Gal. 3. 14. a curse that I through him blessed be his holy Name for euer might bee made the righteousnesse of God and partake the promise made to Abraham our Father c Gal. 3. 8. In thee shall all Nations be blessed Know we notwithstanding that though the Apostle thus gloried in the Lord that hee had gone so farre to grace the Gospell by meanes whereof hee did it and to prouoke the Galathians and all others to aspire vnto the like comfort and assurance yet for all that hee exempteth not himselfe from the number of such as hunger and thirst after righteousnesse euen to his dying day he hungred and thirsted still neuer more for euen in his old age he f Phil. 3. 7 8. 13 14. counted all things no better then losse and very doung in comparison of a fuller knowledge and experience of CHRIST IESVS then hee had yet attained to Hee complaineth that hee was yet vnperfect and came short of the goale he professeth in like manner that after the fashion of Runners in a race hee for gate what was behind and reached forth vnto those things which were before and pressed toward the marke for the price of the high calling of GOD. Hee carried himselfe to all purposes as a man extremely hungry and vnsatisfied And the more hee fed himselfe and feasted others the more hungry and thirstie he grew as tasting more and more still how sweet the Lord was This hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse is among the rest a notable marke and charaâ—â—er of a man truly regenerate and so of true blessednesse and the degree of it doth plainly demonstrate the degree of our profiting in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST In the fift place Verse 7. hee pronounceth them blessed not that liue to themselues seeking their owne onely or chiefly as most doe much lesse the cruell and hard-hearted but the mercifull who hauing themselues found vnexpected and vnmeasurable mercy at Gods hands freely to remit the great debt of their sinnes against him as it were ten thousand talents as it is in the Parable and withall besides his infinite fauours spirituall and corporall in this present life of his good pleasure to giue them the Kingdome whereof Luk. 12. 32. haue learned for their parts from their hearts to remit whatsoeuer offences of their brethren and fellow-seruants against themselues as it were some small debt g Mat. 18. 21. c. of an hundred pence so farre forth that if they offend and that grieuously in their thinking seuen times yea h Luke 17. 4. seuentie times seuen times yet still vpon their repentance freely and ioyously to forgiue and receiue them into their fauour as they themselues haue beene to their vnspeakable comfort and would still be forgiuen and receiued into Gods fauour and haue further learned as natural children of their heauenly Father out of an holy compassion and commiseration which the Word heere vsed implyeth to be helpfull to others especially to the houshold of faith in all things so much as in them is euen to the very laying downe of their liues as we are taught 1. Iohn 3. 16 17. And lastly haue learned where abilitie is wanting to doe any other good or to doe so much good as they desire to bee of like affection with the people of God especially to i Rom. 12. 10. 15 16. weepe with them that weepe and to reioyce with them that reioyce being kindly or naturally affectioned to loue one another with brotherly loue They must needes bee blessed in whom is found this sweet fruit of the Spirit of God and that beare his image in so speciall manner In the sixt place Verse 8. hee pronounceth them blessed not who are Impuritanes in any degree whether walkers in the counsell of the vngodly or standers through a habit and custome of doing euill in the way of sinners or sitters in the chaire of scorners turning as many doe plaine Atheists and mock-gods nor yet those who are pure in their owne eyes or externally onely in the eyes of others as the Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites but the pure in heart who haue as the Apostle Peter teacheth k 1. Pet. 1. 22. purified their soules or made them chast as the word there signifieth in obeying the truth or Gospell through the spirit vnto vnfained loue of the brethren so that they loue one another with a pure heart feruently A very excellent Scripture giuing vs thus much to vnderstand and serueth notably to the cleering of that which we haue in hand that our soules naturally vncleane are to be purified by faith as the same Apostle spake Acts 15. 9. which he calleth heere obeying of the truth through the blessed operation of the Holy Ghost that being now reconciled to God and as it were new-married to him wee should be wholy deuoted to him as a chast Matrone to her husband in obedience to his word and loue one another with a pure and sincere heart feruently l 1. Pet. 2. 1. Laying aside to that end as it followeth a little after all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and enuies and euill speakings This is indeed to be pure in heart and truely blessed when as new-borne babes they so desire and drinke in the sincere milke of the word that all gall and guile being put farre away they doe from an honest and good heart performe due feruice to God first and then to their brethren for his sake and at his bidding In the seuenth place Verse 9. they are pronounced blessed not who are turbulent louing to fish in a trobled water nor the proud and ambitious who are the authors of strife nor whisperers and tale-bearers who carrie fewell to that fire and helpe blow it vp no nor yet such as peruersely affect the reputation of quiet folkes and no medlers but the Peace-makers who being at peace with God and seruing the God of peace in the spirit of peace according to the Gospell of peace are m Psal 120. 7. all for peace with King Dauid not onely labouring so much as in them is so much as is possible for truth may not bee sold away to buy peace to haue peace with all men especially to maintaine and vphold loue and amitie with the Saints euen according to the true patterne set downe Acts 4. 32. The multitude of beleeuers were of one heart and of one soule but their care is also to make peace by all meanes betweene God and man in the first place by helping forward the conuersion of a sinner going astray out of his way euery one according to his gifts and calling and in the next place betweene man and man reconciling parties at variance so much as in them is and so stopping the passages of much vncharitablenesse and wickednesse for what euill commeth not of contentions brawles and suites iustly resembled to the breaking out of a violent fire or floud Blessed are all they
Dauids mouth and penne Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing thou hast put off my sack-cloath and gird me with gladnesse The like experience had Daniel Ezra Nehemiah and many others whose inwardnesse and secrecie with God in the performance of these duties carried away an euident and most ample reward to the vnspeakeable comfort of themselues and of the whole Church And verily there is no childe of God now liuing vpon the face of the earth who hath not the like experience in some degree or other receiuing euer in due time an haruest answerable to his sowing All this as also all the foregoing and following doctrine of Almes Prayer and Fasting will yet better appeare if we looke better into the nature of these three Christian vertues A true description will direct vs to the right manner and end of performance of them By Almes then we vnderstand a giuing of reliefe to the poore and needy according to our ablenesse at Gods bidding euen out of tender compassion knowing that they beare the image of God and are our owne flesh Almes must be done at Gods bidding who requireth and streightly chargeth them to bee done in the bookes of the Old and New Testament So that the due performance of them is b Psal 112. 9 righteousnesse obedience better then all sacrifice and the contrarie I meane the neglect of Almes is vnrighteousnesse and disobedience making men c Mat. 25. 41. culpable of hell fire What place is there then of seeking our owne praise or seruing any ends of our owne Almes also must proceed out of tender compassion for the word heere translated Almes signifieth mercie and pitie whereby we learne not onely this lesson That not the thing giuen how great soeuer but the affection of the giuer maketh it Almes but this lesson also That right Almes-giuers stand not vpon any by-respects Pitie and compassion with bowels yearning ouer their brethrens miserie is as a strong law in their hearts forcing them to giue and doe good when they can and as much as they can though they bee not praised for it yea though they should bee disgraced and punished for their labour as in times of persecution many haue beene for contributing to the necessitie of the Saints This consideration also that they beare the image of God and are our owne flesh without any other spur is a sufficient inducement therto And as for prayer what is it but a most humble and familiar talking of the soule with God our heauenly father by the direction and mediation of Christ Iesus his sonne and assistance of his holy spirit about all matters concerning his glorie and our owne good that is the good of our selues spirituall and corporall and of the whole body and brotherhood of the Saints with whom wee hold communion And it comprehendeth d 1. Tim. 2. 1. supplication or deprecation against euill prayer or petition for any good which wee finde within our commission to aske intercession for others and giuing of thankes for all things that befall prosperous or aduerse because e Rom. 8. 21. all worke together for good to them that loue GOD. Which dutie of prayer being thus rightly performed what place is there left for the heart to runne a rouing or whoring rather after worldly glory And he that prayeth continually how can he but haue his conuersation in heauen not seeking popular applause but the things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God And to adde that which he f Verse 7. addeth further in this passage of prayer what place is there for vaine repetitions such as heathenish people vse who are without God in this world and doe seruice to them which by nature are no gods who make none end of laying on tongue in prayer because they thinke to bee heard for their much speaking or babbling But wee haue heard and it is most true that prayer is a talking not of the tongue but of the heart with God of the spirit with a spirit and that by the assistance of Gods holy spirit This speech of our spirits with that incomprehensible spirit or Godhead howsoeuer sometimes it be expressed by words in some sort as may be and as our needes require which words for the most part are or ought to bee g Eccles 5. 2. few yet consisteth it mainely in heauenly affections and h Rom. 8. 26. in grones and sighes that cannot be expressed Away therefore with all lip-labour of superstitious persons of what ranke soeuer conceiting that God is to bee wooed and wonne with art and multitude of words as if prayer exopere operato as Poperie speaketh by the worke done were a meritorious seruice or some strong ning charme to bind God make him condiscend to our deuotions Surely the praying in an vnknown tongue the running ouer of many Pater-nosters Aue-Maries such like stuffe vpon the beades praying by tale and number rather then by weight and infinite such vsages plainely demonstrate that Poperie is full of this abomination nothing at all short of the heathen if they goe not farre beyond them So the manner of praying vsed by many I would I might not say the most of them that professe themselues to bee of the reformed Religion admitteth none excuse When the Lords Prayer is rabled ouer without duevnderstanding or reuerence the Creede also and tenne Commandements are recited and brought as prayers into the presence of the diuine Maiestie with other set formes of prayer sound in themselues like enough and of very great vse but without iust attention and deuotion on their parts that vse them And euen the forwarder sort many times conceiuing prayer how worthily I will not say but wordly enough and too much without premeditation or due preparation chopping into Gods sacred presence and dealing with him in matters of the highest nature concerning his glory and their owne eternall good so inconsiderately and irreuerently that it may too iustly bee said vnto them know you where you are and in whose presence you stand And euen so departing call not to minde before whom and whereabout they haue beene Doe not these and many such like courses too frequent in vse plainly speake and proclaime as it were with the sound of a Trumpet that there is very great danger lest our Prayers also turne into vaine and heathenish babling This is the rather to bee taken heed off because the neerer men approach vnto God and the more grace they haue receiued at his hands the more he looketh to haue his holy Name hallowed by them and the more hotly shall his wrath and iealousie breake forth if it be not We see therefore what need wee haue to i Ephes 6. 18. watch in Prayer that wee bee not ouertaken according to the Apostles doctrine labouring by all meanes that this exhortation of our Sauiour Christ among others may sinke into our hearts Wherein notwithstanding let it be remembred
is able will giue such successe and blessing as hee knoweth to bee most fitting His promise is not to leaue and forsake you your part is to rest vpon it with a calme minde To doe otherwise is to goe about to take his worke out of his hands and to ingrosse all to your selues which you shall haue small ioy of But for the better clearing of this point concerning couetousnesse which men are extremely blind in and are willing to bee blind know wee that there are three degree of couetousnesse whereby the Deuill fasteneth vpon men and hooketh them to himselfe as p 1. Sam. 2. 14. the Sonnes of Heli did the flesh out of the Cauldron with a flesh-hooke of three teeth The first is the grossest of all carried after an vnlawfull obiect as that of Balaam Achan Ahab Iudas and such like The second is that which Christ fighteth against q Vers 1â— 20. c. in the former branch which also is very foule and grosse it is carried after a lawfull obiect as goods gotten without oppression or fraud any way but excessiuely consisting in heaping hoording and making prouision for the r Rom. 13. 14. flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof as that of the Foole before mentioned rich to himselfe and not to God The third is that which is heere condemned carried after a lawfull and necessary obiect without any such excesse but inordinately with carking and caring insteed of dependance vpon God in holy silence and securitie So that the great lesson which our Lord Christ in this place will haue vs take forth is Å¿ 1. Tim. 6. 8. Not onely to be content with things necessary as food and rayment but for those necessary things to looke vp to Heauen and expect them at the hands of our heauenly Father in rest and quietnesse according to the most sweete word and promise of the Lord God the holy one of Israel t Isai 30. 15. In rest and quietnesse shall yee be saued in quietnesse and confidence shall be your strength This the Prophet opposed against all vnlawfull meanes vsed by the Iewes who in their danger depended not vpon God but went a gadding into Egypt for helpe Let vs according to Christs doctrine learne to oppose it against all distrust in Gods Prouidence against all wordly cares and whatsoeuer distraction of mind arising from thence It is true indeede that wee cannot altogether shake off the punishment which sinne hath brought vpon man to eate his bread with sweate and sorrow yet as wise Bathsheba taught her Sonne u Prou. 31 â—6 to giue wine and strong drinke to him that is readie to perish and hath griefe of heart that hee may forget his pouertie and misery so let vs labour to be filled with the Wine of the Spirit to haue our soules throughly cheared by Faith and a pure Conscience which is to drinke a true health and that will easily make vs forget at the least in great part the labours and sorrowes of this life This x Gen. 6. 29. as Noah will comfort euery good Lamech concerning the worke and toyle of his hands Now let vs come to the Reasons briefly It is not without the force of a Reason that hee is so earnest charging vs by his owne authoritie as we haue often heard who is our great Lord and Master I say to you take no thought c. which is of the more force because this his charge was not verball but reall his whole life being a practice of this his doctrine for he euer did the workes of him that sent him and tooke no thought for outward things His first Reason is drawne from a comparison and to put the more life into it is propounded with a vehement interrogation Is not the life more then meate and the bodie then rayment meaning that God hath giuen the greater without all carking and caring on our part wherefore out of question hee will not scotch with vs for the lesse He hath giuen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our essence or substance hee will not withhold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any necessaries appertayning to our essence or substance as hee seemeth to intimate in the fourth Petition giue vs this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our daily bread God is not like to a House-wright Ship-wright or maker of Clockes and Watches who take no more care of their workes when they are once finished but leaue them to others for to repaire guide and set but this y Psal 48. 14. God is our GOD for euer and euer hee shall be our guide vnto death as it is in the Psalme Wherefore wee are commanded to z 1. Pet. 4. 19. commit our soules or selues vnto him in well doing as to a faithfull Creator and so let vs doe and there rest His second Reason is also drawne from a comparison with a note of attention prefixed to awaken vs from our drousinesse a Verse 26. Behold the Foules of the Aire for they sowe not neither doe they reape nor gather into Barnes yet your Heauenly Father feedeth them are yee not much better then they Giuing vs to vnderstand that those foules infinitely inseriour to vs they were made for vs wanting all those meanes which we enioy neither are at all regarded of man as the foules of the Aire are not yet want they not necessary food but expect and receiue it at the hands of our heauenly Father euery one in due time As the Psalmist notably obserueth b Psal 145. 15. The eyes of all waite vpon thee and thou giuest them their meate indue season thou openest thy hand and satisfiest the desire of euery liuing thing Againe c Psal 147. 9. God giueth to the beasts their food to the yong rauens that cry Againe d Psal 104. 21. The yong Lions roare after their prey and seeke their meate from God How much more then shall God not theirs but our heauenly Father looke out for vs and furnish all our needs in due time And when this commeth out with a note of attention Behold it teacheth vs that those workes of God which seeme to bee of the lowest ranke commonly least heeded such as the foules of the Aire and Lillies of the field are not to be passed by as the manner is or negligently to bee looked into but with most attentiue heed and consideration of euery childe of God for consolation as heere and for instruction To which end e Prou. 6. the practice of the little Emmet is commended and vrged For if we thinke God and his diuine vertues worth the beholding next to his holy Word and Sanctuarie or holy place it is to be done in his Creatures and Workes wherein f Rom. 1. 20. the inuisible things of him euen his eternall Power and Godhead are to be seene not onely in the Sunne Moone and Starres or in g Iob 40. 15. 41. 1. Behemoth and Leuiathan but euen in those which
kindly a checke is giuen to all vanitie and excesse of apparell for when nice and vaine-glorious fooles haue euen strained to goe as farre as euer they can either in strange and new fangled fashions or in ouer great costlinesse or in spoyling precious time by curious tricking and trimming of their earthly masse or lump of flesh in setting their ruffes starching tooting into the glasse laying out their haire and brests and many such like gewgawes they come farre short not onely of some of their compeeres and greaters especially but of many very base creatures which surmount them yea goe beyond Salomon himselfe who in his lawful and warrantable pompe out-stripped all others And whereas hee shaketh them by the shoulder as it were saying O yee of little faith it is indeed a sharpe reprehension iustly deserued on their and our parts when instead of depending vpon the diuine promise and prouidence wee fall to this demurre about apparell or any other thing of the like nature yet for all that it may bring sweet consolation to the humble and broken hearted trembling at the word of God in that Christ rebuketh his Disciples and followers indeed for the weakenesse of their faith so Matth. 8. 28. but reiecteth them not for it he rather animateth and strengtheneth them It is a more blessed thing to haue that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or z Rom. 4. 17. 18 strong faith that was in our father Abraham notwithstanding if poore Christians be not so happie as to bee carried vnder full sailes at all times but must content themselues with a fainter gale they are not to bee discouraged because the God of truth accepteth of truth and sinceritie Neither is it the degree of faith but Christ the obiect that maketh the beleeuer acceptable Yet that no man deceiue himselfe know we that where this life of true faith is how infirme soeuer there cannot but be the breath of prayer in some degree for daily increases there must needes bee some heat of charitie and zeale some sence also of our owne vilenesse and spirituall wants as of Gods mercifulnesse except in a desertion or spirituall swoune when contrarie to sence wee are to beleeue and with Christ himselfe to crye My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee there is with all motion and a Hebr. 6. 1. striuing to goe on vnto perfection To which end there cannot but accompanie and insatiable hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse and so a continuall clinging to our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in the meanes as wee see in the weake Disciples b Iohn 6. 48. Master to whom shall wee goe thou hast the words of eternall life This haue I thought good to point vnto by the way let vs now proceede To set yet a sharper edge vpon it and to stirre vp our dull and distrustfull hearts to more often and serious meditation of this weightie point he repeateth his exhortation and addeth two reasons more against distrustfull and anxious looking after foode and rayment His repetition is in another forme very significant for those carers and carkers about outward things are broght in vttering their own distrustful thoughts sauouring of some spice of Atheisme For as if they had no God to prouide for them or as if all the promises of God were moone-shine in the water they say c Verse 31. What shall we eat what shall we drinke or wherewith shall we bee cloathed as doubting how it may or can be all meanes failing either by losses deadnesse of trading increase of charge olde age sicknesse persecution and such like disasters So did the children of Israel in the wildernesse when for their probation and tryall they were somewhat hard put to the next was Where shall wee haue water to drinke who shall giue vs flesh to eate d Psal 78. 19. Can God furnish a table in the wildernesse would to God wee had dyed in Egypt c. When their armes were too short to helpe themselues poore wretches they could not see how the arme of the Lord could bee long enough to doe it which disease who is it that knowing his owne heart findeth not in corrupt nature when tentations of this nature fall out to bee heauie and frequent Wherefore as Christ rouzed vp his Disciples in another case e Mat 26. 41 Watch and pray lest yee enter into tentation the spirit is willing the flesh is weake so are wee euery one of vs to rouze vp our selues in this very case We little thinke especially while we enioy the world at will how wicked wee shall finde our rebellious and vnbeleeuing hearts in the day of tryall which few or none escape at one time or other let euery one call to minde how he hath found it at any time heretofore when it hath gone very hard with him whether he were not then at his wits end in a manner And though he brake not out into such loude and passionate speeches yet whether his heart were not full of distraction fretting and murmuring but rather as it ought to bee by resting vpon God and humbling himselfe vnder his correcting hand hee gaue glorie to God making him his onely sanctuarie and repose In summe our Sauiour Christ in these often repetitions commendeth this vnto vs as an high and necessarie point of wisdome and dutie not to suffer our mindes to bee troubled or royled as it were with the sence of present want or expectation of future euents but f Iohn 11. 9. and 9 4. walking in the day and doing the worke of euery day while it is day to waite vpon God with a quiet minde g Psal 123. 2. as the seruant vpon his Master the hand-maid vpon her Mistresse The better and more able Master wee haue the more stedfastly ought wee to doe it we shall find in experience this to be the best sugar and water to cure the fret in the belly of our soules The two reasons follow whereof the first is h Verse 32. for after all these things seeke the Gentiles or rather ouer seeke them as the originall word signifieth They make this the onely or principall care what to eate drinke and put on because their happinesse is bounded within the narrow compasse of this perishing world more they know not poore soules and therefore can looke no higher As appeared in the old world and in the Sodomites who i Luke 17. 26 27 28. did eat and drinke married and gaue in marriage bought sold built and planted hauing their minds wholy taken vp and inthralled therewith Wee learne hereby that it is meerely heathenish and to bee abhorred of Christians to haue our minds turmoyled and tortured about worldly supplies which wee ought to put God in trust withall To what end haue wee learned Christ if his blessed doctrine and practice can beare no more sway with vs herein How doe wee professe the hope of an heauenly inheritance if vpon Gods promise and perpetuall experence of his
as euery tree that beareth not good fruit is at the length hewen downe and cast into the fire so all corrupt teachers with their Disciples and followers shall in fine be cut off and cast into hell fire The Euangelist Luke n Luk. 6. 43. 44. extendeth this not onely to all Ministers but to all persons in generall as also wee finde it Mat. 3. 10. and 12. 33. From whence in briefe arise these doctrines necessarily to bee considered of euery one first that it is impossible for a mam not borne againe to doe any good and acceptable worke for till a man bee accepted himselfe his worke cannot The o Genes 4. 4. Lord had respect to Abel and then to his offering but vnto Cain and vnto his offering hee had no respect p Mat. 12. 33. Either make the tree good onely regeneration or the new birth doth that and his frnit good or make the tree euill and his fruit euill the fruit must needs bee as the tree is Nothing therefore is done in the businesse of religion vntill a man in deed and in truth become a new creature or as our Lord Christ phraseth it q Iohn 3 5. vntill hee bee borne againe or from aboue of water and the holy Ghost that is vntill the holy Ghost haue renued and restored him to the fauour and Image of God through the ministerie of the Gospell r Luke 3. 3. preaching the baptisme of repentance for the remission of sinnes The second doctrine is that vniuersall righteousnesse or walking Å¿ Luke 1. 6. with Zacbarie and Elizabeth in all the commandements and ordinanees of the Lord blamelesse doth of necessitie proceed from all that are so regenerate It is heere set downe as a ruled case That euery good tree bringeth forth good fruit and cannot bring forth euill habitually or in a setled course as hath beene said they are and must t Mat. 5. 48. be perfect as their heauenly father is perfect as wee haue heard The third doctrine also is as true as it is terrible to all hypocrites and worldlings that vtter reiection from the face of God and hell fire it selfe are the certaine reward of an vnfruitfull life though it bee not tainted with grosse sinnes The fruitlesse tree is sentenced to be cut downe u Mat. 25. 30 the vnprofitable seruant to bee cast into vtter darknesse and in the last day it shall bee said I was hungrie and you fed mee not naked and you cloathed mee not sicke and in prison and you visited mee not c. Wherefore goe yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the deuill and his angels and none excuse will serue their turne The fourth and last doctrine is that which ought to awaken euery man to liue righteously and fruitfully viz. that euery one is to bee iudged not by his words or profession but by the euidence of his workes and that not onely at the last day but euen in present for so hee saith x Verse 20. so Cap. 12. 33. Ye shall know them by their fruits in which respect a man is truly said to be iustified or condemned by his works declaratiuely Wherefore as the Apostle writeth y T it 3 14. Let ours also learne to shew forth good workes for necessarie vses But of this more followeth to be spoken vpon the next verse wherein is contayned the second danger of being with-holden or carried from the strait gate and narrow way and that is by a glorious profession and seeming zeale in these words z Verse 20 Not euery one that saith vnto mee Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but hee that doth ehe will of my father which is in heauen As there is extreame danger from false Prophets so except we looke well about vs there is no lesse danger if not much more from our owne selues through the deceitfulnesse of our euil hearts For it is possible and too too frequent in vse for men to liue vnder wise and faithfull teachers and to heare from them the pure word of God with out mixture of false doctrine or hypocrisie to receiue it also gladly to beleeue Iesus Christ to be the onely begotten Sonne of God the promised Messiah to professe him to bee their one and onely Sauiour to call vpon him not with a single Lord but with Lord Lord that is affectionately and zealously in appearance to doe yea and to suffer many things gladly being at a point with a Mat. 8. 19. the Scribe to follow Christ whithersoeuer hee goeth and in regard of these and such like matters to thinke themselues as good as in heauen alreadie and yet for all that to come short of the goale which is the prize of the high calling of God because these glorious shewes are without the substance and power of godlinesse wherein the Kingdome of God consisteth and not in word profession or any externall thing This is that which Christ here calleth the doing of the will of his father which is in heauen which may then truely be said to be done when the doctrine which wee heare out of his holy word is on our parts receiued and b Heb. 4. 2. mixed with faith vnfained when daily and deepe repentance for our daily transgressions followeth it to that end we narrowly c Psal 119. 59. Lam. 3. 40. search our own hearts and wayes that we may the more effectually turne vnto God in obedience to all his commandements and ordinances when there is to be found in vs a perpetuall striuing and streyning that wee may not e Rom. 8. 13. liue after the flesh but mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit when our speciall combating is against our speciall sinnes and corruptions either by custome complection or calling and herein cheifly against hypocrisie desiring from the heart euen before God to be righteous in euery thing rather then to seeme so making it our ambition and couetousnesse not to please men and to grow great in the world or in common graces of the spirit but to please the all-seeing eyes of God and to grow rich in sauing graces in faith hope charitie patience humilitie meeknesse temperance heauenly-mindednesse to be plentifull in good workes laying vp fot our selues treasures in heauen euer suing and saying with Dauid f Psal 4. 6. Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs when wee apply and settle our hearts g 1. Thes 5. 17 18. to pray without ceasing and watch thereunto In euery thing to giue thankes also because this is the will of GOD in Christ Iesus concerning vs. Lastly to let passe all other particulars when in the point of charitie our faithfull and constant indeauour is to loue our neighbours yea euen our very enemies not onely as our selues which is the righteousnesse of the law but euen aboue our selues being readie according to the will of God to sacrifice not our goods onely but our very