when you have no meanes Thus Abraham did he considered not his own body being dead nor Sarahs wombe being dead for this his faith is commended So shall you be Oh! that our faith were right Oh! that we could learn to live by faith at a higher rate then ever yet we have done Time yet may come for ought we know that you may find more use of this point But you will say unto me I am afraid I shall presume Obj. trust in God when all meanes faile meanes for my soule and meanes for my body and meanes for my family trust in God now I am afraid I shall presume presumption is a great sinne Marke I shall onely tell you what 't is to presume Answ in answer to this praesumo is to take a thing before 't is given or offered Mercy 't is alwayes offred to a poore sinner Jesus Christ came to save sinners and die for sinners thou canst not take mercy before 't is offred For a man to thinke that he shall fly in the ayre with wings like a bird this is to presume for a man to put God upon provision for his lust this is to presume for a man to put God upon extraordinary where ordinary may be had this is to presume But for a man to relie upon God for necessities in extraordinary cases when ordinary cannot be had this is no presumption but Faith Mark I say to put God upon extraordinary when ordinary may be had this is presumption But to rely upon God for necessities in an extraordinary case when it cannot be had in an ordinary this is no presumption at all Beloved 't is presumption in the highest degree for you and mee poore creatures to tye up the hands of God to labour to do it is dangerous As for example one poore Subject to go to his Prince and tye up his hands and feet or to go to his Pallace and nayle up all his doores and leave him but one little wicket to come out at this is presumption And so for a man to tye God to meanes to tye God to a time to tye God to this or that meanes to tye God to meanes in generall this is presumption Marke Some there are that tye God to a Time Oh! if mercy does not come by such a day or such a time I am undone for ever Others they won't tye God to a Time but they will tye God to this or that particular meanes Oh! if mercy come not that way or by that meanes I am gone I am lost for ever Others they won't tye God to time nor to particular meanes but they will tye God to meanes in generall they won't beleeve God a whit beyond meanes and so tye God to meanes in generall Ah what is this but ranke presumption for a poore creature to tye up the hands of his Creator the fin that you seeke and thinke to avoid you fall into This is presumption And beloved do you know how prejudiciall this is to your selves As a dishonour to God so a great hinderance to your selves to doe thus it turnes God out of the way of his mercy Nay sayes God seeing you will have no mercy but in a roade of meanes you shall have none but in a roade of meanes so mercy comes thinne and scant and by little drops whereas otherwise mercy would come thick and full and large Hereby you are put upon indirect meanes to get out of trouble pray what is the ground that causes men to use indirect meanes to get out of trouble is not this at the bottome you thinke meanes must be used this is at the bottome Beloved in the Lord as you do desire God may not be dishonoured that Mercy may come full and not scant unto you learne to beleeve at another rate then ever you have done when all meanes faile and seeme to lie dead before you then beleeve so for thy Soule so for thy Body so for thy Estate You will say How should I do this Quest to beleeve when all meanes faile and lie dead before me I have a great prospect in my sinnes the guilt of one sinne comes and that hath a blow at my conscience and the guilt of another sinne that comes and that gives a blow to my conscience and my conscience is all blacke and blue with blowes and they all cry out and say poor damn'd damn'd and undone creature and I see no way no meanes at all left for my salvation Ah! Lord what shall I do to beleeve now when all meanes faile I shall onely speake a word to it and so winde up all Answ thus Know that thou mayest trust God that thou mayest find Mercy that thou mayest beleeve in such a case as this is Beloved therefore thou hast not beleeved in such a case heretofore because thou didst think thou mightst not beleeve But now know from the Lord 't is no temptation 't is no presumption in such a case as this thou mayest leane thy poor guilty soule upon God this day I am loath to make comparisons between one duty and another but if there be any compares this act of beleeving when all meanes seeme to lie dead before us is more then all thy prayers and teares Thou criest out and sayest Oh! that I had teares in prayer Oh! that God would inlarge my heart in prayer Oh! that God would breake this hard heart and blessed be the Lord indeed when so it is But now art thou in such a case hast thou a prospect of all thy sins and all means seem to lie dead before thee and doest thou now go unto Jesus Christ saying to him Ah Lord I have been a great and a wretched sinner yet now hearing of thy free and rich grace I do throw my selfe upon thee Lord if thou killest mee yet I will trust in thee through thy grace I will never returne againe unto folly onely Lord I do leane my Soule upon thee as for comfort Lord give me comfort when thou wilt onely I leane my Soule upon thee I tell thee this act of thy Faith is more pleasing to God then thy twenty years teares then thy twenty years prayers if there be any compare But why then my Beloved should you look at this as a matter of presumption to trust upon God and upon Christ in this condition know 't is your way unto Jesus Christ when all meanes faile Oh! 't is the only way for your deliverance deliverance from your sinnes and the feare of your sinnes carry this rule home along with you deliverance is then nearest when Faith workes highest and Faith then workes highest when all means are lowest Do not stand poring then Christian don 't stand poring upon the deadnesse of the meanes or the deadnesse of thine owne heart As the sight beholding and gazing upon beauty is a snare and a temptation to those that are given to wantonnesse and the sight of much gold and silver and fine houses a temptation to those
other fifty And when they had nothing to pay he frankly forgave them both Tell me therefore which of them will love him most Simon answered and said I suppose that he to whom he forgave most And he said unto him thou hast rightly judged Those that he forgives most unto will love most Jesus Christ loves to be greatly honored and loved and therefore he is willing to save the greatest sinners But now the greatest sinners are most opposit unto what is good they don't seek after what is good Surely therefore if Jesus Christ would save sinners and the greatest sinners of necessity the Kingdome of Heaven and of Grace must approach unto us before we draw neer to it But you will say Object Zech. 1.3 Jam. 4.8 The Scripture seems to be contrary unto this Doctrine For hath not the Scripture said Turn unto the Lord and he will turn unto you Draw neer to God and he will draw neer to you How is this therfore true That the kingdom of grace mercy and free-remission does first draw neer unto us before we draw neer unto it Yea Hath not our Savior Christ said Matth. 9 13. I came not to cal the righteous but sinners to repentance That is such as are sensible of their sins Surely therefore a man must be sensible of his sins must be sensible first before the kingdome of Heaven of Grace Mercy and Free-remission be brought néer unto him For Answer The Scripture is cleerly with us Answ Joh. 4.19 Joh. 15.16 The Apostle John speaks out expresly We love him because he loved us first And saies our Savior You have not chosen me but I have chosen you I have chosen you you have not chosen me And whereas 't is said That we should turn to God and he will turn to us And draw neer to God and he will draw neere to us That is He wil draw neer unto you again he will turn more unto you not as if we should begin to turn to him and first draw neer to him before he does first draw neer to us at all But draw neer to him and he will draw neer to you And turn to him and he will turn to you That is he will draw more neare to you and he will turne unto you again And whereas 't is said That Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance That is such as are sensible of their sins and men must be first sensible before the offer of grace mercy and free-remission be made unto them I beseech you turn unto the place where the Scripture lies 't is in the 9. Chapter of Matthew at the latter end of the 13. verse I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance This say I is not to be understood of sinners only Sensible of their own sins but sinners indeed Christ came to call sinners indeed yea before they are sensible of their sins For the word Sinner here must be understood as the word sinner before is in the 10. and 11. verse As Jesus sate at meat in the house behold many Publicans and sinners came and sate down with him and with his Disciples When the Pharisees saw it they said unto his Disciples why eateth your Master with Publicans and sinners He did eat with those that were not sensible of their sins Sinners there are not to be meant of those only that were sensible of their sins Christ did not only eat with those that were sensible of their sins Now he gives this account of it I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance That is sinners such as he names before such as he did eat withal and they were not only such as were sensible of their sins Again Our Saviour Christ gives this account at the 12. verse The whole need not the Physitian but those that are sick To answer to this Objection That our Saviour did eat with sinners and converse with sinners Saies he I am a Physitian and Physitians are to go to those that are sick only There is this difference between me a Physitian and other Physitians for I come unsent for but other Physitians come when sent for I as a Physitian come to Cal my Patients but other Physitians are Called in by their Patients Now saies he I am a Physitian and I come not to call the righteous but sinners I come to Call my Pationts Physitians don 't only go to those that are sensible of their disease but if a man be past sence his friends send for the Physitians and the Physitian goes So does Christ here Comes unto his Patients when they are not sensible of their disease many times Again This sutes with that which goes before Go saies he at the 13 verse and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not saerifice Sometimes this phrase this sentence is to be understood concerning bodily mercy But here 't is to be understood of mercy to the soule Go ye and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice Ye object to me that I converse with Publicans and sinners not with those that are righteous in their generation go and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice I have more delight in conversing with poor sinners that with those Jews that do offer sacrifice Ang again Gonsider what sense would here be if this should be the meaning I came not to call the righteous but sinners That is I came to call those that are sensible of their sins Then the meaning must be this I came not to call the righteous but men that are penitent men that are sensible of their sins and are penitent If by the calling the sinners we are to understand those that are sensible only then the sense must be this I came not to call the righteous but men that are penitent No no Christ came to cal sinners poor sinners although they were never yet sensible of their sins the Lord Jesus Christ came to call sinners which are so indeed This Doctrine then stands notwithstanding that Objection But you will say Obj. The Prodigal seems to come home unto his father before his father does come to him and to repent before his father shows mercy to him and so our repentance does prevent the Lords mercy and not the Lords mercy prevent our repentance For Answer Ans 'T is good for us alwaies to attend unto the scope of the Scripture in Parables especially The scope of the Parable cannot be according to the tenure of this Objestion for then it should be contrary to the former Parable of the lost sheep Indeed The Prodigal saies he will repent before he goes to his father Luke 15.18 19. I will return to my father and I will say I have sinned against Heaven and against thee and I am not worthy to be called thy Sonne but he never saies so till he came to his father after his father had
of God Page 206 7 It fils the soul with Gods infinitness Page 207 Application If Difficulties arise here is the way to grapple with them Page 207 Object How shall a man use his faith that be may break through all difficulties Answered 1 Exercise your faith in the promise before you speak with the difficulties Page 208 2 When you do look upon them look upon them as your trials many times as the Devils Engins to work your hearts off again Page 208 3 Set your selves now especially with al your might to venture upon Jesus Christ Page 209 4 The greater difficulties your graces are recovered out of the hands of the more sweet will they be unto you Page 210 5 Study Jesus Christ more ibid Object Suppose a man hath bin in Jesus Christ a great while and then discouragements arise to beat him out of the ways of Christ how shal he raise his faith to work through these Answered 1 Consider your call often Page 211 2 The more you beleeve in the ful of difficulty the more you please God ibid 3 Talke often one to another what great things God hath done that he hath promised Page 212 4 Consider what great difficulties Jesus Christ hath broke thorow to come to you ibid 5 Never speak with your difficulties apart from a promise ibid Matthew 3.2 SERMON I The text opened and explained Page 216 Doct. The kingdom of Grace mercy forgiveness comes to us before we com to that Page 211 Proved Page 218 Evidenced 1 From our own condition Lost sheep Page 228 2 From Christs willingness to save sinners Page 224 Objections answered Page 225 Reas 1 That God may be known to be God Page 229 Reas 2 That men may be made the more gracious ibid Reas 3 That no flesh may glory in it self nor any thing it doth Page 231 Application 1 Consider whether God have dealt thus by our souls or no Page 232 If so learn these duties 1 Be sooner at heaven gate with your duties hereafter than you were before Page 234 2 Labour to be like God in this particular ibid 3 Wait with long suffering for the conversion of others Page 235 4 Trust in God for ever Page 236 Application 2 You that have not received the Kingdome of Grace Take heed how ye neglect so great salvation Page 237 SERMON II Matth. 3.2 Doct. 2 The drawing nigh of the kingdom of grace is the greatest motive to true Repentance Page 240 Opened by considering the particulars of Repentance and you shall find the grace and love of God hath influence upon them all Viz. 1 Sight and knowledge of sin Page 242 2 Be humbled for it Page 243 3 Loath himself ibid 4 Be ashamed of it ibid 5 Acknowledge it Page 244 6 Labor to unsin it it ib. Reason 1 Because Repentance is a fruit of faith Page 245 Reas 2 Because it flows from love Page 246 Object Arguments drawn from Hell and the wrath of God seem to work Repentance more than the love of God Page 247 Answered by distinctions 1 It is one thing to be troubled in conscience and another thing to be humbled for sin Page 248 2 It 's one thing to be prickt at heart and another thing to repent ibid 3 It 's one thing to repent of sin in regard of the inconvenience of it and another thing to repent in regard of the morral evil of it ibid 4 It s one thing to be broken with the weight of sin and another to have the soul melted for it Page 249 5 Its one thing to have sorrow repentance in the Ore and another thing to have it refined ibid 5 It is one thing for repentance to be more in view another to be mort in spirit Page 250 7 It is one thing for our Repentance to affect our own heart much another thing for to affect the heart of God much Use 1 What a sad condition are those in to whom the kingdom of God hath come and yet they are not moved to repentance Page 251 Use 2 The reason why our hearts are no more humbled is because we do not labor to bring the kingdome of God neere to our souls Page 252 Use 3 What infinit cause we have to repent Page 254 1. The more evangelical our repentance is the more it will cure our souls and not hurt our bodies Page 255 2 The more you wil be grieved for sins against the Gossel Page 256 3 It is a friend to spiritual joy ibid 4 The more you hope your sin is pardoned the more you will grieve for it Page 257 5 The more your heart will be enlarged to and for Christ ibid 6 The more of the Gospel is in your repentance the more of the Gospel will be in your obedience Page 257 7 The more your hearts will be sweetned towards the Saints Page 258 FINIS Grace FOR Grace OR THE OVER-FLOVVINGS OF CHRISTS-FULNES Received by all SAINTS JOHN 1.16 And of His Fulness have all we received even Grace for Grace Preached at Dunstans in the East March 16. 1644 HERE in this Chapter are Two choice Spirits John the Baptist and John the Evangelist both agreeing in this To advance the Honor of Jesus Christ John the Baptist is brought in by John the Evangelist giving as you reade in this first Chapter Four great Testimonies of Jesus Christ The first begins at the 15. verse John bare Witness of Him and cryed saying This was He of whom I spake Wherein John the Baptist doth prefer Jesus Christ above himself both in regard of His Person and in regard of His Office In regard of His Person as you reade in the latter end of the 15th This was He of whom I spake He that cometh after me is preferred before me for He was before me In regard of His Office at the 16 the 17 and 18. verses And of His Fulness have al we received even Grace for Grace For the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ c. I confess there are Learned Interpreters as Cyril and Chrysostome that do conceive the words of my Text to be the words of John the Evangelist the 15. verse having as they say relation unto Johns speech in the latter end of the 14. verse Full of Grace and Truth But Origen and others unto whom I rather incline think that they are the words of John the Baptist because they are knit unto the former by the copulative And And of His fulness have all we received Grace for Grace He therefore that spake the words of the former verse in all likelyhood spake these words He that spake the words of the former verse was John the Baptist and therfore these words being linked unto the former by the word And in all likelyhood are the words of John the Baptist The Words of themselves fall into these Three Propositions First That there is a fulness of Grace in Jesus Christ Secondly That of this
persevere in the way that I am in notwithstanding sall thy discouragements Firm against all Afflictions if you want this creature-comfort or the other creature-comfort you will answer I true I want Friends I want Money I want Credit Oh! but yet there 's a Fulness in Jesus Christ and there 's enough in Him and of this Fulness through the Lords mercy I have received Oh! what a drawing what a drawing argument is here me thinks the stoutest sinner in all the Congregation should now come in and close with the Lord Jesus Christ You will say unto me Here are incouragements indeed Quest to Beleevers for the Doctrine runs thus There is a communication of the Fulness of Jesus Christ unto all Beleevers Oh! but what incouragement is here for others that are not Beleevers And truly I am afraid I am even afraid that I am not one of those what incouragement is there for others that are not Beleevers also I pray look into the 68. Psalm Answ and consider it wel at the 18. verse See what is spoken concerning Christ to this purpose that now I am upon Thou hast ascended on high Thou hast led captivity captive Thou hast received gifts for men 't is spoken of Christ yea for the Rebellious Also Mark that word Thou hast received gifts for men yea For the Rebellious Also Well then is there ever a Rebellious Childe in this Congregation Is there ever a Rebellious Drunkard that hath taken up arms against the Lord Jesus Christ Is there ever a rebellious Swearer or an unclean heart here that hath taken up arms against the Lord Jesus Christ Saies the Text He hath received gifts for men yea for the Rebellious Also The Reason why you have not these gifts is because you do not come to Christ Oh! But if you would come to Christ Mark If you would come to Christ you that are Rebellious if you would come to Jesus Christ He hath these gifts or Grace by Him if you would come to Him you should have these gifts from Him Who would not throw down his weapons now Is there ever a Rebel in all this Congregation that hath taken up arms against the Lord Jesus Christ heretofore Me thinks he should be incouraged hence to come unto Jesus Christ Bodin hath a story concerning a great Rebel that had made a great and strong party against a Roman Emperour the Emperour makes Proclamation that who ever could bring in the Rebel either alive or dead should have such a great sum of money The Rebel hearing of this he comes in himself presents himself unto the Emperour and demands the sum of money Saies the Emperour if now I should put him to death the world would think that I did it to save my money notwithstanding all his former rebellion the Emperour pardons him and gave him the sum of money Oh! would a Heathen Emperour do thus by a poor Rebel And if thou man or woman wilt throw down thy weapons and come in unto the Lord Jesus Christ do you think that the Lord Jesus Christ will not give to you those gifts that He hath received for you Certainly He will Oh! me thinks therefore every poor sinner should now hang upon this last word yea For the rebellious Also Hath the Lord Jesus Christ receiued gifts for men and for the rebellious Also I wil for ever hang upon that word Also Oh! I have bin a Rebel I have bin an unclean Rebel I have bin a swearing Rebel I have bin a drunken Rebel Oh! Lord I will throw down my weapon and hang upon this word Also Hath He received gifts for men and for the rebellious Also Oh! I will come in unto Him Oh! what a mighty incouragement is here for all good and bad to come in unto Jesus Christ Come Drunkard Come Swearer Come Unclean heart Come Sabbath-breaker Come lying-Children Come stealing-Servants Oh! Come unto the Lord Jesus Christ that you may be fil'd for ever Oh! Come unto Christ that you may leave your sins Here is incouragement to all good and bad to come unto Jesus Christ One word more of Use unto Beleevers Appli 3. and so I have done Is there a communication of the Fulness of Jesus Christ unto all Beleevers Then Beleevers Own your own own your own labor to strengthen your Assurance of your Union with Jesus Christ and maintain your confidence in Him If you have Assurance of Union with Jesus Christ you may have the comfort of all this truth you may and you will say thus or to the like purpose Hath the Lord given me Christ and will He not with Him give me all things else True indeed I want Grace to do such a work with to pray with to hear with to examine my own heart withal I want Grace to do such a work for God Oh! but there is a communication of the Fulness of Jesus Christ unto all Beleevers and through the Lords Grace I am one There is a communication of the Fulness of the Lord Jesus Christ unto all the Saints and through the Lords Grace I am one and therefore in due time I know I shall have this Grace communicated to me But if you want the Assurance of your Union with Jesus Christ Oh! then you will want the comfort of this Truth then you will break out and say True indeed there is the communication of the Fulness of Christ unto Beleevers but the Lord knows I am none 'T is true indeed there 's a communication of the Fulness of Christ unto al the Saints but the Lord knows I am none I have an unclean heart of mine own the Lord knows I am none Oh! therefore you that have gone doubting up and down and had no assurance of your condition all this while assurance of your Union with Jesus Christ for the love of God get it now as you desire to have the comfort of this truth that now I have bin upon get it now You see Beloved these times we are fallen upon are dying times and truly I may say Dying times and Doubting hearts cannot stand together Oh! Cock up cock up you that have had your evidence for Heaven lying abroad all this while get it in Labor to get assurance of your Union with Jesus Christ and maintain your confidence and assurance and so shall you have the comfort of all this Truth made good unto you And the Lord give it in unto you SERMON III. JOHN 1.16 And of His Fulness have all we received even Grace for Grace Preached at Magnus Aug. 24. 1645. I Have made entrance into these Words in other Congregations And desire to proceed here where I left there The Words are spoken of our Lord and Savior Christ They hold forth Three great grand Propositions First That there is a Fulness of Grace in Jesus Christ Secondly That of His Fulness all we have received Thirdly That of His Fulness all we have received Even Grace for Grace I have done with the
in regard of a particular Family in a Town 't is said concerning the Jailors family that they were all baptized they all beleeved but how did the Jailors family come and seek after the Kingdom of Heaven before the Kingdom of Heaven was brought unto them No The Apostles were brought into prison God works a miracle the Kingdom of Heaven grace and free remission is brought to the prison and is brought to the Jaylors family before ever the Jailor did stir after it And so ye know it was with the family of Zacheus Luke 19 9. Zacheus saies our Saviour This day is salvation come to thine house Pray consider it a little did Zacheus's house go to seek for salvation or rather did not salvation come and seek for Zecheus's house Indeed Zecheus out of a curiosity ran and got up into a tree that he might see the out-side of Jesus Christ but our Lord and Saviour Christ cals him down Zacheus saies he I must dine with thee invites himself he carries salvation unto his family Thus God deals by Families He deals thus by the World He deals thus by Nations He deals thus by Towns He deals thus by Families And he deals thus by particular Persons also Was it not thus with Matthew the Publican He sate ye know in his Custome-house and Christ came and found him out there he did not first go and seek after Christ but Christ came first unto him and found him out in his trade and said unto him 1 Tim. 1.13 follow me And was it not thus with Paul Saies Paul I was a blasphemer and a persecutor But I obtained mercy I was breathing out threatenings against the Saints and against the Disciples of Jesus Christ but as I was breathing out threatenings against them the holy Ghost breath'd upon my heart and met me in the way and unhorst me and showed me mercy the Kingdom of Heaven did approach unto Paul before ever Paul sought after it And as 't is with a particular Person in regard of his first Conversion and first Repentance So in regard of his After-Repentance Peter sins and before ever Peter repents Christ looks back upon him that is the first then Peter wept bitterly Johah sin'd and sin'd greatly in running away from God before ever Johah could find in his heart for to seek unto God God works a miracle provides a chamber of preservation even in the belly of destruction in the Whales-belly for him God brought neer his pardoning mercy and grace to him before ever Jonah came neer to it And as 't is in regard of a mans first second and after Prepentance So 't is also in regardof a mans Comfort and Consolation O Lord saies David Make me to receive joy Psal 51.8 Psa 77.2 and comfort that the bones that thou hast broken may rejoyce My soul refuseth comfort saies he As if he should say thus Lord I have been a great Surgeon at other mens hearts and I have been able to set their bones that have been out of joynt but now mine own bones are broken I have fallen greatly and now my own bones are broken I cannot set mine own bones My soul refuseth comfort and the promise is to my heart-like a bank of Ice that my heart slips off and Lord if thou doest not uphold my heart with a promise I shall never have comfort Make me to see comfort O Lord. Thus you see where ever you look in the Scripture 't is full of the truth that is here before us namely That the Kingdome of Heaven grace mercy and free-remission does approach unto us before we draw neer to it Evidences of it The First is Taken from our own Condition Naturally we are lost sheep so we are called by Christ Man in his natural state is compared unto the lost son the lost groat and the lost sheep Now you know when a sheep is lost it does not lie where it is lost if you lose your purse or if you lose a ring it will lie where it was lost unless it be taken up but now if a sheep be lost the sheep wanders up and down and doth not lie where it was lost but wanders up and down over one mountain to another through one thicket to another through one dirty place to another and of all creatures the lost sheep does not seek the way home again A dog lost will seek the way home again a Cat and such like creatures lost will seek the way home again but a sheep lost does not seek the way home again Now we are all lost sheep wandring up and down One he wanders over the mountain of Pride another through the thicket of the World another through some unclean Slough but all wandring and no man able to find his home till he be first found Therefore saies our Saviour Christ Luke 19.10 I came to seek and to save those that are lost He does not say barely I came to save those that are lost but I came to seek and to save those that are lost And truely we must be sought all along Saies David in the 119. Psalme and the last Lord I have gone astray like a lost sheep O seek thy servant We have need of continual seeking as long as there is continual wandring we have need of such a shepheard as may seek us out But first of all the Kingdom of Heaven does seek us out before we do seek it when we are found then we seek but we never seek till we are first found A Second Evidence I take from Christs willingness for to save sinners There is an infinite willingness in our dear Saviour for to save poor sinners He came from Heaven for that end and purpose If a man come a thousand miles upon a business will ye not think he is willing to do it Jesus Christ came from Heaven for this business for to save sinners Is He not then willing to do it I may say that Jesus Christ is more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved by him The Prodigal goes home to his father but when the father sees him after off he runs the Prodigal goes and the father runs to meet him with mercy Yea and our Savior Christ seems to be most willing to save the greatest sinners the greatest Saints have bin made up out of the greatest sinners When the Lord Jesus Christ was upon the earth did he not carry his grace and mercy and the doctrin of free remission to the greatest finērs Peloved consider of it I pray you The greater the sinner is the more is Christ honored in getting out his Pardon and in satisfying for such a finner and so he will love Christ the more Look I pray into the 7 Chap. of Luke Simon saies Christ I 'le propound thee a parable Master say on saies he Then saies our Savior at the 41 vers There was be certain Creditor that had two Dobters the one ought five hundred pence and the
those Luke-warm I would thou wert hot or cold but seeing thou art Luke-warm I will vomit thee out of my mouth Luke-warm person worse than prophane and yet behold Jesus Christ stands at a luke-warm persons door knocking and tendering mercy to a luke-warme Laodicean person I but stay May be they were weary and heavy laden first before they were invited Reade the 17. verse Because thou saiest I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wrethed and miserable and poor and blind and naked Were these weary and heavy laden think ye And yet at this door behold at this door the Lord Christ stands knocking Oh! grace Oh glorious rich grace Oh! you that have stood at a distance from the promise and dared not draw neer to the promise said it did not belong to you you were not invited to mercy Consider do you consider what great enemies ye are unto your own breakings and humblings that ye do so much desire The approaching of the Kingdom of Heaven and the Doctrine of grace and of free-remission unto a poor sinner is the greatest means and motive in the world to break ones heart Oh! therefore as ever you desire to have your hearts broken and to be humbled look much to the Kingdom of Heaven and the Doctrines thereof and never say it does not belong unto you But Thirdly Vse 3 If these things be so if there be a truth in this Doctrine what infinite cause have we all for to Repent to mend our lives and to turn to God The Kingdom of Heaven hath approach't Beloved hath not the Kingdom of Heaven approach't unto our Nation Take the Kingdom of Heaven for the Kingdom of Glory and in these dying times how hath the Kingdom of Heaven approach't in that sense Take the Kingdom of Heaven for the State of the Church and how many Church-truths hath broken out in these daies that were not known before Take the Kingdom of Heaven for the Gospel and the preaching of the Gospel how hath God gone up and down in these latter times even in these times of trouble preaching free-grace to poor England Witness all these Victories ye have had notwithstanding all your sins Oh! England England now Repent and turn unto the Lord Surely if ever the Kingdom of Heaven is come to you yea hath not the Kingdom of Heaven approach't unto many of your souls in particular are there not some here great sinners that have been invited to mercy are there not some here great sinners that have received mercy hath the Kingdom of Heaven approach't unto you and will not you Repent and will not you turn to God and will not you amend your lives You will say This work is not now to do we have Repented already But pray give me leave Have ye have ye Repented upon Gospel-Motives have ye Repented upon this ground because the Kingdom of Heaven hath approach't Oh! how many legal Professors are there among Professors As there are Two sorts of men in the world Some that live in dark places and prisons And others that walk up and down in the light So some there are among Professors some legal that woak up and down in the dark and see no light Others again that walk up and down in the light of the Gospel many many legal Professors Beloved The more Evangelical your Repentance is the more it will cure your souls and not hurt your body Legal Repentance soakes into the body and frets out the very strength of ones body Pray look a little into the 33. Chapter of Job See what the holy Ghost saies there God speaks once yea twice yet man percieves it not here is man in his natural pure natural state In a dream at the 15. verse in a vision of the night when deep sleep falleth upon men in stumbrings upon the bed that is before a man is aware Then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction That he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from man What then He is chastened also with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pain So that his life abhorreth bread and his soul dainty meat Verse the 21. His flesh is consumed away that it cannot be seen and his bones that were not seen stick out His soul draweth neer to the grave and his life to the destroyers Here 's Legal work Then comes the Gospel If there be a messenger with him an Interpreter one of a thousand to show unto man his uprightness Then he is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a ransome Then at the 25. verse His flesh shall be fresher than a childs he shall return to the daies of his youth His flesh shall be fresher than a childs Thus Evangelical Repentance is a friend both to soul and body Meer Legal Repentance eats out the strength of ones spirit even of ones very body Again The more Evangelical your Repentance is the more you will be humbled and grieved for sins against the Gospel I will send saies Christ the Comforter and he shall convince the world of sin what sin of sin and of unbeliefe Oh! saies the soul that Repents Evangelically who more guilty of unbelief than I Oh! never any one more Ignorant of Christ than I Oh! the unkindness of my soul towards Christ Legal Repentance it pitches upon some breach of the Law and there it rests Again Enangelical Repentance complies with spirituall joy and is a friend unto it You grieve for sin and you rejoyce in God and when you rejoyce in God you grieve for sin I will send the Comforter saies our Saviour He does not say I will send the Spirit No but I will send the Comforter and he shall convince the world of sin and of unbelief The Comforter because it shall be a work of Comfort unto the soul that is convinced of sin Gospel-wise and the more a man rejoyces in Christ the more he grieves for sin and the more he grieves for sin the more he rejoyceth in Christ again Again When your Repentance is Evangelical The more you apprehend or hope that your sin is pardoned the more you wil grieve for it Ye reade in the Psalms of one special Penitential Psalme of David the 51. Psalme But when was that made A Psalme of David when Nathan the Prophet came to him that is after the Prophet Nathan had been with him And what did Nathan the Prophet say to him Saies Nathan Thy sin is forgiven thee Upon that message David fals into a Penitential Psalme a Psalme of Humiliation and of Repentance The more a man hath assurance that his sin is pardoned the more he doth grieve for it And the more Evangelical your Repentance is the more your heart will be inlarged to and for Christ The sight of Gods free-love in Christ will make your heart free in love unto Christ and
fulness we have all received Thirdly That we have all received even Grace for Grace There is a great Controversy upon the latter Clause what should be meant by those Words Even grace for grace But because the Determination thereof fals properly within the compass of the Third Proposition and will have little influence upon the first which I intend God willing to speak unto at this time therefore I pass by that Controversy and come presently unto the First Proposition which is this Doct. That there is a fulness of Grace in Jesus Christ Fulness is here attributed you see unto Jesus Christ The word in the Original sometimes is taken for Abundance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psa 24.1 The Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof So here it is not taken here it is too narrow for there is not only Plenitudo abundantiae but Plenitudo redundantiae not only a fulness of Abundance but a fulnesse of Redundancy an over flowing of fulness in Jesus Christ Sometimes the word is used for Fulfilling and Perfecting of a thing So Love is said to be the Fulfilling of the Law So it is not taken here for though Christ be the end of the Law yet notwithstanding the Fulness spoken here is that which we do receive and that is the Fulness of grace The word Firstly and Properly is given unto Vessels that are brim-ful of liquor and so Metaphorically appli'd here unto our Lord Jesus Christ who is brim-ful of grace in whom there is no emptyness there is no evacuity While I speak of Jesus Christ I mean Christ as Mediator as God-man There is a Fulness in Christ as God That is not the fulness so Christ is not taken here by what is said in the verse before the Text the 14 verse And the Word was made flesh And of His Fulness we have all received So that it is the Fulness of Christ as Mediator there is a Fulness of grace in Christ as Mediator I shal keep me close unto the words The Fulness is here spoken of which we are said to receive of which we receive we receive grace for grace 't is the Fulness therefore of grace that is in Christ that I am now speaking of Now the word Grace sometimes it is taken for the Love and Favour of God We are saved by Grace That is Eph. 2.5 we are saved through the Love and Mercy of God Sometimes this word in the Original is used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coll. 3.16 or put for Holiness Singing with grace in your hearts that is with Holiness in your hearts And sometimes 't is used for Excellency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Donum quodquis gratificatur for Gifts or Ability as in Ephes 4.7 and in al these respects there is a fulness of grace in Christ First of all Take grace for Love and Bounty and Mercy and so there is Plenitudo bonitatis there is a Fulness of Love in Christ The heart and love of Christ now in Heaven is the same toward poor sinners toward His Children toward Beleevers toward Men as it was when He was upon the earth when Christ was upon the earth First There was a fulness of Pardoning Love in Him Then He would pardon men before they did come for pardon Father Luk. 23.24 saies Christ Father forgive them they know not what they do Ye count it a great act of love where the fault is great to forgive a man upon his acknowledgment of the fault Our Lord Christ did not stay for their acknowledgment but whilst they were reeking in their sins He forgives Father forgive them forgive them they know not what they do Yea if you look into the Gospel ye shall find that when men were putting forth the highest acts of fin He was putting forth the highest acts of His love When Christ was suffering for Peter Peter was denying Christ Peter denying Christ and Christ suffering for Peter When He was upon the earth He did not only pardon once but He would pardon again and again if men sinned again He would pardon again The Disciples slept and Christ Pardon'd They slept again and Christ pardon'd again they slept again and Christ pardon'd again Yea and when He had pardon'd He would not upbraid them with their former sins or with His own mercy After His Resurrection not a word to Peter of all his denial or of Christ mercy Beloved Christ is the same in Heaven He is the same in Heaven now Again when Christ was upon the Earth His first and His great care was Matt. 5.3 4. for those that were weak in grace The first Sermon that He Preached Blessed are the poor in spirit and blessed are those that mourn He doth not say blessed are those that have assurance of the love of God and blessed are those that have the sence of His Love in their hearts but blessed are the Poor and blessed are they that mourn And when any poor doubting trembling soul came unto Him He would not cast away their service because it was accompanied with infirmity but He would rather passe by their infirmity because it was accompanied with some sincerity So the Woman that came behind Him So Nicodemus And when any poor soul could not come to Christ could not come to Christ in Christs way Christ would come down to him in his way Thomas saith He Thou sayest thou wilt not beleeve unless thou thrust thy hands into My side Thomas Thou wilt not honour Me by beleeving unless thou seest Thomas Thou wilt not come up to Me in My way Well I will come down to thee in thy way Come reach hither thy fingers and thrust thy hands into My side and be not faithless but beleeving Oh! the admirable condescention of the love of Jesus Christ Beloved He is the same now in Heaven Again When He was upon the Earth He professed that His heart and His love and affections was as much if I say not more unto one Saint Rev. 22.14 Matt. 12 47.50 as unto all His kindred that are such Blessed are those that keep Thy Commandements Bebold say they Thy Mother and Thy Brother and Sister are without to speak with Thee Saies He Whosoever shall do the Will of My Father which is in Heaven the same is My Brother Sister and Mother As if He should say You count My kindred happy because they are neer unto Me but do you see one poor beleeving trembling gracious soul I tel you the soul that keeps My Commandements is as much unto Me as all My kindred that are such Here is love And I say the Lord Jesus His heart is the same still in Heaven And therefore you shall observe that when He was risen and came amongst His Disciples the dore being shut He comes into the room and He saies unto them Luke 24.36 Peace be unto you Why Peace be unto you the ordinary way and manner of Salutation As if He would say thus much
Oh! therefore you servants and People of God that have gon fearing and trembling up and down drooping under many fears without assurance of Gods love in Christ if there be such a fulnesse in Christ then trust unto Him yea trust and trust perfectly to Him If Satan come and tempt you and saies thus unto you Thou art a poor unworthy creatrue and dost thou think to have mercy Answer True Satan I am so indeed most unworthy but there is a fulnesse in Jesus Christ and I will trust in Him Does Satan tempt thee and say unto thee Thou art a poor guilty creature and dost thou think to find mercy Answer True Satan I confesse I am I have committed such and such sins but there is a fulnesse in Jesus Christ and I will trust in him Say say Satan what thou wilt against me I subscribe unto it I am poor I am empty I am unworthy I am guilty but Christ is Full Christ is Full there is Fulnesse in Jesus Christ I will trust unto Him Oh! you Servants of the Lord Live much by Faith there is a Fulnesse in Christ trust unto it And that 's the second Thirdly If there be such a fulness in Christ 3. Duty Then 't is our duty to draw forth this fulness Let all men draw forth this fulness That is done these Three waies First by a serious frequent solemn consideration and eyeing of Christs fulness 2 Cor. 3.18 For beholding as in a glass saies the Apostle we are changed from glory to glory The beholding of Christs glory changes us into glory 'T is drawn forth also by our resting upon it in a time of Temptation 'T is here in regard of Christs fulness as in regard of Gods mercy or promise pray mark it My very resting upon Gods promise in the time of a Temptation does make it mine my very resting upon His mercy in a time of Temptation does make His mercy mine and my resting also or your resting upon the fulness of Christ in the time of a Temptation does make it yours 'T is drawn forth also by giving forth As now the Conduit or Cistern receives more water into it by letting out the water which it hath Possibly there may be much water in the Conduit or much water in the Cistern and the fountain may be willing to furnish it with more but 't is full already therefore now turn the cock and let that run out which it hath received already and it draws more into the Cistern So here beloved our very spending for Christ receives from Christ the way to draw out His fulness is to lay out His fulness as you do receive from Him so to comunicate to other folk this draws it out Well then A fulness ye have heard there is in Christ This fulness is to be drawn out ye hear also how it is or may be drawn out Enter therefore into your Chamber and when you are all alone seriously frequently think much of this Fulness of Jesus Christ and in the time of your Temptation then rest upon it And as it pleaseth Jesus Christ to give out any of His Fulness unto you so let it run out again upon other folk And this is the third thing Fourthly 4 Duty If there be such a fulness of grace in Christ Then let us all labour to be like unto Him full of grace as Christ full of meekness full of humility full of Love especially for there is a fulness of love in Christ And yet alas when ever was there lesse love and more strife then now when ever lesse love among Professors when ever more strife then now Give me leave a little Beloved in the Lord you see and know what great divisions there are among us great strifes All strife and envy arises from an apprehension of scantiness and narrowness in the thing desired Now then that which we do strive for either it is more of the World Or more of Christ If it be more of the World that we sirive for who shall be most Rich who shall have most Honor if it be more of the world that we strive for Why Oh! why should we strive for that which may make us worser but cannot make us better why should we strive for that when as the very striving for it will deprive us of it If it be more of Christ that we strive for mark if it be more of Jesus Christ and more of Him that we strive for There is enough in Him there is enough in Jesus Christ for to serve us al. If two or three or six or twenty men be a thirst and they go to drink out of a Bottle while one is drinking the other envies because he thinks there will not be enough for him too But if now five six twenty a hundred be a thirst and go to the River while one is drinking the other envies not Why because there is enough to serve them all Beloved if it be more of Christ that we strive for if it be more of Jesus Christ that we strive for there is a fulness in Him there is enough in Christ there is enough in Jesus Christ ye have heard to serve all our turns Oh! therefore that there may be no more striving no more enuy no more contention no more division labor let us all labor to be more and more like unto Jesus Christ He was full of grace especially He was full of love let us labor to to be like unto Him In the fift and last place The fift Duty 5 Duty If there be such a fulness in Jesus Christ Then take heed how we do any thing that may rob Christ of the glory of His fulness Let all men take heed how they do any thing that may rob Jesus Christ of the glory of His fulness As now Suppose that I think and am perswaded that Jesus Christ hath not given a sufficient rule hath not laid down a perfect a sufficient rule in the Word for the Ordering and for the Governing of the Churches and therefore I will eek out what He hath done with my own prudence This robs Him of the glory of His Prophetical fulness Or suppose I think my sins are so great they can never be pardoned so great there is no hope for mercy This robs Him of the glory of His Priestly fulness Or suppose that I stint and limit Christ unto this or that particular means of delivering of the Church I know that God is able to deliver England and to deliver the Church but if He do not take this way if He do not take this course if this means fail then we are all undone then all all is lost if this means take not This is to rob Christ of the glory of His Kingly fulness to stint Him to one means to tie Him and limit Him to one means Or suppose that I set my heart upon any Creature fulness and say as the whore said in the 7 of the Proverbs
but for others So in the third place there is an infinite propension and willingness in Jesus Christ to communicate this grace unto the children of men Pray mark it There is an infinit propension and willingnesse in Jesus Christ to communicate and give out his grace unto the children of men Heb. 3.2 He is faithful saies the Apostle in all His house as Moses was Now if Jesus Christ should receive gifts for men for others and then run away with all and not be willing to give them out He could not be faithful but faithful He is Look I pray for this in the 16. Psal 2 v. Thou hast said unto the Lord Thou art my Lord my goodness not for thee but for the Saints that are in the earth and for the excellent in whom are all my delight You reade the words thus Thou hast said unto the Lord Thou art my Lord my goodnesse extendeth not to thee But in the Hebrew the word extendeth is not Thou art my Lord my goodnesse not for thee but for the Saints that are in the earth That these words are spoken of Christ Pray reade the Four last verses I have set the Lord alwayes before me at the 8. ver because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope For thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy One to see corruption Now compare these words with what the Apostle saies in Acts 2.25 David speaketh concerning him mark For I foresaw the Lord alwayes before my face he is on my right hand I shall not be moved Therefore did my heart rejoyce and my tongue was glad Moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope Because thou will not leave my soul in hell the same viorde neither wilt thou suffer thine holy One to see corruption Mark what is said then at the 29. ver the Apostle proves That these words of the Psalm must needs be understood of Christ and not of David Men and brethren saies he let me freily speak unto you of the Patriarch David that he is both dead and buried and his Sepulcher is with us unto this day Therefore saies he these words cannot be understood of David but must be understood of Christ Now then this Psalm being thus to be understood of Christ saies Christ Lord Thomiâ—t my Lord my goodness is not for thee but for the Saints that are in the earth and for the excellent in whom is all my delight They are my delight and therefore what goodnesse I have from thee I am willing to give it out again unto them because al my delight is in them Do you not think that a man is willing to eat his meat when he is a hungry I ray look into the 4. chaptes of John and you shall see what was Christs meat verse the 34. Jesus faith unto them My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me and to finish His Work My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me What is that Finish His Work What is that You reade before in the 61 Esay That the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him and God the Father had anointed Him to open the prison door Now therefore saith He look how willing a man is to eat his meat when he is a hungry So willing am I to releeve poor sinners to open the prison dore to poor captive souls Tender hearted Mothers are you willing to give your Children suck to have your breasts drawn Yes Why so Truly not only because of my child but the truth is unless my breasts be drawn 't is a pain to me not only for my child therefore but for my own ease also you will say Why brethren the Humanity of Jesus Christ is as I may so speak the breasts of the Deity by which we suck out all the holiness and grace which we have and if Jesus Christs breasts be not drawn He counts it a pain to Him And therefore He complains so in the Gospel Joh. 1.11 I came unto mine own and mine own received me not They will not draw My breasts He counts it a pain to Him Tell me are you willing to receive grace Yes If you be willing to receive grace Jesus Christ is willing to give it for you cannot be willing if He were not willing first your willingness does come from His. But I pray what grace are you willing to have Oh! saies one I am a poor ignorant creature I would fain I would fain have more knowledge Oh! saies one I am one of great Passions and of a disordered life and Oh! that I had my life better ordered Oh! saies another I am a poor guilty soul and I would have pardon I would have pardoning grace Now I 'le appeal to you Whether do you not think that an honest man is willing to do the work of his office Can a man be an honest man and not be willing to do the work of his office This is the Office of Jesus Christ He is a Prophet and therefore He must be willing to teach you you that complain that you are ignorant This is the Office of Jesus Christ to be a King and therefore He is willing to direct you and to order you You that complain of distemper and disorder This is the Office of Christ to be a Priest and therfore He is willing to satisfie for you and indeed if Jesus Christ were not willing to give out His grace unto the children of men He would never lay it upon such conditions as He does When a man is unwilling to do a thing for another He will put it upon hard conditions As Saul being unwilling to give his Daughter to David He put it upon hard conditions But now what does Jesus Christ require What does the Lord Jesus Christ require for the Communication of His grace But only this that you do receive it Mark only this that we do receive it a condition indeed that is no condition I say a condition that is no condition because he promises strength to receive also Oh! my beloved Why should we cumber the way to Heaven with Preparations and Qualifications and Precedaneous conditions There are no In-coms no In-coms to be paid at our coming in to Jesus Christ there are no Precedaneous conditions Grace is free and Mercy is free and Christ is free and His Love is free there is an infinite Propension in Jesus Christ to communicate this His Grace to the children of men This is the third Proposition Fourthly As Christ is infinitly willing So in the Fourth place there is nothing either in Heaven or in earth that can hinder Him from doing al. For now grant all the former Three That there is an infinite treasury of Grace in Christ That He hath not received it for Himself but others That He is infinitly willing to give it out unto the
upon you the more he defiles you Truly such is the earths and the world fulness as I say a dog the more it fawns upon you and falls upon you the more it defles you Oh! but the Fulnesse of Jesus Christ is a pure Fulnesse a Fulness that is full of purenesse Eightly Take al the Fulnesse of the world and though it be never so much it fals under your expectation Sink your expectation as low as you can and yet notwithstanding it wil fall below your expectation As for the Fulnesse of Jesus Christ raise and scrue up your expectation as high as you can and yet you shall find more therein then ever you expected Ninthly As for the fulnesse of the earth somtimes 't is better wanted than injoyed It may make you miserable it cannot make you happy Oh! but the Fulnesse of Jesus Christ it can never make you miserable it will certainly make you happy there is no such time wherein 't is better wanted than injoyed Tenthly As for the Fulnesse of the earth again It costs a man many times more than 't is worth it costs him his Time his precious Thoughts his Soul much is laid out for it much care to get it much fear to keep it and much grief to lose it Oh! but the Fulnesse of Jesus Christ it costs him nothing Esay 56.1 Come buy Wine and Milk without money or moneys-worth Christ gives much and takes little takes nothing it costs you nothing and having it you have all And again to name no more of these Take all the fulnesse of the Earth and though it be never so much it is not able to answer you with Love to return you Love for your Love The greaten noblest Gift of the world is Love That is alwaies unworthy of your love that cannot answer your love again If you have a full bagg If you have a full Table if you have a full House these fulnesses cannot answer you with love again but it can defile your own love Oh! but the Fulnesse of Christ it can answer you with Love for Love it gives you a better Love than you brought it Nobilitates and Meliorates and raises your own love forever Behold This is the Fulnesse this is the Fulnesse that the Saints that Beleevers do partake in that they do receive of and they may come to this Fulness of Jesus Christ and they may say Of this Fulnesse of this Fulnesse wee have all received As those wicked men they may go unto the fulnesse of the Earth and they may say indeed Of this fulnesse we have all received but as for that Fulnesse we have none of it Oh! how much better is the cōdition of a Beleever than the condition of a wicked man though he be never so great or rich You that are Beleevers you do envy at the men of the world because of their fulnesse I Pray tell me would you change your Fulnesse for theirs Would you change your Condition for theirs And you that are of the world wicked ungodly men that have but the Earths fulnesse Why do you lay out your thoughts and your time upon such a fulnesse a dropsical fulnesse a fading fulnesse a dying fulnesse a fulnesse that is mixt with a Curse a fulnesse thsat does al bemire you and dirty you pray tell me Are you able with the Dasies Tulips of the world to satisfie your better part Oh! know you not that notwithstanding all the Earths fulnesse that a wicked mans fortune I say that a wicked mans fortune it lies in a lake that burneth with fire and brimstone And when you have done all you can gathered all that ever you can together you may go unto your full purses or unto your full bags or unto your full houses or unto your full barnes and you may say of this fulnesse I have received Oh! but you cannot go unto the Fulnesse of the Lord Jesus Christ and say And of this Fulness my soul hath received Oh! fool saies our Saviour Luke 12.20 when His barnes are full this night shall thy soul be taken away from thee And when you come below in the pit where no water is then you will complain and say Oh! wretch that I was I might have had of the Fulness of Jesus Christ but I chose rather the fulness of the earth and if I had had the Fulness of Christm I had bin made for ever but I chose rather the fulnesss of the world then the Fulness of Jesus Christ and now I am lost for ever Oh! I am lost for ever I have none of the Fulness of Jesus Christ What an incouragement here is then And so I come unto the Second Use Appli 2. and I will not hold you long in it What an incouragment is here unto al men good and bad to come in unto Jesus Christ and partake of His Fulnesse I say in the Second place here is incouragement unto all you that hear the Word of the Lord this day good or bad an incouragement unto all souls good and bad to come in unto the Lord Jesus Christ and partake of His fulnesse Saies our Lord and Savior When I am lift up Joh. 12.32 I will draw all men after Me I Love is a drawing thing Love is a drawing thing it draws men and women together into one youke that lived farr asunder And what greater love than this that Jesus Christ should lay down His Life for poor sinners Wisdome wisdome is a drawing thing it drew the Queen of Sheba from farr to come unto Solomon and behold a greater than Solomon is here Riches riches Wealth wealth is a drawing thing Bounty and Liberality a drawing thing it draws the poor beggar to the rich mans dore And behold here 's Riches Oh! there 's an infinite treasury of Grace and Holinesse in Jesus Christ And here 's Liberality For there is an infinite propension and willingnesse in the Lord Jesus Christ to give out of this Fulnesse unto poor finners Oh! hath God the Father exalted Jesus Christ and shall not our hearts exalt Him Beloved let but Jesus Christ be exalted in your thoughts and in your hearts and you will stand Firm against all Temptations Firm against and Discouragements Firm against all Afflictions Firm against all Temptations If Temptations come to offer you profit and pleasure then will you make this answer No you bid me losse for there is a fulness in Jesus Christ and of His Fulness through the Lords mercy I have received Firm against all Discour agements If the Devil come and tell you Thou art now a Professor but ere long you will fall away and prove as great a scandal to Religion as ever you honored it before You will make this answer True indeed Satan I have a backsliding soul I have a backsliding heart but there is a Fulnes in Jesus Christ through the Lords mercy I have received of this Fulness an d therefore I shal
First Proposition The Second afforded this Observation That all the Saints and People of God do partake of the Fulness of Jesus Christ in a way of receiving This fals asunder into Two Parts or Two Branches First That there is a Communication of the Fulness of Jesus Christ unto all Beleevers Secondly That what ever Grace or Holiness the Saints have from Christ they have it in a way of receiving I have done also with the First of these And am now God willing to speak to the Second Whatsoever Grace or Holiness the Saints and People of God have from Christ they have it all in a way of receiving Of His Fulness all we have received The former Branch told us That Christ Communicates This tels us That we Receive There the Emphasis lay upon Christs Communicating And here the Accent is set upon our Receiving The Grace of Jesus Christ is not borne with us We do not go to Jesus Christ in the strength of our Nature to take of His Fulnesse to our selves But Jesus Christ gives out and we receive All in a way of Receiving The Grace and Mercy of our Justification and remission of Sins is by way of Receiving Rom. 5.11 Not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement Atonement is to be had it is to be had by Christ and this in a way of Receiving Again The Grace and Mercy of our Adoption is to be had in a way of Receiving Gal. 4.5 He came to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons Adoption is a Blessing that is most desirable This Christ gives and this we receive Again The Grace of our Sanctification is to be had in a way of Receiving What is the Cause and Original of all our Grace or Holinesse but the Spirit of God And that is received Gal. 3.2 This only would I learn of you Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith The Schools say that the word Grace is either taken for The Gifts of the holy-Ghost or for Saving and Sanctifying Grace Take Grace for The gifts of the holy-Ghost as sometimes the Word is used in Scripture and that is in a way of Receiving Acts 10.47 They heard them speak with Tongues at the 46. ver Then answered Peter Can any man forbid water that these should not be Baptized which have received the holy-Ghost That is The Gift of the holy Ghost Take Grace for Holiness and Sanctification and that is also in a way of Receiving to be had in a way of Receiving Rom. 8.15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear But ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father There are Gifts of Prayer And there is the Spirit of Prayer of Adoption crying Abba Father The First may be without Grace but the Second not where ever the Second is there is Grace And this is Received saith the Apostle here In general all is by way of Receiving Col. 2.6 As ye have Received the Lord Christ saies the Apostle see that ye walk in Him And in another place 1 Cor. 4.7 What hast thou that thou hast not Received What hast thou that thou hast not Received All in a way of Receiving He shall come down saies the Psalmist in the 72. Psalm speaking concerning our Lord and Savior Christ and His Grace at the 6. verse He shall come down like rain upon the mowen grass Or as some write it for so the Original will bear it He shall come down like rain upon the Fleece having relation to Gideons Fleece He shall come down like rain upon the mowen grass as showers that water the earth A Psalm for Solomon saies the Title But there are many things in this Psalm that cannot properly be understood of Solomon but in a type properly belonging to Jesus Christ For as Strigelius does well observe at the 7. verse the verse next following this text it is said In his daies shall the righteous flourish and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth Solomon did not live so long as the moon endures This therefore is to be understood of Christ And at the 5. verse it is said They shall fear thee as long as the Sun and moon endure throughout all generations They did not fear Solomon men did not fear Solomon as long as the Sun and moon endures through all generations This therefore must be understood of Christ Now see therefore what is said of Christ and concerning His Grace saies the Text in the 6. verse He shall come down like rain upon the mowen grass Like rain rain you know is that that does make the earth fruitful Non ager sed annus facit fructum 'T is not the sowing but 't is the Year that causes fruit 't is the rain that causeth fruit And so 't is the Grace of Jesus Christ that does make us fruitful His Grace the cause of our Grace I will be as a dew saies the Lord in the 14. of Hosea unto Israel and then follows fruitfulness Again The rain cometh by special appointment from God Amos. 4.7 Judg. 6.38 39 40. with a kind of dis-crimination He maketh the rain to fall upon one City saith the Prophet and not upon another As wee reade concerning Gideons Fleece the dew fell upon the Fleece when all the earth was dry round about it And then the dew fell upon the ground when the Fleece was dry And this was a Type of the Grace of Christ when the Jewes were bedewed with the Grace of Christ then all the Nations round about they were dry And then when God bedewed the Gentiles the Nations round about with His Grace then the Jews were dry and they are dry to this day Again The rain falleth 't is the Scripture phrase the rain falleth and falleth upon the earth and the earth is a recipient to receive it it is meer recipient at the first and then brings forth it 's fruit the Rain falleth And so doth the Grace of Christ the Grace of Christ falls upon the souls of men and women saith the Text here He shall come down like the rain upon the mowne grass So doth the Grace of Jesus Christ it comes down upon a poor soul All in a way of receiving al in a way of receiving whatever grace or holiness a man hath on this side Heaven it is all in a way of Receiving And this will appear further to you if you consider The insufficiency of Nature The Supernaturallity of Grace The Shortness of all means that are appointed thereunto The work and nature of Faith And the posture and true behaviour of Prayer First of all There is a Natural inability in a man unto what is good truly Spiritually good First A man is unable by Nature to overcome any sin though it be never so small A man by Nature
twenty third verse The time is come that the Sonne of man should be glorified Well but how Verely verely I say unto you except a corne of wheat fall to the ground and die it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit Thus he comes to his glory he must die first and so he must come to glory If any man serve me sayes he at the twenty sixth verse Let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be This is the way that Christ went and this way God took with Christ Love loves to be like unto Jesus Christ and Faith loves to go in the garment of Jesus Christ as with him so with the Saints And then againe fourthly Reas 4 God is pleased thus to order things in the dispensations of his grace and mercy That the comforts of his people may be the more sure and stedfast If our comforts hang at the girdle of the creature they are most uncertaine but if they be laid up in God in his promise upon his power then they are certaine He that is engag'd in the crowd must be carried too and fro in the crowd And he that is in a ship must be carryed as the ship is If a man stand upon a banke of Ice he is apt to slide but if he stand upon dry ground he stands more sure All the second causes they make but a banke of Ice and when a man stnads on them and his comforts on them he is apt to slide the only dry ground is Gods power and Gods faithfulnesse and his promise That a mans comforts therefore may not slide but may be more sure and stedfast God takes this course with his people putting a sentence of death upon the mercy and upon all the meanes that do lead unto it before he gives it out unto the soule I but you will say Object This shakes the very foundation of all my comfort for it this be true That when God intends any speciall mercy to the children of Abraham he does first put the sentence of death upon it and upon all the meanes that do lead unto it then surely I am none of the children of Abraham I never had any skpeciall mercy yet given unto me I do not find that it hath been so with me No what then Because your experience don't speake it Answ is it not therefore true Some would have the Sunne set by their watch and not their watch set by the Sunne some measure the truth of all the doctrines that they heare by their owne experience and if their owne experience speake them true then they are true otherwise not But I say what then It may be thou art a man or woman that the Lord never gave out a promise to thee not a promise to thy soule some there are in prayer that by the strength of their memory can reach in a promise and when Art and memory reaches in a promise into prayer the sentence of death does not then passe indeed but when the Lord gives out a promise to the soule then the sentence of death passes upon the businesse upon the mercy and upon the meanes that do lead unto it I appeal unto all the Saints here Whether ever had ye any great mercy in all your life but first of all there was a sentence of death past upon it and upon all the meanes that did lead unto it And therefore thought thou saiest this shakes the foundation of thy comfort truely better a rotten foundation should be shaken then stand But you will say Quest Is it so with the Saints in regard of all their Spirirtuall blessings too Yes Answ When ever did the Lord give an Ordiance to his people in the way of a speciall mercy but first of all the sentence of death came upon the businesse and upon all the means that did lead unto it When did the Lord ever give any grace to his people but first of all the sentence of death past when ever did the Lord give any incouragement in duty to any of his children but first a sentence of death past When ever did the Lord give any great injoyment of himselfe to any of his children but first a sentence of death past When ever was a poore soule made fruitfull but first a sentence of death past Oh! never any more barren then I never any more dead then I Our Lord and Saviour Christ he promises his Disciples that he would send them the Holy-Ghost the Comforter but before the Comforter came he goes away himselfe from them and they were left and never in such a sad condition as immediately before the Comforter came And if you mind it here though Abraham had many acts of Faith yet this act of faith is singled out from all the rest of the actings of Abrahams faith wherein Abraham is held forth as a patterne for all beleevers The grace of a godly man is his soules Resurrection We are risen being risen with Christ by grace we rise Now sayes the Apostle 't is in regard of the Resurrection is with seed that is sown it first dies and then it rises The Saints and people of God they have all their graces and all their comforts in a way of Resurrection This is the way therefore God takes with his people Onely take along with you these three or foure cautionall considerations First this is to be understood concerning the great and the speciall belssings and mercies which beleevers have There are some blessings and mercies that are more common and ordinary some that are more speciall and greater I do not say that this is true concerning every common and ordinary blessing that a beleever hath that he hath no blessing no mercy but first of all a sentence of death is put upon it and upon all the meanes that do lead unto it but I say its true concerning the great and the speciall blessings and mercies We reade of Abraham that he had other children it was not so in regard of them but Isaac was the great blessing it was so in regard of Isaac The children of Israel they had their daily bread and their water their daily provisions we do not find it in regard of them but they had Manna from heaven and they had water out of the Rock they had speciall water speciall bread so in regard of these And therefore if you look into Exod. 15. you shall find there at the last verse They came to Elim where were twelve Wels of water according to the twelve Tribes every Tribe had twelve and threescore and ten palm trees according to the number of those that went down to Egypt But now before they had these twelve Wels of water yea reade at the 22. verse that they went three dayes in the wildernesse and found no water at the 25. verse you reade of waters they had that were very sweet but before that the water was bitter it was called Marah And when they came
go so far And with them sayes he the blind and the lame Answ Oh! Object but I am a woman with child surely I shall never be able to returne to my own Country Yes Answ sayes he the woman with child I Object but I am a woman like to be in travaile about that time surely I shall be left behind I shall never return to my own Country Marke Answ the woman with child and her that traivaileth with child and a company shall return God does not only promise help but he promises to help the children of Abraham when all meanes faile And if you look into the New Testament you will find that severall promises which are given out in the Old-Testament upon speciall and extraordinary occasions assuring helpe beyond meanes are brought down into the New-Testament for us to apply there When the Devil came to tempt our Lord and Saviour to turne stones into bread sayes our Saviour Man lives not by bread alone but every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God Math. 4.4 Now if you look into the eighth of Deuteronomy and the third verse you will find that those words were spoken upon an extraordinary occasion help beyond meanes He humbled thee and suffered thee to hunger and fed thee with Manna which thou knewest not neither did thy fathers know that hee might make thee know that man doth not live by bread onely but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord. And so here in this fourth of the Romans Abraham beleeved when all meanes failed he beleeved the promise and he is brought down for our example that we should beleeve the promise also when meanes faile And if you look into and consider the eleventh of the Hebrewes where you have a catalogue of many beleevers ye shall find that many of them beleeved when the means failed beyond meanes and yet they are all brought downe and made mention of for our example Surely therefore t is the duty of the children of Abraham to beleeve when all meanes faile and seeme to be dead before us Meanes for the Soule Meanes for the Body Means for the Family Meanes for the Churches Take this for the reason Reas Such a Faith is to be exercised unto God as is sutable unto that God in whom we do beleeve If the God in whom we do beleeve were a God that did helpe onely by meanes then we were to trust so unto him but being he is such a God as workes beyond meanes we are to exercise a faith towards him sutable to this God in whom we do beleeve So in regard of our Love We must love God with a love worthy of God Now if a man should onely love God for benefits and blessings that he receives from him and not for the holinesse and excellency that is in God himselfe this love were not worthy of God So in regard of our faith if we should onely beleeve God in regard of the reason and experiences and means this faith were no way worthy of God I will beleeve a man I will beleeve the worst of men the vilest man so farre as I can see him and shall I beleeve God no further We must beleeve with a faith worthy of God faith is not worthy of God unlesse we beleeve beyond meanes this is the faith that is worthy of God this is the faith required and commended Take but one Scripture for it more In the seventeenth of Luke there were ten Lepers came unto Christ desiring cure saying Jesus Master have mercy on us at the thirteenth verse When he saw them he said to them go shew your selves unto the Priests And it came to passe as they went they were cleansed It seems they were not cleansed then as he spake they were not cleansed when Christ sayes Go and shew your selves to the Priests for it is said as they went they were cleansed Why then should they shew themselves to the Priests They were to shew themselves to the Priests to bring an offering for their cleansing yet sayes our Saviour go shew your selves to the Priests They were to beleeve that they should be cleansed although they saw themselves full of Leprosie So although a soule sees himselfe to be full of Leprosy yet notwithstanding it is to rely upon Jesus Christ and to beleeve as if he were fully cleansed This is the second Proposition The third will make out this the more full Thus to beleeve when all meanes faile is exceeding pleasing to God and most acceptable This kind of faith Christ commends in Thomas Joh. 20.29 Thomas sayes Christ thou hast beleeved because thou hast seene but blessed are those that do beleeve and have not seen Blessed is any man that does beleeve though his hands may be full of sence but of all beleevers blessed is that beleever that beleeves beyond sence that beleeves and hath not seene There are two especially that Jesus Christ does commend for beleeving Mat 15.28 Mat. 8 10 the Canaanitish woman and the Centurion To the one sayes he O woman great is thy faith Concerning the other I have not seene such faith no not in Jsrael And both of these beleeved above hope and under hope when the meanes in view seemed to chide them off from beleeving In that eleventh of the Hebrewes many of the Saints are commended for their Faith They had other graces wherein they did excell Moses was a Meeke man he is not recorded there and commended for his meeknesse but for his Faith Sampson was a stout and a resolute man he is not commended there for that but for his Faith They had other excellent graces but this grace of Faith is singled out to weare the Crown Heb. 11.39 They all obtain'd a good report through Faith That weares the Crowne of all other graces And you shall find that that Faith was mingled with many weaknesses Rahab one of those beleevers what a deale of weaknesse passed from her in her beleeving Yet notwithstanding though their Faith was clogged with many weaknesses yet their Faith is commended and most of them beleeving beyond means and when all meanes failed plainly speaking out this truth to us The great acceptation that such a Faith hath with God Beloved this faith beleeving when all meanes faile and lye dead before us turnes God about as we may speak with reverence and make God of an enemy a seeming enemy to become our friend If you trust unto your friend for a kindnesse he will do it because you rest on him if you rest upon an enemy he failes you but if you rest on God he will therefore do it because you rest on him and he will become your friend by your resting on him Oh! I have been a great and a wretched sinner Yet notwithstanding I know there is infinite riches of grace in Christ and therefore sayes the soule I will rest on him yea Lord though thou kill me yet will I rest upon thee I
stones and the gravell the Leather weares thin and weares out But if a man goes barefoot though the skin of his foot be tinner the skin does not weare out but growes thicker as Indians they go barefoot and their skin of their feet weares thicker by going upon the gravell and upon the stones What is the Reason The Leather of a mans shooe is a dead thing but the foot is a living thing And so Faith is a living thing and will carry a man over gravell and stones and difficulties but morrall vertues they are but dead things and though they be never so thick they will grow thin and weare out and come to nothing Bare morrall vertues won't do it And then againe Gifts and Parts and Gospel inlargements cannot do it they leave black ashes upon the Soule they are a blaze they make a great blaze Straw that is burnt makes a great blaze but it leaves black ashes upon the harth So where these are without saving Faith they may make a great blaze but the end of them is black ashes upon the Soule Jedas ye know he had great Gifts and Gospel-parts but that would not doe it would not carry him through all his Temptations and difficulties to Jesus Christ Pray do but compare Nicodemus and Judas Nicodemus was but in his Catechisme of Christianity when Judas was a preacher Nicodemus comes to Christ by night when Judas preaches Christ openly but in the end Nicodemus ownes Christ when he is dead and Judas betrayes him when he is living Nicodemus had a true saving-faith Judas had onely gifts Gosper gifts and Gospel-enlargements that will not do it neither And then againe The experience of Gods former dealings providentiall dealings and preservation that won't do it You know how it was with those Spies that was sent into the Land of Canaan there were two sorts of Spies There were good Spies and there were bad spies The good Spies brought up a good report of the Land and the evill Spies brought up an evill report How Why Consider but a little The good Spies they met with many troubles when they were sent out to spy out the Land faine to be hidden in Rahahs house and then they fled to the mountaines and there they lay They come home and they say The Lord hath delivered this people into our hands The other Spies now that brought up the evill report they met with no such hard fare that we reade of and yet they come home and they say The men of the Countrey are the children of Anak and the Cities are wall'd up to Heaven they had experience of Gods preservation in a speciall manner and yet notwithstanding that would not do it Bare experience of Gods preserving mercy that will not do it 1 Iohn 5.4 2 Coâ— 1.2.4 't is only faith will do it saving justifying faith will do it This is the Victory whereby you overcome the world your faith By faith yea stand Looke upon your dangers under a Sea-notion and Faith it is called your Anchor Looke upon your dangers under a land-notion and faith it is called your Shield nothing but faith can doe it You will say to me in the Fourth place What is it in this saving justifying faith that is able thus to carry the soule through all Difficulties and discouragements and naturall impossibilities to Iesus Christ How does faith do it Give me leave to stay here First Faith shewes the soule the glorious invisible things of God and of his grace and brings them neare unto the soule It was a hard thing for Moses to leave all the pleasures and profits and preferrements of Egypt he did it though choosing rather the afflictions of Pharoah with Gods people Why saies the. 11. of the Hebrews He saw him that is invisibel But how did he see him By faith saies the text by faith he saw him that is invisible Faith opens the eyes for to see that a man hath more with him then against him and the workes of God in Christ are not seene by the world Gods pardoning mercy not seene by the world The Vnion with Iesus Christ and the priviledge thereof not seene by the world The satisfaction of Iesus Christ for a poor Sinner not seen by the world The great Power of God not seen or if so yet at a distance it don't much affect Faith is the substance of things not seene Heb. 11.1 it does not only shew a man things that are otherwise unseene but brings them neare Salvation near pardoning mercy near the Priviledges of Union with Christ neare Christs satisfaction neare and so when Difficulties and Discouragements do arise saies the soule through faith Why should not I be satisfied with any condition seeing Christ hath satisfied for me I am one with Christ Christ is a common person When Christ died I died when Christ rose I rose when Christ ascended I ascended Christ sitting in Heaven I sit there Thus faith it elevates and raises up the soule into heaven it carries it over all difficulties and discouragements that it can meet withall Againe true saving faith 2. 1 Cor. 3.22 it tels the soule that all things are its owne All things are yours saies the Apostle things present and things to come life and death all things are yours Faith speakes the same language All things are yours Soule all things are yours Difficulties are yours and naturall impossibilities are yours things present are yours and things to come are yours Will you be afraid of that which is your owne Will the owner be afraid of his owne dog a mastiffe he fals upon a stranger and worries him and a stranger is a afraid of him but the owner is not afraid he leapes and fawnes upon him but does not worry him Sayes faith all these Difficulties and all these Temptations they are your owne they won't worry you they may leape upon you they may fawne upon you but they won't worry you they are all your owne part of the purchase that Jesus Christ hath made for you all these are your owne Faith holds this steadily upon the soule and so a man breaks through Difficulties Againe thirdly True saving justifying faith it shewes a man greater excellencies in Christ then all difficulties and natur all Discour agements can amount unto on the other side You know how 't is with a dog the Grey-hound if hee sees the game a great way off he gives it over but when he comes neare he will rush through the very bushes for to take the Hare throw himselfe upon his back that he may take it a naturall hope makes him do it Faith it raises a mighty hope in the soule presents the soule with many Excellencies and raises a mighty hope in the soule for the obtainment of them it does spread more Excellencies before the soule then can be lost by the hand of Difficulties for example If a man hath beene a Prodigall and now is returning to Christ the world sayes friends
fallen upon his neck and forgiven him and showed mercy to him then he said so and not before And saies the text when his father saw him a far off Notwithstanding he had resolved to go home yet he was far off from mercy his father saw him a far off and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kis't him preventing of him by his grace this makes it more prevalent But yet you will say Object How can this be can God love sinners can God set his love upon poor sinners that are so What saies the Apostle in Rom. 4.5 Answ He justifies the ungodly not in their sins but from their sins through Christ 'T is not in Gods love as in our love you love because the thing loved is lovely but Gods love does make lovely your love finds lovely and Gods love makes lovely You love a person because of some beauty but Gods love does make beautiful You love a person because of some good you do find before you love but Gods love brings the goodness with it Gods love makes the person good that he does love His love is the original root of all our obedience and sanctification Though the Root lies under ground all the branches are beholding to it and the fruit have their sap and life from it So though Gods reconciling love lies under ground and ye see it not yet 't is the Root of all your obedience of all your sanctification Ye may observe therefore that in the Epistle to the Romans to the Galatians to the Hebrews when the Apostle would stir up the Romans Galatians Hebrews to holiness of life that he laies his Exhortation upon the Doctrine of free-grace love justification by faith alone and the sulness of Christs satisfaction for poor unworthy sinners In the book of the Romans he begins to state the Doctrine of free justification of sinners and remission by Christ alone In the book of the Galatians he begins with free-remission of sins and justification by faith alone So in the book of the Hebrews But the end and conclusion of all these Epistles to the Romans Galatians Hebrewes is Obedience Repentance and holiness of life As if this were the great Root that all our obedience did grow upon even free remission of sins and Justification by faith alone And if justificiation do go before our sanctification then of Necessity there must be an approaching of the Kingdom of Heaven to us before we do come to it Give me leave to give you Two or Three Reasons of it and so I will come to the Application First of all Reas 1 God doth so order things in the dispensations on s of his grace and administration thereof as that he may be known to be God Jehovah that all flesh may see his glory What is the glory of God His free-grace is his glory And therefore ye shall observe that when Moses begs to see Gods glory Lord saies he show me thy glory Exo. 33.18 19. The Lord made him this answer Moses would'st thou see my glory What otherwise than thou hast seen it in the Mount Moses here is my glory I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy The Lord read him a lecture of his free-grace Moses here 's my glory my free-grace is my glory And how can Gods freegrace be more seen and manifest than in such a way Causing the Kingdom of Heaven of grace and free remission to draw neer to us even before we do stir towards it Secondly Reas 2 God does so order things in the dispensations of his grace as that men may be made the most gracious The sight of Gods grace wil make a man gractions the more ye see the grace of God in Christ the more gractious ye wil be And pray mark that instance which ye have in the 7. of Luke the same that Inamed before consider it well at the 37. verse Behold a woman in the City which was a sinner it seems she was a very wicked woman a sinner when she knew that Jesus Christ sate at meat in the Pharisees house brought an Alabaster box of ointment and stood at his feet behind him weeping and began to wash his seet with teares and did wipe them with the haires of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment What 's the reason of this Saies our Saviour Christ I say unto thee at the 47. verse Her sins which are many are forgiven her for she loved much She wept much because she loved much and she loved much because much was forgiven her The Papists and those that do follow them say indeed That her forgiveness was a fruit of her love because 't is said here Her sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much But good people makr it and you-will find that first of all there is forgivenss and thereupon the woman loved and her loving much was but a sign of her being much forgiven For this is sutable with the latter end of the 47. verse Her sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much Much forgivenss is the ground of loving much and loving much is a fign of much forgiveness for it follows But to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little And this sutes also with the Parable that ye have before at the 41. and the 42. and the 43. verses Which is brought in upon occasion of this womans loving thus much A certain Creditor had two debtors the one ought five hundred pence and the other fifty and when they had nothing to pay he frankly forgave them both Tell me therefore which of them will love him most Simon answered and said I suppose that he to whom he forgave most Marke the scope of the parable and you will find it is to show That love flows from forgiveness The Papists and others that cleave to them therefore go against the scope of this Parable And now my beloved if all our love be upon forgiveness and forgiveness goes first Oh! what free-grace is here We Repent and we Weep because we love and we love because we are forgiven but forgiveness goes first Oh! what grace and love is here Paul was so taken with this that to me he seems to be more taken with it than with the vision that he had in the third Heaven saies he I knew a man whether in the body 2. Cor. 12.2 or out of the body a man saies he wrapt up into the third Heaven and heard unspeakable words which is not lawful to be uttered And this Paul speaks of but once But saies Paul I was a blasphenter 1. Tim. 1.13 I was a persecutor but I obtained mercy This story he tels three times he tels the other story but one time but this story this story of free grace how he was a blasphemer and a persecutor and how he obtain'd mercy this was never out of his mind As if he were more refresh't with the thought of
when as the Lord does thus prevent us with his grace and is at our bed-side with his grace when we lie sleeping and never think of mercy and grace an ingenious soul should say thus What is all this but a plain rebuke to the slothfulness of my duty Come up prayer up duty oh my soul be up sooner Yea through the Lords grace I will be up sooner at Heaven gate in duty than ever I was before His preventing grace teaches me thus much that I am not soon enough at Heaven gate with my duty Again 2. Duty Hath the Lord prevented any of you with grace and caused the Kingdom of Heaven to draw neer to you before you drew neer to it Do you do the like labour in your love to be like to Christ to be like to God We stand upon our terms when we have to deal with men upon our terms of State had Jesus Christ stood upon terms of State when he came to save sinners what had become of us We say we will forgive such a man for wrong done to us upon his acknowledgement Oh! but did Christ do so Did not Christ prevent us Beloved ye see how 't is with the water it moves downward but if the fire get into it if there be water in a pot upon the fire and fire get into the water the fire makes it move upward it moves according to the nature of the fire then So now if the love of Jesus Christ get into our hearts it will make us move like unto Christ How does the love of Jesus Christ move Oh saies Christ Father forgive them they know not what they do Luke 23.34 Christ did not stay for acknowledgement a poor and a low thing for a Christian Enough for a Heathen to say so I will forgive such a man for wrong done to me upon his acknowledgment Let our love be like unto Christs and labour to prevent others with our love as Jesus Christ hath prevented us Thirdly Then let all men waith upon others 3 Duty with all longsufforing and patience for their Conversion and the revelation of truth unto them Thou art a Parent and desirest thy Child may be Converted and hast taken a great deal of pains with him for his Conversion and yet it will not be Thou art a governour of a family and would'st fain have such a servant converted to Christ and hast taken a great deal of pains and yet it won't be A friend you have and you would fain that he knew such a Truth and much pains you have taken to beat such a Truth into him and he don't take it and you are ready to be angry but remember this The Kingdom of Heaven draws neer to us before we draw neer to it Grace must come to thy Childs soul first before it does come to Christ Mercy must come to the soul and the Lord must come and bring truths unto the soul What is then to be done Then be not angry with him wait with all long suffering and all patience and go to God go to God for thy Child go to God for thy friend go to God for thy servant upon this ground Because the Kingdom of Heaven must come to us first before we can come to it But Especially 4. Duty and Fourthly Trust in the Lord for ever Oh! all you that are the servants of the Lord upon this ground Trust in the Lord for ever Does the kingdom of Heaven approach and draw neer to us before we draw neer unto it Then say within your souls Doubting shall be no more Some there are that doubt of their salvation because of the lgnorance that is in them darkness causes fear they don't know the mercifull disposition of Jesus Christ and so they doubt of his love The Devil as he labours to change himself into an angel of light so he labours to change Christ into an angel of darkness But beloved ye have heard of the merciful sweet disposition of Jesus Christ he is willing to save sinners and the greatest sinners brings neer the Kingdom of Heaven to us before we draw neer to it Oh! wilt thou doubt again poor Christian wilt thou doubt again Some there are that doubt of their salvation because they are afraid their duties shall not be accepted prayers shall not be accepted Oh! if I could but be perswaded saies one that the Lord would hear my prayer and accept of my duty then I should know indeed I should be saved but I am afraid the Lord doth not hear my prayers and accept of my duties and therefore I fear I shall not be saved Man or woman where ever thou standst or art hear the Word of the Lord. Does the Lord cause the Kingdom of Heaven to approach and draw neer to us before we draw neer to it will the Lord be found of those that seek him not and will he not be found of you that do seek him Will the Lord come with his grace and make an offer of grace and mercy to a sinner and a great sinner and will not the Lord receive you when you do come unto him Think of this and surely then you will say Doubting shall be no more Some there are that doubt of their salveation because they cannot pray their hearts are dead pray I cannot and hear I cannot and reade I cannot performe duty I cannot and therefore I have cause to fear I shall never come to Heaven Well but though you cannot Man or Woman Christian pray as thou art able and hear as thou art able and reade as thou art able the Lord Christ is of this sweet disposition That he does canse the Kingdom of Heaven to draw neer to us before we draw neer to it Oh! therefore you that are the servants of the Lord Trust in the Lord for ever for ever trust in the Lord and let doubting be no more I conclude all with one word of Exhortation Applic. 2 and it is unto those that have not yet submitted unto this Kingdom of Heaven this Kingdom of Grace Is there a truth in this Doctrine That the Kingdom of Heaven grace mercy and free remission does approach unto us before we draw neer unto it and that because indeed we are not able to draw neer to it before it draws neer unto us Then all you that have not yet submitted unto this Kingdom of grace and the offer of grace and mercy in the Gospel when ever any offer shall be made unto ye take heed that ye neglect not so great salvation You see how 't is with the sea-man because the sea-man is not able to raise a wind or turn the wind when 't is raised he lies upon the sea-coast ready waiting upon the wind and when the wind turns then he hoists up his sailes for saies he now the wind is come about and if I lose this gale I am likely to lose my voyage I cannot turn the wind I cannot make the wind So
of heaven is approaching Surely therefore this is the great Motive the motive of motives In the invitation to the great Supper spoken of in the Gospel what is the motive used for to bring men unto the supper but this Come for all things are now ready Mercy is ready the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is ready Come for all things are now ready this is the motive that is used there And if ye look into the 12. Chapter of Paul to the Romans ye shall find at the 1. verse That when the Apostle doth exhort them to present themselves a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God he perswades by this motive of mercy I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice I beseech ye therefore That Therefore sends us unto the former Chapter to enquire what these mercies were At the 30. verse of the former Chapter he saies unto them For as ye in times past have not beleeved God yet now have obtained mercy through their unbeliefe The Jewes were cast off and the Gentiles these Romans received to mercy the Kingdom of Heaven did come to them the Gospel effectually preach't to them the Doctrine of free-remission of poor sinners Now saies he I beseech you by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice The Scripture is full of this But for our better opening and clearing of this Truth Let us I pray descend into the particulars of Repentance and consider how the grace and mercy and love of God in Christ which is the substance of this Kingdom of Heaven hath an influence upon them all and how all of them are caused thereby First A man that does Repent must see and know his sins true-sight of sin is requisite to true Repentance Indeed a man may in some measure attain unto the knowledge and discovery of his sin by some Affliction when Adoni-bezek had his fingers and toes cut off you know what he said Thus have I done Afflictions do un-leave a man take off his leaves when the leaves are off the hedges ye see those birds-nests that ye could not see before when the leaves were on And so when affliction hath made one naked and taken ones leaves off a man is able to see those nests of corruption in his own heart that he never did see before The Apostle saies By the Law is the knowledge of sin but now though by the Law as by a rule we come to the knowledge of our sin and by Affliction we are help't to see the nests of our own hearts yet notwithstanding a man cannot see his sins fully but by Gospel-light it is a work of the Spirit to convince of sin I will send the Spirit the Comforter and he shall convince the world of sin And where does the Spirit breath but in the Gospel the Kingdom of Heaven the preaching of the Gospel Received ye the Spirit saies the Apostle by the works of the Law or by the preaching of faith When once Esay the Prophet had had a fight of Christ he cries out Vae mihi I am undone We is me I am undone I am unclean Again for I will but touch upon these As a man must know his sin So if he will repent truly he must be grieved and humbled for it If you look into the 7. of Luke ye may see what work it had A woman a great sinner comes to Christ and she washes his feet with her teares what made her do so She loved much for much was forgiven her So that the more the love and mercy of God in Chrst is opened in the Gospel or does make it's approach unto a soul the more the soul is set a weeping and mourning for sin committed Again As a man Repenting must be grieved for sin committed So he must and he will loath himself self-loa-thing is requisite to Repentance If a man have taken a surfet by cating or drinking he does not only loath the meat which caused the surfet but he loaths the very Vessel that hath the smell of the meat or the liquor in it So now when a man comes to Repent he does not only loath his sin but he loaths himselfe the vessel where the sinne was Oh! these filthy eyes of mine Oh! these vile hands Oh! this vile heart of mine hee loaths himself But what causes this self-loathing Th Prophet Ezekiel will tell ye in the 20. of Ezekiel the 41 42 and 43. verses Then shall ye loath your selves when I am pacified or when God had shown them mercy caused his love to approach unto them Then should they loath themselves 'T is not all your Afflictions nor all my Threatnings saies God that will make ye to loath your selves but when ye see my love my grace my pardoning mercy then shall ye loath your selves not your sins only but your selves also Again A Repenting person does not only loath himself for his sin but he is ashamed of it he is ashamed of his former evil waies What fruit have ye of those things whereof ye are now ashamed not before but wereof ye are now ashamed So long as a man walks in the dark he does not blush he is not ashamed though his Cloaths be ragged and torne and his naked flesh appears because he is in the dark But if he come to the light then he blushes that his nakedness appears And so long as men are in their sins and are in darkness they are not ashamed of their sins because they are in darkness But when once they come to the light then they blush and then they are ashamed What light is that that will ashame one of sin there is light enough in hel-fire for the damned there to reade their sins by but that don't make them ashamed where the light of the Gospel the opening of the Kingdom of Heaven is and pardoning love is there is shame Ye shall see therefore how Ezra bulshes when he considered the love of God and their sins together in the 9. of Ezra and the 6. verse And he said O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face unto thee my God Why for our iniquities are increased Is that all No saies he at the 8. verse for a little space grace hath been shewed us from the Lord our God to give us a remnant to eseape and to give us a nail in his Holy place we were bond-men yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage And now O our God what shall we say after this after this The sight of their own sins and the remembrance of Gods love together made him blush Ye know the place in Ezekiel Then shall ye be confounded and ashamed when I am pacified towards ye The more a man knows that God is pacified towards him the more he is ashamed Again A Repenting person is not only ashamed of his former evil waies but as occasion serves he will acknowledge his