IN the former part of this Chap­ter, from the first verse to the fifteenth, we have a relation of Christ feeding five thousand men with five loves and two fishes, thereupon in the fifteenth verse, the people would have made him King, from the six­teenth verse to the six and twentieth Christ withdrew himself, and walked on the Sea to his Disciples; where we see the people in verses 24. and 25. seeking for Jesus, not out [Page 2] of a spiritual appetite after the celestial food of their soules, but out of a carnal appetite after the transitory food of their bodies; Christ, who knew their hearts, reprehends them for this, verse 26. and in this 27. verse exhorts and directs them what food to seek after, namely, the everlasting food of their souls; Labour not for the meat, &c. in which words are contained two parts.

1. A Dehortation; Labour not for the one at which perisheth.

2. An Exhortation; But (labour is un­derstood) for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life.

Before I come to the point I must answer an objection.

Object. But Genes. 3.19. God there com­mands Adam to eat his bread in the sweat of his face; and in the fourth Commandement its said, Six dayes shalt thou labour.?

Answ. I answer it two wayes: 1. There is the care of diligence, a lawful care joyned with faith, and a care of diffidence, without faith, or having a very weak faith in Gods promise and providence; now when God commands us to labour six dayes, its meant with the care of diligence, in obedience to his command, and in affiance of his promise; but in my Text when he saith, labour not, &c. [Page 3] he meanes with the care of diffidence, not distrusting Gods promise.

2. Here our blessed Saviour speaketh comparatively, as if he had said, labour not for the meat which perisheth, in comparison of the paines you must take for that meat which endureth unto life eternal. You must take pains for this outward perishing food, but cheifly take your greatest pains for Christ and his heavenly graces, labour for this with all your might, night and day even to your dying day.

What that meat is which endureth ever­lastingly, you may see Christ declaring it to you in the next words, Which the Son of man shall give unto you, for him hath God the Father sealed. This enduring food is Christ himself, with all his saving graces and comforts.

Christ here calls himself the Son of man for these reasons.

1. He calls himself the Son of man in the singular number, because he came from man onely in regard of his humane nature, but we are called the sons of men because we proceed from both parents.

2. That so Christ might shew us the great benefit which we have received by his taking our nature upon him.

3. That his humane nature might be [Page 4] distinguished from his divine nature.

4. That we might acknowledge him to be true man as well as God.

5. The true reason is gathered from the Hebrew phrase, it is an Hebraisme, it is Ben. Adam, the Son of man, this phrase imports contempt sometimes, Job 25.6. yet Christ so called himself.

So in the verses. 35: 48: 51. Christ shews, that he is this durable food.

I might observe from the former part.

But the point that I desire to insist upon is,

This point consisteth of two branches:

1. That Christ is everlasting food; which appeareth four wayes.

1. By the merit and efficacy of his person. By his merit and absolute worthiness he hath purchased infinite comfort and happiness for us; John 6.55. My flesh is meat indeed, and my bloud is drink indeed; that is, by the merit and efficacy of it. Besides the merit [Page 5] of his person, there is a spiritual efficacy and vertue flowing from him to nourish true be­leivers unto eternal life.

2. By his sacred Word is Christ everlast­ing food, Jer. 3.15. And I will give you pa­stures according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding; which phrase implies, that the Word of Christ is the food of the soul. The same is implied in Amos 8.11. where he threatens them with a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. Job 23.12. I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food, and his Word is heavenly nourishment to true be­leivers.

3. By the Sacrament of his last Supper, 1 Corinth. 11.24, &c. Christ by that blessed Ordinance feeds the hearts of the faith­full.

4. By the saving graces and comforts of his holy Spirit, Luke 1.53. He hath filled the hungry with good things, that is, with heavenly graces and spiritual comforts, Math. 5.6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled, that is, with heavenly graces and consolations.

Reason. 1. Because such as feed upon Christ shall never hunger and thirst again; John 6.35. And Jesus said unto them, I am [Page 6] the bread of life, he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that beleiveth on me shall never thirst. There is a double thirst; a thirst proceeding from a total want and loss of Christ; now this kind of thirst they shall never have that are truly in Christ, for John 4.14. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting l [...]fe. where Christ teacheth, that saving grace cannot be totally and finally lost, for he will for ever supply his people with his Spirit. Nextly, there is a thirst proceeding from a spiritual delight in Christ, and this all true Saints have, 1 Peter 2.2, 3. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby; if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Where the latter is the ground of the former, if they had tasted how gracious, sweet and pleasant the Lord Jesus is, they would exceedingly desire the pure milk of his word, and more intimate communion with him; for there is such a deal of soul-satisfying delight in Christ, that the more a sanctified soul tasteth and enjoy­eth, the more earnestly it desireth and long­eth after him, and is never at rest untill it enjoy him in heaven; the words in the ori­ginall [Page 7] are, [...], very earnestly desire the reasonable milk without deceit, where he shews what kind of desire we must have after Christ his word; not a weak desire for a short fit, but an earn­est desire, above all things desire it, as David did, Psal 42 1:2. As the Hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God, when shall I come and appear be­fore God? The Apostle also shews the nature of the Word, it is like milk for sweetness and nourishment; then its sincere, without the poysonous dregs of errour, its without de­ceit, it will not deceive any that rely upon it; this double thirst is by the learned thus ex­prest: sit is totalis indigentiae, & sitis spiritua­lis complacentiae, such then as eat and drink Christ shall have the fountain of consolation in them.

Reas. 2. Because such as spiritually feed on Christ, have eternal life in them, Iohn 6.51. I am the living bread which came down from heaven, if a man eat of this bread he shall live for ever: and in verse 54. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my bloud, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day; such have one foot in heaven already, they shall never enter into condemnation, yea, they [Page 8] have a heaven upon earth, they have in them Christ the Author of eternal life, they have, through him, the precious graces and conso­lations of his Spirit.

2 Branch. The second branch of the point is: ‘We must labour for Christ this everlasting food; the word [...] imports, we must work and take great pains for it, Mathew 6.20. but treasure up for your selves treasures in heaven; so the word [...] imports, which is all one in sense with this, to labour for this everlasting food; he that laies up a treasure for him­self, is very studious and industrious how he may compass it; the like pains, care and study must we take for Christ.’

Reas. 1. Because Christ this durable meat will give us full satisfaction, this David shews, Psal. 36.8. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy plea­sures. Psal. 63.5. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness. See likewise what satisfaction the Church took in Christ, Cant. 2.3, 4, 5. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my [Page 9] taste. He brought me to the banquetting house, and his banner over me was love. Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love. Where we see the holy Ghost com­pares Christ in his Ordinances to marrow, which is very fat, sweet and nutritive, so is Christ to true beleivers, more fat than mar­row, more sweet than wine, more nutritive than any food: the Holy Ghost also com­pares his Ordinances unto a banquetting house, wherein are plenty of wine to comfort, and strengthen, and refresh a drooping soul, and that true beleivers might with spiritual security and joy feed their soules with these heavenly dainties; the Holy Ghost assures them, that Christ displaies the banner of love over them.

There were four special uses of the ban­ner.

1. By the sight of the banner displaied, every souldier might know how to repair to his proper colours, Numbers 2. so Christ in his Gospel sets out his love to us, he displayes the banner of love, that we may know how to be gathered to him as to our Gene­ral; it teacheth us how to follow Christ; the Gospel is the displaying of the love of Christ; Isa. 11.12. And he shall set up an ensign for the Nations, and shall assemble the [Page 10] out-casts of Israel, and gather together the dis­persed of Iudah from the four corners of the earth; which is meant by his Gospel.

2. Another end of the banner was to be a terror to the adversaries, Cant. 6.10. Ter­rible as an Army with banners. Revel. 6. in the second verse he compares Christ, display­ing the banner of his Gospel, to a Warriour upon a white Horse; then verses 4:5:8. he shews how Christ punisheth his enemies that will not obey him with warr, verse 4. and with famine, verse 5:6:7. and with death, verse 8.

3. The next use of the banner was to add courage and confidence to the souldiers when they see their coulours; so doth Christ his love in the Gospel add invincible valour and undaunted courage to his true hearted souldiers, Rom. 1.16. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleiveth, Acts 20.23, 24. The Holy Ghost witnesseth in every City, saying, that bonds and afflictions abide me, but none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto my self, so that I may finish my course with joy, and the ministery which I have received of the Lord Iesus, to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God.

4. The last use of the banner was, to be [Page 11] set upon the tower or wall of the City or Hold which was taken by conquest, that all passers by might know, that such and such a people were now possess'd of that place; Psal. 20.5. And in the name of our God will we set up our banners. Psal. 60.4. Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displaied because of the truth: Selah. That is, thou hast manifested thy love to thy people, that thou mayest glorifie thy truth, in making that good which thou hast pro­mised.

Nextly, in this place, Cant. 2.5. the Church cries, Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love: having tasted of Christ, she was sick of love to him, nothing could satisfie her but more inward fellowship with him; she compares his love to flagons of wine; so Cant. 1.1. Thy love is better than wine: this would revive her faint­ing spirits, and would please her better than any delicate spiced wine. She compares his love in his Ordinances to apples for the com­fortable tast, smell and relish that apples have: some say he alludes to the tree of life, whith they say was an apple-tree, however, as apples are comfortable to the stomack, so is Christ in his Ordinances to a sanctified soul most comfortable and sweet, insomuch [Page 12] that such as enjoy him may say with more comfort, than Esau said to Iacob, I have enough.

Reas. 2. Because this enduring meat is of infinite worth and excellency, its worth all our labour, pains and care, we may repent our pains and care for worldly food, but we shall never need to be sorry for our pains for Christ: We may say of him as the Israelites did of David, he is worth ten thousand of us; and as the Church, Cant. 5.10. He is the chiefest of ten thousand: Prov. 8.11. Wisdom is better than Rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it: in which place by wisdom Divines under­stand Christ: and truly if we could view him with the eye of faith, we should admire his transcendent lustre and excellency: as Plato said, if one could see the form of vertue, it would wonderfully excite men to the love and study thereof.

Reas. 3. Because this everlasting food is not easily obtained, gold and silver will not purchase it: Simon Magus could not buy the gifts of God with money: Isai. 55.1. Ho every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat, yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price, in which words the Holy Ghost [Page 13] alludes to haven towns by the seaside, where ships come in richly fraught and laden with excellent commodities, where you may buy the best at the first hand and most cheap; the Prophet saith, buy, come and buy, in regard that we must take pains for Christ, yet he saith, buy without money and without price, because nothing in this world, no out­ward excellency is of equal worth and value to be given in exchange for Christ.

Reas. 4. Because we have exceeding great need of this enduring food; John 6.53. Ex­cept ye eat the flesh of the Son of man; and drink his bloud, ye have no life in you: If we feed not upon Christ, we are dead in sin, and are like to be undone for ever, for without Christ we can have no true hope of life and peace, our journey is long, as far as from earth to heaven, we have many dangerous enemies in the way, whom we can never vanquish, without the spiritual efficacy of this divine food.

Ʋse. It serveth to inform us of one chief cause why true Christians do persevere and hold out in the way of grace to the end, the main reason is, because they are fed with this celestial meat which will renew their strength, as the Prophet speaks, Isai, 40. last, Elias walked forty dayes in the strength of [Page 14] the meat the Angel gave him, but Christs true members feeding daily upon him, do continue in his way to their lives end; the same power that raised Christ from the dead the third day, the same power raiseth all true Christians from death to life, Ephes. 1.19:20. and though we had the best food in the world, yet sickness, old age and death may take away our stomack that we cannot eat of it: but by eating of this divine food we shall increase when nature decreaseth, Psal. 92.12:13:14. The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree, he shall grow like a Cedar in Le­banon; those that be planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the Courts of our God, they shall bring forth fruit in old age, they shall be fat and flourishing. 1 Corinth. 15.45. The first man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit; in which the Apostle intimates, that Christ communi­cates life to his, and confirmes them in it against final apostacy, and supplies them with a continual renovation of this spiritual life unto eternal life, which Adam would not do for his posterity. Christ is so able, faithful and careful over his members, that none can pluck them out of his hands: John 10.29. he nourisheth them so effectually with him­self, and his Ordinances, and his blessed Spirit, [Page 15] so that it is as impossible for true beleivers to perish, as for Jesus Christ himself to perish, for God hath loved them with the same love wherewith he loved Christ, John 17.23. and hath ordained Christ to be the principal meanes for their redemption, conversion, justification, adoption and glorification, Ephes. 1.2: to the 10. Galat. 3.26. Colos. 1.27 therefore in Psal. 40.7. In the volume of thy Book it is written of me; by book there is meant Gods eternal dectee, and according to the original, it is properly in the head or top of thy book, where the Holy Ghost im­ports thus much to us, that the chiefest thing which God intended before the world was, was, that Christ should be the Saviour of his elect for his glory.

Ʋse. Secondly, It serves to inform us of the excellency and dignity of true Christians, who onely eat of this everlasting meat, Revel. 2.17. Christ promiseth to such as overcome, to give them to eat of hidden Manna, which is himself, he is hidden from others: true Christians have such meat to eat as others know not of: Psal. 78.24, 25. God is there said to have fed the Israelites with Angels food, that was, Manna, a type of Christ, but so called by way of eminency, to denote with what excellent food he fed them; but whats [Page 16] the shadow to the substance, the tipe to the truth? No food in the world comparable to this bread of life; an humble heart feeding daily upon Christ, hath joy unspeakable and glorious, when the voluptuous Epicures of this life have no solid comfort, for they have no more than the creature can afford them; though the righteous endure outward po­verty, and seem miserable by reason of many adversities, yet they are better in their worst estate than ungodly men are in their best e­state, in regard they feed upon this divine Manna, they, like Daniel, look better with pulse than others who feed onely upon earth­ly dainties.

Ʋse. The next use is for reproof, I shall spin the rest of the Uses out of those four heads in the first branch, which will run, like a thred, through the web of the whole point.

1. I told you in the first place, that Christ is everlasting meat by the merit and efficacy of his person: This serves to reprove such as labour not for Christs merits for their ju­stification in Gods sight, and these are the Papists, who seek for, and teach justification by works, so by this meanes they derogate from Christs merits, and put themselves into a miserable condition, for upon this ground [Page 17] conceive, that a Papist living and dying a Papist cannot be saved. St. Paul, Philip. 3.9. renounceth all confidence in his own merits in point of Justification, And be found in him not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. The Papists alledge that place for their merit, Colos. 1.10. That ye might walk wor­thy of the Lord, &c. therefore we may merit at Gods hand, say they, but know that there is a two fold worthiness, the worthiness of merit, which is not in us towards God, we may merit earthly wages and rewards of one another for outward service, but we cannot by our worthiness merit at Gods hand.

Nextly, there is the worthiness of congru­ity when we walk agreeable and answerable to Gods Word and Nature, and that is here meant, that ye might be suteable to Gods will and nature, to be perfect as he is, that ye might walk as becometh his people: A spice of this popish heresie is in our common peo­ple, for they say they must addle heaven by their good deeds, such strangers they are to the merits of Christ.

2. I told you in the second place, that Christ is everlasting meat by his sacred Word; this Use still serves to reprove all such [Page 18] as labour not for Christ in his Word; many are content to live at home under a dumb dog, in darkness where no vision is, they can travel many miles to markets and faires for to get worldly wealth, but will not travel a mile or two for their soules advantage, these will bewail their laziness and folly when it is too late; many care not how seldome they hear the word, if they might have bodily food no oftener than they desire the word, they could never live. Oh how flat and dull are their desires and affections when they come to hear, either they sleep out the Ser­mon hour, or their heads are full of earthly distractions, their minds are wandering after their worldly business, that if one should ask them, where was the Text? what points had the Preacher? they are not able to give any account of what they heard; this is a main cause why they are no more changed, nor re­formed in their lives, but are as ungodly as Heathens: if their bodily food did their bodies no more good than the word of God doth to their soules, if it strengthened and nourished them no more, they could never be able to stand upon their legs, they would look pale and thin, and fall down for want of strength.

Hear this ye stupid children of Adam, God [Page 19] hath sent you many precious Prophets, who like candles spend themselves, their gifts, their time, and their strength, to lead you the way to heaven, yet how careless and regardless have you been of their pains, little have you profited; know this, that if you heed the Word no better, the worst for your selves is behind, you must be countable for every Ser­mon you have heard at the day of judge­ment: in many places Christ by his Messen­gers hath all the day long stretched forth his hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

3. I told you in the third place, that Christ is everlasting meat by the Sacraments of his last Supper; this Use still serves to re­prove the prophaness of many in coming to this spiritual banquet, they never examine themselves before they come, they come ig­norantly, they know not the nature of this mystery, they discern not the Lords body, they come without the hand of faith to lay hold on Christ, they come without repen­tance, its hidden from their eyes; hearken to this you careless sinners, 1 Corinth. 11.29, 30. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lords body: for this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. [Page 20] Oh how full are your hearts of impurity, covetousness, pride, malice, &c. doubtless this unworthy receiving provokes God very sore to anger, and kindles his wrath against you, so that you goe from the Lords Table worse than you came to it, as Judas did after he had received the sop, this your ungodly manner of receiving is worse for you, than if you had eaten a morsel of Ratsbane, and drunk a cup of poyson.

4. I told you in the fourth place, that Christ is everlasting meat by the saving gra­ces of his holy Spirit, this Use still serves to reprove the prophaneness of many who are bond-slaves to sin and Sathan, cannot en­dure holiness nor the meanes to obtain it; they hiss at godliness, deride the way of God, they had rather loose their lives than part with their lusts. Consider this you wicked wretches that God will turn the wicked into hell, and all that forget God; you deride and hate that now, of which you would be glad to enjoy the comfort and benefit in another world. Others are blame-worthy, who rest in civill honesty, and think they have grace, but know not what belongs to it, they are not such gross sinners as others, but live more orderly, they run not into excess of riot, but carry fair to the world, pay their [Page 21] debts, releive the poor, none can say, black is their eye, in this they rest and pride them­selves, desiring to go no further, but with the young man in the Gospel, they think they are perfect enough, and cry, what lack I yet? but understand this, that bare honesty will not bring you to heaven, without holiness you cannot see the Lord to your comfort; honesty respects man, and holiness respects God, many see a necessity of honesty, but they see no need of godliness. Oh how un­godly are many, though they live under ex­cellent meanes, sufficient to bring them to admirable perfection? If they should grow no faster in natural stature and strength than they do in grace, it would be fearful to be­hold; it would be a rueful sight to see a child no bigger at twenty yeares old than he was at his birth, how could that child work for his living, maintain himself, or defend him­self against dangers? such is the miserable condition of divers that never truly labour after, nor desire Christ and his saving graces, they are grown nothing better since their birth into this world, but much worse; though they often had a price in their hands to get wisdom, yet they had no heart to it; though they had many opportunities of advantaging their soules, yet they slept out the season of [Page 22] grace, and are farre worse at forty or fifty yeares old then when they were Infants. Consider this you foolish Virgins, that sleep many yeares in carnal security, either awake in time, or else when the Bridegroom comes the gate of mercy will be shut against you, then you may stand long enough knocking but shall never enter.

Ʋse. The next use is for comfort to all such as labour truly for this durable meat. I told you in the first place, that Christ is everlasting meat by the merit and efficacy of his person: this Use affords singular com­fort to all such as rely upon the precious me­rits of Christ for their justification and com­fort, his bloud can wash thee from all sin, John 1.17. thy sins are many in number, yet they are as easily removed by his bloud, as a spark of fire is extinguished being cast into the midst of the Sea. It may be thy sins are bloudy sins, of a crimson colour, and of a scarlet die, yet Christ can make thee by his merits pure and white as any snow and wool, Isaiah 1.18. there is more merit in Christ, than sin in thee, for his merit is the merit of him, who is God man, but thy sins are the sins of man onely: Remember, for thy com­fort, thou contrite in spirit, that Christ par­doned as great, and it may be greater sinners [Page 23] than thy self: he purchased pardon for Paul a bloudy persecutor, for Magdalen a strum­pet, it may be thou hast never committed such great sins as these: now these are written for thy learning, that thou through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, mightest have hope and confidence in thy Redeem­er.

I told you in the second place, that Christ is everlasting meat by his sacred word: this Use still serves for comfort to all such as love Christ dearly, and labour for him, they are in a blessed condition for their soules, however it goes with their outward man: this holy word of God will be unto all such a special guide, a shining light to their feet, it will be unto thee that lovest it dearly a blessed stay in adversity; David said, If my delight had not been in thy Law, I had perished long since in mine afflictiō; this word does good to you that walk uprightly, it will resolve your doubts, raise you being dejected, guide you when you wander, comfort you when you are perplexed, and at last will lead you straight to heaven; the Prophet said, Psalm 73.24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. All the commands and directions in the word will teach thee thy duty to God and man, and [Page 24] lead thee in the right way: the threatenings of the word will keep thee in awe of God, and restrain thee from presumptuous sins: the exceeding great and precious promises in the word are, Yea and Amen to thee through Christ 2 Corinth. 1.20. they will give thy faith sure hand-hold in all straits, whereby thou mayest overtop all difficulties; they will delight thee more than honey and the honey-combe.

3. I told you in the third place, that Christ is everlasting food by the Sacrament of his last Supper: this Use still serves to comfort all gracious soules, who hunger and thirst af­ter him in that Ordinance, it is a seal of righteousness and of Gods love to them. Hear this you true beleivers that discern the Lords body, you receiving the Sacrament do renew your fellowship with your Saviour, he will strengthen your faith and hope in him, and will nourish your soules unto everlasting life, there you may by the eye of faith discern his bloud poured out and shed for the re­mission of your sins, you may come to this spiritual banquet with much delight and joy, for your blessed Redeemer proffers himself to you. This sacred Ordinance is an emblem to thee of thy future estate with Christ in heaven, while it is so sweet to tast how gra­cious [Page 25] he is here in his Ordinances, how un­speakably sweet will it be to thee to enjoy Christ immediately in heaven without these Ordinances and signes? your journey to heaven is long and full of difficulties, yet this bread of life will nourish and enable you to hold out to the end.

4. I told you in the fourth place, that Christ is everlasting meat by the saving gra­ces and comfort of his holy spirit: this Use still serves to comfort all such as earnestly la­bour for, and hunger after the saving graces of Christ his Spirit: Blessed are you that hunger and thirst after these, you shall be abundantly satisfied. Christ will satisfie you with the fatness of his house, and make you drink of the river of his pleasure; he hath done much for thee to beget in thee such fervent desires after grace, for its a sign thou art born again, and it will much conduce to spiritual growth, as a little babe the first year after his birth, by reason of his daily sucking and sleeping grows exceedingly, so the more thou desirest the graces of the Spirit, the more fruitfully thou growest in grace, for Christ will fill the hungry with good things, that is, with saving graces and satisfactory comforts.

[Page 26]Object. But thou wilt say, Alass I feel little or no growth in my self, me thinks I am as dead-hearted as I was, my knowledge and other gifts are very poor and weak.

Answ. I answer, look upon thy self, and compare thy self, now even this day, with what thou wast a week or a moneth since, and it may be thou shalt find very small growth in goodness, and small strength a­gainst corruptions; but compare thy self now with what thou wast two or three years, or four or five years since, and thou maist find, through Gods blessing, a sweet fruitful growth, formerly thou was extreamly ig­norant, hadst no gift of prayer, didst not de­light much in Gods service? wast not very hungry and greedy after grace? couldst not mourn much for thy failings? but now God hath been gracious to thee, he hath given thee some insight into his wayes, he hath poured the Spirit of grace and supplication upon thee, he hath given thee delight in his Worship, he hath indued thee with an appe­tite and thirst after grace and holiness, and he hath melted thy heart with godly sorrow for thine imperfections; now these are good beginnings of eternal life in thee, and though thy beginning be small, yet thy latter end shall greatly increase; he that hath begun this [Page 27] good work in thee, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ; thou art a living stone, built upon the cheif corner stone, all the powers of darkness can never pull thee out of the spiritual building; thou art Christ his spouse, Satan can never alienate his heart from thee, nor divorce thee from him, thou art a branch of Christ the true Vine and root, thine enemies can never cut thee off; thou art a member of his mistical body, nothing shall separate thee from his love.

Ʋse. The last use serves for direction and exhortation joyntly; I told you in the first place, that Christ is everlasting meat by the merit and efficacy of his person: this Use serveth to direct us how to labour for the comfort and benefit of his merits.

1. First we must renounce all confidence in our own merits and righteousness, alass we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, our good­ness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it passeth away: Phillip. 3.9. we see the Apostle durst not confide in his own righte­ousness for to be justified by it.

2. Rest upon the merits of Christ onely for justification, as St. Paul did, Phillip. 3.9. But that which is through the faith of Christ, [Page 28] the righteousness which is of God by faith; his merits are of infinite value to justifie thee in the sight of God, and to procure acceptation in his sight; he is the Fathers beloved Son, in whom he is well pleased; trust wholly and onely on his merits, which are of infinite value, sufficient to justifie thee before God.

2 I told you in the second place, that Christ is everlasting meat to the soul by his sacred Word; this Use still serves to di­rect us how to labour for him in his Word.

1. Hear the word of God with reverence, for God will look to him that is of a contrite heart, and trembles at his Word, Isa. 66.2. then we shall serve him acceptably, Hebr. 12. last, he is a mighty, great and terrible God, therefore serve him with fear, and rejoyce in him with trembling.

2. Hear the Word as oft as you can, the oftener the better, Timothy was injoyned to preach in season and out of season, then by good consequence we must hear in season, & out of season; we had need to hear more than we do, for we know but in part, we be­leive but in part, we love but in part, frequent and conscientious hearing is a good meanes to raise us up to higher perfections in grace [Page 29] and knowledge; many say, we have preach­ing enough, unless we could follow it better, but I say, because we follow it so little, and our practise of piety is so imperfect, there­fore we had need hear the Word oftener than we do, we had need have it daily sound­ing in our eares, saying to us, this is the way, walk in it.

3. Hear the Word with faith, or else it doth you no good, Hebr. 4.2. the Word profited not the Israelites because they heard it not with faith; why are many living unde [...] precious meanes of grace, so wicked in their practise, so heathenish and unreformed in their life? but because they beleive not the Word: did such as live in unclean and beast­ly lusts beleive the Word, saying, whoremon­gers and adulterers God will judge, they durst not continue in them: did the pro­phane swearer beleive the Word, saying, that the flying roul with the curse shall enter into the house of the swearer, and consume it, he durst not so ordinarily take the Lords name in vain: did ungodly persons beleive the Word, saying, that the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all that forget God, they durst not be so wicked and leud as they be: we loose much benefit by the Word for want of faith, therefore hear with faith.

[Page 30]4. Pray to God to bless the Word to thee, and to make it prosperous to thy soul, Is. 48.17. I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee the way that thou shouldest go. Paul may plant, and Appol­los may water, but God that must give the in­crease: Desire him often therefore to direct his Messenger to speak to thy necessity, and to water the Word, spoken to thee, with the dew of his Spirit, that thou mayest grow fruitfully under it; for the holy Spirit is the life of the Word.

3. I told you in the third place, that Christ is everlasting meat by the Sacrament of his last Supper: this Use still serves to di­rect us how to labour for Christ in that sacred Ordinance.

1. Examine thy self about thy knowledge, whether thou hast any knowledge of spiri­tual things or not; a blind man cannot judge of colours, an ignorant man cannot discern the Lord Jesus in this Ordinance, he sees not the divine benefits of this Sacrament, for its a great mystery to him, and is spiritually discerned: you ignorant creatures, who have lived in blindness ever since your birth, come out of your ignorance, content not your selves with your ignorant and blind de­votion, but come out of that dungeon of [Page 31] darkness, suffer not the devil to lead you to hell hoodwinkt, least you be there before you be aware: ignorance is the road way to eternal misery, Christ will come in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, learn therefore in these dayes of knowledge to know God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to know the Covenant of grace, and the miserable estate of all by nature, and the meanes how to come out of it.

2. Examine thy self about faith, be sure to come with a lively faith in Christ his bloud, Rom. 3.25. to wash thee from sin, faith is the hand of the soul to receive Christ, John 1.12. But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the Sons of God, even to them that beleive on his Name: where note, that Christ intimates, that receiving of him is by beleiving on him: so likewise faith is the mouth of the soul to eat Christ, and to feed upon him, John 6.47, 48. &c. He that beleiveth on me hath everlasting life, I am that bread of life: by the coherence of those words with what follows, it appears, that we must feed upon Christ spiritually by faith; therefore come with faith, or else you come without your hand and mouth.

[Page 32]3. Examine thy self about repentance; busie not thy self about the present contro­versie, whether faith or repentance go be­fore, as many talkative Pharisees now adayes do, insomuch that they dispute faith and re­pentance quite away, but exercise thy self se­riously in the practise of true repentance, when thou comest to the Lords Table, where thou mayst see thy dear Saviour crucified, and his bloud shed for thy many and great sins: Oh let thy heart bleed for thine abo­minations! these, these, I say, were the nailes that peirct him: the Passover was to be eaten with sour hearbs, signifying that we must come to the Lords Supper with broken hearts.

4. Come with a spiritual appetite to this heavenly feast, ones meat doth them most good when they have a good stomack, you will receive more comfort and satisfaction when you hunger and thirst after Christ, if you desire him earnestly, as new born babes desire the breast; set thy soul a longing after him, turn the stream of thy desires towards him alone, then maist thou seek for comfort in wealth, wit, honours and worldly favour, but they will answer, its not in me: Oh let thy heart return to Christ as Noahs Dove did to the Ark, and then shalt thou find rest and [Page 33] peace, yea, the Lord will deal bountifull with thee.

4. I told you in the fourth place, tha [...] Christ is everlasting meat by the saving gra­ces of his holy Spirit: this Use still serves to direct us how to labour after spiritual graces and comforts.

1. First we must conscionably and con­stantly frequent the meanes of grace, God will be found in his own way; we look for a friend in his house, we look for fishes in the water, for birds in the wood, let us seek after Christ and his graces in his Word and Sacra­ments; excellent is that promise, Isai. 64.5. Thou meetest him that rejoyceth, and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy wayes: Christs Ordinances are his wayes, such as rejoyce in these his wayes he will meet them, and touch their hearts with his holy Spirit: watch daily at wisdoms gates, and wait at the posts of his dores, then thou shalt find him whom thy soul loveth.

2. Be very humble, be nothing in thine own eyes, fot God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.

3. Pray earnestly to God for his spiritual graces, as the Apostles prayed, Lord increase our faith, and David prayed, Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit [Page 34] within me. Luk. 11.13. If ye then being evill, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him? When our dear Saviour was upon earth, he was bountiful to such as earnestly desired his Spirit, but afterward he ascended on high to give gifts to men, he is now in his glorifica­tion, and is no niggard of his divine graces and comforts, but will be very bountiful to thee if thou beggest them earnestly at his hands.

THese words are a brief, but yet a sweet relation of that dear ser­vant of God, Enoch, the seventh from Adam, as may be seen by the genealogy of the Patriarchs from Adam unto Noah, here in this chapter, the memory of the just is blessed, saith Solomon, so is it here, in the eleventh chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Enoch is there re­corded to his everlasting honour, that he had this testimony, that he had pleased God. Jude also in his Epistle recordeth his pro­phecy [Page 36] concerning the day of judgement to come, for the comfort of the righteous, and for the terror of the wicked: here in my Text observe these parts.

1. The person mentioned, viz. Enoch. 2. His commendation in the latter words, he walked with God. His practise and life is here propounded, as a president, for us to imitate.

For those examples in Scripture, which the Spirit of Christ commends, are obligatory, his commendings are virtual commandings, and we ought to follow whatsoever is praise-worthy, especially in Gods account.

Those examples in Scripture are obligato­ry likewise, whose ground, reason, scope or end are obligatory, and of a moral nature, and as much concern one Christian as ano­ther; so here Enoch his walking with God is of a moral nature, and necessarily concerns us all; he is here propounded as a pattern for us, that we should do the like; there is in Scrip­ture sometimes the example of caution, 1 Cor. 10.5, 6, 11. such as were punished for sin; and thus we must learn to improve the bad examples of such, and make the best use of their fals and miseries for our good: There is also the example of imitation, such as are recorded in holy Writ, for us to follow, so here Enoch is set down for an example of walking with God.

In handling this point I shall observe this method. 1. I will shew how many wayes a Christian must walk with God. 2. I shall give reasons. 3. I shall teach you how to use this Point. For the first head.

A Christian walks with God eight wayes.

1. By acquainting himself with God, and making his peace with him, Job 22.21. Ac­quaint now thy self with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. Amos 3.3. Can two walk together except they be agreed? and the more inward with God any Christian is, the closer he walks with God.

2. A Christian walks with God by do­ing all his actions as in Gods sight and pre­sence, Psal. 16.8. I have set the Lord alwayes before me. Acts 2.25. I foresaw the Lord al­wayes [Page 38] before my face: whereas an Atheist thinks God sees him not, and thinks to com­mit his wickedness close from the all-seeing eye of God.

3. A Christian walks with God by refer­ring all his actions to the glory of God, 1 Corinth. 10.31. Whether ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God; for God made all things for his glory, now when you aim at this, you walk with him in aiming at the same end.

4. A Christian walks with God by a strict invitation of God according to the rules of his holy Word, Ephes. 5.1. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children; thus he walks step by step with God, and the more he resembles God, the closer he walks with him.

5. A Christian walks with God by daily observation of the passages of his providence towards him, whether they be passages of mercy or of justice, Psalm 77.11, 12. I will remember the work of the Lord, surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy works, and talk of thy doings; when a mercy comes he observes it, and saith, this the Lord hath sent me; or if a cor­rection be inflicted on him, he saith, God hath laid his hand on me.

[Page 39]6. A Christian walks with God by having his conversation in heaven, Philip. 3.20. Our conversation is in heaven, for God is in heaven, and he that would walk with him, must ascend thither in affection, and set his heart on things above.

7. A Christian walks with God by fre­quent and fervent prayer, expecting an an­swer to his prayers: David prayed seven times in a day, and Daniel three times: pray­er is a sweet talking with God; though God be in heaven, and a true Beleiver upon earth, yet he can talk with God as if he was in hea­ven with him. Yea, prayer is a corner of heaven to a gracious walker with God; like­wise he expects a return of his prayers, Psalm 85.8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak, and this is a cheif part of walking with God.

8. A Christian walkes with God by the life of faith, Hab. 2.4. the just shall live by faith; for faith is a resting upon God and his gracious promises; now the faster a man adheres to God, the closer he walks with him.

Reas. The first reason is, because if we walk with God, then he will take us to him­self when we die, so its said, Enoch was not, for God took him, that is, to heaven; at our [Page 40] death we shall change our place, but not our company; walking with God is the way to heaven, such as are strangers to him, how can they hope to be with him? its better being with God in heaven, then here below. David accounted, that a day in the Lords Courts were better than a thousand else­where: Oh then how infinitely far sweeter is it to be in heaven eternally then to be here on earth a few dayes? as ever you desire to go to heaven when you shall depart this world, walk with God whilest you live upon earth.

2. Because this will be an extraordinary comfort and honour to us, both here and hereafter, Hebr. 11.5. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death, and was not found, because God had translated him, for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God: Its a great comfort to a friend to walk often with his dear companion, much more to walk intimately with God. Jacob after he had wrestled with Christ com­forted himself thus, I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. Likewise its the greatest honour in the world to walk with God, it made Enoch his memory to be blessed until this day, and so it will be to the end of the world. So it was to Hezekiah in [Page 41] his sickness, he said not, remember, Lord, that I have been a man honourable, rich and fa­mous in the eyes of the world, that I have been an earthly King, but that, I have walked before thee in truth; as ever you desire to have solid joy in your consciences, and everlasting renown, make it your daily care and study how to walk strictly with God.

3. Because God is Almighty and Al­sufficient, therefore walk with him, Gen. 17.1. if thou shalt straggle from him like a wan­dering sheep, he is Almighty, and so able to correct thee severely, as he did with the Is­raelites very often, which you may read in Psal. 78. if thou keepest close to him, he is Almighty, and so able enough to reward thee, as he did with Enoch, Abraham, Job, David and others.

4. Because this will keep one from the common errors and corruptions of the times. Psalm 119.1, 3. Blessed are the undefiled in the way; who walk, in the Law of the Lord, they also do no iniquity, they walk in his wayes; that is, they make not a trade of sin, they get no habit of it, they do it not with their whole heart, and full consent of will. Philip. 3.19, 20. Who mind earthly things: for our conver­sation is in heaven; as if he had said, that is our preservative against earthly mindedness. [Page 42] In the time of pestilence if one could live high in the fresh air, he might be free from the infection; now to walk with God is to live in heaven, high above the earth, and such as do so escape the pollutions of the world; this will keep the pure in an impure generation, like fish that is fresh in the salt water of the Sea: for God is a pure and an holy God, and the nearer and closer any walk with him, the more he imparts his di­vine nature to them, infusing his blessed Spi­rit into their soules; now his grace is suffi­cient enough to fence and fortifie them a­gainst the contagious corruptions of the times; as ever you desire to escape the in­fection of those sins which others daily run into, walk with God all your dayes.

5. Because God is our best friend and guide, Ps [...]lm 73.24, 25, 26, 28. Thou shalt guide me with thy councel, and afterward re­ceive me to glory: whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee: my flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever: but it is good for me to draw near to God. We meet with many false hearted in the world, but we shall find God a faithful fast friend for ever. We have followed false guides to long, but follow God, and you will [Page 43] find him a sure guide, he will never leave you till he hath brought you to heaven: None of us, but we desire to walk much with a dear friend whom we love as our own soul; What friend have we like to God? Who can do that for us which God hath done, and doth daily, and will do for ever, if we can walk constantly with him?

6. Because this will make us walk up­rightly and justly towards one another, as becometh Christians, Micah 6.8. The Lord doth require of thee to do justly, and to love mer­cy, and to walk humbly with thy God: This last is the ground of the former, for a man can­not do justly, nor love mercy, in obedience to God requiring these, nor with respect to his own soules eternal good (which is there meant) until he walk with God; for such as walk with him, to them he shews his secret will, and teacheth them, by walking with him, to walk uprightly towards men: Now this is profitable, comfortable, and commenda­ble for us. What is the reason that many live so unjustly, care not whom they abuse by fraud, violence and other wicked wayes? its because they walk not with God; God ne­ver taught them to do thus: exact walking with God would prevent this; sometimes Gods own Children some of them fall into [Page 44] some acts of injustice and cruelty towards others; as David gave Mephibosheth his estate to Ziba; caused Ʋriah to be set in the place of greatest danger: Lot abused his Daughters; but this was not because they walked with God, but because they walked no closer with God. As ever you desire your memory should be blessed by upright carriage and just walking towards men, be sure while you live to walk with God, then your memory shall be blessed, when the name of the wicked shall rot.

7. Because this will move God to bless you with multitude of mercies, which you may see promised to Abraham, Genes. 17. I am the Almighty God, walk before me, and be thou perfect, and I will make my Covenant be­tween me and thee, and I will multiply thee ex­ceedingly; and so forward in the rest of the Chapter, he is very bountiful and liberal, and if we have hearts to walk with him, he cares not what mercies he bestows on us: we give special tokens of love to such as be our dear friends, the like will God do to his.

Ʋse. I told you in the first place, that a Christian walks with God by acquainting himself with God, and being at peace with him: This Use serves to reprove such as make no peace with God, but run into all wicked­ness, [Page 45] provoking and offending the Majesty of heaven; their care is how to curry favour with the world, but peace with God they undervalue.

Consider this you ungodly sinners, that if great good shall come unto such as are at peace with God, then great vengeance shall come to such as be his enemies; what will you doe in the day of judgement, when God shall summon you before his dreadful Tribunal?

2. I told you in the second place, that a Christian walkes with God by doing all his actions as in Gods sight and presence: This Use still serves to reprove all such as walk not with God this way; they are most prophane Atheists, thinking God sees them not, there­fore they rush presumptuously into sin, as the horse rusheth into the battel, because God is not in all their thoughts; Job 24.15. The eye of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, no eye shall see me, and setteth his face in secret: but know this you ungodly Atheists, that the all-seeing eyes of God are ten thou­sand times brighter than the Sun, they are like to flames of fire, and will espie out your naughtiness, for he is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity; though you foolish Atheists say in your [Page 46] hearts, there is no God, and therefore are cor­rupt and do abominably, yet the Lord looks down from heaven upon you, and will re­ward you accordingly.

3. I told you in the third place, that a Christian walks with God by referring all his actions to Gods glory: This Use still serves to reprove such as walk not thus with God; very few aim at this most noble end, though they were made for it; the most look at their own ends, at their own profit, own pleasure, at their own credit and honour, to be seen of men, and to be commended by others: doubtless this is one reason why there is so much hypocrisie, and so little sincerity, if all men would earnestly seek the glory of God in all their wayes and actions, there would be no hypocrites, for this is a sure mark of an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile; doubtless this disrepect of Gods glory is the cheif cause of so much contention and divi­sion about Religion and worldly matters, this is it that hinders reformation every where; if Gods glory were dearer to all of us, we should agree better in points of godli­ness, we should not so easily rush into such frivolous sutes and quarrels about a little white and yellow earth.

Consider this you self-seeking hypocrites, [Page 47] who look onely at your own ends, because you seek not now to glorifie God, he will (except you amend) curse your posterity, he will cause your name and memory to rot, you shall have no solid comfort here, nor eternal peace hereafter. Remember Jeroboam the Son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, he sought his own ends in setting up Calves at Dan and Bethel, but this renderd him odious ever after. Remember John in throwing down Baals Idolatry, he sought his own ends, he aimed not at Gods glory, his hypo­crisie was at last detected and accordingly rewarded. Remember Balaam went with Balacks Messengers, nay he went in pretended obedience to Gods Command, but he aimed at his own ends, he went for the wages of unrighteousness, then the Lords anger was kindled against him, and afterwards he pe­rished by the sword. Remember Judas ser­ved Christ, but it was for his own ends, to get money, he repined at Mary when she an­nointed Christs feet, pretending that oint­ment might have been sold for much, and be given to the poor, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a theif and bare the bag, but his hypocrisie could not long lurk in secret, at last he sold his Master for thirty sil­verlings, which amounts to three pounds and [Page 48] fifteen shillings, then fell into despair and hanged himself, and his belly burst, and his bowels fell out, signifying, that such a wretch­ed miscreant was unworthy to be born into this world, and because he had no bowels of love to his Master, his bowels burst and fell out. Now all these things happened unto them for examples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come; wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed least he fall.

4. I told you in the fourth place, that a Christian walkes with God by an exact imi­tation of God, according to the rules of his Word: This Use still serves to reprove all such as walk not with God this way; the most follow the multitude to do evil, but alas how few follow God? the vain customs of the countrey, and the idle traditions of many of our ancestors are in greater request with many than the Scripture; reprove di­vers people for notorious vices out of the Scripture, yet they alledge, they do but as the most, and according to the fashions of the times, but know, that if you will do as the most, you are like to be hereafter where the most must be, and that is not in heaven I am sure: exhort divers to necessary duties of godliness with Scripture Arguments, tell them [Page 49] they must be followers of God as dear chil­dren in these and these graces: they alledge that this is not in request with many, there are but few that take this way, they think they may save all this pains, and yet do well enough: Oh what enemies are the most to themselves! they follow the devil and know it not, he leads them hoodwinkt to destructi­on: Look about you notorious sinners, ma­ny of you have followed Satan forty, fifty; or sixty yeares, by living in ignorance and all manner of prophaneness; you cry, God forbid. But I say, whom do you serve and follow when you swear, lie, steal, are drunk, prophane the Sabbath, prate against godli­ness? I appeal to your consciences; do you think you serve God and imitate him? where did the Lord ever teach you these sins? flat­ter not your selves, you follow Satan, and to him you must go at last, if you repent not in time.

5. I told you in the fifth place, that a Chri­stian walks with God by daily observing the passages of his providence to him, whether of mercy or justice: this Use still serves to reprove all such as walk not with God this way; when the hand of God is lifted up they will not see, neither will they behold the Ma­jesty of the Lord; if he send them many [Page 50] blessings, they sacrifice to their net, and burn incense to their drag; they thank their own wit, strength, industry and care; if God afflict them with miseries, they impute all to luck, chance, and fortune; this Atheistical blockishness keeps them from true repen­tance, for they turn not to him that smites them: understand ye brutish among the people, and ye fools when will ye be wise? If now ye will not take notice of divine pro­vidence, you shall hereafter be forced to ac­knowledge the hand of his justice, when you shall lie perpetually under the weight of his wrath.

I told you in the sixt place, that a Christi­an walks with God by having his conversa­tion in heaven: This Use still serves to re­prove all such as walk not with God this way, many men have some cold lazy wishes after heaven, desiring to be thereafter death, but they have no heart after heavenly things now in their life; its to be feared they have no treasure in heaven, because their hearts are not there, for where their treasures are, their hearts will be there also; they desire heaven for the happiness of it, but if they were there a while, they could not long endure to be there for the extraordinary holiness of it a unworthy are many to be men and women, [Page 51] to have reasonable soules, because they pitch their thoughts daily upon this worldly pelfe, the world ingrosseth their thoughts, worde and deeds, they have no leasure to meditate on Gods Law, nor to discourse about spiritu­all things: how skilful are they to drive a trade? and how eager are they in pursuit of worldly profit, but in heavenly matters they are as silly as little Infants: such as these are penny wise and pound foolish, and if they look not to it in time, they will one day la­ment their folly, in that they had no more care over their soules, when they come to find this true by their own experience, that it will be no profit to gain the world and to loose ones soul.

7. I told you in the seventh place, that a Christian walks with God by frequent and servent prayer, expecting an answer to it: This Use still serves to reprove all such as call not upon the Lord; they performe some lip-labour, uttering some cold wishes, but they know not how to pour out their soules in zealous suites, it seems their hearts were ne­ver broken with greif and sorrow for sin, because they never had the Spirit of grace and supplication poured upon them; if they draw neer God with their lips, their heart is farre from him; oh how weary are they of [Page 52] prayer and other holy duties? Certainly they will never indure to be in heaven, for there is everlasting singing of Hallelujah without ceasing; if the Lords service here tire them out in two or three houres, much more will they be weary of being in heaven so holy a place.

Consider this you ungodly wretches, who have opened your mouths in swearing, and cursing, and ungodly talking against the way of holiness, and blaspheming of God, but could never to this day pour out a fervent prayer to God; doubtless God will not hold you guiltless for these sins, but in the day that he visits, he will visit these sins upon you, you hypocrites, you generation of vipers, how hard will it be for you to escape the damna­tion of hell! you are quickly weary of the Lords service, and cry, what a weariness is it? but you are not weary of your sins; look to it betime, and have a care to amend, or else these great sinnes will burden your soules, and lie very heavy upon them when you die.

8. I told you in the eighth place, that a Christian walks with God by the life of faith. This Use still serves to reprove all such as walk not with God this way; this life of faith is a riddle and a mystery to the most, few un­derstand [Page 53] and practise it; the most men live by their wits, shifts and policy, but to live by faith in God they know not; they say they beleived ever since they could remember; but that was not in God; for if God deprive them of his blessings, and afflict them with miseries, they presently distrust, repine and run to unlawful meanes; they can trust God no farther than they see him helping them with second meanes, but if outward meanes be gone, their faith is gone also, so they trust not God but the meanes: these do much of­fend God by distrust and unbeleif, as the Is­raelites did in Psal. 78.

Ʋse. The next Use is for comfort to all such as walk with God.

1. I told you in the first place, that a Christian walks with God by acquainting himself with God, and being at peace with him: This Use serves to comfort all such as walk thus with God; happy are you in any condition God shall lead you into, you may look upward with joy, for though men frown at you, yet the Lord from heaven smiles up­on you, you having peace with God shall have peace in your own consciences, which will do you more good than millions of gold, you shall have peace with the blessed Angels, they shall pitch their Tents about [Page 54] you for your safety: as when one is at peace with the Master of a family, his servants are ready to do him good: you shall have peace with other creatures, Job 5.23. Thou shalt [...] in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee: [...] is the portion of all such as are at peace with God, this honour have all the Saints.

2. I told you in the second place, that a Christian walkes with God by doing all his actions as in Gods sight and presence: This Use still serves for consolation to all such as walk thus with God: two priviledges be­long to all such, Psalm 16.9, 11.

The first is in verse 9. Therefore mine heart is glad, and my glory (that is my tongue) re­joyceth: This will be a matter of great joy unto thee, to have God thy dearest freind ever in thine eye. Jacob had enough when he saw Joseph: thou hast enough in seeing thy heavenly father; thou livest as do the glori­ous Angels, for they continually behold the face of our Father in heaven: God is ever within the sight of your faith, and within the cry of your prayers. Jacob having seen Christ, and wrastled with him, was filled with joy, saying, I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved: he had special assurance [Page 55] of protection against Esau his fury, by the clear sight of Christ, which made him ex­ceeding joyful.

The next priviledge is verse 11. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: God is the good mans guide, the closer you walk with him, the surer he will guide you to glory: as the Star led the wise men to Christ, and as the Cloud conducted the Israelites from Egypt to Ca­naan, so God will never leave thee untill he hath brought thee to heaven; the wicked wander in the darkness, and stumble, but you that walk with God, walk uprightly and surely, you avoid many sins and punishments which others run into, blessed are you, dear souls, that ever God inclined your hearts to walk with him.

3. I told you in the third place, that a Christian walks with God by doing all his actions to Gods glory: This Use still serves to comfort all such as walk with him after this manner: you blessed Christians, who look at this noble end, you may confidently expect a noble end of your lives, even glory, honour, and immortal life in another world: so did our blessed Saviour, John 17.45. I have glorified thee on the earth, and now, O Fa­ther, glorfie thou me with thine own self: God will honour you that honour him, both here, [Page 56] but chiefly hereafter: the men of this world will speak all manner of evill of you falsly, but God, with whom you walk, will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgement as the noon day: you are here defamed and reputed as the filth of the world, and the off-scouring of all things; yet by advancing the glory of God, your memo­ry shall be blessed, when the name of your enemies shall rot.

4. I told you in the fourth place, that a Christian walks with God by a strict imitati­on of God according to his word: This Use still serves to comfort all such as walk with God this way; herein lies your happiness, in that you resemble God the most perfect example, which will move him to love you most dearly, for likeness is the cause of love; this is the reason, why the righteous is more excellent than his neighbour, as Solomon speaks, Prov. 12.26. because he is so like to God, he is made a partaker of the divine na­ture, which is the highest priviledge in the world, by vertue whereof a godly man being a god-like man, is worth ten thousand re­probates, Christ would not part with such an one for all the wealth in the world.

You heaven-born Saints, who walk with God by imitating him, his heart stands most [Page 57] to you, and he will own you for his at the last day, when others shall be rejected and condemned.

5. I told you in the fifth place, that a Christian walks with God by his daily ob­serving the passages of divine providence, whether of mercy or justice: This Use still serves to comfort all such as walk with God this way; happy are you that are thus quali­fied, God hath opened your eyes to see the holy One of Israel, you may see many tokens of Gods favour to you, which will confirm your faith in his promise and providence, Isai. 26.8. In the way of thy judgements have we waited for thee: you wait for God in the way of his judgements, therefore he will meet you in every cross, and sanctifie it to you, that it shall leave you better than it found you, he will mitigate the smart of his rods to you, and enable you to bear them, and at last he will give a gracious issue out of all crosses, Psalm 123.2. So our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, untill that he have mercy upon us: you gracious Christians, wait for the Lord in the way of his mercies likewise, doubtless mercies shall be mercies indeed to you, you may see love in a little, you may perceive the love of God in small favours, because the mercies of God come to you by [Page 58] the merit of Christs bloud, and through the conduit pipe of divine promises, you walking so exactly with God, he sends you many blessings in his special providence to main­tain you in your journey until you come to heaven, where you shall have enough.

6. I told you in the sixth place, that a Christian walks with God by having his conversation in heaven: This Use still serves to comfort such as have their conversation there; you sweet soules, you may expect your Saviour confidently to come from thence to change your vile bodies, and to make them like to his glorious body: oh blessed are you that ever you were born, but especially, that ever you were born again, you shall flourish like the tree planted by the water side, you shall bring forth fruit in season, your leaf shall not wither, and whatever you do it shall prosper; you live more like blessed Angels than men upon earth, your life must needs be the sweet­est life of all, for you converse with Christ, and are most inward with God; you taste those sweet comforts and have a glimpse of those glorious joyes, which the earth-worms of this world never see: I am perswaded you would not change conditions with the weal­thiest worldling upon earth; I honour your holiness, I admire your happiness.

[Page 59]7. I told you in the seventh place, that a Christian walks with God by fervent and frequent prayer, expecting an answer: This Use still serves to comfort all such as walk thus with God, you may take much comfort to your selves, in that God hath given you the spirit of supplication, your prayers are sweet musick and delightful melody in Gods eares; so Christ speaks to his Church, Cant. 2.14. O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the staires, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely: A father delights more to hear the pratling of his little child, than the bawling of many beggars at the door; God regards not the howling of hypocrites, but for you that walk with God, your prayers are as sweet incense in his nostrils, though you chatter like a Swallow, and cruttle like a Turtle, yet the Spirit helps your infirmities, and God, who knows the meaning of the Spirit, accepts of your desires, though you can utter but non-sense in words, and broken English, yet God will make good sense of your suits, because he delights in them. Prayer is a corner of heaven to you, your petitions shall not come weeping home for want of answer, but God will fulfill the desire of them that fear him, [Page 60] he will hear their cry, and will save them, for he is nigh unto them that call upon him in truth.

8. I told you in the eighth place, that a Christian walks with God by the life of faith: This Use still serves to comfort all such as walk with God after this manner. You blessed Christians, that live by trust and con­fidence in God, you live the surest life for comfort of all people in the world, you are seated upon the Rock of eternity, let the world be changed, and turned upside down, yet you stand safe, you may see the rising and falling of many, but you shall hold your hold, for you have the surest hand hold by the hand of faith upon Gods all-sufficiency that is in the world; when the creature is drawn dry, and these broken cisterns can hold no water of consolation for you, then shall your faith find super-abundant comfort in God the fountain of living waters, Habak. 3.17.18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossome, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yeild no meat, the stock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no heard in the stals; yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation: the holy Prophet fore­seeing, by the Spirit, the fearful desolation [Page 61] that the Babylonians should make in the Jews Nation, comforts himself and other true beleivers in this, that when all livelihood is wasted, and outward maintenance perish­ed, when the Babylonian had plundered their Nation, had not left them an house to dwell in, nor any provision to nourish and releive them, yet by the strength of his faith, he as­sures both himself and others of comfort, provision and nourishment enough in God. The life of faith is a most secure life, when a man by reason of want is ready to sink, then faith holds the head above water, and makes one to see contraries in contraries, as fulness in want, health in sickness, life in death, vivitur ingenio, is the life of worldly men, but vivitur fide, is the life of righteous Saints.

Ʋse. The last Use serves for exhortation to stir us up to walk with God as Enoch did.

1. I told you that a Christian walks with God by acquainting himself with God, and being at peace with him: This life serves to exhort us all to walk with God this way: con­sider the pathetical motives the Holy Ghost useth in Job 22.24. &c. Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brook. Ophir was a place in [Page 62] India, where the purest gold in all the world was gotten; Merchant-ships coming to the foot of the cheifest hill in Ophir waited their opportunity, when the Lions and other wild beasts in it were gone to seek for prey, then they went a shore and got much pretious gold. Now if thou beest at peace with God, God will not let thee want, if thou canst eat gold thou shalt have it, he thinks the gold of Ophir too little for thee, thou shalt not want, for the Lord Jehovah shall be thy Cator, ver. 25. Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver: thou needst not fear any danger whilst the Lord is thy defence: verse 26. For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God: its a sweet thing to solace ones soul in God, and to bath ones Spirit in the streames of his love, such have comfort which is not to be found in the creature: verse 27. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vowes: This is a mercy worthy gold, to pray, and be heard, to unlock heaven gates by the key of prayer, and fetch mercies thence: verse 28. Thou shalt also decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee, and the light shall shine upon thy wayes: God will fulfil thy de­sires, and not frustrate thy expectation, and [Page 63] the light of his countenance and precious providence shall shine upon thy wayes: verse 29. When men are cast down, thou shalt say, there is lifting up, and he shall save the humble person: Though good men may be cast down sometime by the hand of violence, yet thou by the strength of thy faith, having peace with God, shalt be assured of rising up again. Let these golden priviledges of a Christian incite thee, with all earnest care and pains to be inward with God; make peace with him though you have little peace with men, for this is the ground of your hope and happi­ness, this is that will afford you the greatest security and sweetest contentment in the evill day.

2. I told you in the second place, that a Christian walks with God by doing all his actions as in Gods sight and presence: This Use still serves to exhort us all to walk with God after this manner, whatever you take in hand, ever set God before your eyes; his eyes are alwayes upon you, let yours be al­wayes upon him, this will keep thee from re­volting and apostatizing from him, Psalm 16.18. I have set the Lord alwayes before me, be­cause he is at my right hand, I shall not be mo­ved: as if he had said, neither by Satan, nor by the world, but I shall stand fast against all [Page 65] mine enemies, nothing shall draw me away from him: if the most would eye God in their wayes, they durst not rush into pre­sumptuous sins so oft as they do, but because they do think that God sees them not, there­fore they wax bold to break his Lawes: in every way and work be sure to consider Gods omnipresence, and his all-seeing eye, and it will restrain thee from many slips.

3. I told you in the third place, that a Christian walks with God by referring all his actions to the glory of God: This Use still serves to exhort you all to walk with God after this manner; let this glory be dearer to you than your own ends, then will you be more firmly united in the bond of peace, for then the glorious Spirit of God will tie your hearts together in spiritual unity; self-seek­ing is the greatest cause of most dissentions both in Church and Common-wealth: let it be your chiefest study and care how to pro­mote the glory of God, and then your parti­cular ends shall sooner be attained, 1 Sam. 2.30. Them that honour me I will honour: God there promised; David endeavoured to honour God, so did Hezekiah, Josiah, Job, Joseph, Daniel and others; and in holy Writ you may find recorded how much God [Page 65] honoured them with blessings spiritual and temporal; this is the surest way to eternize your good names, and to render your me­mory blessed, by seeking to advance Gods glory.

4. I told you in the fourth place, that a Christian walks with God by a strict imita­tion of God according to the rules of his Word: This Use still serves to exhort you all to walk with God this way; nature teacheth thee to imitate thine earthly pa­rents, and hast thou not so much grace as to imitate thy heavenly Father? thou hast imi­tated the sinners of this world too long, thou hast wearied thy self to commit iniquity with them; what fruit had you in those things whereof you shall be ashamed, if you be not already? for the end of those things is death: read the Word, search the Scriptures, and they will teach thee what a One God is how holy, merciful, wise, just and perfect, let him be thy daily pattern, and thou shalt sooner attain unto perfection; the less you imitate him, the more imperfect you are, and the more you imitate him, the more perfect you are: Ephes. 5.1. Be ye therefore follow­ers of God as dear children: he will not lead you to any thing hurtful and dangerous to your soules, but follow and imitate him as [Page 66] exactly as you can, and he will lead you at last into fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore.

5. I told you in the fifth place, that a Christian walks with God by daily observati­on of the passages of his providence to him: This Use still serves to exhort us all to walk with God this way, this is a sign of a wise man so to do: Hosea 14.9. Whose is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? that is, the promises and passages of his providence and love: this will much confirm thy faith, and comfort thy heart. Much water runs by the Mill that the Miller never sees, so there are many pretious passages of divine providence which pass by divers that they never take notice of; look therefore at God in every mercy and cor­rection, look higher than second causes, and say within thy self, here is a token of my hea­venly Fathers love, here is a gift from hea­ven, this mercy, or this correction, comes from my God: so did the godly formerly, Genes. 48 9. Joseph said to Jacob, they are my sons whom God hath given me. Job. 1.21. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away. Learn to say and do therefore as the godly did in Psalm 123. Ʋnto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens: Let [Page 67] no passage of divine providence go by thee without diligent observation.

6. I told you in the sixth place, that a Christian walks with God by having his con­versation in heaven: This Use still serves to exhort you all to walk with God this way, thy chiefest treasure is there, thy best friends are there, why then doest thou set thine heart here upon things beelow? God hath given thee an upright body, so as thou mayest look often up towards heaven, that thine heart may be lifted up thither; aquila non capit museas, scorn to imbase thy noble soul by doting upon things of the earth, a little meanes will suffice nature, thou needest not be so greedy after gain; hadst thou a whole Lordship, nay a whole Kingdom, yet thou canst dwell but in one house at a time; hadst thou the richest Wardrobe in the world, thou canst wear but one suite of apparrel at a time; hadst thou thy Table furnisht with all varieties, thou canst eat but a bellifull of meat at a time, enough is as good as a feast. Oh let thine heart mount up towards heaven daily upon the wings of divine contempla­tion, then thy soul shall go thither at last; its no easie thing to get thither, the way to hell is down the hill, and down the stream, but the way to heaven is up the hill, and [Page 68] against the stream, rightly said the Poet:

Therefore look upward often whither thy Redeemer is ascended; the sight of the out­side of heaven here below should draw up our hearts thither, and make us less regard these worldly delights, for if the outside of heaven be so glorious, that is bespangled with the Sun, Moon and Stars, how glorious is the inside of it? you are daily within the sight of heaven your Fathers house, Oh let your hearts be there till your soules be there for ever: lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet; loose not heaven for want of paines and labour, you may buy gold too dear, but heaven you can­not.

7. I told you in the seventh place, that a Christian walks with God by fervent and frequent prayer, expecting an answer: This Use still serves to exhort us all to walk with God after this manner, pray continually, ply [Page 69] the Throne of grace hard, give the Lord no rest until he hath brought thee to sing ever­lasting hallelujah in heaven. God hath in many places of his Word promised to hear and grant the sutes of his people, if thou beest one of his, thou mayest pray with con­fidence to be heard. Moses talked with God in the Mount until his face shone, be thou also frequent in fervent prayer, and it will make thy soul to shine in grace. Jacob wrestled with Christ by prayer untill he halt­ed, be thou likewise earnest with God until thou hast weakened thy corruptions and made them lame; thou that hast the spirit of grace and supplication, hast such a treasure to enrich thee, such a weapon to defend thee, as no worldling hath, thou mayest by the key of prayer unlock heaven gates and fetch mercies thence, in any place whereever thou livest, for the way to heavē is as near to a true Christian in one place as in another: its a sweet thing to talk often with God, and to be inward with him, he will give no little joy to such.

8. I told you in the eighth place, that a Christian walks with God by the life of faith: This Use still serves to exhort you all to walk with God this way, let your life be a continual dependance upon him, trust in the [Page 70] Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength, he is faithful that hath promised, he never deceived any that trusted in him, this is your sure hold, true faith in his promises and providence will not fail you, you will find friends, riches, pleasures, ho­nours and other delights of this world to be miserable comforters, but rest upon God by faith, and you will find him a fast friend, and a sure comforter; endeavour daily to rest upon him with such strength of faith, as that when all outward helpes fail, you may not doubt, nor fear, but may in patience possess your soules, and quietly rest upon God for releif and succour, not seeking after indirect meanes for your help; if you can attain to this life of faith, you will find more comfort in want, than others in their wealth, more comfort in sickness, than others in their health, it will make you better in your worst estate, than unbeleivers are in their best estate, you are better in disgrace, than they are in honour, you are better in bondage, than they are in liberty; when thou wast a little child thou couldst sport and play, and tookest no care for mainte­nance, but didst rest upon thy earthly parents for food and rayment, and now thou art come to yeares of discretion, wherein thou [Page 71] shouldest have attained to knowledge and faith, hast thou not yet learned to trust thy heavenly Father for body and soul? why do ye doubt, oh ye of little faith? cast thy care wholly upon God, and he will care for you; thou pretendest thou canst trust God for thy soules everlasting peace, and canst thou not trust him for thy present bodily mantenance? [...]oul the weight of all thy cares wholly upon the Lords blessed providence, live the life of faith, and thou shalt die the death of the righteous, yea, thy last and shall be like his.

WE are all by nature polluted with iniquity both in soul and body, and have need to cry with the Leper, un­clean, unclean; if this sinful pollution be not washt a­way, it will prove destructive to our soules and bodies eternally; the onely meanes to wash away this pollution is the pretious bloud of our blessed Redeemer, which he doth by the merit and efficacy of it; for if he wash [Page 73] us with his bloud we shall be Kings and Priests unto God, Revel. 1.5, 6. but if he wash us not, we have no part with him.

Touching the occasion and coherence of these words, we read in the first verse of this chapter, its said. Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come, that he should depart out of this world un­to the Father, &c. verse 2. and supper being end­ed, &c. verse 4. he riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments, and took a towell and girded himself: verse 5. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the Disci­ples feet, and to wipe them with the towell where­with he was girded: verse 6. Then cometh he to Simon Peter, and Peter saith unto him, Lord, doest thou wash my feet? verse 7. Jesus answered and said unto him, what I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter: verse 8. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt ne­ver wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Christ washt their feet, partly to shew his admirable love to them, partly to give them an example of humility, and love one to another; and lastly to intimate, that he onely cleanseth us from our sins, 1 John 1.7. when Peter said, Lord, doest thou wash my feet? this he seemed to say, as fearing it had been too much dis­honour [Page 74] for Christ, the Son of the immortal God, to wash a sinners feet, not then fully understanding as after he did, 1 Peter 1.19. that he came to redeem us with his own pre­tious bloud; in effect he said, O my Lord, dost thou wash my feet with those sacred hands, with which thou didst open the eyes of the blind, heal the sick, and raise the dead, &c. I am unworhty to perform this office to thee, and wouldest thou do it for me? Christ told him, verse 7. What I do thou knowest not now, &c. as if he had said, Peter thou doest not as yet understand the reason of this act of mine, thou shalt in due time know upon what ground I do it, but in the mean time it behooves thee to submit thy self with all humble obedience to this work I have in hand, for if I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me: the meaning is, if I do not wash thee both by my bloud, shed for the expiati­on of mans sin, and by the sanctifying power of my Spirit (which I would represent unto thee by this washing) thou canst have no part of glorious comfort with me, no interest in me, no benefit by me: afterwards, verse 12. Christ sat down with his Disciple to the Passover; where by the way observe: That Christ celebrated four Passovers.

The first was mentioned in John 2.23. [Page 75] which as the learned conceive, was celebrated on the sixt day of April.

The second Passover they conceive is men­tioned John 5.1.

The third they conceive is in John 6.4.

The fourth here mentioned in this chap­ter, and in Math. 26. Mark 14. Christ kept his Passover the fourteenth day of the first moneth, called in the Hebrew Abib, Exod. 13.4. in the Chaldee tongue Nisan, Esther 3.7. containing part of March, and part of Aprill, for that indeed was the proper time first appointed by the Lord, Exod. 12.6. he did not tarry the other two dayes, as the Jewes did before they kept it. The tenth day every one was to begin to prepare, and so Christ did by coming to Jerusalem, for he came thither six dayes before the Jewes kept their Passover, the first of which answered to our Monday, and the fourth to Thursday. That the Jewes kept not their Passover till two dayes after, it is plain, because he being taken by them that night, and brought to the judgement Hall next morning, being Friday, it is said, that they would not go in, because it was their preparation to the Passover, John 18.28. so they kept not the Passover till the next day, being our Saturday, but their Sab­bath. That Christ kept his Passover before [Page 76] the Jewes kept theirs, is expresly noted in this chapter, for his last Supper is said to be before the Passover: but this by the way.

These words in my Text contain two parts.

1. A Supposition, If I wash thee not.

2. A Position, Thou hast no part with me.

This Point hath two branches.

The first is, That Christ washeth us, and that he doth five wayes.

1. By the Sacrament of Baptisme, Math. 3.11. I indeed baptize you with water, &c. but he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost, and with fire: that is, with the holy Ghost like to fire in operation and effect; Titus 3.5. But ac­cording to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the holy Ghost: that is, by the renewing of the holy Ghost, which is like a bath of water, whereby our filthy sins are washt away, Ezek. 36.25, 26, 27. whereof Baptisme is a sign and a seal: [Page 77] in the original it is, by the laver of regenerati­on, he alludes to the laver of brass, Exod. 30.18, in which the Priests washed themselves when they ministred in the Tabernacle.

2. By his blessed Word, John 15.3. Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spo­ken unto you? that is, the Word which I have spoken to you was accompanied with such power of the Spirit, that like water it cleansed you from corrupt affections.

3. Christ washeth us by the merit and ef­ficacy of his pretious bloud, 1 John 1.7. And the bloud of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin, namely, by the merit and efficacy of it.

4. Christ washeth us by the saving graces of his holy Spirit, Titus 3.5. and renewing of the holy Ghost: Ezek. 36.25. Then I will sprinkle clean water upon you: that is, the sa­ving graces of the holy Ghost.

5. Christ washeth us by his gentle cor­rections and trials sanctified to us; afflicti­ons are compared to water, Psalm 66.12. We went through fire and through water: Psalm 42.7. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy water spouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me: as if he had said, one affliction (like so many waves) comes in the neck of another, and in a miserable succession, as it [Page 78] were, cals for the next, upon the predetermi­nation of these my adversities, which do, as it were, gush out from thee, by those convei­ances which thou hast ordained; now the fruit of these afflictions sanctified is set down in Isaiah 27.9. By this therefore shall the ini­quity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin.

Reas. Because God ordained and sent him for this end, John 6.27. For him hath God the Father sealed: that is, ordained and authorized him to be the onely meanes to wash and cleanse us; such as seek by other meanes to get their sins washt away, and not by his bloud, will loose their labour, and such as seek to have them washt away by his bloud, shall certainly enjoy this mercy, be­cause God hath ordained him to this work, and he will do it perfectly.

2. Because he onely can do it, he hath in­finite merit and efficacy in him; it belongs to his priestly office to wash our sins away, Hebr. 9.14. How much more shall the bloud of Christ, who through the eternall Spirit (that is his Godhead) offered himself without spot to God, purge your consciences from dead works, &c. all doctrine belongs to his Prophetical Office, all merit belongs to his Priestly Office, all efficacy belongs to his Kingly Office.

[Page 79]3. Because Christ purchased and procured pardon of sins, and peace with God for us; therefore he is said, 1 Corinth. 1.30. to be made to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption: God the Father is every true beleivers portion, Christ by his bloud hath purchased this portion for them, and the holy Ghost seales this portion to them, Ephes. 1.13. Ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise; that is, which Christ pro­mised to send to his Elect, in John 14. and 16. chapters.

The second branch is, If Christ wash us not, we have no part with him: 1 Corinth. 6.10, 11. Nor theeves, nor covetous, nor drun­kards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inhe­rit the Kingdom of God: and such were some of you, but ye are washed, &c. implying, that such wicked persons for want of this wash­ing are like to be damned.

Reas. Because no filthy unclean thing can come into heaven, for God is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on ini­quity: now such as be not washt with Christs bloud are very filthy; heaven is a place of infinite purity and holiness, on earth unclean persons are suffered to dwell, but into heaven they shall never enter.

[Page 80]2. Because if Christ wash us not we have no peace with God, for all true peace with God ariseth from Christ his washing us, Rom. 5.1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ: Justification is Gods gratious sentence, whereby (for Christ apprehended by faith) he absolves a beleiver from sin and death, and reputes him just to life; for in justifica­tion Christs bloud by its merit washeth away sin, which provokes God to anger, but when that is removed, we have peace with God; but such as have no peace with God, are ne­ver like to have part with Christ.

3. Because if he wash us not we shall ne­ver enjoy the precious benefits of his death, resurrection, ascention, and intercession, Ephes. 5.25, 26. As Christ loved the Church, and gave himself (viz. to death) for it: that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water, by the word: that is, by bap­tismal water, and his word taught; for whom he washeth, they enjoy the spiritual benefit of his death, resurrection, &c. and as Paul proves at large, Rom. 6.3, 4, 5, 6. Colos. 3.1, 2. yea, this washing is a sure sign of his love to us, Revel. 1.5. unto him who hath lo­ved us, and washed us from our sins in his own bloud; but such as have no right to the death, [Page 81] resurrection, ascention and intercession of Christ, cannot be saved.

Next I shall teach you how to use this point. The Uses I shall draw out of those five wayes mentioned, whereby Christ wash­eth us.

Ʋse. I told you that Christ washeth us by the Sacrament of Baptisme: This Use still serves to reprove all such as were never washt inwardly, as never felt the spiritual fruit of baptisme in their hearts and lives; they content themselves with the bare outward washing, and would be accounted Christi­ans, but no life of Christ appears in their lives; such as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ, Galat. 3.27. but these never put on Christ, they go to hell with a Trumpet before them, proclaiming their leudness o­penly, they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not, they have not crucified their old man, nor destroyed the body of sin, neither do they walk in newness of life: Simon Ma­gus was baptized, yet was in the gall of bit­terness, and bond of iniquity; so are these, they shew themselves to be servants of sin, and their end is like to be according to their works.

2. I told you in the second place, that Christ washeth us by his sacred word: This [Page 82] Use still serves to reprove such as never felt the lively vertue and working power of the Word upon their own soule; the Word preached to them was like water poured up­on a Rock: God would have purged but they would not be purged, therefore they shall not be purged any more, till he cause his fury to rest upon them; the Word they heard did not profit them, because they did not beleive it, it seemed as a fable to them, had they regarded it, they would have refor­med their lives by it more than they did: but they are so wedded to their wicked wayes, that Gods Word hath no place in them, but they are like a Smiths Anvil, more hardened by many blowes: so be they by frequent preaching, they please themselves in that they can sometimes weep under a cross, but stone wals can sweat against rain and yet be hard within, so are their hearts as hard, and their lives as wicked as any heathen; Christ may say to them as he did to Jerusalem, Jerem. 13.27. Woe to thee, wilt thou not be made clean! when shall it once be?

Object. But many such will say, They hope to do as well as the best, for God is merci­full,

Answ. Will ye live in swearing, whore­dome, drunkenness, sabbath-breaking, con­tempts [Page 83] of godliness, blaspheming Gods peo­ple, lying and deceit, and yet say, you hope for mercy? are these the wayes to find mercy with God? if you look no better about you then thus, but live and die in these sins, you are as sure to damned, as you are to die, John 8 24. there Christ threatned the Pharisees, that they should die in their sins, which is the most fearful kind of death that can be: we account hanging a dogs death, pining a most painful death, or to die in a stinking dungeon a miserable death, and so they be, yet one may die any of these wayes and his soul be saved, but they that die in their sins cannot be saved, for they die out of Gods fa­vour, they die enemies to God.

3. I told you in the third place, that Christ washeth us with the merit of his pre­cious bloud: This Use still serves to reprove such as never seek to have themselves washt with it, but still lie under the guilt of sin, they content themselves with a little overly knowledge of Christ, and with a bare histo­rical faith, but they never apply Christs me­rits to their soules for justification; their consciences are extreamly defiled, they are more full of filthy lusts than a Serpent is of poyson; the Papists teach, that a Christiā may merit heaven by good works, so they offer [Page 84] horrible indignity to Christ precious merits and many carnal Protestants follow them, thinking they can addle heaven by their good deeds and good meaning, but all this while they endeavour not to be found in Christ, that they may be clothed with his righteousness; at their death, and at the end of the world, they will find their sins the heaviest burthen they ever bare, and then for ever will they be ashamed of their ugly lusts and filthy sins, which were never washt away with Christs bloud.

4. I told you in the fourth place, that Christ washeth us with the saving graces of his holy Spirit: This Use still serves to re­prove such as were never thus washed; too many loose and prophane people, who have not so much as a form of godliness, these hate and deride holiness, they beleive not those places, Psalm 9.17. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the Nations that for­get God: Hebr. 12.14. Without holiness no man shall see the Lord: but they shall find these places true, when they find these judge­ments threatned executed upon them; too many be there, who rest in bare civil honesty and in some outward form of holiness, but are as dead in sins and trespasses as the other sort be; if there were as many people upon [Page 85] earth naturally dead, as there be spiritually dead, it would be very sad, fearful and dole­ful; you may hear them wish for grace, but they take no paines for it, their hearts rise a­gainst such as are gracious, when they be in health, though in sickness they desire to die the death of the righteous; its very sad to, see how long many have lived graceless un­der excellent meanes of grace; if a man fall into a swound, and we pour Aqua vitae into him, we rub him, and use meanes to recover him, but we perceive in him no heat, sense, nor motion, we conclude he is dead, the like we may say of very many, who have been long rubb'd and stirred by powerful preach­ing, but there appears in them no motion to­wards holiness, no warmth of love to Christ and his image, no sense of grace, but cold­ness in their hearts and lives, doubtless these men are dead, having no life of God in them.

5. I told you in the fift place, that Christ washeth us by gentle corrections and trials sanctified to us: This Use still serves to re­prove such as be nothing bettered by afflicti­ons, many crosses hath God laid upon them to humble and reform them, but they, like wicked King Ahaz, sin more in their af­fliction, 2 Chron. 28.22. Jerem. 5.3. he [Page 86] complains of the Jews for their perverseness, O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not greived, thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction, they have made their faces harder than a rock, they have refused to return. In Amos the fourth chapter, God by him complained of the Jewes, how he had many wayes afflicted them, Yet ye have not return­ed unto me, saith the Lord: To many plunge themselves deeper into wickedness when Gods hand is upon them, they are incorrigi­ble, and grow more obstinate, proud, pro­phane, worldly minded, and malitious against the truth; to such, lesser crosses will prove the beginning of sorrows; thou canst com­plain of bitter troubles and smarting miseries thou hast suffered, but what change have they wrought in thy heart and life? have they made thee more fearful to offend God, and more studious and careful to please him? then thou art in a blessed condition if it be so; but if thou beest more hardened in sin by afflictions, then know to thy terrour, that the worst is behind; Hosea 5.12. God threatens to be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness; that is, he would try them with lesser afflictions, and wast them by degrees; but if those did them [Page 87] no good, he threatens verse 14. For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah, I, even I will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him: that is, he would come with more fear­full and terrible judgements to destroy them, forbearance is no forgiveness, though God have leadē heels, yet he hath iron hands, easie warnings neglected ever end in destruction; you that have been oftentimes crusht and prest with heavy crosses, yet you are nothing better, but wax worse and worse, your judge­ment lingers not, your damnation slumbers not.

Ʋse. 2. For comfort: I told you in the first place, that Christ washeth us with the Sa­crament of Baptisme: This Use serves for singular consolation to all that be thus wash­ed, you are happy, and have cause to re­joyce: for,

1. First you were baptized into Christ his; death, Rom. 6.3, 4. you are buried with Christ by baptisme into death, your old man is cru­cified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth you should not serve sin; now his death will destroy your corruptions, as Irish earth kils venomeous creatures applied to it; sin may dwell in you, but it shall not have dominion over you, it [Page 88] troubles you like a tyrant, but it shall never be laid to your charge; you by faith apply­ing Christs death to your soules, shall find your corruptions weaker, and your hearts ri­sing against them; as Davids house waxed stronger and Sauls house weaker, so shall grace grow stronger and sin weaker in you.

2. You are planted together with Christ in the likeness of his resurrection, that ye may walk in newness of life; you live above o­thers, in a farre more excellent way than they do, blessed are you that ever you were born, but chiefly that you were born again; you are more excellent than your carnal neigh­bours, you are such, of whom the world is not worthy, you are precious in the eyes of Je­hovah, and he will honour you for ever, your life is gracious, and your death shall be glori­ous.

3. You shall have the answer of a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 3.21. The like figure whereunto even baptisme doth also now save us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience, &c. Here Peter hath respect to that custome which was used in the baptisme of those who were of age, the person baptizing asked the person to be [Page 89] baptized, Whether he beleived? and he an­swered, I beleive, &c. hence by the answer of a good conscience, we may understand that unfained faith, whereof they made confessi­on at their baptisme, and whereby their con­sciences were purified, and whereby they re­ceived remission of their sinnes, testified by Christs resurrection from the dead; also we may understand that covenant whereinto they entred at their baptisme, the embracing whereof they testified by their unfained con­fession of their faith; this benefit you shall receive by baptisme, by applying unto your soules the power of Christs resurrection, your consciences shall be both quieted and assured of pardon and favour, and is there­upon enabled to treat for, and expect mercy from God, and reconciliation with him, and so the faithful soul, in the confidence hereof, boldly questioneth with God about his fa­vour reconciled unto him by Christs death, and testified by his resurrection, saying, hath not Christ reconciled thy favour unto us by his death to endure for ever? certainly it is so, for his resurrection doth testifie it, seeing that unless he had made a perfect expiation of our sins by his death, and reconciled thy favour unto us, he could not have risen again to life and heavenly glory.

[Page 90]2. I told you in the second place, that Christ washeth us with his sacred Word: This Use still serves to comfort all such as are washed it by, these benefits thou shalt enjoy by it.

1. You shall ask what you will (if it be according to Gods will, and for his glory) and it shall be done unto you, John 15.7. which is an high priviledge; prayer is the wing of the soul, wherewith it flies up to heaven to Christ, it peirceth the clouds, it is a corner of heaven to a gracious soul, it hath a kind of omnipotency in it, it is the key of heaven gates to unlock them; this is a sign of Gods great favour to you, when he graci­ously heares and grants your suits; its a sure sign of an upright heart hating all sin, Psalm 66.18. If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me: verse 19. But verily God hath heard me: therefore he might safely conclude, he regarded not iniquity in his heart: friends will say to one another, you shall prevail with me sooner than others shall: I will do more for you than for others, doubtless its a sign you are good friends when you find good hearing and granting your prayers; so our Saviour cals them friends, Iohn 15.14, 15.

2. You shall abide in the love of God, [Page 91] Iohn 15.10 If ye keep my commandements, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Fathers commdements, and abide in his love: what greater happiness can you desire in this world? you need not fear the malice and fury of devils and wicked men, you need not fear famine, sword pestilence, poverty, nor death it self, whilest you abide in the love of God; his loving kindness will be better to you than life, for in his love is life, yea, it is better than wine, his love will make every thing work together for your good, it will sweeten crosses and want to you; what if you loose your outward estate, your liberty, your favour with the world, yea, your bodily life for Christ, yet your continuing in Gods love will make amends for all, it will repair your losses, renew your comforts, establish your hearts in grace, and promote you to glory; you cannot be in a better condition, than to abide in the love of God.

3. Christ will present you glorious to God, Ephes. 5.26, 27. That he might sancti­fie and cleanse it, with the washing of water, by the Word: that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish: as if he had said, that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by his [Page 92] holy Spirit working in us, by his Word, and by his Sacrament of baptisme, as the meanes thereof, that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, &c. Christ presents his Church to God at three several times.

The first time was, when he was upon the cross, 1 Peter 2.24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, &c. for he died for all the elect, and the Lord said upon him the iniquities of them all: the merit of his bloud then shed, and the power of his death extends to all the elect from the beginning of the world to the end of it, and God looks upon them washt with that bloud, and recon­ciled to himself by his death.

The second time is from his death to the end of the world, now he is interceding in heaven, Rom. 8.34. Who also maketh inter­cession for us: Christ is our intercessour four wayes:

1. By appearing for us in the sight of God, Hebr. 9.24. he is gone before us to prepare a place for us, John 14.2. and Hebr. 6.20 Whether the fore-runner is for us entred, even Jesus, &c.

2. By the force of his sacrifice once offer­ed to make full satisfaction to Gods justice; Hebr. 10 12, 14. Christ presents his merits as a publick satisfaction for the debt of sin, [Page 93] and as a publike price for the purchase of glory, for the justice of God was not to be intreated or pacified without a satisfaction, and therefore where Christ is called an Ad­vocate, he is called a propitiation too, 1 Iohn 2.1, 2. because he intercedes for us in the right and vertue of the price which he payed, for the Lord spared not his Son, Rom. 8.32 but dealt in the full rigour of his justice with him.

3. By his constant will, that for the merit of that sacrifice, God would be pacified to wards the elect, Hebr. 10.10. Iohn 17.24.

4. By the assent and agreement of the Fa­ther resting in this will of his Son for us, Iohn 11.42 Math. 17.5.

The third time is at the day of judgement, when he will say, Behold I, and the children which thou hast given me; then the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord; then Christ will say to his true Members, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the King­dom prepared for you, from the foundation of the world: then shall true Christians have boldness in the day of judgement, 1 Iohn 4.17. because as he is so are we in this world: that [Page 94] is, our hearts tell us, that we desire to be every way conformable to his will, labouring to­wards that holiness and perfection which it in him; we are as Christ was in this world, when by the mortification of our sins we re­present Christ dying for us, and by true bro­therly love we come as neer to him as we can.

3. I told you in the third place, that Christ washeth us with his precious bloud: This Use still serves to comfort all that be so washed; these blessed priviledges belong to you:

First, its a sure sign that Jesus Christ hath loved you, Revel. 1.5. Ʋnto him that hath lo­ved us, and washed us in his own bloud: If he had not loved thee, he would not have washt thee; this is thy great honour and comfort, to be beloved of him; it is a true proverb, he is rich whom God loves, and poor who God hates; the love of Christ is better than wine, its the ground of all other comforts, thou needest not fear the malice of devils, and wicked men, for the love of Christ can do more for thee, than their malice can do against thee, devils are mighty, wicked men are mighty, and sinnes are mighty, but Christ is Almighty, for he is God over all blessed for ever, neither can any thing separate [Page 95] thee from his love, Romans 8. last.

2. A second priviledge is, thou art a spiri­tual King and a Priest, Revel. 1.6. And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father: that is, as he redeemed us by his bloud, so he hath regenerated us by his Spirit, 1 Iohn 5.6. and made us Kings to rule over the devil, the world and the flesh, and priests to offer up to God the personal sacri­fice of our selves, Rom. 12.1. the verbal sa­crifice of praise, and reall sacrifice of almes, Hebr. 13.15, 16. what though thy outward estate be mean and low, thou art nothing set by, yet thou art honourable, because thou art precious in Gods sight, Eccles. 10.7. I have seen servants upon horses, and Princes walking as servants upon the earth; yet they are Princes still, for the righteous, though he be low and contemned, is better than his rich neighbour that is wicked and leud, though the world look upon thee with scorn and hatred, yet God and his glorious Angels behold thee with delight, for the Lord takes pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mer­cy, Psalm 147.11.

3. A third priviledge is, thou shalt serve and glorifie God in an acceptable manner, Hebr. 9.14. How much more shall the bloud of Christ, who through the eternall Spirit (that is [Page 96] his Godhead) offered himself without spot to God, purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God? namely, in an accep­table manner: Revel. 7.14, 15. These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe: therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his Temple; and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them: that as the waters of the Sea, though they be salt and brackish in their own nature, yet by running through the veines of the earth loose their brackishness, and become pure and sweet; so though our service we perform to God be weak and pol­luted with sin, yet being presented through the intercession of Christ, and persumed with his merit, it becomes pleasant and acceptable to God; and that as David loved lame Me­phibosheth for Jonothans sake, even so will God take in good part thy weak service for Christs sake.

4. I told you in the fourth place, that Christ washeth us with the saving grace of the holy Ghost: This Use still serves to com­fort all such whom he hath thus washed.

For first, he will give thee a new and a tender heart, Ezek. 36.25, 26. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be [Page 97] clean from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you: a new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh: This is an excellent fruit of his spiritual washing you; it is a greater blessing than a house full of gold: David earnestly desired God to create a clean heart in him: happy for ever art thou that hast a tender heart, forthy ser­vice performed to God will be pleasing to him, thou art freed from the dominion and damnation of sin, thou art more fearful to offend God, and more careful to please him than others.

2. Now thou shalt be able to walk in Gods wayes, and to keep his Statutes; verse 27. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgements, and do them: This is a great happiness, for the wayes of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them, but the transgressours shall fall therein, Hosea 14.9. and blessed is every one that feareth the Lord, that walketh in his wayes for these are wayes of pleasantness, and paths of peace; carnal people know not these wayes, neither can they walk in them, but God hath given thee life to walk in them without weariness [Page 98] and fainting, for the way of the Lord is strength to the upright; now thou walkest with God, and to God thou shalt go at thy latter end.

3. God will be thy God, and will bless thee, Ezek. 36.28, 29. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God: I will also save you from all your uncleannesses, and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. He is God Al­mighty, and can do more for you than you can ask or think; he is God infinitely mer­ciful and pittiful, and therefore will do more for you, than any enemy can do against you: if you have him to be your God, what can you desire more? he is the God of all grace, mercy and glory, all happiness is in him, he is the fountain of all blessedness, happy is that people that is in such a case, happy is that people whose God is the Lord.

5. I told you in the fifth place, that Christ washeth us by gentle corrections sanctified to us: This Use still serves to comfort all that be cleansed by afflictions sanctified to them.

For first, Christ will keep thee safe in the midst of great calamities and dangers; thou shalt be mediis tranquillus in undis: Job 5. [Page 99] 20, 21, 22. In famine he shall redeem thee from death, and in war from the power of the sword: thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue, neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh: at destruction and famine thou shal [...] laugh; neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth: He will shew his power most, in preserving thee when thou art exposed to extream calamities; as he kept the Israelites at the red sea, the three Children in the fiery furnace, Daniel in the Lions den; and though Christ works not miracles ordinarily now, yet he can preserve thee by ordinary means, as well as by miraculous meanes; let the meanes be what it will be, yet thou hast the same almighty power and fidelity of Christ to save thee.

2. Thou shalt have peace with his crea­tures, Job 5.23. For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee: that is, all creatures, who are ingaged in the quarrels of their Maker, shall now stand in good terms with thee, and joyn together to thy use and service; the blessed Angels have a charge too keep thee in all thy wayes, Psalm 91. so they delivered Lot out of Sodom, and Peter out of prison, they saved Jacob from Esau; The starres in their courses fought against [Page 100] Sisera, and helped Deborah and Barak, Judges 4, and 5. the waters of the red Sea gave way to the Israelites to passe over safely: now you are at peace with the master of the fa­mily, all his servants shall be at your ser­vice.

3. Thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace, and thou shalt visit thy habitation and shalt not sin, Job 5.24. that is, thy fa­mily shall live peaceably with thee, and one with another, all thine shall be safe, and all thou hast shall prosper; thou shalt look into the state of thy family, requiring an account of thy children and servants, how they have carried themselves, and how things commit­ted to them prosper; and thou shalt not be deceived of thine expectation, but shalt find things as thou thinkest, and as thou wouldest have it, and that thine have been faithful, and thy affairs prosperous.

4. Thou shalt know also, that thy seed shall be great, and thine off-spring as the grass of the earth, Job 5.25. that is, thou shalt live to see thy childrens children, and shalt leave a great posterity behind thee like the grass on the earth, for a good man being in covenant with God, leaves Gods blessing for a legacy to his children, when wicked men leave Gods curse to theirs.

[Page 110]5. Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his sea­son: that is, as full ripe corn is made into shocks, and carried into the b [...]rn, so thou shalt die in peace, and shalt not be as wicked men, cut off in their sins, thy last day shall be thy best day, and the day of thy death will be better than the day of thy birth; whoso­ever closeth thy bodily eyes at thy dissoluti­on, the eye of thy soul shall see Christ in his glory; whosoever bears thy body to burial, the blessed Angels shall bear thy soul to hea­ven.

Ʋse. 3. For direction, I told you in the first place, that Christ washeth us by bap­tisme: This Use serves to direct us how to get our soules washt by baptisme.

First, remember what a solemn promise we made in our baptisme, and how often we break it; this will be a good meanes to humble us, and to make us more carefull to keep our covenant.

2. Repent for the frequent breach of it, else it will lie very heavy upon your consci­ences at the hour of death, we would be a­shamed to break our peace so often with man, as we have done with God; let Gods faithfulness to us make us be ashamed of our perfidiousness to him.

[Page 102]3. Labour to feel the efficacy of your baptisme, by faith in Christ indeavour to feel corruption mortified through the power of Christs death, and your soul quickened with grace through the spiritual efficacy of his resurrection, then you put on Christ to your eternal comfort.

2. I told you in the second place, that Christ washeth us by his Word: This Use still serves to direct us how to get our soules washt by it.

First, We must hide it in our hearts, Psalm 119.11. Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee: and when it cleanseth thy heart, which is the fountain, then it will cleanse thy words and actions streaming from it.

2. Hear it with a purpose to practise it, Psalm 119.33. Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end: verse 34. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law, yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart: what good will the best meat do to an hungry man if he eat it not? Or what good will an excellent plaister do to a wounded man if he apply it not? So what is a man better for hearing and reading Gods Word if he do it not? Micah 2.7. Do not my words good to him that walketh uprightly? [Page 103] but if he walk not uprightly, they are not like to do him good.

3. Make use of it upon all occasions, then as Christ said, John 15.3. ye shall be clean through the word spoken to you: obey the precepts of it, apply the promises, and stand in awe of the threatenings, that your profi­ting may appear to all: live by the rules of it, walk in the light of it, that you may be such as God would have you.

3. I told you in the third place, that Christ washeth us by the merit of his precious bloud: This Use still serves to direct us how to get our soules washed by it; that must be by faith, Rom. 3.25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. We read in the New Testament, how our blessed Saviour healed many that belei­ved in him; there is mighty efficacy in a true lively faith, to cleanse the soul by applying the merit and efficacy of Christs bloud; be­leive stedfastly in the Lord Jesus with all your heart, and you shall find the strength of sin dying in you.

4. I told you in the fourth place, that Christ washeth us with the saving graces of his holy Spirit: This Use still serves to direct [Page 104] us how to get our soules thus washed.

First, Get a clear sight of the worth and necessity of them, then you will pray to Christ with Peter, Lord, wash not my feet onely, but also my hands and my head: there is no de­sire of a thing unknown; grace is so exceed­ingly sweet and lovely, that the spiritual sight of it will set the heart a longing after it.

2. Hunger and thirst exceeding fervent­ly after grace, and you shall be satified and washed: Christ is very bountiful of his bles­sings now he is in glory; for Revel 22.17. he freely invites us, And let every one that is a thirst, come; and whosoever will, let him take the waters of life freely: The more you thirst after these living waters, the faster will they flow into you.

3. Labour to grow in these graces, that you may be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect, and holy, as he that calleth you is holy: think not that a stock of grace at your conversion, without daily growth, will bear you out to your latter end, as many in their youth provide worldly riches enough to maintain them in their old age; you must be alwayes adding to your stock; if a child were no bigger at twenty yeares old than when its new born, how could it help it self? how [Page 105] could it maintain it self? defend it self a­gainst dangers? so if you grow no better after the receit of Gods abundant mercies, and in particular, under the plentiful meanes of grace, how will you be able to serve, please and glorifie God? how will you be able to suffer for Christ? to work out your salvation with fear and trembling? therefore grow in grace, and then you shall be more clean from iniquity.

5. I told you in the fifth place, that Christ washeth us by afflictions sanctified to us. This Use still serves to direct us how to get our selves washed by them.

First, Labour to know the right cause of them; this course is prescribed in Lamen. 3.39, 40. Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? Let us search and try our wayes, and turn again to the Lord: that is, let us not repine at Gods hand in correcting us, but let us search and try our wayes to find out our sins, our personal and particular failings, which provoked God to afflict us; this course if we take, we may find cause enough in our selves to justifie Gods righteous hand in afflicting us.

2. Let afflictions drive thee to repen­tance, to make thee a partaker of Gods holi­ness, Hebr. 12.10. But he for our profit, that [Page 106] we might be partakers of his holiness: then they are sanctified to thee, and will tend to the health of thy soul, as physick that works kind­ly proves healthful to the body: let crosses make thee more penitent, more holy, more heavenly, more upright, then it will be com­fortable to thee in thy latter end.

3. Pour out earnest prayers, and hearty suites to God in miseries: this course Gods people took formerly, Isaiah 26.16. Lord, in trouble they have visited thee; they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them: pray to our Redeemer to be with thee in all afflictions, never to leave thee to thine own weakness, nor to the will of thine enemies; beseech him to mitigate thy miseries, to san­ctifie them to thee, to cause them to yeild thee the peaceable fruit of righteousness, to teach thee to make an holy use of them, and to give thee a gracious issue out of them in his good time, then you may say as Psalm 49.5. Where­fore should I fear in the day [...]s of evill, when the iniquity of my heels shall compasse me about?

Some may object, What, is there not cause to fear, when the iniquities of our heeles compass us about?

But I answer: That the word in the origi­nal [...] which is translated heels, may sig­nifie [Page 107] supplanters, and is read interrogatively, thus, shall the iniquity or malice of my ene­mies compass me about? shall they have their will upon me? his meaning is, they shall not; and the words following in verses 6, 7. favour this sense. Use all these meanes to be washed from your iniquities, that you may have part with Christ; let the world plod, carke and care for profit, pleasure and pre­ferment (the worldly mans Trinity) as ever you hope and desire to see the face of Christ to your comfort, and to live with him eter­nally, I beseech you now and ever to think of these things, for if Christ wash you not, you have no part with him.

THis Psalm was penned by David, as the title prefixed shewes, and was by him commmitted to the cheif Musician on N [...]gin [...]th, to be sung in the publike service at the Tabernacle, and afterwards at the Temp [...]e; for among them that were appointed to sing the Psalmes, and to play on the Instruments, one was appointed cheif, to set the tune, and to begin, who had the charge, because he was most excellent, as you may see in 1 Chron. 15. [Page 109] 21. and 23.4. for the word Neginoth, the godly and learned lights of the Church, un­derstand it to be meant of musical instru­ments, and in particular, of stringed instru­ments, which were played on with the hand onely, as Harps and Cymbals, Nehiloth were wind instruments; in those dayes the Priests and Levites used divers musical instruments in Gods worship, and that onely in the Tem­ple at Jerusalem, (not in the Countrey Sy­nagogues) both to cheer up, and to stir up the attention and affection of the hearers to the duties then in hand, and to typisie the sweet spiritual melody and comfort Christi­ans shall have by Christ and his glorious Go­spel now in the New Testament; therefore those musical instruments in Gods worship, were part of the ceremonial Law, (being used in the Temple, which was a type of Christs body, John 2.19, 20.21.) and there­fore ought not to be used in the Gospel-worship now a dayes, because the ceremonial Law was abolished by Christ, therefore we must not revive it; also because the Primitive Church never used such musick in Gods wor­ship. Austin conceives that David penned all the Psalms, but that is not like; those Psalms which he made have his name prefix­ed in their title, yet some Psalms which have [Page 110] no titles prefixed, were made by David, as the ninety fifth Psalm, verse 7, 8. compared with Hebr. 4.7. where its proved, that David made that Psalm, and its probable he made more Psalms that want titles prefixed. The Psalms are not placed in order as they were made, but as they were found by Ezra the Scribe, after the Jews returned from the Ba­bylonian captivity: the 72. Psalm verse 20. saith, The prayers of David the Son of Jesse are ended: that was the last Psalm that David made, but was there placed as it was found: the 144 Psalm (as the learned conceive, and probably) was the first Psalm that David made, to praise God after he returned from the slaughter of Goliah, though it be placed towards the latter end of the Psalmes, for it was placed there, as it was found, not when it was made. This Psalm (as some conceive) was made by David, when he prayed for de­liverance from Saul, when he and his Army had almost compassed David in the wilder­ness of Maon, 1 Sam. 23.25.26. the pur­pose of David in this Psalm was, to shew his confidence in God for safety, when his ene­mies troubled him; and this confidence he shewed by three effects.

1. By a general deprecation of the danger which was near him, verse 1.

[Page 111]2. By a grave expostulation with, and in­struction of his enemies, ver. 2, 3, 4, 5.

3. By a solemn profession of his depen­dance on God alone, ver. 6, 7, 8.

In his speech to his enemies are the words of my Text, which are a reason moving them to desist from their purpose of abusing Da­vid, and turning his glory into shame, verse 2. as if he had said, O ye proud enemies, that pride your selves in the favour and counte­nance of Saul, how long will ye vainly indea­vour to disappoint that glory, that regal dig­nity, which God hath by his Prophet fore-promised unto me? which reason is drawn from the cause of that glory which they op­posed, which was Gods decree, whereby this dignity was conferred on David: in which words are:

1. An Admonition, But know.

2. A Proposition, having the nature of a Promise, That the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: Hence observe.

Reas. Because every godly man is a god­like man, he hath part of God in him, the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shew his handy work, but every godly man shewes forth the vertues of him that called him out of darkness to marvel­lous light; he shines with the beames of Gods Spirit, and is a partaker of the divine nature, therefore he followes God as a dear child: Parents by nature beget children like themselves, much more will God by regene­ration make his children like himself: a god­ly man resembles his heavenly Father, for where God loves, he loves, where God hates, he hates: Nature cannot stamp Gods image upon him, for he is a heaven-born Crea­ture.

2. Because every godly man sets his heart upon God, the stream of his affections runs to him, his heart opens to him, as the Mari­gold to the Sun: in what condition soever he is, his heart is still with God, and he cries with the Prophet, Psalm 73. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee: Prosperity drawes [Page 113] him not, adversity drives him not from God, he is no vassall to sin, Satan, or the world.

3. Because a godly man indeavours to do every thing that God commands him, accor­ding to his knowledge and abillity, he makes Gods will the rule of his, and his word the rule of his life: God puts every godly man into a general and particular calling, and teacheth him how to behave himself in these callings; this makes him a man after Gods own heart, as David for this cause was so called, Acts 13.22.

4. Because every godly man is Gods factour, he lies ligier for God, as Merchants have their factors beyond sea, to lie ligier for them, to truck and barter for them, so doth every godly man for God, he trades for him all he can, Rom. 14.8. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord: and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: Phillip. 1.21. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain: that is, the end and scope of my life is to honour and exalt Christ.

5. Because a godly man is best fitted and prepared for Gods work and service; he is one of Gods peculiar people, zealous of good works, Titus 2.14. Gods work is a pure and cleanly work, and should be done with pure [Page 114] hearts and clean hands; in the time of Mo­ses Law, the Priests onely might offer sacri­fice, and before they did it they might wash their bodies: so a godly man is washt with the bloud of Christ, and the grace of the holy Ghost, by vertue whereof he is the fittest to do Gods work: it is not for slovenly clowns to wait upon great men, the work of the de­vil is filthy, nasty and beastly, wicked men delight in it, and are the fittest for it.

6. Because onely the heart of a godly man will bow and bend to Gods work; it is a work requiring much labour and self-deni­all; one must stoop low to take up this bur­den: he that loves God truly, loves him with all his heart and strength, onely the godly man doth this: he that serves God truly, is fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, onely the godly man doth this: he that keeps Gods Commandements aright, hath respect to all his Commandements, and Gods Com­mandements are not grievous to him, onely the godly man doth this. The Jews say, there be three hundred sixty five negative precepts in the Law, according to the number of dayes in the year; and two hundred forty eight affirmative commanding precepts, according to the number of bones in a mans body, [Page 115] whereby they would signifie, that we must no day do those things which God hath for­bidden; and that with all the bones and members of our body we must do all those things which God hath commanded, onely the godly man endeavours and desires to do this.

7. Because God can trust none but the godly man, for the godly man is the faithful man; let an hypocrite have excellent parts of knowledge, he will set up himself, and seek his own ends, as the Pharisees, Mat. 6. gave almes, prayed and fasted, but did all to be seen of men; like an idle unfaithful ser­vant, that works one hour for his master, and two for himself: but the godly man resolves to defend Gods cause to the utmost of his power, and to bring all the glory he can to God: Numb. 12.7. Moses was said to be faithful in all Gods house, the Martyrs would not for fear or favour of the world betray Gods cause, but parted with their lives, liberties and estates to glorifie Jesus Christ.

8. Because none will doe Gods work so well as the godly man, none have so much care to please God as he; hypocrites slubber over the Lords work; in prayer they draw near to God with their lips, but their hearts [Page 116] are far from him; when they hear his Word, their hearts goe after their covetousness; in receiving the Lords Supper, they discern not the Lords body, but receive onely the out­ward signs: but a godly man prayes in pray­er as Elias did, James 5 17. [...]; his heart is fixed with David, trust­ing in the Lord: in hearing the Word, his heart burnes with holy zeal in him, he will be careful and studious both to hear the Word and do it: in receiving the Lords Supper, he will examine himself before he eat of that bread and drink of that cup: he will doe Gods work according to Gods will.

Ʋse. The Uses I shall spin out of the Reasons: the first reason is, Because every godly man is a god-like man: the first Use springing out of this Reason, will be for con­solation to all that be truly godly; its ground of great comfort to thee that thou art like to God; now thou mayest be assured of Gods dear love, that he hath loved thee with an everlasting love, which is better than life: likeness is the cause of love, this godliness is an infallible fruit of thine election, and once elected, alwayes beloved: as earthly parents most affect those children which resemble them most, so will thy heavenly Father ex­ceedingly love thee for being so like to him; [Page 117] the world derides and hates thee for godli­ness, but be not dejected, for godliness will be thine eternal honour and comfort.

2. It may serve for admonition; take heed of despising any man for being like to God, for in despising him for godliness you despise God, because godliness is his image.

Many excuse themselves, and say, they hate not a godly man for his godliness, but for his hypocrisie.

I answer: 1. Why doest thou not hate hypocrisie in thy self, and in others, who make no shew of godliness, but live in hypo­crisie, and openly declare it?

2. Godliness with some hypocrisie is bet­ter than hypocrisie without any godliness at all; as corn with chaffe is better than chaffe without corn; gold with dross is better than dross without gold; you have more reason to love and honour them for their godliness, than to hate them for hypocrisie, because they hate hypocrisie and strive against it, but they love godliness, and labour to grow in it.

3. It may serve to exhort you all to en­deavour to be like to God in godliness both in heart and life.

Consider 1. what an honour it will be to you, it will make your memories blessed, [Page 118] when the names of the wicked shall rot: ve­ry honourable and precious to this day are the names of Abraham for faith, Moses for meekness, Joseph for chastity, Job for pati­ence, David for zeal, Daniel for integrity of life, Paul for love to Christ, Peter and Mag­dalen for godly sorrow.

2. Consider what a comfort it will be to your consciences, when you follow God as dear children, so that God is in you of a truth: it was a greater comfort to blessed Hezekiah, that he had walked before God in truth with a perfect heart, than that he was honourable and wealthy: none have so much cause to rejoyce and to be of good chear as the godly man, for he is the friend of God, his sins are pardoned, Christ is his treasure, the holy Ghost is his Comforter, and heaven is his inheritance: Psalm 32.11. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoyce ye righteous; and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart.

Ʋse 2. I told you the second reason was, because every godly man sets his heart upon God: The Uses arising out of this Reason, serve, first, for information, to let us see the reason why Gods children enjoy such preci­ous peace of conscience, and rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory; namely, because they set their hearts on God, and [Page 119] their entire love to him will assure them of his eternal love to them; Prov. 8.17. I love them that love me: now this is the principal ground of true peace and joy: worldly fa­vour makes carnal people merry outwardly, and feeds them with vain hopes, it makes them build Castles in the air, and puts them into a fooles paradise; but the assurance of Gods love fills the heart of the upright with such joy as no man can take from them, John 16.22. wicked men may take their lives from them, their estates from them, their liberty from them, but true peace and joy they can­not take from them, for they set their hearts on the God of hope, who fills them with joy and peace.

2. It may inform us one reason why Gods children will not be drawn away from him and his wayes, because their hearts are set up­on God, and they account it their best way to draw near to God: all the wealth and honour of Egypt could not draw Moses from God and his People; the King of Babylon with all his power, terrour, and pollicy could not make the three Children worship his Idol, nor restrain Daniel from praying to God.

3. It serves to exhort you all to get your hearts fixed on God, let out all your love to [Page 120] him in as ample a manner as you can, let your love be so hot as many waters cannot never quench it, nor flouds drown it.

To move you to it, consider, first, how infi­nitely amiable and perfect God is; when you understand, that from everlasting to everla­sting he is God, without beginning, mutati­on and end, strive to love this eternal God: when you consider that God fils heaven and earth, yea, inhabiteth eternity, no place can comprehend his incomprehensible essence, set your selves to love this omni-present God: when you see how easily, powerfully and wisely God made heaven and earth with all things else strive to love this omnipotent God: when you see how God pitties, re­leives and succours his people in their mise­ry, and gives them help in their time of need, O set your heartiest love upon this merciful God.

2. Consider how eternally and unchange­ably he hath loved thee, Jerem. 31.3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love: before thou wast born he loved thee, yea, when thou wast his enemy he loved thee, and he will love thee for ever, nothing in this world, nor in the world to come, shall separate thee from his love.

3. Consider what comfort thou shalt have [Page 121] by loving God, 1 John 4.16. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him: happy is that soul that hath such a guest, for God will make any place a heaven to it: Prov. 8.17. I love them that love me: thy true love to him will assure thee of his love to thee, which worldly wealth and ho­nour cannot do, Psalm 91.14. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: God will be thy defence against dan­ger, he will be a wall of fire about thee. Rom. 8.28. And we know that all things work to­gether for good, to them that love God: nothing shall fall out amiss to thee, but God by his wisdom and power will give thee an holy comfortable use of all mercies, with an holy use of, and a comfortable issue out of all mi­series.

Ʋse. 3 I told you the third Reason was, because the godly man indeavours to do eve­ry thing that God commands him: The Uses springing out of this reason serve, first, to in­form us, the reason why the godly man is a man after Gods own heart, namely, because he sets himself to do all Gods will; for this cause David was so called, Acts 13.22. I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will, O that every one of us had an heart to do all [Page 122] Gods will, then we should be such as God would have us to be; a hypocrite doth but some part of Gods commands, therefore he is not a man after Gods own heart.

2. It informes us one Reason is, why God so willingly heares and grants the prayers of his people, that is, because they indeavour to do all Gods commands, 1 John 3.22. And whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandement, and do those things which are pleasing in his sight: Humanity teacheth friends to grant one anothers suits, when they please one another, much more will the God of nature, grace and glory, gra­ciously answer the prayers of his people that study to please him.

2. It serves to exhort us to endeavour to do all that God requires us to do.

Motives. 1. All his commands are holy, just and good, Rom. 7.12. Prov. 30 5. Eve­ry word of God is pure: though carnal nature may cavil against some of Gods commands because they crosse it, yet there is no defect in them, but the Law of the Lord is perfect.

2. To do all Gods will is the ready way to prosperity, Job 36.11. If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their dayes in prospe­rity, and their yeares in pleasures: God is the best Master to serve, his work is the best, and [Page 123] his pay is the best: And above all Gods com­mandements, I exhort you all to keep the Lords day holy, because he in the fourth Commandement bids us remember to keep it holy. 2. Because in Isaiah 58.13, 14. he makes it an excellent way of honouring him, and promiseth spiritual and temporal prosperity to such as do it; but if that place be meant of an extraordinary Sabbath, that is, a fast ap­pointed by man, then doubtless the Lord would have us much more keep holy the or­dinary Sabbath appointed by God.

If any object, Col. 2.16. Let no man there­fore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sab­bath dayes? verse 17. which are a shadow of things to come, &c.

I answer, he meanes, he would not have them observe the Jewish ceremonial Sab­baths of dayes, as the three great feasts, Pass­over, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, and the feast of blowing the trumpets, and the feast of expiation; he would not have them ob­serve the Sabbath of yeares, which was every seventh year, Levit. 25,4, 5, 6. nor the Sab­bath of sevens of years, the Jubile, verse 8, 9, 10, 11. which returned every fiftieth year, but he speaks not here of the Sabbath day that is morall: 1. Because the word is in the [Page 124] plural number, Sabbaths. 2. If he had meant the moral Sabbath, and consequently the Lords day now observed, then it would fol­low, that it is unlawful to observe the Lords day, now under the Gospel, for an holy Sab­bath to God, because he saith, Let no man judge or condemne you in meat or drink, &c. where Paul shews, that we are delivered from the bondage of the observation as of meats, so now of Sabbaths. But such as op­pose the morality of the Sabbath, hold it not unlawful to observe a Sabbath now, but one­ly indifferent and arbitrary: likewise the A­postles kept the Lords day, John 20.19. Acts 20 7. 1 Cor. 16.2. therefore the Sabbath day was mutable from the last day to the first day of the week, and that by the authority and power of Christ, for he is Lord of the Sab­bath, and he onely hath power to appoint and change it, which it is like he opened to his Disciples, Acts 1.3 or if the Apostles altered it, they did it by authority and direction from him, for Christ promised, John 16.13. the Spi­rit should guide them into all truth, there­fore into this truth: the Sabbath was not cerimonial, for the word ceremony comes from [...] cherem, which is a thing consecra­ted and devoted to God, typifying something to be accomplished in the new Testament; [Page 125] but the Sabbath day was no type of the Lords day: Paul said, the Jewish Sabbaths were shadows, but the body is of Christ, Col. 2.17. or else the word ceremony comes [...] because ceremonies were to in­dure but for a time, therefore remember to keep holy the Sabbath day, now called the Lords day, and God will blesse you with great pro­sperity and comfortable success the week fol­lowing.

Ʋse 4. I told you the fourth Reason was, because every godly man is Gods factor; the Use arising out of this Reason serves to ex­hort you all to lie ligier for God, be his faith­ful factors.

Motives. 1. Consider God hath few god­ly servants in many places, Psalm 12 1. Help Lord, for the godly man ceaseth, for the faithful fail from among the children of men, and where they be wanting Satans followers sow the tares of errour and impiety: from the dayes of the Prophet Malachy until the birth of Christ were four hundred and fifty yeares, during which time the Jews had no extraor­dinary holy Prophet to guide them, then sprang up the three sects of Pharisees, Saddu­ces and Essenes.

2. Consider how many trade for Satan; in most places many swear oathes, few fear [Page 126] oathes; many prophane the Sabbath, few keep it holy; many hate and persecute holi­ness in Christians, few do love and honour them for it: Christ hath been persecuted three wayes. 1. In his person, when he lived upon earth, we read how his enemies abused him many times. 2. In his name, for three hundred yeares after his ascention, such as bare the name of Christians suffered much misery during the ten persecutions under those bloudy Emperours of Rome. 3. For the power of godliness is Christ persecuted in his members, and that is now adayes; for our enemies, Papists and Protestants at large, put on a form of godliness, and would be ac­counted Christians, but the life of God, the power of godliness, they hate in the righte­ous, and persecute their persons for it.

3. God gives you gifts of knowledge and grace for this end, to trade for him, imploy your talents diligently for your heavenly Masters honour, and at your death he will say, Well done, good and faithful servant, &c.

Ʋse 5. I told you the fift Reason was, be­cause the godly man is best fitted and prepa­red for Gods work: The Use springing out of this Reason, serve, first, for comfort to the truly godly.

For first you shall find God ready to save, [Page 127] succour and defend you in time of distress, Psalm 32.6. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee, in a time when thou mayest be found; surely in the flouds of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him: and though thine enemies be mighty to wrong thee, yet God is Almighty to protect thee. Three kinds of afflictions Gods children meet with here: first, corrections or chastisements which God inflicts upon them for their sins: next are tri­als which God inflicteth on them to try the truth of their graces, as he dealt with Job: Last are persecutions when God suffers wicked men to abuse them for holiness, yet God in his wisdom useth these three kinds of afflicti­ons to drive them farther from sin, as Iona­than shot three Arrows to warn David to beware of Saul, 1 Sam. 20.20.

2. You have the promises of this and a bet­ter life; you are heires of them, and they are your portion, Hebr. 6.17. and they are a wor­thy portion, 1 Tim 48. Godliness is profita­ble unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

2. It may serve to exhort you all to labour to be fitted for your heavenly Masters use, and prepared to every good work: the way and meanes is in 2 Tim. 2.21. If a man there­fore purge himself from this, &c. that is, from [Page 128] these cursed heresies, and corrupt teachers, and keep himself unspotted from the world, by the grace of the holy Ghost dwelling in him, then he shall be a vessel unto honour, be like the Sun, whose body stayes in the heaven, yet his light shines upon earth, neither can any stinking dunghil, on which it shines, in­fect it: live so purely, that such as be without may in time honour and affect thee for thy vertue, not infect thee with their vice.

Ʋse 6. I told you the sixt Reason was, be­cause onely the heart of a godly man will bow and bend to do God his work: The U­ses arising out of this Reason serve, first, to reprove the pride and stubbornness of such hearts as will not bow and bend to do Gods work, but say as the Jews to Ieremiah, Jer. 44.16. As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee: these pray in the Lords Prayer, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven, yet in their lives they set themselves to do their own wils, and to cross Gods will: what cur­sed dissembling hypocrites are these? they cry out of Gods service, what a weariness is it, they think his service an irksome yoke, an intolerable burden, but these that will not obey Gods word, shall feel his power.

2. It may serve to exhort you all to bow [Page 129] and bend heartily to do Gods work, with­draw not your shoulder from it, but be for­ward to do it with all your might, think it not too mean, for it is the work of God; think it no loss or prejudice to do it, for God will reward thee.

Directions to help you: 1. Set your love exceedingly upon God, and it will be your meat to do his will, and finish his work; love makes labours light: indeavour to be able to say truly as the Prophet, Psalm 73.26. My flesh and my heart faileth: that is, for love of the Lord; of the same sense with the Chur­ches speech in Canticles, I am sick of love: if thou hadst ten thousand hearts, they are too little and too few to love God with; if Christ should ask thee as he asked Peter, Doest thou love me more than these do love me? let thy heart answer truly without guile, Lord, thou knowest I love thee.

2. Deny thy self in all things that be near and dear to thee; our Saviour, Math. 16. couselleth every one that would follow him to deny himself: from whence we may ob­serve, that a mans own self is the greatest ene­my to himself: self-denyal is a preferring of God before ones self, a preferring Gods command before thine own will, and his glo­ry before thine own ends.

[Page 130]3. Have respect to the recompence of re­ward; this will encourage thee against all difficulties you shall meet withal in Gods work; hope of spoil makes the Souldier venture his dearest bloud; hope of gain makes the Merchant venture over the deep seas: let the Papist with all his merits passe through Purgatory to Heaven if he can, look thou, and labour thou for an eternal habita­tion in the highest heavens by the merits of Christ alone: the Papists to prove Purgato­ry urge that in Math. 5.26. Thou shalt by no meanes come out thence, till thou hast paid the ut­termost farthing But if this place be meant of Purgatory, then these words are taken ei­ther in a metaphorical sense, or in a litteral: if in a metaphorical sense, then purgatory fire is but a metaphorical fire, that is, none at all; but if these words be taken literally, then let any Papist answer me these two questions: first, how much money will serve to pay for ones ransome out of Purgatory? for here is the uttermost farthing to be paid. 2. How must poor people do that go into Purgatory, but want money to pay for their ransome? this place is meant of civil debts in this world between man and man, Christ would have debtors to pay what they owe to their credi­tors, for fear of imprisonment; but this by the way.

[Page 131] Ʋse 7. I told you the seventh Reason was, because God can trust none but the godly man; the Use from hence arising, serves to exhort you all to be faithful to God in all the works he sets you about.

Motives, 1. A faithful man shall abound with blessings, Prov. 28 20 Joseph was faithful to God and to his Master Potiphar, and God raised him to great honour and wealth; Ja­cob, Nehemiah, David and Daniel, were blessed men of faithful spirits, and you may read in the Scripture how God blessed them.

2. Consider what a comfort and honour it is, here in thy life, and will be at thy death, when the Lord shall say, Well done, good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord, Math. 25.23. Hebr. 3.5. Moses verily was faithful in all his house, &c. its recorded to his honour.

3. Consider how few are faithful to God, we may cry out, Psalm 12.1. The faithful fail from among the children of men: for in many places, all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christs▪ let the perfidious­ness of others incite you to faithfulness; be­tray not Gods cause, if you have power and opportunity to advance it; rob not God of [Page 132] his honour, but whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

4. Consider what a blessed friend God is to you; hath he not made you? redeemed you? a long time preserved you from many perils? enriched you with many spiritual and earthly blessings? can you have an heart to deal perfidiously with him? when your earthly friends forsake you, God failes you not, he will be a friend in need, and a friend in deed to you; let all this make you trusty and faithful to him.

Ʋse 8. I told you the last Reason was, be­cause none will do Gods work so well as the godly man: the Use springing from hence is, to exhort you godly ones to do Gods work as exactly and as compleatly as ever you can.

Directions: 1. Do his work according to his word, for that is the rule of righteousness, Gal. 6.16. As many as walk according to this rule, &c. rule all your thoughts, words, and deeds by this word, Isaiah 8.20. to the Law and the Testimony, &c. that is, to the Gospel, which is called Testimony in John 32.33. to these must we repair for direction about the doing of Gods work; and this is called our reasonable service, Rom. 12.1. that is, such a service as we can give a reason for, out of Gods word: it is opposed to will-worship, [Page 133] which is a serving of God after the inventi­on of man, not according to Gods word: let the holy Scriptures be your directory, if you do not, you will never please God.

2. Do Gods work for his own glory; his glory is his infinite worthiness, whereby he doth far surpass the worthiness of all crea­tures; it is so dear to him, that he ordained and made all things for it; he would not have made the world but for it; he will not give his glory to another, Isaiah 42.8. he gives us the comfort of all his mercies and blessings, but the glory of them all he re­serves to himself; matter not what becomes of your own ends, so that Gods glory may be advanced; think it your greatest honour to honour God: the Pharisees gave almes, fasted and prayed, and all to be seen of men, but Christ called them hypocrites for it.

3. Do Gods work constantly, for to them who by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life, Rom. 2.7. Col 1.23. Continue in the faith. Col. 4.2. Continue in prayer. Hebr. 13.1. Let brotherly love continue. 2 Tim. 3.14. Continue thou in the things thou hast learned, and hast been assured of. Acts 13.43. Continue in the grace of God. Titus 3.8. I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have beleived [Page 134] in God might be careful to maintain good works: a hypocrite can do some works for a fit and a start, but when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

4. Do Gods work with an upright heart, then he will make thee ruler over much; blessed is that servant, whom when his Ma­ster cometh shall find so doing: a hypocrite can do Gods work with his hand, but not with his whole heart; but this God chiefly requires: a hypocrite is like a wind-mill, whose sails turn about, but the body of it stands still; so a hypocrite serves God with his lips and hands, but his heart moves not, it is dead within him: but a child of God is like a ship sayling on the Sea, whose sails and body both move together; so his heart, hands, lips and tongue go together about Gods work, and he is better within then he seems to be without; whatsoever work of God ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, Col. 3.23. 2 Tim. 2.22. call on the Lord with a pure heart: Hebr. 10.23. draw neer to the Lord with a true heart: 1 Peter 1.22. love one another with a pure heart fervently: Rom. 6.17. obey from the heart that form of d [...]ct [...]ine which was delivered to you: Math. 22.37. love the Lord with all thine heart: [Page 135] Luke 8.15. having heard the word, in an ho­nest and good heart keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. Labour to be of one heart, and of one mind, and serve God with gladness and singleness of heart, then your heart shall rejoyce in God, and your joy shall no man take from you.

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