any businesse of the calling generall or speciall and sanctifying every thing by the Word and Prayer Christ could not pollute any thing and yet did thus A good motive to thee for performing this duty 4. In fervent zeale to his Fathers house which even consumed him Hee was daily in the Temple reading praying preaching conferring confirming reforming If hee withdrew from his Parents who had lost him there you might finde him Herein should Christians imitate his piety in a burning zeale to Gods glory How zealous was Phinehas for God! How was Pauls spirit troubled within him Acts 17. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies he was almost besides himselfe to see the Idolatry of the Athenians Alas where is our zeale wee are generally key-cold as Gallio was in Gods causes Christ his zeale was inflamed for the reformation of his Fathers house but much of our zeale is against zeale and reformation And such was his zeale that whatsoever hee saw it affected him deeply either with griefe if evill or joy if well done or pity and compassion in the misery of others Wherever hee was he was well-doing in the City and publike places hee was teaching and instructing in solitary desolate places hee was praying meditating preparing himselfe or enduring temptation in porches and high-wayes he was curing healing helping He went about doing good Acts 10. 38. Our zeale also to Gods glory should move us to watch and take all occasions of doing good of promoting Gods glory furthering mans good and fitting our owne reckoning 5. In his faith and confidence His whole life was an obedience of faith his death likewise an obedience of faith In that dreadfull desertion of his Father that we had deserved he cryed My God my God hee could trust in his Father killing him Herein a rare patterne of imitation in all deeps by faith to give the Lord the honour of salvation and leane upon his love and promise Thus of the piety of our Lord. His charity and love of man shined likewise many wayes 1. In his humility meeknesse patience and gentlenesse beyond all example For first being in the forme of God and equall to his Father yet he came to serve and not to be served So lowly that he disdained not to wash his Disciples feet even Judasses John 13. and hee will have every one look on this glasse If I have washed your feet you must wash one anothers feet that is stoup to the lowest services one of another and Learne of me for I am lowly and meeke Mat. 11. 29. and Phil. 2. 5. Let the same minde be in you which was also in Christ Jesus But alas we strive to go one before another in pride and taking honour because the minde of Christ is not in us Secondly so patient was hee that when hee could have revenged his enemies who came to apprehend him hee strucke them all to the ground with a word but let them rise againe Hee hurt none of them but cured Malchus his eare whom Peter had hurt Hee delivered himselfe into their hands He blessed them that cursed him and prayed on the crosse for his tormentors All to teach Christians to moderate their anger to suffer wrong to offer none to return good for evill blessing for cursing as being heires of blessing 1 Pet. 3. 18. 2. In his beneficence goodnes to every one Hee healed all diseases dispossessed Divels raised the dead gave to his enemies food to eate health to their bodies salvation to their soules So must every Christian do good to all especially to the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. yea doe good to enemies and ill deserving thus either winning them or heaping coales on their heads 3. In that hee was an admirable patterne of civill righteousnes in word and deed Never was guile found in his lips or hands no nor ever in the thoughts or desires of his heart did hee detaine any mans right but gave every man his due and taught others so to do To his Parents obedience to the Magistrate subjection to Caesar hee payd tribute for himselfe and his Hee never impaired the estate or good name of any man Thus must Christians give to every one his owne in word and deed honour to whom honour tribute to whom tribute pertaineth and dispensing to every one all offices of justice and love Labouring to live though not without sin yet without just blame out of the testimony of a good conscience able to challenge the Adversary which of you can accuse mee though I can easily accuse my selfe but whose Oxe or Asse have I taken that I may recompence him 4. In that hee never transgressed the rule of love but left a transcendent patterne of it in laying down his life for his enemies Never was there such a copy And this for our imitation who must walke in love as hee loved us Ephes. 5. 2. and 1 John 3. 16. If he layd downe his life for us we ought also one for another Quest. Doth Christs example bind us to dye for our brethren Answ. Yes not onely that Scripture proveth it but the example of Moses Exod. 32. 32. and Paul Rom. 9. 3. and chapt 16. 4. Priscilla and Aquila laid downe their neckes for Pauls life The reason is this The member of the naturall body will save a fellow-member with the losse of it selfe as the hand will save the head though it bee stricken off for it So in the mysticall body the Church The rules these 1. Christians must ayme at such sincerity in love as to bee willing to give their lives 1. for God 2. for his image and stand in a readinesse to undergoe any danger for GOD and his image sake for love seekes not her owne 2. Wee must intend the salvation of our brethren before our owne lives for their soules are better than our lives so did Christ and so did the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 12. 15. I would most gladly bee bestowed for your soules 3. Not rashly and without calling for Christ died not for us till he was called to it Which when we have we must part with our lives even for their bodies much more for their soules Thus of the matter wherein we must follow Christ. Next of the manner of following him Object How can wee follow Christ seeing he is in heaven and we on earth Answ. Not having his bodily presence on earth wee cannot make any pilgrimage to follow him with the feet of our body but 1. Wee must follow him in faith move after him with the feet of faith which to do know that faith hath a threefold worke in this businesse First it causeth us to know acknowledge our Captaine and the way wherein hee is gone before us for it tels the Christian that he being now set into Christ and become a member of him If hee now live hee must live unto him If he dye
so necessary as without it the whole frame of profession would prove ruinous For 1. The Context affirmeth a twofold necessity of this selfe-deniall both in the words immediately going before for without it a man cannot bee a Disciple of Christ and in the words immediatly following for whereas every Christian must bee acquainted with the crosse no man can take up his crosse patiently who hath not first denied himselfe and therfore that is rightly set after this 2. The corruption of nature is such before grace as that a man in every thing is wholly tainted and contrary to the image of God Now all that vicious disposition must bee renounced before Gods image can bee renewed even as all old rubbish must be carried away before a new frame can be reared 3. All true wisedome is lost by the fall and an infinite lumpe of folly bound up in the heart of every naturall man Now though true wisedome be offered againe in the word yet can it never bee embraced before the other bee displaced no more than light can be manifest before darknesse bee chased away 4. The Gospel offereth Christ as a Physitian only to the sicke and diseased and as a Saviour to the lost sheep of the house of Israel And therefore necessarily must a man deny all the meanes hee can make or devise to help himselfe before hee can come to see what need hee hath of Christ. Hee must come first to discerne his miserie and lost estate before hee can beleeve and relye on Christ for salvation 5. The whole scope of the Word is that golden rule of all the Law and Prophets namely to teach us to love God Christ above all and our neighbour for his sake as our selves And therefore that corruption of nature whereby every man loveth himselfe and seeketh himselfe his owne profits rather than Gods glory and his neighbours good must bee denied before wee can take out any lesson of the word 6. No obedience can be acceptably performed to God without selfe-deniall for many commandements are hard and difficult as that to Abraham of killing his son many are dangerous that may cost a man his life as Johns Ministery did many are costly and may cost a man his whole estate Now never can any of these bee cheerfully and willingly undertaken till these strong holds of flesh in man bee demolished A man may professe himselfe a servant of Christ but little is the service he shall do him till this be done As wise master-builders therefore are most carefull in laying the lowest and first stone so must wee begin the building of Christianity where our Lord enjoynes us namely in the deniall of our selves Faile in this foundation and the whole frame of Christianity tottereth and falleth to the ground For 1. Can a servant please his Master or a wife her husband who denies not her selfe and subjects not her will to his And canst thou bee wedded to Christ and not subject thy will to his 2. Whence doe men follow the course of the world and will be taught no better they must sweare and lye and drinke and raile and serve the times and persons and pleasures but because they think it folly and precisenesse to deny themselves or their ordinary liberties to follow Christ And 3. Is it from any other cause that men thrust themselves into Gods chaire of estate to revenge their own wrongs and challenge take challenges into the field to the perpetrating of horrible murders or else basely stabbe and wound but because they thinke it disgrace and cowardise to deny a mans selfe and to put up the least wrongs 4. Whence is it else that many pretend to follow Christ but upon condition they may not deny themselves for they must be gainers by their religion which must be another Diana to bring profit to the Crafts-Masters Have those learned selfe-deniall that measure their religion by their gettings but will be sure to bee no losers by it like the Swallowes that will take their Summer with us but not our Winter 5. Whence is it that some in case of necessity can cast no part of their superfluity into the Treasury when the widow can cast in all that ever she had And Ananias Sapphira that had not denied themselves could give three parts of their estate away to pious uses and how farre are most behind them who professe selfe-deniall Nay it is the sin of many great professors that what need soever Christ in his members hath they must remit nothing of their costly apparrell full diet and following of fashions which shew them lovers of pleasures more than of God Crumbes now and then they can part withall but endure no deâ—riment no abatement These certainly have not yet denied themselves 6. Whence is all the deniall of Christ at this day but for want of selfe-deniall Why did Peter deny his Lord but because hee could not deny himself Whence are so many Apostates Demasses in our age that fall to Popery to novelties to false or no worship but for want of self-deniall They must please rise serve the times themselves and the appetites of Patrons and then farewell Christ and his truth This was the cause that many Disciples walked no more with him John 6. 66. for they could not deny their own wisdome to subscribe to his And many among the Rulers beleeved in him but durst not confesse him because they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God chapt 12. 42. 43. Quest. But the duty being so necessary as without it can be no Christianity and so difficult as scarce one of a thousand is willing to undertake it what are the helpes and meanes by which wee may be forwarded herein for the Lord hath not left us destitute of meanes if wee bee not wanting to our selves Answ. True And therefore 1. Wee must not conceive it naturall for a man to crosse his corrupt nature for nature fortifies it self in all the holds It must be therefore a superiour fire that must descend to make a man hate himselfe for the love of God Christ. Regeneration is a worke of the Spirit and strength to overcome our selves is not from our selves And therefore wee must pray for the truth of this grace of Regeneration and never bee at rest till wee finde it in our selves in some degree of it encouraging our selves in that promise that the Spirit is given to those that aske him is powred on the thirsty grounds 2. Consider what an advantage it will bee to take our selves in hand before our lusts be growne strong in us and how they are farre more easily denied in the first motion and rising of them than when they have seated themselves with delight in the affections and members and are growne from motions to acts from acts to customes from customes to
learne from the wise Pilot who in a calme looks for a storm so must wee in our peace for a storm of adversity And the wise souldier will keep sentinell in time of truce and peace 2. When they doe come and smart wee must not be senslesse of sorrow nor yet overwhelmed but labour to overcome the sense of flesh by the power of the spirit For which end religion looketh not on the crosse as it is in it own nature a fruit of sin or as a scourge in the hand of an offended father but as it is over-ruled by Gods providence altered by Christ. Religion looketh not so much on the crosse as beyond it and on the happy fruits and issue of it As a woman in sorrow of travell gets over it in hope of a birth Or as a stout souldier who fixeth his thoughts on the hope of victory and glory and forgets and feeles not for the present the griefe of his wounds so should the Christian souldier And indeed if the husbandman endures so much losse and misery in hope of an harvest whereof he may faile by many accidents with what patience and resolution should wee endure paines and sorrowes and digest all difficulties for Christ and his truth and for such riches and durable substance as are not subject to losse or end 3. Get sound judgement to esteem aright of the crosse Moses therefore chose to suffer with Gods people because he esteemed the rebukes of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt The Apostles more gloried in chaines for the Gospel than if they had beene chaines of gold What an honourable thing to have Christ a companion in our suffering or that the Lord should honour himselfe by us that hee should advance his owne wisedome power and goodnes in the constancy of his servants that hee should spread and seale the truth of the Gospel by their bloud that their bloud should be the seed and watering of the Church and that by suffering they should conquer as their Head did and helpe to batter downe the Kingdome of the Divell Finally what a comfortable thing is it to beare Christs crosse the wisedome of God will let us see to what it is that God now calleth namely to such sufferings as have hope patience and light in them that we may never suffer those that are hopelesse and desperate 4. Be much often in the use of the Word and Prayer First heare reade the Scriptures diligently for whatsoever is there written is that wee may have patience and hope Rom. 15. 4. These are the Wels of consolation that informe of all things the authour matter end and use of the crosse and of the comfortable manner of bearing it These are as the strong Tower of David minister much strength and reviving to the weak languishing spirit of man as David confesseth Had it not been for thy Word I had perished in my trouble Secondly be frequent in Prayer both before the crosse and under it for it is a gift of God that we are able to suffer as well as beleeve Phil. 1. 29. and chap. 4. 13. I can doe all things through Christ that strengthens mee And the way to get this strength from Christ is fervent prayer Coloss. 1. 11. the Apostle prayes that they might be strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulnesse And follow me This is the third duty of every one that meanes to bee Christs Disciple namely the holy imitation of Christ where are to bee considered 1. The matter wherein wee must follow him 2. The manner of following him 3. The reasons why In two things we must follow Christ His holy doctrine His holy example 1. His doctrine was as the sun-shining from heaven by direction where of hee leades us in pathes of righteousnes It is the Starre that leads wise men after Christ. It is the pillar of the cloud and fire to guide the Israel of God by day and night in all their journies If this pillar move not wee must not move Christ must be before us in every thing in necessary things by precept in indifferent by rule speciall or generall 2. Follow him in his holy life walking as he walked and making his life an example and copy to imitate so far as hee propounded himselfe a rule of imitation because some kindes of actions of Christ were not imitable as First those that he did as God namely his miraculous workes these are not exemplary for 1. they are impossible to any creature but God alone 2. by these he was separated as the Sonne of God from all the sonnes of men for hee effected them all by his owne power as no Saints did 3. we have no commandement to follow him in these Secondly some workes he did as Mediatour between God and us as suffering for the sinnes of the Elect satisfying Gods justice justifying the sinner in the sight of God And these are too high workes for men or Angels And if Papists will needes merit salvation or satisfie Gods justice they must needs be Mediatours meriting persons even gods as well as men But the things wherein wee must follow Christ are such as whereof himselfe said I have given you example that as I have done ye may do also as 1. In expression of his piety to God 2. Of his charity to men His piety shined forth as the brightnesse of the Sunne many wayes we will instance in five 1. In that he never sought his owne praise and glory but the glory and praise of God that sent him John 7. 18. and 17. 4. Father I have glorified thee in earth So every Christian must doe all things even the least for the glory of God 1 Cor. 16. 31. not hunting after praise of men nor enduring that the glory of GOD should bee turned into shame by sinfull men 2. In that hee contemned his owne will for his Fathers to drinke even the dregges of the bitter cup of death Not my will but thy will bee done Mat. 26. 39. He would lose his life before he would lose his obedience In no temptation would hee start aside frō his Fathers wil. Oh how happily might we passe our dayes if wee would give up our wils to Gods according to our daily prayer that there might bee but one will between God and us Thy will be done 3. In daily and frequent prayer to his Father early in the morning late at night long time together sometime whole nights Marke 1. 35. and Luke 5. 16. Hee kept himselfe apart in the wildernesse and prayed Nothing he undertook without prayer at the calling of his Disciples at the entrance into his passion and upon the crosse Father into thy hands I commend my spirit c. Here should every Christian tread in his steps upon every occasion sending up prayers before
But the divine nature of the soule the excellencie of it above the body calls for more care and watchfulnes about it as 1. Abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against the soule 1 Pet. 2. 11. beware of inward uncleannesse and impuritie the projects of the flesh pleasures of the flesh or pleasing of the flesh which savoureth not the things of God but fighteth against the spirit Rom. 8. 7. and lusteth against it Gal. 5. 17. Once already it hath robbed us of Gods image and our owne happinesse and cannot but serve us so again if we listen unto it 2. Beware of earthly lusts worldly desires and seeking after these transitories which drowne the soule in perdition 1 Tim. 6. 9. How carefull will a man bee of falling into a whirlepit where if good helpe come not in time hee is sure to bee drowned it is the word there used noting a certaine danger of drowning in a well or pit and such a danger as covetous rich men seldome or never get out of 3. Beware of false doctrine errours and heresies against the truth received which are the poyson and plague of the soule A man would not for a world drinke a draught of poyson and a carefull Christian will not willingly drinke-in any poysoned or infected doctrine which is infinitely more deadly to the soule than the other to the body 4. Beware of all sinne but especially of sins against conscience which are called wasting sinnes and of David prevailing sinnes Psal. 19. 13. Presumptuous sins make great gashes in the soule no sword can so gash and cleave the body Who would not avoid a mortall wound from a keene and mortall weapon Every sinne is a mortall wound but these farre more desperate and incurable Againe is the soule so precious then the murder of the soule is the most horrible sinne that can be to destroy the body of a man is to destroy Gods image yet a greater sinne to destroy his soule Ah fearefull sinne of non-residencie which destroyeth so many soules for if vision faile people must perish Prov. 29. 18. The carelesse neglect of so many soules as are under our charge is a fearefull and unregarded sinne Nature teacheth to prevent death and mischiefe from the bodies of all that are within our gates even beasts themselves and shall wee do no more for our brethren and bowells than for our beasts Never a soule thou standest charged withall but if it miscarry by thy default thy life shall goe for his life see 1 King 20. 39. and Ezek. 3. 18. On the other side is the soule so precious then the saving of a soule is one of the best and highest workes of mercy and shall receive the best reward to shine as the starres in the firmament of heaven Dan. 12. 3. How should this stirre up the Ministers to diligence in preaching so to feede and save soules The gaining of one soule is above the gaine of the world Therefore as the Lords nourses be ever laying out your breasts and afford the Lords children his owne provision in the word and sacraments labour to bring them to faith by which they receive the food and pray for the spirit by whose heat it is digested and turned into the nourishment of the soule How should it excite Parents and Masters to tender the precious soules of their children and servants to winne them to God by instruction counsell prayer example every way helping them out of sinne The chiefe love and care should bee set on that which is most precious But great is the sinne of most men who no more regard the soules of their children and servants than if they had no soules at all How should it stirre up able men to set up and hold up the Ministery every where according to their power which is the highest worke of mercie tending to save soules Ordinarily rich men at their death give if any thing to hospitalls or workes of charitie to the poore And these workes of mercy to the bodies of men being fruits of faith are worthy evidences of the power of the Gospell and shall not want their reward Mat. 10. 42. But if any man would runne at the best prize and doe a worke of truest mercie doe it to mens soules provide for their instruction get them food for their soules and the cloathing of Christs righteousnesse this is the better part Luke 10. 42. to shew mercy to the more precious part the saving of one soule is a more happie worke than the provision of a thousand bodies that must bee done and this not neglected More how careful should every one be for his owne soule which is here prized at so deare a rate all other things of price we are charie of for our bodies we are excessively carefull both to free them from annoyance and supply them with abundance of good things how much more would we doe so for our soules if wee prized them above our bodies but generall is the folly of that foole in the Gospell Luke 12. 20. who provided for every thing but his poore soule Consider even in this life the welfare of thy body depends on the good estate of thy soule and if the soule bee well provided for and saved the body is sure to be saved too Remember the promise Exod. 23. 25. If thou cleavest to the Lord hee shall blesse thy bread and thy water and take all sicknesse from the midst of thee And the keeping of the words of wisdome is life to those that finde them and health to their flesh Prov. 4. 22. Hence the godly in death were ever and onely carefull of their soules as Steven Act. 7. 59. Commended his soule into the hands of God and Christ himselfe his spirit into the hands of his Father Luke 23. 46. not mentioning their bodies they knew one cure implyed the other Lastly note the madnesse of men undervaluing their soules and exchanging them for an handfull of earth when indeed the world cannot profit them after this losse Once Adam and all his sonnes exchanged an innocent estate for a sinfull abd miserable and so it is still And with the prodigall sonne wee forgoe willingly our fathers favour for harlots and harlotrie our fathers house for a strange country our fathers bread for huskes What an extreme folly this is appeareth thus lay a man the wealth of a Kingdome a Crowne and all the world in his hand for his life he will not forgoe it at any hand but will readily say what will all this doe mee good when I am dead hee is wise to esteeme his life at an higher rate than the whole world because all the world cannot recompence or make up his losse But offer him a morsell of unjust gaine or a slight unlawfull and stolne pleasure for his soule hee makes a present exchange Ah seely man whose soule is so small a moate in thine eye which
it but by it as a meanes of obtaining Rom. 9. 16. It is not in him that willeth or runneth but in God that sheweth mercy For neither is our running our owne worke nor undue nor in any proportion to the crowne nor yet perfect but in the best very heavy and blame-worthy And therefore howsoever lawfull running attaineth yet it is not as a cause for the worke or merit of it but as a way and meanes of obtaining mercy Quest. But is not the prize the reward of our running Answ. Yes Matth. 5. 11. Great is your reward in heaven and none shall runne well and be unrewarded But first it is called a reward not properly but by similitude because it is given at the end of the worke Secondly it is a reward not legall but Evangelicall promised in mercy and in like mercy performed to the runner though not for his running Therefore the Apostle ran hard for the prize Phil. 3. 14. but for the prize of the high calling of God that is not which hee could attaine for running or for the merit of his strife but for the mercifull calling of God vouchsafing him a part in the free promise of his free grace Hence it is also called Col. 3. 24. the reward of inheritance Now an inheritance is not merited but freely descendeth on sonnes because they are sonnes and how absurd were it for a son to goe and offer to buy his inheritance of his father Obiect But I may run and noâ— obtaine as it is said Many shall seeke to enter and shall not bee able Answ. They runne and attaine not that runne amisse not observing the former conditions of right running but every one that runneth aright shall attaine the crowne Here is a difference In temporall races many runne and one gets the prize that comes first but here all that runne through attaine the crowne whether they come first or last Quest. What are the best directions to helpe us to attaine and improve all our labour and make good our race at the last Answ. The directions are sundry 1. Put thyselfe in good brenth be cherishing the Spirit of God preparing him a sweet roome in thy heart who will notably fit thee to the race For first hee is the Spirit of liberty and will set the feet of thy soule at liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty He is that holy an ointing that brings the oyle of grace to supple and make nimble the joynts and sinewes of the soule and supply activity and agility to speed thee forward as David professeth Psal. 1 19. 32. I will runne the way of thy Commandements when thou shalt enlarge my heart Secondly he not onely strengthens the inner man Ephes. 3. 16. but helpeth all our infirmities which would faint and faile us Rom 8. 26. Thirdly he is the Spirit of supplication and makes us able and willing to pray and so helpes us as it were with wings toward the marke Great need is there of this breath of the Spirit and great is the strength of prayer and therefore holy men have beene much and often in it as David that the Lord would make his way plaine before him Psal. 5. 8. and would hold up his goings in his paths Psalm 17. 5. and that his good Spirit would convey him into the good land Psa. 143. 10. Whosoever knows that no prayer but of the Spirit is heard of God will easily discerne the need of the presence and assistance of the Spirit and will bee so much more carefull not to grieve him by sinne 2. Take the rule of our Saviour Beware of looking backe Remember Lots wife and Luk 9. 62. no man that sets his hand to the plough and looketh backe is fit for the kingdoms of God They looke backe that turne aside from received truths to old damned errors and lay themselves under Saint Pauls checke O foolish Galathians ye did run â—ell who hath bewitched you and under that heavy threatning 2 Pet. 2. 21. Better had it beene never to have knowne the way of truth then after knowledge to depart from the holy Commandement And they looke not forward that looke asquint with the Galathians partly at Iesus and partly at Moses partly nt faith partly at merits as Papists whereas the eye of faith lookes right forward at Jesus the author and finisher of faith and salvation Heb. 1. 2. 2. How many looke backe to the profits honor ease or favour of the world as Iudas and Demas But where is now the marke is it before thee or behind thee if the marke be not behinde thee why lookest thou backe 3. Intend thy way not thy company Many will net runne in that way wherein they see not multitudes and great ones runne with them who attend not the marke so much as their company and enquire not so much whither as who runne But we must remember first wisdome walkes by rule not by example lookes at truth not at numbers cares not so much what is done as what ought to be done Secondly it is better to walke or runne with few to heaven than to hell for company Thirdly if we looke at company we must runne with such as feare God who have set their faces toward heaven this is the most helpfull and fruitfull company these will further thee by their counsell example and prayers 4. To attaine in this race we must contemne carnal counsels carnall friends and the scornes of carnall men First carnall counsels Many will not runne with such a sect as they heare every where reviled and contradicted though Paul himselfe bee of that sect and such as adhere to his doctrine But in this way generally esteemed heresie must wee worship the God of our fathers Others will not runne in that way being all strawed with crosses but will choose a faire broad way though it carry them cleane from the marke Why doe they not consider that they leave the way wherein Christ himselfe walked and his Apostles and that the way to heaven is a strait way and few find it Secondly carnall friends and bad society is as a chaine to fetter and as a leaden weight hanged on the heeles of many that say they run for heaven These will perswade as Peter did Christ Master pitty thy selfe cherish thy selfe deny not thy selfe thy liberty thy reputation and force them not to stop onely in the race but to flye backe as Peter among a company of rake-hels will deny and forsweare his Master as fast as any Thirdly scorns of carnall men A Christian runner must not bee much moved or much regard the speeches of men Lookers on will have their sayings some will say thou runnest too fast some that thou settest out too late and a softer pace would goe further some that thou out-runnest thy fellowes but in hypocrisie and that thine eye and ayme is on
as eating and drinking all must be to the glory of God or civill authority subjection marriage and duties of the speciall calling and oeconomicall duties all must bee contained within the limits of Gods word or religious duties of Gods worship publike or private Whatsoever I command thee that doe onely all the Tabernacle the whole and parts even to the smallest pinnes must be framed to the patterne in the mount or ludicrous sports recreations Gods statutes must direct which are lawfull which not how far lawfull or not and so for circumstances of time place and persons and for manner and end all to helpe matters more serious 5. David implyes in this similitude that whosoever are out of this way and transgresse these statutes they wander from the God of peace and from life are out of Gods protection and lyable to all the curses of the Law as men out of the Kings high-way are out of the Kings protection Hence it is said of wicked men Psal. 14. 3. They are all gone out of the way and the way of peace they have not knowne And as a man having lost his way knowes not where he shall lodge so such as goe on their owne wayes following the lusts of their hearts and eies are blind-folded and carried by Satan to the lodging of death even eternall These things lye in the Metaphor Then for the singularity of this way he saith thy way not wayes for Gods way is but one but by-paths are many Many are the sciences and other knowledges worthy our labour and paines but David above all desires the knowledge of this one and onely way of God and of salvation Obiect 1. The heavenly Ierusalem hath twelve gates therfore the way is not one Ans. The place speaks not of so many wayes but that from all coasts the Israel of God enters by this one way Obiect 2. Wee read of the wayes of God Acts 13. 10. Ans. Those be so many steps in the way of God but not so many severall wayes David knew but one way of statutes which he would be taught that hee might avoyd all by-paths and so come happily to the end of his way But for the fourth generall why doth David desire to bee taught of God he had Gad and Nathan the Prophets hee had ordinary Levites hee had the Scriptures why then doth hee not apply himselfe to the means to which God tyeth him Ans. 1. David had good meanes and was most diligent in the â—â—se of them he was a diligent reader and spent nights and dayes in meditation of the Woâ—rd but yet to all these and above all these he desireth Gods teaching without which all thâ—se are in vaine Paul may pl 〈…〉 nt and Apollo water but God giveth the increase 2. Hee knowes that all other Teachers can but teach the eare God alone teacheth and openeth the heart as Lydâ—a Acts 16. 14. And whereas Satan and wicked men may have a great deale of speculative knowledge and goe to hell hee desires an inward Teacher and to bee inwardly taught by the teaching of the Spirit 3. Hee here â—raveth foure things in this one petition beyond all mens teaching First teach me to attend the way of thy statutes that I may understand them and thy word be not a clasped booke unto me neither may I by missing the right scope pervert the same to mine owne destruction aâ— many abuse many places to strengthen their owne lusts v. c. that place of providing for the familie to maintaine covetousnesse and the sinnes of Patriarkes to defend the like where the right scope and sense is not attended Secondly teach mee to affect the way of thy statutes that my heart may melt as Iosiahs at the hearing of the Law and be pricked and broken with the threats of it as were those Converts that cryed Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saved Acts 2. 37. When the Promises are preached or promulgated let my heart dilate and open it selfe as the thirsty ground and reioyce that it understandeth the Word taught as Neh. 8. 13. This must we pray that the more we know the more wee may love God that the Word of God by the worke of the Spirit may be as fire not onely for the light of knowledge but also for the heat and warmth of affection c. Thirdly teach me to beleeve thy statutes for all true and comfortable knowledge is applicatory it rests not in the understanding but is a firme assent in the Will laying hold on the thing knowne And this must we pray seeing all knowledge not mingled with faith is unprofitable And then we are taught to beleeve when according to the word of the Law we choose and worship the true God for our God and according to the voyce of the Gospel we beleeve in him whom the Father hath sent acknowledging him not onely a Christ and Iesus but mine at Thomas said My Lord and my God and as Iob My Redeemer liveth and that Iesus Christ brings salvation to me through remission of sinnes Luk 1. 7. 7. Fourthly teach mee to obey thy statutes for all sound knowledge is practicall and to know Christ as the truth is in Christ is to cast off the old man with his lusts and put on the now This must bee our prayer that the Lord would so teach us his way as we may walke in it that hee would so take us into his schoole as to become both more skilfull and more holy that seeing not hearers but doers are â—ustified our portion may bee in their blessednesse that heare the Word and keepe it This was Davids ayme in this prayer Quest. But why is he so earnest being a man of so deepe knowledge and understanding already Ans. 1. A good heart inflamed with love of God can never bee neare enough love loveth and liveth in union If it be in the way to him it would get further still 2. Though hee bee taught in part yet he seeth what a small measure hee hath attained and desireth to bee taught further No marvell if hee that hath 〈◊〉 taste of this knowledge desire â—is fill and satiety He that see 〈…〉 th but in part desireth to see more perfectly Nature abhors â—acuity and emptinesse and much more grace 3. Hee is earnest to know the way to shew that he shall never come at God who cares not to â—eepe the way to him Many desire to come to God but it must be in the way of the world or of pleasure or of custome or carnall fellowship or lusts of their owne hearts All these are dead desires leading from God David will desire the way as well as the end And wee also must not bawke the meanes if we ayme at the end This of the Exposition of our Text. Now follow the instructions Doctr. 1. In that David goeth to the Lord to be taught learne