Sermons, Sermon 12
THE TWELFTH SERMON.
PSALME CXXX.
verse 1 Out of the deepe places hauehave I called vntounto Thee, O LORD.
verse 2 LORD, heare my voyce: let Thine eares attende to the voyce of my prayers.
verse 3 If Thou, O LORD, ſtraightly markest iniquities, O LORD, who ſhall ſtand?
verse 4 But merciemercy is with Thee, that Thou mayest bee feared.
THE inſcription of this PSALME (Brethren) declareth that it is a PSALME moſt excellent: The excellencie of it wee remit to the matter contained therein: it hath bene penned by ſome holy man, and Prophet of old, but by whom it is not certaine: It is ſufficient to vsus to knowe that the Spirite of GOD was the dyter of it. To come to the matter and partes thereof, The Prophet (whoſoeuer he was) firſt ſetteth downe the eſtate and diſpoſition of his ſoule in trouble, to wit, that he ranne to the Lord, and prayed to Him for deliuerie: and this hee doeth to the fift verſe. Next, finding in verie deede the effectes of the prayer hee made, and finding mercy and deliuerie as hee craued, hee profeſſeth before all the worlde, that as he had before awaited vponupon GOD, ſo hee will await ſtill vponupon Him, and He will put his confiden̄ce in Him: and this he doeth to the ſeuenth verſe: laſtly, from the ſeuenth verſe to the ende, he recommendeth this duetie to Iſrael, that is, to the Church of GOD, to waite vponupon the LORD, and with the recommendation, hee giueth in forceable reaſons to mooue them. To come to the firſt part, firſt hee ſaith, that in his greateſt danger hee cryed to the Lord IEHOVAH. Next, hee ſetteth downe the prayer. To come to the propoſition, he ſaith, Out of the deepe: yet more, Out of the deepe places hauehave I called vntounto thee, O IEHOVAH. By theſe deepe places hee vnderſtandeth great miſeries, great dangers, wherein his body was, great terror and feare in his conſcience, for his ſinne & offerding of God: for the Scripture (as ye may ſee Pſal. 69. 2. 3) compareth great afflictions to deepe waters, wherein a man is like to drowne: and manie a time, when the body is in danger, the ſoule will bee like to drowne in deſperation. No doubt, the greatneſſe of the danger made him to vtter to the Lord voyces cōming from the very deapth of the heart. If we felt our ſelues in great dāger, we wold call from the deapth of our hearts to God: he vttered not a voyce onelyonly, but a lowde voyce, with a crie. This is the meaning of the words. We ſo here firſt, that the children of God, whom God loueth moſt intirely, are many times ſubject to great and extreame dangers and troubles: and if euer thou thinkeſt to come to Heauen, make thee in thine owne courſe to ſuffer one trouble or other. Let no man therſore, judge euill of a man becauſe he ſuffereth. Next we ſee the greater the danger bee, the heauier ye diſtreſſe & the afflictiō wherwith ye godlie is exerciſed bee, the more vehement, feruent, & earneſt will their prayer be they hauehave to God: and howe commeth this to paſſe? Euen in this maner, & by theſe degrees, Oppreſſiō & afflictiō worketh in the hearts of the faithfull a ſenſe of ye common miſery of nature: Whē the hand of ye Lord is vponupon afaithful man, then he begins to feele his ſinne & corruption: And except the LORD exerciſe vsus in this life, either one way or other, the beſt of vsus all will fall into ſuch a ſound ſleepe, that we will neither remember what we hauehave bene, what wee are, nor what wee ſhall bee, neither acknowledge our ſelues to be ſinners: So there is a neceſsity of afflictions, for affliction bringeth vsus to a feeling of our miſery. Next, when through affliction, the heart is prepared and brought to ſome ſenſe of ſin, then it is capable of grace, thē it prayeth to God. (Look neuer to come to Heauen if thou feeleſt not thy finne, yea, and that thou art a miſerable ſinner) Then, if once thine heart bee prepared with ſome ſenſe of ſinne and miſerie, then commeth in that holy Spirit of Ieſus Chriſt, which in ye Scripture is called the Spirit of adoption, who finding ye heart dejected and made lowlie (the Spirite will nerer looke in to a proude heart) beginneth to worke, & to touch the heart of the miſerable ſinner with a ſweet ſenſe of merciemercy through Ieſus, hee beginneth to ſhedde abroade the louelove of Chriſt into the ſoule: and when once the heart hath taſted of the ſweetneſſe of merciemercy, and as Peter ſaieth, hath taſted how ſweet and gracious the Lord is, and findeth this paſſing louelove of God in Ieſus Chriſt, then i…eth a boldneſſe, and beginneth with confidence & peartneſſe to preſent itſelfe before God, and to put vp prayers and requeſtes, Roman. 8. 26. When once that Spirite hath giuen libertie, then we crie with an open mouth (for the heart is wide opened) Abba, Father, Roman. 8. 15. Becauſe wee hauehave gotten a ſenſe of that fatherlie louelove in Ieſus Chriſt. The prayer of the faithfull is moſt effectuall when they are in greateſt danger, and then the voyce is lowdeſt: for it is the Spirit of GOD, who maketh interceſsion for vsus with ſighes which cannot be expreſſed, but God knoweth the meaning of his Spirit.
Now, Brethren, ſurely few of vsus hauehave yet beene in this deepneſſe and extreamitie of miſerie: the Lord hath not yet ſo preſſed vsus with His hand, as Hee hath done many others: and therefore, …e… there is amongſt vsus, who hath this feeling of ſinne and miſerie: and conſequently few of vsus can pray ſo earneſtly. Howe many are there amongſt you that dare ſay, that yee feele ſenſibly the common miſerie of nature? Goe to your hearts, and looke if yee feele it not ſleeping in ſinne: and ſo long as thou ſleepeſt thus, and knoweſt not thy miſerie, howe wilt thou bee carefull to feele the louelove of Chriſt? and how wilt thou earneſtly pray to God? And certainly I take this coldneſſe in prayer to be a fore-runner of a judgement to ouer-take this Land. No, it were better to bee ſwimming in the waters of affliction, praying earneſtly to GOD, than to bee this way lying in proſperitie without prayer.
Nowe I goe forward. After hee hath proponed, that out of the deepneſſe hee cryed to IEHOVAH, then to let vsus ſee his cryes, hee ſetteth downe the forme of prayer that hee vſed in his great miſeries: firſt he ſaieth, O Lord, heare my voyce: Next, in the other wordes, hee doubleth ouer the ſame petition, Attende to the voyce of my prayers: for hee prayeth not coldly, but hee cryeth earneſtly: certainly, the doubling of the crie would be opened vp from the ground. Wee ſhould gripe downe to the heart, from whence the prayers of the godlie do flow, that when we heare them, or reade them, we may get ſuch an heart & diſpoſition in prayer as they had. The doubling of the prayer, and the mouth wide opening, commeth of the doubling of the graces of the Spirite of GOD in the heart, and of a double opening of the heart: for except the heart be opened in prayer, the mouth cannot be opened with pleaſure, otherwiſe if thou ſpeake anie thing, I will not giuegive one pennie for it: So the opening of the mouth commeth from the opening of the heart When the Holy Spirit ſo ſweetly maketh manifeſt the louelove of God to the creature, then ye tongue is looſed, & the ſecond cry cōmeth of the ſecond grace, & of ye ſecond opening of the heart: & ſo oft as thou cryeſt, ſo oft is there a new grace & motion within the heart wrought by the Holy Spirite, for it is Hee onelyonly that openeth the mouth piece and piece, to ſpeake to God: for take this for a certainty that Paul ſaith, There is none that can call Ieſus Lord, without that Spirit come in, 1. Corin. 12. 3. And againe hee ſaith, We knowe not what wee ſhould pray, or how wee ought to pray, without that Spirit teach vsus, Romanes chap. 8. verſe 26. And if Hee teach not, no man or woman is able once to open the mouth with confidence and liberty to pray.
And ſo, Brethren, if yee would ſpeake well, pray well, or doe well, looke euer to the diſpoſition of the heart, and night and daye pray for that Spirit, who may tranſchange thee, transforme thee, and take thee out of nature, and plant thee in grace: for ſo long as thou remaineſt in nature, thou canſt not thinke well, thou canſt not ſpeake well, thou canſt doe nothing well, yea, thou art worſe than a very beaſt.
But becauſe the wordes are very weightie, wee will yet conſider them better: What meaneth h… when he ſaieth, Lord, let thine eare bee attentiue to my prayer? Thought he that the Lord heard him no… and that the Lord played the part of a deafe man? No▪ He meaneth not this: look to the eſtate of the godly, when ye hand of the Lord is vpō them, when ye Lord afflicteth vsus any way, we think that He neither heareth nor ſeeth vsus, nor remembreth vpō vsus: Indeed I grant, it is not ſo in effect, for God neuer altereth His affection towardes His owne: but the faithfull oftentimes judge and apprehend ſo, and all the fault of this is in vsus. Yee ſee how Dauid oftentimes complaineth to the Lord, that Hee had forſaken him, Hee had left him, and deſireth that He ſhold look vpō him: I aske▪ Is it ſo indeed, that when the faithfull ſoule crieth, Lord heare ſee, and remēber, that He heareth not, He ſ…eth not He remembreth not? No queſtion but He doth▪ for Hee that made the eye, ſeeth Hee not? Hee that made the eare, heareth He not? Hee that formed the heart of man, vnderſtandeth He not? remembreth He not? Pſal. 94. Yea, all things are patent to His Majeſty, albeit when Hee maketh it not manifeſt by ſome ſenſible effectes and operation, we think He heareth not, He ſeeth not, He remembreth not, His fauour & affection is neuer indeed altered no… chāged frō his own children: Then whē they cry for His preſence, are they altogether deſtitute & depriued of his preſēce? no, they want it not: for who gaue the heart to ſaye, Lord heare me, Lord ſee and remember me, if that thou hadſt not ſome preſence of the Lord in thine heart? thou couldeſt neuer vtter theſe voyces to God. Thē I ſay, If I hauehave the preſence of God when I crie vntounto Him, why crie I, and pray I, as though I had not His preſence? Are not ſuch prayers in vaine? No, for although we hauehave the preſence of God when wee praye, yet for all that our prayers to God are not in vaine: for if we had Him of before in any meaſure by our prayers, He will manifeſt Himſelfe more ſenſibly, piece and piece, more and more: And looke howe much more ſtrongly thou cryeſt, ſo much the more will the Lord bee drawne to thy ſoule, and ſo much the more ſhalt thou finde the increaſe and grouth of grace in thy ſoule. It is vnpoſſible, that the prayer of a faithfull man, if it were but one worde that proceedeth from the Spirit of adoption, can paſſe away without comfort: for the Lord giueth His Spirit to no man in vaine, but becauſe He knoweth the meaning of His owne Spirit, therefore He will graunt that thing for which hee maketh requeſt, there is nothing more certaine: And therefore the Lord (Matth. 5. 6.) pronounceth them bleſſed, who hunger and thirſt for righteouſneſſe, for, ſaith hee, they ſhall bee filled and ſatisfied: And ſo Chriſt ſpeaketh to that woman of Samaria, Ioh. 4. 13. 14. If thou ſoughteſt a drinke, I ſhoulde giuegive thee a drinke of the water of life: for the water that I ſhall giuegive, ſhall bee in a man (or woman) a Well of water ſpringing vp into eternall life: meaning generally, that whoſoeuer hath gotten the firſt fruites of the Spirite, and the beginnings of grace, deſireth and ſeeketh for further progreſſe and increaſe, that the LORD ſhoulde euer furniſh them with ſomething to quench their thirſt, and that becauſe they ſhoulde euer hauehave a fountaine within their bellie, to furniſhe ſomething to them when they thirſted: ſo that when as they ſhoulde ſeeke refreſhment, they might gette it in aboundance. And if we felt this thirſt and drineſſe of the ſoule, we would ſeeke earneſtly: for there was neuer ſuch a dryneſſe and ſuch an heate in any man naturally▪ as there is in vsus through ſinne. Conſider thine owne experience, when thou haſt felt ſomtimes the great burthen of ſinne, and the terrours of the wrath of God for ſinne, whenſoeuer in this eſtate thou cameſt to God, and prayedſt for merciemercy, and ſaid, I am a miſerable ſinner, LORD, giuegive mee merciemercy; haſt thou not felt, that the Lord hath anſwered thee comfortably? and hath filled thine heart with joye, euen when in thy prayer thou ſigheſt and ſobbeſt vnſpeakeablie? What meaneth that joye? Euen that as ſoone as thou openeſt thy mouth with libertie▪ to ſeeke that water of life, the Lord conuayeth ſome portion of it into thine heart to quench thy thirſt.
Now after hee hath cryed twiſe, hee ſubjoyneth in the next wordes, If thou, O Lord, ſtraightly markest iniquities, O Lord, who ſhall ſtand. This no queſtion, followeth by way of preoccupation: It might hauehave bene objected to him in his prayer (for manie are the temptations of the godly) by his conſcience, pleading for GOD againſt him: or GOD Himſelfe might hauehave ſaide, Thou prayeſt to mee and yet thou art a ſinner, how ſhould I heare thee? How dareſt thou ſtand before mee? It is a wonder that in my fierce wrath I deſtroye thee not. To this hee anſwereth, firſt by waye of confeſſion. It is true, O LORD, that if thou wilt ſtraitelie marke iniquitie, that no fleſh can ſtand in thy preſence, but they muſt bee conſumed, through the rage of thy diſpleaſure. Then hee anſwereth by waye of correction, But merciemercy is with thee: the meaning is, Thou takeſt none heede to our iniquities, but of thy free merciemercy and grace, thou pardoneſt them all in thy Sonne IESVS CHRIST: for none of the Saincts, none of the Fathers, none of the Prophets, euer got mercy, but thorow that blood of IESVS CHRIST, who was ſlaine from the beginning of the worlde: through His blood only was the wrath of God pacified: except Gods juſtice bee firſt ſatisfied, there is no place left to mercy: therefore ſaith he, my refuge is to thy merciemercy. Indeed our eſtate who liue now, is farre better than the eſtate of them who liued before Chriſt came into the world: for they ſaw▪ the death & ſatisfaction of Chriſt, & remiſſion of ſin in his blood but a far of: but we ſee now all, already paſt, & wee may ſay, that now God in Chriſt is merciful to vsus, is become our Father, and hath forgiuen all our ſins. Now out of theſe words, & by this example of the Prophet, yee maye ſee what is the eſtate of Gods children in prayer: to wit, when in affliction they ſeeke to repaire to GOD by prayer, they will not ſo ſoone begin to pray, but as ſoone their guiltie conſciences will beginne to knocke and challenge them, as vnworthie to bee heard: the conſcience will ſtand vp, and if it be not cleanſed, it will preſent thy ſinnes before thee, and ſet them in order in all their circumſtances. Albeit thou forget thy ſinnes, after thou haſt gotten thy pleaſure, yet thou ſhalt ſee, that thy conſcience hath marked them all: and as a man cannot reade when the booke is cloſed, yet beeing opened, they maye reade therein: Euen ſo, albeit vvhen our conſciences are benummed, wee ſee not the vglineſſe and guiltineſſe of ſinne, yet when GOD wakeneth them, wee will ſee ſinne in the owne colour, and finde the vglineſſe and guiltineſſe thereof: Our ſinnes will come in, and ſtand vp as mountaines, and will hide the bleſſed face and preſence of GOD from thee: Sinne goeth betwixt vsus and GOD, and ſeparateth vsus from GOD. The Sainctes finde in experience, that it is not an eaſie thing to finde a familiar acceſſe to God in prayer: except our conſciences firſt bee purged, wee can hauehave none acceſſe to GOD. Therefore, whoſoeuer woulde drawe neare to GOD, let him ſeeke to followe the counſell of the Apoſtle, in the 10. Chapter of the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes, and the two and twentie verſe, where he ſaith, Let vsus draw neare with a true heart, in an aſſurance of faith ſprinkled in our heartes from an euill conſcience. No fleſh can hauehave a fauourable acceſſe to God, except his conſcience bee firſt purged from guiltineſſe▪ yea, that which wee ſpeake of the guiltineſſe of ſinne, wee ſpeake alſo of ſinne it ſelfe, that except it bee quite taken away out of His ſight, that He will not look fauourably vponupon vsus. And this is that which the Prophet ſaieth here, If thou, O Lord, ſtraightlie markest iniquities, O Lord, who ſhall ſtand? For, as guiltineſſe of ſinne ſtayeth vsus to beholde God, ſo ſinne it ſelfe ſtayeth God from beholding vsus (miſerable wretches) with the eyes of His compaſſion. So long, therefore, as thy conſcience is not purged, when thou goeſt to preſent thy ſelfe before His Majeſtie, if thy conſcience bee wakened, thou wilt finde God marking thy ſinnes, laying them to thy charge, and wilt finde Him as a terrible Iudge, compaſſed about with burning wrath, readie to deſtroye thee: and if He marke thee, thou haſt no ſtanding: and if thou appeare not cloathed, with the righteouſneſſe and perfect ſatisfaction that IESVS through His blood hath purchaſed for thee, thou dareſt not preſume to approach, for then His fierce wrath ſhall bee poured out vponupon thee.
Further wee learne heereof, that when euer wee would hauehave our prayers accepted, wee ſhould beginne with an humble confeſſion of our ſinnes, and vnworthineſſe, and with an earneſt prayer to forgiue the ſame: yea, wee muſt aggreadge our ſinnes by all circumſtances, as the Prophet doeth here. No, none, not the holieſt Sainctés, Fathers, nor Prophets, could be able to ſtand, if he marked their iniquitie, let bee himſelfe, who was ſuch an vnworthie wretch, who was laden with ſo manie and great ſinnes. Thou muſt not extenuate thy ſinnes before GOD, if thou wouldeſt find fauour with GOD, as manie men commonlie doe, ſaying wee are all ſinners, yea, manie men hauehave ſinned more, and hauehave done worſe deedes than I hauehave done. That is not the way to finde Gods fauour. Thou muſt bee very abject, vile, and contemptible in thine owne accompt, if thou wouldeſt hauehave the Lord to account of thee. Then where ſhall wee get a remidie, to helpe an euill conſcience? for ſinne taketh away all joy and confidence in prayer.
The next wordes furniſh a faire remidie, But merciemercy is with Thee: Lord, it is not Thy juſtice I looke to, but Thy merciemercy, Thy juſtice holdeth mee abacke, but Thy merciemercy allureth mee▪ I flee from Thy juſtice and I claime to Thy merciemercy. So when a man deſireth his prayers to bee heard, hee muſt firſt hauehave a ſight of his owne miſerie, guiltineſſe, and vnworthineſſe, and of the fierceneſſe of the Lords wrath for the ſame, and in all humilitie hee muſt confeſſe the ſame. Next hee muſt hauehave a ſight of the Lordes merciemercy, and hope, that it is poſſible that GOD bee reconciled with him: except that theſe two bee joyned together, hee commeth not duelie prepared, the one without the other will not ſerue, both are neceſſarie: for without the knowledge, ſight, and feeling of our miſerie, of ſinne, and of the wrath of God for the ſame, vvee will neuer be earneſt in prayer: Who will aske, except hee finde his want? and without an humble confeſſion, there is no cōming before God. Thou muſt not do as the Phariſie did: reade that parable of the Phariſie and of the Publicane, Luke 18. The Phariſie was ſo blinded with ſelfe-louelove, that hee could not ſee the filthineſſe and corruption of his own heart: and therefore, not only in the preſence of man, whom he might deceiue, would he juſtifie himſelf, but alſo in the very preſence of God, who cannot be deceiued, & who ſearcheth the hearts, he would boaſt of his own righteouſnes, and condemne the poore Publicane But what found he? It is ſaide, hee went home not juſtified, that all men might feare thereafter to come before God with a cōceit of their worthines. Thou muſt follow ye example of the poore Publicane, who being aſhamed of himſelf, would not looke vp to Heauē, but looked down, & ſmote his breſt, & ſaid, O God, be mercifull vntounto mee a ſinner. Next, if thou hauehave no more but a ſight, ſenſe, & confeſsion of thy miſery, will that bee ſufficient? No, for albeit thou ſaweſt all thy ſinnes, and foundeſt the burthen thereof, and foundeſt the Lord as a judge in a judgement purſuing thee, and heaping daylie judgement vponupon judgement, and wrath vponupon wrath, that will neuer make thee to drawe neare to the Lord, but by the contrary wil make thee to turne thy back vponupon the LORD: for as a male-factor hath no pleaſure to beholde the face of a judge, becauſe his countenance is terrible, No more can the ſinner abide the countenance of God, His judgementes & His wrath may make vsus aſtoniſhed, and ſtupified: but if there bee no more, they will neuer make vsus to come to God. Then if this be not ſufficient, what more is requiſite? Euen a ſight of the Lordes merciemercy, for that is moſt forceable to allure, as the Prophet ſaieth here, and as the Church of God ſaith (Cant. 1. 2) becauſe of the ſauour of thy good ointments, therefore the Virgines louelove thee: this onelie is forceable to allure ye ſinner▪ for all the judgementes of GOD, and curſes of the lawe, will neuer allure him. What was the chief thing that moued the Prodigall ſonne to returne home to his father? Was it chiefely the diſtreſſe, the diſgrace, and pouerty wherewith he was burthened, or the famine that almoſt cauſed him to ſterue? No, but the chiefe thing was this, hee remembred that hee had a louing father: that maketh him to reſolue with an humble confeſsion, to goe home, Luk. 15. Euen ſo is it vvith a ſinner, it is not terrours and threatninges yt chiefely vvil moue him to come to God, but ye conſideration of His manifold & great mercies: therfore, if the Lord waken thy cōſcience, preſent thy ſins before thee, threaten thee, & heap judgemēts on thee, then ſay, Lord, I deſerue to be threatned, & alwais to be plagued, but, Lord, thou knowſt my nature, thes things wil not make me to come to Thee, but will put mee away from Thee: therefore, let mee ſee Thy manifolde mercies towards ſinners, to allure me, and then I ſhall come vntounto Thee.
So wee ſee the remidie againſt an euill conſcience, to wit, an humble confeſsion of ſinne and vnworthineſſe, and a fleeing from the juſtice of God, to His merciemercy. The faireſt & ſweeteſt thing in the worlde is to feele the merciemercy of GOD. But herein there is great hardneſſe and difficultie. It is not ſo eaſilie attained vntounto, as men commonlie thinke: for His merciemercy is compaſſed about with His juſtice, and with His wrath againſt ſinners, as with a wall of fire: and he who will come to grace, he muſt come through a conſuming fire: and when hee preaſſeth to come neare, the fire of Gods wrath will holde him off, and will ſtrike out and burne vp the impenitent ſinner, as fire doeth the ſtubble: So it is an harder thing than manie think it to be, to win to Gods mercy. And how ſhal this be remidied? By what meanes ſhall wee gette thorowe this wall of fire? Truely hee who woulde meane to paſſe thorow fire, had neede to bee well armed: the man who preaſſeth to approach neare to that inuialable Majeſtie, who can abide no ſort of vncleanneſſe, and woulde drawe neare to the Throne of His grace muſt bee well armed againſt the juſtice and wrath of GOD, which debarreth ſinners. Surelie there is none armour in the world that can preſerue vsus from that raging and conſuming fire of the juſtice and wrath of GOD, but only the righteouſneſſe and ſatisfaction of Ieſus Chriſt. Let a man vſe all the meanes in the world, and he be not found in Chriſt, he ſhall hauehave none acceſſe to come thorowe the juſtice and wrath of God to the Throne of grace: yea, his ſoule and his conſcience muſt bee ſprinkled and purged from dead workes, with that blood which was offered vp to GOD to that ende by His eternall Spirite, Heb. 9. without he bee dipped in that blood, hee will finde GOD a terrible Iudge. And after that through faith in the death and blood of IESVS, thou commeſt to that Throne of grace▪ thou ſhalt heare the ſweeteſt and moſte comfortable voyce that euer was, that is, All thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee in that blood. And if a man were cōdemned to die for ſome haynous cryme▪ if the king would ſaye, I abſolue thee, I forgiue thee, thou ſhalt liue: What joye and comfort woulde that voyce bring to the heart of him who was condemned? The Apoſtle ſaieth, Hebr. 10. 22. Let vsus goe to the Throne of grace with a true heart, and purged from an euill conſcience through the blood of IESUS▪ CHRIST, that is, Thinke not to come to that Throne of grace, except firſt thou bee purged with that blood. Therefore, as euer thou wouldeſt bee in Heauen, or ſee the face of GOD to thy comfort, ſeeke to hauehave faith in CHRIST IESVS: Looke vvhat neceſſitie is laide vponupon a ſinner: either muſt hee bee baniſhed from the preſence and face of GOD for euer, and be caſten into the ſocietie of the damned, or elſe if he would bee ſaued, hee muſt bee imped and ingraffed by a true and liuely faith in Ieſus Chriſt: make thee for it with all thy maine, to get a gripe of Chriſt, as euer thou wouldeſt be ſaued.
Nowe after hee hath met this objection, which God or his owne conſcience in Gods cauſe might hauehave caſten in, that hee was ſo vnworthie to bee heard by an humble confeſſion of vnworthineſſe, and by fleeing from His juſtice, and claiming to His great mercies, bee ſetteth downe the ende of this merciemercy and free forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, when he ſaieth, But merciemercy is with Thee, that Thou mayest bee feared: The ende whereof the Lord granteth merciemercy and forgiueneſſe of ſinnes to ſinners, is that they may obey, ſerue, and worſhip God with pleaſure and alacritie. No man can euer be able to glorifie God, and to ſerue Him chearfully, but the man who hath aſſurance that his ſinnes are freely forgiuē him in that eternall louelove of God, through the blood of Ieſus: for none can glorifie God, except firſt he be glorified of God. Albeit the naturall man got neuer ſo manie and great benefites, yet becauſe hee hath none aſſurance of the forgiueneſſe of his ſinnes he can neuer glorifie God, nor be thankfull to Him. On the other part, It is vnpoſſible and if thou hauehave a ſure perſwaſion that thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee, but thou wilt bee careful in ſome meaſure to meet the Lord God in louelove, to pleaſure Him, and to thanke Him: for the firſt effect that floweth from the remiſsion of ſinnes, is ſanctification or glorification: And it is not poſsible▪ but if thou bee glorified, thou muſt glorifie the Lord againe. But the queſtion may be here proponed, Wherein ſtandeth our glorifying of God? hath He neede of our glorification? Can our ſeruice bee profitable to Him? Can our welldoing extend to Him? Hath He need of any thing that wee can doe? I anſwere: Indeede it is true, our well-doing cannot extende to Him, as Dauid confeſſeth of himſelfe in the 16. Pſalme, and the 2. verſ. All the Kinges and Monarches in the world cannot doe any thing that is profitable and ſteadable to God: We are not able to adde any thing to the glory of God, for His glory is infinite, and to an infinite thing nothing can bee added: for if anie thing coulde bee added, it were not infinite. The Father, the Sonne and the Holy Spirite perfectlie glorified one another from all eternitie. Glorifie Mee, ſaieth Chriſt, with that glorie which I had with Thee before the foundation of the world was laide. That bleſſed Trinitie was as perfect in glorie before the creation of the world, as it hath beene euer ſince. Our glorifying of God ſtādeth only in this, when the Lord illuminateth our minds, that we may ſee His glorie, in all his properties, that wee in our heartes with pleaſure and chearfulneſſe conſent thereunto, allow of it, and with our mouthes proclaime that glory which we ſee to be in Him. And it lieth not in man nor angel to compare His glory. The good & the euil, the well & ye wo, the commodity & incommodity of al cōmeth to our own ſelues: and happy is that man that glorifieth God, & miſerable is he y• glorifieth Him not: for our felicity ſtandeth not in that y• we our ſelues be glorified, but in this, that we glorify our Lord eternally, for that end were we created, & to y• ende were we redeemed with that precious ranſom, euē that we ſhuld glorify ye Lord & happy is that creature that hath ſome purpoſe, thirſt, & deſire to glorify God in this life, for he may be aſſured that one day the Lord ſhall glorify him eternally in Heauen. That ſoule, I ſay, ſhall be perfected in the life to come & without all impediment ſhall cry with the bleſſed Angels, Holy, holy, holy, is ye God of heauē, the Whole World is full of his glory. There ſhall it find in his countenance ſaciety of ioy, and at his right hand pleaſures for euer.
Marke here laſt, & I ſhal end with it, that the ſeeling of the mercy of God in Ieſus Chriſt bringeth out obedience & chearful ſeruice of God: yea, of al argumēts to moue a man to abſtein from ſin, & to ſerue the Lord with pleaſure, that is ye moſt pithie & forcible, The ſhame of ye world, the feare of temporal judgement, the horror of conſcience, & the feare of the paines of hel, wil not be ſo ſteadable: it may be … they repreſſe raging luſts, & furious affections …r a time, but they wil not mortify ſin, & ſlay corruptiō, & wil neuer cauſe a man with pleaſure to ſerue & obey God: but if a man hath foūd … God hath loued him ſo well, that he hath giuē his only ſon to dy, that he might liue, it is not poſſible but that mā, in ſome meaſure, wil ſet himſelf with alacrity & chearfulnes to ſerue God. Therfore, the Apoſtle, whē he wold perſwade chriſtiās to abſtein from ſin, & to ſerue God, what argument vſeth he chiefly? read Rom. 12. 1. he proponeth the mercy of God, offering Ieſus to die for them, for there hee ſaith, I beſeech you, brethrē, through the mercies of God, … ye offer vp your ſelues a liuing ſacrifice: therfore, if thou wouldeſt couet to do ye Lords wil chearfully, pray the Lord, that he would not ſo much threatē thee, & propone terrors to thee, as that he would make thee ſenſible of His mercies in Ieſus Chriſt. The vaine Papiſt ſpeakes litle or nothing almoſt to the people of this mercy of God in Ieſus Chriſt, but propones to the people the pains of hell, & fire of purgatory, to ſtay them from ſin, & to make them ſerue God▪ and do good works: but if there be no more, it wil neuer make them to bring forth ſuch obedience, as either is acceptable to God, or yet profitable to themſelues. The Lord therfore, make vsus to bee ſenſible of his vnſpeakeable louelove in Ieſus, that wee may ſet our ſelues with pleaſure to ſerue and glorify him here, that ſo we may be aſſured that hee ſhall glorify vsus in the kingdome of Heauen, which Ieſus hath purchaſed to vsus by his precious blood. To this Ieſus, with the Father, & the H. Spirit, be all praiſe, honor, and glory, for euer,
Amen.