Christ Displayed as the Choicest Gift and Best Master, Sermon 2

Christ Displayed as the Choicest Gift and Best Master · Sermon 2

p. 157CHRIST The Best MASTER.

Joh. 13.13.

Ye call me Master and Lord, and ye say well, for so I am. foreign.

VOS me vocantes, dicitis magister a… domine & bene dicitis sum en…m. foreign, per enallagen, as Mark 15.34. foreign, quod ponitur, Mat. 27.46. foreign, these are put foreign, (as Grammarians speak) the Nominative for the Vocative case, Vel est mutata forma orationis ut hoc dicatur vos compellando p. 158me utimur his vocibus magister & dominus. Unless we read it with Epiphanius, foreign. So Erasmus translates it, Magistrum & dominum; for saith he, it is not usual nor proper to call any thus, unless he be present, and they speak to him; but now Christs Disciples did call him so when he was absent, as Ioh. 21.7. This (saith Beza) is confessed; but here the word foreign, (which may be rendred saintatis, vel vocantes me appellatis) being here used, it may be understood of the common speech wherewith they spoke to Christ when present. The Syriack word, Rabban and Maran, (as in Maranatha, the Lord cometh, 1 Cor. 16.22.) soundeth something more Sacred and Divine, than ordinarily foreign, and foreign signifieth a teacher of Letters, Manners, or any Art, in relation whereunto they were called Disciples, or Learners: foreign dicitur, qui pollet authoritate cui jus est pre…cribendi eras. It properly signifieth one that hath authority, rule or dominion; being a word of relation also. It is in the writing of the Apostles simply and absolutely ascribed to Christ (saith Zanchy) a thousand times▪ It is used civiliter, as when we call an Honourable person, or one that hath servants, Lord. And Theologically, when this appellation is given to the one true God; answering the Hebrew name of God, Iehovah, which sets forth the absolute power and soveraignty of God over all the Creatures.

p. 159These are the words of our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ to his Disciples, wherein he begins to give them the sense and exposition of that his strange and wonderful condescention of washing his Disciples feet, whereof you have the History in the precedent verses. He doth now at large declare to what end, and renders the reason why he washed his Disciples feet; this done, partly to shew his admirable love to them, (vers. 1.) and to give them an example of humility and love one to another; and partly to intimate that he only cleanieth us from our sins, 1 Ioh. 1.7 There was in this his action a teaching mystery, which they knew not, till they were further instructed; they yet perceived not that it was not so much material for them to have clean feet, as to be cleansed by the blood of Christ, and have true humility and love one to another. Here he taketh up an argument from their own mouths to shew what they ought to do in imitation of him, except they will contradict themselves, and in actions dissent from their own words of common use: If I your Lord and Master have frooped so low as to wash your feet, ye ought also to wash one anothers feet, ye ought to be ready and willing to serve one another in love, foreign is put for foreign, much more ought ye, seeing you are not (as ye confess) Lords over one another, but fellow-servants, equally bound in mutual duty. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord; and argument p. 160a majore from the greater to the less. If Christ who excelleth all, do so admirably abase himself, how may it even shame thee? vers. 15. I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done; we must follow rationem exempli, magis quam individuum actum; the moral reason of the example, rather than do the individual act; that is, we must after Christs example, be ready to perform the meanest and lowest offices of love one to another.

Doct. Christ is a Christians Lord and Master, and every Christian is Christs servant: Christ and a Christian stand in relation one to another as Lord and servant. There is a relation between Christ and Believers, as betwixt Master and servants. Though Christ saith to the Apostles, Ioh. 15.5. Henceforth I call you not servants but friends. The meaning is not that he calleth them not servants at all, but not meer servants, they being more than servants, having such acquaintance with his counsels as his friends; for he presently, vers. 20. bids them remember that the servant is not greater than his Lord, Mat. 23.8. One is your Master even Christ, and all ye are brethren; and vers. 10. the Apostles called themselves the servants of Iesus Christ, Rom. 1.1. 1 Cor. 4.1. Phil. 1.1. He is called our Master and we his servants; because he is our Rector, expleno dominio, with absolute propriety, and doth not give us Laws to obey while we do our own work, but giveth p. 161us his work to do, and Laws for the right doing of it; and it is a service under his eye, and in dependance on him for our daily provisions, as servants on their Lord. He hath work for us to do in the world, and the performance of it he will require. He biddeth his Sons go work to day in my Vineyard, Mat. 21.28. and expecteth that they do his will, ver. 31. His servants are as Husbandmen, to whom he entrusteth his Vineyard, that he may receive the fruit, ver. 33, 34, 41, 43. Faithful servants shall be made rulers over his Houshold, Mat 24.45, 46. Christ delivereth his Talents to his servants to improve, and will require an account of the improvement at his coming, Mat 25.14.

1. Christ is a Christians Lord and Master.

2. Christians are his servants.

For the first, concerning Christs Lordship, enquire what it is.

2. How it is. 3. Where it is.

1. What it is▪ observe that Christ as God-man, hath a threefold Lordship, as he is God he hath the same glory and dominion with the Father: and as God-man, Mediator, there is a dominion that results from his Office, and this is thus distinguished:

1. Christ hath a more general dominion, or Lordship over all men, yea over all creatures: He is over all, God blessed for ever. Rom. 9 5. Jesus Christ he is Lord of all, Acts 10.36. He is King of Nations Soveraign Lord to rule and judg them, Ioh. 3.35. the Father loves the Son, p. 162and hath given all things into his hand, Mat. 28.18. all power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth. God hath put all things under his feet, Eph. 1.22. This Lordship is or seems to be tha… Reign spoken of, 1 Cor. 15.25▪ 28. for he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet; and when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the son also himself be subject to him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all ▪ This Oeconomical Kingdom or Lordship is exercised over all, whether good or bad, whether willing or unwilling to serve him, whether knowing or unknowingly; and it is manifested by the Acts,

1. Of restraining all creatures from crossing or hindering his will and works, which he is determined shall be; when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive, Eph. 4.8. Satan, sin, death, Hell, and whatever opposed him, in his state of humiliation (captivity put for captives) a multitude of captives: (foreign) Christ hath the keys of Hell and Death, Rev. 1.18 i. e. power to deliver to, or keep from Hell and the Grave, and he is the worlds master, Ioh 16 33. be of good cheer I have overcome the world, 'tis but a conquer'd Enemy, let the waves roar, the Lord reingeth, Psal. 93.1, & 72.9. his enemies shall lick the dust, he rules in the midst of his enemies.

2. His Lordship is manifested in guiding and swaying them to his will and end, Psal. 68.30, Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of bulls, with the calves of the people, till every p. 163one submit himself with pieces of silver. Captains, and Companies of greatest might, rage, and cruelty are bridled and tamed, made to stoop and pay tribute to him; Kings of Isles shall bring presents; Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts; yea all …ings shall fall down before him, all nations shall serve him; for he shall deliver the needy when he cryeth: the poor and him that hath no helper, Psal. 72.10, 11, 12. He hath dominion over the greatest Kings▪ is Lord of Lords, to make them fulfill his pleasure, and serve his end, either in favour or correction to his Saints, or in punishment to others.

3. In judging and passing sentence on all at the last; He is Lord both of living and dead, and all shall stand before the judgment-seat of Christ: as it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God, Rom. 14.9, 10, 11.

2. He hath a special Lordship over his visible Church; as he is heir of all things, and head of all creatures, and at the last day Judg of all men; so he is King and Lord of his Church, which owns this one Lord, Eph. 4.5. Both theirs and ours, Lord of all Churches, 1 Cor 1.2. He is the head of the body the Church, in all things, or among all, having the preheminence: the government is upon his shoulders, Isa. 9.6. He is chiefly a Lord because of his heritage the Church, wherein he rules.

p. 1641. As a King or Magistrate in a Commonwealth; and so he is said to have the throne of his father David, and shall reign over the house of Iacob for ever, and of his Kingdom there shall be no end, Luke 1.32, 33. and Nathaniel gives him this salutation, Iohn 1.49. Rabbi, thou art the son of God, thou art the King of Israel, foreign, the word here used is foreign one who hath rule or dominion. This is used sometimes civiliter, in some respect and general signification, is attributed to the creature, and so we call him to whom reverence and honour is due, ('tis a word of relation) or who hath servants, Lord; but most properly it is used Theologice, when this appellation is given to the only true God, answering the name of God Iehovah, (which the Seventy usually translate this word) and setteth forth the absolute power and soveraignty of God over all the creatures, and therefore he is called foreign the one or onelyonly Lord, 1 Cor. 8 6. Eph. 4.5. The Hebrew word Adonai springing from a word that signifies a base or pillar which sustains any thing, and the Greek word foreign quasi foreign, borrowed from building, whereunto a Commonwealth is compared, whereof the King is said to be the foundation: So King, contracted from the Saxon word, Coning or Dyning, signifying power and skill; and so Lord from Laford (a Saxon word) a sustainer; dominus in its strict and simple sense, is one that hath a jus disponedi possidendi & utendi, a right of having p. 165(or possessing) disposing, and using, i. e. that is, full and sole owner or proprietor: sometimes 'tis taken more largely, as comprehending both propriety and rule; and sometime more improperly, for government or command it self: but amongst Lawyers 'tis taken properly and strictly for an owner. Yet here (not excluding the other) 'tis taken for one, qui pollit authoritate cui jus est prescribendi, one that hath authority and governs by Law, which is an authoritative constitution, de debito officii, praemii & poenae, the signification of the will of a governour making the subjects duty, and determining of rewards to the obedient, and punishments to the disobedient.

2. As a Master or teacher foreign, preceptor or magister, one that teacheth letters or manners; and the latter word (magister) is more general, and declares some preheminence or dignity, as that Mat. 19.16. good master ▪ &c. Christ is the infallible guide and teacher of his Church. He knows his Fathers will, and there is neither ignorance, nor negligence, nor ambition or deceit in him, to cause him to conceal the mind of God; he teacheth all things needful to be known in order to our attaining eternal life; this is his office and work, therefore the title of disciples is most commonly given to believers; much of Religion doth consist in Learning of him as his disciples.

p. 1663. As a master of a family, Mat. 10.24, 25. the disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his Lord; it is enough that the disciple be as his master, and the servant as his Lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his hou…old, foreign, Mar. 13.34. For the son of man is as a man taking a far Iourney, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work: watch ye therefore (for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the Cock crowing, or in the morning) Mat. 20.1. the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a man that is an housholder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard, &c. Hence he is often called foreign a word betokening a private right to rule, such as is exercised in the guiding and governing of a Family, and most properly signifies, a master, ruler, or governour over servants who are bound to him. This Lordship is declared by these Acts:

1. By calling and gathering them by his word, Isa. 55.45. Behold I have given him for a witness, a leader and commander to the people: Behold thou shalt call a Nation, whom thou knowest not, and Nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee, because of the Lord thy God, and for the holy one of Israel, for he hath glorified thee. These are the words of God the Father, concerning the Messias (of whom the Iewish p. 167Doctors themselves expound this place) whom he appoints and ordains to be a teacher and testifier of his will, a leader, or a ruler, or a Prince and Commander not to Israel alone, but also to the Gentiles; to call a Nation by an external calling, and the Ministry of the Gospel, bestowed sometimes upon Cities, Kingdoms, Commonwealths, &c. Mat. 20.1. thus he hires labourers into his vineyard, a calling according to means, common to the elect and reprobate, ver. 16. Many are called, but few chosen.

2. Giving Laws to them to direct and oblige them to obedience, Isa. 33.22. The Lord is our Iudge, the Lord is our law-giver, (or statute-maker) the Lord is our King, he will save us: as a soveraign to protect his subjects that continue loyal to him, and live according to his laws. The Apostles were publishers of his laws. 1 Thes. 4.2. For ye know what commandments we gave you, by the Lord Iesus Christ; I command, yet not I, but the Lord. 1 Cor. 7.10, & 9, 14. Even so hath Christ ordained, that they that Preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel, Gal. 6.2. So fulfil the Law of Christ, that is, of loving one another: none but Christ can give Laws, and there are none of Christs servants, but receive Laws from him.

3. Appointing order, power, offices, and officers, among them, whom he hath called to the profession of the Go…pel, He gives authority to some for edification, not to destruction, 2 Cor. 20.8. & 13, 10. Accord…ng to the power p. 168which the Lord hath given to edification, and not to destruction, Mark 13 34. as a man taking a far Journey, gave authority to his servants, foreign the charge of his domestical affairs; he appoints officers, sets every one in his place, and furnishes him with gifts suitable to his place, and cuts out every one his task or work Eph. 4.8. When he ascended, or assumed this Lordship, he gave gifts to men: He gave some Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, some Pastors and Teachers. 1 Cor. 12.28. God hath set some in the Church, first Apostles, secondarily Prophets, thirdly teachers, &c. He appoints Ministers to be stewards, to distribute to every one in his family their due proportion, by way of feeding and governing, and they are all accountable to this Lord.

4. Prescribing administrations for their food, physick, and all necessaries, 1 Cor. 12.5. There are differences of adminstrations, but the same Lord, (foreign) diversities or distinctions of ministries, Ecclesiastical functions, for the use and benefit of his house, that none of his servants may want what is good and fit for them; he appoints stewards and rulers over his houshold, to give every one their meat in due season, Mat. 24.45, and overseers to feed the Church of God, and to take care of his Flock, which he purchased with his own blood, Act. 20.28. to preach the Word, and dispense the Sacraments. Mat. 18.17, Tell it unto the p. 169Church; that is, the governing and ruling Church, which was invested with the power of binding and loosing, saith Cameron, ver 18, and the subject of the power of jurisdiction, to whom belong the censures of excomunication, absolution▪ 1 Cor. 5.4, 5. By the power of the Lord Iesus Christ, &c.

5. Conferring gifts and temporal mercies and deliverances upon them, Eph. 4.7. To every one is given grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ, gratia gratis data, gifts for edifying the Church.

6. Correcting them in this life for their miscarriages. Judgment commonly begins at the house of God. He judges them in this world, that they may not be condemned with the world, 1 Cor. 11.32. Rev. 3.19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten▪ be zealous therefore and repent▪ Rev. 2.16. Repent, or I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Ver. 22. Behold I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her, into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds: He suffers the world to do that which he will not endure in his own Family; His servants will never be faithful to him, nor find him faithful to them, if he did not sometimes chastise them.

7. Calling them to account in the end, and rewarding and punishing according to their works. Mat. 25.19. After a long-time the Lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them, p. 170and gives them their hire (that had been labourers in the Vineyard) Mat. 20.8. All must stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, Rom. 14.10. 2 Cor. 5.10. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. He hath sundry sorts of servants, some that are only titular and complemental, call him Lord and Master, but are unprofitable; wearing his badge, but refusing his work; profess him, but in works deny him; using the name of the Lord, but transgressing the rule of their Lord; the reward of these, is to be cast into utter darkness, Mat. 25.30. His faithful servants shall be rewarded with his presence, who served him in his absence, and shall enter into the joy of their Lord.

3. Christ hath yet a more special Lordship over true believers, living members of his body, that are justified and sanctified servants to him in their hearts, Rom. 14.18. He that in these things, (that is, righteousness, peace, and joy) serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men, that have the kingdom of Christ within them, Luke 17.22. The weapons of this kingdom are not carnal, but spiritual and mighty; and so his conquest of them, 2 Cor. 10.4. The former were members of the Church, these are the members of Christ, and this Lordship is exercised and put forth by his.

p. 1711. Drawing them in by effectual calling, making them willing in the day of his power, Psal. 110.3. as he is exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give them repentance and remission of sins, Acts 5.31. putting his Laws into their minds, and writing them upon their hearts, Heb. 8.10. This calling by his word, and effectual operation of his spirit, doth bring them not only into the visible, but into the invisible Church, uniting them to Christ the head, as well as tying them to the members; and whereby grace is not only offered but conferred; is a calling in a saving manner, according to his purpose, the immediate consequence of the election of his grace.

2. Suppressing in them whatever is opposite to his rule, and overcoming all enmity to his will: manifesting and magnifying his grace and strength in their infirmities, and making his power to rest upon them, 2 Cor. 12.9. & 10.4, 5. Pulling down of strong holds, and casting down reasonings and imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledg of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; not only curbing, but curing their nature, and changing the whole man.

3. Qualifying them for his service, and enabling them to do his work, making them ready to do his will. A… people prepared for the Lord, Luke 1.17. making them vessels unto honour, purged and sanctified, meet for their p. 172masters use, and prepared unto every good work, 2 Tim. 2.21. If he find employment, he will give endowments too; if an errand, a tongue; if a word, an hand; if a burden, a back, I can do all things through Christ which strength…neth me, saith Paul, Phil. 4.13. as the Apostle laboured according to his working which worketh in him mightily, Col. 1.29. So carrying them on in his ways with renewed strength, they walk and are not weary, they run and faint not. …sa. 40.28, 29, 30, 31.

4. Giving them freedom to, and in his work: he makes them free, Iohn 8.32. Free from sin, that they become his servants, Rom. 6.18. from the guilt, power and bondage of sin.

1. By releasing their debts, pardoning their sins, Acts 5.31. it's an Act of Christs Lordship and Princedom to remit and forgive sins.

2. By loosing their bonds, and breaking the snares and fetters of them. He proclaims liberty to captives, and opening of prison to them that are bound, Isa. 61.1, 2. Rom 8.2. The Law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus, hath made me free from the Law of sin and death.

3. Removing the spirit of bondage, and restoring peace and joy to the soul: He gives them peace with him, Iohn 14.27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid: and Iob. 16.33. p. 173He gives them a free spirit, an inlarged heart, a sound mind, the spirit of power and love, 2 Tim. 1.7

5. He shews his Lordship towards his peculiar people, in maintaining them in his service, and suppl…ing them in all their wants: From this Head (wherein dwells all fullness) all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministred, increases with the increase of God, Col 2.19. The Lord is their shepherd, they shall not want, Psal. 23.1, and 84.11. Verily his houshold shall be fed, they shall want no good thing; He gives them all things pertaining to life and godliness, 2 Pet. 1.4, Even of outward necessaries they shall have what they want, if not what they would.

6. In defending them against, and upholding them in all temptations and troubles. He tells them in all their dangers and straits, my grace is sufficient for thee, 2 Cor. 12.9. He will keep them in all their ways; surely then, in all his work; safety evermore accompanies duty. His Servants are strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, Eph. 6.10. They are preserved in Christ Jesus, Iude 2. and are never unsafe, but when they leave working, or with Ionah run away from their Master▪ Micah 5.4, He shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God, and they shall abide. There is no security but in Christs family; never are his servants in danger, but when they go out of it: and he takes p. 174care of the seed and posterity of his Servants, Psal. 69.36.

7. At last abundantly rewarding and dignifying them; In doing his work there is great reward; That happiness which Christ gives his Servants in this life, is unspeakable, their work seems to have more of wages than of work in it: but in the next life their joy will be so great, as that it cannot so well be said to enter into them, as they to enter into it, Mat. 25.51, Well done good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. The joy of their Lord, whose bosom is the hive and center of all goodness, and that in which all the scattered parcels of blessedness are bundled up. R…v. 22.12, Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. Their services are all Booked; he who formerly gave them abilities for to work, will now give them a recompence for working; their work, though never so great, is but small to their wages; nor is the weight of their labours comparable to that of their Crown, and put in all their heavy sufferings too. Rev. 2.10, Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

2. How is this threefold Lordship exercised?

1. By what means?

2. For what end?

p. 1753. In what manner or order?

1st. By what means doth he exercise this Lordship?

1. By his hand of providence, concourse, and co-operation in the creature▪ that Providence Christ speaks of in Iohn 5.17, 19, 22, My father worketh hitherto, and I work: For what things soever he doth, these also doth the son likewise. foreign, which Nazianzen well interprets (foreign) i. e. nor for the similitude of those things they do, but in respect of the same power and authority of both; the Son doth not imitate, but co- operate; he works not like, but the same work that the Father doth. (Quod operatur filius opus patris est) Hil. Whatsoever the Father doth, the Son doth, because they are one God, have one will, power, and working; for the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son; the Father judgeth not alone, because he judgeth by the Son: The word judging here, signifies full power to rule, in Heaven and Earth, 1 Cor. 8.6, There is one God the father, of whom are all things, and we in him, or for him: and one Lord Iesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. By, here notes not the instrumental, but the principal cause; the Prepositions of and by, are not so to be taken, that we make two Causes, seeing they have but one Nature, though they be distinct persons, and the p. 176Father and Son work together; but by these (of and by) the Apost…e differenceth their order and manner of working, Col 1.17, He is before all things, and by him all things consist.

2. By his Word and Spirit, in common works and gifts. Psal. 110▪2, The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. The Lord, i. e. God the Father, (…ho had said, sit thou on my right hand, i. e. receive chief power and authority from me, and exercise jurisdiction over al…) shall send forth the Rod of thy power, i. e. thy powerful and mighty Rod, or the Rod and Scepter whereby thou declarest thy power and might; …he means specially the Preaching of the Word, which is the Power of God to Salvation, and is able to cast down strong holds, and every high thing. Be thou Ruler, by thy word and spirit, notwithstanding all the resistance of thine enemies, 1 Pet. 3.19, By which a…so he went and preached to the spirits in prison; by the power and manifestation of his spirit.

3. By his Word and Spirit, in saving works and effects. His Word worketh eff…ctually in all them that believe, 1 Thes. 2.13, and the Spirit of Truth, the Comforter which he promises to send, Iohn 14.16, 18, and 16.14, He shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto on.

p. 1772. The end or use of this threefold Lordship, why or for which he exercises it.

1. For his Fathers and his own glory, John 13.31, Now is the son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him: i e He shall be glorified in the admirable work of mans redemp…ion; for death to overcome death, is, foreign, great glory, and shews him to be the Lord of life, Col. 1.16, all things were created, and do consist, as well for him as by him, that he might have the preheminence and glory, as the first-born of every creature, or heir of all things.

2… For the salvation of his chosen, that he may give unto them eternal life, Iohn 17.2. Father, the hour is come, glorifie thy Son, that thy Son may also glorifie thee; as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life, to as many as thou hast given him.

3. For the overthrow of all adverse power to these ends: whatever opposeth the glory of God, and happiness of believers, his Lordship is exercised for the ruine and destruction of it. 1 Cor. 15.24, 25, Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the father, when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and power, For he must reign till he put all enemies under his feet. Psal. 2.9, He hath set his King on his holy hill of Zion, and gives him the Heathen for p. 178his inheritance; and then adds concerning his enemies, that rage and take counsel against him, Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters vessel; and shall perish from the way utterly and irrecoverably, when his wrath is kindled against them, because they will not kiss the Son in token of subjection to his Lordship, nor have this man to reign over them. Matt. 24.50, 51, The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looked not for him; and in an hour that he is not ware of: And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

3. In what manner and order he that is a stranger to the Gospel, to whom the sound of it never came, is under the first. He that professes Christ is under the first and second. A true believer is under all these three Lordships.

1. Under the first as a man.

2. Under the second as a member of the Church.

3. Under the third, as a member of Christ.

The more general Lordship is conducing to the promoting of the special Lordship; and then both to the advancing of the more special, Eph. 1.22, 23, And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fulness of p. 179him that filleth all in all. He is over all things supream and absolute; but the Churches Head, from whom they receive all manner of inf…nce. He hath a special and peculiar respect to it, Rev. 3.9. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Iews and are not, but do lye; behold I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

This great Lord hath a rod of iron to rule the Nations, and a golden Scepter to guide the Church; in the first the attribute manifested is Power, in the other Grace; in the world he ruleth by his Providence, in the Church by his Testimonies: Psal. 93.1. The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with Majesty. vers. 2. Thy Throne is established of old, thou art from everlasting: The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea than the mighty waves of the Sea. Thy testimonies are very sure: Holiness bebecomes thy house (O Lord) for ever.

3. Whence hath Christ this Lordship? He is in this Office:

1. By Creation, By him were all things created, Col. 1.16. Ioh. 1.3. Now absolute propriety resulteth immediately from Creation; it is not possible that there should be a more full and certain title than Creation. He that giveth men and all the world their Being, and that of nothing, of no prae-existent Matter, nor by any co-ordinate con-cause, must needs be absolute owner of all, without the least limitation; and p. 190then he hath the (jus regendi) by immediate resultancy from his absolute propriety, supposing the nature of the Creature (to be a rational free agent) and the perfection of the Creator alone, which so qualifie one to be a subject, and the other to be the Governour, that they are as it were the remotum fundamentum relationis: He that gave man his being, must needs be his rightful Governour and Lord, as the Apostle makes it an argument, 1 Cor. 8.6. To us there is but one Lord Iesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him, and by him all things consist. He continueth thy being and well being, and all the means thereto. He upholdeth all things by the word of his power, Heb. 1.3.

2. By his Fathers advancement and appointment. God hath set him at his own right hand, in the heavenly places, far above all Principality and Power, and Might and Dominion, and every name that is named not only in this world, but in that which is to come, Ephes. 1.20, 21. Phil. 2.9. Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, that at the name of Iesus every knee should bow, and that every tongue should confess that Iesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Act. 2.36. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Iesus both Lord and Christ. A…t. 5.36 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. God hath given p. 191him power over all flesh; by his designation he hath right and prerogative of the firstborn to be Lord of all▪

3. By his own purchase: He has bought us with a price, 1 Cor. 6.20. A dear purchase, where the price was his precious blood, his own life. Rom. 14.9. For this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. We read in the Law, of servants bought with money, (foreign), and 'tis but reason, he that hath paid a valuable consideration for a mans service, should have it: Now Christ hath bought us not w…th corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with his own precious blood, 1 Pet. 1.16, 19. So that we are not our own, but his only that hath bought us, and paid for us, to glorifie him: He is our Lord and Master, pleno jure.

Secondly, The other Proposition in the Doctrine, though not expressed in the Text, yet necessarily implied, the relations being mutual, (relativa sunt simul natura.) That Christians are Christs servants, not as instruments to execute his Decree; So Nebuchadnezzar, Jer. 27.6. but they that out of a sense of his love resign themselves to do his will.

1. In what respects: 2. Whence it is: 3. What an advancement 'tis to be his servants.

1. In what respect they are his servants? Ans. In these seven.

p. 1821. To worship and serve him, Psal. 45.11. He is thy Lord, and worship thou him. A servant must attend and wait on his Master, and so the true Christian on Christ, 1 Cor. 7.35. That ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. Col. 3.24. For ye serve the Lord Christ. Service to Christ is the duty and business of every Christian, by shewing reverence to his person, and yeilding obedience to his commands.

1. Christ is to be worshipped with Divine honour; it is the will of God that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father, Ioh. 5.35. Rev. 5.12. The glorious Angels do it, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And vers. 13. Every Creature is heard to say, Blessing, honour, glory, and power, be unto him that siteeth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. We must worship him with inward and outward veneration; the first consists in the trust, fear, reverence and adoration of the heart, the latter in attendance upon, and due observance of Gospel institutions, as Prayer, hearing the Word, reverent use of the Sacraments.

'Tis a known story that of Amphilochius to the Emperour Theodosius; he had petition'd the Emperour to be severe against the Arrians, to discountenance and suppress them, because in their opinions they did disparage the Son of God; but could not prevail: Whereupon he made use of this device, coming one day into the p. 183Emperours presence, and of Arcadius his Son, (who ruled jointly with his Father) he made his humble obeisance to the Emperour himself, and shewed him all reverence, but passed by his Son, shewing him no respect at all, the Emperour was much offended, sharply reproves Amphilochius for this affront to his Son; whereupon the good man vindicates his carriage, plainly telling the Emperour, he had given reverence enough to his Son; and now the Emperour was more incensed, commands him with great indignation to be thrust out of his Presence; which while some were doing, Amphilochius turns himself to the Emperour and said, O Emperour, thou being but a man, canst not bear the contempt or disparagement of thy Son, how dost thou think the great God can bear the contempt of his Son, which the Arrians do cast upon him? The Emperour was much affected with this, beg'd the Bishops pardon, commended his ingenuity; and did that now, which he had refused to do before.

2. With obedience to all his Laws and Commands, Mat. 17.5. This is my beloved Son, hear ye him. This hearing of Christ is obeying of him in all his holy Laws and Institutions; and so 'tis q. d. Here's a person whom I own for my Son, whom I have made your Lord, and have set him as my King on my holy hill, into whose hands I have put all power, on whose shoulders I have laid the government, therefore I charge you to hear him, and to yield all obedience and subjection p. 184to him: Obedience is the chief badg and character of a servant, Rom. 6.16. His servants ye are to whom ye obey. Eph. 6.5. Servants be obedient to your masters. There can be no better proof of service than obedience, and therefore the people said, Iosh. 24.24. The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey. So Abraham the servant of the Lord, when he was called to go out of his own Country, obeyed; yea, in that greatest trial of obedience, that ever we read any meer man to be put unto, being commanded to sacrifice his only Son, he never stumbled upon the bare signification of his pleasure: without disputing or debating the matter, we must give both active and passive obedience.

3. This reverence and obedience will produce in Christs servants (and they are dispositions well becoming servants) a fear to offend, and desire to please their Lord; a deliberate apprehension of some worthiness in another more than in a mans self, is ever accompanied with a fear to displease, and care to please the person reverenced, Mal. 1.6. If I be a Master, where is my fear? Serve the Lord with fear, Psal. 2.11. Heb. 12.28. From which a care to please cannot be severed; Servants are to be obedient and to please their Masters or Lord in all things, Tit. 2.9 So must Christs servants study to walk worthy of him unto all well-pleasing, not much regarding what offence others take at him, so long as his master accepts his service.

2. To go by Christs warrant, and take his p. 185word for his rule in all his actions, Mar. 13.34. He gives to every servant his work, and he is to receive commission from him for it, as the Porter to watch, &c. what the master bids or forbids is to be observed: If he say go, as the Centurions servant, he is to go; or do this, it must be done; a servant may not do what he pleases, but must wait his masters pleasure, Psal. 123.2. As the eyes of the servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress, so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us. A servant is not sui juris, his own master, to guide his actions, but must subject his own will to the will of another, whether it be in something to be done, or something to be suffered; our right serving of Christ is, when 'tis done according to his own direction, both for the matter and manner of his service. 'Tis a maxim in nature, every master is to be served according as himself commands; and if the servant prescribe to his master how he will serve him, he becomes his own, yea his Master's master. In the Civil Law a servant is said to be (foreign) such a one as sustains no person, but is a dependent and adjunct to his master, to accomodate his will to the will of his master. Socrates could see this, and say, If there be a God he must be worshipped, and if he be worshipped it must be according to his own will, or else we do not worship him at all. Will worship is a service that's so far from p. 186bringing us to Heaven, that it will beguile us of Heaven.

3. To account and use all he hath and is, as not his own, but his masters; all a Christian is, is Christs, 1 Cor. 3.13. And ye are Christs, and Christ is Gods. As he is, so all he hath is his masters talent, or goods, to be kept for him, and employed to his profit, 1 Pet. 1.10. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Mat. 25.14. He delivers unto them his goods, of which they are to make account to him at his coming, they are not proprietarii, but depositarii; not treasurers, but stewards of his gifts; and must hear, redde depositum, he must be served with his own, and that intirely without dividing; for we are not in part, but wholly his; no man can have any propriety in himself, or in any other creature, but what is derived from this absolute Lord, and standeth in full subordination to his propriety; and as we are not our own, so nothing is properly our own which we possess; for no man can have more title to any thing else than to himself; nor may we dispose of any thing we have in any way, but to serve the will and interest of this absolute Lord.

4. To follow his Master in his ways. Christians must walk as his servants, not where and how they list, but as their Master pleases, Ioh. 12.26. If any man serve me, let him follow me. Ye call me Lord and Master, (saith Christ in p. 187the Text); and then vers. 14, 15. If I th…n your Lord and Master have washed your feet, ye ought then to wash one anothers feet; for I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done unto you. If our Lord have forgiven us our debts, much more should we forgive our fellow-servants, Mat. 18.32. Christ saith to his servants as Gideon to his Soldiers, Iudg. 7. What ye have seen me do, that do you. Follow me, compri…eth in it the sum of Christianity, the whole duty of man: He that saith, he abideth in Christ, ought himself also to walk as he walked, 1 Joh. 2.6. Moses was a faithful servant in all his house, for he made all things according to the Pattern shewed him in the Mount. The examples of Christ are either active or passive, in both he is to be imitated in doing and suffering his Fathers will; and in the manner of both, as Christ said to the Lawyer concerning the good Samaritan, Go thou and do likewise; so seest thou not Christs obedience to his Parents, bounty in giving, love in forgiving, diligence in his calling, meekness and humility in his carriage; contempt of the world, zeal for Gods glory, holiness in his life, and unprovoked patience in his sufferings; and his whole life Exemplary, from his Cradle to his Grave? go thou and do likewise, else thou art not his servant; yea, canst be no Christian: for this is the substance of Christian Religion, the end of the Gospel, and the character of one that shall inherit Glory: As when two walk together, a man cannot tell whom the servant follows p. 188till they part; so when Christ and our lusts, or our interests command contrary things, then it puts us to the trial, whether we be his servants or not? we must not only follow him in the easie and pleasant ways of obedience, but such as cross our lusts and interests: we must do in reality what the Lawyer said in compliment, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. Revel. 14.14. The Angels are Gods Ministers that do his pleasure, Psal. 103.21. A servant hath no will of his own, but hath given up his liberty to the directions and commands of others; hence Christs servants do earnestly desire and study to know what his will and pleasure is, and do it. The Masters will is motive enough, 1 Thes. 4.3. and 5.18. 1 Pet. 2.15. This his will, if God will have it so, if Christ will have it so, it is enough to a faithful servant; the very signification of his will carries with it reason enough to enforce the practice of it. We are not to trade for our selves, and to drive on our own designs of credit and advantage; we are servants and employed for our masters use. A man that sets up of himself, is to trade for himself; but all that a servant doth, should be for his masters honour and profit; we are entrusted with talents of Gifts, Graces, Estates, &c. now after some time the Lord will come and reckon with us, and see what we have done for his honour, what good we have done in our places; how we have employed our gifts, improved our interests; whether we have beaten, p. 189or helped our fellow servants; whether our talent hath been hid in a napkin, or laid out for the good of souls, and the glory of our Lord and Master.

5. To participate with him in his estate, both good and bad. Ioh. 12.26. If any man serve me, let him follow me, and where I am, there shall my servant be. If any man serve me, him will my Father honour. But the world will dishonour and reproach the servant as they have done the Master, Mat. 10.24, 25. The Disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant is not above his Lord. It is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master, and the servant as his Lord: If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his houshold? Servants must be contented to bear his Cross, whose priviledg it shall be to wear his Crown; and should be satisfied with their allowance. The proper work of a servant is to wait and stay his masters pleasure for any comfort. He that is but a servant in the house, must not think to command whatsoever the house affordeth at his own pleasure, (that's the masters prerogative alone), but must content himself with what his master is content to allow him, and take his portion of meat, drink, livery, lodging, and every other thing, at the direction and appointment of his master; neither may the servant of Christ look to be his own carver in any thing, nor may he murmur against his master, with that ungracious servant in the Parable, p. 190Mat. 25.24. complaining of his hardness and austerity, if his allowance in some things fall short of his desire; having food and raiment, be it never so little, never so course, he should be content with it, nay though he want either or both, he should be content without it, as grace and long experience had taught that faithful servant of Christ, Phil. 4.11, I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Pro. 30.8, Feed me with my allowance.

6. To submit to his correction. A beaten servant must not strike again, nor word it with his master; ('tis chaff that flyes in the face of him that fannes it) must take it patiently, if he be buffeted undeservedly or without fault. How much more ought Christians to accept the punishment of their iniquity, when this gracious master shall think fit to exercise a little severity towards them, especially since he never strikes them but for their fault (such is his justice); nor (such is his mercy) but for their good? he chides not, because he loves it, but because they need it, and because he loves them, Rev. 3.19. Servants must bear what they would not, as well as forbear what they would.

7. To expect wages from him. Knowing (saith the Apostle) that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ, Col. 3.24. The true Christian believes, that his Lord is the rewarder p. 191of all that diligently seek him, Heb. 11.6. And is content to refer all to him, knowing that though the vailes be uncertain, yet standing-wages are set and certain, great is their reward in Heaven; there is a reward in the very work, but he will bestow a further recompence hereafter; the Hypocrite looks for his reward here, and sells his service to Christ, works for present wages, but the sincere servant of Christ submits all to Christ. As we should not serve him for, so he will not be served without wages, even such as will weigh down all our work and all our woes, Mat. 6.5. foreign.

2. Wherein they are Christs servants; or how it comes to pass.

1. By redemption, servus a servando, Aust. or serv…s, quasi bello servatus. He that by right of war might justly be put to death, and yet was saved alive, was called servant; and he that delivered him was called his Lord. So when we were, mancipia peccati & diaboli, the Devils captives, and slaves of sin, in which condition if we had lived and died after a hard and toilsome service in the mean time, our wages in the end should have been eternal death; Christ by his death, hath conquered sin and Satan, and freed us from that wretched thraldom, to this end, that being delivered out of the hands of all our enemies, we might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness, before p. 192him, all the days of our life, Luke 1.74, 75▪ Thus the Israelites were delivered from Egypt, the house of bondage, to serve God. Hence the Preface to the ten commandments; and David confesseth, Psal. 116.16, I am thy servant, I am thy servant, thou hast loosed my bonds. If a man had brought another out of Captivity, or he had sold himself, all his strength or service belonged to the buyer: Christ hath bought us from the worst slavery, and with the greatest price; no thraldom so bad as bondage to sin, no prison so black as Hell; and certainly Christs blood is better than any money; not to serve him then, is to defraud him of his purchase; no bondage so great as ours, no price so great as Christs, and therefore no service so great as that which we owe.

2. By the fathers donation or delivery up of them. Iohn 17.6, I have manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy word. God hath made us, and not we our selves, and so hath absolute right to us, and dominion over us; hath given us unto Christ that we should serve him, as well as be saved by him, Isa. 44.21, Remember, O Iacob, thou art my servant, I have formed thee, thou art my servant O Israel: they are given him for a Possession, Psal. 2.8.

3. By voluntary resignation, and surrendring of themselves to him. They have given themselves to the Lord that are real Christians, p. 1932. Cor. 8.5. 'Tis by their own consent and contract, Rom. 6.13. Yeild up your selves unto God, &c. Christ loves to have his right and title established. By our own consent we take Christ for our Lord and Master, and give up our selves to him, that we may be no longer at our own dispose; and therefore 'tis not only robbery, but treachery and breach of Covenant, to seek our selves in any thing; and this resignation must be made out of a sense of Christs love to us in his death and sufferings, 2 Cor. 5.15, Christ died, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them. We enter upon other services out of hopes, but we enter upon Christs service out of thankfulness: 'Twas our own voluntary Act, by Marriage-Covenant, we take him for our Lord, our Husband, Guide, Governour and Protector; and as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord, so we Christ: we have bound our selves by solemn vow and promise to be and continue Christs faithful servants unto the end of our lives; now the word is gone out of our lips, we may not alter it; nor after we have made a vow, enquire what we have to do. He hath the best right to our best services, by this three-fold title, and a threefold cord is not easily broken; our tongues are not our own, to speak what we please, nor our hearts to think what we please, nor our hands to do what we list. By vertue of these and many more titles, we are anothers, and are p. 194bound to live and Act for him, according to his will, and for his glory.

3. What a Lord and Master Christ is: The Scriptures give us these Characters or Properties of Him.

1. He is the most absolute and supreme Lord. His stile is King of kings, and Lord of lords; he hath no superior or co-partner with him in his dominion and government; all other Power and Lordship is dependent, and derivative, and subordinate.

1. All Power is from him; as, 1. Civil, Prov. 8.15, By me Kings reign, and Princes decree Iustice. 2. Ecclesiastical, 2 Cor. 10.8. That power which the Apostle had was derived from Christ; For though I should boast something more of the Authority which the Lord hath given us for Edification and not for Destruction. 3. Inward and spiritual. Mar. 16.20. They preached every where, the Lord working with them: the opening of the eyes of the blind, quickening the dead, turning them from darkness to light, were the effects of his power: not the parts or piety of the Preacher, but his grace and spirit did the work. Lastly, extraordinary and miraculous power, whereby they confirmed the word; signs and wonders were wrought in his name and by his power. When the lame man was healed, and the Apostle examined by what power, or by what name they had done it? Peter answered, Acts 4.10, Be it p. 195known unto you all, t…at by the name of Iesus of Nazareth this man doth stand before you whole.

2. As all power is derived from him, and dependent on him; so 'tis to be used and obeyed in subordination to him.

1. For him, as the authority of Magistrates, Parents, 1 Pet. 2.13, Submit to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake, whether it be to the King as supream. Eph. 6.1, Children obey your parents in the Lord: so wives to husbands, servants to masters, Col. 3.18.

2. According to him, Acts. 5 29, the Apostle answered, We ought to obey God rather than men.

3. All other Lords are responsible to him, for the use and abuse of that authority, and those gifts they received from him; and are therefore punishable by him.

2dly. He is an universal Lord, Lord of all.

1. In regard of persons, he is over all, Rom. 9.5. He rules over all nations, persons, hearts; all other Masters and Lords are inferiour to him; Eph. 6.9, And ye masters, do the same things to them (that is your Servants) forbearing threatning: knowing that your master also is in heaven, neither is there respect of persons with him.

2. In regard of matters and acts, outward, inward, Godward, manward, civil, spiritual, all come under his cognizance, Eph. 6.5, 6. Col. 3.23, Rom. 14.18, in all these things we are to serve Christ,

p. 1963. In regard of places; the three kingdoms of Heaven, Earth and Hell, have no other Lord but Christ: Angels and glorified Saints in Heaven, Saints, Sinners, and every creature on Earth, the damned and Devils in Hell, are all his subjects.

3dly. He is a spiritual Lord, for the manner of his rule and government; Iohn 18.36, My kingdom is not of this world: not from hence. Not that he governs not in Heaven and Earth, for though his kingdom be not of this world, Rex tamen est in hoc mundo, Bern. when Pilate had openly declared whose accusation it was, Jesus plainly tells him, that his Kingdom was not secular, but spiritual; not of this world: So that he nothing intrenched on Caesars right; which he saith not to avoid death, but to shew that he was unjustly accused.

4. He is an eternal Lord; Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order it, and to establish it with judgment and justice, from henceforth even for ever, Isa 9.7, Luke 1.33. He is the King immortal, 1 Tim. 1.17. Death the King of terrors, and terror of Kings, is subdued by this Lord; not only so as never to touch him, but also never to hurt any of his Servants: Other Rulers, though they be called gods and lords, yet shall dye like men; earthly Monarchs, either by some Poison or Treason, are brought to untimely deaths, at least p. 197some disease or other will lay their glory in the dust; but Jesus Christ is yesterday, today, and the same for ever.

5. He is a mighty Lord, most able to do what is good for his Servant, and to subdue all persons and things to himself, Psal. 3.21. He can kill the Soul, and throw both the Body and Soul into Hell; he can subdue the hearts of men, even of the deadliest enemies, unto his love and obedience; he can protect and shelter his Servants from all evil, and bestow all good things on them, for the world is his and the fulness thereof: He hath under his command the forces of all creatures in Heaven and Earth, which he rules as he pleases to his own purpose; he can at ease frustrate the harmful intentions, and noisom qualities of the worst of them; he can turn their malice into mercy, their hatred into love, yea can bring forth glory to himself, and profit to his Servants; not only against, but even out of their mischievous designments, as in Daniel and the three Children, &c.

6. He is a most just Lord; his is a Scepter of righteousness, Heb. 1.8, his right hand is full of righteousness, The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works, Psal. 145.17. In him is exact and perfect integrity and equity, of all his counsels, words and actions; and there is no unrighteousness in him. His will is the rule and standard of justice, and whatever he commands is most p. 198equal and right, because he wills and commands it.

7. He is a most glorious Lord and Master; The glory of Kings and Emperours is but a borrowed ray, or spark from his Majesty; the glory of all the Caesars, &c. is but a black coal in comparison of his splendor; and when he shall appear in his glory, the glow-worms of worldly splendor and majesty shall disappear and be extinguished; the poorest Servant he hath shall then appear with him in such glory, that the combined-excellency of Kings shall not be so much as a shadow to it.

8. He is a most gracious Lord; he puts them upon none but safe, honourable, and comfortable employments. He puts no more upon them than they can go through; and lays no more upon them than they are able to bear; he knows their mould and frame, remembers they are but dust; he is Jesus as well as Lord; a Shepherd as well as a Master; he joins his glory and their happiness together; he never requireth brick from his people, without giving them straw; he will either multiply grace, or diminish the temptation: his Grace is always sufficient for them.

9. He is a wise judicious Master. A man that serves a fickle and unconstant Master, who often changes his mind, has a hard task, and endless labour (but a prudent man, who orders his affairs with discretion and deliberation, his commands are but once obeyed, his work p. 199is soon done); what he doth now, anon he must undo, and so Sysiphus like, he is ever doing, and hath never done; he never knows an end of his work: But the Servant of Christ is at a good certainty, and knows before-hand what his work must be, and what his wages; as his Master himself is, so his Commandments are immutable and invariable, without so much as a shadow of change, Iam. 1.17. That was a needless cavil, and meer peevishness and selfishness in Ionah, Ionah 4.2.

10. He is a most knowing and discerning Lord. He observes the ways and works of his Servants so narrowly, that the closest and subtillest among them cannot deceive him; he spies them in every corner, nay, every corner of their hearts in them; all things are open and naked before him: though now in some sort he be absent, yet he needs no informer, he knows what every Servant doth in his absence, and will manifest every ones work to all the world: his eyes are as a flame of fire, clearer than ten thousand suns; he takes notice of all their services and hearts, Rev. 2.19, I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works, and the last to be more than the first.

11. He is a pitiful and merciful Lord and Master. He hath an eye as pitying as it is piercing; he doth no less observe the wants and troubles, than the ways and works of his Servants; he is a Father as well as a Master; and p. 200As a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him, Psal. 103.13, 14, And spareth them, as a father his son that serveth him, Mal. 3.17, hath more tender bowels than a mother. Isa. 49.15. Can a woman forget her sucking-child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Christ is not as the slothful man thought, a cruel and hard Master, Matt. 25.24, that looks for much work, and gives little encouragement; but is moved with compassion towards his Servants, Matt. 18.27, he will not have his Servants complain that they serve an hard Master.

12. He is a meek and lowly Master, condescending to serve his Servants here and hereafter.

1. Here… Matt. 20.28, He came not to be ministred unto, but to minister. Luke 22.27, Whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. He stoopt so low as to wash his Disciples feet.

2. Hereafter; Luke 12.37, Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching: Verily I say unto you, That he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. Study, but yet expect not to understand, either the comfort or condescention of this promise, made to the faithful Servants of Christ; He shall p. 201gird himself, &c. Lord (saith one) did I not think that the cheer and the attendance were both one, I should say the attendance were infinitely better than the meat. Think what it is for Christ himself to serve at the Table; what is it but infinite delight for the guests to have him set himself to solace them, who is infinite, as in sweetness, so in knowledg, to make his sweetness please them. Nor will the dignity of these Servants be less than their delight, who have Majesty it self to serve them: certainly in Heaven there shall be as many Kings as Subjects.

13. He is a tender and compassionate Lord; He was made like unto his brethren in all things, sin excepted; and having suffered himself, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted, Heb. 2.18. We have not an highpriest, that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin, Heb 4.15, and 5.2, Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and them that are out of the way. He cannot only foreign, but foreign, bear part in our afflictions, but bear with us in our infirmities, being thorowly (and not lightly) touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He is sensible of his servants wrong, when tempted, seduced, (Rev. 2.20, To seduce my servants) as well as fensible of their grief when wronged and persecuted; in all their afflictions he is afflicted, and takes the wrongs offered to his p. 202Servants as offered to himself; they that hurt them, touch the apple of his eye: he covers with the mantle of his excusing-love, their unavoidable in…irmities. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

14. He is a most loving and sociable Master, who puts his Servants upon nothing but what himself hath done, or doth before them; he first practiceth what he imposeth on them. He lays no yoke upon them but what he himself hath born; leads them in no way, but himself hath first trodden it: He is not like the Pharisees who bind heavy burdens upon others, but will not touch them with one of their fingers, Matt. 23.4; but he does as Abimelech, Judg. 9.48, What ye have seen me do, make hast, and do as I have done: or as Tully reports of Caesar, that he was never heard to say to his Soldiers, Ite illuc, but venite huc. So Christ leads by example, his voice is follow me, Iuvat idem, qui jubet.

15. He is a good Master. As he bears part in their sufferings, and is a fellow-sufferer; so he is not only their Lord and Master, but their helper and fellow-worker; whatever he imposes on them, he helps and furnishes them to do it; he puts them to no work, wherein he doth not help them. Herein he goes beyond all other Masters, who can toil and task their Servants sufficiently, but cannot strengthen them. Christ encourages and assists them in their work; when they grow faint and weary, he strengthens p. 203them; when doubtful, he teaches them; when slothful, sometimes indeed he corrects them, but not to kill, but quicken them; not to destroy them, but their sloth: when they are sick, he pities and spares them; when old, he turns them not out of his service, but the longer they live in it, the more they love it, yea, the more able they are to perform it: In a word, when they dye, he neither suffers them to lye still, nor sends them to seek another Master; for then they change not their Master for another, but their work for a better; or rather for their wages, Psal. 138.3. Isa. 40▪ 28, 29, 30, 31. Ioel. 2.29.

16. He is a most faithful Master; he keeps, secures and vindicates all his Servants, he preserves them and provides for them, gives them all things pertaining to life and godliness, 2 Pet. 1.4, comforts them with exceeding great and precious promises; he feeds them with his own flesh and blood, he clothes them with his own righteousness, he directs them with his own spirit; his Servants shall want no good thing, they shall neither pine for want, nor surfeit with abundance; they shall never have so much, or so little, as to make them unfit for service; Christ loves to keep them in working case. How can a Servant of Christ want provision, when as he can make his very work meat and drink unto him; nay, his wants meat and drink? How can they want, whose friend hath, and is all things? A Servant of Christ may be sick, p. 204persecuted, scorned, imprisoned, but never unsafe: He may suffer evils to touch them, but he never suffers evils to hurt them. He visits them in, and delivers th…m from all their troubles: He rebukes Kings for their sakes, and protects them safely from all enemies.

17. He is a holy and impartial Lord and Master, and takes account of all his servants exactly and particularly. He compares himself to a King that took an account of his servants, Mat. 18.23. Mat. 25.19. After a long time the Lord of those servants comes and reckons with them: he will not indulg any in their ease and sloth.

18. He is a most bountiful Lord and Master, and abundantly rewards any service that's done to him aright, th…ugh never so little, Luk. 19.17. He pays his servants most bountifully, Well done thou good servant; because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities, Mat. 10.42. He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet▪ and a righteous man in the name of a righteous man; and whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, veri…y I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward.

19. This Lord is the most dreadful adversary, he will sharply and severely punish evil servants, who say in their hearts, the Lord delays his comin…, Mat. 24.48, 49, 50, 51. & 25.30. Cast ye the unprofitable servant into utter darkness, p. 205there shall be weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. He that knew his Lords will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes, Luk. 12.47. 1 Thes. 1.8. He will come in flaming fire to take vengeance on his adversaries. And they shall call to the rocks to fall on them, and to hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, Rev. 6.16.

20. He is a most desirable and incomparable Lord, and such a Master as the world never knew; for he makes all his faithful servants sharers with him in his wealth and honour. They shall enter into the joy of their Lord, Mat. 25.21. Sit in Thrones with him, wear never-fading Crowns, and inherit his everlasting Kingdom. They that now follow him, shall be where he is, and the same glory he hath they shall have for ever. Cadit mundus, non cadit Christianus, quia non cadit Christus. Aust. Let the world fall, yet a Christian falls not, as long as Christ stands. Whereas Satan chuses the subtillest he can find, and leaven'd through, to do his work, and send on his errand; for he cannot make a Mercury out of every block; he is not able to give a man understanding, wisdom and abilities for his work, neither can he increase or improve any mans parts and gifts; he must have instruments ready to his hand; he can but put them forward, and tempt them; he will give such as are strong and crafty, many motives to serve him, p. 206but he cannot furnish them with strength or craft to serve. But our Lord Christ sometimes chuseth the simplest, the meanest, the plainest men, fisher-men, to do his work; for he can give gifts to men which they have not, and raise the parts which they have, he can make himself a Mercury, a messenger out of any block; Christ can send a fool of his errand, and cause him to do it wisely. He can cause the stammering tongue to speak plain, and the plainest man to speak the highest Rhetorick; when Moses complains of a slow tongue, he can say, I will be thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say, Exod. 4.12. If he finds us not fit to do his business, he can make us fit. If Christ please, he can make a man master of his trade, before or as soon as ever he is servant to it.

Thus without the wisdom of the world, Christ overcomes the wisdom of the world, and by the foolishness of Preaching (as men count foolishness) saveth those that believe, 1 Cor. 1.21. The foolishness of God is wiser than men, i.e. those instruments which Christ employs, how foolish soever men count them, shall foil all the wisdom of man.

Uses of this Doctrine, That Christ is a true Believers Lord and Master.

1. Use of Information and Instruction.

1. It informs us that Christ is Lord as well as Jesus, our Soveraign as well as our Saviour. He p. 207is both Lord and Christ, Act. 2.36. And we are not only to look at benefit by him, but service to him; and not only come to him (as Zebedees Sons, Mar. 10.35.) saying, Master, we would that thou shouldst do for us whatsoever we shall desire; but with Saul, fall at his feet, saying, Lord, what wouldst thou have us to do? we will do for thee whatsoever thou shalt command. We should not only come to him for ease for our souls, but to take his yoke on our necks and follow him, Mat. 11.28, 29. Men would have Christ to redeem them, and Satan rule them; Christ to save, & sin to lord it. If it be not the language of their tongues, yet 'tis of their lives with most men, foreign, We will not have this man to reign over us, Luk. 19.14. there it sticks, the carnal mind is enmity to the Law; lust cannot endure restraint, and therefore men most oppose Christs Nomothetick power; and carnal hearts are ready to say, our lips are our own, who is lord over us? to be controul'd for every word, every thought, every action, we cannot endure it. O consider, Christ hath many enemies, but they are his chief enemies that withstand his reigning: Those mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them, bring them hither and stay them before me. By becoming Christs servants, we do not cast off, but only change our yokes.

2. It's not enough to be in the Church, and outwardly admitted and stiled Christs servants, but we must be really his, and in heart; Christ p. 208keeps no servants only to wear a livery cloak for security in sinning. As he is not a titular Lord, so neither are his servants titular servants; to speak service, and live in opposition to him; to call him master, and do the work of his enemy; to be in the skin a Christian, and in the core a heathen; to have an outside verbal complimental profession, and contradict it with an unholy conversation, is no better than a renouncing of Christ. 'Tis no advantage to bear the marks of Christ in our bodies, and to have no fruit of it in our souls; this is but to clothe our selves with the leaves of the vine, without partaking of the sap. Paganism and loose profession, shall fare alike when Christ comes to judgment.

3. There are divers kinds of Christs servants, and there will be great diversity in their end.

1. Some for honour, some for dishonour, 2 Tim. 2.20. as vessels in an house.

2. Some sincere and good, some evil and unprofitable, Mat. 24.46, 48. some faithful and wise, and are found well doing; some evil and riotous, Mat. 25.21, 26. some good and faithful, some wicked, and sloathful, and unprofitable.

3. Some Temporary, that abides not in the house for ever, some that abide there, Ioh. 8.35. There will be great diversity found betwixt Christs servants in the end, betwixt those that only cry, Lord, Lord, and those that do the will of God, Mat. 7.22, 23, & 24.47, 51. He p. 209shall make the one ruler over his goods, the other cut him asunder, Mat. 25.21, 28, 30.

4. It may inform us what the state of a Christian is:

1. He is not his own, not sui juris, but a servant to Christ, 1 Cor. 6.19. Ye are not your own; and 1 Cor. 7.22. He that is most free in other respects, is Christs servant; no man can have any propriety in himself, or power over himself; but what is derived from this absolute Lord, and stands in full subordination to him: Therefore it belongs to Christ to be the absolute disposer of us and all things; he may do with his own what he pleases, and use it to the pleasure of his own will; who would interpose, or any way hinder Christ from the free disposal of his own? not any co-partner, for there is none▪ nor we our selves, for we are wholly his, therefore it is not possible for him to do us any wrong however he shall use us; therefore no man should repine at his disposal of him▪ but all should acquiesce in his disposing will; nor do any thing for selfish ends, which is injurious to the will or interest of Christ. Christ hath full power to do what he lift with us or ours: How far should any of his servants be from expecting that he should give an account of any of his actions to them? it should suffice them, that whatever befalls them, it is from the Lord. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away; whensoever he removes any comforts: if we find our selves too ready to say to instruments, as the owners of p. 210the Colt, What d… ye loosing or removing it? we should be silenced, though not with that answer which was returned by the Disciples to them, the Lord hath need of it; yet with this, he sees it needful for us, that thus it should be; whensoever he commands the hardest duties, inflicts the smartest stripes, &c. every servant of Christ should stop their murmuring-mouths with this, the Lord will have it thus; and as Act. 21.14, The will of the Lord be done.

2. Neither are the good things we possess, our own; he that is not owner of himself, is owner of nothing; all that we have is properly his, as well as we; for no man can have more title to any thing than to himself; we have not any thing, nor can have, which is not as much from Christ as we, so is not as much his. Therefore we should not dispose of any thing we have, but for his interest and ends; how careful and wary should we be in using the Creatures! all the comforts we enjoy are the goods of this Lord; we are but stewards of them; what we use must be used for, not against our Lord. Learning, riches, honour, are from him, and therefore should be for him; all our enjoyments are but borrowed, we must therefore use them well; not spot or stain, not tear and cut them by sin, lest we be ashamed when we should return them back to the owner, and give him an account of them, it may be with joy, and not with grief.

3. Neither may any Christian think himself Lord of the Church, or his Brethren, 1 Pet. 5.3. p. 211Neither as being lords over Gods heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. The word foreign, dominantes, is not to be understood of tyrannizing and bearing unlawful rule, or usurped dominion (as Bellarmine would have it) but exercising Lordship, the same which Christ forbids the Apostles in the same word, Mat. 20.25. as Bernard tells Pope Eugenius, Ne dictum sola humilitate putes, non veritate vox domini est, reges gentium dominantur eis vos autem non sic. Planum est, apostolis inter dicitur dominatus, not over-ruling. It doth not only forbid the abuse of their authority, or imperiously commanding of their own inventions, instead of the Doctrine of the Gospel; or carping Magisterially and insolently towards Gods people, (as Amet.) But the use of that authority in the Ecclesiastical office, which it is lawful for Princes to exercise towards their subjects, (saith Beza) Omnes enim esse unius legislatoris & domini servos, &c. Have Ministers no authority? Yes, saith he, not over the consciences of men, but only as messengers of Christ, whose is all the power of commanding. No Church, no Council can make Laws but in Christ, the compound and the simple word are used (one by Matthew and Mark, the other by Luke) in the same sense; so that foreign adds no Emphasis to it; all kind of Temporal rule is simply forbidden them.

1. No Christian can bind the conscience in internal or elicite acts, 2 Cor. 1.24. Not that we have dominion over your faith, but as helpers of p. 212your joy, foreign, (i e. foreign), the Apostle adds this, left he should seem to have spoken too imperiously: q. d. That I said, I therefore came not that I might spare you; take thus, Not that I could by my own authority do any thing with Religion, and in binding or relaxing your consciences, but that I might be Gods Minister to comfort you, &c.

2. Nor can he command the outward imperate Acts of Conscience otherwise then by power civil, or spiritual, from Christ, Pro. 8.15, By me Kings reign, and Princes decree Iustice. 2 Cor. 10.8. 1 Thes. 5.12. We beseech you Brethren, know them who labour among you, and are over you in the Lord.

3. As a Christian no man hath civil power over his Brother, or the Church, or over men, Mat. 20.26. It shall not be so among you, that as the Gentiles exercise authority and dominion over them.

1. As a Christian, he hath no legislative, but only applicative power, or executive in the Church; a Christian must not make Laws in his house, but keep and execute his Laws.

2. As such, He hath no coercive power over his fellow servants.

That natural or civil power that any Christian hath otherways over his Brother, is to rule under, for, and according, or like to Christ, Philemon 16. Not now as a servant but above a servant, a brother, beloved, especially to me, How p. 213much more to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord? 1 Cor. 7.39. She is at liberty to be married to whom she will, only in the Lord. Ministers are not owners of the house, but stewards in the house, Laws are committed to us, and must not be excogitated by us.

Only Christ can ordain laws to bind the Conscience; mans laws bind not as they are mans, but as they are back't by Christ; nor can any but Christ so give laws to which we should be obedient, as withal to make us obedient to the laws which he gives. Christ only can write his laws in the heart: No man should prefer the will or interest of the greatest mortal man or dearest friend, nor the publick interest of States, before, or plead it against the will and interest of this great Lord.

Neither may we give nor receive ambitious or flattering titles of honour, Mat. 23 8, 9, 10, Be not ye called Masters, for one is your Lord and Master, even Christ: we should so acknowledg a superiority among men, as to be fearful of causing pride in them, and that they may know themselves not to be absolute Lords, but derivatively and secundum quid. Herod became worms-meat, who but just now was a meer idol and cryed up, &c. God would not bear it.

5. It informs us therefore how consistible Christs service is with the service of others.

1. It dissolves not, but confirms natural and civil Lordship and subjection, as between master p. 214and servant, 1 Tim. 6.1, 2, Let as many servants as are under the yoke, count their own masters worthy of all honour, (but what if they be both believers, are they not Brethren) yes; and they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are Brethren, but rather do them service because they are believing and beloved, partakers of the same benefit, Titus 2.9. Between Magistrate and Subject. Rom. 13.1, Let every soul be subject to the Higher Powers. 2 Pet. 3.3, Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake.

2. This our relation to Christ as master, regulates the service of others: Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Eph. 6.1. For the Lord is the author of the authority of Fathers, and therefore we must yield such obedience as he will have us. This (in the Lord) implies both a commandment of Childrens obedience from the Lord, and a restriction or limitation in those things which are not against the Lord: that they so far obey their Parents, as they swerve not from the true worship and service of God.

3. This service of Christ excludes all absolute and unnecessary subjection to Creatures, Luke 16.13. No man can serve two Masters. He may subordinately, but not absolutely, for God will have the s…rvice of the whole man. 1 Cor. 7.21, 23, Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou may'st be made free, use it ra…her. Ye are bought with a price, be not p. 215ye the servants of men. If ye be at liberty, do not of your own accord make your selves servants, but consecrate your selves intirely, Body and Soul, to the service of Christ; or it ye be servants to men, that is in a state of servitude, remember still that above and before all, ye are the servants of Christ, and therefore see ye do nothing to the obedience of men, which is contrary to that which ye owe to Christ; and as touching your Soul and Conscience, subject and enslave your selves to no man living, depend absolutely upon none but Christ and his word; all our obedience to earthly Lords must be only such as this Lord allows, and only in the Lord; the greatest Lords in the world are but regula regulata, Christ is the only regula regulans; they the rule, ruled; he ruling.

6. To inform us that Christians are Christs servants yet somewhat more, or with some special exceptions. Iohn 15.15, Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth, but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you. They are not only servants, but friends; they call Christ Lord and Master, he calls them not servants but friends: not servants but free-men, yea sons, Iohn 8.36. The servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. Gal. 4 7. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son: and if a son, then … heir of God through Christ. Not a servant, that is under the ceremonies p. 216and bondage of the Law; but a Son, having received the adoption by Christ, the eternal Son of God, who was sent to redeem us, that he might purchase, and graciously communicate the right of sonship, (which he hath by nature) to every true believer. And because ye are Sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba father. We are in such sort free, and so set at liberty, as that we must be governed by the Spirit of Christ which reigneth in our hearts, and teacheth us the true service of the Father; but this is not to serve, but rather to enjoy true liberty, as becometh Sons and Heirs.

7. It teaches us, that all doctrines and practices are to be abhorred, which derogate from the dignity of this our Lord and Master. 1. Doctrines, especially the Popish, which deprave our redemption purchased by this Lord, by the doctrine of merits; the worship due to this Lord, with the doctrine of image and adoration, and the Saints intercession: The authority of this Lord, by the doctrine of the Popes headship and pardoning of sins, and many such doctrines, not only of the Papists, but of others nearer to us.

2. The practices of vile and wicked men. We should make it our business and only Plot to promote his honour and service in the world, and endure nothing that would eclipse and impair his glory: He who touches that, should touch the apple of our eye; look upon his reproach p. 217as cast upon our selves, mourning for that dishonour offered to him which we cannot redress; 'tis against both Christianity and Humane ingenuity, to suffer him to be abused whom we have undertaken to serve: This neither agrees with honesty nor honour; 'tis indeed not only a sin but a shame: Hardly is any Servant so low spirited, as to think it consistent with his credit to serve a disgraced Master▪ they that truly call Christ Lord, will never endure that his glory should suffer from others, much less from themselves.

3. Our own unsuitable practices. A servant of Christ must not be a son of Belial; every one is under a yoke still; Christ does not give his servants leave to sin, but liberty to serve God; Christ came not to free us from the Law, but sin; from the service of the Devil, not from the service of God: He came not to make the Law less strict, or sin less odious, or us less holy; freedom from wrath and Hell is a priviledg, but from duty and obedience is none; because we are made free by Christ, we are to be more apt and ready to discharge the duty we owe to God and man: in maxima libertate minima licentia, a great deal of liberty by Christ, and yet the strongest ingagement to service that may be. They whose lives are full of Epicurisme, Atheisme, worldliness, 'tis not a pin to chuse whether they be Pagans, or Christians; for acting thus heathe…ishly, thus brutishly, they do but pollute that sacred and p. 218worthy name; the Apostle saith, I am not (foreign ut foreign) 1 Cor. 9.21. Not without the law to God, but under the law to Christ. This leads to

Second use of reprehension: It may serve to reprove three sorts.

1. Those that endure not to hear of Christs Lordship and commands, that will not acknowledg this dominion of Christ, nor let him be Lord in his own house, but do what in them lies to deprive him of that honour to which he hath so good a right. But who deny Christs Lordship?

1. They that will not hear his voice, obey his call, accept his in…itations in the Gospel; he inviteth them to himself, prays them to be reconciled to God through him, intreats them to come and put themselves under his government, and take his yoke on them, and they will not hear, but in effect say, We are Lords, we will not come at thee? Jer. 2.31. We are well enough, and shall do well enough without him, and what needs such care and strictness? He comes, and waits, and knocks at their doors, but they slight him and will not open: He prays them that they will look into their hearts, mind their Souls, consider their eternal condition, but they quench the Spirit, smother the light, and resist all these motions; they will not come to him, nor suffer him to come into them, that they may have life.

p. 2192. Those that addict themselves to strong and inordinate desires of liberty, which is the worst slavery; that will not submit to his government; quarrelling at duties rather than performing them; thinking it a kind of happiness to be free: and that there is no freedom but in sinning, and following the bent and sway of their own hearts, and being Lords of their own actions; and dream of an exemption from all kind of Law, but their own lusts; they would he above all checks and controul, and have scope and room for their own lusts. Promise themselves liberty, 2 Pet. 2.19. Men would have it at this, to be at their own dispose, and to be answerable to none that would call them to account, and therefore that will not obey his laws and commands.

3. Such as in a proud contempt and obstinacy against reproof and instruction, do cast off all respect and obedience to Christ; they cannot endure restraints, are as bullocks unaccustomed to the yoke, Ier. 31.18. Are all for breaking bonds and dissolving cords. Psal. 2.4. Bursting the yoke altogether. Ier. 5.5. They cannot endure to hear of denying their fashions, renouncing their lusts and pleasures forsaking their vain, worldly, wanton thoughts, and ways; what every thought, every desire, every word, must be under a Law! So much time spent in duties, such gravity in conversation, such awe in their speeches! No vain p. 220licentious Spirits will not be clogged and yoked thus, what a weariness is it, Mal. 1.13. Sacrifice upon Sacrifice, such waiting upon God they cannot endure, their spirits are impatient, and recoil with the more violence upon reproof; and storm and vex, which argues much nonsubjection to the Lord Christ. Hear ye and give ear, be not proud, Ier. 13.15. These are flat refusers. Luke 19.14. We will not have this man to reign over us.

Secondly, Such as name themselves Christs servants, and are content to wear his livery, but do not mind this state cordially, and follow it constantly.

1. Such as are ignorant concerning the object, manner and points of this service. How shall men serve one whom they know not? He that knows not his Landlord cannot pay his Rent; they follow the fashion of the Country, and in a blind superstitious manner conform to the worship of the place, not considering why, nor whom it is they serve, but offer sacrifice, as the Athenians to the unknown God; worship an Idol rather than Christ: or as Christ tells the Samaritans, ye worship ye know not what.

2. Fair promisers and pretenders, but slow performers; as, Mat. 21.30. When his father bid him, go work to day in my Vineyard, he answered, I go sir, and went not: so many whose service is like Ephraims goodness, Hosea 6.4. As a morning cloud and early dew, it p. 221quickly vanisheth, but let us take heed we do not gloze with him, as we do one with another; nor flatter him with our lips, when our heart is far from him; we are deceived, if we think that this Lord will be mocked with hollow and empty promises and protestations. We live in a wonderous complemental age, wherein scarce any other word is so ready in every mouth, as your servant, and at your service, when all is but meerly formal without any purpose; or many times not so much as a single thought of doing any serviceable office to those men, to whom we profess so much service. However we are one towards another, yet with the Lord there is no dallying, it behoveth us to be real; good words and fair speeches serve not our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. 16.18.

3. Partial, hypocritical, temporary servants. Some divide between the service of Christ and of sin, like the false mother that would have the child divided, as Cambden reports of Redwald King of the East Saxons, the first Prince of this Nation that was Baptized; yet in the same Church, he had one Alter for Christian Religion, another for Heathenish. So too many are of Mungril Religion, halting between Christ and Baal. Heteroclites in Religion, this is to set the Ark of God and Dagon together; which God will never endure, he came not for one half of thy heart, if Sin and Devil have the other half.

p. 222How much hypocrisy is there in men! many like the Souldiers, that bowed to Christ, and mocked him, give their outsides to Christ, their insides to all uncleanness; that as Luther saith of Cain, give opus personae Deo, but not personam; their cap and knee to God, but themselves to all sin and iniquity; this is the Capital sin of this age. And then how many are but temporary, of whom we may justly say, what Nabal did unjustly of David, there are many servants now-adays that break away every man from his Master. Yesterday Gods people, and to day are turned knaves. Better they had never known the way of Righteousness, 2 Peter 2.21. A relapse makes their condition worse. He that first served sin, and then turned to the service of Christ, and afterwards falls again to the service of sin, proclaims to all the World that he esteems that better; O how great affront is this to Christ! Iohn 6.66. From that time many of his disciples went away, and walked no more with him.

3. Such are to be reproved, that lay claim to this honourable title, and yet indeed serve other masters. There are many of whom we may say too truly, as it is Recorded of the Samaritans. 2 Kings 17.33. They feared the Lord, and served their own gods.

1. Some serve themselves and not Christ, …t up themselves as Idols, and do what seems …ood in their own eyes; and make their will p. 223their rule, their lust their Law. This is (foreign) self-worship, self-Idolatry, which is the greatest and worst of all; It is the greatest curse under Heaven, for God to give a man over to himself to live as he list, Psal. 81.11, 12. Rom. 1.26. the judgment of the hardned Iews and blinded Gentiles. We read of one given over to the Devil for his good, 1 Cor. 5▪5, but never any given over to himself, but for his damnation. Austin prays, libera me domine a memetipso, self is mans greatest and most dangerous enemy; we are naturally self-destroyers; without self-denyal, no Salvation.

2. Those that serve men, not the Lord. Not that it is contrary to the service of Christ, to be in that civil relation or subjection to men, as servants to their Masters, &c. But as the Apostle, 1 Cor. 7.23. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. That is, (saith Ambrose) subject not your consciences to the superstitious inventious of men in Gods worship, that build their Religion on mans bare Authority, as Papists; or be not servants to the lusts of wicked men; such are reproved as serve men, when they run in a cross line to Gods will. Such were the subjects of Nebuchadnezzar, that at the command of the King, worshipped the golden image, and served the King, not the Lord; such was Pilate, that for fear of dipleasing Caesar, delivered up Christ to be crucified though he knew him to be innocent; such were the Nobles of Cambyses, who having p. 224a lust to marry his own Sister; He sends for all his Counsel, and asked them, if they had any Law in Persia, to allow him to marry his own Sister? They answered that there was no such Law; but yet there was another Law, that the Kings of Persia might do what they list; these Nobles were slaves to the lust of Cambyses. O that we had not many amongst us, that sell their Consciences, and their Religion▪ and their Salvation, to be Panders to the lustful, covetous and ambitious desires of great men: menservers, and men pleasers, are worthy of sharp reprehension, Ephes. 6.6.

3. Such as serve not the Lord, but their own belly, Rom. 16.18, Whose god is their belly. Phil. 3.19. Love their pleasures more than God; that serve and fulfill the lusts of the flesh; such an one that lives in pleasure, is dead while he lives, 1 Tim. 5.6. Ye cannot make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof, and fulfill the will of God too, Rom. 13. ult. to rot in pleasures, makes men utterly uncapable of serving the Lord, Tit. 3.3. Serving divers lusts and pleasures, which is the worst slavery; to walk after our own lusts, is to seek to cherish that which Christ came to destroy; and so go about to defeat our Redeemer, and hinder him from obtaining his purpose in our hearts: What a Christian and yet sensual! A Christian and yet proud! A Christian believing in Christ, a man of sorrows, and yet given to pleasures! What a Christian and yet worldly!

p. 2254. Such as serve the world, and yet pretend to serve Christ: Christ tells you it cannot be; Ye cannot serve God and Mammon, Mat. 6.24. 'tis impossible to join these together. Those that are slaves to the Naaman of iniquity, that do not only possess money, but are possessed of money; that with Iudas will sell Christ for thirty pieces of silver; that rise early and lye down late, and eat the bread of carefulness; that will compass Sea and land to get gain; these make gold their God; their covetousness is justly termed Idolatry, Col. 3.5. Alas, my Brethren, what is their in the world that it should be so much coveted, and heaven slighted? What hath the world done for its most faithful servants? How oft have we heard them complaining at last, O the world hath deceived me, and undone me; it flattered me in my prosperity, and now utterly cast me off in my necessity? Ah, if I had served the Lord as faithfully as I have served the world, he would not have cast me off at last, nor have left me thus comfortless and hopeless in my depth of misery.

5. Time-servers, that change their Religion with the times, are not servants of the Lord; their Religion is like a piece of wax, to be moulded into any frame, according as the times alter: Such as will be Superstitious if the times be so; that will be devout or atheistical according to the times. It was the speech of a time-server, that was said to be spoken p. 226by the King of Navarre to Beza, That he would lanch no further into the sea of Religion, than he might be sure to return safe in the haven. This is the right Picture of a timeserver; as many turned Protestants in K. Edward's days, and Papists in Q. Maries.

Lastly, Those that serve the worst Master, that is sin. 'Tis indeed one thing to be a sinner, and another to be the servant of sin; that is, one that gives himself over to the service of sin, that is bound Apprentice to sin. The difference was great between Paul and Ahab▪ Paul was sold under sin, but it was against his will; but Ahab sold himself willingly to work wickedness: How many such servants of sin are there, as the Centurions servant served him, if sin bid go, they go; such servants are swearers and drunkard…, that are at the service of their oaths and cups. This is a most shameful and pernicious service, for it is to serve the Devil, Ioh. 8.44. O that the world would believe this, that when they serve this or that lust, they serve the Devil. Cyprian brings in the Devil upbraiding Christ, Ostende mihi tet servos, qui tibi, &c. Shew me, if thou canst, so many servants that have served thee so diligently and willingly, as I can shew that have served me. Can Satan give you better wages, as Saul said to his followers? Can the son of Iesse make you captains of hundreds, and captains over thousands, give you vineyard…, and oli…yards: &c. 1 Sam. 22.7. A…as! if sin p. 227had not put out your eyes, as the Philistines did by Sampson, that you cannot see the vileness and cursedness of it, you would nev…r grind in its mill; for the wages of sin is death.

3. Use of Exhortation, two Branches.

1. To all, to perswade them to esteem, chuse, and embrace Christs service.

2. To Christs servants, to take care to be such servants, and perform such service as shall be found good and faithful, approved by Christ.

1. Is Christ such a Lord as you have heard? then let every one of us be prevailed with to take him for our Lord, and give up our selves to him, and become his servants this day; we must either resign up our selves to this excellent Lord, or we cannot be true Christians, 2 Cor. 8.5. this is the essence of Christianity, and life of Religion, and marrow of Profession. To wear the badg and livery of Chri… in external profession without this, is nothing but a dead carcass, an empty shadow, and will turn to our greater condemnation another day. That which will be enquired after at the great day, is not who owned Christ as Lord in profession, but who honoured Christ as Lord by real subjection and resignation of themselves unto him: The great question will be, Whether did Christ reign over us, and bring us under his Law and Dominion; and upon the decision of this important question depends the p. 228everlasting state of our souls and bodies in the next world. If you now say unto Christ, We are Lords, we will not come at thee; depart from us, we desire not the knowledg of thy ways; or as Pharoah, Who is the Lord, that I should obey him? He will say unto you at the last day, Depart from me ye cursed, I know you not; nor will your crying, Lord, Lord, then any thing avail you. O then let it be your resolution now to resign your selves to this gracious Saviour; take him for your Lord and Soveraign; Kiss the Son, serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. O that your hearts would once at last say, as 'tis foretold of Gospel times, Isa. 44.5. I am the Lords, other Lords have had dominion over me, but henceforth by thee only will I make mention of thy name. Isa. 26.13, We will not say any more to the work of our hands, nor to the lusts of our hearts, (to the world, the flesh, or to sin) ye are our gods, for with thee (O Lord) poor lost creatures find mercy, Hos. 14.3. Whatever your neighbours, acquaintance or kindred, let them chuse whom they will serve, yet we are resolved for our part, we will serve the Lord, Iosh. 24.15.

O my friends, what say you to this motion? what answer give you to this invitation? is it not most reasonable and considerable? you are prest to come to Christ, and take his yoke, and bow the knee before him, &c. What will you do? will every one of you give up p. 229himself to Christ, resign soul and body to the service of this glorious Lord? Have you found or ever heard of any thing in him that may deter you? what iniquity have you seen in him that you keep at distance from him, and walk after vanity? Is he not worthy of your love? not good enough to be your Master? can you bestow your selves better? employ your selves more profitably? what sticks it at? would you take time to consider of it, and defer your resolutions to another day? so you have done too long already, and ventur'd too far by your delays: To day if you will hear his voice, then harden not your hearts: Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near: He now saith, hearken unto me, and I will make a covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David: Encline your ear, come unto me: Hear, and your soul shall live: why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight it self in fatness. Alas ye feed on husks and chaff till you return to Christ. Isa 55.2, 3, 4, 7. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity, and fools delight in folly? turn ye at my reproof: Forsake the foolish and live; and go in the way of understanding. O that you were wise, and would understand these things, and consider your latter end. O that there were such hearts in you, &c. O that ye knew the things that belong unto p. 230your peace in this your day, before they be hid from your eyes. O when shall it once be? what is your resolution? shall Jesus Christ be your Lord and Master, or shall he not? Take heed how you refuse him that speaks from heaven; do not (as you want Christ) despise this loving invitation, and make light of this gracious offer, lest his wrath be kindled in his breast, and you perish. He that hath so long held forth his Scepter of Grace, yet stands waiting for your return, yet stretcheth forth his arms to embrace you, yet opens his very heart to entertain you: Hark, he bids you come and lodg your souls in his warm bosom; yet he calls by his Word, yet he strives by his Spirit; and follows you with checks of conscience, and renews his mercies on you every morning; would fain draw you with cords of love, if it would be. But it will not be always thus, his patience will not always wait; his Spirit shall not always strive with man; the door of mercy shall not always stand open; When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us; then 'tis too late, Luk. 13.25. O come to Christ now or never, do it this day, or you may never be invited again: Hear now Christ bespeaks and wooes thee, sinner; Cast down thy weapons of rebellion, surrender thy soul to me; give me thy heart, submit to my government; I vvill pass by all thy former p. 231resistance, and put up all the wrongs thou hast done me, I will remember thy iniquities no more, but pass an act of everlasting oblivion upon them; O look unto me and be ye saved.

This is my business with you (my beloved) at this time; this is mine errand to your Souls: What answer shall I return from you to him that sent me? The great work (you know) of us Ministers, is to perswade men to become Christs covenanting Servants, to consent to his Laws, and acknowledg his Lordship; our way to win your hearts, is to tell you what he is; some little hath been spoken, but not the thousand part of the excellencies of this incomparable Lord; O he is the chiefest of ten thous…nd, his name is wonderful: he is God and Man in one person: he is Man, that you may not be afraid of him; God, that he may be able to do you good: He is the Lord of lords, and King of kings; Heir of all things, Saviour of the world, &c. 'Tis infinite condescention of love in him, to treat with you, or intreat your consen… that he may be your Lord.

This being a matter of greatest importance, and knowing the terror of the Lord, let me perswade you; for that end I intreat you, to press upon your selves, and improve in your retirements, these considerations as motives.

1. Motive. Yeild up your selves to the service of the Lord Christ, or you are unjust, you do him open wrong. Equity and justice requires p. 232that you render to all their due; jus cui que tribuere, is the first and most proper act of justice; Tribute to whom tribute, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour, Rom. 13.7. It is a common principle among you, which nature teacheth, that you deal righteously with men, owe no man any thing, do no man wrong; let every one have that which of right appertaineth to him: And if we may not deny unto Caesar the things that are Caesars, it is but right we should also give unto God the things that are Gods by so many just titles. Why now, you cannot without apparent wrong to Christ deny him your selves; you are his, and owe your selves unto him, and all you have, and all that you can do; you are not your own but his. I lay claim unto you in the name of Christ, and challenge your souls and bodies to his use; Dare you deny the claim? or will any step out and question this title? The Lord Jesus hath laid challenges to you. It has been a custom in England, on the Coronation day, as multitudes of people were feasting in Westminster-Hall, a Herald comes forth, and Champion for the King, and proclaimed his title to the Crown; and if any questioned his title, he was there ready to make it good.

I do now proclaim to you, that Christ is your Lord, and you are his Servants, and challenges your service; if any question his Title, I will justifie it, and make it good, let the case come to tryal, on condition that whoever is convinced p. 233shall yield subjection: Let me ask you then, Did not he make you, and not ye your selves, Psal. 95.6? and does not he preserve and sustain you? and ye are the Sheep of his pasture, Vers. 7? Did not Christ purchase you with his own blood, 1 Pet. 1.18? Were you not the dearest purchase, and was not the greatest price paid for you that ever the world heard of? Well, what say you to this Title? Doth not justice give every one his own? and are not you Christs? If there be any creature in Heaven or Earth, that can lay a better claim, or pretend a juster Title to you than Christ, then let it have your hearts and service; but if the Lord Jesus have the full and sole right to you, then do not so much wrong him and your own souls, as to deny or withstand this just and reasonable motion.

2. Give up your selves to this Lord, or you are unthankful; gratitude as well as justice requires this at your hands. Nothing is more abhorrent to an ingenuous spirit, than the brand of ingratitude, to be so base and unworthy as to render evil for good; ingratum si dixeris, omnia dixeris, call a man unthankful, and you call him all that's naught: abhor it as death, to be guilty or have the name of ingratitude. Well, now, suppose a man had by some capital crime incurred the danger of the Law, and the sentence of death were past upon him… should another step in and humble himself, to beg the pardon, or begger himself to buy the p. 234freedom for him; Must not that man be wholly his, who hath ransomed him from the Gallows? This is our case, Sin was our work, and Death was our wages; we had sinned, and must dye for it; there was no escape from destruction: but the Lord Jesus would not suffer us to perish, but debased himself, came down from Heaven, gave himself for us, and suffered in our stead, that we might live; and made himself a Servant for us▪ though no way bound to us. Now judg with your selves, I appeal to your own Consciences, whether this incomparable favour do not lay an unavoidable obligation upon us, to devote our selves wholly to him? 2 Cor. 5.14, 15. If after Christ hath stoopt so low, as to become man, and was made under the Law, and being in the likeness of sinful flesh, bore our infirmities and sorrows, lay under the frowns o… his Father, and submitted himself to the pain, shame, sting and curse of the death of the Cross; if after all this we should neglect his Salvation, reject his Soveraignty, Would not the Heavens blush at this unheard of ingratitude? and the very bruits rise up in judgment against us and condemn us? The Ox knows his owner, and the Ass his Masters crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider, Isa. 13. Jer. 8.7, 8.

3. Resign your selves to this blessed Lord, for he deserves you, he is worthy of you; if you were Ten thousand times better than you are, you can never submit your selves to a better p. 235Lord, nor serve a better Master: There is nothing in him that can justly discourage you, nor reasonably deter you from his service; fear not evil from the greatest good, unless it be in a way of disobedience and rebellion. He is not a proud, rigid, imperious or cruel Master; he will not deal with you as the treacherous Master, the World, which fills your souls with nothing but husks and swill, and rewards all your painful services with nothing but disappointment and misery; at the best, presents you with a breast full of wind and vanity; and at the last with wo and vexation, and leaves you helpless in your greatest necessities. Nor is he cruel and tyrannical, as Satan, who fills his Servants with terror here, and hereafter rewards them with fire and brimstone. Nor like the flesh and sin, whose work is bad, and its wages no better; for the servant of sin, besides that he hath no fruit nor comfort of his service in the mean time, when he comes to receive his wages at the end of his term, findeth nothing but shame or death; shame if he leave his service; if he le…ve it not, death. Rom. 6.21, What fruit had ye then in those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 'Tis horrible, intollerable slavery, to serve Sin, Satan and the World; but when you give up your selves to the service of Christ, you shall live to the sollidest contentment, and real joy and honour: you cannot possibly yield your selves to a more excellent and delightful p. 236service; His yoke is easie and his burthen light his ways are ways of pleasantness, and all his paths are peace, Prov. 3.17. His service is freedom, and his work wages; to be Christs devoted servant, is not only better than liberty, but more to be desired than soveraignty: No other Lord ever bought his Servants so dear, or fed them so plentifully, or clad them so sumptuously, or used them so gently, or rewarded them so bountifully. He will protect and prosper them, yea, takes pleasure in their prosperity; he will bless them with spiritual blessings, which are the best blessings, and lead them by his own counsel, yea carry them in his bosome, and afterward receive them to glory.

4. Surrender your selves to this great Lord, for he desires you; yea, that you would be his, as he hath been yours, is all he desires; you cannot bestow a better gift upon him than your selves; others may give him their goods, their estates, &c. but he that gives Christ himself, can give no more, no better. He desires you, not that he hath any need of you, or to make advantage of you; but that he may restore you better to your selves than he receives you: He will put his grace into your hearts, repair his image in your minds, and make you wise unto salvation. Seneca tells us, That among other Scholars that gave rich gifts to their Master Socrates, —Eschines gave himself, having nothing else to give; His Master p. 237answered, Upon this condition I take thee, that I may restore thee better than I receive thee. On the same, and no worse terms (yea much better) Christ accepts of those that tender their service un…o him; he that gives not himself to the Lord, whatever else he gives, in his esteem is just nothing: nothing [in esse gratiae] in point of tru…h, worth, and grace. First you must give your selves to the Lord, and then your goods to his poor, if you would find acceptance, 2 Cor. 8 5, or as the King of Sodom said to Abraham, Give me the persons, the souls, and take the goods to thy self.

5. Take Christ for your Lord, and own your selves for his Servants, for so you are, whether you will or not; your consent and resignation is necessary to your good, to ease you of your cares, and secure you from present eternal misery, not for his title and right which is absolute and unquestionable, and he will have you either by love or by force. He requires in the Covenant of Grace, that he have his right by your consent, and not by constraint; that you thankfully accept the motion, and with hearty and full consent of will resign your selves to him as his own, even as his creatures and his ransomed ones, by a Covenant never to be violated. But if you will not understand and acknowledg this plenary dominion he hath over you, he will not lose his right, nor lay down his claim to p. 238you: It's the greatest folly to rebel against this Lord, to whom at last you must be forced to submit. Who would not chuse him to be their Lord, when (whether they will or no) he will be their Lord? Who would not desire to be ruled and guided by his Testimonies, rather than to be suppressed and destroyed by his Providence? We must all either bow the knee, or he will break the back; if we will not bear his yoke, we must become his footstool. Were it not better to take hold of his strength by Faith, than his strength should take hold of us in displeasure and wrath? and to feel the efficacy of his grace, than the power of his anger? The proudest Rebel shall at last cry, Lord, Lord, but it will be too late: At length Christ will be too hard for all that rise up against him, and will not that he should reign over them▪ he that will not come to him as a friend, shall be slain by him as an enemy, Luke 19.27. every one [Sub pedibus ejus erit, aut ad obtatus, aut victus] all must one way or other be subject to him, either as s…rvants or slaves; either under his grace, or under his wrath. O do not thou lift up the heel against him, to whom thou must one day bow the knee; if thou wilt not now kiss the Son, thou shalt shortly lick the dust of his feet; if thou be not now in the number of his willing people, in the day of the power of his grace; in the p. 239day of his wrath his arrows will be in thy heart as one amongst his enemies: In a word, if thou wilt not stoop to his golden Scepter, thou must be broken in pieces with his rod of iron.

6. Give up your selves to Christ, and you shall be your own and be happy; look when and how much you resign your selves to this absolute Lord, even then, and so mu…h you are your own and no more; you are never your own, but when and while you are his; what you deny him, or steal from him, you give to the Devil, the World and the Flesh; you lye at the command of every vile lust, or black devil, till you become his subjects: [O quam multos habet dominos, qui unum non habet!] O how many, how ignoble, how poor, how cruel are the Lords of that man, who hath not this one Lord!

But the way to secure your selves, and whatever is dear to you, is to give up all to Christ. He that loseth himself and his life, shall find it; and he that labours to secure himself another way, loseth all, Matt. 16.25. If you be his, you are happy; but if you be your own, you are most miserable. Can you support, preserve, or provide for your selves? who shall save you in the hour of temptation and distress? know ye not yet so much of your own insufficiency, and do ye not yet feel your selves to be such a daily burthen to your selves, that you have enough p. 240of your selves ere now, as to beg of God above all your enemies, to save you from your selves, and to save you from being forsaken o… God, and given up to your selves?

Remember, that none in the world hath sufficient power, wisdom and goodness, to take the full care and charge of you, but Christ; none else can save you, or sanctifie you, or keep you alive one hour; and therefore it will be your happiness and honour, that you are his. He will use you only in safe and honourable services, and to no worse an end than your endless happiness.

Consider a little, how unfit you are to be your own Lords, and how unable to govern your selves; so blind and ignorant, so byassed by a corrupt will, so turbulent are your passions, so uncessant and powerful is the temptation of your sence and appetite, that 'twere as fit for a man to be govern'd by a servant, or a rider by his horse. But he is most perfectly fit to govern you and all the world; you can desire nothing reasonably in a Lord and Governor which is not in him: He hath perfect wisdom to know what is best; perfect goodness, and therefore will be most regardful of his subjects good, and will put no evil into his Laws; Almighty to protect his Servants, and see to the execution of his Laws: most just, and therefore can do no wrong; but all his Laws and judgments are equal and impartial. p. 241He is our very end, interest and felicity, our dearest friend and father, and therefore loves us better than we love our selves: and therefore we have greatest reason to submit to his Lordship, and obey him, as one that rules us to our own felicity.

7. Let him be your Lord to rule and save you, or you must needs perish everlastingly; it's a folly to think Christ should save you, while you serve his enemies: in vain do you expect the dignities and priviledges that come by Christ, and not submit to the duties and services that are due to Christ. He is the author of salvation to them that obey him, Heb. 5.9. The Gospel is a message of eternal life only to those to whom it is a rule of spiritual life; and the true believer does not only cast himself into the arms of Christ to be saved; but also casts himself at Christs feet to serve him: never man had Chri…t for his Saviour, unless he took him for his Lord.

There is no possible escape for Christs enemies. If they had another Lord or Potentate that could match Christ in strength, they might fly to him, to defend them from Christ; but Christ is the only Lord, and woe unto them that have him for their only enemy. Can thy heart endure, or thy hands be strong in the day when this Lord shall deal with thee? Ezek. 22.14. Jer. 4.13. Foolish sinner! dost thou contend with thy Maker? wilt thou set bryars and thorns p. 242against him in battel, as smoak contend, with the wind, the wax with the fire, the stubble with the flame, or the snow-b…ll with the Sun? 'Tis hard to kick against the pricks; there's no flying from him, but by flying to him, Isa 10 3. What will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? To whom will ye s…e for help? And where will ye leave your glory? Will you call upon the rocks and mountains to fall on you, and cover you from the wrath of the Lamb? when the great day of his wrath is, who shall be able to abide? Rev 6 15, 16, 1…. Were it not better now to enter into the rock, and hide your selves in the clefts of this rock? Isa. 2 10. No way to escape the wrath of God, (one spark whereof will horn the guilty sinner to destruction) but by kissing the Son, Psal. 2. ult.

2. Branch of exhortation, to all them who have given up their names to Christ and are his listed, … servants. Let me perswade you to … serve … great and blessed Lord, O … him with greatest diligence and fervency of spirit. … best Lord must have your best service: dar… not to offer to this Lord that which cost you nothing; the blind and …me are too bad for your ordinary lords; this Lord mu… have your all; the whole of your created abiliti…s… H… deserves and his work requires your all, he hath much more business then all the time and strength of his servants can bring about; if every hair of p. 243your heads were an hand, you might have your hands full of work. O let none do his work negligently; how great was his goodness, to take such unprofitable servants as we are, into the family of his Church! what saw he in us more than in Heathens, that he should put such an honour upon us.

I shall first instruct, and then excite you.

1. For your direction, I shall lay down, 1. Rules. 2. Meanes. 3. Manner of this service.

1. Rules about Christs service.

1. Live and act wholly to and for this your Lord, do all you do for Christ, Phil 1.21. For to me to live is Christ. Christ is the scope and end of all his life, Rom. 14.6, 7, 8. None of us liveth to himself, and no man dyeth to himself. For whether we live, we live to the Lord: and whether we …, we die unto the Lord: whether we regard … or not, it must be to the Lord. Whether we eat or not, it must be to the Lord; make him the end of your conversation, Iesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever, Heb 1….7, 8.

2. In all things seek to … him, 1 Cor 7.32. Care for the things that belong to the Lord, how you may please the Lord. And labour whether present or absent, to be accepted of him, 2 Cor. 5.9. Have none to please but Christ, and for Christ.

p. 2443. Be ever found doing his work, Mat. 24.46, Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing: never cease working till you die; life and labour must end together; he gives us no time to be idle in.

4. Go by his rule in all your ways: let all your actions and proceedings be regulated by his law; whatsoever ye do in word or in deed, do all in the Name of the Lord Iesus, Col. 3.17. As when Pharaoh had lifted up Ioseph and made him ruler over the Land of Egypt, and they cryed before him, bow the knee: Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all Egypt, Gen. 41.44. So,

5. Employ all you are, have, and can, for him. His word is (Luke 19.13.) Occupy till I come, all your Talents; he requires the service of thoughts, 2 Cor. 10.5. of words, Eph. 4.29. of works, 1 Cor. 10.31. of body and Spirit, 1 Thes. 5.23.

6. Highly esteem what ever is his, His Day, Ordinances, Servants, Ministers, and his holy Word; let the feet of his Embassadors be beautiful, both for their Master and their message-sake; they are the Servants of Christ. Our delight should be in those excellent ones who bear the image, and wear the badge of our Lord; the world now thinks that of all callings, this of the Ministry can best be spared: but let us not think so basely of them who are Christs servants, not only to do his business, but p. 245to wait on his person, ye to represent his person, 1 Cor. 4.1.

7. Study to approve your selves in all things to him, 2 Thes. 1.11, 12. Pray always that God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God, and the Lord Jesus Christ. In a word, let none but Christ be your end. Serve him not to serve your own turns, but let every interest be subservient to Christ; learn to perish, that the glory of Christ may live; make not Religion a design; let Christ be sweet for himself; in serving him, let nothing else be your scope, and then nothing will divert you; aim not at profit, so gain will not allure you; nor at pleasure, so ease will not corrupt you; nor at friends, so favour will not seduce you. Be all unto Christ, and let Christ be all unto you. Be all or nothing.

2. Means.

1. Redemption from other opposite Masters, Luk. 1.74. That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.

2. Enmity in us must be subdued; all that exalts it self against the knowledg of God, strong holds pull'd down, imaginations and high things p. 246cast down, and every thought be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5.

3. Receive instruction from him; we must be taught in this service, and that by him we must learn Christ, Ephes. 4.20, 21. If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Iesus. Col. 3.16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom. Phil. 4.12, In all things I am instructed

4. You must also be furnished by him with graces and strength, 2 Tim. 3.17, Throughly furnished to all good works. And 2 Tim. 2.21, Prepared unto every good work; and have his strength, or you can do nothing, Ioh. 15.5.

5. Practise self-denial; If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me, Mat. 16 24. Either you must deny your self, or you will deny Christ; that man that sets much by himself, will never reckon much of a Saviour. He who hath not learned self denial, when Christ and self come in competition, meet on a narrow bridge, will endeavour to make Christ go back; he that doth not account himself nothing, will soon esteem Christ so.

6. Clear your selves from all worldly distractions; lay aside the world as much as may be that you may attend upon the Lord without distraction, 1 Cor. 7.35. Let not this be your rule to Christ and holiness, so far as you p. 247may without any prejudice to your worldly interests; but this, follow the world so far only as you may without being false and unfaithful to Christ and his service; do not say to duty, as Prayer, Hearing, Meditation, stand aside, I have such a worldly business to look after; but rather say world stand aside. Be sure that you are gotten clear of the world, and that Christ have the preheminence in you; be not ye the worlds prisoners, but Christs free men.

7. Remember the last account and judgment, 2 Cor. 5.9, 10. Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him, for we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. None so diligent and faithful in the service of this Lord, as those that with Ierome have still sounding in their ears that terrible voice, Surgite m…rtui & venite ad judicium: Our Lord is gone, but will come again to take an account how matters have been managed during his absence; now sincce we look for such things, what manner of persons ought we to be?

3. For manner; Christ be served in a right manner.

1. Heartily, freely, cheerfully; the heart is the marrow of the performance, Col. 3.23. p. 248Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, Ephes. 6.6 (foreign,) not with eye service as men pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart: Serve him in the spirit, doing service with goodwill and gladness, making it our meat and drink to do his will, quod cor non facit, non sit.

2. Humbly, reverently; when we have done all we can, all those things that are commanded, say we are unprofitable servants, we have done that which was our duty to do, Luk. 17.9, 10. In bearing when he corrects, content with our allowance, not doing what we please, but what pleases him; coming at every call, and obeying every command, and doing it because commanded; eying the precept in every performance; praying, hearing, giving, because Christ bids me. And with greatest reverence; serving with reverence and godly fear, Heb. 12.18. remembring our distance. Augustus said to one that gave him homely entertainment, Who made you and I so familiar?

3. Solely. No man can serve two masters, Luk 16.13. Not serve them so as to please both, scarce so as to please either; not serve sin or Satan at all, nor man in opposition to, or competition with Christ, who keeps servants to serve others. We must be undivided, serve him and none but him, forsake all and follow him.

p. 2494. Faithfully, sincerely; as Moses who was faithful in all his house, as a servant, Heb. 7.5. Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and truth, Josh. 24.14. q. d. If you intend to serve him, it must be done in uprightness, or else you do not serve him at all. God abhors a Hypocrite more than a Sodomite.

5. Fervently, zealously, diligently; fervent in spirit (must be joined) with serving the Lord, Rom. 12.11. Do all we do with all our might; the living God must have lively service. How diligent was Abrahams Servant in his Masters work? he would not eat bread till he had done his errand; and when 'twas done, he stay'd not on compliments. The Twelve Tribes served God instantly day and night, Act. 26.7. Diligence is the property of a good servant.

6. Entirely, absolutely, universally.

1. In respect of the subject, with all the faculties of the soul, and members of the body, Rom. 6.19. with all our abilities.

2. In regard of the Object, though never to irrational to flesh and blood; this is reason enough, the unerring Lord will have it so; not pick out our work, never examine what the service commanded is, but who commands it, with blind obedience.

3. In all places, in private as well as in publick; for he hath, yea, fills all places; if thou canst find out a place where he doth not see thee, there it shall be lawful for thee … p. 250others; we must have respect to all his commands.

7. Constantly and perpetually; in time of prosperity as well as adversity; and e contra; he is ever the same, and so should his servants and service be; we can neither begin too soon, nor continue too long in Christs service; none ever repented of either; there must be no end of working till of living. Faithfulness unto death hath the only promise of a Crown of life, Rev. 2.10. everlasting, Rom. 14.9. This service takes in the whole man and life.

2. For Motives and Encouragements, besides what was in the Characters and Properties of the Master, consider but what a service this is, and that will be motive enough to embrace and lay hold on it.

1. It is a most honourable service, whether we respect the Master or the work; 'tis more honour to serve Christ than to serve Emperours, nay to have Emperours serve us; he is the better man that serves the better Master. Now he is the best Master; 'tis usual with the Apostles to prefix this among other their Honourary titles: Paul a servant of Christ, This was one of the fairest flowers in their Garland; the meanest offices about Princes are accounted honourable. Servire Deo regnare est, 'tis Royal and Kingly; a glorious Master, and glorious fellow-servants, Angels, and glorified Saints; all the ser… honourable, the practice of all vertues, p. 251praying and praising, &c. Honorabilia legis, Hos. 8.12. If ever it be put to your choice either to have the greatest outward favours, or serve Christ with disgrace, chuse the latter with Moses, Heb. 11.24, 25. He refused to be called the son of Pharoahs daughter, chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Reproach and indignities for Christ are favours; chains and prisons for Christ is a mark of honour and rich treasure.

2. Most comfortable; a service full of soul-ravishing joy; A day in his Courts is better than a thousand elsewhere, Psal. 84 10. 'Tis a type of heaven, where is fulness of joy; it leads to communion with God, who is the God of all consolation: O when Saints meet with God in duty, they are in a corner of Heaven!

3. A most profitable service: we are indeed unprofitable servants, but sure we have a very profitable service under him; they that speak against the Lord with stout words, saying, Mal. 3.13, 14. It is in vain to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances? And Iob 21.15. What is the Almighty that we should serve him, and what profit shall we have, if we pray unto him? speak without all truth and reason, for never any truly served the Lord who gained not evidently by it: your labour is not in vain in the Lord, 1 Cor. 15. ult. No man ever kindled a fire on his Altar for nought. The servants p. 252of Christ may be poor here, but this is the working time, and in their sufferings they serve him, 1 Tim. 6.6. 'tis great gain.

4. 'Tis a necessary service, and indispensable: we are not left to our own liberty to chuse whether we will serve him or no, this is the unum necessarium, and must be done.

1. Though the thing to be done be dangerous, Phil. 2.30. Not regarding his own life.

2. Though it be difficult to us.

3. Though unlikely to take effect, Luke 5 5. VVe have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless, at thy word I will let down the net; though men forbid and withstand us, and would beat us off from it, Acts 5.29. VVe must obey God rather than Man.

5. Most easy, Mat. 11.29, 30. None other so easy.

1. In regard of the nature of this service, His Commandments are not grievious, Ioh. 5.3. There is certainty in this employment; 'tis easy to the new nature, (as the light of the Sun is delightful to those that have good eyes) to them that love God and have the right art of serving him.

2. In regard of other services; That under the Covenant of Works, and that under Sin and Satan.

3. 'Tis easie in regard of the help afforded to it: 'Tis easie for a Child to lift up a great weight, when a Giant holds his hand p. 253and lifts with him: Christ and his Spirit assist. It were not only hard, but impossible if left to our selves in it: but, da domine quod jubes, & jube quod vis: I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. 'Tis easie to act what Christ in the Covenant of Grace will accept, and in respect of the reward; and compared with the service of Satan and Sin, that afford no gawdy-days.

6. 'Tis the greatest freedom; it not only consists with, but brings freedom: 'tis the Law of liberty, Iam. 1.25. He is the Lords freeman, 1 Cor. 7.22. Iohn 8.32, It is perfect freedom, and will free us from all other services; tot domini, quot vitia, every lust calls for his attendance, and many times contrary lusts at once (as when Pride bids let flye, Covetousness cryes hold); whereby the poor man is infinitely distracted between a lothness to deny either, and the impossibility of gratifying both.

7. 'Tis a happy service if well done: fullness and eternity of happiness is the reward of it. Matt. 24.46, Blessed is that servant whom his Lord finds so doing. 1 Tim. 4.8. 'Tis profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. John 12.26, If any man serve me, let him follow me, and where I am, there shall my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my father honour.

p. 254That Euge in the end, Well done thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few t…ings, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of the Lord, will infinitely chear and revive the heart of Gods painful and faithful Servant.

Improve this for your comfort in all your distresses, and comfort your selves with these words.

FINIS.