we loue the bag better than the Pulpet and we delight more to prare with them for ours than to pray with them for themselues and theirs we are spots and blots in the beautifull assembly of the Saints What beauty is it to see those that should liue in Heauen and draw their people after them to liue in the holes of the earth like Moles and muck-wormes Who will beleeue him that saith Heauen is the best place in the world when all his businesse is to make his nest vpon the earth I dare not say that there ought to be no care for earthly things for we haue bodies that doe depend vpon vs as well as soules but when the thorns do so choake the good seed in vs that the beauty of Gods house decaieth then woe vnto vs. Thirdly it may be done by our wickednesse if the white Nazarites become as blacke as coales if Iacobs smooth voice be accompanied with Esaus rough hands if studies be turned into tap-houses and tauernes and holy tongues which should speake blessings into tongues of wantonnesse and vanity how doth the beauty of Gods house in vs looke like a stinking dunghill to all godly beholders In the feare of God therefore cast we these filthy coales out of our hands we haue sinned against Gods beauty too much already and these miserable times doe call for more beauty in our selues and for more godly care by praying preaching and examples that more of Gods beauty may appeare in those congregations ouer which God hath made vs Shepherds Oh it is a fearefull case to refuse operatiue knowledge Hosh 4 and to forsake the law and fearefull shall be the iudgement vpon such Priests Hosh 10. they shall weepe for want thornes and thistles shall grow vpon their altars Vse 2 Thus haue I spoken vnto you my brethren and so vnto you as I haue not forgot my selfe behold if you will not heare I will turne vnto the people Listen my beloued you haue heard that Gods house hath glorious beautie to draw you to loue it I beseech you by the mercies of God to yeeld vnto two suites which I shall make vnto you My first suit is that you willl bee prouoked and fiered with this beauty I could tell you that the name of this place is the Lord is there that Iesus Christ walketh about this candlesticke that the Holy Ghost is present to second the word in the hearts of all beleeuers that the good Angels doe pry into with admiration the holy fellowship which we haue with God and man but though I doe passe by the beauty of persons the beauty of things may through Gods blessing preuaile with vs. Would you goe to heauen It is the beauty of Gods house which shall lift you vp thither Would you faine see Satan vanquished it is the beauty of Gods house shall doe it the preaching of the Gospell shall make Satan fall downe from heauen like lightning Would you discouer the wickednesse of your owne hearts that you may amend It is the beauty of Gods house that is the discerner of our thoughts and intents of our hearts Heb. 4.12 13. Would you willingly see God in his ordinances and more than an earthen vessell in the congregation of the Saints It is the beauty of Gods house that will manifest the secrets of your hearts vnto you 1 Cor. 14.24 25. and will make you fall downe on your faces and say plainly God is in vs indeed It is true indeed you will say that you can pray and sing Psalmes and that you can haue the word of God at home and therefore this is no such great beauty But let me say with the Apostle Heb. 13.22 I beseech you suffer the words of exhortation for I haue written vnto you in few words as if I should say It is necessary that with a good heart you goe to behold the beauty of Gods house in the preaching of the word because the Scripture is so briefe My second suit is that you would doe your best to make the beauty of Gods house appeare more beautifull through you He that seeth the worth of a thing thorowly will doe his best to make it appeare the more worthy through him both in affection in word and in action he will thinke of it more intirely hee will speake of it with greater praises commendations and if it be within his reach and he be capable he will doe his best to procure it So let vs deale with the house of God and the beauty thereof let vs thinke of it as of the glory of Israel the testimony of Gods presence Let vs not thinke our best words too good for it either in thanksgiuing to God that we haue had it thus long or in praying to him that hee would be pleased for Christs sake to continue it amongst vs still or in commending it to others and perswading them to giue it that right and place in their hearts which it requireth and for our actions ô that we would liue worthy of it Holinesse becommeth Gods house for euer from which if we degenerate what can we expect but that God should take away this beauty and giue vs vp to vile affections to goe a whoring after our owne inuentions What shall I now say vnto you I will put you in minde of a pretty custome in Hungary If an Hungarian bee called a coward he doth neuer wash off the disgrace except he haue proued himselfe in single combat with a Turke I confesse I haue done as much as called you all cowards He that vseth switch and spurre doth as much as tell others that his horse is dull and he that vseth pressing exhortations and motiues doth all one as if he should tell them that they are dull of hearing and too slow to right their owne causes against the propensity of their cursed natures to the contrary You shall neuer wash off this aspersion except you enter Duell with that damnable Turke Security I might tell you how it lulleth vs asleepe in a cursed peace and makes euery one of vs from top to toe neither to minde heauen nor hell how it makes vs pollute our consciences and sinne against them for a friend for a see how it makes the foundations of the earth to be out of course but I passe these things and intreat you only to see how it makes vs prophane Gods Sabbaths pollute his ordinances because it doth blinde vs from seeing the beauty of the Lord. Oh therefore as wee loue God and our soules let vs fight against it by walking as in the sight and presence of our God and as by thinking speaking doing all things in this meeting as if the great king of heauen and earth were with vs in our charge inquiry verdict and sentence so by humbly crauing at Gods hand with the blinde man in the Gospell Lord that I may receiue my sight that wee seeing Gods beauty may admire it we admiting it may
of the Priests Court and whoso was found perfect and fit was clothed in white and accounted worthy To what end should the care of God and man concurre in this if it were not necessary You haue learned how to apply deeper things I will therefore end this rule with that speech of Ierome to Nepotian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sors Talem se exhibere debet vi ipse possideat dominum pos ideatur a domino Ministers are therefore called Clergie-men either because they are the Lords lot or because the Lord is their lot and portion Now he which either is the Lords part or hath the Lord for his ought to carie himselfe that both hee may possesse the Lord and bee possessed of him The last rule which I would commend vnto you to be obserued that you may proue your selues to bee sent of God is to be in a readinesse to giue your Master an account of your seruice For this is an argument of faithfulnesse and faithfulnesse of a diuine Sender who before he sends can try the heart and reines Put case therefore that now yee heard that voice of God Arise ye dead and come to iudgement that now the earth did vomit vp her dead that Saint Peter stood vp with his conuerted Iewes and Paul with his Gentiles that Iohn came in with Asia Thomas India and Titus Creta What would ye doe What would ye do I say Could ye say Lord I tooke thy person vpon me to feed thy Sheep of conscience not of couetousnesse to build vp thy kingdome not to inlarge my owne praise and purse I haue walked before thee with an vpright heart in the middest of thine house and now Lord behold I am ready to giue thee an account of my sinceritie though not of my perfection If it be thus my Reuerend and beloued Brethren giue me your hands and let vs with comforts goe together and trade into heauen by prayer studie and meditation for the best commodities that in Gods stead we may enrich his people and present such as belong to him as chast Virgins to God in the day of Christ What shall I now say I will humbly beseech you to measure with loue what I haue said and to supply some of the defects in particulars with what I could say in the throng of my businesses in the Sermon following which I offer vnto your eyes as I haue for the most part vnto your eares at our last Visitation as ye freshly remember and with it I present you with the prayers of my heart that this my seruice may in this kind as it hath in another be accepted and also that it may some way be profitable to prouoke against all Antichristian abhominations So prayeth hee who desires euer to rest From my Studie this 9th of May 1625. Your faithfull fellow-helper in the haruest of CHRIST IESVS Robert Abbott DAVIDS DESIRES PSAL. 27.4 One thing haue I desired of the Lord that will I require that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his Temple WE haue often from this place This Sermon was preached at an Assise beene full fed and fatted with Sermons from Texts which haue put both Iudges and Iurers Lawyers Plaintiffes and Defendants in minde of such duties as God doth require at their hands If you will giue mee leaue this one time to digresse I shall striue to winde vp your hearts to heauen to kindle your affections to religion and religious duties knowing assuredly that if once we be good men we shall also be good Common-wealths men and doe nothing but that which is iust in the sight of God and Man We reade of the Bird of Paradise that shee hauing no legs neuer toucheth the earth but liueth in the aire with the vapors which arise from below till she dieth and then shee falleth to the ground and is discouered Many such birds of Paradise hath our God who though they sucke vpon earthly things for their necessarie releefe and maintenance yet haue their conuersation in heauen and are neuer discouered to be more earthly than when by death they are brought into the wombe and embracings of the earth their common mother Amongst the rest DAVID hath been famous in this kinde whose deuotions doe discouer such liuely graces such mortified lusts such a heauenly minde and such an anatomie of a good soule as the Psalmes are aptly called that as it was with Ierome when he had read the life and death of Hilarion he folded vp his booke and said Well Hilarion thou shalt be the Champion whom I will follow so it may be with vs when we reade the sweet precepts and godly patternes of deuotion in Dauid we may iustly cry out Well Dauid thou shalt be the champion whom we will follow Through the whole bodie of the Psalmes he hath discouered wonders in this kinde neither is this Psalme barren For ye may finde a threefold peece of deuotion in it The first is shewed by eleuation when by an exuberancie of speech he lifteth vp his heart and draweth it to cling close vnto God amid all his enemies Verse 1 2 3. as his light saluation and strength The second is shewed by admiration when he draweth his heart from all the world to loue those meanes wherein God doth communicate himselfe vnto vs. Verse 4 5 6. The third is shewed by petition whereby he draweth his heart to rest vpon God to be vnto him as he had said and to doe vnto him as he had desired Verse 7 8 c. We haue to doe you see with the second discouery of DAVIDS deuotion that is his admiration secretly implied in the frame of his whole speech Wherein by the heauenly disposition of his desires hee doth shew his dependance vpon God in his ordinarie course of offering grace For whereas the soules of men are considered either according to their vnderstandings or according to their desires and appetites reasonable sensitiue DAVID hauing exercised his vnderstanding in the beholding of God as he was to him and as he would be to his enemies doth here exercise his desires to Gods house Touching which desires these three things offer themselues to our consideration 1. The office of his desires which is shewed in two things 1. The first is their choise One thing haue I desired They chose one thing aboue the rest 2. The second is their constancie That will I seeke He doth prosecute his desires and will not let them vanish to no purpose 2. The obiect of his desires The house of God There was nothing after which his heart panted more eagerly than Gods house 3. The motiues of his desires which are two 1. The worth of Gods house in it selfe Beauty amenitie or sweet and amiable presentment which it offereth and holdeth out to the godly view 2. The worth of Gods house to DAVID To inquire in his
as the Apostle saith God hath put all things vnder his feet and hath giuen him to be the head ouer all things to the Church which is his body Secondly Christ hath most perfectly whatsoeuer may be most necessary for the life and saluation of his Church It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell Col. 1.19 2.9 Iohn 1.16 and out of his fulnesse we all receiue grace for grace he being made of God vnto vs wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 Apoc. 9. Ioh. 10 27 28. Eph. 5.26 Rom. 8. He doth redeeme the Church by his bloud preserue it by his power instruct it by his Word renue and lead it by his Spirit Thirdly in all the controuersies betwixt God his creatures and the Church shee hath none to answer for her to pleade her cause and procure her peace Es 9.6 Eph. 5.23 but onely Iesus Christ the Counsellor and Prince of peace as the wife her husbâ—nd Fourthly Christ doth the duty of a Head that is giue spirituall sense by the sauing vnderstanding of spirituall things and motion by giuing strength and power to walke in them Yea he doth knit and ioyne the parts together to him by merit and spirit Eph. 4.16 and giue effectuall power to euery pâ—rt to doe its office Yea he so farre doth these good offices for his Church as her Head that as the head cannot be taken from the body without the certaine death and ruine thereof so as it is well said without Christ the Church is nothing else but as a dead carkasse Thus Christ being the vndoubted Head of the Church we may be sure that that is the true Chruch whereof hee is the Head Secondly wee cannot bee assured that that is the true Church whereof the Pope is the head and that vpon these grounds First we haue no assurance that Iesus Christ requires a Deputy in this world to wit as Mediatour for wee know that a Deputy serueth to supply the absence of the principall whereas Christ is alwaies present by his word spirit Mat. 28.20 Ioh. 14 16. Totum Christi secuâ—â—â—m esse essent aâ—c Act. 3.21 Totuâ— Christus secundum â—sâ—â— pâ—rsonâ—e Act. 2â— 28 Ioâ—â—â—â— If you say that he is absent in respect of bodily presence I confesse that if you respect the whole essence of Christ his body is in Heauen and the Heauens must containe him till his comming againe but if you doe respect the whole person of Christ of whom when the Scripture doth speakâ— it doth attribute that vnto whole Christ which is proper to either nature so we say that Christ is present with vs though his body be in Heauen because we are not without the blessed communion and fellowship of the diuine nature Neither to his sufficient presence doe we neede his body now for though the Kings body bee onely at the Court yet is he a sufficient head for gouernement vnder God of his whole Kingdomes as his body politike Secondly we cannot be sure if Christ were altogether absent that any man in the world by vertue of any coined diuine anointing is able to supply his place For though as God the Kings and Princes of the earth are his Deputies to see his lawes obserued and to execute his iudgements because he hath made them so yet as Mediatour and Head of the Church he hath none partly because he hath made none Heb. 7.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and partly because his office is such as passeth not from one to another For euery worke of a Mediatour is a compound worke issuing from two natures concurring in the same action as the carued worke of Aholiab and Bezaleel was the issue of their bodies and soules in which respect there is required a strength aboue any created power Thirdly because the Papists say that the Pope is not the head of the Church in such a soueraigne and principall manner as Christ but the Ministeriall Head ouer the whole Church vpon earth therefore I adde this that we cannot be sure that a deputation of any inferiour gouernment and ministery is put ouer to any one man whatsoeuer For there are three things which doe hinder our through perswasion in this point First that Christ doth reserue euen outward administration in his owne power For it is he which sendeth forth his word and spirit which hath ordained a ministery fitted Euangelists Pastors Doctors whence he is called the Arch-shepherd It is he who assisteth his ministery with power and hath prouided the trumpet and sword of the magistracy to call and to dissolue counsels to summon and to disparcle armieâ— to defend his Church so farre as it is good for her from Satan the liar by heresie and Satan the murtherer by persecution Therefore what need haue we of a ministeriall head Secondly that there is no ministeriall head but must worke ministerially that which the principall head doth principally For else it is but a rotten head such as the Wolfe found in the caruers shop without wit or braines But no mortall man nor Angell can doe that which Christ our head doth because the office of his headship is executed by two natures concurring in one person Christ as I said before Thirdly Christo sâ—cluso that then there should be a Lordlike power ouer the whole Church vpon earth out of Christ in some creature which cannot be For ye know what Paul saith There are many diuisions or diuersities of ministeries 1 Cor. 12.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or administrations but the same or one Lord. So that as it is with Kings who are neuer out of their kingdomes though there are diuers officers vnder them yet there is but one in whom there is Regall power and that is the king himselfe so in this kingdome of heauen vpon earth the Church I meane though there are diuers offices yet hee keepes the royalty in himselfe which if he haue put ouer vnto another it must either fasten vpon him sloth or at the least ease to put the burthen of gouernment vpon a weaker persons shoulders or it must make vs say that hee hath done a needlesse thing to make a substitute in his own presence to doe that which is impossible 4. Lastly if Iesus Christ were absent and it were possible that there could be a deputy yet wee cannot bee sure that the Pope is he And of this I shall giue you foure grounds of suspicion First because it standeth vpon improbable interpretations such as can neither arise properly nor figuratiuely such as cannot be deriued by any succession to confirme the doctrine which they now hold concerning their great head They say that God said to Peter Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church and to thee will I giue the keies of the kingdome of heauen and againe feede my sheepe Therefore they say he said to Peter as their new doctrine concludeth I make thee Vicar and
prosperitie ease and the like No surely For what worldling hath not such a peace ordinarily but a peace in sicknesse pouertie persecution death to haue peace when the foundations of the earth are out of course and shaken and shake at vs and when all worldly contentment is taken from vs is peace which passeth vnderstanding And whence comes all this but from this excusing power of conscience which saith of vs not guilty in our soules Dauids confidence was such as he was sure of his hand and durst put himselfe vpon Gods triall Iudge me ô Lord Psal 7.8 Inâ—â—tia â—â—se non personae Psal 26.1 2. Psal according to my righteousnesse and againe Iudge me o Lord for I haue walked in mine innocencie Proue me and try me examine my reines and my heart and againe Try me and examine me whether there be any way of wickednesse in me Guilty Rachel will be vnmannerly and sit downe before her father rather than she will be tried The wicked in the day of wrath vvill rather call vpon the mountaines to fall vpon them than come to triall but Dauid will lift vp his head and not be confounded Now whence doth this confidence proceed but from this acquitting Iurie Gods childrens comfort is constant amid all discouragements It sometimes fainteth it neuer faileth It giueth vs such a first-fruits of heauen in our hearts that we passe along with our hands vpon our mouthes vnder good report and ill report honour and dishonour want and abundance and through all the changes and chances of this present world As hell were no hell without an accusing conscience so heauen no heauen without an excusing one That therefore the godly man before he enter into Canaan might haue a taste of the grapes of Canaan this good spie doth bring a cluster which yet it could not doe if it were not an acquitting Iurie Vse What shall I say then I will presse vpon all our soules to empanell this Iurie Let vnderstanding like a good Iudge open the law of God vnto vs. Let memorie like a good Clarke of Assize open all our particular facts and inditements Let no affection like a corrupted Lawyer presse an euidence or witnesse further than truth lest they iustifie the wicked for a reward and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him Make the whole Iurie to say as Dauid I haue sworne to keepe thy righteous iudgements Put them apart into the presence of God and see what verdict they will bring in and whether they will not finde according to truth Secundùm praesentem justitiam I warrant thee if God haue any part in thee thou shalt speed according to faithfull euidence The Iuries that are empaneled in this world before the Iudgement seats of men sometimes will too much incline to the affections of the Iudge So that as Alexanders Courtiers did imitate his stooping Platoes schollers his crookednesse Aristotles followers his stammering and Dionysius his hearers his dim-sightednesse so as they would stumble one vpon another so well they incline to the weaknesses of them before whom they stand Sometimes againe they will be carried by their owne passions and serue their own turnes vpon them vpon whom their spleenes will not giue them leaue to laugh except in hypocrisie as if they were warned to execute vengeance vpon enemies and not shew iustice vpon all Sometimes againe they will be swayed to serue the turnes of those particular men vpon whom they doe depend as if they had forgotten their names to be Iurers and had assumed the names of parasites and flatterers yea worse of spaniels to quest about for others games and gaines In Heraldry they tell vs A nominibus ad aâ—iâ—a borâ—m de ducâ—ur argumentum that a good argument is drawne from Names to Armes but so is it not alwaies in Iuries here as if an oath had no teeth and could not bite if we did offend it Sometimes againe they would faine do something but that they are choaked by letters suits or threats of friends foes or superiours or if not thus then the weakest horse beares the burthen and they that are worst able to manage such affaires are drawne vp the more sufficient meane while hauing their heads hid in the Sheriffes or Bailiffes pocket In all which respects we may say to our temporall Iuries as Cyprian of the fine schismatikes who had taken shipping for Rome with their mart of lies Quasi veritas post eos navigare non posset They are gone as if truth could not follow them so the truth followes them and shall one day be discouered though they faile neuer so fast with lying verdicts But as for the Iuries in our hearts though some things are passed here with a doubtfull and deceiueable conscience because we know in part and with a regret of conscience because wee make not conscience enough of offending it yet when God sendeth out his summons there shall be no frowning Iudge to feare no great man to pleasure no passions to stop the mouth of conscience no penall statute of the God of heauen whereof we shall be ignorant no let to such a bold and faithfull Iurie as shall fill heauen and earth with Guilty Guilty to the confusion of the bad and not guiltie to the eternall comfort of the good The schollers of Pythagoras were to suffer themselues rather to be slaine than to stirre their foot and tread downe a beane and this Iurie will rather not be which is impossible than not take notice of euery act and euery circumstance which may make the iustice and mercy of God shine in the eternall disposition of all the children of Adam Oh therfore harken to this work of conscience If it deale with vs as the word of Peter with the Iewes that is pricke vs at the heart beware in time God doth then deale with vs as with Saul when he cast him into a dead sleepe and sent Dauid to take away his speare water-pot and the lap of his garment that is he giueth vs a remembrance to tell vs that we are in Gods hand who if we will take no warning will further punish vs. But if it speakes peaceably vnto vs killeth that worme within and bindes vp our wounds with wine and oyle I meane with the pacifying and purging bloud of our blessed Sauiour then shall wee be able to stand before our owne consciences and bâ—fore the God of our consciences We shall stand I say beforâ— our consciences for though in the winter of our hearts it may be with vs as with Iob in whom were the terrours of the Lord and the venome thereof as he termed it drinking vp his spirit or as with Dauid who roared all the day because Gods hand was heauy vpon him day and night and his moisture was like the drought in summer yet in the spring when the voice behinde vs shall say that Christ is our saluation we shall haue more ioy in heart than they
Christ in his life death resurrection and ascension there being two things distinctly to be conceiued which yet goe together in time first our being made members and secondly our receiuing the gifts of members vpon this I say there will grow two questions wherein our consciences will desire satisfaction whereunto I would intreat you to attend in their order The first is this How we may know that we are made liuing members of Christ How we may know that we are made liuing members of Christ It is a sweet question and worthy our consideration Therefore marke diligently that this secret will be discouered vnto vs by three signes especially The first signe of our being a member of Christ is If we are borne againe No member can be a member of the bodie but by naturall generation and therefore in the want of armes and legs all that are made by Artizans are but counterfeit members so none can be a member of Christ but by spirituall regeneration Therefore through the power of Gods spirit and word we must finde an alteration in all the parts and powers of the bodie and soule from what we are by nature This is called a turning in the Scriptures when of Prodigals we become Conuerts feeding no longer vpon the husks of swine those noysome and filthy lusts of the flesh but of the feast of fat things and fined wines as Esay speaketh or of the fat calfe which God hath prouided Esai 25.6 Luke 25. that is chearing our hearts with the wisdome of Christ against our folly and blindnesse with the righteousnesse of Christ against our guiltinesse with the sanctification of Christ against the reliques of our sinne and vncleannesse 1 Cor. â— 3 and with the redemption of Christ against our apostaticall and back-sliding hearts The second signe of our being a member of Christ is If we receiue new sense and motion from the head As in the naturall bodie all the members doe receiue sense and motion from the head so in the spirituall bodie For though there be no naturall connexion of parts betwixt Christ and vs Act. 3.21 the heauen containing him in respect of his bodily presence and we being here on the earth yet by vertue of the spirituall ligatures and ties of faith which is Gods ordinance to this end wee haue no lesse reall coniunction though we cannot see it than naturall head and members haue Wee cannot see the coniunction betwixt man and wife who yet are one flesh though they are a thousand miles asunder Prov. 2.17 by vertue of that contract and couenant of God betwixt them The vnion betwixt the beasts and the wheeles in Ezekiels vision was not visible Ezek. 1.21 yet it was reall because the spirit of the beasts was in the wheeles which made them moue together and stand still together So it is betwixt our Head and vs. If therefore by vertue of this vnion we doe not daunce after natures pipe which the Apostle calleth walking after the flesh or sowing to the flesh or fulfilling the lusts of the flesh but are moued to walke after the spirit so to runne that we may obtaine not to be clogged with the earth but to haue our conuersation in heauen to sit with Christ in heauenly places and in our whole course though with much strife and reluctation to moue vpwards then may we safely say that we are members of Christ The third signe of our being a member of Christ is if we worke for the head As the whole naturall bodie is vnder the obedience of the head so the whole spirituall bodie doth worke for its head as for its king and soueraigne If the head be warred against the foot runneth or standeth and the hand doth defend if the head be in peace the whole bodie maintaineth its honour vseth meanes to better vnderstanding to ripen iudgement to corroborate memorie to quicken senses and to performe other offices vnto it So must we worke for Christ he must increase we must decrease All our labour must be to maintaine his honour therefore wee must denie our selues to wit our naturall iudgements wills affections and the worth of our workeâ—â—hat Christ may be all in all vnto vs and wee may cry out with that blessed Martyr None to Christ none to Christ Oh that we had hearts to try our selues by these signes How great will our comfort be if we can finde our selues to be members of Christ Some men ioy that their armes and legs are members of sound and healthfull bodies but it is no matter though the outer man perish so long as the inward man by being a member of Christ is renewed daily I bowe therefore the knees of my heart vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and beseech him that hee would grant both to you all and me and all Gods people that wee may for euer proue our selues to be borne againe to receiue heauenly motion from Christ and to worke for him that so wee may proue our selues to be his members I will open a little light vnto you in these three points We may know our selues to be borne againe How wee may know our selues to be borne againe if God haue giuen vs a conscionable care to nourish the hid man of the heart Euery thing hath a naturall instinct to nourish it selfe so soone as it hath a naturall production euen so must wee haue 1 Pet. 2.2 For therefore Peter saith As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby As babes desire the mothers dug so must our soules if they be regenerated desire the word of God How is that 1 Vnappeasably I answer First wee must desire it vnappeasably Giue a childe houses and lands gold and gaine profit and pleasure and nothing will content it but a dug so all the world is worth nothing to Gods babes without the word Psal 1 19. as Dauid saith The word of thy mouth is dearer vnto me than thousands of gold and siluer Secondly we must desire the word constantly 2 Constantly Little children doe not onely desire the dugge waking but when they are asleepe their lips will be going so Gods babes though they being ouertaken with drowsinesse cry out with the Spouse I sleepe yet their hearts awake Cant. 5.2 and when they are most drowsie they will be nibbling vpon the word yea they cannot be content without it For looke as the needle of a Diall doth nothing but tremble and shake and hath no rest till it be turned vpon the North pole so the heart of Gods childe can haue no peace in any degree of securitie till it be raised feelingly to imbrace the word of God againe 3 Cryingly Thirdly we must desire the word cryingly Euery one of vs do see the new-borne babe to cry for the dugge euen so must we for the word We must cry to God for it and desire him that we may neuer be
the good Word of God which is able to saue our soules As wee doe wry our mouthes with the new borne babe after the dugge of Gods Word so with the growne man we haue a good stomacke and appetite vnto it The huskes of mans wisdome and humane traditions are hunted after of those of whom the Apostle saith Beware of dogges Phil. 3.2 but the man of God hungreth to heare God speake And because he knowes that he is borne againe for the kingdome of God therfore though when he meets with the things of this world he doth thankfully embrace them vse them as if he vsed them not yet he seekes after the things aboue Col. 3.1 aboue the world the Church aboue nature grace aboue the fauour of Princes the grace of God aboue sinne a Sauiour aboue earth heauen If therefore it be thus with our soules that as all creatures do seek their meats sutable to their natures the Lion flesh the Horse grasse the Fowles Wormes the Catts Mise and the Bees hony so we doe hunt after these things then haue we entred into this life Secondly Those helpes that doe respect our enemies are our naturall vigilancy and watchfulnesse against that which doth thwart and oppose life And from this head I shall commend vnto you two signes of life The first is Sensiblenesse of the least degree of death or opposition of life He that is in an irrecouerable estate 2 Sensiblenesse of death findes not the least degrees of death creeping vpon him and when hee is readie to die saith He is well whereas he that is well is sensible of the least distemper but if a man be dead he doth not feele death it selfe he heares no alarum to battaile sees not the approach of any enemy nor smels the stinke of any wound So if we be in a spiritually-dead estate we feele not killing sinne to approach Prou. as Solomon saith of the foole Hee casteth fire-brands arrowes and mortall things and saith I am not in iest So we make sport vnto our selues in the committing of sinne and say Doe we not liue Yea if we be dead let God send one letter of defiance vnto vs after another for our sinnes we heare and heare not we know and vnderstand not and though from â—he crowne of the head to the sole oâ— the foot there be no part whole 〈…〉 nothing but botches and blaines full of corruption yet wee smell not the stinke of the corruption of our wounds we runne not to the bâ—lme of Gilead wee desire not the good Samaritane to helpe vs but if wee are aliue oh how doe we scud from death as the fearfull Hare from the greedie Hound How doth the least approach of this death by the least sinne make vs cry out with Paul Wretched man that I am Rom. 7. who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death Poore Christians who are deiected and cast downe at the fearefull fight of their owne guiltinesse the more sensible they are of the death of sinne the more they cry out of themselues as of dead men whereas if they would passe righteous iudgement they should conclude that the spirit of life is in them 3 Fiâ—hing against death The next signe of life is fighting against that which would take it away The liuing worme being trod vpon will turne vp the taile Heare O worme Iacob so wilt thou if thou haue any life in thee When the worme feeleth the earth to be shaken presently it commeth running out of the earth fearing the approach of the mole so if thou liue when thou feelest the shaking of the cabbin of thy ease and securitie thy bodie I meane by paineâ— acheâ— and diseases then thou dost presently startle come to the doore to see what newes meet thine enemy death disarme him and pull out his sting that at the last â—he conquest may bee thine Againe is there life in vs then the Spirit of life doth fight against the flesh â—om â— â— lest wee liuing after it do die Oh how doe liuing men striue against the whole bodie of sinne and death How doth the spirit lust agaâ—nst the flesh Yea Gal. 5.17 how doth the liuing spirit get the vpper hand and sight more manfully euery day than other especially against that sinne which doth most crosse it I haue kept me from my wickednesse saith Dauid that is Pâ—â—l 18.23 that sinne whereunto hee was most inclined euen so must we if we haue this new life This is the way to finde all liuing grâ—â—es to increase all sin to be in a decaying estate For we know that there is no equall match betweene the old man the new as God smites the enemies of his people on the checke bone that is Psâ—l 3.7 hee deales not with them as with men but as with boyes in stead of opposing them with swords and stauâ—â— hee sends them away with a boxe on the eare so will the liuing spirit deale with the dying flesh it will master it at the last as a growne man would a childe and ouercome it with lesse difficultie though not without all danger to it selfe Secondly Where there is the life of grace there will be an imployment of our strength in the acts of life The actions of liuing men are proper to men that are aliue so are they to these new men From this head therefore I shall giue you further two sorts of signes either such as doe concerne a mans owne indiuiduall person or those which are shewed for succession in propagating their kinde They which doe concerne a mans person are two 4 The breath of the new man First if we can freely draw the breath of the new man It is a signe of life to men of the world if wee can freely draw that breath which God doth offer for the prolonging of naturall life so likewise is this a signe of this new life if wee can freely draw the breath of Gods mouth which God doth breathe vnto the hid man of the heart And what breath is this but the Spirit of the Lord in the Scriptures Marke therefore if wee can draw in the Word of God to the cooling comforting and refreshing of our weary hearts which pant vnder the burden of sinne and if we can put it out againe both to coole the violence and fierie courses of sinfull men and to heat and warme the lukewarme and frozen hearted sonnes of men this will assure vs that we liue the life of God 5 Seruice of God The second signe which doth concerne our persons is this If wee doe put ouer our whole bodies and soules to the seruice of God For as then wee doe liue a naturall life when we doe imploy all our strength to the seruice of nature and as then wee doe liue a loyall life to our Soueraigne when wee are wholly taken vp for his honour and maintenance in good so then wee liue the life of
in his ordinances We sinne against Christ in his owne person either when we expect the forgiuenesse of sinnes and iustification from God for the workes of righteousnesse whiâ—h we haue done through the assistance of Goâ—s grace for by how much we flâ—â— to any thing o t of Christ by so much wee derogate from the worth oâ— Christ or when wee doe noâ— learne to know him in his natures and offices and worke as God hath set him forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Rom 3.25 Hebr. 2.3 to dâ—clare his righteousnesse c. for what is this but to neglect so great saluation or else when we returne to the lusts of our former ignorance as Peter speaketh 1 Pet. 1.14 18 19. for as this is to sinne that the merits of Christ may abound so in a manner wee doe account the bloud of Christ an impure thing and therefore doe rather cleaue to sinne than to it which is alone able to purge our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God Secondly wee may sinne against Christ himselfe in his ordinances both in the Word and Sacrament We sinne against Christ in his word either when we despise the ministerie thereof as a poore powerlesse and beggarly means to bring vs to saluation whereof Christ speaketh He that despiseth you despiseth me or when we apply not the promises to our owne soules in particular For what is this but to say that Christ came in vaine In vaine should â—he clouds drop fatnesse if the showres that be sent by God should not be applied vnto the earth so in vaine should our Christ be giuen if he should not be applied to euery soule by it selfe to whom he is giuen I know that Christ haâ—h not spoken vnto me by name but if when a man doth bequeath legacies to all the sonnes of my father I will come in for a share though I am not named how then can I doe lesse than sinne against the will and new testament of Iesus if I that am a sonne of my Father in heauen to whose sonnes all things are giuen doe not come in for a childes part for my selfe in particular Lastly wee sinne against Christ in the Sacrament when we doe receiue it with a prophane and vnworthy heart Yee know the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 21.27 Whosoeuer shall eat this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily shall be guilty of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. If therefore we receiue bare signes of bread and wine and doe not discerne the Lords bodie yea and receiue it according to the spiâ—ituall manner of perceiuing and receiuing wherein God doth offer him and communicate him vnto vs or if wee doe denie the truth of these signes by transubstantiation whereby it is childishly faigned that the substance of bread and wine doth passe away and the very bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ doe come in the roome whereto besides the word of God euen our very senses doe giue the lie or if we come to eat this Lambe but without the herbes of godly sorrow or lastly if we by sealing Christ vnto vs when he belongeth not to vs doe betray him into the hands of an impenitent and vnbeleeuing heart then doe we sinne against our blessed Sauiour in the Sacrament Loe thus my brethren beloued Philip. 4.1 and longed for haue I shewed you in part how we may be said to sinne against Christ that so we may auoid the danger God stirre vs vp and sanctâ—fie our hearts and minds wisely to consider these things How miserable are we if we are not in Christ yet to be in Christ is impossible if we sinne against him Alas Lord what then can we doe to helpe our selues Plow vp we humbly beseech thee ô thou Creator of cleane hearts the fallow ground of our hearts cut vs off from the old Adam by that circumcision which is made without hands glew vs vnto thy selfe in thine only Sonne Iesus Christ by a true and a liuing faith out of his fulnesse let vs all receiue grace for grace open from him a fountaine for vs the house of Dauid for sinne and for vncleannesse that wee hauing abilitie and power of not sinning willingly either against thee our God or against him our Sauiour either in his members or in his owne person either in his ordinances or in himselfe we may doe accordingly that so we assuring our hearts that we are in Christ and new creatures we may liue like Christians and by power from on high prepare our selues for that new estate in heauen which thou at the last wilt bring vs vnto to thy eternall glory and our eternall comfort Euen so Amen A PREVENTER OF SECVRITIE VPON 1 PETER 4.7 By ROBERT ABBOT LONDON Printed by John Haviland for Nathaniel Butter 1623. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR THOMAS HENDLEY Knight and to the Lady ELIZABETH his dearely beloued Wife Life Health and Saluation through Christ Iesus our Lord. RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL I DOE not know whether those that doe aduenture to publish bookes in these woefull times wherein we liue doe goe too fast or too slow I remember it was fained of old that Aeolus hauing bestowed a bottle vpon Vlysses wherein all the windes were inclosed his seruants let them out when hee was asleepe to their owne hurt so many times it falleth out that wee doe emptie our owne poore withered bottles by the Presse to our owne preiudice Howsoeuer it proues for mine owne particular I doe humbly commit the successe to God who only knoweth with what heart I doe it and being drawne out by little and little to appeare in publike I being sensible of the many fauours which aboue my expectation or desert I haue reaped both from you and yours can doe no lesse than make you publikely to appeare also together with me your Pastour who ioy in your loue and shall more ioy in the increasing of your graces and the further fitting of your soules and bodies for heauen and happinesse I know not what benefit this poore Sermon can bring vnto you yet so farre as I can be mine owne carner thus much I resolue that whatsoeuer good shal arise by it either to your selues or others it shall beare your Worships names in the forehead of it and thereby speake thus much that the world should neuer haue seene it if the loue of God together with your kindnesses had not drawne out from me who can shew little other such a kinde of fruit and acknowledgement as this is I thought it was enough for me to preach vnto my owne and now and then to lend the best dugge I had to a neighbours childe abroad I well knew mine owne weaknesse and the weight of a presses burthen Yet considering how apt the weake mud-wals of my poore house are euery yeere to fall and withall that it is not altogether impossible that I should doe some small good vnto my good people euen when I am dead