The Great Corruption of Subtle Self, Sermon 1
SERMON I.
Matth. 16.24. Then ſaid Jeſus unto his diſciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himſelf, and take up his Croſs and follow me.
THeſe Words contain a main and moſt profitable point of Doctrine, which our bleſſed Lord Jeſus taught his Diſciples before his ſuffering; he had been telling them, that he was to go up to Jeruſalem, and what things he was to meet with, and ſuffer there; This diſcourſe had a very ſtrange-like aſpect upon them, they could not away with it, nor digeſt it, that their Lord and Maſter ſhould ſuffer, and be thus reproachfully dealt with; Peter therefore raſhly, and inconſideratly takes him aſide, and preſumptuouſly arrogats to himſelf, the liberty to rebuke him, and to offer him (as he for the time thought) a more ſafe advice; Be it far from thee, Lord (ſayeth he) this ſhall not be unto thee; he will by no means have him go to Jeruſalem, as judging it un…fe and unſeaſonable at ſuch a time; for which preſumption, (as having a tendencie to defeat the grand deſign of his coming into the World, to Peters own & the unſpeakably great prejudice of many others;) after the Lord had rebuked him ſharply, even at a higher rate of ſeverity, than he did for his thrice denying him; he doth on this occaſion, deliver a general Doctrine concerning the neceſſity of their, and of all his Diſciples, denying themſelves, and taking up their Croſs without which they could not be his Diſciples, nor follow him, who eminently denyed himſelf, and took up the Croſs for their ſakes; and who would have them to follow him in the ſame way.
There are Four very conſiderable things in the Words. 1. The great Work and Buſineſs, that all Chriſts Diſciples and Believers in him are called to, which is to come after him, and to follow him; If any man (ſaith he) will come after me, and follow me. 2ly. The great let and obſtruction that lyeth in the way of ready, reſolute and cheerfull following of Chriſt; and that is a mans own ſelf, or ſelfiſhneſs, which, if it be not removed, laid by, and overcome, in ſome meaſure, he cannot come after Chriſt, nor follow him; Let him (ſaith he) deny himſelf, and follow me; 3ly. The great Duty that lyes on all the followers of Chriſt, or that whereby they are fitted, and helped to follow him; viz. Right bearing of the Croſs; Let him (ſayes he) take up his croſs and follow me. 4ly There is the great neceſſity of this Doctrine. Let him (ſayeth he) deny himſelf, and take up his croſs; Luke hath it, Chap. 14. v. 27. Whoſoever beareth not his Croſs, cannot be my diſciple; it muſt be, it is indiſpenſably neceſſary.
But before I come to theſe main things in the Text, I ſhall ſpeak a little to Three circumſtances ſet down therein, which will make way for clearing the Purpoſe. 1. Who gives out this Doctrine? It is Jeſus; Then ſaid Jeſus. 2ly. To whom is it given? Unto his diſciples. 3ly. When, at what time, and on what occaſion was it given? Then, viz. after, and upon occaſion of Peters …arnal advice ſuggeſted to him, in the for-going Words. A word to each of theſe ſhortly.
As for the Firſt; Conſidering Chriſt, as the Great Prophet, and Teacher of his People, not …nly in general, Teaching what Doctrines he in …is Wiſdom, judged needfull for them, but as …eaching his Diſciples, this Point of Doctrine in …articular: which he leaves with them, when …e is about to leave them; we may thence, Ob…er, That the great Scope of Chriſts teaching, is, …o bring men from themſelves to Him: If we joyn the …wo Parts of the verſe together, this will be clear; …f (ſayes the Lord) any man will come after me, …e muſt deny himſelf, and follow me; It is in ef…ect the end, not only of his Doctrine, but of his dying, and ryſing again; So the Apoſtle …peaking of Chriſts dying, 2 Cor. 5.15. Sayes; …f one died for all, then were all dead; That hence…orth theſe who live, ſhould not live unto themſelves, but unto him who died for them, and roſe …gain. 'Tis held forth as the end of Chriſts dyng, and of Pauls preaching him: This implyes …heſe three things, That Chriſts end in teaching, …s, 1. To draw men from themſelves, as their …igheſt end, in what they do, and to bring them …o ſet the Lord always before them, and to deſign his Glory, as the principal and ultimat end of all their actions; that they may ſeek to have him (as it were) increaſing, though they ſhould decreaſe; as John ſpeaks, Chap. 3 v. 30. To debaſe, bring down, and lay themſelves low, and …o exalt and ſet him very high on his own Throne. …ly. To draw them from reſting on, from truſt…ng in, and leaning to themſelves; to reſting on, truſting in, and leaning to himſelf only; We h… (ſayeth the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 1.9. The ſenten… of death in our ſelves, that we ſhould not truſt our ſelves, but in him who raiſeth the dead; a… ſayeth Solomon, Prov. 28.25. He who trusts his own heart is a fool; This then is a ſeco… Branch of Chriſts drift in the Doctrine of t… Goſpel, even to draw men from reſting o… themſelves for Salvation, or any thing true… Good, and to bring them to himſelf, that th… may reſt on him alone for all things. 3ly. T… draw men from delighting in themſelves, or … any thing in themſelves, and to bring them ſin… ly to delight in him; for as men have a dire… act (ſo to ſpeak) in looking to themſelves, ſo the… have a reflex act in delighting in themſelve… or in ſome excellency they fancie to have foun… in themſelves; That men may be brought fro… theſe broken Ciſterns, and from all truſt and delight in themſelves, or in any thing in the creatures, and may come to Him, the fountain … living waters, in whom only quietneſs and re… to Souls, is moſt certainly to be found; is th… great drift and deſign of his Doctrine; as is very clear, Iſai. 55. v 2, 3. and elſewhere.
The Uſes are, 1. To teach us, to take we… with, and to ſtudy to take out this Leſſon of Self denial, to be weaned from Self, and from a… things in Self; it's amongſt Chriſts laſt Leſſon to his Diſciples, when he is about (as it were) to make his Teſtament, and Laſt-Will; it woul… therefore be the better, and more exactly learned. 2ly. To ſhew you what is indeed Chriſt… Doctrine, and what is not; more eſpecially, i… ſuch times of Tentation and Tryall, as theſe are wherein ſeveral Points of Doctrine come to be …ontroverted, and called in queſtion; You …ould try, if it aimeth at this, as it's great Scope, … draw you from making your ſelf your end, …nd from truſting, and delighting in your Self; … the exalting of him, to truſting and delight…g in him; whatever Doctrine is not conſonant …ith, or is contrary to this, is certainly not …om Chriſt; with whatever ſpecious, and plauble pretences it may be palliated and varniſhed …ver: whatſoever it be, if it draw thee not …om, but to thy Self; to idolize thy Self, or …ny thing i… thy Self; It is not (I ſay) from …hriſt; but as it draws thee from thy Self, and …rives thee to debaſe thy Self, and to exalt him, …nd to give him his own room and place, it is of God, it is of Chriſt. 3ly. To let you know, …ow ye profit in Chriſts School, what progreſs ye make in his Goſpel, and what good ye have got of it; in ſo far as ye make progreſs, in denying and debaſing your ſelves, and in exalting, …nd ſetting up of Chriſt very high, in ſo far have ye profited, and got good by the Goſpel: This …ppears eminently in Paul, Gal. 2. v. 19, 20. Through the law (ſayeth he) I am dead to the …aw, that I might live unto God; I am crucified with Chriſt; nevertheleſs I live; yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me. His eſtimation of himſelf is …uite gone, his own Righteouſneſs is ſlain, he is dead to the Law, in that reſpect, that he may live to God. This was through Grace, the effect of Gods Law on him, that he was brought very low in his own eſteem, even crucified and dead to himſelf, and Chriſt ſet up in him, and extolled very high: and to the ſame purpoſe, Gal. 6. v. 14. He ſayes, God forbid that I ſhoul… glory in any thing, ſave in the croſs of our Lord J… ſus Chriſt, whereby the world is crucified to me, an… I unto the world. He was a greatly mortifie man, his corruptions, in ſome reſpect, as muc… ſlain and put to death, as if he had been out … the World; there was neither ſtrength no beauty in them, to draw him from delighting i… Chriſt; he ſaw no worth in them, to be ſ… much as a tentation to him; Nay Chriſt himſe… … hes ſuch room in his heart, that the very Cro… of Chriſt, and his reproach bulk more in his eye than all the world beſide; I fear there is mor… of this in notion and diſcourſe, than in experience and practice amongſt us; however ye woul… know, that coming to Chriſt, or foll…wing hi… in profeſſion only, is not the kindly fruit of th… Goſpel; but it is the bringing of Self low, an… the ſetting up of Chriſt high in your hearts, an… ſo the coming to him, and following of him realy and ſincerely; which is the genuine frui… thereof.
For the 2d. To whom is this Doctrine give… out? It is to his Diſciples; Mark Chap. 8. v 34 Takes in the Multitude with the Diſciples; h… taught them all this Leſſon; Hence Obſerve, That there is none, neither ignorant, nor more knowing; neither believer, nor unbeliever, but they have need to be taught this Leſſon of Self-denyall; We need not ſtand to prove it, even Peter hes need of it, who by his unſanctified, and unſeaſonable advice offered to the Lord, was an offence to him, an… thereby bewrayed much ſinfull Selfiſhneſs; The reſt of the Diſciples, and the Multitude have need of it, ſo deeply rooted is this principle of Self in all; and who hath not need of it?
The Firſt Uſe, ſerves for humbling of us, when even the Diſciples of Chriſt have need to be taught this Leſſon of Self-denyal, we ſure have much more, who are not ſo well acquainted with the way of following Chriſt as they were; and therefore have much reaſon to fear that this evil of Selfiſhneſs is much prevalent amongſt us.
The 2d. Uſ…, Serves, in a word, to exhort all, whatever their Condition, and Degree, or proficien…y in Chriſtianity be, to ſtudy this Leſſon well, it is profitable to all, not only beginners, but thoſe, who are further advanced, all ſtand greatly in need of it.
As … the 3d. to wit; The time and occaſion, at, and on which he taught this great Leſſon; It was Then, which we may look upon ſeveral ways. 1. As it is knit with the tentation, that he ſaw Peter led away with; for he knew the natural propenſity of them all unto it. Whence, Obſerve, That oftentimes we may read and diſcern our own corruptions in the diſcoveries of the corruptions of others; Yea, it is profitable for us ſo to do. Chriſt holds not here at the rebuking of Peter; but knowing that all had need of the ſame Leſſon, he accordingly teacheth them all; This were a far more profitable way of looking upon the falls and failings of others, to take Warning, and receive Inſtruction to our ſelves from them, than to be rigidly cenſuring them, or to be vainly overvaluing our ſelves, or ſuperciliouſly undervaluing others, becauſe of them; They were broken off becauſe of unbelief, (ſaith the Apoſtle, concerning the unbelieving Jewes to the believing Gentiles) and thou ſtandeſt by faith, be not high minded, but fear; and, ſaith he, 1 Cor. 10.12. Let him that thinketh that he ſtandeth take heed leaſt he fall. Or 2dly. We may look on it thus, That when Chriſt ſees a Tentation take hold on Peter, he takes occaſion therefrom, to break the force of it, and to bea… and bear it down, leaſt it take hold of, and infect the reſt, by it's Contagion. Whence, Obſerve, That whoever would reſist any tentation, and more eſpecially tentations to Self-ſeeking, would do it in the entry, and at the very firſt; When any Idol of Self ſets up it's head, we would inſtantly knock it down; and indeed if we look to our way, it will be found, that this one ſpecial mean, by which tentations become ſ… ſtrong, ſo prevalent, and almoſt unconquerable, that we do not take them at the beginning, and endeavour not to cruſh them at their very firſt appearing; when one Devil comes in, and is not quickly caſt out, he readily brings in ſeven worſe: Therefore, as ye would not be maſtered with, and troden under foot, by your corruption, and by the Law that is in your members, give not way to it in the leaſt, but ſet your ſelf in the ſtrength of the Lord, to oppoſe and hear it down, in the firſt riſings of it; That Precept Principijs obſta, is moſt neceſſary to be practiſed here, even above, or beyond what it is in any other caſe in the world. Or, 3dly. We may conſider it, as it looks to our Lords high Indignation at the nature and kind of the Tentation, as being plaiſtered over with fair words, and ſpecious ſhews of reſpect to him; which Indignation is manifeſted by theſe very ſharp words, Get thee behind me Satan; on which follows the Exhortation, Then ſaid he, &c. Whence Obſerve, That there is no ſort of ſin, and more eſpecially no ſort of ſelfiſhneſs, that Chriſt abhorres more than that which is palliated with pretended reſpect to him: Albeit Peter offered this advice to his Maſter, from ſome kind of reſpect to him; yet we will not find a more ſevere check, and ſad rebuke given to him, or to any other, than that which he gets here, becauſe ſelfiſhneſs was in his counſel, and the profeſſed reſpect was but carnal and byaſſed; wherein he prefers, either his own, or his Maſters bodily wellfare, to the Will and Honour of God.
For clearing the Doctrine yet a little further, ye may take it up in theſe two Branches. 1. That there is a ſelfiſhneſs, even among Chriſts Diſciples, that comes in, and covers it ſelf with the ſhew of reſpect to Chriſt. 2ly. That there is no ſelfiſhneſs more dangerous, and more deteſted, and abhorred of God than this ſort of ſelfiſhneſs. I ſhall inſtance the ſubtility, and danger of this ſin of Selfiſhneſs, ſhreuding it ſelf under pretended reſpect to Chriſt ſhortly, in ſome particulars. It comes in, one of two ways; either when men do that which is right, as to the matter; and yet it's but Self that they are ſeeking; or when they do that which is wrong; and yet they cover it with profeſt reſpect to God: There are ſeveral kinds of both; Firſt, We may ſee it in things lawful, and firſt, in theſe, Men will have a kind of Zeal for God, and yet be ſeeking themſelves; as it was with Jehu, who boaſts, that he is zealous for God, and yet in truth, it was moſtly for the Kingdom. 2ly. As Selfiſhneſs vents it ſelf, under the pretence of Zeal, ſo under th… pretence of honouring God, when yet i… is only, or mainly reſpect to Mens Selves, tha… is ſought after by that pretended reſpect to God; what greater reſpect could readily have been pu upon Chriſt, when ſo deſpiſed by the Rulers, than to offer to make him a King? as the people did, John 6. and yet, ſayes he to them, Ye ſeek me not, becauſe ye ſaw the miracles, but becauſe ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled; That is, ye ſeek me not out of reſpect to me, as God, but becauſe ye conceive, ye would have a good life under me; for ye think, if I were your King, ye would have an eaſie life of it, and that ye needed not plow, nor ſow, nor work, otherways for your Bread; This is a ſubtile ſort of Self-ſeeking, when men profeſs, and pretend to ſeek to have Chriſt Great, and yet in the meantime, there main deſign is to make themſelves great. 3ly. Selfiſhneſs vents it ſelf, in following that which is Duty on the matter, under the pretence of doing it, in obedience to a Command; and yet it is not really the Command that puts on to it, but Self, or Selfiſh reſpect; as the Lord chargeth his profeſſing People, Zach. 7. v. 5, 6. When ye did faſt, did ye at all faſt unto me? did ye not do it unto your ſelves: And, Matth. 6. v. 5. &c. Chriſt charges this on the Phariſees, That they gave Almes, Faſted, and made Long-Prayers, as out of obedience to Gods Command; when, in the mean time, all was done to be ſeen of men. Secondly. Selfiſhneſs comes in, and vents it ſelf in things unlawful, by covering them with a profeſſed reſpect to Gods honour; as we ſee it was with Saul, 1 Sam. 15. Who, when he is challenged by Samuel, for ſparing the beſt of the Cattel, and Sheep, ſayeth, Theſe are to ſacrifice unto the Lord thy God; But ſayeth Samuel, v. 22. Obedience is better than ſacrifice, and to hearken, than the fat of rams; for rebellion is as the ſin of witch-craft, and ſtubbornneſs, as iniquity and idolatry: There is nothing more abominable in the ſight of God, than to ſhreud a ſelfiſh end and deſign, under the ſpecious pretext of honouring him; But more of this afterward.
The Firſt Uſe of this ſerves for warning, to take good heed to our ſelves, when things look, and promiſe fair, we would try and examine well from what root they ſpring, and on what bottom they ſtand; for many things fair in appearance, may be rotten and corrupt at the root and bottom; many things may look like reſpect to, and zeal for God, which yet he will reject, and caſt, as proceeding from no true zeal, nor reſpect to him: Therefore in all things, but more eſpecially, in publick matters, do not think, that the honeſting and plaiſtering over of a thing with pretended reſpect to Chriſt, is enough to make it paſſe current: As for inſtance, amongſt the men that have invaded us, there are two things much talked of, and cryed up, and they have indeed a fair outward ſhew, viz. The intereſt of Chriſt, and the intereſt of his People, and this they pretend to be the main deſign of their actings, That Chriſts Kingdom may be advanced, and that his People may be the only great men of the World, and the only Rulers of the Kingdom; and this once being pretended as the end and deſign, they are apt to conclude, that there is no mids or mean that can come readily wrong to compaſſe it by: But if we try this by the Rule, it is to be feared, that there is very little of Chriſts honour, or the true good of his People in the matter; indeed, when men keeping themſelves in their own ſtations, are found to have abilities for, and Gods call to Rule and Govern, they are, in that caice, to imbrace that imployment; but while men pretend to exalt Chriſt, and the intereſt of his People, take heed that it be not Self-ſeeking, or ſeeking to make themſelves Great, which is really their chiefeſt aim, and that they might have a better life of it: The Intereſt of the People of God, as they are the People of God, never leads them to ſeek after Greatneſs, in reſpect of earthly Priviledges and Dignities; Therefore, look well to your ſteps, and upon what principles and grounds ye move toward ſuch an end; and withall, take heed, that in proſecuting this end, ye out-ſhoot not your ſelves, that ye go not beyond your line, and that ye move not without your own Sphear; intereſt in Chriſt, and true reſpect to his intereſt, will never prompt, nor nor adviſe you to ſuch exorbitant ſtretches, nor warrand you in the breach of any of his Rules: The paſſions of men work not the righteouſneſſe of God.
The 2d. Uſe, ſerves to be as a mark and evidence, whereby we may try, what ſort of duties, actions and worſhip will ſtand before God: none but ſuch as are ſingly for God, and not for our ſelves, as the main end of them; Let the action be never ſo good, if it's end be ſelfie, the more Gods honour be pretended; it is the more abominable in his ſight; for clearing this Uſe alittle, ye may take ſome marks of difference, whereby ye ſhall know, when, albeit men cover, and palliat their actions with pretexts of Gods honour, yet Self is their great end. 1. Selfiſhneſs predominantly venting it ſelf in any duty, alters and changes, as it were, the very nature of the Duty or Service; in ſomuch as that which is Spiritual Service, when done to Chriſt, is turned into carnal, and meer external ſervice, when done to Self; Thus, thoſe, who (John 6,) ſought for their own ſelfiſh ends, to have Chriſt made a King, would have turned Chriſts Spiritual Kingdom into an earthly and worldly Kingdom for their own advantage; it is an evil token, when reſpect to Chriſt is vented carnally in ſome thing that ſmells ſtrong of reſpect to the great Idol of Self. 2ly. As Selfiſhneſs creeping in, changeth ſome way the nature of the Service, ſo it changeth the manner and way of ſerving him; There is an unlikeneſs to him in the way of the ſervice, while Chriſt is only pretended, and ſelf indeed intended O! but the manner be unlike him; as we may ſee in the Diſciples, Luke 9. v. 54. When the Samaritans refuſed to give Chriſt lodging, Shall we, (ſay they) deſire fire to come down from heaven to conſume them as Elias did? Was Elias thus honoured, and ſhall not our Maſter be as much honoured as he? ye know not (ſayes our meek Lord Jeſus to them) what Spirit ye are of; My Spirit (as if he had ſaid) is not firie, as yours i…;) The wrath of man fulfills not the righteouſneſs of God: When there is bitterneſs, even againſt wicked men, look well that it riſe not more from ſome ſelfiſh end or paſſion, and from reſpect to your ſelves, then from real reſpect to Chriſt, however it may be much pretended; for true zeal never vents it ſelf in carnal revenge, or bitterneſs. 3ly. It is unlike Chriſt in the means; when Chriſts honour is not ſingly intended, and when men take not Chriſts own way to do his own work; they readily do not light upon, or, are not led into his means to attain that end; or though the end be good, yet they come not to their end, in Chriſts way, and by his means; and be aſſured, when the mids cannot abide the trial, it's a ſhreud evidence, that it's not Chriſt that we are ſeeking, but our ſelves; we muſt not do ill, that good may come of it; though the end be approven, if the mids be not approven alſo, Chriſt will caſt ſuch ſervice. But I come now to the Four great things in the Text.
The Firſt whereof is, The great taſk or work that Believers are called to, and it is, to come after Chriſt, and to follow him: If any man (ſayeth he) will come after me, and follow me. We ſhall ſhortly explain this, to make way for what we aim at, The Words then ſuppoſe, That a man who is a Diſciple of, or a Believer in Chriſt, hath Chriſt before him, and is following after him, for clearing whereof, take this Doctrine, That a Beltevers great work and task is, in all things wherein he is propoſed as a Pattern, to be a follower of Chriſt, and runner after him; There are ſeveral general Scriptur-exhortations that hold furth this, as theſe, and ſuch like; Epheſ. 5.1. Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children, and ſo followers of Chriſt; 1 Cor. 4.16. Be ye followers of me; compared with Chap. 11.1. Be ye followers of me, as I am of Chriſt: But that this may be the more clear, I ſhall ſpeak a little to theſe three things. 1. In what reſpects Believers are to look to Chriſt, in following him. 2ly. What is this following of Chriſt? 3ly. What is oppoſite to following of Chriſt?
For the Firſt of theſe, The Scripture holds out Chriſt in ſeveral reſpects, or under ſeveral conſiderations, which will help to clear, what it is to follow h m: And 1. It holds him out, as the End and Scope that we ſhould have before us, in all our Actions: So 2 Cor. 5. v. 15. We ſhould live to him that died for us; or, as the Mark we aim at, in our Chriſtian race; Thus Paul ſayes, Philip. 3.14. I preſs towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus; his deſign is to win Chriſt, to know him, and to enjoy him; he is reſtleſs till he be at him; So that following of Chriſt is a running and purſuing cloſs and hard after him, without turning to the right or left hand, or looking back, till we be up at him, and fully apprehend him, as our Mark. 2ly. The Scripture holds him out, as the Prize, and we are to follow him, as one following after a Prize (as the Apoſtle ſayes he did, Philip. 3.14.) even the prize of the high calling of God in Chriſt; We are to follow him as our wages, and the reward of all our Service, and as the great mercy, that all Believers mind and long to obtain; I (ſayes the Apoſtle, Philip. 3.8.) count all things but dung, that I may win Chriſt. 3ly. The Scripture holds out Chriſt before us, as a Patern and Copple, that we are to conform our ſelves to, in all our Actions, and as the example that we ſhould imitate; which is one of the main things aimed at in this place, and thorow the Scripture, even to draw us to look on Chriſt in his Life, Carriage, Actions, Death and Sufferings; and to imitate him; Chriſt alſo ſuffered for us (ſayes Peter, 1 Eph. Chap. 2. v. 22. Leaving us an example, that we ſhould follow his ſteps; And ſayes the Lord, John 13.10. I have given you an example, that ye ſhould do as I have done to you, Believers carriage ſhould be a tranſumpt extract and double of Chriſt; Learn of me (ſayeth he, Matth. 11.29.) for I am meek and lowly in heart: We ſhould prefer his will to our will, as he did the Fathers; being tender hearted, meek, lowly, humble, as he was, in ſuffering, to deny, and lay aſide our ſelves, as he did, &c. 4ly. Chriſt Jeſus is held out, as a Maſter and Teacher, and ſo we are to follow him, as one that teacheth us what to do; whether it be as a Teacher that Inſtructs, or as a Maſter that directs what to do. Ye call me (ſayeth he, John 13.13.) Maſter and Lord, and ye ſay well, for ſo I am. 5ly. He is held out to us as a Leader, or guide in our way; and ſo we are to follow him; Behold, (ſayeth the Lord, Iſa. 55.4.) I have given him for a witneſs to the people, a leader and commander to the people. 6ly He is ſet out as a Captain and Commander; ſo he is called, Heb. 10 The captain of our ſalvation, and Iſa. 55.4. a Commander; Souldiers take Orders from their Commanders, and muſt keep their Rank and File, and when they ſcale the Walls of a Town, and offer to take it by ſtorm, they muſt follow their Commanders cloſs at the back; even ſo ſhould we follow Chriſt. 7ly. The Scripture ſets out Chriſt as the Shepherd that cares for the Sheep, that waits upon, and ſeeds his People. I am (ſayes he, John 10.) the good ſhepherd; and when he goes furth, his ſheep follow him, v. 4. Not only muſt they take their Directions from him, as a Commander, but they muſt keep neer his feet, hear what Leſſons he gives out to them, and hide themſelves under his ſhaddow, from them that come to trouble his flock. 8ly. He is held out to us as our Fore-runner. Heb. 6.20. Whither the fore-runner is for us entered; as our heavenly harbinger, he is gone to Heaven before us, to take up our lodging, to provide quarters for us; and we are called to have our converſation in Heaven, as he is exalted to Heaven, our converſation ſhould be in Heaven alſo, Coloſ. 3.1. and Philip. 3.18. 9ly. He is held out to us as the Author and finiſher of our faith, as he that works all our works in us, and for us, as he that muſt give us the Leſſon, and underſtanding to take it up, make the way plain, and carry us thorow it; Looking (ſayes the Apoſtle. Heb. 12.2. unto Jeſus the Author and finiſher of our faith, Giving him the truſt of carrying us thorow, Theſe two words bid us truſt Chriſt with the beginning and perfecting of the work, & never to take our eye off from him.
For the Second, What this following is, 1. It will be the more clear by ſhewing you, what it is oppoſed unto. And firſt, it is oppoſed to mens taking of another way than Chriſt took, and to the taking of another Guide, or Leader than him; for whoſoever follows a ſtranger, they follow not him, 2ly. It is oppoſed to mens turning of their backs on Chriſt; for following ſuppoſeth the ſetting of the f…ce towards that which is followed; Therefore, Heb. 10.33. drawing back, is oppoſed to believing, or living by faith, which is nothing elſe but following of Chriſt. 3ly. It is oppoſed to ſitting up; for ſuch as ſtand ſtill, or ſit down in the way, though their face be ſomeway towards Chriſt, yet they follow him not; If thou wilt return, O Iſrael, ſayes the Lord, Hoſ. 4.16. return unto me. Make not a half returning, do not halt, nor ſit up in the way; for followers are going on, and running out the race, 4ly. It is oppoſed alſo to running before Chriſt, or making haſte; for theſe go before him, that ſtep out ere he open the door, or ſeek to go another way than by the living way into the Sanctuary, or moſt Holy; or take the Counſel and Direction of others; and do not wait upon his; as Saul did, we find alſo this fault in part in the Diſciples, in their preſcribing away to him to be avenged upon the Samaritans, and not waiting on his preſcribing to them.
The Uſe of it, in a word, ſerves, To exhort Believers, To conſider what Relations Chriſt ſtands in to them, and in their Chriſtian Walk to make uſe of them. 2ly. To try hereby what progreſs they make in their Chriſtian Courſe and Walk: and 3ly. To ſtudy Chriſt well, and to confirm themſelves to him; as their great Patern, Example, Leader and Commander, all along their Chriſtian Walk.