The Christians Sacrifice Better than all the Legal Sacrifices of Jews, Treatise · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Of the third Argument prefixed to the exhortation following, taken from the mercies of God.
HEre we are firſt of all to obſerue the plurall number.oictirmos oictos. He ſaith not merciemercy, but m…rcies: though the ol… Latin vul…ar tranſlation and all ancient interpreters reade it ſingularly merciemercy. And the word is deriued of another ſignifying merciemercy. But this word deriued from thence here vſed, ſignifieth the execution of merciemercy, and dec…a…ation of merciemercy by ſome worke. Both words, the primitiue and deriuatiue hauehave relation to miſerie. Now the plurall number ſignifieth the manifold works of Gods merciemercy, according to the manifold miſeries of men. Gods merciemercy is but one; yea all that is in God is but one, as God himſelfe is but one. For God is ſo ſimple an eſſence, that he admittethEpheſ. 4. 6. no varietie in him. Diuers attributes are aſcribed to God; but that is onelyonly for our capacitie, and according to his applying of himſelfe to our manifold neceſſities: otherwiſe whatſoeuer is in God, is all but one. Now the plurall number is here and elſewhere vſed, in reſpect of our manifold ſinnes, and like manifold miſeries by our ſinnes. For as many diſeaſes require many medicines, andPſal 77. 10. 106. 7. 2. Cor. 1. 3. many ſores craue many plaiſters; ſo our manifold ſinnes and miſeries require many medicines, or many workes of Gods merciemercy.
This argument is like to that, I Paul my ſelfe beſeech you 2. Cor. 10. 1.by the meekneſſe and gentleneſſe of Chriſt, &c. There is ſome ſimilitude (I ſay) betwixt theſe two places. OnelyOnly herein is the difference, that in the one place he ſaith the mercies plurally, and in the other the meekneſſe and gentleneſſe ſingularly: ſecondly, yt in ye one place there is the name of God, in the other of Chriſt. By mercies he meaneth alſo in this place, Gods works of merciemercy onelyonly concerning our ſoules and the life to come. For this word therefore, referreth vsus onelyonly to thoſe things that the Apoſtle had before written, euen to all thoſe paſſages of Gods dealing before mentioned, and before in part recapitulated by me, as to iuſtification by faith without the workes of the Law, &c. In all the former part of the Epiſtle the Apoſtle had not mentioned any merciemercy of God concerning this life: all before ſaid, concerneth euerlaſting ſaluation.
Now by ſpeaking plurally of mercies, he noreth that allAll the mercies of God do concurre in the ſaluation of any. Epheſ. 4. 7. the former mercies of God do concurre and muſt concurre to the ſaluation of eueryevery one appointed to ſaluation. Whoſoeuer hath one, hath all. One is not enough without all. Yet this is to be vnderſtood firſt, of all common mercies; I meane common to all the elect: ſecondly, of all ſuch in ſeuerall meaſures. There are many mercies of the life to come, ſpecially belonging to ſome ſpeciall perſons, as appeareth by thoſe particulars here mentioned in verſes 6. 7. 8. All ſuch graces are not neceſſarie for all, neither do concurre in all. The ſpeciall workes1. Cor. 12. 4. alſo of Gods merciemercy to ſpeciall callings, are not all alike, and wrought in equall meaſure. But to eueryevery one is giuen grace according to the meaſure of the gift of Chriſt. And there verſ. 6.are diuerſities of gifts but the ſame Spirit. And in this Chapter, Hauing gifts differing &c. And what need ſo graue an admonition in verſe 3. by the grace giuen to Paul that eueryevery man among theſe Chriſtian Romanes ſhould not thinke of himſelfe more highly then he ought to thinks, if all mercies or graces were alike in all?Gods mercies to come, greater then any paſt or preſent.
Not to ſtand any longer hereupon, but to proceed; by the mercies of God in this place, he meaneth not onelyonly mercies paſt, and mercies preſent, but alſo mercies to come; which are greater then any we hauehave had or hauehave. Firſt, becauſe they ſhall be in heauen; whereas theſe are all here below. Secondly, becauſe they ſhall be without feare of any loſſe, of any depriuation, of any of diminution. Thirdly, they ſhall not be by degrees as here, but all at once, and euerlaſting. But are our mercies here vncertain? Not ſo: yet in reſpect of our weakneſſe, and of the multitude2. Cor. 7. 1. and power of our aduerſaries, both without vsus, andPhilip. 2. 12. 1. Pet. 1. 17. alſo within vsus, we are neuer without feare, neither muſt be; not of loſing, but of ceaſing them, and of weakning and obſcuring our aſſurance of them. Fourthly, Gods mercies to come, are greater then any paſt or preſent, becauſe they ſhall be without any miſery at all. And as in theſe reſpects they are greater, ſo they are alſo as certaine as thoſe that here already we hauehave.
And the mercies of God which here we hauehave, are aſſurancesGods future mercies as ſure as any paſt or preſent. Numb. 23. 19. Iam. 1. 17. Heb. 6. 17. 1. Pet. 1. 19. of thoſe we ſhal hauehave. And for our better aſſurance of them, we are firſt of all to conſider the immutable promiſe of God, bound with a ſolemne oath, euen by his owne name.
Secondly, they are as ſure as thoſe that we hauehave, in reſpect of the great price of our redemption, euen the precious blood of Chriſt Ieſus. For, hath Chriſt redeemed vsus with ſo great a price, and will he loſe vsus?
Thirdly, in reſpect of Chriſts interceſſion in our behalfe for thoſe mercies: firſt, whileſt he was here in earth: ſecondly,Ioh. 17. 24. Rom. 8. 32. Ioh. 11. 42. now in heauen. This reaſon is the ſtronger, becauſe Chriſt is heard alwayes; and God cannot but heare him, becauſe he is his Sonne in whom he is well pleaſed: Mat. 3. 17. 1. Pet. 3. 18. 1. Ioh. 2. 1.and he was alwayes iuſt, neuer ſinning, either in any other thing or in praying.
Fourthly, as before he did and now doth make interceſſion for vsus, ſo it was the end of his aſcending into heauen to prepare a place for vsus. Hath he prepared a place forIoh. 14. 2. vsus, and ſhall we be fruſtrated of it?
Fiftly, Chriſt hath not onelyonly promiſed theſe future mercies, but alſo vponupon his promiſe, and to bind himſelfe the more to the performance thereof, he hath giuen vsus the earneſt of his Spirit. Will he loſe his earneſt? Can any force2. Cor. 1. 22. Epheſ. 1. 13, 1…. withhold that from him, for which he hath giuen earneſt? or can we withhold our ſelues? Hereunto belongs our ſealing by the Spirit of redemption. Are not mens writings… pheſ. 4 30. ſure that are ſealed? and ſhall not the writings of God and of Chriſt Ieſus, ſealed in our hearts with a ſeale of ſuch a price, be much ſurer? God Spirit is the ſeale of our redemption, to aſſure vsus both that we are already redeemed Tit. 2. 14.from all iniquitie, and alſo that we ſhall be redeemed from all miſeries of this life, and from death it ſelfe, as they are puniſhments of ſinne; ſo that we may ſay euen whiles we liue here, Death is ſwallowed vp into victory: O Hoſ. 13. 14. 1. Cor. 15. 54. 55death, where is thy ſting? O graue, where is thy victory?
Sixtly, the mercies of God to come are as ſure as thoſe that we hauehave, becauſe (in the former reſpects) God is not Heb. 6. 10. See more in Chap. 1. in the end. Ioh. 13. 1. Rom. 11. 29. Gen. 27. 33.vnrighteous, that he ſhould forget our works and labour of louelove, &c.
Seuenthly, whom God loueth he loueth to the end; and the gifts and callings of God are without repentance. Did Iſaac ſay of Iacob, I hauehave bleſſed him, and he ſhall be bleſſed; and wicked Pilat to the wicked Iewes of the title of Chriſt that he had written vponupon the croſſe, What I hauehave written, Ioh. 19. 19. 22. Luk, 10. 20. Philip. 4. 3. Reuel. 3. 5.I hauehave written? and ſhall not God ſay the ſame much more of them whom he hath bleſſed, and whoſe names he hath written in heauen and in the booke of life.
Eightly, There ſhall ariſe falſe Chriſts and falſe Prophets, Math. 24. 24.and ſhall ſhew great ſignes and wonders, inſomuch that (if it were poſſible) the very elect ſhall be deceiued. It is not therefore poſſible that they ſhould be deceiued, and conſequently that they ſhould periſh. Ergo they ſhall be moſt certainly ſaued.
Ninthly, all partake of the mercies of God before ſpokenEpheſ. 5. 30. 1. Cor. 12. 14. of in this Epiſtle, are one with Chriſt Ieſus; by which vnion they as certainly know they ſhall be in heauen with him, as they know himſelfe to be there; and whiles he was here, to hauehave prayed for vsus, that we might be there where he ſhould be; yea by which vnion we do already ſit with Epheſ. 2. 6.him in the heauenly places.
Tenthly, the Apoſtle hath aſſured vsus that he will make our vile bodies like vntounto his glorious bodie: and that when he Philip. 3. 21. Col. 3. 4.ſhall appeare, we ſhall appeare with him in glorie: and Iohn ſaith, we ſhallbe like him, and ſee him as he is.1. Ioh. 3. 2.
Eleuenthly, the wicked ſouldiers that brake the bones of the theeues crucified with Chriſt, could not breake his bones, becauſe it was written of the Paſſe-ouer a type of Chriſt, A bone of him ſhall not be broken. Was it not poſſible for a bone of his naturall bodie to be broken, becauſe itIoh. 19. 33. 36. was ſo written; and ſhall it be poſſible for any whole member of his myſticall bodie to be vtterly loſt?
Twelfthly and laſtly, (not to be tedious herein) None of the ſheepe of Chriſt that hauehave heard his voice and followed Ioh. 10. 28. 29.him, can be taken out of Chriſts hand: becauſe the Father that hath giuen them vntounto him, is ſtronger then all. And all the children of God, begotten againe through the rich merciemercy of God, are kept and guarded (as I ſaid before) by the power of God &c. Is it not blaſpemous either to ſay that God is1. Pet. 1. 5. In Chap. 1. at the end. vnrighteous, or to denie his omnipotencie, that he is not able to keepe his owne? May we not vponupon theſe grounds crie out, O the vnſearchable riches of Gods goodneſſe, as well as of his wiſedome? May we not breake out into admiration of the happie and bleſſed ſtate and condition of all them that are partaker of ſuch mercies of God? Oh then how forcible an argument is this of the Apoſtle, to prouoke, vrge and preſſe all by theſe mercies to preſent their bodies a ſacrifice vntounto God? Yea certainly this argument is greater then whatſoeuer can be vrged to this purpoſe from all the iudgements of God. We are many times prouokedIoſ. 23. 8. &c. and 24. 14. 1. Sam. 12. 24. to cleaue vntounto God, to feare God, &c. by conſideration of the great works of his merciemercy for this life, both performed and alſo promiſed: how much more then ought theſe his great mercies of the life to come quicken vsus thus to preſent our bodies a ſacrifice, liuing, holy, acceptable. Therefore this Apoſtle from the doctrine of the reſurrection of the dead in that glorious maner that he had deſcribed the ſame, inferreth this exhortation to ſtedfaſtnes in iudgement, and to abounding in all good workes with conſtancie; Therefore my beloued brethren be ſtedfaſt, 1. Cor. 15. 58. foreign.that is, reſt your ſelues in the former doctrine▪ as in a ſeate or chaire of ſtate, after ye hauehave bin wearied with the errors of falſe Apoſtles to the contrary: be vnmoueable, let no man vnſeate you; abounding always in the worke of the Lord; foraſmuch as ye know (euen certainly) that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Doth not the Apoſtle Peter alſo from the ſame certaintie of Gods future mercies exhort the Chriſtian Iews with all diligence to adde to their faith 2 Pet. 1. 5. 6. Vt virtus à nomine vir proforti & ſtrenuo, ita foreign ab foreign deriuatur, foreign autem eſt Mars quam Poetae imperunt Deum b…lli.vertue (or rather fortitude or courage, according to the deriuation of the Greeke word) and to their ſaid courage knowledge (for the better direction thereof) and to knowledge temperance (becauſe men of courage are commonly intemperate) and to temperance patience, and to patience godlineſſe, and to godlineſſe brotherly kindneſſe, and to brotherly kindneſſe louelove, euen towards all men. Doth not Iohn likewiſe exhort to louelove one another vnfainedly and in deed, as well as in word, from our knowledge that we1. Ioh. 3. 14. 18. 19. are tranſlated from death vntounto life, and of our being in truth for the preſent, and from aſſurance of our hearts before him for the time to come? Away therefore with all doctrine of Poperie, that teacheth the certaintie of Gods merciemercy to come, to be the doctrine of ſecuritie and libertie. Away with all Arminianiſme, that teacheth that no man can be ſure of his ſaluation; and that men partaker of the former mercies, may for all that loſe all,Heb. 6. 9. and vtterly and finally fall away from grace. All obiections to the contrary, are ſtrawy, watery and weake. The maineſt obiection of all other from Heb. 6. 4. &c. is dog-lame; yea, the legs thereof are ſo cut off in the very9. 10. ſame place, verſ. 9. 10. that it muſt hauehave legs made of wood to ſupport it, that will be burnt with the fire. For the Apoſtle adding, that he was perſwaded better things of them, and ſuch as did accompanie ſaluation, prouing the ſame from the very righteouſneſſe of God, in thoſe reſpects that before I hauehave ſpoken, doth by his ſaid words plainly teach vsus, that he had not before ſpoken of ſuch things as neceſſarily accompanie ſaluation. Can there be any thing better then faith, and theſe mercies of God apprehended by faith? Therefore it is certaine that the Apoſtle had not before ſpoken of ſuch things, as in verſe the 9. he calleth better things, and ſuch as accompanie ſaluation. They that fall away from the communion of Saints, and that loſe their taſte of thoſe mercies they ſeemed to hauehave, neuer were of the Saints, neither euer indeed had receiued thoſe1. Ioh. 2. 19. mercies. I hauehave ſeene a little dog-bolt booke, lately publiſhed by ſome that ſtyle themſelues, falſly called Anabaptiſts: but it is lamentable to ſee how the poore men moile themſelues in their errors, and how they are puzzled with the former place of Iohn, labouring to anſwer it, but moſt fouly abuſing it, ſaying themſelues cannot tell what. They multiply words indeed, but in them not a word to purpoſe, neither worth any anſwer.
But to returne and proceed; doth not this our Apoſtle from the very promiſes of God made to the Iewes in old time, mentioned in the end of the 2. Cor. 6. prouoke vsus Gentiles engrafted into Chriſt, to purge our ſelues from all 2. Cor. 7. 1.filthineſſe of the fleſh and of the ſpirit, &c. As for the words following, in the feare of God, and the like elſewhere, they are onelyonly to be oppoſed to preſumption, and are to be vnderſtood as motiues to the more watchfulneſſe, in reſpectPhilip. 2. 12. of the weakneſſe of our ſelues whiles we liue in the fleſh, and of other that in particulars hauehave deeply fallen, and alſo (as I ſaid before) of the manifold and mightie aduerſaries of our ſaluation: yea not onelyonly in reſpect of the number and power of our ſaid aduerſaries, but alſo in repect of their great craft and ſubtiltie.
With theſe mercies of God concerning the life to come, we may alſo ioyne the afflictions wherewith the Lord doth chaſtiſe our outward man, becauſe by them he ſchooleth vsus, to make vsus the fitter for the life to come, and humbleth vsus to make vsus more capable of his graces accompanying ſaluation. In which reſpect the Prophet ſaith, It Pſal. 119. 71.is good for me that I hauehave bin afflicted, that I might learne thy ſtatutes. And the Lord threatning, that if his people would not hearken vntounto him to do all his commandements, he wouldLeuit. 26. 14. &c▪ thus and thus afflict them: and if by ſuch afflictions they would not learne to refraine their wayes, then he would ſend ſeuen times more plagues vponupon them, according to their verſe 21.ſinnes, &c. The Lord (I ſay) threatning theſe things, doth not onelyonly teach vsus that afflictions are for ſinne, but that alſo they are medicines to cure vsus of ſin, and ſo to reforme vsus, that we may preſent our ſelues ſuch a ſacrifice as here we are exhorted vntounto. The ſame is manifeſt by other places,Iob 5. 17. Pſal. 94. 12. Pro. 3. 12. Heb. 12. 5. Reuel. 3. 19. that in the former conſiderations pronounce him bleſſed whom the Lord chaſtiſeth; as alſo that teach, the Lord to louelove them whom he correcteth. By all theſe things we ſee, that we may well reckon the Lords chaſtiſements among his mercies. And therefore the more the Lord hath exerciſed any in ſuch maner, the more eueryevery ſuch man ſhould labour to preſent himſelfe ſuch a ſacrifice to God, leſt he ſend ſeuen times more ſuch plagues vponupon him,Leuit. 26. 18 &c▪ ſuch chaſtiſements not being the leaſt of Gods mercies. For, whom he loueth, he will not leaue: but though he make no vſe of one affliction to the bettering of himſelfe yet he ſhall hauehave another, till he be reformed of ſuch euils as for the which the Lord hath ſo before once, or twice, or thrice afflicted him. Let eueryevery man therefore be admoniſhed by Gods chaſtiſements, not onelyonly according to theſe Scriptures before alledged, but alſo according to the counſell of our Sauiour to him that had; bin ſo impotent for 38 yeares, that he was not able to helpe himſelfe, andIoh. 5. 14. whom he had reſtored with a word of his mouth, Behold, thou art made whole; ſinne no more, leſt a worſe thing come vntounto thee. But of this ſomewhat more afterward.
All the former mercies, and eueryevery one of them concerning the life to come, are ſo great, that he is more then ſtonie, yea of a ſteely heart, that will not be prouoked by them to giuegive himſelfe ſuch a ſacrifice, as here is commended.
Notwithſtanding, although the Apoſtle in the former part of the Epiſtle, hath treated onelyonly of Gods mercies for the life to come, and from them eſpecially doth in this place exhort the beleeuing Romanes and all other to giuegive their bodies a ſacrifice vntounto God; yet Gods mercies alſo of this life, being appendices of them, and appurtenances vntounto them, ought to moue vsus ſo to do: the rather, becauſe that God by the giuing of Chriſt for vsus (as the fountaineRom. 8. 32. of all mercies) hath aſſured vsus freely with him to giuegive vsus all things. If all things, then alſo the mercies of this life. Hath not Chriſt alſo promiſed alſo all mercies euen for this life to be caſt vponupon them that firſt ſeeke the kingdome of God and his righteouſneſſe? And indeed the bleſſings ofMath. 6. 33. this life, great and ſmall, are not onelyonly free gifts in reſpect of our vnworthineſſe of them, but they are alſo mercies, both in reſpect of that miſerable ſtate wherein all men are firſt borne (euen the children of Princes as well as of the pooreſt,) yea more weake and miſerable then any other creatures at their firſt comming into the world, and alſo becauſe the firſt parents of all mankind by their firſt ſinne brought themſelues and all their poſteritie into all miſeries of this life, depriuing themſelues and all theirs of all thoſe bleſſings euen of this life, that before the Lord had moſt richly endowed them withall. In this regard therefore, we here in England hauehave greater cauſe thus to preſent our ſelues a ſacrifice vntounto God, becauſe as the, Prophet after enumeration of many bleſſings and mercies beſtowed vponupon the Iſraelites, whereby he had prouoked them to praiſe the Lord, he concludeth with theſe words, He hath not dealt ſo with any nation, ſo we may truly ſay,Pſal. 147. 20. that the Lord hath not dealt ſo with any nation in his bountifull bleſſings and mercies, euen of this life as well as of the life to come, as he hath dealt with vsus here in England: eſpecially at this time may we ſay ſo, becauſe we daily heare and almoſt ſee all our neighbors round about vsus as ſheepe appointed to the ſlaughter, to be killed all the day Pſal. 44. 22. Rom. 8. 36.long without all merciemercy; according to the religion now of that man of Rome, and contrary to the religion that is of God, or elſe to be forced to flie for their liues:Iam. 1. 27. and 3. 17. whereas we with our children in the meane time dwell ſafely here eueryevery man vnderunder his fig-tree, from Dan euen to 1. King. 4. 25.Beerſheba, that is, from one end of the land vntounto the other, all the dayes of our preſent Soueraigne, and of our former moſt renowmed Queene. Oh that we had hearts to conſider of theſe mercies, as we ought to do, ſo by them to prouoke our ſelues to offer our ſelues ſuch a ſacrifice to God, as alſo we ought: and ſo much the more, by how much the more vnworthy we are of the leaſt of them. But do we ſo? Oh that we did. Nay rather we are all the more ſe…ure, and do the more adde ſinne vntounto ſinne, ſoothing our ſelues in our ſaid mercies, ſaying with old and new Babylon, I ſhall be a Ladie for euer; and giuing our ſeluesIſai. 47. 7. 8. to pleaſure, and dwelling careleſly, and with them ſaying alſo in our hearts, We are alone (viz. honorable and happy) and none elſe beſides vsus; we ſhall not ſit as a widow, neither ſhall we ſee the loſſe of children. We are alſo like to them that were at eaſe in Sion, …and truſted in the mountaine of Samaria, Amos 6. 1. &c. Ezek. 12. 27.putting farre away the euill day, &c. But oh that at length we would be wi…e, and ſee the euill to come, and hide Pro. 22. 3… 27. 12.our ſelues from it. Oh that we would take heed, leſt we feele that which the Prophet Iſaiah in the place before mentioned, threatned euen in a moment to come to that old Babylon, in one day the loſſe of children and widowhood, that is, thoſe euils that ſhe neuer dreamed of, yea that ſhe in her pride and ſecuritie boaſted ſhe ſhould neuer ſee: were not this iuſt with the Lord ſo to deale with vsus, that like to the ſonnes in law of Lot, hauehave thought them that hauehave preachedGen. 19. 14. iudgement to come, thereby to moue vsus to repentance, to hauehave but mocked? Verily it were moſt iuſt. But let vsus at the laſt make this right vſe of the mercies of God for this life, that Samuel commended to the Iſraelites, ſaying,1. Sam. 12. 24. Feare ye the Lord and ſerue him &c. and conſider how great things the Lord hath done for you. If we ſtill go on in our ſinnes and ſecuritie, and do wickedly (not preſenting our ſelues ſuch a ſacrifice vntounto God, as here the Apoſtle exhorteth vsus vntounto) let vsus beware of that which he threatnethverſ. 25. in the next verſe.
As this argument from theſe outward mercies towards vsus here in this Land, is generally to be applied vntounto all (becauſe all hauehave a ſhare in them,) ſo let eueryevery man particularly conſider, that the greater meaſure of theſe outward mercies the Lord hath beſtowed vponupon him, the more he endeuours to preſent himſelfe ſuch a ſacrifice to God as here we are called vponupon to preſent. For if to whom Luk. 12. 48.men hauehave committed much, of him they will aske the more; wil not the Lord do the like? But doth eueryevery man make this particular vſe of Gods mercies for this life, particularly receiued from the Lord? Alas no, but cleane contrary; he withdraweth himſelfe the more from God; and the greater that any man (for the moſt part) is in outward bleſſings, the more he hardneth his heart and face againſt God, and the more he thinketh he may ſin both againſt God and alſo againſt men. Therefore if there be any goodnes in any great men, though it be neuer ſo poore and little, we vſe to ſay, Little is much in ſuch a man. Whereas indeed we ſhould rather ſay, It is nothing in ſuch a man, as for whom the Lord hath done ſo much. For doubtleſſe for the leaſt of Gods bleſſings for this life, a man is more in his debt; and the more he dayly receiueth of that kind, into the greater arrerages he runneth with him, euen ſuch as he ſhall neuer be able to diſcharge; ſo that he may well ſay, What ſhall I render vntounto the Lord for all his benefits towards Pſal. 116. 12.me. And if we make this vſe of ſuch bleſſings for this life, then ſhall they alſo be mercies of the life to come: but if we do not, then ſhall they be iudgements of this life and of the life to come. And when we hauehave deliberated neuer ſo long, what to render vntounto the Lord for theſe or for other ſorts of his mercies, we muſt not dreame of making God any recompence, (for how can a man be profitable Iob 22. 2.vntounto God?) but we muſt altogether thinke of receiuing more, and eueryevery one ſay with the Prophet in the former place, I will take the cup of ſaluation, and call vponupon Pſal. 116. 13.the Name of the Lord. VVe muſt ſtill prepare our ſelues to beg more (at leaſt heauenly and ſpirituall bleſſings) and to magnifie his Name for thoſe that already we hauehave receiued, and not to boaſt or prate of any merits by any thing we hauehave done, but acknowledge that whatſoeuer we hauehave done, yet we are but vnprofitable ſeruants.Luk. 17. 10.
By the premiſes hitherto ſpoken, we ſee that they do abuſe the mercies of God, that are made the more ſecure by them, and that take libertie to commit ſinne vponupon ſin, either from the mercies already receiued, or from the certaintie of Gods mercies to come. For his ſaid future mercies are not promiſed to any but to ſuch as feare him and Pſal. 103. 11. 13. 17. 18.keep his couenant, and remember his commandements to do them. Yea certainly, they that rightly conſider of Gods mercies but towards other, be they neuer ſo meane, will thereby prouoke themſelues, though liuing and wallowing in their ſinnes, to confeſſe and forſake them, and to returne Pro. 28. 13. Ier. 4. 6.vntounto the Lord, in hope they ſhall find merciemercy. Did not the prodigall ſonne ſo do, by remembring the plentie ofLuk. 15. 17. 18. the pooreſt ſeruant in his fathers houſe? Oh that all prodigall and laſciuious ſonnes would do the like! ſuch as are ſwaggerers, drunkards or great drinkers, though not vntounto drunkenneſſe, riotous, waſte-goods, ſtubburne, rebellious,Iſai. 5. 11. Luk. 18. 2. neither fearing God nor reuerencing men, no not their fathers that begat them, nor their mothers that bare them with great paines, and gaue them ſuck with many a pinch, and in their age hauehave more ſorow of heart by them then euer they had ioy before. Oh that all other vngodly perſons would do the like. If they be very graceleſſe children (as there are too many) that will not ſubmit themſelues to their parents, and performe dutie vntounto them from conſideration of ſuch before mentioned fatherly and motherly kindneſſes; how graceleſſe are they to God, how wicked, how rebellious, that from theſe his mercies will not be prouoked to yeeld their bodies a ſacrifice vntounto him? They therefore are enemies to all pietie, and to theſe mercies of God, and to all grace of God, that from the ſame do argue for all libertie and impietie, ſaying (being admoniſhed of their ſinne, and exhorted to reformation) What? God is mercifull, he is not ſo hard as you make him.
Moreouer, if Gods mercies be ſo great and certain vntounto men moſt vnworthy of them, how ſhould this prouoke one man to ſhew merciemercy to another, in imitation of this merciemercy of God, according to that of our Sauiour, Be ye Luk. 6. 36. Math. 5. 7. Iam. 2. 13.mercifull as your Father alſo is mercifull. And hath he not ſaid, Bleſſed are the mercifull, for they ſhall receiue merciemercy? Hath not the Apoſtle alſo ſaid, There ſhall be iudgement mercileſſe to him that ſheweth no merciemercy? but merciemercy reioyceth againſt iudgement. God hath no need of vsus, but we hauehave need one of another. We cannot be profitable to God, butIob 22. 2. we may be beneficial one to another; yea the pooreſt that is, to the greateſt, as diuers other wayes, ſo eſpecially by praying for him, as the Prophet of Iuda was vntounto Ieroboam, 1. King. 13. 6.by his prayer curing his withered hand. Yea, we may deſerue kindneſſe one of another; but (as in part hath bin ſhewed before) we cannot recompence God for that we hauehave had of him, much leſſe can we merit any new bleſſings.
Beſides all the premiſes, if Gods mercies be ſo great as we hauehave heard, how highly are we to eſteeme of the word of God, the cabinet or casket wherein all the ſaid mercies of God are contained, and whereby likewiſe the Lord conueyeth them all vntounto vsus, and the which it ſelfe is one of the principalleſt mercies? Yea further, how highly are all Gods Miniſters to be regarded, that faithfully bring thoſe mercies vntounto vsus? euen ſo highly, that we ſhould receiue them as the Galatians ſometime did Paul, Gal. 4. 14. 2. Cor. 5. 20.euen as an Angell of God, yea as Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe, for whom they are Ambaſſadours: and finally, that if it were poſſible (as Paul ſpeaketh in the former place to the Galatians) we ſhould plucke out our owne eyes, and giuegive them vntounto them, if thereby we might do them good. If as Chriſt laid downe his life for vsus, we ought to lay downe ours for the 1. Ioh. 3. 16.brethren, ſhould we not much more do the ſame for faithfull Miniſters that teach vsus, and are Gods hands to deliuerIſai. 52. 7. Rom. 10. 15. theſe mercies vntounto vsus? How beautifull are the feet of them that bring glad tidings? Shall their faces then be odious vntounto vsus? ſo indeed they are to many; eſpecially if the Miniſters preaching neuer ſo freely and without any charge vntounto them, do reproue them or theirs; yea if from the guiltineſſe of their conſciences they do but thinke themſelues or theirs reproued, then they take them to be their enemies, as Ahab did Eliah. Sometime alſo they ſhake their1. King. 21. 20. Pſal. 22. 7. Math. 27. 39. heads at ſuch Miniſters, as Dauids enemies did at him, as a type of Chriſt; and as they that paſſed by did at Chriſt himſelfe vponupon the croſſe, and as the bull doth at the dogs. But of the regard of the Miniſters of the word, more afterwards.
Here alſo from theſe words, the mercies of God, let vsus learne humilitie, and acknowledge all that we hauehave to come from Gods merciemercy in reſpect of our miſerie; euen a pluralitie of mercies in reſpect of the pluralitie of our miſeries. How then can any boaſt of any merits in reſpect of any works? How can any man glorie in himſelfe? Yea, let all men giuegive all glorie to God for deliuering them from their manifold miſeries, by vouchſafing them ſo manifold mercies. But it ſhall be ſufficient thus briefly to hauehave pointed as it were with the finger at this point of humilitie by Gods mercies. To conclude this argument from Gods mercies, the more merciemercy that any man hath receiued, the more let him preſent his bodie a ſacrifice to God. But wil ſome man ſay, do you not forget your ſelfe by ſpeaking of more merciemercy? For did you not before ſay, that all Gods mercies of the life to come go together? and he that hath one, hath all? if therfore eueryevery one hauehave all that hath any, how can he hauehave more? can there be more then all? I ſaid ſo indeed, and ſo ſay againe: and do not you forget your ſelfe that thinke to take me napping, your ſelfe being napping? For to omit that before in ſaying as now you charge me, that all Gods mercies go together, I ſpake onelyonly of his mercies for the life to come; I hauehave now ſpoken of the mercies of this life, which are giuen more in number to one then to another, to omit this (I ſay) I pray you remember that before I ſpake of mercies in the plurall number, now I ſpeake of merciemercy in the ſingular number. Although therefore all Gods common mercies for the life to come and accompanying ſaluation do go together, ſo that where there is one, there are all; yet I ſaid alſo before, that the mercies of God are giuen in ſeuerall meaſures touching the particulars▪ knowledge, faith, hope, louelove, patience, humilitie, temperance, &c. go all together, (yea ſo, that he in whom any ſinne reigneth, hath none of all theſe) notwithſtanding though he that hath one of theſe hath all, yet eueryevery man hath not theſe in the ſame meaſure; ſome hauehave knowledge in a greater meaſure then other; ſo alſo faith: the ſame is to be ſaid of the reſt. This therefore is my meaning, that eueryevery man the more knowledge, the more faith he hath, the more hope, the more louelove, and the more and greater meaſure he hath of any other merciemercy, the more he giuegive himſelfe a ſacrifice to God, for the more glorifying of God. Let no man boaſt of greater mercies of God in him then are in other, but let him conſecrate himſelfe the more vntounto God, and glorifie God the more. Thus much of the three arguments prefixed to the exhortation.