thing are his commands if thou seest he hath commanded a thing which thou seest no reason for nay thou seest a reason against it yet doe not question it The will of man is still objecting See this now in Adam and Saul In the commandement given to Adam there is nothing but a meere command 't is likely hee saw no reason for it yet see how God chargeth him hast thou eaten of that I commanded thee thou shouldst not eate Saul thought he had good reason on his side to spare the kine for sacrifice but did not I command thee the contrary The servant is not to examine his masters ground but to doe his will Lastly wee must be subject to his providence and all the passages of it Looke what variety of conditions of sickenesse and health good report and ill report thou goest through God requires that all thy affections should be subject without murmuring if he will have thee lye under an ill report without cause a long time it is his providence submit and wereas men will say if I were thus or thus in such a condition first then I would be content what is this but to make his will Regulam regulatam The third thing are motives to be subject From the nature of subjection which is as it was defined that the inferiour ought to be subject to the superiour so as there is reason for this if thou be an inferiour to him and when a man sees reason he will not be stubborne Now that there is reason for this looke through the whole universe That which is most base is lowest and if there should not be such a subordination what confusion would there be as if the waters should over-flow the earth or the fire possesse the place of the ayre As in the body of nature so politicall if servants should not be subject to their masters inferiours to superiours what confusion would it breed Eccles. 10. 5. 6. for the servant to be on horse-backe and the master on foot this is an evill and a folly So in the body of man for the humours to be predominant it brings sicknesse and death so in the soule for reason to be below and the affections above what disorder is it So that there is reason that in all things the inferiour should be subject to the superiour Consider who it is you are to be subject to It is to him that is able to doe you much good and one that is willing to recompence thee to the utmost Why are men so willing to be subject to Kings and doe them service because they are able to advance them and therefore men will doe any base offices for them even violate their consciences but in being subject to God thou shalt not be subject to base but honourable services and thou shalt get much by it also As Balak said to Balaam Am I not able to preferre thee so may I say of God and of others even of Kings as Saul said of David Can David give you Vineyards c Can Kings give you what God can give you why is there such seeking to the Court but that men are perswaded of getting profit and honour And is it not God that sets up whom he will pulls downe whom he will doth whatsoever he will in the earth and in the sea which if considered men would be ambitious of serving him Secondly hee is able to doe you much hurt and that is another reason of our subjection to Princes and therefore 1. Pet. 5. 6. hee bids us humble our selves under his mighty hand that is God hath a mighty hand able to bring you into subjection and therefore doe it willingly Humble your selves Doe you provoke him to anger are you stronger then he is hee not able to bring you downe In Ezechiel there be foure Emblemes of his power God compares their great men to Eagles the masters of all birds to Cedars that over-shadow all the trees of Eden to Dragons that doe live in the water and doe drinke it up as a river and to an excellent Cherub now God to shew his power sayes that hee will deplume that Eagle loppe the boughes of that Cedar uncover that Cherub put a hooke into the nosthrils of that Dragon so that God is able to doe the greatest men in the world hurt Thirdly God is exceeding munificent his goodnesse is great If one hath a father that is full of goodnesse an ingenuous sonne would not disobey him because hee would not grieve him now God will spare thee as a father spares his sonne that serves him hee will keepe thee still in the house notwithstanding all thy rebellions Last motive is taken from our selves It is for thy good to be subject to him which if men throughly apprehend they would not sticke though it were a thinge burthensome to them If a Physician prescribes thee an hard dyet to which thou hast no good will in it selfe yet if thou be told it is for thy good then thou art willing and thus it is with the Commandements But say is not liberty an excellent thing is it not better to live as a man lists Indeed if the mind of a man were framed as it ought to be it were so but seeing thy heart is possessed with errours c. it is not best for thee to be at liberty for one that is well in his wits it is good to be at liberty but not for one in a frensie againe for thee to follow thine owne will is to subject thy selfe more to the disease but when thou dost what God commands thee thou dost follow the prescript of the Physician For every man lyes as it were Inter morbum medicum if thou subject thy selfe to God thou growest out of bondage to the disease to further life and liberty but when thou obeyest thy selfe thou art brought in bondage to sinne which is the disease of thy soule Now bondage properly is this when one is subject to one that is not our proper Commander or when it is to our hurts and therefore now to bee subject to a Father is not bondage so not to God hee being our naturall and proper Commander Now one of these two you must be subject to either the law of sinne or of righteousnesse Consider now which of these is bondage which liberty Every creature hath a certaine rule given it and so long as it keepes close to that rule so long it is well with it and so it is with men whilst they are subject to the Law which is their proper rule to be subject to the contrary rule that is bondage But thou wilt say I finde it a pleasant life to bee subject to my lusts But what is the reason of that because it is agreeable to the present disposition of thy soule but yet know this that thou hast another radicall disposition in thee in which thou wert created to which the
this is a common case and so it is in this spirituall match when men come to looke upon the Lord they doe not like the Lord well if this be thy case if it be thus with thee the Lord will not be so much as a suter to thee hee counts thee an enemy There is an antipathy betweene the Lord and many there is an enmity but you must know in this there is a two-fold enmity one out of ignorance as Paul sayes he I was a Blasphemer and a persecutor but now I am received to mercy because I did it ignorantly through unbeleife If hee had knowne the Lord hee would not have persecuted him But secondly there is also a wilfull enmity against the Lord they know the Lord and yet they doe not like him But these men will deny this and say this is not the cause they come not in whatsoever is the cause Well doe not deceive thy selfe if thou love the Lord thou wilt love his Image thou wilt love his children which are his Image If thou hatest those that beare his Image thou hatest the Lord himselfe And therefore doe not deceive thy selfe if thou bearest a secret hatred and dislike of that strictnesse and holinesse that is in the Saints if thou hast an inward grudge to that which is Gods Image thou hatest God himselfe But perhaps thou wilt say I hate him because he is an hypocrite if hee were the child of God I would love him but I hate his hypocrisie But take heede that when thou strikest an hypocrite a Saint lyes not a bleeding so also when a man lyeth under a sharp and powerfull Ministery and thou bearest hatred and dislike of it thou hatest the Lord himselfe whose ordinance it is This was the case of the Iewes when the Apostles had shewed them the Lord Iesus and they saw all was rejected what followed we have no more to say to you Christ would no longer be a suter to them Seing ye reject us and will not receive this word of salvation loe now we turne to the Gentiles and those that will receive us And therefore brethren take heed of disliking the Lord when he comes a suter to you doe not lay false aspersions upon him and his wayes and children doe not beleeve false aspersions laid upon him by others as those that were sent to spye Canaan they brought up evill reports of that Land what followed not onely they were excluded out of the Land but also all those that beleeved them Now thus we have shewed you the match and given you some tryals to know whether you are matched with Christ or no as also what may stirre you up to accept this match if yee finde upon examination that ye are not matched with him also the impediments that keepe men off from the match that if any of them be your case ye may remove it But brethren all this can doe nothing to procure this match this will not worke upon you except the Lord be his owne spokse-man to winne your love hee it is that must winne you Men are like dead men when wee speake to them but if Christ speake not by his Spirit they are dead still it is hee that must shew you your debt and your danger and the beauty and excellency of your husband and must remove the impediments And seeing that now you are to receive Christ offered in the Sacrament this point may be a great helpe to strengthen your faith When a man promises to match with one this helpes well forward to the match but when the man is in the Church and offers himselfe to match with thee then wee cannot choose but beleeve it Hee that eateth and drinketh this unworthily he is guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord therefore doe not take it hand over head but examine whether thou standest in need of Christ canst thou set a price upon him as the cheifest thing thou wantest The great match is made in Baptisme this is but the renewing of the Nuptials and new Actes of taking and receiving Christ. Consider then if thou have matcht with Christ before else if thou comest hither this is a great provocation to the Lord for that which is required of thee now is that thou take Christ with more willingnesse still that thou come with more desires and longing after the Lord Iesus or else thou dost receive unworthily Consider every time thou comest of what need thou standest in of Christ and in this thing thou must take some paines with thy heart every time thou comest to see more need thou standest in of Christ and also examine strictly what thou hast done amisse and worke thy heart to unfained sorrow and make up all breaches before thou comest as thou dost with men which is a very commendable thing and if thou have any request to put up to him this is a speciall day of hearing Whatsoever jewell thou wouldst have to beautifie thy selfe that is whatsoever graces thou wantest to beautifie thy soule what change of rayment thou wouldst weare to adorne thy conversation what temptation hath long haunted thee thou canst not be rid of aske of thy husband now upon this day this is the marriage day this is a faire opportunity to aske any thing of thy husband aske thy husband now he will not deny thee nay whatsoever thou wantest for this life for thy body aske it now for all is thine whatsoever thou desirest any gift for soule or body whatsoever it be that thou wouldest have him to take from thee that hurts thee or whatsoever thou wouldest have him give thee to doe thee good aske it I dare be bold to say he will not deny thee for if Herod because of his oath would not deny the daugh ter of Herodias even to the halfe of the Kingdome dost thou thinke that thy husband will deny thee any thing that hath given himselfe to thee hath he given thee the great and dost thou thinke that he will deny thee the lesse if it be good for thee if he doe deny thee it is because it is not convenient or else thou dost not aske it in due time or else he will give thee a better thing THE CHURCHES CARIAGE OR DVTY DELIVERED IN SUNDRY Sermons at Lincolnes Inne By the late learned and Reverend Divine IOHN PRESTON Doctor in Divinity Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majesty Master of Immanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at Lincolnes Inne Published by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thomas Ball B ◠in Divinity EPHES. 5. 33. Let the wife see that she reverence her husband 2 COR. 11. 2. For I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you a chast virgin to Christ. LONDON Printed by R. Badger for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the gilt Bible in Queenes-head-Alley in Pater noster-Row THE CHVRCHES CARIAGE EPHES. 5. 22. 23. 24. Wives submit your selves unto your owne husbands as unto the Lord. For the husband
Commandements are more pleasant then the satisfying of thy lusts As now take the constant disposition of thy body meate and drink is pleasant to it but indeed in a time of sicknesse not meat but something else is more pleasant yet so as the pleasantnesse of meate to one in health is the greater of the two Now this is a rule in Philosophie that those things that are agreeable to nature are jucunda per se and all times the other not so and but for a fit and so now sinne is pleasing to thee but whilst thou art in such an humour Now the things that God commands agree to the first constitution of thy soule and therefore they are the better choice and in themselves more pleasant and the obedience to them is like the obedience of the members to the head but the obedience of them to sin is the wringing them the wrong way Againe peace is pleasant Psal. 133. 1. It is a pleasant thing for Brethren to dwelt in unity Discords in a family are unpleasant Now whilst thou obeyest sinne it breakes thy peace with God thy Head and thou livest an unquiet life but as it is Gal. 6. 16. As many as walke according to the rule of Gods Commandements peace is upon them and that is pleasant Againe it brings Iesus Christ into the soule and he brings joy with him for when he comes into the heart hee comes as the Sunne into a roome with light and joy and peace I find one similitude more in the words to expresse our union with Christ and indeed the Scripture is much in expressing of this union now it is a sure rule that what the Scriptures bestow much words on we should have much thoughts on and what the Holy Ghost urgeth most we should prize most as in this union with Christ which is the foundation of our Salvation and of all graces Now different similitudes in Scripture doe expresse some new thing as is this that he is the Head and Saviour of the body It will bring to our minds some other differing notion concerning this union then the former did it will bring new light that we shall see further into the riches of this glorious mystery The point is that Christ is the Head and Saviour of his Church and of every member I adde this last for so you shall find it 1 Corinth 11. 3. That the Head of every man is Christ and this similitude shewes that the union betwixt Christ and us is more than the union of a politicke head and body so as wee are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone as it is in the thirtieth verse of this Chapter In that Christ loves and cherisheth every one united to him as every man doth his owne flesh Put case a member bee more deformed than another there be an Vicer in it yet a man loves it because it is his flesh Hee is sensible of all the paine and ease they feele as the Head is of what the Members doe Hee communicates Sense and Motion to every man without him every man being dead and not able to moove a step in the wayes of God He guides directs counsels every member up on all occasions suggests wisedome what to doe But there are three other speciall respects in regard of which he is called an Head In regard of authority Ephes. 1. 22. God hath appointed him over all things to bee Head Hee hath committed the Kingdome of the Mediatourship to his Sonne In regard of preeminence Col. 1. 18. In regard of influence of life Ephes. 1. 23. his headship is made to consist in this in filling his body which in it selfe is a drye empty thing and he fills them all that is every corner and secondly with all that is all variety of graces so as they have nothing but what they have from him The use of these three in particular secondly in that he is a head in generall If Christ be so a head as he is a Governour and commander it is easy to know what followes then let us be obedient and live according to his lawes in those doxologies which are given to Christ this is one To him be all dominion all the dominion that is in parents over their children Kings over their people are but rivelets out of that Sea In the 9. of Isay 6. the Government is said to be upon his shoulder so as he rules all the world only with this difference that he rules his Church with an inclinative disposition as the head rules the members but others with a rod of Iron so as he brings all under his feete and makes them stoope and it is profitable for us to consider what division wee are of for First there are some of the kingdome of his sonne translated into his kingdome 1 Col. others are as Cain vagabonds lawlesse persons that are not the Lords portion and though these doe what they list yet thou must doe as by a rule from morning till night in all thy businesse undertake no action but by rule there is not the least action but there is rule for it in the generall find out that rule so use recreations eate and drinke by rule If you object that there are some things which a man may doe animi causâ so the Apostle sayes he would not for his mind sake I answer you must even doe these things by rule T is true that a man may have in his choice to doe a thing or not to doe a thing for then a thing is indifferent yet there is a rule to be lookt to in these things viz. That Christ hath given a man this liberty so men should order their speeches by rule not to be vaine at any time not in the least word But you will say this is a bondage Answer no but it is for thy benefit for the more thou walkst by rule the more peace shall be upon thee It is observable 9. Esay 7. that these two things are put together Of the encrease of his government and of his peace there shall be no end to this end to shew that as his government increaseth in mens hearts and is enlarged so as a man is made more subject to him so also peace increaseth In those that are most subject there is most peace and therefore he is called the Prince of peace for where hee rules as a Prince there is that peace which he as a mighty Prince is able to procure to you And to this purpose is that copulation of being a Head and a Saviour in the Text as I have observed before if any man goeth from out of his government hee shall find thornes unquietnesse and restlesnesse of spirit if they walke by the rule they shall have perfect peace perfect mercies if you walke unevenly with him hee will walke unevenly with you Is he a Head in regard of excellency not onely
graces are first wrought will encrease them and make them strong through the assistance of Christ accompanying it Thou shalt find this exercise will make thee strong in grace the joynts of the body bent to such a course and often imployed in it doe get an habit So it is with the Soule Other yokes the more they are borne the more they weaken but the more you beare the Yoke of Christ either in doing or suffering the more able you are to doe it Another use that we may make of this is that wee should be from hence stirred up to consider that great priviledge wee have from Christ for if he be a head to us hee is our guide hee is so an head to us as an husband is to the wife Now the husband is the guide of her youth and so Christ is our guide When a woman is young and not able to guide her selfe she had need have a guide such is the case of every man naturally but Christ when a man is in him becomes a guide unto him or as the Head guideth the rest of the members so doth the Lord all that belong to him This is a priviledge not thought of among us When wee thinke of the other priviledges this of the guidance of Christ is forgotten of us Therefore I will stand upon this great benefit which all have that are ingrafted into Christ now he guides them in all their wayes First by enlightening them so as when others are in darknesse they have their eyes in their head and see the way before them when as all others are blind and want either light or else eyes to see withall Againe he sends his spirit to bee a remembrancer to them in ambiguous and difficult cases to shew them the way they are to take and hee brings some prevalent arguments and reasons to mind to move us to doe this or that which would other wise have bin forgotten and to shew us the inconveniencies that will follow of doing this or that which would otherwise have beene hid from us He stirreth by our consciences which are appointed to be the immediate guide of us and the Lords deputy whereas otherwise they would either be still or guide amisse By taking from us wrong guides false opinions strong unruly and inordinate affections and instead of them he puts a right guide into our hearts rectifies our judgements puts in holy affections which are the rudder of the soule that turne it this way and that way Thus there is a secret guidance though we know it not that the Saints have from the Lord in all their wayes This is a great priviledge for when a man is inops consilit in a straite and exigent and knowes not which way to goe when if hee should take the wrong way it might be his undoing then to have a guide what a great priviledge is it When David was in Keilah and heard that Saul would come downe thither 1 Sam. 23. hee knew not what to doe whether to goe or stay then the Lord guided him So Abraham his servant when he went for a wife for his Masters son he knew not which way to goe for a wife for him nor whom to take then did God send his Angell to guide him as Abraham had fore told him before hee went hee told him The Angell of the Lord should goe before him The want of this you may see in Rehoboam who was in a great straite when he asked counsell of the young men but the Lord would not guide him and therefore he did that which was his ruine So Absolon when he was in bâ—â—â—â— not knowing which of the counsels given him to take the Lord would not guide him having a purpose to destroy him So it is with us there are often cases fall out wherin guidance is requisite as in the changing our estate by marriage place of living the choyse of our callings wherein to be guided or misguided is our making or undoing There is no day wherin wee have not need of his guidance in regard of one occasion or other now to have this priviledge to goe to the Lord freely and aske counsell of him and to be sure to have a ready answer from him it is a great priviledge David in al his straites went to the Lord to aske counsell and the Lord gave him counsell Saul went and the Lord would not answer him by Vrim or Thummin nor dreames nor any way The case of all that are in Christ is like the case of David if they goe to him the Lord hath bound himselfe to answer them for they have some interest in the wisdome of Christ. But the case of the other is like the case of Saul he sends them away without because they are strangers to him and therefore he is not bound to answere them And that you have such an interest consider 1 Corinth 1. 30. But you are of him in Christ Iesus who is made unto us wisdome that is God the Father hath given him to us to teach us to make us wise to guide and direct us in difficult cases when we cannot instruct our selves The like to this is that Isay. 9. 6. Vnto us a child is borne c. But what are the benefits wee shall have by that child First he shall doe miracles wonderfull things among you for his name is wonderfull Secondly hee undoubtedly shall bee your Counsellor that is I have given him to you that when you want counsell and direction you may goe to him for I have given him to you for that end This we may as truly expect of him as the Iewes did it of the Messiah as appeares by that speech Ioh. 4. 25. I know well that when the Messiah is come he will tell us all things This was the common opinion of the people the Iewes did expect this from him so may wee and therefore upon any exigent goe thou and say Lord thou hast given me thy Sonne and him to be wisedome to mee and appointed him to be my counsellor and I have need of counsell and direction and therefore Lord give me an answer and direction If wee would presse him thus he could not deny us Besides in that Christ hath made himselfe our head it is his office hee hath undertaken it it belongeth to him to guide his Church and every member of it and can hee faile in that belongeth to him That which sets the price on this priviledge is the need which we have of it none being able to guide himselfe The principle of guidance is resident in the head and is communicated to the members but upon occasion As it is thus in the naturall body so that faculty of directing us is in Christ and is communicated to us but upon occasion as wee need it hence every man vvalketh so vvisely upon every occasion as God vvill guide and direct him to doe in such a time and in such
glory and yet as that is most tender to him so our fingers are more itching after that A man is greedy of applause and if hee looke not narrowly to himselfe is ready to take the glory to himselfe that belongs to the Lord. Thou must be the Lords glory but if thou take any to thy selfe and if thou stand on thy owne bottome thou art thy owne glory and not his therefore above all things take heede of being deceived and found guilty herein But you will say how may I come to know it First consider what thy end is in thy actions whether the demonstration of some gift God hath given thee or for his glory and if thou findest not out thy end yet consider whether in matter or manner of doing thou dost not steppe out of the way if not by this yet consider after the action is done when any thing is well performed by thee whether thy heart beginne not to swell in thee that is to thinke better of thy selfe than before that is a signe thou takest something to thy selfe that belongs to the Lord. And when a man takes that to himselfe which is the Lords hee is not the glory of the Lord. If not by this then Lastly consider whether thou art more troubled for that discredit that comes to thy selfe or the dishonour that redounds to the Lord upon thy miscariage at any time consider how thou art affected with any thing One step further you must goe and that is not onely to take nothing to your selves but likewise so behave your selves that you may be an honour to God by shewing forth the graces of Christ that the Lord may boast of you as he did of Iob Iob. 1. 8. I say thou must cary thy selfe so as the Lord may glory in thee say to Sathan of thee as he did to him of Iob seeest not such a man in such a towne in such a place how zealous he is how holy be not a shame and reproach to him but a praise hee lookes for this from his Saints and therefore weares them as signets on his right hand As great men weare diamonds and precious stones and jewels in their eares about their necks and in their rings to adorne and beautifie them so the servants of the Lord are his jewels that he weares to make him glorious in the eyes of men great men are known by their Iewells and so is the Lord by his Saints Therefore it is a great motive to keepe thy selfe unspotted of the world to cary thy selfe so that his name may be honoured and his Gospell well spoken of the glory of Christ is engaged in thy cariage let it be such as becommeth the Gospell Againe if Christ be the head of every man then try and consider from hence what thy condition is If he be the head of the Church no man within the compasse of the true Church but is a member of Christ. Consider whether thou be a member of his body one that is guided by his Spirit or no but how shall we know that First by this thou shalt find the same Spirit that is in Christ living and breathing in thee thou shalt finde the same disposition and antipathy and affections to be in thee that are in him abhorring that evill and cleaving to that good he doth for the body of the tree and the branches are not of different natures therefore consider what similitude is betweene the Lord and thee So soone as thou art a living member the same spirit is sent into thy heart and insinuates it selfe into thy soule and makes it conformable to Christ in all things As the fire insinuates it selfe into the iron and makes it like it self He that is in Christ is made a new creature and partakes of the divine nature and is like him in all things But if this be the rule I feare my condition for I finde many contrary dispositions in mee to his Word and contrary to Christ. Answ. Thou maist finde many rebellions in thee and yet the same disposition remaine in thee that is in Christ. There may be swellings in the members but yet there is a disposition of health and strength and vivacity that weares them out 1 Cor. 6. 15 16. Know you not that your bodies are members of Christ Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid c. that is it is impossible it should be so it is like that speech in Rom. 6. 1 2. Shall wee continue in sinne c. how shall wee that are dead c. live any longer therein That is as it is impossible for him that is dead to sinne to live therein so it is impossible for him that is a member of Christ to be made the member of an harlot Why what say you to Davids case that fell into adultery Answ. Though he did he was not made the member of an harlot For therefore you shall finde in the 16. verse bee that is glued for so the word in the originall signifies that is adhereth to an harlot out of the inward sway of his heart gives his minde to any sinne hee cannot be a member of Christ though he that is a member may fall into many sinnes yet hee is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glued nor knit to any sinne for then hee could not be a member of Christ for if hee bee so hee is of the same spirit or body Now it is impossible to be of the body of Christ and of a contrary body too If a man have his heart glued to any sinne he is not a member of Christ be it a matter of credit learning pleasure or delight any lust if thy heart be glued to it and thou canst not get them asunder thou art not a member of Christ. For they are not wedded to any sin but there is a divorce between every member of Christ and sinne though they may fall one upon another and touch each yet they are of a mouldering nature they will not cleave together For he that is of God is in Christ and hath the nature of Christ in him that will not suffer him to sin As take water and oyle they may violently be shaken together and they will seeme to be mixed together and to be one but they will not continue so long there is no coalition because they are of divers natures and the one remaines water still and the other oyle so he that is in Christ cannot cleave to any sinne though sin and he may touch sometime yet they are strangers they cannot stand together they cannot cleave one to another Besides consider the manner of thy obedience all that are Christs obey him after that manner that the members doe the head The headship of Christ is not an imaginary thing he is not like the politicke head of a body but he is like a naturall head that is there comes a naturall true living influence