Sermons, Sermon 11
THE ELEVENTH SERMON
TITVS, CHAP. III.
verse 3 For we our ſelues were in times past vnwiſe, diſobedient, deceiued, ſeruing the lustes and diuerſe pleaſu…es, liuing in maliciouſneſſe and enuie, hatefull, and hating one another.
verse 4 But when the bountifulneſſe and louelove of GOD our Sauiour toward man appeared,
verse 5 Not by the workes of righteouſneſſe, which wee had done, but according to His merciemercy Hee ſaued vsus, by the waſhing of the newe birth, and the renewing of the Holie Ghost,
verse 6 Which Hee ſhedde on vsus aboundantlie, through IESUS CHRIST our Sauiour:
verse 7 That wee, beeing justified by His grace, ſhould bee made heyres, according to the hope of eternall life.
IF we ſhall conſider this Text (welbeloued in IESVS CHRIST) we ſhall find in it three things. The firſt, the miſerable eſtate and condition of man, wherein hee ſtood before hee was called to grace by IESVS CHRIST. The next is his mercifull deliuerie, frō that miſerable eſtate and condition. The laſt is the ende of his mercifull deliuerie: to wit, That he ſhould ſerue God all the dayes of his life, in all maner of thankfulneſſe for ſo mercifull a deliuerie. And ſeeing our communicating with the bodie and blood of the LORD approaches, our preparation cānot ſtand in three better thinges than theſe: Firſt, in a knowledge of our miſerie before that we knew God in CHRIST: Next in a knowledge of our mercifull deliuerie from that miſerable eſtate: And thirdlie, in a duetie toward God for our deliuerie. We ſhall ſpeake at this time of the firſt two.
Now, to returne, and to goe thorow the words as the Lord will giuegive vsus grace: The occaſion of the ſetting downe of this firſt part, to wit, of our miſerie before we knew Chriſt, is this: Immediatelie before he hath exhorted TITVS to vſe all kinds of lenitie towardes them that were not conuerted, not to deale with them in rigour, but to deale with them in meekneſſe. Hee giueth the reaſon: Looke what they are now, euen ſuch were we before wee were called, liuing in concupiſcence, our mindes were rebellious againſt God: therefore let vsus deale with them as wee woulde hauehave beene dealt with our ſelues at that time. I marke here firſt, That our miſerable eſtate that we ſtood in, before we were called to this grace through Ieſus Chriſt ſhoulde neuer be forgotten. The miſerie of nature wherein wee are conceiued and borne, and wherein wee liue for a time, till wee knowe Chriſt, ſhould neuer goe out of our remembrance: When thou haſt plaide the foole a while in ſinne, when thou haſt followed harlotry, committed murther, oppreſſed thy neighbour, & when God hath called thee out of that miſerable condition, & made thee to know Him in Chriſt, forget neuer thy former miſery, forget neuer that thou haſt followed filthineſſe, murthered, oppreſſed, &c. Saieth the Apoſtle to the Epheſians, who were Gentiles after their conuerſion in Chriſt, Forget your olde done deedes? ſaith he ſo? No: but he ſaith, Remember that ye were Gentiles.
Brethren, it is true, the eſtate of grace in Chriſt hath a ſweetneſſe with it, if a man or woman hauehave a ſenſe of it, but looke that the ſweetneſſe of it▪ m iſ-…eliſh not ſo the taſte, that in the meane time thou loſe all ſenſe of thy former miſery. Keepe therefore both the miſery and the deliuery in thy mind, that thereby the true ſenſe of GODS merciemercy may be ſtirred vp in thine heart: for none hauehave the true ſenſe of the merciemercy of God in Chriſt, except hee onelie that ſigheth for the miſerie which we did lie in before. This is the firſt. Another thing I marke here. This ſame remembrance of our miſery, it ſhould make eueryevery one of vsus that ſtand in grace, to hauehave a compaſſion vponupon ſinners: where euer thou ſeeſt them, labour to winne them, but with pitie, and let bee thy bitterneſſe: A man that hath no pitie, but is full of bitterneſſe againſt a ſinner, that man hath forgotten that hee was a ſinner before. There is no man ſo cleane, but there is a remaining corruption in him, albeit hee ſee it not. They that hauehave the true zeale of God, they will indeede bee ſeuere againſt ſinners: Why not? but they beginne alwayes at their ſelues, and then reprooue others. Hypocrites beginne not at themſelues, but they hide and cloake their owne ſinnes, and are alwayes ſeuere againſt others. But the man that beginneth at himſelfe, his ſeueritie is aye mixed with pitie.
But to come to the words, Wee were ſuch as they are now: we were mad, and out of our right wit, we were beſide our ſelues. There is the firſt part of our miſerie in nature, for wee were all miſerable by nature: there is not one ſoule, but it is borne miſerable by nature. Yee ſee then, Brethren, our miſerie beginneth not at our body: (there are manie who if they hauehave their body well diſpoſed, are at eaſe then, but if it be not well diſpoſed, they are heauily diſpleaſed, then they grone and ſigh) no, our miſery beginneth not at our body, it beginneth within vsus, at our ſoules, and not at ye inferior parts of the ſoule, but at the minde, which is the moſt excellent part & light of our ſoules, and that ſhould guide all the reſt of the powers of ye ſoule. Nowe the ſickneſſe of it is madneſſe, it is blinde, ignorant, without judgement, and wee are madde fooles by nature. There is no man born in ye earth, but he is borne a foole: thou art borne a mad bodie, and beſides thy ſelfe. Thou wilt thinke thy ſelf very wiſe, & thy wit will compaſſe Heauē & earth, yea, & others that look to thee wil think thee wiſe, but if thou hauehave no more than nature, thou art a foole. As he is a fool in very deed, who thinketh he ſpeaketh alwayes an oracle, euen ſo art thou, that art not in Chriſt, and counteſt thy ſelfe wiſe: the wiſer thou thinkeſt thy ſelfe, thou art the more and the more a foole. All this is to let men ſee, that none is wiſe without God: For when the light of GOD is not in thee, all that thou doeſt is fooliſhneſſe and hee that is wiſe without GOD, ſhall curſe his wiſedome one day, and ſaye, that all was but madneſſe: yea, and all the Monarches in the worlde ſhall curſe that wiſedome, which they had without God. This natural ſickneſſe goeth further downe, it deſcendeth to the heart, it tarieth not in the minde: But next wee become maine rebelles againſt God, hee that is madde, he is ſet to rebell, and he is froward, euer inclining to diſobedience againſt GOD.
Brethren, yee knowe there are two ſortes of fooles amongſt men: Some fooles are ſillie ſimple fooles: other fooles are malicious fooles: by nature we are all borne fooles, but malicious fooles, euermore rebelling and diſpleaſing GOD. If wee compare th…ſe two ſortes of fooles together, the ſecond is worſt. LORD ſaue vsus from a rebellious heart: For I tell thee, the minde is not ſo blinded, but it hath ſome ſight of GOD: but the heart of man, after the fall, is altogether inclined to rebellion: ſo that if there bee one ſpunke of light left in nature, it will trauell by all meanes to put in the finger in the eye of the minde, and put it out. And therefore, trauell to reforme thine heart, for if it bee not reformed, it ſhall euermore carrie thee the wrong way. So there are two partes of the miſerie of man. Nowe commeth on the thirde. Thy miſerie endeth not heere. Marke, and trauell to finde this in experience. (Fie on vsus, if wee knowe not our ſelues, for if wee know not our ſelues, wee ſhall neuer knowe God aright.) The thirde part ſtandeth in actions, for the madde and rebellious heart muſt breake out in ſome actions. Can a mad and rebellious bodie bee idle? Hee calleth ou… works wauering, going out of the way. Can a mad man keepe the hie waye? No, but euermore hee goeth to one ſide or other. No more can wee by nature goe forwarde in the right waye: for by nature wee are madde, frowarde, and diſobedient. It is true, naturall men will doe things that are right in themſelues: but no man ſhall do that which is good in it ſelf rightlie, that hath yt rebellion in his heart: for wee doe nothing rightly, but when our eyes are vponupon God. Albeit the action were neuer ſo good, if thou ſeekeſt not GOD in it, it is not done rightlie. Thou mayeſt well doe it to pleaſe the eyes of men, and thou mayeſt get thankes at the handes of men for it, but thou ſhalt get none at Gods handes: ſo if thou wouldeſt bee accepted of GOD, and wouldeſt hauehave the action of thine handes to pleaſe God, firſt looke that thine action bee good, and then looke to God in thine action. Then there are three parts of miſery of the naturall man: firſt, madneſſe in the mind: ſecondly, maliciouſneſſe in the heart: thirdly, his actions are wauerings, all wandring out of the way.
To goe forward. Hee deſcribeth this wauering, and he calleth it ſeruing: it ſtandeth in ſlauerie, his whole life-time is but a ſeruice and ſlauery. The naturall man, if hee hauehave no more but nature, hee is a ſlaue and a ſeruant, bought and ſolde, for Paul ſaieth, hee▪ is ſolde to bee ſubject to ſinne, Roman. 7. 15. Suppoſe hee were a Monarch of the whole earth, if hee bee without the newe man, hee is a ſlaue. It is true, hee will hauehave manie ſeruantes vnderunder him, but hee is the firſt and chiefe ſlaue himſelfe: yea, hee is a greater ſeruant than the verie kitchen boye, and the moſte abject ſeruant in his houſe. But to whome is this ſeruice done? To whome are wee ſlaues? In plaine talke, hee ſaieth, to concupiſcences. Hee calleth them pleaſures, but fi… on them, how beit they are ſweete things, yet they hauehave a ſoure ende. Harlotrie is ſweete for a time, but, O that bitterneſſe in the ende! It is ſweete to murther, but, O that bitterneſſe that it ſhall bring with it in the end! it ſhal be bitterer than the very gall. Paul maketh mention here of a…varietie and diuerſity of luſts. Thou that ſerueſt thine own luſts, art not ſubject to one maiſter only, but to an hundreth: thou art ſubject to many vncleane maiſters of diuers qualities.
Brethren, are theſe our maiſters? Fy vponupon them, the ſeruice done to them, it is a vile ſeruice. Thou that art a lord, when thou lookeſt to thy kitchen boye, thou wilt thinke his ſeruice vile, but fye vponupon thee, thou art a greater ſlaue, hee is an honeſt ſeruant, but thou art a ſlaue: for thy ſeruice is done to thy filthy pleaſures, there is a variety of them, and ſo thou haſt manie maiſters, whom thou ſerueſt. And therefore, yee will ſee theſe men who ſerue their owne luſtes, to bee the wearieſt bodies y• euer liued, euen as if they were drawne thorow a myre: for the onelyonly true and cleane ſeruice, is the ſeruice of that onelyonly one GOD: the onelyonly repoſe of thy ſoule, is on that one GOD: there is no reſt, but on Him. Awaye with that creature that drinketh in the ſoule luſtes of this earth, that is no reſt to him heere, and woe to that reſt that ſhall come in the ende. So there are the maiſters which wee ſerue, foule concupiſcences, and fleſhlie luſtes. It may bee asked, Will a perſon bee ſubject to ſuch a great varietie of concupiſcences? I anſwere, The ſeede of euerie ſinne in the worlde is in euerie man: ſo all concupiſcences are in thee, becauſe the ſeede of them is within thee: No, the beſt men in the earth hath the ſeede of theſe luſts, which budde out into actions: it will lurke for a time in the winter, but in the ſpring it will breke out, and then thou wilt knowe thou haſt it, when thou feeleſt the ſtinke of it. So there is the firſt anſwere, the ſeede of eueryevery ſinne is in the heart of eueryevery man, in ſuch ſort that it wil make thee loath at it, if thou ſaweſt it: but alas! it is hidden from our eyes, that wee cannot ſee it, and therefore we loathe it not. Againe, in ſome men and women, that ſeede of all luſts will breake out in actions: A man that followeth harlotrie, will bee a drunkard alſo: an auaritious man, will bee ambitious alſo, &c. It is a maruell to ſee howe manie ſinnes will be reigning in one miſerable ſlaue, and to ſee howe that ſlaue will bee hurried from one ſinne to another. Fie on thee, wilt thou neuer get thy fill of ſinne? thou ſhalt once bee filled with wrath, and then thou ſhalt loathe at thy ſinnes: For albeit there were no more but one ſinne in thee, it is enough to cauſe thee to goe to Hell.
Nowe to goe forward: Hee numbers out ſome of theſe concupiſcences, and the firſt is malice, maliciouſneſſe in the heart againſt our neighbour. Then commeth in her two daughters, enuie and hatred. When thou art ſorie at thy neighbours weale, and wouldeſt not ſee him thriue, then thou wilt hate him. There are three particulars, and they are as manie pleaſures to them that ſerueth them: hee that hath malice, thinketh himſelfe neuer well, but when there is malice in his heart: from thence commeth enuie, and the enuious heart is neuer well, but when it ſpeaketh euill of his neighbour, for that is meate and drinke to it▪ hee that hath hatred, is neuer well, but when hee hateth his neighbour, and that is his meate and drinke.
Nowe I ſhall drawe theſe concupiſcences into certaine rankes. There are ſome of them againſt God, ſome againſt our neighbour, & ſome againſt our ſelues, amongſt the which is intemperancie. Fie on thee, O Epicurian! thou …inneſt againſt thy ſelfe. Now the Apoſtle in ſetting downe theſe concupiſcences, maketh a choiſe of the concupiſcences againſt our neighbour, for if we bee malicious againſt him, wee are malicious againſt GOD. Whoſoeuer is enemie to man, hee is alſo enemie to God. Now there is no harmonie amongſt men that are onelie naturall: For without GOD in Chriſt, there is no true louelove, no true concord. Put a man and a woman together without God, will there bee anie concord there? No, for the dueties of the firſt Table are requiſite for the diſcharging of the dueties of the ſecond Table, and muſt preceede them. Howe canſt thou louelove thy wife or thy children, without God? No, there is no true louelove, and the ende ſhall prooue it to hauehave beene but hatred onelie.
In the ende of the verſe hee ſetteth downe two ſortes of hatreds, hee ſaieth hatefull, that is, hee that ſuffereth hatred: then hee ſubjoyneth, hating one another: wee are odious to others, and againe we hate others. Alwayes marke one meeting here. Thinkeſt thou to hate, and not to be hated again? It is but the juſt judgement of God, that as thou enuieſt and hateſt, thou alſo to bee hated and enuied. What harmonie can bee heere, when thou hateſt mee, and I thee? No true concord, but all is loſe. There is no conjunction, but that which is in CHRIST IESVS. When this conjunction is not amongſt men, awaye with all other conjunctions. This is ſhortly the miſerable eſtate wherein wee ſtood by nature, before the participation of mercy in CHRIST.
Now I come to the other eſtate. An alteration muſt bee made, or elſe wee are gone: For what can become of a body that dieth in madneſſe? Nowe looke howe wee are deliuered: But (ſaieth hee) after that the bountifulneſſe and louelove of GOD our Sauiour appeared. There is the way how our mercifull deliuery commeth on. Yee reade not one word heere, that man lying in miſery, began to find out a deliuery himſelfe. Ye reade not that the mad man of himſelfe beginneth to take vp himſelfe: hee ſaieth not, Then we took vp our ſelues: No, no, we would hauehave lied long ere we had takē vp our ſelues. Then the naturall man waltering and wallowing in ſinne, and drinking in the foule pleaſures thereof, he will neuer take vp himſelfe and let him goe on, if hee ſhould liue ten thouſand yeeres, hee will neuer bee the better, but ſtill worſe and worſe. Can a man that is dead naturally, thinke of any life to himſelfe, to riſe vp, and ſtand againe? Not ſuch a thing, hee cannot ſo much as once thinke to riſe vp.
Now, Brethren, we are all blacke dead ſpirituallie, by nature there is not one ſpunke of that Heauenlie life in vsus, no more than in a dead bodie, that is dead naturally, there is a ſpunk of naturall life: and we are not halfe dead only, but are whole dead. Can a naturall man once thinke of a ſpirituall life? No, and therefore Paul ſaith, Epheſ. 2. 31. When wee were dead in our ſinnes, wee were quickned by CHRIST, meaning that wee had no power in our ſelues to riſe againe. If it bee ſo then, when I ſee a wicked man (that hath beene ſeruing his foule luſts all his life-time) take vp himſelfe, I will not ſaye, that that man tooke vp himſelfe, I will ſay, there is a dead man riſen to life: I will aske of thee, In the beginning of the creation, thoughteſt thou of thy creation? deſiredſt thou to thinke of it? No, no more thoughteſt thou of thy regeneration: thou thoughteſt as little of thy ſecond creation, as thou thoughteſt of thy firſt creation. And therefore it is well ſaide, Hee created thee without thee: And as Hee created thee without thee, ſo He redeemed thee without thee. Dareſt thou ſaye, that thou gaueſt counſell to thy redemption, and thoughteſt of it when GOD redeemed thee? then how commeth this worke on? We are preuented, ſomething appeareth that was hid: there was one thing long hidden, & nowe it beginneth to ſhine. And what was this bountifulneſſe & louelove to mankinde? it was hid, and breaketh out. And who is it that is bountifull? is this any mans bountifulnes? No, it is the bountifulneſſe of GOD: and this quickning louelove is GODS, and that towards man. And what God is this? Hee calleth Him GOD our Sauiour: For God is conſidered two wayes, as a Creator, and as a Sauiour. It is the louelove of Him as a Sauiour, that is ſhewed to thee in thy Redemption. And when was this louelove reueiled? when IESVS CHRIST came into the world, and tooke vponupon Him our nature, then this louelove brake out toward man: Hee loued him from all Eternitie, but it brake not out till then. Marke then. It is the louelove of GOD that ſaueth, it is GODS bountifulneſſe that ſaueth: our deliuerie behooued to proceede of a wonderfull bountifulneſſe in God, whereof the ground is louelove. If Hee had not loued thee, Hee would not hauehave deliuered thee. Then it is not a common louelove which He beareth towards vsus, but there is a ſpeciall louelove in GOD to mankinde: He loueth not theſe Heauens, theſe Starres, ſo well as Hee doeth men. No, Hee communicateth not the thouſand part of thoſe thinges that Hee communicateth to man, either to the Heauens, or to the Starres. Then it is not the louelove 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 louelove. It is that louelove that proceedeth of GOD the Sauiour. It is not the louelove 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 vsus as His ſonnes. If there were no further louelove of GOD, but as Hee is a Creator, thou durſt neuer crie, Abba, Father: and except the Spirit ſpreade abroade into our heartes that louelove which Hee beareth vntounto vsus, for all the world thou durſt not appeare before Him. The time is ſet downe when Hee hath ſaued vsus, when His ſingular louelove appeared in the world, Hee ſaued vsus beeing manifeſted in the fleſhe. Then it followeth that wee were loſt, and gone, when GOD of His louelove put to His hand, and ſaued vsus, 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 merciemercy▪ 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 vponupon the ſtreete? Thinkeſt thou thy ſelfe verie well, if thou hauehave 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 louelove towardes man only to appeare when Chriſt came into the world? I anſwere: The louelove 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 louelove had bene apparēt vntounto 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 louelove of before was in Chriſt to come: but now, ſince He came into the world, the louelove of God towards mankind hath appeared in greater aboundance. The Lord grant vsus an apprehenſion and ſight of this louelove, that at the leaſt wee maye ſtriue to louelove Him againe, who hath loued vsus 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 vsus of our ſaluation, but damnation. When GOD beginneth to louelove, Hee findeth no matter of louelove in vsus, but of hatred. And this commendeth the greatnes of His louelove towards vsus, when He ſeeth nothing in vsus but matter of damnation, yet Hee of His free grace & mercy loueth vsus & ſaueth vsus, Rō. 5. 8. This ſetteth out His louelove highly towards vsus, when that we were ſinners He ſent Chriſt to die for vsus: therefore ſeek not thy ſaluation neither before thou be in Chriſt, nor after thou art in Him by y• merite of works, for thou ſhalt neuer get it yt 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 …aith, He hath ſaued vsus according to His mercy: Theſe are flat contrary, The mercy of God, & the merit of man. If thou be ſaued by y• mercy of God, thē no merit, becauſe thy merite is not able to ſaue thee. The firſt fountaine of our ſaluation is louelove, after louelove commeth on mercy: then pitie and compaſſion in His merciemercy preſupponeth miſerie. MercieMercy is ſhewed to the miſerable creature. GOD ſeeing vsus miſerable, madde, rebelles; following our own crooked affections, beginneth to bee pitifull, and to hauehave compaſsion of vsus. Yee knowe merciemercy and pitie followeth vponupon louelove: For when wee louelove any one, and ſee him in miſerie, then wee hauehave pitie vponupon him: if thou hate him, ſuppoſe hee were in neuer ſo great miſerie, thou wilt not pitie him. Then GOD, ſeeing vsus wrapped in ſinne and miſerie, He hath pitie upon vsus, which pitie proceedeth of louelove, and with louelove 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 louelove 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 louelove of GOD, which is the fountaine: The next cauſe is merciemercy, for ere euer this worlde was created GOD of His merciemercy tooke a purpoſe to ſaue vsus. The Apoſtle ſaieth, Epheſ. 1. 4. Hee purpoſed of Himſelfe, Hee ſawe no thing in vsus wherefore He ſhould take purpoſe to ſaue vsus. And when Hee commeth on to the execution of that eternall purpoſe of our ſaluation, there is nothing in vsus, 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 vsus, 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 vntounto thy ſelfe, thou ſpoyleſt GOD of His glorie: Either giuegive Him all the glorie of this action, or take it all to thy ſelfe: this glorie is too heauie for thee, if thou take it vponupon thee, it will preſſe thee to euerlaſting damnation. Then there is the meane of our ſaluation, The merciemercy 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 vsus, when GOD putteth to His hand to ſaue vsus. Yee knowe, waſhing preſupponeth fouleneſſe: therefore it muſt follow, when GOD beganne to ſaue vsus, 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 louelove, this is one, When Hee putteth to His fair bād 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 louelove of GOD had beene all the greater towardes thee, Hee woulde neuer hauehave purged thee from thy ſinnes. It is a ſure token of His louelove 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 …o vsus 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 con…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 giuegive 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 ti…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 vsus neuer, after wee hauehave once receiued it, till vve be placed vvith Ieſus Chriſt. HaueHave thine eye ſtill vponupon 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 vntounto 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 …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 vsus aboundantlie through IESUS CHRIST our Sauiour. We hauehave Him not our ſelues, He that waſheth vsus 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 vsus. Iohn 15. 26. The cauſe of this order is this: Hee is our Sauiour, and hath bought vsus vvith a deare price: the Spirite is bought to vsus 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 hauehave the Spirit, dreſſe your ſelues to that treaſure in Heauē, and beſeech God that He would vouchſafe to ſend that Spirit vponupon you through IESVS CHRIST, and giuegive 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 vsus: firſt, the liberality of GOD, Hee giueth not grace niggardly, as men, but vvhatſoeuer vvee gette, it is in aboundance: His louelove is rich, His mercy is rich, the Spirit vvhichwhich He giueth vntounto vsus is rich: ſo Hee is liberall vntounto vsus. Then it followeth of this alſo, that vve are very foule and vncleane. A cloth that is very foule, will require much vvater & waſhing: euen ſo vvee muſt hauehave 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 vponupon the face of ye 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 vsus, He putteth to His hād & vvaſheth vsus inwardly and outwardlie, and giueth vsus 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 vntounto vsus. This righteouſneſſe is not inherent in vsus, but the ſatiſfaction of IESVS CHRIST is imputed to vsus. 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 merciemercy: preaſſe not to deale theſe two: to giuegive 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 hauehave 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 hauehave no fruition of the thing hoped for: yea, euen in this life the fruition of Heauen is begunne in effect: and if thou hauehave not the beginning of it heere, hope neuer for the accompliſhment of it heereafter. Wee hauehave 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 vsus by His blood: To vvhome vvith the Father, and the Holy Spirite, bee all Honour, Prayſe, and Glory, for euer and euer,
AMEN.