often to say vve haue seized vpon heauen let vs fly hence let vs fly hence Practice 6 Sixtly of Confidence against the terrors of iudgment for blessed is that seruant vvhom the lord shall find vvhensoeuer or hovvsoeuer he commeth thus trading For if god loued vs vvhen vve vvere his enimies did beare vpon vs the image of the diuell hovve much more shall he loue vs novve being reconciled bearing the image of sanctification in Christ Practice Last Lastly of Expostulation together vvith motion Can any one amongst you implead this Learning Is there a vvise man amongst you I hope he is not vviser then Solomon yet he accounted all things in the vvorld vexation vanitie vvhen he had once learned this lesson Is there any amongst you that makes an high accompt of himselfe his let not this stout hart of his stoope to vile vaine things of the vvorld Is there a frugall thrifty man amongst you that vvould enrich himselfe let him trad for this true gold of Ophir not vvith the shippers of king Ochasias trade for peacockes parrats parachitoes popiniayes for soe they may chance to haue their ships broken at Esiongeber all their proud peacokes be they vviues or vvātons all their paultrie popiniays be they giules or practises may suffer a fearfull vvrack vvith them In a vvord all of you are men ciuill men Marchant men that vvhich is more then all Christian men Will you knovve the best of all the only good for you yours then knovve that guiles are noe gaines for you to liue by in a godly conscience Nor noe good ground-worke for your posterity to liue on whē you are gone for the goodnes of god is extended to the thousand generatiō of thē that loue him endevoure to keepe his commandements Thus much of the vvhole text in generall The secōd lesson From the particular passages arise diverse lessons The first is dravven from the Object vvhich is a kingdome For frō hence vve learne That it is the mind of Christ Iesus that all his should be of a Royall mind therefore a kingdome is sett before them as a reward of mercie for their seruice The light of this appeareth forasmuch as gods kingdome is three fold to vvitt of Povver of Grace of Glorie Of Povver for god is not a brasen vvall but a vvall of fire to his chosen to surround encircle them What euer pleaseth him that doth he in heauen Psal 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in earth in the seas in all deepe places And of him Rom. 11.36 through him to him are all things For the Lord is the Greatnes The Povver The Glory the victorie the maiestie for all are his in heauen in earth his is the Kingdome he is exalted as head ouer all soe preacheth Dauid in the booke of the Chronicles 1. Ch. 29.11 Dan. 6.26 and Darius the king of Babilō proclaymeth in his kingdome that all men should tremble feare before the god of Daniell for he is the liuing god steadfast foreuer his kingdome That vvhich shall not be destroyed And his dominion shal be euē to the end All his vvorkes shevve this for they all speake of his glory of his kingdome talke of his povver Thus you see here is a kingdome of Povver that the vveake may flie vnto it as vnto a city of refuge Secondly a kingdome of Grace soe CHRISTS forerunner saith Repent for the kingdome of god is at hand Matth. 3.2 Christ him selfe tells his Apostles that it is giuen vnto them to knovve the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen Luc. 8.10 Christs follovver sayth the kingdome of heauen Rom. 14.17 is not meat drinke but righteousnes peace ioy in the holy ghost Lastly he hath a kingdome of Glory For it is his pleasure to giue his children a kingdome it vvas prepared for them before the vvorld vvas Luc. 12.32 Mat. 25.34 Mat. 13.43 they shal shine therein as the sunne in the firmament The right of this appeares in reason that Christ vvould haue Christians regally minded because there is an opposition of kingdomes against this kingdome of Christ to vvit that of the kingdome of the beast of the vvhore the kingdome of Sathan the kingdome of this vvorld Apo. 16.20 The kingdome of the beast the Reuelation mentioneth Matth. 26. against both by vvay of disclayme Christ saith directly My kingdome is not of this vvorld The might of this kingdome of Christ appeareth that he should rule ouer the house of Iacob for euer Luc. 1.33 he should raigne till his enemies are put vnder his feete yea his very members by his grace shall raigne 1. Co. 15.23 For if by one mans offence death raigned by one man much more they vvhich receaue abundance of grace Rom. 5.17 of the gifte of righteousnes shall raigne in life by one Iesus Christ he it is that hath made vs vnto our god kings Preests vve shal reigne on the earth by santificatiō Apoc. 5.10 Yea vve shal iudge the collapsed angels Thus much for the probat of the learning hereof 1. Cor. 6.3 Practice 1 The life of this appeares First in the practise of the exaltation of our ovvne Christian spirits for euery one hath euer naturally vvithin himselfe a kingdome vvherein reason is the prince the sences the gard the vpper faculties of the soule the Peares the invvard sēces the commons the passions the rebbells Novve faith by grace ruleth ouer all these obtayneth the kingdome For passion must subiect it self to sence Sence to reason reason to faith faith to the spirit of god Thus is a kingdome sett vp in vs that vvill neuer be cast dovvne either by the plotte of Machiauell vvho imagined that religion did effeminate debase deiect the courages of Christians But the magnanimity of George Castriott prince of Epyrus of Iohannes Zisca Mirmidons of vvarre of Martin Luther of Huldricus Zinglius of such like both Laiques Cleriques vvortheis of the vvord doth vtterly confute that poore conceit of the secretary of Florence Machiauell This exaltation also vvil guide vs that vve be not deceaued by Sathan vvho offereth vs kingdomes to serue him Nor yet to dreame of an earthly kingdome vvith the flattering Herodians Matth. 4.8 misled Chyliasts Origenists or Millinaries for all these last three are one Practice 2 Secondly the life of this learning confuteth those that are of a base abjecte condition that either with the proud man sells their clayme for ayre as did Absolon for honor or vvith the couetous man for earth as did Demas for this present vvorld or vvith the Letcher for puddle as did Ammon for Thamar or else pavvne it as did Dauid Noah Peter or lose their clayme to this kingdome by neglecte contempt or
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
vvho by his povver sends forth the prophetts Math. 17.5 Deu. 18. Mat. 23.34 Apo. 19.10 Psal 24.10 Psal 45.6 vvhose testimony is the spirit of prophecie A king of regall dignity euen the king of glory vvhose scepter is only righteousnes the extent vvhereof is ouer the vvhole vvorld the continuance beyond all tyme vvho after all tyme shall deliuer vp a kingdome purchased vvith his bloud that god 1. Cor. 15. may be all in all The right of reason thevves this also vnto vs. For there is valuation in pearle vvherein consisteth their dignity their lustre povver What valuation is comperable to Christs dignity vvhich surpasseth that of gold siluer Ye vvere not redeemed vvith corruptible things as gold siluer from your vaine conuersation receiued by the traditions of the fathers 1. Pet. 1.28.29 But vvith the pretious bloud of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled vvithout spot That of beasts cattle For thou desirest noe sacrifice Psal 51.16 though I vvould giue it thou delightest not in burnt offering That of angells Vnto vvhich of the angels sayd he at any time sit at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footestoole Heb. 1.13 Ps 116.11 That of men for all men are liars Farre aboue the value of the offence For if through the offence of one many are dead much more the grace of god Ro. 5.15.16 the gift by grace vvich is by one man Iesus Christ hath abounded vnto many For if by the offence of one death raigned through one much more Shall they which receiue the abundaÌ„ce of grace the gift of righteousnesse raigne in life through one that is Iesus Christ Secondly there is lustre in pearle but in our Christ in his light vve shall see light Yea the deuils the reprobate see so much to make them vnexcusable Thirdly pearles are povverfull in their effects Gen. 49.8 Christ hath excellency aboue Juda preheminence ouer diseases povver of the influence of the sunne moone starrs yea ouer the graue death hell Practice 1 The vse of this is diuerse First of Accession Come ye Marchant Ievvellers that aâ—â— faithfull soules see vvhat Ievvells your Sauiour hath prepared for you 1. Cor. 12. Ioh. 14. Can. 1. they are such that cannot be expressed by vvords Yet is he gone to prepare them for you Jt remaines that you haue an affection to seeke runne after this your ievvell that you may at the last attaine him Come blessed soules that haue hope in CHRIST though your sinnes be as red as scarlet he hath made them of a pearle colour Let euery religious soule see his sauiour this pretious pearle hovve vile he hath accompted of himselfe being sold for thirty peeces of siluer hovve pretious he hath esteemed of vs that shed his pretious bloud for vs one drop vvhereof vvas vvorth ten thousand vvorlds And let the languishing soule come hither see hovve god hath giuen vs his only ievvell to be our JESUS What then vvill he deny vs vvith him For he made him of noe reputation vile in the sight of the vvorld that vve might be pretious pearles in the sight of god Practice 2 The second vse is of ExpostulatioÌ„ vvhat price is there that you can desire that is not to be found in this pearle of great price The price of your redemption is in his passion of absolution in his condemnation of remission of sinnes in his crosse of satisfaction in his sacrifice of nâ—vvnes of life in his resurrection of immortallity in the kingdome prepared for you of purgation in his bloud For he that vvas a diamond hath made himselfe a ruby all red in his ovvne bloud that vve might be diamondâ— in the sight of his father What vvould you haue One pearle vvithout peaâ—e He is this one For he is One god in the essence of the diety Ioh. 11. One creator that made heauen earth One man vvho died for vs. One lord paramount vvho hath the preheminence Matt. 23. Ioh. 10. Hebr. 10. One master not many One father One sheephard One sacrifice for our sinnes Practice 3 The third vse is of caution that vve bevvare howe vve become vile in gods sight for then vve become svvine Mat. 7.6 pearls must not be cast before svvine the deuill desireth to goe into such kind of creatures Matt 8 31. Ibidem hath permission so to doe But our case is as the case of Aaron vvhich had a robe bells a tunacle an Ephod the Vrim Thumim blevv silke fine linnen yet all these vvere none of his ovvne but ornaments ordayned by god to be put vpon him So vve haue noe pretiousnes in our selues but all our lustre commeth from this pearle Eph. 5.8 Ie. 14. Ecc. 1.2 Matt. 7. Matt. 25. Gen. 8.21 For vve are in ourselues darknes in the abstract Folly Vanity doggs hogs death damned If you vvill not beleeue me Moses vvill tell you that the imagination of mans hart is euill from his youth Iob vvill assertaine you for sayth he If I vvash my selfe vvith snovve vvater Iob. 9.30.31 make my hands neuer so cleane yet thou shalt plung me in the ditch mine ovvne cloths shall abhorre me Practice 4 The fourth vse is of feare trembling For S. Paul sayth if any man loue not the lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha 1. Cor. 16.22 that is accursed vvhen the lord shall come Yea surely they shal be accursed in their goods as the cursed things of Iericho their specious mansioÌ„s made a iakes their possessioÌ„ a bloudy Dan. 3.19 Acheldama their gaines as the cursed guiles of Corban their name as branded as Ieroboams their fame rotten Jf they be honerable god vvill lay their honor in the dust if noble they shal be vile base in his sight if learned their learning shal be a byvvord a hissing If he be a king he shal be made a beast vvith Nebuchadnezzer If a minion or fauorite he shal be hanged as vvicked Haman that loues not the lord Practice 5 The last vse is of petition vvherein I become an humble sutor vnto all that are here present that there may not be amongst vs a prophane person of a svvinish boorish condition that vvill tread this pearle vnder his feete For if there be any such most fearfull fatall is the expectation of his vvoe For saith the apostle vvhat punishment suppose yee shall he be vvorthy of vvhich treadeth vnder foote the sonne of god Heb. 10.29 counteth the bloud of the nevve Testament as an vnholy thing doth despite the spirit of grace But let euery one of vs be of Paules resolution to accompt all things doung dresse that vve may obtaine this pearle Ephes 3.14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 And for this cause I bovve my knees for you all vnto god the father
Iesus vvith his brethren Also they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine fellovvshipe in breaking of bread in prayers Heb. 4.16 Moreouer Let vs therefore goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that vve may find mercie find grace to helpe in tyme of neede Luc. 8.6 13. Fiftly from parables First of the seed vvhich fell on the stones vvhen it was spruÌ„g vp it vvithered avvay because it lacked moystnes The stones are they which vvhen they haue hard receaue the vvord vvith ioy but they haue noe roots vvhich for a vvhile beleeue but in the tyme of temptation goâ— avvay Secondly of the house built vpon the sand vpon vvhich the raine fell Matt. 7.27 1. Cor. 9.24 the flouds came the vvinds blevv â— beat upon that house it fell the fall thereof vvas great Thirdly from a race Knovve ye not sayth the apostle that they vvhich runne in a race runne all yet one receiueth the price so ruÌ„ne that ye may obtaine There are three sorts of races Italian Pythian Olympian There are three sorts of places Heauen a place of ioy hell of dolor the earth of labour It is as naturall therefore as it is to the bird to flie or for the oxe to labour or the sparkes of fire to flie vpvvards so it is for the sonnes of men to take paines labor For they that doe not pertake vvith the sonnes of men in labor here shall pertake of the paines of hell vvith the deuill here after Sixtly from the revvard of mercie Noah found fauor vvith god in the old vvorld Gen. 6.8 Gen. 19.19 because he continued in his seruice Lot because he held it out euen amongst the vncleane Sodamites Lastly from gods deuine dispensation for god vvilbe found of a people that seeke him not the reason is Ro. 10.20 because he preuents them vvith his grace For they are meerly passiue in their first conuersion he is the only agent For he preuented vs Englishmen novve the Israell of god but heretofore the abomination of Idolatry Apo. 20.15 But he that is not found vvritten in the booke of life shal be cast into the lake of fire brimstone And vve must take our tyme. For Esau found not place for repentance though he sought it vvith teares Psal 21.8 the right hand of god vvil find out all theÌ„ that hate him Thus you see the â—ight hereof The right is also most plaine for first vve must not be discouraged vvith vveake small beginnings for god vvill helpe Neh. 2.20 assist them that endevour For the people in the tyme of Nehemiah continued building albeit they held the svvord in one hand a trevvell in the other Neh. 4.17 the lord god of heaueÌ„ did prosper their resolutions But if vve looke backe it is to despise god therefore vve haue a caueat Remember Lottsvvife our vnfittnes so heauen is shevved For sayth Christ he that putteth his hand to the plough Luc. 9.62 looketh backe is not apt for the kingdome of heauen And not to goe forvvard is to goe backvvard sayth a father Luc. 14.30 herein vve make our selues ridiculous it vvilbe be sayd of vs this people began to build Heb. 13.8 but vvere not able to make an end Secondly Christ is the same yesterday today for euer The same objectiuely in this vvord Subjectiuely in his attributes of tender mercie as he is a father our god Effectually in his goodnes grace preuenting mercie Thirdly the example of Christ vvho seeketh vs till he find vs as the good sheepheard sought his vvandring sheepe soe Christ seeketh vs till vve become godly Christians carieth vs on his shoulders in our death reioyceth to bring vs to our home in the resurrection of the iust Lastly the promise of eternall life is made to none but to those that continue in vvell doing Rom. â— 7 the case is plaine in the prophecie of the prophet Ezekiel in the eighteene chapter there it is sett dovvne at large to vvhich I referrâ— the reader Practice 1 The practice of this is first a Confutation of those vvho either vvith Balaam vvish to die the death of the godly Act. 26.28 Apoc. 2.5 but care not to liue their life Or vvith Agrippa are almost persvvaded to be Christians Or to forsake their first faith as the church of Ephesus did Or stand still at one stay in a Saturnicall humor as the earth doth or like a mill horse goe in a round from thirty to sixty neuer the better or enuy others that perseuere goe on as Cain did Abell or like those Whom Paule speaketh of vvith Phygellus 2. Tim. 1.15 Hermogenes turne avvay or vvith Hymeneus 2. Tim. 1.15 Philetus fret as a cancer Or vvith Demas forsake Paule embrace this present vvorld 2 Tim. 2.17 For vvhat vvill it profitt a prentice to serue halfe his tyme 2. Tim. 4.10 lose his freedome in the end What did it profitt Lotts vvife to goe out of Sodom to goe tovvard Zoar vvhen shee lookt backe againe to Sodom What did it profitt Iudas to preach the gospell to doe miracles as is probable to be in compaine vvith Christ to sitt at meate vvith him in the end to haue a treacherous hart What vvould it haue profitted Christophorus Columbus or Vesputius Americus to haue sayled many daies nights if they had not continued their course The one then had surely neuer bine lord Admirall of Spaine nor the other could euer haue giuen the name of America to the nevve found land Practice 2 The second is of direction for are vve not all like the sunne alvvaies to be in motion Psal 92 13.14 Matt. 20.8 The sunne neuer staÌ„deth still nor goeth backvvard but by miracle soe vve that are the sonnes of god should neither stand still nor goe backe in gods seruice but vve should be a maruell vnto our selues to recall our courses Are not vve all plants inoculated into the true vine Then certainly vve shall grovve encrease bring forth Are vve not all seruants receaue vvages shall we be idle Are vve not all faithfull ones If it be but the least ingredience of faith though it be no bigger then a graine of mustard seed It vvill grovve to a great tree Matt. 31.31 a little leauen vvhich a vvoman taketh hideth in three pecckes of meale vvill leauen the vvhole lumpe In our seruice haue not vve made a strong covenant vvith god as Elisha did vvith Eliah saying as the lord liueth â— Reg 2.6 my soule liueth I vvill not leaue thee Practice 3 The third is of Expostulation Hovve many Ephramites are there amongst vs that are like vnto a spongious cloud noe sooner vvett but dry like vnto Gedeons fleece dry one vvhile in goodnes vvhile all their neighbours about them are