seen they hate Ioh. 15.24 and all that he loves or love him all his members Mar. 13.13 though they be their own flesh and that even to death Lukâ— 21.16 17. Excellently is this condition expressed in that metaphor wherein carnal men are called spots and blemishes 2 Pet. 2.13 A wicked Father or Childe a wicked Husband or wife a wicked Master or Servant is a spot in a familie a wicked Governour or Subject a spot in the Common wealth a wicked Minister or Professour a spot and blemish in the Church And as a spot or blemish is nothing but filthiness or a filthy nothing so is every man in his corrupted nature 2. Man in the first Adam is a child of the Divel Ioh. 8.44 and a very Divel in flesh Ioh. 6.70 Satan a filthy spirit but he filthy in flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 he a captive of the Divel 2 Tim. 2.26 a servant to sin which is the very dung of Satan Rom. 6.17 fetter'd in the very bond of it Act. 8.23 servant to corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 and to divers lusts Tit. 3.3 the hand serves one the eye another the ear a third the heart a thousand He is even cut out and mangled into a base and cursed slaverie Now the servant is more base than the Master Take good notice therefore of this estate of man Lust is the servant of Satan man the servant of lust the Divels servants servant Sin the corruption and dung of Satan man the servant of sin and corruption In a word a carnal man is the prey of Satan devoured by that roaring Lion who hath digested him into filthiness of flesh and spirit and hell the draught into which he is purged Thus then think in your hearts I. Ayeâ— oâ— her selâ— is dark and hath no light But what Heaven lends her and when angry skies Call in their debt she sinks in dungeon night Nay while she borrowes light oâ—t foggâ— arise Or storms and filch by stealth or rob by might Her lone her day in youth or childhood dies But while the present Suns with conquering ray Dispel the shades and their strong beams display She sparkles all with light and broider'd gold-array II. Such now is Man inform void empty dark A Chaos dungeon grave a starless night Rake all his ashes up ther 's not a spark To tine quencht life or kindle buried light And what he steals from others empty shark Hell with his mists depraves so robbs him quite But when his Life and Light shines in his eyes In him he lives as he and never dies Glittring in light divine he heaven stars Sun out-vies III. For as in earthly sight the bodies eye To the object bent is like the object â—orm'd So when the soul turn'd to the Deitiâ— Receives hiâ— likâ—ness it is soon tranâ—form'd To what it sees death hell and darkness â—â—y And all the spirit to Light and Liâ—â— conform'd Soul of my soul draw my souls eyes to thee Set them upon thy face make me to be By seeing Life and Light the Light and Liâ—e I see You have seen what you are in the first Adam look now on the other side of this picture and see what you may be in the second CAP. XXI Man in Christ is above other men and all creatures next the Creatour IN our selves we are 1. Dead a meer privative a nothing 2. Dead in sin meer corruption corruption of Hell what we are or may be in Christ now consider We are quickned together with Christ. Christ is that overflowing Fountain by whose fulness of grace our empty chanels are not only 1. Scoured from that choking mire which stops all passages but 2. Stored with the water of life with the fulness of God see Hab. 2.14 Eph. 3.19 But how are we quicken'd with Christ raised and sit together in heavenly places with him Eph. 2.6 Not only virtually as the fruit lies in the seed or root but in some kind actually As in the first fruits the whole field and in the Cake of the first dough the whole lump was sanctified and an actual blessing conveyed in it so Christ being raâ—sed is the first frâ—its of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15.20 the first Cake of the new lump 1 Cor. 5.7 and in him even actually in a kind are they quickened who are yet unborn As a wife or child takes possession of that land in the husband or Father which he hath purchased in their name Hence we evidently see first that the only life of man by which he is a Câ—ristian a blessed creature nay indeed by which he is a right man is not that natural and fading but this spiritual and eternal life which we have in Christ hence called the life of God Eph. 4.18 begotten by God Jam. 1.18 the life of Christ 2 Cor. 4.10 he our life Col. 3.4 and liveth in us Gal. 2.20 and the life of the Spirit he gives it 2 Cor. 3.6 And as the vegetative life of plants the sensitive life of beasts the rational life of man is nothing elss but the Act of such a soul giving the creature such a being and enabling it unto such actions so the divine and spiritual life is nothing else but that Aâ—â— of Gods Spirit dwelling in man and giving him a spiritual being a divine nature and enabling to spiritual and Godly actions or to use the Scripture phrase to live and walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 whereby we live in God and to God see Rom. 8.9 10. Gal. 2.20 1 Joh. 5.11 12. For without question the true life of man differs from all other life in inferiour or contrary creatures but in this natural life the faculties and actions of it man differs not from plants in growth from beasts in sense from wicked spirits in reason That form then which gave man his difference doubtless was that Image of God in which he was created perfect by the loss of which he lost the perâ—ection and truth of humane nature He therefore that hath no other but this natural life is but an half-man hath little or nothing of a man but is partly a beast in respect of sense partly a Divel in regard of his perverted and distorâ—ed reason 2. Secondly here we may easily observe that howsoever a carnal man glisters in carnal eyes honoured admired yet is he a very Abject and the skumm of the creatures so a spiritual man contrary though he seem a base thing in the eye of the world and more base in his own a reproch of men and scorn of the people Psal. 22.6 yet is he indeed the most noble and excellent creature in the world and next the great Creatour Hence the Saints in terms are called the Excellent Psal. 16.3 preferred in their excellencie before others whatsoever are their earthly advancements The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Prov. 12.26 28.6 This is Heavens this is Gods Heraldry Now are they Sons of God and Heirs apparent 1 Joh. 3.1 But because their
Psal. 73. vers 25 26. The heathens were not altogether ignorant of God his eternal power and Godhead Rom. 1.19 20. but our redemption by his Son our communion with him by his Spirit and consequently our salvation and blessedness by our union with him was wholly hid from them The necessity of this knowledg appears 1. By the miserie of ignorance without it the wisest are fools very Sots of no understanding Ier. 4.22 All sin and disobedience flows from want of this knowledg Ier. 9.3 Hos. 4.1 2 c. 2. By the happiness that follows it All grace attends it Faith Psal. 9.10 the whole new man Col. 3.10 2 Pet. 1.2 3. and all blessedness Ioh. 17.3 Certainly if the studie of men be above other natural studies oh what is the studie of God how pleasant how profitable Prov. 2.10 when sin affrights us how sweet the knowledg of his pardoning mercie Psal. 86.4 5. 103.11 when men are oppressed by tyrants how sweet the knowledg of his Justice Rev. 15.3 16.5 nay even in our humiliations for sin how doth the knowledg of his Justice and faithfulness refresh us 1 Ioh. 1.9 upon all occasions how comâ—ortable the knowledg of his power In temporal distresses Dan. 3.17 in spiritual as pardon Num. 14.17 subduing iniquities Mic. 7.18 19. in protecting from all evil and keeping us to eternitie Ioh. 10.29 1 Pet. 1.5 2. Secondly we must know him in our Judgments to prize him as he is even all things less than nothing in comparison of him Isa. 40.17 For him Abraham despises his Country Moses the treasures and pleasures of Egypt David regards nothing in Heaven or earth with him Psal. 73.25 26. Paul esteems all things dung and loss for the excellent knowledg of Christ Phil. 3.8 Hence all the Saints deny themselves and all for him and exalt him by their own abasement Kings will be vile to honour him 2 Sam. 6.22 Iohn Baptist contented to wane that he may appear in fulness Ioh. 3.13 Paul will be a servant to every man for his sake who is Lord of all 2 Cor. 4.5 They make their honour wait upon his Prov. 4.8 For they know He is their praise Deut. 10.21 They will cheerfully buy him with loss of all buy him at any price sell him at none Matth. 13.44 Prov. 23.23 If he calls for their pleasures profits credit life they part with all If he will have body and soul they will give him all and when they have done all and given all look upon this all as a very nothing The will also must know him to chuse take embrace him as he offers himself to us He proffers himself to be our Lord Exo. 6.6 to redeem us from all Usurpers to his service Luk. 1.74 75. to be our King Hos. 13.10 to govern us under his holy and wholesome laws He offers himself to be all to us our portion inheritance shield our exceeding great reward Ier. 10.16 Gen. 15.1 More particularly he offers himself in his persons to be to us 1. A Father Deut. 32.6 2 Cor. 6.17 18. 2. An Husband 2 Cor. 11.2 Hos. 2.19 20. the Saviour of his Spouse Eph. 5.23 3. To be our Quickner and Comforter Joh. 16.13 1 Cor. 15.45 Thus he offers himself to us and thus must we receive him as a child the Father to obey him as a wife her Husband to be subject unto him as a Body the Soul to be informed by him and in all things conformed to him Chuse him therefore as your support without him you can do nothing Ioh. 15.5 without him we are nothing at our best sheer vanitie Psal. 39.5 The very plants will teach us The weak Ivie and wood-bine c. conscious of their infirmitie clasp about the strong which may bear them up even dint the trees with their close embraces He is a Lord that in our service looks not to his own but his servants profit He needs not us but we him But why then doth he call and draw us to his service To make us blessed He taketh pleasure in the prosperitie of his servants Psal. 35.27 he delights to do us good Ier. 32.40 and to give us the Kingdom Luk. 12.32 Men grosly ignorant fouly misconceive of his service they look on it as cords and bonds but indeed there is nothing so blessed as it no blessedness but it Psal. 84.4 Oh the incomprehensible love in which he hath chosen us what was there in us worthy of his choice were we wise no we were foolish Tit. 3.3 were we strong no we were of no strength Rom. 5.6 were we noble no we were servants to lust to corruption to filthiness and most filthy in that â—ervice Tit. 3.3 2 Petr. 2.19 Psal. 14.3 were we any thing no we were very nothing â—nd to him less than nothing 2 Cor. 12.11 â—sa 40.17 yet hath God chosen the foolish â—hings of the world to confound the wise God â—ath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty and the base things of the world and things despised hath God chosen yea and things that are not to bring to nought things that are 1 Cor. 1.27 28. But in him what is there which is not infinitely excellent infinitely desireable delectable sâ—all he then chuse such dung to be his children heirs his peculiar inheritance and should not we when he offers himself chuse him the glory of all glory to be our Father our Lord our Portion 4. The Affections also are said to know that which they love in which they delight and for which they longue we therefore must know God to love fear him delight in him and longue after him Frequently in every page of scripture me meet not only with Gods precepts in these duties but the Saints practice To provoke our hearts to love we must consider him 1. In himself He is good Psal. 100.5 only good Matth. 19.17 abundant in goodness Exo. 34.6 he is Love 1 Joh. 4.16 altogether lovely Cant. 5.16 2. In relation to us He is our Father Husband Life c. as before 3. in his dealing with us He hath manifested his love to us above all the works of his hands In our creation advanced us above all crowned us with glory Psal. 8.5 6. In our redemption preferred us above the Angels assuming ours and refusing their nature Heb. 2.16 Now then take great heed that your love be true Relative affection is not right if the measure be not right An Husband loved as another man is not loved as an Husband Admit no rival or partner in his love no creature not our selves must be preferred before him or equal'd to him we must love him more than life for his love is better than life Psal. 63.3 He our quickning Spirit we his body he our head we his members why should not the hand prefer the head or the body the soul before it self As we may love him for his gifts so much more for himself Stir up your unthankful nature to this
prâ—rogatives are such as never eye saw ear heard or entred into the heart of man 1 Cor. 2.9 such as infinitely transcends our vastest thoughts therefore are they veiled under many similitudes and compared to those things which are most honourable and highest in the eyes of man They are Kings Rev. 1.6 and their Kingdom not fading but unshaken Heb. 12.28 not earthly but heavenly 2 Pet. 1.11 they have their sceptres Heb. 1.8 their Palaces Psal. 45.8 their thrones Rev. 3.21 their crowns 2 Tim. 4.8 God himself their diademe Isa. 28.5 they have their glory even the glory of God 1 Thes. 2.12 Christ himself their glory Luk. 2.32 and they the glory of Christ Isa. 46.13 This eminencie of Saints may be cleerly shewed in an evident demonstration For no creature can stand in competition with them but only other men and Angels For the first their eminencie will easily appear by comparison even in those things wherein men challenge precedencie before others Men are counted more honourable as they go before others in birth estate or end Look then first to that broad difference betwixt the birth of the spiritual and the carnal creature Flesh is born of flesh Joh. 3.3 The natural man is of earth earthy 1 Cor. 15.47 nay of hell and therefore hellish His Father in the flesh is a sinful man his spiritual Father those spiritual wickednesses even Satan Ioh. 8.44 But Spirit is born of Spirit The new man is not born of flesh and blood not of the will of man but of God Joh. 1.13 God his Father who hath begotten him 1 Pet. 1.3 God his Mother also who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conceiving hath brought himforth Jam. 1.18 In their generation or birth there is no comparison 2. For their estate what infinite disparitie 1. in life 2. In things belonging to life The life of Saints is the life of God Eph. 4.18 their nature the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 the blessed Spirit the soul of this life which animates him Rom. 8.9 10. Carnal men have a filthy spirit informing and working in the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 In the one God works all their works Isa. 26.12 will and deed Philip. 2.13 in the other Satan and Sin Things belonging to life are as the life temporal or spiritual The Saints spiritual portion in one word is God Christ his Bread and meat Joh. 6.35 55. he the portion of his cup Psal. 16.5 the cup of salvation Psal. 116.13 the drink indeed Joh. 6.55 1 Cor. 10.4 Christ his garment a most royal robe He puts on Christ Gal. 3.27 Christ his house he dwels in him 1 Joh. 4.13 he our everlasting habitation Psal. 90.1 Heaven or rather the God of Heaven his inheritance Psal. 16.5 how contrary is the other his portion for the present is nothing but sin his bread ashes and a deceitful heart Isa. 44.20 and his drink iniquity Job 15.16 and he drunk with it Isa. 29.9 10. his reckoning cup fire and brimstone Psal. 11.6 his garments cursing Psal. 109.18 and his inheritance hell-fire Matth. 25.41 But surely in temporal conveniences thâ—re the men of this world much exceed the other So indeed they boast but lye The little of the righteous is much better than the superfluitie of others Psal. 37.16 Prov. 16.8 The prosperitie of the wicked deadly Prov. 1 32. the troubles of the righteous wholsome Psal. 119.71 The one cursed in blessings the other blessed in curses In a word the one in his best and most comfortable estate a wâ—eful creature the other in his worst ever blessed Luk. 6.20 to 27. 3. For their ends the one shall flourish iâ— never ending peace the other is cut off for ever Psal. 37.37 38. Lastly it hath pleased the Lord of all creatures to prefer them even above the Angels First in our Creation we were made a little inferiour to them but as Princes prefer their Favourites by some honourable office above others who are more nobly descended so our Lord hath advanced us above them in setting the crown upon our heads crowning us with honour and glory and giving to us as his Viceroyes not to Angels dominion over the works of his hands Psal. 8.5 6. appointing even them to be ministring spirits for us who are heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 our guards to defend us Psal. 34.7 our Guardians in all our ways to keep us Psal. 91.11 2. In the work of Redemption our nature assumed theirs refused Heb. 2.16 we râ—deâ—med they rejected And as our nature is infinitely exalted above the most glorious Angels in the person of Christ so by him many great Prerogatives granted to us who are his members whom he redeems with his blood nourishes with his flesh dwels in us by his Spirit and crowns with his glory Joh. 17.22 In a word Saints are the highest Favourites of the most Highest having fellowship and communion with God 1. Joh. 1.3 nay union with the Father and the Son one Spirit with Christ and one in them as they are one Joh. 17.21 Seeing then our Father is in Heaven our Hâ—ad in Heaven ouâ— life our Country and Portion in Heaven seeing our spirits were born in Heaven and our bodies look to Heaven let our treasure minds and conversation also be in Heaven So shall we even here on earth live in the Suburbs of Heaven and in due time being advanced to that glorious City the heavenly Ierusalem eternally reign with the King of Heaven Amen Amen Let me shut up all in that sweet Poem Boetius Libr. 5. Mâ—tr 5. I. Into what different moulds doth Gods wise hand Cast his wet clay and to their various â—orms Their divers postures fitts some sweep the sand Drawn out at length as tottering boats in storms They mount and â—all dragging their lazy trains They plow long â—urrowes on the dusty plains II. Some light as ayer mounted on liquid sky Spread to the gentle winds their featherd sails Swimming with plumed oâ—rs through Heavens fly Some shod with hoofs some frosted with sharp nails Through woods and forrests plains and mountains trace And set their prints upon th' earths scarr'd face III. Yet though their various shapes and gate betray How â—ar their natures differ each from other All meet in this All gaze upon the clay From which they spring and stâ—re upon their Mother Prest down with earthy Yoke their dullard sight Pores on dark shades they use not view the light IV. Man only rears aloâ—t his honour'd head His body stands and walks upright his eyes Transport his soul where it was highly bred To keep acquaintance with his neer Allies On earth his down-cast look he never places But when he stoops and losty head abases V. Iâ— then thou art not beast or earth if maâ— Thy body guides the soul thy eye the mind Thy flesh looks where it tends not wher't began Oh shall the Heaven-born soul forget his kind Shall heavenly minds mind earth while earthy eyes Eye Heaven soar up my soul transâ—end the skies Else while thy body lives thy spirit dies Books Printed for and Sold by Henry Mortlock at the sign of the White Hart in Westminster-Hall A Rational account of the grounds of Protestant Religion being a vindication of the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterburys Relation of a conference c. from the pretended answer of T. C. Origines Sacrae or a Rational account of the grounds of Christian Faith as to the Truth and Divine Authority of the Scriptures and the Matters therein contained 4 0. Irenicum A weapon salve for the Churches wounds or the Divine right of Forms of Church government Examin'd and discussed 4 0. Six Sermâ—ns with a Discourse Annexed concerning the true Reason of the sufferings of Christ wherein Crellius his answer to Grotius is considered 8 0. large A Sermon preached before the King Ian. 30. all these by Edward Stilliâ—g fleet D. D. Knowledg and Practice or a plain discourse of the chief things necessary to be â—nown believed and practised in order to sâ—lvation by S. Câ—adoâ—k 4 0. The being and well being of a Christian in 3. Treatises The first setting forth the properties of the Righteous The 2. the Excellency of grace The 3. the nature and sweetness of fellowship with Christ by Edward Reyner late Minister at Lincoln published by his Son Iohn Reyner 8 0. The Triumph of Rome over Despised Protesâ—ants by Phil. Hall 8 0. The Morall Philosophy of the Sâ—oicks Translated out of French by Charles Cotton Esq. 8 0. A Word in Season or 3. great Duties of Christians in the worst of times viz. Abiding in Christ thirsting after his Ordinances and submission to his providences by I. C. D. D. To which is added by way of Appendix the Advice of some Ministers to their people for the Reviving of the power and practice of Godliness in their families 8 0. Propugnaculum Pietatis The Saints Ebenezer and Pillar of hope in God when they have none left in the creature or the Godly mans crutch or staff in times of sâ—dning disappointments sinking discouragements shaking desolations by F. E. 8 0. The voice of one crying in a wilderness or the whole business of a Christian both Antecedaneous to Concommitant of and Consequent upon a sore and heavy Visitation represented in several Sermons by S. S. a Servant of God in the Gospel of his Son 12 0. Immanuel or a Discovery of true Religion as it imports a living principle in the minds of men grounded upon Christs discourse with the Samaritaness John 4.14 being the Latter clause of the voice crying in a Wilderness or a Continuation of the Angelical Life by the same Author 12 0. Common Prayers in Welch fol. FINIS
II. The Portion or good of man lies not in 〈◊〉 fruition of any or all creatures THe learâ—ed Heathen and wise Philoâ—â—â—phers wonderfully toyl'd tired aâ—â— tormented their sharp Wits in cleaving 〈◊〉 that knotted Question concerning that End or Good of man in which his perfection or happiness consisted Neither should I less vex my self or you if I should but reckon up their numberless gross errours and jangling differences concerning that matter All their search was but as that of the Sodomites groping for the door in a night of blindness For as the Apostle what man knows the things of man save the spirit of man which dwells in him Much more the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God or they to whom that Spirit revealeth them 1 Cor. 2.11 we can easily discern the works of men their end or intention in those works we cannot know till they some way declare it How then should any creature find out the End of that great Creatour in his special work Man if himself by his own Spirit in his word had not clearly revealed it For else who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counseller Rom. 11.34 Therefore our gracious Lord hath plainly discovered unto us what is that End for which he made us and consequently what is our Good and Happiness And because he well knew how easily our dimm eyes are deluded with colourable shews and painted shadows hence he fully displayes unto us as well negatively what is not and yet we think is our blessedness as also positively what is though few believe it the true happiness of man First therefore in general he teacheth uâ— that the Creature is no part of our Portionâ— we are not noâ— can be blessed by enjoying earth no nor Heaven nor Heaven with earthâ— nor any created thing or all things in oâ— betwixt both we may have all these anâ— be miserable want them all and be blessedâ— This truth the Holy Ghost strongly proves aâ— frequently elsewhere so specially in thaâ— book of Ecclesiastes which that infinite Wisâ—dom by his wisest Secretary caused purposelâ— to be written of this Subject where first hâ— evidently and frequently teacheth us thaâ— all is vanity vanity of vanities and vexatioâ— of spirit Eccles. 1.2 and 12.8 and 2 11â— True it is that no creature is simply vain buâ— very good Gen. 1.31 conducing as well tâ— the general end Gods glory as to their paâ—â—ticular ends for which they were made aâ— the Sun to rule the day the Moon the nighâ— Gen. 1 16 c. But that which to some end and work is very good and useful is to anoâ—ther vain and frustrate The earth apt tâ—â— yield food altogether vain to give lightâ— Our All-wise Creatour assigned to every creaâ—ture his proper work and end but made noâ— any one nor all to bless but to serve manâ— Hence is it that as to their own ends they arâ— very profitable so for this namely to constitute mans blessedness they are wholely useless and uneffectual and therefore in that respect sheer vanity And when a man will wring and wrest the creatures to a wrong end and thinks to make up his blessedness in them it is but as wringing his nose which brings forth blood Prov. 30.33 they do but grieve his Spirit and fill it with vexation and anguish Thus while Solomon was rifling the creatures riches pleasures c. to find out the good of man he solemnly protesteth to all the World that in all his search he found nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit Eccl. 2.3 11. In which respect so vain are the creatures that he who enjoyes them at the full may not only be weary of them but even hate his life for the vanity and vexation he finds in them Eccles. 2.17 How then should that in the fulness of it make our life blessed which by emptiness and torment makes it bitter and loathsome which when we have in all abundance and superfluity yet our selves may be altogether vanity Psal. 39.5 and lighter than vanity Psal. 62.9 2. Secondly there is something in man which â—avours of Infiniteness something which cannot be satisfied or rest in any thing which is finite The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear with hearing Eccles. 1.8 Cast into the heart of man Silver as dust heap up Gold into mountains yet He that loveth Silver is not satisfied with Silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase Eccl. 5.10 Advance an ambitious man to great honours set him in the Throne load his head with many Diadems fill both hands with Scepters let him drink down all the Kingdoms of the Earth he will still be as thirsty as that Macedonian Monarch Now every Nature longs for things of like nature with it self hence this Infiniteness in man cannot rest till it have sound out somewhat which suits with it self some infinite Good which may satiate the longing spirit But neither any one nor all Creatures can exhibit an infinite good even the most excellent and all in all their excellency conjoyned have their limits and stints of goodness Hence as the Taste in diversity of dishes runs through many but stayes only upon that which fully aggrates the Pallate so the spirit of man finding defects in every creature cannot settle nor rest upon any 3. Thirdly as we call not that body healthy which is one day in good temper but many dayes sick or that Steward wealthy who having a rich office for a year at the years end is turned out into perpetual beggary so cannot we esteem him blessed who enjoying some momentany comforts yet himself with them soon perisheth in an everlasting curse and misery Happiness if it last not is the more unhappy Now all the things of the world are transitory and perish with the using but the soul of man is an immortal substance And this spirit not only survives but re-assumes the body so that after the moment of this present life is vanished another ensues without end or change The spirit of a beast indeed goes downward but the spirit of a man upward Eccl. 3.21 It returns to God that gave it Eccl. 12.7 These things therefore which cannot hold way with us but leave us in the midst nay indeed in the first step of our journey how can they be our inheritance or make us blessed 4. Fourthly it is not possible a man should be happy in enjoying those things which the more he enjoyes the less he esteems for as excellently that most learned Father He cannot be called blessed who hath not what he loves whatsoever it be or he who hath what he loves if it be evil which he hath or who loves not what he hath be it never so good August De morib eccl l. 1. c. 2. And who is so ignorant but knoweth that thus it is with the heart of man and all creatures Before we enjoy them how dearly how highly do we prize them what
Life of the world with Eternal Life who shall wooe him for me who can win him to me Let me satisfie you in this doubt To conclude this match we have more use of our ears than of our mouths He oh incomprehensible mercy oh unconceivable goodness He wooes us He offers treaties nay entreaties of marriage with us He employes Embassadours purposely to beseech us and they pray us in Christs stead 2 Cor. 5.20 nay he gives us Liegers who daily negotiate and sollicite this marriage that we would be espoused as a chaste Virgin to Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 Stay here awhile and wonder Let us take a better view of this strange love and dealing of our Lord let us ravish our hearts with admiration of his goodness Shall the King of Kings beseech a Traitor to be reconciled Shall the Creatour descend to wedd nay to wooe the Creature the clay of his hands Shall the Lord of Angels he is no less offer himself in union and communion with Devils we are no better Ioh. 6.70 children of Satan Ioh. 8.44 Children of hell Matth. 23.15 nay Captives of the Devil 2 Tim. 2.26 Shall God the Father give his Son shall God the Son give his life shall both give their blessed Spirit to such hellish cursed enemies Oh the infinite miracles of this mercy And yet is his mercy more miraculous or our madness more prodigious We will not come Joh. 5.40 we must be drawn to this happiness Ioh. 6.44 The traitour stripped for execution rejects mercy the Creature scorns the Creatour and worse than Devils who have no such offer refuses to be restored to Heaven and reunited to the Lord of Heaven and yet he after many denyals waits to be gracious unto us Isa. 30.18 and we after so long gracious waiting persist in our denyal and yeâ— he persisteth still in his gracious purpose and never leaveth us till overcoming our stony hearts with his soft love and tender mercies he wins us to be happy in his grace and for ever blessed in his glorious embraces Is not he a God of purer eyes than to behold iniquity Hab. 1.13 And what are we but sinful dung and corruption Is not he a consuming fire to sinners Heb. 12.29 And what are we but stubble and fuel for everlasting burnings How then is it that we have found favour in his eyes How is it that we are as that burning bush unconsumed Certainly because he is God and not man Hos. 11.9 nay because he is God and Man delighting in mercy Mic. 7.18 Now that we may be the more willing and ready with all humility and thankfulness to entertain and with all confidence of faith to expect this high and happy advancement let us stedfastly fasten our eyes first upon our selves secondly upon him and take a right view for a full we here cannot as well of our misery as his mercy by his own hand exquisitely pencil'd out to us Let us set up the picture of it being a piece very excellent in the best room of our hearts that it may be continually in our sight and remembrance we shall have it Ezek. 16. from the 2 to the 15 vers First Therefore Gods Spirit there presents to our eyes in gross and shews us our abominations ver 2. And hence so frequently in the world the Lord culls out the most abominable and loathsome things as parallels for us our very sacrifices and service infected with our contagion abominable Prov. 15.8 our very Incense which should sweeten all our service meer abomination Isa. 1.13 our very beauty abhorred Ezek. 16.25 and our excellency hateful and loathsome Amos 6.8 2. In particular 1. Our Birth abominable as cursed Canaanites ver 3. whom the Land as a loathsome vomit spewed out Lev. 18.27 28. we are born enemies Rom. 5.20 haters of God Rom. 1.30 2. We are unwasht filthily polluted in our own blood v. 4 6. and even wallowing in our mire and death rejoycing in evil and delighting in froward wickedness Prov. 2.14 3. In all this misery unpittyed ver 5. No creature not our selves had any compassion of our poor souls helpless hopeless senseless 4. Lastly we were Cast-awayes despised scorned the Refuse of the Creatures v. 5. As some strumpets cast out their misbegotten births and are ashaâ—ed of their fruit so the earth was abashed to look on us her mishapen Off-spring we were the shame of our Mother And what could now be added to this misery but the end and last act of this Tragedy even hell fire and brimstone into which we were posting without stop with all our might by wilfull rebellion and stubborn wickedness Turn now and fix your eye upon that miracle of Gods love and mercy He whom we had provoked despised he whom we hated he only he pitties us so pitties us that even when we were dead and buried in the belly of hell he gives us life v. 6. the life of himself our God even his Son the life of the world eternal Life 2. With life he gives us growth and increase v. 7. the increase of God Col. 2.19 to which end he giveth â—s also faithful Pastours to build us up till we attain to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Ephes. 4.11 12 13. 3. He enters into Covenant with us swears and vows his love unto us his conjugal love v. 8. sends messengers to wooe win and espouse us to himself 2 Cor. 5.20 11.2 4. He washes throughly washes us from all filthiness Ezek. 36.25 and anoints us with Oyl v. 9. neither thought he any Laver pure enough till he had opened a Fountain for us in his own side and washed us in his heart blood Zech. 13.1 Rev. 1.5 no Oyle he thought precious enough till he had powred out his own Spirit to anoint us 1 Joh. 2.27 5. He cloathes us as becomes the Spouse of such a Majesty v. 10 11 12. Neither could any Creature in Heaven or earth give him content in fitting us with ornaments His own hand must frame our vesture his own righteousness must apparel us his own glory Crown us Yea he divests himself to cloath us with himself he puts on Christ upon us Gal. 3.27 6. He furnisheth a rich Table for us v. 13. feasts us with fat things full of marrow of wines on the lâ—es well refined Isaâ— 25.6 No Bread â—avoury and fine enough for us in his love but the true Manna the Bread of Heaven no Wine pleasant enough but that fruit of the true Vine prest and wrung out on the Cross even his own Body and Blood Ioh. 6.35 53 55. 7. Lastly He deforms our deformity and conforms us to his own likeness sets his own beauty upon us v. 14. transforms us to the image of his own Son Rom. 8.29 who is the Brightness of his glory Heb. 1.3 Know then never did any passionate lover so deeply affect and affectionately wooe his desired Spouse as he the union of our souls with himself A lover watches diligently
and thou the Prince of peace The world is Israâ—ls type who blinded see Freedom in bonds and bonds in libertie Thee they proclaym an hard man hard to pleaseâ— Thy easy easing Yoke lades with disease But murthering Satan lust the soul oppressing The cheating world by pleasing most distressing These are their gentle Lords their cursed Yokes â—heiâ— blessingâ— III. Poor souls have you no eyes your eyes no light These old eyes nothing seeâ— see nothing true Get Perspectives oh help your feeble â—ight Blind eyes make night as day and day as night Turn to the light and your old eyes renew Shake off hells spectacles and better vieu Your Lords and service had you light and eyes How could you hate the truth and love these lies Despise what you admire admire what you despise IV. Their Kings are servants but his servants Kings Their rest an Iron Yoke his Yoke your rest His wounds are salves their salves are wounding stings His death brings life their liâ—e death surely brings Their â—east a pining â—ast his â—ast a feast His servants blest when curst theirs curst when bleâ—â— Poor souls be wise but if ye fools disdein To serve this Lord in rest serve those in payn Serve them in Hell who scorn with him in Heaven to reign CAP. XVI What kind of service it is which his Spouse gives unto Christ. THe hand is the bodies Steward and Faith the souls hand Both have a double office either to take in or give out to receive or distribute what God offers faith takes and gives what he demands There is a bargain driven betwixt God and man when God himself and his Kingdom is assured upon man and man and all his is passed and made over to God by way of exchange or sale Our Lord hath not only laid down a price for us even himself Tit. 3.14 and bought us as we say out and out 1 Cor. 6.20 but hath also set a price upon himself and we must come up to his full price or never have him We must buy that milk hony and feast of fat things the sure mercies of David Isa. 55.1 c. That gold tried by the fire whereby we are made rich that white raiment that eyâ— salve the riches of the Gentils the robe of righteousness the light of the world the Lord Iesus must be bought Rom. 3.18 We must buy the truth Prov. 23.23 The treasure in the field is bought and that Merchant sells all that he hath to buy the goodly pearl Matth. 13.44 46. Hence there is a mutual vouching The Lord openly voucheth us for his people and we vouch him for our Lord Deut. 26.17 18. And to make the bargain sure and infallible large and precious Earnest is given even that blessed and Holy Spirit 2 Cor. 1.22 Eph. 1.14 which binds both seller and buyer to stand to the bargain But what is the price at which God rates himself to us 1. He challengeth the soul. All souls are his Ezek. 18.4 he must have the heart Prov. 23.26 all the soul all the heart all the might Deut. 6.5 The whole body must be presented to him as a living sacrifice Rom. 12.1 He hath payd for all and so now we are no more our own 1 Cor. 6.19 20. If he call for health wealth life all must be given him Luk. 14.26 else we as that Ruler Mar. 10 goe away empty sad and hopeless But this seems to imply a contradiction for to sell for a price and to give freely are contraries Now Christ is given us Ioh. 3.16 eternal life is the gift of grace Rom. 6.23 Salvation is by gift and grace Eph. 2.8 We are freely loved Hos. 14.4 freely justified Rom. 3.23 Certain is it and cannot be denied that never any thing was more freely or bountifully given We were poor Rev. 3.17 able to give nothing unable to pay due debts and our debts infinite Math. 18.24 25. The Lord Iesus our Surety hath purchased this whole possession for us and us for God but he also most freely given us and all things with him Rom. 8.32 Nay even that which hereafter God demands of us of which only here we speak our trust in him love to him fear of him working for him all these his most free gifts He works all in us and for us Isa. 26.12 Will and deed Phil. 2.13 That therefore which we give him is his own and we cannot but confess with that holy Prophet All things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee 1 Chro. 29.14 Indeed he commands us to buy yet asks he neither mony nor mony-worth Isa. 55.1 Our righteousness bringeth him neither profit nor pleasure Iob 22.2 3. and 35.7 No good we can do reacheth to him Psal. 16.2 when we give our selves what give we but vanitie Psal. 39.5 and nothing 2 Cor. 12.11 The truth is God receives no benefit from us neither are they if we speak properly gifts to him from us but rather from him to us not only because we first receive what after we give but specially because it is a great grace and next to himself the greatest gift he can bestow on us that he will receive us or any thing from us It is our infinite blessedness and his infinite goodness that he is ours and how much less is it certainly next to that that we are his Cant. 2.16 He calls for our bodies and spirits and are they out filthy polluted abominable how unworthy of him But he calls for them to wash and cleanse them from all filthiness Ezek. 36.26 they are dead in sins he would have them to quicken them to put his Spirit into them Ezek. 36.27 they are old corrupt in lusts Eph. 4.22 he would have them to renew them Ezek. 36.26 where can they be safe but under his wings and how secure under his protection How miserable and wretched when banished from his sight but in his house how infinitely blessed Psal. 65.4 How empty in his absence but in his presence is fulness of joy and everlasting pleasures Psal. 16.11 And yet God calls it buying as well because he is pleased not only to demand it but accept it as our reasonable service and testimonie of our thankfulness As great persons lease out to some special servant or favorite a fair land for the annual payment of a pepper-corn so deals our most gracious God with us gives us Heaven and Earth and himself the Lord of both because we have found favour in his eyes and desires no other rent but our poor selves and service whose only riches it is to be his inheritance and servants Thus the same hand of faith receives from our Lord himself and his grace and gives to him our selves and service takes from him what he graciously offers and works for him by love what he justly commands Now our work and service to our Lord is by himself sometime contracted into one head or body sometime parted into three members That which in one word comprizes
these made artificial apples and the natural Pictures may be fairer than the substance but they want the life and use of the substance I have seen a crab more pleasant to the eye than the apple which sprung from a noble graft planted on the same stock but to the tast how hateful the crab the apple how delightful Till we are cut off from the first Adam and grafted into the Second all our fruits are as the apples of Sodom abominable and loathsome 2. Secondly whereas our Lord hath bestowed all his creatures upon us the act and exercise of Temperance is so to moderate our minds in receiving our affections in desiring and our actions in using them that we abuse them not 1 Cor. 7.31 Let me more cleer it by instancing in some particulars 1. A special inward gift to man is knowledg which is as the object more excellent in things spiritual Here Sobrietie will bridle and rein in the understanding when it is spurred on by Curiosity to pry into the Ark and not suffer it to break through to the Lord lest we perish Exo. 19.21 There are things secret and revealed Deut. 29.29 as therefore it will not palliate defects but put us on diligently to search the scripturâ— and to find out the things which belong to us so in the excesse it will stop us when our itching eyes and ears would carry us beyond those bounds Exo. 19.12 which our Lord hath set us It will curb the thoughts and hold them in that they shall not think more highly than they ought but think soberly Rom. 12.3 2. Whereas every member hath his place and proportion in the body of Christ and several duties allotted them every one in his calling Sobrietie will so temper our spirits that it will keep us in our rank and not suffer us either to boast of a false gift lest we prove as those spots in love-feasts clouds without rain See Prov. 25.14 Iude 12. nor yet under a mask of voluntary humilitie to intrude our selves in things which we have not seen vainly puft up in our fleshly mind Col. 2.18 Thus it moderated that great Apostle and kept him as we say in his tedder that he should not exceed the compass of his own measure 2 Cor. 10.13 14 15. And for want of this virtue many in these times which bear a great hulk and seem great ones in the eyes of deluded and bewitched professours ever learning and never able to come to the knowledg of the truth breaking out of their rank are neither sheep nor dogs of the flock but wolves deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim. 3.13 But much more apparent is the exercise of this grace in things without As. 1. It empales a man in his proper calling and perswades him with quietness to work and eat his own bread and suffers him not to live idly or disorderly as a busy-body 2 Thes. 3. vers 11 12. and yet keeps off the shackles of earthly cares it empales but imprisons not in his calling nor so enslaves him to worldly affairs but that he may have all requisite libertie and enlargement to the heavenly He serves not his calling but God in it Secondly in his estate it settles the heart in a quiet contentation Emptiness shall not breed greediness nor fulness pride It teacheth him to want without grudging and to abound without swelling Phil. 4.12 3. In recreations it keeps a middle way equally distant from sullenness and mad mirth It will suffer the heart sometime to be drenched in sorrow never drowned to swim sometime never to sink in pleasure It will instruct the spirit to be sometime thoughtful sometime joyful never cheerful Lastly for things indifferent it moderates our desires and practice to use them with comfort without sin In food it teacheth us timâ— and measure to eat in season to refreshing and not to surfeting Eccl. 10.17 to quicken not damp our spirits to whet not dull them for our work It apparrels us neither garishly nor gaudily not slovenly nor curiously but fitts the matter and manner to the person sex and calling In marriage it teaches them that have wives to be as if they had â—one 1 Cor. 7.29 to rejoice with the wife of his youth not ravished with a stranger to be satisfied not consumed with her love Provâ— 5.19 20. In sleep it allowes renewing not slugging recovering of strength not mispending time It is the special direction of Gods Spirit to keep in the middle way and not to turn to the right hand or to the left Deut. 5.32 This is that middle path the strait way to felicitie studie to find it and strive to walk in it There are two by-paths which Temperance above the rest loudly warns you to decline They are very broad much beaten strongly alluring in which many thousands every day perish The first is Rioting and drunkenness the second Chambering and wantonness Rom. 13.13 Of the former we may now complain as did once that holy Bishop August epist. 48. Vincentio This pestilence of drunkenness farr and neer so wasts mens souls and with so much Licentiousness reigns and tyrannises that I should much marvel if it did not infect your little flock How fiâ—ly doth he call it a Pestilence Never was any plague so infectious spreading and dangerous hardly and seldom cured deadly destroying soul and body We hear God damming it 1 Cor. 6.9 Gal. 5.21 heathens branding it all even drunkards deriding it none but ashamed to own it and yet see the most most shamefully practising it Look on it in the fruits Prov. 23.29 to the end Woe sorrow strife babbling causless wounds sore eyes poyson death lust perverse speaking security hardness and lastly an incurable habit of swilling and following wicked company consequently beggery ver 21. and sudden perdition Luk. 21.34 There was never such a monster bred in Africk as the Drunkard makes himself He hath a Crabbs foot that cannot sett one step forward a Swines belly swell'd with swill a very hog-trough the heart of Leviathan hard as the neither milstone Job 4.24 a Goats eye fired with lust and a Divels mouth flaming in hellish blasphemie His flesh is nothing but a Qâ—agmire and the whole lump a breathing swiltub and as one fitly speaks a walking and steaming dunghill But sottish men will ordinarily by way of excusing further accuse and indict themselves Oh say they it is not so much the drink I respect as good company Good company how much better might'st thou find in a Pest-house and what worse in hell It is the company of which we are specially warned Be not among wine-bibbers Prov. 23.20 To be drunken and to sit and drink with the drunken is the same in the holy Ghosts expression Compare Matth. 24.49 with Luk. 12.45 The good Lord keep you out of this quick-sand For it is with drunkards as with drunken sands It swallowes up irrecoverably and drinks down into the belly of hell whoâ—soever strikes upon it Neither is uncleanness
I think is impossible and not to do wrong requires as much wisdom as patience But it is better to suffer an hundred injuries than to do one 1 Cor. 6.7 for God will certainly punish the doer Col. 3.25 but thank the sufferer 1 Pet. 2.20 Take great heed of thrusting God out of his throne and seating your selves in it This you do when you usurp that highest office of God to recompence injuries and to avenge your selves It is Gods Prerogative royal To me belongeth vengeance and recompence Deut. 32.35 Vengeance is mine I will repay â—aith the Lord Rom. 12.19 It is his Regal Title The Lord God of recompences Jer. 51.50 Print upon your hearts that golden rule of Gods blessed Spirit In honour prefer onâ— another Mind not â—igh things but condescend to men of low estate Rom. 12.10 16. In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than himselfâ— Phil. 2.3 There is nothing more hated oâ— scorned by God or man than a proud heart and haughâ—y eye Prov. 6 17. In the house oâ— â—ride Shame waits at the gates Prov. 11.2 Strife and Contention in the hall Pro. 13.10 and at the back stayers Destruction Prov. 16.18 29.23 Put on therefore â—umbleness of mind Col. 3.12 There is no ornament of so great price with God as a low priced spirit 1 Petr. 3.4 nor in the eye of man any thing more lovely than a lowly carriage Humilitie the Queen of virtues is ushered by favour supported by honour Prov. 29.23 and followed by exaltation Iam. 4.10 Observe all men in their degrees Honour Governours and obey them reverence superiours respect equals be courteous to inferiours and to all and above all carry your selves humbly Submit your selves one to another and be clothed with humilitie 1 Pet. 5.5 Thus shall you travel through the world with much peace for certainly as only by pride comes contention Prov. 13.10 so the meek shall delight themselves in abundance of peace Psal. 37.11 As a general motive to all these duties seriously consider All mankind is but one Adam and all men as one man Man the body men the members of that body Adam was the root Eve the stock issuing from the root and we all the branches produced from both She the mother of all living Gen. 3.20 All these numberless branches are united in the root that â—â—rst Adam and all Christians reunited in that Root of Iesse the Second Adam No creatures so united as man united in the bond of humanitie they are one flesh all nations made of one blood Act. 17.26 reunited in the bond of Christianity they are one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 Eph. 4.4 How strongly then â—rom this union doth our Lord press upon us that unity of affection by love And that uâ—ity of our actions by peace How naturally do all these precepts of righteousness or justice flow from this principle were men not â—nnatural how could they be so full of unrighteousness filled with all unrighteousness c. and without natural affection Rom. 1.29 31â— were we not carnal how could we maintain strife and divisions when there is among you envyings strife divisions are ye not carnal 1 Cor. 3.3 Haters of men cannot be ranked among men we are all one flesh and never any man hated his own â—lesh but cherisheth and nourisheth it Eph. 5.29 We are members one of another all one body Rom. 12.5 Eph. 4.25 yea one spirit and who but Bedlams and Demoniacks wound and destroy themselves Fasten these truths upon your hearts and in all your conversation with men have them in your eyes so will you with ease as your Lord Psal. 11.7 love righteousness and be loved of him who loveth them who follow after righteousness Prov. 15.9 Some thing of this truth that dark light of nature discovered unto that Philosopher who thus sweetly sings it Boetius Libr. 3. Metr 6. I. The stock of man the Root the body Boughs skies Whose breadth or'e-spreads the earth height tops the One Parent hath he Sirâ— and Dam he plowes Plants waters he our birth growth all supplies He fills the Sun with Seas oâ—â—lowing beams Surrounds and drains the Moon with changing streams II. Hé peoples Seas with fish the Heaven with Stars Plants ayer and earth with living Colonies He pounds mans God-like Spirit in fleshly bars And by that spirit earth to himself allies Men are of high descent their Petigree Mortals derive from great Eternitie III. Boast ye oâ— Sires and Grandsires search ye earth For Heaven Heavens Register will shew your race Heavens King your Sire from Heaven in Heaven your birth A noble royal line No man is base But such as â—or base earth Heavens birthright sell By vice cut off â—rom Heaven and grafted into Hell CAP. XIX What is the last branch THe last branch is Godliness which is nothing but the true worship of the true God And how should I more briefly and yet more fully express it than that wise Father to his wisest Son And thou Solomon my Son know the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind 1 Chro. 28.9 where he comprizes all the inward worship in knowledg and the outward in service Now this knowledg is not here as properly it is confined to the understanding but generally extended to every facultie of the soul. As our senses are said to know when employing their faculties in their several objects they do their office The eye knows the colour it sees the ear the voice it hears So every facultie of our spirit is said to know when exercising it self in its proper office it executes its own dutie In the understanding when the Apprehension discerns and conceives aright it knows 1 Cor. 2.16 when the Judgment highly prizes things that are of high esteem it is said to know 1 Thes. 5.12 Even the choice of the will is called knowledg Amos 3.2 Rom. 8.29 Thus the affections are said to know what they love and delight in Psal. 144.3 expounded Iob 7.17 And this is that excellent knowledg preferred before sacrifice Hos. 6.6 in which consists our eternal life Ioh. 17.3 First therefore you must know God by an act of the understanding that is so conceive of him as himself in his word not in mens dreams hath pictured out himself unto you which is a spiritual and the only warrantable Image allowed by God This you must hang up not in your Hall or parlour but in that true Oratorie the Closet of your hearts There you shall â—ind him pencil'd 1. As he is simply in himself 2. Relatively to us In himself he is a Spirit Joh. 4.24 Incomprehensible glorious merciful gracious strong long-suffering pardoning sin and iniquitie c See Exo. 34.6 7. c. In relation to us our Creatour Isa. 64.8 our Redeemer Deut. 32.6 Psal. 19.14 our Lord Psal. 8.1 in whose service is all our happiness Psal. 144.18 our Portion and Inheritance Psal. 16.5 6. the strength of our heart our only and full comfort
great dutie Consider why you love any creature why more one than another why you should love the world riches pleasures as God a drop as the fountain It is even here too true Love descends Get your hearts baptized with fire and the holy Ghost buried with Christ into his death and raised in his resurrection that your affections may be set and settled on things not on earth but on things above even on him who is infinitly above all things who is blessed for ever and your eternal blessedness 2. Secondly the outward worship consists either in his speaking to us or our speaking to him He speaks to us either to our ears in his word or to our eyes in his Sacraments we to him either in prayers or vows Hearing is a chief part of Gods service Eccl. 5.1 The special gate whereby the Wisdom of God all knowledg and life enters Prov. 2.2 3. 1.5 Isa. 55.3 An hearing ear is Gods special gift to us Prov. 20.12 and our acceptable gift and sacrifice to him Psal. 40.6 1 Sam. 15.22 An obedient ear is a graceful and precious ornament Prov. 1.8 9. The ear the most happy factour of the soul whereby it seeks and gets Prov. 18.15 that rich merchandise which is better than silver and fine gold Prov. 3.14 But he who hath a disobedient ear or careless refusing to hear is good for nothing Jer. 13.10 and an itching ear hath certainly a rotten heart Isa. 30.9 10 11. The word of God preached is the seed in the hand of the Sower Mar. 4.14 taken out of the Granarie of the scriptures and cast into the furrows of the heart by Gods Spirit an incorruptible seed of a life incorruptible 1 Pet. 1.23 by which we are begotten unto God Jam. 1.18 And as it is the seed whereby we are born so is it the food also whereby we are nourished in that life of God as well mâ—â—k for babes as strong meat for the strong 1 Pet. 2.2 Heb. 5.12 c. It is an heavenly treasure in earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 a rich Mart of all spiritual commodities where our Lord sells and we buy without mony all heavenly riches Be swift therefore to hear Jam. 1.19 value it above thousands of gold and silver Psal. 119.72 Sell all you have to purchase it Matth. 13.44 Buy the truth at any price sell it at none Pro. 23.23 Neither hear only but read it we cannot use too many ways in trading with this rich commoditie Had we as many distractions as Princes they can yield us no exemption from this dutie Deut. 17.18 Iosh. 1.8 Our frequent conversing with it and meditating in it will not take so much from our time as it will add to our opportunities Morning and evening day and night exercise your selves in it so shall ye be like â— fruitful tree planted by the rivers of water so shall ye make your may prosperous so shall ye have good success Psal. 1.1 2 3. Josh. 1.8 Nulla dies sine linea Think the day lost wherein you have mist this market 2. The Sacraments are visibile verbum Christs sermons to our eyes passion-sermons â—ou know that verse More dully stirs the mind what through th' ear passes Than what is view'd to life in the eyes true glasses They are not only teaching signs printing in our eyes and hearts the death of the Lord Iesus but assuring seals presenting and conveying unto us the grace which they represent There are many large and learned volumes printed concerning them and in every Catechise you may meet with pious instructions in this subject I will only therefore advise you concerning the Lords Supper 1. That you neglect no opportunitie so far as may be of comming to the Lords Table For is it not our communion with Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 Look as wholesome meats are the means whereby spirits are renewed strength increased union between body and soul maintained so the Supper of the Lord is his Ordinance whereby our everlasting life is confirmed our dull spirits revived and our union with the Lord Iesus Christ much strengthned Certainly the frequent use of it was the special means whereby the Primitive Churches so far excelled us in Christian fortitude resolution and every spiritual gift Above all other take heed of that carnal or rather divelish plea of hellish persons namely that they are not in charitie whereby they plainly discover how much they prefer their revenge beâ—ore their salvation and that hellish Murtherer before the heavenly Saviour Surely he that will rather nourish his malice by abstinence from the Lords Table than his fainting soul by that Bread of Heaven deserves and surely dos in his hellish fast to eat and drink his own damnation 2. Come prepared in some good measure and for that end set apart some day in that week for humiliation to afflict your souls by fasting to seek a right way Ezra 8.21 And because one especial end of this ordinance is the remembrance of our Saviour and shewing forth his death Luk. 22.19 1 Cor. 11. vers 25 26. spend much of that time in meditating upon it and principally the causes of it 1. The abhorred filthiness and dreadful naâ—ure of sin which could not be expiated or purged but by the blood of God 2. The fierce wrath of God and terrible severitie of his justice which exacted even of his most beloved Son undertaking for us the uttermost farthing even to make him Sin who knew no sin and a curse who was God blessed for ever 3. The infinite mercy of our gracious Father who gave his beloved Son to reconcile such hateful enemies and 4. The incomprehensible love of the Lord Iesus who vouchsafed to purchase our redemption at such a rate And leave not your soul till you find it abhorring it self in dust and ashes bleeding with Christ on his Cross sick of your sin and of his love and swelling with the fruit of the lips the sacrifice of praise 3. Prayer is the mouth of faith whereby it utters holy desires to God Many think they pray when they do but houl Hos. 7.14 or babble Matth. 6.7 we neither know what nor how to pray till we be instructed neither can any doctour inform us but that Spirit of adoption who teacheth us to cry Abbae Father Rom. 8.14 Gal. 4.6 He will instruct you to go unto God 1. As to a Father and therefore with all reverence and â—ubmission and 2. With all assurance and confidence 2. He is the Spirit of the Son and therefore will carry you to the Father by the Son to God by Christ. He will not suffer you to make your addresses by your selves or any creature but by that only Mediatour and Advocate Sacrifice must be brought to the Temple to the dore of the Tabernacle offered only upon Gods chosen Altar and by none but the Priest Christ is that Temple Ioh. 2.21 He the dore Ioh. 10.9 he the Altar Heb. 13.10 which sanctifies all our gifts and the â—igh Priest
you vow Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy spirit be hasty to utter any thing before God Eccl. 5.2 Be very sparing and slow in making but sure and timely in paying vows Psal. 67.11 Eccl. 5.4 Let your vowes promise some warrantable service as Iacob Gen. 28.21 22. General vowes made in Baptism pay daily Psal. 61.8 particular seasonably Deut. 23.21 Let your vowes be ever conditional if God will help and assist you then looking to his gracious promises beg strength and stirr up your selves to a diligent and cheerful performance Pay them not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a cheerful giver 2 Cor. 9.7 Frequently thus meditate Great Fount of light whose overflowing streams Lend stars their dimmer â—parks Suns brighter beams Thy mouth spoke light thy hands at first did shed it Along the skie and through the ayer did spred it So shadedst earth with curtains of the night And drewst those curtains to give days their light Then gathering all that scattered light compactedâ—t In one vast burning Lamp and strait enactedst That all less lights should beg their borrowed beams And from that â—ountain fill their narrow streams So that more spiritual and sacred ray Which riâ—ing from thy mouth gave spirits day In those first ages had no certain sphere But breath'd by thee shin'd forth from mouth to ear Aâ— length collected by thy gracious Spirit Fills all the world with light with life and spirit There I behold thy self thy Lamb and Dove Shining in grace burning in heavenly love There I my death and thine thy power my duty See and by seeing change into thy beautie Lord let thy light draw off my wandring eyes From empâ—y forms and lying vanities Oh fix them on thy self and make me see My Light in all things nothing all in thee Thou boughtâ—t me all oh make me all thine own Be all in me I all in thee alone CAP. XX. Man as man is not man but Vanitie THere is but one end to which all men aym all their thoughts desires and actions even Blessedness and but one way leading to this end knowledg but this way hath two periods 1. The knowledg of our selves 2. Of our God a truth so palpable that even heathens in their midnight without eyes could feel something of it and not only find it themselves but commend and prove it to others The whole scripture was penn'd by the Holy Ghost to this very end to be our light and guide in this way yet as far as I conceive no where so briefly and cleerly doth this Guide point out this way unto us as in that short but full sentence Eph. 2.5 Even when we were dead in sins he hath quicken'd us together with Christ. Look as it is with some double-faced pictures if ye view them on the one â—ide you shall see a beautiful pourtrait of some lovely virgin or such like if ye change your place and look on the other side ye see an Owl Ape or some deformed creature so hath Gods blessed Spirit as in Tableture drawn the picture of man If you behold him in himself in his own and old nature he is but a body oâ— death if you look on him in his new nature and in the second Adam full of glorious life One side no better than a Divel if not worse the other no worse than an Angel if not better In the first he is dead dead in sin the death of hell In the second he is alive quickned with Christ in the life of God Let this piece therefore be the last Legacie which in the conclusion of this Testament I bequeath to every one of you that you may hang it up in the best room of your heart where you may have it ever in your eye and there behold your selves 1. In your tombs dead in sins and buried in the graves of lust 2. In your resurrection quickned in and with the Lord Iesus Christ. Death consists 1. In the privation of life when life is not or is now nothing 2. In the consequents of this privation corruption putrefaction stench loathsomness Consider then the picture of your old man 1. In the rude draught the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. In the full pourtrait when all the colours and complements are added In the former Man in the first Adam howsoever magnified by himself or others considered not physically or civilly but spiritually is a base abject creature hardly to be called a creature a very privative and therefore nothing He is as we say a may be possibly he may be some thing but as yet in this estate a sheer vanitie and a meer nothing He is but Somnium hominis a dream and so are all his actions Though he mount up in exâ—ellencie unto the Heavens and his head reach unto the clouds he shall fly away as a dream and not be found chased away as a vision in the night Joh. 20.6 8. As when an hungry man dreams and behold he eats but he awakes and his soul is empty and a thirsty man dreams and behold he drinks but he awakes and behold he is faint and his soul hath appeâ—ite Isa. 29.7 8. voluptuous men in their feasts and riots do but dream that they eat drink and are merry worldlings do but dream that they find treasures and very joyful they are in gathering pocketing and chesting it but they awake and in their hand is nothing Eccl. 5.14 As a dream when one awaketh so oh Lord when thou awakest thou shalt despise their glory Psal. 73.20 Mâ—n is like to vanitie Psal. 144.4 A very small but very like and lively picture so like that as it is spoken of the blind man Ioh. 9. we may say this is he others he is very like him but himself when he hath his eyes will fully confess I am he I am a meer dream and a sheer vanitie Attentively observe that fuller picture Psal. 39.5 Mine age is as nothing before thee and verily every man in his best estate is altogether vanitie Where this emptiness of man is excellently set out in divers propositions 1. Man is vanitie You may say perhaps some men the poor are despised nay 2. Every man Indeed take him at his worst in sickness trouble c. nay 3. In his best estate In some respects it may be as subject to losses crosses death c. nay 4. In all respects Altogether vanitie But is not this an hyperbole more spoken than intended No it is an infallible truth which the Spirit of truth hath bound with an asseveration Verily Verily every man in his best estate is altogether vanitie Nay the Lord proceeds yet further and to convince our self-conceit and fond pride assures us that as men of low degree are vanitie so men of high degree are worse a lie so that high and low weighed in a true ballance are lighter than vanitie it self Psal. 62.9 A lie what great men glittering in their pomp admired by some feared by others are