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
he must dye unto him he is not his owne but at his Lords command wholly and must follow him close in the meanes of his presence especially in searching the Scriptures which testifie of him John 5. 39. as also in listening to the inward teaching and guidance of the Spirit taking the benefit of his own experience by the change and fiuits in himselfe since hee had Christ afore him Secondly faith will hold us in our way and keep our leader in sight It will not bee led by the opinions of men or customes of the world but by the commandement and will of the Captain It will not looke a squint to approve it selfe to Christ and the world too but it knits the heart undivided to Christ alone as an only perfect Saviour and Pattern Yea because he now liveth and moveth hath beeing in Christ he can no more be without him than a member without the head and as a member followes him through fire and water perils and torments most earnestly and cheerfully Thirdly faith causeth a man whensoever he is slipt out of his way to return back by a new act of repentance as when Christ looked backe upon Peter excited his faith he wept bitterly saith the Church Cant. 3. 3. Saw ye not him whom my soule loveth And thus faith is crowned with perseverance This of the first way to follow Christ. 2. We must follow him in love ardent affection by which faith alwaies worketh No other thing must constraine us but love as a wife out of love follows her dear husband And this wil be stronger than death nothing can separate us neither height nor depth nor sword nor death nor a sea of the waters of affliction can drown it Yea zeale fervency of spirit is required to exclude hypocrisie lukewarmnes for dissemblers and halters can never follow Christ in the rugged waies wherin he goeth before us 3. Wee must follow him sincerely for love of himselfe not for selfe-love for selfe-deniall must goe before the imitation of Christ. This will make us follow him into Jerusalem and out of Jerusalem unto the Consistory unto the Crosse as well when they cry Crucifie him as when they cry Hosanna And not as many who follow the times and not Christ. It will make us follow him for right ends not for loaves or perishing bread as the Jewes not for curiosity as Herod to see a miracle nor as Peter to gaze and get newes in the high Priests hall but as the Disciples John 6. 68. Master thou hast the words of eternall life and whither shall we goe It will make us follow him wholly not lamely as on one legge as such who profess his doctrine but deny his life live carnally covetously uncharitably all this religion is naught and vaine and opens the mouth of Adversaries to say from the loose lives of Professors that our religion is an enemy to good works Where did Christ teach thee that professest to follow him to sweare to lye to deceive to profane the Sabbath to raise slander to revenge to spend thy time in gaming idlenesse or the like where learnest thou this of Christ 4. We must follow him constantly without wavering or desisting not for a brunt or a start not as the young man that came hastily but departed heavily He loves no lookers back Know that Christ is best at last and though thou mayest bee sometimes weary yet Christ will refresh thee and lead thee to rest This is the manner of following him Now let us see the reasons or motives thereunto 1. One is the equity of the precept We are sheep he is the great Shepheard of the flock and all the sheep must follow this Shepheard John 10. 27. The hundred forty and foure thousand follow the Lambe wheresoever hee goeth Rev. 14. 6. that is the multitude of the faithfull follow Christ their Captaine and obey him in all things Besides we are Christians our very name perswades us how equall it is to follow him else deny our name if we deny this duty Againe the equity appeares because here is nothing required or requested of us but our Master hath done it before us and commended it to us by his owne example Our Joshua saith to us his souldiers What you see mee doe that doe you and shall a common souldier recoile or start back from that he seeth his Captaine doe before him If we see our Generall deny himselfe take up his crosse obey his Father love his brethren is it not equall that wee doe the like shall Christians live like Jewes Heathens Worldlings 2. Great is the danger of not following Christ our guide First if we look at our selves Wee would faine be leaders and devisers which Christ knew wel enough and as we easily stray of our selves so wee are easily misled either by our owne lusts or by other perillous guides Sometimes one as the people who in simplicity followed Absalom not knowing whereabout hee went 2 Sam. 1â— 11. thus sometime we follow some wicked counseller as a drove follow the Butcher in stead of the Shepheard And sometimes many how easily follow we a multitude unto evill and therefore have great need of this precept of Christ both for prevention and direction Secondly if wee looke at the justice of God who gives over men to follow dangerous guides when they refuse Christ by his Word and Spirit to lead them See it in a number of instances How many are given up as the Heathens were to their own harts lusts Rom. 1. 26. that it were better they were given up to the Divell to buffer or any tyrant to torment than delivered to fall by their owne hand and all because they will not have Christ to lead them nor will follow him Nay seeing the Divell ruleth in lusts to be given up unto lusts is to be left into the hands of the Divell the Prince of the ayre to bee ruled at his will And how just is it that a sheep that will not follow the Shepheard should follow the Butcher How many others who will not follow Christ in the Word are given up to follow the world and the course of the world Some follow their covetousnesse as Jer. 8. 10. every one from the greatest to the least tormenting themselves and the world in it give no rest to it or themselves allow neither GOD nor themselves any rest on the Sabbath c. Others walke after the course of the world Ephes. 2. 2. and fashion themselves unto it contrary to Rom. 12. 2. as appeares in many who have sold themselves over to voluptuousnes delicacy pride in apparrel tiring out all the tires and fashions of all countries Others spend their time in idlenesse or gaming or sports and other calling have they none But all the world knowes Christs life was humble painfull sober heavenly holy fruitfull and cleane contrary to these who receive
opposed to all Gods commandements Psal. 119. 36. Pray for wisdome to conceive thy selfe a stranger and pilgrime here so to intend principally thy departure hence for ere long gather as fast and as dangerously as thou canst the poorest mans Omer shall be as full as thine So of the former point of instruction 2. Many Christians do not only endanger but even lose their soules for the world so our Saviviour implyeth Numbers of men to winne the world do lose their soules And though a man would thinke that no man were or could be so mad as to part with his soule on such base termes yet millions of men exchange heaven for earth and barter away their soules not for the whole world but for an handfull of earth As for example 1. He that loseth Christ loseth his soule But for the winning of the world many lose and forgoe Christ. The yong man left Christ because hee had great possessions Mat. 19. 22. Many of the Jewes heard Christ knew him and beleeved in him but durst not confesse him for that they feared to be losers in the world Joh. 12. 42 43. And thus doe all they who being convinced in themselves and having some good affections joyned to illumination yet give the day to the world and the night to Christ. Great and rich men dare not be seene in the profession when poore fisher-men come by day they dare not come by night 2. Hee loseth Christ for the world that giveth priority to the world above Christ as the Gadeâ—ens preferred their hogges before the presence of Christ and as Esau preferred the broth before the blessing He onely hath wonne Christ that esteemes all things as drosse and dung in com parison of Christ Phil. 3. 7 8. The wise Merchant that found the pearle lost all to buy it The Disciples left all for Christ. But easily may we see how millions of men undervalue Christ in comparison of the world for First what is the chiefe labour studie time costs and paines of men employed upon is it not for the food that perisheth and profits of the world in the meane time the labour for that durable food and the Manna that came downe from heaven is either none or formall sleight seldome Secondly how are the affections of men generally bent is Christ their chife joy or treasure hath Shee gained their thoughts delight they in his love more than in life Or see we not the multitude preferre the world before their chiefe joy set their hearts upon it doat upon it their thoughts runne first and last and all day long after it with unwearied delight and comfort when in the meane time they banish thoughts of Christ of their treasure portion and country in heaven How doe most men feare the losse of the world more than the losse of Gods favour their soules and salvation How doe they more grieve and sorrow in a trifling losse of the world than when by sinne Gods favour and the grace of Christ is forfeited Thirdly how do the speeches of men bewray them to bee worldlings and if the speech be according to the abundance of the heart Christ hath small roome there Esa. 32. 6. the niggard speaks of niggardlinesse and 1 Joh. 4. 5. They speake of the world and the world heareth them But how long should a man watch in vaine for a â—avorie word concerning Christ or the salvation of their soules or speake to them the language of Canaan it is Hebrew or thrust in a savory speech of God his word or grace how strange and unwelcome is it their pennes tell us that their hearts indite no good matter Is not this to undervalue Christ in comparison of the world or is this to be a pilgrim or to possesse or rather to bee wholly possessed of the word Object There is no man whose ordinary theme is not more of the world than of GOD or Christ and will you therefore conclude that there is no man but loves the world better than Christ Answ. 1. Wee are all more carnall than spirituall and therefore our thoughts and speeches will be wandring but wee must not please our selves herein but mortifie and subdue carnall words as well as desires and groane under this corruption for is it not a wofull and wonderfull errour that earth and perishing things should more affect and possesse us than the great things given us of God in Christ Secondly I grant wee have callings and earthly affaires which tye us ordinarily to speak and thinke of such things but the speciall calling of a Christian must bee ever subordinate to the generall and in all earthly businesse a man must carry an heavenly minde God gives no leave to be earthly-minded even while a man is earthly-employed Thirdly the speaking and thinking more of a thing upon necessitie doth not ever argue more love unto it but the speaking and thinking of things out of the valuation of judgement for instance A workeman thinkes more of his tooles and an husbandman speakes more of his husbandrie than of his wife or children because these are the object of his labour but it followes not hee loves them better because he doth not in his judgement esteeme these better Now let a Christian preserve in his judgement a better estimate of Christ and heavenly things and his speeches in things earthly will still preferre that and runne upon it So of the two former proofes Thirdly he loseth his soule for the world that for wealth or by wealth hinders his owne salvation as numbers doe by unlawfull getting the world falling downe before the divell for it wealth is even the divels wages for some sinne committed being either gotten or kept by evill meanes or against good conscience viz. either in the use of an unlawfull calling or by the abuse of a lawfull Of the former sort are such as live by dicing houses filthy houses and the like places of hellish resort which may be rightly called the divells houses of office And those that live by unthriftie gaines by usury magicke making the instruments of pride and sinne or a calling to which they are not fitted as insufficient Ministers who runne but are not sent because they are not gifted God need not send a message by the hand of a foole Of the latter sort are first those that enrich themselves for doing a dutie which they doe not as grosse Non-residents that feed themselves but not the flocke or for doing that they ought not to doe as Lawyers who take reward for pervertings equity and right or perhaps are fee-ed on both sides by one to speake by the other to hold their peace or as good Secondly tradesmen that use false weights measures words wares sophisticall and insufficient as many who rise by cousenage and the craft of their trades by lying or swearing or by trickes in bargaining abuse the simplicitie or necessitie of
men especially by promise breaking and slipperinesse in contracts and by breaking up their estate to defraud men and cheate their Creditors an horrible theft and an arrow shot lately from hell to the overthrow of many they wil be sure of a rich bootie that shall make them Gentlemen-theeves ever after when their poore fellowes who never did halfe so much hurt goe to the gallows Thirdly in the same sort and ranke are Painters that make idolatrous or filthy inflaming pictures as so many wanton and alluring harlots Stationers that sell filthy and lascivious pamphlets the divels trumpets to spread his poyson and uncleannesse All these will one day prove heavie gains when the eye is open to see the soule lost for getting such an handfull of the world Here is a great deale of the Mammon of iniquitie as profitable as Judas his thirtie silver-pieces We come now to the lastproof Fourthly hee loseth his soule for the world that by the world casteth himselfe back in the way and meanes of salvation as First when his wealth blocks up the way of salvation becomming thornes to choake the word or as water to quench zeale or as weights oppressing the motions of the Word and Spirit when riches distract the owners not suffring them to keep watches with God in reading prayer meditation and the like godly exercises when they are incentives to pride and back-byasses to repentance c. Secondly when they are perverted to hold men and uphold them in a course of sinne and damnable lusts as riot gaming drinking whoring pride idlenesse or the like or when men waste them in contentions and quarrels needlesly as some penurious snake that cannot finde a groat in many yeares to uphold the ministry or any good motion yet can finde pounds and pieces good store to spend against his Minister or neighbours to compasse his rotten and crooked wil. But it is good to consider the doome of such wicked servants that have thus wasted their Masters goods bind them hand and foot cast them into hell there shall bee weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Now conclude from hence that there is no hope of thriving by iniquity or indirect meanes of getting wealth because Gods curse goes with it and the plague ever accompanies it as if a man should eat good cheere but in a plaguie house or weare silke and sattin but it is all infected apparel or as a felon by robbery gets a bag of money but hath for it lost his life is pursued with huy and cry to be apprehended for judgement Hab. 2. 6. thou increasest that which is not thine But suppose it were thine by good meanes it is but as thicke clay wherewith thou loadest thy selfe as a pack-horse that hath no other benefit of his load than the heavie burden of it What were a man richer for an estate never so great if he were sure it should all bee suddenly consumed by fire yet such is the wealth of wicked worldlings who are well-pleased without any other portion the curse of God as a spark of fire kindles in that estate and moulders and consumes it that oftentimes not the third or second heire rejoyceth in it And it will bee wisedome to consider whether fraud and guile have not brought such a guest as povertie into many houses Looke upon shifters gamesters couseners and deceitful persons who by all their trickes and shifts profit themselves little or nothing in their estate and cannot shift off contempt reproach and beggerie and many unjust persons who have risen and ruffled by deceitfull courses have as suddenly sunke and withered and no reason could be imagined but the falshood of their foundation and a secret and insensible curse of God fretting the very timber of their houses sometimes in their owne dayes sometimes in their heires after them wasting and consuming as wickedly and speedily as ever their father got it whereof our age affoordeth many fearefull examples Now if God have spared the arrest of those goods forfeited by falshood speedily labour to prevent it by repentance by mercy by restitution by reformation Never trust to rise by that which so many others fall by Thinke not to turne that to a cleare gain which is to all others a losse yea and the greatest losse to thy selfe in earthly things and heavenly in body and soule nay of body and soule which is the greatest of all losses and most irrecoverable Againe our care must be to be so far from losing our soules for the world as that by the world we further the salvation of them First for that God gives not these things as snares and hinderances but as staves in our hands to helpe us in our way and as a prosperous winde to him that is sailing to heaven Secondly he hath commanded us to Honour the Lord with our riches Pro. 3. 9. to use them as our Masters talents to our Masters advantage to use them as our servants and a slave is intolerable when he takes on him to rule the house especially when as a rivall he wooeth his Mistresse to gaine her love from his Master so riches are good servants while servants but if they allure the soule and withdraw the heart from the husband they must be turned away Thirdly what a lamentable thing is it to pervert the good gifts of God to our owne perdition as for a glutton to kill himselfe with that which should preserve his life Quest. But how may I by riches promote mine owne salvation Answ. First make friends of them to helpe thy selfe into everlasting habitations Luke 16. 9. First make God thy friend by maintaining his worship and the persons and places belonging unto it buy the meanes of grace and settle the Ministery buy the truth and sell it not Once the people brought too much to the Tabernacle but the fault is now on the contrary side see Exod. 36. 5. and Pro. 17. 16. Secondly make Christ thy friend by relieving his poore members whom wee have alwayes with us not onely to exercise their humility and patience but also the mercy and liberality of the rich and Christ acknowledgeth what is done to them is done to himself and who would not relieve Christ if he stood in need Thirdly make the poore thy friends that they may receive thee by their prayers and testimonie of thy charity The loynes and bellies of the poore blessed Job Obadiah fed the Prophets of God Dorcas made garments for the poore Cornelius his almes came up before God and obtained a remembrance Fourthly make all men thy friends To do good and distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is well-pleased Heb. 13. 16. Doe good unto all especially the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. How fit is it that the necessities of men in want should bee relieved by such as are laden with super fluities to this very end to doe good to others for
helpes as they are heavie burdens to the owners as Ezek. 7. 19. The rich man shall cast his silver away and his gold shall be farre off nay the greater his wealth is the greater plague the greater griefe and spoile awaites him as a tree that hath thicke and large boughs every man desires to lop him And how many have wee knowne overthrowne by the finenesse of their garments who if they had had a shorter traine had in likelyhood stood out many yeares longer Remember that Riches have wings under which let the Master hide himselfe a while as Esa. 28. 15. making falshood his refuge and hiding himselfe under vanitie yet with these wings will they fly away like a runnagate servant when his Master hath most need of him Secondly in time of sicknesse they are unprofitable The honourable Garter cannot cure the gowt nor the Chaire of Estate ease the collicke nor a Crowne remove the head-ache Can a man by all his wealth buy a good nights sleepe can it help him to a good stomacke or free him of one shaking or burning fitt of an ague Nay as wormes breed in the softest woods and cankers in the most sappie trees so softnesse idlenesse fulnesse intemperance and effeminate delicacie in the rich procure peculiar and most incurable diseases Thirdly in the day of death they cannot profit Job 27. 8. What hope hath the hypocrite when he hath heaped up riches and God takes away his soule for as they cannot help to life or birth in which case some would give thousands or millions for an heir so they cannot help in life to put off death Doe not Princes fall like others and these gods dye like men Could all the rich mans wealth hold his soule one night no the foole found his life stood not in abundance It is righteousnesse not riches that delivereth the soule from death Prov. 10. 2. Nay at death they bring much bitternesse for it is as great a pang of death to part with wealth as to part with life so as a rich man without better hopes dyeth a double death here And one miserie abides with him that while he leaves his wealth hee carries his sinnes with him occasioned in the getting keeping and disposing of them these lye downe in the dust with him Fourthly after death they profit not they cannot keepe the soule from hell nor ease that torment one moment they cannot keepe corruption from the body open the grave and see if thou canst discerne a difference between the rich and poore tell me if the wormes spare either of both but if the living be wronged by cost about embalming entombing or the like it is but a corpes still no sweeter to God if not sweetned by the embalming and buriall of Christ. Fiftly at the day of judgment the whole world cannot profit a man being then set on a light fire then shall gold and silver and precious stones and common stones be all one the Judge will not be corrupted nor can causes be gilded nor sentence pronounced according to our wealth in goods or lands but according to our graces riches in good workes This will be then the only profitable wealth not gold in our chests but faith and pietie in our consciences shall avayle us and not that we had abundance but that wee were abundant in faithfull dispensing shall be our acceptance Pro. 21. 21. Hee that followeth righteousnesse and mercy shall finde righteousnesse life and glory And now after all this say What profit is it to winne the whole world and lose his owne soule Or what recompence shall a man give for his soule Two meditations arise out of these words 1. The soule of a man is a most precious and invaluable thing seeing all the world gained is not comparable to the losse of one soule Pro. 6. 26. it is called the precious soule or life of man See it farther 4. wayes 1. Consider the soule in it self it is a particle of divine breath not created as bodily things consisting of matter and forme but inspired of God For the soule is neither traduced from the soules of Parents and much lesse generated of any corporall seed or matter but the Lord that spred the heavens and founded the earth formed the spirit of man within him Zech. 12. 1. neither was it created without deliberation of the whole Trinitie Gen. 1. 26. Let us make man in our owne image or likenesse as being the exquisite Master-piece above all other 2. Behold it in the faculties of it and wonder that God should put in such a piece of clay so divine a soule And that not onely in regard of supernaturall qualities of holinesse and righteousnesse in the entire nature of it but also in respect of natural qualities and operations resembling God in his understanding and wisedome it hath a facultie to understand and know Him whom it ought chiefely to love and is almost infinite at least insatiable in seeking knowledge a facultie to will even that which God willeth nor resteth it in any thing of this life nor is contented with any thing below but willeth principally things beyond the sight blessednesse and happinesse and respecteth good estimation after death and so argueth it owne immortalitie as God is immortall a facultie of conscience that stands in awe to sin though none looke on or citeth the person before Gods tribunall as Belshazzar and Felix who trembled It hath likewise all his operations above sense to love GOD feare God beleeve in God embrace Religion meditate on heavenly things with an aptnesse to proceed in the knowledge of God which other inferior creatures cannot doe 3. Behold it in the end of it it was not made for the body but the body for the soule and not onely to be the tabernacle of the soule to dwell in but the instrument of the soule to worke by for the soule tyed to the body cannot put forth his faculties without organs and senses of the body to expresse love and dutie unto God But the primarie and proper end of the divine soule is to live to God in this life and with God in the life to come Fourthly behold it as redecmed by Christ and created again to Gods image What a price did God and Jesus Christ set upon it what more precious than the blood of him that was God The ransome of the soule must be a bove all corruptible things 1 Pet. 1. 18. Also as it is sanctified by the Spirit what can bee comparable to his unmatchable graces no pearles are to be compared to wisdome to precious faith to the feare of God which is a rich treasure And if the hangings bee so precious what may we thinke of the roome Then bee so much the more warie to shunne any thing that may hurt the soule We esteeme our naturall lives precious and therefore are carefull to avoyd whatsoever is prejudiciall to the body
a thousand worlds of men and Angels could not redeeme God set it at the highest rate and the divell would give a whole world for one soule but thou countest it not worth any thing Hell shall be filled with soules at a cheaper rate than one soule can get to heaven by So of the first meditation The second is this For a lost soule there is no remedy nor recompence all the world cannot redeem a lost soule for a soule not yet quite lost may be a recompence by the blood of Christ but for a soule lost is no remedie nor ransome no not in Christ himselfe To conceive this consider 1 What is the estate of a lost soule 2 What it is that being once lost makes it irrecoverable 3 The worthlesnes and impotencie of all earthly things to help it For the first of these see what goeth to the losse of a soule 1. There is the losse of Gods favour fellowship and presence whose favour and presence is better than life for with him is the Well of life And not that onely but the soule is thrust under Gods most heavie displeasure and his hot wrath which is a consuming fire 2. The losse of Jesus Christ and all the benefits of his redemption and so the soule is cut off from remission of sinne to which onely belongeth blessednes from imputation of righteousnes which only entitleth to life from the dignitie of adoption to which only belongs the inheritance from the benefit of Christs intercession that hee will not so much as pray for such Now the soule lying without Christ lyeth under the whole rigour of the Morall Law under the curse and sentence of condemnation and malediction for provoking so high justice and under the power of Satan as a Jaylor holding the sinner unto execution in everlasting chaines 3. The lost soule hath lost the blessed presence of the Spirit of God which is the soule of the soule and as the Sunne to the world so is hee to the Elect for light and comfort There is a losse of the Spirit in all his saving offices his illumination further than to make them unexcusable his consolation and joy having left them to eternall horrour and heavinesse and his assistance of leading them into all truth or raising requests in them Thus wanting the spirit they want all degrees of mortification from first to last in life and death They are layd under the whole power of their vain conversation under all the corruption of the present evil world that they may eternally lye under as much power as guilt of sinne 4. There is the losse of heaven and happinesse and that eternally and not that onely but the sense of horrible torment expressed in Scripture by unquenchable fire which notes them infinitely miserable in the eternitie and durance of most exquisite torments for their worme dyeth not and their fire goeth not out Esa. 66. 24. and they have no rest but the smoake of their fire ascendeth continually Rev. 14. 15. so as they shall seeke death but shall not find it their very being is a punishment Next what is it that makes the soule once lost irrecoverable 1. An invincible wicked and hard heart setled upon sin and sending out all cursed practises of lying swearing despighting grace in the means and bringers crueltie injustice vaine confidence and all manner of sin They that doe such things are shut out of the kingdome of God and of Christ 1. Cor. 69. Gal. 5. 21. For such be wray themselves given up of God to a reprobate minde calling good evill and darknesse light whose consciences are seared against all goads and prickings of the word no counsell or admonition toucheth them nor troubleth them all the threats and menaces of the law are to them as iron-weapons to Behemoth esteemed as straw Here is a man in a lost estate Judas is a lost son of perdition how know you him all the counsels and admonitions of Christ are lost upon him nothing workes upon him for reformation and obstinate Pharaoh will be broken all to pieces before the powerfull ministerie of Moses and Aaron can bend him If we meet with such knottie pieces on whom in vaine wee breake many wedges who if Moses and Aaron were immediately sent with as many miracles as messages or if Christ himselfe in person should perswade with them yet still would remaine obstinate alas what remedie who can save a lost man a man that will not bee saved A man that chuseth death must dye he will not live 2. This also makes the lost soule irrecoverable for that it hath trod under foot the blood of Christ so as there is no more price or sacrifice for his sin Heb. 10. 29. And they doe this saith Ambrose who sin voluntarily without feare not regarding the blood that was shed for them nor fearing Christ the Judge who somtimes shed his blood for their redemption This is to crucifie Christ againe daily to themselves and to put him to death daily who having dyed once can dye no more Slight this blood of Christ and sin against it what can save thee 3. The Spirit of grace in the Ministery hath beene despighted his motions and knockes all rejected himselfe grieved and banished And now that he is driven out with despight hee never comes more let that soule sinke or swim the Spirit of life is gone 4. The day of mercy hath beene despised the season of grace hath beene slipped the doore of grace is now shut a world of teares and sorrow cannot now quench the fire of wrath kindled against the sinnes and soules now the blessing is too late sought with teares teares of horror and despaire a full sea of them cannot wash the guilt of one sin repentance is now unseasonable Time was when Christ called Jerusalem with tears would have gathered her as the hen gathers her chickens but she would not the things of her peace were then hid from her eyes and afterward all her sorrow was too late Next see the worthlesnesse and impotencie of all earthly things to recover a lost soule First in their rankes Whatsoever is in the world is reduced to one of these three heads 1. John 2. 16. Lust of the flesh voluptuousnesse pleasures wherein if there be any excellency the brute beasts led with sensualitie enjoy it above men for they enjoy their appetite without all restraint and checke of reason or religion Lust of the eye desire of wealth riches abundance whereof worst men are greatest gainers and those that have no true treasure abound in these beside the Scripture calls them shadows lyes thicke clay uncertaine and deceivable riches And pride of life honor ambition preferment estimation of men which are so much the more worthlesse because they depend upon other mens breath and opinion beside the whole world is witnesse to the levity and
of man come in the clouds of heaven 2. That was the place whither he ascended and from thence he must descend as Act. 1. 11. Yee men of Galilee why stand ye gazing into heaven this Jesus which is taken from you into heaven shall so come as yee have seene him goe into heaven 3. It is meet that Christ should come from heaven to judge because it is not meet that wicked men and Angels should come thither to him although to receive their sentence for that holy Citie can admit no uncleane thing Rev. 21. 27. 4. As it is in earthly judgements so must it be in this great Assise which must be held and the judgement set up in the same country or about the place where the facts and crimes to bee judged were committed But whither shall he come Some thinke into the valley of Jehosaphat which lyeth situate between mount Sion and mount Olivet neare Jerusalem so called from the noble victory which God gave Jehosaphat over the enemies of the Church for which they alledge Joel 3. 12. Let the Heathen be wakened and come to the valley of Jehosaphat for there I will sit to judge all the Heathen round about But allegoricall and typicall prophecies are not to be expounded according to the letter but according to the type and similitude which seemes to be this As that valley of Engeddi called the valley of Jehosaphat from the noble victory of Jehosaphat against the Moabites Ammonites and other enemies gathered against the Church was situate in the sight of the city Jerusalem and mount a type of the Church so the Lord will revenge and judge all his enemies before or in the last judgement day in the sight of all his holy people and Saints who in their manner shall judge the world And hence some godly and judicious Divines have probably conceived that the judgement-seat shall bee set up in some place neare Jerusalem both to increase the terror of the judgement and the glory of Christ to sit there as Judge where himselfe was judged But to conclude it as a resolved opinion is rash and ungrounded Others thinke it shall be upon the earth that the sentence may bee given where the facts have beene committed that Christ may shew himselfe a Conqueror where the combate was and justly condemne others where himselfe was unjustly condemned And sundry things of the Fathers sound hereunto But in vaine should wee seeke a reason of that which whether it selfe shall be is altogether unknown If the Scriptures had said it should bee on earth then the reasons were good But wherever it is the wicked shall looke on him whom they have pierced The Apostle seemes to settle the place of judgement in the aire 1 Thess. 4. 17. the elect shall be caught up to meete the Lord in the aire And as hee was carried up in a cloud so the Scripture saith hee shall come in the clouds of heaven So as it is most probable where wee shall meet him the judgement shall bee namely in the clouds of the aire neare the earth where the divells shall be conquered and sentenced in the very place where they have ruled all this while as Princes But whether over mount Olivet whence hee ascended or above the valley of Jehosaphat or the City of Jerusalem were folly to define seeing Gods wisedome hath not clearely determined The conclusion is that the Judge is of power and wisdome to set up the throne of his glory wheresoever himselfe thinketh most fit But when shall he come In the end of the world But the particular age yeare or day is not knowne to man or Angell Mark 13. 32. Of that day and houre knoweth no man nor the Angels of heaven no nor the Son himselfe but the Father onely because 1. the end of the world is fit to bee knowne to him onely who onely knew a fit time for the beginning of it 2. this secret is none of them which Christ had heard from his Father for then had he revealed it to the Apostles and so to the Church Neither 3. was it among them which the Spirit promised and sent revealed or taught the Apostles who yet were led by him into all necessary truth Joh. 16. 13. 4. Christ must come as a theefe in the night and as in the dayes of Noah when men knew nothing which could not bee if the time were knowne 5. Of what validitie were all those exhortations to watch and be warie because wee know not the houre unlesse the time were concealed Mat. 24. 42. 44. 6. Many are the reasons why God would not have us to know it as not knowing the set houre wee may bee prepared every houre our faith and patience may bee exercised and our hope upheld not limiting the Lord to times and seasons which are in his owne power The greater hath beene the sin and folly of many learned men of old and of late who have set their wits so childishly to play in so serious a businesse Augustine relates that many about his time defined the day of the Lords comming some to an hundred some five hundred some to a thousand yeares after his ascension Since that time Joachimus Abbas who set the yeare 1258. Arnoldus de villa nova the yeare 1345. Michael Stiphelius Saint Lukes day in the yeare 1533. Cyprianâ—s Leovitius Italus the yeare 1583. Johannes Regiomontanus the yeare 1588. Adelbertus Thermopedius the yeare 1599. and third of Aprill Nicolaus Cusanus the yeare 1700. Cardanus 1800. Ostander out of Cabala 1689. Picus Mirandula 1904. I will not name some worthy Writers on the Revelation but wish they had forborne that curiositie in this computation wherein I thinke they ungroundedly troubled themselves and many others The most I have named carrie alreadie the chastisement of their temeritie and have reaped onely the scorne of their errour that wee by them might learn to be wise to sobrietie Rom. 12. 3. and not seeke to know or make knowne that which the Angels and Christ himselfe was content to be ignorant of But though Christ knew it not then as man being for our sakes ignorant of many things which hee was not bound to know as of this day and the time of figs c. yet now he knoweth it and so it may now be communicated to the Angels and blessed spirits and why then may it not bee revealed to the Church True it is that Christ now glorified hath laid downe all infirmities and knowes both the day and houre and in this his exalted estate is ignorant of none of the workes of God which have beene are or shall bee his Deitie enlightning his humane soule But therefore to conclude that every such thing is revealed to the Angels and blessed spirits is frivolous For if every thing which belongs to the exalted head were necessary to bee communicated to the principall members they should bee
a further degree of the same punishment one begun here and the other eternally continued hereafter both due by that just sentence In the day thou sinnest thou shalt dye the death Doctr. The last judgement shall be not more glorious than righteous for if Jesus Christ be the Judge and if every person to bee judged shall receive according to his workes a righteous sentence the judgement must bee most just Rom. 2. 2. We know that the judgement of God is true that is equall and just And the Apostle abhorreth with detestation the least thought of any unrighteousnesse in God c. 3. 5. Is God unrighteous God forbid how should he then judge the world this will not stand with the proper office of God which is to be the Judge of all the world shall not hee deale justly 1. Where all helpes of righteous judgementare the judgement must needs bee righteous but so are they here for first in the person of the Judge there is wisedomeâ— and piercing understanding farre above Salomans to finde out the truth and equitie of things He discernes persons and causes truly and infallibly as they are Hee can disclose and discover all secrets of hearts intentions and purposes which no creature can discern All other Judges may be deceived who judge only of the worke running into the senses and so mis-judge of men as David himselfe did of Mephibosheth But this Judge seeth the heart and hidden counsels of it This ground of righteous judgement is laid in Jeremy 17. 10. I the Lord search the heart and reynes to give to every man according to his workes Herein is this Throne exalted above all tribunals in that the most secret thoughts escape him not which the highest seats of justice in earth can take no notice of All things are naked to him Heb. 4. 13. Another helpe of righteous judgement is the opening of the bookes both in Gods custodie and in the custodie of the parties God hath a booke of providence in which all things and causes are written Psal. 139. 16. and a booke of memorie wherein all the good services of his Saints are recorded Mal. 3. 16. and a booke of life in which the names of the Elect are written Phil. 4. 3. these bookes shall be opened and read Rev. 20. 12. And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another book was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes The booke in the parties custodie is the book of every mans conscience either accusing or excusing Rom. 2. 15. These bookes shall be opened and if the conscience accuse God is greater than the conscience 1 Joh. 3. 20. 2. Where all letts are removed that judgement must bee most righteous but so is it here for this is a white throne like Salomons white ivory throne for the puritie of the Judge and judgement First here is no concealement of things no dawbing up of bad matters in corners no pleading of Lawyers to varnish falshood and cloud the truth no Proctors no Advocates but every man must give account of himselfe to God Secondly here is no respect of persons but causes no friends to gratifie no mans cloth or service shall protect an offender Thirdly here shall be no inducement by gifts gold shall gild no bad causes Fourthly here shall bee no sanctuaries no priviledged places to disturbe the course of justice no appeales no protections to avoid the sentence which shall lye eternally upon sinners From all which grounds we conclude the righteousnesse of this judgement Which serves first according to the scope of our Saviour to excite every one in the care of saving his soule and worke in us selfe-deniall taking up of our crosse and following of Christ for then shall every man receive according to his worke As the seed hath been so shall be the harvest As the worke hath beene so shall the wages bee Hee that hath sown to the flesh or to the world shall reape corruption but hee that hath sowne to the spirit shall reape immortalitie and life 1 Cor. 3. 8. Every one shall receive according to his owne labour Secondly here is a ground of repentance Act. 17. 31. He admonisheth all to repent because hee hath appointed a day in which hee will judge the world in righteousnesse The reason is strong now the Lord after a sort hideth his righteousnesse and useth patience and connivence with many sinners but then he shall draw it out Yea thou mayest now hide thine owne sinne with Adam and carry it close from men but that is a day of revelation then shall the bookes be opened and all thy sins except thou hast repented and got a cover in Christ shall hee manifest and openly read before God men and Angels Thinke not to avoid or â—lude the justice of this throne but stand in awe and sinne not get an awfull reverence of that God whose pure eyes behold all the wayes of man whose soule perfectly hateth all iniquitie whose hand will not spare but without respect of persons judge every mans workes and whose justice will reward every one according to that he hath done in the flesh be it good or evill By what stronger argument would the Apostle affright the the hard-hearted sinner who heapes up wrath against the day of wrath and declaration of the just judgement of God but this same that God will reward every man according to his workes Rom. 2. 5 6. So what more affectuall motive can wee use to terrifie wicked enemies out of their sinnes than that of the spirit of God Rev. 22. 11. He that is unjust let him be unjust still and hee that is filthy let him be filthy still let the enemies of grace of the word of grace of the preachers of grace be unjust malitious and scornfull still at their perill let the swearer sweare still so the drunkard harlot usurer But take the next verse with it vers 12. Behold I come shortly and my reward is with mee to give to every one according as his worke shall bee Thirdly here is a ground of patience in the midst of the confusions of the world and the many contempts and opprobries cast against the godly seeing every man shall receive a righteous sentence according to his works Phil. 4. 5. Let your moderation bee knowne unto all men the Lord is at hand Beware of revenge in the meane time commit all to him that judgeth righteously Storme not to receive unjust sentences against us to see our righteous wayes depraved our good repaid with evill every Barrabas preferred before Christ. There is a day wherein God shall make our righteousnesse breake out as the Sunne in his strength And even from hence the Scriptures conclude a providence and a future judgement Eccles. 3. 16. When
good of the receiver Come hastily without all this knowledge and offer the sacrifice of fooles Eccles. 5. 1. 3. Can God heare thee praying who rejectest his Word Prov. 28. 9. Hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law even his prayer is abominable Besides prayer is a seeking of God and canst thou find him whom thou seekest while thou runnest from him who seeketh thee But we have callings to follow and families to maintaine and cannot spare an houre in a week-day to heare a Sermon I say as Salomon Eccles. 7. 20. it is good to lay hold upon this but withdraw not thy hand from that worldly businesse must be followed but never so as to be worldlings and this is when the whole time is ingrossed to prophane or worldly uses and none set apart for holy or the one thing necessary Againe to feed the body men can allot two houres in a day but not one in a weeke to feed the soule as if bread that perisheth were to bee preferred before that which endureth to eternall life or the soule were to be lesse regarded than the body And can these men spend foure five or moe howres at cards dice bowles vaine Enterludes to the destruction of much time with themselves and not one howre in a weeke for their instruction Can some of them watch whole nights and dayes at Satans suit and the service of sinne and not possibly watch one howre with Christ in the day yea in many dayes Cannot they sit up one halfe howre later or rise one halfe howre sooner to redeeme one howre for their everlasting good or will they find it profitable to winne the whole world with the losse of their soules Lastly how have we heard not a few such carelesse men rate themselves on their death-beds with horrible terrors in their consciences that so wretchedly they stopt their eares at so many calls of God and neglected the hearing of so many Sermons and too late wish that they might heare but one Sermon more and now all their hunger and thirst after the world onely enlargeth their hearts sorrow and can no way ease it Others say they are not book-learned and cannot attain this knowledge But thou oughtest to be book-learned God hath given thee both a booke and Teachers and wisdome is easie to him that will understand and she invites thee into her Schoole calling the simple to be wise in heart Pro. 8. 5. and pronounceth those blessed that watch daily at hee gates vers 34. But I am so crossed in the Ministery that I cannot endure it nor will heare such and such Know 1. All the frowardnesse is in thy selfe there is no frowardnesse in the Word Prov. 8. 8. 2. Crosse thy sinne and the Word will not crosse thee but if thou wilt rather crosse the Word than thy sinne thank thy selfe God and his Word will meet with thee as in Ahabs case Now we come to the use of Examination whether God hath taught us in his way or no. The notes of tryall are three First a continuall strife to remove all the hinderers of saving knowledge for light ever fighteth against darknesse And the lets to be removed are 1. Originall corruption a chiefe part of which is darknesse of understanding Labour in mortifying naturall corruption which as a blacke cloud hinders the shine of this Sunne 2. Hardnesse of heart Heb. 3. 10. They erred in heart and have not knowne my wayes and vers 12. Take heed of an evill and unbeleeving heart to depart from the living God The light of the Sunne may shine on the outside of a stone but cannot get within it while unbroken 3. Satanicall temptation the god of the world blindeth Infidels that the light of grace should not shine upon them whom we must therefore resist stedfast in the faith No marvell if Satan can blind the wicked seeing he can raise a cloud of dust to trouble the sight of the godly themselves and let them see every thing in a false glasse all to hide the light of Gods countenance from them 4. Actuall sinnes the nature of all which is to increase ignorance and blind the minde yet further Of these some keepe out knowledge some drive 〈◊〉 out Of the former sort are covetousnesse resembled by choking thornes Luk. 8. and Ezek 33. 32. they heare but jest for their hearts goe after covetousnesse and wrath envy hypocrisie with the like which must be laid aside or there is no growing by the Word 1 Pet 2. 1 2. Of the latter sort are the foule sinnes of flesh as whoredome drunkennesse intemperancy which besot men and diminish even naturall knowledge see Hos. 4. 11. 5. The pleasure of sinne as Eve in tempting and Adam in attempting the sinne the very sight and beauty of the Apple dazelled the cleare knowledge of innocency And as the sinne of the Sodomites smote them with blindnesse of body that they could not finde the doore so doth it much more the soule of the sinner that he cannot find Christ who is the doore of life 6. Custome of sinne the pleasure of which hath begot an habit this keeps and holds under the dominion of the Prince of darknesse and the Lord will not put his precious liquor into so nasty vessels but gives them up ordinarily to reprobate sense Rom. 1. 28. Now as nature teacheth us to fight for all these so grace leadeth us into the field against them for till they be in part subdued there is no possibility of saving knowledge no more then of Sun-shine at midnight This is the first tryall The second is this As all that indisposition must be removed so there must be a disposition wrought in the party whom God teacheth in his way which where it is the Lord hath begunne to teach that man Quest. Wherein stands the disposition to saving Knowledge Ans. 1. In humility God teacheth the humble in his way and he that must receive the Kingdome must be as a little child Esa. 28. 9. whom shall I teach or make to understand not conceited persons who make Divinity onely a matter of discourse or fill their braines and speech with vaine questions and idle speculations or such as come to sit as Iudges or Critickes on their Ministers gifts but such as are weaned from the milke or drawne from the breasts It was a proud and prophane speech of Hermolaus Barbanis and Angelus Politianus that by reading the Bible they forgat Latin 2. A soft and tender heart A sure signe that God hath spoken to it For none can reach the heart to change it but onely that Doctor whose chaire is in heaven He onely can write in the Tables of the heart Ier. 31. 33. 3. A crossing of humane wisdome which nature teacheth not Selfe-deniall is a note of a Disciple For who can frame the affections to hold and fasten on such a doctrine as crosseth nature mortifieth lusts depriveth of deare
2. 17. and to the Leprosie the contagion whereof not onely reacheth over all the parts of a man but to others also and for the effect casteth a man out of the Congregation Conceive then of sinne as of a sicknesse and beware of it How carefull are wise men of their health to prevent sickenesse and againe how foolish and negligent are infinite numbers of people who are exceeding carefull to preserve the health of their bodies yet think not at all of their poore soules which lye languishing of lamentable deadly diseases Well prevent beginnings breake off sinne betimes A disease suffered long growes incurable Others may learne to groane under the burden of sinne Little is the hope of him who is deadly sicke and senslesse of it It is the contrite heart and broken spirit onely that is capable of cure one that feeleth and cryeth out of the paine of sinne originall and actuall that feeleth the want of Christ and prizeth him and his merits above gold silver and all He must be sicke that must be well Christ can worke no cure on a sound man The Paschall lambe is to be eaten with bitter herbs signifying that Christ can never be sweet till we have conceived sorrow and griefe of heart for sinne It is observed of the Angels that their sinne is not mentioned in Genesis because they were not to be restored by repentance but the sinne of man is enlarged in all the circumstances that he might bee sensible ashamed and penitent of his sinne As in bodily cures so in spirituall the more sense of paine the better it is to be liked more then if the wound should be ranckled and stuffed with dead flesh A senslesse lethargie is as deadly as the most tormenting disease Cry thou out of thy pride lying deceiving swearing other sinnes as a man in paine longing after deliverance say as Saint Paul O wretched man that J am who shall deliver me from the body of this death and O that I may never feele the like paine againe Or if Christ have given thee any ease or freedome from sin and lusts magnifie his grace How glad are men when they have out-stood a bodily weakedesse How glad was David when he had beene stopped in his rage against Nabal Blessed be the Lord blessed be thy counsell and blessed be thâ—u When Christ had cured a blind man he followed him and praised God and all the people praised him likewise for what was done Luk. 18. 42. And when Christ had cast out the Divell chap. 8. 30. the man would have followed Christ but he bade him goe to his house and shew what great things God had done for him and he went his way and preached those things through all the City Againe beware of relapses being far more dangerous then the first disease Goe and sinne no more lest a worse thing come unto thee Beware of occasions of sinne especially wicked and infectious company no plaguy house so infectious as that Lastly pitty and helpe others We despise not nor scorne nor laugh at a sicke man nor will one sicke man scorne another It is thine owne case and thy brethrens spiritually Were it a jest to see men dying no we pitty them we pray for them we doe them all offices of charity And so it should be here Hitherto of the Patients We come now to the Physician The Physician is our Lord Iesus Christ as in the next words I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Exod. 5. 26. J am the Lord that healeth thee God challengeth this as a part of his owne glory by Christ to heale us Iob 5. 18. He maketh sore and bindeth up he woundeth and his hands make whole Psal. 103 3. who healed thee of thine infirmities and Mal. 4. 2 of Christ it is said that healing is under his wings For first as a skilfull Physician he kno weth every mans esta te perfeâ—ly hee knoweth what is 〈◊〉 man Iohn 2. so doth no other Physician they can ghâ—sse by inspection and see something but hee seeth our secret corruptions in as much as hee seeth our hearts and thoughts and cannot be deceived He saw the woman at the Well to bee an harlot And Matth. 16. 7. he saw the reasoning of their hearts when they thought he spake because they had no bread Secondly he knowes the cure as perfectly as he doth the disease No Physician knowes all the vertues of all the simples and drugs he administreth and besides he is wholly ignorant of many But Christ our Physician knowes the infallible worke of his remedies so that whereas it may be said of many young Physicians they need a new Church-yard yet never any miscarried under his hands whom he undertooke to cure Of all whom thou hast glven me J have lost none Thirdly as a skilfull Physician he prescribeth the fittest remedies For in his Word hee appointeth physicke for every disease of the soule for pride envy covetousnesse trouble of conscience and other Yea he appointeth most proper remedies What can be more proper to cure the corruption of our nature then the purity of his for our actuall disobedience his actuall obedience for the guilt and curse of our sinnes that himselfe was made a curse for us Fourthly as a Physician prepareth his Patient for his physicke so Christ prepareth the party by faith to apply his remedies by perswading the heart to beleeve and to apply to the fore and wounded conscience the precious Balmes which himselfe hath prepared Else as phyficke not in the receit or box or cupbord or pocket can profit unlesse it be applyed and received though it be never so soveraigne no more can this Fifthly Christ goeth beyond all Physicians two wayes 1. In the generality of his cure Some diseases are desperate and all the physicke in the world cannot cure them But Christ can cure all no disease is so desperate as to foile him The sinne against the holy Ghost is not desperate in it selfe nor to him but onely in the wilfulnesse of the party This was sufficiently testified by those powerfull and miraculous cures which he wrought in the dayes of his flesh both upon the soules and bodies of men casting out divels by his Word pardoning of sinnes working faith curing all sicknesses and diseases restoring all senses yea and raising the dead to life which all Physicians in the world could not doe And all this that it might be fulfilled which is spoken Esa. 53. 4. He tooke our infirmities and bare all our sicknesses both bodily and spirituall 2. In the freedome of his cure For first he offereth his helpe and physicke even daily in the preaching of his Gospell Ier. 3. 2â— O disobedient children returne and I will heale your rebellions This Physician seeketh to the patient Secondly hee takes nothing for his cure Hos. 14 4. I will heale your rebyllions
Christian profession 361 Motives to run as we ought 362 Direct ons thereunto and preparation 364 Hinderances to be removed 365 Helpes in running the Christian race 367 Conditions of running aright five 369 The right marke we must run at 370 The right way in which we must run 371 The right foot wherewith we must run 373 The right motion humble cheerefull constant 374 The right end of running twofold 379 The reward of running no merit 382 How to runne and obtaine 384 Looke not backe 386 Respect the way and not by-matters 387 Renew strength continually and how 390 Encouragements thus to run 393 Excellency and eternity of this goale 39â— 9 The divine Teacher and Scholler Psal. 119. 33. Teach me O Lord the way c. Where is sheâ—ed The Prophets holy prayer and vow 399 What the Statutes are and why Statutes 400 Why called the Statutes of God 402 Their eminency above other Statutes 404 The metaphor of a way and singularity 406 God teacheth foure things above all teaching of man 411 A good heart still desires to be taught 414 That all true knowledge is from God 416 What this knowledge hath above natures reach 418 In the meanes repaire unto God 421 Ministers must pray for themselves their people 423 That sound knowledge is ever humble and why 424 Defect of knowledge whence 425 Knowledge of good men and others how it differs 431 Good men are ever dâ—strous of more holy knowledge 435 What fearefull effects ignorance hath 436 Benefits of knowledge within without us 439 Motives to get heavenly knowledge 44â— How unseemly ignorance is 444 Knowledge delightfull to mans understanding 446 Excellent properties of Gods way 448 Reproofe of them that desire not knowledge 451 Excuses refuted 455 Hinderances of saving knowledge 461 Disposition to it wherein it stands 464. meanes 467 Of vowes what are lawfull 469 Lâ—d of sound knowledge is obedience reas 477 Notes of one carefull to keepe his way 484 10. Epicurisme discribed and disgraced Exod. 32. 6. The people sate downe to eate c. Wherein is shewed that Idolatrie is ever attended with sloth and luxurie 489 People secure in sin are nearest to mischiefe 496 Rules for eating and drinking 500 Meditations in eating and drinking 504 Sports and recreations are lawfull and how 507 In sports is much sin 509 Câ—oyee to be made of sports 510 use limited 512 Our selves how to be ordered in them 513 What may not be lost in play 517 11. Abuse of the creatures unlawfull An Appendix to the former 1 Cor. 15. 32. Let us eate and drinke c. Wherein is taxed the abuse of the creatures 522 Heathens and Epicures abuse them 4 waies 525 Rules of right using naturall comforts 529 Times seasonable for sports 533 Right ends of our liberties 537 12. The Physitian of soules Luke 5. 31. The whole need not the Physitian c. Wherein are sundry generall notes 541 Christ takes our causes on himselfe 543. and 544 None is whole unlesse in conceit and how 〈◊〉 ariseth 545 546 547 The miserie of them that are conceitedly whole 548 Discoverie of diseases in the soule foure signeâ— 549 550 551 Sin is a most dangerous sicknesse five resemblances 552 553 554 Christ is a most excellent Physitian in five respects 561 562 563 Come to him for cure and how this may be 565 Great comfort to afflicted soules 571. to 576 The author matter and vertue of this heavenly Confection 577. to 579 The Physick precious and powerfull in five respects 580 581 See our owne misery and admire Christs cure five particulars 582. to 588 Love we our Physitian and â—ow 589 590. 591 How the physick is applied to whom and when 592. to 600 Notes to know we are cured foure 600. to 606 And foure means to preserve health in the soule 606. to ult FINIS THE PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN PRACTICE MATTH 16. 24. Then said Jesus unto his Disciples If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take up his crosse and follow me 25. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall finde it 26. For what is a man profited if hee shall gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soule 27. For the Sonne of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then hee shall reward every man according to his workes 28. Verily I say unto you There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man comming in his Kingdome THe occasion of these words was the offence that the Apostle Peter took when our Lord Jesus Christ had preached the doctrine of the Crosse had fore-told his own passion and suffering shortly at Jerusalem Hereupon Peter as a Politician turning himselfe to carnall counsels draweth his Master aside and wisheth him to look better to himselfe and wisely to prevent these troubles Ver. 22. Our Saviour now perceiving that hee went about to disswade him from that great worke for which hee came into the world on which the salvation of the whole world depended most sharply reproves him as a most speciall agent of Sathan though hee were his Disciple a thousand times Ver. 23. And yet not forgetting his wonted compassion taketh occasion thence to instruct him and all the rest of the Disciples yea and with them all Beleevers that they also after his example must bee in a readinesse to deny themselves and take up his crosse and follow him The words containe in them the institution of a Christian man or of a Disciple of Christ who is here 1. Informed 2. Confirmed in the first Principles of his holy profession The Information is in Ver. 24. The Confirmation in all the rest to the end The former is an universall Canon for all that meane to give their names to the profession of Jesus Christ consisting of three branches wherein they must bee soundly initiated 1. Selfe-deniall 2. Taking up the Crosse. 3. Imitation of Christ. If any man will bee my Disciple or will follow mee Which words concerne us all not excepting or exempting any that intendeth soundnesse in Christianity and no calling no sexe no age nor condition of life can free any Christian from the rules following Object Christ spake them only to his Disciples as the words before Answ. 1. Saint Mark saith cha 8. 34. Christ called the people or multitude and said Hee spake it to all as concerning all 2. By a Disciple or Follower of Christ in our Text is not meant onely those twelve Apostles who are so called in a peculiar manner because they were chosen to bee trained up instructed in Christs own family in the future service of the Church Nor onely those faithfull men and women whom Christ honoured to follow his owne person in the daies of his flesh but all faithfull
ones that shall learne beleeve and practise holy doctrine and follow his holy life to the end of the world for these himselfe hath honoured with this name Luke 14. 26. If any man come to me and hate not all for me hee cannot be my Disciple Act. 11. 26. the Christians and Disciples were all one If any will follow mee The Papists gather that it is in our free-will to follow or not But 1. Christs scope is not here to shew how we come to him but who they be that come and not from the cause of their comming but from the effects 2. If wee will learne from Christ the cause of our comming to him he will not have us find it in our selves but without us Joh. 6. 44. None comes to me unlesse the Father draw him his free-will drawes him not Nature drawes him not but the grace of the Father And Ver. 45. Hee that hath heard and learned of the Father comes unto me Where this comming is not ascribed to the will or study of him that is taught but to the excellency of the Teacher But a more pertinent question is how wee may know that wee are Disciples and Followers of Christ. And beside the signes in the Text wee shall discerne it by sundry markes as 1. The Disciples were called by Christs owne voice and depended on the mouth of Christ. By the word of Christ must thou also bee made a Disciple thou must be called by his voice in the Ministery Doest thou then cleave to the means of growth in grace listen attentively to the word of Christ so did the Disciples and so wilt thou But if thou carest not for the preaching of the word if thou desirest not to grow in knowledge but contentest thy selfe selfe in thy ignorance or with some confused knowledge If the word bee neere thee thou runnest from it if it bee absent thou runnest not after it thou hereby shewest thy selfe to be no Disciple 2. The Disciples being called left all for Christ and acknowledged no Master but him because he had the words of eternall life If thou also bee a Disciple thou renouncest all other Masters and all employments that will not stand with Christianity If thou be a Disciple thou knowest the truth and the truth hath set thee free Joh. 8. 31. Of a servant of sin thou art a freeman in grace The Disciples walked in a course of mortification they sought not the world nor themselves they were no swearers gamesters deceivers usurers haters of grace lyers or slanderers and if thou be so thou art no Disciple 3. The Disciples were called to be neere Attendants of Christ to abide and continue with him and performe all his commandements John 8. 31. If yee abide in my word yee are verily my Disciples that is if yee continue both in the faith and obedience of my word Art thou a neere friend unto Christ so were they Yee are my friends saith Christ if yee doe whatsoever I command you The best triall of thy friendship to Christ is in difficult costly and dangerous commandements So the Lord tried Abrahams friendship Otherwise Why callest thou him Lord as if thou wert a Disciple and doest not the things hee commands thee 4. The Disciples were glad of Christs presence and when hee was absent their hearts were full of sorrow If thou likewise be a Disciple thy soule rejoyceth in the presence of Christ in his ordinances in the directions and consolations of his Spirit thou art alive when his sweet word drops upon thy soule and thou droupest when Christ hath withdrawne himselfe from thee in any of these meanes of his presence But canst thou be a Disciple except a Judas that findest as much sweetnesse in the word of Christ as in the white of an egge that professest thou hast no comfort in the word but it is a perpetuall dropping and molestation that risest up against Christ for his word as Judas because the word of Christ detecteth thy covetousnesse pride deceit treachery other wickednesses 5. The Disciples had commission and commandement to make other Disciples and so did They were diligent in their callings exercised therin the love of God and love of men were sober godly humble walking in the steps of Christ their Lord Master spending themselves in doing good to others departing with dearest things their names their liberty life for Christ his Church So the generall calling of a Christian is to make Disciples to bring men to Christ by instruction admonition reproofe comfort herein expressing love to Christ and his members And to walke beseeming the Gospel for the honour of Christ making him our patterne and walking as he walked of which afterward In a word to be all that wee are for Christ that Christ may bee magnified by us whether by doing or suffering whether by life or death 6. A speciall badge of a Disciple is charity John 13. 35. By this shall all men know yee are my Disciples if yee love one another Every mans disciples are known by some speciall badge or cognisance Moses disciples by circumcision feasts and sacrifices The Scribes and Pharisees disciples by fastings watchings phylacteries long praiers the like But a true note whereby a Disciple of Christ may be knowne is christian love being an immediate fruit of christian faith where that fire is it will appeare in this heat and light for faith worketh by love and hee that walketh by faith walketh in love and hee that is joyned to the Head by faith is united to the members by love But art thou a Disciple and livest in uncharitablenesse envie malice slandering lying or any the like sin Know 1. A Disciple is borne of God and beares the image of his Father who is love 1 John 4. 8. this then is a birth from hell and an issue of him who is a man-slayer from the beginning 2. The Disciples had the presence leading and inhabitation of the Spirit of God and consequently the bond of the Spirit which is love the fairest fruit of the Spirit by which Christians are knit together made of one spirit But is the uncharitable wretch led or inhabited by this Spirit or by the spirit that lusteth after envie Such may say to Christ as the Jewes We are none of thy Disciples but Moses disciples or rather wee are neither thy disciples nor Moses but of Jannes and Jambres and Judas who resisted both Moses and Christ. 3. A Disciple is a member of the Church a chiefe subject in the Kingdome of Christ but a malicious man is none of Christs Kingdome for when a man is brought into the Kingdome of Christ the Lion and Lambe feed together the childe and cockatrise Now he puts off his fierce nature his lionish aspish waspish and poysonfull disposition he is now of a wolfe and devourer made