of puffing knowledge is not sound Good men never boast of sharpenesse of sight or quicknesse of understanding but see the vaile unremoved and the skales not quite fallen off They are not blinde as before but by reason of fogs and lusts and mists of sinfull affections and motions can sometimes see as little the things before them as Agar could the Well before her Gen. 21. by reason of her passion or griefe as Calvin judgeth And although their eyes be open yet they see how beavy they be and hardly kept open as the Disciples when Christ warned them to watch by reason of sleepinesse and dulnesse of flesh â—o as they may say with the Church their eyes sleepe when their hearts awake They may indeed professe with the blind man Ioh. 9 25. One thing J know whereas J was blind now J see but must adde withall yet I see how little I see even a glimmering of things rather than things themselves 2. It must follow that sound knowledge must continually bewaile ignorance and darknesse for why hath the Lord left it in us but to humble us that with the rest of the law of the members it might bee as the Canaanites to exercise us or as the pricke in the flesh lest we should be exalted out of measure by abundance of revelations Nay as light and darkenesse have a daily and interchangeable fight in nature so the soule must maintaine a continuall combate betweene knowledge and ignorance 3. It followes that found knowledg cannot be that which in sense of want or weakenesse striveth not in the meanes to a further measure that of weake is not made strong that riseth not to a further assurance or the like for all sound knowledge is proveable and the way of the just shineth more and more till perfect day Thus of the second point 3. The child of God most earnestly desireth to know the wayes of God as our Prophet through this whole Psalme Daniel though a most worthy Prophet yet read the Prophecies of Ieremie Dan. 9. 1 2. And all things are dung to Saint Paul in respect of the excellent knowledge of the vertue of Christs death resurrection Phil. 3. 7 8 9 10. But why 1. Because they know it to be the way of God and there is no other the way not onely wherein God himselfe walketh who is the most perfect pattern of his owne law but especially because it is the way hee hath chalked out for us to walke in who can walke toward him in his owne way onely as we can see the Sunne onely by his owne light and come to the Sea by his owne streames 2. They onely discerne the danger of spirituall darkenesse and blindnesse How it wraps in manifold errors of judgment false doctrines and opinions against the Word Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures Matth. 22. 29. and Prov. 19 〈◊〉 Without knowledge the minde is not good How it wraps in errors of life and conversation for so the Scriptures ascribe all corruption of manners to ignorance Paul persecuted and wasted the Church why the did it of ignorance And in ignorance the Rulers put Christ to death had they knowne they would not have crucified the Lord of glory How it wraps men under the power of sinne and delivers them as voluntary subjects in kingdome of darknesse under the Prince of darkenesse to be ruled at his will as 2 Tim. 2. 26 and when men regard not to know God how justly doth hee give them up to a reprobate sense as he did the Heathens Rom 1. 24. to commit things against reason and nature And finally how it wraps them under the curse of God both temporall and eternall My people perish saith the Lord for want of knowledge that is are in state of perdition they lye in unbeleefe for no knowledge no faith and not beleeving they are condemned already Ioh. 3. 1â— And they are lyable every where to those judgements which the Prophet prayes to be powred out upon them that know not the name of God Then for the eternall curse when Christ shall come from heaven in flaming fire hee shall render vengeance on all that know not God 2 Thes. 1. 8. and justly for death hath seized on them already they are destitute of the life of God by the ignorance that is in them their minde and conscience is dead and being strangers to the life of God they are thrust under the power of eternall death Prov. 10. 18. The foole dyeth for want of knowledge Therefore the Saints seeke after knowledge as David here 3. They see the necessity of the word of God and the knowledge thereof the Word is the food of the soule an hungry man longs after his food and a good heart hungers after the Word Hence the Prophets and men of God are said to eat up the little booke Ezek. 3. 1. and to fill their bellies with it as hungry men when they come at a good meale The word of God is the water of the Well of Life and how necessary is water how doth a thirsty man desire to be refreshed with water so doth the godly after the knowledge of God and none but thirsty soules are called or doe come to these waters Esa. 55. 1. How earnestly doe blind men â—esire to see the light so doe â—he Saints seeing what a weake â—immering and sight they have 〈◊〉 Divine things They know â—he Sunne in the heavens is not 〈◊〉 necessary to enlighten the world as is the Sonne of grace â—nd righteousnesse to enlighten 〈…〉 e Church And as without the â—unne there would be a perpe 〈…〉 all night so without God and 〈…〉 e saving knowledge of him 〈…〉 ere were an eternall night in 〈…〉 verlasting darknesse 4. They earnestly desire saâ—ing knowledge because they 〈…〉 ee the profit and high excellen 〈…〉 y of it both within themselves 〈…〉 d without them First within themselves they 〈…〉 ee Gods Image renewed in 〈…〉 em by knowledge and themselves framed to his likenesse who is light and in whom is no 〈…〉 arknesse Also they see themselves brought into better frame by it daily and changed into 〈◊〉 selfe from glory to glory with out which they could never attaine any right motion in their wils or affections nor any righâ— manner or end of doing any thing nor any happy fruit o 〈…〉 their endevours but the losse o 〈…〉 all their labour time hope and reward Secondly without them they see the worth and excellency of this knowledge above all other things in the world and that nothing else can make them truly happy Prov. 3. 13. Blessed iâ— the man that findeth wisdoms and that getteth understanding But how can Salomon prove this By two reasons The former in the 14. verse by comparing this wisdome of God with silver and gold which are so desirable but the gaine of this is better Oh but some things
be sprinckeled which sprinkling notes the very applying of Christs blood to the soule of a sinner But when is this medicine applyed For time there is no application but in this â—â—fe no curing after this life no procuring of oyle after the Bridegroomes comming And consequently there is no purgatory no satisfactions no helpe from men or Angels hereafter Detestable is that wicked heresie of Bellarmine that the sufferings of the living helpe the dead three wayes 1. By way of merit of congruity 2. By way of intreaty 3 By way of satisfaction Contrary to that of Augustine Ibi erit paenitentiae dolorem habens sed medieinam non habens Repent they doe after death but without any cure That is the time of justice onely this is the acceptable time In vaine should you minister physicke to a dead man And faith then ceaseth with all the workes of it Seeing onely beleevers have the benefit of Cure above all things labour for faith Want faith thou perishest art deadly sicke without recovery Christ could doe no great worke in his owne Countrey because of their unbeleefe He that beleeveth not the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh 3. uls Hast thou faith be of good comfort according to thy faith it shall bee unto thee not according to thy money wealth friends but thy faith makes thee whole If God hath not given thee so much wealth so fine clothes so liberall fare as to others yet if he hath given thee so much faith he is liberall enough Oh that I had never so little a graine of faith but I have none so this blood can doe mee no good it is impossible for me to be cured But first hast thou none labour for it thou mayest have it If thou beleevest all things are possible Secondly distinguish betweene want and weakenesse of faith betweene the want of the grace and the want of sense If thou hast any faith never so weake as these grones desires prove then remember that excellent place Rom. 14. 3 God chuseth the weake in faith Hee makes choyce of thee then doe not thou refuse him And remember that the Cure was not ordained for Angels in heaven nor for Saints triumphant but militant that fight with unbeleefe corruptions and lusts If thou weâ—t perfect thou shouldst not need it If thou beest not perfect thou hast no cause to renounce but embrace it Come sicke as thou art come weary come bruised come despairing in thy selfe it is a medicine for the sicke a refreshing of the weary a builder up of the broken spirit nay and a quickener of the dead Here is that tree of life the leaves whereof doe heale the nations Let not thine owne unbeleefe be as a shaken sword in thine owne hand to keepe thee from it Remember the Text The whole need not the Physician but they that are â—â—â—ke Againe seeing there is a time to heale come in season Eccleâ— 3. 3 neglect not the opportunity get into the water so soone as the Angell moveth make benefit of advantages worke with God and the means accept the offers and invitations for thine owne welfare Thou mayest seeke oyle too late blessing too late the Word and faith too late and repentance too late Againe content not thy selfe onely to heare of this remedy but seeke to know that it is applyed to thee in particular and to feele the vertue of it in thy selfe as Paul desired to know nothing but the vertue of Christs death and resurrection Phil. 3. 9 10. Quest. How may I know it Answ. As Physicke taken into the body workes often so painefully that men are even at the gate of death in their present sense and no other but dead men so this Physicke worketh kindely when it worketh paine in the Party through the sense and sight of sinne and apprehension of Gods anger feare of damnation and utter despaire in themselves For this is the worke of the spirit of bendage namely generall faith in the Beleevers applying the Law and threatnings to their owne deepe humiliation No man can saile to heaven but by the gates of hell 2. As Physicke kindly working delivers the party not only from death but such humors as were the cause of his sickenesse at least that they be not predominant Even so must this Physicke rid us of our sinne and these peccant humors which were the matter of our sickenesse and that both from the condemnation and corruption of them 1 Iohn 1. 7. The blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne purgeth us from all sinne First from the condemnation of sinne this blood is shed for the remission of sinnes Galat. 3. 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Otherwise it must be with us as with him who in a desperate disease without Physicke must dye Secondly from the corruption of sinne both the disease of naturall and originall sinne and the leprosie of actuall sinnes Now looke into thy selfe examine whether this blood be a corrosive in thy soule to eat out the corruption of nature whether it purge the conscience from dead workes Hebr. 9. 14. whether it hath quitted thee as well from the dominion of sinne as from the damnation of it whether it hath brought thee to leave sinne c. Reason with the Apostle hath Christ dyed to kill sinne in me and shall I live to quicken it nay rather as 1 Peter 4. 1. forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh we must arme our selues with the same minde for that hee which hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sinne Thirdly as physicke is profitably applyed when it brings ease and rest having carried away the matter of the paine So is this physicke well applyed when faith quiets the heart by assuring it that Christ and his benefits are his and hath set him above the Law sinne hell death even in this life as a Conquerour and all this because he beleeves the Gospell Now come in peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost Beleeving yee reioyce with ioy unspeakeable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. When these take place instead of former gripes and stings of conscience this blood is soundly applyed For as nothing could cure the stung Israelites but the beholding of the brazen Serpent so nothing can pacifie the stung conscience but the blood of Christ lifted on the Crosse. 4. As after application of proper physicke wee finde a great change in our bodies as if wee had new bodies given us so after the kindly worke of this physicke we may finde our selves cast into a new mould this blood applyed makes us new Creatures new men having new mindes new wils new words new affections new actions new conversations Our strength is renewed to Christian actions and passion Wee are strong for our journey for our combate and strong to carry burdens with a strong
inconstancie of them And can these things so vaine in themselves recover so infinite a losse Secondly see them in their properties As they are vaine in themselves so are they not ours but some from parents as inheritances some from Princes as honors some from people as praise name reputation and all in other mens power so long as they will conferre or retaine them But our soules are properly ours as also our sinnes and no man can redeeme the soule of his brother Psal. 49. 7. Againe they are changeable and temporarie For wealth a man may out live a world of it and dye a begger Mens favors are no inheritance Beautie will not stand before one fit of sicknesse nor strength the shake of one ague One snuffe of a candle may suddenly overmaster the greatest estate and the greatest pleasures are but for a season Whereas the soule and faculties of it are immortall and capable of eternall weale or wo. Thirdly that which must ransome the soule must appease the infinite wrath of God which all finite creatures are not able to doe Pro. 11. 4. they avayle not in the day of wrath Only the blood of Christ is a plenarie expiation Againe that which must ransome a soule must buy backe the sentence and procure a righteousnesse answerable to the law but the whole world cannot do that onely Christ frees from the sentence of condemnation and his blood onely obtaines for us better conditions by vertue of a new covenant than the law affords us Lastly that which ransomes a soule must help us out of corruption pull us out of the power of Satan keepe the soule from hell and invest us into life and immortalitie But a world of worlds cannot doe the least of all these and therefore can be no proportionall recompence for a lost soule Fourthly all the world cannot offer a recompence to God of any thing which is not his owne whereas our ransome must be of a thing undue an offering above that the law requireth a free-will offering so that no sinner can offer a ransome of sin And by all this it appeareth that the whole world cannot afford a recompence for one lost soule Which serves to condemne the extreme blasphemie of the Romish Church teaching that masses pardons indulgences satisfactions humane merits pilgrimages and a thousand such toyes can become a recompence for a lost soule whereas no man nor Angell can become a recompence for a lost soule it is too great a price to pay the person must be no lesse than GOD and man 1 Pet. 1. 18. Yee are not redeemed with corruptible things 2. Let such rich men as to whom our Lord directeth this speach consider of their wofull estate while they abound with wealth trustin nothing so much as that A broken reed and for all their wealth being wicked they must to hell their riches cannot ransom thē yea they rather plunge them into the pit than help them out as a wedg of gold helps more to drowne a man that is cast into the sea thā to save or deliver him Which should be of use to all the more willingly to want them the more weinedly to hold them to grow into an holy contempt of them and to raise our desires to better more durable riches 3. It may humble us for that it imports the extreme miserie into which wee have plunged our selves by sin we have lost our soules and cast them into so ruinous a condition as the whole world is not sufficient to ransom them The greatness and desperateness of the cure amplifies the greatnesse and desperatenes of the disease What earthly danger is it which the world cannot buy out but gold and silver cannot purchase a Church no not one soule It must be an infinite ruine and breach the repaire whereof must be of such infinite value and sufficiency 4. It calls us to behold the excellencie of Christ and fixe our eyes upon the wonderfull vertue of his precious blood which did redeeme our lost soules when all corruptible things in the world could not How should it excite us to love him and admire his goodnes and raise the price of grace which is beyond all treasures yea and teach us to esteeme the rebukes of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt Paul would bee set downe a nothing in himselfe that he might finde the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection the worth and value wherof is beyond the worth of many worlds even so farre as infinite is beyond finite which holds no comparison Lastly it may raise in us the true valuation and respect of our owne soules Is the soule at such a rate as being lost a whole world cannot redeeme it what an extreme madnesse then is it for men so to live as if they had no soules or if they have they are but as salt to keepe their bodies sweet void of all care either to keepe or save them never an horse or hog about their houses but their lives are more regarded than their precious soules Certainly there is nothing of price no pearles no grace nothing worthy of care where men are so carelesse Let us bee exhorted to looke better to our soules than to lose them for any baites which the divell or the world layes in our way Prize them above all the world as Christ doth Be serious in the saving of thy soule above the winning of the world Use the ordinary means diligently Get the Spirit of faith love prayer c. which are utterly contemned by the most too much neglected by the best And with thine owne soule pitie and prize the soules of others especially such as are committed to thee as a Pastor as a Parent as a Master lose them not for want of instruction esteeme the soules of thy wife children precious things bring them to the means of salvation teach them pray for them help them out of danger of perdition if by thy default one soule be lost all the world cannot make up the losse either to thee or to that person Verse 27. For the Sonne of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angells and then shall hee give to every man according to his deeds OUr Saviour having enforced his doctrine of selfe-deniall by two strong arguments already the inevitable danger of fayling herein and the unprofitablenesse of that unhappie match of winning the world with the losse of the soule in these words addeth another of no lesse force than the former drawne from the consideration of the last judgment wherein all those his sayings shal be fully accomplished for howsoever he was now abased and rejected as not worth the following and owning yet the time commeth that hee will come in the glory of his Father attended with his most glorious Angells and then shall hee give to every man according to his workes that is to say to the wicked
appetite and digestion of the Word every way more hearty and chearefull Thus having received our health by meanes of this Cure wisdome commands us to be as carefull to preserve our health as to attaine it Every wise man will be as carefull to keepe himselfe well as to get himselfe well And to this purpose wee must remember the counsell of our Physician for maintaining our health attained Amongst many directions prescribed I mention foure First not to be tampering with our owne medicines nor the medicines of Egypt merits pilgrimages penance or the like nor any quintessence or minerall from the hand of any libertine Teacher but onely such as wee finde prescribed in the word of God by our great Doctor Secondly to keepe our health we must keepe good dyet both for soule and body The best dyet for the soule is to keepe Gods houres for our daily repast by the Word in reading and meditating on it which David regarded above his ordinary food A liberall dyet is best for the soule but the best dyet for the body is a spare dyet a sober and moderate use of meat drinke and pleasure for beating downe and mortifying corrupt affections and lusts Thirdly to preserve our health we must strive to live in a good and wholesome ayre If thou livest in a corrupt ayre change it for a better The worst ayre that can be is where worst men and worst company are The ayre of an hot plaguy house is not so infectious as the contagious ayre of wicked company The former brings not so many to death of the body as this to death of the soule Live amongst Gods people and where Gods word is purely preached for there is the purest ayre Psal. 16. 3. All my delight is in the Saints excelling in vertue Fourthly to preserve health Physicians prescribe the use of good exercises The beâ—â—â—ercises to use for the health of the soule 〈◊〉 are hearing and reading of Gods Word pray also and meditate when thou art alone with conference of good things in company These are notable helpes to bring thee through weaknesses and keepe thy soule in good plight health and chearfulnesse FJNJS 2. Cor. 6. 4. Jude 19. 2 Tim. 2. 4. Amos 6. 6. 1. Sam. 15. 30. Occasion of the words Summe of them Parts Three duties These belong to all 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nimirùm in libertate nostra nobis relinquens utrùm amplecti maluerimus Jansen in loc The Text makes not for free-will 1 2. Notes of a Disciple of Christ. 1. Respect to the word and dependance on it 2. Mat. 4. 22. 23. 8. Joh. 6 68. Respect to Christ dependance on him alone 3. Attendance and obedience to him Joh. 15. 14. Melius est habere paucos discipulos quà m mulios auditores Thriv apoph 105. Luk. 6. 46. 4. Mat. 9. 15. John 16. 6. Joy in him or mourne after him Cant. 5. 6. Inaudita est dilectio quae amicum diligit prâ—sentiam ejus non amat Cassiod in Psal. 18. 5. Make Disciples winne others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 2â— 19 Scimuo quòd viri isti nec sibi vixére nec sibi sunt mortui sed ei qui pro ipsis mortuus est magis autem nobis omnibus propter illum Bern. serm Petr. Paul 1 Joh. 2. 6. Phil. 1. 20. 6. Love of the brethren a speciall badge of a true Christian Gal. 5. 6. Hâ—b 2. 4. 2 Cor. 5. 7. Eph. 5. 2. Rejection of them that want it 1. John 8. 44. 2. Eph. 4. 3. Gal. 5. 22. Jam 4. 5. John 9. 28. 2 Tim. 3. 8. 3. Isa. 11. 6. 7. 8. Gal. 6. 10. John 4. 9. 4. Niltam commendat Christianam animam quam misericordia Ambr. offic l. 1. cap. 11. Joh. 13. 34. Col. 3. 14. The first duty and note of a Disciple Foure things in it I. What is meant by ones selfe 1. Outward things 2. What inward things must be denied 1. Rom. 8. 7. 2. 3. 4. Qui depâ—niâ— vâ—terem hominem cum operibus suis abnegat sâ—ipsum c. Hieron in Matth. 5. Rom. 14. 7. Non dixit neget sed abneget ut hac adjeâ—â—iunâ—â—la plurimum addat c. Greg. Phil. 3. 7. 8. II. The difficulty of this duty Mar. 9 43. 47. Seen in 3. things 1. Luk. 9. 59. Mat. 19. 22 1 Cor. 3. 18. Job 20. 12. 2. 3. Mat. 19. 22 III. The necessity of doing it In sixe respects 1. Si peril homo amando se profectò invenitur negando se. Aug. ser. 77. de diversis 2. Non potes perfectam possidere libertatem nisi totaliter abneges temetispsum De imitat Christi li. 3. cap. 32. 3. Pro. 22. 15. 4. Mat. 9. 12. 10. 6. 5. Mat. 22. 37. 39. 6. Vigila super teipsum excita teipsum admone teipsum quicquid de aliis sit non negligas teipsum Tantum proficies quantum tibi ipsi vim intuleris De imitat Christi l. 1. c. 25. IV. Use. Exhortation to selfe-deniall Mischiefes by not beginning herein Fecerunt civitates duas amores duo terrenam scilicet amorsui usque ad contemptum Deiâ—coelestem verò amor Dei usque ad contemptum sui Aug. de Civ Dei l. 14. 2. Eph. 2. 2. 3. 4. Act. 19. 24. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 4. 6. Qui leviter ac desunctoriè ad pietatis doctrinam accesserunt exaruerunt Naz. orat 3. Quoâ—usquisque haec adimplevit sed quae penes homines difficilia penes Deum facilia Tert. de idol c. 12. Helpes to further this difficult duty 1. Luk. 11. 13. Isa. 44. 3. 2. 3. Self-deniall the first continued act of a Christian. Pensemâ—s quomodo Paulus se abuegaverat qui dicebat Vivo autem jam non ego Extinctus quippe suerat sevus ille persecutor et vivere coeperat pius praedicator Greg. in Evang hom 32. 4. Preservatives against pride which hinders selfe-deniall 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Also against distrustfulnes which hinders it 1 2. Mat. 6. 33. 3. Gen. 22. 14 1 Sam. 17. 37. Encouragements to this harsh work of selfe-deniall 1. 2. Nil me juvabunt fines mundi nec regna hujus seculi melius est â—ihi emori propter Jesum Christum quà m imperare finibusterrae Ignat. ad Rom. Psal. 120. 5. 6. 3. Heb. 11. 25. 26. Gen. 22. 16 Mat. 19. 27. Heb. 13. 12. 13. Rev. 12. 11 Ignis crux diaboti tormenta in me veniant tantummodo ut Jesum nanciscar â—dem ibid. 4. 5. Siâ— olerum plâ—lae traâ—sponuntur ut proficiaeu Unde enin videnturâ—ii perdidsse quod craâ—t inde incipiunt apparere quod non erant Greg. ubi supr Notes of one that denies himselfe 1. 2 Cor. 5. 14. 2. Phil. 4. 11. 12. 3. Foure things that self-deniall doth in respect of the Word Regards whatever God teacheth Act. 10. 33. Loves it all even reproofes Quarrels not but submits Suffers rather than the truth should suffer 4. Resignation to God for prosperity Deut. 8. 18. Of