" Rome's Masterpiece. " Royal Favourite.
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cedonians give for one enjoyment? O tliat Wales! O that Ireland! O that France ! Where shall I stop? I would offend none, but give me leave to say, O that every, I had almost said, O that any part of the world had such helps and means of grace, as these parts of England have, which will scarce acknowledge any mercy in it! The Lord break the pride of our spirits, before it break the staff of our bread, and the help of our salvation. O that the bread of heaven, and the blood of Christ might be accounted good nourishment, though every one hath not the sauce he de- sireth. I am persuaded that if every Absalom in the land, that would be a judge for the ending of our differences, were enthroned (he spoke the people's good, though he in- tended his own power), the case would not be much better than it is. Well, the Lord make England, make this ho- nourable audience, make us all to know these three things :
(1st.) That we have received such a blessing in setting at liberty the truths of the gospel, as is the crown of all other mercies, yea, without which they were not valuable, yea, were to be despised ; for success without the gospel is no- thino- but a prosperous conspiracy against Jesus Christ.
(2dly.) That this mercy is of mercy, this love of free love, and the grace that appeareth of the eternal hidden free grace of God. He hath shewed his love unto us because he loved us, and for no other reason in the world ; this peo- ple being guilty of blood and murder of soul and body, adultery, and idolatry, and oppression, with a long cata- logue of sins and iniquities.
(3dly.) That the height of rebellion against God, is the despising of spiritual gospel-mercies. Should Mordecai have trodden the robes under his feet that were brought him from the king, would it not have been severely re- venged ? Doth the King of heaven lay open the treasures of his wisdom, knowledge, and goodness for us, and we despise them ? What shall I say ? I had almost said, hell punishes no greater sin ; the Lord lay it not to our charge. O that we might be solemnly humbled for it this day, before it be. too late !
Use 3. To discover unto us the freedom of that effectual grace which is dispensed towards the elect, under and with the preaching of the word: for if the sending of the out-
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ward means be of free" undeserved love, surely the working of the Spirit under that dispensation, for the saving of souls, is no less free : for, ' who hath made us differ from others, and what have we that we have not received V O that God should say unto us in our blood, live ; that he should breathe upon us when we were as dry bones, dead in trespasses and sins ! Let us remember, 1 beseech you, the frame of our hearts, and the temper of our spirits, in the days wherein we knew not God and his goodness, but went on in a swift? course of rebellion. Can none of you look back upon any particular days or nights, and say. Ah Lord, that thou shouldest be so patient, and so full of forbearance, as not to send me to hell at such an instant ! But, oh Lord, that thou shouldest go farther, and blot out mine iniquities for thine own sake, ' when I made thee serve with my sins !' Lord, what shall I say it is ? It is the free grace of my God. What expression transcendeth that, I know not.
Use 4. Of caution. England received the gospel of mere mercy, let it take heed lest it lose it by justice ; the placer of the candlestick can remove it. The truth is, it will not be removed, unless it be abused ; and woe to them from whom mercies are taken for b.eing abused, from whom the gospel is removed for being despised. It had been better for the husbandmen never to have had the vineyard, than to be slain for their ill using of it : there is nothing left to do them good, who are forsaken for forsaking the gospeL
The glory of God was of late by many degrees depart- ing from the temple in our land. That was gone to the threshold, yea to the mount : if now at the return thereof, it find again cause to depart, it will not go by steps, but all at once. This island, or at least the greatest part thereof, as I formerly intimated, hath twice lost the gospel ; once, when the Saxons wrested it from the Britains, when, if we may believe their own doleful moaning "^ historian, they were given over to all wickedness, oppression, and villany of life, which doubtless was accompanied with contempt of
o Non libertate gratiara, sed gratia libertatem consequimur. Aug. P Ezek xxxvi. 26. Acts xvi. 14. Phil. i. 29. ii. 13. <i Gildas de Excid. Brita^nise. Omnia quae Deo placebant, et displicebant, Eequali lance pendebantur, non igitur adiniranduiu est degeaeres tales patriam illani amitteie, quara praedicto modo niaculabant. Hist. M.S. apud Foxuin.