not know Christ As the blind man doth not know the Sun though it shine upon him no more doth the carnall and worldly man know Christ though he shine upon him in the Gospel for the light o Ioh. 1.5 shineth in the darknesse and the darknesse comprehendeth it not Such is mans ignorance that as the light shining in Goshen did not pierce the darknes p Exod. 10. where the Egyptians sate no more doth the light of the Gospel penetrate their soules but they sit in darknesse and the shadow of death at the q Isa 59.10 noone day of the Gospel they are in the midnight of ignorance To such our Saviour saith Ye neither r Ioh. 8.19 Isa 53.2 know me nor my Father They know not the beauties of Christ they see no comelinesse in him for which they should desire him he is no more to them then another beloved They know not the power of Christ in softning their hearts as the ground knowes the power of the dew in suppling it in quickning their soules as Lazarus knew the power of Christ in raising his body in restoring them to spirituall liberty as Peter knew the power of the Angell in smiting off his fetters in setting him free from Herods prison They know not the death of Christ as the members know the death of the head and the branches the death of the root in withering and dying with it they doe not so know his death that their Å¿ Rom. 6.6 old man is crucified with him that the body of sin is destroied and they no more serve sin They know not the resurrection of Christ comming forth of the grave of their sin as the dead knew the resurrection of Christ their bodies comming out of the grave with him They know not the gracious presence and inhabitation of Christ in their soules as Obed-Edom knew the presence and dwelling of the Ark in his house causing all that he had to t 2 Sam. 6.11 prosper making their soules flourish in all saving graces They know not the love of Christ as the Bride in the Bride-chamber knows the love of the Bridegroome as the guests in the banquetting house know the love of the master of the feast as David knew the love of Jonathan Christ is not like Jonathan to David very u 2 Sam. 1.26 pleasant unto their soules his love is not to their sense and feeling wonderfull passing the love of women They know not Christ in his Gospel as a friend in his letters as a King in his Embassadours of peace as a Musician in his musicall instrument making a joyfull sound in their eares as the lame w Iohn 5.4 5. man knew the Angell in Bethesda healing their diseases They know not Christs fulnesse as the seeing eye knowes the fulnesse of light in the Sunne as the thirsty palate knowes the fulnesse of water in the fountaine and because they doe not know him they regard not to come unto him Ignorance is a great impediment of mans comming to Christ Jesus Hagar x Gen. 21. came not unto the Well untill her eyes were opened to see the Well No man embraceth Christ untill his understanding is enlightned to see and discerne Christ aright Men through ignorance have very dishonourable opinions of Christ remaine great strangers to Christ and are very injurious against Christ 2. Unsensiblenesse Unsensiblenesse of the want of Christ It was a law of Plato that no man should draw water out of his neighbours Well untill he had digged to the Potters earth in his own court It is a law in nature Man never commeth unto Christ never endevours to partake of his fulnesse untill hee hath tried and knowes his owne emptinesse untill he discernes his want of Christ The y Ios 10.6 Gibeonites sent not to Iosua untill they saw themselves besieged by the Amoritish Princes Iud. 11. The Elders of Gilead hated Ieptha and expelled him out of their fathers house came no more unto him untill they were in distresse saw their want of him plainly perceived that none else could help them Mans opinion of his owne fulnesse makes him under-value the fulnesse of Christ Christ is never pretious in the eyes of man untill man feele his want of him As man is more or lesse sensible of his want of Christ so hee is more or lesse industrious in approching unto Christ The z Prov. 27.7 full stomacke regards not the hony combe The full soule a Io. 9.41 Matth. 9. Rev. 3.17 loatheth Christ who is sweeter then the hony or the hony combe Christ is ever most pretious with the soule that knowes its owne emptinesse Unwillingnesse to bee at the cost of comming unto Christ 3. Unwillingnesse Though Christ proffer himselfe freely yet man must bee at some cost or hee cannot come to Christ hee cannot enjoy Christ b Gen. 35.2 Iacob cannot come to Bethel unlesse hee put away way his Idols Exod. 3.5 Moses cannot come nigh the burning Bush unlesse hee put off his shooes from his feet Man cannot come nigh unto God and Christ Ia. 4.8 unlesse he purge his heart and cleanse his hands The Merchant in the Parable sold c Mat. 13.44 all that hee had to buy the pretious pearle to make that his owne Man that will come to Christ and make Christ his must sell all that is his owne Man must first come out of himselfe before hee can come to Christ If d Luke 9.23 any man saith Christ will come after mee let him deny himselfe and take up his crosse daily and follow me Hee that will come to Christ must deny his owne wisedome and be as a e 1 Cor. 3.18 Rom. 7.18 foole in his owne apprehension hee must deny his owne fulnesse and be as an empty house in his owne sense and feeling he must deny his owne righteousnesse and bee as a naked man in his owne understanding hee must deny his owne reputation in the eyes of men and bee contented to have his name f Luke 6.22 cast out as abominable to be accounted more vile as David for dancing before the Arke 2 Sam. 6.22 hee must bee willing to bee in the world as nothing who will have Christ and his fulnesse to bee all in all unto him Men are loath to bee at this cost and therefore come not to Christ The young man that came to Christ hearing hee must sell all and follow him g Mat. 19.21 went away sorrowfull Hee that carries the love of the world in his heart will faint by the way and never come to Christ The over-valuing of the world makes the doctrine of the Gospel a sorrowfull doctrine and mans endevour to come to Christ unfruitfull Many h Ioh. 12.42 among the chiefe Rulers beleeved on Christ made some steppes towards him but because of the Pharisees they did not confesse him they came not boldly freely and fully home to Christ lest
in mee and my promises with the eyes of godly sorrow mourning for your sinnes and offences with the eyes of love embracing me as the husband of your soules with the eyes of obedience fearing and obeying mee above all commanders Thus looke unto mee and bee yee saved saved from sinne that it sway not over you saved from Satan that hee rule not within you saved from affliction that it shall not swallow you and saved from the Law that it shall not condemne you Christ ministers all salvation to them that by a lively faith come unto him this is the end and fruit of Christs comming by his Word and Spirit to the soules of men My n Cant. 2.10 beloved saith the Spouse spoke unto mee outwardly by his Word and Ministers and inwardly by his Spirit Arise up my Love my faire one and come away Rise up from the death of sinne as sometime the dead rose up from the grave from the disease of sinne ignorance unbeliefe impenitencie as the sicke arise from their disease and returne to health from the sleep and slumber reigne and rule of sinne as Peter arose from his sleepe his fetters the two Souldiers and came forth of Herods prison from communion and fellowship with corrupt and carnall men as Lazarus rose out of his grave from the fellowship of the dead Rise up and come away from the world carnall acquaintance and fleshly delights as the Bride comes away o Psal 45.10 from her owne people and her fathers house unto the Bride-groome as sometime Abraham p Gen. 12.1 came away from his owne countrey and from his kindred and from his fathers house unto a land which the Lord shewed him Arise and come away from all sinfull pleasures as Samson arose from Delilahs lap burst his wit hs asunder and came away from her Rise up and come away from all corrupt and carnall doctrine as the prodigall arose from the huskes and the swine and came to his fathers house to eate his fathers bread Rise up and come away even from thy selfe by selfe-deniall and putting off thy old man as Lazarus rose up put away his grave-clothes and left them behinde him Thus rise up and come away to Christ That man alone comes to Christ Jesus who riseth up from the world himselfe and his own corrupt affections And unto him let us come as the lame man came to Bethesda that we may be healed as the Elders of Gilead came to Jeptha that we may be preserved protected delivered as the thirsty come to the full fountaine that wee may be filled and all our wants supplied Three things perswading to come to Christ And the more effectually to move and perswade you to come to Christ fasten your hearts and thoughts seriously upon these three things 1. Necessitie of Christ Mans necessity of Christ Mans misery without Christ Man is spiritually dead and none but Christ can raise him The life of the soule is hid in Christ as the life of the branch in the root Gehazi q 2 King 4. with Elishah's staffe without Elisha himselfe could not restore the woman of Shunems child to life the Minister with the Word of Christ without Christ concurring and working with him cannot quicken the soule that is dead in sinne all the instruments and meanes of grace leave the soule still gracelesse unlesse Christ the authour and fountaine of grace joyne his blessing to their endevours r Ioh. 5.5 The Sonne quickneth whom he will hee that eates Å¿ Ioh. 6.53 not the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinkes his bloud hee that comes not unto that beleeves not in Christ crucified hath no life in him no life of God no life of grace here no life of glory hereafter The life of man without faith in Christ is as no life but a very death man is dangerously diseased no Balme can heale him no Physician can cure him The art and labour of all Physicians about the diseased woman in the Gospel were fruitlesse Mark 5. untill she came to Christ Jesus The Poole at Bethesda cured no man unlesse the Angell moved in it the ordinance of God cures not unlesse Christ move in it worke together with it hee alone is the Sunne of righteousnesse that hath healing in his wings curing the wounds which are given by sin and Satan Man is possessed by an uncleane Spirit and none but Christ can eject him the soule of man is an uncleane dwelling untill Christ takes possession within him he rebukes the Divell causeth him to depart whom the Disciples cannot t Mat. 17.19 20 21. cast out David overthrew Goliah with whom no Israelite durst enter combate Christ overthrowes the Divell who without the power of Christ is invincible man of himselfe can no more overcome him no more deliver himselfe from him 1 Sam. 17. then the sheep under Davids custody was able to deliver it selfe from the Beare and the Lyon Man is blinde in darknesse and the shadow of death and no Sunne but Christ can enlighten him Man is naked and no garment but Christ can cloath and cover him all other garments are but rotten rags and fading leaves like Adams Figge-leaves a poore and base covering Man is poore and no treasure but Christ can enrich him all is but dung and drosse besides Christ Man is indebted and none but Christ can make satisfaction for him Mich. 6. a thousand Rammes and ten thousand rivers of Oyle nay ten thousand worlds if man were Lord and owner of them were an insufficient price for the least sinne of man None but Christ a price infinite and invaluable is the price of mans redemption Man is empty and none but Christ can fill him the world is a feast the more man feeds upon it the more his hunger is increased like the dropsie man the more hee drinketh the more hee thirsteth Christ alone satisfieth he gives u Joh. 4.1 water whereof whoso drinketh thirsteth no more Not the creature but the Lord Jesus is mans fulnesse Man is distressed perplexed tormented and none but Christ can quiet him hee casteth out the tormenting spirit hee appeaseth the stormy tempest hee calmeth the violent and surging waves and waters he leads him through the sea of affliction to a w Psa 61.2 Rocke that is higher then man to an estate and condition secure and safe from all opposing power Endlesse and easelesse are the soules perplexities which comes not to Christ Jesus As Bernard * Incassum laborat in acquisitione virtuâ—um qui eas alibi quam in Christo quaerit somtime said He labours in vaine in the acquisition of vertues that seeks them elsewhere then in Christ Thus man labours in vaine that seekes peace safety comfort any where except in Christ and what is man that wants Christ but a body without a head a dead and idle a loathsome lump a house without a foundation which cannot stand a field without dew which
Psa 63.3 above wine which maketh glad the heart above the increase of corne and wine the joy of the rich above life the choycest pearle and deerest treasure in natures closet If the dawning of the day bee so joyous how much more pleasant is the Sunne rising If the first fruits be so acceptable how much more abundantly joyfulâ— is the full vintage If the glimpse of Gods face bee so much desired how much more desireable is the fulnesse of Gods countenance reserved for us in the heavens which the Psalmist doth illustrate by a similitude taken from the chased Hart Psa 42.1 2. As the Hart the Hart chased heated affrighted and vexed by the hounds and hunters doth pant after the water brookes so doth my soule pant after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appeare before God before God in his holy Temple in the assembly of his Saints and servants in the use of his ordinances in the sense of his loving kindnesse and in the full fruition of his face in the highest heavens And this the Apostle expresseth by a Metaphor taken from the naked 2 Cor. 5.2 who have no garment to cover them no house to hide them as they with great diligence seeke and much earnestnesse long for a covering so doe the faithfull servants of God long for heaven their house and habitation and for the full fruition of Jesus Christ whose righteousnesse is their rich and royall robe their pure and spotlesse garment to cover them In this saith the Apostle wee groane â—arnestly desiring to bee clothed upon with our house which is from heaven As he that is in darkness longeth for the light so the soules of Gods children in the darknesse of this world doe long for Jesus Christ and heaven the Sunne of righteousnesse and that heavenly Citie which God hath provided for them Rev. 21.23 Where there is no need neither of the Sunne nor of the Moone to shine in it because the glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof As the Bride doth long for the comming of the Bridegroome so the spirituall Bride longeth for the comming of the heavenly Bridegroome Christ Jesus being sicke of love Cant. 5.6 8. and full of longings after him As the mother of Sisera looked out through the window and cried through the lattesse Iudg. 5.28 Why is his Chariot so long in comming why tarry the wheeles of his Chariots so doth the Spouse of Christ here in this life looke forth through the window of Gods ordinances and through the lattesse of her faith and cry How long Lord Jesus Rev. 6.10 how long Thou art my helpe and my deliverer make no tarrying O my God And the Apostle for the mitigating of their sorrowes asswaging of their troubles quieting of their consciences and the better staying of their soules perswades them to waite assures them of the speedy comming of Christ saying Psa 40.17 Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward for yee have need of patience that after yee have done the will of God yee might receive the promise For yet a little while and hee that shall come will come Heb. 10.35 36 37. and will not tarry And thus have Gods servants expressed their desires Phil. 1.23 I desire saith Saint Paul to be dissolved as a prisoner from his fetters as a captive from his bondage and to bee with Christ which is farre better And wee groane saith hee speaking in the name of all the faithfull to be cloathed upon 2 Cor. 5.4 8. that mortality might bee swallowed up of immortality And wee are willing to bee absent from the body and present with the Lord And this the Apostle commended in the Thessalonians 1 Thess 1.9 10. that they were turned to God from Idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for his Sonne from heaven as servants wait for the comming of their Lord and Master And this Saint Peter termes a looking for 2 Pet. 3.12 and hastening unto the comming of the day of God The reason whereof is In regard of their remaining sinne and Reason 1 corruption This is to them as a disease to the sicke as fetters to the prisoner as a burthen to the traveller as a mote to the eye as manacles to the hands as chaines to the feet as aches to the bones as the sons of Zervia unto David they were adversaries to him too strong for him 2 Sam 19.22 so are their corruptions adversaries to their soules to their peace to their communion with God to their present and everlasting welfare Somtimes they are too strong for them leading them captive Rom. 7.23 as a tyrant the souldier whom he hath taken in the battle 1 Pet. 2.11 2 Sam. 3.1 making continuall warre against them as the house of Saul did against the house of David being as prickes in their eyes and thornes in their sides Iudg. 2.2 as the Canaanites were to Israel as heavie burthens to their backes Psa 38.4 burthens too heavie for them to beare as dead members in their body Rom. 7.24 very cumbersome and occasions of great trouble And therefore as the noble man went unto Christ and besought him Ioh. 4.47 that he would come downe and heale his sonne because hee was at the poynt of death so doe the faithfull servants of God go to Christ and say Come Lord Iesus that there may bee a thorough healing of all their infirmities In regard of Satans subtile assiduous and violent temptations Ios 10. As the Amoritish Princes besieged Gibeon so doth the prince of darknesse besiege the soules of Gods people As Pharaoh imposed heavie burthens upon the children of Israel set cruell task-masters over them and when they were going forth of Egypt raised an army and pursued them so doth Satan lay heavie burthens upon great and grievous things to the charge of Gods people set many mercilesse and bloudy minded man against them and raiseth an armie of evill thoughts within to distract them and an army of afflictions without to molest them being as a roaring Lyon to Gods flocke 1 Pet. 5.8 as a man of warre to the Citie of their soules making their passage very stormy and tempestuous Luk. 11.21 and therefore as the woman of Canaan came to our Saviour and cryed to him Mat. 15.22 25. saying Have mercie on mee O Lord thou Sonne of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a Divell Lord helpe mee so doe Gods children addresse themselves to Christ and cry Have mercie upon us thou Sonne of David for our soules are sore vexed with the Divell Lord helpe us O come Lord Jesus and bring us a full and finall deliverance from all infernall adversaries In regard of the evill and offensive conversation of ungracious men their language their practice their profanenesse their troublesomnesse is to
of all our friends according to the flesh made dumb and silent then our soules will be put upon Christ and there will bee no remedy we must say Come Lord Iesus And therefore this should make Christ very pretious in our eyes now this should inflame our hearts with singular and fervent love unto him for the present getting interest in him above all things and making him our chiefest and choycest our deare and onely friend This should so sweeten unto us the Lord Jesus that wee should say with Bernard Jesus dulcis in voce dulcis in facie dulcis in nomine dulce enim nomen suave Jesus consecratum ab aeterno annunciatum ab Angelo prophetatum Solomonis oraculo qui ait Oleum effusum nomen tuum Psa 73.25 Jesus is sweet in voice sweet in face sweet in name for the name Jesus is sweet being consecrated from eternitie published by the Angel and prophesied by the Oracle of Solomon who saith Thy Name is an oyntment powred forth Wee should so select him so admire him so adhere unto him so set our hearts upon him that wee should say with the Psalmist Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee So glorious so pretious so infinitely transcendent let him be in our thoughts in our judgements in our estimation and affections that wee love and affect him exalt and preferre him as the King above all commanders as the Sunne above all lights as the spring above all cisternes as the pearle above all treasure and as the husband of our soules above all friends as a Paradice of all pleasures a haven of rest from all tempests and the refuge of our soules in all troubles Let our faith bee such in him our hope so settled upon him our love so strong towards him our subjection such under him that we may bee able at all times and seasons in all estates and conditions to say Come Lord Jesus Behold in this the honour and profit the advantage and comfort which a bodily dissolution bringeth to the righteous to all true beleevers they desire the full fruition of Christ and this bringeth them home to Christ Phil. 1.21 to them to dye is gaine gaine of libertie from the burthen of all corruption from all the assaults of Satan from the servitude of the world and all affliction gaine of perfect holinesse in respect of Gods image gain of complete victory in respect of all enemies gaine of most sweet communion in respect of their fellowâ—hip with God Christ the glorious Angels and all the Saints of God gaine of absolute honour in respect of their glorious condition in heaven As death to the righteous is a tree of many fruitfull branches a messenger of many comfortable tidings so the Spirit of God hath given it many denominations Sometimes it is stiled a Sleepe Mat. 9.24 sleep possesseth onely the outward members and senses the soule sleepeth not so in death the body onely dies the soule is carried into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16.22 â—ev 14.13 Sleep giveth rest unto the body They who dye in the Lord rest from all their labours Sometimes it is called a gathering to our Fathers Gen. 25.8 by death the righteous are separated from the wicked gathered as wheat into Gods garner and their soules bound up in the bundle of life 1 Sam. 25 29. Sometimes it is called a way the way of all flesh by the way wee come to our home to our fathers and to our friends house Ios 23.14 and by death wee come to our heavenly home to God the father and the Lord Jesus Sometimes it is called a going forth As the prisoner goeth forth of the prison 2 Pet. 1.15 and Israel went forth from the bondage of Egypt so when the body dieth the soule goeth forth as out of a prison and entreth into the land of the living Sometimes it is called an end Mat. 10.22 because in death there is an end of all sin of all sorrow of all labour trouble as in the waters of the red Sea the Israelites Egyptian bondage ended Sometimes it is termed a sowing Ioh. 11.24 1 Cor. 15.44 the seed which is sowne doth spring forth again into a blade the body in the resurrection shall flourish like the grasse death like a Physician cures all their diseases like a key opens the prison and restores them to a blessed freedom brings them to the full fruition of Jesus Christ the desire of their soules And this is the sweetest and fullest gaine of a Christian Lucrum est evasisse incrementa peccati Augustine lucrum fugisse deteriora lucrum transire ad meliora Aug. Lucrum maximum computat Christianus Cyprian jam saeculi laqueis non teneri jam nullis peccatis vitiis carnis obnoxium fieri exemptum pressuris angentibus venenatis diaboli faucibus liberatum ad laetitiam salutis aeternae Christo vocante proficisci Cypr. This must perswade move us to work our hearts to a holy longing and earnest desire after the comming of the Lord Jesus to desire it as the husbandman the coÌ„ming of the harvest the sick man the comming of the day of health or the ward the day of his full age to looke for the new heavens 2 Pet. 3.13 2 Tim. 4.8 and the new earth and to love the appearing of the Lord Iesus and for that end there must be First Godly sorrow for sin Christs coming is comfortable to such as are truly sorrowfull he that is weary of his corruptions doth truely long for the coming of Christ Jesus Gen 45.4.5 Ioseph spake to his brethren kindly entertained them courteously when he saw them grieved for the injury offered him Luke 15. The prodigals day of humiliation Isa 61.1 was the day wherein his father graciously received him Christ will bee found a sweet and mercifull Iesus to all Mat. 11.28 truly penitent sinners Secondly there must be a thorough removall of sin an effectuall reformation of all our wayes Gen. 35.2 Jacob went not up to Bethel before he purged his house of Idols It is in vain for man to say Come Lord Jesus if there bee not a conversion of the soule to Jesus To such the Prophet speakes Amos 5.18.19 Woe to you that desire the day of the Lord to what end is it for you the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light as if a man did flye from a Lyon and a Beare met him or went into a house and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse and not light even very darke and no brightnesse in it What the voyce of God was to Adam upon the eating of the forbidden fruit what the comming of the flood was to the profane men of the old world what the waters of the red Sea were to Pharaoh what the
foole but hee hath no heart to use it There is a transcendent fulnesse in Christ and hee is the choycest of all prices and is even put into the hands of men but many have no heart to make use of him and therefore hee doth not profit them What is the fulnesse of the Sunne to the blinde that doth not see by it the fulnesse of the fountaine to him that doth not drinke of it the fulnesse of the feast to him that doth not feed upon it and what is the fulnesse of Christ to him that makes no use of Christ What is a man the better for a locke if hee hath not a key to use it withall It is not a trade but a trade well followed it is not land but land well tilled that maintaines men that makes men rich It is not Christ but Christ well used that maintaines the soule that makes the soule rich a Eccles 5.18 19. Behold saith Solomon that which I have seene it is good and comely for one to eate and drinke and to enjoy the good of all his labour that hee taketh under the Sunne all the dayes of his life which God giveth him for it is his portion Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth and hath given him power to eate thereof and to take his portion and to rejoyce in his labour this is the gift of God Christ is a rarer portion then all wealth then all meat and drinke it is a rarer gift of God to make use of Christ and to enjoy the good of Christ all the dayes of his life this is the portion of a Christian of a gracious and sanctified soule indeed As therefore the healthy man makes use of his meat and is strengthened the sick man makes use of his physicke and is healed the Souldier maketh use of his weapon and overcommeth the Merchant maketh use of his trade and growes rich by it Thus let us make use of Christ that our soules may bee healed strengthened made victorious and spiritually enriched Some men live by their wits some by their lands and some by their trades the Christian lives by his Christ Of Christ therefore let us make use in our Understandings to fill us with the knowledge of Gods will in all wisedome to receive all our direction from him as the traveller maketh use of the Sunne to guide him Of him let us make use in our Meditations thinke upon him as the Bride in her thoughts maketh use of the Bride-groome let the thought of Christ bee frequent and pretious and the meditation of Christ b Ps 104.34 sweet unto us Of him let us make use by our Faith depending upon him as the house upon the rocke casting our selves our care and burthen upon him as the childe upon the parent hiding our selves under the shadow of his wings as the chicken under the wings of the hen resting upon him for a supply in all our wants for a deliverance in all distresses making him in stead of all in the absence of all helpers deriving and drawing more and more from his fulnesse as the thirsty draw waters out of the Well by the bucket and as the branches draw nourishment from the roots Of him let us make use by our Love loving him as the Father begetting the Ransomer redeeming the Physician healing the Husband marrying and Treasure enriching our soules Of him let us make use in our Ioy rejoycing in him as the wise men in the Starre with an c Mat. 2.10 exceeding great joy Of him let us make use in our peace and prosperity looking on him as the authour of all our happinesse as the Sunne that puts a fulnesse into all the lights of our comforts as the Sunne puts a fulnesse into the starres without Christ all is empty as a withered branch without the root all is bitter as the waters of Marah without the tree Of him let us make use in our hearing preaching prayer conference him let us heare him let us learne of him let us speake him let us set forth * Aridus est omnis animae cibus fi non oleo isto insunditur insipidus est si non hoc sale conditur si scribas non sapit mihi nisi legero ibi Iesum si disputes aut confâ—ras non sapit mihi nâ—si sonuerit ibi Jesus Bernard saith All the food of the soule is dry if it bee not put into this oyle it is unsavory if it bee not seasoned with this salt if thou writest it doth not relish with mee unlesse I read JESUS there if thou doest dispute or conferre it doth not relish wel with me unlesse JESUS found there if we make not use of Christ Jesus our use of Gods ordinance is fruitlesse Of Christ let us make use in our distresses as Noah made use of the Arke in the deluge to support us as the Gibeonites made use of Josua in the siege to helpe us to deliver us as Hagar made use of the Well when her bottle was empty to fill us O let not Christ bee to us as Iethers sword to him which hee drew not used not as wealth to many to whom God gives not power to eate as a cordiall to him that doth not receive it or a garment to him that doth not put it on but let us every way make use of Christ make use of his wisedome to guide us of his power to uphold us of his dominion to awe us of his majesty to humble us of his puritie to make us vile in our owne eyes to shame us for our uncleannesse to worke us to holinesse of his justice to drive us from sinne of his righteousnesse to cloath us and cover our sinnes of his mercie to pardon us of his love to comfort us of his presence to encourage us of his fulnesse to satisfie us of his Word to feed us of his Sacraments to confirme us of his death to mortifie our lusts of his resurrection to quicken our soules of his sufferings to suffer with patience of his intercession to settle us in the assurance of the pardon of our sinnes and establishment of the love of God on our soules of his commandements as of a spurre to quicken us in his service and as of a bridle to restraine us from what is forbidden of his promises as of a rocke to sustaine us as of a load-stone to draw us as of a light in darknesse to comfort us and as of a spring in the day of drought to refresh and fill us Excellent is the use of Christ Jesus to the soules of all true Christians it extirpates all cares dispelleth all feares evacuates the minde of distracting thoughts and disturbing passions sweetens all estates mitigates all sorrowes facilitateth all burdens and exhilerates the whole man Very great is the soules happinesse which makes a true full and constant use of Christ Jesus CHAP. X. Perswading to full and constant acquiescence in Christ AS there is all
on earth besides him and is as a crowne of glory in the hand of the Lord Isa 62.3 and as a royall Diadem in the hand of his God Joh. 1.12 Rom 8.18 Rev. 1.6 All that have Christ are sonnes of God heires of heaven spirituall Kings hee is most honourable and glorious that comes nighest unto Christ that receiveth most of Christ it is not naturall birth but new birth not worldly abundance but heavenly fulness that honors man in Gods presence * Sola apud Deum libertas est non servire peccatis summa apud Deum nobilitas est clarum esse virtutibus Rev. 12.1 The onely freedome with God saith Ierome is not to serve sinne and with God to excell in vertue is the highest nobility Most honourable and glorious is the description of the Church represented by a woman clothed with the Sunne a crowne of twelve starres on her head and the Moone under her feet That mans condition is questionlesse most honourable that hath the Sunne of righteousnesse clothing him the starre of Gods word guiding him and all the things of the earth put under him 5. The having of all things Fifthly hee that hath Christ hath all shee that is wedded to the Master of the house hath all the house Man by his spirituall wedlocke with Christ hath interest in all the things of this great house of the world Of such as have Christ the Apostle saith All things are yours 1 Cor. 3.22 23. whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and yee are Christs and Christ is Gods All things are yours all the creatures here below are yours as your servants to doe service to you as all the servants of the house are under the mistresse of the house the Angels are also yours to minister to you as the Nobles of the land are the Queenes to attend and wait upon her All things are appointed for your good for your edification supportation and comfort Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas all the Ministers of God from the highest to the lowest are yours as lights to guide you pastors to feed you with knowledge and understanding as shepheards to gather you home to Christ as physicians to heale you as builders to hew and square you as husbandmen to manure and dresse you as the friends of the Bridegroome to wooe you to perswade and betroth you to Christ All the ordinances of God are yours as a schoole to instruct you as a Banquetting house to feed you as an Artillery house to furnish you with spirituall armour as a Bethesda to heale you All these are for your sakes for your good The world is yours as a house for you to dwell in a countrey for you to live in for a season All the goods of the world are yours to use as the things of the house are the wives to use they are all sanctified unto you All the malice and opposition of the world is yours to weane you from the earth to drive you home to Christ to exercise your graces and sweeten unto you Christ Iesus The fulnesse pompe and glory of the world is yours to try your sobriety humility vigilancie and moderation in all things Not onely all things are yours but all conditions whether life or death life is yours the time of life is yours to learne and know God to get assurance of another life The prosperity of life is yours to bee thankfull to God for it the troubles of life are yours to learne to beare the crosse with patience All the severall estates and conditions of life are yours in each of them to shew your subjection and obedience unto God Death is also yours to put an end to all your miseries as a Physician to cure all your diseases as a haven of peace after all tempests as a place of rest after all labours as the red sea to Israel drowning all sinnes ending all sorrowes and giving entrance into endlesse joyes as the red sea drowned Pharaoh and the Egyptians and proved a safe passage to the Israelites and gave them occasion of great triumph and exultation Things present and things to come are yours present things are yours present good things are yours to behold God in them to praise God for them to serve God with them to doe good to others by them present afflictions are yours to try you to humble you to purge you to sweeten the meditation of Christ and heaven to you present sinnes are yours to make you vile in your owne apprehension to drive you out of your selves to let you see the necessarie use of Gods ordinances and the necessity of Christ Jesus Things to come are yours afflictions to come are yours to prepare for them sinnes to come are yours to prevent them heaven and happiness to come are yours to sustaine and comfort your selves with the thought and beleefe of them All things of whatsoever kinde or nature are yours and you are Christs Christs servants to obey him Christs Spouse to love him Christs members receiving all from him possessing all in him and Christ is Gods subordinate unto God as Man and Mediator between God and Man Here are all the latitudes of a Christians riches his having of all in Christ Jesus Let the proud man with Nebuchadnezar blesse himselfe in his stately palace let the mighty man with Golâ—ah boast himselfe in his tall stature and strong armour let the valiant man with Senacharib magnifie himselfe in his victories and the covetous blesse himselfe with him in the parable in having his barnes full but let the Christian pronounce himselfe happy onely happy truly happy fully happy everlastingly happy in his having of Christ for Christ Jesus is mans sole and joyfull constant and most glorious happinesse because in him dwells all fulnesse even the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily The last thing in this verse is the manner how the fulnesse of the Godhead dwells in Christ and that is bodily in the body or humane nature assumed in that the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth Omnis plenitudo divinae narae in corpore ejus inhabitat All fulness saith Ierom of the divine nature dwelleth in his body And the Apostle addeth this word bodily 1. To put a distinction betweene the dwelling of the Godhead in the humane nature assumed and in the Saints in them the Godhead dwels by the communication of vertue but in this the Godhead dwels personally by the coÌ„munication of the person of the Son to the humane nature 2. This the Apostle addeth to shew that Christ according to his humane nature is head of the Church by reason of the personall inhabitation of the Godhead in the flesh 3. To declare the full and open manifestation of God in Christ God did often manifest himselfe unto men in shadowes and in powerfull and mighty workes but in Christ he hath manifested himselfe most fully dwelling
in the flesh assumed personally so that Christ in our flesh is true God and true man and he that hath the Sonne of God hath the Father hee that enjoyes Christ enjoyes God because the Godhead dwels in the humane nature personally and by this we see that Doct. Christ dwelling in our flesh is true God Christ the Sonne of God dwelling in our flesh is truely and essentially God nothing is wanting to Christ that belongs to God that appertaines to the divinity whatsoever the father doth the Sonne doth in our flesh though not by the power of the flesh but by his Godhead dwelling in the flesh the names of nature and of imposition the titles of honour love office and labour which are given unto Christ the attributes of eternity of immutability immortallity omnipresence omnisciency and omnipotency ascribed unto Christ together with the miraculous and mighty workes wrought by Christ doe give an ample cleare and invincible testimony of Christs Godhead Applic. Let us therefore looke upon the Godhead of Christ in our flesh and admire his goodness in comming so neare unto us strive by faith and love to come to him and through him to God Christ reconciling God and man as Jacobs ladder joyned heaven and earth together God dispensing all to men by Christ accepting men through Christ as the Angels descended and ascended by the ladder in Jacobs vision Let us againe contemplate Christ as God dwelling in our flesh and feare him and obey him above all commanders exalt him above all men and Angels love him above all creatures stay upon him in all distresses consecrate our selves to his service celebrate him as the Author and worker of all our welfare and happinesse and quiet and content our selves in and with him as the fountain of all fulnesse VERSE 10. And yee are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power CHAP. XVI Ascribing perfection in Christ to such alone as are truely gracious IN the precedent verse is the fulnesse of Christ opened in this verse is the fulnesse of his members proposed Christ is very free full and gracious in his ministrations to his servants As there is a fulnesse in the Vine so there is a fulness in the Branches as there is a fulnesse in the Sea so there is a fulnesse in the Rivers as there is a fulnesse in Christ so there is a fulnesse in his Members they are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power Scope of the Apostle These words contain a third argument used by the Apostle to dehort and disswade men from having recourse to humane traditions philosophicall doctrines vaine and needlesse ceremonies from seeking perfection or fulnesse in such empty lamps broken cisternes and barren trees considering they have perfection nearer home and in themselves being in Christ members of Christ incorporate into Christ in whom is all fulnesse they need not looke else where for perfection for they are complete in him In the words wee have two things in the generall 1. The Saints perfection 2 Parts 1 Saints perfection 2. Christs exaltation and yee are complete in him 2. Christs exaltation which is the head of all principality and power First of the Saints perfection and ye are complete in him wherein we may take notice 1. Of the subject yee not all but yee Yee who are effectually called from the death of sinne to the life of grace Ioh. 11.44 as Christ called Lazarus from the death of the grave to the life of nature Yee that are savingly enlightned Ioh. 9 as the eies of him that was borne blind were opened Yee that are spiritually purged and cleansed from sin 2 King 5. as Naaman was washed from his Leprosie in Iordan Yee that have put off the old man Eph. 2.4 and put on the new Gen. 41.14 42. 2 Cor. 5.17 as Ioseph had his prison garments taken off and vestures of fine linnen put upon him and a golden chaine about his necke yee from whom all old things are put away and to whom all things are become new yee are complete in him Note Such alone as are truely holy and gracious are complete and perfect in Christ Iesus Such alone are living branches in this vine a spirituall Bride to this husband endowed with Gods image interested in Gods promise separated from worldly vanities and the power of uncleannesse clothed with Christs righteousnesse and filled with Christs fulnesse Use 1 Prophane and carnall people are farre from all spirituall perfection as the dead are farre from life the blinde farre from eye-sight and bondmen farre from freedome Unregenerate and ungracious persons have no saving knowledge of Christ Jesus no participation of his fulnesse no interest in his benefits no taste of the sweetnesse of his mercies Christ to them is a hidden Manna whom they taste not an eclipsed Sunne whom they see not a sealed Well of whom they drinke not like the Tree of Life to Adam expelled out of the garden of Eden Gen. 3. one to whom they come not of whose fruit they feed not Reigning prophanenesse deprives the soule of all the benefits and comforts of the Lord Jesus Such alone as are truly gracious are Use 2 filled with Christs fulnesse discern Christs excellencies and are refreshed with the sweetnesse of his mercies They alone that live to Christ enjoy Christ and are made perfect by Christ and have the promise of eternall life in and through Christ Dignus planè est morte qui tibi Christe recuset vivere qui tibi non sapit desipit qui curat esse nisi propter te pro nihilo est nihil est propter teipsum Deus fecisti omnia qui esse vult sibi non tibi nihil esse incipit inter omnia O Christ saith Bernard hee is plainly worthy of death who refuseth to live to thee and hee that is not wise for thee is foolish and hee that cares to bee unlesse for thee goes for nothing and is nothing O God saith hee thou hast made all things for thy selfe and hee that will bee for himselfe and not for thee beginnes in the midst of all things to bee nothing Without Christ mans greatest fulnesse is nothing else but emptinesse hee that seeks himselfe and not Christ loseth both himselfe and Christ hee that strives without Christ to be happy involves himselfe in the snare casts himselfe into the gulfe of the greatest misery To live to the Lord Jesus in true holinesse is the onely way to everlasting happinesse Hee that for Christ can make himselfe nothing shall in Christ finde the perfection of all things Labour then to bee of their number who are truly holy and gracious that you may bee complete and perfect in Christ Jesus Secondly here is the benefite complete full entire perfect complete in the imputation of Christs righteousnesse in the inchoation of all saving gifts and graces
fire from heaven was to the Captaines which came up against Eliah what the burning fornace was to them that cast in Shadrach Meshec and Abednego the same will be the coming of the L. Jesus to all unholy persons O therfore away with your sins every soul of man reform his wayes Job 11.14 That you may lift up your faces with boldnes that you may with great joy and comfort say Come Lord Iesus Thirdly get it to your hearts the pretious pearle of a lively faith Eph. 6.16 this wil quench all Satans darts silence all the accusâ—tions of conscience make you looke on Christ as on a friend to comfort you Rom. 8.31 an advocate to plead for you and a redeemer to save you and like Eliahs fiery chariot will carry your soules aloft and bring you with gladnesse into the presence of the Lord Jesus Fourthly make a good use of your talent be wise be diligent be faithfull holy humble in the imployment of it and Christ shall come with comfort and he shall entertain you with a sweet and comfortable Euge. Well done thou good and faithfull servant Mat. 25.23 thou hast been faithfull over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into thy masters joy And let us be excited stirred up to work our hearts to this longing for Christs comming considering First the satiety of our estate in heaven Rev. 22.2 there is a Tree bearing twelve sorts of fruit youth without old age health without sicknesse fulness without loathing liberty without bondage beauty without deformitie impassibility without griefe abundance without want peace without trouble security without feare knowledge without ignorance glory without ignominy joy without sorrow Secondly the security of that estate no enemy can reach us it is a Citie never besiegâ—d a haven never disquieted there is no death neither of sin nor of misery Rev. 21.4 Nec culpae nec miseriae nec naturae nor of nature Thirdly the jucundity of it a day without clouds a paradise without thornes fulness of joy true joy without deceit sincere joy free from the mixture of sorrow Psa 16. constant joy a Sun that never sets of which we may say as Augustine doth * O gaudium supergaudium vincens omne gaudium extra quod non est gaudium quando intrabo in te ut videam Deum meum qui habitat in te O joy above joy overcoming all joy without which there is no joy when shall I enter into thee that I may see my God who dwelleth in thee Here is joy above us in the vision of God joy within us in the glorification of our souls and bodies joy about us in our communion with Saints and Angels joy beneath us in our evasion and escapall of hell and everlasting darknesse Here is to the souls of all beleevers Gaudium de Christo joy concerning Christ as the authour of our welfare in Christo in Christ as he is the head and wee the members cum Christo with Christ as coheires with him of the same inheritance post Christum after Christ every soule joying according to proportion per Christum by Christ being reconciled to God by him and beholding God with joy through him propter Christum for Christ he being exalted above all creatures and having purchased all things O let these things sweeten the thought of Christ Jesus to us inflame our soules with longing after him make us all say Come Lord Iesus Thus from the Motion passe wee to the Mover Lord Jesus Two titles of the blessed Sonne of God the one a title of authoritie to command us the other of mercie to comfort us Love and Justice are sweetly knit together in Christ Jesus Note as Lord hee requireth obedience to his precepts as Jesus he calleth for faith in his promises Faith and obedience must never be divided in Gods servants hee that calls him Lord without obedience dishonours him hee that calls him Iesus without faith receives no benefit by him Hee is stiled first Lord and then Jesus Note If Christ bee not our Lord and Master first hee will never bee our Saviour at last He that will not have Christ to be his Lord in his life shall not have him for his Iesus at the houre of his death O therefore serve him honour him obey him as your Lord beleeve him love him rejoyce in him as your Jesus now that you may bee able upon all occasions to say Come Lord Iesus Come Lord Jesus as a Counsellour to guide us as a Rock to support us as a Friend to comfort us as a Fountaine to supply us Come Lord Jesus in the day of fulnesse and make us thankfull in the day of want and make us contented in the day of our sinne and make us penitent in the day of affliction and make us patient in the day of temptation and make us confident in the day of sorrow and make us joyfull in the day of health and make us mindfull of the day of sicknesse in the day of life and make us watchfull against the day of death in the day of sicknesse and assure us of the blessed issue of our earthly pilgrimage in the day of death and translate our soules into a glorious life Even so come LORD JESUS And now touching this spectacle of mortalitie here before us what shall I say unto you wherein shall I from hence instruct you but onely in two things in the genenerall First by way of premonition Secondly by way of commemoration By way of premonition and so you may in this object of death be admonished First of the transitorinesse of mans pilgrimage his life is a vapour soon vanishing a race soone runne Heâ— 13.14 a candle quickly gone out having no continuing Citie here but must seeke one that is to come Secondly of the vanitie of all earthly abundance it is a starting Bow in the day of battle a rotten Anchor in the stormie tempest Wee see that of Solomon ver fied by daily experience Pro. 11.4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse delivereth from death the righteousnesse of Christ imputed the righteousnesse of conversation well ordered giveth comfort deliverance from the second death when soule body are dissolved Thirdly whatsoever extravagancies or aberrations we see in others let us not thereby take occasion to insult over them to passe any rash or finâ—ll sentence upon them this is the worst use of other mens offences this is to thrust God out of his office Rom. 14.4 For every man stands or falls to his owne master but what wee see amisse in others let us correct in our selves by the sight of their spots let us wash our owne garments bee thankfull to God who doth preserve us for no man standeth by his owne strength Let us be watchfull over our selves and desire God to keepe us lest Satan and our owne corruption draw us
discover nor cure the disease of the soule And as sometime the Lord said of the Egyptians Å¿ Isa 30.2 The Egyptians shall helpe in vaine and to no purpose their strength is to fit still so may wee of all humane carnal doctrines they help in vain and to no purpose they can doe nothing by way of mortification to sin by way of corroboration against Satans temptations by way of pacification in quieting the conscience In such cases their strength is to sit still they doe not profit the receivers of them It is but the sowing of chaffe that brings forth no fruit or feeding on huskes that ministers no strength a labour which doth not t Ier. 2.8 profit He that lookes beyond or beside Christ for light to direct him his labour is altogether unprofitable In regard of the foolishnesse of man to step aside from Christ and cleave to humane observations Every man reputes it a foolish thing for a man that hath a full fountaine to seeke water out of an empty pit for him that hath the Sunne shining upon him to light a Candle to guide him It was great folly in the men of Schechem to refuse u Iud. 9.9 the Vine the Olive and the Figge-tree and choose the Bramble to leave the sonnes of Jerubbaal and choose Abimelech to reigne over them What is Christ but a living fountaine a bright and shining Sunne a Vine an Olive a Figge-tree full of all light replenished with the greatest fulnesse of all divine and heavenly fruit And what are humane doctrines and observations but an empty pit a very snuffe that gives no light a barren bramble that beares no good fruit Man never more manifests his foolishnesse then in leaving the Lord Jesus w Ier. 2.11 12 13. Hath any nation saith the Lord changed their gods which are yet no gods But my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit Bee astonished O yee heavens at this and be horribly afraid bee yee very desolate saith the Lord for my people have committed two great evils they have forsaken mee the fountaine of living waters and hewed them out cisternes broken cisternes that can hold no water Who is the fountaine of living waters but God and his Christ What are the broken cisternes but humane inventions which have no water of life in them Who is censured in the Parable as a foole but he that left the Rock and built upon the Sand Who is the Rock but Christ What is the Sand but the vaine and idle observations of men And who so foolish as he that leaves the former and builds his faith and salvation upon the latter Hee is certainly in Gods account a man of no understanding that leaves Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of true wisedome In regard of perill It is very dangerous to leave Christ and adhere to rotten doctrines and empty devices It is dangerous to the Sheepe to leave the Shepheard and apply himselfe to the Wolfe to the sicke to leave the wise and faithfull Physician and put himselfe into his hands who is both ignorant and deceitfull What are the Teachers of corrupt doctrine but x Mat. 7.15 Wolves in sheeps clothing and y Ier. 6.14 false Physicians who heale the disease of the daughter of Gods people deceitfully The men of Israel exposed themselves to great danger when they left David their true King and z 2 Sam. 20.2 followed Sheba that blew the trumpet of rebellion The man that leaves Christ and followes them that blow the trumpet of vaine and idle Omne quod non aedificat audientes in periculum vertitur auâ—ientum Ierom carnall and unsound doctrine exposeth his soule to the danger of infection seduction and utter ruine Unsound doctrines are instruments of great prejudice to their receivers the bait by which Satan like a Fowler allures them the snare in which like a Hunter he intangles and takes them The Prince of darknesse hath no such agents as deceitfull Teachers he doth more advance his kingdome and bring greater ruine to the soules of the people by bad seeds-men then by the men of any one calling besides them a lying speech out of the mouth of an a 1 Kings 13.8.19 old Prophet prevails draws to disobedience more then a Kings perswasion Satan ordinarily workes the greatest mischiefe by being a b 1 Kings 22.22 lying spirit in the mouth of some Prophet The state of mans soule is very dangerous that stickes not close to Christ Jesus CHAP. III. Disclosing the folly of not cleaving to and contenting our selves with Christ but going aside to vaine inventions THis discovers the vanity of their minds the folly of their hearts the perill of their soules who cleave not to Christ who rest not quiet not content not themselves in Christ and his fulnesse but step out goe aside turne away from Christ to vaine doctrines humane devices and carnall observations like the two c 2 Sam. 15.11 12. hundred men of Ierusalem that turned aside from David and went after Absolom As they went in the simplicity of their hearts so these in the folly of their soules As they knew not any thing so these know not any thing truly and savingly of God of Christ of the deceit of Satan of the danger of their estate and doing As they took unto themselves Achitophel a Counsellour of David so these take unto themselves some Teacher some Minister who by calling is one of Gods Counsellours one that should plead Gods cause and open Gods counsel And as their conspiracy was strong against David so is these mens conspiracie strong against God against his truth against the good of their owne soules Hee that cleaves to corrupt doctrine conspires against Christ and his owne salvation And whence is it that falshood is more welcome then truth a man that comes in his d Ioh. 5.43 Five Grounds hereof owne name more acceptable then hee that comes in Gods name but first from the dominion and fulnes of corruptioÌ„ A deformed face pleaseth it selfe in a deceitfull glasse the malefactor rejoyceth to heare of a corrupt Judge some diseased stomackes desire to feed on ashes a rotten heart and a rotten doctrine are very suteable Ahab having e 1 Kings 22. sold himselfe to commit wickednesse was very attentive to the false Prophets Men saith our Saviour f Ioh. 3.19.20 love darknesse rather then light because their deeds are evill Hee that doth evill hateth the light neither commeth hee to the light lest his deeds should bee reproved Iob saith of Theeves g Iob 24.17 The morning is to them as the shadow of death if one know them they are in the terrours of the shadow of death To men that rob God by their impieties the morning the truth which shineth forth like the h 2 Pet. 1.19 Morning starre is as the shadow of death if one know them if the Minister detect and lay open
their sinne their profane and evill estate it is a great terrour to them it troubles them as the star did i Mat. 2.2 Herod the men of Ierusalem Man can never take pleasure in that fulnesse of light which shineth from Christ Jesus untill hee hath emptied himselfe of the fulnesse of his corruptions Secondly from the want of love to the truth The woman that wants love to her husband readily prostitutes her selfe to strangers The soule that loves not Christ and his truth doth easily open it selfe to corrupt and deceitfull doctrines because they k 2 Thes 2.9 10. received not the love of the truth that they might bee saved for this cause saith the Apostle God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lye Corrupt and carnall doctrine is very welcome where the love of the truth is wanting hee that receives not the truth into his affection as well as into his judgement will soone bee drawne from it Under the Law it was usuall for a man that married a l Deut. 24.1 woman if hee loved her not to give her a bill of divorcement and send her out of his house It is common with men under the Gospel who in regard of externall covenant and profession are married to the truth yet afterwards through the want of love they give the truth a bill of divorce and become strangers to it It is love to the truth that causeth man to continue constant with it m Cant. 8.6 7. Love it and you shall never depart from it Thirdly from a desire of novelty Men naturally desire new things as they desire new fashions of apparrell for their bodies so new doctrines for their soules The eye is little affected with the Sun because it shineth every day it much admires a blazing star because but seldome seene Things of greatest worth because common are little esteemed vaine and empty things because new are much regarded Saint Paul tells Timothy that the time will come when men will not n 2 Tim. 4.3 endure sound doctrine but after their owne lusts shall they heap unto themselves teachers having itching eares Men having the itch delight in scraping men over-spred with the loathsome scab of unclean lusts desire to bee soothed daubed flattered in their sinnes and to have their eares tickled and pleased with some new and strange things with o Isay 30.10 smooth things and deceits with the p 1 Cor. 2.3 enticing words of mens wisedome The Israelites q Numb 11.5 loathed the Manna and lusted after the Onions of Egypt Men of corrupt hearts after a while loath the pure and plaine preaching of Christ and fall a lusting after Philosophicall superstitious and vaine doctrines No man so desires change of new and strange doctrines as he that meanes not to change his conversation were the hearts of men truly changed the true and common doctrine of Christ would bee very pleasant the soule would never grow weary of it Fourthly from their estrangement from Christ they discerne not Christs beauties they taste not Christs sweetnesse they feele not Christs goodnesse there is no sutablenesse between Christ and their hearts they have not r Ephes 4.21 learned Christ as the truth is in him they have not learned the wisedome of Christ to bee guided by him the authoritie of Christ to subject themselves unto him the beauties of Christ to admire him the love of Christ to delight themselves in him the death of Christ to mortifie their lusts the resurrection of Christ quickning them to a new life the power of Christ to depend upon him the holinesse of Christ to imitate him the all-sufficiencie of Christ to content themselves with him Christ is to them a ſ Rev. 2.17 hidden Manna whom they taste not they see t Isay 53.2 nothing in him for which they should desire him It is recorded of Agesilaus comming to help the King of Egypt in his distresse that ob corpus incultum vestis vilitatem venit in contemptum ejus gentis hominibus qui sperarunt se visuros Spartanum regem talem qualis esset rex Persarum corpore decentissimè ornatum for the unhansomnesse of his body basenesse of his garment hee was had in contempt among the men of that nation who hoped to have seene a Spartan King such as the King of the Persians most comely adorned in his body So Christ comming to helpe us in our distresse for the want of externall pompe in his Ordinances and worldly glory in his Ministers and Members the splendor of humane eloquence in his doctrines is despised by the men who frame and forme unto themselves a Christ like to one of the mighty Monarches of the earth Hee that discernes not the spirituall beauty of Christ in his doctrine doth easily degenerate to humane superstition Fifthly from the disagreement betweene them and Christs doctrine There is no proportion no likenesse no answerablenesse betweene their hearts and this doctrine they are darknesse and this is light they are carnall and this is spirituall they are from beneath and this is from above their wayes are contrary to it their hearts are full of enmitie against it they hate it as u 1 King 22.8 Ahab hated Micaiah because hee never prophesied good to him Such is the brightnesse the holinesse the power of it that they cannot endure it they are loath to bee searched to have their sinne discovered as Rahel when shee sate upon her Idoll unwilling to bee reproved to have their lusts mortified as David was to have Absolom put to w 2 Sam. 18.3 death and therefore charged the Captaines of his Army to deale gently with the young man The rough handling of profane mens vices makes them weary of Gods ordinances and moves them to seeke out some more gentle and easie doctrines But brethren The vanity of humane doctrine displayed as Solomon sometime said of Laughter It is mad and of Mirth what doth it so let me say to you of this rotten deceitfull and pleasant doctrine It is mad the words of wisedome and sobernesse are not in it and of all humane observations and Philosophicall dictates in the Schoole of Christ What do they Why surely they doe x Isai 8.20 not discover sinne they search as Laban did not as the Master in Ionah did they are but a key of straw they open not the doore of the heart they leave man ignorant of God and himselfe No doctrine can shew us God but that which is from God Secondly they humble not the soul As Zebah Zalmunna said of Iether y Iudg. 8.21 Such as the man is such is his strength so such as the doctrine is such is its strength The Divell regarded not the sonnes of z Acts 19.15 Sceva's adjuration his holds are never cast downe by a humane doctrine Thirdly they nourish not The a Luke 15. Prodigall was like to starve before hee returned to his