came in the world hath ascended to glory Alas this is not perceiued and in my selfe I cannot see it as I would the moste godly complain that they caÌ„not see this effectualnesse of Christes glory The cause is the deadnesse that abideth in vs sin caÌ„not be gotten out of this world till the Lord come again it dwelleth in vs. and reigneth in the world the Deuil the prince of this world reigneth by it for where sinne reigneth he reigneth yea it oppresseth y e godly heart that they can scarcely feele in themselues this renouation so weighty is sinne who seeth it There is a glimmering of this newe creation but who hath this glimmering None but that new soule an vnregenerate man neuer sawe this regeneration neither in himselfe nor in others and hee cannot suffer to heare of a regenerate sanctified man hee will laugh as though there could not bee such a thing as regeneration because the scorner himselfe is vnrenewed therefore hee cannot weigh GODS graces in others So long as thou art vnregenerate thou canst not but scorn regeneration yea and persecute the regenerate man and so rash thine head against a wall For the LORD hath made him inviolable and the Temple of His Spirite and therefore He shall destroy thee that art the vnregenerate man yea and destroyed shall euerie man bee that dasheth himselfe against the Church of IESVS that is the renewed body that body as an yroÌ„ wall shall bruise them Experience telleth this Who euer was hee that rashed against the Church but the Church hath beaten him into powder Meddle not with y e Saincts of God although it were but one Sainct renewed by the grace of God hee is sufficient to destroy and bruise a whole kingdome that rasheth on him The Lord open mens eye to see this For all the world would not I bee one to make opposition to one of the Saincts of GOD. The LORD therefore saue men and learne them to account of this renouation as they would haue a portion thereof be glorified at the comming of Christ Now to end shortly The Apostle when he hath spoken of the renewing of all creatures made by IESVS the Mediator for all floweth out of him in the next verse hee riseth and mounteth vp O howe hee that is carried with the Spirite of Christ will rise when hee is speaking of IESVS hee riseth vp to a light inaccessible he seeth God the Father sitting in his Throne and Majestie and the worke of this renewing flowing froÌ„ him through Christ the Mediator rising vp to the Father of Christ hee saieth And all thinges are of GOD c. Our lesson is All graces come from Christ the Mediator our regeneration floweth out of his life but the fountain of all is the Father of Heauen the Father of Iesus and therfore when thou findest the grace flowing from Iesus raise vp thy soule look thorowe to the glorious Fountaine sitting in his Majesty say All glory be to y e Father I acknowledge all goodnesse to come from thee O Father thou hast giuen all graces to me through thy Son Christ Now when he hath risen vp to the Father he coÌ„meth down again to two degrees which are the â—â—wayes wherby the regeneration is wrought The first is the reconciliatioÌ„ to the Father throgh Christ the Mediator by his death The second is this Ministerie base and contemptible in the eyes of men this dispensation of the mysteries of GOD that hee hath put into the handes of his Ministers to bee distributed to the people Well Brethren a man must come to this regeneration by degrees as a maÌ„ stepping vp a ladder If thou wouldest be renewed in Christ thou must climbe and goe vp by degrees The first is the Ministery of reconciliation The second is the reconciliation it selfe in Christ The thirde and last is the fountaine of regeneration God the Father Will thou runne vp and misse one of these sâ—eps No it is not possible for thou shalt neuer get regeneration before God be friended with thee thou art His enemy thou must be frieÌ„ded with Him before thou bee renewed Well then thou wilt say I must bee friended with Him but I neede not thy ministery can I not come to Heauen but by hearing thee preâ—ch I say thou canst not I lay this necessity before thee and I charge thee I binde thee to this ministery Imagine thou another meanes to attaine to this glory contemne thou this ministery in the silliest person to whome God hath giuen it I shal make a strawe bar the gates of HeaueÌ„ in thy teeth yea albeit thou bee a Monarch thou shalt neuer get reconciliation without this Ministery The Lord wakeÌ„ our coÌ„sciences that we may embrace the ordinance of God we shall neuer be wise in God except first wee become fooles that wee may bee wise Then seeing this necessity is of the Ministery to make a reconciliation with our God and this reconciliation must passe by a proclamation of peace to the miserable worlde and passe by the mouth of this contemned Ministery The Lord waken these our senselesse heartes that we may reuerence and esteeme of this Ministerie more than we haue done The Lord grant vs this for Christs sake To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirite bee all Glory and Honour for euermore AMEN THE SIXT SERMON I. COR. CHAP. II. verse 6 And we speake wisedome among them that are perfect not the wisedome of this world nor of the princes of this world who come to naught verse 7 But we speake the wisedome of GOD in a mysterie euen the â—id wisedome which God ordained before the world vnto our glorie verse 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew for had they knowne it they would not haue crucified the Lord of glorie verse 9 But as it is writteÌ„ The eye hath not seene the care hath not heard neither hath entred inâ—â— the hart of maÌ„ the things that God hath prepared for theÌ„ that lâ—ue him IN the Text immediatelie preceeding well-beloued in the LORD IESVS the Apostle hath beene renouncing the wisedome of man in vttering of the Gospel of IESVS CHRIST thinking it not worthy that any mans faith should be builded on it For that faith that is builded on it cannot stand because y e wisdome of man is a false foundation and the thing that is builded on a false foundation cannot stand Now to come to this Text which we haue read presentlie It might haue beene said to the Apostle Who counteth of thy wisedome thou esteemest not of mans wisedome nor eloquence but who counteth of thee or of thy wisedome either Hee answereth in the 6. verse Wee speake wisedome among them that are perfect c. That is Who soeuer are perfect in y e Church of God or whosoeuer are come to a degree of perfection or preasse to perfection aspiring aboue nature aboue humane things to see things Heauenly and spiritual these men account
sixteenth Chapter and the two and twentie verse of the first Epistle to the Corinthians Louest thou Him assure thy selfe howbeit thou canst not get such a loue to Him or such a sight of these thinges as thou wouldest haue they are prepared for thee Onelie thou art to take heede to see if that loue of GOD bee in thine heart Goe not to search what is in Heauen and thinke not to get a full sight of that glorie in this life that is laide vp for thee But rest on Him yea though it were halfe blindlinges Well is the soule that can loue the LORD IESVS I will ende heere and will recommende to euerie soule that Loue of IESVS as euer they woulde see the thinges that the eye neuer sawe nor the eare neuer hearde nor hath euer entered into the heart of man to their euerlasting comfort and consolation at the comming of the LORD IESVS To whome with the FATHER and the Holy GHOST bee all Honour Prayse and Glorie for euer and euer world without ende So bee it THE SEVENTH SERMON I. COR. CHAP. II. verse 10 But GOD hath reuealed them vnto vs by His Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all thinges yea the deepe thinges of GOD. verse 11 For what man knoweth the thinges of man except the spirite of a man which is in him Euen so the thinges of GOD knoweth no man but the Spirite of GOD. verse 12 Nowe wee haue receaued not the spirit of the world but the Spirite which is of GOD that wee may know the things that are giuen to vs of GOD. THE last day Brethren we heard a cleare description commendation of that wisedome which ` Paul spake and preached which is none other in effect but this same blessed EVANGELL that is preached to you We shewed you that there was nothing that might commende a science or wisedome in this world but it concurred with him to the commendation praise and glorie of this wisdome that is here described The author of it is not the world nor the Princes of the world but God the maker of the worlde The secrecie of it was hidden vp in a mysterie so manie ages from the creation to the comming of Christ and manifestation of Him in the nature of man The antiquitie of it it was predestinated from all Eternitie The end of it our glorie The sublimitie and highnesse of it when it was reuealed at the cumming of CHRIST none of the Princes of this world could vnderstand it for if they had known it they had not crucified the LORD of glorie The subject of it the thinges which the eye neuer sawe the eare neuer hearde which neuer entered into the heart of man and yet for all this prepared for them that loue the LORD Nowe to come to the Text which wee haue in hand It might haue bene asked of the Apostle If such thinges as were neuer seene neuer heard of nor neuer entred into the heart of man were contained in that wisdom which he taught what profite haue we by that wisedome what profite haue wee of the thinges whereof wee are not capable The Apostle meeteth this in the first verse which we haue read But saith hee God hath reuealed them vnto vs by His Spirit It is true indeed they passe the sight of our eyes they surmount aboue our hearing they passe the capacitie of our mind yet that LORD hath dimitted Himselfe vnto vs by His Spirit He hath reuealed those things to vs the sillie ones of y e world not to the princes of y e world but to the sillie simple ones Hee hath reuealed them not by our spirit but by His owne Spirit There is the summe of the answere shortlie He giueth the reason in the next part of the verse and letteth vs see that the Spirite of Iesus is able to reueale all these high and hidden things to vs setting out the nature of the Holie Spirit For saieth hee the Spirite searcheth all thinges yea the deepe thinges of God The Spirite is a searcher and hee is a searcher of all things created in Heauen and earth Nothing can escape him but hee will seâ—rch into the secretest things in the world and into the secretest parts of thine heart What more Hee is a searcher of the God of glorie Himselfe and will pierce into the infinite deepnesse that is in God Hee being such a Spirit as this is he not able to reueal the things whereof wee are not capable There is the meaning of the whole verse shortlie Then we see these things contained in the Heauenlie wisedome as the riches of God in IESVS CHRIST our remission of sinne our justification our regeneration our saluation and life euerlasting euen common thinges which yee heare of daylie together with Iesus Christ the Mediator in whome and thorowe whome all thinges are wrought are the thinges which the eare hath not hearde nor the eye hath not seene neither haue they eâ—â—ered into the heart of man Yet wee see that these thinges passe not so the capacitie of man nor they are not so altogether hidden from man but they are reuealed And they are reuealed to whom To them for whom they are prepared They are reuealed when euen in this life there is none for whom they are prepared from all Eternitie but in this life before the soule goe out of the bodie they shall receiue some reuelation and vnderstanding of these same things and thou that gettest no reuelation of them in this life and gettest not a sight of them ere the soule goe out of the bodie I will say to thee They were neuer prepared for thee Remission of sinnes was neuer prepared for thee Iustification before the Tribunall of GOD Regeneration Life euerlasting was neuer prepared for thee There is not a better token of life after this life than a blink of life in this life if it were but a glimmering for the best of vs hath but a glimmering a blinke of IESVS Christ and of the graces that are in Him in this life is the surest token that thou canst haue of the life to come And by the contrarie There is not a worse token of darkenesse after this life than to haue thine eyes so closed that thou hast no blinke heere of that life to come And when thou diest hauing no sight of the life to come thou shalt die a miserable catiue a faggot for the fire of Hâ—ll Let vs goe forward to the rest God hath reuealed them by His Spirit Now yee see heere a reuelation by the Spiritâ— Marke it I shall tarie somwhat vpon these wordes Yee heard before of a reuelation by the word which is this wisedome Now yee heare of a reuelation by the Spirite It is not enough to receaue a reuelation by the word though it were neuer so faire and so soundly preached it will neuer doe thee good it is nothing but as if thou wouldest holde a light before a blinde man say to him Man seest
then say Lord I deserue to be threatned alwais to be plagued but Lord thou knowst my nature thes things wil not make me to come to Thee but will put mee away from Thee therefore let mee see Thy manifolde mercies towards sinners to allure me and then I shall come vnto Thee So wee see the remidie against an euill conscience to wit an humble confession of sinne and vnworthinesse and a fleeing from the justice of God to His mercie The fairest sweetest thing in the worlde is to feele the mercie of GOD. But herein there is great hardnesse and difficultie It is not so easilie attained vnto as men commonlie thinke for His mercie is compassed about with His justice and with His wrath against sinners as with a wall of fire and he who will come to grace he must come through a consuming fire and when hee preasseth to come neare the fire of Gods wrath will holde him off and will strike out and burne vp the impenitent sinner as fire doeth the stubble So it is an harder thing than manie think it to be to win to Gods mercy And how shal this be remidied By what meanes shall wee gette thorowe this wall of fire Truely hee who woulde meane to passe thorow fire had neede to bee well armed the man who preasseth to approach neare to that inuialable Majestie who can abide no sort of vncleannesse and woulde drawe neare to the Throne of His grace must bee well armed against the justice and wrath of GOD which debarreth sinners Surelie there is none armour in the world that can preserue vs from that raging and consuming fire of the justice and wrath of GOD but only the righteousnesse and satisfaction of Iesus Christ Let a man vse all the meanes in the world and he be not found in Christ he shall haue none accesse to come thorowe the justice and wrath of God to the Throne of grace yea his soule and his conscience must bee sprinkled and purged from dead workes with that blood which was offered vp to GOD to that ende by His eternall Spirite Heb. 9. without he bee dipped in that blood hee will finde GOD a terrible Iudge And after that through faith in the death and blood of IESVS thou commest to that Throne of grace thou shalt heare the sweetest and moste comfortable voyce that euer was that is All thy sinnes are forgiuen thee in that blood And if a man were cōdemned to die for some haynous cryme if the king would saye I absolue thee I forgiue thee thou shalt liue What joye and comfort woulde that voyce bring to the heart of him who was condemned The Apostle saieth Hebr. 10. 22. Let vs goe to the Throne of grace with a true heart and purged from an euill conscience through the blood of IESUS CHRIST that is Thinke not to come to that Throne of grace except first thou bee purged with that blood Therefore as euer thou wouldest bee in Heauen or see the face of GOD to thy comfort seeke to haue faith in CHRIST IESVS Looke vvhat necessitie is laide vpon a sinner either must hee bee banished from the presence and face of GOD for euer and be casten into the societie of the damned or else if he would bee saued hee must bee imped and ingraffed by a true and liuely faith in Iesus Christ make thee for it with all thy maine to get a gripe of Christ as euer thou wouldest be saued Nowe after hee hath met this objection which God or his owne conscience in Gods cause might haue casten in that hee was so vnworthie to bee heard by an humble confession of vnworthinesse and by fleeing from His justice and claiming to His great mercies bee setteth downe the ende of this mercie and free forgiuenesse of sinnes when he saieth But mercie is with Thee that Thou mayest bee feared The ende whereof the Lord granteth mercie and forgiuenesse of sinnes to sinners is that they may obey serue and worship God with pleasure and alacritie No man can euer be able to glorifie God and to serue Him chearfully but the man who hath assurance that his sinnes are freely forgiuē him in that eternall loue of God through the blood of Iesus for none can glorifie God except first he be glorified of God Albeit the naturall man got neuer so manie and great benefites yet because hee hath none assurance of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes he can neuer glorifie God nor be thankfull to Him On the other part It is vnpossible and if thou haue a sure perswasion that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee but thou wilt bee careful in some measure to meet the Lord God in loue to pleasure Him and to thanke Him for the first effect that floweth from the remission of sinnes is sanctification or glorification And it is not possible but if thou bee glorified thou must glorifie the Lord againe But the question may be here proponed Wherein standeth our glorifying of God hath He neede of our glorification Can our seruice bee profitable to Him Can our well-doing extend to Him Hath He need of any thing that wee can doe I answere Indeede it is true our well-doing cannot extende to Him as Dauid confesseth of himselfe in the 16. Psalme and the 2. vers All the Kinges and Monarches in the world cannot doe any thing that is profitable and steadable to God We are not able to adde any thing to the glory of God for His glory is infinite and to an infinite thing nothing can bee added for if anie thing coulde bee added it were not infinite The Father the Sonne and the Holy Spirite perfectlie glorified one another from all eternitie Glorifie Mee saieth Christ with that glorie which I had with Thee before the foundation of the world was laide That blessed Trinitie was as perfect in glorie before the creation of the world as it hath beene euer since Our glorifying of God stādeth only in this when the Lord illuminateth our minds that we may see His glorie in all his properties that wee in our heartes with pleasure and chearfulnesse consent thereunto allow of it and with our mouthes proclaime that glory which we see to be in Him And it lieth not in man nor angel to compare His glory The good the euil the well y e wo the commodity incommodity of al cōmeth to our own selues and happy is that man that glorifieth God miserable is he y ◠glorifieth Him not for our felicity standeth not in that y ◠we our selues be glorified but in this that we glorify our Lord eternally for that end were we created to y ◠ende were we redeemed with that precious ransom euē that we shuld glorify y e Lord happy is that creature that hath some purpose thirst desire to glorify God in this life for he may be assured that one day the Lord shall glorify him eternally in Heauen That soule I say shall be perfected in the life to come
too much vpon him more than he is able to performe So as the Pharisie concluded before that Hee was no Prophet now they conclude that Hee was no Mediator Well Brethren the worke of our saluation hath many impedimentes Wilt thou seeke saluation seek grace mercie then think not to come sleeping to grace for I say to thee ere thou wantest a stoppe to hinder thee from grace from remission of sinnes thine owne heart by the suggestion of the deuill shall stand vp in thy teeth and blaspheme as the Pharisie did first and as the rest at the table did thereafter and all to hinder the worke of thy saluation But see the ende Stayeth the Lord for all this Reâ—raiteth He His sentence againe and saieth thy sinnes are not forgiueÌ„ thee No no the Lords conclusion is past if Hee say it once to thine heart and if He giue once that perswasion in thine heart so that thou mayest saye Lord be blessed my sinnes are forgiuen me happy art thou they shal be forgiuen thee the Lord shall double it within thee so Hee speaketh to the woman as He would say Let them speake what they wil thou art in Heauen thy sins are forgiueÌ„ thee goe in peace There is no peace but the peace of the Lord comming from the remission of sinnes Crie peace as thou wilt but if thou goe not in the peace of the Lord thou gâ—est not in peace but in warre the Lord is at warre with thee and albeit thou gettest the Kinges peace and all the worldes peace yet if thou gettest not the LORDS peace thou hast no peace at all so wel is him that hath His peace for they only may goe in joy that may say Now Lord I am at peace with Thee thou hast forgiuen me my sinnes And if thou canst say this truely thou shalt haue such a joy in thy soule as all the Kings in the world cannot giue thee nor all outward comforts and pleasures affoord thee Nowe the LORD giue vs this peace and a blincke of that joye in the heart through the remission of our sinnes for then one day wee shall see the accomplishment of it to our euerlasting joye and saluation in IESVS CHRIST To whom with the FATHER and the Holie SPIRIT bee all Honour Praise Glorie Power and Dominion both now and euermore worlde without ende So bee it THE XVI SERMON IOHN CHAP. III. verse 6 That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that that is borne of the Spirit is spirit IN this conference that NICODEMVS hath with CHRIST welbeloued in the Lord IESVS First Nicodemus comming to Him by night and confesseth Him plainly that Hee was a Teacher that came from God because there was none that could worke those wonders that He wrought except the Lord were with him Then the Lord Iesus beginneth to playe the part of a Teacher to Nicodemus who was a Doctor in Isaael And the first ground that Hee beginneth to instruct him into is the ground of Regeneration For Christ came to make a new world again and to renewe man who was dead in sinnes and trespasses Therfore He beginneth to instruct Nicodemus in this doctrine of Regeneration and Hee bindeth him to learne it with such a necessity that except hee and whole mankinde bee regenerate there is none of them that shall see the kingdome of God and this Hee doeth with a great asseueration saying Verily verily Nicodemus hearing and fearing that heauie denunciation of banishment from the kingdome of GOD but not vnderstanding this regeneration beginneth to reason that it was a thing vnpossible that hee coulde bee borne againe because hee was an olde man and it is not possible that an olde man can enter into his mothers wombe againe Christ answereth and answering insisteth in that proposition of regeneration vrging him againe with a necessitie of the same regeneration Onely He addeth to that that He spake before the manner and waye of this begetting to wit of water and the Spirite It is not a fleshlie generation but a Spirituall generation whereby a man is begotten againe by y e renewing of the Holy Spirite in him of the which water is the seale to seale vp our faith in that assurance of that regeneration or new birth Nowe in this Text which I haue read Christ insisteth in the same doctrine and like as in the verse preceeding Hee hath proponed the manner of this new birth not to be naturall but spirituall so in this verse He sheweth Nicodemus what a kinde of birth it is That saith He that is begotten of the Spirit is Spirit that is the Spirit of the Lord IESVS working begetteth not a fleshly or corrupt creature but a Spirituall and Heauenly creature This Hee sâ—tteth not downe simplie but Hee setteth it downe by waye of comparison with the fleshlie generation to the ende that Nicodemus and all men seeing the corruption of the flesh they shuld esteeme the more highly of that Spirituall generation And Hee saieth that the thing begotten of the flesh is flesh that is as the flesh a corrupt masse of flesh and blood cannot beget but corrupt flesh Euen so the Spirit of the Lord Iesus cannot begâ—tte but that that is Spirituall and Heauenly and thus yeesâ—e the meaning of this place But because this place offereth occasion to speake somewhat of Regeneration whereof the worlde had neuer greater neede than at this present for I thinke the world is going backe againe to that old corruption from the which they were deliuered Therefore to the ende that all thinges may be the more cleare I shall speake to you first of the flesh and generation thereof Next of the Spirit Regeneration And the LORD make vs carefull to finde the Spiriâ—e to bee effectuall in euerie one of vs to regeneration Then beeing to speake of the flesh it shall bee expedient to deduce it from the fountaine There are two sortes of sinne in this worlde The one sort is called Originall that sinne that man and woman is borne with in this worlde which they drawe out of their mothers wombe vvith their birth The other sort is called Actuall sinne that standeth in a doing and vvorking and vvhich floweth and proceedeth from that originall sinne as from the fountaine I maye not insist vpon these thinges particularlie but I shall giue you a short viewe of them Originall sinne standeth in two partes The first is that horrible defection and apostasie which whole mankinde in the worlde from Adam to the ende of the worlde haue made in the loynes of Adam for yee must vnderstand it was not Adam alone that sinned and fell from GOD but it vvas thou and all others that euer vvere gotten of man and borne of woman whole mankinde made that defection for as it is saide in the seuenth Chapter to the Hebrewes the ninth verse that when Abraham paide tithes to Melchisedeck that Leui vvho long after vvas not begotten nor borne vvas tithed in the loynes of Abraham his
professe or followe Christ what can bee more hard But suppone reason were conuinced and the mouth thereof closed that it coulde gette no shift to answere yet thinkest thou so to bee quite of thy selfe No the will and the affections will stand obstinately against the judgement of the minde and follow out and pursue that which the minde discearneth to be euill So thou mayest easily see that there is nothing more harde than to gette this Regeneration yea thou mayest see that it is a thing altogether impossible except that Almighty Spirit of God be present and worke it effectually in the soule all the kings of the earth with all their weapons and engines of warre cannot be able to doe it No all the Angels in Heauen are not able to accomplish this worke The weapons of our warre-fare saith Paul are not carnall but mighty through God to cast downe strong holdes casting downe imaginations and euerie high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ 2. Cor. 10. 4. 5. There is no power in Heauen or earth but onely the Spirit of God that is able to renewe one creature And this power is granted to this our Ministerie the preaching of the Euangell Let great men let worldly men esteeme of it as they please God hath ordained this Ministery to minister this wonderfull power whereby the soules of men shall be regenerate Further thou must vnderstand that this Regeneration is not perfected in an instant but in processe of time it must continue all the dayes of thy life so long as thou liuest albeit thou liue a thousand yeeres this olde man will not bee perfectly and altogether mortified and slaine till the houre of death Thou must all the dayes of thy life-time be groaning vnder the burthen of sinne subject to crosses and troubles away with light-headed sinners who saye they woulde alwayes haue their heartes vp sadnesse becommeth a sinner well and thou must striue to finde the newe man to bee renewed degree by degree piece and piece euen till at last death bee swallowed vp of life and mortalitie of immortalitie And if thou wouldest haue this worke to goe forward in thee then set euermore Iesus thy Lord and thine head before the eyes of thy soule looke vpon Him with the eyes of faith for it is only His presence the sight of His glory that worketh this marueilous change for there is a great oddes betweene the sight of His glorie and the sight of the glorie of worldlie Princes for the sight of their glorie will not change thee nor make thee glorious but vanisheth awaye in a moment But the sight of the glorie of IESVS shall change thee and make thee glorious whensoeuer thou beholdest Him either by faith in this worlde or else face to face in the Kingdome of Glorie For when thou beholdest Him with the eyes of faith heere thou shalt bee changed according to the measure of thy faith and because thy faith is imperfect thy change heere must bee imperfect but when thou shalt see Him face to face and beholde Him as Hee is then shalt thou bee like vnto Him in glorie thy change shall bee perfect His presence shall bee effectuall to change thy vile bodie and to fashion it like vnto His owne glorious bodie when thou beholdest His glorie thou shalt bee changed into the same glorie Therefore yee see what neede wee haue to finde this Regeneration begunne in vs heere and to finde a continuall progresse therein all the dayes of our life that so wee maye bee assured that the LORD shall crowne His worke in vs with glorie in IESVS And nowe to ende then surelie yee see that corruption mischiefe and venome euerie man without exception communicate vnto their children by naturall generation Therefore Brethren this is mine exhortation to all both to great and small I except none from the King to the Begger Striue as yee are instrumentes of generation so to bee instrumentes of regeneration that your children maye bee taken out of nature and planted in grace and so bee made members of the mysticall bodie of IESVS CHRIST Striue to bring them vp in the knowledge of CHRIST that so yee maye bee free of that heauie judgement which remaineth for all such as neglect this duetie towardes their children and that yee maye see GODS blessing vpon your children heere and maye haue hope of that eternall life and glorie heereafter which the LORD hath promised to His owne in CHRIST IESVS To whome with the FATHER and the Holie SPIRIT three persons and one GOD be all Honour Glorie Praise Power Dominion both now and euermore So bee it THE XVII SERMON I. TIMOTH CHAP. I. verse 12 Therefore I thanke him who hath made mee strong that is Christ Iesus our Lord for hee counted mee faithfull and put me in his seruice verse 13 When before I was a blasphemer and a persecuter and an oppressour but I was receiued to mercie for I did it ignorantly through vnbeliefe verse 14 But the grace of our Lord was exceeding aboundant with faith and loue which is in Christ Jesus IN this Text beloued Brethren in Iesus Christ there is set downe to vs a notable example of thankfulnesse to God in the person of the Apostle Paul for that great and incomparable mercy which the Lord bestowed vpon him not onely in forgiuing him his grosse and manifold sinnes but also for setting of him in His seruice and for the committing to him the message of reconciliation making him an Apostle to preach repentance and remission of sinnes to others As the mercies which he found were wondrous great so is hee wondrous carefull alwayes to testifie his thankfulnesse to GOD And to the ende the more chearefully he may praise thanke God hee considereth and setteth downe by degrees and in order his vnworthinesse and the euill deedes that he did notwithstanding whereof the Lord extended His mercy most aboundantlie towardes him To come to the wordes Hee saieth Therefore I thanke him who hath made me strong that is Christ Jesus our Lord These wordes depend vpon the verse immediately going before hee saide before that the glorious Euangell of Iesus Christ was concredite to him for the which cause he bursteth forth in thankesgiuing and hee saieth Therefore I will be thankfull to Him who hath concredited it vnto mee Then yee see his thankfulnesse ariseth on two considerations First vpon the consideration of the excellency of the Euangel of Iesus Christ The Gospell is glorious in it selfe and it is come down from the blessed God next vpon the consideration of his owne vnworthinesse looke howe worthie the Gospell was as vnworthie was hee then considering that so worthy a thing was giuen vnto him and that hee himselfe was so vnworthy hee knoweth not what thankes to giue he cannot deuise what manner of waye to testifie his thankfulnesse If once wee could see what God were howe
CHRIST be fulfilled to vs. And therfore He is called the Spirit of trueth Iohan. 15. 26. Notwithstanding of all this confideÌ„ce and assurance vnder-propped with these three pillers Desire Regeneration and the Spirit the Apostle hath not full contentation of heart and the reason is because he seeth not the LORD Hee is yet wandring as a pilgrime in this world hath not gotten that joyfull countenance of CHRIST in the which countenance is onelie sacietie of pleasures For assure you the faithfull heart shall neuer haue contentation till it see CHRIST Therefore to attaine to this thing and to get the full satisfactioÌ„ of the heart he maketh choise of death and remouing out of the bodie hee preferreth it to all grace that can be had in this life Hee preferreth it to that confidence and assurance and to all other graces that hee can haue in this bodie that he might go vp to that presence of CHRIST Thus farre wee haue spoken hitherto Now to come to the text that we haue presently read The Apostle considering that sight that once we shall see and that presence that once wee shall haue of y e LORD IESVS which he hath not gotteÌ„ nor will not get till the time it please the LORD to call on him and none of vs will get it albeit wee woulde neuer so faine till that the LORD call on vs he sheweth therefore what he will do till that time come that he get that presence anâ— how hee will bee occupied liuing here in this pilgrimage what will bee his studie and care in lifâ— and death Therefore saith hee also we couet that baâ— dwelling at home and remoouing from home we may bâ— acceptable to Him There is his care in the meanâ— time All my care would he say so long as I liue iâ— this earth shall be to bee acceptable to my Lord to whom I goe that I may be the welcomer when I come Yet Brethren because the words are weightie euery word would be weighed We couet saith hee there is the first worde and in the first language this word importeth not onely a common desire but an ambition So by this word he vttereth that he is griedy of honour and ambitious for there iâ— an holy ambition that is lawfull that is requisite that is needefull in euery Christian man euen in the purest man that is But to come to the honour which he coueteth We couet saith he that we may be acceptable There is the honour to be acceptable to bee counted and liked of The worldlie man that hunteth after the honour of the worlde he desireth to be esteemed of to bee had in admiration and to be in grace So is it with the man of God the honour which he desireth is esteematioÌ„ he would be accounted of hee would bee in grace and good liking and if it were possible he would be esteemed aboue all the men in the world but whome would hee haue to esteeme of him The worldly ambitious man would bee accounted of by men hee hath no regarde of GODS estimation of him hee would haue the Prince accounting of him aboue all Courtiers hee would haue the people accounting much of him But the man of GOD that hath this holie ambition and griedinesse of honour hee careth not for the account and estimation of men neither seeketh his praise of men but of GOD and CHRIST with whom hee must dwell after this life hee desireth in this pilgrimage to bee assured that CHRIST hath a liking of him that after this life hee may reigne with CHRIST as a king for euer That is his honour To goe forward in the wordes When seeketh hee to bee acceptable to CHRIST at what time There is two times One time of liuing and another time of dying A time when the soule dwelleth in the bodie and another time when shee flitteth The ambitious holie man seeketh to bee acceptable to the LORD at both these times both dwelling at home and flitting from home All the honour of the worldlie man is in this life and whilst the soule is dwelling in this bodie But once laide downe in his bedde and let death assaile him there hee layeth downe his honour and if yee tell him of the honour which hee was seeking hee will spitte at it But the godly man if euer he was griedy of honour in this life in the houre of his death he is griedier thereof and the nearer death the griedier of the honour of CHRIST hee can haue no contentation in heart till hee know his soule is acceptable to that LORD whom to hee is going As for the meanes whereby hee seeketh to come to this honour ye will heare of them in the next verse hereafter This same Apostle 2. Timoth. 2. 15. setteth them downe also when hee hath desired Timothiâ— to studie to approoue himselfe to GOD immediately hee subjoyneth If thou wouldest bee approoued bee a worke-man thou wilt not get this acceptation by driuing ouer thy life in idlenesse or sluggishnesse let euery man in whatsoeuer estate bee a worke-man The worldly man is clyming to his honour by vnlawfull meanes by flatterie by falshood c. but it endeth in miserie But the godly maÌ„ let him seek to be approued by the King of kings being a faithfull worke-man in his calling diligent therein There is the meane of thine acceptation in this life In thy dying when all thy senses thy tongue thine hand and all faileth thâ—e and art not able to worke yet suffer with patience and set thine heart patiently to suffer death that in thy dying GOD may be glorified and so thou mayest consecrate both death life to Him Marke heere a lesson Paul of before he maketh a choise to go dwell with Christ he would faine haue bene dead but here is another desire which must goe before that and thou must haue the like desire before thou desire to flit out of this bodie and to bee with CHRIST First desire whilst thou art in this bodie to bee acceptable to Him and then desire to flit otherwise not for certainely if thou die before thou bee acceptable to GOD in thy life thou shalt not bee welcome to Him and he shal be the most terrible sight to thee that euer thou saw I shall neuer desire to see Him when I die if I desire not to bee acceptable to Him first in life and death Therefore studie by a faithfull discharge of thy duetie heere on earth to bee acceptable to thy LORD beguile not thy selfe Learne againe heere When hee hath made a choise to goe and dwell with the LORD hee desireth that hee may liue a godly life heere first then the lesson is A godly life heere is a too-looke to that life which wee shall haue in CHRIST which maketh a faithfull Pilgrime desire to bee with CHRIST It is an easie thing to haue an eye to the life to come if thou studie to liue well in this life And on the other
open if we had eyes to see it Abraham nor Dauid nor all the godlie Kings and Fathers were neuer in so blessed an estate as thou art But if thou repent not and receaue not this wisdome the greater is thy damnation For euer the greater the benefite bee the greater is the condemnation if it bee not receaned And many at that daye shall saye Would to GOD we had neuer heard of this Gospell Well keepe it as yee will there is no glorie but it and take it awaye farewell the glorie and well-fare of the Land yea I say more There is no glorie in this world but it Nowe the Apostle standeth not heere but passeth forward in the praise of this wisedome Hee hath praised it from the Author who is God onlie from the secrecie that it is a mysterie hidden vp so long he commeth now to the time when it was found out which God had determined before the world Sciences vse to bee commended from their antiquitie men say O it is an olde Science it was sound out by the Aegyptians therefore a commendable Science But there was neuer wisedome that might bee compared in antiquitie to this wisedome Wilt thou aske howe olde is this wisedome I aske another question How olde is God Himselfe This Gospell is euen as olde as GOD Himselfe the Gospell is from all Eternitie as the glorious GOD is without beginning from all Eternitie Then this Gospell that is preached this day is no nouâ—ltie This is that wisedome and doctrine that GOD predestinated from all Eternitie howbeit the enemies in contempt call it a new doctrine Thou art a lyar although thou bee the Pope I speake it to the glorie of God this Gospell that is preached in SCOTLAND was from all Eternitie The wordes import more It is not onelie from all Eternitie but it is grounded vpon an Eternall counsell The glorious Trinitie set downe in a glorious counsell this doctrine of saluation And therefore seeing this doctrine is set on so solide a foundation who will shake it Shake it let see off her foundation and thrust at it It will shake thee and driue thee into Hell I tell thee it hath saued manie men from the beginning but it is also true it hath slaine manie one beware that it slaye thee not for it is the stroÌ„gest thing that euer was Thou mayest well banish this Gospell and put it out of SCOTLAND but thou shalt neuer put it out of the world so long as there is a soule to be builded by it But when she is out of SCOTLAND and ENGLAND both shee can goe and it were to all these newe found Landes and abide there Yet marke how he riseth in his tearmes I neuer heard anie Philosopher in all his DeclamatioÌ„s rise so highlie in his praises of anie Science as the Apostle doeth in praising of this wisedome and it is not the eloquence of man but the eloquence of the Spirite of God that raiseth him And yet hee hath not tolde all her glory No we shall neuer see it all till wee see the Lord Iesus who is the subject of this Gospell Sciences haue their commendation from their ende it is a good science that hath a good ende and inuented for the weale of man for his profite and pleasure and glorie But this science in this mounteth aboue all the sciences in the worlde for all the Sciences in the worlde will not make thee mount vp nor raise thee one footbredth from the earth although thou bee a Monarch they may well get thee a piece of honour here but it shall all be earthly honour O! but the Science whereof our God is the Author this wisedome of our redemption maketh thee to mount draweth thee vp in a word glorifieth thee All that euer learne in her schoole shall bee glorified wilt thou learne this wisdome she shall glorifie thee in the Heauens For why she is the power of God to saluation Roman 1. 16. and as hee speaketh 2. Cor. 3. 18. wilt thou looke in her but as in a mirrour to the glorie of GOD in her shee shall transforme thee from glory to glory in that same Image What more All the wisedome in the world without this wisdome is like as much poyson to swell vp thine heart in pride against GOD and man Shall I come to the particulars Art thou a Lawier and hast the knowledge of the Common Lawes If thy science of the Lawe bee not seasoned with this wisedome it is meere poyson to thee Art thou a Mediciner perfect in that Science and hast read all Hippocrates and Galene and all the rest of them and hast not this wisedome thou art poysoned for all thy Medicine Is thine head full of policie and hast thou manie plottes and conceites in it and hast thou not this wisedome thou hast an emptie and poysoned head Art thou a Philosopher and canst count all the Starres and canst search out all the mineralles and canst goe downe to the Center of the Earth yea and it were downe to Hell and hast not this wisedome thou art poysoned What neede I to speake further If thou haue no apprehension of this wisedome that onely sanctifieth thee and all thy Sciences and maketh them profitable vnto thee thou art a miserable bodie and woe to thee for euer Would to God the worlde saw this but alas this humane wisedome and the glory of this worlde pulleth CHRIST out of their eyes and obscureth this Heauenly glory But woe is thee that euer thou saw this light if thou gettest not a part of that Heauenly glory Yet hee stayeth not heere but looke howe hee climbeth vp exalteth this Heauenly wisdome Sciences vse to bee commended for their subtility and sublimity O saieth the Philosopher it is an high and subtile Science therefore it is praise worthy Mathematikes are subtile and are full of subtile demonstrations therefore they are worthy Sciences But Brethren there was neuer Science comparable in sublimity to this Wisedome of GOD who is onely wise As farre as the head of GOD passeth thy braine as far doth this wisdom that is come of GODS head passe all the wisdom that thou canst inuent and it were a thousande yeeres and therefore th'Apostle saith This wisdom none of the Princes of this world haue knowne No not after shee was reuealed and came into the world when they saw her they knew not what shee mâ—ned The Philosophers who scaÌ„ned in curiousnes when this wisedome came to them they knew no more in it than children and infants Looke hoâ—â— little a childe can conceiue of anie humane sciences as little also could they conceiue of this wisedome Reade in the Acts chap. 17. vers 18. when Paul came to Athens and preached it vnto them they said What a sower of words is this they thought hee had nothing but words This is a marueilous secrecie they could not find her out when she was found out to their hands they knew not what she meaneth There is not a
the Spirite of God euerie spirite is a searcher it is the nature of a spirite euer to pierce in and to search for it is a subtile thing and will pierce in very subtilely to the secrets of things The spirit of an Angell is a searcher and a subtile thing the spirit of the Deuill is subtile and will pierce in subtilely he will pierce in to thine heart and insinuate himselfe therein likewise the spirit of a man is a subtile spirit and a searcher also he will search out the things that are in heauen and in the sea and in the earth for he is wonderfully inclined to searching But all the spirites except the Spirit of that Holy One search onely the creatures The spirite of an Angell of the deuill of a man search but the creatures As for the Creator no spirit is able to search in Him but His owne Spirit yea they knowe nothing in Him but so much as He will reueale vnto them As for man hee is very busie but for all his businesse hee could neuer yet search out his owne heart â—â—there is a mysterie of sinne lying in the foldes of his heart which hee shall neuer see except this Spirite enter in and giue him light But the blessed Spirit of God and of Iesus Christ hee is the Spirit both of the Father and of the Sonne for one Spirit proceedeth froÌ„ both He searcheth the Father He searcheth the Sonne Hee discouereth all And no man can bee a good searcher or a sanctified searcher except hee haue this Spirite If thy spirit be not sanctified by this Spirite which is the onlie searcher and sanctifier of all thinges all thy searching is but vanitie Nowe to goe forward Before Hee was called a searcher and now He is called a reuealer First He searcheth out then He reuealeth vnto vs There is the order He reuealeth the hiddeÌ„ things in God because He Himselfe of His owne nature is a searcher of them and before that euer Hee reueale them He searcheth them out first TheÌ„ he that will be a reuealer and will set himself to reueale those things to men I speak it in plain talk he that will bee a Preacher of these hidden thinges to others looke that first hee bee a searcher and let him bee occupied in searching and heartilie beseech GOD that the Holie Spirite would lead him in to those things that haue none accesse For hee is not fit to bee a Preacher of the Gospell that searcheth not with all his might first to see these things in God which he speaketh to others Woe to him that commeth in of purpose to speake the things to others which he neuer saw nor felt first in his owne heart Dauid saith Psalme 116. 10. I beleeued and therefore I spake Paule afterwardes saieth We beleeue and therefore wee speake 2. Cor. 4. 13. What is this beliefe None other thing but before hee speake to others to get an assurance of them in his owne heart Now looke the maner of the reuealing of these things The Spirit he reuealeth because hee openeth our heartes and taketh away the vaile off our heartes to let vs see them otherwise in vaine were it to laye them before vs. I see another maner of this reuelation and therefore looke what more the Spirit doeth Hee is not content only to take the vaile froÌ„ thine heart but hee taketh thy soule by the hand as it were and leadeth it in thorow the deepnesse of God he will rauish it out of the bodie as it were and leade it in to that light which hath none accesse and will say Loe there is the mercie loe there is the righteousnesse loe there is the euerlasting Life which is spoken of seest thou not them all in Him So he will point out euerie thing in God Therefore no doctrine auaileth without this Holie Spirit seeing Hee alone taketh the vaile from our heartes and leadeth vs in to see the thinges which are spoken of There is no perfect Doctor but the Spirite of Iesus onlie There is no creature although hee be an Angell that can take the vaile off thine heart to let thee see that can bore thine care to let thee heare perfectlie And therefore in preaching depend not vpon the mouth of men but onlie vpon the Spirit of Iesus Christ Yet I shall make the matter more plaine and shew how the Spirit will take thee and let thee see the thinges which are in God I will vse a supposition which cannot bee yet it will make the matter more cleare I suppose that my spirit or soule entered into thee if my spirite or my soule bee in thee there woulde bee nothing within mee but thou wouldest see it all my thoughtes would bee patent to thee Now to applie this This is no supposition God will put His Spirite into a man or woman for if His Spirit be not in vs wo be vnto vs for euer and euer If God put His Spirit into anie of vs must it not follow of necessitie that wee must see in God at least the things which concerne our weale and saluation That spirite in mee in thee must reueale to mee to thee the thinges which lie in the verie deepnesse of God which concerne our weale and saluation and that man that hath the Spirite of God will see the verie heart of God His mind he will see the remission of his sinnes in the mind of GOD and all by the benefite of the Spirite of IESVS that dwelleth in him Marke this yee that account so lightlie of the Spirite of Iesus in whom consisteth the onlie felicitie of man For if thou want His Spirite woe to thee thou shalt goe to Hell So wee haue a great vantage heere that by the benefite of the Spirite wee see the thinges that are in GOD. But Brethren God hath as great an aduantage of vs for if Gods Spirit be in vs by His Spirit Hee seeth all that is in our heartes for if my spirit were in thee as I spake before as thou wouldest see all that is in mine heart so I would see all that is in thy soule the least thought of thine heart would bee patent vnto mee so much more that Spirit seeth the least motion thoght of the heart of man in whom He is will present them all to the Father and lay them open before Him So al serueth to this end that we should take heed to the least thought of our hearts and beware to thinke one thought to displease Him for the Spirit as He is called the searcher of the deepnesse of God so He is called the searcher of the heartes of men There is not one thought nor one grone in thine heart or one motion of joy in thy soule but He reporteth all to the Father We haue neede to take heede to all the motions of our heartes and neuer to thinke one thought but that which wee thinke is acceptable to the Father neuer to anger the Spirit
power to your destruction but all the power which GOD hath giuen mee is to your edification The GOD of Heauen gaue neuer to anie creature in HeaueÌ„ noâ— earth power to doe against her but all to maintaine her in her liberty Then meddle not with her jurisdiction Let none earthly power meddle with it and beware that no irruption bee made within it There was neuer Emperour nor Monarch of this worlde that made irruption within it that euer wanne by it Therefore let euerie soule beware to meddle with this libertie for certainelie that sworde that shall be strocken at her shee shallding it back again like the hammer off the stithie Reade the Ecclesiasticall Histories yee shall see that neuer man got the vpper-hand that euer medled with it And therefore the LORD open mens eyes and let them see this that they may reuerence this glorious Spouse of IESVS CHRIST as euer they would see that glorious Face of CHRIST IESVS Her Head To whome with the Father and the Holie Spirite bee all Praise Honour Glorie worlde vvithout end so bee it THE NINTH SERMON II. COR. CHAP. X. verse 1 Now I Paule my selfe beseech you by the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Christ who when I am present amongst you am base but am bolde towardes you beeing absent verse 2 And this I require you that I neede not to be bolde when I am present with that same confidence wherewith I thinke to bee bolde against some who ecteeme vs as though wee walked according to the flesh verse 3 Neuerthelesse though wee walke in the flesh yet we doe not warre after the flesh verse 4 For the weapons of our warre-fare are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe Holdes verse 5 Casting downe the imaginations and euerie high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euerie thought to the obedience of CHRIST THESE Corinthians vnto whome the Apostle writeth beeing before founded and grounded in the faith of IESVS CHRIST by this Ministerie yet afterward seduced and led aside with false apostles Oratours â—ather than Teachers who preached the Gospel of IESVS CHRIST with humane affected eloquence beginne to disdaine the Apostle who â—ounded and grounded them in that Faith of IESVS CHRIST and to account of him euen as if he had not beene sent or had not bene an Apostle in verie deede but had onelie giuen himselfe out for an Apostle Therefore in this present Text the Apostle beseecheth them to account of him as he was indeed as the Apostle of Iesus Christ and desireth them so to esteeme of him and so taking occasion he falleth out in a verie high description of his Apostleship And first hee maketh a request vnto them Nowe I Paule my selfe beseech you by the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Christ Surelie if yee will consider their deseruinges at the handes of the Apostle they should haue bene met more hardly and sharper language should haue beene directed vnto them Yet y e Apostle meeteth them gently directeth to them a meeke and gentle request I Paule in mine own person beseech you and that for the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Iesus Christ if euer ye had any taste of that mercy meeknesse in Iesus Christ towards you euen for that meekenesse sake and for that mercies sake obey me doe the thing which I bid you So the Pastor hath his lesson first heere It is the part and duetie of a Pastor who hath to doe with people First at the entrie to beginne with meeknesse and lenitie yea amongst all the properties that is required in a faithfull Pastor this is not the least to bee endued with lenitie and pitie Lenitie I saye arising not onelie of the consideration of the miserie of men with whome hee hath to doe for all people are miserable by nature and all our preachinges are to a companie of miserable creatures who beeing miserable hath neede of mercie and craueth pitie but arising also of a sense and feeling of his owne wretchednesse and miserie What Is hee not himselfe a miserable man by nature as well as anie other person of the flocke man or woman Then againe the mercie and lenitie of IESVS CHRIST which hee hath found towordes himselfe shoulde mooue and raise vp his lenitie and pitie towards his flocke Therefore Paule beeing of minde to speake to these Corinthians how be it he had matter of sharpenesse threatning offered vnto him by them yet the mercy of Christ towards him who was so miserable himselfe vntill hee got that mercie changeth all sharpnesse to lenity turneth his threatnings which hee might haue vsed in a pitifull request Next the people likewise hath their lesson here For as the lenitie pitie and meeknesse of Iesus Christ should mooue the Pastor to lenitie towards y â— people euen so this same lenitie meeknesse of our Lord Iesus should moue the people to obey the gentle and humble request of the Pastor And he or she that euer hath felt in heart and tasted the sweetnesse of the mercie of GOD in IESVS CHRIST will not so soone heare of this lenitie and mercie for CHRISTS mercies sake or for His lenities sake but as soone they wil bee moued to obey the request And they againe who continue stubborne disobedient notwithstanding of a duetifull and lawfull request I saye for my part that stubborne hearted bodie neuer knew what Christ meaned neuer felt remission of sinnes through the blood of Iesus Christ They that will not doe the thing which they should doe for the mercies sake of Christ shall neuer taste of that mercie nor of Iesus Christ Affuredlie they serue for nothing but to be faggots for the fire of Hell for where mercy is not there must be judgement Now in the latter part of the verse hee setteth downe a description of himselfe I Paul who when I am present among you am base but am bolde towardes you being absent This is one thing in effect with that which followeth afterwards in the 10. verse of this chap. for this dis-estimation of himselfe is from that light account and regarde that they made of him and of the Gospel which he teached For the Letters saith he are sore and strong but his bodilie presence is weake and his speach is of no value He here describeth himself conforme to their dis-estimation of him for the mis-liking is recent in his memorie yet his speach is meeke to them This matter would haue angered a good man but Paul is so farre from anger that hee breaketh out in a gentle and humble request Whereupon I note That the vnthankfullnes of the world should not breake our patience or cause vs forget that lenitie wherewith the Embassadour of Iesus Christ shoulde bee endued for lenitie is bounde to vs and wee are bound to it yea although this worlde be neuer so vngrate yet we are bound to striue by long suffering to ouercome in the ende Secondly think ye not but Paul
take it vpon thee it will presse thee to euerlasting damnation Then there is the meane of our saluation The mercie of GOD. Next hee laieth out the partes of our saluation abroade one by one that yee may see what saluation meaneth hee saieth By the washing of the newe birth and the renewing of the Holie Ghost There is the first part It is a washing of vs when GOD putteth to His hand to saue vs. Yee knowe washing presupponeth foulenesse therefore it must follow when GOD beganne to saue vs we were vnclene full of byles and botches conceiued and borne in filthinesse and then warbling and wallowing in our owne sinne and filthinesse and euer the longer wee liue we are still the filthier It is a maruell that that Holy GOD should euer sustaine to looke to thy filthy byles or to put His holie and pure hand to thy vile botches or to sende downe His cleane Spirit to dwell in thine vncleane heart or that any wayes His purity should meddle with thine impurity Amongst all the argumentes of His loue this is one When Hee putteth to His fair baÌ„d to thee that art so foule Findest thou thy sinnes pardoned and thy selfe purged washed assure thy selfe thou art safe and GOD hath loued thee For except the loue of GOD had beene all the greater towardes thee Hee woulde neuer haue purged thee from thy sinnes It is a sure token of His loue towards thee that it is infinite exceeding that He hath not loathed thee and thy filthie byles botches I see heere two washings one outwarde another inwarde the first in these wordes The lauer of regeneration the next Therenewing of the Holie Spirite The first is our Baptisme the next the inward washing and renewing by the Holie Spirite represented by this outwarde Baptisme As the vvater vvasheth away the filth from the bodie so the Holie Spirite purgeth vvasheth the heart from sinne I vvill speake but thus farre shortly of Baptisme The outwarde vvashing in Baptisme is not to bee looked to lightlie the powring on of the vvater is but a base signe to looke to yet it is not a bare signe of the vvashing of the Holie Spirite but it is the instrument that God taketh in His hand vvhereby He applieth â—o vs the inwarde vvashing of the Holie Spirite Col. 2. 12. Rom. 6. 4 hee ascribeth our regeneration to Baptisme Wee by Baptisme are buried vvith Christ risen vvith Christ and if this meane bee conâ—emned there shall bee no regeneration if a man lightlie this Baptisme I affirme there shall be no renewing inwardlie by the Holie Spirit and if he be not renewed hee shall neuer bee saued for vvithout regeneration no saluation Ye see 2. Kin. 5. 10 vvhat vvas injoyned to Naaman the Syrien vvhen hee sought cleansing the Prophet bad him goe to the Iordane and vvash him seuen times But hee thought vvith himselfe What is this Are not there faire Riuers at home at Damascus Yea hee would not goe till hee tooke better counsell but so soone as hee vvent and vvashed himselfe seuen times hee vvas cleansed Euen so it is in Baptisme if a man contemne the outward vvashing hee shall neuer be cleansed by the Spirit This same is also true of the Sacrament of the Supper Count not therefore little of the Sacraments because God hath promised to giue Himselfe vvith the Sacrament if it bee rightly receiued Now looke howe long our regeneration is in working in this life the force of Baptisme continueth as long thou must be continually renewed tiâ—l thy last breath therefore the force of Baptisme must continue vvith thee to thy last breath It is a vanitie to thinke that the force of Baptisme standeth in the ministration of the action onelie no it leaueth vs neuer after wee haue once receiued it till vve be placed vvith Iesus Christ Haue thine eye still vpon Baptisme for it is a meane vvhereby the Lord vvill saue thee Further Brethren hee beginneth heere at regeneration Yee may see then the necessitie of regeneration Wouldest thou be safe looke that there bee a newe birth looke that thou bee borne ouer againe as Christ said to Nicodemus Iohn 3. 3. Verilie I say vnto you except a man bee borne againe hee cannot see the Kingdome of GOD. If thou bee not a new creature thou art not in CHRIST but without CHRIST and without IESVS CHRIST there is no saluation Yee see men woulde beguile themselues if they shoulde saye when yee aske of them Whether they will goe to Heauen or not They will answere Wee will goe to Heauen and yet in the meane time they will holde on the olde man and will neuer change their maners but that vaine opinion wil deceiue them 2. Corin. 6. 9. Bee not beguiled for no â—ornicaters adulterers murtherers drunkardes c. shall inherite the Kingdome of Heauen If thou holde on the olde man thou shalt neuer bee safe IESVS CHRIST must beget thee a newe againe or els thou shalt neuer enter within the gates of Heauen Now when hee hath spoken of this inward and outward washing hee insisteth in this point concerning the Spirit and declareth from whom this Spirit commeth which Hee shedde on vs aboundantlie through IESUS CHRIST our Sauiour We haue Him not our selues He that washeth vs is He that powreth on the precious lauer of the Spirit vvherby vve are vvashen Then the Spirit is from GOD. Is that Spirit from the Father immediately No He powreth Him in through IESVS CHRIST our Sauiour so immediatly this Spirit commeth from IESVS CHRIST but mediately from GOD as the Fountaine Hee commeth from the Father to the Sonne from the Sonne to vs. Iohn 15. 26. The cause of this order is this Hee is our Sauiour and hath bought vs vvith a deare price the Spirite is bought to vs by the blood of IESVS CHRIST His blood hath bought all which vve receiue and get by Him so He giueth His holy Spirit vvith all His graces by the hand of IESVS CHRIST the man Then if ye would haue the Spirit dresse your selues to that treasure in HeaueÌ„ and beseech God that He would vouchsafe to send that Spirit vpon you through IESVS CHRIST and giue you His grace by the hand of the man CHRIST Yet to open vp the vvordes more narrowly Which Hee powreth out c. He speaketh of the Spirit as it were of vvater the Spirite heere is compared to vvater because of the vvashing for as the one vvasheth the filth of the body so the other vvasheth the filth of the soule Hee is not content to say Hee powreth out the Spirit simply but hee saith aboundantly in a great measure as a flood in aboundance This teacheth two things to vs first the liberality of GOD Hee giueth not grace niggardly as men but vvhatsoeuer vvee gette it is in aboundance His loue is rich His mercy is rich the Spirit vvhich He giueth vnto vs is rich so Hee is liberall vnto vs. Then it followeth of this also that vve
without all impediment shall cry with the blessed Angels Holy holy holy is y e God of heaueÌ„ the Whole World is full of his glory There shall it find in his countenance saciety of ioy and at his right hand pleasures for euer Marke here last I shal end with it that the seeling of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ bringeth out obedience chearful seruice of God yea of al argumeÌ„ts to moue a man to abstein from sin to serue the Lord with pleasure that is y e most pithie forcible The shame of y e world the feare of temporal judgement the horror of conscience the feare of the paines of hel wil not be so steadable it may be â— they represse raging lusts furious affections â—â—r a time but they wil not mortify sin slay corruptioÌ„ wil neuer cause a man with pleasure to serue obey God but if a man hath fouÌ„d â— God hath loued him so well that he hath giueÌ„ his only son to dy that he might liue it is not possible but that maÌ„ in some measure wil set himself with alacrity chearfulnes to serue God Therfore the Apostle wheÌ„ he wold perswade christiaÌ„s to abstein from sin to serue God what argument vseth he chiefly read Rom. 12. 1. he proponeth the mercy of God offering Iesus to die for them for there hee saith I beseech you brethreÌ„ through the mercies of God â— ye offer vp your selues a liuing sacrifice therfore if thou wouldest couet to do y e Lords wil chearfully pray the Lord that he would not so much threateÌ„ thee propone terrors to thee as that he would make thee sensible of His mercies in Iesus Christ The vaine Papist speakes litle or nothing almost to the people of this mercy of God in Iesus Christ but propones to the people the pains of hell fire of purgatory to stay them from sin to make them serue God and do good works but if there be no more it wil neuer make them to bring forth such obedience as either is acceptable to God or yet profitable to themselues The Lord therfore make vs to bee sensible of his vnspeakeable loue in Iesus that wee may set our selues with pleasure to serue and glorify him here that so we may be assured that hee shall glorify vs in the kingdome of Heauen which Iesus hath purchased to vs by his precious blood To this Iesus with the Father the H. Spirit be all praise honor and glory for euer Amen THE XIII SERMON PSALME CXXX verse 5 I haue waited on the LORD my soule hath waited and I haue trusted in His word verse 6 My soule waiteth on the LORD more than the morning watch watcheth for the morning verse 7 Let Israel wait on the LORD for with the LORD is mercie and with Him is great redemption verse 8 And He shall redeeme Israel from all his iniquities WELBELOVED in the LORD IESVS The last day we diuided this Psalme into these three partes First the proposition whosoeuer hee was that writ this Psalme hee maketh mention and rehearsall of that prayer that hee made to his God in the time of his great danger and this hee doeth to the fift verse Then finding in experience a comfortable answere and howe good a thing it was to pray to God and to waite on Him he professeth that as before he had awaited on Him so still in time comming hee woulde awaite on Him and this hee doeth to the seuenth verse In the third and last part he turneth him to Israel to the Church and exhorteth them to await on God as hee had done promising them mercie and redemption from all their iniquities if they would awaite on Him The last day we ended the first part so wee haue now to follow out the other two parts which remaine Then as for the second The prophet finding in experience the fruite of his prayer hee professeth that hee will yet still waite on the Lord I haue waited on the Lord my soule hath waited and I haue trusted in His word As though he would saye I depend yet still on His word for the presence of the Lord that wee haue in this life is in His worde and in His Holy Spirite that accompanieth it So all the dependance we haue on GOD is in His worde and promise Take that away and then wee haue no sight no presence no faith here till wee see Him face to face Yet the wordes are better to bee marked hee saith I haue waited on the Lord Then hee saith My soule hath waited on the Lord as if he woulde saye I haue not awaited on the Lord onely with my bodily eyes but with mine heart and secrete inward affections I haue depended on Him from my verie heart For Brethren marke it well It is the heart of a man or woman that draweth GOD downe from Heauen sucketh in His presence Marueilous is the power that a faithful heart hath when it sendeth vp sighes and sobbes to Heauen for grace to pull down Gods presence and grace if there be no more but the eye it will not doe the turne but where the Spirit of the Lord dwelleth in the heart it maketh it to â—igh with sobbes that cannot be expressed It is not possible but GOD who giueth His Spirite to no man in vaine and who knoweth the meaning of His owne Spirite will grant that for which the Spirit maketh intercession Paul in the 8. chap. to the Rom. setting downe the waiting on of the godly how they wait on the Lord he setteth downe both the forceable operation of Gods Spirit in our hearts as also the fruit of his operation Wee sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our bodies there the vvaiting on of the godly is conjoyned vvith sighes and sobbes Then after hee letteth vs see what followeth vpon that What to seeke wee knowe not but when the Spirite of the Lord interceadeth for vs with sighes and sobbes vnspeakeable then the Lord who searcheth the heart knoweth the meaning of His owne Spirit granteth that thing for the which the Spirite maketh intercession for what els meaneth that vnspeakeable joye vvhich many a time the Saincts of God finde before they haue ended their prayers but that their prayers are fauourably accepted What meaneth that vnspeakeable joy when he saith Belieuing we rejoyce with joy vnspeakeable and glorious That joye witnesseth that the Lord giueth his presence for there is a sure ground There is no true joy but in the presence of God and so the joy testifieth to thee that thou sighest not so soone but the Lord giueth his presence to thee Now when hee hath saide My soule hath waited then he subjoyneth I will waite still vpon His word I will hold vp mine eare to Heauen as it were and heare what He wil speake vnto me There is no consolation nor joy in this world but in the hearing of His
what the Apostle saieth to this purpose to the Ephes. Chap. 3. verse 10. It is their pleasure to pierce in to that misterie and to looke to that mercie but miserable man to whom it belongeth commonlie wondreth not at it But albeit the prophane man when hee is sleeping in sinne and going on in an euill course thinking it but an easie thing to gette mercie and albeit hee wonder not much when he seeth another miserable sinner to get mercie but account it a matter of sober importance yet if it please the Lord once to waken his conscience and make his sinnes to appeare in their owne colour how great how vile and how detestable they are and what it is to offende that infinite and inuiolable Majestie that Omnipotent IEHOVAH who created all thinges and to finde the terrours and tormentes of that ineuitable wrath and euerlasting paine And if the Spirit of God leaue him there to his owne selfe and helpe him not forwarde hee woulde conclude that there were no mercie for him and hee would maruell that euer a sinner shoulde get mercie for hee woulde see the justice of God as a wall of fire standing before God holding off the sinner that hee preasse not to come neare to God So such persons woulde dite their owne dittie and giue out their owne doome against themselues And except it please the Lord to sende His Holie Spirit who searcheth all thinges yea the deepnesse of God out of His owne bosome to a miserable sinner thus exercised to conuoy him through His justice thorowe that wall of fire and to let him see and feele the mercie of God in the Lord Iesus he would neuer nor durst neuer claime to His mercie Onelie they who getteth that Holy Spirit who cometh out of that deepenesse to conuoye the creature to that vnsearcheable deepnesse for albeit the deepnesse of that mercie bee infinite yet the Spirit of GOD searcheth out that deepnesse will acclaime and apprehende mercie and then such persons will maruel that euer themselues or any other should haue found such infinite mercie And the Sainctes of God in the kingdome of Heauen shall euer be exercised in marueiling at the mercies of God vpon them It is true that manie vaine wanton men when they are going on in sinne beeing drunken and bewitched with the pleasures of sinne and mad in their damnable course will promise mercie to themselues and will applie mercie to sinne to make sinne more and more sweete as if it were not sweete enough before But away with thee for mercie appertaineth not vnto thee but wrath and judgement so long as thou remainest in that estate Thou art not in that estate that thou mayst claime to His mercie for onely the man who hath a sadde a contrite and a broken soule may acclaime to mercie and such a man in greatest sadnesse for sinne shall haue vnspeakeable joye Nowe after hee hath vvondered at the mercie of GOD in the ende of the verse hee setteth downe a cause not so much vvherefore GOD gaue him mercie as that GOD was so readie to giue him mercie Hee saieth that hee was an ignorant and that hee prooueth because hee wanted faith His ignorance deserued no mercie but rather made him culpable and guiltie For the Lord will not allowe such an excuse in that Great day but ignorance maketh the sinne the lesse The sinne that proceedeth from ignorance is not so great as the sinne that proceedeth from knowledge for the seruant vvho knoweth not the masters vvill and doeth it not shall bee striped with fewe stripes but the seruant vvho knoweth the masters vvill and doeth it not shall bee striped vvith manie stripes Luke 12. 47. 48. But for the better clearing of this point vvee must vnderstand that Paul meaneth not that euerie sinne vvhich is committed vvillinglie and vvittinglie men knowing vvell enough that they are sinning shall not bee forgiuen for in vvhat case should vvee all bee into then Doe vvee not all manie a time sinne vvittinglie and vvillinglie Doe not our consciences challenge vs in the verie act Will vve not doe vvrong to our neighbour in his person or in his goods or in his name and account yes no question and vve cannot justifie our selues in our doinges If therefore they vvho offend God euen with open eyes were condemned without hope of mercie alas in what case would wee bee into Hee meaneth not then of all sins in generall hee meaneth not of the sins committed against the secoÌ„d Table against our neighbours but by joyning ignorance and mis-beliefe together he sheweth that hee meaneth of the resisting of the trueth of God which is a far greater sinne than theft hooredome or backe-biting for they who resist the trueth doe as much as in them lieth to pluck God out of His seat and to put out the remembrance of His glorious Majestie that He reigne no more and they say in effect Let mee alone with God I shall handle him wel enough I shall bring him to nought hee shall not reigne I shall fight against him Therefore Paul speaking of such an accursed sinne saieth not without cause I did it of ignorance as if he had said It is true to blaspheme Gods name and to treade Gods word vnder feete and to persecute the Saincts of God is a sinne that surmounteth and surpasseth all sinnes and I am culpable of this sinne But what I did it not wittinglie for I thought I serued GOD when I was an enemie to the Gospell because I â—anted faith Indeede Paule was a learned man and brought vp in all good literature as we reade in the 3. Chap. to the Philipp As for the knowledge of the lawe and the tradition of the Pharisees hee surpassed the rest Galat. 1. 14. Yet for all this hee saieth hee was ignorant because hee wanted the knowledge of Christ. Suppose thou knowest all the worlde and yet if thou knowest not Iesus Christ thou knowest nothing And though thou knewest all the lawes in the worlde all humanitie all philosophie yet if thou knowest not Christ thou knowest nothing Now blessed is that soule that knoweth Christ albeit hee knewe no more for in the knowledge of Him standeth life euerlasting Marke againe hee saieth because hee was ignorant therefore hee was a blasphemer and persecuter Ignorance is a dangerous thing they who are ignorant of Christ they who haue not faith in Him they who knowe not what a glorious personage Hee is what incomparable benefite Hee brought with Him vnto the worlde who hath not founde His mercies who haue not beene sensible of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes who haue not founde the image of God repaired in them and they who haue not found that peace of conscience and joye in the Holie Ghost they will persecute Christ and His Gospell and His Sainctes It is a dangerous thing for the Sainctes of GOD to dwell among ignorantes and vnbeleeuers for such men are vnreasonable yea they are Atheistes The Apostle Paul
and all teares shal be wiped away from our eyes Now for Christes sake put away vanitie and wantonnesse and let euery one of vs take vp a new course of life that we may mourne and weep vnfainedly for our sinnes for we haue all neede that in stead of this worldly joy wee may get that solide vnspeakeable joy that ariseth out of sadnesse otherwise we only enjoy the name of Christians but as the disposition of the heart which is required in a Christian it is farre from vs. Yet marke further His conscience is not onelie wakened with the sense of sinne hee is not onelie touched with a true sorrow for it but also he maketh a cleare plaine confession of it Then mark it Before thou gettest mercy in Christ thou must first of necessity acknowledge confesse thy sin for confession of sinne must of necessity go before mercy Dauid found this by experience for so long as he held his tongue and would not confesse his sinne he could find nothing but the wrath heauie hand of God against him My bones saieth hee were consumed I roared all the day c but assoone as hee taketh this resolution with himselfe I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord then hee found the Lord to shew mercy on him and to forgiue him y e punishment of his sin Psal 32. 3. 4. 5. And to what purpose shoulde any man couâ—r his sinnes from God whose all-seeing eyes pierce into the braines and moste secrete corners of the heart and to whom all things are open patent and who knoweth euery mans sinnes better than he can doe himselfe Why shouldest thou then dissemble with Him why shouldest thou not make a plaine open confession of thy sinnes vnto Him that thou mayest get mercy Another thing would be marked Hee is not content to confesse his sin but he saith I am the chiefe of sinners Hee saieth not simply I am a sinner but the chiefest sinner the first sinner in the world Brethren if we had a sense of our sin euen the least sinner of vs would thinke he were the greatest hee would not goe about to excuse his sinne hee woulde not cloake it as Cam did hee would not extenuate it much lesse would hee haue a proude conceit of himselfe and of his own righteousnesse he would not enter in as that proude Pharisee did Luke 18. 10 who helde vp his head and saide I am not as other men extortioners vnjust adulterers or euen as this Publicane The poore Publicane was in y e meane time hinging down his head but hee was a greater sinner But if thou enter into comparison with others and haue a sense of thy sin thou wilt thinke with thy selfe There is not so great a sinner in the world as I am thou wilt say with Paul I am the first and chiefest of sinners Now when he hath applied the generall sentence to himselfe and shewed that the Lord had giuen him mercy and saluation He setteth downe next the end of this grace But herefore saieth hee he had mercy on me that he might first shew on me al long suffering there is an end another end is that I should be an example to others in the world Nowe Brethren when God sheweth mercy on any man it is not for nothing it is not without great manifest causes for He will not cast grace lightly away Indeed He will giue these temporall benefits to the wicked because He esteemeth not so much of them Hee will throwe a lordship an earledome yea a kingdome to a reprobate but as for one spunke of y â— spirituall grace of Iesus Christ He will know well to whom He giueth it He will take good heed to whom Hee giueth one drop of that precious blood of Iesus Christ and Hee will loue them exceedingly Thinke yee not that hee would loue a leprous man well that would washe him with his owne blood The preciousest liquor that euer was in the world is the blood of the Lord Iesus yea such is the worthinesse preciousnesse thereof that all the worlde will not buy one drop of it Shall we not thinke then that He loueth that man well whome Hee washeth with His blood Shall we not thinke that He beareth an vnspeakeable loue to that man whom He washeth with His Holy Spirit Marke it Brethren Mercy commeth by chance to no man it is vsually said Kingdomes come of hap but it is not so with mercy and the grace of Iesus Christ none gets it but these whose names are writteÌ„ vp in the booke of life none are called to the participation of one spunke of that sauing grace but they who were predestinated from all eternity And therefore if thou hast gotten one spunke of grace count with thy selfe that thou wast predestinated from all eternity to euerlasting life and count with thy selfe that thou hast gotten a more excellent and precious thing than if thou hadst gotten all the world Now as He will not lightly giue grace so He giueth it not for the person himself alone who receiueth the grace but Hee will haue a consequence following vpon the giuing of that grace and mercy first He will haue the glory of that grace and mercy to Himselfe and what more Hee will set him on whome Hee hath vouchsased that grace and mercy to be a spectacle and example of His mercy before the worlde To speake of the first ende That he should show on mee al clemency that is that shewing such mercy on me who was the greatest sinner Hee might manifest and declare the exceeding greatnesse of His mercie to the world Brethren the thing that God looketh to in His workes is that Hee might bee glorified in His essentiall properties but aboue all the rest of His properties Hee will bee glorified in His mercy He will bee glorified in His power in His wisedome in his justice Sodome and Gomorrha was a spectacle to sinners of His justice to terrifie sinners to the ende of the worlde But aboue all Hee seeketh to bee glorified in His owne mercy Aboue all things the Lord will haue His loue and mercy to shine in the worlde Hee will haue the creature to glorifie Him in His mercy What is the cause that Hee sent Christ into the worlde That in Christ His mercy might shine in the world What is the cause of this preaching of the Euangell Why is it sent That His mercy might shine in the worlde And all the Pastors should teach and proclaime this mercie of God and not speake of judgement but when men regardeth not His mercy Looke what the LORD will doe that His mercy should shine in the world Hee will take blasphemous persons persecuters oppressors such as Paul was and Hee will shewe mercy vpon them Hee will make them to be spectacles of His mercy in the sight of the world that all the worlde shoulde stand wondering that the Lord sheweth mercy vpon them And there is not one of them who are justified by Christ but they are spectacles of the mercy of God set before the world to make the world to wonder at his mercy that so wee may learne to knowe and deepely to consider the mercy of GOD not onely by His worde but also by His workes and examples of them that haue obtained mercy Now to come to the second ende hee saieth Unto the example of them that shall in time to come beleeue in him Then Paul getteth mercy not for himselfe onely but also for other sinners who seeing this mercy shewed vpon him might reason with themselues and say Yonder blasphemer yonder persecuter yonder oppressor hath gotten mercy and may not I likewise bee assured to get mercy Therefore when thou seest that the Lord is merciful to any man say with thy selfe It is not for nothing that the Lord hath giuen this man mercy but it is for my cause that I may by his example be stirred vp to seeke mercy therefore I will goe and get mercy at his handes But alas such is our security and senselesnesse that howbeit the Lord be continually calling vpon vs and offering mercy vnto vs by His worde and likewise by euer setting foorth before vs godlie men and women that of vnholy creatures are made holy creatures to be spectacles of His mercie that by them wee should take example yet all these meanes that God vseth to testifie His mercy vnto vs mooueth vs not to consider and take vp His mercy But blessed is that soule that can learn by anie of these meanes to take vp the mercie of GOD and to seeke for it for mercie is the preciousest jewell that euer was Therefore when thou findest not assurance of mercy then be sorie for it and striue earnestly to obtaine it for there is no surer token that the Lord is to shew mercie to anie soule than vvhen vpon the sight and feeling of the vvant thereof the soule is grieued and striueth and endeuoureth more and more to obtaine a more full assurance thereof And therefore vvhen I consider howe men in this Land are sleeping in sinne vvithout anie remorse of conscience and are so carelesse to seeke to haue assurance of mercie I am afraide that the LORD is about to vvith-draw mercie from this Nation The LORD auert His vvrath and be mercifull vnto this sinfull Nation for CHRISTES sake To vvhom vvith the Father and the Holy Spirit be all honour praise and glory vvorlde vvithout end AMEN FINIS
disappointed It is the violent that entreth into Heauen Matth. 11. 12. as yee will see a man violentlie thrust in at a doore Thou that wouldest goe to Heauen make thee for thronging thorowe till all thy gutâ—es bee almoste thrust out Paule in the eight chapter to the Romanes and the 22. and 23. verses vseth these argumentes against those wicked men that cannot sigh for Heauen First hee taketh his argument from the elementes the senselesse and dumbe reatures which sobbe and grone for the reuelation of the sonnes of GOD and trauell for that time as a woman in her birtâ— O miserable man The earth shall condemne thee the â—loore thou sittest on is sighing and woulde faine haue that carcasse of thine to Heauen The waters the aire the heauens all sighing for that last deliuerance the glorie appertaineth to thee and yet thou art laughing Alas what shall betide thee The other argument hee taketh from the sighing of men who haue gotten the Spirit of GOD We also saith he who haue the first fruites of the Spirit euen wee doe sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our bodie Thou that hast not gotten the Spirit shalt neuer sigh for Heauen flesh and blood will neuer shed one teare for Heauen It must onely bee the Spirite of IESVS that must fetch vp the sigh out of the heart and the teare in the eye Roman 8. 26. So hee taketh his argument from them who haue gotten a sense of the Spirit of GOD and redemption of the body to prooue the certainty of that Heauenly Kingdome and glory Nowe there cannot bee a surer argument to vs that euer wee shall obtaine glory than this sighing in heart for it and this earnest desire thereof If thou find thine heart desirous of glory a sure argument thou shalt bee partaker of glory It is saide Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnes for they shall be filled Matth. 5. 6. Seekest thou for CHRISTES righteousnesse and thy glorie assure thee thou shalt get a sweete filling Marke it I saye to thee thou hast not onlie through this earnest desire of glorie an assurance that thou shalt reigne in glorie but looke to your experience that desire is not so soone begun of that life and glorie but so soone also the soule of the faithfull beginneth to rise with joye Who euer yet was hee that gaue a sigh from his heart raised vp by the Spirite of Christ that felt not with that sigh a joye in his heart Learne it by your experience This letteth vs see that the desire and thirst of glory putteth vs in present possession of a part of glorie Ere thou come to it desire it earnestly and I promise thee in the Name of the Father thou shalt be presently put in possession of a part of that Heauenly inheritance It is true thou shalt not get it al here yet there is none other Heauen after this life but that Heauen which thou gettest begunne in thee in this life Alwayes looke euer for that joye that is by sight There are two ioyes the one by sight the other by faith 2. Cor. 5. 6. The ioye by faith is in our pilgrimage in this life The ioy by sight is after this life when with our eyes wee shall see Christ The ioy by faith is to looke to Christ a far of and yet wee reioyce and loue Him that is farre absent 1. Pet. 1. 8. Faith hath a ioye that it enioyeth by speaking and thinking Sight hath the ioye that it enioyeth by presence The ioye of the eye great in quantitie and the fulnesse of ioye The ioye of faith not so great for it is the ioye of a pilgrime not as yet come to his home The ioye of the sight is when wee shall see our glorious Lord face to face whom we see only now by faith 1 Cor 13 12. This is the fulnes of ioy The ioy of Faith which induring our pilgrimage is not so full O how great shal be the ioy at the perfect seeing of Christ Thinke never to have the ioy by sight after this life except in this life thou have the ioy by faith as the earnest-penny of the other except by Faith thou once get a ioy before thou depart from this life thou shalt never see the face of Christ nor have ioy in him So brethren it is a good thing to have that desire of Heaven Sigh and sob and desire with Paul for Heaven for it is a Charter Evidence of thine everlasting inheritance never earthly lord had a surer charter of his land than thou that hast a desire of heaven hast of thine inheritaÌ„ce in heaven for these earthly evidences of land are without theÌ„ in their kists but this evidence of thine is written ingraffed in thine hart Now when extremity is threatned it is time to seek thy warrands of this heaveÌ„ly in heritance this present country is good forthee the best country that ever thou shalt see except thou find this warrand of sighing and desire for that heaveÌ„ly inheritaÌ„ce And therfore let scorners mockers scorn as they wil the children of God must powre forth tears And this is it that y â— Lord hath bene desiring these many days past he hath benegently drawing out of us this sense but now He beginneth to presse it out of us that our eyes might burst out in teares and thou that canst not sob and desire in these miserable dayes to bee dissolved thou hast no true matter of ioy Woe bee to them that have none heart to sigh for the troubles of Christs Church but are ever ready to execute iudgement against Gods servants when the Lord is visiting them Well the Lord shall wring out teares out of them in His wrath that will not sob in the time of the danger and trouble of His Church Then what is it that Pavle sigheth for And what desireth he Hee desireth a new cloathing to bee put one above as a cloathing that is he would keep this same body in substance and cast off this filthy garment of sinand death put on that glorious shape of the body of Christ The reason is set down For when the Lord shal cloath us we shall not be found naked So this body shall remaine in substance but O the glory and immortality of it Mark the natur of the lodging which we shall receive it shal not be another body in substance than this body which we have heer in earth The same body in substance wee shall have in heaven which we have heer Heerein onely is the difference this body is vile it is mortall full of sinne and wickednesse unglorious ignominious full of corruption weak infirm But when this body shall be changed in heaven it shall not be changed in substance but in qualitie Paul 1 Cor. 15. 42. 43. 44. Saith The bodie is sawn in corruption and is raised againe in incorruption and is raised againe in incorruption
it is sowne in dishonour and is raised in glorie it is sowne in weakenesse and is raised in power The weakest bodie in Heauen shall be stronger than the strongest man in earth Then saieth hee it is sowne a naturall bodie and is raised a spirituall bodie So the change is in qualitie and therefore he saith to the Philippians chap. 3. vers 21. When CHRIST commeth Hee shall transforme not abolish but transforme in qualitie our vile bodies like to His owne glorious body Christ keepeth in y e Heauen that same very body which he had in the earth thou shalt keep the same bodie in HeaueÌ„ which thou hast in earth but it shall be altered in qualitie as far as y e HeaueÌ„ earth is different BrethreÌ„ this ministreth comfort there is none of vs but naturally we loue this body then let this comfort thee that suppose thy soule shall bee for a time without this bodie yet thou shalt get it again Another comfort death cannot destroy it the graue shall not bee able to swallow vp that body but the graue shal keep it the dust substance thereof till the comming of Christ then it shall be compelled to render it againe Life shall swallow vp death but death nor the graue shall not be able to swallow vp the bodie of Godâ— Elect But the reprobate shall be swallowed vp of death both in soule bodie In the 8. chap. to the ROMANES the 10. and 11. verses Paul ministreth these two consolations against death Hee saieth The bodie must die because of sinne but hee subjoyneth The soule in the meane time shall liue and the Spirit of Iesus shall take it couer it with that blood And albeit it was a sinfull soule yet assoone as the Father blinketh vpon it wimpled and wrapped as it were in the blood of Iesus immediately hee biddeth it passe to glorie He goeth forward And where it might haue bene said shall we haue no consolation in the body He answereth If the Spirite of Him that raised Iesus from the dead dwell in your mortall body what then He that is GOD the Father that raised vp Christ from the dead He by His Spirit shall raise your bodies that same body that is dead and laid in graue that same body by Gods Spirit for the Spirit of Iesus and the Spirite of the Father is all one shall be raised vp Learne then if this holy Spirit of God once take lodging in you He shall neuer leaue you in soule nor body He shal accompanie the body in the graue and conuoy the soule to Heauen The Spirit of Iesus shall goe with y e soule lift it vp The earth getteth the body when the soule is separated from it yet the Holy Spirit shall goe to the graue with the body and shall remain with it in the graue and with the least part of the dust thereof And when Christ shall come He shall gather it together and make it a whole body So happy are they that haue once lodged this guest in their soules for neither fire nor water nor none other power euer shall bee able to destroy them because that Holy Spirit euer remaineth with theÌ„ Now in the next verse because it might haue bene said and objected Thou wouldst not want the bodie why sighest thou then and what meaneth this desire if thou wouldst keepe the body Wee the faithfull that are in this tabernacle we sigh are burthened but marke our desire because wee would not be vnclothed as some will say Soule to God and bones to the dung-hill in contempt of the body but thinkest thou to be glorified in HeaueÌ„ without a body No but would be clothed vpon that mortalitie might bee swallowed vp of Life As if hee would say I wold haue this faire cloke of glory put vpon this body that it might consume and swallow vp all this stinke of sinne that is in the body Learne then first the body as it is now is a burthen Hee saieth Wee that are in this tabernacle sigh and are burthened It is a loade laide vpon the backe of the soule it is a tabernacle but a burthenable tabernacle as an house smoothering him down and he holding the same vpon his shoulders that appearantly it would be better for him to bee out of it Learne secondly the estate of them that dwell in this tabernacle If the body be a burthen then the soule must sigh grone as a man vnder a heauie burthen And the body is nothing but an house of mourning to the faithfull soule as long as it dwelleth therein The wanton light man thinketh this body which he beareth about to bee no burthen and will run and leape with it as though this carcasse were as light as a fether Alas hee feeleth not the burthen hee is senselesse and like one in a feuer and in a rage that knoweth not what hee doeth nor what hee suffereth A mountaine is lying vpon him and hee feeleth it not Woe to those men that are so wanton vnder this miserie Amend in time or the LORD shâ—ll thrust thee downe to Hell Fye on thee that dwellest in Bethania the house of mourning canst not mourn Mourne in time or else I assure thee thou shalt mourne for euer This beeing the condition of men who dwell in this tabernacle sighing and desiring as a womâ—n with childe to bee relieued what is the ende of this desire The ende of the mourning of the Godlie is not that they woulde bee quite of the house as manie desire that were wrong for manie will mourne vnder this house desperatelie and the bodie will bee a burthen to the soule in them and their life will be vnpleasant to them they will thinke to get a reliefe of the burthen by the want of this present life and will put hand in themselues but then beginneth their euerlasting mourning for they neuer knew what mourning was till that end come So then this is not the way to bee deliuered of the burthen but the way is To seeke to put on a cloathing on this bodie and heere is the ende of our desire It is clothed with mortalitie and that is all the matter of thy mourning It is not the substance of the bodie that causeth thee to mourne but sinne that possesseth thy bodie and corrupteth the marowe of thy bones death accompanying sinne Then this mortalitie beeing an accident of sinne which is the chiefe cause thereof the remedie is Seeke to bee cloathed with the life that commeth from Christ Sucke in by Faith a droppe of that life of Christ This will not destroy thy bodie but it will destroy the death sinne that possesseth thy bodie And the life of Iesus Christ in a moment wil swallowe vp all that death and sinne and all that miserie that laye on thee There is the way to dwell with ease in the bodie Seeke not to destroy the bodie But seeke the slaughter of that sinne and death that lieth
thou not this light Wilt thou bid a blinde man judge of colours thou scornest him Euen so all the speaking of the Scriptures vnto men is but scorning of them except they get this reuelation of the Holie Spirite What is this reuelation of the Spirit I shall tell you what it is With that preaching of the worde which is the first reuelation the Spirite of IESVS commeth downe and seateth Himselfe in thine eye openeth thine eye to see the thinges which are spoken commeth to thine eare openeth thine eare to heare the things which are spoken entreth into thine heart and maketh thee to conceaue the thinges which thou seest and hearest and maketh thee capable of them of the which thou art no more capable by nature than the verie stone in the pillar speak to thee to the stone all is alike till this alteration be made in thy soule Then Brethren There are two reuâ—lations The first by y e word when it is preached The second by the Spirit when that Holy Spirit concurreth with the word I will tell you the differeÌ„ce of them The first will bee common to all the word is preached alike to all O! but the other reuelation is not so coÌ„mon but is only made to some secret ones of y e Lord. That blessed Spirit will not light vpon euery man and woman but onlie vpon some secret persons vpon whom the Lord hath pitie Wee reade in the 16. Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles that there is a meeting of manie many are gathered together Paule the Apostle the Preacher hee reuealeth the graces of the worde to all alike amoÌ„g all the rest we reade of one speciall person called Lydia there was neuer a word spokeÌ„ of the rest it is said of her namely that the Lord opened the heart of Lydia to receiue that which Paul preached the Spirit of IESVS opened her heart not Paul the Spirit of IESVS only is the reuealer be neuer content with hearing onelie fie on thee if thou thinke thou hast done enough when thou hast sitten an houre or two hearing if thou finde not the sweet operation of the Spirit to opeÌ„ thine heart with such a sweetnesse as is vnspeakeable And therfore fixe not your eyes so much on men as vpon the Lord who sendeth the Spirit and crie euer Lord giue me y e Spirit or els all is but wind blessed is that body that getteth the Spirit for the word will neuer doe good without the Spirit Yet I goe forward and I marke the reason The Spirit searcheth all thinges yea the deepnesse of GOD. These are the wordes There is a great deepnesse in these wordes if wee could attaine to it The first thing that I take vp heere is this Great is that deepnesse and that profundity that is in our God Paul in the 3. chap. to the Ephes and the 18. verse considering that deepenesse falleth out in these words That yee beeing rooted and grounded in loue may be able to comprehend with all Saincts what is the breadth and length meaning of God for He is both broade and long and the depth Hee is deepe and the height He is high also Infinite in length infinite in breadth infinite in height infinite in deepnesse what would yee haue He Himselfe is as it were a bottomlesse Deepe There is neuer a propertie in Him as we call them but all is an infinite deepnesse the wisedome of GOD an infinite and endlesse deepnesse His power an endlesse deepenesse And therefore the Apostle Rom. 11. 34. falleth out in an admiration of the deepenesse both of the wisedome and of the knowledge of GOD. Well then Brethren it is no wonder albeit it was saide in the verse going before that the thinges that are prepared for them that loue Him the eye hath neuer seene the eare hath neuer hearde neither haue they entered into the heart of man Why Because all these things are hidden vp in a bottomlesse deepnesse that is in GOD. What wonder then that thou canst not see them that the eye of a worme creeping vpon the earth cannot see them that the eare of a worme cannot heare them and that the heart of a worme cannot be capable of them It is true indeed y â— Gospel speaketh of them al vnto vs yet the worde is not sufficient to shew them they are not so in the word but they abide still in that deepnes the mercie is not so reuealed in y e word broght down froÌ„ Heauen but yet it remaineth still in that deepnes remission of sins is not so reuealed in the word but yet it abideth still in that deepenesse And therefore the worde when it speaketh of these thinges whither sendeth it thee vnto When it speaketh of the mercie of GOD in Iesus Christ of the justice of God of Life euerlasting whither doeth it direct thee Euermore to this deepnesse Goe thy wayes saieth the word to the deepnesse of GOD and see all these thinges plainlie Therefore the same Apostle saieth Coloss 3. 1. 3. Seeke the thinges which are aboue where thy life is hidden with Christ in God Where is thy life then I am speaking of it now but where is it It is hidden vp in that deepnesse of God The word should not holde downe thine eye but lift it vp to seeke all those mercies that are aboue with God Ye may see then these thinges that concerne our saluation in Iesus Christ our remission of sinnes our justification our saluation these are euen the things to speake them plainlie whereof the Apostle meaneth they are incomprehensible to the wit of man to the eye of man to the judgement of man to the nature of man Hee will stand vp and talke of his nature of his engine an high spirited man his wit will compasse all the worlde O! but thy wit reached neuer vp heere to search this deepnesse Therefore by nature there is none assurance of remission of sinnes of saluation of life if thou haue no more but nature scorne as thou wilt although thou be a Monarch thou shalt neuer get assuraÌ„ce of life but die like a desperate dogge Art thou able to pierce in to the deepnesse of the sea that hath a bottome or to the deepnes of the earth that is finite No thou wilt neuer see one foot into it albeit thou be neuer so clear of sight then O foole wilt thou striue to reach vp to a bottomles deepnesse that is in God with thy wit and thy conception when thou canst not attaine to a finite thing Now Brethren I haue spoken of God of His deepnes next we haue to speak of the Spirit of the searching of the Spirit I shall only touch it shortly as farre as the Text will furnish and not digresse in amplifying of these common heads I marke then of this Text As there is an infinite deepnesse in God so there is a searcher of it it wanteth not a searcher The onlie searcher of this deepnes is
as y e Apostle saith Eph. 4. 30. neither in word or thought And therefore as thou wouldest keep Him not anger Him study to sanctificatiō sanctification shall bring on saluation for it is y e very means that shall make thee to see God look what th'Apostle saith Heb. 12. 14. Without sanctification no man shall see GOD. Now vpon all this discourse I marke shortly There were neuer two things so straitly joyned together as God man is there was neuer such kinred betwixt two things in y e world as is betwixt the God of glory and an earthly man thou wilt count thy kinred with this man and that man if thou be joyned with him in blood or alliance But I aske this question Is his spirite within thee is his soule within thee or is thy soule in him Indeede it is true the affection may goe out of thee to him but giuest thou him thy spirit with thy affection or giueth he thee his spirit with his affection knowest thou y e thought of his heart or knoweth he the thought of thine heart who will say it O! but God with His affection giueth thee His Spirit within thee that thou mayest know the thought of His heart and He of thine This is the conjunction that is betwixt God thee there is a narrow conjunction indeed betwixt y e members of that mysticall body for they are conjoyned together by y e Spirit of Christ by loue but no member putteth his spirit into another member there is y e other cōjunction betwixt the head and the members of the naturall bodie for the soule will as it were come downe and the spirit of the head to the members and they will vnderstand the thought of the head and the head will vnderstand the thought of the members but there was neuer such a conjunction betwixt the members the head as is betwixt God man and all conjunctions among men are but a pendicle of that which is betwixt GOD and man In this conjunction with thy GOD and with thine Head IESVS for thou art joyned with GOD in Him standeth thy felicitie and blessednesse To come to the next verse It might haue bene said to the Apostle Thou dedicatest all to the Spirit of God may not the spirite of man doe something in this purpose may not my spirit search in to God and discouer the deepnes that is in Him He answereth Noman can see the thinges that are in God but His owne Spirit Then hee declareth his answere by a comparison Euen as no man can see the thinges which are in man but by the spirit of a man so nothing can search the things which are in God but the Spirit of God Thou canst not see the things that are in me onlie I my selfe will see the thinges that are in me euen so no man can see the things that are in God but onlie His owne Spirit Nowe the Apostle heere hee meeteth the verie pride of the heart of man that hee will conciet of himself that he by his spirit will search the things that are in God Paule had this experience in the Corinthians who were but carnall they tooke vpon them to judge vpon his doctrine that was spirituall Hast thou but that spirite which is carnall albeit thou bee a Monarch thou art too bolde to take vpon thee to judge of thinges which are spirituall and spoken spirituallie This same is the pride of the Papists this daye There will come out a Thomist a Scotist who hath the spirit of a man onlie and a verie subtile or rather a Sophisticall spirit an humane Philosopher and hee will judge of the Gospell of Iesus Christ and turne it ouer into humane Philosophie They haue turned the Gospell of Iesus to Aristotle all their writings are but spiritlesse There is not so much as a smell of the Spirit of Iesus in them all But O that terrible judgement that abideth such Doctors as are prophane polluters of the Gospell of Iesus Christ There is none of vs all but if a man would stand vp and say to mee or to thee I knowe thine heart and what is in thine heart wee would be angrie at him Then will not that glorious God bee angrie at a prophane villane that will say hee will search in to that profunditie hauing only his owne spirit Brethren when I was younger than I am if I had seene one of great engine great capacitie great graces I thought immediately he would comprehend the whole Bible but I protest before God that the longer I liue I thinke euer the lesse of the wit of man I had rather haue y e least sponk of the Spirit of Christ nor all the engine knowledge of y e world No a silly body that hath y e Spirit of Iesus will conceiue more of spiritual things than all the high headed bodies in the worlde Therefore alwayes renounce thine owne wit and be a foole that thou mayest be wise Another thing I marke heere When hee hath magnified the Spirit and made Him the searcher of all the deepnesse of God see howe hee holdeth off him the proude conceites of men hee will not let thee touch him or his priuiledges that is to search the deepnesse of God Therefore if yee will speake of God to His honour He is inuiolable saue him from the proude conceites of men Hold proude men off God let them not touch Him or violate that inuiolable Majestie or else thou shalt be guiltie if Hee be violated by thy default Alas wherefore art thou set in this world but to preach His glorie and to keepe it inuiolate from the injuries of all flesh in the worlde Looke what he doeth next in the last verse when he hath as it were holden off GOD the proude conceites of men who woulde take vpon them to search in to the deepnesse of God what doeth he He draweth that Spirit to himselfe and saieth Nowe wee haue receiued not the spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God whereby hee learneth thee this lesson It auaileth thee not to magnifie to glorifie God and His Spirit except in the end thou take that Spirit to thy selfe and mayest challenge Christ and His Spirit as thine owne propertie Men haue spoken verie highlie of Christ and haue had little adoe with Him Speake thou not of Him so but as thou speakest of Him to His praise take Him to thy selfe otherwise in all thy speaking of Him thou art but a verie babler if thou haue not that Spirite within thee For the Apostle saith No man can call Iesus Lord except he haue the Spirit of Iesus 1. Cor. 12. 3. Therefore as thou wouldest saue thy selfe from prophaning of God and of His Spirit and of His graces when thou art praising and magnifying Him looke that thou haue the Spirite that thou mayest say to thy selfe This Spirit whom I praise is mine this God whom I haue bene magnifying and all His
graces is mine In the end of the verse hee setteth downe the ende wherefore GOD hath giuen vs this Spirit The end is this To make vs to know the things which are giueÌ„ vnto vs by God I see here the Spirit of Iesus when He maketh our eye to looke in to that deepnesse of God to that store of mercie He will let vs see nothing in GOD but meere grace mercy As this Euangell preacheth nothing but meere grace and mercie so the Spirit of Iesus when He letteth thee see al the hidden things in GOD Hee letteth thee see nothing but meere mercie and grace And therefore hee that will tell the people of the merits of men or of the Saints that they are not justified by meere grace but must ad to their own deseruings I wil tell you my judgmeÌ„t of such a man suppose he be neuer so glorious a Doctor neuer so sacond or so learned hee neuer spake by the Spirite of IESVS Papist Doctors who leade men to leane to their owne merites and to the merites of Saincts neuer spake nor wrote by the Spirit of Iesus For the Spirite of Iesus letteth thee see nothing in God but meeâ—e mercie for one merite of man will destroye all grace so contratie is the Spirit of God the spirit of man the grace of Christ the merit of man And this is y e spirit that men striue to put amoÌ„gst vs againe for if they bring in Papistrie amoÌ„gst vs again farewell y e Spirit of Iesus No I speak it from mine heart if that Idolatrie come in againe I shall stand vp in my last Preaching and saye Farewell the Spirit of Iesus For no more than Hell can accompanie Heauen no more can that blessed Spirit of Iesus accompanie that dirt dung of mans doctrine Therefore as thou wouldest keepe the Spirit of Iesus holde abacke these men for thou shalt not enjoye them both in despite of thine heart The Lord Iesus cannot remaine amongst Idolaters and if thou haue not His Spirite thou art not His Roman 8. 9. if thou be not His thou art the Deuils and shalt goe to euerlasting damnation Therefore I say ouer againe Holde them away as thou wouldest keepe that blessed Spirit of IESVS CHRIST To whom with the FATHER and the Holie Ghost be all Honour Praise Power Glorie and Dominion both now and euer worlde without ende AMEN THE EIGHT SERMON II. COR. CHAP. IIII. verse 3 If our Gospell bee then hidden it is hidden to them that are lost verse 4 In whome the god of this worlde hath blinded the mindes that is of the Infideles that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the Image of God should not shine vnto them verse 5 For wee preach not our selues but CHRIST IESUS the LORD and our selues your seruants for IESUS sake IN the verse immediatelie going before this Text which wee haue read in your audience the Apostle hath beene speaking of that sinceritie of that plainnesse which hee vsed in the preaching of the Gospell of CHRIST which he vttered with such an euidence that whosoeuer hearde him might vnderstand him might haue seene the light of the Gospell and haue apprehended it Nowe because this people of Corinth were stiffe-necked hard to conceiue full of conceits and liked nothing but humane wisdome and eloquence scorning mocking the euidence of the Spirit Therefore some of them might haue objected immediatelie Paule thou speakest of thy plainnesse in vttering the Gospel yet for thy plainnesse there is manie amongst vs who knowe not what thou speakest thy Gospell is hidden to manie manie vnderstand thee not The Apostle meeteth this in the first wordes which wee haue read If our Gospell be hidden it is hidden to them that perish A sore sentence as if hee woulde saye Corinthians blame me not nor my Gospell the fault is in that miserable corruption which is in you yee cannot see the light of my gospel because ye are adjudged to perdition and damnation so the blame is in your blindnesse who are appointed to damnation before all eternity So this verse being plaine let vs obserue some lessons The first is this There hath beene and is many in the world in all ages that neuer saw seeth nor shall see the light of the Gospell Ye haue an example of these Corinthians howbeit the Gospel should shine clearer than y e Sunne at noone time of the day it shall neuer be seene of them it will be hidden to them howbeit it should bee as a booke laide open before them yet it will bee a clasped booke to them Let euerie man beware of himselfe for this is a necessitie laide vpon the multitude of this worlde A multitude hath bene in all ages a multitude is in this age a multitude shal be in euerie age to come who shal neuer see the light of the Gospell The next lesson is These folke haue this propertie and disposition beeing pleasurers of themselues they are euer quarreling with the Gospell amongst all the hearers of the worlde they are the most quarrellous they I say who get the least good of it are alwayes the moste quarrellous and euermore laying the fault either vpon the Gospel or vpon the teachers thereof because they neither get light nor consolation thereby Beware of this quarrellous complexion I marke thirdlie where is the fault or in whome They blame the Gospell and the teachers therof but where is the fault indeed Paule telleth thee heere If my Gospell bee hidden it is hidden to them that perish That perdition and destruction wherunto thou art appointed from all eternitie is the cause wherefore thou receiuest no consolation no light in thy soule thorow the Gospell of Iesus Christ Thou layest the fault where it is not thou art like a blinde man that will stand vp against the Sunne shining at the noone time of the daye and accuse it because it shineth not when in the meane time it is shining vpon the face of him Thou art a vessel of perdition if there bee not a remedie and because the sentence is past therefore as when a thiefe or a murtherer is once condemned to death the gracious presence of the Prince is with-drawne from him that hee may looke on him no more Euen so if once a creature bee adjudged to death the gracious countenance of Iesus Christ is with-drawne from him lest hee should beholde it in the Gospell Another thing followeth There are manie tokens of damnation that men and women are adjudged to death Amongst the rest this is a sure token If the Gospell be hidden to thee euen as it is preached in SCOTLAND wee haue neither Peter nor Paul to teach vnto vs yet if it be hidden to thee if thou receiue neither light nor consolation by it as it is now preached if thou continue so till thy life be in thy lips as wee speake till the last gaspe thou hast a seale in thine owne bosome of euerlasting damnation thine heart
thee and holden vp before thine eyes then He sendeth His torturer saith Go thy wayes Sathan and plucke out the eyes of this bodie then hee plucketh out the eyes of thy mind immediately and God giueth thee ouer to a reprobate sense and this is it which the Apostle saith of the Gentiles Rom. 1. 28. It pleased them not to retaine God in knowledge therefore God gaue them ouer to a reprobate sense And Ephes 4. 18. Hauing saith he their cogitations darkned and beeing strangers from the life of God thorow the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their heartes There plainlie hee letteth vs see that the hardnesse malice of their heartes bringeth on this ignorance and blindnesse Therefore beware of this malice and put it out of thine heart or else thou shalt bee carried blindlinges to euerlasting damnation suppose thou bee an Earle or a King what regarde hath GOD of persons Now BrethreÌ„ there are some words that I must weigh to you as the Lord shall giue me the grace I shall repeat them marke ye with me if they be not weighty That the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the image of God shuld not shine vnto theÌ„ or spread His beames vpoÌ„ them ye know anie man y t hath knowledge knoweth that this might haue bene spokeÌ„ in fewer baser words but the Apo. coÌ„tents not himself with base words in such a matter but saith that y e light of the glorious gospel c. Well is there one word here in vaine and is there any chaÌ„ge of words made for nothing are simple base words changed into glorious words for nothing no alas we cannot see this and it is one of the things in the world that I would fainest haue you to vnderstand what moueth the Apostles and Prophets to vse such an high language and set vp a thing in such glorious tearmes the which they might vtter in baser tearmes Thinke not that the men of God Prophets and Apostles haue spoken as we say hyperbolicè great and loftie words greater than the matter These wordes are borrowed words and they are borrowed from the most glorious thing in the earth and yet they attaine not to the thousand part of the things which by them he would expresse All the high wordes that a man can vse to expresse y e glorie of Christ are not able to expresse the thousand part of that glorie But to come to the purpose Ye haue set down first in glorious tearmes the effect of the Gospell it is set down in shining and beames thereafter ye haue set downe the Gospell it selfe To come to the first The most glorious thing that a man can see in this earth is the shining of the Sunn which the Lord hath fixed in the Heauens The pleasandest thing that a man can looke to when he hath looked to all these earthlie thinges is the glauncing of the Sunne in a faire day And therefore ye see the glorie of the Sunne is described very highlie by Dauid in the 19. Psalme To applie this Euen so the effect of the Gospell beeing the most glorious effect that euer was wrought the Spirite of God setteth it out by the most glorious thing in the world the spreading of the Sunne beames And surelie suppose there were no more but this word Shyning it letteth vs see a wonderfull effect of the Gospell in the hearts of men and women Ye see by experience the beames of the Sunne suppose they were neuer so bright will neuer alter the bodie which they shine vpon nor make it bright like themselues the sunne hath shined this long time in the world but yet by shining it could neuer so trans-change any creature that it coulde become as bright as the Sunne it selfe It may well let thee see the bodie that is opacum as wee saye darke obscure so long as it shineth but as soone as it is remooued the bodie is darke as it was before But as to the Gospell The Gospell with the beames of it not onelie maketh the object wherevpon it shineth to be seene and to appeare but it doeth more it transformeth the soule of the man or woman into that same light and brightnesse that is in it That is to say The face of IESVS the Sunne of righteousnesse that shineth in the Gospell when the beames of it striketh vpon thy soule they make it lightsome and bright like the face of Iesus they turne the soule in the shape of the face of IESVS that shineth in the Gospell Would yee haue Scripture for this looke the last verse of the chapter going before We behold saieth hee as in a mirrour the glorie of God with an open face and are changed into the same image from glorie to glorie as by the Spirit of the Lord. And this is done in such a sort O would to God wee knew the power of the Gospell that thou who hadst nothing but darknesse within thee art made a shining light casting out thy beames and ouer-shadowing sillie darke bodies Hee that brought light out of darknesse saith Paul by His word Hee hath shined in mine heart that I may minister the knowledge of Iesus Christ to others So is it moste certaine thou in whome the Gospell is so powerfull art made a light in the world to illuminate darke soules Nowe to come to the next the Gospell it selfe How expresseth he the Gospell Hee calleth it not simplie and barelie with a meane word The Gospell all these meane words and sillie simple speaches of such a glorie telleth what feeling men haue in their heartes of the effectualnesse of the Gospell but hee calleth it The light of the Gospell The Gospell is a light and it is the light of lightes The Sunne albeit it be bright was neuer comparable to it in shining and therefore it casteth out such glorious beames in the soules of men and women What is the cause that it is a light The cause is in the subject of it The subject of it is glorie What will make a light if glory will not make it The Gospell is the Gospell of glory and all that is within it is glorie What glorie â—â— this The glory of CHRIST the King of kingâ— his glory must be a great glory what kind of person is this Christ He is y e Image of God He neuer resteth mounting vp till he come to that diuinity Lo how he riseth he climbeth from the Gospel to the Mediator from y e Mediator to that glorious Majesty So all the glorie that shineth in y e Gospel is y e glory of God and all the light of the Gospel is that light of God which th'Apo 1. Tim. 6. 16. calleth y t light which hath none accesse neuer man had accesse to it till this Iesus brought it down without this light thou art but darknesse and shalt end in exteriour vtter darknesse All the beames of the Sunne are but darknesse in
should haue thoght shame to registrate as it were his own shame to y e posteritie to come so that I may say Paul thou wast of none estimatioÌ„ euery one may see in how smal acouÌ„t he was amongst these people There is none of vs all if there be anie infirmitie in vs but wee would haue it hidden but a man hauing a good conscience and discharging a faithful part of duetie is nothing blotted by the speaking of the world nor the registrating of their speaches is nothing to his shame But the shame pertaineth to the people their words and deeds towards the Pastor remaineth in his memorie and in the memorie of God and shall continue vntill the day of Iudgement except they repent yea euen these same wordes spoken against Paule shall meete them in the teeth at the day of Iudgement Yet I see in these wordes a sharpnesse and rebuking mixed with lenitie to let vs see that when we haue to doe with wicked men lenitie and meekenesse should not be corrupted but tempered with sharpenesse that vngratefull men may be brought to a sense and feeling of sinne and miserie Lenitie alone will not serue the turne but with sweetnesse sowrenesse must be mingled that the word spoken may be the more effectuall and forcible who when I am present among you am base c. The worlde and the men of this world account of nothing but of that which hath a faire shew and that they esteem highly of although it were neuer so litle worthie The ground whereof is this All men and women by nature are hypocrites painted bodies no soliditie in them all are visorned folke hee commeth out shee commeth out all masked and disguised For what is an hypocrite but a false showe Nothing surely And therefore because there is no soliditie in themselues they can account nothing of soliditie as hee is himselfe such is his estimation of others as shee is her selfe such is her estimation of others O! would to God euery man and woman could disâ—enâ—â— into themselues and know their owne nature Amongst all things in the world this Ministery is the vilest it is the basest thing vnder the Sunne to the eye of man Other callinges will haue some outward glory a king will haue an outward glory but this Ministery hath none outwarde glory and yet there is no calling vnder the Sunne that hath so precious a subject as the calling of the Ministerie Yea the moste solide thing in the worlde is vnder it eueÌ„ that which maketh men and women solide and without it no soliditie but all is aâ— chafâ—e before the winde The Apostle 2. COR. 4. 7 compareth IESVS CHRIST and His graces which are reuealed in the Gospell to a treasure and the Apostles themselues to lame vessels But wee haue saieth hee this treasure in earthlie vessels that the excellencie of that power might bee of GOD and not of vs. There the most glorious thing in the worlde is in the basest vessels and weakest instrumentes What maketh the worlde to contemne and disdaine this treasure of the Gospell but the weaknesse of these vessels the basenesse of these sillie men whome GOD hath put into this seruice Indeede I maruell not howbeit I see the contempt of this Ministerie and surelie there is nothing more vilder in the eares of men of SCOTLAND than to heare the name of a Minister but I wonder rather that euer man or woman should be altered by this Ministerie the one is of nature the other is of grace Wonder neuer at nature but wonder to see a man or woman altered by grace Alas this is to bee pitied men lose their part of these vnsearcheable riches in IESVS CHRIST because they stumble at the baâ—enesse of this Ministerie For hee that esteemeth not of this Ministerie neuer tasted of the sweetnesse of IESVS CHRIST he that esteemeth not of the lame vessell hath no part of the riches which are in the lame vessell In the words following But I am bolde towardes you whilest I am absent I see they were compelled to see and feele some boldnesse in Paule though not in his presence yet in his absence though not by his words in speaking yet by his writing There is none so senselesse in the world none so dead none so hard hearted against the power of this Ministerie but either by word or writing either by absence or els by presence they shall bee compelled to feele the force of iâ— Yea this Ministerie shall either bee the sauour of life to life or els the sauour of death to death vnto them And this I require you that I need not to be bold c. In this next verse we haue his request expressed in few words which is as much in effect as if he wold say Seeing I am the Apostle of Iesus Christ I beseech you to acknowledge of me as of an Apostle The argument is If ye count not of mee whilest I am absent when I come if there be anie power in me I shall make you knowe it and vtter it against you ye shall finde me bolde and not base ye shall finde sowrnesse and not meeknesse sharpnesse and not lenitie Here he telleth by a comparison what kinde of boldnesse hee will vse When I come to you I shall vse the same boldnesse towardes you that I vse towardes the false apostles and as concerning y e false apostles I shal thunder out against them shame and confusion ignominie so that they that couÌ„teth not of me that I am the Apostle of Iesus Christ shall finde my power Wee may see here Paul would bee counted by these Corinthians to be the Apostle of Iesus Christ is he therefore seeking his owne honour and glorie No hee is seeking the weale of the people It is the weale of the people to count of the seruant of GOD for when they count not of him they cannot account nor accept of his doctrine and when the doctrine is not well accepted of then goeth the building slowlie forward Alas this euill esteeming of men in the Ministerie is the cause that so fewe are edified and so manie to remaine faithlesse for where the man is lightlied the doctrine is contemned and where the doctrine is contemned there can be no faith no edifying so that it is a greater matter to contemne the Ministerie than men thinke it to be Marke these wordes That I neede not to be bolde Heere wee see plainlie that lenitie and meeknesse is required in a Pastor The Pastor is euer bounde first to beginne with lenitie and meeknesse seueritie shoulde onelie come vpon necessitie when lenitie and meeknesse is contemned and cannot serue Reade in y e 1. epist to the Cor. chap. 4. vers 21. Take your choâ—se whether I shall come to you with a rodde or in loue and in the spirite of meeknesse meaning that hee woulde come in seueritie if lenitie would not serue And 2. Cor. 13. 2. when hee seeth that they caÌ„not be won with lenitie
heauenlie thing is compared with a worldlie thing the worldlie thing is nothing in respect of the heauenlie thing And therefore there is no man comparable to the Minister in labour the warrier the runner the plow-man is nothing to him The Apostle writing to Timothie saieth in his second Epistle Chap. 2. vers 5. If thou fight not thou shal◠neuer attaine to the crowne and why shouldest thou lose so faire a crowne for a momentes fighting No man saieth hee is crowned except hee fight faithfullie And 2. Timoth. 4. 8. There is a crowne of righteousnesse laide vp not onelie for mee but for all those that loue the bright comming of the LORD IESUS When Paul was an olde man and leauing this worlde I haue ended saieth hee my warrefare and I haue foghten a good fight and therefore I looke for that crowne If hee had neuer beene a runner hee would neuer haue taken this promise to himselfe A crowne is laide vp for mee And therefore the LORD giue vs grace to labour for a while that wee may rest from our labour in the life to come In the next verse hee prooueth that his warring and fighting in this worlde was not according to the flesh taking the argument from the weapons and armour wherewith hee fought such as the armour is such shall the warring bee if the armour bee weake the fight shall be weake if the armour bee strong the fight shall bee strong Our armour saieth the Apostle is not fleshlie our weapons are not of flesh nor fraile matter but our weapons are strong through GOD the power of GOD is in them GOD is in the worde which wee speake Hee setteth downe the ende To beate downe strong holdes This power will beate them downe nothing will gaine-stand it Brethren yee see by experience put a rasour into a childes hand it will cut this cutting commeth not of the strgēth of the childs hand but of the sharpnes of y ◠rasour Take a gun put it into a childs hand hee will slay a man or shoote thorow a woodden doore this is not by the strength of the childe but by the strength of the armour Euen so GOD by His worde in the mouth of the silliest and weakest bodie in the worlde will slaye and kill the strongest man that goeth vpon earth if He put His word it were but in a blabbering mouth as He did in Moses that word shall come and pierce in thorowe flesh and bone till it come to the mergh and shall diuide asunder the soule and the Spirit Hebr. 4. 12. It is not the man that doeth this but the weapon the word that is in his mouth The multitude of this world is beguiled if they see a poore man set vp they will measure y e grace of God by the man they think the inward man bee as weake as the outward and so Kinges and Princes are beaten downe this way and slaine Earles fall downe slaine men and women of all rankes fall downe slaine as sure as euer ye saw a man slaine in the bodie Ye remember the Historie of Samuel 1. Sam. 15. 32. he calleth for king Agag and as soone as Agag commeth forward and had eschewed the furie of the young king thought that he should eschewe the sword of the aged man also but Samuel calleth for the sword taketh it in his hand cutteth him in pieces So this worde in the mouth of weake bodies slayeth Kings and Queenes in the worlde when they are laughing playing they are slaine without their expectation Yet in this same verse marke the force of this armour Yee heare not of the building but of the throwing downe It is true he buildeth vp also but thou must first be brought down humbled and then be builded vp vpō a new ground What is he that will build a new worke vpon an olde rotten wall thou wouldest keepe nature and sinne yet be a new creature no thou must first renounce nature for the slaughter of the old man must go before the quickning of the new man In the verse following hauing spoken of the weapens he commeth to the warrefare and heere is a stranger battell than euer was foghten Wee throwe downe saieth hee the imaginations and euerie high thing c. There is a battell and a strange battell Paul is the fighter of this battell the warriour of the Lord Iesus a warrier to Him to win prisoners to Him to take Kinges and Princes by the cares and lead them to Christ That thing that is assaulted in this battell and against which Paul hath taken armour is first the cogitations By these cogitations is meaned the whole faculties of the soule for the principall function is the reason of man Nowe what is shee doing but sitting in her Castle building her rampiers and casting her fowsies about her and snaring her selfe in her owne nette And let thee bee thou needest none other to trappe thee thou wilt trappe thy selfe take thou as much pride in thine own engine as thou wil◠if thou haue no more woe is thee It shall fetter thee and take thee in the grinne as surelie as euer thou sawest a birde caught in the nette of a fowler The next thing that Paule assaulteth in this battell is euerie high thing that is exalted against GOD this I take to bee the pride of the heart which as an high mountaine rising vp as it were to the heauen exalteth it selfe against GOD and holdeth out GOD and the light of GOD. These then are the thinges which Paul assaulteth Nowe to come to the battell the first thing that Paule doeth hee wealdes his weapons so skilfullie that first of all he beateth down all the imaginations and reasonings of the mind which are as rampieres and fowsies wherewith shee circuiteth her selfe to holde out GOD and His light Next hee assaulteth the pride of the heart which as a mountaine exalted it self against GOD hee beateth it downe and maketh it equall with the ground Thirdlie hauing beaten downe all hee commeth and taketh the thiefe by the necke and leadeth him by the haire captiue to IESVS CHRIST not to himselfe that he should bee king ouer her No. IESVS CHRIST is the King ouer the soule as the Apostle in the second epist to the Corinth chap. 11. vers 2. voweth the Church of GOD not to himselfe but to her Spouse to the ende that shee may bee safe and GOD glorified The man that seeketh his owne gaine is but an hyreling There are three actions heere whereof the first two are none other thing but the destroying of the sinne that is in the mind and in the heart The third is the sauing of man by leading him captiue to Iesus Christ for the leading of a man captiue to Iesus Christ is his safetie and the libertie of the soule is this captiuitie and the slauerie of the soule is libertie to sinne When ye were slaues to sinne saith the Apostle Paul in the
certaine the sufficiencie of grace is not giuen to one man or to one woman onelie but to the whole members of the bodie And therefore there must bee a concurrance of the whole all must concurre for thy good and saluation for if the hand will stand vp and saye to the eye to the mouth to the foote or to the rest of the members Care for your selues foote care for thy selfe wombe care for thy selfe c. I will care for my selfe were not this a foolish hand woulde not this hand perish and wither yea it woulde perish if the mouth fedde it not if the foote caried it not if the wombe receiued not sustenance to nourish it Euen so if thou sayest to the rest of the members of the Church Care for your selues I will care for my selfe thou shalt die like a drie member and be cut off no saluation but in the vnion of that blessed bodie of CHRIST which is the Church And none yet euer came to Heauen but by a certaine concurrance of the rest of the members of the Bodie by praying by preaching by admonishing exhorting and rebuking If thou refuse this concurrance in teaching admonishing and comforting thee thou shalt neuer get Heauen Paul in the 8. chap. to the Romanes vers 28. saith Wee knowe that all thinges worke together for the best to them that loue GOD. Marke the force of the wordes If there bee not a working-together for thy saluation thou shalt not come to Heauen There are two of the meanes whereby trouble and damnage is turned to saluation Yet there are more of them for hee saieth And by the helpe of the Spirite of IESUS CHRIST There is another meane As it is a fault to one member to refuse the helpe of the rest of the members of the body of the Church their prayers intercession so it is as great a fault to leane so vpon the care of anie of the members of the body of the Church or of the Ministerie in preaching praying exhorting and comforting that in the meane time thou haue no care of thy selfe to get the spirite and life within thee for Christs Spirit is thy life thou wilt not praye for thy selfe but wilt bid the Church Ministery pray for thee as if that were enough No except that Spirite bee within thee which is the Spirit of Adoption to make intercession with sighes vnspeakeable at the hands of God downe shalt thou goe albeit that the Church and whole members thereof would please to holde thee vp What if the hand had no motion life nor streÌ„gth in it selfe would the foote and the eye bee able to holde it vp No if the foote and the eye striue to holde it vp they should rotte with the hand and behoued to bee cut of For whereto serueth a rotten member It will infect the whole bodie if it be not cut off So if thou bee without spirite and life within thy selfe how beit all the rest of the members of the body of the Church would holde their hands about thee to holde thee vp thou shalt fall downe and die So as ye would haue others caring for you care for your selfe and see that yee haue the Spirit of God caring for you If Moses Abraham and all other faithfull men woulde praye for you it is nothing What good did Samuels prayers for Saul The Lord stopped his mouth and forbad him to praye for him Thus yee haue heard of three meanes whereby this wonderfull change is made The first is the care of God and His glorie The second is the intercession of the rest of the members of the body the third is the Spirite of Christ interceading for vs and the care which we haue of our selues We haue need of these meanes And certainlie the day is approaching that experience will tell the trueth of these thinges Paul a man euer afflicted in trouble and vnder danger telleth of his owne experience what hee founde But are there yet anie more meanes Looke the verse that followeth As I saith hee heartilie looke for and hope c. The worde importeth such an hope as when a man hath his head raised vp his eyes open and bent awayting for anie thing attentiuely Wee see when a man looketh earnestlie for any other his head will bee lifted vp his eyes will be bent looking to that place where from he should come and if he loue him well he wil looke attentiuely hauing both heart and eyes bended vp with hope of his comming The like worde in the 8. chap. to the Rom. vers 19. is ascribed to the creatures They awaite with feruent desire when the sonne of God shall be reuealed I shall make the words more plaine I hope according to mine attentiue exspectation that in nothing I shall bee ashamed that is that I shall neuer thinke shame of my Maister Iesus Christ because that if I thinke shame for any thing which I suffer for His cause I thinke shame of Himselfe Hee saith that in nothing I shall bee ashamed There is the negatiue I will be ashamed of nothing But what more With all boldnesse of spirite I shall magnifie Him in my bodie not in my soule onelie but in my bodie also and that Whether it bee in my life or in my death Hee casteth in the argument of this assurance as in all times by-gone euer to this houre I haue magnified Him in my bodie So this by-gone experience would he say maketh me to be assured by hope neuer to be ashamed of Him but to glorifie Him in life and death Then take vp the lesson Amongest the rest of the mean s whereby this change is made of miserie to felicitie of death to life and all thinges are made to serue to our saluation Hope is one and it is the fourth in number Wherein standeth this Hope That in no affliction which I suffer for Christes sake I will bee ashamed and so shame the Lord. For in suffering if thou blâ—shest and thinkest shame thou shamest Him But by the contrarie in all thinges that I shall doe or suffer in this bodie I shall doe with courage confidence and libertie I shall suffer with courage confidence and libertie And so in doing in suffering in the bodie I shall magnifie my LORD So this is the point If I glorifie Him before men with courage and boldnesse in mine afflictions I may bee assured Hee shall glorifie me before His Father in Heauen Mat. 10. 32. They that suffer with Him shall reigne with Him 2. Timoth. 2. 12. But by the contrary if thou with blushing think shame of Him and of His Gospel and of the afflictions of the Gospel if thou shame Him before the world He shall shame thee before His Father Mark 8. 38. So this Hope is no small matter for if thou haue an assured Hope during thy whole life thou shalt magnifie Christ whatsoeuer falleth out in life or death assure thy selfe all shall bee turned to the glory of God and thy
Starres Then it is not the loue of GOD the Creator that doeth this and is the ground of this bountifulnesse and of our life in Him but it is a speciall kinde of loue It is that loue that proceedeth of GOD the Sauiour It is not the loue of a Creator but of a Father not to the creature but to the sonne GOD loueth His sonne better than Hee doeth His creature He loueth vs as His sonnes If there were no further loue of GOD but as Hee is a Creator thou durst neuer crie Abba Father and except the Spirit spreade abroade into our heartes that loue which Hee beareth vnto vs for all the world thou durst not appeare before Him The time is set downe when Hee hath saued vs when His singular loue appeared in the world Hee saued vs beeing manifested in the fleshe Then it followeth that wee were lost and gone when GOD of His loue put to His hand and saued vs wee were out of our right wit rebelles to GOD wauering and vagabunding out of the right waye slaues to our owne lustes Whome count yee lost if these be not lost I will neuer count of a reprobate person who is giuen ouer to filthinesse to harlotrie to murther to oppression to mischiefe c. I will neuer count of him but as a madde desperate and lost bodie when hee is walking abroade and moouing in the world hee is but a dead carcasse and if hee come to GOD againe in mercie it may bee saide There is a dead bodie turned to life Hast thou followed harlotrie repentest thou thou hast bene dead in sinne but now thou art aliue The lost sonne when hee had spended his childes-part of goods yet he repented and came home to his father againe his father saieth Hee that was dead is liuing againe Luke 15. 24. So in a worde wee were lost men Thinkest thou that thou art not lost because thou canst breathe And thinkest thou a man not dead if hee can walke vpon the streete Thinkest thou thy selfe verie well if thou haue these vitall motions in thee O but suppose thou hadst all the naturall liues in the world if thou bee giuen ouer to thine owne affections and leauest not off thine olde sinnes and iniquities thou art a madde and a dead bodie Began then that loue towardes man only to appeare when Christ came into the world I answere The loue of God the Father appeared manifested it selfe in some measure to the godlie euen before Christ came into the world God forbid but this loue had bene appareÌ„t vnto Abraham and the rest of the godly before the incarnation of our Sauiour But at the comming of Christ it manifested it selfe more brightly than euer it did before for al His loue of before was in Christ to come but now since He came into the world the loue of God towards mankind hath appeared in greater aboundance The Lord grant vs an apprehension and sight of this loue that at the least wee maye striue to loue Him againe who hath loued vs so dearly in His Sonne IESVS CHRIST Nowe hee sheweth by what meanes this our saluation is procured at the handes of GOD hee telleth you by what meanes we are not saued Net saith he by the workes of righteousnesse which wee had done The meanes by the which we are not saued is our owne just works thou art not saued by thy just works leane to them as thou wilt I will promise thee in the name of that Great God they shall neuer saue thee Can a man that is mad and a rebell to GOD and a slaue to his owne lustes doe such works as may procure saluation But such were we saith the Apostle therefore wee can deserue nothing by our workes Fie on thee Papist with thy merites fie on the works of preparation can a madde man prepare himselfe for grace No such thing I tell you when GOD put to His hand to our saluation Hee founde no matter in vs of our saluation but damnation When GOD beginneth to loue Hee findeth no matter of loue in vs but of hatred And this commendeth the greatnes of His loue towards vs when He seeth nothing in vs but matter of damnation yet Hee of His free grace mercy loueth vs saueth vs RoÌ„ 5. 8. This setteth out His loue highly towards vs when that we were sinners He sent Christ to die for vs therefore seek not thy saluation neither before thou be in Christ nor after thou art in Him by y â— merite of works for thou shalt neuer get it y t way but thou shalt still be the further from it the more thou seekest it by that meane Then if good works be not the meane what is the meane The Apostle â—aith He hath saued vs according to His mercy These are flat contrary The mercy of God the merit of man If thou be saued by y â— mercy of God theÌ„ no merit because thy merite is not able to saue thee The first fountaine of our saluation is loue after loue commeth on mercy then pitie and compassion in His mercie presupponeth miserie Mercie is shewed to the miserable creature GOD seeing vs miserable madde rebelles following our own crooked affections beginneth to bee pitifull and to haue compassion of vs. Yee knowe mercie and pitie followeth vpon loue For when wee loue any one and see him in miserie then wee haue pitie vpon him if thou hate him suppose hee were in neuer so great miserie thou wilt not pitie him Then GOD seeing vs wrapped in sinne and miserie He hath pitie upon vs which pitie proceedeth of loue and with loue and pitie concurreth His power Wee will lone one and see him lie in miserie when it will passe our power to relieue him but GODS power is alwayes effectuall to deliuer all them who are subject to misery if once He extende His loue and compassion towardes them Then the cause of our saluation is in GOD onlie and no part in man who is saued The first cause is the loue of GOD which is the fountaine The next cause is mercie for ere euer this worlde was created GOD of His mercie tooke a purpose to saue vs. The Apostle saieth Ephes 1. 4. Hee purposed of Himselfe Hee sawe no thing in vs wherefore He should take purpose to saue vs. And when Hee commeth on to the execution of that eternall purpose of our saluation there is nothing in vs but all is in Himselfe for He is all-sufficient Himselfe and nothing is without Him The ende wherefore He died all of Himselfe without vs was to the praise of the glorie of His grace Ephes 1. 6. that thereby the whole glorie of our saluation might redounde to Him onelie because the cause is onelie in Him Thou that takest anie part in it and attributest it vnto thy selfe thou spoylest GOD of His glorie Either giue Him all the glorie of this action or take it all to thy selfe this glorie is too heauie for thee if thou
are very foule and vncleane A cloth that is very foule will require much vvater washing euen so vvee must haue aboundance of grace because vvee vvere so foule through sin but suppose vve vvere neuer so foule except vve get a sight of our filthinesse vve vvill neuer desire to be vvashen when Dauid felt himselfe verie filthie in murther and adulterie he cryed Wash mee O Lord and make mee cleane PSAL. 51. When a bodie commeth to a remorse of conscience it is a vvonder to see howe hee vvill drinke in that Spirite and desire to bee satiate vvith that vvater A foule bodie that hath not the sense of his filthinesse will neuer crie for vvashing The murtherer and the harlot vvill neuer crie Lord vvashe mee except they gette a sight of their owne vncleannesse Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be filled MATTH 5. 6. There may bee mooued a question heere Howe is it saide that the Spirite is powred out so aboundantly how many feeleth this riches Will a man or vvoman discende into their selues they will finde great lacke and scarcitie of this Spirit Brethren I answere One droppe of the Spirite of Iesus Christ is coūted great riches one droppe of grace is great riches one droppe of the vvater of life is greater riches than all the vvater in the vvorlde it vvill vveigh downe all the precious things that are vpon the face of y e earth Thou that hast gotten one droppe of grace in Iesus Christ thou art richer than all the kinges in the worlde Moreouer if this droppe of grace could bee dried vp in the heartes of the regenerate it were lesse to be coūted of but there is stil droppe after droppe and none ende of dropping Continually thou art refreshed now and then vvith new drops of grace so long as thou liuest So this cōtinuance in dropping is a great riches thou hast no cause to complaine that hath this continuance Well is the soule that getteth droppe after droppe for that soule may saye it hath gotten great riches Thus much for the first part of our saluatiō called regeneration when God putteth to His hande to saue vs He putteth to His hād vvasheth vs inwardly and outwardlie and giueth vs His Spirit Nowe followeth the next part That being justified by grace we may be made heyres according to the hope of life euerlasting The next part standeth in justification I vvill not insist I shall touch it in a worde It is none other thing but the imputing of the righteousnesse of IESVS CHRIST vnto vs. This righteousnesse is not inherent in vs but the satisfaction of IESVS CHRIST is imputed to vs. This Iustification in effect is none other thing but forgiuenesse of sinnes when God forgiueth thee thy sinnes accounteth Christs righteousnesse to bee thine and laieth not thy sinne to thy charge Al is one thing Iustification is not this y ◠men dreame of to wit a righteousnes inherēt in our selues but it is another mans justice which by imputation is made ours Compare these two together Iustification and Regeneration and consider the naturall order of them Iustification is first A man is justified by the blood of IESVS CHRIST imputed to him ere euer he be regenerate by the Spirit The Spirite that vvasheth him in regeneration commeth through the blood the blood first and then commeth in regeneration and vvasheth awaye the mother sinne and the foule stinking corruption that is in thee and both thy justification and regeneration commeth of free grace without merites for these two are euer opponed grace and mercie preasse not to deale these two to giue GOD one part and to attribute another part to thy selfe leaue thy merites behinde thee and take thee to the mercy of God otherwise there is no saluation for thee Thereafter commeth on another part of saluation vvee are made heires of euerlasting Life but there is something going betwixt that is not set downe here For yee see that when wee are justified and regenerated vvee are made sonnes by adoption before we be heyres vve must bee children But I leaue this because the Apostle speaketh not of it heere Then the last part is Wee are made heyres of the Kingdome of Heauen vvhat more can be required in saluation there is the highest degree Thou art placed in thine inheritance there is thy perfection According to the hope of eternall Lift lest vvee should thinke that vvee are alreadie put in possession of this inheritance he meeteth this and sheweth that albeit vve are in this life made heyres yet vvee are not in this life put into a reall possession of this heyrship but hee saieth according to hope vvee are heyres by hope but once hope and all shall goe awaye and vvee shall bee heyres in very deede Yet hope is necessarie so long as vvee liue heere so long as the Father is liuing the heyres haue a to-looke and a hope of the heyrship Hope thou or else thou shalt neuer see Heauen Nowe this hope is not so bare that in the meane time vvee haue no fruition of the thing hoped for yea euen in this life the fruition of Heauen is begunne in effect and if thou haue not the beginning of it heere hope neuer for the accomplishment of it heereafter Wee haue a beginning in this life but as for the full possession and fruition of our inheritance it is reserued to the life to come And therefore it is that the Godly in this life hope still for the comming of IESVS CHRIST till they bee set and placed vvith Him in that inheritance purchased to vs by His blood To vvhome vvith the Father and the Holy Spirite bee all Honour Prayse and Glory for euer and euer AMEN THE TWELFTH SERMON PSALME CXXX verse 1 Out of the deepe places haue I called vnto Thee O LORD verse 2 LORD heare my voyce let Thine eares attende to the voyce of my prayers verse 3 If Thou O LORD straightly markest iniquities O LORD who shall stand verse 4 But mercie is with Thee that Thou mayest bee feared THE inscription of this PSALME Brethren declareth that it is a PSALME most excellent The excellencie of it wee remit to the matter contained therein it hath bene penned by some holy man and Prophet of old but by whom it is not certaine It is sufficient to vs to knowe that the Spirite of GOD was the dyter of it To come to the matter and partes thereof The Prophet whosoeuer he was first setteth downe the estate and disposition of his soule in trouble to wit that he ranne to the Lord and prayed to Him for deliuerie and this hee doeth to the fift verse Next finding in verie deede the effectes of the prayer hee made and finding mercy and deliuerie as hee craued hee professeth before all the worlde that as he had before awaited vpon GOD so hee will await still vpon Him and He will put his confiden̄ce in Him and this he doeth to the seuenth
verse lastly from the seuenth verse to the ende he recommendeth this duetie to Israel that is to the Church of GOD to waite vpon the LORD and with the recommendation hee giueth in forceable reasons to mooue them To come to the first part first hee saith that in his greatest danger hee cryed to the Lord IEHOVAH Next hee setteth downe the prayer To come to the proposition he saith Out of the deepe yet more Out of the deepe places haue I called vnto thee O IEHOVAH By these deepe places hee vnderstandeth great miseries great dangers wherein his body was great terror and feare in his conscience for his sinne offerding of God for the Scripture as ye may see Psal 69. 2. 3 compareth great afflictions to deepe waters wherein a man is like to drowne and manie a time when the body is in danger the soule will bee like to drowne in desperation No doubt the greatnesse of the danger made him to vtter to the Lord voyces coÌ„ming from the very deapth of the heart If we felt our selues in great daÌ„ger we wold call from the deapth of our hearts to God he vttered not a voyce onely but a lowde voyce with a crie This is the meaning of the words We so here first that the children of God whom God loueth most intirely are many times subject to great and extreame dangers and troubles and if euer thou thinkest to come to Heauen make thee in thine owne course to suffer one trouble or other Let no man thersore judge euill of a man because he suffereth Next we see the greater the danger bee the heauier y e distresse the afflictioÌ„ wherwith y e godlie is exercised bee the more vehement feruent earnest will their prayer be they haue to God and howe commeth this to passe Euen in this maner by these degrees OppressioÌ„ afflictioÌ„ worketh in the hearts of the faithfull a sense of y e common misery of nature WheÌ„ the hand of y e Lord is vpon afaithful man then he begins to feele his sinne corruption And except the LORD exercise vs in this life either one way or other the best of vs all will fall into such a sound sleepe that we will neither remember what we haue bene what wee are nor what wee shall bee neither acknowledge our selues to be sinners So there is a necessity of afflictions for affliction bringeth vs to a feeling of our misery Next when through affliction the heart is prepared and brought to some sense of sin then it is capable of grace theÌ„ it prayeth to God Look neuer to come to Heauen if thou feelest not thy finne yea and that thou art a miserable sinner Then if once thine heart bee prepared with some sense of sinne and miserie then commeth in that holy Spirit of Iesus Christ which in y e Scripture is called the Spirit of adoption who finding y e heart dejected and made lowlie the Spirite will nerer looke in to a proude heart beginneth to worke to touch the heart of the miserable sinner with a sweet sense of mercie through Iesus hee beginneth to shedde abroade the loue of Christ into the soule and when once the heart hath tasted of the sweetnesse of mercie and as Peter saieth hath tasted how sweet and gracious the Lord is and findeth this passing loue of God in Iesus Christ then iâ—…eth a boldnesse and beginneth with confidence peartnesse to present itselfe before God and to put vp prayers and requestes Roman 8. 26. When once that Spirite hath giuen libertie then we crie with an open mouth for the heart is wide opened Abba Father Roman 8. 15. Because wee haue gotten a sense of that fatherlie loue in Iesus Christ The prayer of the faithfull is most effectuall when they are in greatest danger and then the voyce is lowdest for it is the Spirit of GOD who maketh intercession for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed but God knoweth the meaning of his Spirit Now Brethren surely few of vs haue yet beene in this deepnesse and extreamitie of miserie the Lord hath not yet so pressed vs with His hand as Hee hath done many others and therefore â—eâ—â— there is amongst vs who hath this feeling of sinne and miserie and consequently few of vs can pray so earnestly Howe many are there amongst you that dare say that yee feele sensibly the common miserie of nature Goe to your hearts and looke if yee feele it not sleeping in sinne and so long as thou sleepest thus and knowest not thy miserie howe wilt thou bee carefull to feele the loue of Christ and how wilt thou earnestly pray to God And certainly I take this coldnesse in prayer to be a fore-runner of a judgement to ouer-take this Land No it were better to bee swimming in the waters of affliction praying earnestly to GOD than to bee this way lying in prosperitie without prayer Nowe I goe forward After hee hath proponed that out of the deepnesse hee cryed to IEHOVAH then to let vs see his cryes hee setteth downe the forme of prayer that hee vsed in his great miseries first he saieth O Lord heare my voyce Next in the other wordes hee doubleth ouer the same petition Attende to the voyce of my prayers for hee prayeth not coldly but hee cryeth earnestly certainly the doubling of the crie would be opened vp from the ground Wee should gripe downe to the heart from whence the prayers of the godlie do flow that when we heare them or reade them we may get such an heart disposition in prayer as they had The doubling of the prayer and the mouth wide opening commeth of the doubling of the graces of the Spirite of GOD in the heart and of a double opening of the heart for except the heart be opened in prayer the mouth cannot be opened with pleasure otherwise if thou speake anie thing I will not giue one pennie for it So the opening of the mouth commeth from the opening of the heart When the Holy Spirit so sweetly maketh manifest the loue of God to the creature then y e tongue is loosed the second cry coÌ„meth of the second grace of y e second opening of the heart so oft as thou cryest so oft is there a new grace motion within the heart wrought by the Holy Spirite for it is Hee onely that openeth the mouth piece and piece to speake to God for take this for a certainty that Paul saith There is none that can call Iesus Lord without that Spirit come in 1. Corin. 12. 3. And againe hee saith We knowe not what wee should pray or how wee ought to pray without that Spirit teach vs Romanes chap. 8. verse 26. And if Hee teach not no man or woman is able once to open the mouth with confidence and liberty to pray And so Brethren if yee would speake well pray well or doe well looke euer to the disposition of the heart and night and daye pray for that
fore-father hee payed his tithe as vvell as Abraham did Euen so vvee beeing euerie one of vs in the loynes of Adam vvhen hee sinned vve made all defection from the LORD and sinned in him Vpon this defection there followed a guiltinesse wherethorow there is none of vs but vvee are obliged to die euerlastinglie And if there vvere no more sinne in all this vvorlde but that first Apostasie only there is matter enough of thine euerlasting damnation thou needest not to heape sinne vpon sinne there is thine obligatioÌ„ to thine euerlasting death and to damnation This is the first part of originall sinne The second part of originall sinne is the effect that followeth vpon the first a foule and horrible corruption that entered in the whole nature of man so that from the top to the toe of man there is not so much whole as one intch Man is a vile leprous creature there is not a whole intch neither in bodie nor soule but all is infected for Brethren that first defection past not away so but it brought with it a fearefull ruine and wracke to mankinde and it leaueth behinde it a foule stinke and terrible darknesse and that came of the just judgement of GOD punishing sinne by sinne And this corruption of nature bringeth with it the owne guiltinesse obligation to eternall death so that sundrie wayes we are guiltie of death The Apostle Paul Ephes 2. 3. setteth downe this guiltinesse when hee saâ—eth Wee were all children of wâ—ath This second part of it Is it that Christ calleth heere flesh in another place it is called the olde man for by flesh we vnderstand not this fleshlie and bodily lumpe which wee cary about with vs nor yet as the Papists call it a concupiscence in this lumpe and nothing in the soule No no but this flesh is a corruption both in soule and bodie and in all the powers and faculties thereof So that there is neuer an intch free from that pest The Lord who made man Genes 8. 21. expresseth the worke and the force of the flesh after the fall where it is saide that after Hee looked and sawe this corruption He saide that the whole in aginations of the cogitations of the heart of man are wicked and euill continually which wordes import that man from his youth yea euen from his mothers wombe could doe nothing but imagine thinke and forge euill wickednesse and all sortes of mischiefe And when Hee sawe this Hee vttered a sadde and an heauie voyce It forthinketh mee that euer I made man Genes 6. 6. And it was no small thing no question that made the Creator to repent that He made man What is man nowe but a filthie creature and a pest to infect Heauen and earth if it were possible But that yee may the better vnderstand the incomparable greatnesse of this euill which is in man I shall let you see howe it hath spred it selfe thorowe the whole power of the soule of man for as for the bodie I speake nothing of it it is true indeede it neuer leaueth that bodie till it resolue it in earth againe which otherwise was made to bee immortall and in the meane time till death come it maketh the body to bee subject to many great and fearfull sicknesses and diseases Where from come these biles the feuers the palsie the pest the leprosie and other diseases but from this corruption But I speake nothing of it I will let you see howe it hath spred it selfe in the soule of man Brethren there is neuer a power nor facultie in the soule but all is infected This pest it hath not only infected the inferiour appetite as the blinde Philosophers thought and as the Papists doe this day affirme But where beginneth it What is the most excellent power of the soule It is the vnderstanding the minde and this is it that we call reason This corruption it hath so entered into the soule of man that when as that vnderstanding should be as a light going before to direct all our actions motions and thoughts the right way according to Gods worde and ordinance It doeth nothing but fight and repine against the wisdome of the God of Heauen It is an hard matter y t God hath created this vnderstanding and yet it fighteth against Him Paul saieth Rom. 8 7. that the wisdome of the flâ—sh is enemie against God that is the very vnderstanding of man which is the most excellent thing in man is enemy to God let bee the inferiour appetites And therefore Ephes 4. 23. hee desireth not onely that the inferiour appetites should bee renewed but that regeneration should begin at that which is most excellent in the soule euen that they may bee renewed in the Spirite of their minde Then yee see this vnderstanding of man is altogether corrupt and that light of the minde is turned vnto terrible darknesse and that this wisedome fighteth directly against God for this reason of man fighteth not onely against the wisdome of GOD set downe and declared in the law but chiefly against that which is more against His wisdome manifested in the Euangell He esteemeth it naturally to bee but meere foolishnesse that euer a man shoulde get saluation by a crucified man 1. Cor. 1. 18. And to goe fordward This pest ceaseth not here nor resteth not in the minde onely but it entereth into the rootes of the heart into the will and affections of man it hath entered so into his vvill that when as this will of ours this power of our soule that we call the will should haue chosen that which is good and refused that which is euill according to the reason going before informing what is to be chosen and pursewed and what is to be refused and eschewed it fighteth not onely directly against that most holy wisedome and will of God but euen against that sponke of knowledge light and reason that is left in man for when man fell in Adam the Lord tooke not all kinde of light from man but Hee left in His great mercy in man some sponke of light and knowledge of the Majestie of GOD the Creator whereby hee might in some measure knowe his Creator And Hee left in man also some knowledge judgemeÌ„t of politike things coÌ„cerning our coÌ„uersation dealing with our neighbors what is just what is vnjust what is reasonable what is vnreasonable he left in him also some judgemeÌ„t discretioÌ„ of naturall things whereas He might haue set vp man as brutish as a dogge or an asse Notwithstanding of this the raging corruption of the malicious will repineth against this sponke and striueth to blotte it out that it should neuer vtter it selfe to reformation and to glorifie God and to discharge a duetie to man in such sort that it were a just judgement of God that they should be made as brute as beasts as it went with the Gentiles Rom. 1. 24. whome Hee gaue ouer vnto reprobate mindes so that
they had not care of naturall honestie or shame but they wrought all sort of vncleannesse because they deteined the trueth of God in vnrightiousnesse and suffered it not to reforme them And naturall men hath found this repining of this corrupt will contrary the reason and light of the minde and they haue saide Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor that is I see and allowe better thinges but I followe the worst And to bee short this wit of man repineth as fast against the Lordes will as the will of the deuill doeth for by nature we will that same thing that the deuill willeth and there was neuer anie thing so abhominable that the deuill hath pleasure in but wee haue pleasure of the same Yee saieth our Sauiour are of the deuill your father and the lustes of your father will yee fulfill Ioh. 8. 44. Beholde how great matter and occasion the Papistes haue to boast of free will to any good they are but vaine blinde bodies The will of man goeth wholly with the will of the deuill There is no such a thing There is not so much as one jot of the will of man free yet the corruption resteth not here but it goeth forward and polluteth and defileth all the affections that are in man as anger loue hope feare c. none of them are free they fight all against God they haue no conformitie but a great repugnance with that will of God I goe forward and I will not omit the naturall powers and faculties of the soule And I affirme that there are no powers of the soule that are naturall as the facultie and appetite of eating of digesting of expelling but all are infected with this post So that Brethren there is neuer a power of the soule that is free of this corruption Would ye vnderstand what becommeth of this corruption and what it doeth Beeing in the soule of man it maketh that there is neuer a thought that a man thinketh but it is a sinne And if thou haue no more than nature the least motion of thine heart is a sin in y e sight of God neuer a worde that thou speakest but it is a sin neuer a deed y t thou doest but it is a sin neuer a way thou wilt goe but it is a sin consequently it maketh thee alwayes subject to the heauie wrath of GOD If thou stirrest but thine hand or thy foote thou sinnest and the wrath of God will pursue and followe thee till at last thou bee casten into hell if thou bee not renewed Besides this so long as wee remaine in nature this corruption and pest is so forceable in euery one of vs that there is not one sinne in the worlde so great and abhominable but with pleasure and delight euery one of vs woulde performe it if the Lord of His mercy did not by His Spirite renew vs at least by His power restraine vs when occasion is presented The roote and seede of all mischiefe vnder the sunne is compacted in euerie man woman Maruell not when thou seest some running to adultery some to murther some to sorcery and witch-craft for that seede which is forceable in them would bee as forceable in thee to all mischiefe if the Lord restrained thee not Naturally thou art as bent and inclined to these thinges as they are if the Lord by His powerfull prouidence did not restraine thee When the Apostle Paule considereth the strength and the force of that corruption that was in his heart hee saieth I knowe that in mee that is in my flesh there is no good And in another place the Prophet saith Except the LORD had left a seede in vs wee had beene made like SODOME and GOMORRHA Esay Chap. 1. verse 9. Brethren this same seede and roote of bitternesse is in euery infant yee thinke they bee Angels and men commonly call them innocentes No no they are but wolues birdes and there is a vvorlde of mischiefe vvithin them vvhich vvill burst out when yeeres strength and occasion concurreth except the Lord restraine the same Further I aduertise you of the deceitfull lurking of this pest for it is not onely to bee feared when it bursteth foorth and is fruitfull in euill deedes but also when it lurketh yee see if there be a pest in the flesh of man before it be broken out many a time they will thinke they haue not a pest So it is with this pest it will lurke within the flesh and sinewes of the heart so quietly that a man wil thinke hee is the wholest body in the worlde but touch him present any object or small occasion yea apply but the holy Law of God to that heart incontinent his â—oule affections and lustes shall vtter themselues and burst out Euen as yee see sometimes that fire vvill bee so hidden and couered vnder the ashes that it vvill not appeare and men vvill thinke that there is no fire there but as soone as there is any meete and apt matter as wood powder or brimstone applyed then it vvill manifest it selfe and burst foorth in a flame Euen so albeit vvhen men feele not their foule lustes and affections they seeme to themselues to bee holy yet speake to them of the Lawe of GOD forbidding and discharging such and such thinges to bee done then they shall finde the passions of sinne vvhich appeared before to bee dead vvithin them to beginne to liue yea to rage in the soule and to bring foorth fruites vnto death as Paul saieth in his epistle to the Romanes the seuenth Chapter and fift verse And then vvhen these passions breake out happie is hee that hath some part of the Spirite of Regeneration to represse them and striue against them in some measure For naturallie there is nothing in vs to gaine-stand them but wholly with all our force and with griedinesse wee will accomplish them yea the deuill sitteth betwixt the shoulders yea in the very heart of man and carrieth him heere and there to accomplishe all sort of mischiefe in all kinde of filthinesse and shall neuer let him stay till hee bring him to destruction There is no power in man to resist And therefore sinne is saide to reigne and to haue a kingdome within vs And except the Spirite of Christ come and in mercie either holde downe or else mortifie and slaye that foule corruption it shall slay vs at the last Yee see then howe deceitfull it is and howe easily men are deceiued whilest this corruption lurketh within and vttereth not it selfe But Brethren more dangerous is the deceite thereof when it bursteth out We thinke that man to bee in a miserable estate who is raging in this bodily pest and yet is so blinded and senselesse that hee is not aware of the sicknesse till hee die in the same if hee were sensible of the disease hee were in a better estate and condition And so is the estate and condition of man naturally when this corruption beginneth to vtter it selfe
vnto him then if thou takest no care of the purging of that corruption which hee hath contracted from thy loynes that same pest shall bee laide to thy charge in that great day Therefore nowe hauing spoken something of the fleshe and the generation thereof let vs nowe speake shortlie of the Spirite and His generation What is meaned by the Spirite This Spirite is the Spirite of the LORD IESVS this Spirit is y â— Spirit of Regeneration who reneweth men women of olde and sinfull creatures maketh them new and holy againe For as soone as a sinfull man beginneth to laye holde on the Lord Iesus by a true and liuely faith so soone findeth hee power and grace conuoyâ—d by His Spirit into his soule to renew it Then to speake of Christ because this Spirit is His Spirit As Iesus Christ is our elder Brother so is Hee also our Father Hee is called the Father of Eternitie Esai 9. 6. He is called the second Adam Rom. 5. 14. He is our spirituall Father who begetteth vs by His Holy Spirit Nowe compare the naturall parent with this spirituall parent Our naturall parent is not onely culpable and guilty of that first defection but also of innumerable sinnes and transgressions following thereupon Our spirituall parent Christ is culpable of no sinne at all but is full of all kinde of obedience for Hee was obedient to the Father to the death euen to the death of the Crosse Our naturall parent is altogether naturally corrupt yea a lumpe of sinne but Christ our spirituall parent is not only cleane in nature from all spot of sinne and perfectly holie as Hâ—e is man but also Hee is Holinesse it selfe because He is the Sonne of God from all Eternitie and what can bee cleaner than Cleannesse it selfe Now to come to their generation The naturall parent begetteth by the force of nature there is a force in nature to beget our spirituall parent Iesus is farre more able to beget by the power of His Spirit who is the author of nature The naturall parent by the force of nature will beget flesh a corrupt masse a sinfull creature yea the image of the deuill this will hee giue to his childe but our Heauenly parent the Lord Iesus by His Spirit begetteth the Spirit that is a spirituall man an holy cleane man who hath no delite nor pleasure in sinne for Sainct Iohn saith in his 1. Epistle Chap. 3. verse 9. Hee that is borne of God sinneth not that is sinneth not as the worldlinges doe with pleasure and delight sinne reigneth not in him why sinneth hee not because saieth hee the seede of God remaineth in him that is His Spirit by whom as a liuely seede wee are begotten and made newe creatures And what saith he more He saith such a man cannot sinne that is he cannot sinne that is he cannot sinne as the naturall and vnregenerate man sinneth hee cannot follow the course of this worlde and wallow in the puddle of sinne as they doe And why can he not sinne so because saieth hee he is borne of God It is a marueilous force that the Spirit of GOD hath Hee maketh a man that he cannot sinne all the worlde will not make him to sinne The naturall man can doe nothing but sinne all his actions are sinnes but hee that is borne of God cannot sinne Nowe this generation of the Spirite is called Regeneration which word albeit it be commonlie in many mens mouthes yet fewe vnderstand what it meaneth therefore wee shall set downe the nature and definition thereof and touch some particular circumstances which may serue for the better vnderstanding thereof Then what is Regeneration It is an alteration and changing of the whole nature of man accomplished and performed by the powerfull operation of the Holie Spirite When I call Regeneration a changing of nature I meane not that there shoulde be any change of the substance essence it selfe either of the soule or of y â— bodie as if that by Regeneration the olde substance were quite abolished and a newe substance brought foorth but I meane that there is a change and alteration of the qualities which are in the substance I will let you see this in the powers and faculties of the soule as in the minde and reason in the will and in the affections In the minde and reason there must bee a change of the vvisedome of the flesh into the vvisedome of GOD nothing is a greater enemie to GOD and His glorie to thy selfe and thy saluation than the vvisedome of the flesh And therefore if thou wouldest be saued this wisedome must be mortified thou must become a foole that thou mayest bee wise as yee maye reade in the first Epistle of S. Paule to the Corinthians the 3. Chapter and the 18. verse In stead of this vvisedome must bee powred into the minde the wisedome of GOD. In the vvill and affections there must bee a change of the frowardnesse and wicked inclination into holinesse and a good inclination Whereas before there was nothing in them but frowardnesse LORD that man is a froward creature when GOD commandeth him to goe one waye hee will goe the plaine contrarie that must be mortified and slain and in stead of it there must bee wrought in the heart a propension and willingnesse in some measure to pursue and to doe that which the LORD commandeth and hath pleasure into Nowe howbeit I call Regeneration a change onelie of the qualities yet it is not so light a matter and so easilie performed as men would think for it is a greater worke to renewe man than to create him In the beginning GOD created all thinges with His word but before man could bee renewed the Sonne of God behooued to become the sonne of man and suffer shame and ignominy die an accursed death euen the death of the Crosse It is an easie thing for thee to saye I must bee changed ere euer I see Heauen But Brethren it is not so soone done it is the moste difficill thing vnder the Sunne to gette the heart of a creature changed And they who haue found this vvorke sensiblie to haue beene begunne in them haue found howe harde it is by their owne experience for I tell thee that before thou bee renewed thou must denie thine owne selfe CHRIST saieth Thou must renounce thy selfe and take vp thy crosse daylie and followe Him LVKE Chapter 9. verse 23. If the LORD had onelie bidden vs renounce our friendes our father our mother our riches our landes and such other thinges as are without vs we would haue thought it a matter hard enough and scarcely would we haue bene induced to giue obedience as ye see in the young man in the Gospell Matth. 19. 16. But when the Lord commandeth vs to renounce our selues euen that thing that is moste excellent that which is moste wise this reason it selfe the wisedome of the flesh that furnisheth so many reasons to disswade meÌ„ either to
blessed that inuiolable Majesty were and what the Euangell is how glorious how liuely howe powerfull in operation and then what our selues are how vnworthie we are now Lord what would wee account of Iesus Christ this heart that now is bound vp would then bee loosed to thankfulnesse But wee see not what GOD is and if we haue not found glorie and the power of the Gospell Looke what great coÌ„mendation this Apostle giueth to the Gospell 2. Cor. 3. 6. where hee compareth the Lawe with the Gospell and calleth the Gospell the Ministerie of the Spirit the Ministerie of righteousnesse y â— Ministerie of life Then againe wee see not what our selues are how vile how filthie and vncleane we are we see not that mysterie of sinne that is in vs and therefore we account so little of the Gospell and are so little moued when the Lord threatneth the away-taking of it And to the ende men may knowe howe they ought to esteeme of this Ministerie of this Gospell committed vnto them which now the world so much contemneth and disdaineth we shall speake a litle of the dignitie excellencie thereof To haue the Gospel of Iesus Christ coÌ„mitted to a mans charge is no small thing No there is no fleshe worthie of such dignitie and honour no not the Angels in Heauen let be sillie mortall creatures Is the creature worthy to dispose the treasures of saluation Is a man worthy to reconsile God and the world Is anie man worthy to bee an instrument to bring remission of sinnes peace of conscience and joye in the Holie Ghoste to the soule of man Is anie worthy to beare witnesse to the soule of man that life euerlasting appertaineth vnto him and is laid vp for him in the Heauens And this mooued the Apostle to crie out when hee considered this Who can be found meet for these thinges 2. Cor. 2. 16. And so if wee knewe all that is contained in the Gospell wee woulde saye that the Angels themselues are not worthie to beare such a message to dispense the secrete and hidden thinges of GOD to confirme forgiuenesse of sinnes to put poore sinners out of doubt that the LORD loueth them and taketh them for His children and last that Hee will crowne them with saluation and euerlasting life And the consideration of this should moue them whom the Lord hath set in His seruice to follow the example of th'Apostle Paul and day and night to bee thankfull to God vvho chooseth such fraile and poore creatures to such an high excellent and glorious office as to offer saluation to them who before were condemned and cast-awayes Next this consideration should mooue men faithfullie and carefullie to execute that charge which is committed vnto them as also to pray y â— Lord earnestlie that Hee would blesse them with graces and strength according to the weightinesse of the calling that they maye bee â—ound faithfull in that Great daye for man of himselfe cannot doe so much as to thinke a good thought 2. Cor. Chap. 3. vers 5. let be to haue such graces by nature as to furnish such an high and glorious a calling And as the Pastors haue their duetie to learne heere so the people also may and should make their vse of it that is when they come to heare the word of God to the ende that the Gospell and the promises of mercy may profit and edifie them they shoulde bee resolued in themselues that it is God that sendeth men vnto them and maketh them meete who were vnmeet And in this place the Apostles minde is not onely to humble Preachers to acknowledge the grace bestowed vpon them but also to resolue all men that hee that preacheth is sent from God otherwise the preaching of the Gospell will neâ—er profit them And last this serueth to reprooue the vaine thoughtes and vngodly speaches of the common multitude for they thinke this Ministery to bee but a base and contemptible calling and say Who should be placed into it who but such fooles and vnworthy bodies as cannot bee meete for another calling who but kinlesse bodies But if a Gentleman an Esquires sonne a lordes brother c. take on this calling hee is disgraced and abased therewith But. O vnworthy wretch No Emperour no Monarch nor no flesh whatsoeuer is worthy of so great a calling no the Angels in Heauen honour not so much the commission as the commission honoureth them If thou continuest in counting basely of it to the ende thou shalt finde it at the last to bee the most glorious thing that euer was but it shall be to thy confusion and destruction Nowe I goe forward Hee commeth to a reason of his thankfulnesse Who hath strengthened me saith hee that is of a weake body full of imperfection blottes and sinnes which might haue hindered mee from that calling Hee made mee strong and able So the Apostle compareth his estate by nature with that estate which he found of grace and when hee was in nature hee saieth hee was weake and vnder the worde of weaknesse hee comprehendeth his blasphemy persecution and oppression which hee setteth downe heereafter And heereby wee maye see that men will neuer knowe the grace of God well nor accompt worthily of it vntill they consider what men are when GOD leaueth them to their owne estate And when men get a sight either of themselues or of others they will see that there is no goodnesse nothing worthie of praise but much mischiefe misery both in themselues and in others And when men once seeth and knoweth this then it will bee an easie thing to them to judge of the grace of GOD which supplieth and remedieth all wantes and vices When Paule looked to himselfe hee sawe no goodnesse that that had appearance of goodnesse was nothing but euanishing smoake and therefore confesseth that whatsoeuer was in him by nature was corrected and so hee giueth the praise of all to God Againe I see that none will account of IESVS CHRIST and His Gospell but they who finde a power and strength in the Gospell There is a power in the Gospell which all the faithfull finde for by the Gospell he that was weake to any good deede is made strong by the Gospell he that was dead is quickened and beginneth to liue This constrained the Apostle Paule to giue such glorious and powerfull stiles to the Gospell hee calleth it the power of God to life and saluation Rom 2. 16. he calleth it liuely and mighty in operation Heb. 14. 12. The children of God find it powerfull to ouerthrow and cast downe the imaginations of man and euery strong holde which is raised vp against Iesus And whosoeuer findeth this of necessity they must be thankfull Alas that there should be such a power and strength in the Gospell and that we should finde so little of it for if wee found it it could not bee possible but wee woulde testifie and practise by mouth and hand by word and
saith hee therefore did I speake Psal 116. 10. Look to the Apostles with what faith assurance they speake of it because saith Paul 2. Cor. 4. 13. We haue the same Spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken wee also beleeue and therefore we speake So when thou hearest or speakest of this grace of the Lord Iesus seek to haue this assurance in thine heart and saye Lord giue me Thy grace in speaking and hearing of the benefite of Christ that I may speake and heare with assurance And if ye take heede to the words of the preface he riseth vp in commending of this sentence that Christ came into the world to saue sinners and hee saieth not onelie This is a true saying that wee may assuredlie beleeue but likewise hee saieth and by all meanes worthie to bee receiued Hee welcommeth in a manner Christ Iesus comming into the world he embraceth that saluation that Hee brought vvith Him And would to God whether wee bee Preachers or hearers that wee coulde attaine to that measure of grace that so oft as wee name the comming of Iesus Christ that in speaking of it our hearts may be mooued to embrace Him and that life and saluation which He hath purchased for vs. So this preface serueth to confirme our hearts deepelie to imprint in them the doctrine of the grace of Christ of remission of sinnes of saluation through Him c. for by nature there is in euerie one of vs such a mistrusting doubting thereof y ◠albeit God wold a thousand times offer it vnto vs albeit Christ himselfe would teach neuer so much vnto vs yet are we euer still in doubt and questioning in our owne heartes whether it be so or not Against all this mistrusting and reasoning of our owne hearts we must bee armed with this preface of the Apostle as with a buckler that it is a true saying by al means worthy to be receiued But to come to the saying it self It reckoneth vp y e whole Euangell for what is the Euangell in fewe wordes The Lord Iesus the Sonne of God is come into the world by his manifestation in the flesh taking vpon him our nature and in it hee hath suffered the moste shamefull death of the Crosse for the sinnes of man and rising againe from death hath passed vp to glorie and all to this ende For the saluation of man There is the whole Gospell Alas if we took heed to these tithings our hearts woulde not bee carried after so manie vanities The Apostle 1 Timoth. 3. 16. calleth this the mysterie of godlinesse and a great mysterie That GOD is manifested in the fleshe justified in the Spirite seene of the Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeued on in the worlde receiued vp into glorie c. All this hee setteth downe here in a word Christ Jesus came into the worlde and hee telleth vs it was to saue sinners that wee who are sinners might haue joye and rejoyce at His comming for wee should neuer heare nor reade such sentences but with joye But the wordes woulde bee weighed hee saieth CHRIST came into the worlde to saue sinners What is this that hee calleth sinners there are two sorts of sinners in the worlde The first are they who thinke they haue no sinne they are so hardned in their sinne they neuer got their hearts opened to see their owne sinne and wretchednesse for an indured sinner feeleth no sinne but by the contrarie they thinke themselues just they are puft vp with a cōceit of their own righteousnes they thinke thēselues whole free frō the disease of sin and these are the greatest part of the world An example we haue in that proude Pharisie who would stand vp and justify himselfe before God say I thanke thee O God that I am not a sinner as other men extortioners vnjust adulterers or euē as this Publicane Luke 18. 11. But it is not for the saluation of those men that Christ came into the world no mercy belōgeth not to them they will neuer taste of any mercy of God in Iesus Christ and therfore Christ saith Mat. 9. 12. 13. The whole need not a Phisition that is they who are whole free of the sicknesse of sin in their own conceit I am not come to call the just that is indured sinners who think thēselues just because they are touched with no sense of sin and well had it bene for them if Christ had neuer come into the world for they want not only grace in Him but by the contrary by the contemning of the grace that is offered they heap on cōdemnation on their own heads There is another sort of sinners who haue a true sense of sin and grone vnder the burthen thereof who are sore grieued in their owne consciences for it and it is of these sinners that th' Apostle speaketh here for Christ sheweth mercy only on these sinners He came into the world to saue them only therfore He saith Mat. 9. 13. I come to call sinners to repētāce meaning these sinners who haue their consciences wakened with y e sense of sin these sinners only He inuiteth to come vnto Him to get grace refreshmēt Come vnto me saith He all ye that weary laden I will refresh you Mat. 11. 28. These sinners will get grace to heare the word and wil get their minds illuminated with it whereas indured sinners the more they heare the more are they blinded and therefore Christ saith Joh. 9. 39. I am come vnto judgement into this world that they that see not may see to wit the penitent sinners and that they see that is indured sinners may bee blinded if thou be an indured sinner thou canst not heare the word with profite thou canst not be inlightened thereby But albert thou be a blasphemer an adulterer an harlot the greatest sinner that is if thou harden not thine heart at the hearing of the word of God O how wonderfully will it worke in thy soule it wil bring thee to a sense of thy sin it will make thee to bee grieued for thy sin and to lament mourne vnfainedly for it it will make thee to runne seeke for grace mercy in Christ that thy sin may be done away an example of this ye haue in Dauid when he had committed adultery murther no sooner is y e word preached to him by Nathan but assoone his heart is pierced with the sense of his sin he confesseth acknowledgeth it hee is sore grieued for it hee crieth for mercy in the Messias to put away his iniquities as ye may see 1. Sam. 12. 13. Psal 51. Such like ye see in Paul who before was persecuting the Church assoone as he heareth the voyce of Christ his consciēce is wakened he trembleth he is astonied he humble intreateth for mercy hee offereth seruice to the Lord saieth Lord what wilt thou that I doe Acts 9.