Eighty Sermons, miscellaneous · Sermon 72
SERM. LXXII.
MAT. 4.18, 19, 20.
And Ieſus walking by the Sea of Galile ſaw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, caſting a net into the Sea, (for they were fiſhers.) And he ſaith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fiſhers of men; And they ſtraightway left their nets, and followed him.
WE are now in our Order propoſed at firſt, come to our ſecond part, from the conſideration of theſe perſons, Peter and Andrew, in their former ſtate and condition, before, and at their calling, to their future eſtate in promiſe, but an infallible promiſe, Chriſts promiſe, if they followed him, (Follow me, and I will make you fiſhers of men.) In which part we ſhall beſt come to our end, (which is your edification) by theſe ſteps. Firſt, that there is an Humility enjoyned them, in the Sequere, follow, come after. That though they bee brought to a high Calling, that doe not make them proud, nor tyrannous over mens conſciences; And then, even this Humility is limited, Sequere me, follow me; for there may be a pride even in Humility, and a man may follow a dangerous guide; Our guide here is Chriſt, Sequere me, follow me. And then we ſhall ſee the promiſe it ſelfe, the employment, the function, the preferment; In which there is no new ſtate promiſed them, no Innovation, (They were fiſhers, and they ſhall be fiſhers ſtill) but there is an emprovement, a bettering, a reformation, (They were fiſher-men before, and now they ſhall bee fiſhers of men;) To which purpoſe, wee ſhall finde the world to be the Sea, and the Goſpel their Net. And laſtly, all this is preſented to them, not as it was expreſſed in the former part, with a For, (it is not, Follow me, for I will prefer you) he will not have that the reaſon of their following; But yet it is, Follow me, and I will prefer you; It is a ſubſequent addition of his owne goodneſſe, but ſo infallible a one, as we may rely upon; Whoſoever doth follow Chriſt, ſpeeds well. And into theſe conſiderations will fall all that belongs to this laſt part, Follow me, and I will make you fiſhers of men.
Firſt then,Sequere. Humilitas. here is an impreſſion of Humility, in following, in comming after, Sequere, follow, preſſe not to come before; And it had need be firſt, if we conſider how early, how primarie a ſinne Pride is, and how ſoone it poſſeſſes us. Scarce any man, but if he looke back ſeriouſly into himſelfe, and into his former life, and revolve his owne hiſtory, but that the firſt act which he can remember in himſelfe, or can be remembred of by others, will bee ſome act of Pride. Before Ambition, or Covetouſneſſe, or Licentiouſneſſe is awake in us, Pride is working; Though but a childiſh pride, yet pride; and this Parents rejoyce at in their children, and call it ſpirit, and ſo it is, but not the beſt. Wee enlarge not therefore the conſideration of this word ſequere, follow, come after, ſo farre, as to put our meditation upon the whole body, and the ſeverall members of this ſinne of pride; Nor upon the extent and diffuſiveneſſe of this ſinne, as it ſpreads it ſelfe over every other ſinne; (for every ſinne is complicated with pride, ſo as every ſinne is a rebellious oppoſing of the law and will of God) Nor to conſider the waighty hainouſnes of pride, how it aggravates every other ſin, how it makes a musket a Canon bullet, and a peble a Milſtone; but after we have ſtopped a little upon that uſefull conſideration, That there is not ſo direct, and Diametrall a contrariety between the nature of any ſinne and God, as between him and pride, wee ſhall paſſe to that which is our principall obſervation in this branch, How early and primary a ſin pride is, occaſioned by this, that the commandement of Humility is firſt given, firſt enjoyned in our firſt word, Sequere, follow.
But firſt,Nihil tam centrarium Deo. wee exalt that conſideration, That nothing is ſo contrary to God, as Pride, with this obſervation, That God in the Scriptures is often by the Holy Ghoſt inveſted, and repreſented in the qualities and affections of man; and to conſtitute a commerce and familiarity between God and man, God is not onelyonly ſaid to have bodily lineaments, eyes and eares, and hands, and feet, and to have ſome of the naturall affections of man, as Joy, in particular,Deut. 30.9. (The Lord will rejoyce over thee for good, as he rejoyced over thy Fathers) And ſo, pity too,Gen. 39.21. (The Lord was with Ioſeph, and extended kindneſſe unto him) But ſome of thoſe inordinate and irregular paſſions and perturbations, exceſſes and defects of man, are imputed to God, by the Holy Ghoſt in the Scriptures. For ſo, lazineſſe, drowſineſſe is imputed to God; (Awake Lord, why ſleepeſt thou?) So corruptibleneſſe, and deterioration,Pſal. 44.23. Pſal. 18.26. and growing worſe by ill company, is imputed to God; (Cum perverſo perverteris, God is ſaid to grow froward with the froward, and that hee learnes to go crookedly with them that go crookedly) And prodigality and waſtfulneſſe is imputed to God;Pſal. 44.12. (Thou ſelleſt thy people for naught, and doeſt not increaſe thy wealth by their price) So ſudden and haſty choler; (Kiſſe the Son leſt he be angry, and ye periſh Inira brevi, Pſal. 2.12.though his wrath be kindled but a little) And then, illimited and boundleſſe anger, a vindicative irreconciliableneſſe is imputed to God; (I was but a little diſpleaſed, Zech. 1.15.(but it is otherwiſe now) I am very ſore diſpleaſed) So there is Ira devorans; Exod. 15.4. Iob 10.17. Ier. 21.5. Pſal. 80.4.(Wrath that conſumes like ſtubble) So there is Ira multiplicata, (Plagues renewed, and indignation increaſed) So God himſelfe expreſſes it, (I will fight againſt you in anger and in fury) And ſo for his inexorableneſſe, his irreconciliableneſſe, (O Lord God of Hoſts, Quouſque, how long wilt thou be angry againſt the prayer of thy people?) Gods owne people, Gods own people praying to their owne God, and yet their God irreconciliable to them. Scorne and contempt is imputed to God; which is one of the moſt enormious, and diſproportioned weakeneſſes in man; that a worme that crawles in the duſt, that a graine of duſt, that is hurried with every blaſt of winde, ſhould find any thing ſo much inferiour to it ſelfe as to ſcorne it, to deride it, to contemne it; yet ſcorne, and deriſion, and contempt is imputed to God,Pſal. 2.4. Prov. 1.26. (He that ſitteth in the Heavens ſhall laugh, the Lord ſhall have them in deriſion) and againe, (I will laugh at your calamity, I will mock you when your feare commeth.) Nay beloved, even inebriation, exceſſe in that kinde, Drunkenneſſe, is a Metaphor which the Holy Ghoſt hath mingled in the expreſſing of Gods proceedings with man; for God does not onelyonly threaten to make his enemies drunke, (and to make others drunke is a circumſtance of drunkenneſſe)(ſo Jeruſalem being in his diſpleaſure complaines, Inebriavit abſynthio, Lam. 3.15. Eſay 49.26.(He hath made me drunke with wormewood) and againe, (They ſhall be drunke with their owne blood, as with new Wine) Nor onelyonly to expreſſe his plentifull mercies to his friends and ſervants, does God take that Metaphore, (Inebriabo animam Sacerdotis, I will make the ſoule of the Prieſt drunke; fill it,Ien. 31.14. Ver. 25. ſatiate it) and againe, (I will make the weary ſoule, and the ſorrowfull ſoule drunke) But not onelyonly all this, (though in all this God have a hand) not onelyonly towards others, but God in his owne behalfe complaines of the ſcant and penurious Sacrificer, Non inebriaſti me, Eſay 43.24.Thou haſt not made me drunke with thy Sacrifices. And yet, though for the better applying of God to the underſtanding of man, the Holy Ghoſt impute to God theſe exceſſes, and defects of man (lazineſſe and drowſineſs, deterioration, corruptibleneſſe by ill converſation, prodigality and waſtfulneſſe, ſudden choler, long irreconciableneſſe, ſcorne, inebriation, and many others) in the Scriptures, yet in no place of the Scripture is God, for any reſpect ſaid to be proud; God in the Scriptures is never made ſo like man, as to be made capable of Pride; for this had not beene to have God like man, but like the devill.
God is ſaid in the Scriptures to apparell himſelf gloriouſly;Pſal. 104.2. Pſal. 45.13. (God covers him with light as with a garment) And ſo of his Spouſe the Church it is ſaid, (Her cloathing is of wrought gold, and her raiment of needle worke) and, as though nothing in this world were good enough for her wearing, ſhe is ſaid to be cloathed with the Sun. Rev. 12.1.But glorious apparell is not pride in them, whoſe conditions require it, and whoſe revenews will beare it. God is ſaid in the Scriptures to appeare with greatneſſe and majeſty,Dan. 7.10. (A ſtreame of fire came forth before him; thouſand thouſands miniſtred unto him, and ten thouſand times ten thouſand ſtood before him.) And ſo Chriſt ſhall come at Judgement, with his Hoſts of Angels, in majeſty, and in glory. But theſe outward appearances and acts of greatneſſe are not pride in thoſe perſons, to whom there is a reverence due, which reverence is preſerved by this outward ſplendor, and not otherwiſe. God is ſaid in the Scriptures to triumph over his enemies, and to be jealous of his glory; (The Lord, whoſe name is Iealous, Exod. 34.14.is a jealous God) But, for Princes to be jealous of their glory, ſtudious of their honour, for any private man to be jealous of his good name, carefull to preſerve an honeſt reputation, is not pride. For, Pride is Appetitus celſitudinis perverſus, It is an inordinate deſire of being better then we are.
Now there is a lawfull, nay a neceſſary deſire of being better and better; And that, not onelyonly in ſpirituall things, (for ſo every man is bound to be better and better, better to day then yeſterday, and to morrow then to day, and he that growes not in Religion, withers, There is no ſtanding at a ſtay, He that goes not forward in godlineſſe, goes backward, and he that is not better, is worſe) but even in temporall things too there is a liberty given us, nay there is a law, an obligation laid upon us, to endeavour by induſtry in a lawfull calling, to mend and improve, to enlarge our ſelves, and ſpread, even in worldly things. The firſt Commandement that God gave man, was not prohibitive; God,Gen. 1.28. in that, forbad man nothing, but enlarged him with that Creſcite, & multiplicamini, Increaſe and multiply, which is not onelyonly in the multiplication of children; but in the enlargement of poſſeſſions too; for ſo it followes in the ſame place, not onelyonly Replete, but Dominamini, not onelyonly repleniſh the world, but ſubdue it, and take dominion over it, that is, make it your owne. For, Terram dedit filiis hominum, As God hath given ſons to men, ſo God gives the poſſeſſion of this world to the ſons of men. For ſo when God delivers that commandement, the ſecond time, to Noah, for the reparation of the world, Creſcite & multiplicamini, Gen. 9.1.Increaſe and multiply, he accompanies it with that reaſon, The feare of you, and the dread of you ſhall be upon all, and all are delivered into your hands; which reaſon can have no relation to the multiplying of Children, but to the enlarging of poſſeſſions. God planted trees in Paradiſe in a good ſtate at firſt; at firſt with ripe fruits upon them; but Gods purpoſe was, that even thoſe trees, though well then, ſhould grow greater. God gives many men good eſtates from their parents at firſt; yet Gods purpoſe is that they ſhould increaſe thoſe eſtates. He that leaves no more, then his father left him, (if the fault be in himſelfe) ſhall hardly make a good account of his ſtewardſhip to God; for, he hath but kept his talent in a handkercheif.Mat. 18.25. Prov. 18.9. And the ſlothfull man is even brother to the waſter. The holy Ghoſt in Solomon, ſcarce prefers him that does not get more, before him that waſts all.Ier. 48.10. He makes them brethren; almoſt all one. Curſed be he that does the worke of God negligently; that does any Commandement of God by halves; And this negligent and lazy man, this in-induſtrious and illaborious man that takes no paines, he does one part of Gods Commandement, He does multiply, but he does not the other, he does not increaſe; He leaves Children enow, but he leaves them nothing; not in poſſeſſions and maintenance, nor in vocation and calling.
And truly,1 Tim. 6.10. 1 Tim. 9. howſoever the love of money be the roote of all evill, (He cannot miſtake that told us ſo) Howſoever they that will be rich (that reſolve to be rich by any meanes) ſhall fall into many tentations, Howſoever a haſty deſire of being ſuddenly and prematurely rich, be a dangerous and an obnoxious thing, a peſtilent and contagious diſeaſe, (for what a perverſe and inordinate anticipation and prevention of God and nature is it, to looke for our harveſt in May, or to looke for all grainst at once? and ſuch a perverſneſſe is the haſty deſire of being ſuddenly and prematurely rich, yet, to go on induſtriouſly in an honeſt calling, and giving God his leaſure, and giving God his portion all the way, in Tithes, and in Almes, and then, ſtill to lay up ſomething for poſterity, is that, which God does not onelyonly permit and accept from us, but command to us, and reward in us. And certainly, that man ſhall not ſtand ſo right in Gods eye at the laſt day, that leaves his Children to the Pariſh, as he that leaves the Pariſh to his Children, if he have made his purchaſes out of honeſt gaine, in a lawfull Calling, and not out of oppreſſion.
In all which, I would be rightly underſtood; that is, that I ſpeake of ſuch poverty as is contracted by our owne lazineſſe, or waſtfulneſſe. For otherwiſe, poverty that comes from the hand of God, is as rich a bleſſing as comes from his hand. He that is poore with a good conſcience, that hath laboured and yet not proſpered, knows to whom to go,Pſal. 4.7. and what to ſay, Lord, thou haſt put gladneſſe into my heart, more then in the time when corne and wine increaſed; (more now, then when I had more) I will lay me downe and ſleepe, for thou Lord onelyonly makeſt me to dwell in ſafety. Does every rich man dwell in ſafety? Can every rich man lye downe in peace and ſleepe? no, nor every poore man neither; but he that is poore with a good conſcience, can. And, though he that is rich with a good conſcience may, in a good meaſure, do ſo too, (ſleepe in peace) yet not ſo out of the ſpheare and latitude of envy, and free from the machinations, and ſupplantations, and underminings of malicious men, that feed upon the confiſcations, and build upon the ruines of others, as the poore man is.
Though then S. Chryſoſtome call riches Abſurditatis parentes, the parents of abſurdities, That they make us doe, not onelyonly ungodly, but inhumane things, not onelyonly irreligious, but unreaſonable things, uncomely and abſurd things, things which we our ſelves did not ſuſpect that we could be drawne to, yet there is a growing rich, which is not covetouſneſſe, and there is a deſire of honor and preferment, which is not Pride. For, Pride is, (as we ſaid before) Appetitus perverſus, A perverſe and inordinate deſire, but there is a defire of honor and preferment, regulated by rectified Reaſon; and rectified Reaſon is Religion. And therefore, (as we ſaid) how ever other affections of man, may, and are, by the Holy Ghoſt, in Scriptures, in ſome reſpects aſcribed to God, yet never Pride. Nay, the Holy Ghoſt himſelfe ſeemes to be ſtraitned, and in a difficulty, when he comes to expreſſe Gods proceedings with a proud man, and his deteſtation of him, and averſion from him. There is a conſiderable, a remarkable, indeed a ſingular manner of expreſſing it, (perchance you finde not the like in all the Bible) where God ſayes,Pſal. 101.5. Hini that hath a high looke, and a proud heart, I will not, (in our laſt) I cannot, (in our former tranſlation) Not what? Not as it is in thoſe tranſlations, I cannot ſuffer him, I will not ſuffer him; for that word of Suffering, is but a voluntary word, ſupplied by the Tranſlators; In the Originall, it is as it were an abrupt breaking off on Gods part, from the proud man, and, (if we may ſo ſpeake) a kinde of froward departing from him. God does not ſay of the proud man, I cannot worke upon him, I cannot mend him, I cannot pardon him, I cannot ſuffer him, I cannot ſtay with him, but meerly I cannot, and no more, I cannot tell what to ſay of him, what to doe for him; (Him that hath a proud heart, I cannot) Pride is ſo contrary to God, as that the proud man, and he can meet in nothing. And this conſideration hath kept us thus long, from that which we made our firſt and principall collection, That this commandment of Humility, was imprinted in our very firſt word, Sequere, follow, be content to come after, to denote how early and primary a ſin Pride is, and how ſoone it entred into the world, and how ſoone into us; and that conſideration we ſhall purſue now.
We know that light is Gods eldeſt childe, his firſt borne of all Creatures;Superbia in Angelis. and it is ordinarily received, that the Angels are twins with the light, made then when light was made. And then the firſt act, that theſe Angels that fell, did, was an act of Pride. They not thanke nor praiſe God; for their Creation; (which ſhould have been their firſt act) They did not ſolicite, nor pray to God for their Suſtentation, their Melioration, their Confirmation; (ſo they ſhould have proceede) But the firſt act that thoſe firſt Creatures did, was an act of pride, a proud reflecting upon themſelves, a proud overvaluing of their own condition, and an acquieſcence in that, in an imaginary poſſibility of ſtanding by themſelves, without any farther relation, or beholdingneſſe to God. So early, ſo primary a ſin is Pride, as that it was the firſt act of the firſt of Creatures.
So early, ſo primary a ſin, as that whereas all Pride now is but a comparative pride,Superbia poſitiva. this firſt pride in the Angels was a poſitive, a radicall pride. The Phariſee is but proud, that he is not as other men are; that is but a comparative pride.Luk. 18.11. No King thinks himſelfe great enough, yet he is proud that he is independant, ſoveraigne, ſubject to none. No ſubject thinks himſelfe rich enough, yet he is proud that he is able to oppreſſe others that are poorer, Et gloriatur in malo, quia potens eſt, He boaſteth himſelfe in miſchiefe,Pſal. 52.1. becauſe he is a mighty man. But all theſe are but comparative prides; and there muſt be ſome ſubjects to compare with, before a King can be proud, and ſome inferiors, before the Magiſtrate, and ſome poore, before the rich man can be proud. But this pride in thoſe Angels in heaven, was a poſitive pride; There were no other Creatures yet made, with whom theſe Angels could compare themſelves, and before whom theſe Angels could prefer themſelves, and yet before there was any other creature but themſelves, any other creature, to undervalue, or inſult over, theſe Angels were proud of themſelves. So early, ſo primary a ſin is Pride.
So early, ſo primary, as that in that ground, which was for goodneſſe next to heaven,Superbia in Paradiſo. that is, Paradiſe, Pride grew very early too. Adams firſt act was not an act of Pride, but an act of lawfull power and juriſdiction, in naming the Creatures; Adam was above them all, and he might have called them what he would; There had lyen no action, no appeale, if Adam had called a Lyon a Dog, or an Eagle an Owle. And yet we diſpute with God, why he ſhould not make all us veſſels of honor, and we complaine of God, that he hath not given us all, all the abundances of this world. Comparatively Adam was better then all the world beſide, and yet we finde no act of pride in Adam, when he was alone. Solitude is not the ſcene of Pride; The danger of pride is in company, when we meet to looke upon another. But in Adams wife, Eve, her firſt act (that is noted) was an act of Pride,Gen. 3.5. a hearkning to that voyce of the Serpent, Ye ſhall be as Gods. As ſoone as there were two, there was pride. How many may we have knowne, (if we have had any converſation in the world) that have been content all the weeke, at home alone, with their worky day faces, as well as with their worky day clothes, and yet on Sundayes, when they come to Church, and appeare in company, will mend both, their faces as well as their clothes. Not ſolitude, but company is the ſcene of pride; And therefore I know not what to call that practiſe of the Nunnes in Spaine, who though they never ſee man, yet will paint. So early, ſo primary a ſin is Pride, as that it grew inſtantly from her,Gen. 2.18. whom God intended for a Helper, becauſe he ſaw that it was not good for man to be alone. God ſees that it is not good for man to be without health, without wealth, without power, and juriſdiction, and magiſtracy, and we grow proud of our helpers, proud of our health and ſtrength, proud of our wealth and riches, proud of our office and authority over others.
So early, ſo primary a ſin is pride, as that, out of every mercy, and bleſſing, which God affords us, (and, His mercies are new every morning) we gather Pride; wee are not the more thankfull for them, and yet we are the prouder of them. Nay, we gather Pride, not onelyonly out of thoſe things, which mend and improve us, (Gods bleſſings and mercies) but out of thoſe actions of our own, that deſtroy and ruine us, we gather pride; ſins overthrow us, demoliſh us, deſtroy and ruine us, and yet we are proud of our ſinnes. How many men have we heard boaſt of their ſinnes; and, (as S. Auguſtine confeſſes of himſelfe) belie themſelves, and boaſt of more ſinnes then ever they committed? Out of every thing, out of nothing ſin grows. Therefore was this commandment in our text, Sequere, Follow, come after, well placed firſt, for we are come to ſee even children ſtrive for place and precedency, and mothers are ready to goe to the Heralds to know how Cradles ſhall be ranked, which Cradle ſhall have the higheſt place; Nay, even in the wombe,Gen. 25.26. there was contention for precedency; Iacob tooke hold of his brother Eſaus heele, and would have been borne before him.
And as our pride begins in our Cradle,Superbia in monumentis. it continues in our graves and Monuments. It was a good while in the primitive Church, before any were buried in the Church; The beſt contented themſelves with the Churchyards. After, a holy ambition, (may we call it ſo) a holy Pride brought them ad Limina, to the Church-threſhold, to the Church-doore, becauſe ſome great Martyrs were buried in the Porches, and devout men deſired to lie neare them,1 King. 13.31. as one Prophet did to lie neare another, (Lay my bones beſides his bones.) But now, perſons whom the Devill kept from Church all their lives, Separatiſts, Libertines, that never came to any Church, And perſons, whom the Devill brought to Church all their lives, (for, ſuch as come meerly out of the obligation of the Law, and to redeem that vexation, or out of cuſtome, or company, or curioſity, or a perverſe and ſiniſter affection to the particular Preacher, though they come to Gods houſe, come upon the Devils invitation) Such as one Devill, that is, worldly reſpect, brought to Church in their lives, another Devill, that is, Pride and vain-glory, brings to Church after their deaths, in an affectation of high places, and ſumptuous Monuments in the Church. And ſuch as have given nothing at all to any pious uſes, or have determined their almes and their dole which they have given, in that one day of their funerall, and no farther, have given large annuities, perpetuities, for new painting their tombes, and for new flags, and ſcutcheons, every certaine number of yeares.
O the earlineſſe! O the lateneſſe! how early a Spring, and no Autumne! how faſt a growth, and no declination, of this branch of this ſin Pride, againſt which, this firſt word of ours, Sequere, Follow, come after, is oppoſed! this love of place, and precedency, it rocks us in our Cradles, it lies down with us in our graves. There are diſeaſes proper to certaine things, Rots to ſheepe, Murrain to cattell. There are diſeaſes proper to certaine places, as the Sweat was to us. There are diſeaſes proper to certaine times, as the plague is in divers parts of the Eaſtern Countryes, where they know aſſuredly, when it will begin and end. But for this infectious diſeaſe of precedency, and love of place, it is run over all places, as well Cloyſters as Courts, And over all men, as well ſpirituall as temporall, And over all times, as well the Apoſtles as ours. The Apoſtles diſputed often, who ſhould be greateſt, Ma…. 19.28.and it was not enough to them, that Chriſt aſſured them, that they ſhould ſit upon the twelve thrones, and judge the twelve Tribes; Matt. 19.28.it was not enough for the ſonnes of Zebedee, to be put into that Commiſſion, but their friends muſt ſolicite the office, to place them high in that Commiſſion; their Mother muſt move, that one may ſit at Chriſts right hand, and the other at his left, in the execution of that Commiſſion. Becauſe this ſin of pride is ſo early and primary a ſin, is this Commandment of Humility firſt enjoyned, and becauſe this ſin appeares moſt generally in this love of place, and precedency, the Commandment is expreſſed in that word, Sequere, Follow, Come after. But then, even this Humility is limited, for it is Sequere me, follow me, which was propoſed for our ſecond Conſideration, Sequere me.
There may be a pride in Humility,Sequere me. and an over-weaning of our ſelves, in attributing too much to our owne judgement, in following ſome leaders; for ſo, we may be ſo humble as to goe after ſome man, and yet ſo proud, as to goe before the Church, becauſe that man may be a Schiſmatike. Therefore Chriſt propoſes a ſafe guide, himſelf, Sequere me, follow me. It is a dangerous thing, when Chriſt ſayes, Vade poſt me, Get thee behind me; for that is accompanied with a ſhrewd name of increpation, Satan, Get thee behind me Satan; Chriſt ſpeaks it but twice in the Goſpell; once to Peter, who becauſe he then did the part of an Adverſary, Chriſt calls Satan, and once to Satan himſelfe,Matt. 16 23. Matt. 4.10. becauſe he purſued his tentations upon him; for there is a going behind Chriſt, which is a caſting out of his preſence, without any future following, and that is a fearefull ſtation, a fearefull retrogradation; But when Chriſts ſayes, not Vade retro, Get thee behind me, ſee my face no more, but Sequere me, follow me, he meanes to look back upon us;Luk. 22.63. ſo the Lord turned and looked upon Peter, and Peter wept bitterly, and all was well; when hee bids us follow him, he directs us in a good way, and by a good guide.
The Carthuſian Friers thought they deſcended into as low paſtures as they could goe, when they renounced all fleſh, and bound themſelves to feed on fiſh onelyonly; and yet another Order followes them in their ſuperſtitious ſingularity, and goes beyond them, Foliantes, the Fueillans, they eat neither fleſh, nor fiſh, nothing but leafes, and rootes; and as the Carthuſians in a proud humility, deſpiſe all other Orders that eat fleſh, ſo doe the Fueillans the Carthuſians that eat fiſh. There is a pride in ſuch humility. That Order of Friers that called themſelves Ignorantes, Ignorant men, that pretended to know nothing, ſunk as low as they thought it poſſible, into an humble name and appellation; And yet the Minorits, (Minorits that are leſſe then any) think they are gone lower, and then the Minimes, (Minimes that are leſſe then all) lower then they. And when one would have thought, that there had not been a lower ſtep then that, another Sect went beyond all, beyond the Ignorants, and the Minorits, and the Minimes, and all, and called themſelves, Nullanos, Nothings. But yet, even theſe Diminutives, the Minorits, and Minimes, and Nullans, as little, as leſſe, as leaſt, as very nothing as they profeſſe themſelves, lie under this diſeaſe, which is oppoſed in the Sequere me, follow, come after, in our Text; For no ſort nor condition of men in the world are more contentious, more quarrelſome, more vehement for place, and precedency, then theſe Orders of Friers are, there, where it may appeare, that is, in their publique Proceſſions, as we finde by thoſe often troubles, which the Superiours of the ſeverall Orders, and Biſhops in their ſeverall Dioces, and ſome of thoſe Councels, which they call Generall, have been put to, for the ranking, and marſhalling of theſe contentious, and wrangling men. Which makes me remember the words, in which the eighteenth of Queene Elizabeths Injunctions is conceived, That to take away fond Curteſie, (that is, needleſſe Complement) and to take away challenging of places, (which it ſeemes were frequent and troubleſome then) To take away fond curteſie, and challenging of places, Proceſſions themſelves were taken away, becauſe in thoſe Proceſſions, theſe Orders of Friers, that pretended to follow, and come after all the world, did thus paſſionately, and with ſo much ſcandalous animoſity purſue the love of place, and precedency. Therefore is our humility here limited, Sequere me, follow me, follow Chriſt. How is that done?
Conſider it in Doctrinall things firſt, and then in Morall;Sequendus in Doctrina. Firſt how we are to follow Chriſt in beleeving, and then how in doing, in practiſing. Firſt in Doctrinall things, There muſt have gone ſome body before, elſe it is no following; Take heed therefore of going on with thine owne inventions, thine owne imaginations, for this is no following; Take heed of accompanying the beginners of Hereſies and Schiſmes; for theſe are no followings where none have gone before: Nay, there have not gone enow before, to make it a path to follow in, except it have had a long continuance, and beene much trodden in. And therfore to follow Chriſt doctrinally, is to embrace thoſe Doctrins, in which his Church hath walked from the beginning, and not to vexe thy ſelfe with new points, not neceſſary to ſalvation. That is the right way, and then thou art well entred; but that is not all; thou muſt walke in the right way to the end, that is, to the end of thy life. So that to profeſſe the whole Goſpel, and nothing but Goſpel for Goſpel, and profeſſe this to thy death, for no reſpect, no dependance upon any great perſon, to ſlacken in any fundamentall point of thy Religion, nor to bee ſhaken with hopes or feares in thine age, when thou wouldſt faine live at eaſe, and therefore thinkeſt it neceſſary to do, as thy ſupporters doe; To perſevere to the end in the whole Goſpel, this is to follow Chriſt in Doctrinall things.
In practicall things,Sequendus in vitae. Iam. 5.11. things that belong to action, wee muſt alſo follow Chriſt, in the right way, and to the end. They are both (way and end) laid together, Sufferentiam Iob audiiſtis, & finem Domini vidiſtis; You have heard of the patience of Iob, and you bave ſeen the end of the Lord; and you muſt goe Iobs way to Chriſts end. Iob hath beaten a path for us, to ſhew us all the way; A path that affliction walked in, and ſeemed to delight in it, in bringing the Sabaean upon his Oxen, the Chaldean upon his Camels, the fire upon his Sheep, deſtruction upon his Servants, and at laſt, ruine upon his Children. One affliction makes not a path; iterated, continued calamities doe; and ſuch a path Iob hath ſhewed us, not onelyonly patience, but cheerfulneſſe; more, thankfulneſſe for our afflictions, becauſe they were multiplied. And then, wee muſt ſet before our eyes, as the way of Iob, ſo the end of the Lord; Now the end of the Lord was the croſſe: So that to follow him to the end, is not onelyonly to beare afflictions, though to death, but it is to bring our croſſes to the Croſſe of Chriſt. How is that progreſſe made? (for it is a royall progreſſe,Matt. 16.24. not a pilgrimage to follow Chriſt to his Croſſe) Our Saviour ſaith, Hee that will follow me, let him take up his croſſe, and follow me. You ſee foure ſtages, foure reſting, baiting places in this progreſſe. It muſt bee a croſſe, And it muſt be my croſſe, And then it muſt be taken up by me, And with this croſſe of mine, thus taken up by me, I muſt follow Chriſt, that is, carry my croſſe to his.
Firſt it muſt bee a Croſſe, Crux. Gal. 6.14.Tollat crucem; for every man hath afflictions, but every man hath not croſſe. OnelyOnly thoſe afflictions are croſſes, whereby the world is crucified to us, and we to the world. The afflictions of the wicked exaſperate them, enrage them, ſtone and pave them, obdurate and petrifie them, but they doe not crucifie them. The afflictions of the godly crucifie them. And when I am come to that conformity with my Saviour,Col. 1.24. as to fulfill his ſufferings in my fleſh, (as I am, when I glorifie him in a Chriſtian conſtancy and cheerfulneſſe in my afflictions) then I am crucified with him, carried up to his Croſſe:2 King. 4.34. And as Eliſha in rayſing the Shunamits dead child, put his mouth upon the childs mouth, his eyes, and his hands, upon the hands, and eyes of the child; ſo when my croſſes have carried mee up to my Saviours Croſſe, I put my hands into his hands, and hang upon his nailes, I put mine eyes upon his, and waſh off all my former unchaſt looks, and receive a ſoveraigne tincture, and a lively verdure, and a new life into my dead teares, from his teares. I put my mouth upon his mouth, and it is I that ſay, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? and it is I that recover againe, and ſay, Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my ſpirit. Thus my afflictions are truly a croſſe, when thoſe afflictions doe truely crucifie me, and ſouple me, and mellow me, and knead me, and roll me out, to a conformity with Chriſt. It muſt be this Croſſe, and then it muſt be my croſſe that I muſt take up, Tollat ſuam.
Other mens croſſes are not my croſſes;Crux mea. no man hath ſuffered more then himſelfe needed. That is a poore treaſure which they boaſt of in the Romane Church, that they have in their Exchequer, all the works of ſupererogation, of the Martyrs in the Primitive Church, that ſuffered ſo much more then was neceſſary for their owne ſalvation, and thoſe ſuperabundant croſſes and merits they can apply to me. If the treaſure of the blood of Chriſt Jeſus be not ſufficient, Lord what addition can I find, to match them, to piece out them! And if it be ſufficient of it ſelfe, what addition need I ſeek? Other mens croſſes are not mine, other mens merits cannot ſave me. Nor is any croſſe mine owne, which is not mine by a good title; If I be not Poſſeſſor bonae fidei, If I came not well by that croſſe.1 Cor. 4.7. And Quid habeo quod non accepi? is a queſtion that reaches even to my croſſes; what have I that I have not received? not a croſſe; And from whoſe hands can I receive any good thing, but from the hands of God? So that that onelyonly is my croſſe, which the hand of God hath laid upon me. Alas, that croſſe of preſent bodily weakneſſe, which the former wantonneſſes of my youth have brought upon me, is not my croſſe; That croſſe of poverty which the waſtfulneſſe of youth hath brought upon me, is not my croſſe; for theſe, weakneſſe upon wantonneſſe, want upon waſtfulneſſe, are Natures croſſes, not Gods, and they would fall naturally, though there were (which is an impoſſible ſuppoſition) no God. Except God therefore take theſe croſſes in the way, as they fall into his hands, and ſanctifie them ſo, and then lay them upon me, they are not my croſſes; but if God doe this, they are. And then this croſſe thus prepared, I muſt take up; Tollat.
Forraine croſſes, other mens merits are not mine; ſpontaneous and voluntary croſſes,Tollat. contracted by mine owne ſins, are not mine; neither are devious, and remote, and unneceſſary croſſes, my croſſes. Since I am bound to take up my croſſe, there muſt be a croſſe that is mine to take up; that is, a croſſe prepared for me by God, and laid in my way, which is tentations or tribulations in my calling; and I muſt not go out of my way to ſeeke a croſſe; for, ſo it is not mine, nor laid for my taking up. I am not bound to hunt after a perſecution, nor to ſtand it, and not flye, nor to affront a plague, and not remove, nor to open my ſelfe to an injury, and not defend. I am not bound to ſtarve my ſelfe by inordinate faſting, nor to teare my fleſh by inhumane whippings, and flagellations. I am bound to take up my Croſſe; and that is onelyonly mine which the hand of God hath laid for me, that is, in the way of my Calling, tentations and tribulations incident to that.
If it be mine, that is, laid for me by the hand of God, and taken up by me, that is,Sequatur me. voluntarily embraced, then Sequatur, ſayes Chriſt, I am bound to follow him, with that croſſe, that is, to carry my croſſe to his croſſe. And if at any time I faint under this croſſe in the way, let this comfort me, that even Chriſt himſelfe was eaſed by Simon of Cyrene, in the carrying of his Croſſe; and in all ſuch caſes,Mat. 27.32. I muſt flye to the aſſiſtance of the prayers of the Church, and of good men, that God, ſince it is his burden, will make it lighter, ſince it is his yoake, eaſier, and ſince it is his Croſſe, more ſupportable, and give me the iſſue with the tentation. When all is done, with this croſſe thus laid for me, and taken up by me, I muſt follow Chriſt; Chriſt to his end; his end is his Croſſe; that is, I muſt bring my croſſe to his; lay downe my croſſe at the foote of his; Confeſſe that there is no dignity, no merit in mine, but as it receives an impreſſion, a ſanctification from his. For, if I could dye a thouſand times for Chriſt, this were nothing, if Chriſt had not dyed for me before. And this is truly to follow Chriſt, both in the way, and to the end, as well in doctrinall things as in practicall. And this is all that lay upon theſe two, Peter and Andrew, Follow me. Remaines yet to be conſidered, what they ſhall get by this; which is our laſt Conſideration.
They ſhall be fiſhers; and what ſhall they catch? men. They ſhall be fiſhers of men.Piſcatores hominum. And then, for that the world muſt be their Sea, and their net muſt be the Goſpel. And here in ſo vaſt a ſea, and with ſo ſmall a net, there was no great appearance of much gaine. And in this function, whatſoever they ſhould catch, they ſhould catch little for themſelves. The Apoſtleſhip, as it was the fruitfulleſt, ſo it was the barrenneſt vocation; They were to catch all the world; there is their fecundity; but the Apoſtles were to have no Succeſſors, as Apoſtles; there is their barrenneſſe. The Apoſtleſhip was not intended for a function to raiſe houſes and families; The function ended in their perſons; after the firſt, there were no more Apoſtles.
And therefore it is an uſurpation, an impoſture, an illuſion, it is a forgery, when the Biſhop of Rome will proceed by Apoſtolicall authority, and with Apoſtolicall dignity, and Apoſtolicall juriſdiction; If he be S. Peters Succeſſor in the Biſhopricke of Rome, he may proceed with Epiſcopall authority in his Dioces. If he be; for, though we doe not deny that S. Peter was at Rome, and Biſhop of Rome; though we receive it with an hiſtoricall faith, induced by the conſent of Ancient writers, yet when they will conſtitute matter of faith out of matter of fact, and, becauſe S. Peter was (de facto) Biſhop of Rome, therefore we muſt beleeve, as an Article of faith, ſuch an infallibility in that Church, as that no Succeſſor of S. Peters can ever erre, when they ſtretch it to matter of faith, then for matter of faith, we require Scriptures; and then we are confident, and juſtly confident, that though hiſtorically we do beleeve it, yet out of Scriptures (which is a neceſſary proofe in Articles of faith) they can never prove that S. Peter was Biſhop of Rome, or ever at Rome. So then, if the preſent Biſhop of Rome be S. Peters Succeſſor, as Biſhop of Rome, he hath Epiſcopall juriſdiction there; but he is not S. Peters Succeſſor in his Apoſtleſhip; and onelyonly that Apoſtleſhip was a juriſdiction over all the world. But the Apoſtleſhip was an extraordinary office inſtituted by Chriſt, for a certaine time, and to certaine purpoſes, and not to continue in ordinary uſe. As alſo the office of the Prophet was in the Old Teſtament an extraordinary Office, and was not transferred then, nor does not remaine now in the ordinary office of the Miniſter.
And therefore they argue impertinently, and collect and infer ſometimes ſeditiouſly that ſay, The Prophet proceeded thus and thus, therefore the Miniſter may and muſt proceed ſo too; The Prophets would chide the Kings openly, and threaten the Kings publiquely, and proclaime the fault of the Kings in the eares of the people confidently, authoritatively, therefore the Miniſter may and muſt do ſo. God ſent that particular Prophet Ieremy with that extraordinary Commiſſion,Ier. 1.10. Behold I have this day ſet thee over the Nations, and over the Kingdomes, to roote out, and to pull downe, to deſtroy and throw downe, and then to build, and to plant againe; But God hath given none of us his Miniſters, in our ordinary function, any ſuch Commiſſion over Nations, and over Kingdomes. Even in Ieremies Commiſſion there ſeemes to be a limitation of time; Behold this day I have ſet thee over them, where that addition (this day) is not onelyonly the date of the Commiſſion, that it paſſed Gods hand that day, but (this day) is the terme, the duration of the Commiſſion, that it was to laſt but that day, that is, (as the phraſe of that language is) that time for which it was limited. And therefore, as they argue perverſely, frowardly, dangerouſly that ſay, The Miniſter does not his duty that ſpeakes not as boldly, and as publiquely too, and of Kings, and great perſons, as the Prophets did, becauſe theirs was an Extraordinary, ours an Ordinary office, (and no man will thinke that the Juſtices in their Seſſions, or the Judges in their Circuits may proceed to executions, without due tryall by a courſe of Law, becauſe Marſhals, in time of rebellion and other neceſſities, may doe ſo, becauſe the one hath but an ordinary, the other an extraordinary Commiſſion) So doe they deceive themſelves and others, that pretend in the Biſhop of Rome an Apoſtolicall juriſdiction, a juriſdiction over all the world, whereas howſoever he may be S. Peters Succeſſor, as Biſhop of Rome, yet he is no Succeſſor to S. Peter as an Apoſtle; upon which onelyonly the univerſall power can be grounded, and without which that univerſall power fals to the ground: The Apoſtolicall faith remaines ſpread over all the world, but Apoſtolicall juriſdiction is expired with their perſons.
Theſe twelve Chriſt cals Fiſhers; Piſcatores, quia nomen humile.why fiſhers? becauſe it is a name of labour, of ſervice, and of humiliation; and names that taſt of humiliation, and labour, and ſervice, are moſt properly ours; (fiſhers we may be) names of dignity, and authority, and command are not ſo properly ours, (Apoſtles wee are not in any ſuch ſenſe as they were) Nothing inflames, nor ſwels, nor puffes us up, more then that leaven of the ſoule, that empty, aery, frothy love of Names and Titles. We have knowne men part with ancient lands for new Titles, and with old Mannors for new Honours; and as a man that ſhould beſtow all his money upon a faire purſe, and then have nothing to put into it; ſo whole Eſtates have melted away for Titles and Honours, and nothing left to ſupport them. And how long laſt they?Exod. 3.14. How many winds blaſt them? That name of God, in which, Moſes was ſent to Pharaoh, is by our Tranſlators and Expoſitors ordinarily ſaid to be I Am that I Am, (Go and ſay, I Am hath ſent me, ſayes God there) But in truth, in the Originall, the name is conceived in the future, it is, I ſhall be. Every man is that he is; but onelyonly God is ſure that he ſhall be ſo ſtill. Therefore Chriſt cals them by a name of labour and humiliation. But why by that name of labour and humiliation, Fiſhers?
Becauſe it was Nomen primitivum, Piſcatores, quia nomen primitivum.their owne, their former name. The Holy Ghoſt purſues his owne way, and does here in Chriſt, as hee does often in other places, he ſpeakes in ſuch formes, and ſuch phraſes, as may moſt worke upon them to whom he ſpeaks.Pſal. 78.72. Of David, that was a ſhepheard before, God ſayes, he tooke him to feed his people.Mat. 2.2. To thoſe Magi of the Eaſt, who were given to the ſtudy of the Stars, God gave a Star to be their guide to Chriſt at Bethlem.Iehn 6.24. To thoſe which followed him to Capernaum for meat, Chriſt tooke occaſion by that, to preach to them of the ſpirituall food of their ſouls.Iehn 4.21. To the Samaritan woman, whom he found at the Well, he preached of the water of Life. To theſe men in our Text accuſtomed to a joy and gladneſſe, when they tooke great, or great ſtore of fiſh, he preſents his comforts agreeably to their taſt, They ſhould be fiſhers ſtill. Beloved, Chriſt puts no man out of his way, (for ſinfull courſes are no wayes, but continuall deviations) to goe to heaven. Chriſt makes heaven all things to all men, that he might gaine all: To the mirthfull man he preſents heaven, as all joy, and to the ambitious man, as all glory; To the Merchant it is a Pearle, and to the husbandman it is a rich field. Chriſt hath made heaven all things to all men, that he might gaine all, and he puts no man out of his way to come thither. Theſe men he calls Fiſhers.
He does not call them from their calling, but he mends them in it. It is not an Innovation;Non Innovatio, ſed Renovatio. God loves not innovations; Old doctrines, old diſciplines, old words and formes of ſpeech in his ſervice, God loves beſt. But it is a Renovation, though not an Innovation, and Renovations are alwayes acceptable to God; that is, the renewing of a mans ſelfe, in a conſideration of his firſt eſtate, what he was made for, and wherein he might be moſt ſerviceable to God. Such a renewing it is, as could not be done without God; no man can renew himſelfe, regenerate himſelfe; no man can prepare that worke, no man can begin it, no man can proceed in it of himſelfe. The deſire and the actuall beginning is from the preventing grace of God, and the conſtant proceeding is from the concomitant, and ſubſequent, and continuall ſucceeding grace of God; for there is no concluſive, no conſummative grace in this life; no ſuch meaſure of grace given to any man, as that that man needs no more, or can loſe or fruſtrate none of that. The renwing of theſe men in our text, Chriſt takes to himſelfe; Faciam vos, I will make yee fiſhers of men; no worldly reſpects muſt make us ſuch fiſhers; it muſt be a calling from God; And yet,Mar. 1.16.(as the other Euangeliſt in the ſame hiſtory expreſſes it) it is Faciam fieri vos, I will cauſe yee to be made fiſhers of men, that is, I will provide an outward calling for you too. Our calling to this Man-fiſhing is not good, Niſi Dominus faciat, & fieri faciat, except God make us fiſhers by an internall, and make his Church to make us ſo too, by an externall calling. Then we are fiſhers of men, and then we are ſucceſſors to the Apoſtles, though not in their Apoſtleſhip, yet in this fiſhing. And then, for this fiſhing, the world is the Sea, and our net is the Goſpel.
The world is a Sea in many reſpects and aſſimilations. It is a Sea,Mundus Mare. as it is ſubject to ſtormes, and tempeſts; Every man (and every man is a world) feels that. And then, it is never the ſhallower for the calmneſſe, The Sea is as deepe, there is as much water in the Sea, in a calme, as in a ſtorme; we may be drowned in a calme and flattering fortune, in proſperity, as irrecoverably, as in a wrought Sea, in adverſity; So the world is a Sea. It is a Sea, as it is bottomleſſe to any line, which we can ſound it with, and endleſſe to any diſcovery that we can make of it. The purpoſes of the world, the wayes of the world, exceed our conſideration; But yet we are ſure the Sea hath a bottome, and ſure that it hath limits, that it cannot overpaſſe; The power of the greateſt in the world, the life of the happieſt in the world, cannot exceed thoſe bounds, which God hath placed for them; So the world is a Sea. It is a Sea, as it hath ebbs and floods, and no man knowes the true reaſon of thoſe floods and thoſe ebbs. All men have changes and viciſſitudes in their bodies, (they fall ſick) And in their eſtates, (they grow poore) And in their minds, (they become ſad) at which changes, (ſickneſſe, poverty, ſadneſſe) themſelves wonder, and the cauſe is wrapped up in the purpoſe and judgement of God onelyonly, and hid even from them that have them; and ſo the world is a Sea. It is a Sea, as the Sea affords water enough for all the world to drinke, but ſuch water as will not quench the thirſt. The world affords conveniences enow to ſatisfie Nature, but theſe encreaſe our thirſt with drinking, and our deſire growes and enlarges it ſelfe with our abundance, and though we ſayle in a full Sea, yet we lacke water; So the world is a Sea. It is a Sea, if we conſider the Inhabitants. In the Sea, the greater fiſh devoure the leſſe; and ſo doe the men of this world too. And as fiſh, when they mud themſelves, have no hands to make themſelves cleane, but the current of the waters muſt worke that; So have the men of this world no means to cleanſe themſelves from thoſe ſinnes which they have contracted in the world, of themſelves, till a new flood, waters of repentance, drawne up, and ſanctified by the Holy Ghoſt, worke that bleſſed effect in them.
All theſe wayes the world is a Sea, but eſpecially it is a Sea in this reſpect, that the Sea is no place of habitation, but a paſſage to our habitations. So the Apoſtle expreſſes the world, Here we have no continuing City, but we ſeeke one to come; we ſeeke it not here,Heb. 13.14. but we ſeeke it whileſt we are here, els we ſhall never finde it. Thoſe are the two great works which we are to doe in this world; firſt to know, that this world is not our home, and then to provide us another home, whileſt we are in this world. Therefore the Prophet ſayes,Mic. 2.10. Luk. 12.19. Ariſe, and depart, for this is not your reſt. Worldly men, that have no farther proſpect, promiſe themſelves ſome reſt in this world, (Soule, thou haſt much goods laid up for many yeares, take thine eaſe, eate, drinke, and be merry, ſayes the rich man) but this is not your reſt; indeed no reſt; at leaſt not yours. You muſt depart, depart by death, before yee come to that reſt; but then you muſt ariſe, before you depart; for except yee have a reſurrection to grace here, before you depart, you ſhall have no reſurrection to glory in the life to come, when you are departed.
Now,Status navigantium. in this Sea, every ſhip that ſayles muſt neceſſarily have ſome part of the ſhip under water; Every man that lives in this world, muſt neceſſarily have ſome of his life, ſome of his thoughts, ſome of his labours ſpent upon this world; but that part of the ſhip, by which he ſayls, is above water; Thoſe meditations, and thoſe endevours which muſt bring us to heaven, are removed from this world, and fixed entirely upon God. And in this Sea, are we made fiſhers of men; Of men in generall; not of rich men, to profit by them, nor of poore men, to pierce them the more ſharply, becauſe affliction hath opened a way into them; Not of learned men, to be over-glad of their approbation of our labours, Nor of ignorant men, to affect them with an aſtoniſhment, or admiration of our gifts: But we are fiſhers of men, of all men, of that which makes them men, their ſoules. And for this fiſhing in this Sea, this Goſpel is our net.
Eloquence is not our net;Rete Euangelium. Traditions of men are not our nets; onelyonly the Goſpel is. The Devill angles with hooks and bayts; he deceives, and he wounds in the catching; for every ſin hath his ſting. The Goſpel of Chriſt Jeſus is a net; It hath leads and corks; It hath leads, that is, the denouncing of Gods judgements, and a power to ſink down, and lay flat any ſtubborne and rebellious heart, And it hath corks, that is, the power of abſolution, and application of the mercies of God, that ſwimme above all his works, means to erect an humble and contrite ſpirit, above all the waters of tribulation, and affliction. A net is Res nodoſa, Rete nodoſum.a knotty thing; and ſo is the Scripture, full of knots, of ſcruple, and perplexity, and anxiety, and vexation, if thou wilt goe about to entangle thy ſelfe in thoſe things, which appertaine not to thy ſalvation; but knots of a faſt union, and inſeparable alliance of thy ſoule to God, and to the fellowſhip of his Saints, if thou take the Scriptures, as they were intended for thee, that is, if thou beeſt content to reſt in thoſe places,Rete diffuſivum. which are cleare, and evident in things neceſſary. A net is a large thing, paſt thy fadoming, if thou caſt it from thee, but if thou draw it to thee, it will lie upon thine arme. The Scriptures will be out of thy reach, and out of thy uſe, if thou caſt and ſcatter them upon Reaſon, upon Philoſophy, upon Morality, to try how the Scriptures will fit all them, and beleeve them but ſo far as they agree with thy reaſon; But draw the Scripture to thine own heart, and to thine own actions, and thou ſhalt finde it made for that; all the promiſes of the old Teſtament made, and all accompliſhed in the new Teſtament, for the ſalvation of thy ſoule hereafter, and for thy conſolation in the preſent application of them.
Now this that Chriſt promiſes here,Non quia tanquam cauſa. Rom. 6.23. is not here promiſed in the nature of wages due to our labour, and our fiſhing. There is no merit in all that we can doe. The wages of ſin is Death; Death is due to ſin, the proper reward of ſin; but the Apoſtle does not ſay there, That eternall life is the wages of any good worke of ours. (The wages of ſinne is death, but eternall life is the gift of God, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord) Through Jeſus Chriſt, that is, as we are conſidered in him; and in him, who is a Saviour, a Redeemer, we are not conſidered but as ſinners. So that Gods purpoſe works no otherwiſe upon us, but as we are ſinners; neither did God meane ill to any man, till that man was, in his ſight, a ſinner. God ſhuts no man out of heaven, by a lock on the inſide, except that man have clapped the doore after him, and never knocked to have it opened againe, that is, except he have ſinned, and never repented. Chriſt does not ſay in our text, Follow me, for I will prefer you; he will not have that the reaſon, the cauſe. If I would not ſerve God, except I might be ſaved for ſerving him, I ſhall not be ſaved though I ſerve him; My firſt end in ſerving God, muſt not be my ſelfe, but he and his glory. It is but an addition from his own goodneſſe, Et faciam, Follow me, and I will doe this; but yet it is as certaine, and infallible as a debt, or as an effect upon a naturall cauſe; Thoſe propoſitions in nature are not ſo certaine; The Earth is at ſuch a time juſt between the Sunne, and the Moone, therefore the Moone muſt be Eclipſed, The Moone is at ſuch time juſt betweene the Earth and the Sunne, therefore the Sunne muſt be Eclipſed; for upon the Sunne, and thoſe other bodies, God can, and hath ſometimes wrought miraculouſly, and changed the naturall courſes of them; (The Sunne ſtood ſtill in Ioſhua, And there was an unnaturall Eclipſe at the death of Chriſt) But God cannot by any Miracle ſo worke upon himſelfe, as to make himſelfe not himſelfe, unmercifull, or unjuſt; And out of his mercy he makes this promiſe, (Doe this, and thus it ſhall be with you) and then, of his juſtice he performes that promiſe, which was made meerely, and onelyonly out of mercy, If we doe it, (though not becauſe we doe it) we ſhall have eternall life.
Therefore did Andrew, and Peter faithfully beleeve, ſuch a net ſhould be put into their hands. Chriſt had vouchſafed to fiſh for them, and caught them with that net, and they beleeved that he that made them fiſhers of men, would alſo enable them to catch others with that net. And that is truly the comfort that refreſhes us in all our Lucubrations, and night-ſtudies, through the courſe of our lives, that that God that ſets us to Sea, will proſper our voyage, that whether he ſix us upon our owne, or ſend us to other Congregations, he will open the hearts of thoſe Congregations to us, and bleſſe our labours to them. For as S. Pauls Vaeſi non, lies upon us whereſoever we are, (Wo be unto us if wee doe not preach) ſo, (as S. Paul ſayes to) we were of all men the moſt miſerable, if wee preached without hope of doing good. With this net S. Peter caught three thouſand ſoules in one day, at one Sermon, and five thouſand in another.Acts 2.41.4.4. With this net S. Paul fiſhed all the Mediterranean Sea, and cauſed the Goſpel of Chriſt Jeſus to abound from Jeruſalem round about to Illyricum. This is the net,Rom. 15.19. with which if yee be willing to bee caught, that is, to lay downe all your hopes and affiances in the gracious promiſes of his Goſpel, then you are fiſhes reſerved for that great Mariage-feaſt, which is the Kingdome of heaven; where, whoſoever is a diſh, is a gheſt too; whoſoever is ſerved in at the table, ſits at the table; whoſoever is caught by this net, is called to this feaſt; and there your ſoules ſhall be ſatisfied as with marrow, and with fatneſſe, in an infallible aſſurance, of an everlaſting and undeterminable terme, in inexpreſſible joy and glory. Amen.