will carry and lead us into a sea of true and solid joy and comfort Other directions in case of wrongs done to men But as these are Remedies given and prescribed by these holy Apostles in respect of God so seeing we wound our consciences often by trespassing against man we must also seek our cure as by the aforesaid means with God against whom we chiefly sin when we sin against our brethren so as the case may require 1 To submit to them Matt. 5.23 24. Jam. 5.16 1 By submission and acknowledgement of our sins against them and by seeking reconciliation with them 2 By Restitution made unto them whether of their good name or of their goods if by usurious contracts extortion 2 To make restitution if need be theft or otherwise we have defrauded wronged or oppressed them by the example of Zacheus when he became a true convert and penitent 3 To desire their prayers Job 42.7 8. or by desiring their pardon and their prayers for us as God himself injoyned Jobs friends to submit themselves to him who else could have no peace with God And thus for this first particular CHAP. XXVI The Apostles considered according to their Order and Number and that direction and comfort is to be sought of others as well as of Peter and more then of the Pope 2. These Apostles considered according to their order 2. THe other two concerning their order and number shall be but named It s here declared that they said to Peter and to the rest but first to Peter Papists who protend their Pope in speciall manner to be Peters successor and thence to have a primacie and superiority over all Churches do here catch at the placing of a word and name to prove Peters authority over the rest of the Apostles They speak first to Peter as if because these Jewes do all turn themselves unto him therefore hee must needs be chief a leader and guide to all the rest Which they would gather also because Luke Acts 1.13 and in his Gospel and some of the other Evangelists naming all the Apostles together make mention of Peter and name him in the first place But what of this In other Scriptures we find James named before him Gal. 2.9 John also who was the beloved Disciple and at meat was next to Christ leaning on his bosome the very night he was betrayed whom Peter himself used as his spokesman unto Christ John 13.23 24 25. So the Disciples are named before Cephas by the Angel Mark. 16.7 But were they therefore superiour to Peter Our adversaries will deny that If the naming of him after others of them maketh not against his supremacy then the setting of his name before them maketh not for it for speciall reason In this place there was a speciall reason for it Peter it was who deepliest charged them and by conviction of them troubled their consciences he was the chief though not the only speaker and he was therefore first and chiefly spoken to and his advice and counsell asked Howsoever grant Peter were first in respect of order among them An Order may be granted but no Supremacy yet what is this to that primacy and superioritie that power and authority which Papists ascribe unto him above the rest as if he were any more or immediatly Christs Vicar then the rest No Christ gave none of them such authority over other but expresly forbade it in them saying But ye shall not be so We conclude then that the proud Pope's claim from Peter will afford him little power or lordly authority over his brethren And Peter here though first named is but one among the rest among many unto whom these also spake as well as to Peter For they said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles 3. Their number many Others as well as Peter 3. For number then those here sought unto were as well the other Apostles as Peter who as they must not be supposed to be dumb all that day and to stand as cyphers beside Peter seeing the holy Ghost in the gifts and power of it was promised to them all as well as to any one of them Acts 1.4 5. Luke 24.49 and did accordingly in the visible signs of it sit upon each of them yea and inwardly fill them all Acts 2.3 4. who all of them began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance so must they be thought equally and indifferently as to preach the same doctrine in the like convincing manner so to give the same saving counsell and direction to such as being alike convinced and pricked in heart sought the same severally at their hands Direction counsell and comfort sought and to be sought from others as wel as from Peter For its likely that some of this great multitude spake to Peter and some to the other Apostles whom they heard seeing it cannot be imagined that either all the twelve Apostles spake at once to the same hearers or that those three thousand which were added to the Church that day did or could all of them speak to Peter Howsoever their counsell and comfort is sought as well as Peters and was accordingly given by them at least implicitely in Peter their foreman who spake for the rest and in their names if they spake not for themselves seeing there is but one and the same rule and ground of true comfort and spirituall direction for the substance of it by which all both Apostles and Pastors of the Church must go to the end of the world For though it by occasion be said by Christ to Peter Matth. 16.19 I will give unto thee the keyes of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth as well as bind shall be loosed in heaven yet this was not spoken or meant to belong personally or only to Peter but to the rest and therefore the same mouth uttereth the same words to others as well as to Peter saying in the plural Matth. 18.18 Whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven And John 20.23 Whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them Or from his pretended successor the Pope So that suppose the Pope were Peters Successor yet direction and comfort to our consciencs is not to be sought only from him or from any power derived from him as head and judge Others may and ought direct in matters of salvation who cannot quiet troubles either in the Church or conscience in doubts and cases of Conscience as well as he or his Casuists He can no more quiet the trouble of conscience then troubles in the Church Else why is there not an uniformity of doctrine in the Romish Church and particularly why did he not determine the controversie between the Domicans and the Jesuits which yet troubles their Church and the Protestants also through the siding of the Arminians with the Jesuits when he was sought
little time may seeme to be left unto us and accordingly labour and see that what we want in time we may redeeme by our zeale that as Peter directs 1 Pet. 4.2 3. we should live no longer the rest of our time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God That the time past of our lives may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles Especially considering our many sinnes so long continued in and the great dishonours done to his name thereby together with the greatnesse of Gods love in pardoning and receiving us at length to mercy Let this enflame our love and zeale to him let this love of God constrain us and teach us to love him much Luke 7.47 with that repenting woman that is zealously because much or many sinnes are forgiven us Vse 5 5 Lastly Let this teach us all now living in this our Nation to admire Gods goodnesse to us and ours To be thankful for being kept to these blessed times yea to all converted or not converted and to be thankfull that God at length hath had mercy on us and reserved us to these blessed times of the Gospel and peace withall 1 Tim 1.17 Rom. 11.30 33. c. Let us make use of this blessed time or otherwise this great mercy will turne to our greater condemnation CHAP. 2. Concerning the persons converted their quality number SECT 1. That some devout men need conversion 2 The persons coverted They. For quality 2 THe persons who They When they heard this they were pricked They are not named but onely noted generally and indefinitely first for quality to be some of them devout men vers 5. that is 1. Devout men such as generally acknowledged they expected the Messias promised but knew not neither were convinced that Jesus whom they persecuted and put to death was he Others to be meere scoffers and deriders of the Apostles vers 13. however generally to be such as by wicked hands took crucified and slue the Lord of life verse 23. 36. at least to be impenitent persons unbeleevers and in state of damnation as may be gethered from verse 38 39 40 47. Whence we first observe as concernes those devout men That Note Many devout men stand in need of repentance Ioh. 4.27 Outward profession of Christ devotion and formes of godlinesse are not enough to mens salvation or to make men true Christians Such may and usually doe worship they know not what as the Samaritans Athenians Acts 17.23 as the Jewes to this day who professe Faith in a Messias yet acknowledge him not but serve God as they think and are devout in their kinde Blinde devotion is not to be rested in Yea Papists generally adoring Christs body in the Sacrament which they know not to be present And common Protestants who seem to shew much devotion in frequenting the Church in publick prayers and hymnes and hearing yet rest in the outward performance and take up with the duty done though it be in them only a lip-labour without true knowledge faith humility and obedience 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5. as Isa 1.12 66.3 Jer. 7. having only a form of godlinesse but denying the power of it as being still lovers of themselves and of pleasures more then of God without all life of Religion or power of godlinesse standing in as much need of true conversion nay it may be more then open deriders and persecuters of Gods truth and people who will sooner be convinced then they To these I commend the care of attending diligently to the word of God preached in power peradventure with these here they may be wrought upon and be convinced of their sinnes of unbeleefe impenitency yea of hatred of Christ and his people c. as being yet wiâ—h these devout Jewes till now in a damnable condition even as the Pharisees persecuting Christ ignorantly Acts 26. Phil. 3.9 2 Scoffers Secondly As concerning the rest or themselves it may be who some were scoffers all persecuters and crucifiers of Christ we observe from their attentive hearing now and conversion The power and wonderfull efficacy of the word of God faithfully and wisely taught Note The power of Gods word 1 Sam. 19.28 Acts 9.20 preached and applied Here we see how men are changed by it of Wolves made sheep of persecuters true penitents even as King Saul intending to take and kill David fell a prophesying and was changed or as that other Saul hastening to persecute the Church by Christs voyce was made a preaching Paul or as those stout Souldiers who were sent to apprehend Christ Joh. 7.45 46 47. But of this anon when we speake of the act of hearing as also the duty of good hearers SECT 2. God freely singles out some of many of whom his Church consists 2 They for number 1 Many And those of all sorts of men 2 THey are noted from their number or quality discrete to be of the multitude verse 6. and those of every nation under heaven vers 5. Parthians and Medes c. vers 9.10 11. they were both of Israel and Judah who by Gods providence were gathered together to that gerat feast of Pentecost out of all nations or who dwelt in Jerusalem of these three thousand now and afterwards many more Acts 4.1 2 3 4 were converted by the Apostles preaching Whereby might seeme in part at least fulfilled the prophesie and type concerning the two sticks VVho make one Church for Judah and for Joseph joyned together Ezek. 37.16 17 19 20 21 c. noting that the effectuall calling of Jewes and Israelites as also Gentiles and their union in Christ or in the hand of the Lord Christ being the Fathers hand and arm whereby they became one Kingdom under Christ or David their King partaking of the same benefits by vertue of the communion of Saints as in the following verses in Ezekiel may be seen So that there is but one only Catholick Church not many and Christ the onely King Pastour and Head thereof 2 Yet not all having no generall Vicar here on earth Now to this Communion none belongs or yet truly come but such as the Father drawes who though here they are many yet all that heard beleeved not they were but some of the whole multitude who received the word gladly vers 41. yet those were gathered out of all sorts without difference of sex age calling countrey and nation or condition And this notes the Freenesse of Gods grace As he excepts not any one sort or calling of men so hee by effectuall calling Note The Freenesse of of Gods grace in singling out some from among all 2 Thes 2.12 13. singles out from the universality of men and sinners and adds to his Church such as shall be saved as here verse 47. Who are those Onely such as he hath elcted from eternity unto salvation through sanctification of the spirit and beleef of
Vse 1. This condemns all such doctrines whether Popish or Lutheran as make either Christ but half a Saviour To condemn such Doctrine as makes or us so much 1. Christ but half a Saviour 1. The Popish sort make Christ but in part a Saviour first in part only a Prophet adding doctrines of men of the pretended Church and Traditions to his written word by which as by a rule he teacheth us and our teachers too yea by ascribing to their Popes a power of judging and determining of Controversies Secondly in part a Priest setting up a sacrificing Priesthood now in the New Testament whereby they really and effectually pretend to offer up Christ for the sins of the quick and dead which was his work alone who was once offered to bear the sins of many Heb. 9.28 and 10.14 and who by one offering of himself hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified which his work they make common to every Masse-priest yea by ascribing merit and satisfaction to the works and sufferings of men laid up in the supposed treasury of their Church and by dividing the work of Intercession between him and the Angels and Saints Thirdly in part a King making the Pope to have a plenitude of power and Soveraignty both spiritual over mens consciences and temporal over their persons also and over all the Kingdoms of the earth 2. Which makes us so much 2. Both Popish and Lutheran and Arminian doctrine make us Men half Saviours with Christ if not more whilst they teach that mans nature is not so sinful and disabled by sin as it is ascribing much to nature and to the power of mans will giving him the casting voice or the casting of the balance in this work of grace saying Christ gives us grace indeed and power but so none is yet converted it is a common grace given to all so the grace and power is onely grace to believe if we will to repent and convert if we will to be saved and persevere if we will and so ascribe merit indeed to him and to his death but efficacie and application to themselves derogating from Christ to give to man whereas it is God onely that works and gives both power and will Phil. 2.13 1 Cor. 4.7 and that effectually worketh in us both to will and to do and that onely of his good pleasure his grace onely makes the difference Where such doctrine as this is taught 2. Hence a Trial of Doctrines and of Religions That Religion truest which gives most glory to God and teacheth and practiseth self-denail there is little hope of any good to be done to mens souls That which hath been taught may also be a Rule of discerning of true Religion or Doctrine and the false It is a sure and infallible Rule That Religion which takes away from our selves not onely teaching but working self-denial making men go out of themselves and truely humbling them and which gives all glory to God is the true Religion But such is our Religion and such is not the Popish Religion no nor Lutheran so far Do they not teach beside what is said of them already that they have no original sin in them after they are washed by Baptism VVhich 1. Popery doth not That men are able to fulfil and keep the Law fully in this life yea more do more then God commands even such things as they call works of supererogation whereby they merit heaven for themselves and others Whereas we teach that even after Baptism men have cause to cry out not onely of actual but original sin and to say with Paul Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death or from this body of death and to say as Christ saith to us When we have done all that we can do we are but unprofitable servants An Objection answered I know false Religions seem to teach self-denial but it is in word onely not in deed The Papists will humble the body by afflicting it many ways punishing and not sparing it Here is a shew of humility unlesse onely in shew and of self-denial yet it is but a shew being Will-worship and a voluntary humility arguing indeed much more pride then humility whilst they are as without command from God so puffed up thereby with an opinion of merit and of satisfaction whereby they derogate from Christ and arrogate to themselves whom therefore we justly charge as Paul did such Volunteers in humility as they imitate See Coloss 2 18-23 to be under such shews of humility vainly puft up by their fleshly mindes i. e. falsly humble truely proud humbled in body proud in minde and hearts which may call to them whilst they are whipping the body or macerating it in the words of King David when God sent a pestilence which destroyed seventy thousand of his people Lo I have sinned I have done wickedly 2 Sam. 24.17 but these sheep what have they done Let thine hand be against me and against my fathers house so we are still proud hearts wicked hearts c. what hath the body done without us Let thine hand be against us to humble us I say the like of Popish penance where in their confession to the Priest is a shew of humility and self-denial in shaming themselves yet in that their other work of penance or satisfaction is pride with a witnesse And though some other urge self-denial and humility and meeknesse in receiving the Word and in word seem to ascribe much to Gods grace 2. nor Arminianism yet what pride is this and errour to make this humility if not a cause yet a condition even of the grace of Gods election as it concerns particular persons at least a respect a point or term from which election flows and so no fruit or effect of it as yet true humily and all other graces are 3Vse to shew why so few are savingly pricked 3 Vse Here we see the true cause why few are savingly pricked in heart and truely humbled namely ignorance of the worth office excellency and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and of our own vilenesse sinfulnesse and damned condition whereof we are not nay will not be convinced as yet these here now were The truth is The reason is their ignoronce till we see and acknowledge Christ not onely in his natures and offices but in his exaltation and glory and as Lord over all and Judge of quick and dead as also our own basenesse sinfulnesse guiltinesse impotency desperate and damned condition we shall never be truely humbled in our selves or have nay not so much as seek interest in him or salvation by him 1. Of Christ and his glory 1. Ignorance of Christ and his glory against whom we daily sin is one main cause why men reject him and why he rejects them We see it in the Jews who 1 Cor. 2.8 if they had known him to be
by men with the Ground Reasons and Vse of the point The first title Men. Doctr. God teacheth us by Men. Men. MInisters Pastours Teachers Evangelists Prophets and Apostles yea Christ himself the great and onely Prophet the Apostle and high-Priest of our Profession all these were men of the same nature with our selves though withall Men of God by whom it pleased God according to his infinite wisdom and mercy to us to teach and instruct us men and to make known unto us his will and wisdom whom accordingly he indueth with gifts sutable and answerable to the present necessities of the Church either immediately and extraordinarily exciting stirring up enabling and sending them or otherwise calling furnishing and placing them in a more ordinary way and by usuall and externall means He teacheth us first by Christ his Son God-man who 1 By his Son in our nature being made of a woman is also the son of man So that howsoever God at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets yet in these last dayes he hath spoken unto us by his Son Hebr. 1.1 2. not but that he spake then also to them by him who is the onely Prophet and hath been mediately or immediately the sole Prophet of his universall Church on earth from the beginning This is that Prophet whom the Lord opposeth to all that use divination who is the onely Prophet unto whom we are to hearken and not to diviners Deut. 18.10 11 14 with 15 16 17 18 19. to all that observe times to enchanters witches charmers consulters with familiar spirits wizards necromancers and diviners and whom he promiseth saying by Moses unto the people desiring that they might not hear again the voyce of the Lord which when the Law was given was so terrible that even Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him c. Hebr. 12.19 -21. by whom onely in our nature wee come to see Gods glory Now that our chief or onely Prophet should be a man like unto us was very needful for us seeing he as God is a light inaccessible whom no eye can see and live his glory should over-whelm us but that in Christ it is vailed and clouded in his humanitie in which as in a glass he shews us the glory of his Father being the bright nesse of his glory and the expresse image of his person Heb. 1.3 in whom onely we come to see God who otherwise is invisible 1 Tim. 3.16 Joh. 1.14 We see him 1. In his goodnesse mercy and grace 1 In his Goodness and Mercy in that God for our sakes should become Man See Tit. 2.11 John 1.17 and 3.16 2 Tim. 1.9 10. 2. In his Justice 2 his Justice not forgiving sin simply but upon satisfaction made unto the same by man 1 Cor. 15.21.3 In his Wisdom 3 his Wisdom which appeased the strife between Justice which called for vengeance on all and Mercy which would have all saved for It or the Son who is the Wisdom of the Father satisfieth Justice by allowing and requiring the punishment of man seeing man had sinned and Mercy in that he himself would become man and our surety 4. In his Power inasmuch as this Son of God in our weak nature 4 his Power and as the son of man and by dying would overcome sin and vanquish the divell Vse To bridle our curiosity Which may bridle our curiositie in prying into the secrets of the God-head But now know that Christ leaving us in person hath left onely men his deputies to teach us the same and no other things then such as he taught them 2. By men as substitutes to Christ Why Matth. 28.19 20. Joh. 20 21. As my Father sent me so send I you Eph. 4.8.11 Now this he doth 1. For his own glory that such great works as are done by their Ministery as especially the conversion of souls might not be ascribed to such weak creatures 1. For his own glory 2 Cor. 4.7 but to himself Therefore saith Paul We have this treasure in carthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us 2. For our good 2. For his Churches good that by our familiarity with men of like affections and sympathy we might with more easiness learn and with lesse terrour hear reproofs and threatnings It s a mercy that God doth not teach us 1. By his own immediate voice 1. Gods own immediate voice as in giving the Law would make us exceedingly fear and quake as it did Moses It is a mercy then that he speaks not to us immediatly with his own thundring voice but by the voice of man which as the Israelites desired so are we to be thankfull for 2. By Angels 2. To teach us by Angels he thought it not so fit seeing thence would arise 1. Matter of terror and astonishment 2. Danger of adoration 3. By his Spirit alone 3. To teach us immediatly by his Spirit inwardly and in silence would expose us to Satans illusions and deceits For these and like reasons God is pleased to teach instruct and convert his Elect by the Ministery of man First and principally of his Son in our nature Secondly by such Deputies as he hath left and daily raiseth up in his room This is of speciall use both for Ministers themselves and for others 1. Ministers being by nature men Vse 1. Concerning Ministers who hence are taught though by office men of God must hence learn 1. Not to take upon them to teach or do any thing in their own name or to impose any point or article of faith on the church yea or ought else which directly bindeth conscience and restraineth it of that liberty which Christ in his word affordeth it 1. To speak and doe all in Christs name This only is Gods royalty and prerogative We are men and may err Every man is a liar Rom. 3.4 Our doctrine is to be tried yet not by every private mans fancy but only according to the only rule and touchstone of truth not in their own the written word of God which accordingly is to be searched And if any speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isai 8.20 For us Ministers We must not preach our selves but Christ Jesus the Lord and our selves your servants for Jesus sake 2 Cor. 4 5. What as many in word pretend and perhaps inwardly so flatter themselves whilest they find their Bishopricks such burdens to them and such of their Clergy as will not indeed cannot yeeld to their injunctions so far as to master them and to overcome by their sufferings No but truly and without all court-complement servants to the
all self-respects unto those four generals which formerly have been but onely named they being such and the onely things for which we are to deny our selves and which respectively we are to admire and in our thoughts Four things especially to be admired and sought above all without which no self-denyall estimations and endeavours to prefer before all things else And these are 1 God in his Perfections and Glory 2 Christ in his Excellency and All-sufficiency 3 Our own souls in the excellency and salvation of them 4 The Church of Christ on earth in the whole and in the particular members of it Instance first in these Jews who being convinced did see and acknowledge And first let us see here whether these here in my Text whilest they denyed themselves were not the rather moved and enabled thereunto by being first or at least withall inwardly convinced and also made to see and in heart to acknowledge all these Not doubting but that they diligently attended unto the things which were spoken by Peter and the rest without which no conversion their hearts were 1 God in his glory Ver. 16. and 2 3 4. without all question opened to see 1 The glory soveraignty and truth of God who now according to what was so long before spoken by the Prophet Joel did shew wonders in heaven and from heaven by the rushing mighty wind appearance of fiery tongues sitting upon each of them and especially by their speaking of so many and diverse languages on a sudden now they are told and are convinced that the wonders and miracles of Christ were wrought by God that God by his determinate counsell did deliver Christ into their hands and Ver. 22 23 24.33 34. and now had raised him up and by his right hand exalted and set him on his right hand and made him both Lord and Christ 2 Christs glory and excellency 2 Withall they could not but see the excellency and glory of Christ now sitting at the right hand of the glory of God and made both Lord and Christ and now according to the promise of the Father shedding forth this even the holy Ghost and all such things as they did now see and hear Vers 33 c. yea sitting also as Judge over all his foes till they be made his footstool 3 Their need of being saved Ver. 23.36 3. Now also being convinced that they by wicked hands had crucified him their Saviour yea and Judge they see their souls in a damned condition that nothing in themselves or on earth could be given in exchange for their souls as equivalent thereunto unlesse it were this blood of Christ which they had shed whereof being yet somewhat doubtfull and yet seeing a necessity of saving their souls they preferring their souls now before the whole world cry out Men and Brethren what shall we do and as the Jaylour in like case Sirs What must I doe to be saved 4 The worth of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ 4 And thus they also both highly account of these Apostles seeking direction from them and of those other Disciples with them not regarding any longer as not their own so not the wisdome authority or favour of their Priests and learned Scribes and holy Pharisees as they would seem to whom they joyn themselves yea also they joyned themselves unto the Church and preferred the communion thereof before and their carnall friends saving themselves from that untoward generation admiring onely among men the saints of God delighting now onely in those that were excellent on earth looking on all others as the foes of Christ and such as shortly after should be made his footstool Verse 35. seeing no more any thing in any of them for which they should deny Christ as formerly they had done Matth. 27.20 Acts 3.14 but such baseness in them and such worth in Christ as for whom they resolved to deny themselves and all others whatsoever and for whom they deny all carnall friends and to prefer one Saint or true Christian before all ungodly ones and enemies to Christ how great wise learned noble otherwise howsoever they be Therefore let us who are taught and cannot but know what especially to chuse and prefer as excellent Hence let us learn to subordinate all and that the rather by their example highly esteem only of those four things named subordinating our own desires judgements affections and whole selves and all things else thereunto especially whilest withall we compare and consider our own and the creatures vileness weakness inferiority and unworthiness striving and indeavouring to be nothing in our selves or in the creature but all out of our selves especially in God and in Christ 1. The Name of the Lord alone is excellent or exalted his glory is above the earth and heaven Psal 148.13 1. To God and his glory Only admiring him in his perfections as Let us then only admire him and not our selves or any thing else but only in him and let his glory be dearer to us then all the world besides He is wise in heart and mighty in strength Job 9.4 Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out he is excellent in power and in judgement Job 37.23 24. 1 In his wisedome that we may deny our own wisedome and reason 1. Now considering first his wisedome and learning once to admire it who can or ought stand upon any wisedome of his own who should not deny his own thoughts Isai 55.7 Who dares reason dispute or reply against his doings or bark against his word who should not tremble at it and confessing his own darkness of heart Rom. 1.21 ignorance 1 Cor. 2.14 and blindness of mind Eph. 4.18 2 Cor. 3.14 Who should not cry out thy judgements are a great deep Psal 36.6 Thy footsteps are not known Psal 77.19 O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! c. Rom. 11.33 34 With Job Who is he that hideth counsell without knowledge therefore have I uttered that I understood not things too wonderfull for me which I knew not wherefore I abhorre my self and repent in dust and ashes Job 42.3 4 5 6. 2 In his power 2. I know saith Job again Thou canst do every thing Job 42.2 He taketh away who can hinder him If God will not withdraw his anger to humble us that we stand not out against him either the proud helpers or helpers of pride or strength do stoup under him If I speak of strength lo he is strong saith Job also ch 9.12 13. 19. Now who thus acknowledging will not but humble himself under his mighty hand 1 Pet. 5.5 6. Who dares harden himself against him 1. By impenitency Or 2. by presumption either by impenitency and not rather upon this consideration of his power prepare to meet God by repentance as Amos 4.12 with 13 or by presumption and fighting against this mighty King and
lost nothing in him thou hast all he to thee is in stead of all I am sure such a one is and will be Christ unto us if once we make him ours 3 In all our Wants And as in our losses so in our wants on earth all which are supplyed unto us from Christ and his fulnesse so that with one Attalus we may oppose the name Christian to all things else and with him say whilest others brag of their wealth honour friends c. But I am a Christian and with Paul in want I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content c. I can do all things both be full and hungry abound and suffer need through Christ which strengtheneth me Phil. 4.11 12 13. 4 In Death Yea and as in life so in death we by denying our selves may and should seek to be gainers by gaining him as Paul Phil. 1.21 For me to live is Christ and to die is gain Christ takes away the sting of death and of most terrible makes it desirable and changeth the condition of it so that one in Christ may desire with Paul to depart and to be with Christ and having once truly by faith seen Christ with Simeon say Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Luke 2.29 30. In which regard death when especially we are called to suffer it for his Names sake should be no death to us so that by it we may more fully and immediately enjoy Christ and in death truly say 1 Cor. 15.18 1 Thes 4.16 as Peter of old and one Lambert of later times None but Christ Nothing but Christ For blessed are they that die in the Lord nay blessed are they being dead from henceforth saith the Spirit that they may nest from their labours and their works do follow them 5 After death where our gain is Glory Revel 14.13 Then our gain is glory and an eternall retribution then do wee enter into our Masters joy which like a sea is so great that it cannot enter into us Who need now fear who can but deny himself for such a Christ And if thus we can once truly conceive of Christ as these young converts in my Text began to do It will be no hard matter to us to deny our selves for him SECT 13. Shewing we are Thirdly to deny our selves in other things for the eternall good of our souls 3 Our souls are to be thought more precious then the whole world NOw in the third place Next after Gods glory and Christ our own Souls compared with all things of this life would be thought on and respected as more excellent then them all which all of them even the whole world it self must be denyed and lightly esteemed and accounted of in comparison of it which is to be denyed for it The world and things of it being unworthy that the soul should either be hazarded for them All things of this life are nothing to it for worth and price seeing Christs blood and not the world or ought in it could redeem it 1 Pet. 1.18 19. And therefore it should not either be hazarded or so much as imployed seriously about the things of this world and life which are not worth a mans labour Prov. 23.4 or that especially the soul being a spirituall and immortall substance should be made a drudge to earth or seek any happinesse from things mortall and momentany Man and the powers of his soul are made and redeemed by Christ as for other ends even for God and his glory who made man for himself and not for the world to love follow seek and serve it so for higher objects and that is himself too that the end of his labours might be the fruition of God himself in glory and of his own eternall happinesse in God or that either the noble faculties of it should be much imployed about worldly things as the Vnderstanding Memory How unworthy a thing then is it how dissonant and disproportionable that the faculties of the soul should be seriously imployed about the world or the best things in it that either the understanding and thoughts and so mans head should plot or be filled with cares of this life Luke 12.22 or that the memory should be so burthened that with the thought thereof a mans heart taketh not rest in the night Eccles 2.23 Or that the Conscience should be defiled therewith Conscience yea galled and secretly nipped in the guiltinesse of goods ill gotten and not by right or of our precious time mis-spent about earthly things with neglect of better Will Or that the Will of man whose object should be God should so absolutely and so resolutely propend and lean to such things 1 Tim. 6.9 Or that his Affections of Love Affections Desire and Delight should be so intensive towards and in the same 1 Tim. 6.10 Psal 4.6 Or or yet our Labour All which being rightly imployed would bring us to better things that the Heart should be set thereon Psal 62.10 Or lastly that a mans labour should so much be imployed about them Psal 127.2 when especially the things of this life so impensively sought and the Soul cannot both be enjoyed or had together each requiring the soul especially the whole man Matth. 6.24 33. 1 John 2.15 16 17. with Jam. 4.4 Yea and considering that the noble powers of mans soul being rightly imployed and mans labour and pains wisely ordered would with much lesse adoe bring him to much better riches honours happiness even to true wisdom and saving knowledge to righteousnesse joy in the holy Ghost and at length to eternall life and salvation Why then should we so over-value the world and under-value our precious souls as not to deny our selves in all things of this world rather then either mis-imploy our chief care or hazard the life of our souls for the gaining of the world This was the care of these self-denying Converts and should be ours who should ever oppose the excellency and preciousness of our souls against all worldly allurements temptations and offers which the world can make us But of our care of it I have spoken but lately SECT 14. Shewing Fourthly that the publick good of others of Church and Common-wealth is to be preferred before our own 4 The publick good of Church Common-wealth and publick persons is to be preferred before all private respects all which are to be denyed for the other FOurthly and lastly We are much to propose unto our selves the publick good of others especially of the true Church of God on earth which should of us in our thoughts and affections be preferred above our chief joy Psal 137.6 in respect to which all the enemies of it and of Gods people should be basely accounted of though otherwise and in other respects and references neer and deer unto us yea and prayed against as there ver 7. Nay our
own private and particular cause of joy should not be thought on but laid aside when it goes not well with Jerusalem and Sion as it was with the Wife of Phinehas as in divers examples Phinehas his Wife who for grief to hear that the Ark of God was seized on by the Philistims fell in labour and would not be comforted in a son which she bare she set not her heart to that neither did she regard it But to shew what she most laid to heart she named the childe Ichabod that is Where is the glory or There is no glory saying The glory is departed from Israel for the Ark of God is taken and so she died 1 Sam. 4.20.21 22. Nehemiah The like we see in that worthy Nehemiah Neh. 1.3 4. who understanding the misery of Jerusalem though he himself was in great favour with Artaxerxes the King and that it was well with himself yet sate down and wept and mourned certain days and prayed before the God of heaven on the behalf of his distressed brethren The like I might shew in Abraham interceding for Sodom Abraham and specially for Lot and in all likelihood not sleeping the night before Gen. 18. Ezekiel Moses Paul Joshua Josh 7 5 6 9. So in Ezekiel and the mourners Ezek. 9.4 8. In Moses and Paul of whom before And in Joshua and the Elders sorrowfully complaining in fear the enemies should environ them round and cut off their name from the earth so that God should not have a Church on earth to serve and honour him And thus by Gods blessing and mercy the care of our dread Soveraign Our own Land at this time and of this our Nation hath shewed it self concerning the distressed estate of Gods Church and people in Ireland not onely by and in the monthly exercise of prayer not sparing either Prayers fasting and supplication for them to draw down a blessing from God upon them and themselves but by supplies made both of money Money or munition and men who to represse those Popish and Romish Rebels and inhumane monsters have hazarded their lives Lives for Ireland yea many of them for the publick good and peace of that Church and people and re-establishing of the true Religion among them and securing it to our selves have already spent their best blood and lost their lives and as we see it in nature Thus in the humane Body the hand will expose it self to save the head and the whole body yea in Nature and in the Vniverse the water and fire will forsake their own proper motion and nature fire will descend and water ascend rather then there be any discontinuity or vacuity in the whole Yea every creature is ordained of God to be serviceable to the more superiour and not for it self alone The Earth is for the corn wine and oyle and these for Gods people Birds beasts bees are fruitfull not for themselves but for us men neither is every man born for himself but for others also and for the more publick good of State and Church Every good man is a common good and of a publick spirit for the good of many This makes such an one a Man among men one of a thousand Let us thus conceive as of the naturalnesse and necessity so of the excellency of this publick spirit Private interests to be denyed for publick persons Example in the Galatians once that so for the publick good of many especially of those that are good and publick persons we may be content to deny our selves in our own particular interests as the Galatians were once so affected to Paul that to have done him good or that it had been possible they would have plucked out their own eys and have given them to him they had him in such love and estimation in Priscilla and Aquila Gal. 4.15 as also had Priscilla and Aquila who for Pauls sake laid down their own necks Rom. 16.4 so ingaging in acknowledgment of thankfulnesse not onely him but also all the Churches of the Gentiles whose Apostle he was However as the need of such requires in an high estimation of them as publick good things and profitable to many let us be willing so far to deny our selves for them as in our wealth and that is but duty to contribute to them and communicate to them in all good things or in all our goods Gal. 1.6 and afford them double honour 1 Tim. 5.17 and in our names by answering for them in our lives if need be by speaking or pleading for them as did Queen Esther Thus to do namely to subordinate a mans self to the more publick and generall good of the Church Signes of self-denyal gathered from the four generall things named cause and people of God is an evident expression of one that denies himself truely as is also the practice of those other things formerly mentioned as Greater care to gain a mans own soul then the world High estimation of Christ of his excellency fulness and All-sufficiency with a true sence of a mans own emptiness worthlessness folly especially an high estimation of Christ with a mean conceit of our selves impotency wretchedness basenesse or in want of the sence of these with a true desire to know the worst by a mans own self as in Eli 1 Sam. 3.17 18. Job 34.32 and Psal 139.23 and by being well-affected to the means of discovery of him to himself and not willingly and willfully ignorant of what may debase him and advance Christ and respect to Gods glory Lastly Subordination of a mans self and all unto Gods will and glory of a mans wealth liberty name yea life rather then deny God in his truth glory worship as wee see in Daniel Dan. 6.10 and in the holy Martyrs of Jesus Christ not being ashamed to confess Christ and to advance Gods glory in any company or upon any occasion The conclusion of this point of self-deniall But now it may seem high time to leave this discourse of self-deniall in this place where it is not so directly and by way of precept taught as gathered and presupposed in these who were so savingly touched by the word and driven out of themselves so as to cry out Men and brethren what shall we do But as I have said the uncertainty of my long abode with you and of having occasion more purposely to handle the argument together with the exceeding great usefulness and profit as I hope of the duty have drawn me on to be so large This if it seem to be prolixity shall be recompenced with brevity in the dispatch of the third and last observation concerning the qualification of those whom God doth save with which all shall be finished CHAP. XXXVII SECT 1. Shewing thirdly that such as God converteth and saveth must be willing and pliable to Gods will and ready to submit to him in matter of 1. Salvation 2. Religion and