foolish or rather thus They say as wisemen say and do as fooles doe vaine men that did pretend the contempt of the world but that very contempt was of the world and therefore our Sauiour auoucheth it to bee Impossible with man Mat. 19.23 c. that a rich man should enter into heauen but with God saith hee euery thing euen this is possible He cā teach vs to reioyce as if we reioyced not to buy as if we possessed not to vse this world as if we vsed it not He can teach vs to seeke these things as our daily bread with a secondarie care after his kingdome and righteousnes Hee can teach vs not to resolue and say I will bee rich the high way into temptations and snares 1. Tim. 6.9 into foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition but to pray with AGVR Giue me neither pouertie nor riches feede mee with foode conuenient for me Pro. 30.8 Hee can teach vs to subordinate all our labors and endeauours vnto prouidence saying If the Lord will Iam. 4.15 I will doe this and that He can teach vs to keepe vnder these Treasures as dangerous subiects in seruitute not to set them vp in imperio èo magis Domini quo minus cupidi saith S. Barnard hee can teach vs to reckon these blessings as our Lords Talents the onely meditation to inure vs both to Vse them with care for his aduantage and resigne them with comfort as glad of our discharge Hee can teach vs to lay vp euen these earthly possessions in heauen by Almes and Well-doing whereof this Treasure is the fewell 1. Tim. 6.19 so laying a good foundation not of merite but of assurance against the time to come and making vs friends with the riches of iniquitie Luk. 16.9 to bid vs welcome into euerlasting habitations And indeed so onely are riches laide vp in safetie Lay them vp on earth and make them as sure as thou canst either the moth and canker that breede in them will corrupt them or the theefe will breake thorough and steale them from thee But hee that conuerts his riches into Almes and good workes Luk. 12.33 puts Treasure that cannot faile into bagges that cannot waxe old And relies henceforward not vpon Lockes and Barres but vpon the credit and trust of God his debtour both for the principall and for the interest for the aduenture and for the returne Oh it is good being Lenders when God is the borrower and Merchants where Christ is the Assurer Let others then distrust their Lord and put their confidence in their seruant Psal 10.3 Let them blesse themselues in their couetousnesse with contempt of God Let them trust in incerto diuitiarum 1. Tim. 6.17 the doubtfull and inconstant lot of Earthly Treasure But let vs take heede of this Cardiacapassio this poysonous and pestilent humour of worldlinesse that by a naturall proprietie strikes instantly to the Heart so setting it on fire that as the fire Pro 30.16 it neuer saith it is enough So poysoning it with worldly loue that where it lights it kils the loue of God and will make euen the Magistrate transgresse for a morsell of bread as Solomon speakes Pro. 28.21 Ezek 13.19 and the Minister to pollute God among his people for handfulls of Barly as the Prophet Ezekiel saith and which is yet worse if worse may be so possessing it with self loue which as Aug saith is vermis diuitiarum the canker-worme of riches that there is litle or no hope of amendment Pro. 28.11 for the rich man saith Salomon is wise in his owne eyes Pro. 26.12 therefore more hope of a foole then of him Wherefore let vs leaue these worldly wretches these Antipodes to God and his Kingdome who as men reenversed more like trees then men haue rooted both head and heart into the earth and set heauen at their heeles who haue their portion in this life if indeed it may be called a portion which they shal answer for as for pillage and robberie being without any right in Christ vnto the least morsell of bread without any assurance by couenant of the continuance of their wealth honour pleasure c. who like the horse are mastred and commanded by their burden and yet this is all their consolation while they can keepe it and the beginning and praeludium of hell when they are depriued of it who happily may feele no bands Psal 73.4 but assuredly shall haue no comfort no peace in their ends Ier. 17.19 whose names being written in the earth Psal 49.18 howsoeuer while they liued they blessed their soules and were praised of men while they were able to make much of themselues yet being entred into the generation of their fathers Vers 19. proue that to be true that man being in honor without vnderstanding becomes like the beasts that perish Vers 20. who yet herein are worse then the beasts that they must be dragged out of the prison of their graues to behold him whom they haue pearced Reuel 1.7 at what time there shall bee no Moses to stand in the gap for them no Aaron to step betweene the liuing and the dead no Noah Daniel or Iob to pity or pray for them yea when there shall be no more mercie no more patience no more repentings in God towards them but iudgment without mercie or mitigation God laughing at their destruction Pro. 1.26 Psal 58.10 and the Saints reioycing to see the vengeance that they may at length wash their feete in the bloud of the wicked when there shall bee no rocks Reuel 6.16 nor mountaines to fall vpon them 2. Pet. 3.10 when the earth and workes therin which they made their treasure shall melt with heat and bee consumed Oh hopelesse wretches what treasure then will they haue to trust to shall not the prouerb then be verified with them Mal. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their treasure turned into coales not only because that day of the Lord that burneth as an Ouen shall consume the earth where they laid vp their treasure but also because euen these treasures wherein they trusted shall then rise vp in iudgement against them Iam. 5.3 and eate their flesh as it were fire so farre are these earthly treasures from auailing in the day of wrath Pro. 11.4 as Salomon speaketh To leaue these men Beloued and to conclude let vs embrace those heauenly treasures of righteousnesse which are only able to deliuer from death let vs cast in our lot with the children and friends of God who like God himself in some sort haue heauen for the throne of their heart and the earth for a footstoole vnder their feet who euen in this life haue right to all things by couenant and promise and therefore whatsoeuer they enioy is their owne neither Man nor God can impleade them for it who whatsoeuer their fare be eate of the labour of their hands Psal 128.2 and are blessed and it is well with them to whom whatsoeuer their lodging be the Lord giueth rest as vnto his beloued Psal 127.2 with whom all the creatures are in league Iob. 5.23 affoording them a commodious thorow fare and many a comfortable baite in the way of this life who haue the Saints for their companions Psal 91.11 the Angels for their guard Ianisaries for whose sake euen Kings are reproued Psal 105.14 and curbed that they can doe them no harm of whom there is no prayer but being perfumed with odours by that Angell Reuel 8.3.4 our Lord Iesus Christ it ascendeth vp into remembrance before God no word spoken in Gods behalf but it is written in that booke of remembrance Mal. 3.16 which the Lord keepeth for them that feare him and thinke vpon his name no teare shed for their owne or the common sinnes Psal 56.8 but it is put into that bottle and register of God who in the time of this pilgrimage haue many a mount Nebo many a Sabbath many an holy exercise many a greeting from the holy Spirit the comforter that giues them a token and inkling of the land of their inheritāce who in death are full of hope and blessed comfort being now to passe in soule vnto the celestiall Ierusalem Heb. 12.22.23 to the company of innumerable Angels to the congregation of the first borne to God the Iudge of all to the Spirits of iust and perfect men and to Iesus the Mediator who shall receiue this depositum this gage of their bodie at the last day but changed Phil. 3.21 and fashioned according to the glorious body of our Lord Iesus Christ Oh how spirituall shall the spirit bee when euen the body shall be spirituall how glorious when euen the bodie shall be glorified oh how blessed shall both soule and body be when we shall be one with God our Sauiour when God shall be all in all vnto vs 1. Cor. 15.28 Reuel 21.3 and our God for euer with vs our Sunne to shine vpon vs our Temple to hallow vs our foode to nourish vs our treasure our heauenly and euerlasting treasure to enrich vs That we may therefore so choose this better part the treasure of grace in this life as we may not faile of the treasure of glorie in the life to come The Lord for the riches of his mercie vouchsafe vs in and thorow our Lord Iesus Christ To whom c. Pro. 10.2 The Treasures of wickednesse profit nothing but Righteousnesse deliuereth from death
a more conuenient time Hee loueth not the loud alarme of the Trumpet shewing sinne Esa 58.1 and denouncing judgement the soft musicke of consolation pleaseth him better of the two Yet it is but as a song vnto him it tickleth his eare Ezek. 33 32 and haply causeth him to make an offer to rise but presently hee sinketh downe into his Couch againe it maketh him turne vpon his bed Pro. 26.14 as the dore vpon the hinges but not turne off Thus Herod at Iohn Baptists preaching Mark 6.20 c. turned this way and that way but hung fast all the while vpon the hinge of his beloued sinne The like may bee said of the day-light of the Gospell which many times shining vpon a carnall man offereth him the good morrow shewing him that it is both time and reason he should arise from sleepe but neyther the Sun-shine of Christ Mal. 4.2 Ioh. 5.35 nor the candle-light of Iohn Baptist can bee long pleasing vnto the carnall sluggard 1. Thess 5.7 They that sleep sleep in the night or which is all one turne the day into the night The morning light is not in them Esa 8.20 neither can it bee welcome vnto them but is as vnto the murtherer Iob. 24.13 c. the adulterer and the theefe euen as the shadow of death Ioh. 3.20 For euery man that euill doth hateth the light Sometimes also this sluggard is shaken with the force of Gods iudgements lighting eyther vpon others or vpon himselfe and then hee maketh God many faire promises that hee will awake and get vp yea that hee will rise early Psal 78.34 c. and seeke the Lord but being not of an vpright and faithfull heart hee doth but slatter God with his mouth and dissemble with him with his tongue Hee was frighted with a fearefull dreame of worldly shame or of the terrors of God but hath quickly ouercome that feare with the resolution of the valiant Drunkard They haue stricken me but I was not sicke Prou. 23.35 they haue beaten mee but I felt it not therefore I will seeke it yet still Thus notwithstanding the exterior causes of grace or helpes thereto may happily not bee wanting to the carnall sluggard yet whiles there is no soule of spirituall life no inward operation of the Spirit of Christ to mortifie the deeds and lusts of the bodie Rom. 8.13 it is impossible that such a man should truely say mine heart waketh And in like manner may wee conclude against the apparant effects of grace which may seeme to plead for the naturall man Hee may attaine to some generall knowledge of God and the thinges of God why not Iam. 2.19 seeing euen the Deuils beleeue and tremble yet is not his vnderstanding truely awakened or enlightned His knowledge of God is but his dreame and as no man maketh his dreames the rules of his life no more doth hee make his knowledge the rule of his practise And therefore hee is not onely debarred from our Lordes blessing Is yee know these thinges Ioh. 13.17 blessed are ye if ye doe then but also denied the honour of his knowledge being reckoned among those fooles that vnderstand not nor seeke after God Rom. 3.11 yea that saie in their hearts There is no God Psal 14.1 He may haue some touch and sense of conscience Rom. 2.15 for euen the Gentiles haue a conscience bearing witnesse and thoughts accusing or excusing them and yet neyther is conscience at anie time in a naturall man soundly awakened that is purged and pacified for vnto the vnbeleeuing and vnsanctified nothing is pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled Tit. 1.15 and as for that peace which wicked men vainly preach vnto themselues it is but a sleeping joye like that of the hungrie man who dreameth and behold he eateth and when he awaketh his soule is emptie Esa 29 8. True it is that Conscience as Gods Register and Notarie neuer sleepeth no not in the bosome of the greatest sluggard but keepeth a perfect Booke of account in Gods behalfe against the sinner which shall one day bee produced and opened but being also a deputed Iudge to excuse Reuel 20.12 or accuse to iustifie or condemne Herein it is that Conscience sheweth it selfe to be a sleep in the vnregenerate man For sometimes it excuseth where it should accuse calling euill good and darknesse light haply at first rather desiring it were so then iudging it to be so but at length it becommeth as a lier that telleth his lie so often till in the end he beleeueth it himselfe Or else it iustifieth the deed done and withall the sinfull doer when onely the worke it selfe is justifiable not the manner of doing Thus the Consciences of ignorant Gentiles are said Rom. 2.14.15 by the Apostle to excuse them when they doe by nature the thinges required in the Law but being performed by direction of naturall reason not by grace and faith Heb. 11.6 it is impossible they should bee pleasing vnto God Rom. 14.23 for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sin and not comming to the light of the Word for the examination of such deeds Ioh. 3.21 it cannot bee made manifest that such workes are wrought according to God Sometimes againe it accuseth and condemneth which is the ordinarie iudgement of conscience in wicked men vnlesse when it is imperiously put to silence or seared with an hot iron 1. Tim. 4.2 and so brought past feeling for a time Ephes 4.19 1. Cor. 15.34 But this is not a waking to do righteously but to make way vnto and to approoue the righteous iudgement of God who shall one daie pronounce condemnation vpon the sinner thus formerly condemned of himselfe For euen as many as haue sinned without the Law written shal vpon this euidence of conscience perish also without the Law How much more they Tit. 3.11 Rom. 2.12 whose enditement shal be framed both according to the euidence of conscience and knowledge of the Word and will of God Tit. 1.15 Thus it fareth with conscience according to the Prouerbe It runneth with the Hare and holdeth with the hoūd that is It shareth with the sinner as a guilty defiled mēber but it holdeth with the blood-hound of Gods iustice pursuing the sinner and in him sinfull conscience it selfe vnto destruction Finally the vnregenerate man may seeme not onely in his speech but euen in his practise to shew some tokens of an heart awakened by grace For who so forward to take the word of God in his mouth Psal 50.16.17 as hee that hateth to be reformed and the Gentiles saith the Apostle in the place forementioned Rom. 2.14 do by nature the thinges required in the Law Mark 6.20 and Herod not onely heard Iohn Baptist and that gladly but also did many things by his direction and perswasion But alas all this is but as the talking
the same promise Heb. 11.9.10 c. who all looked for a Citie hauing a foundation whose maker and builder is God Who professing themselues strangers and pilgrimes vpon earth declared plainly that they sought a Country not that from whence they came for then they had leisure to haue returned nor that Land of promise whereto they were called or if that for the promise not for the land for they desired a better then both euen an heauenly Wherefore God is not ashamed of them c. I propound Moses that man of God that chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God Heb. 11.25.26 then to enioy the pleasurs of sinne for a season Esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Aegypt for hee had respect vnto the recompence of the reward I propound vnto you Dauid that man after Gods owne heart Psal 4.7 whose heart was more ioyed with the fauourable countenance of God then the worldling with whatsoeuer abundance of Corne and Wine I propound vnto you those twelue Peeres of Christendom the Lambs twelue Apostles taking Matthias into the room of Iudas that hypocritical thief who by their fore-man Peter professe Behold wee haue forsaken all and followed thee Mat. 19.27 Finally I propound vnto you that chosen vessell that great Doctor and Apostle of the Gentiles Paul who in the matter of this Earthly treasure Phil. 4.12 could want or abound bee emptie or full could liue or die as might most aduantage his cause and Gospell who was to him in life and death aduantage Phil. 1.20.21 but as touching the heauenly forgetfull of whatsoeuer was behinde Phil. 3.13.14 hee endeauoured himselfe vnto that which was before and stroue hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus To these wee may well set vp not Altars or Images as the Papists for adoration but yet monuments for cōmemoration and admiration or rather seeing God hath set forth these vnto vs as a cloud of witnesses going before vs into the heauenly Canaan the place of our treasure Heb. 12.1 let vs also cast away euery thing that presseth downe and what presseth somuch as this earthly Mammon together with the sinne that hangeth so fast on following these our forefathers in the Faith though as hee saith non passibus aequis approue our selues in our proportion to be of the same brood of seekers Psal 24.6 euen of that generation of Iacob that compriseth all that seeke the face of God But our proportion I take it will better appeare in the latter sort wherfore now I come to comfort the mourners in Sion who would faine finde both heart and treasure in heauen but of the one complaine that they cannot of the other doubt that they shall not there finde it Vnto both which I hold forth this truth now in hand where the treasure is there is the heart they goe together Therefore graunt mee the heart and I will easily proue the treasure or the treasure and I will as easily proue the heart to be in heauen but if neither will be graunted as many times infirmitie makes the one doubtfull and infidelitie the other yet I will endeauour from that which is and must bee granted to conclude that which is desired Thou doubtest thy treasure is not in heauen thou hast no part in God no right vnto the inheritāce of the Saints in light Art thou willing to liue in this suspence Dost thou labour to put far away the thought of the euill day Dost thou resolue to take thy part in the pleasures of sinne for a season Mat. 8.29 only desiring with the Deuills thou maist not be tormented before thy time A wofull disposition so to bee resolued so to bee vnresolued But as I rather wish and hope thou art afflicted with this doubt thine heart trembleth to thinke of the euent thy soule longeth and thirsteth after that peace which ariseth from the assurance of saluation there is somthing in thee that striueth against this doubt and though vnable for the present to cleare and remoue it yet allowes it no quiet entertainment Be of good cheere there is a seede of faith an immortall seede a certaine and infallible conception of the new Creature in thee That it is mixed or rather assaulted and exercised with feare and trembling mistake not thy condition it is the more hopeful comfortable For what is it that hath disturbed thy securitie that hath prouoked and drawne as it were into the lists thy naturall infidelitie what but the sparke of faith that when it comes and it shall certainly come vnto a flame will consume whatsoeuer opposeth it self Faith is not known in the Nonage but by this cōflict Let men presume what they will the faith that is not thus militant in the beginning shall neuer bee triumphāt in the end Thus euen doubting ioyned with diligence for resolution argues faith so to call our right in question proues that wee haue a right vnto Gods Kingdom more firm and solid then yet we vnderstand And if thou bee the person I take thee for thou wouldest not change this doubtfull title claime or pretence of thine for al that Satan once offered to our Sauiour Mat. ◠9 and is now accepted by the Antichrist of Rome Thou complaynest thy heart is not in heauen how then can thy treasure be there doe but answere mee who taught thee so to complaine many thousands are in the same state which thou imputest vnto thy selfe yet complaine not of it but goe with pleasure and content in the broad way Doth nature in thee alone aboue all others find fault with it selfe for lack of grace nay assure thy selfe it is grace that desires more growth more strēgth more companie that it may ouer-match and subdue nature There is no rock more sure then this truth of God that the heart that complaineth of the want of grace desireth aboue al things the supply of that want vseth all holy meanes for the procurement of that supply cannot bee destitute of sauing grace Why say I not destitute I should say vnto such an one O man O woman great is the measure of the grace of God in thee Great doubtlesse if thy desire bee great For as the grace desired 1. Pet. 2.23 is in part enioyed because the tast of grace begetteth the desire and the desire stirred vp must needes bee cherished because God will not famish the soules of his Seruants Pro. 10.3 so finally according to the desire the grace shall be proportioned else in vaine were that promised beatitude Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnes Matth. 5.6 for they shall bee satisfied Mistake not then in the desire all is well and safe If thy soule long after God in the night Esa 26.9 and thy spirit within thee seeke him in the morning there is a blessing pronounced vpon thee Psal
105.3 Let the soule of them that seeke the Lord reioyce 2. Chron. 15.2 For the Lord is with thee if thou be with him and if thou seeke him he will be found of thee Pro. 2.4.5 If thou seekest grace as siluer and searchest for her as for treasures i. e. not with an idle wish which slayeth the foolish Pro. 21.25 because his hands refuse to worke but as the worldling seeketh his Mammon with the vttermost of paines endeauour then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord and find the knowledge of God It is not here as in earthly treasure many seeke and finde not many find and enioy not some enioy but keepe not for ere they bee aware they come to the parting place either the treasure takes her wings as an Eagle Pro. 23.5 and flies into the heauen or the man must goe to his Mother earth and shee will not haue him but naked as shee sent him forth And yet such an one is said by a common absurditie to die rich Indeed the child of God dies rich and none but he Not he of whom it is said Psal 49.17 he shall take nothing away when he dyeth neither shall his pompe descend after him but he of whom it is said he resteth from his labour and his works follow him Reuel 14.13 not hee that goeth from his treasure but he that goeth to his treasure That preferred the heauenly treasures of grace and of the word of grace before his appointed foode in time of health and now findes them better then physick in his sicknesse Psal 119.72 that esteemed them more then thousands of gold and siluer when mony might haue don much for him and now findes them better worth then al that the wide bosome of the Sea and deep entrals of the earth could affoord vnto him Hee dies rich and richer then euer he was thought to liue His heart fastning on the heauenly treasure in the time of this life findeth his expectation not deceiued but far surmounted at the end of this life and hereafter i◠endlesse and most glorious life For as where the treasure is there will the heart be also so where the heart is there shall the whole man be also With great reason then may I come now to enforce the second point not expressed but implied by our Sauiour namely that the heart ought to be not in earth but in heauen and withall for breuities sake winde vp the third which as the conclusion cleaueth to the premisses that therefore the treasure must be laid vp not in earth but in heauen Consider therefore with me Right Honourable and beloued the Heart the Soule of man on Earth how many absurdities and incongruities it importeth It is a Spirit of a Caelestiall and Angelicall yea I may say of a Diuine nature created by God immediatly and sent downe into this body not to dwell with the body on the earth but to teach the body the way to heauen And shall this Spirit this Angell this Embassadour deale so falsely with him that sent it as to forget his errand and take vp his dwelling in a strange Countrie Shall it be like Iehorams messengers 2. King 9. that being sent to bring in Iehu forsooke their Master and turned after his mortall enemie Shall it enthral it selfe so as to preferre this land of captiuitie before that of her Natiuitie Shall it abase it selfe so as of a Lord and guide to become a drudge vnto the body Shall it not vti sapientiae suae bono as Lactantius speaketh but abiuring it owne principles and elements become no better then sale to keepe a carkasse from rotting Shall it for loue of an Earthly Treasure become an Earthen Heart Corluteum as Augustine speaketh and accordingly frame to it selfe an Earthen Heauen and worship an Earthen God O curuae in terras animae saith the Poet Oh how ill dooth it beseeme I say not now the Soule but the very body of man which God hath erected and aduanced toward heauen and toward himselfe to stoope downe to the Earth as if it grieued a man hee had not beene made a fourefooted beast To the Earth then which nothing is lower but onely Death and Hell saith Lactantius and those so neere neighbours that the Treasure which is laide vp on Earth sinkes to Hell without stay and drawes the Treasurer after it without recouerie But here me thinkes I am rounded in the eare not so peremptorily to condemne the Hauing or the laying vp of earthly Treasure seeing the Holy Patriarkes and Saints were many of them rich and Ioseph is commended for a Storer by which meanes hee became the feeder and store of Israel yea Gen. 49.24 the Disciples of Antioch Act. 11.20 vnderstanding by the Prophecie of Agabus of a generall Dearth approaching sent a prouision of store before hand vnto Hierusalem Finally the Holy Apostle saith that fathers must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Cor. 12.14 Lay vp Treasure for their children and he that doth it not Is worse then an Infidell 1. Tim. 5.8 Oh! how are we bound to God that leaueth vs not without direction concerning any duetie For it is indeede not a libertie but a duetie to preserue and improue the good blessings of God for our owne and others commoditie But so to doe is not to Lay vp Treasure on earth in our Sauiours sence vers 19. Neither is that commandement of the Apostle any warrant for the worldling For a man may bring this Treasure in domum non in animam saith the Philosopher into his House not into his Heart Hee may set his marke or seale but not his Heart vpon it saith the Psalmist Psal 62.10 Indeede to set thy Heart vpon profit honour pleasure and make it thy chiefe delight this is to bee not an Vser but a Louer nor a Keeper but a Coyner and that is a direct Traitour For who can beare thee out to set the stampe of thine Heart vpon Gods mettall To make a God of a base Minerall And thy selfe more then a God euen a God-maker So strangely doe Pride and Vilitie meete together in an earthly minde that hee makes himselfe infinitely both greater and baser then indeede he is Greater in opinion and presumption while hee makes new heauens and new Gods Baser in truth and in proofe while for such a creature of his owne hee forsakes the Creator blessed for euer and the end of his owne creation which is to be for euer blessed with his Creator But it is not of flesh and bloud beloued to obserue that temper as to haue riches and not to be had of them to Treasure them vp and not to make them our Treasure Euen wise men among the Heathen haue talked peraduenture yet misled of this wisedome of whom we may say as Demodocus of the Miletians Insipientes non sunt faciunt tamen quae insipientes Fooles they are not yet their actions are
and propagated it So that siue per Angelos siue per Prophetas siue per Apostolos c. Whether by Angels Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Pastors We shal still find God to be our Husbandman saith Augustine and he that laboured more abundantly then all the rest saith yet not I 1. Cor. 15.10 but the grace of God which is with mee 1. Cor. 15.10 The Papists abuse that place as also the words of this text to the establishing of the error of free will that thereon they may build their gainefull doctrine of merit How impertinently euery one may iudge that can but read and reading consider the purpose of the writer which is not to intreat of men in generall but of Ministers nor to shew any concurrence of nature with grace vnto well doing but of the sanctifyed instruments of the Holy-Ghost vnto the worke of the ministry wherein notwithstanding our blessed Apostle disclaimeth any sufficiency as of himselfe and ascribeth all to God not that wee are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing 2. Cor. 3.5 as of our selues see how carefully hee excludeth himselfe but our sufficiency is of God Sufficiency happily they will yeeld to be of God that is of grace but yet liberty is of nature an insufficient liberty then it must needs be and so indeed it is a liberty to doe but not to doe well a liberty not constrained but yet confined vnto sinne and confined not by Creation but by the fall not by Gods default but by our one forfit we are not kept straight in him but in our owne bowels But the grace of Christ bringeth liberty to the captiues Esay 61.1 and to them that are bound the opening of the prison 1. And now as Prosper saith Libertate agimus sed libertate redemptâ we doe well freelie but that freedome is of the grace of redemption It is not by created liberty for that in regard of good was lost in Adam not by corrupted liberty for that though freely yet onely and necessarily enclineth vnto euill but by the liberty of grace the grace of Christ who as he telleth vs without me ye can do nothing Job 15.5 so the thankfull Christian heart maketh answer and saith Truth Lord loe I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me I worke yet not I now Gal. 2.20 but the grace of Christ which is with me Phil. 4.13 I can doe all things yet not of my selfe now but through the help of Christ which strengtheneth me Thus haue wee seene how God is a worker yea the worker being alone in the principall work and principall in the ministeriall worke who then can deny him to be an owner the husbandry and building both are Gods Hee that made all things made them for himselfe Prou. 16.4 and if the wicked for the day of euill how much more vs that are his workmanship created by him in Christ Iesus vnto good workes Eph. 2.10 He parts labor as wee shall see but not possession It is enough for the labourer if he haue his hire his penny men do not vse to diuide their ground with the plowman or their house with the Mason Iohn 3.29 Hee that hath the Bride is the Bridegroome so is not hee that prepareth 2. Cor. 11.2 and presenteth her so is not hee that standeth by and reioyceth to heare the bridegroomes voice Thus Christ differed from Moses both faithfull I say not alike but yet both faithfull But Moses as a seruant in his Lords house Heb. 3.5 6 Christ as the sonne ouer his owne house Thus the Church differeth from vs Church-men the Church is not ours but we the Churches that the Church with vs may be Christs and he Gods God therefore is both a worker and an owner 1. Cor. 3.23 The chiefe worker and the onely owner The chiefe worker both because he doth the greatest part of the worke himselfe which Paul in no sort can doe and because hee worketh by Paul that which he enableth Paul to do The onely owner because as by him onlie the work is set on foot so vnto him onely of right it tendeth for as of him and through him so for him are all things Rom. 11.36 to him bee glorie for euer Amen With which words of the Apostle according to his owne Method I passe from the doctrinall part of this point vnto some application for our vse and benefit Is it so then that God hath reserued the greatest part of the worke which is to giue increase onely vnto himselfe then surely neither is preaching enough for vs not hearing for you but it behooueth both vs and you to follow the publike action with prayer both in publike and in priuate vnto that God who only is able to giue a blessing Else Paul may plant and Apollos may water 1. Cor. 3.6.7 and both their labours come to little passe One shower wee see oh that God would let vs see but wee haue seene that one shower doth more good then a great deale of pains in watering so much is God the better husbandman euen in the earthly husbandry how much more in the spirituall When God let fall his showers of spirituall operation vppon the Iewes there were at one sermon 3000 soules added to the Church Act. 2.41 a great increase none such in Christs time Ioh. 7.46 Why was Peter the better Preacher Ioh. 3.34 nay neuer man spake as hee spake for God gaue him the spirit not by measure but now the spirit was giuen plentifully to the hearers which before was either restrained or very sparingly imparted Oh then God forbid the minister should thinke all his worke done when hee hath ended his exhortation God forbid he should sinne against the Lord 1. Sam. 12.23 and cease praying for his people though he haue shewed them the good and right way But if the Lord in iudgement with-hold his blessing from his owne ordinance and deny the prayer of his seruant know for thy comfort it is Gods part that is to doe not thine who will one day make it knowne why hee denied his blessing vpon thy labours praiers Neither let the hearer imagine that when the sound is out of his eare hee hath done with God or God with him For yet the greatest doubt remaineth whether the word heard shall bee that sauor of life or of death vnto thee 2. Cor. ◠16 Of life if the Lord by his spirit settle it in thy hart and ingraffe it in thee of death if it lie like a surfet on thy stomacke to breede some deadly sicknesse in thee Iam. 1.21 Wherfore if grace after meat be requisite surely grace after the word heard is much more necessary and if much good doe it you bee good manners after dinner surely much good doe it vs much good doe it my soule is more then a complement after the Sermon The earth mee thinkes teacheth vs this lesson
treasure laid vp on earth is led to the knowledge of his earthly heart the other by his heart affecting the things that are aboue is assured of his title vnto the heauenly treasure The Lord open the eyes of both sorts that being informed of the way wherein and end whereto they are walking the one may bee reproued and reduced the other comforted and encouraged and finally of the latter sort all of the former some at the least may be saued And now Worthie Sir J commend you to that GOD who is able to keep you that you fall not Iud. ver 24 and to that word of his grace Act. 20.32 which as it hath taught you to choose the good part Luk 10.42 which shall not bee taken from you so it is able to build you vp further and to giue you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified and rest Your Worships in the Lord Iesus to be commanded Sam. Crooke THE DISCOVERY Of the Heart MATTH 6.21 For where your Treasure is there will your heart be also RIght Honorable Worshipful and Beloued to vs all are the words of this Scripture intended none so meane but hath a treasure to looke to none so high but is content to make his heart his Treasurer This is it that makes the Lord not without iealousie to enquire after our treasure because thereby he sees what right or wrong is done him in the matter of our heart A part that hee loues so well that knowing heart and treasure will goe together hee is content himselfe to be our treasure that none but hee may haue our heart Well saith the wisedome of God My delight is with the children of men Prou. 8.31 A delight dearely bought when to haue this our heart and soule this whereby we are men for his treasure he is contented to giue himselfe in exchange Great reason then he should take notice how this his Treasure is imployed by vs. Great reason that hauing giuen it to vs at the first and now redeemed it of vs at so high a rate he should not onely claime it of vs My Sonne giue mee thy heart Prou. 23.26 but direct vs while it is in our keeping how to handle and husband it Prou. 42.3 Keepe thy heart aboue all keepings for from thence proceede the outgoings of life saith Solomon But loe here a greater then Solomon Solomons Lord and ours vrgeth the care of this his treasure and that wee might not abuse or abase his Treasure wils vs to consider what we make our owne treasure assuring vs that wee cannot diuide the one from the other But where our treasure is there will our heart be also To him therefore let vs all attend of him let vs learne not regarding what most men doe for that as Seneca saith is argumentum pessimi the best note of the worst way but what they should doe nor what wee doe but what we say that say many times and doe not of whom that is true which he saith of his Philosophers Non praestant quod loquuntur magnum tamen praestant quòd loquuntur Say they doe not that they speake yet is it much they do for vs that they speake much indeede seeing in them Christ speakes to whom it becommeth euery soule to answere 1. Sam. 3.10 Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth Our blessed Sauiour therefore in this excellent Sermon intending to fashion in his Disciples a righteousnesse exceeding that of the Scribes and Pharises Chap. 5.20 who both were breakers of the Commandements and taught men so to doe First cleareth the Law in many particulars from their corrupt and partiall Expositions Cap. 5.21 And secondly aduiseth them to shunne their Hypocriticall and couetous practises in this Chapter Thirdly enioyneth them to be reformers not onely of others as they were but also and that principally of themselues and so leadeth them farther on vnto perfection Chap. 7. That hee meaneth the Pharise by the Hypocrite deciphered in the seuerall actions of Almes Prayer and Fasting in the former part of this Chapter is not greatly questionable if we consider how elsewhere he entailes this title vnto that family Scribes and Pharises Mat. 23.13 c. Hypocrites But to be worldly and couetous seemeth rather the sinne of Gentiles then of Pharises men of austere and regular conuersation But euen this also was one of their vertues as the Euangelist Luke obserueth in recording some part of this very dehortation Luk. 16.14 All these things heard the Pharises also which were couetous and prooues it against them by the same token they mocked him Indeede the verie character of a worldling who of all other sinners is most indocible and incorrigible hauing his Religion in numerato and being resolued what hee hath to doe and therefore pleasantly deriding whosoeuer shall take vpon him to giue him direction Notwithstanding vnto such of whome there might be hope our Sauiour addresseth a twofold dehortation against a twofold auarice the one in keeping or hoarding ver 19. c. The other in seeking wealth ver 25. c. Touching the former he shewes 1. Where we should not lay vp our Treasure and why ver 19. 2. Where we may and ought to lay it vp and why ver 20. 3. In these words he giues a common reason of both why not on earth but in Heauen because where your treasure is c. leauing vs to make vp the Syllogisme But your heart ought not to bee on Earth but in Heauen In Heauen therefore not on Earth must your treasure be laid vp So that here we haue to consider 1. The cohabitation of the heart and the Treasure wheresoeuer from the Proposition expressed 2. The habitation of the heart not on Earth but in Heauen from the assumption necessarily implied 3. That which of it owne accord will thereon ensue That our treasure must be laid vp not in Earth but in Heauen For the first Where the treasure is there is the heart we neede no other proofe of this Proposition if prouerbiall maximes neede any proofe at all but the opening of the tearmes of which it consisteth Treasure is that that men set by and make reckoning of especially that which is in highest estimation with euery man whether it bee Wealth Pleasure Authoritie Fame or whatsoeuer By the Heart we must vnderstand according to the phrase of the Holy Ghost the Soule of man especially the Will chusing and affecting this Treasure Now betwixt these two the Treasure and the Heart the good thing and the appetite there is such relation that it is hard to define the one without the other In so much that Aristotle commends that definition of good A good thing is whatsoeuer is desired which if it bee so in euery thing that is accounted good how much more in that which is accounted best and is desired for it selfe So that where the Treasure is there is the Heart is as if one should say where that is