for al the doctrine riseth of the words Then the third warrand is the Spirit of Christ Iesus in thee If euer thou mindest to haue life hereafter thou must haue Gods Spirit in thee not onlie thine owne Spirite but Gods Spirite flowing from God through Iesus Christ entering into thy bodie soule Beholde the liberality of God when Hee by His Spirite hath renewed thee Hee will not take that Spirite from thee as a man will doe when he hath builded a worke hee will take his hand from it stand if it will or not But the Lord doeth not so Hee hath renewed thee by His Holie Spirite which Hee putteth within thee O how the Lord putteth the third person of the Trinitie in thee and maketh Him an earnest-pennie to thee of Life euerlasting Because thy regeneration is vnperfect and thou hast not yet attained to that Life therefore Hee letteth His Spirit abide in thee assuring thee as an earnest-pennie that whatsoeuer God hath promised He shal perform it to thee and thou shalt not bee disappointed of a jot thereof Such is the infidelitie of our nature that all the promises all the othes which He maketh to confirme His promises all His SacrameÌ„ts which Hee hath joyned to His promises cannot perswade vs. But looke to this thirde warrande Hast thou the Spirit of God if Hee bee in thee He will bee quicke working joye with sighs He cannot be idle Hee will be working the worke of regeneration both day and night Then anger Him not Ephes 4. 30. Away with filthie cogitations away with euerie rotten worde away with euerie euill deede labour to pleasure Him day night and striue to keepe Him and thou shalt hauea warrande of life in thy bosome and when thou art dying thou shalt find such sweetnesse in death as is wonderfull to tell None euer had the Spirite of God but in death they had vnspeakable joye Then seeke to bee in Christ and get His Spirite within thee and hauing gotten this Spirite keepe Him diligently and powre out thine owne spirite but never Gods Spirit for then in all distresses thou shalt have comfort Now to resume all Yee who take great pleasure in your Charters the Evidences of your inheritance and land take heed to this Your inheritance is in Heaven and thou art a foole who thinkest that thou hast an inheritance in earth For either shalt thou be pulled from it or it shall bee pulled from thee Nay looke as ever thou wouldest be an inheriter that thine inheritance be in Heaven Thou art the foolishest begger and the poorest that ever was if thou bee a King if thou thinkest thine inheritance to be in earth Having laid this count with thy selfe Mine inheritance is in Heaven then next looke that thou have thine evidence For thou shalt never possesse Heaven except thou have the evidence thereof laid up in thy charter kist Now thine evidences are the same euidences that Paul had and the same kind of evidences serve for all it is an inheritance that all men must get one sort of charter must serve for one inheritance What then can be the charter and evidence Canst thou sigh for that Heavenly inheritance Canst thou have a desire of it There is thy first evidence Then findest thou thy selfe to bee renewed Findest thou CHRISTS life in thee The life of Iesus is manifest in me saith Paul 2. Cor. 4. 10. Findest thou the wicked life of this world reformed There is the second evidence Yet more findest thou the worker of the desire and the worker of thy regeneration the Spirit of Christ within thee then keepe him well There is the best evidence of all the evidences of thine inheritance having these assure thy selfe of Heaven but wantest thou these or any of them thou shalt never get that inheritance in Heaven As these three are three evidences of thine heavenly inheritance so they are three props of Faith that gripe this Heavenly life They are the three pillars that hold up Faith which is builded upon them cut one of these pillars away and thou shalt lose Faith and Hope But here it may be asked Are all these three of the nature of the life to come I answere As for the desire sighing and sobbing for that heavenly inheritance it endeth with this life and in that life to come all weeping shall bee taken away REVEL 21. 4. Mourne and groane in time then heereafter shall come ioy aud pure ioy A troubled ioy is â—eere in this life but heereafter there shall bee a pure and solid ioy and nothing but ioy So this mourning ceaseth then and is not of the nature of the life to come but as to the new creature and regeneration it is of the nature of the life to come and it is the beginnning and first part of that heavenly glorie so that our
heavenly glorie shall bee none other thing but the perâ—yting of our regeneration For when all this pelffrie shall be taken away then wee shall fully bee renewed As to the Spirit if ever hee was powerfull in earth he shall be more powerfull in Heaven so that the same Spirit that heere dwelt in thy body shall then glorifie thy body and make it to shine brighter than the Sunne Therefore let vs seeke this regeneration and the Spirit of CHRIST For in these two standeth the perfection and the glorie of the life to come Now when he hath reckoned out all the warrands of life whereby he assureth himselfe thereof hee concludeth in the next veâ—se Then saieth he wee haue confidence alwayes as if hee would say Hauing these warrandes I haue confidence alwayes that is I am assured of my glory and yet the wordes import not only an assurance but the effect thereof which is a sweete securitie in the soule for whensoeuer any man is assured of life then the soule with sweetnesse wil rest then commeth that peace of Conscience assuring vs whether wee liue or wee die wee are CHRISTES so this draweth on that boldnesse confidence Then looke the nature the beginning and â—ising of Faith it is builded and standeth vpon these three pillars An earnest desire of life Regeneration and the Spirit of GOD These are the three proppes thereof which are sensible to them who haue faith and wee shoulde bee acquainted with them Then of this riseth the sweete confidence of glory and security the repose and rest of the soule and conscience and from the soule it commeth vp to the mouth and breaketh out in a glorying As this same Apostle vpoÌ„ this confidence in his soule breaketh out saith What shal seuer vs from the loue of Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or peâ—il or sword No in all these things we are more than victorious through Him that loued vs. Rom. 8. 35. c. So that faith being builded vpon these three pillers securitie and confidence beeing builded vpon Faith then boldnâ—sse in mouth will say I defie all contrarie powers lay the sword lay fire lay death before mee it will say I defie them all yea let all the Deuils of Hâ—ll come before a man his faith be well builded and confidence on faith hee will defie them all yea albeit they threateÌ„ damnation to him for it thou stand in Christ thou shalt liue albeit thou must bee separated from this mortall life yet all the worlde cannot separate thee from the life of Christ Seeke this life now in time that in trouble wee may say that wee will rest in Christ and all the world shall not seuer thee from Him Yet to goe forward in the words The Apostle as yet hath not the full contentation in heart for all this assurance For saith he wee knowe that while wee are at home in the bodie wee are absent from the LORD If wee bee at home with a thing we are farre from a better thing which is abroade Alas thou beeing â—t home aâ— thine house and fire thou art farre abroade from thine home in Heauen whilst wee are at home in this mortall bodie wee are strangers and Pilgrimes from the LORD Brethren yee shall learne heere a great difference betweene confidence contentation It is one thing to haue contentation another thing to haue confidence This Apostle had confidence but not contentation Thou art farre decâ—aued that thinkest thou hast sufficient contentation in this worlde Woe is thee yea although thou haue Heauenly graces and if thou thinkest thou hast contentation either of glory or of sight all is nothing Why Because there cannot nor shoulde not bee contentation heere no the best and moste confident man that liueth shoulde not thinke hee hath contentation in this prâ—sâ—nt life All thine holinesse faith confidence and hope shoulde not giue thee full contentation All the kingdomes honours and riches of this worlde which is nothing but dirt and pelffrie in respect of those Heauenly thinges shoulde not giue thee full contentation And yet the worldly foole will saye in his heart I haue contentation and sufficiencie O! but what saide CHRIST to him that decreed with his hart to make wide barnes Foole this night thy soule shall be taken from thee Luâ—e 12. 20. Away with an opinion of contentation in this earth and thou bee a king of all the earth Wilt thou haue contentation without CHRIST Wilt thou hauâ— sufficiencie and not haue Him who is thy life glorie When thou art a pilgrime from CHRIST and wandring from thy countrey and inheritance wilt thou saye thou hast thine hearts desire Had euer pilgrime full contentation during the time of his pilgrimage Then no contentation to the faithfull soule but in CHRIST I shall neuer thinke coÌ„tentation to be in my soule till I see CHRIST face to face I giue thee the same counsell yea and if I had all spirituall graces in neuer so great a measure yet no coÌ„tentation for my soule till I see CHRIST for all our blessednesse standeth in the sight of CHRIST and thou canst not see CHRIST heere because thou art absent from Him For as long as I am at home speaking of the soule so long as it is closed heere within this earthly tabernacle I am absent from CHRIST And this prison of my bodie so closeth mee about that I cannot see CHRIST Brethren it is this mortall bodie that is clothed with sinne and mortality wherewith we must be clothed as long as wee are heere that holdeth vs from the sight of CHRIST It is impossible so long as thou art clothed with the sinfull bodie to get that full sight of IESVS albeit Hee were standing on the earth cloathed with His glorie So thou must be vnclothed of this mortalitie ere thou canst see Him And there is the grounde wherefore wee shoulde thinke no contentation whilst wee are in this body Because so long as wee dwell in this mortall body we shall neuer see CHRIST nor get a full fruition of His countenance Therefore Brethren take not so much pleasure and delight in this mortall bodie for I assure thee it is but a prison holding the faithfull soule and the eye of the faithfull soule from the sight of CHRIST but assoone as it shall bee loosed from it it shall mount immediatelie with joye to CHRIST and there get full contentation in His face yee thinke so long as yee want these earthly thinges yee cannot get contentation I speake not of the wicked but euen of the regenerated man but when the soule getteth this glorious presence of CHRIST in Heauen it shall haue joye in infinite degrees greater than euer it had in earth And albeit the body shall lie heere in graue and ignominie for a time yet all that shall bee recompensed by the glorious sight of CHRIST which the soule shall enjoye in the Heauens beeing separated from the body Wee
thinke we can haue none Heauenly glory and joy except wee haue this earthly body there It is true indeede the soule cannot haue so great joye as if the soule and body were together but it is also true that the soule beeing separated hath greater joye in Heauen than the soule and body can haue together in this earth Otherwise howe woulde Paul haue desired to haue beene dissolued he hauing that confidence and earnest-penny of glory except he had desired that joye in the soule Alas wee are so senselesse that wee thinke joye cannot come except wee get it in our earthly body And this is one part of our miserie Now in the next verse in a parenthesis he casteth in the cause why hee is absent from GOD and a pilgrime heere and saieth For wee walke by faith and not by sight As if hee woulde saye All the sight which I haue of Him is afarre of looke how farre the Heauens are distant from the earth also as far is IESVS distaÌ„t from the eye of the faithful soule there is onely a farre sight of Him heere all the sight of Heauenly glory which wee haue here is like a more in respect of that sight we shall geâ— it is so farre from thee that it seemeth not to bee the thousand part of that fulnes that it is indeed Thou seest it now as it were a more but thou shalt once see it as a mountaine in great fulnesse So Paul saith I see my LORD but afarre of there is a great distance betwixt the eye of my soule and Him besides this farnes such a mist ariseth out of the stinking body of corruption betwixt my LORD and me like a cloude that it hideth my LORDS face from me So there are two impedimentes which hinder vs from the full sight of CHRIST the first is the farre distance of place betwixt Him me the second is the smoke mist of my corruptioÌ„ that goeth in betwixt me Him and taketh the sight of my LORD from me Find yee not this in your selues by experience In the beginning of an houre thou shalt haue a sight of Him and againe ere the halfe houre bee past the sight of Him is away let bee a day or halfe a day Then maruell not suppose Paule complaineth of this that he cannot see CHRIST in respect of the farnesse and smoke that commeth betwixt them Would to GOD wee had a sense of this Who is he that once groneth for this and saieth Alas I am a pilgrime it is a farre sight which I haue of my LORD O! if my soule were loosed from my bodie that I might bee with Him Who can saye this No wee are all sleeping and there is none eye lifted vp to CHRIST in this great misâ—rie Wilt thou alwayes crie peace in such a miserie at last thou shalt be pressed downe to Hell Yet to insist vpon this verse We walke saith he by faith and not by sight Yee see heere then the condition of a Christian is walking not sitting nor sleeping hee must be afoote This worde is euer in the Apostles mouth 1. Thessal â— 6. Colloss 4. 2. c. Euer walking a pilgrime must not sit downe Thou art a pilgrime vpon thy journey towardes another countrey thou must not sit downe for otherwise thou shalt neuer come to thy journeys ende The seconde thing which I marke heere This walking must not be in darknesse but it must bee in light Woe to him that walketh in darkenesse for if hee were neuer so well occupied hee shall die in darknesse hee that walketh in darkenesse he shall get Hell for Hâ—ll is darknesse so that walking must be in light The light is of two sorts they are both set downe in â—…hrse The first is the light and knowledge of â—â—â—â—â— The second the light of presence and sight The knowledge of Faith is but a glimmering in respect of the other light that is by sight wheÌ„ thou shalt see CHRIST in His presence is a wonderfull light when Hee shall looke to thee and thou to Him the beames of His glory shall so strike on thee and cause thee shine that thou shalt bee astonished There is no soule but assoone as it commeth in His presence it will bee astonished and maruell that euer there was such a light in CHRIST Faith hath but a small light but the light by presence is marueilous Hâ—e shall translate vs to a marueilou light 1. Pet. 2. 9. All the Angels wonder at the light which is about the Lambe and thy soule when it shall come into glory shall stand wondering at such a glory and thy body when it shall followe shall wonder and all shall bee wondering at such a passing glory These are the two sights Would GOD wee coulde take heede to get a glaunce of that Heauenly glory then all the pleasures of this earth would bee but vanitie dirt and pelffrie to vs. The Lord yet open our eyes to get a sight of this glory These are two lights and as there is two lights so there is two kindes of walking The one is in this life the other in Heauen in the life to come In this life wee haue a small glimmering without any Sunne a blincke of light enuironed about with darknesse Therefore because of the want of light there is such stumbling in our walking in this life but when we shall walke in the Heauens with that Hâ—auâ—ly light of GOD with the countenance of CHRIST before our eyes then no staggering neither to this side nor to that because of that light that is in the face of CHRIST euer shining in our eyes The darknesse yee see is vnpleasant but the light is pleasant It is a wonderfull thing that wee shall get leaue to walke in that inaccessible light of GOD wherein the Father and the Sonne doe walke Brethren thinke on these things for these are the chiefe points of all All earthly thinges euanish when the Sunne goeth downe and darknesse commeth Therefore set your eyes vpon that glory which neuer shall euanish nor decay as euer ye wold desire to reign there These dayes require this preparation Certainely preaching and hearing will euanish and preaching beeing taken away faith will faile and without faith how can meÌ„ attaine to glory Therefore to keepe in the glory of this light we should earnestly crie LORD GIVE VS THIS WORD For if it bee taken away wee shall bee worse than they of Sodome and Gomorrha Now the Apostle hauing shewed this he commeth backe againe and saith Neuerthelesse we haue confidence c. He that hath confidence he will rejoyce to speake of it it swelleth so in his heart that of necessity it must bee vttered and hee will say once twise thrise I haue confidence â—uâ— nowe with confidence hee joyneth another thing to wit his loue to die and to slit out of the bodie to reigne with CHRIST Loue to die is the companion of confidence Hee saieth I haue confidence but I loue rather
to remooue out of the bodie and to dwell with the LORD There are two good thinges The one confidence the other light The Apostle maketh a choise heere he will leaue confidence here in the bodie and hee chooseth to die that he may attaine to the light and in this respect he would change all the confidence hee hath with death Thou wilâ— not change a foot of earth with death but th' Apostle will change confidence with death and confidence is more preciou than all y e earth Few will doe this and yet thou wi 't die and thou hadst sworne it Well is that bodie that is so resolued to die as Paule was But maketh Paule a choise of death for death it selfe Certainely no man wil choose death for death it selfe for except the LORD lighten death and transforme it it is an entrie to Hell And if thou haue none other respect in death but to be quite of this miserable life as some will sâ—y Would GOD I were dead that I might bee quite of this miserie thou shalt bee in greater miserie after death than euer thou was whilst thou was liuing What then should bee the speciall cause that should mooue a man to say Would GOD I were dissolued euen this I am burthened with sinne I am burthened with mortalitie This burthen should bee a great motiue Well is the soule that is freede of sinne What pleasure is it to a soule that woulde faine serue GOD to liue euer in sinne Nay no pleasure This is the speciall motiue that should mooue vs to make choise of death To bee with IESVS CHRIST to dwell with Him and to bee in His companie in the participation of that glorie that is in the countenance of CHRIST For that caâ—se I would flit that I might bee with my LORD and embrace that joye So as the miserie of this worlde will put thee forwarde to GOD. so the sweetenesse of CHRISTS companie will draw thee forward Then to ende The Apostle hath preconceaued in himselfe a wonderfull joye of that glorie when hee sawe it not yet so must wee doe All his walking was by faith and not by sight but hee seeth before the hand an Heauenlie joy and pleasure in respect of that â—ruition that he shall once get of the countenance of CHRIST This shoulde learne thee to looke euer for more than thou â—eest thinke not that thou hast seene all the glorie that shall come to thee and hast felt all the pleasures that are laid vp for thee in Heauen But thinke that there is greater joye and glorie there thaÌ„ euer thou couldi heare of for CHRIST him selfe neuer vttered al the glory that is laid vp for the Sainctes All that wee see heere is but in a mirrour All the glorie of CHRIST in the Scripture is but in a mirrour liâ—e as when the Sunne shineth in the mirrour thou lookest not to the Sunne that shineth but to the glauncing thereof in the mirrour And as there is greater shining in the Sunne than in the glauncing thereof which thou seest so thinke euer there is greater glorie in Heauen than euer thou hearde of in the Scripture Suppose not that thou canst thinke of the joyes of Heauen as men on earth thinke on earthly thinges Who can thinke a thing greater than it is No the glory of Heauen and the joye with CHRIST mounteth vp aboue the reach of thy faith and hope and all thing that is able to conceiue the same It mounteth vp higher that the Heauen of Heauens is aboue the earth Therefore thinke not with thy selfe it is too much that I looke for Thou failest only in narrownesse thy Faith and Hope is so narrowe that they cannot comprehende the thousande part of that glorie And so wee should say I hope and I belieue more than I am able to comprehend And here is the cause that thou canst not get that full sight of glorie that is laide vp for thee The weake begunne grace of Faith and the Spirite of GOD in thee is not able to attaine to the thousand part of that glorie The LORD giue vs grace to preconceaue this glorie in some measure that wee may seeke the same and say with PAVL I haue Faith and Hope but that glorie passeth all The LORD grant vs this euen for CHRISTES sake So bee it THE THIRD SERMON II. COR. CHAP. V. verse 9 Whereâ—ore also we couet that both dwelling at home and remoouing from home wee may bee acceptable to Him verse 10 For we must all appeare before the judgement seate of CHRIST that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his bodie according to that that he hath done whether it be good or euill verse 11 Knowing therefore that terrour of the LORD wee perswade men and wee are made manifest vnto GOD and I trust also that wee are made manifest in your consciences WEe haue hearde Brethren these dayes past the remedie that the Apostle setteth downe against this temporall death the dissolution of the body In a worde it is a full assurance and perswasion of the heart that when we are dead concerning the body yet we shall liue againe and shall receiue at the handes of God a more glorious body than euer this bodie was It is an harde matter to get this assurance for the naturall reason of man cannot nor will not perswade him that hee once beeing dead the bodie beeing dissolued in ashes that euer that bodie shall bee recouered againe Therefore the Apostle bringeth in three argumentes of this assurance The first is the earnest desire that the Godly haue in this life to be glorified It is a thing impossible that this desire can bee in vaine Hee that giueth thee a desire of glorie and sighing for it He must giue thee the life and glorie that is desired and sighed for For otherwise Hee would neuer giue thee grace to sigh once for this life and glorie except Hee were purposed to put thee in possession of that glorie one day The second argument is taken from our regenâ—ration or the end of our regeneration GOD is Hee that maketh vs of new againe after we were dismaide by the fall of Adam Hee createth vs of newe againe to this ende that wee should liue the first creation It ended indeede and wee haue lost the right thereof euen in the first creation Wee were created to liue euerlastingly yet wee died But the second creation in IESUS will neuer breake but as in him wee are renewed to life liue shall wee in the Heauens euerlastingly it can neuer faile Peter saith in his first epist chap. 1. vers 3. Wee are regenerate againe into that liuely hope The third argument is the Spirit of CHRIST whereby GOD worketh in vs both the desire and regeneration hauing once giuen vs that Spirit He taketh Him not from vs againe but letteth Him dwell in soule and bodie to bee an earnest-pennie in vs assuring vs He shal neuer leaue vs till the whole promises in
part it is the hope of that life and glory to come and an eye to Heauen that maketh a Pilgrime to liue well in this life where this eye to Heauen is not there is no good life Wherefore should we speake further Alas these euill liues of men these murthers adulteries thefts tell vs plainely there is no sight of Heauen nor regarde of the life to come Thou that passest thy time taking thy pleasure in the displeasing of GOD testifiest that thine eye was neuer on Heauen that the eye of thy soule was neuer lifted vp aboue thy bodie and assure thy selfe if thou liue on so thou shalt neuer see Heauen Now in the next verse hee subjoyneth another argument moouing him to bee ambitious to bee with that LORD of life The first argument was because hee was to dwell with that LORD in Heauen The second is that terrible Iudgement that all flesh shall see except they endeuour themselues to serue GOD in this life For saieth hee wee must all appeare before the Iudgement-seate of CHRIST Learne a lesson of the pith of this argument As there is a force in the hope of the life to come so there is a force in the feare of a terrible Iudgement to mooue a man to liue well here Looke howe needefull the one is to cause thee to liue well in this life as needefull also is the other Hope of life is needful feare of judgemēt is needful what should be the cause of this knowest thou not thy nature how backward froward it is so that except thou be pricked forward with terrors of judgement thou wilt neuer addresse thy selfe to Heauen but wilt linguer sit downe by the way Brethren There are two things in Heauen and two thinges in earth both seruing to mooue vs to liue well heere in this life In Heauen there is two seates one of Grace which is called the Throne of grace The other a seate of Iudgement a Tribunall Fie on all tribunals in the earth in respect of that Heauenly Tribunall The Throne of grace is spoken of to the Hebrewes Chapt. 4. vers 16. Let vs goe boldly to the Throne of grace that wee may get mercie But this will not suffice except the Tribunall of judgement be also before thee to draw thee forward both must bee before thee and as thou lookest to the Throne of grace with the one eye so look to the Throne of judgement with the other eye There are also in like maner two thinges in earth to draw thee forward The one the Gospell of grace The other the Law threatning judgement The Gospel drawing thee louinglie to GOD the Lawe threatning thee to goe forwarde or else thou shalt die The Gospell gently alluring thee forwarde promising that thou shalt get life The Lawe standing about the Gospell as a fire to terrifie thee and if thou goe out of the right way it will burne thee It will not bee the Gospell alone that will serue the turne Indeede if there were no canker in thee the Gospell would serue the turne but in respect of this wicked canker in thy nature thou must be threatned with the Lawe Seest thou not thy nature fairnes will not serue the turne thou must be pulled forward by the haire or else thou wilt fall into damnation Take me away the rebukes of the Law if thou bee a king or a Monarch it is but a dead Gospel to thee such is the corrupt nature of man Take away the canker of the nature of man I shall speake nothing of the Lawe but as long as this canker remaineth the Law must threaten all from the king to the begger I were a false Doctor if I vsed not the threatning of the Lawe to rebuke this canker of nature Who is more holie than Paule was He looking vp to Heauen seeing the Mercie-seate likewise seeth the Iudgement-seate and if hee had not seene the Iudgement-seate and beene terrified therewith hee shoulde neuer haue gotten a sight of that Mercie-seate so must it bee with vs wee must see that Iudgement-seate as well as that Mercie-seate This is wonderfull Hee was euen nowe speaking of CHRIST as a sweete LORD and faine would bee at Him and nowe againe hee setteth Him vp as a Iudge to terrifie men Is this the LORD at whom he would bee Who desireth to appeare before a terrible Iudge Who hath life and death in his handes Take heede this is Paules meaning The LORD IESVS Hee is both terrible to men and joyous to men and Hee must bee both joyous and mercifull indeede to thee who endeuoureth thy selfe to please Him in this life Terrible to them who endeuoureth them not to please Him in this life Wouldest thou haue Him mercifull to thee studie then to liue well serue Him sincerely in thy calling Wilt thou haue Him terrible to thee thou shalt indeede finde Him terrible to thee and thou shalt shake tremble at His countenance in case thou seeke not to please Him in this life And this shall bee the first sight that euer the wicked who desired not to please Him in this life shall get of Him Heauen and Hell are thought jests mocks now adayes this Tribunall is not looked too but certainely thou must appeare either before the Throne of Mercie or the Tribunal of Iudgement Yet to goe forward in the wordes I shall only touch them without discoursing on that generall judgement Then first heere to let you see the terriblenesse of that judgement there is an Appearance whereof Esaias in his 45. Chapter and the 23. verse thereof and Paule Roman 14. 11. speaketh As I liue saieth the LORD all knees shall how to Mee and all thinges shall confesse Mee to bee GOD. There is the reuerence that shall bee at that appearance all kinges in the earth shall bow their knees the tongue that would not speake in this earth to GODS glory shall then bee compelled to speake to His glorie Then there is first an appearance Secondly an necessitie Thou must appeare Thirdly an vniuersalitie all shall appear without exception all shall be called and all must answere Hic sum I AM HEERE None shall bee away man nor womā rich nor poore from Adam the first man to the last man borne on the earth Then fourthly The seate before the which this appearance must bee is a Tribunall the Iudge is CHRIST IEHOVAH GOD not man onely all knees shall bow to Him as GOD and not only to CHRIST as GOD but to CHRIST in our nature as man he shall sit as a glorious Iudge as it is saide Iohn 5. 22. The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Sonne And as there shall bee one appearance of all so there must be one receiuing none shall appeare but something they shall receiue What shall bee receiued A reward of thy actions and doinges in thy bodie which rewarde shall appertaine to the bodie as well as to the soule because thou didst them in
the bodie As to the qualitie of the rewarde it is proportionall to that which thou hast done in the bodie bee it good or euill if it bee good thou shalt bee rewarded with glorie if euill thou shalt bee rewarded with ignominie and shame To insist something vpon the last wordes because the Papistes sticke to them and thinke they haue an aduantage of this place when they heare that euerie one shall receiue according to the thinges which they haue done in the flesh incontinent they conclude ERGO workes merites I answere Euill workes indeede merite damnation and damnation shall bee thy portion for them if thou bee out of IESVS but good workes haue no merite in all thy good workes there is no deseruing althogh they were ten thousand more than they are There is force enough in an euill work to condemne thee but in a thousand good workes no force to saue The Apostle saieth not heere They shall receiue a rewarde for that which they haue done but according as they haue done hee saieth not Propter making workes a cause but Secundum that is according to the testification of the works But to leaue the larger insisting in this as more pertinent to another place and to come to our purpose Weigh the wordes for euerie worde is a worde of weight importing a terrible Iudgement an Appearing a necessitie of appearing an vniuersall appearing without exception no respect of persons of the king more than of the begger no mitigation of the seueritie of the Iudge c. CHRIST will haue no mitigation but if thou bee a reprobate thou wilt bee handled seuerelie albeit thou bee a king The judgement then being so terrible the Iudge CHRIST must also bee terrible And so the Apostle saieth Knowing therefore that terrour of the LORD c. And all this is to learne euerie soule not so to presume of the mercie of CHRIST that thou shalt thinke to finde Him mercifull in that daye except that thou hast studied to bee acceptable vnto Him in this life and canst say LORD I EMPLOY MY SELFE IN SERVING THEE Away with that presumption of mercie which maketh the lowne when hee is muâ—thering and committing adulterie to say GOD is mercifull Hauing set downe the terrible Iudgement hee concludeth what he will doe in his owne person Is the judgement and Iudge so terrible I will bee wise the LORD giue vs this wisedome Knowing saith Paul that terrour of the LORD I will do my duetie in this life My duetie is to preach to bring men to the faith in CHRIST I will walke in the discharge of that duetie night and day Hee saith Knowing perfectlie that terrour of the LORD It is not a blinde terrour that will make a man to doe his duetie in this life but it is the knowledge of a Tribunall to belieue that there is a Iudge and a Tribunall in Heauen and that there is a most terrible day abyding And if a maÌ„ belieued that there is a Tribunall in Heauen a terrible Iudge sitting there to take account of his doinges in earth for all the worlde hee would not offende that GOD but this cannot sinke in the heart of man Hee will say there is a generall judgement but this is from the mouth onely and not from the heart and surely as long as a man continueth in sinne albeit hee should sweare that there is a Tribunall it is a token hee knoweth it not The wordes of judgement auaile nothing it is the belieuing and sure knowledge that there is a judgement and a terrible Iudge to sinners in Heauen that doth the turne Therefore seeke perswasion and looke to that Article of thy Creede that the Iudge shall come and take account both of the quicke the dead Belieue it and then it shall draw thee to liue a godly life Knowing therefore that terrour of the LORD wee perswade men or cause them belieue Hee saieth not I goe to play the part of a king or of a politicke man I am busie in this or that turne that appertaineth not to my calling No but according to my calling I preach the Gospell to perswade men to belieue in CHRIST that they may bee saued To speake the trueth it is not thy labouring and doing in any other mans calling that will profite thee but thou art ordained by GOD to doe thy duetie in thine owne calling and when the account of thy deedes shall bee taken in that Great day hee shall not say what hast thou done in another mans calling but what hast thou done in thine owne I made thee a Minister howe hast thou traueled in that vocation Therefore I saye as euerie man would bee readie to giue an account of his doinges let euerie man bee diligent in his owne vocation seeking the glorie of GOD therein Nowe it might haue beene saide to Paul Thou boastest much of thy doing and preaching but looke with what sinceritie thou hast beene occupied and with what vprightnesse of heart thou hast beene preaching in thy life time He answereth and first hee taketh GOD to bee witnesse of the sinceritie of his heart in discharging his Ministerie and then hee taketh the Corinthians among whome hee had traueled to bee witnesse also of his sinceritie As for GOD hee saieth We are made manifest vnto GOD And as for men I trust also I am made manifest in your consciences Hee taketh first GOD to bee witnesse who knoweth the heart and then the Corinthians who sawe his actions Then Brethren it is not enough for a Minister that preacheth CHRIST as Paule doeth for to perswade men to belieue in CHRIST to speake outwardlie to men as I am now speaking to you but hee must looke in the meane time that inwardlie his heart be set vpon GOD that is looke that he approoue his heart in sinceritie to GOD who seeth the heart Men marke the wordes that come out of the mouth but GOD marketh the sinceritie of the heart to see with what sinceritie the man speaketh This that I speake of Paul in his calling I meane of all other men in their callings Doest thou anie thing outwardlie to men looke that thou doe it inwardlie in thine heart with sinceritie to GOD otherwise thou losest all thy trauell albeit it were neuer so good in the presence of men Of this it followeth al these are but vaine voyces to stand vp and say I haue done this thing or that thing To speake to men who knowe not the heart except in the meane time as thou art speaking vnto men thou mayest draw the LORD to bee witnesse as Paule doeth to the sinceritie of thine heart and may say I haue beene traueiling with what sinceritie the LORD knoweth that which I haue done I haue done it in sinceritie not being content to call GOD onelie to bee witnesse he turneth him to the Corinthians and he appealeth their consciences to beare recorde of his sinceritie in his doing and hee saieth As for you Corinthians speaking sparingly I trust
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
sixteenth Chapter and the two and twentie verse of the first Epistle to the Corinthians Louest thou Him assure thy selfe howbeit thou canst not get such a loue to Him or such a sight of these thinges as thou wouldest haue they are prepared for thee Onelie thou art to take heede to see if that loue of GOD bee in thine heart Goe not to search what is in Heauen and thinke not to get a full sight of that glorie in this life that is laide vp for thee But rest on Him yea though it were halfe blindlinges Well is the soule that can loue the LORD IESVS I will ende heere and will recommende to euerie soule that Loue of IESVS as euer they woulde see the thinges that the eye neuer sawe nor the eare neuer hearde nor hath euer entered into the heart of man to their euerlasting comfort and consolation at the comming of the LORD IESVS To whome with the FATHER and the Holy GHOST bee all Honour Prayse and Glorie for euer and euer world without ende So bee it THE SEVENTH SERMON I. COR. CHAP. II. verse 10 But GOD hath reuealed them vnto vs by His Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all thinges yea the deepe thinges of GOD. verse 11 For what man knoweth the thinges of man except the spirite of a man which is in him Euen so the thinges of GOD knoweth no man but the Spirite of GOD. verse 12 Nowe wee haue receaued not the spirit of the world but the Spirite which is of GOD that wee may know the things that are giuen to vs of GOD. THE last day Brethren we heard a cleare description commendation of that wisedome which ` Paul spake and preached which is none other in effect but this same blessed EVANGELL that is preached to you We shewed you that there was nothing that might commende a science or wisedome in this world but it concurred with him to the commendation praise and glorie of this wisdome that is here described The author of it is not the world nor the Princes of the world but God the maker of the worlde The secrecie of it was hidden vp in a mysterie so manie ages from the creation to the comming of Christ and manifestation of Him in the nature of man The antiquitie of it it was predestinated from all Eternitie The end of it our glorie The sublimitie and highnesse of it when it was reuealed at the cumming of CHRIST none of the Princes of this world could vnderstand it for if they had known it they had not crucified the LORD of glorie The subject of it the thinges which the eye neuer sawe the eare neuer hearde which neuer entered into the heart of man and yet for all this prepared for them that loue the LORD Nowe to come to the Text which wee haue in hand It might haue bene asked of the Apostle If such thinges as were neuer seene neuer heard of nor neuer entred into the heart of man were contained in that wisdom which he taught what profite haue we by that wisedome what profite haue wee of the thinges whereof wee are not capable The Apostle meeteth this in the first verse which we haue read But saith hee God hath reuealed them vnto vs by His Spirit It is true indeed they passe the sight of our eyes they surmount aboue our hearing they passe the capacitie of our mind yet that LORD hath dimitted Himselfe vnto vs by His Spirit He hath reuealed those things to vs the sillie ones of y e world not to the princes of y e world but to the sillie simple ones Hee hath reuealed them not by our spirit but by His owne Spirit There is the summe of the answere shortlie He giueth the reason in the next part of the verse and letteth vs see that the Spirite of Iesus is able to reueale all these high and hidden things to vs setting out the nature of the Holie Spirit For saieth hee the Spirite searcheth all thinges yea the deepe thinges of God The Spirite is a searcher and hee is a searcher of all things created in Heauen and earth Nothing can escape him but hee will seâ—rch into the secretest things in the world and into the secretest parts of thine heart What more Hee is a searcher of the God of glorie Himselfe and will pierce into the infinite deepnesse that is in God Hee being such a Spirit as this is he not able to reueal the things whereof wee are not capable There is the meaning of the whole verse shortlie Then we see these things contained in the Heauenlie wisedome as the riches of God in IESVS CHRIST our remission of sinne our justification our regeneration our saluation and life euerlasting euen common thinges which yee heare of daylie together with Iesus Christ the Mediator in whome and thorowe whome all thinges are wrought are the thinges which the eare hath not hearde nor the eye hath not seene neither haue they eâ—â—ered into the heart of man Yet wee see that these thinges passe not so the capacitie of man nor they are not so altogether hidden from man but they are reuealed And they are reuealed to whom To them for whom they are prepared They are reuealed when euen in this life there is none for whom they are prepared from all Eternitie but in this life before the soule goe out of the bodie they shall receiue some reuelation and vnderstanding of these same things and thou that gettest no reuelation of them in this life and gettest not a sight of them ere the soule goe out of the bodie I will say to thee They were neuer prepared for thee Remission of sinnes was neuer prepared for thee Iustification before the Tribunall of GOD Regeneration Life euerlasting was neuer prepared for thee There is not a better token of life after this life than a blink of life in this life if it were but a glimmering for the best of vs hath but a glimmering a blinke of IESVS Christ and of the graces that are in Him in this life is the surest token that thou canst haue of the life to come And by the contrarie There is not a worse token of darkenesse after this life than to haue thine eyes so closed that thou hast no blinke heere of that life to come And when thou diest hauing no sight of the life to come thou shalt die a miserable catiue a faggot for the fire of Hâ—ll Let vs goe forward to the rest God hath reuealed them by His Spirit Now yee see heere a reuelation by the Spiritâ— Marke it I shall tarie somwhat vpon these wordes Yee heard before of a reuelation by the word which is this wisedome Now yee heare of a reuelation by the Spirite It is not enough to receaue a reuelation by the word though it were neuer so faire and so soundly preached it will neuer doe thee good it is nothing but as if thou wouldest holde a light before a blinde man say to him Man seest
the Spirite of God euerie spirite is a searcher it is the nature of a spirite euer to pierce in and to search for it is a subtile thing and will pierce in very subtilely to the secrets of things The spirit of an Angell is a searcher and a subtile thing the spirit of the Deuill is subtile and will pierce in subtilely he will pierce in to thine heart and insinuate himselfe therein likewise the spirit of a man is a subtile spirit and a searcher also he will search out the things that are in heauen and in the sea and in the earth for he is wonderfully inclined to searching But all the spirites except the Spirit of that Holy One search onely the creatures The spirite of an Angell of the deuill of a man search but the creatures As for the Creator no spirit is able to search in Him but His owne Spirit yea they knowe nothing in Him but so much as He will reueale vnto them As for man hee is very busie but for all his businesse hee could neuer yet search out his owne heart â—â—there is a mysterie of sinne lying in the foldes of his heart which hee shall neuer see except this Spirite enter in and giue him light But the blessed Spirit of God and of Iesus Christ hee is the Spirit both of the Father and of the Sonne for one Spirit proceedeth froÌ„ both He searcheth the Father He searcheth the Sonne Hee discouereth all And no man can bee a good searcher or a sanctified searcher except hee haue this Spirite If thy spirit be not sanctified by this Spirite which is the onlie searcher and sanctifier of all thinges all thy searching is but vanitie Nowe to goe forward Before Hee was called a searcher and now He is called a reuealer First He searcheth out then He reuealeth vnto vs There is the order He reuealeth the hiddeÌ„ things in God because He Himselfe of His owne nature is a searcher of them and before that euer Hee reueale them He searcheth them out first TheÌ„ he that will be a reuealer and will set himself to reueale those things to men I speak it in plain talk he that will bee a Preacher of these hidden thinges to others looke that first hee bee a searcher and let him bee occupied in searching and heartilie beseech GOD that the Holie Spirite would lead him in to those things that haue none accesse For hee is not fit to bee a Preacher of the Gospell that searcheth not with all his might first to see these things in God which he speaketh to others Woe to him that commeth in of purpose to speake the things to others which he neuer saw nor felt first in his owne heart Dauid saith Psalme 116. 10. I beleeued and therefore I spake Paule afterwardes saieth We beleeue and therefore wee speake 2. Cor. 4. 13. What is this beliefe None other thing but before hee speake to others to get an assurance of them in his owne heart Now looke the maner of the reuealing of these things The Spirit he reuealeth because hee openeth our heartes and taketh away the vaile off our heartes to let vs see them otherwise in vaine were it to laye them before vs. I see another maner of this reuelation and therefore looke what more the Spirit doeth Hee is not content only to take the vaile froÌ„ thine heart but hee taketh thy soule by the hand as it were and leadeth it in thorow the deepnesse of God he will rauish it out of the bodie as it were and leade it in to that light which hath none accesse and will say Loe there is the mercie loe there is the righteousnesse loe there is the euerlasting Life which is spoken of seest thou not them all in Him So he will point out euerie thing in God Therefore no doctrine auaileth without this Holie Spirit seeing Hee alone taketh the vaile from our heartes and leadeth vs in to see the thinges which are spoken of There is no perfect Doctor but the Spirite of Iesus onlie There is no creature although hee be an Angell that can take the vaile off thine heart to let thee see that can bore thine care to let thee heare perfectlie And therefore in preaching depend not vpon the mouth of men but onlie vpon the Spirit of Iesus Christ Yet I shall make the matter more plaine and shew how the Spirit will take thee and let thee see the thinges which are in God I will vse a supposition which cannot bee yet it will make the matter more cleare I suppose that my spirit or soule entered into thee if my spirite or my soule bee in thee there woulde bee nothing within mee but thou wouldest see it all my thoughtes would bee patent to thee Now to applie this This is no supposition God will put His Spirite into a man or woman for if His Spirit be not in vs wo be vnto vs for euer and euer If God put His Spirit into anie of vs must it not follow of necessitie that wee must see in God at least the things which concerne our weale and saluation That spirite in mee in thee must reueale to mee to thee the thinges which lie in the verie deepnesse of God which concerne our weale and saluation and that man that hath the Spirite of God will see the verie heart of God His mind he will see the remission of his sinnes in the mind of GOD and all by the benefite of the Spirite of IESVS that dwelleth in him Marke this yee that account so lightlie of the Spirite of Iesus in whom consisteth the onlie felicitie of man For if thou want His Spirite woe to thee thou shalt goe to Hell So wee haue a great vantage heere that by the benefite of the Spirite wee see the thinges that are in GOD. But Brethren God hath as great an aduantage of vs for if Gods Spirit be in vs by His Spirit Hee seeth all that is in our heartes for if my spirit were in thee as I spake before as thou wouldest see all that is in mine heart so I would see all that is in thy soule the least thought of thine heart would bee patent vnto mee so much more that Spirit seeth the least motion thoght of the heart of man in whom He is will present them all to the Father and lay them open before Him So al serueth to this end that we should take heed to the least thought of our hearts and beware to thinke one thought to displease Him for the Spirit as He is called the searcher of the deepnesse of God so He is called the searcher of the heartes of men There is not one thought nor one grone in thine heart or one motion of joy in thy soule but He reporteth all to the Father We haue neede to take heede to all the motions of our heartes and neuer to thinke one thought but that which wee thinke is acceptable to the Father neuer to anger the Spirit
power to your destruction but all the power which GOD hath giuen mee is to your edification The GOD of Heauen gaue neuer to anie creature in HeaueÌ„ noâ— earth power to doe against her but all to maintaine her in her liberty Then meddle not with her jurisdiction Let none earthly power meddle with it and beware that no irruption bee made within it There was neuer Emperour nor Monarch of this worlde that made irruption within it that euer wanne by it Therefore let euerie soule beware to meddle with this libertie for certainelie that sworde that shall be strocken at her shee shallding it back again like the hammer off the stithie Reade the Ecclesiasticall Histories yee shall see that neuer man got the vpper-hand that euer medled with it And therefore the LORD open mens eyes and let them see this that they may reuerence this glorious Spouse of IESVS CHRIST as euer they would see that glorious Face of CHRIST IESVS Her Head To whome with the Father and the Holie Spirite bee all Praise Honour Glorie worlde vvithout end so bee it THE NINTH SERMON II. COR. CHAP. X. verse 1 Now I Paule my selfe beseech you by the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Christ who when I am present amongst you am base but am bolde towardes you beeing absent verse 2 And this I require you that I neede not to be bolde when I am present with that same confidence wherewith I thinke to bee bolde against some who ecteeme vs as though wee walked according to the flesh verse 3 Neuerthelesse though wee walke in the flesh yet we doe not warre after the flesh verse 4 For the weapons of our warre-fare are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe Holdes verse 5 Casting downe the imaginations and euerie high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euerie thought to the obedience of CHRIST THESE Corinthians vnto whome the Apostle writeth beeing before founded and grounded in the faith of IESVS CHRIST by this Ministerie yet afterward seduced and led aside with false apostles Oratours â—ather than Teachers who preached the Gospel of IESVS CHRIST with humane affected eloquence beginne to disdaine the Apostle who â—ounded and grounded them in that Faith of IESVS CHRIST and to account of him euen as if he had not beene sent or had not bene an Apostle in verie deede but had onelie giuen himselfe out for an Apostle Therefore in this present Text the Apostle beseecheth them to account of him as he was indeed as the Apostle of Iesus Christ and desireth them so to esteeme of him and so taking occasion he falleth out in a verie high description of his Apostleship And first hee maketh a request vnto them Nowe I Paule my selfe beseech you by the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Christ Surelie if yee will consider their deseruinges at the handes of the Apostle they should haue bene met more hardly and sharper language should haue beene directed vnto them Yet y e Apostle meeteth them gently directeth to them a meeke and gentle request I Paule in mine own person beseech you and that for the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Iesus Christ if euer ye had any taste of that mercy meeknesse in Iesus Christ towards you euen for that meekenesse sake and for that mercies sake obey me doe the thing which I bid you So the Pastor hath his lesson first heere It is the part and duetie of a Pastor who hath to doe with people First at the entrie to beginne with meeknesse and lenitie yea amongst all the properties that is required in a faithfull Pastor this is not the least to bee endued with lenitie and pitie Lenitie I saye arising not onelie of the consideration of the miserie of men with whome hee hath to doe for all people are miserable by nature and all our preachinges are to a companie of miserable creatures who beeing miserable hath neede of mercie and craueth pitie but arising also of a sense and feeling of his owne wretchednesse and miserie What Is hee not himselfe a miserable man by nature as well as anie other person of the flocke man or woman Then againe the mercie and lenitie of IESVS CHRIST which hee hath found towordes himselfe shoulde mooue and raise vp his lenitie and pitie towards his flocke Therefore Paule beeing of minde to speake to these Corinthians how be it he had matter of sharpenesse threatning offered vnto him by them yet the mercy of Christ towards him who was so miserable himselfe vntill hee got that mercie changeth all sharpnesse to lenity turneth his threatnings which hee might haue vsed in a pitifull request Next the people likewise hath their lesson here For as the lenitie pitie and meeknesse of Iesus Christ should mooue the Pastor to lenitie towards y â— people euen so this same lenitie meeknesse of our Lord Iesus should moue the people to obey the gentle and humble request of the Pastor And he or she that euer hath felt in heart and tasted the sweetnesse of the mercie of GOD in IESVS CHRIST will not so soone heare of this lenitie and mercie for CHRISTS mercies sake or for His lenities sake but as soone they wil bee moued to obey the request And they againe who continue stubborne disobedient notwithstanding of a duetifull and lawfull request I saye for my part that stubborne hearted bodie neuer knew what Christ meaned neuer felt remission of sinnes through the blood of Iesus Christ They that will not doe the thing which they should doe for the mercies sake of Christ shall neuer taste of that mercie nor of Iesus Christ Affuredlie they serue for nothing but to be faggots for the fire of Hell for where mercy is not there must be judgement Now in the latter part of the verse hee setteth downe a description of himselfe I Paul who when I am present among you am base but am bolde towardes you being absent This is one thing in effect with that which followeth afterwards in the 10. verse of this chap. for this dis-estimation of himselfe is from that light account and regarde that they made of him and of the Gospel which he teached For the Letters saith he are sore and strong but his bodilie presence is weake and his speach is of no value He here describeth himself conforme to their dis-estimation of him for the mis-liking is recent in his memorie yet his speach is meeke to them This matter would haue angered a good man but Paul is so farre from anger that hee breaketh out in a gentle and humble request Whereupon I note That the vnthankfullnes of the world should not breake our patience or cause vs forget that lenitie wherewith the Embassadour of Iesus Christ shoulde bee endued for lenitie is bounde to vs and wee are bound to it yea although this worlde be neuer so vngrate yet we are bound to striue by long suffering to ouercome in the ende Secondly think ye not but Paul
desire to liue for a while that the Church may be holpen The Lord accounteth more highly of this desire than of a desire that a man hath to die and to bee with Iesus The Lord accounted more of PAVLES liuing to helpe the Church than of his glorifying Him in his death Thinke yee that PAVL woulde haue liued so long except the Lord had seene him profitable to His Church And no question y e Lord Iesus knowing the misery of this earth would haue taken vp His Apostles at His ascention with Him if He had not loued the weale of His Church There is no good body but the Lord woulde haue them with Him yet Hee letteth them remaine heere in paine that they may help the Church otherwise there would not be a good body left liuing in SCOTLAND Hee would take them all away and glorifie them But so long as Hee hath a Church in SCOTLAND Hee will let good men continue but when Hee taketh them away wo be to them that tary behind It is wonderfull to see how the Lord will keepe a man by whose trauels Hee will helpe His Church All the worlde will not get leaue to hurt an haire of his head HEROD taketh PETER and putteth him into prison laying him betwixt two souldiers thinking to execute him y e next morning Act. 12. But the Lord by His Angell wakeneth him and bringeth him safe out and yet hee wist not what hee was doing PAVL and PETER were wonderfully deliuered so long as the Lord had to doe with them but when He had done His turne and they fell into the hands of NERO there is no more dinne of them they were slaine So long as the Lord hath adoe with any man He will shake Heauen and earth ere hee perish Well the care of the Church of God is decaying in SCOTLAND Leâ—vs crie LORD put the care of this Church and the care of the members of the body of Christ into the hearts of men that euery man may care for the saluation of another and that God maye bee glorified in them through His Sonne Christ Iesus our Sauiour To whome with the Father and the Holy Ghost bee all Prayse Honour and Glory both now and for euermore AMEN THE ELEVENTH SERMON TITVS CHAP. III. verse 3 For we our selues were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lustes and diuerse pleasuâ—es liuing in maliciousnesse and enuie hatefull and hating one another verse 4 But when the bountifulnesse and loue of GOD our Sauiour toward man appeared verse 5 Not by the workes of righteousnesse which wee had done but according to His mercie Hee saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and the renewing of the Holie Ghost verse 6 Which Hee shedde on vs aboundantlie through IESUS CHRIST our Sauiour verse 7 That wee beeing justified by His grace should bee made heyres according to the hope of eternall life IF we shall consider this Text welbeloued in IESVS CHRIST we shall find in it three things The first the miserable estate and condition of man wherein hee stood before hee was called to grace by IESVS CHRIST The next is his mercifull deliuerie froÌ„ that miserable estate and condition The last is the ende of his mercifull deliuerie to wit That he should serue God all the dayes of his life in all maner of thankfulnesse for so mercifull a deliuerie And seeing our communicating with the bodie and blood of the LORD approaches our preparation caÌ„not stand in three better thinges than these First in a knowledge of our miserie before that we knew God in CHRIST Next in a knowledge of our mercifull deliuerie from that miserable estate And thirdlie in a duetie toward God for our deliuerie We shall speake at this time of the first two Now to returne and to goe thorow the words as the Lord will giue vs grace The occasion of the setting downe of this first part to wit of our miserie before we knew Christ is this Immediatelie before he hath exhorted TITVS to vse all kinds of lenitie towardes them that were not conuerted not to deale with them in rigour but to deale with them in meeknesse Hee giueth the reason Looke what they are now euen such were we before wee were called liuing in concupiscence our mindes were rebellious against God therefore let vs deale with them as wee woulde haue beene dealt with our selues at that time I marke here first That our miserable estate that we stood in before we were called to this grace through Iesus Christ shoulde neuer be forgotten The miserie of nature wherein wee are conceiued and borne and wherein wee liue for a time till wee knowe Christ should neuer goe out of our remembrance When thou hast plaide the foole a while in sinne when thou hast followed harlotry committed murther oppressed thy neighbour when God hath called thee out of that miserable condition made thee to know Him in Christ forget neuer thy former misery forget neuer that thou hast followed filthinesse murthered oppressed c. Saieth the Apostle to the Ephesians who were Gentiles after their conuersion in Christ Forget your olde done deedes saith he so No but he saith Remember that ye were Gentiles Brethren it is true the estate of grace in Christ hath a sweetnesse with it if a man or woman haue a sense of it but looke that the sweetnesse of it m is-â—elish not so the taste that in the meane time thou lose all sense of thy former misery Keepe therefore both the misery and the deliuery in thy mind that thereby the true sense of GODS mercie may be stirred vp in thine heart for none haue the true sense of the mercie of God in Christ except hee onelie that sigheth for the miserie which we did lie in before This is the first Another thing I marke here This same remembrance of our misery it should make euery one of vs that stand in grace to haue a compassion vpon sinners where euer thou seest them labour to winne them but with pitie and let bee thy bitternesse A man that hath no pitie but is full of bitternesse against a sinner that man hath forgotten that hee was a sinner before There is no man so cleane but there is a remaining corruption in him albeit hee see it not They that haue the true zeale of God they will indeede bee seuere against sinners Why not but they beginne alwayes at their selues and then reprooue others Hypocrites beginne not at themselues but they hide and cloake their owne sinnes and are alwayes seuere against others But the man that beginneth at himselfe his seueritie is aye mixed with pitie But to come to the words Wee were such as they are now we were mad and out of our right wit we were beside our selues There is the first part of our miserie in nature for wee were all miserable by nature there is not one soule but it is borne miserable by nature Yee see then Brethren our miserie beginneth not at our
body there are manie who if they haue their body well disposed are at ease then but if it be not well disposed they are heauily displeased then they grone and sigh no our misery beginneth not at our body it beginneth within vs at our soules and not at y e inferior parts of the soule but at the minde which is the most excellent part light of our soules and that should guide all the rest of the powers of y e soule Nowe the sicknesse of it is madnesse it is blinde ignorant without judgement and wee are madde fooles by nature There is no man born in y e earth but he is borne a foole thou art borne a mad bodie and besides thy selfe Thou wilt thinke thy self very wise thy wit will compasse HeaueÌ„ earth yea others that look to thee wil think thee wise but if thou haue no more than nature thou art a foole As he is a fool in very deed who thinketh he speaketh alwayes an oracle euen so art thou that art not in Christ and countest thy selfe wise the wiser thou thinkest thy selfe thou art the more and the more a foole All this is to let men see that none is wise without God For when the light of GOD is not in thee all that thou doest is foolishnesse and hee that is wise without GOD shall curse his wisedome one day and saye that all was but madnesse yea and all the Monarches in the worlde shall curse that wisedome which they had without God This natural sicknesse goeth further downe it descendeth to the heart it tarieth not in the minde But next wee become maine rebelles against God hee that is madde he is set to rebell and he is froward euer inclining to disobedience against GOD. Brethren yee knowe there are two sortes of fooles amongst men Some fooles are sillie simple fooles other fooles are malicious fooles by nature we are all borne fooles but malicious fooles euermore rebelling and displeasing GOD. If wee compare thâ—se two sortes of fooles together the second is worst LORD saue vs from a rebellious heart For I tell thee the minde is not so blinded but it hath some sight of GOD but the heart of man after the fall is altogether inclined to rebellion so that if there bee one spunke of light left in nature it will trauell by all meanes to put in the finger in the eye of the minde and put it out And therefore trauell to reforme thine heart for if it bee not reformed it shall euermore carrie thee the wrong way So there are two partes of the miserie of man Nowe commeth on the thirde Thy miserie endeth not heere Marke and trauell to finde this in experience Fie on vs if wee knowe not our selues for if wee know not our selues wee shall neuer knowe God aright The thirde part standeth in actions for the madde and rebellious heart must breake out in some actions Can a mad and rebellious bodie bee idle Hee calleth ouâ— works wauering going out of the way Can a mad man keepe the hie waye No but euermore hee goeth to one side or other No more can wee by nature goe forwarde in the right waye for by nature wee are madde frowarde and disobedient It is true naturall men will doe things that are right in themselues but no man shall do that which is good in it self rightlie that hath y t rebellion in his heart for wee doe nothing rightly but when our eyes are vpon God Albeit the action were neuer so good if thou seekest not GOD in it it is not done rightlie Thou mayest well doe it to please the eyes of men and thou mayest get thankes at the handes of men for it but thou shalt get none at Gods handes so if thou wouldest bee accepted of GOD and wouldest haue the action of thine handes to please God first looke that thine action bee good and then looke to God in thine action Then there are three parts of misery of the naturall man first madnesse in the mind secondly maliciousnesse in the heart thirdly his actions are wauerings all wandring out of the way To goe forward Hee describeth this wauering and he calleth it seruing it standeth in slauerie his whole life-time is but a seruice and slauery The naturall man if hee haue no more but nature hee is a slaue and a seruant bought and solde for Paul saieth hee is solde to bee subject to sinne Roman 7. 15. Suppose hee were a Monarch of the whole earth if hee bee without the newe man hee is a slaue It is true hee will haue manie seruantes vnder him but hee is the first and chiefe slaue himselfe yea hee is a greater seruant than the verie kitchen boye and the moste abject seruant in his house But to whome is this seruice done To whome are wee slaues In plaine talke hee saieth to concupiscences Hee calleth them pleasures but fiâ— on them how beit they are sweete things yet they haue a soure ende Harlotrie is sweete for a time but O that bitternesse in the ende It is sweete to murther but O that bitternesse that it shall bring with it in the end it shal be bitterer than the very gall Paul maketh mention here of aâ—varietie and diuersity of lusts Thou that seruest thine own lusts art not subject to one maister only but to an hundreth thou art subject to many vncleane maisters of diuers qualities Brethren are these our maisters Fy vpon them the seruice done to them it is a vile seruice Thou that art a lord when thou lookest to thy kitchen boye thou wilt thinke his seruice vile but fye vpon thee thou art a greater slaue hee is an honest seruant but thou art a slaue for thy seruice is done to thy filthy pleasures there is a variety of them and so thou hast manie maisters whom thou seruest And therefore yee will see these men who serue their owne lustes to bee the weariest bodies y â— euer liued euen as if they were drawne thorow a myre for the onely true and cleane seruice is the seruice of that onely one GOD the onely repose of thy soule is on that one GOD there is no rest but on Him Awaye with that creature that drinketh in the soule lustes of this earth that is no rest to him heere and woe to that rest that shall come in the ende So there are the maisters which wee serue foule concupiscences and fleshlie lustes It may bee asked Will a person bee subject to such a great varietie of concupiscences I answere The seede of euerie sinne in the worlde is in euerie man so all concupiscences are in thee because the seede of them is within thee No the best men in the earth hath the seede of these lusts which budde out into actions it will lurke for a time in the winter but in the spring it will breke out and then thou wilt knowe thou hast it when thou feelest the stinke of it So there is the first answere the seede of
of the infinit power of thy God of the mercy of thy God so scorn Him not with a senselesse heart No if thou gettest not a sense feeling of thy misery of thy trouble vexation in thine heart call not vpon the Name of the Lord. It is true indeed the Lord seeth and knoweth thy misery as well as thy selfe albeit thou speake not a word vnto Him of thy misery yet for all that the Lord taketh pleasure to heare thy misery out of thine owne mouth He will not only haue thee to feele and grone in thine heart for it but he will haue thee to vtter it vnto Him with thy tongue also if oportunity serue He wil haue thee to make it knowne vnto Him as if Hee knew it not He will haue thee to bring vp thy misery from the ground of thine heart as thou feelest it in the sadnesse of thine heart so to vtter it in thy voyce for the Lord delighteth to heare miserable bodies speaking of their miserie Now to goe forward When shee hath made her petition see the meeting the text saith At the first Hee answered her not a vvord but goeth forward vvith the Disciples and letteth her follow on crying O Lord haue mercie vpon me not once nor twise but the crie goeth neuer out of her head This is wonderfull Hee that preuented her vvith grace and gaue her grace to seeke him vvill not make her one vvorde answere but goeth his vvaye and vvill not speake vnto her Yea thou vvilt find that he who preuēted thee vvith grace sought thee ere euer thou soughtest him gaue thee grace to crie and pray Haue mercie O God yet he vvill seeme to mis-knowe thee and make thee none answere Thou vvilt crie in sicknesse Mercie but vvilt thou alwayes find mercy No no thou vvilt cry in other troubles Mercie and his Spirite no question vvill interceade for thee and yet for a time hee vvill make thee none answere What meaneth this why doeth he so Now vvhen he hath giuen thee grace to crie for mercy a thirst an hunger for grace Blessed are they that hunger thirst vvhen he hath giuen thee this first grace hee vvill let thee crie a great vvhile to trie thy constancie We neuer get a spirituall grace in this life but vvith the grace vve get alwayes a tryall and vvhen he giueth vs grace to crie hee vvill trie if vvee vvill crie on And to speake the trueth Brethren All our life heere is but a tryall of the graces of GOD vvhich hee hath giuen vs. Wee gette not our heauen heere but a faith to looke a farre of vnto it an hunger a thirst a desire of it and vvith our thirst a tryall of our Faith a tryall of our Hope of our desire to see if vvee vvill stand in it And then saieth Peter in the life to come the tryall of thy faith and hope and patience beeing ended What shall followe Praise and honour and glorie vvhen IESVS shall appeare 1. Pet. 1. 7. Thou shalt bee filled vvith saciety and fulnesse of joye thine hunger and thirst shall bee satisfied as soone as euer thou seest thy Redeemer Now to proceed The Disciples that followed y e Lord they are troubled vvith the cry of y e woman say to the Lord. Either giue her one answere or other and let her goe her way Surely I thinke this sute of the disciples was not so much for anie desire they had that he should helpe her as to be quite of her crying because they vvere deafned vvith her So then the Papistes neede not vpon this to ground their intercession of the Sainctes in heauen for vs that remaine heere on earth for this ground is as vveake as their doctrine of intercession is and she directeth not her speach to the Apostles heere to PETER IAMES or IOHN that they should intercead for her but to the Lord himself she speaketh to none of thē but she passeth speakes to y e Lord immediately So should wee leaue all the Saincter and with confidence goe to the Lord Himselfe The Disciples are deafned and troubled with her crying the Lord Himselfe letteth her crie on and this is a token that Hee is not wearied with her crying Well then thou findest a comfort heere when thou cryest night and day Hee neuer wearieth with thee He saith not thou troublest me al thy cryes sighes and sobbes are pleasant to Him Men will bee weary sometimes with thy crying as wee reade that vnjust Iudge was importuned by the just sute of the poore woman and dispatcheth her away and saith thou troublest and irkest mee night and day Luke 18. 1. But the true righteous Iudge is neuer wearied with thee when He letteth thee cry out He wil not answere with a grudge as the Iudge did but chearfully The Lord that loueth a chearfull giuer He Himselfe giueth chearefully What meaneth that joye that the faithfull finde in their heartes accompanying the benefite that commeth from Him but that the Lord giueth His benefites chearefully for if the LORD gaue thee them not chearfully but in anger and wrath and threwe them to thee as to a reprobate thou wouldest neuer haue joye in the receiuing of them There is not such a thing as a reprobate can haue joy in the giuer or euer haue his mouth opē with true thankesgiuing to the Lord to say once I thanke thee Why Because the Lord giueth him not His benefites in loue but in anger So this is a sure token when thou findest joye in thine heart and a contentation in thy prayer and a purpose to be thankfull that the Lord giueth thee chearefully and heareth thee joyfully And if thou canst get but a joyfull looke of thy God thou mayst be assured that it proceedeth of mercy When Hee looketh so vnto thee Hee doeth not as earthly kings or any earthly creature vse to doe for they can keepe a faire countenance and yet haue little good will in their heartes Well the womā crieth the disciples cry The Lord must answere once but Hee maketh an answere little to her contentment I am not sent saieth He but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel What haue I to doe with that poore woman shee is not one of My sheepe she is of a cursed generation of the Canaanites ordained to destruction and wrath In a word He debarreth her from grace Hee cloaseth the gates of Heauen vpon her teeth for when He saith Hee is not sent to her He shutteth her out of Heauen Wee ought to marke this well for we are Canaanites that is to say Gentiles It is true indeed the Lord comming down from the Heauen manifesting Himselfe in the flesh He had His commission first principally to the Iewes and not to the Gentiles not to Scotland nor ENGLAND nor Germanie nor France chiefely and principally as Christ said to Hierusalem Oh! that thou couldest see the day of thy visitation Luke 19. 41. Hee was
sent with commission to the Gentiles but in case of the contumacie rebellion of the Iewes as if the Lord had said vnto him Goe thy vvay vnto mine owne people vvhome I haue chosen from among all the Nations of the earth and see if thou canst vvinne them goe no further And if the Iewes had not bene rebellious and disobedient vve had neuer gotten mercie and grace Looke Roman 11. 11. The fall of the Iewes vvas the raising vp of the Gentiles the diminution of the Iewes vvas the riches of the Gentiles Howe got yee grace saith he By their contumacie and rebellion So Christ sending out his Disciples to preach biddeth them go not vnto the Gentiles or vnto the Samaritanes their next neighbours but vnto the lâ—st sheepe of the house of Israel Matth. 10. 5. And Paul in a preaching before both the Iewes and Gentiles Act. 13. 46. The worde of GOD saieth hee behooued first to bee preached vnto you the promise belonging vnto you But because yee will not receiue the worde and haue made your selues vnworthie of life euerlasting Therefore I will turne and preach to the Gentiles And so hee bade the Iewes good-night and turned him to the Gentiles And the TEXT saieth that then the Gentiles rejoyced exceedingly So vvee vvere strangers from heauen and aliantes from the common vvealth of Israel And vvee learne in the example of this vvoman that our entrie to grace and to heauen vvas verie hard and difficill And as our entrie to grace vvas hard so if vvee fall from grace our re-entrie to grace shall bee farre harder And if thou fall once from grace hardly shalt thou get grace againe A Gentile that falleth once from grace and treadeth vnder his feete the blood of Iesus shall neuer bee renewed with grace againe And I say to thee O Scotland if thou fallest from grace looke neuer for grace againe Looke to the cities amongst the Gentiles that fell from grace looke Corinth looke Philippi looke y e Galathians c. got they euer grace again No so if Scotland fall from grace it will bee a wonder if euer it get grace againe The wrath of God shall bee powred foorth vpon euery one from the greatest to the smallest for if He receiued not the Iewes His owne people into grace after that they were once fallen from it shal He take thee vp againe a Gentile a vile dog in respect of them And yet our men in this countrey care not to cast themselues and their whole land into Hell and into euerlasting abjection from grace without all hope of recouery So this is an harde answere shee findeth no grace at all They that follow Iesus Christ and seeke for grace will finde in their way a sore tryall men thinke that Heauen is but a common benefit that it is easie to a maÌ„ to come thither but albeit thou be a king an Emperour or Monarch thou wilt find an hard entry therein Will thy kingdome or thy lordship bring thee to heaueÌ„ No if thou sleep on in careles security thou shalt neuer so heaueÌ„ So if there were no more but this exaÌ„ple of this Gentilish womaÌ„ it teaches vs that it is hard to win to heauen that the gates of Heauen at the first shall be shut vpon our teeth What is the cause of this Thou art further from Christ and from grace from Heauen and from the joye of Heauen a thousand times more than the naturall earth is from the naturall Heauen Thou art a Canaanite come of a cursed generation What adoe hath a Canaanite with Heauen so vnworthie a thing with so worthy a thing The Lord before He opened the gates of Heauen vnto her Hee woulde let her vnderstand that shee had nothing to doe with Heauen And I say vnto thee that the Lord ere euer Hee giue thee grace Hee will haue thee knowing by tentations and tryalles that thou art a Canaanite descended of a cursed and reprobate generation and vnworthie that euer thou shouldest see Heauen or haue a do with Heauen And if Hee bring thee not to this sight and this feare I giue thee thy dome thou shalt never see Heauen Nowe marke Hee hath cloased the doores of Heauen vpon her And certainely this answere might haue caused her to haue gone awaye with shame and confusion But for all this tentation she continueth still she crieth still and hopeth for mercie holde vpon mercy hope still belieue on still and that hope shal neuer make thee ashamed Shee hath cryed for mercie the gates of Heauen are shut against her What doeth shee Goeth she her way No no shee tarieth still and knocketh And if thou knewest what Heauen were and what Hell were thou wouldest bee loath to leaue Heauen Oh! the tormentes that remaine for them that fall into Hell So shee knocketh and falleth downe vpon her face and adoreth and saieth O Sonne of Dauid haue mercie on mee This adoring was not onely for the casting the deuill out of her daughter No no she sought euerlasting life at the handes of the Lord that healing of her daughter was an earnest-pennie of that Life This was the mind of the woman no question It is saide in the Scripture Seeke and yee shall find aske and yee shall receiue knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Mat. 7. 7. If the seeking faile thee yet tarie still and knocke And if it had not bene the Lords will that a sinner when he findeth heauen gates closed vpon him should tary stil knock would he haue biddeÌ„ him knock It were a presumptuous thing for a begger to knocke at one of our doores but seeing y e Lord hath expressely commanded thee to knocke then knocke on boldly And if thou goe away with the first answere or the first nay-saying thou wast neuer truely hungrie nor thirstie And it is a token that thou countest little of the grace of GOD. If thou knewest howe precious a thing the grace of God Iesus Christ were and what Heauen were and what Hell were thou wouldest neuer cease knocking day nor night all the dayes of thy life for if thou goe away proudly and tariest not vpon Gods answere but speake presumptuously say If He will not giue mee grace let Him holde it to Himselfe as blasphemous men will say then Hee will shoote thee into Hell for if thou wert a king of all the worlde thou shalt neuer get thine head in at Heauen gates except thou knocke Lord if the world knew how hard a thing it is to get entry there men think that they will come easily sleeping to Heauen albeit they take their pleasure pastime but they deceiue themselues there must bee much striuing and fighting ere they get Heauen Before that Heauen could be opened it behoued Iesus Christ to shed His precious blood Now Brethren ye may say to me Alas who can knocke who is able to come there No thou hast no power once to lift vp thine hand to
of misery that scorne in their hearts a poore sinner y t seeketh mercy of y e Lord hold in dirision our fasting our humiliation and all our preaching which they heare And therfore as thou wouldest not bee culpable of such scorning and wouldest not be inuolued in y t judgement that tarieth that scornfull number seeke I beseech thee to get these two sighs say Lord I am but a miserable body am vnworthy to look vp to y e Heauen then get a sense of the mercy of the Lord and then thou shalt bee â—o farre from scorning grace in thine heart that thou shalt bee faine to creep in with all humility to get a part portion of the grace that is spoken of The Pharisie yet hath not bene one of the worst of them hee was not an open blasphemer but an hypocrite I doubt not but y e Lord hath had mercie on him but what how and when his conuersion hath bene the Lord knoweth Now I go forward to y e part of the Lord first toward the Pharisie and then toward the poore woman The Pharisie conceiued not this so quietlie secretly within his owne heart but the Lord the searcher of the heart that made y e heart draweth it to light and saith Simon I haue somewhat to say vnto thee I know what thou thinkest well enough no man needeth to tell me thine heart therefore I will speake somthing vnto thee Simon answereth Lord saye on Brethren striue to present holie thoughts before GOD thinke it not enough to keepe thine hand holie thy tongue from blasphemie but keepe an holy heart vnto the LORD begin not to play the counterfeit to speak holily and to haue a faire shewe outwardly and then to keepe a foule heart and if an euill thought escape thee as who will not haue a thousand euill thoughts if a blasphemie against GOD escape thee as who blasphemeth not God in their heart as well as the Pharisie bee sorrowfull for it away with it let it not tarie but say as Paule saieth Rom. 7. 17. It is not I that doeth it but the corruption of my nature which remaineth within mee Renounce that foule birth and take it neuer vnto thee and this is that battell which we should haue night day to get that vile canker and corruption which vttereth it selfe so violently against that inuiolable Majestie repressed and put away Now when He hath thus spoken He beginneth to let Simon see that that same very woman of whom hee counted so disâ—â—ainfully was not so vile a woman as he thought as though He would say Simon thou thinkest there is not so vile a sinner in the world as she is but I sâ—y vnto thee shee is not so sinfull I haue cleansed her I haue giuen her remission of all her sinnes Who dare call a sinner foule that the Lord hath called cleane darest thou call a penitent sinner foule who hath washen my feere with teares and repenteth vnfainedly Then subsuming He saith This woman repenteth vnfainedly and testifieth her repentance in louing me so exceedingly Therefore He concludeth All her sinnes are forgiuen her Therefore Simon disdaine her not no more than I doe But to consider more narrowly first the ground of the proposition then the assumption last that joyfull conclusion The ground of his reason is this To whome a great debt is forgiuen that person will loue exceedingly To make vs to vnderstand this the better Hee bringeth in a familiar example a parable There was a certaine lender who had two debters the one ought fiue hundreth pence and the other fiftie And when they had nothing to pay hee forgaue them both Which of them therefore tell mee will loue him most Hee saith Simon to whome hee forgaue most Well saieth the Lord then I take this proposition out of thy mouth Hee to whome much is forgiuen he loueth exceedinglie he loueth much And certainly if thou haue no sense of debt if thou thinkest in thine owne conceite that thou owest nothing I saye to thee Thou louest not God thou hast no loue towards Him A wanton sinner that feales not the burthen of sinne hee hath no more loue to God nor to Christ than a dogge hath fie on thee dogge fie on thee that hast not a sense of sinne for thou hast no loue to God Next againe suppose thou haue a sense of sinne feelest some burthen therof yet if thou but thinkest that thou hast a pennie in thy purse to paye GOD for thy debt thou wilt neuer loue thy God And I saye to thee I could neuer thinke in mine heart that a Papist a vaine lowne who will boast of his merites who glorieth in his owne workes and thinketh hee can pay God for his redemption I saye I could neuer be perswaded that such a one could loue the Lord. Next except with the sense of thy debt thou find also a free remissioÌ„ of all thy debt alas thou canst haue no loue to GOD feele thy sinne and thy pouerty as much as thou wilt if thou findest not a free remission and pardon of all thy debt thou wilt neuer loue Him but He is a terror vnto thee so oft as thou thinkest of Him and thou wouldest flee out of the world to escape His handes Then thirdly thou that feelest thy debt and then feelest thine owne pouertie that thou hast not one pennie to giue Him suppose thou bee a King all thy Kingdome will not ransome thy soule nâ— sell Heauen and the earth and all they will not ransom the soule of one creature they will not fill vp one penny of the summe to ransome the soule of one sinner and theÌ„ with the sense of the pouertie seeleth a free remission and heareth the Lord say I forgiue thee all I will haue none of thy siluer but I forgiue thee all in the precious blood of my deare Sonne the Lord Iesus there is the ransome and I adjudge thee to damnation that seekest any other ransome then thou wilt loue the Lord exceedingly These three things being felt first with grones and sobbes feeling the debt and burthen Next thy pouerty and vnhabilitie to pay and last a free remission and disburthening that sinner would bestowe all his goods and land and life and all that hee hath for the loue that hee beareth to the LORD IESVS thine heart will be sweetly loosed with a loue to y e Lord. Who is able to expresse that loue and that vnspeakeable joye that will bee in the heart of a sinner that feeleth the remission of his sinnes Brethren There is yet more than this in the comparison Hee to whome little is forgiuen hee will loue little and hee to whome much is forgiuen will loue much Hee or shee that will come in and confesse their sinnes but will in the meane time extenuate it and saye it is but a little sinne it is but a veniall sinne and manie one hath done twise as much that bodie I saye that
fore-father hee payed his tithe as vvell as Abraham did Euen so vvee beeing euerie one of vs in the loynes of Adam vvhen hee sinned vve made all defection from the LORD and sinned in him Vpon this defection there followed a guiltinesse wherethorow there is none of vs but vvee are obliged to die euerlastinglie And if there vvere no more sinne in all this vvorlde but that first Apostasie only there is matter enough of thine euerlasting damnation thou needest not to heape sinne vpon sinne there is thine obligatioÌ„ to thine euerlasting death and to damnation This is the first part of originall sinne The second part of originall sinne is the effect that followeth vpon the first a foule and horrible corruption that entered in the whole nature of man so that from the top to the toe of man there is not so much whole as one intch Man is a vile leprous creature there is not a whole intch neither in bodie nor soule but all is infected for Brethren that first defection past not away so but it brought with it a fearefull ruine and wracke to mankinde and it leaueth behinde it a foule stinke and terrible darknesse and that came of the just judgement of GOD punishing sinne by sinne And this corruption of nature bringeth with it the owne guiltinesse obligation to eternall death so that sundrie wayes we are guiltie of death The Apostle Paul Ephes 2. 3. setteth downe this guiltinesse when hee saâ—eth Wee were all children of wâ—ath This second part of it Is it that Christ calleth heere flesh in another place it is called the olde man for by flesh we vnderstand not this fleshlie and bodily lumpe which wee cary about with vs nor yet as the Papists call it a concupiscence in this lumpe and nothing in the soule No no but this flesh is a corruption both in soule and bodie and in all the powers and faculties thereof So that there is neuer an intch free from that pest The Lord who made man Genes 8. 21. expresseth the worke and the force of the flesh after the fall where it is saide that after Hee looked and sawe this corruption He saide that the whole in aginations of the cogitations of the heart of man are wicked and euill continually which wordes import that man from his youth yea euen from his mothers wombe could doe nothing but imagine thinke and forge euill wickednesse and all sortes of mischiefe And when Hee sawe this Hee vttered a sadde and an heauie voyce It forthinketh mee that euer I made man Genes 6. 6. And it was no small thing no question that made the Creator to repent that He made man What is man nowe but a filthie creature and a pest to infect Heauen and earth if it were possible But that yee may the better vnderstand the incomparable greatnesse of this euill which is in man I shall let you see howe it hath spred it selfe thorowe the whole power of the soule of man for as for the bodie I speake nothing of it it is true indeede it neuer leaueth that bodie till it resolue it in earth againe which otherwise was made to bee immortall and in the meane time till death come it maketh the body to bee subject to many great and fearfull sicknesses and diseases Where from come these biles the feuers the palsie the pest the leprosie and other diseases but from this corruption But I speake nothing of it I will let you see howe it hath spred it selfe in the soule of man Brethren there is neuer a power nor facultie in the soule but all is infected This pest it hath not only infected the inferiour appetite as the blinde Philosophers thought and as the Papists doe this day affirme But where beginneth it What is the most excellent power of the soule It is the vnderstanding the minde and this is it that we call reason This corruption it hath so entered into the soule of man that when as that vnderstanding should be as a light going before to direct all our actions motions and thoughts the right way according to Gods worde and ordinance It doeth nothing but fight and repine against the wisdome of the God of Heauen It is an hard matter y t God hath created this vnderstanding and yet it fighteth against Him Paul saieth Rom. 8 7. that the wisdome of the flâ—sh is enemie against God that is the very vnderstanding of man which is the most excellent thing in man is enemy to God let bee the inferiour appetites And therefore Ephes 4. 23. hee desireth not onely that the inferiour appetites should bee renewed but that regeneration should begin at that which is most excellent in the soule euen that they may bee renewed in the Spirite of their minde Then yee see this vnderstanding of man is altogether corrupt and that light of the minde is turned vnto terrible darknesse and that this wisedome fighteth directly against God for this reason of man fighteth not onely against the wisdome of GOD set downe and declared in the law but chiefly against that which is more against His wisdome manifested in the Euangell He esteemeth it naturally to bee but meere foolishnesse that euer a man shoulde get saluation by a crucified man 1. Cor. 1. 18. And to goe fordward This pest ceaseth not here nor resteth not in the minde onely but it entereth into the rootes of the heart into the will and affections of man it hath entered so into his vvill that when as this will of ours this power of our soule that we call the will should haue chosen that which is good and refused that which is euill according to the reason going before informing what is to be chosen and pursewed and what is to be refused and eschewed it fighteth not onely directly against that most holy wisedome and will of God but euen against that sponke of knowledge light and reason that is left in man for when man fell in Adam the Lord tooke not all kinde of light from man but Hee left in His great mercy in man some sponke of light and knowledge of the Majestie of GOD the Creator whereby hee might in some measure knowe his Creator And Hee left in man also some knowledge judgemeÌ„t of politike things coÌ„cerning our coÌ„uersation dealing with our neighbors what is just what is vnjust what is reasonable what is vnreasonable he left in him also some judgemeÌ„t discretioÌ„ of naturall things whereas He might haue set vp man as brutish as a dogge or an asse Notwithstanding of this the raging corruption of the malicious will repineth against this sponke and striueth to blotte it out that it should neuer vtter it selfe to reformation and to glorifie God and to discharge a duetie to man in such sort that it were a just judgement of God that they should be made as brute as beasts as it went with the Gentiles Rom. 1. 24. whome Hee gaue ouer vnto reprobate mindes so that
professe or followe Christ what can bee more hard But suppone reason were conuinced and the mouth thereof closed that it coulde gette no shift to answere yet thinkest thou so to bee quite of thy selfe No the will and the affections will stand obstinately against the judgement of the minde and follow out and pursue that which the minde discearneth to be euill So thou mayest easily see that there is nothing more harde than to gette this Regeneration yea thou mayest see that it is a thing altogether impossible except that Almighty Spirit of God be present and worke it effectually in the soule all the kings of the earth with all their weapons and engines of warre cannot be able to doe it No all the Angels in Heauen are not able to accomplish this worke The weapons of our warre-fare saith Paul are not carnall but mighty through God to cast downe strong holdes casting downe imaginations and euerie high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ 2. Cor. 10. 4. 5. There is no power in Heauen or earth but onely the Spirit of God that is able to renewe one creature And this power is granted to this our Ministerie the preaching of the Euangell Let great men let worldly men esteeme of it as they please God hath ordained this Ministery to minister this wonderfull power whereby the soules of men shall be regenerate Further thou must vnderstand that this Regeneration is not perfected in an instant but in processe of time it must continue all the dayes of thy life so long as thou liuest albeit thou liue a thousand yeeres this olde man will not bee perfectly and altogether mortified and slaine till the houre of death Thou must all the dayes of thy life-time be groaning vnder the burthen of sinne subject to crosses and troubles away with light-headed sinners who saye they woulde alwayes haue their heartes vp sadnesse becommeth a sinner well and thou must striue to finde the newe man to bee renewed degree by degree piece and piece euen till at last death bee swallowed vp of life and mortalitie of immortalitie And if thou wouldest haue this worke to goe forward in thee then set euermore Iesus thy Lord and thine head before the eyes of thy soule looke vpon Him with the eyes of faith for it is only His presence the sight of His glory that worketh this marueilous change for there is a great oddes betweene the sight of His glorie and the sight of the glorie of worldlie Princes for the sight of their glorie will not change thee nor make thee glorious but vanisheth awaye in a moment But the sight of the glorie of IESVS shall change thee and make thee glorious whensoeuer thou beholdest Him either by faith in this worlde or else face to face in the Kingdome of Glorie For when thou beholdest Him with the eyes of faith heere thou shalt bee changed according to the measure of thy faith and because thy faith is imperfect thy change heere must bee imperfect but when thou shalt see Him face to face and beholde Him as Hee is then shalt thou bee like vnto Him in glorie thy change shall bee perfect His presence shall bee effectuall to change thy vile bodie and to fashion it like vnto His owne glorious bodie when thou beholdest His glorie thou shalt bee changed into the same glorie Therefore yee see what neede wee haue to finde this Regeneration begunne in vs heere and to finde a continuall progresse therein all the dayes of our life that so wee maye bee assured that the LORD shall crowne His worke in vs with glorie in IESVS And nowe to ende then surelie yee see that corruption mischiefe and venome euerie man without exception communicate vnto their children by naturall generation Therefore Brethren this is mine exhortation to all both to great and small I except none from the King to the Begger Striue as yee are instrumentes of generation so to bee instrumentes of regeneration that your children maye bee taken out of nature and planted in grace and so bee made members of the mysticall bodie of IESVS CHRIST Striue to bring them vp in the knowledge of CHRIST that so yee maye bee free of that heauie judgement which remaineth for all such as neglect this duetie towardes their children and that yee maye see GODS blessing vpon your children heere and maye haue hope of that eternall life and glorie heereafter which the LORD hath promised to His owne in CHRIST IESVS To whome with the FATHER and the Holie SPIRIT three persons and one GOD be all Honour Glorie Praise Power Dominion both now and euermore So bee it THE XVII SERMON I. TIMOTH CHAP. I. verse 12 Therefore I thanke him who hath made mee strong that is Christ Iesus our Lord for hee counted mee faithfull and put me in his seruice verse 13 When before I was a blasphemer and a persecuter and an oppressour but I was receiued to mercie for I did it ignorantly through vnbeliefe verse 14 But the grace of our Lord was exceeding aboundant with faith and loue which is in Christ Jesus IN this Text beloued Brethren in Iesus Christ there is set downe to vs a notable example of thankfulnesse to God in the person of the Apostle Paul for that great and incomparable mercy which the Lord bestowed vpon him not onely in forgiuing him his grosse and manifold sinnes but also for setting of him in His seruice and for the committing to him the message of reconciliation making him an Apostle to preach repentance and remission of sinnes to others As the mercies which he found were wondrous great so is hee wondrous carefull alwayes to testifie his thankfulnesse to GOD And to the ende the more chearefully he may praise thanke God hee considereth and setteth downe by degrees and in order his vnworthinesse and the euill deedes that he did notwithstanding whereof the Lord extended His mercy most aboundantlie towardes him To come to the wordes Hee saieth Therefore I thanke him who hath made me strong that is Christ Jesus our Lord These wordes depend vpon the verse immediately going before hee saide before that the glorious Euangell of Iesus Christ was concredite to him for the which cause he bursteth forth in thankesgiuing and hee saieth Therefore I will be thankfull to Him who hath concredited it vnto mee Then yee see his thankfulnesse ariseth on two considerations First vpon the consideration of the excellency of the Euangel of Iesus Christ The Gospell is glorious in it selfe and it is come down from the blessed God next vpon the consideration of his owne vnworthinesse looke howe worthie the Gospell was as vnworthie was hee then considering that so worthy a thing was giuen vnto him and that hee himselfe was so vnworthy hee knoweth not what thankes to giue he cannot deuise what manner of waye to testifie his thankfulnesse If once wee could see what God were howe
the Lord to be exercised in the means of grace in preaching prayers reading conference c. Looke if thou haue a pleasure to approue thy selfe in all thinges to thy LORD and Maister Looke if thou haue a care to further others in the course of Christianitie and waye of repentance then if thou hast these tokens thou mayest rejoyce Then he goeth forward he cannot sufficientlie set out that mercy which he found he knoweth not how nor in what tearmes to vtter proclaim it If we could find that mercy of Iesus we would see that the heart would neuer satisfie it selfe with thinking of it or the mouth with speaking of it And to the intent that hee maye magnifie the greatnesse and the riches of the mercie of the LORD hee confesseth and setteth downe although to his owne shame his former sinfull life and behauiour in sundrie degrees Whereas before saieth hee I was a blasphemer and a persecuter and an appressor Looke if hee thought much of himselfe hee was one of the cruellest persecuters that euer was in the Church hee was in a rage against Christ Beholde Brethren Paul is not ashamed to paint out himselfe in his owne colours and particularlie to confesse his former euill deedes and to registrate them to his owne shame to the worlds end Yea yee shall see in sundry places where hee speaketh of himselfe that he can neuer satisfie himselfe in aggregating his owne wickednesse The sinner who hath found mercy will not regard to discouer his sinnes to his owne shame and to tell all the world of them that hee may glorifie Him who hath giuen him mercy hee will not stand vpon his reputation but hee will preserre Gods glorie vnto his owne account hee will glorifie the LORD with his owne shame When Dauid found mercie for his vile adulterie and abhominable murther hee not onelie confesseth his sinnes to his owne shame but also ascendeth to confesse the naturall corruption which hee had from the loynes of his parentes The man that hath fallen into a notorious and vile sinne and offence and yet for shame will not confesse it that God maye bee glorified that soule hath neuer felt the mercie of God And if thou hadst felt that mercie of God thine heart would bee loosed and thy mouth also to glorifie God by an humble confession Moreouer ye may perceiue out of these words how and what way th' Apostle found the strength and power of the Gospell hee found a power in it but not at the first instant but ere euer hee felt the power of the Lord hee findeth himselfe to be weake and ere hee feele the mercy of God hee findeth himselfe to bee a miserable man Thou shalt neuer feele the power of God except first thou feele thine owne weaknesse and thou shalt neuer feele His mercie except first thou feele thy miserie And therefore the Lord Iesus manie a time sundrie wayes crosseth His owne in this life to the ende that they maye knowe and feele their weaknesse and miserie and so goe out of themselues to find strength and mercie in Iesus Christ Sometimes Hee will exercise His owne with shame and reproach in the worlde sometimes with heauie diseases and painfull sicknesses sometimes with want of the outward comfortes of this life sometimes with trouble and terrour in the conscience and all to this ende that they may knowe what they are without the Lord howe weake how fraile howe abject and naughtie they are that so finding themselues as nothing they may be compelled to renounce themselues and to seeke to be found in Iesus Yea after the Lord hath drawne them to Him by crosses the Lord vseth all the dayes of their life-time to expone them to crosses that euerie day finding more their wantes infirmities and lack of comfort in themselues they may the more daylie seeke and striue to bee found in Iesus who can supplie all their wantes and furnishe euerie thing that they stand in neede of It is true indeede manie a time the Lord will not exercise His owne with crosses but spare them let them haue libertie giue them in abundance the outward comfortes of this life befor they bee effectuallie called Looke to Paul before he knew Christ hee boasted much of his worldlie prerogatiues of his kinred hee was a gentleman hee was in great account by the lawe a Pharisie Philip 3. 4. 5. he knew not what the crosse meaned The like ye will find in many others of the Saincts of God but assoone as He calleth them effectuallie Hee layeth the crosse vpon them that seeing their weaknesse and distrusting themselues they may learne to renounce themselues and desire to finde the power and life of IESVS in them which they will finde effectuall in the crosse in a wonderfull manner Looke 2. Cor. 11. The LORD layeth manifolde crosses vpon Paule and when with teares hee prayeth that the Lord would take them away hee getteth this answere My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through thy weaknesse Meaning that Hee will bee glorified and make Paule to finde strength in Him when as hee is weake in himselfe And neuer one is strong in CHRIST but when hee feeleth himselfe weake Therefore hee subjoyneth that hee woulde rejoyce and take pleasure in his infirmities that the power of CHRIST might dwell in him He saith 2. Cor. 12. 8. 9. 10. And 2. Cor. 4. 10. Euerie where wee brare about in our bodie the dying of the LORD IESUS that the life of IESUS might also bee made manifest in our bodies c. When the bodie by crosses was dying then hee founde the life of CHRIST and no soule shall finde that life without it bee dying Therefore if euer thou wouldest finde the power and life of Christ in thee bee carefull to feele thine owne weaknesse and miserie Yet marke the wordes Hee saieth notwithstanding of my sinnes the Lord had mercie vpon mee And if ye looke to the speach it importeth a wondering that euer hee should haue found mercie vvho vvas such a great sinner It is the greatest vvonder that euer was that one sinne is forgiuen to a sinner suppose it were but an euill thought And if thou sawest that great inuiolable and infinite Majestie and the greatnesse of thy sinnes thou wouldest wonder that euer thou gettest one sinne forgiuen thee let bee blasphemie and persecution forgiuen thee And wonder thou as thou wilt all the Angels of Heauen wonder that sinners should get mercy that God loued the vnworthy worlde so that Hee would giue His onelie Son to die that they should liue for euer and they wondered when Adam the Fathers of olde got mercy but when Christ came into the world to dy for the sinnes of the worlde they wondered farre more at that mercie and vvith chearefull voyce praised GOD for the same saying Glorie bee to GOD in the high heauens and peace on earth and towardes men good will Luke 2. 14. Looke also
requesteth the Thessalonians to praye to God for him that hee may bee deliuered from froward and vnreasonable men for saieth hee all men haue not faith 2. Thessal 3. 2. This Land is full of Atheistes and giue them but a vvatch-vvord they would soone make a Massacre And it is a maruell that the Church of God staÌ„deth so long amongst them for few is the number silly is the flocke of God that beleeueth in comparison of them who remain in ignorance and infidelity Wee shoulde therefore pray to God daily that Hee would deliuer His own Saincts from them that by His powerfull prouidence He would restraine their malice fury guard His own on all sides Further think not that Paul alleadgeth his ignorance that thereby he may justify himselfe as if it were without fault and offence for no mans ignorance shall serue to be a cloke to absolue him before God It will not serue a man to saye I thought not of it I thought otherwise I knew it not but if he get not mercy hee must die for his ignorance but hee alleadgeth it to let meÌ„ see that it was not of malice despite that he set himself to fight against God therfore that y e Lord was more ready to forgiue him Then consider that y e Lord taketh heed regardeth y e grounds fountaine of sin where from it proceedeth accordingly he is either more easie or more hard to shew mercy There is a sine against Christ of ignorance and such was the sin of Paul there is a sin against Christ of knowledge this is an higher degree this sin will hardlier get remission this sin of knowledge is of two sorts for either it coÌ„meth of infirmity or els of malice if it come of infirmity as feare of trouble daunger of life it may find mercy such was y e sin of Peter wheÌ„ at the voice of an handmaid he denied his maister Christ for he knew in his coÌ„scieÌ„ce y â— he said did wroÌ„g yet it proceeded of infirmity for fear of his life for as Bernard saith Petrus peccauâ— contra veritatem noÌ„ coÌ„tra charitateÌ„ for he loued Him in his heart whoÌ„ he was denying with his mouth therefore he fouÌ„d mercy albeit his sin was higher thaÌ„ the sin of Paul was but if it come of malice despite against God y â— light of His Gospel it getteth no mercy y t is if a maÌ„ come to this point y t wheÌ„ he knoweth Gods trueth albeit he be not moued with infirmity fear or daÌ„ger y t he wil say in his hart I know y â— this doctrine is true it is y e truth of God yet I wil go of set purpose to fight against God I wil go clean against it I wil do so much as in me lieth to bring it to nought wheÌ„ a maÌ„ coÌ„meth thus far this maÌ„ carieth a mark about w t him wherby he may accouÌ„t himself a coÌ„demned person such was y â— sin of Iudas of JuliaÌ„ y â— Apostate for of very malice they sinned against Iesus Christ his gospel therfore they got no mercy And wel were it with many of this laÌ„d namely these whom y e Lord hath promoued preferred aboue others who haue solde theÌ„selues to y â— Antichrist y â— man of perdition either quietly craftily to vndermine or els opeÌ„ly if occasioÌ„ offer to persecute y e Church Saincts of God wel I say were they if either they did it of ignorance or of infirmity weaknes Now to come to an end In the last verse he returnes again to y â— grace mercie But the grace of our Lord super abounded so much the more my sinne was great but it reached aboue surpassed my sinne Hee wondered before of the mercie of God but now finding vnspeakeable joy proceeding of this mercie his heart is inlarged and his tongue loosed with chearfulnesse to magnifie His mercie Where sinne aboundeth saieth the Apostle there grace super aboundeth Roman Chap. 5. verse 20. Goe to thine owne experience and consider what motions thou hast founde in vsing the meanes of grace sometimes at the hearing of the worde sometimes at the Holy Sacraments sometimes in prayer and sometimes in meditation and I will let thee see that grace superaboundeth Wilt thou not feele when thine heart is verie sad when it is burthened with exceeding griefe displeasure when thou art sighing sobbing groaning vnder the burthen of sinne when thou art powring out teares aboundantly before God because of thy sinful life and foolish race which thou hast run wil ye not find exceeding yet incomprehensible joye to arise out of that sadnesse at that same time which will swallow vp all displeasure sadnesse such a joye I saye as the like whereof all worldlie pleasures and comforts cannot bee able to afford No question but if thou be the child of God somtimes thou wilt find this joy Now from whence proceedeth this joy but from the feeling of a superaboundant mercy forgiuing thee al thy sins for as sadnesse riseth of sin for offending such a louing God merciful father so the joy riseth of the assurance of forgiuenes of sin in his superabuÌ„dant mercy if there were not a super abundant mercy y e joy would neuer swallow vp y â— sadnes so if there were no more to testify that y e mercies of the Lord superabouÌ„deth but y e vnspekeable joy mixed with sadnes it is as sure an argumeÌ„t as euer was in the world yea when thou feelest this joy wilt thou not be compelled somtimes to burst out to say Lord thy mercies are superabundant where sin aboundeth there thy grace mercy abouÌ„deth more so if thou woldest feele this surpassing joy striue not so much by a general knowledge bare coÌ„teÌ„plation to know y â— the mercies of God are infinit to speak of them y e they are aboue al His works higher thaÌ„ y e heaueÌ„s deeper thaÌ„ y e sea broader thaÌ„ y e earth but chiefly to find feel theÌ„ by experieÌ„ce in thine own soule for a bare knowledge naked speaking without feeling auailes nothing theÌ„ thou shalt find such a joy as wil make thee coÌ„teÌ„ne disdain al joyes y e thou fouÌ„d before in sin or in these worldly courses it shal make thee to say y â— thou neuer knewest before what true solide joy meaned to y e inteÌ„t thou mayst find this superabuÌ„dant mercy which is y e cause fouÌ„tain of this joy striue to haue sadnes bitternes in thy soule for y e offeÌ„ding of so louing a God merciful father for none is capable of this mercy but he who hath a coÌ„trit a brokeÌ„ brused soule The Lord therfore giue vs grace to feele the burtheÌ„ of sin to grone vnder it y â— we may taste of y â— superabuÌ„daÌ„t mercy so may find y â— true solid joy y â—