God as the Apostle speaketh 2. Tim. 3.4 not that ever any were so simple as to say thus with their tongues or to kneele downe and worship their bellies for their God but hee that knoweth the heart and raines telleth us that thus it is and the Apostle tels us that in the last dayes thus it should be Loe then unlawfull things wil not be parted withall for the Treasures sake And as for lawfull things I meane the good Blessings of this Life Much lesse will they part with lawfull things Oh where is the man to be found that is content to part with them Where is the man that esteemes basely of them as drosse and doung in respect of Christ and sauing graces that layeth them aside for conscience sake when the publike and private exercises of Religion call for their devotion attendance Where is the man that parteth with them cheerefully to good and commendable uses sowing liberally that hee may reape liberally at the harvest that in preparation of heart hath resolved if persecution come to suffer the losse of all joyfully knowing in himselfe that he hath in heaven a better and an enduring substance where is the man that when losses affliction and death come can bid them all adue and that from his heart that hee may enjoy the Heavenly Treasure I speake not this Beloved as if I thought there were none such to be found some yea many there are I doubt not and I pray God increase the number of them but yet in respect of the multitude they are as rare as Blacke Swans The most part of men every where dote upon the world loving it onely and altogether or at least in the first and chiefest place How many Esaus are there in the world that say Tush what is this Birthright to me give me the pottage so red Gen. 25.32 How many Gadarens that will rather part with their Saviour Mar. 5.17 then with their very Swine Mar. 26.15 How many Iudasses that will sell their Saviour and their Soules for thirty pieces of silver nay for a farthing token Troche ludunt prandium perdunt pueri Children saith Chrysostome Chrys will play with their toppes and play away their dinners and most men childishly for toyes and trifles lose their God and heaven and their owne precious soules Hagar now adayes hath beaten her Mistresse Sarah out of doores Gen. 16.6 I meane the love of the world hath beaten the love of God and of Religion out of our hearts The world the world that 's our Treasure If our Saviours rule be true That where our hearts be there are our Treasures also Matthew 6.21 Mat. 6.21 then it is most plaine that wee have layd up our Treasures upon Earth for our thoughts our words our works our company are all worldly all earthly All the day all the weeke yea and the Sabbath day too is too little for the world Now if any man love the world saith Saint Iohn in expresse tearmes the love of the Father is not in him 1. Ioh. 2.15 1. Joh. 2.15 and as the ground where gold groweth is barren of all other things so an heart set vpon the world Simile is ever barren and devoid of heavenly graces for ye cannot serve God and Mammon saith our Saviour Mat. 6 24. Mat. 6 24. As for our buying of the Field I meane the Truth and Word of God 2 Men will not buy the Word it grieves my soule to think how the Booke of God is generally neglected his tenth part for the maintenance of his Ministers defrauded gelt and curtayled and all the labour the most men take for buying Truth is but to sit and give the Minister the hearing no preparation made before and after no meditation no conference no repetition of the things they have heard 3 At least not the Treasure no turning the Sermons into Prayer or into Practise Men place the utmost of their Religion in this they have read the Word they have heard the Sermon but never shew me the Meat but shew me the Man Never tell me thus many Chapters I have read thus many Sermons I have heard But tell mee what art thou what knowledge hast thou gotten what faith what hope what love what patience what temperance what humility what thankfulnesse what obedience what good hast thou gotten by the Word How justly may we take up the complaint of Salomon Pro. 17.16 Pro. 17.16 Why is there a price in the hand of a foole to get wisedome but he wants an heart Men have money time wit strength meanes of all sorts to buy the Field and to gaine the Treasure but the foole wants an heart eyther they get not the Word or get no knowledge out of the Word or turne not their knowledge into gracious practise Scire cupiunt tantum ut sciant They desire to know onely that they may know as if a man should get together Nummum ad numerandum Mony onely to number and tell it over Vas vitreum lingimus sed pultem non attingimus and not to buy necessaries withall and if it be thus with them certainly they may have got the Field the shell the huske and empty Casket but they have not gotten yet one peny-worth of the Treasure And by these meanes it comes to passe that while the Divel and the world have multitudes of Chapmen flocking and thronging about them to buy their Pedling-stuffe and painted Bables Simile The Lord may stand in the high places of the City making Proclamation Hoe come and buy of me Isa 55.1 Isa 55.1 and offering his rich and inualuable Treasures and few or none will come to the price Something they will bid and something they are content to give But hoc aliquid nihil est this something is as good as nothing for when he tels them They must sell all that meane to have the Treasure they goe away sorrowfull Joh. 6. â—0 saying in themselves Durus est hic sermo this is an hard saying and who can beare it this is an hard purchase and who can buy it as if poore soules that heaven and happines should be bought at too deare a rate if they should give their sins and vanities in exchange for it Vse 2 But alas alas Non Priamus tanti totaque Troia fuit All the lusts of Hell are not worth so much Mat. 16.26 and it will be a poore advantage to win the whole world and to lose Gods Kingdome and their owne soules Of ExhortatioÌ„ to withdraw our love from sin the world and set it on better things Let the second use be for Exhortation Let us all beloved in the Lord be persuaded to call off withdraw our love and affections from our sinfull lusts and from this present evill world and to settle and fasten them upon the Treasures of the Word namely upon Christ upon grace and upon glory
kingdomes coÌ„pared by him to foure severall metals Gold Silver Brasse and Iron in the 44. verse Verse 44. he tels us that in the daies of the fourth Kingdome or Monarchy the God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed but shall breake and consume all these kingdomes and shall stand for ever and more particularly in the seventh chapter and 13. verse Dan 7.13 hee tels us that the Ancient of dayes shall give to the Sonne of MAN a dominion everlasting and a kingdome that never shall bee destroyed yea the Saints of the most High shal take the kingdome and possesse it for ever and ever verse 18. vers 18. The Kingdom of the Messiah Of this kingdome of the Messiah prophesied of by Daniel I make no question but Iohn the Baptist the Messiahs Harbinger forerunner is to be understood when he cryed saying Repent repent for the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand Mat. 3.2 Matth. 3.2 vide Mat. 26.28 21.9 and of this Kingdome spake our Saviour in this place Againe the Kingdome of heaven is like to a Treasure hid in a field c. And this kingdome is that gracious and spirituall Regiment by which the Lord Jesus God and man What it is as King of the Church ruleth in the hearts of true Beleevers giving them those three priviledges spoken of Rom. 14.17 The Kingdome of God is righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost And this Regiment being but one Two degrees of Christs Kingdome 1. Of Grace yet hath two degrees The first is called the kingdome of Grace by which hee communicates himselfe to the soules of the faithfull by his Spirit through the outward Ordinances of the Word and Sacraments in this life present The second degree is called the Kingdome of Glory 2. Of Glory by which hee gives them perfection of holinesse and happinesse by an immediate fellowship with the blessed Trinity for ever in the world to come This government of Christ consisting in these two degrees Three reasons of the Name is called here by the Name and Title of the Kingdome of Heaven for these three Reasons as I conceive Reason 1 First because the King here is not a mere earthly man The King came from Heaven 1 Cor. 15.47 Iohn â— 13 as other Kings are but The Lord from Heaven as Saint Paul saith Who came from heaven and is ascended thither againe and sitteth at the right hand of God in glory Reason 2 Secondly because the government of this kingdome is exercised not so much over the bodies and goods of men The government is spirituall tending to heaven but properly over their soules and consciences and consists not so much in externall things tending to outward peace and tranquility as in inward and spirituall things rending to and ending in an heavenly life this our Saviour himselfe professeth saying My Kingdome is not of this world though it be in this world Iohn 18.36 yet it is not of this world or worldly Reason 3 Thirdly it is called an * Hebrai utuntur gâ—â—â—â—â—ve vice Epithe i regnum caelorum .i. caeleste Every subiect of Christ is a King Revel 1.6 Heavenly Kingdome by way of excellency Because it excells all earthly kingdomes because it excelleth all terrene kingdomes as farre as heaven excelleth earth both in holinesse in happinesse in largenesse and in continuance As namely to instance one particular All the subjects of this kingdome are Kings to raigne here and for ever In earthly Kingdomes the King indeed is rich and glorious and honourable but the subjects may bee meane and poore enough begging their bread from doore to doore but in Christs Kingdome every Saint every beleever is a King Rev. 1.6 He hath made us Kings and Priests unto his Father saith S. Iohn Kings to raigne over sin Satan and the world and Priests to offer unto God the Father spirituall sacrifices upon the Altar of Christs merits And againe verse 9. Vers 9. I Iohn am your brother and companion in Tribulation and in the Kingdome and patience of Iesus Christ Hee is a companion with them and they with him in the Kingdome of Jesus Christ though it bee a kingdome of tribulation and therfore of patieÌ„ce according also to that which Daniel had foretold The Saints of the most High shall take the kingdome and possesse it for ever and ever Dan. 7.18 Dan. 7.18 And thus beloved you see what is meant by the Kingdome of Heaven as also the reasons of the name And here I pray you to note with mee Note Grace and Glory both one Kingdome that the Kingdome of grace and the Kingdome of Glory have both one and the same name are both stiled The Kingdome of Heaven and no marvaile for Reason 1 First they have one and the same King the Lord Jesus Reason 2 Secondly all the subjects in them both are Kings Reason 3 Thirdly they both have the same government and prerogatives for substance though the one part bee yet militant and warring upon earth and the other part bee triumphant with their King in the Court of Heaven for Quid est gratia nisi gloria inchoata quid est glora nisi gratia consummata Lyra. What is grace but glory begun and what is glory but grace consummate and made perfit Hence wee gather this instruction Doct. Heaven must here be purchased or never that whosoeevr will enter into the kingdome of heaven he must doe it in this present life The Kingdome is here to bee purchased and heaven is on earth to bee obtained or else it is lost for ever hee that will raigne in that of glory must first be a subject in this of grace Rich men are charged in this life to lay a good foundation of aeternall life 1. Tim. 1.19 Here is laid the foundatioÌ„ of that building whose top reacheth up to heaven Except yee be regenerate and borne againe ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of God saith our Saviour Ioh. 3.5 implying that regeneration and the newbirth give us entrance and admission thereunto and most plainly Matth. 18.3 4. Hee that is converted and humbleth himselfe as a little childe Mat. 18.3.4 the same is the greatest in the Kingdome of heaven hee that would bee perfitly holy there Heb. 12.14 must be initially holy here he that would be perfitly happy there must begin to be blessed and happy here Rev. 20.6 In a word we must in our life time enter into the Suburbs of the New Ierusalem the City of the great King and that by the low and narrow gate of repentance and conversion if ever we looke at our death to be admitted into the City it selfe through the beautifull gate of glory Vse 1 If this be so beloved in the Lord be exhorted who ever thou art that desirest to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Get grace if thou wilt
Set them O set them upon Religion and the kingdome of heaven Had we but truly found tasted heauenly things we would easily contemne earthly things as base and vile Qui invenit coelestia contemnit saecularia And impossible it is not to love these riches Simile till we know better Can children not be in love with rattles drums hoby-horses toyes and trifles 1. Cor. 13.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but after when they know better things of themselves they put away these childish follies O that we were wise and would once put away our childishnes from us Abraham left all to follow God Heb. 11.8 though he knew not whether he went nor what he should have when he came there Peter and Andrew left all to follow Christ Mat. 4.20 even Father and Ship and nets and all Matthew the Publican being called by our Saviour rose up left all Mat. 9.9 and followed him Mat. 2.11 The wise men of the East having found the babe Jesus opened their Treasures and present to him gold frankincense and myrrhe Luke 19.8 Zacheus found the man Jesus and presently halfe his goods he gives to the poore and makes restitution of wrongs fourefold The Primitive Saints found the Lord Jesus Act. 4.34 and they sold all their possessions and laid down the price at the Apostles feet And as S Paul tels us Heb. 11.34 Heb. 11.34 They tooke joyfully the spoiling of their goods knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better an enduring substance The reason of all is they had found the Treasure and they held nothing too good or too deare to purchase it withall O that we were wise unto salvation and would follow the examples of these heavenly Merchants Omnes ita comparati sumus saith Musculus Musculus Pecuniam in loco negligere in lucro est ut libenter quod minus est impendamus ut acquiramus quod majus est Even nature it selfe doth teach us to part readily with a little to bring in a greater gaine Who will not part with a penny to gaine a pound who will not cast away a little seed that hee may reape a fruitfull harvest Heb. 2.3 Not caring for why should we then for vaine and transitory things neglect and lose so great salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 2.3 Let us in time bethinke our selves and with blessed Mary Luk. 10 42. Luk. 10.42 Let us chuse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that good part which shall never be taken from us If we lay up Treasures for our selves with that rich foole Luk. 12. and be not rich to God we shall shew our selves fooles Luke 12.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amâ—ns Beza as he was saith our Saviour v. 21. and speed as he did to whom it was said Thou foole this night shall they fetch away thy soule from thee and then whose shall all these things be Take to heart S. Iohns motive 1 Ioh 2 17. The world passeth and the lusts thereof but he that doth the will of God abides for ever Motive 1. Joh. 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccl. 12.5 All will forsake thee and thou must forsake all Thy lusts will forsake thee Concupiscence saith Salomon will flee away thy lust to meate and drinke thy lust to mirth and musicke and all Court-like delights will flee from thee as they did from aged Barzillai 2. Sam. 19.35 The world also will forsake thee it runs on orbes and wheeles and is ever passing and sliding away The old world is gone the old yeare is gone the old weeke is gone this day is in part gone and carryes with it the thread of thy life How many of our deare friends and Gods deare chidren are passed away and left us behind Onely the Word of God continues for ever 1. Pet. 1. ult 1. Pet. 1. vlt. and hee that doth the will and Word of God endures for ever 1. Ioh. 2.17 The Word of God will continue with thee to quicken and comfort thy soule grace and good conscience gotten by it will stand by thee and thy good works done according to it will follow thee after death Rev. 14.13 True Religion will bring thee true credit true prosperity true and solid comfort in life and death And when carnall and worldly men that have layd up their Treasures on earth and have gone a whoring after the world and worldly lusts shall lose heaven and the world too thou that hast made Gods Word thy Paradise and God thy portion whom to please and to enjoy thou hast esteemed thy greatest Ioy and Treasure thou shalt be sure to be well provided for for thou hast already a Treasure of grace and comfort and shalt have shortly a Treasure of Glory even Fulnes of Ioy at Gods right hand and Pleasures for evermore To conclude Psa 16 ult all those that can truly say to Christ as Peter did Mat. 19.27 Behold Lord we have forsaken all and followed thee What shall we have therefore He will undoubtedly answer them as there he did him Verily I say unto you Ver. 28. that ye which have followed me in the Regeneration shall sit on Thrones and ye that have forsaken houses or lands or friends for my Names sake shall receive an hundred fold in this life Ver 29. and in the end inherit life everlasting Now unto life everlasting he bring us that laid downe life and all for us and he give us grace to deny our selves and to lay downe life and all for him To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be ever rendred as is ever due All honour glory prayse and thankes from this time forth for evermore Amen Amen The end of the second Sermon Soli Deo gloria I counsell thee to buy of me Gold tryed in the fire that thou mayst be rich Rev. 3.18