holy enough as did these Scribes and Pharises who needed no Physician they no more saw their need of a Physician then they saw their sicknesse And thâ— there be many whole men in the world and almost al men are generally whole in these daies Hos. 7. 9. Ephraim saw not his gray haires nor the consumption of his strength Revel 3. â—7 Laodicea saith she is rich and needs nothing The Pharisie blesseth God he is not as others he seeth in himselfe no hypocrisie nor pride nor contempt of others he is a whole man Many a civill man liveth honestly he doth no man harme he is beloved of his neighbours he keeps the Commandements as well as God will give him leave This mans case in his owne conceit is sound and good and he hopes he shall live in his righteousnesse And in thousands presumption is as a chaine to the necke who tell us they love God with all their hearts have a strong saith never had any doubt they thanke God no not so much as any grudgings of unbeleefe and it were pitty he should live that doubteth of his salvation These are sound men and whole but as they never beleeved so they never bewailed their infidelity never groaned under the burthen of their sinnes are enemies to God to his Word to all righteousnesse worldlings oppressors deceivers swearers cursors otherwise abominable yet still found and whole men in their owne conceit And another cause of conceited soundnesse is the extenuaation of sinne Some qualmes and grudgings they have and all men are sinners and crazy but themselves are no great sinners or no greater then other men Thus they mince and lessen their sinnes They are not sicke enough to seeke out to the Physician they have ease enough yet if it would hold without Christ. Now see the miserable and damnable estate of these men First they are eaten up with griping diseases and deadly pangs and yet feele nothing Paines of sinne are like the pains of sicknesse the lesse felt the more dangerous and deadly Secondly as they need not the Physician so certainely the Physician needs not them hee came not for them they have as much helpe from him as they seeke He came not to call the righteous He calleth and cureth onely the sicke and heavy laden with the sense and burden of sinne Let this therefore serve to convince these whole men and let them see their estate so as they may seeke to the Physician and not dye senslesse The markes and spots of a deadly disease are these First an ill stomacke argueth bodily disease so Spirituall If the Word the Manna from heaven be bitter if thy minde rise against it and the mouth of thy soule be out of taste if thy memory keepe not the doctrine of God if by meditation thou digestest it not and so sendest it not into all parts of thy life thou art sick iudeed though thou secmost never so whole Secondly when the body consumeth the parts are weakned the knees bowe under a man and with much adoe he draggeth his limbes after him there is certainly a bodily disease though there bee no complaint So in the soule when men are weake to deeds of piety have no strength to conquer temptation to suffer crosses and trials to workes of charity mercy or justice but all strength of grace seems to be exhausted here is a dangerous disease here may wee justly feare a spirituall hecticke which is no sooner discernable then deadly Thirdly when the senses faile the eyes grow dimme the eares dull it is an apparant signe of a bodily or spirituall disease A senslesse man is the sickest man because he is sicke though he be not sensible Even so when the eye-strings of the soule are broken that they see not the light of grace nor of God which as the Sunne shines round about them the eares heare not the voyce of God the feeling is gone they have no sense of the great gashes and wounds of the lusts of uncleannesse drunkennesse covetousnesse swearing lying malice against God and his servants nay no complaint but rather rejoycing in these neither is there any fellowship in the afflictions of Ioseph the soule of such a man lyes very weake as a man for whom the Bell is ready to toll Fourthly difficulty of breathing or to be taken speechlesse is a signe of a disease and death approching So in the soule prayer being the breath of the soule when a man can hardly fetch this breath cannot pray or with much adoe can begge mercy strength and supply of grace or when he is speechlesse a man cannot heare him whisper a good and savoury word but all is earthly fruitlesse or hurtfull here is a living Corps a painted sepulcher not a man of a better world Would men try themselves by these notes they would soone discorne their sicknesse and runne out to the Physician But oh what an hard taske is it to bring a man rightly to know his estate A singer of the body cannot ake but men complaine and bind it up But the soule lies gasping and there is no such care c. Thus negatively of the Patient or party fit for cure Affirmatively it is the sicke man And he is the sicke man that feeles and groanes under the paine and burden of his sin The point this Sinne is the most dangerous sâ—ickenesse in the whole world and fitly resembles bodily sickenesse For First sicknesse comes by intemperance the temperate body is never sick while we were in innocency we were in sound health but through distemperature in our natures we were poysoned at first and ever since our sinnes and lusts conceiving bring forth sinne and death And as some sicknesses be hereditary and propagated so the sicknesse of sinne is propagated from Adam to all his posterity and every man hath added to his disease by his owne wilfull transgression Secondly sicknesse weakneth the body and impaireth the vigor of nature so doth sinne in the soule experience sheweth that after some sinne we very hardly and weakly attempt any good thing for along time Sin hath weakned the faculties darkened the understanding corrupted the will disordered the affections thence this sicknesse Thirdly sickenesse brings paine and torment into the body so doth sinne into the soule first or last There is no peace to a wicked man but terrors soule horrors of conscience and desperate feares doe ever attend him Fourthly sicknesse continuing and lingring on the body threatneth death and without timely cure bringeth it Sinne also not removed by repentance menaceth and bringeth certaine death to body and soule Fifthly sicknesse is generally incident to al men So the soules of all men are diseased by nature even the soules of the Elect till they bee healed by Christ. And these diseases are most foule and incurable compared in Scripture to a gangrene which suddenly eateth up the body 2 Tim.
2. 17. and to the Leprosie the contagion whereof not onely reacheth over all the parts of a man but to others also and for the effect casteth a man out of the Congregation Conceive then of sinne as of a sicknesse and beware of it How carefull are wise men of their health to prevent sickenesse and againe how foolish and negligent are infinite numbers of people who are exceeding carefull to preserve the health of their bodies yet think not at all of their poore soules which lye languishing of lamentable deadly diseases Well prevent beginnings breake off sinne betimes A disease suffered long growes incurable Others may learne to groane under the burden of sinne Little is the hope of him who is deadly sicke and senslesse of it It is the contrite heart and broken spirit onely that is capable of cure one that feeleth and cryeth out of the paine of sinne originall and actuall that feeleth the want of Christ and prizeth him and his merits above gold silver and all He must be sicke that must be well Christ can worke no cure on a sound man The Paschall lambe is to be eaten with bitter herbs signifying that Christ can never be sweet till we have conceived sorrow and griefe of heart for sinne It is observed of the Angels that their sinne is not mentioned in Genesis because they were not to be restored by repentance but the sinne of man is enlarged in all the circumstances that he might bee sensible ashamed and penitent of his sinne As in bodily cures so in spirituall the more sense of paine the better it is to be liked more then if the wound should be ranckled and stuffed with dead flesh A senslesse lethargie is as deadly as the most tormenting disease Cry thou out of thy pride lying deceiving swearing other sinnes as a man in paine longing after deliverance say as Saint Paul O wretched man that J am who shall deliver me from the body of this death and O that I may never feele the like paine againe Or if Christ have given thee any ease or freedome from sin and lusts magnifie his grace How glad are men when they have out-stood a bodily weakedesse How glad was David when he had beene stopped in his rage against Nabal Blessed be the Lord blessed be thy counsell and blessed be thâ—u When Christ had cured a blind man he followed him and praised God and all the people praised him likewise for what was done Luk. 18. 42. And when Christ had cast out the Divell chap. 8. 30. the man would have followed Christ but he bade him goe to his house and shew what great things God had done for him and he went his way and preached those things through all the City Againe beware of relapses being far more dangerous then the first disease Goe and sinne no more lest a worse thing come unto thee Beware of occasions of sinne especially wicked and infectious company no plaguy house so infectious as that Lastly pitty and helpe others We despise not nor scorne nor laugh at a sicke man nor will one sicke man scorne another It is thine owne case and thy brethrens spiritually Were it a jest to see men dying no we pitty them we pray for them we doe them all offices of charity And so it should be here Hitherto of the Patients We come now to the Physician The Physician is our Lord Iesus Christ as in the next words I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Exod. 5. 26. J am the Lord that healeth thee God challengeth this as a part of his owne glory by Christ to heale us Iob 5. 18. He maketh sore and bindeth up he woundeth and his hands make whole Psal. 103 3. who healed thee of thine infirmities and Mal. 4. 2 of Christ it is said that healing is under his wings For first as a skilfull Physician he kno weth every mans esta te perfeâ—ly hee knoweth what is 〈◊〉 man Iohn 2. so doth no other Physician they can ghâ—sse by inspection and see something but hee seeth our secret corruptions in as much as hee seeth our hearts and thoughts and cannot be deceived He saw the woman at the Well to bee an harlot And Matth. 16. 7. he saw the reasoning of their hearts when they thought he spake because they had no bread Secondly he knowes the cure as perfectly as he doth the disease No Physician knowes all the vertues of all the simples and drugs he administreth and besides he is wholly ignorant of many But Christ our Physician knowes the infallible worke of his remedies so that whereas it may be said of many young Physicians they need a new Church-yard yet never any miscarried under his hands whom he undertooke to cure Of all whom thou hast glven me J have lost none Thirdly as a skilfull Physician he prescribeth the fittest remedies For in his Word hee appointeth physicke for every disease of the soule for pride envy covetousnesse trouble of conscience and other Yea he appointeth most proper remedies What can be more proper to cure the corruption of our nature then the purity of his for our actuall disobedience his actuall obedience for the guilt and curse of our sinnes that himselfe was made a curse for us Fourthly as a Physician prepareth his Patient for his physicke so Christ prepareth the party by faith to apply his remedies by perswading the heart to beleeve and to apply to the fore and wounded conscience the precious Balmes which himselfe hath prepared Else as phyficke not in the receit or box or cupbord or pocket can profit unlesse it be applyed and received though it be never so soveraigne no more can this Fifthly Christ goeth beyond all Physicians two wayes 1. In the generality of his cure Some diseases are desperate and all the physicke in the world cannot cure them But Christ can cure all no disease is so desperate as to foile him The sinne against the holy Ghost is not desperate in it selfe nor to him but onely in the wilfulnesse of the party This was sufficiently testified by those powerfull and miraculous cures which he wrought in the dayes of his flesh both upon the soules and bodies of men casting out divels by his Word pardoning of sinnes working faith curing all sicknesses and diseases restoring all senses yea and raising the dead to life which all Physicians in the world could not doe And all this that it might be fulfilled which is spoken Esa. 53. 4. He tooke our infirmities and bare all our sicknesses both bodily and spirituall 2. In the freedome of his cure For first he offereth his helpe and physicke even daily in the preaching of his Gospell Ier. 3. 2â— O disobedient children returne and I will heale your rebellions This Physician seeketh to the patient Secondly hee takes nothing for his cure Hos. 14 4. I will heale your rebyllions
children or lands for my sake and the Gospels he shall receive an hundred fold for the present houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecution and in the world to come eternall life Here is usury enough above ten in the hundred yea an hundred for ten yea for one Mar. 10. 30. Quest. But what are the signes or markes of selfe-deniall Ans. One is in regard of God it will cast a man wholly out of himselfe upon God as David Psal. 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee It will looke directly at God in all things In doing things it will doe all by Gods rule it will doe all for his glory the love of God constrains it to duty In duties of piety or charity it seekes not the owne things not private profit nor is carried by the aymes that flow from selfe-love but aymes at the Kingdome it selfe and the promoting of Gods glory in his owne salvation The second is in respect of Christ for whom hee esteemes all things losse and doung Phil. 3. 8. These inferiour comforts are but as the star-light in respect of the brightnesse of the Sun which is in his eye for Christ he can want as well as abound bee empty as well as full yea be nothing that Christ may be all in all The third is in respect of the word of God selfe-deniall bewrayes it selfe sundry wayes 1. It goes with an open heart to heare learne and obey whatsoever God shall please to teach Hee cannot bee a Disciple that brings not selfe-deniall Can he that stickes to his owne reason and denies not his owne wisedome ever beleeve that life must be fetched out of death that one man can bee healed by another mans stripes and wounds that heaven must bee fetched out of hell and a glorious resurrection out of dust and ashes Hee will never bee a Disciple that will receive the word no further than he seeth reason to do it But a true Disciple is described Isa. 32. 3. The eyes of the seeing shall not bee shut the ears of them that heare shall hearken And David desires but to be taught and promiseth to obey Psal. 119. 33. 2. It is willing to be acquainted with every part of Gods wil that he may frame his owne will unto it as knowing that every truth of God concerneth every one of Gods people and is profitable for them to know 2 Tim. 3. 15. 16. and Rom. 15. 4. And hence selfe-deniall loveth reproofes and likes that Ministry best which most searcheth the conscience and in which is the most power of God judging and rebuking his owne sinne there if he be wounded he is sure to be cured But farre is he from the deniall of his sinne or himselfe that hates and stormes against him that dislikes and censures his sinne Ahab had sold himselfe to wickednes and therefore hates Micaiah because he never prophecied good unto him 3. Having heard the word it subscribes to it and dares not cavill or dispute against it be it never so contrary to nature or cross to our desires Selfe-deniall allowes every thought to be brought into the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. It checks the stubbornnesse of heart and saith as Rom. 9. 20. O man who art thou that disputest against God! who art thou that risest against the truth of God See Job 6. 24. 4. Selfe-deniall in love to the truth of the word resolves to suffer any thing rather than to renounce any part of that it is perswaded to bee the truth of God so did the Martyrs And without this readinesse to suffer disgrace and losse for the truth if wee be called we can neither be Martyrs nor Disciples wee can have no acquaintance with Christ here nor bee saved hereafter Luke 14. 26. So of the third note The fourth is in respect of himselfe Hee that hath denied himselfe will desire no way of prosperity but Gods owne nor relye upon his owne meanes strength policy diligence nor sacrifice to his owne net in successes but ascribe all his prosperity unto God it is he that gives him power to get substance it is hee that gives the fruit of the wombe the dew of heaven the fat of earth that spreads his table fils his cup c. Inadversity hee will be willingly what God will have him to bee sicke or poore pained or disgraced hee will not carve for himselfe but suffer his father to chuse his rod and not limit him for the manner or measure of correction and all this without murmuring or impatience and dares avoid no evill by any evill meanes The fift note is in respect of others He that hath denied himselfe lives not to himselfe but procures the good of others and advanceth to his power every mans wealth and good as being now a publike good though a private man He can do good to his enemies and pray for them that curse him and wrong him He lookes not on men as they are affected to himselfe but as hee ought to be affected to them And he that cannot deny and displease himselfe can never please his neighbour for good and edification which is the Apostles argument Rom. 15. 2. Let us not please our selves but our neighbour for edification for Christ pleased not himselfe c. The sixt and last note of selfe-deniall is the life of faith beyond and without all meanes of helpe Abraham denying himselfe distrusted not when meanes failed Faith leanes not upon meanes but upon God and is not tyed to meanes but to God and will say Our God is in heaven and doth whatsoever hee will bee there meanes or no Psal. 115. 3. The Prince could not deny his reason 2 Kin. 7. 19. If God should make windowes in heaven could this come to passe but it cost him his life And good Zachary could not deny himselfe but doubted of Gods word and God denied him his speech for forty weekes Luke 1. 30. As nothing gives more glory to God than faith so nothing takes so much from man Nothing makes him so little in himselfe as faith which acknowledgeth God so great By these signes wee may examine what measure of selfe-deniall we have attained and thereby know what fitnesse wee have to be Disciples Take up his crosse This is the second branch of the Precept to take up the crosse and as Saint Luke saith daily Where for the meaning consider 1. What is this crosse 2. Why it is called the crosse 3. What to take it up For the first of these By the crosse is not meant any affliction which belongeth to the common calamities of nature to which all men of all sects and professions are subject nor any thing suffered by evill doers But properly the crosse of a Christian is that affliction and suffering which is inflicted upon any
stay thus seeking Gods Kingdom in the first place Quest. But how prove you that such may flye Ans. By the commandement practice of Christ himselfe Mat. 10. 23. If they persecute you in one city flie into another and so himselfe did Hee could by miracle have saved himselfe but for us he would rather humble himself by flying Matth. 12. 15. And he was now as strong in spirit as ready to dye as he was afterwards but Gods time was not yet come So did the Apostles Paul being persecuted at Damascus was let downe by a basket and sent to Tarsus Acts 9. The commandement Rev. 18. 4. flie out of her my people is of force hereunto He would rather have commanded to stand out the persecutions of Antichrist if it had been unlawfull to flye After Christ wee reade of Athanasius that great light of the world how being infinitely hated pursued by the Arrians he was forced to hide himselfe for sixe yeers in a deep pit where he saw no sun which he would not have endured but to have preserved the Church in himselfe waiting the time which God afterward gave him at Alexandria many yeers to bee the only hammer of Arrians The same of many faithfull men in Queene Maries daies flying beyond sea who were happily revoked to the great glory of God and use of the Church in the most happy daies of Queene Elizabeth Ob. But this is to deny Christ and not c 〈…〉 sse him before men Answ. 〈◊〉 to flye friends and countrie is an inferiour confession and suffring for Christ though in dying is a greater perfection and degree in suffering Ob. But we must not fear them that can kill the body therefore not flye Ans. That is not fear them more than God not feare so as to apostate or deny faith good conscience which is not the feare of them that flye for would they deny Christ or his faith they need not flye at all Object But we must preach counsell the greatest perfection Answ. Yes but in the severall rankes of beleevers God hath not set all his children in the same degree of grace some are babes some young some old men It is not greatest perfection for a childe to offer to run before hee can goe but boldnesse which costeth him many knockes and falls Neither for those of a lower stature in Christ to cast themselves into danger before or further than need shall require for when times come that GOD seeth fit for any by death to glorifie himselfe and edifie his Church his providence will find meanes without a mans owne presumption to call him thereto Now the point issuing out of the words thus expounded is this Whosoever undertaketh the profession of Christ must take his life in his hand if need be and give it for the Name of Christ Revel 2. 10. Bee thou faithfull unto death Luke 14. 26. If any man come to me and hate not all yea even his owne life he cannot be my Disciple by hatred hee meanes not that affection simply considered but in comparison namely if the love of God and our selves the love of Christ and our friends cannot stand together all naturall affection must give place Hebr. 12. 4. Yee have not yet resisted unto bloud as if hee had said Yee have resisted sinne unto reproach unto losse of substance unto bonds and other evils but yet it remaines to resist unto bloud as Christ did Revelat. 12. 11. they that overcame by the bloud of the Testimony and the bloud of the Lambe loved not their lives to the death that is doubted not to hazzard them for the truth and faith so as no torment could drive them from it Hebr. 11. 35. Wee have the cloud of witnesses before us in this duty they were racked and slaine and would not bee delivered but refused the offer of life and liberty upon condition of renouncing the Gospel The Ecclesiasticall History mentioneth one Phileas a Noble man and Martyr who going to execution seemed as one deafe at the perswasions and blinde at the teares of his friends moving him to spare himselfe As the waters use to breake themselves on a rocke so was hee altogether inflexible And when one Philoromus defending him said How can hee bee moved with teares on earth whose eyes behold the glory of heaven hee also was taken in and both presently beheaded Amongst our owne Martyrs when at the stake many of them had letters of pardon offered they would not looke at them nor would bee delivered on their conditions Others absolutely refused them One said shee came not thither to deny her Lord. Not one of them accepted them neither would buy deliverance so deare For first if wee looke at Christ hee is to be loved best of all and all things must bee accounted drosse and doung in comparison of him Phil. 3. 7. 8. My welbeloved is the chiefe of ten thousand Cant. 5. 10. And withall hee is such a Lord as hath absolute command and power of our life and death for wee are not our owne but his and if hee call and command us to seale our profession with our bloud wee must bee ready to magnifie Christ in our bodies by life or death Philip. 1. 20. not fearing those that can kill the body Againe if wee looke on his merit and desert hee loved not his life to death for us but readily offered it up on our behalfe Luke 12. 50. How then should wee hold our selves bound in way of thankfulnesse if wee had a thousand lives to give them up for him shall the Just for the unjust and not the unjust for the Just Secondly if wee looke to the truth and Gospel it is far more worthy than all wee can give in exchange for it it cost Christ deare hee thought it worthy of his life and bought it with his precious bloud which was the bloud of God Act. 20. 28. should wee thinke much to buy it with our last bloud Remember the precept Pro. 23. 23. Buy the truth and sell it not no not at any rate God hath magnified his truth above all things and so must wee Shall not Christ shrink from the truth to save his life and shall we being called to witness leave it in the plaine field Thirdly looke on our selves 1. We are souldiers under Christs colours A souldier in the field sels his life for a base pay is ready for his King Country to endure blowes gashes and death it selfe How much more ought the Christian souldier for the love of his Captain honour of his profession contemne fears perils and thinke his life well sold in so honourable a quarrel and cause as Christs is 2. This is indeed rightly to love our selves when wee can rightly hate our selves We must learn to love our selves by not loving our selves who indeed hate our selves by loving our selves too well And this is if wee beleeve our Lord to save
inconstancie of them And can these things so vaine in themselves recover so infinite a losse Secondly see them in their properties As they are vaine in themselves so are they not ours but some from parents as inheritances some from Princes as honors some from people as praise name reputation and all in other mens power so long as they will conferre or retaine them But our soules are properly ours as also our sinnes and no man can redeeme the soule of his brother Psal. 49. 7. Againe they are changeable and temporarie For wealth a man may out live a world of it and dye a begger Mens favors are no inheritance Beautie will not stand before one fit of sicknesse nor strength the shake of one ague One snuffe of a candle may suddenly overmaster the greatest estate and the greatest pleasures are but for a season Whereas the soule and faculties of it are immortall and capable of eternall weale or wo. Thirdly that which must ransome the soule must appease the infinite wrath of God which all finite creatures are not able to doe Pro. 11. 4. they avayle not in the day of wrath Only the blood of Christ is a plenarie expiation Againe that which must ransome a soule must buy backe the sentence and procure a righteousnesse answerable to the law but the whole world cannot do that onely Christ frees from the sentence of condemnation and his blood onely obtaines for us better conditions by vertue of a new covenant than the law affords us Lastly that which ransomes a soule must help us out of corruption pull us out of the power of Satan keepe the soule from hell and invest us into life and immortalitie But a world of worlds cannot doe the least of all these and therefore can be no proportionall recompence for a lost soule Fourthly all the world cannot offer a recompence to God of any thing which is not his owne whereas our ransome must be of a thing undue an offering above that the law requireth a free-will offering so that no sinner can offer a ransome of sin And by all this it appeareth that the whole world cannot afford a recompence for one lost soule Which serves to condemne the extreme blasphemie of the Romish Church teaching that masses pardons indulgences satisfactions humane merits pilgrimages and a thousand such toyes can become a recompence for a lost soule whereas no man nor Angell can become a recompence for a lost soule it is too great a price to pay the person must be no lesse than GOD and man 1 Pet. 1. 18. Yee are not redeemed with corruptible things 2. Let such rich men as to whom our Lord directeth this speach consider of their wofull estate while they abound with wealth trustin nothing so much as that A broken reed and for all their wealth being wicked they must to hell their riches cannot ransom thē yea they rather plunge them into the pit than help them out as a wedg of gold helps more to drowne a man that is cast into the sea thā to save or deliver him Which should be of use to all the more willingly to want them the more weinedly to hold them to grow into an holy contempt of them and to raise our desires to better more durable riches 3. It may humble us for that it imports the extreme miserie into which wee have plunged our selves by sin we have lost our soules and cast them into so ruinous a condition as the whole world is not sufficient to ransom them The greatness and desperateness of the cure amplifies the greatnesse and desperatenes of the disease What earthly danger is it which the world cannot buy out but gold and silver cannot purchase a Church no not one soule It must be an infinite ruine and breach the repaire whereof must be of such infinite value and sufficiency 4. It calls us to behold the excellencie of Christ and fixe our eyes upon the wonderfull vertue of his precious blood which did redeeme our lost soules when all corruptible things in the world could not How should it excite us to love him and admire his goodnes and raise the price of grace which is beyond all treasures yea and teach us to esteeme the rebukes of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt Paul would bee set downe a nothing in himselfe that he might finde the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection the worth and value wherof is beyond the worth of many worlds even so farre as infinite is beyond finite which holds no comparison Lastly it may raise in us the true valuation and respect of our owne soules Is the soule at such a rate as being lost a whole world cannot redeeme it what an extreme madnesse then is it for men so to live as if they had no soules or if they have they are but as salt to keepe their bodies sweet void of all care either to keepe or save them never an horse or hog about their houses but their lives are more regarded than their precious soules Certainly there is nothing of price no pearles no grace nothing worthy of care where men are so carelesse Let us bee exhorted to looke better to our soules than to lose them for any baites which the divell or the world layes in our way Prize them above all the world as Christ doth Be serious in the saving of thy soule above the winning of the world Use the ordinary means diligently Get the Spirit of faith love prayer c. which are utterly contemned by the most too much neglected by the best And with thine owne soule pitie and prize the soules of others especially such as are committed to thee as a Pastor as a Parent as a Master lose them not for want of instruction esteeme the soules of thy wife children precious things bring them to the means of salvation teach them pray for them help them out of danger of perdition if by thy default one soule be lost all the world cannot make up the losse either to thee or to that person Verse 27. For the Sonne of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angells and then shall hee give to every man according to his deeds OUr Saviour having enforced his doctrine of selfe-deniall by two strong arguments already the inevitable danger of fayling herein and the unprofitablenesse of that unhappie match of winning the world with the losse of the soule in these words addeth another of no lesse force than the former drawne from the consideration of the last judgment wherein all those his sayings shal be fully accomplished for howsoever he was now abased and rejected as not worth the following and owning yet the time commeth that hee will come in the glory of his Father attended with his most glorious Angells and then shall hee give to every man according to his workes that is to say to the wicked
and honour and the wicked everlasting shame and sorrow 5. The rule of this recompence according to his workes where First what is meant by works Namely not onely actions good or bad but we must include the originall and attendants of them even the worke of our fall in Adam which was our worke as well as his originall sinne and corruption of nature of which workes are the fruits and so comprehended in them So out of workes of the Saints faith is not excluded being the rise of them and indeed the noblest of all workes the chiefe obedience required in the Gospell The attendants of good workes are also included under them as namely thoughts and speechâ—â— for according to every idle word thought wee must bee judged but the workes will manifest what they have beene Secondly the appropriation his workes His owne not other mens every man shall give accompt of himselfe unto God every vessell must stand on his owne bottome the father shall not beare the sonnes burden c. Ob. In the second commandement God will revenge the sins of Parents in their children to the third and fourth generation Ans. Not except the children be found in the same sins none shall suffer for anothers worke further than he is some way guiltie of it as the childe often is by consent or imitation And thus the Pharisees shall goe to hell for Abels blood and Zaâ—haries shed many thousand yeares before their age because they were not warned by that example to avoid blood-shedding But hee will visite the sinnes that is first enquire and if hee finde them not hee will not revenge see Ezek. 18. 14. and the examples of Hezekiah Josiah and other good children of wicked parents Thirdly what is meant by the phrase according to workes Ans. 1. The phrase noteth plainly that as our workes are good or bad so our doome shall bee for so it is evidently expounded Rev. 22. 12. My reward is with me to give to every one as his worke shall be so as the sentence shall run according to the evidence that workes shall bring in as sure witnesses either of their faith or infidelitie 2. The phrase implyeth the qualitie of the worke but not the merit which wee observe because the Papists hence ignorantly build up their merit of workes and thus argue God will render to the wicked according to the merit of their workes and therefore the godly must receive according to the merit of their workes Answ. The argument followes not from the merit of evill workes to the merit of good workes for first good workes are Gods not ours properly as our evill workes are faith and workes of faith are the gift of GOD secondly good workes in us are imperfectly good but our evill workes are perfectly evill thirdly good workes are done upon dutie but evill workes against dutie merit and debt are opposed and what meriteth he who hath but done his dutie and failed in doing too fourthly who can bring these merits Not the unregenerate for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all the unrighteousnesse of men Or can the sonnes of God when Abraham himselfe hath not wherein to rejoyce before God surely if hee could bee justified by no other means than faith much lesse can we Therefore by the workes of the law can no flesh bee justified Rom. 3. 28. Quest. Why then shall good workes bee inquired into in that day rather than faith and why shall Christ judge according to workes not faith Answ. 1. Workes shall bee inquired into not as meritorious causes of salvation which is only merited by Christs workes which onely had perfection but as conditions of Gods promises concerning reward in heaven given not for merit but of Gods frce grace for hee crowneth his grace in us not our merits saith Augustine Workes are requisite conditions to the person but no causes of reward 2. To shew that Jesus Christ shall accept no persons but looke to causes 3. To shew that faith must not bee idle but put forth the life in good motions and actions 4. Because the judgement and equitie of it must be visible and run into the eyes of all mankind and therefore must be passed according to the fruits and workes which men may see whereas faith by which alone wee are justified before God is an inward and spirituall grace in the heart knowne onely to God who seeth the heart and it flieth the sense of man further than by the works of love as fruits it discovereth it selfe Object But if the judgement were according to workes then the rule should be the Law but God will judge the secrets of men according to the Gospell Rom. 2. 16. which is the doctrine of faith not of workes Answ. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according signifieth there not the ruls of judging but the certitude of it and the sense is According as I have taught you in the Gospel my Gospell or my preaching it among you Or if it be taken for the rule it must be meant of the Elect only who by the Gospell shall be absolved as the wicked by the Law condemned But how shall they be judged who have no works as such who repent at last cast whose workes have beene all against God and poore men that want means For such as repent at last as the theefe on the crosse they shall receive according to their works for true faith is never without the witnesse of workes but worketh by love let their time be never so little So the theefe on the suddaine confessed his sin be wayled his life professed Christ when his disciples left him reproved his fellow and prayed earnestly for salvation and would further have expressed his faith if hee had lived longer So those that are called in the article of death have a true purpose if they live to expresse their faith and Gods mercy accepteth this will for the deed done Let not thine eye be evill because the Lords is good And for the godly poore who can give no almes yet they doe workes of pietie justice diligence in the calling and workes of truest mercy in prayer instruction of the familie comfort reproofe and the like to these Object But some are not judged according to their workes but receive an unequall sentence Rev 18. 16. Give her double according to her works that is twice as much punishment as her workes are Answ. By double is not meant double of punishment to her sin for no punishment can be double to the least sin but double affliction that is a much more grievous punishment than shee hath afflicted the Church withall and this Babylon hath well deserved and shall be sure of So some wicked men are pâ—nished for one and the same sin here and hereafter as for murther theft or the like this is not a double punishment but
and though his greatest glory should bee deferred till the last judgement yet would he before that time shine out in brightnesse and glory to the whole world And whereas they as his nearest and most faithfull servants might earnestly desire to see him their loving Master thus exalted and grieve that it should bee so long deferred as that they might be worne out of the earth before that time hee meetes them in their desire and tels them it is not so farre off but some of them should behold it before their death For the meaning Amen or verily a forme of speech or asseveration which Christ the true and faithfull witnesse often used to avouch the truth and he that saith here Amen is called Amen Rev. 3. 14. these things saith the Amen to shew that whatsoever hee saith is yea and amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. that is most firme certaine and constant I say unto you Our Lord propoundeth his doctrine in his owne name that hee may bee knowne the chiefe Doctor of his Church even that Doctor of the Chaire whose voyce alone must be heard of Pastors and people Thus did none of the Prophets but onely verbum Domini the word of the Lord none of the Apostles but delivered what they had heard and seen 1 Joh. 1. 1. and what they had received of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 23. Nor none of the Pastors of the Church but as good Stewards they dispensed their Masters allowance And further this being a prophecie uttered in this forme hee showes himselfe the chiefe Prophet of the Church prophecied of by Moses Deut. 18. 18. like unto Moses Act. 3. 21. and like him in 5. things 1. As the truth hath a likenesse with the shadow the mediation of Moses betweene God and his people being a shadow of Christs mediation 2. Like him in respect of divine calling to his office 3. In respect of his faithfulnesse in his calling being faithfull in all the house of God as the Sonne Moses as a servant 4. Like him in his authoritie he being appointed to teach us all things we to heare him in all things 5. In the event or sanction whosoever will not heare him must dye the death But superior to Moses as being the Lord of the holy prophets as being God the seer of things properly and à priori as being faithfull in the house as the Sonne as onely able to say I say unto you preaching in his own name which none but the head of the Church can doe and none but hee that hath power in the heart and conscience Some that stand here shall not taste of death This is an Hebrew phrase not to taste of death is not to die but alluding to the cause of death which was tasting of the forbidden fruit this was the first tasting of death So in Joh. 8. 51. He that keepeth my word shall not see death and Heb. 2. 9. Christ tasted death for all the Elect. Till they see the sonne of man come in his Kingdome Here is some difference and difficultie in the interpretation 1. Some referre it to the last judgement of which Christ had spoken immediately before and erroneously conceive that Christ meant of John who they thought should not die till Christ came againe to the last judgement And no marvell though sundry have beene over-carried in this error seeing the Disciples themselves till the sending of the Spirit to lead them into all truth were wrapped in it But this is sufficiently confuted in the Text Joh. 21. 23. 2. Others both ancient and new writers as Hilary Bullinger Chytreus and Piscator understand it of Christs Transfiguration which immediately followed as if hee had said Some of you as Peter James and John shall shortly see mee so farre as you can comprehend in that forme and habit wherein I will thus come to judgement as sixe daies after they saw him on mount Tabor in great glory But first the speech yee shall see it before your death seemes to carrie it to something beyond the compasse of so few dayes Secondly wee doe no where reade that the transfiguration is called the comming of Christ in his Kingdome Thirdly in so short a time none of the disciples were to taste of death Therefore 3. We shall best finde out the sense by enquiring What is meant here by the Kingdome What is meant by the comming of this Kingdome and Seeing the best interpretation of a prediction is the accomplishment we shall enquire how some of the Disciples did see the comming of this Kingdome before they tasted of death For the first the Kingdome of God is twofold Generall and Speciall The former is called the Kingdome of power whereby the Lord powerfully governeth the whole world and every particular to the very sparrows and the haires of our head unto which kingdome of power all creatures men and Angels yea devils themselves are subject The speciall Kingdome of God is his gracious rule and governement over his Elect called the Kingdome of Christ because he is the head of it and the Kingdome of heaven because it tends directly thither and the Kingdome of the Sonne of man Of this Kingdome are two degrees of grace of glory The difference of these two is 1. In time the former is begun on earth the latter is consummate in heaven 2. In manner of government the former is governed mediatly by his servants and ministers the latter immediatly by himselfe when he is all in all 3. In the manner of subjection the former in the militant estate is environed by enemies and assailants the latter is triumphant in perfect rest and peace without all assault Quest. Of whether of these doth our text meane Answ. Our Saviour here speaketh of the former Kingdome of grace here in this world which is an estate wherein men are brought to be subjects to Christ in this life being enlightned guided and effectually moved to beleeve the promises of salvation and obey the will and lawes qf God For it is a comming into the kingdome before the disciples decease For the second what is meant by the comming of this Kingdome Answ. The comming of the Kingdome is nothing else but the erecting of it by the powerfull means of it in the hearts of men where it is not begun and a continuance of it with much successe and increase where it is begun being all one with that petition Thy Kingdome come And thus many Interpreters Calvin Beza Bucer Tossanus fitly applie it to the power and efficacie of the Gospel by which the Kingdome of Christ was farre and wide with great power propagated after the time of Christs Ascension but yet in the dayes of some of the Apostles And to this interpretation the change of the phrase Mark 9. 1. giveth light some that are here shall not taste of death till they have seene the Kingdome of God come with power Now
themselves as our Text gives instance And I thinke the rule will prove generally true that Christians doe more multiply their sinnes in abuse of things lawfull then in adventuring on things unlawfull and faster doe they rivet themselves in those sinnes which lye in lawfull things then in such as are easily convinced to be unlawfull An hard taske it is for a Teacher to winne Christians by profession either from wicked practices if they please to call them play oh meddle not with mine eyes or from the usuall sinnes attending such recreations as in the substance of them are not unlawfull In both resembling Salomons mad-man that casteth darts and firebrands and saith Am I not in sport But a wise and teachable Christian will confine himselfe to Gods allowance and neither in jest catch at any forbidden fruit be it never so pleasant in it selfe or strongly perswaded nor in the use of allowed delights straine beyond the bounds and limits of the Word nor complaine of us as injurious when we disallow in men nothing but what God himselfe in the Scriptures restraineth them in And if we will be ruled by God in our sports rejoycings we must listen to his directions 1. in the choyce 2. in the use of our play First our choyce must be of sports in themselves lawfull We may not play with holy things suppose Scripture-phrases wee must feare the holy name of Iehova not play with it nor with oaths our owne or others nor with lots which are a part of the Name of God yea more solemn then any oath and must not be vainly used or for recreation Neither on the other side may we play with sinne or things evill in themselves viz. to make one drunke or sweare or to laugh at such persons it is a matter of sorrow to see Gods Image so defaced his honourable name so disgraced and Davids eyes will gush out with rivers of teares for such sinnes So in other sinful merriments Or if wee have not warrant for them by generall rules of the Word if the lawes of the land prohibit them as unlawfull if honest heathens have on good ground condemned them if the Fathers and judicious Divines have blotted and disgraced them c. Here pause on that rule Phil. 48. And Christian wisedome will also guide us to the choyce of the best spots A spirituall mind will chuse spirituall recreations as a carnall mind will use carnal And although there be time and place for bodily yet a wise Christian must in the highest roome set heavenly delights viâ— comforts of the Spirit joy in God and his Word walking in the garden of Christ where is most sweet and ravishing delight in hearing reading meditating holy conference and in gathering and smelling the sweetest flowers of knowledge faith love hope holinesse Here is a profitable and a lasting delight And here is a tryall of the constitution of thy soule the soule that more contents it selfe with carnall delights then these is of a carnall constitution if it be so constantly Secondly when we have chosen warrantable sports we must beware we sinne not in the use of them And to keepe us from sinne in our recreations wee must looke to our neighbour to our selves 1. For our neighbour the rule of wisdome to be observed is we must wisely sort our selves in our sports with the most sober godly and wise of our degree condition and sort of life that may rather watch over us that we offend not in them then any way draw and provoke us so to doe No pestilentiall ayre so contagious as where swearers and riotous gamesters are met And as thy company is which thou chusest and usest so art thou 2. We must looke carefully to our selves First for our affection that it be moderate Wee may use lawfull sports but not love them Hee that loves pastime shall be a poore man saith Salomon Prov. 21. 17. And the Apostle commands Christians to reioyce as not reioycing 1 Cor. 7. 30. that is to bee so moderate and retired in our joyes as not over-value them nor set affections on them as having greater things to doe Moderation will observe due circumstances it suffreth not a man to be given over to sport nor to sit up night and day and turne dayes into nights and nights into dayes as intemperate and riotous gamesters doe nor will it let the duties of generall or speciall calling lye aside for daies and weeks together because the least commanded thing is better than the best that is indifferent and sports were not ordained to hinder our callings but to fit us for them as whetting a sythe to forward the mower but if a mower shall doe nothing but whet whet for a whole day together wee would say hee is mad c. Secondly for our ends Our ends must not be to passe the time which passeth whether we will or no and we ought to redeeme our time and not let it passe without gaining somthing better than it selfe Nor yet to maintaine idlenesse as men that cannot tell what to doe with themselves else which is no better then idlenesse for idlenesse is not onely not-working but a doing of trifles and that which we dare not bring to God in accounts And is not the case pitifull that Christians having so much good worke to doe and so many meanes and so many cals and so little time should finde nothing so necessary as cards and dice Againe the end of sport is preservation of our health both of soule and body and not to impaire the health of either as many by watching at play and forgetting or forgoing their diet and rest for play destroy their health and call in numbers of disease â—â—on themselves and oftentimes untimely death Lastly seeing nothing can be lawfull wherein some glory accrewes not to God therefore if the end of our sports be not to enable us with chearefulnesse in duties of Religion and Christianity it will all be returned as sinne in our reckoning Thus of the ends Thirdly we must guide our selves in our sports by remembring these rules 1. That we may not recreate the outward man but to better the inward for Gods wisdome hath subordinated all inferiour things to the furtherance of the best things the seeking of all other things even necessaries much more indifferent to the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse And he wils that all earthly joyâ—â— helpe forward our spirituall joy in God and his Christ and the eternall joyes of Kingdome But when they will step in competition with these they are to be snibb'd and cast out Never must our chiefe joy be abated for these nor our chiefe affections unsetled of that fulnesse of joy at Gods right hand for evermore 2. Remember we have a spirituall course and race to runne and beware we clogge not nor oppresse our selves with pleasures that instead of speeding us in our way they become the Divels
freely He will doe it for asking and for all that aske it Psal. 30. 2. O Lord J cryed and thou didst heale me Thirdly he attendeth his Patients most diligently other Physicians visit their Patients sometimes in expectance of good reward but he onely out of his wonderfull care and compassion is ever present and about his Patient Psal. 34. 18. he onely is neare to the afflicted in spirit and will save the contrite heart Now if Christ be the Physician Christ must be magnified for our health We may say of our sicknesse by sinne as himselfe did of Lazarus his sicknesse This sicknes is not unto death in all but that God may be glorified For no man can cure himselfe our owne merits workes or free-will cannot cure us we can poyson our selves daily but cannot helpe our selves O Israel thy destruction is of thy selfe but in me is thy helpe We can surfet our selves in sinne and breed sicknesse but cannot helpe our selves The Pope by his pardons masses pilgrimages and the like cannot cure us It is too great a price to pay No supererogations or satisfactions can doe it Who can forgive sinnes but God onely Who can remit a debt but he to whom it is due Nay the Angels can conferre nothing to this cure The Lord reserves the honour of this mercy to himselfe to whom it is proper to say I will forgive sins and heale rebellions freely The very name given to Christ by the Angels and in his circumcision by his Parents was Iesus and there is no other name to be saved by Acts 4. 12. Obiect Was not Peter a good Physician when he healed the lame man Act. 3. and Philip Act. 8. and Paul who cast out divels Act 16. 18. Are not Ministers good Physicians who remit and absolve men from their sinnes and save themselves and others Answ. The Apostles in all those places did what they did in the name and by the power of Christ as is sometimes expressed In the name of Iesus Christ I command thee come out of her c. but Christ did all by his owne divine power And Ministers are Gods Physicians for his people but onely ministerially by power and direction from him but hee by proper authority Againe if Christ be the Physician of soules let every one seeke to this Physician seeke to have the presence and helpe of Christ. If the body be sicke unto death there is running and riding to the Physician and no man is so welcome as he is The world is as a common Spittle every man is deadly sicke it stands us now in hand to get Christ to cure us Israel stung with the fiery Serpents must only looke to the brazen Serpent Numb 21. 8. We are all as the man fallen among theeves deadly wounded It is onely this good Samaritan that can binde up the wound Or as the poore man that lay at the poole of Bethesda 38. yeares and could never find cure till Christ came Ioh. 5. 5. And if we would be cured we must doe as the Inhabitants of Genezareth when they heard Christ was there they ranne about all the region and carried after him in beds all that were sicke and diseased and he healed them all Goe any where else and it will be fall you as that woman Mark 5. 26. that spent all shee had on Physicians and was as far from cure as at first till Christ came and healed her But Christ is in heaven how shall I have his presence His promise is to be with his Church by his Spirit and grace to the end of the world But where may we have him Thou shalt not misse of him in the midst of the seven golden Candlestickes thou shalt finde him in the Temple teaching as his parents having lost him get thee to the steps of the flolkes Cant. 1. 7. there thou shalt finde him at noone The Word and Sacraments holily received afford his speciall presence And as the poore Cripple got cure from Peter and Iohn lying at the beautifull gate of the Temple so must we Act 3. But I am so weake and sicke I cannot get to Christ. The poore man who lay bound on his bed sicke of the palsie not able to stirre himselfe got others to bring him to Christ and when they could not come neare they uncovered the house and let him down with cords before Christ so doe thou in the great weaknesse of thy soule and of thy faith commit thy selfe to some faithfull men who by their strength may helpe thee by their counsels comforts and prayers as by cords may let thee downe before Christ and thou shalt get helpe Luk. 5. 20. If Christ be the Physician then being come unto him we should daily lay open our sinnes and our very hearts before him with earnest intreaty to heale us and helpe us Wee lay open all our sores and sicknesses to the Physician be they never so foule and shamefull in themselves or in shamefull parts with the causes occasions and effects we hide nothing dissemble nothing but confesse all against our selves we put our selves into the Physicians hands with earnest suit and large rewards to helpe us And so ought we here for cure doe unto Christ confesse all against our selves entertaine no secret and close sin for that may be the cause of our griefe and never cease importuning him for mercy till we feele some cure to eternall life If we were in danger to be eaten up with wormes as Herod was we would spare no cost no paines no prayers but would have the counsell of the whole Colledge of Physicians before we would so wretchedly end our dayes Yet our case spiritually is farre worse sinne is a worme in the conscience and hath a poysonfull sting which will gnaw in the soule to eternal death This worme is in every man comming of Adam and none can cure it but the second Adam for none but he knowes to make the confection to kill this worme And whosoever goes on carelesly in sinne suffers this worme to eat out the bowels of his soule and there is no way but death with him Suppose a man had the falling-sicknesse what would he not doe or suffer to be cured of that desperate disease rather then be in continuall danger of falling into the fire or water or other mischiefes But the most dangerous falling sicknesse is to fall into sinne the impenitent sinner knowes not when or where he shall fall every moment he may fall into the deepe waters of Gods wrath or into the fire of hell Oh then come in time to Iesus Christ fall downe before him in confession of thy deplored estate mourne under thy sicknesse as Hezekiah in his sicknesse turne thee to thy Physician confesse thy blindnesse as the blind men in the Gospell and begge as they Lord that our eyes may be opened Cry out of the stone of thy heart and of the running issues
of sinne Get unto Christ and touch the hemme of his garment as the woman having the issue of blood and get cure Hide thy sinne with Adam and there is no cure no prosperity While I held my tongue my bones consumed in my roaring all the day long Psal 32. 3 4. But the very opening of the sore is a part of the cure because the core of sinne is let out by confession and to confesse and forsake sinne is the way to mercy Confession which brings guiltinesse before men brings pardon and discharge before God And besides thy Physician is of such skill experience as thou canst conceale nothing from him if thou wouldest Lastly if Christ be the Physician here is marvellous comfort for afflicted soules pained and pined under the burthen of sinne First he is a skilfull Doctor he knowes all our diseases and the remedies thou mayst safely commit thy selfe into his hands as his mother said to those servants Ioh. 2. Whatsoever he commonds that doe Simple obedience is required without reasoning or enquiry All his sayings must we doe Secondly he is able enough to cure us because hee is God Omnipotent able to worke an infinite cure and onely such a Physician can bestead us for all created power cannot helpe us Thirdly he is as willing to helpe as able being a mercifull High-Priest compassed with infirmities to have compassion on them that are out of the way How willing would a tender husband be to helpe his wife out of a deadly sicknesse no lesse willing is Christ to helpe his Spouse Fourthly he is ready to answer all objections Obiect 1. I am unworthy he should looke on me or that I should speake to him Answ. Oh but be of good comfort he calls thee Come to me all that labour and are heavy laden Looke not for a merit in thy selfe but in him whose mercy is thy merit The poore woman having the bloody issue thought her selfe unworthy to speake to him or looke him in the face yet she could creepe behind him and touch the hâ—m of his garment So in thy humility thrust in to touch by the hand of thy faith the hem of his garment for Whosoever touched it was made whole Mat. 14. 36. Obiect 2. But oh the greatnesse and multitude of my sins is such as how can I but despaire of cured they are deeply grounded in me and of long coutinuance Ans. No disease foiles Christ not Peters denyall not Davids murder not Pauls persecution and blasphemy not Manassehs sorcery can foyle him not sins of a crimson dye if thy sinnes be as red as searlet he can make thee white as snow Esa. 1. Not multitude of diseases not complicated diseases which are most dangerous in the body It is all one with him to forgive tenne thousand talents as one to cure deadly sicknesses as well as crazednesse Hos. 14. 5. Long diseases foyle him not who stretcheth out his hand all the day long if thou come in any time Say not then of any sinne My sinne is greater than can be forgiven this was a lye in Cain saith Saint Augustine Obiect 3. But it is appointed for all men once to dye and I am infinitely afraid of death Answ. Thou hast a Physician that can command death that hath beene the death of death and hath raised himselfe from death and much more can and will raise thee a member from the dead Else should he be imperfect in his glorious body which he will not endure Obiect 4. But after death comes judgement and how shal I stand before the Iudge Answ. Thy Physician shall be thy Iudge hee that cured thee shall cover thee he that knowes thy debt is wholly paid by his owne hands must needs acquit thee Obiect 5. But how shall I be regarded among those infinite millions of men that shall stand before him Answ. Get faith by which thou art contracted unto Christ and that shall be thy marriage-day A loving husband will be carefull of his loving wife above thousands of others HAving spoken of the Patients and of the Physician wee come now to the Cure which is the third generall wherein consider 1. The confection 2. The application In the confection are 1. the Author 2. the Matter 3. the Vertue The Author must be a man and above a man He must be a man because man had sinned and mans nature must satisfie else Gods justice and menace had not taken place In the day thou sinnest thou shalt dye the death Beside the manner of satisfaction requires him to be a man because he must subject himselfe both to the perfect obedience of the Law and to the suffering of death for our disobedience And finally he must be the seed of the woman that must bruise the Serpents head that is a man spotlesse innocent pure one that needs no medicine for himselfe He must be a man of Adam but not by Adam even borne of a Virgin to stop originall sin in the course of it But withall he must be above a man even our Emanuel Esa. 7. 14. God with us yea that great Ithiel and Ucal Pro. 30. 1. a strong and mighty God first for the proportion between the sinne and punishment the sinne being infinite so also must the punishment be which none but an infinite person could sustaine Secondly he must be God manifested in the flesh to remove those infinite evils which attend sinne Gods wrath and Satans power damnation death c. All this must our Physician doe by his lowest abasement He must satisfie Gods justice appease his anger triumph against enemies of salvation subdue sinne foyle the divell overcome death discharge all debts cancell all obligations and hand-writings against us and after all be exalted to glory Thirdly he must be God to procure us those infinite good things we need viz. To restore us Gods Image lost and with it righteousnesse and life eternall To defend soule and body against the world the divell hell and all enemies To recover us to an excellent and firme estate of sonnes by adoption by meanes of a lasting and eternall covenant And to lead us into eternal happineâ—â— as our great Joshua into that good Land that Paradise of God whence the Divell and our sin hath cast us Thus of the Author Next the Matter of the Cure and that is the Physicians owne blood by which is meant his whole Passion 1 Pet. 2. 19. By his stripes we are healed his sicknesse brings us health It must be by blood All our ransome must be paid by blood for without shedding of blood there is no remission of sinnes Heb. 9 31. And it must be by his blood not the blood of beasts which only sanctified outwardly in respect of the Commandement and signification Heb. 9. 12. â—0 but this blood is the laver which purgeth away all sinne Not the blood of Saints Martyrs
and holiest men can make attonement but onely his blood which removeth the curse of the Law by satisfying for our sins which opens heaven now shut upon us and obtaines a perfect redemption Heb. 9. 2â— Next the Vertue and Preciousnesse of this Cure Oh it was a powerfull and precious blood and that in five respects 1. In respect of the quality it is the blood incorruptible All other diseases are cured with corruptible things but this is opposed to all corruptible things in the world 1 Pet. 1. 18. Yee are not redeemed with corruptible things but with the precious blood of Iesus Christ. 2. In respect of the person it was the blood of God Act. 20. 28. and therefore of infinite merit and price to purchase the whole Church 3. In respect of the subject of it no other cure or remedy can reach the soule All others drugs conduce for healthfull life and worke upon the body but this makes for an holy life and workes upon the soule the sicknesse whereof the most precious thing in the world cannot cure Minister to a wounded spirit Aurum potabile Bezoar Alchermes dust of Pearles all is in vaine it is onely this blood which heales soules and spirits 4. In respect of the powerfull effects of it above all other cures in the world for first they may frame the body to some soundnesse of temperature but this makes sound soules according to the conformity of Gods Law Secondly they may preserve naturall life for a while but this brings a supernaturall life for ever Thirdly they may restore strength and nature decayed but this changeth and bringeth in a new nature according to the second Adam Fourthly they cannot keepe away death approaching but this makes immortall Fifthly they cannot raise or recover a dead man but this raiseth both dead in sinne dead in soule and dead in body Lastly in respect of time All other physicke is made of drugs created with the world but this was prepared before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 18. Againe all the worke of all other physicke is done in death but the perfection and most powerfull worke of this is after death By all this take we notice of our extreme misery by sinne seeing nothing else can cure us but the blood of the Sonne of God Gold enough can ransome the greatest Potentate on earth but here nothing can doe it but the blood of the Kings sonne If we had such a disease as nothing but the heart-blood of our dearest friends alive suppose our wife husband mother or childe could cure us what an hopelesse and desperate case were it it would amaze and astonish the stoutest heart But much more may it smite our hearts that we have such a disease as nothing else but the heart-blood of the Sonne of God can cure Looke upon the execration of thy sinne in this glasse If any thing can worke the hatred of sinne this may 1. To see the fire of Gods wrath kindled and nothing but this blood can quench it 2. To see the deadlinesse 〈◊〉 the disease in the price of the physicke and the dearenesse of the remedy 3. The danger of sinning against so precious a blood for if Abels blood being shed cryed from earth for vengeance much more will this blood trod under foot But those never saw their sinne in this glasse who conceive the cure as easie as the turning of an hand a light Lord have mercy or an houre of repentance at death and have lived in sinne and loved their sinne as if there were no danger in it passe away their daies and live in ignorance swearing cursing Sabbath-breaking lying covetousnesse filthinesse and all unrighteousnesse whereas had they eyes to see they might out of the price and greatnesse of the remedy gather the danger and desperatenesse of the disease For all the earth affords not any herbe or simple nor drug of this vertue but the Sonne of God from heaven must shed his blood Nay all the men on earth and all the Angels of heaven could not make a confection to cure one sinne or sinner Neither any of Salomons fooles who make a mocke of sinne ever saw it in this glasse Is it not extremity of folly to make a tush of sinne and to take pleasure and delight in it O consider in time that the sinne thou makest so light of cost Christ deare and the least sinne thou delightest in must either cost Christ his blood or thee thine in endlesse torments It is no safe jesting with edged tooles and to east darts and fire-brands and say Am I not in jest In this Cure we may observe a world of wonders First wonder and admire this Physician who is both the Physician and the Physicke Was ever the like heard of in all nature Secondly admire the confection that the Physician must temper the remedy of his owne heart-blood He must by passion be pounded in the mortar of Gods wrath he must be beaten smitten spit upon wounded sweat water and blood be trodden on as a worme be forsaken of his Father the Lambe of God must be slaine the just suffer for the unjust Doest thou not here stand and wonder 〈◊〉 there ever such a Prece 〈…〉 〈◊〉 the world that the wo 〈…〉 〈◊〉 one man should heale ano 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—ound or that the wo 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Captaine should heal 〈…〉 souldiers The 〈◊〉 suffered darkenesse the earth quaked the rockes rent asunder the graves opened the dead arose to shew the admirable confection of this Cure and are we senslesse still Thirdly admire the power of weaknesse and the Omnipotent worke of this Cure by contraries as in the great worke of Creation there the Sonne of God made all things not out of something but out of nothing so in this great worke of our Cure by Redemption he works our life not by his life but by his owne death he makes us infinitely happy but by his owne infinite misery he opens the grave for us by his owne lying in the grave he sends us to heaven by his owne descending from heaven and shuts the gates of hell by suffering hellish torments He honours us by his owne shame he breakes away our temptations and Satans molestations by being himselfe tempted Here is a skilfull Physician tempering poyson to a remedy bringing light out of darkenesse life out of death heaven out of hell In the whole order of nature one contrary refisteth another but it is beyond nature that one contrary should produce another Wonder Fourthly admire the care of the Physician who provided us a remedy before our disease before the world was or we in it together with his bounty who bestowed on us so precious a balme when there was none in Gilead when neither all the gold in India nor all the metals or minerals in the bowels of the earth could save one soule nor all the wealth in the world oure one
be sprinckeled which sprinkling notes the very applying of Christs blood to the soule of a sinner But when is this medicine applyed For time there is no application but in this â—â—fe no curing after this life no procuring of oyle after the Bridegroomes comming And consequently there is no purgatory no satisfactions no helpe from men or Angels hereafter Detestable is that wicked heresie of Bellarmine that the sufferings of the living helpe the dead three wayes 1. By way of merit of congruity 2. By way of intreaty 3 By way of satisfaction Contrary to that of Augustine Ibi erit paenitentiae dolorem habens sed medieinam non habens Repent they doe after death but without any cure That is the time of justice onely this is the acceptable time In vaine should you minister physicke to a dead man And faith then ceaseth with all the workes of it Seeing onely beleevers have the benefit of Cure above all things labour for faith Want faith thou perishest art deadly sicke without recovery Christ could doe no great worke in his owne Countrey because of their unbeleefe He that beleeveth not the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh 3. uls Hast thou faith be of good comfort according to thy faith it shall bee unto thee not according to thy money wealth friends but thy faith makes thee whole If God hath not given thee so much wealth so fine clothes so liberall fare as to others yet if he hath given thee so much faith he is liberall enough Oh that I had never so little a graine of faith but I have none so this blood can doe mee no good it is impossible for me to be cured But first hast thou none labour for it thou mayest have it If thou beleevest all things are possible Secondly distinguish betweene want and weakenesse of faith betweene the want of the grace and the want of sense If thou hast any faith never so weake as these grones desires prove then remember that excellent place Rom. 14. 3 God chuseth the weake in faith Hee makes choyce of thee then doe not thou refuse him And remember that the Cure was not ordained for Angels in heaven nor for Saints triumphant but militant that fight with unbeleefe corruptions and lusts If thou weâ—t perfect thou shouldst not need it If thou beest not perfect thou hast no cause to renounce but embrace it Come sicke as thou art come weary come bruised come despairing in thy selfe it is a medicine for the sicke a refreshing of the weary a builder up of the broken spirit nay and a quickener of the dead Here is that tree of life the leaves whereof doe heale the nations Let not thine owne unbeleefe be as a shaken sword in thine owne hand to keepe thee from it Remember the Text The whole need not the Physician but they that are â—â—â—ke Againe seeing there is a time to heale come in season Eccleâ— 3. 3 neglect not the opportunity get into the water so soone as the Angell moveth make benefit of advantages worke with God and the means accept the offers and invitations for thine owne welfare Thou mayest seeke oyle too late blessing too late the Word and faith too late and repentance too late Againe content not thy selfe onely to heare of this remedy but seeke to know that it is applyed to thee in particular and to feele the vertue of it in thy selfe as Paul desired to know nothing but the vertue of Christs death and resurrection Phil. 3. 9 10. Quest. How may I know it Answ. As Physicke taken into the body workes often so painefully that men are even at the gate of death in their present sense and no other but dead men so this Physicke worketh kindely when it worketh paine in the Party through the sense and sight of sinne and apprehension of Gods anger feare of damnation and utter despaire in themselves For this is the worke of the spirit of bendage namely generall faith in the Beleevers applying the Law and threatnings to their owne deepe humiliation No man can saile to heaven but by the gates of hell 2. As Physicke kindly working delivers the party not only from death but such humors as were the cause of his sickenesse at least that they be not predominant Even so must this Physicke rid us of our sinne and these peccant humors which were the matter of our sickenesse and that both from the condemnation and corruption of them 1 Iohn 1. 7. The blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne purgeth us from all sinne First from the condemnation of sinne this blood is shed for the remission of sinnes Galat. 3. 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Otherwise it must be with us as with him who in a desperate disease without Physicke must dye Secondly from the corruption of sinne both the disease of naturall and originall sinne and the leprosie of actuall sinnes Now looke into thy selfe examine whether this blood be a corrosive in thy soule to eat out the corruption of nature whether it purge the conscience from dead workes Hebr. 9. 14. whether it hath quitted thee as well from the dominion of sinne as from the damnation of it whether it hath brought thee to leave sinne c. Reason with the Apostle hath Christ dyed to kill sinne in me and shall I live to quicken it nay rather as 1 Peter 4. 1. forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh we must arme our selues with the same minde for that hee which hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sinne Thirdly as physicke is profitably applyed when it brings ease and rest having carried away the matter of the paine So is this physicke well applyed when faith quiets the heart by assuring it that Christ and his benefits are his and hath set him above the Law sinne hell death even in this life as a Conquerour and all this because he beleeves the Gospell Now come in peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost Beleeving yee reioyce with ioy unspeakeable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. When these take place instead of former gripes and stings of conscience this blood is soundly applyed For as nothing could cure the stung Israelites but the beholding of the brazen Serpent so nothing can pacifie the stung conscience but the blood of Christ lifted on the Crosse. 4. As after application of proper physicke wee finde a great change in our bodies as if wee had new bodies given us so after the kindly worke of this physicke we may finde our selves cast into a new mould this blood applyed makes us new Creatures new men having new mindes new wils new words new affections new actions new conversations Our strength is renewed to Christian actions and passion Wee are strong for our journey for our combate and strong to carry burdens with a strong
appetite and digestion of the Word every way more hearty and chearefull Thus having received our health by meanes of this Cure wisdome commands us to be as carefull to preserve our health as to attaine it Every wise man will be as carefull to keepe himselfe well as to get himselfe well And to this purpose wee must remember the counsell of our Physician for maintaining our health attained Amongst many directions prescribed I mention foure First not to be tampering with our owne medicines nor the medicines of Egypt merits pilgrimages penance or the like nor any quintessence or minerall from the hand of any libertine Teacher but onely such as wee finde prescribed in the word of God by our great Doctor Secondly to keepe our health we must keepe good dyet both for soule and body The best dyet for the soule is to keepe Gods houres for our daily repast by the Word in reading and meditating on it which David regarded above his ordinary food A liberall dyet is best for the soule but the best dyet for the body is a spare dyet a sober and moderate use of meat drinke and pleasure for beating downe and mortifying corrupt affections and lusts Thirdly to preserve our health we must strive to live in a good and wholesome ayre If thou livest in a corrupt ayre change it for a better The worst ayre that can be is where worst men and worst company are The ayre of an hot plaguy house is not so infectious as the contagious ayre of wicked company The former brings not so many to death of the body as this to death of the soule Live amongst Gods people and where Gods word is purely preached for there is the purest ayre Psal. 16. 3. All my delight is in the Saints excelling in vertue Fourthly to preserve health Physicians prescribe the use of good exercises The beâ—â—â—ercises to use for the health of the soule 〈◊〉 are hearing and reading of Gods Word pray also and meditate when thou art alone with conference of good things in company These are notable helpes to bring thee through weaknesses and keepe thy soule in good plight health and chearfulnesse FJNJS 2. Cor. 6. 4. Jude 19. 2 Tim. 2. 4. Amos 6. 6. 1. Sam. 15. 30. Occasion of the words Summe of them Parts Three duties These belong to all 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nimirùm in libertate nostra nobis relinquens utrùm amplecti maluerimus Jansen in loc The Text makes not for free-will 1 2. Notes of a Disciple of Christ. 1. Respect to the word and dependance on it 2. Mat. 4. 22. 23. 8. Joh. 6 68. Respect to Christ dependance on him alone 3. Attendance and obedience to him Joh. 15. 14. Melius est habere paucos discipulos quà m mulios auditores Thriv apoph 105. Luk. 6. 46. 4. Mat. 9. 15. John 16. 6. Joy in him or mourne after him Cant. 5. 6. Inaudita est dilectio quae amicum diligit prâ—sentiam ejus non amat Cassiod in Psal. 18. 5. Make Disciples winne others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 2â— 19 Scimuo quòd viri isti nec sibi vixére nec sibi sunt mortui sed ei qui pro ipsis mortuus est magis autem nobis omnibus propter illum Bern. serm Petr. Paul 1 Joh. 2. 6. Phil. 1. 20. 6. Love of the brethren a speciall badge of a true Christian Gal. 5. 6. Hâ—b 2. 4. 2 Cor. 5. 7. Eph. 5. 2. Rejection of them that want it 1. John 8. 44. 2. Eph. 4. 3. Gal. 5. 22. Jam 4. 5. John 9. 28. 2 Tim. 3. 8. 3. Isa. 11. 6. 7. 8. Gal. 6. 10. John 4. 9. 4. Niltam commendat Christianam animam quam misericordia Ambr. offic l. 1. cap. 11. Joh. 13. 34. Col. 3. 14. The first duty and note of a Disciple Foure things in it I. What is meant by ones selfe 1. Outward things 2. What inward things must be denied 1. Rom. 8. 7. 2. 3. 4. Qui depâ—niâ— vâ—terem hominem cum operibus suis abnegat sâ—ipsum c. Hieron in Matth. 5. Rom. 14. 7. Non dixit neget sed abneget ut hac adjeâ—â—iunâ—â—la plurimum addat c. Greg. Phil. 3. 7. 8. II. The difficulty of this duty Mar. 9 43. 47. Seen in 3. things 1. Luk. 9. 59. Mat. 19. 22 1 Cor. 3. 18. Job 20. 12. 2. 3. Mat. 19. 22 III. The necessity of doing it In sixe respects 1. Si peril homo amando se profectò invenitur negando se. Aug. ser. 77. de diversis 2. Non potes perfectam possidere libertatem nisi totaliter abneges temetispsum De imitat Christi li. 3. cap. 32. 3. Pro. 22. 15. 4. Mat. 9. 12. 10. 6. 5. Mat. 22. 37. 39. 6. Vigila super teipsum excita teipsum admone teipsum quicquid de aliis sit non negligas teipsum Tantum proficies quantum tibi ipsi vim intuleris De imitat Christi l. 1. c. 25. IV. Use. Exhortation to selfe-deniall Mischiefes by not beginning herein Fecerunt civitates duas amores duo terrenam scilicet amorsui usque ad contemptum Deiâ—coelestem verò amor Dei usque ad contemptum sui Aug. de Civ Dei l. 14. 2. Eph. 2. 2. 3. 4. Act. 19. 24. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 4. 6. Qui leviter ac desunctoriè ad pietatis doctrinam accesserunt exaruerunt Naz. orat 3. Quoâ—usquisque haec adimplevit sed quae penes homines difficilia penes Deum facilia Tert. de idol c. 12. Helpes to further this difficult duty 1. Luk. 11. 13. Isa. 44. 3. 2. 3. Self-deniall the first continued act of a Christian. Pensemâ—s quomodo Paulus se abuegaverat qui dicebat Vivo autem jam non ego Extinctus quippe suerat sevus ille persecutor et vivere coeperat pius praedicator Greg. in Evang hom 32. 4. Preservatives against pride which hinders selfe-deniall 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Also against distrustfulnes which hinders it 1 2. Mat. 6. 33. 3. Gen. 22. 14 1 Sam. 17. 37. Encouragements to this harsh work of selfe-deniall 1. 2. Nil me juvabunt fines mundi nec regna hujus seculi melius est â—ihi emori propter Jesum Christum quà m imperare finibusterrae Ignat. ad Rom. Psal. 120. 5. 6. 3. Heb. 11. 25. 26. Gen. 22. 16 Mat. 19. 27. Heb. 13. 12. 13. Rev. 12. 11 Ignis crux diaboti tormenta in me veniant tantummodo ut Jesum nanciscar â—dem ibid. 4. 5. Siâ— olerum plâ—lae traâ—sponuntur ut proficiaeu Unde enin videnturâ—ii perdidsse quod craâ—t inde incipiunt apparere quod non erant Greg. ubi supr Notes of one that denies himselfe 1. 2 Cor. 5. 14. 2. Phil. 4. 11. 12. 3. Foure things that self-deniall doth in respect of the Word Regards whatever God teacheth Act. 10. 33. Loves it all even reproofes Quarrels not but submits Suffers rather than the truth should suffer 4. Resignation to God for prosperity Deut. 8. 18. Of