Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	gospel_n	heaven_n	lord_n	2,159	5	3.5651	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10931	Certaine sermons preached and penned by Richard Rogers preacher of Weathersfield in Essex, directly tending to these three ends. First, to bring any bad person (that hath not committed the sinne that is vnpardonable) to true conuersion. Secondly, to stablish and settle all such as are conuerted, in faith and repentance. Thirdly, to leade them forward (that are so setled) in the Christian life, to bring foorth the fruite of both. Whereunto are annexed diuers godlie and learned sermons of another reuerend and faithfull seruant of God, Mr. Samuel Wright, Bachelor of Diuinitie, late president of Sidney Colledge in Camebridge, deceased, tending also to the same ends, with diuers particular points in both, profitable and fit for these times.	Rogers, Richard, 1550?-1618.; Wright, Samuel, d. ca. 1612. aut	1612 (1612)	STC 21203; ESTC S116121	188,868	230

seeme to be wanting For what can be further desired then that after such a sweet and plentifull partaking of Gods benefits and that in his fauour while we liue here yet that the best should be behinde namely to inioy fulnesse of pleasures at Gods right hand after wee goe hence and that for euer Yea and this in the middest of the anguish and torture of the reprobate For so our Sauiour saith when the wicked shall bee at their wits end then looke vp saith hee to his and lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth neere meaning that the effects thereof shall then appeare And therefore S. Peter teacheth a most singular vse of this that the Lord shall come to iudgement in a fearefull manner to the wicked but to the euerlasting comfort of his elect agreeing with that which the Lord requireth here saying Seeing these things must be what manner persons ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse Now it followeth to shew what the fruite of a godly life is to the children of them that leade it as I haue done alreadie to themselues who are parents for such a promise God maketh to them and so the Lord speaketh here that it may goe well with them and with their children So that Parents fearing God doe thereby prouide well for their children as well as for themselues and deriue Gods blessings to them aboundantly which promise is confirmed by the Lord in the second commaundement where he saith He will visit the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him and shew mercie vnto the thousand generation of them that loue him and keepe his commaundements This is also further confirmed by the contrarie in Deuteronomie where God speaketh thus to the people of Israell Because thou diddest not serue the Lord thy God with ioyfulnesse and a good heart for the aboundance of all things therefore these curses shall be vpon thee for signes and wonders that is euident signes that he is offended with thee and vpon thy seeds for euer And if it be so then it followeth that if we loue our children we should indeuour aboue all things to leade a godly life Which is vrged by the Lord at mens hands in the entrance into their mariage that couples should be espoused to him before they be so one to another And it may be truly said that they set not by neither care for the welfare of their children who doe not first regard their own good and welfare of their soules by walking obediently vnto Gods commandements themselues And how vnnaturall a thing is it that any should bee the meanes to bring children into the world to send them to hell And that they should be so pitilesse as to cast their poore shiftles progenie vpon the curse of God more grieuous then if it were vpon the swords point and that through their sinne and wickednesse For thereby that is by bad example giuing they make them like themselues as much as in them lieth For as by a godly care in themselues and a christian education of them they commonly haue the fruite thereof in their children that by the blessing of God they be religious also so a thousand to one if in the profanenesse of themselues the children become faithfull and good christians but if they doe no thanke to them they did as much as in them lay to make them prooue otherwise Obiect And whereas many of them will be ready to obiect that they will bee vnruly and disordered howsoeuer they bring them vp in the feare of God and good instruction yea though they be carefull also themselues to walke vprightly in their whole course before them Answ they may be answered that it falleth not out oft to be so but we should trust God for that and commit the successe to him by doing our duties conscionably towards them And if it please God that the meanes shall not alwaies take effect partly lest wee should ascribe the good successe to our selues and so take the glory from him and partly for other causes vnknowne to vs let vs leaue Gods secrets vnto himselfe but there shall be alwaies cause enough why God doth so and to iustifie him seeing few are so carefull about the good education of their children but that they may be iustly charged with default that way This be said of the fruit that shall follow the godly life of parents in their children that they shall prosper and it shall goe well with them as with their parents in respect of other who liue among them and best of all hereafter when they goe hence For they shall be receiued with their parents into the paradise of God into an habitation not made with hands but euerlasting to the which our Lord Iesus is gone before to prepare a place for them and all his to the which he vouch safe to bring vs euen speedely to whom with the father and the holy Ghost be ascribed all honor praise and thanks for euermore FINIS TWO SERMONS VPON MATTH 13. vers 45.46 Vers 45 Againe the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a Marchant man that seeketh good pearles Who hauing found a pearle of great price went and solde all that he had and bought it THe summe and effect of this Parable is this that how base and vile soeuer the Gospell seemes in the eyes of men yet whosoeuer commeth to finde the worth price and excellencie of it will giue all that he hath to get it and will rather part with all then he will forgoe it For here by the kingdome of Heauen that I may shew what is meant by it wee are not to vnderstand the place of the blessed mansion of the faithfull after this life whither Christ is ascended though the words are thus to be taken sometimes as in Matthew I say vnto you that many shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen neither is it taken for the absolute kingdome of God whereby he guideth and gouerneth all the world and all his creatures from the greatest vnto the least of them neither lastly is it taken for that especiall rule and regiment which Christ as the head hath ouer the Church his bodie which is likewise called a kingdome after a more especiall manner but here by kingdome wee are to vnderstand the Gospell of the kingdome as it is called in Marke Iesus went forth into Galile preaching the Gospell of the kingdome and in diuers other like places And this Gospell of the kingdome is not only in many places of this Chapter but most euidently in the 21. Chapter of this Euangelist called the kingdome of God in these words Therefore I say vnto you the kingdome of God shall be taken from you and giuen to a nation that will bring forth the fruite thereof

The kingdome of God shal be taken away that is the Gospel should be taken away from them Now the Gospell is called the kingdome of heauen or the kingdome of God because it is that powerfull meane or instrument that God hath appointed for the pulling of vs forth of the kingdome of darknes and translating vs into the kingdome of his Sonne for the Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth This kingdome is also called the kingdome of heauen to distinguish it from all eorthly kingdomes such as many imagine and the Apostles long dreamed the kingdome of Christ the Messias should haue bin And therefore the people were sometime ready to haue crowned him other whiles his disciples disputing and contending among themselues who should be the greatest and made sute for the places of greatest dignity as the sonnes of Zebedeus one to sit at his right hand the other at his left But this kingdome as it beareth the name of the kingdome of heauen for it is a spirituall and heauenly kingdome not earthly and pompous in glory to the sight and view of the world And therfore our Sauiour being demanded in Luke by the Pharises when the kingdome of God should come he answereth the kingdome of God commeth not with outward obseruation neither shall men speake of it loe it is here or loe it is there for behold the kingdome of God is within you It is a kingdome ouer the inward hart and conscience there he hath set his throne and there he wil reigne euen in vs and therefore the lawes of our king doe not bind the outward act onely but his lawes binde the very conscience And he searcheth and tryeth as himselfe speaketh in the Reuelation the Reynes and the harts to giue euery man according to his workes It is therefore called the kingdome of heauen first in 〈…〉 it is spirituall Secondly this kingdome is heauenly because it is a righteous ioyfull and peaceable kingdome The kingdome of God saith the Apostle to the Romanes is not meate and drinke but righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost It consisteth in the inward righteousnes of the heart and conscience in the peace and tranquillity which we haue with God our king and within our soules and in the ioy that is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost Now this Gospell which is the powerfull instrument of God for the erecting of this his kingdome in vs and is therefore called by the name of the kingdom of God in this place is here commended vnto vs by a parable The effect whereof as I said is this that how great a reckoning soeuer men make of other things and how smal and slight account soeuer they make of the Gospel of Iesus Christ Note yet whosoeuer he be that commeth to know the incomparable value and excellency of it he will thinke no paines too greate nor cost to much that he may obtaine it nor any care too greate to keepe it when he hath it but rather he wil part withal he hath House Land Goods pleasure friends and whatsoeuer els then hee will forgoe soe pretious and so inualuable a iewel as he seeth the Gospell to be But for our more cleare vnderstanding of this Parable we are to know that the Gospell or kingdome of heauen is here compared not to the person as the words may perhaps seeme at the first to carry it when it is said the kingdome of heauen is like to a marchant man seeking good pearles but to the pearle the rich and pretious pearle which the Marchant findeth So that the meaning of the words is all one as if they had bin layed downe in this forme and manner The kingdome of God is like vnto a most pretious pearle which a marchant hauing found that sought for good pearles sold all that he had to buy it According to this exposition I will handle the parable We are therefore to vnderstand that the fruitfull and kind hearer of the Gospell is resembled heere to a merchant man and that in three properties though they be not all commendable neither therefore is the hearer a profitable hearer till he be commendable So that the best hearer in his beginning and first estate that he is in to God-ward thereby is likened to a merchant man and to such an one as by the kind of his trafficke and merchandize whereabout he is occupied seeketh pearles For as he doth so euery hearer at first seeketh pleasure and profit c. that is his pearle Secondly he is cōpared to a merchant in respect of the euent that commeth after his seeking that as he seeking common pearles lighteth sometime on a pearle of great price so many a hearer while he is busie about commodities and pleasures beginneth to see in the Gospel preached a pearle of greater price then he had found before that is assurance of saluation Thirdly and lastly this hearer is compared to the merchant in another respect namely of the effect that followeth For when he hath found that pearle of great price he selleth all that he hath and buyeth it So the hearer that hath found this pearle of saluation in the Gospel that he neuer found before and knoweth the value of it he setteth light by all his common pearles and former delights and selles them all away to the end he may enioy this To prosecute these three therefore in order that yee may haue the right vse of this parable vnderstand that the hearer is compared to set it downe briefely to the merchant in three things to wit in seeking finding and buying In seeking good pearles in finding one of great price in buying that and selling all for it Of these in order more largely The first propertie therefore of the merchant fitly resembleth the estate and condition of all men that are hearers for all seeke pearles that is they seeke for that which may in their opinion make them happie and blessed men and looke what they haue imagined in their own conceit to be like to bring them to be happie that they labour and by all meanes endeuour to obtaine In that I say the hearer is like to a merchant man that careth not to trauell by wet and drie by sea and land so that he may store himselfe with rich and precious pearles For there is no man but if he look into his owne heart and diligently examine himselfe he shall find something which aboue all other things for the time he doth affect and whereunto the sway of his desires carrie him and that thing is the pearle of that man and he vseth al the means he can to compasse and attaine it Thus one man studieth and bendeth all his paines and care only for this how he may liue at ease and in pleasure and voluptuousnes Another he seeketh after gaine and profit and to adde house to house and land to land A

by the kingdome of heauen Mat. 8.11 Mark 1.14 Math. 21. Why the Gospell is called the kingdome of heauen 1. Rom. 1.16 What maner of kingdome this is Matth. 20.21 Luk. 17.20 Reuel 2.23 Rom. 14.17 Rom. 5.5 The fruitfull hearer of the Gospell is like vnto a marchant man in three respects All men seeke after pearles such as in their opinion may make them happie But are neuer satisfied The voluptuous man The couetous man The ambitious man Example of Salomon Eccles 1 14· Vse The second propertie wherein the hearer resembleth the merchant man Two things here to be considered First the thing that be is said to find The Gospell in diuers respects compared diuersly In this place it is compared to a pearle Prou. 3.14 Iob. 28.15 Wherein this excellencie of it consisteth Ephes 2. Philip. 2. Iohn 4.10 The secōd point what it is to find the pearle Vse 1. Cor. 2.14 Matth. 11.25 Pray vnto God that we may see the excellency of the pearle If we see it in part pray that we may see it yet more clearly Colos 3. Tim. 1.16 1. King 3.7 Act. 26. 1. King 10.7 Mat. 13.19 3. Obseruation The third thing wherein the hearer is compared to a merchant man The pearle being found must be bought without delay Prou. 1.20 Heb. 3.15 Matth. 25.34 Luk. 14.15 By selling all and buying he meaneth not as the Papists teach Luk. 17.10 Rom. 6.23 Who may truly be said to sell al and buy the pearle Luk. 14.26 Mat. 20.37 The Gospell is not so easily come by as men suppose As men price the Gospell so will their zeale be to the hearing and practising of it Psalme 84.1 How a man maketh the pearle his owne Deut. 28.46 The summe and scope of these words The opening of the text Verse 1. Verse 2. The parts two First Gods large offer wherein three things are to be considered 1. To whom it is made namely to the thirsty Luk. 18.13 Ioh. 7.37 Luk. 5.31 Mat. 9.13 Foure things to be knowne about thirsting 1. The properties of it which are two Iudg. 15.18 Examples out of Scripture Psal 42.1.2 Psal 84.1 Experience A howrely and flitting desire no true thirsting Secondly the causes why God requireth this thirsting Luk. 1.53 Pro. 27.7 Thirdly how long we must thirst Fourthly how we should come to thirst 1. Pet. 2.2 Psal 111.2 The second branch what God offereth to them that thirst Iohn 7.37 Matth. 11.28 Act. 2.37 Rom. 5.6 He that thirsteth truely for saluation abhors sinne The third branch what God requireth of them whose thirst he will quench namely that they beleeue Iohn 9. ●● Rom. 8.33 Why God will haue them beleeue 3. Pet. 1. ● How a man may prooue that he hath faith Gods people are euer thirsting in this life Hosea 14.6.7 Luke 6.28 Verse 2. The second part of the text containing a reproofe and an exhortation The reproofe Romish teachers reproued heere Esay 1.12 Mat. 15.9 Carnall Gospellers Mat. 15.8 Mat. 7 2● Rom. 8.7 Rom. 9.31.32 The Exhortation The word of God onely directeth to true happinesse How and when it doth it Prou. 2.3 Amos 3.3 The opening of the text The parts two 1. The curse pronounced vpon these cities 2. The reason of it Three points in the first part 1. The end of all miracles and preaching is the conuersion of the people Iohn 14.12 Matth. 17.11 Act. 8.6 c. This end should be aimed at in bearing The power of the word Act. 2.37 Hebr. 4.12 Rom. 8.8 Iames 4.4 Prou. 2.10 Psalme 84.10 Matth. 19.29 De Orat. lib. 1. 2. Thess 2.9.10.11.12 The sound plaine and powerfull preaching of the Gospell amost blessed gift of God The causes why preaching is in so little account Heb. 4.12 Ioh. 21.15 1. Cor. 1.21 The second point of the first part Few regard or looke after the right end of preaching Luk. 19 42. Esay 22.1 Ier. Ier. 9.1 Mat. 5.20 Mat. 3.7 Mat. 23.37 Luk. 19.42 Luk. 17.26.28 Act. 26.28 Ioh. 10.32 Micha 6.6 Mat. 13.21 Apoc. 3.1 Esay 55.1 Act. 26.29 Luke 13.3 The third point They that neglect the meanes of saluation shall pay dearely for it Matth. 3.7 Matth. 23.27 Iohn Hebr. 12.14 Luke 1. Sam. 15.32 Numb 16.32 and 25.8 Act. 12.23 Iames 4.8 A simile Rom. 2.4 Esay 53.1 Ephes 5.6 Few see or beleeue the danger they are in Psalme 50.22 Iames 2.19 Lament 3.40 Rom. 2.8.9 Iohn 3.18 Reasons to draw men to repentance Reuelat. 6.16 Luke 16.24 Matth. 22.13 2. Pet. 1.10 The first point in the second part Matth. 21.31 Act. 2.37 Act. 8.8 Luke 15.1 Matth. 9.36 Verse 38. The Gospell with due reuerence preached returnes not in vaine The ●●rmer doctrine exemplified 〈◊〉 experience How a Minister should deale with a people to do them good Such as are leaud and farre gone may be reclaimed Luk. 8.2 1. Tim. 1.15 This giues no incouragement to the bad and wilfull The second point in the second part Repentance not to be deferred 2. Cor. 5.1 Psal 119.54 2. Tim. 4.2 Three causes why we should hasten our repentance Mat. 20.5.6 2. Tim. 3.13 Eccles 12.1 Psal 84.11 Luk. 15.7 Psal 51.14 Dan. 12.3 Cant. 1.4 Three causes why the repentant estate is in so meane accoūt Micah 7.8 Prou. 14.10 Reuelat. 14.3 Iohn 4.10 Hebr. 11.25 The last point in the second part Repentance must be sound not hypocriticall The opening of the text The parts of it two Iude 19. First the state of the Churches 1. Vnder the crosse Reuelat. 3.19 Hebr. 12.5 1. Pet. 1.6 Rom. 8 2● Iohn 6.33 Iob. Luk. 9.23 Iam. 1.2 Secondly in prosperitie Hos 6.2 Psal 30.5 Psal 125.3 1. King 4.25 The benefit of prosperitie and peace Math. 13.45 Iudg. 17.6 Iudg. 5.7 Lam. 1.1.4 Psal 42.4 The second part What vse the godly made of their peace 1. They were edified Acts 2 43. Deut. 28.47 Psalme 19.14 How all sorts should be occupied in the time of their peace 2. Pet. 3.17 The right vse of peace little looked after 1. Thess 1.7 Iohn 7.38 Euen Gods children are ouer taken with this sinne Deut. 6.10 Ministers faultie herein 2. King 4.10 1. Tim. 4.13 2. Tim. 4.10 Luke 8.18 People also iustly reproued Psalme Iob 1.9 The second vse of their peace They walked in the feare of God Rom. 8.15 Prou. 28.13 Prou. 15. Deut. 5.29 To walke in the feare of God what 2. Cor. 12.6 Matth. 5.16 Act. 23.1 Gen. 39 9. Gen. 50.19 Rom. 2.28 Ios 24.15 2. Sam. 7.2 Rom. 12.1 Num. 24.9 1 Tim. 4.12 1. Pet. 4.4 The third vse The comfort they found as a fruit of the two former Two things to be obserued here The first that they liued a comfortable life Psal 37.4 Phil. 4.4 Ioh. 15.10.12 Men neglect the sweet liberty that God offereth for that which is worse then nothing Gen. 25.33.34 Heb. 12.16 Heb. 11.24 What need we haue of spirituall comfort The second ●how and by what meanes they atteined to such a comfortable life The godly life is the onely sweetlife 2. King 2.2 Deut. 5.28.29 2. Cor. 1.12 Iohn 16.22 Reuelat. 14.3 Prou. 14.10 The vse that the bad made of peace They were conuerted to God and ioyned to his people Encouragement to the bad to returne and seeke after God 2. Cor. 5.19.20 How they should do it Prou. 8.33 Act. 17.11 Act. 9.27 The diuision of the text The first point the person that maketh this exhortation Doct. Pro. 26.9 Psal 50.16 Rom. 2. 2. Cor. 4.13 2. Cor. 1. ● Luk. 22.32 Psa 51.15 A teacher must so alwaies begin with himselfe The second point the persons exhorted Psal 32.11 Psal 33.1 Luk. 10.20 Iam. 5.1 Iam. 4.9 Why this exhortation is limited to the faithfull Psal 34.19 Iob. ● 12 The wicked haue no neede to be exhorted to reioyce Ioh. 15.19 Iob. 22. Math. 5.2.12 To be hated of the world a signe of blessednes and therefore a cause of reioycing Iam. 1. ● Acts. 5.41 2. Cor. 12.10 Iames 4.7 Ephes 6.16 Rom. 7. the end 1. Iohn Psalme Psalme Causes of ioy Hebr. 10.31 2. Cor. 15. Iohn 1.12 Rom. 8. Iohn 4.10 Iohn 14.23 Reuelat. 3.20 The wicked haue no part in this ioy Iohn 9. Ministers duty He is the happiest man that hath greatest cause of ioy Ester 1. King 8.64 The limitation of this ioy it must in the Lord. Ioh. 17.3 Hereby it is distinguished from many other sorts of ioyes Vse Try our mirth by these notes 2. Cor. 5.1 Phil. 1. 1. Cor. 15.31 Thes 5.16 To reioyce in the word c. hinders not our reioycing in the Lord. Psa 1 6. The enlargement of this ioy Prou. 14.13 The righteous may reioyce at all times And in al things he goeth about Deut. 28.47 Ephes 6.6 Psalme 19.11 Eccles 7.2 Reuel 14.14 Hebr. 13. Genesis Philip. 4.4 2. Cor. 2.3 Acts 16. Reasons why this precept is redoubled Psalme 4.43 1. Iohn 5.13 1. Iohn 1.3 The Ministers dutie The dutie of the people Answere Rom. 15.13 Rom. 5.5 Pet. 1.7 He that is not partaker of this ioy here shall neuer partake the ioyes of heauen How this ioy may be begun here in this life we must first be reconciled to God Reconciliation to be proceeded in by three degrees Iohn 3.14 Act. 2.42 How to keepe and encrease this ioy The first meane The second The third Mens excuses answered Acts. 4.11 A fourth meane The fifth meane Practise Eccles 2. Psal 32.10 The sixt meane Prayer The seuenth Thanksgiuing The eighth Not to quench the spirit Quench euill motions Our ioy in the best things must be predominant How this may be attained Intermission of good duties dangerous The last meane To submit our selues to the Lord in our troubles Of the recouery of ioy The first meane to recouer our ioy being lost The second meane The third meane If our ioy be lost neuer rest til we finde it againe Let none take thy crowne from thee Motiues to ioy in God Psal 84.13.14 A note of an Hypocrite not to ioy in God Matth. 24.51 Galath 5.22

so highly price in their owne conceit And this vilenes and basenes is much more in all other pearles that is in all worldly things which men heere hunt and seeke after The vse of this doctrine is that no man please himselfe in the most precious things in this world but seeke for those which may make him happie And that these pearles are all so meane and little worth Our Sauiour Christ very euidently noteth vnto vs in the words following when he saith the merchant found one pearle of great price By the which is meant the Gospell giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that it is a pearle of great price and value he abaseth the other pearles and noteth them to be of no price nor value to rest vpon But of this afterward in the next point In the meane while we see and with that I will conclude this first point that in this first act of the merchant all men that are hearers in the visible Church agree with him namely that they seeke for pearles that is one way or other to be happie in this world I haue shewed also what vse we ought to make thereof Now it followeth that I come to the second act or propertie of the merchant and that is that he finds one pearle of great price In this propertie two things are to be considered First the thing that he is said to find secondly what it meaneth and importeth that he is said to find it First the thing that he is said to find is one pearle of great price By which pearle he meaneth nothing else as I haue shewed but the Gospell that is to say the glad tidings of saluation by Iesus Christ for the kingdome of heauen as elsewhere and so in this chapter is in diuers regards compared and resembled diuersly In regard of the manner of teaching and receiuing it and the diuers effects it hath in the hearers it is compared to seed cast by the hand of the sower In regard of diuers corruptions and errors that commonly spring vp together with it where it is taught it is compared vnto a field wherein tares are sowen and grow vp among the good corne In regard of the small beginnings and mightie encrease it is compared to a graine of mustard-seed In respect of the power and force it hath to change and to alter the heart it is compared to leauen In that God draweth by it of all sorts of men good and bad one and other into the compasse of the visible Church it is cōpared to a drag or draw-net that draweth as well weeds and stickes and other such vnprofitable baggage as it doth good fish In regard of the hidden and secret excellencie thereof it is compared to treasure hid in a field In regard of the inualuable worth and excellency of it in comparison of all other things it is heere compared to a pearle of great price That before he compared it to treasure it did in part set forth the excellency of it but this doth more amplifie and encrease it Treasure we know consisteth either in siluer or in gold which are of great account but yet pearles passe them both farre in value and estimation as both it is commonly knowne and if we knew it not Salomon could teach vs thus much Prou. 3.14.15 where he saith the merchandize of wisdome is better then the merch indize of siluer and the reuenue thereof better then gold It is more precious then pearles and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared with it First he preferreth wisdome before siluer Secondly he preferreth it before gold which is yet more excellent and in the third place as before the most excellent he preferreth it before pearles The meaning of our Sauiour then in this parable is to preferre the Gospell in regard of the excellencie of it infinitly before all other things were they neuer so rich rare or precious For if it be more precious then pearles then much more precious then gold then siluer then any other thing of lesse reckoning and account And this is the reason why Salomon hauing preferred it Prou. 3.14 before siluer and gold and pearles he addeth that all the things a man can desire are not to be compared with it as if he should say suppose either there be or you can inuent any thing more precious then pearles yet wisdome is more precious then it And Iob in the 28. of his booke 15. verse and so-on because hee would extol wisdome before al precious things he repeateth a great many of them Gold saith he shall not be giuen for it neither shall siluer be weighed for the price thereof It shall not be valued with the wedge of the gold of Ophir nor with the precious Onix nor the Saphir the gold nor the Crystall shall not be equall vnto it neither shall the exchange be for plate of fine gold no mention shall be made of the Corall nor of the Gabish for wisdome is more precious then pearles Now we see wherein the comparison standeth let vs a little consider wherin this great and inualuable excellency consisteth And that is in that it exhibiteth Christ vnto vs who were lost and had no way any hope of recouerie out of our deadly woe that euen then he is our deliuerer our iewell our life our ioy our happines and whatsoeuer our heart can desire All the pearles of the world do not so enrich a man as Christ enricheth all them that by true faith lay hold vpon him for if it do not so he hath not faith For Christ is a shelter where we that bee in tempests and stormes may shroud our selues and be safe from the wrath and vengeance of God that hangeth ouer and shal fall vpon the heads of other men He is our attonement and propitiation for all our sins so that we shall neuer haue them imputed vnto vs or haue any punishment inflicted which was due for them his death and his bloodshed hath deliuered vs from eternall death and condemnation yea Christ is our storehouse and treasurie in whom and from whom we haue all varietie of good things that may make men truly happie In Christ we are righteous our owne righteousnes being as a filthie and menstruous cloath because he by imputation doth cloath and couer vs as it were with the robe and vesture of his righteousnesse From him also we receiue inward sanctification and holinesse wherein we labour to be pleasing and acceptable to God in all things whereas otherwise we could not haue any true euidence of this faith From him we receiue succor and comfort in all our tribulations and wants and ioy in all our sorrow Hee hath all power giuen him in heauen and in earth and therefore he will supplie both our outward and inward necessities and powre vpon vs that store of his graces as shall be most for our good and best for the bringing of vs to eternall glorie

as he saith to the like purpose in another place Harlots and publicans shall enter into the kingdome of God before the chiefe Priests and the Elders of the people which yet was nothing likely in the sight of men So we reade that they who were mockers and railed on the Apostles so farre were they from sauouring their heauenly doctrine yet when the Lord in his mercie towards them caused them to attend to Peters sermon reproouing their sinne they were so pricked in their consciences that they came to him and the other Apostles for further instruction and comfort and obtained it Samaria that had long been bewitched by Simon Magus the sorcerer yet at the preaching of Philip a thing very vnlike to come to passe was conuerted to Christ so as the fruit thereof appeared not to be small namely that it brought great ioy into the citie so they who were notorious offenders came flocking about Christ to heare him when the Scribes and Pharisies not only did not so but scorned that they should And therefore it may iustly bee lamented that the preaching of the Gospell is not with credit and authoritie in a sound and plaine manner planted in such places where it is wanting and where it were like to do much good as our Lord Iesus bewailed it when he saw the people scattered as sheepe without a shepheard and willed that prayers should be made to the Lord of the haruest that he would scud labourers into his haruest For it is very probable if it were so that numbers would embrace it ioyfully who now for that they know not the power and worth of it passe by it and scorne it as nothing or little worth Obiect And whereas some will bee readie to say wee may easily guesse what good it is like to do if it were in such places by the small account that is made of it where it is Answ I answere that where the Gospel is with due reuerence beseeming such an holy ordinance of God preached it doth not returne in vaine but draweth them which were dispersed to one bodie of the Church And doubtlesse if the Prachers themselues be men of sinceritie loue grauitie and will put on the person of the people to consider their ignorance forgetfulnesse loosenesse vnsetlednesse and other infirmities and applie themselues vnto them as their needs do require and would seeke to winne them rather then set vp themselues none need to doubt but that they should perswade many to become true Christians and to bee tractable to good duties when they be kindly and wisely aduised and directed Oh they that haue not experience will hardly be perswaded how much vnfained loue and labour in the Minister is like to preuaile with the people to winne them from folly vanitie ignorance and the common sinnes which through custome and company they haue been drowned in And what maruell when they shall by wise and friendly dealing be made to see how they were deceiued and that very dangerously whiles they following the desires of their euill hearts walked after the sinnes of the times in which they liued and when other manner of pleasures and delights shall be offered them which they neuer had tasted of before I meane heauenly I may speake the more boldly because I know I speake the truth that almost fortie yeeres agone when I came yong from the Vniuersitie to a people blind and farre gone in the sinnes that were then commonly committed in the world sauouring no whit of pietie and I had little in mee to commēd me vnto them my knowledge being not much though my desire I may say was feruent in seeking it and to do them good and my authoritie small as being then vnder another which was Pastor to them but resident in another charge hard by euen so long ago I say I remember that which is not vnworthie the mentioning and speaking of in this place And that is how maruellously God wrought among vs that when there was no president nor example in the corner thereabout of diligent repairing to the place of Gods worship on the Sabbath in the afternoone but all disorder in dancing playing haunting the Ale-house and other like and little power of godlines to be seene or heard of round about it pleased God by care and diligence in example giuing among them and labouring in that weake manner that I was able to teach and exhort them with familiar conuersing with them in priuate who were more teachable then the rest in good communication drawing them on that in two yeeres space I might haue perswaded them to any good thing that I saw meet the bodie of them I meane and a louing consent might haue bin seene among them to that which was good neither can I say any worse of them for the time that I could stay amongst them which was full six yeeres Which I say not for vaine glorie God is record and well nigh fortie yeeres is a reasonable time to despise that and yet I would haue said more but for auoiding the suspicion of it but I speake this to moue some of my fellow brethren in the Ministerie such as in an honest and good heart desire to see fruit of their labours to thinke of the way of obtaining the same And that is no doubt to such as hartily seeke it to labour for the gift of perswading the people and familiar applying the Scripture to the persons particularly in a right and wise manner as well as to teach them the truth generally and to vse diligence and constancie in both and withall to take all occasion to commune and confer of good things in companying with them and not to spend the little time that they are with them in play nor to vse to talke of worldly things to them whereto the people be so readily carried nor idlely and vainly to keepe them company which dulleth and maketh blunt the edge of their Ministrie amongst them and raiseth a meaner conceit of the persons themselues and by consequent of their Ministerie which had little need to be This manner of liuing amongst them with an especiall care to auoid iust suspicion of couetousnesse and loue of this world and other offences which are too common is like through Gods blessing to knit them so in firme and true loue together that they shall call home to true repentance such as God hath in those places ordained to eternall life and they shall by such manner of liuing with them be like with loue and readinesse to receiue their doe at the peoples hands about the paying and requiring of the which the greatest pritches are taken and the sorest conceits arise betwixt them which are the beginnings and occasions of continuall broiles and contentions afterwards or at least of strangenesse or hollow and hauerly loue betwixt them whereby it commeth to passe that preaching doth little good vnto them And thus by occasion of answering this obiection I haue