shalt still be the worse So this testifieth that the object of our faith is the surpassing mercy of God Then if thou wouldest search y e nature of God and search Him a thousand yeeres thou shalt neuer come to the ground of His deepnesse search out especially His loue mercy a man may faile vanish away in curiosity searching y e deepenesse of God but in searching out His mercy thou shalt neuer erre it shall be with a joy cōsolation of the heart Paul prayeth for the Ephesians chap. 3 vers 18. that they might attaine to that infinite deepnesse breadth length height in God for God is infinitly deepe in all things but wherefore is it that he prayeth Euen that they searching in God should search that infinit profoundity of the loue of God Surely if wee would know that profoundity of God search in to His nature thē let vs search alwayes in to that loue mercy of God in IESVS Christ And this searching hath euer a grouth and increase in faith till wee get a sight of Him euerlastingly To go forward He is not cōtent to say with Him is gentlenes but he subjoynes with Him is great redemption the words grow in highnesse these words comprehēd set out a greater mercy in God than the former now y e mercy of God in Iesus Christ is not all told in a word alas for want of feeling we speake slenderly lightly of it no in very deed all the words and the greatest words in the world of the most holy most wise most eloquent men is not able to set out point out that infinit greatnesse deepnes of it and he she that once haue tasted of mercy scarcely can they find words to expresse the thousand part of it whē they haue gotten a little taste apprehension of it they are not able to get words to expresse that apprehension of the heart Paul commonly calleth it the riches of mercy God who is rich in mercy according to His infinit great loue c. Ephes 2. 4. Paul Dauid the rest of them cānot get words to expresse that apprehension of mercy that they haue in their heartes No there is no creature that is capable of that infinite mercy for the worke that y e Spirite of Iesus Christ doeth worke in the heart whether it be a sense of dolour or a sense of joy the tongue of no creature can tell or expresse Paul calleth it sighes inexpressible Peter calleth it joy vnspeakeable So y e heart cannot expresse the greatnesse of the worke of the Spirit Men will thinke them hyperbolicall words but that is a token that they haue not tasted that joy and mercy in their owne hearts Now in the last words he commeth neare hand makes a particular promise of His mercy to His Church He will redeeme Israel His Church from all her iniquity as hee would say I haue told you He is mercifull full of redemption but I come nearer hand Thou shalt finde in experience that Hee is mercifull full of redemptiō So it is not enough to the Preachers of y e word to preach Gods mercy and redemption generally to the world no they must come nearer hand in promising they must make to the hearts of the people a particular application and say not only God is mercifull but He will be mercifull vnto you and He is full of redemption and He shall redeeme you and so say I I haue not beene speaking of mercy and redemption that appertaineth not to vs but the Lord shal be mercifull and redeeme you if ye belieue in Iesus Christ for there is no grace but in Him If this particular application be not made the cōscience of sinne is so great that the sinner dare not put foorth his hand to receiue mercy Now to whom pertaineth mercy and redemption He saith Hee shall redeeme Israel that is the Church militant The Church is militāt in this world but redemption pertaineth to it in the ende But where from shall the Lord redeeme y e Church Not from persecution and tribulation in this worlde but from all her sinnes So this presupponeth first That the Church is full of sin so long as it is in this world This is but a vaine dreame to imagine that there shall bee a Church or any member of the same in this worlde without spot away with that vanitie So next the redemption of the Church standeth nor so much in freeing it from persecution or tribulation although she shall be redeemed from all these things also as from redeeming her from sin the chiese redemption shall be from sin for why the greatest enemy of the Church is her own sins it is her own sins that is the cause of all her persecution and it is sin that the Lord mortifieth and slayeth by persecution and tribulation for if there were no sin there would not bee such a thing as a persecuter or a tyrant against her and the greatest burthen that y e godly feele is alwayes their owne sins they were neuer vnder so great perfecution no crosse no trouble comparable to the burthen of sin Paul saith Rom. 7. 24 Miserable man who shall deliuer me Where from Not from persecution albeit he was subject to as great persecution as anie man but from this body of sin because hee could not get that obedience to God that hee would haue had And wherfore died Christ Was it to redeeme vs from persecution or crosses in this world No the Lord died that Hee might redeeme vs from sin with His precious blood And Paul to y e Corin maketh mention of that triumph that the Church shall haue when the Lord Iesus shall come O death where is thy sting Then she shall glory that she is redeemed from sinne and from offending of GOD. And that shall be our chiefe felicity in that life to come that our hearts thoughtes shall be free of all sinne we shall offend God no more but al shall be full of obedience to Iesus Christ and then shall we be fully sanctified and glorified when wee get that blessed presence of the Lord Iesus which wee long for To whome bee praise and glory for euer Amen THE XIIII SERMON MATTH CHAP. XV. verse 21 And Iesus went thence and departed into the coasts of Tyrus and Sidon verse 22 And beholde a woman a Canaanite came out of the same coastes and cryed saying vnto him Haue inercie on mee O Lord the sonne of Dauid my daughter is miserably vexed with a deuill verse 23 But he answered her not a word Then came to him his disciples and besought him saying Sende her away for she cryeth after vs. verse 24 But he answered and said I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel verse 25 Yet shee came and worshipped him saying LORD helpe mee verse 26 And hee answered and saide It is not good to take
the childrens bread and to cast it to whelps verse 27 But shee saide Trueth Lord yet in deede the whelps eat of the crummes which fall from their maisters table verse 28 Then Iesus answered and saide vnto her O woman great is thy faith bee it vnto thee as thou desirest And her daughter was made whole at that houre IN this TEXT which wee haue read wel beloued in the Lord Iesus wee haue a wonder that the Lord wrought on a woman a Canaanite a Gentile of a cursed generation the generation of Canaan The wonder is the healing of a womans daughter that was possessed and sore and miserably vexed with a deuill The woman hauing the occasion to meet with the Lord through His comming to these parts where she abode shee slippeth not the occasion but seeketh mercy and grace she findeth at the first great hardnesse and difficulty to get mercy but at the last she ouercommeth all by her faith and getteth mercy Now to go through this History so shortly and plainly as the LORD shall giue the grace This woman is called a Canaanite that is descended of that olde and rotten stocke of Canaan that was destinate for wrath and destruction Genes 9. 25. Looke to her estate shee is come of a cursed rase she is lying in sinne and security first in sinne next in a deadly sleepe and security of sinne This is the estate of euery one of vs we lie in sinne conceiued in sinne and borne in sinne we feele not the sinne that deadly sleepe of security is worse than the sinne we lie in there is none of vs better by nature than this woman was Then when she is thus lying in sinne security the Lord from the Heauen sendeth her awakening and a sharpe wakening for the judgements of God are like many messengers from Heauen to waken vs. In the example of the woman wee see that the Lords children must bee wakened and oftentimes our first wakening is verie sharpe dolefull and fearefull as it is with one that is wakened in the rage of a feuer Yet there is grace here Well is y e man that is wakened though the wakening were neuer so sore and sharpe for the multitude of the worlde dye in securitie and neuer waken till the fire of Hell waken them Well is thee and thou be wakened albeit it should be with neuer so heauy a judgement yea though thy daughter or thy selfe should bee possessed with a deuill Now when this poore womā is thus wakened and is wrastling vnder the heauy hand of God the Lord casteth an eye towardes her for no doubt howbeit she was one of the rase of cursed Canaan yet she was chosen to eternall life and of very purpose He casteth Himself into these parts where she was what euer other erand Hee had there is no question but He had a particular respect to her ◠she might haue the occasion to come to Him and this was a great grace When we are wakened out of security then the Mediciner hath his time and this is a greater grace It is a great grace to bee wakened but it is a greater grace to find a Mediciner to cure thy disease for as multitudes die in securitie so also multitudes die in paine torment and desperation after they are wakened Well she hearing tell that He was come to these parts and that He was such a man a wonderful man as the prophet Esay calleth Him who cured all sort of diseases who restored sight to the blind limmes to the lame cleansed the leprous and raised vp the dead she is moued to seeke grace and mercy at Him Had not the Lord preuented her and come downe thither sought her to draw her to Him there had neuer bene such a thing that she had sought for Him All thy misery albeit it vvere neuer so great vvill neuer draw thee to Him except Hee seeke thee first and draw thine heart vnto Him Well nowe to come forwarde vvhen shee seeketh Him shee findeth Him and getteth His bodilie presence CHRIST and His Disciples vvere vvalking together after His accustomed manner at the first meeting saieth the TEXT The woman cryeth Hee is apparantlie going before and the vvoman followeth after and cryeth Miserie constraineth her to crie And if the LORD laye His handes vpon thee Hee vvill compell thee to howle and crie O that power and might that is in the LORD ouer His creature But I doubt not considering the vvordes and communication that the LORD hath with this poore miserable and sinfull vvoman but it was that Spirit of adoptiō that opened her mouth so vvide to crie vpon Him so O thou sonne of Dauid haue mercie on mee What crieth shee Marke her words She crieth haue mercy vpon me How many of Hierusalem cried after this manner An Heathen ◠Cananite crieth this way misery compelleth her to cry But what maketh her to cry Mercy Wee will raile blaspheme God whē we are in misery but what caused her to cry Mercie No question the conscience of her demerites caused her to crie Mercie shee felt her selfe to bee worthy of all that misery wherewith shee was burthened The voyce of a miserable sinner that feeleth misery is O Lord haue mercy vpon mee but loe howe shee stileth Him O Lord The Sonne of Dauid these were the common stiles indeed of the Lord in this life He was called of the multitud LORD and the sonne of Dauid But certainly I am of this mind that this woman took these stiles otherwise than y e common multitude The very eye of her soule was opened to see Iesus Christ to be the Lord to bee the Sonne of God manifested in the flesh of the seed of Dauid howbeit I will not attribute vnto her a distinct clear knowledge of both His natures in one person and of His offices Then Brethren ye see two grounds of her petition The first is a Lordship and Power and Dominion in Him of whom she sought mercy The next is a Pitie a Mercy in Him of whome shee sought mercy She sought mercy at a mèrcifull face grace at a gracious face Looke that thy prayer bee well grounded on the LORD When thou openest thy mouth to seeke mercy at that LORD looke that thou acknewledge that there is a power in that Lord to giue thee euery thing that thou standest in need of and chiefely looke that thou acknowledge that there is an infinit passing mercy in that Lord surmounting all thy sinnes and then shalt thou pray from the heart with confidence and liberty otherwise thou mayest well seeke mercie from the teeth outwarde but neuer with thine heart Then shee letteth Him see a good cause wherefore she sought mercy Lord I haue need of a Phisition for I am sicke What sicknesse is sorer to a poore body than this to bee rent both in soule and body with a deuil Lord my poore daughter is tormented with a deuill As in thy prayer thou must haue a sight
who before delited in kissing leaue your harlots and from this woman learne to kisse the LORD or else thou and thy vile mouth shalt burne in Hell Kisse the feete of the LORD who hath shedde His blood for thee for so oft as thou kissest the feete of the Lord thou shalt finde that thou suckest grace out of Him And this woman who was before a vile harlot now only she taketh pleasure to kisse the Lord. And what did this woman more It is said when shee had bestowed her body vpon Him shee taketh that boxe of costlie ointment that shee had prepared for Him and anointed his feete therewith Bestowe thy selfe first vpon the Lord and bestowe thy body vpon Him and His seruice and say to Him Nowe Lord I giue thee and I bestow vpon thee mine heart my soule my body all the members therof keepe thouthem in holinesse that they may bee consecrate to thee Then when thou hast bestowed first thine heart and thy selfe vpon Him it will be none hard matter to bestowe thy goods when His glory requireth And certainly when men are so nigard in the â—â—ds cause that they will not bestowe a pennie â—pon Him when his glory requireth or vpon His â—oore members it is a sure argument that they â—euer bestowed their heart vpon Him Many vain men and women will saye And if Christ were in the worlde for the loue I carie vnto Him I would followe Him serue Him imploye my body and all that I haue in His seruice and to His glorie but if thou wilt not bestowe thy goods vpon the needie vpon His seruants and vpon these who carie His image if Christ Himselfe were in the worlde thou wouldest bestowe nothing vpon Him for if once thou were sensible of that liberality that Iesus offereth vnto His owne thou wouldest loue Him so well that thou wouldest shewe thy selfe liberall to these who cary His image thou wouldest giue all that thou hast for His cause who is onelie able to make thee rich Now to goe forwarde in the Historie Whilest shee is thus exercised in weeping in washing the Lordes feete with her teares in drying them with her haire in anointing them with precious ointment what doeth the Lord what is His behauiour All this time the LORD speaketh neuer a worde vnto her all this time while shee findeth so great grace and mercie in Him Hee turneth not once His face vnto her If thou gettest once the Lordes backe neare vnto thee if thou gettest leaue to kisse His feete howbeit thou gettest not His face at the first nor His countenance at the entrie yet out of Him thou shalt sucke grace and mercie vnspeakeable It is a marueilous thing to see how a sinner will get grace When the Lord will seeme to turne His backe vpon thee yet follow thou on and leaue Him not till He turne His face toward thee and I assure thee thou shalt get His face at the last Therefore neuer depart from Him but sticke by His backe and His feete and certainly in the ende thou shalt get that sight of that joyfull countenance that shall compleate thy joy Nowe to come to the Pharisies part who called Him to dinner for we haue heard the part of the woman The Pharisie named Simon sitteth still and seeth all that is done and speaketh not one word but thinketh and hee thinketh the thing which is not good his mouth is closed but he blasphemeth in his heart If this maâ— were a Prophet saieth hee â—ee would know who and what manner of woman this were who toucheth him for she is a sinner he thought incontinent that the filthinesse of the woman woulde pollute the Lord would hee suffer this vile harlot to touch him if hee were a Prophet or an holie man Yee see now Brethren how disdainfullie he thinketh of her and howe hee contemneth her in his heart A Pharisie that is an hypocrite that wil counterfeite outwardly a kind of holinesse see how he will disdain a poore sinner that is an open sinner in the sight of the world An hypocrite is a foule sinner and he will doe such things in secrete that it is a shame to speake of because his sinne is cloaked from the sight of the world and from his owne eyes when hee beholdeth another sinner againe that sinneth openly in the sight of the world how disdainfully will hee count and speake of the open sinner and will spitte at him the seuerest censurer that euer was is an hypocrite and then he will stand vp admiring of himself and his coloured righteousnesse and saye I thanke God I am not like other men And what is the cause of this The Lord saieth The hypocrite is nothing but a whited tombe a painted graue that within is full of dead mens bones stinke and filthinesse Matth. 23. 27. And yet that cloake of hypocrisie beeing spred ouer the heart the hypocrite seeth not that filthinesse that is in his owne heart and that hypocrite that thinketh to beguile all the world chiefely he beguileth himselfe And if thou sawest that seede of all mischeiâ—e that is within thy selfe certainely thou wouldest disdaine thy selfe and thou wouldest be inclined to judge charitably of a poore sinner thou wouldest not bee so sore and rigorous a censurer of others as thou art And if thou sawest what kinde of stuffe were within thy selfe howbeit it breake not out thou wouldest say Now I see as great corruption in my selfe as in any body it is the Lord that letteth it not breake out the Lord purge and renew mee and the Lord purge renew yonder sinner from the sinne that breaketh out so openly in outward action Now as the Pharisie knoweth not himselfe so he knoweth not what the Lord is he knoweth Him not to bee the Mediator come into the worlde to saue poore sinners and therefore hee concludeth so blasphemously The Lord is not a Prophet Marke Brethren Who euer seeth not that miserie that is within themselues of necessitie they neuer saw that mercy that is in Iesus Christ These two goe together of necessitie Whosoeuer seeth not himselfe is ignorant of Christ and would not buy the mercy of Christ for one penny hee careth not for Christs kindnesse hee counteth grace and mercy all but vanity Now of these two followeth another thing Not seeing himselfe first next not seeing that mercy in Christ not knowing that He was that Sauiour of the world of these two followeth this wicked conceit in him seeing the sinner deale with Him to get grace mercy the Lord dealing so mercifully with her he scorneth contemptuously disdaineth in his heart this dealing y t the poore sinner hath with y â— Lord. The men who see not their own misery noâ— y e Lords mercy they will scorne disdaine a poore sinner either outwardly calling them sighing brethren sobbing sisters or at least in their hart inwardly And I am assured there are hypocrites enough this day who haue no sense of misery that scorne in their hearts a poore sinner y t seeketh mercy of
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
are very foule and vncleane A cloth that is very foule will require much vvater washing euen so vvee must haue aboundance of grace because vvee vvere so foule through sin but suppose vve vvere neuer so foule except vve get a sight of our filthinesse vve vvill neuer desire to be vvashen when Dauid felt himselfe verie filthie in murther and adulterie he cryed Wash mee O Lord and make mee cleane PSAL. 51. When a bodie commeth to a remorse of conscience it is a vvonder to see howe hee vvill drinke in that Spirite and desire to bee satiate vvith that vvater A foule bodie that hath not the sense of his filthinesse will neuer crie for vvashing The murtherer and the harlot vvill neuer crie Lord vvashe mee except they gette a sight of their owne vncleannesse Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be filled MATTH 5. 6. There may bee mooued a question heere Howe is it saide that the Spirite is powred out so aboundantly how many feeleth this riches Will a man or vvoman discende into their selues they will finde great lacke and scarcitie of this Spirit Brethren I answere One droppe of the Spirite of Iesus Christ is coūted great riches one droppe of grace is great riches one droppe of the vvater of life is greater riches than all the vvater in the vvorlde it vvill vveigh downe all the precious things that are vpon the face of y e earth Thou that hast gotten one droppe of grace in Iesus Christ thou art richer than all the kinges in the worlde Moreouer if this droppe of grace could bee dried vp in the heartes of the regenerate it were lesse to be coūted of but there is stil droppe after droppe and none ende of dropping Continually thou art refreshed now and then vvith new drops of grace so long as thou liuest So this cōtinuance in dropping is a great riches thou hast no cause to complaine that hath this continuance Well is the soule that getteth droppe after droppe for that soule may saye it hath gotten great riches Thus much for the first part of our saluatiō called regeneration when God putteth to His hande to saue vs He putteth to His hād vvasheth vs inwardly and outwardlie and giueth vs His Spirit Nowe followeth the next part That being justified by grace we may be made heyres according to the hope of life euerlasting The next part standeth in justification I vvill not insist I shall touch it in a worde It is none other thing but the imputing of the righteousnesse of IESVS CHRIST vnto vs. This righteousnesse is not inherent in vs but the satisfaction of IESVS CHRIST is imputed to vs. This Iustification in effect is none other thing but forgiuenesse of sinnes when God forgiueth thee thy sinnes accounteth Christs righteousnesse to bee thine and laieth not thy sinne to thy charge Al is one thing Iustification is not this y ◠men dreame of to wit a righteousnes inherēt in our selues but it is another mans justice which by imputation is made ours Compare these two together Iustification and Regeneration and consider the naturall order of them Iustification is first A man is justified by the blood of IESVS CHRIST imputed to him ere euer he be regenerate by the Spirit The Spirite that vvasheth him in regeneration commeth through the blood the blood first and then commeth in regeneration and vvasheth awaye the mother sinne and the foule stinking corruption that is in thee and both thy justification and regeneration commeth of free grace without merites for these two are euer opponed grace and mercie preasse not to deale these two to giue GOD one part and to attribute another part to thy selfe leaue thy merites behinde thee and take thee to the mercy of God otherwise there is no saluation for thee Thereafter commeth on another part of saluation vvee are made heires of euerlasting Life but there is something going betwixt that is not set downe here For yee see that when wee are justified and regenerated vvee are made sonnes by adoption before we be heyres vve must bee children But I leaue this because the Apostle speaketh not of it heere Then the last part is Wee are made heyres of the Kingdome of Heauen vvhat more can be required in saluation there is the highest degree Thou art placed in thine inheritance there is thy perfection According to the hope of eternall Lift lest vvee should thinke that vvee are alreadie put in possession of this inheritance he meeteth this and sheweth that albeit vve are in this life made heyres yet vvee are not in this life put into a reall possession of this heyrship but hee saieth according to hope vvee are heyres by hope but once hope and all shall goe awaye and vvee shall bee heyres in very deede Yet hope is necessarie so long as vvee liue heere so long as the Father is liuing the heyres haue a to-looke and a hope of the heyrship Hope thou or else thou shalt neuer see Heauen Nowe this hope is not so bare that in the meane time vvee haue no fruition of the thing hoped for yea euen in this life the fruition of Heauen is begunne in effect and if thou haue not the beginning of it heere hope neuer for the accomplishment of it heereafter Wee haue a beginning in this life but as for the full possession and fruition of our inheritance it is reserued to the life to come And therefore it is that the Godly in this life hope still for the comming of IESVS CHRIST till they bee set and placed vvith Him in that inheritance purchased to vs by His blood To vvhome vvith the Father and the Holy Spirite bee all Honour Prayse and Glory for euer and euer AMEN THE TWELFTH SERMON PSALME CXXX verse 1 Out of the deepe places haue I called vnto Thee O LORD verse 2 LORD heare my voyce let Thine eares attende to the voyce of my prayers verse 3 If Thou O LORD straightly markest iniquities O LORD who shall stand verse 4 But mercie is with Thee that Thou mayest bee feared THE inscription of this PSALME Brethren declareth that it is a PSALME most excellent The excellencie of it wee remit to the matter contained therein it hath bene penned by some holy man and Prophet of old but by whom it is not certaine It is sufficient to vs to knowe that the Spirite of GOD was the dyter of it To come to the matter and partes thereof The Prophet whosoeuer he was first setteth downe the estate and disposition of his soule in trouble to wit that he ranne to the Lord and prayed to Him for deliuerie and this hee doeth to the fift verse Next finding in verie deede the effectes of the prayer hee made and finding mercy and deliuerie as hee craued hee professeth before all the worlde that as he had before awaited vpon GOD so hee will await still vpon Him and He will put his confiden̄ce in Him and this he doeth to the seuenth
Spirit who may transchange thee transforme thee and take thee out of nature and plant thee in grace for so long as thou remainest in nature thou canst not thinke well thou canst not speake well thou canst doe nothing well yea thou art worse than a very beast But because the wordes are very weightie wee will yet consider them better What meaneth hâ—â— when he saieth Lord let thine eare bee attentiue to my prayer Thought he that the Lord heard him noâ—â— and that the Lord played the part of a deafe man No He meaneth not this look to the estate of the godly when y e hand of the Lord is vpoÌ„ them when y e Lord afflicteth vs any way we think that He neither heareth nor seeth vs nor remembreth vpoÌ„ vs Indeed I grant it is not so in effect for God neuer altereth His affection towardes His owne but the faithfull oftentimes judge and apprehend so and all the fault of this is in vs. Yee see how Dauid oftentimes complaineth to the Lord that Hee had forsaken him Hee had left him and desireth that He shold look vpoÌ„ him I aske Is it so indeed that when the faithfull soule crieth Lord heare see and remeÌ„ber that He heareth not He sâ—eth not He remembreth not No question but He doth for Hee that made the eye seeth Hee not Hee that made the eare heareth He not Hee that formed the heart of man vnderstandeth He not remembreth He not Psal 94. Yea all things are patent to His Majesty albeit when Hee maketh it not manifest by some sensible effectes and operation we think He heareth not He seeth not He remembreth not His fauour affection is neuer indeed altered noâ— chaÌ„ged froÌ„ his own children Then wheÌ„ they cry for His presence are they altogether destitute depriued of his preseÌ„ce no they want it not for who gaue the heart to saye Lord heare me Lord see and remember me if that thou hadst not some presence of the Lord in thine heart thou couldest neuer vtter these voyces to God TheÌ„ I say If I haue the presence of God when I crie vnto Him why crie I and pray I as though I had not His presence Are not such prayers in vaine No for although we haue the presence of God when wee praye yet for all that our prayers to God are not in vaine for if we had Him of before in any measure by our prayers He will manifest Himselfe more sensibly piece and piece more and more And looke howe much more strongly thou cryest so much the more will the Lord bee drawne to thy soule and so much the more shalt thou finde the increase and grouth of grace in thy soule It is vnpossible that the prayer of a faithfull man if it were but one worde that proceedeth from the Spirit of adoption can passe away without comfort for the Lord giueth His Spirit to no man in vaine but because He knoweth the meaning of His owne Spirit therefore He will graunt that thing for which hee maketh request there is nothing more certaine And therefore the Lord Matth. 5. 6. pronounceth them blessed who hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for saith hee they shall bee filled and satisfied And so Christ speaketh to that woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. 13. 14. If thou soughtest a drinke I shoulde giue thee a drinke of the water of life for the water that I shall giue shall bee in a man or woman a Well of water springing vp into eternall life meaning generally that whosoeuer hath gotten the first fruites of the Spirite and the beginnings of grace desireth and seeketh for further progresse and increase that the LORD shoulde euer furnish them with something to quench their thirst and that because they shoulde euer haue a fountaine within their bellie to furnishe something to them when they thirsted so that when as they shoulde seeke refreshment they might gette it in aboundance And if we felt this thirst and drinesse of the soule we would seeke earnestly for there was neuer such a drynesse and such an heate in any man naturally as there is in vs through sinne Consider thine owne experience when thou hast felt somtimes the great burthen of sinne and the terrours of the wrath of God for sinne whensoeuer in this estate thou camest to God and prayedst for mercie and said I am a miserable sinner LORD giue mee mercie hast thou not felt that the Lord hath answered thee comfortably and hath filled thine heart with joye euen when in thy prayer thou sighest and sobbest vnspeakeablie What meaneth that joye Euen that as soone as thou openest thy mouth with libertie to seeke that water of life the Lord conuayeth some portion of it into thine heart to quench thy thirst Now after hee hath cryed twise hee subjoyneth in the next wordes If thou O Lord straightly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand This no question followeth by way of preoccupation It might haue bene objected to him in his prayer for manie are the temptations of the godly by his conscience pleading for GOD against him or GOD Himselfe might haue saide Thou prayest to mee and yet thou art a sinner how should I heare thee How darest thou stand before mee It is a wonder that in my fierce wrath I destroye thee not To this hee answereth first by waye of confession It is true O LORD that if thou wilt straitelie marke iniquitie that no flesh can stand in thy presence but they must bee consumed through the rage of thy displeasure Then hee answereth by waye of correction But mercie is with thee the meaning is Thou takest none heede to our iniquities but of thy free mercie and grace thou pardonest them all in thy Sonne IESVS CHRIST for none of the Saincts none of the Fathers none of the Prophets euer got mercy but thorow that blood of IESVS CHRIST who was slaine from the beginning of the worlde through His blood only was the wrath of God pacified except Gods justice bee first satisfied there is no place left to mercy therefore saith he my refuge is to thy mercie Indeed our estate who liue now is farre better than the estate of them who liued before Christ came into the world for they saw the death satisfaction of Christ remission of sin in his blood but a far of but we see now all already past wee may say that now God in Christ is merciful to vs is become our Father and hath forgiuen all our sins Now out of these words by this example of the Prophet yee maye see what is the estate of Gods children in prayer to wit when in affliction they seeke to repaire to GOD by prayer they will not so soone begin to pray but as soone their guiltie consciences will beginne to knocke and challenge them as vnworthie to bee heard the conscience will stand vp and if it be not cleansed it will present thy sinnes before thee and set them in order in all their circumstances
then say Lord I deserue to be threatned alwais to be plagued but Lord thou knowst my nature thes things wil not make me to come to Thee but will put mee away from Thee therefore let mee see Thy manifolde mercies towards sinners to allure me and then I shall come vnto Thee So wee see the remidie against an euill conscience to wit an humble confession of sinne and vnworthinesse and a fleeing from the justice of God to His mercie The fairest sweetest thing in the worlde is to feele the mercie of GOD. But herein there is great hardnesse and difficultie It is not so easilie attained vnto as men commonlie thinke for His mercie is compassed about with His justice and with His wrath against sinners as with a wall of fire and he who will come to grace he must come through a consuming fire and when hee preasseth to come neare the fire of Gods wrath will holde him off and will strike out and burne vp the impenitent sinner as fire doeth the stubble So it is an harder thing than manie think it to be to win to Gods mercy And how shal this be remidied By what meanes shall wee gette thorowe this wall of fire Truely hee who woulde meane to passe thorow fire had neede to bee well armed the man who preasseth to approach neare to that inuialable Majestie who can abide no sort of vncleannesse and woulde drawe neare to the Throne of His grace must bee well armed against the justice and wrath of GOD which debarreth sinners Surelie there is none armour in the world that can preserue vs from that raging and consuming fire of the justice and wrath of GOD but only the righteousnesse and satisfaction of Iesus Christ Let a man vse all the meanes in the world and he be not found in Christ he shall haue none accesse to come thorowe the justice and wrath of God to the Throne of grace yea his soule and his conscience must bee sprinkled and purged from dead workes with that blood which was offered vp to GOD to that ende by His eternall Spirite Heb. 9. without he bee dipped in that blood hee will finde GOD a terrible Iudge And after that through faith in the death and blood of IESVS thou commest to that Throne of grace thou shalt heare the sweetest and moste comfortable voyce that euer was that is All thy sinnes are forgiuen thee in that blood And if a man were cōdemned to die for some haynous cryme if the king would saye I absolue thee I forgiue thee thou shalt liue What joye and comfort woulde that voyce bring to the heart of him who was condemned The Apostle saieth Hebr. 10. 22. Let vs goe to the Throne of grace with a true heart and purged from an euill conscience through the blood of IESUS CHRIST that is Thinke not to come to that Throne of grace except first thou bee purged with that blood Therefore as euer thou wouldest bee in Heauen or see the face of GOD to thy comfort seeke to haue faith in CHRIST IESVS Looke vvhat necessitie is laide vpon a sinner either must hee bee banished from the presence and face of GOD for euer and be casten into the societie of the damned or else if he would bee saued hee must bee imped and ingraffed by a true and liuely faith in Iesus Christ make thee for it with all thy maine to get a gripe of Christ as euer thou wouldest be saued Nowe after hee hath met this objection which God or his owne conscience in Gods cause might haue casten in that hee was so vnworthie to bee heard by an humble confession of vnworthinesse and by fleeing from His justice and claiming to His great mercies bee setteth downe the ende of this mercie and free forgiuenesse of sinnes when he saieth But mercie is with Thee that Thou mayest bee feared The ende whereof the Lord granteth mercie and forgiuenesse of sinnes to sinners is that they may obey serue and worship God with pleasure and alacritie No man can euer be able to glorifie God and to serue Him chearfully but the man who hath assurance that his sinnes are freely forgiuē him in that eternall loue of God through the blood of Iesus for none can glorifie God except first he be glorified of God Albeit the naturall man got neuer so manie and great benefites yet because hee hath none assurance of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes he can neuer glorifie God nor be thankfull to Him On the other part It is vnpossible and if thou haue a sure perswasion that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee but thou wilt bee careful in some measure to meet the Lord God in loue to pleasure Him and to thanke Him for the first effect that floweth from the remission of sinnes is sanctification or glorification And it is not possible but if thou bee glorified thou must glorifie the Lord againe But the question may be here proponed Wherein standeth our glorifying of God hath He neede of our glorification Can our seruice bee profitable to Him Can our well-doing extend to Him Hath He need of any thing that wee can doe I answere Indeede it is true our well-doing cannot extende to Him as Dauid confesseth of himselfe in the 16. Psalme and the 2. vers All the Kinges and Monarches in the world cannot doe any thing that is profitable and steadable to God We are not able to adde any thing to the glory of God for His glory is infinite and to an infinite thing nothing can bee added for if anie thing coulde bee added it were not infinite The Father the Sonne and the Holy Spirite perfectlie glorified one another from all eternitie Glorifie Mee saieth Christ with that glorie which I had with Thee before the foundation of the world was laide That blessed Trinitie was as perfect in glorie before the creation of the world as it hath beene euer since Our glorifying of God stādeth only in this when the Lord illuminateth our minds that we may see His glorie in all his properties that wee in our heartes with pleasure and chearfulnesse consent thereunto allow of it and with our mouthes proclaime that glory which we see to be in Him And it lieth not in man nor angel to compare His glory The good the euil the well y e wo the commodity incommodity of al cōmeth to our own selues and happy is that man that glorifieth God miserable is he y ◠glorifieth Him not for our felicity standeth not in that y ◠we our selues be glorified but in this that we glorify our Lord eternally for that end were we created to y ◠ende were we redeemed with that precious ransom euē that we shuld glorify y e Lord happy is that creature that hath some purpose thirst desire to glorify God in this life for he may be assured that one day the Lord shall glorify him eternally in Heauen That soule I say shall be perfected in the life to come
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
feete who was euer traueiling and journeying nor to kisse the Lord when He entered into his house after the fashion of the countrey nor shewed none heartsomenesse towards the Lord. An hypocrite can neuer doe any thing heartily neither to God nor man Then wouldest thou know a true Christian man or woman Yee heare neuer a word out of her mouth all this time that she is washing the Lordes feete with teares kissing them anointing them with ointment So a true Christian hath few wordes but many deedes One good deede is worth ten words And when thou speakest looke that thy wordes bee heartie and sauour of loue Looke that thou blesse not with thy mouth and curse with thine heart whatsoeuer thou doest doe it heartily and though thou were but presenting a cuppe full of colde water to a poore bodie do it heartily then the Lord shall count wel of it though it were neuer so litle Looke what sentence the Lord giueth out concerning y e poore woman that presented two mites Hee saieth shee gaue more than they all did Luke 21. 3. Whatsoeuer thou doest doe it for the loue of the LORD still waiting for that day wherein the LORD shall reward thee It is true indeede that hee who hath anie discretion will discerne the heart by the verie deede of the hand And hee or shee that hath any heartsomnesse inwardly it will be manifest and vttered in the verie deede of the hand outwardlie But stand thou not vpon the sight of any man in the world But say Lord thou seest the heart thou seest with what heartinesse I doe this And whatsoeuer thou doest striue euer to do it with heartsomnesse for Iesus Christes sake so in doing thou shalt haue joye No man can doe any thing heartilie or joyfullie but they who haue their eyes vpon the Lord. Ye haue heard the proposition the assumption also now He commeth to the conclusion and He concludeth as it were in the teeth of the Pharisie Therefore her sinnes are forgiuen her Not that this loue is the cause of the remission of her sinnes but as a sure argument and testimonie of her faith Her loue toward Christ preceeded not nor went before the assurance of the remission of her sinnes but it followed as a true token So it is an argument not from the cause but from the effect that testifieth assuredly that the cause is and hath proceeded that is that shee hath faith in Iesus Christ Howbeit the Papistes abuse this place gathering heere that the loue which this woman caried to Iesus was the cause of the remission of her sins But I leaue them to their owne vanitie Now Brethren after the example of this Pharisie I shall neuer judge euill nor be a sharpe censurer of a penitent sinner for the poore sinner that beleeueth once in Iesus Christ and repenteth and taketh purpose of amendement for faith and repentance goe euer together a sinner that beleeueth in Iesus Christ will repent and hate and detest sinne to the death wherewith hee hath offended God for when hee hath once tasted of mercy then will hee saye Alas that I haue offended so louing and so mercifull a Father for after that hee hath once gotten a sense of the infinite mercie of GOD all his displeasure will bee that euer hee hath offended so louing and so mercifull a Father I saye such a sinner maye bee assured of forgiuenesse Nowe marke the Lordes answere to the Pharisie He saith not howbeit shee be a sinner yet shee is penitent and loueth mee but Hee saieth shee is no sinner all her sinnes are taken awaye for except all her sinnes had beene taken away and purged by Him it is most true y t the Pharisie thought to wit the LORD would not haue suffered her to haue touched Him Hee would not haue receiued the kisses of her mouth nor the teares of her eyes No the LORD IESVS that Holie One if thou bee not made as vvhite as the snowe and all thy sinnes bee not purged Hee vvill not suffer thee once to touch Him nor to kisse His feete It is a vvonderfull thing to see such a suddaine change in an instant that so vile and so vncleane a bodie shoulde bee so pure and so cleane Howbeit the bodie vvere as redde as the blood and as the Scarlet as the Prophet Esay saieth in the first Chapter of his Prophesie and the 18. verse yet suddainlie Hee vvill make it as vvhite as the snowe and the vvooll Indeede it is true thou wilt neuer bee purged from the remainentes of sinne so long as thou art in this life but yet notwithstanding if thou put on that righteousnesse of Iesus Christ by faith God shall count thee as clean as a glorious Angell in His sight Nowe vvhen Hee hath ended the speech to the Pharisie at the last Hee speaketh to the vvoman not thinking it enough to speake in her hearing vnto the Pharisie but to the greater joye and consolation of the poore vvoman Hee speaketh to herselfe Thou vvill runne in and out hither and thither to gette a vvorde of the king and vvhy not if so thy necessitie require but striue to get a vvord out of the mouth of IESVS Kings manie times vvill giue thee flattering vvordes but the LORD when Hee speaketh vnto thee Hee vvill speake in trueth and vvith vvonderfull loue vvhen Hee saieth to thee Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee thy sinnes are forgiuen thee indeede for the vvord of the Lord hath an operation vvith it for if He once call thee an Holie One thou wilt be so indeede The worde of the Lord worketh in thee the thing that Hee speaketh most powerfullie for Hee calleth these thinges that are not and by calling Hee maketh them to bee So the Lord filleth her heart with joy her heart no questiō began to find joy whē she was speaking to y e pharisie Nowe Hee filleth vp her joye for the fulnesse of joye is not gotten in an instant all joye is in the face of Iesus Christ Thinke yee not but this woman when she heard this word conceiued an vnspeakeable joye in her heart And I say vnto euerie one of you who as penitent sinners will bewaile your sinnes and mourne for offending of GOD and will purpose to wash the feete of IESVS with teares and wipe His feete with your haire as the Lord hath giuen mee commission to speake Repentest thou sinner of thy sinnes Thinkest thou to amende thy life Detestest thou thy sinnes Beleeuest thou assuredly Louest thou the Lord I say to thee Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee in the blood of that same Iesus whom thou louest so well Nowe a worde and so I shall ende When Hee hath spoken thus comfortably to the woman the Pharisic beginneth againe to interrupt and to impede Him if it had beene possible to hinder the woman of her saluation The rest about the table scorneth Him What is hee this quod they that taketh vpon him to forgiue sins He taketh
action our thankefulnesse otherwise than we doe Nowe wee come to the next argument which moued the Apostle to be thankfull hee saith that our Lord Jesus Christ counted him faithfull and set him in His seruice hee meaneth not here that the Lord fore-sawe that there would bee some worthinesse goodnesse and faithfulnesse into him and therefore Hee employed him as vaine and ignorant men doe affirme for are not all corrupt are not all children of wrath and subject to Sathan what goodnesse then can God see in anie of vs except Hee put it into vs and what can moue Him to make a choyse of one more than another but onlie His good pleasure and free-liking But this he saith to meete and stoppe the mouthes of wicked and malicious men who went about to disgrace his person and office and to make his preaching fruitlesse The world is now full of such persons as if hee had said Let men reproach mee disdaine me set themselues against me yet this is sufficient for me that Iesus Christ who hath all authoritie and who is supreame Iudge who onelie can absolue and condemne and from whose sentence none can appeale is on my side and hath declared by putting me into His seruice and by calling me immediatelie with His owne mouth that Hee would vse my Ministerie and declared that where I was vnfaithfull before Hee accounted me faithfull He accounted more of me than I was worthy of So by this th' Apostle importeth a double grace which hee got from Christ first that whereas hee was ynfaithfull the Lord gaue him saith and so accounted him faithfull Next that he had manifested by calling him to bee an Apostle that Hee had a liking that he should be in His seruice Then heere yee see that as before hee thanked GOD for the power and strength that hee founde so heere hee thanketh GOD for that exceeding mercie vttered in forgiuing him his sinnes and in calling him to bee an Apostle Hence wee perceiue Brethren that no man will euer account of IESVS CHRIST except he first finde that CHRIST hath accounted of him yea except he finde that Christ hath accounted of him that which he is not whereas he is vnfaithfull hee must finde that Iesus counteth him faithfull whereas hee is vnjust hee must find that Christ counted him just Yee see by common experience that when one man loueth another exceedingly hee will account more of him than hee is to bee counted of indeede for loue ouer-seeth and hideth many infirmities and offences Was there euer such a loue as Christ Iesus carried vnto vs vnworthy wretches For when wee were vile wretched sinners euer offending the Majestie of God and procuring His wrath the Lord Iesus in the multitude of His mercies and infinite deepenesse of His loue couered our sinnes and hid our iniquities that they should not beesâ—ene by God So when the Lord Iesus hath once extended the mantle of His mercy and compassion vpon His chosen children then albeit they were replenished with neuer so many vile and grosse sinnes yet the Lord will not laye them to their charge but in Iesus Hee will count them just righteous and innocent so Hee will account more of them than they are worthy of For except that euery one of vs be perswaded of this that we are greater men in the account of Iesus Christ than wee are in our selues we shall perish in our sinnes for euer The Pope and that crew of his shamelesse-ones scorne this doctrine of the imputation of the righteousnesse of IESVS they will haue men to bee justified by their inherent righteousnesse in Gods presence But I denounce in the Name of the Great GOD that if they goe on so if they leane to their own righteousnesse and if they find not the righteousnesse of Iesus to be imputed vnto them they shall neuer taste of mercy But howe knoweth the Apostle that the Lord accounteth so much of him The last words of the verse declareth Hee put mee into His seruice therefore I knowe that Hee hath accounted more of mee than I am Wouldest thou knowe that the Lord hath accounted more of thee than thou art hath the Lord Iesus put thee into his seruice then He accounted of thee Indeede I grant that there are many who are called to offices both in Church and Policy who cannot nor may not say that therefore the Lord hath counted them faithfull for there are many who are not sent of God but who runneth vnsent and are thrust out by their owne corrupt affections as by ambition by vaine glory by desire of preferment by couetousnesse Often times yee see that many who haue the place and name of Pastors set themselues to trouble the estate of the Church and to giue offence vnto the weake ones to speake nothing of their negligence in that calling And such like in the seate of Iustice yee will see men without regard of God conscience nature and common honesty to giue out wicked judgement and maintaine manifest hainous crimes and to stand directlie in contrarie tearmes with the Majestie of God contra-manding where Hee hath commanded Therefore such persons cannot alleadge that the Lord hath counted them faithfull And men cannot saye that they are set into these offices by Gods hand but as it were by Sathan Therefore to the ende that thou mayest know whether y e Lord counteth thee faithfull or not Looke and see that thou haue these signes testimonies which may beare witnesse that the Lord hath called thee It is true men now adayes cannot haue such a perswasion as Paul had for he was called immediatly by the mouth of Iesus Christ from Heauen therefore he might speake confidently but it is as true there are none whome the Lord calleth but they haue some signes thereof Looke therefore if thou haue an earnest desire to glorifie the Lord in the riches of His mercy to propagate the kingdome of Iesus to draw meÌ„ from darknesse to light from miserie to felicitie from death to life from Hell to Heauen Look if thou hast grace in some measure for such a calling looke if the Lord accompanieth thy Ministery with euidencie demonstration of the Spirite and by thy preaching hath acquired subjectes to His kingdome Looke if thou doe the worke of the Lord chearfullie If thou haue these tokens thou mayest be assured in thy conscience and other men also may bee perswaded that thou runnest not vnsent But if thou hast not these tokens then boast not of this that thou art in a calling And to speake more generally to all them who are called Christians Wouldest thou know in what estate and calling soeuer thou art into whether priuate or publike whether the Lord account more of thee than thou art worthie whether Hee accounteth thee faithfull or not Looke to the markes signes and tokens of a true Christian if thou finde them in thee as namely whether thou hast a pleasure in body and soule through infirmitie to serue
what the Apostle saieth to this purpose to the Ephes. Chap. 3. verse 10. It is their pleasure to pierce in to that misterie and to looke to that mercie but miserable man to whom it belongeth commonlie wondreth not at it But albeit the prophane man when hee is sleeping in sinne and going on in an euill course thinking it but an easie thing to gette mercie and albeit hee wonder not much when he seeth another miserable sinner to get mercie but account it a matter of sober importance yet if it please the Lord once to waken his conscience and make his sinnes to appeare in their owne colour how great how vile and how detestable they are and what it is to offende that infinite and inuiolable Majestie that Omnipotent IEHOVAH who created all thinges and to finde the terrours and tormentes of that ineuitable wrath and euerlasting paine And if the Spirit of God leaue him there to his owne selfe and helpe him not forwarde hee woulde conclude that there were no mercie for him and hee would maruell that euer a sinner shoulde get mercie for hee woulde see the justice of God as a wall of fire standing before God holding off the sinner that hee preasse not to come neare to God So such persons woulde dite their owne dittie and giue out their owne doome against themselues And except it please the Lord to sende His Holie Spirit who searcheth all thinges yea the deepnesse of God out of His owne bosome to a miserable sinner thus exercised to conuoy him through His justice thorowe that wall of fire and to let him see and feele the mercie of God in the Lord Iesus he would neuer nor durst neuer claime to His mercie Onelie they who getteth that Holy Spirit who cometh out of that deepenesse to conuoye the creature to that vnsearcheable deepnesse for albeit the deepnesse of that mercie bee infinite yet the Spirit of GOD searcheth out that deepnesse will acclaime and apprehende mercie and then such persons will maruel that euer themselues or any other should haue found such infinite mercie And the Sainctes of God in the kingdome of Heauen shall euer be exercised in marueiling at the mercies of God vpon them It is true that manie vaine wanton men when they are going on in sinne beeing drunken and bewitched with the pleasures of sinne and mad in their damnable course will promise mercie to themselues and will applie mercie to sinne to make sinne more and more sweete as if it were not sweete enough before But away with thee for mercie appertaineth not vnto thee but wrath and judgement so long as thou remainest in that estate Thou art not in that estate that thou mayst claime to His mercie for onely the man who hath a sadde a contrite and a broken soule may acclaime to mercie and such a man in greatest sadnesse for sinne shall haue vnspeakeable joye Nowe after hee hath vvondered at the mercie of GOD in the ende of the verse hee setteth downe a cause not so much vvherefore GOD gaue him mercie as that GOD was so readie to giue him mercie Hee saieth that hee was an ignorant and that hee prooueth because hee wanted faith His ignorance deserued no mercie but rather made him culpable and guiltie For the Lord will not allowe such an excuse in that Great day but ignorance maketh the sinne the lesse The sinne that proceedeth from ignorance is not so great as the sinne that proceedeth from knowledge for the seruant vvho knoweth not the masters vvill and doeth it not shall bee striped with fewe stripes but the seruant vvho knoweth the masters vvill and doeth it not shall bee striped vvith manie stripes Luke 12. 47. 48. But for the better clearing of this point vvee must vnderstand that Paul meaneth not that euerie sinne vvhich is committed vvillinglie and vvittinglie men knowing vvell enough that they are sinning shall not bee forgiuen for in vvhat case should vvee all bee into then Doe vvee not all manie a time sinne vvittinglie and vvillinglie Doe not our consciences challenge vs in the verie act Will vve not doe vvrong to our neighbour in his person or in his goods or in his name and account yes no question and vve cannot justifie our selues in our doinges If therefore they vvho offend God euen with open eyes were condemned without hope of mercie alas in what case would wee bee into Hee meaneth not then of all sins in generall hee meaneth not of the sins committed against the secoÌ„d Table against our neighbours but by joyning ignorance and mis-beliefe together he sheweth that hee meaneth of the resisting of the trueth of God which is a far greater sinne than theft hooredome or backe-biting for they who resist the trueth doe as much as in them lieth to pluck God out of His seat and to put out the remembrance of His glorious Majestie that He reigne no more and they say in effect Let mee alone with God I shall handle him wel enough I shall bring him to nought hee shall not reigne I shall fight against him Therefore Paul speaking of such an accursed sinne saieth not without cause I did it of ignorance as if he had said It is true to blaspheme Gods name and to treade Gods word vnder feete and to persecute the Saincts of God is a sinne that surmounteth and surpasseth all sinnes and I am culpable of this sinne But what I did it not wittinglie for I thought I serued GOD when I was an enemie to the Gospell because I â—anted faith Indeede Paule was a learned man and brought vp in all good literature as we reade in the 3. Chap. to the Philipp As for the knowledge of the lawe and the tradition of the Pharisees hee surpassed the rest Galat. 1. 14. Yet for all this hee saieth hee was ignorant because hee wanted the knowledge of Christ. Suppose thou knowest all the worlde and yet if thou knowest not Iesus Christ thou knowest nothing And though thou knewest all the lawes in the worlde all humanitie all philosophie yet if thou knowest not Christ thou knowest nothing Now blessed is that soule that knoweth Christ albeit hee knewe no more for in the knowledge of Him standeth life euerlasting Marke againe hee saieth because hee was ignorant therefore hee was a blasphemer and persecuter Ignorance is a dangerous thing they who are ignorant of Christ they who haue not faith in Him they who knowe not what a glorious personage Hee is what incomparable benefite Hee brought with Him vnto the worlde who hath not founde His mercies who haue not beene sensible of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes who haue not founde the image of God repaired in them and they who haue not found that peace of conscience and joye in the Holie Ghost they will persecute Christ and His Gospell and His Sainctes It is a dangerous thing for the Sainctes of GOD to dwell among ignorantes and vnbeleeuers for such men are vnreasonable yea they are Atheistes The Apostle Paul
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
desire to liue for a while that the Church may be holpen The Lord accounteth more highly of this desire than of a desire that a man hath to die and to bee with Iesus The Lord accounted more of PAVLES liuing to helpe the Church than of his glorifying Him in his death Thinke yee that PAVL woulde haue liued so long except the Lord had seene him profitable to His Church And no question y e Lord Iesus knowing the misery of this earth would haue taken vp His Apostles at His ascention with Him if He had not loued the weale of His Church There is no good body but the Lord woulde haue them with Him yet Hee letteth them remaine heere in paine that they may help the Church otherwise there would not be a good body left liuing in SCOTLAND Hee would take them all away and glorifie them But so long as Hee hath a Church in SCOTLAND Hee will let good men continue but when Hee taketh them away wo be to them that tary behind It is wonderfull to see how the Lord will keepe a man by whose trauels Hee will helpe His Church All the worlde will not get leaue to hurt an haire of his head HEROD taketh PETER and putteth him into prison laying him betwixt two souldiers thinking to execute him y e next morning Act. 12. But the Lord by His Angell wakeneth him and bringeth him safe out and yet hee wist not what hee was doing PAVL and PETER were wonderfully deliuered so long as the Lord had to doe with them but when He had done His turne and they fell into the hands of NERO there is no more dinne of them they were slaine So long as the Lord hath adoe with any man He will shake Heauen and earth ere hee perish Well the care of the Church of God is decaying in SCOTLAND Leâ—vs crie LORD put the care of this Church and the care of the members of the body of Christ into the hearts of men that euery man may care for the saluation of another and that God maye bee glorified in them through His Sonne Christ Iesus our Sauiour To whome with the Father and the Holy Ghost bee all Prayse Honour and Glory both now and for euermore AMEN THE ELEVENTH SERMON TITVS CHAP. III. verse 3 For we our selues were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lustes and diuerse pleasuâ—es liuing in maliciousnesse and enuie hatefull and hating one another verse 4 But when the bountifulnesse and loue of GOD our Sauiour toward man appeared verse 5 Not by the workes of righteousnesse which wee had done but according to His mercie Hee saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and the renewing of the Holie Ghost verse 6 Which Hee shedde on vs aboundantlie through IESUS CHRIST our Sauiour verse 7 That wee beeing justified by His grace should bee made heyres according to the hope of eternall life IF we shall consider this Text welbeloued in IESVS CHRIST we shall find in it three things The first the miserable estate and condition of man wherein hee stood before hee was called to grace by IESVS CHRIST The next is his mercifull deliuerie froÌ„ that miserable estate and condition The last is the ende of his mercifull deliuerie to wit That he should serue God all the dayes of his life in all maner of thankfulnesse for so mercifull a deliuerie And seeing our communicating with the bodie and blood of the LORD approaches our preparation caÌ„not stand in three better thinges than these First in a knowledge of our miserie before that we knew God in CHRIST Next in a knowledge of our mercifull deliuerie from that miserable estate And thirdlie in a duetie toward God for our deliuerie We shall speake at this time of the first two Now to returne and to goe thorow the words as the Lord will giue vs grace The occasion of the setting downe of this first part to wit of our miserie before we knew Christ is this Immediatelie before he hath exhorted TITVS to vse all kinds of lenitie towardes them that were not conuerted not to deale with them in rigour but to deale with them in meeknesse Hee giueth the reason Looke what they are now euen such were we before wee were called liuing in concupiscence our mindes were rebellious against God therefore let vs deale with them as wee woulde haue beene dealt with our selues at that time I marke here first That our miserable estate that we stood in before we were called to this grace through Iesus Christ shoulde neuer be forgotten The miserie of nature wherein wee are conceiued and borne and wherein wee liue for a time till wee knowe Christ should neuer goe out of our remembrance When thou hast plaide the foole a while in sinne when thou hast followed harlotry committed murther oppressed thy neighbour when God hath called thee out of that miserable condition made thee to know Him in Christ forget neuer thy former misery forget neuer that thou hast followed filthinesse murthered oppressed c. Saieth the Apostle to the Ephesians who were Gentiles after their conuersion in Christ Forget your olde done deedes saith he so No but he saith Remember that ye were Gentiles Brethren it is true the estate of grace in Christ hath a sweetnesse with it if a man or woman haue a sense of it but looke that the sweetnesse of it m is-â—elish not so the taste that in the meane time thou lose all sense of thy former misery Keepe therefore both the misery and the deliuery in thy mind that thereby the true sense of GODS mercie may be stirred vp in thine heart for none haue the true sense of the mercie of God in Christ except hee onelie that sigheth for the miserie which we did lie in before This is the first Another thing I marke here This same remembrance of our misery it should make euery one of vs that stand in grace to haue a compassion vpon sinners where euer thou seest them labour to winne them but with pitie and let bee thy bitternesse A man that hath no pitie but is full of bitternesse against a sinner that man hath forgotten that hee was a sinner before There is no man so cleane but there is a remaining corruption in him albeit hee see it not They that haue the true zeale of God they will indeede bee seuere against sinners Why not but they beginne alwayes at their selues and then reprooue others Hypocrites beginne not at themselues but they hide and cloake their owne sinnes and are alwayes seuere against others But the man that beginneth at himselfe his seueritie is aye mixed with pitie But to come to the words Wee were such as they are now we were mad and out of our right wit we were beside our selues There is the first part of our miserie in nature for wee were all miserable by nature there is not one soule but it is borne miserable by nature Yee see then Brethren our miserie beginneth not at our
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
verse lastly from the seuenth verse to the ende he recommendeth this duetie to Israel that is to the Church of GOD to waite vpon the LORD and with the recommendation hee giueth in forceable reasons to mooue them To come to the first part first hee saith that in his greatest danger hee cryed to the Lord IEHOVAH Next hee setteth downe the prayer To come to the proposition he saith Out of the deepe yet more Out of the deepe places haue I called vnto thee O IEHOVAH By these deepe places hee vnderstandeth great miseries great dangers wherein his body was great terror and feare in his conscience for his sinne offerding of God for the Scripture as ye may see Psal 69. 2. 3 compareth great afflictions to deepe waters wherein a man is like to drowne and manie a time when the body is in danger the soule will bee like to drowne in desperation No doubt the greatnesse of the danger made him to vtter to the Lord voyces coÌ„ming from the very deapth of the heart If we felt our selues in great daÌ„ger we wold call from the deapth of our hearts to God he vttered not a voyce onely but a lowde voyce with a crie This is the meaning of the words We so here first that the children of God whom God loueth most intirely are many times subject to great and extreame dangers and troubles and if euer thou thinkest to come to Heauen make thee in thine owne course to suffer one trouble or other Let no man thersore judge euill of a man because he suffereth Next we see the greater the danger bee the heauier y e distresse the afflictioÌ„ wherwith y e godlie is exercised bee the more vehement feruent earnest will their prayer be they haue to God and howe commeth this to passe Euen in this maner by these degrees OppressioÌ„ afflictioÌ„ worketh in the hearts of the faithfull a sense of y e common misery of nature WheÌ„ the hand of y e Lord is vpon afaithful man then he begins to feele his sinne corruption And except the LORD exercise vs in this life either one way or other the best of vs all will fall into such a sound sleepe that we will neither remember what we haue bene what wee are nor what wee shall bee neither acknowledge our selues to be sinners So there is a necessity of afflictions for affliction bringeth vs to a feeling of our misery Next when through affliction the heart is prepared and brought to some sense of sin then it is capable of grace theÌ„ it prayeth to God Look neuer to come to Heauen if thou feelest not thy finne yea and that thou art a miserable sinner Then if once thine heart bee prepared with some sense of sinne and miserie then commeth in that holy Spirit of Iesus Christ which in y e Scripture is called the Spirit of adoption who finding y e heart dejected and made lowlie the Spirite will nerer looke in to a proude heart beginneth to worke to touch the heart of the miserable sinner with a sweet sense of mercie through Iesus hee beginneth to shedde abroade the loue of Christ into the soule and when once the heart hath tasted of the sweetnesse of mercie and as Peter saieth hath tasted how sweet and gracious the Lord is and findeth this passing loue of God in Iesus Christ then iâ—…eth a boldnesse and beginneth with confidence peartnesse to present itselfe before God and to put vp prayers and requestes Roman 8. 26. When once that Spirite hath giuen libertie then we crie with an open mouth for the heart is wide opened Abba Father Roman 8. 15. Because wee haue gotten a sense of that fatherlie loue in Iesus Christ The prayer of the faithfull is most effectuall when they are in greatest danger and then the voyce is lowdest for it is the Spirit of GOD who maketh intercession for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed but God knoweth the meaning of his Spirit Now Brethren surely few of vs haue yet beene in this deepnesse and extreamitie of miserie the Lord hath not yet so pressed vs with His hand as Hee hath done many others and therefore â—eâ—â— there is amongst vs who hath this feeling of sinne and miserie and consequently few of vs can pray so earnestly Howe many are there amongst you that dare say that yee feele sensibly the common miserie of nature Goe to your hearts and looke if yee feele it not sleeping in sinne and so long as thou sleepest thus and knowest not thy miserie howe wilt thou bee carefull to feele the loue of Christ and how wilt thou earnestly pray to God And certainly I take this coldnesse in prayer to be a fore-runner of a judgement to ouer-take this Land No it were better to bee swimming in the waters of affliction praying earnestly to GOD than to bee this way lying in prosperitie without prayer Nowe I goe forward After hee hath proponed that out of the deepnesse hee cryed to IEHOVAH then to let vs see his cryes hee setteth downe the forme of prayer that hee vsed in his great miseries first he saieth O Lord heare my voyce Next in the other wordes hee doubleth ouer the same petition Attende to the voyce of my prayers for hee prayeth not coldly but hee cryeth earnestly certainly the doubling of the crie would be opened vp from the ground Wee should gripe downe to the heart from whence the prayers of the godlie do flow that when we heare them or reade them we may get such an heart disposition in prayer as they had The doubling of the prayer and the mouth wide opening commeth of the doubling of the graces of the Spirite of GOD in the heart and of a double opening of the heart for except the heart be opened in prayer the mouth cannot be opened with pleasure otherwise if thou speake anie thing I will not giue one pennie for it So the opening of the mouth commeth from the opening of the heart When the Holy Spirit so sweetly maketh manifest the loue of God to the creature then y e tongue is loosed the second cry coÌ„meth of the second grace of y e second opening of the heart so oft as thou cryest so oft is there a new grace motion within the heart wrought by the Holy Spirite for it is Hee onely that openeth the mouth piece and piece to speake to God for take this for a certainty that Paul saith There is none that can call Iesus Lord without that Spirit come in 1. Corin. 12. 3. And againe hee saith We knowe not what wee should pray or how wee ought to pray without that Spirit teach vs Romanes chap. 8. verse 26. And if Hee teach not no man or woman is able once to open the mouth with confidence and liberty to pray And so Brethren if yee would speake well pray well or doe well looke euer to the disposition of the heart and night and daye pray for that
Albeit thou forget thy sinnes after thou hast gotten thy pleasure yet thou shalt see that thy conscience hath marked them all and as a man cannot reade when the booke is closed yet beeing opened they maye reade therein Euen so albeit vvhen our consciences are benummed wee see not the vglinesse and guiltinesse of sinne yet when GOD wakeneth them wee will see sinne in the owne colour and finde the vglinesse and guiltinesse thereof Our sinnes will come in and stand vp as mountaines and will hide the blessed face and presence of GOD from thee Sinne goeth betwixt vs and GOD and separateth vs from GOD. The Sainctes finde in experience that it is not an easie thing to finde a familiar accesse to God in prayer except our consciences first bee purged wee can haue none accesse to GOD. Therefore whosoeuer woulde drawe neare to GOD let him seeke to followe the counsell of the Apostle in the 10. Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes and the two and twentie verse where he saith Let vs draw neare with a true heart in an assurance of faith sprinkled in our heartes from an euill conscience No flesh can haue a fauourable accesse to God except his conscience bee first purged from guiltinesse yea that which wee speake of the guiltinesse of sinne wee speake also of sinne it selfe that except it bee quite taken away out of His sight that He will not look fauourably vpon vs. And this is that which the Prophet saieth here If thou O Lord straightlie markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand For as guiltinesse of sinne stayeth vs to beholde God so sinne it selfe stayeth God from beholding vs miserable wretches with the eyes of His compassion So long therefore as thy conscience is not purged when thou goest to present thy selfe before His Majestie if thy conscience bee wakened thou wilt finde God marking thy sinnes laying them to thy charge and wilt finde Him as a terrible Iudge compassed about with burning wrath readie to destroye thee and if He marke thee thou hast no standing and if thou appeare not cloathed with the righteousnesse and perfect satisfaction that IESVS through His blood hath purchased for thee thou darest not presume to approach for then His fierce wrath shall bee poured out vpon thee Further wee learne heereof that when euer wee would haue our prayers accepted wee should beginne with an humble confession of our sinnes and vnworthinesse and with an earnest prayer to forgiue the same yea wee must aggreadge our sinnes by all circumstances as the Prophet doeth here No none not the holiest Sainctés Fathers nor Prophets could be able to stand if he marked their iniquitie let bee himselfe who was such an vnworthie wretch who was laden with so manie and great sinnes Thou must not extenuate thy sinnes before GOD if thou wouldest find fauour with GOD as manie men commonlie doe saying wee are all sinners yea manie men haue sinned more and haue done worse deedes than I haue done That is not the way to finde Gods fauour Thou must bee very abject vile and contemptible in thine owne accompt if thou wouldest haue the Lord to account of thee Then where shall wee get a remidie to helpe an euill conscience for sinne taketh away all joy and confidence in prayer The next wordes furnish a faire remidie But mercie is with Thee Lord it is not Thy justice I looke to but Thy mercie Thy justice holdeth mee abacke but Thy mercie allureth mee I flee from Thy justice and I claime to Thy mercie So when a man desireth his prayers to bee heard hee must first haue a sight of his owne miserie guiltinesse and vnworthinesse and of the fiercenesse of the Lords wrath for the same and in all humilitie hee must confesse the same Next hee must haue a sight of the Lordes mercie and hope that it is possible that GOD bee reconciled with him except that these two bee joyned together hee commeth not duelie prepared the one without the other will not serue both are necessarie for without the knowledge sight and feeling of our miserie of sinne and of the wrath of God for the same vvee will neuer be earnest in prayer Who will aske except hee finde his want and without an humble confession there is no cōming before God Thou must not do as the Pharisie did reade that parable of the Pharisie and of the Publicane Luke 18. The Pharisie was so blinded with selfe-loue that hee could not see the filthinesse and corruption of his own heart and therefore not only in the presence of man whom he might deceiue would he justifie himself but also in the very presence of God who cannot be deceiued who searcheth the hearts he would boast of his own righteousnes and condemne the poore Publicane But what found he It is saide hee went home not justified that all men might feare thereafter to come before God with a cōceit of their worthines Thou must follow y e example of the poore Publicane who being ashamed of himself would not looke vp to Heauē but looked down smote his brest said O God be mercifull vnto mee a sinner Next if thou haue no more but a sight sense confession of thy misery will that bee sufficient No for albeit thou sawest all thy sinnes and foundest the burthen thereof and foundest the Lord as a judge in a judgement pursuing thee and heaping daylie judgement vpon judgement and wrath vpon wrath that will neuer make thee to drawe neare to the Lord but by the contrary wil make thee to turne thy back vpon the LORD for as a male-factor hath no pleasure to beholde the face of a judge because his countenance is terrible No more can the sinner abide the countenance of God His judgementes His wrath may make vs astonished and stupified but if there bee no more they will neuer make vs to come to God Then if this be not sufficient what more is requisite Euen a sight of the Lordes mercie for that is most forceable to allure as the Prophet saieth here and as the Church of God saith Cant. 1. 2 because of the sauour of thy good ointments therefore the Virgines loue thee this onelie is forceable to allure y e sinner for all the judgementes of GOD and curses of the lawe will neuer allure him What was the chief thing that moued the Prodigall sonne to returne home to his father Was it chiefely the distresse the disgrace and pouerty wherewith he was burthened or the famine that almost caused him to sterue No but the chiefe thing was this hee remembred that hee had a louing father that maketh him to resolue with an humble confession to goe home Luk. 15. Euen so is it vvith a sinner it is not terrours and threatninges y t chiefely vvil moue him to come to God but y e consideration of His manifold great mercies therfore if the Lord waken thy cōscience present thy sins before thee threaten thee heap judgemēts on thee
may finde such experience as he found and that they may glorifie the Lord also So the end he looketh to is to glorifie the Lord that He may bee glorified in manie belieuers and waiters on him The ende of the mercy of God tendeth to His own glory There are many properties in God he is infinite in wisdom in power in trueth infinit in glorie Majestie Now the Lord is glorified in all his properties in his wisdome power justice But aboue all thinges the LORD seeketh that the world should glorifie Him in that deepe riches of mercie and gentlenesse that is in Him that wee shoulde praise Him euerlastingly in His mercie And as this is His will and as the mercy of GOD serueth to His glory So the soule of a man that hath once tasted of the mercy of the Lord Iesus is caried away with such a zeale to His glory that it will cause am in forget himselfe and with Moses and Paul wish to be a curse and anathema to haue God glorified This man ye see when he hath tasted or His mercy hee turneth him to the whole Church and willeth them to trust in Him that they might find His mercy that so God may bee glorified So it is hee onely who hath tasted of the mercy of God who when he looketh thorow the miserable world can haue pity on any mā He that neuer tasted of that mercy of God had neuer true pitic vpon any mā Then y ◠thing which he craueth is this that many shoulde taste of His mercy that God may be glorified by many His heart is moued with pitie and so all his endeuour is to see if once he can gette them win to God for when hee looketh abroad vpon miserable sinners he is full of rueth and compassion But marke againe the zeale which hee hath to the glory of GOD is the first cause that mooued him to seeke that all the world should taste of mercy and glorifie God So first he beareth a loue to Gods glory and then he hath pitie towarde men the one is the cause the other the effect the one preceedeth the other followeth the one is the roote and the other the branch All the loue we cary to man should be for the loue vve haue to GOD. And vvhere these two goe together a zeale to the glory of God alas vvhere is zeale to Gods glory now adayes vvhich is a true token that His glory is departing away and then a pitie of the misery of man a desire of the saluation of man then that man vvill forget himselfe that hee maye seeke the saluation of the vvorld that so in it God may be glorified And the man that hath this disposition in his heart is fit to be a Minister Preacher of grace to the world otherwise if hee vvant this disposition it is but a colde preaching that he vvill make Now in the next vvords vvhen he hath proponed the exhortation and desired them to vvaite on the Lord to moue them the more he pointeth out to the Church the nature of God vvhat God is for vvee must know vvhat God is ere euer vvee put our trust and confidence in Him for why saith he with the Lord is mercie and gentlenesse as if hee would saye The Lord is full of mercy His mercies are incomprehensible yea infinite and neither man nor Angel can sound out the deepnesse therof He is all mercie and as S. Iohn saieth in his first Epist chap. 4. vers 8. The Lord is loue Therefore await on Him for why there is no want nor scant of mercy in Him This is vvell to be marked when hee exhorteth Israel to vvaite vpon the Lord hee saith not because He is omnipotent and infinite in justice onelie wise c. But hee giueth this reason because mercy is with Him therefore waite vpon Him This would be well considered What is the cause of this Nowe I will aske another question What thing in God neede wee moste into this worlde There are manie thinges which wee haue much neede of What is it that wee haue moste neede of Another question What is the estate that euerie one of vs is borne in in this worlde Are wee not borne sinners conceiued and borne in sinne and iniquitie And so are wee not all miserable For there is nothing for sinners but miserie death damnation and so all sinners are miserable So what thing is it that a sinner wanteth most vvhat is it that sinne and miserie craueth but mercie And if thou bee miserable the thing in this world that thou shouldest craue first is mercy that God woulde bee mercifull to thee So mercie and forgiuenesse of sinne is the first thing whereto thou oughtest to haue recourse And if thou wilt tell a miserable bodie that feeleth himselfe to bee miserable and the childe of wrath that God is omnipotent if thou point Him out in His wisedome in His justice hee shall bee so farre from receiuing anie comfort and consolation of anie of these things that by the cōtrarie he shall be so terrified that hee dare not presume to seeke God to looke to Him to come to Him c but hee will runne away from God But tell him that God is mercifull full of grace in Iesus Christ that is the sweetest speach that euer he heard But alas few of vs feeleth that burthen of sinne Who is he that groneth vnder sinne Who feareth the terrors of that wrath If thou find them then tell thee of the mercies of Iesus Christ it would bee the sweetest tale that euer thou heardest And when a man is once sensible of the infinite mercies of GOD in Iesus then tell him of all the infinite properties of God tell him of His power wisedome and prouidence they will all serue to his comfort for why he will thinke that all things that are in God appertaine to him and serue to his weale he will finde that all things will serue to his saluation Otherwise without this assurance of mercy hee will neuer thinke them comfortable So there is a sure ground The faith of a man or woman first of all is euer relatiue to the mercy of God and that is the first object of faith Indeed hauing gottē a gripe of mercie then it extendeth to all the rest but before that there is nothing in God that it can rest vpon Yee see by experience when the law is preached there is little allurance of the heart but when the Euangell and Christ Iesus is preached the heart is drawne on and allured What is the cause of this The doctrine of the law is a doctrine of extreame justice and His justice doeth nothing but terrifie the soule but the doctrine of the Euangell is a doctrine of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ which draweth to it the hearts of men Albeit thou heare the law preached an hundreth yeares heare no more thou shalt be so far from being the better that thou
the Lord to be exercised in the means of grace in preaching prayers reading conference c. Looke if thou haue a pleasure to approue thy selfe in all thinges to thy LORD and Maister Looke if thou haue a care to further others in the course of Christianitie and waye of repentance then if thou hast these tokens thou mayest rejoyce Then he goeth forward he cannot sufficientlie set out that mercy which he found he knoweth not how nor in what tearmes to vtter proclaim it If we could find that mercy of Iesus we would see that the heart would neuer satisfie it selfe with thinking of it or the mouth with speaking of it And to the intent that hee maye magnifie the greatnesse and the riches of the mercie of the LORD hee confesseth and setteth downe although to his owne shame his former sinfull life and behauiour in sundrie degrees Whereas before saieth hee I was a blasphemer and a persecuter and an appressor Looke if hee thought much of himselfe hee was one of the cruellest persecuters that euer was in the Church hee was in a rage against Christ Beholde Brethren Paul is not ashamed to paint out himselfe in his owne colours and particularlie to confesse his former euill deedes and to registrate them to his owne shame to the worlds end Yea yee shall see in sundry places where hee speaketh of himselfe that he can neuer satisfie himselfe in aggregating his owne wickednesse The sinner who hath found mercy will not regard to discouer his sinnes to his owne shame and to tell all the world of them that hee may glorifie Him who hath giuen him mercy hee will not stand vpon his reputation but hee will preserre Gods glorie vnto his owne account hee will glorifie the LORD with his owne shame When Dauid found mercie for his vile adulterie and abhominable murther hee not onelie confesseth his sinnes to his owne shame but also ascendeth to confesse the naturall corruption which hee had from the loynes of his parentes The man that hath fallen into a notorious and vile sinne and offence and yet for shame will not confesse it that God maye bee glorified that soule hath neuer felt the mercie of God And if thou hadst felt that mercie of God thine heart would bee loosed and thy mouth also to glorifie God by an humble confession Moreouer ye may perceiue out of these words how and what way th' Apostle found the strength and power of the Gospell hee found a power in it but not at the first instant but ere euer hee felt the power of the Lord hee findeth himselfe to be weake and ere hee feele the mercy of God hee findeth himselfe to bee a miserable man Thou shalt neuer feele the power of God except first thou feele thine owne weaknesse and thou shalt neuer feele His mercie except first thou feele thy miserie And therefore the Lord Iesus manie a time sundrie wayes crosseth His owne in this life to the ende that they maye knowe and feele their weaknesse and miserie and so goe out of themselues to find strength and mercie in Iesus Christ Sometimes Hee will exercise His owne with shame and reproach in the worlde sometimes with heauie diseases and painfull sicknesses sometimes with want of the outward comfortes of this life sometimes with trouble and terrour in the conscience and all to this ende that they may knowe what they are without the Lord howe weake how fraile howe abject and naughtie they are that so finding themselues as nothing they may be compelled to renounce themselues and to seeke to be found in Iesus Yea after the Lord hath drawne them to Him by crosses the Lord vseth all the dayes of their life-time to expone them to crosses that euerie day finding more their wantes infirmities and lack of comfort in themselues they may the more daylie seeke and striue to bee found in Iesus who can supplie all their wantes and furnishe euerie thing that they stand in neede of It is true indeede manie a time the Lord will not exercise His owne with crosses but spare them let them haue libertie giue them in abundance the outward comfortes of this life befor they bee effectuallie called Looke to Paul before he knew Christ hee boasted much of his worldlie prerogatiues of his kinred hee was a gentleman hee was in great account by the lawe a Pharisie Philip 3. 4. 5. he knew not what the crosse meaned The like ye will find in many others of the Saincts of God but assoone as He calleth them effectuallie Hee layeth the crosse vpon them that seeing their weaknesse and distrusting themselues they may learne to renounce themselues and desire to finde the power and life of IESVS in them which they will finde effectuall in the crosse in a wonderfull manner Looke 2. Cor. 11. The LORD layeth manifolde crosses vpon Paule and when with teares hee prayeth that the Lord would take them away hee getteth this answere My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through thy weaknesse Meaning that Hee will bee glorified and make Paule to finde strength in Him when as hee is weake in himselfe And neuer one is strong in CHRIST but when hee feeleth himselfe weake Therefore hee subjoyneth that hee woulde rejoyce and take pleasure in his infirmities that the power of CHRIST might dwell in him He saith 2. Cor. 12. 8. 9. 10. And 2. Cor. 4. 10. Euerie where wee brare about in our bodie the dying of the LORD IESUS that the life of IESUS might also bee made manifest in our bodies c. When the bodie by crosses was dying then hee founde the life of CHRIST and no soule shall finde that life without it bee dying Therefore if euer thou wouldest finde the power and life of Christ in thee bee carefull to feele thine owne weaknesse and miserie Yet marke the wordes Hee saieth notwithstanding of my sinnes the Lord had mercie vpon mee And if ye looke to the speach it importeth a wondering that euer hee should haue found mercie vvho vvas such a great sinner It is the greatest vvonder that euer was that one sinne is forgiuen to a sinner suppose it were but an euill thought And if thou sawest that great inuiolable and infinite Majestie and the greatnesse of thy sinnes thou wouldest wonder that euer thou gettest one sinne forgiuen thee let bee blasphemie and persecution forgiuen thee And wonder thou as thou wilt all the Angels of Heauen wonder that sinners should get mercy that God loued the vnworthy worlde so that Hee would giue His onelie Son to die that they should liue for euer and they wondered when Adam the Fathers of olde got mercy but when Christ came into the world to dy for the sinnes of the worlde they wondered farre more at that mercie and vvith chearefull voyce praised GOD for the same saying Glorie bee to GOD in the high heauens and peace on earth and towardes men good will Luke 2. 14. Looke also
saith hee therefore did I speake Psal 116. 10. Look to the Apostles with what faith assurance they speake of it because saith Paul 2. Cor. 4. 13. We haue the same Spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken wee also beleeue and therefore we speake So when thou hearest or speakest of this grace of the Lord Iesus seek to haue this assurance in thine heart and saye Lord giue me Thy grace in speaking and hearing of the benefite of Christ that I may speake and heare with assurance And if ye take heede to the words of the preface he riseth vp in commending of this sentence that Christ came into the world to saue sinners and hee saieth not onelie This is a true saying that wee may assuredlie beleeue but likewise hee saieth and by all meanes worthie to bee receiued Hee welcommeth in a manner Christ Iesus comming into the world he embraceth that saluation that Hee brought vvith Him And would to God whether wee bee Preachers or hearers that wee coulde attaine to that measure of grace that so oft as wee name the comming of Iesus Christ that in speaking of it our hearts may be mooued to embrace Him and that life and saluation which He hath purchased for vs. So this preface serueth to confirme our hearts deepelie to imprint in them the doctrine of the grace of Christ of remission of sinnes of saluation through Him c. for by nature there is in euerie one of vs such a mistrusting doubting thereof y ◠albeit God wold a thousand times offer it vnto vs albeit Christ himselfe would teach neuer so much vnto vs yet are we euer still in doubt and questioning in our owne heartes whether it be so or not Against all this mistrusting and reasoning of our owne hearts we must bee armed with this preface of the Apostle as with a buckler that it is a true saying by al means worthy to be receiued But to come to the saying it self It reckoneth vp y e whole Euangell for what is the Euangell in fewe wordes The Lord Iesus the Sonne of God is come into the world by his manifestation in the flesh taking vpon him our nature and in it hee hath suffered the moste shamefull death of the Crosse for the sinnes of man and rising againe from death hath passed vp to glorie and all to this ende For the saluation of man There is the whole Gospell Alas if we took heed to these tithings our hearts woulde not bee carried after so manie vanities The Apostle 1 Timoth. 3. 16. calleth this the mysterie of godlinesse and a great mysterie That GOD is manifested in the fleshe justified in the Spirite seene of the Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeued on in the worlde receiued vp into glorie c. All this hee setteth downe here in a word Christ Jesus came into the worlde and hee telleth vs it was to saue sinners that wee who are sinners might haue joye and rejoyce at His comming for wee should neuer heare nor reade such sentences but with joye But the wordes woulde bee weighed hee saieth CHRIST came into the worlde to saue sinners What is this that hee calleth sinners there are two sorts of sinners in the worlde The first are they who thinke they haue no sinne they are so hardned in their sinne they neuer got their hearts opened to see their owne sinne and wretchednesse for an indured sinner feeleth no sinne but by the contrarie they thinke themselues just they are puft vp with a cōceit of their own righteousnes they thinke thēselues whole free frō the disease of sin and these are the greatest part of the world An example we haue in that proude Pharisie who would stand vp and justify himselfe before God say I thanke thee O God that I am not a sinner as other men extortioners vnjust adulterers or euē as this Publicane Luke 18. 11. But it is not for the saluation of those men that Christ came into the world no mercy belōgeth not to them they will neuer taste of any mercy of God in Iesus Christ and therfore Christ saith Mat. 9. 12. 13. The whole need not a Phisition that is they who are whole free of the sicknesse of sin in their own conceit I am not come to call the just that is indured sinners who think thēselues just because they are touched with no sense of sin and well had it bene for them if Christ had neuer come into the world for they want not only grace in Him but by the contrary by the contemning of the grace that is offered they heap on cōdemnation on their own heads There is another sort of sinners who haue a true sense of sin and grone vnder the burthen thereof who are sore grieued in their owne consciences for it and it is of these sinners that th' Apostle speaketh here for Christ sheweth mercy only on these sinners He came into the world to saue them only therfore He saith Mat. 9. 13. I come to call sinners to repētāce meaning these sinners who haue their consciences wakened with y e sense of sin these sinners only He inuiteth to come vnto Him to get grace refreshmēt Come vnto me saith He all ye that weary laden I will refresh you Mat. 11. 28. These sinners will get grace to heare the word and wil get their minds illuminated with it whereas indured sinners the more they heare the more are they blinded and therefore Christ saith Joh. 9. 39. I am come vnto judgement into this world that they that see not may see to wit the penitent sinners and that they see that is indured sinners may bee blinded if thou be an indured sinner thou canst not heare the word with profite thou canst not be inlightened thereby But albert thou be a blasphemer an adulterer an harlot the greatest sinner that is if thou harden not thine heart at the hearing of the word of God O how wonderfully will it worke in thy soule it wil bring thee to a sense of thy sin it will make thee to bee grieued for thy sin and to lament mourne vnfainedly for it it will make thee to runne seeke for grace mercy in Christ that thy sin may be done away an example of this ye haue in Dauid when he had committed adultery murther no sooner is y e word preached to him by Nathan but assoone his heart is pierced with the sense of his sin he confesseth acknowledgeth it hee is sore grieued for it hee crieth for mercy in the Messias to put away his iniquities as ye may see 1. Sam. 12. 13. Psal 51. Such like ye see in Paul who before was persecuting the Church assoone as he heareth the voyce of Christ his consciēce is wakened he trembleth he is astonied he humble intreateth for mercy hee offereth seruice to the Lord saieth Lord what wilt thou that I doe Acts 9.
6. And it is onely such persons as these who are of a contrite Spirit who tremble at the Lords wordes that doe get mercie and saluation Then in a word a humble penitent sinner how great so euer his sinne be he â—all get saluation So there is nothing that hindereth thee from mercie and saluation but the malitiousnes of thine owne heart It is not Adulterie it is not Murther it is not Blasphemie or oppreslion that depriueth thee of y t saluation but the hardnes of thine heart that cannot repent if thou hast a contrite heart and canst say Woe is me that I haue offended so sweet gracious a God thou shalt get mercie It is an heauie Iamentable case that sinners should want mercy for fault of repentance When he hath set downe this generall sentence whereon hee groundeth the mercy of God that was shewed on him that Christ came in the world to saue sinners he coÌ„meth to the particular application he subjoyneth But I am the first sinner in the world the conclusion is vnderstood therefore Christ Iesus came in the world to saue me Would to God euery sinner in the world could learne to apply this general sentence to themselues in the same maner that Paul doth here froÌ„ his heart could say with him Christ Iesus is come in the world to saue sinners then subjoyne Bot I am the first sinner in the world that sa he might apply mercy saluation to himselfe for without this application these generall sentences can serue for no vse It is true indeede Brethren sciences of these generall sentences that are contained in y e Scripture is very good yea the knowledge of them is most necessary for no man can haue conscience without knowledge But it is as true on the other part that science and knowledge auaile not without coÌ„science applying particularlie to a mans soule the thing that hee knoweth As when men know these generall sentences set downe in the word if they applie them not to themselues the knowledge of them can serue to no purpose As for example when a man knoweth this generall sentence of the law Cursed is euery man that continueth not in euery thing which is written in the booke of the law to doe them if thou apply it not it can doe thee no good But if thy conscience be wakened to acknowledge thy traÌ„sgressing of y e law consequently to apply to thy selfe that curse of the lawe eternall condemnation what sorrow griefe will it worke in thine heart what earnest desire will it worke to bee free from that curse and eternall condemnation Yea thou wouldest bee content to giue all the world to bee free of that curse and the heauie burthen of the wrath of God And Brethren look neuer for mercy nor saluation except first thine own conscience condemne thee if thy conscience condemne thee not the Lord of HeaueÌ„ shal condemne thee There is neuer one that is freede from the curse and condemnation of the law but they who feele their sin groane vnder the burthen of it get a sight of their condemnation for sin Another example we haue of this generall sentence that the Apostle hath in this place Christ Iesus is come into the world to saue sinners If thou applie it not say not as the Apostle doeth I am a sinner it can furnish thee no joy nor comfort TheÌ„ when we come to heare the doctrine of grace mercy let vs come with a conscience wakened wearie with the sense of sin for if the soules of men and women were weary laden with the burthen of sin they would feele an vnspeakeable joye in their hearts at the preaching of y â— doctrine of saluation But because we are casten vp in a senselesse securitie our consciences are asleep the thing that we haue is but a generall motion therefore it is that at the preaching of the law there is no sorrow no griefe no heauinesse of hart if the glad tithings of the Euangell bee preached there is no joye nor comfort And this is the thing that we haue moste to lament at the preaching of the word that wee haue no feeling neither of sadnesse nor of joy and therefore the judgement is the nearer And hee or she that lâ—eth hardest sleeping in greatest security shall get the forest most terrible wakening when the judgement commeth Nowe the Lord waken our consciences in time and giue vs grace to take heed to the preaching of the word and to beware of our selues euer pray to the Lord for grace neuer let neither the memory of His mercy toward peniteÌ„t sinners nor of His judgemeÌ„t against indured and impenitent sinners passe out of our mind Marke againe In application when he applieth the generall vnto himselfe he applieth not immediately saluation but first he applieth sinne to himselfe and then saluation he saith not first I am saued but first hee saieth I am the greatest amongst sinners thereafter he saith I haue obtained mercy Then take heed to thy application When thou hearest by the preaching of the Gospell saluation offered to sinners take not first to thy selfe saluation but first take sinne and death then take life and apply it to thy selfe Rejoyce not first at the preaching of the glad tithinges of saluation but first conceiue a displeasure then let joy arise out of displeasure for joy of saluatioÌ„ must arise out of the displeasure through the feare of damnation It shall passe thy power to finde joye through the sense of mercy and saluation before thou find sadnesse heauinesse of heart through the sense of sinne and damnation Euen as ye see a spring of water will not breake out of a rocke except the rocke bee broken Euen so is it with this effect No joye can bee to the heart of a Christian man or woman till the heart be contrite and broken with sadnesse through the sense of sinne The heart is first exceeding heauy and sorrowfull and out of that heauinesse ariseth the joy and the heauier the heart is the greater the joye is Would to God we had this sorrow sadnesse and the sense of the wrath of God in our hearts for sinne for the saddest heart for sinne will get the greatest joy euermore the greater sadnesse the greater joye If our hearts bee grieued and weary with the sight of sinne wee shall haue such a spirituall joy as the world knoweth not And this joy is as sure an earnest-penny of that joy of HeaueÌ„ as euer was And he that hath that joy that ariseth from that sorow in the hart for sinne he hath a sufficient warrand of that joy in Heauen and hee that hath not that joy hee hath no warrand of that Heauenly joye Therefore Christ saieth Blessed are they that mourne for they shal be comforted Mat. 5. 4. Now in this world this joy is mixed with teares but then it shall be a perfect joy