helpes as they are heavie burdens to the owners as Ezek. 7. 19. The rich man shall cast his silver away and his gold shall be farre off nay the greater his wealth is the greater plague the greater griefe and spoile awaites him as a tree that hath thicke and large boughs every man desires to lop him And how many have wee knowne overthrowne by the finenesse of their garments who if they had had a shorter traine had in likelyhood stood out many yeares longer Remember that Riches have wings under which let the Master hide himselfe a while as Esa. 28. 15. making falshood his refuge and hiding himselfe under vanitie yet with these wings will they fly away like a runnagate servant when his Master hath most need of him Secondly in time of sicknesse they are unprofitable The honourable Garter cannot cure the gowt nor the Chaire of Estate ease the collicke nor a Crowne remove the head-ache Can a man by all his wealth buy a good nights sleepe can it help him to a good stomacke or free him of one shaking or burning fitt of an ague Nay as wormes breed in the softest woods and cankers in the most sappie trees so softnesse idlenesse fulnesse intemperance and effeminate delicacie in the rich procure peculiar and most incurable diseases Thirdly in the day of death they cannot profit Job 27. 8. What hope hath the hypocrite when he hath heaped up riches and God takes away his soule for as they cannot help to life or birth in which case some would give thousands or millions for an heir so they cannot help in life to put off death Doe not Princes fall like others and these gods dye like men Could all the rich mans wealth hold his soule one night no the foole found his life stood not in abundance It is righteousnesse not riches that delivereth the soule from death Prov. 10. 2. Nay at death they bring much bitternesse for it is as great a pang of death to part with wealth as to part with life so as a rich man without better hopes dyeth a double death here And one miserie abides with him that while he leaves his wealth hee carries his sinnes with him occasioned in the getting keeping and disposing of them these lye downe in the dust with him Fourthly after death they profit not they cannot keepe the soule from hell nor ease that torment one moment they cannot keepe corruption from the body open the grave and see if thou canst discerne a difference between the rich and poore tell me if the wormes spare either of both but if the living be wronged by cost about embalming entombing or the like it is but a corpes still no sweeter to God if not sweetned by the embalming and buriall of Christ. Fiftly at the day of judgment the whole world cannot profit a man being then set on a light fire then shall gold and silver and precious stones and common stones be all one the Judge will not be corrupted nor can causes be gilded nor sentence pronounced according to our wealth in goods or lands but according to our graces riches in good workes This will be then the only profitable wealth not gold in our chests but faith and pietie in our consciences shall avayle us and not that we had abundance but that wee were abundant in faithfull dispensing shall be our acceptance Pro. 21. 21. Hee that followeth righteousnesse and mercy shall finde righteousnesse life and glory And now after all this say What profit is it to winne the whole world and lose his owne soule Or what recompence shall a man give for his soule Two meditations arise out of these words 1. The soule of a man is a most precious and invaluable thing seeing all the world gained is not comparable to the losse of one soule Pro. 6. 26. it is called the precious soule or life of man See it farther 4. wayes 1. Consider the soule in it self it is a particle of divine breath not created as bodily things consisting of matter and forme but inspired of God For the soule is neither traduced from the soules of Parents and much lesse generated of any corporall seed or matter but the Lord that spred the heavens and founded the earth formed the spirit of man within him Zech. 12. 1. neither was it created without deliberation of the whole Trinitie Gen. 1. 26. Let us make man in our owne image or likenesse as being the exquisite Master-piece above all other 2. Behold it in the faculties of it and wonder that God should put in such a piece of clay so divine a soule And that not onely in regard of supernaturall qualities of holinesse and righteousnesse in the entire nature of it but also in respect of natural qualities and operations resembling God in his understanding and wisedome it hath a facultie to understand and know Him whom it ought chiefely to love and is almost infinite at least insatiable in seeking knowledge a facultie to will even that which God willeth nor resteth it in any thing of this life nor is contented with any thing below but willeth principally things beyond the sight blessednesse and happinesse and respecteth good estimation after death and so argueth it owne immortalitie as God is immortall a facultie of conscience that stands in awe to sin though none looke on or citeth the person before Gods tribunall as Belshazzar and Felix who trembled It hath likewise all his operations above sense to love GOD feare God beleeve in God embrace Religion meditate on heavenly things with an aptnesse to proceed in the knowledge of God which other inferior creatures cannot doe 3. Behold it in the end of it it was not made for the body but the body for the soule and not onely to be the tabernacle of the soule to dwell in but the instrument of the soule to worke by for the soule tyed to the body cannot put forth his faculties without organs and senses of the body to expresse love and dutie unto God But the primarie and proper end of the divine soule is to live to God in this life and with God in the life to come Fourthly behold it as redecmed by Christ and created again to Gods image What a price did God and Jesus Christ set upon it what more precious than the blood of him that was God The ransome of the soule must be a bove all corruptible things 1 Pet. 1. 18. Also as it is sanctified by the Spirit what can bee comparable to his unmatchable graces no pearles are to be compared to wisdome to precious faith to the feare of God which is a rich treasure And if the hangings bee so precious what may we thinke of the roome Then bee so much the more warie to shunne any thing that may hurt the soule We esteeme our naturall lives precious and therefore are carefull to avoyd whatsoever is prejudiciall to the body
of puffing knowledge is not sound Good men never boast of sharpenesse of sight or quicknesse of understanding but see the vaile unremoved and the skales not quite fallen off They are not blinde as before but by reason of fogs and lusts and mists of sinfull affections and motions can sometimes see as little the things before them as Agar could the Well before her Gen. 21. by reason of her passion or griefe as Calvin judgeth And although their eyes be open yet they see how beavy they be and hardly kept open as the Disciples when Christ warned them to watch by reason of sleepinesse and dulnesse of flesh â—o as they may say with the Church their eyes sleepe when their hearts awake They may indeed professe with the blind man Ioh. 9 25. One thing J know whereas J was blind now J see but must adde withall yet I see how little I see even a glimmering of things rather than things themselves 2. It must follow that sound knowledge must continually bewaile ignorance and darknesse for why hath the Lord left it in us but to humble us that with the rest of the law of the members it might bee as the Canaanites to exercise us or as the pricke in the flesh lest we should be exalted out of measure by abundance of revelations Nay as light and darkenesse have a daily and interchangeable fight in nature so the soule must maintaine a continuall combate betweene knowledge and ignorance 3. It followes that found knowledg cannot be that which in sense of want or weakenesse striveth not in the meanes to a further measure that of weake is not made strong that riseth not to a further assurance or the like for all sound knowledge is proveable and the way of the just shineth more and more till perfect day Thus of the second point 3. The child of God most earnestly desireth to know the wayes of God as our Prophet through this whole Psalme Daniel though a most worthy Prophet yet read the Prophecies of Ieremie Dan. 9. 1 2. And all things are dung to Saint Paul in respect of the excellent knowledge of the vertue of Christs death resurrection Phil. 3. 7 8 9 10. But why 1. Because they know it to be the way of God and there is no other the way not onely wherein God himselfe walketh who is the most perfect pattern of his owne law but especially because it is the way hee hath chalked out for us to walke in who can walke toward him in his owne way onely as we can see the Sunne onely by his owne light and come to the Sea by his owne streames 2. They onely discerne the danger of spirituall darkenesse and blindnesse How it wraps in manifold errors of judgment false doctrines and opinions against the Word Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures Matth. 22. 29. and Prov. 19 〈◊〉 Without knowledge the minde is not good How it wraps in errors of life and conversation for so the Scriptures ascribe all corruption of manners to ignorance Paul persecuted and wasted the Church why the did it of ignorance And in ignorance the Rulers put Christ to death had they knowne they would not have crucified the Lord of glory How it wraps men under the power of sinne and delivers them as voluntary subjects in kingdome of darknesse under the Prince of darkenesse to be ruled at his will as 2 Tim. 2. 26 and when men regard not to know God how justly doth hee give them up to a reprobate sense as he did the Heathens Rom 1. 24. to commit things against reason and nature And finally how it wraps them under the curse of God both temporall and eternall My people perish saith the Lord for want of knowledge that is are in state of perdition they lye in unbeleefe for no knowledge no faith and not beleeving they are condemned already Ioh. 3. 1â— And they are lyable every where to those judgements which the Prophet prayes to be powred out upon them that know not the name of God Then for the eternall curse when Christ shall come from heaven in flaming fire hee shall render vengeance on all that know not God 2 Thes. 1. 8. and justly for death hath seized on them already they are destitute of the life of God by the ignorance that is in them their minde and conscience is dead and being strangers to the life of God they are thrust under the power of eternall death Prov. 10. 18. The foole dyeth for want of knowledge Therefore the Saints seeke after knowledge as David here 3. They see the necessity of the word of God and the knowledge thereof the Word is the food of the soule an hungry man longs after his food and a good heart hungers after the Word Hence the Prophets and men of God are said to eat up the little booke Ezek. 3. 1. and to fill their bellies with it as hungry men when they come at a good meale The word of God is the water of the Well of Life and how necessary is water how doth a thirsty man desire to be refreshed with water so doth the godly after the knowledge of God and none but thirsty soules are called or doe come to these waters Esa. 55. 1. How earnestly doe blind men â—esire to see the light so doe â—he Saints seeing what a weake â—immering and sight they have 〈◊〉 Divine things They know â—he Sunne in the heavens is not 〈◊〉 necessary to enlighten the world as is the Sonne of grace â—nd righteousnesse to enlighten 〈…〉 e Church And as without the â—unne there would be a perpe 〈…〉 all night so without God and 〈…〉 e saving knowledge of him 〈…〉 ere were an eternall night in 〈…〉 verlasting darknesse 4. They earnestly desire saâ—ing knowledge because they 〈…〉 ee the profit and high excellen 〈…〉 y of it both within themselves 〈…〉 d without them First within themselves they 〈…〉 ee Gods Image renewed in 〈…〉 em by knowledge and themselves framed to his likenesse who is light and in whom is no 〈…〉 arknesse Also they see themselves brought into better frame by it daily and changed into 〈◊〉 selfe from glory to glory with out which they could never attaine any right motion in their wils or affections nor any righâ— manner or end of doing any thing nor any happy fruit o 〈…〉 their endevours but the losse o 〈…〉 all their labour time hope and reward Secondly without them they see the worth and excellency of this knowledge above all other things in the world and that nothing else can make them truly happy Prov. 3. 13. Blessed iâ— the man that findeth wisdoms and that getteth understanding But how can Salomon prove this By two reasons The former in the 14. verse by comparing this wisdome of God with silver and gold which are so desirable but the gaine of this is better Oh but some things
ingenuous childe loves his father even when hee correcteth him and this keeps him from murmuring and discontent and frames him to stoupe under his fathers smiting hand contentedly That is true love which I shew to him that deales hardly with me 4. Humility and silence not disputing the matter with God much lesse charging him foolishly but as David Psal. 39. 9. I held my tongue and said nothing because thou O Lord diddest it 5. Joy and rejoycing not in the smart of the crosse but in waiting the sweet fruit of it Actâ— 5. 41. the Disciples rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer â—or the Name of Christ. So in Luke 6. 23. and Jam. 1. 2. A difficult thing to corrupt nature Yet the Scripture presseth it upon us with strong reasons as 1. No crosse is laid upon us but by the will and appointment of God nothing fals out but by his speciall providence not a Sparrow can fall to the ground not an haire of the head and much lesse the head it selfe As our Lord Christ himselfe had not the crosse laid on him but by the determinate counsell of God Act. 2. 23. Herod Pilate the Gentiles and the people of Israel did nothing against him but what the hand of God and his determinate counsell appointed to be done So is it in the members no crosse is laid on them but by Gods determination And as Christ told Pilate Thou couldest have no power over me if it were not given thee of the Father so may the members say to their persecutors And therefore those that are to suffer according to the will of God must submit to his will and commit themselves in well-doing to his revealed will for shall not both the head and member drinke of the cup which the Father hath given 2. We must therefore take up the crosse because this is the time and place of taking it up John 16. 33. In the world yee shall have tribulation God hath ordained this world to bee a dripping and watery seed time and hee must be content to sowe in teares that would reape in joy and God can wipe away no teares hereafter but such as are shed here The world to Christians is Gods furnace and fining pot to purifie his gold whereof hee will frame his golden vessels and while wee are earthly vessels hee will by crosses scowre us from the rust and filth of sin that stickes so fast to our natures 3. Wee must willingly take them up to shew our selves both conformable to Christ and serviceable Christ willingly tooke up his crosse for us and endured wounds scarres and markes in his body for us And so wee must for him willingly beare his markes and scarres in our body and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh Col. 1. 24. and this made the Apostle rejoyce in his sufferings and glory in his persecution for Christ Gal. 6. 17. I beare in my body the markes of the Lord Jesus And indeed it is the glory of a Christian souldier to shew the markes and scarres of his fortitude and valour in a good cause in his Princes quarrell and for the honour of his Country See Luke 24. 26. and 2 Tim. 2. 11. Againe to shew our service and love to him Hee became a servant and was obedient to the death and took up his crosse to endure a meritorious suffering the price of our redemption We cannot so suffer for him but must in way of thankfulnes endure the service of suffering and not love our lives to the death for him Acts 20. 24. My life is not deare to me so that I may fulfill my course with joy And wherein can a man more clearly expresse himselfe a servant of Christ than by suffering for righteousnes sake and by maintaining his Lords honour and just quarrell to the death 2 Tim. 2. 3. Suffer affliction as a good souldier of Jesus Christ. 4. We may chearfully take up the crosse because wee know it shall not overburden us for it is Christs crosse and he puts under his shoulder and beares the weight-from us and supplies strength to us to carry the light end of it for he did suffer to succour them that suffer Beside we know that no afflictions can separate us from the love of God in Christ Rom. 8. ult When Christ was on the crosse our sins separated between God and his sense and made him cry out My God my God why hast thou for saken me But his promise hath tyed his aide and presence to us in sixe troubles and in seven in passing through fire and water c. Againe wee know the sting is taken out of our crosse by Christ taking it on him and therefore we may cheerfully take it up as Moses tooke the Serpent by the taile and it was turned into a rod in his hand and threatens only a loving correction 5. We must willingly take up the crosse because of the present blessed use future issue of it For the present It is of use for the tryall of our faith much more precious than gold 1 Pet. 1. 7. for the exercise of our patience Jam. 1. 2. and manifestation of all graces Perfumes smell sweetest when beaten in a mortar Starres shine brightest in the darkest night so the graces of the Saints disappeare often in the noon-day sun-shine of prosperity are most shining in the darke night of affliction For the future issue These temporary short afflictions cause an excellent and eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. This was Jobs argument not to refuse the Lords chastening for Blessed is the man whom God correcteth Job 5. 17. This was Moses his argument to chuse the crosse and afflictions Heb. 11. 25. for Hee had respect to the recompence of reward What if the way be rough asperous as a fowle lane yet it leads to heaven and brings into a glorious mansion Care not then so much what way thou goest as whither it leads A fairer way were more pleasant but perhaps not so safe Elias is not affraid nor hurt to be carried in a fiery chariot to his rest and glory And glad may we be if by the doung-gate or any posterne gate wee may get within the heavenly Jerusalem Thus seeing both the necessity difficulty and utility of this precept of Christ and seeing it may be and must bee attained of every Disciple let us frame to the obedience of it and get neere us such helpes as may hold us in a fitnesse and preparednesse to take up our crosse daily Quest. What are they Answ 1. Before crosses come make account of them and store thy selfe with patience even for the sharpest and for one after another not prescribing the time or measure but account him a slight servant that gives up his worke and makes holy-day at his pleasure This wisedome we may
any businesse of the calling generall or speciall and sanctifying every thing by the Word and Prayer Christ could not pollute any thing and yet did thus A good motive to thee for performing this duty 4. In fervent zeale to his Fathers house which even consumed him Hee was daily in the Temple reading praying preaching conferring confirming reforming If hee withdrew from his Parents who had lost him there you might finde him Herein should Christians imitate his piety in a burning zeale to Gods glory How zealous was Phinehas for God! How was Pauls spirit troubled within him Acts 17. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies he was almost besides himselfe to see the Idolatry of the Athenians Alas where is our zeale wee are generally key-cold as Gallio was in Gods causes Christ his zeale was inflamed for the reformation of his Fathers house but much of our zeale is against zeale and reformation And such was his zeale that whatsoever hee saw it affected him deeply either with griefe if evill or joy if well done or pity and compassion in the misery of others Wherever hee was he was well-doing in the City and publike places hee was teaching and instructing in solitary desolate places hee was praying meditating preparing himselfe or enduring temptation in porches and high-wayes he was curing healing helping He went about doing good Acts 10. 38. Our zeale also to Gods glory should move us to watch and take all occasions of doing good of promoting Gods glory furthering mans good and fitting our owne reckoning 5. In his faith and confidence His whole life was an obedience of faith his death likewise an obedience of faith In that dreadfull desertion of his Father that we had deserved he cryed My God my God hee could trust in his Father killing him Herein a rare patterne of imitation in all deeps by faith to give the Lord the honour of salvation and leane upon his love and promise Thus of the piety of our Lord. His charity and love of man shined likewise many wayes 1. In his humility meeknesse patience and gentlenesse beyond all example For first being in the forme of God and equall to his Father yet he came to serve and not to be served So lowly that he disdained not to wash his Disciples feet even Judasses John 13. and hee will have every one look on this glasse If I have washed your feet you must wash one anothers feet that is stoup to the lowest services one of another and Learne of me for I am lowly and meeke Mat. 11. 29. and Phil. 2. 5. Let the same minde be in you which was also in Christ Jesus But alas we strive to go one before another in pride and taking honour because the minde of Christ is not in us Secondly so patient was hee that when hee could have revenged his enemies who came to apprehend him hee strucke them all to the ground with a word but let them rise againe Hee hurt none of them but cured Malchus his eare whom Peter had hurt Hee delivered himselfe into their hands He blessed them that cursed him and prayed on the crosse for his tormentors All to teach Christians to moderate their anger to suffer wrong to offer none to return good for evill blessing for cursing as being heires of blessing 1 Pet. 3. 18. 2. In his beneficence goodnes to every one Hee healed all diseases dispossessed Divels raised the dead gave to his enemies food to eate health to their bodies salvation to their soules So must every Christian do good to all especially to the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. yea doe good to enemies and ill deserving thus either winning them or heaping coales on their heads 3. In that hee was an admirable patterne of civill righteousnes in word and deed Never was guile found in his lips or hands no nor ever in the thoughts or desires of his heart did hee detaine any mans right but gave every man his due and taught others so to do To his Parents obedience to the Magistrate subjection to Caesar hee payd tribute for himselfe and his Hee never impaired the estate or good name of any man Thus must Christians give to every one his owne in word and deed honour to whom honour tribute to whom tribute pertaineth and dispensing to every one all offices of justice and love Labouring to live though not without sin yet without just blame out of the testimony of a good conscience able to challenge the Adversary which of you can accuse mee though I can easily accuse my selfe but whose Oxe or Asse have I taken that I may recompence him 4. In that hee never transgressed the rule of love but left a transcendent patterne of it in laying down his life for his enemies Never was there such a copy And this for our imitation who must walke in love as hee loved us Ephes. 5. 2. and 1 John 3. 16. If he layd downe his life for us we ought also one for another Quest. Doth Christs example bind us to dye for our brethren Answ. Yes not onely that Scripture proveth it but the example of Moses Exod. 32. 32. and Paul Rom. 9. 3. and chapt 16. 4. Priscilla and Aquila laid downe their neckes for Pauls life The reason is this The member of the naturall body will save a fellow-member with the losse of it selfe as the hand will save the head though it bee stricken off for it So in the mysticall body the Church The rules these 1. Christians must ayme at such sincerity in love as to bee willing to give their lives 1. for God 2. for his image and stand in a readinesse to undergoe any danger for GOD and his image sake for love seekes not her owne 2. Wee must intend the salvation of our brethren before our owne lives for their soules are better than our lives so did Christ and so did the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 12. 15. I would most gladly bee bestowed for your soules 3. Not rashly and without calling for Christ died not for us till he was called to it Which when we have we must part with our lives even for their bodies much more for their soules Thus of the matter wherein we must follow Christ. Next of the manner of following him Object How can wee follow Christ seeing he is in heaven and we on earth Answ. Not having his bodily presence on earth wee cannot make any pilgrimage to follow him with the feet of our body but 1. Wee must follow him in faith move after him with the feet of faith which to do know that faith hath a threefold worke in this businesse First it causeth us to know acknowledge our Captaine and the way wherein hee is gone before us for it tels the Christian that he being now set into Christ and become a member of him If hee now live hee must live unto him If he dye
But the divine nature of the soule the excellencie of it above the body calls for more care and watchfulnes about it as 1. Abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against the soule 1 Pet. 2. 11. beware of inward uncleannesse and impuritie the projects of the flesh pleasures of the flesh or pleasing of the flesh which savoureth not the things of God but fighteth against the spirit Rom. 8. 7. and lusteth against it Gal. 5. 17. Once already it hath robbed us of Gods image and our owne happinesse and cannot but serve us so again if we listen unto it 2. Beware of earthly lusts worldly desires and seeking after these transitories which drowne the soule in perdition 1 Tim. 6. 9. How carefull will a man bee of falling into a whirlepit where if good helpe come not in time hee is sure to bee drowned it is the word there used noting a certaine danger of drowning in a well or pit and such a danger as covetous rich men seldome or never get out of 3. Beware of false doctrine errours and heresies against the truth received which are the poyson and plague of the soule A man would not for a world drinke a draught of poyson and a carefull Christian will not willingly drinke-in any poysoned or infected doctrine which is infinitely more deadly to the soule than the other to the body 4. Beware of all sinne but especially of sins against conscience which are called wasting sinnes and of David prevailing sinnes Psal. 19. 13. Presumptuous sins make great gashes in the soule no sword can so gash and cleave the body Who would not avoid a mortall wound from a keene and mortall weapon Every sinne is a mortall wound but these farre more desperate and incurable Againe is the soule so precious then the murder of the soule is the most horrible sinne that can be to destroy the body of a man is to destroy Gods image yet a greater sinne to destroy his soule Ah fearefull sinne of non-residencie which destroyeth so many soules for if vision faile people must perish Prov. 29. 18. The carelesse neglect of so many soules as are under our charge is a fearefull and unregarded sinne Nature teacheth to prevent death and mischiefe from the bodies of all that are within our gates even beasts themselves and shall wee do no more for our brethren and bowells than for our beasts Never a soule thou standest charged withall but if it miscarry by thy default thy life shall goe for his life see 1 King 20. 39. and Ezek. 3. 18. On the other side is the soule so precious then the saving of a soule is one of the best and highest workes of mercy and shall receive the best reward to shine as the starres in the firmament of heaven Dan. 12. 3. How should this stirre up the Ministers to diligence in preaching so to feede and save soules The gaining of one soule is above the gaine of the world Therefore as the Lords nourses be ever laying out your breasts and afford the Lords children his owne provision in the word and sacraments labour to bring them to faith by which they receive the food and pray for the spirit by whose heat it is digested and turned into the nourishment of the soule How should it excite Parents and Masters to tender the precious soules of their children and servants to winne them to God by instruction counsell prayer example every way helping them out of sinne The chiefe love and care should bee set on that which is most precious But great is the sinne of most men who no more regard the soules of their children and servants than if they had no soules at all How should it stirre up able men to set up and hold up the Ministery every where according to their power which is the highest worke of mercie tending to save soules Ordinarily rich men at their death give if any thing to hospitalls or workes of charitie to the poore And these workes of mercy to the bodies of men being fruits of faith are worthy evidences of the power of the Gospell and shall not want their reward Mat. 10. 42. But if any man would runne at the best prize and doe a worke of truest mercie doe it to mens soules provide for their instruction get them food for their soules and the cloathing of Christs righteousnesse this is the better part Luke 10. 42. to shew mercy to the more precious part the saving of one soule is a more happie worke than the provision of a thousand bodies that must bee done and this not neglected More how careful should every one be for his owne soule which is here prized at so deare a rate all other things of price we are charie of for our bodies we are excessively carefull both to free them from annoyance and supply them with abundance of good things how much more would we doe so for our soules if wee prized them above our bodies but generall is the folly of that foole in the Gospell Luke 12. 20. who provided for every thing but his poore soule Consider even in this life the welfare of thy body depends on the good estate of thy soule and if the soule bee well provided for and saved the body is sure to be saved too Remember the promise Exod. 23. 25. If thou cleavest to the Lord hee shall blesse thy bread and thy water and take all sicknesse from the midst of thee And the keeping of the words of wisdome is life to those that finde them and health to their flesh Prov. 4. 22. Hence the godly in death were ever and onely carefull of their soules as Steven Act. 7. 59. Commended his soule into the hands of God and Christ himselfe his spirit into the hands of his Father Luke 23. 46. not mentioning their bodies they knew one cure implyed the other Lastly note the madnesse of men undervaluing their soules and exchanging them for an handfull of earth when indeed the world cannot profit them after this losse Once Adam and all his sonnes exchanged an innocent estate for a sinfull abd miserable and so it is still And with the prodigall sonne wee forgoe willingly our fathers favour for harlots and harlotrie our fathers house for a strange country our fathers bread for huskes What an extreme folly this is appeareth thus lay a man the wealth of a Kingdome a Crowne and all the world in his hand for his life he will not forgoe it at any hand but will readily say what will all this doe mee good when I am dead hee is wise to esteeme his life at an higher rate than the whole world because all the world cannot recompence or make up his losse But offer him a morsell of unjust gaine or a slight unlawfull and stolne pleasure for his soule hee makes a present exchange Ah seely man whose soule is so small a moate in thine eye which
who for avoyding the crosse perill have rejected him and the profession of his Gospell eternall perdition but to the godly who have persisted in the constant confession of his Name according to their workes life eternall This application of these words to the former matter is the true connexion of them wherein consider five things 1. The person that must come the Sonne of man 2. The action of comming shall come 3. The manner of comming in the glory of his Father 4. His attendants with his Angells 5. The end of comming to give to every man according to his deeds For the first The person that must come is the Sonne of man which title is used in the Scripture either commonly or singularly In the former sense for any common man borne of another Job 25. 6. How much more the Son of man which is but a worme In the latter it is taken for the eternall Sonne of God being made man Matt. 8. 20. the Sonne of man hath not where to lay his head For by the sonne of man is meant here whole Christ by an ordinary figure whereby that which belongeth to one nature is ascribed to the whole person so in Mat. 9. 6. the sonne of man hath power to remit sinnes which power agrees not to Christ as the son of man or in respect of his humane nature but in respect of the eternall Person as hee is God for who can forgive sinnes but God onely Beside Christ while hee was in the world said that the sonne of man came downe from heaven is in heaven which then could not be in regard of his humane nature but of his divine Nay by this title our Text must needes understand whole Christ God and man the Sonne of God and the Sonne of man for though his speech expresse him the Sonne of man yet the action here refeired unto him to be the just Judge of all the world proclaims him to be the Son of God and hee is indeed the Sonne of man but comming in the glory of his Father Quest. But why doth Christ ordinarily speaking of himselfe call himselfe the sonne of man he might have said the Sonne of God shall come in the glory of his Father which might seeme to have added more weight to his words Answ. Yet he useth the other title 1. In respect of himselfe To note that hee was a true man being not onely a man but the sonne of man that borne man having flesh and blood no where else but from man And herein this second Adam was opposed to the first who was a man but not the sonne of man for hee was the Sonne of God by creation Luke 3. 38. The first Adam was framed of the earth and so was made a man but not the Sonne of man the second Adam tooke flesh of the Virgin and so was not onely man but the Sonne of man also Againe it implies that he was a weake and fraile man as the Hebrew phrase soundeth Psal. 8. 5. Lord what is man or the sonne of man that thou shouldest respect him being so base and vile Esay 51. 12. Who art thou that fearest a mortall man or the sonne of man that is a weake and fraile creature And hereto serves that distinction among the Hebrewes of filii viri and filii hominis Beniâ—sh noteth men in excellencie eminencie dignitie and authoritie Beni-adam obscure persons and men of common and low condition In the same sense Ezekiel because he was astonied and throwne downe by a glorious vision Chap. 1. was so often afterward called sonne of man and bid to stand up on his feet As if the Lord had said Ezeki cl I know thou art a sonne of man a weake man not able to behold the brightnesse of such Majestie but gather thy selfe bee of good cheare and stand on thy feet And thus Christ the sonne of man takes on him our frailties and weaknesses undertook an abject low and base condition and appeared in the forme of a servant in his nativitie life and death in all our basenesse like unto us sinne onely excepted Yea and more in this very phrase hee impropriateth our miserie to himself that as all sons of men are base and miserable yet of all sons of men none was ever so abased as hee was no sorrow was ever like his no not all the misery of all sonnes of men was comparable to his and therefore hee doth after a sort appropriate this title to himselfe 2. In respect of his hearers and mens judgement who commonly esteemed him no other and rose no higher in their judgement of him than of a meere man though perhaps a great and holy man He would tender the weaknesse of his hearers for scarce the Disciples themselves after a great while could come to acknowledge the Majesty of the Sonne of God in this sonne of man and therefore he speakes of himselfe as they are able to conceive him more intending their instruction than his owne reputation 3. In respect of the argument For the manner of Scripture in speaking of the last judgement is to use this phrase above other 1. because this was appropriated to Messiah by Daniel chap. 7. 13. to which Christ undoubtedly had reference I beheld and there came as a sonne of man in the clouds of heaven 2. To shew that as he shewed himselfe in the nature of man to be judged on earth so hee would shew himselfe in a visible manner a Judge from heaven for it is meete that the Judge of all should be seene of all In regard of which manner of judging the Sonne onely shall judge although the Father and the holy Ghost judge also but after another manner Ob. Christ was as a sonne of man Dan. 7. and Revel 14. 14. I saw upon the cloulds one sitting as the sonne of man therefore Christ is not but onely like the sonne of man So Phil. 2. 7. He tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made like a man Answ. For the two former places Christ was seene figuratively in vision When Daniel saw his vision he was not yet the son of man but was to be born be in time the son of man And after he was incarnate ascended being by S. John seene in vision hee is said to bee 〈◊〉 the sonne of man for that he was not seene of either in substance but in figure onely For the place in the Philippians well answers M. Calvin Saint Paul speakes not of the essence of his humane nature but of his state hee came a true man but in a lowly state and condition even the base condition of a servant Note here how our Lord doth willingly acknowledge the humilitie and basenesse of his humanitie speaketh lowly of himself in such an argument as wherein hee shall shew his greatest glory He might have stiled himselfe the Sonne of God as hee was not onely as God by eternall generation
here comforteth his Disciples in their sorrow that they shall see their Lord after a great deale of contempt and passion lifted up againe in the glory of his Kingdome A child will rejoyce in the advancement of the Father a servant in the honour of his Master especially a loving spouse in the advancement of her husband And how should we cheere up our selves and others to see the Lord Jesus honoured in a powerfull Ministerie his enemies throwne downe before him our brethren drawne by multitudes under his allegeance c. Contrarily it should be the griefe of our hearts when any thing crosseth his kingdome when any designe prevaileth against his word when any holy Ministerie is cast downe when the Lord loseth an ensigne c. Wee must also every one doe our best to set up Christ in his Kingdome and that hee may lift up and hold up his scepter every where thou prayest his kingdome may come use meanes for that thou prayest in what place soever If a Magistrate thou must punish offenders against his lawes as well as against the Kings thou must order thy government as well by his Iawes as the Kings By thy example thou must grace the word as well as by thy presence thou wilt grace the execution of the Kings lawes If a Minister thou art the Lords Scepter-bearer thou must hold up this Scepter and mace of Christ preaching the word plainly purely sincerely instantly as Johns goe next before him and make way for him as friends of the bridegrome be sure hee increase though wee decrease How doe they this that preach not at all or now and then or preach against preaching and declaime against those that most zealously advance the Scepter and glory of Christ that were not Christ too strong for them and truth stronger than all Christ should never come in his Kingdome if hee were a King he should be such an one as Ishbosheth a King without a Kingdome without subjects or lawes If thou bee a private person shew thy selfe a good subject to this King and set up his Kingdome both within and without thee Without thee thou must set up his lawes and authoritie in thy familie by instruction catechizing prayer and holy orders by which faith and the feare of God may bee planted and cherished that there may bee a draught of a Church in thine house and by Christian conference admonishing and exhorting one another to containe every one in his alleageance and subjection to Jesus Christ. Above all wee must bee carefull to set up this Kingdome within our selves and maintaine the rule and soveraigntie of Christ by his word in our owne consciences Quest. How may wee doe this Ans. 1. If as good subjects we frame and compose our selves to this Kingdome Both to the lawes of it for Christians are a people under lawes and hee that acknowledgeth not the fundamentall lawes of this Kingdome and will not bee ruled by the word of Christ is none of Christs subjects As also to the holinesse of it by daily putting on a divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. The subjects of Christ are people of a pure language and though sanctitie bee scorned and hunted with disgrace out of the world this is the King onely of Saints 2. If as good subjects we serve with chearfulnesse and joyfulnesse this King of glory With chearfulnesse for his people are a willing people and bring free-will offerings Psal. 110. and besides to serve him is to raigne all his subjects are Kings the estate of the meanest Christian is a Kingdome With joyfulnesse also Psal. 149. 2. Let the children of Sion rejoyce in their King blesse GOD that hath shewed us the way to this Kingdome who else had beene still in the Kingdome of darknesse and that hee hath made an entrance for us into this Kingdome Col. 1. 12 13. and the rather because hee hath passed by the Angels that fell and made no entrance for them yea passed by many nations and millions of men and out of all the world brought us under the subjection of this King 3. If as good subjects wee maintaine the honour and authoritie of our King and our owne liberties and priviledges obtained by him for us First wee maintaine his right when wee set up his word every where and suffer it to command and rule our owne thoughts words actions and 〈…〉 tions and bring all into the 〈…〉 dience of Christ. If we cannot prevaile that his word may command and rule others yet see it rule and command our selves Againe when wee maintaine warre and take up armes against all his and our enemies that rise up against his honour and our salvation We must be stout and invincible against all that would incroach and raign over us in stead of Jesus Christ as namely wee must levie forces and serve in his warres against the temptations of Satan the corruptions of the world and our owne lusts and the evils of our owne hearts and lives all which wee must resist instantly for the Adversary is restlesse in assaulting wisely standing on our watch and in the complete armour of God stoutly for the warre is difficult but the victory certain and glorious Secondly as good subjects we must maintaine our owne liberties Gal. 5. 1. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not intangled againe with the yoke of bondage Resolve never to come under the bondage of sinne and Satan any more it was basenesse and madnesse in Israel that being free from Pharaohs oppressions they would run back into Egypt in all haste Nor under the yoke bondage of humane traditions or yokes of Antichrist Christs greatest enemie Of all slaves and vassals let us esteeme the slave of sin the greatest and seeing the Son hath made us free let us highly prize stoutly maintaine this freedome To perswade all this 1. Consider what an absolute Monarch Christ is of what power to constraine obedience and restraine rebels he can get himselfe a name and lift up his Scepter without thee and against thee being God and man and Lord of all things but for thy good hee would take thee in as anassistant in his government and if thy service bee his his honour is thine 2. Consider what a good and gracious Lord thou servest one that no way burdens his servants and subjects but every way enricheth them by bestowing large gifts upon them even his whole Kingdome to every of them yea whose love is experienced by his death for his enemies 3. Consider his presence with his subjects in all places and occasions Hee seeth who makes his heart a presence-chanber for Christ who sets up his chaire of estate there who they be that take care nothing be done or defended against his lawes in his owne presence and who they are that suffer his word to sway against lusts The very sight of the Kings
sinner but onely this blood of an infinite price power and merit Here was a rich and free mercy to part with his owne life and dearest pledge of his love and voluntarily submit himselfe to death which was of more strength then all the lives of men and Angels Wonder Fifthly admire his matchlesse love who to save our soules made his soule an offering for sinne and healeth our wounds by his owne stripes A Phyfician sheweth great love if he take a little care above ordinary though he be wel rewarded and made a great gainer by it But this Physician must be a loser by his love he must lose his glory his life he must lose heaven and happinesse and all and beyond all this be unmatchable in abasement and torment in so much that he calleth all us who are ready to passe by all to consider if ever any sorrow were like to his sorrow Here was a sound love to us who endured to be so afflicted and abased by God men and divels for our sakes when he could have prevented and refused it if it had pleased him but this love was stronger than death and undervalued his owne life to save ours Wonder and wonder for ever And let it stirre us up to love this Physician dearely for great love is a great loadstone and attractive of love What love owe we to God the Father for giving his Sonne to the death for us as it a King should deliver the Prince apparant to death to save a condemned râ—bell What great love made him not account his life deare for us Oh the deadnesse of our hearts that can heare this with so little sense and provocation to love him againe Quest. How may we testifie our love to Christ Answ. We must not love him in tongue and word onely but in deed and truth framing our love in some proportion unto his which was both in word worke and suffering First in profession and word we must magnifie his great worke of Redemption and advance it in the perfection and vertue of it as able of it selfe to purchase the whole Church a blood able of it selfe to save from the destroying Angell and make a perfect peace betweene God and us Secondly as Gods love was actuall so wee must settle our selves to his service If ye love me keepe my Commandements Hee was a servant to doe our worke his love onely made him so And shall we refuse his worke Ours was a painefull taske that he undertooke and he left us an easie yoke to shew our obedience and gives us also strength to beare it Hee hath given himselfe for us and will giue himselfe to us and shall not we give our selves to him Certainly we serve a good Lord and want no encouragement Thirdly according to his example let us not love our lives to the death for his sake Rev. 12. 11. He that hateth not his life in comparison of Christ cannot be his Disciple Luk 14. 26. The direct end of Christs life was our glory the direct end of ours must be his glory He maintained our cause to the death by his death hee now pleads our cause in heaven It is therefore not onely honourable but equall and iust that wee should sticke to him and his causes in life and death and that love which is sound is like his even stronger then death So of the Cure in respect of the Confection Now we are to consider it in the Application For what would it availe to have the most skilfull and carefull Physician and the most rare proper and powerfull medicine under the Sunne prescribed by him if either it be not for me or not applyed to the disease or sore And so our heavenly Physician hath taken care not onely for direction and confection but also for application Medicines must be received for we must not looke to be cured by miracle but by meanes Where consider 1. The persons to whom the cure is applyed 2. The meanes whereby 3. The time when For the persons the Text saith all that be sicke that is sensible and languishing under theirsicknesse And Psal. 147. 3. He heales those that are broken in heart and binds up their sores For the meanes whereby the cure is applyed it is faith we must bring faith to be healed Christ required mens faith in healing of their bodies much more must wee bring it to the cure of our soules By faith I meane speciall faith which is not 〈…〉 w Christ hystorically for so did many Ioh 2. to whom Christ would not trust himselfe viz. that he is the Son of God who shed his blood and died for sinners for this the divels beleeve and tremble Neither is it onely to beleeve him the Iews heard him saw him beleeved many things to be true but received him not But To beleeve in him stands in two things First to receive and apply him for to receive Christ and beleeve in him are all one Ioh. 1. 12. so many as received him But who were they so many as beleeved in his Name Secondly to trust and rely on him for cure and salvation Can. 8. the Spouse leanes on her welbeloved And that we may not be deceived in it this faith hath two qualities 1. It must be proper 2. Impropriate Christ. First it must be thine owne proper speciall faith Hab. 2. 4. the iust man lives by hi 〈…〉 faith The Physician makes his whole confection without thee but calleth thee in to the application and none can apply this medicine but thine owne faith It is no implicit faith of thine own nor the faith of the Church without thine owne that thou canst live by The Ministers may leave it with thee and declare it but thine owne faith must apply it Foolish Virgins they are that thinke to be received with the oyle in the wife Virgins lamps when their owne is spent the answer is We have not enough for us and you and every mans garment is short enough for himselfe the righteous receive Crownes said Leo but give not Crowes Secondly as this faith must be thine owne so it must impropriate Christ and make him thine owne This is that faith in the blood of Christ Rom. 3. 25. applying the blood specially to himselfe for life When the faith of the soule brings home Christ to his owne heart and saith with Thomas My Lord and my God and with Paul who loved mee and gave himselfe for mee and with that Father Totus Christus meus est totus Christus n meos usus impensus est Whole Christ is mine and bestowed for my utmost benefit This speciall and spirituall application was alwayes resembled in Scriptures of the old Testament by the sacrifices of the sinne-offering when the beast was slaine the Party must lay his hand on the head of it and confesse that not the beast but the Owner deserved death and the blood that was shed must
Christian profession 361 Motives to run as we ought 362 Direct ons thereunto and preparation 364 Hinderances to be removed 365 Helpes in running the Christian race 367 Conditions of running aright five 369 The right marke we must run at 370 The right way in which we must run 371 The right foot wherewith we must run 373 The right motion humble cheerefull constant 374 The right end of running twofold 379 The reward of running no merit 382 How to runne and obtaine 384 Looke not backe 386 Respect the way and not by-matters 387 Renew strength continually and how 390 Encouragements thus to run 393 Excellency and eternity of this goale 39â— 9 The divine Teacher and Scholler Psal. 119. 33. Teach me O Lord the way c. Where is sheâ—ed The Prophets holy prayer and vow 399 What the Statutes are and why Statutes 400 Why called the Statutes of God 402 Their eminency above other Statutes 404 The metaphor of a way and singularity 406 God teacheth foure things above all teaching of man 411 A good heart still desires to be taught 414 That all true knowledge is from God 416 What this knowledge hath above natures reach 418 In the meanes repaire unto God 421 Ministers must pray for themselves their people 423 That sound knowledge is ever humble and why 424 Defect of knowledge whence 425 Knowledge of good men and others how it differs 431 Good men are ever dâ—strous of more holy knowledge 435 What fearefull effects ignorance hath 436 Benefits of knowledge within without us 439 Motives to get heavenly knowledge 44â— How unseemly ignorance is 444 Knowledge delightfull to mans understanding 446 Excellent properties of Gods way 448 Reproofe of them that desire not knowledge 451 Excuses refuted 455 Hinderances of saving knowledge 461 Disposition to it wherein it stands 464. meanes 467 Of vowes what are lawfull 469 Lâ—d of sound knowledge is obedience reas 477 Notes of one carefull to keepe his way 484 10. Epicurisme discribed and disgraced Exod. 32. 6. The people sate downe to eate c. Wherein is shewed that Idolatrie is ever attended with sloth and luxurie 489 People secure in sin are nearest to mischiefe 496 Rules for eating and drinking 500 Meditations in eating and drinking 504 Sports and recreations are lawfull and how 507 In sports is much sin 509 Câ—oyee to be made of sports 510 use limited 512 Our selves how to be ordered in them 513 What may not be lost in play 517 11. Abuse of the creatures unlawfull An Appendix to the former 1 Cor. 15. 32. Let us eate and drinke c. Wherein is taxed the abuse of the creatures 522 Heathens and Epicures abuse them 4 waies 525 Rules of right using naturall comforts 529 Times seasonable for sports 533 Right ends of our liberties 537 12. The Physitian of soules Luke 5. 31. The whole need not the Physitian c. Wherein are sundry generall notes 541 Christ takes our causes on himselfe 543. and 544 None is whole unlesse in conceit and how 〈◊〉 ariseth 545 546 547 The miserie of them that are conceitedly whole 548 Discoverie of diseases in the soule foure signeâ— 549 550 551 Sin is a most dangerous sicknesse five resemblances 552 553 554 Christ is a most excellent Physitian in five respects 561 562 563 Come to him for cure and how this may be 565 Great comfort to afflicted soules 571. to 576 The author matter and vertue of this heavenly Confection 577. to 579 The Physick precious and powerfull in five respects 580 581 See our owne misery and admire Christs cure five particulars 582. to 588 Love we our Physitian and â—ow 589 590. 591 How the physick is applied to whom and when 592. to 600 Notes to know we are cured foure 600. to 606 And foure means to preserve health in the soule 606. to ult FINIS THE PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN PRACTICE MATTH 16. 24. Then said Jesus unto his Disciples If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take up his crosse and follow me 25. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall finde it 26. For what is a man profited if hee shall gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soule 27. For the Sonne of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then hee shall reward every man according to his workes 28. Verily I say unto you There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man comming in his Kingdome THe occasion of these words was the offence that the Apostle Peter took when our Lord Jesus Christ had preached the doctrine of the Crosse had fore-told his own passion and suffering shortly at Jerusalem Hereupon Peter as a Politician turning himselfe to carnall counsels draweth his Master aside and wisheth him to look better to himselfe and wisely to prevent these troubles Ver. 22. Our Saviour now perceiving that hee went about to disswade him from that great worke for which hee came into the world on which the salvation of the whole world depended most sharply reproves him as a most speciall agent of Sathan though hee were his Disciple a thousand times Ver. 23. And yet not forgetting his wonted compassion taketh occasion thence to instruct him and all the rest of the Disciples yea and with them all Beleevers that they also after his example must bee in a readinesse to deny themselves and take up his crosse and follow him The words containe in them the institution of a Christian man or of a Disciple of Christ who is here 1. Informed 2. Confirmed in the first Principles of his holy profession The Information is in Ver. 24. The Confirmation in all the rest to the end The former is an universall Canon for all that meane to give their names to the profession of Jesus Christ consisting of three branches wherein they must bee soundly initiated 1. Selfe-deniall 2. Taking up the Crosse. 3. Imitation of Christ. If any man will bee my Disciple or will follow mee Which words concerne us all not excepting or exempting any that intendeth soundnesse in Christianity and no calling no sexe no age nor condition of life can free any Christian from the rules following Object Christ spake them only to his Disciples as the words before Answ. 1. Saint Mark saith cha 8. 34. Christ called the people or multitude and said Hee spake it to all as concerning all 2. By a Disciple or Follower of Christ in our Text is not meant onely those twelve Apostles who are so called in a peculiar manner because they were chosen to bee trained up instructed in Christs own family in the future service of the Church Nor onely those faithfull men and women whom Christ honoured to follow his owne person in the daies of his flesh but all faithfull
tame and tractable as a Lambe of Christs fold and as a childe of God his Father inunion both with head members and acknowledgeth all the tyes and bonds between himselfe and his fellow-members They are children of one Father and Mother God and the Church brethren of the same elder brother Jesus Christ of one houshold of faith sit at the same table clothed with the same suits heires of the same inheritance and can these live as Jewes and Samaritans 4. The Disciples respected all Christs commandements but that which above all Christ was so earnest in they would not forget his new commandement of loving one another Col. 3. 13. and 1 Pet. 4. 8. Above all things put on love What above faith confidence prayer and the like No faith is the parent of love but above all graces that binde man to man of which the Apostle there speaketh It is the sinewes in the body the cement in the house without which all were but cobling and confusion He is no Disciple no living stone who is not coupled with this cement called the bond of perfection Well get those graces in truth and be not discouraged for their weaknesse For how weak were the Disciples while Christ was with them Christ will yet acknowledge thee a Disciple if men doe not and owne thee when thou darest scarce owne him Let him deny himselfe Here our Saviour propounds the first note and tryall of a Disciple the renouncing or forsaking of himselfe Where 1. What is meant by himselfe 2. The difficulty of this precept 3. The necessity of obeying it 4. The use For the first of these By himselfe are meant 1. Things outward that is concerning the outward man yet so neere him as they are after a sort himselfe Not onely his riches which a man is willing to hold as fast as his life nor onely his friends which are most dear as a second selfe but even his name his liberty his life it selfe all which must be willingly and cheerfully given up to God and denied rather than Christ and his truth that a man may say with Peter Master wee have left all to follow thee Mat. 19. 27. 2. Things inward which can hardly bee distinguished from himselfe and which yet come neerer the quicke as namely a mans whole corrupt nature And here taking it to peeces First hee must deny all the wisedome of the flesh which is enmity to God And till this be done there is no savouring of the things of God no relish in Gods word wisdome or waies 2. Hee must deny his owne corrupt will which is contrary to Gods will and onely seeketh how it may please it selfe And till this bee denied well thou maist say Thy will be done but it shall be by others not by thy selfe 3. He must deny all his owne corrupt carnall and unmortified passions and affections as carnall love feare hatred anger and the like for even all these branches must bee stocked up with the root 4. He must deny all his owne wicked inclinations the streames and incessant stirrings of naturall corruption as apt to bee kindled as any Gunpowder by the least sparke whether more common to the nature of man or more proper to a mans owne person as hastinesse pronenesse to revenge to hatred injustice or the like 5. Hee must denyall wicked habits and sins the acting of lusts and vices as all intemperance rotten speech uncleannesse covetousnesse wrath envie pride idlenesse and the like that a man live not now to himselfe but wholly to Christ whom he professeth to follow In a word all selfe-respects selfe-seeking selfe-aymes must be renounced and the Christian wholly vanish into nothing and all things in the world become drosse and doung in comparison of Christ. Next of the difficulty Who seeth not by this time what a difficult precept our Saviour hath enjoyned every one of his followers even the cutting off of hands and plucking out of eyes the most necessary and tender parts and casting them away To discerne which difficulty a little more distinctly 1. Consider the neernesse of things to be denied Were it only in things without us as to part with friends and riches this were a difficult commandement to flesh as appeares in the examples both of him that must first bury his father and bid his friends farewell as also of the young man that left Christ because of his possessions But when it comes so close to us as to lead us out of our owne reason wisedome and judgement what an hard province proves it For who thinkes not his reason neerer him than his religion what worldly-wise man can yeeld to that of the Apostle That he must become a foole to bee wise To advise a man to despise lands liberty and life for his profession were to wish a man to hate his owne flesh which no man in his wits ever did To perswade to the keeping under of lusts and to the forgoing of dearling sinnes is to cut them short of meat and drinke these are sweet morsels which they hide under their tongues will not let goe 2. Naturall pride and selfe-love is such that it is with us as with Solomon in the dayes of his folly Eccles. 2. 10. Whatsoever mine eyes desired I withheld it not Nay wee wish so well to our selves as wee could not offer the least wrong to our least lowest joynt nor endure it of others We are so far from crossing our selves that wee endure not any other should crosse us or deny us in our persons or corrupt lusts Haman is sicke on his bed because Mordecai denies him obeysance If John deny Herod his Herodias hee shall dye for it If Jonas lose his gourd hee will be angry to the death If a man touch Lamech hee will revenge seventy times seven times Such impatiency and impotency is in our nature if wee bee crossed in our wils 3. Distrust in God and trust in the meanes maketh the precept yet more difficult We see not easily how wee can do well without friends wealth liberty favour preferments Wisedome wee say is good with an inheritance Eccles. 7. wee would be on the sunny side and on the gathering hand and it is a sore thing to forsake all which makes the young man goe sad away from Christ himselfe God in his creatures wee can better content our selves withall than either in himselfe or in his Son Our unbeleeving hearts see the gift better than the giver Wee cannot live by promises something we would have in hand and are loth to let all our hold go Ye see the necessity of selfe-deniall Our Lord was not ignorant how this precept is an hard saying able to discourage any from once thinking to follow him or become a Disciple And therefore his great wisedome would not have laid this ground for a foundation if it had not bin
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
thou seest iniquitie in the place of judgement then thinke in thy heart that God will judge the just and the wicked and cap. 5. 7. If in a country thou seest the oppression of the poore and defrauding of judgement bee not astonied for he that is higher than the highest regardeth and there be higher than they Now bee patient and appeale to this day from all unjust sentences as John Hus Jerome of Prague c. so did Zachariah 2 Chron. 24. 22. The Lord looke on it and require it Fourthly this must teach us sinceritie and truth in all our wayes before God and men seeing this judgement is not according to outward appearance but according to the truth then shall all showes and powerlesse forms of godlinesse bee blowne off as leaves in Autumne by violent windes and thou shalt bee layd open as thou art and not as thou seemest thou mayest now be as Ananias among beleevers and as Judas among the twelve and carry it smooth away but this day will set thee among hypocrites and thou shalt stand among thy fellowes Then shall the hope of the hypocrite perish and onely soundnesse of heart shall abide this exact triall It must bee gold that must abide the fire of this day and not a gilded hypocrite Fiftly this must teach us watchfulnesse in all our wayes and see they bee righteous Eccles 12. 13. Feare God and keepe his Commandements for God will bring every worke into judgement feare God in his presence power and justice do nothing in secret which thou wouldest not have preached on the house-top And keepe his Commandements for whatsoever is not answerable to some commandement this judgment must condemne and disprove whatsoever the word now alloweth it will then justifie and then will condemne whatsoever it now condemneth Judge thy selfe afore-hand and put thy selfe upon the tryall 1. Of the word how will those words and actions abide that tryall which now it passeth sentence against 2. Of thine own conscience if now thy conscience have a voice against thee but thou wilt choake and stiâ—le it yet it shall bee heard at this day 3. Of thy experience if any action now bring guiltinesse feare shame or heavinesse what else shall it bring then when it shall set before the Judge thy oppressions cruelties usuries wrongs oathes revenges filthinesse drunkennesse contempt of the word of grace the day and meanes of grace and shall doe God good service in bringing backe all old reckonings not reckoned for by Christ 4. Of thine owne present apprehension of that day if now the mention of this day make thee out of guiltines to tremble what shall the day it selfe doe Sixthly out of this doctrine a man may gather evidence of his future estate whether he shall speed well in the last judgement For as the tree leaneth so it is likely to fall and as it falleth so it lyeth But to helpe this inquisition the Scriptures afford us some notes of triall 1. That in Gal. 6. 7. What a man sowes that shall hee reape Sowest thou cockle and wouldest thou reape corne sowest thou to the flesh and expectest to reape any thing but corruption To sow to the flesh is to live according to the lusts of the flesh and command of lusts as to sow to the Spirit is to live aftet the motions of the Spirit Thou art in GODS field either wheat or chaffe and the reapers of this great harvest shall gather the wheate into the garner but the chaffe shall be cast into unquenchable fire 2. Another note is in 2 Thess. 1. 8. in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that know not God and obey not the Gospell All ignorant and disobedient persons that love not the knowledge of God nor obedience to the Gospell may now read their doome in that judgement nothing but timely repentance preventeth it 3. Another note is in 2 Thess. 1. 6. It is a righteous thing with God to trouble them that trouble you It shall then goe hard with those evill servants that beate their fellow-servants that revile Christ in his members or disgrace the profession of godlinesse whereas they shall finde it had beene their happinesse to have fed clothed comforted and honoured Christ in his members Mat. 25. 45. 4. Another note is in the parablâ— of the talents Mat. 25. 30. the faithfull servant having received talents used them and gained as many more was made ruler over much but the evill and sloathfull servant that hid his Masters talent and employed it not for his Masters advantage was taken and cast into everlasting darknesse What shall be their hope that are so farre from employing their talents that they declaime against them that doe and molest them for so doing Woe to such Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites that neither enter themselves nor suffer others but shut up the Kingdome of heaven before men Mat. 23. 13. What is the sound preaching of the Gospell but the key of the Kingdome given into the hand of Pastors to open the doore of heaven to beleevers Where then shall such Pharisees stand who not onely hinder others by their wicked example but wrest the key out of the Pastors hands and so bolt up the Kingdome of heaven that people should not enter Who sees not halfe the sentence executed on many such already even their talent already taken away and the other halfe remaines the taking away of the man himselfe the binding of him and casting him into the fire as a bundle good for nothing but for fewell of the fire of hell 5. The Apostle in Rom. 2. 7. gives other two certaine notes of him that shall speed well in judgement 1. Hee seekes glory that is by faith and repentance he seekes the kingdome 2. Hee perseveres in good and stands out to victory for good fruits from a sound roote abide and good works flowing from sound faith are not vanishing When those that are contentious against the truth and given up to unrighteousnesse shall meete with tribulation woe and anguish then shall these attaine glory and immortalitie Vers. 28. Verily I say unto you there bee some of you that stand here that shall not taste of death untill they have seene the sonne of man come in his Kingdome IN these words our Saviour partly to mitigate the former doctrine concerning self-deniall bearing the crosse and suffering for Christ partly to confirme what he had said concerning his glorious comming to judgment and partly to support and comfort his Disciples who by reason of his base and low estate could see nothing lesse than the great glory that hee speaketh of doth now make a gratious promise that although hee was now in an abject condition and after a while was to bee more humble and abased even to the death the shamefull death of the crosse and to be laid up a while in the house of death yet ere long hee should manifest his glory
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
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