Christ he must walke as Christ walked Hence observe That a true Christian he walks as Christ walked if he be in Christ Before we make entrance hereupon let me expound to you two things leâ—t we meere with rubs in the way First the conditionall If. Secondly the exemplary As. First for the conditionall If. it is not a precedent condition of life as a condigne preparation unto or a previall disposition for Christ for a man cannot first walk as Christ walked and then be in Christ A graft cannot live the life of the stock and then be inoculated into the stock No but it is a subsequent condition if ever a man be in Christ Christ holds him to these termes to live as he lived to walk as he walked The first act is before the latter act life before the actions of life so walke as Christ walked this notes the actions of life Now a man must first be in Christ before he can walk as Christ walked Indeed this condition is first quoad cognosci to our knowledge but it is not first quoad esse and in its own nature So then to walke as Christ walked being a necessary consequent of being in Christ we cannot be said to be in Christ if we walk not as Christ walked for take away the necessary consequent and you take away the antecedent take away the walking as Christ walked and you take away the abiding in Christ This condition is put in by our Saviour John 15. 10. If ye shall keep my commandements ye shall abide in my love as I have kept my Fathers commandements and abide in his love This was the walk of Christ he kept his Fathers commandements and abode in his love This must be your walke too that looke to abide in Christs love If ye keepe my commandements ye shall abide in my love But if there be any commandement of Christ in all the Gospell that you will not conforme to it is an evident signe that ye abide not in Christs love Secondly for the exemplary As even as he walked Can any man walke as Christ walked is it possible that dust and ashes that is corrupt with sinne can walk as he walked This word as hath a twofold signification there is a twofold as either such an as as importts an equality or secondly similitude As this as imports an equality so it is impossible that any flesh can walk as Christ walked so purely so unspottedly so steadily so effectually as he lived No for our Saviour Christ was filled with the Holy Ghost and of his fulnesse have we all received grace for grace John 1. 16. Marke he doth not say that we receive his fullnesse but some of his fulnesse so that none can walk as Christ walked with an as of equality but there is an as of similitude A scholar writes as his masters coppy directs him he begins every line as his master begins he ends as he ends he sets himselfe to frame every letter as his master framed it to joyne letters and syllables together as his master joyned them together Though there be no equality he cannot write one stroke or dash with his penne so well as his master yet he doth write as his master sets his coppy his hand sollowes his masters hand So it is said of all that are in Christ Revel 14. 4. that they follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth they follow Christ in all duties in all holiness in all his commandments they track Christ in all his steps though they cannot walke with such long strides so steadily so purely so constantly as Christ yet they labour to track him with this as of similitude Doe all that are in Christ walke as Christ walked yea Beloved this is a clause of the covenant of grace so that a man cannot be in Christ unlesse he walk as Christ walked For thus runs the tenour of the covenant of grace Matth. 11. 29. Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly of heart and ye shall finde rest unto your soules Marke there is no rest to the soule no grace to the conscience no assurance of the pardon of sinne Christ gives no comfort to the heart unlesse the heart will learne of Christ follow Christ his coppy be holy as he is holy pure as he is pure walk as he walked This will the better appear if we consider that Christ his life must be the example for our life according to which we must live Now the exemplatum must be conformable to the exemplary saith Aquinas the draught must be according to the copy so it Christs life be the patterne of our life then our life must be conformable to his life and therefore Christ declares his wayes unto us as our samplers Christ was humble and serviceable to all in the dayes of his flesh with this Motto John 13. 15. I have given you an example that you should doe as I have done Thou art of thy master the devill and his coppy thou followest if thou account it an indignity to stoop a disgrace to condescend to thy brother Christ was willing to suffer disgrace with this Motto 1. Pet. 2. 21. Leaving us an example that we should follow his steps Art thou loth to practice Religion for fear of the crosse loth to reproove sinne for fear of a flout or of the displeasure of a great man least thou shouldest procure his ill will it is evident that thou followest not Christ because he hath left us an example that as he suffered so also should we Christ was obedient to the death of the crosse not looking to his owne things so much as the things of others so the Apostle warneth us Let the same minde bee in you that was in Christ Iesus 1. Iohn 2. 5. you that bee in Christ must have the fame minde that Christ had 1. Iohn 3. 3. Hee that hath this hope purgeth himselfe even as he is pure Howsoever the world nick-names and reproaches purity yet if any have this hope indeed he may have other hopes he may have vaine rotten dead hopes and never seeke after purity but he that hath this hope a true saving hope to be redeemed by Christ he purifyeth himself even as he is pure Thou then which art not pure but makest a mocke of purenesse and of conscience of every sin thou canst have no true sound faith in the Lord Jesus Thou must be righteous even as he is righteous Thou happily saiest thou art righteous thou doest this and that righteousnesse this and that good action take thou heed saith the Apostle that thou deceive not thy selfe thou must be righteous as Christ is righteous In a word love is the fulfilling of the law and Gualter carrieth it along through all the law which Christ walked in Christ loved us and gave himselfe for us with this injunction A new commandement give I unto you that you love one another as I have loved you John 13. 34. This was one of the main reasons
said To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne Rev. 3. 21. He adds Let him that hath an ear hear Will God make his Saints to judge the world Then let all wicked men give ear and hear what God saith of his Church The Saints shall judge the world Therefore let all men take notice of it and prepare themselves for their judgement Lastly It condemns all those that do not see glory and majesty in the faces of Gods Saints There is majesty in the face of a Judge yea a man may discover in them a kind of soveraign majesty Even so the Saints of God have a majesty in their courses in their looks in their thoughts and in all their wayes and in all these they shall judge and condemn the wicked The wicked may give the Saints nick names and scorn flout condemn and deride them now in this life but let me tell them that how lightly soever they esteem of them they shall be their Judges They may cry out against the Saints as long since the wicked Sodomites did against good Lot Gen. 19. 9. This fellow say they will be our 〈…〉 Why what had Lot done with them Alas he did nothing but when they would have done that Sodomitish villany against the two Angels that came to him Lot went to them and said I pray you my Brethren do not so wickedly So let the godly be in the company of wicked men that abuse the good creatures of God say I pray you my brethren do not so wickedly be not drunkards be not swearers brethren I pray you do not so vainly nor so prophanely use the name of God in your mouths I pray you my brethren do not prophane Gods Sabaths do not lye do not cheat nor cozen if you do these and these things the wrath of God will plague us for it Oh then presently they cry out Who made you our judges As once the Hebrews did of Moses Acts 7. 39. Dost thou call Saints hypocrites and dissemblers men that judge before the time Thou fool wert thou not as good to suffer the Saints to judge thee now whereby thou maiest see thy wretchednesse and miserie and by faith and speedy repentance prevent that doom which otherwise they tell thee will come upon thee as hereafter when if thou hast not repented thou shalt never escape that doom and vengeance to which the Saints will judge thee What wilt thou not suffer them to call a drunkard a drunkard or an adulterer an adulterer a blasphemer a blasphemer a carnal man a carnall man or a worldly man a worldly man It is a pretty observation out of Cyprian that because Christ did reprove all sorts of religions and spared none he reproved the Scribes the Pharisees the Lawyers the Souldiers c. and yet doth not reprove the Priests because they were Judges of the people not because he durst not but he would not If thou revilest the Saints thou revilest thy Judges Take heed then how thou cast the least aspersion upon the Saints do not say they are rash Judges uncharitable censurers dissembling hypocrites for they shall be your Judges O that the people would hearken and be admonished in time to prevent this judgement Our Saviour saith that this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men hate it Joh. 3. 19. But the children of God whom God calls the light of the world these lights are come into the world and men love darknesse more then the light How can the wicked escape damnation that have so many thousand Judges to condemn them If the malefactor that is indicted for murther or felony cannot escape condemnation that hath but one Judge to sit upon him thou that art a wicked man living in thy sins without Christ how canst thou escape that hast so many millions of Saints to judge thee yea from Adam the first till the last Saint that shall be upon the earth Surely the wicked shall never escape condemnation for 1. God the Father who judgeth by way of authority he will condemn thee all judgement cometh originally from him he that hath often commanded thee to repent and come out of thy sins he shal condemn thee because thou hast not obeyed him 2. God the Son he will judge thee who judgeth by way of dispensation Acts. 10. First Christ preacheth to thee repentance and remission of sins to which if thou yeeld not then know that there is a day appointed wherein he will judge thee That Saviour that thou sayest thou desirest if thou part not with thy lusts he himselfe will be thy Judge that will condemn thee 3. God the holy Ghost will judge thee that Spirit that now strives and wrestles with thee that suggests good motions into thy heart that puts thee in mind of repentance bidding thee leave and forsake thy sins and live holily but if thou wilt not this Spirit shall judge thee by way of conviction 4. The word of God shall judge thee and that by way of form it being the platform according unto which Christ will judge the whole world Now suppose there be forty prisoners in the Jaile together one in for murder another in for theft another for treason that man that knows the Law if there be equity and Justice in the Assise he I say that knows the Law knows who shal be hanged or quartered or burned or set free even so Beloved that man that looks through the Scriptures that reads this or that Chapter this or that sentence may know that or this man will to hell if he repent not Say I this of my selfe or saies not the Scripture as much The fearfull and unbeleeving and all that love and make lies shall be cast into that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever Rev. 12. 8. By this text the Lord Jesus will come and judge the world and therefore for all such as live and dye in their sins we may all know that they shall be all damn'd in fire and brimstone for ever Hereby I know that all they that make no conscience of idle vain and earthly speeches and reproachfull words they shall give an account for them by this Text. Mat. 12. 56. Doth the Scripture say that all the wicked shall be turned into hell with all the Nations that forget God I know it shall be so by the text Psal 10. For all things shall be done according to the Scriptures Romans 2. 16. In that day saith the Apostle when God shall judge the secrets of mens hearts by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel that is just as Gods Ministers preach just as you find it written in the same Scriptures so will he judge at that day Beloved there is never a Text throughout the whole Scripture that commands you to leave and forsake your sins but it shall judge you if you do not there is not one Text of Scripture that commands performance of any holy duty but it shall
thou never considerest this and thus he doth as it were pitty and compassionate them in their blindnesse and ignorance and horrrible befottednesse that think that thought is free Beloved when the Lord comes to reckon with the world he will not only reckonwith them for their pounds and shillings for their hundreds and thousands of sins for their murders whore domes blasphemies c. but he will call them to an accompt for their least sins the pence and farthing sins even their very thoughts agree with thine adversary quickly while thou art in the way lest he deliver thee up to the Jayler and thou be cast into prison thou shalt not come out untill thou hast paid the utmost farthing thou must deliver up thy farthing as well as thy pound sins or else thou never agreest with thine adversary When the Lord by his prophet calls upon his people exhorting them to repentance he willeth and exhorteth them to change their thoughts Isa 55. 7. Repentance is the change of the thoughts according to the English Proverb I have changed my thoughts 〈…〉 to thy feet when thou'goest into the house of God Eccles 5. 1. Thou â—ast never go into the House of God without thy feet the thoughts and â—ffections of the heart are the feet of the soul and thou canst never go to God without them and therefore if thy heart and affections run habitually on earthly things thou didst never repent and so thine end is damnation The second reason is that mans end must needs be destruction that hath no Christ in the world now so long as thy thoughts run habitually on earthly things thou hast no Christ It is not enough for a man to hang on Christ for many a man doth so and yet is cut off from Christ and perisheth for ever thou must not onely hang upon Christ but thou must also get into Christ As in the old world when the deluge came and the waters increased so greatly that the mountains and high hills were covered with them and the people could not save themselves by getting unto the tops of the mountains no question but many seeing the Ark swim above the water did climb up and hang upon the sides of the Ark thinking to save themselves yet none of them were saved but those that were gotten into the Ark so many a man will catch hold of Christ but his hold will be gone and he perish for ever unlesse he get into Christ Now a man can never get into Christ unlesse his heart be purged from vain thoughts For Christ when he entreth into a man cleanseth his heart from vain thoughts 2 Cor. 10. 5 If Christ once come into the heart he will set up his throne there he will hold his Scepter of Righteousnesse in it when Christ cometh see what a work he will make in the heart he will not suffer a proud thought to remain there to upbraid him but he will cast down every imagination and all high things that exalt themselves and he will bring every thought into subjection unto himself Therefore if thy thoughts run after the lusts of thy own heart thou hadst no Christ in thee for Christ beloved will never dwell in a foul house I know there is no wheat without some darnell no gold without some drosse no wine without some lees so there is no man but hath some sin no man so clean but hath some defilements of sinne upon him yet if a man have not this cleansing grace of Christ in him cleansing the heart from vain things there is no Christ in him for Christ wil never dwel in a foul heart Now beloved the very vain thoughts of a man defile him as Christ faith Mat. 7. 21. 22. 23. Out of the heart proceedeth evill thoughts and they are they that defile a man Allthese not only murder and adulteries and uncleaness and all other abominable sins which mens consciences startle at but evill thoughts defile a man Assure thy self that so long as the league of these evill thoughts is not broken thou hast no Christ as yet within thee Hence is that exhortation of the Apostle Col. 3. 12. If you be risen with Christ then seek those things that are above Brethren you must remember that there be two kinds of exhortations in the Scripture the one if a man do them blessed and happy is he the other if he do them not yet he may find mercy it wil be a grief and a sorrow to him but it follows not that he shall miscarry But there are exhortations that tie to obedience that must be obeyed or else there is no salvation as this exhortation of the Apostle it is not left to our choice to do or not to do but if a man be risen of Christ he must do it he must seek the things that are above that man then that hath his thoughts run habitually on the world that man hath no Christ in him and therefore his end must needs be destruction Thirdly that mans end must needs be destruction that loves not God now so long as thy thoughts run habitually on the things of the world thou hast no true love of God in thee For thus runs the Commandement of love Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul and with all thy might Matth. 22. 37. It is as if Christ should have said thou shalt love God with all thy heart and with all thy heart and with all thy heart for the soul mind and heart are all one that no man might dare to keep any part of their heart from God Every one will say I love God with all my heart I go to Church and serve God with all my heart I hear the Word and pray with all my heart I receive the Saraments with all my heart Dost thou so and yet let thy thoughts run upon the world dost thou pray and yet let vain thoughts lodge with in thee dost thou hear the Word receive the Sacraments and yet letrest vaine thoughts distract thee Dost thou walk in thy calling and yet lettest vain thoughts steal away thy heart and yet sayest thou I love God with all my heart when thou takest away thy heart from God How dost thou think thy thoughts with thy heels or with thy heart Surely thou sayest with thy heart Why then if thou lovest God with all thy heart thou must give thy thoughts unto God God that cals for thy heart cals for all thy heart now the heart is nothing but all a mans heart all the affections and desires all turnings and windings all thoughts that are in the heart do but make up the heart and therefore when God calls for thy heart he calls for all the powers and faculties of the soul And therefore the Prophet David would blesse God with his soul and all that was within him Psal 103. So thou must give thy thoughts and all that is within thee to God or else thou givest God
bridle to restrain a man from vain thoughts than this consideration that he is to goe to God I speak not this to the men of this world Carnal men who can rush into Gods presence hand over head without any fear or reverence they can set upon any duty without any preparation but I speak it to the godly man whose heart dreads and stands in awe of God Wilt thou let thy mind rove and run all the day on worldly things how then wilt thou call upon God Dost thou not know that this is the cause of thy dulnesse thy deadnesse and wandrings of thy heart when thou art about any good duty namely because thou sufferest thy heart to be lashing out and roving abroad on the world all day no marvell if it keep his haunt at night and therefore thy heart being vain God will never hear thy prayer Job 35. 13. God will never hear vanity Comest thou to God with a vain prayer God wil never hear it Comest thou with a vain ear to the hearing of the Word God will never hear it or with a vain heart to the Sacrament God will not regard it Lay this seriously to thy heart if ever thou wouldesst have thy heart to the duty thou art about busie thy mind upon good things for if thy heart be accustomed to vain and worldly things all the day it is no marvell if it return to its hau nt again at night Thirdly consider that you have not so learned Christ It is the Apostles argument Ephes 3. consider then what you have learned of Christ hath Christ taught you so hath Christ taught you such a love and given you such a liberty that you should love the world more than him and imploy and bestow all your thoughts wholy in seeking after vain things Hath Christ taught you such a faith as this Hath Christ taught you such a repentance as this to have your thoughts more upon the world than upon Christ to repent of sin and yet never forsake sin Have ye so learned Christ Hath he not taught you such a faith as purifieth the heart such a sanctification as cleanseth the soul and the mind such an obedience as bringeth every thought into subjection unto himself Therefore if now thou shouldest still retain thy vain dead earthly and carnall thoughts it is not to learn Christ Christ teacheth thee no such doctrine nor giveth thee any such licencious liberty but thou learnest of the Devil and of thine own heart for all evil and vain thoughts arise from these three heads First from the variety and abundance of the thoughts of the world which our Saviour calls the cares of the world Secondly from the fountain of corruption in mans heart the heart of man being alwayes like a sink naturally running with filthinesse or like a living quickset always bearing so it is with the heart of man always imagining vain thoughts Thirdly from the damned malice of the Devil and his fearful suggestions and temptations both within and without the Devil is fitly called a tempter and tryer for by his suggestions and temptations he feels and tryes mens hearts and thereby knowing to what they are most inclined and which way they are soonest overcome accordingly he fits his temptations to intrap them Now these thoughts are infinitely variable according to the constitutions place quality passions affections and conditions of men as of the poor man in his beggary of the rich man in his abundance of the Minister in his calling of the Majestrate in his and so of all other men Now the whole world is not able to fill the heart how then shall we number the thoughts of it But for the better understanding we will rank them into these four heads to shew how thoughts become vain 1. Materially mens thoughts are vain when the matter of them is vain 2. Formally when though for the matter they are never so good yet the manner of thinking them is evil 3. Essentially when the man that thinks them is vain 4. When it is a thought that might become the best Saint upon the earth or a glorified Angel in heaven yet the drift of the soul being carnall and vain the soul thereby becomes vain also First then material vain thoughs are all thoughts of the world of the works of thy calling of thy recreations eating drinking sleeping thoughts of thy wife and children and the like they are vain thoughts not sinful necessarily yet they may come to be sinfull five manner of ways First when we think of them primarily that is in the first place when we think of them before we think of God Tell me then what are thy first thoughts in the morning Hereby a man may know his thoughts whether they be good or evill Consider I say what is that first presents it selfe unto thy thoughts certainly that which the heart is most haunted withall and most taken up with is most naturall unto it If the heart be carnall and earthly it will have carnall and earthly thoughts if it be a godly and gracious heart it will labour to make God the first in his thoughts I know the godly man fails in many things and many unruly thoughts in him may rebell but it is the very grief of his soul and he will never rest nor be at quiet till he hath got Balme from Gilead strength from Christ for the subduing and crucifying of them even of those vain and sinfull thoughts that stick closest unto their hearts and are most prone unto them naturally so that it is the practice of a godly man first in the morning to lift up his heart with his hand unto God and when he is up his thoughts are wholly upon God See this in David who considering that the Lord was present every where made this use of it When I awake I am present with thee Psal 139. 18. His heart was lifted up to God he did endeavovr to shake hands with God as it were in his holy meditations worshipping and adoring God with his first thoughts he would be sure to give God the flower and Maiden-head of his first service and thoughts as soon as ever he was awake his heart was in heaven This shews that the thoughts of men that live in their sins are damnable thoughts Thou that art a drunkard a swearer a prophane person a carnall worlding that never hast repented I tell thee that the very thinking of thy meat and drink is damnable the very thoughts of thy recreations and of thy sleep are damnable thoughts to think of the works of thy calling yea of setting thy foot upon the ground or of any thing that God hath commanded thee to doe are all damnable thoughts Why Because thou givest not God thy first thoughts Wilt thou think of thy belly and back before thou thinkest of God and how to be converted unto him Wilt thou think of thy Markets and Faires before thou thinkest of thy reconciliation with God The first
of vain thoughts but he must wash his heart clean with this Emphasis That he may be saved No salvation without this How long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee 2. As a man is in the state of misery till he have repented so also till he is in Christ Now when a man is led by his own vain thoughts his thoughts being not sanctified so long that man is not in Christ If he were in Christ Christ would sanctifie his thoughts I but may some man say He hath wronged me ergo I will think thus and thus Nay but Christ casteth down the strong holds and if thou wilt not yield Christ will cast thee off but if thou belong to Christ he will cast all down before thee 3. That man is in the state of misery that doth not love God that walks not with God in his thoughts Thou shalt love the Lord thy God c. Mat. 22. 37. So I do sayes one and yet I think on my vanities too And thus carnal men think they love God But if thou love God with all thy heart thou lovest him with all that is in thy heart for what is a mans heart but the purposes of his heart Now if a man give not over vain purposes he loves not God with all his heart 4. That man that cannot forsake sinne is in the state of misery and can never enter into life see the Text the wicked must forsake his wayes A man must deny his own words and speak according to Gods own warrant the actions of mens lives are the wayes of their thoughts the Tongue must not only forsake his way but the Heart his way also else a man is a wicked man Prov. 13. 26. He is wicked whose thoughts are not sanctified But what will men say shall we be condemned for a thought words are small sins and thoughts are lesse Must a man then so strictly look to his thoughts I will make it plain that for a man to be vain-thoughted is a grievous sin 1. Because if the sin of vain thoughts be pardoned it will ask abundance of mercy Mark the Text Abundantly pardon No repentance no mercy no abundance of it ergo it is not so small as the world takes it to be 2. Thoughts are the sins of the highest part of a man for they are the sins of the heart and surely the sins of the chiefest part are greater then any other A King counts it not much for a Rogue to steale by the wayes side but for a Knight or a Noble-man it is a foul matter So the Lord would not have the lordly part to sin against him He would not have the tongue much lesse the heart that is the Kingly part of a man to transgresse And this is the reason why Deborah calls them great thoughts of heart Judg. 5. 15. Sins in thought are great sins the Heart is the Lady the mistresse or highest part of a man and He that hath made us looks that we should serve him with the Master-part That must be afforded him 3. Because thoughts are breaches of every Commandement Other sins are but against one but all the Commandements condemn vain thoughts The first Commandement saith Thou shalt have no others Gods but me But thou setâ—est an Image up in thy heart when thou thinkest of thy pleasures c. So Thou shalt keep holy the sabbath day Now if thou think thine own thoughts that day thou breakest this commandement and so of all the rest The sinne of thought is therefore a hainous sinne 4. Because they are the strength of a mans heart and soul the first-born of originall corruption A man by nature is a child of wrath a soul and a body of death Now what doth the heart first break out in It first shews it self in its thoughts and if it be the first-born it must needs be the strengh as Jacob said to Ruben his first-born he was his strength and therefore all Lord-ship lies in the heart A man may more easily part with all other sins then with this because the bent of the heart runs this way the heart will part with any sin rather then with his pernicious thoughts 5. Because they are the dearest acts of men We count a man preferred when he is preferred to the thoughts of a man Gen. 40. 14. Think on me saith Joseph to Pharoahs Butler I count it thanks enough if thou preferre me to thy thoughts We prize that most which we think most oâ— That which a man scorns he scorns to bestow his thoughts on but that which a man sets his heart on that is his dearling Now that any thing should be dear to a man save God this is a horrible sin when a man makes his dogs his dearling his whore his dearling c. For look what thou most thinkest on that is thy dearling Why Because thou dandlest it in thy heart therefore it is a horrible sin for a man not to set his heart upon God But can a man live without thoughts doth Grace call us to leave thinking then a man must cease to be Non tollit sed attollit naturam it takes them not away but it takes them up He doth not say Let the wicked forsake thoughts but his thoughts let him set them on other matters When God cals men unto him he is so far from taking away mens thoughts as that he will rather increase them If thou be a new creature thou must have more thoughts Thou art full of thoughts now but then thou wilt be fuller Psal 119. 59. When David turned to God his heart thought upon his wayes the word in the original is He thought on his wayes on both sides The curious work of the Sanctuary was wrought on both sides Common works are wrought only on one side but on the other side are full of ends and shâ—eds So the Prophet looks on his way on both sides he strives to walk curiously precisely and accurately to turn himself to Gods testimonies Ergo God cals not to forsake thoughts but our thoughts it is a hard duty for men to forsake their own thoughts I will make it appear thus First Because it is a hard thing to reform ones self one thing may reform another but here is the difficulty for a thing to reform it self it is an easie matter for a mans heart to reform his tongue but it is hard for the heart to reform it self in correcting its own thoughts it is hard for a man to deny himself Ahel-hound may reform his tongue but here is the difficulty for his heart to reform it self for thoughts are the heart Phil 3. 19. who mind earthly things thoughts of earthly things are called the mind a mans thoughts and his mind are all one so that if it reform thoughts it must reform it self 2. It is hard to reform thoughts because they are partiall acts if they were full acts a man might reform them rather then being partiall acts my
the reason of it wich is threefold First Christs own example verse 22. the son of man must suffer must be rejected Christ himself denies himself he might have commanded himself he might have demanded credit honour or riches c. he might have done thus yet though he had no wicked self but good self yet he denyed himself and therefore if we will goe after Christ we must do so too Secondly here is Christs merit he hath merited this duty Christ did not humble himself for himself but he did it for us and therefore we may well deny our selves for him This is included in this word And. And if I have done this for you I would have you do the like for me Thirdly here is Christs command too Let him deny himself Christ enjoynes this to all that will come after him Let him deny himself Now follows the occasion and that is threefold First Peters offence when Christ had told Peter and the rest of his Apostles how that he must suffer Peter was offended saying Master favour thy self even like a servant that out of love to himself would be loth his Master should be troubled because then he thinks himself shall be troubled also oh saith Christ art thou offended at this I tell thee neither thou nor any other can come after me unlesse you deny your selves If any man will come after me c. Secondly as Peter was offended so also were the rest of the Apostles They were very sorrie Matth. 17. 22. they thought to have gotten credit in the world and riches and worldly preferment and it grieved them to hear that they must have a suffering kind of trade of it ergo Christ said not only to Peter but to them all If any man c. Thirdly like as his Apostles so likewise he did foresee that all the world will be offended at this for manâ— would faine have Christ and their selfwill too but Christ gives a watch-word before-hand If any manwill c. Fourthly The parts of it The whole duty is this Let him deny himself Chrysostome on the text saith not onely deny himself but in the original deny away himself nor onely deny credit c. but abhorre it if it cannot be had but with the losse of Christ we must not only barely deny self-respects but abhorre them and trample them under our feet The parts of this duty are two First let him take up his crosse Secondly let him deny himself and follow me The first is opposed to self-favouring the second to self-doing First let him take up his crosse let him not favour himself he must be content to part with selfe-means and maintenance and selfe-ends too he must be content to part with all these he that will come after me must lose many good friends and many a good bit and sweet morsell to the flesh he that will come after me must not stand upon these termes suppose a crosse of disgrace come take it up and wear it as thy crowne nay thou must be willing to take a crosse before it is offered and when thou hast it thou must be willing to bear it Secondly he must follow me too ones selfe will do as ones selfe would have him that is true but you must follow me not your selfe look to me and frame your selves to walk in my steps take up my crosse c. Lastly here is the necessity of it It is absolute true a man may go to hell if he be so minded he may follow himself to hell but if a man tender his salvation then here is an hypotheticall necessity a necessity with an if First if he mean to come after me he must take up his crosse and deny himselfe Secondly if a man would save his life he must lose it if he will lose it he shall save it If a man will keep his old relation he may but if he will find credit and life in heaven he must deny all selfe-respects Thirdly if a man will gain himselfe let him deny himselfe But what say some how shall we live then how then shall I hold up my head These men would faine have the gaine of the world but what is a man profited if he win the world and lose his soule c. verse 25. If you stand upon these termes if you can baulke a commandement for selfe-respects you may lose your soules but if you will save your souls thus you must doe Again the text saith if a man be ashamed of me and of my word of him shall the Son of man be ashamed ergo if ever you look that the Son of man should not be ashamed of you deny your selves Now for the Exposition Deny himselfe there is the difficulty A man cannot deny himselfe 2. Tim. 2. 13. so affirmare negare are contradictions ergo somewhat must be meant by ones selfe yet by ones self is not meant the Devill as Macarius would have it for since man hath sinued saith he the Devill is got into him and is as neer unto him as himself he is another selfe within his own self another heart within his own heart ergo if he will come after Christ he must forsake the Devil though this be true yet this is not the meaning of the text But first a mans corrupt will wit reason and all a mans corrupt selfe must be put off Put off concerning the former conversation the old man c. Ephes 4. 22. which is a mans self Viz. thou must lay aside the man that thou art thou must not be the same man if thou wilt follow Christ thou must be a new selfe in Christ 2. Here is not onely meant a mans corrupt will wit reason and affections but also all mens lusts and corruptions all sinnes that cleave so close as if they were himselfe as fornication uncleannesse evill concupiscence c. mortify therefore your earthly members Colos 3. â—â— The Apostle accounts a mans lusts as close to him as his members for untill a man be brought home to Christ he and his sins are all one he must deny himself viz all his lusts Thirdly By selfe is not onely meant a mans corrupt selfe as sinne and iniquity but also a mans good selfe in some respects not only sinâ— but also Father Mother Children Friends c. yea life it selfe all if they be hinderances to him from Christ so farre he must deny all these nay grace it self for a man may make a God of grace or of prayer c. a man I say must deny all these so farre as they are stumblings and offences in his way to hinder him from Christ But oh sayes one my father will disinherit me I must humour him he cannot endure a Puritan If I must live as you would have me I shall never have foot of his land so the servant sayes I have a prophane master and he will turne me out of doors if I be so precise yea but what sayes Christ If you will come
have not the condition how can I beleeve the promise God hath promised Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied There is a Promise of filling but it is with a condition of hungering Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God c. If I have not the condition annexed to the Promise how dare or how can I beleeve the Promise The Condition is not the way to get the Promise the Promise is the ground of faith and the way to get the condition because the promise is the Motive cause that moves the soul to get the condition Now the Mover must be before the Moved then if beliefe of the Promise move thy soul to get the condition of the promise then beliefe of the promise must be before that the soule can keep the condition of the promise Saul made a promise to David 1 Sam. 18. that he should be his son in law in one of his two daughters upon condition that he should give him an hundred fore-skins of the Philistins Now David did first believe the promise and therby he was allured to fight valiantly to keep the condition to get a hundred fore-skins of the Philistins So Psal 116. I believed and therefore did I speak He beleeved Gods promise and then he spake with condition So we believe saith the Apostle and therefore do we speak First the soule believes and then every action of a Christian wherein it moves to the keeping of the condition springs from this root nay beloved a man cannot keep any condition in the Bible without faith he must believe Secondly faith is the inabling cause to keep the condition Dost thou think to get weeping mourning and humiliation for thy sins and then thereby to get the promise to thy self then thou goest in thy own strength and then in Gods account thou dost just nothing John 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing saith Christ therefore first lay hold on me beleeve in me abide in me What doe you first think to pray to mourne to lament and bewaile your sinnes to do this and that in turning your selves and sanctifying of your selves Indeed you may fumble about these things but you can never do any of them in deed and to the purpose without me ye can doe nothing I had fainted saith the Propher unlesse I had beleeved to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living Psal 27. 13. where we may see three things First the Promise that he should see the goodnesse of the Lord otherwise he could not have beleeved Secondly the Condition if he do not faint Thirdly The method the Prophet went by he beleeved to see the goodnesse of the Lord. As if he had said if he had not first laid hold on the Promise if I had not beleeved to have seen the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the living I had fainted Beloved it is true that the keeping of the Condition is before the fruition of the Promise but not before beleeving the Promise because the doing of the Condition is effected by beleeving the Promise This is the cause that many fumble about grace but never get it they are ever repenting but never repent ever learning but never learne the knowledge of the truth everlasting ever striving but never get power over their corruptions c. because they fumble about it in their own strength and take it not in the right method Let the soul come with faith in Christ and believe it shall speed and have grace and power from Christ his grace and from Christs power and then it shall speed Christ hath promised John 14. that whatsoever we aske the Father in his name he will give it us Christ beloved is an excellent Surety Indeed our credit is crackt in Heaven we may think to go and fetch this and that grace in our own names and misse of it as the servant may go to the Merchant for wares in his own name but the Merchant will not deliver them to him in his own name unlesse he come in his Masters name and bring a ticket from him and then when the servant sheweth his Masters ticket the Merchant will deliver him what wares he asketh for in his Masters name So when a soul goeth to the Throne of grace with a ticket from Christ if he can say Lord it is for the honour of Christ I come for grace and holinesse and strength against my corruptions Lord here is a ticket from Christ most certainly he shall speed But men must take heed that they foyst not the name of Christ that they foyst not a ticket to say that Christ sent them when it is their own self-selfe-love and their own lust that sends them it is not enough to pray and at the end to say through Christ our Lord Amen No for this may be a â—eer foysting of the Name of Christ But canst thou pray and shew that Christ sent thee and say as the servant I come from my Master and he sent me Lord it is for Christ that I come it is not to satisfie my owne lust nor to ease and deliver me from the galls of my conscience nor to free me from hell but for Christ Lord I begge grace anâ— holinesse that I may have power to glorifie Christ It is for the honour of my Lord Christ that I come When the soul comes thus in Christs name beleeving it shall speed then his prayer shal prevail Whatsoever saith Christ ye shall aske the Father in my name he will give it you We come now to the third and last part of our Text to wit the supplies they had against danger and discouragements The Lord upheld their hearts from being dismayed in prayer thou saidst feare not There be two things that do much hurt in prayer First groundlesse incouragements Secondly needlesse discouragements First I say groundlesse incouragements and these the wicked are most subject to especially who because they pray hear the Word and perform many duties of religion therefore they incourage themselves in the goodnesse of their estates judging themselves happy though notwithstanding they go on and continue in the hardnesse of their hearts and rebellions against God We have abundance of sayings amongst us that if they were examined would prove false and unsound As that the vipers dye when they bring forth their young for say they the young eat out the old ones bowels that beares shape all their young by licking of them that the Swanne singeth sweetest at her death that the Adamant stone is softned by Goats blood c. These things are not so as may be shewn out of ancient Writers So beloved there are abundance of sayings that goe up and down amongst men concerning Divinity which if they were examined will prove to be rotten sayings as He that made them will save them It is not so saith the Prophet
have they besought you to be zealous and meek and holy and you will not thou art techie and revengefull in speeches how often hast thou been sought to leave it thou art proude and stout-hearted how oft hast thou been fought for to be humble thou art carnall and worldly how often hast thou been besought to be spirituall and heavenly Thou hast no assurance of Christ in thy soule how oft hast thou been besought for to get him Ministers beseech thee every Sabbath Ministers intreate thee every week They breake their braines and breake their sleepe and spend their lung and all to invent and speake acceptable words to prevaile with your â—oules with heart-cutting intreaties they beseech you if not withstanding all this you will not be intreated to part with your sinnes then it is evident you hate reformation If we did not hate a thing we would doe it though we were never besought to doe it if thou didst not hate a reformation of thy sinnes thou wouldest have been reformed without these beseeches but if beseeches and intreaties cannot wooe thee thou hatest it indeed which beseeches cannot reconcile The Lord Jesus sent his Ministers in his Name we are Gods Embassadours in Christ his stead we pray you to be reconciled to God We have besought you by the bloud of Christ we have intreated you by the Bowel of Gods mercies to become new men we beseech you in the Bowels of the Lord Jesus Christ to give over your sins We beseech you as you love your soules give over your sins we beseech you as you are men as you know what is what give over your sinnes we beseech you let the drunkard give over his drunkennesse the swearer his oathes and blasphemies the Idolater his Idolatry and wilworship let the idle talker give over his fruitlesse communication the covetous person give over his covetousnesse the secure Christian and luke warme professor and deadharted server of God come out of his security and dead-heartednesse c. I beseech you by the mercies of God saith Saint Paul present your bodies a living sacrifice holy c. Rom. 12. 1. Sacrifice your tongues unto God we beseech you and speake holy conference sacrifice your hearts we beseech you and use holy meditations sacrifice your eares unto God and suffer not idle language to be spoken in your hearing we beseech you doe this yea by all the mercies of Christ we beseech as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ his stead and will you not yet Certainly you hate the light if all these beseeches cannot reconcile you we have besought you that there be no disorders in any of your families and yet there are we have besought you that there be no losse of time in your meetings that there be no root of bitternesse in your hearts and yet there is we have besought you to mend your repentance and to better your obedience and to repent of your rotten formality and to come out of your sandy and quagmire bottoms and not to consent your selves with this beggerly form of religion onely but as ever you love your soules and would be loved to get the power of grace and a thousand more things have we besought you Is it done no God knows all the beseeches and intreaties under heaven have not yet done it Now therefore you must needs stand convinced in your consciences that you hate the light if all these beseeches cannot bring you to it They must needs be saide to hate one another when neither money nor price nor any thing can make friends That is inveterate cankerous hatred which can never be out-bought which can never be hired to â—ease I make no question but that the Dâ—mosels Master at the first did hate that his Maide should be possessed with a divell but when he saw that it brought him in great gaine he took off his hatred he could then be content that the divell might have stayed in his house so he might have gained by it and therefore we read that he was angry at the Apostle for dispossessing the devill out of her Act. 16. 19. It must be a grievous haâ—red that profit cannot mollifie Brethren you know that God offereth you pardon of your sins he offers you mercy he offers you a Kingdom if you wil come out of your sins If thou wouldst rather lose father mother wife and children houses and lands goods and livings rather then shake hands with such a one as thou art fallen out with I am sure thou hatest him with a witnesse and if thou wouldest rather hazard thy owne mercy hazard the love and favour of God hazard the Kingdom of heaven let Christ goe and mercy goe and heaven go rather then let thy sinnes goe surely thou hatest to be reformed I will give you a kingdome saith God if you will be new men I will give thee a Kingdome if thou wilt take up Christ his Cross and be pure I will give thee a kingdome If thou wilt walk precisely and circumspectly But you will not though you might have a kingdome for it Repent saith Christ for the Kingdome of heaven is at hand Matth. 3. 2. Repent and here is a Kingdome at hand for thee Down with thine old lust thou knowest what I mean and here is a Kingdome at hand for thee Repent of your formall repentance repent of your fashionary prayers repent of your overly performances of holy duties and behold here is a Kingdome for you Wilt thou hazard the very Kingdome of grace and of glory rather then thou wilt steppe out of thy old wont thou hatest repentance if a Kingdome cannot hire thee to love it They must be said to hate one another whom all the dearest love in the world can never unite and soder together Love is able to burst all the hatred in the world if the divell be not in it love is more forcible then hatred and therefore that hatred is most cankerous that love cannot overcome What is so pleasing or delightfull to the flesh of a man but love may command it the love of God hath given thee the bloud of his own Sonne if thou wilt part with thy corrpptions thou mayest have it That is hatred indeed which the bloud of thy owne Sauiour cannot disswade thee from The Apostle Peter thought he had used an excellent argument to perswade men to holinesse when he setteth forth the love of God to us 1. Pet. 1. 18. 19. For asmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb undefiled and without spotte What doth Christ give his bloud to thee to redeem thee from thy vain conversation hath he given his bloud for thee that thou shouldest part with thy sinnes with thy drunkkennesse with thy oathes thy pride security luke warmnesse earthlinese prophanenesse from thy vain