nis, from that which is craffe, invincible, pure negationis, And fo their punishments may be inflicted fecundum magus & minus, yet neither being excufable, Thefe through ignorance resemble Afop's Cock, preferring a barly corne before a gemme. And these are Iyable to a dreadfull curfe mentioned by the Prophet; Poure out thy Jer. 10. 25. fury upon the Heathen that knew thee not & upon the families that call not upon thy name... 2. Idle lazy perfons are to be reproved, who are fo fupine, and careleffe, as will not stirre a foot to purchase Chrift. The wifemen came from the Eaft to worship Chrift, and the Queen of Sheba from the uttermoft parts of the earth to heare the wifedome of Solomon: thefe fhall rise in judgment against this lazy generation; who will be at no paines, and at no cost for the purchase of a Saviour. Mannal falls round about your tents, You have bread in the morning, and bread in the evening, will not you take paines to gather it? You have a Mart, and a market for your foules; Thefe places of concourse are open (which is no fmall mercy) and will you not come at them? Men goe many miles for a gainful bargain, and are ye fo fick of the lazies as you will not ftep over the threshold to hear a Sermon? --Non nifi fublato reperitur gemmula faxo. This pearle is not to be had by fuch as fold their hands in their bofomes, nor fuch as lye at Tavernes, and Alehouses, nor fuch as in contempt of the Gofpel willfully abfent themselves from the publick ordinances, for fear left the plain dealing of the Minister should touch them to the quick. 3. Covetous perfons are to be reprooved, who will not foregoe an Ox, a farme, not a penny profit in the trade for Jefus Chrift. Mammon is their god, and therefore they'le give no entertainment unto Jefus Chrift. Gold and filver, corne, and wine, lands and fumptuous buildings are their God. Take away thefe,and they will reply with Mica, ye have taken away my Gods, and what have I more? You may read the abfurd Contents of the foolish Gadarens petition, that Jefus Chrift would depart out of their coafts: They prefer'd their fwine before a fefus. Judas betrayed Chrift for 30 peeces of filver: And the young man in the Gospel prefer'd treasures on earth before treasures in heaven. Demas for the love of the world turn'd Apoftate. If a man will allow himfelfe in covetoufneffe, hel'e be any thing as opportunity offers: Hel'e fell his confcience for Mammon: Hel'e tack about for his beft advantage. A man that was never drunk with wine nor beare, yet may be drunk with the cares of the N world Heb. 13.5. Use 2. For Examisatun. Do you Exalt Chrift? world (as our Saviour expreffeth) Luk. 21. 34. A Christian's converfation must be without covetoufneffe. . 4. Profane perfons are to be reproved, fuch as are of Efan's bumor, Heb. 12.16. who for one morfell of meat fold his birth-right. A profane perfon will not foregoe a luft for Chrift: The drunkard will not leave his cups: The uncleane perfon will not leave his ftrumpet nor the fwearer his oaths for Chrift. And why because they are enemies to Chrift: Chrift and Belial, Chrift and profaneneffe of fpirit, Christ and lufts cannot be reconciled. The fecond Ufe is for Examination, whether we are willing to fell all for the purchase of Jefus Chrift: By way of character il'e propound three queries. 1. Doe we exalt and preferre Chrift above all befides? If so it will appeare by our judgments, affections, and conversation. 1. Doe you exalt Chrift in your judgments; Have you a fpirit 1 Query of difcerning, to difcerne more beauty, wifdome,riches,purity and vertue in Christ, then in all the world befides? observe what a high 1. In your judg-commendation the spouse gives of Chritt upon experimentall knowledg Cant 5.10. My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest amongst 2. In your affecti- tenne thousands: Chrift was white for his innocency, and ruddy for ments. 3 Your life and verfation: 2 Query. Are we willing to denie our feives. his fufferings. 2. Doe you exalt Chrift in your affections, doe you love Chrift with an entire love, doth his love conftraine yon, 2 Cor. 5. 14. Doe you let your joy upon Chriit? when Chrift came in the power of his Miniftery, 'tis faid there was a great joy in that City, Ats 8.9. That Chriftian who hath a white ftone and a new name! O how is his heart ravifht with an exuberant joy? And doe you place your defire upon Christ? Pfal. 73.25. whom have I in Heaven but thee? theres none whom I defire befides thee. 3. Doe you exalt Chrift in your life and converfation? Then doe we price Chrift higheft, when we live to him and the life of Chrift is fashioned in us, when Chrifts image is ftamp't upon our fpirits,when we fquare our lives according to the will of God, when we fet up Christ commander in chiefe in our foules, its evident that we exalt Chrift, and fet the highest price of him. The fecond Query is, Whether we are willing to deny our felves for Chrift? Who ever will come after Chrift muft deny himselfe, Matth. 16. 24. What ever is felfe must be denied for Jefus Chrift. Selfe opinions, felfe applaudings,felfe reafonings, felfe righteousneffe, felfe interest, Ends, and Aymes, must all be renounced for Je fus fus Chrift. A proud man muft denie his proud felfe. A paffionate One querie more l'le propound, and it is very feasonable. Are you willing to undergoe any afliction,to fuffer any hardship for Je.. 3 Query. The third Ufe is for Exhortation: I beseech you in the Bowels of Vse 3. For Exhorta tion. Lufts. 1. Thou must foregoe thy lufts, bid adieu to thy beloved finnes, put to death those brats of Babilon, flaughter thy corruptions: Foregoe thy Thou must deale with thy fins, as Samuel dealt with Agag,hew them in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal Make no Apologies for finne, plead not Antiquity,pleasure,profit,cuftome,intereft, &c. All these are but forry fig-leaves to cover thy nakedneffe. If thy nearest Relations ftand in oppofition to Chrift, thou must foregoe them too. For fo Chrift determines. He that loveth Father or Mother more then. me,is not worthy of me, and he that loveth Sonne or Daughter more then me,is not worthy of me, Matth. 10.37. N2 2. Thou 2 Foregoe your Pleasures. 2 Thou must foregoe thy pleasures for Chrift, fo did .Mofes and Nehemiah bid adieu to Court pleafures: Many promise to redeeme their time and take Chrift: But as Elimelech would not take the condition to redeeme it at the hands of Ruth, left he marred his own inheritance: Ruth.4.6. fo when the condition comes thou must foregoe thefend thefe pleasures and be serious, and grave in all thy carriages, then many fly off, and will not take Chrift upon fuchtermes. But without queftion Chrift is the onely pleasure, And the waies of wifedome are the onely waies of pleafantnesses Prev.3. 17. no joy, no pleasure to be compared to the joy in a believers foule, arifing from the beames of Gods reconciled countenance darted up on it. 3. Thou must foregoe thy profits for Zelus Chrift. When Chrift invited they all with one confent began to make excufe. But none of 3. Forge thy these were fit guests for Chrift. Be it a great Farme, a goodly ReProfits. v nue, and it stand in competition with Chrift,thou must let all goe. You cannot properly be faid to buy Chrift, (for himselfe and his graces are free rich gifts) yet much good you may doe with your monyes. You may buy Bibles, good bookes, maintaine faithfull Minifters, feed the hungry bellies, and cloath the naked backs of many poore afflicted members of Jefus Christ. 4. Foregoe thy Liberty, eafe, and quietneffe for Chrift. With 4. Foregoe thy Zerome deny wife, Mother,children and all for Chrift.. Put it to the Liberties. 5. Foregoe thy Pleasures. Question whether would you rather be with the Apostles in prifon finging fweetly, and enjoying communion with God, then with Apeftate Demas ranging in the wide world. Thou maist have liberty of body and an imprisoned fpirit, and thou màift have an imprifoned body, and inlargement of fpirit. There's a black cloud hanging over the whole kingdome, and we know not what the womb of one day may bring forth. Doe not feeke thy own eafe, and quietnesse amidst publick calamities, let Baruchs fayling be thy warning peece, fer. 45.5. And Seekest thou great things for thy felfe? feeke them not. 5. Foregoe honours and preferments for Chrift. It was Ignatius his faying, Antiquitas mea,& nobilitas mea Jefus Chriftus, would you know, who have the best noble blood running in their veines, you may find Acts 17. 11. These were more noble then those of Thefalonica, in that they received the word wish all readinesle of mind, and fearched the the Scripture daily, whether those things were fo. No honour to holineffe, no Armes fo excellent, no Coat fo noble as those which the Chriftian nobility gives; fo then what ev er things thou highly efteemeft, whether preferment, friends, reputation or the like, if they ftand in oppofition to Chrift,denie them all. 6. And laftly, thou muft foregoe thy life (when thou haft a calling) for Jefus Chrift. Think not thy blood too deare for him who 6.Foregoc thylife ventur'd his blood for thee; In this caufe by loofing thy life, thou when Chrift calls fhalt lave it. All are gayners, none loofers that die in Chrift and for it. for Chrift. But examine thy felfe, if thou canst not foregoe a luit, a pleasure, a dignity, a liberty for him; If thou canst not bear a fcoffe, and a reproach for Christ, how wilt thou be able to refift unto blood, to endure the fiery tryall? I may expoftulate with the Prophet, fer.12.5. If thou haft run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee then how canft thou contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedft they wearied thee, then how wilt thou doe in the fwelling of fordan? If leffer afflictions caft thee down low, will not greater quite overwhelme thee? confider of those things in thy moft ferious compofed thoughts. use 4. The 4th Ufe,and laft is for direction. The Question will be askt For Direction. what meanes must bee used for the purchase of this pearle? In the 1. Direction. winding up of all, I'le prefcribe a few principall means, and forth- Come to the maxwith conclude. 1. You must come to the markets whilft they laft, and whilst the fhops are open. To day is the market, and the Miniftry of the Gofpell fhewes forth the most pretious wares. Now then come here and buy. Mary found Chrift in the midst of the Doctors,and the blind man lay in the way where Chrift came by. Jacobs fons must goe to Egypt to fetch corne. The five Virgins are bid to goe to them that fell, Matth. 25. 9. The Minifter tenders thefe commodities. Sabboths are market daies, and the publick affemblies market places: fit then at the feet of your teachers, come frequently to the meanes of grace. This coming is accepted as a kind of price (though not meritorious) paid to purchase Chrift, Though grace be free,and we cannot bring mony in our hands, yet come,come,come tis thrice ingeminated, fay 55.3. 2. When you are gone from hence give your felves to reading, meditation and conference. Read and fearch the Scripture, bring kets. 2. Direction, Give your felve all Meditation. |