the lawful Wife and of the Royal Tribe an Hebrew of the Hebrews and so of the seed of Abraham who his servant said was rich and great Gen 24. 34. and the Children of Heth acknowledged him to be a Prince of God or a mighty Prince amongst them Gen. 23. 6. And yet again all this our Apostle accounts as loss and dung in comparison of Christ And so again should we For though this may somewhat difference us amongst men yet as to Christ and Salvation it giveth us no precedency One Hill here on Earth may be higher than another yet as to their nearness to Heaven there is no considerable difference All the Saints sit about Christ in circulo Revel 4. 4. As to this none are nearer to him than another where there is neither Greek nor Jew Gal. 3. 28. Col. 3. 11. 1. Whereas our interest in Christ is amongst those sure mercies of David of which none can devest us on his head his Crown Isa 55. 3. Psal 132. 18. flourisheth and can never be blasted The Nobility and Greatness which we have by birth from our Ancestors we hold but by the courtesie of the Times When they frown and the wheel turns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and you may see Servants on Horseback and Princes lackying it on foot Eccles 10. 7. And the taller such Cedars grow Isa 23. 7 8 9. the more exposed to be storm'd and blown down How often of Nobles especially do we read that they have been brought down Isa 43. 14. Nahum 3. 18. bound in chains Psal 149. 8. Led Captive Jer. 27. 20. Slain Jer. 39. 6. Famished Isa 5. 13. Jer. 14. 3. Thus we see man being in honour abideth not and Psal 49. 12. therefore seeing this Glory as the Prophet saith is so ready to fly away as a Bird how much better is my Christ who will be sure Hos 9. 11. to abide with me for ever But you will say a Pearl is a Pearl though trod down in the dirt and a noble spirit or family may hold its own and continue truly noble under all outward abasement True But then consider 2. Secondly That Not many mighty not many noble are called 1 Cor. 1. 26. That true worth is not always found in those that in the Worlds ordinary Nomenclature are called Nobles and Gentlemen One of this latter rank of ours very lately hath very piously Mr. Mosely in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bewailed their debauchery that they had put off not only the Gentle but the Man for which he feareth in our late Wars the storm hath most heavily and eminently lighted on that rank and order I like not to play the Critick in God's Judgments on others but it were well they on whom they fall would observe them Nor is this the distemper of our times only for of old we find the Prophet Jer. 5. 4 5. complaining that when he found all amiss in the inferiour rank and said I will get me to the great men and speak to them as hoping something more worthy and noble in them he found that of all others they had altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds as Psal 2. 2 3. they were the Kings and Rulers that said Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their Cords from us as some now profanely say what is a Gentleman but his pleasure So Schechem is said to be more honourable than all the house of his father Gen. 34. 19. and yet guilty of a rape And they were the Elders and Nobles of Naboth's City who 1 King 21. 8. 11. out of fear and base compliance with Jezabel's wicked Commands acted his murder as the Nobles of Tekoab's necks were too fine and tender to put them to the work of the Lord Nehem. 3. 5. Now sin ever debaseth when ever it prevaileth is a reproach to any people saith Solomon and so to any family or person how great Pro. 14. 34. 5. 9. Hos 13. 1. Gen. 49. 3 4. soever Ephraim the royal Tribe exalteth himself in Israel but when he offended in Baal he died Reuben as the first-born was the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power but because he defiled his Fathers Bed he must not excel and so he was devested of his dignity his primogeniture translated to Judah and in part to Levi who was taken into his stead of first-born and his double portion bestowed upon Joseph and that Tribe set not on the right hand but on the left not upon Mount Gerizim to bless but on Ebal for the inferior and less desirable office to curse Deut. 27. 13. For Naaman to be said that he was a great man and an honourable and yet to have it added but he was a Leper 2 King 5. 1. that marr'd all And so still to be in the rank of Nobles and Gentles and yet defiled with a worse leprosie of Pride Cruelty Luxury and the like as it stains the blood so it may well prick the bladder With how much more right might the Bereans be said to be more noble Act. 17. 11. and Jaboz to be more honourable than his Brethren 1 Chron. 4. 9. who as the next verse sheweth was more devout and religious and how more noble is it to be a vessel Rom. 9. 21. 2 Tim. 2. 20. of honour of Gods making To be of the Blood-Royal of Heaven Brethren of Christ the Son of God the Lord of glory to have the honour that comes of God to be partakers of his righteousness and grace which truly ennobleth the Soul that hath it as Hierom said of Paula that she was nobilior sanctitate quà m genere Epist 7. Juvenal Satyr 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euripid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phaleu The Heathen Poet could say Nobilitas sola atque unica virtus Christ I am sure made Bethlehem that in it self Micah 5. 2. was amongst the least not to be the least among the Princes of Judah Matth. 2. 6. because he was born in it and the more he will do to any of us if he be born in our hearts And such honour have all the Saints And therefore saving to all their Civil Titles and Privileges we may say as he did those that are truly godly are in a spiritual and so a truer sense the truly Right Honourable So I find in Scripture the devout stiled Honourable Act. 13. 50. and Deut. 26. 19. Exod. 28. 2. Isa 58. 13. 1 Thess 4. 4 Prov. 21. 21. holiness and righteousness often joined with honour as making such truly honourable because God hath undertaken it that they which honour him shall be honoured 1 Sam. 2. 30. 3. But thirdly Though inward worth may be conjoined with outward dignity in Progenitors yet that is not always entailed on and transmitted to Posterity However the outward trappings may Indeed the Sâ—n seeth not a more glorious sight than is Greatness and Goodness continued in a Family from Father to Son to
no sadder sight in the World than to behold such a triste bidental such an Heaven-struck forlorn-Sinners grown blind by seeing the light and deaf as they that dwell near the out-falls of Nilus by hearing a more pleasing sound even the word of life more filthy for washing more barren or rather fruitful of poysonous weeds for watering and more desperately and irrecoverably sick by the best Physicians greater care of the Cure so that it cannot be written on his door The Lord be merciful to him It 's pity you say that fair weather should do any hurt but a thousand pities to see a miserably blinded sinner to go into everlasting darkness by the light of the Sun shine of the Gospel to see an unruly stray Sheep that would not be kept in the Shepherds Fold in the Wolfs or Lions mouth dragged through all mire and dirt into his Den and there to be devoured Seest thou this thou seest a miserable forlorn Sinner whom the good Shepherds Rod and Staff could not keep in to be fed in green pastures and led by still waters now forsaken of God like another Cain or Judas made sensless and obdurate in sin and dragged into the pit-fall of Hell to his everlasting destruction 3. Which is the third and last particular before mentioned that eternal wrath and judgment that irrecoverable loss which such Sinners in another World procure to themselves by their abuse of Ordinances when they have not gain'd Christ by them Of all others the Sinners in Sion shall be most afraid when it shall once come to dwelling with devouring fire and everlasting burnings Isa 33. 14. Then Capernaum that in enjoyment of Ordinances was once lifted up as high as heaven shall be thrown as low as hell Matth. 11. 23 24. nay to the lowest depths of it where Sodom and Gomorrha's fire shall be more tolerable this furnace being heated seven times hotter whilst the breath of the Lord as a stream of brimstone shall kindle it Isa 30. 33. Mark 9. 43. 45. that Tophet intolerable that fire unquenchable when the sometimes sweet breathings of the Gospel-Spirit and Word and Ministry shall blow it up and keep it burning to Eternity Oh! No Condemnation to Gospel-Condemnation No wrath so fierce as that when after grace turned into wantonness patience shall be turned into fury How low low will that for-ever-lost Soul be sunk that in those unsupportable torments shall everlastingly have time and cause to think and say How shall I ever escape that have neglected abused despised so great Salvation That of all other aggravates and perpetuates such mens damnation Gospel-Grace and Ordinances which are the Key to open Heaven to Believers lock up neglecters and despisers in the Prison of Hell and roul the heaviest stone upon the mouth of the bottomless pit the unsupportable weight whereof will not only prevent all removal or escape but above all things will pinch and press and sink them down to Eternity Then they will be fully convinced of the truth of the point in hand that all things are loss and dung in comparison of Christ when they shall sadly but unprofitably and despairingly say Oh of how much greater worth is Christ above all other comforts even best Ordinances when notwithstanding them for want of him we are now everlastingly lodged and tormented in Hell whereas had we by the enjoyment of them come to have gained and enjoyed him we had with him in Heaven been happy for ever Which in the Application of it should most seriously advise and Use perswade us in our due both estimate and abearance both to Christ and his Ordinances respectively 1. And first for Ordinances as the former part of the point called upon us highly to prize them and diligently and constantly to attend upon them so what hath been said in this latter should with all sadness warn us 1. Not to rely on or to rest in the bare enjoyment of them 1. They may do us no good therefore rest not in them for as we have heard as they may be so should we thus do certainly they will be empty and at best we shall get no good by them Circumcision is nothing 1 Cor. 7. 19. The Letter without the Spirit signifieth little and the best Ordinances without Christ as to our Salvation will prove just nothing They are indeed in themselves and by God's Institution Wells of Salvation but to us in the issue they will prove but dry empty Cisterns if this water of life be not conveyed to us by them and therefore in this our journeying to Heaven let us not take up and dwell in our Inne and although the way of Ordinances lead thither yet if we sit down in our way we shall never come to our journeys end In this therefore follow the Psalmists example Psal 121. who when in the first verse he had said I will lift up mine eyes to the Hills of Zion and Moriah the seat of God's Ordinances as Interpreters expound it from whence cometh my help as though he had said too much of them or any Ordinances that his help should come from them as it were correcting himself in the second verse he presently adds my help cometh from the Lord which hath made Vide Augustinum Tract â— in Joannem mox ab initie Heaven and Earth It 's God and Christ only who made Heaven and Earth that can create the fruit of the best Ministers lips to be peace to his people Isa 57. 19. and therefore some Expositors read that first verse of the Psalm interrogatorily should I lift up mine eyes to the Hills as though from them should come my help The lifting up of eyes and soul in Scripture-Phrase expresseth not only delight and desire but expectance and dependance and then although we should come to Ordinances with encouraging expectations of help from God in them yet should we thus lift up our Eyes to the Hills themselves to the highest towring Eloquence or most raised abilities or most sublime piety of the Ministers that we most admire so as to expect saving help from them No. Alas Either They or at least the Event will tell thee that they are but empty Cisterns and dry Breasts which cannot afford the least drop but what Christ the fountain hath put into them and it may be out of thy experience thou maist be able to say to thy self that thou never wentest away more empty and less satisfied than when not making out after Christ in way of a Carnal-Creature-confidence thou expectedst most from them Though thou beest therefore on the Mount of Transfiguration where Christ was Matth. 17. 4. transfigured but they were not Do not sit down with Peter and say It 's good to be here unless Christ be there and in such pure glasses thou seest the face of Christ and art changed from glory to 2 Cor. 3. 18. glory into the image of Christ by the spirit of Christ sit not down satisfied That
spirit of God could effect it for so that particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As by the spirit of the Lord signifieth causam congruam dignam tantae transformationis as C. à Lapide rightly observeth All cometh to this and all fully to my present purpose That now when God is in Christ so fully as I may say exhibited and exposed to our view and in the Gospel so clearly manifested and held forth to us He expecteth and where grace prevaileth he thereby effecteth such a change and transformation that we are not like our former selves but are molded into his likeness and having laid aside our corrupt nature we are made partakers of his Divine Nature This is or should be according to Paul's doctrine there the effect of the Gospel and as Calvin observeth upon my Text according to Peter's doctrine here when he saith that the exceeding great and precious Gospel-promises are given to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that by them we should be partakers of the Divine Nature He telleth us this is the end of the Gospel Notemus hunc esse Evangelii finem ut aliquando Deo conformes reddamur id verò est quasi Deificari that at last we may be conformable to God which is as it were to be Deified or as our Apostle phraseth it to be made partakers of the Divine Nature Which whilst we are so plentifully partakers of the Gospel we should be exceedingly ashamed of that we so far fall short of it which yet the very Heathens so much aspired to who fell so short of us as thus in pattern so 2. In principle for as our pattern is more clear so our principle is more high This conformity to God in true Christians you heard from 2 Cor. 3. 18 is from the spirit of the Lord whilst by the spirit of Christ inlightning and regenerating we are renewed after the Image of God Col. 3. 10. As also from faith in Christ laying hold of thâ—se exceeding great and precious promises of the Gospel and on Christ in them from whose fulness alone God would have us receive grace for grace grace in us answerable and conformable to grace in him and so to be partakers of the Divine Nature Now this faith these promises this Christ and this spirit of Christ those Heathens and their most â—â—â—limate Philosophers were utter strangers to him they knew not to him by faith they went not nay out of themselves they went not but to their Philosophical moral considerations and their purgative vertues to which they ever joyned their heathenish idolatries and superstitious lustrations and sacrifices With Porphyrie to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 charms and sorceries as utterly inconsistent with the Divine nature as the true God is contrary to a vain idol and therefore it is no wonder that it was so wofully deformed a deiformity which they arrived at how trimly soever their admirers do trim it up and turkess it And therefore when there is so much more light and power in the Gospel when our both pattern and principle so far every way exceed theirs Surely God cannot but expect that it should be another-kins likeness to him that we should attain to than what they arrived at And on the contrary let us sadly think what a shame it is to us and to the Gospel too that when there is so much of God in it there should be so little in us who profess it That when we read David's Psalms and the other Prophets writings in the old Testament we should find so much light and life that they both breath and express so much of God in them and we so little so that in truth although as Eusebius observeth they were not called yet indeed they were the true Christians and many of us are really as much without God as we are strangers from that Commonwealth of Israel Especially that even Heathens should herein exceed us that they should so honourably speak of that God whom we so blaspheme that they should express more of God by the twilight of nature than we in the sun-shine of the Gospel that Erasmus should so hardly forbear to pray to Socrates as a Saint whilst many who are named Christians may without breach of charity be called Atheists that any of us should have upon us such black marks of the Devil when on many of them we may discover though ruder yet very lovely characters and lineaments by the help only of their natural Divinity of the Divine nature which we who have better means in all reason should be more possessed of SERMON XX. ON 2 PET. 1. 4. AND should it be here asked what those means are which Quest we should make use of whereby to attain to this high honour and happiness I must answer that all that we of our selves can do as to any Ans inward worth or efficacy operative of so great an effect is just nothing We that can do nothing to make our selves men surely can do as little to make our selves men of God can less concur to the producing of this Divine nature than we did to our humane both are a Creation and therefore the work of God only but yet so as we are to make our addresses to him for the one now that we have a natural being which we could not for the other when he had none And here as the Divine nature essentially considered in God is common to all thâ—â—hree persons so this communicated symbolical Divine nature in us is the common work of them all and therefore to them all we are to make our applications for it 1. To God the Father who as he is Fons Deitatis and communicates Means that Divine nature to the Son and the spirit so he is Fons Gratiae and through the Son by the Spirit imparts this Divine nature to all his children It was his breath that breathed into Adam at first that soul in which especially was his image and it must be his breathing still that must breath into our hearts that divine grace in which consists that his image renewed and this Divine nature God our Creatour is the Author of this new Creature And here the means of it on our parts is by humble and earnest prayer to breath after him for it as the dying man gaspeth for breath that is going away or rather as the dry earth gapeth for heavens rain and influence which it wanteth and so in this systole and diastole upon the out-breathing of our souls and desires followeth in God's way the breathing in of this Divine breath of life the quickning spirit by which we are made spiritual living souls In this case it was said of Saul Behold he prayeth Acts 9. 11. For although it be true that the prayers of the wicked whilst they purpose to go on in sin are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 28. 9. And as true that the prayer
the Text In your Patience possess ye your Souls Superaddenda Should our Spirits sometimes grow hasty and not willing patiently to wait God's leasure Consider 1. That God's Retribution will be full 2. The day of it certain Hab. 2. 3. Heb. 10. 36 37. 3. Though it stay yet let this stay our Stomachs That necdùm vindicatus est ipse qui vindicat Christ himself who hath been more wronged than we and who will at last fully vindicate both himself and us is not yet righted but to this day he waits till his Enemies become his Footstool Heb. 10. 13. And therefore be not so bold to desire that the Servant should be served before his Lord Nec defendi ante Dominum servi irreligiosa inverecundâ festinatione properemus Cyprian S. 15. Dr. Hammond on Matth. 10. Annot. f. makes not this a Precept but an Assertion or Prediction that there was no such way to keep or preserve their lives from that common destruction coming on the People of the Jews as persevering faithful adhering to Christ Patient Men are the only Free-holders Their Comforts forfeited to God their Lord Who can best keep them for them Surrendred by them Purchased by Christ And as the Philosopher's Scholar who having given himself to his Master to teach him when taught was by his Master given back again to be his own Man SERMON XXXIV GEN. 49. 18. I. Sermon Preached at St. Maries in Stur-bridg fair time Sept. 8. 1650. I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord. THe dying Swan's Song though now found to be a Fable Brown's vulg Errours yet if moralized of a dying Christian may oftentimes prove a real Truth for whereas the dying Man's Breath useth to savour of the Earth whither he is going the believing Soul then especially breaths Heaven to which it is then ascending Some Books which contain Apophthegmata morientium tell us how when their Tongues Mylius faulter in their Mouthes they are wont to speak Apophthegmes but in God's Book we find them uttering Oracles What a sweet Breath and Divine Air was that in old Simeon's Nunc Dimittis Paul's farewell-Sermon Acts 20. had such a ravishing Luke 2. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in it that they could not then hear it without weeping nor can some yet read it heedfully with dry Eyes Above all in that ultimum vale of our Saviour's to his Disciples before his Passion John 14. 15 16 17. The Sun of Righteousness a little before its setting shone out most Gloriously This in the New Testament And for the Old what heavenly strain 's do you meet with in Hezekiah's ultimus singultus Isa 38. in David's verba novissima 2 Sam. 23. in Moses his Songs a little before his death Deut. 32 and 33. and in Jacob's before his as in this whole Chapter so especially in this Text in which the Divine Soul as the Bird before fainting in the snare breaks through it in an abrupt expression and having got it self a little upon the wing as it were on the sudden bolts up Heaven-ward in this Divine Ejaculation I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord. Here in Jacob's blessing of Dan we find it but how it should come there what coherence it hath with the foregoing words that 's the question and some think a difficult one So Pererius Quae occasio hujus abrupti sermonis c. Calvin Perobscura est haec sententia multiplex interpretandi ejus ratio Some satisfy themselves with this that the Spirit of God will not be tied to our Artificial Methods as too low and pedantick for him to be confined to who both acts and speaks like himself like a God i. e. with greatest freedome And therefore as his Illapses are sudden and his impulses strong Act. 2. 2. so the ventings of them answerable as the Spirit gives utterance v. 4. and it may be never more abruptly than when those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 11. are utterred and so the Soul now full of God and breaking for the longing it hath to him as Psal 119. 20. cannot always keep rank and file but breaks out to him and is glad to get to him though not in a methodical way And so it is in all strong workings of Passion Love Fear Joy and Desire c. Expressions sudden abrupt for so Passions are and their Expressions accordingly So Judg. 5. 10. on those words Then shall the People of the Lord go down to the Gates Mais thus Videtur hoc hiare c. ut pote ex affectu dictum affectus enim non servat ordinem sed plerumque evagatur In such a rapture Jacob's Soul might here be caught snatcht to God without being led to him by coherence or the thred of the foregoing discourse Zuinglius thinks that this Text might be versus intercalaris and only added to make up the verse in this Divine Poem Others rather think that after the manner of weak fainting vide Pareum Oleastrum old Men or sick Men who are wont whilest they are speaking sometimes out of faintness and sometimes out of devotion to pause and to interpose sighs and prayers so old Jacob here spent with speaking relieves his spent Spirits or rather pours out his fainting Soul into God's Bosom in this parenthetical ejaculation I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord. But the first verse of this Chapter tells us that the whole is Prophetical of what was to befal them in the latter days And accordingly some apply it to Judas whom they make Ambros de benedict Isidore Gregor Moral 34. that Serpent in the way in the foregoing verse Others to Antichrist whom so many of the Ancients thought should be of the Tribe of Dan and that Jacob foreseeing what havock he should make of the Israel of God as they expound the former verses cries out in this for Christ and his Salvation But this conceit of this Dan-Antichrist with due Reverence to those Ancient Authors by some of even the Papists themselves is held * Tostatus uncertain by others of them †Oleaster Bellarmine acknowledgeth this Text doth not evince it de Pontif. Rom. lib. 3. c. 12. fabulous and therefore seeing they are sick of it we have no cause to be fond of it To omit other particulars I insist on these two that Jacob 1. Foreseeing both the sins and miseries which his other posterity and especially this Tribe of Dan should fall into by Faith looks up to God for Salvation and Deliverance which was especially effected by Sampson a Judg of that Tribe and he very fitly compared to that Serpent in the way and Adder in the path c. 2. And yet foreseeing notwithstanding this that Sampson should dye and Israel should lye under captivity and affliction and so Sampson's but an half-Salvation he did but begin to save Israel Judg. 13. 5 After the manner of the Prophets who See Junii Annot. in loc Christ as Sampson conquered
gather up the crumbs that fall from this full table O full-handed Father O bountiful House-keeper Here 's God's Plenty Enough and to spare Ruth found it in Boaz's field But the truly hungring Soul Ruth 2. 4 18. more abundantly in Christ's Tasts Pledges earnest-pennies here are very satisfying What then will the full meal and payment and portion in Heaven be If he so satisfie us here he will there for certain fill our treasures They so satisfie that they would not have any thing else but only are unsatisfied that they have no more of them 5. Add hereto if you please in the fifth place that this filling over-flowing fulness of Christ appears yet further in that he can thus compleatly fill us by himself alone when there is so little it may be nothing else to bestead us A little spring if it have many rivolets falling into it as it runs along may at last swell into a great stream and all Rivers meeting may make a full Sea and vast Ocean but it 's a full fountain indeed that of it self alone fills all the Cocks and sets all the Mills a going No great matter for a confluence of all outward comforts to fill a man and that rather with pride and self than any solid satisfaction But Either when we have but little else to have fully enough whilst When they shewed him two Swords he said it was enough Luke 22. 38. we have the more of Christ when so many thousand are fed to the full and so much to spare when the Provision was but five barly loaves that was but sparing and course and two small fishes but two and they little ones too made the miracle the greater and tells us that Christ was the entertainer Or when there is nothing else and yet nothing wanting when Christ is not To have nothing and yet to possess all things 2 Cor. 6. 10. as it hath been with Christ's Martyrs and other his destitute and persecuted Servants when destitute yet not desolate This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 11. 37. is only from that little stone cut out without hands that became a mountain and filled the whole earth Dan. 2. 34 35. As it 's the Air which is not seen that fills up that vast space betwixt Heaven and Earth so it 's nothing else but an hidden unseen unknown unconceiveable Fulness of Christ that fills such Souls with Grace Peace and Joy when all else is nothing or nothing but vacuity and vanity and that the Prophet saith is less and worse than nothing In a word Christ here in the Text when speaking of substance saith it emphatically and exclusively I will fill their Treasures I and none nothing but I. A solid and satisfying Repletion is from this Bread of life only All besides it satisfieth not Isa 55. 2. It swells rather than fills Or if it fills it 's with emptiness with Job 15. 2. wind and east-wind with Pride or Pain rather than with any solid and substantial satisfaction That 's Christ's Royalty which he here appropriates to himself when he saith that He will make those that love him to inherit substance and that He will fill their Treasures In the Application of which that which in the general I Vse would most seriously press and call for is that we would endeavour to be more fully and feelingly possessed with the belief of this truth For did we firmly believe in the general and constantly carry along with us actual thoughts and persuasions that God is Alsufficient and that Christ alone is able and willing and ready to fill our treasures it would be of admirable use to us in our whole course for our instruction and direction and establishment in matter both of doctrine and practice As in particular It would cut off all those Assumenta or Patches with which Vse 1 the Papists would eke out Christ to make him compleat or us in him as his Prophetical office in their Traditions or Kingly in the Popes Head-ship or Priestly in their own merits or Popes Pardons and Indulgences That Treasure of the Church as they call it is exhausted and their Purgatory or purses rather quite emptied by this of Christs filling of his peoples treasures It was in this sense that the Apostle said that we are compleat in him Col. 2. 10. And whereas cap. 1. 19. he had said that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell it cannot but much displease that quite cross to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good pleasure and design of the Father and the Glory of Christ any thing should be taken away from his sole jurisdiction or added to help to fill up his plenary satisfaction and full redemption Indeed the Apostle in the 24. verse of that chapter speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what was behind which the vulgar too boldly rendreth ea quae desunt what was wanting of the afflictions of Christ for his bodies sake the Church But that is meant of Christ Mystical not Personal and for the edifying of the Saints not for the satisfying for their sins which Christ had done fully and by one offering for ever perfected them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. So that in it alone is the Churches treasury to be freely taken out by the alone hand of faith and not sold by the Popes merchants to fill their purses not Gods peoples consciences with peace and joy It 's Christ alone that fills those treasures The Popes Bulls whether Plumbeae or Aureae are Bullatae Nugae Bubbles full of wind which will leave the soul full of anguish and despair but empty of all solid and true satisfaction But we leave them and come to our selves As to our practice it condemns our stuffing and filling our Vse 2 selves with other trash as the Apostle saith After the Tradition Col. 2. 8. of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ Vain man would be wise and empty man full so vain empty souls Full we would fain be But it 's with the world with self with sin but not with Christ full of poyson or trash Such kind of fillings the Scripture often speaks of Either with what is simply and sinfully evil and will certainly undo us and fill us at last with the wrath of God and sinking grief and horrour So the wanton fills himself with unchast love Prov. 7. 18. the drunkard with drink Isa 56. 12. the violent oppressour as the Lion doth his den with prey Nahum 2. 12. their houses with spoil Prov. 1. 13. their eyes with adultery 2 Pet. 2. 14. their mouths with cursing Psal 10. 7. and their hands with bribes Psal 26. 10. and bloud Isa 1. 15. their hearts full of wrath and fury Esther 3. 5. Dan. 3. 19. But where is Christ in all this He doth not so use to fill his servants treasures This is the filling up of the measure of our sins Matth. 23.
Psalmes to the Sun in the midst of the rest of the Planets in some respect the Comparison will suit well Or if a third tell us that it contains in it all the Precepts of Faith and Hilar. Obedience I think he said true Quanto apertior tanto profundior it was Austin's Judgment of it and if we will believe him that said it if we should spend our whole lives in studying it though we should not lose our labours yet we should not fully understand it for it as our Text saith the rest of God's Word is is exceeding broad If nothing else yet the Author 's Alphabetical disposing of it telleth us there is something in it more than ordinary as being worth his more artificial Penning and our more diligent Endeavour to have it as ready in our Memory as the very Letters of our Alphabet The Author is either altogether unknown or at least as Calvin thinks uncertain Yet me-thinks their Opinion is very probable who think that it suits well with the strain of the sweet Singer of Israel as being one of the sweetest Songs of Zion But upon what occasion it was framed and with what coherence of parts Interpreters generally say not nor list I to conjecture Only this we may observe for both that as his chief aim through the whole is to magnifie God's Word and Law which therefore he maketh honourable mention of under different Titles in every Verse save one as some observe though I think four more may be excepted Ver. 22. And for Coherence what-ever reference one Ogdoad hath to another that in every one of them he speaks to some one thing in general which is particularly set out in the several Verses of it A taste of both which we may have in this out of which the Text is taken In which the Author whosoever he was Tanquam taederet eum mutabilitatis hominum as he speaks as it were now wearied with the Mutability of outward Occurrences casts the Anchor of his Soul in the unchangeable Truth and Word of God which he found settled in Heaven ver 1. and in Earth ver 2. in all things ver 3. in his own Person and Occasions in the four following and therefore with an heavenly Epiphonema he makes the first and last Verse sound both the same Note There he begins For ever O Lord thy Word is settled in Heaven And he here ends with the same I have seen an end of all Perfection but thy Commandment is exceeding broad In which words the large Extent and eternal Duration of God's Word is set out by comparing it with the narrow scantness and short continuance of all other Contentments He had seen an end of all such Perfections But none of God's Word Thy Commandment is exceeding broad For the first words in which though contrary to my first purpose my present Discourse must be bounded this end of Perfection some make Martyrdome many of the Latine Fathers Christ The Greek whom our later Divines in this usually follow by this all Perfection understand either all this inferiour and visible World containing in it the divers Degrees and Perfections of things and therefore called all Perfection Or Metonymically by Perfection is meant whatever particular thing either for Nature or Quality is most perfect and consummate the sight of all which Satan thought would have dazled our Saviour's and therefore we might have thought would have easily blinded David's eyes But by his wise Observation and piercing Eye of Faith he saith he hath seen If you ask what The words of the Text answer but having a double Emphasis 1. Not any meaner or ordinary Contentments but the top and choise of all Perfections And 2. Not one of them or some or few but all and yet through them all something beside He had seen an end of all Perfection As though whatsoever he could see he could see an end of it and that end as I take it double of length of breadth of length and continuance that whereas God's Word is for ever settled in Heaven ver 1. He seeth an end a Period of those lower and fading Perfections and of breadth and extent as we may gather from the Opposition in the end of the Verse they are too scant and narrow to cover all our Nakedness and Defects but God's Word as for continuance can reach to all Times so for breadth and extent to all Persons and Wants But thy Commandment is exceeding broad The Truth then which from these first words I am now to Doct. handle in full sense is plainly thus much That not any not all the best of these things below will last or can help always The first Vanity is That they last not I have seen an end of all Perfection saith David And sure what he by the Spirit saith he saw we may believe is true for the was a Prophet of God and they were called Seers and whatever ours do in other Matters certainly their Eye-sight in such things as these never failed them This our Seer therefore having as it were got to the Top of some high Mountain as Augustine expresseth it from thence as our Saviour Mat. 4. 8. had a view of all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory the Perfection of them He saw all this but withal something beside and therefore as that Watchman Isa 21. 11 12. being asked what he saw answered Advenerat mane sed etiam nox venit as Junius readeth it There had been a lightsome Morning but ended in a darksome Night So our Watchman here being asked what he saw answers he had seen much even all Perfection but withal an end of all I have seen an end of all Perfection but thy Commandment is exceeding broad Just the same with a part of the Vision of another of God's Seers Isa 40. 6 8. The Voice said cry And he said What shall I cry All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof as the Flower of the Field The Grass withereth and the Flower fadeth But the Word of our God abideth for ever In which words I have a sufficient Draught of what I need speak in this particular For hence we see 1. That all things are but as Grass 2. That all the Glory and Perfection of them but as the Flower of Grass and therefore both subject to decay either to wither of themselves or to be cut down or pluckt up by others First For all things in general I only say this that the round World is but like a round Ball wrapt up of broken Threads amongst which there may be some ends of Gold and Silver So that whilst Men oftentimes as they think are spinning a fair Thread either it comes to the end or as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in the Text comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to cut off the Hand of God cuts either it or us off as Hezekiah complains Isa 38. 10 12. and so we are left in the
to his Doctrine and Heresie Such are but rightly called Idol-shepherds that do nothing but only as Idols serve to be adored or if active but like him that sobrius accessit ad evertendam Rempub. But such unfaithful stewards must one day give an account of their stewardship who will share stakes with their Lord set down fifty for their Lord and fifty for themselves or if an hundred if their Lord hath eighty he is well but at least they will have twenty Luke 16. 6 7. Nay but let God have all let our mouths ever say non nobis Domine non nobis yea let Aaron's forehead ever say sanctitas Jehovah holiness to the Lord. Like as the Roman Conquerors in their triumphs were wont to go up to the Capitol and there to offer up their triumphant Crowns and Garlands to Jupiter Capitolinus Even so we Presbyters with those twenty four Rev. 4. 10 11. should take off our crowns from off our own heads and cast them before the throne at Christs feet saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created which place C. à lapide upon it fitly parallels with my Text for whilst an humble Minister of Christ freely and heartily acknowledgeth and saith my Ministerial dignity and sanctity my holy doctrine life and fruit of both all is from thee and all must be to thee and therefore I throw down my crown at thy feet and say thou art worthy c. It is all one with Aaron to come forth with this ingraven clearly on his forehead Sanctitas Jehovae holiness to the Lord. So we have the finis cui 5. The last particular is the finis cujus gratiâ and that is the peoples benefit vers 38. Holiness must be on Aaron's forehead that the peoples holy offerings might be accepted and the iniquities of them pardoned for what I have been all this while speaking of Ministers faults and duties it hath not been to discover a Noah's shame that a Cham might laugh not to display the Preacher's blemishes that a profane hearer might point and flear and say I there 's an hole in the Priest's coat But rather out of the high-Priest's frontlet that thou mayest pick or find rather one in thine own Holiness in the Priests forehead saith that there is unholiness in the peoples very best sacrifice Christ our Priest had need be the Lamb without spot to expiate the blemishes of our best duties and his servants the Ministers need proportionably be the more holy in heart and forehead that they may lift up purer hands for a polluted people as the Levites of old were given to Israel to make atonement for them that there might be no plague among them when they come to the Sanctuary Numb 8. 19. And therefore it should be an Item both to the people that must the Priest be holy then sure they had need be humble for this tells them that they are unholy Joshua's rags were the peoples sins more than his own Zech. 3. 3. See Lapide in locum and Aarons holy crown holds out as what holiness should be in him so what unholinesse is in his people and therefore let them be humble And withall let Aaron and his sons be careful that their holiness may be to the Lord and his praise so for his people and their help not to expiate their sins that 's Christ's but by their holy life to be their better example by their holy doctrine to be their better instruction by their more holy prayers better to prevail with God for pardon of their sins and acceptance of their duties and services And thus ever on Aaron's forehead on the Ministers not only heart but also outward administrations and carriages let not pomp or learning so much as holiness be stamped and ingraven even to sink deep and last long that all may be to the Lord and his praise and for his people and their benefit And now for close as Gregory in the end of his Pastoral once said so I in the end of my Sermon Pulchrum depinxi pastorem pictor fâ—â—us I have endeavoured to present you with a poor portraiture of an holy Minister which I must confess I my self cannot attain to and therefore if any faults have been pointed at I have therein desired either to mark or at least to warn my self rather than any other Not that Ministers faults may not be spoken against for the Prophet Zechary when he comes to speak of a foolish shepherd he puts a Jod Paragogicum to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 11. 15. to express as Brixianus hath observed that if the shepherd be a fool he is a fool of all fools and therefore Bernard is not to be blamed for being so bold and plain with Pope Eugenius himself hîc hîc non parco tibi ut parcat Deus In this matter I 'l not spare thee that God may But yet when I see blessed Constantine in the Counsel of Nice drawing a vail over the Bishops blemishes I would not in this profane scoffing age withdraw the curtain to expose them to a Michal's eye Young Timothy though in place is yet wished not to rebuke an Elder but to intreat him as a Father and the younger men as brethren 1 Tim. 5. 1. And therefore for close Reverend Fathers and Brethren suffer a younger Timothy to do his office even to intreat and beseech all his Seniors as Fathers and his Juniors as Brethren and to charge himself especially that we all of us would labour first to get Holiness into the heart and then to express it so in our outward Ministrations and Carriages that all that look on may see and read in Aaron's Fore-head ingraven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanctum Domino Holiness to the Lord. And what remaineth now But that after I have thus besought you all of us now humbly befeech the Lord that He would please to sanctifie his own Name and further his Service by his Servants Holiness Now therefore most Holy Holy Holy Blessed Lord God so fit and furnish we pray thee thine own Tribe with such outward Liberty and Maintenance and Honour but especially with thine own Saving Grace in their hearts that thy Priests may be clothed with Righteousness and that on their very Fore-heads all may read Holiness and that not for themselves and their own advantage but to thee O Lord and thy Glory that even this Holy Crown though we do not debase it by casting it on the Ground unworthily yet we may ever be most willing to cast it at thy Feet humbly and both here on Earth and for ever in Heaven say and sing heartily Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Revel 4. 10 11. Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast Created all things and for thy Pleasure they are and were Created And therefore Blessing and Honour and Glory and Power be unto Him that
seal it with my bloud O happy Ministers if we from our own hearts we could speak to the hearts of our people could say with the Psalmist Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my soul and with Christ John 3. 11. we speak what we know and with the Apostle what we have heard and seen and our hands have handled of the word of life that declare we unto you John 1. 3. O that we never spake of that which we are least acquainted with and against that sin which it may be we are notorious for If so however we may preach Christ yet certainly we do not savingly know Christ for this excellent knowledge is an experimental knowledge 4. And from all the three former in the 4th place it comes to be truly delightful and fully satisfactory and in which the mind doth fully acquiesce as Aristotle saith Intellectus est in quiete In other studies the mind is restless and its disquisitions endless the vastness of its capacity not being able to be filled up with the fullest view of inferiour objects but here meeting with an infinite God and his infinite wisdom justice and mercy in Christ the largest Vessel is filled up to the brim in this Ocean the wavering Needle is fixt and the Dove hath found a place where to rest the sole of her foot sits down and with Peter when he saw Christ transfigured Matth. 17. 4. saith It 's good to be here is satisfied in all its desires And let me add is more than satisfied for all its pains Solomon Eccles 1. 13 14. c. c. 2. 12. c. 2. 18. in all his other Enquiries confessed he dealt with folly and madness and in the close found nothing but vanity and vexation so that he comes to hate all his labour and to repent of all his pains as we shall of all our other studies if with them we study not savingly to know Christ I acknowledge indeed that a serious student in other arts takes great content in that very search and much more in the finding out of some truth which lay in the dark and he was much set upon and this not only in more solid Demonstrations and then Archimedes as well apaid Cries out with his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but sometimes even in some minim Criticism as I remember the learned Casaubon in his Annotations upon Athaeneus hitting as he thought upon the true notion of a certain Greek Word professeth that the content that he found therein and such like was a full satisfaction for all his pains in all his studies But alas what is such a word to the Essential Word of God! what is Archimedes his Cylinder to Jesus Christ or what 's his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the satisfaction of the Spouse sick not of other questions as 1 Tim. 6. 4. but of love Cant. 3. 4. when she had found her lost Saviour If it be so pleasant a thing to see the Sun Eccles 11. 7. what is it to behold the sun of Righteousness If the top of Heavens joys be from an open-faced Vision then even these glimpses though but as in a glass and through the Lattess sets the ravished Soul on the highest Pinacle of content and comfort which it can be here lifted up to 5. Which leads me to the last excellency of this Divine Knowledge and it 's the unvaluable benefit and profit of it The pleasing itch of delight oft-times accompanieth other studies which are most vain and useless and in the upshot mischievous But Qui miscuit utile dulci is an Artist indeed The wise man is profitable to himself saith Eliphaz Job 22. 2. and here Qui fructuosa non qui multa scit sapit which made Lactantius adventure upon a bold comparison between the vulgar Idiot and the great Scholar made him bold to conclude Plus sapit interdum vulgus quia tantum quantum opus est sapit because the one knows though but little yet what 's profitable to his purpose the other upon his great studies and readings or Common-Place-Book like a rich treasury top-ful of Notions is a Dictionary of Words and a Bibliotheca materiarum Molanus as he called his Book a whole Library of learning but sealed up with this Motto on it Cui bono Neither Press nor Pulpit himself or others better'd but often wronged by it many a full-stuft Scholar being a very empty useless man whilst he studieth more Sciences than Arts and so desires only to know and so in infinitum without end to no end knowing more than he either gets or doth any good with But Solomon who was the wisest man and therefore best knew wherein wisdoms greatest excellency lay saith Wisdom is profitable to direct Eccles 10. 10. and Prov. 14. 8. that the wisdom of the prudent is to direct his way not to be fluttering about every thing as the Butterfly about every flower and so be something in every thing and nothing to purpose in any thing but as Plato in his Theages well shews to know my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that I may get and do some good by it as the Bee that sits and sucks the Flower from which she may get Honey to her Hive I this is properly 2 Chron. 30. 22. good knowledge Psal 119. 66. and in this above all the saving knowledge of Christ excells The fruit of the tree of knowledge had this double bait of pleasure and profit Gen. 3. 6. but an book withal that took her who was taken with it But in this knowledge of the tree of life there 's the bait without the book Milk and Wine Isa 55. 1. and no poyson in either greatest pleasure and profit mixt together making happy and adding no sorrow with it Let me name a few particulars 1. By this knowledge of Christ we come to the best knowledge both of God and our selves Of God for his glory and beauty is most seen in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. The Father here is best is only known by the Son In the Creatures we behold his foot-steps but here his image 1 Cor. 1. 21. Rom. 1. even the express image of His Person Hebr. 1. 3. In the Law his Holiness and Justice especially looked out In Christ and his Gospel shine forth Holiness Justice Mercy all and altogether and all in their perfection and of all his mercy most by which he would be most known to his people the vail is nothing to the face uncovered 2 Cor. 3. Of our selves Our sins by his sufferings No way for the more full searching of our bloudy wound comparable to the considering that Plaister of his bloud which was shed to heal it Our Duty We have no stronger inducement nor fairer Copy of doing and suffering than to consider what our Lord Jesus Christ hath done and suffered before us and for us In all which our true Abimelech Father-King saith as that
more is his grief when with anguish and horror he thinks and saith surgunt indocti rapiunt coelum I repeat not what followeth in the sentence as desiring it may never overtake any of us in those straits But wo to us if it do But the more blessed therefore is this more excellent knowledge that we now speak of which is not so much a tree of knowledge as a tree of life and is therefore called eternal life John 17. 3. by which my Soul lives in death that I can tell what to do when other far more learned men are at their wits end that in mine evening I may have light Zech. 14. 7. whilst others far more sharp-sighted stumble in that dark entry into outer darkness for ever O give me that sweet Bird that will sing in such a Winter that lamp of a wise Virgin that will burn clear at midnight that Matth. 25. 6 7 8. torch which will not light my body to the Grave but my Soul to Heaven I this this is the light of life John 8. 12. by which when my bodily eye grows dim and upon my eyelids sits the gloomy Joh 16. 16. shadow of death I may then lift up an Eye of faith with Steven at the very point of Death Act 7. 56. and then see Christ more clearly and know much of him more fully than ever before as it is related of Oecolampadius upon his Death-Bed being asked Mylii Apophthegmata merientium whether the light of the Candle troubled him laying his hand on his breast said Hîc abunde lucis est or with Laurentius At Nox mea tenebras non habet The more darkness without the more light within when the Curtains are drawn Christ more unvailed and when the dying body smells now of the Earth to which it is sinking the Divine Soul ut in rogo Imperatorum savours of Heaven to which it is ascending with a farewel-faith and welcom-Vision no more to see Christ as here through a glass darkly but face to face to know him no more in part but 1 Cor. 13. 12. even as I am known I close mine eyes to see my Saviour and like old Simeon lay down my head in my Fathers bosom with his Nunc dimittis Now Lord let thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation THE Text had two parts 1. The Purchase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the excellent Sermon II knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord. 2. The price that our Apostle Preacht at St. Maries Octob. 18. 1646. was chearfully willing to come up to that he might compass it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he accounted all things loss that he might gain it In the handling the former part the last time I endeavoured as I was able though infinitely under its worth to hold forth and commend to you the supereminent excellency of the saving knowledge of Christ above all other things and all other knowledge whatsoever But as they say the Jews are now wont when ever they build an House to leave some part of it imperfect in reference to Jerusalems ruins which they would remember so in all our largest discourses of Christ and his Excellencies of necessity something yea much must be left unsaid because there is infinitely more than we can comprehend the half of our Solomons glory will 1 King 10. 7. never be told Here the most copious and fluent Orator must close his imperfect speech with a Dicebam instead of a Dixi and draw the Curtain of silence over those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he cannot draw and set out to the life And yet it 's good digging deeper in such golden Mines and another hour would be well spent in viewing and admiring that infinite excellency which in Heaven we shall be adoring to Eternity Should we lanch out we may soon be swallowed up in that bottomless Ocean And therefore for this time let us rather draw the net to the shore and in the second applicatory part of the Text see what we have taken or whether our selves rather be so taken with an holy admiration and desire of it that with our Apostle we can be willing to suffer the loss of all for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea doubtless and I count all things as loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. And if that be such a transcendent excellent knowledge First How low should the consideration of it lay even Scholars Use 1 of the highest form in their thoughts and estimate of all their other knowledge in comparison of it and of themselves as long as they fall short of it Behold the height of the Stars how high they are said Eliphaz to Job But it was that he might have Cap. 22. 12. more lowly thoughts of himself And when we look up and see how high Heaven is above we cannot but think what poor low things we are in the Ant-hill here beneath Yea by how much more exactly the Astronomer by his instrument can take the height of Sun or Star by so much the more fully he apprehends at what a wonderful distance he and the highest Mountain of the whole Earth is under it O that the consideration of this high transcending excellency of the knowledge of Christ might help us though not to low thoughts of learning yet to more lowly thoughts of our selves notwithstanding all our other knowledge that the dazeling brightness of the sun of Righteousness might at least so far blind us as to hide pride from us pride which is the great learned mans greatest and dangerousest snare in which by reason of his learning and knowledge he is easiliest taken and by which he is most of all hindred from this more excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ 1. Most easily taken with it it being a very hard thing to be a knowing man and not to know it to be learned and humble together for the King of Tyre to be as wise as Daniel and not to be as Ezek. 28. 2 3. proud as Lucifer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowledge puffs up saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 8. 1. and usually the more aiery and empty the knowledge is it makes the bladder swell the more The Devil is a very knowing and a very proud Creature The most learned Philosophers and wisest Statesmen amongst the Heathen have been noted for pride vain-glory and an impotent desire of applause being accounted by them a piece of gallantry rather than a vice And although by Christians it cannot but be accounted a sin yet even amongst them such as excel others in knowledge are oft known by it The more able in this kind of old were very ready to despise the weak and to over-look them which were under them Rom. 14. 3. The supercilium with which the great Rabbies despised the poor ignorant people that knew not the punctilioes of the law John 7. 49. and the Typhus of many of our great Criticks who
the bargain According to the Psalmists Prayer to apply or as the word is to bring our hearts to wisdom Psal 90. 12. and according to Solomon's direction above all gettings to get understanding Prov. 4. 7. what a greedy but yet holy Covetousness doth St. Austin commend to us in that expression of his Capiat quisque quod potest in quantum Tractat. 1. in Joan. potest qui non potest nutriat cor ut possit c. that every one should take what he can as much as ever he can and he that is weak should labour to grow up to more strength that at last he may carry away more than now he can was it a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the man was sick of that the more he ate the more he hungred No but a spiritual appetite of a divine object that as fire the most spiritual Element the more it s fed the more it burns so the more that the Divine Soul tasts of this sweetness the more it thirsts and longs for greater supplies 1. And this because herein we cannot exceed for however in some other Cases whilst we follow our own conceits we may be overwise Eccles 7. 16. and too much learning hath made some men mad yet I am sure the more we have learnt of Christ the more are we able with Paul to speak the words of truth and soberness Act. 26. 24 25. and no fear of being here over-wise unless we could be over-happy or of going and getting too fast or too far when Paul who very far advanced professeth he had not attained Philip. 3. 12 13. 2. But the danger on the contrary is in falling short and it 's just so much of eternal life as it is of the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ John 17. 3. Ignorance being Satan's blind which he sets up in our way to life the mother of Popish Devotion but in truth one of the most dangerous Precipices into irrecoverable destruction for as there is no hitting upon happiness by a blind peradventure so there is no right ordering of our steps to it when we know not that we are out of the way What mischief other sins do us by their greater atrocity and more deadly guilt the same ignorance doth it may be by leading of us blindfold into the worst of them for they that walk in the dark know not at what they stumble Prov. 4. 19. Or at least by cutting off all hope of help whilst it renders us sensless both of remedy and malady both of the smart of our wound and of the way nay of any need of our Cure Other sins are like a malignant Feaver this of ignorance like a sensless Lethargy much different but both deadly And so Solomon's Proverb that brings this blind-folded man erring from the way of understanding leaveth him in the Congregation of the dead Prov. 21. 16. as in an irrecoverable hopeless condition To which purpose is both that of the Prophet where God compassionately complains that his people perish for want of knowledge As likewise such other expressions as those Psal 49. 20. 79. 6. 95. 10 11. Hos 4. 6. and that of Elihu Job 36. 12. where to die without knowledge is threatned as that which sealeth upon us the bottomless pit so as never to see or take hold of the paths of light and life and so this inward and at last that outward darkness meet and lie down together for ever I only add that the desperateness of this danger is aggravated when this ignorance is affected when we are willingly ignorant 2 Pet. 3. 5. as we do not know so we will not understand Psal 82. 5. not only simply blind that we cannot put froward and so wink with our eyes and will not Jer. 9. 6. see Matth. 13. 15. And this is the rather to be heeded because too often practised no knowledge and wisdom being so despised and loathed as this of Christ which the Text calls excellent all other kind of learning though not alike fancied by all yet hated by none but by brutish ignorants that know not the worth of it That I may use Solomon's Phrase Prov. 1. 9. it 's an ornament of grace to the head makes us fine and so we are both glad and proud of it But it 's this true knowledge of Christ that works grace in the heart which a corrupt proud heart cannot brook and therefore doth hate it Prov. 1. 29. and all the means of it say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Job 21. 14. Now of all others these froward fools hating of knowledge the Scripture looks at as a most dangerous saith that this their peevish turning away will slay them Prov. 1. 32. that whilst they hate wisdom they love death Prov. 8. 36. and their bidding God depart now will be answered with a Depart from me ye Matth. 25. 41. cursed at the last day And that we may be the more sensible how nearly we are herein concerned be pleased to consider that Ignorance of Christ is so much willingly and wilfully affected as the proffers of Christ and the means and opportunities of the true and saving knowing of him and acquaintance with him are neglected Now our opportunities in this kind are fair and our advantages great we had therefore need have our eyes in our head to look about us that we prove not like Solomon's fool that hath a price in his hand but Prov. 17. 16. wants a heart to improve it 1. As men For a man without knowledge is unmanned and become a beast Psal 49. 20. Anaxagoras said he was born coelum solem intueri to eye the Sun and heaven Poor man that he was so short-sighed as not to have looked higher to the Sun of righteousness we are indeed all born to look upward and it will be too low if it be not as high as God in Jesus Christ who stooped so low as to become man that man in and by him might come to know and enjoy God I confess that humane reason cannot at first discover Christ but being discovered by faith it 's all reason that we should acknowledge him nor shall we shew our selves reasonable men unless we adore him He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 1. 1. and therefore Isa 46. 8. it is the most Divine Reason to believe in him the light which inlightneth every man that cometh into the world v. 9. and therefore let the Prince of darkness shut his eyes to this light But did he for us men and for our salvation come down from heaven and become incarnate c O let us that shall at last be caught up into 1 Thess 4. 17. the Clouds to meet him in the air be caught up in the spirit even now whilst we are on earth with Steven to see and injoy him in Heaven seeing we have such a fair rise for it as we are men 2. Especially as we are
sure to be in Christ as in the Text Christ Jesus my Lord we are in him and then we have understanding 1 John 5. 20. when in the light then inlightned when betrothed to him it s then promised that we shall know him Hos 2. 20. 2. When once in him endeavour with all Care and Conscience to walk on in the fear of His Name in obedience to his Will in a course of Holiness and Righteousness before him and that 's the best and nearest way yet further to know him Fear in Nature is one of the most quick and apprehensive affections Fear and the Prophet saith of Christ Himself that he was of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord. How oft in Scripture is Isa 11. 3. Psal 111. 10. Prov. 1. 7. 9 10. Job 28. 28 Robinson it called the Beginning of Wisdom as both having the promise of it Psal 25. 12 14. and being ever careful and solicitous in using and improving all the means of it And where Gods promise and our endeavour meet something is ever made of it For Obedience Keep and do for this is your wisdom and understanding Obedience Psal 111. 10. saith Moses Deut. 4. 6 7. and if a man will do he shall know saith our Saviour John 7. 17. Here as in other things we learn by practising and come to know by doing Let not our Scholars be like the Athenians of whom it s said Scire quidem quid deceat sed negligere For Theologia vita est non scientia They Erasm Adag pag. 456. knew righteousness in whose heart was the Law Isa 51. 7. for Lex Lux and therefore where that light is there will be the less darkness For Holiness Piety and Purity you may please to hear what Holiness St. Austin saith whatever is in the World yet for the City of God In hâc nulla est hominis sapientia nisi Pietas Piety there is the best De Civit. Dei lib. 14. cap. 28. Policy I know you will believe our Saviour when he saith Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Matth. 5. 8. And so Aquinas you know makes the Donum Intellectûs to answer to this fifth Beatitude And lastly for righteousness The secret of the Lord is with the Righteousness Righteous saith Solomon Prov. 3. 32. Seminate justitiam illuminate vobis lumen scientiae So the LXX would make the Prophet speak Hos 10. 12. As light is sown for the Righteous so the light Psal 97. 11. of this saving knowledge of Christ is sown in a way of righteousness So David ends his Psalm and I my Sermon Psal 17. ult As for me I shall behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness And thus the Eminency of this saving Knowledge of Christ II. Part. should raise up our hearts in the use of these means to endeavour after it NAY to account all else as loss in Comparison of it At St. Maries April 3. 1653. Which is the second part of the Text and the highest pitch of our duty which our Blessed Apostle had here attained and as it were standing upon the highest round of this Jacob's Ladder by this his example he saith to us as the voice from heaven did to John Revel 4. 1. Come up hither And therefore Sursum Corda that our Souls were indeed on the Wing because it 's an high flight that we are to take above all outward Eminencies or inward Excellencies She that is clothed with the sun hath the Moon under her feet Revel 12. 1. And if ever we would savingly know Christ we with our Apostle must account all things loss for this excellent knowledge of Christ and ex animo even from the heart say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. All of them very great words and magni animi Blest Noble Soul to which a despised Christ is of so great worth that in comparison of him all other greatest things are less than nothing This is a strain above the Grandees of this Worlds greatest Gallantry which yet the least in the Kingdom of Heaven can truly say and the less he is in his own Eyes the more truly and affectionately he can say it as he here in the Text who accounted so meanly of himself as the least of the Apostles and less than the least 1 Cor. 15. 9. Eph. 3. 8. of all Saints yet so highly of Christ that he accounts nothing of worth without him nay all loss for him And that you may not conceive him herein to brag and vapour confider a little his particular words and expressions which I have in part touched before but must here again take them into further consideration that by the pregnancy of his words we may see how full his heart was of the love of Christ and at how high a rate he valued this invaluable transcendent excellent knowledge of him And to this purpose Consider we 1. The Emphatical significancy of his words in themselves 2. His doubling and multiplying of them 3. How he riseth in his expressions when you compare them one with another 1. The words are Emphatical and strongly significant as you will see if you will run over them as they lie in the Text. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold a troop comes Here 's such a cluster of words as we cannot grasp or the best Grecian well tell how to express in English as Tully said the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 could not be expressed in Latin No fewer than five Greek Particles crowded together the more fully to express not so much the strength of the asseveration as of his affection 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I account upon his serious and diligent casting up the account He sets this down at the foot of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non dubito Duco Judico An Act of his deliberate judgment which he Certò duco Zanch. made no doubt of but was clearly led on to and was fully setled in 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things That 's a great word and contains many particulars as we shall see hereafter But doth he not over-lash as he called his Book Jesuitica liberalitas in their full mouthed Vniversalis Jacobus Laurentius Omnis Nullus Semper Nunquam c. or is he not a careless inconsiderate Prodigal that will thus venture and lose all at one cast before he had viewed and weighed and considered what a great and massy sum this All came to No he had weighed Christ in the one balance and All things else in the other and they in comparison proved lighter than vanity it self and therefore he calls them 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loss in the very abstract in which is no gain and so Grotus H. Stephan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
they are in the sense before explained to be accounted loss that we may gain Christ I. All Worldly Excellencies and advantages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 6. 3 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 2. 16. such as the Apostle there calls the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life i. e. Pleasure Profit Honour and the repute of great place learning wisdom ease liberty health life it self Of all which all that I have now to do is to shew 1. That Paul and all the faithful of his spirit ever de facto did and do esteem them all loss and dung in comparison of Christ 2. That de jure there was and is very great reason so to do 3. For application that it is our duty to be answerably affected 1. That Paul was so the Text speaks aloud in the fore-mentioned particulars Nor was it only for a good mood here once but his deliberate judgment and constant frame of spirit at other times in all his writings For Christs sake his profit was lost whilst he served him in much Poverty Hunger and thirst cold and 2. Cor. 11. 27. nakedness that he was fain to send from Rome as far as to Ephesus 2 Tim. 4. 13. for a Cloak to cover it His pleasure exchanged for weariness and painfulness stripes and imprisonments so that he had had a very unpleasant life of it but that for Christs sake he took pleasure in infirmities And as for honour and repute he had learnt in the cause of Christ to digest evil report as well as good to be accounted amongst the filth and off-scouring of the World one who for his sect was a learned Pharisee and for his personal abilities eminent above his fellows whilst he desired to know nothing but Christ Jesus and him Crucified he is content that the Corinthians shall account him a fool and that Felix shall call him a mad man such a dunghil was the world to him whilst Christ was the only Pearl And although he was herein eminent yet not so singular as to be alone in this estimate for Christ was The desire of all Nations The Apostle speaks indefinitely but meaneth universally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2. 7. To you to all you that believe he is precious or as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports the price it self by and in reference to which every true believer prizeth all things and it above all Hence even in the time of the law and before when the Beauty and worth of Christ was seen at a further distance and through darker shadows nothing in the whole City could 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prove a Cordial to the Spouse sick of love as long as she met not Hebr. 11. 13. Cant. 3. 5. with her beloved Nay Asaph had none either in Earth or Heaven but him Psal 73. 25. so that it seems all besides him was nothing Israel thrice a year left all to come to the Temple a type of Christ and yet never lost by it It was by the faith of a Messiah Heb. 11. that Abraham left all Isaac and Jacob and the other Patriarks proved Pilgrims that Moses so undervalued the Court Honour and the Treasure of Egypt But especially in the times of the Gospel when the unsearchable riches of Christ were more revealed in the very dawning of the morning this Phosphorus shined so bright that the Magi came from a far Country took a tedious and dangerous journey and ran the hazard of proclaiming him King under the Tyrants Nose But when this Sun of Righteousness was got more up how willingly doth the wise Merchant sell all to buy this Pearl Matth. 13. 46. their garments are made his Foot-cloth their hair his Towel the pretious Box of Spikenard broken and none but a Judas accounted it too costly to anoint even the feet of the anointed Messiah What an honour did they account it to suffer shame for Christ Act. 5. 41. How ambitious of disgrace How greedy of gain by losing all for him They loved not their lives unto death Rev. 12. 11. is but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that loves his life accounts nothing more precious than life and therefore on the contrary he that is said not to love it is prodigal of it and so Beza there rendreth it And this not only with those Apostles and first Disciples and other Primitive Martyrs and Confessors Not only with a Galeacius or Pizzardus or other such more noble Heroes who When bribed with all the World could promise to be drawn from Christ could readily return answer and say Thy money perish with thee valeat vita pereat pecunia veniat Christus And when threatned and pursued with whatever the malice of man or Devil could invent to drive them from Christ yet a Polycarpus could not speak an ill word of his Master whom he had served so long and never had hurt from When called upon but to think what they did an holy Cyprian will not take time to deliberate and in the midst of the flames to a holy Lambert None but Christ None but Christ Blest Souls we envy them not their Aureola who on those higher stilts could thus easily stride over the highest Mountains in this World to get to their Saviour in that other It s our Crown of Rejoycing if haud passibus aequis we can but follow them in this way And truly the poorest weakest Infant-Believer who can but creep yet can go thus far as to be able from the heart to say Christ is All and All in Comparison of Him is Nothing 1. It s the first word that the infant can speak and this it can and doth speak at its first renewed Birth and Conversion This self-denial the first Lesson then taught in the School of Christ The voice of the Crier in the Wilderness that first proclaimed Christ blasted as so much withering grass all the glory of the Creature Isa 40. 6. That eye and heart that as the Prophet speaks before Jer. 22. 17. was not but for Covetousness c. is now so unmoveably fixt on Christ that then at least it overlooks all else and eyeth him only ipsum ipsum cupido tantum spectare vacavit As Statius of himself when invited to Domitians Feast It was Lib. 4. not his rich furniture or costly provisions but himself only that his eye pored on That was the Poets flattery to a Domitian but this is a true Converts real respect to Christ However it is with any of us now and I know not why after our more acquaintance with Christ we should less love him I am sure if any of us ever savingly knew him there was once a time and that was in the day of our espousals and Conversion before we came fully to enjoy him that we then above all did most highly value him One drop of his blood one smile of his Countenance was then worth a
City Is a Christ so little heeded and thought upon so much sleighted and neglected our joy and crown our all and more than all Is outward ease liberty and advantage Dung that is so overprized and do we count all things loss for that Christ for whom we will lose nothing O sin O shame should we not blush at such disingenuity and unworthiness And let it shame us into more high and honourable valuations Use 2 of Christ and this really manifested when he and any thing else though otherwise of never so much worth and esteem shall come in competition whilst we ever account it a Barabbas a Robber and a Murderer that murders us and robs us of him by being made choice of and preferred before him But God the Father Act. 5. 31. Phil. 2. 9. Col. 1. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath written us a fairer Copy who hath highly exalted him and given him a name abovâ—â—ll names that in all things he might have the preheminence And therefore let him have it in our hearts It 's but reason that he should be advanced infinitely above all that is on earth who himself is ascended far above all heavens We know Eph. 4. 8. not what trials in this kind in these dangerous times we may possibly be put upon The Question may be which shall be preferred in our choice whether Christ or life It certainly will be whether Christ or a lust Happy therefore it will be if in a way and practice of holy Asceticks we now hit right in the one that if God shall please to call us to it we may not miss or fail in the other But in both remember that as it is Gods first Commandment in the Law that we should have no other Gods in Competition with him so it is the first Lesson in the Gospel that we should deny our selves yea and comparatively hate father and mother and Luke 9. 23. Luke 14. 26. 33. whatever is of dearest and highest esteem yea and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bid adieu and utterly to forsake all for him that whatever straits and losses we may meet with yet if we can but escape as Aeneas with his father in his arms so we with our Saviour in our bosoms and Consciences our bulk will not be broke our portion which we most prize as that which we may live on will remain whole and so long we shall not be utterly undone Indeed we shall if with other losses yea with other greatest gains Christ should be lost Dona Dei sine Deo will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If we break with Christ for any thing it will break us It will at best prove but a dead Contentment if not a deadly torment But shall he please to enable us so to undervalue as to lose all for him if he do not restore it again in kind we may be sure in a better kind to find all in him and this the sweeter because more immediately from the Fountain-head and never so sweet as then because we thereby plainly shew that we in all those losses and sufferings would own and make him our God and Saviour and therefore his goodness and faithfulness are engaged for him as plainly to shew if not to all yet at least to our selves that he is so O therefore that our Eyes were enlightned to see his beauty and our hearts raised up to a more answerable valuation of his unvaluable worth A more constant exercise of repentance would much conduce to it whilst it sees sins ugliness it would help the Soul more to admire Christs beauty and by feeling of its deadly bitterness would make it more sensible of his incomparable sweetness But more lively and vigorous actings of faith in this kind are most useful for it hath an eye seriously and busily viewing the vanity of the World and the excellency of Christ and so easily discerns the difference It 's it that tasts and seeth and as Jonathan did by tasting seeth that God is good It was an hand of faith that lifted up our Apostles Divine Soul here in the Text far above all earthly enjoyments as high as Christ in Heaven and there so fastens He believed and therefore he thus speaks Yea doubtless and I account all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. II. All Birth-right-Priviledges THE second sort of things which he doth particularly name St. Maries Novemb. 28. 1658. and insist upon and yet in compare with Christ most gladly suffereth the loss of are all his Birth-right-Privileges which verse 5. he thus expresseth Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews And as we have it added 2 Cor. 11. 22. Of the seed of Abraham Which let us a little consider in particular 1. In that he saith he was Circumcised he telleth us he was not born of the uncircumcised Gentiles 2. And because Circumcised the eighth day that he was not a Proselyte for they were not circumcised the eighth day as the Jews were but when at any time they took upon them the Jewish Religion 3. He further addeth that he was of the stock of Israel which was a further priviledge and preferred him before the Ishmaelites and Edomites who being of Abrahams and Isaacs Posterity were Circumcised as also the Sons of the Proselytes which were circumcised the eighth day yet were not born Israelites And which added much to the nobleness of his birth in which they much gloried as being so born in the right and holy line and of the Church of which all Jacobs Children were and therein his blessing exceeded the blessings of his Progenitors Gen. 49. 26. 4. He addeth of the tribe of Benjamin in which he coucheth many Privileges and Prerogatives as the certainty of his being a true Israelite when according to their manner he could design the particular Tribe he was of as also the nobleness of his Parentage in that being a Benjamite he was not born a Son of the Hand-maids as some of Jacobs Children were but of Rachel not only the lawful but also the beloved Wife and of Benjamin who as he was the beloved of his Father Gen. 44. 20. so his Posterity was the beloved of God Deut. 33. 12. Of this Tribe also was The Jasper Benjamins stone is the first foundation Revel 21. 19. Saul the first King of Israel which that Tribe much gloried of and therefore used much to name their Children by his name as our Apostles Parents did him Add to all this as the honour of this Tribe that in the Schism and Apostasie of the ten Tribes from the House and Kingdom of David and from the Temple and Gods true worship this Tribe was faithful and kept close to both Yea both Jerusalem and the Temple and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fell within this Tribes lot as Chrysostom observes which made it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he
many Generations When primo avulso non deficit alter Aenead 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lam. 4. 5. Aureus simili frondescit virga metallo But the true Nobility of Parents is not thine unless thou imitate it And that often doth not hold that fortes creantur fortibus Children are not always like their Parents especially in their worth and vertues but prove wofully degenerate and then for them that were brought up in scarlet in this kind to embrace Dunghills for Children of Parents of greatest worth and honour to betake themselves to base manners and practises is greatest baseness which very much dishonours their Parents and themselves more which were Scripture silent the light of Nature in Heathens crieth shame of Quà m te Thersitae similem for Achilles his Son to be like Thersites Juven Satyr 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eurip. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eurip. how unsightly did they account it And the Greek Tragedian will call him that is unjust base though he had one better than Jupiter for his Grandfather And when a degenerous Son of a valiant Captain asked of Antigonus his Fathers pay he returned him this answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he rewarded not Parents but personal worth Thou who challengest thy noble Parents esteem imitate their virtues and no body will grudge or envy it Otherwise the Poet * Juvenal Satyr 8. tritoque trahunt epirhedia collo c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will tell thee that the Horse though of a generous breed if he prove a Jade instead of richer trappings must expect the Cart-gear or Pack-saddle If thou beest sick and poor art thou the healthier or wealthier because thy Parents were rich and healthy and not rather even therefore the more miserable And therefore whilst thou art vicious canst thou think because thy Ancestors were virtuous that thou art therefore the better man or not rather the more unworthily degenerous Let Socrates in this instruct thee that we judge not of the goodness of Corn from the field in which it groweth but from its own intrinsick goodness nor must thou judge of thy true worth by thy extraction but thine own personal worth which only can truly innoble thee But this particular of Ancestors Nobility is much akin to the former of their Antiquity and both of them come in the rank of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or outward worldly excellencies and advantages which in the former head we had largely spoken to And therefore I pass on to the third Birth-right-Privilege here 3. Godliness of â—â—â—â—nts specified and that is being born of Godly Parents For this also is contained in all the former expressions Circumcised the eighth day and therefore not a Proselyte born of a Stranger Of the stock of Israel who prevailed with God was of the holy line and all his Children of the Church and Children of promise Of the Tribe of Benjamin beloved of God and of his Father and whose posterity kept close to God and his worship when the ten Tribes fell off to Idolatry An Hebrew of the Hebrews If meant of the Seed of Heber he also kept close to God and joined not with others in the attempt to skale Heaven by Babels height or if Abraham he was the head of the Covenant and the father of the faithful and so his feed the seed of promise And yet even all this also he accounts loss and dung in comparison with Christ And so should we do though we could vie it with Paul in regard of a long series of most godly Progenitors Not but that this in it self especially if duly improved is a great blessing and highly to be valued above being born Sons of Kings and Emperours For unfeigned faith to dwell in a Grandmother Lois and to descend to the mother Eunice and so by descent to come to Child and Grandchild Timothy 2 Tim. 1. 5. how happy and honourable Great are the Blessings if not hindred in the descent which come down from godly Parents by means of their Institution Prayers and Covenant to their succeeding posterity 1. Oft-times outward blessings and prosperity Ishmael and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See M. Ben. Israel Concil q. 43. in Gen. Efau came by their greatness the fatness of the earth and dew of Heaven by this Title Gen. 17. 20. 27. 39. as we after find it again and again signally expressed that both Abijam 1 King 15. 4. and Jehoram 2 Chron. 21. 7. had peace and establishment for their Fore-father David's sake and Covenant as the Moabites and Ammonites scaped the better for Lots sake Deut. 2. 9 37. and Solomon for Davids sake 1 Kings 11. 12 13 32 34. Godly Parents do not usually leave their Children Beggars if they prove not Prodigals Psal 37. 25. I have been young c. 2. Right to God's Ordinances When the Covenant was once made with Abraham Ishmael his Son though by the Bondwoman had the seal of it stampt upon him in Circumcision Gen. 17. 4 23. and Peter inferreth the like for Baptism from this promise made to them and their Children Act. 2. 38 39. and not only to them Jews but to us Gentiles that were afar off but now are Ephes 2. 13. made near by the bloud of Christ and the seed of Abraham Gal. 3. 29. and in their stead grafted into the same Olive to partake of the like privileges Rom. 11. 17. and as they were federally holy by reason of their Root v. 16. so in the like kind the same Apostle saith our Children are holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. and as to this to have no more privilege than the Children of Pagans is the Anabaptists liberality But most unworthy is he of this choice blessing that doth not highly value it and accordingly improve it For 3. By this right to the Ordinances and means of grace we come to have a fair advantage and are set in a nearer proximity Christ said to the young man probably born of Religious Parents and vertuously educated that he was not far from the Kingdom of God Mark 12. 34. Such as the impotent people of old are set in Christs walk and are thereby in a fair way to gain healing by it non indigni qui vocentur ad fidem as Ambrose a little too boldly in Rom. 11. 16. expresseth it And if to be near to a Curse be so sad Hebr. 6. 8. then such a nearer probability of grace should be esteemed and improved as a great blessing by all wise men who even in point of Worldly advantage usually do highly value their very possibilities 4. Children of godly Parents if through Grace themselves also prove Godly in the improvement of this Birth-right Privilege oft-times prove eminent as in other gifts so in saving grace Deum ampliora dona conferre non dubitandum est saith P. Martyr in Rom. 11. 16. Jacob upon this advantage saith his blessings exceeded the blessings of
Egregia est soboles scelerato nata parente before them were so bad so beautiful when Children of such black Moors Thou sure hadst a watchful Eye and a blessed helping-hand of an Heavenly Father when thy natural Parents dealt with thee as the Ostrich with her young ones against which she is hardned as Job 39. 14 15 16. though they were not hers leaving her Eggs in the Earth and forgetting that the foot may crush them and the wild beast break them did nothing to help thee but it may be much to hinder thee If thou thrivest Heaven sent thee a good Nurse and Benefactor when Father or Mother did not bear thee up in their arms but it may be did what they could to cast thee down to Hell But secondly matter of further comfort and praise that it 's not only so well with themselves but that also by their means it may be better for others even all their insuing posterity that God should of all their Lineage first own them and then wrap up their posterity in their Covenant and so an Isaac be hewed out of Abraham as an hard rock Isa 51. 1 2. and a David spring up out of Jesse's dry root Isa 11. 1 10. especially if a Christ arise from both that they who of themselves were so unworthy should be so accepted as to convey their Covenant-blessing to their Issue and Christ be formed in their and their Childrens hearts without whom as we have now at large shewn all birth-right-privileges signifie and effect little as to salvation And thus much of this second sort of things which the Apostle compares Christ with and prefers him before them viz. All Birth-right-Advantages THE Third sort is All outward Church Privileges and enjoyment St. Maries Septemb 25. 1659. of Ordinances This the Apostle couched in that he said he was Of the stock of Israel who was a wrestler and prevailer with God in prayer And this was the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or advantage that to them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 1 2. And Of the Tribe of Benjamin in which the Temple and Ark stood where God's worship was solemnized and in that he was An Hebrew of the Hebrews or of the seed of Abraham who was a Prophet Gen. 20. 7. and taught his family Gen. 18. 19. and so they wanted not that Ordinance This may be possibly couched in these expressions But however it is plainly expressed in that of his being Circumcised the eighth day Now Circumcision was an Ordinance Locus à Religione cujus circumcisio tessera distinguens Hyperius in locum their initiating Ordinance from which therefore the rest of their pedagogy is and they themselves are denominated when they are called the Circumcision by which they were distinguished from others and which they very much gloried in An uncircumcised Philistine a term of reproach but Circumcision a title of honour So that it was a choice and chief and prime Ordinance and therefore here set in the head of all his excellencies as being the prime and being to him administred on the eighth day so it was administred in the most regular and purest way and so it holds out and signifieth chiefest and choicest Ordinances and them most regularly and purely administred and enjoyed And yet even this in point of justification and acceptance with God to Salvation to Paul was but loss and dung and so in the like case should be to us also Chiefest choicest Ordinances and most purely and regularly administred Doct. and enjoyed however in themselves of eminent holiness and worth and in their due improvement and use to us of unspeakable advantage yet for our acceptance with God they are not to be relied on or rested in but Christ and his Righteousness only Paul counts them loss and dung for any Confidence in them and so willingly suffers their loss that he may gain Christ A truth may some perhaps think in it self wholsome but scarce Obj. seasonable now to be urged when Ordinances are by so many so much vilified when the Socinian so much blancheth both the Ministery and Sacraments and so many Enthusiasts think themselves above Ordinances Are they now at least to be lower'd by us when so unworthily trampled upon by others Is not this on the one hand to help the ungodly which was reproved in Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 19. 2. and on the other to add affliction to the afflicted which God expresseth himself so highly displeased with Psal 69. 26 27. I answer God forbid that I should undervalue them at any time Sol. especially when others so much sleight them But I take it to be no disparagement to the best persons or things to be placed in their own rank or for best Ordinances to be set under Christ And for the time although some now pull them down too low yet others wind them up too high as the Socinian doctrinally takes too much from them so the Papist whom at present we are as much in danger of in his opus operatum gives too much to them Nor doth the Enthusiast more vilifie them than the ignorant carnal both Protestant and Papist rest in them and the outward enjoyment of them All I shall here add is that this Truth by Providence lieth in my way and therefore I may not well balk it especially seeing the Text gives me occasion to treat as well of their positive worth in themselves and to us as of their undervalue in comparison with Christ for it being the Apostles intention to advance the worth and esteem of Christ by preferring him before other things it was congruous to that design to compare him with and prefer him before such as were of some nay of greatest worth For else for him to have said that Christ was better than some of the meanest things had been a very mean and low commendation indeed a disparagement rather than a commendation for that which is but a little bigger than the least is almost next to nothing They are therefore great things and greatly esteemed which Christ is here preferred to and amongst the rest before the best Ordinances and therefore according to the true sense and series of the Apostles arguing here if we would make it to be rational and honourable for Christ I have two things incumbent on me 1. To shew the true worth of Ordinances and what answerable esteem we should have of them 2. How much Christ exceeds them in true value and should so much in our valuation as that however otherwise we ought to value them yet so as to account them loss and dung in point of justification in compare with him 1. The first because they are here made but as a foil the better to set off the transcending beauty of Christ I shall the less insist on However Ordinances are here supposed to be in themselves of great worth and therefore by us to be highly valued and that deservedly 1. Because they
which thou shouldst especially desire and expect from them It 's no good thou gainest by them But on the contrary 3. Much hurt and dammage for if not for the better it will certainly be for the worse 1 Cor. 11. 17. and that every way both in point 1. Of sin 2. Of misery 1. Of Sin and hence it is that we often find worst men under best Ordinances Sowrest grapes brought forth where most cost hath been spent Isa 5. 2 7. strong Physick if it do not Cure strengthning and enraging the Disease and so 1. For more spiritual or rather devilish sins seldom shall you meet with more keen anger and rage or more invenomed malice and hatred against God and Godliness than in such men who having enjoyed means of Salvation not being by all Christs intreaties prevailed with to be reconciled friends prove most inveterate Enemies So we find the men of Penuel Judg. 8. 8. yea the young Children in Bethel 2 King 2. 23. to have been virulent scoffers and from the Scribes and Pharisees downward greatest pretenders to Gods worship most malicious persecutors 2. Nor are sensual lusts though 2 Sam. 12. 4. expressed under the notion of a traveller wont to be strangers to those whom we now speak of Paul writes of such fornication to have been among the Corinthians with whom he had stayed and preached longer than in most other places as was not so much as named 1 Cor. 5. 1. among the Gentiles And Peter and Jude speak of false Prophets 2 Pet. 2. 10 12 13 14 18 19 20. Jude 4 8 10 16 18 19. and Professors in the Church as in this kind abominably guilty whom we should never have so well understood if our Libertines and Ranters in the former and present age had not imitated and out-acted in their loathsome practises to the most impious defiling of the Church and scandal of the Gospel God in his just judgment revenging their rejecting of Christ and his Holy Spirit by suffering them as the Gentiles of old to give themselves over to lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness yea with Ephes 4 19. the blasphemous pretences of Gospel-liberty and holiness I do not now insist on all that either open or secret uncleanness either of profane sinners or close Hypocrites amongst us which God and their own Consciences and it may be other men are privy to This that I have said is sufficient to have shewed that dead Trees grow the more corrupt and rotten by being often rained upon 3. I only add a third sin which they who gain not Christ by the enjoyment of his Ordinances take occasion to lull themselves asleep in and that is carnal security and presumption and obdurateness that they are not only Sermon and Ordinance-proof can rebel against the light Job 24. 13. but think they have by them gotten a protection and plea which will hold at the last Judgment-Bar to secure them against the accusations of all their other abominations that Christ hath preached in their streets as you heard out of Luke 13. 26. and those other fore-mentioned instances and so it cometh to pass that these blessed helps prove their greatest hindrances and diversions in the way to life whilst taking up with outward attendance on Ordinances as the way they sit down and rest in it and so never come to their intended journeys end or rather most dangerously mistaking the way to Hell for that to Heaven before they be aware come to a sadder end of it than they ever thought of and so as I said they find best helps to prove greatest hindrances of their peace and salvation And heaviest aggravations both of their sin and condemnation Of their sin when at an higher rate because against greater light And of their Condemnation which will be exceeding heavy when Gospel-Grace neglected pronounceth the sentence and the wrath of the meek Lamb proves heavier than rocks and mountains Revel 6. 16. But this leads me to 2. The second thing propounded that by Ordinances without Christ gained by them we come to be worse as in point of sin so of judgment and this temporal spiritual and eternal I confess the Case is very sad when our Physick proves poyson It was one of the saddest Curses that David could imprecate against his worst Enemies that their table should become a snare and what should have been for their welfare a trap Psal 69. 22. and yet that 's sadder which the Prophet expresseth that the acceptable year of the Lord should become the day of vengeance of our God Isa 61. 2. and yet another Prophet fore-tells it will so be that very day in which the Sun of Righteousness would shine upon some should burn like an Oven to others Mal. 4. 1 2. and a third assureth us that the Lord God is a witness against Sinners even out of his holy Temple Micah 1. 2. not only from Mount Sinai Calvin in loc but even Sion too God thunders in judgment against such that make not sure of Christ for their shelter And that Earth is nearest to a Curse and its end is most sure to be burnt that drinketh in the rain from heaven and yet brings forth nothing but briars and thorns Heb. 6. 7. which make fewel for the fire even the savour of life proves to such the savour of death 2 Cor. 2. 16. A surfeit of Bread some say is most dangerous but how deadly will it be if a surfeit of this Bread of life The Cure is desperate when as Austin speaks ipsa medicamenta convertuntur in vulnera if my Medicine wound De Temp Serm. 55. me and the word of life kill me And yet so it doth if Christ be not gain'd but rejected Ordinances though enjoyed will be so far from proving means of Salvation that they or rather our abuse of them will be the inlet and means of 1. Heaviest temporal judgments both to persons and nations Scripture for this is pregnant and instances too frequent In the giving and instituting of Ordinances Passover Law Gospel Lords Supper Promises are join'd with Threats The burden of the valley of Vision Isa 22. 1. The Controversie of Zion Isa 34. 8. the quarrel of God's Covenant Levit. 26. 25. and the vengeance of his Temple Jer. 50. 28. are very reverend and terrible and speak loud to this purpose Holy Ordinances are sharp-edged tools and we had need of great care how we handle them as being in great danger to wound our selves with them if we do it not dextrously Such showrs that should quench the fire prove Oil to kindle it This in part made the Elders of Bethlehem tremble at the Prophet Samuels coming to them and the Widow of Sarepta in a passion to 1 Sam. 16. 4. 1 King 17. 18. say to the Prophet Elijah what have I to do with thee O thou man of God Art thou come unto me to call my sins to remembrance and slay my Son This the men
Believer that feeleth the benefit of it rejoiceth in it with humble thankfulness There is greatest reality in Gods giving and in faiths receiving Christ hath really satisfied for us and this is really conveyed and applied to us In this first step of justification we are brought to be possessed of Christ and then sure we are made to inherit substance And if such reality in Justification then it 's much more evident even to reason and sense in sanctification and what followes it till we come at last to Glory As for instance 1. They work very real changes in the hearts and lives of men so that it cometh to the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12. â— to a transformation and renewal or new molding and that not only of the outside looks and gestures and carriages in an outward form of goodness but even of the mind yea of the very spirit of the mind Ephes 4. 23. of the very inmost and chiefest of the inward man so that although the convert be no such changling as not to be the same man in his natural individuality and so the change in that sense is not substantial yet in a true moral and spiritual sense it is eminently real Though it be the same string yet it is quite otherwise new tuned â—ll old things being past away and all things become new in this new creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. When the spirit of the Lord which was only a spirit of Government came upon Saul it is said he was turned into another man 1 Sam. 10. 6. But when another kind of spirit a spirit of real sanctification came upon another Saul or Paul he was much farther from being the former man he was and therefore saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 2. 20. which Beza and Grotius paraphrase Is qui fueram non sum I live but not the same man I was or if you say that be not the sense of the Apostle in that place and indeed I doubt it yet I am sure it 's that which many happy converts find in their hearts and lives so that they may say with that convert in Ambrose Ego non sum ego I am not my self no◠〈◊〉 former sinful self I am not more the same man that I was than the new man is the old man Ephes 4. 22 24. or light is darkness Act. 26. 18. when the Lion is become a Lamb Isa 11. 6. and Ephraim who was bid let alone as inseparably joined to Idols Hos 4. 17. saith what have I to do with Idols Hos 14. 8. when Paul of a persecutor is become a Preacher and Luther a zealous Protestant of a monachus insanissimus as he calleth himself of a mad monk ready as he confesseth to kill Praefat. in Tom. 1. suorum operum any that in unâ syllabâ should detract from the Popes obedience when the proud are made humble the froward meek the cruel merciful yea and such as by their natural tempers and accustomed practice were sometimes most unclean sensual and profane afterwards become eminently holy and spiritual and heavenly Such great changes Lactantius undertakes by the word of Christ to make and such Christ and His Grace hath made in all ages indeed so great that none else could make them and so visibly appearing not only to themselves and friends but to the eyes and consciences of their worst enemies that they could not be only notions and phansies juggles or outside hypocritical shews and visards but greatest realities and so clearest evidences that Jesus Christ is the Amen the faithful and true witness and Revel 3. 14. these are the real and actual putting of his servants into possession of part of that inheritance which he here in the Text bequeathes them where he promiseth them that he will cause them to inherit substance 2. A Second great work which Christ and his Grace work and thereby sully manifest their true and eminent reality is the quieting of Believers hearts and this triple 1. In satisfying their desires 2. In comforting them in their griefs and anguishes in this life 3. In most fully and eminently perfecting all in glory 1. In satisfying the desires of our Souls and they as we are men This is all my desire 2 Sam. 23. 5. are very large but as Believers and so far more enlarged by the Divine spirits breathings are in a manner infinite Now painted viands will not satisfie a real appetite nor will a man that is hungry indeed though he dream of eating when he is asleep be Isa 29. 8. satisfied with it when he is awake Indeed corporal food may satisfy bodily hunger a beast may have a belly full but that must be solid not frothy trash else you will soon again be hungry as some of late have told us of the Gage luscious fruits in America or they are very much distempered bodies and appetites which such stuff can saâ—â—â— Phansie may be satisfied with phantasms as children may be quieted with toyes and rattles but the intellectual appetite is more both curious and serious and in some things is not quieted without solid demonstrations and yet in some other things takes up in very thin and empty notions especially such is our self love if they be our own as Casaubon some where professeth that he In Athenaeis was fully apaid for all his labours in his studies with the content he took by one poor Criticism and Hadrian the Cardinal when he meets with an Aliud or Aliter or such like particle well De modo lat loq p. 19. set he thinks he hath found a Jewel But those more divine hungrings and thirstings which the spirit of God really raiseth in the hearts of his people are not satisfied with such husks and puff-pasts which do rather feed esuriem animae than esurientem animam Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not saith the Prophet Isa 55. 2. It must be bread the staff of man's life which upholdeth the bodily life and it must be the true bread of life which came down from heaven John 6. 32 33. which only can satisfie the truly hungring soul and feed it to everlasting life And that Christ and his grace both is and doth His flesh is meat indeed and his bloud drink indeed John 6. 55. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 panis supersubstantialis as some translate and expound that in Matth. 6. 11. Christ is substantial supersubstantial bread that really and more than substantially feeds and satisfieth the hungry soul his grace his peace and the light of his countenance do abundantly fill and feast its longing desires and appetite As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness saith David Psal 17. 15. I have all and abound I am full saith Paul Phil. 4. 18. when he had tasted of Christ's sweetness
Hebrews In his Censer we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's full of much sweet incense of his Intercession to be offered up with the Prayers of all Saints to make them accepted as they go up out of his hand Revel 8. 3 4. And his Sacrifice most fully expiatory of all our sins Solomon's Sacrifice of two and twenty thousand Oxen and an hundred and 1 Chron. 7. 1. twenty thousand Sheep was but an imperfect type and Epitome of the infiniteness of our true Solomon's one all-sufficient oblation And the Priest's sprinkling of the blood seven times before the Lord See Ainsworth in losum Levit. 4. 6. but a dark shadow of that full ablution and perfect cleansing which our High Priest made by his own blood By which also he hath fully quenched the flaming Fire of his Fathers wrath To which purpose you find him with a Rainbow on his head Revel 10. 1. to assure and secure us from that overflowing deluge which it may be was shadowed out by Joshuaes building an Altar and offering Peace-offerings even upon Mount Ebal Josh 8. 30 31. upon which the Curse was wont to be denounced By our Joshua our Jesus even where a Curse might have been expected we meet with the Blessing of Peace The Psalmist calls it the great and wide Sea in which are creeping Psal 104. 25. things innumerable both small and great beasts And may not we say it 's a deep full Sea of Christ's Blood in which are drown'd such an innumerable Company of lesser and greater sins even Mountains as well as Mole-hills It 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plentiful Multiplied Redemption as it 's called Psal 130. 7 8. which redeems Israel even all the Israel of God from all their iniquities and that so fully that as some Pictures although they look upon all in the room yet seem to every particular man as though they eyed him only even so although the extent of Christ's Merit See Aqui◠parte 3. q. 5. 6. 4. 3. ad tertium reacheth to all Believers in common yet so fully to every Believer in particular as though it had been designed to him only How full is this well-head which doth so fully serve both common Conduit and every private Cistern 3. As King The Apostle tells us he is now ascended up for above all heavens that he might fill all things Ephes 4. 10. full of power and glory fully able to overcome all our spiritual and bodily enemies and to supply us with Grace and Peace with all inward and outward mercies In a word and in the words of the Text every way able to fill our Treasures For being both as to his Person and Offices so fully furnished with all sufficiencies as Solomon saith of the Clouds if they be full of rain they empty themselves on the earth Eccles 11. 3. So Christ being thus every way full in himself he is of God made unto us a full fountain of wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. all on purpose laid up in him that he might supply us and that out of his fulness we all might John 1. 16. receive grace for grace And so we read of him Revel 8. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All was given to him that he might give to all his And therefore it is that what the Psalmist calleth his receiving of gifts Psal 68. 18. the Apostle Eph. 4. 8. translates his giving of gifts to men because as Mediator he received that he might give he was filled that he might fill As in an inexhaust treasury all was laid up in him that as a good housholder he might upon all occasions bring forth out of his treasure things new and old Matth. 13. 52. and fill ours SERMON XVI ON PROV 8. 21. AND he is as good as his word He bids us open our mouths At St. Maries Novemb. 23. 1656. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wide and assureth us he will fill them Psal 81. 10. And never did any hungry soul go from him empty I have satiated the weary soul and I have replenished every sorrowful soul Jer. 31. 25. That double expression of a weary and a sorrowful soul signifieth a very great want and emptiness but those other to words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abundè irrigavi potavi explevi I have abundantly refreshed nay completely filled express a most full supply And when this is to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only to one or two or some few but to every such empty soul it speaks an over-flowing fulness 1. First in that it can fill so many Every sorrowful soul there and their treasures in the plural number here in the Text. There can never be so many of them that Christ should not be able to fill them all who filleth all in all Ephes 1. 23. And therefore as Elisha bad the widow go and borrow vessels of all her neighbours even empty vessels and not a few and there was more oyl than vessels to receive it 2 Kings 4. 3 6. so bring we to Jesus our Elisha our own vessels yea go abroad and bring our children friends and neighbours be they never so many and never so empty yet as long as there is a vessel to receive there will be oyl to fill it What Aristotle said of vertue is most eminently true of Christ Rhetor. l. 1. c. 9. parte 6. Gulson he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He doth good to many as it is the greatness and magnificent munificence of great men to have many to depend upon them and receive from them so of Jesus Christ the great God to have infinite numbers to be sed and filled by him who giveth liberally and that to all James 1. 5. and is ascended so high above all heavens that herein he infinitely transcends the greatest sufficiency and bounty of the highest here on earth in that he is able to fill all things Ephes 4. 10. and yet himself not emptied Xerxes army may be so numerous that it might drink up great rivers and as Senacherib boasted dry them up with the soles of their feet Isa 37. 25. But Jacobs well then is very full and deep of which he himself drank and all his children and cattle John 4. 12. But how inexhaust is this fountain of Israel of which Psal 68. 26. all the Israel of God have all drunk and that abundantly and that in all ages from the first Adam and so shall to the last Saint on earth Truly that last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and general assembly of the first-born when they shall appear before Christ at the last day and be with him in heaven for ever will be a goodly company so great Revel 7. 9. a multitude as none can number It will be a Royal sound which that whole Chorus shall then make when they shall sing and aloud proclaim this truth that one Christ hath abundantly filled them all Them all when there were
should here labour for an enlarged heart and when others enlarge theirs as Hell Hab. 2. 5. we should ours as the expansum of Heaven Christ and Heaven-ward The more we move towards the Earth the more we are straitned He that here promiseth to fill our Treasures would not have us spare his cost but bids us open our mouth wide Psal 81. 10. even widen and enlarge our hearts to their utmost extent and capacity that we may not only taste of his Goodness but take in as much of it as we can As the Prophet bad the Widow borrow Vessels and not a few 2 King 4. 4. and the water-pots were to be filled up to the brim when Christ was to work the miracle John 2. 7. Let the everlasting doors of our Souls be set wide open when it is this King of Glory who is to come in He that hath received most of Christ Psal 24. hath not enough and he who here thinks he hath received enough hath as yet received nothing Our largest draughts are but tasts and those tasts should but quicken the appetite Indeed our Saviour saith that he that drinks of the water that he will give him shall never thirst John 4. 14. But that is Not after other things but yet the more after more of himself not with a feverish hellish thirst as the rich man in those flames and as some Souls here in an hellish anguish but yet with an heavenly enlargement of desire after that which he finds so sweet and hath not yet enough of After fullest in-flows here our emptiness is not perfectly filled nor his fulness exhausted but after fullest communications the thirsty Soul saith Lord one drop one draught more and Christ as the Widow 2 King 4. 6. saith Bring me yet a Vessel and prove me if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour you out such a blessing that there shall not be room to receive it Mal. 3. 10. Let not the thirsty Earth cease gaping the thirsty Soul craving yet more and yet more till it be filled with all the fulness of God till that as it is in the Text he hath filled our Treasures Ephes 3. 19. 3. How fully should we rest satisfied with Christ alone Will he fill us And would we have any more Doth he fill our Treasures and that with himself and can we desire any thing better or more precious O Naphtali satisfied with favour and full with the Blessing of the Lord said Moses in his blessing of that Tribe Deut. 33. 23. and O blessed Soul say I though thou beest a Naphtali a Wrestler and in never so great conflict as that name signifieth how full may thy joy be How full of comfort if full John 16. 24. 1 John 1. 4. of Christ Though never so empty of other comforts nay though never so full of outward miseries though as it was with the Psalmist thy body be filled with loathsome Diseases Psal 38. 7. and thy soul exceedingly filled with the scorn and contempt of the proud Psal 123. 4. yet if thou beest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the old word was Plenus Deo Full of God and his Spirit if Christ do but fill thy treasures how shouldst thou rejoice in the Lord and joy in the Hab. 3. 17 18. God of thy salvation though there be no herd in the stall nor meal left in the empty barrel no nor oyl in the cruse yet what a feast of fat things full of marrow art thou entertain'd with Isa 25. 6. whilst thou feedest on Christ How doth thy Cup with David's run over when he fills it When God had said I have replenished every sorrowful soul Jer. 31. 25. the Prophet in v. 26. immediately adds Vpon this I awaked and behold my sleep was sweet to me If God please but to undertake from himself in Christ to fill up whatever our dish cup purse or heart wants of full should it be in the darkest night of all wants and miseries and we know not how dark ours may yet prove yet truly our sleep in them might be sweet and our Souls brim-full of comfort And therefore it is our duty as well for our own comfort as for the more full manifestation of his Glory to make up all our wants out of him our emptiness with his fulness Whilest led by sense and not supported by faith this is a very hard Lesson as it was for Moses to believe that Israel's whole Camp should be victualled and filled with flesh for a whole month in a Wilderness and for Philip Numb 11. 21 22. to conceive how so many thousands should be fed in a desert place with five barly loaves and two small fishes In such straits wants John 6. 5 7 8. desertions we cannot believe that Christ will that he can relieve and supply us But O fools and slow of heart to believe where is our faith Is it Christ the Wisdom and Power of God the Amen the faithful and true witness who here promises that he will fill our Treasures and can he not or will he not fulfil his word Though we wrong our selves let us not wrong Christ too If thou canst not believe that he can fill thee thou makest him an empty Saviour If not to fill thy treasure thou sayst he is but a poor Christ If not a friend in the want of a friend and habitation when thou art thrust out of Doors if not all in the want of all thou indeed makest him nothing and he will be nothing Gal. 5. 4. at least not what he truly is and what he here truly promiseth thee and that is to fill thy treasures 4. This might call upon us to follow God fully Numb 14. 24. and to stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God Col. 4. 12. Numb 32. 11. 1 King 11. 6. that our duty and his mercy may hold some proportion 5. But I end all with that which the Text affords And in it we find that all this of Christ's making us to inherit substance and to fill our treasures is promised only to them that love him The love of Christ As it is the condition of the thing promised or rather of the persons to whom it is promised so it is and should be the effect of it when enjoyed For if Christ do all this for us then to love him for it is a very easie demand I am sure but a very poor requital The things promised fall nothing short of perfect happiness Perfecta beatitudo Cartwr They were solid substantial reality an everlasting perpetuity and over-flowing fulness and plenty And what is Heaven more Did they all meet in any earthly commodity that it were a solid staple commodity and such as would last and were there enough of it we should not wish more it would not want high prizers and many buyers Christ we have heard is all this And therefore methinks it would be very hard if he may
earth and as much above a fouler sinner as heaven is above hell But how then cometh it to pass that the roof of hell should be so nigh as I may so speak to the floor of heaven that there should be so little difference between the Apogaeum and highest of moral Heathens or other natural men and the Epigaeum or lowest of a collapsed or go-by-ground Christian Doth not this puff up proud Nature and if not debase the Divine yet make our Philosophical Christians think low and meanly of it Make it in these mens esteem but a name a thin fine notion and them that are partakers of it some Eutopian fancies which Preachers talk of but the world seeth little of SERMON XIX ON 2 PET. 1. 4. AND therefore that we may either prevent or refute these Preacht at St. Maries Jan. 17. 165â— their misprisions and blasphemies and convince them that this we speak of is a very reality be we exhorted to 3. things 1. To aspire and indeavour really to attain to this high dignity Vse 4 of being indeed partakers of this divine nature 2. Then to walk answerably to it and worthy of it 3. Because both will be here imperfect to long for heaven where both will be in their full perfection 1. First I say let us with our whole might aspire to this highest dignity and not rest till we arrive at this Divine Prerogative of being the Sons of God and so partakers of the divine nature John 1. 1â— And to quicken us hereto consider 1. How studious and ambitious men have alwayes been of nearness to great Princes and for that purpose of an imitation Camerar med cent 1. cap. 66. Eunomius cum impeditae linguae erat hoc facundiam fuisse dixit Philostorgius Niceph. lib. 12. cap. 29. Epist ad Laetam and likeness of their deportment fashions gestures and oftentimes even of their both moral yea and natural vices and deformities Poppea's yellow locks a beauty in the Court Leonides his gate and manners Alexander could not forbear to imitate as his Courtiers did many things in him A wry neck or a long hooked nose much doted on because it looked like an Emperours And for the minds complexion Hierom from experience could say Quorum virtutes assequi nequeas citò imitaris vitia when we cannot reach their vertues we are very prone to take up in imitating their vices like foolish wanton children when we cannot stride their steps in fair way we will follow them through the dirty puddle Exempla exemplaria so that the imitation As Lactantius observes lib. 5. c. 6. mores ac vitia regis imitari genus obsequii judicatur of their manners and vices their subjects account to be a piece of the homage they owe to them which therefore made Tully say that plus exemplo quam peccato nocent 3 de legibus they do more mischief by their example than by their sin Great mens examples I say are Laws and holy mens tempers and carriages have a kind of necessitating cogency in them to imitation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Paul to Peter Why compellest thou the Gentiles to Judaize Gal. 2. 14. So like do we desire to be to good at least to great men but how much rather should we aspire and endeavour to be like to him who is Optimus Maximus to the great King and most holy God even God blessed for ever whose nature is most holy whose works are truth and his ways judgment Dan. 4. 37. in whose Divine Beauty is no deformity And therefore as our Saviour said to his Dâ—sciples Ye believe in God believe also John 14. 1. in me I may well say to all Do you imitate man shall we not imitate God and Christ rather If foolish men glory in an Apish symbolizing with men like themselves and that in their humane infirmities how glorious and therefore desirable should it be to us to partake with God in his Divine Nature and perfections 2. And this the rather because this high honour and happiness Obj. But you will say heaven is high and we cannot reach it God infinitely higher and therefore no possibility of imitation is attainable The happy event puts it out of question Many in all Ages of the Church have arrived at this height who have shewn forth the vertues of God who hath called them 1 Pet. 2. 9. who by emanations of Divine Grace in heart and life have expressed a participation of the Divine Nature and what in this kind hath been in some by the same Grace may be in others Ab esse posse c. did we but put forth the strength and activity of Pauls faith who could be and do all things through Christ strengthning him Phil. 4. 13. The Text in hand had we nothing else doth sufficiently clear this possibility for it doth not only say that precious promises were given to them that they may be partakers of the Divine Nature and Gospel-promises do at least assure us of a possibility and when by faith laid hold on of a certainty of their accomplishment but withal adds the happy event in their having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust In which this actual participation of this Divine Nature in part consisteth and by which according to the true sense and intention of the Apostle in his adding of those words it is evidenced Well then it 's hence plain that such a participation of the Divine Nature may be had and truly then such a may-be of such a mercy should be enough to any awaekned spirit to imploy and improve its utmost endeavours for the attaining of it It encouraged the Widow of Tekoah to make a great petition to David because she said in her self It may be the King will grant it 2 Sam. 14. 15. And It may be the Lord will look on mine affliction said David himself and upon that ground patiently endured it 2 Sam. 16. 12. Who knoweth saith the Prophet Joel 2. 14. and Who can tell said the people of Nineveh Jonah 3. 9. whether God will turn and repent and so the more seriously they set upon their duty that he might Truly Gods may-be's are better than mans shall-be's A may-be of salvation is one of the first casts of faiths eye to justification In matters of outward estate we much value even our possibilities and they set the whole world upon busie action What crowds of poor where a doal may be had What trâ—dging over sea and land for a may-be of profit And if such an height of honour or place may be got up to what creeping up though upon hands and feet as Jonathan 1 Sam. 14. 4 13. V. 6. between sharp rocks to come at it upon this very ground it may be the Lord will work for us As it was enough for Jacob to hear that there was corn in Egypt to be had though he was not assured to have any of it to
say to his sons Why do you look one upon another get you down and buy for us that we may live and not dye Gen. 42. 1 2. And why then should we look here and there and like fools have our eyes in the ends of the earth to find out other vanities when Pro. 17. 24. did we but lift up our eyes and hearts to heaven we might both see and get that which will make us like the God of heaven I say not therefore as Jacob there of Egypt Get you down thither but get we up hither though it be with Jonathan and his Armour-bearer on our hands and keens with humblest prayers and earnestest endeavours though as with them up sharpest rocks through greatest difficulties and dangers But is it possible that a child of wrath by nature may become a Son of God and by Grace be partaker of the Divine Nature One in himself so much the Beast and the Devil be made like the blessed God And so I that am so vile and sinful may I become holy as he is holy perfect as my heavenly Father is perfect Then sure the happiness of it would not be more inconceivable than our neglect of it unexcusable Let us therefore up and be doing 1 Chron. 22. 16. 3. And this yet the rather upon consideration of what others even Heathens have attempted in this kind and when they have been so mantling the wing this way let them shame us if we take not a further and an higher flight How doth Plato up and down define the chiefest good of man to consist in a full conformity to God! and what a noise do they make with their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of their being God-like whilest they lived and Deifiâ—d when dead Oh that what we read in their Books we might find in our hearts and others may see in our lives that we might really be and do what they talked of At least for shame let us exceed what they did or could attain to whilst we do so much exceed them both for pattern and principle 1. Our pattern is more fair and our Copy far more clearly and legibly written before us in the word of truth than theirs in the dim light of nature It did more darkly discover to them the footsteps of God that by following him therein they might grope after an Vnknown God and so they fumbled about a poor conformity Act. 17. 23 27. 2 Pet. 1. 19. to him But upon us the day hath dawned and the day-star is risen in our hearts and the Sun of righteousness shineth forth which hath more fully discovered to us the image and nature of God in the face of Jesus Christ unvailed and clearly discovered to us in the glass and bright beams of the Gospel the Deity in its nature persons and properties evidently manifested nor ever could the holiness justice power truth and mercy of God be more fully declared than they are by Christ and as they are held forth in the Gospel In Christ God is manifested in the flâ—sh He being 1 Tim. 3. 16. Heb. 1. 3. â—ol 2. 9. the Brightness of His Father's glory and the express Image of his Person in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily and all grace which is this Divine nature in the Text emâ—nently and without measure for our participation imitation So that our better Abimelech our King and Father in his grace and life saith to us all as the other Abimelech did to his followers Judg. 9. 48. What ye have seen me do make haste and do like me The word was made flesh and dwelt among us that we might at a nearer John 1. 14. view behold his glory full of grace and truth and walkt among us on purpose that we should follow his steps In a word he being 1 Pet. 2. 21. God took upon him the nature and was made in the likeness of man that the like mind might be in us and that whilst Phil. 2. 7. 5. we have such a perfect pattern so near our eye according to our measure in likeness and conformity we might be made partakers of the divine nature And if the rich man thought that one coming from the dead would work so great matters with his brethren Luke 16. 30. what a transformation in our hearts and lives should Christ make who for this very purpose came down from heaven Our pattern in Christ is very fair And it very openly and clearly held out to us in the Gospel Whether by Christs own ministry he being the only begotten Son in his Fathers bosom could best declare him John 1. 18. And should we only consider his sermon on the Mount in the 5 6 7. Chapters of S. Matthew we may understand so much of God's nature and will that were our hearts and lives answerable we should therein very much partake of the Divine nature and in our measure be perfect as our Father who is in heaven is perfect as our Saviour there speaks Matth. 5. 48. Or should we consider the Gospel of Christ as dispensed in the writings or preachings of his Apostles or other servants Paul in the general speaks very full to our purpose 2 Cor. 3. 18. that we all with open face as in a glass beholding the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. In which Text every clause is very strong and emphatical We all not only Apostles and Ministers as some would expound it but all true Christians for they are not only such as we call Divines that are made partakers of the Divine nature With open face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not through Moses his darker veils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beholding the glory of God that is the glorious nature wisdom justice and mercy of God most fully and perfectly expressed and exposed and manifested in Christ And accordingly most clearly reflected and held forth in the glass and most clear mirrour of the Gospel This ex parte objecti medii But what ex parte subjecti is or should be the effect of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are or at least God expecteth that we should be changed into the very same image not only there to see and behold him but so as to represent him in speculo repraesentantes as Erasmus translateth it and so are transfigured into the same likeness tanquam secundariae quaedam imagines as Beza well expresseth it And that from glory to glory that is not only from one degree of glorious grace to another as most interpreters expound Beza Lapide it but as some add from the glory that is in God and Christ from this reflexion of it to a proportionable glory according to our manner and measure communicated to us by it And all this as by the spirit of the Lord that is so really and gloriously that nothing but the all powerful
of any in an estate of corrupt nature as it cometh from such is so defiled that in regard of any worth in it instead of meriting an answer it justly deserveth a denial Whereupon our Antinomians and others do wickedly forbid such to pray Yet in such sinners that lie under the burden of sin and misery and are looking out for help and mercy to look up to God in prayer for it A it is the homage which is due from the creature to its Creatour and so to be tendred to him So it is the way ordained by God in and by which the creature in want and misery may come to receive mercy Which therefore God commands and that to a Simon Magus and that upon only a Perhaps to receive mercy Act. 8. 22. pray God if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee And which therefore in obedience to such a command to perform is both in God's intention and ordination on his part and as to the happy success and event on â—ur parts the direct sutable and successful means of our obtaining as all other mercies so of this which is one of the chief of all of being made partakers of the Divine nature and that upon a double account 1. As in a way of moral causality it prevaileth with God and through his indulgence procureth of him the grant of this inestimable gift of the new creature this divine nature as Manasseh in this case by his prayer prevailed with God for his return both from his sin and captivity together 2 Chron. 33. 12 13. and so still the child is born crying 2. So also in a kind of physical efficiency as I may call it In the very act of praying we so nearly converse with God that by looking up to him we are made like him as the stung Israelite by looking to the Brazen Serpent was healed and Moses by near approaches to God and communing with him on the Mount had irradiations of his glory reflected on him so in near and frequent addresses to God by prayer there is much communication of God by such close communion with him Papists are wont to picture their Saints praying with a Glory on their head but true Saints that are much with God have much of God and his glorious grace on their hearts and none more than those that come into his presence oftnest get nearest and keep closest Our Saviour when he was praying in the Mount was transfigured Luke 9. 29. Nor are we ever more transformed into the image of God and Christ than when we have got up our hearts highest and nearest in that duty Be much therefore with God our Father in prayer for this mercy 2. Make nearest applications to Christ the Son and our Saviour by faith in his promises for By the promises we read in the Text we come to be partakers of the divine nature which when sealed to us there is an impress of Christ stamped on us And Christ is wrapt up in those promises who as in his Incarnation was made partaker of our nature so by him and his grace alone we are made partakers of his And faith is the eye and hand which seeth and taketh hold of Christ in the promises and so by beholding him in that glass as intellectus fit idem cum objecto we come to be changed as we heard into the same image from glory to glory There is an image of the thing seen in the eye that looks on it and we by faith wistly eying of Christ have his image so imprinted on us that we prove no longer like our selves As the wise men Matth. 2. when they had seen him turn'd back another way v. 12. So they that by him are made wise to Salvation never savingly saw him but went away with another heart not their former selves but changed into another that is to say this divine nature To these promises and Christ in them apply we our selves for it 's from his fulness as before we heard that we must only receive grace for grace grace in us answerable to the grace in him And content we not our selves with moral and Philosophical considerations as able to work such a change Gehazi may lay 2 King 4. 31. the staff on the child's face and no life come the water will not rise higher than from whence it descended Nature in its highest elevations will not be able of it self to rise up to saving grace nor will any moral speculations or qualifications lift us up to a divine nature Christ is the fountain-head He came down from heaven to work it and therefore to him in heaven by faith must we rise up if ever we would have it wrought in us 3. And to the spirit of Christ for this changing into the same image as we also heard is by the spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. It was this spirit that breathed the image of God into us in Gen. 2. 7. our first creation and it must be the same spirit that must breath into us this new life the finger of this spirit that only can draw upon us these fair and lovely characters and lineaments of this Divine image the spirit of regeneration that must beget us to this new nature And therefore here again rest not in highest either natural or moral considerations they are but airy and their birth will be answerable prove abortions or like that of the Spanish mares which they say conceive by breathing in the South-wind but their Foals they say too presently languish and die and so at last to be sure will all such births of our own begetting Especially take heed of grieving and resisting the spirit in these his Divine workings If the child would be born if it cannot further it s own birth let it not hinder it by working backward because it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do let us Phil. 2. 12 13. not marr his work but in and by his strength work out our own salvation by not being flints to God but as wax to yield to and to receive his Divine impressions Thus applying our selves to God this happy work may and will be wrought and rather than fail God can make even afflictions a means to effect it that what are in themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common to men may further this Divine 1 Cor. 10. 13. nature and as the ball struck down to the earth in the rebound rise as high as heaven So by them we are made partakers of his holiness Heb. 12. 10. and that is no less than to be partakers of the divine nature and whilst we so suffer Peter saith the spirit of glory yea and of God resteth upon us and so most happy participations of the divine glory and nature are communicated to us Never was more of God seen in any than in the Martyrs by the light of the fires they were consumed in Thus upon these considerations and in
the use of these and the like means our first duty is to endeavour to come to be partakers of this divine nature 2. And then secondly walk worthy of it and answerable to it that we shew forth the vertues of God as our Apostle exhorted chap. 2. v. 9. of the former Epistle that in our spirits and carriages more of God may appear than of our selves as in red-hot iron there is more fire seen than iron Otherwise whilst the As every thing in the first Creation brought forth fruit according to its kind Gen. 1. 11 12. so in this new Creation let us in our kind And as thorns bring not forth grapes nor thistles figs corrupt nature nothing that is good so let not the good fig-tree bring forth bad figs or the vine soure grapes but such as becomes its kind and Gods planting Sons of God walk like other children of men express as much corruption and as little grace whilst according to the Text we say and preach that they are partakers of the divine nature men will be ready to think that the Citizens of Zion and of Plato's Commonwealth are much a-kin if not the same but Ideas and fancies and like as the Painters pictures of Angels and the Papists of the Virgin Mary in which they intend not to make them like but only brave and beautiful so we say rather what they should be than what they are but it may be the quite contrary as Polydor Virgil observes that their Popes had usually names given them which were quite contrary to their temper and practice but although Art may paint yet Nature is real and therefore if thou sayest that thou art partaker of this divine Nature loquere ut videam say and then do and be what may really and substantially prove and manifest it otherwise an Ape will be an Ape though with a childs coat put upon it and as it is in the story will shew as much when almonds are cast before it Naturam expellas furcâ licèt c. Nature may be disguised and dissembled for a while and for ends and upon design thou maist mask and keep it in but it will out so will corrupt nature and so will the Divine too which we should labour what we can to exert and manifest and that so evidently and fully that both our selves and others may be convinced that what we are or do can proceed from no lower a principle By wallowing in sensual lusts and pleasures we take part with the beast to be proud envious blasphemous and malicious is to partake of the Devil that is brutish this devilish to be kind and courteous is indeed humanity but if there be no more it falleth exceeding short of the Divine Nature and our walking up to it and worthy of it That in general is a more full imitation of God and Christ and Imitatores Divinae bonitatis nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vox ad Dei proprietates pertinet Grotius in Textum of his more peculiar properties When the same mind is in us as was in Christ Philip. 2. 5. When humble and meek as he was when spiritual and holy as God who hath called us is holy Christianismus est imitatio Divinae Naturae Nyssen adv Ennomium Christianity in its proper formality is nothing but the imitation of the Divine Nature and fully to imitate God and Christ is in the general both to be partakers of it and to walk worthy of it In particular I name only three things 1. Abound in those fruits of the spirit Love peace long-suffering gentleness goodness meekness c. Gal. 5. 22 23. for whereas the Apostle 1 John 4. 16. saith that God is love it telleth us that love is of his nature and that therefore he that abounds in love doth abundantly partake of it even dwelleth in God and God in him What they use to say of forma augusta of a goodly Majestick Personage is much more true of a loving heart and carriage multum de coelo trahit it hath much of Heaven in it and partakes much of God's Divine Nature and Majesty whereas on the contrary wrath strife envy and malice though sometimes miscalled ingenious the Apostle James assureth us if it be wisdom it is earthly sensual and devilish Chap. 3. 14 15 16. instead of Heavens serene light hath much of Hells smothered fire in it much of the Devil who since his fall is of all other of Gods Creatures the most troubled and discontented himself and is so mischievous thereupon that his main endeavour is to make others like him and in nothing more than in these hellish heats and these devilish sour distempers Have therefore and express much of this grace of love if we would evidence that we partake of the nature of God the God of love 2. Labour to get and keep above the World for Heaven is high above the Earth and God above the Creature were we aloft in Heaven what a poor little point would the Earth be in our eye To God it 's less than nothing and vanity Isa 40. 17. and were we more like God the World would have less both room and esteem in our heart and the greatest and goodliest enjoyments of it especially in compare with God in Christ would be exilia vilia poor little worthless nothings as he saith upon the Text Qui C. à Lapide semel se in Divinitatem immersit animus non nisi Deo Divinis pascitur Were we once as it were swallowed up in God we should not be so immersed in these miry puddles below if fed with this Heavenly Manna we should not surfeit on these Leeks and Onions of Egypt This one Meditation saith Calvin on the Text would abundantly suffice ut mundo renunciantes toti in coelum feramur to make us overlook and despise the World and to have eye and heart up to God and Heaven Were we partakers of the Divine Nature and so up in Heaven with God we should be far above the Earth and Worldly contentments 3. But far higher above Hell in sinful defilements which is the third particular of our worthy deportment answerable to so high a grandeur and exaltation This the words immediately following the Text hold out to us when having said that we are made partakers of the Divine Nature presently telling you wherein that consists and appears he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cum aufugeritis or as Pagnin rendreth it si refugeritis when you have escaped or if you shall flie from the corruption that is in the World through lust with the like speed and earnestness that you would fly from fire sword or pestilence as the word imports it and some interpret it Sin is strong and we are weak and therefore our safety is by flying That is one strong argument for us to fly but this we Fugiendo Victoria Estins now speak of is stronger Are we made partakers of the Divine Nature and
and to put them over to God who useth to restore them to us in a better kind Let us therefore use our Authority whilst we have it for the maintaining of good Men and good Causes our Riches in maintaining our Ministry and poor Brethren Sell that you have and give Alms to the Poor and so provide your selves Bags which wax not old a Treasure in the Heavens that faileth not Luke 12. 33. Such wise Merchants we should be for our Souls thus now to improve these fading Perfections that one day we may have a return made us in the things of a more durable Substance 4. And that 's the last particular Let us therefore labour to see an end of these Perfections that so we may look out for something which is more perfect and which will abide with us for ever If we indeed had our ends as soon as these Perfections have theirs we might better terminate our Desires and Affections in them But it 's an ordinary saying Homo non habet ultimum finem in hac vita vel termini vel consummationis Man hath not his last end here And therefore whatever else we provide for let us have some pity of our Souls which will last always that as the School-Men use to say that two things do concur to make up the Perfection of an inferiour Being Aliquid secundum motum proprium and Aliquid secundum motum naturae superioris So let not all our Perfection be placed only in that in which we do but equal other Men or not exceed inferiour Creatures But let us ascend somewhat higher that as we have in us aliquid nihili so we may have aliquid Dei something so large and lasting as may fully everlastingly content and satisfie us Now if you should ask Where that 's to be found The Text makes answer But thy Commandment is exceeding broad God's Word is the Field in which this Pearl is found which will continue for all Times and fully comfort thee in thy greatest Wants He is never very Poor in whom the Word of God dwells richly But of this in the second part of the Text. For the present that Perfection which we shall find in it and which will perfectly and everlastingly make us happy is as they use to distinguish it either Objective or Formal First The Objective Perfection is God and Christ whose Nature and Work is perfect Deut. 32. 4. to whom nothing is wanting and therefore fully Perfect and from whom all the Perfection of the Creature is derived and in whom it is Eminently Infinitely and therefore Eternally perfect Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. He indeed may well be called the End of all perfection as you heard that many Expounded those words of him He is that Mountain on which I told you St. Austin placed David when he spake these words Christus mons est c. Christ is the Mountain from which only we may with David here descry the end of all other Perfections for thou wilt never see an Emptiness in them till thou hast found a Fulness and All-sufficiency in Him To this Hill therefore let us lift up our Hearts and Eyes from whence comes our Help our full our everlasting Salvation And seeing it 's the Perfection of all things that are ordained to a further end when they are brought to the Fruition of it Noli hoerere in via non pervenire ad finem as Austin speaks Stay not below in these inferiour and worse Perfections Rest not till thou beest made partaker of Christ And further when as the Philosopher tells us that Finis quaeritur in infinitum media vero cum modo let our Affections towards this End of Perfection be constant and enlarged as much as we can if we could infinitly But seeing other perfections that have an end are sometimes Hindrances at the best but Helps and it 's a part of our Imperfection that we stand so much in need of them let not our desires be terminated in them But whether with them or without them let us make sure of Christ who hath an unchangeable Priesthood and therefore is able to save us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7. 25. that is evermore as you have it in the Margin or to the utmost in the New or Perfectly in the former Translation and indeed Perfectly because evermore and to the utmost and so supplies what we have seen other Perfections wanted which did not always last and therefore did not save always and did not reach to our greatest Wants and therefore could not save to the uttermost But Christ doth both And therefore to this purpose what David said of the Blessed Man the Father applieth to our Blessed Saviour that he is the Tree planted by the Waters side The Waters flow but this Tree is rooted sure on which if thou layest sure hold thou art out of danger of drowning And therefore let me speak to thee in his words Raperis in praeceps Tene lignum Voluit te amor Mundi Tene Christum Lay strong hold on Christ and thou shalt have strong Consolation for he is a Priest for ever And so no end that way And for the other whatever others tell us what a ductile nature Gold is of and how much Ground an ounce of it may be made to cover yet we that are bought with no such corruptible things as Silver and Gold must believe that one drop of our dying Saviours Blood can and will cover and purge all ours and all Believers Souls And so it as well as the Word is exceeding broad And that 's the Objective Perfection we must aim at The Formal is double Grace and Glory Secondly For Grace It 's that which sets the Soul in joynt again and so makes the Man of God perfect and being once savingly wrought is so firmly established that all the Popish Arminian subtilties or the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it And therefore it would be well if we were so wise as to reach out for this Perfection and to know at last whatever perfection we may conceive to be in sinful Courses yet that in truth it 's Sin only that dasheth all our Perfection Thou wast perfect in thy way till Iniquity was found in thee Ezek. 28. 15. And for it self that how ever it may please for the present and promise more for the future yet we shall find them to be deceitful Lusts that they deprive us of endless Happiness for the enjoyment of short and empty Contentments that there will be a Time when we shall hear as in the Prophet Jer. 51. 13. Thine end is come and the measure of thy Covetousness The same we may say of other sins there will one day be an end of all and that none of the best for the end of those things is Death Rom. 6. 21. And though I confess sin and the punishment of it will never have end and that 's the
that in the very forefront I light on is Aarons Frontlet in the Text. Thou shalt make a plate of pure gold and grave upon it like the ingraving of a signet sanctitas Jehovae or sanctum Domino Holiness to the Lord. For the literal sense as meant of Aaron I find no difficulty some would who doubt whether both words were ingraven on this golden plate or the word Jehova only But P. Fagius rightly concludes for both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holiness to the Lord both ingraven to let Aaron know what God was and what he should be especially in his holy Ministrations God was holy and he would have him so especially when he came before him For the mystical signification as applied to Christ the High-Priest 1 Pet. 1. 19. John 1. 29. of our profession it agrees fully That spotless Lamb took away the sins of the world who had none of his own so full of holiness he that on his very fore-head all might have read this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holiness to the Lord. For such an High-Priest it became us to have who was holy and harmless and separate from sinners Hebr. 7. 26. And therefore passing by both these the moral application of it especially to Ministers and partly to all Christians will be the subject of my present discourse Which that it may be more orderly give me leave in this Aarons Frontlet out of this and the adjacent verses to observe and handle these particulars 1. Quid what 's expressed and required and that 's Holiness 2. Vbi where it 's to be sought and seen on his very forehead and the forefront of his miter vers 37 38. 3. Quomodo how ingraven there with the ingraving of a signet 4. The Finis cui to whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all this to the Lord. 5. The Finis cujus for what cause that the peoples holy gifts might be accepted and the iniquity of them pardoned vers 38. And of these now briefly 1. The thing here ingraven on the Priest in the Law and required of the Preacher of the Gospel is especially and above all Holiness Not outward riches and greatness they to us but like wings A Sanctus Valerius in the Church of God is a better man than a Valerius Maximus to the Ostrich which she cannot fly with but only flutter and get the faster away By these we only get to outgo other men but by themselves they do not help us to fly up to heaven our selves or to carry others along with us No nor so much inward gifts of Learning and such like abilities though such polishing necessary to the Priest yet it 's not it but Holiness that 's here ingraven in his Crown Knowledge without Grace Learning in the head without Holiness in the forehead is but like a precious stone in a Toad's head or like flowers stuck about a dead body which will not fully keep it from smelling the less half by much of a Minister's accomplishment And therefore they that have it only at best are but like a ship ballasted only on one side that thereby sinks the sooner Or like David's messengers their 2 Sam. 10. priestly garment which should be talaris is cut off by the middle to their greater shame And yet well were it if many were not seen daily go so half naked and yet not ashamed of it The Mathematicians observe that a man that compasseth the earth his head goeth many thousand miles more than his feet but in ascent to heaven the feet would have the greater journey I so it is whilst we rather go about to compass the earth than to get up to heaven our heads outgo our feet our knowledge our practice but yet in the Church of God although there be sixty Queens and eighty Concubines and Virgins without number yet his Love and Dove is his undefiled one and she is but one Cant. 6. 8. And therefore I envy you not your sixty-Queens and eighty Concubines and Virgins without number your numerous numberless perfections of Arts and Tongues had you skill in as many Languages as ever Mithridates could speak or in as many Authors as Ptolomy's library could hold had you the life and strength of Paul or the eloquence of Apollo's preaching had you Chrysostom's tongue or Austin's pen had you all the perfections that could be named or thought of I should not be like profane Porphyrie who accounted it pity that such an accomplished man as Paul was should be cast away upon our Religion nor like profane parents in our days that think much to offer to the Lord a male any that have strength of body or mind but the halt and the blind the impotent of body and Mal. 1. it may be more in mind Cripples and blocks whom they know not what else to do with are they which they think fittest to bestow on the Ministry but cursed deceivers at length learn not to envy God your choisest jewels for the ornament of his Sanctuary for can they be better bestowed Much less brethren and Gospel-Bezaleels do I envy you your rarest endowments and perfections if you will please but with him to employ them in the helping up of Gods Sanctuary I envy you not all your such like Queens and Concubines and Virgins only upon this double condition first that you commit not folly with them and still that your undefiled one be your love and dove that whatever other engravings you have otherwhere about you yet that holiness be as here engraven on your crown on your heart and fore-head ingraven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holiness to the Lord. Holiness But what is that In general a sequestring and setting either person or thing apart for God whether from common or profane use and in both respects be we holy that bear the vessels of the Lord Isa 52. 11. 1. We Ministers should be holy as separated to the Lord from worldly employments not as though I approved the slow-bellied Romish Monkery of our dayes or yet condemned the Monks of old for having honest callings to be employed in or least of all found fault with St. Paul for tent-making Acts 18. 3. and Working with his own hands 1 Cor. 4. 12. Idleness is unlawful in all And Pauls particular case to avoid scandal made his course in that kind both holy and commendable But yet this notwithstanding this first part of holiness required calls for 1. a sequestration from such homely and sordid imployments as will make our selves and Ministry contemptible St. Jerom saith that sacerdos in foro is as bad an eye-sore as Mercator in Templo both to be whipt out A Minister and a Market-man are not unisons It 's not spade or mattock but the sword of the spirit that must be seen in our hands which is that we should both work and fight with It had been shameful if true that which Litprandus avoucheth of the Bishops Apud Baron Anno 968. Num. 11. c. of
in so many places of his writings toucheth yea and runs descant upon a sweet posie that he so oft smelt to a sweet friend whom he cast's about how again and again to meet and to have some parly with as well he might it containing a compleat sum of both our Duty and Happiness both here and in Heaven Whilest here Travellers in the way What 's our Duty But as in Conversion at first to turn to him so still to walk with him and to draw nearer and nearer to him What 's our Comfort but when in Prayer or otherwise we can get nearest into the inner Court and touch the top of the golden Scepter or but the hem of Christ 's garment But might we get into the Apostle John's place into our Saviour's bosom softest Beds and gloriousest Thrones would be but stones and dunghills It 's our Spring and Summer when the Sun of Righteousness draws near and our Heaven here when we may draw near rejoycing but not playing the wantons in this Sun-shine And what 's our highest Heaven and Happiness at last but to be caught up into the Clouds to meet with Christ in the Air and so 1 Thess 4. 17. for ever to be with the Lord In nearest approach to see him as he is and in closest Communion to enjoy him there always to be experimenting and yet ever learning the truth of this Text to all Eternity It 's the A and Ω of a Christian course in his first setting out Godward bonum est mihi appropinquare it 's good for me to draw near who am so far off in his progress yet better to draw nearer at death the dying Christian 's Swan-like Song is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Saints Antiphony in Heaven is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that whether you listen to the voice of the mourning Turtle here below or to the joyful Quire of Heaven above they in this are perfect Unisons however in other respects they have different strains yet in this one Note they all agree There 's not a Saint on Earth or Angel in Heaven but the whole Chorus uno Ore Corde with one mouth and heart feelingly heartily say or sing aloud to God's praise Mihi autem appropinquare adhaerere Deo bonum est It 's good it 's best for me to draw near and cleave fast to God Which being the joynt vote of Heaven and Earth the very natural Heart-Language of the New-born Convert when as yet he cannot speak and of the dying Christian when he now lyes speechless of the conflicting Martyr at the Stake and of the Saint Triumphant before the Throne it needs less proof when encompassed with such a cloud of witnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the blessednesses of that man whom thou chusest and causest to draw near to thee saith the Psalmist Psal 65. 4. it seemeth he made account it was a multiplied admirable blessedness Acquaint thy self now with God and thereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good shall come unto thee saith Eliphaz Job 22. 21. The very word there translated Acquaint hath profit included in the fignification of it and well may when so much good is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proventus as the word there is the proper fruit of it for here if ever Bonum propter vicinum bonum much good by so good acquaintance Good will proportionably come to us as we come and draw near to God Good will come he meaneth universally all good will but he speaks indefinitely because he cannot define how much But as the Psalmist saith Taste and see how good the Lord is Psal 34. 8. So he bids Job acquaint himself with God and try how much good will come by that acquaintance which they know best who have tasted and tried most and they are such as have got nearest and kept closest They 'l tell you there 's so much that whatever others mean by their bonum utile jucundum honestum is herein formally fully eminently comprehended If we measure goodness by profitableness O the blessed gainful Vtile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Treasure incomes of Grace Peace Glory yea of outward good things so far as they are indeed good to us by our drawing near to God in Christ Jesus The Summer-Sun drawn near to us doth not so load the Earth with Fruit as the Sun of Righteousness doth us in his approaches to us and ours to him with the Fruits of his Bounty Ctesias his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but one of his Fables but in this River of Paradise is a real truth else Paul would not have counted the loss of all things gain that he might come so near as to be found in Christ Phil. 3. 8 9. Nor would David have reckoned a day in God's Courts better than a thousand Psal 84. 10. but that by experience he found in God's Courts what others found in his that a Courtier near to the King can get more by a word than another at a further distance with far greater pains and industry When Jacob was near to Joseph he was nourished by him Gen. 45. 10 11. but not so as that soul is feasted and fatted that sits near to Christ and lieth in his bosom And that tells you there is Pleasure as well as Profit Light in Jucundum such a Goshen as well as nourishment In God's presence fulness of joy and at his right hand pleasures for evermore Psal 16. 11. Away with the empty vanishing pleasures of Sin and the World here 's both fulness and everlastingness in these joys together a full cup which can never be drunk to the bottom but only the deeper the sweeter It 's Christ's presence and our nearness to him that makes Heaven it self a Paradise of delights and not Mahomet's Chrystal Fountains and pleasant Orchards and Gardens and Et haec est maxima merces interminabilis Alcoran Azora 2. 28. 47 48. Fruits and the like which he like a beast accounts the greatest happiness in his When the Sun is sett how dark is the night and when it 's gone far from us how cold is the Winter but when it draws near in Summer how pleasantly do the Birds sing and the Plants flourish and the Flowers smell as in those Climats that are nearer to it is a Ver perpetuum And all these but shadows of that solid joy and delight which the faithful soul feels and enjoys in the approach of the Sun of Righteousness I sat down under his shadow with great delight saith the Spouse Cant. 2. 3. As it 's expressed Cant. 2. 3 to 14. and would be loth to leave God's blessing in that shade for the warmest Sun-shine and to be haled or forced from such sweet Enjoyments by any other most pleasing delights would account it as a banishing of it from a Paradise into the howling Wilderness Cum inhaesero tibi ex omni me omnino nusquam erit mihi dolor labor viva erit vita mea
Study of the Creature is a toilsome task Eccles 1. 18. It 's in the near Vision of God which the understanding of a Man doth fully acquiesce in and so Intellectus est in quiete And as he is of a Capacious Apprehension which nothing but this Primum Verum can fill So he is of a large heart and vast desires which nothing but this Summum bonum can satisfie God only being El Shaddai Exod. 6. 3. Gen. 17. 1. The God All-sufficient either to his own or our Happiness Whence it is that when the Soul is once put off from him Per devia errans like the evil Spirit in the Gospel Mat. 12. 43. goes through dry Places seeking rest and finds none till with the Psalmist he looks Home-ward to God and saith Return unto thy rest O my Soul Psal 116. 7. Sometimes as Solomon in Ecclesiastes he seeks and searcheth for what may satisfie him in the Creature and what content it can afford and as there was no Nation and Kingdom in which Ahab did not hunt for Elijah 1. Kings 18. 10. and yet he could not be found So there is no Creature in or under Heaven which in this busie search is not as it were unlapt and ransacked if possibly by the Profit or Pleasure of it content may be found lapt up in it This busie Bee sits and sucks on every Flower and like a Chymist makes Extractions of all sorts out of all things if from any from all he might gain such an Elixir as may serve his turn But the deep saith it is not in me In all the inferiour Creatures Adam could not find a Meet-help Gen. 2. 20. It 's pity that in any he should meet with his Happiness Solomon when tired out with this wild and eager pursuit is glad at last to turn in to God Let 's hear the conclusion of the whole Matter Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole of Man Eccles 12. 13. all one with this in the Text It 's good for me to draw near to God But before that when vain Man hath been wearied out in seeking that in the Creature which will not be found before he will draw near to God with Saul he will rather apply himself to Satan and dig as deep as Hell to find it trying whether that may be overtaken in a way of sin which could not be met with in the lawful Content of the Creature and here he runs counteramain Hell-ward till he hath quite wearied himself in that Course Isa 57. 10. adds Drunkenness to Thirst and Thirst to Drunkenness when he hath been most drunk yet thirsts the more and the more he drinks the more he thirsts most unhappy in that he seeks the Living amongst the Dead mistakes Misery for Happiness and Hell for Heaven But it 's this Good that he looks and gropes for though now Blind-folded and turned off from God he goes a quite contrary way But yet as Austin well observes Mali propterea sunt mali ut sint In Psal 118. 1. boni nempe beati The wickedest Men do ill that they might fare well It 's a Goodness and Happiness that they make after It 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which they Sacrifice a Deity which they serve unhappy in this that they grasp the Cloud for Juno in their Hunting after the vain Creature and worship the Devil instead of the true God 1 Cor. 10. 20. in their thus questing with open Mouth after sinful Contentments but yet whilst misled with these fowl Errors they bear witness to this Fundamental Truth that whilst they so eagerly but in vain pursue such false Goods they plainly say that it 's good to draw near to the True so that the Man hath lost himself when he hath lost this Principle is rather a Beast or a Devil than a Man that in Profession and Conversation will not say that it 's good to draw near to God Especially if we consider that new Nature which God works Reas 4 in the new Creature the holy frame of a Godly heart As those Men whose hearts God had touched followed Saul the Lords Anointed 1 Sam. 10. 26. So those blessed Souls which Christ that true Loadstone hath indeed touched whilst it draws they run after him Cant. 1. 4. Such Divine Sparks must needs move upward to their proper Element as the Virgula Divina bends that way that the Mine lieth And this 1. Partly from the inward Instinct of that Divine Nature which they partake of which makes them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle's 2 Pet. 1. 4. word is Phil. 2. 20. even naturally care for the things of God and propend towards him which appears by this that whilst with others Trahit sua quemque voluptas Ad unum omnes All of them though of never such different Ages Parts Conditions nay though of quite contrary Tempers and Dispositions otherwise yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one joynt consent look and according to their several abilities draw towards God as near as they can The Swallow doth not more naturally flie to the Saladine when hurt or the Chicken run to the Hen when in danger than a Right-born Heir of Heaven to God his Father The new-born Babe crys and the dying Christian now breathing out his Soul gasps and breaths after him The one in the beginning of his Race thinks it long till he comes at him the other almost at the end of his with Paul Phil. 3. 13 14. the further he goes makes the more haste to him in several Paths but all in one Road God-ward the one though he hath not yet had such experience of him yet thinks how good it were if he could get near him the other upon his long experience thinks it best to keep close to him when in Affliction he accounts his Presence more than all other things that he wants and when in Prosperity he values the same Presence above all else that he enjoys I might Instance in many other Particulars But these may suffice to shew that amongst never so many Discords they yet altogether make up this Harmony and from the general Instinct of that new Nature all cry out with the Psalmist in the Text It 's good for every one of us severally for all of us the whole Chorus joyntly to draw near and keep close to God 2. But especially upon their deliberate Resolutions upon long trial and experience they thereby come more fully to know what they have found good to apply themselves to they cannot but conclude that it 's best to draw near to God At their first Conversion they were sufficiently convinced of Hos 2. 6 7. Jer. 3. 22 23. the Vanity and oft-times of the Mischief of all other Applications of the Creatures utter Insufficiency for any saving Good to them John Baptist that made way for Christ in their hearts cried All flesh is grass Isa 40. 6. The first saving Breath that breathed Life into
The Scripture saith so and we by too sad and frequent Experience find it so On Gods part with whom no Evil dwells 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Bazil speaks Smoak and ill Savours drive not Doves and Bees more away than our lothsome Pollutions do the Holy God In Scripture we find that it makes him forsake Jer. 23. 33. and depart from us Hos 9. 12. even quite cuts off his Soul from us Luxata est anima mea a te Jer. 6. 8. Insomuch that the Holy Ghost makes account that whilst we go on in our sins it 's our meaning and intention at least Intentio operis if not operantis that we should have God gone from us according to that Ezek. 8. 6. Son of Man seest thou the Abominations that the House of Israel committeth that I should go far from my Sanctuary As he plainly saith that he would have that Guest gone who entertaineth him with that which he knoweth his Stomach riseth at only to look on So blessed a Guest is God that he thinks he deserves a better Welcome and therefore makes haste away from such an unkind Entertainment That for his part And for ours it makes the Estrangement mutual as God saith Zech. 11. 8. My Soul loathed them and their Soul also abhorred me Sets us as far from God as it doth God from us For Instance it makes us 1. Unfit that we may not Unfit for the Begger with his Rags and Filth to press into a King's Presence-Chamber But more unfit for the more polluted Soul to come near before those purer Eyes that cannot endure to look on such Filthiness A Miriam if leprous her Father spits in her face and thrusts her out of the Camp Numb 12. 14. We cannot stand before thee because of this Ezra 9. 15. 2. Guilty that we dare not draw near Makes Adam hide himself from God in the Bushes as an unhappy Child when in fault from his angry Father's presence 3. Weak lame and blind nay quite out dead that we cannot And therefore they that were dead in Trespasses and Sins must be quickened Ephes 2. 1. If ever they that were afar off come to be made nigh by the Blood of Christ ver 13. 4. Peevish and froward that we will not We are Lords we will come no more at thee Jer. 2. 31. And therefore our Saviour imputes it to the Jews perverse Will that they do not come unto him that they might have life John 5. 40. There is not more in God that by reason of our sin we fear than what naturally we dislike and hate we fear his Power and Wrath and that makes us run from him We loath his Holiness and Righteousness and commanding Authority and that makes us more averse and sets us off further from him Great Sins like violent Blasts blow us far from God on the sudden and lesser sins by little and little work us off more insensibly as it is with a Ship whose fest is loosed every Wave puts off a little more from the Shore till it hath quite lost the sight of Land and is at last sunk in the depth of the Sea * With God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zech. 13. 1. A defiled Soul is like a Woman put away for her uncleanness or as a Man thrust out of the Camp for his Leprosie If ever therefore we would indeed draw near to God we must put away a perverse Lip Prov. 4. 24. for God cannot endure to come near so stinking a Breath And listen to that Counsel which Zophar gives to Job Chap. 11. 14. If iniquity be in thy hand put it far away and say unto it Get thee hence as it is Isa 30. 22. or as 2 Sam. 20. 20. Far be it far be it from me The Loadstone draws not the Iron when rusty nor were the Virgins admitted to Ahasuerus his Company till after a twelve-months perfuming and purifying Esther 2. 12. The like course God prescribes for our nearer approaches So the Apostle Jam. 4. 8. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you But mark what follows Cleanse your hands and purifie your hearts Till then God stands off at a distance from the lothsom sinner Isa 1. 10 to 16. But do but wash and make you clean and then come now and let us reason together v. 16 18. If we would draw near to God we must leave our sins behind us But for positive means and helps 2 Positive 1. There is a drawing near to God in Place and Office to Magistrates Jer. 30. 21. and so Ministers Numb 16. 9. are said to come near to God as menial Servants are near to a King who daily stand before him and minister unto him But I insist not on this only let me hence take occasion to mind such whom it concerns as of their Advantage so of their Engagement that Ministers and Scholars who by their Calling and Employment have the honour and benefit of a nearer standing to God would by it labour for the happiness of a saving Approach that they never make good that blunt if not profane saying The nearer the Church the further from God that the more like to God we are in Knowledg we come not nearer to the Devil in Malice and Wickedness The Eye in Heaven and the Heart in Hell what a real Soloecism They of old were wont to sacrifice in their high Places as taking the advantage of the Ground to be nearer Heaven It were well that from our higher standing our Souls could take a better rise for an higher flight to get the nearer to God It 's good not more profitable than seemly for me a Minister a Scholar to draw near to God 2. There is also a drawing near to God in Profession according to that Jer. 12. 2. Thou art near in their Mouth but far from their Reins Pity that the Heart should be so far from the Tongue and yet farther from God Christ desireth to lie next the Heart though he would also have the Mouth kiss him in an outward Profession 3. There is also a drawing near to God in his Ordinances Psal 65. 4. 2 Chron. 29. 31. Mihi vero accedere ad cultum Dei bonum est so the Chaldee They are the Bed of Love it was called the Ark of his Presence Israel met with him at the door of the Tabernacle and he spake with them from the Mercy-Seat David accounts himself driven from God when banished from his Courts and therefore he faints and longs for them and him together Psal 84. 2. Nor is God more absent now from Gospel Ordinances in which Christ and his Spirit are more fully and comfortably present Christ is there present in the midst of his Servants and the happy Soul that finds there the powerful impressions of God upon it reports that he is amongst them of a truth 1 Cor. 14. 25. As on the contrary the woful experience of our
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I said some read it you may you shall And therefore for the Application 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the common Vse reading is Christ here commands us to endeavour that we may possess our lives in Patience At the best we are but Tenants at will and if some of us consider our Ages and others our Weakness and all of us the perilous Times we are cast into we may well think that our Leases are fast hasting to an expiration What Man therefore is he that desireth Life and loveth many days let him seek peace saith the Psalmist Psalm 34. 12 13 14. and let me add Patience for Patience is one of the best Preservatives Prayers and Tears were wont to be the Churches best offensive Weapons and Patience one of the chiefest Defensives Not by Might nor by Power but by my Spirit saith God when he stiles himself the Lord of Hosts Zech. 4. 6. And truly the Spirit of Meekness and Patience hath in it the Spirit of a Conqueror As therefore Christ our Lord vanquished the Devil not by fighting Qui pro nobis mundum vicit non aâ—mato milite sed irrisà cruce Austin in Psal 62. ad finem but by dying so our way to overcome the World and save our lives is rather by patient yeelding and suffering than by peevishly contending I mean not by a base unworthy complying with Mens sins but by a generous suffering of their rage and ever with a silent and meek submission to the righteous Judgment of God Yea in the way of thy Judgments have we waited for thee O Lord said the humbled Church Isa 26. 8. And waiting as it implyeth a still and quiet attendance so with God it ever finds at last a gracious acceptance Thou wilt never bid that Beggar stay and wait whom thou at last intendest to send away empty much less will God make thee content quietly to wait whom he intends to send away discontented by wholly frustrating thee of thy Expectation The prudent shall keep silence in that time for it is an evil time saith the Prophet Amos 5. 13. How evil our times are I need not say and therefore if we would shew our selves prudent and wise for our selves as we love our lives let us keep silence and that 's the Expression which in the Old Testament Patience is usually and almost only set out by Not a malicious silence as Absalom's was 2 Sam. 13. 22. whereby we bite in for the present but lie in insidiis to watch opportunities of mischief and revenge but a shamefaced silence in sense of our own confusion and guilt an humble meek silence not murmuring against God's dealings or an angry clamouring at evil Mens proceedings but a quiet submitting to his hand and a patient enduring as long as God continues it of their oppressions saying if any thing with the Church I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have Micah 7. 9. sinned against him or rather with our Saviour though led as a Sheep to the Slaughter and as the Lamb before the Shearer so Act. 8. 32. open we not our mouths as Paulinus to his Friend Nos taceamus Epist 1. ad Aprum istis loquentes ad Dominum silentio humilitatis voce patientiae tunc ipse qui invictus est pugnabit pro nobis vincet in nobis So the dumb Dove's mourning in a far Country was heard and she delivered if you compare the Argument and the 56th Psalm together And Christ the meek silent Lamb though slaughtered yet shortly after was raised from the dead to whom if we be Unisons in this sweet still-Musick we shall for certain have our lives for a prey either preserved or restored either kept from death or if the two Witnesses be now to be slain shall have part in a better Resurrection For so if we should take the word in the Text for our lives so it holds good that by our patience we may and therefore ought to possess our Souls But take the word Soul in its more proper signification for 2 Soul that nobler part of Man and so most understand our Saviour's meaning when he here saith In your patience possess ye your Souls In which words we have these two Particulars considerable 1. That it 's our duty to possess our Souls 2. That Patience is one special means to keep this possession As always so especially in evil and perilous Times for such Doct. 2 our Saviour here speaks of whatever else we are deprived or thrust out of our great care and endeavour must be to possess our Souls Whatsoever the force be we must stand to it and keep possession Above all keepings keep thy Heart saith Solomon Prov. 4. 23. And keep thy Soul diligently saith Moses Deut. 4. 9. Take heed to your Spirit saith the Prophet Mal. 2. 15. And so here In your patience possess ye your Souls saith our Saviour A dear and great Pledg it is which both God and his People do mutually betrust each other with and both to our present purpose They him looking at it as their Jewel and considering their own weakness and heedlessness leave it to be kept in his safer Hand That we may possess it as the Child gives the Mother that it would have kept we put it into God's Hands to keep it for us And so it 's Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1. 12. his Depositum which he leaves with God And our dying Saviour when now to be dispossest of his Life that he might keep possession of his Soul saith Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit Luke 23. 46. And he them it being one of his chief Master-pieces and Possessio siduciaria therefore as soon as it comes out of his hands he commends it to every Man's best care as a great Talent which he betrusts us with and will have at last a strict account of At our Birth sent out from him and in Death Eccles 12. 7. again to return to him that he may have an account how it hath been abused or improved whether kept or lost When thrust out of this House of Clay whether we have not lost it and it Heaven For so this possessing of our Souls includes a double care and endeavour 1. That it be not utterly lost 2. No nor so Distempered and Disguised that neither we nor it be our selves 1. First I say our care must be so to possess our Souls that they be not utterly lost for so the Scripture speaks of losing the Soul Mat. 16. 26. And what is quite lost is then out of our possession And on the contrary that in Matthew He that endures to the end shall be saved Chap. 10. 22. and this of the Text In your patience possess ye your Souls are by learned Interpreters Grotius Brugensis made Parallel so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to possess the Soul and to save
dying and by Death Judg. 16. 31. Colos 2. 15. See Light foot Harmony of O. T. p. 40. when they speak of any great Deliverance or Deliverer which did either typify or any way resemble the greater Salvation of the true Messiah they were wont to look through one to the other and so Jacob here looks above that Nazarite to the true Nazaren from Sampson to Christ not resting in that partial and temporal deliverance but in and through and beyond it looking at and waiting for Messiah's Salvation In a word In their foreseen dangers and miseries he waits for deliverance by Sampson and there he rests not but in and above that foreseen deliverance by Sampson he looks and waits for Salvation by Christ And so understand we these words I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord. For the handling of them let me but premise this That Salvation presupposeth danger and misery and speaks deliverance and and then the Text will afford us these particulars 1. That it 's the lot of the Seed of Jacob to be in such straits that they shall stand in need of Salvation and so long that they are put to wait for it 2. That it 's their happiness that notwithstanding those straits yet they shall be saved 3. That it 's by the Lord. It 's Jehovah's Salvation 4. That it 's their duty in all their dangers and straits to wait for Deliverance and Salvation 5. And in all outward and temporal deliverances by man to look and wait for spiritual and eternal Salvation by Christ so we shall fully come up to Jacob's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord. The three former are more Doctrinal and often spoken to which I shall therefore only briefly touch upon that I may the rather insist on the two latter which are more practical and yet I fear but little practised at least in a right way For the first that the condition of the Israel of God is such Doct. 1 and so exposed to dangers and miseries that they have need of Salvation presupposeth danger and when he saith I wait for Salvation he tells us he needeth it for we do not wait for what we do not want Salvation is so genuine to this Text that it occasioned this expression It was because Jacob foresaw the trouble and miseries that should betide this Tribe of Dan in particular being with the last setled in its inheritance and there sometimes grievously oppressed by the Amorites Judg. 1. 3â—4 and at all times galled and infested by their fast-by-neighbours the * See Josh 19. 47. Judg. 18. 1. vide Junium in loc Philistines Nor did he only relate to the miseries of this Tribe but also to the troubles and dangers of all the rest who while in Egypt were in a Furnace after that in a Wilderness and though after setled in Canaan flowing with Milk and Hony the very Edon of God and the Glory of all Lands yet it bounded on both ends with Wildernesses and on both sides with Seas and round about from all quarters compassed with malicious and enraged Enemies a perfect emblem of the site and posture of the Church of God in this World though supplied with spiritual and heavenly provisions which Canaan's Milk and Hony signified yet so as surrounded with all sorts of Enemies Wildernesses of wants and whole Seas of dangers and miseries that it oft comes to the Disciples Save Lord we perish And how near we now are to Matth. 8. 25. it God knoweth I do not It would be mercy if we could say with Jacob we wait I am sure our case is such that we may all say we have great need of thy Salvation O Lord. More particularly it 's to be observed that Jacob breaths out Prima ad Idololatriam delapsa Piscator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Israelitica antesignâ—â—i primipili Mede in Apoc. 7. this sigh whilest treating of Dan the Tribe that is first in particular noted for Apostasy to Idolatry that had first a Teraphim in the time of the Judges Chap 18. v. 30 31. and after had a Golden Calf in the time of the Kings 1 King â—â— 29. and therefore left out in the numbring of the sealed ones Revel 7. Of all Churches such as prove Apostatical and Idolatrous though they least deserve yet they will most need God's Salvation as being most in danger of his fiery Indignation it being a sin that divorceth a person and people from God and is wont to bring heaviest judgments upon Men makes the Earth quake as well as Heaven thunder Their sorrows are multiplied that hasten after another God Psal 16. 4. When they chose new Gods then was War in the Gates Judg. 5. 8. So that God will rather lay Cities waste than not make Idols desolate Ezek. 6. 6. like the Devil in the Gospel that would not be cast out without rearing that fretting Leprosie in the Law hardly cured without pulling down the house that it is in This desperate infection our Land hath been extremely sick of the disease of it self deadly and the cure so hard that the Lord grant it prove not mortal If the Ancients expound the Text of Antichrist we may at least apply it to him as the Serpent by the way and the Adder in the path which by his Idolatries and witchcrafts hath so bitten the Horse-heels that the Rider is fallen backward And now between the Stirrup and the ground we all have need to sigh and cry out with fainting Jacob in the Text I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord. Those words speak him so oppressed ut non nisi divinitus servari possit as one paraphraseth Junius it For us our sins have brought us so to the brow of the Hill and such a precipice that man's arm is too short to hold us it must be an hand reached from Heaven only that will be able to uphold us And yet this but the lot of God's people which was the first point Their dangers and miseries so great that they have need of Salvation But is Salvation in that case to be had To which The second point answers Yes for this word Salvation as it implies danger so it speaks deliverance and he saith he waits for it and God suffereth not Faith to wait in vain and we will not wait for what we cannot expect The point is As it is the Lot of God's people to need so it 's their happiness Doct. 2 to obtain Salvation So Faith call's God the hope of Israel and Jer. 14. 8. the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble so that be the case otherwise never so desperate there is yet hope in Israel as long as God is both hope and Saviour what ever comes they are never either hopeless or helpless Thus their stile is the Redeemed of the Psal 107. 2. Ezra 10. 2. Deut. 33. 29. Lord. Though thraldom yet Redemption and saved by the Lord. Though danger yet
on the tops of Paris or Ocila First the Extremities of the Church may be so great that nothing under Heaven or less than God can rescue it Experience proves it is so 2. The good pleasure of God is such that on purpose he will have it so As for Instance For Time though Christ's Disciples be in a Tempest yet he Mat. 14. 25. stayeth till the fourth and last Watch that they are toiled out with Rowing and faint with Waiting that so he may say It Mark 6. 48. is I. For Pressure and Danger not till the Case be in a manner desperate the Ship now covered with Waves and now Conclamatum est when they cry out Lord save us we perish or as the Church Lam. 3. 54. Waters flowed over mine Head then I said I am cut off For Persons most weak and helpless He is the Orphan's Father and the Widow's Judg Psal 68. 5. That is said with an Emphasis Judg. 5. 11. The Righteous Acts of the Lord towards the Inhabitants of his Villages in Israel They most subject to be made a Prey Ezek. 38. 11. If he be a Safeguard it 's especially to his poor open unfenced Villages And there if his Spouse be a Flower it 's not one that 's planted and preserved in the Garden by Man's care but Ego sum flos campi Lilium convallium Cant. 2. 1. the Flower of the Field and the Lilly of the Valleys exposed to every Hand to pluck and every Foot to tread on all to make out the truth in hand Quod non humanâ industriâ sed solâ Divinà benignitate caeli influentiâ floreat as Pineda observes They say It 's a Royalty at Sea to joyn with In Job 12. 4. the weakest I am sure it 's the Royal Bounty of Heaven that God chuseth to help the weakest And that in the last place for present Condition when they are at the weakest When he seeth their power gone and there is none shut up or left Deut. 32. 36. When the Physicians had drained the Woman's Purse and not stopped her bloody Issue Mark 5. 26. and now given her over as a desperate Patient and a Beggar together then is she fittest to be our Saviour's Cure And when the Disciples themselves could not cast out the Devil then bring him to me saith Christ Mat. 17. 17. Who meeteth with the Man when the Jews had cast him out John 9. 35. Takes up David when Father and Mother had cast him off Psal 27. 10. is a Strength to the Poor and Needy but it 's added and that in his distress A Refuge from the Storm but then especially when the Blast of the terrible ones is as a Storm against the Wall Isa 25. 4. That heals Simon Peter's Wive's Mother in the Paroxism of a Fever and height of a Fit Cum duplicantur lateres c. Makes Day break a little after it hath been darkest and brings to an happy Birth by the sharpest Throw In a word that takes Extremities for fittest Opportunities for him to come in with most seasonable Mercies and Deliverances that it may be said What hath God wrought Numb 23. 23. That it may be proclaimed to all that Salvation is of the Lord when his blessing is upon his People that when none else can the Lord Jehovah Psal 3. ult in the Text both can and will save his People command and rather than fail as it becomes a Jehovah create deliverance And all this 1. To stamp an Impress of spiritual and eternal Salvation even Vse on our Temporal deliverances that as it 's the same Saviour and saving Love that effects both so in the one we may have a Glimps Representation and Specimen of the other And hence thou shalt be put into such Circumstances and Exigences that thou shalt see plainly that it was God only that saved thy Body or outward Estate the more to mind thee that it was he only that saved thy Soul And if my case sometimes were such that when all others gave me over he himself saved me from Sickness and Death then it was none but He alone that saved me from Sin and Hell that Christ only trod the Winepress alone and there was none with him and that when he looked and there was none to help and wondered that there was none to uphold then his own Arm brought Salvation to us And when Levite and Priest left us then our good Samaritan relieved us Isa 63. 3 5. 2. And therefore secondly To let us know how for both Salvations we are more beholden to one God than all the World besides when in our greatest straits it's He always especially and at sometimes only saves us Others never can without him But he often-times doth without them Be we never so much beholden to other Friends and Creatures for greatest Deliverances yet then even in and for them we are infinitely more beholden to God If the Inhabitants of Jerusalem be my strength it 's in the Lord of Hosts their God Zech. 12. 5. Though others may be Instruments yet he only is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 5. 9. the Author of Salvation And therefore the Sword of the Lord and of Gideon Judg. 7. 20. is but like Caesare Bibulo Consulibus God is the Figure and Gideon is but the Cypher The one but the Sword the other the Arm that smites with it My Physician may Curare valetudinem but it 's my God that works the Cure Counsellers may advise for us and Souldiers may fight for us but it 's God that saves us As they confess We have wrought no Deliverance in the Earth but thy dead Men shall live Isa 26. 18 19. We may Sow and Plant but Heaven's Shine and Showers give the increase For else if the Heaven be Brass the Earth will be Iron When others are and do most Christ even then is All in all Col. 3. 11. and if he be All then all without him are just nothing When others do most it 's all in and from God and He then doth more But sometimes it must needs be God's Salvation only and he do all because all else are and can do nothing When I am in close Prison the best Friend cannot come when in a Pest-House he dare not when on a Death-Bed and I am bidding good night and adieu to all my Physician gives me over and some Friends take leave of me others it may be stand by me and weep over me but cannot help me Oh now none but Christ none but Christ It 's none else but the Living God alone who in that dying Hour can relieve me In a word think what is possible and withal what is certain It is possible that in a more violent way the Man may be stript as naked as ever Job was of all his outward Estate That the Town or City may be so straitly round about begirt that none may come in or go out and only Restat iter caelo
The whole Land as God sometimes Threatens in the Prophets may come to its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be utterly emptied Isa 24. 1 2. Jer. 9. 10 11. Nauclerus and spoiled emptied of Man Woman and Child as Rome was sometimes by Totilas or as the Prophet threatens Israel no Man to pass through no Voice of the Cattel heard Both Fowls of the Heaven and the Beasts fled Nothing of all that we had to comfort us left But Zion left as a Cottage in a Vineyard Isa 1. 8. and a Lodg in a Garden of Cucumbers all alone forlorn and desolate Like a lone Lamb in a waste Wilderness Hos 4. 16. as a Beacon on the top of a Mountain and as an Ensign on a Hill Isa 30. 17. This possibly I do not say probably may be And on the other side in an ordinary natural Course it 's certain these outward Supports and Comforts will not abide by us always The Flower will fade the Shadow will decline and the Sun set When we are now to leave the World if not before Friends Estates Honours Health Life it self will leave us It 's God and his Salvation only that must then relieve us And is not the good Samaritan then the Neighbour that comes in to us when Priest and Levite pass away from us And am not I more beholden to God than all the World who then stands by me and saves me when all the best Comforts and Confidences I have in the World have cast me off and left me 3. And as upon this account we are more beholden to God than all the World so truly upon it too we owe more to Him than to all the World besides More Fear and Love and Service and Praise even our whole selves to God only who whether with or without any else is our alone Saviour It 's all Reason and Self-love would teach us it to be fearful Fear to offend and careful to please him at all times who sometime or other may be able to pleasure us when none else can That Physician of all others I should be most loth to displease who only can cure that sore Disease that I am subject to and should I not then be much more afraid to offend God who alone can be my help in all these Maladies which none else can Heal or at least without him are Physicians of no value It 's not wisdom to provoke a Man when we know not how soon we may be in his Lurch and lie at his Mercy Friend how safe soever thy present Condition is yet at best thou art always in Misericordia Domini especially in some more eminent dangers it 's manifest that God only can or doth help thee and how then do the Tyrians crouch to an offended Herod when their Countrey is nourished by his And how do they cry Abrek bow the Knee before Joseph when without him none might lift up Hand or Foot in all Egypt Gen. 41. 43 44. To be sure there 's none in all the World that can lift up either Hand to desend us or Foot to make a step to relieve us without our Joseph our Jesus and help from him And therefore how should we bend the knees of our very Souls to him without least lifting up of Heel or Head against him O take heed of sinning with the Prodigal against Heaven for such Droughts may soon be which may quite dry up all Springs of Comfort that lie here in the Earth especially in the Land of Israel which hath few such as Hierom saith and drinks of the Rain of Heaven depends more of Heaven's Showrs than these lower earthly Springs as Moses tells us Deut. 11. 10 11. If Heaven therefore being angry should shut up its Treasures from us in Samnio Samnium Canaan would not be it self a Land flowing with Milk and Hony but as now it is a barren and burnt Wilderness And therefore fear we God much on whom we depend so much for safety and deliverance always chiefly and principally and at some times and in some cases only And let this also perswade us to love him above all who then sticks to us when all else fail us At my first Answer saith Love Psal 18. 1 2. Paul no Man stood with me but all forsook me notwithstanding the Lord stood with me 2 Tim. 4. 16 17. Such failing Brooks are other best Friends Job 6. who either through weakness or falseness then do least when we need and expect most Sub cultro liquit as the Proverb is But should not our hearts then lie close to the Fountain-head of Living-Waters which as those perennes Fontes retain an equal fulness in the driest Summer and in the wettest Winter and the only difference is that in the greatest heat they are coolest and so most refreshing Let Jacob have Rachel's love and self who rolls away the Stone for her Gen. 29. 10. that none other can And let the lost Prodigal think at last of returning home to a Father who will allow Childrens Bread when Luke 15. others cannot afford Husks With Men it 's equal that they should have most of our love whose bounty and kindness we most taste of And therefore it 's all reason that we should love God with all our Heart and Soul because he only in all our straits is our All-sufficient Saviour And upon that ground praise him too for whatever Salvation Praise and Deliverance we are at any time blest with Instruments may have their due but not so as to rob God of his And if Victories gained by the Souldiers valour be usually ascribed to the General as matter of his praise 2 Sam. 21. 22. who it may be only gave direction and sometimes not that how should the Captain of our Salvation Cui nihil ex istâ lande Centurio nihil praefectus nihil cohors c. who either immediately without the subserviency of any Instruments creates Salvation Isa 4. 5. or when Instruments do most he not only directs but assists and commands Deliverance Psal 44. 4. 71. 3. How should he that is the God of our Life Psal 42. 8. and the God of our Mercy Psal 59. 17. be the God of our Praise Psal 109. 1. It 's not the line cast out that saved thee from drowning but the friendly hand that cast it out and by it drew thee out of the deep Waters Isa 38. 17 19 20. Psal 44. 3. It 's not thy Meat that feeds thee nor thy Physick that cures thee nor thine own Sword or the greatest Champion's on Earth that defends thee It 's thy God that either with or without all these saveth thee And therefore what they maliciously said to the blind Man recovered against Christ Give God the praise for we know that this Man is a Sinner John 9. 24. Say we humbly and thankfully of and to Christ Lord we give thee the praise of these Salvations and Deliverances for these means which we
used were poor these Instruments weak these Men sinful and therefore might rather have hurt than helped us And therefore through them we look up to thee and both for them and any help we have had by them in all that 's past we bless and praise thee And for the present and for what 's to come in all straits and Trust occasions when we have either most or least of the Creature 's help we will trust thee and cast the stress of all our Salvation upon thee At this Anchora Sacra let us ride in greatest Storms when all other Anchors break or come home In desperate cases let not the Romans relie more on their Triarii than we on a blessed Trinity Eleazar smote the Philistines and wrought a great Victory when the Men of Israel were all fled and gone 2 Sam. 23. 9 10. and he but a weak Shadow and Type of Christ our true Eleazar the help of God as that name signifieth who can recover deep Consumptions help at desperate Plunges rescue us when all else have quite deserted and left us Other Props and Supports often fail us sometimes ruine us Jer. 2. 37. Vallus vitem decipit like the weary Man that leans his hand on the Wall Amos 5. 19. and it either totters and fails him or a Serpent in it bites him But what Peace Peace perfect Peace is there in staying the Soul upon that everlasting Rock Isa 26. 3 4. Safe standing on so sure ground Good laying hold where there is so good hand-hold Good hanging on that Nail fastned in a Eliakim sure place on which we may hang both Issue and Off-spring both Cups and Flaggons Isa 22. 23 24. Our selves and all our not only lesser but even greatest wants and burdens Jacob here did so both for himself and his Posterity and though now fainting and dying yet he could quietly lay down his weary Head in his Father's Bosom and there pour out his Soul in this sweet warm breathing I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord. SERMON XXXV GEN. 49. 18. II. Sermon Preached at St. Maries Octob. 13. 1650 I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord. BUt this leads me to the fourth Particular at first propounded That the Israel of God in all their straits should Doct. 4 wait for his Salvation Yea in the way of thy Judgments O Lord have we waited for thee saith the Church Isa 26. 8. Wait on the Lord Psal 27. 14. And Jacob here by a Spirit of Luther Pererius Faith and Prophesie as he foreseeth the miseries of his Posterity that they had need of Salvation so he foreseeth also how God from time to time would raise up Judges and Kings and others to deliver them and so he comfortably and confidently waits for it nay prevents the danger with expectation of deliverance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Preter Tense even long before I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord. So old Jacob here which old Simeon Luke 2. 30. otherwise expresseth Lord mine eyes have seen thy Salvation which two Speeches of these two old dying Men set out the difference of the two Testaments The one saith Lord I wait the other I have seen but both the same Salvation So that now that our Saviour is come we see that which So Luke 2. 25 38. they waited for But because he is to come again a second time and till then perfect Salvation will not fully be come but mean while many difficulties and dangers will be coming between as we shall have need so it will be our duty in this present condition with Jacob here to be waiting for God's Salvation Which waiting contains in it three Particulars 1. An earnest desire 2. A confident expectation of it And 3. a meek staying of God's leasure and attending upon him for it 1. An earnest desire and out-going of the Soul to the Salvation that it waits for The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used In the rise of it as Oleaster and Foster observe hath an affinity with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so signifieth an extended stretching and reaching out of the Soul And in the use of it is joined with others that signifie a diligent seeking Psal 69. 6. an earnest defiring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa 26. 8. an ardent breathing as the heated Labourer or Traveller doth after the cool shadow Job 7. 2. Such a breathing and even breaking of the Soul there is in waiting as the Watchman that in a cold dark night waits for the Morning Psal 130. 6. with many a long look and longing desire as David's Soul went out to Absalom in his long absence and Sisera's Mother upon 2 Sam. 13. 39. his long stay looks out at the Window and cries through the Lattess Why is his Chariot so long in coming Why tarry the Wheels of Judg. 5. 28. his Chariots And such an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle calls it Rom. 8. 19. such an out-looking and longing such an out-going and reaching stretching out of the Soul such breathing and panting in Waiters at Court are wont to be Suiters most fervent Prayers and ardent Desires after God's Salvation doth he work in them that wait for it and expect from them that being in straits stand in need of it And this 1. That he may have the honour of the Gift whilst all eyes with long looks are up to him and all hands stretched out towards Zech. 9. 1. him thereby proclaiming that they expect all from him as Psal 145. 15. 2. That hereby also it may appear that they are sensible of their need This poor Man cryed saith the Psalmist Psal 34. 6. pointing at himself as a poor Begger whilst he is crying for an Alms. The dry Earth saith it's thirsty when it gapes for Heaven's Rain and so do we under pressures and burdens tell God as fainting Jacob here in the Text that we are spent and out of breath when we breath after his Salvation as Isa 38. 14. O Lord I am oppressed ease me or undertake for me 3. That so he may the more hasten the Mercy and Deliverance When the Child crieth earnestly the Mother comes running in speedily Nor is our Heavenly Father oft wont when his Children cry aloud to stay long When Israel in Egypt sighs and cries and groans by reason of their bondage their cry came soon up to God Exod. 2. 23 24 25. and it was not 〈…〉 they came out of that Furnace As it 's said of that travailing Woman Rev. 12. 2. which signifieth the Suffering Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she cryed travailing in Birth and pained to be delivered Clamabat parturiens Her crying out in her Pains was both a sign and a means of her delivery now at hand And truly for this very end God oft-times quickens throws to force our cries that so he might hasten the Birth On purpose he multiplies and aggravates Afflictions and Burdens that he might quicken
now the Rescue of a whole Land from Destruction A right Settlement of Church and State upon safe and lasting Foundations Lameut only after the Lord and he not too hasty to fret against him though the time be long 1 Sam. 7. 2. It 's a great Load think not much that it comes not in gallopping but be drawn on heavily and come in slowly a rich Fraight and Lading think not a long Voyage long The Husband man waits with much Long-suffering for the precious Fruit of the Earth James 5. 7. And shall we have no patience left in waiting for the more precious things of Heaven Say not so much that the Evils are great which we therefore would make haste to be rid of But argue and think withal that therefore the contrary Mercies are proportionably great and therefore should be quietly stayed and in God's Way and Time waited for 6. And the rather because humble and silent waiting at last will never be in vain and wholly disappointed Psal 9. 18. At the end the Vision will speak and not lye Hab. 2. 3. God bids us wait Psal 27. 14. and if we mean not to disappoint them whom we bid stay far be it from us to think God so unfaithful as to let his People's Eyes quite fail with waiting No their Experiences and Praises bear witness for him to the contrary while they can say Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have 〈◊〉 waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his Salvation Isa 25. 9. 7. I might add that this Salvation the longer and the more patiently it hath been waited for before it come it will be most seasonably and fully with more Comfort and Blessing Though whilst deferred it made the longing Heart sick yet when come it is a Tree of Life Prov. 13. 12. An Isaac a son of Laughter that was long waited for Thus it will not be in vain at last 8. No nor for the present were there nothing but what the faithful Soul meets with in the Interim and whilst it stays waiting even a Lamenting Church may truly and feelingly say The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the Soul that seeketh him Lam. 3. 25. And therefore ver 26. It is good that a Man should hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of God Truly so good that for many a Mercy it 's better with us in the waiting for it than in the rejoycing of it More of God's glorious Power as some observe manifested to Israel waiting upon him in the Wilderness than when settled in Canaan And more of God's Grace and less Sin expressed by David whilst he waited upon God for a Kingdom than when he was possessed of it The waiting Soul is all that while kept more awful humble heavenly closer to God in Prayer and Spiritual Communion Faith Hope Love Meekness Patience Wisdom Courage are Ingredients in waiting into the very Substance and not only in the Infusion and in liveliest strongest Exercises and Operations Whilst they wait on the Lord they renew their strength they mount up with Wings as Eagles they run and are not weary and walk and yet not faint Isa 40. 31. And therefore upon these and the like Considerations in greatest either outward Dangers or inward Faintings let us live by Faith believing and even die in Hope then Waiting and with dying Jacob in the Text even breath out our Souls into our Fathers bosom with his I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord. Which was the fourth Point That all in straits we should after his Example wait for God's Rescue and Salvation But that 's not all Something yet more which a Fifth Point held out and that as some think according to the special meaning of the Text. SERMON XXXVI GEN. 49. 18. III. Sermon Preached at St. Martes Cambr. March 30. 1651. I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord. THat in all outward temporal Deliverances by or from Men Doct. 5 we should look and wait for Spiritual and Eternal Salvation by Christ So very many both Jewish and Christian * Chaldee Pererius Oleaster Gordonius Brentius Fagius Interpreters upon the Text agree that although Jacob here looked and waited for a temporal Salvation to be wrought especially by Sampson Israel's Champion of which we spake in the former point yet this satisfied not his desire nor terminated the Eye of his Faith for that was but a temporal Salvation and after it Sampson himself dyed and Israel were oppressed and carried away Captives and therefore after the manner of the Prophets as was before said who when they spake of any great Deliverance or Deliverer which did either typify or any way resemble Jesus Christ and his Salvation they were wont to look through the one to the other so he looks at God's mercy in Sampson's Deliverance but rests not there but from the Nazarite looks to the Nazarene Non sufficit Sampson veniat Schilo as Gordonius paraphraseth it or rather as the Chaldee more fully Non expecto redemptionem Gideonis filii Joas quae est salus temporalis neque redemptionem Sampsonis quae est transitoria It 's not the temporary transitory Salvation of Gideon Jephtah Sampson or any of the rest of those Saviours that I so much look for or at all rest in but in through and above all them it 's the Salvation of Jehovah the Spiritual and Eternal Salvation of Jesus Christ the Son of David the Son of God It 's He which I wait for This was dying Jacob's last Breath and this the lively breathing of every true believing Soul that in all straits waits for deliverance from God but in all such Deliverances looks further for a greater Salvation by Christ with this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord. All other outward Salvations thou workest and they are truly thine but this Spiritual Eternal Salvation thou alone workest and its every way only thine which whether without or with them I look and long for especially and in a manner only For the better clearing and pressing of which Duty it will be useful for us to consider 1. The Example of God himself who though the whole World be his and what content the whole Body of the Creature can afford is at his command yet it 's not the flesh of Bulls that he Psal 50. 15. 147. 10. eats nor the Bloud of Goats that he desires to drink nor the strength of the Horse that he delights in But he proclaims from Heaven that it is Christ his Beloved Son in whom he doth acquiesce and is well pleased Matth. 3. 17. That therefore which replenisheth the Ocean should fill the Cistern That in which God rests we should and in nothing else Till we come to it we would be restless and as God in the Creation rested not in his making all other Creatures till he had made Man so answerably
Fuller Miscel l. 4. c. 17. Grotius Hammond in locum will have it read in my Father's House it 's still as much for my purpose for he was in his Father's House there to do his Father's Business or as the word is to be in it and wholly employed in it to give us an Example that as He was in his Father's so we should be in his for although our life is said to be hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. viz. as to See Davenant in locum its being safely laid up with Christ and what it will be at last in Glory yea here in Grace not always clear to our selves and much less to others in the World through our own Infidelity and their Prejudice yet not so but that others may see we are alive by our Working and our Works wroâ—ght in God and for Mat. 5. 16. God and that we are not so much about our own Business as God's and Jesus Christ's This the Apostle calleth for Col. 2. 6. As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him as you have received Him for your own comfort so walk in him to his Glory If you have received Jesus Christ as a Lord you must walk in him and to him as his Servants But what is it to walk in Christ To persevere and proceed to continue and increase in the Faith of Christ But that is not all significat vitam ex Davenant in locum Calvin in loc fide Christi ad ejus praescriptum atque ex ejus spiritu traducere so Zanchy to lead our whole Lives and wholly to act from the Faith and Spirit of Christ that that be the business of our Life And this walking in Christ makes Christ to be our Way as he stiles himself Joh. 14. 6. in which we are to walk and ever to be found so that so much as we act and move not from him and to him though we bestir our selves in the World busily and run swiftly yet as we have it in the Proverb it s besides our work and way per de via so that without better aid and guidance as we have lost our way so we may come finally to lose God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and our selves to Eternity In a word there Christ is our way which we must walk in here our Life and the main business of it which before all other things we are chiefly to be taken up with This in general 2. But more particularly 1. This directly immediately in our frequent and constant more immediate Applications to Christ and so living in him and upon him for what is more immediate to a living Creature than its Life And therefore this includeth and holdeth forth the first and most direct emanations of our Life like that Wine before mentioned Cant. 7. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which moâ—e directly and immediately to our Beloved as in Prayer Praises Meditations and the like outgoings and outstreamings of the Soul in Faith Love Delight desire and such other immediate Addresses to Christ It 's Heaven and the Angels happiness in nearest and directest view to behold the Face of God there Matt. 18. 10. and it 's the Porch and Gate of Heaven to have much of Gen. 28. 17. our Life spent in like blessed interviews between Christ and our Souls here It 's a pleasant thing to see the Light to have our dark hearts gilded with the Golden Beams of the Sun of Righteousness in such nearer Approaches and more happy and benign Aspects It is good for me to draw nigh to God said the Psalmist Psal 73. 28. It was so chearing and enlivening to the Apostles in his Transfiguration that they would have pitched down Tabernacles and sitten down by it Matth. 17. 4. but it 's not so fully to be enjoyed here in our Tabernacle-condition being reserved for our Mansion-state hereafter when being caught up to meet Christ in the Clouds we shall for ever be with the Lord 1 Thess 4. 17. and to behold his Glory John 17. 24. When Christ who is our Life shall appear and we shall appear with him in Glory And therefore Col. 3. 4. although I cannot allow of such Monkish Devotion as upon pretence of endeavors after uninterrupted converse with God and Christ neglecteth such other services of God and Man as they are necessarily called to much less of such as under this pretext give themselves over to Idleness and Luxury how contrary is this to the Life of Christ at least how little of the Life of Christ is to be found among such unfruitful and unprofitable ones Whereas Paul v. 22. doth joyn his abiding in the Flesh and the fruit of his work together so I must needs account them the most happy Men living and that they have an Heaven upon Earth who in their even treading in the ways of general and particular calling which some say was meant by the cleaving of the Hoof in the Law do walk and abide under these more full and direct Rays and Influence of this Sun of Righteousness whilst they can either step out of the crowds of other avocations into this more free Air as Psal 116 7. Return to thy rest O my Soul Or even in the midst of them can with Stephen look up and Act. 7. 55 56. view Christ and converse with him This will be the happiness of the Elect at the last dreadful day to be able with joy and without hurt to look up and lift up their Heads when the Elements Luke 21. 28. shall be melting and dropping down And next to it is this for Believers here in the midst of all other incumbrances of doing and suffering to be vacant for God and to have free and immediate converse with Christ and even in the Fiery Furnace with those three Worthies Dan. 3. 25. to have the Son of God walking with them Thus Oh thus to live is Christ this would be most eminently to have Christ to be our Life and happy we if we had more of it in these more immediate addresses and enjoyments 2. But Secondly Christ would be our Life though not immediately yet reductively if in all businesses of this Life and our particular Callings we did direct and subordinate all to him that they do not as an opake dense Body terminate our Eyes and Heart so but with them and through them we may look to Christ for in that we live much that notwithstanding other things yea and in them we mind most So the Apostle would have Servants in doing their Masters work to serve the Ephes 6. 5. Lord Christ Col. 3. 22 23 24. So as we are Scholars with our Books we are to study Christ too and how we may be most and best serviceable to him and so in all other Callings and Employments as we are Men so we are to remember we are Christians and so not to be content in them to serve our selves and
omnibus viribus contentissime to express the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulgat Junius the whole might and vigour which is chearfully put forth by them that are spirited and inlivened by the Spirit and Life of Christ the true Sabbatism which Philo Judaeus speaks of and describes to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Lord and our Consciences know how far we fall short of and of Pauls Copy which he here setteth us to whom to live was Christ and that expressed great Liveliness and Activity 4. And lastly this that when we can no more live so to Christ to be content and willing and with submission desirous to live here no longer I say with submission to the Will of God to wait his good pleasure for we must not be so proud as when by reason of Age Sickness or other disablements we cannot be longer Christ's Servants to do his work to disdain to be his Beadsmen to live upon his Alms nay by God in his Servants as well as by us in ours it 's taken as Service to wait as well as to work as it was with the Aged Levites of old and when thou art past thy work meekly and humbly and thankfully to wait and receive all from him when thou canst do nothing for him for the setting out and magnifying of his free and munificent Largess and Bounty as well as for the relief of thy necessity But yet saving this humble submission if to us to live be Christ and to do him service then when we can no longer so live to him it beseemeth us to be content and willing with his leave to dye in him when our Day is done to be glad to go to Bed and when our Work is over to go to our Rest as David Act. 13. 36. and Christ himself John 17. 4 5. I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do and now O Father Glorify thou me with thine own self and so our Paul when he had once fought the good Fight and finished his Race then he reacheth out his hand to the Garland and Crown 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. And this not out of an impatient taedium of waiting which even Holy Men have been sometimes overmuch overtaken with much less out of a proud discontent that we out-live our former serviceable active selves and are now proved unprofitable De Tranquil animae burdens of the Earth truncus ficulnus inutile liguum burdensome to many and profitable to none a strong tang of which Seneca expressed in that his ultimum malorum est ex vivorum numero exire Epist 93. antequam moriaris to be dead before we dye and elsewhere ante mortem periit as though he would not be beholden to God for holding all he hath from him in the Tenure of F rank Almonage and free bounty or as though none else could or at least he should be discontented that any should do service when he is once laid aside Far be such proud thoughts from humble Christians But yet this will well consist with their Humility with old Simeon now become Miles emeritus meekly to breath forth their Luke 2. 29. Nunc dimittis with submission to God's Will to desire that he would please to dismiss him at least when God doth express his will in that kind not only contentedly but most willingly and gladly to comply with it And this not only for our own ease and advantage but also for God's further and better service that as Paul when he had no further service to do for Christ in one place was desirous to go to another Rom. 15. 23. so when through weakness or other hindrances we have no more service that we can do for Christ here on Earth we should be well content and glad and desirous when all weaknesses and oppositions shall be once removed and the Eagle's Age renewed to be upon the Wing for Heaven to wait upon him with our praises there where to live will be Christ indeed where we shall be perfectly transformed into him and for ever live with him And thus to us to live will be Christ in these particulars Christ is our Life Which in the Application of it calleth upon us in the general Vse that all of us in our several standings and capacities in this endeavour earnestly to write after our Apostle's Copy here in the Text that every one of us in particular may with him be able truly to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vita mea mea in quam Christus est as the Syriack I said reads it my Life even mine is Christ that what ever others do yet in all the former particulars for Principle Patern End Object of my Thoughts Affections Word and Actions I live Christ and so it is not so much I that live as Christ that liveth in me And this either as we are Ministers or ordinary Christians And first as Ministers for in that capacity especially Paul here 1. As Ministers speaks these words being confident v. 20. that Christ should be magnified by him whether by Life or by Death if he lived by Preaching of Christ and his Truth or if he dyed by sealing it with his Bloud thus to him as an Apostle to live was Christ and Dr. Hammond thus it should be to us as Ministers whilst our Life is spent in preaching Christ the Vigour and Life of our Ministry should be exerted in preaching the whole Counsel of God but especially in preaching Jesus Christ This was the first and best Preachers Text and Theme They Preached Christ as we have it oft expressed 1 Cor. 15. 12. in the Scripture Act. 8. 5. 9. 20. 17. 3 1 Cor. 1. 23. Philip. 1. 15 18. when in their Preaching to Jews and Heathens they laid Christ as the Foundation and he is the Corner-Stone still that by wise Builders must be carried up to the top of the Building 1. From him they have their Commission and therefore are signanter stiled the Ministers of Christ 1 Cor. 4. 1 2 Cor. 11. 23. Col. 1. 7. and Embassadors for Christ 2 Cor. 5. 20. 2. Their Errand and Message is characteristically called the Gospel of Christ Rom. 15. 19. 2 Cor. 2. 12. The Testimony Revel 1. 9. 12. 17. 19. 10. The Doctrine Heb. 6. 1. 2 John 9. The Mystery Col. 4. 3. The unsearchable Riches Ephes 3. 8. But all of Christ The Covenant of God but in Christ Gal. 3. 17. 3. The End and Fruit of their labours in their Hearers was that the Word of Christ might dwell richly in them Col. 3. 16. that they might learn Christ Ephes 4. 20. and every Thought in them might be brought into Captivity to the Obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. 4. And accordingly their care was That Seducers should not spoil them through Philosophy and vain Deceit after the Traditions of Men and Rudiments of the World 〈◊〉
Torturers had to inflict them I do not say that all especially weak Christians do or can arise to the Heroick spirit of these Worthies and God forbid that I should fear the safety of their Estates who from weakness of Faith and want of Assurance are afraid of Death and because they dare not as yet die pray with David Psal 39. 13. O spare me that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more But yet this I must say to such that whilst thus they pray for time to recover strength they must acknowledg that it is their weakness which is not to be rested in And if it be from their former careless neglect of preparation for Death or contracting of and continuing under the guilt of some favoured Sin which makes Death terrible they have the more need to make haste to get out of it Or if it be as it may be sometimes it is because in their former Life they among their other many Petitions have not so much pressed that for comfort in Death they had then need plie it the more and listen to holy Bradford's On the Lord's Prayer last Petition Counsel who thus adviseth Pray when the tide of Death comes that we may hale forth of the Haven of this Flesh this World chearfully Nor indeed should it be a Haling but a ready going with the Stream as St. Austin saith In Death we should be like live-Honey which is the best not to need pressing out of the Comb but to flow freely from it But the Wax of this Comb sticks too fast to us and makes us cleave too much to this present Life that we have need to chide out our restive Souls with him Egredere O anima egredere rouse up O slothful Soul get up and get out Go forth O ye Daughters Cant. 3. 11. of Zion and behold King Solomon with his Crown Are you afraid to shut your eyes from seeing the World and Men that you may open them to see God and Christ as Cyprian speaketh De exhortatione Martyrii Cap. 12. ad finem De mortalitate S. 15. Is Death to the Godly but an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Exitus Heb. 13. 7. an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1. 15. an Out gate as of Israel out of Egypt Nay as Cyprian else-where saith Non exitus sed transitus temporali itinere demenso ad aeterna transgressus And shall we be unwilling or fearful to go out of our Prison into our glorious everlasting Mansion Is it but an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as even now we heard and after a long tedious and dangerous Journey should we be troubled to return Home and there to have our Burdens taken off as we said that word signifieth Is it but an Accersitio as Lucianus in Cyprian stiles it but our Father's sending for us Home after a long absence from him Epist 22. S. 2. either by our wild Vagaries or upon his sending and occasions and should not then even the Prodigal when come to himself say I will arise and go to my Father Luke 15. 18. And lastly In the Text is it a Gain Then what bad Husbands we if we be backward from making out after it But is it indeed Gain Then all the time before we arrive at it if it be not Damnum emergens accruing loss as too often by our prodigal Mispenses we make it yet at best it will be but Lucrum cessans it 's a ceasing and intercepting of that Gain which we might have had by it And then Quis hic anxietatis sollicitudinis locus est Quis inter haec trepidus moestus est nisi cui Cyprian de Mortal S. 2. spes fides deest What place is here left for Anxiety and Fear as the Father speaks unless it be in them that have no hope or but a weak Faith if any It 's for Heathen Romans to have a God whom they made the president of Death and therefore called him Viduus because he did Corpus animâ viduare and therefore would let him have no room in their Houses but shut him out and let him stand without and so Romanà Religions damnatur potius quam colitur But the assured Christian with Joseph of Arimathea may well place his Sepulchre in his Garden of delights and put Death and the thoughts of it in his Bosom not as a Snake to sting it but as a Jewel as his Gain to enrich him Ejus est mortem timere qui nolit ad Christum ire Idem ibid. It 's for them to fear Death that would not go to Christ and they that have no assurance of a better Life may be loth to leave this because they know not where to mend themselves so Earth in possession they think is better to them than Heaven in reversion But how more happy will it be if after Christ hath been our Life Death prove our Gain After whatever I have in this Life lost for Christ if not here yet at Death I shall be sure to be no loser by Christ but there may be able with David and our Blessed Saviour to commend my spirit into God's Hands then Psal 31. 5. Luke 23. 46 when there will be enough to take our Goods and Honours and other Earthly possessions to enjoy them and some it may be to take our dead Bdies and bury them but none but God to receive our Spirits who only can secure and save them Then then to be able with much peace to say Father take my Jewel and lay it up in thy Bosom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my only One my Darling my Glory and glorifie it with thy self for ever How happy will that be and how blessed shall we be then Which in a way of close walking with God and working for God we should labour now to get assurance of and then after a longer or shorter days labour not to fear Death but be glad to go to Bed and to rest with God for ever This at all times but especially in these times Of the Old-age and Ruine of the World and it may be of some of our now almost spent Lives And of these our troublesom and perilous Days It 's good dying in Evil-days if assured that we shall then live with God for ever No hurt to be taken away from the evil to come For the Ship to be put into the Harbor when the Storm threatens a Shipwrack Upon this Ground the Father exhorted the Christians Cyprian in his hard Times to be willing to Die though it were by Martyrdome Vt qui cernitis caepisse gravia scitis imminere graviora Because they saw sad things and fore-saw sadder coming on Death should not then be bitter when such things as are more bitter than death are in view for those that live longer Let this be the Rule by which we estimate true Gain viz. If Vse 4 it prove so to us at Death and Death