ours to live well and honestly in the world Answ. God hath enjoyned man to labour and consequently permitteth him the reward of it for the sustaining and upholding of himselfe and his family Againe there is an honest care for the family which is part of a mans calling enjoyned by the Apostle if any man provide not for his family hee is worse than an Infidell 1 Tim. 5. 8. But the thing condemned is the seeking of the world 1. Out of order 2. Out of measure 1. The former when we seek it in the first place as that which wee can worst want when the unbeleeving heart saith in it selfe secretly I must attaine this and that profit and pitch of estate I must compasse such and such a project and then I will become religious and devout contrary to our Saviours counsell Matthew 6. 33. First seeke the Kingdome of God 2. Out of measure both seeking more than is sufficient and with more care and affection than is warrantable when for the matter nothing is sufficient for their desire but they are as the grave and Horse-leach and say ever Give give Eccl. 5. 9. he that loveth silver shall not bee satisfied with it And for the manner their care is immoderate cutting distracting the heart engrossing the thoughts and desires from better things extinguishing faith consuming the time deadning prayers cutting off testimonies of love resolving to part with nothing for Christ and to suffer lesse for him if it were possible and in a word not knowing any moderation Object But then we are in good case and none of us so bad Ans. It is hard to find a man not entangled for wealth or by wealth and the lesse the danger is seen the more it is All which may lead us into our selves to take notice of our pronenesse and propensity to this sin which no man willingly confesseth and those that are deepest in it and swarm with all sorts of evils flowing from it doe least discern it in themselves For why 1. The Apostle 1 Thess. 2. 5. calleth it coloured covetousnesse it maskes and hides it self by many subtle evasions 2. It is an inward sin lurking in the spirit of a man 3. The dust of earthlinesse putteth out the eye of the minde or at least darkneth the understanding that it doth not easily discerne it Yet Must we be convinced of it in our selves and of our danger by it for first while we have more care for earth than heaven secondly while wee more joy and trust the meanes than Gods promises or providence thirdly while we can compasse our gain by fraud of speech or deed fourthly while we are remisse in meanes of salvation for love of the world fiftly while wee are distracted and discontented with the things we have All the world may see our conversation is not without covetousnesse and where is he that can say his heart is cleane Let us therefore bewaile our selves who thrust our selves into such dangers by so base a vice as should bee found in none but Heathens Infidels Also it may moderate our delights in these outward things We think our selves happy beloved of God when wee prosper in the world We rejoyce in our wealth in-comes and beare up our head aloft because wee have gotten more than many others But may not many see in their wealth how they have endangered hazzarded their souls How many do highly conceit of themselves are well conceited of by others because they are rich but if either themselves or others should see how farre off salvation they are by means of their riches they would soon change their note and minde And why may they not see this Is not the Word a dead letter to them or choaked in them Is not Christ kept out his Spirit beaten out by the god of the world Are not religious duties laid aside they so much the more forgetfull of God as he is more bountifull toward them Is there not as much crop of the seed sowne in a thicket or a thorne hedge as of fruits of grace from them Likewise it may moderate our sorrows in afflictions in losses in the bitter suffrings here below seeing thereby the Lord weaneth us from the world and from the love of those things which are so dangerous to our selves Well we may as children cry when the father takes away a knife from them but it is our safety to want what may hurt us so much Lastly let it moderate our desires to use the world weinedly even as the Mariner the sea he cannot leave the sea only he must avoid the rockes and dangers Quest. How Answ. By foure rules 1. Labour to descry those rockes note the fearfull attendants of this sinne how easily it swalloweth unlawfull things what mischiefes usher it and are perpetrated for mony the poore shall be sold for shooes their faces ground justice perverted little and false measures great and unjust prices Balaam will curse Gehazi will bribe Demetrius will cry downe Paul for his Images Judas for a little mony will sell his Master and Christians will deny their profession for a vile price here is Mammon of iniquity the next odious name to the Divell himselfe 2. Consider the distance of that we desire and that we hazzard for it in the vanity of this life and the eternity of that wee expect in the basenesse of earth which we covet made to tread under our feet and the precious soule of man which is from heaven and hath no earth in it Nay God hath made the body of man upright and his face lifted up from the earth that hee might conceive how high his soule should be elevated from it And why should he take that into his heart which the Lord hath cast under his feet 3. Labour to esteeme of the world as Israel of Manna and that wealth is but for the day and if this dayes gathering or labour will serve this daies food so shall to morrowes labour supply for to morrowes meate Esteem it a moveable but God is the portion Esteem it a meanes but man lives not by bread onely Mat. 4. 4. God is our life and the maintainer of it Why then doest thou not cast over thy care to him and confine it to the day Hee gave thee thy body will hee not give rayment also Hee gave his Sonne for thy soule will hee then deny food for the body He made the mouth and will he not give meat Doest thou trust him for the salvation of thy soule and not for the provision of thy body for heaven and not for earth 4. Pray to finde the extreme need of Christ and his righteousnesse and that all other things are but conditionally necessary Pray that GOD would incline thine heart to his testimonies that it may be so much the more drawn from covetous cares which are
any businesse of the calling generall or speciall and sanctifying every thing by the Word and Prayer Christ could not pollute any thing and yet did thus A good motive to thee for performing this duty 4. In fervent zeale to his Fathers house which even consumed him Hee was daily in the Temple reading praying preaching conferring confirming reforming If hee withdrew from his Parents who had lost him there you might finde him Herein should Christians imitate his piety in a burning zeale to Gods glory How zealous was Phinehas for God! How was Pauls spirit troubled within him Acts 17. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies he was almost besides himselfe to see the Idolatry of the Athenians Alas where is our zeale wee are generally key-cold as Gallio was in Gods causes Christ his zeale was inflamed for the reformation of his Fathers house but much of our zeale is against zeale and reformation And such was his zeale that whatsoever hee saw it affected him deeply either with griefe if evill or joy if well done or pity and compassion in the misery of others Wherever hee was he was well-doing in the City and publike places hee was teaching and instructing in solitary desolate places hee was praying meditating preparing himselfe or enduring temptation in porches and high-wayes he was curing healing helping He went about doing good Acts 10. 38. Our zeale also to Gods glory should move us to watch and take all occasions of doing good of promoting Gods glory furthering mans good and fitting our owne reckoning 5. In his faith and confidence His whole life was an obedience of faith his death likewise an obedience of faith In that dreadfull desertion of his Father that we had deserved he cryed My God my God hee could trust in his Father killing him Herein a rare patterne of imitation in all deeps by faith to give the Lord the honour of salvation and leane upon his love and promise Thus of the piety of our Lord. His charity and love of man shined likewise many wayes 1. In his humility meeknesse patience and gentlenesse beyond all example For first being in the forme of God and equall to his Father yet he came to serve and not to be served So lowly that he disdained not to wash his Disciples feet even Judasses John 13. and hee will have every one look on this glasse If I have washed your feet you must wash one anothers feet that is stoup to the lowest services one of another and Learne of me for I am lowly and meeke Mat. 11. 29. and Phil. 2. 5. Let the same minde be in you which was also in Christ Jesus But alas we strive to go one before another in pride and taking honour because the minde of Christ is not in us Secondly so patient was hee that when hee could have revenged his enemies who came to apprehend him hee strucke them all to the ground with a word but let them rise againe Hee hurt none of them but cured Malchus his eare whom Peter had hurt Hee delivered himselfe into their hands He blessed them that cursed him and prayed on the crosse for his tormentors All to teach Christians to moderate their anger to suffer wrong to offer none to return good for evill blessing for cursing as being heires of blessing 1 Pet. 3. 18. 2. In his beneficence goodnes to every one Hee healed all diseases dispossessed Divels raised the dead gave to his enemies food to eate health to their bodies salvation to their soules So must every Christian do good to all especially to the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. yea doe good to enemies and ill deserving thus either winning them or heaping coales on their heads 3. In that hee was an admirable patterne of civill righteousnes in word and deed Never was guile found in his lips or hands no nor ever in the thoughts or desires of his heart did hee detaine any mans right but gave every man his due and taught others so to do To his Parents obedience to the Magistrate subjection to Caesar hee payd tribute for himselfe and his Hee never impaired the estate or good name of any man Thus must Christians give to every one his owne in word and deed honour to whom honour tribute to whom tribute pertaineth and dispensing to every one all offices of justice and love Labouring to live though not without sin yet without just blame out of the testimony of a good conscience able to challenge the Adversary which of you can accuse mee though I can easily accuse my selfe but whose Oxe or Asse have I taken that I may recompence him 4. In that hee never transgressed the rule of love but left a transcendent patterne of it in laying down his life for his enemies Never was there such a copy And this for our imitation who must walke in love as hee loved us Ephes. 5. 2. and 1 John 3. 16. If he layd downe his life for us we ought also one for another Quest. Doth Christs example bind us to dye for our brethren Answ. Yes not onely that Scripture proveth it but the example of Moses Exod. 32. 32. and Paul Rom. 9. 3. and chapt 16. 4. Priscilla and Aquila laid downe their neckes for Pauls life The reason is this The member of the naturall body will save a fellow-member with the losse of it selfe as the hand will save the head though it bee stricken off for it So in the mysticall body the Church The rules these 1. Christians must ayme at such sincerity in love as to bee willing to give their lives 1. for God 2. for his image and stand in a readinesse to undergoe any danger for GOD and his image sake for love seekes not her owne 2. Wee must intend the salvation of our brethren before our owne lives for their soules are better than our lives so did Christ and so did the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 12. 15. I would most gladly bee bestowed for your soules 3. Not rashly and without calling for Christ died not for us till he was called to it Which when we have we must part with our lives even for their bodies much more for their soules Thus of the matter wherein we must follow Christ. Next of the manner of following him Object How can wee follow Christ seeing he is in heaven and we on earth Answ. Not having his bodily presence on earth wee cannot make any pilgrimage to follow him with the feet of our body but 1. Wee must follow him in faith move after him with the feet of faith which to do know that faith hath a threefold worke in this businesse First it causeth us to know acknowledge our Captaine and the way wherein hee is gone before us for it tels the Christian that he being now set into Christ and become a member of him If hee now live hee must live unto him If he dye
much the better and hye thee home where thou mayest expect better 3. It is great reason that Christs glory should appeare before ours the members shall shew their glory when their head doth for their glory depends upon his Col. 3. 4. Wee know that when Christ our life doth appeare wee shall also appeare with him in glory but now his glory is hid and must ours appeare In the winter all the sap life and fruit is hid in the roote and then the tree appeares not what it is but the summer comes and all that was within appeareth so in this our winter though now wee bee the sonnes of God yet it appeares not what wee are but when Christ shall appeare wee shall be like him 1 Joh. 3. 1. 2. Ob But are we not now like him Ans. Yes there is now a likenesse betweene the head and members the branches must have the same life sap and greennesse in some proportion to the roote the spouse is now sutable to her husband But first this is a likenesse in grace that is a likenesse in glory secondly this is in part and imperfection that in perfection and fulnesse thirdly this is obscure and vailed but that manifest and revealed to men and Angels Waite then and wish for this day of the revelation of Christs glory and of thine in his for 1. Christ shall come the second time to the salvation of those that waite for him Heb. 9. 21. 2. Love to Christ thy head now in a farre country will make thee long after him Come saith the spouse Oh that I might come to a sight of him whom my soule loveth This must whet thy desire that Christs glory may shine in that day yea and enlarged in thy owne glory 3. Hast thou received the first fruits of glory then thou canst not but long for the full harvest Rom. 8. 23. Wee that have received the first fruits sigh in our selves waiting for the adoption even the redemption of our bodies 4. Never was there so happie and joyfull a day wherein in their head all the heads of the Saints shall bee lifted up into unconceivable happinesse who shall stand amazed to see their nature so exalted in their head and be swallowed with unspeakable joy to see themselves who have beene by his first appearing in humilitie justified now by his second appearing in glory to bee glorified When the Disciples saw but a small glimpse of this glory in the Transfiguration they were so ravished and transported out of themselves that they wist not what they said Luks 9. 33. How then shall the whole brightnesse of it so swallow up the Saints as that they shall ever thinke it good to be where Hee is to see his glory Hereby should wee excite our selves to wish for the longed day of our glorious deliverance And as the Jewes the nearer the day of Jubile came the more the joy of prisoners and debtors was increased so should wee lift up our head when the day of our redemption approacheth as the bird about to flie stretcheth out the wings so should wee our affections and desires to heaven where our Lord his dwelling is Againe prepare for this day to stand before the sonne of man in this glory Luke 21. 36. Watch and pray that yee may bee counted worthy to escape all these things and may stand before the sonne of man Quest. How should I prepare duely Ans. 1. Acquaint thy selfe with thy Judge afore-hand which is done by faith and love Rom. 5. 2. By faith we have accesse both here and hereafter And if love bee perfect in us wee shall have boldnesse in the day of Judgement 1 Joh. 4. 17. Hee that can stand before his presence of grace shall stand boldly before his presence of glory Stand therefore humbly before him in his Ordinances enjoy as much of him now as thou canst 2. Part from sinne watch against it let the fire of grace consume it A malefactor cannot stand before the Judge Psal. 1. 5. The wicked shall not stand in judgement See Esa. 33. 14. 15. 3. Get sinceritie and uprightnesse of heart for no hypocrite shall stand before those everlasting burnings A sincere heart hath this propertie to set it selfe before God continually as a witnesse and Judge Gen. 17. 1. Walke before mee and bee upright And that soule that can walke with God here shall stand before the glory of his power at that day 4. Get love of the Saints on earth for the terrour of that day shall devour the Adversarie 2 Thess. 1. 6. And Christ shall clothe himselfe with the robes of glory to destroy the destroyer out of the earth Only the Saints shall stand before him Stand with them here if thou wouldest stand with them hereafter but if here thou wilt shake hands with sinners hereafter thou shalt scarce part company Lastly this glory of the Judge is the greatest terrour and torment to the wicked Oh the wofull estate of such persons when the presence of God and of Christ is the greatest tormentâ— yet how can it be other For first the true and proper cause of perdition is in themselves not in this glory the wicked must bee cast out for his malice They have despised his humilitie and were ashamed of him now must be ashamed of themselves when hee shall bee ashamed of them They have contemned his soft voice in the Ministry of the Gospell and must hear that dreadfull voice to drive them to their wits ends they have pierced him with horrible sins and shall now see him whom they have pierced and pierce themselves with shame and utter confusion Yea their owne accusing consciences shall make them shrinke and melt as ware at the fire and as chaffe driven before the tempest of his wrath Thus shall all wicked men and Angells perish at the presence of God Psal. 68. 2. Secondly as a King sitting in judgement chaseth away evill with his eies Prov. 20. 8. so shall they see the face of this Judge set against all evill doers 1 Pet. 3. 12. they shall read revenge in his very eye and visage his looke shall drive them to the hils to hide them they shall know the wrath of this King as the roaring of a Lyon to whom Kings are lesse than wormes to men and if the wicked flye when none pursueth Prov. 28. 1. much more when pursued with such wrath and power as this Judge shall bee cloathed with Thirdly as all the power of the country attends the Judge to execute malefactors so Christ hath obtained great might and kingdome to destroy the wicked Rev. 11. 17 18. so as his revenge must be proportionall to his power and his power shall make his processe short and his dispatch speedie A resemblance hereof is in Joh. 18. 6. the very word of Christ I am the man in his state of humiliation cast the stoutest of his enemies to the ground How
and honour and the wicked everlasting shame and sorrow 5. The rule of this recompence according to his workes where First what is meant by works Namely not onely actions good or bad but we must include the originall and attendants of them even the worke of our fall in Adam which was our worke as well as his originall sinne and corruption of nature of which workes are the fruits and so comprehended in them So out of workes of the Saints faith is not excluded being the rise of them and indeed the noblest of all workes the chiefe obedience required in the Gospell The attendants of good workes are also included under them as namely thoughts and speechâ—â— for according to every idle word thought wee must bee judged but the workes will manifest what they have beene Secondly the appropriation his workes His owne not other mens every man shall give accompt of himselfe unto God every vessell must stand on his owne bottome the father shall not beare the sonnes burden c. Ob. In the second commandement God will revenge the sins of Parents in their children to the third and fourth generation Ans. Not except the children be found in the same sins none shall suffer for anothers worke further than he is some way guiltie of it as the childe often is by consent or imitation And thus the Pharisees shall goe to hell for Abels blood and Zaâ—haries shed many thousand yeares before their age because they were not warned by that example to avoid blood-shedding But hee will visite the sinnes that is first enquire and if hee finde them not hee will not revenge see Ezek. 18. 14. and the examples of Hezekiah Josiah and other good children of wicked parents Thirdly what is meant by the phrase according to workes Ans. 1. The phrase noteth plainly that as our workes are good or bad so our doome shall bee for so it is evidently expounded Rev. 22. 12. My reward is with me to give to every one as his worke shall be so as the sentence shall run according to the evidence that workes shall bring in as sure witnesses either of their faith or infidelitie 2. The phrase implyeth the qualitie of the worke but not the merit which wee observe because the Papists hence ignorantly build up their merit of workes and thus argue God will render to the wicked according to the merit of their workes and therefore the godly must receive according to the merit of their workes Answ. The argument followes not from the merit of evill workes to the merit of good workes for first good workes are Gods not ours properly as our evill workes are faith and workes of faith are the gift of GOD secondly good workes in us are imperfectly good but our evill workes are perfectly evill thirdly good workes are done upon dutie but evill workes against dutie merit and debt are opposed and what meriteth he who hath but done his dutie and failed in doing too fourthly who can bring these merits Not the unregenerate for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all the unrighteousnesse of men Or can the sonnes of God when Abraham himselfe hath not wherein to rejoyce before God surely if hee could bee justified by no other means than faith much lesse can we Therefore by the workes of the law can no flesh bee justified Rom. 3. 28. Quest. Why then shall good workes bee inquired into in that day rather than faith and why shall Christ judge according to workes not faith Answ. 1. Workes shall bee inquired into not as meritorious causes of salvation which is only merited by Christs workes which onely had perfection but as conditions of Gods promises concerning reward in heaven given not for merit but of Gods frce grace for hee crowneth his grace in us not our merits saith Augustine Workes are requisite conditions to the person but no causes of reward 2. To shew that Jesus Christ shall accept no persons but looke to causes 3. To shew that faith must not bee idle but put forth the life in good motions and actions 4. Because the judgement and equitie of it must be visible and run into the eyes of all mankind and therefore must be passed according to the fruits and workes which men may see whereas faith by which alone wee are justified before God is an inward and spirituall grace in the heart knowne onely to God who seeth the heart and it flieth the sense of man further than by the works of love as fruits it discovereth it selfe Object But if the judgement were according to workes then the rule should be the Law but God will judge the secrets of men according to the Gospell Rom. 2. 16. which is the doctrine of faith not of workes Answ. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according signifieth there not the ruls of judging but the certitude of it and the sense is According as I have taught you in the Gospel my Gospell or my preaching it among you Or if it be taken for the rule it must be meant of the Elect only who by the Gospell shall be absolved as the wicked by the Law condemned But how shall they be judged who have no works as such who repent at last cast whose workes have beene all against God and poore men that want means For such as repent at last as the theefe on the crosse they shall receive according to their works for true faith is never without the witnesse of workes but worketh by love let their time be never so little So the theefe on the suddaine confessed his sin be wayled his life professed Christ when his disciples left him reproved his fellow and prayed earnestly for salvation and would further have expressed his faith if hee had lived longer So those that are called in the article of death have a true purpose if they live to expresse their faith and Gods mercy accepteth this will for the deed done Let not thine eye be evill because the Lords is good And for the godly poore who can give no almes yet they doe workes of pietie justice diligence in the calling and workes of truest mercy in prayer instruction of the familie comfort reproofe and the like to these Object But some are not judged according to their workes but receive an unequall sentence Rev 18. 16. Give her double according to her works that is twice as much punishment as her workes are Answ. By double is not meant double of punishment to her sin for no punishment can be double to the least sin but double affliction that is a much more grievous punishment than shee hath afflicted the Church withall and this Babylon hath well deserved and shall be sure of So some wicked men are pâ—nished for one and the same sin here and hereafter as for murther theft or the like this is not a double punishment but
sinner but onely this blood of an infinite price power and merit Here was a rich and free mercy to part with his owne life and dearest pledge of his love and voluntarily submit himselfe to death which was of more strength then all the lives of men and Angels Wonder Fifthly admire his matchlesse love who to save our soules made his soule an offering for sinne and healeth our wounds by his owne stripes A Phyfician sheweth great love if he take a little care above ordinary though he be wel rewarded and made a great gainer by it But this Physician must be a loser by his love he must lose his glory his life he must lose heaven and happinesse and all and beyond all this be unmatchable in abasement and torment in so much that he calleth all us who are ready to passe by all to consider if ever any sorrow were like to his sorrow Here was a sound love to us who endured to be so afflicted and abased by God men and divels for our sakes when he could have prevented and refused it if it had pleased him but this love was stronger than death and undervalued his owne life to save ours Wonder and wonder for ever And let it stirre us up to love this Physician dearely for great love is a great loadstone and attractive of love What love owe we to God the Father for giving his Sonne to the death for us as it a King should deliver the Prince apparant to death to save a condemned râ—bell What great love made him not account his life deare for us Oh the deadnesse of our hearts that can heare this with so little sense and provocation to love him againe Quest. How may we testifie our love to Christ Answ. We must not love him in tongue and word onely but in deed and truth framing our love in some proportion unto his which was both in word worke and suffering First in profession and word we must magnifie his great worke of Redemption and advance it in the perfection and vertue of it as able of it selfe to purchase the whole Church a blood able of it selfe to save from the destroying Angell and make a perfect peace betweene God and us Secondly as Gods love was actuall so wee must settle our selves to his service If ye love me keepe my Commandements Hee was a servant to doe our worke his love onely made him so And shall we refuse his worke Ours was a painefull taske that he undertooke and he left us an easie yoke to shew our obedience and gives us also strength to beare it Hee hath given himselfe for us and will giue himselfe to us and shall not we give our selves to him Certainly we serve a good Lord and want no encouragement Thirdly according to his example let us not love our lives to the death for his sake Rev. 12. 11. He that hateth not his life in comparison of Christ cannot be his Disciple Luk 14. 26. The direct end of Christs life was our glory the direct end of ours must be his glory He maintained our cause to the death by his death hee now pleads our cause in heaven It is therefore not onely honourable but equall and iust that wee should sticke to him and his causes in life and death and that love which is sound is like his even stronger then death So of the Cure in respect of the Confection Now we are to consider it in the Application For what would it availe to have the most skilfull and carefull Physician and the most rare proper and powerfull medicine under the Sunne prescribed by him if either it be not for me or not applyed to the disease or sore And so our heavenly Physician hath taken care not onely for direction and confection but also for application Medicines must be received for we must not looke to be cured by miracle but by meanes Where consider 1. The persons to whom the cure is applyed 2. The meanes whereby 3. The time when For the persons the Text saith all that be sicke that is sensible and languishing under theirsicknesse And Psal. 147. 3. He heales those that are broken in heart and binds up their sores For the meanes whereby the cure is applyed it is faith we must bring faith to be healed Christ required mens faith in healing of their bodies much more must wee bring it to the cure of our soules By faith I meane speciall faith which is not 〈…〉 w Christ hystorically for so did many Ioh 2. to whom Christ would not trust himselfe viz. that he is the Son of God who shed his blood and died for sinners for this the divels beleeve and tremble Neither is it onely to beleeve him the Iews heard him saw him beleeved many things to be true but received him not But To beleeve in him stands in two things First to receive and apply him for to receive Christ and beleeve in him are all one Ioh. 1. 12. so many as received him But who were they so many as beleeved in his Name Secondly to trust and rely on him for cure and salvation Can. 8. the Spouse leanes on her welbeloved And that we may not be deceived in it this faith hath two qualities 1. It must be proper 2. Impropriate Christ. First it must be thine owne proper speciall faith Hab. 2. 4. the iust man lives by hi 〈…〉 faith The Physician makes his whole confection without thee but calleth thee in to the application and none can apply this medicine but thine owne faith It is no implicit faith of thine own nor the faith of the Church without thine owne that thou canst live by The Ministers may leave it with thee and declare it but thine owne faith must apply it Foolish Virgins they are that thinke to be received with the oyle in the wife Virgins lamps when their owne is spent the answer is We have not enough for us and you and every mans garment is short enough for himselfe the righteous receive Crownes said Leo but give not Crowes Secondly as this faith must be thine owne so it must impropriate Christ and make him thine owne This is that faith in the blood of Christ Rom. 3. 25. applying the blood specially to himselfe for life When the faith of the soule brings home Christ to his owne heart and saith with Thomas My Lord and my God and with Paul who loved mee and gave himselfe for mee and with that Father Totus Christus meus est totus Christus n meos usus impensus est Whole Christ is mine and bestowed for my utmost benefit This speciall and spirituall application was alwayes resembled in Scriptures of the old Testament by the sacrifices of the sinne-offering when the beast was slaine the Party must lay his hand on the head of it and confesse that not the beast but the Owner deserved death and the blood that was shed must
ones that shall learne beleeve and practise holy doctrine and follow his holy life to the end of the world for these himselfe hath honoured with this name Luke 14. 26. If any man come to me and hate not all for me hee cannot be my Disciple Act. 11. 26. the Christians and Disciples were all one If any will follow mee The Papists gather that it is in our free-will to follow or not But 1. Christs scope is not here to shew how we come to him but who they be that come and not from the cause of their comming but from the effects 2. If wee will learne from Christ the cause of our comming to him he will not have us find it in our selves but without us Joh. 6. 44. None comes to me unlesse the Father draw him his free-will drawes him not Nature drawes him not but the grace of the Father And Ver. 45. Hee that hath heard and learned of the Father comes unto me Where this comming is not ascribed to the will or study of him that is taught but to the excellency of the Teacher But a more pertinent question is how wee may know that wee are Disciples and Followers of Christ. And beside the signes in the Text wee shall discerne it by sundry markes as 1. The Disciples were called by Christs owne voice and depended on the mouth of Christ. By the word of Christ must thou also bee made a Disciple thou must be called by his voice in the Ministery Doest thou then cleave to the means of growth in grace listen attentively to the word of Christ so did the Disciples and so wilt thou But if thou carest not for the preaching of the word if thou desirest not to grow in knowledge but contentest thy selfe selfe in thy ignorance or with some confused knowledge If the word bee neere thee thou runnest from it if it bee absent thou runnest not after it thou hereby shewest thy selfe to be no Disciple 2. The Disciples being called left all for Christ and acknowledged no Master but him because he had the words of eternall life If thou also bee a Disciple thou renouncest all other Masters and all employments that will not stand with Christianity If thou be a Disciple thou knowest the truth and the truth hath set thee free Joh. 8. 31. Of a servant of sin thou art a freeman in grace The Disciples walked in a course of mortification they sought not the world nor themselves they were no swearers gamesters deceivers usurers haters of grace lyers or slanderers and if thou be so thou art no Disciple 3. The Disciples were called to be neere Attendants of Christ to abide and continue with him and performe all his commandements John 8. 31. If yee abide in my word yee are verily my Disciples that is if yee continue both in the faith and obedience of my word Art thou a neere friend unto Christ so were they Yee are my friends saith Christ if yee doe whatsoever I command you The best triall of thy friendship to Christ is in difficult costly and dangerous commandements So the Lord tried Abrahams friendship Otherwise Why callest thou him Lord as if thou wert a Disciple and doest not the things hee commands thee 4. The Disciples were glad of Christs presence and when hee was absent their hearts were full of sorrow If thou likewise be a Disciple thy soule rejoyceth in the presence of Christ in his ordinances in the directions and consolations of his Spirit thou art alive when his sweet word drops upon thy soule and thou droupest when Christ hath withdrawne himselfe from thee in any of these meanes of his presence But canst thou be a Disciple except a Judas that findest as much sweetnesse in the word of Christ as in the white of an egge that professest thou hast no comfort in the word but it is a perpetuall dropping and molestation that risest up against Christ for his word as Judas because the word of Christ detecteth thy covetousnesse pride deceit treachery other wickednesses 5. The Disciples had commission and commandement to make other Disciples and so did They were diligent in their callings exercised therin the love of God and love of men were sober godly humble walking in the steps of Christ their Lord Master spending themselves in doing good to others departing with dearest things their names their liberty life for Christ his Church So the generall calling of a Christian is to make Disciples to bring men to Christ by instruction admonition reproofe comfort herein expressing love to Christ and his members And to walke beseeming the Gospel for the honour of Christ making him our patterne and walking as he walked of which afterward In a word to be all that wee are for Christ that Christ may bee magnified by us whether by doing or suffering whether by life or death 6. A speciall badge of a Disciple is charity John 13. 35. By this shall all men know yee are my Disciples if yee love one another Every mans disciples are known by some speciall badge or cognisance Moses disciples by circumcision feasts and sacrifices The Scribes and Pharisees disciples by fastings watchings phylacteries long praiers the like But a true note whereby a Disciple of Christ may be knowne is christian love being an immediate fruit of christian faith where that fire is it will appeare in this heat and light for faith worketh by love and hee that walketh by faith walketh in love and hee that is joyned to the Head by faith is united to the members by love But art thou a Disciple and livest in uncharitablenesse envie malice slandering lying or any the like sin Know 1. A Disciple is borne of God and beares the image of his Father who is love 1 John 4. 8. this then is a birth from hell and an issue of him who is a man-slayer from the beginning 2. The Disciples had the presence leading and inhabitation of the Spirit of God and consequently the bond of the Spirit which is love the fairest fruit of the Spirit by which Christians are knit together made of one spirit But is the uncharitable wretch led or inhabited by this Spirit or by the spirit that lusteth after envie Such may say to Christ as the Jewes We are none of thy Disciples but Moses disciples or rather wee are neither thy disciples nor Moses but of Jannes and Jambres and Judas who resisted both Moses and Christ. 3. A Disciple is a member of the Church a chiefe subject in the Kingdome of Christ but a malicious man is none of Christs Kingdome for when a man is brought into the Kingdome of Christ the Lion and Lambe feed together the childe and cockatrise Now he puts off his fierce nature his lionish aspish waspish and poysonfull disposition he is now of a wolfe and devourer made
tame and tractable as a Lambe of Christs fold and as a childe of God his Father inunion both with head members and acknowledgeth all the tyes and bonds between himselfe and his fellow-members They are children of one Father and Mother God and the Church brethren of the same elder brother Jesus Christ of one houshold of faith sit at the same table clothed with the same suits heires of the same inheritance and can these live as Jewes and Samaritans 4. The Disciples respected all Christs commandements but that which above all Christ was so earnest in they would not forget his new commandement of loving one another Col. 3. 13. and 1 Pet. 4. 8. Above all things put on love What above faith confidence prayer and the like No faith is the parent of love but above all graces that binde man to man of which the Apostle there speaketh It is the sinewes in the body the cement in the house without which all were but cobling and confusion He is no Disciple no living stone who is not coupled with this cement called the bond of perfection Well get those graces in truth and be not discouraged for their weaknesse For how weak were the Disciples while Christ was with them Christ will yet acknowledge thee a Disciple if men doe not and owne thee when thou darest scarce owne him Let him deny himselfe Here our Saviour propounds the first note and tryall of a Disciple the renouncing or forsaking of himselfe Where 1. What is meant by himselfe 2. The difficulty of this precept 3. The necessity of obeying it 4. The use For the first of these By himselfe are meant 1. Things outward that is concerning the outward man yet so neere him as they are after a sort himselfe Not onely his riches which a man is willing to hold as fast as his life nor onely his friends which are most dear as a second selfe but even his name his liberty his life it selfe all which must be willingly and cheerfully given up to God and denied rather than Christ and his truth that a man may say with Peter Master wee have left all to follow thee Mat. 19. 27. 2. Things inward which can hardly bee distinguished from himselfe and which yet come neerer the quicke as namely a mans whole corrupt nature And here taking it to peeces First hee must deny all the wisedome of the flesh which is enmity to God And till this be done there is no savouring of the things of God no relish in Gods word wisdome or waies 2. Hee must deny his owne corrupt will which is contrary to Gods will and onely seeketh how it may please it selfe And till this bee denied well thou maist say Thy will be done but it shall be by others not by thy selfe 3. He must deny all his owne corrupt carnall and unmortified passions and affections as carnall love feare hatred anger and the like for even all these branches must bee stocked up with the root 4. He must deny all his owne wicked inclinations the streames and incessant stirrings of naturall corruption as apt to bee kindled as any Gunpowder by the least sparke whether more common to the nature of man or more proper to a mans owne person as hastinesse pronenesse to revenge to hatred injustice or the like 5. Hee must denyall wicked habits and sins the acting of lusts and vices as all intemperance rotten speech uncleannesse covetousnesse wrath envie pride idlenesse and the like that a man live not now to himselfe but wholly to Christ whom he professeth to follow In a word all selfe-respects selfe-seeking selfe-aymes must be renounced and the Christian wholly vanish into nothing and all things in the world become drosse and doung in comparison of Christ. Next of the difficulty Who seeth not by this time what a difficult precept our Saviour hath enjoyned every one of his followers even the cutting off of hands and plucking out of eyes the most necessary and tender parts and casting them away To discerne which difficulty a little more distinctly 1. Consider the neernesse of things to be denied Were it only in things without us as to part with friends and riches this were a difficult commandement to flesh as appeares in the examples both of him that must first bury his father and bid his friends farewell as also of the young man that left Christ because of his possessions But when it comes so close to us as to lead us out of our owne reason wisedome and judgement what an hard province proves it For who thinkes not his reason neerer him than his religion what worldly-wise man can yeeld to that of the Apostle That he must become a foole to bee wise To advise a man to despise lands liberty and life for his profession were to wish a man to hate his owne flesh which no man in his wits ever did To perswade to the keeping under of lusts and to the forgoing of dearling sinnes is to cut them short of meat and drinke these are sweet morsels which they hide under their tongues will not let goe 2. Naturall pride and selfe-love is such that it is with us as with Solomon in the dayes of his folly Eccles. 2. 10. Whatsoever mine eyes desired I withheld it not Nay wee wish so well to our selves as wee could not offer the least wrong to our least lowest joynt nor endure it of others We are so far from crossing our selves that wee endure not any other should crosse us or deny us in our persons or corrupt lusts Haman is sicke on his bed because Mordecai denies him obeysance If John deny Herod his Herodias hee shall dye for it If Jonas lose his gourd hee will be angry to the death If a man touch Lamech hee will revenge seventy times seven times Such impatiency and impotency is in our nature if wee bee crossed in our wils 3. Distrust in God and trust in the meanes maketh the precept yet more difficult We see not easily how wee can do well without friends wealth liberty favour preferments Wisedome wee say is good with an inheritance Eccles. 7. wee would be on the sunny side and on the gathering hand and it is a sore thing to forsake all which makes the young man goe sad away from Christ himselfe God in his creatures wee can better content our selves withall than either in himselfe or in his Son Our unbeleeving hearts see the gift better than the giver Wee cannot live by promises something we would have in hand and are loth to let all our hold go Ye see the necessity of selfe-deniall Our Lord was not ignorant how this precept is an hard saying able to discourage any from once thinking to follow him or become a Disciple And therefore his great wisedome would not have laid this ground for a foundation if it had not bin
so necessary as without it the whole frame of profession would prove ruinous For 1. The Context affirmeth a twofold necessity of this selfe-deniall both in the words immediately going before for without it a man cannot bee a Disciple of Christ and in the words immediatly following for whereas every Christian must bee acquainted with the crosse no man can take up his crosse patiently who hath not first denied himselfe and therfore that is rightly set after this 2. The corruption of nature is such before grace as that a man in every thing is wholly tainted and contrary to the image of God Now all that vicious disposition must bee renounced before Gods image can bee renewed even as all old rubbish must be carried away before a new frame can be reared 3. All true wisedome is lost by the fall and an infinite lumpe of folly bound up in the heart of every naturall man Now though true wisedome be offered againe in the word yet can it never bee embraced before the other bee displaced no more than light can be manifest before darknesse bee chased away 4. The Gospel offereth Christ as a Physitian only to the sicke and diseased and as a Saviour to the lost sheep of the house of Israel And therefore necessarily must a man deny all the meanes hee can make or devise to help himselfe before hee can come to see what need hee hath of Christ. Hee must come first to discerne his miserie and lost estate before hee can beleeve and relye on Christ for salvation 5. The whole scope of the Word is that golden rule of all the Law and Prophets namely to teach us to love God Christ above all and our neighbour for his sake as our selves And therefore that corruption of nature whereby every man loveth himselfe and seeketh himselfe his owne profits rather than Gods glory and his neighbours good must bee denied before wee can take out any lesson of the word 6. No obedience can be acceptably performed to God without selfe-deniall for many commandements are hard and difficult as that to Abraham of killing his son many are dangerous that may cost a man his life as Johns Ministery did many are costly and may cost a man his whole estate Now never can any of these bee cheerfully and willingly undertaken till these strong holds of flesh in man bee demolished A man may professe himselfe a servant of Christ but little is the service he shall do him till this be done As wise master-builders therefore are most carefull in laying the lowest and first stone so must wee begin the building of Christianity where our Lord enjoynes us namely in the deniall of our selves Faile in this foundation and the whole frame of Christianity tottereth and falleth to the ground For 1. Can a servant please his Master or a wife her husband who denies not her selfe and subjects not her will to his And canst thou bee wedded to Christ and not subject thy will to his 2. Whence doe men follow the course of the world and will be taught no better they must sweare and lye and drinke and raile and serve the times and persons and pleasures but because they think it folly and precisenesse to deny themselves or their ordinary liberties to follow Christ And 3. Is it from any other cause that men thrust themselves into Gods chaire of estate to revenge their own wrongs and challenge take challenges into the field to the perpetrating of horrible murders or else basely stabbe and wound but because they thinke it disgrace and cowardise to deny a mans selfe and to put up the least wrongs 4. Whence is it else that many pretend to follow Christ but upon condition they may not deny themselves for they must be gainers by their religion which must be another Diana to bring profit to the Crafts-Masters Have those learned selfe-deniall that measure their religion by their gettings but will be sure to bee no losers by it like the Swallowes that will take their Summer with us but not our Winter 5. Whence is it that some in case of necessity can cast no part of their superfluity into the Treasury when the widow can cast in all that ever she had And Ananias Sapphira that had not denied themselves could give three parts of their estate away to pious uses and how farre are most behind them who professe selfe-deniall Nay it is the sin of many great professors that what need soever Christ in his members hath they must remit nothing of their costly apparrell full diet and following of fashions which shew them lovers of pleasures more than of God Crumbes now and then they can part withall but endure no deâ—riment no abatement These certainly have not yet denied themselves 6. Whence is all the deniall of Christ at this day but for want of selfe-deniall Why did Peter deny his Lord but because hee could not deny himself Whence are so many Apostates Demasses in our age that fall to Popery to novelties to false or no worship but for want of self-deniall They must please rise serve the times themselves and the appetites of Patrons and then farewell Christ and his truth This was the cause that many Disciples walked no more with him John 6. 66. for they could not deny their own wisdome to subscribe to his And many among the Rulers beleeved in him but durst not confesse him because they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God chapt 12. 42. 43. Quest. But the duty being so necessary as without it can be no Christianity and so difficult as scarce one of a thousand is willing to undertake it what are the helpes and meanes by which wee may be forwarded herein for the Lord hath not left us destitute of meanes if wee bee not wanting to our selves Answ. True And therefore 1. Wee must not conceive it naturall for a man to crosse his corrupt nature for nature fortifies it self in all the holds It must be therefore a superiour fire that must descend to make a man hate himselfe for the love of God Christ. Regeneration is a worke of the Spirit and strength to overcome our selves is not from our selves And therefore wee must pray for the truth of this grace of Regeneration and never bee at rest till wee finde it in our selves in some degree of it encouraging our selves in that promise that the Spirit is given to those that aske him is powred on the thirsty grounds 2. Consider what an advantage it will bee to take our selves in hand before our lusts be growne strong in us and how they are farre more easily denied in the first motion and rising of them than when they have seated themselves with delight in the affections and members and are growne from motions to acts from acts to customes from customes to
Yea he was thought so unmeet to live in Jerusalem that hee was thought unworthy to dye in Jerusalem but must bee carried without the gate Hence also is all that cart-load of reproaches and invectives yea bonds and banishment stripes and contempts fire and sword and all the most exquisite torments which rage is witty to devise against the innocent lambes and sheep of Christ. Fourthly the crosse is necessary both in regard of the godly and of the wicked 1. To the godly afflictions are often as necessary as meat and drink For prosperity is as a dead sea and ease slayeth the foolish Pro. 1. 32. Standing waters contract mud and breed vermine A still body fils with bad humours Fallow and unstirred grounds are fruitfull in weeds And therefore God in great wisdome by tryals shakes them out of security and makes them more watchfull of themselves more fit to do good and to comfort others Scowring makes metals brighter and more usefull 2. In regard of the wicked the crosse is necessary that it may be as a fanne and plain distinction between the godly them The working Oxe is continually bound but those that are reserved for the slaughter have scope in fat pastures So this difference the Lord appointed when hee made the way narrow and the gate strait that leads to life and few to find it Another reason why the Lord hath yoked the Christian to the crosse is because he will thence fetch a strong argument to confound Sathan who will be ready to alledge against the Christian as against Job that he serveth not God for nought But he will have it appeare that his servants love Christ and Religion for it selfe not for ease wealth or any outward respect And greater or more sincere love cannot be testified than by suffering for him Of all this it followes that the crosse is no signe God hates a man but rather is a signe of his love and a proofe of our legitimation for if you be without correction whereof all sonnes are partakers yee are bastards and not sonnes Hebr. 12. 8. Neither our selves nor others may give false witnesse of us for our sufferings but still say as Job in the midst of his abasement God forbid that ever I should take away mine innocency from my selfe untill I dye I will keep my righteousnesse Job 27. 5. And when we have Satan assailing us and his instruments aggravating Gods hand against us our owne hand had not need be on our selves too but now we must stand to our selves and gather conclusions for our selves and see love in stripes and a fatherly affection lurking even in sharpe correction Againe let no man thinke hee can get to heaven so easily but hee shall well know how hee comes there All the way is thick strawed with crosses and there is no shunning of them For seeke to shift them by evill meanes or laying downe duty thou hast slipped out of the way to heaven and Christ is not before thee who himself got not the crown but by the crosse How vaine is it then to expect a paradise of delight in the time of our prison or pilgrimage c. 3. If the crosse bee the badge of every Disciple let us bee wise to expect the crosse aforehand The Church is compared to a campe look not to be in a campe without warre and blowes and the ordinary hazzards of it To a ship and Noahs Arke thou canst not be in a ship nor in the Arke without a world of waters waves windes and dangers To the Lords corne standing in the field think not then to escape the sickle floore flaile milstone oven and such like To the Lords Vineyard let never a cluster look to escape the presse To Christs fold and not one of the flocke but must looke for shearing and shambles To the Lords building and every living stone laid in this house must bee hewen and squared the axe or hammer must fit them Never is the Paschall Lambe eaten but with â—owre herbes and Christ and his crosse are never separated 4. Is our suffering a part of Christs crosse here then is exceeding comfort to the Saints in their suffering three waies 1. In that we have such a partner Heb. 12. 2. Rev. 1. 9. It will bee a singular encouragement when we conceive our selves but as Simons helping Christ to beare his crosse If Christ were on earth and wee saw him fainting under a burden hee would think himselfe happy that might lend him an hand to ease him We are indeed like Simon who willingly beare not but must bee compelled to beare his crosse For violence must bee offered to nature and the flesh will bee resisting the spirit Peter when hee was an old Disciple must bee girded and led whither he would not John 21. 18. 2. In that wee have Christ himselfe at the other end of the crosse helping and supporting us He is of power to carry the heavie end and beare off the weight from us Hee hath promised his presence and cannot be absent but as our Head condoleth and compassionateth our griefe 3. In that wee have all the Saints our companions even the whole Church either going before us or with us or comming after us in this way How can we sinke having so many shoulders under our burden or how can we miscarry in a way beaten by the feet of all the Prophets Apostles and faithfull Pastors and Beleevers in the world Discourage not thy selfe say not never any suffered such hard things as I doe thy sufferings are no other than such as befall the rest of the brethren So of the former point 2. Christians must not onely beare the crosse but take up the crosse For it is not the taking or bearing but the taking up of the crosse that is here a note of a Disciple The worst and wickedest have often as many miseries as others but cannot take them up and christianly carry them And indeed the nature of man is unwilling and prone to impatience grudging and complaints of suffering the least trouble and cannot easily take up any And in taking up a crosse is more difficulty than all the strength that is in nature can conquer Quest. Why what is required in taking up the crosse Answ. Five things 1. A continuall expectation and a standing unfearfully in the station wherein God hath set us with a strong resolution not to be discouraged therefore though crosses come never so thicke Expected evils smart lesse Job waited for changes and evils expected came upon him and how stoutly were they borne 2. A contentednesse to abide under a great burden which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word for patience as a man stands under the burden he hath taken up Hereto unmortified flesh is very impatient but where faith is there is not haste-making Isa. 28. 16. 3. Love of GOD still notwithstanding the crosse as an
ingenuous childe loves his father even when hee correcteth him and this keeps him from murmuring and discontent and frames him to stoupe under his fathers smiting hand contentedly That is true love which I shew to him that deales hardly with me 4. Humility and silence not disputing the matter with God much lesse charging him foolishly but as David Psal. 39. 9. I held my tongue and said nothing because thou O Lord diddest it 5. Joy and rejoycing not in the smart of the crosse but in waiting the sweet fruit of it Actâ— 5. 41. the Disciples rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer â—or the Name of Christ. So in Luke 6. 23. and Jam. 1. 2. A difficult thing to corrupt nature Yet the Scripture presseth it upon us with strong reasons as 1. No crosse is laid upon us but by the will and appointment of God nothing fals out but by his speciall providence not a Sparrow can fall to the ground not an haire of the head and much lesse the head it selfe As our Lord Christ himselfe had not the crosse laid on him but by the determinate counsell of God Act. 2. 23. Herod Pilate the Gentiles and the people of Israel did nothing against him but what the hand of God and his determinate counsell appointed to be done So is it in the members no crosse is laid on them but by Gods determination And as Christ told Pilate Thou couldest have no power over me if it were not given thee of the Father so may the members say to their persecutors And therefore those that are to suffer according to the will of God must submit to his will and commit themselves in well-doing to his revealed will for shall not both the head and member drinke of the cup which the Father hath given 2. We must therefore take up the crosse because this is the time and place of taking it up John 16. 33. In the world yee shall have tribulation God hath ordained this world to bee a dripping and watery seed time and hee must be content to sowe in teares that would reape in joy and God can wipe away no teares hereafter but such as are shed here The world to Christians is Gods furnace and fining pot to purifie his gold whereof hee will frame his golden vessels and while wee are earthly vessels hee will by crosses scowre us from the rust and filth of sin that stickes so fast to our natures 3. Wee must willingly take them up to shew our selves both conformable to Christ and serviceable Christ willingly tooke up his crosse for us and endured wounds scarres and markes in his body for us And so wee must for him willingly beare his markes and scarres in our body and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh Col. 1. 24. and this made the Apostle rejoyce in his sufferings and glory in his persecution for Christ Gal. 6. 17. I beare in my body the markes of the Lord Jesus And indeed it is the glory of a Christian souldier to shew the markes and scarres of his fortitude and valour in a good cause in his Princes quarrell and for the honour of his Country See Luke 24. 26. and 2 Tim. 2. 11. Againe to shew our service and love to him Hee became a servant and was obedient to the death and took up his crosse to endure a meritorious suffering the price of our redemption We cannot so suffer for him but must in way of thankfulnes endure the service of suffering and not love our lives to the death for him Acts 20. 24. My life is not deare to me so that I may fulfill my course with joy And wherein can a man more clearly expresse himselfe a servant of Christ than by suffering for righteousnes sake and by maintaining his Lords honour and just quarrell to the death 2 Tim. 2. 3. Suffer affliction as a good souldier of Jesus Christ. 4. We may chearfully take up the crosse because wee know it shall not overburden us for it is Christs crosse and he puts under his shoulder and beares the weight-from us and supplies strength to us to carry the light end of it for he did suffer to succour them that suffer Beside we know that no afflictions can separate us from the love of God in Christ Rom. 8. ult When Christ was on the crosse our sins separated between God and his sense and made him cry out My God my God why hast thou for saken me But his promise hath tyed his aide and presence to us in sixe troubles and in seven in passing through fire and water c. Againe wee know the sting is taken out of our crosse by Christ taking it on him and therefore we may cheerfully take it up as Moses tooke the Serpent by the taile and it was turned into a rod in his hand and threatens only a loving correction 5. We must willingly take up the crosse because of the present blessed use future issue of it For the present It is of use for the tryall of our faith much more precious than gold 1 Pet. 1. 7. for the exercise of our patience Jam. 1. 2. and manifestation of all graces Perfumes smell sweetest when beaten in a mortar Starres shine brightest in the darkest night so the graces of the Saints disappeare often in the noon-day sun-shine of prosperity are most shining in the darke night of affliction For the future issue These temporary short afflictions cause an excellent and eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. This was Jobs argument not to refuse the Lords chastening for Blessed is the man whom God correcteth Job 5. 17. This was Moses his argument to chuse the crosse and afflictions Heb. 11. 25. for Hee had respect to the recompence of reward What if the way be rough asperous as a fowle lane yet it leads to heaven and brings into a glorious mansion Care not then so much what way thou goest as whither it leads A fairer way were more pleasant but perhaps not so safe Elias is not affraid nor hurt to be carried in a fiery chariot to his rest and glory And glad may we be if by the doung-gate or any posterne gate wee may get within the heavenly Jerusalem Thus seeing both the necessity difficulty and utility of this precept of Christ and seeing it may be and must bee attained of every Disciple let us frame to the obedience of it and get neere us such helpes as may hold us in a fitnesse and preparednesse to take up our crosse daily Quest. What are they Answ 1. Before crosses come make account of them and store thy selfe with patience even for the sharpest and for one after another not prescribing the time or measure but account him a slight servant that gives up his worke and makes holy-day at his pleasure This wisedome we may
he must dye unto him he is not his owne but at his Lords command wholly and must follow him close in the meanes of his presence especially in searching the Scriptures which testifie of him John 5. 39. as also in listening to the inward teaching and guidance of the Spirit taking the benefit of his own experience by the change and fiuits in himselfe since hee had Christ afore him Secondly faith will hold us in our way and keep our leader in sight It will not bee led by the opinions of men or customes of the world but by the commandement and will of the Captain It will not looke a squint to approve it selfe to Christ and the world too but it knits the heart undivided to Christ alone as an only perfect Saviour and Pattern Yea because he now liveth and moveth hath beeing in Christ he can no more be without him than a member without the head and as a member followes him through fire and water perils and torments most earnestly and cheerfully Thirdly faith causeth a man whensoever he is slipt out of his way to return back by a new act of repentance as when Christ looked backe upon Peter excited his faith he wept bitterly saith the Church Cant. 3. 3. Saw ye not him whom my soule loveth And thus faith is crowned with perseverance This of the first way to follow Christ. 2. We must follow him in love ardent affection by which faith alwaies worketh No other thing must constraine us but love as a wife out of love follows her dear husband And this wil be stronger than death nothing can separate us neither height nor depth nor sword nor death nor a sea of the waters of affliction can drown it Yea zeale fervency of spirit is required to exclude hypocrisie lukewarmnes for dissemblers and halters can never follow Christ in the rugged waies wherin he goeth before us 3. Wee must follow him sincerely for love of himselfe not for selfe-love for selfe-deniall must goe before the imitation of Christ. This will make us follow him into Jerusalem and out of Jerusalem unto the Consistory unto the Crosse as well when they cry Crucifie him as when they cry Hosanna And not as many who follow the times and not Christ. It will make us follow him for right ends not for loaves or perishing bread as the Jewes not for curiosity as Herod to see a miracle nor as Peter to gaze and get newes in the high Priests hall but as the Disciples John 6. 68. Master thou hast the words of eternall life and whither shall we goe It will make us follow him wholly not lamely as on one legge as such who profess his doctrine but deny his life live carnally covetously uncharitably all this religion is naught and vaine and opens the mouth of Adversaries to say from the loose lives of Professors that our religion is an enemy to good works Where did Christ teach thee that professest to follow him to sweare to lye to deceive to profane the Sabbath to raise slander to revenge to spend thy time in gaming idlenesse or the like where learnest thou this of Christ 4. We must follow him constantly without wavering or desisting not for a brunt or a start not as the young man that came hastily but departed heavily He loves no lookers back Know that Christ is best at last and though thou mayest bee sometimes weary yet Christ will refresh thee and lead thee to rest This is the manner of following him Now let us see the reasons or motives thereunto 1. One is the equity of the precept We are sheep he is the great Shepheard of the flock and all the sheep must follow this Shepheard John 10. 27. The hundred forty and foure thousand follow the Lambe wheresoever hee goeth Rev. 14. 6. that is the multitude of the faithfull follow Christ their Captaine and obey him in all things Besides we are Christians our very name perswades us how equall it is to follow him else deny our name if we deny this duty Againe the equity appeares because here is nothing required or requested of us but our Master hath done it before us and commended it to us by his owne example Our Joshua saith to us his souldiers What you see mee doe that doe you and shall a common souldier recoile or start back from that he seeth his Captaine doe before him If we see our Generall deny himselfe take up his crosse obey his Father love his brethren is it not equall that wee doe the like shall Christians live like Jewes Heathens Worldlings 2. Great is the danger of not following Christ our guide First if we look at our selves Wee would faine be leaders and devisers which Christ knew wel enough and as we easily stray of our selves so wee are easily misled either by our owne lusts or by other perillous guides Sometimes one as the people who in simplicity followed Absalom not knowing whereabout hee went 2 Sam. 1â— 11. thus sometime we follow some wicked counseller as a drove follow the Butcher in stead of the Shepheard And sometimes many how easily follow we a multitude unto evill and therefore have great need of this precept of Christ both for prevention and direction Secondly if wee looke at the justice of God who gives over men to follow dangerous guides when they refuse Christ by his Word and Spirit to lead them See it in a number of instances How many are given up as the Heathens were to their own harts lusts Rom. 1. 26. that it were better they were given up to the Divell to buffer or any tyrant to torment than delivered to fall by their owne hand and all because they will not have Christ to lead them nor will follow him Nay seeing the Divell ruleth in lusts to be given up unto lusts is to be left into the hands of the Divell the Prince of the ayre to bee ruled at his will And how just is it that a sheep that will not follow the Shepheard should follow the Butcher How many others who will not follow Christ in the Word are given up to follow the world and the course of the world Some follow their covetousnesse as Jer. 8. 10. every one from the greatest to the least tormenting themselves and the world in it give no rest to it or themselves allow neither GOD nor themselves any rest on the Sabbath c. Others walke after the course of the world Ephes. 2. 2. and fashion themselves unto it contrary to Rom. 12. 2. as appeares in many who have sold themselves over to voluptuousnes delicacy pride in apparrel tiring out all the tires and fashions of all countries Others spend their time in idlenesse or gaming or sports and other calling have they none But all the world knowes Christs life was humble painfull sober heavenly holy fruitfull and cleane contrary to these who receive
stay thus seeking Gods Kingdom in the first place Quest. But how prove you that such may flye Ans. By the commandement practice of Christ himselfe Mat. 10. 23. If they persecute you in one city flie into another and so himselfe did Hee could by miracle have saved himselfe but for us he would rather humble himself by flying Matth. 12. 15. And he was now as strong in spirit as ready to dye as he was afterwards but Gods time was not yet come So did the Apostles Paul being persecuted at Damascus was let downe by a basket and sent to Tarsus Acts 9. The commandement Rev. 18. 4. flie out of her my people is of force hereunto He would rather have commanded to stand out the persecutions of Antichrist if it had been unlawfull to flye After Christ wee reade of Athanasius that great light of the world how being infinitely hated pursued by the Arrians he was forced to hide himselfe for sixe yeers in a deep pit where he saw no sun which he would not have endured but to have preserved the Church in himselfe waiting the time which God afterward gave him at Alexandria many yeers to bee the only hammer of Arrians The same of many faithfull men in Queene Maries daies flying beyond sea who were happily revoked to the great glory of God and use of the Church in the most happy daies of Queene Elizabeth Ob. But this is to deny Christ and not c 〈…〉 sse him before men Answ. 〈◊〉 to flye friends and countrie is an inferiour confession and suffring for Christ though in dying is a greater perfection and degree in suffering Ob. But we must not fear them that can kill the body therefore not flye Ans. That is not fear them more than God not feare so as to apostate or deny faith good conscience which is not the feare of them that flye for would they deny Christ or his faith they need not flye at all Object But we must preach counsell the greatest perfection Answ. Yes but in the severall rankes of beleevers God hath not set all his children in the same degree of grace some are babes some young some old men It is not greatest perfection for a childe to offer to run before hee can goe but boldnesse which costeth him many knockes and falls Neither for those of a lower stature in Christ to cast themselves into danger before or further than need shall require for when times come that GOD seeth fit for any by death to glorifie himselfe and edifie his Church his providence will find meanes without a mans owne presumption to call him thereto Now the point issuing out of the words thus expounded is this Whosoever undertaketh the profession of Christ must take his life in his hand if need be and give it for the Name of Christ Revel 2. 10. Bee thou faithfull unto death Luke 14. 26. If any man come to me and hate not all yea even his owne life he cannot be my Disciple by hatred hee meanes not that affection simply considered but in comparison namely if the love of God and our selves the love of Christ and our friends cannot stand together all naturall affection must give place Hebr. 12. 4. Yee have not yet resisted unto bloud as if hee had said Yee have resisted sinne unto reproach unto losse of substance unto bonds and other evils but yet it remaines to resist unto bloud as Christ did Revelat. 12. 11. they that overcame by the bloud of the Testimony and the bloud of the Lambe loved not their lives to the death that is doubted not to hazzard them for the truth and faith so as no torment could drive them from it Hebr. 11. 35. Wee have the cloud of witnesses before us in this duty they were racked and slaine and would not bee delivered but refused the offer of life and liberty upon condition of renouncing the Gospel The Ecclesiasticall History mentioneth one Phileas a Noble man and Martyr who going to execution seemed as one deafe at the perswasions and blinde at the teares of his friends moving him to spare himselfe As the waters use to breake themselves on a rocke so was hee altogether inflexible And when one Philoromus defending him said How can hee bee moved with teares on earth whose eyes behold the glory of heaven hee also was taken in and both presently beheaded Amongst our owne Martyrs when at the stake many of them had letters of pardon offered they would not looke at them nor would bee delivered on their conditions Others absolutely refused them One said shee came not thither to deny her Lord. Not one of them accepted them neither would buy deliverance so deare For first if wee looke at Christ hee is to be loved best of all and all things must bee accounted drosse and doung in comparison of him Phil. 3. 7. 8. My welbeloved is the chiefe of ten thousand Cant. 5. 10. And withall hee is such a Lord as hath absolute command and power of our life and death for wee are not our owne but his and if hee call and command us to seale our profession with our bloud wee must bee ready to magnifie Christ in our bodies by life or death Philip. 1. 20. not fearing those that can kill the body Againe if wee looke on his merit and desert hee loved not his life to death for us but readily offered it up on our behalfe Luke 12. 50. How then should wee hold our selves bound in way of thankfulnesse if wee had a thousand lives to give them up for him shall the Just for the unjust and not the unjust for the Just Secondly if wee looke to the truth and Gospel it is far more worthy than all wee can give in exchange for it it cost Christ deare hee thought it worthy of his life and bought it with his precious bloud which was the bloud of God Act. 20. 28. should wee thinke much to buy it with our last bloud Remember the precept Pro. 23. 23. Buy the truth and sell it not no not at any rate God hath magnified his truth above all things and so must wee Shall not Christ shrink from the truth to save his life and shall we being called to witness leave it in the plaine field Thirdly looke on our selves 1. We are souldiers under Christs colours A souldier in the field sels his life for a base pay is ready for his King Country to endure blowes gashes and death it selfe How much more ought the Christian souldier for the love of his Captain honour of his profession contemne fears perils and thinke his life well sold in so honourable a quarrel and cause as Christs is 2. This is indeed rightly to love our selves when wee can rightly hate our selves We must learn to love our selves by not loving our selves who indeed hate our selves by loving our selves too well And this is if wee beleeve our Lord to save
preserve our life by thus casting it away A man that will save his seed not cast it away into the grrund loseth it by such saving but if hee sowe it he reneweth it multiplies it somtime an hundred fold So to lose thy self for Christ is to save thy selfe and to reap an hundred fold for it is but sowne to spring out unto the eternall harvest Ever remember that the right love of a mans self is in and for Christ. Ob. You speake of nothing but hindrance loss as if a Christian may not have riches friends life and comforts of it Ans. 1. Yes he may have them must save them but not in Christs cause when hee is called from them 2. Divorce not the parts of the text as there is losse in the text so there is a greater gain by it as the harvest makes him a gainer who in seed-time seemed a loser Ob. But that is a long day we would have something in hand Answ. So thou hast in hand an hundred not for ten but for one in this life with persecution Mar. 10. 30. for thy father forsaken thou hast God to thy father for thy mother Gods Church for thy goods Gods rich graces for thy friends lost the favour of God of his Angels and all Saints for thy trouble without peace of conscience within for thy lands the deeds assurances of an heavenly inheritance and for thy life temporall life eternall Wouldst thou have more in hand Ob. Oh but this is a very hard thing to rowe thus against the streame and do as no body doth Ans. Indeed few enter into this narrow way but it is good going to heaven although without company And yet thou wantest no good company but hast the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Christ himselfe before thee who also suffereth and smarteth in all the sorrowes of the Saints Object But is it not hard to be counted die for an hereticke Ans. Not of hereticks Christ was counted no lesse for thee Ob. But I have wife children and friends depending on me Ans. The case indeed is heavie as Christ implied saying Wo be to them that give suck in those dayes but 1. thou art a saver if thou savest nothing but Christ thou lovest well enough if in case of confession thou lovest nothing but Christ 2. cast thy care on the Lord who is wont to save his against all appearance And speake not one word for them that depend on thee and two for thy selfe Ob. But it may be I have a flock which will be scattered Ans. But thy bloud shed for the truth which thou hast preached preacheth with much more fruit and furtherance of the Gospel than all thy life and labours as in Abel Stephen and the Martyrs whose bloud yet speaketh Let all of us therfore who are pressed under this banner of Christs holy profession resolve to do our Master saithfull service even to the death and strive to beleeve the words of our Lord that to lose the life in this cause is to winne it in everlasting glory Object But the dayes thankes bee to God are peaceable and there is no great need nor use of this doctrine Answ. Yet 1. a wise Pilot will in peace provide for a storme 2. Wee know not how soon wee may have use of it one powder-blow from under-ground may shake all our foundations Little did the Christians in King Edwards daies thinke of such a suddaine change as Queene Mary brought in 3. Never were Gods people neerer danger than when they thought themselves furthest off and cried Peace peace 4. No Christian is well furnished but hee that in peace hath attained a ready disposition to lay down his life at any warning for the Name of Christ. Object But who would not give his life for Christ all say they are ready Answ. Yet first if times should change would they indeed who now in daies of protection are ashamed of the Gospel of Christ would they stick to Christ crowned with thornes who when hee weares a golden Crowne thinke it good policie not to bee seene with him Secondly is it to bring mens lives in their hands to Christ and his profession to shrinke now for feare at the name of a Professor and bee ready to faint to heare a damosell say Surely thou art one of them Thirdly would they suffer for the profession that now scoffe scorne at Professors under reproachful titles that now are persecutors themselves goe as far in persecuting as they can and the lawes wil suffer No no those that now robbe them of their good names while the Gospel is publikely professed protected would easily bereave them of their lives if times would afford them lawes and liberty So as the great part of the world is not resolved of this truth that to lose the life for Christ is to save it and those that now deny him in the peace of the Gospel are farre from dying with him in the triall Now because this is a building which requireth great fore-cast and is above naturall strength we had need furnish our selves with all the helpes to set it forward and fit our selves well to the obedience of so difficult a commandement Quest. What are they Ans. 1. Begin with God presume not of thine owne strength as Peter It is a worke of sound conversion and of mighty power by that Spirit of fortitude by which of weake wee become strong And therefore wee must pray earnestly that hee would please to stablish us unto this triall strengthen us with all patience long-suffering and joyfulnesse Col. 1. 10. For none have more cowardly lost the field than such as have most boasted of their valour and strength at home Pray also for that eye-salve which may let thee behold the glory of Christ and thine eternall felicity hid with him this wil make thee forget thy self as the Disciples did at Christs Transfiguration long after him and indeed a little taste of his glory wil make us valiant to take the Kingdome by force as himselfe did for the glory that was before him 2. Then take thy selfe in hand and strive daily in thine owne mortification and deniall of thy selfe beware of self-self-love love not the world nor the things in it account not of riches wealth above their worth If thy life bee too deare to thee or the world swell in thine eye or if thou mindest earthly things or settest too fast a hand on any thing wert thou never so wise learned civil nay didst thou follow Christ at heeles wert able to worke miracles and cast out Divels yet at length thou wouldst play false prove an Apostate as Judas and Demas who forsook the truth to embrace the present world 3. Get sound judgement in matters of Faith firmly and distinctly to beleeve the truth of Religion for this must be the ground of undaunted profession 2 Cor. 4. 13. I beleeved and
therefore I spake He hath begun well who hath begun in truth and laid a sure ground It was soundnesse of Faith that carried 〈…〉 ent Beleevers through such extremities They endured racking burning hewing asunder all by faith The just in trouble must live by faith Hab. 2. 4. And every house not founded upon a rocke when flouds beat stormes blow must fall and the fall shall be very great 4. Get sound affection grow up in the love of God and Jesus Christ then all torments shall be sweet for his sake as Jacob for Rachel 1 Cor. 13. 7. love suffereth all things Cant. 8. 6. love is strong as death the coales therof are fiery coales and a vehement flame much water cannot quench it nor flouds drown it Nay where this love is fervent it kindleth a flame of zeale by which if God cannot otherwise be glorified or rather than God should lose his glory the Saints would endure even the torments of hell Moses would rather bee razed out of the Booke of life and Paul separated from Christ rather than God not glorified 5. Christian resignation notably conduceth hereunto Learne to commit thy soule unto God in well-doing as into the hands of a faithfull Creatour 1 Pet. 4. 19. Thus did Paul 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have beleeved and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him till that day A childe that hath any precious thing given him the best way to keep it is to put it into his fathers hands to keep Thy soule is the most precious thing thou hast let thy Father keep it it shal be safe whatever befall the body outward man 6. Christian confirmation or corroboration unto all long-suffering and patience with joy Col. 1. 11. Wee must daily out-grow some weaknesse and bee adding to our strength and laying up something to animate and encourage our selves in enduring with Christ that by no meanes in triall we be wonne to deny Christ and his Name Now for our daily strengthening it will be usefull to meditate daily on some of these things 1. On Gods eternall decree who hath appointed an houre for the power of darkness to work before which time not an haire can fall from the head Till it bee come Christ shal withdraw himself from danger but when it is come he is not affraid to meet his enemies to tell them hee is the man whom they seeke deliver himselfe into their hands The enemy can do nothing that God is not aware of nothing beyond his just and wise permission nothing but what shall glorifie himself edifie the Church and turne to the best even to us particularly 2. Meditate on the Word of God predicting and fore-telling of persecutions for the Name of Christ Ye shall be hated of all men for my sake all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution and the time commeth in which they that kill you will think they doe GOD good service Which are good admonitions to keep us in some preparednes to drink of the same cup with Christ our Lord. Commanding to hold fast what wee have and let none take our crowne Rev. 2. 25. as if hee had said Hold fast with both hands that faith and grace which is the pledge of a crowne Promising and fencing the heart with assurance of his presence mitigation deliverance honourable recompence which are all strong sure foundations grounded in his owne truth and faithfulnesse 1. He hath promised his presence in sixe troubles in seven in fire and water and that for their strength consolation the Spirit of grace and glory shall rest upon them 1 Pet. 4. 14. And then he doth more for his Saints when he standeth by them strengthening their faith to suffer the pangs of death than when he opened the prison-doors iron gates to let Peter and Paul goefree Nay the same blessed Apostles were as deare to God and God as neere to them when they were behcaded by Nero as when the one by an Angel was led out the other had the foundations of the prison shaken and the gates cast open 2. He hath promised mitigation it is much more that Christians can with joy clap their hands and sing Psalmes in the flames professe as some of the Martyrs that the fire was to them as a bed of Downe or sweet Roses than to be led out of prison by an Angel 3. He hath promised an happy deliverance for the fire shall not hurt the gold but fine it the flaile shal not hurt the wheat but cleanse it the black sope seems to foyle and fowle the cloth but indeed makes it whiter cleaner There is no danger when Gods Battledore come on his children it serves but to whiten them and parts them from their foulnesse All the enemies cannot hinder thy glory no more than they could Christs they may sever soule and body asunder but neither of them from Christ. They may take our soules from our bodies or our hearts out of our bosome but cannot take us out of the hand or bosome of our heavenly Father 4. Hee hath promised a most ample recompence to him that overcomes I will give him power over the Nations he shall be a pillar in the house of God and shall go no more forth and Christ will confesse him before his Father in heaven Mat. 10. 32. Oh now look often upon this happy end if thou shalt give thy life in Christs quarrell Great shall be thy reward in heaven when a miserable life shall bee exchanged with eternall blessednesse This of the second meditation 3. Consider that thou hast Christ thy companion in suffering yea thou hast him an example also who for the joy set before him endured the crosse Nay he endured thy crosse all thy suffering is but an honest duty of thankfulnesse and a gratefull part to stick to him in trouble whom we have followed in prosperity Polycarp the Martyr at his death said thus I have served Christ 86. yeeres and hee never hurt mee why should I speake evill of him Yea it is but duty to maintaine his cause to death who by death maintained our cause now pleadeth it in the sight of God Neither is it an unglorious service but a precious gift and an honourable advancement 1 Pet. 4. 14. The Martyr that sate downe with Christ at a bitter breakfast expected a better dinner and found it Oh thinke with thy selfe what had become of mee if Christ had kept his life so fast from mee as my corruption would hold my life from him If I would keep it from him to day he may snatch it from me to morrow If I will not give it now to glorifie God he may take it unto punishmēt If I give it freely once it is not to lose it but to receive it for ever I see
opposed to all Gods commandements Psal. 119. 36. Pray for wisdome to conceive thy selfe a stranger and pilgrime here so to intend principally thy departure hence for ere long gather as fast and as dangerously as thou canst the poorest mans Omer shall be as full as thine So of the former point of instruction 2. Many Christians do not only endanger but even lose their soules for the world so our Saviviour implyeth Numbers of men to winne the world do lose their soules And though a man would thinke that no man were or could be so mad as to part with his soule on such base termes yet millions of men exchange heaven for earth and barter away their soules not for the whole world but for an handfull of earth As for example 1. He that loseth Christ loseth his soule But for the winning of the world many lose and forgoe Christ. The yong man left Christ because hee had great possessions Mat. 19. 22. Many of the Jewes heard Christ knew him and beleeved in him but durst not confesse him for that they feared to be losers in the world Joh. 12. 42 43. And thus doe all they who being convinced in themselves and having some good affections joyned to illumination yet give the day to the world and the night to Christ. Great and rich men dare not be seene in the profession when poore fisher-men come by day they dare not come by night 2. Hee loseth Christ for the world that giveth priority to the world above Christ as the Gadeâ—ens preferred their hogges before the presence of Christ and as Esau preferred the broth before the blessing He onely hath wonne Christ that esteemes all things as drosse and dung in com parison of Christ Phil. 3. 7 8. The wise Merchant that found the pearle lost all to buy it The Disciples left all for Christ. But easily may we see how millions of men undervalue Christ in comparison of the world for First what is the chiefe labour studie time costs and paines of men employed upon is it not for the food that perisheth and profits of the world in the meane time the labour for that durable food and the Manna that came downe from heaven is either none or formall sleight seldome Secondly how are the affections of men generally bent is Christ their chife joy or treasure hath Shee gained their thoughts delight they in his love more than in life Or see we not the multitude preferre the world before their chiefe joy set their hearts upon it doat upon it their thoughts runne first and last and all day long after it with unwearied delight and comfort when in the meane time they banish thoughts of Christ of their treasure portion and country in heaven How doe most men feare the losse of the world more than the losse of Gods favour their soules and salvation How doe they more grieve and sorrow in a trifling losse of the world than when by sinne Gods favour and the grace of Christ is forfeited Thirdly how do the speeches of men bewray them to bee worldlings and if the speech be according to the abundance of the heart Christ hath small roome there Esa. 32. 6. the niggard speaks of niggardlinesse and 1 Joh. 4. 5. They speake of the world and the world heareth them But how long should a man watch in vaine for a â—avorie word concerning Christ or the salvation of their soules or speake to them the language of Canaan it is Hebrew or thrust in a savory speech of God his word or grace how strange and unwelcome is it their pennes tell us that their hearts indite no good matter Is not this to undervalue Christ in comparison of the world or is this to be a pilgrim or to possesse or rather to bee wholly possessed of the word Object There is no man whose ordinary theme is not more of the world than of GOD or Christ and will you therefore conclude that there is no man but loves the world better than Christ Answ. 1. Wee are all more carnall than spirituall and therefore our thoughts and speeches will be wandring but wee must not please our selves herein but mortifie and subdue carnall words as well as desires and groane under this corruption for is it not a wofull and wonderfull errour that earth and perishing things should more affect and possesse us than the great things given us of God in Christ Secondly I grant wee have callings and earthly affaires which tye us ordinarily to speak and thinke of such things but the speciall calling of a Christian must bee ever subordinate to the generall and in all earthly businesse a man must carry an heavenly minde God gives no leave to be earthly-minded even while a man is earthly-employed Thirdly the speaking and thinking more of a thing upon necessitie doth not ever argue more love unto it but the speaking and thinking of things out of the valuation of judgement for instance A workeman thinkes more of his tooles and an husbandman speakes more of his husbandrie than of his wife or children because these are the object of his labour but it followes not hee loves them better because he doth not in his judgement esteeme these better Now let a Christian preserve in his judgement a better estimate of Christ and heavenly things and his speeches in things earthly will still preferre that and runne upon it So of the two former proofes Thirdly he loseth his soule for the world that for wealth or by wealth hinders his owne salvation as numbers doe by unlawfull getting the world falling downe before the divell for it wealth is even the divels wages for some sinne committed being either gotten or kept by evill meanes or against good conscience viz. either in the use of an unlawfull calling or by the abuse of a lawfull Of the former sort are such as live by dicing houses filthy houses and the like places of hellish resort which may be rightly called the divells houses of office And those that live by unthriftie gaines by usury magicke making the instruments of pride and sinne or a calling to which they are not fitted as insufficient Ministers who runne but are not sent because they are not gifted God need not send a message by the hand of a foole Of the latter sort are first those that enrich themselves for doing a dutie which they doe not as grosse Non-residents that feed themselves but not the flocke or for doing that they ought not to doe as Lawyers who take reward for pervertings equity and right or perhaps are fee-ed on both sides by one to speake by the other to hold their peace or as good Secondly tradesmen that use false weights measures words wares sophisticall and insufficient as many who rise by cousenage and the craft of their trades by lying or swearing or by trickes in bargaining abuse the simplicitie or necessitie of
inconstancie of them And can these things so vaine in themselves recover so infinite a losse Secondly see them in their properties As they are vaine in themselves so are they not ours but some from parents as inheritances some from Princes as honors some from people as praise name reputation and all in other mens power so long as they will conferre or retaine them But our soules are properly ours as also our sinnes and no man can redeeme the soule of his brother Psal. 49. 7. Againe they are changeable and temporarie For wealth a man may out live a world of it and dye a begger Mens favors are no inheritance Beautie will not stand before one fit of sicknesse nor strength the shake of one ague One snuffe of a candle may suddenly overmaster the greatest estate and the greatest pleasures are but for a season Whereas the soule and faculties of it are immortall and capable of eternall weale or wo. Thirdly that which must ransome the soule must appease the infinite wrath of God which all finite creatures are not able to doe Pro. 11. 4. they avayle not in the day of wrath Only the blood of Christ is a plenarie expiation Againe that which must ransome a soule must buy backe the sentence and procure a righteousnesse answerable to the law but the whole world cannot do that onely Christ frees from the sentence of condemnation and his blood onely obtaines for us better conditions by vertue of a new covenant than the law affords us Lastly that which ransomes a soule must help us out of corruption pull us out of the power of Satan keepe the soule from hell and invest us into life and immortalitie But a world of worlds cannot doe the least of all these and therefore can be no proportionall recompence for a lost soule Fourthly all the world cannot offer a recompence to God of any thing which is not his owne whereas our ransome must be of a thing undue an offering above that the law requireth a free-will offering so that no sinner can offer a ransome of sin And by all this it appeareth that the whole world cannot afford a recompence for one lost soule Which serves to condemne the extreme blasphemie of the Romish Church teaching that masses pardons indulgences satisfactions humane merits pilgrimages and a thousand such toyes can become a recompence for a lost soule whereas no man nor Angell can become a recompence for a lost soule it is too great a price to pay the person must be no lesse than GOD and man 1 Pet. 1. 18. Yee are not redeemed with corruptible things 2. Let such rich men as to whom our Lord directeth this speach consider of their wofull estate while they abound with wealth trustin nothing so much as that A broken reed and for all their wealth being wicked they must to hell their riches cannot ransom thē yea they rather plunge them into the pit than help them out as a wedg of gold helps more to drowne a man that is cast into the sea thā to save or deliver him Which should be of use to all the more willingly to want them the more weinedly to hold them to grow into an holy contempt of them and to raise our desires to better more durable riches 3. It may humble us for that it imports the extreme miserie into which wee have plunged our selves by sin we have lost our soules and cast them into so ruinous a condition as the whole world is not sufficient to ransom them The greatness and desperateness of the cure amplifies the greatnesse and desperatenes of the disease What earthly danger is it which the world cannot buy out but gold and silver cannot purchase a Church no not one soule It must be an infinite ruine and breach the repaire whereof must be of such infinite value and sufficiency 4. It calls us to behold the excellencie of Christ and fixe our eyes upon the wonderfull vertue of his precious blood which did redeeme our lost soules when all corruptible things in the world could not How should it excite us to love him and admire his goodnes and raise the price of grace which is beyond all treasures yea and teach us to esteeme the rebukes of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt Paul would bee set downe a nothing in himselfe that he might finde the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection the worth and value wherof is beyond the worth of many worlds even so farre as infinite is beyond finite which holds no comparison Lastly it may raise in us the true valuation and respect of our owne soules Is the soule at such a rate as being lost a whole world cannot redeeme it what an extreme madnesse then is it for men so to live as if they had no soules or if they have they are but as salt to keepe their bodies sweet void of all care either to keepe or save them never an horse or hog about their houses but their lives are more regarded than their precious soules Certainly there is nothing of price no pearles no grace nothing worthy of care where men are so carelesse Let us bee exhorted to looke better to our soules than to lose them for any baites which the divell or the world layes in our way Prize them above all the world as Christ doth Be serious in the saving of thy soule above the winning of the world Use the ordinary means diligently Get the Spirit of faith love prayer c. which are utterly contemned by the most too much neglected by the best And with thine owne soule pitie and prize the soules of others especially such as are committed to thee as a Pastor as a Parent as a Master lose them not for want of instruction esteeme the soules of thy wife children precious things bring them to the means of salvation teach them pray for them help them out of danger of perdition if by thy default one soule be lost all the world cannot make up the losse either to thee or to that person Verse 27. For the Sonne of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angells and then shall hee give to every man according to his deeds OUr Saviour having enforced his doctrine of selfe-deniall by two strong arguments already the inevitable danger of fayling herein and the unprofitablenesse of that unhappie match of winning the world with the losse of the soule in these words addeth another of no lesse force than the former drawne from the consideration of the last judgment wherein all those his sayings shal be fully accomplished for howsoever he was now abased and rejected as not worth the following and owning yet the time commeth that hee will come in the glory of his Father attended with his most glorious Angells and then shall hee give to every man according to his workes that is to say to the wicked
what else is it to see the Kingdome of God come with power than to see the enlargement and increase of the Kingdome of God by the prevailing of the Gospell bringing in men to the obedience of faith whence Rom. 1. 16. the Gospell is called the power of God to salvation But thirdly let us looke into the accomplishment of this prophecie which will notably enlighten the true meaning because wee shall here see Christ now ascended mightily declaring himselfe the King of his Church and that hee was not only exalted unto the right hand of God but that even in the dayes of some of the Apostles he came in the mighty power of his kingdome of grace As appeared 1. In the emission of his Apostles Christ immediatly before his Ascension did call and send out his Apostles with speciall promise of his presence in their Ministerie to the end of the world Mat. 28. 18. Goe and reach all nations their commission was to make Disciples every where This great worke the Apostle magnifieth Eph. 4. 11. When hee ascended hee gave gifts to men some to be Apostles c. for the gathering of the Saints for the worke of the Ministerie and the edification of the body of Christ. This was one most powerfull means for propagating his kingdom which was herein seene gloriously to come out through the world 2. In the descending of the holy Ghost fiftie dayes after his Ascension upon the Apostles when the Spirit promised came rushing upon them as a mighty winde and filled all the house whereupon forthwith they preached the Word of the Gospell to every nation under heaven at Jerusalem in their owne tongue Act. 2. 2. which was a fruit of his Ascension and Exaltation v. 33. and a comming in his kingdome with power 3. In the Apostolicall gifts we may see how powerfully the Sonne of man came in his Kingdome in their dayes as the gift of knowledge in deepe mysteries of the Kingdome without studie the gift of prophecie the gift of miracles of healing by imposition of hands of casting out devils of raising the dead and the like for confirmation of their doctrine the gift of tongues and of immunitie from errour in teaching or writing the gift of the Apostolicall rod in smiting offendors as Paul did Elymas with blindenesse and Peter Ananias Sapphira with suddaine death Which peculiar gifts were promised and given them that by the admirable use and power of them the Sonne of man should come gloriously in his Kingdome and the Church more and more confirmed in the faith and more allured in the beginning and cradle of it to the love of Christ and his truth who a little before was so hated and despised 4. In the Apostolicall diligence which was wonderfull and all to this end that the Sonne of man might come gloriously in this his Kingdome The travells of Paul alone were such as hee carried the word of the Kingdome and set up Christ as a King unto a third part of the knowne world Rom. 15. 19. 20. Yea in his time hee sheweth that the Gospell was preached not at Colossus onely as Col. 1. 16. but by the diligence of the Apostles it was fruitfull in all the world v. 23. How instant were they in preaching writing disputing and suffering and all to set up the Son of man glorious in his kingdome 5. In the successe of the Apostles in their Ministerie which if we consider wee shall see the truth of Christs speech that they did more in the means of conversion of men than himselfe did Act. 2. at one Sermon of Peters three thousand were converted this was the first famous draught of this fisher of men by which three thousand subjects were added to Christs Kingdome in one day here came the Sonne of man gloriously in his Kingdome And what wonderfull increase it took in all quarters all the Epistles of the Apostles do witnesse especially twenty yeares after Christs Ascension in which times howsoever some of the Apostles were extinct as James slaine with the sword by Herod Ast. 12. yet some other of the Apostles and of others who heard Christ speake these words were living witnesse that Synod of the Apostles which was fifteene yeares after Christs Ascension at Jerusalem wherein James sonne of Alphens was President which sheweth both the flourishing estate of the Church at that time and that many of the Apostles were then living and so this prophecie of Christ was accomplished But 6. Fortie yeares after Christs Ascension when all the Jewish â—orship and ceremonies together with the Temple were so â—olished and destroyed as one â—one was not left upon another â—e whole house and all the utenâ—ls and shadowes were burnt with fire so as none of them â—ould longer stand up against Christ the truth and substance of them Then was the sonne of man let into his kingdome most â—erspicuously all vaâ—les were â—ow rent all shadowes vanished â—ll partitions broken downe and Christ with open face triumâ—hantly conquering and prevaiâ—ing in the world And this Johnâ—he â—he Evangelist saw who dyed in the 101. yeare after Christ about â—0 yeares after the destruction of the Temple as Chronologers have collected Object Christ was come in his Kingdome before so John Baptist preached Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand and Christ himselfe said in Matt. 12. If I by the Spirit of God cast out divels then is the kingdome of God come unto you Answ. True it is the sonne of man was come in his kingdome before 1. in the beginnings of it 2. to Judea 3. in a dim obscure light in comparison But now it is come in the power of it and to all the world even in the Apostles time whereof our Saviour here speaketh Wee might adde hereto the writing of the Evangelists Matthew who wrote his Gospell eight yeares after Christ Marke ten Luke fifteene and John forty two wherein Christ came in his Kingdome apparently to all the world in all the Churches of the New Testament Yea this last of the Apostles John saw Christs comming in his Kingdome most gloriously in the undaunted confession of his Name by many thousand Christians that gave their lives for the testimonie of his truth For hee lived to see three of those bloodie persecutions of Roman Emperours as of Nero under whom Peter Paul suffered of Domitian under whom himselfe was banished into the Isle Pathmos where hee wrote his Revelation and of Trajan under whom were many thousand Christians drawne to death daily as Plinie the second testifieth writing in their behalfe to Trajan the Emperour in whose dayes John wrote his Gospell and dyed the 10â— yeare of his owne age All which hath notably cleared the sense of our Saviours prediction Now followes the observation Where the Word of God is most powerfully preached and most cheerefully obeyed there Christ commeth most gloriously in his kingdome The whole 110. Psalme
as eating and drinking all must be to the glory of God or civill authority subjection marriage and duties of the speciall calling and oeconomicall duties all must bee contained within the limits of Gods word or religious duties of Gods worship publike or private Whatsoever I command thee that doe onely all the Tabernacle the whole and parts even to the smallest pinnes must be framed to the patterne in the mount or ludicrous sports recreations Gods statutes must direct which are lawfull which not how far lawfull or not and so for circumstances of time place and persons and for manner and end all to helpe matters more serious 5. David implyes in this similitude that whosoever are out of this way and transgresse these statutes they wander from the God of peace and from life are out of Gods protection and lyable to all the curses of the Law as men out of the Kings high-way are out of the Kings protection Hence it is said of wicked men Psal. 14. 3. They are all gone out of the way and the way of peace they have not knowne And as a man having lost his way knowes not where he shall lodge so such as goe on their owne wayes following the lusts of their hearts and eies are blind-folded and carried by Satan to the lodging of death even eternall These things lye in the Metaphor Then for the singularity of this way he saith thy way not wayes for Gods way is but one but by-paths are many Many are the sciences and other knowledges worthy our labour and paines but David above all desires the knowledge of this one and onely way of God and of salvation Obiect 1. The heavenly Ierusalem hath twelve gates therfore the way is not one Ans. The place speaks not of so many wayes but that from all coasts the Israel of God enters by this one way Obiect 2. Wee read of the wayes of God Acts 13. 10. Ans. Those be so many steps in the way of God but not so many severall wayes David knew but one way of statutes which he would be taught that hee might avoyd all by-paths and so come happily to the end of his way But for the fourth generall why doth David desire to bee taught of God he had Gad and Nathan the Prophets hee had ordinary Levites hee had the Scriptures why then doth hee not apply himselfe to the means to which God tyeth him Ans. 1. David had good meanes and was most diligent in the â—â—se of them he was a diligent reader and spent nights and dayes in meditation of the Woâ—rd but yet to all these and above all these he desireth Gods teaching without which all thâ—se are in vaine Paul may pl 〈…〉 nt and Apollo water but God giveth the increase 2. Hee knowes that all other Teachers can but teach the eare God alone teacheth and openeth the heart as Lydâ—a Acts 16. 14. And whereas Satan and wicked men may have a great deale of speculative knowledge and goe to hell hee desires an inward Teacher and to bee inwardly taught by the teaching of the Spirit 3. Hee here â—raveth foure things in this one petition beyond all mens teaching First teach me to attend the way of thy statutes that I may understand them and thy word be not a clasped booke unto me neither may I by missing the right scope pervert the same to mine owne destruction aâ— many abuse many places to strengthen their owne lusts v. c. that place of providing for the familie to maintaine covetousnesse and the sinnes of Patriarkes to defend the like where the right scope and sense is not attended Secondly teach mee to affect the way of thy statutes that my heart may melt as Iosiahs at the hearing of the Law and be pricked and broken with the threats of it as were those Converts that cryed Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saved Acts 2. 37. When the Promises are preached or promulgated let my heart dilate and open it selfe as the thirsty ground and reioyce that it understandeth the Word taught as Neh. 8. 13. This must we pray that the more we know the more wee may love God that the Word of God by the worke of the Spirit may be as fire not onely for the light of knowledge but also for the heat and warmth of affection c. Thirdly teach me to beleeve thy statutes for all true and comfortable knowledge is applicatory it rests not in the understanding but is a firme assent in the Will laying hold on the thing knowne And this must we pray seeing all knowledge not mingled with faith is unprofitable And then we are taught to beleeve when according to the word of the Law we choose and worship the true God for our God and according to the voyce of the Gospel we beleeve in him whom the Father hath sent acknowledging him not onely a Christ and Iesus but mine at Thomas said My Lord and my God and as Iob My Redeemer liveth and that Iesus Christ brings salvation to me through remission of sinnes Luk 1. 7. 7. Fourthly teach mee to obey thy statutes for all sound knowledge is practicall and to know Christ as the truth is in Christ is to cast off the old man with his lusts and put on the now This must bee our prayer that the Lord would so teach us his way as we may walke in it that hee would so take us into his schoole as to become both more skilfull and more holy that seeing not hearers but doers are â—ustified our portion may bee in their blessednesse that heare the Word and keepe it This was Davids ayme in this prayer Quest. But why is he so earnest being a man of so deepe knowledge and understanding already Ans. 1. A good heart inflamed with love of God can never bee neare enough love loveth and liveth in union If it be in the way to him it would get further still 2. Though hee bee taught in part yet he seeth what a small measure hee hath attained and desireth to bee taught further No marvell if hee that hath 〈◊〉 taste of this knowledge desire â—is fill and satiety He that see 〈…〉 th but in part desireth to see more perfectly Nature abhors â—acuity and emptinesse and much more grace 3. Hee is earnest to know the way to shew that he shall never come at God who cares not to â—eepe the way to him Many desire to come to God but it must be in the way of the world or of pleasure or of custome or carnall fellowship or lusts of their owne hearts All these are dead desires leading from God David will desire the way as well as the end And wee also must not bawke the meanes if we ayme at the end This of the Exposition of our Text. Now follow the instructions Doctr. 1. In that David goeth to the Lord to be taught learne
and all holy men yea of Iesus Christ himselfe and therefore is the way wherein we shall want no good guides nor company 2. Every one in his journey would enquire and choose the rightest way but the wayes of the Lord are right and the iust walke in them Hos. 14. 9. Elymas ceased not to pervert the right wayes of God Act. 13. 10. All other wayes are crooked paths and by-lanes Psal. 125. 5. 3. This is the lightest and most comfortable way Psalm 19. 8. the statutes of the Lord are right reioycing the heart In this way is peace of conscience joy of the holy Ghost comfort of heart in life and death and this joy shall none take away No marvell when Ezekiâ—l ate this little booke that it was sweet as honey in his mouth chap. 3. 3. Queene Elizabeth of blessed memory laying the Bible to her heart said It was her comfort in her trouble and therefore should bee in her Rule her rule But the way of the wicked is darkenesse Prov. 4 19. they know not where they shall erre and fall 4. This is the cleanest way 2 Sam 22. 31 the wayes of God are uncorrupt and pure Esa. 35 8 The way shall be called holy and the polluted passe not by it Deut. 4. 8. What nation hath so righteous lawes what passengers have so faire a way Silver tryed seven times is not so pure as these statute Psal. 19. 9. who would preferre the myrie and dirty wayes of sinfull pleasures before it 5. This is of all other the safest way freest from robbers and theeves in which thou art under the Lords protection being the Kings high-way yea wherin thou hast a guard of Gods Angels to keepe thee safe to the wayes end Psal. 91. 10 11. they are charged with thy safety 6. It is the shortest and most compendions way leading to life and in keeping this way shall be great reward All other are by-wayes that lead to the gates of death Now let the wisdome of God rule us to choose this oldest rightest lightest cleanest safest and shortest way as ever wee desire to come to an happy end of our way This is the Vse of incitation Now followes the second of reprehension And first of Recusant Papists who wilfully refuse the knowledge of God scorne and contemne the Preachers and expounders of those statutes yea hate them to the death and shun all the meanes of skil and instruction in those Statutes Can they be good subjects that will not know their Princes lawes that burne the Statute-bookes and their expounders too yet such good subjects are these to God who have chose the curse that Cain bewayled namely that he was cast from the face of God in his fathers house they willingly excommunicate themselves And adde unto these our mungrill Church-papists who sometime slip into the Church for odde respects Recusancie proves disgracefull or chargeable and would put them to more cost then their Religion is worth They can heare the Word when and of whom they list or must but to heare Popery refuted or disgraced is to cast dust in their eies They can heare a Sermon but detest and raile upon the Preacher Very devout they seeme and scrupulous in the least ceremony but like those devout women who stoned Paul To both these our Lord saith If ye were of God ye would heare his voyce Were their Religion of God they would love his statutes above their daily food and love the bringers so as to account their very feet beautifull Did they love Christ they would not hate his Disciple neither could the Temple of Dagon and the Arke stand together in the Temple of the heart Heare the counsell to be as thou seemest or seeme as thou art assuredly God will have no part of a divided person Secondly they are farre from the comfort of a good estate who will not be brought out of their dores their shops their Counting-houses to learne the way of Gods statutes but living in places of knowledge suffer ignorance to reigne in their hearts How farre are they from Davids minde and desire his heart brake within him for the desire of Gods judgements Psa. 119. 20. he esteemed the place of Gods worship Bethel the very house of God and the gate of heaven hee accounted them blessed that might dwell in or neare the house of God Psa. 84. But so farre are many from discerning this an happinesse that they esteeme every Sermon as the old prophecies the burden of the Lord a straw-matter can keepe them from Church and they are of the number of Salomons fooles that scorne wisdome and instruction They will alleage their hearts are good enough and their meaning is good though their skill be small and God will accept their good meaning But 1. that is false no meaning is good without knowledge Prov. 19. 2. Without knowledge the mind is not good 2. Meane what thou wilt if thou hearest not Gods word thou art not of God Ioh. 8. 47. 3. What a deceit of heart is it that can shrowd all under good meaning while it meanes never to bee good or thinke that God will accept an ignorant and unregenerate heart for a good heart 4. Examine this good heart of thine by that which issueth thence see if there come not out of it adulteries oaths blasphemies lyes rotten speeches injustice contempt of Gods Ordinances and servants And is this good Others love God above all and their neighbour as themselves what needs more But nothing is more bold than blindnesse Neglect the meanes of knowledge thou neither lovest God nor thy neighbour nor thy selfe Not God for if yee loved me saith Christ ye would keepe my Commandements Not thy neighbour if not him that begate not him that is begot Not thy selfe hee that hates wisdome hates his owne soule Prov. 8. 36. and chap. 4. 13. shee is thy life If thou lovedst thy soule thou wouldest heare and hide the Word in it and not hide thy selfe from the Word Others will pray and let others preach they will be devout let others runne to Sermons they will be active Christians while others are passive But 1. this is from the foolery of some Preachers who sever what God hath joyned and set two so neare friends and twins of the same wombe by the eares 2. Canst thou pray without teaching and hearing Consider wilt thou pray to an unknowne God or a God whom thou wilt not know Canst thou call on him on whom thou beleevest not or beleeve without hearing or can a right prayer be severed from much knowledge both of thine owne wants and unworthinesse of Gods mercy power and will to supply of the meanes of meriting that supply which is by Iesus Christ made thine owne and how to expect patiently and be delayed or denyed thankefully or else Christianly to use mercies received to the glory of the giver and
good course arming thy selfe against the loosenesse of the times and contrary perswasions If a man walke haltingly in this way and make no great bones of tripping or stumbling in it or appeare not precise above the scantling of a civill wise and wary man hee may passe not much disaffected and yet in good showes not be altogether allowed But if hee will be strict in keeping his way that he will walke with God as Enoch or set the Lord still in sight as David or with the Apostles endevour to have a good conscience in all things and yeeld to no corruption of times no not an hoofe at Pharaohs request no not a graine at the Emperours oh these men are sit for another age and another Climate not worthy to live in this Away with such a fellow from the earth for it is not fit that he should live Act. 22 22. 4. Fence thy selfe with spirituall armour Israel in their way to Canaan must gird up their loynes and take staâ—es in their hands so the Christian traveller being set out of Egypt must gird up his loynes with the girdle of sincerity faith love hope the staffe of the Law and Gospel in their hands to establish their feet their feet shod with preparation of the Gospell to goe wheresoever the Gospel calleth What man runnes into the field without his weapons and provisions Conclude with notes of a man carefull to keepe his way 1. Hee will be very inquisitive and will aske of the simplest that knowes the way better Being in the wildernesse hee will enquire of the way to Canaan The Iaylor askes it of his prisoner Acts 16. 30. 2. He is circumspect doubtfull sollicitous lest he have stept out of the way Hee is easily reduced if he have erred Hee knowes it is easie to wander but a mad part not to bee willing to returne and that he can onely attaine his end in this way and no other 3. He goes in the day and walks in the light and so knows whither he goes he walkes and workes while day lasteth afraid to be cast into the night Ioh. 12. 35 36. 4. He suspects every faire way for his way is strawed with crosses and every foule dirty lane for his is an holy and cleane way and every crosse way where are many turnings to the right or left hand for his is a right way without turnings 5. Hee followes Christ his guide and will not walke without him as the heathen but wisely so fix his eyes on Christ as that he looke warily both to his own feet and the end of his way 6. He will be sure to goe with good company he joynes himselfe with men fearing God and the Saints that excell in vertue with whose feet this way is beaten Nay not content with these he will get God himselfe to goe with him as Iacob prayed the Lord to goe with him in his journey and Moses Exod. 33. 15. If thy presence goe not with us carry us not uphence 7. Hee goes on constantly through droughts and drops through thicke and thin through all estates without intermission as the Sunne like a Bridegroome hastneth his course He leaps over blockes pibbles rubs oppositions wrongs slanders none can cast him backe nor turne him out but with our Prophet he keepes the way even to the end EPICURISME DESCRIBED AND DISGRACED EXOD. 32. 6. And the people sate downe to eat and to drinkâ— and rose up to play AFter that God had delivered his Lawes in the former chapters here wee see how his own people addresse themselves to obedience For wâ—ile Moses in the 〈…〉 ount stayeth with God to receive more directions somewhat longer then they think fit they fall to commit most horrible Idolatry which in the first verse the people propound to Aaron make us gods and vers 2. Aaron against his conscience yeelds to it setting them in a way to bring their Iewels Vers. 3. the people contribute to it being as ready to bring as he to desire them Vers. 4. Of the Iewels an Idolis made by Aaron and with the Calfe an Altar set up Then is an holy-day proclaimed to the Idol on the morrow after vers 5. Afterward the consummation of their idolatry vers 6. the people offered sacrifices before the golden Calfe Lastly in the Text is set downe the inseperable adjunct of Idolatry namely excesse and idlenesse or luxury and wantonnes The people also sate downe to eat and drinke and rose up to play At this time consider 1. Who did this the people 2. When they did sit downe to eat and drinke 3. Whether it be a sinne to eat and drinke 4. The use thereof For the first of these Who did this The people who had impiously presumed to set up a worship without yea against God They thinke much to spend whole forty daies without some ceremony or publike testimony of duty And they had seene such a worship in Egypt wherewith God of whom they heard nothing might perhaps be appeased and therefore as the Egyptians worshipped their Apis in the formâ— of a Bull for their tillage sake so would they worship the Calfe and afterward give themselves to excesse and idlenesse Whence note that feastings and idlenesse are the undivided companions oâ— Idolatry These people are first Idolaters from Idolatry they fall to gluttony from gluttony to wantonnesse Yea such inseparable attendants they are that the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 7. proves the Isra 〈…〉 es to bee Idolaters by this testimony because they sate downe to eat and drinke and rose up to play It appeares in heathenish Idolatry for the Heathens in all their false and idolatrous worships celebrated the honour of their gods with feastings banquettings playes and dancings Both the Greekes and Romans used many filthy sports and actions in their solemne services The Romans to magnifie their heathenish idolatry instituted their Saturnalia that is a feast of five dayes ordained by Ianus in honour of Saturnâ— in whoâ—e time all things were used in common These five dayes were kept in December with great cost in sumptuous feasts with variety of sports games and presenting of rich gifts In these dayes servants had equall power with their Masters and authority to sit at table with them and have a common command with them We read also of the obscene spectacles in the sacrifices called Floralia wherein harlots were brought in naked on the Theater c. But whence comes this 1. Because the Heathens would imitate the Iewes who by Gods Commandement must eat and drinke and feast before the Lord in offering their sacrifices whence both Iewes and Gentiles tooke occasion of all carnall liberty and excesse and to adde what God never prescribed as to rise up to play 2. Because idolatry must bee contrary to the true worship of God wherein repentance godly sorrow and a contrite heart is most acceptable Of all creatures an Idolater is most
themselves as our Text gives instance And I thinke the rule will prove generally true that Christians doe more multiply their sinnes in abuse of things lawfull then in adventuring on things unlawfull and faster doe they rivet themselves in those sinnes which lye in lawfull things then in such as are easily convinced to be unlawfull An hard taske it is for a Teacher to winne Christians by profession either from wicked practices if they please to call them play oh meddle not with mine eyes or from the usuall sinnes attending such recreations as in the substance of them are not unlawfull In both resembling Salomons mad-man that casteth darts and firebrands and saith Am I not in sport But a wise and teachable Christian will confine himselfe to Gods allowance and neither in jest catch at any forbidden fruit be it never so pleasant in it selfe or strongly perswaded nor in the use of allowed delights straine beyond the bounds and limits of the Word nor complaine of us as injurious when we disallow in men nothing but what God himselfe in the Scriptures restraineth them in And if we will be ruled by God in our sports rejoycings we must listen to his directions 1. in the choyce 2. in the use of our play First our choyce must be of sports in themselves lawfull We may not play with holy things suppose Scripture-phrases wee must feare the holy name of Iehova not play with it nor with oaths our owne or others nor with lots which are a part of the Name of God yea more solemn then any oath and must not be vainly used or for recreation Neither on the other side may we play with sinne or things evill in themselves viz. to make one drunke or sweare or to laugh at such persons it is a matter of sorrow to see Gods Image so defaced his honourable name so disgraced and Davids eyes will gush out with rivers of teares for such sinnes So in other sinful merriments Or if wee have not warrant for them by generall rules of the Word if the lawes of the land prohibit them as unlawfull if honest heathens have on good ground condemned them if the Fathers and judicious Divines have blotted and disgraced them c. Here pause on that rule Phil. 48. And Christian wisedome will also guide us to the choyce of the best spots A spirituall mind will chuse spirituall recreations as a carnall mind will use carnal And although there be time and place for bodily yet a wise Christian must in the highest roome set heavenly delights viâ— comforts of the Spirit joy in God and his Word walking in the garden of Christ where is most sweet and ravishing delight in hearing reading meditating holy conference and in gathering and smelling the sweetest flowers of knowledge faith love hope holinesse Here is a profitable and a lasting delight And here is a tryall of the constitution of thy soule the soule that more contents it selfe with carnall delights then these is of a carnall constitution if it be so constantly Secondly when we have chosen warrantable sports we must beware we sinne not in the use of them And to keepe us from sinne in our recreations wee must looke to our neighbour to our selves 1. For our neighbour the rule of wisdome to be observed is we must wisely sort our selves in our sports with the most sober godly and wise of our degree condition and sort of life that may rather watch over us that we offend not in them then any way draw and provoke us so to doe No pestilentiall ayre so contagious as where swearers and riotous gamesters are met And as thy company is which thou chusest and usest so art thou 2. We must looke carefully to our selves First for our affection that it be moderate Wee may use lawfull sports but not love them Hee that loves pastime shall be a poore man saith Salomon Prov. 21. 17. And the Apostle commands Christians to reioyce as not reioycing 1 Cor. 7. 30. that is to bee so moderate and retired in our joyes as not over-value them nor set affections on them as having greater things to doe Moderation will observe due circumstances it suffreth not a man to be given over to sport nor to sit up night and day and turne dayes into nights and nights into dayes as intemperate and riotous gamesters doe nor will it let the duties of generall or speciall calling lye aside for daies and weeks together because the least commanded thing is better than the best that is indifferent and sports were not ordained to hinder our callings but to fit us for them as whetting a sythe to forward the mower but if a mower shall doe nothing but whet whet for a whole day together wee would say hee is mad c. Secondly for our ends Our ends must not be to passe the time which passeth whether we will or no and we ought to redeeme our time and not let it passe without gaining somthing better than it selfe Nor yet to maintaine idlenesse as men that cannot tell what to doe with themselves else which is no better then idlenesse for idlenesse is not onely not-working but a doing of trifles and that which we dare not bring to God in accounts And is not the case pitifull that Christians having so much good worke to doe and so many meanes and so many cals and so little time should finde nothing so necessary as cards and dice Againe the end of sport is preservation of our health both of soule and body and not to impaire the health of either as many by watching at play and forgetting or forgoing their diet and rest for play destroy their health and call in numbers of disease â—â—on themselves and oftentimes untimely death Lastly seeing nothing can be lawfull wherein some glory accrewes not to God therefore if the end of our sports be not to enable us with chearefulnesse in duties of Religion and Christianity it will all be returned as sinne in our reckoning Thus of the ends Thirdly we must guide our selves in our sports by remembring these rules 1. That we may not recreate the outward man but to better the inward for Gods wisdome hath subordinated all inferiour things to the furtherance of the best things the seeking of all other things even necessaries much more indifferent to the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse And he wils that all earthly joyâ—â— helpe forward our spirituall joy in God and his Christ and the eternall joyes of Kingdome But when they will step in competition with these they are to be snibb'd and cast out Never must our chiefe joy be abated for these nor our chiefe affections unsetled of that fulnesse of joy at Gods right hand for evermore 2. Remember we have a spirituall course and race to runne and beware we clogge not nor oppresse our selves with pleasures that instead of speeding us in our way they become the Divels
adversity 5. He is usefull to others though enemies 6. He can live by faith whatever meanes be or be not The second duty and note of a Disciple Luk. 9. 23. Three things in it I. What the crosse iâ— II. Why it is called the crosse 1. 3. III. What it is to take it up Negatively Reasons that we may not pull the crosse on our selves 1. 2. 3. 4. Affirmatively Description of taking up the crosse Foure motives Why it must be taken up daily 1. 2. 3. Luk. 22. 28. Doctr. 1. Every Christian hath his crosse Reason 1. 2. Dei filius sustinuit ignominiam crucis tu beatos putas qui soelicitaâ—â—â—tius seculi deliciis per 〈…〉 untur Hieron 3. Two causes of the crosse never wanting 2. 4. Sicuâ— cibus adhaeret vast in quo coquitur nisi amoveatur ac perditsaporem debitum debitumque colorem sic cor hominis adhaeret isti mundo nisi amoveatur per tribulationes De contempl ver pat §. 3. Mat. 3. 12. Triticum percussum de palia sua exiâ—it â—oras c. Chrys. ibid. 5. Job 1. 9. Use 1. The crosse no signe of Gods hatred Use 2. Think not to get into heaven without crosses Use 3. Still expect the crosse when it will come Use 4. Comfort under the crosse threefold 1. Mat. 27. 32 2. 3. 1 Pet. 5. 9. Doctr. 2. Every Christian must take up his crosse Five things required thereunto 1. Job 14. 14. 3. 25. 2. 3. 4. Job 1. 22. 5. Reason 1. Mat. 10. 29. 30. Act. 4. 27. Joh. 19. 11. 1 Pet. 4. 19. 2. Psa. 126. 51 3. This duty makes us conformable to Christ Heb. 12. 2. narrat 〈◊〉 vulnera miles And serviceable Phil. 2. 7. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ad Ephes. 4. No fear of being overburdened by the crosse Heb. 2. 17. 2. Mat. 27. 46. 3. 5. Present use future issue of the cross good 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ad Polycar Noli auendere quâ iturus fis sed quò venturus Aug. in Psal. 36. Use. Be ready to take up the crosse daily Meanes 1. 2. Animae quior esto ad majorem sustinentiam accingere De imitat Chr. l. 3. c. 57 3. Heb. 11. 26 So Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist. ad Ephes 4. Word helps us to beare the cross how Isa. 12. 3. Psa. 119. 92 And prayer The third duty and note of a disciple Three things in it I. Follow Christ in his holy doctrine And life 1 Joh. 2. 6. In what we may not or cannot follow him 1. 2. Joh. 13. 15. Five expressions of his piety to be followed 1. 2. 3. Moses ad bella non vadit sed orat et tum vincit Israel c. Hier. in Levit. 1 Tim. 4. 4. 5. 4. John 2. 17. Act. 18. 14. 15. Unumquemque Christianum zelus dom us Dei come dat v. c. vides fratrem cunere ad theatrum prohibe mone contristare si zelus domus Dei comeditte c. Aug in Joh. trac 10 5. Foure expressions of his chatity 1. John 18. 6. 2. 3. Rom. 13. 7. 1 Sam. 12. 3 4. Paulus procharitate Christi nolâ—it habere Clâ—istum Hieron 1 Cor. 13. 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 II. How Christ can must be followed 1. By faith a threefold act of it 1. 2. 3. 2. By love 2 Cor. 5. 14. Gal. 5. 6. 3. In sincerity What it doth in this thing 1. 2. 3. 4. With constancy III. Motives thus to follow Christ. 1. Christiani nomen ille frustra sortitur qui Christum minimè imitatur Quid enim tibi prodest vocari quod non es nomen usurpare alienum c. Aug de vita Christiana 2. Danger of not following Christ as a guide 1. 2. Justice of God against such 3. Great safety in following Christ. 1. 2. 3. 4. Si praecipientem sequi non potes sequere antecedentem Sublata est hoc modo omnis excusatio c. Lact. l. 4. c. 24. Confirmation of the former doctrine by three arguments 1. 2. 3. Danger of failing in those duties Exposition Save life in a good sense and bad How a life is both lost saved 1. 2. 3. See Cyprian de lapsis Who lose their lives for Christs sake 1. 2. Martyrdome not meritorious 1. Life saved though not lost how 1. 2. Who may not flye in persecution 1. 2. 3. And who may 1. Luk. 14. 28. 2. 3. Euseâ— l. 10. c. 18. Trip. hist. l. 5. c. 3. Doctr. Maintaine thy holy profession to the death Quomodo potest terrenis lachrymis flecti cujus oculi coelestem gloriam contuentur Reason 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat ad Polycarp 2. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ad Ephes. Use. Beleeve this doctrine and obey it I. Practices to prepare for martyrdome 2. Ideò tam pauci illuminati liberi intus efflciuntur quiaseipsos ex toto abnegarenesciunt De imitat Christi l. 4. c. 8. 2 Tim. 4. 10. 3. Heb. 11. 38. Mat. 7. 27. 4. 5. 6. II. Meditations availing thereunto 1. 2. Promisâ—s to them that suffer for God 1. 2. 3. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Igna. ad Polycar Rev. 2. 26. 3. 12. 3. Heb. 12. 2. 2. Argument unprofitablenesse of winning all with the soules losse Prolepsis Exposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 World what it is here Gaine of the world what Gen. 46. 27 Bucer Luk. 12. 5. Notes from the manner of propounding this truth 1. Note Preach well for matter manner Reason 1. 2. Isa. 50. 4. Use 1. Use 2. Heb. 4. 12. Use 3. 2. Note In weighty matters use speciall vehemency Use. 3. Note We are naturally addicted to the world Crâ—â—es Facilius saccus relinquitur quam volumas si vultis retinendo relinquitis Use 1. Religion what it doth to expell covetousnes 1 Tim. 6 6. 2. Earthlines in the godly very scandalous Nonsolùm avarus est qui rapit aliena sed ille avarus est qui cupidè servat sua Aug. Doctr. 1. Danger by earthly gaine to lose the soule Reason 1. Col. 3. 5. Jam. 4. 4. 〈◊〉 Psa. 73. 27. Peccatum avaritiâ— mentem quum infecerit ita gravem reddit â—t ad appetenda sublimia atâ—olli non possit Greg. moral l. 14. 2. Sed quae reverentia lâ—gum Quis metus aut pudor est unquam properantis avari Juven sat 14. 3. Luk. 10. 41. 42. Whence this danger commeth 1. 2. Pro. 30. 15. Use 1. Covetousnes a sin hardly noted confest why 1. 2. 3. Markes of it 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Heb. 13. 5. Mat. 6. 32. Use 2. Overjoy not these dangerous comforts Use 3. Use 4. How to avoid the danger of earthly gaine 1. Luk. 169. 2. 3. 4. Psal. 39. 12. Doct. 2. Many lose their soules for the world 1. Instances proofes thereof 2. Signes of Christ undervalued fo th wrorld 1. 2. 3. Mat. 12. 34. Psal. 45. 1. Speeches of the world how to bee limited 1. 2. 3. 3.