onely a name of Christ but follow the world a sworne enemy to Christ. Numbers are given up to follow evill company evill counsell because they despise Christs counsell Hee that refuseth the counsell of wisedome it is just that folly should lead him See Prov. 1. 30. 31. Some follow idle fellowes Prov. 12. 11. because they are destitute of understanding Some drunken company to whom the woe is directed Isa. 5. 11. Some whorish company as the Prodigall who rejecting good counsell spent himselfe and came home by weeping-crosse Thus dangerously are men given over to perillous guides who will not have Christ to guide them And this is the second motive 3. Argue from the safety of following Christ our guide for First he propounds us no crooked patterne nor false rule to follow but himselfe a perfect and expresse idea and patterne of all grace and vertue and an unfailing patterne unening inflexible Object But must wee not imitate the Saints Answ. Yes so farre as they follow Christ 1 Cor. 11. 1. an Apostle himselfe must be followed no further Secondly he leads us not into crooked or by-pathes but into the pathes of righteousnesse Psal. 23. 3. pointing us out our way by his holy doctrine guiding us in it by the example of his holy life comforting us in our wearinesse supplying us in this way with bread of life opening to us in this way the fountain of living waters revives us with new strength guides us out of by-paths and so carries us in the strict but strait way to the happy end of our journey Thirdly hee leades us not in darke and desolate waies but himselfe being the light of the world John 12. 35. while wee follow him wee cannot walke in darknes having light to discover the dangers in the way wee walk safely How safe was Israel under the pillar in the wildernes so safe are we under the conduct of this pillar How safe were they from enemies under the guidance of Joshua leading them to Canaan but a greater than Joshua is here Josh. 1. 5. A man shall not bee able to withstand thee all thy dayes nor man nor Divell shal make us fall short of the heavenly Canaan Follow Christ thou followest the Angel as Lot out of Sodome Follow this Joshua and thou followest him to Canaan to thy country to bee ever where hee is who is both the guide and the end of the way Lastly consider if Christ had only given us a precept wee were bound to obey but adding his example we shall be answerable for neglect of his holy example as for his holy doctrine We never want good example in the midst of many bad examples of Rulers Preachers and private men Christ hath said Follow mee And thou hast not done thy duty to see him go before thee in holy example but in following him nor to admire a good example as many do but imitate none Verse 25. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it OUr Lord having informed his Disciples in these difficult principles doth now confirme them and addeth strong arguments to enforce them three The first in the words drawne from the danger of failing in the duties The failing in them brings the certaine losse of ones life which is amplified by the contrary But if any will rather lose his life than his obedience he shall certainly gaine and save it The second reason is drawne from the unprofitablenesse of winning the world with the losse of the soule which losse can never be repaired or made up Ver. 26. The third is drawn from the consideration of the last judgement in which they shall find the accomplishment of this whole doctrine for the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father c. Ver. 27. This first is very forcible and pressing for it is a matter of life death as Moses to his people so I propound life and death this day unto you chuse life do good deny your selves take up your crosse and follow me Whosoever shall save his life the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies the soule which by a Metonymie is put for the life or the person himself because the soule is the cause of life Anima cujusque est quisque the soul of a man is properly himself the saving of the soul is likewise the saving of ones self charity to the soule is the chiefest To save the life is taken sometime in good sense as to preserve it from famine by food from sicknes by physick from danger by flight as Jacob from Esau David from Saul Christ from the people that would have throwne him down the hill but this is not here meant Sometime in the evill sense that is to save preserve the life by evill means as Saul by sorcery David by dissembling Peter by a lye so is it taken here He that will save his life namely by denying Christ by renouncing the truth abjuring the pure religion or falling to the world or false worship For Christ doth not condemne the saving of life but the manner and unlawfull meanes of it He shall lose it Atheists would find a contradiction in the speech of Christ that a man at the same time should find lose the same life and naturall reason cannot reconcile it It is a riddle to flesh and bloud that the same life should bee both saved and lost For the resolving whereof wee must know 1. That there is a two-fold tribunall Forum coeli soli the court of the world the court of heaven and as he that saves himself in the common Law may be cast in the Chancery so hee that saves himselfe here in the Consistories of men may elsewhere lose himselfe namely in the court of heaven 2. There be two sorts of Judges 1. Humane and delegate 2. Divine and supreme A man may by indirect meanes save himself from the sentence of the former but not of the latter Joab may escape David but shall not escape Solomon And as him who escapeth the sword of Hazael 1 Kings 19. 17. shall Jehu slay so he that by denying Christ and his truth shall save himselfe from a Beare shall meet with a Lion and be devoured 3. There is a two-fold danger temporall eternall A man by evil means may save himself from the former but by no means from the latter If the silly fish leap out of the pan it fals into the burning coales A man loseth that which above all he would save And this losse is amplified 1 by the dearnesse of the thing lost his most precious soule and life 2. by the duration it is lost eternally 3. by the certainty the sentence is passed and cannot be repealed Object Peter saved his life by denying and abjuring his Lord and yet lost it not Answ. All the threats of
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
preserve our life by thus casting it away A man that will save his seed not cast it away into the grrund loseth it by such saving but if hee sowe it he reneweth it multiplies it somtime an hundred fold So to lose thy self for Christ is to save thy selfe and to reap an hundred fold for it is but sowne to spring out unto the eternall harvest Ever remember that the right love of a mans self is in and for Christ. Ob. You speake of nothing but hindrance loss as if a Christian may not have riches friends life and comforts of it Ans. 1. Yes he may have them must save them but not in Christs cause when hee is called from them 2. Divorce not the parts of the text as there is losse in the text so there is a greater gain by it as the harvest makes him a gainer who in seed-time seemed a loser Ob. But that is a long day we would have something in hand Answ. So thou hast in hand an hundred not for ten but for one in this life with persecution Mar. 10. 30. for thy father forsaken thou hast God to thy father for thy mother Gods Church for thy goods Gods rich graces for thy friends lost the favour of God of his Angels and all Saints for thy trouble without peace of conscience within for thy lands the deeds assurances of an heavenly inheritance and for thy life temporall life eternall Wouldst thou have more in hand Ob. Oh but this is a very hard thing to rowe thus against the streame and do as no body doth Ans. Indeed few enter into this narrow way but it is good going to heaven although without company And yet thou wantest no good company but hast the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Christ himselfe before thee who also suffereth and smarteth in all the sorrowes of the Saints Object But is it not hard to be counted die for an hereticke Ans. Not of hereticks Christ was counted no lesse for thee Ob. But I have wife children and friends depending on me Ans. The case indeed is heavie as Christ implied saying Wo be to them that give suck in those dayes but 1. thou art a saver if thou savest nothing but Christ thou lovest well enough if in case of confession thou lovest nothing but Christ 2. cast thy care on the Lord who is wont to save his against all appearance And speake not one word for them that depend on thee and two for thy selfe Ob. But it may be I have a flock which will be scattered Ans. But thy bloud shed for the truth which thou hast preached preacheth with much more fruit and furtherance of the Gospel than all thy life and labours as in Abel Stephen and the Martyrs whose bloud yet speaketh Let all of us therfore who are pressed under this banner of Christs holy profession resolve to do our Master saithfull service even to the death and strive to beleeve the words of our Lord that to lose the life in this cause is to winne it in everlasting glory Object But the dayes thankes bee to God are peaceable and there is no great need nor use of this doctrine Answ. Yet 1. a wise Pilot will in peace provide for a storme 2. Wee know not how soon wee may have use of it one powder-blow from under-ground may shake all our foundations Little did the Christians in King Edwards daies thinke of such a suddaine change as Queene Mary brought in 3. Never were Gods people neerer danger than when they thought themselves furthest off and cried Peace peace 4. No Christian is well furnished but hee that in peace hath attained a ready disposition to lay down his life at any warning for the Name of Christ. Object But who would not give his life for Christ all say they are ready Answ. Yet first if times should change would they indeed who now in daies of protection are ashamed of the Gospel of Christ would they stick to Christ crowned with thornes who when hee weares a golden Crowne thinke it good policie not to bee seene with him Secondly is it to bring mens lives in their hands to Christ and his profession to shrinke now for feare at the name of a Professor and bee ready to faint to heare a damosell say Surely thou art one of them Thirdly would they suffer for the profession that now scoffe scorne at Professors under reproachful titles that now are persecutors themselves goe as far in persecuting as they can and the lawes wil suffer No no those that now robbe them of their good names while the Gospel is publikely professed protected would easily bereave them of their lives if times would afford them lawes and liberty So as the great part of the world is not resolved of this truth that to lose the life for Christ is to save it and those that now deny him in the peace of the Gospel are farre from dying with him in the triall Now because this is a building which requireth great fore-cast and is above naturall strength we had need furnish our selves with all the helpes to set it forward and fit our selves well to the obedience of so difficult a commandement Quest. What are they Ans. 1. Begin with God presume not of thine owne strength as Peter It is a worke of sound conversion and of mighty power by that Spirit of fortitude by which of weake wee become strong And therefore wee must pray earnestly that hee would please to stablish us unto this triall strengthen us with all patience long-suffering and joyfulnesse Col. 1. 10. For none have more cowardly lost the field than such as have most boasted of their valour and strength at home Pray also for that eye-salve which may let thee behold the glory of Christ and thine eternall felicity hid with him this wil make thee forget thy self as the Disciples did at Christs Transfiguration long after him and indeed a little taste of his glory wil make us valiant to take the Kingdome by force as himselfe did for the glory that was before him 2. Then take thy selfe in hand and strive daily in thine owne mortification and deniall of thy selfe beware of self-love love not the world nor the things in it account not of riches wealth above their worth If thy life bee too deare to thee or the world swell in thine eye or if thou mindest earthly things or settest too fast a hand on any thing wert thou never so wise learned civil nay didst thou follow Christ at heeles wert able to worke miracles and cast out Divels yet at length thou wouldst play false prove an Apostate as Judas and Demas who forsook the truth to embrace the present world 3. Get sound judgement in matters of Faith firmly and distinctly to beleeve the truth of Religion for this must be the ground of undaunted profession 2 Cor. 4. 13. I beleeved and
sinner but onely this blood of an infinite price power and merit Here was a rich and free mercy to part with his owne life and dearest pledge of his love and voluntarily submit himselfe to death which was of more strength then all the lives of men and Angels Wonder Fifthly admire his matchlesse love who to save our soules made his soule an offering for sinne and healeth our wounds by his owne stripes A Phyfician sheweth great love if he take a little care above ordinary though he be wel rewarded and made a great gainer by it But this Physician must be a loser by his love he must lose his glory his life he must lose heaven and happinesse and all and beyond all this be unmatchable in abasement and torment in so much that he calleth all us who are ready to passe by all to consider if ever any sorrow were like to his sorrow Here was a sound love to us who endured to be so afflicted and abased by God men and divels for our sakes when he could have prevented and refused it if it had pleased him but this love was stronger than death and undervalued his owne life to save ours Wonder and wonder for ever And let it stirre us up to love this Physician dearely for great love is a great loadstone and attractive of love What love owe we to God the Father for giving his Sonne to the death for us as it a King should deliver the Prince apparant to death to save a condemned râ—bell What great love made him not account his life deare for us Oh the deadnesse of our hearts that can heare this with so little sense and provocation to love him againe Quest. How may we testifie our love to Christ Answ. We must not love him in tongue and word onely but in deed and truth framing our love in some proportion unto his which was both in word worke and suffering First in profession and word we must magnifie his great worke of Redemption and advance it in the perfection and vertue of it as able of it selfe to purchase the whole Church a blood able of it selfe to save from the destroying Angell and make a perfect peace betweene God and us Secondly as Gods love was actuall so wee must settle our selves to his service If ye love me keepe my Commandements Hee was a servant to doe our worke his love onely made him so And shall we refuse his worke Ours was a painefull taske that he undertooke and he left us an easie yoke to shew our obedience and gives us also strength to beare it Hee hath given himselfe for us and will giue himselfe to us and shall not we give our selves to him Certainly we serve a good Lord and want no encouragement Thirdly according to his example let us not love our lives to the death for his sake Rev. 12. 11. He that hateth not his life in comparison of Christ cannot be his Disciple Luk 14. 26. The direct end of Christs life was our glory the direct end of ours must be his glory He maintained our cause to the death by his death hee now pleads our cause in heaven It is therefore not onely honourable but equall and iust that wee should sticke to him and his causes in life and death and that love which is sound is like his even stronger then death So of the Cure in respect of the Confection Now we are to consider it in the Application For what would it availe to have the most skilfull and carefull Physician and the most rare proper and powerfull medicine under the Sunne prescribed by him if either it be not for me or not applyed to the disease or sore And so our heavenly Physician hath taken care not onely for direction and confection but also for application Medicines must be received for we must not looke to be cured by miracle but by meanes Where consider 1. The persons to whom the cure is applyed 2. The meanes whereby 3. The time when For the persons the Text saith all that be sicke that is sensible and languishing under theirsicknesse And Psal. 147. 3. He heales those that are broken in heart and binds up their sores For the meanes whereby the cure is applyed it is faith we must bring faith to be healed Christ required mens faith in healing of their bodies much more must wee bring it to the cure of our soules By faith I meane speciall faith which is not 〈…〉 w Christ hystorically for so did many Ioh 2. to whom Christ would not trust himselfe viz. that he is the Son of God who shed his blood and died for sinners for this the divels beleeve and tremble Neither is it onely to beleeve him the Iews heard him saw him beleeved many things to be true but received him not But To beleeve in him stands in two things First to receive and apply him for to receive Christ and beleeve in him are all one Ioh. 1. 12. so many as received him But who were they so many as beleeved in his Name Secondly to trust and rely on him for cure and salvation Can. 8. the Spouse leanes on her welbeloved And that we may not be deceived in it this faith hath two qualities 1. It must be proper 2. Impropriate Christ. First it must be thine owne proper speciall faith Hab. 2. 4. the iust man lives by hi 〈…〉 faith The Physician makes his whole confection without thee but calleth thee in to the application and none can apply this medicine but thine owne faith It is no implicit faith of thine own nor the faith of the Church without thine owne that thou canst live by The Ministers may leave it with thee and declare it but thine owne faith must apply it Foolish Virgins they are that thinke to be received with the oyle in the wife Virgins lamps when their owne is spent the answer is We have not enough for us and you and every mans garment is short enough for himselfe the righteous receive Crownes said Leo but give not Crowes Secondly as this faith must be thine owne so it must impropriate Christ and make him thine owne This is that faith in the blood of Christ Rom. 3. 25. applying the blood specially to himselfe for life When the faith of the soule brings home Christ to his owne heart and saith with Thomas My Lord and my God and with Paul who loved mee and gave himselfe for mee and with that Father Totus Christus meus est totus Christus n meos usus impensus est Whole Christ is mine and bestowed for my utmost benefit This speciall and spirituall application was alwayes resembled in Scriptures of the old Testament by the sacrifices of the sinne-offering when the beast was slaine the Party must lay his hand on the head of it and confesse that not the beast but the Owner deserved death and the blood that was shed must
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
Christian profession 361 Motives to run as we ought 362 Direct ons thereunto and preparation 364 Hinderances to be removed 365 Helpes in running the Christian race 367 Conditions of running aright five 369 The right marke we must run at 370 The right way in which we must run 371 The right foot wherewith we must run 373 The right motion humble cheerefull constant 374 The right end of running twofold 379 The reward of running no merit 382 How to runne and obtaine 384 Looke not backe 386 Respect the way and not by-matters 387 Renew strength continually and how 390 Encouragements thus to run 393 Excellency and eternity of this goale 39â— 9 The divine Teacher and Scholler Psal. 119. 33. Teach me O Lord the way c. Where is sheâ—ed The Prophets holy prayer and vow 399 What the Statutes are and why Statutes 400 Why called the Statutes of God 402 Their eminency above other Statutes 404 The metaphor of a way and singularity 406 God teacheth foure things above all teaching of man 411 A good heart still desires to be taught 414 That all true knowledge is from God 416 What this knowledge hath above natures reach 418 In the meanes repaire unto God 421 Ministers must pray for themselves their people 423 That sound knowledge is ever humble and why 424 Defect of knowledge whence 425 Knowledge of good men and others how it differs 431 Good men are ever dâ—strous of more holy knowledge 435 What fearefull effects ignorance hath 436 Benefits of knowledge within without us 439 Motives to get heavenly knowledge 44â— How unseemly ignorance is 444 Knowledge delightfull to mans understanding 446 Excellent properties of Gods way 448 Reproofe of them that desire not knowledge 451 Excuses refuted 455 Hinderances of saving knowledge 461 Disposition to it wherein it stands 464. meanes 467 Of vowes what are lawfull 469 Lâ—d of sound knowledge is obedience reas 477 Notes of one carefull to keepe his way 484 10. Epicurisme discribed and disgraced Exod. 32. 6. The people sate downe to eate c. Wherein is shewed that Idolatrie is ever attended with sloth and luxurie 489 People secure in sin are nearest to mischiefe 496 Rules for eating and drinking 500 Meditations in eating and drinking 504 Sports and recreations are lawfull and how 507 In sports is much sin 509 Câ—oyee to be made of sports 510 use limited 512 Our selves how to be ordered in them 513 What may not be lost in play 517 11. Abuse of the creatures unlawfull An Appendix to the former 1 Cor. 15. 32. Let us eate and drinke c. Wherein is taxed the abuse of the creatures 522 Heathens and Epicures abuse them 4 waies 525 Rules of right using naturall comforts 529 Times seasonable for sports 533 Right ends of our liberties 537 12. The Physitian of soules Luke 5. 31. The whole need not the Physitian c. Wherein are sundry generall notes 541 Christ takes our causes on himselfe 543. and 544 None is whole unlesse in conceit and how 〈◊〉 ariseth 545 546 547 The miserie of them that are conceitedly whole 548 Discoverie of diseases in the soule foure signeâ— 549 550 551 Sin is a most dangerous sicknesse five resemblances 552 553 554 Christ is a most excellent Physitian in five respects 561 562 563 Come to him for cure and how this may be 565 Great comfort to afflicted soules 571. to 576 The author matter and vertue of this heavenly Confection 577. to 579 The Physick precious and powerfull in five respects 580 581 See our owne misery and admire Christs cure five particulars 582. to 588 Love we our Physitian and â—ow 589 590. 591 How the physick is applied to whom and when 592. to 600 Notes to know we are cured foure 600. to 606 And foure means to preserve health in the soule 606. to ult FINIS THE PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN PRACTICE MATTH 16. 24. Then said Jesus unto his Disciples If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take up his crosse and follow me 25. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall finde it 26. For what is a man profited if hee shall gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soule 27. For the Sonne of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then hee shall reward every man according to his workes 28. Verily I say unto you There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man comming in his Kingdome THe occasion of these words was the offence that the Apostle Peter took when our Lord Jesus Christ had preached the doctrine of the Crosse had fore-told his own passion and suffering shortly at Jerusalem Hereupon Peter as a Politician turning himselfe to carnall counsels draweth his Master aside and wisheth him to look better to himselfe and wisely to prevent these troubles Ver. 22. Our Saviour now perceiving that hee went about to disswade him from that great worke for which hee came into the world on which the salvation of the whole world depended most sharply reproves him as a most speciall agent of Sathan though hee were his Disciple a thousand times Ver. 23. And yet not forgetting his wonted compassion taketh occasion thence to instruct him and all the rest of the Disciples yea and with them all Beleevers that they also after his example must bee in a readinesse to deny themselves and take up his crosse and follow him The words containe in them the institution of a Christian man or of a Disciple of Christ who is here 1. Informed 2. Confirmed in the first Principles of his holy profession The Information is in Ver. 24. The Confirmation in all the rest to the end The former is an universall Canon for all that meane to give their names to the profession of Jesus Christ consisting of three branches wherein they must bee soundly initiated 1. Selfe-deniall 2. Taking up the Crosse. 3. Imitation of Christ. If any man will bee my Disciple or will follow mee Which words concerne us all not excepting or exempting any that intendeth soundnesse in Christianity and no calling no sexe no age nor condition of life can free any Christian from the rules following Object Christ spake them only to his Disciples as the words before Answ. 1. Saint Mark saith cha 8. 34. Christ called the people or multitude and said Hee spake it to all as concerning all 2. By a Disciple or Follower of Christ in our Text is not meant onely those twelve Apostles who are so called in a peculiar manner because they were chosen to bee trained up instructed in Christs own family in the future service of the Church Nor onely those faithfull men and women whom Christ honoured to follow his owne person in the daies of his flesh but all faithfull
therefore I spake He hath begun well who hath begun in truth and laid a sure ground It was soundnesse of Faith that carried 〈…〉 ent Beleevers through such extremities They endured racking burning hewing asunder all by faith The just in trouble must live by faith Hab. 2. 4. And every house not founded upon a rocke when flouds beat stormes blow must fall and the fall shall be very great 4. Get sound affection grow up in the love of God and Jesus Christ then all torments shall be sweet for his sake as Jacob for Rachel 1 Cor. 13. 7. love suffereth all things Cant. 8. 6. love is strong as death the coales therof are fiery coales and a vehement flame much water cannot quench it nor flouds drown it Nay where this love is fervent it kindleth a flame of zeale by which if God cannot otherwise be glorified or rather than God should lose his glory the Saints would endure even the torments of hell Moses would rather bee razed out of the Booke of life and Paul separated from Christ rather than God not glorified 5. Christian resignation notably conduceth hereunto Learne to commit thy soule unto God in well-doing as into the hands of a faithfull Creatour 1 Pet. 4. 19. Thus did Paul 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have beleeved and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him till that day A childe that hath any precious thing given him the best way to keep it is to put it into his fathers hands to keep Thy soule is the most precious thing thou hast let thy Father keep it it shal be safe whatever befall the body outward man 6. Christian confirmation or corroboration unto all long-suffering and patience with joy Col. 1. 11. Wee must daily out-grow some weaknesse and bee adding to our strength and laying up something to animate and encourage our selves in enduring with Christ that by no meanes in triall we be wonne to deny Christ and his Name Now for our daily strengthening it will be usefull to meditate daily on some of these things 1. On Gods eternall decree who hath appointed an houre for the power of darkness to work before which time not an haire can fall from the head Till it bee come Christ shal withdraw himself from danger but when it is come he is not affraid to meet his enemies to tell them hee is the man whom they seeke deliver himselfe into their hands The enemy can do nothing that God is not aware of nothing beyond his just and wise permission nothing but what shall glorifie himself edifie the Church and turne to the best even to us particularly 2. Meditate on the Word of God predicting and fore-telling of persecutions for the Name of Christ Ye shall be hated of all men for my sake all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution and the time commeth in which they that kill you will think they doe GOD good service Which are good admonitions to keep us in some preparednes to drink of the same cup with Christ our Lord. Commanding to hold fast what wee have and let none take our crowne Rev. 2. 25. as if hee had said Hold fast with both hands that faith and grace which is the pledge of a crowne Promising and fencing the heart with assurance of his presence mitigation deliverance honourable recompence which are all strong sure foundations grounded in his owne truth and faithfulnesse 1. He hath promised his presence in sixe troubles in seven in fire and water and that for their strength consolation the Spirit of grace and glory shall rest upon them 1 Pet. 4. 14. And then he doth more for his Saints when he standeth by them strengthening their faith to suffer the pangs of death than when he opened the prison-doors iron gates to let Peter and Paul goefree Nay the same blessed Apostles were as deare to God and God as neere to them when they were behcaded by Nero as when the one by an Angel was led out the other had the foundations of the prison shaken and the gates cast open 2. He hath promised mitigation it is much more that Christians can with joy clap their hands and sing Psalmes in the flames professe as some of the Martyrs that the fire was to them as a bed of Downe or sweet Roses than to be led out of prison by an Angel 3. He hath promised an happy deliverance for the fire shall not hurt the gold but fine it the flaile shal not hurt the wheat but cleanse it the black sope seems to foyle and fowle the cloth but indeed makes it whiter cleaner There is no danger when Gods Battledore come on his children it serves but to whiten them and parts them from their foulnesse All the enemies cannot hinder thy glory no more than they could Christs they may sever soule and body asunder but neither of them from Christ. They may take our soules from our bodies or our hearts out of our bosome but cannot take us out of the hand or bosome of our heavenly Father 4. Hee hath promised a most ample recompence to him that overcomes I will give him power over the Nations he shall be a pillar in the house of God and shall go no more forth and Christ will confesse him before his Father in heaven Mat. 10. 32. Oh now look often upon this happy end if thou shalt give thy life in Christs quarrell Great shall be thy reward in heaven when a miserable life shall bee exchanged with eternall blessednesse This of the second meditation 3. Consider that thou hast Christ thy companion in suffering yea thou hast him an example also who for the joy set before him endured the crosse Nay he endured thy crosse all thy suffering is but an honest duty of thankfulnesse and a gratefull part to stick to him in trouble whom we have followed in prosperity Polycarp the Martyr at his death said thus I have served Christ 86. yeeres and hee never hurt mee why should I speake evill of him Yea it is but duty to maintaine his cause to death who by death maintained our cause now pleadeth it in the sight of God Neither is it an unglorious service but a precious gift and an honourable advancement 1 Pet. 4. 14. The Martyr that sate downe with Christ at a bitter breakfast expected a better dinner and found it Oh thinke with thy selfe what had become of mee if Christ had kept his life so fast from mee as my corruption would hold my life from him If I would keep it from him to day he may snatch it from me to morrow If I will not give it now to glorifie God he may take it unto punishmēt If I give it freely once it is not to lose it but to receive it for ever I see
and though his greatest glory should bee deferred till the last judgement yet would he before that time shine out in brightnesse and glory to the whole world And whereas they as his nearest and most faithfull servants might earnestly desire to see him their loving Master thus exalted and grieve that it should bee so long deferred as that they might be worne out of the earth before that time hee meetes them in their desire and tels them it is not so farre off but some of them should behold it before their death For the meaning Amen or verily a forme of speech or asseveration which Christ the true and faithfull witnesse often used to avouch the truth and he that saith here Amen is called Amen Rev. 3. 14. these things saith the Amen to shew that whatsoever hee saith is yea and amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. that is most firme certaine and constant I say unto you Our Lord propoundeth his doctrine in his owne name that hee may bee knowne the chiefe Doctor of his Church even that Doctor of the Chaire whose voyce alone must be heard of Pastors and people Thus did none of the Prophets but onely verbum Domini the word of the Lord none of the Apostles but delivered what they had heard and seen 1 Joh. 1. 1. and what they had received of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 23. Nor none of the Pastors of the Church but as good Stewards they dispensed their Masters allowance And further this being a prophecie uttered in this forme hee showes himselfe the chiefe Prophet of the Church prophecied of by Moses Deut. 18. 18. like unto Moses Act. 3. 21. and like him in 5. things 1. As the truth hath a likenesse with the shadow the mediation of Moses betweene God and his people being a shadow of Christs mediation 2. Like him in respect of divine calling to his office 3. In respect of his faithfulnesse in his calling being faithfull in all the house of God as the Sonne Moses as a servant 4. Like him in his authoritie he being appointed to teach us all things we to heare him in all things 5. In the event or sanction whosoever will not heare him must dye the death But superior to Moses as being the Lord of the holy prophets as being God the seer of things properly and à priori as being faithfull in the house as the Sonne as onely able to say I say unto you preaching in his own name which none but the head of the Church can doe and none but hee that hath power in the heart and conscience Some that stand here shall not taste of death This is an Hebrew phrase not to taste of death is not to die but alluding to the cause of death which was tasting of the forbidden fruit this was the first tasting of death So in Joh. 8. 51. He that keepeth my word shall not see death and Heb. 2. 9. Christ tasted death for all the Elect. Till they see the sonne of man come in his Kingdome Here is some difference and difficultie in the interpretation 1. Some referre it to the last judgement of which Christ had spoken immediately before and erroneously conceive that Christ meant of John who they thought should not die till Christ came againe to the last judgement And no marvell though sundry have beene over-carried in this error seeing the Disciples themselves till the sending of the Spirit to lead them into all truth were wrapped in it But this is sufficiently confuted in the Text Joh. 21. 23. 2. Others both ancient and new writers as Hilary Bullinger Chytreus and Piscator understand it of Christs Transfiguration which immediately followed as if hee had said Some of you as Peter James and John shall shortly see mee so farre as you can comprehend in that forme and habit wherein I will thus come to judgement as sixe daies after they saw him on mount Tabor in great glory But first the speech yee shall see it before your death seemes to carrie it to something beyond the compasse of so few dayes Secondly wee doe no where reade that the transfiguration is called the comming of Christ in his Kingdome Thirdly in so short a time none of the disciples were to taste of death Therefore 3. We shall best finde out the sense by enquiring What is meant here by the Kingdome What is meant by the comming of this Kingdome and Seeing the best interpretation of a prediction is the accomplishment we shall enquire how some of the Disciples did see the comming of this Kingdome before they tasted of death For the first the Kingdome of God is twofold Generall and Speciall The former is called the Kingdome of power whereby the Lord powerfully governeth the whole world and every particular to the very sparrows and the haires of our head unto which kingdome of power all creatures men and Angels yea devils themselves are subject The speciall Kingdome of God is his gracious rule and governement over his Elect called the Kingdome of Christ because he is the head of it and the Kingdome of heaven because it tends directly thither and the Kingdome of the Sonne of man Of this Kingdome are two degrees of grace of glory The difference of these two is 1. In time the former is begun on earth the latter is consummate in heaven 2. In manner of government the former is governed mediatly by his servants and ministers the latter immediatly by himselfe when he is all in all 3. In the manner of subjection the former in the militant estate is environed by enemies and assailants the latter is triumphant in perfect rest and peace without all assault Quest. Of whether of these doth our text meane Answ. Our Saviour here speaketh of the former Kingdome of grace here in this world which is an estate wherein men are brought to be subjects to Christ in this life being enlightned guided and effectually moved to beleeve the promises of salvation and obey the will and lawes qf God For it is a comming into the kingdome before the disciples decease For the second what is meant by the comming of this Kingdome Answ. The comming of the Kingdome is nothing else but the erecting of it by the powerfull means of it in the hearts of men where it is not begun and a continuance of it with much successe and increase where it is begun being all one with that petition Thy Kingdome come And thus many Interpreters Calvin Beza Bucer Tossanus fitly applie it to the power and efficacie of the Gospel by which the Kingdome of Christ was farre and wide with great power propagated after the time of Christs Ascension but yet in the dayes of some of the Apostles And to this interpretation the change of the phrase Mark 9. 1. giveth light some that are here shall not taste of death till they have seene the Kingdome of God come with power Now
departed from God and expresseth it in these carnall fruits so Ambrose alleaging this Text No man gives up himselfe to luxury but hee that departeth from the Commandement of God 3. As the Idolater is furthest gene from God so God is furthest gone from him and leaves him to vilest and foulest lusts as the heathen Rom. 1. 26. to infinite bodily uncleannesse the Lord revenging spiritual whoredome with corporall as his owne Israel joyning with Baal-Peâ—r not onely committed spirituall fornication in bowing to their gods but defiled their bodies with the daughters of Moab 4. Our nature is most propense and ready to pleasure and carnall delight so as wee willingly annexe unto Gods worship whatsoever pleaseth us that under that cover or pretence we may more freely enjoy it The counsell then of the Apostle upon this ground is not unseasonable 1 Cor. 10. 7. Be not idolaters as they were Hard it is for us to sit down to eat drink and rise up to play but we must make our belly our god and offer sacrifices to it as the Romans did to Bacchus in their Bacchanalia Obiect But we are the people of God and baptized in the name of Christ there is no feare we should be Idolaters Ans. The Iewes were Gods people yet set up the golden Calfe The Corinthians were Christians converted and baptized into the name of Christ and yet they must beware of the sinne of the Iewes And if we be Christians wee must avoyd not onely the Calfe it selfe but even the shows and appearance excessive feasts wantonnesse which are inseparable fruits of it and thinke how easie it is to be found in the skirts of this sinne which is the use the Apostle makes of this allegation 1 Cor. 10. 7. For the second generall When did this people sit down to eat and rise up to play Answ. Even when their case was most miserable then were they most insensible for 1. They had robbed themselves and made themselves poore in that the eare-rings and jewels which God had given them from the Egyptians they bestow upon an idoll 2. They had committed an horrible sinne aggravated sundry wayes They had turned the glory of an incorruptible God into the similitude of a Calfe that eateth hay They that had opened their mouthes a little before in singing praises to God for their deliverance out of the Sea and for the destruction of the enemies with the same mouth sing now to their Idols These are thy gods O Israel that brought thee out of Egypt They had used their feet not many dayes or weeks before to walke through the Red Sea by a miracle and now with the same feet they dance before the Calfe Thus was their sinne great 3. For this fearefull sinne they lye under an heavy punishment they were now naked and God was comming to revenge upon them and after he was intreated at the instance of Moses to spare them yet for example 3000. of them were presently slaine the same day They had more need have beene fasting and praying and weeping for their sinne but now they sit downe to eat and drinke and rise up to play Observe this Never are men nearer mischiefe then when they are most iolly and mâ—rry in their sinnes Commonly when men cry peace peace then is peace furthest off and God comes on the wicked when they looke least for him as David on the Amalekites 1 Sam. 30. 16. when they were drinking and dancing and most secure We in this land specially if we would enquire what causes of mourning we have should finde small cause of sitting downe to eat and drinke and of rising up to play 1. If we behold the inundation of sinne the increase of sinnes against God and the light of the Gospell horrible Idolatry excesse of pride and wantonnesse a deluge of drunkennesse a confusion of manifold disorders c. 2. Our security in the midst of judgements the sword hath fed upon us and wee have forgotten it the plague hath destroyed thousands of us and threatens still hovers about us and shewes his Commission to be still in force and other warnings serve not we are corrected but not instructed Wee eat and drinke and play as those that remember not what reckoning is behinde for all these things 3. Would every man seriously looke over his owne accounts hee might finde himselfe other businesse then sit downe to eat and drinke and rise up to play But is it not lawfull to eat and drinke Yes it is not lawfull onely but necessary to nourish our life to repaire strength decayed and enable us to our duties and callings Nay more we may use the creatures not onely for necessity but for delight God hath given us leave liberally to use his mercies and furnished us with variety farre beyond necessity he hath not given bread onely to strengthen the heart but oyle to make the face shine And hee hath allowed us to feast together and to invite one another for the maintaining of Christian love and cherishing of mutuall fellowship as in the case of Jobs sonnes which was not unlawfull though their feasting ended so fearefully and the Primitive Churches had their Agapas or love-feasts mentioned and approved Acts 2. 46. Quest. What then did this people other Answ. They failed in many things 1. Whereas the chiefe end of eating and drinking is to glorifie God 1 Cor. 10. 31. the end oâ— this eating and drinking was to dishonour God and honour the Calfe 2. Whereas eating and drinking should sit us to our duties and callings both generall and speciall they by eating and drinking made themselves fit for nothing but play and wantonnesse 3. Whereas men ought to eat and drinke according to the call of nature in sobriety and moderation the Text noteth an intemperate and excessive wast both of time and creatures they sate downe to it addicting themselves to the creature and nothing else 4. Whereas feastings are seasonable in times of joy and gladnesse these feast in a time when Gods judgements are comming on them for their sin and so the deepest sorrow would better beseeme them as also did they in Noahs time They ate and dranke c. and Esa. 5. 12. not considering the worke of God Now these are types to us saith the Apostle that is common examples for our instruction to beware of immodest intemperate and sinfull eating and drinking that it may not be said of us as of them The people sate downe to eat and drinke Hereunto must sundry rules be observed 1. Wee must eat and drinke our owne the sweat of our owne brows not other mens as many that cut large shives into other mens loaves I meane that which they know is not theirs but other mens if all debts were paid this were an high kinde of injustice condemned 2 Thes. 3. 12. Yea we must so eat and drinke that we
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.
freely He will doe it for asking and for all that aske it Psal. 30. 2. O Lord J cryed and thou didst heale me Thirdly he attendeth his Patients most diligently other Physicians visit their Patients sometimes in expectance of good reward but he onely out of his wonderfull care and compassion is ever present and about his Patient Psal. 34. 18. he onely is neare to the afflicted in spirit and will save the contrite heart Now if Christ be the Physician Christ must be magnified for our health We may say of our sicknesse by sinne as himselfe did of Lazarus his sicknesse This sicknes is not unto death in all but that God may be glorified For no man can cure himselfe our owne merits workes or free-will cannot cure us we can poyson our selves daily but cannot helpe our selves O Israel thy destruction is of thy selfe but in me is thy helpe We can surfet our selves in sinne and breed sicknesse but cannot helpe our selves The Pope by his pardons masses pilgrimages and the like cannot cure us It is too great a price to pay No supererogations or satisfactions can doe it Who can forgive sinnes but God onely Who can remit a debt but he to whom it is due Nay the Angels can conferre nothing to this cure The Lord reserves the honour of this mercy to himselfe to whom it is proper to say I will forgive sins and heale rebellions freely The very name given to Christ by the Angels and in his circumcision by his Parents was Iesus and there is no other name to be saved by Acts 4. 12. Obiect Was not Peter a good Physician when he healed the lame man Act. 3. and Philip Act. 8. and Paul who cast out divels Act 16. 18. Are not Ministers good Physicians who remit and absolve men from their sinnes and save themselves and others Answ. The Apostles in all those places did what they did in the name and by the power of Christ as is sometimes expressed In the name of Iesus Christ I command thee come out of her c. but Christ did all by his owne divine power And Ministers are Gods Physicians for his people but onely ministerially by power and direction from him but hee by proper authority Againe if Christ be the Physician of soules let every one seeke to this Physician seeke to have the presence and helpe of Christ. If the body be sicke unto death there is running and riding to the Physician and no man is so welcome as he is The world is as a common Spittle every man is deadly sicke it stands us now in hand to get Christ to cure us Israel stung with the fiery Serpents must only looke to the brazen Serpent Numb 21. 8. We are all as the man fallen among theeves deadly wounded It is onely this good Samaritan that can binde up the wound Or as the poore man that lay at the poole of Bethesda 38. yeares and could never find cure till Christ came Ioh. 5. 5. And if we would be cured we must doe as the Inhabitants of Genezareth when they heard Christ was there they ranne about all the region and carried after him in beds all that were sicke and diseased and he healed them all Goe any where else and it will be fall you as that woman Mark 5. 26. that spent all shee had on Physicians and was as far from cure as at first till Christ came and healed her But Christ is in heaven how shall I have his presence His promise is to be with his Church by his Spirit and grace to the end of the world But where may we have him Thou shalt not misse of him in the midst of the seven golden Candlestickes thou shalt finde him in the Temple teaching as his parents having lost him get thee to the steps of the flolkes Cant. 1. 7. there thou shalt finde him at noone The Word and Sacraments holily received afford his speciall presence And as the poore Cripple got cure from Peter and Iohn lying at the beautifull gate of the Temple so must we Act 3. But I am so weake and sicke I cannot get to Christ. The poore man who lay bound on his bed sicke of the palsie not able to stirre himselfe got others to bring him to Christ and when they could not come neare they uncovered the house and let him down with cords before Christ so doe thou in the great weaknesse of thy soule and of thy faith commit thy selfe to some faithfull men who by their strength may helpe thee by their counsels comforts and prayers as by cords may let thee downe before Christ and thou shalt get helpe Luk. 5. 20. If Christ be the Physician then being come unto him we should daily lay open our sinnes and our very hearts before him with earnest intreaty to heale us and helpe us Wee lay open all our sores and sicknesses to the Physician be they never so foule and shamefull in themselves or in shamefull parts with the causes occasions and effects we hide nothing dissemble nothing but confesse all against our selves we put our selves into the Physicians hands with earnest suit and large rewards to helpe us And so ought we here for cure doe unto Christ confesse all against our selves entertaine no secret and close sin for that may be the cause of our griefe and never cease importuning him for mercy till we feele some cure to eternall life If we were in danger to be eaten up with wormes as Herod was we would spare no cost no paines no prayers but would have the counsell of the whole Colledge of Physicians before we would so wretchedly end our dayes Yet our case spiritually is farre worse sinne is a worme in the conscience and hath a poysonfull sting which will gnaw in the soule to eternal death This worme is in every man comming of Adam and none can cure it but the second Adam for none but he knowes to make the confection to kill this worme And whosoever goes on carelesly in sinne suffers this worme to eat out the bowels of his soule and there is no way but death with him Suppose a man had the falling-sicknesse what would he not doe or suffer to be cured of that desperate disease rather then be in continuall danger of falling into the fire or water or other mischiefes But the most dangerous falling sicknesse is to fall into sinne the impenitent sinner knowes not when or where he shall fall every moment he may fall into the deepe waters of Gods wrath or into the fire of hell Oh then come in time to Iesus Christ fall downe before him in confession of thy deplored estate mourne under thy sicknesse as Hezekiah in his sicknesse turne thee to thy Physician confesse thy blindnesse as the blind men in the Gospell and begge as they Lord that our eyes may be opened Cry out of the stone of thy heart and of the running issues