enemies Col. 1.21 Those that are afar of are made nigh by the blood of Christ he hath broken down the partition-wall and slain the enmity Ephes. 2 16 17 18. If thou hast some dear friend who bestows a gift on thee in token of his dear love and respect to thee and there should be afterwards some disagreeing and falling out betwixt you wouldst thou shew this gift a pledg of league and amity c. thus hold up Christ to God 3. Or though it be not thus yet thou wantest the sense and feeling of his love and art comfortless in the want of it O then make use of Christ in this case who is able to make all Consolations abound and fill thy soul with joy and peace in believing He hath said Ioh. 14.18 I will not leave you comfortless Tristatur aliquis nostrum veniat in cor Iesus Is any man sad saith Bernard let that sweetest name Jesus come into his heart and so he shall have that peace and comfort that the world cannot give neither can the world take it away from him Christ is a most soveraign Cordial apply and use him and your joy will be full 4. Or art thou terrified in Conscience and groaning under the insupportable burden of a wounded spirit art thou affrighted with accusing and condemning thoughts O go to Christ who as he can make peace in the Court of Heaven so he can create peace in thy heart and still the crys of Conscience and make a calm there also though the waves roar and the winds blow c. thy soul shall have peace in him which passeth all understanding Col. 1.20 And will say in me ye shall have peace be of good cheer let not your hearts be troubled though your hearts ake and tremble yet he is greater thaâ— your hearts who is nigh to justifie you Isa. â—â— 8 so that you may triumph with the Apostle Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died Rom. 8.34 Expect no peace in laying aside Christ. 5. Are you afraid of death and judgment to come in this case also make use of Christ. It 's reported by Cassander that in ancient times sick and weak dying persons were directed and accustomed to make use of Christ at that time especially interposing him betwixt them and Gods Judgment saying these words Lord we put thee the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betwixt us and thy judgment But what need we look into Historians the Scriptures shew what languishing souls and drooping spirits must do Psal. 23.4 5. Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death yet I will fear no evil c. Christ hath destroyed him that had the power of death Heb. 2.4 taken out the venome and malignity of it Death lost its sting in Christs side And now O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15.55 57. Or fearest thou judgment look to Christ and thou shalt not die the second death but he will raise thee up at the last day Ioh 6.49 50. Having Christ thou maist stand in judgment and lift up thy head with joy for 't is the day of thy Redemption then the redeemed of the Lord shall return with joy everlasting and you shall appear with him in glory 4. Fourth Branch of Exhortation Be â—ery thankful for him yea let your whole soul go out in thankfulness be ever praising and magnifying God for his unspeakable mercy in Christ your Sacrifice your Redeemer your Saviour often call upon your sluggish hearts and say Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name Psal. 103.1 and 116.12 What shall I render to the Lord for this the greatest of all his benefits O be thankful not in a common ordinary formal manner but in the most lively enlarged and raised manner that is possible where the mercy is high and great the thankfulness must bear some proportion to it O let your apprehensions be widened to conceive the vastness of this mercy that your affections may be more enlarged to praise God for it O how shall we get our hearts affected with it what thankfulness can be enough for such a gift should not the whole soul be summon'd in to give its most united acknowledgment of so signal a mercy for God to give his only begotten Son to be a Saviour for sinners Here 's the wonder of wonders God never did the like before and he 'l never do the like again and blessed be his name there is no need he should It would have been admirable mercy if God would have sent some other person upon this Errand to redeem and save undone sinners If send he will why did he not send an Angel or body of Angels to try their skill and see what they could do Nay why did he not send an Angel as once he did with a flaming sword in his hand to keep off sinners from the Tree of Life O this did not comport with his gracious designs though it did too well with the creatures merit therefore he would not do it no his own Son shall be pitcht upon he is the person whom God will send Surely here was love great love great to the degree of infiniteness Millions of Angels were nothing to one Son to one such Son his first-born his only begotten Son the Son of his love who lay in his bosom had been his delight from everlasting O astonishing mercy O admirable goodness and condescention how may we cry out here Lord what is man that thou art thus mindful of him and the Son of man that thou makest this account of him Psal. 8.4 and 144.3 or as Iob 7.17 What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him Here was God so loving so as can never be expressed never be comprehended Ioh 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believed on him might not perish but have everlasting life The Heavens and the Earth were once called upon to be filled with astonishment because of the ingratitude of a sinful people Isa. 1.2 May not now Heaven and Earth Angels and men all creatures whatsoever be called upon to be filled with astonishment because of the stupendious love of God! O Christians what influence hath this upon your dull and sluggish hearts what are you made of that you are no more in the sense of it drawn out in blessing loving admiring and adoring of God Pray if there be any holy ingenuity in you take some pains with your selves that you may be much more affected with it and give not over till you have such thoughts and affections upon Gods giving his Son raised in you as may in some measure answer to those thoughts and affections which you shall have about it when you shall be in Heaven The Angels never reaped that advantage that we do yet they were at praising-work as soon as ever Christ was born
that goodly tribe of the Creation was almost utterly lost I looked and there was none to help then my own arm brought salvation Isa. 63.5 The year of my Redeemed is come now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation So when a poor convinced sinner is at a loss and knows not what to do crys I am cut off for my part my hope and my strength is perished c. even despairs of help from all other then comes Christ then ariseth the Sun of Righteousness with healing in his wings in the thickest darkness day breaks forth when the Bricks are doubled then comes Moses In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen 11. Christ is a most satisfying gift He that creates the heart can fill and satisfie it in worldly things the more a man enjoys the more he desires If God heap temporal gifts on men till there be no room for more give them never so many left-hand blessings still mans heart is like the grave that never saith it is enough or the daughters of the Horsleech unsatisfiedly crying Give give But there is this excellency in this gift that he that hath received it hath enough and no wonder for he hath all Esau saith I have enough my Brother and Iacob said I have enough Gen. 33.9 11. Interpreters observe that word which Esau useth translated enough signifies much and the word for Iacob's enough signifies all Esau had much but Iacob had all And the reason he renders is because God hath dealt graciously with me Habet omnia qui habet habentem omnia in Christ is a full store house and well-spring of comforts to make up whatever defects are in other things The Sun can make day without the Stars such as have Christ can say as 2 Cor. 6.10 We are as poor yet rich as having nothing yet possessing all things in respect of the world we are poor and contemptible but in respect of our incomes and havings in Christ we are rich and honourable 1 Cor. 3.22 All things are yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death things present and things to come all are yours for Christ is yours and ye are Christs O this sweetens every relation this suffices in every condition Ioh. 4.14 Whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst which must not be understood of feeling the necessity but of falling into the intire privation of Gods grace not as spoken against desire but against driness or rather it 's exclusive not of desires after more of Christ but of all inordinate desires after all other things As Bernard says Nihil ita temperat siâ—im avaritiae sicut nomen Iesu nothing quenches the thirst of covetousness ambition c. but the name of Jesus superbiae tumprem sedat nihil ita libidinis flammam extinguit Isa. 49.10 They shall not hunger nor thirst for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them even by the springs of water shall he guide them Psal. 36.8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures for with thee is the fountain of life in thy light shall we see light He that hath Christ that can say my beloved is mine and I am his may contentedly want all other comforts he hath enough besides He hath that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that abundant plenty which observed will not suffer him to envy the most prosperous sinner he may answer Satan when he offers worldly glory and preferments as that woman did the Prophet I live among mine own people I have enough The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want the Lord is my portion and I will rest in him He can look on earthly Paradises with a disdainful eye and scornful countenance and trample under foot with a holy contempt all sublunary fading vanities Christ in his eye his glorious excellency ravishing beauty and inexplicable delightfulness doth infinitely transcend the utmost height of all earthly felicities and it lasteth for ever 12. Christ is a most lasting gift yea he is everlasting This is the flower top and bound of all the forementioned Excellencies without which they would be scattered and lost He is a most free full and kind gift a most rich precious and lovely gift most necessary useful and gainful gift most suitable seasonable and satisfying Add this one more and it compleats all He is unchangeable the same for ever They that once have him shall never lose him none shall ever be able to pluck them out of his hands nor him out of their hearts the union and propriety is inseparable and insuperable other things like flowers decay and wither in our hands and the excellency that is in them goes away but Christ is always fresh and precious and always ours 'T was a just complaint that was made long ago against the Heathen gods O faciles dare summa deos eademque tueri difficiles they could give their favourites great gifts but they could not maintain them in the possession of them So 't is not with our God his gifts and gratuities are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without repentance and in this respect Believers are in a better state now than Adam in innocency he had excellent gifts of knowledg grace and inherent righteousness but was not confirmed in them but being left to the mutability of his own will chose the evil refused and lost the good and fell from his own happiness But now Christ is confirmed upon them that believe in him he shall lose none that are given to him nor shall they lose him to whom he is given once theirs and for ever theirs while he keeps them they shall keep him and while they are his he is theirs that is so long as God is God for ever and ever Vse This Doctrine Christ is Gods gift if fully improved in Application would afford many excellent Uses but I shall for brevities sake comprise all in one An Use of Instruction or Exhortation Is Christ the gift of God it may serve to instruct and exhort us 1. To receive 2. To keep this gift 3. Make use of it 4. Be thankful for 5. Be faithful in him walk worthy of him 1. Let us be perswaded to receive and embrace this transcendently excellent gift O that we may be enticed and allured by what hath been said of the incomparable worth of this gift of God to a hearty reception and particular application of it to our selves we can hardly see an excellent person but we are wishing him for our friend and companion nor hear of a precious Jewel or fair estate but we are secretly coveting it were ours and can we hear of him who is Excellency it self originally the spring and standard of all excellency in others whose name alone is excellent and not wish O that it were mine O that this blessed Christ were my friend my father my head
poor and him that hath no helper Psal. 72.10 11 12. He hath dominion over the greatest Kings is Lord of Lords to make them fulfill his pleasure and serve his end either in favour or correction to his Saints or in punishment to others 3. In judging and passing sentence on all at the last He is Lord both of living and dead and all shall stand before the judgment-seat of Christ as it is written As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God Rom. 14.9 10 11. 2. He hath a special Lordship over his visible Church as he is heir of all things and head of all creatures and at the last day Judg of all men so he is King and Lord of his Church which owns this one Lord Eph. 4.5 Both theirs and ours Lord of all Churches 1 Cor 1.2 He is the head of the body the Church in all things or among all having the preheminence the government is upon his shoulders Isa. 9.6 He is chiefly a Lord because of his heritage the Church wherein he rules 1. As a King or Magistrate in a Common-wealth and so he is said to have the throne of his father David and shall reign over the house of Iacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end Luke 1.32 33. and Nathaniel gives him this salutation Iohn 1.49 Rabbi thou art the son of God thou art the King of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one who hath rule or dominion This is used sometimes civiliter in some respect and general signification is attributed to the creature and so we call him to whom reverence and honour is due 't is a word of relation or who hath servants Lord but most properly it is used Theologice when this appellation is given to the only true God answering the name of God Iehovah which the Seventy usually translate this word and setteth forth the absolute power and soveraignty of God over all the creatures and therefore he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one or onely Lord 1 Cor. 8 6. Eph. 4.5 The Hebrew word Adonai springing from a word that signifies a base or pillar which sustains any thing and the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 borrowed from building whereunto a Commonwealth is compared whereof the King is said to be the foundation So King contracted from the Saxon word Coning or Dyning signifying power and skill and so Lord from Laford a Saxon word a sustainer dominus in its strict and simple sense is one that hath a jus disponedi possidendi utendi a right of having or possessing disposing and using i. e. that is full and sole owner or proprietor sometimes 't is taken more largely as comprehending both propriety and rule and sometime more improperly for government or command it self but amongst Lawyers 't is taken properly and strictly for an owner Yet here not excluding the other 't is taken for one qui pollit authoritate cui jus est prescribendi one that hath authority and governs by Law which is an authoritative constitution de debito officii praemii poenae the signification of the will of a governour making the subjects duty and determining of rewards to the obedient and punishments to the disobedient 2. As a Master or teacher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preceptor or magister one that teacheth letters or manners and the latter word magister is more general and declares some preheminence or dignity as that Mat. 19.16 good master c. Christ is the infallible guide and teacher of his Church He knows his Fathers will and there is neither ignorance nor negligence nor ambition or deceit in him to cause him to conceal the mind of God he teacheth all things needful to be known in order to our attaining eternal life this is his office and work therefore the title of disciples is most commonly given to believers much of Religion doth consist in Learning of him as his disciples 3. As a master of a family Mat. 10.24 25. the disciple is not above his master nor the servant above his Lord it is enough that the disciple be as his master and the servant as his Lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houâ—â—old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mar. 13.34 For the son of man is as a man taking a far Iourney who left his house and gave authority to his servants and to every man his work watch ye therefore for ye know not when the master of the house cometh at even or at midnight or at the Cock crowing or in the morning Mat. 20.1 the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a man that is an housholder which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard c. Hence he is often called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word betokening a private right to rule such as is exercised in the guiding and governing of a Family and most properly signifies a master ruler or governour over servants who are bound to him This Lordship is declared by these Acts 1. By calling and gathering them by his word Isa. 55.45 Behold I have given him for a witness a leader and commander to the people Behold thou shalt call a Nation whom thou knowest not and Nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God and for the holy one of Israel for he hath glorified thee These are the words of God the Father concerning the Messias of whom the Iewish Doctors themselves expound this place whom he appoints and ordains to be a teacher and testifier of his will a leader or a ruler or a Prince and Commander not to Israel alone but also to the Gentiles to call a Nation by an external calling and the Ministry of the Gospel bestowed sometimes upon Cities Kingdoms Common-wealths c. Mat. 20.1 thus he hires labourers into his vineyard a calling according to means common to the elect and reprobate ver 16. Many are called but few chosen 2. Giving Laws to them to direct and oblige them to obedience Isa. 33.22 The Lord is our Iudge the Lord is our law-giver or statute-maker the Lord is our King he will save us as a soveraign to protect his subjects that continue loyal to him and live according to his laws The Apostles were publishers of his laws 1 Thes. 4.2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Iesus Christ I command yet not I but the Lord. 1 Cor. 7.10 9 14. Even so hath Christ ordained that they that Preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel Gal. 6.2 So fulfil the Law of Christ that is of loving one another none but Christ can give Laws and there are none of Christs servants but receive Laws from him 3. Appointing order power offices and officers among them whom
hearts What a Christian and yet sensual A Christian and yet proud A Christian believing in Christ a man of sorrows and yet given to pleasures What a Christian and yet worldly 4. Such as serve the world and yet pretend to serve Christ Christ tells you it cannot be Ye cannot serve God and Mammon Mat. 6.24 't is impossible to join these together Those that are slaves to the Naaman of iniquity that do not only possess money but are possessed of money that with Iudas will sell Christ for thirty pieces of silver that rise early and lye down late and eat the bread of carefulness that will compass Sea and land to get gain these make gold their God their covetousness is justly termed Idolatry Col. 3.5 Alas my Brethren what is their in the world that it should be so much coveted and heaven slighted What hath the world done for its most faithful servants How oft have we heard them complaining at last O the world hath deceived me and undone me it flattered me in my prosperity and now utterly cast me off in my necessity Ah if I had served the Lord as faithfully as I have served the world he would not have cast me off at last nor have left me thus comfortless and hopeless in my depth of misery 5. Time-servers that change their Religion with the times are not servants of the Lord their Religion is like a piece of wax to be moulded into any frame according as the times alter Such as will be Superstitious if the times be so that will be devout or atheistical according to the times It was the speech of a time-server that was said to be spoken by the King of Navarre to Beza That he would lanch no further into the sea of Religion than he might be sure to return safe in the haven This is the right Picture of a time-server as many turned Protestants in K. Edward's days and Papists in Q. Maries Lastly Those that serve the worst Master that is sin 'T is indeed one thing to be a sinner and another to be the servant of sin that is one that gives himself over to the service of sin that is bound Apprentice to sin The difference was great between Paul and Ahab Paul was sold under sin but it was against his will but Ahab sold himself willingly to work wickedness How many such servants of sin are there as the Centurions servant served him if sin bid go they go such servants are swearers and drunkardâ— that are at the service of their oaths and cups This is a most shameful and pernicious service for it is to serve the Devil Ioh. 8.44 O that the world would believe this that when they serve this or that lust they serve the Devil Cyprian brings in the Devil upbraiding Christ Ostende mihi tet servos qui tibi c. Shew me if thou canst so many servants that have served thee so diligently and willingly as I can shew that have served me Can Satan give you better wages as Saul said to his followers Can the son of Iesse make you captains of hundreds and captains over thousands give you vineyardâ— and oliâ—â—yards c. 1 Sam. 22.7 Aâ—as if sin had not put out your eyes as the Philistines did by Sampson that you cannot see the vileness and cursedness of it you would nevâ—r grind in its mill for the wages of sin is death 3. Use of Exhortation two Branches 1. To all to perswade them to esteem chuse and embrace Christs service 2. To Christs servants to take care to be such servants and perform such service as shall be found good and faithful approved by Christ. 1. Is Christ such a Lord as you have heard then let every one of us be prevailed with to take him for our Lord and give up our selves to him and become his servants this day we must either resign up our selves to this excellent Lord or we cannot be true Christians 2 Cor. 8.5 this is the essence of Christianity and life of Religion and marrow of Profession To wear the badg and livery of Chriâ—â— in external profession without this is nothing but a dead carcass an empty shadow and will turn to our greater condemnation another day That which will be enquired after at the great day is not who owned Christ as Lord in profession but who honoured Christ as Lord by real subjection and resignation of themselves unto him The great question will be Whether did Christ reign over us and bring us under his Law and Dominion and upon the decision of this important question depends the everlasting state of our souls and bodies in the next world If you now say unto Christ We are Lords we will not come at thee depart from us we desire not the knowledg of thy ways or as Pharoah Who is the Lord that I should obey him He will say unto you at the last day Depart from me ye cursed I know you not nor will your crying Lord Lord then any thing avail you O then let it be your resolution now to resign your selves to this gracious Saviour take him for your Lord and Soveraign Kiss the Son serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling O that your hearts would once at last say as 't is foretold of Gospel times Isa. 44.5 I am the Lords other Lords have had dominion over me but henceforth by thee only will I make mention of thy name Isa. 26.13 We will not say any more to the work of our hands nor to the lusts of our hearts to the world the flesh or to sin ye are our gods for with thee O Lord poor lost creatures find mercy Hos. 14.3 Whatever your neighbours acquaintance or kindred let them chuse whom they will serve yet we are resolved for our part we will serve the Lord Iosh. 24.15 O my friends what say you to this motion what answer give you to this invitation is it not most reasonable and considerable you are prest to come to Christ and take his yoke and bow the knee before him c. What will you do will every one of you give up himself to Christ resign soul and body to the service of this glorious Lord Have you found or ever heard of any thing in him that may deter you what iniquity have you seen in him that you keep at distance from him and walk after vanity Is he not worthy of your love not good enough to be your Master can you bestow your selves better employ your selves more profitably what sticks it at would you take time to consider of it and defer your resolutions to another day so you have done too long already and ventur'd too far by your delays To day if you will hear his voice then harden not your hearts Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near He now saith hearken unto me and I will make a covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Encline your ear
every command and doing it because commanded eying the precept in every performance praying hearing giving because Christ bids me And with greatest reverence serving with reverence and godly fear Heb. 12.18 remembring our distance Augustus said to one that gave him homely entertainment Who made you and I so familiar 3. Solely No man can serve two masters Luk 16.13 Not serve them so as to please both scarce so as to please either not serve sin or Satan at all nor man in opposition to or competition with Christ who keeps servants to serve others We must be undivided serve him and none but him forsake all and follow him 4. Faithfully sincerely as Moses who was faithful in all his house as a servant Heb. 7.5 Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth Josh. 24.14 q. d. If you intend to serve him it must be done in uprightness or else you do not serve him at all God abhors a Hypocrite more than a Sodomite 5. Fervently zealously diligently fervent in spirit must be joined with serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 Do all we do with all our might the living God must have lively service How diligent was Abrahams Servant in his Masters work he would not eat bread till he had done his errand and when 't was done he stay'd not on compliments The Twelve Tribes served God instantly day and night Act. 26.7 Diligence is the property of a good servant 6. Entirely absolutely universally 1. In respect of the subject with all the faculties of the soul and members of the body Rom. 6.19 with all our abilities 2. In regard of the Object though never to irrational to flesh and blood this is reason enough the unerring Lord will have it so not pick out our work never examine what the service commanded is but who commands it with blind obedience 3. In all places in private as well as in publick for he hath yea fills all places if thou canst find out a place where he doth not see thee there it shall be lawful for thee 〈…〉 others we must have respect to all his commands 7. Constantly and perpetually in time of prosperity as well as adversity and e contra he is ever the same and so should his servants and service be we can neither begin too soon nor continue too long in Christs service none ever repented of either there must be no end of working till of living Faithfulness unto death hath the only promise of a Crown of life Rev. 2.10 everlasting Rom. 14.9 This service takes in the whole man and life 2. For Motives and Encouragements besides what was in the Characters and Properties of the Master consider but what a service this is and that will be motive enough to embrace and lay hold on it 1. It is a most honourable service whether we respect the Master or the work 't is more honour to serve Christ than to serve Emperours nay to have Emperours serve us he is the better man that serves the better Master Now he is the best Master 't is usual with the Apostles to prefix this among other their Honourary titles Paul a servant of Christ This was one of the fairest flowers in their Garland the meanest offices about Princes are accounted honourable Servire Deo regnare est 't is Royal and Kingly a glorious Master and glorious fellow-servants Angels and glorified Saints all the ser 〈…〉 honourable the practice of all vertues praying and praising c. Honorabilia legis Hos. 8.12 If ever it be put to your choice either to have the greatest outward favours or serve Christ with disgrace chuse the latter with Moses Heb. 11.24 25. He refused to be called the son of Pharoahs daughter chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Reproach and indignities for Christ are favours chains and prisons for Christ is a mark of honour and rich treasure 2. Most comfortable a service full of soul-ravishing joy A day in his Courts is better than a thousand elsewhere Psal. 84 10. 'T is a type of heaven where is fulness of joy it leads to communion with God who is the God of all consolation O when Saints meet with God in duty they are in a corner of Heaven 3. A most profitable service we are indeed unprofitable servants but sure we have a very profitable service under him they that speak against the Lord with stout words saying Mal. 3.13 14. It is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances And Iob 21.15 What is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit shall we have if we pray unto him speak without all truth and reason for never any truly served the Lord who gained not evidently by it your labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. ult No man ever kindled a fire on his Altar for nought The servants of Christ may be poor here but this is the working time and in their sufferings they serve him 1 Tim. 6.6 't is great gain 4. 'T is a necessary service and indispensable we are not left to our own liberty to chuse whether we will serve him or no this is the unum necessarium and must be done 1. Though the thing to be done be dangerous Phil. 2.30 Not regarding his own life 2. Though it be difficult to us 3. Though unlikely to take effect Luke 5 5. VVe have toiled all the night and have taken nothing nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net though men forbid and withstand us and would beat us off from it Acts 5.29 VVe must obey God rather than Man 5. Most easy Mat. 11.29 30. None other so easy 1. In regard of the nature of this service His Commandments are not grievious Ioh. 5.3 There is certainty in this employment 't is easy to the new nature as the light of the Sun is delightful to those that have good eyes to them that love God and have the right art of serving him 2. In regard of other services That under the Covenant of Works and that under Sin and Satan 3. 'T is easie in regard of the help afforded to it 'T is easie for a Child to lift up a great weight when a Giant holds his hand and lifts with him Christ and his Spirit assist It were not only hard but impossible if left to our selves in it but da domine quod jubes jube quod vis I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me 'T is easie to act what Christ in the Covenant of Grace will accept and in respect of the reward and compared with the service of Satan and Sin that afford no gawdy-gawdy-days 6. 'T is the greatest freedom it not only consists with but brings freedom 't is the Law of liberty Iam. 1.25 He is the Lords freeman 1 Cor. 7.22 Iohn 8.32 It is perfect freedom and will free us from all
Queen Elizabeth's days to such as urged him to repent that Christ might pardon him desperately replied And is that God of yours so merciful indeed as to pardon so readily those that blaspheme him then I renounce and defie him horresa referens Oh that ever such an hellish word should ever be belched out of the black mouth of a living man but is not this the language of some mens hearts and lives do not some say it 's to no purpose to turn God hath given me up and it cannot be helpt I am like to go to hell and I will be damned for somewhat Oh horrible that sinners should so desperately throw away their precious immortal souls and seek to murder Christ as man by sinning as God by despairing Alas that ever sinners should so kick and spurn at the warm bowels of love or despise the riches of his goodness or sin though grace abound but men abuse grace on both hands turning grace into lasciviousness by presumption and despair but the Sun hardens clay and brings forth a stinking smell from a dirty dunghill Iustice will be glorified upon those that would not honour Christ and grace by believing But God forbid my Brethren that you should split on either of these dangerous rocks or run your souls upon the sands of sloth or sensuality Oh shall not the calls of God the death of Christ the intreaties of your Minister checks of your own conscience nothing avail for Gods sake for Christs sake for your own souls sakes look after a title to blessed Iesus here so lively described you cannot be damned at so cheap a rate as others a Gospel-hell is hotter than a Law-hell a seeming Christian shall sink lower than an ignorant heathen a lifting up to heaven in priviledges makes the fall lower in torments But you 'l say God forbid we would gladly have Christ and hope we have him and pardon by him I say Amen would to God it were so but be not deceived many that pretend to take him mistake him and so miss of him it 's not a conceit but receit of Christ that will advantage you the shadow doth not shelter except you be under it the plaister cures not unless applied the physick works not unless taken Christ is of none effect to you without faith faith will do you no good except it be unfeigned faith is not right if it divide Christ Christ is divided if not taken as Lord as well as Saviour God is resolved not to parcel out his Son by piece-meal as men sell wares in their shops cut off what every one likes and no more so he would have customers more than a good many one would have Christ as Priest to pardon not as King to govern they judg him a troublesome guest cumbersome wares if indeed he will be master and rob them of their lusts and rule them by his laws saying We will not have this man to rule over us the great controversie hath been in Nations Churches hearts whether or no Iesus must be sole Lord and Master God and Grace are for Christs preheminence God hath set his Son upon his holy hill Grace sets the Crown upon his head Satan and lust contradict it The Devil saith Luther hates that word more than any in the Bible Psal. 110.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i e. Sit thou on my right hand and a corrupt heart takes his part but his arrows shall be sharp in the hearts of the Kings enemies he will rule in the midst of them to conversion or confusion of them Oh be you Virgin-followers of the Lamb accept of him give up your selves to him and you shall find him what is here reported of him the choicest gift and best Master As for you into whose sanctified souls God hath dropt this rich and rare gift had I time and room I might say much for counsel and comfort to these consecrated ones You you above others have reason to adore free grace that gave you such a Minister who laid open the riches of Grace before you who threapt kindness upon you and was loth to leave you with a denial free-grace came with the key of Spirit and Word and opened your hearts as he did the heart of Lidia and took possession of you for the King of Glory Oh who or what were you that the highest Majesty would stand so long knocking and saying Open to me my sister my love Cant. 5.3 4 5. And when you snorted in your beds or gave him a churlish answer he put his hand by the hole of the door and caused your bowels to moâ—â— after him yea he left behind sweet-smelling myrrh upon the handles of the lock which caused you to run after him with love-sick motions till you found and enjoyed him And Oh how sweet was the enjoyment of so dear a friend Let their money perish with them said that noble Marquess Galeasius that esteem all the riches in the world worth more than one hours communion with Jesus Christ. I shall not anticipate the work of this ensuing Discourse yet give me leave to propound these few branches of counsel as a supplement to it 1. Be not mistaken in your title to this gift many are mistakes are easie and dangerous thousands of souls are like the man at Athens that laid ciaim to every Merchants Ship that came to shore the main lyes in making good your title he that boasteth of a false gift is like clouds and winds without rain Ptov. 25.14 a groundless vapour what are you better for others imagining or your own conceiting that Christ is yours if it be not found so at the day of trial your disappointment will but aggravate your torment God prevent it do you seek to prevent it by a speedy impartial search and calling in aid from heaven to discover your state and know the worst in time And as you may think you have a title to Christ when you have not so on the contrary you may at least in a temptation think you have no title to Christ and yet he may be yours your friend whom you seek may be in the house coming in at the back door when you expect him at the fore door you have him by faith though you feel him not in sense 2. Be most jealous of your selves when you have found most sensible incomes of his grace Satan like a Pirate envies and makes most at a richly laden Ship Cheats strike in with a young heir when he hath newly received his rents you are never in more danger than after your sweetest enlargements watch and pray believe and watch let your hand be on your purse and your eye on the thief he will look you in the face like an angel of light and rob you when a white devil allures you he is worse than a black devil that affrights you as one saith I love a rumbling raging devil comparatively he can do us least hurt when we suspect him most a calm at Sea doth
and Master to guide and govern your hearts and thoughts and lives by his Laws and Statutes and is it your ordinary purpose desire and endeavour to obey him even when he commands the hardest duties and those which most cross the desire and interest of the flesh and 't is your sorrow when you break your resolutions herein then Christ is yours But if you are only content to be saved by him from Hell when you dye in the mean time he shall command you no further than will stand with your credit or pleasure or worldly estate and ends and did never heartily consent that he should rule over you nor resign up your souls and bodies to be governed and disposed by him nor took his Word for a Law and Rule of your thoughts and actions but if he would give you leave you had rather live after the world and flesh than after the Word and Spirit he is not yet yours though you may in words call him Lord and Master yet in your works you deny him He is his Friend and Disciple that keeps his commandments Iohn 15.7 14 but they that would not hearken to his voice would none of him he gave them up to their own hearts lusts Psal. 8.11 3. Have you received the Spirit of Christ The Apostle makes the former and this characters of such as have received Christ. 1 Joh. 3.24 He that keepeth his commandments dwells in him and Christ in him hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us Well then do ye obey the Laws of Christ and walk in his ways conform to his example and live the life of Jesus He that doth not thus may say he abides in Christ but he doth but say so 't is not so in truth and reallity 1 Joh. 2.6 He that saith he abides in Christ ought to walk as he walked Further Let me ask you the question the Apostle asked the Disciples at Ephesus Acts. 19.2 Whether have you received the Holy Ghost If God have given Christ to you Christ hath given you his holy Spirit For if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 1 John 4.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit The Spirit not as residing in Christ but as given to us is an evidence that we have received Christ. Well then let every one of you be now inquisitive and put such interrogatories as these to himself Have I the Spirit is he given to me doth he dwell in my soul have I the spirit of illumination and revelation Eph. 1.17 Do I see such things as I never saw before as the inexpressible vileness and loathsomness of sin the greatest beauty in holiness c. Have I the spirit of life in Christ Jesus to quicken me and raise me up from the dead Rom. 8.2 2 Cor. 3.6 Have I felt the spirit of conviction to convince me of sin righteousness and judgment Iohn 16.8 The spirit of grace and supplication stirring up to and assisting in that heavenly duty of Prayer Zech. 12.10 The spirit of holyness to sanctifie me 1 Pet. 1.2 to mortifie my sins and corruptions Rom. 8.13 and work up my heart to all holy obedience Ezek. 36.27 Am I renewed in the spirit of my mind is Gods Image repaired in me am I transformed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord Am I growing in grace perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord Do I walk in all Gods Ways and Statutes freely regularly constantly Am I willing to sacrifice an Isaac a Benjamin an Absolom a Delilah Herodias and hew with Samuel delicate Agag in pieces or with David keep my self from mine own iniquity Is the old man dead the flesh with all its cursed retinue mortified do I detest and loath every sin in thought word and deed and that not so much for its effects as for its nature and hate it rather as Hell than for Hell Enquire what do you find of these high and gracious operations oâ— the spirit in your selves he is always an active working Spirit is he so in you Doth he raise your hearts to heavenly things and draw forth your souls to Christ O deal faithfully with your own souls let the search be deep and thorow go to the bottom of your deceitful hâ—arts bring things to an issue be sure that you be not mistaken 4. If Christ be received there will be a more earnest intent desire and breathing of soul after him he that hath once tasted the sweetness of his grace and seen the splendor of his beauty will be so far from being satisfied that he will still more and more thirst after him the more excellency the soul apprehends in him the more vehement and restless are his desires towards him Thus it was with the Spouse Cant. 2.3 4 5 â—he had a glance of him and cries out As the Apple-tree among the trees of the wood so is my beloved among the sons Here the Spouse seems to be strongly moved with affection and before her beloved had well ended his speech breaks out into an affectionate Elogy of him which she is not able to express but conquered with her own passion she sits down and breathes for comfort I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste Here the soul receives and applys Christ with sweet rellish to her palate comfort to her heart He brought me to the banqueting house and his banner over me was love she still tasts more of the riches of his Grace and what was the effect of this did she surfeit with eating his fruit and banquetting no she is more ravisht with desire Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love I am wounded nay slain as some Interpreters with love which by the sweet vehemency and insatiability of it makes the heart to burn and weep groan and sigh to forget all and drive away all but him on whom alone she fixeth and would rest but cannot center till she enjoy him in glory till then she is sick and weary and lives not in her self but in him in whom her life is hid As Plato defines love an ardour or flame of a soul dead in its own body and living in another One thus writes to his friend I have for the present a sick life much pain and love-sickness for Christ. O what would I give to have a bed made to my wearied soul in his bosom O when shall we meet O how long is it to the dawning of the marriage-marriage-day O sweet Lord Iesus take wide steps O my beloved come leaping over the mountains of separation O that he would fold the heavens together like an old cloak and shovel time and days out of the way and come away Well have you pain and sick-nights for Christ do your thoughts continually run on
therefore his Ordinances they are his Gallery where he loves to walk and here if any where you may find him or hear of him enquire in the way he has appointed So the Spouse Cant. 1.7 Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions Christ presently and lovingly answers If thou know not O thou fairest among women go thy way forth q. d. up and rise and get out sit not still lamenting and crying Lord Lord but go out of your selves by the footsteps of the flock and feed thy kids besides the shepherds tents Qui Christum sine ecclesia quaerit errare fatigari potest in venire non potest saith Bed you may seek long enough c. Cant. 6. begin The Daughters of Ierusalem hearing so much of the worth beauty and excellency of Christ had an earnest desire to seek him with the Spouse therefore enquire whither is thy beloved gone O thou fairest among women whither is thy beloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee This repetition argues both the vehemency of their affections and their expedition no excuses nor delays can be admitted in this case If any that hear me be of this mind having heard so much of Christs worth observe the answer of the Spouse My beloved is gone down into his garden to the bed of spices to feed in the garden and to gather lillies His Garden is the Church there attend his motions 4. Believe and Pray and attend Ordinances with an empty hand and hungry soul let go and be stript of your selves and all other things that you may receive Christ thus the Apostle did Phil. 3.7 8 9 10 quit all interest in your selves all dependance on the creature break your league with sin renounce your own righteousness account all things dung and loss that you may gain Christ leave all for him prefer him above all the world consent to his covenant say you will have him on any terms and he is yours unless you deny your selves you cannot accept this gift the world and the things of it Sin and the flesh and your own righteousness is that self that must be denied 1. You must deny and relinquish the world and all carnal relations What will it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul If the heart be divided between Christ and the world there will be always a disproportion the world will have most and Christ least Do not overvalue or love the wealth of the world the young man bid fair at Christ but stuck at this Say with that Marquess Galeacius Cariac tempted by a Jesuite with a mighty sum of Money Let their Money perish with them that esteem all the gold in the world worth one days communion with Iesus Christ. Or Christ will say if you set so much by the world take it and see what it can do for you if you can spare me better than your wealth you shall be without me He that loveth houses or lands yea father or mother more than me is not worthy of me Matt. 10.37 38. Luk. â—4 26 If any man come after me and hateth not father and mother wife and children brethren and sisters yea his own life cannot be my desciple which is not to be understood simply as if the service of Christ required the violation of the Laws of God and Nature but comparatively as Ierome If my Father should be weeping on his knees before me and my Mother hanging on my neeâ— behind me and all my Brethren and Kinsfolks howl on every side I would despise all and throw them off to go to Christ when he calls me If any think this would not consist with natural affection hear what Kilian the Dutch Schoolmaster and Martyr said If the whole world were Gold and mine to dispose of I would give it to live with my Wife and Children though in Prison yet my Soul and Christ are dearer to me than all Psal. 45.10 Forget thy own people and thy fathers house c. 2. Sin must be denied and forsaken Christ and Belial purity and corruption can have no fellowship Depart from all iniquity Jesus Christ and one allowed lust cannot lodge together in the same Soul He that prefers any lust before Christ deserves to go without him but he that with indignation parts with his sins shall have the Pearl of price in their room 3. you must deny your own righteousness this is the hardest part of self-denyal yet necessary Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners the whole need not the Physitian but the sick there must be sense of sin guilt shame and nakedness as Noah's Dove So long as the prodigal could make any shift to live he returned not or the woman with the blood issue had any thing to spend she came not to Christ like the man cast from an high Tower and stuck to the Mulberry-tree and scap'd A wounded man hasts to the Chyrurgeon sick to the Physician the man pursued by the avenger of blood to the City of refuge so a poor Soul broken with the insupportable burden of his sin wrath of God curse of the Law will be willing with a witness to cast it self into the opened arms and inviting embracements of Jesus Christ bleeding on the Cross tendred in the Gospel and so made his for ever you must sell all that you have and thus buy the Pearl 5. Do all this presently speedily defer it not till to morrow now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation Seek you the Lord while he may be found Isa. 55.6 While he offers himself in the ministry of his Word while he saith seek ye my face let your heart answer thy face do I seek To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts to day after so long a time Heb. 4.7 If you will do it at all do it betimes before the day of grace and time of repentance be expired and the door of mercy be shut As the Jewish Rabbi said of repentance Do it to day because thou knowest not thou shalt live till to morrow You know not that ever this gift shall be offered again this may be the last time to thee your life may be gone and then actum est or means removed or judicial hardness inflicted according to that dreadful threat Matt. 13.14 Hearing ye shall hear and not understand c. no judgment so terrible on this side Hell or he swear in his wrath you shall not enter into his rest God forbids his people to feed on those twilight birds the Bats signifying prolongers of repentance who think to flutter confusedly about Christ in the evening of their withered years and dream of a devout retirement in old age Now Christ stands at the door and knocks the spirit strives but the time is coming when many
from uncleanness Zech. 13.1 Who is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world John 1.29 Christ was without spot knew no sin was born holy that he might cover the impurity of thy conception Hath sin like a poison or leprosy spread over thy whole Soul and all thy actions are impure so that there is no soundness in thee but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores Improve Christ in this case who will wash thee in his blood Rev. 1.5 bind up thy wounds and make thee partaker of the Divine nature as 2 Pet. 1.4 Though thy sins be as scarlet he will make thee white as snow If the blood of bulls and goats sprinkling the unclean sanctified to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living Lord Heb. 9.13 14 O then look unto Christ and be healed tell him as he did Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean No Soap nor Nitre can purge it the general deluge swept away sinners but could not wash away one sin 3. Against the bondage of sin every one is by nature a bondslave to corruption Now Christ was sent to Preach as well as purchase deliverance for captives and to open the Prison to them that are bound Isa. 61.1 2. If a number of men were taken captives by the Turks and made Gally-â—laves suppose some rich Merchant should lay down a vast sum of Money to purchase their liberty or a great Prince make way by the Sword for their escape or give some Prisoners in exchange for them and should this dear-bought liberty be proclaimed to all in general That whoever will apply themselves to him should be free from bondage How deservedly may those lye and dye in Chains that will not accept and make use of those easie terms If thou cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me c Christ alone that Son will make you free Ioh. 8.32 33 34. 'T is not a feigned or fancied but a real liberty free indeed 4. Against the danger of sin Art thou afraid of such a corruption art thou annoyed with such a temptation and ready to say ah I shall one day perish by the hand of such a sin Then to prevent falling into sin and antidote thee against the solicitations of it with Paul run to Christ and beseech the Lord once and again till thou have that answer My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.8 9. When sin comes as a Potiphars Wife and offers thee deadly Poison in a golden Cup let Faith answer I would consent but that I am a Christian how can I do this great wickedness and sin against my Christ I cannot gratifie this or that lust but I must be disloyal to my Lord Christ. When ever temptations assault and an host incamp against thee hast to the Captain of thy Salvation as David at What time I am afraid I will trust in thee Psal. 56.3 5. Against the whole body of sin make use of Christ who came to destroy the works of the Devil Would thou have sin mortified and killed and the old man crucified nail him to the Cross of Christ that by vertue of his death sin may receive its deaths wound no corruptions can stand before Christs Cross. Rom. 6.8 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed 1. Art thou troubled and molested with passion and transported with anger nothing so effectual to subdue and bridle that short madness as Christ. Nihil ita irae impetum cohibet sicut Iesus 'T is the property of contraries to expel one another Christ is meekness and love 2. Doth Pride that detestable sin swell thee art thou proud of wealth honour gifts friends c Nihil ita superbiae tumorem sedat sicut Iesus he is humble and lowly Mat. 11.29 3. Or that diabolical sin of envy Christ can cure thee of that rotten vice Nihil ita livoris culmas sanat sicut Iesus Who ever shewed more opposition to it than Christ who prayed that his Servants might have the same glory with him Ioh. 17.22 4. Or that idolatrous heathenish sin of Covetousness Christ alone can quench the insatiable thirst after worldly things Ioh. 4.14 Whoever drinks of this water shall never thirst Nil ita temperat sitim avaritiae sicut Iesus Thou wilt trample the Moon under thy feet and scorn to love this poor dunghil-world or be fond of these beautiful vanities and fair-fac'd nothings Lastly Dost thou feel in thy Soul the scorching heat of Concupiscence and knowest not how to rid thy self of it Go to Christ who will quickly quench that flame Nihil ita extinguit libidinis flammam sicut Iesus Christs blood is an excellent antidote against lust and will quench and not curb only that inflamation So we might add many more instances for our mortification c. 2. As a Physician to cure all Diseases Christ the gift of God is a most excellent and soveraign Remedy for all diseases and spiritual indispositions whatever the Soul ails go to Christ and he can and will help 1. For darkness and blindness none better than Christ. Do the eyes of thy mind wax dim and dark that thou canst not so well as formerly see the soulness of sin the fairness of Christ the beauty of holiness O make use of Christ who can open blind eyes and clear the sight and make you see that plainly that others can scarce perceive He can illuminate the mind anoint the eye with eye-salve Rev. 3.18 that thou maist see how naked and wretched thou art dispel all darkness and shew thee the light of life Iohn 8.12 and 12.46 If any walk in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay himself upon his God Isa. 50.10 2. Deadness Christ is an effectual remedy against deadness and lifelesness of spirit Whither should we go but unto him who hath the words of eternal life Thou hast fallen among Thieves and they have bereaved thee of all yea of life it self why Christ is that good Samaritan which puts Wine and Oyl into thy wounded Soul Luk. 10.30 he complains that ye will not come unto him that ye may have life he is called our life Col. 3.4 O derive life and strength from him 3. Hardness Art thou infected with that sore disease of hardness of heart so that thou canst not mourn for sin nor art scarce sensible of the great burden of sin and misery nor lay to heart the evils of the times but thy heart is a Rock or an Adamant O go to Christ who can and will take away the heart of stone and give thee a heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 and 36.26 In him this gracious promise is and ever shall be yea and Amen Soak thy heart thorowly in this promise and set before
honour glory and power be unto him that siteeth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever We must worship him with inward and outward veneration the first consists in the trust fear reverence and adoration of the heart the latter in attendance upon and due observance of Gospel institutions as Prayer hearing the Word reverent use of the Sacraments 'T is a known story that of Amphilochius to the Emperour Theodosius he had petition'd the Emperour to be severe against the Arrians to discountenance and suppress them because in their opinions they did disparage the Son of God but could not prevail Whereupon he made use of this device coming one day into the Emperours presence and of Arcadius his Son who ruled jointly with his Father he made his humble obeisance to the Emperour himself and shewed him all reverence but passed by his Son shewing him no respect at all the Emperour was much offended sharply reproves Amphilochius for this affront to his Son whereupon the good man vindicates his carriage plainly telling the Emperour he had given reverence enough to his Son and now the Emperour was more incensed commands him with great indignation to be thrust out of his Presence which while some were doing Amphilochius turns himself to the Emperour and said O Emperour thou being but a man canst not bear the contempt or disparagement of thy Son how dost thou think the great God can bear the contempt of his Son which the Arrians do cast upon him The Emperour was much affected with this beg'd the Bishops pardon commended his ingenuity and did that now which he had refused to do before 2. With obedience to all his Laws and Commands Mat. 17.5 This is my beloved Son hear ye him This hearing of Christ is obeying of him in all his holy Laws and Institutions and so 't is q. d. Here 's a person whom I own for my Son whom I have made your Lord and have set him as my King on my holy hill into whose hands I have put all power on whose shoulders I have laid the government therefore I charge you to hear him and to yield all obedience and subjection to him Obedience is the chief badg and character of a servant Rom. 6.16 His servants ye are to whom ye obey Eph. 6.5 Servants be obedient to your masters There can be no better proof of service than obedience and therefore the people said Iosh. 24.24 The Lord our God will we serve and his voice will we obey So Abraham the servant of the Lord when he was called to go out of his own Country obeyed yea in that greatest trial of obedience that ever we read any meer man to be put unto being commanded to sacrifice his only Son he never stumbled upon the bare signification of his pleasure without disputing or debating the matter we must give both active and passive obedience 3. This reverence and obedience will produce in Christs servants and they are dispositions well becoming servants a fear to offend and desire to please their Lord a deliberate apprehension of some worthiness in another more than in a mans self is ever accompanied with a fear to displease and care to please the person reverenced Mal. 1.6 If I be a Master where is my fear Serve the Lord with fear Psal. 2.11 Heb. 12.28 From which a care to please cannot be severed Servants are to be obedient and to please their Masters or Lord in all things Tit. 2.9 So must Christs servants study to walk worthy of him unto all well-pleasing not much regarding what offence others take at him so long as his master accepts his service 2. To go by Christs warrant and take his word for his rule in all his actions Mar. 13.34 He gives to every servant his work and he is to receive commission from him for it as the Porter to watch c. what the master bids or forbids is to be observed If he say go as the Centurions servant he is to go or do this it must be done a servant may not do what he pleases but must wait his masters pleasure Psal. 123.2 As the eyes of the servants look unto the hand of their masters and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until that he have mercy upon us A servant is not sui juris his own master to guide his actions but must subject his own will to the will of another whether it be in something to be done or something to be suffered our right serving of Christ is when 't is done according to his own direction both for the matter and manner of his service 'T is a maxim in nature every master is to be served according as himself commands and if the servant prescribe to his master how he will serve him he becomes his own yea his Master's master In the Civil Law a servant is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a one as sustains no person but is a dependent and adjunct to his master to accomodate his will to the will of his master Socrates could see this and say If there be a God he must be worshipped and if he be worshipped it must be according to his own will or else we do not worship him at all Will worship is a service that 's so far from bringing us to Heaven that it will beguile us of Heaven 3. To account and use all he hath and is as not his own but his masters all a Christian is is Christs 1 Cor. 3.13 And ye are Christs and Christ is Gods As he is so all he hath is his masters talent or goods to be kept for him and employed to his profit 1 Pet. 1.10 As every man hath received the gift even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God Mat. 25.14 He delivers unto them his goods of which they are to make account to him at his coming they are not proprietarii but depositarii not treasurers but stewards of his gifts and must hear redde depositum he must be served with his own and that intirely without dividing for we are not in part but wholly his no man can have any propriety in himself or in any other creature but what is derived from this absolute Lord and standeth in full subordination to his propriety and as we are not our own so nothing is properly our own which we possess for no man can have more title to any thing else than to himself nor may we dispose of any thing we have in any way but to serve the will and interest of this absolute Lord. 4. To follow his Master in his ways Christians must walk as his servants not where and how they list but as their Master pleases Ioh. 12.26 If any man serve me let him follow me Ye call me Lord and Master saith Christ in the Text and then vers 14 15. If I thâ—n your
right which he saith not to avoid death but to shew that he was unjustly accused 4. He is an eternal Lord Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth even for ever Isa 9.7 Luke 1.33 He is the King immortal 1 Tim. 1.17 Death the King of terrors and terror of Kings is subdued by this Lord not only so as never to touch him but also never to hurt any of his Servants Other Rulers though they be called gods and lords yet shall dye like men earthly Monarchs either by some Poison or Treason are brought to untimely deaths at least some disease or other will lay their glory in the dust but Jesus Christ is yesterday today and the same for ever 5. He is a mighty Lord most able to do what is good for his Servant and to subdue all persons and things to himself Psal. 3.21 He can kill the Soul and throw both the Body and Soul into Hell he can subdue the hearts of men even of the deadliest enemies unto his love and obedience he can protect and shelter his Servants from all evil and bestow all good things on them for the world is his and the fulness thereof He hath under his command the forces of all creatures in Heaven and Earth which he rules as he pleases to his own purpose he can at ease frustrate the harmful intentions and noisom qualities of the worst of them he can turn their malice into mercy their hatred into love yea can bring forth glory to himself and profit to his Servants not only against but even out of their mischievous designments as in Daniel and the three Children c. 6. He is a most just Lord his is a Scepter of righteousness Heb. 1.8 his right hand is full of righteousness The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works Psal. 145.17 In him is exact and perfect integrity and equity of all his counsels words and actions and there is no unrighteousness in him His will is the rule and standard of justice and whatever he commands is most equal and right because he wills and commands it 7. He is a most glorious Lord and Master The glory of Kings and Emperours is but a borrowed ray or spark from his Majesty the glory of all the Caesars c. is but a black coal in comparison of his splendor and when he shall appear in his glory the glow-worms of worldly splendor and majesty shall disappear and be extinguished the poorest Servant he hath shall then appear with him in such glory that the combined-excellency of Kings shall not be so much as a shadow to it 8. He is a most gracious Lord he puts them upon none but safe honourable and comfortable employments He puts no more upon them than they can go through and lays no more upon them than they are able to bear he knows their mould and frame remembers they are but dust he is Jesus as well as Lord a Shepherd as well as a Master he joins his glory and their happiness together he never requireth brick from his people without giving them straw he will either multiply grace or diminish the temptation his Grace is always sufficient for them 9. He is a wise judicious Master A man that serves a fickle and unconstant Master who often changes his mind has a hard task and endless labour but a prudent man who orders his affairs with discretion and deliberation his commands are but once obeyed his work is soon done what he doth now anon he must undo and so Sysiphus like he is ever doing and hath never done he never knows an end of his work But the Servant of Christ is at a good certainty and knows before-hand what his work must be and what his wages as his Master himself is so his Commandments are immutable and invariable without so much as a shadow of change Iam. 1.17 That was a needless cavil and meer peevishness and selfishness in Ionah Ionah 4.2 10. He is a most knowing and discerning Lord. He observes the ways and works of his Servants so narrowly that the closest and subtillest among them cannot deceive him he spies them in every corner nay every corner of their hearts in them all things are open and naked before him though now in some sort he be absent yet he needs no informer he knows what every Servant doth in his absence and will manifest every ones work to all the world his eyes are as a flame of fire clearer than ten thousand suns he takes notice of all their services and hearts Rev. 2.19 I know thy works and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy works and the last to be more than the first 11. He is a pitiful and merciful Lord and Master He hath an eye as pitying as it is piercing he doth no less observe the wants and troubles than the ways and works of his Servants he is a Father as well as a Master and As a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him Psal. 103.13 14 And spareth them as a father his son that serveth him Mal. 3.17 hath more tender bowels than a mother Isa. 49.15 Can a woman forget her sucking-child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Christ is not as the slothful man thought a cruel and hard Master Matt. 25.24 that looks for much work and gives little encouragement but is moved with compassion towards his Servants Matt. 18.27 he will not have his Servants complain that they serve an hard Master 12. He is a meek and lowly Master condescending to serve his Servants here and hereafter 1. Hereâ— Matt. 20.28 He came not to be ministred unto but to minister Luke 22.27 Whether is greater he that sitteth at meat or he that serveth is not he that sitteth at meat but I am among you as he that serveth He stoopt so low as to wash his Disciples feet 2. Hereafter Luke 12.37 Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching Verily I say unto you That he shall gird himself and make them sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them Study but yet expect not to understand either the comfort or condescention of this promise made to the faithful Servants of Christ He shall gird himself c. Lord saith one did I not think that the cheer and the attendance were both one I should say the attendance were infinitely better than the meat Think what it is for Christ himself to serve at the Table what is it but infinite delight for the guests to have him set himself to solace them who is infinite as in sweetness so in knowledg to make his sweetness please them Nor will the dignity of these
come unto me Hear and your soul shall live why do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not Hearken diligently unto me eat ye that which is good and let your soul delight it self in fatness Alas ye feed on husks and chaff till you return to Christ. Isa 55.2 3 4 7. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and fools delight in folly turn ye at my reproof Forsake the foolish and live and go in the way of understanding O that you were wise and would understand these things and consider your latter end O that there were such hearts in you c. O that ye knew the things that belong unto your peace in this your day before they be hid from your eyes O when shall it once be what is your resolution shall Jesus Christ be your Lord and Master or shall he not Take heed how you refuse him that speaks from heaven do not as you want Christ despise this loving invitation and make light of this gracious offer lest his wrath be kindled in his breast and you perish He that hath so long held forth his Scepter of Grace yet stands waiting for your return yet stretcheth forth his arms to embrace you yet opens his very heart to entertain you Hark he bids you come and lodg your souls in his warm bosom yet he calls by his Word yet he strives by his Spirit and follows you with checks of conscience and renews his mercies on you every morning would fain draw you with cords of love if it would be But it will not be always thus his patience will not always wait his Spirit shall not always strive with man the door of mercy shall not always stand open When once the master of the house is risen up and hath shut to the door and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door saying Lord Lord open to us then 't is too late Luk. 13.25 O come to Christ now or never do it this day or you may never be invited again Hear now Christ bespeaks and wooes thee sinner Cast down thy weapons of rebellion surrender thy soul to me give me thy heart submit to my government I vvill pass by all thy former resistance and put up all the wrongs thou hast done me I will remember thy iniquities no more but pass an act of everlasting oblivion upon them O look unto me and be ye saved This is my business with you my beloved at this time this is mine errand to your Souls What answer shall I return from you to him that sent me The great work you know of us Ministers is to perswade men to become Christs covenanting Servants to consent to his Laws and acknowledg his Lordship our way to win your hearts is to tell you what he is some little hath been spoken but not the thousand part of the excellencies of this incomparable Lord O he is the chiefest of ten thousâ—nd his name is wonderful he is God and Man in one person he is Man that you may not be afraid of him God that he may be able to do you good He is the Lord of lords and King of kings Heir of all things Saviour of the world c. 'T is infinite condescention of love in him to treat with you or intreat your consenâ— that he may be your Lord. This being a matter of greatest importance and knowing the terror of the Lord let me perswade you for that end I intreat you to press upon your selves and improve in your retirements these considerations as motives 1. Motive Yeild up your selves to the service of the Lord Christ or you are unjust you do him open wrong Equity and justice requires that you render to all their due jus cuique tribuere is the first and most proper act of justice Tribute to whom tribute fear to whom fear honour to whom honour Rom. 13.7 It is a common principle among you which nature teacheth that you deal righteously with men owe no man any thing do no man wrong let every one have that which of right appertaineth to him And if we may not deny unto Caesar the things that are Caesars it is but right we should also give unto God the things that are Gods by so many just titles Why now you cannot without apparent wrong to Christ deny him your selves you are his and owe your selves unto him and all you have and all that you can do you are not your own but his I lay claim unto you in the name of Christ and challenge your souls and bodies to his use Dare you deny the claim or will any step out and question this title The Lord Jesus hath laid challenges to you It has been a custom in England on the Coronation day as multitudes of people were feasting in Westminster-Hall a Herald comes forth and Champion for the King and proclaimed his title to the Crown and if any questioned his title he was there ready to make it good I do now proclaim to you that Christ is your Lord and you are his Servants and challenges your service if any question his Title I will justifie it and make it good let the case come to tryal on condition that whoever is convinced shall yield subjection Let me ask you then Did not he make you and not ye your selves Psal. 95.6 and does not he preserve and sustain you and ye are the Sheep of his pasture Vers. 7 Did not Christ purchase you with his own blood 1 Pet. 1.18 Were you not the dearest purchase and was not the greatest price paid for you that ever the world heard of Well what say you to this Title Doth not justice give every one his own and are not you Christs If there be any creature in Heaven or Earth that can lay a better claim or pretend a juster Title to you than Christ then let it have your hearts and service but if the Lord Jesus have the full and sole right to you then do not so much wrong him and your own souls as to deny or withstand this just and reasonable motion 2. Give up your selves to this Lord or you are unthankful gratitude as well as justice requires this at your hands Nothing is more abhorrent to an ingenuous spirit than the brand of ingratitude to be so base and unworthy as to render evil for good ingratum si dixeris omnia dixeris call a man unthankful and you call him all that 's naught abhor it as death to be guilty or have the name of ingratitude Well now suppose a man had by some capital crime incurred the danger of the Law and the sentence of death were past upon himâ— should another step in and humble himself to beg the pardon or begger himself to buy the freedom for him Must not that man be wholly his who hath ransomed him from the Gallows This is our case Sin was our work and Death was our wages
his wrath O do not thou lift up the heel against him to whom thou must one day bow the knee if thou wilt not now kiss the Son thou shalt shortly lick the dust of his feet if thou be not now in the number of his willing people in the day of the power of his grace in the day of his wrath his arrows will be in thy heart as one amongst his enemies In a word if thou wilt not stoop to his golden Scepter thou must be broken in pieces with his rod of iron 6. Give up your selves to Christ and you shall be your own and be happy look when and how much you resign your selves to this absolute Lord even then and so muâ—h you are your own and no more you are never your own but when and while you are his what you deny him or steal from him you give to the Devil the World and the Flesh you lye at the command of every vile lust or black devil till you become his subjects O quam multos habet dominos qui unum non habet O how many how ignoble how poor how cruel are the Lords of that man who hath not this one Lord But the way to secure your selves and whatever is dear to you is to give up all to Christ. He that loseth himself and his life shall find it and he that labours to secure himself another way loseth all Matt. 16.25 If you be his you are happy but if you be your own you are most miserable Can you support preserve or provide for your selves who shall save you in the hour of temptation and distress know ye not yet so much of your own insufficiency and do ye not yet feel your selves to be such a daily burthen to your selves that you have enough of your selves ere now as to beg of God above all your enemies to save you from your selves and to save you from being forsaken oâ— God and given up to your selves Remember that none in the world hath sufficient power wisdom and goodness to take the full care and charge of you but Christ none else can save you or sanctifie you or keep you alive one hour and therefore it will be your happiness and honour that you are his He will use you only in safe and honourable services and to no worse an end than your endless happiness Consider a little how unfit you are to be your own Lords and how unable to govern your selves so blind and ignorant so byassed by a corrupt will so turbulent are your passions so uncessant and powerful is the temptation of your sence and appetite that 't were as fit for a man to be govern'd by a servant or a rider by his horse But he is most perfectly fit to govern you and all the world you can desire nothing reasonably in a Lord and Governor which is not in him He hath perfect wisdom to know what is best perfect goodness and therefore will be most regardful of his subjects good and will put no evil into his Laws Almighty to protect his Servants and see to the execution of his Laws most just and therefore can do no wrong but all his Laws and judgments are equal and impartial He is our very end interest and felicity our dearest friend and father and therefore loves us better than we love our selves and therefore we have greatest reason to submit to his Lordship and obey him as one that rules us to our own felicity 7. Let him be your Lord to rule and save you or you must needs perish everlastingly it 's a folly to think Christ should save you while you serve his enemies in vain do you expect the dignities and priviledges that come by Christ and not submit to the duties and services that are due to Christ. He is the author of salvation to them that obey him Heb. 5.9 The Gospel is a message of eternal life only to those to whom it is a rule of spiritual life and the true believer does not only cast himself into the arms of Christ to be saved but also casts himself at Christs feet to serve him never man had Chriâ—t for his Saviour unless he took him for his Lord. There is no possible escape for Christs enemies If they had another Lord or Potentate that could match Christ in strength they might fly to him to defend them from Christ but Christ is the only Lord and woe unto them that have him for their only enemy Can thy heart endure or thy hands be strong in the day when this Lord shall deal with thee Ezek. 22.14 Jer. 4.13 Foolish sinner dost thou contend with thy Maker wilt thou set bryars and thorns against him in battel as smoak contend with the wind the wax with the fire the stubble with the flame or the snow-bâ—ll with the Sun 'T is hard to kick against the pricks there 's no flying from him but by flying to him Isa 10 3. What will ye do in the day of visitation and in the desolation which shall come from far To whom will ye sâ—â—e for help And where will ye leave your glory Will you call upon the rocks and mountains to fall on you and cover you from the wrath of the Lamb when the great day of his wrath is who shall be able to abide Rev 6 15 16 1â— Were it not better now to enter into the rock and hide your selves in the clefts of this rock Isa. 2 10. No way to escape the wrath of God one spark whereof will horn the guilty sinner to destruction but by kissing the Son Psal. 2. ult 2. Branch of exhortation to all them who have given up their names to Christ and are his listed 〈◊〉 servants Let me perswade you to 〈…〉 serve 〈◊〉 great and blessed Lord O 〈◊〉 him with greatest diligence and fervency of spirit 〈◊〉 best Lord must have your best service darâ— not to offer to this Lord that which cost you nothing the blind and â—â—me are too bad for your ordinary lords this Lord muâ—â— have your all the whole of your created abilitiâ—sâ— Hâ— deserves and his work requires your all he hath much more business then all the time and strength of his servants can bring about if every hair of your heads were an hand you might have your hands full of work O let none do his work negligently how great was his goodness to take such unprofitable servants as we are into the family of his Church what saw he in us more than in Heathens that he should put such an honour upon us I shall first instruct and then excite you 1. For your direction I shall lay down 1. Rules 2. Meanes 3. Manner of this service 1. Rules about Christs service 1. Live and act wholly to and for this your Lord do all you do for Christ Phil 1.21 For to me to live is Christ. Christ is the scope and end of all his life Rom. 14.6 7 8. None of us liveth to himself and no man
dyeth to himself For whether we live we live to the Lord and whether we 〈◊〉 we die unto the Lord whether we regard 〈…〉 or not it must be to the Lord. Whether we eat or not it must be to the Lord make him the end of your conversation Iesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb 1â— 7 8. 2. In all things seek to 〈◊〉 him 1 Cor 7.32 Care for the things that belong to the Lord how you may please the Lord. And labour whether present or absent to be accepted of him 2 Cor. 5.9 Have none to please but Christ and for Christ. 3. Be ever found doing his work Mat. 24.46 Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing never cease working till you die life and labour must end together he gives us no time to be idle in 4. Go by his rule in all your ways let all your actions and proceedings be regulated by his law whatsoever ye do in word or in deed do all in the Name of the Lord Iesus Col. 3.17 As when Pharaoh had lifted up Ioseph and made him ruler over the Land of Egypt and they cryed before him bow the knee Pharaoh said unto Joseph I am Pharaoh and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all Egypt Gen. 41.44 So 5. Employ all you are have and can for him His word is Luke 19.13 Occupy till I come all your Talents he requires the service of thoughts 2 Cor. 10.5 of words Eph. 4.29 of works 1 Cor. 10.31 of body and Spirit 1 Thes. 5.23 6. Highly esteem what ever is his His Day Ordinances Servants Ministers and his holy Word let the feet of his Embassadors be beautiful both for their Master and their message-sake they are the Servants of Christ. Our delight should be in those excellent ones who bear the image and wear the badge of our Lord the world now thinks that of all callings this of the Ministry can best be spared but let us not think so basely of them who are Christs servants not only to do his business but to wait on his person ye to represent his person 1 Cor. 4.1 7. Study to approve your selves in all things to him 2 Thes. 1.11 12. Pray always that God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and you in him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. In a word let none but Christ be your end Serve him not to serve your own turns but let every interest be subservient to Christ learn to perish that the glory of Christ may live make not Religion a design let Christ be sweet for himself in serving him let nothing else be your scope and then nothing will divert you aim not at profit so gain will not allure you nor at pleasure so ease will not corrupt you nor at friends so favour will not seduce you Be all unto Christ and let Christ be all unto you Be all or nothing 2. Means 1. Redemption from other opposite Masters Luk. 1.74 That he would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life 2. Enmity in us must be subdued all that exalts it self against the knowledg of God strong holds pull'd down imaginations and high things cast down and every thought be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. 3. Receive instruction from him we must be taught in this service and that by him we must learn Christ Ephes. 4.20 21. If so be that ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Iesus Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom Phil. 4.12 In all things I am instructed 4. You must also be furnished by him with graces and strength 2 Tim. 3.17 Throughly furnished to all good works And 2 Tim. 2.21 Prepared unto every good work and have his strength or you can do nothing Ioh. 15.5 5. Practise self-denial If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me Mat. 16 24. Either you must deny your self or you will deny Christ that man that sets much by himself will never reckon much of a Saviour He who hath not learned self denial when Christ and self come in competition meet on a narrow bridge will endeavour to make Christ go back he that doth not account himself nothing will soon esteem Christ so 6. Clear your selves from all worldly distractions lay aside the world as much as may be that you may attend upon the Lord without distraction 1 Cor. 7.35 Let not this be your rule to Christ and holiness so far as you may without any prejudice to your worldly interests but this follow the world so far only as you may without being false and unfaithful to Christ and his service do not say to duty as Prayer Hearing Meditation stand aside I have such a worldly business to look after but rather say world stand aside Be sure that you are gotten clear of the world and that Christ have the preheminence in you be not ye the worlds prisoners but Christs free men 7. Remember the last account and judgment 2 Cor. 5.9 10. Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him for we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad None so diligent and faithful in the service of this Lord as those that with Ierome have still sounding in their ears that terrible voice Surgite mâ—rtui venite ad judicium Our Lord is gone but will come again to take an account how matters have been managed during his absence now sincce we look for such things what manner of persons ought we to be 3. For manner Christ be served in a right manner 1. Heartily freely cheerfully the heart is the marrow of the performance Col. 3.23 Whatsoever ye do do it heartily as to the Lord Ephes. 6.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not with eye service as men pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart Serve him in the spirit doing service with good-will and gladness making it our meat and drink to do his will quod cor non facit non sit 2. Humbly reverently when we have done all we can all those things that are commanded say we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do Luk. 17.9 10. In bearing when he corrects content with our allowance not doing what we please but what pleases him coming at every call and obeying