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soul_n	body_n	bring_v	death_n	8,551	5	5.4004	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55754	Sun-beams of gospel-light shining clearly from severall texts of Scripture, opened and applyed. 1. A heavemly [sic] treatise of the devine love of Christ. 2. The Christians freedome. 3. The deformed forme of a formall profession. 4. Christs fulnesse, and mans emptinesse. By John Preston, doctor in divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to King James, Mr. of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher at Lincolnes Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Preston, John, 1587-1628. Two treatises, viz. The Christian freedome, and The deformed forme of a formall profession.; Preston, John, 1587-1628. Plenitudo fontis, or, Christ's fulnesse and man's emptinesse.	1644 (1644)	Wing P3307A; ESTC R219005	93,300	192

for he hath given you leave to love your wives children and your lawfull recreations onely now you love them at his appointment as he will whereas before you did it as you listed Nay the Lord doth not onely give you your heart againe but returnes it better than it was new pointed As the earth receives in the puddle water which it sends forth cleare and pure All the streames of thy love runne as fresh for thy good as ever they did and more That onely which was amiss● in them is taken away Let not this feede thy understanding onely but finde it good in thy practise By this you shall have much comfort and joy and this is that which all men desire What is that which keepes you from loving the Lord Oh you have a conceit that then you must iose your pleasures and your delights No it is the most comfortable action in the world to love the Lord delights follows action as the flame the fire Now the best action hath the greatest delight The Philosopher could say Happinesse was to love the most amiable object Est amare optimum amabile to love the best amiable knowne is the best act Whom not seeing yet you love joying with joy unspeakeable and glorious 1 Peter 1. It is a pleasant thing to love a creature like thy selfe thy children thy friend But the creature is not perfect and it may be it loves not thee againe But Christ is perfect and loves thee thou canst not lose any love by loving of him Oh what a pleasant thing it is to love the Lord to live with him to sup and dine with him to be able to say I am my welbeloveds and my welbeloved is mine When you shall consider the world hates you what a comfort will it be to know that the Lord loves you that when the world uses you ill you may flye unto Christ his bosome and lay open all your grievances to him To love and to be beloved are the most pleasant actions Now to love the Lord Jesus is so much the more pleasant than the loving of other things as he is a more excellent object than other things Besides is not every thing best in its owne place conformed to its owne rule carried to its owne end Take it in thy body when all the parts of it are strait all the faculties and humours in a right temper serving to their proper ends then there is delight and comfort so Love when it is setled upon its owne object sets all things straight whence wonderfull joy cannot but follow Amor rectus omnia recta habet as the Schoolman well observes Consider this the love of the Lord makes you a better man gives you a greater excellency which is a thing which all men desire Looke on the excellencie of the creatures it proceedes from their formes as the excellencie of a Pearle above other stones comes from its forme for we know that the matter of all these things is common Now the object to the faculty hath the property of the forme for it gives name and distinction Now this love makes God and spirituall things as it were the forme of the will And according to this forme is the Excellencie of the man Every man is better or worse as his love is pitched on a better object He that loves a base thing is base and hee that loves a thing somewhat better excels that man but hee that loves spirituall things is the most noble Looke on the lower faculties when the sensitive appetite enjoyes its proper object then a man hath his perfection in that kinde Thus when the will is fixed on Iesus Christ its best object then a man hath his full perfection If water be united to Wine it s made better when the body is united to the soule how glorious a creature is it how glorious a creature then will thy soule be when by love it is united to the Lord This love puts a greater excellencie on the soule than the soule doth on the body Love brings the soule to God and makes him all in all to us so that what wee cannot desire we may have in him have ye not then cause to wish that yee loved the Lord True you have said enough to enflame us But how shall we doe it my brethren if you are brought unfainedly to desire it halfe the worke is done when the Disciples prayed Lord increase our faith Matth. 18. Christ answers If you have faith but as a graine of Mustard seed you may say unto this Mountaine be thou moved and it shall be moved But this is not the meanes to get faith No but this commends faith And if out of this commendation they could come to prize and admire it and so pray earnestly for it God would give it them Let this therefore be the first meanes to helpe thee to the getting of this to the Lord Iesus First pray heartily for it Lord I desire to love thee I see thee most amiable and would faine love thee This Petition is according to thy will Lord grant it me How would this prevaile how could God put off such a request But I have prayed and I have not obtained it But hast thou prayed importunately as the woman to the unjust Iudge without giving over This is a precious grace and therefore God will have us bestow some paines in the getting of it We shall not obtaine it easily that so we may prise it the more and keep it the more charily The grace of Christ saith Paul was abundant with mee in faith and love 1 Tim. 11. 14. This is that which the Apostle magnified so much that God had given him love The grace of Christ was abundant towards him in giving him love But how doth prayer doe this That little love which moved thee to pray by exercise is increased and is become greater Prayer brings thee in acquaintance with God Before acquaintance there may be a wishing well to another but there cannot be that love to another which is required in friendship And it may be Christ will shew himselfe unto thee as wee see when hee himselfe Matth. 17. prayed his garments were changed and hee was transfigured But especially prayer doth this by prevailing with God as we see the prayers of the blinde man prevailed with Christ. And doe you thinke that Christ now in Heaven hath put off these kinde affections which he had on the earth will hee not also heare if you should pray to him But this you will say is a common meanes to obtaine all grace Yes but of this love in a speciall manner because love is the most peculiar gift of the Holy Ghost Now the Holy Ghost is obtained by Prayer Our hearts are so carnall so fleshly that we cannot love the Lord and he is so holy so good that we can no more love him unlesse hee himselfe kindle this flame of love

SVN-BEAMS OF GOSPEL-LIGHT Shining clearly from severall Texts of Scripture opened and applyed 1. A heavemly treatise of the devine love of Christ. 2. The Christians freedome 3. The deformed forme of a formall profession 4. Christs fulnesse and mans emptinesse By IOHN PRESTON Doctor in Divinity Chaplaine in ordinary to King Iames Mr. of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at Lincolnes Inne LONDON Printed for IOHN STAFFORD and are to be sold in Bracke Horse Alley 1644. A HEAVENLY TREATISE OF THE DIVINE LOVE OF CHRIST Shewing 1. The Motives 2. The Meanes 3. The Markes 4. The Kindes thereof Delivered in five Sermons by IOHN PRESTON Doctor in Divinity Chaplane in Ordinary to his Majestie Master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at Lincolnes Inne MATTH 22. 37 38. This is the first and great Commandement thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart LONDON Printed by Thomas Paine for Iohn Stafford in Chancery Lane over against the Roules Anno Dom. 1640. The Names of Doctor Iohn Preston his Severall Treatises 1. A Treatise of the Attributes of God containing 17. Sermons upon divers Texts 2. Foure Treatises viz. 1. A remedy against Covetousnesse upon Coloss. 3. 5. 2. An Elegant and lively description of spirituall life and death upon Iohn 5. 25. 3. The Doctrine of selfe dentall upon Luke 9. 23. 4. A Treatise of the Sacrament upon 〈◊〉 Ioh. 5. 14. 3. The Saints daily Exercise or a Treatise of Prayer upon 1 Thess. 5. 17. 4. The New Covenant in 14. Sermons upon Gen. 17. 1 2. Unto which is added 4. Sermons upon Eccles. 9. 1 2. 11. 12. 5. The Saints Qualification containing viz. 1. A Treatise of Humiliation in 10. Sermons the first 9 upon Romans 1. 18. The tenth Preached before the common house of Parliament upon Numb 25. 10 11. 2. Of Sanctification or the New Creature in 9. Sermons upon 2 Cor. 5. 17. 3. Of Communion with Christ in the Sacrament in 3. Sermons upon 1 Cor. 10. 16. 6. The Doctrine of the Saints Infirmities upon 2 Chron. 30. 18 19 20. 7. The Brestplate of Faith and Love containing 18. Sermons upon three severall Texts viz. Revel 1. 17. 1 Thes. 1. 3. Gal. 5. 6. 8. Five Sermons Preached before his Majestie viz. 1. The New Life upon 1 Iohn 5. 15. 2. A Sensible demonstration of the Diety upon Esay 64. 4. 3. Of Exact walking upon Ephe. 5. 15. 4. The Pillar and ground of Truth upon 1 Tim. 3. 15. 5. Sam. Support of sorrowfull sinners upon 1 Sam. 12. 20. 21 22. 9. Two Treatises of Mortification and Humiliation upon Col. 3. 5. Ephes. 2. 1 2 3. Together with the livelesse life A Treatise of Vivisication 10. His Remaines containing 3. excellent Treatises viz. 1. Iudas's Repentance 2. The Saints Spirituall strength 3 Pauls Conversion 11. The Golden Scepter with the Churches Marriage being three Treatises in one volume 12. The Fulnesse of Christ upon Iohn 1. 16. 13. A Heavenly Treatise of the Divine Love of Christ in Five Sermons upon 1 Cor. 16. 22. A briefe Collection of the principall heads of these five insuing Sermons Sermon the first THe explanation of the two words Anathema and Maranatha fol. 2. Doctrine 1. That to love the Lord Iesus is so necessarily required of us That he is worthy to be accursed that doth it not fol. 3. What Loue is in g 〈…〉 ill ibid. How this Love dot 〈…〉 w it selfe ibid. Five kindes of Love 4. Three qualities of love 5. What this Love of the Lord Iesus is It is a holy disposition arising from faith whereby me cleave unto the Lord Iesus Christ with full purpose of heart to serve and please him in all things 8 Five reasons why they are worthy to be cursed that love not the Lord Iesus 11. 12 Vse 1. It is a great sinne not to love the Lord Iesus Christ. 12 An Objection answered 14 Five true signes of this Love of the Lord Iesus 15 Sermon the second Vse 2. Try whether what you doe is out of Love 19 Five notes of tryall of this Love of the Lord Iesus 21 Sixe Objections answered 30 31 32. Sermon the third Five notes more of the triall of the Love of the Lord Iesus Christ. 37 Divers Objections therein answered 38 Vse 3. To humble our selves for want of that Love 33 Eight reasons why wee ought to love the Lord Iesus 44 Divers Objections thereunto answered 45 46 47 48 49. The fourth Sermon Vse 4. The 4. Vse is to exhort us to love the Lord Iesus 53 Five advantages which doe arise from the Lord Iesus 54 Foure meanes to be used to strengthen our Love in the Lord Iesus 60 Diverse Objections therein answered 61 to 67. Sermon the fift The kindes of Love that the Lord accepts 73 Divers Objections thereto answered 75. 76 Wherein grounded Love doth stand 77 The Object on whom our love is to be set 79 Of the curse of those that love not the Lord Iesus 82 Three Objections answered 83. 84. 85. 86. A Soliloquy of the devout soule to Christ panting after the love of the Lord Iesus 89. To the Reader of these pious and plaine Sermons Grace and PEACE CHristian Reader it was an old complaint of an Heathen that the noise of the old Philosophers opinions did hinder their dung-hill gods from hearing their prayers And it is no very new complaint of a Christian that the many idle subtleties of the Schoole have so drawn up Divinity to the highest pegge of a curious mind that it hinders the heart from moulding it into Prayers and practice This grave and serious Divine whose living Sermons are here commended to thee when hee is dead saw it with both eyes Therefore though he was no small master in subtleties yet all his thoughts were bent to draw them downe from the floating braine to the feeling heart that his hearers might be better brought to know and doe As this hath been his course in all his writings before extant so is it in this that now comes to thy hands How might he have hid himselfe in the thornes of speculation How high might hee have flowne in the curious extracts of every word of this Text But he that delighted to speake ten words to edification rather then ten thousand that could not pierce every ordinary braine contented himselfe to fill up deepe foards to make them passable and to wade the sweete and shallow streames of the love of the Lord Iesus He might from hence have set himselfe upon the mount of cursings and showred downe worse then fire and brimstone upon delinquents but the meeknesse of his spirit carries him up to the mount of blessings to learne good soules through death to finde life through threatnings to meete with comforts Hee being lifted up by the Divine love of Christ doth describe love and our love to Christ He soares to the equity and necessity of it He rests not before he have given you the meanes motives markes

upon thee see also what hee hath done in forgiving thee Thou hast sinned often and greatly and yet still he hath forgiven thee and this is a great matter Shee loved much because much was forgiven her Luke 7. Hee feeds thee cloathes thee thou hast not a nights rest but hee gives it thee he it is that keeps thee from all dangers that careth for thee when thou canst not take care for thy selfe The creature cannot helpe thee withou 〈…〉 ee command it to helpe thee hee hath stood close to thee in all exigents And this most of all affects us in some great danger when all forsake us wee cannot but love him most dearely that then sticks close unto us Thus hath the Lord done unto thee with this Nathan urges David and aggravates his sinne The Lord hath done thus and thus unto thee and if that had not been enough would have done more 2 Sam. 12. 8. Take up the same practise with your soule the Lord hath done thus and thus for mee and shall I not love him would wee not hate that man that should not love and respect him from whom hee hath his whole maintenance Lastly consider that hee loves thee Now as fire begets fire so let love beget love The Son of God hath loved thee and given himselfe for thee Galatians 2. Consider Christ hath loved thee and hath given a good experiment of his love to wit himselfe for thee And if he had given thee himselfe whole it had beene a gift inestimable But he hath given thee himselfe broken crucified to thee who hast beene a rebell against him See his love he lookes on thee when thou thinkest not o● him he took care for thee when thou tookest none for thy selfe Nay then thought it hee not too much to dye for thy good Oh the height the length the breadth the depth of the love of Christ which passes knowledge you can never know this love of the Lord it astonished Paul All this may stirre you up to feare the Lord. This shewes you what reason you have to doe it And it may be an intentive to you or at the least may cause thee greatly to condemne thy self for not loving him Let these at least make you thinke well of the Lord and ill of thy selfe that you cannot love It will goe heard if hee be refused his wrath will be kindled Psal. 2. after that hee hath sued to thee and thou rejectest him hee will not put it up but will make his wrath knowne on thee which GOD forbid So endeth the third Sermon A HEAVENLY TREATISE OF THE DIVINE LOVE OF CHRIST Sermon IIII. BY IOHN PRESTON D D. Matt. 22. 37 38. This is the first and great Commandement thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart Psal. 31. 26. Love the Lord O all ye his Saints LONDON Printed by Thomas Paine for Iohn Stafford 640. A HEAVENLY TREATISE OF THE DIVINE LOVE OF CHRIST Sermon IIII. 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be had in execration yea let him be accursed unto the death IF it be of so much moment to love the LORD that they are accursed that love him not let mee exhort you then to doe it The motive in the Text puts a necessity upon the duty but to draw you on by the cords of love See what you shall get by it It might be a strong argument you shall perish if you doe it not But let us see the advantages that will come to us by it I will make you to keepe Gods commandements with ease and delight and this is no small benefit This love makes you goe about the worke as the Ship with wind and saile The journey must bee gone now they that have not love must rowe and take a great deale more paines This is the love of God that you keep his commandements And his commandements are not grievous 1 Iohn 3. This makes us keepe the commandements so ye may feare you will say Oh but love makes them easie It will be very hard to do them without love How hard a taske had it beene for Paul to have done so much as hee did without this love● See what love makes mothers doe to children This love of Christ constrained Paul it carried him on like wings it compelled him to doe thus and thus And is this then nothing yea it shall make you abundant in the worke of the Lord. For this commands all the faculties and it windes them up to their highest pegs and this it will make you to doe out of an inward principle There is a great difference betwixt a horse that runs freely and one that is forced by the Spurre Shall not this then cause you to set a high price upon this love There are scarse any so desperate but they would say they would faine keepe GODS commandements were they not so hard Now this love will make them thy delight it will make them easie and pleasant unto thee This is the surest testimony to your owne soule of all others that you are translated from death to life An hypocrite cannot love the Lord hee may doe the outward workes hee may heare the Word and be diligent in his calling But here is the difference he doth not this out of love This is that distingnishing character which distinguishes a Christian as reason doth a man If you can finde this love of Christ this hungring after him that tendring of the heart towards him that your heart is to Christ as the Iron to the Load-stone you must rest with him If you can say I have no great markes of a childe of God I have many infirmities but yet this I can say I love the Lord my life for thine thy case is happie heaven and earth may passe away but thou canst not misse of thy happinesse What ever you have without this can bee no sound testimony unto you of your blessednesse and this alone may secure you of it This love doth make you lose nothing whereas in the loving of other things the more you bestow the lesse you have When thou givest thy heart to God he gives thee thy heart againe and sets it on worke for thy owne good Hee teacheth us to profit and leadeth us by the way which we should goe Esay 48. 17. As Christ said of the Sabboath the Sabboath was made for man so may I say of all the commandements when you give your hearts to the Lord he sets them to keepe the commandements but to this end that it may be well with thee Oh that there were such a heart in this people to feare me and to keepe all my commandements that it might goe well with them and their children for ever Deutrenomy 5. 20. Thou hast thy heart againe when thou givest it to God But here is the difference before thou wert but an unjust professor of it now the Lord hath made thee Steward of it

blood and live and I cannot but love thee for that If I looke to mount Olivet I see thee ascending farre above all heavens and I cannot but love thee for that also Indeed in Tabor thou hadst visible glory but it soone vanished in the Garden and Golgotha thou hadst little visible beauty why I should desire thee and in Olivet thou wast quite carried out of my sight If then thou liest for mee no where else what hope have I to love thee O thou to be beloved of all Art thou not in the tents of the Sheperds Dost thou not walke in the midst of the golden Candlestickes Doest thou not dwell in the hearts of men by faith O let mee see thee here below in the Church in my selfe Let thy glory goe before me that I may love thee for ever and ever and be blessed in thee Thou hast a long time been manifested to me in thy natures offices and markes for me and these draw mee to love thee Thou hast beene crucified before my eyes and the vertues of it have beene cleared by the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments I have heard and seene the promises signes and seales of thy dearest love and these might allure me to love thee But O thou chiefest of ten thousand why hast thou kept thy selfe at such a distance why hast thou not been formed in me why hast thou not dwelt in me that I might see in thee the glories and vertues of thy life death resurrection ascension and to be sicke of love Thou hast stood and knockt at the doore of my unworthy heart for this end Thou wouldest have come in and supped with me after the noon-shine of the Gospel with thine owne banquet But alas there was no roome for thee because I desired first to feast it out with the base guests of sinfull lusts before I would give thee entertainement The cause hath been in my selfe that I have not beene better acquainted with thee and so that I have not loved thee O wretched soule that I am who shall deliver me from being an enemy to my self I have bowed my knees to the Father of thee the Lord Iesus that he would grant to me according to the riches of his glory that I may have his assistance to empty my selfe of all my wickedguests that thou mayest come into me and I may have the better list and leasure to contemplate thy glory and be grounded in thy love O my blessed Lord Iesus Could I but get this my gaines would be unspeakeable Whatsoever thou commandest would be sweet because I love thee If I could give thee my heart thou wouldst give it better to me againe for no uncleane thing can come out of thy hands But O my desired love I have denied thee therefore I deny my selfe I have rejected thee therefore I reject my selfe Doe with me as thou wilt onely first love me and let me answer thee with love againe And why should not I be confident to be heard in this seeing thou my love sittest at the right hand of God making request for me Speak thou the word and thy poore servant shall love thee Say to my soule My Father hath heard thy prayer and then I will love thee dearely My Lord Iesus if I love thee I live If I love thee not I perish under a fearefull curse for evermore And shall it be thus with me O thou that wilt not the death of poore sinners who pant after thee No no thy merits and intercession have prevailed with my God I finde the filth of domineering sinne in some measure washed from the windowes of my soule that the beames of thy glory may pierce it and draw my love after thee Now doe I begin to be sicke of love and earnestly desire thy company here by grace and hereafter by glory I love to heare thee speak let me heare thy voice for it is sweet and to speake to others of thee and thy beauties Thou hast made mee something willing to doe and to suffer any thing for thee Lord perfect this good worke If I see the meanest persons like thee in thy goodnesse My delight is in them I love them the better for thy sake I dare not wilfully anger thee and my soule is vexed with them that doe it Thus the pulses of my soule by thy blessing doe begin to beat after thee But alas when I consider how weake I am in thy love to thee my Saviour when I find a thousand things creep in betwixt thee home and steale my heart away from thee when I feele how easily I am diverted from thee and thy service what comfort can my poore soule have now O my Lord Iesus thou wilt not leave thy own worke suffer thy tender plant to wither away when thou hast sowed thy seed hast thou not prepared the former and latter raine Shall I not be able to doe this through him that loveth thee and me I may not run from thy love thou art my Lord. I dare not thou art my Iesus If thou live let me know thy love to me If I live let me feele my love to thee Oh shed it more in my heart that as in beleeving in thee my person is justified so in loving thee my faith may be justified and in having faith working by love I may so constantly walke in thy presence that with comfort I may sing with the Bride Come Lord Iesus come quickly Even so Amen FINIS TWO TREATISES VIZ. THE CHRISTIAN FREEDOME AND THE DEFORMED FORME OF A FORMALL PROFESSION By that late faithfull and worthy Minister of Iesus Christ JOHN PRESTON Doctor in Divinity Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majestie Master of Emanuell Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes Inne LONDON Printed by I. N. for Iohn Stafford and are to be sold at his Shop in Chancery-lane over against the Roules 1641. THE CHRISTIAN FREEDOME OR The Charter of the Gospel shewing the priviledge and prerogative of the Saints by vertue of the Covenant Wherein these foure points of Doctrine are properly observed plainely proved both by Scripture and reason and pithily applied Viz. 1. That he that is in the state of grace lyeth in no knowne sinne no sinne hath dominion over him 2. That sinne though it doth not raigne in the Saints yet it doth remaine and dwell in them 3. That the way to overcome sinne is to get assurance of the Love and grace and favour of God whereby it is forgiven them 4. That whosoever is under the Law sinne hath dominion over him By that late faithfull and worthy Minister of Iesus Christ JOHN PRESTON Doctor in Divinity Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majestie Master of Emanuell Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes Inne ROM 6. 12. Let not sinne therefore raigne in your mortall bodies that you should obey it in the lusts thereof Printed 1641. The Names of Doctor IOHN PRESTON his severall Treatises 1. A Treatise of the Attributes of God

the sorrow commanded is that which followes beliefe for the more I beleeve the promises the more I shal grieve for displeasing him But what is the way to get assurance of the forgivenesse of our sinnes may some say I answer That that be done which is to be done on our part beleeved which God hath promised First The things to be done on our part are these 1. Confession plainely and truly we must confesse them to God and to man when we our selves cannot overcome them 2. Contrition which is when a man is not stubborne and resisteth Gods will and will please himselfe to get his heart broken and to say as S. Paul saith Lord what wilt thou have mee to doe and then we are subject to his will To him will I looke that is of a contrite heart 3. Desertion or forsaking of sinne for He that forsaketh not his sinnes shall not prosper which is when we having the like occasions yet will not give way to him but follow our owne lusts Secondly That that be beleeved which God hath promised and that is that as hee hath said He will forgive our sinnes upon such and such conditions so we beleeve it And to make us to doe this these motions may perswade us 1. Because he is mercifull in whose mercy there are three things all very materiall and moving 1. It is naturall to him hee is not weary of shewing mercy as the eye is not weary of seeing nor the eare of hearing no more is God in shewing mercie but in us it is not naturall but an infused quality and therefore wee are weary when men provoke us often 2. His mercy is infinite but in men it is not so therefore come within compasse of this quality and hee will exercise it for no sinne is beyond Gods mercy this keepeth us from despaire for though they be great yet God is able to forgive them As the raine watereth as well the great field as the little garden and as the Sunne shines as well on mountaines as on Molehills and as it disperseth the thick mist as well as the least thinne cloud so doth Gods mercy passe by great sinnes as well as little But if our sinnes be exceeding great aggravated with circumstances and often committed then we cannot imagine that God will forgive us This is answered by the Prophet Isaiah God is more mercifull than man can be sinfull he is more mercifull than we can imagine My thoughts are as much above your thoughts as the heaven is above the earth 3. We see much mercy in men and in the mother of a childe now it is but as a drop out of the ocean of Gods mercy but as a spark to the whole element of fire If you being evill can give good things to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father c. See what the Scripture saith I am mercifull forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne the first word signifies originall sinne the second actuall the third rebellion all which God can forgive Secondly because it is the end of Christs comming into the world now no man will doe any thing especially so great a matter as to kill himselfe for no end Christ then dyed for the forgivenesse of sinnes This S. Paul urgeth the end of Christs comming was to save sinners otherwise the crosse of Christ had beene of none effect and his mediation of no use if men did not commit sinnes or if God should not forgive them therefore God must needs be ready to forgive Thirdly because God beseecheth us to be reconciled unto him through Christ now if God doth this if wee seeke earnestly hee will heare us The Prodigall being willing to come home to his Father he met him and received him joyfully so doth God hee chargeth his Ministers to compell men to come in that is to preach Gods mercy that he will forgive their sinnes and therefore the most acceptable action to God is to bring a sinner to him Fourthly the charge laid on us to beleeve wee are charged on the paine of death to beleeve and therefore it is most profitable for us and most pleasing to him hee takes it wel at our hands that wee should beleeve and by the hand of faith lay hold on him which hee would not doe if he were not ready to forgive Fifthly from the examples of others let us see what God hath done for them and it will make us beleeve he forgave Manasses as well as Ioshua he pardoned Mary Magdalen as well as Elizabeth and Paul as well as Peter he hath forgiven the greatest sinnes as well as the least and he will also deale so with us Sixthly from the effects of it which are these 1. It glorifieth God much Abraham beleeved and glorified God much for the greater the sinner is the more honour is given to God as the Physitian hath the greatest glory by curing the greatest wound so God hath the greatest glory by forgiving the greatest sins which wound the soule even to death 2. It moveth us to love God the more Mary loved much because much was forgiven her 3. It mollifies the most it causeth them to relent and weepe much more This is plaine by that place where it is said that when God forgave the greatest sinnes then they mourned and lamented as in those Converts Act. 2. 37. 4. It purifies the heart for no man lookes to keepe his heart pure untill hee be assured of the forgivenesse of his sinnes for till then hee cannot looke on God as on a Father but on the contrary when the sinne is not forgiven God loseth the glory of being a Father and the glory of his truth and of his mercy and that hardens the heart from relenting Seventhly from the price which was payed and which no sinne can goe beyond indeed if Christ had payed but a finite price wee might feare that our sinnes should not be forgiven If a man were in debt two thousand pound and there were but one pay'd hee might be discouraged but when there is infinitely more pay'd than the debt is this should make us beleeve our sinnes are forgiven us whatsoever they be seeing they be all but finite Eighthly from the tenour of the Promises which proclaime that they that beleeve and repent and forsake their sinnes shall finde pardon for them as a King that proclaimes that all traytors and rebels shall be pardoned if they would lay downe their weapons Now Non est excipiendum ubi ●ex non excipit There is no exception to be made where the law makes none God faith yea therefore hath said and sworne it that he will forgive our sinnes that we may beleeve it But I have committed the sinne oft Yet God will forgive thee Though thou hast oft committed whoredome yet I will forgive thee if thou turne unto me saith the Lord by the Prophet of the house of Israel Ier. 3.

I have but a little time to live here it is another place where I must live for all eternity and it shall be with me for all this eternity as I spend this short time I say if this were thoroughly considered I wonder that any thing else should take up the intentions and thoughts of a mans heart but only how to make sure his salvation But alas we are robbed of our selves through worldly delights and doe magno conaru magnas nugas agere and so we spend our lives But if we would not have with the Merchant Fortunam rudentibus ap●am that is an estate hanging upon ropes and depending upon uncertaineties especially seeing grace whence repentance proceedeth is as you see received and not in our power But wee mistake repentance and that is the cavse we defer it it is not as it is commonly thought a sorrow for our sinnes onely nor a n●●ere leaving of sinnes out of feare of hell and desire to be sayed which a man may doe out of the strength of naturall wisedome providing for his owne safety but it is a much different thing viz. putting life into a dead man Ephesians 2. 1. Making a man a new Creature 2 Corinthians 5. 17. A change of the whole frame of the heart As if another soule dwelt in the same body as he saith Ego non ego In a word when a man is cleane another man then he was serving of God out of an inward propensnesse and having the whole bent of his disposition turn'd to delight in the Law of God without these by-respects And that this may yet be made clearer and put out of all doubt I would aske but this question That repentance which men take up in age or in times of extreamity whence proceedeth it if from selfe love as it usually doth in such cases because the soule is then strongly possessed with an apprehension of death and hell and another life then there is no more then nature in it for the streame riseth not higher then the fountaine A beast would doe as much which sinking into danger would struggle to save it selfe But if it proceed from love to God why was it not done sooner why not in the flowre of our youth yea when it is done soonest would we not be heartily sorry that it was not done sooner if it proceeded out of love to him And if it thus proceed out of an holy love to God it cannot arise but from his holy spirit the breathings of which spirit as they are most free so are they most pretious Therefore when such a sparke is kindled in our hearts let us bee carefull to put fuell to it and not suffer it to goe out againe Al the Creatures in Heaven and Earth cannot helpe us againe to them yea the best Ordinances are but as pens without inke or empty Conduit-pipes which give not a drop of true Grace except Christ who is the Fountaine please to conveigh it by them You know the Famous Story of Francis Spira what bitter cryes hee used upon his Death-bed O that I had but one drop of Faith One of the motions which I have beene wont to have but yet could not have them But died with those desperate words in his mouth I am Damned Therefore let us take heed how we let such motions rise up like bubbles in us and breake againe or goe our like sparkes upon wet tinder lest often checking and snibbing and quenching the Spirit in the end we be guilty of resisting the Holy Ghost and God shal sweare in his wrath that we shal not enter into his rest Where by the way observe that this Doctrine teacheth us not to be idle and leave al to God as they slander it but as Paul maketh the Consequence because God worketh in you both the wil and the deed therefore worke out your Salvation with feare and trembling Arminius contrarily ourselves worke in our selves the Wil and the deed Therefore we need not worke out our Salvation with any such feare and solicitude since we may d●e it at our owne pleasure and leisure But it wil be said this is a hard case although a man would repent yet he cannot though he desire to serve God yet it is impossible Therefore to take away this Scruple we must know that God is exceeding free and open-handed in giving grace if it may be taken in time and if we wil not believe it Iohn commeth here and telleth you I have received of his Fulnesse and not onely I but al we have received that is al other Saints that either are or have beene and since Iohn's time many thousand thousands And shal not such a Cloud of Witnesses perswade us If a Beggar doe but heare of an open House kept or a great Dole it affects him and invites him to goe But when he sees many come from it with armes-ful and lapsful and baskets-ful then he is confident that addeth wings to him So if a sick man doe but heare of a Famous Physitian or a healing Wel it stirs him up to goe and try But when he meets with 100 and 1000 comming from the Wel and telling him I have beene there and am healed I have beene there and am made whole then he maketh no question So doth Iohn here Al we have received of his Fulnesse Like a Bird that hath found out a ful heape and calls his fellowes to it Say not therefore oh my sinnes are so great and my wants are so many But rather thinke thus with your selves if there was grace inough for so many there is surely inough for me Onely you must receive when it is offered in the acceptable time lest often grieving the Spirit God suffers his Spirit to strive no longer Gen. 6 3. But as I said before sweare in his wrath that you shal not enter into his rest 2 If al grace be received then let us be affected as Receivers 1 In thank fulnes towards God the most gracious a●e the most grateful 2 In Humility towards men For what have wee that wee have not received And shal our Purse or Vessel boast it selfe against another because the Owner hath put more Gold or more precious Liquor into it than into another it may be of the same or a better worth Or shal the wal which glistereth with the Sun beames exalt it selfe against another which stands in the shadow as if it had Lustre from it selfe and not borrowed from the Sun 3. Let us be affected as Receivers in begging grace at Gods hands by Prayer Therefore it is said to be the Bucket of grace and it is a true observation that a man of much Prayer is a man of much Grace Now Prayer is either Private or Publique Private is that wherein we expresse our private and particular occasions to God every day wherein we renew Repentance Covenants with God of abstayning from the sinnes we are most prone to and of doing the duties to which we are