in Scripture you must as on a musicall instrument not put on great strings only but the smaller also and in a Consort take the Tenour and Counter-tenour with the Base You must not only hearken to the loud noise of the world and the sound of all all c. but take in the smaller sounds of sheep and friends and believers and then when we have the Scriptures in a compleat harmony set together they doe all unanimously make against universall Redemption not for it Behold the first Reason is without an Argument Reason 2. If Christ did not die for all every one could not have a ground of believing the report of the Gospel Answ What is there no ground of beleeving but upon a false Alarme and Report as this man hath brought amongst you 1. This Reason is the voice of unbelief The Arminian Doctrine helpes a lame Dogge over the stile viz. An unbeleeving heart to reason against the truth because all men are not bought and redeemed by Christ therefore I must not beleeve I say again this is nothing else but the language of unbeliefe beware of it 2. I retort it To lay forth this Doctrine before carnall men That Christ died for all is to lay a stumbling block before the blinde and to throw dust in the eyes of faith the faith of Gods elect that it shall not see at all but live by sense and not by it's own principles or not see by it's owne eyes Beloved in true beleeving there is a mystery When Christ dying for sinners is preached to the world it is a self-denying act to beleeve in him before I know I am of Gods secret number of the names in the Lambs book for whom Christ died but 't is no self-deniall when I hear Christ died for all to beleeve I am one This Doctrine then is an enemy to true beleeving and indeed a false Doctrine as I called it at first and have so proved it can beget but a false faith that which is but temporary not to be nourished or cherished by any true teacher or dispenser of the word 3. Is there no ground of believing except Christ died for all I will name you a few without this and sufficient I suppose to convince and draw a soul to believing 1. That Proposition or true and faithfull saying 1 Tim. 1. 15. 2. The Command Believe God bids thee believe faith is obedience to the Command Rom. 16. 26. 3. The Promise He that beleeveth shall not perish Joh. 3. 16. but he hath everlasting life Joh. 6. 47. and shall certainly be saved Act. 16. 31. 4. Gods act of justifying the ungodly Rom. 4. 5. 5. Gods raising Christ from the dead Rom. 4. 24. 1 Pet. 1. 20 21. consult and ponder the places 6. This very Proposition That Christ died but for some namely for his sheep hath been a ground of believing as Joh. 10. 15 c. after much discourse about his sheep and dying for them the result and close is v. ult And many beleeved on him there 7. Christ himself held forth indefinitely as a sufficient necessary and only meane of salvation which who so believeth Ames Anti. Synodatia 188. in chuseth and relieth upon under that notion may be sure that Christ hath an effectuall intention and purpose of saving him So the Apostle Paul and others held forth Christ We preach Christ crucified unto the Jews indeed who will not see sufficiency a stumbling blocke and unto the Greeks 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. who will not see the necessary determinations of Gods wisdom this way foolishnesse But unto them which are called perswaded to hearken after a crucified Saviour the sufficiency necessity and sole-soveraignty of his soul-saving bloud and palsion Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God so we preach so Gods elect do believe though they know not at the first whether they be of the number for whom Christ was crucified Hence Fourthly and lastly I answer The first act of thy faith is not to beleeve Christ died for all or for thee in particular the one is not true the other is not certain to thee till thou beleevest but this is that thou art called unto to believe in Christ as dying for sinners and able and willing to save thee beleeving then when thou comest to reflect upon thy faith thou shalt finde Christ died for thee not one man or person of years more then other is included or excluded but by his faith or unbelief Behold again his second Reason without an Argument viz. without nerves or sinews of truth to argue for this tenet of his and of all unbeleevers in a practicall way Let none then go away from such a Lecture and say We were led into and kept in errour all this time for we were taught that we must first know we were elected before we should beleeve but now that we hear Christ died for all we see ground for beleeving for it is as much as your souls are worth to miscarry here you may be lost for ever upon this verticall point For I deny that Christs dying for all or Gods electing of some and the particular knowledge of it is the foundation that we lay for mens beleeving not the first because false not the later because though it be most true that God gave his Sonne for none but his elect yet that thou shouldest know thy self of the number before thou believest who but ignorant men will teach so who but ignorant hearts will think so Election is a cause of beleeving and so many as are ordained to life have and shall believe Act. 13. 48. And if men doe finally persist in unbelief it is a sign they are not of Christs sheep Joh. 10 26. He that would know his election or redemption before he believeth is never like to know it 2. Come we to his Arguments as he cals them Arg. 1. Arguments disarmed The. 1. From the text Math. 22. 14. Many are called but few are chosen It was thus argued If Christ died for all that are called he died for more then the elect but he died for all that are called else they should not have been called or being called they are bound to believe that which is false if Christ did not die for them Answ I deny the Assumption and the two proofs of it The Assumption to be denied of you beloved as of my self is this That Christ died for all that are called t is a presumption without any found proof for 1. The first proof Else they should not have been called is a non sequitur or a false consequence for many are called because among the many God hath his choise number and will one day more distinguish them before all the world then yet he doth as in vers 47. The Parable following these of the Text. 2. The second proof proves not that it is brought for Being called they are bound to believe that which is true or false and if Christ
a few Arguments for the due order of election before redemption and for the sole redemption of the elect as a fruit of their election That the decree of election is in order of nature before the decree of redemption 1. The Father hath the first right as he is first in order of subsistence The Son hath it given him from the Father Joh. 17. 6. Thine they were in the first purpose and choice and thou gavest them me to own as mine and being lost not fallen out of election but into a state of non-communion to redeem and bring to God 2. Election is first to glory and election to glory is before the fall and therefore before redemption which comes in after sinne as a means to bâ—ing to glory by such grace to the praise of the glory of Gods most free grace Eph. 1. 4 5 6. 3. Creation was for Christ Col. 1. 16. and therefore Christ first thought upon as a head of elect Angels and men and as he is before all created things in the counsel of God all things are made for his glorious ends upon his elect had there been no fall but for the further manifestation of Gods love the fall is permitted and ordered to bring in not only God-incarnate but God crucified 3. Love is in order before mercy Eph. 2. 4. The decree of election is an act of meer love That of redemption an act of pure mercy and consequentiall upon love in the decree And in the execution all the tender mercies of redemption are fruits of that love which gave being to election as election gives a Redeemer and redemption 2. That Redemption by Christs death is solely and only of and for the elect as a fruit of their election 1. Christ died for them and them only whom he represented whose names were in the bond of agreement or in the Covenant of his Suretiship and that were virtually in him upon the crosse Some were virtually in him upon the crosse for he was there as a publike person all were not virtually in him but such as are in due time spiritually and powerfully united to him if any more but they then Christs death and crosse loseth some of its vertue Christs power is lesse then Adams for as all sinned in Adam the imputation of his sin is put upon all their persons whom he represented Now not any but true beleevers and the elect seed are in time spiritually and powerfully united to Christ even by Testardus doctrine * The 192 194. nor doe any but such partake of Christs satisfactory righteousnesse by spirituall propagation or union and bond of the Spirit and faith as they that are in Adam by naturall propagation and bond of nature are partakers of his condemning guilt which Testardus proâ—eth from Rom. 5. 16 c. as we use to prove it By proportion of the first and second Adam virtuall and actuall union and imputation goe together Now who will say Christ represented more then the elect c 3. If Christ died for more then the elect more then the elect must beleeve in him as an effectuall Saviour or he must be beleeved on as an ineffectuall Saviour by some or other Now not Testardus nor any such Vniversalist will say that his death is or was ever intended to be savingly efficacious to all only such a grosse Atheist or distracted brain as he that put out * A pamphlet sentenced before p. 30. as unworthy of any light but the light fire Divine Light And that which is not nor was intended is not to be beleeved Nor will or dare any bid men beleeve in Christ for half or half a quarter of salvation who are in their found mindes But beleeve we say in Christ for all or nothing when we take the Scripture-scope along with our preaching 3. Christ died for those and those only who shall finde their election by beleeving in his death none can finde their Act. 13. 38. election who first had it not in Gods counsel That representation therefore of Christs death which Testardus makes in some respects common to more then Gods elect doth weaken the hands and hearts of true beleevers shake the faith of Gods elect and obscure Gods election as well as the reasonings of Sam. Oates and I hope with Gods elect at last the doctrine of the one will be received for Orthodox no more then the other but both be rejected as Heterodox Let those who preach hear write reade of Christs death and Redemption beleeve in him for all actuall union and effieacy of communion and the assurance of their election thereby as the cause is known and assured by the effect and you shall finde the Treasure and the Pearl for which the Christian man and merchant sold all he had and bought it As it followeth in the Parables CHRIST THE Gospel-Treasure AND PEARL MATH 13. 44 45. â—â—ain The Kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field the which when a man hath found he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field â—gain The Kingdom of heaven is like unto a Merchant man seeking goodly pearls c. IT is high time that we come in the wisdom and Part. 2. strength of Christ to set out the right and genuine Scope Explication and Use of these Parables 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the repairing and edifying of your judgements which have been shaken and staggered by the perverting abuses of the late novel The true scope of these two Parables Exposition The Scope for the doctrinall part is to teach and set forth the worth and excellency of Christ and Grace and the Gospel of Grace with a Christians affectionatenesse strongly carried out to him and it And for the Vse it is to advise and excite all that read and hear hereof to be like unto this man and merchant in the Text in affection and action The particular and punctuall Exposition according to this The sense and meaning general scope is as followeth In these two Parables as in all similitudes there are two parts 1. The Proposition holding forth the resemblance 2. The Reddition applying the thing resembled to the resemblance 1. The Proposition or resemblance is drawn forth two waies First of a Treasure hid and found and hid again rejoyced in and purchased by him that found it with all that he had Secondly Of a Pearl found by a Merchant man c. 2. The Reddition so is the Kingdom of heaven as is a Treasure and Pearl in the discovery and purchase of it so is the Kingdom or the Kingdom of heaven is like unto c. that is there is that worth in it and that transaction and management of affairs about it as if a man should finde a treasure in a field or seeking many pearls he should finde one of great price and having found this Treasure this Pearl he goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth
to view his seal And when he seeth all is currant and good to buy the truth of the Gospel-doctrine and promises and of the Spirits evidences by which he and his brethren come to know within themselves that they have in heaven an enduring substance Plundred Heb. 10. 34. and spoiled they may be of what they buy in this world or of all purchased treasures here they may be cheated disappointed but as for the treasure in our Text it can neither be taken from them being in Gods keeping and Christs keeping not they be taken from it because when they die they goe to it where it is reserved for them As they have Christ and Gospel-grace here they goe thither to enjoy Christ and Gospel-glory Use 2 A note of discovery why some want assurance 2. See the reason why some want evidence and assurance because with self-denial and diligence they doe not seek it Of those that are uncertain of the Gospel-treasure of Christ the pearl of the Kingdom and the promises as theirs there be two sorts First Some who want evidence and will never have it nor come by it because they will not buy it with that wherewith they should buy it all they have set to sale they will not so much as consent to the letting go of self-righteousnesse sin or the creature c. Now such as will not yeeld to a parting with what stands in opposition to or in competition with the Lord Jesus neither will agree to an absolute hatred of sin nor a comparative hatred of the creature for him are not worthy meet or fit to have any Christ or heaven assured to them Secondly Others who want evidence and will want it a while because they hickle and dally and do not set roundly to the work either they are not faithfull in selling or not diligent in buying 1. Not faithfull in self-sale 1. Some lust is indulged and that keeps the soul in the dark 't is deservedly haunted with doubtings whether Christ be theirs while there is a favouring of any sin Or 2. Some parts and common gifts are preferr'd before sanctification and a mortified crucified use of them the pin-dust before the writing the varnish before the picture or post beware there of a rotten post which may be varnish't over as well as a sound Or 3. The man seeks his comfort in his duties and enlargements or in some frames of heart and will only then beleeve and be confident when the heart is in such a frame Many weak souls would make poverty of spirit hungring and mourning the cause and ground of their faith and not the evidence and fruit of it Or 4. The creature steals away their affection some profits pleasures or advancements relations and respects this and that way take up the room that comfortable assurance cannot dwell there scarce lodge a night in such a common Inne Or 5. The priviledges in and with the Church visible are built upon more then promises to the Church-mysticall and true members of Christ the head of the Church Or 6. The mans ends are not only stickling with Gods but indulged very farre and his own things sought not Christs or before the things of Christ Or 7. The poor soul goeth about self-denial in self-strength and would mortifie and sell all by his own power This is as main a let to assurance as the rest 2. Not diligent in buying of treasure Ordinances and means of assurance are neglected graces are not acted assurance is not prized the man resteth in the finding of the treasure is bidding and cheapning and endeavouring to draw it down to a lower price then God hath propounded he is tempted to repent of the full bargain and so God will not let him have it as yet but upon the just free and honourable terms as was at first agreed Hence hence so many doubting staggering Christians because so much slothfulnesse and indifferency in the matter of further and stronger assurance Use 3 A vvord of Exhortatiō Now let me addresse my self to such and such only who have beleeved and prized Christ and Gospel-grace and had some joy therein and have begun to deny something ye◠consented to let goe all for Christ here is I may say as the Apostle to the Hebrews That which accompanieth Heb. 6. 9 11. salvation but we desire that every one of you may shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end 1. Be diligent from first to last 2. Shew it as well as use it First Be diligent in all acts of selling that you may buy and come in to the evidence and assured possession of Christ and all Gospel-treasure and here let me present most needfull helps and waies of diligence before you 1. Let there be diligence in the meditation of promises and remembrance of Scripture-grounds of Assurance is God free bountifull willing able faithfull and unchangeable Is Christs intercession and the spirits presence perpetuall Let your thoughts be frequently fixt hereupon think not how able you are to keep your selves in his love but how able God is to keep you not how willing you are to be Christs but how willing he is to be yours not how faithfull you are but how faithfull he is c. 2. Let there be diligence in actings of Faith and renouncings of self-righteousnesse and all priviledges short of Christ and him crucified which the heart would build and rest upon for acceptance that Christ for your justification may be your sure your only treasure and pearl your all in all By faith 2 Cor. 1. ult Phil. 4 1 ye stand Stand fast in the Lord. 3. Let there be diligence in all departure from iniquity You must not think to be as the women Isa 4. 1. to be called by Christs name and eat your own bread wear your own apparel still live upon your lusts and goe in your rags 2 Tim. 2. 19. Let him that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity God will have his people stand at a distance from the waies of sin who would be sealed as his God can endure no Hab 1. 13. Tit. 1. 14. iniquity Christ came to redeem us from all iniquity It is his will we should be holy He hath a privy seal a seal of secrecy He knoweth who are his but this is his open seal impressions of holinesse upon the hearts and fore-heads of all professours of faith If you would have your assurance of Christ and hold it to the end beware of sins against light and sins against profession Let carelesse Christians thinke or boast what they will of assurance He that shall fall and fall again into sinne carelesly So many acts of sin so many steps down to hell so many degrees of Apostacy all which will weaken and darken assurance for 1. Though sin will not weaken Gods grounds yet it will weaken our apprehension of those grounds 2. Though the light be clear in the Word yet
were by the works of the law 2. Christ being had in a mystery Faith is the only grace that can deal with mysteries and discover them and understand them being the x Heb. 11. 1. vers 3. evidence of things not seen and through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God c. so through faith we understand that there is a treasure in such a field c. 3. Faith is the grace which laieth a ground for interest and propriety as finding of the treasure and pearl doth He that beleeveth gets something in hand as a 1 Cor. 1. 30. to be united to the treasure to be partaker of Christs righteousnesse with friendship liberty adoption and the spirit of adoption and sanctification and the rest in hopes and * Joh. 6. 47. with Tit. 3. 7 8 hopes he could not have but by beleeving therefore the Apostle to Titus having made mention of hope presently speaks of such who have that hope of eternal life as of those who have beleeved in God 2. Where In Scripture promises Secondly Where Christ the treasure is found even where hid In the field which we have interpreted to be the holy Scripture Scripture-promises * In quibus reposita est notitia salvatoris Hier. and Evangelizing or Gospel-tidings In a word The Word of God in it's severall Gospel-dispensations is the place where the treasure and pearl is found b Rom. 16. 25 26. The mystery of Christ in whom are hid the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2. 3. kept secret from us Gentiles since the world begaen is from the Apostles times made manifest there where it was hid in the Scriptures of the Prophets and to us since the Apostles times in their Scriptures or writings and openings of the Gospel in old and new Testament promises Life and immortality c 2 Tim. 1. 10 11. saith Paul is brought to light by the Gospel whereunto he was appointed a Preacher and an Apostle and teacher of the Gentiles in and by whose preaching the Gentiles did indeed finde all Gospel-treasure For the Gospel is the Covenant and bundle of the Promises of Christ and his grace and in every promise something or other of Christ is found so as when the Gospel and Promise is beleeved Christ is beleeved and obtained for d Rom. 10 17. faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God preached in the Promises When Jesus walked by John Baptist e Joh 11. 36 37 John Baptist said in the hearing of two of his Disciples Behold the lamb of God they knew him not before then when John hath by a Gospel word and finger pointed him out they finde and follow him f vers 40. Andrew being one of the two he findes his brother Peter and g vers 45. Philip found of Christ findes Nathaneel and discovers him to be the Messias out of the Scriptures We have found him of whom Moses and the Prophets did write Iesus of Nazareth the sonne of Ioseph So my beloved we tell you of this Treasure and Pearl where in this Bible in our Sermons upon Gospel-texts and that the Word of the Gospel is the field where Christ and his grace is found appears further by these three Demonstrations 1. That is the true Treasure he is the true Jesus that the Word discovers as it contains him so he is found there if any say h â—â—t 24. 23 24 Loe here is Christ or there and holds him not forth in Scripture and as the Scripture describes him Beleeve him not saith Christ for there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets c. 2. When Christ and grace is lost to sense and feeling he is found in the Scripture-field again and no where else and where he is found at last he is found at first 3. Where the Gospel never was preached and the Scriptures concerning him never opened in that corner or quarter of the world Christ was never known and beleeved on i Rom. 10. 24. How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Where the Gospel comes there some or other doe finde him Thirdly The time when this treasure is found is Gods 3. When own time k Gal. 1. 15 16. When it pleased God saith Paul to reveal his Sonne in me So when it pleaseth God to call a sinner from his wanderings and fancies of finding pearls of happinesse elswhere when is that you will say still 1. Sometimes when the soul is in a full careerâ— of sinning against Christ as Paul was called and he found the Treasure when he did ignorantly persecute all those that had found it 2. Sometimes when men are farre off from such a treasure or happy tidings and their mindes imployed only about worldly matters as Matthew at the receit of custome Chap. 9. 9. 3. Sometimes When a man hath some common or curious thoughts of seeing and knowing Christ Zaccheus but carnal in such thoughts yet carnally-curious and solicitous see he must Christs out-side or shadow as he passeth by and then is he caught l Luk. 19. 5 6. Make haste and come down saith Christ for to day I must abide at thy house c. 4. Sometimes when men hear the Word but with a common carnally-curious ear so some at Athens m Act. 17. 19. with 34. May we know what this new Doctrine whereof thou speakest is yet afterward certain clave unto Paul and beleeved that new Doctrine Various is the Lord in his cals for manner and time it is enough that he takes his own way and time to present Christ to the â—oul and to prevent the soul with light enough to finde him Reason Generall Why some finde Christ others not Fourthly Why The main reason why some finde Christ not others a man a merchant or two not many but here and there one is Gods free-love and favour to give the clear light and eye of faith for discovery of Christ the treasure and of a treasure in Christ a lively apprehension to fasten upon Christ â—s and when he is set forth in the promises it is the gift of Gods speciall love Ephes 2. 8. Which is a preventing love two waies 1. As it is everlasting in and from his free choice of such a soul I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore have I drawn thee Jer. 31. 3. or I have extended loving kindenesse unto thee And as Gods temporall prevention comes from this eternall prevention n Rom. 9. 20. I am found of those that sought me not I was made manifest to those that asked not after me so 2. Gods prevention before and in time is the cause of mans invention or finding they so many and no more as were ordained to eternal life beleeved Act. 13. 48. And therefore Tit. 1. 1. saving faith which findeth Christ is called The faith of Gods elect And o Joh. 6. 37. all that God giveth
effects of finding Christ by faith doe follow and the fourth in order is from the first of the general effects here mentioned Hiding Which when a man hath found he hideth Some as I told you in the breaking up of the true and full sense of the Parables think it respects only the elegancy of the Parable and is not necessarily to be applied to any part of the mystery hidden or illustrated in these Parables For the meer necessity I will not plead and I remember Calvins rule we must not weigh every scruple Non semper singula per se in in parabolis consideranda sunt Cal. in a Parable by it self I desire to observe it here and elsewhere and not take the words as they sound But the reason why that most learned Interpreter as Beza every where stileth him 〈…〉 Exposition upon or observation from this passage 〈…〉 was as we may pace tanti viri collect becaâ—â—â—â—t that time when he commented upon these words he had no other abscontion or hiding in his eye then a sinfull hiding or what is unsutable to such as are called by the Gospel who ought not as he saith truly to hide I adde so to hide the treasure found but to call others into the fellowship of it And keeping my self to the scope Quod autem abscondit non de invidia facit sed more servantis â—olentis perdere abscondit in corde Hien of the Parables I conceive as faith is the finding grace so there are gracious hidings or hiding graces the effects of faith as humility hope c. Let him therefore who hath heard remember and he that readeth let him understand and to that end look back to the Exposition of the words and I hope with the consent of the spirits of the Prophets we shall have warrant and encouragement to open â—nd apply that which followeth in order 4. Every true beleever having found Christ in a promise Doct. 4 doth in a gracious manner hide him and lay him up True bâ—leevers in a gracious manner hide Christ That is He doth humbly hopefully and with loving and high esteem resolve to keep safe and make sure of Christ and of all his riches and treasure Here are severall gracious acts as so many effects and characters of a true beleevers finding of Christ worthy our consideration in the opening whereof we shall clear and confirm the truth of the Doctrine 1. An act of humility the beleever doth neither simply 1. By humility conceal nor proudly boast of what he hath found but humbly entertains Christ and all that is Christs in the promises in the hidden man of his heart he hath many humble thoughts and meditations of what is discovered to him in the Gospel with the Prodigal a Luk. 15. ver 17. 11. he considereth that in his fathers house there is bread enough yea and with him also he addresseth himself to the throne of grace in all humble confessions Father I have sinned c. Thus the b Act. 1â— 18. Ephesians who had beleeved they came and confessed and shewed their deeds And what humble expressions finde we iâ—â—hat woman Luk. 7. There is one who had found Christ 〈…〉 vers ult she comes to the house where the Lord 〈…〉 sâ—te down to meat c Luk. 7. 37 38. she there upbraids not the Pharâ—â—â— that invited Christ or others with what they wanted and she had obtained but she stands at Christs feet not at his side as boldly 〈◊〉 with him behinde him not perâ—ly before him weeping not â—ondly laughing and began to wash his feet with tears o gracious hiding and did wipe them with the hairâ— of her head she doth not shew her self in proud dresses and addresses upon her beleeving but rather in the humblest posture vesture and gesture she demeans her self and takes revenge of her self for abuse of her hair in the former 〈◊〉 of it * No doubt she thought basely of her self and her hair 〈◊〉 Triall and triumph of faith p. 1â—6 So the woman of Canaan a Mat. 15. 27. Truth Lord she puts up the name of a dog and a despised Gentile so she be one of Christs dogs she câ—res not so she may but have crums and the meanest share in the Pearl and Treasure she is humbly contented The special Reasons hereof are two among other 1. Grace is free the treasure is free therefore in such who are partakers of it no room left for boasting or vain ostentation but cause of hiding a mans self and his grace also from being boasted of A borrowed garment as one * of high and Rutherf ibid. holy learning hinteth will make a wise man humble and he that by faith findes the garment of Christs imputed righteousnesse to cover his nakednesse being justified freely by Gods grace cannot but be humble to thinke that God should borrow his owne Sonnes Garments to cover and beautiâ—â—e yea beatifie make rich and happy his poor soul for ever 2. The more worth and excellency a beleever seeth in the Treasure the more the soul is humbled in it self When that blessed Apostle called to minde what he was before calling a persecutour of the Church of God e 1 Cor. 15. â— 20. and what now by the grace of God he is that he is no better no higher in his own thoughts what ever he did or laboured it was not he but the grace of God with him And when he is preaching and writing about the unsearchable riches of Christ at that instant he reckons himself f Ephes 3 8. Psal 8. Lesse then the least of all Saints When David looks upon Gods excellency in his works of Creation Providence Redemption especially by God-man What is man or the sonne of man that is the next part of the Song So when a poor creature findes and views again and again The rich treasure in Christ What am I that 's the next thought What am I Lord to be prevented with such love to have a share in such riches â— An act of hope There is an hiding of the treasure that 2. By hope way When a soul findes Christ in the promise by faith he doth hope fully hold the promise and reckons upon it he doth not despair that he shall never have it or make it his own but he lives in expectation to have the possession and good of it Fâ—ith is g Heb. 11. 1. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or subsistence of things hoped for And as the Apostle h Rom. 8. 24. we are saved by hope the compleating of our salvation after by faith it is begun is laid up in hope But hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he hope for it But if we hope for that we see not then doe we with patience wait for it A Christians treasure you see is much hidden and laid up in hope hence Christ is called our hope * 1 Tim.
sure hopes cannot but be men of great joyes and this treasure and pearl bringing so much in hand at present and reaching forth so much in hopes for the future as we heard in the first Doctrine gives out withall no little ground of joy and rejoycing to a Christians heart Obj. But he hid his treasure and that partly as was opened in the 4. Doctrine under mourning and tears How comes he to rejoyce withall Answ 1. The Gospel-treasure is a secret and the finding of it by faith and hiding of it by repentance humility c. are secrets to the world and so is joy The heart knoweth his own bitternesse and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy q Prov. 14 10. If he seeth the outward expression he knoweth not the inward impression 2. A beleevers tears are tears of joy or the seed of joy Light is sowen for the righteous r Psal 97. 11. in tears and troubles and joy for the upright in heart 3. Hiding of the treasure under humble tears was not all the hiding we spake of there is as we heard an hiding of hope and there is joy hidden under hope We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Å¿ Rom. 5. 2. and there is a hiding of love and joy is hidden with love Whom having not seen ye love ye rejoyce c. t 1 Pet. 1. 8. Which in the Use may serve Use 1 Of reproof 1. To reprove those that bring an evil report upon Christ and Gospel-grace that no sooner think some and others speak it out shall a man be converted but farewell joy you must bid adieu to all mirth and chearfulnes and entertain nothing but mopish melancholy and dumpish sadnes which is a clamour both false and impossible 1. False for you hear if you will beleeve what you hear from Christs mouth he is a joyfull man that findes the treasure Finding the treasure of the Kingdome he findes that joy and sweetnes as he never felt or had experience of before Oh the sweet taste of every promise and delicious dainties that he daily doth or may feed upon at the Gospel feast 2. Impossible for the faculties of the soul doe act and put forth according to their represented object Now a Treasure and Pearl is the object a present good and a future good as sure as present And where there is an apprehension of a present good yea and a hopefull assured future good there is and cannot but be joy and the greater that good the greater that joy the higher and richer that good the higher and richer that joy Now here is the summum bonum the chiefest good and it cannot but produce in the heart a summum gaudium the chiefest joy and it being bonum aeternum an eternall good here is gaudium aeternum Everlasting joy upon their heads u Isa 35. 10. The Kingdome of God consisteth in it Rom. 14. 17. 't is true the poor sinner upon his finding of Christ bids farewell to joy in sinne but that proceeds from this true and greater joy which banisheth and puts out the false appearances of sinfull joyes of which in the next point Let none therefore belie the Scripture and blaspheme or speak evil of Christ and his grace or of a true Christians estate What though the beleevers joy makes not such a noise as the carnall mans in the ears of the world A fire of thorns will make a louder noise and crackling then a fire of the best wood and carnall mirth will sooner be heard of then spirituall joy which is better apprehended in the heart then outwardly exprest when the countenance is sober and humble doth it follow he is melancholy and sullen Alas poor blinde worldlings who cannot judge of looâ—s and colours much lesse of hearts and the frame of a beleevers heart especially which so far as it is beleeving it is chearfull c. Use 2 Of Examination For triall it is an evidence against such as say they have faith and have found Christ and yet never took any pleasure in him in thoughts or speeches of him rather are ever and anon excepting against those who rejoyce in him such murmuring and grumbling at the Gospel pearl is an evident note of unbelief Behold this pearl is trâ—mpled upon by Swinish Gadarens and it puts a poor rich worldling into a fit of melancholy That poor young man rich enough in the world Matth. 19. When he is offered treasure in heaven be a sad at that saying if he cannot have it upon better terms then were propounded had the Word taken place in his heart as it did in Zacheus he had presently rejoyced and not gone away sorrowfull but where Christ is not beleeved on he is not rejoyced in and upon this very reason because Christ comes to take away the pleasures of sinne that last but for a season although he would give eternall pleasures in exchange the heart will neither rejoyce nor beleeve in him Ob. But there are those who beleeve but for a time and yet rejoyce as the stony ground Mat. 13. 20. Answ Such a faith such a joy God will go on with carnall men as farre as they will go with him where faith is temporary there joy will be a flash and â—way it continueth not when triall cometh no more than their faith nor doth that joy ever produce right self-deniall of which anon 2. On the contrary Hast truly beleeved Thou dost and will joy in the Lord in whom thou hast beleeved Hast found the first discovery of Christ to bring in some sweetnesse the second more c. 'T is a true issue of a right-bred faith 〈◊〉 you may know it to be so through the assisting light of 〈◊〉 Spirit by this 1. It is pure joy meerly arising from 〈◊〉 sight of the treasure 2. It will hold out in triall and tentation And though joy be but an accessory grace it comes and goes ebbs and flows yet it radically continueth of â—â—ideth in the root and cause of it and all objects of faith are objects of joy what feeds the one will cherish the 〈◊〉 and if thou findest it so with thee happy thou Object But some poor soul will say I dare not deny but I have found the pearl yet cannot rejoyce Answ 1. Is it not thy desire and dost not price a little joy in the Lord above all worldly joy 2. What is that which upholds thee against despair in some promise or Gospel-truth thou hast some secret joy â—r sin would presse thee down and swallow thee up with sorrow 3. Measures of joy will encrease upon beleeving study but to grow in faith and thou wilt encrease in joy Vse 3. Phil. 4. 4. For Exhortation to the true beleever Rejoyce in the Lord and again I say not I but the Apostle not the Apostle but the Lord himself rejoyce thou Christian that hast found the pearl and treasure rejoyce in thy treasure be glad and joyfull
another Gospel then that of justification by faith he speaks of the man and his miracles with a holy disdain He that ministreth c. q Gal. 3. 5. as not owning the man nor his gifts For his part he would have all common gifts to vale and stoop to the exalting and lifting up of the knowledge of Christ and him crucified 3. All his own righteousnesse which men have an opinion of and confidence in for their acceptation before God either as it lieth in outward conformity to the commands of first or second Table or in the inward frame of the heart by inherent qualifications before or after faith All these when God cals a man to beleeve in Christ alone for justification and life a true beleever finding this treasure in Christ renounceth and disclaimeth as any piece of his justifying righteousnesse before the Lord. St Paul was most eminent in this also Touching the righteousnesse of the Law he was blamelesse r Phil. 3. 6. before men and for his inward conscience he did not sin against the common light of it Å¿ Act. 23. 1. what he did against Christ he did it ignorantly t 1 Tim. 1. 13. And after his conversion he walked in his calling of the Ministery most innocently and uprightly and was not conscious to himself of base ends c. yet did he sell away and suffer the losse of all his Pharisaicall blamelesse life and renounced his innocent conscience yea and sanctified conversation and gracious frame of heart in the point of his justification I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justified u 1 Cor. 4. 4. I have suffered the losse of all and doe count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having on mine own righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith x Phil. 3. 8 9. From which Scriptures you may observe he did not throw away his blamelesse civility but the Pharisaicall pride of it nor did he pack up his sanctification and send it beyond sea as a commodity he would in no case have any dealings with but in comparison of Christs inherent righteousnes imputed to him by faith to his sole and perfect justification he will own none of his own adherent moralities or inherent graces nor in the least confide therein or admit thereof as a co-partner with Christ c. The best frame of heart or life is but for evidence to a soul that he is justified not any ground of beleeving as in any piece of the cause why he is justified 4. All worldly comforts and advantages and creature-engagements they are likewise by consent put away sit loose from and as God cals parted with to instance 1. In worldly profits no sooner doth the Lord call Matthew not only to a Christian estate but to the Ministery of the Gospel but he riseth up from the receit of custome where he had sweet gains and comings in and followeth Christ a Mat. 9 9. No sooner doth Christ call Simon and Andrew his brother with this promise to make them fishers of men but straightway they forsook their nets and followed him b Mar. 1. 17 18 The like did James and John Mark 1. 16 20. Not that all who finde Christ must presently forsake their particular lawfull vocations and imploiments but when such a vocation and imploiment will be a distraction let and hinderance to Christianity and much more to the service and work of the Ministery then all such shackling profits and profitable imploiments are laid aside If Peter or any of the Apostles did afterwards goe a fishing upon the sea it was not as their particular calling but upon the by as we say and but occasionally Take another instance or two of parting with worldly advantages upon the finding of the Gospel-treasure Zacheus you know gave away half of his goods to the poor and if he had taken any thing from any man by false accusation he restored him four-fold c Luk. 19. 8. here is but half you will say of his estate but that half is freely offered and given before an explicite call And again a four-fold restitution of what was snatcht by forged cavillation if he had much plaid the Sycophant would take away a good share of the other half of his estate and for the remainder he that prevented the poor before they askt a part to give the half and those he had wronged to offer so fair and full a restitution was prepared to let goe all the rest of his estate when God called for it As the members of the prime Church at Jerusalem came up to this fale of worldly estates and profits in the very letter by the power of the Spirit d Act. 2. 44 45. 4 34 35. they gave as if others had interest and right in their goods with themselves and sold to that end that they might put the propriety out of their hands to the common stock for the Church it 's maintenance which upon such a speciall call and extraordinary occasion by the grace of self-deniall the true Christian merchant consents still unto and would bring into act 2. As for pleasures of the world and even lawfull recreations he sels them away also consents to none which prove a bait and a snare to sin and useth none but with an indifferent minde as the Apostle exhorteth e Cor. 7. 30. He rejoyceth as if he rejoyced not 3. As for honour credit favour this also with Moses f Heb. 11. 25 26. is lightly set by and the afflictions with Gods people and the reproach of Christ esteemed and chosen before it When both these Christs favour and the worlds Gods honour and esteem with the creature cannot actually be held together the later is both actually and affectionately forsaken and the former cleaved unto 4. As for relative engagements to friends parents children wives husbands kinred house and family these are set by and not known in Christs cause yea there is a kinde of comparative hatred of them in respect of the Pearl and Treasure 'T is remarkable that when John and Iames were called by Christ to follow him and to take up a new profession They left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants g Mar. 1. 20. Yea Paul though of the stock of Israel and of the tribe of Benjamin h Phil. 3. 5. yet forsakes his kinred and fathers tribe and family where they forsook Christ and the Gospel Eminent is the story of that noble Marquesse of France Galeacius Caracciolus who did dis-engage himself from estate friends wife children and all for the Gospel sake and how many such self-denying Merchants some of them noble and great have we among the Martyrs In the Martyrology i M. Fox vol. 2. p. 178. there is mention of one Galeazius Trecius who was bound to a