by private friends Nay canst thou desire this search that thou maist know thy â—inne more and more for this end that thou mayst truely hate it with a more perfect hatred Canst thou truely appeale to God as Peter did to Christ thou knowest that I love and preferre thee above all It is a sure signe of thy sinceritie which the world cannot have and therefore when they see their sinnes laid open they spurne at the ordinances and spite the Minister and their true friends that put them in minde of their faults accounting them as their onely enemies Surely they shall never be able to indure the search of God hereafter and the last day when he shall lay them open they shall be overcome with shame A fourth signe is That at the houre of thy death this spiritual worshipping of God will give thee content when nothing else can Thou mayst say with comfort as Hezekiah did Lord remember how I have walked before thee in sinceritie When down-right affliction comes outward verball profession vanisheth with all the comforts thereof then perisheth the hope of the hypocrite Two things upheld Iob in comfort in his great extremity he was first assured that his redeemer lived and secondly he knew his innocency in those things that his friends charged him with and such times will fall on us all either at the time of death or before when nothing but innocencie and sincerity shall be able to uphold us Labour therefore for sincerity and spirituall worship Worship God in spirit but let it be done outwardly also But first bring thy heart and intention to what thou dost and that will stirre up the outward man to its duty and for the performance hereof follow these directions First learne to know God aright For worship is answerable to knowledge for how can we reverence God aright when we know neither his goodnesse nor his greatnesse how can we trust on God when we see not his truth in the performance of his promises in the Scriptures and in our owne experience those that doe not these know not God for as the heart affects according to knowledge So also its true in divinitie as we know his justice wee shall feare as we know his mercy wee shall love him and as we know his truth we shall trust on him Psal. 9.10 They that know thy name shall trust in thee and in other places of the said Psalme the Lord is knowne in the judgement he executeth vers 16. Secondly know God to be the first mover and cause of all men ordinarily feare the creature attributing that to it which belongs to the Creator But God he is the giver of all and Christians looke on the secondary means as to the first author and ground of all the rest they behold the Magistrate as in God feare them no otherwise but in the Lord. Atheists they will not sticke at any sinne whatsoever to get the love of those that may bring them any worldly commodity A Christian hee pleases and seekes the love of him that can make enemies friends when he lists and when it s for our good he knowes in him we live move and have our being Thirdly make much of spirituall meanes God he works by meanes by his word attend to it it works love feare joy and reverence in us and therefore no marvaile if those that neglect these meanes are not acquainted with these graces of Gods spirit 4 Fourthly Lift up thy heart to Christ the quickening spirit 1 Cor. 15. Our hearts naturally are dead Christ is our life when thou art most especially called to love to feare to humilitie pray to him to move thee and yeeld thy selfe to him and then shalt thou pray in spirit as it is said in Iude 20. heare in spirit doe all in spirit doe outward workes of thy calling in spirit for a true worshipper will out of spirituall grounds doe all outward works of his particular calling as well as the workes of his generall Christian vocation Let us therefore doe all things from our hearts to God and to our neighbour else will not God accept of our workes It is the Iew inwardly who shall have praise of God The want of this sincerity hath extinguished the light of many a glorious professour and thereby hath brought a great scandall upon the true worshippers of God in spirit VERS 3. And rejoyce in Christ. THe word rejoyce implyes a boasting or glorying of the heart manifesting it selfe in outward countenance and gesture as also in speech it also implies a resting on and contenting in the thing we glory in proceeding from an assurance that we glory in a thing worthy of glory for they are fooles that delight in bables Observe hence therefore That those that will worship Christ aright must glorie in him For the worship of Christ is a thing that requires incouragement and nothing can worke this incouragement like the glorying in Christ and therefore Paul in the first part of his Epistle to the Romans having shewed that God had elected them freely and had begun the worke of sanctification in their hearts he comes in the 12. Chapter I beseech you saith he present your selves as a holy living and acceptable sacrifice to God And in Tit. 2.11 The grace of God teacheth by incouraging us to deny ungodlines to walk unblameably soberly righteously and godlily in this present world And therefore whensoever wee grow dull or dead think of the great benefits that we have by Christ and it will quicken us and all our performances In the next place observe That Christ is the matter and subject of true glory and rejoycing and onely Christ for they well goe together a full and large affection with a full and large object boasting is a full affection the object is every way as full First as he is God and man he is God full of all things he is man full of all grace and void of all sinne he is Christ anointed to performe all his offices he is a Prophet all-sufficient in all wisedome in him are the treasures of wisedome he teaches us not onely how to doe but he teaches the very deed he is our High-priest he is the sacrifice the altar and the Priest and he is our eternall Priest in Heaven and on earth on earth as suffering for us in Heaven as mediating for our peace Who shall condemne us it is Christ that dyeth yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.34 He is also our King he is King of all King of kings and Lord of lords a King for ever and at all times subduing all rebellions within us and all enemies without us and he is all these so as none is like him and therefore is worthy of our glory Secondly Christ is communicative in all these he is Prophet Priest King for us he is God man he is Christ for us he
Christians and yet complaine with Paul of corruptions Nay the most strong Christians see most deeply and cleerely into their corruptions and finde most opposition There is in all men by nature a spring of Poperie they would faine deserve heaven by a perfect and holy life without blot and God to humble them suffers corruption to checke them and to keepe them under who else would bee lifted up through good conceipt and esteeme of themselves Thirdly it may serve as a caution to many who being reproved justly for their faults what say they we are not Angels you have your owne imperfections as well as I. And stirre them up to any good dutie they are presently so good as those that are better than they are too precise and too nice St. Paul contrarily rests in no degree of goodnesse but strives on to perfection and it s the devils sophistrie to turne that to a plea for negligence which should stirre us up to be more diligent watchfull and carefull VERS 12. But I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which I also an apprehended of Christ Iesus THe word that is translated I follow after signifies properly to labour with earnest intention of the heart and affections and the lesson that we may hence learne is That the life of a Christian is a laborious and painfull life for in what proportion the things we labour for are more excellent than these worldly things so much greater our desire and labour should bee in the obtaining of them than in the obtaining this worlds goods and to this end the Scripture ever inforceth this dutie with words sutable to our worke Labour for the meat that perisheth not strive to enter in at the straight gate give all diligence to make your calling and election sure Those that will take no paines it s a sure signe they finde no sweetnesse in the thing and therefore in such there can bee no true goodnesse and hence we may observe a difference between the desires of men some are effectuall some uneffectuall those that are uneffectuall commonly desire and delight in the thing they desire but will none of the meanes let me die the death of the righteous sayes the wicked man glory and happinesse is excellent but the gate is narrow the way is tedious and full of trouble he will none of that we will laugh at one that shall wish his work and jorney were done when as he will sit downe and never goe about it why should wee not much more laugh at such sluggards that wish dayly O that they might bee saved when as they doe not onely not further but hinder their salvation But where true desire of grace is there will will be joyned thereto an indeavour with jealousie over our corruptions with griefe and shame for them and for our backwardnesse and want of goodnesse for else hell itself is full of good wishes and desires if we meane to be better we must use all meanes undertake all paines and travaile with vehemencie even as those that pursue gains with delight they follow through thicke and thin especially if the gaine bee in the eye and those that goe for companie they are soone tired and thus did Paul hee went through fire and water through all manner of dangers good and ill report his gaine is still in his eye hee lookes not after the way if by any meanes hee may attaine his desired marke But how shall we come to this grace I answer get first Faith for by it the weake are made strong Heb. 11. Get assurance that Heaven is thine and God hath promised thee grace sufficient and this is Pauls argument be yee constant and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord knowing you labour shall not be in vain where hope of reward is in the use of the meanes it will stir us up to a constant use of the meanes 1 Cor. 15. last Secondly get a fervent love for it is a strong affection if lust so prevaile with us as we will omit no meanes to accomplish it then a love in it selfe is much more powerfull nothing being too hard for it it hath an enlarging knitting and cōmunicating power it makes a man bestow all and rejoyce more in doing good by much then in receiving It s a grace cōprehends a number under it and therfore Christ comprehended all the law under love of God and our neighbour Thirdly cut off all superfluities men thinke they are happy when they have much to doe when indeed they were happie if they had lesse to doe then they have Sathan he does as Cyrus did with the waters of Babylon hee diverts and separates our affections that hee might passe over As Nurses they hurt themselves and the children too when they keep over many so doe men hurt themselves with overmuch businesse The Lord hath not made us all for the world but hath reserved one day in Seven for his service For shame le ts shew we have some respect of Religion and goodnesse seeing God requires but one in seven let us not bee so unjust as to denie him his service on that day Well let those that professe themselves of another world by all meanes pursue it In Nature every thing tends to his center and place heavie things goe downward light things ascend upward in handicrafts and arts every one lookes after excellencie shall it bee thus with them shall mediocritie in other arts merit dispraise and is it onely praise-worthy in Religion The wicked they labour for hell venturing losse of credit strength and estate and is there not better gain in goodnesse have we such rich promises and doe we esteeme of them no more are not the afflictions wee shall meet with many and great and doe wee thinke to undergoe them with ordinarie grace gotten without labour and watchfulnesse But le ts goe on to the next words That I may apprehend Whence we may observe that the maine scope of a Christian is to apprehend Christ here by revellation that we may apprehend him hereafter by vision many there are that may follow good things and use good meanes yet wanting these apprehending graces of faith and love which makes us have communion with Christ they perish notwithstanding humane knowledge is commendable yet is it no other than as a scaffold in this building it helpes but the building once done it s for little use apprehend we therefore him by knowledge of his truth relye on him by faith and imbrace him by love and then if we be chased by him we may as Ioab lay hold on the hornes of the Altar Christ Iesus and there live and die and as we have dayly breaches even so get more and more hold on him and this will make us desire with Simeon Lord let me now depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Let us therefore dayly learne to see our owne foulnesse and goe to him the rock of our refuge O
pleasure when alas we are farre deceived God denies not pleasure to us but will give us whatsoever is good for us we shall delight and rejoyce but with a joy spirituall and wee shall see nothing in this world that may any way deserve our delight therein A third hinderance is a dispaire of ever going through this race this settles upon some strangely making them cast away all care and desperately trust to Christs mercie This made Cyprian to complaine of his corruptions saying they were bred and brought up with him and therefore feared they would hardly give place to grace being but a stranger while men consider how great and powerfull their corruption is they with the Israelites despaire of ever entring into the land of Canaan these sons of Anak doe so terrifie them But consider we withall that God is above all our corruptions that he can make of a Lion a Lambe and that if wee will trust upon him in his time he will helpe us and wee shall overcome these Giant-like corruptions Christ he hath conquered them already and though while we live wee cannot wholly overcoâ—e them yet Davids house shall grow stronger and stronger and Sauls house weaker we shall have grace sufficient for us God will sweeten Religion to us that wee shall delight therein and Christ will not leade us into temptation till he hath fitted us to it by his grace and then we shall rejoyce as the Apostles did Acts 5. that we are accounted worthy to suffer Contrary to this humour some thinke it so easie a matter to runne this race as they thinke they cannot be out of it or tired therein when as indeed they never set foot therein let such looke to themselves if they be in this race they shall finde it no easie matter But thus much concerning rules or lawes for preparation to this race now there are lawes to be observed of those that are in the race as First they must resolve to hold on without discontinuance of their course of good duties for some by omitting good duties now and then upon slight occasions do come through Gods just sufferance to leave them off and never take them up againe and thereby whiles they are not getting ground by continuing their course they doe lose thereby even as water-men rowing against the streame if they doe not row but rest never so little the streame carries them backe againe and they cannot recover themselves but with great difficultie so it is in this Christian race a little interruption of dutie causes thrice so much paines to recover our former estate therefore we are to take up a holy resolution not to be interrupted in good duties The next law is that wee must looke to gaine ground still to grow from grace to grace It s the Apostles ayme still to grow better than himselfe contrary to this many forsake their first love they thinke themselves wise but are fooles such as the Lord will spew out of his mouth as he threatens the Church of Laodicea And indeed the most men at the best are but civill and doe but provide for their owne ease and can indure any mixture of religion or company and the ground of this coldnesse is a selfe-conceit whereby men thinke well of themselves and their estate Paul he was of another spirit ever pressing forward A third law is that we doe things with all our might that we runne this race with all our earnest indeavour there is no bodily exercise that profiteth but it must be with putting forth of our strength so our Christian actions should shew even outwardly that we doe things as if we intended thereby to honour God indeed and to this end wee are to depend on God by prayer that he would give us strength and mindes to put forth our strength for gaining most honour to his Majestie and this will bring great assurance and comfort to us in time of need A fourth rule is that wee are to runne this race with a cheerfull and speedie course a dead performance of duties is no part of our race yea as many goe to hell by ill performance of good duties as by committing sinnes that are scandalously evill for this resting in the work done is the cause of hardnesse of heart and there by of despaire and at the best never brings any sound comfort at all to us and therfore we are injoyned to doe good duties and to doe them in a good manner Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup and so runne that you may obtaine It s no lingring we know not how long we shall live how soone we shall die and therefore let us make haste to doe our worke before God takes away time from us by taking us out of the world And those especially are to look to this that have lived long in their owne courses and are but lately reclaimed they are much behinde and had need make haste the journey is long their time but short And to this end looke we not what wee have done and how farre we have gone but looke what remaines to be done and know we have done nothing till we have done all But it will be asked what may wee not thinke of duties that are past I answer we may thinke of them by way of defence and to give God the glorie and also to incourage us on but not to rest or solace our selves on them till we have done all But men may say what is there no pause is there no Sabboth I answer yes when we are dead Blessed are the dead in the Lord it s they that rest from their labours heaven is a sufficient reward for all the paines we can any way take here besides the comforts that wee have here are many which none knowes but them that injoy them And God hath promised the continuall assistance of his blessed spirit that shal incourage us and leade us into all truth alas what comfort have we of all that we have done if we continue not but sit down and take up our rests here what good got they that came out of Egypt and died in the wildernesse it may be even in the border of the land of promise yet never saw it It will assuredly fall out with us as it did with them if wee harbour any infidelitie in our hearts we shall be cast out that we shall never see this good land the spirituall Canaan In the next place take we heed of such hinderances as may make us eyther slacke or intermit this race of ours As first wee must take heed of idle scruples and temptations these are no other than as dust cast in the eyes of the runners and as stones that gaule their feet interpret them to bee the subtilties of the devill and therefore shake them off and intend thy dutie thou art about and pray for wisedome to discerne aright of