Sermons, Sermon 18
THE XVIII. SERMON.
I. TIMOTH. CHAP. I.
verse 14 But the grace of our Lord was exceeding aboundant with faith and louelove, which is in Christ Ieſus.
verse 15 This is a true ſaying, and by all meanes worthie to bee receiued, that Christ Ieſus came into the world to ſaue ſinners, of whom I am chiefe.
verse 16 Notwithſtanding, for this cauſe was I receiued to merciemercy, that Ieſus Christ ſhould first ſhew on mee all long ſuffering, vntounto the enſample of them, who ſhall in time to come beleeue in him vntounto eternall life.
THE Apoſtle Paul (well-beloued Brethren in Chriſt) conſidering that the Lord IESVS had ſhewed ſuch mercy vponupon him, as to concredite to him the glorious Euā gell of the bleſſed GOD, immediately falleth out in a thankſgiuing to Chriſt. There are two cauſes in the propoſition of the thankeſgiuing: the one is taken from the power of Chriſt, wherewith he is made ſtrōg: for whē he was nothing, the Lord Ieſus made him ſtrong: The other is from the mercy of Chriſt, whē hee was vnfaithfull, (how could a blaſphemer bee faithful?) the Lord was ſo mercifull, that He made him faithful, & this he declareth, becauſe he being before, a perſecuter, the Lord made him an ambaſſadour of that ſame Euangell which hee perſecuted. He leaueth not this mercy, but inſiſteth in magnifying of it in regard, that not only he was a Preacher, but likewiſe hee was a true Chriſtian man. Ere euer he ſet downe this mercy, he telleth what he was before, and he …ayeth, When I was a blaſphemer, & not onelyonly that, but with torments, compelled the Chriſtians to blaſpheme, I was a perſecuter, and yet further, an oppreſſour, he leaueth nothing vntolde of himſelfe, and he thinketh no ſhame to honour that God, who had merciemercy vponupon him, with his owne ſhame, and hee regiſirateth his owne miſ-behauiour to his ſhame, that eueryevery one of the Saincts of God, to the end of the world may ſay Glory be to God, that hath ſhewed mercy on ſuch a ſinner: then he wondereth and ſayeth, but he had merciemercy vponupon me, & therewith by the way hee joyneth a reaſon, why the Lord ſhewed mercy ſa readily on him, becauſe he did it not of malice or knowledge, but he was blinded, hee did it of ignorance, hee was deſtitute of Faith, but aſſoone as hee gote mercy, hee changed his courſe: yet hee leaueth not off but entereth into a deaper conſideration of this Grace, & he ſayeth, The Grace of the Lord abounded exceedingly, My ſinne abounded, but grace ſuperabounded, and theſe wordes are from the ſenſe of the heart, the heart beeing opened with the ſenſe of Grace, openeth the mouth that it vttereth theſe words: the grace of Chriſt is ſuperabundant, for if the heart be filled with the ſenſe of grace & mercy, it will make the mouth to proclaime the mercy of God, & to extoll it highly. The cauſe why we cannot ſet out ye mercy of God in hie termes, is, becauſe in vsus there is no feeling of mercy: therefore it is, that we vtter wordes ſo ſlender and of ſo litle valour, when we ſpeak of that louelove & that mercy, as it were a thing of none importance. When he hath told that the grace of the Lord ſuperabounded, he addeth alſo. With faith and with louelove in Ieſus Christ, he declareth that ſuperabundant grace by a wonderfull mutation and change that was made in him by the power of IESVS CHRIST, that of a blaſphemer of Chriſt, he is made a beleeuer, apprehending him by Faith, of a perſecuter and oppreſſour of the Sainctes of God, hee was made a louer of them. The ſenſe of the mercy of God, & faith in Ieſus Chriſt, bringeth foorth louelove in the heart. And whoſoeuer hath aſſurance of merciemercy & true faith, his heart wil be joyned with Chriſt and he will hauehave a great louelove towardes Him: then for Chriſtes ſake he will louelove all His Saincts: there wil not be a ſoule in the Church of Chriſt, but he will louelove him ſo intirely y• he wold giuegive his life for him, & as he will louelove him ſo he will pity him: for he y• hath faith, wil both louelove & pity mē: he y• wāts pity, and careth not what becōmeth of ye whole world, ſo he bee well hee hath neuer found what was the mercy of God in his heart. Alas! howe few is the number of theſe faithfull ones! how rare a thing is faith in the hearts of men! What argueth this coldneſſe in the heartes of men, this want of louelove and pity in the multitude? Nothing but this, that albeit mercy be preached, yet ye multitude feeleth it not. And if thou hadſt all this world, and yet taſted not of that ſweetneſſe of this mercy of God in Ieſus Chriſt, thou kneweſt neuer what joy, what comfort, what pleaſure was.
Then in the next wordes hee openeth vp the ground as it were of that mercy that was ſhewed vponupon him, which is the generall ende of the comming of Chriſt into this worlde: and from the generall he concludeth on this manner, Christ Ieſus is come into the world to ſaue ſinners, and I am a ſinner, therefore He will ſaue me amongſt the reſt. Before he come to the words of the propoſition, becauſe it is a great and notable ſentence, hee vſeth a preface: as ye Lord Ieſus in matters of importance vſed to ſay, Verily, verily, I ſay vntounto you: ſo here th' Apoſtle ſaith, This is a true ſaying, and by all meanes worthy to be receiued. In this preface he prepareth not onelyonly Timothie, but all that euer ſhal heare this ſentēce vntounto the end of the world: and he prepareth them not only to the attenſion of the eare, but he prepareth them vntounto faith in the heart: ſo that as ſoone as they ſhould heare this ſentence, they ſhould apply it with their hearts. Alas! why ſhould ſo worthy & excellent ſentēces as theſe are paſſe away without any attention or preparation on our part? It is true, Brethren, we ſhould neuer come to ye hearing of any part of the word without preparation: wee ſhould not come to the holy congregation like as many ſwine, without hauing any regard what wee are doing, but we ſhould come with preparation: & not only with an eare prepared, but with an hart prepared: and when thou entereſt into the Church thou ſhouldeſt ſay, The Lord prepare mine heart, that I may receiue ſome ſponke of grace. So a preparation is requiſite in generall to the hearing of the worde. But yet the heart of man would be better prepared for the hearing of ſuch notable ſentences as this is, Christ is come into the world to ſaue ſinners: they require a more ſingular preparation. There is no doubt he ſpake through the full aſſurāce of faith, and that which he ſpake, he aſſuredly beleeued: & therefore he ſpake of it. When wee ſpeake of that grace, the heart ſhould riſe with an aſſurance. Look to the Prophet Dauid, with what aſſurāce he ſpeaketh of it, I beleeued (ſaith hee) therefore did I ſpeake, Pſal. 116. 10. Look to the Apoſtles, with what faith & aſſurance they ſpeake of it: becauſe, ſaith Paul, 2. Cor. 4. 13. We hauehave the ſame Spirit of faith, according as it is written, I beleeued, and therefore hauehave I ſpoken, wee alſo beleeue, and therefore we ſpeake. So when thou heareſt or ſpeakeſt of this grace of the Lord Ieſus, ſeek to hauehave this aſſurance in thine heart, and ſaye, Lord, giuegive me Thy grace in ſpeaking and hearing of the benefite of Chriſt, that I may ſpeake and heare with aſſurance. And if ye take heede to the words of the preface, he riſeth vp in commending of this ſentence, that Chriſt came into the world to ſaue ſinners: and hee ſaieth not onelie, This is a true ſaying, that wee may aſſuredlie beleeue: but likewiſe hee ſaieth, and by all meanes worthie to bee receiued. Hee welcommeth (in a manner) Chriſt Ieſus comming into the world, he embraceth that ſaluation that Hee brought vvith Him. And would to God, whether wee bee Preachers or hearers, that wee coulde attaine to that meaſure of grace, that ſo oft as wee name the comming of Ieſus Chriſt, that in ſpeaking of it our hearts may be mooued to embrace Him, and that life and ſaluation which He hath purchaſed for vsus. So this preface ſerueth to confirme our hearts, & deepelie to imprint in them the doctrine of the grace of Chriſt of remiſſion of ſinnes, of ſaluation through Him, &c. for by nature there is in euerie one of vsus ſuch a miſtruſting & doubting thereof: y• albeit God wold a thouſand times offer it vntounto vsus: albeit Chriſt himſelfe would teach neuer ſo much vntounto vsus, yet are we euer ſtill in doubt and queſtioning in our owne heartes, whether it be ſo or not. Againſt all this miſtruſting and reaſoning of our owne hearts, we muſt bee armed with this preface of the Apoſtle, as with a buckler, that it is a true ſaying, & by al means worthy to be receiued. But to come to the ſaying it ſelf, It reckoneth vp ye whole Euangell, for what is the Euangell in fewe wordes? The Lord Ieſus, the Sonne of God, is come into the world, by his manifeſtation in the fleſh & taking vponupon him our nature, and in it, hee hath ſuffered the moſte ſhamefull death of the Croſſe, for the ſinnes of man, and riſing againe from death, hath paſſed vp to glorie, and all to this ende, For the ſaluation of man: There is the whole Goſpell. Alas! if we took heed to theſe tithings, our hearts woulde not bee carried after ſo manie vanities. The Apoſtle (1 Timoth. 3. 16.) calleth this the myſterie of godlineſſe, and a great myſterie, That GOD is manifeſted in the fleſhe, juſtified in the Spirite, ſeene of the Angels, preached vntounto the Gentiles, beleeued on in the worlde, receiued vp into glorie, &c. All this hee ſetteth downe here in a word, Chriſt Jeſus came into the worlde: and hee telleth vsus it was to ſaue ſinners: that wee, who are ſinners, might hauehave joye, and rejoyce at His comming: for wee ſhould neuer heare nor reade ſuch ſentences, but with joye. But the wordes woulde bee weighed, hee ſaieth, CHRIST came into the worlde to ſaue ſinners. What is this that hee calleth ſinners? there are two ſorts of ſinners in the worlde: The firſt are they who thinke they hauehave no ſinne, they are ſo hardned in their ſinne, they neuer got their hearts opened to ſee their owne ſinne, and wretchedneſſe: (for an indured ſinner feeleth no ſinne) but by the contrarie, they thinke themſelues juſt: they are puft vp with a cōceit of their own righteouſnes, they thinke thēſelues whole & free frō the diſeaſe of ſin, and theſe are the greateſt part of the world. An example we hauehave in that proude Phariſie, who would ſtand vp and juſtify himſelfe before God, & ſay, I thanke thee, O God, that I am not a ſinner as other men, extortioners, vnjust, adulterers, or euē as this Publicane, Luke 18. 11. But it is not for the ſaluation of thoſe men that Chriſt came into the world: no, mercy belōgeth not to them, they will neuer taſte of any mercy of God in Ieſus Chriſt and therfore Chriſt ſaith, (Mat. 9. 12. 13.) The whole need not a Phiſition, that is, they who are whole & free of the ſickneſſe of ſin in their own conceit: I am not come to call the juſt, that is, indured ſinners who think thēſelues juſt, becauſe they are touched with no ſenſe of ſin: and well had it bene for them, if Chriſt had neuer come into the world, for they want not only grace in Him, but by the contrary, by the contemning of the grace that is offered, they heap on cōdemnation on their own heads. There is another ſort of ſinners, who hauehave a true ſenſe of ſin, and grone vnderunder the burthen thereof, who are ſore grieued in their owne conſciences for it: and it is of theſe ſinners that th' Apoſtle ſpeaketh here: for Chriſt ſheweth mercy only on theſe ſinners, He came into the world to ſaue them only: therfore He ſaith, Mat. 9. 13. I come to call ſinners to repētāce, meaning theſe ſinners who hauehave their conſciences wakened with ye ſenſe of ſin: theſe ſinners only He inuiteth to come vntounto Him to get grace & refreſhmēt: Come vntounto me, ſaith He, all ye that weary & laden, & I will refreſh you, Mat. 11. 28. Theſe ſinners will get grace to heare the word, and wil get their minds illuminated with it, whereas indured ſinners, the more they heare the more are they blinded: and therefore Chriſt ſaith, Joh. 9. 39. I am come vntounto judgement into this world, that they that ſee not, may ſee, to wit, the penitent ſinners: and that they ſee, that is, indured ſinners, may bee blinded: & if thou be an indured ſinner, thou canſt not heare the word with profite, thou canſt not be inlightened thereby. But albert thou be a blaſphemer, an adulterer, an harlot, & the greateſt ſinner that is, if thou harden not thine heart at the hearing of the word of God, O how wonderfully will it worke in thy ſoule! it wil bring thee to a ſenſe of thy ſin, it will make thee to bee grieued for thy ſin▪ and to lament & mourne vnfainedly for it: it will make thee to runne & ſeeke for grace & mercy in Chriſt that thy ſin may be done away: an example of this ye hauehave in Dauid, when he had committed adultery & murther: no ſooner is ye word preached to him by Nathan, but aſſoone his heart is pierced with the ſenſe of his ſin, he confeſſeth & acknowledgeth it, hee is ſore grieued for it, hee crieth for mercy in the Meſſias, to put away his iniquities, as ye may ſee, 1. Sam. 12. 13. & Pſal. 51. Such like ye ſee in Paul, who before was perſecuting the Church, aſſoone as he heareth the voyce of Chriſt, his conſciēce is wakened, he trembleth, he is aſtonied, he humble intreateth for mercy, hee offereth ſeruice to the Lord, & ſaieth▪ Lord, what wilt thou that I doe? Acts 9. 6. And it is onelyonly ſuch perſons as theſe, who are of a contrite Spirit, who tremble at the Lords wordes, that doe get merciemercy and ſaluation. Then in a word, a humble & penitent ſinner, how great ſo euer his ſinne be, he …all get ſaluation. So there is nothing that hindereth thee from merciemercy and ſaluation, but the malitiouſnes of thine owne heart. It is not Adulterie, it is not Murther, it is not Blaſphemie or oppreſlion, that depriueth thee of yt ſaluation, but the hardnes of thine heart that cannot repent: if thou haſt a contrite heart, and canſt ſay, Woe is me, that I hauehave offended ſo ſweet & gracious a God, thou ſhalt get merciemercy. It is an heauie & Iamentable caſe, that ſinners ſhould want mercy for fault of repentance. When he hath ſet downe this generall ſentence, whereon hee groundeth the mercy of God that was ſhewed on him, that Chriſt came in the world to ſaue ſinners, he cōmeth to the particular application, & he ſubjoyneth, But I am the firſt ſinner in the world, the concluſion is vnderſtood, therefore Chriſt Ieſus came in the world to ſaue me. Would to God eueryevery ſinner in the world could learne to apply this general ſentence to themſelues in the ſame maner that Paul doth here, & frō his heart could ſay with him, Chriſt Ieſus is come in the world to ſaue ſinners, & then ſubjoyne, Bot I am the firſt ſinner in the world, that ſa he might apply mercy & ſaluation to himſelfe, for without this application, theſe generall ſentences can ſerue for no vſe. It is true indeede, Brethren, ſciences of theſe generall ſentences that are contained in ye Scripture, is very good, yea, the knowledge of them is moſt neceſſary: for no man can hauehave conſcience without knowledge: But it is as true on the other part, that ſcience and knowledge auaile not without cōſcience, applying particularlie to a mans ſoule the thing that hee knoweth. As when men know theſe generall ſentences ſet downe in the word, if they applie them not to themſelues, the knowledge of them can ſerue to no purpoſe: As for example: when a man knoweth this generall ſentence of the law, Curſed is eueryevery man that continueth not in eueryevery thing which is written in the booke of the law, to doe them, if thou apply it not, it can doe thee no good: But if thy conſcience be wakened, to acknowledge thy trāſgreſſing of ye law, & conſequently to apply to thy ſelfe that curſe of the lawe, & eternall condemnation, what ſorrow & griefe will it worke in thine heart? what earneſt deſire will it worke to bee free from that curſe and eternall condemnation? Yea, thou wouldeſt bee content to giuegive all the world to bee free of that curſe, and the heauie burthen of the wrath of God. And Brethren, look neuer for mercy, nor ſaluation, except firſt thine own conſcience condemne thee: if thy conſcience condemne thee not, the Lord of Heauē ſhal condemne thee. There is neuer one that is freede from the curſe and condemnation of the law, but they who feele their ſin & groane vnderunder the burthen of it, & get a ſight of their condemnation for ſin.
Another example we hauehave of this generall ſentence that the Apoſtle hath in this place, Chriſt Ieſus is come into the world to ſaue ſinners: If thou applie it not, & ſay not as the Apoſtle doeth, I am a ſinner, it can furniſh thee no joy nor comfort. Thē when we come to heare the doctrine of grace & mercy, let vsus come with a conſcience wakened & wearie with the ſenſe of ſin: for if the ſoules of men and women were weary, & laden with the burthen of ſin, they would feele an vnſpeakeable joye in their hearts at the preaching of y• doctrine of ſaluation. But becauſe we are caſten vp in a ſenſeleſſe ſecuritie, our conſciences are aſleep, & the thing that we hauehave is but a generall motion: therefore it is, that at the preaching of the law there is no ſorrow, no griefe no heauineſſe of hart: & if the glad tithings of the Euangell bee preached, there is no joye nor comfort: And this is the thing that we hauehave moſte to lament at the preaching of the word, that wee hauehave no feeling neither of ſadneſſe nor of joy: and therefore the judgement is the nearer. And hee or ſhe that l…eth hardeſt ſleeping in greateſt ſecurity, ſhall get the foreſt & moſt terrible wakening when the judgement commeth. Nowe the Lord waken our conſciences in time and giuegive vsus grace to take heed to the preaching of the word, and to beware of our ſelues, & euer pray to the Lord for grace: & neuer let neither the memory of His mercy toward penitēt ſinners, nor of His judgemēt againſt indured and impenitent ſinners, paſſe out of our mind. Marke againe: In application when he applieth the generall vntounto himſelfe, he applieth not immediately ſaluation, but firſt he applieth ſinne to himſelfe, and then ſaluation: he ſaith not firſt, I am ſaued, but firſt hee ſaieth, I am the greateſt amongſt ſinners, & thereafter he ſaith, I hauehave obtained mercy. Then take heed to thy application. When thou heareſt, by the preaching of the Goſpell, ſaluation offered to ſinners, take not firſt to thy ſelfe ſaluation, but firſt take ſinne and death: then take life, and apply it to thy ſelfe: Rejoyce not firſt at the preaching of the glad tithinges of ſaluation, but firſt conceiue a diſpleaſure: then let joy ariſe out of diſpleaſure: for joy of ſaluatiō muſt ariſe out of the diſpleaſure, through the feare of damnation. It ſhall paſſe thy power to finde joye through the ſenſe of mercy and ſaluation▪ before thou find ſadneſſe & heauineſſe of heart through the ſenſe of ſinne and damnation. Euen as ye ſee a ſpring of water will not breake out of a rocke except the rocke bee broken: Euen ſo is it with this effect, No joye can bee to the heart of a Chriſtian man or woman, till the heart be contrite and broken with ſadneſſe through the ſenſe of ſinne: The heart is firſt exceeding heauy and ſorrowfull, and out of that heauineſſe ariſeth the joy: and the heauier the heart is, the greater the joye is. Would to God we had this ſorrow & ſadneſſe, and the ſenſe of the wrath of God in our hearts for ſinne: for the ſaddeſt heart for ſinne will get the greateſt joy, & euermore the greater ſadneſſe, the greater joye. If our hearts bee grieued, and weary with the ſight of ſinne, wee ſhall hauehave ſuch a ſpirituall joy, as the world knoweth not: And this joy is as ſure an earneſt-penny of that joy of Heauē, as euer was. And he that hath that joy that ariſeth from that ſorow in the hart for ſinne, he hath a ſufficient warrand of that joy in Heauen: and hee that hath not that joy, hee hath no warrand of that Heauenly joye: Therefore Chriſt ſaieth, Bleſſed are they that mourne, for they ſhalbe comforted, Mat. 5. 4. Now in this world this joy is mixed with teares, but then it ſhall be a perfect joy, and all teares ſhalbe wiped away from our eyes. Now for Chriſtes ſake put away vanitie and wantonneſſe and let eueryevery one of vsus take vp a new courſe of life, that we may mourne and weep vnfainedly for our ſinnes, (for we hauehave all neede) that in ſtead of this worldly joy, wee may get that ſolide & vnſpeakeable joy that ariſeth out of ſadneſſe: otherwiſe we only enjoy the name of Chriſtians, but as the diſpoſition of the heart which is required in a Chriſtian, it is farre from vsus.
Yet marke further: His conſcience is not onelie wakened with the ſenſe of ſinne, hee is not onelie touched with a true ſorrow for it, but alſo he maketh a cleare & plaine confeſſion of it. Then mark it: Before thou getteſt mercy in Chriſt, thou muſt firſt of neceſſity acknowledge & confeſſe thy ſin: for confeſſion of ſinne muſt of neceſſity go before mercy. Dauid found this by experience, for ſo long as he held his tongue, and would not confeſſe his ſinne, he could find nothing but the wrath & heauie hand of God againſt him: My bones (ſaieth hee) were conſumed, I roared all the day, &c: but aſſoone as hee taketh this reſolution with himſelfe, I will confeſſe againſt my ſelfe, my wickedneſſe vntounto the Lord: then hee found the Lord to ſhew mercy on him, and to forgiue him ye puniſhment of his ſin, Pſal. 32. 3. 4. 5. And to what purpoſe ſhoulde any man cou…r his ſinnes from God, whoſe all-ſeeing eyes pierce into the braines and moſte ſecrete corners of the heart, and to whom all things are open & patent, and who knoweth eueryevery mans ſinnes better than he can doe himſelfe? Why ſhouldeſt thou then diſſemble with Him? why ſhouldeſt thou not make a plaine & open confeſſion of thy ſinnes vntounto Him, that thou mayeſt get mercy? Another thing would be marked: Hee is not content to confeſſe his ſin, but he ſaith, I am the chiefe of ſinners: Hee ſaieth not ſimply, I am a ſinner, but the chiefeſt ſinner, the firſt ſinner in the world. Brethren, if we had a ſenſe of our ſin, euen the leaſt ſinner of vsus would thinke he were the greateſt, hee would not goe about to excuſe his ſinne, hee woulde not cloake it as Cam did, hee would not extenuate it, much leſſe would hee hauehave a proude conceit of himſelfe, and of his own righteouſneſſe: he would not enter in as that proude Phariſee did, Luke 18. 10, who helde vp his head, and ſaide, I am not as other men▪ extortioners, vnjust, adulterers, or euen as this Publicane: The poore Publicane was in ye meane time hinging down his head: but hee was a greater ſinner. But if thou enter into compariſon with others, and hauehave a ſenſe of thy ſin, thou wilt thinke with thy ſelfe, There is not ſo great a ſinner in the world as I am, & thou wilt ſay with Paul, I am the firſt and chiefeſt of ſinners. Now when he hath applied the generall ſentence to himſelfe, and ſhewed that the Lord had giuen him mercy and ſaluation. He ſetteth downe next the end of this grace: But herefore (ſaieth hee) he had mercy on me, that he might first ſhew on me al long ſuffering: there is an end: another end is, that I ſhould be an example, to others in the world.
Nowe, Brethren, when God ſheweth mercy on any man, it is not for nothing, it is not without great & manifeſt cauſes, for He will not caſt grace lightly away: Indeed He will giuegive theſe temporall benefits to the wicked, becauſe He eſteemeth not ſo much of them: Hee will throwe a lordſhip, an earledome, yea a kingdome, to a reprobate: but as for one ſpunke of y• ſpirituall grace of Ieſus Chriſt, He will know well to whom He giueth it: He will take good heed to whom Hee giueth one drop of that precious blood of Ieſus Chriſt, and Hee will louelove them exceedingly. Thinke yee not that hee would louelove a leprous man well, that would waſhe him with his owne blood? The preciouſeſt liquor that euer was in the world, is the blood of the Lord Ieſus, yea, ſuch is the worthineſſe & preciouſneſſe thereof, that all the worlde will not buy one drop of it. Shall we not thinke then, that He loueth that man well, whome Hee waſheth with His blood? Shall we not thinke, that He beareth an vnſpeakeable louelove to that man whom He waſheth with His Holy Spirit? Marke it, Brethren: Mercy commeth by chance to no man: it is vſually ſaid, Kingdomes come of hap: but it is not ſo with mercy and the grace of Ieſus Chriſt: none gets it but theſe whoſe names are writtē vp in the booke of life: none are called to the participation of one ſpunke of that ſauing grace, but they who were predeſtinated from all eternity. And therefore, if thou haſt gotten one ſpunke of grace, count with thy ſelfe, that thou waſt predeſtinated from all eternity to euerlaſting life, and count with thy ſelfe, that thou haſt gotten a more excellent and precious thing, than if thou hadſt gotten all the world. Now as He will not lightly giuegive grace, ſo He giueth it not for the perſon himſelf alone, who receiueth the grace: but Hee will hauehave a conſequence following vponupon the giuing of that grace and mercy: firſt, He will hauehave the glory of that grace and mercy to Himſelfe: and what more? Hee will ſet him, on whome Hee hath vouchſaſed that grace and mercy, to be a ſpectacle and example of His mercy before the worlde. To ſpeake of the firſt ende, That he ſhould ſhow on mee al clemency: that is, that ſhewing ſuch mercy on me who was the greateſt ſinner, Hee might manifeſt and declare the exceeding greatneſſe of His merciemercy to the world.
Brethren, the thing that God looketh to in His workes, is, that Hee might bee glorified in His eſſentiall properties: but aboue all the reſt of His properties, Hee will bee glorified in His mercy, He will bee glorified in His power, in His wiſedome, in his juſtice. Sodome and Gomorrha was a ſpectacle to ſinners of His juſtice, to terrifie ſinners to the ende of the worlde. But aboue all, Hee ſeeketh to bee glorified in His owne mercy. Aboue all things the Lord will hauehave His louelove and mercy to ſhine in the worlde, Hee will hauehave the creature to glorifie Him in His mercy. What is the cauſe that Hee ſent Chriſt into the worlde? That in Chriſt His mercy might ſhine in the world. What is the cauſe of this preaching of the Euangell? Why is it ſent? That His mercy might ſhine in the worlde: And all the Paſtors ſhould teach and proclaime this merciemercy of God, and not ſpeake of judgement, but when men regardeth not His mercy. Looke what the LORD will doe, that His mercy ſhould ſhine in the world, Hee will take blaſphemous perſons, perſecuters, oppreſſors, ſuch as Paul was, and Hee will ſhewe mercy vponupon them, Hee will make them to be ſpectacles of His mercy in the ſight of the world, that all the worlde ſhoulde ſtand wondering, that the Lord ſheweth mercy vponupon them. And there is not one of them who are juſtified by Chriſt, but they are ſpectacles of the mercy of God, ſet before the world, to make the world to wonder at his mercy: that ſo wee may learne to knowe, and deepely to conſider, the mercy of GOD, not onelyonly by His worde, but alſo by His workes and examples of them that hauehave obtained mercy. Now to come to the ſecond ende, hee ſaieth, Unto the example of them that ſhall in time to come beleeue in him. Then Paul getteth mercy not for himſelfe onelyonly, but alſo for other ſinners, who ſeeing this mercy ſhewed vponupon him, might reaſon with themſelues and ſay, Yonder blaſphemer, yonder perſecuter, yonder oppreſſor, hath gotten mercy, and may not I likewiſe bee aſſured to get mercy? Therefore, when thou ſeeſt that the Lord is merciful to any man, ſay with thy ſelfe, It is not for nothing that the Lord hath giuen this man mercy: but it is for my cauſe, that I may by his example be ſtirred vp to ſeeke mercy: therefore I will goe and get mercy at his handes. But alas! ſuch is our ſecurity and ſenſeleſneſſe, that howbeit the Lord be continually calling vponupon vsus, and offering mercy vntounto vsus by His worde, and likewiſe by euer ſetting foorth before vsus godlie men and women, that of vnholy creatures are made holy creatures, to be ſpectacles of His merciemercy, that by them wee ſhould take example: yet all theſe meanes that God vſeth to teſtifie His mercy vntounto vsus, mooueth vsus not to conſider and take vp His mercy. But bleſſed is that ſoule that can learn by anie of theſe meanes, to take vp the merciemercy of GOD, and to ſeeke for it: for merciemercy is the preciouſeſt jewell that euer was. Therefore, when thou findeſt not aſſurance of mercy, then be ſorie for it, and ſtriue earneſtly to obtaine it: for there is no ſurer token that the Lord is to ſhew merciemercy to anie ſoule, than vvhen vponupon the ſight and feeling of the vvant thereof the ſoule is grieued, and ſtriueth and endeuoureth more and more to obtaine a more full aſſurance thereof. And therefore, vvhen I conſider howe men in this Land are ſleeping in ſinne, vvithout anie remorſe of conſcience, and are ſo careleſſe to ſeeke to hauehave aſſurance of merciemercy, I am afraide, that the LORD is about to vvith-draw merciemercy from this Nation. The LORD auert His vvrath, and be mercifull vntounto this ſinfull Nation, for CHRISTES ſake: To vvhom vvith the Father, and the Holy Spirit, be all honour, praiſe, and glory, vvorlde vvithout end, AMEN.
FINIS.
End of the text · Robert Rollock, Sermons (1616)