haue a reasonable soule And whereas many Mat. 6.32 howbeit professed Christians are affected and inclined only to things naturall sensuall and such as are founded on reason what can we conclude of them but that they liue a life only naturall as do plants sensuall as do beasts and reasonable as do the heathen and haue no spirituall life at all Seeing their appetite doth not carry them toward the things of God Col. 3.1 it is certaine they liue not the life of God Rom. 8.5 and professe what they will Christ liueth not in them by his Spirit otherwaies their desire would be towards him their delight would bee in him and his fruits would be swéet to their taste Let vs study then to know our owne misery Iesus Christ his excellency then our desire and languor will bee toward him our delight will bee in him The soule that is weary of the burthen of sinne will hunger and thirst after his righteousnesse will earnestly desire to rest and repose vnder his shadow The Spirit that feeleth the piercing Arrowes of Gods wrath for sinne will aboue all things seeke to bee couered with the sauing shadow of his mercy O how sweet will his comfortable fruits be to the hungry and distressed soule that seeth no life no refreshment no consolation but in him and through him Now the Lord of life that Father of mercies and God of all consolation so moue vs so direct vs so affect vs that aboue all things we may seeke him and finde him to his euerlasting glory and our eternall felicity Amen A sweet and heauenly Prayer made for the helpe and direction of the weaker sort of Christians in knowledge and comfortable also for the stronger O Lord God most glorious and mercifull who searchest the hearts and knowest the thoughts of the sonnes of men wee thy vnworthy seruants doe here at this present most humbly present our selues before thee ashamed and grieued for our manifold sins committed against thee Lord if thou shouldst enter into iudgement with vs according to our deseruings wee were not able to abide it if thou O GOD shouldst strictly marke wherein the best of vs all haue erred before thee O Lord who were able to endure it for we are loath some leprous and out of measure sinfull our minds so blinded that we know nothing that may make for our blisse our iudgements so shallow that we cannot conceiue and rightly adiudge of holy and heauenly things our memories so dull and dead that wee can hold no good thought or holy meditation our hearts so hardned that neither thy mercies nor iudgements can bring vs to obedience our wills so peruerted that wee freely desire nothing but euill our affections so corrupted that we lust for and delight in nothing but wickednesse our words so vaine and our workes so vile that wee practise daily nothing but sinfull rebellion against thee Lord therefore for Iesus Christ his sake bee mercifull vnto vs thus miserable sinners wee are weary of these our sinfull conditions and laden with these our damnable abominations Lord be thou our refreshing Perswade our hearts deare God by faith that our sinnes are forgiuen vs our soules reconciled vnto thee and our names written in the booke of life we are instant suters vnto thee for this thy mercy as was Moses vpon the Mount Lord shew vs thy glory and say vnto our amazed soules that thou art our saluation And we most humbly beseech thee to sanctifie vs all with thy holy and heauenly feare let thy Word and Spirit dwell in vs in all wisdome plenteously that thereby our vile affections may be purified our wicked minds renued and our sinfull liues most graciously amended that as formerly we haue giuen our selues to prophanenesse so euer hereafter we may apply our selues to holinesse O that our waies were made so direct that euerlastingly we may keepe they commandements O that wee could doe thy will on earth as thine Angels and glorified soules doe it in Heauen Lord blesse with vs all thy Church and chosen blesse this sinfull nation blesse all our friends and kindred blesse this house and family blesse all afflicted members especially such as are wounded in conscience for their sinnes continue thy blessed Gospell vnto vs and make vs truly thankfull for all thy mercies And this night wee beseech thee redouble thy blessings vpon vs that are humbled in prayer before thee blesse vs in body blesse vs in soule blesse vs in the basket blesse vs in the store blesse vs in whatsoeuer belong vnto vs within doores and without giue vnto our bodies a comfortable rest and sleepe pitch thine Angels about our tents that nothing may destroy them and keepe our soules from sleeping in sinne and the seducings of Satan that wee being blessed of thee in soule and body in this world may haue the surer hope and truer hold of euerlasting saluation from thee at that screeching day of iudgement to come and that for Iesus Christ his sake who we hope at this present intercedeth to thee for vs for a prosperous blessing from thee vpon vs to whom with thee and thy holy spirit three persons but one God we desire to returne all glory honour dominion and thanksgiuing this night and euerlastingly to come both here on earth and hereafter hopefully in Heauen Amen FINIS
oile powred on a fire it is so farre from quenching that it increaseth the flame The reason is first because there is no proportion betwixt the spirit of man and these things it being eternall and heauenly these being temporall and earthly Secondly because nothing can rest but in the owne place whence it hath its beginning and on things sutable to its nature therefore stones metals and all earthly things thrust vp in the aire do not rest till they returne to their originall earth againe the center of their motion Iob. 5.7 and hence it is that a fiery flame is in a continuall restlesse motion shaking and shiuering alwaies tending vpward toward its naturall place euen so Eccl. 12.7 the spirit of man which is from aboue cannot rest but on things aboue The heart which God hath made for himselfe hath no rest but on God himselfe as the Needle of a Mariners compasse cannot be still and stedfast except it point directly toward the Northerne starre O then my soule since in thy vnstable and restlesse motion thou hast wandred too long from thy Lord séeking rest elsewhere and hast found none Psal 116.7 Returne to thy rest my soule the Lord is thy rest hée is the center that must stay thy vnstable and restlesse motion This Doctrine confutes and reproues First all Papists in generall Secondly politike Papists that dwell among vs in particular Thirdly vs all in vniuersall so farre as we are carnall and worldly minded Hereby are conuinced all Papists in generall that rest not on Christ that seeke not their perfection and saluation in him but elsewhere they mixe the bloud of Christ with the bloud of Martyrs his merits with theirs They make many Mediators Sauiours beside him and so forsaking the Fountaine of liuing waters Ier. 2.13 they dig vnto themselues dry Cesternes that can hold no water Fulnesse of saluation is only and wholly in Christ Col. 1.19 wholy in him Col. 2 9.1â— for it pleased the father that all fulnes should be in him in him we are compleat Heb. 7.25 and he is able to saue perfectly them that come vnto God by him only in him for there is no saluation in another Act. 4.12 and among men there is giuen no other name vnder Heauen whereby we may be saued He is as Noahs Arke out of the which there was not safety as Iacobs Ladder by the which only we haue accesse to Heauen 1 Cor. â— 13 Was Paul crucified for vs or were we baptized in his name Our Lord was crucified betweene two Theeues not two Apostles as for the Apostles one of them betrayed him another of them denied him the rest withdrew themselues the time of his suffering to shew that his bloud only is the price of our redemption that he alone trod the Vinepresse of Gods wrath Isa 63.3 and that of all the people there was none with him this is the old faith and therefore the only sound Religion Will we looke to Dauid the sweet singer of Israel a man according to Gods owne heart will we follow either his practise or his precept by both he teacheth vs this Religion Concerning his practise he saith to the Lord Psal 23.25 Whom haue I in Heauen but thee and on earth I haue desired none with thee and giuing a Precept he saith Let Israel wait vpon the Lord Psal 130.7 8. for with the Lord is the great redemption and he will redeeme Israel from all his iniquities Let other Nations wait on whom they please let the Egyptians wait vpon their Isis and Osiris let the Moabites and Midianites wait vpon their Baalpeor let the Amonites attend on Moloch the Sidonians on their Ashtaroth the Philistims on Dagon Ezek. 22.3 Geâ—â—â—im â—◠〈◊〉 the Turkes on their Mahomet the other Pagans on a thousand other such dirty gods of their owne inuention and let the Papists as fondly doting on Idols as they wait on as many such gods of their owne creation let all Idolaters I say wait vpon their Idols it becommeth the Israel of God to wait on the God of Israel it becommeth all true Christians to wait on Christ their Lord to rest on him alone He is Iacobs stone on which he rested they that rest on this stone shall finde with Iacob Heauen opened a ready passage to Heauen and the Angels of God attending them to furnish and further them in this way Secondly this Doctrine makes against politike Papists dwelling among vs who make religion to serue their policie take in Christ the last and of all ends to be a mids and meane to their crafty designes as many come to the musters for feare of poynding so these come with vs to the Church to the Word and Sacrament for feare of the Kings Law They professe the Gospell of Christ with vs that they may enioy their state among vs like Iudas that followed Christ for the bagge a better purse of mony will make Iudas betray his Master Iupiter say the heathen Prophets moralizing by fables could not obtaine the loue of Danae till he turned himselfe in a shoure of gold oh but then she kept him in her bosome If Christ were not turned in gold he should not be welcommed by these our symbolizing false brethren if the Gospell were not accompanied with security of estate with profits preferments and other emoluments they would not receiue it they would not professe it This is not to rest on Christ and his truth but on these worldly emoluments for the which they professe Christ and his truth These men as the messens of Mammon follow Christ because their master Mammon is in his company but when Christ and Mammon shall part company like Demas they will leaue Christ and follow Mammon 2 Tim. 4.10 and then the world shall see that not Christ but Mammon was their master Who loue Christ who seeke him who follow him must loue him must seeke him must follow him for himselfe otherwaies they doe not no they cannot rest vpon him Lastly this Doctrine fighteth against the worldly-mindednesse of vs all while as we seeke other things to leane vnto and to rest vpon beside Christ for euen Israel the people of God sometimes beside God can leane to Egypt 2. King 18. â—1 a staffe of reed which breaking faileth them and thrusteth through their hand Whateuer we leane to beside Christ it is as a staffe of reede it helpeth not but hurteth Is it wisdome is it learning is it riches is it friendship Whatsoeuer a man trusteth vnto beside the Lord it shall disappoint him in the end it shall proue not helpfull but hurtfull vnto him as did Hamans honour Goliahs greatnesse Ester 7. 1 Sam. 17. 2 Sam. 17. and Achitophels wisdome We must not loue the world then nor yet the things of this world 1 Cor. 7.31 for the shape of this world passeth away and whatsoeuer is in the world as the
The Trauellers ioy OR A SERMON on the third Verse of the second Chapter of Salomons song By Master IOHN ADAMSON Minister of the Word of God at Liberton CANT 2.3 As the Apple tree among the trees of the wood so is my welbeloued among the sonnes of men vnder his shadow I delighted and sate downe and his fruit was sweet vnto my taste LONDON Printed by Iohn Hauiland for Henry Bell. 1623. TO THE RIGHT VVorshipfull Sir Dauid Murray Knight all happinesse in this world and in the world to come perpetuall glory Worshipfull Sir AS there is no vice more odious and detestable in the sight of God more hurtfull and pernicious to the Common-wealth and more repugnant and contrary to nature and reason than ingratitude that mother sinne or rather monster of all mischiefe so there is no vertue more praise-worthy more requisite and more commendable in a Christian than thankfulnesse that is a requitall of one good turne with another a rendring at least a willing desire to render if meanes and ability faile of one gift in lue and recompence of another whereto the Prophet Dauid tieth the godly as to a duty which they must of necessity doe Psal 33.1 It becommeth saith hee the vpright men to bee thankefull and the Apostle Paul reckoneth the vnthankfull amongst the number of those from whom wee should turne away 2. Tim. 3.2 whose number alas in these perillous times increaseth too fast Against the neglect of this precious Iewell the Lord himselfe bitterly enueigheth by his holy Prophet Esaias Esa 1.2 3. saying I haue nourished and brought vp children and they haue rebelled against me yea he preferreth brute beasts in the returne of their duty before them saying The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters crib but Israel knoweth not me And our Sauiour Christ hauing cured ten Lepers and finding one onely thankfull encouraging the one he saith Arise Luk. 17.17 19. goe thy way thy faith hath made thee whole and checking the others ingratitude he saith Where are the nine The Gentiles so worthily hated and abhorred this vice that they adiudged those whom they found more willing to receiue than willing to requite execrable vnto God iniurious to nature and vnprofitable members of a common-wealth the which is cleere by the example of Naaman who being cleansed of his leprosie 2 Kin. 5.15 turned againe to the man of God and would haue giuen him a reward yea and would haue constrained him to receiue it Finally this vice is so detestable to the very beasts that they striue to shunne the foule imputation hereof as Androdus his Lion of which Gellius lib. 5 noct attic cap. 14. mentioneth and Porus an Indian Kings Elephant of which Erasmus in the sayings of Alexander manifestly sheweth And surely if it be so odious in Gods sight so detestable and hatefull to the Heathens and brute beasts what should not Christians doe to auoid and shun it The consideration hereof together with your Worships fauour to my Vnkle being aliue and earnest care of his Orphane his centuries hee now being dead and kindnesse to mee vnworthy thereof since I came to this Country hath emboldned or rather constrained mee to dedicate this little Booke albeit the talent of another mans zealous inuention to your Worship wherein is contained the miserable estate of those who are without Christ and the ioy ease peace contentment and happinesse of those who delight in him humbly beseeching your Worship to accept of my good will herein at this time hoping if God permit ere long to propine you with an increase which in some measure shall bee proportionable to your sowing Thus ceasing I beseech the Lord to continue you in your godly course and endue you with all blessings which either this earth affordeth or Heauen containeth Your Worships most bounden A. S. THE TRAVELLERS IOY CANT 2.3 As the Apple tree among the trees of the wood so is my welbeloued among the sonnes of men vnder his shadow I delighted and sate downe and his fruit was sweet vnto my taste IN the first Verse the Bridegroome Christ praised his Bride his Church or the faithfull soule Here shee praiseth him for none can praise him but they who haue béene before commended of him and without controuersie who are commended of him are praise-worthy So God accepteth no praise but of those that are praise-worthy First the Lord bestoweth grace vpon vs to make vs commendable and then he praiseth vs for his owne graces in vs and all to this end that we may resolue our hearts and open our mouthes in praise of his gracious goodnesse as here doth the Church The argument of her Lords commendation the Church taketh from his comfortable fruits which are first generally propounded next particularly expounded Propounded in comparison As is the Apple-trée of the Garden in respect of the trees of the forest so is Christ my loue saith the Church in regard of other men but the trées of the forest are naught in respect of the Apple-trée of the Garden So are all other men in regard of Christ they are naughty barren fruitlesse and vnprofitable This Proposition first sheweth vs a method how to meditate on Christ that we may the better attaine to the knowledge of him Would we sée what excellency is in him Let vs compare him with any thing beside him Things which simply looked on séeme to be most profitable pleasant perfect high illustrious glorious compared with him are base imperfect vnprofitable and naughty As the most bright starres of the Firmament vanish and disappeare in the sight of the Sunne so is the glory of all creatures eclipsed in his presence The Prophet Dauid to expresse his beauty compareth him with all other men and saith Psal 45.2.7 He is fairer then the children of men to expresse his vnction and gifts he saith He is anointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes So if ye will know what a foode he is compare him with Manna Psal 78 24. Manna considered by it selfe is called the Wheat of Heauen and the Bread of Angels Ioh. 6 3◠but in comparison of him the Lord denies it to be an heauenly Bread it could not preserue it selfe from stinke and rottennesse much lesse vs from death where Christ the Bread of life doth both Ioh. 6 4◠50. Would we know what a Garment he is compare him with the most excellent Garment The Lillies of the field may contend with Salomons Roabe royall Mar. 6.29 but no Garment may compare with Christ our wedding Garment Mat. 22.12 and Rom. 13.14 Other Garments may defend vs from the iniury of the aire may adorne vs and make vs beautifull in the eyes of men may couer the blemishes of our bodies but this Garment being put on can defend vs from the stormy tempest of Gods wrath can make vs beautifull yea glorious in the eyes of God and not onely couer but cure the
blemishes of our soules There is nothing in this world profitable pleasant commendable high or glorious whereby our Lord is not parabolically named in the Scripture yet all being compared with him all their excellency greatnesse and goodnesse disappeares euanishes and seemes nothing Rom. 1.19 The vse of this Doctrine is not onely to lead vs by the hand of the creatures vnto the knowledge of Christ but also to teach vs to discerne if we haue attained to the right knowledge of him after wee haue knowne him if we estéeme of any thing beside him we know him not as we ought to know him Phil. 3.7 8. Saint Paul accounted highly of many things before he knew Iesus Christ but after he had attained to the knowledge of him he accounted them all to be dung to be dammage to be nothing Secondly obserue what man is by nature and in himselfe He is as a barren and vnprofitable tree of the Wood Psal 14.2 3 the Lord looked downe from Heauen vpon the children of men to see if there were any that would vnderstand and séeke God but what findeth he after search all are gone out of the way all are corrupt and become abominable there is none that doth good no not one Howsoeuer the vnregenerate man please himselfe here is Gods Testimony of him in respect of good he is vnprofitable for he doth no good in respect of euill hee is erronious close out of the way And the reason of both his ineptitude to the one and promptitude to the other is in himselfe for he is corrupt and stinketh Ioh. 15.4 5. A man out of Christ can bring forth no good fruit without him we can doe nothing hee may well produce the broad leaues of lusty and worldly wise words He may spread the branches of his worldly glory to the ends of the earth yea and touch the Heauens with the top of his pride like Nebuchad-nezzar Dan. 4.8 9 17 18 19. but in respect of good fruit all are as trées of the Wood barren and vnprofitable To this well agréeth Saint Iude Iude 12. who describing naturall men in whom the supreme faculty is a naturall or reasonable soule they are saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are in respect of good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fruitlesse trees but in respect of euill they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is trées of corrupt fruit of corrupting fruit or corrupt in the haruest Their fruit is corrupt in it selfe and corrupteth others with its contagion as rotten fruit corrupteth the whole as a little Leuen doth leuen the whole masse and as a little gangrene in the flesh corrupteth the whole body Their fruits are as the Apples of Sodome faire and pleasant without but crushed in péeces are full of stinke and rottennesse neither is their fruit only corrupt in respect of the internall quality and corrupting in respect of the externall operation but also in regard of the season they are corrupt in the haruest when other trees are most abundant in good bringing forth fruit for meat and leaues for medicine then are they most luxuriant in euill O alas that there should bee so many such trées euen amongst vs Luke 13.7 in the midst of the Orchard of God! while as other good Christians are séeking the Lord now when he offereth himselfe to bee found in the Word and Sacraments euen now in this haruest of grace they are fruitlesse in good albeit luxuriant in euill while as others are sacrificing praise to God they are sacrificing to Mammon to their Nets to their Bellies A good man is as a good tree planted at the riuers of waters Psal 1.3 and bringing forth good fruit in due season but these bring forth euill fruit at all seasons and can finde no season for good Luk. 13. â— Thirdly consider how Christ Iesus is opponed to these men yea to all men He is as the fruitfull Apple trée of the Garden they as the barren trées of the Wood no trée comparable to the Apple-trée for pleasantnesse of the fruit thereof to the eye to the smell to the taste no trée like it against thirst against hunger against faintheartednesse and sicknesse The Apples of this trée will banish hunger quench thirst and comfort the sicke and languishing heart Therefore the hungry the thirsty and faint soule putteth vp a Petition to her Lord in the fifth Verse Stay me with Flagons Cant. â—â— and comfort me with Apples for I am sicke of loue In respect of these singular vertues hee is called the Trée of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God Reu. â—â— and in the midst of the stréet of the new Ierusalem Reu. 22.2 bearing twelue manner of fruits euery month and sending forth leaues that heale the nations Oh what a store of meat and medicine is here Oh what haruests of comfortable fruits twelue times twelue that is 144. haruests of consolations are brought out by this trée euery yeere Here is abundance of medicine against the poison of the tree of knowledge whereby our parents in Paradise brought death on themselues and their whole posteritie The fruit of that trée hath poisoned vs all no medicine can make vs whole and frée vs of that poison but only the fruit and leafe of this Apple-trée this Trée of Life Christ Iesus Num. 21.8 He is as the brasen Serpent they that were stung with the fiery Scorpions could not bee cured but by looking vp to it neither can we that are stung by that old Serpent be made whole but by looking vp to Christ He is as the waters of Iordan 2. King 5.12 albeit Naaman in his carnall conceit once said are not Abanah and Pharpar riuers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel yet by experience he found there was no curing of his Leprosie but by washing himselfe in Iordan and if we contemne the bloud of Iesus Heb. 10.26 there remaineth no more sacrifice for our sinnes Of that Trée of Knowledge God said If ye eate ye shall die But of this Trée of life he saith Ioh. 6.53 Except yee eate ye shall die Wee esteeme our Parents fooles because they did eat where God forbade to eat There was medicine for eating of that Trée of Knowledge but no medicine for no eating of this trée of Life This trée although in the beginning it was but a little graffe springing out of the roote of Iesse Isa 11.1 yet being couered with earth in the buriall grew to a great Trée in the resurrection the top whereof in the Ascension grew in height aboue the Heauens and in the preaching of the Gospell sent forth branches to the outmost ends of the earth Hos 14.7.8 that all Nations might rest vnder his shadow and enioy his comfortable fruits to euerlasting life we can haue no life but from this Trée of Life Thus concerning the proposition followeth the particular exposition thereof wherein is