we haue receiued of the Lord to trafficke withall what portion or proportion of gifts we haue in our hands and esteeme our selues worth so much as we haue receiued of grace and no more Secondly the Merchant will not lay out his money but for a hopefull bargaine Esay 55.2 Wherefore doe you lay out siluer and not for bread and your labour without being satisfied Hearken diligently vnto me and eat that which is good and let your soule delight in fatnesse taxing the folly of such as labour and dearely buy externall food and prouision with neglect of the wholesome bread and water of life So a wise Christian Merchant will spend his time and labour on that which when hee hath gotten will satisfie him which if hee bestow in outward things suppose hee doth gaine them they cannot satisfie him Eccles 5.9 He that loueth siluer shall not bee satisfied and hee that loueth riches shall be without the fruit there of And of all earthly things may be said that of Salomon The eye is neuer satisfied with seeing nor the eare with hearing onely godlinessE bringeth with it contentment Thirdly the Merchant will often cast his estate his bookes his shops and his reckonings to see whether his stocke increaseth or decayeth If he finde himselfe a gainer then he is glad if the contrary he is heartles and sorrowfull So the Christian Merchant is much and often in trying his estate and standing in grace and is most glad when hee findeth in himselfe increase of grace knowledge humility faith loue c. but it is a death to him to goe backward and to see his estate of grace rather to decrease than increase hee hath no comfort in his present vnfruitfulnesse much lesse in Apostacy and backe-slicing but his comfort and account to the Lord is onely when hee can say Luke 19.13 Lord thy talent hath increased ten talents Vse 3 Let this consideration also comfort godly poore men despised in the world The poorest Christian is a very rich Merchant thou that art a poore Christian in a low estate in the world labour busily for grace and thou maist bee as rich a Merchant haue as rich a stocke and deale in as great and rich commodities if poore in spirit as the richest Thou that hast no money and but little credit in the world maist heere make as good a bargaine and as gainfull returne for thy selfe as he that hath thousands of money beyond thee The poore receiue the Gospell saith our Sauiour that is few but the poore in estate none but the poore in spirit for this trading is without money like the poore womans curing who spent all her money on the Physitians and yet was not cured but Christ commeth and cureth her freely Againe art thou a poore man hast thou a great charge of children and no meanes to put them forth to trades here is a rich trade make Merchants of them teach them and binde them to this trade of godlinesse this is the way to make them prosperous in earth and bring them happily towards heauen Prou. 14.26 The feare of the Lord is an assured strength and his children shall haue hope Vse 4 Haue likewise a care that hauing bought and purchased the Pearle Part not from the Pearle once gotten thou doest not fell it againe Pro. 23.23 Buy the truth but sell it not likewise wisdome and instruction and vnderstanding for what wee sell we esteeme it lesse worth than that we sel it for but we must value this Pearle aboue riches glory libertie Pearles and life it selfe by no meanes part from wisdome neither by our forgetfulnesse security or ouer-sight any way Besides we can sell it for nothing which is not vncertaine gaine but this is most certaine and most lasting and therefore not to bee exchanged with any other This of the third generall The Merchant mans actions are three Three maine actions of a wise Merchant 1. He seeketh a good Pearle 2. Findeth an excellent one 3. Selleth all he hath to buy it Euery man naturally will be seeking some thing to make him happy the naturall man hath some naturall Pearle or other on which hee setteth his affection and in which bee taketh greatest delight Some Merchants esteeme pleasure their best Pearle some honour some riches and the most of the world seeking some Pearle light vpon some counterfeit or other wherein they content themselues and blinde both themselues and others which made an ancient Father cry out Foelix negotiator qui nouit qua rerenon necina vt ambitiosi nen inutiâ—a vt curiosi sed salubria vt sancti Happy is that Merchant that knoweth to seeke not hurtfull things as the ambitious doe nor vnprofitable things as the curious doe but the most wholesome things as doe the Saints but this a supernaturall both seeker and seeking and things sought The thing sought is the grace of the Gospell a good Pearle indeed as before the seeker was the wise Merchant Quest. But how can any man seeke grace seeing Psal 14. and Rom. 3. no man seeketh after God Sol. Answ No man by nature can seeke after grace nor of himselfe once aske after it because he is destitute of the spirit of God no more than the lost groat can aske after her that lost it or a wandring sheepe after the Shepherd or a dead man after life So as those places are meant of men before conuersion and calling for the elect seeke not God till God first seeke them and findeth them But this is to be vnderstood of men called conuerted already found of God and mooued by the Spirit of God who mooued by God can now moue themselues and sought by him now can seeke him Which both setteth out our infinite miserie who of our selues neuer minde the meanes of happinesse and also magnifieth Gods mercie which is infinite who offering vnto vs a free grace doth truly say I was found of them that sought me not and giueth him also the honour of goodnesse and of our seeking of him Only the godly and all they are seekers of the good Pearle Doct. they seeke after God in Christ and the grace of the Gospell Only the godly and all they are seekers of the Pearle euery where the godly are called seekers of God and seekers of wisdome Prou. 2. and seekers of the kingdome Matt. 6.33 and wicked men are described to be such as seeke not after God Psalm 14.4 And why Reas 1 1. These onely doe see their owne want and beggerie which is implied in seeking No man seeketh that hee wanteth not or that first findeth not in himselfe a want of grace Psal 143.6 Dauid desired grace as the thirstie ground and grace is not promised nor giuen to any but the thirstie Isa 55.1 Euery one that thirsteth come yee to the waters Psalm 14.2 First they must vnderstand namely their estate and then seeke after God Reas 2 2. All these and they alone doe see
not to expect rest till the night of death come when dying in the Lord we shall rest from our labours and because this is not our rest Mica 2. â—0 wee must arise and depart hence And seeing wee can no more auoid this weary iourney than any of our Fathers could doe we must rather bestow wise and carefull thoughts in fitting our selues to our iourney and in behauing our selues through our way than to expect to auoid the tediousnesse and difficulties of it Quest How may we fit our selues for our iourney home into our owne Countrey Ans A traueller fitteth himselfe to his iourney two waies especially 1. By casting off and leauing behinde him whatsoeuer would burden or hinder him in his way 2. By prouiding for himselfe things fit for his iourney Of the former sort there be three especiall encumbrances that the Christian Pilgrim must lighten himselfe off The first of them is sinne which as an intollerable burden presseth vs downe Heb. 12.1 and hangeth fast on and therefore the Apostle counselleth to cast it off if wee meane to runne the race before vs. Now the way to lighten our selues of this weight is to exercise euery day the grace of repentance and mortification and daily to take some sinne or other in hand and at least to slake and abate the power of it that if wee cannot bee rid of the sinne in respect of the presence of it yet we may be rid of the reigne and command of it The second are earthly cares profits and pleasures which are as heauy stones tyed vnto vs and pressing vs from heauen to earth making heauie and sad the soule and vnweildy in her motions The way for vs to lighten our selues of these encumbrances is daily and continually to eleuate and raise our thoughts homeward and heauenward and exercise our selues in holy meditations praiers and praises sundry times through the day For as he that would keepe a Clocke in true motion must euery day sundry times winde vp the plummets which are stil drawing downward euen so must we doe with our hearts the cares and pleasures of the world are as plummets of Lead pressing downe the soule incessantly in her motion towards heauen and hee that would continue his motioÌ„ must daily wind vp his heart towards God and by maine strength of grace fetch it vp from earth that it may be sirmly setled on heauenly things delighting it selfe with the riches of heauen with contemplation of those pleasures that are at the right hand of God for euermore The third encumbrance is the feare of death which presseth vs all our life and the Christian must lighten himselfe of this burden by looking beyond it to his own home by longing after the liuing God whom none can see in the body and liue by considering that the nearer he is to death hee is so much neerer home And what stranger feareth to goe home or is sorry when after a long absence hee is entring into his owne Citie Secondly A wise Christian will furnish and prouide himselfe with necessaries and needefull supplies to helpe him through his iourney There be fiue things especially which a traueller must fit himselfe withall that his iourney may bee lesse tedious and more prosperous to himselfe 1. The knowledge of the direct way Now whereas no man knowes the way to the heauenly countrey without Gods teaching euery one must goe to God himselfe first and then to such as God hath appointed to bee the directors and instructors in this way The former wee see in holy Dauid Psalme 119.19 I am a stranger vpon earth therefore hide not thy Commandements from mee Hee knew well how hardly a blinde man could performe a farre and dangerous iourney and thus it is onely the Commandement that shewes the way to this heauenly Countrey Why was Dauid a blinde man or did hee not know the ten Commandements Euen Dauid who was not stone blinde but much enlightned was blinde in part and still earnest that the LORD would further open his eies Psal 119.18 34 35. to see the way more plainly clearely than yet hee did And though hee knew the words and true sence of the ten Commandements yet hee desireth still to bee led further into the particular vse application direction and obedience of them and of all other parts of the Word which hee saith is exceeding large Vers 96 And for the latter As a straÌ„ger in an vnknown Country and way will euer bee asking the way of euery one neuer so simple who knoweth the way better than himselfe and will obserue the seuerall markes and statues by which hee may know whether hee bee right or no So must euery Christian Pilgrim bee inquisitiue of his way for which purpose he must frequent the ministry of the word diligently which God hath erected to bee as A light in a darke place as the Pillar of the Cloude and fire by night and by day to direct vs through this dry and desert wildernesse as Ariadnes threede to helpe vs through this trouble-some Maze and Labyrinth and as a voyce behinde vs saying this is the way walke in it An inquisitiue Christian will bee still consulting with Gods Ministers about the way of God and conferring with priuate Christians bee they neuer so meane in place or appearance concerning their great iourney betweene heauen and earth and will take speciall notice of the markes of their way as whether it bee the narrow way or the broad way whether it be strewed with crosses or pleasant to the flesh whether it bee a cleane way or a foule dirtie and mirie way of lusts whether it bee an old beaten way by the feet of ancient beleeuers the Prophets the Apostles and holy men yea of Iesus Christ himselfe or a new broken and deuised way vnknown vnto them and the Scriptures whether it bee a right way Hos 14.9 or a crooked path of by lanes and turnings to the right hand or to the left whether it bee a lightsome or a darke way Pro. 4.19 and the like Thus inquisitiue and carefull will a Christian Pilgrim bee of the best directions he can get as the poore iaylor will know of Paul his prisoner what hee may doe to bee saued and it is none of the lightest plagues of God to haue an heart vnwilling to ask about the way of heauen A second comfortable helpe in an vnknowne way is a good guide The Christian stranger hath neede of a guide and the best guide is God himselfe yea and more God is the only guide In any other way or iourney the natiues or inhabitants can guide a stranger from place to place but here none but God can bee our guide Psalme 25.9 He will guide in Iudgement and teach the humble his way Quest But how then may a man get God to bee his guide Answ By two speciall meanes 1. By earnest Praier Dauid knowing that none but God could guide him prayeth Psalme 143.8
the small favour they find in the world for what can they looke for other being strangers but strange vsages and entertainements from the world If they were of the world the world would loue them as her owne Euery Corporation preferreth into offices her owne free men and inhabitants and it were folly for a stranger passing but through to expect those places and preferments hee must rather cast to endure wronges where his worth is vnknowne and expect no remedy or release at any of their hands but herein comfort himselfe that hee hath credit and can haue right in his owne countrie and if he were once at home hee should put vp no such wrongs and indignities 2. Against the troubles and oppressions of the Saints of God in these heavie times of warres and bloudie persecutions in which the Captaines of Antichrist chase the godly from their seates houses estates and countries not suffering the Doue of Christ a rest for the sole of her foot Here is a ground of comfort 1. That all the furie of the enemies exiling and banishing the godly can but make them strangers and so were they before whersoever they dwelt in any place of the earth It is no great addition of miserie to banish him that was in banishment before or to driue a man out of one strange place into another Hee that is alreadie a stranger vpon earth in affection can easily become come actually a stranger if God call him vnto it 2. When the enemies haue exercised all their rage they cannot banish them out of GODS Countrey but they are strangers before God who is equally present with them in one corner of the earth as well as in another to protect them to provide for them to pittie them and guide them home to their owne Countrey 3. Although the enemies would bee endlesse in their rage against the Saints and were they to liue ever they would ever nourish and exercise an immortall wrath against the people of God yet can they not inflict so much mischiefe on them as they desire For besides that themselues are mortall and besides the justice of God breaking quickly to peeces the rods of his wrath and casting them into the fire the godly themselues are but strangers here and of short continuance so as suppose their sufferings bee sharpe yet they bee but short The rods of the wicked shall not alwayes lye vpon the lot of the righteous as they desire they should seeing the godly are strangers as well in time as in place and themselues not continuing their miserie cannot bee continuall 3. In the many losses of these worldly and corruptible things which take them to their wings and flie from one maister to another by meanes of warre mortalitie and many casualties a Christian hath comfort that hee beeing a stranger here he hath no great estate to lose some Mooveables such as hee carryeth along with him in his iourney hee may lose by the way but his estate and inheritance is safe enough at home Nay in that great and finall destruction of the whole world by the dreadfull fire of the last day 2 Pet. 3.10 When the heavens shall passe away with a noyse and the elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the workes that are therein shall bee burnt vp When all other men shall bee loosers of all their whole estates onely the godly because they are Strangers here they shall escape all these things and be no losers at all If some whole Citie should bee consumed by fire when the whole multitude of Inhabitants sustaine losse and beggery by that Accident a stranger that is but passing through the Cittie and hath his estate and dwelling elsewhere hee loseth nothing at all So the godly shall be glad in that day that they haue no stocke nor portion with them who had no other portion but in this life 4. As his estate is safe so likewise is the person of the godly Pilgrim For hee not being of the world hee shall not perish with the world It was happie for Lot that hee was a stranger Gen. 19.9 and scorned as a stranger by the Sodomites for when all they were scalded with a shower of fire and Brimstone the Lord being mercifull vnto him his person was in safetie Sever thy selfe from the condition of sinnefull men estrange thy selfe from the condition of sinnefull men estrange thy selfe from their courses walke as one deliuered from this evill world if not yet in respect of place yet in respect of new qualities thou shalt haue Gods protection and see the salvation of the LORD when all the wicked Inhabitants of the earth shall call for the hills to cover them and the mountaines to fall vpon them to hide them from the wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come Rev. 6.16 17. and who can stand ₠FINIS A PROFITABLE MEMORIALL of the Conversion Life and Death of M ris MARY GVNTER set vp as a Monument to be looked vpon both by Protestants and Papists I Could not better spēd some part of the dayes of my mourning for the losse of my deare wife than in setting downe briefly some Passages of her course and Pilgrimage that the happy memory of her graces and vertuous life might euer liue with me both for incitation and imitation And if my desires were strong to make them more publike for the direction of some others I hope it will rather be charitably ascribed to the working and stirring of my affection towardes her Ashes than to any vanitie of minde or ostentation in her Besides I am sure that if a Protestant had beene seduced from vs as shee was called out of Popery and had liued and died so zealous in that Religion as shee did in this the aduersaries would haue made their aduantage of it and published the same as one of the miracles of their Church And I see not but it may bee as lawfull for mee as it may prooue profitable for others to set down the knowne Truth concerning her that as shee was in her life so also shee may happily continue now after her death an happy instrument of Gods glory in earth as I am assured shee is a vessell before him filled with his glory of heauen THis gracious Woman was for birth a Gentlewoman Her birth but descended of Popish Parents who dying in her infancy shee was committed vnto the tuition of an old Lady Popish education honourable for her place but a strong Papist who nousled and misled this Orphane in Popery till shee came about foureteene yeeres of age at which time this Lady died Vpon which occasion God hauing a mercifull purpose towards her conuersion by his good Prouidence brought her to the seruice of that Religious and truly honourable Lady the Countesse of Leicester who entertained her with more than ordinary respect both because of her young yeeres as also because shee was allied to Sir Christopher Blunt then
Pilgrimes profession In tying which words with the former it may be asked first what force can there bee in this reason to mooue or encline God to mercy because hee was a stranger with him it might rather imply that God should the more estrange himselfe from him and stand further from his helpe I answere 1. The Hebrew phrase Quis dubitat quod bic psaltes posuit gnimea tecum idem esse quod Liphneca id est coram ie Bucer I am a stranger with thee signifieth as much as to say I am a stranger before thee or in thy sight And not that hee was a stranger in affection or conuersation from God as the wicked who are said to be strange children and strangers from the wombe Psal 58.3 For how could Dauid bee such a stranger who set the Lord euer before him and at his right hand Psal 16.8 that hee might not sinne against him 2. As it is a confession and testimony of bis own humility and sense of his misery it is a motiue to mercy as if he had said I am a stranger and need helpe because as a stranger I lie open to many iniuries and inconueniences but thou art the God of the abiect and thy property is as to cast downe the proud so to raise vp such deiected soules as I am and therefore heare my prayers cryes and teares 3. As it ascribeth vnto the Lord the honour of mercy it is a motiue to mercy for holy Dauid puts the LORD in minde of his owne gracious inclination and affection to strangers Exo. 22. â—1 Reâ— 19.23 Doâ— 10.19 for hee hath commanded vs to be kinde to strangers and hath in speciall manner vndertaken the protection of strangers Psalme 146.9 The Lord keepeth the strangers and therefore his faith binding God after a fort to his owne law and promise assureth himselfe of Gods mercy because he is a stranger 4. As it is an acknowledgement of his owne impotency and the misery of his life it pleadeth strongly for mercy as if hee had said Thou knowest Lord that I am a stranger heere and so long as I am so I cannot but carry a burden of flesh and a body of sinne and daily thereby deserue thy most heauie displeasure and therefore I beseech thee bee not so extreame against mee as in iustice thou mayest but considering my frailty mingle thy corrections with mercie And whereas I discerne also by my bodily weaknesse and infirmity that I am a stranger here and of short continuance I pray thee remooue thy hand and let not all my life bee miserable but Vers 13 stay thine anger from mee that I may recouer my strength before I goe hence and bee no more And vpon the same ground Iob makes the same request Iob 10.21 Let him cease and leaue off from me that I may take a little comfort before I goe and shall not returne c. Secondly it may bee asked How can Dauid vse this as a reason for his recouery which hee vsed before verse 4. for the hastening of his death for because his life was short and miserable therefoer hee desires hee might die in all haste To which I answere That great difference there is betweene Dauid foiled by flesh and Dauid supported by the Spirit for wee haue in him lying vnder the temptation an instance of our owne strong-hearted corruption which out of a good proposition can draw most dangerous and wicked conclusions for out of the consideration of the shortnesse of his life hee could draw conclusions of murmuring impatience and almost of desperation But now Dauid is another man and the Spirit of grace hath conquered those assaults and now hee can out of the same premises draw the cleane contrary conclusions to support his faith patience and dependance vpon God For such is the wisdome of the Spirit that hee can draw holy sweet and comfortable conclusions from those principles and grounds from which flesh and corruption vseth to sucke sinne and poison and teacheth the Saints so to doe In the profession it selfe Meaning consider for the meaning foure things 1. 1. What is this stranger What a stranger is 2. Who is this stranger 3. Where he is a stranger 4. The communitie of this condition as all my Fathers were 1. A stranger is hee that being absent from his owne Countrey is trauelling homewardes vnto it For these two conditions are proper to a stranger First that hee is absent from his natiue soyle absent from his naturall friends absent from his Fathers house and absent from his owne home and inheritance thus was Abraham a stranger in Canaan Secondly that he is trauelling home as a Pilgrime to his owne Countrey Thus was Iacob a stranger whose whole life was a trauaile in forraine Countreys out of any certaine and settled dwelling as himselfe professeth Gen. 47.9 The whole time of mypilgrimage is an hundred and thirtie yeeres 2. Who is this stranger Dauid saith I am a stranger which may seeme strange if wee consider that Dauid was a King and that in his owne Countrey and that the Countrey of Iudea in comparison of whose inhabitants all the world besides were strangers as Matth. 27.7 For Dauid was not now in flight before Saul 2 Sam. 21.23 as when hee plaid the foole in the Philistims Countrey before Acbish to saue his life nor in likelihood in chase before Absalom as when being driuen from home hee went vp to the mount of Oliues and wept Neither vndertooke hee any meritorious iourney in a Pilgrims weed For besides that hee was King of Ierusalem and needed not make any tedious Pilgrimage thither Popish Pilgrims were not borne some thousands of yeeres after his Age. Peregrinatio ad Imagines nalla fuit ante 600. annos a Christo nato Perk. Probl. There was now no Sepulcher of our Lord to visit nor no Image of our Lady and yet he professeth himselfe a stranger 3. But where was Dauid a stranger Himselfe saith Before thee that is wheresoeuer hee is before God there hee is a stranger not in another mans kingdome or Countrey as of Moabites or Philistims but in his owne Countrey in Canaan he is a stranger yea at Bethlem in the City of Dauid and in Sion the Fort of Dauid hee is a stranger This hee expresseth Psalme 119.19 I am a stranger vpon earth that is in euery part of the earth euen in mine owne house in mine owne bed in mine owne body and bosome I am a stranger with thee Wherein the holy Prophet both acknowledgeth the Lord the proprietary of whom he held his Countrey and Kingdome Lev. 25.23 For it is as if hee had said I am a stranger in thy Countrey my Countrey is thy Countrey and thy Countrey is my Countrey and now I doe but soâ—ourne a while with thee in thy Countrey till I returne home and dwell with thee in my Countrey As also hee insolâ—â—th a motiue why the LORD should
are commaunded to abide in them with moderate care to prouide for themselues and theirs And for earthly things they cannot bee without them while they haue a life to maintaine by them but yet they meddle no more with them than needes must and in the middest of their earthly businesse are not earthly minded They are Burgesses of another Corporation Col. 3.10 and all their trading and traffique heere is to make themselues a rich and sure estate there They haue a chiefe businesse to doe which they principally intend namely to seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse of it to repent of their sinnes to beleeue in the Sonne of God and to make their election sure whereto they giue all diligeuce as they are exhorted 2 Pet. 1.10 Fiftly The godly are strangers in respect of their affection for as strangers long after home and where euer their bodies bee their hearts and mindes are not there but at home where their deare friends and estates are So is it with the Saints whose mindes and meditations and conuersation are in heauen before hand for there is their Fathers house and there is their inheritance there is Iesus Christ their treasure and no maruell if their hearts bee there where their treasure is The worldling hath his whole portion in this life and therefore hee bestowes all his heart his thoughts his cares his desires and endeauours vpon the world he runs after it with a full desire But it cannot bee so with the godly man who is minded as was good Nehemiah 2.3 Who although his person was in the King of Persia his Court and was a neere attendant at the Kings Table yet his heart was at Ierusalem And as Daniel who while hee was in the land of his captiuity yet he opened his windowes euery day towards Ierusalem Quest But are not wicked men strangers heere vpon earth as well as the godly Answ Wicked men and worldlings are indeed strangers here if we looke towards God they are strangers with him strangers from the Couenant of God and strangers from the life and wayes of God Or if we consider the time of their continuance heere they haue no more continuance heere than others they haue no Leases of their liues nor no surer hold of their estates than others haue The rich Glutton heard Thou foole this night shall they take away thy soule and all Or if wee consider the place in which they liue they are strangers for the East wind takes away and hurles them out of their place Iob 27.21 as easily as any other And the mightie die suddenly Iob 34.20 and are taken away without hand And their houses and possessions which knew them once shall know them no more but take in other strangers for a terme of dayes as they tooke in them But wicked men are not strangers as the godly are in foure respects 1. In their owne account or conceit for though their estate bee as vnstable as any others yet haue they a strong conceit of continuance and of taking their rest for many yeeres They are described to bee such as put off the euill day and make leagues with death and are hardly brought to confesse themselues to be Pilgrims and strangers 2. In the worlds account they bee not strangers but neighbours and Towne-dwellers The world knowes them and loueth them as her owne yea lulleth them in her lap as her children shee graceth them enricheth them and aduanceth them as men of best deserts In a word shee thinketh nothing shee hath too good for such fast friends and diligent seruants 3. In their owne affection they bee no strangers for how can they considering they haue no other portion but here Psal 17.14 How can they but minde earthly things Phil. 3.19 to whom God hath shewed no better How can they but giue away their affections and bury their hearts in earth and drowne themselues in the delights of it that haue no other God no other Heauen What man will bee willing to giue ouer a broken title till hee bee assured and seated in a better which because they are not like prophane Esaus they hunger after pottage let the blessing goe where it will 4. In their course and conuersation they doe not declare themselues to bee strangers All their studie their paines their sweat and endeuour is to get a sure and contented estate in earth they treasure all in earth If they can encrease their Corne their Wine their Oyle their Coyne their Commodities they rest as in a good portion seldome or neuer seeking in earnest that good part which should neuer bee taken from them nor they from it if once they could attaine it Thus much of the Doctrine and this question The Vse followeth First In that the godly man is a stranger and Pilgrim here we learne sundry duties As first to practise Christian sobrietie in the affecting Christian sobriety in 1. affecting enioying and vsing the things of this life For 1. a stranger in his way affects not desires not lookes not for great things for himselfe in the Citie hee trauelleth thorow hee lightly regardeth the honours offices reuenues and priuiledges of it his chiefe desires and affections are elsewhere all the priuiledge he expecteth there is how to passe quietly safely through Euen so ought the Christian Pilgrim by the weaned carriage of himselfe towards things below declare plainly as the Patriarches did that hee seeketh a Country Heb. 11.14 Seekest thou great things for thy selfe saith the Lord to Baruk seeke them not Ier. 45.5 And why must hee not because he was but a stranger in that Land now presently to bee giuen ouer into the hands of strangers Secondly 2. Enioying A stranger enioyes the things of a strange place as a stranger he vseth other mens goods for a night but he setteth not his heart on them nor taketh much delight in them because hee knoweth hee must leaue them next morning and may take none away with him Euen so a Christian stranger taketh but little delight in his iourney because hee thinketh not himselfe at home neither doth hee enioy things here as his portion nor as his owne because hee is to bee countable for them and because hee well knoweth that too much delight in fleshly and worldly pleasures giueth life to corruption and weakeneth grace in him hee attendeth that wholsome Apostolicall exhortation 1 Pet. 2.11 Dearely beloued as strangers and Pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule Thirdly 3. Vsing the world a stranger vseth the necessary comforts hee meeteth with in his way as a stranger hee vseth them rather for necessitie than for satietie onely for present occasion and that with moderation and sobrietie Euen so a Christian Pilgrim must learne to vse the world as not vsing it 1 Cor. 7.31 and in the midst of his wealth and abundance in the fruition of his greatest delights and pleasures to take his
countrey where his parents his ancestors and deare kindred dwell and inhabit Now where dwelleth the Christian mans Father but in heauen Where is his elder brother but there Where are all his brethren and sisters sonnes and daughters of the same parents but there and therefore heauen is his Countrey Thirdly Further that is a mans Countrey where his principall estate and goods are where his patrimony and inheritance lyeth and where is the chiefe portion the treasure the immortall inheritance of the Christian but in heauen And where else is his Countrie Now then a Christian considering on the one hand that hee is in a strange Countrey and how hardly hee hath bin intreated in it and so likely to be still and on the other hand that hee hath an home and a father there that loueth him dearely and that his elder brother Iesus Christ and all his spirituall kindred the Saints of God are there And besides that hee hath a rich portion and a large patrimony euen an immortall inheritance in heauen how can hee chuse but to bee reared in his affections yea rauished to bee there desiring nothing in the world more than to bee dissolued hence and to bee with Christ which is best of all Phil. 1.23 A Traueller hath his minde and thoughts still vpon home and saith with himselfe Home is homely And the Marriner or Sea-faring man in a storme or rough Sea hath his desires on the Shore and his minde is not where his body is So is it with the Christian Passenger his minde is not where his body is and if hee cannot get home in the body as soone as hee desireth yet in his spirit hee will minde heauen and heauenly things hee will get as neere home as hee can if he cannot get into the heart of the citie hee will bee sure to get into the suburbes the Church of God If hee cannot get suddenly into that Ierusalem which is aboue Reu. 21.2 hee will get into the Ierusalem which is from aboue and where his person cannot bee for the time his conuersation meditation shall bee in heauen Matt. 6 21. for where his treasure is there will his heart be also Vse 2. In that wee are strangers with God wee learne diuers things 1. The soueraigntie and power of God who is the great owner Zach. 4.14 and ruler of the whole earth Kings themselues who are the highest earthly Lords and commanders are but strangers with God Psal 24.1 for the earth is the Lords and all that therein is And no man sitteth in his owne but are Tenants at will vnder this great Land-Lord The greatest of men yea of Kings are but as David was soiourners in his sight Leuitic 25.23 The Land is his and wee are but strangers and soiourners with him 2. Wee must hence gather out our owne dutie towards God in whose Countrey wee soiourne and our dutie is manifold 1. To aske leaue of GOD to passe through his Countrey so did Israel of Edom a wicked Prince and people Numbers 20. I pray thee that we may passe through thy Countrey c. It is fit to aske leaue where no right is Besides that by daily prayer for Gods leaue and fauourable loue in our way wee both ascribe vnto God the honour of soueraigntie and bountie as also sweeten his mercies which hee giueth vs leaue to enioy all which are sanctified to vs by the word and by praier 1 Tim. 4.5 2. Binde thy selfe from trespassing in the way and Countrey through which thou passest So did Israel vnto Edom Num. 20.17 We will not goe through the fields nor the vineyards neither will wee drinke of the water of the wells wee will goe by the Kings way and neither turne to the right hand nor left till wee bee past thy borders So must the Christian bee carefull hee transgresse not the lawes of the Countrey in which hee soiournes to stirre vp against himselfe the wrath and reuenge of the Lord in whose Countrey hee soiourneth but frame himselfe to please him by whose leaue hee trauelleth through his Countrey How carefull and diligent were Iosephs brethren to please their vnknowne brother Gen. 44. the Lord of that strange Countrey Much more ought we to please our brother Iesus Christ the Lord of this strange countrey through which wee passe to our owne Canaan 3. Cast thy care vpon God and depend vpon him for all needfull supplies so did holy David heere because hee was a stranger in Gods Countrey he therefore casteth his burden vpon the Lord desiring him to heare his prayer and to hearken to his cry and not to bee silent at his teares A stranger ouer-loadeth not himselfe with cares and carriages but carrying a competent viaunce with him dependeth for all necessaries vpon them where he soiourneth so a Christian stranger need bee in nothing carefull Phil. 4.6 but in all things let his requests bee shewed vnto God the King of the Countrey in prayer All distrustfull and excessiue carefulnesse is to bee auoyded of a Christian yea suppose the care be about things lawfull if it bee excessiue it is sinfull and vnseemely in a Christian Pilgrim Let thy chiefe care be Psal 37.5 1 Pet. 5.7 to commit thy way vnto the Lord and trust in him and hee shall bring it to passe Psal 55.22 Cast thy care vpon the Lord and he shall nourish thee 4. Be much in thankefulnesse vnto God for all the comfortable blessings thou receiuest in thy Pilgrimage a stranger thankefully accepteth all the fauours shewed him in a strange Countrey and so did holy Dauid when God had enabled him to prepare abundantly for the building of the temple breake out into abundant praises Wee thanke thee our God 1 Chro. 29.13.14 and praise thy glorious Name But who am I or what is my people that we should offer vnto thee for all is thine and of thine own haue we giuen thee for wee are strangers before thee and soiourners as all our Fathers were And surely it well beseemeth the iust to bee thankfull seeing they are strangers in the Lords land and all the comforts they enioy are his by right and possession and theirs onely by leaue and thankfull acceptation 5. Be contented and patient if this great Lord deny thee any thing thou wouldst haue whilest thou passest through his Countrey Numb 20 21. so was Israel when Edom out of a churlish and hurtfull minde denied them peaceable passage But the Lord of this Countrey knoweth what is fit for vs and neuer denieth any thing out of a churlish minde neither can deny any thing good in it selfe and good to vs and if he with-hold any hurtfull things we must be not onely patient but thankfull Vse 3. In that wee are strangers heere and trauelling to our countrey as all our Fathers haue done before vs it appeareth that our wisdome will bee to resolue of paines and trauell all the dayes of our life and