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duty_n	ask_v	pray_v	prayer_n	1,061	5	6.7888	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91897	Christ the perfect pattern, of a Christian's practice, being the substance of severall sermons, about the Imitation of Christ. / Preached by the reverend and faithfull minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Ralph Robinson, late minister of Mary Wolnoth London. Published by Sim. Ash, Wil. Taylor, Sam. Clarke.	Robinson, Ralph, 1614-1655.	1658 (1658)	Wing R1709; Thomason E1818_1; ESTC R209810	135,574	295

suffering his spirit Rom. 8. 37. is quite overcome whereas the patient Christian doth tryumph and gets the Victory over all distresses Iob by his patience did conquer all his troubles 3. It preserves and keeps a Christian from many snares and temptations which affliction and distress puts a man upon There is no condition but it hath its peculiar temptations Poverty reproach persecution c. As it is a hard thing so it is a happy thing to be preserved from these snares Not to steal in poverty not to apostatize in persecution c. Now patience is the best Antidote and Preservative to keep us from these The patient Christian will not think of any shifts which are sinful to deliver himself The faith and patience of the primitive Martyrs was that which kept them from accepting of deliverance upon sinful termes Heb. 11. 35. The answer of that Martyr to his friends when they would have had him to make an escape out of Prison was wrought by his patience No He would stay Gods time He would not come out when his friends desired then he should come out too soon nor when his enemies would have him then he should stay too long but when God would have him that was the best time So Paul and Silas Acts 16. 26. The Prison-doors were all open c. yet they would not stir Patience prevents many such Temptations It prevents sinful complyances c. 4. It fortifies the soul against the fear of troublous conditions when threatned or imminent T is a happy thing to be freed from fear of evil and t is promised to the godly Psal 111. 7 8. Now nothing is more likely to support the soul against the fear of such storms then this grace of patience The patient Christian is provided for the worst storm Patience is his Tower his Anchor c. It 's a setling grace 4th Motive Consider that the present condition is also simply the best condition for thee if thou art a true Christian Poverty is better then riches sickness then health bondage then freedom Winter then Summer c. T is best for thy self t is best for thy graces t is best to bring thee to Repentance t is best to humble thee c. T is best considering the distemper which is in thy heart Consider 1. Gods Wisdom that he knowes what is best 2. His goodness that he will not put any Child of his out of a better estate into a worse God sees thou hast a proud heart God knoweth thou hast an ambitious heart therefore disgrace is better then a state of honour A tender Father would never correct his Child but that he thinks that correction is better at that time then cockering and indulgence he would never deny him a meales meat but that he sees that fasting is better then food c. so God vid. Heb. 12. 10. The Apostle teacheth us that God doth aym at his Childrens profit and advantage in all his dispensations Now if one State or Dispensation were better then another and God should cast him into a worse out of a better then it could not be true that God in all his dealings aymes at their benefit 5th Motive Consider that there is a far greater good in patience and Christian silence then there is or can be hurt or evil in the forest Crosse For mans happiness lyeth not in comforts but in a complyance in his will to the will of God Patience is absolutely a grace affliction is not absolutely a curse Ergo. 6th Motive Consider that God will put a good issue to all your sad conditions The end will undoubtedly be good vid. Jam. 5. 11. The hopes and expectation of this prevailed upon the Church to be silent under all her long and tedious darkness vid. Mich. 7. 9. When I sit in darkness the Lord will be a light unto me therefore I will bear c. Your reproach shall end in honour your disgrace in glory Isa 61. 7. yea your glory shall exceed your shame yea it shall be double to your shame And your Crosse shall bring you to a Crown vid. Isa 66. 5. It may be in this World they who reproached you shall change their Language and blesse you It sometimes falls out so You have a promise of this made to the Church vid. Isa 60. 14. and Rev. 3. 9. We have examples and instances of this Haman and the confederates with him and so did Iobs friends Cap. ult Iob. However death will take away the remembrance of all your sadness vid. 1 Cor. 10. 13. There are three great Arguments in that one Text. Explain it 7th Motive Consider the evil of Impatience 1. 'T is a mighty torment to the soul 'T is a worm at the heart which gnaweth continually It weakens the Spirits and renders a man more unable to bear his crosse yea impatience and discontent is heavier then the burden it self The nayl in the yoak is much more oppressing then the yoak it self and galls more Impatience is as a nayl in the crosse What Solomon saith of the cruel man Prov. 11. 17. we may say of the impatient it s a degree of self-murther it wasts and exhausts the Spirits what the Apostle saith of worldly sorrow that it works death 2 Cor. 7. 10. is true of impatience 2. It doth exceedingly indispose the heart for those holy duties which an afflicted and distressed condition calls for There are four things calld for in a state of distresse 1. Prayer Jam. 5. 13. Psal 50. 15. Hos 5. ult Now a wrathfull impatient spirit is not fit to pray The heart must be composed in prayer One principall qualification in prayer is That it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2. 8. See how Jonah prayes when he is angry vid. Iona. 4. in it a meer quarrelling and scolding with God 2 Accepting the punishment of our iniquity and lying low at the feet of God vid. Lev. 26. 41. Repentance selfe searching Impatience hinders all this the calme Spirit will see the cause and bewaile it when the discontented mutinous passionate soul passeth it by vid. Lam 3. 39. 40. Complaining hinders selfe-judging vid. Mic. 6. 9. This will not be done in an angry passion fury will not hear any message 3. Teaching and instrusting others in affliction This is a duty sick mens words have a sharp point Paul writes many excellent Epistles to the Churches in his bonds Gal. Eph. Phil. Col. 2 Tim. c. Philem c. He begat Onesimus in his bonds Philem. 10. we are to discover our supports our encouragements c. Now impatience will take us off from this duty Impatient and angry men are very bad Tutors men can aske them no questions Nabal 4. Hearing and receiving comfort from others This is a duty in affliction to have our eares opened to instruction c. Iob. 36. 9. 10. Now impatience hinders us from this Physitians will not give Physick in a fit The seed sowed in a storme is lost

Joh. 12. 35. He is like Sampson when his eies are put out the Divell may make him grind in any mill use him for any kind of imploiment He can do nothing well nothing acceptable 2 Ignorance of God is damnable our Saviour saith It is life eternall to know God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Joh. 17. 3. And therefore it must needs be eternall death to be ignorant of God and of Jesus Christ especiallie when sufficient means for this knowledg is and may be enjoyed It is the complaint of God that his people were destroied for want of knowledge Hos 4. 6. not onely with temporall but eternall destruction And if any soul perish through ignorance under your roofe through your default his soul will be required at your hands What God saith to the Watchman concerning his charge is as applicable to every governour of a family in his sphere If you give not the wicked man warning he shall die but his blood will I require at thy hands Ezech. 33. 8. Every Master of a family is as well and as truly made a Watchman of God to do all domesticall duties within his sphere where of this is one as the Minister is over the Congregation and must as wel be accountable to God for the souls under his charge And therfore God in the 4th Commandement puts the care and inspection of all within the family upon the governours Thou thy Son thy Daughter thy man-Servant c. Thou mightst perhaps be the instrument of saving thy Child or Servant from Hell wert thou carefull of doing thy dutie 6 Consider the justice and equity of this duty That you shouldst instruct those who are thy Children by Nature is but Equitie in as much as the blindness and ignorance which is in them is from thee conveid as the immediate instrumentall cause They drew their blindness from thy loines thou didst beget and bring them forth in thine own sinfull Image whereof this ignorance is a part and therefore thou art bound by all rules of justice to do what thou canst to make restitution And for adopted Children and Servants by contract committed to thy care by friends or guardians the like obligation lieth upon thee in point of justice to teach them the knowledge of the Most Holie according to thy power for though expresly this clause be not put into the engagement yet virtuallie and implicitly it is intended the parent or friends commit their Children into thy hands upon such termes that the soul should be looked after as well as the bodie and if They do not expect it yet Theologically by vertue of thy place as a Master God expects it from thee and thou art not onely uncharitable but unjust also if thou neglect this part of the engagement It will not be enough to say I have instructed them in all the parts of the mysterie I profess I have made them skilfull in their Art but if they be uninstructed in the knowledge of God the least halfe of the Covenant is made good God will both judge punish thee for a fraudulent and unfaithfull man that hast betrayed thy trust 2ly Directions Take these three 1 Thou must be carefull to furnish thy self with a competency of knowledge and understanding in Religion To govern a small familie requires no small knowledge God would have a Master of a familie to be able to instruct both Wife and Children Dwell with thy Wife as a man of knowledge 1 Pet. 3. 7. and the woman is commanded not to speak in the Church but if she want to ask her husband at home 1 Cor. 14. 35. If the Wife must aske the Husband should be able to resolve necessarie questions I doubt the want of knowledge in governours takes them off from this duty indeed renders them uncapable to discharge it Therefore by studying the Scriptures by reading good Catechisms and other good books and by Praier get sound knowledge 2 Pray for a good Conscience and keep a good Conscience As a good conscience will keep men close to God in other Duties so will it do in this and truely though a man have never such plenty of knowledge yet if he want Conscience the work will fall 3 Get large bowels of affections to God to the knowledge of God and the Souls of such as God hath given thee inspection over This will promote the work He that loves God truly will disperse the knowledge of God freely and he who beares any affection to souls will be willing to light his Candle to set them in the waie to life and happinesse He that doth not teach his Child I dare say hath not a true Fatherlie love either to God or his Child Love will seek the best wellfare of that which is beloved 3dly The Objections are these 1. Object If I should instruct thus my Family and be so strict repeat Sermons c. I should be reproached c. Sol. 1. No good man would reproach thee no they would love thee honour thee if Michal scoffe and reproach 't is no great matter vid. 2 Sam. 6. 21 22. 'T is no honour to be praysed no dishonour to be reproached by a wicked man 2. Such reproach is the way to happiness vid. 1 Pet. 4. 14. The Saints of God have gloried in reproaches for Christs sake they have worn them as a Crown 3. If thou art afraid of reproach be afraid of Gods reproach He will reproach thee if thou neglect this duty and that not only here but hereafter vid. Dan. 12. 2. If thou neglect this duty for fear of the Worlds reproach thou mayst lie down at last with the Worlds honour but thou wilt rise again to everlasting shame 2. Object But my Servants they will not submit to instruction they think their Consciences are free and that no such thing should be imposed upon them c. Sol. 1. And what if they should pretend the like freedom of Conscience as they call it for the not doing of thy work in thine employment wouldst thou think it a sufficient Salvo and why wilt thou take it for a discharge from doing Gods work 2. I answered they are not free by any Law of God nay they are bound if Abraham must teach his Houshold the way of Jehovah surelie his Houshold must submit to be instructed else the Commandment is void And Joshuah took it for granted that his House should serve the Lord together with himself Josh 24. 15. He should not dwell in Joshuahs House that would not serve Joshuahs God whatsoever they pretended The Rod of Discipline should teach such other practices if after admonition and conviction they remain obstinate 3. Object But they are catechised and instructed by the Minister therefore its needless I should meddle Sol. The Ministerial instruction doth not excuse Domestical instruction Christ taught his Disciples publickly as a Minister and yet he neglected not private instruction also private instruction helps on the publick and the publick the private 2. Vse This is a Doctrine of singular comfort for the godlie Jesus Christ hath a Familie on Earth still though he be in Heaven and the Church is his Houshold Heb. 3. 6. And it s his Office to teach and instruct now as much as ever when he was on Earth And be confident you ignorant Christians that Christ your Master will untie all knots which you cannot untie your selves Qui docet corda Cathedram habet in Coelo Carry your doubts to him freely FINIS

vers 2 2. ad 34. wherein we might observe many things 4. The miraculous healing of divers diseased persons in the Land of Gennesaret by the touch of his Garment vers 34. ad finem The words which I have read fall within the third general part And they are a discovering of the employment of our Saviour in the absence of the multitudes of his Disciples He went up into a Mountain apart to pray In which we have two things 1. The Act of Devotion prayer 2. The accommodation for this duty He went up into a Mountain apart Christ had several places of prayer sometimes a Mountain sometimes the desert c. Any place is fit for prayer if the heart be in frame 1 Tim. 2. 8. Put them together and this is the lesson Doct. That our Lord Jesus Christ was very frequent in the duty of private and solitary prayer He was frequent in publick prayer and other publick Ordinances witness his frequent resorting to the Synagogues Matth. 12. 9. Mar 1. 21. insomuch that Luk. 4. 16. its said ●●at He went as his custom was into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day He did not neglect the publick nor did he omit the private neither as will appear by several Texts of Scripture besides this Mark 6. 46. where the same History is related Luk. 5. 16. when the same of his miracles began to be noysed abroad he withdrawes himself to private prayer Luk. 6. 12. when he ordained his 12 Apostles he spends the whole night before in private prayer And before his passion he was much in this duty so all the Evangelists agree Matth. 26. 36. 39. 42. 44. Luk. 22. 32. 44 45. John 17. per totum His life was a life of prayer In the prosecution of this Doctrine I shall 1. Shew why Christ prayed at all 2. Why he prayed private●y 1. Christ did not pray in regard of want as we do we are alwayes wanting something therefore have constant need of prayer but our Saviour wanted nothing Col. 1. 19. all fulness was in him fulness for himself and fulness for others fulness of the Vessel and fulness of the Fountain He indeed took our nature upon him and so our wants He did not pray because he wanted but because he would pray therefore he would want 2. Christ prayed in reference unto precept and command Prayer is a duty enjoyned of God unto all Christians It s a special piece of Gods worship It s an Act of Adoration Prayer gives unto God the glory of many of his Attributes viz. of his wisdom Power Providence Omniscience And if we should be under no wants yet we should pray It s our sin that we look more at necessity then at duty Now in this respect Christ prayed He being made man under the Law it was necessary that he should stoop to every command thereof 3. Christ prayed to honour prayer Prayer is a very great priviledge as well as a duty Though there were neither necessity to move us nor command to enforce us yet the very dignity and Prerogative were enough that dust and ashes should be admitted into such familiar acquaintance and converse with God this is a great advancement Jesus Christ he honoured prayer by performing it but we are exceedingly honoured by prayer Christ therefore to preach up the worth of this duty was so frequent in it to make us in love with it 4. Christ was Os Ecclesiae the Mediator of the Church our intercessor and high Priest ergo prayer was a very principal part of his mediatorious office and work He was no lesse meritorious when he lay praying in the Garden than when he hung upon the crosse of his passion There are two parts of Christs Priestly Office Satisfaction Intercession He began his Intercession on earth he continues it still in Heaven There is great difference between his prayer in Heaven and his prayer on Earth That is only the prayer of intercession this was also the prayer of supplication vid. John 17. I pray for them whom thou hast given me out of the World c. 5. Christ prayed for our Imitation ut Magister noster that he might teach us to pray Audis Christum orantem saith Austin Disce orare Ideo Christus oravit ut doceret te crare As the Apostle speaks of his sufferings that they were for our imitation leaving us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2. 21. Hereupon one well descants upon this Orat miserecordia Tacet miseria Orat innocentia silet impietas Orat is qui non fecit peccatum silet peccator Orat medicus cessat agrotus Orat Judex ut parcat silet reus The Physician prayes to teach the Patient his duty the Judge prayes that he may excite the guilty and condemned sinner to do his duty Mercy is upon her knees to teach misery to bow Vid. Luk. 11. 1. 6. Christ prayed to sanctifie his other performances his preaching his miracles Our Saviour knew well that its prayer which renders other things efficacious Hence it is that we finde prayer following his preaching and his miracles His preaching so it is in Luk. 5. 16. Vid. vers 1. it was after his preaching and so after his miracles so in the Text he had wrought a great work in the sight of the people and afterward he betakes himself to prayer Our Saviour would not have either his Sermons or miracles to fall to the ground ergo he prayes when he ordained his Disciples and sent them abroad to preach the Gospel he spends a whole night in prayer beforehand Luk. 6. 12. Our Saviour was much in publick works Ergo frequent in prayer Every Creature of God is sanctified by the word and prayer saith the Apostle Christians miscarry in other performances ordinarily for want of this duty The Seed sowen doth not prosper for want of the watring of prayer 2. Why Christ used private prayer 1. Obedience to divine Command God hath enjoyned Christians not only the publick but the private also Families apart and their Wives apart Zech. 12. 12 13. Closer-prayer is commanded as well as Church-prayer Matth. 6. 6. Enter into thy Closet As this made him pray so it made him to pray privately to honour private prayer 2. Christ goes apart to pray that he might not be observed He hath given others a Rule and he walks by it himself Matth. 6. 6. Our Saviour did earnestly despise and decline vain glory He did many miracles in private that they might not be known and he prayes in private that he might not be seen of men that he might avoid all ostentation and shews of popular applause 3. That he might not be interrupted in the duty Our Saviour would not be disturbed in prayer therefore he go●s apart secresie is an advantage in regard of distraction It is granted that our Saviour could prevent distractions when he was in the greatest concourse of people As he was never simply alone because the Father was

with him so neither was he simply in Company but because men are not able to avoid disturbance when they are with others therefore he sets them the corporal way 4. To set us an Example that we should not content our selves with publick prayers only but should also be employed in the private also Use of this point is threefold 1 Consolation 2 Instruction 3 Exhortation 1. It s great comfort to a Christian that Christ prayed so much All his prayers both publick and private are for our consolation He prayed not so much for himself as for us The Incoms of his prayers are exceeding precious and advantagious to Christians we reap the benefit of his prayers on earth to this day and so shall all the servants of God to the end of the World Some of his prayers are recorded those are full of comfort as that in John 17. how much is there in that prayer others are only generally related the duty is mentioned the words are not mentioned It s a comfort to us 1. When we go to pray that our prayers shall be welcom to him He that prayed so much on Earth for us will gladly accept our Petitions when they are preferred and the rather because his work now in Heaven is to present our prayers to the Father We may come boldly therefore to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4. 16. He lives for ever to make intercession Heb. 7. 25. 2. It comforts us in the assurance of being taught and instructed by him how to pray He that was so oft speaking to God for us on Earth will not deny his spirit of prayer and supplication to us when we ask it and this the rather we may be perswaded of because of his word of promise that is gone out of his mouth He that is the spirit of prayer is the spirit of the Son God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into their hearts Gal. 4. 6. He taught his Disciples to pray Luk. 11. 1 2. 3. When we are interrupted and taken off by any hand of God from this duty of prayer if sickness weakness be upon us c. T is our comfort that Christ was so frequent in this work for us the vertue of his prayers are in force to this very day T is a comfort when we are hindred in prayer that the Saints are a praying for us not the Saints in Heaven Abraham is ignorant of us Isa 63. 16. How much more that we have so many prayers of Christ on the file for us 4. Against the infirmity of our prayers it s a ground of comfort our prayers are much soyled many deformities are upon them but all the prayers Christ put up were pure and holy ours are smoak Christs were pure incense 5. When we are in trouble when the Disciples are rossed on the Sea Christ is a praying in the Text. 2d Vse Instruction teacheth that Jesus Christ was a very faithfull Mediator and High-Priest He was careful of both parts of his Priestly Office not only of satisfaction but of Intercession also He was the Churches Spokesman and he performed it faithfully for them Not a day passed over his head in which he did not make mention of his Church unto God by prayer He did constantly poure out teares breath out sighs and prayers for them There was not the least piece of his Office in any kind but he faithfully performed it 3d Vse Exhortation He that saith he abideth in Christ ought himself so to walk as Christ 1 Joh. 2. 6 walked Let us imitate his example in the duty of private prayer I fear this duty is much neglected by Christians in our dayes I fear the publick swallows up the private Shall our Master pray in private and shall we neglect it It is not enough that you pray in your Families with others or that you pray in the Church with the Congregation Christ did this and yet he had his private prayers besides The servants of God they have been careful of this Peter he goes to the house-top to prayer Acts 10. 9. Daniel he had his closet-prayers Dan. 6. 10. it had been his manner so to do So had David Psal 119. 164. Isaac Gen. 24. 63. Jonah he had his private prayer in the belly of the Whale Chap. 2. 1. and generally all the Saints Masters Parents Servants Children c. every one apart Vid. Zech. 12. 12 13. and Matth. 6. 6. 't is enjoyned Governours of Families must do it themselves and perswade and call upon their Children and Servants to do it particularly morning and evening I would urge this by some Motives Motive 1. The advantage of this secret prayer would be considered besides all the benefits of Prayer in general secret prayer hath these viz. 1. The soul hath more freedom and liberty than it hath in the publick many sins are to be confessed which cannot so well and conveniently be done in the publick It is not so convenient not is there such opportunity of ripping up the particular secret sins of the soul in publick but the Closet gives us conveniency to unbare all even the most secret sins The soul may without shame or fear c. discover all And so for the wants for soul and body they may more particularly and with greater freedom be represented to the Lord in secret then they can else-where In publick perhaps many a Petition is omitted and many a consession which is suitable to our private necessities The Minister in the Church and the Master in the Family cannot meet so particularly with all my necessities c. as I can do in private c. 2. Private prayer hath not so many occasions of distraction and interruption as the publick The heart can keep more close to God In publick there are many aversions c. many objects upon which the eye fastens Many noyses after which the eare too much runs c. the irreverence and vain carriage of others are a great cooling to the affections of those who are good many times in the publick c. one gazing eye disturbs many c. the demeanors of many is such in the publick that their presence is occasion of much hurt to those who would have their hearts fixed by their whisperings and talkings and wandrings c. they take off from the fervency of others or else by the garish attire c. 3. In private the duty may be performed when the heart is in the best frame for the publick it s not so much in our power to undertake it at this ro that instant when the heart is best turned and most elevated It is true we should alwayes have our hearts tuned for prayer c. but they are not c. for the publick you must pray when others call c. 4. In private prayer we have greater advantage of learning to pray for then we exercise our own gifts c. in publick we only hear others exercise their parts c. we are more

passive in the publick more active in the private Motive 2. Private Prayer is an Argument of greater love to the duty A man may publickly pray who hath not love to it out of other respects as to gain credit and applause c. but to perform the duty in a corner when no eye sees us c. this evidenceth more affection And it s a greater Argument of sincerity c. That mans heart is not right in his publick devotion who is very seldom or never in private devotion Ille dolet verè qui sine teste c. He prayes but hypocritically in the Church or in the Family with others who neglects praying alone Vid. Matth. 6. 5 6. An hypocrite is all for the publick little for the private sincerity is equally for both A Christians heart is what it is when he is alone Motive 3. He that neglects private prayer shall be neglected in his publick prayer If thou wilt not call upon God in secret God will not hear thee in publick Want of private duties is the reason why the heart is so dead under the publick c. Ordinarily that man or womans heart is best in publick who is most frequent in private Private duties fit the heart for publick c. If thou wilt carefully call upon God in private God will enable thee to serve him in publick Motive 4. Private prayer is more our own then publick is its personal service It s true in some sense publick prayer is personal but private and secret is more personal A man in the publick tenders up Confessions and P●titions and Thanksgivings by the mouth of another but in private by his own mouth Motive 5. God hath usually let out himself most to his people when they have been alone at the Throne of Grace There have been more meltings and greater manifestations of God Peter when he was alone on the house-top sees the vision c. Acts 10. 11 12. Daniel when he was alone a praying hath the Angel disparcht to him with a Message that he was greatly beloved c. Dan. 9. 20. 21 22 23. many Saints have had their assurance seal'd to them when they have been in their Closets a praying and meditating Motive 6. There is more of the power of godliness in private prayer the publick may be only in form the private is more in the power and life Let all these things move you to this duty Object 1. I have no time to pray I am a servant c. my time is not my own c. my Masters business will not allow me Sol. 1. I would not stay with such a Master if thou beest a servant that canst remove c. 2. 'T is no neglecting of thy Masters business to take a little time daily for prayer c. and other duties Its Gods not thy Masters 3. Rather take time from sleep then omit this duty God will I warrant thee blesse two houres sleep better to thee than 12. houres if thou takest it from thy sleep or recreation to give to him 2. Object I cannot pray Sol. 1. Beg of God to teach thee he hath promised his Spirit to them that ask 2. God doth not so much look for eloquence as sincerity in prayer Thou canst smite thy breast and say God be merciful to me a sinner c. 3. Make use of other helps of prayer till thou hast attained ability to pray 4. Thou canst mannage thy worldly calling as well as another why then canst thou not pray as well as others It is because thou dost not regard this so well as the other FINIS Mary Wolnoth October the 15. 1648. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 20. 34. init Jesus being moved with compassion touched their Eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN this Chapter we have four things considerable 1. A Parable of Labourers sent forth into the Vineyard This Parable is 1. Propounded vers 1. ad 16. 2. Applyed vers 16. The scope of it is to overthrow the Doctrine of merit and to establish the gift of salvation and eternal life upon the meer mercie and free grace of God Eternal life is not given unto any for his working it doth not flow from any good in the person receiving but from the free love of God in Christ chusing unto holiness and salvation whom he pleaseth It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy that 's the Apostles determination of this Question after a serious debate Rom. 9. 16. Eternal death that 's of merit but eternal life is of grace Rom. 6. ult 1. A premonition or Prediction of the Passion and sufferings of Christ at Jerusalem vers 17. ad 20. 2. And of his Resurrection from the dead the Doctrine of the Crosse is not easily submitted unto therefore there is necessity that it should be often preached Our Saviour ever and anon was preaching the Doctrine of his sufferings to his Disciples as Matth. 16. 21. Matth. 17. 22. and in this Chapter again he takes up the same Argument They dreamed of an Earthly Kingdom and earthly honours therefore our Saviour preacheth so frequently of his sufferings to take them off from such a conceit and to prepare them for Tryal And he doth not only foretell of his suff●rings but of his Conquest also his Resurrection vers 19. We shall finde ordinarily that when his death is mentioned his Resurrection also is spoken of as in those places before cited Matth. 16. 21. Mat. 17. 23. and here in this place Mark 8. 31. Mar. 9. 31. Mar. 10. 34. It s very profitable and necessary for the Ministers of Christ when they preach of sufferings to add something concerning the issue and consequence of sufferings when we speak of Death its good to mention the Resurrection also The Spirits of the best Christians will soon sink under sufferings if they be not acquainted with the victory they shall have over sufferings We finde in the Scripture that when the Apostle spake any thing of the Crosse there is usually mention made of the good issue of it as Heb. 12. 6 7 8 9. there is the Doctrine of the Crosse And vers 10 11. there is the Doctrine of the Resurrection So 1 Pet. 4. 12. there is the cross Vers 13 14. there you have the Crown also 3. A solemn charge given to the Disciples against affectation of Dominion and preheminencè one over another vers 20. ad 29. where you have 1. The occasion of it viz. A Request made by the Mother of Zebedees Children for her two Sons James and John vers 20. ad 25. It was their ignorance and fault that they would not be beat●n off from the thoughts of a worldly Kingdom c. This gave occasion to the other 10. Disciples to be angry with the two Brethren 2. The urging of the thing it self vers 25. ad 29. our Saviour solemnly calls them together and gives them a charge against any such ambition 4.