A LESSON OF self-denial: OR, The true way to desirable BEAUTY. By JOHN COLLINGS, M. A. Mat. 10. 37. He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me. Ver. 38. And he that taketh not up his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. Printed for Rich: Tomlins. 1649. TO THE Right Honourable, The Lady Frances Cecil, the only Daughter of the Right Honourable the Lady Elizabeth, Countess Dowager of EXETER. Increase of true Honour, and Peace, and Happiness. Madam, WHen I considered the plenty of Gospell-sheaves, which the Gracious Lord of the Harvest hath in our days caused his reapers to bind up, I could not but question whemy glean were worth your Ladyship's stooping to take up. God hath seemed to empty his treasuries upon our heads, that there is scarce a gospell-duty but some or other more eminent labourers in the Lord's harvest have undertaken to discover and urge, which makes me sometimes tremble to think at what disadvantage they must perish, that are yet dead or unfruitful. But if there be any lesson that hath been lesser urged, or practised than other, it is this of self Denial. I rejoice to see the flow of the spirit of grace in those eminent Servants of the Lord, that have both hunted for venison, and caught it, to make savoury meat for the Saints, discovering those secrets of the Lords strength, and unsearchable riches of love, beyond the pens or tongues of those that have gone before them. But methinks, I have sometimes feared lest while those Eminent ones have driven according to the peace of their own souls, and made it their work almost only to dress out the strong meat, they should have driven beyond the pace of the Lambs, and only go away with part of the flock who are able to receive and have ears to hear, such sublime gospel mysteries. I have sometimes wished a Shepherd or Hooker, or two more to stay behind, and to drive the remnant of the flock, which in heaven will overtake the other, though there be many things to be spoken which (without over driving them) they are not yet able to bear. I (being one borne out of due time) am only fit for such a work, the opening the Rudiments of Christianity, and it shall be my crown if by teaching the A B C of the ways of grace, I may be made instrumental but to fit Saints for their highschooles. I have presumed here to present your Honour with the first Lesson of Grace. He that will be my disciple (saith Christ) let him deny himself, and take up the cross and follow me; first deny himself, then follow me. Not but that I hope your Ladyship can readily endorse this sermon, with that speech of the young man, All these have I kept from my youth. Though I need not mind your Honour, that it is a life's not a day's practice. (Madam) there can be no Mistress like Experience, which easily convinceth me, that your Ladyship (who have had a constant sight of sublunary vanities, an enjoyment of creature-contentments) is fare more able to read him (who now writes) a lecture of the Vanity of every thing under the Sun, than he is to read it your Ladyship, who hath been blest in the want of those advantages, and only (from a guess at the body by the foot) can subscribe Solomon's account of them: surely (Madam) there is nothing under the Sun, but in cleaving to it, and neglecting Christ, a rational creature must dishonour himself as well as his Saviour, and as well call in question his own judgement, and outlaw his own reason, as disobey his God. Christ, (Madam!) Ah! Christ, Christ alone is the excelling one; that is Altogether desires; It is the Rose of Sharon only that wants prickles. His name is the only box of Ointment, which one fly or other will not make to stink. And now I mention his name, I remember what the spouse saith, Thy name is an ointment powered forth, therefore do the Virgins love thee. Of those Virgins, I trust your Ladyship is, those that love Christ for the ointment of his name poured forth; (so I trust hath the Ointment of grace poured upon that head from which you drew your natural breath, ran down to the skirts of all her Relations.) (Madam) This world is not so well bred, but in Christ's ways if your Ladyship desire to walk, you must expect to be a sharer in the scoffs of those that put out the finger at those that run not with them to the same excess of Riot. I need not mind your Ladyship of the Grace of our Lord jesus Christ, who patiently endured the cross and despised the shame for your sake. (Madam) the ways of Christ, the paths of holiness, are only uncomely to those before whose eyes the Devil hath cast a mist, and the God of this world hath blinded their eyes, lest the glorious light of of the gospel should shine upon them. If the King desires our beauty, no matter, whether our rate be high or low amongst the children of Vanity, whose God is their Belly, and whose glory is their shame. May your Ladyship strive after perfection, and yet dance before the Ark, though Michal mocks out at the window▪ The Moon keeps its course though the dog's bark. This Sermon (Madam) was formerly dedicated to your Ladyship's ears, I never thought then, that the noise of it should have gone beyond the chapel it was preached in, nor indeed had it, had not your Ladyship's noble Mother commanded the transcription of a copy, which desire was also seconded by other Noble friends, whose commands I was as unwilling to disobey, as unable to perform, through my multitude of other occasions, which is the only reason of my publication of it, that I might be thrifty of my time for my other studies, and by troubling the world work my own ease. Having resolved upon this course, I was desirous it should appear as covertly as might be, and have therefore added it to some other Sermons, preached long before then, sent to the press to gratify the desire of the Printer. (Madam) your Ladyship I trust will easily excuse me for the want of pains in it; If I should spend time to tickle some few ears, it would be unthriftily done, and possibly I might by it lose the advantage of speaking to many another's heart; I had rather so preach and write that those that hear or read my sermons, should read and hear with a trembling heart, than with a tickled fancy. (Madam) Such as it is) I crave leave to present it to your Ladyship, Beseeching the God of grace so to empower every line, that it may be a drop of mercy to your Honours, and every Readers soul, That your Ladyship may grow up like the tree planted by the rivers of water, and bring forth fruit in your season, That in the renewing of every week, there may appear in your Ladyship's heart & conversation, an answer of those old prayers newly returned to your Ladyship's Noble Parent. That the Lord may have glory, your soul peace, and he the daily answer of his prayers, who truly is Madam, Your Honour's most humbly obliged servant in the Lord Jesus, John Collings. Chaplyfield house, Aug: 21. 1649. A LESSON OF Self-denial. Psal. 45. 10, 11. Harken O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear: Forget also thy own people, and thy Father's house, so shall the King desire thy beauty,— IT is agreed (almost amongst all Expositors) that this Psalm is a Marriage-Song, and principally relating to the spiritual marriage between Jesus Christ, and the believing soul, or between Christ and his Church: But there is a little question amongst them, whether the spiritual sense of it be couched under a type, or an Allegory; Some think that the Holy Ghost here treats of that spiritual marriage, under the type of Solomon's marriage to Pharaohs daughter, of which we read, 1 King. 3. 11. Of this opinion (saith D. Rivet) are D. Rivet Pref. in hunc Psalmum. the Hebrew Interpreters, and most others, as Calvin, Bucer, Junius, Jansenius. etc. yet these grant that there are some things in the Psalm not capable of that literal sense. Others are against this, partly because (as they say) that marriage of solomon's was wicked, and against God's Law, Deut. 7. and partly because it is probable that Solomon having before that time (as 1 King. 3. 3.) the fear of the Lord in his heart, it is not probable he would have contracted that marriage, had not she first contracted to have forsaken her father's house (which the Hebrews also say was one of the marriage-Articles.) But it is probable that that marriage gave occasion to the writing of this Psalm; and for the reason against it, Rivet answers by a Rule of S. Hieroms, Homines mali in re non bona, sanctissimarum rerum imo ipsius Dei ●ypi esse possunt. That In Scripture, evil men, and that in wicked actions, are ofttimes types of holy actions, and that of Gods own too oft times; Ishmael was a type of the old Testament (according to the Apostle) an many other instances might be given. Whether it be a Type or an Allegory is not much material, nor worth the disputing: Rivet thinks neither sense improbable, but conceives it might be both; nor do I see any thing of value against it. In the Psalm observe: 1. The Preface, verse 1. Wherein he Psalmist declares the readiness of his heart, and instinct of the spirit, putting him upon the Composure of it. 2. The narrative part of the Psalm, from the 2 verse to the last. 3. The Conclusion of it, verse ult. In the narrative part is something, 1. Relating to the Bridegroom. 2. Relating to the Bride. The Bridegroom is commended from his Beauty, v. 2. Thou art fairer than the children of men. 2. From his Eloquence, v. 2. Grace is poured into thy lips. 3. From the blessing of God upon him; God hath blessed thee for ever. 4. From his Glory and Majesty, v. 3. 5. From his success, v. 4. 6. From his Temper and Disposition, verse 4. 7. From his Valour, verse 4, 5, 6. 8. From the nature of his Kingdom, v. 6. 9 From his love to Justice, v. 7. 10. From the perfume of his Garments, v. 8. 11. From his choice in his Queen and his Attendants, v. 9 So fare it relates to the Bridegroom. The other part relates to the Bride; and in it is a Lesson of Instruction and Exhortation read to her, pressed from several Motives. The Exhortation is in the two verses in which my Text lies; And it is fourfold, pressed from several Arguments. In the Text than you may consider, 1. An Exhortation, enforced upon the former Description. 2. Several Motives to press this Exhortation. 1. In the first consider, 1. The person exhorted; set out by the name of Daughter, (O Daughter.) 2. The Exhortation; which is : 1. Harken. 2. Consider. 3. Incline thin ear. 4. Forget thy people and thy fa, there's house. 5. Worship him. 3. The Motives enforcing it, which are, 1. The former description of him; now thou art married to such an husband, harken, etc. 2. The Relation of Daughter; Children should hearken to their Parents. 3. She should be beautiful. 4. Her beauty should be . 5. The King should desire it; yea, greatly desire her beauty. Let me a little open the words, and then proceed. [O Daughter,] Quae consentit viro in matrimonium est viro in loco filiae, saith Rivet: The woman that consents to her Husband in marriage, is to him in stead of a Daughter: So saith the Parable, 2 Sam, 12. 3. The Ewe-lambe, which signified the wife, laid in the poor man's bosom, and was unto him as a daughter, Jer. 3. 4. Wilt thou not from hence forth cry unto me, Thou art my Father, the guide of my youth, the guide of her youth, that is, an Husband, and yet her Father. God can marry his Daughter, and yet the marriage not be incestuous; Yea, he first marries the soul, and then makes it his Daughter, according to that 2 Cor. 6. 18. Wherefore come out from amongst them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and I will be a Father unto ●ou, and you shall be to me Sons and Daughters, saith the Lord; Daughters by Adoption, Gal. 4. 6. Nor in vain called a Daughter: It is a courteous compellation, as both Rivet and Mollerus note, by which the Lord will let his Saints know, that he will extend towards them the care of a father, as well as the love of an Husband, he will love them like an husband, and protect them like a father. Hark Christians! Saints are Sons and Daughters, as well as Spouses to Christ. If he be a father where is his honour? If an husband where his love? But to proceed. Harken O Daughter] Audi filia,] What should she hear? She should hear her husband. There was a voice from heaven, Matth. 17. 5. This is my wellbeloved Son hear him. Christ's Sheep are earemarked, John 10. 11. The good sheep are thus marked, They hear his voice. Faith comes by hearing, yea and it grows up by hearing too; they are overgrown Saints that are grown past Ordinances, I am afraid they are grown out of Christ's knowledge; it is the deaf adder stops her ear. David's ear was opened, Psal. 40. They that are too proud to hear Christ's Voice on Earth, I am afraid will be thought too vile ever to see his face in heaven. Harken therefore (O Daughter) God's way to the Heart lies through the Ear, that's his ordinary way; if he at any time comes another way, I am afraid it is not when we have wilfully blocked that up, but when himself hath stopped it. Harken O Daughter, and Consider, or see] & vide: First hear, then see. There is a seeing of Faith. Faith is the daughter of hearing; the Ear must open before the soul. Do not only hear but also see. Hearing is not enough. He that believeth not, is damned already. Seeing may be of experience. As we have heard, so have we seen in the City of our God. The soul that hears well shall see. john 1. 50. Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the Figtree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. Faith must go before Sight, but Sight shall succeed faith: yet Faith is a Sight, though not of experience. And incline thine ear.] Expositors make this Phrase to contain three things. 1. A Repetition of the first Branch, Harken. It is a difficult duty, the word is doubled, that it may be enforced; the Psalmist speaks twice, considering our deafness, yet he speaks louder in this than in the other phrase. Secondly, therefore To incline the ear, is more than to hear, it doth argue a notable stirring of Attention. He that inclines his ear, affert al●quem animi motum & propensionem, quickens up his mind, and brings with him to the duty a readiness of Spirit, and an intentness of mind. 3. Inclining the Ear say some is Nota demissionis, a Note of that subjection and obedience which should be found in the Spouse of the Lord Jesus Christ toward him. It followeth in the Text, And forget thine own people, and thy Father's house.] Here are two things to be enquired into. 1. What is meant by her own People, and her Father's House. 2. What is meant by forgetting of them. For the first, we must be guided by the Knowledge of the Spouse, to whom these words are spoken; if you look upon, 1. The Church of the Jews as the Spouse meant here to be married to Christ, without question it is meant of the Jewish Worship. the Ceremonial Law and Worship, and their Traditions, they were to be forgotten, and the gospel-worship to be embraced; the worship of Christ's Institution, consonant to that of Christ to the Woman of Samarta, John 4. 21, 22, 23. 2. If you understond by the Spouse, the Church of the Gentiles, than the Father's house is all the Gentile worship and Paganish Idolatry, which must all be left upon their turning to Christ. 3. If you understand by the Spouse the particular believing soul, the Father's house, is old Adam's house, all sin and wickedness, all traditional worshipping. Renounce the Per patris domum intelligo, quicquid corruptionis ex utero afferimus, aut quaecunque ex prava institutione nobis adhaerent quasi ad nos haereditario jure aut educatione transfusa. Rivet ad loc. World (saith Deodate) and cleave to Christ: It is a Lesson of Self-denial, consonant to that of Christ, Matth. 10. 37. By Father's house, saith Doctor Rivet, we may understand whatever corruption we either brought out of the womb with us, or have contracted by ill education or custom, so that they cleave to us as our inheritance. And by People, saith he, I understand [ea quae ex mala consuetudine, & conversatione cum impiis acquisita, nos a Deo abducunt, quae omnia nobis sunt deponenda] all those Corruptions, and whatever they be, which we have contracted by ill acquaintance, and conversing amongst the wicked, which estrange us from God, these must all be laid down, Luke 9 23. Luke 14. 26. I shall anon in the opening of the Doctrine, open this term more fully. I now proceed. So shall the King desire thy Beauty.] Some read it, Quia concupivit, because the King hath desired thy beauty, making it a motive to induce her to forget her father's house. So August. Cyprian, etc. Others read it, according to our Translation, [The King] The King of Glory, the King of Peace, Christ that King. I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Zion: He is the King, [Greatly desire] Out of his love to thee, his great love to thee, he shall desire it; not only love thee, but desire thee; yea not only desire thee, but greatly desire thee. He speaks after the manner of men, whose desire is to the women they love, Gen. 4. 7. Unto thee shall be his desire. And so, Deut. 21. 11. If thou seest amongst the Captives a beautiful woman, and thou hast a desire to her to make her thy wife. Christ's Love is such to the soul, that he hath a desire to her, yea not a desire barely, but a passionate desire, he shall greatly desire, he shall be in love with the soul. [He shall greatly desire thy Beauty.] What Beauty? Pulchritudo est in ment credentium, (saith Musculus) it is meant not of a face Beauty, but an heart Beauty. Decor Ecclesiae (saith Mollerus) est in fide, obedientia, & dilectione. In the graces of the soul, it is a Beauty that the Lord Christ puts upon the soul, it is not a Beauty of nature, but of grace that is the Saints Beauty: Sanctitas Ecclesiae est pulchritudo Ecclesia (saith Piscator) the holiness of the Church is the Church's beauty, and so the holiness of the soul is the souls beauty. This is the fairness, this the Beauty that is meant in those places of Solomon's Song, Cant. 1. 10, 11. Cant. 4. 1. Cant. 6. 1. Cant. 7. 1. This is the Beauty that the Lord Jesus Christ, the great King shall so desire in the soul, this is the comeliness that shall make any poor soul in the eyes of the Lord Jesus Christ; This is the Beauty which will make the King of Glory rest and content himself in his Love to the soul that hath it, and make him be delighted with the acquaintance of the soul, and in conversing, and having Communion with the soul. This is it that which (where it is found) will so ravish Christ's heart, that he will never part from the soul (as Mollerus expounds that phrase [greatly desire.] Thus (as shortly as I could dispatch it) you have the sense of the Text. Now in it there lies these truths. 1. That the gracious soul, by marriage to Jesus Christ, becomes his Daughter as well as his Spouse. He will not only love her as a Wife, but care for her as a Daughter, 2 Cor. 6. 16. 2, That it is a great piece of the Daughter's work to hearken to Christ in his Word. It is no height of Saintship, to be beyond Ordinances, if we be out of Heaven: It is a note of a Reprobate, being once enlightened, to fall back; but it is a new degree of Saintship; they are deaf Adders, that have lived thus long no Saints; Children of the Devil, not of God; his Daughters must hearken. [Harken O Daughter.] 3. Christ's Daughter must and shall see as well as hear. Hearing is not enough; the soul must be open to receive Christ as well as the ear to hear his voice, and if they will hear, they shall see. [Harken O Daughter, and see.] 4. Christ's Daughters must incline their ear as well as hear and see. Obedience must be joined to Faith and Worship. Inward affection and intention of mind must be joined with outward hearing. 5. Which is the Doctrine I will Insist upon. Doct. That soul that would have the Lord Jesus Christ desire its beauty, must forget its own people, and its Father's House. And whosoever doth that shall be beautiful. And the Lord Jesus shall desire its Beauty. In the handling of this Doctrine I shall do these 5 things. 1. I shall show you what it is for a soul to forget its own people, and its Father's house. 2. I shall show you how, and in what sense the soul that doth it shall be beautiful. 3. I shall show what is meant by the Lord Christ's desiring such a soul's beauty. 4. I shall give you some reasons, why it is requisite that the soul that would endear itself to Christ, and make itself , should forget its Father's house. 5. Lastly, I shall apply the whole Doctrine suitably. First, what is meant by the souls own people, and Father's house; and secondly, by forgetting of them. What was meant in general I shown before. Our Father's house is old Adam's house, the world and all therein. I shall now show you in some particulars, First, What of our Eathers must be forgot. Secondly, how and in what sense we must forget it. The first I shall dispatch in these few following particulars, as briefly as I can. The soul must forget the manners of its Father's house. Our Father's house (ever since God and he parted houses in Paradise) is an house of ill manners, an house of sin and wickedness. Now every soul that would make itself beautions or in the sight of Christ's eyes, must shake hands with sin. Is. 55. 7. Let the wicked man forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and unto our God, and he will abundantly pardon him; ay then the King shall desire his beauty, but first let him forget the manners of his Father's house. All sin must be forgotten: But I take it especially four sorts of sins are hinted to us in this Phrase, and may more properly be called the sins of our Father's house. 1. Original sin. If we have any thing of Grace or Goodness, we never learned that at home. It is the gift of God through the tutor of the Spirit. But for Sin, we need not go abroad to learn that, it was bred in the bone, that's one reason why it will never out of the flesh, Ez. 16. Tby Father was an Amorite, and thy Mother an Hittite. We are chilnrens of wrath by nature, Ephes. 2. 3. Psal. 51. 4. In sin did my mother conceive me; Now this must be forgotten; this is a piece of our Father's house. Men and Women you know are usually borne in their Father's House; We are all borne in the house of bondage, which must be forgotten, if ever the soul be to Jesus Christ. It is a usual saying of Divines, that he that was never truly humbled for Original sin, was never truly humbled for any sin. 2. The sins of our Education. The Father's house is the house where the Child is brought up: All sin is not bred in us; that which is bred in us may be improved. Original sin is sin in the seed; Actual sin is sin in the Blade and Fruit. The World is a dusty house, you can set a Creature in never a corner of it, but it will contract some dust. Joseph by being in the King of Egypt's house, learned to swear by his Master's life. According to different breed, are men addicted to different Vanities, whether pleasure, or honour, etc. Now when the soul comes unto Christ he must come off these, he must forget his Father's house, all his vain sinful breeding, and all the filth his soul hath contracted by reason of it. 3. Sins of Conversation and company. The Father's house, and the company of it, is the child's company, those of his Father's house, are his own people. It is true, as well for Religion as any thing else, Magni refert quibuscum convixeris. It is a great matter with whom we converse; from accompanying with vain persons, thou shalt learn to be vain: Cum lupis ululare. When the soul comes to Christ, it must leave all; sins thus contracted, they are part of the manders of the Father's House. Paul left his Pharisaisme that he had learned at Gamaliels feet. 4. Customary sins must be left. The Child learns customs in his Father's House. Customary sinning must be left of that soul that would render itself for beauty to Jesus Christ; Those sins which are to the soul as the Leopard's spot, and the blackness of the blackamoors skin. Indeed this is hard; Custom hatcheth a second nature, Jer. 13. 23. How can you that are accustomed to do evil, do well? Yet it must be done, the Father's house must be forgotten: ill customs must be laid aside, or good ones will not be taken up. 5. Beloved sins must be left. Every thing of the Father's House almost is dear to the child. But the dearest sin must be shaken hands with, Matth. 18. 9 If it be a right hand it must be cut off: if a right eye, it must be plucked out. Our Members must be Mortified, Col. 3. 5. Thus the manners of our Father's house must be forgotten. All sins, but especially these sins. I proceed now. Secondly, The soul must forget the Company of its Father's house. What is that you will say? I will answer you in two particulars. 1. Our most near and dearest Relations. See Luke 14. 16. If a man cometh to me (saith Christ) and hateth not Father, and Mother, and Children, and Brethren, and Wife, and Sisters, yea and his own life also, he is not worthy of me. He shall not be so beautiful; not so beautiful, as that the King shall desire his beauty. As it was said Levi did in another sense, so must the Saint do in some sense: He must say unto his Father, and to his Mother, I have not seen him, neither must he acknowledge his Brethren, nor know his own children. Otherwise he will never have Levie's Character, to be one that observeth the Lord's Word and keeps his Covenant. Not that Religion teacheth, or commandeth, or endureth a Saint to break the ties of all Religion; No, besides that it doth not discharge a Saint of his Duty of Nature; it puts in a Plea also against such unnaturalness; Honour thy Father and Mother, etc. is the fifth Commandment, the first with promise (saith the Apostle) neither doth it allow a Saint to rob his parents of their due, with saying, Corban, it is a gift: The Ravens of the valleys shall pick out the eyes of such persons, as well as the Devil hath done of their Religion. Neither doth it discharge a Saint of his providential duty, and respect to his relation. He that provides not for his Family is worse than an Infidel. 1. In point of due honour. 2. In point of natural affection. 3. In point of providential care. We must not forget the Company of our Father's House. God's Commands do not enterfiere, nor will the Gospel in that case give a supersedeas to the Law. But 1. if God and they draw several ways, if the Parents commands cross Gods, than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, It is better to obey God than men: The Parent is to command for God, not against him, subordinately, not supremely; he must be obeyed for God's sake, and God too for his sake, as by his command he seconds God; but Parents can as little, yea less discharge the child of its duty to God, than the Pope can discharge the Subject of his Allegiance to his Prince. 2. If their love beckon us out of the way when God calls us, or would entice us to make halts in our running through fire and water to him, than we must forget them. I have somewhere met with a Speech of St. Hierome to that purpose: Saith he, If the Lord Christ should call me to him, though my Father should lie in my way, and my Mother should hang about my neck, I would go over my Father, and shake off my Mother, and run to my Christ. Shetterden a Martyr (as it is storied of him) writ to his Mother thus; Dear Mother, embrace the Counsel of God's Word with Heart and Affection, read it with obedienee, so shall we meet in joy at the last day, Or else I bid you farewell for ever. In these now and such like cases, that soul that would make its beauty in the eyes of Jesus Christ, must like Levi say to his Father and his Mother, I have not seen you; in these cases he must not acknowledge his Brethren, nor know his own Children: They stand in Christ's way, and Christ calls hastily. The Saint must spare no time to parley. Natural affection with them he must forget his Father's house, the dear company of it, his Relations. Secondly, all sinful Company is the Company of our Father's house, The Company of fools, as Solomon calls it. Now all this must be forgotten, or else in stead of being saved, thy soul will be destroyed. Prov. 13. 20. A Companion of fools shall be destroyed. Psalm 119. 63. I am a companion (saith David) of those that fear thee. You must leave your swearing Company, and your drinking Company, and your vain Company, or the King will never desire your beauty. The soul that would render itself in the eyes of the Lord Jesus Christ, must make all its delight, (with David) in those that excel in virtue, the Saints upon the earth. Saul before his Conversion was a companion of those that stoned Stephen, and persecuted the Saints. Like to like, for himself consented to his death, and was a Persecutor; but no sooner had the Lord made his Motion to him, but he forgot this company, and assayed to join himself to the Church. Thirdly, the soul that would render its beauty in Jesus Christ's eyes, must forget the Honour and Pomp, and Riches and Greatness of his Father's house, all the high-Towers and Treasures of it, etc. They that will be Christ's Disciples must not take up Crowns, and advance themselves, and follow him: No, they must deny themselves, and take up the cross and follow him; their Crowns must be of Thorns, made after their Master's Copy: They must not be such as love the uppermost rooms at Feasts, and the chief seats of the Synagogues, and Greetings in the Market, and to be called of men Rabbi, Rabbi. Be not ye called Rabbi (saith Christ) for one is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren. He that is greatest amongst them that are Saints, must be as a Servant, Matth. 23. 7, 8, 9, 10. They must forget that natural it ching which is in the children of Adam usually, and must be scratched with Madam, or Rabbi, or some highswelling words of vanity: they must not be such, as will swell (like that Toad Haman) if Mordecay give him not the knee, or if their Brother give them not the wall or the way; Saints are no such creatures; they are such as are not at all taken with any such high titles▪ but Rom. 12. 10. In honour they prefer one before another. And they must look upon it as the greatest honour in the world, not that they are masters, and descended — atavis Regibus, of great Parentage. etc. but that they are servants of Jesus Christ; the name of Christian (the badge of honour first created at Antioch) must appear to them, better than the names of Lord or Lady. Theodosius was wont (they say) more to glory that he was a servant of Christ, than that he was Emperor of the East. Now I say, That soul that would make its beauty desirable to Christ, must forget all these, not affect any of them, not value them; for he that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Behold a miracle (saith Mat. 23. 12. (saith Augustine) God is an high God (yea, the most high) yet the higher thou liftest up thyself, the further thou art off him; the lower thou humblest thyself, the nearer he draws to thee; he looks near to the humble, that he may raise them up, but sees the proud afar off, that he may depress them. The proud Pharisee pressed as near God as he could, the poor Publican durst not, but stood afar off; God was fare from the one and near to the other. The high towers of the father's house must be forgotten, yea, and so must all the rich coffins and chests of it: these are part of the furniture of our father's house. You know what Christ said to the young man, when he seemed to be in love with Christ, Matth. 19 21. If thou wilt be perfect, if thou wilt make thy beauty a desirable beauty, Go, and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me, and again v. 24. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. You know what Christ says, Mat. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the poor are those that are gospellized. But to proceed yet. The soul that would render its beauty desirable in Christ's eyes, must forget the pleasures and vanities of its father's house, all that is in the world, 1 Joh. 2. 16. whether it be the lust of the eyes, or the lust of the flesh, or the pride of life. When the Apostle speaks of lovers of pleasures, he puts in more than lovers of God, 2 Tim. 3. 4. Judas tells us, such as are sensual have not the spirit, Judas 18. 19 job in the description of the wicked, Job. 21. 12, 13. tells us, that they are such as take up the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the Organ, their children dance, they spend their days in wealth, etc. These are they that say unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of his ways. What is the Almighty that we should serve him? and what profit is there, that we should pray unto him, v. 15. Their fiddles must be laid in the water of true repentance and contrition. The daughters of pleasure must undress, if they will be beautiful in Christ's eyes; they must lay aside their paintings and dress, their curl and perfumings of the hair, where (as he wittily says) the powder doth forget the dust; their ornament must not be the outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing gold, and putting on of apparel; but the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price, 1 Pet. 3. 3, 4. The daughters of pleasure must undress (I say) for the Lord, as he threatened he would do in the day of judgement, Is. 3. 18, 19, 20. so in the day of mercy, to the soul of the vain creature, he will also take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon, the chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, the bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the head-bands, and the tablets, and the earrings, and the rings, and the nose jewels, the changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins, and the glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the veils, and instead of these send in mercy, a girding with sackcloth, a rend heart, and a weeping eye, and a serious soul. It was a sure rule that a Divine once gave to another, enquiring of him why he did not persuade a Gentlewoman (with whom he was acquainted) to leave off some vain dresses she wore; (Saith he) I will first persuade her to get Christ into her heart, and then she will leave these of herself. The soul that hath Christ in his heart, need not to be persuaded to leave its fiddling and dancing, and love songs, and vain dresses, and paintings, and revel, and naked breasts; it knows these will not make its beauty desirable in Christ's eyes; and it is lost labour to persuade others to it. When Solomon forsook God, than he ran to pleasures and vanities, and sought every thing that should please his carnal eye, and tickle his vain fancy; but he no sooner returns to Christ, but he says of mirth it is madness, and of laughter what doth it? Christians you must forget these, or Christ will overlook you. Tertullian called the unvailed virgins of Tetull. in lib. de velandis virginibus. his time Capita Nundinalitia, and Pudor ostentatitiae Virginitatis, Phrases I will not English. You must forget the pleasures and vanities of your father's house: that is the fourth. I will instance but in one thing more. Fiftly and lastly, You must forget the Religion and Righteousness of your father's house. Indeed, there is not much there, it may quickly be all forgotten; but what there is must all be forgotten. There is a conceited Religion, at least, a self-righteousness, which is natural to all the sons of Adam. Master Hooker gives this reason for it, because our first father Adam was worth so much he could have gone to Heaven upon his own legs. Now as it is with a young spenthrift, though he hath spent all his father's estate, and be not worth a groat, yet he cannot abide to think he should be a worse man than his father; so it is with the sons of Adam, because he could once have done enough for heaven, we that are his children, though he lost all his power before he died, yet we cannot endure to think ourselves worse than our father, and are ready to think heaven may be earned still, and we may do something for ourselves. The young man, Mat. 19 was at it, Master, what good thing should I do to inherit everlasting life? and so the converts at Peter's Sermon, Acts 2. and the Jailor, Acts 16. What shall we do to be saved? hence is Morality and Civility taken up by some, and formality in duties taken up by others, and man pitcheth his staff in himself, and resolves there to rest; but this must be forgotten if ever we would be desirably beautiful in Jesus Christ's eyes; for all our Righteousnesses are as menstruous clothes, and as a filthy rag in the sight of God, Is. 64. 6. and again, Matth. 5. 20. Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall never enter into the Kingdom of God. Civility rested in (saith a Divine of our own) is but a beautiful abomination, it is but a smooth way to hell. It is true, in the world a civil man is valued at an high rate, because the world is full of gross profaneness, and outrageous wickedness; but Civility is like the Cab of 2 Kin. 6. 25 Doves dung, or the ass' head: the latter was worth fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of the first valued at five pieces of silver; but it was because there was a famine in Samaria. This is that makes Civility rated so high in the world, but in itself it is worth nothing, and Formality in duties as little, though it amounts to as much as the Pharisees fasting twice a week, and praying thrice a day, and paying tithe of all that he hath. Notwithstanding all this, all God, I thank thee, I am not, etc. yet the poor wretch is poor, and miserable, and blind, and naked. All this must be left, and another righteousness sought and found, before the soul comes up to a desirable beauty. And thus I have showed what of our father's house, and our own people must be forgot. Let me come in the next place, to show you how, and how fare these things must be left and forgot; To that I answer. 1. Some of these must be absolutely forgot. The manners of our father's house, all sin and wickedness must be so forgot, Is. 55. 7. Let the wicked man forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, Hos. 14. 8. Ephraim shall say, what have I to do with Idols. There must be no willing purposed practice of any sin how dear soever, how accustomed soever, however acquired, how long soever lived in; the wicked man must forsake his way, the evil of our do must be put away; evil must be eschewed, so must sinful company too. 2. The rest of them must be secundum quid forgotten, in a great measure. Our relations must not be doted upon, our honours and worldly glory not hunted after, nor must our hearts be taken with them; we must not be lovers of pleasure, we must not rest in our righteousness, not dote upon it; our heat of affection to these things, the running out of our hearts to them, the fixing of our hearts upon them, this must be forgotten, etc. 3. Conditionally they must be forgotten. If they clash with Christ's commands, if our Relations would draw us from Christ, or retard our way to Christ; if in our acts of love to them we must forget the commands of Christ, that either we must not obey God in our places, or we must break with them, and not be thought to love them, in this sense they ought to be forgotten, yea, to be hated. Christ in this case called Peter Satan; this is Christ's command, Luk. 14. 26. If our honours and glory in the world would lie in the way, to keep us from stooping to Christ's command; and from thence our flesh it would fetch such conclusions as these, It is not fit for so great a person as you to have such strictness in duties, to be acquainted with such mean creatures (as many Saints are) to go to Church so often, to be at private meetingt so much, etc. In this case we must forget them. If our riches begin to stick to our heart, and to tempt our heart from God, that we cannot enjoy them, but our hearts will cleave to them, In such a case a Christian shall be a saver, if (as Crates threw his gold into sea, that he may study Philosophy) he also throw away his estate to study Jesus Christ. If our pleasures be such, as in the substance (if such shadows have any) are sinful, or draw away the heart too much from God, take up our Church-time, or family duty-time, or secret duty-time, etc. in such case they must be forgot too. 4. Comparatively they must be forgot. God must be greater than they in the throne of our heart, we must not love father, nor mother, nor daughter, nor wife, nor child, more than Christ. So Matthew expounds that place, Luk. 14. 26. in Matth. 10. 37. we must not be lovers of any pleasures more than of Christ, nor of house, or lands, or honour, or any piece of vanity under the Sun. This is plain, for we must love Christ with all our heart and soul; and though the second commandment be, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, yet it doth not say, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy Christ. 5. Lastly, In effect they must be forgot. Christian's must do as if they had no relations; they may rejoice, and buy, and sell, and purchase, and use the world, but mark how, it is in a forgetting manner, 1 Cor. 7. 30. they that rejoice must be as if they rejoiced not, and they that buy as if they possessed not, and they that use the world as if they used it not. Christian's may be called by their titles of Rabbi, and my Lord, and Madam; but while they are so, they must have a scornful, low, slight, esteem of these swelling words of vanity, not despising the meanest of God's Saints, but ready in honour to prefer them above themselves, and accounting the title of Christian, of a servant of God, to be a greater title of honour than worldly dignities can invest them with. And now I have finished my first task in the explication of the doctrine, in which I have showed you, what of our father's house must be forgotten. 2. How fare we must forget it. The second thing I propounded, was to show you how that soul is beautiful, with what beauty the soul is beautiful that thus forgets its own people, and its father's house. This I shall show you, 1. Negatively. 2. Positively. 1. Not with a corporal beauty, this makes not the flesh beautiful. It adds no lustre to flesh and blood, possibly it may discolour that. 2. Not by a native beauty, no natural beauty. The beauty that will appear in the soul, upon this self denial, is not like the beauty of the face which appears after washing off dirt, which clouded nature's colours. 3. Not in the eye of the vain creature, nor in its own eyes. Ask a vain creature, he will tell you, that the leaving of vain dresses, and patches, and plaitinge of the hair, is the way to make the creature look like no body, to make it despised in the world, etc. and such a one perhaps loathes and abhors itself as a vile creature, Jo. 42. 6. Thus it shall not be beautiful, and it is no matter whether it be or no. But secondly such a soul shall be beautiful these three ways. 1. Imputatione, By the beauty of Christ put upon it; see for this that notable place, Ezech. 16. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. Then wast thou decked with silver and gold, and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work.— and thou wert exceeding beautiful.— And thy renown went forth amongst the heathen for thy beauty, for it was perfect through the comeliness which I had put upon thee (saith the Lord God.) Christ makes the reflection of his beauty to be cast upon such a soul, and it becomes beautiful through his comeliness; the souls doing these things, doth not make it spiritually any more than corporally beautiful, but (they being done) it becomes comely through Christ's comeliness, comely through a comeliness that is put upon it, that's the first way. Secondly, It is beautiful, 2. Through Christ's Aceeptation, Of free grace; Christ said to the young man in the 19 of Matth. Sell all thou hast, etc. and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, not thou shalt earn it, but thou shalt have it. Christ accepts the soul as beautiful, and accounts the soul as beautiful, that for his sake will forget its own people, and its father's house, Cant. 4. 1. Behold, thou art fair (my love) behold, thou art fair, thou hast doves eyes, etc. 3. Such a soul is beautiful, though not in the world's eyes, yet in the Saints eyes; The world will hate and despise them, but the Saints will love and value them, Cant. 6. 1. the Daughters of Jerusalem say unto the spouse, whither is thy beloved gone, O thou Fairest amongst women, the daughters of Jerusalem, the Saints, account such a soul beautiful. It may be that she may call herself black, the greatest of sinners, and the least of Saints, yea, and the world may so call her; but those that are godly shall esteem her comely, and the King shall desire her beauty. And that leads me to the last particular in the explication of the Doctrine. 3. What is the meaning of that phrase, The King shall desire thy beauty. 1. Generally. It is a speech according to the manner of men, Gen. 4. 7. it is said of the husband toward the wise, Unto thee shall be his desire. And we meet with that phrase, Deut. 21. 11. when thou seest amongst the Captives a beautiful woman, and thy desire shall be towards her, to make her thy wife. 2. But more particularly, I think the true meaning of the phrase may be understood in these particulars. First of all it implies, That the Lord Jesus Christ shall discover and see an excellency in such a soul; we can desire nothing, but we shall first discover some excellency in it. Now the Lord discovers an excellency in such a soul; he shall eye such a soul as an excelling soul, as a lovely soul, worthy of him (though not through its own worthiness) and suitable for him. 2. It implies, That the Lord Jesus Christ shall love such a soul, discovering in it a suitable excellency; he shall love it, his heart will be ravished with it, Cant. 4. 9 Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse, thou hast ravished my heart. Christ's affections will be drawn out to a soul that so forgets itself, his heart will be melting towards it, and on fire for it; there must first be a love in the soul to the object, before the heart be drawn forth to covet an union with it. 3. It implies, That the Lord Christ will in his heart prefer such a soul; when a man's desire is towards a particular woman, to make her his wife, he prefers her above other women; his desire is not to her sex, but to her, to her rather than ten thousand others. The Lord's desire shall be towards such a soul, As you have heard described to you, that he will prefer her above ten thousand of his creatures, though the Lord sees thousands of his creatures, hundreds in a congregation, that the world dotes upon, some for their fair faces, and on others for their brave parts, this Eliab and the other Shammah; yet the Lord that sees all, and can judge best, lets Eliab and Shammah pass, and fixeth his eye upon this self denying (in the world) despised creature, and upon it he fixeth his heart, and prizeth such a soul above all the other trumperies and kickshaws of beauty. The Lord culls out such a soul, his desire is towards her, she is the Esther he picks out, and such a soul is more preferred in Christ's eye, than this witty man or woman, or that gallant, this Lord or that Lady, Christ hath no desire to them, but to this soul his desire is. 4. It implies, That Jesus Christ will endeavour and effect an union, and enjoy such a soul; what is the meaning of that phrase, the man's desire shall be to his wife, but he shall desire to be joined in marriage to her, that they may be no longer twain, but one flesh? and if his desire be towards her, and it be a feasible thing he will effect it, if she consent and friends consent, etc. The Lord's desire shall be to the soul, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ shall endeavour, yea, and unite himself to effect an union with such a soul, he shall woo it, yea, and she shall yield, for when he works who can let him? Christ will marry himself to such a soul, make a marriage covenant, and tie himself in a marriage bond to it; for though in man desire may be frustrated, so that desire and enjoyment are two things, yet it is necessarily to be understood in Christ's desiring, whose power is such, that he shall not need starve his desire longer than he pleaseth. 5. It implies, That the Lord Jesus Christ will court near communion with such a soul; mark how he speaks to the Spouse, Cant, 2. 14. O my Dove, that art in the clefts of the rocks, in the secret places of the stairs, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance comely; he will not only have communion, but he will covet communion with such a soul; he will desire to have it draw nigh, and dwell in his presence, to have it come near him in a duty, in an ordinance, etc. 6. Lastly, He will love such a soul with a constant and inseparable love, it is said, The King shall desire thy beauty, he shall desire it, and never cease desiring of it, he shall for ever desire thy beauty. And thus I have opened to you all the three terms, now I come to the second task. As I have gone along in opening the generals in several particulars, I have proved the Doctrine that it is so. But may some say, what ground is there that the Lord Jesus Christ should desire this of every soul that he will love and marry and have communion with, that it should thus forsake its own people, and its father's house? why should Christ hold the soul to this hard meat? I shall therefore in the next place show you the reasons of it: And there is a very great deal of Reason for it. 1. Because it is the very law of marriage, Gen. 2. 24. Therefore shall a man forsake father and mother, and cleave to his wife. The Lord Christ marries himself to the soul. It is written, I will betrothe thee unto me; yea, I will betrothe thee unto me: for this cause the soul shall forsake its own people, and its father's house, and shall cleave to its Christ; for this cause because the soul is married, or about to marry to the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore must look to do as married persons use to do, leave all for their husband. 2. A second reason is, because while the soul lives at home with its own people, and at its father's house, it cannot be beautiful nor desirable. Our own people are a filthy people, our father's house a nasty house; the soul while it hath left that cannot be beautiful nor desirable. The most beautiful creature you know, if she be brought up by sluttish people (as we say) and goes in a filthy habit, there is a cloud cast over her beauty. So it is with a soul, while it hath left its sins and vain company, and pride, and ambition, and pleasures, and riches, and self-righteousness, it cannot be beautiful in Christ's eyes. Now beauty is the attractive of the soul, the soul must see a beauty, in that, which it lets out itself to in desiring: let that be a second reason. 3. Because there cannot be a cleaving to Christ, unless there be a parting with these. Christ requires the highest love of our souls, it is the first commandment you know (with our Saviour's gloss upon it) Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and all thy soul. Hence Christ tells us, no man can serve two masters, you cannot serve God and Mammon; that soul that will hug sin must hate God; that soul that will be a companion of Jesus Christ, and a companion of Saints, must not be a companion of sinners, for what fellowship hath Christ with Belial, righteousness with unrighteousness, light with darkness, the temple of God with Idols, and so the rest? Your soul cannot love two thengs with an highest love. 2. You cannot in heart truly cleave to two contraries. There is a third reason, especially if you consider, 4. That God is a jealous God: you meet with the phrase often, and given as a reason, why they should do this or that, For the Lord thy God is a jealous God. Jealousy is a passion in the soul, non patience consortium in re amatà (saith Aquinas) that will not endure, or that makes the soul that it will not endure any sharing in the object beloved. The woman that hath a jealous husband must leave all her old companions. Christian, thy God is a jealous God, if therefore thou wouldst have him desire thy beauty, if thou wouldst have him care for thee, thou must forget thine own people, and thy father's house. I will add but one reason more. Lastly, 5. Because It is the will of Christ. It was the Apostles precept, that wives should obey their husbands. Now self denial is a great piece of Christ's command. It is his first request, He that will be my Disciple let him deny himself; self denial is the first of Christianity. He that hath not learned this, hath not learned the A, B, C, of Christianity, not so much as the Christ-cross row, as you call it. Here should be reason enough if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, [he hath said so] was enough in Pythagoras his school, to put the business past disputing amongst his scholars, I am sure it should be much more in Christ's school, we will therefore inquire no further reason for it. Let me now come to application. I shall apply it, by way 1. Of Instruction. 2. Of Examination. 3. Of Consolation. 4. Of Exhortation. Use 1 Instr. It may serve to instruct us in the truth of several Positions, I will only pick out some few. 1. It may instruct us, That the most part of the world, yea, of those that the world most esteems of, and sets the highest rate and value upon, are poor, indesirable, uncomely wretches, in the eyes of Jesus Christ. Christ's eye sees not as man's eye seethe, man seethe beauty, where Christ seethe none; man seethe a desirableness, where Christ's eye seethe none; man dotes upon what Christ cares not for; man calleth the proud blessed, but the Lord's soul abhorreth them; they have not yet left their own people, and their father's house. You see many a gallant strut it in the world, and who but they are the people of fashion (as you call them) the glory, the beauty of the world, every one admires them, etc. many that in respect of their wisdom, or parts, or behaviour, and civility, are the desire of those amongst whom they live, and there is not one in ten of all these that the Lord Jesus Christ hath any desire too; they are poor, uncomely, indesirable creatures in Christ's eyes, notwithstanding all their honour, and greatness, and nobility, notwithstanding all their beauty, whether natural or artificial, borrowed from the Painter or Taylor, notwithstanding all these Christ seethe no excellency in them at all. The vain creature dotes, Christ scorns; the vain creature loves, Christ sees no loveliness in them, but looketh upon them black with the soot of hell, eyes their countenance, all blots, and their souls too, the vain creature prefers them: there's many a poor creature that lives in a cottage, that is at an higher rate in Christ's thoughts; the poor worm's soul is carried out to desire matches, an union and a communion. with them. Jesus Christ scorns them, and hath no desire either to any union, or to enjoy any communion with them: Christ saith of such vain creatures, There go poor wretches that my soul loathes, I am sick of them, ashamed of them as my creatures; And is this nothing to you? O you sons and daughters, is this nothing to you? it vexeth you to think that you live in a place where none desires you, and if you were gone none would lament you: It was an untoward character of an unworthy Emperor; & is it no trouble to you to think I live not desired, not cared for of Jesus Christ? Zeph. 2. 1. The Lord calls his people to repentance under this notion; Gather together, O nation not desired. O that it might call you to some serious thoughts, vain creatures! you are people not desired of the Lord Jesus Christ, as uncomely, and despised in his eyes, as you are beautiful, and admired in the eyes of men; nay, and more, and let me tell you in your ears, and (oh that it may make your hearts rend, and your ears tingle) if you be not desired of him here, you shall never enjoy him, nor be enjoyed of him bereafter. Haman was such a poor wretch, the King had ennobled him, every hat and knee did him homage, and took notice of the King's respects to him, at last he came to the gibbet; have a care poor creatures else, though you compass yourselves about with sparks, poor sparks of friends, honours, riches, pleasures; sparks that will extinguish as quickly as rise, yet this, and only this, you shall have at the Lords hand, you shall lie down in sorrow, everlasting sorrow; you shall lie down in hell. It is an ill place to leave you in, but the Lord pluck you as firebrands out of the burning. I pass on. 2. From what you have heard you may be instructed, which way the way to heaven lies; and 2. That it is no easy way, we are all pilgrims and strangers here, we were bred so, our fathers were so. Now the journey's end which all pretend to (though the most ride backward) the coast which all say they are bound for (which way soever their compass guides them) is Heaven, this is omnibus in Voto, though few so run that they may obtain. But hath any blind or misled traveller a mind to know the way? Is any poor soul startled this day? doth hellfire flash in any of your faces, and are you crying out, Sir, What shall we do to be saved? which way lies our way to heaven? Learn hence, that the next way to heaven is not the beaten road, but quite cross Natures-fields, and so through the long street of selfe-deniall, and up the mountain of holiness, at the top of which you shall see God; it lies over hedge and ditch, over rocks and mountains: you must leave your youth sins as you go on your right hand, your education and custom sins on your left hand, your beloved sins behind you; if your father, or mother, or husband, or wife, or brother, or sister, or child lie in your way, you must make no halts, but over their necks; if all your vain acquaintance, your drunken, swearing, wanton companions, stand of each side and because you another way, you must decline their invitation and go quite cross; you must tread upon all your glory and pomp, and greatness; you must avoid the mountain of Gold, and the rocks of Pearl; you must take heed of the pleasant brook of carnal and vain pleasures; avoid your dancing, and painting, and patching, and decking yourselves: In short, you must put yourself in an habit fit to carry a cross, This is the next way to heaven. And now I need not tell you in the second place, That straight is the way, and narrow is the gate that leads to everlasting life, and few there be that find it. By this time you will know, that if you will go to heaven you must go like, and with, very few in this age of wantonness and dotage. By this time you will easily guess sinners are out of the way, and proud men are out of the way; those that glory in riches, and worldly greatness, are out of the way; the careless daughters of Zion, that stretch out their necks, and mince it as they go, are out of the way; the selfe-righteous men are out of the way. Ah Lord! who are in it? Heaven is a difficult journey, it is an hard way to find, it is hard to flesh and blood to do these things. It was the Martyr's speech, that the cross way was the way to heaven. The way to heaven is astrait way, no dancing way, dancers must have the elbowroome of hell-road; they that will walk in this straight way must crowd, they must not think to walk thither in state; no, they must crowd, and never be afraid of wrimpling a neat handkerchief or cuff, it is not opus pulvinaris (said one) but pulveris, you shall be sure to meet with all the opposition that nature can make, all the forces of flesh and blood, and all the forces the devil can add; who then shall be saved? even those that God hath appointed to life, those to whom the Lord shall give such an heart as I have told you, straight is the way, and few there be that find: If you will have a broader way you may, Mat. 7. 13, 14. but than you must not look for the same journey's end. The Lord give you hearts to consider it, and fear to tremble at it. 3. And from hence thirdly, you may be instructed, that it must be something more than nature that must make a poor soul beautiful, and desirably beautiful in Jesus Christ's eyes. It must neither be natural beauty will do it, nor yet natural parts; no, nor nature's glory, nor the best of nature, natural righteousness, Matth. 5. 20. It must be something more than flesh and blood, yea, something more than flesh and blood can help us with. But I pass over this. 4. From hence fourthly, you may be instructed, What an infinite love the Lord Jesus Christ hath loved his Saints with, 1 Joh. 3. 1. Behold (saith the Apostle) with what manner of love the father hath loved you with, that you should be called the sons of God. Here he says, harken O Daughter; the Daughter of a King is honourable, but the daughter of the King of Kings is much more honourable. But (if I may say it) here seems to be a degree of love beyond it, the King's wife is more honourable than the King's daughter. Behold therefore (O ye upright in heart) with what manner of love the Lord Jesus Christ hath loved you, that he should desire your beauty; not only love you, but if uncomely, poor wretches, make you beautiful, according to that, Ezech. 16. 13, 14. nay, not only so, but desire your beauty; not only like it, but desire it; O love! infinite love! when David sent his servants to let Abigail know that he desired her beauty, mark how she admires at it, 1 Sam. 25. 41. she arose and bowed herself on the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant, to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord, Do you hear this news, O ye daughters of men? do you hear this news? that the King of glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, that hath no need of you, that is infinitely above you, hath sent me this day to tell you, that he desires your beauty. Rise up, O ye Saints, bow yourselves, and say, Let us be servants to wash his feet, etc. Let us be the doorkeepers of his house, his meanest servants. No Christians, you shall be his sons and daughters: Nay, harken O daughters, here's more for you, The King desires your beauty; Spell this love at leisure, and now w●sh your souls, follow after Jesus Christ, study it with your most serious thoughts, live to it with strictest lives. What conversation becometh the gospel? what manner of persons should you be? Fellow on, make haste and rise, and follow him, singing, crying, as you go, O the height, and depth, the incomprehensible height! the unfadomable depth of love wherewith the Lord Jesus Christ hath loved sinners, before the beginning of the world, etc. And lastly. 5. Can you learn a less result from hence than this, that Saints selfe-denying, despised Saints, are happy creatures; Terque quaterque beati, blessed again, and again. Surely you have not heard me all this while, but you are preventing me in the words of the Psalmist. Happy are the people that are in such a case; yea, blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God; we may say of them, O nimium dilectis Deo, creatures strangely beloved of their God, strangely happy in this, that the King should desire their beauty. Let the world scorn one, let them put out the finger and bark at the moon, let them mock puritanism, let the way of holiness be every where spoken against, pro hominum arbitrio, let them talk, so long as you gain; you dance before the ark though Michal mock out at the window: You shall be more beautiful, the more vile they think you; it is for the King's sake, that hath desired your beauty and scorned theirs; for the King's sake, that hath chosen you to obtain everlasting life through Jesus Christ, but hath ordained them to wrath, and neglected their beauty. One would not think now, that these creatures that ravish Christ's heart, should offend worldlings eyes so much: surely Christ should have no judgement, if these were the contemptible ones of the earth, the unlovely creatures. Well well, Christians, let them mock on, after the way which they call simplicity and foolery, moping; etc. worship thou the God of thy fathers; thou shalt have thy pleasures, when they shall have torments; thou shalt have thy crown and honour, when the pride of their glory shall be stained, and that shall lie in the dust. These children of vanity forget what Abraham (though something too late to do him good) advised their brother to remember, Luk. 16. 25. That in their life time they received good things, and those precious Lazarus'es', evil things, but yet a little while and you shall be comforted, and they tormented; yet a little while and you shall be honoured, and they shall be cursing the womb that bore them, and the paps that gave them suck, cursing the honour that ruin'd them, the pleasures that damned them, the worldly glory which hath made them inglorious for ever; yet a little while and instead of their sweet smells they shall have the stinks of fire and brimstone, and instead of their girdles rentings of heart for ever, instead of their well-set hair they shall have baldness; they shall spend more time in rending and tearing their hair, than ever they did in curling or powdering it. Yet a little while, and instead of their stomachers, they shall have girdings with sackcloth, & everlasting burn instead of their present beauty. But blessed shall you be, for you shall shine like the Sun in the firmament of the father, for the King hath desired your beauty. I have at last done with my first use of Instruction: I proceed now to a second, and that shall be of examination. Use. 2 Are you willing now to know, Christians, whether Jesus Christ cares for you yea or no? whether you be desirable in his eyes yea or no? heaven and hell hang upon this thing; Try whether you have forgotten your own people, and your father's house. The most men and women are afraid of the touchstone, and are willing rather to take heaven for granted, though they find hell for certain; but this is not safe with you. Try yourselves then (Christians) I will help you a little in so good a work. 1. If you have forgotten your father's house, you have (first) seen a great deal of folly and vanity in it: Man is a reasonable creature, and will never leave any thing, but he will see some cause to leave it. Did the Lord ever yet convince you throughly, not with a notional, but an heart conviction of the folly of your father's house? Did the Lord ever throughly convince you of your evil ways, the sins of your natures, the customary sins of your lives, of your education sins, and your beloved sins? Had you ever a through conviction of the vanity of your evil company, the vanity of your pleasures and carnal delights? Did your souls ever taste a real bitterness in them? if not, I fear me you have not left them. 2. Have you had another excellency discovered to your souls? Had your souls ever yet a real discovery made to you of the excellency of the ways of holiness, these ways that you once hated? Do you now see a beauty, a glory in them, so much that you can even stand, and hold up your hands and admire, that you should be blind so long? A present pleasant thing will scarce be left, but upon a discovery of, and an obtaining of something more excellent. Christians, under what notion do you look upon Christ, and his ways? Do you look upon them as excellent, the ways of strictness, as excellent, sanctifying a Sabbath, praying, the frequenting of the communion of Saints? Do you look upon them as excellent? If you do not, I fear me, you but cheat yourselves with a conceit, that you have forgot your father's house. 3. If you have parted with them I am afraid it cost you some tears, you did not part with so many friends with dry eyes; friends cannot ordinarily pats without tears, but your weeping hath not been such a weeping if it hath been true; it hath not been, because you have parted with them, but because you abode with them so long; it hath for measure been like the mourning of him that hath lost his only begotten son, Zach. 12. 10. but not upon the same account, not because you must now part with them, but because you embraced them so long. See the effects of godly sorrow, 2 Cor. 7. 11. it worketh carefulness and indignation, etc. Were your souls ever in such a true bitterness for sin, that it wrought in thee an indignation against yourselves; that you could even eat your own flesh, to think you should ever have been such a vain, wanton wretch, such a proud sinner as you have been? This is a good sign you and your father's house are parted, and that at the parting you sorrowed after a godly sort. 4. If ever you truly parted with it, both at the parting, and since too, you have found something to do with your own spirit, some struggle and combatings with yourself. Before you parted you were at a dispute with your souls; shall I leave this or that corruption, or shall I not? and since you have been at some debates with your spirit, shall I go home again? shall I return to such a vomit? to such a wallowing in the mire? even Paul himself found the law in his members warring against the law of his mind, and bringing him into captivity to the law of sin, Rom. 7. 23. the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these contrary one to another, Gal. 5. 17. I dare almost say, that that soul never conquered sin, that is not yet in combat with it; never truly overcame it, that is not still in combat; never yet forgot its father's house, that hath not some strong inclinations, sometimes to be going to its old home again, and sometimes finds not that it hath something to do to keep his heart from (a second time) embracing what it hath been once ashamed of. 5. Do you make Christ all your delight, and your sole delight? is he to you solus desideria, & totus desideria? Are your hearts taken more with Christ than with all the world besides, and so taken with your husband, that nothing of him, nor from him, displeaseth you? can you be content with Christ alone, and say with David to the Lord, Thou art my portion? could you quest all things else for him? and is there nothing of him but seems lovely to you? do his strictest laws seem excellent to you? Is he excellent to you in the intent of his Kingly office, as well as in the comfort of his Priestly office? doth his very yoke seem easy, and his burden seem light to you? 6. Do you abide with Christ, as the wife abides with the husband, and the branch abides in the vine? every true branch abides in him, Joh. 15. 4. is your dwelling with him? or are you only religious by fits? the hypocrite may be so religions, but the Saint makes the Lord his dwelling place. Which is that which you count your home? the best of God's Saints may have some inclinations to vanity, and be sometimes trading with the world; Ah! but Christ is his home, Christ is his dwelling place; he thinks himself in a strange place, when he is not with Christ in duties of holy communion. Christian, which is thy element? Is your soul in its element, when it is conversing with things below Christ? that's an ill sign, by these things you may take a scantling of your own haarts. The Lord help you in applying these things to your souls. I proceed to a 3d use. Here's comfort to the Saints, joy to the upright in heart, especially 1. Against all the uncomeliness and indesireablenesse the Saint apprehends in himself. There's none so comely as the Saint in Christ's eyes, nor any so uncomely and ugly in their own eyes; Paul cries out, O wretched man that I am, Rom. 7. 24. and again, I am as one borne out of due time, the least of the Apostles, not worthy to be called an Apostle, 1 Cor. 15. 8, 9 It is an usual account the Saints give of themselves, ah wretched creatures, poor indesireable wretches, hardhearted sinners, vile persons, etc. Be of good cheer Christian, The King hath desired thy beauty; thou art black in thine own eyes, but comely in Christ's eyes: Black in respect of thy merit, but comely in respect of imputation; comely through the comeliness that he hath put upon you. Secondly, 2. Here's comfort against all the dirt the world casts upon you, all the uncomeliness they conceit in you; who so despicable creatures in the eyes of the world, as those men and women whom the Lord delights to honour? these are the despised ones; upon the backs of these it is that the Plowers blow, and make long furrows; they are the upright in heart, that they privily bend their bow to shoot at, against these are the puttings out of the fingers, and the liftings up of the hands; upon these are laid all the scoffs of the ungodly, and through their weakness the barkings of these dogs sometimes trouble them. But Christians, hath not the King desired your beauty? the beauty that these wretches are so blind they cannot see. Hath not the King desired it? Is it in Christ's eyes, and despised in their eyes? which is the best judge, think you? is it not enough for you, that you please your husband? 3. Here's comfort for you, not only against all their scoffs, but against all their low esteem of you. David saith, I am small, and of no reputation. Christ was accounted the least in the kingdom of Heaven; he was the stone which the bvilders refused. A man of no fashion in the world, who cared for him? did any of the Pharisees believe on him? The wife, you know, takes her honour from her husband, and usually, if he be accounted one of no fashion, she is not valued at a very high rate; Saints, though they be indeed the world's pillars, yet in the vulgar estimate they are the world's burdens; and where ever they live, they usually live at a low rate in worldlings desires, if any (of note before) turn puritan, he loseth his rate in the world's thoughts presently, the Gentleman loseth his honour, the Lady her repute; but it is because their prisers have lost their wit, and their eyes, and it need not much trouble a Saint, for Christ desires their beauty still: They have put themselves out of the world's reckoning, and heightend themselves in Christ's esteem. Despise on (fools) the King hath desired these soul's beauty, Ah! but will a poor misdoubting Christian say, I am afraid they have a true object of laughter in me. I am afraid I have not that beauty, but am a painted sepulchre; were I but convinced, that I had indeed truly forgot my father's house, and that the Lord Christ had indeed desired my beauty, I could nail their scoffs to my heels, and mourn over their gallant follies: But I fear. 1 Obj. Alas! I am going home to my father's house ever and anon, I am ready to yield to temptations, ready to fall into sin; yea, and the Lord pardon me, I fall seven times a day. If I had forgot my father's house, should I have such inclinations to go home? would my heart draw so hard for vanity, as it doth sometimes? should I sinne so often, etc. I answ. 1. Which way stands your affection? your heart you say bends that way, but which way stands your affection? do you take pleasure in such inclinations? have you a good mind to sin, if you durst? to return to your old vanities, if you durst? only you durst not, that's an ill sign. But upon such inclinations, doth there presently arise a loathing in your souls? do you say, Get thee behind me Satan, that's a good sign, that though you be invited by a temptation of vain company, or the Devil, etc. yet you have truly forgotten your father's house. 2. You go home sometimes you say, it may be you fall into some of your former vain courses, and are with some of your vain companions. But I pray, What do you when you are in your father's house? are you pleased with your vanities, or with the vanities of your friends? or do you spend your time in chiding? It may be your heart sometimes declines to some vanity, or you are sometimes in converse with vain persons. Are you one with vanity, one with sinners? or do your spirits rise against yourselves, and against the vanities of those with whom you are? What indignation is wrought? if any, you may have forgot your father's house, for all this going home. 3. You go home sometimes you say. But I pray, How long do you stay there? Is sin your trade? Do you live in known sins? this indeed will argue your profession but hypocrisy. But (on the contrary) though you fall through weakness, yet do you rise through grace; though you sin sometimes, yet is sin as David's concupiscence, called a stranger in the Parable. Thus the best Saints have sinned, yea, and may sinne; not of wilfulness, but of weakness; not trading in sin, nor lying in it, but falling into it, and rising by repentance. 2. Obj. Ah! but will another Christian say, I cannot deny myself in the company of my father's house, wretch that I am. I got acquaintance when I was young with vain persons, or I am related to such, and I dare not say, but I love their company, and oft times leave better for them; neither can I deny myself in my relations. My heart is excessively let out after them. 1. Thou sayest thou art oft times yet a companion of vain persons, but consider (Christian) are they thy invited guests, or accidental merely? are they intruders, or are they the welcome crmpanions of thy life? are they thy picked company or no, thy intimates, or merely companions in respect of thy trade, and converse with the world? If thou delightest not in them, they indeed are sometimes thy companions, but thou art not theirs. 2. Art thou a companion with them in sin, or only in civil actions, or for discourse, etc. sometimes? if the first indeed it is a sign thou hast not left thy father's house; but if the latter only, it is no such sign, thou keepest thy course, they come to thee, and it may be disturb thee, but thou dost not go to them. 3. Thou sayest thou lovest them. But it would be considered, Whether thy love be merely natural or more? It may be thou lovest them because they are witty people, or of ingenuous dispositions. Thus Christ loved the young man, Matth. 19 and thus thou mayest love them. It is an ill sign, if thou lovest them, because they will drink, or swear, or be vain and wanton in their discourse or carriages. 4. Thou sayest thou lovest thy relations, and thou canst not deny thyself in them, thy heart is so glued to them, etc. and God forbidden but thou shouldst love them, 1. with a natural affection, it's a sign of a wretch, Rom. 1. 31. to be without natural affection, and 2. with a providential love and care; he that provides not for his family (saith the Apostle) is worse than an infidel. But 1. Suppose Christ should call thee to suffer for him, and thou hadst a good mind to it, and they should plead hard for thee to spare thyself; wouldst thou with Hierom shake off thy father, and mother, and children, and run to Christ? this would be a sign thou hadst for-got them, Though thou lovest them. 2. Notwithstanding that thou lovest them, wouldst thou favour them in any sin against God, and only lukewarmely reprove them, like old Elie? It is not well done of you, O my sons, because thou lovest them: wilt thou rather let them dishonour God, damn their own souls, do any thing, rather than reprove, or smite them? this love indeed is a real hatred, and will argue little love to God in thy soul. But on the contrary, though thou lovest them with the tenderest love, & wilt provide for them with the most providential care; yet is thy love so truly tempered, that it shall not in the least hinder thee from doing thy duty to Christ; no, nor yet from doing thy duty to them; from reproving sharply, admonishing severely? is thy love such, that it shall not blind thy eyes, so as thou wilt wink at the least neglect of duty in them, not at the least sinin them? Love them then as well as thou canst, it shall be no sad evidence against thy soul, otherwise (Parents look to it) your children will curse you another day for your love to them: you have heard of killing with kindness; let the kind of death be never so sweet, yet the death will be bitter. Take heed not of killing the bodies (alas, that were nothing) but of damning your children's souls, and your own too, with miscalled kindness. 3 Obj. But will another Christian say, I have not forgot my honour and glory, I am not low enough, I fear, to get in at heaven's gate. I answer first. 1. This is like the melancholy conceit of her, that a Divine of our own speaks of; of a woman that conceited, she was so fat, she could not get to heaven; it is the lowness of mind that God looks at, Lords and Ladies, if their hearts be not as high as their titles, may sit in heaven as well as meaner persons. I do not say, they shall have chairs of state set for them, but they may have a room there; it may be one or two may sit above them (if there be degrees in glory) that gave them place here: but as Master Rutherford says, the least place in Heaven is Heaven, though it be behind the door. But secondly, 2. Is not thy outward Pomp and glory that which thou affectest, and delightest in it, and huntest after? Does not thy title tickle thy ear, nor swell thy heart, if not, it can do thee no hurt? all the fear of those swelling things is, lest they should breed tympanies in the soul. 3. Do you look upon the title of the servant of Jesus Christ, the title of Christian, as the fare more honourable title? Are you of Theodosius his temper, which would you rather choose, to be called my Lord, or Madam, or to be called the servant of Christ; which do you prefer? if the latter, it is a sign you have forgot the former, though you retain it. 4. Is your outward greatness and pomp no snare to your soul in the ways of God? Great persons are too ready to think they are above prayers, above hearing, above mean Saints; should such one's as they pray in their families; no, let their boy do it? should they pray in secret, and run up and down to lectures? O no (forsooth) it is a dishononour to them (Heaven was made, I confess, for the most part, for people of lesser quality, 1 Cor. 1. 26, 27. James 2. 5.) should such as they go to private meetings? no, better go to a tavern, there they shall only foul their souls, but keep their clothes clean. But now, hath the Lord given thee another spirit? it is true, thou art great, but thy greatness is no such snare to thy soul; thou canst pray for all thy greatness, and hear sermons, and kneel in a duty for all thy silk stockings, and entertain communion with the meanest Saint; yea, and for a need prefer a leather doublet in honour before thyself. Though thou be'st great it seems thou hast forgot it. 4 Obj. Ah, but will a Christian say, I am so addicted to mirth, and pleasure; I must have my vagary, and tickle my sense sometimes, etc. 1 Answ. Christian, dost thou love thy pleasures more than thy God, that indeed were something? art thou more pleased with hearing a song, than hearing a sermon? this sounds high. But love God best, and for aught I know, thy eye (for thy recreation) may be delighted in seeing, and thy ear with hearing too. 2 Answ. Wilt thou balk an opportunity of communion with Christ, or with his Saints, for a vain pleasure? Wilt thou be a loser in thy heart, to gain a little pleasure for thine eye, or ear, or any sense? wilt thou miss a family duty, an opportunity of hearing God's word privately or publicly, thy time of secret duty, a time of communion with the Saints to wait upon thy pleasure? In such a case I would have thee suspect thy heart, otherwise thou mayest recreate thyself with them, and yet have forgotten them. 3 Answ. Suppose thy pleasures have been such, and are such, as are in themselves sinful, as wantonness, drunkenness, etc. Dost thou love them so, that thou wilt have them whether God will or no? thou wilt break with God to enjoy thy lust; this is an ill, and a very ill sign. But possibly thy pleasures are such as God allows thee (temperately used) if such, thou mayest so use them, and yet the King desire thy beauty. I have finished this branch of application, I have but one word more to add: It shall be of Use. 4 Exhortation. Let me now persuade with you Christians; And (oh that the Lord would help me to persuade) 1. with you, who have not at all yet forgot your father's house, and so consequently, your beauty is not at all desirable to Christ. 2. With you that have begun to do well; I have a word to both sorts, 1 Br. Is there, alas, is there any poor soul before me this day, whose heart smites him, and tells him, that his soul is not at all yet desirable in the eyes of Jesus Christ? is there any poor creature so sadly miserable? possibly the world dotes on you for beauty, wit, parts, behaviour, etc. but in the mean time, do your souls, tell you in plain English, that you are despised in Christ's eyes. As though God did beseech you by me, I pray you in Christ's stead be reconciled to God. Ah poor soul, wouldst thou be desired of Jesus Christ? Harken then O daughter and consider, and incline your care, forget thy own people, and thy father's house. I know I am pleading with you for an hard thing, especially for you that have all the world at will: But I beseech you by the love you bear to your precious souls, which shall last for ever; do it, ah do it. I had need now have the Rhetoric of an Angel, yea, if I had; yet God must persuade Japhet to come and dwell in the tents of Shem. Let me offer but a few considerations, and venture at a persuading of you, and leave the issue with God. 1. Consider, How will you live when your father's house fails you? for the present it is a full house, and you live, as we say, as well as a carnal heart would wish; you have pleasures, and honours, and riches, even what you would ask: the colour is in your cheeks, and the marrow in your bones. But will this last always? doth not the fashion of this world pass away? and will not the fashion of your bodies pass away? what will you do in that day of your visitation? These things may last a while, till God comes to keep a Court in your Conscience, or he summons you to a particular judgement, or lays you upon your back in a bed of affliction, or comes to his last judgement: But in any of these days (poor creature) what will't thou do? when thy perfumed body shall come to stink in the nostrils of men, thy soul shall be more loathed of God; a future livelihood would be thought of, This will persuade a virgin to marry sometimes. But besides. 2. Christian, Dost thou know the joys of a married life to Christ? dost thou put no difference betwixt being a bondslave to hell, and one free in Jesus Christ; betwixt the enjoying the communion of the children of the Devil, and enjoying the communion of Saints? no difference betwixt enjoying the common on of devils, in everlasting torments, and the communion of God, Angels, and Saints, in the highest Heavens, where eye hath not seen, nor hath ear heard, nor can it enter into the heart of man, to conceive what things God hath prepared for them that love him? now (if thy conscience be not seared) thou hast ever and anon some flashes of hell in thy face. The merriest sinner of you all, I believe is not always free. Is there no difference betwixt that condition, think you, and a peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost? Now, you never lie down in your beds, but (if you dare look back, and consider how you have spent the day) your soul is stricken with terror, and there is a dart almost struck through your liver, and you dare not let your souls feed upon the thoughts, but are glad to shuffle it over, for fear you run mad; but if your souls would but forget these vanities, ah, how sweetly would you sleep; and when you had spent a day in duties of hearing or praying, how sweetly would your souls look back upon it. Now if you were not rocked into a sleep of damnation, you would scarce lie down to sleep, but you would fear lest you should wake in the morning with hell flames about your ears; nor walk in the day, but (like the selfe-accused murderer) your eye would be over your shoulder, for fear the devil should be laying hold of you: than you would lie down in peace, and rise up in peace, and nothing would make you afraid. Is this world nothing Christian? ah, that the Lord would persuade you of this. Besides, 3. Consider (Christian) there is nothing in your father's house but you shall find in Christ, by a way of eminency. Must you forsake your sins, you shall be filled with the graces of the spirit of God? Must you forsake a little idle vain company, you shall have the communion of Saints, yea, a fellowship with the father, and the son the Lord Jesus Christ? 1 Joh. 1. 3. Must you forget your pomp and glory, etc. you shall be called the sons and daughters of God, heirs, coheires with Christ? Rom. 8. Must you forget worldly riches, you shall have the riches of grace? Must you forget a few vain pleasures, you shall have a fullness of pleasures, at Christ's right hand, and that for evermore? Psal. 16. 11. Must you forget your own righteousness, you shall be clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ? what's lost by the exchange Christian? 4. Consider again, Christ forgot his father's house for you, and yet it was worth many of yours; he forgot the glory, the company, the pleasures of his father's house for you; he was content, for you, to be a companion of fishermen, yea, of sinners, yea, of thiefs, when he died upon the cross for you: this he did freely, he made himself of no reputation, he nothinged himself for you: Hark what the Apostle says, 2 Cor. 8. 9 you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor; that you through his poverty might be made rich. Let that melting love win you. Besides, 5. It is the way to be beautiful: what abundance of pains poor vain wretches take to be beautiful? surely this must move. Beauty is a desirable thing, the vain creatures of the earth would never else set nature with the heels upward, do any thing to obtain it; we should never else have so much precious time lost, and so many precious souls undone with paintings, and trim, patchings, and perfumings, and a thousand such apish tricks: but beauty is the idol of the world, to which the very soul shall be offered up in sacrifice, and when all this is done the soul is amiss, and the way to adorn that, is to undress all again. Hark, you that desire beauty, here's the way of beauty which you have not known; it is to deny yourselves in all these things, and whatsoever else is contrary to the law of Christ, or short of him; yea, and this, 6. Shall make you desirably beauteous, that Christ shall desire you, and the Saints shall desire you; this is the way to ravish his heart. But no more by way of motive, God must do all I know when I have spoke my utmost. I might tell you who it is will desire your beauty; It is the King of heaven, of glory, and peace; the King shall desire your beauty. If this, all this will not do, the Lord open your eyes, and then I am sure it will. But this is an hard work, and young ones especially had need of a great deal of help to it, and truly nature affords none, all is laid up in Christ only; In order to the getting of it from Christ, let me advise you; Dir. 1 First, With a serious eye to look upon your father's house, and see what there is in it desirable, that should so bewitch one that hath not outlawed his or her reason to it. Look seriously upon your sins, will you not see a filthiness in them? Look upon your vain company, be they what they will, will you not discern some sordidness or baseness in their actions? upon your honours and greatness, will they not appear bubbles? upon your pleasures, will they not appear shadows? You look upon these things as pictures, sideways, or at a distance; that makes you admire them, and run after them: come nearer to them, will they not look daubed with some uncomeliness or other? Will not the colours that looked so sweetly afar off, stink if you bring them near your nose? Let that be the first piece of advice. Dir. 2 While you enjoy these things, take heed of letting out your heart to them; rejoice as if you rejoiced not, and use the world as if you used it not; be not too much intent upon your father's house, converse not too much with any thing there; things of the world have a glutinous quality, the heart will cleave to them, if you let it lie very long amongst them; and if it once cleaves, there will be no ways, but either your heart must be sound rend upon the severing, or hellfire must part them. Dir. 3 Thirdly, Ah, Learn to live from your father's house betimes, take the wise man's counsel, it was after a large survey and discourse of every room, and the vanity of every room in our father's house, Eccl. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth; if rottenness enter into the bones, it will hardly ever out. You that are young, for the Lords sake think of this: Ah, come off your youthful vanities before they can plead custom with your souls, live from home betimes, believe it, there will be more weeping else when you come to part. Dir. 4 Lastly, Cry, cry mightily unto God, that he would take off your heart: Believe it, it must be his work, you will be wearied else in the multitude of your own endeavours; if the Lord draw off the heart, it will be drawn indeed. Be much in public prayer, but especially be much in secret prayer. I must conclude. 2. Br. Lastly, you that have been taught of the Lord to forget your father's house, that so the King might desire your beauty, Let me plead with you still to forget it more. Selfe-deniall is a long and hard lesson, a Christian must be learning it from his cradle to his grave, and every time he studies it he shall find something to be done that is yet behind, and all that he hath done to be done better: you have learned in part how to do it, I need not direct you, you need no other directions then 1. To study every day more and more the vanity of the creature. Read over the book of Ecclesiastes well, it is enough to teach you that lesson. 2. Converse little with your father's house, have as little to do with the world, the pleasures, or profits, or riches, or company, or manners of it as you can, the lesser the better. 3. Be more acquainted with Jesus Christ, get nearer to him, be more in communion with him, get more tastes of Heaven, Earth will relish the worse for it. I might press upon you the same motives I urged before, and I should do it with advantages; you know what this King is, how much to be desired, how much to be odored; you know what a difference there is betwixt the world's comeliness, and the comeliness which he putteth upon his Saints. Let me only urge one word, or rather name it: Some read the words, quia concupivit, Because the King hath desired thy beauty, here's an argument, an engaging argument to a Saint. The Lord hath effectually made it known in your souls, that he desires your beauty more than ten thousands of others. He hath whispered, not only in your ears, but in your heart, his desire to you. Ah, now Christians be you humble, selfdenying ones, because the King hath desired your beauty. Let the love of Christ constrain you, to order your hearts and conversations as becometh the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ: According to the laws of this King that hath so passionately desired, and so effecaciously declared his desire to your beauty. I must have done: The Lord add his blessing. FINIS.