may finde such experience as he found and that they may glorifie the Lord also So the end he looketh to is to glorifie the Lord that He may bee glorified in manie belieuers and waiters on him The ende of the mercy of God tendeth to His own glory There are many properties in God he is infinite in wisdom in power in trueth infinit in glorie Majestie Now the Lord is glorified in all his properties in his wisdome power justice But aboue all thinges the LORD seeketh that the world should glorifie Him in that deepe riches of mercie and gentlenesse that is in Him that wee shoulde praise Him euerlastingly in His mercie And as this is His will and as the mercy of GOD serueth to His glory So the soule of a man that hath once tasted of the mercy of the Lord Iesus is caried away with such a zeale to His glory that it will cause am in forget himselfe and with Moses and Paul wish to be a curse and anathema to haue God glorified This man ye see when he hath tasted or His mercy hee turneth him to the whole Church and willeth them to trust in Him that they might find His mercy that so God may bee glorified So it is hee onely who hath tasted of the mercy of God who when he looketh thorow the miserable world can haue pity on any mā He that neuer tasted of that mercy of God had neuer true pitic vpon any mā Then y ◠thing which he craueth is this that many shoulde taste of His mercy that God may be glorified by many His heart is moued with pitie and so all his endeuour is to see if once he can gette them win to God for when hee looketh abroad vpon miserable sinners he is full of rueth and compassion But marke againe the zeale which hee hath to the glory of GOD is the first cause that mooued him to seeke that all the world should taste of mercy and glorifie God So first he beareth a loue to Gods glory and then he hath pitie towarde men the one is the cause the other the effect the one preceedeth the other followeth the one is the roote and the other the branch All the loue we cary to man should be for the loue vve haue to GOD. And vvhere these two goe together a zeale to the glory of God alas vvhere is zeale to Gods glory now adayes vvhich is a true token that His glory is departing away and then a pitie of the misery of man a desire of the saluation of man then that man vvill forget himselfe that hee maye seeke the saluation of the vvorld that so in it God may be glorified And the man that hath this disposition in his heart is fit to be a Minister Preacher of grace to the world otherwise if hee vvant this disposition it is but a colde preaching that he vvill make Now in the next vvords vvhen he hath proponed the exhortation and desired them to vvaite on the Lord to moue them the more he pointeth out to the Church the nature of God vvhat God is for vvee must know vvhat God is ere euer vvee put our trust and confidence in Him for why saith he with the Lord is mercie and gentlenesse as if hee would saye The Lord is full of mercy His mercies are incomprehensible yea infinite and neither man nor Angel can sound out the deepnesse therof He is all mercie and as S. Iohn saieth in his first Epist chap. 4. vers 8. The Lord is loue Therefore await on Him for why there is no want nor scant of mercy in Him This is vvell to be marked when hee exhorteth Israel to vvaite vpon the Lord hee saith not because He is omnipotent and infinite in justice onelie wise c. But hee giueth this reason because mercy is with Him therefore waite vpon Him This would be well considered What is the cause of this Nowe I will aske another question What thing in God neede wee moste into this worlde There are manie thinges which wee haue much neede of What is it that wee haue moste neede of Another question What is the estate that euerie one of vs is borne in in this worlde Are wee not borne sinners conceiued and borne in sinne and iniquitie And so are wee not all miserable For there is nothing for sinners but miserie death damnation and so all sinners are miserable So what thing is it that a sinner wanteth most vvhat is it that sinne and miserie craueth but mercie And if thou bee miserable the thing in this world that thou shouldest craue first is mercy that God woulde bee mercifull to thee So mercie and forgiuenesse of sinne is the first thing whereto thou oughtest to haue recourse And if thou wilt tell a miserable bodie that feeleth himselfe to bee miserable and the childe of wrath that God is omnipotent if thou point Him out in His wisedome in His justice hee shall bee so farre from receiuing anie comfort and consolation of anie of these things that by the cōtrarie he shall be so terrified that hee dare not presume to seeke God to looke to Him to come to Him c but hee will runne away from God But tell him that God is mercifull full of grace in Iesus Christ that is the sweetest speach that euer he heard But alas few of vs feeleth that burthen of sinne Who is he that groneth vnder sinne Who feareth the terrors of that wrath If thou find them then tell thee of the mercies of Iesus Christ it would bee the sweetest tale that euer thou heardest And when a man is once sensible of the infinite mercies of GOD in Iesus then tell him of all the infinite properties of God tell him of His power wisedome and prouidence they will all serue to his comfort for why he will thinke that all things that are in God appertaine to him and serue to his weale he will finde that all things will serue to his saluation Otherwise without this assurance of mercy hee will neuer thinke them comfortable So there is a sure ground The faith of a man or woman first of all is euer relatiue to the mercy of God and that is the first object of faith Indeed hauing gottē a gripe of mercie then it extendeth to all the rest but before that there is nothing in God that it can rest vpon Yee see by experience when the law is preached there is little allurance of the heart but when the Euangell and Christ Iesus is preached the heart is drawne on and allured What is the cause of this The doctrine of the law is a doctrine of extreame justice and His justice doeth nothing but terrifie the soule but the doctrine of the Euangell is a doctrine of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ which draweth to it the hearts of men Albeit thou heare the law preached an hundreth yeares heare no more thou shalt be so far from being the better that thou
the childrens bread and to cast it to whelps verse 27 But shee saide Trueth Lord yet in deede the whelps eat of the crummes which fall from their maisters table verse 28 Then Iesus answered and saide vnto her O woman great is thy faith bee it vnto thee as thou desirest And her daughter was made whole at that houre IN this TEXT which wee haue read wel beloued in the Lord Iesus wee haue a wonder that the Lord wrought on a woman a Canaanite a Gentile of a cursed generation the generation of Canaan The wonder is the healing of a womans daughter that was possessed and sore and miserably vexed with a deuill The woman hauing the occasion to meet with the Lord through His comming to these parts where she abode shee slippeth not the occasion but seeketh mercy and grace she findeth at the first great hardnesse and difficulty to get mercy but at the last she ouercommeth all by her faith and getteth mercy Now to go through this History so shortly and plainly as the LORD shall giue the grace This woman is called a Canaanite that is descended of that olde and rotten stocke of Canaan that was destinate for wrath and destruction Genes 9. 25. Looke to her estate shee is come of a cursed rase she is lying in sinne and security first in sinne next in a deadly sleepe and security of sinne This is the estate of euery one of vs we lie in sinne conceiued in sinne and borne in sinne we feele not the sinne that deadly sleepe of security is worse than the sinne we lie in there is none of vs better by nature than this woman was Then when she is thus lying in sinne security the Lord from the Heauen sendeth her awakening and a sharpe wakening for the judgements of God are like many messengers from Heauen to waken vs. In the example of the woman wee see that the Lords children must bee wakened and oftentimes our first wakening is verie sharpe dolefull and fearefull as it is with one that is wakened in the rage of a feuer Yet there is grace here Well is y e man that is wakened though the wakening were neuer so sore and sharpe for the multitude of the worlde dye in securitie and neuer waken till the fire of Hell waken them Well is thee and thou be wakened albeit it should be with neuer so heauy a judgement yea though thy daughter or thy selfe should bee possessed with a deuill Now when this poore womā is thus wakened and is wrastling vnder the heauy hand of God the Lord casteth an eye towardes her for no doubt howbeit she was one of the rase of cursed Canaan yet she was chosen to eternall life and of very purpose He casteth Himself into these parts where she was what euer other erand Hee had there is no question but He had a particular respect to her ◠she might haue the occasion to come to Him and this was a great grace When we are wakened out of security then the Mediciner hath his time and this is a greater grace It is a great grace to bee wakened but it is a greater grace to find a Mediciner to cure thy disease for as multitudes die in securitie so also multitudes die in paine torment and desperation after they are wakened Well she hearing tell that He was come to these parts and that He was such a man a wonderful man as the prophet Esay calleth Him who cured all sort of diseases who restored sight to the blind limmes to the lame cleansed the leprous and raised vp the dead she is moued to seeke grace and mercy at Him Had not the Lord preuented her and come downe thither sought her to draw her to Him there had neuer bene such a thing that she had sought for Him All thy misery albeit it vvere neuer so great vvill neuer draw thee to Him except Hee seeke thee first and draw thine heart vnto Him Well nowe to come forwarde vvhen shee seeketh Him shee findeth Him and getteth His bodilie presence CHRIST and His Disciples vvere vvalking together after His accustomed manner at the first meeting saieth the TEXT The woman cryeth Hee is apparantlie going before and the vvoman followeth after and cryeth Miserie constraineth her to crie And if the LORD laye His handes vpon thee Hee vvill compell thee to howle and crie O that power and might that is in the LORD ouer His creature But I doubt not considering the vvordes and communication that the LORD hath with this poore miserable and sinfull vvoman but it was that Spirit of adoptiō that opened her mouth so vvide to crie vpon Him so O thou sonne of Dauid haue mercie on mee What crieth shee Marke her words She crieth haue mercy vpon me How many of Hierusalem cried after this manner An Heathen ◠Cananite crieth this way misery compelleth her to cry But what maketh her to cry Mercy Wee will raile blaspheme God whē we are in misery but what caused her to cry Mercie No question the conscience of her demerites caused her to crie Mercie shee felt her selfe to bee worthy of all that misery wherewith shee was burthened The voyce of a miserable sinner that feeleth misery is O Lord haue mercy vpon mee but loe howe shee stileth Him O Lord The Sonne of Dauid these were the common stiles indeed of the Lord in this life He was called of the multitud LORD and the sonne of Dauid But certainly I am of this mind that this woman took these stiles otherwise than y e common multitude The very eye of her soule was opened to see Iesus Christ to be the Lord to bee the Sonne of God manifested in the flesh of the seed of Dauid howbeit I will not attribute vnto her a distinct clear knowledge of both His natures in one person and of His offices Then Brethren ye see two grounds of her petition The first is a Lordship and Power and Dominion in Him of whom she sought mercy The next is a Pitie a Mercy in Him of whome shee sought mercy She sought mercy at a mèrcifull face grace at a gracious face Looke that thy prayer bee well grounded on the LORD When thou openest thy mouth to seeke mercy at that LORD looke that thou acknewledge that there is a power in that Lord to giue thee euery thing that thou standest in need of and chiefely looke that thou acknowledge that there is an infinit passing mercy in that Lord surmounting all thy sinnes and then shalt thou pray from the heart with confidence and liberty otherwise thou mayest well seeke mercie from the teeth outwarde but neuer with thine heart Then shee letteth Him see a good cause wherefore she sought mercy Lord I haue need of a Phisition for I am sicke What sicknesse is sorer to a poore body than this to bee rent both in soule and body with a deuil Lord my poore daughter is tormented with a deuill As in thy prayer thou must haue a sight
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
relieued of their condemnation It is true the Philosophers among the nations aspired to a wisdome and knowledge of God to know Him and some of them laboured to set downe a science of Him Plato traueiled much on this purpose and therfore he was called Diuine but all their knowledge was of GOD the Creator as Hee created this world and by His prouidence gouerneth it But will ye speake of GOD the Redeemer in His Sonne Iesus Christ they had neuer such a thing as a thought of Him and yet for all the businesse that they had about the Creation and GOD the Creator what were they fooles and euanished in their owne cogitations as ye may reade Rom. 1. 22. 23. in stead of the true God they set vp an idole to bee worshipped Then seeing they found it not out and seeing it is so necessary for al men euē for Princes for they shal neuer see life except they get a part of this wisedome they are bounde to keepe that wisedome in sinceritie and not to prejudge her libertie one whit but to maintaine her and keep her from all her enemies that would peruert her Thou foundest her not out keep her therfore in her liberty The Lord grāt that men may be occupied this way in their coūsels not in impairing but in preseruing the libertie of this wisedome that onelie must saue them Thy kingdome thy life thine honour and all these earthlie riches will away onelie this wisedome will abide Then this wisedome is not founde out by this world or by the Princes thereof Yet before wee come to the Author whereof it is come ye haue a reason wherefore she cannot bee of the Princes of the worlde who come to naught they are abolished they euanish shee is eternall and will neuer haue ende A perishing head will neuer inuent a science that will last for euer albeit his head were neuer so quicke so curious but as the head perisheth and goeth to graue so shall the wisedome thereof die in her owne time And therefore there was neuer anie Arte nor Science inuented by the braine of man which shall not die perish because they are all come of perishing heads howbeit the head die and the wisdome remaine for a space yet that science and wisedome shall also die in her owne time Aristotle is dead his wisedome abideth yet but it shall die Plato is dead his wisdome abideth yet but it shall also die But the immortall GOD when He findeth out a wisedome it shall bee immortall also In the first Epistle of Peter Chap. 1. vers 23. there are two thinges joyned together The immortall seede of the word and a liuing and immortall God who abideth for euer The seede of the worde is immortall and wherefore is it immortall Because it commeth from a God that abideth for euer If it be once sown in thine heart it shall neuer die out of thine heart No this word shall goe to Heauen with thee and there it shall spring out in a wonderfull glorie and shall abide in him who found it out and in thee in whome it is sowne for euer Then if the world be not the author of it who hath found it out We speake saith the Apostle not our owne wisedome but the wisedome of God Paul inuented it not neuer a man that preached this Gospell was the author of it the Lord who is onelie wise found it out Then marke Brethren If God of His infinite mercie after thou madest that foule fall in Adam and fell from grace innocencie had not found out to thee the onelie meanes of thy deliuerance from death and sin thou hadst neuer risen againe for thou hadst neuer so much as once a thought of the way of thy redemption Adam when hee had fallen and hid himselfe in an hole had not so much as one cogitation of his deliuerance That God that created thee without thee redeemed thee also without thee when He made thee of nothing in the beginning Hee called not thee to the counsell because thou was not no more was thou on the counsell of thy redemption when He took purpose to redeeme thee No there was neuer an Angell on the counsell of thy redemption And this is that that is spoken Rom. 11. 34 Who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who hath giuen Him counsell No all is of Him all is from Him only He is the onlie finder out as well of thy redemption as of thy creation that the onlie glorie may bee giuen vnto Him I might speake something here against the enemies of the trueth but I will not insist If thou takest any part of that worke to thy selfe thou bereauest God of a part of His glorie Therfore seeing thou hast neither arte nor part in it let Him haue the onelie glorie for euer and euer Nowe followeth the seconde part of the commendation of the Gospell In a mysterie It is in a mysterie it was hid vp Sciences vse to bee commended because of their secrecie for men wil say O! it is a mysticall and secrete thing therefore it is a commendable and precious thing But if euer anie science or wisedome in the worlde merited commendation thorowe the secrecie of it especiallie this wisedome of GOD for there was neuer so secrete a wisedome so manie ages from Adam till CHRIST came all closed vp in a mysterie hidden from the world and if there was anie blinke of it it was verie obscure Brethren there are sundrie wisedomes of God There is a wisdome of the creation and gouernament of the worlde and there is a wisedome of God of the redemption of the worlde once created and making defection from that blessed estate of creation As for the wisedome of creation as soone as euer the worlde was created this wisedome brake foorth and was reuealed and made knowne to men and it shineth yet in the creatures looke to them thou shalt see the image of that wisedome shining in them and more than this man receiued this wisdome of creation written in his heart So this wisedome was not kept close but made patent to the eyes of men Angels to looke vpon it But as for the wisdome of God of the redemption of the worlde in the creation Hee neither vtred it in word nor writing He wrote not one letter of it in the heart of man in the creation But after the fall of Adam He gaue an inkling of it but very obscure Nowe wherefore was this that the Lord hid vp this wisdome Thereby no doubt He would testify to the world that this wisdome contained a precious thing a jewell there was inclosed in it the whole treasure of Heauen The treasure of Heauen is Christ Iesus who is inclosed in this mysterie and therefore the Lord woulde not reueale it till Iesus Christ came into the world Is it reuealed now It hath beene reuealed euer since CHRIST came into the worlde and this daye in SCOTLAND that treasure is laid
respect of it The Sunne is but a creature this is the light vncreated of the glorious GOD the verie essence of GOD count of it as thou wilt Now marke one thing of this This man by his speach leadeth vs to his hart what are words if they want the heart and if they haue no life what are wordes to bee respected suppose thou speakest a thousande yeeres of light and glorie if thou haue neither light nor glorie in thy soule Certainely there are none that will looke to these wordes but they may see the mans heart was replenished with this light and glorie whereof hee spake The face of IESVS shyned on his soule and so wonderfullie hee vttereth that conception and fulnesse of the heart in such wordes as are marueilous The heart of PAVLE was full of light and glorie But I see little light in the heartes of men and women in respect of that light which was in his heart And therefore Brethren to speake the trueth because this Gospell howbeit it hath beene sounding in the eare these manie yeeres in this Lande yet it hath not entered into the hearts of men womē it hath bene a sound in the eare but not a light in the soule because thou hast not suffered it to enter into thine heart kept it there therefore the Lord is threatning to take it from thine eare also and so will be seene on EDINBVRGH one day The eye is alwayes vpon men but thou lookest not to that poysonable heart of thine that is procuring y e away-taking of this Gospel out of thine eare and except ye descend into your owne hearts search the emptinesse of y t light in them it is not possible that it can remaine Can it bee possible that this contempt of the Gospell that of her owne nature is so effectuall in the hearts of men can bee borne with for euer No y e Lord will not suffer this contempt to bee vnpunished And therefore the Lord appearantly hath said I will put away my Gospel from this vngrateful people whom it hath not illuminated after so long time So ye y t haue bene long looking to instrumēts looke as long on your owne false hearts that are the cause of all Yet Brethren notwithstanding of al this contempt of y e Gospel the Lord saue me all them that I wish well to from this to be an instrument of the with-drawing of it for yet it was neuer seene that y e Lord vsed good men to be instruments in such a deed Who is it that is heere sent to blind this worlde who but the god of this world the Deuil and therfore I giue this watch-word Let no man preasse to bee the occasion of the away-taking of the Gospell Nowe I shall take vp the next verse shortly and so I shall end In the next verse the Apostle giueth the reason wherefore they to whome the Gospell was hidden behoued to be they who were ordained for perdition and whome the god of this world hath blinded His reason is takē euen from his sinceritie in preaching the Gospell For saieth hee wee preach not our selues Whom preach I then but IESUS CHRIST the LORD and I preached Him to be the Lord in my Gospel and what preached I of my selfe Our selues your seruantes for Christ Iesus sake For the Bridegromes cause I was a seruant to the Bride for His cause who is the onelie Head and LORD of the Church I was a seruant to the Church Then of this reason marke this lesson A man whome the LORD raileth to preach the Gospell not to seeke himselfe nor his owne aduancement nor worldlie riches nor honour but onelie to preach the Gospell in sinceritie what effect will hee haue in his preaching Strange effectes will followe him if hee saue thee not if hee winne thee not to God if he minister not comfort to thee by his Gospell what will hee doe I shall tell thee Hee will put a stampe vpon thee and thrust it into thine heart conscience testifying to thee in the owne time for the conscience wakeneth not in all men at all times that thou wast not faithfull but a reprobate ordained to perdition from all eternitie if thou gettest not repentance in time and if the Gospell preached by a sincere man hath not fructified in thee all his preaching is but a seale to thee of thy damnation and in the Great Day shall stand vp and aggrege thy judgement Marke another thing heere What is this that maketh this man so bold He will denounce perdition excecation and blind-folding by the god of this world I assure you this is a bolde speach to denounce damnation but what maketh him so bolde Yee see it in a worde the conscience of his owne sinceritie that in his preaching hee sought not himselfe but the LORD his Maister There is the lesson A man whom the LORD will sende and the LORD as certainlie will sende men to speake in sinceritie his message as euer he sent any Prophet in the worlde howbeit there be not an extraordinarie calling nowe A man I say whom the LORD will send he will denounce damnation to an obstinate and rebellious people and hee will bee bolde to take thee as it were by the eare suppose thou bee a king and leade thee to that Tribunall to heare the sentence of damnation pronounced against thee The LORD giue mee this sinceritie and then I will not care for all the kinges and all the men in the worlde for the LORD will giue boldnesse to the man whome he raiseth in sinceritie to cyte kinges before that Tribunall of IESVS CHRIST Another thing I see in this Text There is no lord but the Lord IESVS who will tread down all the lordes in the earth and treade vpon their neckes at his pleasure And more I see There is no Ladie nor Queene but the Church the Spouse of IESVS CHRIST As for Kinges Queenes Politickes in the earth all are but seruantes onelie Kinges seruantes Queenes seruantes Pastors and Ministers seruants and nourishers of the Church of IESVS The Apostles seruants ministring food to this glorious bodie of IESVS and feeding it with the sincere milke of the worde And that is it which the Apostle saith in the 1. epis to the Corin. chap. 3. vers 22. speaking of himselfe and others All is yours saith he whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas c. Euen so all is yours all are but seruants to you ye are Christes Hee is your Lord ye haue none other lord but Christ Thē the Church must haue a great prerogatiue jurisdiction and liberty She is a Queene and if euer there was in any countrey a jurisdiction and libertie shee hath it giuen her of her Spouse the Lord IESVS Then ye know what should follow If shee haue a libertie and jurisdiction I will speake that which the Apostle speaketh in the second epist to the Corin. chap. 13. vers 10. God hath not giuen me saith Paule
he changeth his voice saith If I come againe I shall not spare you when I come againe I shall terrifie you with the power of God because ye throw it out of mee I see againe hee is verie sharpe against these false Oratours hee vseth no lenitie towardes them Yet there is a discretion to bee had betwixt the dealing with false teachers and with the people There should be lenitie vsed towards the people but what should bee with a deceiuing lowne that beginneth to bring the trueth in slander Hee must bee handled with seueritie and rigour no lenitie should bee vsed towardes these that crcepe in daylie to bring the trueth in slander Yee know their voyces Who made LVTHER a Minister Who made CALVIN a Minister But they shall finde it one day that LVTHER and CALVIN were Ministers and that there was a power in the word which LVTHER and CALVIN teached For this is true that PAVLE spake The LORD consumeth them daylie with the word that commeth out of the mouthes of His Ministers and shall consume them daylie vntill the Daye of the LORDS appearance In the third verse hee falleth out in a description of the maner of his walking Neuerthelesse though wee walke in the flesh c. Though wee liue in the flesh that is in the infirmitie of this common nature for to liue in the flesh heere is to liue in the weaknesse of nature yet we walke not or warre not according to the flesh that is our actions and doinges in our Apostleship are not fleshlie and weake Yee see the outward bodie is weake but measure not the inward man after the bodie and strength thereof for suppose my bodie be weake yet mine actions are strong So hee taketh to him one thing and refuseth another Nowe Brethren let euerie man that liueth take gladlie to him frailtie and weaknesse and if men call thee weake take it to thee for hee that will bee strong in himselfe cannot bee strong in GOD. In this same Epistle Chap. 12. verse 9. The power of GOD saieth hee is made perfect in mine infirmitie Of all men in the worlde a man whose calling is to bee a Minister shoulde take chiefelie vpon him this frailtie and weaknesse yea let him accept it more redilie than it can bee casten to him and as hee is fraile and weake so hee must feele his frailtie and weaknesse and the chiefest part of his preaching should bee of frailtie and that Minister that neuer felt his owne miserie cannot perswade the people that they are miserable and bring them to an acknowledging of it And heerein appeareth the wisdome of GOD who chooseth not to this Ministerie those who haue the greatest graces of nature and naturall giftes but Hee chooseth out the weake ones and contemptible bodies that are amongst men and Hee setteth them vp to bee Preachers to mankinde as Hee speaketh in the first Epistle to the CORINTHIANS in the first Chapter and the sixe and twentie verse Yee see Brethren your calling howe that not manie wise men amongst you according to the flesh not manie mightie not manie noble are called but GOD hath chosen the foolish thinges of the worlde to confound the wise and GOD hath chosen the weake thinges of the worlde to confound the mightie So the Lord chooseth the ignoble and sillie creatures and setteth them vp aboue kinges yea and the greatest Monarches of the worlde to beate them downe Marke againe as euerie man shoulde willinglie take to him this frailtie and weaknesse of nature so let him refuse the other that is to saye let him refuse to walk according to the flesh To walke according to the flesh and to warre according to the flesh is all one for the walking of a Christian is a warrefare Holde backe these fleshlie actions and namelie these actions of sinne take to thee the weaknesse of nature but cast off sinne For if thine actions bee altogether fleshlie bee thou sure thou hast no part of the power of God nor of the life of IESVS CHRIST thou hast but the life of a man or of a woman and shalt die like a man or a woman without the life of GOD. But aboue all men in the worlde let a Minister eschewe these actions of the flesh looke that his actions bee powerfull and that the power of GOD appeare in his walking so that when in outwarde appearance hee is but a weake bodie yet it may bee said of him y t he is strong in Christ For as weake as hee is to looke to yet hee is a strong warrier the Spirite is sensible in him hee speaketh not like a man onelie there is another grace conuoying his wordes than can accompanie the worde of man If thou bee a Minister although thou were neuer so strong in bodie if thou findest not GODS power in thy life and doctrine I will not giue one penny for thee looke that thou feele the power that Paule felt as yee reade in the 2. Epist to the Corin. chap. 4. vers 16. when hee was dying in the bodie then was the inner man quickest in him and the more the bodilie life was away the more the life of GOD was manifest in him A Minister that hath not the power of GOD within him howe can hee preach of CHRISTES power or of His life howe can hee bee a Minister of life that hath no tasto of life himselfe how can he preach of life that neuer felt life of necessity he must be a shamelesse man that will speake of Christ of His mercie life and power when in the meane time hee knoweth not what the mercie life power of Christ meaneth that man was neuer called of God to bee a Minister all that hee speaketh is like the babling of a Parockquet the power of God doeth the deede therfore God chooseth the weake instruments that the world may see that it is onelie His grace and not the gifts of the men that doeth the turne He calleth it not his walking but warring fighting The life of a Minister is but a warre-fare and hee who would bee a Minister shoulde make him for warre-fare make him for paine and labour otherwise let him neuer striue for that calling Yea there is nothing so laborious or painefull but the life of a Minister is compared vnto it We neuer read in the Scriptures where it is compared to any thing that importeth easinesse or idlenesse 1. CORIN 9. 26. The Minister is compared to a Warrier then to a runner running with all his maine speede striuing to come to the marke neuer looking ouer his shoulder to this or that thing as manie will doe saying I haue done this turne or that turne No when thou hast done all thou canst doe say thou hast done nothing Then hee is compared to a wrastler and to an husbandman that holdeth the plough from morning till euening In all these comparisons of the Scriptures the figure is not so great as the thing figurate when an
sixt Chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes the twentie verse then yee were free from righteousnesse Marke heere a wonderfull power of God in this base and sillie Ministerie O! would to GOD men coulde knowe this power destroying the deceite of reason and beating down the pride of the heart of man mounting vp against GOD. Alas so great is the power of sinne that it hath no match vnder heauen but this Ministerie I will tell it ouer againe There is nothing to throw this power downe but this Ministerie When this Ministerie was not in the world amongst the Gentiles of the which SCOTLAND was one part for our Progenitors were Gentiles without GOD in the world sinne raigned to death Roman 5. 21 Multitudes of Gentiles perished but from the time that Iesus Christ the author of grace came into the world and brought with Him this Ministery first He himselfe thereafter His Apostles amongst whome Paul was as painfull as anie man made it manifest howe powerfull this Ministerie was by demolishing the kingdom of sinne for then grace beganne to reigne and the power of GOD was manifested Brethren I dare affirme the onelie thing that holdeth down the power of sinne is this sillie base Ministerie take it away for men wold faine haue it away and shoote it to the doore and for ought that I can sâ—â— I thinke it shall goe away sinne shall come to an hight Take away the thing that holdeth downe the head of sinne and it shall reigne Then O miserable Scotland heere I denounce shame ignominie shall come to thee shame and confusion to King and Court Land and Burgh if this candlesticke be remoued This shall be found by experience if euer thing was true And thou that wouldest â—un to damnation hast the remoouing of it that thou mayest hasteÌ„ thine own damnation Nowe the last thing I see is the proper effect of this Ministery of the blessed God would to God the worlde could see the glorie of it the proper effect is not to slay men but to saue them This worlde thinketh that wee are come to slaye them No wee are come to slay sinne in you that will slay you if it be not slaine Paul in the 1. epist to the Cor. chap. 3. vers 12. 13. compareth the Ministery to a burning fire that burneth vp haye stubble and trees euen so it burneth vp thy sinne and the drosse of thy nature andâ—â—l the vanities of thine heart but saueth thy selse Howe is this that the world cannot abide the meane of their saluation they cannot get rest neither night nor day till they get away the thing that saueth them Nowe it saueth the man by taking him and leading him captiue vnder the King of glorie Ye see they that are superiours in the battell when they say to anie man Bee taken if hee will not bee taken they will slay him there Euen so as truelie iâ— thou wilt bee stubburne and wilt not bee taken in this fielde this word shall slay thee Therefore blessed are they that can suffer the ordinance of GOD and stand still vntill sinne bee slaine and they themselues bee ledde captiues vnder Christ for that captiuitie vnder Him is true freedome To that immortall and euerlasting King bee all honour and glorie for euermore Amen THE TENTH SERMON PHILIPPIANS CHAP. I. verse 18 What then yet CHRIST is preached all maner of wayes whether it bee vnder a pretence or sincerelie and I therein joye and will joye verse 19 For I knowe that this shall turne to my saluation through your prayers and by the helpe of the Spirit of IESUS CHRIST verse 20 As I heartilie looke for and hope that in nothing I shall bee ashamed but that with all confidence as alwayes so nowe CHRIST shall bee magnified in my bodie whether it bee by life or by death verse 21 For CHRIST is to mee both in life and in death aduantage 22. And whether to liue in the flesh were profitable for mee and what to choose I know not verse 23 For I am greatlie in doubt on both sides desiring to bee loosed and to bee with CHRIST which is best of all verse 24 Neuerthelesse to abide in the flesh is more needefull for you verse 25 And this I am sure of that I shall abide and with you all continue for your furtherance and joye of your faith verse 26 That yee may more aboundantlie rejoyce in JESUS CHRIST for me by my comming to you againe PAVL lying in bandes at ROME there riseth vp two sortes of Preachers The first sort of them that preached sincerelie that GOD and His glorie might be aduanced The second sort of them that preached not sincerelie not for the aduancement of Christ nor His Gospell but to adde afflictions to Paule bands moued with ambition and enuie towards him In the first verse which wee haue read in your audience Paule vttereth his minde concerning these two sortes of Preachers and this is his mind in effect Let them saieth hee preach as they will preach let them preach of sinceritie for the glorie of Christ let them preach for the fashion howeuer they preach preaching the trueth of God CHRIST is preached euen by them who preacheth not sincerelie And therfore because Christ is preached I rejoyce notwithstanding of all that injurie which I receiue by their preaching I rejoyce and will rejoyce and no man will bee able to take my joye from me Shortlie then there is Paules minde concerning these two sortes My doctrine shall bee generall And the first thing that I marke heere is this and anie of you may see it The Lord is glorified Christ is magnified euen by a counterfeite doing of men when they doe the thing that is good yet not in sinceritie nor of purpose to glorifie GOD in their doing But their purpose not beeing to glorifie God in their doing they not doing sincerelie howbeit Hee getteth His owne glorie by their doing yet they shall get little thankes It is not so much the turne it selfe the action it selfe preaching or whatsoeuer it bee that procureth to a man thanks and grace at the handes of God as it is the purpose intention in doing I had rather doe the soberest thing in the world and if it were 〈…〉 eate my meate and drinke my drinke of purpose to glorifie God in my doing than to do the greatest and fairest worke that can be seene to the eye of man without purpose to glorifie God in that doing Marke it Whether yee eat whether ye drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe little or much do all to the glorie of God saieth Paul 1. Cor. 10. 31. And therefore Brethren there is nothing that a man should so much looke to in his doinges and actions as to his purpose and to the intention of his heart Looke thou as thou wilt the Lord looketh chiefelie to euerie mans intention and purpose He that preacheth what is to bee respected with what measure of grace he preach if in preaching
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
feete who was euer traueiling and journeying nor to kisse the Lord when He entered into his house after the fashion of the countrey nor shewed none heartsomenesse towards the Lord. An hypocrite can neuer doe any thing heartily neither to God nor man Then wouldest thou know a true Christian man or woman Yee heare neuer a word out of her mouth all this time that she is washing the Lordes feete with teares kissing them anointing them with ointment So a true Christian hath few wordes but many deedes One good deede is worth ten words And when thou speakest looke that thy wordes bee heartie and sauour of loue Looke that thou blesse not with thy mouth and curse with thine heart whatsoeuer thou doest doe it heartily and though thou were but presenting a cuppe full of colde water to a poore bodie do it heartily then the Lord shall count wel of it though it were neuer so litle Looke what sentence the Lord giueth out concerning y e poore woman that presented two mites Hee saieth shee gaue more than they all did Luke 21. 3. Whatsoeuer thou doest doe it for the loue of the LORD still waiting for that day wherein the LORD shall reward thee It is true indeede that hee who hath anie discretion will discerne the heart by the verie deede of the hand And hee or shee that hath any heartsomnesse inwardly it will be manifest and vttered in the verie deede of the hand outwardlie But stand thou not vpon the sight of any man in the world But say Lord thou seest the heart thou seest with what heartinesse I doe this And whatsoeuer thou doest striue euer to do it with heartsomnesse for Iesus Christes sake so in doing thou shalt haue joye No man can doe any thing heartilie or joyfullie but they who haue their eyes vpon the Lord. Ye haue heard the proposition the assumption also now He commeth to the conclusion and He concludeth as it were in the teeth of the Pharisie Therefore her sinnes are forgiuen her Not that this loue is the cause of the remission of her sinnes but as a sure argument and testimonie of her faith Her loue toward Christ preceeded not nor went before the assurance of the remission of her sinnes but it followed as a true token So it is an argument not from the cause but from the effect that testifieth assuredly that the cause is and hath proceeded that is that shee hath faith in Iesus Christ Howbeit the Papistes abuse this place gathering heere that the loue which this woman caried to Iesus was the cause of the remission of her sins But I leaue them to their owne vanitie Now Brethren after the example of this Pharisie I shall neuer judge euill nor be a sharpe censurer of a penitent sinner for the poore sinner that beleeueth once in Iesus Christ and repenteth and taketh purpose of amendement for faith and repentance goe euer together a sinner that beleeueth in Iesus Christ will repent and hate and detest sinne to the death wherewith hee hath offended God for when hee hath once tasted of mercy then will hee saye Alas that I haue offended so louing and so mercifull a Father for after that hee hath once gotten a sense of the infinite mercie of GOD all his displeasure will bee that euer hee hath offended so louing and so mercifull a Father I saye such a sinner maye bee assured of forgiuenesse Nowe marke the Lordes answere to the Pharisie He saith not howbeit shee be a sinner yet shee is penitent and loueth mee but Hee saieth shee is no sinner all her sinnes are taken awaye for except all her sinnes had beene taken away and purged by Him it is most true y t the Pharisie thought to wit the LORD would not haue suffered her to haue touched Him Hee would not haue receiued the kisses of her mouth nor the teares of her eyes No the LORD IESVS that Holie One if thou bee not made as vvhite as the snowe and all thy sinnes bee not purged Hee vvill not suffer thee once to touch Him nor to kisse His feete It is a vvonderfull thing to see such a suddaine change in an instant that so vile and so vncleane a bodie shoulde bee so pure and so cleane Howbeit the bodie vvere as redde as the blood and as the Scarlet as the Prophet Esay saieth in the first Chapter of his Prophesie and the 18. verse yet suddainlie Hee vvill make it as vvhite as the snowe and the vvooll Indeede it is true thou wilt neuer bee purged from the remainentes of sinne so long as thou art in this life but yet notwithstanding if thou put on that righteousnesse of Iesus Christ by faith God shall count thee as clean as a glorious Angell in His sight Nowe vvhen Hee hath ended the speech to the Pharisie at the last Hee speaketh to the vvoman not thinking it enough to speake in her hearing vnto the Pharisie but to the greater joye and consolation of the poore vvoman Hee speaketh to herselfe Thou vvill runne in and out hither and thither to gette a vvorde of the king and vvhy not if so thy necessitie require but striue to get a vvord out of the mouth of IESVS Kings manie times vvill giue thee flattering vvordes but the LORD when Hee speaketh vnto thee Hee vvill speake in trueth and vvith vvonderfull loue vvhen Hee saieth to thee Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee thy sinnes are forgiuen thee indeede for the vvord of the Lord hath an operation vvith it for if He once call thee an Holie One thou wilt be so indeede The worde of the Lord worketh in thee the thing that Hee speaketh most powerfullie for Hee calleth these thinges that are not and by calling Hee maketh them to bee So the Lord filleth her heart with joy her heart no questiō began to find joy whē she was speaking to y e pharisie Nowe Hee filleth vp her joye for the fulnesse of joye is not gotten in an instant all joye is in the face of Iesus Christ Thinke yee not but this woman when she heard this word conceiued an vnspeakeable joye in her heart And I say vnto euerie one of you who as penitent sinners will bewaile your sinnes and mourne for offending of GOD and will purpose to wash the feete of IESVS with teares and wipe His feete with your haire as the Lord hath giuen mee commission to speake Repentest thou sinner of thy sinnes Thinkest thou to amende thy life Detestest thou thy sinnes Beleeuest thou assuredly Louest thou the Lord I say to thee Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee in the blood of that same Iesus whom thou louest so well Nowe a worde and so I shall ende When Hee hath spoken thus comfortably to the woman the Pharisic beginneth againe to interrupt and to impede Him if it had beene possible to hinder the woman of her saluation The rest about the table scorneth Him What is hee this quod they that taketh vpon him to forgiue sins He taketh