ours to live well and honestly in the world Answ. God hath enjoyned man to labour and consequently permitteth him the reward of it for the sustaining and upholding of himselfe and his family Againe there is an honest care for the family which is part of a mans calling enjoyned by the Apostle if any man provide not for his family hee is worse than an Infidell 1 Tim. 5. 8. But the thing condemned is the seeking of the world 1. Out of order 2. Out of measure 1. The former when we seek it in the first place as that which wee can worst want when the unbeleeving heart saith in it selfe secretly I must attaine this and that profit and pitch of estate I must compasse such and such a project and then I will become religious and devout contrary to our Saviours counsell Matthew 6. 33. First seeke the Kingdome of God 2. Out of measure both seeking more than is sufficient and with more care and affection than is warrantable when for the matter nothing is sufficient for their desire but they are as the grave and Horse-leach and say ever Give give Eccl. 5. 9. he that loveth silver shall not bee satisfied with it And for the manner their care is immoderate cutting distracting the heart engrossing the thoughts and desires from better things extinguishing faith consuming the time deadning prayers cutting off testimonies of love resolving to part with nothing for Christ and to suffer lesse for him if it were possible and in a word not knowing any moderation Object But then we are in good case and none of us so bad Ans. It is hard to find a man not entangled for wealth or by wealth and the lesse the danger is seen the more it is All which may lead us into our selves to take notice of our pronenesse and propensity to this sin which no man willingly confesseth and those that are deepest in it and swarm with all sorts of evils flowing from it doe least discern it in themselves For why 1. The Apostle 1 Thess. 2. 5. calleth it coloured covetousnesse it maskes and hides it self by many subtle evasions 2. It is an inward sin lurking in the spirit of a man 3. The dust of earthlinesse putteth out the eye of the minde or at least darkneth the understanding that it doth not easily discerne it Yet Must we be convinced of it in our selves and of our danger by it for first while we have more care for earth than heaven secondly while wee more joy and trust the meanes than Gods promises or providence thirdly while we can compasse our gain by fraud of speech or deed fourthly while we are remisse in meanes of salvation for love of the world fiftly while wee are distracted and discontented with the things we have All the world may see our conversation is not without covetousnesse and where is he that can say his heart is cleane Let us therefore bewaile our selves who thrust our selves into such dangers by so base a vice as should bee found in none but Heathens Infidels Also it may moderate our delights in these outward things We think our selves happy beloved of God when wee prosper in the world We rejoyce in our wealth in-comes and beare up our head aloft because wee have gotten more than many others But may not many see in their wealth how they have endangered hazzarded their souls How many do highly conceit of themselves are well conceited of by others because they are rich but if either themselves or others should see how farre off salvation they are by means of their riches they would soon change their note and minde And why may they not see this Is not the Word a dead letter to them or choaked in them Is not Christ kept out his Spirit beaten out by the god of the world Are not religious duties laid aside they so much the more forgetfull of God as he is more bountifull toward them Is there not as much crop of the seed sowne in a thicket or a thorne hedge as of fruits of grace from them Likewise it may moderate our sorrows in afflictions in losses in the bitter suffrings here below seeing thereby the Lord weaneth us from the world and from the love of those things which are so dangerous to our selves Well we may as children cry when the father takes away a knife from them but it is our safety to want what may hurt us so much Lastly let it moderate our desires to use the world weinedly even as the Mariner the sea he cannot leave the sea only he must avoid the rockes and dangers Quest. How Answ. By foure rules 1. Labour to descry those rockes note the fearfull attendants of this sinne how easily it swalloweth unlawfull things what mischiefes usher it and are perpetrated for mony the poore shall be sold for shooes their faces ground justice perverted little and false measures great and unjust prices Balaam will curse Gehazi will bribe Demetrius will cry downe Paul for his Images Judas for a little mony will sell his Master and Christians will deny their profession for a vile price here is Mammon of iniquity the next odious name to the Divell himselfe 2. Consider the distance of that we desire and that we hazzard for it in the vanity of this life and the eternity of that wee expect in the basenesse of earth which we covet made to tread under our feet and the precious soule of man which is from heaven and hath no earth in it Nay God hath made the body of man upright and his face lifted up from the earth that hee might conceive how high his soule should be elevated from it And why should he take that into his heart which the Lord hath cast under his feet 3. Labour to esteeme of the world as Israel of Manna and that wealth is but for the day and if this dayes gathering or labour will serve this daies food so shall to morrowes labour supply for to morrowes meate Esteem it a moveable but God is the portion Esteem it a meanes but man lives not by bread onely Mat. 4. 4. God is our life and the maintainer of it Why then doest thou not cast over thy care to him and confine it to the day Hee gave thee thy body will hee not give rayment also Hee gave his Sonne for thy soule will hee then deny food for the body He made the mouth and will he not give meat Doest thou trust him for the salvation of thy soule and not for the provision of thy body for heaven and not for earth 4. Pray to finde the extreme need of Christ and his righteousnesse and that all other things are but conditionally necessary Pray that GOD would incline thine heart to his testimonies that it may be so much the more drawn from covetous cares which are
application the doctrine may bee brought home to every mans heart and the heart may bee taught in wisdome It is the life excellency of preaching to be an able Minister of the Spirit by the shril trumpet of the Word to awaken the drowsie consciences and set mens sins in order before them And otherwise let a man teach generally without application long hee shall teach and his people remaine untaught the bellowes shall be burnt in the fire but the drosse remain still A garment fitted for all bodies is fit for no body and so is it with doctrine Or as a loafe of bread set among the children but none can they get cut and given them Which teacheth people how to esteem of such Preachers as labour in application and hold the glasse of the Law before mens faces to see their spots namely not as the world doth troublers of Israel or spy-faults or invective Preachers nor as our Libertines hold them Legall Preachers No but Ministers of Gods rich mercy whose wonderful favour it is to send us a Nathan that will say Thou art the man This hast thou done Were not the Disciples of Christ Preachers of mercy and the best Evangelicall Preachers yet what sharp points had their doctrine to pricke and pierce the hearts of men to make them cry out Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saved Act. 2. 37. Be also contrary to the practice of the world who most distaste that word which comes neerest to the conscience and neerest the bad customes and fashions of times and persons Whereas indeed a good heart honours the Word for nothing more than discovering the thoughts secret speeches and practices in nothing more can it be like to God an Idiot an Infidell now can acknowledge it to bee the Lords 1 Cor. 14. 24. 25. God is in you of 〈◊〉 truth What difference between Gods word and mans if it should not reach the conscience Where were the Spirit in it if it should not discerne the spirits and divide between the marrow and the bone Lastly it discovers the practice of wicked men who shrink more at the curse than at their sin and when they cannot blame or deny what is said then to flie upon the Preachers purpose and affection So ranking themselves among those wicked ones who rebuke the Priest Hos. 4. 4. Such a one wil not appeare an Atheist therefore will approve the doctrine but he remaines an hypocrite enemy therefore reviles the person and in effect rejects the doctrine This of the first note 2. In the manner note another point of wisdome namely in matters of much importance as is the losing of the soule or else of great danger as is the winning of the world to use more than ordinary vehemency The wisdome of God speakes not of tything Mint and Cummin as of the weighty points of the Law Neither hath every Verse in the Bible a verely or a behold in the beginning or a Selah in the end But in matters of greater intention or excitation some star is held over them that he who reades may consider Our Lord expressing such vehemency here shewes it the greatest matter in the world the gaining of heaven and saving of the soule And that the greatest danger in the world is the gaining of the world by the losing of the soule Can a man grapple thornes together and not feare pricking Can a man walk on snares safely and such is the gain of the world Mat. 13. 22. and 1 Tim. 6. 10. And therefore as the end of the whole Ministery is to draw men from earth to heaven so if in any argument we the Ministers could be more earnest perswasive we had need lay weight upon this as in this our Precedent in haling men from the gaine of the world to the gain of themselves from the care of the body to the care of their soules and from the eager pursuit of all false profits to the purchase of the best and surest commodity which shall eternally enrich them to life everlasting 3. Our Saviour in the manner teacheth how naturally wee are all of us inclined to the world to seek it with all greedinesse and so have need of many and strong back-byasses In that this care is implied here to be 1. the first care of a naturall man because it is of a sensible profit benefit 2. the most vehement care in that a naturall man sets his soule light for it 3. the most insatiable in that a man would gaine if it were possible the whole world for hee that sets his heart on silver cannot be satisfied Eccles. 5. 9. And this unmortified desire for the unsatiablenesse of it is compared to the Hors-leach which is never full till he burst Neither indeed can the round world if a man had it all fill the corners of a covetous mans heart Ob. Oh but many naturall men have despised the world Some Philosophers have cast away riches and this some orders of Papists professe and therefore every man is not naturally carried after the world Answ. I answer 1. It was not hard for many to despise riches when they saw they could not attaine them 2. Some by common grace above nature are repressed and restrained for many such common gifts are bestowed on wicked men for the common good of mankinde and upholding of humane society and otherwise every man would bee a wolfe and devourer 3. The vow of voluntary poverty in hope of merit is blasphemous a fruit of pride a grosse hypocrisie and nothing lesse than poverty indeed Well said one The purse is easier left than the will and if you will you may hold it and yet leave it Every covetous man then is a naturall man where covetousnesse reigns and commands there nature swayes and they are not only under this but all their sins A covetous man a godly man are incompatible no more than a man can be in heaven and earth at one time Findest thou thy heart bowed downward and fixed on earth with full desires never deceive thy selfe with profession of religion or godlinesse for religion entertained as well as professed 1. would shew thee better things 2. affect thee with them as with thine owne 3. order unquiet and unsatiable desires True contentment with food raiment if God give no more is the daughter of godlines 4. It would make thee and all thy wealth servants of grace employed for God and thought best saved when well laid out Consider and deceive not thy selfe Againe even professors of Religion and those that in part are gotten out of the world must espy flesh and nature still at worke and returning upon them in this behalfe It is a common and too just an imputation on many who make their profession heare ill their Religion doubted of that they binde up their hands from doing good from furthering their own reckoning yet all this
But the divine nature of the soule the excellencie of it above the body calls for more care and watchfulnes about it as 1. Abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against the soule 1 Pet. 2. 11. beware of inward uncleannesse and impuritie the projects of the flesh pleasures of the flesh or pleasing of the flesh which savoureth not the things of God but fighteth against the spirit Rom. 8. 7. and lusteth against it Gal. 5. 17. Once already it hath robbed us of Gods image and our owne happinesse and cannot but serve us so again if we listen unto it 2. Beware of earthly lusts worldly desires and seeking after these transitories which drowne the soule in perdition 1 Tim. 6. 9. How carefull will a man bee of falling into a whirlepit where if good helpe come not in time hee is sure to bee drowned it is the word there used noting a certaine danger of drowning in a well or pit and such a danger as covetous rich men seldome or never get out of 3. Beware of false doctrine errours and heresies against the truth received which are the poyson and plague of the soule A man would not for a world drinke a draught of poyson and a carefull Christian will not willingly drinke-in any poysoned or infected doctrine which is infinitely more deadly to the soule than the other to the body 4. Beware of all sinne but especially of sins against conscience which are called wasting sinnes and of David prevailing sinnes Psal. 19. 13. Presumptuous sins make great gashes in the soule no sword can so gash and cleave the body Who would not avoid a mortall wound from a keene and mortall weapon Every sinne is a mortall wound but these farre more desperate and incurable Againe is the soule so precious then the murder of the soule is the most horrible sinne that can be to destroy the body of a man is to destroy Gods image yet a greater sinne to destroy his soule Ah fearefull sinne of non-residencie which destroyeth so many soules for if vision faile people must perish Prov. 29. 18. The carelesse neglect of so many soules as are under our charge is a fearefull and unregarded sinne Nature teacheth to prevent death and mischiefe from the bodies of all that are within our gates even beasts themselves and shall wee do no more for our brethren and bowells than for our beasts Never a soule thou standest charged withall but if it miscarry by thy default thy life shall goe for his life see 1 King 20. 39. and Ezek. 3. 18. On the other side is the soule so precious then the saving of a soule is one of the best and highest workes of mercy and shall receive the best reward to shine as the starres in the firmament of heaven Dan. 12. 3. How should this stirre up the Ministers to diligence in preaching so to feede and save soules The gaining of one soule is above the gaine of the world Therefore as the Lords nourses be ever laying out your breasts and afford the Lords children his owne provision in the word and sacraments labour to bring them to faith by which they receive the food and pray for the spirit by whose heat it is digested and turned into the nourishment of the soule How should it excite Parents and Masters to tender the precious soules of their children and servants to winne them to God by instruction counsell prayer example every way helping them out of sinne The chiefe love and care should bee set on that which is most precious But great is the sinne of most men who no more regard the soules of their children and servants than if they had no soules at all How should it stirre up able men to set up and hold up the Ministery every where according to their power which is the highest worke of mercie tending to save soules Ordinarily rich men at their death give if any thing to hospitalls or workes of charitie to the poore And these workes of mercy to the bodies of men being fruits of faith are worthy evidences of the power of the Gospell and shall not want their reward Mat. 10. 42. But if any man would runne at the best prize and doe a worke of truest mercie doe it to mens soules provide for their instruction get them food for their soules and the cloathing of Christs righteousnesse this is the better part Luke 10. 42. to shew mercy to the more precious part the saving of one soule is a more happie worke than the provision of a thousand bodies that must bee done and this not neglected More how careful should every one be for his owne soule which is here prized at so deare a rate all other things of price we are charie of for our bodies we are excessively carefull both to free them from annoyance and supply them with abundance of good things how much more would we doe so for our soules if wee prized them above our bodies but generall is the folly of that foole in the Gospell Luke 12. 20. who provided for every thing but his poore soule Consider even in this life the welfare of thy body depends on the good estate of thy soule and if the soule bee well provided for and saved the body is sure to be saved too Remember the promise Exod. 23. 25. If thou cleavest to the Lord hee shall blesse thy bread and thy water and take all sicknesse from the midst of thee And the keeping of the words of wisdome is life to those that finde them and health to their flesh Prov. 4. 22. Hence the godly in death were ever and onely carefull of their soules as Steven Act. 7. 59. Commended his soule into the hands of God and Christ himselfe his spirit into the hands of his Father Luke 23. 46. not mentioning their bodies they knew one cure implyed the other Lastly note the madnesse of men undervaluing their soules and exchanging them for an handfull of earth when indeed the world cannot profit them after this losse Once Adam and all his sonnes exchanged an innocent estate for a sinfull abd miserable and so it is still And with the prodigall sonne wee forgoe willingly our fathers favour for harlots and harlotrie our fathers house for a strange country our fathers bread for huskes What an extreme folly this is appeareth thus lay a man the wealth of a Kingdome a Crowne and all the world in his hand for his life he will not forgoe it at any hand but will readily say what will all this doe mee good when I am dead hee is wise to esteeme his life at an higher rate than the whole world because all the world cannot recompence or make up his losse But offer him a morsell of unjust gaine or a slight unlawfull and stolne pleasure for his soule hee makes a present exchange Ah seely man whose soule is so small a moate in thine eye which
of power appearing in millions to all the world who in their wonderfull glorie shall behold the glory of their Lord. Again the Lord Jesus is hence proved the Lord of glory in that the holy Angels serve him as their head King of the Church so the Apostle Phil. 2. 9. proveth him to have a Name above all names because all things in heaven and earth and under the earth shall confesse him and Christ himselfe to prove his headship useth the same argument Joh. 1. 52. Hereafter shall yee see the Angels ascending and descending on the Sonne of man that is ministring to him as the head of the Church as was figured in Jacobs ladder Gen. 28. 1â— for Christ is the ladder by which onely wee ascend to heaven this ladder reached from heaven to earth noting his two natures divine from his Father in heaven and humane from Jacobs loynes on earth Angels ascend and descend on it noting their emission and admission descending to their office and ascending to give account Besides he must be greatest of all who is honoured of all and so Christs eminencie above all creatures is proved because all the Angels of heaven must honour him Heb. 1. 6. And the more and more honourable the Attendants and Ministers be the greater is the personage so attended but the Angels are every where spoken of as the excellencie of the Creation and in the glory of these servants behold the glory of their Lord. Againe their incessant service to Jesus Christ advanceth his glory Exod. 26. 31. the vaile of the Tabernacle which covered the most holy expresly signifying the flesh of Christ which hid and covered his Deity must bee made of broydered worke with Cherubims not without Cherubims which noted the multitude of Angels serving Christ. Exod. 25. 20. The Cherubims signifying the Angels must lift their wings on high as attending Christ and their faces must bee to the Mercy-seat which lively resembled Christ on whom their eyes must still be cast as the eye of the handmaide to the hand of her Mistresse Thus wee shall see how they served Christ as man even in his lowest estate as well as in his highest In his birth they sang glory to God and were preachers of him to shepheards After his temptations they ministred to him spreading a table for him in the wildernesse and waiting at his table Mat. 4. 11. In his agonie in the garden they comforted him Luk. 22. 43. In the grave they roll away the stone for his resurrection Mat. 28. 2. In his ascension they waite upon him and lead him to the Ancient of dayes of whom he received a kingdome over all creatures Dan. 7. 13. But much more now they attend him and assist him in the judgement of the great day wherein hee is to put forth his greatest power and glory in the most glorious worke that ever was or can be 3. Here is matter of terror to the enemies of Christ even all wicked and impenitent persons in that Jesus Christ commeth armed with such power and glory against them for now he rideth in his chariot of triumph against all his enemies and now all the mountaines in the world cannot hide them from the Judge but the power of the Angels shall present them Neither can the sentence bee avoyded nor the execution reprived for if heaven and earth bee mingled together whatsoever sentence of death is pronounced on them the Angels shall speedily execute How comes it then to passe that men are so carelesse and passe over these great woes as a tale that is told shall this Judge pronounce the sentence and the Angels undertake the execution and yet the thing falle of execution Wo worth the deadnesse and securitie of wilfull sinners that dare contemne so dreadfull a sentence as shall eternally torment them 4. Here is assured comfort for the Saints that all this glorious attendance of the Head shall bee the glory of the members What a great comfort shall it be to see the Angels mustered together to become our servants also and performe the greatest service to us as ever was performed by them While the Saints lived here the good Angels attended them and kept them in their hands when they dyed the Angels carryed their soules to heaven which was no meane service But now in this great day they shall reunite the soules and bodies of the Elect they shall separate the whole man from all corruption and communication with sin and sinners and gather out all that offend and shall not leave them till they be set quite free from all danger as the Angell did Peter Act. 12. no nor till they have placed them in the glory of God Now what an honour is it that these glorious spirits who dwell in heaven should serve them that dwell on earth yea dwelt lately in the grave that meere spirits should serve flesh and blood and creatures so elevated in their nature above all sin and mortalitie should stand charged with them who immediatly before were clothed with miserie and corruption Quest. How comes this to passe seeing they are his that is Christs Angels Answ. This must neither impeach Christs glory nor lift us up to glorie in any thing in our selves For they serve Christ and us but not after the same manner nor upon the same grounds 1. Their service to him is immediate as to the head of the Church to us mediate as members of this head 2. Their service is due to him as to their Creator and Lord of dutie to us as creatures of charge from him 3. Their service is proper to him and invested in him as in his own right to us communicated onely by vertue of our communion with him 4. They are his Angels by speciall proprietie and they doe him all homage and service by speciall prerogative as the authour and preserver of all their excellent gifts and condition but our Angels by speciall commission and direction from him entrusted to employ their gifts for our good In one word never did they minister to a member but for the honour of their head 5. It teacheth us to admire the surpassing love of our Lord in that hee tooke our nature and bound us straiter to him than hee did the Angels of heaven and hath vouchsafed us his owne speciall servants to attend us and charged them with our safetie in all our wayes in life in death in judgement till we be set out of the reach of all danger Well knew our Lord what weake creatures wee are in our selves what dangerous combats wee were to stand in with how many spirituall and invisible enemies we were to be beset and therefore out of his love and wisedom hath appointed us so many spirituall invisible and more powerfull ayders and assisters 6. If wee expect this happie ministery from the Angels let us beware that in the meane time wee grieve not by our sin
stay thus seeking Gods Kingdom in the first place Quest. But how prove you that such may flye Ans. By the commandement practice of Christ himselfe Mat. 10. 23. If they persecute you in one city flie into another and so himselfe did Hee could by miracle have saved himselfe but for us he would rather humble himself by flying Matth. 12. 15. And he was now as strong in spirit as ready to dye as he was afterwards but Gods time was not yet come So did the Apostles Paul being persecuted at Damascus was let downe by a basket and sent to Tarsus Acts 9. The commandement Rev. 18. 4. flie out of her my people is of force hereunto He would rather have commanded to stand out the persecutions of Antichrist if it had been unlawfull to flye After Christ wee reade of Athanasius that great light of the world how being infinitely hated pursued by the Arrians he was forced to hide himselfe for sixe yeers in a deep pit where he saw no sun which he would not have endured but to have preserved the Church in himselfe waiting the time which God afterward gave him at Alexandria many yeers to bee the only hammer of Arrians The same of many faithfull men in Queene Maries daies flying beyond sea who were happily revoked to the great glory of God and use of the Church in the most happy daies of Queene Elizabeth Ob. But this is to deny Christ and not c 〈…〉 sse him before men Answ. 〈◊〉 to flye friends and countrie is an inferiour confession and suffring for Christ though in dying is a greater perfection and degree in suffering Ob. But we must not fear them that can kill the body therefore not flye Ans. That is not fear them more than God not feare so as to apostate or deny faith good conscience which is not the feare of them that flye for would they deny Christ or his faith they need not flye at all Object But we must preach counsell the greatest perfection Answ. Yes but in the severall rankes of beleevers God hath not set all his children in the same degree of grace some are babes some young some old men It is not greatest perfection for a childe to offer to run before hee can goe but boldnesse which costeth him many knockes and falls Neither for those of a lower stature in Christ to cast themselves into danger before or further than need shall require for when times come that GOD seeth fit for any by death to glorifie himselfe and edifie his Church his providence will find meanes without a mans owne presumption to call him thereto Now the point issuing out of the words thus expounded is this Whosoever undertaketh the profession of Christ must take his life in his hand if need be and give it for the Name of Christ Revel 2. 10. Bee thou faithfull unto death Luke 14. 26. If any man come to me and hate not all yea even his owne life he cannot be my Disciple by hatred hee meanes not that affection simply considered but in comparison namely if the love of God and our selves the love of Christ and our friends cannot stand together all naturall affection must give place Hebr. 12. 4. Yee have not yet resisted unto bloud as if hee had said Yee have resisted sinne unto reproach unto losse of substance unto bonds and other evils but yet it remaines to resist unto bloud as Christ did Revelat. 12. 11. they that overcame by the bloud of the Testimony and the bloud of the Lambe loved not their lives to the death that is doubted not to hazzard them for the truth and faith so as no torment could drive them from it Hebr. 11. 35. Wee have the cloud of witnesses before us in this duty they were racked and slaine and would not bee delivered but refused the offer of life and liberty upon condition of renouncing the Gospel The Ecclesiasticall History mentioneth one Phileas a Noble man and Martyr who going to execution seemed as one deafe at the perswasions and blinde at the teares of his friends moving him to spare himselfe As the waters use to breake themselves on a rocke so was hee altogether inflexible And when one Philoromus defending him said How can hee bee moved with teares on earth whose eyes behold the glory of heaven hee also was taken in and both presently beheaded Amongst our owne Martyrs when at the stake many of them had letters of pardon offered they would not looke at them nor would bee delivered on their conditions Others absolutely refused them One said shee came not thither to deny her Lord. Not one of them accepted them neither would buy deliverance so deare For first if wee looke at Christ hee is to be loved best of all and all things must bee accounted drosse and doung in comparison of him Phil. 3. 7. 8. My welbeloved is the chiefe of ten thousand Cant. 5. 10. And withall hee is such a Lord as hath absolute command and power of our life and death for wee are not our owne but his and if hee call and command us to seale our profession with our bloud wee must bee ready to magnifie Christ in our bodies by life or death Philip. 1. 20. not fearing those that can kill the body Againe if wee looke on his merit and desert hee loved not his life to death for us but readily offered it up on our behalfe Luke 12. 50. How then should wee hold our selves bound in way of thankfulnesse if wee had a thousand lives to give them up for him shall the Just for the unjust and not the unjust for the Just Secondly if wee looke to the truth and Gospel it is far more worthy than all wee can give in exchange for it it cost Christ deare hee thought it worthy of his life and bought it with his precious bloud which was the bloud of God Act. 20. 28. should wee thinke much to buy it with our last bloud Remember the precept Pro. 23. 23. Buy the truth and sell it not no not at any rate God hath magnified his truth above all things and so must wee Shall not Christ shrink from the truth to save his life and shall we being called to witness leave it in the plaine field Thirdly looke on our selves 1. We are souldiers under Christs colours A souldier in the field sels his life for a base pay is ready for his King Country to endure blowes gashes and death it selfe How much more ought the Christian souldier for the love of his Captain honour of his profession contemne fears perils and thinke his life well sold in so honourable a quarrel and cause as Christs is 2. This is indeed rightly to love our selves when wee can rightly hate our selves We must learn to love our selves by not loving our selves who indeed hate our selves by loving our selves too well And this is if wee beleeve our Lord to save
while professe a farre degree in mortification when for any thing a man can see there is little difference between them and worldlings you may observe them in their trading and calling as intent as untrusty as griping as ordinary in the mysteries and crafts of their trade as the ordinary worldling Move them to pious or charitable duties you finde many of them as barren as grudging as penurious you would thinke you had a flint in hand to fetch out water Pence are pull'd from them as their joynts and silver out of their purses as bloud out of their veins Here is a faint profession of godlines but the life the power the spirits are oppressed May we not say now their riches cares are thorns to them Oh that we were wise to discern how these thorns supplant and unroot the Word while they root themselvs undermine the counsels exhortations of it how they draw away this moisture that should preserve the growth and greennesse of Christians and keep the comfortable heat and shine of the Sunne of grace from us as thorns do Oh see and bewaile the curse of our sin that our earthly hearts should bring forth thorns and thistles to the choaking of the seed of grace and then be ever cropping or unrooting them This of the maner of propounding these truths The matter affordeth sundry instructions 1. The more a man is addicted to gaine the world the greater is the danger of losing his soule They that will be rich fall into many temptations and snares 1 Tim. 6. 9. and surely hee that walketh on snares and on many snares walketh not the safest Ecclus. 5. 12. Solomon observed an evill sicknesse under the Sun riches reserved to the hurt of the owner Pro. 1. 17. In vaine is the net laid before the bird for she is so greedy of the bait that shee forgets the danger and loseth her life So is every one that is greedy of gaine which takes away the life of the owners thereof as in our New Translation Yea so strong a snare the Divell thought this that he assaulted Christ himselfe with it and kept it for his last most violent on-sett if all other should faile him All these will I give thee Matth. 4. 9. and when this would not worke hee departed hopelesse And what else doth our Lord affirme in saying How hard is it for a rich man to be saved For first the gain of the world commonly estrangeth the heart from God from heaven from thoughts and desires of it The love of the world is an Idolatry and spirituall Adultery whereby the heart goeth a whoring from God and as the adulterer gives the strength of his body to a stranger so the worldling gives the strength and confidence of his soule to a strange god the god of the world saith to the wedge Thou art my confidence Job 31. 21. As the Idolater sacrificeth to his Idoll so the worldling is the Priest that sacrificeth to the world and Mammon And as the Idolater serves his Idoll worships it so the lover of gain bestowes his love affection service honour and time upon the world to get or increase it and thinkes all the time set apart to Gods service exceeding tedious and burdensome And is not the Idolater in danger of perdition or else an Adulterer Secondly desire to be rich and gaine the world stuffeth the soule with a thousand damnable lusts every one able to sinke it to hell This one sin brings in a band and army of wickednesses swels the heart with pride deads it with security begets a licentiousnesse and boldnesse in sinning fils the hands with wickednesse robbery the mouth with oaths curses lyes against God and conscience the house with bribes and riches of iniquity the belly with bread of deceit usury and oppression In one word it is a fruitfull root of all evill 1 Tim. 6. 10. and a covetous person is a most vicious person no sin will he forbear that may bring him in gain he is a fit anvile for the Divell to forge hammer out any mischievous device upon as in the examples of Ahab Balaam Judas Demas all carried in the violent stream of this sin to hainous acts against their consciences And doth not so cursed a root endanger the soule Thirdly desire of gaine threatens danger and singular detriment to the soul because it brings it almost to an impossibility of repentance and solvation Matth. 19. 20. It is easier for a Camell to passe through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to be saved the reason is because it commonly frustrates the meanes of repentance and salvation Our Saviour noteth it in those two Parables Mat. 13. that all the seed cast among thornes of worldly cares is choaked the thorns hinder the sun-beames from shining on the blade and stalke and unroot it within And what was it else that kept men from the supper of the great King but buying of oxen marrying of wives and other worldly occasions What pulled good Martha from the feet of Christ and from hearing his gracious words but distractions about many things which made her forget the one thing necessary Doth not our experience shew us that of all other men worldlings who are in their thousands and ten thousands are most dull and uncapable persons in spirituall things Call them to workes of justice piety mercy neighbourhood to uphold the worship of God to exercise bounty and beneficence wee speake to deafe men and shall as soon persw ade the pillars they sit by If they come to Church and heare and get a little understanding and be convinced and prick't a little the cares of the world choake all presently and their covetousnesse suffers them not to profit by any preaching as the Prophets Ezek. 33. 31. Of all men the bitterest enemies and scorners of their teachers are covetous men If Christ himselfe should come and teach them they would scorne him These things heard the Pharisees and mocked him for they were covetous Luke 16. 14. they pretended other things against Christ but it was their covetousnesse that kept alive their malice Fourthly as it keeps ouâ— grace in all the meanes of it so it eates out casteth it out of the heart as the lean Kine ate up the fat and were leane and ill-favoured still How many Apostates and Revolters confirme this truth who in their lower estate could reade pray keep the Sabbaths and their private watches with God could instruct their families and use diligence in good waies meanes but now resemble the Moone which never suffereth eclipse but at her full and that is by the earths interposition between the Sunne and her selfe Better had it been that these had never seen penny of their wealth than to have exchanged such things for it And is not the soule now in danger Quest. Is it not then lawfull to labour for riches for our selves and
opposed to all Gods commandements Psal. 119. 36. Pray for wisdome to conceive thy selfe a stranger and pilgrime here so to intend principally thy departure hence for ere long gather as fast and as dangerously as thou canst the poorest mans Omer shall be as full as thine So of the former point of instruction 2. Many Christians do not only endanger but even lose their soules for the world so our Saviviour implyeth Numbers of men to winne the world do lose their soules And though a man would thinke that no man were or could be so mad as to part with his soule on such base termes yet millions of men exchange heaven for earth and barter away their soules not for the whole world but for an handfull of earth As for example 1. He that loseth Christ loseth his soule But for the winning of the world many lose and forgoe Christ. The yong man left Christ because hee had great possessions Mat. 19. 22. Many of the Jewes heard Christ knew him and beleeved in him but durst not confesse him for that they feared to be losers in the world Joh. 12. 42 43. And thus doe all they who being convinced in themselves and having some good affections joyned to illumination yet give the day to the world and the night to Christ. Great and rich men dare not be seene in the profession when poore fisher-men come by day they dare not come by night 2. Hee loseth Christ for the world that giveth priority to the world above Christ as the Gadeâ—ens preferred their hogges before the presence of Christ and as Esau preferred the broth before the blessing He onely hath wonne Christ that esteemes all things as drosse and dung in com parison of Christ Phil. 3. 7 8. The wise Merchant that found the pearle lost all to buy it The Disciples left all for Christ. But easily may we see how millions of men undervalue Christ in comparison of the world for First what is the chiefe labour studie time costs and paines of men employed upon is it not for the food that perisheth and profits of the world in the meane time the labour for that durable food and the Manna that came downe from heaven is either none or formall sleight seldome Secondly how are the affections of men generally bent is Christ their chife joy or treasure hath Shee gained their thoughts delight they in his love more than in life Or see we not the multitude preferre the world before their chiefe joy set their hearts upon it doat upon it their thoughts runne first and last and all day long after it with unwearied delight and comfort when in the meane time they banish thoughts of Christ of their treasure portion and country in heaven How doe most men feare the losse of the world more than the losse of Gods favour their soules and salvation How doe they more grieve and sorrow in a trifling losse of the world than when by sinne Gods favour and the grace of Christ is forfeited Thirdly how do the speeches of men bewray them to bee worldlings and if the speech be according to the abundance of the heart Christ hath small roome there Esa. 32. 6. the niggard speaks of niggardlinesse and 1 Joh. 4. 5. They speake of the world and the world heareth them But how long should a man watch in vaine for a â—avorie word concerning Christ or the salvation of their soules or speake to them the language of Canaan it is Hebrew or thrust in a savory speech of God his word or grace how strange and unwelcome is it their pennes tell us that their hearts indite no good matter Is not this to undervalue Christ in comparison of the world or is this to be a pilgrim or to possesse or rather to bee wholly possessed of the word Object There is no man whose ordinary theme is not more of the world than of GOD or Christ and will you therefore conclude that there is no man but loves the world better than Christ Answ. 1. Wee are all more carnall than spirituall and therefore our thoughts and speeches will be wandring but wee must not please our selves herein but mortifie and subdue carnall words as well as desires and groane under this corruption for is it not a wofull and wonderfull errour that earth and perishing things should more affect and possesse us than the great things given us of God in Christ Secondly I grant wee have callings and earthly affaires which tye us ordinarily to speak and thinke of such things but the speciall calling of a Christian must bee ever subordinate to the generall and in all earthly businesse a man must carry an heavenly minde God gives no leave to be earthly-minded even while a man is earthly-employed Thirdly the speaking and thinking more of a thing upon necessitie doth not ever argue more love unto it but the speaking and thinking of things out of the valuation of judgement for instance A workeman thinkes more of his tooles and an husbandman speakes more of his husbandrie than of his wife or children because these are the object of his labour but it followes not hee loves them better because he doth not in his judgement esteeme these better Now let a Christian preserve in his judgement a better estimate of Christ and heavenly things and his speeches in things earthly will still preferre that and runne upon it So of the two former proofes Thirdly he loseth his soule for the world that for wealth or by wealth hinders his owne salvation as numbers doe by unlawfull getting the world falling downe before the divell for it wealth is even the divels wages for some sinne committed being either gotten or kept by evill meanes or against good conscience viz. either in the use of an unlawfull calling or by the abuse of a lawfull Of the former sort are such as live by dicing houses filthy houses and the like places of hellish resort which may be rightly called the divells houses of office And those that live by unthriftie gaines by usury magicke making the instruments of pride and sinne or a calling to which they are not fitted as insufficient Ministers who runne but are not sent because they are not gifted God need not send a message by the hand of a foole Of the latter sort are first those that enrich themselves for doing a dutie which they doe not as grosse Non-residents that feed themselves but not the flocke or for doing that they ought not to doe as Lawyers who take reward for pervertings equity and right or perhaps are fee-ed on both sides by one to speake by the other to hold their peace or as good Secondly tradesmen that use false weights measures words wares sophisticall and insufficient as many who rise by cousenage and the craft of their trades by lying or swearing or by trickes in bargaining abuse the simplicitie or necessitie of
the gathering of wealth should be like the gathering of Manna Exod. 16. 17. whereof some gathered more and some lesse but so as hee that gathered more had no overplus and hee that gathered lesse had no want Fiftly make thy selfe thine owne friend by laying up a good foundation in good works by an hopefull and liberall seed-time for he that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly and by workes of mercy further both thy reckoning and reward of mercie All which blessing and reward they wilfully deprive themselves of who neither for their Masters honour nor the good of their fellow-servants no nor for heaven and salvation it selfe will part with any thing but in stead of blessing lay up judgement mercilesse for themselves shewing no mercie So of the first meanes Secondly use riches to serve God with more cheerfulnesse and with a good heart in the midst of abundance A rich man may have more freedome to enjoy the word more time for meditation prayer reading and godly conference which time and spare houres the poore want who are bound to their daily labour and must not bee spent by the rich in riot in lusts in gaming and idlenesse but in doubling their measure of grace and labour in the meanes of grace reading hearing praying meditating so much the more as God hath freed them from the incessant labour care and travell of others For if thou hast so many spare houres thou must give account whether thou art richer in grace according to the proportion of those houres than those that have no such release from their labour But in stead hereof how have the things of the world thrust in upon many to take up their thoughts to unsetle good resolutions to resist good motions and duties to justle out the course of fruitfull conversing with God! Oh what hurt have their soules sustained in all these particulars Thirdly draw out of these outward things a spirituall use for else the beasts use them as fruitfully as wee For example when I see my selfe or others so intent to treasure in earth I must turne mine eyes upward and say to my selfe Alasse what am I doing I professe my selfe chosen and called out of the world that I am a citizen of heaven that I am risen with Christ c. and must I drowne my thoughts in earth and not seeke things above I professe the pure religion which keepeth it selfe unspotted of the world and being called out of the world I must in the world looke for affliction which ever attendeth the chusing of the better part I must not now live after the cours of the world as in times past I am crucified to the world the word to mee I cannot serve two Masters commanding so contrary things nor share my heart betweene God and the world nor have one foot in heaven and another in earth sinfull pleasures will never suit with spirituall joyes and delights Againe doe I cast mine eyes upon my own or other mens full cups and large revenues and is my earthly heart working it owne contentment in the abundance of outward blessings now must I checke it and bend it backward and say to it Alasse what will it availe mee to leave barnes full houses full chests full of treasure and carry my soule emptie away in respect of true grace And thus one way or other a good heart may still helpe it selfe by temporalls 4. Labour to hold and use them alwayes First in Christ by whom our right is restored unto them Secondly with Christ accounting himselfe the chiefe treasure and his grace and service the one thing necessary Thirdly for Christ employing them to his glory and the benefit of our selves and others his members A notable meanes by riches to further the salvation of our soules Lastly consider seriously the reason of our Saviour saying there is no profit in that wealth for which a man loseth his soule or by way of question What shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and lose his owne soule First they are not able to make his person better they make many a man worse but can make no man better or better they can make him that is of better place among men who measure goodnesse by goods but not the person better before God for did they better a mans person why have the worst most store of them how is it that my Lord Esau goeth strutting with foure hundred men at his heeles and poore Jacob comes creeping and crouching unto him why doth Pharaoh sit on the throne and his Iust is his law and Moses and Aaron humble suiters unto him why doth Nabal abound in superfluitie and David become his petitioner for some reliefe why are false prophets set up at Jezabels table and Elias the meane time in commons with ravens Or if they were so profitable to better a mans person why did not Christ furnish his Disciples with them why did hee forbid them to possesse gold or silver why must Judas have the bagge while Peter saith Gold and silver have I none 2. Though they can thus farre better a mans outward estate in temporalls thaâ— he hath what to eate and drinke and put on more than others which not onely poore men enjoy in some good measure but the very brute beasts themselves also Yet what can they profit a mans inward estate can a jewell buy faith or repentance or pardon of sinne can cloathes of gold get a suit from God or the spirit of God or the hearing of prayer nay do not riches rather hinder all these Thirdly though they seeme to profit a man for a time yet when hee hath most neede of them they faile him and prove most unprofitable and either fly away as very vagrants or if hee hold them in his hand and leane on them they become very â—eeds which breake and pierce the hand that holds them See some instances First in time of danger and Gods visitation when they have caused us to forsake GOD our helpe they prove helplesse 1. Sam. 12. 21. they are called vaine things which cannot profit us nor deliver us because they be vanities Pro. 11. 4. Riches avayle not in the day of wrath that is they cannot stop or hide from Gods judgement they cannot wall out the plague nor the sword nor the famine The full purse never kept a man from the robber nor the full chest from the theefe Indeed in time of peace and frozen securitie they may as ice beare us up a while but when the fire of Gods wrath comes they melt under us and leave us in the suds Compared therefore to the brookes of Arabia that for one time of the yeare are covered with ice and the other part dryed up with heat when the passenger hath most need of them Job 6. 16. Zeph. 1. 18. Silver and gold cannot deliver in the day of the Lords wrath nay they are so farre then from being
a thousand worlds of men and Angels could not redeeme God set it at the highest rate and the divell would give a whole world for one soule but thou countest it not worth any thing Hell shall be filled with soules at a cheaper rate than one soule can get to heaven by So of the first meditation The second is this For a lost soule there is no remedy nor recompence all the world cannot redeem a lost soule for a soule not yet quite lost may be a recompence by the blood of Christ but for a soule lost is no remedie nor ransome no not in Christ himselfe To conceive this consider 1 What is the estate of a lost soule 2 What it is that being once lost makes it irrecoverable 3 The worthlesnes and impotencie of all earthly things to help it For the first of these see what goeth to the losse of a soule 1. There is the losse of Gods favour fellowship and presence whose favour and presence is better than life for with him is the Well of life And not that onely but the soule is thrust under Gods most heavie displeasure and his hot wrath which is a consuming fire 2. The losse of Jesus Christ and all the benefits of his redemption and so the soule is cut off from remission of sinne to which onely belongeth blessednes from imputation of righteousnes which only entitleth to life from the dignitie of adoption to which only belongs the inheritance from the benefit of Christs intercession that hee will not so much as pray for such Now the soule lying without Christ lyeth under the whole rigour of the Morall Law under the curse and sentence of condemnation and malediction for provoking so high justice and under the power of Satan as a Jaylor holding the sinner unto execution in everlasting chaines 3. The lost soule hath lost the blessed presence of the Spirit of God which is the soule of the soule and as the Sunne to the world so is hee to the Elect for light and comfort There is a losse of the Spirit in all his saving offices his illumination further than to make them unexcusable his consolation and joy having left them to eternall horrour and heavinesse and his assistance of leading them into all truth or raising requests in them Thus wanting the spirit they want all degrees of mortification from first to last in life and death They are layd under the whole power of their vain conversation under all the corruption of the present evil world that they may eternally lye under as much power as guilt of sinne 4. There is the losse of heaven and happinesse and that eternally and not that onely but the sense of horrible torment expressed in Scripture by unquenchable fire which notes them infinitely miserable in the eternitie and durance of most exquisite torments for their worme dyeth not and their fire goeth not out Esa. 66. 24. and they have no rest but the smoake of their fire ascendeth continually Rev. 14. 15. so as they shall seeke death but shall not find it their very being is a punishment Next what is it that makes the soule once lost irrecoverable 1. An invincible wicked and hard heart setled upon sin and sending out all cursed practises of lying swearing despighting grace in the means and bringers crueltie injustice vaine confidence and all manner of sin They that doe such things are shut out of the kingdome of God and of Christ 1. Cor. 69. Gal. 5. 21. For such be wray themselves given up of God to a reprobate minde calling good evill and darknesse light whose consciences are seared against all goads and prickings of the word no counsell or admonition toucheth them nor troubleth them all the threats and menaces of the law are to them as iron-weapons to Behemoth esteemed as straw Here is a man in a lost estate Judas is a lost son of perdition how know you him all the counsels and admonitions of Christ are lost upon him nothing workes upon him for reformation and obstinate Pharaoh will be broken all to pieces before the powerfull ministerie of Moses and Aaron can bend him If we meet with such knottie pieces on whom in vaine wee breake many wedges who if Moses and Aaron were immediately sent with as many miracles as messages or if Christ himselfe in person should perswade with them yet still would remaine obstinate alas what remedie who can save a lost man a man that will not bee saved A man that chuseth death must dye he will not live 2. This also makes the lost soule irrecoverable for that it hath trod under foot the blood of Christ so as there is no more price or sacrifice for his sin Heb. 10. 29. And they doe this saith Ambrose who sin voluntarily without feare not regarding the blood that was shed for them nor fearing Christ the Judge who somtimes shed his blood for their redemption This is to crucifie Christ againe daily to themselves and to put him to death daily who having dyed once can dye no more Slight this blood of Christ and sin against it what can save thee 3. The Spirit of grace in the Ministery hath beene despighted his motions and knockes all rejected himselfe grieved and banished And now that he is driven out with despight hee never comes more let that soule sinke or swim the Spirit of life is gone 4. The day of mercy hath beene despised the season of grace hath beene slipped the doore of grace is now shut a world of teares and sorrow cannot now quench the fire of wrath kindled against the sinnes and soules now the blessing is too late sought with teares teares of horror and despaire a full sea of them cannot wash the guilt of one sin repentance is now unseasonable Time was when Christ called Jerusalem with tears would have gathered her as the hen gathers her chickens but she would not the things of her peace were then hid from her eyes and afterward all her sorrow was too late Next see the worthlesnesse and impotencie of all earthly things to recover a lost soule First in their rankes Whatsoever is in the world is reduced to one of these three heads 1. John 2. 16. Lust of the flesh voluptuousnesse pleasures wherein if there be any excellency the brute beasts led with sensualitie enjoy it above men for they enjoy their appetite without all restraint and checke of reason or religion Lust of the eye desire of wealth riches abundance whereof worst men are greatest gainers and those that have no true treasure abound in these beside the Scripture calls them shadows lyes thicke clay uncertaine and deceivable riches And pride of life honor ambition preferment estimation of men which are so much the more worthlesse because they depend upon other mens breath and opinion beside the whole world is witnesse to the levity and
who for avoyding the crosse perill have rejected him and the profession of his Gospell eternall perdition but to the godly who have persisted in the constant confession of his Name according to their workes life eternall This application of these words to the former matter is the true connexion of them wherein consider five things 1. The person that must come the Sonne of man 2. The action of comming shall come 3. The manner of comming in the glory of his Father 4. His attendants with his Angells 5. The end of comming to give to every man according to his deeds For the first The person that must come is the Sonne of man which title is used in the Scripture either commonly or singularly In the former sense for any common man borne of another Job 25. 6. How much more the Son of man which is but a worme In the latter it is taken for the eternall Sonne of God being made man Matt. 8. 20. the Sonne of man hath not where to lay his head For by the sonne of man is meant here whole Christ by an ordinary figure whereby that which belongeth to one nature is ascribed to the whole person so in Mat. 9. 6. the sonne of man hath power to remit sinnes which power agrees not to Christ as the son of man or in respect of his humane nature but in respect of the eternall Person as hee is God for who can forgive sinnes but God onely Beside Christ while hee was in the world said that the sonne of man came downe from heaven is in heaven which then could not be in regard of his humane nature but of his divine Nay by this title our Text must needes understand whole Christ God and man the Sonne of God and the Sonne of man for though his speech expresse him the Sonne of man yet the action here refeired unto him to be the just Judge of all the world proclaims him to be the Son of God and hee is indeed the Sonne of man but comming in the glory of his Father Quest. But why doth Christ ordinarily speaking of himselfe call himselfe the sonne of man he might have said the Sonne of God shall come in the glory of his Father which might seeme to have added more weight to his words Answ. Yet he useth the other title 1. In respect of himselfe To note that hee was a true man being not onely a man but the sonne of man that borne man having flesh and blood no where else but from man And herein this second Adam was opposed to the first who was a man but not the sonne of man for hee was the Sonne of God by creation Luke 3. 38. The first Adam was framed of the earth and so was made a man but not the Sonne of man the second Adam tooke flesh of the Virgin and so was not onely man but the Sonne of man also Againe it implies that he was a weake and fraile man as the Hebrew phrase soundeth Psal. 8. 5. Lord what is man or the sonne of man that thou shouldest respect him being so base and vile Esay 51. 12. Who art thou that fearest a mortall man or the sonne of man that is a weake and fraile creature And hereto serves that distinction among the Hebrewes of filii viri and filii hominis Beniâ—sh noteth men in excellencie eminencie dignitie and authoritie Beni-adam obscure persons and men of common and low condition In the same sense Ezekiel because he was astonied and throwne downe by a glorious vision Chap. 1. was so often afterward called sonne of man and bid to stand up on his feet As if the Lord had said Ezeki cl I know thou art a sonne of man a weake man not able to behold the brightnesse of such Majestie but gather thy selfe bee of good cheare and stand on thy feet And thus Christ the sonne of man takes on him our frailties and weaknesses undertook an abject low and base condition and appeared in the forme of a servant in his nativitie life and death in all our basenesse like unto us sinne onely excepted Yea and more in this very phrase hee impropriateth our miserie to himself that as all sons of men are base and miserable yet of all sons of men none was ever so abased as hee was no sorrow was ever like his no not all the misery of all sonnes of men was comparable to his and therefore hee doth after a sort appropriate this title to himselfe 2. In respect of his hearers and mens judgement who commonly esteemed him no other and rose no higher in their judgement of him than of a meere man though perhaps a great and holy man He would tender the weaknesse of his hearers for scarce the Disciples themselves after a great while could come to acknowledge the Majesty of the Sonne of God in this sonne of man and therefore he speakes of himselfe as they are able to conceive him more intending their instruction than his owne reputation 3. In respect of the argument For the manner of Scripture in speaking of the last judgement is to use this phrase above other 1. because this was appropriated to Messiah by Daniel chap. 7. 13. to which Christ undoubtedly had reference I beheld and there came as a sonne of man in the clouds of heaven 2. To shew that as he shewed himselfe in the nature of man to be judged on earth so hee would shew himselfe in a visible manner a Judge from heaven for it is meete that the Judge of all should be seene of all In regard of which manner of judging the Sonne onely shall judge although the Father and the holy Ghost judge also but after another manner Ob. Christ was as a sonne of man Dan. 7. and Revel 14. 14. I saw upon the cloulds one sitting as the sonne of man therefore Christ is not but onely like the sonne of man So Phil. 2. 7. He tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made like a man Answ. For the two former places Christ was seene figuratively in vision When Daniel saw his vision he was not yet the son of man but was to be born be in time the son of man And after he was incarnate ascended being by S. John seene in vision hee is said to bee 〈◊〉 the sonne of man for that he was not seene of either in substance but in figure onely For the place in the Philippians well answers M. Calvin Saint Paul speakes not of the essence of his humane nature but of his state hee came a true man but in a lowly state and condition even the base condition of a servant Note here how our Lord doth willingly acknowledge the humilitie and basenesse of his humanitie speaketh lowly of himself in such an argument as wherein hee shall shew his greatest glory He might have stiled himselfe the Sonne of God as hee was not onely as God by eternall generation
in the same degree of glory with the head which they are not capable of The King revealeth not every thing to the privle Councell but holds distance from them And to say they must needs see every thing in him as in a glasse because they see him that seeth every thing it is vaine and failes even in a corruptible creature for hee that sees the Sunne doth not see by that sight all that the Sunne by his beames beholdeth Others thinke the day uncertaine but the houre of an uncertaine day certaine namely that Christ will come the same houre to judge that hee rose againe in as Rabanus and Lactantius But with as little reason if I should say he may come the same houre that he ascended or shall come to judge at the same houre that hee was judged of men I shall speake as probably yet I know not no more do they Of the same strength is their conceit who say hee must come in the night because he shall come as a theefe in the night and because the Egyptians were destroyed at midnight Yet know they not whether the Master will come at midnight or in the morning watch and forget it is called the day of the Lord. The conclusion is Secret things belong to the Lord but things revealed to us and our children for ever Deut. 29. 29. Now if Christ must come from heaven then hee is now in heaven and his body not every where as Ubiquitaries teach nor yet substantiall under the formes of bread and wine as Papists That which is every where cannot come from one place to another And Christ comes not in bodily presence from heaven but visibly whether we consider his first comming or his second As for any other invisible presence of his body such as they say is in the Sacrament the Scripture knowes none And whereas they flie to a miracle let them give us instance of a miracle in the Scripture which was not visible and whereof the senses might not be judges This also serves to terrifie wicked men from sin Christ comes from heaven to revenge sin and sinners and comming from heaven to doe it it shall be done to purpose If a man were to come out of some corner of the earth with an hand of revenge the danger were the lesse and the feare not so great But the mighty God comes from heaven to doe it c. Great men may stand upon their power and priviledges and often by wealth and friends make their partie good against earthly revenge but when Christ shall shew himselfe from heaven the great worke of Gods justice shall be done to purpose And if Christ come from heaven we must look for him thence yea and long for him Phil. 3. â—0 Our conversation is in heaven from whence also we looke for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. The bride saith Come and the Saints are described to be such as looke for his appearing A loving wife cannot but looke for and long for the returne of her husband from a farre countrie A carefull servant will looke after his Master through the casements and expecting his returne will make all things readie If the bridegroome be comming let the bride decke her selfe as Rebecca espying Isaac a farre off As Joshua exhorted Israel chap. 3. 5. be sanctified for to morrow the Lord will worke wonderfull things and lead you through Jordan into the land of Canaan so our Joshua commands us to bee sanctified because the Lord in that day from heaven will doe wonders in leading us to heavenly Canaan Lastly if Christ be comming from heaven meet him in the way 1. Meet him in his Ordinances as the ancient Beleevers who waited for his comming in the flesh were ever found in the Temple A loving spouse will enjoy her husband as much as shee can in his long absence if she can heare of him or receive a letter from him or a token she is glad she hath something of him yea her love will make her meet him afarre off as farre as she can see him as the father of the prodigall and as Jepâ—haes daughter did And if thou longest for him indeed thou wilt enjoy him on earth as much as thou canst in his word which is his letters in his graces which are his pawnes and pledges c. 2. Meet him with thy affections prayers and wishes after him send thy prayers and holy requests daily as presents unto him 3. Meet him in heavenly conversation He commeth from heaven the first and second time to draw thee thither and shall hee not by all this paines gaine thy heart affection and conversation from earthlinesse to heavenly-mindednesse Begin heavenly life here First spend thy life in cheerfull praises keepe a perpetuall Sabbath Secondly enjoy God above all means and in all means hee is all now as well as hereafter Thirdly walke by the Charter of heaven the law of righteousnesse must be the rule of all and weights to weigh all in and out Fourthly wait still for further perfection of glorie stay not in first fruits In the glory of his Father Here is the manner of Christs second comming wherein it is opposed to the first there he covered and vailed his glory but now he will reveale and display it above the shining of a world of Sunnes Where consider three things and then the Uses 1. Why he calleth it the glory of his Father 2. Whether it be not his owne glory 3. Wherein this glory confisteth For the first of these Christ calleth it the glory of his Father 1. Because it is a most divine glory agreeing to none but the Father and himselfe with the blessed Spirit 2. Because the Father is the fountaine as of the deitie so also of this divine glory wherewith he hath crowned his Sonne Thence hee is called the Father of glory Eph. 1. 17. and the God of glory Act. 7. 2. the King of glory Psal. 24. 7. And Christ is said to bee taken up into glory 1 Tim. 3. 16. namely by his Father for we must conceive God not onely glorious by his nature in himselfe but the fountaine also of all that glorious life and motion which is communicated with any of his creatures 3. Because as all glory is from him so all is due unto him whom therefore his Sonne glorified and wee ought also to glorifie But was not this glory Christs owne in which he shall appeare Answ. Yes for consider him as the Sonne of God he was of equall glory with his Father in all eternitie Joh. 17. 5. Glorifie me with thine owne selfe with the glory which I had with thee before the world was And his incarnation abated nothing of that glory And consider him as the son of man and mediator 1. hee is worthy of all glory by the desert and merit of obedience Rev. 4. 11. insomuch that hee pleadeth with his
Father for his glorification because hee had glorified him on earth Joh. 17. 4. 5. 2. All glory is due unto him as the sonne of man by the donation of his Father Mat. 28. 18. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth So as it is Christs owne glory as the sonne of man as that is a mans owne which is given him Therefore in Mat. 25. 31. the phrase is changed Christ challengeth it to bee his owne glory when the sonne of man commeth in his glory But yet in speaking of himselfe as on the one hand he advanceth that great majestie hee shall appeare in so on the other he forgetteth not to referre all that glory to his Father which may bee a glasse held before our eyes that when wee speake of our selves or any endowment or gift belonging to our selves wee so speake of it and so use it as still our eye be fixed on Gods glory from whom and for whom wee have received it When Christ shall appeare in such glory as never creature was capable of nor can be then shall â—e most of all advance the glorie of his Father But contrarily when God most honours some men they most forget his honour so they may advance themselves they litle care how his glory bee troden under foot Happie is that man who is so faithfull in these small things as that the Lord shall be then occasioned to trust him with much But wherein shall this glorie appeare Partly in his person partly in â—is office both for preparation execution 1. In his person he shall be advanced above all the glory of all â—he Judges and Princes of the earth whether wee consider his divine nature or humane For the former hee shall bee manifest to be the mighty God for howsoever hee shall exercise his judiciary power visibly and appeare the sonne of man yet shall hee be mightily declared to be the Sonne of God in that the personall union of his two natures shall shine out as the Sunne in his strength which before was vailed and obscured And for his humane nature he shall be therein exalted in glorie as the head of his Church that even his glorious body shall carrie such majestie with it and be seene in such admirable brightnesse as that the sunne which dazelleth our eyes can scarce resemble it For if the just shall shine in the glory which shall obscure the Sunne in the Firmament how shall their justifier shine in glory And if his Attendants shall be so glorious as no man is able to behold the glory of the least of them what and how glorious must he be who shall so farre surpasse them all put together as the Sunne doth the lesser starres in brightnesse 2. If we consider his high office we shall behold him as the just Judge of all the world clothed with all the robes of glory and majestie such as shall well suit with the throne of his glory and such as shall fit him to the great worke in hand How glorious and magnificent was the giving of the Law and how solemne the preparation the earth shooke the mountaines trembled the Lord came downe in fire and out of thundrings lightnings and a thicke cloud sounded his trumpet so lowd as all the people trembled and shooke and afterward a terrible voice was heard of six hundred thousand men beside women and children yea in such glory appeared the Lord on mount Sinai that Moses himselfe said I quake and feare But when the Lord Jesus shall shew himselfe from heaven to judge the transgression of that law his glory shall not onely shake mount Sinai but the whole frame of heaven and earth all to pieces when fire shall not compasse one mountaine but the whole world shall be set on a light fire when the last trumpet shall sound and not onely the living shall heare it as then but the dead and all that are in the graves when the Lord of glory with one shout shall not raise one man as Lazarus but all that ever have beene dead from the first man to the last which hee shall finde standing on the earth But to behold more specially the particular robes and rayes of glory wherewith the Judge is prepared to the judgment 1. He shall come armed with an infinite power and dominion over all creatures which shall be acknowledged by them all the Angels shall all observe and attend it the heavens and earth and all elements shall bee dissolved by it the dead bodies of men shall be raised by it and called out of the graves the sea the bellies of beasts in all corners of the world the voice of the Son of God shall be heard of all in the graves and obeyed none shall be able to resist it 2. Hee shall come furnished with a glorious and unconceivable Omniscience to which nothing shall be hid or covered he shall reveale all counsels of hearts and all secret contrivances never so long hid All things are naked to him with whom we have to doe for to him the day and darknesse are alike there can be no concealment of things from this allfeeing Judge 3. Hee shall come covered with divine justice as a robe which shall confound all the enemies of his glory Jer. 2. 16. as a theefe is ashamed when he is taken in the manner so shall all wicked doers And there is no avoiding no deluding or perverting the justice neither the processe or finall sentence unlesse any mans power or policie were above his 4. Hee shall come prepared with glorious evidence and testimonie against all wicked men for their conviction that they shall not be able to implead the justice of the Judge or judgment For First hee shall have evidence and witnesse in their owne consciences which shall then accuse them to the Judge and their owne confessions shall be as a thousand witnesses Therefore saith Augustine Doest thou feare the last judgment rectifie thy conscience and all shall be well Secondly hee shall command the creatures and elements abused by their sinnes to give in evidence against them Job 20. 27. The heavens shall reveale their wickednesse and the earth shall rise up against them all creatures shall serve their Lord. Thirdly the good Angels whom they have in their kinde grieved and driven away from them by their sin shall witnesse against them And the wicked Angels who were first in tempting shall then bee first in accusing and first in tormenting Fourthly the Scriptures of God against which they have sinned yea the word of mercy the offer of mercies their abuse of mercies the resisting of means of grace and mercy all shall witnesse against them not so much to informe the Judge as to convince themselves and promote justice Fiftly all their sinnes shall witnesse against their authours and patrones Every iniquitie hath his secret and still voice saith Gregory
much more in his glorie when he shall be armed with power and glory to this purpose GOD shall no sooner arise but his enemies shall be scattered they also that hate him shall fly before him Ps. 68. 2. O therefore considering these terrours of the Lord what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation 2 Pet. 3. 11. If Daniel chap. 7. 15. was so troubled in his spirit and perplexed to see but in a vision the manner of Christs glorious comming to judgement how much more dreadfull shall the judgement it self be when all secrets shall be revealed as packes and fardels are opened in the marketâ— Oh? how carefull should wee bee of the wares we lay up in our hearts and consciences seeing that day shall disclose them to a Judge of such 〈◊〉 power and glory With his Angels The fourth thing considerable 〈◊〉 the comming of Christ to judgment is his Attendants that is 〈…〉 e Angels in whom the glory 〈…〉 d magnificence of his second appearing shall manifest it selfe For as formerly we have shewed that hee is not sent as a Legate with commission from the side of any earthly Monarch but must shew himselfe from heaven so now wee shall see that the glory and state wherein hee shall appeare is not from earth but hee shall bee wonderfull in the glory of heaven Luke 2. 13. for his guard shall not bee a troope of men but of Angels nor an army of earthly warriours but of heavenly souldiers nor weake and feeble soone overcome but mightie Angels or Angels excelling in power Psal. 103. 20. This glorious appearing of Christ is shadowed by the comming in of earthly Judges to hold Assises attendeded with the honourable the Nobles Justices and Gentry of the countrie yea with the High Sheriffes power besides all their own followers and retinue by which great state and attendance they are both honoured and aided in their service and made formidable to adaunt and quell malefactors as becommeth such publike ministers of justice Here consider 1 Their number Angels in the plurall number 2 Their relation his Angels 3 Their office and ministrie in the judgement 4 How they can come with him For the number he saith Angels indefinitely not one or two or a few but a number finite in it selfe because created but to our apprehension infinite and numberlesse Heb. 12. 12. the innumerable company of Angels And the Scriptures expresse their number by the greatest and roundest numbers in use among men Jude 14. The Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints that is holy Angels and men attending him Dan. 7. 10. Thousand thousands minister unto him and ten thousand thousands stand before him when the judgement was set up But our Lord speakes of many more Mat. 24. when the sonne of man shall come and all his holy Angels with him not an Angell shall bee left in heaven which shall not come with him What a great glory is it to see a great Prince in the midst of his whole trained band armed with all the power of his Kingdome yet all this is but weaknesse to this of Christ who brings the whole hoast of heaven with him to make his throne surpassing glorious Next of the relation his Angells how are they his Answ. 1. By creation 2. by confirmation in grace other fell from him and became not his but these by his grace cleave for ever unto him in the holinesse of their nature Thirdly His by speciall attendance and ministrie hee being Lord of the holy Angels they are his subjects and ministers readie to execute his will Ob. They are our Angels and therefore not Christs Mat. 18. 10. their Angels behold the face of the Father in heaven Answ. They are called our Angels so farre as appointed our keepers or guardians against Satan and impure spirits but in all this ministery to the Church they are his Angels for they attend us for our heads sake and attend his body which is himselfe Next of their office and why Christ shall bring all his Angels with him Ans. 1. Their ministrie serveth to set forth the glory of Christ the head The most potent Monarchs that ever were in earth in their most stately and most magnificent showes were but seely creatures and wormes to this and attended with weak men and flyes in comparison of this presence 2. That by their ministery the great worke of the great day may bee powerfull and speedily dispatched For First being the Angels of his power they shall performe it mightily and powerfully No sooner shall the sentence of absolution or condemnation bee pronounced but it shall bee fully executed For besides that every of them is mighty in his owne nature and thence denominated principalities and powers and said to excell in strength Psal. 103. 20. so shall now for the time the power of Christ bee added to their owne which shall bee of such invincible strength in every one as Satan and all the gates of hell cannot much lesse the wicked of the world shall be able to resist any one of them Secondly they shall doe it willingly because their wills are wholly conformable to the will of Christ whom they love with all their strength Their readinesse appeareth Mat. 13. 28. the servants said shall wee gather up the tares Those that desire commission afore-hand will be ready enough when they have it Thirdly they shall performe it justly purely â—aithfully Rev. 15. 6. the seven Angels that had the seven plagues are said to bee cloathed in pure and bright linnen noting their righteousnesse not mingling corrupt passions in their executions nor corruptly respecting any persons And they are girded on their breasts with golden girdles gold is the purest of all metals noting their purity and faithfulnesse in performing the will of God in whole and in every part Fourthly they shall doe it diligently and perfectly in most strict and exact manner For they could not continue in their glorious estate if they should not bee every way answerable to the law of God both in the puritie of their nature and in the perfection of their worke for how soever the Angels compared with God are imperfect Job chap. 4. vers 18. yet in comparison of Gods Law they have perfection and no spot of sinne cleaveth to them Fiftly it shall bee done speedily and in the twinkling of an eye with unconceiveable quicknesse and celeritie which is noted by their wings and girded breasts readie and prest to the businesse of their Lord. So of the second thing 3. Their ministry office shall be of use against all wicked persons First to force them and present them before the Judge be they never so rebellious for they shall blow the trumpet that all shall heare they shall runne through earth and sea in an instant to gather out all that offend they shall compell mightie and rebellious Potentates to present themselves
Secondly to be perhaps witnesses and give evidence against the ungodly of many secret sinnes sure wee are they attend our Congregations 1 Cor. 11. 10. and why not in our private chambers Thirdly to be instruments of Gods vengeance on the wicked Mat. 13. 41 42. the reapers shall gather the tares and cast them into unquenchable fire So of the third 4. Their service and Ministry shall notably serve for the comfort and salvation of the Saints in that day for first they shall with admirable expedition gather the Saints out of their graves from all the foure windes and bring them into the presence of Christ secondly as they attended them in their humilitie so now shall their service be exceeding comfortable in that day never was Hagar so comforted by an Angell in her distresse when hee refreshed her with water as they shall be by the Angels in this day of refreshing for 1. These Angels which had carried their soules into heaven as Lazarus Luke 16. shall now bring their bodies out of the earth As the Angell loosed Peters chaines and brought him out of prison Act. 12. so now shall not one living body as his but all the dead bodies of the Saints bee brought out of their prisons and set into perfect freedome All stones shall bee rolled away and all chaines of corruption broken asunder 2. When all elements shall bee dissolved and set on â—ire the Angels shall helpe and hide them that the fire shall not hurt them that looke as the three servants of GOD walked in the midst of the fire and had no hurt onely their chaines were loosed because God sent his Angell among them Dan. 3. 25. so here all the godly shall bee safe in that fire which shall drive the wicked to desperation not able to stand before those terrible burnings And that fire shall resemble the waters of the red sea which was a wall to Israel but a well and pit to drowne Egypt Yea and as that fire of Nebuchadnezzar that sheltred Gods servants from the Tyrant but licked up and devoured the enemie 3. Whereas Satan at that day being at his last most desperate assault shall bee most raging against the Saints they shall stop the mouth of this raging Lion as once they did for Daniel and by their power quell the forces of the divell And their very multitude shall afford this comfort that there shall appeare infinite more with us than against us 2. King 6. 16. 4. As they shall bind the tares to cast them into the fire so shall they carry the wheat into the garner and so appeare glorious ministring spirits for the good of the heires of salvation Hebr. 1. 14. Thus the office and ministrie of the Angels shall marvellously set out the glory of Christ promote the worke of the great day bee serviceable for the finall ruine of all enemies and happily advance the comfort and salvation of the Saints in these particulars But I read not in the Scripture a word of those childish and ridiculous conceits of Petrus Thyreus a Jesuite who in the description of Christs glorious appearing appoints some Angels to beare up the cloud and hold up the seat of the Judge and some to beare the crosse before him others the crown of thornes others the nailes others the speare and other instruments of his passion Which he hath gravely confirmed because hee hath seene these things finely artificially painted upon tables Sound proofes of Jesuites when they want grounds from Prophets and Apostles they can supply them out of Poets and Painters to both whom was ever granted equall leave to devise what they listed But how can the Angels come with Christ seeing they are no bodily substances in their nature being without magnitude figure or sense and seeing they occupie no place how can they move locally from heaven into the aâ—re and into the earth Ans. The Angels being creatures though they fill occupie no place yet must needs be definitively in some place now in one and then in another and sometime locally ascend and locally descend after a manner unknown to us Hence in Jacobs ladder the Angels are said to ascend and descend and not onely in vision but actually Luk. 1. 26. Gabriel was sent from GOD to a Citie in Galilee So our soules are spirituall substances and yet they locally ascend to heaven and at the resurrection descend from heaven to be united to their bodies In like sort the Angels are described to be of most quicke motion and for their celeritie and swiftnesse are compared to the windes and have wings ascribed to them as flying with most swift motion about their Lords commands And so must it needs bee for 1. Their motion is without all resistance of bodily substances no body can resist an unbodily substance and all resistance is betweene bodies 2. Being without resistance their motions are without all labour or wearinesse they are restlesse in their motion 3. It must be most speedy because by no meanes hindred so as in a short time above that wee can perceive they can move betweene heaven and earth I say not in a moment for Angels cannot locally move betweene extremes as from heaven to earth but by passing the meane which is to be done in time though very short Thus wee conclude that the spiritual nature of Angels though it occupie and fill no place as bodies doe nor hath any circumscriptive place assigned them as they and though by their motion in place they neither expell nor move any body out of place yet are they moved locally and shall descend with Christ to judgement and quickly expedite all things belonging to it by their Ministrie Observe hence a difference betweene Christs first and second comming For first hee comes now with another manner of traine than hee had following him upon earth Then he had twelve poore fishermen despised persons following him for his Kingdome was not of this world but now his traine are all the Angels of heaven Secondly hee was then to shew himself the son of man and in the form of a servant but now hee will shew himselfe the Sonne of God and the Lord of glory Thirdly he was then to preach righteousnesse and to suffer for sin but now he is to judge righteously and to revenge sin Fourthly he was ever the Lord of the holy Angels and therefore in his temptations and agonie they were readie to comfort him and when hee was at the weakest hee was of power to command many legions of them but that was not the time to shew forth his Majestie by their attendance as this appearing is Fiftly those Angels which ministred unto him in his incarnation and birth in his life and death were Angels of grace Preachers to shepheards Disciples women and others appearing sometimes by one or two to one or two persons But these are Angels
and though his greatest glory should bee deferred till the last judgement yet would he before that time shine out in brightnesse and glory to the whole world And whereas they as his nearest and most faithfull servants might earnestly desire to see him their loving Master thus exalted and grieve that it should bee so long deferred as that they might be worne out of the earth before that time hee meetes them in their desire and tels them it is not so farre off but some of them should behold it before their death For the meaning Amen or verily a forme of speech or asseveration which Christ the true and faithfull witnesse often used to avouch the truth and he that saith here Amen is called Amen Rev. 3. 14. these things saith the Amen to shew that whatsoever hee saith is yea and amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. that is most firme certaine and constant I say unto you Our Lord propoundeth his doctrine in his owne name that hee may bee knowne the chiefe Doctor of his Church even that Doctor of the Chaire whose voyce alone must be heard of Pastors and people Thus did none of the Prophets but onely verbum Domini the word of the Lord none of the Apostles but delivered what they had heard and seen 1 Joh. 1. 1. and what they had received of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 23. Nor none of the Pastors of the Church but as good Stewards they dispensed their Masters allowance And further this being a prophecie uttered in this forme hee showes himselfe the chiefe Prophet of the Church prophecied of by Moses Deut. 18. 18. like unto Moses Act. 3. 21. and like him in 5. things 1. As the truth hath a likenesse with the shadow the mediation of Moses betweene God and his people being a shadow of Christs mediation 2. Like him in respect of divine calling to his office 3. In respect of his faithfulnesse in his calling being faithfull in all the house of God as the Sonne Moses as a servant 4. Like him in his authoritie he being appointed to teach us all things we to heare him in all things 5. In the event or sanction whosoever will not heare him must dye the death But superior to Moses as being the Lord of the holy prophets as being God the seer of things properly and à priori as being faithfull in the house as the Sonne as onely able to say I say unto you preaching in his own name which none but the head of the Church can doe and none but hee that hath power in the heart and conscience Some that stand here shall not taste of death This is an Hebrew phrase not to taste of death is not to die but alluding to the cause of death which was tasting of the forbidden fruit this was the first tasting of death So in Joh. 8. 51. He that keepeth my word shall not see death and Heb. 2. 9. Christ tasted death for all the Elect. Till they see the sonne of man come in his Kingdome Here is some difference and difficultie in the interpretation 1. Some referre it to the last judgement of which Christ had spoken immediately before and erroneously conceive that Christ meant of John who they thought should not die till Christ came againe to the last judgement And no marvell though sundry have beene over-carried in this error seeing the Disciples themselves till the sending of the Spirit to lead them into all truth were wrapped in it But this is sufficiently confuted in the Text Joh. 21. 23. 2. Others both ancient and new writers as Hilary Bullinger Chytreus and Piscator understand it of Christs Transfiguration which immediately followed as if hee had said Some of you as Peter James and John shall shortly see mee so farre as you can comprehend in that forme and habit wherein I will thus come to judgement as sixe daies after they saw him on mount Tabor in great glory But first the speech yee shall see it before your death seemes to carrie it to something beyond the compasse of so few dayes Secondly wee doe no where reade that the transfiguration is called the comming of Christ in his Kingdome Thirdly in so short a time none of the disciples were to taste of death Therefore 3. We shall best finde out the sense by enquiring What is meant here by the Kingdome What is meant by the comming of this Kingdome and Seeing the best interpretation of a prediction is the accomplishment we shall enquire how some of the Disciples did see the comming of this Kingdome before they tasted of death For the first the Kingdome of God is twofold Generall and Speciall The former is called the Kingdome of power whereby the Lord powerfully governeth the whole world and every particular to the very sparrows and the haires of our head unto which kingdome of power all creatures men and Angels yea devils themselves are subject The speciall Kingdome of God is his gracious rule and governement over his Elect called the Kingdome of Christ because he is the head of it and the Kingdome of heaven because it tends directly thither and the Kingdome of the Sonne of man Of this Kingdome are two degrees of grace of glory The difference of these two is 1. In time the former is begun on earth the latter is consummate in heaven 2. In manner of government the former is governed mediatly by his servants and ministers the latter immediatly by himselfe when he is all in all 3. In the manner of subjection the former in the militant estate is environed by enemies and assailants the latter is triumphant in perfect rest and peace without all assault Quest. Of whether of these doth our text meane Answ. Our Saviour here speaketh of the former Kingdome of grace here in this world which is an estate wherein men are brought to be subjects to Christ in this life being enlightned guided and effectually moved to beleeve the promises of salvation and obey the will and lawes qf God For it is a comming into the kingdome before the disciples decease For the second what is meant by the comming of this Kingdome Answ. The comming of the Kingdome is nothing else but the erecting of it by the powerfull means of it in the hearts of men where it is not begun and a continuance of it with much successe and increase where it is begun being all one with that petition Thy Kingdome come And thus many Interpreters Calvin Beza Bucer Tossanus fitly applie it to the power and efficacie of the Gospel by which the Kingdome of Christ was farre and wide with great power propagated after the time of Christs Ascension but yet in the dayes of some of the Apostles And to this interpretation the change of the phrase Mark 9. 1. giveth light some that are here shall not taste of death till they have seene the Kingdome of God come with power Now
the path of our feet and a note of a godly wise runner to order his way with discretion And the wisdome of a man is to observe his way 3. Sincerity and uprightnesse not to run halting or dissembling Gon. 17. 1. Walke before mee and be upright Politicians runne halting betweene God and Baal betweene the Arke and Dagon betweene Protestants and Papists as Peter in policy would play on both hands betweene Iewes and Gentiles Galat. 2. but the Text saith that hee dissembled and went not the right way to the Gospell so doe these men of two hearts but of no Religion Gallio's neuters unstable in all their wayes being double-minded Jam. 1. 8. The like of formall Protestants who dis-joyne justification from sanctification and â—â—ver remission of sinne from mortification of sinne they runne crookedly and lamely and are farre from uprightnesse The fourth condition is to runne with a right motion and then is the motion â—o when it is performed humbly chearfully constantly 1 Humility quickens the soule when it considers that what progresse soever it hath made yet he hath not hitherto attained The Apostle Paul did therfore follow hard to the mark because he had not yet attained Doe thou likewise nourish low conceits in and of thy selfe as knowing 1. that thy knowledge and faith is but in part till that perfect come 2. that the high prize is not here wholly below nor the prize of immortality to be had in this mortall estate Away then with that proud conceit of merit thou hast attained enough that hast attained to merit thou art gotten farre beyond the Saints in heaven Away with the franticke conceit of perfection here the Gospell and faithfull Preachers cast downe such high imaginations against grace Who art thâ—u that art got before the Apostle Paul he forgâ—t all that he had done and pressed hard to the marke before him as good runners looke not backe to see how much they have runne which would cast them backe but their eye is on that before them by which they see how farre they are behind that they must reach Bewaile then thy slownesse stiffenesse or lamenesse in running and presse forward still 2 The motion must bee chearefully performed Wee must runne our race in earth as the Angels in heaven runne theirs now they are described with wings to flye so must we doe all our services willingly not by constraint and earnestly with all earnestnesse of affection as those that meane to attaine and of action putting forth all our speed as hee that runneth intendeth the whole force of his body to advance himselfe forward and as the Apostle presseth hard to the marke 3 Our motion is right when it is constant both without intermission and without cessation First we must not sometimes runne and sometimes sit still and rest us as being weary nor as some runne apace in the Sun-shine of the Church and stand still or goe backe in her storme nor as some that will bee good and runne apace while some sharpe affliction as a spurre or goad is thrust into their sides but afterwards grow as lazy or worse than before But our course must be as the course of the Sunne which comes forth as a Gyant to runne his course from East to West and never stands nor remits of his speed And as a man who is to runne for a great wager hyes himselfe with all speed through thicke and thinne so wee having so great a prize in our eye must hold our pace through all estates of the Church and of our selves holding it the greatest favouring of our selves not to favour our selves in any condition Secondly wee must runne constantly without cessation not making good our race a great way and then failing but to the very goale for 1. It is unsoundnesse that is a temporizer the Iewes rejoyce in Iohns light but for a season and many beginne in the Spirit but end in the flesh Much seed springs up fhoots forth and â—ladeth but never seeeth perfection nor the garner 2. Both naturall and supernaturall motion is swifter to the center-ward True piety never wants the crowne of perseverance and this never wants the crowne of eternall life 3. Vnhappy runners they are that lose all even at the goale and unhappy passengers that suffer shipwracke in the haven and harbour Obiect I have runne apace but now I cannot runne so fast Ans. With distinction 1. Art thou in temptation or wrestling with God as Iacob then though thou goest halting yet goe forward it is toward Canaan 2. Art thou weake yet a childe though never so weake will creepe when it cannot run to the fathers house bosome 3. Art thou secure oh repent doe thy first workes overtake thy selfe bewaile thy sinne and in all pray the Lord to enlarge thy heart and enable thee again to runne the way of his Commandements So of the fourth condition Lastly to run in a right manner wee must propound to our selves a right end in running and that is first and principally Gods glory 1 Cor. 10. 30. secondly the obeying of Gods Commandement the love of God must constraine us to run thirdly that we may obtaine the crowne of eternall life as here it is in our Text. Quest. But must our obedience and service be mercenary for so it seemes to bee if wee runne in expectation of the reward Answ. No it is not mercenary for first faith subordinateth our salvation to Gods glory secondly looketh on a reward freely promised and performed not merited and so thirdly beholdeth the reward as the eye of the soule is principally fixed on Christ who hath merited it by his death propounded it in his Word and now holds it in his hand in our eye to sweeten our labours and sufferings in the way unto it These cautions observed the Saints may runne in expectation of reward so Moses had respect to the recompence of reward Heb. 11. 16. so Paul pressed on as having the marke in his eye Nay our Lord himselfe for the ioy set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame And the Scripture every where holds the marke in our eye 1. To containe us in the right way to that marke 2. To maintaine and cherish in us a servent love and desire of heaven and of eternall life Faith will be wishly looking at things within the vaile 3. To encourage and sustaine the Saints in all the difficulties of the way the more easily to digest and â—verpasse them and so to hasten them to the fruition of that they beleeve That ye may obtaine From the action and the manner we come to the end As we have enquired whether wee must runne to attaine so now we must enquire whether wee may attaine by running Answ. Wee must runne for thiâ— prize which wee attaine not without running yet not for our running as the merit of
desires to bee further taught learne that Sound and saving knowledge is an humble knowledge Gods childe thinkes his knowledge to bee ignorance his sight to bee blindnesse not out of basenesse of mind or mistaking the gift but 1. Because no man seeth himselfe so well as he that is in the clearest light and he that hath most wisdome best seeth his owne wants How doth Moses learned to admiration debase himselfe and derogate from himselfe when God calleth him Exod 3. And how doth Agur deject himselfe as not having the understanding of a man in him Prov. 30. 2. whose praier what is it but a mournfull complaint of his owne ignorance 2. True knowledge shewes a man his own imbecillity even after conversion that although he be now light in the Lord yet he shall see he seeth but in part and knoweth but in part because of his owne weake capacity to comprehend the mysteries farre above his reach clouds of corruption left in him obscuring the Sunne-shine of the Word in it selfe cleare enough but wee looke through blacke glasses resistance of will which is but in part renewed obedience being but in part plainly argueth our knowledge so to be Ioh. 7. 17. And the understanding is not yet so captivated nor the affections so pure but that they would shape the Word to themselves not themselves to it hence they see themselves as the man Mark 8. â—3 restored to sight but at first saw men walking like trees they are not stone-blinde as before but have now a weake and indistinct sight so as Christ must follow his owne worke againe and again put his hands on them so as their sight growes stil clearer but never perfect till they come to see God as hee is the case of the Beleever being the case of Paul in his Conversion being strucke blinde his sight was restored by the falling off of the skales before his eies These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 skales of false conceits and naturall opinions are long in falling off our eyes even from our conversion till our dissolution 3. Sound knowledge is humble because of the excellent object of it which is two-fold first the statutes of God the matters of God which are deepe and high mysteries farre beyond the reach of highest capacities there are mountaines as well as vallies gulfes for Elephants to swimme as wel as shollow fords for Lambes to wade there are the depths of Predestination Incarnation Trinity and the like in which the Angels may pose their understandings Secondly God himselfe whom wee must know in Iesus Christ the nearer whom wee come the more humble we will be Moses as familiar as hee was with God yet comming neare unto him cast himselfe on his face and professed that hee was but dust and ashes A man by beholding the Sunne discernes the weakenesse of his eye so here 4. Sound knowledge is humble given onely to the humble and in such a measure as they may bee kept humble still For the Lord in great wisdom gives not knowledge either in kinde or measure to puffe us up but in his dispensation preventeth the Laodicean pride of our hearts knowing how hardly we could guide any perfection here Againe he deales with us as Parents with children under age and gives us knowledge in the measure of children and not of strong men Paul himselfe knew as a childe and in part 1 Cor. 13 and the best must know they have but inchoation of grace here and must grow in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ. Besides God gives such a measure of grace here as may stand with an holy covetousnesse of wisdome and such a desire after it as is insatiable that we might search the Scriptures with those noble Bereans as for silver and gold and know the price of wisedome to bee farre better Lastly that wee might not rest in this darke and petty Schoole on earth but long and desire that happy estate of heaven where is understanding without error knowledge without ignorance wisdome without folly This made Paul cast his eye beyond the present and set his affection upon that perfect which was behinde 1 Cor. 13. 9 10. Nâ—w we know in part but when that perfect is come then that which is in part shall be abolished Now we see as in a glasse but then we shall see face to face And withall it will make us prize Iesus Christ and flye unto him in whom we recover perfection of knowledge being made to us of God wisedome as well as righteousnesse Hence then the best men that know most must see they want much wisedome and much knowledge Let mee see a man gotten beyond David in found knowledge of God and himselfe and yet in this Psalme he can make no end of this desire and let this serve to beat down the idle conceit of knowledge if David who was of extraordinary knowledge and grace saw such darkenesse in himselfe and wanted so much of Gods teaching what doe we what may wee shall any man content himselfe with his measure attained as needing no more shall Davids measure humble him and shall thy measure make thee swell Consider the Apostles checke to the Corinthians 1 Epist. 8. 2. If any man thinke hee knoweth any thing let him know he knoweth nothing as hee ought to know And cast thine eyes upon the best examples in Scripture see the errours of Saints both in iudgement as Peter Gal. 2. 8 9 11. and in practise as David and tell mee whether the best had not need be still taught in the statutes Againe examine thy knowledge and the soundnesse of it by this note if it be humble For there is a notable difference betweene the godly and wicked in regard of their knowledge 1. The wicked man is proud and boasteth of that hee hath not the Pharisee of a key of knowledge an ordinary man of as much knowledge as the Minister or as much as he needeth whereas the godly man being humble scarce acknowledgeth the treasure that he hath 2. Whereas the wicked man having a slight measure of knowledge gives up the means and rests in that measure the godly what measure soever they have still follow God in the meanes even for that they have as if they had it not David being well taught prayeth to be taught more 3. Whereas a wicked man having a small measure of knowledge referres it to himselfe as gotten by his owne meanes or industry and for his own ends as also fwels in himselfe and despiseth others and will be knowne to have somthing above others the godly still flyes to the same grace that first gave it and referres it to the praise of the giver and yeeldeth to all other though not in gifts yet in his mind and affection Thus the true knowledge of Christ as the truth is in Christ teacheth to be like Christ who is meeke and humble Whence must follow 1. That a boasting
holy enough as did these Scribes and Pharises who needed no Physician they no more saw their need of a Physician then they saw their sicknesse And thâ— there be many whole men in the world and almost al men are generally whole in these daies Hos. 7. 9. Ephraim saw not his gray haires nor the consumption of his strength Revel 3. â—7 Laodicea saith she is rich and needs nothing The Pharisie blesseth God he is not as others he seeth in himselfe no hypocrisie nor pride nor contempt of others he is a whole man Many a civill man liveth honestly he doth no man harme he is beloved of his neighbours he keeps the Commandements as well as God will give him leave This mans case in his owne conceit is sound and good and he hopes he shall live in his righteousnesse And in thousands presumption is as a chaine to the necke who tell us they love God with all their hearts have a strong saith never had any doubt they thanke God no not so much as any grudgings of unbeleefe and it were pitty he should live that doubteth of his salvation These are sound men and whole but as they never beleeved so they never bewailed their infidelity never groaned under the burthen of their sinnes are enemies to God to his Word to all righteousnesse worldlings oppressors deceivers swearers cursors otherwise abominable yet still found and whole men in their owne conceit And another cause of conceited soundnesse is the extenuaation of sinne Some qualmes and grudgings they have and all men are sinners and crazy but themselves are no great sinners or no greater then other men Thus they mince and lessen their sinnes They are not sicke enough to seeke out to the Physician they have ease enough yet if it would hold without Christ. Now see the miserable and damnable estate of these men First they are eaten up with griping diseases and deadly pangs and yet feele nothing Paines of sinne are like the pains of sicknesse the lesse felt the more dangerous and deadly Secondly as they need not the Physician so certainely the Physician needs not them hee came not for them they have as much helpe from him as they seeke He came not to call the righteous He calleth and cureth onely the sicke and heavy laden with the sense and burden of sinne Let this therefore serve to convince these whole men and let them see their estate so as they may seeke to the Physician and not dye senslesse The markes and spots of a deadly disease are these First an ill stomacke argueth bodily disease so Spirituall If the Word the Manna from heaven be bitter if thy minde rise against it and the mouth of thy soule be out of taste if thy memory keepe not the doctrine of God if by meditation thou digestest it not and so sendest it not into all parts of thy life thou art sick iudeed though thou secmost never so whole Secondly when the body consumeth the parts are weakned the knees bowe under a man and with much adoe he draggeth his limbes after him there is certainly a bodily disease though there bee no complaint So in the soule when men are weake to deeds of piety have no strength to conquer temptation to suffer crosses and trials to workes of charity mercy or justice but all strength of grace seems to be exhausted here is a dangerous disease here may wee justly feare a spirituall hecticke which is no sooner discernable then deadly Thirdly when the senses faile the eyes grow dimme the eares dull it is an apparant signe of a bodily or spirituall disease A senslesse man is the sickest man because he is sicke though he be not sensible Even so when the eye-strings of the soule are broken that they see not the light of grace nor of God which as the Sunne shines round about them the eares heare not the voyce of God the feeling is gone they have no sense of the great gashes and wounds of the lusts of uncleannesse drunkennesse covetousnesse swearing lying malice against God and his servants nay no complaint but rather rejoycing in these neither is there any fellowship in the afflictions of Ioseph the soule of such a man lyes very weake as a man for whom the Bell is ready to toll Fourthly difficulty of breathing or to be taken speechlesse is a signe of a disease and death approching So in the soule prayer being the breath of the soule when a man can hardly fetch this breath cannot pray or with much adoe can begge mercy strength and supply of grace or when he is speechlesse a man cannot heare him whisper a good and savoury word but all is earthly fruitlesse or hurtfull here is a living Corps a painted sepulcher not a man of a better world Would men try themselves by these notes they would soone discorne their sicknesse and runne out to the Physician But oh what an hard taske is it to bring a man rightly to know his estate A singer of the body cannot ake but men complaine and bind it up But the soule lies gasping and there is no such care c. Thus negatively of the Patient or party fit for cure Affirmatively it is the sicke man And he is the sicke man that feeles and groanes under the paine and burden of his sin The point this Sinne is the most dangerous sâ—ickenesse in the whole world and fitly resembles bodily sickenesse For First sicknesse comes by intemperance the temperate body is never sick while we were in innocency we were in sound health but through distemperature in our natures we were poysoned at first and ever since our sinnes and lusts conceiving bring forth sinne and death And as some sicknesses be hereditary and propagated so the sicknesse of sinne is propagated from Adam to all his posterity and every man hath added to his disease by his owne wilfull transgression Secondly sicknesse weakneth the body and impaireth the vigor of nature so doth sinne in the soule experience sheweth that after some sinne we very hardly and weakly attempt any good thing for along time Sin hath weakned the faculties darkened the understanding corrupted the will disordered the affections thence this sicknesse Thirdly sickenesse brings paine and torment into the body so doth sinne into the soule first or last There is no peace to a wicked man but terrors soule horrors of conscience and desperate feares doe ever attend him Fourthly sicknesse continuing and lingring on the body threatneth death and without timely cure bringeth it Sinne also not removed by repentance menaceth and bringeth certaine death to body and soule Fifthly sicknesse is generally incident to al men So the soules of all men are diseased by nature even the soules of the Elect till they bee healed by Christ. And these diseases are most foule and incurable compared in Scripture to a gangrene which suddenly eateth up the body 2 Tim.
and holiest men can make attonement but onely his blood which removeth the curse of the Law by satisfying for our sins which opens heaven now shut upon us and obtaines a perfect redemption Heb. 9. 2â— Next the Vertue and Preciousnesse of this Cure Oh it was a powerfull and precious blood and that in five respects 1. In respect of the quality it is the blood incorruptible All other diseases are cured with corruptible things but this is opposed to all corruptible things in the world 1 Pet. 1. 18. Yee are not redeemed with corruptible things but with the precious blood of Iesus Christ. 2. In respect of the person it was the blood of God Act. 20. 28. and therefore of infinite merit and price to purchase the whole Church 3. In respect of the subject of it no other cure or remedy can reach the soule All others drugs conduce for healthfull life and worke upon the body but this makes for an holy life and workes upon the soule the sicknesse whereof the most precious thing in the world cannot cure Minister to a wounded spirit Aurum potabile Bezoar Alchermes dust of Pearles all is in vaine it is onely this blood which heales soules and spirits 4. In respect of the powerfull effects of it above all other cures in the world for first they may frame the body to some soundnesse of temperature but this makes sound soules according to the conformity of Gods Law Secondly they may preserve naturall life for a while but this brings a supernaturall life for ever Thirdly they may restore strength and nature decayed but this changeth and bringeth in a new nature according to the second Adam Fourthly they cannot keepe away death approaching but this makes immortall Fifthly they cannot raise or recover a dead man but this raiseth both dead in sinne dead in soule and dead in body Lastly in respect of time All other physicke is made of drugs created with the world but this was prepared before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 18. Againe all the worke of all other physicke is done in death but the perfection and most powerfull worke of this is after death By all this take we notice of our extreme misery by sinne seeing nothing else can cure us but the blood of the Sonne of God Gold enough can ransome the greatest Potentate on earth but here nothing can doe it but the blood of the Kings sonne If we had such a disease as nothing but the heart-blood of our dearest friends alive suppose our wife husband mother or childe could cure us what an hopelesse and desperate case were it it would amaze and astonish the stoutest heart But much more may it smite our hearts that we have such a disease as nothing else but the heart-blood of the Sonne of God can cure Looke upon the execration of thy sinne in this glasse If any thing can worke the hatred of sinne this may 1. To see the fire of Gods wrath kindled and nothing but this blood can quench it 2. To see the deadlinesse 〈◊〉 the disease in the price of the physicke and the dearenesse of the remedy 3. The danger of sinning against so precious a blood for if Abels blood being shed cryed from earth for vengeance much more will this blood trod under foot But those never saw their sinne in this glasse who conceive the cure as easie as the turning of an hand a light Lord have mercy or an houre of repentance at death and have lived in sinne and loved their sinne as if there were no danger in it passe away their daies and live in ignorance swearing cursing Sabbath-breaking lying covetousnesse filthinesse and all unrighteousnesse whereas had they eyes to see they might out of the price and greatnesse of the remedy gather the danger and desperatenesse of the disease For all the earth affords not any herbe or simple nor drug of this vertue but the Sonne of God from heaven must shed his blood Nay all the men on earth and all the Angels of heaven could not make a confection to cure one sinne or sinner Neither any of Salomons fooles who make a mocke of sinne ever saw it in this glasse Is it not extremity of folly to make a tush of sinne and to take pleasure and delight in it O consider in time that the sinne thou makest so light of cost Christ deare and the least sinne thou delightest in must either cost Christ his blood or thee thine in endlesse torments It is no safe jesting with edged tooles and to east darts and fire-brands and say Am I not in jest In this Cure we may observe a world of wonders First wonder and admire this Physician who is both the Physician and the Physicke Was ever the like heard of in all nature Secondly admire the confection that the Physician must temper the remedy of his owne heart-blood He must by passion be pounded in the mortar of Gods wrath he must be beaten smitten spit upon wounded sweat water and blood be trodden on as a worme be forsaken of his Father the Lambe of God must be slaine the just suffer for the unjust Doest thou not here stand and wonder 〈◊〉 there ever such a Prece 〈…〉 〈◊〉 the world that the wo 〈…〉 〈◊〉 one man should heale ano 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—ound or that the wo 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Captaine should heal 〈…〉 souldiers The 〈◊〉 suffered darkenesse the earth quaked the rockes rent asunder the graves opened the dead arose to shew the admirable confection of this Cure and are we senslesse still Thirdly admire the power of weaknesse and the Omnipotent worke of this Cure by contraries as in the great worke of Creation there the Sonne of God made all things not out of something but out of nothing so in this great worke of our Cure by Redemption he works our life not by his life but by his owne death he makes us infinitely happy but by his owne infinite misery he opens the grave for us by his owne lying in the grave he sends us to heaven by his owne descending from heaven and shuts the gates of hell by suffering hellish torments He honours us by his owne shame he breakes away our temptations and Satans molestations by being himselfe tempted Here is a skilfull Physician tempering poyson to a remedy bringing light out of darkenesse life out of death heaven out of hell In the whole order of nature one contrary refisteth another but it is beyond nature that one contrary should produce another Wonder Fourthly admire the care of the Physician who provided us a remedy before our disease before the world was or we in it together with his bounty who bestowed on us so precious a balme when there was none in Gilead when neither all the gold in India nor all the metals or minerals in the bowels of the earth could save one soule nor all the wealth in the world oure one