mooue thee to doe thy duety so much as the feeling of this loue of Christ towardes thee And nothing will bee able to stay thee from Christ and honouring Him and it were with thine owne ignominie if once thou haue a sense of it In the next verse hee giueth two reasons why the loue of Christ constrained him The first reason is taken from that misery that Christ founde him in when he suffered for him The second is taken from the ende of the death of Iesus As to the first this was our miserable estate before Christ loued vs we were all dead how proueth he that If one be dead for all then were all dead if thou hadst not bene dead in vaine Christ died for thee if thou hadst bene but halfe dead as the Papists say who vaunt of their free will the Sonne of God had neuer died for thee if Paul had had this free will and so bene halfe dead Christ had neuer died for him and if there were none other argument but this To import that there is not a free wil nor sponke of godlines in mē by nature it is sufficient to say Christ hath died for all we were without all sponk of free will to good when Christ came Marke the force of the argument It is from that miserable estate and spirituall death wherein CHRIST found vs when Hee beganne to bestow His loue vpon vs. Wee were dead spirituallie in sinne dead in trespasses What is this corporall death to bee respected if thou bee dead in sinne thou art worse than a carion This spirituall death should moue vs to thinke that the loue of Christ was wonderfull towardes vs it should euer make vs aggrege that loue wherwith He hath loued vs Hee died for thee who was dead in sinne and trespasses and so an enemie to Him Who is hee saieth the Apostle that will die for his enemies Roman 5. 7. Thou being dead in sinne thou liuedst in sinne and so liuedst an enemie to the life of CHRIST And therefore thine heart can neuer sufficientlie aggrege the benefites of His death Men are miserable but alas they feele it not thou hast no want nor scant of miserie but thou wantest sense and the lesse feeling thou hast of thy deadnes the greater is thy deadnesse for the sense of death is the beginning of life the more thou wantest the sense of death thou art euer the deader the liuelier the sinner is leaping and playing in his wantonnesse the deader is hee in soule For hee hath a burthen vpon his backe that will presse him thorowe the earth and make him sinke to Hell one day and in the meane time he is running to his mischiefe and villanie and knoweth not that hee hath death euerlasting vpon his backe O wo be to that miserable catiue although he be a king Alas men are dead in sinne and halfe in Hell and will not consider it It is a pitifull thing to consider howe there is no sense of this infernall miserie that followeth vpon this death When it is tolde them The LORD hath died for them they will make none account of it The word of the Crosse of Christ hath beene to the multitude of this Land but a vaine sounde and they haue neuer esteemed of such a mercie And therefore what wonder is it to see these vexations O SCOTLAND thou shalt get another wakening thou hast so long contemned grace which is y e most precious thing that euer was The Lord cānot be Lord if He suffer so long contempt and lightlying of Christ and His loue vnpunished The seconde argument is taken from the ende and purpose that Christ had in dying looked Hee to this end that thou shouldest play thee and follow thine own lust that thou shouldest abuse that life which He had bought so deare with His precious blood No his purpose was that not only in his death satisfaction thou shouldest be justified coūted just but also that thou shouldest be sanctified that thou sholdest cast off the works of vncleannes dedicate thy life in holines to him it is said Rom. 14. 9. that he rose again that he might be Lord ouer thy life For there was neuer man that had such a right to an earthlie thing as Christ hath to thy life then doe what euer may pleasnte him if it were to die a thousand times if it were to bee a foole for His cause what euer may pleasure Him set thee to doe it or of necessitie thou shalt lose that life of thine But here is the misery Mē know not wherefore Christ died Will yee aske men and women when they are bathing themselues in wickednesse if they will goe to Heauen they will answere yes they will goe to Heauen before their feet be colde But vaine lowne thou neuer knewst Christes purpose in dying for thee His purpose was that thou shouldest be a new man and thou shouldest not liue to thine owne selfe but to Him And the end shall proue if thou proceed so liuing to thy selfe not to Him who died for thee that the death of Christ had neuer force in thee Therefore looke if thou liue to Christ and if thou doest so then assure thy selfe Christ died for thee Looke if in the morning thou canst say Lord thou died for me I will giue thee my life and consecrate to Thee this day all mine actions and all that I haue Well is the soule that can saye this way Then all turneth to this Seeing Christ died for me I will take this resolutiō I will liue to Him al my dayes The Lord grant vs this resolutiō that we may liue to Him in this life that herafter we may liue with Him in Heauen for euer To whome with the FATHER and the Holie GHOST be all Honour Praise and Glorie both now and euermore So bee it THE FIFT SERMON II. COR. CHAP. V. verse 16 Wherefore hencfoorth knowe wee no man after the flesh yea though wee haue knowne CHRIST after the flesh yet now hencefoorth know wee Him no more verse 17 Therefore if anie man bee in CHRIST hee is a new creature olde thinges are passed away Beholde all thinges are become new verse 18 And all things are of GOD who hath reconciled vs vnto Himselfe by IESUS CHRIST and hath giuen vnto vs the ministerie of reconciliation YEe hearde the last daye in the last part of this Chapter the reasons set down wherfore a man is bound and oblished in conscience to liue to God to consecrate his life his death and all his actions to Iesus Christ to wit First the loue of Christ constraineth and oblisheth vs so to loue Him againe that we be content euen to bee foolish to this world for His sake Another argument was taken from our own estate wherein we were when He shewed this loue of His vpon vs wee were dead in sinne and trespasses So this miserable condition that we did lie in which was the beginning of Hell euerlasting
faithfully to you Brethren see ye not heere the care which we should haâ—e of the glory of God of the Church of God and her saluation It should cause a man of this calling that Paul was of to be rauished in spirit and to be content to be counted a foole in this world that God may bee glorified and men helped forwarde to Heauen If God bee glorified in my madnes what regard I to be mad what respect is to be made of a maÌ„ in this world and what if men goe to ruine and decay so that God bee glorified But alas there is such a selfe-loue ingraffed in the heart of euery man that wee wil not suffer God to be honoured except it may stand with our honour we will say I will not be esteemed a foole I will not be disgraced if it may stand with mine honour and profite I will glorifie Him but if His honour and mine stand not together I will chiefely haue respect to mine own honour So it will neuer be well till wee get this cankred self-selfe-loue submitting it selfe to the glorie of God And it should be the greatest endeuour that euer we should haue in this world to cast out this selfe-loue that we may be content that God may bee glorified although it were to our dishonour yea though it were with our destruction It is not selfe-loue that bringeth honour and glory onelie honour is of God thou shalt neuer get honour except thou cast away selfe-loue that God may bee glorified Then to go forward Paul must haue somthing for him why he will bee mad for Gods cause hee will not bee mad without some reason therefore in the next verse he saith For the loue of God constraineth vs as if he would say I am constrained to this foolishnesse and a charge is laide on me to doe so I am bound and obliged so to doe that is to be a mad man for the glorie of my GOD. And from whence commeth this necessitie It is the loue of God saieth hee that constraineth mee this bande that bindeth me is the loue of Christ not the loue which I beare to Him that is too weake but the loue which Hâ—e beareth to mee it bindoth all my senses and vrgeth me to honour my God with my whole bodie These are the words Then the verie necessitie which lieth on thee to bee a mad man for GODS cause it is not a thing whereof thou canst free thy selfe there is a necessity aid on thee to bee counted mad for Christes cause Then if there be a necessitie laid on vs to doe this albeit it bee to our owne dishonour what if wee doe it not but will shake off this yoke Then I tell thee in place of it another necessitie must come in a necessitie of woe Paule saieth 1. Cor. 9. 16. Woe to me if I preach not the Gospell God hath laid this necessity on me to preach and if I cast it off another necessitie of woe shall be laide on mee Alas this world thinketh all this worshipping of God to be voluntarie that men may serue GOD as they please and that men may preach as they please this way or that way and speake heere and holde their tongue there as they will But I say to thee Wilt thou free me of that necessitie that lieth on mee Art thou able to take it off my backe If thou bee not able then for GODS sake let mee preach the Gospell with freedome and sinceritie of heart I tell thee There is such a necessitie laide vpon the shoulders of the Ministers to vtter euery thing which the Lord putteth into their mouthes that if thou shake off this necessity another necessitie of woe shall be laid vpon them And this shall be their crie on their dead-bed Woe to mee that I preached not the Gospell truelie Yet to goe forward From whence commeth this necessitie Hee saieth It is the loue of GOD that constraineth mee It is the loue of Christ which Hee shewed in His suffering for me that bindeth mee So it was the loue of Christ towardes Paule that moued him patiently to be called mad for Christs cause Christ for the loue which He did beare to vs suffered Himself not only to be called mad but to be called a Deuill Matt. 12. 24. He suffered the extremitie of paine and ignominie for our sakes and all the reuilinges and reproches that shoulde haue lighted vpon vs Hee tooke them vpon Him Such was His loue towardes vs. Then wilt not thou suffer to be called a mad man for His cause If thou wouldest haue a part of y e inheritaÌ„ce which Christ conquered thou must bee bound a necessitie must be laide vpon thee and if thou bee loosed thou art loosed from the loue of IESVS and then woe and euerlasting destruction shall come vpon thee I see then all our seruice of Christ is of necessitie Then what pleasure can bee in the seruice of CHRIST if it bee constrained seruice The thing I am compelled to doe I will haue little pleasure in the doing of it In deed it is true thou art not loose but bound From the time that thou enterest into the Church of Christ thou enterest into bonds but there is a great difference betwixt band and band one band will binde thee force thee to do a thing whether thou wilt or wilt not Another band will only leade thee the right way which thou art to goe Brethren this band that Paule speaketh of in this place it is a sweete band the band of the loue of Christ and it bindeth thee sweetly and louingly to discharge thy duety towards God and all thy duety by this band is voluntary and hee who is bound with this baÌ„d will rejoyce more to be called a foole for Christs sake than to be esteemed a king vpoÌ„ the earth But thou must take heed where this band is that bindeth thee that it may leade thee to doe thy duetie willinglie If the loue of Christ which is the band be outwith thee onelie sounding in thine eare as when it is tolde thee Christ loueth thee I tell thee it wil not bind thee All the preaching in the world will not bind thee if it be without thee Paul saith therefore Rom 5. 5. The loue of God is spread abroad in our hearts thorow the holy Spirit that is giuen vs. Then that that loue may binde thine heart it must bee powred in thee and when it entereth into the heart it looseth y e heart with such a sweetnesse to doe Gods will as is vnspeakeable it bindeth the heart with an exceeding joye Would to God wee had a taste of this loue All is but words There caÌ„ be no such sweetnesse as that is from once the Spirit hath powred the loue of Christ in thine heart then let all our trauels be when we heare of these things to get a sense of the loue of Christ in our hearts Al the powers in the world will not
euery sinne is in the heart of euery man in such sort that it wil make thee loath at it if thou sawest it but alas it is hidden from our eyes that wee cannot see it and therefore we loathe it not Againe in some men and women that seede of all lusts will breake out in actions A man that followeth harlotrie will bee a drunkard also an auaritious man will bee ambitious also c. It is a maruell to see howe manie sinnes will be reigning in one miserable slaue and to see howe that slaue will bee hurried from one sinne to another Fie on thee wilt thou neuer get thy fill of sinne thou shalt once bee filled with wrath and then thou shalt loathe at thy sinnes For albeit there were no more but one sinne in thee it is enough to cause thee to goe to Hell Nowe to goe forward Hee numbers out some of these concupiscences and the first is malice maliciousnesse in the heart against our neighbour Then commeth in her two daughters enuie and hatred When thou art sorie at thy neighbours weale and wouldest not see him thriue then thou wilt hate him There are three particulars and they are as manie pleasures to them that serueth them hee that hath malice thinketh himselfe neuer well but when there is malice in his heart from thence commeth enuie and the enuious heart is neuer well but when it speaketh euill of his neighbour for that is meate and drinke to it hee that hath hatred is neuer well but when hee hateth his neighbour and that is his meate and drinke Nowe I shall drawe these concupiscences into certaine rankes There are some of them against God some against our neighbour some against our selues amongst the which is intemperancie Fie on thee O Epicurian thou â—innest against thy selfe Now the Apostle in setting downe these concupiscences maketh a choise of the concupiscences against our neighbour for if we bee malicious against him wee are malicious against GOD. Whosoeuer is enemie to man hee is also enemie to God Now there is no harmonie amongst men that are onelie naturall For without GOD in Christ there is no true loue no true concord Put a man and a woman together without God will there bee anie concord there No for the dueties of the first Table are requisite for the discharging of the dueties of the second Table and must preceede them Howe canst thou loue thy wife or thy children without God No there is no true loue and the ende shall prooue it to haue beene but hatred onelie In the ende of the verse hee setteth downe two sortes of hatreds hee saieth hatefull that is hee that suffereth hatred then hee subjoyneth hating one another wee are odious to others and againe we hate others Alwayes marke one meeting here Thinkest thou to hate and not to be hated again It is but the just judgement of God that as thou enuiest and hatest thou also to bee hated and enuied What harmonie can bee heere when thou hatest mee and I thee No true concord but all is lose There is no conjunction but that which is in CHRIST IESVS When this conjunction is not amongst men awaye with all other conjunctions This is shortly the miserable estate wherein wee stood by nature before the participation of mercy in CHRIST Now I come to the other estate An alteration must bee made or else wee are gone For what can become of a body that dieth in madnesse Nowe looke howe wee are deliuered But saieth hee after that the bountifulnesse and loue of GOD our Sauiour appeared There is the way how our mercifull deliuery commeth on Yee reade not one word heere that man lying in misery began to find out a deliuery himselfe Ye reade not that the mad man of himselfe beginneth to take vp himselfe hee saieth not Then we took vp our selues No no we would haue lied long ere we had takeÌ„ vp our selues Then the naturall man waltering and wallowing in sinne and drinking in the foule pleasures thereof he will neuer take vp himselfe and let him goe on if hee should liue ten thousand yeeres hee will neuer bee the better but still worse and worse Can a man that is dead naturally thinke of any life to himselfe to rise vp and stand againe Not such a thing hee cannot so much as once thinke to rise vp Now Brethren we are all blacke dead spirituallie by nature there is not one spunke of that Heauenlie life in vs no more than in a dead bodie that is dead naturally there is a spunk of naturall life and we are not halfe dead only but are whole dead Can a naturall man once thinke of a spirituall life No and therefore Paul saith Ephes 2. 31. When wee were dead in our sinnes wee were quickned by CHRIST meaning that wee had no power in our selues to rise againe If it bee so then when I see a wicked man that hath beene seruing his foule lusts all his life-time take vp himselfe I will not saye that that man tooke vp himselfe I will say there is a dead man risen to life I will aske of thee In the beginning of the creation thoughtest thou of thy creation desiredst thou to thinke of it No no more thoughtest thou of thy regeneration thou thoughtest as little of thy second creation as thou thoughtest of thy first creation And therefore it is well saide Hee created thee without thee And as Hee created thee without thee so He redeemed thee without thee Darest thou saye that thou gauest counsell to thy redemption and thoughtest of it when GOD redeemed thee then how commeth this worke on We are preuented something appeareth that was hid there was one thing long hidden nowe it beginneth to shine And what was this bountifulnesse loue to mankinde it was hid and breaketh out And who is it that is bountifull is this any mans bountifulnes No it is the bountifulnesse of GOD and this quickning loue is GODS and that towards man And what God is this Hee calleth Him GOD our Sauiour For God is considered two wayes as a Creator and as a Sauiour It is the loue of Him as a Sauiour that is shewed to thee in thy Redemption And when was this loue reueiled when IESVS CHRIST came into the world and tooke vpon Him our nature then this loue brake out toward man Hee loued him from all Eternitie but it brake not out till then Marke then It is the loue of GOD that saueth it is GODS bountifulnesse that saueth our deliuerie behooued to proceede of a wonderfull bountifulnesse in God whereof the ground is loue If Hee had not loued thee Hee would not haue deliuered thee Then it is not a common loue which He beareth towards vs but there is a speciall loue in GOD to mankinde He loueth not these Heauens these Starres so well as Hee doeth men No Hee communicateth not the thousand part of those thinges that Hee communicateth to man either to the Heauens or to the
Starres Then it is not the loue of GOD the Creator that doeth this and is the ground of this bountifulnesse and of our life in Him but it is a speciall kinde of loue It is that loue that proceedeth of GOD the Sauiour It is not the loue of a Creator but of a Father not to the creature but to the sonne GOD loueth His sonne better than Hee doeth His creature He loueth vs as His sonnes If there were no further loue of GOD but as Hee is a Creator thou durst neuer crie Abba Father and except the Spirit spreade abroade into our heartes that loue which Hee beareth vnto vs for all the world thou durst not appeare before Him The time is set downe when Hee hath saued vs when His singular loue appeared in the world Hee saued vs beeing manifested in the fleshe Then it followeth that wee were lost and gone when GOD of His loue put to His hand and saued vs wee were out of our right wit rebelles to GOD wauering and vagabunding out of the right waye slaues to our owne lustes Whome count yee lost if these be not lost I will neuer count of a reprobate person who is giuen ouer to filthinesse to harlotrie to murther to oppression to mischiefe c. I will neuer count of him but as a madde desperate and lost bodie when hee is walking abroade and moouing in the world hee is but a dead carcasse and if hee come to GOD againe in mercie it may bee saide There is a dead bodie turned to life Hast thou followed harlotrie repentest thou thou hast bene dead in sinne but now thou art aliue The lost sonne when hee had spended his childes-part of goods yet he repented and came home to his father againe his father saieth Hee that was dead is liuing againe Luke 15. 24. So in a worde wee were lost men Thinkest thou that thou art not lost because thou canst breathe And thinkest thou a man not dead if hee can walke vpon the streete Thinkest thou thy selfe verie well if thou haue these vitall motions in thee O but suppose thou hadst all the naturall liues in the world if thou bee giuen ouer to thine owne affections and leauest not off thine olde sinnes and iniquities thou art a madde and a dead bodie Began then that loue towardes man only to appeare when Christ came into the world I answere The loue of God the Father appeared manifested it selfe in some measure to the godlie euen before Christ came into the world God forbid but this loue had bene appareÌ„t vnto Abraham and the rest of the godly before the incarnation of our Sauiour But at the comming of Christ it manifested it selfe more brightly than euer it did before for al His loue of before was in Christ to come but now since He came into the world the loue of God towards mankind hath appeared in greater aboundance The Lord grant vs an apprehension and sight of this loue that at the least wee maye striue to loue Him againe who hath loued vs so dearly in His Sonne IESVS CHRIST Nowe hee sheweth by what meanes this our saluation is procured at the handes of GOD hee telleth you by what meanes we are not saued Net saith he by the workes of righteousnesse which wee had done The meanes by the which we are not saued is our owne just works thou art not saued by thy just works leane to them as thou wilt I will promise thee in the name of that Great God they shall neuer saue thee Can a man that is mad and a rebell to GOD and a slaue to his owne lustes doe such works as may procure saluation But such were we saith the Apostle therefore wee can deserue nothing by our workes Fie on thee Papist with thy merites fie on the works of preparation can a madde man prepare himselfe for grace No such thing I tell you when GOD put to His hand to our saluation Hee founde no matter in vs of our saluation but damnation When GOD beginneth to loue Hee findeth no matter of loue in vs but of hatred And this commendeth the greatnes of His loue towards vs when He seeth nothing in vs but matter of damnation yet Hee of His free grace mercy loueth vs saueth vs RoÌ„ 5. 8. This setteth out His loue highly towards vs when that we were sinners He sent Christ to die for vs therefore seek not thy saluation neither before thou be in Christ nor after thou art in Him by y â— merite of works for thou shalt neuer get it y t way but thou shalt still be the further from it the more thou seekest it by that meane Then if good works be not the meane what is the meane The Apostle â—aith He hath saued vs according to His mercy These are flat contrary The mercy of God the merit of man If thou be saued by y â— mercy of God theÌ„ no merit because thy merite is not able to saue thee The first fountaine of our saluation is loue after loue commeth on mercy then pitie and compassion in His mercie presupponeth miserie Mercie is shewed to the miserable creature GOD seeing vs miserable madde rebelles following our own crooked affections beginneth to bee pitifull and to haue compassion of vs. Yee knowe mercie and pitie followeth vpon loue For when wee loue any one and see him in miserie then wee haue pitie vpon him if thou hate him suppose hee were in neuer so great miserie thou wilt not pitie him Then GOD seeing vs wrapped in sinne and miserie He hath pitie upon vs which pitie proceedeth of loue and with loue and pitie concurreth His power Wee will lone one and see him lie in miserie when it will passe our power to relieue him but GODS power is alwayes effectuall to deliuer all them who are subject to misery if once He extende His loue and compassion towardes them Then the cause of our saluation is in GOD onlie and no part in man who is saued The first cause is the loue of GOD which is the fountaine The next cause is mercie for ere euer this worlde was created GOD of His mercie tooke a purpose to saue vs. The Apostle saieth Ephes 1. 4. Hee purposed of Himselfe Hee sawe no thing in vs wherefore He should take purpose to saue vs. And when Hee commeth on to the execution of that eternall purpose of our saluation there is nothing in vs but all is in Himselfe for He is all-sufficient Himselfe and nothing is without Him The ende wherefore He died all of Himselfe without vs was to the praise of the glorie of His grace Ephes 1. 6. that thereby the whole glorie of our saluation might redounde to Him onelie because the cause is onelie in Him Thou that takest anie part in it and attributest it vnto thy selfe thou spoylest GOD of His glorie Either giue Him all the glorie of this action or take it all to thy selfe this glorie is too heauie for thee if thou
were a Prophet hee would surely haue knowne who and what manner of woman this is who toucheth him for shee is a sinner verse 40 And Iesus answered and saide vnto him Simon I haue somewhat to say vnto thee And hee saide Maister say on verse 41 There was a certaine lender who had two detters the one ought fiue hundreth pence and the other fiftie verse 42 When they had nothing to pay he for gaue them both Which of them therefore tell mee will loue him most verse 43 Simon answered and said I suppose that he to whom he forgaue most And hee saide vnto him Thou hast truely judged 44. Then hee turned to the woman and said vnto Simon Seest thou this woman I entered into thine house and thou gauest mee no water to my feete but shee hath washed my feete with teares and wiped them with the haires of her head verse 45 Thou gauest mee no kisse but shee since the time I came in hath not ceased to kisse my feete verse 46 Mine head with oyle thou didst not anoint but shee hath anointed my feet with ointment verse 47 Wherefore I say vnto thee many sinnes are forgiuen her for she loued much To whome a little is forgiuen he doeth loue a little verse 48 And hee saide vnto her Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee verse 49 And they that sate at table with him began to say within themselues Who is this that euen for giueth sinnes verse 50 And hee saide to the woman Thy faith hath saued thee goe in peace THIS Text welbeloued in the Lord Iesus containeth a notable Historie of the conuersion of a penitent sinner a sinfull woman whom the LORD first called inwardly by His Spirit to whom after outwardly by His owne voyce He giueth assurance of the remission of her sinnes And wee haue first set downe the occasion that the Lord offereth to this sinfull woman to metee with Him that she may receiue mercie and forgiuenesse of her sinnes Of very purpose He casteth Himselfe in her way and into these partes where the woman was and yeeldeth to dine in the house of a Pharisie where shee might haue the occasion and oportunitie to meete with Him This occasion being offered vnto her being partly touched with a feeling of her owne miserie partly being preuented with the Spirite of Iesus alluring her she letteth it not slippe but shee commeth to the house where the Lord was and shee commeth not emptie handed but shee bringeth with her a boxe of precious sweete smelling ointment and comming to the house where the LORD was sitting at table looke what shee doeth shee entreth not in peartly and boldly neither commeth shee before His face being ashamed of her own sinnes she was ashamed that these eyes these all-seeing eyes of the LORD which pierce into the soule of man should see her So she standeth saieth the Text behinde His backe and then shee falleth downe at His feete The sight of thy sinne as it will worke shame of face when the relicts of nature beginneth to challenge it when it striueth to enter into the soule so that scarcely thou darest looke a man in the face let be the Lord who is the reuenger of it Euen so when it once pleaseth the Lord to waken the conscience it will worke in thee a wonderfull humilitie so that thou wilt stoupe and cast thy selfe downe vnder the feete of thy GOD. The stiffenesse that yee see in men who bowe not their bodies knees vnto the Lord proceedeth of the want of that sight of sinne and corruption within them If these men who fling their heads in the aire make their boasts of their euill deeds saw their sins they would bee ashamed of themselues humble themselues in y e dust When she is fallen downe she weepeth The sight of sin will make thee to weepe mourne Thou laughest now plaiest y e wanton because there is a vaile casten ouer thine eye that blindeth thee so that thou canst not see sin the own colour yea it couereth thy self from thee but if once thou saw sinne thy selfe well it would make thee to weep lament bitterly Wel she leaueth not of yet but being drawne and allured with a sense of His preuenting mercy y â— came from Him she draweth nearâ— vnto Him If she had not felt that loue that came from Him shee durst neuer haue come neare Him As a male-factor hath no pleasure to beholde the countenance of the Iudge but his eye and countenance is terrible to Him Euen so the Lord is fearefull and terrible to them that feele not that loue that proceedeth from Him It is the sense of the loue that allureth sinners to come to God As Dauid saieth Psal 130. 3. If thou straitlie markest iniquitie no flesh can stand but mercie is with thee that thou mayest bee feared The teares that the displeasure for sin expresseth out of her shee will not lose them but shee taketh them and â—asheth his feet with them theÌ„ taketh the haire of her head and dryeth them therewith Haddest thou once a sense of that sweete mercy in Iesus Christ were that loue once spred abroade into thine heart by His H. Spirit as th' Apostle speaketh O how thou wouldest loue Him be carefull to serue pleasure Him This want of loue towards y e Lord Iesus argueth plainely that thou hast not felt that loue of His towardes thee For if once thou hadst felt how well Hee loueth thee who shed His precious blood for thee then it is a faire matter to thee to sheede teares for Him that shedde His blood for thee And if thou once felt that loue nowe all the teares and all the moysture in thy body yea thy very soule thou wouldest bee glad to poure it out for Him and consecrate thy life vnto His seruice but liuing against Him in doing all kinde of villanie in despite of Him thou testifiest plainely that thou hast neuer found the vertue of His blood Looke what Paul saieth 2. Cor. 5. 14. The loue of God constraineth mee that is bindeth vp my soule and all the powers and faculties thereof and occupyeth my whole senses that I am rauished from all thinges in the worlde to get mine heart and affections fixed vpon Him Why saieth hee Because He loued me so well that Hee hath died for me and therefore I will consecrate my life to him who hath purchased euerlasting life for me And therefore whosoeuer hath not a purpose to poure out his life for Iesus Christ and hath not a free heart towards Him in some measure he cannot haue any sure argument that Christ hath died for him And if thou haue not that assurance woe is thee that euer thou tookest life it had beene better thou hadst beene made a stocke or a stone if thou findest not that Christ died for thee But what further did this sillie woman Shee ceaseth not here but is continually kissing the feete of the Lord. Ye
will extenuate sinne although it were but an euill thought against that inuiolable Majestie I knowe not whether such an one hath gotten remission of their sinnes or not and supposing they haue gotten remission of it yet it will bee but a little loue that they will haue vnto the Lord. But hee or shee that will come in and aggreadge their sinne though it were but a thought against that Majestie for thou art neuer able to aggreadge it enough and if thou find a remission of thy sinne then no man can thinke how heartily that bodie will loue the LORD for if once thou gettest grace to repent and to loue GOD thou mayest bee assured that thy sinnes though they were neuer so great neuer so weighty and many in number shall neuer hinder thee of grace and mercie And then againe I say to thee the greatest sinner y t counteth most of their sins once feeling y e remission of their sinnes euer the greater louer Paul an oppressor a persecuter blasphemer a wrongfull man once feeling the loue of the Lord forgiuing him O! how exceedingly loued he the Lord A penitent sinner shall farre surpasse them in loue that haue not sinned halse so much the world shall admire at him for his loue he shall be a miracle to all them that beholde him Now I proceed forward The Pharisie can judge well enough of this generall that hee that hath most forgiuen him loueth most and that loue is the effect of remission of sinnes Well art thou that louest the Lord for be assured that the Lord loueth thee and hath forgiuen thee thy sinnes But when it commeth to the assumption that that poore woman that sinful woman loued the Lord there hee erreth Beholde Brethren the light of nature and the blindnesse of nature by nature wee will know the generall well enough suppose thou haddest no more but that light of nature thou wilt confesse that a murtherer should die the death But if thou come to the particular O! but thou art a murtherer thou hast a bloodie heart a bloodie hand and thou art all bloodie Will anie man suffer that No no and therefore he will hold off this conclusion Therefore thou shouldest die the death and be takē to the place of execution and there lose thine head And would to God that our bloodie men whether they bee Noblemen lordes Earles Barons or others had bene headed long since for it is a maruell that plague solloweth not after plague continually till this land bee purged of this blood that cryeth continually in the streetes So the Pharisie could not belieue the particular that euer the poore sinner coulde get mercie hee was so hard a censurer of the poore woman But I count it nothing worth to judge vprightly in generall except also thou judge vprightly in particular The Iudges of the Land they will judge vprightly in generall but come to the particular to kinsfolkes friendes and alliances this man or that man with his bud O there there the judgement is peruerted Well is the Iudge that judgeth vprightly in particular for a Turke may judge vprightly in generall and woe is thee that judgest not vprightly in particular Now to come to the other part of the reason The Lord turneth Him to the poore woman and the more the Pharisie findeth fault with the Lord the more the Lord turneth Him toward her and saieth I say to thee Simon that this woman loueth mee more a thousand times than euer thou diddest If thou withholdest grace from a sinner then in despite of thy teeth the Lord will heape grace vpon him The assumption is this This woman loneth me exceedingly then the conclusion will follow in the owne roome Therefore this woman certainly hath all her sinnes forgiuē her Then He declareth the assumption by waye of comparison with the Pharisie Thou calledst me to dinner saith hee but this woman loued me better than thou doest I entered into thine house and thou gauest mee no water to my feat after the fashiō of the countrey but she hath washed my feet with teares looke if this be a token of loue then againe Thou gauest me no kisse after y e fashion of the countrey but she since the time I came in hath not ceased to kisse my feete Then Mine head with oyle thou didst not anoint but shee hath anointed my feete with ointment therefore shee loueth me better than thou Nowe the Pharisie coulde not discerne of the penitent sinner but the Lord letteth him see that Hee can discerne betwixt an hypocrite a true penitent sinner there Hee hath payed him in his owne hand And the Lord letteth vs see that He taketh heede and shall take heede to the ende of the worlde to the least thing that thou doest for His cause to anie of His. Who wuld haue thought that the Lord woulde haue taken heede to this The Lord will take heede who giueth Him water to washe His feete which is but a sober office The LORD will take heede who will stoupe downe and giue Him a kisse and washe His feete with teares The LORD will take heede who will bestowe common oyle to anoint Him with or who will bestowe precious ointment on Him and in the Great daye when all secretes shall bee reuealed looke if Hee tooke heede what wee were doing in the worlde Matth. Chapter 25. verse 34 Hee will saye Thou gauest Mee nothing when I was heere in the worlde thou visitedst Mee not and hee will point out place time and all the circumstances vnto thee Then Brethren if the LORD taketh so good heede what wee doe vvell is the soule that giueth but a piece of bread to an hungrie bodie for CHRISTES sake or a coate to a naked bodie for His sake And therefore euer haue Him before thine eyes and saye LORD I giue this to Thee that Thou mayest not say to me when Thou commest to judge the worlde Thou gauest Mee nothing Nowe I heare there is a great pouertie and famine in this Land and woe vnto them that are the instrumentes of hunger Let vs bee so farre from this to bee the causes thereof that on the contrarie wee may pintch our selues that wee may spare vpon the needie for I see the LORD will trie our liberalitie Therefore let vs spare vpon the poore in this Land that wee maye heare of the LORD in that Great daye Come yee blessed of My Father for yee gaue Mee meate and yee gaue Mee drinke in this worlde And further wee see heere the tryall of an hypocrite Howe shalt thou knowe an hypocrite The LORD layeth downe the rule Yee shall knowe them by their fruites Matth. 7. 16. Yee shal know by their doings an hypocrit hath many fair words I doubt not but this Pharisie whē he inuited the Lord to dinner had many faire words but there shall be little doing at the least hee shall neuer doe anie thing heartily Where is this Pharisies humilitie Hee offereth not to wash the Lordes
passeth all vnderstaÌ„ding in Iesus Christ Amen THE XVIII SERMON I. TIMOTH CHAP. I. verse 14 But the grace of our Lord was exceeding aboundant with faith and loue which is in Christ Iesus verse 15 This is a true saying and by all meanes worthie to bee receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am chiefe verse 16 Notwithstanding for this cause was I receiued to mercie that Iesus Christ should first shew on mee all long suffering vnto the ensample of them who shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto eternall life THE Apostle Paul well-beloued Brethren in Christ considering that the Lord IESVS had shewed such mercy vpon him as to concredite to him the glorious EuaÌ„gell of the blessed GOD immediately falleth out in a thanksgiuing to Christ There are two causes in the proposition of the thankesgiuing the one is taken from the power of Christ wherewith he is made stroÌ„g for wheÌ„ he was nothing the Lord Iesus made him strong The other is from the mercy of Christ wheÌ„ hee was vnfaithfull how could a blasphemer bee faithful the Lord was so mercifull that He made him faithful this he declareth because he being before a persecuter the Lord made him an ambassadour of that same Euangell which hee persecuted He leaueth not this mercy but insisteth in magnifying of it in regard that not only he was a Preacher but likewise hee was a true Christian man Ere euer he set downe this mercy he telleth what he was before and he â—ayeth When I was a blasphemer not onely that but with torments compelled the Christians to blaspheme I was a persecuter and yet further an oppressour he leaueth nothing vntolde of himselfe and he thinketh no shame to honour that God who had mercie vpon him with his owne shame and hee regisirateth his owne mis-behauiour to his shame that euery one of the Saincts of God to the end of the world may say Glory be to God that hath shewed mercy on such a sinner then he wondereth and sayeth but he had mercie vpon me therewith by the way hee joyneth a reason why the Lord shewed mercy sa readily on him because he did it not of malice or knowledge but he was blinded hee did it of ignorance hee was destitute of Faith but assoone as hee gote mercy hee changed his course yet hee leaueth not off but entereth into a deaper consideration of this Grace he sayeth The Grace of the Lord abounded exceedingly My sinne abounded but grace superabounded and these wordes are from the sense of the heart the heart beeing opened with the sense of Grace openeth the mouth that it vttereth these words the grace of Christ is superabundant for if the heart be filled with the sense of grace mercy it will make the mouth to proclaime the mercy of God to extoll it highly The cause why we cannot set out y e mercy of God in hie termes is because in vs there is no feeling of mercy therefore it is that we vtter wordes so slender and of so litle valour when we speak of that loue that mercy as it were a thing of none importance When he hath told that the grace of the Lord superabounded he addeth also With faith and with loue in Iesus Christ he declareth that superabundant grace by a wonderfull mutation and change that was made in him by the power of IESVS CHRIST that of a blasphemer of Christ he is made a beleeuer apprehending him by Faith of a persecuter and oppressour of the Sainctes of God hee was made a louer of them The sense of the mercy of God faith in Iesus Christ bringeth foorth loue in the heart And whosoeuer hath assurance of mercie true faith his heart wil be joyned with Christ and he will haue a great loue towardes Him then for Christes sake he will loue all His Saincts there wil not be a soule in the Church of Christ but he will loue him so intirely y â— he wold giue his life for him as he will loue him so he will pity him for he y â— hath faith wil both loue pity meÌ„ he y â— waÌ„ts pity and careth not what becoÌ„meth of y e whole world so he bee well hee hath neuer found what was the mercy of God in his heart Alas howe few is the number of these faithfull ones how rare a thing is faith in the hearts of men What argueth this coldnesse in the heartes of men this want of loue and pity in the multitude Nothing but this that albeit mercy be preached yet y e multitude feeleth it not And if thou hadst all this world and yet tasted not of that sweetnesse of this mercy of God in Iesus Christ thou knewest neuer what joy what comfort what pleasure was Then in the next wordes hee openeth vp the ground as it were of that mercy that was shewed vpon him which is the generall ende of the comming of Christ into this worlde and from the generall he concludeth on this manner Christ Iesus is come into the world to saue sinners and I am a sinner therefore He will saue me amongst the rest Before he come to the words of the proposition because it is a great and notable sentence hee vseth a preface as y e Lord Iesus in matters of importance vsed to say Verily verily I say vnto you so here th' Apostle saith This is a true saying and by all meanes worthy to be receiued In this preface he prepareth not onely Timothie but all that euer shal heare this senteÌ„ce vnto the end of the world and he prepareth them not only to the attension of the eare but he prepareth them vnto faith in the heart so that as soone as they should heare this sentence they should apply it with their hearts Alas why should so worthy excellent senteÌ„ces as these are passe away without any attention or preparation on our part It is true Brethren we should neuer come to y e hearing of any part of the word without preparation wee should not come to the holy congregation like as many swine without hauing any regard what wee are doing but we should come with preparation not only with an eare prepared but with an hart prepared and when thou enterest into the Church thou shouldest say The Lord prepare mine heart that I may receiue some sponke of grace So a preparation is requisite in generall to the hearing of the worde But yet the heart of man would be better prepared for the hearing of such notable sentences as this is Christ is come into the world to saue sinners they require a more singular preparation There is no doubt he spake through the full assuraÌ„ce of faith and that which he spake he assuredly beleeued therefore he spake of it When wee speake of that grace the heart should rise with an assurance Look to the Prophet Dauid with what assuraÌ„ce he speaketh of it I beleeued
and all teares shal be wiped away from our eyes Now for Christes sake put away vanitie and wantonnesse and let euery one of vs take vp a new course of life that we may mourne and weep vnfainedly for our sinnes for we haue all neede that in stead of this worldly joy wee may get that solide vnspeakeable joy that ariseth out of sadnesse otherwise we only enjoy the name of Christians but as the disposition of the heart which is required in a Christian it is farre from vs. Yet marke further His conscience is not onelie wakened with the sense of sinne hee is not onelie touched with a true sorrow for it but also he maketh a cleare plaine confession of it Then mark it Before thou gettest mercy in Christ thou must first of necessity acknowledge confesse thy sin for confession of sinne must of necessity go before mercy Dauid found this by experience for so long as he held his tongue and would not confesse his sinne he could find nothing but the wrath heauie hand of God against him My bones saieth hee were consumed I roared all the day c but assoone as hee taketh this resolution with himselfe I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord then hee found the Lord to shew mercy on him and to forgiue him y e punishment of his sin Psal 32. 3. 4. 5. And to what purpose shoulde any man couâ—r his sinnes from God whose all-seeing eyes pierce into the braines and moste secrete corners of the heart and to whom all things are open patent and who knoweth euery mans sinnes better than he can doe himselfe Why shouldest thou then dissemble with Him why shouldest thou not make a plaine open confession of thy sinnes vnto Him that thou mayest get mercy Another thing would be marked Hee is not content to confesse his sin but he saith I am the chiefe of sinners Hee saieth not simply I am a sinner but the chiefest sinner the first sinner in the world Brethren if we had a sense of our sin euen the least sinner of vs would thinke he were the greatest hee would not goe about to excuse his sinne hee woulde not cloake it as Cam did hee would not extenuate it much lesse would hee haue a proude conceit of himselfe and of his own righteousnesse he would not enter in as that proude Pharisee did Luke 18. 10 who helde vp his head and saide I am not as other men extortioners vnjust adulterers or euen as this Publicane The poore Publicane was in y e meane time hinging down his head but hee was a greater sinner But if thou enter into comparison with others and haue a sense of thy sin thou wilt thinke with thy selfe There is not so great a sinner in the world as I am thou wilt say with Paul I am the first and chiefest of sinners Now when he hath applied the generall sentence to himselfe and shewed that the Lord had giuen him mercy and saluation He setteth downe next the end of this grace But herefore saieth hee he had mercy on me that he might first shew on me al long suffering there is an end another end is that I should be an example to others in the world Nowe Brethren when God sheweth mercy on any man it is not for nothing it is not without great manifest causes for He will not cast grace lightly away Indeed He will giue these temporall benefits to the wicked because He esteemeth not so much of them Hee will throwe a lordship an earledome yea a kingdome to a reprobate but as for one spunke of y â— spirituall grace of Iesus Christ He will know well to whom He giueth it He will take good heed to whom Hee giueth one drop of that precious blood of Iesus Christ and Hee will loue them exceedingly Thinke yee not that hee would loue a leprous man well that would washe him with his owne blood The preciousest liquor that euer was in the world is the blood of the Lord Iesus yea such is the worthinesse preciousnesse thereof that all the worlde will not buy one drop of it Shall we not thinke then that He loueth that man well whome Hee washeth with His blood Shall we not thinke that He beareth an vnspeakeable loue to that man whom He washeth with His Holy Spirit Marke it Brethren Mercy commeth by chance to no man it is vsually said Kingdomes come of hap but it is not so with mercy and the grace of Iesus Christ none gets it but these whose names are writteÌ„ vp in the booke of life none are called to the participation of one spunke of that sauing grace but they who were predestinated from all eternity And therefore if thou hast gotten one spunke of grace count with thy selfe that thou wast predestinated from all eternity to euerlasting life and count with thy selfe that thou hast gotten a more excellent and precious thing than if thou hadst gotten all the world Now as He will not lightly giue grace so He giueth it not for the person himself alone who receiueth the grace but Hee will haue a consequence following vpon the giuing of that grace and mercy first He will haue the glory of that grace and mercy to Himselfe and what more Hee will set him on whome Hee hath vouchsased that grace and mercy to be a spectacle and example of His mercy before the worlde To speake of the first ende That he should show on mee al clemency that is that shewing such mercy on me who was the greatest sinner Hee might manifest and declare the exceeding greatnesse of His mercie to the world Brethren the thing that God looketh to in His workes is that Hee might bee glorified in His essentiall properties but aboue all the rest of His properties Hee will bee glorified in His mercy He will bee glorified in His power in His wisedome in his justice Sodome and Gomorrha was a spectacle to sinners of His justice to terrifie sinners to the ende of the worlde But aboue all Hee seeketh to bee glorified in His owne mercy Aboue all things the Lord will haue His loue and mercy to shine in the worlde Hee will haue the creature to glorifie Him in His mercy What is the cause that Hee sent Christ into the worlde That in Christ His mercy might shine in the world What is the cause of this preaching of the Euangell Why is it sent That His mercy might shine in the worlde And all the Pastors should teach and proclaime this mercie of God and not speake of judgement but when men regardeth not His mercy Looke what the LORD will doe that His mercy should shine in the world Hee will take blasphemous persons persecuters oppressors such as Paul was and Hee will shewe mercy vpon them Hee will make them to be spectacles of His mercy in the sight of the world that all the worlde shoulde stand wondering that the Lord sheweth mercy vpon them And there is not one of them who are justified by Christ but they are spectacles of the mercy of God set before the world to make the world to wonder at his mercy that so wee may learne to knowe and deepely to consider the mercy of GOD not onely by His worde but also by His workes and examples of them that haue obtained mercy Now to come to the second ende hee saieth Unto the example of them that shall in time to come beleeue in him Then Paul getteth mercy not for himselfe onely but also for other sinners who seeing this mercy shewed vpon him might reason with themselues and say Yonder blasphemer yonder persecuter yonder oppressor hath gotten mercy and may not I likewise bee assured to get mercy Therefore when thou seest that the Lord is merciful to any man say with thy selfe It is not for nothing that the Lord hath giuen this man mercy but it is for my cause that I may by his example be stirred vp to seeke mercy therefore I will goe and get mercy at his handes But alas such is our security and senselesnesse that howbeit the Lord be continually calling vpon vs and offering mercy vnto vs by His worde and likewise by euer setting foorth before vs godlie men and women that of vnholy creatures are made holy creatures to be spectacles of His mercie that by them wee should take example yet all these meanes that God vseth to testifie His mercy vnto vs mooueth vs not to consider and take vp His mercy But blessed is that soule that can learn by anie of these meanes to take vp the mercie of GOD and to seeke for it for mercie is the preciousest jewell that euer was Therefore when thou findest not assurance of mercy then be sorie for it and striue earnestly to obtaine it for there is no surer token that the Lord is to shew mercie to anie soule than vvhen vpon the sight and feeling of the vvant thereof the soule is grieued and striueth and endeuoureth more and more to obtaine a more full assurance thereof And therefore vvhen I consider howe men in this Land are sleeping in sinne vvithout anie remorse of conscience and are so carelesse to seeke to haue assurance of mercie I am afraide that the LORD is about to vvith-draw mercie from this Nation The LORD auert His vvrath and be mercifull vnto this sinfull Nation for CHRISTES sake To vvhom vvith the Father and the Holy Spirit be all honour praise and glory vvorlde vvithout end AMEN FINIS