Christ Iesus not as the Turks to Mahomet nor as the Iewes to a Messiah yet expected nor yet to eyther our owne merits or other meditation as Papists and Hypocriticall Justitiaries or finally to an imaginary Christ only to be inbred in us out of the pure Doctrine of H.N. as doe the Familists for what is this but to leave Christ Iesus the true gate of life and each by their false faith forsaking their owne mercie to looke after Vanities Ioh. 2.8 1 Sam 12 2â— and vaine helps that cannot profit To none of which doth the Word of truth direct the eye of our faith but onely to Christ Iesus the Virgines sonne lifted up as the Serpent in the wildernesse Ioh. 3 14. and made unto us of God wisdome and righteousnesse sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 and redemption On whom alone who so doe not looke without confidence for salvation either in themselves or in any other creature well may they suspect by their wandring that the faith wherein they thinke they walke is not the way of life of which the Apostle speaketh As yee have received Christ Iesus the Lord Colos 2.6 so walke in him rooted and built in him and established in the faith But farther the worke of Love will give triall of our right walking in the faith Since faith if it once truely apprehend Gods love in Christ cannot but enflame the heart with love againe both to God and for Gods sake to men also and so as that of Abraham and Rahab will shew it selfe by the fruite to be that onely living Iam 2.21 Verse 25. Gal. 5.6 and availeable faith that worketh by love Thus therefore amongst so many who boast of faith may we prove our selves whether wee be in the faith as first by calling to minde our entrance thereinto surely not without an humbling of our soules and withall an hungring after Christ wrought in us by God so secondly observing how wee continue therein by the streight looking of our eye and the diligent labour of our love And this is the first point of examination the triall of our faith CHAP. XX. Triall of Repentance by foure rules viz. two for entrance and two for continuance AS for Repentance which floweth from faith and is evermore begunne for time together with faith that purifieth the heart Act. 15.9 since of those many who professe Repentance few therein rightly walke therefore herein also it shall be good for us to try our selves first whether wee have rightly entred thereinto which being a laborious worke and of great moment consisting in the change of both heart and life and pulling violently the whole man out of the fire Iude verse 23. is wrought at the first by God not without much adoe to the repentant party by enforcing him both to stoope low and even to strip himselfe To stoope as Ephraim who being instructed to see the untamed wantonnesse of his youth was brought as one ashamed and confounded to smite upon his thigh Ier 31 19. or as the Publican so pressed downe by the heauy burthen of his sinnes Luk. 18.13 that he durst not lift up his eyes to heaven but smote his brest To which â—ght and conscience of sin â—ill men be brought that â—heir faces be filled with â—hame and their hearts with sorrow and farther â—heir tongues enforced to â—asse sentence on themâ—elves not only in generall â—cknowledging theÌ„selves â—o be sinners which the â—ery hopelesse Hypocrites will not sticke to doe but in particular 1 Tim. 1.13 confessing â—heir wicked sins against â—hemselves unto the Lord â—hey come not so much as to looke in at this gate of â—ife no but on the contraâ—y whiles in the pride of their deluded hearts they conceit all to be well with them and that they have no need to change for better how farre stand they from this blessed state being rather as those in Zephany frozen in their dregges Zeph. 1.12 or as those Iewes against whose impenitency the Lord protesteth by the Prophet Ieremy saying they are not humbled unto this day Ier 44.10 But yet this stooping is not all for it is farther required of the Repentant sinner that hee also strip himselfe shaking off and casting from him those cloakes of shame and fardells of sinne that make the gate of grace too strait and narrow for him For want of which how many carnall wretches remaine stil in an unrepentant state sticking as it were and hanging in the very entry some by their purse that I may so expresse it of ill gotten goods and others as Absolon by his haire by their plumes of pride yea 2 Sam. 18.9 some as by their cheekes swolne bigge with oathes of blasphemy and lies and others as the drunkard beset around with his cups or as Zimri loth to part in very death from his uncleane Harlotry Num. 25.9 None of them all being willing to forsake their sinfull lusts that with the Prodigall they may turne home to God their father Luk. 15.20 by true repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which requiring as both the Hebrew and Greeke names significanâ—ly import a change both 〈◊〉 heart and life therefoâ— hereby must our triall be if wee be brought to loatâ— in heart and in practice 〈◊〉 life to leave those sins 〈◊〉 whatsoever kinde whereiâ— formerly we lived Psal 18 23. and iâ— to the snare whereof we easily and naturally fall 〈◊〉 our selves but cannot râ—turne till we be powerfully freed and forced back by supernaturall grace 2 Tim. 2.2 26. oâ— nature being like to thâ— spring-locke that shuttetâ— of it selfe but cannot opeâ— without a key But farther since in regard of inbred corruption cleaving still in this life to our soules and subjecting us to often falls it is not sufficient for us to enter in at this gate except wee also proceed to walke on in this penitentiary path renuing our repeÌ„tance daily both by a godly sorrow for what we doe amisse as also by a careful striving to do so no more therfore hereby al so must our triall be made first whether when at any time we doe amisse our conscience streight check and smite us for it as Davids heart did him fot cutting off the lap of his Lords garment 1 Sam. 24.6 and againe after he had sinned in numbring the people yea 1 Sam. 24.10 whether to bring our selves to godly sorrow we often search our soules by the righteous law of God to find out oâ—â— most secret sinnes as th' afflicted Church Lam. 3.40 stirreth uâ— her selfe to doe when Goâ— began for neglect hereof tâ— search her with his judgements yea farther turning our eyes to looke upon Jesus Christ whom wâ— have pierced with our sins that so wee may be moved to lament over him with godly sorrow Zac. 1â— 10 testifying thiâ— our sorrow by our humble and unfained confession before the Lord 2 Sam. 25.10 as Daviâ— did in that case
his counsell to his followers to strive with vehement earnestnesse to enter in at the strait gate and to walke in the narrow way leading to life so have I apprehended as a second motive for encouragement to this worke the hope conceived hereby of profit if the Lord shall vouchsafe to affoord his blessing from above whiles in the opening and applying of our Saviours answer touching these two maine points of truth that the number to be saved is but small and the manner difficult we shall aptly meet with every kind of the forementioned humors 11 As first with the first sort of despisers by way of commination and confutation withall of their cursed blasphemies and reasonings against the Lord whiles to appale if it may be their obdurate spirits they be charged as guilty of murdering their owne soules and threatned as scorners alone to suffer to bee swept away with the besome of destruction and cast into the burning lake Gods iustice in reiecting them standing meane while cleare and their condemnation proved iust as wholly by themselves deserved who neuer so much as entertained the desire of grace or regarded the counsell of God in his word that they might bee saved 12 Farther with the other sort that neglect this great salvation whiles either they thinke it easie to be had hereafter or are loath for it to leave the world or think they have already interested themselves therein our dealing shall be found to be by instruction correction and faithfull counsell 13 For first our labour is by way of doctrine to instruct and confirme them in the truth here by our blessed Savior propounded both touching the nuÌ„ber of them that shall be saved that viz. howsoever they be many in themselves yet are they in comparison with them that perish but as S. Aug. or rather the Lord not I resolving this point maketh the similitude as the wheat cornes in comparison with the chaffe a tithing or a gleaning or a remnant few of many a little flocke as also touching the manner of attaining unto salvation that it is difficult and not so easie Since howsoever Christ Iesus the gate and way of life and so all the porches and paths comprisâ—d under him be in themselves faire and spatious yet â—o seeme they not neither indeâ—d are to the carnall sluggards who choose rather to wander in the many by wayes of death then to walk constantly and conscionably in this one onely way of life Strait indeed and narrow not in regard of it selfe but alasse because men are by nature either blinâ—â—â—d cannot find the gate or stiffenecked and stuffed with worldly pelfe that they brooke not to stoope or strip themselves that they may get in or delighting to rove they endure not to be bounded no not within the pales of the law of liberty or finally they feare if they should be forward to be encombred with the briers and bushes lying in the path In which respects by mans own corruption the gate and way of life is made strait to enter and narrow to walke in except with violence and earnest strife 14 And hence therefore is our iust correction in the second place inferred to discover their â—olly who conceiting it a small matter to enter into life or being loath to leave the world stay wandring without whiles racking Gods mercy without his leave they forslow the time deferring to set out upon their iourney untill the evening of their age thinking then fittest to begin an endeavour after life when their hoare haires call them to think on death When as alasse poore soules they wot not how sodainly ere they mistrust their state the pits mouth may be shut upon them neither consider how their conclusion must necessarily follow as the premisses were framed and their death answer the tenor of their life which whiles they neglect to reforme foolishly preferring earth to heaven and the winning of the world to the assuring of their pretious soules little comfort may they have in the frequent company that passe along with them as beasts in herds unto the shambles toward destruction 15 To recall whom and warne all to looke unto their wayes our counsell may bee found to be thirdly this same of our Saviour in the Text to all that long after life to strive with earnestnesse to enter in at the strait gate not to walke after the fashions of the world nor to awarrant themselves to doe what they see many doe No but rather to trie themselves whether they be entred within the gate and walking in the wayes of life that is in faith repentance obedience patience which in Christ lead to life Wherin whiles many only with a formality of outward profession miserably deceive themselves boasting of what they have not received or misled and drawne aside by the 〈◊〉 of the wicked fall from that stedfastnes which they once professed our care you shal finde to be both to put in caution against the false wayes seeming strait and withall to yeeld direction with advice how to find and enter the true wayes of life yea further how to examine and try our estate for both entrance and continuance in every of the forementioned that none be misled or fall away that belong to God So may our dealing be found to be with the severall sorts of such as are seduced 16 And accordingly also with the other sort of such as are in danger to faint and be disheartned in this course our dealing will be found fitting their condition by way of comfort and encouragement 17 First to the faithfull Minister not to faint though he be found fault with for delivering the truth neither to be discouraged if he be not able to winne all to embrace the truth but rather to reioyce in God for the gain of any though some few yea or if not any yet in the saving of his owne soule by approving of his faithfulnes unto the Lord with whom howsoever the successe be his iudgement shall be favourable and his reward assured 18 Secondly to the true beleevers who though but few yet if truely faithfull and of the little flocke need not to fear or be discouraged since for them a Kingdome is prepared wherto whiles by the renevving of their hearts and remembrance of their former evill wayes by their zeale to draw others with them unto God and hearty love unto the Saints and servants of God sure notes where they be sincere of a right faith in Christ they can finde themselves to walke how can they but reioyce with ioy unspeakeable and glorious in the riches unconceiveable of Gods free love unto them who hath severed them from the refuse of the world reserving them as vessels of mercy unto himselfe Wherfore to encourage them howsoever maligned by the world and by their separation from the world in danger to be made a prey our labour finally will be found to discover how these gates and wayes that seeme to the carnall man so strait
Men brethren what shal we do their meaning was vvhat the trembling Gaoler Act. 16. Ver. 30. more fully spake being awaked by a wonder to ask a far wiser question then the fellow in our Text what they should doe that they might be saved to whom being so humbled once when Peter had given counsel to ameÌ„d their lives Act. 1.38 with all applyed the comfort of the promise to revive their soules telling them that the promise of life was made to them you know what is added verse 41. How namely about three thousand soules in that one day were added to the Church By meanes like to which as it is said after in the conclusion of that Chapter that God did them so still will he adde to the Church from day to day such as shall be saved verse 47. Saint Peters net cast out beeing able to catch at once a multitude when Christ Iesus shall come Luc. 5. â— as once we read he did to helpe the fishing within the cords of which net howsoever wee may not hope to compasse all that swimmeth in the sea and happely of those which wee draw to land some prove but sorry ones not worthy keeping as in that Parable of the draw-net is observed yet let this be our comfort that we catch some good to put as into vessels for service of the Lord and for the rest Mar. 13.48 let us remember that wherewith Isaiah in like labour comforted himself namely that our iudgement is with the Lord Isa 49.4 and our worke is with our Gods though Israel be not gathered verse 5. yet shall we be glorious in the Lords eyes and our God shall be our strength For why 2. Cor. 2.15 We are unto God the sweet savour of Christ in whom in them that are saved indeede in them chiefly yet not onely in them but in them also that perish Will ye have told how the Apostle openeth it To the one we are the savour of death unto death viz. to seale up their condemnation while wee preach Christ a Iudge 2 Thes 2.8 coÌ„ming in flaming fire to render vengeance to all that shal contemne to know or follow him but to the other we are the savor of life unto life to assure their soules of eternal life whiles we preach Christ a most mercifull Saviour to all that shall beleeve When as he shall come to be glorified in his Saints 2 Thes 1.10 and to be made marvailous for mercy though not simply in all not the most yet in all that beleeve in him because our testimonie hath beene beleeved by them So may this serve to comfort Gods faithfull Ministers CHAP. IX What thankefull reioycing they ought to have in God that are freely chosen to be of the lesser number IN the second place Ro. 1.6.26 to all true believers called and converted to the obedience of faith may this point touching the few that shall shal bee saved yeeld comfort in aboundance and great encouragement First Comfort in the free and gracious rich mercy of the Lord who hath vouchsafed meerly thorow his eye of love cast on them to separate them from the many of the world and to marke them for his owne making them through faith to become what Zacheus was when upon his sound repentance Luke 19.9 Gal. 3.3 salvation came into his house even Children and so blessed with faithfull Abraham To every one of whom how can this consideration possibly but adde an encrease of joy that whereas it hath pleased God in the unsearchable depth of his eternall wisedome to choose out and reserve unto himselfe onely a few a remnant for the glory of his grace it hath also pleased him in the free and unconceiveable riches of that his grace to vouchsafe to make them some of that small remnant which shall be saved Assurance whereof whosoever thou be that canst find unto thy soule let me beseech thee to consider seriously onely to increase thy joy and thankfulnesse whether God might not have left thee justly as he hath many round about thee to walke as once thou didst assuredly though perhaps thou then didst not take notice of it which was indeede thy greatest misery in the broad way wherein so many walke unwisely towards destruction Or tell me if thou canst what did God see in thee more then in any other that might move him to cast his love on thee more then on many an other perhaps richer or it may be more noble or more learned or more mighty witty strong or better favoured for doe but remember the times of old and call to minde the daies and moneths and yeeres which are already passed and tell me in good earnest or rather tell to God with rejoicing thankfulnesse wast thou not as ignorant as the most ignorant til he instructed thee as blinde as the blindest till hee enlightened thee as dissolute perhaps and disorderly as the most of thy state and standing till God himselfe tooke in hand to order and reclaime thee say man wast thou not once a Saul till God strooke thee down to make thee turne to him that smote thee and so to become a Paul wa st thou not perhaps a lover of pleasures or of profit or of praises more then of God or wast thou not once perhaps a contemner of the holy Word and worship of God a blasphemer and tearer in pieces with thy tongue set on fire by hell of the sacred and holy name of God or a prophaner contrary to Gods morall precept stil in power of the holy Sabbath of God of which how truly spake hee that spake worthily in a great assembly and since hath written it D. Denison at the Act in Oxford on Neh. 13.22 that Where the Sabbath is not sanctified there is neyther sound Religion nor a Christian conuersation to be-expected Or for the second Table wast thou not perhaps rebellious in times past disobedient if not an heart-breaking to thy tender parents or it may be a scorner and derider of Gods Ministers or hast thou not beene to hasten in the rest of a malicious revengefull stout and perhaps stabbing stomacke or not it may be of a filthy and uncleane a drunken defiled conuersation or hath not thy heart and hand dealt unjustly and even theevishly with others or perhaps which was a greater fault with thy parent or thy Master or thy dead friend that left thee his Executor or any else who trusted thee if not by thy riotous and wastfull spending also happly with thy selfe or what finally canst thou not remember the time when alas thou madest no conscience at all for either thine owne commodity â—or others sinnefull profit which seldome prospers to let thy tongue tell many a lie if not sometimes confirmed with verie oaths not fearing that dreadful doome of ecxlusion Rev. 22.15 21.8 and casting into the Lake denounced against all that love or make lies In a word to
compareth to the light shining more and more Prov 4.8 from the dawning unto the perfect day Of which proceeding vve have the more neede to take speciall care since in this way not to goe forvvard is to goe backward not to grow better is undoubtedly to waxe worse our nature in regard of spirituall motion being like a Boat floting in a streame vvhich if it be not by force of oares continually rowed upward vvill of it selfe neâ—â—â—sarily be carryed downward Wherefore herein to the end that vvee may be assured of blessednesse let our triall be to find our selves to walke in this perfect path of obedience as first by our direction taken from God and resolution onely for God in our entrance so secondly for our continuance by our keeping stil therein with out turning backe or straying and by proceeding forward without standing at a stay so have we also the triall of the third way and gate our sincere obedience CHAP. XXII Triall of Patience by foure rules viz. two for entrance and two for continuance THere remaineth the fourth and last path viz. our Patience of which as Christians stand in continuall neede the way to heaven being thorny as before was shewed and be set with troubles so it is needful for theÌ„ to make trial what their patience is or whether that which happily they make shew of be Christian patience and not senselesse blockishnesse As they may first for the entrance by considering how it hath beene wrought in them first by learning that hard lesson to deny not their sinnes or substance onely bâ—t even themselves Mat. 16.24 thei◠〈◊〉 wisedome and will and secondly by entertaining perswasion of the love and good vvill of God their father tovvards them in Christ Iesus For first till men have learned to deny themselves their ovvne vvisedome and carnall vvill vvhat marvell if they be angry and impatient as Ionah vvas for his Ion. 4.8 gourd at every thing that commeth overthvvart theÌ„ vvhether it be a crosse from God or vvrong as they conceive it offered by men neither can 〈◊〉 bee imagined that vvith patient meekenesse any should take up the crosse untill they have learned to sacrifice their will to God with that submission of our blessed Saviour Father Luk. 22.42 not my will but thine be done Howbeit neither may any hope to come hereunto untill they become which is the second point for trial perswaded of Gods good will towards them in Iesus Christ by whose power wisedome whiles they know that all things are Lam. 3â— 37.38 disposed and nothing befalling them without his appointment who worketh all things after the counsel of his owne will Eph. 1.11 whose thoughts towards his are evermore thoughts of peace Ier. 29.11 and not of evill still rejoycing over them to do them good Ier. 32.41 they rest withall assured out of this perswasion of Gods love that all things shall worke together for their good Rom 8.28 The consideration whereof cannot but worke them unto patience that if it please God why should it not please them also since God who loveth them knoweth better then themselves what is for their good And therfore in al our sufferings either for Christ or with him this must be the triall of our patience by considering whether the ground thereof be faith and obedience our being assured of Gods love in Christ and having learned thereupon to deny our selves And now for the other triall of continuance if we would see whether wee possesse our soules by true patience let us observe first Luk. 21 1â— the strength supporting and secondly the hope encouraging thereunto For first if our patience be Christian from above it is supported by the spirit of grace praier helping our infirmities and teaching us as S. Iames counselleth Zac. 12.10 Rom. 8.26 when at any time wee lacke wisedome Iam. 1.5 to aske it of God who reproacheth no man that so our patience by strength and counsell received from heaven may have in us her perfect working And secondly for the expectation encouraging us to hold out with comfort and rejoycing amidst all sufferings of what lesse thing may it be then of the kingdome of heaven the crowne of glory Wherof when once S. Paul had but a glimpse by the eye of faith you know how he preferreth it in his account above all the sufferings of this life Rom. â— 18 grounding thereon the courage of a Christian amidst the greatest troubles For Therefore saith he 2 Cor. 4.16 wee faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed daily Verse 17 For our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth unto us a far more excellent and an eternall weight of glory While we looke not on the things that are seen Verse 18. but on the things which are not seene for the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall So that if Iaacob serving seven yeeres for Rahel under so hard a master as Laban thought it but a short and easie apprentiship because hee loved her Gen. 29.20 how much more ought every true Israelite that loveth the Lord Iesus to serve with patience the yeers of his appointed warfare having an eye unto so great a recompence of reward Heb. 11.26 Wherefore thus also let our triall be touching this fourth and last particular of patience by considering as first how it hath beene wrought in us by perswasion of Gods love and the deniall of our selves so secondly how it is continued by the support of the spirit of prayer and expectation of future glory And now for conclusion of this first use enlarged as you see for our direction with hope of profit let me beseech you in the bowels and by the tender mercies of Iesus Christ that since this is a businesse which may well be tearmed the Maine chance and all things else in comparison but trifles you would as S. Peter wisheth 2 Pet. 1.10 give all diligence thereunto that you may make your calling election sure purchase this assured coÌ„fort to your soules against the houre of death which none of us know how soone it may seize upon us that you have entred and are walking in the way of life the several paths whereof seeing we have had amply severally described what remaineth but that as David wee consider our owne wayes Psa 119.59 Psal 4.4 and examine our hearts each of us upon our beds as we have beene directed CHAP. XXIII The woefull condition of all in in the broad way whiles they despise reproofe under a vaine hope of mercy NOw because upon examination it is much to be feared that many will be found out of the way and of those the greatest part not caring ever to set foot therein it will be needfull in the next place to infer from the doctrine before delivered our second use