percipiuntur Good saith he is the way of humility whereby truth is searched out charity is obtained and the generations of wisdome are perceived Humility exalteth he that is most humble is and shal be most honourable Moses was the meekest man on earth and God made him the most honourable calling him up unto himselfe in the mount and making him the Leader of his people Gedeon was very little in his own eyes the least of his fathers house in his owne apprehension and God marvellously exalted him making him the deliverer of Israel As mans pride is attended with infamy so is mans meeknesse waited on with glory Vis magnus esse incipe ab imo Wilt thou be great begin from below saith the Father As the roots of the tree descend so the branches ascend this makes the soule capable of grace as the low grounds of water and the broken earth of seed God gives grace to the humble as men poure liquor into an empty vessell The Altar under the Law was hollow to receive the fire the wood and the sacrifice the heart of man under the Gospel must be humble empty of all spirituall pride and selfe-conceit to receive the fire of the spirit and Jesus Christ who offered himselfe a sacrifice for our sinnes this keeps the soule free from many darts of Satans casting and snares of his spreading as the low shrubs are free from many violent gusts and blasts of wind which shake and rent the taller trees I have read of one that seeing in a vision many snares of the devill spread upon earth he sate downe and mourned and said within himselfe Quis pertransiet ista Who shall passe through these whereunto he heard a voice answering Humilitas pertransiet Humility shall passe through them The Divell hath least power to fasten a temptation on him that is most humble hee that hath a gracious measure of meeknesse is neither affected with Satans proffers nor terrified with his threatnings This makes man peaceable in conversing with his brethren fruitfull in well-doing cheerfull in suffering comfortable in every condition constant in holy walking this makes a man precious in the eyes of God as a humble servant in the eyes of his Master Qui parvus est in reputatione propriâ magnus est in reputatione divinâ saith Gregory He that is little in his owne account is great in Gods esteeme This makes the way and worke of man acceptable unto God and also sweetens and encreaseth mans communion with God If ever therefore you entend to enjoy Gods glorious and blessed presence labour for this humility and meeknesse Fourthly Bee servent and unfained in your love to God his truth and his children this will make your language very gracious Amantium mos est saith Chrysostome ut amorem suum silentio tegere nequeunt Lovers know not how to keepe silence lovers of God are very full of gracious expressions this will make you liberal you shall give your selves to God and the service of his Saints as the men of Macedonia did this will make you patient in suffering as Jacob in his service for Rachel this will make you frequent the house of God with all alacrity frequency and diligence as children their fathers house and table this will make you joyfull in hearing the word of God as the Bride in hearing the voice of the Bridegroome this will make you carefull free and full in the observation of Gods statutes as loving children in the observation of their fathers precepts this will make you diligent and rich in all good workes the more man loves God the more he strives in all well-doing to glorifie God Love like fire is not idle but operative Amor Dei saith Gregory nunquam otiosus est operatur enim magna si est si verò operari renuit amor non est The love of God saith he is never idle for if it is it worketh great things but if it refuse to work it is not love Love makes the yoke of God easie and his worke delightfull it is only want of love that makes the commandement a burden Tantò magis delectat opus bonum quantò magis diligitur Deus summum incommutabile bonum saith Augustine A good work so much the more delighteth by how much the more God the chiefest and unchangable good is loved Love among some of the Ancients was resembled to and represented by the Sun the Sunne inlightens the world the more love the more light Knowledge and love like the water and the ice beget each other man loves God by knowing and knows God by loving God dwels in love and where God is there is light that mans light is darknesse which is not attended with the love of God and his testimonies the Sunne makes the earth fertile he that loves God cannot be barren his love makes him fruitfull in all well-doing the Sunne is swift and constant in his motion love makes man cheerfull speedy and unwearied in running the race which God hath set before him the Sunne is impassible love is patient and invincible it endureth all things no floods can drown it no waters can quench it Want of love and affection is the maine cause of mans apostacy and back-sliding the Sunne casteth his beames upward and downward to the East and to the West to the North and to the South Christian love causeth its beames to ascend to God above and to descend to man beneath to our friends on the right hand to our enemies on the left hand to them that are in the state or grace before us to them thâ—t are in the state of corruption behind us love which is not in this sense universall is corrupt and carnall The Sun beginning to ascend in his circle never goes back uâ—till he comes to the highest degree thereof true love abhorres apostacy ascends to more perfection and ceaseth not untill like Eliahs fiery chariot it hath carried the soule to heaven If ever you meane to see and enjoy the God of love labour for this love Fiftly Be very serious studious circumspect and carefull in all your walkings ponder the path of your feet like carefull travellers consider and weigh all your doings let all your waies of the heart within and worke without be ordered aright according the rule of Gods word every motion of the soule is a step to life or a step to death a step towards heaven or toward hell Mans labour and service is temporall his wages and recompence eternall therfore as Zeuxes that famous Lymner being demanded why he was so exact and serious so long so careful and curious in his workmanship answered Diu pingo quia aeternitati pingo I am long in painting because I paint unto eternity We all paint unto eternity every one of our actions tends to an eternity of joyes or sorrowes all our temporall actions are as seeds of eternity sowne by us a temporall seed an eternall harvest we speak we heare we write we read we
Prov. 23.4 not saith hee to bee rich cease from thine owne wisedome wilt thou set thine eyes on that which is not for riches make themselves wings they flye away as an Eagle towards heaven 6. Deceitfulnesse Sixthly the creature is very fraudulent Laban changed Iacobs wages ten times many are their changes who serve the creatures The Psalmist saith of them that n Psal 107 26. goe downe to the Sea in shippes and doe businesse in great waters They mount up to the heavens they goe downe againe to the depths their soule is melted because of trouble The like may wee say of them that goe downe to the creature and seeke for great things and doe great businesse in the sea of this world They mount up in honor in wealth in favour and they goe down again in povertie disgrace contempt and hatred and their soul doth even melt with trouble never man trusted the creature but was deceived by it his soule smarted for it when the promises thereof are greatest the deceit thereof is most dangerous as Diogenes sometimes stiled flattering speech Melleum laqueum a honey snare such a snare â—re the honey-sweet promises of the creature this like a Delilah sings us asleepe makes us secure shaves off our lockes robbes us of our spirituall strength and delivers us into Satans bondage When Absolom feasted Amnon and Amnons heart was merry with wine then Absoloms servants fell on Amnon and murthered him when the world feasteth man and the heart of man is merry with the worlds wine drunken with the fulnesse of the world then honours riches pleasures the worlds servants fall on man betray man and murther the soule of man frustrate the expectation of man prove a deceitfull Bow and a sandy foundation unto man and the folly of man is made manifest in seeking fulnesse in the creatures wherein without Christ Jesus the soule of man meets with nothing but emptinesse weaknesse bondage changes and deceitfulnesse all is vaine without Christ a thing of nought a very nullitie a non-ens like Iobs friends o Iob 13.5 Physicians of no value they cannot cure us helpe us ease us fill us they can doe nothing for us 2. Folly of seeking fulnesse in our selves Some seeke for fulnesse in themselves they please themselves with themselves they goe not out of themselves they looke not beyond nor above themselves for any thing to fill them to enrich them to make them happy they suppose they have water enough in their owne Well treasure enough in the store-house of their owne soules Goliah supposed hee had fulnesse enough of strength in his owne arme in his owne weapon and looked out for no other fulnesse to assist him in the conflict with David Vaine man corrupt man supposeth hee hath fulnesse enough in himselfe fulnesse enough of wisedome to guide him of libertie to convert himselfe of power to vanquish the adversaries of his soule of righteousnes to justifie himselfe in the sight of God of merit to procure salvation at the hands of God and therefore he goes not out of himself he addresses not himselfe to Christ hee seekes not to be filled with the fulnesse of Christ they trust in themselves that they p Luk. 18.9 are righteous they looke for no righteousnesse but their owne for no garment to cloath them but that which growes at home is spun and woven at home in the house of their own flesh for no Well to refresh them or wash them but what they digge out of their owne earth for no armour to defend them but that which is framed and made at home of their owne metall they are q Rev. 3.17 rich and full and want nothing in their owne opinion they are wise in their owne eye and leane to their owne r Pro. 3.5 understanding and trust not to the Lord looke not unto him regard not to be filled with his knowledge with his power with his goodnesse hee that hath highest thoughts of his owne fulnesse doth ever least regard the fulness of Christ hee is ready to say to Christ tendering to him his fulness as Esau did to Iacob sending him a present I Å¿ Gen. 33.9 have enough my brother keep that thou hast unto thy selfe It is wonderfull to consider how mens ignorance and unsensibleness of their own wants doth cause them to under-value the fulness of Christ O how little doe they who have high thoughts of their owne fulness discerne or taste of Christs fulness And what is man without Christ that hee should seeke for fulness in himselfe but an t Rom. 7.18 Eph. 2. â—2 empty house wherein dwelleth no good a dead man in whom is no life a blind man in whose soule is no light a loathsome leper on whom is no beautie as the world without the Sunne the flocke without a shepheard the members without a head the rush without mire and the flagge without water as sometime Iob spake as the field of the sloathfull without a diligent hand to dress it is over growne with thornes and nettles so and such is the soule of man without Christ Did man see his owne emptiness and vileness without Christ hee would never bee at rest untill he were filled with Christs fulnesse Folly of sâ—eking fulnesse in naked use of ordinances Some seeke for fulness in the naked presence and bare use of Gods ordinances never labouring to see Christ to taste Christ in them to receive Christ and his fulness through them to bee brought to the enjoyment of Christ by them Asa u 2 Chron. 16. promised himselfe a fulness of health from the Physicians he looked not beyond and through them to the Lord hee sought not to the Lord but to the Physicians Gods ordinances are the physicke his Ministers the Physicians Some seeke to them stay in them promise themselves fulnesse of health from them they seeke not they come not home to the Lord by them they partake not of Christ and his fulnesse in them The Jewes w Ier. 7.4 promised themselves fulnesse of defence safety victory salvation from the naked presence of the Temple without amendment of their doings without obedience to the God that dwelled in the Temple Micah perswaded himselfe of the fulnesse of all blessing because hee x Judg. 17.13 had a Levite to his Priest though he still retained his Idol and learned not of his Priest how to serve that God aright from whom commeth all blessing How many men doe turne the meanes of salvation into meanes of destruction not learning God in them not being led home to God by them Questionlesse mans use of Gods Ordinances is fruitlesse untill in them he both see and enjoy Christ and his fulnesse As therefore the Shunamitish woman thought it not enough that Gehazi was sent with his masters staffe but y 2 Kings 4.30 laid hold upon the Prophet and would not goe till hee himselfe went with her so think it not enough that
which Christ hath assumed abides unchangeably united to the person of the Sonne so o Ioh. 15.7 abide with Christ in attendance on his ordinances in faith in his promises in love to his truth and in obedience to his precepts As the assumed nature is ascended from the earth to heaven so raise thy thoughts and affections p Col. 3.2 from the things below to the things above ascend continually by meditation by faith by love and longing to the things which are spirituall As the assumed nature hath no subsistence but in the person of the Sonne so have thou no dependance upon any thing but on Christ alone let him q Psal 73.15 bee all in all And as the assumed nature is filled with the fulnesse of the Godhead so labour more and more to bee filled with the fulnesse of all grace and holinesse so shalt thou maintaine that honour to which Christ hath exalted thy nature CHAP. XII Shewing that mans choycest excellencie consisteth in union with God THis sheweth us wherein the choycest excellencie of man consisteth even in being united unto God in having God dwelling in his heart Wherein stands the excellencie of Christ as Man but in having the Godhead dwelling in his flesh in being assumed into the unity of the second person And wherein stands the excellencie the glory and the happinesse of man but in being reconciled and brought nigh to God in being entred into a sweet and gracious communion with God Is it not the excellencie of the branches to bee united to the Vine of the members to bee united to the head of the wife to have communion with the husband and of the children to have communion with the parent And what is the excellencie the joy and comfort of the soule but sweet and gracious communion with God in Christ Jerusalem though the joy of the whole earth pleased not Absolom unlesse hee might r 2 Sam. 14.32 see the face of his father David The paradise of the world is but a wilderness to to the childe of God unlesse hee see the face enjoy the comfortable presence of God his Father Whom doth the Psalmist pronounce blessed Him that hath communion with Princes in their Courts with Nobles in their honours with valiant men in their victories with rich men in their wealth voluptuous men in their pleasures or him that hath communion with his God in his ordinances in his spirituall comforts Å¿ Psal 65.4 Blessed saith he is the man whom thou chusest and causest to approch unto thee whom thou chusest embracing him with thy love adopting him for thy sonne and making him a member of thy Church and causest him to approch unto thee as a Scholler to thy Schoole as a friend to thy house as a childe to thy table as a bride into the bosome of thy love to know thy will to beleeve thy truth to receive thy grace and to feele thy love and to bee satisfied with the goodnesse of thy house even of thy holy Temple What is the fruit and end of all the labours of Gods Ministers but to worke and draw home the soules of men to God to the fruition enjoyment of God to union and communion with God All the labour of Eleazar was to bring home Rebecca unto Isaac to espouse her to Isaac and all the labour of Gods Ministers his servants is to bring men home to Christ to espouse them to Christ as Paul saith I t 2 Cor. 11.2 have espoused you to one husband This is the summe of all to gather men home to God and Christ as Chicken to the Henne as Sheep unto the Shepheard as Children to the Parent that they may bee u 2 Cor. 5.19 reconciled unto God made one with God and have the blessed enjoyment of God as their highest excellency chiefest good And what are the longings of the soules of holy men who have discerned Gods beauties who have tasted Gods loving kindnesse but the fruition of God in his ordinances and in his graces w Ps 42.2 My soul saith David thirsteth for God O when shall I come appeare before God! And againe My soule x Ps 119.20 breaketh for the longings which it hath unto thy judgements at all times Very vehement and laborious are the desires of Gods servants after him and his testimonies desires which doe even consume and weare out the strength and vigour of their soules desires of perseverance longing at all times in prosperitie and adversitie The soule of a good man is restlesse untill it hath the enjoyment of God and Jesus Christ nothing else can content and answere it Herein stands the excellencie the glory and comfort of it untill it attaine this it is unquiet Union and communion with God makes the soule flourish Benefits of union and communion with God as the branches by union with the vine They y Ps 92.12 that are planted in the house of the Lord that draw nigh to God conscionably frequent his word and are ingrafted into Christ they shall flourish in the courts of our God as a watered garden or a tree planted by the waters side this fils the soule with spirituall life with heavenly sense and motion as the members which are united to the head z 1 Ioh. 5.12 Hee that hath the sonne hath life power strength a blessed fulnesse of holy and heavenly life hee spiritually moves and eates and walkes and workes and rejoyceth like a living man this makes him strong as the a Mat. 7. house that was united to the rocke no windes nor waves of trouble can beate him downe this makes him strong as Christ is strong to beare afflictions and to runne like a strong man the race of Gods commandements this sustaines him in all worldly desertions this is in stead of light when he is in darknesse in stead of b Psa 4.6 wealth when he is poore c. Union and communion with God answers all things O be assured then that the top and flower of the soules happinesse consists in union with God and Christ Jesus And as the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth in the humane nature of Christ bodily substantially so labour to feele God in Christ dwelling in thy soule spiritually feele him dwelling there by illumination as the sun dwelleth in the aire by ministration as the vine to the branches by powerfull and gracious gubernation as a centurion in the army a master in the house and a king in his courts by spirituall and holy inclination bowing bending and framing the heart to doe the will of God As the pilot at the sterne workes the ship towards the haven as the spirit of the living creatures in Ezekiels vision being in the wheeles Wheresoever the Spirit moved c Ezek. 1.20 they moved so feele the Spirit of Christ in thy soule so possessing sanctifying and framing it that there be a disposition and readinesse within thee to move as God in his word
of the soule as the cloudes under the Sun Christ being able to dispell and blot them out as the Sun the clouds as debts under a rich man Christ being able to make full satisfaction death and hell are put under him as the o Rev. 1.18 opening and shutting of the house are under him that hath the keyes of the house Absolute universall irresistible is Christs jurisdiction p Mat. 28.18 having all power both in heaven and earth given him Behold in this who are filled with the chiefest choycest fulness Use this is the excellency of Christ Who have choycest fulnesse that hee is filled with all the fulnesse of the Godhead and this is the excellency of the soule to bee filled with the fulnesse of the Spirit of all fulnesse heavenly fulnesse is the choycest Christ of all creatures commeth nearest to God and his fulnesse is the fulnesse of the divine essence Among men such as are most nigh and most deare to God their fulnesse is a fulnesse of heavenly gifts and graces God often fills his enemies with q Psal 17.14 Job 12.6 earthly abilities as Abraham filled the hands of Ismael with the moveables as men fill swine with huskes and Acornes but his friends hee fills with spirituall gifts as Abraham gave the inheritance unto Isaac and Elkana a worthy portion to Hanna Spirituall fulnesse is a portion of the highest price of the sweetest choycest use and with this fulnesse wee must all strive to bee filled Bee not r Ephes 5.18 drunke saith Saint Paul with wine wherein is excesse but be ye filled with the Spirit with the wisedome of the Spirit with the holinesse of the Spirit with the power of the Spirit with the joy and peace of the Spirit Spirituall and heavenly fulnesse is proper to the Lords servants let the covetous like the rich man in the parable fill his barnes with corne let the drunkard like them in the ſ Isay 59.11 Prophet fil themselves with strong drinke let the ambitious like Haman fill himselfe with worldly honours but let the Christian fill himselfe with the graces of the Spirit for this let us pray heare contend and strive to bee filled t Eph. 21.3.19 with the fulnesse of God with the highest measure of spirituall perfection whereunto wee can attaine This fulnesse is the most excellent therefore stiled 1. Excellent the fulnesse of God God is infinitely more excellent then the earth and this fulnesse farre excelleth all worldly fulnesse As Bathsheba said of the vertuous woman Many daughters have done excellently but thou excellest them all so may wee say of this fulnesse how excellently soever other fulnesses may doe in their place and kind yet this fulness of grace excelleth them all This fulnesse is the most permanent 2. Permanent this abideth as the Sunne in the firmament as the waters of the sea as the fire upon the altar when other fulnesse faileth like the waters of Tema and vanisheth like a vapour this is a growing fulnesse like the waters comming out under the Temple rising higher and higher shining like the light more and more to the perfect day This is an honourable fulnesse 3. Honourable it is a Crowne and a Diadem to him that hath it it makes man an excellent man indeed To excell in vertue is mans choycest excellencie It is a sweet and comfortable 4. Sweet satisfactory a satisfactory and contenting fulnesse a Feast of marrow and fat things and of wine refined upon the lees a river that filleth and makes glad the soule Oh then above all fulnesse highly prize diligently seeke earnestly hunger after the fulnesse of God care not for the fulnesse of gold fulnesse of lands fulnesse of honour fulnesse of carnall contentments but for the fulnesse of God this will make thee strong against temptations patient in afflictions joyfull in sufferings holy in thought gracious in speech fruitfull in action humble in prosperity confident in adversitie fervent in prayer profitable in hearing godly in conversation and graciously assured of future fulnesse of an eternitie of all blisse and happinesse CHAP. XIIII Setting forth the superlative excellency of Christ above all creatures HERE as in a glasse wee may behold the transcendent and superlative excellency of Jesus Christ above all the creatures 2 Sam. 18 3. David was better then ten thousands of the people Christ is more excellent then all the thousands of men and Angels Ps 148.13 his name alone is excellent for his divine originall for his union of two natures in one person and for the mighty workes which have beene wrought by him Phil. 2.9 God hath given him a name above every name for dignity majesty authority power and most complete perfection as the name of kings is above the name of subjects the name of an heire above the name of servants the name of a centurion above the name of souldiers the name of ransomer above the name of redeemed captives excelling all the creatures as the tallest cedars the lowest shrubs the most glorious Sunne the weakest lights the deepest Sea the smallest drops the highest Prince the poorest beggars and the richest jewell the most unworthy stone The Apostle saith of the glory of the Law in comparison of the glory of the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.10 That which was glorious had no glory by reason of that which excelleth Thus the glory and excellencie of all creatures is as no glory and excellencie in respect of the surpassing glory and excellencie of Christ Jesus Full of divine and heavenly sweet and soule-ravishing excellencie are the names given in sacred Scripture unto Christ as Immanuel Esay 7.14 God with us in regard of his person being God and Man in the unity of his person and in regard of his office being with us by intercession with his Father for us by protection against all enemies by sustentation in all adversities Christs being made one with us is the fountaine of all our happinesse Sometimes hee is stiled Iesus Mat. 1.21 a Saviour no typicall but a proper true spirituall Saviour no mediate but an immediate Saviour a Saviour by merit obtaining salvation by his perfect obedience and satisfaction a Saviour by efficacie applying all his benefits by the operation of his Word and Spirit a Saviour in regard of the terminus à quo the sinnes wrath of God and condemnation from which hee saves us and in regard of the terminus ad quem the perfect righteousnesse favour of God and life eternall whereunto hee brings us Christ is the complete and perfect authour of salvation to all Gods children Full of heavenly sweetnesse is the name Iesus to all true beleevers Mel in ore melos in aure jubilus in corde Hony in the mouth musicke in the eare a jubilee in the heart saith Bernard Superlatively sweet and excellent is that salvation which Christ brings to all that unfainedly receive him Sometimes
in the flesh assumed personally so that Christ in our flesh is true God and true man and he that hath the Sonne of God hath the Father hee that enjoyes Christ enjoyes God because the Godhead dwels in the humane nature personally and by this we see that Doct. Christ dwelling in our flesh is true God Christ the Sonne of God dwelling in our flesh is truely and essentially God nothing is wanting to Christ that belongs to God that appertaines to the divinity whatsoever the father doth the Sonne doth in our flesh though not by the power of the flesh but by his Godhead dwelling in the flesh the names of nature and of imposition the titles of honour love office and labour which are given unto Christ the attributes of eternity of immutability immortallity omnipresence omnisciency and omnipotency ascribed unto Christ together with the miraculous and mighty workes wrought by Christ doe give an ample cleare and invincible testimony of Christs Godhead Applic. Let us therefore looke upon the Godhead of Christ in our flesh and admire his goodness in comming so neare unto us strive by faith and love to come to him and through him to God Christ reconciling God and man as Jacobs ladder joyned heaven and earth together God dispensing all to men by Christ accepting men through Christ as the Angels descended and ascended by the ladder in Jacobs vision Let us againe contemplate Christ as God dwelling in our flesh and feare him and obey him above all commanders exalt him above all men and Angels love him above all creatures stay upon him in all distresses consecrate our selves to his service celebrate him as the Author and worker of all our welfare and happinesse and quiet and content our selves in and with him as the fountain of all fulnesse VERSE 10. And yee are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power CHAP. XVI Ascribing perfection in Christ to such alone as are truely gracious IN the precedent verse is the fulnesse of Christ opened in this verse is the fulnesse of his members proposed Christ is very free full and gracious in his ministrations to his servants As there is a fulnesse in the Vine so there is a fulness in the Branches as there is a fulnesse in the Sea so there is a fulnesse in the Rivers as there is a fulnesse in Christ so there is a fulnesse in his Members they are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power Scope of the Apostle These words contain a third argument used by the Apostle to dehort and disswade men from having recourse to humane traditions philosophicall doctrines vaine and needlesse ceremonies from seeking perfection or fulnesse in such empty lamps broken cisternes and barren trees considering they have perfection nearer home and in themselves being in Christ members of Christ incorporate into Christ in whom is all fulnesse they need not looke else where for perfection for they are complete in him In the words wee have two things in the generall 1. The Saints perfection 2 Parts 1 Saints perfection 2. Christs exaltation and yee are complete in him 2. Christs exaltation which is the head of all principality and power First of the Saints perfection and ye are complete in him wherein we may take notice 1. Of the subject yee not all but yee Yee who are effectually called from the death of sinne to the life of grace Ioh. 11.44 as Christ called Lazarus from the death of the grave to the life of nature Yee that are savingly enlightned Ioh. 9 as the eies of him that was borne blind were opened Yee that are spiritually purged and cleansed from sin 2 King 5. as Naaman was washed from his Leprosie in Iordan Yee that have put off the old man Eph. 2.4 and put on the new Gen. 41.14 42. 2 Cor. 5.17 as Ioseph had his prison garments taken off and vestures of fine linnen put upon him and a golden chaine about his necke yee from whom all old things are put away and to whom all things are become new yee are complete in him Note Such alone as are truely holy and gracious are complete and perfect in Christ Iesus Such alone are living branches in this vine a spirituall Bride to this husband endowed with Gods image interested in Gods promise separated from worldly vanities and the power of uncleannesse clothed with Christs righteousnesse and filled with Christs fulnesse Use 1 Prophane and carnall people are farre from all spirituall perfection as the dead are farre from life the blinde farre from eye-sight and bondmen farre from freedome Unregenerate and ungracious persons have no saving knowledge of Christ Jesus no participation of his fulnesse no interest in his benefits no taste of the sweetnesse of his mercies Christ to them is a hidden Manna whom they taste not an eclipsed Sunne whom they see not a sealed Well of whom they drinke not like the Tree of Life to Adam expelled out of the garden of Eden Gen. 3. one to whom they come not of whose fruit they feed not Reigning prophanenesse deprives the soule of all the benefits and comforts of the Lord Jesus Such alone as are truly gracious are Use 2 filled with Christs fulnesse discern Christs excellencies and are refreshed with the sweetnesse of his mercies They alone that live to Christ enjoy Christ and are made perfect by Christ and have the promise of eternall life in and through Christ Dignus planè est morte qui tibi Christe recuset vivere qui tibi non sapit desipit qui curat esse nisi propter te pro nihilo est nihil est propter teipsum Deus fecisti omnia qui esse vult sibi non tibi nihil esse incipit inter omnia O Christ saith Bernard hee is plainly worthy of death who refuseth to live to thee and hee that is not wise for thee is foolish and hee that cares to bee unlesse for thee goes for nothing and is nothing O God saith hee thou hast made all things for thy selfe and hee that will bee for himselfe and not for thee beginnes in the midst of all things to bee nothing Without Christ mans greatest fulnesse is nothing else but emptinesse hee that seeks himselfe and not Christ loseth both himselfe and Christ hee that strives without Christ to be happy involves himselfe in the snare casts himselfe into the gulfe of the greatest misery To live to the Lord Jesus in true holinesse is the onely way to everlasting happinesse Hee that for Christ can make himselfe nothing shall in Christ finde the perfection of all things Labour then to bee of their number who are truly holy and gracious that you may bee complete and perfect in Christ Jesus Secondly here is the benefite complete full entire perfect complete in the imputation of Christs righteousnesse in the inchoation of all saving gifts and graces
home the waters which are drawne out of the Wells of salvation as in firme and sure vessels by engraving upon your hearts as letters written with a pen of Iron or the point of a Diamond that it may never bee blotted out by ruminating and meditating thereupon day and night writing them upon the tables of your hâ—arts Pro. 7.2 3 4. keeping them as the apple of your eye binding them as jewels and precious stones upon your fingers in regard of your affection to them high estimation carefull preservation continuall remembrance of them singular delight in them let them be to you as sisters and kinswomen for your daily commemoration of them familiar communion and acquaintance with them Bee fruitfull in your affections let your love grow as the waters which flowed out under the Temple Ezek. 47.5 1 King 18 44 45. as the Cloud which was first no bigger then a mans hand and at length so great that it covered the whole heavens let it grow to a great love to a flaming and a burning fire a fire so strong that no floods be able to quench it to a love like Jonathans love to David a love surpassing the love of women to their children O love the Lord all ye his Saints Ps 35.23 saith the Psalmist love him with a childs love a friends love a wifes love love him with all manner of love love him purely in regard of the spring whence your love ariseth love him sincerely for the quality love him fervently for the measure love him continually constantly for the time love him universally for the extent love him in his Attributes as a God of power supporting a God of wisedome guiding a God of mercy forgiving love him in his Creatures as an Almighty Maker love him in his Word as a King prescribing lawes of obedience as a friend revealing his counsels declaring the riches of his mercies love him in Christ Jesus as a Father love him in his children as the fountaine of all grace and sanctification Bee fruitfull in all your sufferings As spices the more bruised the more fragrant resemble the fire in Nymphaeus which if we give credit to Pliny imbribus fit ardentior let all your sufferings be as Schoolemasters teaching fires purging trumpets awakening spurres quickning Zac. 10.9 winds driving neerer to God come forth of the fornace of affliction as gold out of the fire be able to say out of experience to Satan tempting to the world hating Gen. 50.20 traducing persecuting as Joseph said to his brethren Ye thought evill against me but God meant it unto good as it is this day Be fruitfull in your Callings Ministers in teaching Magistrates in governing every man in his particular Calling As every member in the body the head eyes hands feet are all profitable in their places so should each of us be fruitfull in the station wherein the Lord hath set us Every wheele in the clock hath his motion doth his part every starre in the firmament sendeth forth his influence giveth his light so must every person in that politicall or ecclesiastical orb where God hath set him abide and be fruitfull 1 Cor. 7.24 6 Be fruitfull in all your Actions in your hearing as fields receiving good seed in your prayers draw some water out of Gods well let not thy prayer returne empty Heb. 10.24 but like Noahs Dove with an olive branch of some comfort in your meetings Consider one another provoke one another to good workes in your speeches let your tongue be as choice silver Pro. 10.20 21. and fruitfull pasture for the purity sincerity profitablenesse enrichment of others feeding filling the hungry rejoycing the sorrowfull strengthening the weake by your gracious communication as by a spirituall banquet in your families let every man wife Luke 1.6 like Zachary and Elizabeth walk in all the ordinances of God and be blameles every master like Abraham Gen. 18.19 command his people to keepe the way of the Lord every servant like Joseph in Potiphars house so religious towards God so observant of his master so faithfull in his Calling that all his undertakings may be prosperous every son and daughter so attentive to the parents instruction so full of grace and godlinesse that they may make glad the hearts of their parents be an ornament to their families as the flowers to the garden every subject so loyall faithfull and obsequious to his Soveraigne that he prove both an honour and strength to the Kingdome every houshold like Philemons house Philem. vers 2. a Church of God in regard of holy instructions there delivered religious duties there observed in regard of the lively faith and holy life of such as live in it thus let us endevour to be fruitfull thus let us grow in grace Hearken beloved how Saint Paul perswades you We beseech you brethren 1 Thes 4.1 and exhort you by the Lord Jesus that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walke and to please God so ye would abound more and more Consider deare Christians how Saint Peter presseth it 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7. Giving all diligence adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse And to the end you may be fruitfull under the meanes you must be 1 Carefull in preparing a prepared field is made fruitfull by the seed and a prepared soule receiveth much benefit by the ordinances of the Lord you must put iniquity farre away from you Job 11.13 by desertion detestation declination of every occasion leading thereunto Gen. 43.24 Josephs brethren washed their feet made ready their present when they were to come before him and bowed themselves unto the earth and then Joseph made them eat and drinke and they were merry with him thus when we come before our Joseph our God and our Christ Isa 1.16 we must wash and be cleane wee must make ready our eare to heare our heart to pray and present our petition before the Lord and then the Lord Jesus will sup with us feast and feed us and make us merry Rev. 3.20 Isa 56.7 joyfull with him in his Ordinances 2 Diligent in frequenting the house of God the place where the meanes is we must wisely forecast all our businesse that we be not hindered husband our time well that we may have time to spare for good duties Cleanthes carried water by night that he might not be hindered from studying the Liberall Sciences by day thus should we rather worke by night then be absent from the house of Christ by day It is a foule shame that Shops Tavernes Market places nay the house of Baal 2 Kin. 10.20 21. should be full and the house of God empty If you purpose to be fruitfull you must attend on the Ministers of the Lord as Lydia did on Paul Act. 16.14 the lame man at Bethesda as Suiters
detained by his father in law Iudg. 19.5 that hee lost his Concubine by the way shee came short home thus many of us are so feasted by the world so detained from day to day that wee lose our soules by the way wee come short of heaven and eternall happinesse at last It is marvellous to consider how in all matters of this life wee take the time make use of the opportunitie If the body bee diseased we goe presently to the Physician with the woman of Shunem wee saddle the horse 2 King 4. and ride in all haste if fire bee kindled in the house wee instantly runne for water to quench it if a citie be besieged like the men of Gibeon Ios 10.6 wee speedily send for strength to remove it if wee bee rob'd wee forthwith make hue and cry that the thiefe may be apprehended Husbandmen for the earth Mariners for the sea Merchants for the Mart and every Smith strikes while the iron is hot And is it not a shame that wee whose soules are so dangerously diseased an infernall fire burning within us an armie of unclean spirits laying siege against us many theeves robbing us of the best among all jewels yet wee move not stirre not strive not for deliverance Wee have the best seed to sow the richest voyage to make the chiefest merchandise to buy and yet wee regard not our day esteeme not the time of our visitation entertaine not the proffer which God of his free and abundant mercie doth make O beloved consider First how just it will bee with God not to heare us in our misery if wee refuse to heare him inviting us in the multitude of his mercie shall the master heare the servant requesting if the servant regard not the master requiring Remember the words of a dying man of a dying King a holy a wise King a man after Gods owne heart the words of King David to his sonne Solomon 1 Chron. 28.9 Thou my sonne Solomon know thou the God of thy father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts If thou seeke him hee will bee found of thee but if thou forsake him hee will cast thee off for ever Secondly doth not our refusall of mercie when it is offered cut off all hope of mercie for hereafter Doth not the rejecting of a proffered pardon turn the Kings favour into anger against the malefactor Did not this give Christ occasion to withdraw his mercie from Jerusalem O Jerusalem Mat. 23.37 38. Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered you together even as a Hen doth gather her Chickens under her wing and yee would not Behold your house is left unto you desolate Thirdly will not our continuance in sinne make our repentance if ever we doe repent so much the more grievous full of terrour vexation and anguish Where trees have growne long and the roots are deepe the earth is very much rent and torne before the tree is plucked up Doth not the traveller who hath walked long and farre out of his way goe backe with much sorrow sadness and griefe of heart Fourthly will God be well pleased that we shall spend all the flower and strength of our time in Satans service and when wee are old and can serve sin no longer come crowd and thrust our selves into his service Fifthly doe not wee hereby lose much spirituall riches blessed communion and acquaintance with God comfortable assurance of joy and glory in the heavens that comfort peace pleasure rejoycing contentment which infinitely surpasseth all the contentment in the world O therfore let us not any longer delay our conversion put off our repentance neglect the day of our visitation let us not be like Jerusalem strangers to the things belonging to our peace but let us thinke upon the Lords patheticall and manifold expostulations asking Pro. 1.22 How long yee simple ones will yee love simplicitie and scorners delight in their scorning and fooles hate knowledge Interrogating also with his people Ezek. 18.30 31. Repent and turne your selves from all your transgressions make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will yee dye O house of Israel Call to minde also and thinke seriously upon the Lords free and gracious invitations Ier. 3.22 bidding us by the Prophet Turne O back-sliding children and I will heale your back-slidings Zech. 1.3 And againe Turne yee unto mee Mat. 11.28 and I will turne to you And Come to mee all yee that be heavie loaden and I will refresh you Thinke on this and Remember your Creator in the dayes of your youth Eccles 12.1 Remember him as a Maker to depend upon him as a Father to love him as a Master to feare him as a King to obey him as a Friend to rejoyce in him as a Shield to defend you a Store-house to minister all fulnesse to you And as the Angell charged Lot Gen. 19.17 Escape for thy life looke not behinde thee neither stay in all the plaine escape to the mountaines lest thou bee consumed so let mee charge exhort intreat perswade every person that tenders his owne everlasting peace glory comfort to hasten out of the Sodome of sinne to escape from his uncleannesse not to looke back with love or liking upon any way which God hath forbidden lest his consuming wrath seize upon him but shine more and more like the Sunne unto the perfect day Goe forward like a good traveller bee filled with all goodnesse as the sea with waters and you shall have a resting place in Sion drinke of the rivers which shall fill your soules with the choycest pleasures and bee more glorious then the Sunne for ever in the heavens FINIS THE LORD JESUS THE SOULES LAST REFUGE By Alexander Grosse B. of Divinity at the funerall of Mr. S. H. PSAL. 73.26 My flesh and my heart faileth me but GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever PSAL. 141.8 Mine eyes are unto thee O GOD the LORD in thee is my trust leave not my soule destitute PSAL. 142.4 5. I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would know mee refuge failed me no man cared for my soule I cryed unto the LORD I said Thou art my Refuge and my Portion in the land of the living LONDON Printed by R. Young for John Bartlet at the gilt Cup in Pauls Church-yard 1640. THE LORD JESUS the Soules last Refuge REV. 22.20 Come Lord Jesus THE comming of the Sunne is joyous to him that hath been long in darknesse the comming of the Dove with an Olive branch was comfortable to Noah after he had been tossed divers dayes upon the deluge the re-appearing of the Starre to the Wise men made them exceeding joyfull And such is the comming of the Lord Jesus to the
Psa 63.3 above wine which maketh glad the heart above the increase of corne and wine the joy of the rich above life the choycest pearle and deerest treasure in natures closet If the dawning of the day bee so joyous how much more pleasant is the Sunne rising If the first fruits be so acceptable how much more abundantly joyfulâ— is the full vintage If the glimpse of Gods face bee so much desired how much more desireable is the fulnesse of Gods countenance reserved for us in the heavens which the Psalmist doth illustrate by a similitude taken from the chased Hart Psa 42.1 2. As the Hart the Hart chased heated affrighted and vexed by the hounds and hunters doth pant after the water brookes so doth my soule pant after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appeare before God before God in his holy Temple in the assembly of his Saints and servants in the use of his ordinances in the sense of his loving kindnesse and in the full fruition of his face in the highest heavens And this the Apostle expresseth by a Metaphor taken from the naked 2 Cor. 5.2 who have no garment to cover them no house to hide them as they with great diligence seeke and much earnestnesse long for a covering so doe the faithfull servants of God long for heaven their house and habitation and for the full fruition of Jesus Christ whose righteousnesse is their rich and royall robe their pure and spotlesse garment to cover them In this saith the Apostle wee groane â—arnestly desiring to bee clothed upon with our house which is from heaven As he that is in darkness longeth for the light so the soules of Gods children in the darknesse of this world doe long for Jesus Christ and heaven the Sunne of righteousnesse and that heavenly Citie which God hath provided for them Rev. 21.23 Where there is no need neither of the Sunne nor of the Moone to shine in it because the glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof As the Bride doth long for the comming of the Bridegroome so the spirituall Bride longeth for the comming of the heavenly Bridegroome Christ Jesus being sicke of love Cant. 5.6 8. and full of longings after him As the mother of Sisera looked out through the window and cried through the lattesse Iudg. 5.28 Why is his Chariot so long in comming why tarry the wheeles of his Chariots so doth the Spouse of Christ here in this life looke forth through the window of Gods ordinances and through the lattesse of her faith and cry How long Lord Jesus Rev. 6.10 how long Thou art my helpe and my deliverer make no tarrying O my God And the Apostle for the mitigating of their sorrowes asswaging of their troubles quieting of their consciences and the better staying of their soules perswades them to waite assures them of the speedy comming of Christ saying Psa 40.17 Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward for yee have need of patience that after yee have done the will of God yee might receive the promise For yet a little while and hee that shall come will come Heb. 10.35 36 37. and will not tarry And thus have Gods servants expressed their desires Phil. 1.23 I desire saith Saint Paul to be dissolved as a prisoner from his fetters as a captive from his bondage and to bee with Christ which is farre better And wee groane saith hee speaking in the name of all the faithfull to be cloathed upon 2 Cor. 5.4 8. that mortality might bee swallowed up of immortality And wee are willing to bee absent from the body and present with the Lord And this the Apostle commended in the Thessalonians 1 Thess 1.9 10. that they were turned to God from Idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for his Sonne from heaven as servants wait for the comming of their Lord and Master And this Saint Peter termes a looking for 2 Pet. 3.12 and hastening unto the comming of the day of God The reason whereof is In regard of their remaining sinne and Reason 1 corruption This is to them as a disease to the sicke as fetters to the prisoner as a burthen to the traveller as a mote to the eye as manacles to the hands as chaines to the feet as aches to the bones as the sons of Zervia unto David they were adversaries to him too strong for him 2 Sam 19.22 so are their corruptions adversaries to their soules to their peace to their communion with God to their present and everlasting welfare Somtimes they are too strong for them leading them captive Rom. 7.23 as a tyrant the souldier whom he hath taken in the battle 1 Pet. 2.11 2 Sam. 3.1 making continuall warre against them as the house of Saul did against the house of David being as prickes in their eyes and thornes in their sides Iudg. 2.2 as the Canaanites were to Israel as heavie burthens to their backes Psa 38.4 burthens too heavie for them to beare as dead members in their body Rom. 7.24 very cumbersome and occasions of great trouble And therefore as the noble man went unto Christ and besought him Ioh. 4.47 that he would come downe and heale his sonne because hee was at the poynt of death so doe the faithfull servants of God go to Christ and say Come Lord Iesus that there may bee a thorough healing of all their infirmities In regard of Satans subtile assiduous and violent temptations Ios 10. As the Amoritish Princes besieged Gibeon so doth the prince of darknesse besiege the soules of Gods people As Pharaoh imposed heavie burthens upon the children of Israel set cruell task-masters over them and when they were going forth of Egypt raised an army and pursued them so doth Satan lay heavie burthens upon great and grievous things to the charge of Gods people set many mercilesse and bloudy minded man against them and raiseth an armie of evill thoughts within to distract them and an army of afflictions without to molest them being as a roaring Lyon to Gods flocke 1 Pet. 5.8 as a man of warre to the Citie of their soules making their passage very stormy and tempestuous Luk. 11.21 and therefore as the woman of Canaan came to our Saviour and cryed to him Mat. 15.22 25. saying Have mercie on mee O Lord thou Sonne of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a Divell Lord helpe mee so doe Gods children addresse themselves to Christ and cry Have mercie upon us thou Sonne of David for our soules are sore vexed with the Divell Lord helpe us O come Lord Jesus and bring us a full and finall deliverance from all infernall adversaries In regard of the evill and offensive conversation of ungracious men their language their practice their profanenesse their troublesomnesse is to
of all our friends according to the flesh made dumb and silent then our soules will be put upon Christ and there will bee no remedy we must say Come Lord Iesus And therefore this should make Christ very pretious in our eyes now this should inflame our hearts with singular and fervent love unto him for the present getting interest in him above all things and making him our chiefest and choycest our deare and onely friend This should so sweeten unto us the Lord Jesus that wee should say with Bernard Jesus dulcis in voce dulcis in facie dulcis in nomine dulce enim nomen suave Jesus consecratum ab aeterno annunciatum ab Angelo prophetatum Solomonis oraculo qui ait Oleum effusum nomen tuum Psa 73.25 Jesus is sweet in voice sweet in face sweet in name for the name Jesus is sweet being consecrated from eternitie published by the Angel and prophesied by the Oracle of Solomon who saith Thy Name is an oyntment powred forth Wee should so select him so admire him so adhere unto him so set our hearts upon him that wee should say with the Psalmist Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee So glorious so pretious so infinitely transcendent let him be in our thoughts in our judgements in our estimation and affections that wee love and affect him exalt and preferre him as the King above all commanders as the Sunne above all lights as the spring above all cisternes as the pearle above all treasure and as the husband of our soules above all friends as a Paradice of all pleasures a haven of rest from all tempests and the refuge of our soules in all troubles Let our faith bee such in him our hope so settled upon him our love so strong towards him our subjection such under him that we may bee able at all times and seasons in all estates and conditions to say Come Lord Jesus Behold in this the honour and profit the advantage and comfort which a bodily dissolution bringeth to the righteous to all true beleevers they desire the full fruition of Christ and this bringeth them home to Christ Phil. 1.21 to them to dye is gaine gaine of libertie from the burthen of all corruption from all the assaults of Satan from the servitude of the world and all affliction gaine of perfect holinesse in respect of Gods image gain of complete victory in respect of all enemies gaine of most sweet communion in respect of their fellowâ—hip with God Christ the glorious Angels and all the Saints of God gaine of absolute honour in respect of their glorious condition in heaven As death to the righteous is a tree of many fruitfull branches a messenger of many comfortable tidings so the Spirit of God hath given it many denominations Sometimes it is stiled a Sleepe Mat. 9.24 sleep possesseth onely the outward members and senses the soule sleepeth not so in death the body onely dies the soule is carried into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16.22 â—ev 14.13 Sleep giveth rest unto the body They who dye in the Lord rest from all their labours Sometimes it is called a gathering to our Fathers Gen. 25.8 by death the righteous are separated from the wicked gathered as wheat into Gods garner and their soules bound up in the bundle of life 1 Sam. 25 29. Sometimes it is called a way the way of all flesh by the way wee come to our home to our fathers and to our friends house Ios 23.14 and by death wee come to our heavenly home to God the father and the Lord Jesus Sometimes it is called a going forth As the prisoner goeth forth of the prison 2 Pet. 1.15 and Israel went forth from the bondage of Egypt so when the body dieth the soule goeth forth as out of a prison and entreth into the land of the living Sometimes it is called an end Mat. 10.22 because in death there is an end of all sin of all sorrow of all labour trouble as in the waters of the red Sea the Israelites Egyptian bondage ended Sometimes it is termed a sowing Ioh. 11.24 1 Cor. 15.44 the seed which is sowne doth spring forth again into a blade the body in the resurrection shall flourish like the grasse death like a Physician cures all their diseases like a key opens the prison and restores them to a blessed freedom brings them to the full fruition of Jesus Christ the desire of their soules And this is the sweetest and fullest gaine of a Christian Lucrum est evasisse incrementa peccati Augustine lucrum fugisse deteriora lucrum transire ad meliora Aug. Lucrum maximum computat Christianus Cyprian jam saeculi laqueis non teneri jam nullis peccatis vitiis carnis obnoxium fieri exemptum pressuris angentibus venenatis diaboli faucibus liberatum ad laetitiam salutis aeternae Christo vocante proficisci Cypr. This must perswade move us to work our hearts to a holy longing and earnest desire after the comming of the Lord Jesus to desire it as the husbandman the coÌ„ming of the harvest the sick man the comming of the day of health or the ward the day of his full age to looke for the new heavens 2 Pet. 3.13 2 Tim. 4.8 and the new earth and to love the appearing of the Lord Iesus and for that end there must be First Godly sorrow for sin Christs coming is comfortable to such as are truly sorrowfull he that is weary of his corruptions doth truely long for the coming of Christ Jesus Gen 45.4.5 Ioseph spake to his brethren kindly entertained them courteously when he saw them grieved for the injury offered him Luke 15. The prodigals day of humiliation Isa 61.1 was the day wherein his father graciously received him Christ will bee found a sweet and mercifull Iesus to all Mat. 11.28 truly penitent sinners Secondly there must be a thorough removall of sin an effectuall reformation of all our wayes Gen. 35.2 Jacob went not up to Bethel before he purged his house of Idols It is in vain for man to say Come Lord Jesus if there bee not a conversion of the soule to Jesus To such the Prophet speakes Amos 5.18.19 Woe to you that desire the day of the Lord to what end is it for you the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light as if a man did flye from a Lyon and a Beare met him or went into a house and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse and not light even very darke and no brightnesse in it What the voyce of God was to Adam upon the eating of the forbidden fruit what the comming of the flood was to the profane men of the old world what the waters of the red Sea were to Pharaoh what the
fire from heaven was to the Captaines which came up against Eliah what the burning fornace was to them that cast in Shadrach Meshec and Abednego the same will be the coming of the L. Jesus to all unholy persons O therfore away with your sins every soul of man reform his wayes Job 11.14 That you may lift up your faces with boldnes that you may with great joy and comfort say Come Lord Iesus Thirdly get it to your hearts the pretious pearle of a lively faith Eph. 6.16 this wil quench all Satans darts silence all the accusâ—tions of conscience make you looke on Christ as on a friend to comfort you Rom. 8.31 an advocate to plead for you and a redeemer to save you and like Eliahs fiery chariot will carry your soules aloft and bring you with gladnesse into the presence of the Lord Jesus Fourthly make a good use of your talent be wise be diligent be faithfull holy humble in the imployment of it and Christ shall come with comfort and he shall entertain you with a sweet and comfortable Euge. Well done thou good and faithfull servant Mat. 25.23 thou hast been faithfull over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into thy masters joy And let us be excited stirred up to work our hearts to this longing for Christs comming considering First the satiety of our estate in heaven Rev. 22.2 there is a Tree bearing twelve sorts of fruit youth without old age health without sicknesse fulness without loathing liberty without bondage beauty without deformitie impassibility without griefe abundance without want peace without trouble security without feare knowledge without ignorance glory without ignominy joy without sorrow Secondly the security of that estate no enemy can reach us it is a Citie never besiegâ—d a haven never disquieted there is no death neither of sin nor of misery Rev. 21.4 Nec culpae nec miseriae nec naturae nor of nature Thirdly the jucundity of it a day without clouds a paradise without thornes fulness of joy true joy without deceit sincere joy free from the mixture of sorrow Psa 16. constant joy a Sun that never sets of which we may say as Augustine doth * O gaudium supergaudium vincens omne gaudium extra quod non est gaudium quando intrabo in te ut videam Deum meum qui habitat in te O joy above joy overcoming all joy without which there is no joy when shall I enter into thee that I may see my God who dwelleth in thee Here is joy above us in the vision of God joy within us in the glorification of our souls and bodies joy about us in our communion with Saints and Angels joy beneath us in our evasion and escapall of hell and everlasting darknesse Here is to the souls of all beleevers Gaudium de Christo joy concerning Christ as the authour of our welfare in Christo in Christ as he is the head and wee the members cum Christo with Christ as coheires with him of the same inheritance post Christum after Christ every soule joying according to proportion per Christum by Christ being reconciled to God by him and beholding God with joy through him propter Christum for Christ he being exalted above all creatures and having purchased all things O let these things sweeten the thought of Christ Jesus to us inflame our soules with longing after him make us all say Come Lord Iesus Thus from the Motion passe wee to the Mover Lord Jesus Two titles of the blessed Sonne of God the one a title of authoritie to command us the other of mercie to comfort us Love and Justice are sweetly knit together in Christ Jesus Note as Lord hee requireth obedience to his precepts as Jesus he calleth for faith in his promises Faith and obedience must never be divided in Gods servants hee that calls him Lord without obedience dishonours him hee that calls him Iesus without faith receives no benefit by him Hee is stiled first Lord and then Jesus Note If Christ bee not our Lord and Master first hee will never bee our Saviour at last He that will not have Christ to be his Lord in his life shall not have him for his Iesus at the houre of his death O therefore serve him honour him obey him as your Lord beleeve him love him rejoyce in him as your Jesus now that you may bee able upon all occasions to say Come Lord Iesus Come Lord Jesus as a Counsellour to guide us as a Rock to support us as a Friend to comfort us as a Fountaine to supply us Come Lord Jesus in the day of fulnesse and make us thankfull in the day of want and make us contented in the day of our sinne and make us penitent in the day of affliction and make us patient in the day of temptation and make us confident in the day of sorrow and make us joyfull in the day of health and make us mindfull of the day of sicknesse in the day of life and make us watchfull against the day of death in the day of sicknesse and assure us of the blessed issue of our earthly pilgrimage in the day of death and translate our soules into a glorious life Even so come LORD JESUS And now touching this spectacle of mortalitie here before us what shall I say unto you wherein shall I from hence instruct you but onely in two things in the genenerall First by way of premonition Secondly by way of commemoration By way of premonition and so you may in this object of death be admonished First of the transitorinesse of mans pilgrimage his life is a vapour soon vanishing a race soone runne Heâ— 13.14 a candle quickly gone out having no continuing Citie here but must seeke one that is to come Secondly of the vanitie of all earthly abundance it is a starting Bow in the day of battle a rotten Anchor in the stormie tempest Wee see that of Solomon ver fied by daily experience Pro. 11.4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse delivereth from death the righteousnesse of Christ imputed the righteousnesse of conversation well ordered giveth comfort deliverance from the second death when soule body are dissolved Thirdly whatsoever extravagancies or aberrations we see in others let us not thereby take occasion to insult over them to passe any rash or finâ—ll sentence upon them this is the worst use of other mens offences this is to thrust God out of his office Rom. 14.4 For every man stands or falls to his owne master but what wee see amisse in others let us correct in our selves by the sight of their spots let us wash our owne garments bee thankfull to God who doth preserve us for no man standeth by his owne strength Let us be watchfull over our selves and desire God to keepe us lest Satan and our owne corruption draw us
which hath beene done by me in this function let mee therefore for the time to come be reputed as nothing forgotten like a dead man out of minde and like a broken vessell And if any soule hath benefited under my labours let all the glory be given to Christ Jesus For my selfe I have somewhat to say but not much I have now served you more than two Apprentiships wherein I trust I have so served you that I may say as Paul did to the men of Ephesus I am z Acts 20.26 27. pure from the bloud of all amongst you for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsell of God all that I meane which God hath made knowne to mee according to my weake and poore abilities I have disclosed all I have kept backe nothing from you In the worke of my Ministery I have had no respect of persons I never shunned the declaration of any truth nor spared the reprehension of any vice for feare of any mans greatnesse neither favour nor feare ever made mee false in the discharge of my office As Elihu sometimes said I a Job 32.21 have not accepted any mans person nor given flattering titles unto any man For I knew not to give flattering titles because in so doing my Maker would take me away I have truely desired the salvation of your soules and that is my câ—â—â—fors I should have done more then I have done and that is my shame more labour hath been bestowed then profit yet appeareth and that is your sinne and my discomfort My service hath been long amongst you the longer I served you the more I loved you the more unwilling I was to leave you I can truly say to you what Paul did to the Corinthians You were in my heart to live to dye with you my mouth was open to you my heart was enlarged yee were not straitned in me but yee were straitned in your owne bowels Had your hearts at least according to your present outward expression been towards me as mine was towards you I am perswaded nothing but death had parted us as sometime Ruth said to Naomi I should have valued your love your societie the enjoyment of your presence above the chiefest and most abundant worldly abilities I should have chosen rather to have lived with you in the lowest outward condition then elsewhere in the greatest fulnesse of the world so unwilling was I to leave you that if occasion had required I would have relinquished all rather then any prejudice should have come unto you by my departure from you But God hath so disposed and framed it that no impediment to my departure hence hath been offered it is the hand of God hath done it whether in judgement unto me or in mercie unto you ensuing time will manifest Three things there are very memorable touching Gods goodnesse in this place towards mee which I cannot passe in silence 1. In all this time of my service I was never hindered one Lords day by sicknesse from my Ministeriall labours the Lord that set me over you gave mee health and strength to doe his worke among you 2. I was never suppressed not restrained from the liberty and use of my ministery by any opposition though there have been adversaries both politicke and powerfull 3. Though in this place I have had neither certainty nor competencie to sustaine mee and my family yet the Lord hath from elsewhere raised meanes to uphold mee and to enable mee to continue the labours of my Ministery amongst you I can truly speake to you in Saint Pauls language to the men of Ephesus b Acts 20.33 34. I have coveted no mans silver or gold or apparrell Yea your selves doe at least may know how these hands have after a sort ministred unto my necessities and to them that were with me I speake not this to disparage you or to under-value the kindnesse which I have received from you I am very mindfull and very sensible of your favours from the highest to the lowest and though I am not complementall yet bee yee assured your courtesie and kindnesse shall rest with mee as a strong and inviolable obligation to binde mee to your everlasting service even to the very utmost of my slender abilities to my power and beyond my power if ever and as often as occasion shall require it or you manifest your desire of it And what shall I say of these things or how shall I expresse my selfe towards my God for these his great mercies towards mee but in the words of the Psalmist c Psal 31.19 O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid up for them that feare thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sonnes of men And now Brethren having no more time nor place nor calling to instruct and teach you to admonish and warne you O let me as a lover of your soules a helper of your joy a promoter of your peace and a well-wisher of your everlasting well-fare O let me I say with burning love in my heart with melting sorrow in my soule with teares of griefe in mine eyes and with the language of a faithfull friend in my tongue intreat you perswade and beseech you to remember what you have heard to practise what you have learned and to bring forth the fruits of the seed which hath been here sowne And before I goe let mee blesse you as Moses blessed the twelve tribes before he died d Deut. 33.6 7. Let the men of this place O Lord live and not dye let them live the life of grace and not dye the second death and let not the men thereof bee few Heare Lord the voyce of Plympton when they pray and bring them in peace and holinesse to thine owne people Let their hands bee sufficient for them teach thou their hands to warre and their fingers to fight and gird thou them with strength to battell against sinne Satan the world and all the enemies of their salvation be thou their helper in all dangers their strength against all oppositions Let thy Thummim and thy Urim thy perfections and thy lights bee with thy holy one whom thou shalt set over this Congregation Let him preferre his dutie and function above all naturall affection and have no respect of persons Let him teach this people thy Judgements and thy Law by his Doctrine Let him appease thy wrath and procure thy favour and blessing for them by his prayer and supplication Blesse Lord his substance furnish and fill him with all inward and outward endowments and prosper all his godly labours Let this people Lord as thy beloved dwell in safety by thee and cover them under the wings of thy protection all the day long and for ever dwell O Lord between their shoulders stablish settle with them thine ordinance make this place thy habitation and thy rest for ever The Lord blesse your Land with the pretious things of heaven with the influence moisture from above and make it fertile the Lord blesse your soules with all heavenly graces make you spiritually fruitfull For the good will of him that dwelt in the busts Let the blessing even all good things speedily fully sweetly and constantly come upon your heads that all may see and observe it and learne how good it is to serve the Lord through the observation of it The Lord make your glory like the Firstling of a Bullocke for your joy and gladnesse for your excellencie and amiablenesse in the eyes of all beholders and for your growth in all spirituall gifts and graces and your hornes like the hornes of an Unicorne for your strength and prevailing over all opposing powers The Lord make you to rejoyce in your going out and in your tents The Lord bring you to his holy mountaine and make you there to offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse The Lord enlarge you in dissolving all your sinnes in despelling all your sorrowes in removing all your troubles in filling you with all temporall and heavenly fulnesse and make you like a Lyon for your victory over all your adversaries for your vigilancy and watchfulnesse and for your resolution and courage in all godly undertakings The Lord satisfie you with his favour the Lord fill you with his blessing and make you acceptable in his eyes and in the eyes of your brethren And let me charge you now Brethren before my ministeriall breath expire as David a little before his death charged his sonne Solomon e 1 Chro. 28.9 And you my brethren know yee the God of your fathers and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts If you seeke him hee will be found of you but if you forsake him hee will cast you off for ever Let me now before I leave you and in the conclusion of my Ministerie pray for you as Saint Peter did for the people in the conclusion of his Epistle f 1 Pet. 5.10 The God of all grace who hath called us into his eternall glory by Christ Jesus after that yee have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you And being now to leave you as sometimes Saint Paul left Ephesus let me commend you to God in the words of Saint Paul g Act. 20.32 And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified And as I this day begun so let me this day for ever conclude Finally brethren farewell Be perfect bee of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of Love and Peace be with you
a candle of his owne thereunto to helpe him in his travell Such was the fulnesse of light issuing from the fiery Pillar that the Israelites needed not the light of any lamp besides to guide them in their journeyes to the land of Canaan Such a fiery Pillar such a bright and shining Sun is Christ that wee need no other light to guide us in all our doings in all our progresse to the heavenly Canaan but onely Christ shining in the sacred Scriptures and in the labours of his faithfull Ministers Therefore wee are sent to him as to the onely e Mat. 23.9.10 Master having both authoritie and wisedome to command and instruct us This was commanded by the voyce from heaven f Mat. 17.5 Heare him as if the Lord had said I will not that yee depend on any other whether Moses or Elias but on Christ Moses and Elias vanished Christ remained the Ceremonies of the Law were abolished the predictions of the Prophets fulfilled Christ alone remaineth and him wee must heare as a Scholler his Teacher receiving all instruction from him as a Servant his Lord yeelding ful and constant obedience to him Him we must heare in his Word as a King in his Proclamation in his Ministers as a King in his Embassadours as a Bride-groome in his Friends Him wee must heare in his precepts obeying him in his promises beleeving him in his judgements fearing him in his mercies drawing nigh unto him and rejoycing in him every way quieting and contenting our selves with him And for this cause hee is stiled our Prophet a Prophet g Deut. 18.15 18 19. like unto Moses in nature and office being a Man and a Mediatour as Moses was though more excellent and in a more singular sort Moses as a Servant Christ as a h Heb. 3. Sonne and Lord of his Church a Prophet revealing the counsell of his Father concerning our redemption a Prophet giving power to his Word to worke for our conversion As he called Lazarus by his voyce and raised him by his power so hee calleth us by his Word and converteth raiseth us by his grace And as the eyes of Israel were on the fiery Pillar to guide them and as that moved they moved so must our eyes bee on Christ conforming our motion according to Christs prescription all other doctrines are excluded wee are denied to hearken to them to embrace or entertaine them i 2 Epist Ioh. v. 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine the doctrine of Christ but his owne doctrine receive him not to house have no acquaintance with him give him no audience shew him no countenance neither bid him God speed salute him not affoord him no speech wish him no successe shut your eares at him withdraw your selves from him Though wee or an Angel from heaven saith Saint Paul whosoever hee bee be he never so famous for his learning or renowned for his sanctity if hee speake or live in externall appearance as an Angell yet if he preach another Gospel another doctrine k Gal. 1.8 then that which wee have preached unto you let him bee accursed let him be vile and execrable in your eye odious and abominable in your apprehension Looke to Christ cleave to Christ turne not aside from him looke for no other Instructer to make thee wise unto salvation Looke saith Chrysostome for no other Master Noli expâ—ctare alium magistrum nemo te potest sic docere Chrys thou hast the words of God no man can so teach thee And I saith our Saviour of himselfe am the way the Truth and the Life Ambulare vis saith Augustine of Christ ego sum via Falli non vis ego sum veritas Mori non vis ego sum vita Wilt thou walke I am the Way Wilt thou not bee deceived I am the Truth Wilt thou not dye I am the life So that in Christ there is such fulnesse that wee have no cause of going to others to joyne other doctrines and observations to Christ Jesus Foure grounds of this truth In regard of the perfection of Christ It l Col. 1.19 pleased God that in him should all fulnesse dwell fulnesse of wisedome to direct fulnesse of power to defend fulnesse of worth to satisfie Gods justice to merit mans salvation fulnesse of righteousnesse to justifie fulnesse of holinesse to sanctifie fulnesse of mercie to pâ—rdon fulness of sufficiencie to satisfi◠〈◊〉 is stiled a Rocke for his strength to support us a Counsellour for his wisedome to guide us a Fountaine opened for his readiness and preparedness to wash away our uncleanness a Tree of life bearing twelve sorts of fruit every moneth for the plenty and perpetuitie of joy and gladness and other fruits of the Spirit which he ministers to true beleevers To a river of living water cleare as Crystall for that ineffable purity perfection comfort and satisfaction which Christ ministreth to the soules of his children To a pretious Pearle for his worth To a Store-house for his fulness of all spirituall treasure Oâ—â—e hâ—ppiness of the soule that enjoyes Christ He that hath the Lord Jesus nâ—eâ— not look elswhere for any perfections Hâ—ving Christ we have all saith Ambrose he may sayâ— Iacob did I have enough The m Rev. 12 1. woman â—ne spouse of Christ is describâ—d cloathed with the Sunne and a Crowne of twelve Stars upon her head the righteousnes of Christ cloathing her as the Sun and his doctrine guiding her as the light of twelve Starres and in him are n Col. 2.3 hidden all the treasures of wisedome Surely the man never knew never saw never apprehended Christs fulness that dotes on forraigne dâ—ctrines that admires humane inventions In regard of the vanity of all humane doctrines and observations They are a o Ezek. 13 7. Lam. 2.14 vaine vision a vision composed of vaine and foolish things they are an emptie Lampe wherein is no light they discover not the sinne of mans heart they doe not reveale God in Christ they shine not into the heart they make not wise unto salvation they are a Schoole wherein men are ever learning and yet p 2 Tim. 3.7 never come to the knowledge of the truth He that is most devoted to humane observations is commonly most ignorant of the mysteries of godliness As long as Saint Paul was a Scholler in this Schoole he remained ignorant of his owne estate hee stâ—ll beheld himselfe in a false glass q Rom. 7.9 I was alive saith Paul once without the Law Hee knowes little of the Law of God that makes mens traditions a law to direct him in the service of God no light discloseth the heavens but that which shineth from heaven no doctrine shewes forth God and the way to heaven but onely that which God himselfe hath given Of all other doctrines we may say as Iob did of his friends r Iob 13.5 They are Physitians of no value they neither
discover nor cure the disease of the soule And as sometime the Lord said of the Egyptians Å¿ Isa 30.2 The Egyptians shall helpe in vaine and to no purpose their strength is to fit still so may wee of all humane carnal doctrines they help in vain and to no purpose they can doe nothing by way of mortification to sin by way of corroboration against Satans temptations by way of pacification in quieting the conscience In such cases their strength is to sit still they doe not profit the receivers of them It is but the sowing of chaffe that brings forth no fruit or feeding on huskes that ministers no strength a labour which doth not t Ier. 2.8 profit He that lookes beyond or beside Christ for light to direct him his labour is altogether unprofitable In regard of the foolishnesse of man to step aside from Christ and cleave to humane observations Every man reputes it a foolish thing for a man that hath a full fountaine to seeke water out of an empty pit for him that hath the Sunne shining upon him to light a Candle to guide him It was great folly in the men of Schechem to refuse u Iud. 9.9 the Vine the Olive and the Figge-tree and choose the Bramble to leave the sonnes of Jerubbaal and choose Abimelech to reigne over them What is Christ but a living fountaine a bright and shining Sunne a Vine an Olive a Figge-tree full of all light replenished with the greatest fulnesse of all divine and heavenly fruit And what are humane doctrines and observations but an empty pit a very snuffe that gives no light a barren bramble that beares no good fruit Man never more manifests his foolishnesse then in leaving the Lord Jesus w Ier. 2.11 12 13. Hath any nation saith the Lord changed their gods which are yet no gods But my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit Bee astonished O yee heavens at this and be horribly afraid bee yee very desolate saith the Lord for my people have committed two great evils they have forsaken mee the fountaine of living waters and hewed them out cisternes broken cisternes that can hold no water Who is the fountaine of living waters but God and his Christ What are the broken cisternes but humane inventions which have no water of life in them Who is censured in the Parable as a foole but he that left the Rock and built upon the Sand Who is the Rock but Christ What is the Sand but the vaine and idle observations of men And who so foolish as he that leaves the former and builds his faith and salvation upon the latter Hee is certainly in Gods account a man of no understanding that leaves Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of true wisedome In regard of perill It is very dangerous to leave Christ and adhere to rotten doctrines and empty devices It is dangerous to the Sheepe to leave the Shepheard and apply himselfe to the Wolfe to the sicke to leave the wise and faithfull Physician and put himselfe into his hands who is both ignorant and deceitfull What are the Teachers of corrupt doctrine but x Mat. 7.15 Wolves in sheeps clothing and y Ier. 6.14 false Physicians who heale the disease of the daughter of Gods people deceitfully The men of Israel exposed themselves to great danger when they left David their true King and z 2 Sam. 20.2 followed Sheba that blew the trumpet of rebellion The man that leaves Christ and followes them that blow the trumpet of vaine and idle Omne quod non aedificat audientes in periculum vertitur auâ—ientum Ierom carnall and unsound doctrine exposeth his soule to the danger of infection seduction and utter ruine Unsound doctrines are instruments of great prejudice to their receivers the bait by which Satan like a Fowler allures them the snare in which like a Hunter he intangles and takes them The Prince of darknesse hath no such agents as deceitfull Teachers he doth more advance his kingdome and bring greater ruine to the soules of the people by bad seeds-men then by the men of any one calling besides them a lying speech out of the mouth of an a 1 Kings 13.8.19 old Prophet prevails draws to disobedience more then a Kings perswasion Satan ordinarily workes the greatest mischiefe by being a b 1 Kings 22.22 lying spirit in the mouth of some Prophet The state of mans soule is very dangerous that stickes not close to Christ Jesus CHAP. III. Disclosing the folly of not cleaving to and contenting our selves with Christ but going aside to vaine inventions THis discovers the vanity of their minds the folly of their hearts the perill of their soules who cleave not to Christ who rest not quiet not content not themselves in Christ and his fulnesse but step out goe aside turne away from Christ to vaine doctrines humane devices and carnall observations like the two c 2 Sam. 15.11 12. hundred men of Ierusalem that turned aside from David and went after Absolom As they went in the simplicity of their hearts so these in the folly of their soules As they knew not any thing so these know not any thing truly and savingly of God of Christ of the deceit of Satan of the danger of their estate and doing As they took unto themselves Achitophel a Counsellour of David so these take unto themselves some Teacher some Minister who by calling is one of Gods Counsellours one that should plead Gods cause and open Gods counsel And as their conspiracy was strong against David so is these mens conspiracie strong against God against his truth against the good of their owne soules Hee that cleaves to corrupt doctrine conspires against Christ and his owne salvation And whence is it that falshood is more welcome then truth a man that comes in his d Ioh. 5.43 Five Grounds hereof owne name more acceptable then hee that comes in Gods name but first from the dominion and fulnes of corruptioÌ„ A deformed face pleaseth it selfe in a deceitfull glasse the malefactor rejoyceth to heare of a corrupt Judge some diseased stomackes desire to feed on ashes a rotten heart and a rotten doctrine are very suteable Ahab having e 1 Kings 22. sold himselfe to commit wickednesse was very attentive to the false Prophets Men saith our Saviour f Ioh. 3.19.20 love darknesse rather then light because their deeds are evill Hee that doth evill hateth the light neither commeth hee to the light lest his deeds should bee reproved Iob saith of Theeves g Iob 24.17 The morning is to them as the shadow of death if one know them they are in the terrours of the shadow of death To men that rob God by their impieties the morning the truth which shineth forth like the h 2 Pet. 1.19 Morning starre is as the shadow of death if one know them if the Minister detect and lay open