thine own soule by all things that are louely by all loues to deny vngodlines and worldly lusts and to liue righteously soberly and godly Wouldst thou not be perswaded to reason didst thou indeed loue any of these as in word thou professest to doe but when all admonitions reprehensions exhortations or whatsoever good couÌ„sel given in the name of Christ shall not yet be entertained for the loue of Christ but fall vpon the heart like the hammer on the anvill that strikes but enters not or like a ball from a wall be smitten backe into the face of him that sent it with scorne and contempt of him his message and his Minister too say what thou wilt thy tongue belyes thine heart Christ is not he whom thy soule loveth when thou wilt doe nothing for his sake take it for a conclusion he hates Christ that hates Christianitie Vse 2 2 Vse is for Exhortation that seeing wee haue so faire an obiect of loue as Christ is we would place our loue there and bestow it on him who best deserues it This is a verie good point to put in practise Wee haue ignorant and worldly mindes wee know not the high Excellencies of Christ Iesus and therefore doe not affect them The world and worth of it we know and loue but too well Againe Sathan and our wicked hearts doe blinde our eies that wee cannot iudge aright of things it is with our mindes as it is with our eyes things that are a farre off though of greater bigger circuite yet seeme far lesse then those things that are neerer at hand The earth and earthly pleasures they are hard by we taste see and handle them we finde the sweetnesse of them by their present possession their natures agree with ours they are carnall and so are wee and therefore they will sort with our sensuall desires But now for Heauen and it's Ioy for Christ and his graces and glories they are matters a far off out of our kenne we heare much talke of them in word but our fleshly mindes cannot raise vp themselues so high as to conceaue the true worth of them by that which we heare spoken of them such spirituall things fit not with our earthly dispositions and therefore when we heare of them take away a few faint desires that dye of themselues we haue otherwise indeed no great liking of them we fulâ—â—ll euery of vs more or lesse the Prophecy of Esay foretelling how corruptly men would iudge touching Christ and his conditions euen wee thinke that He hath no forme nor comelinesse and when wee shall see him there 's no such beauty that wee should desire him Looke how meanely the Iewes esteemed of Christ in his abasement vpon Earth so doe Christians now iudge of him though in his glory they see no such great excellency as men speake of in Christ in his graces his word his ministers his seruice that they should be so much carried away with the loue of him or his How often doe men aske that question in their hearts Which the daughters of Ierusalem asked the Church What is thy beloued more then another beloued O thou fairest among women what is thy beloued more then another beloued that thou dost so charge vs What need such adoe such calling and seeking and enquiring of the Watchmen of the citty such charging of vs to tell him to thee if wee finde him is there any such singular dignity in this thy beloued aboue others so men in their hearts and tongues doe enquire strangely touching Christ and religion they wonder what great matters we finde in Christ and his seruice what good they get by so much prayers preaching running to Sermons and hearing by such strictnesse in their liues and all this for the loue of Christ conscience of his commandements they see not where the benefit is and it euen angers them that others should admire what they see not for any thing they perceiue grace desires not so mmch law as God the communion of Christ hath not so much delight in it as that wiâ—h they call goodfellowship filthy pleasures rellish sweeter then the ioyes of the spirit and peace of a good conscience they can loue the world the things in the world bee it an impure strumpet the very image of the divell aswell nay rather then Iesus Christ. The brightnes of Gods glory expesse image as he is called of his person This doctrine of louing Christ soundes strangely in the eares of carnall men Wherefore that wee may make a right vse of this instruction two things are to be obtained before we shall loue Christ. 1 Knowledge of Christ what are his excellencies in himselfe and benefits toward vs. This knowlede is the mother of affection What the eye sees not the heart rues not and t is true on the other side what the eye sees not the heart ioyes not Wherefore all meanes must bee vsed to get a distinct knowledge of Christ in all the forenamed particulars e Perfectly we shall not know him in this life neither shall we perfectly loue him but so farre as the word hath described him to vs we may and must know him 2 Holinesse of heart for Christ and all things in him are holy heauenly and spirituall and our affections will never take to them till they bee made like to them heauenly and spirituall 't is indeed naturall to loue some things but to loue God that 's from grace this affection is found only in the church 't is the soule calls Christ wellbeloued those that are regeneraâ—e whose hearts are sanctified those virgins are spoken of in the third verse of the first chapter who haue smelt the odor of the sweet perfumes oyntments of the Grace of Christ shed abroad in their hearts these loue Christ and none els When thus the eyes of our mindes are enlightned and our sinfull hearts changed then shall wee begin vnfainedly to loue admire those treasures of knowledge and Wisdome those exceeding riches of grace glory which are stored in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ wee shall then looke vpon all that good is the world which before we loued and magnified now comparing it with Christ wee shall conclude with the Apostle The things which were advantage to mee the same I cannot loose for Christs sake and iudge them to bee dung that I may winne Christ. It wil be with vs as it was with the daughters of Ierusalem before spoken of who at first ignorantly and somewhat scornefully asked the spouse what was her beloved that shee sought so much after him but when shee had at large described him in all his excellencies and told them This is my beloued this is my loue O Daughters of Ierusalem Now their eyes are opened and their hearts touched they are as desirous to goe seeke him as the spouse her selfe and now they begin to enquire of her O thou fairest among women whether is thy beloued gone whether is he turned asiae that we may goe and seeke him with thee chap. 6. 1. Now the lord open our eyes by his spirit that wee may cleerely see and ardently loue Christ to whom with the father c. FINIS Gell. noct Attic. lib. 1. cap. 15. Iob. 21. 14. 1. Cor. 7. 20. Act. 4. 12. Rev. 22. 20. 1. Ch. 5. 10. Psal. 45. 2. Ioh. 3. 34. Heb. 1. 9. Ioh. 1. 14. Coloss. 2. 9 Phil. 2. 9. Mat. 17. Act 9. Revel 1. 1. Ioh. 3. 2. Prov. 8. 3. Esa. 42. 1. Mat. 3. 17. Rev. 1. 20. Mat. 6. 21. 14. Ioh. 15. Esay 3. 3. Cant. 5. 9. Heb. 1. 3. Phil. 3. â— Cant. 5. 16
all his contentments In short every man hath his welbeloved in some kinde or other but it is not the beloued here spoken of No my brethren these men loue not Christ say they what they will they make little reckoning of him Come to the triall of it and you shall see it so The old saying's true Vbi Amor ibi Oculus where we like there we looke or as Christ saith where our treasure is there will our hearts be also Mat. 6. 21. Consider then your selues in your thoughts what is it you most thinke of Is it of Christ of his excellencies of his benefits Can you take pleasure in describing to your soules the glorious and gracious qualities of his person musing attentiuely vpon such admirable excellencies so farre surpassing all that in this world can be called either gracious or glorious Are our hearts often warmed with heauenly ioie when in our private meditations we recount with our selues what great things he hath done and will doe for our soules To thinke how mightelie he hath wrought in vs by his spirit to make vs aliue and keepe vs aliue when we were once dead in sins how sweetly he perswades our will and stubborne affections to yeeld obedience how forcible hee assists vs against most powerfull temptations Can we reioice to thinke what happynes we haue in his favour that he is a faithfull friend to vs in all our necessities to whom wee may repaire for counsell and comfort Doe his consolations refresh our spirits that when sinne wounds vs his stripes heale vs When Sathan accuses vs he is our advocate to plead for vs when sorrowes and paines are vpon vs he speakes peace vnto our Soules that in all wants troubles we can surely pray vnto him and poure out our soules into his bosome who only giues them rest Doe we often meditate on that happynes he will one day bring vs vnto when hee shall make vs like himselfe most glorious in our bodies most righteous in our soules most blisfull in all and that for ever Be our thoughts my brethren on these things Run our desires and wishes this way Oh what strangers are such meditations from most mens hearts they thinke what they shall eate what they shall put on how they shall bring the yeare about how they shall pay this debt purchase that field that house provide to raise such a sonne to marry such a daughter to grow rich to get high places titles and offices how to follow their pleasures and liue at hearts ease how they may effect their wicked designes oppresse a man and his inheritance revenge such wrongs as haue beene done them by their neighbours and watch them an ill turne to be even with them yea these be the great and mighty imployments of mens thoughts where about they busie themselues and often breake their sleepe day and night the whole weeke the whole yeare their mindes run vpon these things when they be at Church at praier in hearing at any good exercise the heart still wanders about such matters euen at this present Is it not euen so my bretheren which of vs can excuse our selues and say my heart is innocent Consider we againe the practises of men whether they will stand with the loue they professe to Christ we will doe much for one that wee loue especially if it be one that can doe much for vs. Now what saith our Saviour If you loue me keepe my commandements Ioh. 14. 15. If Christ be our beloved his coÌ„mandement must be so too Whosoever hates the law hats the Lawgiver also Take a view then of mens practises we shall see they make a very scorne of Christ of his coÌ„mandements Looke vpon them in their families you cannot finde any foot-steps of religion no constant praier morning and evening no reading of the word no instruction of children and seruant no duties of devotion whereby you shall know them from Papists Atheists or Infidels See them in the publike worship of God and there is nothing but negligence and profanenesse seldome at church if any businesse else be to be done when they are there they are carelesse in praier in hearing of the word read or preached nothing is remembred for which they are a â—ote the better Looke vpon them in their private conversation they are full of all vngodlines vnrighteousnes and vnsobernesse horrible swearers that cannot speake but they must blaspheme profane despisers of Gods word and worship deriders of preaching and preachers in a word enemies to all godlinesse and piety of life which by reproaches and vnchristian revilings they seeke to blast in whoÌ„soeuer they see it grow extreamely ignorant knowing nothing distinctly in matters of Religion not able with any vnderstanding to giue you a reasonable account in any point of their faith In ciuill dealing meÌ„ that are vnfaithfull vntrustie vnmercifull In their carriage prowd disdainefull luxurious wanton and vncleane persons May we belieue such men when they say Christ is their beloued Surely we cannot though they should sweare it What loue Christ yet not know him except it be by his name loue him And yet despise his seruants his service his Ministers make a iest at his word and put off with a scoffe the counsels and rebukes which out of it are brought to them Loue Christ Yet set thy mouth against heauen and in thy rage and hellish surie discharge thy blasphemies vpon his soule his body his blood his wounds his name vpon all that is pretious in him and not to be named but with devotion Wilt thou say thou louest Christ when thou hast no heart to thinke on him to talke of him to be in his presence in the assemblies of Gods people in publike at sermon at sacraments at private praiers Is he thy friend And yet art though loath to haue any thing to doe with him in such places in such exercises In fine wher 's thy loue to Christ whilst I see thy vngodly life whereby thou dishonourest Christ and shamest the name of a Christian If by these practises we shall know thy loue of him whereby I mervaile shall we know thy hatred of him But brethren be not deceiued God will not so be mocked delude thy selfe thou maist but Christ thou canst not with such faire glosses it is not him whom thou louest it is some thing els thy pleasures thy wealth thy lusts the world the Diuell These be the things whereon thy affections dote whereto thy desires are fastned these things thou canst serue let theÌ„ commande any thing thou art at a becke to doe it it is thy felicitie to be imploied by them If any will crosse thee in these thy courses admonish thee rebuke thee perswade thee thou canst not brooke them thou countest them thine enemies that thus trouble thee when thou art entreated by thy loue to God thy loue to Christ thy loue to his word by thy loue to his Ministers by thy loue to
no other grace that hath the proper office and power to vphold a man in the constant embracing of all holy dueties and constant practise of all good workes but only faith and therefore where that is not men must needes fall away from both That such is the force and vse of true faith you shall see by considering the obiects of it 1 All divine trueths to be held and professed in matter of Religion which are aboue our naturall and corrupt reason and therefore vnlesse our vnderstanding bee by a true faith captivated vnto the obedience of Christ that we can resigne vp our owne wits to be ruled by Gods wisedome and rest our selues only vpon the true word of God it is not possible that ever we should finde sure footing where and in what certaine trueth to rest our selues but shall alwaies bee as those Children spoken of Ephes. 4. 14. of weake and vnsetled mindes easily perswaded to belieue any thing being like small barkes without sufficient balance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tossed vp and downe vpon the waues like a feather and driven this way and that way with every winde of false Doctrine raised vp by our owne foolish fancies or by the device and craftinesse of men lying in wait to delude vs. 2 All commaundements of God touching our holy practises together with all the threatnings if we doe not obey and promises if we doe Now these things are partly contrary to our corrupt nature and vile affections which cannot subiect themselues to Gods law partly they are beyond the reach and desire of our sensual and worldly minds which see no great matter to be loved and feared in whatsoever God threatneth or promiseth Gods law is holy but we are not so Gods promises are spirituall but we are carnall led by sensuality placing our affections on things that are in present view and therefore naturally everie man from the wombe is adverse and backeward from doing that which God commandeth or believing what he promiseth or threatneth Now then what can vphold a man in his obedience to Gods law and dependance vpon Gods promises It is only a true faith which apprehending truely the authority and high soveraignety which God hath in commanding vs and together therewith beholding the excellent holynesse and goodnesse of his commandements makes the heart stoope vnto obedience be it neuer so irkesome vnto it selfe Againe when faith apprehendes the immutablenesse of God in his word when it seeth the pretiousnesse of the promises of mercie with their certainety when it seeth the terriblenesse of its threates togither with the vnavoideable accomplishment of them vpon obstinate men Here nowe the heart rests it selfe as on an anchor sure and stedfast it is filled with a constant feare to offend because it knowes punishment is not to be escaped it is filled with continuall ioye in its obedience because it abides assured of the rewarde But where this support of faith is wanting all obedience presently falls to pieces then if God command or forbid vs any thing we beginne to take advise whether it be good to obey yea or no we fall to aske councell of Sathan of our selues of other men as bad as our selues If they say no there is our resolution too God must looke him out other servants we are not for his turne If Sathan tempt vs strongly if our affections rage when they are crossed if men frowne or fawne vpon vs we are quickely turned out of the way and our purposes of obedience are all dasht in a moment Let God and his Ministers threaten never so much we then thinke within our selues that threatned men liue longest such angrie words breake no bones let God promise neuer so faire we can beginne to smile secretly in our hearts and thinke they are but faire words that make none but fooles faine Indeede if the worlde threaten or promise wee thinke there is something in an arme of flesh that may doe vs hurt or good but when faith is fled certaine close Atheisticall imaginations beginne to fasten vpon the minde concerning God and religion as if religion were but a pretty politicke complement that God is one who will doe neither good nor evill and that we haue no great cause to feare or trust him We see then my brethren how plaine a downfall there is from Infidelity to Apostasie from God and all goodnes when men want faith by the light whereof their blinde reason might be guided by the power whereof their disordered hearts might bee kept in compasse they straight runne madly into all wicked opinions and mischievous practises Most true is that of Saint Iames Chap. 1. ver 8. A double minded man is vnstable in all his waies A double minded man that is an vnbelieving person whose faith and opinion stands vpon tearmes of indifferencie probabilitie hee is in vtramque partem on both sides or betweene both in neither his opinions in matters of religion are variable according to seasons and occasions he holds much of his religion by the copie of mâ—ns countenances much of it by permission of his lusts with manifold reservations and provisoes that it shal bee lawfull for him in such and such cases to doe or belieue otherwise then for the present hee doth when men are thus of double mindes who resolue vpon both sides and so resolue vpon neither who cast about in their thoughts and say I belieue this but it may be 't is otherwise I doe this but what if I do it not what if I do the contrary when mens mindes looke thus a squint on two thinges at once they must needes bee vnstable in their waies If saving faith in the trueth of God doe not establish the heart in a full relyance vpon God only it is impossible but that a man should be of a wauering and moueable temper vnstable in his opinions vnsetled in his practises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like a man that standes vpon one legge easily overturned like a bowle on a smooth table that 's pushed aside with the least touch of a finger whereas the true believer founded and stablished in the faith is one of those living stones which S t Peter speaketh of 1. Pet. 2. 5. which are squared and surely placed vpon the foundation therevpon resting vnmoueable Thus much for the opening of this point sufficiently for our vse as that which needs practise more then proofe The vses I shall commende vnto you shal be no other then those which are made already to our hand in the text Vse 1 The first vse shal be for exhortation that we be now admonished of this matter what the Apostle speakes to these Hebrewes the same I say vnto you Beloved Take heâ—d brethren lest there be in any of you an evill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the living God Be well advised looke well about you it is a matter of greatest moment herevpon depends your constancie in religion and vpon that dependes your happynesse
brought in any hand to put to death the body of sinne to relinquish any of his pleasing and profitable lusts lewd practices is this man in case to put to death himselfe in the defence of Gods truth for loue thereof to forsake the world and himselfe too to part with so much that could not part with so little He that is already a secret enemy to religion and devotion will in time proue an open pesecutor of both He that can despise and in heart deride a protestant minister is in faire forwardnesse to like well of a Popish Priest In a word he that hath bid farewell to pietie to day it is an even lay but he may bee driuen to take leaue of his religion to morrow When once the conscience can swallow downe wicked practises it will soone digest wicked opinions when once the ship leakes the lading is in danger both to sinke or swimme together neither is it possible that a pure faith can be preserued in an impure conscience Now my Brethren let every one of vs cause our hearts to passe vnder this triall censure and so we shall see what we haue to trust to what religion hath to trust to vs. Let vs goe vpon sure grounds care we that our knowledge of religion be distinct and certaine that our practice of it bee sincere free frō Hypocrisie so we shal giue good proofe of our faithfulnesse for the present and our perseuerance for the time to come Be not slack to goe about this search and be sure to doe it throughly delaies are dangerous when the the disease is mortall and to cure by halfes is not to cure at al. Secret infidelity is like hereditary diseases or like bruises taken in youth if they be not looked to in time throughly cured they will certainely kill at last A gangrene kils when it gets to the heart and what will that doe that is bred in the heart Inward diseases are ever dangerous but when they haue seized vpon the heart the fountaine of life they proue deadly Take then heed of an evill heart poysoned with vnbeliefe and as you loue the credit of religion the favour of God the happinesse of your soules looke to it betimes to purge forth of you such a venemous humour And now for an Antidote against this infection hearken in the next place to the second vse Vse 2 The second vse is of direction vnto a remedie against vnbeleife and Apostasie doe that which the Apostle here exhorts you to Exhort one another daily while it is called to day FINIS EXOD. 34. 23. 24. 23 Thrice in the yeare shall all your men Children appeare before the Lord God the God of Israel 24 For I will cast out the Nations before thee and inlarge thy borders neither shall any man desire thy land when thou shalt goe vp to appeare before the Lord thy God thrice in the yeere IN these words we haue two parts to be observed 1. A Precept 2. A Promise The precept is a Leviticall injunction touching certaine times of Solemne worshippe to bee performed to God by the Israelitish nation in the 23. ve More distinctly we haue in it three circumstances to be obserued 1 The time when this service was to be performed that was thrice in the yeare namely at 3. very solemne Feasts which were these 1 The Feast of the Passeouer or vnleavenedbread because during the Feast for seven dayes they might haue no leavenedbread in all their dwellings This Feast the whole Nation was to keepe at the Tabernacle where euer it should be set vp where after they had Sacrificed the Paschall Lambe in the Evening they were to returne on the morrow to their habitations as it is Deut. 16. 7. This Feast was kept on the 4 th day of the first moneth in memory of their deliverance out of Aegypt in Aegypt from the slaying Angell and in type of Christ that saues vs from the wrath to come 2 The Feast of Pentecost or of weekes which was kept seuen compleat weekes after the Passeouer or beginning the accompt at ripe Haruest when they put the sickle to the Corne fiftie dayes after they were to appeare before God with an oblation of the first fruits as it is Deut. 16. 9. Lev. 23. 15. c. This Feast was kept in memory of the Law giuen at Mount Sinai fifty daies after the departure of the Children of Israel out of Aegypt 3 The Feast of the Tabernacles kept on the fifteenth day of the seaventh Moneth for seuen dayes together after the gathering in of Haruest and Vintage Lev. 23. 33. c. At which time the Children of Israel that were Israelites borne were to dwell in Boothes made of the boughes of thicke and broad leaved trees leaving their houses In memory that they dwelt in Tents or Boothes for many yeares in the wildernesse as it is verse 42. 43. of that place These were the three solemne Feasts of the yeare wherein all the Males were to appeare before the Lord as we haue this precept explained by another precept Deut. 16. 16. Exod. 23. 14. c. wherein these Feasts are mentioned This is the first Circumstance of the time 2 The second is the persons that were at those times to performe this worship vnto God these are All your men Children all the Males amonge the Israelites 3 The third Circumstance is the person before whom they were to make their appearance that is God who is here called the Lord Iehouah and the God of Israel both titles implying that he had iust authority to commande the Israelites such solemne Services both in regard of his absolute Soveraignty over all and also of his gracious mercy towards them his People Now vnder this Circumstance of the person is implied the Place where they should appeare which was in that place which God should choose wherein to reare vp the Tabernacle or Sanctuary for his solemne and standing worship This was first at Shiloh after that was destroyed at Ierusalem in the Temple built by Solomon which place God chose to put his name there that is to establish his worship and to manifest his Glorious presence in speciall manner in that place In which respect those that appeared in those places dedicated to Gods worship are sayd to appeare before God himselfe there present to require and reward their faithfull Services This then is the precept that at three Solemne Feastes in the yeere the Passeover Pentecost and Tabernacles all the males of the Israelitish Nation should repaire vnto the chiefe place of Gods Publike worship there to offer Sacrifice and performe such Services as were required of them Next followes verse 24. 2 The Promise which is added to the Precept by way of prevention to take away such an objection as the People might make against the equitie and Reasonablenes of the afore named Precept God had commanded three times in a yeere all should come vp to the Tabernacle or