of Sathan to be preferred to so great a dignity as to be sonnes and heyres apparent unto the kingdom of God! Consider it I beseech you by some degrees It is no small matter to be an Attendant unto a Prince or to some great man under the Prince as it is said of the prudent He shall stand before Princes and the Queene of Sheba accounted Solomons servants happy that stood before him 2 Chr 9.7 2 Chron. 9.7 But how much greater an honour is it to be servant to Almighty God Which title not only the Apostle Paul tooke unto himselfe and stiled himselfe by in the beginning of sundry his Epistles but also the blessed Psalmist entitles the 18.36 and divers other Psalmes A Psalme of David the servant of the Lord as a matter of excellent dignity as Theodosius thought it a greater honour to be the servant of God then to be Governour of the people of God But yet a greater honour is it to be the Kings friend as Zabud is tearmed 1 Kings 4.5 1 Kings 4.5 Iames 2.23 2 Chron. 20.7 Isa 41.8 but not onely Abraham is called the friend of God Iames 2.23 taken out of 2 Chron. 20.7 and Isa 41.8 but also all the faithfull the sonnes of Abraham Iohn 15.14 15. Ioh. 15.14 15. Ye are my friends if ye doe what I command you But yet further because the servant abides not in the house for ever Iohn 8.35 Iohn 8.35 but the sonne abides for ever thou art alwayes with me and all that I have is thine as he speakes in the parable Luke 15. Luke 15. even this high priviledge we have also by our adoption as the Apostle saith Gal. 4.7 Gal. 4.7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant but a sonne and what followes thereupon Now if thou be a sonne thou art also the heire of God through Christ Rom. 8.17 Rom. 8. â—â— If we be sonnes then are we also heyres even the heyres of God and heyres annexed to Christ And therefore as Christ is heyre of all things Heb. 1.2 Revel 21.7 Heb. 1.2 so also are we Revel 21.7 for whether they bee things present or thingâ— to come all are yours and ye Christs and Christ Gods 1 Cor. 3.22 23. 1 Cor. 3.22 23. It is not with God as with great men Abraham could make but one son his heyre and â—ehoboam onely might succeede Solomon in the kingdome 2 Chron. 11.22 2 Chron. 11.22 but Christ hath made us even all that are regenerate Kings and Priests to God his Father Revel 1.6 Revel 1.6 God will give a crowne a kingdome unto every one of his children Feare not little flock for it is your fathers good pleasure to give you a kingdom Luk. 12.32 Luk. 12.32 and Come yee blessed of my Father receive the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world Matth. 25.34 Matth. 25.34 This is the first use to set forth the great dignity whereunto the faithfull are advanced so great as greater cannot be conceived Vse 2 The which then in the second place should stir us up to receive and embrace Iesus Christ by a true and lively faith offered unto us in the word of God the Gospell of salvation We see how ready men are to creepe and insinuate themselves into great mens favours where they have some hope to get somewhat by them especially if hee be a rich man that is without posterity But here is an inheritance beyond all in the world and yet how few labour and strive for it we should then check our selves for our backwardnesse and labour for a true and a lively faith whereby wee may because the adopted sons of God And so should wee bee as carefull of our children not onely to bring them unto baptisme but that they may have the fruit and effect of it to labour to unite them as to the politick body of Christ so unto his mysticall body not to teach them as most Parents do civilly only but christianly too Object But may some say Sir All this exhortation is needlesse and might well have beene spared for we are the sons of God already and so have right unto the heavenly inheritance Sol. I could wish it were so But there are many so called and conceived so to be by us which neverthelesse are not so with God Vse 3 It stands us in hand therefore and so to passe to a third use to try our selves and examine our Adoption by our Regeneration for unlesse thou art regenerated thou canâ—t have no assurance or knowledge of thy Adoption Quest But how then may we know that we are regenerated Answ I answer by the nature of it it is a breeding now breeding is a producing of a living entire creature resembling the party by whom it is produced For in every naturall birth there are these foure things 1. A producing of a new creature Now it is a rule in Philosophy that the generation of one is the corruption of another So in the spirituall birth the old man must be put off before the new be put on Rom. 6. Rom. 6.1 There must be a death unto sinne ere there can be a life of Grace a dying to sinne before a living to God as the seed cast into the earth must dye ere it can quicken 1 Cor. 15. 1 Cor. 15. Vnlesse therefore we finde in our selves that sin is not only curbed and restrained but even quelled and killed wee are not as yet borne a new 2. Breeding is of some-living thing so in the spirituall birth Ephes 2.5 Eph. 2.5 Ezek. 36.26 You hath hee quickned which were dead in trespasses and sinnes Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give unto you and there will be an alteration and change in a man when hee is once regenerated a new joy new love new feare new desires and the Sabbaths of God which formerly were wearisome and burthensome unto him are now delightsome and so of the rest In a word he will love what before he loathed and loath what before he loved 3. Breeding is a producing of an entire body children have at the first not a rude masse but an organicall body all the parts and lineaments of a man So it is in this spirituall breeding likewise put on the new man Eph. 4. Eph. 4. when men therefore shall seeme to be renued in some part alone and not in the rest they are not regenerate they are not borne again if they deny themselves in some lust and not in others so long as they live in any not controversed but confessed sin 4. Breeding must be the producing of a Creature after the image of the party producing every living creature begets his like a sheepe brings not forth a wolfe nor a Pigeon hatch a Kite Even so GOD begetteth not young devils but saints like himselfe Those whom he foreknew he predestinated to be like unto the Image of his sonne Rom. 8.29 Rom. 8.29 But
almost stumbled and slipt Therefore judge upon these two grounds 1. Iudge not by friends and neighbours and the like but judge according to the ballance of the Sanctuary judge by the Word It is a fine and pleasant thing to be in honour yet it is but a lying vanity saith the Word there is but one thing necessary Psal 62.9.10 Psal 62.9.10 If riches increase set not thy heart upon them at the day of death your riches cannot comfort you therefore set not your hearts upon them judge them by the Word that saith there is but one thing necessary 2. Iudge not by the present view but by the consequent and consider what will be at that day you thinke liberty is sweet but looke not at the present but the glory of a good course is afterwards marke the end and so looke at Dives and Lazarus none would be in Lazarus his condition now in this life who would not be a Dives now to goe in brave sattin and fare deliciously every day but looke to the end they both dye and Lazarus goes into Abrahams bosome that is into heaven and Dives to hell whether hadst thou rather be Dives or Lazarus now I make no question but all will say it were better to be a Lazarus now so judge of these things by the end and consequence whether is it better to study the word and to lay downe pride or to vaunt it and play the Ruffian one is praying another is playing which is easiest the one is not troubled but merry and that were best if it would hold but judge by the end and imagine the day of judgement came whether would you be then a broken heart or a Ruffian 2 Thess 1.7 8. 2 Thess 1.7.8 and to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall bee revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God nor obey his Gospel God comes and saith to the troubled Rest thou hast been troubled before ever eased but as for him that ruffins it out now the Lord Iesus will come with flaming fire in vengeance against him on whom will God take vengeance the text saith on them that know him not Now judge by the end whether of these is best say Conscience whether wouldst thou have God find thee sporting or prayiâ—g at that day is it not better now to bee troubled then hereafter everlastingly to bee confounded Iudge with righteous judgement it is tedious to bee with Paul in prison but it is not tedious to bee with him in heaven Iudge therefore as the word judgeth and yee shall not be deluded Quest Q. But how shall I get my heart to it Answ A. Looke up to God and labour to set the highest price on God and heavenly things and that by two helpes 1. Daily suggest and discover to thine heart a greater worth in spiritual then in temporal things there is some good in these things but bee ready to convince thy heart that there is more good in spirituall things The Devill would fore-stall the Market and set a higher price upon these things then on spirituall but labour thou to see more worth in Grace then in other things when thy covetous heart saith I will be rich oh then presently say what inheritance is there like heaven when thy voluptuous heart saith I must have my pleasure presently say thou what pleasure is there like the pleasure the soule hath in Christ look at those joyes in Christ for ever that is better then all this this joy is madnesse thus when the soule would bee stealing away offer the best things would the soule have case why it is better to bee bound in prison then to be bound in unbeliefe as a man when he goes to buy a commodity hee desires to see the best things Psal 73.25 Psalm 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven or Earth but thee O Lord we have him here now in mercy and we shâ—l have him in mercy hereafter and in glory and what would we have more then this when Satan layes disgraces and discouragements upon good courses and also miseries and vexations that come thereby then be thou ready to shew more misery in bad courses have reasons to cry downe those crackt commodities and when he saith to burne for the Gospell that is a miserable thing then say thou it is better to burne here then in hell hereafter The Devill saith wicked men are brave men yea and they shall be damned too the Devill saith as Balack thy God keepes thee from honour but answer him if I had it it might be my destruction I am here troubled but I shall be for ever comforted therefore regard not what Satan shall buzze at the eare of thy heart concerning trouble and the like but say thou though I am here troubled yet I shall be saved thus let not Satan fore stall thy heart with these temptations The next Point is taken from the nature of the duty Come after me Doct. The Lord Iesus goes before and is the Captaine of his Church Ioh. 10.4 Ioh. 10.4 Psal 79.13 He goes before his sheep and they follow him Psal 7â— 13 We thy people and the sheep of thy pasture will praise thee Exod. 13.21 Exod. 13.21 The Lord was a pillar of Cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to leade them â—hat was a type of the Lord Iesus who ever goes before his servants Ios 5.13 14. Ios 5.13 14. as a Captaine of the Lords Host am I come it was the Lord Iesus Christ Christ is a Captaine two wayes 1 By his spirit Ioh. 16.13 when the spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all truth 2 By his Word the silver trumpet which speakes openly and secretly and the Spirit and the Word goe together Reason 1 Because he hath most right to it Eph. 1.22 he hath put all things under his feete Heb. 2.10 for it became him to make the Captaine of their salvation perfect 2 He is fit for it hee knowes where all the enemies are he knowes the Devill and the heart he is most wise and most powerfull he is an ancient Captaine and knowes how to deliver his he can goe beyond any he hath an Iron Scepter to crush his enemâ—es Psal 2. Vse 1 Is Christ the leader of his Church Then seeke â—o him upon all occasions never goe into the field without a leader let him goe with us Psal 85.8 Psa 85.8 I will heare what the Lord will say The Campe goes to the Generall for direction Goe to Christ you doubting hearts you say trouble is comming but see what Christ saith and follow him learne the watch-word Heb. 12.2 Heb. 12.2 Looking to Iesus the Author and finisher of our faith when troubles come look up to Christ and say our eyes are towards thee Oh looke up to Christ to bee guided Psal 119.125 Psal 119.125 I am thy servant O
the knife of a Chirurgeon to be healed Matthew 19. When Christ measured out their condition he saith Ye shall have houses c. but they shall be with persecution We eat salt to make our meat savoury So afflictions are salt to make us rellish the mercies which we receive the better Reason 3 3. Consider our great unworthinesse of mercy and our worthinesse of judgement Hath God taken away my liberty He might have taken away my soule I am persecuted I might have been damned hath God taken away my goods he might have taken away his mercies If then there is the wisdome of a father to provide it if good comes by it and we have deserved it then take it patiently and undergoe it cheerefully Quest But you will say May not a man passe by the Crosse and never take it Should not a man rather flie it then take it up Answ There is a twofold condition in affliction 1. If a man be not called to it it is a duty to avoid it rather to shun the sâ—are then to be caught by it and this stands upon three commands at the least 2. When a man is called to affliction and God hath put him into the battell that trouble and misery come then to fling away the Crosse is a fearfull thing the unbeleeving and fearfull are coupled together and shall be coupled together in hell It is that which God suffers not you know that place That he that denies me before men that turnes his back in the day of battell and starts off when afflictions come he that denies the Lord now and will beare nothing for him the God of heaven will deny him he that playes fast and loose with Christ and now he will be a Disciple and now he will not when he cryes for mercy God will say No no you would not know me therefore depart I know you not he that denies God in trouble God will deny him introuble Quest But when is a man called Answ 1. When God stops all means when there is no way to avoid it then God calls to fight and that even to the last man Dan. 3.16 Dan. 3.16 The three Children when they could not avoid it stood it out stoutly we are not carefull to answer thee in this O King But Elias the stoutest man that earth bare when he was threatned by Iezebel and had a way to escape he flew from Iezebel 1 Kings 19. 1 Kings 19. If the three Children had had the like liberty to flie that Elias had they would and might have fled but because there was no way to prevent it they stoutly bore it 2. But if the Lord doe give liberty and set out a way that it is possible to avoid persecution yet if by withdrawing either dishonour will come to the truth or if by it a man shall omit a duty on which the salvation of many soules depends rather then a man should flie off from the truth formerly taught by him and so discourage others let him die and feale the truth with his blood and rather die then dishonour the truth and omit duty and hurt others 1. First then if the truth shall suffer hazard by our shrinking aside it is a sinne 2 Tim. 4.16 2 Tim. 4.16 At his first answer all forsooke him they put him in the forefront and left him there they went one to this and another to that I love Paul saith one but my shop must be served I love Paul saith another but the truth is I must looke to my lands Did these doe well in it No saith Paul I pray God it be not laid to their charge Thus we see if the truth shall suffer any hazard by our flying though we can escape yet in this case we ought not to flie troubles 2. If duty be omitted If a man be in place or office of authority and forsakes duty because of persecution he sinnes fearfully 3. Concerning the salvation of others If a Minister hazard the good of his Congregation by flying woe to him Observe this rule and it will goe a great way all afflictions that lie betwixt me and duty undergoe them though hell gates were open It is not necessary a man should want a Crosse it is necessary a man should want sinne rather die therefore then be wanting in service Acts 20 24. Acts. 20.24 I count not my life deare that I may finish my course with joy as who should say whether life or bloud it is not necessary I should live it is necessary I should performe duty A traveller that must needs go home be the way never so bad or dangerous home he will so say you to my duty I must therfore what ever befals it skils not Yeeld then when God cals to suffer and woe to that soul that will not bear it a Crosse you must have and you must take it up too if you be a disciple to Christ Vse 1 If this be so that these that will be followers of Christ must take up his Crosse then this fals marvellous hard especially upon two sorts 1 Such as will dwell in the house of our Saviour but the bread of affliction and the water of teares will not downe with them they must have dainties or else nothing will downe with them these are unfit for our Saviour Doth any one take a servant on this proviso that hee must never be corrected and that he must fare daintily whatsoever his Master hath Nay no man will take a servant on these tearmes yet this is the madnesse of many you are content to be Professors but you must have dainties you would be sonnes but you would not be corrected no God takes none but whom hee corrects There is a generation that would bee christians but they would have no Crosse they christians we have a name that wee are alive but we are dead if a man should tell you you are none of Christs you would think it very ill whereas your conscience tells you you are not able to beare the breath of the wicked in scornes and scoffes how then will you beare the weight of all the Crosse it is with such men as with Hushai they would be on the best side if prosperity and peace forsake the Gospell men forsake it 2 Sam. 16.18 2 Sam. 16.18 Hushai comes to Absalom and Absalom saith Is this thy kindenesse to thy friend nay saith Hushai but whom the Lord and this people shall chuse him will I serve so if Popery should come if the Priests should aske men why they forsake their religion nay would many men say but what religion the Pope and his shavelings shall chuse will I be of oh if persecution should come this Crosse would scare many thousands Matth. 27.42 Math. 27 42. If hee will come downe from the Crosse we will beleeve him Oh there is a company of dissembling hypocrites that will say to our Saviour if it be an imprisoned Saviour they will none of
the spirit whereby a man that is already justified doth by vertue of grace received bring forth fruits worthy of amendment of life It is a worke of the spirit Ezek. 36.27 Ezek. 36.27 I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes Of him that is already justified that is acquitted of his sins and made righteous in the sight of God Rom. 5 1. Rom. 5.1 6 1. c. 6.1 c. After the doctrine of justification followes the doctrine of new obedience to let us understand in what order they are in the Christian estate Doth by vertue of grace received from Christ Iohn 15.4 Ioh. 15.4 As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the Vine no more can yee except ye abide in me Phil. 4.13 Phil. 4.13 I can doe all things through Christ who strengthens mee bring forth fruits worthy of amendment of life Such workes as doe beseeme a man altered and changed that professeth another course of life these are those duties that concerne God or man comprised in the Scriptures Philip. 1.11 they are termed the fruits of righteousnesse So that he that would approve himselfe to his own soule to be a practiser of new obedience must consider whether he adorne his profession with the performance of such religious duties as the Lord commands Question 2 What is the least measure of it Answ It is an unfeined and constant endeavour to do the will of God I say an endeavour to difference it from the legall obedience which is the strict performance of such duties which God commands according to the rigour of his law In this the endeavour through Gods mercy is accepted for the deed done I say an unfeined endeavour to difference it from the glorious shew which hypocrites may and doe make Lastly I say it is constant with respect to the endeavours of the temporary which are soone out of breath and die before they come to perfection Now that this unfeined and constant endeavour is accepted as the deed done it appeareth first in the example of Abraham of whom the Scripture saith Heb. 11. that he offered up his sonne Isaac yet it is plaine that he did not sacrifice his sonne the Lord by an Angell from heaven forbidding him whereby we gather that in Gods acceptance he was offered up for that there was a faithfull endeavour on Abrahams part Secondly The godly and upright men are said Psal 119. To doe no iniquity Now we know this that there is none that sinneth not Onely for that the just man endeavoureth and doth his best to doe no iniquity he is accepted of God as if he did none So of David it is reported that he sinned only in the matter of â—â—iah when as notwithstanding he sâ—ned many wayes else in his raging anger at Nabal in câ—okering his children and likewise in his unjust dealing with Mephibâ—sheâ—h but yet for that in all these Davids heart was faithfull in endeavouring to doe Gods will they are not taken notice of being â—s â—yed in Gods acceptance who measureth obedience not by the effect but by the affection of the doer Thirdly The Lord is said to deale with his as a father with his children the matter of obedience Mal. 3.17 I will spaâ—â— them as a father spareth his owne sonne that serveth him Now if a man sets his sonne a taske enjoyning him to write a Coppy if hee sees that hee doth but his best eâ—deavour he accept it commends and encourageth his child even so doth the Lord deale with us when he perceives a faithfull labouring on our partâ— to doe what hee commands hee accepts iâ— this case the will 〈…〉 and accordingly rewards it Question 3 What be the marks of new obedience Answ Marks They are generall or speciall Generall That in new obedience it is onely the conscience of Gods commandements that sets heart and hand on worke not any other externall motives obedience not springing from the word is as one cals it wilde Oates Psal 18.22 Psal 18.22 the ground of Davids obedience was this all his lawes were before me and I did not cast his Commandements from me Psal 37.30 Psal 37.30 The mouth of the righteous will speake wisedome for the law of God is in his heart Iob 22.23 as the ground of turning to God saith Eliphaz receive I pray thee the law at his mouth and lay up his words in thine heart Many performe good duties that are moved thereunto by feare of punishment displeasure of man feare of discredit with a desire of praise that they may be seene of men as loath to sustaine damage in their outward estates all these doe not render to God that new obedience that the Lord requireth the Lord delights not in such sacrifices the performers can have no assurance that herein they please God Second marke That it carries a respective eye to all Gods Commandements it doth not call out any and leave the rest but all the knowne will of God so far as the judgement is convinced the heart endeavoureth to practise Psal 119. Psalme 119. I shall not be confounded when I have respect to all thy Commandements Zacharie and Elizabeth walked in all the Commandements of God Heb. 13.18 Heb. 13.18 wee trust wee have a good conscience in all things desiring to live honestly And great reason is there for this equall eye to be had to all Gods Commandements since they all lay a bond upon the conscience and the majesty of the Commander shines as well in the one as in another Now that a man may the better examine his obedience I will propound a five-fold difference of Gods Commandements by which the heart of man is apt to deceive it selfe Commandements are first either such as concerne the outward man as keeping the Sabbath just and righteous dealing amongst men or inward as confidence in God cleansing of the heart from evill thoughts Now new obedience must equally respect both 1 Cor. 6.20 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorifie God in your bodies and in your soules Secondly they are either the greater Commandements or such as are of lesse importance as the speaking of a vaine word idle mirth Christian obedience must have an eye as well to the one as to the other Matth. 23.23 these ought ye to have done and not to have left the other undone Thirdly Commandements are differenced according to the two Tables some concerning duties to God oâ—hers respecting duties to men Accordingly who ever would have comfort in his obedience must obey God in both not strict in the one loose in the other Isa 58.7.8 Isa 58.7.8 14 and 14. duties of the first and second Table are both enjoyned not onely to keepe Gods Sabbath humble thy selfe with fasting but also the practise of mercy and justice among men Fourthly the Commandements of God are either such as concerne our generall calling as we are Christians whereby we call upon God heare his