Psalme to all men in his tâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…red out of dangers O that we would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse Psal 107.5 and declare abroad the workes that he doth for vs most sinfull men Further in that he healed this man which had been possessed with a lamenes or numnes so long a space as thirtie eight yeeres in his whole body appeareth the exceeding great power of almightie God for in that the disease was vniuersall ouer the whole body and besides had continued so long till he was old The power of the Lord set forth there is no rule in phisicke that euer could giue him any hope of recouerie yet herein note the vnspeakable power of the Lorde that by speaking a word or two he healed him perfectly in mans hope past healing By the like power hee healed the woman of the bloodie issue Luk. 8.42 who had spent all her substance vpon Phisitions and could not be healed By this power he healed the woman who had a spirit of infirmitie eighteene yeres and was bowed together Ioh. 11.43 44. Mar. 7.32 and 9.26 Matth. 11.5 24.36 Mar. 1.42 Ioh. 6. Matth. 14.19 By this power hee raised Lazarus from death to life who had lien in his graue foure daies By this power he made the deaffe to heare the dumbe to speake the lame to go and clensed the leper By this power hee fed fiue thousand with fiue barly loaues and two fishes I may in like sort speake of this mightie and exceeding great power towards all those that are translated and deliuered out of the kingdome of darknesse and Satan into the kingdome and cleere light of the Gospell of Iesus Christ What a great power of the Lord was it Act. 9.1.20 that persecuting Saul was healed of his sinne made zealous Paul preaching Christ Iesus and him crucified What a great power was it that Mary Magdalene in whoÌ„ raigned dwelled 7. The true conuersion of a sinner manifesteth Gods power Luk. 7.37.38 c. diuels was cleaÌ„sed made whole and a woman euer after to weepe for her sins and to wash Christ his feet with her teares But greater was the manifestation of his power wheÌ„ he healed the man which had a legion of diuels in him And at this day may euery true conuert say oh the exceeding greatnes of Gods power towards me poore wretch who being vnder the bondage of sinne and thereby the bondslaue of Satan all the power that was in me or that I was able to make could neuer make me free from that thraldome till that the exceeding power of GOD by the sounding ministerie of his word cryed vnto me Awake thou that sleepest Ephes 5.14 and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light Such a miraculous power and a powerfull miracle is the raising vp of a sinner from his snorting in iniquitie to walke and runne the race of a Christian Moreouer Note his mercie as we note his power in healing him of such a long continuing sicknesse so note wee his compassionate mercie in hauing a feeling and before touched with our infirmities We haue an high Priest Heb. 4.15 who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort as we are sinne only excepted This his compassion and mercie made him to weepe ouer Ierusalem Luk. 19.41 viewing their great sins and his fathers wrath readie to fall vpon them for the same It made him pitie the great multitude of people that came pressing vpon him when hee saw them as sheepe without a shepheard It made him to sigh and groane at the hardnes of the peoples hearts yea so forcible and plentifull was it in him that hee neuer denyed helpe to the miserable comfort to the comfortlesse nor heaueÌ„ly counsell to them that carefully sought for it His loue to vs for our saluatioÌ„ is as large as the East is from the West Psal 103.12.13 and the North from the South as great and greater then the loue the father hath to his sonne or the mother to the babe sucking her breasts for that hee euen spreadeth out both his armes of mercie readie to embrace euery sinner truly turning vnto him and clocketh vs vnto him by his liberall mercies Matth. 23.37 Deut. 32.11 12 13. euen as the hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings Yea this one thing doth greatly extoll the largenes of his loue and fauour in that he extendeth it to vs without any of our merits or deserts For he loued his owne before euer the foundation of the world was laid Rom. 9.23 ere euer Iacob had done good or euill he loued him and hated Esau The Apostle Paul saith Rom. 10.12 He that is Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call vpon him Rich he is in power able to helpe rich he is in mercie most willing and readie to heare all those that call on him faithfully I should be endlesse if I should repeate the proofes of this great loue mercie of God The loue of God to vs in his son Christ is endlesse in and by his Sonne Christ Iesus But because his loue to vs is endlesse I wil here end the speaking of it with that admiration wherewith the Apostle Paul endeth his speech of Gods election and reprobation O the deepnes of the riches both of the power and mercies of God Rom. 11.33 how infinit is the one and the other not able sufficiently to be expressed by the tongue or penne of any man Our dutie hence Our dutie hence that we must learne is regeneration and true repentance otherwise wee shall treasure and hoord vp wrath and clowdes of witnesses against the day of wrath and declaration of the iust iudgement of God Rom. 2.3.4 Seeing the bountifulnes of God ought to leade vs to repentance The comfort we may hence reape is great The comfort Art thou sicke art thou afflicted art thou pressed downe with the sight of thy sinnes criest thou after Christ and desirest with blind Bartimeus to be healed of thy infirmitie No sore to the Christian but Christ will serue it then continue thy crying labour that thy sighs and groanes may be increased yea if it were possible euen to pearce into the heauens And though thou findest not present remedie dispayre not consider Gods power is able to raise thee vp when thou art fallen consider also his mercie to bee such that although the wife play the harlot and her husband giue her a bill of diuorcement hee will neuer receiue her againe yet saith our gratious and mercifull God vnto our sick soules turne again thou disobedient man whosoeuer thou bee and though thou hast committed whoredom with thy louers Ierem. 3.2 3 4. yet will I receiue thee into my fauour againe And thus much for the second circumstance to bee considered in healing of the man vz. how long hee had beene
Salomon the builder of the temple in these words And the Lord said vnto him 1. King 9.3 I haue heard thy prayer and thy supplication that thou hast made before me I haue hallowed this house which thou hast built to put my name there for euer and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually Christ therefore in this temple perswading vnto newnes of life had the promise of his fathers presence to make his perswasion powerful as also to print in the hart of the hearer a more reuerend regarde and estimation thereof being deliuered Dauid a type of the militant Church Reade Psal 84. Psa 122.1.2 1. Chon 29.9 Dauid being a true type and figure of the Militant Church here on earth neuer came into the temple but his heart leapt for ioy his ioy was increased and his zeale kindled yea that which being out of the temple he could neuer attaine vnto was in the temple made partaker of Salomons temple a type of the spiritual temple Though that temple was a type and figure of the spirituall temple neuer made with hands and there is not the same vse of it now as there was then yet haue wee at this day two things Two things now resembling Salomōs temple Ioh. 4.24 that may fitly resemble that temple and where God wil as well heare the praiers and receiue the sacrifices of his Church being done in spirit and trueth as he would then The first is the godly societies and assemblies of the righteous Godly societies meete together for exhorting one another Matth. 18.20 wheresoeuer and whensoeuer they meete together according to the rule and warrant of Gods worde to such Christ hath promised his presence saying Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them The second is our ordinary assemblies and meetings together at the house of prayer Publike assemblies of the faithfull at the house of prayer to powre forth prayers to the Lord be partakers of the word preached and administration of the Sacraments Where such assemblies are employed to these aforesaid vses they are not as the Prophet calleth the temple in his time the den of theeues Esay 56.7 Ierem. 7.11 Mar. 11.17 but they are euen the blessed throne kingdome of Christ Iesus to whose faith and constancie Christ hath promised such power that euen the gates of hell shall neuer bee able to preuaile against them In these two temples as I may call them when we meete with our brethren it is not our duties to prate and chat of worldly matters but rather euery one of vs Heb. 3.13 to exhort one another while it is called to day least we be hardened through the deceitfulnes of sinne Yea to keepe the profession of our hope without wauering and to prouoke one another vnto loue and to good workes Heb. 10.23 24 25. not forsaking the godly fellowship that ought to bee amongst Gods children And to be carefull alwaies to cherish and embolden the weake putting them in mind of their miraculous deliuerance out of the kingdome of darknes into the kingdome and cleere light of the Gospell And thus much of the second part Of the third part which is the words of exhortation themselues wherein wee haue to consider these three branches following First a rehearsall of the benefit done to the man behold thou art made whole The principall cause of his long sicknesse from which Christ had now deliuered him was his sinnes and iniquities which I gather out of these words Sinne no more As if hee should say sinne hath bin the cause of thy former sicknesse if therefore hereafter thou wilt remaine a sound man sinne no more Thirdly what must be the effect of this miracle by Christ or the dutie of his deliuerance which is the subiect of this treatise euen true repentance set downe here by the former part of true repentance which is to sinne no more or to cease from sin Rom. 2.4 The bountifulnes of God ought to leade vs to repentance Of the first branch Behold thou art made whole Where first we are to consider that our Sauiour vseth a word of attention or to make the matter hee hath in hand take more effect saith Ecce Behold Psal 32. v. 5.7 The Prophet Dauid speaking of any extraordinary matter alwaies vseth an hebrew verbe importing the like which is Selah so likewise the seruant of God Moses vsing any vehemēt exhortation commonly hath this word behold or remēber as thus Behold Deut. 30.19 Exod. 20. I set before thee this day life and death blessing and cursing The Prophets of the Lord speaking either of the manifestation of Christ in his humane nature or of his second comming againe to iudgement or of any such great matter vseth this word behold As Esay Tell the daughter Sion Esay 62.11 Zach. 9.9 Matth. 21.5 Mal. 4.1 Behold thy King commeth meekely riding on an asse c. And Malachie Behold the day cōmeth that shall burne like an ouen and all the proud yea and all that doe wickedly shall bee stubble Apoc. 1.7 Behold be commeth with clowdes and euery eye shall see him c. and 22.7 Behold I come shortly Euen so here as a preface to the declaration of the benefit done to him Christ saith Behold giue eare consider well what I haue done for thee passe not lightly ouer that miracle I haue shewed vpon thee in giuing thee health Where we are to note Receiue his word miracles and mercies with attentiō that GOD would haue vs receiue his word his exhortations threatnings blessings and miracles with attention heede taking and waying well who it is that doth such things for vs and what is done as we ourselues O my countrimen and deare brethren in Christ Iesus for whose sake the Lorde hath moued me to penne this little treatise haue iust occasion to giue eare what the Lords Eccho soundeth in our eares daily Aboue many others the North parts after our great and late receiued deliuerances euen thus Behold thou art made whole c. VVhereunto let euery one of vs fill our families our meetings and conferences with this heauenly harmonie and sweete sounding melodie answering the former behold saying then sith it is so indeede My soule praise thou the Lord Psal 13.1.2 Psal 57.7.8 and all that is within me praise his holy name Awake thou my glorie awake lute and harpe I my selfe will awake right early And let vs one prouoke an other to praise the Lord of might for his miraculous mercies as Deborah stirred vp her owne soule and Barake to sing praise to God for their triumphant victories Vp Deborah Iudg. 5.12 c. vp arise sing a song arise Barak c. Euen so vp O Westmerland Comberland and Northumberland vp ye seuerall townes congregations and families euery particular soule whose safetie the liuing Lord by the shadowing wings of his
Happie are we if we heare aright thy law thy lore and eke thy praise will wee beare obey extoll and magnifie all the daies of our life being here on the earth This if we doe then happy shall we be stand fast for aye and a parcel of the Lords vineyard beloued for euer but if we doe not but delay the time of our repentance as we haue done oh alas I must and will tell you what he will then doe vnto vs sinfull wicked and carelesse contemners of his graces euen take away his hedge from vs breake downe his wall lay vs waste A fearfull afterclap and neither plant prime cut nor digge vs any more and then marke what wofull sequell thereupon shall follow we shall be troden downe eaten vp and destroyed by the wilde bore out of the forrest and no good shal then grow amongst vs but brambles and bryers tokens of his wrath as in Adma and Zeboim Againe as this exhortation serueth to the man that neuer tasted of repentance before that now without delay hee turne vnto the Lord cease from his sinne and bring foorth fruites worthy amendment of life so likewise it may serue and bee in place of a louing and pithie exhortation to the protestant It serueth as an exhortation to all protestants of our countrie Ioh. 11. Marke our happy case on Gods behalfe Ephes 2. and professor of Christianitie in these our daies whose case on Gods behalfe is like to Mary Magdalens out of whom went seuen diuels like to Lazarus who was raised from death to life after foure daies rotting in his graue like to the Ephesians quickened raised vp made new and brought to sit in heauenly places by the blood of Christ from aliants and strangers to the commoÌ„-wealth of Israel without hope without God in the world yea of forreners and strangers made citizens with the Saints and of the househâ—â—d of faith And to conclude on Gods behalfe like to the vntoward and trewantlike schollers of whom the author to the Hebrues maketh mention who were lightened tasted of the heauenly gift Heb. 6.3.4.5.6.7 and were made partakers of the Holy-ghost casted of the good word of God and of the power of the world to come The professors I say on Gods behalfe being in as happie a case as Magdalen grace offered from God the father by his sonne Christ to dispell and driue backe Satan and dispossesse them of many diuels as comfortable a case as Lazarus was in called by the sounding ministerie of Gods word out of the pit and graue of their sinnes where they haue not laine almost foure daies as Lazarus but by an inueterate custome of sinne all their daies rotting therein yet at last made to heare this powerfull voyce Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead c. And to conclude of no people made a beloued people of aliants from the common wealth of Israel made owners and heires thereof by grace and of seruants by nature made sonnes vnto God by adoption in Christ Iesus But these professors of the Gospell so gratious on Gods behalfe who hath layd out himselfe and his mercies wholly in his sonne Christ vnto them all yet in regard of themselues and the courses of their liues not vnlike the foolish Galathians Gal. 3.1 who did for a time run well but in the end obeyed not the trueth loued their Apostle so dearely Gal. 4.15 that they would haue plucked their eyes out of their heads to haue done him good yet after a time harkening to false Apostles they accounted him their vtter enemie Vers 16. be cause hee told them the trueth These at the first publishing of the Gospell were very feruent accompting it sweete but after some trials for the same laid vpoÌ„ them they fainted adiudging themselues vnable to vndergoe the burthen And to conclude though they begun in the spirite yet Paul was afraid of them that they would altogether end in the flesh Yea fitly may many of our Christians at this day be compared with the protestants against whom Peter wrote who promised vnto others libertie 2. Pet. 2.20 and yet were themselues the seruants of corruption who after they had escaped from the filthines of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ were yet againe tangled therein And to conclude as I compared them to the Ephesians before in regarde of the multitude of Gods mercies offered them so now may I againe fitly resemble them to the same Ephesians but not in the same sense as before being now comparable with them for carelesnes Apocal. 2.4 coldnes and luke-warmenes in Gods seruice For vnto the Ephesians Angell or pastor Iohn the Diuine was coÌ„manded to write diuers things amongst which this for one that the Ephesians had forsaken their first loue Thus then the case going with vs all that professe the Gospell so happily so comfortably on Gods behalfe euen raised vp to sit in spirituall places with Christ Iesus and so dangerously and so doubtfully on our own parts amongst many in regarde of their sensuall carnall and carelesse cariage of themselues in the middest of a sinfull and crooked generation this dutie of the sicke mans deliuerance laid downe and described in our text here by Christ may serue very fitly for vs all and be continually applied of euery one of vs and stil sounding in our eares as though Christ were calling vpon or conferring with vs saying Behold thou art made whole sinne no more Ye that were dead in your sins hath Christ quickened Marke well ô my brethren ye that were strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that was in you because of the hardnes of your hearts hath he illuminated and opened the eyes of your vnderstanding that ye may see and discerne of things that differ one from another Yea vnto you all that professe the Gospell let me speake Behold beho d ye that were deaffe doe heare Blessed bee God for it ye that were lame doe goe ye that were dumbe doe speake ye that were leprous are clensed and ye poore soules whom Satan once ouerruled keeping you in darknes poperie superstition to you to you I say is the Gospell preached the happy newes of saluation sent and the kingdome and glorious throne of Christ Iesus erected amongst you But me thinke I heare some say that the man to whom these wordes were first vttered by Christ The secure reasoning of many had cause and great cause to put in practise this holesome counsell for hee was made whole not onely in soule and the parts thereof but also in his body when he neuer expected any recouerie but as for vs or as for me although the spirituall blessings wee feele and perceiue yet for bodily healing or preseruing from dangers wherein can wee finde it O my beloued behold further and ye shall see what mercies the Lorde hath magnified towards you in regard of