carelesnes 3. Ioh. 1.9 Lucae 16. or giue it avvay as Diotrephes did for preheminence as the Glutton for delight as the vvanton for pleasure as the envious for nothing but for vexatiō of mind as the desperate only for horror of conscience vvho destroy their bodies that the deuill may haue their soules Practice 3 Thirdly this teacheth vs not to be rebells in this kingdome not to partake vvith the beast vvho disposeth of kingdomes at his pleasure nor vvith the deuill vvho seekes to ruinate the states of kingdoms Rom. 6.12 but that finally vve resolue that sinne may not raigne in our mortal bodies as in a kingdome that vve should obey it in the lust thereof Rom. 5.21 but that as sinne hath raigned vnto death euen soe grace might raigne through righteousnes vnto eternall life by IESUS CHRIST our lord The third lesson The former was a kingdome but novve a kingdome of heauē is sett before vs wherein we may learne That God hath prepared a kingdome of heauen for those that in hope thereof purge themselues in the kingdome of grace By heauen vve vnderstand not that place betvvixt the earth Gen. 1.28 the Moone for that 's the heauen of fovvles for they are called the foules heauen Genes 1. nor yet the firmament vvherein are placed the sunne the moone 2. Cor. 12.2 starres but that third heauen into vvhich Paule vvas taken vp vvhere Christ sitteth at the right hand of god the father vvhere the soules departed are in rest vvhere all the elect in the end of the vvorld shal be as the angels shal shine as the sunne in brightnes glorie of god the father Of vvhich kingdome of heauen if you aske me vvhat it is I ansvvere it is a creature made of god in the begining vvhē he created the earth Gen. 1.1 If you aske me vvhere it is I ansvvere it is aboue these visible heauens If you aske me vvhy god made it I ansvvere for to shevve his glorie vnto his saincts therefore it is called a paradise of all delectable desireable things in the presence of god The house of god vvherein all the elect are gathered A kingdome vvherein god is king Christ is the prince the church the queene the subjects all the angells saincts Luc. 6.38 And it is called the kingdome of glorie vvherein not only vve receaue glory in good measure but pressed dovvne heaped vp running ouer In hope vvhereof all gods children purge prune themselues that they may bring forth much fruite 1. Ioh. 2.3 For vvhat vvill not a Christian soule doe labour striue struggle vvhile he is here that here after he may sitt in heauenly places vvith Christ Iesus Eph. 2.6 The right of this learning the reason of scripture shevves Apoc. 21.8 For noe vncleane thing entereth into this holy city nor any abhomination The meanes is therefore offered 1. Ioh. 1.7 euen the bloud of Iesus Christ vvhereby vve may be purged frō all our sinnes that vve may be cleane And gratious is the conversation of all gods children for their conuersation is in heauen allbeit they be in earth Phil. 1.20 First by liuing in christian charity For he that liueth in charity liueth in god Matt. 6.21 Secondly in affection for their hart is in heauen vvhere their treasure is Thirdly by right of inheritance for vvhere the head is there must the members be Christ our head is in heauen christians the members clayme their interest in him Gorranus in locum Or as our contryman sayth the conuersation of Christians on earth is in heauen 1. By meditation in the strength vvhereof they fly daily into heauen 2. By daily conference for they speake continually of those things that belong to the kingdome of heauen 3. By holy admiration for vvho knovveth the order of the visible heauens therefore much lesse can vve vnderstand the glory of the invisible 4. By speaking to our soules in holy soliloquies saying Who is or vvhat is there in heauen or in earth that vve desire but thee o lord god Lastly by attending gods leasure as the Patriarches did Gen. 49.18 soe doe they daily vvaite for their saluation The life of this learning consists in practise Practice 1 First of greuance for it is a thousand greeuances to see the madnes of the vvorld that vvhen as god hath prepared vs a kingdome this kingdome is preached daiely vnto vs yet it is sleigthed neglected as if vve told thē tales of Virginia Iob. 4.19 2. Pet. 1.14 1. Pet. 2.11 or of the Bermuthaes vvhere they neuer meane to goe And for asmuch as vve knovve that vve dvvel here in houses of clay in tabernacles of earth are but strangers pilgrimes yet that vve should haue noe more desire to goe to our mansions to repaire to our tabernacle made vvithout hands to reside in our ovvne country is a straine of extreame madnes Practice 2 Secondly of contentation in vvhat estate or condition soeuer vve are either vvith Abraham dvvelling in tents Heb. 9.10 yet still to haue an eie to the land of promise or vvith Paule not to looke on the things that are seene 2. Co. 5.1.2 but to knovve that if this earthly tabernacle be destroyed vve shal be sure of a better made vvithout hands Practice 3 Thirdly of confutation of those hellish spirits that make hast vnto the kingdome of darknes For say preach vvhat the lord Iesus vvill in his holy Testamēt that they should purge and purifie themselues for the hope of this kingdome Hosh. 5.4 yea if Hoshea preach neuer soe earnestly yet the Spirit of vvhordome vvilbe in the middest of some Exod. 16.5 If Moses Aarō preach of this kingdome shevve Signes vvonders 2. Ti. 4.10 yet the spirit of gluttony vvill desire the flesh potts of Egipte if Paule preach neuer soe povverfully yet the spirit of coueteousnes vvill cause Demas to forsake him Matt. 5.22 imbrace this present vvorld the spirit of vvrath vvill call his brother Racha though he be in dainger of a counsell Eph. 4.29.30 the spirit of enuie vvill sell innocent Ioseph the spirit of lying of peruersnes peeuishnes vvill greeue the spirit of god vvith rebellion vvhat soeuer can be sayd to the cōtrary Practise 4 The fourth is of purgation vvhich directeth vs hovve vve may be cleansed laying dovvne this first as a ground that noe man shall see god vvithout a purgatory but this is noe popish foolish cōceite of purging after this life vvithout ground or vvarrant of the vvord but our invvard effectuall purging by baptisme the lavacre of regēeratiō the vvashing of the nevve birth by Christs passiō where in he hath vvashed vs in his bloud by the vvord vvhich maketh vs cleane Aquinas by grace vvhich purgeth vs from all our sinne by
die for the lord Iesus Act. 10 11 He had learned this lesson of his master vvho had taught him That if any man vvould come after him he must deny himselfe take vp his crosse Matth. 16.24 followe him What other things then denying our ovvne frends our ovvne goods our ovvne selues doth that myrhe mortification that dying burying vvith Christ signifie vvhereof so oft is made mention in scripture For vve are but strangers pilgrims like the children of Israell in vvhose tvvo forty stations is figured resembled the race of a Christian For they came to Rameses the store house of the Egiptians from thence to Succoth so to Etham in the edge of the vvildernes From thence to Pihiroth at the red sea before Migdoll So on to Marah vvhere they vvere three dayes vvithout vvater there they murmur From thence to Elim vvhere they found tvvelue fountaines seauenty palme trees Thence to the red sea in the desert of Syn vvhere they had quailes Manna so on till they had finished forty tvvo stations a cloud by day a pillar of fire by night being their pilotts to guide them Matth. 1. And as Christ had in his generatiō three fourteenes From Abraham to Dauid from Dauid to the captiuity from the Captiuity to Christ vvhich in all make forty tvvo So if vve haue so many fleetings as Dauid calls them in the psalmes in our regeneration yet must vve goe on continue vntill vve haue finished our course We see it vvas so in Christ For being yet an infant he must flie into Egipte back againe into the land of Israell turne a side into the parts of Galilee for feare of Archelaus the the sonne of Herod In all his life from the crach to the Crosse vvhat see vve but stations of vvoe sorrovve He that shall but cast his eie to see Paules peregrination from place to place to Cyprus to Iconium Lystra Der be Antioch to Thesolonica Beraea Athens Ephesus Miletū Ierusalem tovvard Rome suffered shipvvracke at Mileta novve called Malta Lastly vvas beheaded at Rome What sees a man I say in all this his peregrination but a sea of sorrovve sobbs sighes a perfect resemblance of the travaile of regeneration The right of this appeares to gods children For they knovve that here they are but pilgrimes in respect of their stay pay vvay Noe stay Iob. 14. Thou shalt seeke me to morrovv I shall not be In respecte of pay Noe peny noe PATER NOSTER Poore is the entertaynement that a traueler shall find that hath noe mony Lastly in respecte of our vvay for euery day vve goe forvvards Secondly gods children knovve that they must not be here allvvaies 1. Cor. 15. in respect of their sinne vvhich causeth death For the angell of paradise must vvith his svvord cut the tvvine of this life before vve can tast the tree of the other life Thirdly in respect of the place wherein they liue vvhich Iob calls cottages of clay Job 4. God calls the land of the curse Genes 3. Dauid calls the land of the dead The philosophers tearmed the sublunary region vvhere vve enquire still vvhat state the moone is in And Barnard calls it the place vvherein vve liue by deaths for vvhatsoeuer flyes in heauen or goes vpon the earth or glides in the vvaters that is eateable vve bury in our stomackes so vve liue by their deaths Againe right reason shevves this that there must needs be a dissolution vve must goe from our selues First because our bodies are composed of diuerse qualityes vvhich cannot endure For a kingdome deuided against it selfe cannot stand Secondly from the morall cause vvhich is sinne sinne causeth death Thirdly from the counsellor to sinne vvhich vvas the deuill by vvhose enuy sinne entered death by sinne Lastly by the decree sentance vpon that sinne For as there vvent a decree from Augustus Cesar that all the vvorld should be taxed Luc. 2.1 So there is a statute in heauen concluded by the great Cesar of heauen earth that all men must once die Heb. 9. Fourthly gods children knovve that vvhen they goe from themselues they goe to their holy burgeshipe Phil 3.20 Ephe. 2.19 2. Cor. 5. Ioh. 14. to their sacred seruice to their heauenly entertaynment to their abiding place In a vvord this light of the scripture right of reason shevves this conclusion That if vve vvil not by denying our ovvne frends our ovvne goods our ovvne selues in respecte of Christ be buried vvith CHRIST be crucified vvith him suffer vvith him be made conformable vnto him vve shal neuer liue vvith him raigne vvith him or be glorified by him Practice 1 The practice of this is first of direction For in a Christianslife there is no faring delitiously euery day Luc. 16. Matth. 7. Noe going on in a broad vvay CHRIST directs it saith If ye vvere of the vvorld the vvorld vvould loue his ovvne but because ye are not of the vvorld but I haue chosen you out of the vvorld Ioh. 15.19 therefore the vvorld hateth you but a reall Christian must cast avvay all that hindereth his race as the blind man cast avvay his cloke Heb. 12.1 Ma◠10. follovved Christ For euery child of god must knovve that this a rule case that euery citizen of heauen is a stranger on earth so Jacob speakes to Pharoh So Dauid to god Gen. 4◠9 And Peter exhorteth therevnto that vvee should pass the tyme of our dvvelling in feare 1. Chro. 29 15. 1. Pet. 1.17 1. Pet. 2.11.12 againe he saith Dearly beloued I beseech you as strangers pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lusts vvhich fight against the soule haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they vvhich speake euill of you as euill doers may by your good vvorkes vvhich they shall see glorifie your father in the day of your visitation Practice 2 The second practice is a full declaration of our misery gods mercie The Israelites doe not allvvaies march on forvvards to Elim vvhere are fountaines palme trees as before but retyres to Marah to the vvaters of bitternes The navigator doth not allvvaies saile before the vvind for then he vvould neuer learne to bring his tacke a boord It appeareth euidently that god vvho knovves vs knovves vvhat is best for vs therefore preuenteth our peeuishnes vvith his pitty For hovve vnvvilling haue gods deerest children bine to enter into his seruice to goe from themselues Moses excuseth himself that he is not elequent Ieremy saith that he is a child Lot lingereth to gett out of Sodom Confes lib 8.1 2 7. S Augustine hauing a long conflicte at Rome goeth to Millain to heare S. Ambrose yet being not satisfied for resolution He complaines sayth Hovve long lord hovve long shall I still say as the crovv sayth CRAS CRAS
of Merchants and Merchandizing be not so curiously hādled as the fulnes of the subiecte requireth yet let my endeered affections vnto you all make amends for the manifold defectes hereof It is that my vveakenes could afford It is the issue of noe curious brayne but I hope the symptome of an honest hart If from hence you vvould be pleased to dravve a Paralel of the cares trauailes perills aduentures you make here not for an earthly kingdome but for to attayne some modell of moderate liuely hoode And compare those labours vvith these you take for heauē you vvould easily see vvhat defecte there is I leaue that to your ovvne practice purpose shall euer pray to almighty god to make you all most happie in your selues by being reall Merchants for your ovvne soules happie in your seruants factors that may be reall in your trades trusts god make you prosperous in all your legall aduentures both by sea land To vvhose blessed guydance and sauing mercies I recommend you all resting Yours all in all respectfull duty observance VV. LOE Matth. 13. verse 45.46 Againe the Kingdome of heauen is like vnto a marchant man seeking goodly pearles who when he had found one pearle of great price he went sold all that he had bought it The Proëme BLessed beloued in the Lord JESUS Mine enterance into this text I made at London before those of your most vvorthy companie that are your carefull masters Creditors of your trusts your louing brethren Masters to seruants creditors of trusts to factors brethren both of companie of communion Of companie as you are all marchants Adventurers of communion as you are all orthodoxe Christians Mine enterance vnto you here is vvas both ciuill honest First by free election of your ovvne fellovvshipe Secondly by approbation of the state vvhence I came Thirdly by recommendation of his sacred majestie vnder his ovvne hand vvho pleased to grace me his vnvvorthy seruāt vvith his Royall letters of the most reuerēd Archebishope of Cāterbury who patriarchally tendered your peace Fourthly vvith attestatiō from the famous Vniversitie of Oxford vnder their seale from the Cathedrall Church vvhere I haue bene a mēber tvvo tvventy yeares one of the masters seuenteene yeares Thus from others had I enterance of vvhose recommēdations I acknovvledge my selfe most vnvvorthy Concerning my selfe I demurred after mine election a vvhole yeare halfe begged of god to resolue me touching my coming vnto you novve being come I doe protest in the sight of god his holy angells that I come not vnto you vvith any Italionated hart of implacabillity that cannot be appeased nor vvith any Hispaniolized hart of Iesuited nouelty nor vvith a Frenchified hart of singularitie nor yet vvith a Dutchified hart of neutrality all vvhich I speake not as of any nationall disgrace for the finest cambrick may haue many fretts frayes but I am come vvith a good an honest Englishe hart of Orrthodoxe Catholike syncerity Of the professors vvhereof there are tvvo mayne sorts vvhich I haue obserued in the Christian vvorld both of them striuing strugling for purity but in a differēt dissonant māner The one are seeming Puritans altogether led by faction Puritans in Actiō Puritans in Factiō The other are reall Puritans to vvhom all things are pure altogether busie in honest Actiō Puritans in factiō are all Papists Anabaptists Brovvnists Separatists all singularists vvhatsoeuer Tit. 1.15 sectaries vvhosoeuer that are merely nominalls Puritans in Action are all the pure in hart Matth. 5.8 vvho see god in his vvord in his vvorkes vvhile they are in this vvorld shall see him in the other vvorld in his displayed glory in the beatificall vision of Iesus Christ our blessed sauiour Into this blessed vision doe I desire to bring you Masters mortalls my louing countrymen blessed beloued in the lord Iesus And this text doth seeme punctually praecisely to point you Marchants out Wherein you may First see the Object of your pure faith Diuision vvhich S. Peter Calls the end of faith the end of euery thinge vvise men doe respect in all things this maine Obiect or end is the Kingdome of heauen euen euerlasting life the Catastrophe of your Apostolike Creede Secondly the resemblance specified in the text is the Word of your pure faith or the manner hovv you may be vvorded vnto this blessed end of your faith the Kingdome of heauen It only remayneth both for you me to beg of our god the spirit of faith vvhich vvill lead vs to this end guid vs into all truth by this meanes to the atchiuement of our blessed end If therefore there be here amongst you any one present of a regall royall disposition 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is a kingdome for him or if there be any of a celestiall cōceipte here is the kingdome of heauen for him vvhich is more If any be curious to knovve vvhat this kingdome is like I vvill tell him It is like saith my text to a Mā 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indeed for mā it vvas prepared by the merritts of the life death of a true man although not a meere man Iesus Christ both god man And it is like to a marchant mā vvhich vvord you ought to listē vnto for albeit euery Marchant is a mā yet euery mā is not a Marchāt Hovvbeit reall Marchāts principally in all their negotiations affaires doe not only attend but intēd this that so by any meanes they may attayne vnto it 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And not only to a Marchant man is this kingdome resembled but to a Marchant man that is a Ievveller For it is the most pretious Marchant-dizing in the vvorld to trade for this kingdome Moreouer it is not resembled only to a Marchant-man that is a Ievveller but to such a Marchant Ievveller that hath endovvments of grace As first dilligence to seeke 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secondly Iudgment to chose thirdly Constancie to perseuere seeking vntill he find fouerthly skil to knovve vvhen he hath founde Lastly resolution both of readines to prosecute then contempt of the vvorld to abandon thirdly of full persvvasion to settle his hart Lastly of purchase to enioy that one only Ievvell of peareles priceles vvorth to vvit Christ in heauen Charity on earth the one apprehended by the acte of pure faith the other comprehended by the pure effecte of the same In comparison vvhereof ten thousand millions of vvorlds all the pearls that might be therein are not of any
idle companion but one that Seeketh goodly pearles So then the learning of this is That The life of a reall christian Marchandizing soule that trads for heauen is not secure sluggish but full of dillegence search seruice The light of this appeares from gods lampe First in seeking him by the contemplation of his vvorkes The invisible things of him that is Rom. 1.20 his eternall povver godhead are seene by the creation of the vvorld being considered in his vvorkes to the intent that they should be vvithout excuse In the mirror of his vvord for soe vve are enioyned Io. 5.39.40 Search the scriptures for in them yea thinke ye haue eternall life they are they vvhich testifie of me And yee vvill not come to me that ye might haue life yea in this life to seeke a glimpse of his glory that is to seeke his face Psal 24.6 This is the generatioÌ„ of them that seeke him euen of them that seeke thy face o Jacob. Secondly by questioning hovve vvhat vve may doe to find him as did the young prince in the gosple Good master vvhat good thing shall I doe Matt. 19.16 that I may haue eternall life As the people publicaâ— â—ouldiers did The people asked him saying vvhat shall vve doe then The publicans came sayd vvhat shall vve doe Luc. 3.10 ibid. 12. ibid. 14. The souldiers likevvise demaunded of him saying vvhat shall vve doe As the Ievves did What shall vve doe that vve might vvorke the vvorkes of god Io. 6.28 Act 16.30 And as the Iaylor did Sirs vvhat must I doe to be saued Thirdly in requiring Christ Iesus the prince of this kingdome of heauen if vve haue lost him at any tyme by our negligence euill We must seeke him in our beds in the streets vve must aske after him of the vvatchmen yea of all rather then not find him as the spouse did Gant 3.1.2 3.4 For a liuely conscience vvill not be at quiett vntill it hath found her beloued Therefore the godlie vvill Seeke him in the first place according to the direction of Christ Seeke ye first the kingdome of god his righteousnes all things shal be added vnto you Seeke him vvith sorrovve if need be as Ioseph the virgen did Christ Mat. 6 3â— Seeke him in the graue vvith Mary Magdalen Seeke him aboue as Paule exhorteth Seeke him in distresses as Dauid Luc. 2.48 Ioh. 20.15 Col. 3.1.2.3 Psal 32.3 Psal 38.8 Rom. 8.36 Seeke him in faintings sighings roarings Yea in vtmost extremities and torments though vve are killed all the day long Yea albeit shame cover vs albeit vve turne our backes vpon our enimies become as sheepe for the slaughter are made a byvvord of them that are round about vs Psal 44.10 yea albeit vve are smitteÌ„ into the place of dragons into the shadovve of death yet vve vvill neuer forgett to seeke after thee o god sayth Dauid Psal 119.25 In a vvord albeit our bovvells cleane eueÌ„ vnto the graue our vearie soules vnto the dust as Dauid speakes that vve vvere made the filth ofscouring of all things 1. Câ— 4.9 〈◊〉 become a galing stocke to men angells as Paule sayth Yet a reall Christian soule hath resolued vvith Iob to Seeke god in trust though god kill him And a reall christian soule hath reason for it First from gods promise Matth. 7. â— Matt. 18 11. that he that thus Seekes god in Christ shal assuredly find him Secondly vvhen vve seeke him in vveakenes he seeketh saueth vs in povver And hovve should not a religious soule Seeke him vvho vvipes avvay all teares from our eies vvho putts an end to all our troubles Hovve can vve chose but seeke him vvhose face fauour turneth all sorrovves of this vvorld to solace Yea vvhom to seeke is to liue saith Amos. Amos. 5.4 Practice 1 The life of this learning is first of direction that he vvho seeketh god must first forsake him selfe as they that are indebted being not able of themselues to pay seeke helpe assistance from others Secondly he that seeketh god must thirst after righteousnes in gods mercie in Christ his merritts the desirable viands of a Christian soule Thirdly he must goe the right vvay vvhich is traced out vnto him in the bloud of Christ For if vve seeke him othervvise by pilgrimages to Loretto Compostella Shichim Hallas and the like or by trust in our ovvne vvorkes vvhich are but markes not causes of our saluation the vvay to this kingdome not the cause of our raigning vve faile fall in our seeking For in all such vnvvarrantable courses it is impossible to find him because vve seeke him not in faith Practice 2 The second is of Encouragment For great revvards are promised vnto all diligent seekers for first he gratiously offers himselfe vnto all such for their exceding great revvard beholdeth them coming tovvards him a farre off meets them by his preventing grace as the tender harted father did his prodigall sonne So gratious is not the fauour of princes or great ones in the vvorld Luc. 15.20 For gods maiesty stoopeth dovvne herein to our misery Secondly heshevves them exeding fauours For his eies are vpon the righteous to doe them good his eares are open to their prayers Thirdly he blesseth them vvith the testimonies of his loue vvith the principalls Psal 34.15 of paradise the appurtenances of happines vvith the testimonies of his loue in quieting their consciences vvith assurances of remission of their sinnes in this life as the pledge earnest of his spirit vvith the assured rest of glory in the vvorld to tome With principalles or paradise as namely vvith the continuall banquet of a good conscience vvith the ioy of the spirit Lastly vvith the appurtenances of happines as hauing a proportion of estate or contentment in this life as a parcell of that eternall portion in the other life Practice 3 The Third is of Caution First to remoue all impediments that hinder vs in seeking after our god as Mockery contempt of the vvord such like vvhich commonlie doe accompanie them that looke tovvards heauen But god vvill reuenge himselfe on them that hate him ye he vvil lift vp his hand to heauen sayth he vvill liue for euer If he vvhets his glittering sword his hand take hold on iudgmeÌ„t he vvil render vengance to his enemies vvil revvard them that hate him He vvil make his arrovves drunke vvith bloud Deu. 32.40.41.42 his svvord shall deuoure flesh that vvith the bloud of the slaine of the captiues from the begining of the reuenges vpon the enemie Nay saith the Psalmist he hath bent his bovve vvhet his svvord made it ready against the faces of them that seeke him not Take heed therefore that in noe case you giue sell your selues over as Ahab did to
seeke the vvorld For the world is but a pharisee promising much performing nothing nor yet seeke after the flesh to fullfill the lucts thereof for it is but a familiar Iudas vvhile he kisseth he killeth nor seeke ye to the povvers of darknes for the deuill is but a crafty Herod a foxe vvho vvhen he canot tyrannize vvill subtilize If you vvil not be aduised S. Paule vvill pose you in all your proiects in one word what fruite had yee then in those things vvhereof ye are novve ashamed for the end of those things is death Practice 4 The fourth is of satisfaction The deuill seekes to gaine you in euery case of your conscience seeke therefore in euery case of conscience to thy god For there is balme in Gilead there are physitioÌ„s in Israel God hath giuen the vvord great is the companie of the preachers The curious conscience may find a Moses vvho vvith his rod vvil satisfie him by MTRIS if not by MIRACULIS The afflicted conscience may find an Aaron who vvith his bells will qualifie all distresses A coÌ„trite broken hart may find a Dauid Israells svveete finger vvho vvith his deuine harpe vvill cure him of the venemons biting of the beast TARANTULA vvhich is his sinne The hard conscience may find a Ieremy vvho vvith the hammer of gods iudgmeÌ„ts vvil vvorke him The sleepie conscience may find an Esay vvho vvith his trumpet vvil avvake him The vvearie conscience a Peter vvho vvith his keyes of heauen may open vnto him coÌ„forts that may refresh him And the tender conscience may find Barnabassas sonns of consolation vvho may helpe to bind vp the vvounds poure in vvine oyle Practice 5 The fift vse is of ansvvere to theÌ„ that say oh good Sir vve knovve not howe to seeke god TheÌ„ I vvill tell you First you must looke forvvards not backvvards in the spirit of pharasâ—isme that is to consider not what we haue done but vvhat vve must doe Phil. 3.14 as Paule resolues I presse tovvard the marke for the price of the high calling of god in Christ Iesus the reason is vpon record For if vve forgett vvhat vve haue done for gods sake as thinking all is to little vvhat euer it be then god vvill record it as he did the curtesie of the vvoman vvhich Christ calleth a good vvorke But if vve record Math. 26. commemorate our good deeds god will sleight them Secondly vve must resolue in euery case Luâ— 7.32 conditioÌ„ to seeke him Out of the veary deepes early in the morning yea though vve grovell in our ovvne dust stucke fast as it vvere in our ovvne durt yet as Ieremy vve must cry vnto him out of the dungeon For vvhen the spirite of man doth grone to god for helpe The blessed spirit of god for the loue of Christ vvill breath vnspeakable comfort vnto man Practice 6 Lastly let me moue you to seeke god vvhile he may be found It is propheticall apostolicall counsell And Dauid yealds the reason For there vvill come a tyme that in the great vvaters vve shall not vve cannot come nigh him Psal 32. There vvere and yet are certayne foolish philosophers pratlers in the vvorld called Sceptiques in deed meere Scoptiques vvho vse to question all things euen the Magnificat but asseuere rosolue on nothing So there are certayne vvho seeke god daily as sayth Esay Esai 58. 2. Tim. 3.7 as Pauls vvoemen did vvere euer learning neuer earning And these are such vvho flatter their ovvne soules that they seeke god aright vvhen as they only prattle prate of god deny indeed the povver price of their redemption But being persvvaded better things of you my bretheren Remember 〈◊〉 beseech you by the mercifulnes of god that vve all liue for a day for an hovver for a minute Seeke Your god therefore this day this hovver this minute harden not your harts For euen novve is the axe layd to to the roote of the tree euery tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hevven dovvne cast into the fire Matth. â— From vvhich fearfull fatall finall distruction god deliuer vs all in the sauing mercies of his sonne CHRIST JESUS The eight lesson You haue seene this our reall marchants Dilligence Novve behold his constancie For he seeketh god not by fitts flashes but resolueth to seeke this Pearle vntill he find it So doth the fullnes of the greeke vvord in the text signifie by the fittnes of it is taken from the sagacitie of hounds that earnestly seeke neuer giue ouer vntill they find their game Whereof the learning is That if euer vve desire to find fauour in the sight of god vve must continue in our suits vnto him in our seruice for him most constantly vntill vve obtaine the blessing The light of this appeares First from the oracles of Christ himselfe positiuely as Mat. 10.22 Ye shal be hated of all men for my name but he that endureth to the end he shal be saued Mat. 15.32 Miraculously Then IESUS called his disciples vnto him said I haue compassion on this multitude because they haue continued vvith me already three daies haue nothing to eate I vvill not let them depart fasting least they faint in the vvay So by their constant-staying they beheld a miracle Mat. 24.13 Prophettically But he that endureth to the end he shal be saued And pyrobalically Abide in me Io. 13.4 I in you as the branch cannot beare fruite of it selfe excepte it abide in the vine no more caÌ„ ye excepte ye abide in me Secondly from the practice of the patriarches by the example of Enoch vvho vvas translated because he vvalked vvith god Gen. 5.24 Gen. 18.23 Of Abraham vvho earnestly sued for Sodom Of Jacob vvho vvrestled all night vvith the angell nevver lest of vntill he had obtayned the blessing vvayted vnto his end for his saluation Gen. 19. And of Moses vvho continued vvith god forty dayes in the mount receaued the lavve Thirdly by the prophets Jeremy expostulats the Ier. 2.5 cause vvhat iniquitie haue your fathers found in me saith the lord that they are gone farre from me Ier. â— 5 haue vvalked after vanity Hos 6.4 are become vaine Hosea lameÌ„ts it saying O Ephraim vvhat shall I doe vnto thee O Judah vvhat shall I doe vnto thee for your goodnes is as the morning devve as the early cloud it goeth avvay further shevves the reason vvhy they did not continue vvith god Because they vvere like a cake on the harth not turned Hos 7.8.10 like a silly doue vvithout hart vvere fed vvith the vvind Fourthly the light of this doth appeare from the practice of the true Christian church They continued vvith one accord in prayer Act. 1.14 Act. 2 4â— supplication vvith the vvomen Mary the mother of
asking Man-hu vvhat is this not enquiring vvho gaue it neither doe they arrogate to themselues part deuide stackes vvith god or challenge the vvhole but doe acknovvledge their all to come from the author Ocean of ALL to it they returne their ALL againe Thirdly this appeareth from the selling of Christ for he vvas sold ALL that he might redeeme ALL his Suffred in ALL. In ALL his body yea in ALL his humane soule It vvas ALL heauie euen vnto the death Yea the Iewes sought it in ALL his parts to find it In his braines by the crovvne of thornes in his bloud in his hart thus vvas he made an ALL burnt offering for vs ALL. Shal not vve render to him then our ALL Especially when he requires ALL saying Sonne giue me thy hart vvhich if thou giue thou giuest ALL for that vvill dravve ALL. Indeed if SathaÌ„ hath teÌ„pted our harts to keepe backe part of the price as he did the harts of Ananias Sapphire then haue vve noe part nor portioÌ„ in this busines But gods children doe assuredly knovve that ALL their being vvell being euen ALL their best being is in the creator of ALL things To vvhom they tender not part 〈◊〉 â—â—â—butaries but ALL as votaries to their heauenly master Practice 1 The vse of this is first of Ansvveâ—â— vnto certaine questions that seeme to contradicte this doctrine First of the Papists vvho doe magnifie euangellicall couÌ„sells vvherby they say that vve may performe more then god hath commanded vs these they call vovves of perfectioÌ„ as voluntary pouerty perpetuall continencie vovved obedience Therefore they vrge that vvhich our sauiour spake to the young maÌ„ sell ALL thou hast so forth Mathevve 19.21 I ansvvere that this mandate vvas personall particular of especiall triall They obiecte that of Mathevve the 10.9 Possesse neither siluer nor gold I ansvvere that this mandate vvas temporall that the vvealth of beleeuers might not deuolue to Gentiles infidells Thirdly it is obiected vvhether it be lavvfull for a man to sell ALL bring himselfe to pouerty to giue himselfe to prayer fasting I ansvvere from the vvise man Prouerbs the 5.15 giue vvaters of thy cesterne but keepe the fountaine for thy selfe But in three cases vve must forsake ALL. First in an extraordnary vocation so did the apostles Mathevve 19.27 Secondly in case of the profession of our conscience day of tryall Luc. 14.33 Mathevv 19.29 Thirdly in tyme of persecution famine vvarre Psalme â—2 Luck 12. â—3 Acts. 3.45 But you vvill say then vve pray you make vs vnderstand vvhat is meaÌ„t by the Marchants selling ALL that vve may doe the like Affirmativae Christi leges obligant semper non ad semper Semper velle non ad semper agere Tho Aq. Gulielmus de Sancto amore I ansvvere First that all the affirmatiue lavves of CHRIST doe bind vs allvvaies but not at all tymes Alvvaies to be vvilling but not alvvaies to doe it As for example sell all follovve me That is vvith a preparation of mind to leaue all follovve him in case aforenamed actually to doe it Againe it is sayd he that vvill lose his life shall saue it The meaning is not actually to lose it all tymes but habitually allvvaies to be vvilling to doe it in case of gods dishonor mayntaining the integritie of faith Thirdly it is sayd if any man commeth to me hateth not father mother his ovvne life is not vvorthy to be my disciple The meaning is not actually to hate but habitually to be vvilling in a sober disposed moderation of mind to forsake the loue of father mother yea of a mans ovvne life in case that they stand against the glory of god the good of his church Practice 2 The second vse is of direction against begging and ignorant friers For it is more blessed to giue then to receaue Which of those begging spirits may be coÌ„pared in their voluntary pouerty vvith rich Abraham for faith vvith rich Job for patience vvith rich Ioseph for chastity Take direction therefore to be thankfull for vvhat vve haue to studie to be rich to god in faith loue good vvorkes so if vve haue neither gold nor siluer yet hauing nothing vve shall possesse all things 2. Cor. 6.10 Practice 3 The third vse is of Expostulation vvherin vve may reason the case vvith the sonns of men First vvith the coueteous vvho vvould haue all although he haue the deuill hell all into the bargaine Is not he the greatest Idolater in the vvorld Iniurious to the vvhole trinity For mony is his maker He speakes so If I may attayne to such a sume I am made he makes it his redeemer to rid him of trouble his sanctifier for if he haue goods enough he thinkes he is good enough He is also iniurious to man To his superiors for he sleights them to his equalls for he scornes them to his inferiors for he tramples vpon them Iniurious to himselfe in his naturall life not affording himselfe dyet apparrell beseeming his place nor sleepe recreation meete for his person Iniurious to himselfe in his ciuell life beloued hartely of none truly hated of all most of all iniurious to himselfe in his spirituall life neuer attayning to the knovveledge of a true iustifying faith the comfort of the full resolution thereof In a vvord he is like vnto a hogge a medler neuer good till he is dead Esay 30.14 rotten nor vntill the vvormes haue his carcase an vnthrifte haue his capcase And as he vvas unsatiable to haue the deuill all so shall he meete vvith tvvo vnsatiable things as himselfe the graue hell If I should reason the case vvith the prodigall that spends all in excesse of royott both in drunkennesse leavvdnes vvhat could he ansvvere Heretofore the proverbe vvas he is as drunke as a begger but novve the gallants gentery take it vp Heretofore boyes vvould cry out at them in the streets as at some monster but novve it is cause of boasting Heretofore they vsed to bovve their knees in prayer but novve to drinke healths till they are out of health In leaudnes also he hath spent his all vpon his vvhore or harlott All his body full of rottennes All his vvealth exhausted he himselfe brought to a crust of bread All the povvers of his soule corrupted his strenght vveakned his eiesight dimmed his voice harsh pox penury his coate of armes In a vvord he becomes a vvitch to all his vvitt a theefe to all his vvealth a deuill to his vvhole man Practice 4 The last vse is of Motion God forgiueth vs all our sinnes If he should reserue our sinne Mat. 18.32 impute it vnto vs in vvhat vvofull estate vvere vve shall vve serue him by halfes shall vve not giue him all If a man vvould giue all the substance of
his house for loue it vvould vtterly be contemned saith the Spouse in the Canticles Cant. 8 7. vvithout doubt if vve loue god vvith all our hart vve vvill deny him nothing of all Paule tells vs that vve are all concluded vnder sinne for vve haue all of vs sinned Let vs therefore make our peace vvith our all that vve may obtayne all then haue vve made the best bargaine that euer vve made in the vvorld For then vve shall be deliuered vp in the kingdome by CHRIST to god the father that he may be all in all vvhich god grant vnto vs all AMEN Novve are vve come vnto the last vvhich is this Marchants purchase Blessed vvas his deligence choise constancie skill readines contempt of the vvorld full persvvasion to obtaine so great a purchase for the text sayth he bought it The learning vvhereof is this The fiftenth lesson That it is the greatest purchase of the world so to buy sell in the vvorld that vve may purchase at the last the inheritance of the other vvorld Mat. 16.26 The truth of this appeareth First by Christs question For vvhat is a man profited if he should purchase the vvhole vvorld lose his ovvne soule Or vvhat shall a man giue in exchange for his soule This question poseth all vvorldlie purchasers all subtile exchangers Secondly this appeareth by parable vvhat did all those recusaÌ„ts gaine which vvould not come vnto the supper Luc. 14.16 vvhereunto they vvere so kindly invited One had purchased a farme another bought fiue yoke of oxen euen this they gained that they should not tast of that heauenly supper 1. Cor. 7 29.3â—.31 Thirdly it is plaine by apostolicall exposition of that supper But this I say brethren the tyme is short It remayneth that both they that haue vviues be as though they had none they that vveepe as though they vvept not And they that reioyce as though they reioyced not they that buy as though they possessed not they that vse this vvorld as not abusing it for the fashion of this vvorld passeth avvay In the seond place it appeareth by the rules of buying selling First vvho sees not his ovvne vvant therefore vve buy Rom. 3. We all vvant the grace of god vvho vvould not buy it if he sold all Secondly buyers desire to haue vvhat they vvant for their mony But this purchase is offered vvithout mony Esai 55.1 Phil. 3.8 or monies vvorth Thirdly they buy for a great price vvhat they vvould haue yea vve must account all things as doung to vvinne Christ Fourthly buying selling is by exchange Properly in this there is noe exchange as is shevved before out of Esay 55. 1. And Simon Magus vvas rebuked that thought the grace of god vvas to be bought vvith mony Was it not a blessed exchange for vs vvhen the ramme vvas taken for Isaac 2. Cor. â— 21 that is vvhen he that knevve noe sinne vvas made sinne for vs that vve might be the righteousnes of god in him vvhich caused Martin Luther oftimes to say in his prayers O god thou art my sinne I am thy righteousnes If you shall aske of me hovve this exchange is made I ansvvere in a vvord By faith the friuts thereof prayer good vvorkes For albeit vve haue nothing of our selues to giue yet it hath pleased god to giue himself in his sonne for vs. By vvhich free voluntary gift vve purchase pure gold that enricheth vs royall robes that cover our nakednesse pretious eie salue that maketh vs see The gold is our faith vvhich is much more pretious then gold that perisheth both in brightnes price profitt as S. Peter speaketh 1. Pet. 1.7 The garments vvhere vvith vve are couered are the rich robes of our sanctification Gal. 3.27 For as many of vs as haue bine baptized haue put on Christ Yea all the elect of god haue put on the tender bovvells of mercie kindnes humblenes of mind meekenes long suffering Coll. 3.12 For if we are not thus clothed vvith the robes of grace our filthines vvill appeare to god and vve shall become abhominable The eie salue vvherby vve see vvhat is it but the illumination of gods spirit vvherby vve see vvith Stephen heauen opened Heare vvith Paule things that cannot be vttered by vvords at the last enioy eternall rest vvith Lazarus in Abraham bosome The reason of this appeares from Solomons Counsell Prov. 23.23 Buy the truth Apoc. 3.18 sell it not also vvisdome instruction vnderstanding Secondly from the counsell of an angell I counsell thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou maiest be rich vvhite rayment that thou maiest be clothed that the shame of thy nakednes doe not appeare anoynt thine eies vvith eies salue that thou maiest see Marke vvhat is sayd he counselleth you that you may not distrust this counsell Esay 9.6 The prophet Esay tells you he is the vvonderfull counseller Thirdly from the obseruation of all the godly in all the ages of the vvorld Some haue stolne this purchase by doing good deeds secretly are revvarded openly Matt. 11.12 Some haue taken it by violence For the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence by such as are importunate vvith god day and night for it Others barter for it by leauing frends fauors all to haue this purchase Let all the great men of the vvorld that thinke of nothing els but of their purchasing rents and reuennevvs tell me vvhat purchase can be compared to this The light vvhereof the vvord hath shevved them the right vvhereof reason hath directed them in Practice 1 The first practice of this is of estimation For vvherein is any purchase in the vvorld to be esteemed as this or compared vvith this Either in respecte of continuance or the vvorth The continuance of this purchase is not only for our life time but eÌ„dures till our death yea after our death What purchase then is like this vvhich brings to the penitent pardon for sinns past preseÌ„t to come vvhich clotheth vs vvith the obedieÌ„ce of Christ in the fullfilling of the lavve which dignifieth vs vvith the titles of the sonnes of god the brothers of Christ Iesus vvhich gardeth vs vvith protection of angels turneth all our crosses curses into blessings giues vs his spirit to be our life makes our prayers incense in the nostrills of god makes his ovvne flesh vvhich he took of vs to be a pavvne for vs in heauen Tell me o you purchasers of the earth vvhat royalties of any earthly purchase can be compared to these But this is not all It continues in death For death is noe death to such a purchase but by a blessed exchange is made the vvay to heauen yea after death it continueth for by this purchase our bodies arise againe to life Phil. 3.10 vve haue a royalty to
iudge the vvorld yea the euill angells at the last to fitt together in heauenly places vvith Christ Iesus The vvord of it incomparable For no lesse then all Christ is our purchase that also according to both natures It is a fearefull thing vve knovve to fall into the hands of the liuing god but novve to fall into the hand of a god that died for vs. It is comfort vnspeakeble Behold nowe theÌ„ vvith the eies of your pretious faith your Christ in his humilitatioÌ„ redeeming you froÌ„ hell the povvers of darknes by his exaltatioÌ„ hath put you in possessioÌ„ of the kingdome of heaueÌ„ by liuery seisen in our owne nature Io. 14.2 For he is goÌ„e to prepare you a place Practice 2 The second vse is of direction If you shall aske me by vvhat vvay you may obtayne this purchase I ansvvere There is noe other way but to coÌ„fesse that we are poore miserable blind naked then vve shall seeke to supplie our vvants from this purchase Secondly to knovve that all good is in this purchase for vvithout Christ neither heauen nor earth is any thing nor men nor angells nor god himselfe is availeable to vs without Christ Thirdly vve must detest that foolish fullnes vvhich the papists dreame of to be in the chest of the church vvhere in not only they conceaue to be an ouer plus of Christ meritts but also of Martyrs saincts from vvhich treasure of the church the pope deriueth his plenary indulgences selleth those goodly purchases to the bevvitched slaues of his Romish captiuity But vve knovve in Christ dvvelleth all the fullnes of the godhead bodily that noe Romish miscreant hath any povver to dispose of any of this fullnes but only the spirit of our god vvho is Christs viceroy disposeth of this purchase a plentifull portion to saue our soules Lastly there must be an heauenly desire in vs to be svvallovved vp of the loue of god in Christ this is the meanes to obtaine this purchase Practice 3 The third vse is of Expostulation Tell you me all you great purchasers of the vvorld that ioyne house to house lay feild to feild till there be noe place that you may dvvell alone in the midst of the earth doth not a vvoe follovve you at your heeles Esay 50.8 Tell me ye that spoyle others Esay 33. are not spoyled your selues the vvhile shall not others spoyle you or yours that the broken titles you haue entered into the morgages you haue receaued the forfeitures that you haue taken may bring vvoe vnto you that are at ease in Sion rich in the mount of Samaria That your depopulations of countries improuements of lands rackings of rents grindings of the faces of the poore other such like Iesuiticall practices vvhich you blanch vvith this saying It is lavvfull for vs to make the most of our ovvne though thereby you make the least of all men els that deale vvith you That these things I say may be as bane bitternes vvrath vvormevvood to you yours that the old vvorld of the Ievves both in their tabernacle temple may vtterly condemne you in their zeale earnestnes for god Practice 4 The fourth vse is of entreaty Wherein I desire euery man that hath faith to examine it tell me if that man be not a starke foole vvhich beleeueth an idle dreame to be true Yet such is all the purchase of this vvorld Aske the Prophet Esay he vvill tell you chapter 29.8 Is not he a starke foole that doth giue credit to a traytor Seph 1.8 yet such is the vvorld that betrays vs vvith a kiss as did Judas or that serueth such a master that cannot helpe him For noe purchase but this of heauen can deliuer vs. Is not he a madman that prouideth snares to entangle himself and goeth to drovvne himself endeuoreth to quench fire not by casting on vvater but oyle So doe all the mad men of the vvorld that couet to be rich vvith vvorldly purchases not vvith this So Paule teacheth his scholer Timothy 1. Tim. 6.9 Yea is not a man possessed as it vvere vvith a lunaticke deuill vvhich doth oft cast him into the vvaters of affliction Matth. 17. vvhen he meets vvith many troubles in the vvorld by reason of his purchases many vnnecessary tedious suits in lavve vvhich doe miserably distract drovvne him ploung him into many manifold manifest garboyles turmoyles both of mind body goods good name Is he not as it vvere possessed vvith a spirit of infirmity that bovves him dovvne still to the earth as the poore vvoman in the gosple Luc. â—8 Yea doubtles the spirit of blindnes darkenes doomenes haue possessed all such vvorldlings that mind only earth earthly things neuer thinke of this heauenly purchase Practice 5 The last practice is of Motion tending to resolution I mention only tvvo purchases at this tyme. The one made by Abraham the other by Iudas Abrahams purchase vvas a sepucherir to bury in Gen. 23. It vvas the caue in Machpelah it cost him fovver hundred sycles vvhich is 33. h 6. s 8. d sterling This vvas a blessed purchase It vvas the dormitory for the bodys of his tribe to sleepe in vntill the last trumpet should call them to heauen Judas purchast to for thirty peeces of siluer but it vvas a miserable purchase euen an Acheldema a feild of bloud Mat. 27. But you masters mortalls I hope novve after all this that hath bine sayd vvill resolue euen all of you like reall Marchants to remember that vvhereas god hath purchased you from the earth to be heires of heauen Apoc. 14.3.4 1. Cor. 6.20 haue purchased you from among men to be a choise people vnto himself in a vvord hath purchased bought you vvith a price priceles peareles as you haue hard See that you glorifie god both in your bodies in your soules thinke noe price to deare to obtayne so rich a purchase as this euen the pearle of blisse euerlasting life through Iesus Christ our lord vvhich god grant vnto you for his mercies sake the merritts of his sonne into vvhose sauing mercies I recommend you committ you to the giudance of the holy ghost vvho may build further To vvhom vvith the father the sonne be ascribed all praise all povver all glory of vs here of the vniuersall church for euer Amen FINIS