but some will say Christ is in heaven and we on earth wee cannot goe to him when wee please I answer yes for the armes of faith are large it takes hold of things past and to come no height is out of the reach thereof and besides Christ he is present with us he is in his word in the Sacraments in the Communion of Saints where two or three are gathered together in my name I will be in the middest of of them it s his owne promise For which I am apprehended of Christ Christ he apprehends us and that in severall degrees First as he is God In his eternall love wee had a being before we had any being here God conceived us in his eternall affection and imbraced us Secondly Christ apprehends us in his effectuall calling of us Paul he was posting another way when Christ called him Saul Saul others hee calles from their mothers wombe some by afflictions and powerfull crosses as he did the Iaylor others by more gentle meanes as Lydia Thirdly there is an apprehending in all our actions courses and estates directing us continually in them never leaving us none can plucke us out of his hands hee is stronger than our corruptions he will not let us goe till he hath drawne us up to heaven and placed us with himselfe for the use of this doctrine more shall be said in the next doctrine which is taken from the order Christ he first apprehends us then we apprehend him he apprehends us that we may apprehend him and because hee hath apprehended us therefore is it that we apprehend him for in him it is that we live and move and have our being and therefore much more our best being he it is that gives us the will and the deed to us it is given by him to beleeve and suffer with him For use hereof it would teach us in all our actions to beg ability and strength of him and get a perswasion that his spirit doth apprehend us in love and that he will direct us and remove all impediments and stand by us in all our crosses that we are able to doe nothing but by reflection from him that though wee are naturally dead and dull yet he will quicken us by shining on our hearts with the sun-shine of his grace Secondly give him the praise of all the good thou doest for the deed is his those that doe not doe apprehend and are apprehended of themselves and therefore it may serve as a marke to discerne of our estate whither doe wee runne and what doe wee apprehend in our trouble is it Christ who is our present help in time of trouble then there is a blessed change in us but doe we seeke to our owne devices to our owne policies and inventions surely wee have not apprehended Christ as wee ought to doe and therefore wee are to stirre up the graces in us and beg increase of grace from him that is the fountaine of all grace In the next place it should comfort us by the consideration of the certaintie of our estate without falling away if we hold fast unto the end if it were ourselves that did apprehend us wee could not long continue but it being Christ that holdeth us our comfort is he will not forsake us it s the mother that holds the childe the childe cannot lay hold on the mother but is subject to falling every houre Christ hee holding us hath promised to love us to the end and to put his feare in our hearts that we shall not fall or depart from him this being dayly considered will greatly comfort a weake Christian Christ may seeme to let him fall by suffering him to fall into some great sinne but it is onely to humble him and to teach him not to trust to his owne strength which will soone faile him but upon his mercie and grace And therefore In the next place it teacheth us to hold fast unto him and relye on him and to pray to him that he would hold us fast and then we fall not from God but to God hee hath delivered us and will deliver us and keepe us to his heavenly kingdome if we fall into sinne let us repent and goe to God there is mercie in Israel concerning this and with him is plenteous redemption his right hand is under us ever to hold us up that we cannot fall so deeply but hee will lift us up againe In the next place this may be a comfort to us in all our troubles and afflictions of this life Are troubles neare God is not far off Psal. 22. and Psal. 118. But full of comforts for such we have an invisible wall about us the wall of Angels and God fights for us there is more with us than against us God will not suffer us to be tried above that we are able to beare let us therefore pray forsake me not Lord lest I forsake thee if wee pray to him he will bee found of us Paul prayed for this Christ also that knew he was apprehended yet prayed all night and this are we to doe he hath promised to heare us And therefore let us goe in faith and assurance to him in all our troubles VERS 13. Brethren I count not my selfe to have apprehended THe holy Apostle dwels upon the point that hee might presse it the more and its good to presse matter of waight the Apostle shewing that conceipt of perfection to be dangerous againe tells the Philippians that he had not that which they boasted of This pride of our selves and conceipt is a sinne that climbes up to heaven and enters on Gods prerogative and a sinne that God doth directly set himselfe against of this compellation Brethren I have formerly spoken I might also touch that doctrine that the Kingdome of heaven is not perfected in us here but that it growes by degrees it s at the first as a graine of mustard seed there are babes in Christianitie and old men growne Christians And the ground hereof may be partly in the subject partly in the object In regard of the subject for that graces are imperfect in us the more the soule hath the more it desires In regard of the object for that Christ is so full that we are not able to receive all his fulnesse so as there is imperfection in us and superabundant perfection in him Paul had a large affection yet came farre short this possibilitie of the soule to receive more will bee in us till we be in heaven where we shall bee full and therefore while we are here wee pray still thy will bee done on earth as it is in heaven and thy Kingdome come more and more it s a strange conceipt therefore for any to thinke he may be too good yet doe these dayly or should doe pray for more and more perfection here on earth although they say they know not what And another reason why we apprehend Christ not so fully here as wee shall
by private friends Nay canst thou desire this search that thou maist know thy â—inne more and more for this end that thou mayst truely hate it with a more perfect hatred Canst thou truely appeale to God as Peter did to Christ thou knowest that I love and preferre thee above all It is a sure signe of thy sinceritie which the world cannot have and therefore when they see their sinnes laid open they spurne at the ordinances and spite the Minister and their true friends that put them in minde of their faults accounting them as their onely enemies Surely they shall never be able to indure the search of God hereafter and the last day when he shall lay them open they shall be overcome with shame A fourth signe is That at the houre of thy death this spiritual worshipping of God will give thee content when nothing else can Thou mayst say with comfort as Hezekiah did Lord remember how I have walked before thee in sinceritie When down-right affliction comes outward verball profession vanisheth with all the comforts thereof then perisheth the hope of the hypocrite Two things upheld Iob in comfort in his great extremity he was first assured that his redeemer lived and secondly he knew his innocency in those things that his friends charged him with and such times will fall on us all either at the time of death or before when nothing but innocencie and sincerity shall be able to uphold us Labour therefore for sincerity and spirituall worship Worship God in spirit but let it be done outwardly also But first bring thy heart and intention to what thou dost and that will stirre up the outward man to its duty and for the performance hereof follow these directions First learne to know God aright For worship is answerable to knowledge for how can we reverence God aright when we know neither his goodnesse nor his greatnesse how can we trust on God when we see not his truth in the performance of his promises in the Scriptures and in our owne experience those that doe not these know not God for as the heart affects according to knowledge So also its true in divinitie as we know his justice wee shall feare as we know his mercy wee shall love him and as we know his truth we shall trust on him Psal. 9.10 They that know thy name shall trust in thee and in other places of the said Psalme the Lord is knowne in the judgement he executeth vers 16. Secondly know God to be the first mover and cause of all men ordinarily feare the creature attributing that to it which belongs to the Creator But God he is the giver of all and Christians looke on the secondary means as to the first author and ground of all the rest they behold the Magistrate as in God feare them no otherwise but in the Lord. Atheists they will not sticke at any sinne whatsoever to get the love of those that may bring them any worldly commodity A Christian hee pleases and seekes the love of him that can make enemies friends when he lists and when it s for our good he knowes in him we live move and have our being Thirdly make much of spirituall meanes God he works by meanes by his word attend to it it works love feare joy and reverence in us and therefore no marvaile if those that neglect these meanes are not acquainted with these graces of Gods spirit 4 Fourthly Lift up thy heart to Christ the quickening spirit 1 Cor. 15. Our hearts naturally are dead Christ is our life when thou art most especially called to love to feare to humilitie pray to him to move thee and yeeld thy selfe to him and then shalt thou pray in spirit as it is said in Iude 20. heare in spirit doe all in spirit doe outward workes of thy calling in spirit for a true worshipper will out of spirituall grounds doe all outward works of his particular calling as well as the workes of his generall Christian vocation Let us therefore doe all things from our hearts to God and to our neighbour else will not God accept of our workes It is the Iew inwardly who shall have praise of God The want of this sincerity hath extinguished the light of many a glorious professour and thereby hath brought a great scandall upon the true worshippers of God in spirit VERS 3. And rejoyce in Christ. THe word rejoyce implyes a boasting or glorying of the heart manifesting it selfe in outward countenance and gesture as also in speech it also implies a resting on and contenting in the thing we glory in proceeding from an assurance that we glory in a thing worthy of glory for they are fooles that delight in bables Observe hence therefore That those that will worship Christ aright must glorie in him For the worship of Christ is a thing that requires incouragement and nothing can worke this incouragement like the glorying in Christ and therefore Paul in the first part of his Epistle to the Romans having shewed that God had elected them freely and had begun the worke of sanctification in their hearts he comes in the 12. Chapter I beseech you saith he present your selves as a holy living and acceptable sacrifice to God And in Tit. 2.11 The grace of God teacheth by incouraging us to deny ungodlines to walk unblameably soberly righteously and godlily in this present world And therefore whensoever wee grow dull or dead think of the great benefits that we have by Christ and it will quicken us and all our performances In the next place observe That Christ is the matter and subject of true glory and rejoycing and onely Christ for they well goe together a full and large affection with a full and large object boasting is a full affection the object is every way as full First as he is God and man he is God full of all things he is man full of all grace and void of all sinne he is Christ anointed to performe all his offices he is a Prophet all-sufficient in all wisedome in him are the treasures of wisedome he teaches us not onely how to doe but he teaches the very deed he is our High-priest he is the sacrifice the altar and the Priest and he is our eternall Priest in Heaven and on earth on earth as suffering for us in Heaven as mediating for our peace Who shall condemne us it is Christ that dyeth yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.34 He is also our King he is King of all King of kings and Lord of lords a King for ever and at all times subduing all rebellions within us and all enemies without us and he is all these so as none is like him and therefore is worthy of our glory Secondly Christ is communicative in all these he is Prophet Priest King for us he is God man he is Christ for us he
a wing yet is she as surely the fowlers as if her whole body were bound so if we favour or like and imbrace but one sinne though we thinke not thereof there is a floud of sinne comes in at that gate he that is guiltie of one sinne is guiltie of all But the weake Christian will object are wee not yea the best of us troubled with our personall secret infirmities what shall then become of us I answer feare not for its true though the best child of God be thus troubled yet hee pleades against it he hates it he undermines it and strives against it and thus opposing it it is not accounted to him by God But if hee forsakes all sinne in heart but one the devill will suffer it and indure it well enough for he knows he is sure enough The fifth note is That such an one can be content to be at some cost yea losse and paines for the Word for the field wherein this pearle is hid hee that is not of this minde cares not for the word It is not that men can speake well and commend it for many will doe so yet afterward make a mocke of it especially being in some company but he that esteemes it once will ever esteeme it and in all company wil extoll it Herod a very reprobate may seeme well affected where there is no temptation or while the word is preached can this be a plea to God at the last day who searcheth and knowes thy heart many dream they have this when indeed they have naught but the shell How few can say in truth I have denied this or that commodity and refused my profit for Christs sake Those that have done this let them know they have a most rich gaine and the best gain of all others they have an universall gaine that will comfort at all times riches and honours cannot cure the troubled minde neither can they deliver in the day of wrath Then in the next place let them know they have an everlasting gaine that will comfort us for ever and ever In the last place such as have wonâ—e Christ they have such a gaine as makes them that have him truly rich and noble and good other riches without grace doe corrupt us the Image of God is the true and intrinsecall worth Let this incourage us to labour to get Christ to attend the meanes that lay his riches open and thereby shall our love bee so stirred up and our judgement so sanctified as wee shall bee of St. Pauls minde to account all other things losse in regard of him and therefore it s no wonder that those that have not the benefit of the meanes want this esteeme VERS 9. And be found in him SOme reade the words actively thâ—â— may finde Christ but the phraâ—e is in the originall varying from the former and therefore it is better translated as we have it passively But when is it that St. Paul desireth to be found in Christ Ever no doubt but especially at the houre of death and day of judgement The Phrase implies first that there is an estate in Christ Secondly an abiding in it and Thirdly to be found abiding in him For the handling whereof wee will first explaine the phrase Secondly we will shew what doctrines it doth cleere then we will come to some instructions arising therefrom The phrase to be in Christ is taken from plants which are grafted into stocks or from the branches which are said to be in the tree thus are we in the vine it s Christs owne comparison and of this union with Christ there are three degrees First we are in Christ and in God first loving us and so wee were in him before wee were he chose us from all eternitie Secondly when Christ died then we were in him as a publike person Thirdly we are said most properly to be in him now when we beleeve in him and thus principally is the sense understood in this place and thus we are in Christ not as the manhood is in Christ but mystically not as friends in one another by love but by faith wee are ingrafted as truly as the branches are in the vine so are we one But Christ is in heaven wee are on earth how can we be united to him that is so farre distant from us I answer if a tree did reach to heaven and have its roote in the earth doth this hinder that the branches and the roote are not united In no wise So Christ he is in heaven and we on earth yet are we united to him by his spirit and receiving influence from him of all grace and goodnesse Now le ts see what doctrines are cleared hereby first it cleares the point of justification by Christ For if the question be how wee are saved by Christs righteousnesse I answer Christ and we are both one doth not the eye see for the bodie are not the riches of the husband and wife all one yes and even also whatsoever Christ hath is ours he is our husband he is our head In the second place it cleares the matter of the sacrament the Papists would have the bread transubstantiated into the bodie of Christ that it may be united to us I answer how is the foot in the head is it not by spirituall vigour passing to and fro through the body but chiefly in the head it is not therefore necessary that there should bee any corporall union Nay Christ comforted his Disciples more by his spirit when he departed from them than he did by his corporall presence We say also that the mysticall body of Christ is invisible because the spirit whereby we are made one is invisible This should comfort us at all times and in all estates before we were in Christ we were in an estate of horrour in an estate of damnation now to be reduced to Christ what comfort is it to be one of a politique body it s but for life or to be in any mans favour it s but at will this is a most excellent glorious and eternall being that mans nature should be so highly advanced as to be unitâ—d to the Godhead yea our persons are mystically united to Christ. Secondly In all crosses or losses what though we lose other states here is a state cannot bee shaken Thirdly in the houre of death wee are in Christ and blessed are they that dye in the Lord death that separates the soule from the body cannot separate eyther from Christ. Fourthly after death can it go hard with me that am in Christ that am his spouse I am in him in whom is fulnesse of comfort Fifthly in all wants here I have him to supply all hee will give what is necessarie if we should have fulnesse of grace here we should not desire to be in heaven hereafter Sixthly in persecution all my hurt redounds to him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me that which thou dost to my members thou doest to me
doe hereafter is because the manner of making Christ knowne to us is by revelation 1 Cor 13. We behold him here but as it were in a glasse in the glasse of his Word and Sacraments which cannot represent him to our understanding so cleerely as hereafter we shall behold him in the beatificall vision Take heed therefore of a selfe conceipt of perfection when we begin to be unwilling to grow better we begin to waxe worse there is no stay in Christianitie It is the sight of our imperfection that makes us strive to perfection and the more we see into our miserie the more earnestly we strive on to be freed from it VERS 13. But this one thing I doe forgetting those things which are behinde and reaching forth to those things that are before SEe what is the Apostles unum necessarium to grow more and more to the fulnesse of the knowledge of Christ. All other things he counts as dung and losse So as we may hence observe that the spirit of God in a Christian heart subjects all things to one Christ. One thing have I desired of the Lord said David Make this therefore a rule to difference our estates by What is the thing wee intend chiefly is it riches or pleasures or honours this one thing will be the utter overthrow of all religion in us Christ will be supream or he will not be He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of mee saith Christ of himselfe There is none so wicked but would be religious till religion comes to crosse that one thing their darling sinne And thus have they base limitations which must needs prejudice their growâ—h in religion for where religion is it will crosse their base affections and lusts Therefore whosoever we are that intend to be true Christians indeed resolve first to preferre the peace of conscience and the fruite of of religion above all and resolve to abhorre all things that will crosse this one thing of St. Paul VERS 14. I presse towards the marke BEhold an excellent description of a Christian course borrowed from the exercise of running a race being a man-like and commendable exercise fitting men and inabling them for warre The very heathen herein condemne us whose ordinary chiefe exercises what are they but good company as wee call them continuall lying at Tâ—vernes to the impoverishing of our estates and weakning our bodies the kinde I condemne not but the excesse is such as the Heathen would be ashamed of for which they shall even rise up in judgement against us and condemne us But from the similie wee may gather thus much That Christianitie is a race the beginning of this race is at the beginning of our conversion it should begin at our baptisme the first thing we should know ought to bee God the race is the performance of good duties concerning our generall calling and concerning our particular For the length of our races some are longer some shorter but the end of every mans race is the end of his life some mens wayes are plainer some rougher the prize is fulnesse of joy the lookers on are heaven earth and hell God is the instituter of this race and the rewarder the helpers are Christ good Angels and the Church which helpes by prayer the hinderers are the devill and his instruments who hinder us by slanders persecutions and the like For ground of this race in us we are to know that man is created with understanding directing him to doe things to a good end and scope other creatures are carried to their end as the shaft out of a bow only man fore-seeing his end apprehends meanes thereto his end is to receive reconciliation and union with God to which hee aymes by doing some things suffering others and resisting others And this race is also ordered by lawes for every runner is not crowned there is a running ill that shall never procure the prize The lawes hereof concerne either preparation or the action it selfe for preparation First we are to know that there is a dieting requisite as those that runne in a race have a care hereof to use such diet as did strengthen not cloy and such apparell as might cover them not clog them so ought it to bee in our spirituall race we must cast aside all heavie loads every weight and sinne which doth so easily beset us as it is Heb. 12.1 If God cast on us any place or riches let us use them for a good end but not make them our end and therefore with them take up dayly examination of our selves how we behave our selves towards these worldly things It were a madnesse in a runner in his race to take up a burthen and not to thinke it will be a sore trouble to him and why doe we not think thus in our spirituall race Cast we off therefore originall corruption and the corruption of our place time and calling which in time will grow unsupportable to us Let us desire no more than God gives and what afflictions God sends us let us take assuring our selves they are for our good A second law is to consider the wayes that we are to runne in what dangers wee are like to meet with forecast and resolve against the worst and withall promise we our selves God 's assured protection in our worst estate the want of this is the seminarie and ground of all Apostacie when men promise to themselves in Christianitie such things as God never promised Christ therefore promiseth and sheweth the worst first but the devill to deceive us keepes the worst out of our eyes and shewes a sort of vaine delights and pleasures but the sting of them through his subtiltie and craft he suffers us to feele before we see it A third law is that we enter the race betimes it s the devils tricke to put off the care of this telling us we need not yet enter we are but yong and have many yeares to live as they did that hindered the building of the Temple but consider wee the uncertainty of our life that wee may die suddainly and that its just with God to take us away after that manner if wee neglect our selves and him and we must know also we shall lose no pleasure nor delight but we shall finde such sweet delights in those wayes as we shall with St. Augustine be greeved that we enjoyed them no sooner And besides those that begin betimes get a great advantage of others and through continuall custome come at length to a habit of Religion In the next place we are to take heed of hinderances of us in our preparation as First of all hope of long life whereby we are besotted thinking life and death is in our command that we shall have time enough and need not so soone enter upon good duties Secondly a conceit that when wee have once given up our names to Christ that presently we bid adieu to all delight mirth and
the greater fruit of Christs love and findeth peace of conscience and joy in the holy spirit to such as these Christ hath promised to come and sup and feast and refresh with his graces for even to this end Christ came to make us holy and pure that he might present us to himselfe a glorious Church Ephes. 5.26.27 and therefore that Christ may attaine to his end in us let us indeavour unto perfection Fifthly our estate hereafter should move us hereunto we looke for a new heaven and a new earth and we desire to be ever with the Lord in that heaven wherein dwelleth righteousnesse and therefore we ought to be diligent that we may bee found in him in peace without spot and blamelesse It is the Apostle Peters argument 2 Pet. 3.13.14 and therefore as many of us as be perfect let us be thus minded that we cannot goe farre enough we must strive still on to perfection VERS 15. And if in any thing yee bee otherwise minded God shall reveale even this unto you ST Panl aymes at the comfort of those that are weake implying that every Christian stood not in this pitch of disposition with the Apostle and yet they were not to be discouraged God will reveale the same minde to them also in his time In which words we may observe first that some Christians see not so farre as others neither at some times so well as at other times but are like the man in the Gospell they see at the first men walke like trees and after see things more plainly The way of the righteous shineth more and more unto the perfect day as the light doth saith the Wise man Prov. 4.18 And as the Church grew to knowledge by degrees so do we for we first know things in generall at the first Peter knew not that the Gentiles should be called Acts 10. And the Disciples were at the first weake and subject to many infirmities and therefore we must take heed of judging and censuring others and also that we discourage not our selves by reason of our weaknesse God willin his time strengthen us and it may be call them Secondly observe it is God reveales this unto such It is God that must take away the vaile first the vaile of the thing opening our understandings by reading and hearing and thus the thing it selfe is made fit to be knowne then he opens the vaile of the heart and affections to imbrace and love the things It s God that opened the heart of Lydia let us therefore beare with the ignorant though Gods time is not yet come it may hereafter Secondly Ministers when they come to preach must pray that God would take away the vaile from the peoples eares and hearts and people when they come let them pray that God would open their hearts and not come in the strength of their owne wit knowing that God openeth and shutteth none can open or shut till hee doth it In the third place wee may observe that God in mercie will doe this for us hee will open our hearts he will reveale though not every particular truth yet all necessarie truthes according to our estates some stand in need of more than others as Ministers ought to have more than people and Governours are to have a larger spirit than other inferiours yet all shall have sufficient Therefore for our necessities let us goe to God he hath promised to leade us and with David pray Lord open thou mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law he hath promised to anoint our eyes with eye salve and it s his office to guide us he is our Prophet to instruct us In the next place observe that if any man belong to God he must at one time or other bee thus minded as Paul was to hate all things as vaine to strive on to perfection to make conscience of the least offences yea of idle thoughts and words of loose wanton behaviour to know he is not perfect enough vigilant enough to look how farre hee is short of that pitch of perfection he ought to attaine unto not to content himselfe that he hath out-gone others these things they shall know either here in time of triall and temptation or at the houre of death when no man ever repented of his goodnesse or forwardnesse in Religion nor of his care or constancie in good courses And therefore let us be stirred up to bee of the same minde now and if any man shall think with himselfe because God will reveale this therefore he will neglect meanes and stay till God inspires this minde into him let such take heed if they love goodnesse they will set about it presently but if they quench the good motions of Gods spirit God will take his spirit from such Beg that God would now change thee for thou art not master of thy thoughts if we now put off God till we die its just with God to suffer us to forget our selves let us bee well affected for the present and though wee see not so cleerly as wee should doe let us attend the meanes and though we cannot grow in religion yet let us not thinke it a shame but allow and uphold such courses else is our estate desperate Observe further this speech as its a discoverie of a moderate spirit in the Apostle there are some graces that seeme in shew to crosse one another as zeale and moderation but they doe not for zeale when it meets with a fit subject for moderation can bee moderate Paul condemnes not but hopes and it s an example for our imitation love beares all and hopes all whiles God suffers why should not wee suffer Christs spirit will not breake the bruised reed in whomsoever it is God hath a time for such as we condemne even as he had a time for us and therefore wee must use all meanes wayting if at any time God will give us repentance 2 Tim. 2.25 Ministers must not be harsh with weake Christians its Gods worke to bow affections and not mans And secondly when wee have used all the meanes we can wee must depend on Gods providence and therefore we are to fetch grounds of toleration and patience towards others from Gods love and wisedome who reveales the seed sometimes long after The Papists they checke us for want of meanes to reduce men into unitie and to compound controversies they brag of the Popes power this way but it s but a brag for why doe they not conclude their owne They are farre more happie than the Church was in Christs time hee sayes offences must come Paul sees there must be errors hee could not compose all God must reveale it in his time But how doe they compose differences by excommunication imprisonment and death and this by the censure of an ignorant man perhaps which is brutish and unfit for the Church of God For our part we want no meanes but the effect or successe we must leave to God we are not
their belly acted the part of a god in giving them lawes bidding them to doe proiect devise this or that undermine such and grounding them in this first fundamentall law Thou canst not live long neither wilt thou live well therefore while thou livest live for thy pleasure take thy ease and from thence inioynes them to use all meanes thereto take all acquaintance undermine all that crosse thee and all to this end that thou maist have thy ease As it was then so now is it with the Papists their successors all the differences in Religion betweene them and us are by them grounded on the bellie that is the Monarchie of the Pope and worldly pompe and Masses invented for idle Priests latine prayers little or no preaching onely that the people being ignorant they might more easily command them If their errors were not invested in gaine wee should soone accord their worship especially the manner thereof onely to delight the sense And among our selves many are not wanting that make profession of religion but denie the power thereof so long as religion and outward content doe meet and when Religion brings preferment all will be religious for they live by no rules but those that their lusts prescribes morning and evening taking care for the flesh how to bee rich how to live at ease and for this will sell their birthright in happinesse refusing the Word refusing good companie yea heaven it selfe And this justly comes as a iudgement for mans first rebellion when men will not serve God as they should they are iustly given over to the service of those that are no Gods But it may be asked may wee not seeke to content our flesh I answer wee may respect our bodies and there is a due honour that belongs to the outward man but we must so seeke for them as in the first place and principally we seeke the Kingdome of heaven and is righteousnesse and then God hath promised to cast these things upon us But when wee breake order and measure being first and principally carefull for our lusts the divell knowing our haunts offers baites fitting for our humours and wee like filthiâ— swine devoure our owne destruction And therefore to avoid this let us set the feare of God and damnation before our eyes and if we use not these things moderatly and soberly let that in Rom. 8.13 be as a flaming sword to keepe us from the way to destruction If we live according to the lusts of the flesh we shall die and therefore as strangers and Pilgrims let us abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule against our comfort here and our happie estate hereafter Secondly let us avoid the companie of condemned persons but looke on them with a kinde of horrour and detestation of them and and passe not for their wicked censures their end is damnation and their bellie is their God But because the best are drawne away by these pleasures let us observe some directions And first let us see the reasons why we are thus inveagled with them First these earthly contentments are present to our sense the other onely are present to faith which the carnall man lookes not after neither cares for Secondly wee nusle up our selves in an opinion of the necessitie of these things seeing the present use of them and wee see no present use of those better things Thirdly these things are bred up with us and wee are acquainted with them from our infancie and so they pleade prescription and when we are thus taken up before Religion comes after and very hard it must needs be to keepe our mindes lifted up and yet is it most necessarie to be for lusts doe drowne men in perdition 1 Tim. 6.9 But for helpes in this estate of ours observe first with due consideration the nature dignitie and excellencie of the soule that it is a spirit of an excellent beautie adorned with understanding and judgement not made to cast off the crowne submitting it selfe to the rule of every base lust which indeed is the onely happinesse of the beasts nay if happinesse consist in pleasing the senses beasts are more happie than we for they have neither sâ—â—me without nor conscience within to disquiet them in the injoyment of their pleasures And know also that this bodie of ours being of that excellent temper is a fabricke which was not made onely for to be a strainer for meate to passe through The qualitie of the braine in man the structure of the eve doe testifie man was made for divine meditation to contemplate of the workes of God which it doth behold with the eye as through a glasse Secondly wee must know by giving our affections to these things we are made like the things we affect for the soule is placed in the middest as it were betweene heaven and earth and as it affects the one or the other so is it fashioned if we love the flesh we are flesh if wee follow the spirit wee are transformed to its likenesse Thirdly consider that God is better than the worshipper else is hee mad that will worship it but the bellie is baser than our selves reason teacheth us the pleasures of this life end in death when our soules must still continue after all now to seeke such pleasures as cannot continue with us is madnesse as appeares even by the light of reason and therefore are of more power with naturall men than pure religious truthes but for those that are called The Scripture puts them in minde of the last day of judgement and telles them that they are made for heaven and such are therefore to set their mindes on things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Col. 3.1 and when they begin to grow worldly and to follow their belly it calles them backe with a but know for all this God will bring thee to judgement which duly pondered cannot but be as a hooke in our jawes to bring us back to a more diligent watch over our wayes VERS 19. And whose glorie is in their shame A Second part of the inward disposition shewing that they glorie in that which brought shame to them for circumcision was a ceremonie given to the Church when it was but in the infancie and for them that were borne in the strength of the Church being well growne to glorie in such beggerly rudiments was shamefull in the words first consider the affection second the object or end for the word implyes both and in the first consider the sinne then the cure The sinne that is reproved in them is vaine-glorie that is glorying in a thing not to bee gloried in and it is grounded upon pride which is a desire of excellencie in vaine things and it is for the most part in vaine injuditious men who ordinarily doe glorie in things that tend to shame These Philippians saw that Paul was now committed the doctrine hee taught they thought was not good
mindes something to this end that our affections may bee wrought upon to forsake the world with detestation and to love and imbrace heaven and for this dutie wee ought to redeeme some time continually Thus principally Enoch walked with God and David though a King meditated in Gods law day and night And from this dutie let us bee brought to a holy use of soliloquies checking and shaming our selves for following these pleasures for unthankfulnesse and want of cheerefulnesse as David why art thou cast down O my soule why art thou so disquieted By these recollections a Christian is indeed himselfe and for the present even seated in heaven In the last place besides ejaculations use dayly a set prayer for thereby wee ascend into heaven and are fitted thereby to be more and more heavenly it s the trade of Citizens that make them rich this is our trade to trade by prayer with that heavenly Citie where our treasure is and by it wee shall grow dayly in riches Thus is our soule strengthened and our affections stirred up to converse with God and thus come wee to set our faith in heaven together with our love where our father is where Angels and Saints our Citie and eternall happinesse is thus is our hope strengthened which carries us through all afflictions undauntedly and so is a heaven to us before heaâ—ven and thus are our â—esires in heaven to be at rest to bee with Christ which is best of all But some will say wee cannot alwayes intend such things as these we have our callings and are busied about earthly matters and cares I answer true it is yet in the use of these things wee may bee heavenly minded for God in mercie appoints us callings to busie our mindes about which else would bee delving in the idle pleasures of sinne onely he requires that we in the first place seeke for heaven we shall not continue here but wee are travelling still and therefore it is good for us ever to redeeme some time for heaven that wee may come with more speed to our journeyes end Secondly as a helpe to us hee hath left us his Saboths in pitie to our soules which else would altogether be rooting in the earth Let us have a care of the well spending of them for by this we pay homage to heaven and are put in minde thereof Thirdly everie day redeeme sometime for meditation of the vanitie of this world hereby will our untunable soules be still set in tune and for our callings every day sanctifie them by prayer and then all is cleane Fourthly goe about them as in obedience to God knowing that God hath placed us in these callings and he looks for service in imploying those talents bestowed on us and in our serving one another And let us indeavour to shew what our religion is in avoiding the corruptions of our callings Labour also to see God in every thing in crossing us in incouraging and assisting us and this will stirre us up accordingly to pray continually in al things to give thanks and it will make us feare alwayes for the same care and love of God that brings us to heaven doth guide us in our particular actions and callings And in other matters use our selves so as we by these things raise our mindes on high for there is a double use of the creatures First temporall and from thence a spirituall use is raised thus did Christ by considering water he was raised to think of spirituall regeneration and washing and thus we should doe labour to see God in his creatures and thus shall wee helpe our soules by our bodies God will have it thus and therefore setteth downe heavenly things in earthly comparisons Lastly wee must indeavour to make a spirituall use of all things as God doth doth God send crosses on us then before they leave us beg a blessing that they may worke his intended effect in bettering us Doth God blesse us with prosperitie pray that God would sanctifie it to incourage us on to good duties so as in all estates wee may have our conversation in heaven Let no man therefore make pretence that he is poore that he hath no time for this no grace workes matter out of every thing poore Paul nay Paul a prisoner see how he is busied And the truth is that worldly prosperitie is the greatest enemie to a heavenly minde that can bee But the weake Christian will complaine that he cannot finde this in him but he is still carried away with worldly matters though hee strive against it never so much yet the world goes away with him To such I answer strength of grace this way is not in every Christian neither is it at the first Paul had his destractions Rom. 7. from 15. to 24. yet must our labours and indeavors be that way the sinne that is in us cannot hurt us if we strive against it God suffers his children to see their weaknesse as he did deale with Solomon to humble us and make us learne his lesson that all is vanitie and vexation of spirit Let not such therefore bee discouraged but cheerefully goe on in a good course wherein the more we labour and strive the more wee beautifie Religion and credit our Citie and draw on others to bee fellow Citizens with us And thus shall we free our selves from terrors of conscience and from the snares of the divell even as birds when they soare aloft need feare no snares Thus also shall wee get a portion here for its the promise of the God of truth that if we first seek the Kingdome of heaven al these things shal be cast upon us Thus also shall wee be sure of Gods gracious and faithfull protection who hath said hee will keepe us in our wayes And lastly thus shall wee end our dayes with comfort woe bee to him that dies not to the world before hee goes hence but to him that hath his soule in heaven even while it is in his bodie this life is but a pilgrimage and death is advantage VERS 20. From whence wee also looke for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ. THese words lay downe such an estate of a Christian as is both a cause and a signe of heavenly conversation and in them we may consider First that Christ is in heaven Secondly that there is a second comming of Christ. Thirdly that Christians expect it Fourthly that this expectation is a cause of heavenly carriage For the first that Christ is in heaven wee have the Scripture to warrant it but the text is pregnant herein we looke for him from heaven ergo he is in heaven And therefore it s a grosse conceipt of the Papists that dreame that his bodie is every where in the bread or with the bread as the Lutherans would hâ—ve it the scripture determines that the heavens must contain him that he sitteth now on the right hand of God that he shall hereafter come to
Christians and yet complaine with Paul of corruptions Nay the most strong Christians see most deeply and cleerely into their corruptions and finde most opposition There is in all men by nature a spring of Poperie they would faine deserve heaven by a perfect and holy life without blot and God to humble them suffers corruption to checke them and to keepe them under who else would bee lifted up through good conceipt and esteeme of themselves Thirdly it may serve as a caution to many who being reproved justly for their faults what say they we are not Angels you have your owne imperfections as well as I. And stirre them up to any good dutie they are presently so good as those that are better than they are too precise and too nice St. Paul contrarily rests in no degree of goodnesse but strives on to perfection and it s the devils sophistrie to turne that to a plea for negligence which should stirre us up to be more diligent watchfull and carefull VERS 12. But I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which I also an apprehended of Christ Iesus THe word that is translated I follow after signifies properly to labour with earnest intention of the heart and affections and the lesson that we may hence learne is That the life of a Christian is a laborious and painfull life for in what proportion the things we labour for are more excellent than these worldly things so much greater our desire and labour should bee in the obtaining of them than in the obtaining this worlds goods and to this end the Scripture ever inforceth this dutie with words sutable to our worke Labour for the meat that perisheth not strive to enter in at the straight gate give all diligence to make your calling and election sure Those that will take no paines it s a sure signe they finde no sweetnesse in the thing and therefore in such there can bee no true goodnesse and hence we may observe a difference between the desires of men some are effectuall some uneffectuall those that are uneffectuall commonly desire and delight in the thing they desire but will none of the meanes let me die the death of the righteous sayes the wicked man glory and happinesse is excellent but the gate is narrow the way is tedious and full of trouble he will none of that we will laugh at one that shall wish his work and jorney were done when as he will sit downe and never goe about it why should wee not much more laugh at such sluggards that wish dayly O that they might bee saved when as they doe not onely not further but hinder their salvation But where true desire of grace is there will will be joyned thereto an indeavour with jealousie over our corruptions with griefe and shame for them and for our backwardnesse and want of goodnesse for else hell itself is full of good wishes and desires if we meane to be better we must use all meanes undertake all paines and travaile with vehemencie even as those that pursue gains with delight they follow through thicke and thin especially if the gaine bee in the eye and those that goe for companie they are soone tired and thus did Paul hee went through fire and water through all manner of dangers good and ill report his gaine is still in his eye hee lookes not after the way if by any meanes hee may attaine his desired marke But how shall we come to this grace I answer get first Faith for by it the weake are made strong Heb. 11. Get assurance that Heaven is thine and God hath promised thee grace sufficient and this is Pauls argument be yee constant and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord knowing you labour shall not be in vain where hope of reward is in the use of the meanes it will stir us up to a constant use of the meanes 1 Cor. 15. last Secondly get a fervent love for it is a strong affection if lust so prevaile with us as we will omit no meanes to accomplish it then a love in it selfe is much more powerfull nothing being too hard for it it hath an enlarging knitting and cōmunicating power it makes a man bestow all and rejoyce more in doing good by much then in receiving It s a grace cōprehends a number under it and therfore Christ comprehended all the law under love of God and our neighbour Thirdly cut off all superfluities men thinke they are happy when they have much to doe when indeed they were happie if they had lesse to doe then they have Sathan he does as Cyrus did with the waters of Babylon hee diverts and separates our affections that hee might passe over As Nurses they hurt themselves and the children too when they keep over many so doe men hurt themselves with overmuch businesse The Lord hath not made us all for the world but hath reserved one day in Seven for his service For shame le ts shew we have some respect of Religion and goodnesse seeing God requires but one in seven let us not bee so unjust as to denie him his service on that day Well let those that professe themselves of another world by all meanes pursue it In Nature every thing tends to his center and place heavie things goe downward light things ascend upward in handicrafts and arts every one lookes after excellencie shall it bee thus with them shall mediocritie in other arts merit dispraise and is it onely praise-worthy in Religion The wicked they labour for hell venturing losse of credit strength and estate and is there not better gain in goodnesse have we such rich promises and doe we esteeme of them no more are not the afflictions wee shall meet with many and great and doe wee thinke to undergoe them with ordinarie grace gotten without labour and watchfulnesse But le ts goe on to the next words That I may apprehend Whence we may observe that the maine scope of a Christian is to apprehend Christ here by revellation that we may apprehend him hereafter by vision many there are that may follow good things and use good meanes yet wanting these apprehending graces of faith and love which makes us have communion with Christ they perish notwithstanding humane knowledge is commendable yet is it no other than as a scaffold in this building it helpes but the building once done it s for little use apprehend we therefore him by knowledge of his truth relye on him by faith and imbrace him by love and then if we be chased by him we may as Ioab lay hold on the hornes of the Altar Christ Iesus and there live and die and as we have dayly breaches even so get more and more hold on him and this will make us desire with Simeon Lord let me now depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Let us therefore dayly learne to see our owne foulnesse and goe to him the rock of our refuge O