pillar of the cloud which led the people of Israel in the wildernesse when that went forward the people marched when that stayed the people stood still all their iourney was framed according to the mouing of the cloud of the same vse is this Word of God in the way to life whē that calleth we may must moue when that restraineth we ought not to put forward our care must be to sute our course and cariage thereunto Now as Christ the head guide hath left the fulnes of direction in his written Word so he hath entrusted the Ministers of his Church therwith he hath committed it vnto them as the c 2. Cor. 5.19 Apostle speaketh not that they should engrosse it to themselues and leade the people of God which way thēselues please but that they might studie to search out the hid matter thereof and apply it to the directiō of Gods Church according to euery mans occasion For this cause the Pastors of the Church in respect of their functiō are called d Heb. 137.17 Leaders or Guides and whereas Christ cals ignorant and erroneous teachers e Matth. 15.14 blind guides it argueth that sound instructors are well termed by the name of Guids The interpreting of the Scripture is called a guiding of the hearers When Philip demaunded of the Eunuch reading as he rode vpon Esay f Act. 8.31 whether he vnderstood that which he read he answered him how can I except I had a guide meaning except hee had one to expound vnto him So then hitherto the matter is now brought he that would go on and proceed as he ought in the way to life must get himselfe a guide The head-guide is the Lord Iesus hee hath recommended his directions vnto vs in his Word and for the common benefit and instruction of his Church he hath giuen gifts vnto men and enabled them to lay open the mysterie of the Scripture and by this his ordinance he guideth directeth those that are in his eternall counsell ordained vnto life So that as it is said of the iourney of the Israelites that God did leade them like sheepe by the hands of g Psalm 77.20 Moses and Aaron so it is true in this spirituall voyage that the Lord leadeth his chosen by the hand of his Ministers By them he h Ephes 4.12 gathereth together his Saints These I am sure are all of them sure grounds that cannot be denied That the way of life is to vs vnknowne and therefore we need a guide Secondly that Christ Iesus is the only true guide Thirdly that he hath registred all his directions in his Word that is the whole counsell of God that for the dispensing of his Word notwithstanding the priuate vse which euery Christian may ought to haue of it he hath ordained publique teaching by which to guide our feete into the way of peace He that is disposed to be captious let him thinke well which of all these he can except against In the meane time we will take them for truth and so make the best vse of them This sheweth that albeit the most of vs at this day that professe religion Vse haue chosen guides vnto our selues yet wee faile in chusing the true direction some are guided by their owne priuate conceipts some by the guise of the times some go with the droue and are carried with the multitude some are led only by the courses of their forefathers they hold it a sure way to doe as they haue done the direction of Christ Iesus speaking in the Scriptures and reuealing his aduise vnto vs in the ministery of his Church is least looked after Each mā in those cases thinkes himselfe wise enough to bee his owne aduiser In Phisicke wee feare our owne iudgement and beleeue the Doctor in the Law our Counsellor in other things we seek to men that professe knowledge and are of vnderstanding in those things wherin we desire direction but in Diuinitie and in the cases of the soule most men imagine they are able to afford themselues coūsell good enough hence is it that the knowledge of Gods Word is not cared for the opening of it by exposition the vrging it by exhortatation and reproofe these things are little esteemed and indeed if men bee so wise that they can by their wisedome guide themselues wherfore should they value them But cursed be the man saith the i Jerem. 17.5 Scripture that maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lord. God curseth the fancies of mens owne hearts and giueth a blessing only to the obedient yeelding to his owne ordināce what course soeuer is framed without the Word be it in mans reason neuer so plausible nay whatsoeuer is sought for in the word with a relying vpon a mans owne priuate collections in contempt or neglect of the publike meanes the Lord doth neuer blesse it it turneth into error and leadeth those that trust vnto it into destruction This therefore we are taught hence if we desire as becommeth vs to proceed in good things and according to the aduise of the spirit of God to be led forward vnto perfection we must seeke the direction of the only true guide Christ Iesus in the Scriptures If we be strangers in the booke of God we cannot chuse but be mistaken if wee would make true benefit by the Word the ordinance of God must be regarded and what euer he be that would be guided in the way of life hee must range himselfe among the common order of learners in Christs schoole This is the right way there is no blessing promised of God to any other course Now you will say to me perhaps this is a very vncertaine and hazardous course to bind our selues to be guided by men especially now a daies when as the world is so full of seducers and those seducers also so full of subtiltie and euery one making pretences of the truth to be on his side I answere I perswade not to this to build vpon men as though we should receiue directions for matter of saluation vpon trust beleeuing euery thing that is commended to vs by those that beare the name of teachers in Gods Church That were an intollerable bondage and a slauery not to be endured for the spirits must be tried k 1. Iohn 4.1 and the Scripture must be examined whether their doctrine be according If you say there is yet no certaintie for as they may mistake in teaching so may you in iudging also I answere we must be so much the more earnest with the Lord in prayer that his spirit may cōduct vs this rule in most things we may proceede by That doctrine which aimeth at this to bring men only to Christ by driuing them out of themselues to rest alone vpon his worthines and giues no colour of libertie to any sinne but still striues to keepe the corrupt nature of man within compasse that doctrine I say is the
with our Grandfather Adam after he had sinned forcing him by varietie of demaunds to see his errors h Genes 3. Where art thou and who tolde thee that thou wast naked hast thou eaten of the tree so al the Prophets and Apostles after held the same course the first thing they laboured in was to make men see that there was no hope of happines without a present forsaking of their accustomed behauiour Ieremie when hee would shew that among the people of his times there was for the generalitie no true conuersion reporteth the matter in these i Jerem. 8.6 wordes I hearkned but none spake aright no man repented him of his wickednesse saying what haue I done as if he had said there was not a man that had any so much as a conceipt of his owne erring they were all stronglie perswaded that their courses were right and vnblameable and therefore euery man turned to his race as the horse to the battell The same Prophet describing the repentance of the estate of Israell vnder the name of the Tribe of Ephraim which bare the sway in that kingdome k Ier. 31.18 relates it thus I heard Ephraim lamenting thus Thou hast corrected me and I was chastised as an vntamed calfe conuert thou mee and I shall bee conuerted for thou art the Lord my God now among other signes and euidences of repentance hee saith Ephraim smote vpon his thigh as who should say Ephraim hauing all this while runne a stubborne course in the verie depth of securitie now began to recall himselfe and to thinke that questionles he was out of his way the course was dangerous and it was now high time to reforme it It is noted in the prodigall sonne the perfect patterne of a true conuert that when he had runne a lewde course wastfully consuming the portion of goods which fell vnto him supposing as many younkers doe his stocke to haue been as a liuing spring which could neuer be drawne drie at last he came to himselfe the bethinking himself of his by-past folly was the first step vnto his recouery Me thinkes when I reade that parable I doe see the young prodigall like to a man riding fast in a wrong way and at last vpon a fodaine by the call of some that seeth his mistaking rayning vp his horse and euen inwardly chasing and fretting with himselfe for his former carelesnes he came to himselfe he thought all well before but now he perceiued how things went and what would be the issue if he so continued When the Lord was pleased to cal Paul who before as himselfe confesseth was l 1. Tim. 5.13 a persecutor and a blasphemer and an oppressor suddainly there came a voyce from heauen saying m Act. 9.4 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me as if the Lord had said O thou man knowest thou what thou doest vnderstandest thou who it is against whom thou settest thy selfe conceiuest thou the danger that will follow it so that the first thing God sought to bring him to was the sight of his own present error and that being once perceiued hee became tractable n Act. 9.6 Lord saith hee what wilt thou that I doe I might easily multiplie examples of this kind but these may serue to shew that the sense and apprehension of our owne wandring is the first step to our entrance into life And therefore it is that the scripture is so full in discouering our naturall erring The spirit of God speaking of the whole race and generation of o Psalm 14.3 mankind for so p Rom. 3.10 Paul applyeth saith that all are gone out of the way In Isaiah q Jsay 53.6 All wee saith the Prophet like sheepe haue gone astray it is a place worth the noting we haue gone astray like Sheep there is no creature more apte to wander then a sheepe there is none more vnapte of it selfe to returne into the right way againe The Oxe as the scripture saith knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters crib the very swine accustomed to the trough if hee goe abroade yet at night will finde the way home againe but the sheepe once strayed of himselfe returneth not All we therefore saith the Prophet like sheepe are gone astray to shew our simplicitie and how vnpossible a thing it is for vs of our owne power to returne And the Prophet in the next words giueth a reason Wee haue turned euery one to his owne way Gods waies and our owne waies are directly contrarie r Jsay 55.8 We runne naturally after the waies of our owne hearts and we cannot chuse then but wander vtterly from the way of life Again the lesson of our Sauiour here belongeth to all Enter in at the straite gate Entrance into a gate presupposeth a being without the gate no man is bid to enter that is alreadie within if all be exhorted to enter it argueth that we are all without if we be considered in our selues then as the Å¿ Rom. 3.16 Apostle saith Destruction and calamitie are in our wayes and the way of peace we doe know This care of the holy Ghost in the whole course of the scripture to acquainte vs with our wandrings argueth the necessitie of the right vnderstanding of it if wee desire to bee saued Let vs make vse of this point It is a point of great vse Vse helping vs in the most needfull point the right iudgeing of our owne estate let vs not be wilfully carelesse herein I beseech you why should we be desirous to iudge in other things as of times and seasons of the face of the skie as Christ saith of wares and commodities of cases and questions in the law and yet neuer care to vnderstand how it fareth with our own soules The soule is the principall and ought principally to bee looked vnto Let vs learne to bee able to iudge of our selues whether it be with vs as it ought to bee Proue your selues saith the t 2. Cor. 13.5 Apostle Let vs search and trie our wayes saith u Lam. 3.40 Ieremie Examine your heart vpon your bed saith * Psal 4.4 Dauid We all haue a hope that it is well with vs let vs looke to it that our hope as the x Rom. 5.5 Apostle speaketh may bee such as may not make vs ashamed There is no hurt gotten by the tryall of our selues there is alwaies danger in securitie There be thousands plunged into hell that thought nothing lesse till they came there and now they are past recouerie wee are all trauailers in one of these two waies and wee shall arriue at one of these two places here mentioned life or destruction there is no third who would not bee glad to know touching himselfe in which of the two waies he is that if he be in the euill way he may speedily come out of it if hee bee in the right he may goe on therein with cheerefulnes This point is the thing that I
of many hath learned with h 2. Sam. 6.22 Dauid to be low in his owne sight Pauls i 1. Cor. 3.18 rule If any mā amōg you seeme to be wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise few know it but fewer vnderstād it but they be fewest of all that haue practised it O when shall we be found to be humbled in that measure as the Corinthians were to whom Paul was forced to write a letter of comfort to reuiue them One is puffed vp with a conceipt of his owne sufficiency and knowledge and scornes the simplicitie of the Gospell and to sit in the learners forme in Christs schoole Another is frozen in ignorance blindnes and knowes nothing by himselfe his very vices seeme vertues vnto him euery thing is with him as it ought to be A third is lifted vp with a presumptuous opinion of Gods mercie and thinks it a matter of easines to obtaine it so that he neuer so much as thinkes vpon yeelding and vpon the humbling of his soule before the Lord so that wee may wel be said to be strangers from the way of life sith wee will not stoope so low as this straite gate of humilitie Beg we of God therefore that he would bind our yron neckes that he would take the stiffe stony hearts out of our bodies and giue vs hearts of flesh yeelding and flexible and easie to be bent that being once become euen as nothing in our owne opinion we may be sit passengers for this little and low doore that leadeth vnto life Well it followeth Doctr. ◠together with this stooping there must go as I said a certaine stripping of our selues also he that would go through a strait way a narrow entry it is no wisedome for him to clog himselfe with many things about him he had need rather to lighten himselfe that he may go through with the greater ease So must it be in this case the gate you see to life is strait and pinching and therfore as the k Hebr. 12.1 Apostle speaketh to the Hebrewes very fitly for this purpose The sinne that hangeth so fast on must be shaken off the l Ephes 4.22 old man must be cast off the m Galat. 5.24 flesh with the affections and lusts must be mortified our n Coloss 3.5 members that are on earth must be crucified the o Rom. 6.13 weapons of vnrighteousnes must be laid aside we must leaue our old sinnes behind vs if we will enter in heere to bring them in with vs at this little gate it is impossible The couetous man with his bags the swearer with his great oathes the malicious man that swelleth with his malice the ambitious with his high thoughts the vicious with his minions the drunkard with his full cups these and the like to these can neuer enter heere with their dependances What sin soeuer thou hast formerly delighted in if it were to thee as thy right hand or thy right eie thou must cut it off and cast it from thee thou must striue to strippe thy selfe of it or else this gate is much too little for thee to goe in at This is like the hole the Snake creepeth through where he leaues his old skinne behind him If thou meane to come here thou must then say with p 1. Pet. 4.2.3 St. Peter It is enough for me that I haue spent the time past of my life after the lusts of the Gentiles walking in wantonnes lusts drunkennes gluttonie drinkings and in abhominable Idolatries other things better things are now expected of me euē that henceforth I should liue not after the lustes of men but after the will of God It is an excellent place I could bring in a cloud of witnesses to make good this point that old sinnes must be stript off when wee once put our foote to the threshold of this straite gate This I may bee bold to say for I know it is true that there is no mans or womans conuersion recorded in the Scripture but there is a manifest change noted in them ◠Infirmities they had still but sinne raigned not in them as it did before And there is great reason for it For if a man entering into the profession of Christianitie might still haue libertie to follow the waies of his owne heart and to please himselfe in fulfilling of his owne lusts what great thing were it to be religious If he that had been ignorant might be ignorant still hee that had been filthie might be filthie still he that had been an oppressor might oppresse still and so in other specialties all the world then would be religious what great thing then should Christ bee thought to work in vs for vs if our old corruptions should raigne we should not be freed from the dominion of sin This point wil discouer vnto many of vs the follie and vanitie of our hearts Vse we will needs be thought to be in the right way and to haue chosen the true course vnto eternall happines but yet in the meane time we will not forsake our old fashions somewhat or other is behind which either for profit or pleasure or estimations sake we will not be beaten from some sweete sinne or other that if it were possible wee would euen carry with vs into heauen and so by that meanes wee doe vtterly barre vp against our selues our entrance into life I pray you let vs not be deceiued Let me propound vnto you the same questiō which Paul propounded vnto King Agrippa Tell me doe you beleeue the Scripture q Act. 26.27 Thinke you that it is true which Christ heere saith that the gate to heauen is a straite gate If you do thinke with your selues what other reason can be deuised why it should so be tearmed then this because it requireth the stripping off of our old corruptions If you agree this to be the meaning how shall we then hope to be saued and yet willingly purposely and aduisedly retaine and hold fast our old sinnes as though wee would at once serue both God and Mammon walke both in the Lords way and in our owne way These things cannot hold vnlesse we thinke to make God a lyer Striuing to enter in at the straite gate and a not striuing against our owne selfe-pleasing humors these things cannot agree This is the vse FINIS THE SECOND SERMON I Proceed still in the matter which in the beginning I told you was most agreeing to the maine scope of this place of Scripture which is to shew what things ought of necessity to be in all that would be saued Foure particulars haue been treated of the rest now follow to be handled Doctr. 1. The fift thing then which by the auctoritie and strength of this text ought to bee in euery that desireth saluation is a continuall proceeding and going on in good things I doubt not but you shall see this plainely proued to