they shall bee free from all weaknesse from ill compâ—nie from temptation the lambe shall be all in all glorious things are spoken of thee thou Citie of God Fifthly they speake one language the language of Canaan the language of the beast they abhorre And lastly their carriage is alike grave like Citizens of heaven their faces are still as they were going to Ierusalem their continuing and abiding Citie for while they are in this life they are still as it were in the Suburbs Hence we may gather divers grounds that while we live in this world a Christian is but a Pilgrim and stranger heaven is his home and this life is but a way and he a passenger And thus David accomptâ—d of himselfe though a King yet but a stranger both himselfe and his fathers and therefore as a passenger hee provides for his journey he stands not for ill usage cares not to looke after delights in the way but uses them as advantagious to his journey And secondly hee is inquisitive after the way fearing he should goe amisse and furnisheth himselfe with cordials to cheere him and strengthen him in his journey he inquires after the guide of Gods spirit to be as the pillar of fire to guide him in the darknesse of this world Thirdly Hee is well provided of weapons against such enemies as hee shall meet with in the way he hath the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God The second ground that arises hence is that a Christians indeavours are of a high nature his looke is high his soule and minde are ever upward casting all burthens of earthly cares and delights from him that hee may freely mount up in the presence of his maker Thirdly this carriage of a Christian is not by fits but it is his trade his conversation and course of life in all things he lookes to heaven his course is by rule and by law whatsoever he does he does as in obedience to God chiefly with all his power as approving himselfe to God in whose sight he ever sets himselfe briefly hee doth all things as a Citizen of heaven Fourthly we may also ground hence that a Christian may have his conversation in heaven even while he is here alive for hee is borne anew having received the life of grace God requires not impossibilities but alwayes gives abilitie to the discharge of that which hee injoynes But in particular how may a Christian bee said to be in heaven or to have his conversation in heaven I answer a Christian may be said to bee in heaven first as in his head Christ Iesus who is in heaven already beeing gone to prepare a place for us Secondly he is there by faith which makes things absent as present and so it is that Abraham saw Christs day and was glad and therefore is faith called The evidence of things not seene Heb. 11. Thirdly a Christian is in heaven by his hopes Fourthly he is there by his desires animus est ubi amat Fifthly a Christian is in heaven when as his meditations are there when his thoughts are thereon continually busied as St. Paul was when in admiration of those joyes he crieth out O the depth both of the riches and wisedome of God! Rom. 11.33 Sixthly hee is there when by continuall prayers to God he hath an inward admittance to the throne of grace where hee may freely open his heart to his God and therefore it is that those that are Christians indeed are often in this dutie Fifthly hence we may gather that the glorious estate in heaven is of the same kinde with this life of grace onely differing in degrees of happinesse both estates are free there onely a freedome of glory here a freedome of grace both are estates of redemption there wee are redeemed from sinne and death and the divell here we are onely redeemed from the power of them there have we the full harvest here we have the first fruits here wee are heires by faith there by full possession to all of us Christ is all in all onely there hee rules immediately here he rules by meanes by his deputies There they have communion with the Saints here we also have communion though we live amongst the wicked There they praise God continually here we indeavour it continually There they have communion with the beatificall vision here wee have communion with the ordinances which will bring us to it And therefore let such as intend to be Saints hereafter be Saints here and live by the lawes that are given us from heaven and that they live by in heaven for the kingdome is in such sort one and the same the kingdome of grace the preaching of the word is called the kingdome of heaven as well as the kingdome of glorie and men doe thinke in vaine ever to enter into glorie without comming in at the gates of grace as appeareth out of the Apostles argument 2 Pet. 1.10 11. Give diligence to make your calling and election sure for so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. And to this end amongst many other observe with me these following directions First for a preparation heare the word of God for by this wee are in heaven in part already for where the word is preached there is the presence of the blessed Trinitie and the holy Angels bringing downe heaven it selfe to us teaching us in the lawes of that Kingdome Vse reading also for even thereby wee talke with the Saints who wrote those things for our instruction and that spirit that guided them in writing will also guide thee in reading Receive the Sacraments often for these ordinances are the heavenly Manna to us and and strengthen us in our way to the spirituall Canaan Secondly Rejoyce in often communicating with the Saints these earth moles that are delighted in Coeno not in Coelo all companie is alike to them but a Christian will here converse with such as hee shall be with hereafter and the Saints have found much helpe this way even Saul in the companie of Prophets became a Prophet and the most earthly man that is amongst good men in good discourse will sute himselfe to them and indeed good discourse is of much availe this way if it bee frequent as it should be I inforce it not as a dutie to be done at all times but it should be oftner than it is Thirdly Vse such meanes as are of force to subdue the hinderances of this disposition such as are lusts of youth which ought to be tamed by fasts and such watchfulnesse that may make us at the length wise for so â—acre as wee overcome our lusts so farre we have our conversation in heaven and therefore wee must often in private watch and in private pray as the Scripture saith we must watch unto prayer Fourthly Vse much meditation bee ever setting our
hunger fulnesse And base wee are because wee are upheld by inferiour creatures We enter into the world by one way but goe out by divers deaths some violent some more naturall and by divers sicknesses lothsome to the eyes to the nosthrils and especially when wee are nearest our end when as our countenance is pale our members tremble all our beautie is gone But after wee are departed so lothsome is this our carcasse it must bee had out of sight yea though it bee the body of the Patriarch Abraham Gen. 23.4 For as the bodie of man is the best temper so the corruption thereof is the most vile the best countenances of the greatest personages are the most ugly gastly objects of all others by so much the more by how much they were the more excellent so much the greater is their change And yet are wee not to conceive of this bodie so as though there were no glorie belonging to it for first its Gods workmanship therefore excellent and so excellent as the heathen man Galen being stricken into admiration at the admirable frame thereof breakes out into a hymne in praise of the maker And David could not expresse it but sayes I am wonderfully made God made this his last worke as an Epitomie of all the rest Secondly we are told that we owe glorie to our bodies and therefore we are bidden that wee should not wrong our bodies and the Scripture speakes infamously of selfe-murtherers as of Iudas Saul Achitophel they are branded with a note of shame and reproach And God to shew the respect we owe to our bodies hath provided to every sense pleasing recreations as flowers for the smell light for the eyes musicke for the eare to be briefe hee made all things for the bodily use of man Thirdly these bodies of ours are members of Christ redeemed and sanctified Temples of the holy Ghost as well as our soules And therefore we must take heed when wee read of the base termes that are given to the bodie that we doe not mistake For it is true in regard it keepes the soule from heaven it is the grave of the soule but indeed it is the house the temple and instrument of the soule but being misused it proves an unto ward darke house an unweldie instrument Wee are to take heed therefore of the error of those who afflict it by writing and declaiming against it or by whipping of it when alasse it is the sinne of the soule the unruly lusts and affections that are the causes of all rebellions in us and if the body doth rebell as often it doth come to passe since the fall this proceeds from the corruption of the soule yeelding to the bodie ayde to serve the lusts and God hath appointed a religious abstinence as a meanes to tame such lusts and weaken them which it were to be wished were used oftener than it is But it will be said are the bodies of Christians base for whom Christ shed his most precious bloud I answer while we live here we are in no better condition than others as concerning our bodies Hezekiah is sicke Lazarus hath his sores David and Iob troubled with lothsome diseases and thus its fitting it should fare with us For first Christ laid us this example he tooke our base ragged nature on him hee hungred and thirsted was pained and death had a little power over him and shall we desire a better estate than our master our head had or doe we ever thinke to partake with him in happinesse that will not partake with him in his mean estate the decree of God is that to dust wee must as all the rest of our fellow Saints and servants shall Secondly hereby God doth exercise our faith and hope causing us to looke and expect a better resurrection and by this meanes are our desires edged to a better life for else would we set up our rest here and make this our Paradise Thirdly as yet there is sinne in us from the danger whereof though wee be deliuered yet there is a corruption that remaineth behinde in us and by this hee will teach us the contagion of sinne and teach us to see how the divell hath deceived us by the effects thereof bringing paine torment and lothsomnesse Forthly it shewes Gods wisedome in vanquishing sinne by death which is the childe of sinne for by it shall we be purged from sinne from corruption both of bodie and minde and thus is our base estate made a way to our excellent estate hereafter Wee must therefore moderate our affections to the best things of this life health is changeable and will not continue beautie is a flower of a stalke the flower quickly fades away and perisheth the stalke that is more base continues longest flesh is grasse either cut downe by violent deart or if by age the longer it lives the baser it is and increases continually therein till death when as it is most base It is therefore foolish for any to swell because of beautie or strength which at the best are but curious excellencies of a base bodie and farre more sottish are they that thinke to resist old age and Gods decree by trimming up and painting a withered stocke this is not the way to conquer vilenesse But if we will be rid thereof labour for the meat that perisheth not Ioh. 6.27 But that which maketh us indure to everlasting life is with Marie to chuse the better part that shall not be taken away meat for the belly and the belly for meate but God shall destroy both the one and the other And let this be as a cooler to quench the base wild-fire of love and conâ—ider what is it wee so affect it s but beautifull dust a painted sepulchre a body that after death will bee vilenesse it selfe that while it breathes its full of rottennesse the matter of wormes supported it may be by a carrion soule that whether it willeth or nilleth must leave it and goe into a farre worse place And contrarily in the last place it should teach us to be at a point cheerefully to honour God by sacrificing our selves to him when hee calles for us count it no shame with David to be vile in the eyes of men for Gods cause if the worst could be imagined which cannot be we had as good perish with usage aswith rust But this is the onely way to be glorious to avoid vilenesse even to sacrifice our bodies and all in a good cause what though the world esteem vilely of us as good for nothing but the shambles Rom. 8.36 shall wee feare them no feare him that can destroy both body and soule it s better to goe to heaven without a limbe than to goe to hell with a sound healthfull bodie therefore men temptation of the world doe begin to provoke thee say to thy flesh with Bernard stay thy time the time is not yet to be happie And therefore conclude our soule is but a stranger
sought not his owne it was his communicative goodnesse that drew him from Heaven to take our nature Thirdly he is present and ready to doe all good for us he is present with us to the end of the world nay Fourthly we are his members he is in us we are his wife nay we are him Saul why persecutest thou me 1 Cor. 12. We are all one body with Christ. Fifthly We are even whiles we are here glorified with Christ he is our husband if hee be honoured we his spouse also are advanced if he be our King we are his Queene if the head be crowned the body is honoured and Sixthly all this is from God and freely comes from him Christ is anointed by the spirit and sent from the father 1 Cor. 1.30 He is made of God wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption to us And Ioh. 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father who hath sent me draw him and it is further said that God sealed him So that we may rejoyce in Christ because that thereby we come to joy in God for he reconciles us to God who called him to this office which was witnessed at his baptisme when as the whole Trinity bare witnesse thereof But it may be questioned What may wee not joy in any other thing else but in Christ. I answer there may be two causes of our joy One principall the other lesse principall We must onely rejoyce in Christ as the maine and principall cause of our happinesse But we may rejoyce in creatures so farre forth as they are testimonies of Christs love and in peace of conscience as comming from Christ and in the word of God as it is the Gospell of the revelation of Christ to us For use We may observe this doctrine as a ground of the necessitie of particular faith For none can boast but the boasting must arise from a particular faith which onely is the true ground of every mans particular assurance Secondly let it serve as a direction to every Christian that will rejoyce let him goe out of himselfe and rejoyce in Christ his King his Priest and his Prophet let him observe what he hath done for him and what he will doe for him and thereby see himselfe perfectly happy and In the third place Let us first boast that we have Christ and then in his benefits and blessings that folloâ— him First rejoyce that we have the field then rejoyce in the pearle And therefore the Apoâ—tle sayes not rejoyce in faith or in obedience but in Christ who being once mine how shall I not have all things with him Those that are burdened with sorrow for their sinne let them consider Why doe they grieve doe their sinnes trouble them Christ hee came to dye for sinne he is their high-Priest he came to save sinners Doth the devill accuse them let them know Christ chose them he pleades for them who can lay any thing to their charge Christ he is dead risen nay he is ascended into Heaven Are they troubled with crosses That is the best time to rejoyce in Christ. We joy in tribulation Rom. 5.3 When nothing comforts us then hath Christ sweetest communion with our hearts St. Steven when the stones â—lew about him and Paul in the dungeon had the most sweet consolation and comfortable presence of Gods spirit that upheld them Nay in death wee may glory most of all it lets us into that state into that sweet society with our Saviour and the Saints the very hope whereof doth now sustaine us and cause us to glory here as in Rom. 5.2 And death now is but a droane the sting is gone all enemies are conquered In the fifth place See wherein the glory of a man of a nation of a kingdome consists it is in Christ and that which exhibites Christ. What made the Iewes rejoyce marke the prerogatives they had Rom. 9.3 Adoption covenant promises and Christ. What made the house of Iuda so famous and Mary so blesse her selfe All generations shall call me blessed Christ that vouchsafed to proceed out of her loynes and from that stocke Abraham rejoyced to see Christs day though he saw it a farre off by the eye of faith And what should we glory in above the Iewes above other nations but in this the vaile is taken away Christ shines and we have the Gospell in its puritie This the Apostle lookes for in the Corinthians 2 Cor. 2.3 Having confidence that my joy is the joy of you all Now what was Pauls joy God forbid saith he that I should rejoyce but in the crosse of Christ Gal. 6.14 Let us not therefore rejoyce in peace or plenty fortified places or the like No if we had not Christ to rejoyce in we were no better than Turkes Happy is the people whose God is the Lord for in him shall we have fulnesse of joy and comfort make use of this in time of temptation When the divell would robbe us of our joy fly to Christ oppose him against all oppose the second Adam against the first he came to doe what ever the other did undoe Learne to see the subtilty of the divell and thine owne heart and fill thy heart with the Scriptures and with meditations of the promises and they will cause our love to be so fervent as all our service of God will seeme to be easie to us As the time that Iacob served seemed nothing for the love he bare to Rachel But how shall wee know whether wee rejoyce in Christ or not I answer by these signes First when we glorie see the ground whence it arises whether from God reconciled to us or not If otherwise remember that of Ier. 9.23 Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength all such rejoycing is evill But let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord. Secondly If we glory in the Lord it will stirre us up to thankes What we joy in we will praise if we joy in Christ we shall like the Spouse in Canticles ever be setting forth the praises of our beloved Thus did Paul Ephes. 1.3 and Peter 1 Pet. 1.3 and therefore where deadnesse and dulnesse is it shewes no true Christian joy Thirdly Our glorying will be seene in dutie delight ever implies the intention to doe any good worke and diligence Fourthly if we glory in Christ aright we shall not indure any addition to Christ and therefore we shall abhorre that Popish Tenent which puts so many additions to Christ in the meritorious worke of our salvation A true rejoycer in Christ sees such all-sufficiency in Christs merits and worke that he abhorres purgatorie and such trash and so much the more by how much his glorying in Christ is the more fervent and sincere Christ is our husband we are his spouse if we cleave to any other than
to Christ we are adulterers No let him kisse us with the kisses of his mouth and none but he Fifthly this joy where it is it will breed content in all estates Paul could want and abound and so can a true rejoycer in Christ he hath all he cares not for earthly wants so he wants no heavenly comfort if he be poore he is rich in heaven nay what he most complaines of are good for him life or death all 's one with him Christ is his and in him all things But it may be said There are many Christians are not in this happy condition I answer It s their owne fault to yeeld to the divels policie and their owne weaknesse that will not labour to breake through these clouds and challenge the promises VERS 3. And have no confidence in the flesh THese words are in truth included in the former for he that glories in Christ will have no confidence in the flesh But the Apostle notes this as a plaine demonstration and evidence of the glorying in Christ. For by the copulative conjoyning of them it is all one as if he had said what a man trusts to he glories in and what he glories in he trusts to and is confident of If in wit his glorying be he trusts to it though it be to his ruine as it fell out with Achitophel If in eloquence of speech hee trusts to it and it brings shame as it did to Herod If in honour hee trusts to it and brings himselfe to dishonour as Haman did By flesh is meant outward things as prerogatives priviledges actions of a mans owne doing and particularly he aimes at Circumcision which he calls outward and that of the flesh So as the observation that wee may gather is That confidence in Christ takes away confidence in outward things The reason is if Christ be fully all sufficient what need is there of any outward thing to put confidence in For these are two opposite things and one overthrows the other The second instruction is That naturally men have confidence in outward things for having not hearts filled with grace they relish not Christ but flye to ceremonious outward actions as their refuge Nay in the Church till we be converted we naturally flie to outward fleshly confidence We have the Word taught to us we come to heare it twice on the Lords day alas what is this if thou be not transformed and inwardly and outwardly conformed in obedience Hast thou the Sacraments dost thou uncover thy head or bow the knee these are good and they seeme faire but where is the heart how is that prepared hast thou an earnest desire to leave off thy course of sinning and dost thou resolve hereafter to amend thy life O here is the hard spirituall worke So in outward fasting and abstinence it s an easie matter the Pharisee did it often but this is the fast that God hath commanded to loose the bands of wickednesse Esay 59.6 to fast from sinne The suffering of the flesh if it be separated from spirituall use and almes they profit nothing 1 Cor. 13.3 All Pauls prerogatives which were many 2 Cor. 11 and 12. chapters Yet were they in his account but drosse and dung in comparison of Christ. Most men are like Ephraim Hosea 10.11 as heiferâ— who serve to tread out corne and to plow Ephraim loved to tread corne where hee might eate his belly full for by the law of Moses the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne was not to bee musled men they are delighted in the performance of slight duties but to put their necke under the yoke to plow its a hard worke who can beare it But some will say O what doe you condemne outward duties and use of them I answer wee may consider religious duties two wayes First as they are outward meanes to salvation for so they are Secondly as they are expressions of inward truth and so out of a sincere intire affection wee beare to them and out of a desire to bee wrought upon by them we doe them thus they are commended that use them but let them want but an inch of this all is abominable all is flesh The Iewes they boasted in the name of holy people in their law in the Temple in the Holy land yet for all these saith God you shall goe into captivity against such Christ preached Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees you tithe mint but let passe justice and judgement And Paul bee not high minded but feare And the reasons why men are taken up with this fleshly confidence are First outward things are easie and men cannot bend themselves to performe the hard matters of the law Secondly they are glorious and men desire to be observed Thirdly men have a foolish conceit that God is delighted with the outward act when the inward sinceritie is wanting Fourthly men want knowledge of themselves want the inward change want sense of their owne unworthinesse and Christs worthinesse Fifthly God followeth such with prosperitie in this world thereby they thinke God is well pleased with them til the houre of death come and then they finde all but froth How shall we know whether our confidence is fleshly or not I answer where this fleshly confidence is there is bitternesse of spirit against sinceritie the Pharisees the Doctours of the law sate in Moses chaire yet who more opposed Christ than they Nay they wholly and onely in their whole course sought to persecute him and made it their trade Secondly where this fleshly confidence is there is also a secret blessing of our selves in our performance of good duties without humiliation of our defects Hypocrites think that God is beholding to them and therefore doe blesse themselves in the deed done In the fourth verse hee comes to an argument taken from himselfe against those of the Concision VERS 4. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh I more AS if he had said if any other man may glory in the flesh then may I much more But I doe not thinke that I have cause sufficient to glory in the flesh therefore have not they or may not they glory in the flesh And the reason or ground of this proposition is taken from his many prerogatives he had which he comes to in the 5. and 6. verses following Circumcision was the first prerogative before conversion and it was not before the eighth day to the end that the childe might gather some strength to beare and indure the ceremony for it was of it selfe grievous and a bloudy ceremonie Wherefore it was that Moses his wife called him a bloudy husband and this ceremony was not to be respited above eight dayes that the parents might not be delayed in their comfort Whence we may gather that dying before baptisme is no necessary
sides St. Cyprian saith also that he is either Superbus or Stultus that sayes or thinkes he is perfect And good reason for that which shines in the eyes of mâ—n in Gods esteeme is base In thy sight shall no flesh be justified Now there are divers degrees of judgements in Gods judgement none shâ—ll be justified nor in judgement of lâ—w for in many things we offend all and for the judgement of the world what is it if it cleare us can that â—cquit us if God and the law condemns us for the judgment of our owne consciences if they be cleared they will condemne us Yea the Papists are not satisfied in their own consciences for this point For if there may be a perfect fulfilling of the law in this life by a mans owne inherent righteousnesse why doe they teach the doctrine of Doubting as necessary to salvation But how ever they may brâ—bble in schooles to maintaine this their assertion yet when death comes they must flye those shifts and lay hold onely on Gods love Some will say what are the graces of Gods spirit are the sacrifices the sweet odours and ornaments of the spouse are these dung I answer Things admit of one esteeme simply considered and of another comparatively starres in the day are not seene yet in the night are great lights So workes in regard of Christs workes are not visible are nothing but in themselves are good Secondly I say there are two courts one of justification another of sanctification in the Court of justification merits are nothing worth insufficient but in the Court of sanctification as they are ensignes of a sanctified course so they are jewels and ornaments But the ignorant Papist objects against us saying that we discourage men from good workes because we doe so basely esteeme of them I answer A sick man cannot eate meat but it breeds humours that strengthens the disease shall he therfore forbeare all manner of meats No for meat strengthens nature and makes it able to overcome the power of the disease So by reason of our corruption we have within us we halt in every good worke we put our hand to shall we not therefore worke at all Yes for notwithstanding our weaknesse though we merit not any good yet God he over-lookes the ill-nesse of our workes and accepts and rewards the good that is in them giving us comfort and assurance of our justification by the sanctified fruites which though imperfect yet are true To conclude Seeing we cannot have Christ putting any confidence in outward things Let us labour to get an esteeme of the weaknesse and imperfections that are in them as also in our persons and actions that wee may hunger after Christ. To this end dayly renew we our repentance and examination of our hearts and when we doe any good Examine what weaknesse want of zeale want of affection or attention hath possessed us in our performances of praying hearing reading the Word and the like and want of watchfulnesse in our courses and then shall we be of St. Pauls mind all will be naught And take heed of spirituall pride and conceit of any good in us for it hinders spirituall comfort from us Let us meditate of the greatnesse of Gods love to us and the infinite reward and it will make us ashamed of our weake requitance of Gods love to us Consider the multitude of our sinnes before the time we were called and consider of our pronenesse to spirituall pride let us by all meanes abase our selves For those that God loves he will have them vile in their owne esteeme for it is his method First to beate downe then to raise up And therefore Iohn he comes thundering Hypocrites generation of vipers Then comes Christ Blessed are the poore those that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse as if onely they were blessed that feele their wants We must disdaine any other titles to any good but onely in Gods mercy and accordingly give the glory of all to him Thus did the Church militant Not to us not unto us Lord but to thy Name and thus doe the Church triumphant Rev. 7.12 Honour glory and power bee to the Lambe those that doe not thus are no members of the Church Last of all Let us take heed of extenuating sinne the Papists tell us of divers sins that are veniall such are surreptitious thoughts taking of pinnes stealing of points and the like these they call veniall But we must know to admit that sinne as a sinne to be veniall is a contradiction though God doe pardon it for that is out of his free mercy these surreptitious stealing motions that unawares doe creepe into us though the Papists doe make them of small account God may punish with his fierce indignation Moses his anger kept him out of Canaan Adam his apple cast him out of paradice every sinne is a breach of the law the least sinne soiles us we must give account of idle words and the wages of any sinne though never so small is death VERS 8. For the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Iesus THat is either all things are losse to me that hinder me from the knowledge of Christ Iesus or all things are losse in comparison of Christ Iesus Wherefore before wee can know Christ as we ought wee must know all other things to be losse for when we learne to know Christ aright we then cast those things out of our affections which would else keepe Christ out of our heart Wherefore it s no wonder that great Schollers should bee erronious in many points of Religion for looke to their lives and we shall see them envious and ambitious they maintaine Idols in their hearts they account not those things losse which must be losse or else they must account Christ losse Secondly This knowledge of Christ is an excellent knowledge better than the Iewes who had all their knowledge shadowed out in ceremonies but this is unvailed and therefore Christ said Blessed are the eyes that see those things that you see And as the estate of the Church growes more excellent now than before Christs comming and shall be most excellent hereafter in heaven even so our knowledge doth and shall grow in its excellent perfection It s better also than humane arts and sciences not in regard of the Authour for all knowledge is from God but First in regard of the manner of revealing therof for whereas we come to the other by the light of nature and reason this is inspired into us by the spirit Secondly In regard of the matter of this knowledge which is farre beyond the other for this teaches the natures and person of Christ God and man in one person which may swallow up the thoughts of man Great is the misterie of godlinesse In the next place It teaches us his offices that he is a King to rule over us and deliver us a Priest to make us acceptable to God a Prophet to teach and
how can this righteousnesse performed by Christ be sufficient for us I answer first because God ordained it to that purpose 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ by God is made to us wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption and to this end God the father sealed him Ioh. 6.27 Secondly I say Christ is a second Adam and a publick person and became ours wee then being in his loynes so the righteousnesse of Christ is made ours wee being borne in Christ by faith and found in him hee being our head we have a spirituall life descending upon us he being our husband all his goods are ours also This point is the soule of the Church and the golden key which opens heaven for us if we joyne any other thing to it it opens hell to us as God will reveale at that great day It s true the Papists doe acknowledge now that their good workes are not of themselves but from God but thus did the Pharisee he thanked God that he was not as other men nor as the Publican but the poore Publican disclaiming all such goodnesse went away justified rather than the other let it bee our wisedome therefore to relye onely on Christ whose obedience and righteousnesse is so all-sufficient as nothing may bee added thereto and say with the Apostle not I but the grace of God in me VERS 10. And the fellowship of his Sufferings THe Apostle having shewed his desire of Christs righteousnesse now comes to shew his desire also of having communion with Christ in his sufferings shewing that whosoever brags of justification he must shew it in his sanctification he must shew that he hath his part in the fellowship of his sufferings if hee meaneth to shew he hath his part in the power of his resurrection water is not alone but water and blood must goe together Now Christs sufferings are either for us as mediatour or with us as being our head and we his members As mediatour he suffered death which was onely for our good we can have no trust in our death as to deserve any thing thereby as he did for by his death he appeased Gods wrath and got his favour to us which we lost and by it he sanctifies our sufferings and puls out the sting of all our afflictions as it is with the Vnicorne who having put his horn into the water discharges all poison thereout so as the beasts may freely drinke without hurt so it is with us wee may suffer and indure afflictions without hurt seeing Christ hath purged them of all poisonous nature that was in them But there are other sufferings that wee and Christ suffer joyntly he as our head suffering with us his members for as if the foot be grieved the head is grieved so the Christians sufferings are called Christs sufferings and a Christian must looke to suffer if he be a lively member of the body of Christ. Yet is not every suffering of affliction Christs suffering for a man may suffer justly for his deserts notwithstanding even then when a man suffers for his faults after repentance Christ may bee said to suffer with him and therefore the Fathers called the death of the repentant Thiefe a martyrdome For in all our sufferings Christ is in us teaching and helping us to beare them with patience and as a sanctifier of all of them to a blessed end and as one that frames us to beare all of them even as he himselfe did This ought to teach us to conceive aright of the estate of a Christian that hee is not alone when he seemes to bee alone Christ leaves them not in miserie no for in miserie he is most neare and present It is therefore a good estate though miserie in it selfe be not desirable for Christ desired to die and not to die and so we in severall respects may doe for if wee regard death as a destroyer of nature so is it not to be desired but considering it as the will of God my father so are we to desire it and yeeld our selves to it and accordingly wee desire not afflictions for their proper naturall good yet in regard they are a meanes to prepare and fit us for heaven we say with David its good for us to be afflicted In the second place this will teach us that we are not to feare any thing that we shall suffer because there are more with us than against us Ioseph in the dungeon Israel in Egypt Daniel among the Lions the three children in the fire Paul in prison feared not danger for what cared they so long as they knew God was with them and therefore they rejoyced if we have Christ we have all if we want Christ we want all Thirdly this may serve to daunt Christs enemies they cannot hurt the least of his little ones but they hurt him Saul why persecutest thou mee Fourthly this should teach us to take part with Gods children what though they suffer affliction Moses chose the better part that did chuse to bee with the afflicted people of God before the Court of Pharaoh wicked men may bite and kicke but they can doe no hurt lingua malorum est lima bonorum VERS 10. Being made conformable to his death THis conformitie here meant is not in regard of the end that as Christ dyed for sinne so should we but in the manner of suffering as he did suffer and die so must wee suffer and desire death Secondly as he died patiently and meekely so must we suffer patiently and meekely Thirdly as he had so must wee have sweet comforts to sustaine and support us and Fourthly as he had so must wee indeavour to obtaine the same issue of our afflictions that is eternall glorie briefly we are to bee conformable to Christ in grace in suffering and in glorie all these are unevitably linked together and our head having led us an example we are to follow Every Christian must therefore die to sinne as Christ died for sinne But how shall we know whether wee die to sinne or not A dead man does no harme hath no power contrarily are we strong to commit sinne and doe we earnestly intend it surely wee are not mortified Secondly dead mens senses are not delighted with faire and sinfull objects if we be dead with Christ let the sinfull objects bee never so delightfull they will not move us or affect us one whit nay they will be distastfull to us Most are of a contrary minde offer them good discourse and occasions they cannot away with them offer any fleshly pleasure like tinder they are soone set on fire such as these as they have no heart to suffer for righteousnesse so if for vaine glory they would neither would God honour them so much as to suffer them For grounds of this doctrine First its honourable to bee like Christ our Captaine our head our husband Secondly it s not proportionable for the head to be crowned with thornes and the members to bee clad delicately that
the naturall sonne in whom is no blemish should suffer and the adopted sonnes who are the causes of all offence should goe free It is equitie that we having taken Christ for our husband he should bee accompanied by us in sicknesse and in health in dishonour as in honour Thirdly it is long agoe decreed of God and predestinated and therefore cannot bee avoyded Rom. 8. â— 9 Whom hee did fore-know them he predestinated to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne Fourthly its equall that if hee were conformed to us we should be conformable to him now he was conformed to us in that hee suffered that which wee should have suffered and did that for us which we were to do and could not he having drunke deepe of the cup prepared for us let us therefore at the least taste of it Yea let us suffer any thing with an undaunted courage when we are called thereto for Christ he will come with comforts he is not emptie he will make us like him hee will prepare us hereby for glorie feare not therefore God will turne all thy troubles to thy good And thus we doe fill up the measures of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh Col. 1.24 And are made partakers of Christs sufferings 1 Pet. 4.13 We have the like exhortations hereunto 1 Pet. 2.21 1 Pet. 3.14 to 18. Thus did Paul 2 Cor. 4.10 hee carryed the dying of Christ about with him Let no Christian therefore promise to himselfe immunitie from crosses he that will be a Christian must be conformable to Christ and he that will be like to him in glorie he must be like to him in drinking the Cup hee dranke of while hee was here in the flesh VERS 10. If by any meanes I might attaine to the Resurrection of the dead BY Resurrection of the dead he meanes the glorious estate after this life whereas the resurrection is but the beginning and the words sound as much in effect as if the Apostle had said I know I shall be happie at length but betweene this time and that I know I shall meet with troubles with many crosses yet let the way be never so difficult I passe not by any meanes to come to such an excellent end as the resurrection of the dead is in which words wee will First consider that there is a happie estate reserved hereafter which begins with the resurrection of the bodie whereby wee are farre more happie than the Angels that fell and also more happie than we were in our first estate in Adam which we lost and therefore our hearts should be inlarged with thankes to God that respects us above the Angels whom hee hath left without hope of recoverie In the next place consider that the beginning of our blessed estate hereafter is at the resurrection which is called the day of restoring of all things and a time of refreshing Acts 3.19 It s a day when all good shall be perfected and all evill shall cease all griefe of minde all trouble of body and death it selfe shall be swallowed up into victorie But why are we not happie before our resurrection I answer because our bodies and soules are partakers of miserie and sinne here and therefore cannot partake of fulnesse of happinesse before they be united together again God will have us to stay while all his familie of blessed Saints shall meet together as well us that are now alive as our seed and posteritie after us In the third place observe that the Apostle makes resurrection of the dead the last thing establishing thereby an order that there must be meanes to the resurrection and then the resurrection it selfe Ought not Christ to suffer these things and so to enter into his glorie Math. 28. And if we suffer with him we shall also reigne with him the second resurrection must begin with the first we are sonnes and Saints hereafter but so we must also be here onely a difference there will be in degree of holinesse this resurrection doth not follow every manner of life although men ordinarily expect a crowne without crosses and never looke for justification and sanctification but thinke they shall be in heaven at an instant without them But we must suffer with Christ in Mount Calvarie before wee come with him to the Mount Olivet In the fourth place wee may likewise note that its hard to come to heaven because of this order established by God not in comparison of the end for that surmounteth in excellencie the hardnesse of the meanes but in respect of the meanes some by faire death with many crosses in their life some not by many outward crosses yet have store of inward troubles of the minde by reason of their inward corruption that doth trouble them others by violent deathes and by martyrdome the wayes are so many and the meanes so diverse as there is no certainty which way wee shall passe As St. Paul knew not the meanes so he cared not what the means were for he was content to go thither by any meanes let the cup of affliction be never so bitter the glorie insuing will sweeten all Away therefore with all idle and secure thoughts of sparing our selves Pitie thy selfe said Peter to Christ but was answered sharpely get thee behinde me sathan no the way is very hard we must come to health by physick the end is so amiable as it will sweeten all sowre meanes and therefore its good for us to be afflicted crosses bring at length the sweetest comforts Denie wee our selves therefore in Christs cause know no bodie looke upon God and Christs promises and promise wee ourselves no more than God promises it s beyond our knowledge what God will doe with us he promises no immunitie from crosses Nay the Saints and the Apostles chose crosses and afflictions rather than the pleasures of sinne who were wise and had triall of both kindes and yet accounts these momentanie afflictions not worthy of comparison with the glory that shall bee revealed they were but light 2 Cor. 4.17 Rom. 8.18 And if wee would truly beleeve this it would be easie for us to be resolved as St. Paul was to come to heaven by all assurances and to come to all manner of assurances by any meanes for no worldly thing can bring content like these heavenly assurances of the presence of the light of Gods love which the children of God will by no meanes lose Secondly in all crosses let us not looke into the state we are in so much as that we are going into we are going to a Pallace let us not bee dejected in the consideration of the narrownesse of the way that leadeth thereto God will not suffer this fierie triall to consume any thing but drosse and therefore let us with Christ suffer the crosse and despise the shame Heb. 12. Thirdly labour for a right esteeme of the things of this world they are but momentarie and fading yea our lives they are given to us by
doe hereafter is because the manner of making Christ knowne to us is by revelation 1 Cor 13. We behold him here but as it were in a glasse in the glasse of his Word and Sacraments which cannot represent him to our understanding so cleerely as hereafter we shall behold him in the beatificall vision Take heed therefore of a selfe conceipt of perfection when we begin to be unwilling to grow better we begin to waxe worse there is no stay in Christianitie It is the sight of our imperfection that makes us strive to perfection and the more we see into our miserie the more earnestly we strive on to be freed from it VERS 13. But this one thing I doe forgetting those things which are behinde and reaching forth to those things that are before SEe what is the Apostles unum necessarium to grow more and more to the fulnesse of the knowledge of Christ. All other things he counts as dung and losse So as we may hence observe that the spirit of God in a Christian heart subjects all things to one Christ. One thing have I desired of the Lord said David Make this therefore a rule to difference our estates by What is the thing wee intend chiefly is it riches or pleasures or honours this one thing will be the utter overthrow of all religion in us Christ will be supream or he will not be He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of mee saith Christ of himselfe There is none so wicked but would be religious till religion comes to crosse that one thing their darling sinne And thus have they base limitations which must needs prejudice their growâ—h in religion for where religion is it will crosse their base affections and lusts Therefore whosoever we are that intend to be true Christians indeed resolve first to preferre the peace of conscience and the fruite of of religion above all and resolve to abhorre all things that will crosse this one thing of St. Paul VERS 14. I presse towards the marke BEhold an excellent description of a Christian course borrowed from the exercise of running a race being a man-like and commendable exercise fitting men and inabling them for warre The very heathen herein condemne us whose ordinary chiefe exercises what are they but good company as wee call them continuall lying at Tâ—vernes to the impoverishing of our estates and weakning our bodies the kinde I condemne not but the excesse is such as the Heathen would be ashamed of for which they shall even rise up in judgement against us and condemne us But from the similie wee may gather thus much That Christianitie is a race the beginning of this race is at the beginning of our conversion it should begin at our baptisme the first thing we should know ought to bee God the race is the performance of good duties concerning our generall calling and concerning our particular For the length of our races some are longer some shorter but the end of every mans race is the end of his life some mens wayes are plainer some rougher the prize is fulnesse of joy the lookers on are heaven earth and hell God is the instituter of this race and the rewarder the helpers are Christ good Angels and the Church which helpes by prayer the hinderers are the devill and his instruments who hinder us by slanders persecutions and the like For ground of this race in us we are to know that man is created with understanding directing him to doe things to a good end and scope other creatures are carried to their end as the shaft out of a bow only man fore-seeing his end apprehends meanes thereto his end is to receive reconciliation and union with God to which hee aymes by doing some things suffering others and resisting others And this race is also ordered by lawes for every runner is not crowned there is a running ill that shall never procure the prize The lawes hereof concerne either preparation or the action it selfe for preparation First we are to know that there is a dieting requisite as those that runne in a race have a care hereof to use such diet as did strengthen not cloy and such apparell as might cover them not clog them so ought it to bee in our spirituall race we must cast aside all heavie loads every weight and sinne which doth so easily beset us as it is Heb. 12.1 If God cast on us any place or riches let us use them for a good end but not make them our end and therefore with them take up dayly examination of our selves how we behave our selves towards these worldly things It were a madnesse in a runner in his race to take up a burthen and not to thinke it will be a sore trouble to him and why doe we not think thus in our spirituall race Cast we off therefore originall corruption and the corruption of our place time and calling which in time will grow unsupportable to us Let us desire no more than God gives and what afflictions God sends us let us take assuring our selves they are for our good A second law is to consider the wayes that we are to runne in what dangers wee are like to meet with forecast and resolve against the worst and withall promise we our selves God 's assured protection in our worst estate the want of this is the seminarie and ground of all Apostacie when men promise to themselves in Christianitie such things as God never promised Christ therefore promiseth and sheweth the worst first but the devill to deceive us keepes the worst out of our eyes and shewes a sort of vaine delights and pleasures but the sting of them through his subtiltie and craft he suffers us to feele before we see it A third law is that we enter the race betimes it s the devils tricke to put off the care of this telling us we need not yet enter we are but yong and have many yeares to live as they did that hindered the building of the Temple but consider wee the uncertainty of our life that wee may die suddainly and that its just with God to take us away after that manner if wee neglect our selves and him and we must know also we shall lose no pleasure nor delight but we shall finde such sweet delights in those wayes as we shall with St. Augustine be greeved that we enjoyed them no sooner And besides those that begin betimes get a great advantage of others and through continuall custome come at length to a habit of Religion In the next place we are to take heed of hinderances of us in our preparation as First of all hope of long life whereby we are besotted thinking life and death is in our command that we shall have time enough and need not so soone enter upon good duties Secondly a conceit that when wee have once given up our names to Christ that presently we bid adieu to all delight mirth and
to force men tyrannically to our opinions in lesser matters but leave them to Gods time of revelation And lastly as this hope of revelation is promised so are wee to expect it and waite for it for to him that hath more shall be given and therefore let them that have beginnings of grace bee comforted to walke on and for those that are not entred let them not be discouraged God will reveale But upon what condition it followes VERS 16. Neverthelesse whereto wee have already attained let us walke by the same rule THe word Neverthelesse some reade it Onely as if it were a condition but it implyes both a precept and a condition shewing that those that looke for revelation of further knowledge and goodnesse they must walke according to that measure of knowledge they have The word Rule implyes in generall the Scripture more particularly a company of sound truthes concerning faith love and hope There is a great Bible which is the whole Word of God the little Bible is the grounds of Religion and these are not onely to be understood in the Booke but comprehended and invested in our understanding and affections and according to these we must walke Truth is no guide to us being onely in the Booke but as it is seated in the heart But le ts come to some observations first we may learne that God out of his goodnesse hath left to his Church a rule of faith and manners there is a rule whereby men must walk otherwise should we be in a labarinth of errors continually having no other light but this torch-light of Nature to guide us in this thick darknesse wherein we are by nature The properties of this rule are divers First it s a fixt and unchangeable rule and therefore we must bring all to it not it to all Secondly this rule is a perspicuous and cleere rule thy word is a lanthorne to my steps and a light to my pathes Thirdly this rule is homogeneall all things therein are spirituall all holy all pure and therefore when the question is about Religion we must have recourse thereto as the onely absolute compleat rule And therefore we must know this rule and then be led by it for the word Rule implyes that there must bee a thing to be ruled else what needs rule or to what use should it serve an instrument is in vaine without use its true many men make religion and Scripture but a meere object of discourse But their example ought to be no rule to us if we looke to be saved it must be by walking according to this rule and therefore a Christian life is no licentious life though hee be freed from the law yet must he serve God day and night therefore it is that the Christian prospers not nor thrives in this world because he will not lie nor sweare nor have a broad conscience as the children of this world have that take all occasion and scope to bee rich but a Christian lives by rule he hath little and it is blest to him for he lookes at riches and profits of another kinde In the second place wee may observe that a Christian walketh by this rule he thinkes it not sufficient to take a step but keeps a right course stedfastly onward But how may this bee done may some men say I answer let us use the meanes as first let us treasure up the word in our consciences let us get the rule within us get the articles of faith and assurance of the promises and let this bee betimes whiles we are yong it s the ordinarie cry the Scriptures are hard they cannot understand them But what 's the reason they are bred up in earthly businesses and are stuffed with them so as they finde no place for the Word and its a miracle to see men thus brought up to live by this rule Secondly when wee have once treasured up the knowledge of these things wee must learne to apply them upon severall occasions for where no practice is there knowledge is idle and makes us worthy of more stripes many have generall truthes in their mindes but comming to apply them they finde a great want David knew adulterie was a sinne and Peter knew it was dangerous for a man to relye on himselfe yet how foulely did they fall Thirdly let us compare our experience with our rule wee shall finde there is nothing therein but is fulfilled that there is no suffering but for some sinne or other and that besides heaven hereafter God rewards particular obedience here with particular rewards and particular sin with particular corrections we shall know that his judgements are not scarcrowes the worke of the wicked is accursed but it shall goe well with the righteous and by this meanes we shall bee incouraged to good and scared from bad courses Fourthly bee inquisitive and watchfull over our particular steps take and heare admonitions and instructions and bee inquisitive after them those that are otherwise minded no marvaile if they like libertines spurne against all instruction and advice and accordingly feele the smart of their wayes before they see it Fifthly get a wonderfull jealousie over our hearts wee often offend in thoughts and desires which God the searcher of the heart lookes into and we must therefore be jealous of idle thoughts and words not only of othes for so an hypocrite may be But loose persons will say O this is an unpleasant course we must bid all joy farewell when we come to this I answer no the wayes of wisedome are wayes of comfort and pleasure God approves of them and our consciences will tell us so and thereby will fit us for life or death and will so settle us that no estate shall bee unwelcome to us and as Psal. 50.23 To such as order their conversation aright God will shew his saluation and as in the text fore-going God will reveale himselfe more and more so as if we be faithfull and conscionable in little wee shall have greater matters revealed to us and and contrarily if we be unfaithfully and carelesse God will take from us the key of knowledge and the use thereof and will give us up to foule vices even sinnes against nature as he punished the Gentiles and to beleeve lyes as Paul sayes 2 Thes. 2.11 And will answer us as he did the Idolaters even according to their multitude of Idols Ezek. 14.4 So as would we have favour in our sinnes and teachers that shall bolster us up in them and not crosse our vaine courses God will let us have our hearts desire but we must know this is an unevitable way to a desperate estate and therefore marvaile not so much at the loose liver because of his good breeding for as they desire the ill so they have and are justly punished therewith VERS 16. Let us minde the same thing OBserve here that wee are not only to walke sutable to others but wee must minde the same
thing that others of our profession doe So as this is a direction to concord shewing that a Christian is a member of Christ as his head and of the mysticall bodie the Church faith ties him to Christ love ties him to the body so as he must walke with Christ and also with the body hee must looke to himselfe first and then to the body the ground of this union is laid downe here to bee first an union of minde and affection and this must bee in good or else wee are brethren in evill It s no marvaile the world complains of want of love when there is no agreement in the rule of our love when there is no agreement in the objects of our love it s not riotous fellowship but fellowship in the gospell that unites us let us minde this same thing and then we shall affect one another and because our knowledge doth not extend to every particular alike let us agree in the maine points and let not lesse things breake us off one from another If wee did walke according to our measure of knowledge in those things wherein wee agree betweene us and the Lutherans would not bee that bitternesse of spirit that there is all censures and distempers would cease and its a â—ault in manie Christians though bred up well in knowledge yet being of a harsh spirit and nature while hee walkes not according to the same rule and mindes not the same things in the maine as hee should doe he growes to be bitter as for those that would be sincere they must indeavour to bee united in one as they have one God one faith one baptisme for a Christian loves not to goe to heaven alone and when he is there he knowes he shall be one with Christ and one with the holy Saints and therefore will indeavour to be in perfect unitie here considering there is no good he hath but he injoyes it as being a member of the body of Christ he knowes its a horrible thing that members of the same bodie should fall out one with another and therefore what shall separate or divide us shall infirmities Alas we are all sicke of this disease veniam petimus damusque are they too hot we are too cold why should we not stoope and yeeld Christ he stooped from heaven to us Shall errors why the time will come God will reveale himselfe more fully Shall sinne Wee know what the Apostle saith Gal. 6.1 those that are spiriâ—uall must restore such with the spirit of meeknesse wee must not cut off members for every sore Shall injuries It s the honour of a man to passe by such doe wee looke Christ should forgive us when wee will not forgive others consider it is the practice of all holy men Paul became all things to all men if by any meanes hee might winne some Peter received reproofe of him yet fell not out with him some there are of such a perverse spirit as if they see in any one any infirmitie presently they breake out into these or the like words I will not be of that mans profession thus forsaking all the good in the holy profession because of some weaknesse in the professors If they will needs be separating let them separate from the world from scandalous carelesse riotous persons else Sathan rules in division he knowes hee is best able to deale with them that are alone and therefore drawes Eve from Adam and one Christian from another and so quickly overcomes them If in companie one fall another may helpe him up if hee be cold another may warme him by exhortation and example Consider therefore who are best minded and minde the best things with them if we finde we have attained to a greater degree in grace than others indeavour to bring them to us the Communion of Saints is an Article of our faith every one beleeves it but few knowes what it meanes and therefore no marvaile they desire it not VERS 17. Brethren be followers together of mee THese words containe another exhortation with a friendly compellation which I passe over having heretofore had often occasion to speake of it the exhortation is to imitation of the Apostle follow me And because I cannot ever be with you therefore follow those among you that walke as I doe Whence wee learâ—â— that together with the rules of religion wee must propound Gods graces in us as examples for others to imitate and this arises not from pride but from confidence of truth and holinesse in our owne hearts and conversations and religion maketh this a vertue and dutie without which it were boasting and so it doth make many things of themselves not seemely very fitting Davids dance was in worldly esteeme counted but folly yet having respect to Gods glory is commendable and therefore we must not be captious when we see such things in others that men ordinarily count indiscretion but mark their ground and by it esteeme of them and accordingly follow such Bee yee followers of mee saith St. Paul that is observe what my doctrine is and what I doe and acknowledge follow and imitate me The Apostles doctrine consists chiefly of three heads whereof the first concerneth our naturall condition as Rom. 1 2 3. chapters and Ephes. 2. And the second concerneth our remedy by Christ Iesus God and man being King Priest and Prophet as in the Heb. And the third the maÌ„ner how Christ is become ours by imputation and is laid hold on by faith which is given to us by God who being unchangeable and true we persevere in this rule and course of obedience by the mercies of God though with many combatings and strivings even to fulnesse of glorie The Apostles example see in part in this chapter in holinesse of life and death 〈◊〉 sinne and esteeme of the goods of this world as base In the Acts see his paines in the Ministerie his calling his heavenly and holy mind in the next verse And therefore let us reade these often and consider them they are an excellent glasse that will transforme us into an holy forme and fashion many things there are in him that are extraordinarie and not immitable he wrought in another calling for his living he was an Apostle had extraordinarie gifts by revelation and indeed not so much by studie as the Miniters of the Gospell now to whom God gives guifts but in the faithfull and painfull use of the meanes and therefore are they not bound to imitate the Apostle in this thing as in other things which he did as an Apostle But to proceed to particulars imitation implyes foure things First a doing that which another doth Second a doing it in the same manner Third a doing thereof grounded upon the same affections not as in a stage play where hee that acteth the person of a King is often a varlet but it implies such an imitation as is in a childe that indeavoureth to be like the father in disposition as well of
their belly acted the part of a god in giving them lawes bidding them to doe proiect devise this or that undermine such and grounding them in this first fundamentall law Thou canst not live long neither wilt thou live well therefore while thou livest live for thy pleasure take thy ease and from thence inioynes them to use all meanes thereto take all acquaintance undermine all that crosse thee and all to this end that thou maist have thy ease As it was then so now is it with the Papists their successors all the differences in Religion betweene them and us are by them grounded on the bellie that is the Monarchie of the Pope and worldly pompe and Masses invented for idle Priests latine prayers little or no preaching onely that the people being ignorant they might more easily command them If their errors were not invested in gaine wee should soone accord their worship especially the manner thereof onely to delight the sense And among our selves many are not wanting that make profession of religion but denie the power thereof so long as religion and outward content doe meet and when Religion brings preferment all will be religious for they live by no rules but those that their lusts prescribes morning and evening taking care for the flesh how to bee rich how to live at ease and for this will sell their birthright in happinesse refusing the Word refusing good companie yea heaven it selfe And this justly comes as a iudgement for mans first rebellion when men will not serve God as they should they are iustly given over to the service of those that are no Gods But it may be asked may wee not seeke to content our flesh I answer wee may respect our bodies and there is a due honour that belongs to the outward man but we must so seeke for them as in the first place and principally we seeke the Kingdome of heaven and is righteousnesse and then God hath promised to cast these things upon us But when wee breake order and measure being first and principally carefull for our lusts the divell knowing our haunts offers baites fitting for our humours and wee like filthiâ— swine devoure our owne destruction And therefore to avoid this let us set the feare of God and damnation before our eyes and if we use not these things moderatly and soberly let that in Rom. 8.13 be as a flaming sword to keepe us from the way to destruction If we live according to the lusts of the flesh we shall die and therefore as strangers and Pilgrims let us abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule against our comfort here and our happie estate hereafter Secondly let us avoid the companie of condemned persons but looke on them with a kinde of horrour and detestation of them and and passe not for their wicked censures their end is damnation and their bellie is their God But because the best are drawne away by these pleasures let us observe some directions And first let us see the reasons why we are thus inveagled with them First these earthly contentments are present to our sense the other onely are present to faith which the carnall man lookes not after neither cares for Secondly wee nusle up our selves in an opinion of the necessitie of these things seeing the present use of them and wee see no present use of those better things Thirdly these things are bred up with us and wee are acquainted with them from our infancie and so they pleade prescription and when we are thus taken up before Religion comes after and very hard it must needs be to keepe our mindes lifted up and yet is it most necessarie to be for lusts doe drowne men in perdition 1 Tim. 6.9 But for helpes in this estate of ours observe first with due consideration the nature dignitie and excellencie of the soule that it is a spirit of an excellent beautie adorned with understanding and judgement not made to cast off the crowne submitting it selfe to the rule of every base lust which indeed is the onely happinesse of the beasts nay if happinesse consist in pleasing the senses beasts are more happie than we for they have neither sâ—â—me without nor conscience within to disquiet them in the injoyment of their pleasures And know also that this bodie of ours being of that excellent temper is a fabricke which was not made onely for to be a strainer for meate to passe through The qualitie of the braine in man the structure of the eve doe testifie man was made for divine meditation to contemplate of the workes of God which it doth behold with the eye as through a glasse Secondly wee must know by giving our affections to these things we are made like the things we affect for the soule is placed in the middest as it were betweene heaven and earth and as it affects the one or the other so is it fashioned if we love the flesh we are flesh if wee follow the spirit wee are transformed to its likenesse Thirdly consider that God is better than the worshipper else is hee mad that will worship it but the bellie is baser than our selves reason teacheth us the pleasures of this life end in death when our soules must still continue after all now to seeke such pleasures as cannot continue with us is madnesse as appeares even by the light of reason and therefore are of more power with naturall men than pure religious truthes but for those that are called The Scripture puts them in minde of the last day of judgement and telles them that they are made for heaven and such are therefore to set their mindes on things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Col. 3.1 and when they begin to grow worldly and to follow their belly it calles them backe with a but know for all this God will bring thee to judgement which duly pondered cannot but be as a hooke in our jawes to bring us back to a more diligent watch over our wayes VERS 19. And whose glorie is in their shame A Second part of the inward disposition shewing that they glorie in that which brought shame to them for circumcision was a ceremonie given to the Church when it was but in the infancie and for them that were borne in the strength of the Church being well growne to glorie in such beggerly rudiments was shamefull in the words first consider the affection second the object or end for the word implyes both and in the first consider the sinne then the cure The sinne that is reproved in them is vaine-glorie that is glorying in a thing not to bee gloried in and it is grounded upon pride which is a desire of excellencie in vaine things and it is for the most part in vaine injuditious men who ordinarily doe glorie in things that tend to shame These Philippians saw that Paul was now committed the doctrine hee taught they thought was not good
enough they would be wiser than he and of deeper reach And thus even within the pâ—le of the Church what a scandall is it that men should glorie in a gracelesse grace of swearing filling up rotten discourse with new devised othes And others glorie in their foolish conceipted gallant apparell which was for no other end but principally to cover shame is not this to glorie in shame And much more those that blaming as it were God for making them no fairer will mend the workmanship of God by painting these while they seeke to keepe outward blemishes from the eyes of men doe discover to the whole world that they have a spotted rotten heart within them And indeed it s too common for men ill-bred up to thinke admirably of themselves when all their courses are meere vanitie He is the onely man of accompt that cannot put up a crosse word without bloud is not this to glorie in shame when as its the glory of a man to passe by an offence and they are the best men that can overcome themselves And as helpers on of this vaine boasting we have a generation of ignorant unsetled understandings that admire at such shamelesse boasters and so are causes of strengthening such in their vain-glory such are flatterers of great men let them remember what is denounced against such woe be to them that call evill good and good evill In the next place shame is not onely the object of vaine glorie but the end they that are vaine-glorious shall bee brought to shame at length thus is it sayd of Babylon in Esay and mysticall Babylon in the Revelations Though she say I sit as a Queene and shall seenâ— mourning yet stall her plagues come in one day death and destruction and mournlng Isa. 47.9 51.19 Revel 18.8 For God hath knit vaine-glory and shame a punishment proportionable and fitting to the sinne and striking the offender most neere even to the heart and thus did God meete with Achitophel Absalom Haman they sought vain-glory and their ends were shamefull such shall be the end of all such as boast that they can doe mischiefe like Doeg Psa. 52. And the righteous shall see and feare laugh at them For use to our selves therefore let us take heed of this sinne For by nature the best of us are subject to it we are all inclinable either to glory in such things as we should not or to receive glory from such things as wee ought not or else to glorie after an inordinate manner and in that measure we glorie amisse in that measure wee consult shame to our selves glory we may but it must bee well grounded and in a right manner And to the attaining thereto we must first labour for a sound knowledge of God and for a sound dependance upon him in all things and also labour for to see our owne estate and our many wants for wanting this knowledge men glorie in merits while they live but when they die they grow ashamed of their courses and blinde judgement for while they live they judge of themselves by their owne conceipt of themselves which is grounded either by comparing of themselves with those that are worse than themselves as the Pharisee that thanked God he was not as the Publican or else upon the conceipt that shallow persons have of them But these are not rules for us to follow look rather what sayes the humbled conscience what sayes Gods Word and his Iustice and take example of the Apostles and holy men of God that gloried in the Lord reconciled to us in Christ who is made to us wisedome sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 30.31 Rejoyce that our names are written in heaven Luke 10.20 Rejoyce that we understand and know God to be â—ust and mercifull Ier. 9.23.24 Glorie in the testimonie of a good conscience that we are true Christians though but weake 2 Cor. 1.12 Secondly we should be content with the judgement and approbation of God and hearken to the admonitions of his Ministers and care not for the censures of the world Thirdly take wee heed of the first beginnings and motions of sinne at the first they are ever modest the worst man that ever was was not shamelesse in sinne at the beginning but giving way to sinne by little and little loses all shame and causes at last corruption in judgement and justifying a mans selfe in wicked courses pleasures riches and such things they are like a vizard onely an outside of beautie or like one that vaunteth himselfe hee can act the person of a King but is in himselfe a bondslave they act their parts here on this worldly Stage for an houre and leave all their followers in eternall bondage forever Therefore let us not bee ashamed for Christs cause but stand out labour for sinceritie now and wee shall have glorie hereafter which as the light shall increase when as the candle of the wicked shall be put out VERS 19. Who minde earthly things TO Minde in this place is taken largely to thinke upon remember desire joy and to have all the soule exercised Earthly things that is lusts of the flesh lusts of the eyes pride of life pleasures and profits and honours which are therefore called earthly because they are conversant about earthly things and because they make their followers earthly minded and lastly they are called earthly in opposition to those that are heavenly and thus in particular those that minde honour are ambitious those that minde riches are covetous if pleasure then they are voluptuous and all of them are earthly For as the Ocean is but one and yet divers parts thereof have severall names so worldlinesse is but one sinne yet having many kindes it hath also divers names The observation that hence we may gather is that the earthly disposition and minde is the temper of that man who is in the estate of damnation for the minde of such doe shew a dead soule estranged from the life of God to be carnally minded is death saith the Apostle Rom. 8.6 For a man lives as hee mindes and loves Secondly earthly disposition is opposite to God so Rom. 8.7 The carnall minde is enmitie against God Observe we further the Apostle describes not these by any notorious grosse scandalous sinne but by the inward disposition of the heart for outward actions are onely effects and rivers flowing from the spring of corruption in our hearts Whence we may note that God lookes to the inward frame of the soule in men and therefore though in the eyes of men a man may be without spot yet is his corruption that is within open and manifest to the all-seeing eye of God And therefore from hence we are to be stirred up to humble our selves before God by examining our hearts and laying open our most secret corruptions And secondly this ought to comfort us that though in our dayly practice we often fall yet God in his goodnesse lookes at the inward frame
mindes something to this end that our affections may bee wrought upon to forsake the world with detestation and to love and imbrace heaven and for this dutie wee ought to redeeme some time continually Thus principally Enoch walked with God and David though a King meditated in Gods law day and night And from this dutie let us bee brought to a holy use of soliloquies checking and shaming our selves for following these pleasures for unthankfulnesse and want of cheerefulnesse as David why art thou cast down O my soule why art thou so disquieted By these recollections a Christian is indeed himselfe and for the present even seated in heaven In the last place besides ejaculations use dayly a set prayer for thereby wee ascend into heaven and are fitted thereby to be more and more heavenly it s the trade of Citizens that make them rich this is our trade to trade by prayer with that heavenly Citie where our treasure is and by it wee shall grow dayly in riches Thus is our soule strengthened and our affections stirred up to converse with God and thus come wee to set our faith in heaven together with our love where our father is where Angels and Saints our Citie and eternall happinesse is thus is our hope strengthened which carries us through all afflictions undauntedly and so is a heaven to us before heaâ—ven and thus are our â—esires in heaven to be at rest to bee with Christ which is best of all But some will say wee cannot alwayes intend such things as these we have our callings and are busied about earthly matters and cares I answer true it is yet in the use of these things wee may bee heavenly minded for God in mercie appoints us callings to busie our mindes about which else would bee delving in the idle pleasures of sinne onely he requires that we in the first place seeke for heaven we shall not continue here but wee are travelling still and therefore it is good for us ever to redeeme some time for heaven that wee may come with more speed to our journeyes end Secondly as a helpe to us hee hath left us his Saboths in pitie to our soules which else would altogether be rooting in the earth Let us have a care of the well spending of them for by this we pay homage to heaven and are put in minde thereof Thirdly everie day redeeme sometime for meditation of the vanitie of this world hereby will our untunable soules be still set in tune and for our callings every day sanctifie them by prayer and then all is cleane Fourthly goe about them as in obedience to God knowing that God hath placed us in these callings and he looks for service in imploying those talents bestowed on us and in our serving one another And let us indeavour to shew what our religion is in avoiding the corruptions of our callings Labour also to see God in every thing in crossing us in incouraging and assisting us and this will stirre us up accordingly to pray continually in al things to give thanks and it will make us feare alwayes for the same care and love of God that brings us to heaven doth guide us in our particular actions and callings And in other matters use our selves so as we by these things raise our mindes on high for there is a double use of the creatures First temporall and from thence a spirituall use is raised thus did Christ by considering water he was raised to think of spirituall regeneration and washing and thus we should doe labour to see God in his creatures and thus shall wee helpe our soules by our bodies God will have it thus and therefore setteth downe heavenly things in earthly comparisons Lastly wee must indeavour to make a spirituall use of all things as God doth doth God send crosses on us then before they leave us beg a blessing that they may worke his intended effect in bettering us Doth God blesse us with prosperitie pray that God would sanctifie it to incourage us on to good duties so as in all estates wee may have our conversation in heaven Let no man therefore make pretence that he is poore that he hath no time for this no grace workes matter out of every thing poore Paul nay Paul a prisoner see how he is busied And the truth is that worldly prosperitie is the greatest enemie to a heavenly minde that can bee But the weake Christian will complaine that he cannot finde this in him but he is still carried away with worldly matters though hee strive against it never so much yet the world goes away with him To such I answer strength of grace this way is not in every Christian neither is it at the first Paul had his destractions Rom. 7. from 15. to 24. yet must our labours and indeavors be that way the sinne that is in us cannot hurt us if we strive against it God suffers his children to see their weaknesse as he did deale with Solomon to humble us and make us learne his lesson that all is vanitie and vexation of spirit Let not such therefore bee discouraged but cheerefully goe on in a good course wherein the more we labour and strive the more wee beautifie Religion and credit our Citie and draw on others to bee fellow Citizens with us And thus shall we free our selves from terrors of conscience and from the snares of the divell even as birds when they soare aloft need feare no snares Thus also shall wee get a portion here for its the promise of the God of truth that if we first seek the Kingdome of heaven al these things shal be cast upon us Thus also shall wee be sure of Gods gracious and faithfull protection who hath said hee will keepe us in our wayes And lastly thus shall wee end our dayes with comfort woe bee to him that dies not to the world before hee goes hence but to him that hath his soule in heaven even while it is in his bodie this life is but a pilgrimage and death is advantage VERS 20. From whence wee also looke for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ. THese words lay downe such an estate of a Christian as is both a cause and a signe of heavenly conversation and in them we may consider First that Christ is in heaven Secondly that there is a second comming of Christ. Thirdly that Christians expect it Fourthly that this expectation is a cause of heavenly carriage For the first that Christ is in heaven wee have the Scripture to warrant it but the text is pregnant herein we looke for him from heaven ergo he is in heaven And therefore it s a grosse conceipt of the Papists that dreame that his bodie is every where in the bread or with the bread as the Lutherans would hâ—ve it the scripture determines that the heavens must contain him that he sitteth now on the right hand of God that he shall hereafter come to
them from evill in the world and not that thou shouldst take them out of the world Ioh 17.15 If we be under crosses if this spirit and power of Christ be in us it will enable us to beare all patiently it will keepe us from murmuring and fretting It will also convince us of our naturall estate so as wee shall see evident necessitie of Gods almighty power to change us this made the Apostle Paul and the Iaylor to looke about them for helpe Lord what wouldest thou have me to doe and thus it will make us never to give God rest nor Christ respite till that power that shall raise up our bodies doe raise up also our soules and he shine in us by his spirit that did bring light out of darknes and fashion us as in his wisedome shall be most meet In the next place the consideration of Gods Almightie power should teach us not to be dejected or cast downe at the reports of the afflicted state of the Church abroad it should bring us rather to God to rely upon his goodnes and power for God is ever God almighty and the same mercifull God that ever he was and therfore we should pray for the Church the more instantly that God would give them beautie instead of ashes wee should urge him with his promise of building up and defending of his Church and destroying of Antichrist and let us make the resurrection of the body a ground to strengthen us in the beleefe thereof as the returne of the children of Israel from Babylon was sealed by the resurrection of the dry bones Ezek. 37. as also the Apostle from the resurrection of the dead gathereth that God by that power hath and will deliver him 2 Cor. 1.9 10. Furthermore when wee are oppressed with any extremitie though never so great by continuall meditation of his promises wee should strengthen our selves and apply them to our present estate and condition knowing that he that raised us out of dust will not suffer us to bee buried in miserie but will with the triall give us a gracious issue at the last by raising up our bodies at the last day by his almighty power which made also the Patriarch Abraham to hope above hope what though our helpes be few its no matter what the instrument is so as Christ is the chief worker In the next place This should incourage us to stand out sted fast in a good cause for the truth do not think with our selves alas I am but one and a weake sillie man what can I doe against a multitude let not such thoughts discourage thee thinke of Luther a poore Monke who alone set himselfe against the whole world and wrought that effect that wee have all cause at this day to honour the memorie of him it is not thou but God in thee that is able to confound all thine enemies and therefore with Moses behold him that is invisible Yet further this should bee observed by a Christian as a ground of his perseverance to the end for when wee know we are Christians what can bereave us of our blessings what can make our faith faile its Gods power that will keepe us to salvation and he that beleeveth shall have life and shall not come into condemnation Ioh. 6.39 40.44.47 and many other places and Christ by his almighty power swayes all our life to our building up to salvation and therefore in contraries we should beleeve contraries that death will worke life miserie happinesse corruption incorruption and this vilenesse glorie for its Gods order to worke by contraries that his power might the more appeare And at the houre of death then behold him that is thus able and all-sufficient that shall presently glorifie our soule and at length will raise up our bodie also and unite it to our soule to partake with it in glorie and happinesse that will then quit us of all sinne corruption death change all our enemies shall bee troden under our foote and all this by his almightie power whereby he is able to doe farre above that wee are able to think and therefore let us with a holy admiration thereof say with the Apostle Ephes. 3.20 To him be glorie for evermore Amen FINIS Loâ—uere ut videa 1 Cor. 8.5 Animus â—ujusque is est quisqueâ— 1 The Appellation 2 Exhortation 3 Limitation Meanes to get Ioy. Answ. 1. Ob. Answ. Psal. 120.5 Doctr. 1. Doct. 2. Note 3. Doct. 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 5. Reason 6. Vse 1. Vse 2. Rev. 1. and 2 3. Doctr. 1. 1 John 4.1 Quest. Answ. Ob. Answ. A threefold judgment to wit I Of Discretion II Of Directiâ—n III Of Jurisdiction Doctrine Quest. Answ. Rev. 22.15 Remedies against seducers Remedy 1. Remedy 2. Remedy 3. Remedy 4. Meanes and waies to mortifie sinne Three parts viz. 1 The Act Worship 2 The Object God 3 The most part viz. in Spirit Reasons why God must be worshipped in Spirit Vse Reasons why outward worship is so well liked and loved Ob. Answ. Signes of spirituall worshippers Helps unto spiritual worship Doctr. 1. Doct. 2. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 5. Reason 6. Quest. Answ. Causes of true joy Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Answ. Signes of true Christian joy 1 Signe 2. Signe 3. Signe 4. Signe 5. Signe Quest. Answ. Doctrine Ob. Answ. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4 Reason 5. Quest. Answ. Signes of fleshly confidence St. Pauls prerogatives Obj. Quest. Answ. Obj. Answ. Wherein and how the knowledge of Christ exceeds humane knowledge Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Quest. Answ. Obj. Answ. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Signes of the choice of Christ. Quest. Answ. Obj. Answ. Answ. The meanes how to be united to Christ. Vse 1. Signes of mortification Quest. Answ. Obj. 1. Obj. 2. Ob. Answ. Doctrine Vse 1. 1. Direct 2. 3. 2. Hind 3. Hind Direct 1. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Hind 4. Hind Doctrine Vse Doct. Vse 2. Doctr. Vse Doctr. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Vse 1. 1 Signe 2. Signe 3. Signe 4. Signe Vse 2. Quest. Answ. Doctrine Doct. 1. Signe 2 Signe 3. Signe 4. Signe 5. Signe 6. Signe 7. Signe 9 Signe 10. Signe Meanes unto perfection Motives to the use of the meanes and unto perfection Doctrine How to walk according to the Rule Ob. Answ. Doct. Wherein imitation consists Why examples are laid downe in Scripture Vse 1. 1. Dir. 2. Dir. 3. Dir. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Who were enemies to Christs crosse Gal. 5.4 A threefold judgment Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Reason 1. Helpes Remedies against vaine-glory Rules Signes Doctr. Quest. Answ. 1. Dir. 2. Dir. 3. Dir. 4. Direct 5. Dir. 6. Dir. Obj. Answ. 7. Dir. Ob. Answ. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Vsâ— Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Doctrine Doctr. 1. Quest. Answ. Vse Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse Quâ—st Answ. Obj. Answ. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Vse 6. Vse 7. Doctrine 1.