helpes as they are heavie burdens to the owners as Ezek. 7. 19. The rich man shall cast his silver away and his gold shall be farre off nay the greater his wealth is the greater plague the greater griefe and spoile awaites him as a tree that hath thicke and large boughs every man desires to lop him And how many have wee knowne overthrowne by the finenesse of their garments who if they had had a shorter traine had in likelyhood stood out many yeares longer Remember that Riches have wings under which let the Master hide himselfe a while as Esa. 28. 15. making falshood his refuge and hiding himselfe under vanitie yet with these wings will they fly away like a runnagate servant when his Master hath most need of him Secondly in time of sicknesse they are unprofitable The honourable Garter cannot cure the gowt nor the Chaire of Estate ease the collicke nor a Crowne remove the head-ache Can a man by all his wealth buy a good nights sleepe can it help him to a good stomacke or free him of one shaking or burning fitt of an ague Nay as wormes breed in the softest woods and cankers in the most sappie trees so softnesse idlenesse fulnesse intemperance and effeminate delicacie in the rich procure peculiar and most incurable diseases Thirdly in the day of death they cannot profit Job 27. 8. What hope hath the hypocrite when he hath heaped up riches and God takes away his soule for as they cannot help to life or birth in which case some would give thousands or millions for an heir so they cannot help in life to put off death Doe not Princes fall like others and these gods dye like men Could all the rich mans wealth hold his soule one night no the foole found his life stood not in abundance It is righteousnesse not riches that delivereth the soule from death Prov. 10. 2. Nay at death they bring much bitternesse for it is as great a pang of death to part with wealth as to part with life so as a rich man without better hopes dyeth a double death here And one miserie abides with him that while he leaves his wealth hee carries his sinnes with him occasioned in the getting keeping and disposing of them these lye downe in the dust with him Fourthly after death they profit not they cannot keepe the soule from hell nor ease that torment one moment they cannot keepe corruption from the body open the grave and see if thou canst discerne a difference between the rich and poore tell me if the wormes spare either of both but if the living be wronged by cost about embalming entombing or the like it is but a corpes still no sweeter to God if not sweetned by the embalming and buriall of Christ. Fiftly at the day of judgment the whole world cannot profit a man being then set on a light fire then shall gold and silver and precious stones and common stones be all one the Judge will not be corrupted nor can causes be gilded nor sentence pronounced according to our wealth in goods or lands but according to our graces riches in good workes This will be then the only profitable wealth not gold in our chests but faith and pietie in our consciences shall avayle us and not that we had abundance but that wee were abundant in faithfull dispensing shall be our acceptance Pro. 21. 21. Hee that followeth righteousnesse and mercy shall finde righteousnesse life and glory And now after all this say What profit is it to winne the whole world and lose his owne soule Or what recompence shall a man give for his soule Two meditations arise out of these words 1. The soule of a man is a most precious and invaluable thing seeing all the world gained is not comparable to the losse of one soule Pro. 6. 26. it is called the precious soule or life of man See it farther 4. wayes 1. Consider the soule in it self it is a particle of divine breath not created as bodily things consisting of matter and forme but inspired of God For the soule is neither traduced from the soules of Parents and much lesse generated of any corporall seed or matter but the Lord that spred the heavens and founded the earth formed the spirit of man within him Zech. 12. 1. neither was it created without deliberation of the whole Trinitie Gen. 1. 26. Let us make man in our owne image or likenesse as being the exquisite Master-piece above all other 2. Behold it in the faculties of it and wonder that God should put in such a piece of clay so divine a soule And that not onely in regard of supernaturall qualities of holinesse and righteousnesse in the entire nature of it but also in respect of natural qualities and operations resembling God in his understanding and wisedome it hath a facultie to understand and know Him whom it ought chiefely to love and is almost infinite at least insatiable in seeking knowledge a facultie to will even that which God willeth nor resteth it in any thing of this life nor is contented with any thing below but willeth principally things beyond the sight blessednesse and happinesse and respecteth good estimation after death and so argueth it owne immortalitie as God is immortall a facultie of conscience that stands in awe to sin though none looke on or citeth the person before Gods tribunall as Belshazzar and Felix who trembled It hath likewise all his operations above sense to love GOD feare God beleeve in God embrace Religion meditate on heavenly things with an aptnesse to proceed in the knowledge of God which other inferior creatures cannot doe 3. Behold it in the end of it it was not made for the body but the body for the soule and not onely to be the tabernacle of the soule to dwell in but the instrument of the soule to worke by for the soule tyed to the body cannot put forth his faculties without organs and senses of the body to expresse love and dutie unto God But the primarie and proper end of the divine soule is to live to God in this life and with God in the life to come Fourthly behold it as redecmed by Christ and created again to Gods image What a price did God and Jesus Christ set upon it what more precious than the blood of him that was God The ransome of the soule must be a bove all corruptible things 1 Pet. 1. 18. Also as it is sanctified by the Spirit what can bee comparable to his unmatchable graces no pearles are to be compared to wisdome to precious faith to the feare of God which is a rich treasure And if the hangings bee so precious what may we thinke of the roome Then bee so much the more warie to shunne any thing that may hurt the soule We esteeme our naturall lives precious and therefore are carefull to avoyd whatsoever is prejudiciall to the body
But the divine nature of the soule the excellencie of it above the body calls for more care and watchfulnes about it as 1. Abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against the soule 1 Pet. 2. 11. beware of inward uncleannesse and impuritie the projects of the flesh pleasures of the flesh or pleasing of the flesh which savoureth not the things of God but fighteth against the spirit Rom. 8. 7. and lusteth against it Gal. 5. 17. Once already it hath robbed us of Gods image and our owne happinesse and cannot but serve us so again if we listen unto it 2. Beware of earthly lusts worldly desires and seeking after these transitories which drowne the soule in perdition 1 Tim. 6. 9. How carefull will a man bee of falling into a whirlepit where if good helpe come not in time hee is sure to bee drowned it is the word there used noting a certaine danger of drowning in a well or pit and such a danger as covetous rich men seldome or never get out of 3. Beware of false doctrine errours and heresies against the truth received which are the poyson and plague of the soule A man would not for a world drinke a draught of poyson and a carefull Christian will not willingly drinke-in any poysoned or infected doctrine which is infinitely more deadly to the soule than the other to the body 4. Beware of all sinne but especially of sins against conscience which are called wasting sinnes and of David prevailing sinnes Psal. 19. 13. Presumptuous sins make great gashes in the soule no sword can so gash and cleave the body Who would not avoid a mortall wound from a keene and mortall weapon Every sinne is a mortall wound but these farre more desperate and incurable Againe is the soule so precious then the murder of the soule is the most horrible sinne that can be to destroy the body of a man is to destroy Gods image yet a greater sinne to destroy his soule Ah fearefull sinne of non-residencie which destroyeth so many soules for if vision faile people must perish Prov. 29. 18. The carelesse neglect of so many soules as are under our charge is a fearefull and unregarded sinne Nature teacheth to prevent death and mischiefe from the bodies of all that are within our gates even beasts themselves and shall wee do no more for our brethren and bowells than for our beasts Never a soule thou standest charged withall but if it miscarry by thy default thy life shall goe for his life see 1 King 20. 39. and Ezek. 3. 18. On the other side is the soule so precious then the saving of a soule is one of the best and highest workes of mercy and shall receive the best reward to shine as the starres in the firmament of heaven Dan. 12. 3. How should this stirre up the Ministers to diligence in preaching so to feede and save soules The gaining of one soule is above the gaine of the world Therefore as the Lords nourses be ever laying out your breasts and afford the Lords children his owne provision in the word and sacraments labour to bring them to faith by which they receive the food and pray for the spirit by whose heat it is digested and turned into the nourishment of the soule How should it excite Parents and Masters to tender the precious soules of their children and servants to winne them to God by instruction counsell prayer example every way helping them out of sinne The chiefe love and care should bee set on that which is most precious But great is the sinne of most men who no more regard the soules of their children and servants than if they had no soules at all How should it stirre up able men to set up and hold up the Ministery every where according to their power which is the highest worke of mercie tending to save soules Ordinarily rich men at their death give if any thing to hospitalls or workes of charitie to the poore And these workes of mercy to the bodies of men being fruits of faith are worthy evidences of the power of the Gospell and shall not want their reward Mat. 10. 42. But if any man would runne at the best prize and doe a worke of truest mercie doe it to mens soules provide for their instruction get them food for their soules and the cloathing of Christs righteousnesse this is the better part Luke 10. 42. to shew mercy to the more precious part the saving of one soule is a more happie worke than the provision of a thousand bodies that must bee done and this not neglected More how careful should every one be for his owne soule which is here prized at so deare a rate all other things of price we are charie of for our bodies we are excessively carefull both to free them from annoyance and supply them with abundance of good things how much more would we doe so for our soules if wee prized them above our bodies but generall is the folly of that foole in the Gospell Luke 12. 20. who provided for every thing but his poore soule Consider even in this life the welfare of thy body depends on the good estate of thy soule and if the soule bee well provided for and saved the body is sure to be saved too Remember the promise Exod. 23. 25. If thou cleavest to the Lord hee shall blesse thy bread and thy water and take all sicknesse from the midst of thee And the keeping of the words of wisdome is life to those that finde them and health to their flesh Prov. 4. 22. Hence the godly in death were ever and onely carefull of their soules as Steven Act. 7. 59. Commended his soule into the hands of God and Christ himselfe his spirit into the hands of his Father Luke 23. 46. not mentioning their bodies they knew one cure implyed the other Lastly note the madnesse of men undervaluing their soules and exchanging them for an handfull of earth when indeed the world cannot profit them after this losse Once Adam and all his sonnes exchanged an innocent estate for a sinfull abd miserable and so it is still And with the prodigall sonne wee forgoe willingly our fathers favour for harlots and harlotrie our fathers house for a strange country our fathers bread for huskes What an extreme folly this is appeareth thus lay a man the wealth of a Kingdome a Crowne and all the world in his hand for his life he will not forgoe it at any hand but will readily say what will all this doe mee good when I am dead hee is wise to esteeme his life at an higher rate than the whole world because all the world cannot recompence or make up his losse But offer him a morsell of unjust gaine or a slight unlawfull and stolne pleasure for his soule hee makes a present exchange Ah seely man whose soule is so small a moate in thine eye which
holy enough as did these Scribes and Pharises who needed no Physician they no more saw their need of a Physician then they saw their sicknesse And thâ— there be many whole men in the world and almost al men are generally whole in these daies Hos. 7. 9. Ephraim saw not his gray haires nor the consumption of his strength Revel 3. â—7 Laodicea saith she is rich and needs nothing The Pharisie blesseth God he is not as others he seeth in himselfe no hypocrisie nor pride nor contempt of others he is a whole man Many a civill man liveth honestly he doth no man harme he is beloved of his neighbours he keeps the Commandements as well as God will give him leave This mans case in his owne conceit is sound and good and he hopes he shall live in his righteousnesse And in thousands presumption is as a chaine to the necke who tell us they love God with all their hearts have a strong saith never had any doubt they thanke God no not so much as any grudgings of unbeleefe and it were pitty he should live that doubteth of his salvation These are sound men and whole but as they never beleeved so they never bewailed their infidelity never groaned under the burthen of their sinnes are enemies to God to his Word to all righteousnesse worldlings oppressors deceivers swearers cursors otherwise abominable yet still found and whole men in their owne conceit And another cause of conceited soundnesse is the extenuaation of sinne Some qualmes and grudgings they have and all men are sinners and crazy but themselves are no great sinners or no greater then other men Thus they mince and lessen their sinnes They are not sicke enough to seeke out to the Physician they have ease enough yet if it would hold without Christ. Now see the miserable and damnable estate of these men First they are eaten up with griping diseases and deadly pangs and yet feele nothing Paines of sinne are like the pains of sicknesse the lesse felt the more dangerous and deadly Secondly as they need not the Physician so certainely the Physician needs not them hee came not for them they have as much helpe from him as they seeke He came not to call the righteous He calleth and cureth onely the sicke and heavy laden with the sense and burden of sinne Let this therefore serve to convince these whole men and let them see their estate so as they may seeke to the Physician and not dye senslesse The markes and spots of a deadly disease are these First an ill stomacke argueth bodily disease so Spirituall If the Word the Manna from heaven be bitter if thy minde rise against it and the mouth of thy soule be out of taste if thy memory keepe not the doctrine of God if by meditation thou digestest it not and so sendest it not into all parts of thy life thou art sick iudeed though thou secmost never so whole Secondly when the body consumeth the parts are weakned the knees bowe under a man and with much adoe he draggeth his limbes after him there is certainly a bodily disease though there bee no complaint So in the soule when men are weake to deeds of piety have no strength to conquer temptation to suffer crosses and trials to workes of charity mercy or justice but all strength of grace seems to be exhausted here is a dangerous disease here may wee justly feare a spirituall hecticke which is no sooner discernable then deadly Thirdly when the senses faile the eyes grow dimme the eares dull it is an apparant signe of a bodily or spirituall disease A senslesse man is the sickest man because he is sicke though he be not sensible Even so when the eye-strings of the soule are broken that they see not the light of grace nor of God which as the Sunne shines round about them the eares heare not the voyce of God the feeling is gone they have no sense of the great gashes and wounds of the lusts of uncleannesse drunkennesse covetousnesse swearing lying malice against God and his servants nay no complaint but rather rejoycing in these neither is there any fellowship in the afflictions of Ioseph the soule of such a man lyes very weake as a man for whom the Bell is ready to toll Fourthly difficulty of breathing or to be taken speechlesse is a signe of a disease and death approching So in the soule prayer being the breath of the soule when a man can hardly fetch this breath cannot pray or with much adoe can begge mercy strength and supply of grace or when he is speechlesse a man cannot heare him whisper a good and savoury word but all is earthly fruitlesse or hurtfull here is a living Corps a painted sepulcher not a man of a better world Would men try themselves by these notes they would soone discorne their sicknesse and runne out to the Physician But oh what an hard taske is it to bring a man rightly to know his estate A singer of the body cannot ake but men complaine and bind it up But the soule lies gasping and there is no such care c. Thus negatively of the Patient or party fit for cure Affirmatively it is the sicke man And he is the sicke man that feeles and groanes under the paine and burden of his sin The point this Sinne is the most dangerous sâ—ickenesse in the whole world and fitly resembles bodily sickenesse For First sicknesse comes by intemperance the temperate body is never sick while we were in innocency we were in sound health but through distemperature in our natures we were poysoned at first and ever since our sinnes and lusts conceiving bring forth sinne and death And as some sicknesses be hereditary and propagated so the sicknesse of sinne is propagated from Adam to all his posterity and every man hath added to his disease by his owne wilfull transgression Secondly sicknesse weakneth the body and impaireth the vigor of nature so doth sinne in the soule experience sheweth that after some sinne we very hardly and weakly attempt any good thing for along time Sin hath weakned the faculties darkened the understanding corrupted the will disordered the affections thence this sicknesse Thirdly sickenesse brings paine and torment into the body so doth sinne into the soule first or last There is no peace to a wicked man but terrors soule horrors of conscience and desperate feares doe ever attend him Fourthly sicknesse continuing and lingring on the body threatneth death and without timely cure bringeth it Sinne also not removed by repentance menaceth and bringeth certaine death to body and soule Fifthly sicknesse is generally incident to al men So the soules of all men are diseased by nature even the soules of the Elect till they bee healed by Christ. And these diseases are most foule and incurable compared in Scripture to a gangrene which suddenly eateth up the body 2 Tim.
of sinne Get unto Christ and touch the hemme of his garment as the woman having the issue of blood and get cure Hide thy sinne with Adam and there is no cure no prosperity While I held my tongue my bones consumed in my roaring all the day long Psal 32. 3 4. But the very opening of the sore is a part of the cure because the core of sinne is let out by confession and to confesse and forsake sinne is the way to mercy Confession which brings guiltinesse before men brings pardon and discharge before God And besides thy Physician is of such skill experience as thou canst conceale nothing from him if thou wouldest Lastly if Christ be the Physician here is marvellous comfort for afflicted soules pained and pined under the burthen of sinne First he is a skilfull Doctor he knowes all our diseases and the remedies thou mayst safely commit thy selfe into his hands as his mother said to those servants Ioh. 2. Whatsoever he commonds that doe Simple obedience is required without reasoning or enquiry All his sayings must we doe Secondly he is able enough to cure us because hee is God Omnipotent able to worke an infinite cure and onely such a Physician can bestead us for all created power cannot helpe us Thirdly he is as willing to helpe as able being a mercifull High-Priest compassed with infirmities to have compassion on them that are out of the way How willing would a tender husband be to helpe his wife out of a deadly sicknesse no lesse willing is Christ to helpe his Spouse Fourthly he is ready to answer all objections Obiect 1. I am unworthy he should looke on me or that I should speake to him Answ. Oh but be of good comfort he calls thee Come to me all that labour and are heavy laden Looke not for a merit in thy selfe but in him whose mercy is thy merit The poore woman having the bloody issue thought her selfe unworthy to speake to him or looke him in the face yet she could creepe behind him and touch the hâ—m of his garment So in thy humility thrust in to touch by the hand of thy faith the hem of his garment for Whosoever touched it was made whole Mat. 14. 36. Obiect 2. But oh the greatnesse and multitude of my sins is such as how can I but despaire of cured they are deeply grounded in me and of long coutinuance Ans. No disease foiles Christ not Peters denyall not Davids murder not Pauls persecution and blasphemy not Manassehs sorcery can foyle him not sins of a crimson dye if thy sinnes be as red as searlet he can make thee white as snow Esa. 1. Not multitude of diseases not complicated diseases which are most dangerous in the body It is all one with him to forgive tenne thousand talents as one to cure deadly sicknesses as well as crazednesse Hos. 14. 5. Long diseases foyle him not who stretcheth out his hand all the day long if thou come in any time Say not then of any sinne My sinne is greater than can be forgiven this was a lye in Cain saith Saint Augustine Obiect 3. But it is appointed for all men once to dye and I am infinitely afraid of death Answ. Thou hast a Physician that can command death that hath beene the death of death and hath raised himselfe from death and much more can and will raise thee a member from the dead Else should he be imperfect in his glorious body which he will not endure Obiect 4. But after death comes judgement and how shal I stand before the Iudge Answ. Thy Physician shall be thy Iudge hee that cured thee shall cover thee he that knowes thy debt is wholly paid by his owne hands must needs acquit thee Obiect 5. But how shall I be regarded among those infinite millions of men that shall stand before him Answ. Get faith by which thou art contracted unto Christ and that shall be thy marriage-day A loving husband will be carefull of his loving wife above thousands of others HAving spoken of the Patients and of the Physician wee come now to the Cure which is the third generall wherein consider 1. The confection 2. The application In the confection are 1. the Author 2. the Matter 3. the Vertue The Author must be a man and above a man He must be a man because man had sinned and mans nature must satisfie else Gods justice and menace had not taken place In the day thou sinnest thou shalt dye the death Beside the manner of satisfaction requires him to be a man because he must subject himselfe both to the perfect obedience of the Law and to the suffering of death for our disobedience And finally he must be the seed of the woman that must bruise the Serpents head that is a man spotlesse innocent pure one that needs no medicine for himselfe He must be a man of Adam but not by Adam even borne of a Virgin to stop originall sin in the course of it But withall he must be above a man even our Emanuel Esa. 7. 14. God with us yea that great Ithiel and Ucal Pro. 30. 1. a strong and mighty God first for the proportion between the sinne and punishment the sinne being infinite so also must the punishment be which none but an infinite person could sustaine Secondly he must be God manifested in the flesh to remove those infinite evils which attend sinne Gods wrath and Satans power damnation death c. All this must our Physician doe by his lowest abasement He must satisfie Gods justice appease his anger triumph against enemies of salvation subdue sinne foyle the divell overcome death discharge all debts cancell all obligations and hand-writings against us and after all be exalted to glory Thirdly he must be God to procure us those infinite good things we need viz. To restore us Gods Image lost and with it righteousnesse and life eternall To defend soule and body against the world the divell hell and all enemies To recover us to an excellent and firme estate of sonnes by adoption by meanes of a lasting and eternall covenant And to lead us into eternal happineâ—â— as our great Joshua into that good Land that Paradise of God whence the Divell and our sin hath cast us Thus of the Author Next the Matter of the Cure and that is the Physicians owne blood by which is meant his whole Passion 1 Pet. 2. 19. By his stripes we are healed his sicknesse brings us health It must be by blood All our ransome must be paid by blood for without shedding of blood there is no remission of sinnes Heb. 9 31. And it must be by his blood not the blood of beasts which only sanctified outwardly in respect of the Commandement and signification Heb. 9. 12. â—0 but this blood is the laver which purgeth away all sinne Not the blood of Saints Martyrs
and holiest men can make attonement but onely his blood which removeth the curse of the Law by satisfying for our sins which opens heaven now shut upon us and obtaines a perfect redemption Heb. 9. 2â— Next the Vertue and Preciousnesse of this Cure Oh it was a powerfull and precious blood and that in five respects 1. In respect of the quality it is the blood incorruptible All other diseases are cured with corruptible things but this is opposed to all corruptible things in the world 1 Pet. 1. 18. Yee are not redeemed with corruptible things but with the precious blood of Iesus Christ. 2. In respect of the person it was the blood of God Act. 20. 28. and therefore of infinite merit and price to purchase the whole Church 3. In respect of the subject of it no other cure or remedy can reach the soule All others drugs conduce for healthfull life and worke upon the body but this makes for an holy life and workes upon the soule the sicknesse whereof the most precious thing in the world cannot cure Minister to a wounded spirit Aurum potabile Bezoar Alchermes dust of Pearles all is in vaine it is onely this blood which heales soules and spirits 4. In respect of the powerfull effects of it above all other cures in the world for first they may frame the body to some soundnesse of temperature but this makes sound soules according to the conformity of Gods Law Secondly they may preserve naturall life for a while but this brings a supernaturall life for ever Thirdly they may restore strength and nature decayed but this changeth and bringeth in a new nature according to the second Adam Fourthly they cannot keepe away death approaching but this makes immortall Fifthly they cannot raise or recover a dead man but this raiseth both dead in sinne dead in soule and dead in body Lastly in respect of time All other physicke is made of drugs created with the world but this was prepared before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 18. Againe all the worke of all other physicke is done in death but the perfection and most powerfull worke of this is after death By all this take we notice of our extreme misery by sinne seeing nothing else can cure us but the blood of the Sonne of God Gold enough can ransome the greatest Potentate on earth but here nothing can doe it but the blood of the Kings sonne If we had such a disease as nothing but the heart-blood of our dearest friends alive suppose our wife husband mother or childe could cure us what an hopelesse and desperate case were it it would amaze and astonish the stoutest heart But much more may it smite our hearts that we have such a disease as nothing else but the heart-blood of the Sonne of God can cure Looke upon the execration of thy sinne in this glasse If any thing can worke the hatred of sinne this may 1. To see the fire of Gods wrath kindled and nothing but this blood can quench it 2. To see the deadlinesse 〈◊〉 the disease in the price of the physicke and the dearenesse of the remedy 3. The danger of sinning against so precious a blood for if Abels blood being shed cryed from earth for vengeance much more will this blood trod under foot But those never saw their sinne in this glasse who conceive the cure as easie as the turning of an hand a light Lord have mercy or an houre of repentance at death and have lived in sinne and loved their sinne as if there were no danger in it passe away their daies and live in ignorance swearing cursing Sabbath-breaking lying covetousnesse filthinesse and all unrighteousnesse whereas had they eyes to see they might out of the price and greatnesse of the remedy gather the danger and desperatenesse of the disease For all the earth affords not any herbe or simple nor drug of this vertue but the Sonne of God from heaven must shed his blood Nay all the men on earth and all the Angels of heaven could not make a confection to cure one sinne or sinner Neither any of Salomons fooles who make a mocke of sinne ever saw it in this glasse Is it not extremity of folly to make a tush of sinne and to take pleasure and delight in it O consider in time that the sinne thou makest so light of cost Christ deare and the least sinne thou delightest in must either cost Christ his blood or thee thine in endlesse torments It is no safe jesting with edged tooles and to east darts and fire-brands and say Am I not in jest In this Cure we may observe a world of wonders First wonder and admire this Physician who is both the Physician and the Physicke Was ever the like heard of in all nature Secondly admire the confection that the Physician must temper the remedy of his owne heart-blood He must by passion be pounded in the mortar of Gods wrath he must be beaten smitten spit upon wounded sweat water and blood be trodden on as a worme be forsaken of his Father the Lambe of God must be slaine the just suffer for the unjust Doest thou not here stand and wonder 〈◊〉 there ever such a Prece 〈…〉 〈◊〉 the world that the wo 〈…〉 〈◊〉 one man should heale ano 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—ound or that the wo 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Captaine should heal 〈…〉 souldiers The 〈◊〉 suffered darkenesse the earth quaked the rockes rent asunder the graves opened the dead arose to shew the admirable confection of this Cure and are we senslesse still Thirdly admire the power of weaknesse and the Omnipotent worke of this Cure by contraries as in the great worke of Creation there the Sonne of God made all things not out of something but out of nothing so in this great worke of our Cure by Redemption he works our life not by his life but by his owne death he makes us infinitely happy but by his owne infinite misery he opens the grave for us by his owne lying in the grave he sends us to heaven by his owne descending from heaven and shuts the gates of hell by suffering hellish torments He honours us by his owne shame he breakes away our temptations and Satans molestations by being himselfe tempted Here is a skilfull Physician tempering poyson to a remedy bringing light out of darkenesse life out of death heaven out of hell In the whole order of nature one contrary refisteth another but it is beyond nature that one contrary should produce another Wonder Fourthly admire the care of the Physician who provided us a remedy before our disease before the world was or we in it together with his bounty who bestowed on us so precious a balme when there was none in Gilead when neither all the gold in India nor all the metals or minerals in the bowels of the earth could save one soule nor all the wealth in the world oure one
for the profession of Christ and his truth and for well-doing Called the suffering of a Christian 1 Pet. 4. 16. and Paul cals it the sufferings of Christ 2 Cor. 1. 5. and bearing of his reproach Heb. 13. 13. that is 1. From him his fanne to fift and purge us 2. For him endured for his cause and glory 3. His in his mysticall body not naturall 4. Not in respect of merit but of sympathy But why is it called the cross 1. Because of the union between Christ the Christian so it is a part of Christs own cross for as all the members suffered with Christ on the crosse as their head and surety so hee suffers with them as his members and after a sort hangs still on their crosse The head and members of this body are inseparable 2. That we should never think of the troubles for Christ but cast our eyes also upon the crosse of Christ where wee shall see him sanctifying sweetening and conquering all our sorrowes and behold him a companion partner and yoke-fellow bearing for us the heavie and ponderous end and the greatest part off us 3. That in all our sufferings for Christ wee should support our faith patience in beholding what was the end of Christs crosse and so expect the same happy end and issue of our crosses for Christ that as he passed from the crosse to the Crowne so will hee in the end admit us into the fellowship of his crowne and glory whom he hath vouchsafed as Simons and companions in the bearing of his own crosse which is an unspeakable helpe and support to our perseverance Next what is it to take up the crosse It is not to devise a voluntary affliction for a mans self as Baals Priests lanced themselves and Popish Priests and Proselytes at set times afflict and torture their bodies by whipping cheare to merit thereby Neither is it to run into affliction or pull the crosse upon our shoulders or thrust our selves into danger no not for Christ as Peter thrust himselfe into Caiaphas hall For first Christ did not carry his crosse till it was layd upon him Secondly our rule is to use all good meanes for the preservation of our bodies health wealth strength and comfort Christ himselfe did flye persecution till the time was come and commanded his Disciples if they were persecuted in one city to flye into another Thirdly every bearing of affliction must bee an obedience of faith and therefore must bee grounded upon a commandement of God No souldier must of his owne head raise war against his owne peace nor set fire upon his owne house this is not the part of a good souldier but of a mutinous and seditious fellow So no souldier of Christ must be superfluous in suffering but see hee be prest into the battell by the great Generall and Commander Fourthly we may not tempt God by running afore him but follow him going before us If without sin and with good conscience wee may escape danger and do not we run upon it and it becomes our own crosse and not Christs It is enough to suffer wrong wee must not offer wrong to our owne persons We are not bound to seek the crosse nor make it but to beare and take it up Nor to fill the cup for our selves but to drinke it when God reacheth it Our afflictions must not be a cup of our own brewing or a potion of our owne providing but the Father must give it us John 18. 11. Shall not I drinke of the cup which my Father hath given To take up the crosse therefore is When a crosse meets us in our way which wee cannot without sin and breach of conscience escape wee must now take knowledge of Gods will Gods hand Gods time and Gods voice calling us to suffer And as Christ when his crosse was layd upon him tooke it upon him and bare it willingly meekly and cheerfully so must wee by enduring the crosse declare our obedience to God our love to Jesus Christ and our zeale to his truth This is to take up the crosse Now God laying on the crosse wee must not pull away the shoulder nor hide our selves from the crosse under the covert of sinfull shifts nor avoid it by any unlawfull meanes but take it up and buckle to the burden And this saith Luke must be done daily that is 1. Every Christian must be in a daily expectation of the crosse 2. He must not prescribe unto God how long or how much to exercise him no though it were all the dayes of his life 3. That wee should renew our strength daily to the daily conflict seeing it is the tryall of soundnesse to abide with Christ in tentation and the fruit of it shall be to abide with him in his glory Two points may here bee noted 1. No Christian but hath his crosse it being the very badge and marke of a Disciple and Christ and his crosse are inseparable For first the word is passed All that will live godly in Jesus Christ must suffer persecution and if every one none certainly is excepted 2 Tim. 3. 12. Act. 14. 22. Heb. 12. 6. Rev. 3. 19. And what befals the whole the parts cannot avoid Isa. 54. 11. he saith of the whole Church O thou that art tossed with tempests c. Secondly there must be a conformity between Christ and the Christian as between the head and the member But it behoved Christ first to suffer and then to enter into his glory and our tenure is the same the Disciple is not above his Master if they call him Beelzebub what shall wee be called if they did so to the green tree they will never spare the dry if all his innocency and wisedome could not fence him no more will ours fence us if they persecuted mee they will persecute you also Thirdly if wee consider the causes of the crosse this truth will be better cleared One the rage of Sathan against Christ and his truth who incessantly tempteth buffetteth and terrefieth the godly Whom he cannot hinder of salvation he will of comfort so much as he can If there can be hope that hee will cease to bee malicious so may there be of the ceasing of our vexations The other the wicked of the world carried by the spirit that rules in the world will see the godly shall want no exercise For no Christian as a Christian can please the wicked world No communion can be expected between light and darknesse Nay there cannot but bee separation fight and persecution Ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake Mat. 10. 22. And Prov. 29. 27. The just is an abomination to the wicked Hence are they proclaimed enemies as traitors hereticks and the off-scouring of the world even as Christ on the crosse was accounted the most â—lagitious fellon of all other and farre worse than Barrabas
Scripture must be understood with exception of repentance as all promises with exception of the crosse Peter upon his repentance saved his lost life so doubtlesse many in this land were forced under Antichrist to abjure the truth who as they fell with Peter did also rise againe with him And whosoever shall lose his life for my sake Not he that loseth his life as a malefactor as Saul Judas others nor those that for vain-glory or discontent or hope of bettering their estate bereave themselves of life But for my sake that is 1. For the profession of the Gospel as did innumerable Christians in the Primitive Church and many in Queen Maries daies who in love to Christ were prodigall of their lives if they had had a thousand lives they should all have gone 2. For discharge of duty answerable to that profession as David John Baptist the Prophets Apostles Stephen and others who suffered for righteousnesse sake Mat. 5. 10. He shall save it that is he shall have it returned to him wiâ—h advantage of a miserable and temporary life it shall bee changed into an everlasting and blessed life hee hath suffered with Christ and hee must reigne with him Object But then martyrdome meriteth eternall life Answ. No for first the sufferings of this life are not worthy the glory that shall bee revealed Rom. 8. 18. there being no proportion betweene the body and soule betweene life temporall and life eternall Secondly the promise is made not to the suffering but the sufferer being a member of Christ and performed not for any merit for it is but our duty and a thankfull returne of our lives to him who gave his for us but for the faithfulnesse of the promise apprehended by the faith of Beleevers Object But shall none save his life but he that loseth it Answ. Yes many of the Patriarkes and faithfull in all ages lived and died peaceably in a good old age But two rules must bee resolved upon 1. If occasion be offered and God call for the life in the witnesse of faith and well-doing it may not be saved and now if it be saved it is lost 2. If occasion bee not given yet there must bee an expectation a resolution a readinesse of minde to it whensoever it may bee given For we reade among the Ancient of mentall Martyrs or votary Martyrs without fire or bloud in whom the readinesse of minde to lose the life for God and his truth is accepted of GOD as the losing of the life for God accepts the will for the deed and accounts of Abraham as if hee had sacrificed his sonne and saith of him hee spared not his sonne though hee was spared And of David that he had built him an house when hee had it but in his heart to build one for this built him an house Object But it seemes if a man to save his life flye in persecution hee loseth his life by so saving it Answ. Distinguish of persons Some are bound not to flye and these by saving their lives doe lose them Others are free and may safely flye To say something of each of these For the former 1. Some are bound inwardly by an inward call and voice of the Spirit as Paul was bound in spirit to goe up to Jerusalem even to suffer Acts 20. 22. and was endued with such a spirit of courage and fortitude that his life was not deare unto him but he was ready to endure all extremitie for Christ. Such a spirit GOD gave to Luther when hee went to Wormes to dispute that though hee saw nothing but death danger before him yet so many Divels as there were tiles on the houses could not turne him off And to many of the Martyrs in Queen Maries daies God gave in silly bodies noble and stout spirits to contemne all threats and torments These may not flye in persecution 2. Some are externally bound to stand by vertue either of the generall calling of a Christian as when by a mans flight the whole Church and truth is indangered which must be dearer than a mans life or of the speciall calling as when by the worke of it GOD may bee more glorified and the Church edified I must keep mee in the way notwithstanding the perill ensuing For example If the persecution bee generall and common to the whole Church the Minister may not flye for the weak are in great danger most need the support of the strong now the duty of the calling must be dearer than his life Whereas if the persecution were personall directed against the Pastor onely hee were in his owne liberty to withdraw himself only for a time 3. Some are tyed bound not to flye by reason of their present estate especially in two cases First when God hath cut off all law full meanes and wayes of flying and a man cannot escape but by unlawfull meanes as an officious lye hearing of Masse equivocations pealing discovering the brethren or the like Here a man must abide the will of God who hath called him to stand out and do no evill to save his life Secondly when a man is in hand or hold under the custody of the Magistrate though unjustly prosecuted he may not break prison nor use violence but obey the Magistrate in unjust sufferings alwaies counting it thank-worthy to endure griefe for GOD and Christ wrongfully 1 Pet. 2. 19. Quest. But what if the prison-doore be left open as sometime it may be or hath been Ans. If God open a doore this is not a breaking of prison The Apostles Acts 5. 19. used no violence to get out but when the Angel opened the door they went away shifted for themselvs thus not themselves only but the Church was preserved in them Now all these that are thus brought by God to the wrestling-place must strive for the best game without shrinking or starting away But there are a second sort that are more free and have liberty to avoid persecution by flight in these three cases 1. If any have not attained strength sufficient to bear the extremity for Christ our Saviour would have these costs to bee fore-cast as in the Parable of the Builder of the Captain mustering his forces Only in not finding strength bewail thy weaknes use means of further strength 2. If the danger be certain and present not suspected or surmised for a man may not as Jonas by casting feares cast himself out of his calling but if hee see certaine perill to himselfe and no great hope of doing good by his stay he may flye 3. If avoiding private respects as loosing himselfe from duty or out of excessive feare shifting for himselfe hee ayme directly at the furthering of Gods glory and Christs Kingdome for it is a rule in which wisdom conscience must over-rule If it may make more for Gods glory to flie flie if to stay
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
pleasures and sweet profits which are as neare as right hands and eyes can the worldling who esteemes his profits before his profession and therefore turnes a deafe eare to such voyces no onely he that made the affections at first can thus renew them change them at his pleasure 4. An embracing of all truths one as well as another because all are from the same fountaine and a constant cleaving to all truth in judgement and practise then when reason custom practice sense and common opinion crosse and contradict it Now who can teach wisdome in a mysterie but God alone 1 Cor. 2. 〈◊〉 that a Virgin should beare a Sonne that a Sonne should be eternally begotten that all things should bee made of nothing that life dyed upon the Crosse and fetched life out of death that heaven must be had out of hell and death swallowed up by death and the same body arise againe Who can give simple and shallow wits capacity to reach these high mysteries which Festus accounteth madnesse and Iewes thinke the Apostles out of their wits to utter them and the great wits of the world account foolishnesse and fables Is it not hee that chooseth weake things to confound the mighty Nay who is it that can perswade these high and strange things with such certainty as the simple Beleever-dares and doth dye in defence of them Surely as Christ said to Peter Flesh and bloud reveales it not but the Father that is in heaven This is the second signe of saving knowledge The third is a conscionable and fruitfull following of the means of knowledge as 1. An humble sitting downe with many at the feet of Christ. 2. Binding the Word to our eyes by frequent constant and orderly reading 3. Whetting it on the heart by deepe meditation so to make it our owne 4. Tying it to the hands and fingers by practising it If yee doe these things yee shall know the Doctrine a good understanding have all they that doe thereafter 5. Prayer to be continually taught of God as in the Text and Iam. 1. 5. Aske Wisdome of God 6. Teaching strengthning and comforting of others this returne increaseth thy Talent as oyle in the Cruise increased by imparting Adde hereunto a fruitfull use of the meanes prospering and profiting daily in the Image of God and conformity with God in true wisdome holinesse and righteousnesse 2 Cor. 3. 18. We behold i◠a mirror and are changed from glory to glory This is to be taught by Christ as the truth is in Christ. To be led by God in the way of God is to get nearer God every day than other We must walke in the light as hee is light and so have communion with him To walke in light is in regard of God to walke in the light of his directions in regard of our selves to walke in truth and light of sincerity in regard of our brethren to walke in love as the Apostle Iohn expresseth it here by the vision of faith and hereafter by the vision of fruition And I will keepe it unto the end Here is the second part of the Text containing a religious vow or promise of David in case the Lord will vouchsafe to teach him Where consider 1. Why he voweth 2. What he voweth For the former 1. He voweth to shew his resolution and forwardnesse to keepe the way of God A maine helpe of godlinesse is to resolve to be godly and the beginning of goodnesse are good purposes and resolutions to be good which if wee find we must cherish and if they faile renew them 2. He voweth to move the Lord after a sort to grant his desire because he desires it for a right end if God will make him know his way he will keep it so Hanna moved for a sonne which if God vouchsafe to her she will dedicate him to his service and God heard her 1 Sam. 1. whatsoever we aske of God it will be an easie suit if we resolve to referre it to his glory 3. To shew his thankfulnesse for the blessing received as also Hanna did which cannot better be expressed then in an obedient and holy course which is the tribute and returne the Lord expecteth for all his goodnesse received And actuall mercies call for actuall thankfulnes 1 Thes. 5. 17 18. Pray continually In all things give thankes 4. To binde himselfe more firmely to duty and service which is not superfluous though we be tyed already as Bellarmine affirmes For as it is contrary to Christian liberty needlesly to bind our selves where God hath left us free so in things commanded and necessary directly and immediately concerning the worship of God we may binde our selves more straightly For first we are bound by the law of Creation to serve God and is therefore the vow and promise of Baptisme superfluous Secondly looke to the practice of the Saints Iacob was bound by Creation and by Circumcision and yet Gen. 28. 20. he vowed a vow that the Lord should be his God David here having made the Covenant in Circumcision renewes his uow and Psa. 119. 106. I have sworne and will performe that a threefold cord might not easily bee broken Thirdly in the defiance of evil and strife against the lusts in the members resisting the law of God besides the generall bond of Baptisme a Christian may advisedly and profitably lay on himselfe a particular vow as a remedy and helpe against some evill or a furtherance to some good As for example a man subject to be drunke with wine or strong drinke may vow for a time to abstaine from it and so cut off an hand or eye offending One finding the stirring of concupiscence may solemnly vow to refraine the company and presence of wanton women and make a covenant with his eyes as Job not to looke on them Or finding dulnesse slacknesse or distractions hindering prayer reading or other dutie he may vow to bestow some time thereupon For the latter 1. In generall David vowes a lawfull thing 2. In speciall to keepe the way to the end In generall he vowes a thing commanded and acceptable to God a thing within the compasse of his calling and not against Christian liberty Hee vowes not perpetuall single life for it is better to marry than to burne Nor voluntary poverty for the Commandement is Let there be no begger in Israel Deu. 15. 4. Nor to goe to Rome or Compostella to worship an Image against the Commandement Nor to visit the holy land or kisse the Popes feet in all which the calling is laid aside for idle and impious devices Nor to revenge an injury which is against the Commandement of charity Nor impiously not to eat or drinke till they have slaine Paul Act. 23. 12. Nor any such sinfull thing whereof the rule is good In case of ungodly or dishonest vow alter thy purpose And a vow must never be the bond of
be sprinckeled which sprinkling notes the very applying of Christs blood to the soule of a sinner But when is this medicine applyed For time there is no application but in this â—â—fe no curing after this life no procuring of oyle after the Bridegroomes comming And consequently there is no purgatory no satisfactions no helpe from men or Angels hereafter Detestable is that wicked heresie of Bellarmine that the sufferings of the living helpe the dead three wayes 1. By way of merit of congruity 2. By way of intreaty 3 By way of satisfaction Contrary to that of Augustine Ibi erit paenitentiae dolorem habens sed medieinam non habens Repent they doe after death but without any cure That is the time of justice onely this is the acceptable time In vaine should you minister physicke to a dead man And faith then ceaseth with all the workes of it Seeing onely beleevers have the benefit of Cure above all things labour for faith Want faith thou perishest art deadly sicke without recovery Christ could doe no great worke in his owne Countrey because of their unbeleefe He that beleeveth not the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh 3. uls Hast thou faith be of good comfort according to thy faith it shall bee unto thee not according to thy money wealth friends but thy faith makes thee whole If God hath not given thee so much wealth so fine clothes so liberall fare as to others yet if he hath given thee so much faith he is liberall enough Oh that I had never so little a graine of faith but I have none so this blood can doe mee no good it is impossible for me to be cured But first hast thou none labour for it thou mayest have it If thou beleevest all things are possible Secondly distinguish betweene want and weakenesse of faith betweene the want of the grace and the want of sense If thou hast any faith never so weake as these grones desires prove then remember that excellent place Rom. 14. 3 God chuseth the weake in faith Hee makes choyce of thee then doe not thou refuse him And remember that the Cure was not ordained for Angels in heaven nor for Saints triumphant but militant that fight with unbeleefe corruptions and lusts If thou weâ—t perfect thou shouldst not need it If thou beest not perfect thou hast no cause to renounce but embrace it Come sicke as thou art come weary come bruised come despairing in thy selfe it is a medicine for the sicke a refreshing of the weary a builder up of the broken spirit nay and a quickener of the dead Here is that tree of life the leaves whereof doe heale the nations Let not thine owne unbeleefe be as a shaken sword in thine owne hand to keepe thee from it Remember the Text The whole need not the Physician but they that are â—â—â—ke Againe seeing there is a time to heale come in season Eccleâ— 3. 3 neglect not the opportunity get into the water so soone as the Angell moveth make benefit of advantages worke with God and the means accept the offers and invitations for thine owne welfare Thou mayest seeke oyle too late blessing too late the Word and faith too late and repentance too late Againe content not thy selfe onely to heare of this remedy but seeke to know that it is applyed to thee in particular and to feele the vertue of it in thy selfe as Paul desired to know nothing but the vertue of Christs death and resurrection Phil. 3. 9 10. Quest. How may I know it Answ. As Physicke taken into the body workes often so painefully that men are even at the gate of death in their present sense and no other but dead men so this Physicke worketh kindely when it worketh paine in the Party through the sense and sight of sinne and apprehension of Gods anger feare of damnation and utter despaire in themselves For this is the worke of the spirit of bendage namely generall faith in the Beleevers applying the Law and threatnings to their owne deepe humiliation No man can saile to heaven but by the gates of hell 2. As Physicke kindly working delivers the party not only from death but such humors as were the cause of his sickenesse at least that they be not predominant Even so must this Physicke rid us of our sinne and these peccant humors which were the matter of our sickenesse and that both from the condemnation and corruption of them 1 Iohn 1. 7. The blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne purgeth us from all sinne First from the condemnation of sinne this blood is shed for the remission of sinnes Galat. 3. 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Otherwise it must be with us as with him who in a desperate disease without Physicke must dye Secondly from the corruption of sinne both the disease of naturall and originall sinne and the leprosie of actuall sinnes Now looke into thy selfe examine whether this blood be a corrosive in thy soule to eat out the corruption of nature whether it purge the conscience from dead workes Hebr. 9. 14. whether it hath quitted thee as well from the dominion of sinne as from the damnation of it whether it hath brought thee to leave sinne c. Reason with the Apostle hath Christ dyed to kill sinne in me and shall I live to quicken it nay rather as 1 Peter 4. 1. forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh we must arme our selues with the same minde for that hee which hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sinne Thirdly as physicke is profitably applyed when it brings ease and rest having carried away the matter of the paine So is this physicke well applyed when faith quiets the heart by assuring it that Christ and his benefits are his and hath set him above the Law sinne hell death even in this life as a Conquerour and all this because he beleeves the Gospell Now come in peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost Beleeving yee reioyce with ioy unspeakeable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. When these take place instead of former gripes and stings of conscience this blood is soundly applyed For as nothing could cure the stung Israelites but the beholding of the brazen Serpent so nothing can pacifie the stung conscience but the blood of Christ lifted on the Crosse. 4. As after application of proper physicke wee finde a great change in our bodies as if wee had new bodies given us so after the kindly worke of this physicke we may finde our selves cast into a new mould this blood applyed makes us new Creatures new men having new mindes new wils new words new affections new actions new conversations Our strength is renewed to Christian actions and passion Wee are strong for our journey for our combate and strong to carry burdens with a strong
appetite and digestion of the Word every way more hearty and chearefull Thus having received our health by meanes of this Cure wisdome commands us to be as carefull to preserve our health as to attaine it Every wise man will be as carefull to keepe himselfe well as to get himselfe well And to this purpose wee must remember the counsell of our Physician for maintaining our health attained Amongst many directions prescribed I mention foure First not to be tampering with our owne medicines nor the medicines of Egypt merits pilgrimages penance or the like nor any quintessence or minerall from the hand of any libertine Teacher but onely such as wee finde prescribed in the word of God by our great Doctor Secondly to keepe our health we must keepe good dyet both for soule and body The best dyet for the soule is to keepe Gods houres for our daily repast by the Word in reading and meditating on it which David regarded above his ordinary food A liberall dyet is best for the soule but the best dyet for the body is a spare dyet a sober and moderate use of meat drinke and pleasure for beating downe and mortifying corrupt affections and lusts Thirdly to preserve our health we must strive to live in a good and wholesome ayre If thou livest in a corrupt ayre change it for a better The worst ayre that can be is where worst men and worst company are The ayre of an hot plaguy house is not so infectious as the contagious ayre of wicked company The former brings not so many to death of the body as this to death of the soule Live amongst Gods people and where Gods word is purely preached for there is the purest ayre Psal. 16. 3. All my delight is in the Saints excelling in vertue Fourthly to preserve health Physicians prescribe the use of good exercises The beâ—â—â—ercises to use for the health of the soule 〈◊〉 are hearing and reading of Gods Word pray also and meditate when thou art alone with conference of good things in company These are notable helpes to bring thee through weaknesses and keepe thy soule in good plight health and chearfulnesse FJNJS 2. Cor. 6. 4. Jude 19. 2 Tim. 2. 4. Amos 6. 6. 1. Sam. 15. 30. Occasion of the words Summe of them Parts Three duties These belong to all 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nimirùm in libertate nostra nobis relinquens utrùm amplecti maluerimus Jansen in loc The Text makes not for free-will 1 2. Notes of a Disciple of Christ. 1. Respect to the word and dependance on it 2. Mat. 4. 22. 23. 8. Joh. 6 68. Respect to Christ dependance on him alone 3. Attendance and obedience to him Joh. 15. 14. Melius est habere paucos discipulos quà m mulios auditores Thriv apoph 105. Luk. 6. 46. 4. Mat. 9. 15. John 16. 6. Joy in him or mourne after him Cant. 5. 6. Inaudita est dilectio quae amicum diligit prâ—sentiam ejus non amat Cassiod in Psal. 18. 5. Make Disciples winne others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 2â— 19 Scimuo quòd viri isti nec sibi vixére nec sibi sunt mortui sed ei qui pro ipsis mortuus est magis autem nobis omnibus propter illum Bern. serm Petr. Paul 1 Joh. 2. 6. Phil. 1. 20. 6. Love of the brethren a speciall badge of a true Christian Gal. 5. 6. Hâ—b 2. 4. 2 Cor. 5. 7. Eph. 5. 2. Rejection of them that want it 1. John 8. 44. 2. Eph. 4. 3. Gal. 5. 22. Jam 4. 5. John 9. 28. 2 Tim. 3. 8. 3. Isa. 11. 6. 7. 8. Gal. 6. 10. John 4. 9. 4. Niltam commendat Christianam animam quam misericordia Ambr. offic l. 1. cap. 11. Joh. 13. 34. Col. 3. 14. The first duty and note of a Disciple Foure things in it I. What is meant by ones selfe 1. Outward things 2. What inward things must be denied 1. Rom. 8. 7. 2. 3. 4. Qui depâ—niâ— vâ—terem hominem cum operibus suis abnegat sâ—ipsum c. Hieron in Matth. 5. Rom. 14. 7. Non dixit neget sed abneget ut hac adjeâ—â—iunâ—â—la plurimum addat c. Greg. Phil. 3. 7. 8. II. The difficulty of this duty Mar. 9 43. 47. Seen in 3. things 1. Luk. 9. 59. Mat. 19. 22 1 Cor. 3. 18. Job 20. 12. 2. 3. Mat. 19. 22 III. The necessity of doing it In sixe respects 1. Si peril homo amando se profectò invenitur negando se. Aug. ser. 77. de diversis 2. Non potes perfectam possidere libertatem nisi totaliter abneges temetispsum De imitat Christi li. 3. cap. 32. 3. Pro. 22. 15. 4. Mat. 9. 12. 10. 6. 5. Mat. 22. 37. 39. 6. Vigila super teipsum excita teipsum admone teipsum quicquid de aliis sit non negligas teipsum Tantum proficies quantum tibi ipsi vim intuleris De imitat Christi l. 1. c. 25. IV. Use. Exhortation to selfe-deniall Mischiefes by not beginning herein Fecerunt civitates duas amores duo terrenam scilicet amorsui usque ad contemptum Deiâ—coelestem verò amor Dei usque ad contemptum sui Aug. de Civ Dei l. 14. 2. Eph. 2. 2. 3. 4. Act. 19. 24. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 4. 6. Qui leviter ac desunctoriè ad pietatis doctrinam accesserunt exaruerunt Naz. orat 3. Quoâ—usquisque haec adimplevit sed quae penes homines difficilia penes Deum facilia Tert. de idol c. 12. Helpes to further this difficult duty 1. Luk. 11. 13. Isa. 44. 3. 2. 3. Self-deniall the first continued act of a Christian. Pensemâ—s quomodo Paulus se abuegaverat qui dicebat Vivo autem jam non ego Extinctus quippe suerat sevus ille persecutor et vivere coeperat pius praedicator Greg. in Evang hom 32. 4. Preservatives against pride which hinders selfe-deniall 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Also against distrustfulnes which hinders it 1 2. Mat. 6. 33. 3. Gen. 22. 14 1 Sam. 17. 37. Encouragements to this harsh work of selfe-deniall 1. 2. Nil me juvabunt fines mundi nec regna hujus seculi melius est â—ihi emori propter Jesum Christum quà m imperare finibusterrae Ignat. ad Rom. Psal. 120. 5. 6. 3. Heb. 11. 25. 26. Gen. 22. 16 Mat. 19. 27. Heb. 13. 12. 13. Rev. 12. 11 Ignis crux diaboti tormenta in me veniant tantummodo ut Jesum nanciscar â—dem ibid. 4. 5. Siâ— olerum plâ—lae traâ—sponuntur ut proficiaeu Unde enin videnturâ—ii perdidsse quod craâ—t inde incipiunt apparere quod non erant Greg. ubi supr Notes of one that denies himselfe 1. 2 Cor. 5. 14. 2. Phil. 4. 11. 12. 3. Foure things that self-deniall doth in respect of the Word Regards whatever God teacheth Act. 10. 33. Loves it all even reproofes Quarrels not but submits Suffers rather than the truth should suffer 4. Resignation to God for prosperity Deut. 8. 18. Of