things which concerne Adam in comparison with his fellow brethren In this right measure two rules are to be attended 1. Adam was to love all things belonging to himself with a love proportionable to them He was to proportion his love sutable to the nature of the things As one exceeded another in goodnesse so hee was to exceed in love towards them Those things that were of the choicest nature on them he was to bestow the choicest affections as for example Adam was to love his life honour and good name according to their nature A man must love his life above his wealth and the good of his soule above his life As in a paire of scales the heavier the waight is in the one the more weight we put into the other if wee would have them even so answerable to the love that was in any thing Adam was to weigh out an agreeable proportion of love The happinesse of the soule is everlasting therefore he was to bestow unchangeable love upon it but wealth and riches are mutable therefore mutable affections wil serve them we must so love them as to be content to leave them Thy wife is dearer then thy kinsman weigh out the affections of matrimony to thy wife of friendship to thy kinsman The credit of the world is good but it is but a small good weigh out but a little measure of love to it The woman sicke of a bloudy issue spent all she had to save her life and shall not a man spend his life to save his soule Rule 2. We ought to love our owne personall good more then the good of another All true love begins at home I must love mine own honour more then the honour of another For the right understanding of this Rule take notice of two cautions Caut. 1. I must alwayes compare my good with the good of another in the same kind I must compare my life and his life my soule and his soule My owne soule is dearer to me then anothers But if you take them not in the like quality the rule bindes not I must love the soule of my brother more then mine owne life If a man might undoubtedly set forward the salvation of his brother by laying downe his life he must be content to dye so likewise I must love the life of my brother better then mine owne riches But compare them in the same kind and the rule holds Caut. 2. There must be no overpowring circumstance to oversway mee if the publicke good may bee promoted or God may be honoured more by him then by me in regard of his parts and place 1 Joh. 3.16 We ought to lay downe our lives for our brethren When God may receive more honour from another man then from me I must lay downe my life to save his It was requisite a private Christian should die rather then Paul the Apostle because hee was chiefe if therefore a private man should rescue Paul he must lay downe his life for him 1 Sam. 18.3 The life of king David is better then the life of a thousand subjects Gods honour may be more promoted by it The arme will loose it selfe to save the head Rule 3. We must love our selves in a right manner The manner of loving our selves namely in that manner that is comely and beseeming This makes knowne it selfe in these thre particulars It must be Really Fervently Purely 1. Really not in complement but with love unfained and hearty 1. Joh. 3.18 Let us not love in tongue or in word but in deed and in truth so it was with Adam hee was able to do good to himselfe whereas wee that are corrupt are most enemies to our selves when wee seeme most to love our selves Pro. 8. ult He that despiseth wisedome * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 layeth violent hands upon himselfe so the word in the originall is Out of selfe-love and pride you must not have your base courses condemned but you hate your soules in despising the means God is Jehovah a Being God therefore requires that mans love should be reall 2. Adam loved himselfe fervently 1 Pet. 1.22 as Saint Peter calls it There was namely a pressenesse in Adams spirit whereby the whole man was carried to improve any meanes for the good of himselfe Adam was free from weaknesse within from impediment without As in Heb. 6.10 it is called The labour of love so was Adam painfull to use all meanes for his good Ephes 5.29 No man ever hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it that is hee imployes all meanes to helpe himselfe whereas wee that are corrupt cannot inlarge our hearts in duties of love We are so distracted that we cannot go on freely in our occasions both in things that concerne God and in things that concerne our selves Rom. 7. The good we would do we doe not 3. Adam loved himselfe purely not with carnall nor sensuall love He loved onely that which was good in himselfe he loved his excellency that so he might get more of it and be fitted by it in the performance of his service There are sixe good things belonging to a man Honour Life Chastity Goods Good name Prosperity now Adam loved these that hee might get more of them and be fitted the better for Gods service These two things Adam got by obedience 1. more ability 2. more dexterity in the performance of Gods command Adam loved his honour that he might receive more honour from others and be more enabled to performe his duty to them whereas we love good things for naughty ends The covetous churle loveth his scraping humour and growes more covetous we love sin which we ought to abhorre and we doe good oftentimes for bad ends but Adam loved that which was good in himselfe for that good end to get more of it Gods people are followers after righteousnesse Isa 51.11 More of that Lord more chastity and meeknesse As the beast that hunts his prey pursues it still with more and more eagernesse so doth the gracious man follow after righteousnesse Adam was patient c. but yet he desired more wee love good things wel but many times use them ill when wee have them A man perhaps craves honour with moderation but he lifts up his heart when hee hath gotten it Part 3. The third thing in the description is He loved his brother as himselfe for quality not for quantity The love of himselfe was a patern to imitate not to equall or exceed Quest How may we know how Adam was to love his brother as himselfe Ans The rules are two How to love our brother as our selves 1. He was to weigh out love respecting as well his brothers good as his owne In 2 Kin. 1.13 the poore man was afraid that Elias would have slaine him therefore he prayeth him that his life might he precious in his eyes as Adam was able to set an high price on the honour and life of his brother
Doth holinesse fit a man to love God above all and wouldest thou know whether thou hast an holy heart Try it from the former truth Where ever holinesse is it fits the heart to love God above all Canst thou doe this which holinesse enables a man to doe then if there be holinesse in heaven it is also in thine heart I doe not meane that any man should have the exactnesse that Adam had in creation but what hee had in perfection wee must have in desire Thou must have an heart enlarged to love God above all though thou hast many weaknesses with it Many for want of this are cast out as not being partakers of this saving worke Namely Those that never had any readinesse to this saving work of God further then shame or disgrace provokes them for most that live upon the face of the earth must have some constraining power to force them to the performance of Gods service they say as those in Malachi What a wearinesse is it Mal. 1.13 The word of God and his ordinances are a burden the sabbaths are tedious men come to Gods worship as a Beare to a stake or a captive to prison how willing are they to bee freed from these duties whereas holinesse ever brings willingnesse with it Ob. But doe not the Saints finde a great deale of awkwardnesse Ans I confesse it is true but there is a great deale of difference between these and the other The Saints willingly oppose their corruptions that clog them but a carnall heart joynes sides with the flesh hee desires means and occasions to withdraw him from the love of God hee is glad to finde a pretence to travell on the Lords day or to neglect prayer in his private family But the Saints are weary of their untowardnesse and awkwardnesse to holy duties Matth. 26.41 the Disciples were overcharged with wearinesse and fell asleepe Christ addes the reason The spirit is willing but the flesh is weake Rom. 7. The law is holy and the commandement holy but sinne tooke occasion by the commandement c. It is not I but sinne that dwelleth in me as if hee should say It is good to please God and I will labour after it but I confesse I have a wilfull wretched heart within mee which opposeth this yet there is a sparke of holinesse in this heart and with that I love thee though my flesh oppose thee §. 5. Quest WHat is righteousnesse Righteousnesse what it is Answ The second part of the spirituall image put into Adam whereby hee could love himselfe as hee ought and his neighbour as himselfe In the description there are three things 1. It is the second part of Gods image in the will Holinesse fitted Adam to goe to God yet of it selfe it could not fit him to love his brother therefore hee must have another frame that is of righteousnesse Againe it is beyond the power of the soule to performe spirituall love to his brother therefore it must have this part of Gods image in it 1 Joh. 4.7 Love is of God to love another holily is beyond the power and faculty of nature Indeed a man may love another carnally as adulterers and naturally as creatures but to love another spiritually hee must have power from God There is a double cunning of the hand as David useth the word a cunning to play on an instrument Psa 137. and a cunning to write now the cunning of the one will not make a man skilfull in the other so there is a double cunning put into the heart of Adam the first Of holinesse whereby hee could love God above all the second Of righteousnesse whereby he could love himselfe as hee ought and his neighbour as himselfe 2. The second part of the description was By this he was fitted to love himselfe as he ought The ground of all lawfull love comes from self-love if it be pure There is a selfe-love required nay if it be right it is the standard of all love to another He that loveth himselfe as he should will be disposed to love another Love lookes first at that which is most good to me as to my honour which is a greater good to me before the honour of another man It is true what was said of David 2 Sam. 21. Thou art better then ten thousand of us that was in regard of his place and office but take a man as a particular person and my good is better to me then another mans Quest How should a man love himselfe Ans This love is bounded by three things Selfe-love how to be bounded by a right Order Measure Manner 1. A man must love himselfe in a right order and that you must understand in three rules Rule 1. He must love himselfe in the second place God in the first Pro. 3.9 Honour the Lord with the first fruits of thy increase Mat. 6.33 First seeke the kingdome of heaven all else must be served after God In the old law it was required that God should have the first fruits of a mans vintage We must bestow the chiefest of our love and delight on God we must love Gods honour in the first place our owne in the second Mat. 22.38 This is the first and greatest commandement To love God with all our heart The second is like unto this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe 2. He must love himselfe with a subordinate degree of love but in the love of God he must put forth the utmost of his strength In the old law hee that brought a sacrifice was to bring a male Mal. 1. ult Cursed be the man that hath a male in his flocke and offereth a female to the Lord The male is the stronger the female the weaker All our prayers and services unto God must bee male but female love and desire will serve our selves God required in the old law that the sacrifices should not be shorn our sacrifices are our duties to God they are the males we must offer we may not sheare our joy and delight but let them go with their fleeces on that is in their full strength to God but when we come to our selves we may sheare our love 3. A man is to love himselfe in God and for God Adam was to love Gods image in himselfe as a step to conveigh him more speedily to the love of God What wouldest thou love in thy selfe thine honour Get thee to a wise and glorious God and love his glory more Dost thou love thy life Oh love the life of God who is a living God Rom. 9.3 I could wish to bee Anathema for my brethren c. Seeing that the Jewes would fall to the dishonour of God hee did so prize the honour of God that he could wish himselfe to be accursed that they might stand This was the cause hee loved the glory of God above all Adam had power to love himselfe in a right measure This I referre to all those
Will imbraced that and the Affections yeelded serviceably to the command of Reason and Holinesse Herein appeared the difference between these affections in Adam and in other creatures The creature is carried by the rule of appetite the horse rusheth into the battell the wild asse snuffeth up the winde The Psalmist saith Psal 32. Bee not like the horse and mule which have no understanding Psal 32. Here was the excellency of Adam that wisdome that God had imprinted in his understanding that holinesse that hee had implanted in his will commanded his affections and they did sweetly yeeld thereto Adams soule was like a well-tuned instrument all the strings the affections being rightly tuned make a sweet harmony In a well governed common-wealth the Councel directs the King enacts lawes and the subjects obey so there was wisdome in Adams understanding and that counselled there was holinesse in the will and that commanded and all the affections were like loyall subjects imbracing what reason and holy will commanded In this common-wealth there were no traitors no in Adams heart there were no tumultuous disorders as now we finde but what the reason said and the will chused that the affections embraced Quest Wherein doth this subjection discover it selfe How shall wee see Adams affections submitting to reason Ans In foure particulars Wherein the affections submitted to reason 1. The affections of Adam were willing to entertaine every command which wisedome and holinesse gave The affections are but so many servants that attend on the understanding 1 Pet. 5.9 Bee sober and watch There is a sobriety required in the soul namely a man should not lavish out his affections on other things and so unfit himself to be under the subjection of the Truth This sobriety was abundant in Adam he had a sweet easinesse and softnesse of affection like waxe to take the print of Gods Seale whereas it is with our affections as with drunken servants who when their Masters call them are not themselves for there is a drunkennesse in mans heart when it is inordinately carried with too eager a pursuit after vaine things though reason commands yet it obeyeth not Adams affections were in a sweete frame for if God revealed any command love embraced it Ephes 6.15 Having your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace The feet are the affections the shooing of the feet is the preparing of the affections to entertaine all the conditions of the Gospel of peace A man that is shod is fit to goe a journey so when the affections are thus shod they are fit to walke in any way that God requires Since Adam lost this sobriety of affections what awkardnesse doe wee finde to duty when a man should love an enemy how hardly is hee brought to it when a man ought to reforme a sinne what a difficulty is there in it 2. They were speedy in the performance of what was injoyned them A wise understanding could no sooner reveale a duty to be done but they ecchoed answerably This all of us would have Psalm 40. mark how speedy Christ was in performing of duty Behold I come thy law is within mine heart And Psal 27.8 The Lord saith seek yee my face and his affections answered Thy face Lord will I seeke Also in Psal 119.4 5. Gods voice saith I charge you diligently keepe my Commandements and they eccho again Oh that our wayes were made so direct that we might keep thy Statutes 1 Pet. 1.13 Gird up the loyns of your mind And in Luk. 12.35 it is said Let your loynes bee girded about and your lights burning The loynes of our mindes are our affections They are compared to loose garments such as they wore in the East Countries which they girded up when they went on a journey Our affections hang like loose garments about us wee must gird them up that we may with more speed goe in the pathes of Gods Statutes Thus David prayeth Set mine heart at liberty that I may runne the wayes of thy commandements But we find the contrary for though many times the minde so yeelds that the course is holy yet what a base wearinesse hangs on the heart what slow hearts have we how doe we draw our loyns after us We feele this and the ground of it is the want of Gods image 3. They continued in the speed they made Adams affections were to hold themselves in an holy bent without warping Wee finde the contrary In Gal. 6. the Apostle saith Bee not weary in well doing Sometimes a man is hot at first and then his affections coole this is the bane of Religion Hee was holy so they may say of a man-devill 2 Cor. 11.14 an Angell of light But Adam was able to hold himselfe in a right pitch This David prayed for Psal 51.12 when he had wounded his affections Oh stablish mee with thy free spirit as if he should say Time was when I did love thy Word mine heart did feare evill and I did hate uncleannesse but now how unstedfast are my affections therefore stablish mee with thy free spirit If you finde your hearts giving way to any base lusts you shall finde them easily giving back from holy duties Rev. 2.31 Thou hast forsaken thy first love O woe to that declining condition that those who heretofore expressed forwardnesse in a good course and could cry for mercy as for life are now key-cold But Adams affections were able to keep themselves in full strength and so did the Saints of God Num. 14.24 Caleb followed God fully Psalm 63.9 My soule followes hard after thee Hee pursued God with eagernesse as the creature the prey David stands not still nor delayes but pursueth and as the phrase is Esa 51.1 follows after righteousnesse Thou that hast a stubborne heart by nature if thou beest once righteous thou wilt then follow after meeknesse 4. His affections were in an orderly tractablenesse to the rule of reason and holinesse Reason and holinesse gave not only direction to the affections but moderation in all things and upon all occasions The affections would not bee carried out of order nor measure upon any thing nor stay longer then they should upon any object An Embassador goes no farther then his Commission stayes no longer then his Commission gives leave so reason and holinesse were the commanders of Adams affections they received a command therefrom and went no further then reason and holinesse allowed them It is lawfull for a man to love the world but no more then reason and holinesse allowes if God should say I will take away these things from thee love and joy should willingly part with them The souldier if he be loyall when the Commander biddeth battell hee goes when hee soundeth a retrait he returnes home againe so the reason and will sanctified were the commanders of Adams course When reason and holinesse saith it a man may delight in the things of this life but when they say grieve no
so should it be with thee as thou desirest that that which is good for thee should be continued so shouldest thou desire that all good should bee given to thy brother Wert thou in disgrace thou wouldest desire reputation have the like desire for the credit of thy brother Act. 26.29 I would saith S. Paul that all that hear me this day were altogether as I am altogether holy altogether assured of Gods love Here is an heart such an one as Adam had in perfection it was as if hee should have said I would to God that all that heare me this day had the like evidence of Gods goodnesse We ought to desire that what good befals us might happen to our brethren also Num. 11.29 I would to God that all the people of the Lord were Prophets So hast thou honour say I would to God all Gods servants had honour too Is thy soul comforted say Oh that all Gods servants were so we thinke our candles burne the worse because others burne bright This was not in Adam and ought not to be in us wee should rejoice in the good of others Luk. 15.8 They rejoiced with her we must rejoice in the prosperity of others Adam had the heart to rejoice in the good of his brother and wee ought to doe the like 2. We must be painefull to promote the good of our fellow-brethren as our own Love is solicitous and full of care to provide for what is beloved Looke what care thou wouldest bestow to promote thine owne honour or welfare the same diligence must thou use in due time and place though not in the same measure to procure the honour or welfare of thy brother 1 Cor. 13.5 Love seekes not her owne Gal. 5.13 Serve one another in love Thou shouldst in this case be a servant to thy brother it should be one part of thy taske to promote his good We all ought to take speciall care of our brothers credit for we are tearmed our brothers keepers Gen. 4.9 yea we should take the honour life safety of our brother as our charge we must keep evil from him and not suffer it to lye upon him Lev. 19.17 the evill of sinne especially so farre as God puts occasion into our hands God enjoynes not man this duty towards Scorners Ephraim is joyned to his idols Hos 4.17 let him alone wee must not cast pearles before swine Lev. 19.17 yet thou shalt not suffer thy brother to lye in sinne This is love in truth to rebuke another plainely and not to suffer sinne to lye upon him Ezek. 13. To sow pillowes under mens elbowes this love came from hell it never came from righteousnesse Quest Why was Adam thus furnished with righteousness Ans Because he was made a sociable creature for the maintaining of society and propagating the Church Love is the sinewes of society In a building all the parts must bee pinned together otherwise one part will not uphold another so it is in society there must be inlets of love to uphold it wee must bee souldred together with loving affections else there is no continuing of society The desolation of kingdoms the ruine of nations whence comes it but from want of love Saint Paul makes love a matter of excellency 1 Cor. 12.31 I shew to you a more excellent way Adam therefore being made for society must bee furnished with this love which was a speciall meanes to helpe him therein The use is threefold 1. It falls heavie upon many wicked and ungodly men Malicious men have not Gods image on them the vilenesse of whose hearts is such that in stead of having in them righteousnesse and love they have hearts full of rancour within and tongues full of railing without The sting of the serpent is in their hearts and the poison of asps is under their lips they regard not what they say against those that feare Gods name If righteousnesse bee the image of God then envie and malice is an argument of a man whose heart God never wrought upon it is a blacke brand of a childe of the Devill In this the children of God are manifest from the children of the Devill 1 Joh. 3.10 The children of God are the children of love the children of Satan are the children of hatred Hee that hateth his brother is a childe of the Devill it is manifest thou maist conclude it undoubtedly 1 Joh. 4.8 He that loveth not knoweth not God as if hee should say Thou that hast no love hast no interest in God Hatred is that wherein the kingdome of Satan consists Joh. 8.41 as for all other sins they are practised among men but this is the trade of the Devils in hell The Pharisees bragged that they were Abrahams children You seeke to kill me saith Christ which Abraham did not if you were of your father Abraham you would doe the workes of Abraham but marke the 44. verse You are of your father the Devill for hee was a murtherer from the beginning You have never heard that Sathan stabbed a man but his murther was Hee maligned Adam in his innocency this therefore is a devillish sinne Sathan doth not steale neither is he drunke but he is envious as hell If this bee expressed in your conversation know what ever your stocke may be yet you are of your father the Devill Those that set themselves against the life and honour of their fellow brethren for we may set our selves against the sinnes of others those I say whose hearts sinke at the good of their brethren and rejoice if their goods and estates bee overthrowne doe by that shew whence they draw their pedegree This is the very brand of a wretch Gal. 4.19 Ishmael was a cast away as the text plainly speaks what was his guise He persecuted the sonne of Promise he persecuted him with a railing tongue for this the Scripture often calls persecution and this is the note of a man born after the flesh who shall never see Gods face for the Text saith Cast him out Envie and malice is the sinne of the Devill and it is the note of a reprobate the Lord therefore looke upon us that wee seeing our owne misery may strive for power against it and get love from God that we may be possessed of happinesse with him Use 2. The second use is of Instruction Expect no friendship from the wicked From the former truth we may learn what to expect at the hands of the ungodly There is no friendship to bee expected from a wicked man Love is another matter then men make of it it is a grace above nature which no man can expresse unlesse God put this image into the soule Love comes from righteousnesse We had as good look for honey in an hornets nest or in a serpents den or sweet fruit from a crab-stocke as love from an unrighteous man unlesse the root of righteousnesse bee within love cannot bee without 1 Pet. 1.22 You that have purified your
hearts c. love one another with a pure heart First we must have an heart purified by the spirit and then we must love one another if purity be not within love cannot be without therefore delude not your selves If thou seest a mans life profane let him pretend what kindnesse he wil let him promise golden mountaines he will never love thee David behaved himselfe wisely so that Saul confessed him to be righteous yet unrighteousnesse was in Sauls heart and he against reason persecuted him as a partridge on the mountaines Judas that lived in the bosome of our Saviour and never received evill from him which a man would have thought should have wrought upon him yet loving money more then Christ hee sold him for thirtie peeces of silver Never trust a wicked man for he will sell thee for sixe pence Doe not thinke with thy selfe I will walke so carefully that I will binde him to my love Oh poore creature thou canst not have what he cannot do unlesse thou canst give him a righteous heart thou canst never receive love from him If a man have an horse that is surfetted within or is lame of his legges feed him with the best provender he will halt still unlesse his lamenesse be cured It is an idle delusion when you think to win him by friendlinesse alas hee that hath a naughty heart will oppose thee notwithstanding all thy kindnesse Pro. 12.10 The tender mercies of the wicked are cruelty That man can never be a friend to you that is a foe to himselfe He loveth not his own soule therefore hee cannot affect thee heartily Use 3. We must hence see what course to take To love a right begin in this righteousnesse that we may be inlarged in duties of love to our selves and others which is the masterpiece of a Christian All the whole Law consists in this one word Love Love is the end of our being Rom. 13.10 and there is no better evidence of grace under heaven then this Labour to get righteousnesse within and love will be expressed without Look what course God took in the creation of Adam in paradise the same hee takes in our renovation for first he made Adam righteous and then Adam performed all duties of love to his brethren The deeper the root of righteousnesse is the more will be the fruit of love Wee take the wrong way to labour to squeeze out a little kinde behaviour the old nature will returne to the old course but labour to get thy heart rooted in righteousness and love will grow abundantly in thy whole course The Musitian will first string his instrument before hee play with it the waggoner will have his wheeles prepared otherwise they draw heavily so if thou wouldest have thy heart make musicke before God tune it with righteousnesse and then thy practice will go on chearfully If a man had a righteous heart he would doe good even to an enemy but it must be the spirit of God that must work this in thee Rom. 8.2 Hee that will have heat must come to the fire that is hot other things are but heated so thou must come to God and desire him to worke it in thee The Apostle saith 1 Joh 4.7 God is love wouldest thou therefore get love then get more neare God that he may worke this righteousnesse in thee for it is he that enableth us to doe every good worke §. 6. NOw we come to another passage Of free-will in Adam from wisedome in the understanding and holinesse and righteousnesse in the will there flowes a third thing and it is that which we call freewill he had power to doe good which floweth from the two former parts Freewill to doe good is the garland of all graces and is made up of them We may easily perceive it by the want of it for we hang back and cannot be brought to the performance of service due to God Adam had a freedome of will which was the excellency and beauty of wisdome holinesse and righteousnesse Quest What is freewill What it is A. It is a speciall priviledge proceeding from the image of God in Adam whereby he was able to chuse any good without any impediment yet after a mutable manner In this description are foure things 1. It is a speciall priviledge proceeding from the image of God viZ. holinesse righteousnesse and wisedome The statelinesse of a building comes from all the parts conjoyned beat down the parts and it will bee an heape of stones so freewill is the structure that God put on Adam whose beauty flowes from the joyning together of wisedome holinesse and righteousnesse This was a speciall priviledge to Adam no creature besides him and Angels had free liberty to doe good God put this stocke into his hand When I say Adam had this speciall priviledge I do not say therefore he was free from subjection to God for God gave Adam a law and concurred with him in his worke but the dispensation of the worke God left to Adams liberty if he did well he should be rewarded if he did ill he should be punished God would not constrain Adam to his service nor compel him to evill The other creatures could not meddle with him for they were under him therefore he was free Hence the Philosopher observes that praise and dispraise belongs onely to man Wee praise not the fire for burning because it is tyed to it by a bond of necessity but Adam might doe or not doe if he did well he was to bee praised because hee might have done evill if hee did evill he was to be dispraised because he might have done well Still God concurres with Adam as he doth with the nature of the creatures he workes with the fire when it burnes with the sparrow when it flyes for so it is in 2 Cor. 3.17 where the spirit is there is liberty there is a soveraignty in the will of a regenerate man by which all creatures are under his dispose which God will not the creature cannot hinder Therefore Christ saith unto the beleeving Jewes Joh. 8.32 If you heare my words you are free 2. Hee was enabled to chuse any thing that was good Freedome is not seated in the understanding therefore the description saith He chuseth good which is an act of the will The will can imbrace nothing but what the understanding presents unto it 't is true but it is as true that the liberty of freedome lyes mainely in the will For example when a man hath disputed what a duty is and hath concluded it he presents this unto the will which either allowes or rejects it so that still the choice lyeth in the will It is easie to convince a mans understanding all the difficulty is in the will The will saith obstinately I will not heare upon that eare If the Judge be unjust hee will have the Jury bring in a verdict according to his minde When the understanding hath observed
God being snatcht away by so many worldly occasions and so many businesses that their hearts many times come to be deaded and dulled But a man should use them no further but that his heart may bee enlarged to God Looke what good wee finde in our trade let us bee led by that to see what goodnesse is in God who is the fountaine of all good When we see that great good and the commoditie that comes in to us then let us see the riches of God and seeing this is so good what should wee think of the goodnesse of God Let us see his goodnesse in it for unlesse the Lord smile on us what avails it for us to bee rich what to be rich and to be damned this is very pitifull But what is the reason men are so backward in buying these things how shall wee doe to bring men to bid like chapmen The reason to perswade them may bee taken from two grounds 1. The excellency of the commodity 2. The time wee have to purchase it I. To make the first plaine The excellency of the cōmodity to be bought these three arguments are to be taken from the commoditie 1. Because the meanes of grace and salvation is a thing of as great excellencie and price as can bee therefore in reason wee should lay downe a price for them For the better the commodity is all wise men will lay down answerably The price of salvation is a great price because there is nothing better that is or can be desired Pro. 4.7 Wisdome is a precious thing but above all things get understanding The world honours pleasures may be got but Wisedome is best of all therefore get that first For all the things here below are vaine things because they are lying vanities but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever 1 Pet. 1.25 and that will make us endure for ever too if wee are humbled by it The Word of the Lord will stand by us for it is an immortall Word and it will make us immortall also it will stand so by us as it will make us live for ever and it will cheare our soules when nothing in the world will Phil. 2.13 Wee must work out our salvation with fear and trembling Now the manner how wee shall doe this is not by making our selves rich in this world and getting the things thereof but by getting grace that it may goe well with us this is the maine thing that wee may get the love of God to get our soules to be humbled and cast down Now if this bee the best as it is then in all reason it requires the greatest price Is it so that the Word of God will endure for ever will stand by you and save you then if you give a price for any thing give most for that 2. As the meanes of grace is best and of greatest worth so it is most necessary for us What is the reason that men buy commodities Because they have need of them as if a man should say This I must have and I have need of it Gold is better then silver and pearls then both but bread is best of all for all these must be left for it a poor man will part with silver and gold and all for bread for that he must have Now there is nothing so necessary as for the soule to be saved for if a man want any thing else hee may make a shift if he be poor haply his friends be rich and they will relieve him well but if the soule have sinned and is become miserable by reason of sin oh what hope what help but only from God! Therefore that is most needfull without it the soule is starved famish'd And what though you have mony yet your soul may perish and goe downe to hell What 's that to the soul for a man to bee rich or what is that to the soule to have the person applauded and have abundance of all things and the poore soule is starved and famish'd and wants all things Me thinks I heare your soules cry out The body that 's cloathed the house filled and the shop that 's stored oh sayes the soule I shall bee damned all is provided for only I shall smart for it I shall pay for all I shall goe to hell for it I beseech you think of it The time will come when you will prize mercy and cry out for it When thou liest on thy death bed when thou art breathing out thy last breath then one dram of mercy Lord and then one dram of faith Lord then it wil be worth a world to thee Mat. 23. It is said there the foolish Virgins cry out Wee have no oyl oh lend us some oh then Lord open unto us One day the poor soule will have need of mercy You see that it is most necessary then buy it lest you bee forced to borrow and cannot have it So then there is but one needfull thing Luk. 11. ult It is not of necessity to be rich it is not of necessity to be honourable but oh this is of necessity that thy sins should bee pardoned thy person accepted and thy soule saved 3. Here is a point of great christian policy for in getting of grace and salvation you shall get all other commodity with it and all other good things It is the best husbandry to buy that which will bring in most good For all outward comforts and contentments that this life can afford they come all in this As a man that sees such a tree and such an acre of ground if it likes him he will not go to buy that but he will buy the Lordship and then all the trees are his and all the ground is his So this is our misery we stand puddling our selves here for a little honour and for a little riches go I say and buy the Lordship and then all will be made sure unto thee Pro 3.14 15 16. Get wisdome for life and honour are on her right hand and riches and pleasure are on her left hand c. First seek the kingdome of heaven and all other things shall bee cast in upon you So that a good man compares all this outward commoditie to pack thred paper which if a man goes into a shop and buyes wares he shall have into the bargaine for nothing So here get once grace and then all things else you shall have into the bargaine for Godlinesse is great gain it hath the promise of this life and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. You may sit and sing Care away for all is yours heaven is yours the earth is yours It is a marvellous folly in men who take a wrong course to thrive If you would bee rich then Consider your owne wayes and your hearts and turne unto the Lord Hag. 1.16 for that is the way It is not all the policie and the carping and caring in the world that will make a man rich for