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
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
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
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
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
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
vpon thy bodie otherwise soule and bodie both shall perish the house shall fall downe and the man that lodged in the house shall bee destroyed Remember then Life and Death are not matters to bee scorned withall they are not wordes nay nay Thinke grauelie of them and before thy soule bee dislodged looke that thou bee prepared for a better life Looke that thou finde the LORD of Life CHRIST IESVS by His Spirit working the death of mortalitie in thee and the beginning of the Life that shall last for euer The LORD by His Spirit worke these thinges in your heartes To whom bee all Praise Honour and Glorie for euer and euer AMEN THE SECOND SERMON II. COR. CHAP. V. verse 5 And He that hath created vs for this thing is GOD who also hath giuen vnto vs the earnest of the Spirit verse 6 Therefore wee are alwayes bolde though wee knowe that Whilst wee are at home in the bodie wee are absent from the LORD verse 7 For we walke by faith and not by sight verse 8 Neuerthelesse we are bolde loue rather to remooue out of the bodie and to dwell with the LORD BRethren yee that were present the last day hearde what was the purpose of Paul in this place First hee beginneth to comfort himselfe and all others that are to die and to be dissolued against death the terrours of death He as he saith in the chap. preceeding 18. vers is looking vp to Heauen and whilst he is looking vp to Heauen to see that end that he was once to attaine to there cometh in betwixt his sight and the light of that glorie and life a cloude of death to haue caught away out of his eies if it had bene possible all too-looke to life euerlasting The remedic against it wee shewed you was Faith and a constant Hope with a sharpe earnest and stedfast looking euē to pierce in throrow death and that cloude of death and thorow death to get a sight of that life and light of glorie which lieth hid vp in Heauen beyond death We know saith the Apostle and are assured that our bodies and the earthlie house of this tabernacle shall bee dissolued yet wee shall get a building for an house a building that is from God not made with mens hands but an eternall building that is situated in the Heauens aboue the carth When hee hath set down this remedy he beginneth to comfort himselfe and others by a sure Faith that after death he shall liue againe after the dissolution of his mortall bodie hee shall receiue a glorious bodie The first argument of his assurance is from the desire hee had of life sighing with an earnest desire of that Kingdome which is from Heauen This desire neuer disappointed man Neuer was there anie man that had an earnest desire of life glorie and had the true knowledge and meane to attaine to this glorie that was disappointed of his desire but who euer desired most earnestlie to be glorified most certainly they liue now in Heauen and at this houre they are glorified there and none there shall be that shall haue this desire and striue to throng into Heauen violently Mat. 11. 12. but they shall enjoy Heauen after their departing Now in the Text which we haue read we followe out the assurances and warrandes which the Apostle hath of the glorie of the life to come The second assurance and warrand of the life to come is in the first words Hee saith the Apostle that hath created vs for this thing is God c. The argument of the life to come in these words is from the ende of our creation GOD hath created vs to this ende to wit That in the ende this mortalitie wherewith wee are clothed might bee swallowed vp of Life therefore liue must wee in Heauen This is the ende of our creation therefore it cannot faile but wee must bee glorified Learne then The maner of our glorifying is this It is GOD not man that hath made vs and created vs to this ende It is impossible that GOD can be disappointed of the ende which He setteth before Him of His worke man may bee disappointed for hee will begin a worke for some purpose but oft times hee will bee disappointed of that purpose Hee will build an house to dwell in but it may be hee neuer dwell in it another will dwell therein GOD when He worketh a worke to anie ende it is impossible that Hee can bee disappointed All the world if they would stand vp and oppone to GODS worke they cannot hinder it That worke that GOD worketh in vs is such a worke that tendeth to Life as to the ende thereof Who shall condemne vs saith the Apostle it is God that justifieth vs Roman 8. 33. Will Hee justifie thee all the world shall not bee able to condemne thee Will Hee saue thee all the worlde shall not bee able to make thee perish So is it of His whole Church in generall Suppose all the worlde were conspired against His Church He wil haue it safe and wonderfully worketh He the saluation of His Church euery member thereof through death He bringeth them to life so that it is folly to men to striue against the works of GOD. Yet looke to the wordes Hee that hath created vs to this end is God What creation is this that he meaneth of Is this that first creation of Adam and Eua of euery one of vs in them that was at the beginning Not so that creation failed Indeede wee were first created to liue and thorowe that first creation euerie one of vs got a certaine right to liue for euer but that right wee lost in our owne default wee are fallen from that right of our creation in the fall of Adam So we must seeke another creation or else wee shall neuer see Life for wee haue no right to that first creation which was in all Holinesse according to the image of GOD Ephes 4. 24. If thou sticke to that first creation and olde birth-right thou shalt neuer see Life Then the Apostle meaneth of another What other making or creating of vs is this It is our regeneration or renewing againe which is nothing else but as it were a newe birth and begetting from the which we are called new creatures 2. Corin. 5. 17. Then Brethren wouldst thou haue a sure argument that thou shalt liue after this life wo to thee if thou liuest not after this life woe to them that euer sawe this worlde and they get not a life after this life for this life will away Looke if thou art regenerated and renewed looke if thou art sanctified and findest a slaying of thy lusts within thee Looke if thou findest the life of God by his Spirit working within thee not this naturall life but this Heauenly and spirituall life begunne in thee not by nature but by grace If thou hast this thou hast a warrand that thou shalt liue and albeit
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
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
is marked with the marke of perdition yea if thou bee a king thou art a vessell ordained for shame and ignominie Then Brethren learne here seeing there must be a number that must perish and a number of all estates in the worlde must die that must goe to Hell ordained from all eternitie to perdition beguile not your selues and seeing to this number the Gospel must bee hidden and must be a closed booke they can neuer haue coÌ„solation of it Then thou that delitest to walke in the light of the Gospell of Iesus Christ thinke thou not euill of this Gospell thinke thou not euill of this Ministerie Ioyne these two together that cannot bee seuered the Gospel and the Ministery Thou that thinkest euill of y e Ministerie thou thinkest euill of the Gospell bee thou not ashamed of the Ministers nor of their bondes nor of their captiuitie nor of their death nor of no crosse that can be laid vpon them the 2. Epist to Timot. and the 8. Chapter For the multitude of the worlde thinketh shame of the Gospell and of the Ministers thereof when affliction once commeth vpon them Thou that louest the Gospel keepe thy comfort in thine own bosome and assure thy selfe there is none other way to Heauen and knowing well that this must bee the hazarde of the Gospell and of the Ministers take all these troubles for sure tokens of the trueth of God I loue not the Gospell that hath the countenance of the Princes of this world and hath the confluence of the multitude The Princes and multitude of this worlde hath euer borne the pure Gospell of Iesus Christ at hatred Thus sarre for the first cause wherefore the Gospell of Iesus Christ is hiddeÌ„ from manie to wit that perdition whereunto they are adjudged from all eternitie Nowe take vp in the next verse another cause wherefore the Gospel is hidden to many In whom saith he the god of this world hath blinded their minds The second cause is excecation blind-folding putting out of the eyes and all to this ende that they shoulde not get a sight of the glorious light of the Gospel and so be saued But how commeth this to passe howe are they blinded I shall tell you Once beeing adjudged to die and ordained in the counsell of God to perdition in commeth the god of this worlde that is the Deuill whome this worlde maketh a god of the God of Heauen sendeth him Whome to sendeth Hee him Vnto that catiue that miserable creature that is ordained for perdition as a torturer persecuter an hang-man to put that eternall decree in execution And what doeth hee when he commeth in The first turne that euer hee doeth hee bindeth him What bindeth hee his handes or his feete No he letteth them louse and letteth him worke on with them his owne ruine and runne on vnto his owne perdition But hee bindeth his eyes or rather pulleth them out that the miserable bodie may not see the gracious face of Christ Wherefore is he sent vnto him The cause is not onelie in the ordinance of God but in the catiue himselfe that maliciously repineth to the light and will not receiue the Gospell therefore the GOD of Heauen sendeth the Deuil to put out his eyes that he should not see Mark then the lesson They that are adjudged to die to perditioÌ„ in the world to come in this worlde ere euer they goe out of this life they are bounde like thieues and murtherers to bee presented bound to that damnation that is to ensue they are reserued in chaines till that great Daye What chaines are these Chaines of darknesse their eyes are plucked out that blindlinges in that great Day they may bee cast into Hell into that Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer There is neuer a soule y â— goeth to damnation in the worlde to come but in this life it is blinded Yee know the Ethnickes saying Quos perdere vult IVPITER iis mentem solet adimere It is a true saying and therefore take vp a sure note of perdition to come excecation blindnesse so that if thou canst not see that gracious face of CHRIST in the Gospel at no time for all thine hearing for all this Ministery that is in the world take heede to thy selfe and feare that euerlasting damnation Bee neuer at quiet night nor daye till thou seest a light in thy minde by the Gospell otherwise thy conscience shall condemne thee as a vessell of perdition The Gospell is not sent for nothing either shall it bee vnto thee a sauour of life vnto Life or a sauour of death vnto Death and this shall bee justified one day And except thou get light thou shalt curse the time that euer thou hearde the Gospell when it commeth to that damnation Another thing marke heere When commeth the god of this worlde to blinde men Looke to the order of the Text The first cause is counted perdition GODS ordinance then commeth in the Deuill When commeth in the Deuill When GOD hath first saide the worde I will haue this bodie perishing and will bee glorified in his perdition then commeth in the torturer and plucketh out his eyes So the Deuill is nothing to GOD but a persecuter a minister of His wrath when Hee is angrie than is the lowne at hande as a slaue to put in execution that wrath But it is a sore pitie to consider the miserable bodie on whome this wrath is executed When the hang-man commeth to bind the hands of a bodie that bodie is sorrowfull and sad but when the Deuill is binding thee thou art merrie in the meane time when he is a Deuil to thee thou thinkest hee is a God to thee Thou neuer rejoycest but in blindnes look to experience The multitude of this Land is neuer merrier than when he is binding them and drawing them to filthinesse to murther and villanie to gluttonie and dronkennesse Count not of such a man but saye or thinke if thou dare not say it O miserable catâ—ue the Deuill is blinding thee and leading thee to perdition Nowe marke in the thirde roome the causes which hasten this damnation and which must passe before the god of this worlde come as a torturer to put in execution the sentence of GOD. There must goe before this excecation and that damnation that followeth this excecation a cause in thy selfe thou must euer bee the causer of thine owne death notwithstanding the ordinance of God yet thou neuer perishest till thou be worthie of thine own death and merite thine own damnation What bringeth on this blindnesse A malicious false infidell heart repugning to the Gospel for thou first despisest it and rejectest it so maliciouslie and despiteâ—ullâ—e that in a maner thou wouldest spit on the face of Christ Iesus which shineth in the Gospell This hasteneth the wrath For wheÌ„ the Lord seeth the despitefulnes of thine heart that thou wilt not see not look in the light when it is offered to
That hee was a Iew a Pharisee his father a Pharisee of the Tribe of Ben-jamin none so zealous of the Lawe as hee c. manie aduantages and great prerogatiues but after that hee once commeth to CHRIST and getteth Him hee sayeth All is but dung in respect of that excellent knowledge of that aduantage of IESVS CHRIST As I counted much would he say of these earthlie aduantages before I knew Christ euen so after that â— once had gotten a sight of Him I counted them nothing but dirt and dung And therefore hee telleth out the aduantages and gaines that hee founde in Christ That saith he I may be found in Him that is not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through faith There is the first aduantage Thou art justified before the Tribunall of GOD. What king can giue thee that aduantage to set thee vp as a free-man before the Tribunall of God And albeit thou hadst gotten all the aduantages that kings can giue thee if thou gettest not this aduantage to stand before that Tribunall cloathed with Christ thou shalt goe to damnation Then hee addeth to another aduantage That I may knowe Him and the vertue of His resurrection and the fellowship of His afflictions and bee made conformable vnto His death if by any meanes I might attaine to the resurrection of the dead There is the second aduantage thou art made like vnto Him in holinesse and both in suffering and in glory thou art comformed vnto Him Well is y e man that can get this aduantage to be glorified What are all aduaÌ„tages to be couÌ„ted of that can come to thee in this life in respect of this aduantage that when thou art lying a vilde bodie in the graue Christ shall take thee vp and set thee in that glory which is prepared for the sonnes of GOD. Alas if men coulde see the aduantages which are in CHRIST For all faileth for fault of sight If men got but one blink of CHRIST they woulde not giue that sight for all the kingdomes in the earth Wee want spirituall eyes and senses These spirituall aduantages in CHRIST are seene onelie with a spirituall eye and for fault of that spirituall sight wee see not the aduantages which are in Him There is nothing which wee shoulde more desire than these spirituall senses wherewith wee maye get a sight and fore-taste of these thinges which are in IESVS CHRIST Nowe in the next verse taking occasion of the wordes that CHRIST was aduantage to him both in life and death hee beginneth to doubt whether it were better for him to liue or die And whether saieth hee to liue in the flesh were profitable for mee or what to choose I knowe not I thinke I woulde bee dead to see mine aduantage which I will get in death for my gaine which I get liuing is nothing to that aduantage which I will get in death But I am straited whether to liue in the flesh or to goe out of the bodie Then he bringeth in the reason It is better for mee to bee loosed and to bee with CHRIST I will bee at Him yet hee saieth I am in doubt and not resolued Neuerthelesse to remaine in the flesh is more needefull for you For albeit it bee better for me to be dead yet when I looke to you it is worse for you After this doubting and reasoning hee concludeth I will liue then and the LORD will keepe mee for your weale Then Brethren I will marke heere one or two thinges and so I shall ende Yee see a doubting in PAVL whether hee shoulde liue or die which distracteth his minde This doubting is common to manie For sometimes wee woulde liue and other whiles wee woulde bee dead But looke to the cause that distracted PAVLES minde and made him to doubt whether hee shoulde desire to liue or die Some men woulde die because there is nothing in this worlde but miserie Some men woulde die for other causes because of sicknesse some because of shame following some offense for the life is tedious to a miserable bodie the life which shoulde bee comfortable is tedious in distresse But howe manie commeth to this point To desire to bee dissolued for the glorie that is with IESVS and saieth If I were away I woulde get this aduantage of glorie Who woulde be awaye for the glorie of Heauen and aduantage that is laide vp there It is a rare grace to get this desire No question thinke as yee will infinite joy glorie and passing aduantage is in Heauen Againe some men woulde liue wherefore because they are fresh greene and able men they would passe their time yet Some men would liue because they haue wife and children and woulde care for them I condemne not lawfull care but all this desire is vaine Where wilt thou get that man that would liue to help the poore Church of CHRIST with his labour How manie will come on with this to liue onelie for the weale of the Church of CHRIST I desire such a Pastor who is minded to liue for the care y t he hath to leade manie by the hand to Heauen ere he goe away that he may winne manie soules to CHRIST that hee may bee the welcomer when hee commeth there himselfe He is happie It is the sight of that Heauenlie glorie that maketh men to haue this foresaide desire Howe manie seeth that Heauenlie glorie Fie on vs seeing such a glorie laide vp in Heauen for vs that yet will not make a meane to get it wee perish for fault of sense There is â—o lacke of aduantage in CHRIST but the lacke is in me in thee I haue no desire of that glorie thou hast no desire of that glorie and so wee perishe Therefore get this sense of glorie in time or else thy soule shall bee drawne out of thy bodie Doe accordinglie Wouldest thou haue it sweetlie loosed Then get in time a sense of this glorie Wouldest thou haue it pulled out by force TheÌ„ neglect the sense and sight of this glorie Obserue another thing of the care of Paul He counted nothing of all these afflictions in respect of the care which he had of the Church of God I wonder at this care of his considering now our carelesnesse For if euer care was dead out of the hearts of men it is now dead Farewell the care of the Church of God in Scotland for fault of y e zeale of Gods glory the care of the Church of God I see this Land and the Church of GOD therein decaying Learne another thing of PAVLES resolution Yet he resolueth to liue that for the weale of the Church of Christ Marke it There is none of vs but wee should desire to haue the fruition of the glory and joye that is in the face of Iesus yet we who may profite in the Church of God in this life are bounde to
CERTAINE SERMONS VPON SEVERALL Texts of Scripture PREACHED BY THAT REuerend and faithfull seruant of Iesus Christ M. ROBERT ROLLOK Minister of the Church and Rector of the Colledge of EDINBVRGH Whereof the first eleuen were be fore published and the remnant seuen are newly adjoy ned thereunto Imprinted at Edinburgh ANDRO HART 1616. The number of Sermons with the Texts of Scripture and in what leafe to find euery Sermon I 2. Cor. Chap. 5. vers 1. 2. 3 4. Fol. 1 II 2. Cor. Chap. 5. vers 5. 6. 7. 8. Fol. 24 III 2. Cor. Chap. 5. vers 9. 10. 11. Fol. 45 IV 2. Cor. Chap. 5. vers 12. 13. 14. 15. Fol. 63 V 2. Cor. Chap. 5. vers 16. 17. 18. Fol. 79 VI 1. Cor. Chap. 2. vers 6. 7. 8. 9. Fol. 97 VII 1. Cor. Chap. 2. vers 10. 11. 12. Fol. 118 VIII 2. Cor. Chap. 4. vers 3. 4. 5. Fol. 137 IX 2. Cor. Chap. 10. vers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Fol. 155 X Philip. Chap. 1. vers 18. 19. 20. 21. c. Fol. 175 XI Titus Chap. 3. vers 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Fol. 198 These are newlie adjoyned XII Psalme cxxx vers 1. 2. 3. 4. Fol. 229 XIII Psalme cxxx vers 5. 6. 7. 8. Fol. 246 XIV Mat. Chap. 15. ver 21. 22. 23. 24 c. Fol. 262 XV Luk. chap. 7. ver 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. c. Fol. 281 XVI Iohn Chap. 3. verse 6. Fol. 306 XVII â— Timoth. Chap. 1. vers 12. 13. 14. Fol. 332 XVIII 1. Tim. Chap. 1. vers 14. 15. 16. Fol. 357 TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL THEIR MOST LOVING FRIEND IN THE LORD MASTER WILLIAM SCOT of ELY Grace in this life and euerlasting glorie in the Life to come OVR Gracious GOD who in His rich Mercie RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL hath in this latter time raised vp manie rare and worthie instruments and faithfull Preachers in other Countreyes about vs hath not left this our Countrey destitute of the like benefites for as amongst them so amongst vs striuing with our ingratitude Hee hath raised vp from time to time sundrie notable men indewed with singular graces whose Ministerie Hee made powerfull to ouerâ—… the kingdome of Sathan sinne and the Antiâ—… to acquire a CHVRCH vnto Himselfe in the which Hee might bee glorified in the riches of His mercies of whome the moste part nowe sleepe in the LORD and rest from their labours Amongst whome MASTER ROBERT ROLLOK of blessed memorie deserueth for his graces to bee counted with the first for who euer preassed more to approoue himselfe to GOD in a good conscience than hee Who euer was more faithfull and pairfull in his calling than hee Hee stroâ—e alwayes to glorifie GOD and to honour his profession and calling by a godlie life and conuersation so that the verie enemies of the trueth coulde not accuse him nor Enuie it selfe justlie reprooue him Hee set himselfe alwayes to doe good to others for hee thought hee was not his owne man but deputed for the seruice of others Hee was neuer idle but hee did either reade meditate praye conferre counsell comfort preach or write He was peaceable in the Church patient of wronges neuer vindictiue but euer readie to forgiue Hee sought not the worlde knowing that hee had heere no continuing but had his conuersation in the Heauen from whence hee looked for his Sauiour to come But it is needlesse to praise him either to you Syr who knoweth so well what store of grace the LORD vouchsafed vpon him or yet to anie others seeing his workes speake plainlie enough for him for as hee edified manie in his life by his Preaching so also hath hee edified many not onlie in his Countrey but in manie other partes by his learned and judicious writinges lefâ— behinde him And because his Lectures that haue beene before published by vs vpon the COLOSSIANS and THESSALONIANS as also the first eleuen SERMONS heere contained haue beene receiued with good liking and applause of manie and newe finding that there are not copies extant especiallie of these eleuen Sermons to satisfie the desire of such as seeke them wee haue thought good to cause imprint them ouer againe as also to adjoyne seuen other Sermons preached by him vpon diuerse Textes and receiued by his Schollers from his mouth which indeede wee must confesse required the refining hand of the Author that they might haue shined in their owne beautie Alwayes our care haue beene in these as in all the rest before published out of some copies offered vnto vs as neare as wee coulde to giue out to the publike viewe of the Church both the matter stile and phrase of the godlie Author Nowe for manie reasons wee are mooued to recommende these his Sermons and our labours therein to your patronage that with them your memorie with the posteritie might long endure First in respect of the entire loue and affection yee carried to Master ROLLOK from the first houre that yee were acquainted with him euen vnto his death for no man euer loued him conuersed with him respected him c more than your selfe and manie a time haue you resorted vnto him in his health and offered him such curtesie and kindnesse that hee acknowledged himselfe to bee obliged to none so much as to you And finallie yee not onelie visited him in his sicknesse but allured him to come to your house where without regarde of paines and expenses yee entertained him and such as visited him moste liberallie and chearefullie till the time that the LORD called him to Himselfe Yea yee counted it a singular blessing of the LORD that Hee honoured you with suh a guest Next Master ROLLOK in his Testament ordained that all his Bookes which after shoulde bee imprinted shoulde bee dedicated vnto you that whosoeuer got commoditie thereof next after GOD might giue the honour and thankes vnto you Thirdlie through your care endeuour and expenses onelie these whole Sermons were gathered in from them that wrote them through your procurement onelie they were reuised corrected and made fit for the Printing by your meanes onelie nowe they see the light which without you had beene buried in darknesse Lastlie if it were free for vs to make choyse of a patrone wee woulde make choyse of none but you to testifie our thankefulnesse for your great vndeserued kindnesse shewed vnto vs particularlie yea and to all these whome the LORD hath set in His seruice So that in all respectes reason requireth that all these Sermons shoulde bee published vnder your patronage and protection For whereas your name was not prefixed vnto the first eleuen when they were first imprinted seeing by your endeuour charges and expenses onelie they were first set foorth nowe this occasion beeing presented wee might justlie haue beene blamed if that ouer-sight by vs had not beene amended Finallie Syr honour the LORD and Hee will honour you delight in His wayes and Hee will giue you your hearts desire weary not to doe good vnto the Saincts and He will recompense you
at last will crowne all your good deedes with glorie The LORD make you to goe on from grace to grace and in all thinges direct you by His Spirite that yee may bee long happie in this life and for euer happie in the life to come Amen Edinburgh the 22. of Ianuarie Anno Dom. 1616. Yours in the Lord H. C. W. A. THE FIRST SERMON II. COR. CHAP. V. verse 1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle bee destroyed wee haue a building giuen of GOD that is an house not made with handes but eternall in the Heauens verse 2 For therefore wee sigh desiring to bee clothed with our house which is from Heauen verse 3 Because that if we bee clothed wee shall not be found naked verse 4 For indeede we that are in this tabernacle sigh and are burthened because we would not be vnclothed but woulde bee clothed vpon that mortalitie might be swallowed vp of life IN the Chapter immediatlie going before the Apostle Paul hath bene speaking of the afflictions that hee suffered in his owne person and hath declared that there was two things that helde him vp in those afflictions the one thing present the other thing to come The thing present the power of God the life of Iesus this held him vp in such sort saith hee that when he was dying vnder affliction in the bodie yet the life of Iesus was manifest in him he was liuing in soule and the more his bodie was decaying wearing away the more the inner-man that spirituall life that floweth from Christ grew and was renewed Woe to that man that dieth altogether thou must die and this bodie and life must bee separated the bodie must goe to dust but looke that soule and bodie goe not together looke that as thou findest the bodie and life naturall to decay so thou finde that spirituall life that floweth from the Lord of life to grow or else of necessitie thou must haue a woefull departure This is the thing present that helde him vp Another thing and greater which was not present but to come helde him vp vnder aâ—l the afflictions that were laide vpon him which hee vttereth in thâ—se words The momentanean lightnesse of affliction worketh vnto vs an euerlasting weight of glorie that passeth in excellencie These are the wordes of the Apostle wherein hee woulde learne vs that after all these afflictions are done and ended there abydeth a glorie after this life that passeth in infinite degrees aboue all the afflictions that euer came to man in this life Will yee looke to the nature of the afflictions First they are light that is one propertie then they last but for a moment that is another property the weight of them is light the time of their during is but a moment but the glorie marke euerie word of the Apostle the glorie saith he passeth in excellencie It is not onlie excellent but iâ— excelleth in excellencie excellent aboue excellencie an heape aboue an help mounting vp to an infinite heape Then looke to the weight thereof it is not light but it is heauie the afflictions were as light as a fether or as the winde in comparison of this glorie but the glorie is heauie and weightie a weight of glorie that passeth in excellencie this is the first propertie Then looke to the time the afflictions were but for a moment And if thou shouldest liue a thousand yeeres and bee afflicted as manie yeeres for all thy dayes and thy best dayes if thou shouldest liue neuer so well â—re but dayes of affliction all the thousand yeeres are but a moment in respect of that eternitie that followeth Then let your eye be euer vpon eternitie of joy or eternity of pain eternity either of torment or of rest Affliction is but for a moment this glorie that passeth in excellencie is eternall in time Loe how great things are spoken in few words A glorie passing in weight eternitie And when he hath tould you all that he can he hath not attained to the thousand part of the greatnesse of that glorie neuer man thought of it as it is nor it could neuer enter into the heart of man that excellent glorie that is prepared for them that loue God 1. Cor. 2. 9. When he hath set down these two points in y e end of the chap. preceeding he goeth forward aâ—d hee sheweth what he is doing in the meane time whilst he getteth this excellent glory Learne to doe as he is doing hee saith Mine eyes are not vpon the worlde my looke is not set vpon these visible things which meÌ„ haue so great pleasure into but mine eyes are lifted vp I am looking to thinges inuisible that the mortall eye of man cannot see because al these things visible are but temporall wil decay If it were a kingdom and thou begin to rest or repose vpoÌ„ it it will decay and thou shalt fall downe together with it and perish euerlastinglie But the things inuisible are eternal and he who leaneth reposeth thereon shall get eternitie Looke to the condition of those thinges whereupon thou reposest in this world for if they bee thinges heauenlie spirituall and eternall thou shalt be heauenlie spirituall and eternall And as euer thou wouldest wish to see that glorie looke that thine eye be set thereon in this earth looke that thine eye bee mounted vp aboue all these earthlie things that thou keepe the heauenly things in thy sight forget them not for if thou die and they bee out of thy sight thou shalt neuer see them Take pleâ—sure to looke to that excellent glorie and thou shalt obtaine it otherwise not Now I come to the text I shall let you see the disposition of the Apostle and what he esteemeth of this life present whereof we account so much and whereupon our hearts mindes are so set to keepe it All our terrour is for the parting of the soule from the body looke to Paul what he doth and behold his disposition either in life or death Brethren wee haue the more neede to take heede to these things because wee shall all be put to the proofe happie is hee that can bee prepared The Apostle hauing spoken this that his eye was set on that heauenlie glorie it might haue beene saide thou settest thine eye vpon a life aboue but take heed Paul thou shalt die in the meane time is not life and death two contraries thou must die and that bodie of thine must bee dissolued lookest thou euer to rise agine thinkest thou anie other thing but to be disappointed of life lookest thou that that bodie of thine beeing dissolued in dust shall rise againe to glorie This is a sore temptation and sundrie thinketh after this maner The Apostle answereth We know that if our earthlie house of this tabernacle be dissolued we haue a building giuen of God an house not made with handes but eternall in the heauens Learne a lesson here Ye see while
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
came in the world hath ascended to glory Alas this is not perceiued and in my selfe I cannot see it as I would the moste godly complain that they caÌ„not see this effectualnesse of Christes glory The cause is the deadnesse that abideth in vs sin caÌ„not be gotten out of this world till the Lord come again it dwelleth in vs. and reigneth in the world the Deuil the prince of this world reigneth by it for where sinne reigneth he reigneth yea it oppresseth y e godly heart that they can scarcely feele in themselues this renouation so weighty is sinne who seeth it There is a glimmering of this newe creation but who hath this glimmering None but that new soule an vnregenerate man neuer sawe this regeneration neither in himselfe nor in others and hee cannot suffer to heare of a regenerate sanctified man hee will laugh as though there could not bee such a thing as regeneration because the scorner himselfe is vnrenewed therefore hee cannot weigh GODS graces in others So long as thou art vnregenerate thou canst not but scorn regeneration yea and persecute the regenerate man and so rash thine head against a wall For the LORD hath made him inviolable and the Temple of His Spirite and therefore He shall destroy thee that art the vnregenerate man yea and destroyed shall euerie man bee that dasheth himselfe against the Church of IESVS that is the renewed body that body as an yroÌ„ wall shall bruise them Experience telleth this Who euer was hee that rashed against the Church but the Church hath beaten him into powder Meddle not with y e Saincts of God although it were but one Sainct renewed by the grace of God hee is sufficient to destroy and bruise a whole kingdome that rasheth on him The Lord open mens eye to see this For all the world would not I bee one to make opposition to one of the Saincts of GOD. The LORD therefore saue men and learne them to account of this renouation as they would haue a portion thereof be glorified at the comming of Christ Now to end shortly The Apostle when he hath spoken of the renewing of all creatures made by IESVS the Mediator for all floweth out of him in the next verse hee riseth and mounteth vp O howe hee that is carried with the Spirite of Christ will rise when hee is speaking of IESVS hee riseth vp to a light inaccessible he seeth God the Father sitting in his Throne and Majestie and the worke of this renewing flowing froÌ„ him through Christ the Mediator rising vp to the Father of Christ hee saieth And all thinges are of GOD c. Our lesson is All graces come from Christ the Mediator our regeneration floweth out of his life but the fountain of all is the Father of Heauen the Father of Iesus and therfore when thou findest the grace flowing from Iesus raise vp thy soule look thorowe to the glorious Fountaine sitting in his Majesty say All glory be to y e Father I acknowledge all goodnesse to come from thee O Father thou hast giuen all graces to me through thy Son Christ Now when he hath risen vp to the Father he coÌ„meth down again to two degrees which are the â—â—wayes wherby the regeneration is wrought The first is the reconciliatioÌ„ to the Father throgh Christ the Mediator by his death The second is this Ministerie base and contemptible in the eyes of men this dispensation of the mysteries of GOD that hee hath put into the handes of his Ministers to bee distributed to the people Well Brethren a man must come to this regeneration by degrees as a maÌ„ stepping vp a ladder If thou wouldest be renewed in Christ thou must climbe and goe vp by degrees The first is the Ministery of reconciliation The second is the reconciliation it selfe in Christ The thirde and last is the fountaine of regeneration God the Father Will thou runne vp and misse one of these sâ—eps No it is not possible for thou shalt neuer get regeneration before God be friended with thee thou art His enemy thou must be frieÌ„ded with Him before thou bee renewed Well then thou wilt say I must bee friended with Him but I neede not thy ministery can I not come to Heauen but by hearing thee preâ—ch I say thou canst not I lay this necessity before thee and I charge thee I binde thee to this ministery Imagine thou another meanes to attaine to this glory contemne thou this ministery in the silliest person to whome God hath giuen it I shal make a strawe bar the gates of HeaueÌ„ in thy teeth yea albeit thou bee a Monarch thou shalt neuer get reconciliation without this Ministery The Lord wakeÌ„ our coÌ„sciences that we may embrace the ordinance of God we shall neuer be wise in God except first wee become fooles that wee may bee wise Then seeing this necessity is of the Ministery to make a reconciliation with our God and this reconciliation must passe by a proclamation of peace to the miserable worlde and passe by the mouth of this contemned Ministery The Lord waken these our senselesse heartes that we may reuerence and esteeme of this Ministerie more than we haue done The Lord grant vs this for Christs sake To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirite bee all Glory and Honour for euermore AMEN THE SIXT SERMON I. COR. CHAP. II. verse 6 And we speake wisedome among them that are perfect not the wisedome of this world nor of the princes of this world who come to naught verse 7 But we speake the wisedome of GOD in a mysterie euen the â—id wisedome which God ordained before the world vnto our glorie verse 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew for had they knowne it they would not haue crucified the Lord of glorie verse 9 But as it is writteÌ„ The eye hath not seene the care hath not heard neither hath entred inâ—â— the hart of maÌ„ the things that God hath prepared for theÌ„ that lâ—ue him IN the Text immediatelie preceeding well-beloued in the LORD IESVS the Apostle hath beene renouncing the wisedome of man in vttering of the Gospel of IESVS CHRIST thinking it not worthy that any mans faith should be builded on it For that faith that is builded on it cannot stand because y e wisdome of man is a false foundation and the thing that is builded on a false foundation cannot stand Now to come to this Text which we haue read presentlie It might haue beene said to the Apostle Who counteth of thy wisedome thou esteemest not of mans wisedome nor eloquence but who counteth of thee or of thy wisedome either Hee answereth in the 6. verse Wee speake wisedome among them that are perfect c. That is Who soeuer are perfect in y e Church of God or whosoeuer are come to a degree of perfection or preasse to perfection aspiring aboue nature aboue humane things to see things Heauenly and spiritual these men account
thee and holden vp before thine eyes then He sendeth His torturer saith Go thy wayes Sathan and plucke out the eyes of this bodie then hee plucketh out the eyes of thy mind immediately and God giueth thee ouer to a reprobate sense and this is it which the Apostle saith of the Gentiles Rom. 1. 28. It pleased them not to retaine God in knowledge therefore God gaue them ouer to a reprobate sense And Ephes 4. 18. Hauing saith he their cogitations darkned and beeing strangers from the life of God thorow the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their heartes There plainlie hee letteth vs see that the hardnesse malice of their heartes bringeth on this ignorance and blindnesse Therefore beware of this malice and put it out of thine heart or else thou shalt bee carried blindlinges to euerlasting damnation suppose thou bee an Earle or a King what regarde hath GOD of persons Now BrethreÌ„ there are some words that I must weigh to you as the Lord shall giue me the grace I shall repeat them marke ye with me if they be not weighty That the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the image of God shuld not shine vnto theÌ„ or spread His beames vpoÌ„ them ye know anie man y t hath knowledge knoweth that this might haue bene spokeÌ„ in fewer baser words but the Apo. coÌ„tents not himself with base words in such a matter but saith that y e light of the glorious gospel c. Well is there one word here in vaine and is there any chaÌ„ge of words made for nothing are simple base words changed into glorious words for nothing no alas we cannot see this and it is one of the things in the world that I would fainest haue you to vnderstand what moueth the Apostles and Prophets to vse such an high language and set vp a thing in such glorious tearmes the which they might vtter in baser tearmes Thinke not that the men of God Prophets and Apostles haue spoken as we say hyperbolicè great and loftie words greater than the matter These wordes are borrowed words and they are borrowed from the most glorious thing in the earth and yet they attaine not to the thousand part of the things which by them he would expresse All the high wordes that a man can vse to expresse y e glorie of Christ are not able to expresse the thousand part of that glorie But to come to the purpose Ye haue set down first in glorious tearmes the effect of the Gospell it is set down in shining and beames thereafter ye haue set downe the Gospell it selfe To come to the first The most glorious thing that a man can see in this earth is the shining of the Sunn which the Lord hath fixed in the Heauens The pleasandest thing that a man can looke to when he hath looked to all these earthlie thinges is the glauncing of the Sunne in a faire day And therefore ye see the glorie of the Sunne is described very highlie by Dauid in the 19. Psalme To applie this Euen so the effect of the Gospell beeing the most glorious effect that euer was wrought the Spirite of God setteth it out by the most glorious thing in the world the spreading of the Sunne beames And surelie suppose there were no more but this word Shyning it letteth vs see a wonderfull effect of the Gospell in the hearts of men and women Ye see by experience the beames of the Sunne suppose they were neuer so bright will neuer alter the bodie which they shine vpon nor make it bright like themselues the sunne hath shined this long time in the world but yet by shining it could neuer so trans-change any creature that it coulde become as bright as the Sunne it selfe It may well let thee see the bodie that is opacum as wee saye darke obscure so long as it shineth but as soone as it is remooued the bodie is darke as it was before But as to the Gospell The Gospell with the beames of it not onelie maketh the object wherevpon it shineth to be seene and to appeare but it doeth more it transformeth the soule of the man or woman into that same light and brightnesse that is in it That is to say The face of IESVS the Sunne of righteousnesse that shineth in the Gospell when the beames of it striketh vpon thy soule they make it lightsome and bright like the face of Iesus they turne the soule in the shape of the face of IESVS that shineth in the Gospell Would yee haue Scripture for this looke the last verse of the chapter going before We behold saieth hee as in a mirrour the glorie of God with an open face and are changed into the same image from glorie to glorie as by the Spirit of the Lord. And this is done in such a sort O would to God wee knew the power of the Gospell that thou who hadst nothing but darknesse within thee art made a shining light casting out thy beames and ouer-shadowing sillie darke bodies Hee that brought light out of darknesse saith Paul by His word Hee hath shined in mine heart that I may minister the knowledge of Iesus Christ to others So is it moste certaine thou in whome the Gospell is so powerfull art made a light in the world to illuminate darke soules Nowe to come to the next the Gospell it selfe How expresseth he the Gospell Hee calleth it not simplie and barelie with a meane word The Gospell all these meane words and sillie simple speaches of such a glorie telleth what feeling men haue in their heartes of the effectualnesse of the Gospell but hee calleth it The light of the Gospell The Gospell is a light and it is the light of lightes The Sunne albeit it be bright was neuer comparable to it in shining and therefore it casteth out such glorious beames in the soules of men and women What is the cause that it is a light The cause is in the subject of it The subject of it is glorie What will make a light if glory will not make it The Gospell is the Gospell of glory and all that is within it is glorie What glorie â—â— this The glory of CHRIST the King of kingâ— his glory must be a great glory what kind of person is this Christ He is y e Image of God He neuer resteth mounting vp till he come to that diuinity Lo how he riseth he climbeth from the Gospel to the Mediator from y e Mediator to that glorious Majesty So all the glorie that shineth in y e Gospel is y e glory of God and all the light of the Gospel is that light of God which th'Apo 1. Tim. 6. 16. calleth y t light which hath none accesse neuer man had accesse to it till this Iesus brought it down without this light thou art but darknesse and shalt end in exteriour vtter darknesse All the beames of the Sunne are but darknesse in
certaine the sufficiencie of grace is not giuen to one man or to one woman onelie but to the whole members of the bodie And therefore there must bee a concurrance of the whole all must concurre for thy good and saluation for if the hand will stand vp and saye to the eye to the mouth to the foote or to the rest of the members Care for your selues foote care for thy selfe wombe care for thy selfe c. I will care for my selfe were not this a foolish hand woulde not this hand perish and wither yea it woulde perish if the mouth fedde it not if the foote caried it not if the wombe receiued not sustenance to nourish it Euen so if thou sayest to the rest of the members of the Church Care for your selues I will care for my selfe thou shalt die like a drie member and be cut off no saluation but in the vnion of that blessed bodie of CHRIST which is the Church And none yet euer came to Heauen but by a certaine concurrance of the rest of the members of the Bodie by praying by preaching by admonishing exhorting and rebuking If thou refuse this concurrance in teaching admonishing and comforting thee thou shalt neuer get Heauen Paul in the 8. chap. to the Romanes vers 28. saith Wee knowe that all thinges worke together for the best to them that loue GOD. Marke the force of the wordes If there bee not a working-together for thy saluation thou shalt not come to Heauen There are two of the meanes whereby trouble and damnage is turned to saluation Yet there are more of them for hee saieth And by the helpe of the Spirite of IESUS CHRIST There is another meane As it is a fault to one member to refuse the helpe of the rest of the members of the body of the Church their prayers intercession so it is as great a fault to leane so vpon the care of anie of the members of the body of the Church or of the Ministerie in preaching praying exhorting and comforting that in the meane time thou haue no care of thy selfe to get the spirite and life within thee for Christs Spirit is thy life thou wilt not praye for thy selfe but wilt bid the Church Ministery pray for thee as if that were enough No except that Spirite bee within thee which is the Spirit of Adoption to make intercession with sighes vnspeakeable at the hands of God downe shalt thou goe albeit that the Church and whole members thereof would please to holde thee vp What if the hand had no motion life nor streÌ„gth in it selfe would the foote and the eye bee able to holde it vp No if the foote and the eye striue to holde it vp they should rotte with the hand and behoued to bee cut of For whereto serueth a rotten member It will infect the whole bodie if it be not cut off So if thou bee without spirite and life within thy selfe how beit all the rest of the members of the body of the Church would holde their hands about thee to holde thee vp thou shalt fall downe and die So as ye would haue others caring for you care for your selfe and see that yee haue the Spirit of God caring for you If Moses Abraham and all other faithfull men woulde praye for you it is nothing What good did Samuels prayers for Saul The Lord stopped his mouth and forbad him to praye for him Thus yee haue heard of three meanes whereby this wonderfull change is made The first is the care of God and His glorie The second is the intercession of the rest of the members of the body the third is the Spirite of Christ interceading for vs and the care which we haue of our selues We haue need of these meanes And certainlie the day is approaching that experience will tell the trueth of these thinges Paul a man euer afflicted in trouble and vnder danger telleth of his owne experience what hee founde But are there yet anie more meanes Looke the verse that followeth As I saith hee heartilie looke for and hope c. The worde importeth such an hope as when a man hath his head raised vp his eyes open and bent awayting for anie thing attentiuely Wee see when a man looketh earnestlie for any other his head will bee lifted vp his eyes will be bent looking to that place where from he should come and if he loue him well he wil looke attentiuely hauing both heart and eyes bended vp with hope of his comming The like worde in the 8. chap. to the Rom. vers 19. is ascribed to the creatures They awaite with feruent desire when the sonne of God shall be reuealed I shall make the words more plaine I hope according to mine attentiue exspectation that in nothing I shall bee ashamed that is that I shall neuer thinke shame of my Maister Iesus Christ because that if I thinke shame for any thing which I suffer for His cause I thinke shame of Himselfe Hee saith that in nothing I shall bee ashamed There is the negatiue I will be ashamed of nothing But what more With all boldnesse of spirite I shall magnifie Him in my bodie not in my soule onelie but in my bodie also and that Whether it bee in my life or in my death Hee casteth in the argument of this assurance as in all times by-gone euer to this houre I haue magnified Him in my bodie So this by-gone experience would he say maketh me to be assured by hope neuer to be ashamed of Him but to glorifie Him in life and death Then take vp the lesson Amongest the rest of the mean s whereby this change is made of miserie to felicitie of death to life and all thinges are made to serue to our saluation Hope is one and it is the fourth in number Wherein standeth this Hope That in no affliction which I suffer for Christes sake I will bee ashamed and so shame the Lord. For in suffering if thou blâ—shest and thinkest shame thou shamest Him But by the contrarie in all thinges that I shall doe or suffer in this bodie I shall doe with courage confidence and libertie I shall suffer with courage confidence and libertie And so in doing in suffering in the bodie I shall magnifie my LORD So this is the point If I glorifie Him before men with courage and boldnesse in mine afflictions I may bee assured Hee shall glorifie me before His Father in Heauen Mat. 10. 32. They that suffer with Him shall reigne with Him 2. Timoth. 2. 12. But by the contrary if thou with blushing think shame of Him and of His Gospel and of the afflictions of the Gospel if thou shame Him before the world He shall shame thee before His Father Mark 8. 38. So this Hope is no small matter for if thou haue an assured Hope during thy whole life thou shalt magnifie Christ whatsoeuer falleth out in life or death assure thy selfe all shall bee turned to the glory of God and thy
verse lastly from the seuenth verse to the ende he recommendeth this duetie to Israel that is to the Church of GOD to waite vpon the LORD and with the recommendation hee giueth in forceable reasons to mooue them To come to the first part first hee saith that in his greatest danger hee cryed to the Lord IEHOVAH Next hee setteth downe the prayer To come to the proposition he saith Out of the deepe yet more Out of the deepe places haue I called vnto thee O IEHOVAH By these deepe places hee vnderstandeth great miseries great dangers wherein his body was great terror and feare in his conscience for his sinne offerding of God for the Scripture as ye may see Psal 69. 2. 3 compareth great afflictions to deepe waters wherein a man is like to drowne and manie a time when the body is in danger the soule will bee like to drowne in desperation No doubt the greatnesse of the danger made him to vtter to the Lord voyces coÌ„ming from the very deapth of the heart If we felt our selues in great daÌ„ger we wold call from the deapth of our hearts to God he vttered not a voyce onely but a lowde voyce with a crie This is the meaning of the words We so here first that the children of God whom God loueth most intirely are many times subject to great and extreame dangers and troubles and if euer thou thinkest to come to Heauen make thee in thine owne course to suffer one trouble or other Let no man thersore judge euill of a man because he suffereth Next we see the greater the danger bee the heauier y e distresse the afflictioÌ„ wherwith y e godlie is exercised bee the more vehement feruent earnest will their prayer be they haue to God and howe commeth this to passe Euen in this maner by these degrees OppressioÌ„ afflictioÌ„ worketh in the hearts of the faithfull a sense of y e common misery of nature WheÌ„ the hand of y e Lord is vpon afaithful man then he begins to feele his sinne corruption And except the LORD exercise vs in this life either one way or other the best of vs all will fall into such a sound sleepe that we will neither remember what we haue bene what wee are nor what wee shall bee neither acknowledge our selues to be sinners So there is a necessity of afflictions for affliction bringeth vs to a feeling of our misery Next when through affliction the heart is prepared and brought to some sense of sin then it is capable of grace theÌ„ it prayeth to God Look neuer to come to Heauen if thou feelest not thy finne yea and that thou art a miserable sinner Then if once thine heart bee prepared with some sense of sinne and miserie then commeth in that holy Spirit of Iesus Christ which in y e Scripture is called the Spirit of adoption who finding y e heart dejected and made lowlie the Spirite will nerer looke in to a proude heart beginneth to worke to touch the heart of the miserable sinner with a sweet sense of mercie through Iesus hee beginneth to shedde abroade the loue of Christ into the soule and when once the heart hath tasted of the sweetnesse of mercie and as Peter saieth hath tasted how sweet and gracious the Lord is and findeth this passing loue of God in Iesus Christ then iâ—…eth a boldnesse and beginneth with confidence peartnesse to present itselfe before God and to put vp prayers and requestes Roman 8. 26. When once that Spirite hath giuen libertie then we crie with an open mouth for the heart is wide opened Abba Father Roman 8. 15. Because wee haue gotten a sense of that fatherlie loue in Iesus Christ The prayer of the faithfull is most effectuall when they are in greatest danger and then the voyce is lowdest for it is the Spirit of GOD who maketh intercession for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed but God knoweth the meaning of his Spirit Now Brethren surely few of vs haue yet beene in this deepnesse and extreamitie of miserie the Lord hath not yet so pressed vs with His hand as Hee hath done many others and therefore â—eâ—â— there is amongst vs who hath this feeling of sinne and miserie and consequently few of vs can pray so earnestly Howe many are there amongst you that dare say that yee feele sensibly the common miserie of nature Goe to your hearts and looke if yee feele it not sleeping in sinne and so long as thou sleepest thus and knowest not thy miserie howe wilt thou bee carefull to feele the loue of Christ and how wilt thou earnestly pray to God And certainly I take this coldnesse in prayer to be a fore-runner of a judgement to ouer-take this Land No it were better to bee swimming in the waters of affliction praying earnestly to GOD than to bee this way lying in prosperitie without prayer Nowe I goe forward After hee hath proponed that out of the deepnesse hee cryed to IEHOVAH then to let vs see his cryes hee setteth downe the forme of prayer that hee vsed in his great miseries first he saieth O Lord heare my voyce Next in the other wordes hee doubleth ouer the same petition Attende to the voyce of my prayers for hee prayeth not coldly but hee cryeth earnestly certainly the doubling of the crie would be opened vp from the ground Wee should gripe downe to the heart from whence the prayers of the godlie do flow that when we heare them or reade them we may get such an heart disposition in prayer as they had The doubling of the prayer and the mouth wide opening commeth of the doubling of the graces of the Spirite of GOD in the heart and of a double opening of the heart for except the heart be opened in prayer the mouth cannot be opened with pleasure otherwise if thou speake anie thing I will not giue one pennie for it So the opening of the mouth commeth from the opening of the heart When the Holy Spirit so sweetly maketh manifest the loue of God to the creature then y e tongue is loosed the second cry coÌ„meth of the second grace of y e second opening of the heart so oft as thou cryest so oft is there a new grace motion within the heart wrought by the Holy Spirite for it is Hee onely that openeth the mouth piece and piece to speake to God for take this for a certainty that Paul saith There is none that can call Iesus Lord without that Spirit come in 1. Corin. 12. 3. And againe hee saith We knowe not what wee should pray or how wee ought to pray without that Spirit teach vs Romanes chap. 8. verse 26. And if Hee teach not no man or woman is able once to open the mouth with confidence and liberty to pray And so Brethren if yee would speake well pray well or doe well looke euer to the disposition of the heart and night and daye pray for that
Albeit thou forget thy sinnes after thou hast gotten thy pleasure yet thou shalt see that thy conscience hath marked them all and as a man cannot reade when the booke is closed yet beeing opened they maye reade therein Euen so albeit vvhen our consciences are benummed wee see not the vglinesse and guiltinesse of sinne yet when GOD wakeneth them wee will see sinne in the owne colour and finde the vglinesse and guiltinesse thereof Our sinnes will come in and stand vp as mountaines and will hide the blessed face and presence of GOD from thee Sinne goeth betwixt vs and GOD and separateth vs from GOD. The Sainctes finde in experience that it is not an easie thing to finde a familiar accesse to God in prayer except our consciences first bee purged wee can haue none accesse to GOD. Therefore whosoeuer woulde drawe neare to GOD let him seeke to followe the counsell of the Apostle in the 10. Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes and the two and twentie verse where he saith Let vs draw neare with a true heart in an assurance of faith sprinkled in our heartes from an euill conscience No flesh can haue a fauourable accesse to God except his conscience bee first purged from guiltinesse yea that which wee speake of the guiltinesse of sinne wee speake also of sinne it selfe that except it bee quite taken away out of His sight that He will not look fauourably vpon vs. And this is that which the Prophet saieth here If thou O Lord straightlie markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand For as guiltinesse of sinne stayeth vs to beholde God so sinne it selfe stayeth God from beholding vs miserable wretches with the eyes of His compassion So long therefore as thy conscience is not purged when thou goest to present thy selfe before His Majestie if thy conscience bee wakened thou wilt finde God marking thy sinnes laying them to thy charge and wilt finde Him as a terrible Iudge compassed about with burning wrath readie to destroye thee and if He marke thee thou hast no standing and if thou appeare not cloathed with the righteousnesse and perfect satisfaction that IESVS through His blood hath purchased for thee thou darest not presume to approach for then His fierce wrath shall bee poured out vpon thee Further wee learne heereof that when euer wee would haue our prayers accepted wee should beginne with an humble confession of our sinnes and vnworthinesse and with an earnest prayer to forgiue the same yea wee must aggreadge our sinnes by all circumstances as the Prophet doeth here No none not the holiest Sainctés Fathers nor Prophets could be able to stand if he marked their iniquitie let bee himselfe who was such an vnworthie wretch who was laden with so manie and great sinnes Thou must not extenuate thy sinnes before GOD if thou wouldest find fauour with GOD as manie men commonlie doe saying wee are all sinners yea manie men haue sinned more and haue done worse deedes than I haue done That is not the way to finde Gods fauour Thou must bee very abject vile and contemptible in thine owne accompt if thou wouldest haue the Lord to account of thee Then where shall wee get a remidie to helpe an euill conscience for sinne taketh away all joy and confidence in prayer The next wordes furnish a faire remidie But mercie is with Thee Lord it is not Thy justice I looke to but Thy mercie Thy justice holdeth mee abacke but Thy mercie allureth mee I flee from Thy justice and I claime to Thy mercie So when a man desireth his prayers to bee heard hee must first haue a sight of his owne miserie guiltinesse and vnworthinesse and of the fiercenesse of the Lords wrath for the same and in all humilitie hee must confesse the same Next hee must haue a sight of the Lordes mercie and hope that it is possible that GOD bee reconciled with him except that these two bee joyned together hee commeth not duelie prepared the one without the other will not serue both are necessarie for without the knowledge sight and feeling of our miserie of sinne and of the wrath of God for the same vvee will neuer be earnest in prayer Who will aske except hee finde his want and without an humble confession there is no cōming before God Thou must not do as the Pharisie did reade that parable of the Pharisie and of the Publicane Luke 18. The Pharisie was so blinded with selfe-loue that hee could not see the filthinesse and corruption of his own heart and therefore not only in the presence of man whom he might deceiue would he justifie himself but also in the very presence of God who cannot be deceiued who searcheth the hearts he would boast of his own righteousnes and condemne the poore Publicane But what found he It is saide hee went home not justified that all men might feare thereafter to come before God with a cōceit of their worthines Thou must follow y e example of the poore Publicane who being ashamed of himself would not looke vp to Heauē but looked down smote his brest said O God be mercifull vnto mee a sinner Next if thou haue no more but a sight sense confession of thy misery will that bee sufficient No for albeit thou sawest all thy sinnes and foundest the burthen thereof and foundest the Lord as a judge in a judgement pursuing thee and heaping daylie judgement vpon judgement and wrath vpon wrath that will neuer make thee to drawe neare to the Lord but by the contrary wil make thee to turne thy back vpon the LORD for as a male-factor hath no pleasure to beholde the face of a judge because his countenance is terrible No more can the sinner abide the countenance of God His judgementes His wrath may make vs astonished and stupified but if there bee no more they will neuer make vs to come to God Then if this be not sufficient what more is requisite Euen a sight of the Lordes mercie for that is most forceable to allure as the Prophet saieth here and as the Church of God saith Cant. 1. 2 because of the sauour of thy good ointments therefore the Virgines loue thee this onelie is forceable to allure y e sinner for all the judgementes of GOD and curses of the lawe will neuer allure him What was the chief thing that moued the Prodigall sonne to returne home to his father Was it chiefely the distresse the disgrace and pouerty wherewith he was burthened or the famine that almost caused him to sterue No but the chiefe thing was this hee remembred that hee had a louing father that maketh him to resolue with an humble confession to goe home Luk. 15. Euen so is it vvith a sinner it is not terrours and threatninges y t chiefely vvil moue him to come to God but y e consideration of His manifold great mercies therfore if the Lord waken thy cōscience present thy sins before thee threaten thee heap judgemēts on thee
then say Lord I deserue to be threatned alwais to be plagued but Lord thou knowst my nature thes things wil not make me to come to Thee but will put mee away from Thee therefore let mee see Thy manifolde mercies towards sinners to allure me and then I shall come vnto Thee So wee see the remidie against an euill conscience to wit an humble confession of sinne and vnworthinesse and a fleeing from the justice of God to His mercie The fairest sweetest thing in the worlde is to feele the mercie of GOD. But herein there is great hardnesse and difficultie It is not so easilie attained vnto as men commonlie thinke for His mercie is compassed about with His justice and with His wrath against sinners as with a wall of fire and he who will come to grace he must come through a consuming fire and when hee preasseth to come neare the fire of Gods wrath will holde him off and will strike out and burne vp the impenitent sinner as fire doeth the stubble So it is an harder thing than manie think it to be to win to Gods mercy And how shal this be remidied By what meanes shall wee gette thorowe this wall of fire Truely hee who woulde meane to passe thorow fire had neede to bee well armed the man who preasseth to approach neare to that inuialable Majestie who can abide no sort of vncleannesse and woulde drawe neare to the Throne of His grace must bee well armed against the justice and wrath of GOD which debarreth sinners Surelie there is none armour in the world that can preserue vs from that raging and consuming fire of the justice and wrath of GOD but only the righteousnesse and satisfaction of Iesus Christ Let a man vse all the meanes in the world and he be not found in Christ he shall haue none accesse to come thorowe the justice and wrath of God to the Throne of grace yea his soule and his conscience must bee sprinkled and purged from dead workes with that blood which was offered vp to GOD to that ende by His eternall Spirite Heb. 9. without he bee dipped in that blood hee will finde GOD a terrible Iudge And after that through faith in the death and blood of IESVS thou commest to that Throne of grace thou shalt heare the sweetest and moste comfortable voyce that euer was that is All thy sinnes are forgiuen thee in that blood And if a man were cōdemned to die for some haynous cryme if the king would saye I absolue thee I forgiue thee thou shalt liue What joye and comfort woulde that voyce bring to the heart of him who was condemned The Apostle saieth Hebr. 10. 22. Let vs goe to the Throne of grace with a true heart and purged from an euill conscience through the blood of IESUS CHRIST that is Thinke not to come to that Throne of grace except first thou bee purged with that blood Therefore as euer thou wouldest bee in Heauen or see the face of GOD to thy comfort seeke to haue faith in CHRIST IESVS Looke vvhat necessitie is laide vpon a sinner either must hee bee banished from the presence and face of GOD for euer and be casten into the societie of the damned or else if he would bee saued hee must bee imped and ingraffed by a true and liuely faith in Iesus Christ make thee for it with all thy maine to get a gripe of Christ as euer thou wouldest be saued Nowe after hee hath met this objection which God or his owne conscience in Gods cause might haue casten in that hee was so vnworthie to bee heard by an humble confession of vnworthinesse and by fleeing from His justice and claiming to His great mercies bee setteth downe the ende of this mercie and free forgiuenesse of sinnes when he saieth But mercie is with Thee that Thou mayest bee feared The ende whereof the Lord granteth mercie and forgiuenesse of sinnes to sinners is that they may obey serue and worship God with pleasure and alacritie No man can euer be able to glorifie God and to serue Him chearfully but the man who hath assurance that his sinnes are freely forgiuē him in that eternall loue of God through the blood of Iesus for none can glorifie God except first he be glorified of God Albeit the naturall man got neuer so manie and great benefites yet because hee hath none assurance of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes he can neuer glorifie God nor be thankfull to Him On the other part It is vnpossible and if thou haue a sure perswasion that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee but thou wilt bee careful in some measure to meet the Lord God in loue to pleasure Him and to thanke Him for the first effect that floweth from the remission of sinnes is sanctification or glorification And it is not possible but if thou bee glorified thou must glorifie the Lord againe But the question may be here proponed Wherein standeth our glorifying of God hath He neede of our glorification Can our seruice bee profitable to Him Can our well-doing extend to Him Hath He need of any thing that wee can doe I answere Indeede it is true our well-doing cannot extende to Him as Dauid confesseth of himselfe in the 16. Psalme and the 2. vers All the Kinges and Monarches in the world cannot doe any thing that is profitable and steadable to God We are not able to adde any thing to the glory of God for His glory is infinite and to an infinite thing nothing can bee added for if anie thing coulde bee added it were not infinite The Father the Sonne and the Holy Spirite perfectlie glorified one another from all eternitie Glorifie Mee saieth Christ with that glorie which I had with Thee before the foundation of the world was laide That blessed Trinitie was as perfect in glorie before the creation of the world as it hath beene euer since Our glorifying of God stādeth only in this when the Lord illuminateth our minds that we may see His glorie in all his properties that wee in our heartes with pleasure and chearfulnesse consent thereunto allow of it and with our mouthes proclaime that glory which we see to be in Him And it lieth not in man nor angel to compare His glory The good the euil the well y e wo the commodity incommodity of al cōmeth to our own selues and happy is that man that glorifieth God miserable is he y ◠glorifieth Him not for our felicity standeth not in that y ◠we our selues be glorified but in this that we glorify our Lord eternally for that end were we created to y ◠ende were we redeemed with that precious ransom euē that we shuld glorify y e Lord happy is that creature that hath some purpose thirst desire to glorify God in this life for he may be assured that one day the Lord shall glorify him eternally in Heauen That soule I say shall be perfected in the life to come
the childrens bread and to cast it to whelps verse 27 But shee saide Trueth Lord yet in deede the whelps eat of the crummes which fall from their maisters table verse 28 Then Iesus answered and saide vnto her O woman great is thy faith bee it vnto thee as thou desirest And her daughter was made whole at that houre IN this TEXT which wee haue read wel beloued in the Lord Iesus wee haue a wonder that the Lord wrought on a woman a Canaanite a Gentile of a cursed generation the generation of Canaan The wonder is the healing of a womans daughter that was possessed and sore and miserably vexed with a deuill The woman hauing the occasion to meet with the Lord through His comming to these parts where she abode shee slippeth not the occasion but seeketh mercy and grace she findeth at the first great hardnesse and difficulty to get mercy but at the last she ouercommeth all by her faith and getteth mercy Now to go through this History so shortly and plainly as the LORD shall giue the grace This woman is called a Canaanite that is descended of that olde and rotten stocke of Canaan that was destinate for wrath and destruction Genes 9. 25. Looke to her estate shee is come of a cursed rase she is lying in sinne and security first in sinne next in a deadly sleepe and security of sinne This is the estate of euery one of vs we lie in sinne conceiued in sinne and borne in sinne we feele not the sinne that deadly sleepe of security is worse than the sinne we lie in there is none of vs better by nature than this woman was Then when she is thus lying in sinne security the Lord from the Heauen sendeth her awakening and a sharpe wakening for the judgements of God are like many messengers from Heauen to waken vs. In the example of the woman wee see that the Lords children must bee wakened and oftentimes our first wakening is verie sharpe dolefull and fearefull as it is with one that is wakened in the rage of a feuer Yet there is grace here Well is y e man that is wakened though the wakening were neuer so sore and sharpe for the multitude of the worlde dye in securitie and neuer waken till the fire of Hell waken them Well is thee and thou be wakened albeit it should be with neuer so heauy a judgement yea though thy daughter or thy selfe should bee possessed with a deuill Now when this poore womā is thus wakened and is wrastling vnder the heauy hand of God the Lord casteth an eye towardes her for no doubt howbeit she was one of the rase of cursed Canaan yet she was chosen to eternall life and of very purpose He casteth Himself into these parts where she was what euer other erand Hee had there is no question but He had a particular respect to her ◠she might haue the occasion to come to Him and this was a great grace When we are wakened out of security then the Mediciner hath his time and this is a greater grace It is a great grace to bee wakened but it is a greater grace to find a Mediciner to cure thy disease for as multitudes die in securitie so also multitudes die in paine torment and desperation after they are wakened Well she hearing tell that He was come to these parts and that He was such a man a wonderful man as the prophet Esay calleth Him who cured all sort of diseases who restored sight to the blind limmes to the lame cleansed the leprous and raised vp the dead she is moued to seeke grace and mercy at Him Had not the Lord preuented her and come downe thither sought her to draw her to Him there had neuer bene such a thing that she had sought for Him All thy misery albeit it vvere neuer so great vvill neuer draw thee to Him except Hee seeke thee first and draw thine heart vnto Him Well nowe to come forwarde vvhen shee seeketh Him shee findeth Him and getteth His bodilie presence CHRIST and His Disciples vvere vvalking together after His accustomed manner at the first meeting saieth the TEXT The woman cryeth Hee is apparantlie going before and the vvoman followeth after and cryeth Miserie constraineth her to crie And if the LORD laye His handes vpon thee Hee vvill compell thee to howle and crie O that power and might that is in the LORD ouer His creature But I doubt not considering the vvordes and communication that the LORD hath with this poore miserable and sinfull vvoman but it was that Spirit of adoptiō that opened her mouth so vvide to crie vpon Him so O thou sonne of Dauid haue mercie on mee What crieth shee Marke her words She crieth haue mercy vpon me How many of Hierusalem cried after this manner An Heathen ◠Cananite crieth this way misery compelleth her to cry But what maketh her to cry Mercy Wee will raile blaspheme God whē we are in misery but what caused her to cry Mercie No question the conscience of her demerites caused her to crie Mercie shee felt her selfe to bee worthy of all that misery wherewith shee was burthened The voyce of a miserable sinner that feeleth misery is O Lord haue mercy vpon mee but loe howe shee stileth Him O Lord The Sonne of Dauid these were the common stiles indeed of the Lord in this life He was called of the multitud LORD and the sonne of Dauid But certainly I am of this mind that this woman took these stiles otherwise than y e common multitude The very eye of her soule was opened to see Iesus Christ to be the Lord to bee the Sonne of God manifested in the flesh of the seed of Dauid howbeit I will not attribute vnto her a distinct clear knowledge of both His natures in one person and of His offices Then Brethren ye see two grounds of her petition The first is a Lordship and Power and Dominion in Him of whom she sought mercy The next is a Pitie a Mercy in Him of whome shee sought mercy She sought mercy at a mèrcifull face grace at a gracious face Looke that thy prayer bee well grounded on the LORD When thou openest thy mouth to seeke mercy at that LORD looke that thou acknewledge that there is a power in that Lord to giue thee euery thing that thou standest in need of and chiefely looke that thou acknowledge that there is an infinit passing mercy in that Lord surmounting all thy sinnes and then shalt thou pray from the heart with confidence and liberty otherwise thou mayest well seeke mercie from the teeth outwarde but neuer with thine heart Then shee letteth Him see a good cause wherefore she sought mercy Lord I haue need of a Phisition for I am sicke What sicknesse is sorer to a poore body than this to bee rent both in soule and body with a deuil Lord my poore daughter is tormented with a deuill As in thy prayer thou must haue a sight
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
knocke at that gate except that the Lord put out His hand hold thee vp euen in the meane time when Hee is holding thee backe so wonderfull is the Lordes working with His owne He will be holding them abacke with the one hand and He will be pulling them in to Him as fast with the other hand when He will be disswading He will perswade when He forbiddeth to approach vnto Him hee inwardly allureth mâ—n to come vnto Him Nowe will yee heare the Lordes answere If the first answere was hard this is as hard and rough for with an angry countenance no doubt He answereth It is not lawfull saieth Hee to take the childrens bread and to cast it vnto dogges It is euen as much as if Hee had taken her by the shoulders and thrust her out first Hee saieth Thou art but a dogge a Gentile and this that thou seekest is a precious thing the bread of life this appertaineth onely to the children of GOD Shall I take that and giue it vnto a dog As if Hee had saide Goe thy waye dogge thou shalt not get such a precious benefite as thou requirest Then we see here because she was a Gentile therfore Hee calleth her a dogge Suppose thou bee a King I pray thee be not too proude in thine own conceit and yet a Gentile Ergo by nature a dogge He will cast a Kingdome an Empire a Monarchie to a man as one will cast a bone into the mouth of a dogge but all is nothing in respect of one droppe of grace and the hope of the kingdome of Heauen Albeit thou bee a begger and yet gettest but one droppe of grace through IESVS CHRIST anie hope of the Kingdome of Heauen anie beginning of regeneration then thou hast gotten a greater grace a more precious thing than Caesar that got all the worlde There is no comparison betwixt the meanest spirituall heauenly gift betwixt the greatest temporall and earthly thing Nowe I note againe the hardnesse to winne to the Kingdome of Heauen Would yee not thinke it a marueilous thing to turne a dogge into the Sonne of God It is as great a wonder to see a Gentile to be called to Heauen as to make dogges and stones the Sonnes of God Nowe know that before thou gettest accesse to Heauen although thou wert a king thou must bee humbled in thine owne conceite thou must know thine owne estate and condition thou must thinke thy selfe as vile and contemptible as a verie dogge by nature as this woman was brought to saye otherwise thou shalt neuer get heauen Then Brethren if the entrie to the Kingdome of heauen be so harde if thou like a dogge returne to thy vomite or as a sow to the puddle as Peter saieth 2. Pet. 2. 22. after thou art wasâ—en with the blood of that immaculate Lambe then it is a wonder if euer thou get grace to re-enter againe Now heare the poore womans answere she granteth all It is verie true thou sayest I am but a dog a vile and an vnworthie wretch and that bread of heauen is a precious thing I am not worthie that it should bee casten vnto mee Yet saieth shee the whelpes doe eate of the crummes which fall from their maisters table If thou wilt not shew mee this grace to eate bread with the children yet let me eate the paringes and crummes vnder the table Ere euer the Lord bestow grace and eternall life vpon thee hee will haue thee to accompt thy selfe vnworthie of anie grace yea hee will haue thee to accompt as vilely of thy selfe as of a dog albeit thou hadst neuer so many great prerogatiues otherwayes in the worlde ere thou get that life thy conscience will accuse thee to bee vnworthie of such a life and such a joye as the LORD ordained for his owne Shee scipped before nowe shee thrumbleth and thrusteth in at the gates of heauen and goeth like a violent woman not indeede preassing like a sturdie begger to be in whether the Lord would or not but by humilitie and acknowledging of her owne vnworthinesse in all submission comming as it were creeping like a sillie whelpe vnder the table that is the violence that is done to the Kingdome of heauen Matth. 11. 12. Shee taketh vp heauen by violence in all submission and humilitie And if thou bee once but a whelpe vnder the table of GOD in the house of GOD to gather vp the crummes of that plentifull table thou art called to a greater honour than if thou were made King of all the worlde I had rather bee a doore-keeper in the house of GOD than to bee king of all the worlde Nowe Brethren when shee is thronging in hee is loath to put her out againe No hee saieth O woman great is thy faith bee it vnto thee as thou desirest thy faith hath wonne the victorie From whence had this poore woman all this perseuerance and this continuance and this constancie but from him and yet hee standeth wondering at his owne graces The LORD beholde his doing when hee hath giuen thee grace and perseuerance when thou commest to heauen he will wonder at thee and there is the ende of all thy perseuerance a faire crowne of glorie And what more doeth hee That same moment that force that was in the worde that proceeded out of the mouth of IESVS extended it selfe to the womans daughter and healeth her and casteth the deuill out of her Now she sought only to creepe in as a whelp vnder the table to eat the crummes and now the LORD setteth her vp at the table to sit with Him in glory as CHRIST Himselfe saieth I say to thee saieth Hee manie shall come out of the East and out of the West into mine house into the Kingdome of Heauen and sit downe at the Table with Abraham Isaac and Iaakob Matth. 8. 11. And from whence are wee come Euen out of the furthermost point of the West And O SCOTLAND Belieue in IESVS seeke earnestlie grace at Him and waite patientlie when Hee tryeth thee and thou shalt find that thou shalt be set downe with ABRAHAM ISAAC and IAAKOB in glorie Wee are the Sonnes of GOD indeed but it appeareth not yet what wee shall bee but one daye it shall appeare when wee shall be crowned with the crowne of glorie The Lord worke this faith and earnest desire of grace in vs for Iesus Christs sake To whome bee all glorie honour and praise for euer and euer Amen THE XV. SERMON LVKE CHAP. VII verse 37 And beholde a woman in the citie who was a sinner when shee knewe that Iesus sate at table in the Pharisees house she brought a boxe of oyntment verse 38 And shee stood at his feete behinde him weeping and began to wash his feete with teares and did wipe them with the haires of her head and kissed his feete and anointed them with the ointment verse 39 Nowe when the Pharisie who bade him sawe it hee spake within himselfe saying If this man
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
blessed that inuiolable Majesty were and what the Euangell is how glorious how liuely howe powerfull in operation and then what our selues are how vnworthie we are now Lord what would wee account of Iesus Christ this heart that now is bound vp would then bee loosed to thankfulnesse But wee see not what GOD is and if we haue not found glorie and the power of the Gospell Looke what great coÌ„mendation this Apostle giueth to the Gospell 2. Cor. 3. 6. where hee compareth the Lawe with the Gospell and calleth the Gospell the Ministerie of the Spirit the Ministerie of righteousnesse y â— Ministerie of life Then againe wee see not what our selues are how vile how filthie and vncleane we are we see not that mysterie of sinne that is in vs and therefore we account so little of the Gospell and are so little moued when the Lord threatneth the away-taking of it And to the ende men may knowe howe they ought to esteeme of this Ministerie of this Gospell committed vnto them which now the world so much contemneth and disdaineth we shall speake a litle of the dignitie excellencie thereof To haue the Gospel of Iesus Christ coÌ„mitted to a mans charge is no small thing No there is no fleshe worthie of such dignitie and honour no not the Angels in Heauen let be sillie mortall creatures Is the creature worthy to dispose the treasures of saluation Is a man worthy to reconsile God and the world Is anie man worthy to bee an instrument to bring remission of sinnes peace of conscience and joye in the Holie Ghoste to the soule of man Is anie worthy to beare witnesse to the soule of man that life euerlasting appertaineth vnto him and is laid vp for him in the Heauens And this mooued the Apostle to crie out when hee considered this Who can be found meet for these thinges 2. Cor. 2. 16. And so if wee knewe all that is contained in the Gospell wee woulde saye that the Angels themselues are not worthie to beare such a message to dispense the secrete and hidden thinges of GOD to confirme forgiuenesse of sinnes to put poore sinners out of doubt that the LORD loueth them and taketh them for His children and last that Hee will crowne them with saluation and euerlasting life And the consideration of this should moue them whom the Lord hath set in His seruice to follow the example of th'Apostle Paul and day and night to bee thankfull to God vvho chooseth such fraile and poore creatures to such an high excellent and glorious office as to offer saluation to them who before were condemned and cast-awayes Next this consideration should mooue men faithfullie and carefullie to execute that charge which is committed vnto them as also to pray y â— Lord earnestlie that Hee would blesse them with graces and strength according to the weightinesse of the calling that they maye bee â—ound faithfull in that Great daye for man of himselfe cannot doe so much as to thinke a good thought 2. Cor. Chap. 3. vers 5. let be to haue such graces by nature as to furnish such an high and glorious a calling And as the Pastors haue their duetie to learne heere so the people also may and should make their vse of it that is when they come to heare the word of God to the ende that the Gospell and the promises of mercy may profit and edifie them they shoulde bee resolued in themselues that it is God that sendeth men vnto them and maketh them meete who were vnmeet And in this place the Apostles minde is not onely to humble Preachers to acknowledge the grace bestowed vpon them but also to resolue all men that hee that preacheth is sent from God otherwise the preaching of the Gospell will neâ—er profit them And last this serueth to reprooue the vaine thoughtes and vngodly speaches of the common multitude for they thinke this Ministery to bee but a base and contemptible calling and say Who should be placed into it who but such fooles and vnworthy bodies as cannot bee meete for another calling who but kinlesse bodies But if a Gentleman an Esquires sonne a lordes brother c. take on this calling hee is disgraced and abased therewith But. O vnworthy wretch No Emperour no Monarch nor no flesh whatsoeuer is worthy of so great a calling no the Angels in Heauen honour not so much the commission as the commission honoureth them If thou continuest in counting basely of it to the ende thou shalt finde it at the last to bee the most glorious thing that euer was but it shall be to thy confusion and destruction Nowe I goe forward Hee commeth to a reason of his thankfulnesse Who hath strengthened me saith hee that is of a weake body full of imperfection blottes and sinnes which might haue hindered mee from that calling Hee made mee strong and able So the Apostle compareth his estate by nature with that estate which he found of grace and when hee was in nature hee saieth hee was weake and vnder the worde of weaknesse hee comprehendeth his blasphemy persecution and oppression which hee setteth downe heereafter And heereby wee maye see that men will neuer knowe the grace of God well nor accompt worthily of it vntill they consider what men are when GOD leaueth them to their owne estate And when men get a sight either of themselues or of others they will see that there is no goodnesse nothing worthie of praise but much mischiefe misery both in themselues and in others And when men once seeth and knoweth this then it will bee an easie thing to them to judge of the grace of GOD which supplieth and remedieth all wantes and vices When Paule looked to himselfe hee sawe no goodnesse that that had appearance of goodnesse was nothing but euanishing smoake and therefore confesseth that whatsoeuer was in him by nature was corrected and so hee giueth the praise of all to God Againe I see that none will account of IESVS CHRIST and His Gospell but they who finde a power and strength in the Gospell There is a power in the Gospell which all the faithfull finde for by the Gospell he that was weake to any good deede is made strong by the Gospell he that was dead is quickened and beginneth to liue This constrained the Apostle Paule to giue such glorious and powerfull stiles to the Gospell hee calleth it the power of God to life and saluation Rom 2. 16. he calleth it liuely and mighty in operation Heb. 14. 12. The children of God find it powerfull to ouerthrow and cast downe the imaginations of man and euery strong holde which is raised vp against Iesus And whosoeuer findeth this of necessity they must be thankfull Alas that there should be such a power and strength in the Gospell and that we should finde so little of it for if wee found it it could not bee possible but wee woulde testifie and practise by mouth and hand by word and
a man is looking to heauen he will not be without temptation no not Paul himselfe nor none other man nor woman that haue their conuersation in heauen And the special temptation of him who wold faine haue life is death and the dreadfull sight of death and death is euer in his eye Hee was neuer borne but death will tempt him death wil be terrible to flesh and blood and when hee is looking vp to that light and glorie in heauen it will come in betwixt his eye and the sight of heauen as it were a terrible blacke cloude and sometime will sunder him and that sight of Heauen As when a man is looking vp to the Sunne a cloude will come euen suddenlie and take the sight of the Sunne from him Euen so when a man is looking vp to the Sunne of righteousnes CHRIST IESVS that cloude of death will come in and catch the sight of CHRIST from him This is our estate here there is none acquainted with Heauenlie things but hee will find this in experience as PAVL did But what is the remedie In the first word of the Text that we haue read he sâ—ieth Wee knowe and wee are assured for the worde importeth a full assurance and faith and a full perswasion Then the remedie against this temptation of death is onelie Faith a full perswasion and light in the minde of the knowledge of the glorie of GOD in the face of CHRIST with a gryping and apprehension thereof this is the onelie remedie The man that lyeth in ignorance and hath not this knowledge hee is oppressed by death So euer seeke and seeke earnestlie for light CHRIST is light and let your pleasure bee in light for death is darkenesse and smootheâ—â—th the soule except it bee lightned with this light that commeâ—h from the face of IESVS But to bee more speciall what light and knowledge must this bee what assurance must this be Thou must knowe and bee assured not that thou wilt bee free from death naye beguile not thy selfe die thou must and therefore resolue thy selfe to die so it must not be such an assurance as to be perswaded that thou shalt not die opponing thy self to death saying I wil not die I shal not die Then what assurance knowledge must this be Euer this that after I am dead I shall rise againe to life It is true O death thou shalt cease vpon my bodie and thou shalt not leaue it till it bee dissolued into dust but when thou hast gotten this body dissolued I shall recouer a new glorious bodie There is the meeting of this temptation assure thy selfe of life after death Seeke this assurance and labour to pierce with the eye of Faith thorow the clouds of temptation to see that life in Christ which is hid vp aboue those cloudes Seeke that eye of Faith to pierce in through those cloudes to shew thee that life and the Sunne of righteousnes Christ Iesus Nowe the wordes would be weighed particularly and first marke a description of this death and of the temptations that woulde separate thee from that life eternall The words are these If our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolued Then what is death a dissolution and loosing of a thing that was joyned together a dissoluing and scattering of the partes of it it is not an vtter destruction of it the thing that it dissolueth it destroyeth not vtterlie It lyeth not in the handes of death to destroye the thing it dissolueth it may well loose it and cast it asunder but it cannot destroye it Then death is a dissolution and not a destruction a dissoluing whereof not of the soule it lieth not in the power of death to loose thy soule or sunder the parts thereof thou hast that aduantage Death will dissolue and loose thine house the lodging that thou dwellest in that is this bodie which clotheth thy soule Thou art termed by thy soule and the soule properlie maketh a man to be a man it is y e chiefe part of man and the bodie is called the lodging of the soule and the soule dwelleth in it as in an house So death is the dissolution of the bodie of the house which it looseth into powder yea it wil loose all the members and parts of the house O! but marke when it commeth to powder and asshes it lieth not in the handes of death to destroy the powder and ashes of the bodie but that powder and ashes in despite of death will be gathered and set together in a more glorious forme of bodie than euer it was before Yet looke howe the Apostle describeth this house First from the matter secondlie from the forme thereof As for the matter he calleth it our earthlie house This bodie is but claye euen a lumpe of that claye and earth whereupon thou goest esteeme of it as thou wilt yee see the matter of this bodie is vile and contemptible as for the forme thereof it is an house not an house that hath a foundation or builded on a ground-stone but a tabernacle and flitting tent it is set down here to day tomorrow taken vp and set downe in another place thy body is a pauilion that men transport hither and thither as they please Then thou seest that thy bodie is a thing litle worth whether thou looke to the matter whereof it is made of the earth or to the form thereof an vnstable tent or pauilion Now marke this well brethren who speaketh this it is Paul how speaketh he it by faith speaketh the bodie this no what then the soule that dwelleth in the bodie as in a lodging speaketh it The soule is speaking of the bodie the faithfull soule of Paul is speaking of his fraile bodie Then learne how little faith counteth of death Learne also how little the faithfull soule counteth of the body yea euen then when it is dwelling in the bodie it will lightlie the lodging thereof it will call it a lumpe of claye a tabernacle a tent a fraile house it will count no more thereof than a glorious king will count of a cottage he hauing manie faire palaces We 'l brethren it is faith that doth this it is not the soule alone that can count so lightlie of death or of the fraile body if thou hast onely the soule in the bodie and want this faith the soule will thinke the bodie sweet to dwell in It is faith and the faithfull soule that doeth the turne and there is not a better argument than this to see if thy soule bee faithfull or not Looke what estimation thou hast of thy bodie and carcasse what account thou makest thereof I saye to thee if thou hast thy chiefe pleasure in esteeming of thy body decking and feeding it following thine appetite wallowing in the lust thereof if thou liuest in such estimation of thy body I say thou hast a faithlesse soule remaining within thy bodie Woe to that faithlesse man that hath none other pleasure not can gripe