A LESSON OF SELF-DENIALL: OR, The true way to desirable BEAUTY.

By JOHN COLLINGS, M. A.

Mat. 10. 37. He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that lo­veth son or daughter more than me, is not wor­thy of me.
Ver. 38. And he that taketh not up his crosse, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Printed for Rich: Tomlins. 1649.

TO THE Right Honourable, The Lady Frances Cecill, the only Daughter of the Right Ho­nourable the Lady Elizabeth, Coun­tesse Dowager of EXETER.
Increase of true Honour, and Peace, and Happinesse.

Madam,

WHen I conside­red the plenty of Gospell-sheaves, which the Gra­cious Lord of the Harvest hath in our days caused his reapers to bind up, [Page] I could not but question whe­my gleane were worth your Ladiships stooping to take up. God hath seemed to empty his treasuries upon our heads, that there is scarce a gospell-duty but some or other more eminent labourers in the Lords harvest have un­dertaken to discover and urge, which makes me sometimes tremble to think at what dis­advantage they must perish, that are yet dead or unfruit­full. But if there be any lesson that hath been lesser urged, or practised than other, it is this of selfe Deniall. I rejoyce to see the flowings of the spirit of [Page] grace in those eminent Ser­vants of the Lord, that have both hunted for venison, and caught it, to make savory meat for the Saints, discovering those secrets of the Lords strength, and unsearchable riches of love, beyond the pennes or tongues of those that have gone before them. But methinkes, I have sometimes feared lest while those Emi­nent ones have driven accor­ding to the peace of their own soules, and made it their work almost onely to dresse out the strong meat, they should have driven beyond the pace of the Lambs, and onely go a­way [Page] with part of the flock who are able to receive and have eares to heare, such sub­lime gospell mysteries. I have sometimes wished a Shepard or Hooker, or two more to stay behind, and to drive the remnant of the flock, which in heaven will overtake the other, though there be many things to be spoken which (without o­ver driving them) they are not yet able to beare. I (be­ing one borne out of due time) am onely fit for such a work, the opening the Rudiments of Christianity, and it shall be my crowne if by teaching the [Page] A B C of the wayes of grace, I may be made instrumentall but to fit Saints for their high­schooles. I have presumed here to present your Honour with the first Lesson of Grace. He that will be my disciple (saith Christ) let him deny himselfe, and take up the crosse and follow me; first deny himself, then fol­low me. Not but that I hope your Ladiship can readily en­dorse this sermon, with that speech of the young man, All these have I kept from my youth. Though I need not mind your Honour, that it is a lif's not a dayes practice. (Madam) there can be no [Page] Mistresse like Experience, which easily convinceth me, that your Ladiship (who have had a constant sight of sublunary vanities, an enjoy­ment of creature-contentments) is farre more able to read him (who now writes) a lecture of the Vanity of every thing under the Sun, than he is to read it your Ladiship, who hath been blest in the want of those advantages, and one­ly (from a guesse at the body by the foot) can subscribe Solo­mons account of them: surely (Madam) there is nothing under the Sun, but in cleaving to it, and neglecting Christ, [Page] a rationall creature must dis­honour himselfe as well as his Saviour, and as well call in question his own judgement, and out-law his owne rea­son, as disobey his God. Christ, (Madam!) Ah! Christ, Christ alone is the excelling one; that is Altogether desires; It is the Rose of Sharon only that wants prickles. His name is the onely box of Ointment, which one fly or other will not make to stinke. And now I mention his name, I remember what the spouse saith, Thy name is an oint­ment powerd forth, therefore doe the Virgines love thee. Of [Page] those Virgines, I trust your Ladiship is, those that love Christ for the ointment of his name powred forth; (so I trust hath the Ointment of grace powred upon that head from which you drew your natu­rall breath, ran downe to the skirts of all her Relations.) (Madam) This world is not so well bred, but in Christs wayes if your Ladiship de­sire to walk, you must expect to be a sharer in the scoffs of those that put out the finger at those that run not with them to the same excesse of Ri­ot. I need not mind your Ladiship of the Grace of our [Page] Lord Iesus Christ, who pati­ently endured the crosse and despised the shame for your sake. (Madam) the wayes of Christ, the paths of holinesse, are onely uncomely to those before whose eyes the Devill hath cast a mist, and the God of this world hath blinded their eyes, lest the glorious light of of the gospell should shine upon them. If the King desires our beauty, no matter, whether our rate be high or low a­mongst the children of Vanity, whose God is their Belly, and whose glory is their shame. May your Ladiship strive af­ter perfection, and yet daunce [Page] before the Ark, though Mi­chal mocks out at the window▪ The Moone keeps its course though the dogs bark. This Sermon (Madam) was for­merly dedicated to your La­diships eares, I never thought then, that the noise of it should have gone beyond the chappell it was preacht in, nor indeed had it, had not your Ladiships noble Mother commanded the transcripti­on of a coppy, which desire was also seconded by other Noble friends, whose com­mands I was as unwilling to disobey, as unable to performe, through my multitude of o­ther [Page] occasions, which is the on­ly reason of my publication of it, that I might be thrifty of my time for my other studies, and by troubling the world worke my own ease. Having resolved upon this course, I was desirous it should ap­peare as covertly as might be, and have therefore added it to some other Sermons, preacht long before then, sent to the presse to gratify the desire of the Printer. (Ma­dam) your Ladiship I trust will easily excuse me for the want of paines in it; If I should spend time to tickle some few ears, it would be un­thriftily [Page] done, and possibly I might by it lose the advan­tage of speaking to many an­others heart; I had rather so preach and write that those that heare or read my sermons, should read and heare with a trembling heart, than with a tickled fancy. (Madam) Such as it is) I crave leave to pre­sent it to your Ladiship, Be­seeching the God of grace so to empower every line, that it may be a drop of mercy to your Honours, and every Readers soule, That your Ladiship may grow up like the tree planted by the rivers of water, and bring forth fruit [Page] in your season, That in the re­newing of every week, there may appeare in your Ladi­ships heart & conversation, an answer of those old prayers newly returned to your La­diships Noble Parent. That the Lord may have glory, your soule peace, and hee the dayly answer of his prayers, who truely is Madam,

Your Honours most humbly obliged servant in the Lord Jesus, John Collings.
Chaplyfield house, Aug: 21. 1649.

A LESSON OF Self-Denyall.

Psal. 45. 10, 11. ‘Hearken O daughter, and consider, and encline thine eare: Forget also thy own people, and thy Fathers house, so shall the King desire thy beauty,—’

IT is agreed (almost a­mongst all Expositors) that this Psalme is a Marriage-Song, and principally relating to the spirituall marriage between Jesus Christ, and the beleeving [Page 2] soule, or between Christ and his Church: But there is a little question amongst them, whether the spirituall sense of it be couched under a type, or an Allegory; Some thinke that the Holy Ghost here treates of that spirituall marriage, under the type of Solomons marriage to Pharaohs daughter, of which wee read, 1 King. 3. 11. Of this opinion (saith D. Rivet) are D. Rivet Pref. in hunc Psal­mum. the Hebrew Interpreters, and most others, as Calvin, Bucer, Junius, Jan­senius. &c. yet these grant that there are some things in the Psalme not capable of that literall sense. Others are against this, partly because (as they say) that marriage of Solomons was wicked, and against Gods Law, Deut. 7. and partly because it is probable that Solomon ha­ving before that time (as 1 King. 3. 3.) the feare of the Lord in his heart, it is not probable he would have contra­cted that marriage, had not she first contracted to have forsaken her fathers house (which the Hebrewes also say was one of the marriage-Articles.) But it is probable that that marriage gave occasion to the writing of this [Page 3] Psalme; and for the reason against it, Rivet answers by a Rule of S. Hieroms, Homines mali in re non bona, sanctissima­rum rerum imo ip­sius Dei [...]y­pi esse pos­sunt. That In Scripture, evill men, and that in wicked actions, are oft-times types of ho­ly actions, and that of Gods owne too oft times; Ishmael was a type of the old Testament (according to the Apostle) an many other instances might bee gi­ven. Whether it be a Type or an Alle­gory is not much materiall, nor worth the disputing: Rivet thinks neither sense improbable, but conceives it might be both; nor do I see any thing of value against it. In the Psalme ob­serve:

1. The Preface, verse 1. Wherein he Psalmist declares the readinesse of his heart, and instinct of the spirit, put­ting him upon the Composure of it.

2. The narrative part of the Psalm, from the 2 verse to the last.

3. The Conclusion of it, verse ult.

In the narrative part is something, 1. Relating to the Bridegroom. 2. Re­lating to the Bride.

The Bridegroome is commended from his Beauty, v. 2. Thou art fairer than [Page 4] the children of men. 2. From his E­loquence, v. 2. Grace is powred into thy lips. 3. From the blessing of God up­on him; God hath blessed thee for ever. 4. From his Glory and Majesty, v. 3. 5. From his successe, v. 4. 6. From his Temper and Disposition, verse 4. 7. From his Valour, verse 4, 5, 6. 8. From the nature of his Kingdome, v. 6. 9. From his love to Justice, v. 7. 10. From the perfume of his Garments, v. 8. 11. From his choice in his Queene and his Attendants, v. 9. So farre it relates to the Bride­groome.

The other part relates to the Bride; and in it is a Lesson of Instruction and Exhortation read to her, prest from se­verall Motives.

The Exhortation is in the two ver­ses in which my Text lyes; And it is foure-fold, prest from severall Argu­ments. In the Text then you may con­sider, 1. An Exhortation, enforced upon the former Description. 2. Se­verall Motives to presse this Exhorta­tion.

1. In the first consider,
  • [Page 5]1. The person exhorted; set out by the name of Daughter, (O Daughter.)
  • 2. The Ex­hortation; which is five-fold:
    • 1. Hearken.
    • 2. Consider.
    • 3. Incline thin eare.
    • 4. Forget
      • thy people and thy fa, thers house.
    • 5. Worship him.
  • 3. The Mo­tives infor­cing it, which are,
    • 1. The former descripti­on of him; now thou art married to such an husband, hearken, &c.
    • 2. The Relation of Daughter; Children should harken to their Parents.
    • 3. Shee should bee beau­tifull.
    • 4. Her beauty should be desireable.
    • 5. The King should de­sire it; yea, greatly desire her beauty.

Let me a little open the words, and then proceed.

[O Daughter,] Quae consentit viro in matrimonium est viro in loco filiae, saith Rivet: The woman that consents to her Husband in marriage, is to him in stead of a Daughter: So saith the Parable, 2 Sam, 12. 3. The Ewe­lambe, which signified the wife, laid in the poore mans bosome, and was unto him as a daughter, Jer. 3. 4. Wilt thou not from hence forth crie unto me, Thou art my Father, the guide of my youth, the guide of her youth, that is, an Husband, and yet her Father. God can marry his Daughter, and yet the marriage not be incestuous; Yea, hee first marryes the soule, and then makes it his Daugh­ter, according to that 2 Cor. 6. 18. Wherefore come out from amongst them, and be yee separate, saith the Lord, and I will be a Father unto [...]ou, and you shal be to me Sonnes and Daughters, saith the Lord; Daughters by Adoption, Gal. 4. 6. Nor in vaine called a Daughter: It is a courteous compellation, as both Rivet and Mollerus note, by which the Lord will let his Saints know, that he [Page 7] will extend towards them the care of a father, as well as the love of an Hus­band, he will love them like an husband, and protect them like a father. Hearke Christians! Saints are Sons and Daugh­ters, as wel as Spouses to Christ. If he be a father where is his honour? If an husband where his love? But to proceed.

Hearken O Daughter] Audi filia,] What should shee heare? Shee should heare her husband. There was a voice from heaven, Matth. 17. 5. This is my well-beloved Son heare him. Christs Sheep are eare-marked, John 10. 11. The good sheep are thus markt, They hear his voice. Faith comes by hearing, yea and it growes up by hearing too; they are over-growne Saints that are growne past Ordinances, I am afraid they are growne out of Christs know­ledge; it is the deafe adder stops her eare. Davids eare was opened, Psal. 40. They that are too proud to heare Christs Voice on Earth, I am afraid will be thought too vile ever to see his face in heaven. Hearken therefore (O Daughter) Gods way to the Heart lies through the Eare, that's his ordi­nary [Page 8] way; if he at any time comes a­nother way, I am afraid it is not when wee have wilfully blockt that up, but when himselfe hath stopt it.

Hearken O Daughter, and Consider, or see] & vide: First heare, then see. There is a seeing of Faith. Faith is the daughter of hearing; the Eare must open before the soule. Doe not onely heare but also see. Hearing is not enough. He that beleeveth not, is damned already. Seeing may bee of ex­perience. As wee have heard, so have we seene in the City of our God. The soule that heares well shall see. Iohn 1. 50. Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the Fig-tree, beleevest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. Faith must goe before Sight, but Sight shall succeed faith: yet Faith is a Sight, though not of experience.

And incline thine eare.] Expositors make this Phrase to containe three things. 1. A Repetition of the first Branch, Hearken. It is a difficult du­ty, the word is doubled, that it may bee inforced; the Psalmist speaks twice, considering our deafnesse, yet he speaks [Page 9] louder in this than in the other phrase. Secondly, therefore To incline the eare, is more than to heare, it doth argue a notable stirring of Attention. Hee that inclines his eare, affert al [...]quem a­nimi motum & propensionem, quickens up his minde, and brings with him to the duty a readinesse of Spirit, and an intentnesse of minde. 3. Inclining the Eare say some is Nota demissionis, a Note of that subjection and obedience which should bee found in the Spouse of the Lord Jesus Christ toward him. It followeth in the Text,

And forget thine owne people, and thy Fathers house.] Here are two things to be enquired into. 1. What is meant by her owne People, and her Fathers House. 2. What is meant by forget­ting of them. For the first, we must be guided by the Knowledge of the Spouse, to whom these words are spo­ken; if you look upon, 1. The Church of the Jewes as the Spouse meant here to be married to Christ, without que­stion it is meant of the Jewish Worship. the Ceremoniall Law and Worship, and their Traditions, they were to bee [Page 10] forgotten, and the Gospell-worship to be embraced; the worship of Christs In­stitution, consonant to that of Christ to the Woman of Samarta, John 4. 21, 22, 23. 2. If you understond by the Spouse, the Church of the Gentiles, then the Fathers house is all the Gen­tile worship and Paganish Idolatry, which must all be left upon their tur­ning to Christ. 3. If you understand by the Spouse the particular beleeving soule, the Fathers house, is old Adams house, all sinnne and wickednesse, all tra­ditionall worshipping. Renounce the Per patris domum in­telligo, quic­quid corrup­tionis ex u­tero afferi­mus, aut quaecunque ex prava in­stitutione nobis adhae­rent quasi ad nos hae­reditario ju­re aut edu­catione transfusa. Rivet ad loc. World (saith Deodate) and cleave to Christ: It is a Lesson of Selfe-Deny­all, consonant to that of Christ, Matth. 10. 37. By Fathers house, saith Doctor Rivet, wee may understand whatever corruption wee either brought out of the wombe with us, or have contra­cted by ill education or custome, so that they cleave to us as our inheri­tance. And by People, saith he, I un­derstand [ea quae ex mala consuetudine, & conversatione cum impiis acquisita, nos a Deo abducunt, quae omnia nobis sunt deponenda] all those Corruptions, [Page 11] and whatever they be, which we have contracted by ill acquaintance, and con­versing amongst the wicked, which e­strange us from God, these must all bee laid downe, Luke 9. 23. Luke 14. 26. I shall anon in the opening of the Do­ctrine, open this tearm more fully. I now proceed.

So shall the King desire thy Beauty.] Some read it, Quia concupivit, because the King hath desired thy beauty, ma­king it a motive to induce her to forget her fathers house. So August. Cyprian, &c. Others read it, according to our Translation, [The King] The King of Glory, the King of Peace, Christ that King. I have set my King upon my ho­ly Hill of Zion: Hee is the King, [Greatly desire] Out of his love to thee, his great love to thee, he shall de­sire it; not onely love thee, but desire thee; yea not onely desire thee, but greatly desire thee. He speaks after the manner of men, whose desire is to the women they love, Gen. 4. 7. Ʋnto thee shall be his desire. And so, Deut. 21. 11. If thou seest amongst the Captives a beautifull woman, and thou hast a desire [Page 12] to her to make her thy wife. Christs Love is such to the soule, that he hath a desire to her, yea not a desire barely, but a passionate desire, he shall greatly desire, he shall be in love with the soule. [He shall greatly desire thy Beauty.] What Beauty? Pulchritudo est in mente cre­dentium, (saith Musculus) it is meant not of a face Beauty, but an heart Beau­ty. Decor Ecclesiae (saith Mollerus) est in fide, obedientia, & dilectione. In the graces of the soule, it is a Beauty that the Lord Christ puts upon the soule, it is not a Beauty of nature, but of grace that is the Saints Beauty: Sanctitas Ecclesiae est pulchritudo Ec­clesia (saith Piscator) the holinesse of the Church is the Churches beauty, and so the holines of the soul is the souls beau­ty. This is the fairenes, this the Beauty that is meant in those places of Solo­mons Song, Cant. 1. 10, 11. Cant. 4. 1. Cant. 6. 1. Cant. 7. 1. This is the Beauty that the Lord Jesus Christ, the great King shall so desire in the soule, this is the comelinesse that shall make a­ny poore soule desireable in the eyes of the Lord Jesus Christ; This is the Beau­ty [Page 13] which will make the King of Glory rest and content himselfe in his Love to the soule that hath it, and make him bee delighted with the acquain­tance of the soule, and in conversing, and having Communion with the soule. This is it that which (where it is found) will so ravish Christs heart, that he will never part from the soule (as Mollerus expounds that phrase [greatly desire.] Thus (as shortly as I could dispatch it) you have the sense of the Text. Now in it there lyes these truths.

1. That the gracious soule, by mar­riage to Jesus Christ, becomes his Daughter as well as his Spouse. Hee will not onely love her as a Wife, but care for her as a Daughter, 2 Cor. 6. 16.

2, That it is a great piece of the Daughters worke to hearken to Christ in his Word. It is no height of Saint­ship, to be beyond Ordinances, if wee be out of Heaven: It is a note of a Re­probate, being once enlightned, to fall back; but it is a new degree of Saintship; they are deafe Adders, that have lived thus long no Saints; Chil­dren [Page 14] of the Devill, not of God; his Daughters must hearken. [Hearken O Daughter.]

3. Christs Daughter must and shall see as well as heare. Hearing is not e­nough; the soule must be open to receive Christ as well as the eare to heare his voice, and if they will heare, they shall see. [Hearken O Daughter, and see.]

4. Christs Daughters must incline their eare as well as heare and see. Obe­dience must bee joyn'd to Faith and Worship. Inward affection and intenti­on of minde must bee joyned with out­ward hearing.

5. Which is the Doctrine I will In­sist upon.

Doct. That soule that would have the Lord Jesus Christ desire its beauty, must forget its owne people, and its Fathers House. And whosoever doth that shall bee beauti­full.

And the Lord Jesus shall desire its Beauty. In the handling of this Do­ctrine I shall doe these 5 things.

[Page 15] 1. I shall shew you what it is for a soule to forget its owne people, and its Fathers house.

2. I shall shew you how, and in what sense the soule that doth it shall be beautifull.

3. I shall shew what is meant by the Lord Christs desiring such a soules beauty.

4. I shall give you some reasons, why it is requisite that the soule that would endeare it selfe to Christ, and make it selfe desireable, should forget its Fathers house.

5. Lastly, I shall apply the whole Doctrine suitably.

First, what is meant by the soules owne people, and Fathers house; and se­condly, by forgetting of them. What was meant in generall I shewed be­fore. Our Fathers house is old Adams house, the world and all therein. I shall now shew you in some particulars, First, What of our Eathers must bee forgot. Secondly, how and in what sense we must forget it. The first I shall dispatch in these few following par­ticulars, as briefely as I can.

The soule must forget the manners of its Fathers house. Our Fathers house (ever since God and hee parted houses in Paradise) is an house of ill manners, an house of sinne and wickednesse. Now every soule that would make it selfe beautions or desireable in the sight of Christs eyes, must shake hands with sin. Is. 55. 7. Let the wicked man forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him returne to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and unto our God, and he will abundant­ly pardon him; ay then the King shall desire his beauty, but first let him for­get the manners of his Fathers house. All sinne must bee forgotten: But I take it especially foure sorts of sinnes are hinted to us in this Phrase, and may more properly be called the sinnes of our Fathers house.

1. Originall sinne. If we have a­ny thing of Grace or Goodnesse, wee never learn'd that at home. It is the gift of God through the tutoring of the Spi­rit. But for Sinne, wee need not goe abroad to learne that, it was bred in the bone, that's one reason why it will ne­ver [Page 17] out of the flesh, Ez. 16. Tby Fa­ther was an Amorite, and thy Mother an Hittite. We are chilnren of wrath by nature, Ephes. 2. 3. Psal. 51. 4. In sinne did my mother conceive me; Now this must be forgotten; this is a piece of our Fathers house. Men and Women you know are usually borne in their Fathers House; We are all borne in the house of bondage, which must be forgotten, if ever the soule be desireable to Jesus Christ. It is a usu­all saying of Divines, that he that was never truely humbled for Originall sinne, was never truely humbled for a­ny sinne.

2. The sinnes of our Education. The Fathers house is the house where the Childe is brought up: All sinne is not bred in us; that which is bred in us may bee improved. Originall sinne is sinne in the seed; Actuall sinne is sinne in the Blade and Fruit. The World is a dusty house, you can set a Creature in never a corner of it, but it will contract some dust. Joseph by being in the King of Egypts house, learn'd to sweare by his Masters life. According to dif­ferent [Page 18] breedings, are men addicted to different Vanities, whether pleasure, or honour, &c. Now when the soul comes unto Christ he must come off these, he must forget his Fathers house, all his vaine sinfull breeding, and all the filth his soule hath contracted by reason of it.

3. Sinnes of Conversation and com­pany. The Fathers house, and the company of it, is the childs company, those of his Fathers house, are his owne people. It is true, as well for Religion as any thing else, Magni refert quibuscum convixeris. It is a great matter with whom we converse; from accompanying with vaine per­sons, thou shalt learne to bee vaine: Cum lupis ululare. When the soule comes to Christ, it must leave all; sins thus contracted, they are part of the manders of the Fathers House. Paul left his Pharisaisme that he had learnt at Gamaliels feet.

4. Customary sinnes must bee left. The Child learnes customes in his Fa­thers House. Customary sinning must be left of that soule that would render [Page 19] it selfe for beauty desireable to Jesus Christ; Those sinnes which are to the soule as the Leopards spot, and the blacknes of the blackamores skinne. In­ded this is hard; Custome hatcheth a second nature, Jer. 13. 23. How can you that are accustomed to doe evill, do well? Yet it must bee done, the Fathers house must be forgotten: ill customes must be laid aside, or good ones wil not be taken up.

5. Beloved sinnes must be left. E­very thing of the Fathers House al­most is deare to the child. But the dearest sinne must bee shaken hands with, Matth. 18. 9. If it bee a right hand it must be cut off: if a right eye, it must be pluckt out. Our Members must be Mortified, Col. 3. 5. Thus the maners of our Fathers house must be forgotten. All sinnes, but especially these sinnes. I proceed now.

Secondly, The soule must forget the Company of its Fathers house. What is that you will say? I will answer you in two particulars. 1. Our most near and dearest Relations. See Luke 14. 16. If a man commeth to me (saith [Page 20] Christ) and hateth not Father, and Mo­ther, and Children, and Brethren, and Wife, and Sisters, yea and his own life also, he is not worthy of mee. He shall not bee so beautifull; not so beautifull, as that the King shall desire his beauty. As it was said Levi did in another sense, so must the Saint doe in some sense: He must say unto his Father, and to his Mother, I have not seen him, neither must hee acknowledge his Brethren, nor know his owne children. Otherwise he will never have Levie's Character, to bee one that observeth the Lords Word and keeps his Cove­nant. Not that Religion teacheth, or commandeth, or indureth a Saint to break the tyes of all Religion; No, be­sides that it doth not discharge a Saint of his Duty of Nature; it puts in a Plea also against such unnaturalnesse; Honour thy Father and Mother, &c. is the fifth Commandement, the first with promise (saith the Apostle) nei­ther doth it allow a Saint to rob his parents of their due, with saying, Cor­ban, it is a gift: The Ravens of the val­leys shall picke out the eyes of such per­sons, [Page 21] as well as the Devill hath done of their Religion. Neither doth it dis­charge a Saint of his providentiall du­ty, and respect to his relation. Hee that provides not for his Family is worse than an Infidell. 1. In point of due honour. 2. In point of naturall affection. 3. In point of Providen­tiall care. Wee must not forget the Company of our Fathers House. Gods Commands doe not enterfiere, nor will the Gospell in that case give a su­persedeas to the Law. But 1. if God and they draw severall wayes, if the Parents commands crosse Gods, then [...], It is better to obey God than men: The Parent is to com­mand for God, not against him, subor­dinately, not supremely; he must be o­beyed for Gods sake, and God too for his sake, as by his command he seconds God; but Parents can as little, yea less discharge the child of its duty to God, than the Pope can discharge the Sub­ject of his Allegiance to his Prince. 2. If their love becken us out of the way when God calls us, or would intice us to make halts in our running through [Page 22] fire and water to him, then wee must forget them. I have somewhere met with a Speech of St. Hierome to that purpose: Saith hee, If the Lord Christ should call me to him, though my Father should lye in my way, and my Mother should hang about my neck, I would goe over my Father, and shake off my Mother, and runne to my Christ. Shetterden a Martyr (as it is storied of him) writ to his Mother thus; Dear Mother, imbrace the Counsell of Gods Word with Heart and Affection, read it with obedienee, so shall we meet in joy at the last day, Or else I bid you fare­well for ever. In these now and such like cases, that soule that would make its beauty desireable in the eyes of Jesus Christ, must like Levi say to his Father and his Mother, I have not seen you; in these cases he must not acknowledge his Brethren, nor know his owne Chil­dren: They stand in Christs way, and Christ calls hastily. The Saint must spare no time to parley. Naturall af­fection with them he must forget his Fathers house, the deare company of it, his Relations.

Secondly, all sinfull Company is the Company of our Fathers house, The Company of fooles, as Solomon calls it. Now all this must be forgotten, or else in stead of being saved, thy soule will bee destroied. Prov. 13. 20. A Companion of fooles shall bee destroied. Psalme 119. 63. I am a companion (saith David) of those that fear thee. You must leave your swearing Compa­ny, and your drinking Company, and your vain Company, or the King will never desire your beauty. The soul that would render it selfe desireable in the eyes of the Lord Jesus Christ, must make all its delight, (with David) in those that excell in vertue, the Saints upon the earth. Saul before his Conversion was a companion of those that stoned Ste­phen, and persecuted the Saints. Like to like, for himselfe consented to his death, and was a Persecutor; but no sooner had the Lord made his Motion to him, but he forgat this company, and assayed to joyne himselfe to the Church.

Thirdly, the soule that would ren­der its beauty desireable in Jesus [Page 24] Christs eyes, must forget the Honour and Pompe, and Riches and Great­nesse of his Fathers house, all the high-Towers and Treasures of it, &c. They that will be Christs Disciples must not take up Crownes, and advance them­selves, and follow him: No, they must deny themselves, and take up the crosse and follow him; their Crownes must be of Thornes, made after their Ma­sters Coppy: They must not be such as love the uppermost roomes at Feasts, and the chiefe seats of the Synagogues, and Greetings in the Market, and to be called of men Rabbi, Rabbi. Bee not yee call'd Rabbi (saith Christ) for one is your Master, even Christ, and all yee are brethren. Hee that is greatest amongst them that are Saints, must be as a Servant, Matth. 23. 7, 8, 9, 10. They must forget that naturall it ching which is in the children of Adam u­sually, and must be scratched with Ma­dam, or Rabbi, or some high-swelling words of vanity: they must not bee such, as will swell (like that Toad Haman) if Mordecay give him not the knee, or if their Brother give them [Page 25] not the wall or the way; Saints are no such creatures; they are such as are not at all taken with any such high ti­tles▪ but Rom. 12. 10. In honour they prefer one before another. And they must look upon it as the greatest honor in the world, not that they are masters, and descended —atavis Regibus, of great Parentage. &c. but that they are ser­vants of Jesus Christ; the name of Christian (the badge of honour first created at Antioch) must appeare to them, better than the names of Lord or Lady. Theodosius was wont (they say) more to glory that hee was a ser­vant of Christ, than that hee was Em­perour of the East. Now I say, That soule that would make its beauty de­sirable to Christ, must forget all these, not affect any of them, not value them; for hee that exalteth himselfe shall bee abased, and he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted. Behold a miracle (saith Mat. 23. 12. (saith Augustine) God is an high God (yea, the most high) yet the higher thou liftest up thy selfe, the further thou art off him; the lower thou humblest thy selfe, the nearer he drawes to thee; he [Page 26] looks neare to the humble, that he may raise them up, but sees the proud afarre off, that hee may depresse them. The proud Pharisee prest as neare God as hee could, the poore Publican durst not, but stood afarre off; God was farre from the one and neare to the o­ther. The high towers of the fathers house must bee forgotten, yea, and so must all the rich coffins and chests of it: these are part of the furniture of our fathers house. You know what Christ said to the young man, when he seemed to bee in love with Christ, Matth. 19. 21. If thou wilt be perfect, if thou wilt make thy beauty a desira­ble beauty, Goe, and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poore, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow mee, and againe v. 24. It is easier for a camell to goe through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God. You know what Christ saies, Mat. 11. [...], the poore are those that are gospel­lized. But to proceed yet.

The soule that would render its beauty desirable in Christs eyes, must [Page 27] forget the pleasures and vanities of its fathers house, all that is in the world, 1 Joh. 2. 16. whether it be the lust of the eyes, or the lust of the flesh, or the pride of life. When the Apostle speaks of lovers of pleasures, he puts in more than lovers of God, 2 Tim. 3. 4. Jude tels us, such as are sensuall have not the spirit, Jude 18. 19. Iob in the de­scription of the wicked, Job. 21. 12, 13. tels us, that they are such as take up the tymbrell and harpe, and rejoyce at the sound of the Organ, their chil­dren dance, they spend their dayes in wealth, &c. These are they that say unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of his wayes. What is the Almighty that wee should serve him? and what profit is there, that we should pray unto him, v. 15. Their fid­dles must be laid in the water of true repentance and contrition. The daugh­ters of pleasure must undresse, if they will be beautifull in Christs eyes; they must lay aside their paintings and dres­sings, their curlings and perfumings of the haire, where (as hee wittily sayes) the powder doth forget the dust; their [Page 28] ornament must not be the outward ador­ning of plaiting the haire, and of wea­ring gold, and putting on of apparell; but the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible, even the orna­ment of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price, 1 Pet. 3. 3, 4. The daughters of plea­sure must undresse (I say) for the Lord, as he threatned hee would doe in the day of judgement, Is. 3. 18, 19, 20. so in the day of mercy, to the soule of the vaine creature, hee will also take away the bravery of t [...]eir tinckling or­naments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tyres like the moone, the chaines, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, the bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the head­bands, and the tablets, and the eare­rings, and the rings, and the nose jewels, the changeable suits of apparell, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the cris­ping pinnes, and the glasses, and the fine linnen, and the hoods, and the vailes, and instead of these send in mercy, a gir­ding with sackcloth, a rent heart, and a weeping eye, and a serious soule. It was [Page 29] a sure rule that a Divine once gave to another, enquiring of him why he did not perswade a Gentlewoman (with whom hee was acquainted) to leave off some vaine dresses shee wore; (Saith hee) I will first perswade her to get Christ into her heart, and then shee will leave these of her selfe. The soul that hath Christ in his heart, need not to be perswaded to leave its fidling and dancing, and love songs, and vaine dres­ses, and paintings, and revellings, and naked breasts; it knowes these will not make its beauty desirable in Christs eyes; and it is lost labour to perswade others to it. When Solomon forsooke God, then he ran to pleasures and va­nities, and sought every thing that should please his carnall eye, and tickle his vaine fancy; but he no sooner re­turnes to Christ, but hee sayes of mirth it is madnesse, and of laughter what doth it? Christians you must forget these, or Christ will overlook you. Ter­tullian call'd the unvailed virgins of Tetull. in lib. de ve­landis vir­ginibus. his time Capita Nundinalitia, and Pu­dor ostentatitiae Virginitatis, Phrases I will not English. You must forget [Page 30] the pleasures and vanities of your fa­thers house: that is the fourth. I will instance but in one thing more.

Fiftly and lastly, You must forget the Religion and Righteousnesse of your fathers house. Indeed, there is not much there, it may quickly bee all for­gotten; but what there is must all bee forgotten. There is a conceited Religi­on, at least, a selfe-righteousnesse, which is naturall to all the sons of Adam. Master Hooker gives this reason for it, because our first father Adam was worth so much hee could have gone to Heaven upon his own legs. Now as it is with a young spenthrift, though hee hath spent all his fathers estate, and be not worth a groat, yet hee cannot abide to think hee should bee a worse man than his father; so it is with the sons of Adam, because hee could once have done enough for heaven, wee that are his children, though he lost all his power before hee died, yet we cannot endure to think our selves worse than our father, and are ready to think hea­ven may be erned still, and we may doe something for our selves. The young [Page 31] man, Mat. 19. was at it, Master, what good thing should I doe to inherit ever­lasting life? and so the converts at Peters Sermon, Acts 2. and the Jay­lour, Acts 16. What shall we doe to bee saved? hence is Morality and Civility taken up by some, and formality in du­ties taken up by others, and man pit­cheth his staffe in himselfe, and re­solves there to rest; but this must bee forgotten if ever we would be desira­bly beautifull in Jesus Christs eyes; for all our Righteousnesses are as menstru­ous clothes, and as a filthie ragge in the sight of God, Is. 64. 6. and againe, Matth. 5. 20. Except your righteous­nesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall never enter into the Kingdom of God. Civility rested in (saith a Divine of our owne) is but a beautifull abomination, it is but a smooth way to hell. It is true, in the world a civill man is valued at an high rate, because the world is full of grosse profanenesse, and outrageous wicked­nesse; but Civility is like the Cab of 2 Kin. 6. 25 Doves dung, or the asses head: the lat­ter was worth fourscore pieces of sil­ver, [Page 32] and the fourth part of the first valued at five pieces of silver; but it was because there was a famine in Sa­maria. This is that makes Civility ra­ted so high in the world, but in it selfe it is worth nothing, and Formality in duties as little, though it amounts to as much as the Pharisees fasting twice a week, and praying thrice a day, and pay­ing tythe of all that hee hath. Not­withstanding all this, all God, I thank thee, I am not, &c. yet the poor wretch is poore, and miserable, and blind, and naked. All this must bee left, and ano­ther righteousnesse sought and found, before the soule comes up to a desira­ble beauty. And thus I have shewed what of our fathers house, and our own people must be forgot.

Let me come in the next place, to shew you how, and how farre these things must be left and forgot; To that I answer.

1. Some of these must be absolutely for­got. The manners of our fathers house, all sinne and wickednesse must be so for­got, Is. 55. 7. Let the wicked man for­sake his way, and the unrighteous man [Page 33] his thoughts, Hos. 14. 8. Ephraim shall say, what have I to do with Idols. There must bee no willing purposed practice of any sinne how dear soever, how accustomed soever, however ac­quired, how long soever lived in; the wicked man must forsake his way, the evill of our doings must be put away; e­vill must bee eschewed, so must sinfull company too.

2. The rest of them must bee se­cundum quid forgotten, in a great mea­sure. Our relations must not be doted upon, our honours and worldly glory not hunted after, nor must our hearts be taken with them; wee must not be lovers of pleasure, wee must not rest in our righteousnesse, not dote upon it; our heat of affection to these things, the running out of our hearts to them, the fixing of our hearts upon them, this must be forgotten, &c.

3. Conditionally they must bee forgotten. If they clash with Christs commands, if our Relations would draw us from Christ, or retard our way to Christ; if in our acts of love to them we must forget the commands of [Page 34] Christ, that either wee must not obey God in our places, or wee must break with them, and not be thought to love them, in this sense they ought to bee forgotten, yea, to bee hated. Christ in this case call'd Peter Sathan; this is Christs command, Luk. 14. 26. If our honours and glory in the world would lie in the way, to keep us from stoo­ping to Christs command; and from thence our flesh it would fetch such conclusions as these, It is not fit for so great a person as you to have such strictnesse in duties, to be acquainted with such meane creatures (as many Saints are) to go to Church so often, to be at private meetingt so much, &c. In this case we must forget them. If our riches begin to stick to our heart, and to tempt our heart from God, that wee cannot enjoy them, but our hearts will cleave to them, In such a case a Chri­stian shall bee a saver, if (as Crates threw his gold into sea, that hee may study Philosophy) hee also throw away his estate to study Jesus Christ. If our pleasures be such, as in the substance (if such shadowes have any) are sinfull, [Page 35] or draw away the heart too much from God, take up our Church-time, or fa­mily duty-time, or secret duty-time, &c. in such case they must bee forgot too.

4. Comparatively they must be for­got. God must be greater than they in the throne of our heart, wee must not love father, nor mother, nor daughter, nor wife, nor child, more than Christ. So Mathew expounds that place, Luk. 14. 26. in Matth. 10. 37. wee must not be lovers of any pleasures more than of Christ, nor of house, or lands, or honour, or any piece of vanity under the Sunne. This is plaine, for we must love Christ with all our heart and soule; and though the second com­mandment bee, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe, yet it doth not say, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy Christ.

5. Lastly, In effect they must be for­got. Christians must doe as if they had no relations; they may rejoyce, and buy, and sell, and purchase, and use the world, but marke how, it is in a for­getting manner, 1 Cor. 7. 30. they that [Page 36] rejoyce must be as if they rejoyced not, and they that buy as if they possest not, and they that use the world as if they used it not. Christians may be called by their titles of Rabbi, and my Lord, and Madam; but while they are so, they must have a scornfull, low, slight, e­steeme of these swelling words of va­nity, not despising the meanest of Gods Saints, but ready in honour to preferre them above themselves, and accoun­ting the title of Christian, of a servant of God, to be a greater title of honour than worldly dignities can invest them with. And now I have finished my first taske in the explication of the doctrine, in which I have shewed you, what of our fathers house must be for­gotten. 2. How farre we must forget it.

The second thing I propounded, was to shew you how that soule is beautifull, with what beauty the soule is beautifull that thus forgets its owne people, and its fathers house. This I shall shew you, 1. Negatively. 2. Positively.

1. Not with a corporall beauty, this makes not the flesh beautifull. It ads no lustre to flesh and blood, possibly it may discolour that.

[Page 37] 2. Not by a native beauty, no natu­rall beauty. The beauty that will ap­peare in the soule, upon this selfe de­niall, is not like the beauty of the face which appears after washing off dirt, which clouded natures colours.

3. Not in the eye of the vaine crea­ture, nor in its owne eyes. Aske a vaine creature, he will tell you, that the lea­ving of vaine dresses, and patches, and plaitinge of the haire, is the way to make the creature look like no body, to make it despised in the world, &c. and such a one perhaps lothes and ab­hors it selfe as a vile creature, Jo. 42. 6. Thus it shall not be beautifull, and it is no matter whether it be or no. But se­condly such a soule shall bee beautifull these three wayes.

1. Imputatione, By the beauty of Christ put upon it; see for this that notable place, Ezech. 16. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. Then wast thou decked with silver and gold, and thy rayment was of fine linnen, and silke, and broide­red worke.—and thou wert excee­ding beautifull.—And thy renowne went forth amongst the heathen for thy [Page 38] beauty, for it was perfect through the comelinesse which I had put uppon thee (saith the Lord God.) Christ makes the reflexion of his beauty to bee cast upon such a soule, and it becomes beautifull through his comelinesse; the soules doing these things, doth not make it spiritually any more than corporally beautifull, but (they being done) it be­comes comely through Christs comeli­nesse, comely through a comelinesse that is put upon it, that's the first way. Se­condly, It is beautifull,

2. Through Christs Aceeptation, Of free grace; Christ said to the young man in the 19 of Matth. Sell all thou hast, &c. and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, not thou shalt earne it, but thou shalt have it. Christ accepts the soule as beautifull, and accounts the soule as beautifull, that for his sake will forget its owne people, and its fa­thers house, Cant. 4. 1. Behold, thou art faire (my love) behold, thou art faire, thou hast doves eyes, &c.

3. Such a soule is beautifull, though not in the worlds eyes, yet in the Saints eyes; The world will hate and despise [Page 39] them, but the Saints will love and value them, Cant. 6. 1. the Daughters of Hierusalem say unto the spouse, whi­ther is thy beloved gone, O thou Fairest amongst women, the daughters of Hie­rusalem, the Saints, account such a soule beautifull. It may bee that shee may call her selfe black, the greatest of sinners, and the least of Saints, yea, and the world may so call her; but those that are godly shall esteeme her comely, and the King shall desire her beauty. And that leads me to the last particu­lar in the explication of the Doctrine.

3. What is the meaning of that phrase, The King shall desire thy beauty.

1. Generally. It is a speech accor­ding to the manner of men, Gen. 4. 7. it is said of the husband toward the wise, Vnto thee shall be his desire. And wee meet with that phrase, Deut. 21. 11. when thou seest amongst the Cap­tives a beautifull woman, and thy de­sire shall be towards her, to make her thy wife.

2. But more particularly, I think the true meaning of the phrase may bee [Page 40] understood in these particulars.

First of all it implies, That the Lord Jesus Christ shall discover and see an excellency in such a soule; we can de­sire nothing, but we shall first discover some excellency in it. Now the Lord discovers an excellency in such a soule; hee shall eye such a soule as an excel­ling soule, as a lovely soule, worthy of him (though not through its owne worthinesse) and suitable for him.

2. It implies, That the Lord Jesus Christ shall love such a soule, discove­ring in it a suitable excellency; he shall love it, his heart will be ravished with it, Cant. 4. 9. Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse, thou hast ra­vished my heart. Christs affections will be drawne out to a soule that so for­gets it selfe, his heart will bee melting towards it, and on fire for it; there must first bee a love in the soule to the object, before the heart bee drawne forth to covet an union with it.

3. It implies, That the Lord Christ will in his heart preferre such a soule; when a mans desire is towards a parti­cular woman, to make her his wife, he [Page 41] preferres her above other women; his desire is not to her sex, but to her, to her rather than ten thousand others. The Lords desire shall bee towards such a soule, As you have heard described to you, that hee will preferre her above ten thousand of his creatures, though the Lord sees thousands of his crea­tures, hundreds in a congregation, that the world dotes upon, some for their faire faces, and on others for their brave parts, this Eliab and the other Shammah; yet the Lord that sees all, and can judge best, lets Eliab and Shammah passe, and fixeth his eye up­on this selfe denying (in the world) de­spised creature, and upon it hee fixeth his heart, and prizeth such a soule a­bove all the other trumperies and kick­shawes of beauty. The Lord culs out such a soule, his desire is towards her, shee is the Esther hee picks out, and such a soul is more preferred in Christs eye, than this witty man or woman, or that gallant, this Lord or that Lady, Christ hath no desire to them, but to this soule his desire is.

4. It implies, That Jesus Christ will [Page 42] indeavour and effect an union, and enjoy such a soule; what is the meaning of that phrase, the man's desire shall be to his wife, but he shall desire to be joyned in marriage to her, that they may bee no longer twaine, but one flesh? and if his desire be towards her, and it be a feasi­ble thing he will effect it, if shee con­sent and friends consent, &c. The Lords desire shall be to the soule, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ shall indeavour, yea, and unite himselfe to effect an u­nion with such a soul, he shall wooe it, yea, and shee shall yield, for when hee works who can let him? Christ will marry himselfe to such a soule, make a marriage covenant, and tie himselfe in a marriage bond to it; for though in man desire may bee frustrated, so that desire and enjoyment are two things, yet it is necessarily to be understood in Christs desiring, whose power is such, that hee shall not need starve his desire longer than he pleaseth.

5. It implies, That the Lord Jesus Christ will court neare communion with such a soule; mark how he speaks to the Spouse, Cant, 2. 14. O my [Page 43] Dove, that art in the clefts of the rocks, in the secret places of the staires, let me heare thy voice, for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance comely; hee will not onely have communion, but hee will covet communion with such a soule; hee will desire to have it draw nigh, and dwell in his presence, to have it come neare him in a duty, in an or­dinance, &c.

6. Lastly, Hee will love such a soule with a constant and inseparable love, it is said, The King shall desire thy beauty, he shall desire it, and never cease desi­ring of it, hee shall for ever desire thy beauty. And thus I have opened to you all the three termes, now I come to the second taske. As I have gone along in opening the generals in seve­rall particulars, I have proved the Doctrine that it is so. But may some say, what ground is there that the Lord Jesus Christ should desire this of eve­ry soule that hee will love and marry and have communion with, that it should thus forsake its owne people, and its fathers house? why should Christ hold the soule to this hard meat? I shal [Page 44] therefore in the next place shew you the reasons of it: And there is a very great deale of Reason for it.

1. Because it is the very law of mar­riage, Gen. 2. 24. Therefore shall a man forsake father and mother, and cleave to his wife. The Lord Christ marries himselfe to the soule. It is written, I will betroth thee unto mee; yea, I will betroth thee unto mee: for this cause the soule shall forsake its owne people, and its fathers house, and shall cleave to its Christ; for this cause because the soule is married, or about to marry to the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore must look to doe as mar­ried persons use to doe, leave all for their husband.

2. A second reason is, because while the soule lives at home with its owne people, and at its fathers house, it cannot be beautifull nor desirable. Our owne people are a filthie people, our fathers house a nastie house; the soule while it hath left that cannot be beau­tifull nor desirable. The most beauti­full creature you know, if shee bee brought up by sluttish people (as wee [Page 45] say) and goes in a filthy habit, there is a cloud cast over her beauty. So it is with a soule, while it hath left its sins and vaine company, and pride, and am­bition, and pleasures, and riches, and selfe-righteousnesse, it cannot be beau­tifull in Christs eyes. Now beauty is the attractive of the soule, the soule must see a beauty, in that, which it lets out it selfe to in desiring: let that be a second reason.

3. Because there cannot bee a clea­ving to Christ, unlesse there be a parting with these. Christ requires the highest love of our soules, it is the first com­mandement you know (with our Sa­viours glosse upon it) Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and all thy soule. Hence Christ tels us, no man can serve two masters, you cannot serve God and Mammon; that soule that will hug sin must hate God; that soule that will be a companion of Jesus Christ, and a companion of Saints, must not be a companion of sinners, for what fellowship hath Christ with Belial, righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse, light with darknesse, the temple of God [Page 46] with Idols, and so the rest? Your soule cannot love two thengs with an highest love. 2. You cannot in heart truly cleave to two contraries. There is a third reason, especially if you consi­der,

4. That God is a jealous God: you meet with the phrase often, and given as a reason, why they should doe this or that, For the Lord thy God is a jea­lous God. Jealousie is a passion in the soule, non patiens consortium in re ama­tà (saith Aquinas) that will not in­dure, or that makes the soule that it will not indure any sharing in the ob­ject beloved. The woman that hath a jealous husband must leave all her old companions. Christian, thy God is a jea­lous God, if therefore thou wouldst have him desire thy beauty, if thou wouldst have him care for thee, thou must forget thine owne people, and thy fathers house. I will adde but one rea­son more. Lastly,

5. Because It is the will of Christ. It was the Apostles precept, that wives should obey their husbands. Now selfe deniall is a great piece of Christs com­mand. [Page 47] It is his first request, Hee that will be my Disciple let him deny him­selfe; selfe deniall is the first of Chri­stianity. He that hath not learned this, hath not learned the A, B, C, of Chri­stianity, not so much as the Christ-crosse row, as you call it. Here should bee reason enough if [...], [hee hath said so] was enough in Pithago­ras his schoole, to put the businesse past disputing amongst his schollers, I am sure it should bee much more in Christs schoole, wee will therefore en­quire no further reason for it. Let mee now come to application.

I shall apply it, by way 1. Of In­struction. 2. Of Examination. 3. Of Consolation. 4. Of Exhortation.

Ʋse 1 Instr. It may serve to instruct us in the truth of severall Positions, I will only pick out some few.

1. It may instruct us, That the most part of the world, yea, of those that the world most esteemes of, and sets the highest rate and value upon, are poore, indesirable, uncomely wretches, in the eyes of Jesus Christ. Christ's eye sees not as mans eye seeth, man seeth [Page 48] beauty, where Christ seeth none; man seeth a desirablenesse, where Christ's eye seeth none; man dotes upon what Christ cares not for; man calleth the proud blessed, but the Lord's soule ab­horreth them; they have not yet left their owne people, and their fathers house. You see many a gallant strut it in the world, and who but they are the people of fashion (as you call them) the glory, the beauty of the world, every one admires them, &c. many that in respect of their wisdome, or parts, or behaviour, and civility, are the desire of those amongst whom they live, and there is not one in ten of all these that the Lord Jesus Christ hath any desire too; they are poore, un­comely, indesirable creatures in Christ's eyes, notwithstanding all their honour, and greatnesse, and nobility, notwith­standing all their beauty, whether na­turall or artificiall, borrowed from the Painter or Taylor, notwithstanding all these Christ seeth no excellency in them at all. The vaine creature dotes, Christ scornes; the vain creature loves, Christ sees no lovelinesse in them, but [Page 49] looketh upon them black with the soot of hell, eyes their countenance, all blots, and their soules too, the vaine creature preferres them: there's many a poore creature that lives in a cottage, that is at an higher rate in Christ's thoughts; the poore wormes soule is carried out to desire matches, an union and a communion. with them. Jesus Christ scornes them, and hath no desire either to any union, or to enjoy any com­munion with them: Christ saith of such vaine creatures, There go poor wret­ches that my soule loathes, I am sick of them, ashamed of them as my crea­tures; And is this nothing to you? O you sons and daughters, is this nothing to you? it vexeth you to think that you live in a place where none desires you, and if you were gone none would lament you: It was an untoward cha­racter of an unworthy Emperour; & is it no trouble to you to think I live not desired, not cared for of Jesus Christ? Zeph. 2. 1. The Lord cals his people to repentance under this notion; Ga­ther together, O nation not desired. O that it might call you to some serious [Page 50] thoughts, vaine creatures! you are people not desired of the Lord Jesus Christ, as uncomely, and despised in his eyes, as you are beautifull, and admi­red in the eyes of men; nay, and more, and let me tell you in your eares, and (oh that it may make your hearts rend, and your eares tingle) if you be not desired of him here, you shall never enjoy him, nor be enjoyed of him bere­after. Haman was such a poore wretch, the King had ennobled him, every hat and knee did him homage, and took notice of the Kings respects to him, at last hee came to the gibbet; have a care poore creatures else, though you compasse your selves about with sparkes, poore sparkes of friends, honours, riches, pleasures; sparks that will extinguish as quickly as rise, yet this, and onely this, you shall have at the Lords hand, you shall lie downe in sorrow, everlasting sorrow; you shall lie down in hell. It is an ill place to leave you in, but the Lord pluck you as fire­brands out of the burning. I passe on.

2. From what you have heard you may be instructed, which way the way [Page 51] to heaven lies; and 2. That it is no easie way, we are all pilgrims and stran­gers here, we were bred so, our fathers were so. Now the journies end which all pretend to (though the most ride backward) the coast which all say they are bound for (which way soever their compasse guides them) is Hea­ven, this is omnibus in Voto, though few so runne that they may obtaine. But hath any blind or misled traveller a mind to know the way? Is any poore soule startled this day? doth hell-fire flash in any of your faces, and are you crying out, Sir, What shall we doe to be saved? which way lies our way to hea­ven? Learne hence, that the next way to heaven is not the beaten road, but quite crosse Natures-fields, and so through the long street of selfe-deniall, and up the mountaine of holinesse, at the top of which you shall see God; it lies over hedge and ditch, over rockes and mountaines: you must leave your youth sinnes as you goe on your right hand, your education and custome sinnes on your left hand, your beloved sinnes be­hind you; if your father, or mother, [Page 52] or husband, or wife, or brother, or sister, or child lie in your way, you must make no halts, but over their necks; if all your vaine acquaintance, your drunken, swearing, wanton compa­nions, stand of each side and becken you another way, you must decline their invitation and go quite crosse; you must tread upon all your glory and pompe, and greatnesse; you must avoid the mountaine of Gold, and the rocks of Pearle; you must take heed of the pleasant brook of carnall and vain plea­sures; avoid your dancing, and pain­ting, and patching, and decking your selves: In short, you must put your selfe in an habit fit to carry a crosse, This is the next way to heaven. And now I need not tell you in the second place, That strait is the way, and nar­row is the gate that leads to everlasting life, and few there be that find it. By this time you will know, that if you will goe to heaven you must goe like, and with, very few in this age of wan­tonnesse and dotage. By this time you will easily ghesse sinners are out of the way, and proud men are out of the [Page 53] way; those that glory in riches, and worldly greatnesse, are out of the way; the carelesse daughters of Sion, that stretch out their necks, and mince it as they goe, are out of the way; the selfe-righteous men are out of the way. Ah Lord! who are in it? Heaven is a difficult journey, it is an hard way to find, it is hard to flesh and blood to doe these things. It was the Martyrs speech, that the crosse way was the way to heaven. The way to heaven is astrait way, no dancing way, dancers must have the elbowroome of hell-road; they that will walke in this strait way must croud, they must not thinke to walk thither in state; no, they must croud, and never bee afraid of wrim­pling a neat handkerchiefe or cuffe, it is not opus pulvinaris (said one) but pul­veris, you shall be sure to meet with all the opposition that nature can make, all the forces of flesh and bloud, and all the forces the devill can adde; who then shall be saved? even those that God hath appointed to life, those to whom the Lord shall give such an heart as I have told you, strait is the way, and few there be that find: If you will have [Page 54] a broader way you may, Mat. 7. 13, 14. but then you must not look for the same journies end. The Lord give you hearts to consider it, and feare to tremble at it.

3. And from hence thirdly, you may bee instructed, that it must bee something more than nature that must make a poore soule beautifull, and desi­rably beautifull in Jesus Christs eyes. It must neither bee naturall beauty will doe it, nor yet naturall parts; no, nor natures glory, nor the best of nature, naturall righteousnesse, Matth. 5. 20. It must be something more than flesh and bloud, yea, something more than flesh and bloud can helpe us with. But I passe over this.

4. From hence fourthly, you may be instructed, What an infinit love the Lord Jesus Christ hath loved his Saints with, 1 Joh. 3. 1. Behold (saith the Apostle) with what manner of love the father hath loved you with, that you should be call'd the sonnes of God. Here hee sayes, hearken O Daughter; the Daughter of a King is honourable, but the daughter of the King of Kings is much more honourable. But (if I may [Page 55] say it) here seemes to be a degree of love beyond it, the Kings wife is more honourable than the Kings daughter. Behold therefore (O yee upright in heart) with what manner of love the Lord Jesus Christ hath loved you, that hee should desire your beauty; not only love you, but if uncomely, poor wret­ches, make you beautifull, according to that, Ezech. 16. 13, 14. nay, not on­ly so, but desire your beauty; not onely like it, but desire it; O love! infinit love! when David sent his servants to let Abigail know that hee desired her beauty, marke how she admires at it, 1 Sam. 25. 41. shee arose and bowed her selfe on the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid bee a servant, to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord, Doe you heare this newes, O yee daughters of men? doe you heare this newes? that the King of glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, that hath no need of you, that is infinitly above you, hath sent me this day to tell you, that hee desires your beauty. Rise up, O yee Saints, bow your selves, and say, Let us be servants to wash his feet, &c. [Page 56] Let us bee the doore-keepers of his house, his meanest servants. No Chri­stians, you shall be his sons and daugh­ters: Nay, hearken O daughters, here's more for you, The King desires your beauty; Spell this love at leisure, and now w [...]sh your soules, follow after Je­sus Christ, study it with your most se­rious thoughts, live to it with strictest lives. What conversation becommeth the gospell? what manner of persons should you be? Follow on, make haste and rise, and follow him, singing, cry­ing, as you goe, O the heighth, and depth, the incomprehensible heighth! the unfadomable depth of love where­with the Lord Jesus Christ hath loved sinners, before the beginning of the world, &c. And lastly.

5. Can you learn a lesse result from hence than this, that Saints selfe-deny­ing, despised Saints, are happy creatures; Ter (que) quater (que) beati, blessed againe, and againe. Surely you have not heard mee all this while, but you are preven­ting me in the words of the Psalmist. Happy are the people that are in such a case; yea, blessed are the people that [Page 57] have the Lord for their God; we may say of them, O nimium dilectis Deo, creatures strangely beloved of their God, strangely happy in this, that the King should desire their beauty. Let the world scorne one, let them put out the finger and barke at the moone, let them mock puritanisme, let the way of holinesse be every where spoken against, pro hominum arbitrio, let them talke, so long as you gaine; you dance before the ark though Michal mock out at the window: You shall be more beauti­full, the more vile they think you; it is for the Kings sake, that hath desired your beauty and scornd theirs; for the Kings sake, that hath chosen you to ob­taine everlasting life through Jesus Christ, but hath ordained them to wrath, and neglected their beauty. One would not think now, that these crea­tures that ravish Christs heart, should offend worldlings eyes so much: surely Christ should have no judgement, if these were the contemptible ones of the earth, the unlovely creatures. Well well, Christians, let them mocke on, after the way which they call simpli­city [Page 58] and foolery, moping; &c. worship thou the God of thy fathers; thou shalt have thy pleasures, when they shall have torments; thou shalt have thy crowne and honour, when the pride of their glory shall bee stained, and that shall lie in the dust. These children of vanity forget what Abraham (though something too late to doe him good) advised their brother to remember, Luk. 16. 25. That in their life time they received good things, and those precious Lazarus'es, evill things, but yet a little while and you shall be com­forted, and they tormented; yet a little while and you shall be honoured, and they shall be cursing the wombe that bare them, and the paps that gave them suck, cursing the honour that ruin'd them, the pleasures that damned them, the worldly glory which hath made them inglorious for ever; yet a little while and instead of their sweet smels they shall have the stinkes of fire and brimstone, and instead of their girdles rentings of heart for ever, instead of their well-set haire they shall have baldnesse; they shall spend more time [Page 59] in rending and tearing their haire, than ever they did in curling or powdring it. Yet a little while, and instead of their stomachers, they shall have girdings with sackcloth, & everlasting burnings instead of their present beauty. But blessed shall you bee, for you shall shine like the Sun in the firmament of the father, for the King hath desired your beauty. I have at last done with my first use of Instruction: I proceed now to a second, and that shall bee of exa­mination.

Ʋse. 2 Are you willing now to know, Christians, whether Jesus Christ cares for you yea or no? whether you be de­sirable in his eyes yea or no? heaven and hell hang upon this thing; Trie whether you have forgotten your owne people, and your fathers house.

The most men and women are a­fraid of the touchstone, and are willing rather to take heaven for granted, though they find hell for certaine; but this is not safe with you. Trie your selves then (Christians) I will helpe you a little in so good a work.

1. If you have forgotten your [Page 60] fathers house, you have (first) seene a great deale of folly and vanity in it: Man is a reasonable creature, and will never leave any thing, but he will see some cause to leave it. Did the Lord ever yet convince you throughly, not with a Notionall, but an heart convi­ction of the folly of your fathers house? Did the Lord ever throughly convince you of your evill wayes, the sinnes of your natures, the customary sinnes of your lives, of your education sinnes, and your beloved sinnes? Had you ever a through conviction of the vanity of your evill company, the vanity of your pleasures and carnall delights? Did your soules ever tast a reall bitternesse in them? if not, I feare me you have not left them.

2. Have you had another excellen­cy discovered to your soules? Had your souls ever yet a reall discovery made to you of the excellency of the wayes of ho­lines, these wayes that you once hated? Doe you now see a beauty, a glory in them, so much that you can even stand, and hold up your hands and admire, that you should be blind so long? A [Page 61] present pleasant thing will scarce bee left, but upon a discovery of, and an obtaining of something more excellent. Christians, under what notion do you look upon Christ, and his wayes? Do you look upon them as excellent, the wayes of strictnesse, as excellent, sanctifying a Sabboth, praying, the fre­quenting of the communion of Saints? Doe you look upon them as excellent? If you doe not, I feare mee, you but cheat your selves with a conceit, that you have forgot your fathers house.

3. If you have parted with them I am afraid it cost you some teares, you did not part with so many friends with drie eyes; friends cannot ordinarily pats without teares, but your weeping hath not beene such a weeping if it hath been true; it hath not been, be­cause you have parted with them, but because you abode with them so long; it hath for measure been like the mour­ning of him that hath lost his onely be­gotten sonne, Zach. 12. 10. but not upon the same account, not because you must now part with them, but because you embraced them so long. See the [Page 62] effects of godly sorrow, 2 Cor. 7. 11. it worketh carefulnesse and indigna­tion, &c. Were your soules ever in such a true bitternesse for sinne, that it wrought in thee an indignation against your selves; that you could even eat your owne flesh, to think you should ever have been such a vaine, wanton wretch, such a proud sinner as you have been? This is a good signe you and your fathers house are parted, and that at the parting you sorrowed after a god­ly sort.

4. If ever you truly parted with it, both at the parting, and since too, you have found something to doe with your owne spirit, some struglings and com­batings with your selfe. Before you parted you were at a dispute with your soules; shall I leave this or that cor­ruption, or shall I not? and since you have been at some debates with your spirit, shall I goe home againe? shall I returne to such a vomit? to such a wallowing in the mire? even Paul himselfe found the law in his members warring against the law of his mind, and bringing him into captivity to the law [Page 63] of sinne, Rom. 7. 23. the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these contrary one to ano­ther, Gal. 5. 17. I dare almost say, that that soule never conquerd sinne, that is not yet in combate with it; never truly overcame it, that is not still in combate; never yet forgot its fathers house, that hath not some strong incli­nations, sometimes to be going to its old home againe, and sometimes finds not that it hath something to doe to keep his heart from (a second time) embracing what it hath beene once a­shamed of.

5. Doe you make Christ all your de­light, and your sole delight? is hee to you solus desideria, & totus desideria? Are your hearts taken more with Christ than with all the world besides, and so taken with your husband, that nothing of him, nor from him, displea­seth you? can you bee content with Christ alone, and say with David to the Lord, Thou art my portion? could you quest all things else for him? and is there nothing of him but seemes love­ly to you? doe his strictest lawes seem [Page 64] excellent to you? Is hee excellent to you in the intent of his Kingly office, as well as in the comfort of his Priest­ly office? doth his very yoke seem easie, and his burthen seem light to you?

6. Do you abide with Christ, as the wife abides with the husband, and the branch abides in the vine? every true branch abides in him, Joh. 15. 4. is your dwelling with him? or are you onely religious by fits? the hypocrite may bee so religions, but the Saint makes the Lord his dwelling place. Which is that which you count your home? the best of Gods Saints may have some inclinations to vanity, and be sometimes trading with the world; Ah! but Christ is his home, Christ is his dwelling place; hee thinkes him­selfe in a strange place, when he is not with Christ in duties of holy commu­nion. Christian, which is thy element? Is your soule in its element, when it is conversing with things below Christ? that's an ill signe, by these things you may take a scantling of your owne haarts. The Lord help you in applying these things to your soules. I proceed to a 3 d use.

Here's comfort to the Saints, joy to the upright in heart, especially

1. Against all the uncomelinesse and indesireablenesse the Saint appre­hends in himselfe. There's none so comely as the Saint in Christs eyes, nor any so uncomely and ugly in their owne eyes; Paul cries out, O wretch­ed man that I am, Rom. 7. 24. and a­gaine, I am as one borne out of due time, the least of the Apostles, not wor­thy to be call'd an Apostle, 1 Cor. 15. 8, 9. It is an usuall account the Saints give of themselves, ah wretched creatures, poore indesireable wret­ches, hard-hearted sinners, vile per­sons, &c. Bee of good cheare Chri­stian, The King hath desired thy beau­ty; thou art black in thine owne eyes, but comely in Christs eyes: Black in respect of thy merit, but comely in re­spect of imputation; comely through the comlinesse that hee hath put upon you. Secondly,

2. Here's comfort against all the dirt the world casts upon you, all the uncome­linesse they conceit in you; who so de­spicable creatures in the eyes of the [Page 66] world, as those men and women whom the Lord delights to honour? these are the despised ones; upon the backs of these it is that the Plowers plow, and make long furrowes; they are the upright in heart, that they privily bend their bow to shoot at, against these are the puttings out of the fingers, and the liftings up of the hands; upon these are laid all the scoffes of the un­godly, and through their weaknesse the barkings of these dogges sometimes trouble them. But Christians, hath not the King desired your beauty? the beauty that these wretches are so blind they cannot see. Hath not the King de­sired it? Is it desireable in Christs eyes, and despised in their eyes? which is the best judge, think you? is it not enough for you, that you please your husband?

3. Here's comfort for you, not on­ly against all their scoffes, but against all their low esteeme of you. David saith, I am small, and of no reputa­tion. Christ was accounted the least in the kingdome of Heaven; hee was the stone which the builders refused. A [Page 67] man of no fashion in the world, who cared for him? did any of the Phari­sees believe on him? The wife, you know, takes her honour from her hus­band, and usually, if hee be accounted one of no fashion, shee is not valued at a very high rate; Saints, though they be indeed the worlds pillars, yet in the vulgar estimate they are the worlds burthens; and where ever they live, they usually live at a low rate in world­lings desires, if any (of note before) turne puritane, hee loseth his rate in the worlds thoughts presently, the Gen­tleman loseth his honour, the Lady her repute; but it is because their pri­zers have lost their wit, and their eyes, and it need not much trouble a Saint, for Christ desires their beauty still: They have put themselves out of the worlds reckoning, and heightend them­selves in Christ's esteem. Despise on (fooles) the King hath desired these soules beauty,

Ah! but will a poore misdoubting Christian say, I am afraid they have a true object of laughter in me. I am afraid I have not that desireable beauty, but [Page 68] am a painted sepulchre; were I but con­vinced, that I had indeed truly forgot my fathers house, and that the Lord Christ had indeed desired my beauty, I could naile their scoffes to my heeles, and mourne over their gallant follies: But I feare.

1 Obj. Alas! I am going home to my fathers house ever and anon, I am ready to yield to temptations, ready to fall into sinne; yea, and the Lord par­don mee, I fall seven times a day. If I had forgot my fathers house, should I have such inclinations to goe home? would my heart draw so hard for vani­ty, as it doth sometimes? should I sinne so often, &c.

I answ. 1. Which way stands your affection? your heart you say bends that way, but which way stands your affection? doe you take pleasure in such inclinations? have you a good mind to sinne, if you durst? to returne to your old vanities, if you durst? only you durst not, that's an ill signe. But upon such inclinations, doth there pre­sently arise a loathing in your soules? doe you say, Get thee behind mee [Page 69] Sathan, that's a good signe, that though you be invited by a temptation of vaine company, or the Devill, &c. yet you have truly forgotten your fathers house.

2. You goe home sometimes you say, it may be you fall into some of your former vaine courses, and are with some of your vaine companions. But I pray, What doe you when you are in your fathers house? are you pleased with your vanities, or with the vanities of your friends? or doe you spend your time in chiding? It may be your heart sometimes declines to some vanity, or you are sometimes in converse with vain persons. Are you one with vani­ty, one with sinners? or doe your spi­rits rise against your selves, and against the vanities of those with whom you are? What indignation is wrought? if any, you may have forgot your fa­thers house, for all this going home.

3. You goe home sometimes you say. But I pray, How long doe you stay there? Is sinne your trade? Doe you live in knowne sinnes? this indeed will argue your profession but hypocri­sie. But (on the contrary) though [Page 70] you fall through weaknesse, yet doe you rise through grace; though you sinne sometimes, yet is sinne as Davids concupiscence, call'd a stranger in the Parable. Thus the best Saints have sinn'd, yea, and may sinne; not of wil­fulnesse, but of weaknesse; not trading in sinne, nor lying in it, but falling into it, and rising by repentance.

2. Obj. Ah! but will another Chri­stian say, I cannot deny my selfe in the company of my fathers house, wretch that I am. I got acquaintance when I was young with vaine persons, or I am related to such, and I dare not say, but I love their company, and oft times leave better for them; neither can I deny my selfe in my relations. My heart is ex­cessively let out after them.

1. Thou saiest thou art oft times yet a companion of vaine persons, but consider (Christian) are they thy invi­ted ghests, or accidentall meerly? are they intruders, or are they the wel­come crmpanions of thy life? are they thy pickt company or no, thy intimates, or meerly companions in respect of thy trade, and converse with the world? If [Page 71] thou delightest not in them, they in­deed are sometimes thy companions, but thou art not theirs.

2. Art thou a companion with them in sinne, or onely in civill actions, or for discourse, &c. sometimes? if the first indeed it is a signe thou hast not left thy fathers house; but if the latter onely, it is no such signe, thou keepest thy course, they come to thee, and it may be disturbe thee, but thou doest not goe to them.

3. Thou sayest thou lovest them. But it would be considered, Whether thy love be meerly naturall or more? It may be thou lovest them because they are witty people, or of ingenuous dispo­sitions. Thus Christ loved the young man, Matth. 19. and thus thou may­est love them. It is an ill signe, if thou lovest them, because they will drinke, or sweare, or bee vain and wanton in their discourse or carriages.

4. Thou sayest thou lovest thy rela­tions, and thou canst not deny thy selfe in them, thy heart is so glued to them, &c. and God forbid but thou shouldst love them, 1. with a naturall [Page 72] affection, its a signe of a wretch, Rom. 1. 31. to be without naturall affection, and 2. with a providentiall love and care; hee that provides not for his family (saith the Apostle) is worse than an infidell. But 1. Sup­pose Christ should call thee to suffer for him, and thou hadst a good mind to it, and they should plead hard for thee to spare thy selfe; wouldst thou with Hierom shake off thy father, and mo­ther, and children, and runne to Christ? this would bee a signe thou hadst for-got them, Though thou lovest them. 2. Notwithstanding that thou lovest them, wouldst thou favour them in a­ny sinne against God, and onely luke­warmely reprove them, like old Elie? It is not well done of you, O my sons, be­cause thou lovest them: wilt thou ra­ther let them dishonour God, damn their owne soules, doe any thing, rather than reprove, or smite them? this love indeed is a reall hatred, and will argue little love to God in thy soule. But on the contrary, though thou lovest them with the tenderest love, & wilt provide for them with the most providential [Page 73] care; yet is thy love so truly tempered, that it shall not in the least hinder thee from doing thy duty to Christ; no, nor yet from doing thy duty to them; from reproving sharply, admonishing severely? is thy love such, that it shall not blind thy eyes, so as thou wilt wink at the least neglect of duty in them, not at the least sin-in them? Love them then as wel as thou canst, it shall be no sad evi­dence against thy soule, otherwise (Pa­rents look to it) your children will curse you another day for your love to them: you have heard of killing with kindnesse; let the kind of death be ne­ver so sweet, yet the death will be bit­ter. Take heed not of killing the bo­dies (alas, that were nothing) but of damning your childrens soules, and your owne too, with miscalled kind­nesse.

3 Obj. But wil another Christian say, I have not forgot my honour and glory, I am not low enough, I feare, to get in at heavens gate. I answer first.

1. This is like the melancholy con­ceit of her, that a Divine of our owne speaks of; of a woman that conceited, [Page 74] she was so fat, shee could not get to hea­ven; it is the lownesse of mind that God looks at, Lords and Ladies, if their hearts be not as high as their ti­tles, may sit in heaven as well as mea­ner persons. I doe not say, they shall have chaires of state set for them, but they may have a roome there; it may be one or two may sit above them (if there bee degrees in glory) that gave them place here: but as Master Ru­therford sayes, the least place in Heaven is Heaven, though it bee behind the doore. But secondly,

2. Is not thy outward Pompe and glory that which thou affectest, and de­lightest in it, and huntest after? Does not thy title tickle thy eare, nor swell thy heart, if not, it can doe thee no hurt? all the feare of those swelling things is, lest they should breed tympa­nies in the soule.

3. Doe you look upon the title of the servant of Jesus Christ, the title of Christian, as the farre more honourable title? Are you of Theodosius his tem­per, which would you rather chuse, to be call'd my Lord, or Madam, or to [Page 75] be called the servant of Christ; which doe you preferre? if the latter, it is a signe you have forgot the former, though you retaine it.

4. Is your outward greatnesse and pompe no snare to your soule in the wayes of God? Great persons are too ready to think they are above prayers, above hearing, above meane Saints; should such ones as they pray in their families; no, let their boy do it? should they pray in secret, and runne up and downe to lectures? O no (forsooth) it is a dishononour to them (Heaven was made, I confesse, for the most part, for people of lesser quality, 1 Cor. 1. 26, 27. James 2. 5.) should such as they go to private meetings? no, better go to a taverne, there they shall only foule their soules, but keep their clothes cleane. But now, hath the Lord given thee another spirit? it is true, thou art great, but thy great­nesse is no such snare to thy soule; thou canst pray for all thy greatnesse, and heare sermons, and kneele in a duty for all thy silk stockings, and entertain communion with the meanest Saint; yea, [Page 76] and for a need preferre a lether dublet in honour before thy selfe. Though thou beest great it seemes thou hast forgot it.

4 Obj. Ah, but will a Christian say, I am so addicted to mirth, and pleasure; I must have my vagary, and tickle my sense sometimes, &c.

1 Answ. Christian, dost thou love thy pleasures more than thy God, that indeed were something? art thou more pleased with hearing a song, than hearing a sermon? this sounds high. But love God best, and for ought I know, thy eye (for thy recreation) may bee delighted in seeing, and thy eare with hearing too.

2 Answ. Wilt thou baulk an op­portunity of communion with Christ, or with his Saints, for a vaine pleasure? Wilt thou bee a loser in thy heart, to gaine a little pleasure for thine eye, or eare, or any sense? wilt thou misse a family duty, an opportunity of hearing Gods word privatly or publiquely, thy time of secret duty, a time of commu­nion with the Saints to wait upon thy pleasure? In such a case I would have [Page 77] thee suspect thy heart, otherwise thou mayest recreate thy selfe with them, and yet have forgotten them.

3 Answ. Suppose thy pleasures have been such, and are such, as are in themselves sinfull, as wantonnesse, drunkennesse, &c. Dost thou love them so, that thou wilt have them whe­ther God will or no? thou wilt break with God to enjoy thy lust; this is an ill, and a very ill signe. But possibly thy pleasures are such as God allowes thee (temperately used) if such, thou mayest so use them, and yet the King desire thy beauty. I have finished this branch of application, I have but one word more to adde: It shall be of

Use. 4 Exhortation. Let mee now per­swade with you Christians; And (oh that the Lord would help mee to per­swade) 1. with you, who have not at all yet forgate your fathers house, and so consequently, your beauty is not at all desirable to Christ. 2. With you that have begun to doe well; I have a word to both sorts,

1 Br. Is there, alas, is there any poore soule before me this day, whose [Page 78] heart smites him, and tells him, that his soule is not at all yet desirable in the eyes of Jesus Christ? is there any poore creature so sadly miserable? pos­sibly the world dotes on you for beau­ty, wit, parts, behaviour, &c. but in the meane time, doe your soules, tell you in plaine English, that you are de­spised in Christs eyes. As though God did beseech you by mee, I pray you in Christs stead be reconciled to God. Ah poore soule, wouldst thou be desired of Jesus Christ? Hearken then O daugh­ter and consider, and incline your care, forget thy owne people, and thy fathers house. I know I am pleading with you for an hard thing, especially for you that have all the world at will: But I beseech you by the love you bear to your precious soules, which shall last for ever; doe it, ah doe it. I had need now have the Rhethorick of an An­gell, yea, if I had; yet God must per­swade Japhet to come and dwell in the tents of Shem. Let mee offer but a few considerations, and venture at a perswading of you, and leave the is­sue with God.

[Page 79] 1. Consider, How will you live when your fathers house failes you? for the present it is a full house, and you live, as wee say, as well as a carnall heart would wish; you have plea­sures, and honours, and riches, even what you would aske: the colour is in your cheeks, and the marow in your bones. But will this last alwayes? doth not the fashion of this world passe a­way? and will not the fashion of your bodies passe away? what will you doe in that day of your visitation? These things may last a while, till God comes to keep a Court in your Conscience, or hee summons you to a particular judge­ment, or layes you upon your back in a bed of affliction, or comes to his last judgement: But in any of these dayes (poore creature) what wilt thou doe? when thy perfumed body shall come to stinke in the nostrils of men, thy soule shall be more loathed of God; a future livelihood would be thought of, This will perswade a virgin to marry some­times. But besides.

2. Christian, Dost thou know the joyes of a married life to Christ? dost [Page 80] thou put no difference betwixt being a bondslave to hell, and one free in Je­sus Christ; betwixt the enjoying the communion of the children of the Devill, and enjoying the communion of Saints? no difference betwixt en­joying the commun on of devils, in e­verlasting torments, and the commu­nion of God, Angells, and Saints, in the highest Heavens, where eye hath not seen, nor hath eare heard, nor can it enter into the heart of man, to conceive what things God hath prepared for them that love him? now (if thy con­science bee not seared) thou hast e­ver and anon some flashes of hell in thy face. The merriest sinner of you all, I believe is not alwayes free. Is there no difference betwixt that condition, think you, and a peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost? Now, you never lie downe in your beds, but (if you dare look back, and consider how you have spent the day) your soule is stricken with terrour, and there is a dart almost struck through your liver, and you dare not let your soules feed upon the thoughts, but are glad [Page 81] to shuffle it over, for feare you runne madde; but if your soules would but forget these vanities, ah, how sweetly would you sleep; and when you had spent a day in duties of hearing or praying, how sweetly would your soules look back upon it. Now if you were not rock't into a sleep of damna­tion, you would scarce lie downe to sleep, but you would feare lest you should wake in the morning with hell flames about your eares; nor walke in the day, but (like the selfe-accused murtherer) your eye would be over your shoulder, for feare the devill should be laying hold of you: then you would lie downe in peace, and rise up in peace, and nothing would make you afraid. Is this world nothing Chri­stian? ah, that the Lord would per­swade you of this. Besides,

3. Consider (Christian) there is nothing in your fathers house but you shall find in Christ, by a way of eminen­cy. Must you forsake your sinnes, you shall be filled with the graces of the spirit of God? Must you forsake a lit­tle [Page 82] idle vaine company, you shall have the communion of Saints, yea, a fellow­ship with the father, and the sonne the Lord Jesus Christ? 1 Joh. 1. 3. Must you forget your pompe and glory, &c. you shall bee called the sonnes and daughters of God, heires, coheires with Christ? Rom. 8. Must you forget worldly riches, you shall have the ri­ches of grace? Must you forget a few vaine pleasures, you shall have a ful­nesse of pleasures, at Christs right hand, and that for evermore? Psal. 16. 11. Must you forget your owne righteous­nesse, you shall bee clothed with the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ? what's lost by the exchange Christian?

4. Consider againe, Christ forgot his fathers house for you, and yet it was worth many of yours; hee forgot the glory, the company, the pleasures of his fathers house for you; he was con­tent, for you, to be a companion of fi­shermen, yea, of sinners, yea, of theeves, when he died upon the crosse for you: this he did freely, he made himselfe of no reputation, hee nothinged himselfe [Page 83] for you: Hark what the Apostle sayes, 2 Cor. 8. 9. you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who though he was rich, yet for your sake hee became poore; that you through his poverty might be made rich. Let that melting love winne you. Besides,

5. It is the way to be beautifull: what abundance of paines poor vaine wretches take to be beautifull? surely this must move. Beauty is a desirable thing, the vaine creatures of the earth would never else set nature with the heeles upward, doe any thing to ob­taine it; wee should never else have so much precious time lost, and so many precious soules undone with paintings, and trimmings, patchings, and perfu­mings, and a thousand such apish tricks: but beauty is the idoll of the world, to which the very soule shall be offered up in sacrifice, and when all this is done the soule is amisse, and the way to adorne that, is to undresse all againe. Hark, you that desire beauty, here's the way of beauty which you have not known; it is to deny your selves in all [Page 84] these things, and whatsoever else is contrary to the law of Christ, or short of him; yea, and this,

6. Shall make you desirably beau­teous, that Christ shall desire you, and the Saints shall desire you; this is the way to ravish his heart. But no more by way of motive, God must doe all I know when I have spake my ut­most.

I might tell you who it is will de­sire your beauty; It is the King of heaven, of glory, and peace; the King shall desire your beauty. If this, all this will not doe, the Lord open your eyes, and then I am sure it will.

But this is an hard work, and young ones especially had need of a great deale of helpe to it, and truly nature affords none, all is laid up in Christ onely; In order to the getting of it from Christ, let me advise you;

Dir. 1 First, With a serious eye to look up­on your fathers house, and see what there is in it desirable, that should so bewitch one that hath not outlawed his or her reason to it. Look seriously [Page 85] upon your sinnes, will you not see a fil­thinesse in them? Look upon your vaine company, bee they what they will, will you not discerne some sor­didnesse or basenesse in their actions? upon your honours and greatnesse, will they not appeare bubbles? upon your pleasures, will they not appeare shad­dowes? You look upon these things as pictures, side-wayes, or at a di­stance; that makes you admire them, and runne after them: come nee­rer to them, will they not look daw­bed with some uncomelinesse or other? Will not the colours that look'd so sweetly afarre off, stink if you bring them neere your nose? Let that bee the first piece of advice.

Dir. 2 While you enjoy these things, take heed of letting out your heart to them; rejoyce as if you rejoyced not, and use the world as if you used it not; be not too much intent upon your fathers house, converse not too much with a­ny thing there; things of the world have a glutinous quality, the heart will cleave to them, if you let it lie very [Page 86] long amongst them; and if it once cleaves, there will bee no wayes, but either your heart must be soundly rent upon the severing, or hell-fire must part them.

Dir. 3 Thirdly, Ah, Learne to live from your fathers house betimes, take the wise mans counsell, it was after a large survey and discourse of every roome, and the vanity of every roome in our fathers house, Eccl. 12. 1. Remem­ber thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth; if rottennesse enter into the bones, it will hardly ever out. You that are young, for the Lords sake think of this: Ah, come off your youthfull va­nities before they can plead custome with your soules, live from home be­times, believe it, there will bee more weeping else when you come to part.

Dir. 4 Lastly, Crie, crie mightily unto God, that he would take off your heart: Believe it, it must be his work, you will be wearied else in the multitude of your owne indeavours; if the Lord draw off the heart, it will be drawne [Page 87] indeed. Be much in publique prayer, but especially be much in secret prayer. I must conclude.

2. Br. Lastly, you that have been taught of the Lord to forget your fa­thers house, that so the King might desire your beauty, Let mee plead with you still to forget it more. Selfe­deniall is a long and hard lesson, a Chri­stian must be learning it from his cra­dle to his grave, and every time hee studies it hee shall find something to be done that is yet behind, and all that he hath done to bee done better: you have learned in part how to doe it, I need not direct you, you need no o­ther directions then

1. To study every day more and more the vanitie of the creature. Read over the book of Ecclesiastes well, it is e­nough to teach you that lesson.

2. Converse little with your fa­thers house, have as little to doe with the world, the pleasures, or profits, or riches, or companie, or manners of it as you can, the lesser the better.

3. Be more acquainted with Jesus [Page 88] Christ, get neerer to him, bee more in communion with him, get more tasts of Heaven, Earth will relish the worse for it. I might presse upon you the same motives I urged before, and I should doe it with advantages; you know what this King is, how much to bee desired, how much to bee odo­red; you know what a difference there is betwixt the worlds comelinesse, and the comelinesse which hee putteth upon his Saints. Let mee onely urge one word, or rather name it:

Some read the words, quia concupi­vit, Because the King hath desired thy beauty, here's an argument, an en­gaging argument to a Saint. The Lord hath effectually made it knowne in your soules, that hee desires your beauty more than tenne thousands of others. Hee hath whispered, not onely in your eares, but in your heart, his desire to you. Ah, now Christi­ans be you humble, self-denying ones, because the King hath desired your beauty. Let the love of Christ con­straine you, to order your hearts and [Page 89] conversations as becommeth the Gospell of the Lord Jesus Christ: According to the lawes of this King that hath so passionately desired, and so effecaciou­sly declared his desire to your beauty. I must have done: The Lord adde his blessing.

FINIS.

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