and the benefite of others that you may at length possesse a Crowne of immortall glorie Thus beloved you see the scope of the Apostle you see his worthy exhortation most fit to be recorded in the soule of every Christian Run so that ye may obtaine In which I might consider the action and the limitation thereof the action in the word Runne the limitation in these wordes so that yee may obtaine or we may consider in them the materiall the formall and the finall the materiall in the word Runne the formall Runne so the finall that yee may obtain or if this be too prolixe we may by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bury the finall in the formall and so present unto you onely matter and forme the matter in the word Runne the forme so that yee may obtaine And first for the matter Runne Which I may consider first in the abstract as it implies a Race secondly in the concrete with the coherence of the Text as it implies a certaine speciall kinde of Race and first for it in the abstract The state of man in this world may fitly bee compared to a Race whether wee respect quantitie or qualitie the naturall life of man or his corrupted nature First Aug. Quid est vita praesens nisi quidam cursus ad mortem Chrysost in Ps the naturall life of man what is it but a speedy Race that is soone run Oh saith Augustine what is this present life but a certaine course unto death Every step wee tread saith Chrysostome doth tend unto a privation therfore Iob concludes My daies saith he are more swift than a Runner Iob 9 25 26. they have fled away and seene no good thing they are passed as the most swift ships and as the Eagle that flieth to the prey Hence it is that in the seventh of his Historie he compares the life of man to a hireling Iob 7.1 and in the foureteenth Iob 14.2 unto a flower and a shadow which doe soone passe away and is of no continuance And Moses compares it to a dreame Psal 90.5.9 that is soone had and soone forgotten and to a word that doth fade and vanish away in the very sound therof yea God himselfe bids the Prophet Esay proclaime to the world that this vitall power it is but as grasse that doth soone wither way Esay 40.6 Cry c. that all flesh is grasse and all the glorie thereof as the flower of the field So that we see it cleer that the state of man in respect of his naturall life may well bee said to bee as a swift Race that soone speedes unto an end Which might well serve as a caution to the secure Nabals of these times to whom it is common with greedy pursuit to prosecute the world 1. Sam. 25.11.38 to bar their hearts against all remorsefull charitie and to involve themselves in deepe impietie without any sense or feeling of the sicklenesse of their estates Psal 73.19 which are subiect suddenly to perish come to a fearfull end Againe this might well bee a remembrance to the pampered Libertines of these times with whom it is familiar to cheere their soules in luxurie Luke 12.19 20. never considering the voyce of Gods spirit to the Epicure Thou foole this night shall thy soule be taken from thee Againe if we consider the state of man as for his naturall life so also for his corrupted nature it may fitly be compared unto a Race for how prone are men cloathed with the cloudes of vicious nature to prosecute sinne oh how swift are the ungodly unto evill how speedy are they in this Race when any are about any thing that is good oh how long are they in determination how slowly doe they bring it into action We see in divers it is long before they have so much as a determination to leave sin but when doe they proceed to practise oh how slow are they in this kinde Wee may often heare the ungodly say when God doth execute some stroke of iustice upon them Oh if we be delivered from this destresse wee will never doe as we have done but wee have seene it fare with divers of these even as it did with obdurate Pharaoh Exod. 9.27 28. who when the hand of God was upon him then he sends for Moses and Aaron to pray for him then hee cries out acknowledging his wickednesse I have sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked then hee concludes Ver 34. hee will bee obedient to Gods voyce hee will let the people goe but let the Lord withdraw his hand of iustice but a while and hee will harden his heart againe and become more rebellious than ever he was before Such steps may we sometime behold in ungodly persons some determination to leave sinne but how intolerably slowly doe they bring forth the practise thereof So that we may see it cleer it is a long time in divers before they determine any thing that is good but to proceed from determination to practice oh how rare are they in this kinde But in the case of sinne and wickednesse we may see it farre otherwise Gen. 4.8 Cain was speedy to determine his Brothers death and hee was speedy to put it in practice Herodias was speedy to determine her cruell revenge against Iohn Baptist Marke 6.19.24 and she was swift to put it in action preferring her determined revenge before the halfe of a Kingdome Yea the blessed Evangelist doth witnesse unto us that when the wicked and bloudy Iewes had got the Coate of Christ into their hands Ioh. 19.23 24. they speedily determined what they would doe with it and presently they put it in practice they cast lots for it but oh that the Coate of the righteous should ever come into the hands of the wicked But here wee may see it cleere that the ungodly are speedy in the course of mischiefe This Salomon doth plainely confirme Their feet saith he doth runne to evill Prov. 1.16 Yea saies the Prophet Michah they imagine iniquitie upon their beds Mich. 2.1 and assoone as the morning yeelds light they practise it speedy in the determination speedy in the execution of evill Oh how great experience have we hereof in these our corrupted times wherin we may behold many not onely as the Prophet Esay speakes to draw iniquitie with cords of vanitie and sin as it were with cart ropes Esay 5.18 or as Iob speakes to drinke it in like water Iob 15.16 but to runne the Race of sinne like speedy feeted Nimshi's casting away all feare of God all regard of his worship all respect of his sacred word never fixing an eye upon it but when they make it a cloke for their base designements But let these know that are so swift in the course of evill that that shall bee true of them for ever that the holy Ghost sets downe of them by
chickens but they would not they regarded not his loving mercie they would not discerne the time of their visitation no though that blessed Saviour did seeke to move them unto it Luc. 19.42 August Non ideo non habet homo gratiam quia Deus non dat sed quia homo non accipit even with mournfull teares from his eyes crying out Oh if thou hadst knowne at the least in this thy day those things that belong unto thy peace It is a worthy speech of a learned Father that man becomes hardned and wants grace not because God doth not offer it but because man receives it not when it is offered for the Lord himselfe protests that as hee lives hee disires not the death of the wicked but that hee should turne from his way and live therefore hee concludes with a serious invitation Turne you turne you from your evill waies for why will yee dye oh yee house of Israell We may see in the first of Esay that having earnestly invited that Rebellious people to turne from their pernicious courses presently he inferrs Esa 1.18 And then let us reason together then I will admit conference with you to the great peace and comfort of your soules that were your sinnes as crimson they shall bee made as white as snowe though they were red like scarlet they shall bee as wooll oh then as Austine speakes cast not away your selves refuse not his mercie when it is offered for we see it cleere that great sinnes limits not Gods mercies but Aug. in Psal as the same worthie Author speakes as the earth abounds with mans miserie so it superabounds with Gods mercie yea saith hee that very thing shall bee required of a wicked man Ibid. that he would not receive mercie when it was offered Wee reason not here what inabilitie man hath brought upon himselfe by the distempered surfeit of sinne Eccles 7.31 but let us all understand that to bee true which Salomon records That God made man righteous but he hath sought many inventions many sinister courses to loade his soule with sinne Ion. 2.8 and wilfully following lying vanities doth as the Prophet Ionah speakes forsake his owne mercie that wee may well say with the Prophet Hosea That his destruction is of himselfe even by his wilfull contracting and going on in sin Hos 13.9 obstinately hardening his heart against the many loving and mercifull invitations of the Lord Mat. 23.37 who would gather these together as the hen her chickens oh then let me invite you all with that worthy speech of the Holy Ghost To day if you will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Psal 95.7.8 oh harden them not against the mercifull voyce of the Lord against the operation of his holy spirit which seekes to heale even the rebellious soares of your soules Let mee say to you with worthy Augustine Aug. in Psal Receive mercie my Brethren even the mercie of humble and penitent hearts the mercie of remission and pardon of your sinnes to the which the Lord invites you for which the Lord now knocks at the doore of your hears Oh let us all receive it let none of us sleepe or drowse in the receiving of it Rev. 3.20 lest hee be one day rowsed up to render an evill and a grievous answer before the tribune seat of Iesus Christ when in the terror of his wounded soule for the guilt of his many sins committed Rev. 6.16 hee shall wish that the mountaines and rockes would fall on him and hide him from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe and shall seeke for death and shall not finde it Rev. 9.6 and shall desire to dye which yet nature abhorres as the most terrible of all terrible things Anst as the very Heathen man concludes but death shall flie from him Oh then receive wee this mercie from our God who thus lovingly offers it Hos 14.3 and let us as this worthy Prophet adviseth take unto us wordes and turne unto the Lord and say unto him Take away all iniquitie and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips that hee may yeeld us a comfortable answer I will heale your Rebellions even the greatest soares of your soules to the eternall peace and comfort of your consciences oh blessed those that thus receive the mercie of their God Wherefore this wisedome to attaine the cure of our long festered soares of sinne some tending to schisme and faction some to atheisme and profannesse but all grievously dangerous the eternall Father impresse within us for the precious merits of his deare sonne Christ Iesus To whom with their most holy sanctifying spirit three persons and one indivisible essence be all praise power and glorie ascribed from this time forth for evermore FINIS IOHN 10.27 My sheep doe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me WEe may see Right Worshipfull and well beloved in our Saviour Christ in the twentie fourth verse of this chapter that the Iewes did compasse about our Saviour demanding of him how long hee would hold them in suspence If thou art the Christ tell us plainely A strange demand for this blessed Saviour had both by word and worke plainly witnessed that he was the Messiah therefore hee replies unto them I have told you and you beleeve not the very workes which I doe doe testifie of me that I am the Christ but you beleeve not And he shewes them the reason of this their unbeleefe The proposition considered separatively is categoricall considered as it is connexive and knit together by conjunctions it may be said to be hypotheticall that is materially for that they were none of his sheep that they were none of his sheep he proves Categorically thus My sheep heare my voyce but yee heare not my voyce therefore yee are not my sheep Or because the proposition considered in the whole wordes is connexive as consisting of divers branches we may frame the assumption accordingly the Major lying thus in my text My sheep heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me but you heare not my voyce I know not you you follow not me therefore you are none of my sheep Briefly in this proposition I consider three things as three speciall markes of the true sheep of Christ A subject urgently necessarie in these our times Beza Multum scientiae parū conscientiae wherein there is much science but little conscience when the pallats of many bee growne so strange that that onely yeeldes some kinde of rellish that is admirable and surpassing ordinary capacitie for in this our wantonizing age we deale with sermons as Gentlewomen with their fancie-flowers we use them for shew not for savour for fashion not affection And therefore like them when the night of our wonted sinnes approach wee cast downe all fragrant adminition at our unhallowed heeles
mercenarily for temporall respects so the carnall may sometime follow Christ Our Saviour himselfe doth witnesse it of those that followed him from Galile to Capernaum Ioh. 6.26 Yee seeke mee said Christ not because ye saw the miracles but because ye ate of the loaves and were filled This is that for which God doth tax those rebellious ones in the prophesie of Hosea Mos 7.14 who assembled themselves for corne and wine that they might have plenty in those things but otherwaies were rebellious against God and had no affection to his Majestie Againe others there are that follow Christ not willingly because they have hearts bent unto Christ to practise that which he injoynes but dissemblingly for shew sake because they would be accounted religious Mat. 7.16 But as our Saviour Christ speakes Yee shall know them by their fruites for observe them and yee shall cleerely see that all their religion consists in the eare and in the tongue These heare as oft as any they will speak as freely of the word as any but for holy practice the workes of pietie and remorsefull charitie the evidence of a true and lively faith oh none so barren as these but under this maske of coloured religion you shall have them to drinke deep in the sinke of wickednesse to make no question to lie for gaine to deceive for profit to oppresse and gripe with a devouring hand whatsoever comes neere them yea though they bee holy things such as God hath sequestred to himselfe for the promoting of his worship Prov. 20.25 and doth conclude it to bee an abomination to devoure them yet these these make no question to swallow up and Viper-like to wound destroy their own Mother Which plainely shewes they are abortive Impes and never truely begotten But what should I speake of this cause oh how miserable is the state of the Church in this behalfe Rent by Schismatiques wounded by Atheists pierst by Hypocrites devoured by Customes confronted by every wrangling Spirit who like the Edomites to exasperate the Babilonians crueltie seem to cry out Downe with it down with it even to the foundation therof Alas Psal 127.7 to torture blessed Christ Pilate Herod wil be friends to wound the holy church Luke 23.12 and to supplant Gods sacred worship those meager Coridons Gen. 34.25 Gen. 49.5 that love not each other will yet lincke together like Simeon and Levi brethren in mischiefe Wherefore to passe by this particular which finds so few to take compassion upon it though it mournfully cry out Lam. 7.12 Have ye no regard all yee that passe by this way behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow to passe by this grievous miserie to regard which all eares seeme to be deafe all eyes to bee blinde all tongues to be silent all hands to be claspt all hearts to be hardned and to returne againe unto those dissembling followers of Christ no small enemies in this kinde to whom it is common to presse great labours from the Preacher but if hee touch them in their temporals and expect his due from them oh then they cry out Tolle away with him hee is no man for us for these follow Christ meerely for private respects to be talkers and no doers for if Christ required practice Mat. 19.21 and would rather have them to sell that they have than charitie should bee wanting or the distressed unrelieved or Gods worship suppressed then like that yongue man in Matthewes Gospell Mat. 19.22 they bid a farewell to Christ For these be like that figg-tree that Christ did curse they have goodly leaves Mat. 21.19 but alas nothing but leaves If Christ be ahungred and seeke for fruit from these he shall be sure to finde none at all Thus wee see there be some that follow Christ but not willingly but mercenarily not willingly but dissemblingly for shew not for substance Lastly others there bee that follow Christ not willingly but constrainedly as provokt thereunto by the revenging hand of God This made Pharaoh to cry out The Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked Exod. 9.27 and to be so farre obsequious as for the present to consent to let the people goe This made corrupt Balaam in stead of cursing to blesse the people of the Lord. Numb 23.8 9. This made wicked Ahab to humble himselfe in sack-cloth before this mightie God 1. King 21.27 And we may see by experience that this makes ungodly persons so to follow Christ as to intreat mercie and favour at his hands when God doth execute his justice upon them Phil. 2.10 11. yea this at length shall make the most stubborne and rebellious spirits to bow at the name of Iesus and to confesse him to bee the Lord unto the glorie of God the Father But as our Saviour himselfe doth witnesse not everie one that saith unto him * That is superficially or constrainedly Mat. 7.21 Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he that doth the will of his father which is in heaven Therefore the true sheepe of Christ doe follow him willingly with readie hearts and inclinde affections to doe whatsoever he injoynes And thus wee see the scope of the first point how the sheepe of Christ doe follow him namely willingly Secondly they doe follow him patiently not murmuring not repining at the afflictions which befall them in the profession of the Gospell for they remember that Christ himselfe doth witnesse Mat. 16.24 that if any will follow him they must forsake themselves and take up their crosse and follow him yea they know that he hath left it as a legacie unto his children that in him they shall have peace Ioh. 16.33 but in the world affliction In him a blessed peace the peace of conscience in this life and the peace of glorie in the life to come The incomparable solace whereof is so ingraven upon their hearts by the spirit of God that they with cheerfull patience undergoe all the stormes that Satan and his confederates can afford Heb. 11.25 26 Choosing rather with blessed Moses to suffer adversitie than to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of the Epypt of this world for they have respect unto the recompence of the reward Rom. 8.18 which makes them to conclude that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the joyes that shall bee revealed but that as the same Apostle speakes 2. Cor. 4.17 their light affliction which is but for a moment shall cause unto them a farre more excellent and an eternall weight of Glorie Therefore our Saviour Christ doth strictly lay this charge upon his servants Luke 21.19 by patience to possesse their soules for as the Apostle speakes Iames 1.20 The wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
wickednesse Such were those spoken of by the Prophet Esay Esay 3.9 who did declare their sinnes as Sodome they did boast in their wickednesse and glory in their mischiefe therfore hee concludes against them with a grievous curse Woe unto their soules for they have rewarded evill unto themselves Such are many ungodly persons in these our times they boast themselves in their drunkennesse and glory in their adulteries they vaunt in their impostures fraudes and deceits and blesse themselves in their base impieties as if sinne were a vertue and wickednesse deserved praise as if there were no God to revenge nor Hell to torment And thus wee see if sinne bee but a while lodged upon the soule oh how it hardens the heart into what a grievous estate it brings it Oh therefore runne wee in due season whilst grace is offered before our hearts become hardned for as the very Heathen man can tell us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist hee that hardneth his heart can never bee cured These thoughts saith Aquinas can never be altered for these as the Apostle speakes have gotten to themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2.5 a heart that cannot repent Therefore saith Bernard Ber. l. 1. de conside ad Eug. cap. 1. What is a hardned heart oh saith he a hardned heart is that which is neither cut by compunction nor softned by godlinesse nor moved with prayers nor yeeldeth to threatning nor is any thing holpen but rather hardned by chastening An hard heart is that which is ungratefull to Gods benefits disobedient to his counsells made cruell by his judgements dissolute by his allurements unshamefast to filthinesse fearlesse to perills uncourteous in humane affaires carelesse in things pertaining to God forgetfull of things past negligent in things present improvident for things to come oh what a grievous estate is this Therefore the Apostle gives this worthy exhortation Take heed Heb. 3.12.13 c. lest there bee in any of you a heart hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Sin is like a Cancker it soone creepes and infects the soule it soone drawes upon it the habit of euill Philo. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for custome as Philo speakes ariseth from a small beginning and what then followes but an incorrigible hardned heart Behold we therefore how urgently necessary it is that wee runne opportune in due season whilst grace is offered before our hearts become hardned through the continuance in sinne oh remember wee what that bright shining light Iohn Baptist did proclaime Now saith hee is the axe laid to the roote of the tree and why may wee not with him conclude Mat. 3.10 that every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire Consider we the voyce of the holy Ghost it calls us to a present conversion Psal 95.7.8 Today if you will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Oh now is grace offered now are wee invited unto this holy Race if therefore we will not harden our hearts and as the Prophet speakes Ionah 2.8 by wayting upon lying vanities forsake our owne mercies oh then let us now in due season whilst grace is offered forsake the sinke of our sinnes and bend our course unto the blessed state of Glory For how know wee whether God will ever extend his favourable mercie to us any more but that rather for our wilfull and violent contempts of his compassionate love he will leave us to the hardnesse of our hearts Me thinks beloved in Christ Iesus wee should never forget that remarkable example set down by our Saviour in Saint Lukes Gospell Luke 14.24 there wee see was but one invitation which being carelesly refused oh behold the conclusion the Master of the feast doth plainely witnesse that none of those shall tast of his supper nor favour nor mercie should ever bee offered to them more How plainely is this exprest unto us in the foolish Virgins Matt. 25.5 they had opportunitie to have furnished their lamps with oyle but they as we are prone sleeping in the dreggs of their evill regardlesse of their estates carelesly and securely past it by Ver. 12. but what was the sequell why the doore of mercie was shut against them for ever a definite sentence was pronounced upon them I know you not a dolefull voyce excluding all favour and mercie including all woe and miserie Wee may further see in the prophecie of Ieremy Ier. 14.11 that when the people had hardned their hearts and contemptibly abused the time of Gods mercie and favour it so exasperated him that hee forbids the Prophet so much as to pray to doe that people good and doth plainely witnesse that by this their pravitie his love was so withdrawne from them Ier. 15.1 that though Moses and Samuel stood before him those two religious servants deare in his sight that had obtained great matters from him though these stood before him and should intreat for this people yet his affection could not be toward them Zachar. 7.9 10 If we looke into the prophecy of Zacharie wee may there see that the Lord offered that people mercy he seriously exhorted them to turne from their unhallowed courses to execute judgement to shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother to oppresse no more the widow nor the fatherlesse the stranger nor the poore and let none of you imagine evill in your heart Vers 11. But when they refused to hearken when they pulled away the shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare Vers 12. when they made their hearts as an adamant stone lest they should heare the Law Vers 13. c. then came there great wrath from the Lord of hosts then it came to passe that as he cried and they would not heare so they cried and he would not heare c. Yea wee cleerly see that when Christs mercy to Ierusalem was refused Mat. 23.37 Luke 19.41 who would have gathered them together as the Henne her Chickens but they would not whose stubborn pertinacy as it drew compassionate teares from his blessed eyes so it provoked him to denounce a finall judgement against them Behold your habitation shall be left unto you desolate Oh remember we it is Gods owne voice Gen. 6.3 My Spirit saith he shall not alwayes strive with man hee will not alwayes bee offering mercy and favour but if a man will not turne he will whet his sword Psal 7.12.13 he will bend his bow c. and will prepare for him deadly weapons Oh then that we would be cautious to runne in due season whilst grace is offered before our hearts become hardned in sinne and the gates of mercy shut against us though then wee should roare like Beares and mourne like Doves though then we should cry like the Pellican and pierce the heavens with our skreekes like the Ostritch yet there would be no favour no
marvell if these be no more fervent in the waies of the Lord Mat. 7.16 Can men gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles alas what sweetnesse in Sepulchers what certaintie in Camelions what confidence in Syrens But let all those beloved in Christ Iesus that hope for a Crowne of immortall glory Oh let these runne fervently in this holy Race as zealous of Gods glory as loving to his Majesty as obedient to his truth so pure and constant in their affections that in the fervent resolution of their hearts they may say with the blessed Apostle That neither death nor life Rom. 8.38.39 nor Angells nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And thus wee see Beloved that as the first subsequent thing necessary in the forme of this Race we must runne fervently with an earnest zeale and resolution Secondly as the second subsequent thing necessary in the forme of this Race Bernard we must runne festinanter speedily for as Bernard speakes vita brevis via longa◠our life is short but the way is long therfore we must use a speedy course as David worthily resolved Psal 119.32 Interius vacui Exterius exonerati I will runne saith he the way of thy precepts Now know wee that for this two things are specially necessary That we become inwardly emptied and outwardly disburdned First inwardly emptied of the heape and burthen of our sinnes and transgressions daily lessening them more and more Gen. 4.13 Mat. 27.5 for sinne is so heavie a weight it utterly overthrowes this spirituall Race Oh this made Cain despaire and Iudas to lay violent hands upon himselfe yea so heavie a burthen is sinne though the world understand it not that it made blessed David himselfe cry out Psal 38.4 Mine iniquities saith he are gone over my head and are as a grievous burthen made more heavie than I can beare Oh they greatly hindered him in this spirituall Race Iob 13.26 This was Iobs case which made him cry unto God Thou writest bitter things against me Rom. ◠24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou makst me to possesse the iniquities of my youth yea this heavie weight so troubled the blessed Apostle Paul that it made him grievously complaine Oh man that I am wearied with continuall sightings who shall deliver mee from the body of this death Therefore that wee may runne speedily in this holy Race wee must endeavour to become inwardly emptied daily lessening the heavie weight and burthen of our sinnes else wee shall never so run as to obtaine Secondly to runne speedily wee must become outwardly disburthened that is Luke 16.13 Gregorie Nil laboriosius quà m terrenis desideriis aestuare Aug. in Psal 122. Qui majora cupit c. Ad hoc accesserunt divitiae ut egestas cresceret Aug. in Psal 137. Avaris ipsa foecunditas molesta est Aug. in Psal 29. Timoribus cruciantur tristitia contabescunt An insatiable worldling carrieth alwaies a kinde of hell about him in his conscience from the earnest prosecution of terrene things wee cannot serve God and Mammon we cannot prosecute the world and runne to obtaine a heavenly kingdome Therefore saith Gregorie There is nothing more laborious than to burne with earthly desires this is the most miserable poverty of all for fertility and plenty is a punishment unto these for they are tormented with feares and doe pine away with sorrow and anguish Alas the world is like to Iudas whom it kisses it cries out against him presently This is hee lay hold on him fill him with cares and distractions feares and horrours let him taste of hell before he come to hell Now these thus affected or rather infected whither tend all their passages what is their daily labour why to enlarge themselves to get the earth in possession to make their yongsters gallants of this age whom wee may often see to consume prodigally what their parents did get miserably But what a distressed condition is this when will these so runne as to obtaine a Crowne of immortall glory Alas this is impossible untill they become disburthened of these terrene prosecutions Wee may see in Matthewes Gospell Mat. 19.22 that that yongue man would faine have followed Christ but the world plucks him utterly away and makes him forsake that blessed Saviour Christ Iesus Act. 8.20 Wee may see in the Acts of the Apostles Simon Magus would faine have been a Religionist but the world so clogged him it wholly overthrew him Saint Paul doth tell us 2. Tim. 4.10 that Demas began this Race hee gave his name to Christ he was an associate of the Apostles hee followed him in his travells but this inchanting Paramour the world it pulled him cleane away 2. Pet. 2.22 to turne with the dogge to the vomit and with the sow to wallow in the myre Therfore well might the Apostle call this snare 1. Tim. 6.10 the very roote of all evill well might Chrysostome declame against it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh common plague oh deepe destruction of men for once insnared in this evill they hardly or never get out of it to obtaine a heavenly kingdome Oh! Mat. 19.24 so hardly that our Saviour himselfe concludes it easier for a cable to passe thorough the eye of a needle which we know can never bee but by great untwining Luke 19.7 We may see that Zacheus was sometime thus burthened and insnared but when did hee breake out from it oh never untill he came to this resolution Ver. 8. Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I give to the poore if I have taken from any man by false accusation Ver. 9.10 I restore him fourefold Lo then Christ concludes This day salvation is come unto this house then he proclaimes him to be the sonne of Abraham Esay 3.15 Ier. 5.26 Oh when will our greedy worldlings take this course that live by usurie and oppression by grinding the faces of the poore These are hardly removed from the outward act of these sinnes much lesse from the inward affection of them and therefore are far from the integrity of restitution by laying snares and making pits to catch men when will these make restitution nay when will they be perswaded so much as to desist from the Act and violent prosecution of these loathsome sinnes But let them know and all other dull-hearted Christians which have bookes in their hands and Christ in their mouthes but the world in their hearts that unlesse they runne this holy Race disburthened of terrene prosecutions they shall never runne so speedily as to obtaine that is a heavenly and a glorious Kingdome Thus we see that as the second subsequent thing necessary in this Race wee must runne festinanter speedily inwardly emptied of sinne outwardly disburthened of
terrene prosecutions Thirdly as the third thing necessary we must run patienter patiently that so wee may obtaine Oh this it must be as it were the Anchor of a Christian soule Gen. 22.10 to make it firme and stedfast against the high swelling waves of this world it must be as a Iacobs staffe to helpe us to passe the jorden of this earthly mansion for many are the rocks and rough the passages incident in this way subject to hinder this spirituall Race Gen 14.12 It was no small obstacle that Lot did meet withall when hee was captivated amongst the heathen and all he had was taken from him Oh how rough a way did good Eliah meet withall when hee was so wearied in the passage of this Race 1. King 19 4. that hee vehemently desired an end of his daies crying out unto God Oh t is now enough oh Lord take my soule I am no better than my Fathers Ionah 4.3 Oh how rockie was that passage that Ionah meet withall in this Race when he was so perplexed that he ernestly intreated the Lord to take his life from him concluding it was better for him to dye than to live Oh how stormy and full of bitternesse was that passage wherein the Prophet Ieremy was so wearied Ier. 20.14 c. that he was forced into those deepe imprecations Cursed be the day wherein I was borne cursed be the man that shewed my Father a man child is borne unto thee Oh that my mother had beene my grave or her wombe a perpetuall conception Oh how great a neede was here of patience as an anchor to withstand the fury of this tempest But most remarkable is that worthy example of Iob Oh how many rockes did he meete withall Iob 1. fiercely affronting him in this holy Race all his goods taken from him all his children slaine in a moment Iob 2.7.8.9 his very wife offensive to him his servants rebellious his vitall and spirituall powers disturbed Iob 19.15 his body disastered from the crowne of the head unto the soale of the foote and which was most grievous his neighbours contemned him Iob 19.19 and his familiar friends became dangerous enemies to accuse him for an hypocrite as a man rejected of God to inthrall his soule in deepe despaire Oh rough and troublous passages oh high and swelling rockes but how climbes hee these why patience the attending handmaid of a lively faith becomes his stay and strong support which made him thus to conclude amidst his many miseries Iob 19.25 c. I am sure that my Redemer liveth and hee shall at the last rise up upon the earth although after my skin the wormes destroy this body yet I shall see God in my flesh I shall behold him in me mine eies shall see him and none other c. In a word many are the rockes and sinister the passages hindering and perplexing the Saints of God in this holy Race within them they have inborne corruptions strugling and striving without them they have Sathan supplanting the world inducing the ungodly some seducing some oppressing some scoffing and contemning all conspiring and combining to overthrow this Christian Race So that patience had need bee the soules continuall attendant to helpe her in these deepe distresses for as the holy Ghost speakes Psal 34.19 Many are the tribulations of the righteous but here is the comfort to settle in their soules the patient induring of them the Lord will deliver them out of all Psal 37.6 Therefore saith the blessed Prophet Waite patiently upon the Lord and hee shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy just dealing as the noone day and hee spake it by good experience Oh saith he Psal 40. I waited patiently upon the Lord and hee inclined unto mee and heard my cry he drew me forth from the pit of perdition from the lake of ruine and set my feet upon a rocke and ordered my goings Let mee therefore conclude unto you with the worthy Apostle Heb. 12.1 Cast away saith hee every thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on and let us runne with patience the Race that is set before us A worthy instruction oh let it be our direction that so in the latest period of this Race we may be able in the assurance of Gods love and comfortable testimony of our approaching happinesse to commend our soules into the hands of God to rest with him in true felicity for ever And thus wee see Beloved that as the third subsequent thing necessary in this Race wee must run patiently that so we may obtaine Lastly as the last thing necessary for the full finishing accomplishing this Race we must run perseveringly for as Hierome speakes Not to begin Hieron Non incipisse sed perfecisse virtutis est but to perfect a thing is truely vertuous Therefore though many bee the obstacles of this Christian Race yet the Saints of God will persevere they will Alciat in Epig. Nititur in pondus Palma consurgit in altum Quo magis premitur hoc mage tollit onus The Palme tree strives against all weight and riseth up on hie The more t is prest so much the more to yeeld it doth denie as David speakes flourish like the Palme tree no pressures shall totally suppresse them but they will grow as the * The faithfull are compared to the Cedar because of the validious induring nature thereof as not being subject to rottennesse or to be worne out with age Plin. lib. 13. Psal 92.12 Psal 84.7 Gen 21.9 2. Sam. 6.16.22 1. Kin. 19.2.14 Dan. 3.19 Psal 16.5.6 Cedar in Lebanon that is strongly and perseveringly they will bring forth fruit in their age for they are planted in the house of the Lord c. and will goe from strength to strength untill they see the God of gods in Sion Let therefore Ismaell scoffe and contemne never so much Isaack will persist in piety and godlinesse let prophane Michol disdaine at blessed David yet hee will dance before the Arke of the Lord to shew his humility fervency and alacrity in the service of his God Nay let wicked Iezabel threaten godly Eliah and binde it with a deep imprecation The gods doe so to mee and more also if I make not thy life like one of theirs by to morrow this time yet he wil persevere in his holinesse and will still be jealous of the honour and glory of the Lord. Let cruell Nebuchad-nezzar prepare an oven made seven times hoter than ordinary custome to consume Shadrach Meshach and Abednego yet they will never be withdrawne but will still persist in the true worship of God Briefly let the world and all the baites therof compasse about the true servants of God yet it can never totally remove them from the love and obedience of the eternall God for they will still say with holy David The Lord is our portion hee will maintaine our lot our lines are fallen unto us in a pleasant place wee have a goodly heritage This is the wisedome of the Saints of God ingraven upon their soules by the Spirit of God by which they hold fast unto their God for they know that they which endure to the end they onely shall be saved Mat. 24.13 1. Cor. 9.24 2. Cor. 4.17 they onely runne so as to obtaine that is an eternall weight of glory The which heavenly wisdome that wee may run so perseveringly as to obtaine that glorious rest the eternall Father be pleased plentifully to afford unto us for the precious merits of his deare Sonne Christ Iesus To which Father and Sonne with their most holy Spirit three persons and one God be all praise power and glory of all creatures in heaven in earth from this time forth for evermore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS