as are neare and deare unto them Gen. 19.29 And it came to passe when God destroyed the cityes of the plaine that God remembred Abraham and sent Lot out of the middest of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt So this is one particular in which is seene Gods sparing mercy When God hides his people in times of indignation And also when he forgets their sinne and casteth them behind his back and doth not punish at all These phrases of passing by and not passing by are usuall in Scripture and to set forth the mercy of God in this head of sparing mercy as one breach thereof So also Gods adjourning his punishments to a farther day his suffring his Spirit to strive with men as he did with the old world The long suffring of God waited in the daies of Noah while the Ark was a preparing 1 Pet. 3.20 When God was provoked by their sinns yet he waited one hundred and twenty yeeres This deferrings of judgment is a branch of that sparing mercy of God which we live under But Sirs the glasse is running all this while there is an appointed time for every purpose The time appointed will be expired and though God may seem to have leaden feet yet be sure he will have Iron hands at last Though he come slowly he will smite surely O Do not be bold in sin God is merciful to forbear to put off defer his plagues but it will not be wisdom for you to defer to put off your repentance His spirit will not alway strive He will be paid for forbearance ye will be left altogether in excusable if his forbearance work not at all with you And as if the Lord did study to be mercifull in his dealing towards the sons of men what moderations and rebates doth he shew in his punishments Psalme 78.38 But he being full of compassion forgave their iniquitie and destroyed them not but of this branch we have spoken already Marke therefore what followes yea many a time turned he his anger away Here is another branch of sparing mercy but yet further and did not stirre up all his wrath Here ye have all three in one verse But that which we have now in hand is the moderation that is in this God of judgment when he must needs punish he doth it in judgment not in fury He doth not make a full end but correct in measure even when he doth not leave his people altogether unpunished Jer. 46.28 Lament 3.22 It is of the Lords mercy that we are not utterly consumed To wit his sparing mercy Lastly upon this point or branch of sparing mercy it is noted by some that God doth somtimes shew a kind of unwillingnes and loathnes to lay on stripes on the backs of his servants He doth not take delight in the putting of his servants to paine He doth not laugh at their calamitie But he is brought in groaning while he is whipping as a father correcting with weeping eies Hosea 11.8 How shall I give the up Ephraim how shall I deceive thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together Here is a conflict as it were in the very spirit of God O how shall I do it O what a sparing heart the Lord hath towards the sons of men Where he must needs corect them it is much against his will Truly he never dealt with Christ so as he doth with the sons of men He spareth not him in any regard at all He spared him not in the first way he tooke not away the punishment but he gave him up to death The cup did not passe away but it was drunk Neither was it deferred but when the houre was come he suffered he was sacrificed in the time set for it And that without mitigation He had not one drop taken out of this bitter cup. Neither was there any relunctancy in God against it He did not weepe over him when he was suffring He never cryed how should I suffer thee my sonne to dye How should I endure to see thee so used But it pleased the father Isai 53.10 yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him He had not only voluntatem but voluptatem He did as it were harden his heart upon him which made him cry my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Quest But you will say how standeth this with the love of the father It is said the father loved the son why then did he not spare him at all in his suffrings Ans I Tell you sirs there was great reason why God should not spare Christ Though he spare us continually For. First it delighted God to see his justice satisfied Reasons why God spared not Christ he would have a full satisfaction to it It was expedient that all the mercy should be towards the redeemed and none towards the redeemer As Christ stood in our steede he was to satisfie justice and so to have what he paid for Thus justice is exactâ—d which God could not indure should be trampled under foot This must needes be a pleasant sight in Gods eyes That we sinners might have all mercy he that saved us from our sinnes had no mercy Sparing mercy is the lowest degree of mercy yet this was denyed to Christ that he might pay every sort of mercy for us Secondly He knew what his sonne could do He laughed at the triall of him because he knew he would do well enough It pleased the Father to see his sonne tug with death so and all sorrows even as a Generall takes delight to see his souldiers play the men bravely But I am sensible of a digression and therefore returne to the matter in hand that mercy of all kinds is in God Ye have had a discourse of a fivefold mercy And now next I am to speake as I promised of that great manifestation of mercy to mankind fallen from his good estate I meane to the remnant elect to the little flocke for whose sake glorious doings and marveilous transactions have beene in the world For to the end that man so fallen in Adam so miserable every way as hath been heretofore shewed might be raised up and freed from all sorts of sorrows and deaths from griefe here and from eternall damnation hereafter and be made fit to enjoy grace mercy here and glory eternal in the heavens God hath diverse and sundry waies shewed his abundant goodnes and mercy as shall now be declared And Effects and acts of mercy First let us begin with the Incarnation of Jesus Christ the eternall Sonne of God In this God hath declared his infinite love and mercy to us Of this admirable effect of working bowells in God you mâ—y read John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Who considering
passage we have to this purpose from another shining light As the eis is not weary of seeing nor the ear of hearing no more is God of shewing mercy mercy is naturall to him Let it be considered Dr. Preston for our unspeakeable comfort The mercies of God are the mercies of a God Mercy exalteth it self against justice He will blot out your iniquities and remember your sinns no more But let no swine trample upon this Jewell T is true when his people sinne he will visit them with stripes but yet he will forbeare when they are washed in the teares of repentance The God of Israel is a mercifull God come then with ropes about your neckes and ly downe at his feete and he will pardon As the Jaylor washed the stripes of Paul and Barnabas when he was converted so when men repent and are humbled God will wash their's Externall mercies are vouchsafed to all He sendeth rainny Showers and Sun blasts on the good and bad on the just and unjust and feedeth Ravens nay even those very mouths that do curse and blaspheme him yet have many a good thing put into them and wicked ones have many mercies from his hands And if God have such mercies for his slaves what mercies then thinke ye hath he reserved for his Sonnes and Daughters Then let all take comfort in this Doctrine of Gods mercy notwithstanding their sinfull miscarriages let not such as have sinned dispare of mercy 4. Sith mercies is in God as hath been said let us render to Vse 4 this mercifull God the honor due unto his name Quatuor potissimum à nobis gratitudo quae ei rependamus deposcit membriam amorem servitutem seu obsequium perpetuam cum gratiarum actione laudem Less and by many of acknowledgement and thankfullnes These foure things are due unto God First to be mindfull of his mercies It is the least we can do to a benefactour to retaine in memory a benefit whereby we may shew that we did esteem it and that it was accepted of us He surely is most ungratfull that will not so much as remember a curtesy Therefore seeing we have had so many mercies from God let them not be all forgotten The truth is we should forget none of them Forgetfulnes of mercies is a sinne that goes neare to the heart of God We find God often putting men in minde of his mercies Ye have a large discourse of Joshua c. 24. v. 3. c. even unto the 14. v. And Exo. 20.2 God puts them in mind of his bringing them out of the land of Egypt out of the house of Bondage puts it in the head of the decalogue ye see to hint thus much to us that unles we be mind full of Gods mercies there is little hope that we should be obedient to his laws and so Ezek. 16.6 c. He puts the Jews there in minde of what he had done for them And when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own-blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field c. Surely we of this nation have cause to look back to those bloody daies of Queen Mary and to remember what God then did hath often since done for us He put out the fires in Smithfield and elswhere c. And remember what he did for us in Eighty-eight and concerning the Gunpower plot in 1605. And in these last past years even to admiration and astonishment O that we could remember his mercies that have beene ever of old Must we not confesse that the Lord hath beene to us a mercifull God Yea surely And if we look upon our selves that desire to serve God according to the prescribed rules of his word Have we not had many mercies worthy to be remembred How hath God kept up a despised handfull notwithstanding the wrath pride profanesse and cruel spight of some that live among us How hath he kept the burning bush his Church in this place from being consumed Besides personall mercies which each one his owne soule is most privy unto Some have been sick and God hath restored health Some have beene forced from their habitations and God hath brought them backe again Some have beene unjustly molested under pretence of being disorderly persons peace-breakers Riotors how truely God will one day make appeare and God hath yet freed you from the cruel spight and crushing might of wicked men Behold ye stand before the Lord unde many a mercy let them never be forgotten for by remembering what God hath done ye will be the fatter and readier to love the Lord and obey him and praise him with acknowledgement that his mercy endureth forever But these three latter particulars are next to be considered under this fourth Use Next to remembrance therefore of Gods mercys we must inquire for our love towards God For sith we have nothing to give in satisfaction of the least of Gods mercies being as old Jaacob said lesse then the least of them all We should yet love God and let our affections runne out towards him who is worthy to be loved by a daily commemoration of mercies this fire of love may be kindled As the beames of the sunne gathered in a burning glasse into one do stirre up and cause great heate sometime fire So the mercies of God gathered in our mind seriously considered will kindle the fire of love in our soules towards God and to that end let these three things still run in our minde Our unworthines Gods eminency and the greatnes multitude of his mercies if yet this will not do rub up particular mercies which like a blast of smal wood may set thy soul on fire that then the other three considerations like great billots or sheeds may keep it in Ps 116.1.2 So David I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice my supplications because he hath enclined his ear unto me Fenner in his Treatise of Justification p. 87 therefore will I call upon him as long as I live c. If we would saith one busy our thoughts and rememberances about God this might winne our affections to God 3. We should yield obedience and service to God Luke 1.74 75 being delivered out of the hands of our enemies we should serve him without fear in holines and righteousnes before him all the daies of our life We should do the will of this mercifull God and study to please him in all things And in the last place the praises of God must continually be in our mouths Mercies cals for praises Psalme 104. ver 1. c. Blesse the Lord O my soule Dr. Sibs Souls Conflict 45. and all that is within me blesse his holy Name And the causes follow verses 3 4 5 Who forgetteth all thy iniquities Who healeth all thy diseases Who redeemeth thy life from destruction c. A thankefull heart to God
have you know or consider that it is too such only as seek him and waite upon him He cares not that ye know God is mercifull but he would not have you take notice of his justice and holy severitie against sinne that he is a revenging God and a consuming fire 〈◊〉 transgressours He would not have you take notice of everlâ—â—â—ing burnings and devouring fire in which sinners shall ly and be tormented during the long life of God T is true if he see that ye be in perplexitie about your sins and be in to tremble and to be afraid of the wrath of God then he will fast enough be telling you what a terrible God he is whom ye have sinned against that he may drive you to dispaire Thus would the devill separate what God hath joyned together Ye may see God putting both together Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gratious long suffring and abundant in goodnes and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitie and transgression and sinne and that will by no meanes clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children c. And therefore when wicked men shall talke of the goodnes of God I may say to them as Jehu did to Joram concerning peace what hast thou to do with peace c. So What have ye to do to talke of the goodnes of God that do not seeke him nor waite upon him I may say to such as Elisha did to that Lord on whose hand the King of Israel leaned mentioned 2 Kings 7.2 about the great plenty that should be in Samaria Behold thou shalt see it with thine eies but shalt not eate thereof So such may heare and speake of the unspeakable goodnes of God but they shall have no share therein O! T is true there are rich and pretious promises made but only to such as love God and keepe his commandements and take Christ to be their King Priest and prophet but gracelesse wretches must know that nothing remaines for them but a fearfull expectation of vengence when God shall reveale his wrath upon the breakers of his law upon the refusers of his Christ And therefore that Sathan may not carry you along in a fooles paradise do not separate those attributes of God which from all eternitie are joyned in one in God And chiefly labour to be in a capacitie of this attribute of goodnes and benignitie If ye will be welcome to God ye must have the wedding garment if ye will profit by my discourse of the usefull goodnes of God which I am now upon ye must be the children of the promise and have your vessels uncovered or else all the pretious liquor of the goodnes of God will run over But I have somewhat forestall'd mine application I have a few words more to speak of the explicatory part of this disâ—â—â—â—se and then I shall come to the Uses It is true it is naturall in God to be good for it ariseth out of his infinite perfection but yet the acts thereof are free From this disposition commeth another attribute to wit love of which we shall speake hereafter when we shall have finished others first in their order But in the meane time It is my work to shew you what this goodnes of God is which I am now upon It is in God a naturall propension to communicate himselfe to creatures according to their severall capacities VVhat the benignity of God is And whereas I say it is a naturall propension yet I do not meane that the acts of goodnes are so for they are free There was but one necessary and naturall act of goodnes in God and that is the communicating of his whole essence which is of infinit perfection excellency As inferior things are naturally prone to procreate somthing like and equall unto themselves But because that which is altogether infinite cannot be multiplied therefore the Divine essence doth not communicate it selfe by the production of a like essence distinct in number as created things do in which the essence which is in one suppositum doth produce an essence in another suppositum distinct innumber but by the giving of himself and as it were by replication so as the same most simple nature in number is in three subsistences distinct in number Yet this communication sith it is natural the pronenesse unto it is it not to be called benignity of which I am now speaking but it is a naturall production of a person and communication of a nature And we may call it fertility or fecundity But goodnes is a free communicating to inferior Which in God although it spring from his infinite goodnes or perfection as the former communication of the whole essence and be also naturall yet the acts thereof are free And this goodnes of God communicated to creatures is generall to all Psalm 145.9 The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his workes and verses 15.16 The eies of all waite upon thee and thou givest them their meate in due season Thou openest thy hand and satisfiest the desire of every living creature But yet more especially to the rational and intellectuall creatures men and Angles which only by understanding and will are made capable of the divine goodnes These angelicall and humane natures God hath made far more capable of his goodnes and hath adorned them with many gifts of his good will And for man which he saw would stand in neede of many helpes he made all other things to be usefull for him out of Gods goodnes and benignity is all this done That the goodnes of humane being night be hereby made the more sweet and comfortable unto the sons of men In this respect he is said to be the Saviour of all men 1 Tim. 4.10 preserving them from many dangers and relieving and comforting them with the service of his other creatures Math. 5.45 He maketh his sun to rise on the evill and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust Thus goodnes is communicated to man as man But Thirdly Gods goodnes is not only generall to all creatures and speciall to mankind but singular to his Church not only in giving them means of salvation and deliverance from the curse but to many of them vouchsafing the sense of his choisest favours in remission of sinnes gifts of the spirit and life everlasting fullnes of joy reserved for us at the right hand of God O what a goodly garden of the goodnes of God is the whole creation Even Devills have a share in regard of their natures it is angelicall such a nature as the best and wisest and most knowing of the sonnes of men can little tell what to make of it In so much that even in Christs time among the Jews it became doubtfull whether there were any such creatures as Angels at all and by a considerable sect viz. the Sadduces was held in the Negative I say
THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD Vnfolded and Applied Wherein are handled The 1 Life Of GOD. 2 Perfection Of GOD. 3 Holiness Of GOD. 4 Benignitie Of GOD. 5 Mercy Of GOD. 6 Truth Of GOD. 7 Wisdome Of GOD. 8 Power Of GOD. 9 Justice Of GOD. 10 Love Of GOD. 11 Hatred Of GOD. 12 Anger Of GOD. 13 Independencie Of GOD. 14 Simplicitie Of GOD. 15 Eternitie Of GOD. 16 Infiniteness Of GOD. 17 Immutability Of GOD. 18 Immensity Of GOD. Delivered in sundry SERMONS at Tavistocke in Devon By THOMAS LARKHAM Preacher of the Word of God and Pastour of the Congregation there Divided into Three Parts They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee Psal 9.10 LONDON Printed for Francis Eglesfield and are to be sold at the Marygold in Pauls Church-yard 1656. Dignissimis Reverendis Theologiae in Academia CANTABRIGIENSI Professoribus gratiam pacem in Christo sempiternam NEque tanti sunt viri amplissimi chartae meae neque author ego pauperrimus indoctus mere edentulus vix ulli noto notus ut votis undiquaque dignissimis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ornatissimis illas vel me ipsum commendare aut praesentare praesumerem Et videar forte praefrictae frontis oris nimium impudentis vos inani meo Epistolio turbare Sed quoniam cum me quamplurimis Dei boni patris mei in Jesu Christo beneficiis benedictionibus refertum a multis magnis meis inimicis liberatum componerem ut ea quae de hoc omnipotenti omniscio incomprehensibili Jehova persensissem publice palam docerem evulgarem in veni tot tanta doctissimorum auribus non indigna religiosâ—ssimorum cordibus valde consolatoria omnibus Christianis cujuscunque gradus ordinis conditionis tam utilia ut non potui tot tanta gloriosa paucis verbis comprehendere quin ut ab uno ad alterum Dei optimi maximi attributum procederem manu quasi de Coelo porrecta perductus fui Et cum tandem totum annum de his sequentibus Octodecem Dei divinis nominibus sive attributis consumsissem eaque in Ecclesia parochiali ut dicunt Tavistocensi apud Devonienses multis praelectionibus finâ—ssem partim ex rogatu auditorum benevolorum partimeâ— opprobriis convitiis calumnii mate volorum quorundum in Theologia Tyronum provocatus me ipsum hoc qualecunque opus levidense satis fateor tenuiculum Ecclesiae Christi prostituere decrevi Quod ut videtis feci tandem Et quamvis longe infra gravitatem vestram dignitatem subsidere scio spero tamen ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vestram veniam potius quam ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 censuram me habiturum Homuncionibus ingenii prurientis placere non desidero Plutarch vita Alexandri nec Momo nec Zoilo displicere curo Regium est audire malè quum bene facias inquit Rex ille magnus ideoque obtrectatores maledicos non moror Tribunal vestro gravissimi patres hunc tractatum humiliter non tam ad docendum vos quam ad corrigendum a vobis praesento Verberent me homines audaciae calumnia modo vos me benigne ubi lapsus fui corripiatis retundatis Errare possum haereticus esse nolo spero hanc Academiam Deus aspiret hoc votum in perpetuum pulchrae protis parentem fore invictos pugiles veritatis in promptu semper hahituram Deus vos dirigat in viam suam sicut jam olim ab omni errore sartos tectosque servet Hoc unum in votis restat ut audaciae meae parcatis in bonam partem accipere dignemini hoc observantiae testimonium Pusilli almae matris Cantabrigiensis quondam alumni dignitates vestras semper plurimum honorantis E musaeolo meo Tavistocensi in Comitatu Devon T L. Ad amicum fratrem suum reverendum in Domino authorem hujus operis Thomas Larkamius At hamo Sim klarus QVid si non alio sim Nomine klarus at hamo Sim clarus mihi sat nominis illud erit Larkhamus si sim si sim * Diu vixit Oppidi hujus nominis in Comitatu Devon Northamus ab hamo Gloria quaerenda est non aliunde mihi Det Deus ut faelix semper mihi pendeat hamus Quo possim pisces carpere Christe tuos Sint aliis alii donis nil renuo clari Vt mihi fit faelix hamus id ipse precor J W. Ejusdem Currenti calamo parcat Larkhamus hamo Si mea vota valent clarior esse queat Si mea quid valeant vota beatus erit Ejusdem Anagr. aliud L. k omissis Thomas Larkhamius Hamo artis hamus HAmo artis Christi precor oh jungatur ut hamus Ars humana Dei fulta sit arte precor Hamus erat Petro nihil at cepisset ab alto Ni servo Dominus suppeditasset opem Jactus at ille semel Christo mandante quis unquam Crederet innumeris piscibus actus erat Sic Larkhame tuo si Christi jungitur hamus Ars divina arti si quoque juncta tuae Innumeros capies mihi credito nec mora pisces Hamus ut immensa mole gravatus erit Ergo preces precibus jungantur ut hamus ab hamo Divino humanus vim sibi quaerat AMEN To the Reader whomsoever ALthough so far as I know mine own deceitful heart I differ with none but such as differ with Christ yet are there many differences between me and many even some of them such as are eminently holy And many times I am apt to think that they do not deal wel with me nor as it becometh christians yea sometimes I express so much but it little moveth discourse of them for the Lord hath hid me from them it would be to me even an heart-breaking affliction were it not that my hope is that God wil uncover me again in due time and give me favour in the eyes of his excellent ones in whom is all my delight This following Treatise is the substance of divers Sermons preached by me in a time of great troubles when innumerable evils came upon me which much dejected me I confesse I wanted a Luther to chide me for that holy champion writing to Melancthon a godly learned man yet too much dejected hath these words I vehemently hate those most miserable cares wherewith thou art even consumed it is not the greatness of the cause but of our unbelief if the cause be false let us give it over if true why do we make him to wit God a lyar in so great promises strive against thy self the greatest enemy c. and although the difference be great betweene him and me and as many whom I cannot but love and honour may think between his cause and mine yet I humbly crave leave to affirm that it is evident to me it is the same though not by me so wel discreetly
must know that as God only hath immortality essentially and immutably so likwise all kindes of goodness are only in God firme and sure Saints might fall Angels might fall the Saints in heaven might fall and dy also againe were it not that God holds them to their estates he hath brought them unto and will even as the Psalmist saith Psalme 91.4 He shall cover thee with his feathers and under his wings shalt thou trust his truth shall be thy shield and buckler But for more cleare and full answer to the place in Ezekiel You must know that the Holy Ghost meanes not truly gratious neither is it the scope to prove falling from grace but to cleare the Lords justice and my scope is to shew the deadly hatred God beares to sinne And either by righteous in that place we are to understand a moral legal righteous man or else it is a caution to prevent a righteous mans falling if we will understand it of Gospel righteousnes Or lastly as I intimated in the beginning of my Answer to his Question it may be true of a righteous man considered in himselfe not in relation to God or Christ that he may turne from his righteousnes as Angels and Adam did We have a rule conditional suppositions are of things impossible aswell as of possibles therefore make what ye will of the text yee can never necessarily conclude either with Bellarmine that a man may Exuare cor novum put away a new heart that faith may be lost Lib. 3. de Inst c. 14. Quid clareus quomodo quaeso avertitur justus à justicia si fide sola justificatur fides semel concepta extergui non potest or with Arminians that it is so evident that every one may see it that a just man may totally and finally fall away Hominem justum posse totaliter de ficere Ames in antisynod de presen Sanct. c. 2. Christ tells his disciples that he would send the comforter that he might abide with them forever that he might dwell with them and be in them John 14.16.17 But I must end this businesse which is but by the by God must needs hate sin seeing one sin in the evening of a mans age persisted in unto death will make God forget all former services done to him this is the third evidence Fourthly Gods willing the abased incarnation and dolorous death and passion of his sonne that sinne might be abolished is the highest discovery of his hatred towards it If nothing but the blood of his owne son be able to remove sin it shall be laid down rather then God will endure it so hateful is sin and so loathsome in the eyes of God And therefore Soules do but consider this ye that make light of sin see and consider a little what sinne is in the account of God in whose ballance all things must be wayed Yea look upon the readines of Christ to make his soule an offering for sin to lay down his pretious life that this ugly thing sin so hateful to Gods holines might be slain as well as satisfied for and that Gods soul might be eased and comforted justice being satisfied which the holy severitie of God did call for I have beene very long upon the formalitie of Gods holines which as you may remember is the fourth way or manner God is said to be holy in A Fifth and indeed the last way or manner is that God is said to be holy Eminently and causally as the fountain and begining of all sanctitie in creatures As he is the root of all holines the object the example viz. of and unto his own holines and formally holy also as hath largly been demonstrated So likewise to the creator of all creatures holines He is the Efficient Formall Exemplary and final cause He hath first infused all holines into Angels and men which they have he converteth men to himselfe he doth away the spots of their sinnes he plants in them the light of grace and good inclinations All holines comes from him and what have we that we have not received from him who only it is that makes men to differ So that God is causally holy the efficient cause of all holines in the sons of men He it is that rooteth out sin and cleanseth them from filthines and planteth in them holines by his holy spirit And thus our God is holy as he doth effect holines Secondly he gives the very species of holines Holines as I have told you is placed in loving God and his waies Christ and his people Now it is God that forms Christ in us and gives a spirit of conformitie to him in holines He is the formal cause of holines in creatures not informing but in a higher way without imperfection we are transformed by the renewing of our mind Rom. 12.2 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the new creature the change of the soule as the worke is variously termed is wholy from God And so their people come to be willing in the day of Gods power in the beauties of holines Ps 110.3 Then when they have a holy frame of spirit they being to value ordinances and run too and fro for the increase of their knowledge Daniel 12.4 they cleave unto God and one to another praying in the Holy Ghost Jude ver 20. and submiting themselves one to another in the feare of God Ephes 5.21 Even as the father loveth the sonne and the sonne loveth the father and God loveth himselfe because of the holines in their divine essence so it is with the Saints that are made to be holy and are renewed Thirdly God is exemplarily the cause of holines in creatures he hath laid a coppy before us according to which we should square our lives He is principum exemplare Not only the mind and will of God revealed in the scripture but also the histories of Gods dealings in point of holines who would have us walk as he hath and be holy as he is holy And yet this is not all we have a plaine familiar coppy a demonstration before our eys I mean the behaviour and conversation of Christ in the daies of his flesh he hath left us an example that ye should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 Such as walk according to these coppies and this rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Holy Israel of God Gal. 6.16 Fourthly All the holines of the creature is directed unto God and his glory as unto its end Therefore the creature is sanctified and made holy that it may be for God the utmost end and honour him and praise and glorifie him And take this for a truth no action is any further holy then Gods glory is the end of it The Pharises almes fastnings and prayers were materially good but because their owne praise and not Gods glory was that which they aimed at this was that spoild all And therefore Christians well is that we have a Christ for seeing
this in his minde can chuse but be astonished who can hold teares in the consideration of so great mercy That God would send his Sonne out of his owne bosome even him who thought it not robbery to be equall with God Phillip 2.6 ver 7. to be made of no reputation and to take upon him the forme of a servant and to be made in the likenesse of men Rather then man should be utterly lost That he I say of infinite majesty with the father and Holy Spirit wanting nothing who created all things whom so many millions of Angles serve and who in a moment of time is able of nothing to create infinit other more excellent then men to worship him should be borne in a stable laid in a mangre that man wretched man the lowest of rationall nature next of kind to the bruite beasts addicted to earthly things void of heavenly uncleane unthankfull rebellious in whom there was nothing worthy of love many things worthy of hatred and punishment Should be freed from everlasting damnation and raigne eternally with God in glory Here is a rare effect and fruit of mercy indeed If a man riding a long the high way should find a poor raged louzy wretch almost dead groveling and wallowing in blood and dirt and beholding this wofull sight should alight from his horse and take up this poore creature carry it upon his back or in his arme to some house and take all possible care for its washing dressing and recovery and in the meane time have his horse stollen by thieves himselfe persuing beaten and wounded should yet rejoice that he hath saved the life of the poore creature would not such a man be noted for a good man a mercifull man Beloved bretheren this is nothing in comparison of what Jesus Christ hath done for us He did lay aside his glory and tooke part with our even with the worst miseries and all in mercy to deliver us from hell and to bring us to glory Stand amazed O ye sons of men If ye did but consider what ignorance of God athisme brutishnes and hellish cruelties are in Christendom and ye must think there is much more out of it ye would conclude that the world is in a most miserable condition being God is righteous And therefore to do as hath beene a little said for the salvation of such must needs proceed from unspeakable mercy even the mercy of a God To this head is to be referred the bitter passion of our blessed Saviour His nakednes and poverty his hunger and thirst his labours and hardships of life his reproaches and persecutions his buffetings and spittings his whipings and prickings of thornes his agony and bloody sweat all kindes of opprobies and dolorous sufferings even unto the accursed death of the crosse And this is the first effect of Gods mercy Christ Incarnation Behold next the revelation of the mind of God by this Lord Jesus Christ so Incarnated Heb. 1.1.2 God who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers by by the prophets hath in these last dayes spoken to us by his sonne John 17. ver 3. If to know God the only true God and whom he hath sent Jesus Christ be life eternal which who dares question Then it must be another rare fruit of mercy to ignorant blind sotish brutish mankind to have such a glorious Sunne to shine that people that sit in darknes and in the shadow of death may have their feet guided into the wayes of peace and salvation And truly herein English men have a great share in this mercy that when so many places in the world are without the sound and saving discoveries of the Gospel have such as no nation under heaven doth or ever did goe beyond us scarce any surely very few ever enjoyed the like But that we may be somewhat taken with his effect of mercy let us looke into it somewhat further by the consideration of two things about it First The condition the world was in when Christ came The condition that the world was in when Christ came and then his comming and behaviour for the enlightening thereof For the first the whole world except a very few was ignorant of Christ and of its maker of divine providence and the government of the world of the end of good and evill to wit eternall life and eternal death heaven and hell How few then and yet indeed tooke notice of the soules immortality the evill of sinne both in regard of his wages and work sorrow deformity the worth and beauty of exact walking The devill the Prince of darknesse being the God of this dark world held all as he doth the greatest part to this very day under his government and discipline behold deadly darknes was upon the face of the whole earth incomparably worse then the darknesse that was in Aegypt mentioned Exod. 10.21 All their beauty was deformity their potency wealth and eloquence with which they flourished were of no worth because of no efficacy to the obtaining of eternall life or freedom from hell Now in this misery and blindnes in which the whole world in a manner lay The Lord Jesus moved with mercy and pity came into this dark and blind world dispelled these darknesses with his discovery of the mind of his father He detects errors opens the frauds tyrany of the Devil illuminates the world and shews them the author of all things his power providence mercy justice the reward of good men in graffed into Christ and the punishment everlasting prepared for ungodly men and unbelievers This light shone three yeers and halfe in the person of the son of God in the flesh in diverse townes and villages in the wildernesse in thâ— mountaines in the fields on the land and on the sea of Galilee publiquely and privately in houses and in Synagogues in the Temple and in the streets in all places upon all occasions The excellency of this light it contained nothing but what was profitable to salvation for the manner it was plane and familiar that all might be capable of it It was pure and perfect enlightning the understanding reforming the soule excluding sinfullnes and iniquity directing in piety righteousnesse and sobriety composing the whole life and conforming the whole man within and without to the divine will and eternall love of the most holy God This was done by Christ in the flesh his humanity was the instrument made use of in the administration of the Gospel of salvation And therefore nothing can be desired for matter or manner that is wanting this mystery of salvation coming out of so good a hand The very particulars insisted on by Christ in his sermons have in them sublimatie and beauty He commandeth selfe-deniall the renouncing of all the world for his sake a patient taking up of the crosse the love of our enemies The Lords prayer not to be used as a charme but to
fire and torments for ungodly men than God can want mercy If ye be not all saved O ye sinners it is not out of any defect in God His bowels yern over lost mankinde Yee are self murtherers if ye come not all to Heaven He perswades you intreats you begs you and complains of you that ye will not come to him that ye might have life And what would ye have more I say again if any of you be damned t is not God but your selves that cause it See what God hath done to others men saved already next the devils have been the greatest objects of pitty that could be because vile sinners and enemies to God in their mind by wicked works bloody Manasseth persecuting Saul abhominable Mary Magdalen and the Thief upon the Crosse even dropping into the jaws of Hell And for Saul who I named but just now when he was breathing out threatnings and slaughters against the disciples of the Lord Act. 9.1 Even then was God breathing out his mercies upon him These are glorious suns that shine in the crown of our mercifull God He hath mercy of all sorts for all conditions and nothing displeaseth him more then when men take up narrow thoughts of his infinite bowels Then secondly Let us trust in this mercifull God for ever Vse 2 and trust perfectly in him whose mercy indureth for ever Let the wicked forsake his way Isa 55.7 c. and turn to the Lord for he is mercifull He will have mercy he will abundantly pardon stand it not out with God any longer ye know not if ever ye may have another such a tender of mercy from God again O then close with God labour to come into the Covenant and keep under it ye that are in Otherwise ye may live long enough under mercies offered Come to Christ God is a Father onely to such as have Christ for their Lord and King Beloved consider what I say Gods works are glorious and to be sought out I say we come not to heaven in a way of mercy onely but through a Mediator for out of Christ God is nothing else but everlasting burnings For though his nature and property be to have mercy and to forgive yet he is forced to take punishment by our impenitency and our impenitency cannot be taken off untill we be united to Christ by the spirit working repentance If ye be not in the Covenant ye are out of the sphear in which Gods mercics to eternal salvation move though many ordinary showers of mercies and Sun-blasts of comfort are to be had upon the account in general of the satisfaction of Gods justice by Jesus Christ elsewhere yet choice mercies the sure mercies of David are to be had no where else but under the Covenant Psal 89.28 Mark I pray My mercy will I keep for him ever more How comes that to passe It followeth And my Covenant shall stand fast with him By David in this Psalm is signified Christ of the seed of David of whom David was type And Gods mercies to us in him are firm and sure Verse 34. My covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips And much more ye may read in the following verses to the same purpose The sum of all is that Gods mercies in Christ are firm to the whol body mystical To them they are like the waters of Noah T is a Covenant of salt that cannot be broken Get once assurance that thou art in Christ and never doubt of the mercies of God more Be thou never so weak in parts or grace Those that are so weak that they cannot apprehend Christ he is ready to comprehend them But still we must be perfect in this truth Dr. Preston Sts. Infirm pag. 52. that Justification Redemption and Salvation which are these sure mercies of David are not to be found out of the Church nor extended to those whom God never received into his Covenant But here it may be objected Object out of the first of Titus v. 2. That eternal life which God that cannot ly hath promised before the world began cannot be appropriated to those who do believe and bring forth the fruits of their Faith in obedience because there were none such before the world began To which I Answer first That that place may be Englished Sol. from the times of ages And then the sence will be that God in all ages from the beginning hath made promises of eternal life to such as come into the Covenant and are believers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A parallel place in some what a clearer phrase we have 2 Thess 2.13 God hath from the beginning chosen you that is all along from the beginning God hath chosen you and such as you are to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and unbelief of the truth Or if according to the latter Interpretation of Piscator which Dr. Twisse embraceth we read ante tempora soecularia Quèmad modum etiam verum est Deum sicut neminem adultum nisi resipiscentem bonis operibus invigilantem salvum facit ita etiam non nisi resipiscentem bonis operibus deditum statrisse salvum facere unde conficitur resipiscentiam bona opera causas quidem esse salutis idque ex ordinatione Dei quippe qui nos elegit ad salutem in sanctifatione spiritus fide veritatis sed non sequitur resipiscentiam bona opera causam esse ordinationis ipsius divinae Twiss 233. fol. before times of ages that is before many ages to wit in the beginning of ages which seems fitter then to say before eternity for God neither promised nor decreed to promise any thing before eternity this sence will answer this Objection well enough to wit that whatsoever Gods decree or purpose be of men means sure I am that God hath promised eternal life onely to such as be in Christ and that all mercies belonging to life eternal are appropriated to such new creatures as are in Christ Jesus But secondly for satisfaction in this point if ye that are pleased to consider what I say are resolved to read the words either in the Epistle to Titus or to the Thessalonians according to the usuall reading of them in our English Bibles and according to Beza and others and will make the sense to be before the world began although it will be hard to make the place in in the Epistle to the Thessalonians so to sound yet still it will stand for a truth that Christ laid down his life onely for his sheep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioh. 10.15 and not for his enemies for the company of Believers and not for wicked unbelievers And as is said Heb. 5.9 He is the author of eternal salvation to all that obey him Nay not onely are Christ and his benefits restrained to the faithfull but also unbelievers and such as continue in their wickednesse are flatly excluded from