The Excellency of Christ, Section 15 – Section 16
SECT. 15. Of Brutiſhneſſe, the fourth Let.
4. THere is much brutiſhneſſe likewiſe in the hearts of a great many men and women, 4Let. Brutiſhnes.which keeps them from Chriſt: For as the bruit beaſts are all for graſſe, and care not for roſes, ſo are they altogether for their victuals and belly cheare, and ſenſuall delights, as that they doe not at all regard Chriſt. See Luke 14.20. how one of the gueſts there invited to the great ſupper, doth upon this very ground refuſe to come, I have married a wife, ſaith he, and therefore, I cannot come. Marke, I cannot come peremptorily, whereas the former deſired to be excuſed onelyonly, which plainly ſhewes, how hard it is for a *Luxurioſi enim per tertium intelliguntur. Durand. Ration. l. 6. fol. 157.luxurious perſon to come to Chriſt, who is the good cheare of that great ſupper; wherefore be divorced, I pray you from luxury, which is the wife there meant, and withdraw your ſelves but a little from your pleaſures, ſports, meat, drinke, and carnall company; and then conſider of this buſineſſe which doth ſo much concerne the eternall welfare of your never dying ſoules, for then and not till then there is hope that you will care more for Chriſt then ever you did yet. Take one *Conſiderations of eternity. p. 244.Theodorus for an example, when as a great feſtival day was kept through all Egypt, a great feaſt was at his fathers houſe, and many were invited to it, ſome of whom did dance, and others laugh, and were merry, he retired himſelfe into his cloſet, and expoſtulated with himſelfe thus: unhappy Theodore, is it according to Chriſtian religion to paſſe from delights to delights! either I am much deceived, or elſe Chriſt hath ſhewed us another way into the kingdome of heaven; whereupon, as he prayed, that God would not ſuffer him to die eternally, and wept, in comes his mother and telleth him, that he is looked for; but he excuſing himſelfe ſend her away againe, ſaying that he was not well in his fromacke. Thus being alone, he conferred with God and himſelfe a…out eternity, and of his former courſe what am I? or what have I been? or how will it be with me hereafter? there are divers helps to heaven: I'le goe that way which is moſt convenient for me, but my friends will grieve at it? what then? but muſt I doe it now in my youth? that is hard; ſo it is indeed to fleſh and bloud; but experience hath taught that late ſervices are ſeldome good. Therefore, Now, but I have been tenderly brought up, ſhall I be able to live ſo ſtrictly? I hope I ſhall, but it is a hard matter to ſtrive againſt cuſtome: I have hitherto lived like a nobleman, and ſhall I now live like a poore man? Theodore, what thinkeſt thou? canſt thou doe ſo? I'le ſtrive what I may, Chriſt is gone but a little before me, ſhall not I follow him? Therefore farewell all the world, and the things that are in it, I care not for you, farwell, I ſay all, but welcome eternity, thou art the onelyonly thing I ſeeke after, my ſoule longeth after thee, there is nothing that I deſire in compariſon of thee. With that bent of cogitations he reſolved to become one of Pachomius his ſchollars, and did ſo, ſaith my author, and as he did thus leave a feaſt, and all, and muſed on eternity, and reaſoned the matter with his owne ſoule, when he was alone, and ſo welcomed eternity, and reſolved to be a follower of Pachomius: ſo ſay I, doe you in like manner, firſt retire your ſelves, ſetting apart one whole day of faſting at leaſt, and then, ſecondly, reaſon the matter with your ſelves concerning Chriſt, that ſo you may yet embrace and welcome Chriſt, and become his followers and diſciples, which the Lord in mercy grant that it may be ſo.
SECT. 16. Of Bitterneſſe, the fifth Let.
THe fifth impediment is bitterneſſe. 5Let is Bitterneſſe.For as a roſe of its quality is *Galen. l 7. ſimpl. Medicam.bitter: ſo Chriſt is ſomewhat bitter too, or ſeemes to be ſo in regard, 1. of the law, whoſe bitterneſſe he that will come to Chriſt, muſt taſte of Gal. 3.24. before he can taſte how ſweet the Lord Chriſt is, Pſal. 34.8. 2. in regard of thoſe bitter troubles and perſecutions, which attend thoſe that will live godly in Chriſt, 2 Tim. 3.12. and retard and hinder many from comming to Chriſt; but that muſt not diſcourage you, my dearly beloved: For as the bitterneſſe is great firſt, and the troubles many, that ſuch muſt taſte of, who come to Chriſt: ſo the comforts and the ſweetneſſes to be found in Chriſt both here and hereafter are great, and many, yea, infinitely greater, and more then all your greateſt and manifold diſcomforts can poſſibly be; for ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 1.5. For as the ſufferings of Chriſt abound in us, ſo our conſolation alſo aboundeth by Chriſt. See alſo, Eſa. 7.22. alſo, 1 Pet. 1.8. and 2 Cor. 4.17. Oh that you did but know what it is to be in Chriſt, and with Chriſt; and oh that you could but taſte once and feele what ſome have felt and taſted, even that joy unſpeakable and full of glory! For then you would never complaine of any bitterneſſe, that is in Chriſt, even as he that taſtes and takes roſes conſerved with ſugar, never complaineth of any bitterneſſe, that he finds in the ſame roſes, becauſe their bitterneſſe is taken away by the abundance of ſugar which ſwee…eth them: Nay, you would rather cry out (with Peter in Chriſts transfiguration) Lord, it is good for us to be here, Matth. 17.4. and therefore I pray you conſider what I ſay, and tell me no more of that bitterneſſe which Chriſt himſelfe will take away with the abundance of ſugred comforts, whererewith he will overſweeten all your diſcomforts.