reason is because hee hath now goods inough for many yeers but as he was thus dreaming of many yeeres goods and rest a voice comes and awakes him and tels him plainly that he doth vtterly mistake the matter Thou foole saith hee this night shall they fetch away thy Soule and then whose goods shall those be that thou hast gathered So is it saith Christ with him that gathereth riches to himselfe and is not rich in God This vanitie is well set out by the holy Ghost when Salomon saith there is an euill sicknesse namely â—iches reserued to the hurt of their owners and these riches perish by euill trauaile And this is also an euill sicknesse saith the man of experience that in all points as hee came so shall hee goe and what profit hath hee that he hath trauailed for the winde I haue also seene a man saith he to whom God hath giuen riches and treasures and honour and he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that he desireth but God giueth not power to eate thereof this is vanitie and vexation of spiâ—it As this vanitie is a vexation to the spirit of man so is it no lesse grieuous to the spirit of God for that contrary to the minde of our heauenly father we bestow our loue so fondly vpon that which cannot help vs. The commandement saith wee must honour our parents now amongst other things tending to the honour of our earthly parents this is not the least for a child to require the consent of his parents in bestowing of himselfe in marriage and to marrie against their mindes especially when there is reason to the contrary cannot bee but a great dishonour offred to our parents But what earthly parents haue so great interest in their children as God hath in vs what childe oweth such dutie to his earthly parents as wee owe to God If I be your father saith the Lord where is my honour as if hee had said if you depend vpon me for your prouision and looke for my blessing how is it that you set your harts vpon my creatures not vpon mee knowing that my minde is so much against such foolish bestowing of your selues as though I could not or would not fill your harts with as much ioy and gladnesse as my creatures can doe and more too Therefore saith Paul to Timothy Charge them that are rich in this world that they bee not high minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God How dangerous worldliness is to the Soule THere is no truer Nobilitie then to be a citizen of the heauenly Ierusalem sonne and heire to the most high all which is defaced and abolished if the hart lie buried in earthly things There is no sounder ioy then the ioy of the holy ghost which is a fruit of Faith is grounded on the loue of God but this cannot bee relished or tasted by him whose hart doth cleaue to this miserable bondage of worldly cares There are no such goods as the sanctifying graces of the holy ghost which onely make a man truely happy as to cleaue vnto God by faith to loue the Lord from the hart to worship him in spirit and truth and to bee wholly vnited vnto him But far is hee from these things whose hart is set vpon earthly goods At the Sermon his minde runneth after his couetousnesse and with his mouth hee maketh iests both of the doctrine and Doctor because hee liketh neither the one nor the other like the Pharises which mocked Christ when hee spake against couetousnesse because themselues were couetous When the Sermon is done they forget al because their harts wer choked with the thorny cares of the world if they fall to reporting of the Sermon it is with additions and detractions mistakings and falsify cations most strange to heare as if the Preacher had ben mad or drunke or in some dreame when he spake Thus the word of life and grace which is a sweet sauour of life vnto life eternall to the regenerate and spirituall minde yeeldeth a most fearefull sauour of death vnto death euerlasting to the carnall worldly minded man Seeing therefore to bestow the hart affection vpon earthly things is proued to be a match so base and vnbeseeming the dignitie of a Christian so wretched and miserable so vaine and deceiptfull so dishonourable to God and preiudiciall to our owne saluation let vs labour by earnest prayer and holy meditation to haue our mindes purged from this euill sicknesse of worldly loue and neuer giue the Lord any rest vntill by zealous prayer wee haue obtained of his diuine Maiestie the wings of a liuely Faith whereby our heauie harts and dull spirits may bee mounted vp aloft to seeke for our Treasure in heauen and then indeed shall wee bee heauenly minded for where the Treasure is there will the hart bee also How to iudge by the heart whether â— mans Treasure be in heauen or no. THere be certaine signes in the hart whereby a man may iudge of his estate to come as there be in the skie to know what weather shall happen when the skie is red in the Euening men say faire weather when it is red lowring in the morning it is a signe of foule weather when a cloud riseth out of the West they say a shower is comming when the South-winde bloweth a signe of heat By obseruing how Ionathan shot his arrows Dauid knew how Saul stood affected towards him by the holding out of the golden Scepter Hester knew shee was in the Kings fauour by the budding of the Trees wee know that Summer is come by the sound of the Vessell the emptinesse or fulnes thereof is perceiued by the beating of the pulses the distemperature of the body is discerned And by the affections of the heart which are the pulses of the soule the hearts Treasure is discouered and where it lyeth for God that hath giuen men signes to know the state of the body the alteration of weather and the mindes of other men hath also giuen certaine notes and signes to discerne the state of the Soule by Yea Christ doth condemne them for Hypocrites which will not iudge of themselues as well as of other things Hipocrites saith hee Yee can discerne the face of the Earth and of the Skie but why discerne yee not this time yea and why iudge yee not of your selues what is right But how may that be will some say or how may a man know by the affections of the heart where the hearts treasure is Then mark the way of wisdome and learne to bee wise when the Lord Iesus heard one answeare discreetely he said vnto him Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God to shew that discreet answeres in matters of religion are signes of grace When Zacheus did with heart obey Christ and with reuerence receiue Christ and in charitie releiue Christ in
those ioyes which the same Apostle saith are such as no Eye hath seene no Eare hath heard no Tongue can expresseâ— nor Hart conceaue Now doe but consider with thy selfe if thou canst what some Eyes haue seene what some mens Eares haue heard and what some trauellers Tongues haue reported in these dayes and what the hart of some man is able to conceaue and then doe but imagine what those ioyes of heauen are if thou canst But what are the commodities and Riches of that Heauenly Ierusalem and the Cittizens therof that cannot bee valued If the report thereof will mooue thee to seeke after them then heare for euen in this life the true Christian is put in possession of them in part by which as by a tast hee is certified and as by an earnest pâ—nny hee is assured of the rest that is kept for him vntill hee bee ready for them Saint Iohn saith that as if some rich merchant were come from a far Country the Lord Iesus inuiteth vs and setteth vp as it were his bils in euery Church offering to all that will vse the meanes to make themselues sure of his marchandise which is meant by buying no worse wares then fine Gold tryed in the fire to make vs rich white rayment to couer our filthy nakednes withall and eye salue to heale vs of Spirituall blindnesse that is himselfe his Word and his Spirit And the like offer in most kinde mannâ—r againe hee maketh by Salomon willing vs if wee bee wise to God ward to receiue instruction and not Siluer and knowledge rather then fine Gold Whereof Salomon himselfe giueth this testimony after his long experience of both that to get wisdome is much better then gold but how much better hee cannot tell it so far excelleth and therefore hee sets it downe with an Interrogation How much better is it c. and to get Vnderstanding saith he is more to be desired then Siluer Yea Blessed is that man saith hee that findeth Wisedome and that man that getteth Vnderstanding Now marke his reasons For the marchandise thereof is better then the marchandise of Siluer and the gaine thereof is better then gold It is more precious then Pearles and all things that thou canst desire are not to bee compared vnto her Length of dayes is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and glory Her wayes are the wayes of pleasure and all her pathes posperitie Shee is a Tree of Life to them that lay hold on her and blessed is hee that receiueth her There is also a spirituall traffique and intercourse betweene Christ the faithfull Christian. For Our conuersation is in beauen saith S. Paul very troublesome and dangerous I confesse for a time for this world is the sea tempestuous and tumultuous enough The Church militant is the ship of Christ that is tossed in the same The tackling of this ship may be the communion of Saints The Pilate that guides the course the spirit of God The Carde or Compasse the Word of God The Purser of this ship is loue The Baliffe is humane frailties noisome feares and troublesome doubts The munition of this ship is the armour of God that is the Helmet of Hope the Shield of Faith the Sword of the Spirit the Brest-plate of Righteousnesse c. as the Apostle describeth it in the 6. to the Ephesians The windes which driue this Bark are prosperitie and aduersitie The waues which tosse this ship are presumption and despaire The enimies to this ship are the world the flesh and the Diuell The Factours are the faithfull Ministers of Christ. The Commodities are the Treasures of Heauen the Riches of Christ or Fruites of the Spirit Our Messenger is Peace a speedy Poste The Hauen is the Kingdome of Heauen The landing place is Golgotha The Land is the land of the liuing The Customer is Death who sets all men at libertie and yet is bound himselfe Peter was once one of these heauenly Factours for the Lord Iesus a Creeple came vnto him for an Almes but what was his aunswere Siluer and Gold haue I none but such as I haue I giue thee in the name of Iesus of Nazaret arise and walke A better Almes a great deale then hee expected So wee may say If you aske vs what commodities our vessell hath brought we may make Peters answere Siluer and Gold wee haue none new wine haue we none pleasant tales haue wee none and Popish trash haue wee none but wee haue the hidden treasures of the Gospell the puritie of true Religion the rich Iewels of the holy Ghost as Faith to ouercome the world repentance to make men new remission of sinnes and Reconsiliation with God by the death of Christ peace of Conscience which passeth all vnderstanding and is a continuall Feast ioy of the holy Ghost aâ—d gladnes of hart which the world cannot take from him that hath them wee offer loue to God and Charitie to men zeale for the truth patience in affliction moderation of affections lowlinesse of Spirit to grace all our actions and assurance of euerlasting life after this life the great gaine of godlinesse with sweete contentation to all estates Behold these are the Riches and these are the Treasures that the Lord Iesus sendeth from heauen to enrich and glad his seruants withall while they liue here dispersed and despised vpon the face of the earth And yet here bee not all for euen all outward blessings also do attend vpon these inward graces so that if any man can finde these and hartely affect them the other shall follow measurably and proportionably according to euery mans place and want And therfore our blessed Sauiour not knowing how to enuy or deny vnto his Church the smaller things hauing frankly bestowed himselfe and the greater things of his Kingdome set vs in the way and directeth vs a right course for the obtaining both of heauenly Treasures as also of earthly Commodities Seeke first saith hee the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall bee cast vnto you but Gods Kingdome must bee first sought When Salomon preferred in his request vnto God a wise and vnderstanding hart for the well gouerning of his people God gaue him that and also Riches and Honour things that he asked not So if our chiefest desire and endeauour be to lay vp treasure in heauen and to bee rich in the graces of the holy Ghost the Lord will giue vs those Graces and earthly Blessings besides But alas it fareth with most men as it did with Boaz his kinseman who was well content to redeeme the field of Naomie but when hee heard that hee that should haue the field must also marry Ruth hee would none So many hearing of earthly commodities and worldly blessings are content to strain themselues for the obtaining of them but when they heare that they must take them
increase his strength that hee was able to beare it on his shoulders when it was an Oxe so doth the Christian Soule by inuring his patience and faith to beare smaller crosses that in time hee is able through daylie exercise of the spirit to beare greater crosses and to put vp mighty wrongs Through negligent slothfulnesse cursed ingratitude prophane abusing of Gods heauenly Graces they may dye and decay in thee but the more they are vsed the more they are increased The glorious Garment and royall Robe of Christ that Sonne of Righteousnesse wherewith Saint Iohn saw the Church clothed is neuer worne out nor shall euer be put off vntill faith and Hope bee abolished their pure Gold that they buy of him is neuer spent and their Sunne is neuer set though sometime perhaps it may bee vnder a cloud The Oyle of gladnesse wherewith they are annointed is like the widdows Oyle of Sarepta wherewith shee paid her debts maintained her selfe her house and yet her Cruse was still full Nay Christ turneth the water of his seruants that loue to enuite him vnto their feasts into wine and the oftner it is powred forth the sweeter it is One Helmet of Hope one Shield of Faith one Sword of the Spirit c. shall last all thy life and saue thee in a thousand battailes of temptations and spirituall conflicts and neuer bee worne for whom the Lord loueth hee loueth â—to the end and his mercies endure for euer There is but one Faith one God one Lord one Baptisme one Word one Spirit and one Hope though there bee many misbeliefes many Diuels many falsehoods many doubts there is but one supreame goodnes though many euils that one shall ouercome all and remaine alwayes the same that we may still sing with the Psalmist The mercies of the Lord endure for euer And as the Christians heauenly treasure doth excell for Perpetuitie so also for Securitie for it is laid vp in heauen where the Lord himselfe dwelleth and from whence hee laugheth all Theeues both infernall and terrestiall to scorne Many lay vp their treasure in the bottome of a ship and the sea swalloweth it vp but what sea can deuoure those Treasures that are layd vp in heauen Many put their treasure into other mens hands who spend it vainely or runne away secretly but who can spend or runne away with that which is laid vp in heauen Many bestow their Treasure vpon their backe belly and building three such Bees as will sting the land to death if they be not taken heed of and all perish in the vse by fire or by age or by sicknesse or by death but no such thing can happen to those treasures which are laid vp in heauen Many haue houses and lands and riches and friends to day in very good securitie as the world thinketh and by to morrow they are gone or sold or wasted or stolne or dead or turned to another minde but they that haue once laid vp the Treasures of a good life and a good Conscience in heauen shall bee sure to finde them there and to enioy them for euer for they are so kept to his vse that no Theefe can euer steale them from him And howsoeuer some vaine and presumptuous Persons will not sticke through greedinesse of gaine to vndertake for a quantitie of money to secure a mans goods at sea or at land yet considering the miserable vnquietnesse that mans life is exposed vnto and the vniuersall disagreement and warre that is betweene man and all the Creatures in the world yea betweene the Creatures themselues nay more betweene man and man in all estates and degrees nay more than that between euery man in himselfe I see no reason why any man should be so vnwise as to promise vnto himselfe any secure enioying of any worldly commoditie or why another should so confidently or desperately rather vndertake to secure any mans goods or estate when as hee cannot secure himselfe one minute of an houre to an end And first for the miserable and vnquiet estate of this life I see not what can bee said more to discouer the same then hath beene already said by Petrach that learned Italian Oratour the substance of whose discourse concerning this point I thinke will not bee lost labour to lay before thee which briefly is this that considering the vncertaine and sodaine chaunces changes whereunto the affaires and estates of men are subiect nothing can be more fraile nothing more vnquiet then the life of man In other liuing creatures saith hee it is not so and why because nature hath prouided for them a wonderfull kinde of remedy but what is that remedy might not wee enioy it with them Oh no for it is a certaine ignorance of theÌ„selues by reason wherof they inioy their life and being in lesse misery and more quiet then man doth for in vs onely that haue degenerated both our memory vnderstanding our prouidence and all the diuine gifts of our minde are conuerted or peruerted rather vnto our owne toile destruction for are wee not haunted alwayes with vaine and superfluous yea with noysome and pestiferous Cares which cause vs to bee grieued with the present time to bee vexed with the time past and to bee afraid of the time to come If our life were well gouerned it were the most happy and pleasant thing that wee possesse but now so many causes of miseries and nourishments of sorrowes doe wee daylie heape together that we make our life a wretched and wofull toile whose Entrance is blindnes whose Progresse is labour whose End is sorrow and the whole Course error What Day doe we passe oueâ— in rest and quietnes or rather that we finde not more painefull and troublesome then other What Morning haue we euer passed so merry and pleasant that hath not been ouertaken with some sorrow and heauinesse before night What perpetuall warre is it that wee make against Fortune as some speake which know not the diuine prouidence to be the gouernor of all things Wee onely being weakelings and vnarmed take vpon vs to encounter a most fierce foe in vnequall fight and bee againe as lightly as things of naught tosseth vs vp and throweth vs downe turneth vs round about and playeth with vs so that it were better for vs to be quite oâ—ercome then continually to bee had in scorne And the cause heereof is nothing else but our own lightnesse and daintinesse for wee seeme to bee good for nothing else but to bee tossed hetâ—er and thither like a tennis-ball being creatures of a very short life of infinit carefulnes and ignoraunt vnto what shore to fall with our ship or vnto what resolution to apply our mindes And besides the present euill we haue alwayes somewhat to grieue vs behinde our backs and before our eyes to make vs afraid which thing hapnâ—th to
of man ebbeth and fâ—oweth more turbulently from the beginning to the ending without intermission And what tempests and madnes is there not in these foure passions to hope or desire and to reioice to feare to be sorry which trouble the poore and miserable minde by driuing it with sodaine windes and gales far from the Hauen into the middest of most dangerous Rocks And therefore say not as some doe that thou wilt trust no body but thy selfe or what thou hast once resolued vpon no man shall alter thee from it for they selfe are most variable and thine owne false hart will bee the first that shall betray thee And therefore to conclude and returne where wee began sith the life of man is so full of misery and vnquietnesse sith there is so little agreement nay so much strife and contention betweene all things created sensible and insensible and all against man and sith there is so much discord and iarring in all estates and degrees of men and lastly in euery particular man with himselfe how canst thou now that art a Christian and induced with any sparke of Heauenly light set thy heart vpon the world or any thing that is in the World to make it the study of thy braine the care of thy minde or the ioy of thy heart sith in this world as there is nothing of any Excellency or Perpetuitie so likewise is there nothing of any Securitie or safety but all exposed to perill danger and losse But in heauen it is otherwise looke what Treasures thou sendest thether before thy dying day thou shalt bee sure to haue them secured vnto thy vse for euer and why surely because they are with thy GOD and most louing Father where no Theefe can breake through and steale As this Doctrine should cause vs to leaue our doting vpon this World so it seru eth to stay the troubled Conscience from drooping vnder his sins â— and from despairing of Gods mercy for though thy Siâ—nes bee many and great yet thy Treasure is sure in heauen and there is thy Comfort Haddest thou euer any Peace of Conscience any Comfort in Christ any Ioy in the holy Ghost that same abideth still in heauen for thee and that which thou haddest here was but an earnest of that which is laide vp for thee there But thou canst not see it nor feele it thou canst not pray so effectually as thou wert wont to doe c. What then yet it is in Heauen and nothing can take it from thee God doth not keepe our Treasure from Mothes and Theeues to let the Diuels deceiue vs of it no no it is sure for euer When the Childe abuseth such things as his Father bestoweth vpon him they are taken from him and laid vp till another time and though the foolish Childe would haue them still in his sight yet that may not bee the wisedome of the father will not suffer it so God dealeth with his Children as touching the gifts and graces of his Spirit and the vse of them The similitude applyeth it selfe It sufficeth Iacob to heare that his sonne Ioseph was a liue though hee saw him not so it should much comfort vs to know that our Sauiour Christ liueth in vs though wee alwaies feele him not alike I once loued the word of God thou wilt say and was zealous for the glory of God and did beleeue his promises and did reioyce in the exercises of Religion and prayed continually and grieued heartely for my sinnes Oh then I had Treasure in heauen now all is gone my Spirit is dull and heauie I cannot pray nor meditate with that feeling and comfort that I was wont to feele But doe the Lord no iniurie doe not measure his grace by thy feeling while Sathans messenger did buffâ—t Paul that blessed Apostle could not so sensibly feele Gods grace as before but cryed out Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee So whiles temptations doe buffet vs wee are benummed and know not well how it is with vs in respect of Grace but yet Gods grace doth vphold vs for all that Whiles Sathan sifted Peter Christ prayed for him that his Faith might not faile but it was more then Peter felt and so it is with the rest of Gods Children at some times These buffetings and siftings are tokens of Gods fauour yet secret in vs for the time for whom doth Sathan most desire to sift of all the Apostles surely none so much as him that before had made the best confession of Christ. And none are more buffeted then they that haue receiued the greatest Graces Ye shall sorrow saith our Sauiour Christ in the World but in mee yee shall haue ioy and your ioy shall no man take from you no nor Diuell nor Angell nor God himselfe for if wee beleeue not yet God is faithfull saith Saint Paul and not deny himselfe And againe The foundation of God abideth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his and let euery one that calleth on the name of the Lord lesâ—is depart from iniquiâ—â—e to shew that if wee depart from iniquitie wee shall our selues also know that wee are the Lords yea and to that end wee ought to call on the name of the Lord Iesus that by his grace wee may depart from iniquitie And in so doing we may say as the Apostle saith I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which I haue committed Vnto him against the day of Christ. And whereas thou complainest that thou canst not pray know that yet for all that the Spirit of God may bee in thee For the Spirit saith Paul helpeth our infirmities for we know not how to pray as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with â—ighes which cannot be expressed to shew that when the hearts of Gods Children are oppressed with burdensome Temptations which stop the course and passage of our Prayers that then the Spirit of God makes a supply by sighes and grones But if Gods spirit were in thee thou sayest thou shouldest feele it working in thee some heauenly and spirituall work True it is and so hee doth for euen the sighes and grones of a troubled spirit are the workes of Gods spirit and euen the hungring after righteousnesse is no lesse the work of Grace then the hauing of righteousnesse And the work of Gods Spirit is oftentimes more secret in thee then thou art aware of for could God take a Rib out of Adams side while hee slept and neuer felt it and cannot God put his Spirit into thy hungry and heauie Soule and keepe it there as a Liger while thy Faith sleepeth and thou not feele it God dealeth with his Children as Ioseph dealt with his Brethren who knew them well enough but for a time would not bee knowne of them yea and put their money into their sacks
recouery of that right which man hath to all the Creatures the which Adam lost to himselfe all his posteritie 1. Cor. 3. 22. Whether it be the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and you Christs The right way of knowing this benefit is this when God giueth meat drinck c. we must not barely consider them as blessings of God for that very Heathen men can doe which know not Christ but as proceeding from the loue of God in Christ. And so often as wee vse the Creatures this point must come to minde for blessings conceiued a part from Christ are misconceiued Whatsoeuer they are in themselues they are no blessings to vs but in and by Christs Merits for this cause it is not sufficient generally to know Christ to be our Redeemer but wee must learne to see him and acknowledge him in euery particular gift blessing of God If men when they behold their meates and drincks could by faith behold in them the merit of Christs passion there would not bee so much gluttony and drunkennes as there is If the like in their houses and lands their would not bee so much fraud and deceipt inâ—ustice and oppression Also noble birth without new birth is but vanitie The like is to bee saide of phisicke sleepe health libertie recreations and very breathing it self Therefore it is meete that with our earthly recreation wee ioyne spirituall mediâ—ation of the death of Christ then would there not bee so many vnlawfull sports and delights and so much abuse of lawfull Recreations as there is and this wee ought to do for Christ is all in all things Col. 3. 11. The third benefit of Reconciliation is that all crosses and afflictions cease to bee curses and punishments to them that are in Christ and are onely corrections trials because Christs death hath taken away all and euery part of the curse of the law In all crosses Christ is to bee knowne on this manner iudge of them as chastisements or tryals proceeding not from a reuenging Iudge but from the hand of a louing father and therefore they must be taken in and with the merit of Christ as meanes sent of God to keepe vs from being dampned with the wicked world if otherwise wee take them as curses and punishments And hence it followeth that Subiection to the crosse or hand of God in all crosses is a marke of the true church of Christ. The fourth benefit of Reconciliation is that Death is properly no death but a rest or sleep Death therefore is to bee considered not as it is set forth in the Law but as it is altred by the death of Christ and when death commeth wee must looke vpon it through Christs death as through a glasse and thus it will appeare to bee but a passing from this life to euerlasting life The second benefit of Christ is the benefit of his Vertue The Vertue of Christ is the power of his Godhead whereby hee createth new haâ—ts in all that beleeue in him This Veâ—tue is double First the power of his death Secondly the power of his resurrection by the first hee freed himselfe from the punishment and imputation of our sins By the second hee raised himselfe from Death to Life The benefit of Christs diuine power is great to all the faithfull for the same power which freed him from the punishment and imputation of our sins setueth also to mortifie and crucifie the corruptions of our wils mindes and affections And the same which raised him from death to life serueth also to raise those that belong to Christ first from their sinnes in this life secondly from the graue in the day of iudgement The knowledge of this double Vertue must not bee onely in the braine 〈◊〉 experimentall in the heart that is to feele the power of Christs death killing sinne in them that wee might bee able to say with Paul Wee liâ—e not but Christ liueth in vs. This was one of the most excellent things which pauâ— sought for Phâ— 3. 10. I have counted al things but dung that I may know him the vertue of his resurrection The way to know it is to cast off the old man which is corrupt through deceiuâ—able lusts Ephe. 4. 22. The third benefite of Christ is the benefite of his example for Christ is to be knowen not onely as a redeemer but also as a patterne of all good â—ueties to which we ought to conforme our liues Christ is to bee followed of vs in the practise of euery good duety that may concerne vs without exception 〈…〉 Our conformitie with Christ is first in the framing of our inward life secondly in the practise of outward and morrall dueties Conformitie in spirituall life is not by doing that which Christ did vpon the crosse and afterward but a doing of the like by a certaine kinde of imitation and it hath foure parts First a spirituall Oblation for as hee by prayer resigned himselfe vp to bee a sacrifice to the iustice of his father So we in prayer must resigne our selues wholy to the Seruice of God Secondly a spirituall crucifying of our selues for as hee bare his owne Crosse so must wee denie our selues and take vp all crosses that come euery day Againe as hee crucified his flesh so must wee crucifie the body of sinne Gal. 5. 24. They which are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections He with a speare was wounded we with the sword of the spirit must wound sinne to death and labour by experience to feele the very death of it and bury it Thirdly a spirituall Resurrection for as he came out of his graue so wee must come out of our sinnes as out of a most loathsome graue to liue to God This worke cannot bee done at once but by degrees as God shall giue grace Fourthly a spirituall ascention by a continuall eleuation of the heart and minde to Christ sitting at the right hand of God If yee be risen with Christ seeke those things which are aboue Col. 2. Conformitie in morall Dueties is generally to bee holy as he is specially to bee like vnto him in foure Vertues that is in Faith Loue Meeknesse and Humilitie In Faith for as he when he apprehended the wrath of God wholy stayed himselfe vpon the ayde and good pleasure of his father euen to the last so must wee depend wholy on Gods mercy in Christ as with both hands in peace and trouble in life and pang of death And not let goe our hold no though wee feele our selues as it were descend to Hell Secondly in Loue for hee loued his enimies more then himselfe Ephes. 5. 2. Walk in Loue euen as Christ loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs c. The like Loue ought wee to shew by doing seruice to all men in the compasse of our callings and by being all vnto all that wee might
such like whatsoeuer they say in word if we respect the tenor of their liues are flat enimies of the crosse of Christ and tread his precious bloud vnder their feete So farre Perkins But if thou wilt haue the Treasures of Christ in heauen thus thou must learne to know and feele Christ crucified and the benefits of his Merit Vertue and Example and thus must thou come to the knowledge of God of thy neighbour and of thy selfe in Christ crucified euen whiles thou art here vpon earth which feeling knowledge is a sauing knowledge euen an excellent portion of heauenly Treasure imparted to the true Christian in this life and is a pledge of endlesse and infinite treasure prouided for him in the life to come and so much for the wayes and meanes of laying vp treasute in heauen which are by giuing to the poore Members of Christ by suffering patiently for the truth of Christ and by growing in the sauing knowledge of Christ crucified In laying vp Treasure after this sort we shal prooue good Alcumists An Alcumist they say can turne lead into gold or out of Lead or other mettals extract Golde which many haue practised to their vtter vndoing The Pope is the cunningest Alcumist it is thought that the world hath for hee can of a pound of Lead make an hundred pound of Gold for all his Buls and Pardons are sealed with lead but what fooles are they that turne their Gold into Lead or what calues rather that buy his Buls so deare But lay vp Treasure as hath beene shewed thee before and thou shalt turne earth into heauen corruption into incorruption Gold into godlinesse which is great gaine labour into rest sorrow into ioy pouertie into riches and thy cottage into a kingdome euen the kingdome of heauen Now followeth the reasons of Christs Commandement For where your Treasure is there will your heart bee also A Reason of great force as if hee should say for this cause chiefly you ought to lay vp your treasure in heauen that God may haue your heart which cannot bee vnlesse you lay vp your Treasure in heauen for our hearts will bee where wholy their Treasure is Here wee are taught that no man can loue the Lord with his heart that seeketh and placeth his happinesse in earthly things but onely those whose ioy and felicitie is in heauen and the heauenly graces of the Lord Iesus Christ. Worldlings make no doubt but that they may and doe serue God and loue God with their heart yea and haue as good â— hart to God as any whatsoeuer though they follow the world heare not sermons although they keepe not the Sabboth so precisely as others do which will not worke or play then though they neuer meddle with the Scriptures but bee vtterly ignorant of the wayes and will of God But Christ here sheweth that they are al deceiued by a general principle that neuer faileth Wher the treasure is there will be the hart and wher the hart is there is the Treasure of the hart wherupon it followeth that they doe wholy renounce heauen that do seeke for happinesse here below and if they set their harts vpon heauenly things it cannot be that they should esteeme of them no better or frequent them no oftner then they doe The Philosophers haue most exactly so much as the Star-light of nature would giue them leaue disputed of the happines or chiefe wel-fare of man And no meruaile for who doth not desire to bee happy and to win that hold are all mens Sences and Wits mustred and marshalled because it is the onely true treasure For where the Treasure is there will the hart be but most men doe mistake the matter while they seeke for happinesse in the flesh which is not to be found but in the spirit while they confesse that it is in God yet runne after the Diuell for it When some seeke for it in Honour Ambition is made generall of the field and doth commaund the minde while others seeke it in worldly profite Couetousnesse doth inuade the soule taking vp euery roome for worldly desires and noysome lusts which doe eat out the heart with cares and drowne men in perdition others seeking for it in carnall pleasure and sensualitie cry one to another come let vs eate and drinck and bee merry for to morrow wee shall dye and in the meane time the brute beast in that regard is more happy then such Epicures for that more freely without any shame or feare hee enioyeth the pleasure of carnall sensualitie then they doe But if we were once soundly perswaded of our happines in heauen it would bee an easie matter to tread the World vnder foote and to haue our mindes mounted vp to heauen If the loue of God bee our Treasure and through the spectacles of a liuely faith wee can read our names regestred in the booke of life and descry our happinesse to be hidden in Christ if the spirit of Adoption doth certifie our spirits that God is our Father and wee are his children and with the same certificate shall deliuer vs a discharge against sinne death and hell then will our harts feede vpon heauenly meditations and our soules hunger and thirst after righteousnesse wee will then account all but dung that wee might winne the Lord Iesus Christ. And then as the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water so will our soules long for the presence of the Lord And then the Word of God will bee the ioy of our harts and wee will desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ for where the Treasure is there will the hart bee also And vntill then wee shall sauour nothing but earthly vanities Therefore when S. Paul would draw the faithfull to the studie of a heauenly life he doth propound Christ vnto them in whom onely all true felicitie is to bee sought If yee bee risen with Christ saith hee set your minds on things aboue and not on things which are below as if hee should haue said it is an absurd and base thing for christians to haue their mindes grubling on the earth whose Treasure is hid in heauen and that is his reason for yee are dead saith hee and your life is hid with Christ in God Hence we may further learne in what a miserable case they are whose harts are set vpon earthly things which are subiect to Mothes and Theeues Rust and other such manifold mischiefes A cousening match it is of the diuels owne making hee is subtill and sheweth men the world and the glory of it the Court and the brauery of it Honour and the fame of it iniquitie and the profit of it sinne and the pleasure of it as it were his daughters with their dowrie On the other side wee are simple and beleeue him presently our hart is a match for them and happy hee thincks himselfe that can get one of them and to breake it off is a hard matter Their