vs to trash but not to Treasure to hell but not to heauen to the flesh but not to the spirit and so from God to the Diuell And being come now to the place and hauing found the Booke that will rcueale this Heauenly Treasure what must wee doe Search the Scriptures saith our Sauiour Christ to shew that there is some hidden Trasure in it more then is seene outwardly or more then they make shew of and so there is And therefore the Word is preferred before Gold albeit most men had rather haue Gold then the Word but Daâ—id could say that of Gods Word which he could not doe of Gold nor all the world besides and that was this Except thy word had beene my comfort in my Affliction I had perished And Salomon auoucheth that man to bee blessed that findeth wisedome and him happy that getteth Vnderstanding and doubteth not to yeeld this for his reason That the marchandise thereof is better then the Marchandise of Siluer and the gaine thereof is better then Golde It is more precious saith he then Pearles and all things that thou canst desire are not to be compared vnto her Length of dayes is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and glory Her pathes are the pathes of pleasure and all her wayes prosperitie Shee is a Tree of Life to them that lay hold on her and therefore blessed are they that receiue her But to see these are required very heauenly and spirituall eyes euen the eyes of a liuely â—aith for carnall sence cannot comprehend them and worldly wisedome cannot conceiue them yea many laugh at vs because we seeke for life in the death of Christ grace in his curse righteousnesse in his condemnation and comfort in his holy Gospell Verely say they so floweth cold water out of a burning Furnace and so springeth light out of darknesse and hereupon they conclude that none are more foolish then wee which hope for Life at a dead mans hand which aske forgiuenesse at a condemned person which fetch the grace of God out of one that was accursed and flye for refuge to the Crosse as to the onely author of euerlasting Saluation which are all the Treasures that the word of God doth offer vs and therewithall laughing at our simplicitie they think themselues very sharp-witted but alas they want the chiefest thing in true wisedome namely the feeling of Conscience and the â—eare of God-Let vs but enter deeply into our selues and so soone as wee acknowledge our owne wretchednesse the way for vs vnto Christ and for Christ vnto vs will bee by and by paued and made lâ—uell for as to the attaining of humane Sciences is requisite a fine and well furnished wit so to this Heauenly Philosophie is required a subdued minde for what tast can there bee where is lothing As many then as will not willinglie bee deceiued and perish let them learne to begin with this lâ—sson to know that they haue to doe with God to whom they must giue accompt let them set before their eyes that iudgement seat that makes euen the Angels to tremble let them hearken to their owne conscience bearing witnesse against them let them not harden their harts against the pricks of sinne and then they shall find nothing in the death of Christ to bee ashamed of And let not their astonishment bee a stumbling blocke to vs but rather let vs bee carryed from the humane nature of Christ to the glory of his Godhead which may turne all curious questions into admiration And let vs goe from the death of Christ to his glorious resurrection which may wipe away all slaunder of his Crosse Let vs passe from the weakenesse of the flesh to the power of the Spirit which may swallow vp all foolish thoughts And let vs still pray with holy Daâ—id that the Lord would open the eyes of our Vnderstanding that wee may see the wondrous things of his word for not euery one that readeth the booke of God doth come to the Treasure for it is like a Nut with a double shell both which must bee broken before the kernell can bee found or like a Chest with many locks and euery one must be opened before the Treasure can bee met withall To which end the Lord hath appointed Preaching and Preachers and endued them with the tongues of the learned and all to open the hidden Treasures of the Gospell of Christ. To which must bee ioyned a diligent eare a minde to meditate and a sober tongue to confer with thy Pastor and familie and an humble Spirit to bee enformed and reformed by the counsell of God These meanes are called digging and searching laborious exercises indeed to shew what paines and diligence must bee vsed in searching after the heauenly Treasure My Sonne saith Salomon if thou wilt receiue my words and hide my commaundement within thee and cause thine eares to hearken vnto Wisedome and incline thine heart vnto Vnderstanding if thou callest after Knowledge and cryest for Vnderstanding if thou seekest for her as for Siluer and searchest for her as for Treasures then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God But if wee bee negligent backward and indifferent or luke-warme then will it fare with vs as with Laodicea wee shall thinke wee are rich and increased with goods and haue neede of nothing when indeed wee are wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked And alas so it is with too too many and therefore when you come into their houses if the booke of God bee there you shall finde it couered ouer with much rubbill and drosse as Cards and Tables merry Tales with sorry or sorrowfull tailes profane and scurrilous discourses and paultry pamphlets and such like stuffe which domineere ouer the booke of God as the Iewes did ouer Christs in Pilates hall all which should bee swept out of doores or sacrificed in the fire and as for such humorists as do nothing but feede mens humours with idlenesse and ply them with the pleasures of sinne to the losse of their precious time which should bee spent in seeking of the heauenly Treasure say vnto them as Christ did vnto Peter when hee solicited him against the will of God vnto carnall courses Turne thee behind me Sathan thou art an offence vnto mee and sauourest not the things of God The next thing to bee considered is the time of gathering and laying vp this heauenly Treasure for there is a time for all things saith the holy Ghost All in time saith the World hereafter when old age comes or when sicknesse comes or at the houre of death It is not good to bee too forward in Religion or to meddle too soone with matters of God and Godlinesse for a yong man may prooue an old Diuell But heare what God saith thou foolish man Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth
those ioyes which the same Apostle saith are such as no Eye hath seene no Eare hath heard no Tongue can expresseâ— nor Hart conceaue Now doe but consider with thy selfe if thou canst what some Eyes haue seene what some mens Eares haue heard and what some trauellers Tongues haue reported in these dayes and what the hart of some man is able to conceaue and then doe but imagine what those ioyes of heauen are if thou canst But what are the commodities and Riches of that Heauenly Ierusalem and the Cittizens therof that cannot bee valued If the report thereof will mooue thee to seeke after them then heare for euen in this life the true Christian is put in possession of them in part by which as by a tast hee is certified and as by an earnest pâ—nny hee is assured of the rest that is kept for him vntill hee bee ready for them Saint Iohn saith that as if some rich merchant were come from a far Country the Lord Iesus inuiteth vs and setteth vp as it were his bils in euery Church offering to all that will vse the meanes to make themselues sure of his marchandise which is meant by buying no worse wares then fine Gold tryed in the fire to make vs rich white rayment to couer our filthy nakednes withall and eye salue to heale vs of Spirituall blindnesse that is himselfe his Word and his Spirit And the like offer in most kinde mannâ—r againe hee maketh by Salomon willing vs if wee bee wise to God ward to receiue instruction and not Siluer and knowledge rather then fine Gold Whereof Salomon himselfe giueth this testimony after his long experience of both that to get wisdome is much better then gold but how much better hee cannot tell it so far excelleth and therefore hee sets it downe with an Interrogation How much better is it c. and to get Vnderstanding saith he is more to be desired then Siluer Yea Blessed is that man saith hee that findeth Wisedome and that man that getteth Vnderstanding Now marke his reasons For the marchandise thereof is better then the marchandise of Siluer and the gaine thereof is better then gold It is more precious then Pearles and all things that thou canst desire are not to bee compared vnto her Length of dayes is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and glory Her wayes are the wayes of pleasure and all her pathes posperitie Shee is a Tree of Life to them that lay hold on her and blessed is hee that receiueth her There is also a spirituall traffique and intercourse betweene Christ the faithfull Christian. For Our conuersation is in beauen saith S. Paul very troublesome and dangerous I confesse for a time for this world is the sea tempestuous and tumultuous enough The Church militant is the ship of Christ that is tossed in the same The tackling of this ship may be the communion of Saints The Pilate that guides the course the spirit of God The Carde or Compasse the Word of God The Purser of this ship is loue The Baliffe is humane frailties noisome feares and troublesome doubts The munition of this ship is the armour of God that is the Helmet of Hope the Shield of Faith the Sword of the Spirit the Brest-plate of Righteousnesse c. as the Apostle describeth it in the 6. to the Ephesians The windes which driue this Bark are prosperitie and aduersitie The waues which tosse this ship are presumption and despaire The enimies to this ship are the world the flesh and the Diuell The Factours are the faithfull Ministers of Christ. The Commodities are the Treasures of Heauen the Riches of Christ or Fruites of the Spirit Our Messenger is Peace a speedy Poste The Hauen is the Kingdome of Heauen The landing place is Golgotha The Land is the land of the liuing The Customer is Death who sets all men at libertie and yet is bound himselfe Peter was once one of these heauenly Factours for the Lord Iesus a Creeple came vnto him for an Almes but what was his aunswere Siluer and Gold haue I none but such as I haue I giue thee in the name of Iesus of Nazaret arise and walke A better Almes a great deale then hee expected So wee may say If you aske vs what commodities our vessell hath brought we may make Peters answere Siluer and Gold wee haue none new wine haue we none pleasant tales haue wee none and Popish trash haue wee none but wee haue the hidden treasures of the Gospell the puritie of true Religion the rich Iewels of the holy Ghost as Faith to ouercome the world repentance to make men new remission of sinnes and Reconsiliation with God by the death of Christ peace of Conscience which passeth all vnderstanding and is a continuall Feast ioy of the holy Ghost aâ—d gladnes of hart which the world cannot take from him that hath them wee offer loue to God and Charitie to men zeale for the truth patience in affliction moderation of affections lowlinesse of Spirit to grace all our actions and assurance of euerlasting life after this life the great gaine of godlinesse with sweete contentation to all estates Behold these are the Riches and these are the Treasures that the Lord Iesus sendeth from heauen to enrich and glad his seruants withall while they liue here dispersed and despised vpon the face of the earth And yet here bee not all for euen all outward blessings also do attend vpon these inward graces so that if any man can finde these and hartely affect them the other shall follow measurably and proportionably according to euery mans place and want And therfore our blessed Sauiour not knowing how to enuy or deny vnto his Church the smaller things hauing frankly bestowed himselfe and the greater things of his Kingdome set vs in the way and directeth vs a right course for the obtaining both of heauenly Treasures as also of earthly Commodities Seeke first saith hee the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall bee cast vnto you but Gods Kingdome must bee first sought When Salomon preferred in his request vnto God a wise and vnderstanding hart for the well gouerning of his people God gaue him that and also Riches and Honour things that he asked not So if our chiefest desire and endeauour be to lay vp treasure in heauen and to bee rich in the graces of the holy Ghost the Lord will giue vs those Graces and earthly Blessings besides But alas it fareth with most men as it did with Boaz his kinseman who was well content to redeeme the field of Naomie but when hee heard that hee that should haue the field must also marry Ruth hee would none So many hearing of earthly commodities and worldly blessings are content to strain themselues for the obtaining of them but when they heare that they must take them
and striuing to visit his house here and to meete him in the clouds In a word the whole course of a mans life his speach his countenance his company his exercises his watchfulnesse his habite his dyet his building his purchasing his children his seruants his buying â—elling his trading sporting all wil bewray of what country hee is and whither his hart is trauailing as Iehu was knowne by his marching Wel may he vse the world for necessities sake but it shall be as though he vsed it not like an In to bait in but not to abide in he may see therin and salute those that passe by but the hart still holdeth on his course to his heauenly country and saith as Christ said in the gospel when he knew that his enimies were not far off Arise let vs goe hence here is no abiding for vs On the contrary if couetousnes ambition vncleane lusts pride enâ—ie mallice profanenes or the like doe abound in thy hart thy tongue thy countenance thy company all will bewray it Out of the mouth will flie vnsauery Iests thy mind will run like a wilde horse vp and downe in the world When Christ is deuiding of heauenly doctrine then commeth the worldling and interrupteth him with Maister deuide the inheritance between me my brother And as Christ himselfe by scribling on the ground shewed that hee did not regard what the malicious Iewes said when they came to accuse the adultresse woman so at the table when grace is in saying or at the temple in the holy exercises of religion the worldlings minde being not on those things wil bewray the same euen by the very motions of their fingers or by their looking about vpon some other thing But hipocrits will make as great a shew as any and spin a very fine thred saying also as that yong bragger in the Gospell willing to iustifie himselfe all this haue we done And so they wil and may in pollicy but not in true pietie from the braine perhaps but not from the heart of the abundance of braine that is wittie and cunning inuention the tongue of the hipocrit speaketh good things and keepeth good company and frequenteth the word Sacraments not of loue nor zeale nor desire to glorifie God for that is the store of a good heart which hee wanteth but onely like a crafty Fox and cunning pollitician â—asteth in his braine which way to bring his purpose to passe so serueth the time that the time may serue his turne And therfore as occasion serueth hee is a right temporizer commending with his tongue that which hee condemneth in his heart like the diuell who confessed Iesus Christ to be the son of God whom he loued not but his heart in the meane time frameth mischiefe and deceipt a deâ—â— it is for infernall furies and a cage of vncleane birds it delighteth in vain exercises vaine company and is fraught like a ship with vile thoughts he is a man of Beliall that hath lewde things in his heart and when time company and occasion serue wil of this abundance both speak do lewdly Two notable examples of such ware doth the scripture afford vs the one is in the harloâ— pleading before king Salomon the other is in Herod The holy story saith two harâ—ots pleaded hard aswell to cleare themselues of the death of that childe that was ouerlaid as to iustifie the claim that was made by each of them to the suruiuing child wel to decide the controuersie about the liuing child the king calleth for a sword commandeth it to be cut in peeceâ— diuided betweene them knowing right well by the wisedome which God had giuen him how nature would worke in the true mother The dissembling monster thinking that the King had ment as he said said as hee said yet no otherwise then as she would haue had it the other from the aboundance of naturall affection was content raâ—her to loose her interest in her owne childe then that the poore infant should innocently be depriued of his life So hipocrites and true professours make both one shew and plead both for the truth as they would make the world beleeue but vpon occasions offered in time and place the difference will easily appeare The other example is of Herods dealing towards the Wise men which came from the East they came in simplicity of heart shewing plainly the end of their comming and confessing boldly that they had seene Christs star in the East but Herod like a Foxe very pollitiâ—ely beareth a part in their song but harbouring at the same instant a bloudy Tragedy in his hart which hee meant to haue acted so soone as hee should learn wher Christ was borne The like dissembling is to be found in another Herod Herodias in Mat. 14. 2. Iohn the Baptist was great with the multitude therfore Herod wil seeme to heare him gladly yea to reuâ—rence commend his doctrin this was in Herods head but let Iohn tell him of his perticular sinne as he did and then it will appeare what is in his hart not Iohn but Herodias not holines but whoredome that shall this busie controller as the world speaks of Preachers well know to for to prison he must goe were it not for feare of the multitude hee should dye too Herodias is as cunning as Herod for so long as the King doth reuerence Iohn Baptist she will not seeme to mislike him greatly especially before the King yet she hath a quarrell against him in her hart she wisheth his head off onely she watcheth a fit time which fell out iust vpon his birthday solemnized with all riot and excesse she sends in a wanton Damosell instructed prepared before with a harlots impudent face to daunce before the King and his company the profane hipocrite is so far pleased with her sport that he forgetting himself his honor the vnstinted appetite of a shameles woman whose hart is subtill her waies so moueable and intricate that they cannot bee knowen bids hir aske but what she wil it shal be giuen her as the manner of all hipocrites is for though Herod heard Iohn gladly shewed some kinde countenance to him for the time yet the wicked lasciuious works of the flesh do please him better then all the holy doctrines and Seâ—mons that Iohn taught as appeareth by his large offer For though he heard Iohn baptist yet was he neuer â—o fâ—ee haâ—ted towards him as hee was now to a tripping Minion but after the manner of courting gallants and Protestants at large who will perhaps sometime inuite the Preacher to a dinner and tell him that he is a good man doth wel to tell men of their faults and if we do not follow your sayings and the good counselâ— say they it is worse for vs so with a cap and a gentle congie they bid him farewel But Herodias his sweet