The Usefulness and Excellency of Christ, Section 11
SECT. 11.
Foure grounds which should draw men to Christ.
4. I'le shew you what grounds should 4. Dilatatiō of this use.move you so to goe to Christ, and to get him into your hearts, as you were instructed.
1. Doe but consider his admirable 1. Christs sweetnesse. Me thinks there is no earthly thing that yeelds so perfect a pleasure to any sense, as the odor of the first rose doth to the sent. B. Hall in his most Excel. Oc. cas. Medit. 93.fragrancy and sweetnesse, for being like a rose, he must needs be as redolent as a rose (whose sent is most sweet and pleasant) in regard of the sweet odor of his gracious words and works of obedience active and passive, and in regard of the sweetnesse and fairenesse of his person formerly mentioned; and therfore how: ô how should ye be moved with this transcendent sweetnesse of that sweetest rose of Sharon, to seeke after it, and to get it? how farre doe men goe for fragrant spices; and how doe they adventure their lives, sailing in the Indies, and the spicy Islands? but ye need not goe so farre for Christ, who is sweeter then all spices; for he is nigh unto you, even in the word, which we preach unto unto you. Againe, ye need not leave your house and home, and friends, as men that are bound for the Indies, but onelyonly your sinnes, and you shall not need to adventure your lives, if you goe to Christ; for then you shall finde them, and save them; and should ye not be willing then to goe to Christ, which is but a little way, forsaking your best beloved sinnes, which can yeeld but little comfort?
2. Consider his delightfulnesse: 2. Christs delightfulnesse.For being like a rose, he must needs be as delectable as a rose, which delights our eyes as much as any flower. *John Carion, Chron. l. 3 p. 130.Some write of Titus the Romane Emperour, that he was of so sweet and amiable a disposition, as that he was commonly called, delitiae generis humani, the delight of mankinde, which might be but a flattering speech of men; but of Christ Jesus, that high and mighty monarch of heaven and earth, we may truly say so, without flattering, that he is indeed the very delight of mankinde: See Cant. 5. 16. how he is said to be altogether lovely or delectable, as the * Hebrew hath it, marke, he is altogether delightfull; delightfull I, namely in his person, first for its admirable beauty, Psalme, 45. 2.
2. Delightfull in his gracious Titles, for first, he is stiled the Light of men, Iohn 1. 4. Now all know how delectable and pleasing the light is, as the light of the sun, the light of the stars, and the light of a candle, even little children do rejoyce at the light of a candle, and desire to play with it, because they see a delightfulnesse in it, and we doe all take great delight in the shining sun, and shall take a farre greater delight in that masse of: shining light, which we shall see another day in the highest heaven, which for its brightnesse may be truly *Zanch de coelo beat. c. 4.termed foreign, that is, all light; and therefore how delectable must Christ himselfe needs be, who is the Light, and that light, even that transcendent light, foreign.Iohn 1. 8. and that true light which enlighteneth; that is, *Scilicet …otionis, seu intelligentiae, P…sc, in loc.endueth with reason, Every man that conimeth into the world, or is borne into the world, and is the cause of another light, for as much as all things were made by him, ver. 3. yea, the very perfection of all created light, which *Plato l. 7. de Anima.Plato termes the perfection of shining bodies.
2. He is called a *Tu. 2 13Saviour, and the Saviour of all men, 1 Tim. 4. 10. which title of his is so delightfull, as that it should even cause your hearts to leap within you, when you heare it as Saint Iohn did leap in his mothers wombe for joy, at the voice of the blessed Virgins sweetest salutation, Luke 1. 44. yea, should even forthwith pluck your hearts out of your breasts and bosomes, to transplant them into the bosome of Christ; for how delightfull is the very naming of a temporall Saviour unto them that are in misery, when they understand or heare of his willingnesse to deliver them; and therefore how can your hearts chuse but even dance for joy within you, whiles you heare me speake of such a Saviour as is called the Saviour of the world, and of all men, and so consequently willing to save you also, if you shall beleeve in him? for so the Apostle goes on, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that beleeve, *Pisc. in loc.because he saves them not only corporally, but spiritually and everlastingly, whereas otherwise he doth but *Vnde Beza versio. Conservator omnium.preserve you and others corporally;
3. Nay is he not called salvation it selfe, Luke 1. 30. shew, saith * one, that there is no other Saviour but Henry Smith in his first sermon of the song of Simeon.this one; and this word salvation, quoth he, is the sweetest word in all the scripture, and therefore how delightfull must he needs be, who beares this name, which is the sweetest word in all the bible?
4. He is stiled a bridegroome, Iohn 3. 29. Matt. 9. 15. in Latine sponsus, quasi promissus, as being promised by his heavenly father, to be a husband unto all true beleevers. Now how delectable is the name of a bridegroome to a virgin, especially it being told her that she may have a bridegroome whose beauty and sweetnesse of disposition passeth all other mens? and therefore how delightfull must Christ needs be, who is fairer then all the children of men, and sweeter too, then all other men, in regard of his disposition, and how should ye be delighted with him, O my dearly beloved, when ye heare me tell of him desiring you even forthwith to chuse him for your bridegroome, forsaking all other sinfull and sensuall delights, wherewith you have been hitherto too much enamoured and fascinated, or bewitched? O consider of it, consider of it deare friends, you can never make the like choice, while the world standeth, the Lord open your eyes and hearts, that you may see your owne good, and may not let slip so faire an opportunity to be so highly preferred, and for ever made!
5. Againe, is he not called a friend, Cant. 5. 16. This is my friend, O daughters of Ierusalem. Now how delightfull a good friend is you know likewise, the very sight of such a friend is sweet *Arist. l. 9. Eth. c. 11.saith one; and hee that hath such a friend, saith another, hath the sweetest thing that may * Franciscus Petrarcho, dial. 52.bee; nay, there is no thing better then it, next unto vertue upon Earth, quoth hee, preferring it before Parents, childrē, brothers, for as shining bodies doe even transfuse some of their light into those places which are nigh unto them: so doth a true and faithfull friend send forth, and breathe sweetnesse, and grace, and pleasantnesse, saith *Maximus monachus.another; and therefore how pleasant must Christ needs be? who is that true and faithfull friend indeed, who being once befriended with any indeed, never ceases, nor can he cease to be kind, and courteous, and affable unto him, and to send and dart forth some comfortable beames of his pleasant countenance into his beleeving soule, to make it lightsome, serene, and chearfull? You will have all things common with you according to the *Arist. l. 8. Eth. c. 9.nature m Omnia a micorum communia.of true friendship, which requireth a societie, and consists of a societie.
1. A common righteousnes, I mean in the first place, Ier. 23. 6. 1 Cor. 1. 1, 30. 2 Cor. 5. 21.
2. A common Father, Iohn 20. 17.
3. A common kingdome, Ioh. 17. 24 2 Pet. 1. 11.
4. A common throne, in that celestiall kingdome, Rev. 1. 11.
Now tell me what friend else can doe so much for you, as this friend will doe for you. Is there any that you know among all the friends you have, and in whom you take most delight? No, No, there can be none such, but Christ, none but Christ; and therfore, O that you were willing to forget even father & mother, brethren, and sisters, and all your kindred, yea, and all other friends besides, that are carnall, for this deare friend Christ his sake, as it is written, Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and encline thine eare, and forget also thine owne people, and thy fathers house, Psal. 45. 10. The Lord incline your hearts to doe it, that so you also may be able to say in truth, This Christ who is that pleasant rose of Sharon, is our friend also as well as yours, ô ye daughters of Jerusalem, Cant. 5. 16.
3. Consider Christs lovingnesse, who for being like a rose, and as red as a Christs lovingnesse.rose, in regard of his bloudssed, he must needs be most loving, or else he would never shed his heart blood for us. See how the Apostle reasoneth. *1 Ioh. 3. 16.Hereby perceive we the love of God, that is, of Christ, who is God, as well as man, because he laid down his life for us. Great was the love of these two great friends, *Val. Max. lib. 4.Damon and Pythias, who were even ready to dye one for another; but greater was Christs, who did lay down his Life for us, being then none of his friends, but his greatest Enemies, Rom. 5. 10. and therefore how loving. Ô how loving a Saviour, say I, must Christ needs be, who out of his meere and free love would even unsoule himself for us men by death, and depose his blessed life for us rebels, that had justly exposed our selves to the stroke of death by our sinfull life!
O go, go then unto this loving and gracious Saviour, ye poore sinners, go, be not afraid of him, for if he would have you die, he would never have dyed himself for you; and if he were minded to deny you that eternall life, which every one of you should infinitely preferre before this present life, which is but fraile and mortall, and momentany, he would never have laid down his own most precious life, to deliver you from that death which is eternall; or thus, as Manoahs wife said once to her husband, when he was afraid that they should should surely dye, because they had seen God; If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering at our hands, and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us at those things, nor would he at this time have told us such things, as these, ludg. 13. 22, 23. so say I unto you, if happily you be afraid least you dye, and that for ever, being damned by the Law of God for your sins in generall, and for your unbeliefe in speciall, because you have not yet by faith seen and beheld the Lord Christ, as it is written, he that beleeveth not is condemned already. Iohn 3. 18. if the were pleased to kill you, he would not have offered himself as an offering unto God, his Father, upon the crosse, neither would he have now shewed you all these things, which you have heard related of him, onelyonly *Aug. in Psal. 148. Crede, Crede, &c.beleeve beleeve on him, and then you shall not die but live. For so God loved the world, that he gave his onelyonly begotten Son, that whosoever beleeveth on him should not perish but have everlasting life, Iohn 3. 16. wherefore *Ezech. 18. 31, 32.cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby you have transgressed, and so going away from your sins go and draw neere to Christ, by faith in his name, which the Lord in mercy grant you. For why will you dye, ô house of Israel. Or thus, why will you dye, ö ye poore sinners, the Lord hath not pleasure in the death of him, that dyeth, wherefore turne your selves, and turne in unto Christ by faith, and live you, The Lord of life put life in you that ye may live; I humbly beseech his Majestie.
4. Consider also, my dearely beloved, 4. Christs needfulnesse.the needfulnesse of Christ, who therefore resembles himself to arose, that you may see what need you have of him. For Roses, as you know, we can *The rose is chiefe of all flowers. William Langham in his garden of health, pag. 535.hardlyest spare of all flowers, because they be so usefull and so medicinall, whereby you may easily conceive how needfull then Christ himself is, in whom, as the Creator, according to that often mentioned rule, there must needs be more medicinallnesse and needfulnesse then possibly can be in a created Rose, unto which he is pleased to compare his sacred self;
Take a view of some particular respects.
1. See how needfull he is in regard of the life naturall.
2. In regard of the life spirituall.
3. In regard of the Life eternall.
1. To begin with the life Naturall, 1. In regard of the life Naturall.what is it without Christ, but a cursed death? for without him, you are still under the curse, Gal. 3. 10, 13. So as that your very meat and drink, and wealth, and store, and fruits, and bodies are all accursed; see Deut. 28. 15, 16, 17, 18. till Christ who was made a curse for them that beleeve, deliver you from that curse, Gal. 3. 10. and have you not cause enough to go to Christ to be freed from such a curse? some Emperours and Kings have even prostrated themselves before the Popes of Rome, being but excommunicated by Popes to be freed from their curse. *Ioh Carion C…on. lib. 4. p. 217. Nico… V…g…i…r, An. 1177Frederick Barbarossa, that glorious and victorious Emperour of Rome, did even suffer one of the Popes of Rome to tread upon his neck to have his absolution, and to free his son, who was then the Popes prisoner at Venice. But you for your part need not goe to the Pope of Rome, but onelyonly to Christ, by faith, who is in the middest of us, to be exempted from the curse of God upon your estates, and bodies, as well as souls, and you need not put your necks under the odious feet of an Imperious and insulting Pope, but under the yoke of Christ, who saith, I am lowly, and my yoke is easie, and my burden is light, Matth. 11. 29, 30. and should ye not be willing to go to Christ, yea, into Christ, believing on him, to free your selves from that curse, which lyeth so heavy upon you, and upon all that you possesse.
Secondly, Consider Christs needfulnesse *2. In regard of the life spirituall.in regard of the life spirituall.
1. It is he that must free you from the burning heat of filthy lusts, and covetous desires. Yea, from the reign and power of every heating sin, even as Roses either distilled or insused or conserved, do take away, or allay the heat and hight of hot diseases and purge the body. See Iohn 8. 36. If the sonne therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed, whereupon it followeth, that if he deliver us not, we are in bondage still, and are sick still, even very sick, irrecoverably sick of the most dangerous and contagious leprosie of sin; nay, for ever sick, and for ever in thraldome for the will of the damned will be ever perverse, saith *Lombard l 4. disi. 50. where he decideth the q…estion, whether the damned shall sin in hell also, yea, or no.Lombard, Some sins, men may leave indeed, for want of means and opportunities, or for feare, whereupon they may conceive that they are not so bad as they are. Yea, may even justifie themselves with the Pharisee, Luke 18. 11. and conclude, that they are indeed converted, and shall be eternally saved; but there is none for all this of all those that are out of Christ, who liveth not under the power and predominancy of one commanding sinne or other, inwardly, or outwardly, or both, because Christ hath said it, that he must make us free, if we shall be free indeed, mark indeed, or substantially, really, existently, as the *foreign.originall hath it, and not imaginarily, verbally, seemingly, as many conceive themselves to be, being lamentably deceived, and that either because they never search themselves to any purpose, or because God hath deservedly aQuis en…m nes…iat fi…i ut homo d… tur in repr… bum sensum de m…i… praeced… um p…c…atorum, ut non vide…t p…ccata …a. Ga…. …. in … sae …. 8. mihi, fol. 11.given them over, for their former delinquencies, and abhorred exorbitancies into a reprobate sense, that they cannot feele, nor see their sins.
Take a Survey, if you will, of those severall Lordly sins, which domineere over them, and then their guiltinesse, and filthinesse, will appear as cleare as the noon day.
First, Some of them cannot deny, if they will but tell the truth, that they are most horrible swearers; though perhaps they be no theeves, or adulterers.
Secondly, others most audacious prophaners of the Lords most holy and glorious Day, pretending Christian libertie.
Thirdly, others they be no swearers, yet are most spightfull, ungratefull, and stubborn against their very parents, being worse then brute creatures, which do recompense, support, and help their bCiconia enim fessos p…rentes fert humeris, & ore jisdem suppeditat cibus Gesnerus.aged parents as much as much as they can, 2 Tim. 3. 2.
Fourthly, others, though they be neither drunkards, nor usurers, yet are most fierce like Tigers, bears, and Lions, when they are provoked, 2 Tim. 3. 3.
Fifthly, others are most lascivious, either in, or out of the state of marriage, like unto filthy Dogs, and neighing Horses.
Sixthly, others most insatiably covetous and greedy, like the cP…o…. 3…. 15.Horseleeches daughters, which ever cry, give, give, dSanguisuga carni applicata sanguinem sugit, & cum nimium repl…ta suerit illum …vomi… ut it…rum sugere possie, Isidore.sucking blood and vomiting it up again, to fill themselves afresh.
Seventhly, others most brutishly intemperate in eating or drinking, sometimes breaking out by notorious drunkennesse, and gluttonie, and sometimes vailing themselves with a kinde of restraint, when they be not so over-drunk, nor so notoriously gluttonous; as others, but only do over greedily please their pallates with delicate meat, and strong drink; which both they love better then God himself who made both, 2 Tim. 3. 4.
Eighthly, others are as envious as e1 Sam. 18. 8, 9.Saul, or as a fGemin. l. 4. c. 43.Peacock, who out of envie, as it were, hideth his own dung, which is most medicinall, that man may not be the better for it.
Ninthly, others are most hatefull and malicious, against some, either; First, Because they differ from them in the power of religion; or secondly, because they are like to carry away some profit, or some preferment, or applause, which they would fain have, and gaine to themselves; or thirdly, because they have given them some, even the least distaste, therefore they cannot endure the sight of them, yea, they could even teare them, being like a *Hoc enim fariarum proprium est aut corum qui furiis agitantur. Calep.Panther, who if he doe but see St. Basil Orat. de Invid & odio mihi, p. 823.a mans picture upon a paper will teare it, because he hateth him most deadly, and cannot abide him.
Tenthly, others are as insolent and proud as the devill himselfe, manifesting so much by their monstrous fashions, paintings, boastings, or else keeping it in secretly to themselves, as being contented with a hidden, most eager and greedy desire of vaine-glorie, which like an ever vexing, urging, and scourging *Mat. 23. 5.fury so hunteth them, as that they doe even all they doe to * be seen of men, who see but their glorious works, but cannot see their odious pride, and abominable affectation and ambition. I should be infinite, if I should nominate all the domineering sinnes which reigne in the children of disobedience, and convince them to be out of Christ, who makes men free, these may suffice at present; onelyonly suffer me to perswade you, who live under such tyrannous Lords, even therefore to get Christ, that by him you may be freed from such an insufferable tyranny; or if you will have me …eake more sutably, to the metaphor of a cooling rose, from the foresaid burning *Fit enim quaedam lepra de cholera inf…ie… te sangi…m ac dicitur leonina, Gaemin. l. 6. c. 11.leprosie of sinne, we read, 2 King. 5. 1. 23. that Naaman the Syrian was a great man with his master, and honourable, and a mighty man of valour, but a Leper, which spoiled all, whereupon a little Hebrew maid, which waited on his wife, said to her mistresse, would God my Lord were with the Prophet that is in Samaria, for he would recover him of his leprosie. Answerably whereunto say I unto you, who may be ennobled likewise with many excellent naturall parts and endowments, but withall are stained with one kind of leprosie or other (for there are sundry kinds of it) I meane one infectious reigning sinne or other, being either outwardly and notoriously spotted as Distinguitur enim à medicis quadruple… communiter lepra, Elephantia, Leonina, Tygria. Allopecia.Elephants, or inwardly ravenous as Wolves, or fierce as Lyons, or deceitfull as serpents (that I may allude to all the foure sorts of naturall leprosie) whose heat and power none but Christ the rose of Sharon can take away. To you I say, as that damosell wished her master to be with the Prophet Elisha, so doe ye heartily wish and desire now that your soules may be with Christ, that sweet rose of Sharon, Christ Jesus, that he may recover them of their spirituall leprosie. Some write of *Agath 79. papa vir fuit tantae sanctitatis ut leprosum obviam factū os…ul… suo st…tim liberarit Caranza. Summa Concil & pontif mihi. fo 208.Agatho, that he was a man so holy and gracious, as that with a kisse he did cure a man of his leprosie, assoone as he met him, which relation whether it be true or no, this I am most certaine of, that Jesus Christ, the rose of Sharon, both can and will free not one leper onelyonly, but every one of you whose soules are leprous, from their most infectious and pernicious spirituall leprosie, if you doe but kisse him with the kisse of faith. See Act. 15. 9. how he is said to *Hinc Ambros. in Psal 118 ser. 10. Nisi per fidē dil…gatur, Deus non mundatur …or ad sciend…meum.purifie the heart by faith; and therefore get faith first, and then kisse Christ next, observing the instructions formerly tendred unto you, and praying especially, or speaking as much to Christ, as the damosell to her mistresse. O that our poore soules also were with thee, as the soules of others are, sweet Jesu! O let them come to thee, and that they may come, draw them, and then free them, as Elisha freed Naaman from the leprosie of sin and corruption, we humbly pray thee. This doe, and then I dare secure you in the words of Christ, that ye shall be all cleane through the word of Christ, or by vertue of the word of Christ, which I have preached unto you, Iohn 15. 3.
Secondly, it is Christ that must quicken you to live the life of grace: as roses in vineger especially doe revive a man that is taken with dead pulles, that he may live the life of nature, for therefore he is said to be the life of beleevers, Col. 4. 34. and to live in them, Gal. 2. 20. and this life is so necessary, as that without it we can doe nothing, that is, nothing as we ought, acceptably and sincerely, to the right end, and in the right manner: For otherwise men may doe many things, as Herod, Mar. 6. 20. they may pray much, heare much, read much, fast must, give much, repeate much, confer much, yea, they may have shewes of every grace, saith *Bolton.one, insomuch as that they may even deceive both others and themselves, as those foolish parabolicall virgins, Matt. 25. 11, 12. who, because they were virgins, did make no question but they should enter into the coelestiall marriage, as well as the wise; for therefore they said, Lord, Lord, open unto us, but they could have no other answer but this, ver. 12. Verily I say unto you, I know you not, for they wanted the oyle of the life of grace, and held forth only the empty Lamps of shewes of grace. Againe, they wanted Christ, who is the life of the righteous, and the oyle, or cause and ground of the light and life of grace, and therefore he tels them, I know you not: so that needs you must get Christ, if ye will truly live the life of grace, or else though you make never so many shews, you will but deceive your selves, like those virgins, or like those silly *Sceleratae quaedam multeres, daemonum illusionibus seductae, …octu…nis horis cum Dia…a paga…orum Dca & innumera multitudine mulierum credent se aequitare super bestias quasdam, & multa terrarum spatia pertransi…e. Con…il Ancy…con 24.women, who, in ancient time, being deluded by Satan, did verily thinke that they did ride on beasts by night, and travell over many countries, when they did not: so you will but imagine that you goe I know not how farre in the way of life and true godlinesse, having a forme thereof; whereas, for want of Christ your hearts will not stirre nor move a whit as they *Nullus aut diligere Deum sicut oportuet, aut creder… in Deum, aut op…rari propter Deum quod bonum …st pot…st, nisi g…atia eum & m…serecordia Dei prae venerit. Con. Trans. 2 to 2 mih. p. 23ought, so as that you shall do what you doe in sincerity, and truth, and to the glory of God, because the truth hath said it, without me ye can doe nothing: O goe then and get Christ, what ever ye doe in the manner and order aforesaid, and let none of you sleep or slumber as the foolish virgines did; but stirre and rouze up your drooping spirits, and goe I will not say, ad vendentes, to them that sell, as the wise virgins said to the foolish, but ad vendentem, or to him that sells himselfe, I meane Christ himself, and beg faith, which is like gold, for he selleth it, yea, himselfe, for loe here he offereth himselfe, saying, Rev. 3. 18. I counsell thee to buy of me gold, that is, faith, that thou mayest be rich, and rayment, that is, me, Christ himself, that thy nakednesse may not appeare, I adde by way of exposition; but rather that thou mayst be graced and clothed with the glorious robe of my righteousnesse imputed, and with fine linnen of habituall righteousnesse infused, and derived from the fulnesse of grace and goodnesse, which is in me, as the ocean and fountaine of all grace and holinesse, Iohn 1. 16.
Thirdly, it is Christ that must comfort your soules, as roses doe comfort the heart of the body. See Ioh. 15. 26. Ioh. 16. 7. how himselfe againe and againe doth promise to send the comforter, implying, that if any man will be bedewed with the sweet consolations of his spirit, he must be beholding to him for it, or else he must goe without it: even as whosoever would have corne in the seven yeares of famine, was to get it of Ioseph, or else he might strave, even in Egypt it selfe, where there was corn enoughin the granaries erected by Ioseph for that purpose. So a man say I, may live in the church, & want that true and solid comfort, which commeth by Christ, both in his life and in his death, though he live in a place, where there is no want of comfort, but comfort enough taught and profered, and to be had by Christ, unlesse he will repaire to Christ, who is the true and carefull Joseph, that must impart unto us his holy spirit the comforter, A Prolepseand chear up our hearts, as a rose.
Some temporaries that are illuminated and forward for a time, such as are said to have tasted of the heavenly gift, and of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come, Heb. 6. 5, 6. may have certaine flashes of joy and comfort; but the true, and sound, and solid comfort, which differs as much from their taste, as the tasting of good meat from the eating of it, none can enjoy and feele but onelyonly by Christ himselfe, inhabiting the: heart, and blessing it with the sweetest influence of the unutterable joyes and comforts of his holy spirit, by whom he doth not only enlighten them as temporaries, but also regenerates, and new creates them in such an admirable and glorious manner, as that the joy and comfort thence resulting, must needs be also full of glory, 1 Pet. 1. 8. And therefore as they that wanted corne, went to Ioseph in Egypt to got some, so do ye repaire to Christ, beleeving in him, that so you also may rejoyce in him with joy unspeakable and full of glory: For why will ye, and how can ye live so uncomfortably, as ye have lived formerly, being altogether destitute of that holy spirit of promise, whose soule-refreshing comforts none can truly feele, till he be truly and throughly come home to Christ.
3. So for the life to come, it is 3. In regard of life eternall.Christ that must procure and assure the same unto you, or else you must never looke for it, but rather for death and destruction, as it is probably conceived, that if roses had not revived some by Gods blessing upon them, they had dyed when they were taken with grievous pulls. See Iohn 3. 36. He that beleeveth not the sonne, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth upon him. Hence *De Corrept & grat l. c. 7.Austin, no man is freed from the damnation which Adam hath brought upon us, but only by faith in Jesus Christ.
This one ground well digested, is like to doe you most good; for as I told you formerly, the terrors of the law, breathing out nothing but horror, and damnation, must first make you afraid, before you will goe to Christ as ye ought: even as a great many men will never yeeld to leave the world, and the cares of it, till they see that they must die; and as some others will never beg, being too much ashamed to doe it, till they see that they must doe it, or strave: so you will never yeeld to leave your dearest sins, and bosome delights, and to beg faith in good earnest, and to goe to Christ by faith, unlesse you see death as it were before your eyes, and consider of it seriously, that you must starve, and dye, and perish for ever in that formidable and horrible lake, which burneth with fire and brimstone if you doe it not.
And therefore, as *2 Sam. 2. 23.men went no farther, but stood still by the dead body of Asael: so goe no further, till ye have viewed and digested this chiefe and last ground, concerning life and death, that so you may proceed no farther, neither in your chase and eager pursuit after the profits, sports, pleasures and preferments of this world; but rather may begsaving faith of Jesus Christ, who is the author of it (as I noted before) and then may looke up by faith on Jesus Christ, that ye perish not. O my dearly beloved, what will not a man doe that he may not *Quomodo homines omnem impendunt operam ne mori…ntur temporaliter, quare non item ne mori…ntur in aeternum. Aug de verb. Apost ser. 18.die; Skin for skin, yea all that a man hath will he give for his life, said Satan once to God, Iob 2. 4. I especially, if a man being a prisoner, were like to be carried every moment out of his prison the place of execution, there to be rosted in a chaire of brasse by a small fire, and so to dye by little and little, and to finish his miserable life in unspeakable torments, would not a man give all that he hath that he might not dye such a fearfull death. And therefore what is it that you should not be willing to doe, and to forgoe, who being prisoners too, must expect every minute to be carried away of the devill, who keeps you in prison, 2 Tim. 2. 26. into the terrible place of execution, called hell, there to be rosted, and to be burned, and tormented, not by a small, but a great and mighty fire, which the wrath or breath of God, like a streame of brimstone, doth kindle, Esa. 30. 33. even for ever and ever, if Christ free you not; nay, suppose a man might escape such a temporall punishment of fire, and save his life, if he would but goe forth out of prison to his King, who can free him, falling downe before him, and submitting himselfe unto him to be disposed of by him, doe ye thinke he would not willingly leave his prison, and even run to the King, and do any thing rather, that the King shall command, then burne. Well, you may escape so, I am sure, and therefore should ye not gladly leave sinne, which is but like a stinking prison, and goe to Christ the King of Kings, who requireth no more but your comming, and the leaving of your sinnes, and humbling of your soules, and a ready submission to be disposed by his holy will: Let Satan then suggest what he will, saying, how can ye forgoe such a darling delight? and how can ye spare such a sweet gaine? and how can ye live without such honour? you may now easily put him off with his owne words, saying, All that a man hath will he give for his life; are not these thine owne words? canst thou deny them Satan? thou canst not, thou canst not; and therefore, never trouble us more with these insinuations and whisperings of thine, we are resolved to suffer such a temporall losse rather, and to goe to Christ now, then to goe on in our sinnes to the utter undoing and loosing of our poore soules for ever and ever. Thus repell Satan, and thus be induced, I pray you, to consider the day of your visitation, and the most terrible danger you are in, that so you may come home to Christ, and Christ may come to you, which God in mercy grant for his goodnesse, and for his Christs sake.