with beggars wives preserre fellowship with their husbands above fellowship with servants fellowship with Christ is the longing desire of every gracious soule they say of this as Peter did of the mount it is good being here the desire of their soules is to dwell with Christ to live continually in the blessed presence of Christ and as they give him preheminence in their choise feare love possession and communion so they are willing to leave and lay downe all for him Fifthly in regard of that gaine which commeth to a gracious man by leaving and laying downe his goods liberty or life for Christs sake the more he leaves for Christ the more he shall receive the greatest loosers for Christ are the greatest gainers by Christ it is our Saviours promise whosoever shall loose father or mother or house or lands c. for my Names sake shall bare an hundred fold more in this life and life everlasting hereafter the seed thus sowne returnes with a plentifull harvest this is the best adventure to make a rich merchant the least gaine of Christ is recompence enough for a whole worlds losse the having of Christ make every condition gainfull Christ saith St. Paul is both is life and death advantage Israel by leaving Egypt got a land flowing with milke and honey Moseâ— by leaving the honour of Pharaohs Court got greater honour in becomming both a leader and a wonder-worker before the children of Israel in the wildernesse Peter by leaving his nets became a fisher of men the Lord hath many wayes to make the grestest losses of his servants most advantagious by death it selfe a gracious man hath a gaine oâ—much light he beholds the Sun in the fulnesse of his rising he sees face to face and knowes even as he is knowne he hath a gaine or compleate purity like Absolon in another respect having no blemish from the crowne of the head unto the sole of the font a man without spot or wrinkle he hath a gaine of liberty he commeth as Peter out of Herods prison all his setters smitten off as Israel out of the red sea leaving Satan the world and his owne corruption there drowned behinde him Lastly he baths gaine of the greatest honour communicable to the soule of man a crowne of life and glory given him and hence it is hat such are willing to leave and lay downe all for Christ that they may leave the full fruition of him This by way of reprehension reproves two sorts of men First such as are so farre from leaving and laying downe all for Christ for the present and future enjoyment of Christ that they will neither lay out nor lay downe any thing for Christ so farre from being willing and desirous with Paul to be dissolved from their bodies that they will not be dissolved from the least part or parcell of their possessions honour riches pleasures liberties or priviledges amongst men for Christs sake but when Christ the cause of Christ the church of Christ in the course of Gods providence call for helpe reliefe supportment comfort and encouragement at these mens hands as sometimes David did at the hands of Nabal these men like the sonnes of Nabal answer Christ as Nabal their father answered David who is David and who is the sonne of Iesse there be many servants now a dayes that breake away every man from his master shall I then take my bread and my water and my flesh which I have killed for my shearers and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be thus they are ready to answer who is Christ and who is the church of Christ there be many that rebell and without cause draw troubles and calamities on their owne heads shall I then take my bread and water my possessions and riches which I have provided for me and mine and give it to I know not who and of these may Christ truely say as David did of Nabal surely in vaine have I kept all that these fellows have for they have requited me evill for good and as David was full of wrath against Nabal and resolved the utter extirpation of him and his house so no doubt the indignation of Christ is kinled and burnes like fire against such mercilesse and cruell caitiffes neither can they expect a blessing but a curse on themselves and their posterity after them the sentence of our Saviour against such is very dreadfull and such as may make them act Belshazar living in the midst of their great possessions Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the dâ—vill and his Angels for I was an hungred and ye gave me no meate thirsty and ye gave me no drinke I was a stranger and yee tooke me not in unto you I was naked and ye clothed me not sicke and in prison and ye visited me not verily saith Christ in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me and these shall go into everlasting paine you may please to call to minde the story betweene Gideon and the princes of Succoth Gideon and his men were weary and aint in the pursuit of their enemies and Gideon said unto the men of Succoth give I pray you morsels of brean unto the people that follow me for they be weary that I may follow after Zeba and Zalmunna Kings of Midian to whom the princes of Succoth answered are the hands of Zeba and Zalmunna now in thy hands that we should give bread unto thine 〈◊〉 to whom Gideon replyed therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zeba an Zalmunna into mine hands I will tear your flesh with thornes of the wildernesse and with bryers which upon his victory he did accordingly Gideon was a type of Christ and Christ is the Captaine of the Lords host when his souldiers his people at this day are weary and faint in fighting his battells in defending his cause in pursuing his and their enemies Christ speakes to many amongst us as Gideon to the men of Succoth give I pray bread flesh lodging cloathing to these men that follow me that stand for me that fight for me and my truth that lay downe all for me and my cause to whom many men answer as the men of Succoth answered Gilead are the Cavalleirs now in thine hands hast thou vanquisht and overcome them it is yet doubtfull which side will prevaile why then shall we give our bread unto or make provision for thine army but let these men looke to it when Zeba and Zalmunna when the publike and open enemie shall be subdued Christ hath thornes and briars fearefull judgements for them that withdraw their assistance in the day of the Churches distresse judgement mercilesse is the portion of them that shew no mercy Secondly it reprâ—veth such as will spare something but not the best things like them of old in the prophet that would spaâ—e the blinde
CHRIST THE CHRISTIANS CHOICE OR A Sermon preached at the Funerall of Mr JOHN CAVVS one of the MAGISTRATES of the FAMOVS CORPORATION of PLYMOVTH March The 29. Anno Dom. 1645. By ALEXANDER GROSSE B.D. and Pastor of Bridfoad Phil. 1.21 To mee to live is Christ and to dye is gaine Psal. 73.24 Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsell and afterward receive me to glory Psal. 73.25 VVhome have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee Psal. 73.26 My heart and my flesh faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever LONDON Printed by R. B. for Iohn Bartlet at the Gilt Cup under St. Augustines Gate 1645. Philippians Chapter 1. Vers 23. Having a desire to depart and be with Christ which is farre better NOah left the earth to enter into the Arke The children of Israel left the land of Egipt for the fruition of the land of Canaan Every santified and beleeving soule is willing to leave all that it may fully enter into Christ that it may have a compleat fruition of Christ who is all in all Better then all infinitely more then all to every regenerate and gracious soule No prisoner but is willing to leave the prison-house for the enjoyment of his owne house No excile but is willing to leave the land of banishment for the repossession of his owne Country No soule that knowes its owne bondage under corruption it s owne alienation and exilement from Christ in part at least during the dayes of its abode in this earthly tabernacle but with Paul hath a desire to depart and be with Christ which is farre better This our deceased Brother making use a little before his death of these words to his wife almost to the same purpose Saint Paul made use of them to his Philippians Haveing a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is farre better Neverthelesse to abide in the flesh is more needfull for you Is that which invited and moved me to treat of these words in this houre of his funerall and from them to deduce some instructions for the proffet and consolation of the living The words propound unto us and present before us the choyse of a gracious soule the Paradise wherein it desires to dwell the Sun which it desires to behold the Pearle which it desires to possesse the Haven wherein it desires to harbour the Tree whereon it longs to feed and the Fountains whereof it doth desire to draw and drinke a full and everlasting draught even Iesus Christ and nothing else Haveing a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is farre better In the words there is 1. Motus a motion the internall moving stirring longing and working of the soule excited assisted inabled acted moved framed and disposed bent and inclined thereunto by the gracious presidentiall active and mighty power of the holy spirit Like the motion and stirring of the heart of a prisoner longing after and looking out at the prison windowes for some tidings of liberty and freedom like the motion of a man in darknes waiting for the appearance of the light like the motion of a wife in the time of her husbands absence looking for and expecting her husbands returne a motion raised excited quickned and strengthned by a collation and comparison of the soules future felicity with its present misery as the husbandman compares the joy of his future harvest with the labour of his present winter The souldier the glory of his future Crowne with the difficulty of his present battle The traviller the comfort of his future Paradice with the sadnes of his present Wildernes lively sence of present misery sweet and powerfull apprehension of future and ensueing glory fill the soule truly gracious with longings of unwearied and sacred vehemency Assurance of future happines makes a good man restles under the presant burthen of his corruption Here is Movens The party longing desiring to depart and that is Paul a chosen vessell afaithfull servant of God a liveing member of Christ None can truly desire to be dissolved but he that is sure to be saved No man willingly leaveth his present habitation but he that is assured of a better dwelling No wise man willingly to cast of his present garment but he that hath another a better to put on No man can be upon right grounds willing to be dissolved but only that man who is truely fanctified he who is not throughly interested in Christ cannot willingly leave all for Christ Eleazar Abrahams servant put a jewell upon Rebeccaas face and bracelets upon her hands and gave her jewels of silver and jewels of gould and rayment and then shee was willing to goe with him willing to leave all and enjoy Jsaac for her husband That soule alone which Christ beautifieth with the saveing gifts of his spirit the love tokens of Christ better gifts then jewels of silver and gold Js the soul the only soule that can forsake the dearest things of this life that can readily leave its habitation in this mortall flesh and take up its everlasting abode with Christ Here is Terminâ—s the terme whereunto this gracious foule moves and that is double the one Privative the other Positive the first Privative a desire to depart or be dissolved exprossing the nature of death not an Annihilation but a dissolution a seperation of the foule and body the foule is now in the body as a bird in the cage a prisoner in the prison house a traviller walking under a cloud and therfore much desires a discharge and exemption from his fad and burthensome condition No child of God desires death under the naked and simple notion of death it is in it selfe the King of terrours repugnant and disstructive to nature a thing never desired for it selfe but for some other thing therfore here is Secondly a Positive terme wherein this motion and desire of the foule ends that is in the fruition of Christ that he may be fully and everlastingly with Christ that he may come out of the prison of the flesh to be clad with glory to sit downe and raign with Christ as Joseph came out of prison haveing his prison garments taken from him a Gould ring put upon his finger royall apparell put upon his backe and made the second person next to the King in the Kingdome of Egypt that he may come out of all the servitude and slavery bondage and troubles of this life to triumph with Christ leaving sinne Satan and the world behind him conquered subdued distroyed as Israel came out of the waters of the red Sea triumphing leaving Pharaoh and the Egiptians there drowned behind them The fruition of the Lord Iesus makes death desirable and lovely in the eies of al truebeleevers Here is Motivum The motice which sets the soule on worke thus to desire to be with Christ and this is drawne Ab Vâ—â—â— From the fruit and benefit thero
the world things in their kinde for their quality most eminent as riches honours pleasures favour credit countenance and applause amongst men they are contented for the enjoyment of Christ to be men of no name of no repute of no wisedeme of no authority of no wealth among men things for their use most necessary as calling station and instruments of Livelyhood things for their relation very sweete and pleasant as friends father mother and things for their number the very all which they possesse things for their Intimacy and nearenesse the most deare and precious as life it selfe so Paul here the traveller willingly leave all lamps candles torcher the greater and the lesser starres to enjoy the Sunne the true travellers in the way to God in Christ willingly leave all other comforts to enjoy Christ Jesus the Sunne of all true consolations Secondly the persons leaving all laying downe all for Christ Paul and such as have the spirit of Paul none have these desires besides the truely gracious none but the bride leaves all for the bridegroome It is not Orpah but Ruth that cleaves to Naomi in the day of her distresse it is not Demas but Paul that esteemes all but dung and drosse in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ it is not the Coward but the valiant souldier that willingly layes downe his life for his Captaine in the battell Hyminoeus and Philetus are no sooner shaken with a tempest but they forthwith make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience onely Paul is the man that fights the good fight that finisheth his course and keepes the faith he alone that is a true partaker of Christ is the man that will leave all for Christ Thirdly the manner how they leave all willingly it is their desire it is their choise the bird willingly leaves his cage to soare and fing aloft in the aire Israel willingly left Egypt to free their shoulders from Pharroahs heavy burthens the Lords faithful servants the Israel of God indeed willingly hazard leave and lay downe all for God and Christ to case themselves of the burthen of corruption and to enjoy communion with God and Christ this they doe with desire as Paul desired to depart and this desire carries in it First a sensible apprehension of the miserie and troublesomnesse of their present condition the sence and feeling which Israel had of the sadnesse of their estate under the heavy burthens which Pharaoh imposed on them and cruell Task-Masters which he set over them made them willing to leave the land of Egypt and desirous to goe to Canaan sence of the burthensomnesse of mans owne corruption and of the violence and bitternesse of the buffettings of Satan fills the soule with sad complaints of its present miserie and ardent prayers for the enjoyment of full freedome from them and intire rest and acquiescence in Christs bosome Secondly an high prizing of Christ as the onely glorious and shining Sunne whence discend all the beames of spirituall consolation as the Apple-tree whereon growes all sweet and desirable fruit for the noufishment of the soule and under whose shadow it can repose and rest it sell with much delight as the store-house whence is derived all celestiall treasure for the fouls inrichment as the fairest of ten thousand in whom all soul ravishing and heart admiring excellencies are discerned he alone that takes the true measure of the worth of Christ is the man that can leave and lay downe all for Christ Thirdly servent and unfained love to Christ Sheâ—hâ—ms love to Dinah made him willing to undergoe the paine or Circumcision for her Jacobs love to Rachel put him upon a hard service in the heate and in the cold in the day and in the night for her servent love to Christ puts the gracious soule upon a ready undertaking of the hardest servie or Christ a patient toleration of the greatest difficulties in the way of Christ and a che refull effusion of its dearest blood for the exaltation of Christ for the fruition of full communion with Christ true love to Christ resteth in nothing but in the fruition of Christ all desires after Christ which spring not from unfained love to him are fruitlesse have no acceptance with him never reach him never worke the soule into the possession of him Fourthly vehement longings after Christ a holy restlinesse of the soule and spirit untill it doth come to Christ as the Bee untill it comes unto the Hive the River untill it emptieth it self into the Ocean and as the Dove did fly up and down and found no rest for the sole of her foot untill she entred into the Arke The soule which truely defires Christ meetes with contentation no where but in Christ the thirst thereof is never satisfied untill it drinks a full draught of Christ the heavenly Oecan in whom are all soule-refreshing waters the motion thereof is never terminated untill it comes fully home to Christ the paradise in whom dwell all spirituall comforts Fifthly diligent Inquisition after Christ carefull use of all meanes to enjoy Christ these desires are no lazy sluggish weake feeble and fleeting desires but strong active and stirring desires desires knocking at the doore of the heart and awakening it as a loud sounding trumpet rouseth a man out of his sleepe desires quickning man like spurres in his motion unto Christ desires drawing a man like a loadstone unto Christ David desired to drink of the water in the wells of Bethel and his Worthies brake through the army of the Philistines and brought waters thence true desires after Christ neglect no meanes leading unto Christ breake thorow all oppositions betweene them and Christ their soules are set upon an unwearied inquiry after him a constant use of all meanes to enjoy him when Joseph and Mary had lost Christ they went up and downe and sought him sorrowing never ceasing from their inquiry untill they found him the soule which knowes what it is to loose Christ what the sadnesse of the soule is without Christ never ceaseth seeking untill he hath found him never ceaseth from his mourning till Christ returnes with sweete consolations againe unto him Sixtly delight he that ardently desires Christ joyfully leaves all For Christ accounts it all joy to fall into m nifold temptations for the cause of Christ takes the spoyling of all joyfully sings in prison is cheerefull in the wildernesse as in a paradise walkes like the three children in the fiery furnace of great adversities as in a Palace and comes when God calls him to the stake and fiery tryall as the hungry to a feast the souldier to the crowne or Bride to the marriage of the Bridegroome and unto death it selfe through many temptations weaknesses and disasters as Mariners to the haven thorow a violent and stormy tempest The way of the soule to Christ Jesus is