Bsa s»i 9ft; °ffai^H| 4 ^ .. ■ HOH^HkyS: •<■-• £S$ ■ 4j— z_ LTBRARY Theological Seminary, ; PRINCETON, N.J. Case, .'■b. < ~~r. .P.'..'.'. 510 " •• Shelf, /'-/:, £.' cn ---- Book, !^.'.. ^ V. vhbu. z*^ $&£ \ NO CROSS, NO CROWN: • A DISCOURSE SHEWING THE % NATURE and DISCIPLINE O F T H E Holy Crofs of Chrift; AND THAT The Denial of Self, and daily bearing of Christ's Cross, is the alone Way to the Heft and Kingdom of God* TO WHICH ARE ADDED, The living and dying Teilimonies of many Perfons of Fame and Learning, both of ancient and modern Times, in Favour of this Troatife. IN TWO P A R T S. By W I L L I A M PENN. * And Jefus laid unto his Difciplcs ; If any man will come after me, let him deny 4 himfelf, and taketfrp hiscrols daily, and follow mc.' Luke iv. 23. * I have fought a good Fight, I have finiihed my Courfe, I have kept the Faith : * henceforth there is laid up for mc a C R O W N of Righteoufnefs,' &c. I Tim. iv. 7, 8. P II I L A D E L P H I i\: PRINTED BY BENJAMIN & JACOB JOHNSON, No. 147, HIGH-STREET.^, 1 THE PREFACE. Reader, THE great bufinefs of man's life is, to anfwer the end for which he lives ; and that is, to glorify God, and fave his own foul : this is the decree of heaven, as old as the world. But fo it is, that man mindeth nothing lefs than what he mould moll mind ; and de- fpileth to inquire into his own being, its original duty and end ; chooling rather to dedicate his days (the fteps he mould make to blellednefs) to gratify the pride, avarice, and luxury of his heart ; as if he had been born for himfelf, or rather given himfelf being, and fo not fubjeel: to the reckoning and judgment of a fu- perior power. To this wild and lamentable pafs, hath poor man brought himfelf, by his difobedience to the law of God in his heart, by doing that which he knows he mould not do, and leaving undone what he knows he fhould do. And as long as this difeafe continueth upon man, he will make his God his enemy, and him- ,felf uncapable of the love and falvation that he hath manifefted by his fon, Jefus Chrift, to the world. If, Reader, thou art lbch an one, my counfel to thee is, to retire into thyfelf, and take a view of the condi- tion of thy foul ; for Chrift hath given thee light with which to do it : fearch carefully and thoroughly ; thy life is upon it ; thy foul is at flake. It is but once to be done ; if thou abufeft thyfelf m it, the lofs is ir- reparable ; the world is not price enough to ranfi d \ hee : wilt thou then, for fuch a world, belate thyfelf, •- r- flay the time of thy falvation, and lofe thy foul ? Thou halt to do (I grant thee) with great patience ; but that alio mud have an end : therefore provoke not that God that made thee, to reject thee. Dofl thou know what it is ? It is Tophet, it is hell, the eternal anguifh of the damned. Oh ! Reader, as one knowing the terrors of The PREFACE. of the Lord, I perfuade thee to be ferious, diligent, and fervent about thy Ialvation ! aye, and as one know- ing the comfort, peace, joy -and pleafure of the ways of righieoufnefs too, 1 exhort and invite thee, to em- brace the reproofs and convictions of Chrift's light and fpirit in thine own conference, and bear the judgment, who hall wrought the fin. Ihe fire burns but the Hub- ble ; the wind blows but the chaff: yield up thy body, foul and fpirit, to him that maketh all things new; new heavens and new earth, new love, new joy, new peace, new works, a new life and converfation. Men are grown corrupt and d roily by fin, and they muft be faved through fire, which piirgeth it away 5 therefore the word of God is compared to a fire, and the day of Ial- vation to an oven ; and Chriil himfelf to a refiner of gold, and purifier of filver. Come, Reader, hearken to me a while ; I feek thy filvation : that is my plot ; thou wilt forgive me. A refiner is come near thee, his grace hath appeared to thee : it fhews thee the world's lulls, and teacheth thee to deny them. Receive his leaven, and it will change thee ; his medicine, and it will cure thee : he is as in- fallible as free ; without money, and with certainty. A touch of his garment did it of old; it will do it 11 ill ; his virtue is the fame, it cannot be exhaufted ; for in him the fulnefs dwells : blefTed be God for his fufnei- ency. lie laid help upon him, that he might be mighty to fave all that come to God through him :. do thou lb, and he will change thee : aye, thy vile body like unto his glorious body. He is the great philofopher indeed, the wifdom of God, that turns lead into gold, vile thiegs into things precious : for he maketh faints out ofiinners, and almoft gods of men. What refts to us then, that we mult do, to be thus witnefles of his pow- er and love ? '1 his is the down : but where is theCrois ? Where is the bitter cup and bloody baptifm ? Come, Reader, be like him; for this tranfcendent joy, lift up thy : >vethe world; then thy Ialvation will draw Chrift's The PREFACE. Chrift's Grofs, is C brill's way to ( hfift's Crown. This is the fubje6t of the foll< irfe ; firil writ during mj confinement in the J ower of Lon,do ., i i the 668, now reprinted with great en 1 matter and teftknonies, that thou, R be l to Chrift; and if won already, I r to him. It is a path, God in his everlafting U ed my feet into; in the flower of my youth, when ab two and tv. ;:rs of age : then he took me by the hand, a ut of the pleafures, Vanities, and hopes of the world. I . have tailed of Chrift's ju rcies, and of the world's frowns and reproaches : I rejoice in my experience and d< cate it to thy iervice.in Chrift. It is a debt I have 1 owed, and has been \o g expected : I ow paid it, and delivered my foul. To my country, and to the world of chriftians I leave it : may God, if he plea make it effectual to them all, and turn their hearts from that envy, hatred ancj bitternefs, they have one agairift another, about worldly things; (facrificing humanity and charity to ambition and covetoufnefs, for which they fill the earth with trouble and oppreflion) that ceiving t^e 1'pirit of Chrift into their hearts (the fi of whi^pare love, peace, joy, t and p. li- cence, brotherly kindnefs and charity) they may in bo- dy, foul and fpirit, make a triple league again (1 the world, the fleih and the devil, the only common ene- and having conquered them thro ower of the Crofs of Jems, lay at laft attain lo the eternal r< dngdomof So defireth, lb pray- Leader, thy fervent chriftian friend, W I h L I A M P E N N. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. PART I. CHAP. I. §. i. Of the neceflity of the Crofs of Chrift in general s yet the little regard chriftians have to it. §. 2. r lhe degeneracy of Chriftendom from purity to luft, and moderation to excefs. §. 3. That worldly lufts and pleafures are become the care and ftudy of chriftians, lb that they have advanced upon the impiety of in- fidels. §. 4. This defe&ion a fecond part to the Jewifti tragedy, and worfe than the firft : the fcorn chriftians have call ou their Saviour. §. 5. Sin is of one nature all the world over; finnersare of the fame church, the devil's children : profeffion of religion in wicked men, makes them but the worfe. §. 6. A wolf is not a lamb, a fmner cannot be (whilft fuch) a faint. §. 7. The wicked will perfecute the good; this falfe chrifti- ans have done to the true, for non-compliance with their fuperftitions : the ftrange carnal meafures falfe chriftians have taken of chriftianity; the danger of that fa|jJedu&ion. §. 8. Thefenfe of that has obliged me to m$ difcourle, for a dilTuafive againft the world's lufts, and an invitation to take up the daily Crofs of Chrift, as the way left us by him to bleffednefs. §. 9. Of the felf-condemnation of the wicked; that religion aid worfhip are comprifed in doing the will of God. Ihe advantage good men have upon bad men in the laftjudgment. §. 10. A fup plication for Chriftendom, that lhe may not be reje&ed in that great aflize of the world, ^he is exhorted to confider, what relation flic bears to Chrift; if her Saviour, how faved, and for what : what her experience is of that great work. That Chrift came to fave from fin, and wrath by con- fequence ; not lave men in fin, but from it, and fo the wages of it. §. I. r | THOUGH the knowledge and obedience of JL the dodrine of the crofs of Chrift, be of infinite moment to the fouls of men ; for that is the only door 8 J CIIOSS, NO C . a. door to true chriftianity, and that path the ancients ever trod to b: f s • yet with extreme affliction, let me fay, it is fo little imderfbod. fo much neglected, and what is worfe, (bbitterly contradi&ed, by the vanity, fuperftition, and intemperance of profeffed ehrifti that we mint either renounce to believe what the Lord Jefus ha:h to! J us, Luke xiv. 27. c That whofoe^er c doth not bear his crofs, an J come alter him, can ;ot c b: his difei^lef or admitting that foi tru'h, donclu ie, that t ,. , u;ty of Chride.i i > .> !o .iiferabiy d eive and uiiappoiut themfetves ia the great butmeis erf chnf- tianuv ani their own uivatiun. v. EL : ' ir, let As be never 10 to a lei and charitable in the fill cy of th ■- '■ n-tuld the Afelves to reft m th hrift, if i •• be j nil: too, ,ve muft needs a< k owle Ige, that after all the gracious advantages of light, and obligations to fidelity, which thefe latter ages of the world have re- ceived, by the coming, life, do£trihe 5 miracles, death, relarreclion and afceafion of Ghriflf, with the gifts of his Holy Spirit; to which add, the. u'r,thigs : , and martyrdom of his dear followers in all times, I feems very little left of chri: Jfee name: which being now ufun ^p: nature and life, makes the ks of it t nhens in tiej tfqp&ijj not ae idols, i , Chrift . fime heart I . can tme lofts. I the fame religion. For tl I ob- to which they do that ad tion . : ^e orld, the - i we eat? \ ihali bd hew (hall we pais away our timer Which waj wc? gather • territories, and and families in the aoft pathetically preffed Part I- NO CROSS, NO CROWN, 9 prefTed and comprized by the beloved apoftle John, in thefe words : ' the luft of theflefh, the lull of the eyes, ' and the pride of life, which (fays he) are not of the ' Father, but of the world that lieth in wickednefs.'* §. III. It is a mournful reflection, but a truth no con- fidence can be great enough to deny, that thefe worldly lufts fill up the ftudy, care and converfation of wretched Chriftendom ! and, which aggravates the mifery, they have grown with time. For as the world is older, it is worfe ; and the examples of former lewd ages, and their miferable conclusions, have not deterred, but ex- cited ours ; fo that the people of this, feem impro- vers of the old ftock of impiety, and have carried it fo much farther than example, that iiiftead of advancing in virtue, upon better times, they are fcandaloufly fall- en below the life of heathens. Their high-mindednefs, lafcivioufnefs, uncleannefs, drunkennefs, fwearing, ly- ing, envy, backbiting, cruelty, treachery, covetoufnefs, injufYice, and oppreffion, are fo common, and com- mitted with fuch invention and excels, that they have ftumbled and embittered infidels to a degree of fcorn- ing that holy religion, to which their good example mould ha^ won their affections. §. IV\^»is miferable defection from primitive times, when the^ory of chriftianity was the purity of its pro- fefTors, I cannot but call the fecond and word part of the Jewifh tragedy, upon the bleffed Saviour of man- kind. For the Jews, from the power of ignorance, and the extreme prejudice they were under to the un- worldly way of his appearance, would not acknowledge him when he came, but for two or three years perfe- cted, and finally crucified him in one day. But the falfe chriftians cruelty lafts longer : they have firfl, with Judas, profeiTed him, and then, for thefe many ages, moft bafely betrayed, perfecuted, and crucified him, by a perpetual apoftacy in manners, from the felf-denial, and holinefs of his doctrine ; their lives giving the lye to their faith. Thefe are they that the author of B the * 1 John ii. 1 6. k> NO CROSS, NO CROW NT- Part I. the epiflle to the Hebrews tells us, c crucify to them- 6 felves the fon of God afrefh, and put him to open 6 fhame :' b whofe defiled hearts, John, in his Revela- tion, ttyles, the ttreets of Sodom, and Egypt, fpiritually fo called, where he beheld the Lord jefus crucified, long after he had been afceuded. And as Chritt faid of old, a man's enemies are thofe of his own houfe ; fo Chritt's enemies now, are chiefly thofe of his own pro- feffion : £ they fpit upon him, they nail and pierce him, they crown him with thorns, and give him gall and vinegar to drink. ' ? Nor is it hard to apprehend; for they that live in the fame evil nature and principle the Jews did, that crucified him outwardly, mult, needs cru- cify him inwardly ; fince they that rejecl the grace now in their own hearts, are one in ttock and generation with the hard-hearted Jews, that refilled the grace that then appeared in and by Chritt. §• V. bin is of one nature all the world over ; for though a lyar is not a drunkard, nor a fwearer a whore- monger, nor either properly a murderer ; yet they are all of a church ; all branches of the wicked root ; all of a kin. They have but one father, the devil, as Chritt faid to the profeffing Jews/ the vifible church of that- age: he flighted their pretenfions to Abraham and Mofes, and plainly told them, that he that^Kmitteth fin, was the fervant of fin. They did the devil's works, and therefore were the devil's children. The argument will always hold upon the fame reafons, and therefore good ttill : ' his fervants you are, faith Paul, whom c you obey : ,c and faith John to the church of old, e let no man deceive you; he that committeth fin is of c the devil. ' f Was Judas ever the better chrittian, for crying, Hail, Matter, and kitting Chritt ? s By no means: they were the fignal of his treachery; the token given, by which the bloody Jews fhould know and take him. He called him Matter, but betrayed him; he kifled, but fold him to be killed: this is the upfhot of the falfe chrittian's religion. If a man afk them, Is Chrift your b Heb. vj. 6. Rev. xr 8. c Mat. xxvii. d John viii. 34 to 45. c Rom. vi. 16. f I John Hi. 7, 8. g Mat. xxvi. 49. Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. |j your Lord ? They will cry, God forbid elfe : yes, he is our Lord. Very well: But do you keep his command- ments ? No. How fhould we ? How then are you his difciples? It is impoffible, fay they; what! would you have us keep his commandments ? No man can. What! impoffible to do that, without which Chrift hath made it impoffible to be a chriftian? Is Chrift unrealonable ? Does he reap where he has not fown; h require where he has not enabled? Thus it is, that with Judas they call him Mailer, but take part with the evil of the world to betray him: and kifsaud embrace him as far as fpecious profeffion goes ; and then fell him, to gratify the paffion that they mod indulge. Thus, as God faid of old, they make him ferve with their fins, and for their fins too.' §. VI. ■ Let no man deceive his own foul; grapes e are not gathered of thorns, nor figs of thirties :' k a wolf is not a fheep, nor is a vulture a dove. What form, people, or church foever thou art of, it is the truth of God to mankind, that they who have even the form of godlinefs, but (by their unmodified lives) deny the power thereof, make not the true, but falfe church : wbich though ihe intitle herfeif the lamb's bride, or church of Chrift, fhe is that myftery, or myfte- nous Babylon, fitly called by the Holy Ghoft, the mother of harlots, and all abominations; 1 becaufe de- generated from chriftian chaftity and purity, into all the enormities of heathen Ba-bylon : a fumptuous city of old time, much noted for the feat of the kings of Babylon, and at that time the place in the world of greateft pride and luxury. As fhe was then, fo myftical Babylon is now, the great enemy of God's people. ^ §. VII. True it is, ' they that are born of the flefti, ' hate and perfecute them that are born of the fpirit,' m who are the circumcifion in heart. It feems they can- not own, nor worfhip God after her inventions, me- thods and prefcriptions, nor receive for dodrine her •i . - vain Mat. xxv. 24. I Ifa. xliii. 24. * Mat. viV. 16. l Rev. xvii. C. ™ Cj-al. iv. 29. * i* NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. vain traditions, any more than they can comply with her corrupt fafhions and cuftoms in their conversation. The cafe being thus, from an apoftate fhe becomes a perfecutor. It is not enough that fhe herfelf declines from ancient purity, others mufl do fo too. She will give them no reft, that will not partake with her in that degeneracy, or receive her mark. Are any wifer than fhe, than mother church? No, no: nor can any make war with the beaft fhe rides upon, thofe worldly powers that protect her, and vow her maintainance againft the cries of her diffenters. Apoftacy and fuperftition are ever proud and impatient of diffent : all mull: conform, or periftV Therefore the flain witnefles, and blood of the fouls under the altar, are found within the walls of this myftical Babylon, this great city of falfe chriftians, and are charged upon her by the Holy Ghoft, in the revelation. Nor is it ftrange that fhe fhould flay the fervants, v who nrft crucified the Lord : but ftrange and barbarous too, that fhe fhould kill her hufband, and murder her Saviour, titles fhe feems fo fond of, and that have been fo profitable to her ; and that fhe would recommend herfelf by, though without all juftice. But her children are reduced fo entirely under the dominion of darknefs, by means of their continued difobedience to the manifeftation of the divine light in their fouls, that they forget what man once was, or they fhould now be ; and know not true and pure chriftianity when they meet it, yet pride themfelves to profefs it. Their meafures are fo carnal and falfe about falvation, they call good evil, and evil good : they make a devil a chriftian, and a faint a devil. So that though the un- righteous latitude of their lives be matter of lamentation, as to themfelves it is of deftru&ion ; yet that com- mon apprehenfion, that they may be children of God while in a ftate of difobedience to his holy command- ments ; and difeiples of Jefus, though they revolt from his crofs; aud members of his true church, which is without fpot or wrinkle, notwithftanding their lives are n Rev. vi. o. Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN- i ,, are full of fpots and wrinkles ; is, of all other decep- tions upon themfelves, the mod pernicious to their eternal condition. For they are at peace in fin, and un- der a fecurity in their tranfgreffion. Their vain hope filences their convictions, and over-lays all tender mo- tions to repentance: fo that their miftake about their duty to God, is as mifchievous as their rebellion agaiuft him. Thus they walk on precipices, and flatter themfelves, till, the grave fwallows them up, and the judgment of the great God breaks the lethargy, and undeceives their poor wretched fouls with the auguifh of the wicked, as the reward of their work. §. VIII. This has been, is, and will be the doom of all worldly chriftians : an end fo dreadful, that if there were nothing of duty to God, or obligation to men, being a man, and one acquainted with the terrors of the Lord in the way and work of my own falvation, compaf- fion alone were fufficient to excite me to this difTuafive againft the world's fuperftitions and lufts, and to invite the profeffors of chriftianity to the knowledge and obe- dience of the daily crofs of Chrift, as the alone way, left by him, and appointed us to bleffednefs t that they who now do but ufurp the name, may have the thing ; and by the power of the crofs (to which they are now dead, inftead of being dead to the world by it) may be made partakers of the refurrection that is in Chrift Jefus, unto newnefs of life. For they that are truly in Chrift, that is redeemed by and interefted in him, are new creatures. They have received a new will, fuch as does the will of God, not their own. They pray in truth, and do not mock God, when they fay, ' thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven/ They have new affections, fuch as are fet on things above/ and make Chrift their eternal treafure. Mew faith fuch as overcomes fnares and temptations of the world's fpirit in themfelves, or as it appears through others : and laftly, new works, not of fuperftitious contrivance, or • Gal. vi. 15. PCoi ili l, 2, 3. I 4 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti. or of human invention, but the pure fruits of the fpirit ©f Chrift working in them, as love, joy, peace, meek- nefs, long-fuffering, temperance, brotherly-kindnefs, faith, patience, gentlenefs and goodnefs, againft which there is no law ; q and they that have not this fpirit of Chrift, and walk not in it, the apoftle Paul has told us, are rione of his ; but the wrath of God, and condemna- tion of the law, will lie upon them. For if c there is * no condemnation to them that are in Chrift, who * walk not after the flefti, but after the fpirit,' r which is Paul's doctrine ; they that walk not according to that Holy Spirit, by his doctrine, are not in Chrift : that is, have no intereft in him, nor juft claim to falvation by him : and confequently there is condemnation to fuch< §. IX. And the truth is, the religion of the wicked is a lye : ' there is no peace, faith the prophet, to the * wicked.'* Indeed there can be none, they are re- proved in their own confciences, and condemned in their own hearts, in all their difobedience. Go where they will, rebukes go with them, and oftentimes ter- rors too : for it is an offended God that pricks them, and who, by his light, fets their fins in order before them. Sometimes they ftrive to appeafe him, by their corporal framed devotion and worfhip, but in^vain; for true worshipping of God, is doing his will, which they tranfgrefs. The reft is a falfe compliment, like him that faid he would go, and did not. 1 Sometimes they fly to fports and company, to drown the reprover's voice, and blunt his arrows, to chafe away troubled thoughts, and fecure themfelves out of the reach of the difquieter of their pleafures : but the Almighty firft or laft is fure to overtake them. There is no flying his final juftice, for thofe that rejedt the terms of his mercy. Impenitent rebels to his law may then call to the mountains, and run to the caves of the earth for protection, but in vain : his all-fearching eye will penetrate their ihickeft coverings, and ftrike up a light in 1 Gal. v. 22, 23. r Rom. vlil. f Ifa. xlviii. 22. l Mat. xxi. 30. Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 15 in that obfcurity, which fhall terrify their guilty fouls ; and which they fhall never be able to extinguifh. In- deed their accufer is with them, they can no more be rid of him, than of themfelves ; he is in the midft of them, and will nick clofe to them. That fpirit which bears witneis with the fpirits of the juft, will bear witnefs againft theirs. Kay, their own hearts will abundantly come in againft them ; and, c If our heart 1 condemn us, fays the apoftle John, Godis greater, and ' knows all things : >u that is, there is no eicaping the judgments of God, whofe power is infinite, if a man is not able to efcape the condemnation of himfelf. It is at that day, proud and luxurious chriftians fhall learn, that God is no refpe&er of perfons ; that all feels and names fhall be fwal lowed up in thefe two kinds, fheep and goats, juft and unjuft : and the very righteous muft have a trial for it. Which made that holy man cry out, c If the righteous fcarcely are faved, where 1 fhall the wicked and ungodly appear ?'• If their thoughts, words, and works muft ftand the teft, and come under fcrutiny before the impartial judge of hea- ven and - earth, how then fhould the ungodly be ex- empted ? No, we are told by him that cannot lye, many fhall then even cry, Lord, Lord ; let forth their .profeflion, and recount the works that they have done in his name, to make him propitious, and yet be rejected with this direful fentence, c Depart from me, ye 1 workers of iniquity, I know you not.'* As if he had faid, Get you gone, you evil doers ; though you have profefled me, I will not know you : your vain and evil lives have made you unfit for my holy kingdom : get you hence, and go to the gods whom you have fcrved ; your beloved lufts, which you have worfhipped, and the evil world that you have fo much coveted and adored: let them fave you now, if they can, from the wrath to come upon you, which is the wages of the deeds you have done. Here is the end of their work itut build upon the l-nd, the breath of the judge will blow ■l John 9. ?o. " 1 Pet. iv. 18. * Mat. vifc 23, i6 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti. blow it down; and woful will the fall thereof be. Oh, it is now, that the righteous have the better of the wicked ! which made an apoftate cry in old time, c Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my laft ' end be like unto his. ,jr For the fentence is changed, and the judge fmiles : he cafts the eye of love upon his own fheep, and invites them with a c come ye ' bleffed of my Father,' 2 that through patient conti- nuance in well-doing, have long waited for immor- tality : you have been the true companions of my tri- bulations and crofs, and with unwearied faithfulnefs, in obedience to my holy will, valiantly endured to the end, looking to me, the author of your precious faith, for the recompenfe of reward, that I have promifed to them that love me, and faint not : \ O enter ye into the ' joy of your Lord, and inherit the kingdom prepared ■ for you from the foundation of the world.' §. X. O Chriftendom ! my foul mod fervently prays, that after all thy lofty profeihons of Chrift and his meek and holy religion, thy inimitable and un-chrift-like life may not caft thee at that great affize of the world, and lofe thee fo great falvation at laft. Hear me once, I befeech thee. Can Chrift be thy Lord, and thou not obey him ? Or,canft thou be his lervant, and neverferve him ? ' Be not deceived, fuch as thou foweft fhalt thou i reap :' a he is none of thy Saviour, whilft thou rejected his grace in thy heart, by which he mould fave thee. Come, what has he faved thee from ? Has he faved thee from thy finful lufts, thy worldly affections and vain con- vention?? If not, then he is none of thy Saviour. For though he be offered a Saviour to all, yet he is ac- tually a Saviour to thole only, that are faved by him ; and none are faved by him, that live in thofe evils, by which they are loft from God, and which he came to fave them from. It is fin that Chrift is come to fave man from, and death and wrath, as the wages of it : but thofe that are not faved, that is, delivered by the power of Chrift in their y Numb, xxiii. 10. a Mat. xxv. 34. a Gal. vi. 7. Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN, i 7 their fouls, from the power that fin has had over them, can never be faved from the death and wrath, that are the aiTured wages of the fin they live in. So that lo k, how far people obtain vi&ory over thofe evil diipofuions and flefhly lufts they have been addicted to, lb far they are truly faved, and are witnefTes of the redemption that comes by Jefus Chrift. His name fhews this work : ' and thou (halt call his name Jefus, ' for he fhail fave his people from their fins.' b 6 And 1 io (laid John of Chrift) the Lamb of God that takes ' away the fin oftheworld !' c that is, behold him, whom God hath given to enlighten people, and for falvation to as many as receive him, and his light and grace in their hearts, and take up their daily crofs, and follow him : fuch as rather deny themlelves the plealure of fulfilling their lufts, than fin againft the knowledge he has given them of his will ; or do that they know they ought not to do. CHAP. II. §. i. By this Chriftendom may fee her lapfe, how foul it is ; and next, the worfe for her pretence of chriftianity. §. 2. But there is mercy with God upon repentance, • and propitiation in the blood of Jefus. §. 3. He is the light of the world, that reproves the darknefs, that is, the evil of the world ; and he is to be known within. §. 4. Chriftendom, like the inn of old, is full of other guefts : fhe is advifed to believe in, receive and apply to Chrift. §. 5. Of the nature of true faith ; it brings power to overcome every appearance of evil : this leads to confider the crofs of Chrift, which has been fo much wanted. §. 6. The apoftolick mi- niftry, and end of it ; its bleffed effect ; the charac- ter of apoftolick times. §. 7. The glory of the crofs, and its triumph over the heathen world. A meafure to Chriftcndom, what fhe is not, and fhould be. §. 8. Her dcclenfion, and caufe of it. S. 9: The mifera- C ' ble b Mat. i. 21. c John i. 29. i8 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti- ble effects that followed. §. 10. From the confidera- tion of the caufe,the cure may be more eaiily known, viz. not faithfully taking up the daily crofs ; then faithfully taking it daily up, mufl be the remedy. $■ k T> Y a ^ which has been faid, O Chriftendom ! J3 arj d by that better help, if thou wouldft ufe it, the lamp the Lord has lighted in thee, not utterly extin£t, it may evidently appear, firft, how great and foul thy backiliding has been, who, from the temple of the Lord, art become a cage of unclean birds; and of an houfe of prayer, a den of thieves, a fynagogue of Satan, and the receptacle of every defiled fpirit. Next that, under all this manifeft defection, thou haft never- thelefs valued thy corrupt felf upon thy profeffion of chriftianity and fearfully deluded thyfelf with the hopes of falvation. The firft makes thy difeafe dangerous, but the laft almoft incurable. §. II. Yet becaufe there is mercy with the God of bowels that he may be feared, and that he takes no delight in the eternal death of poor finners, no, though backfliders themfelves, but is willing all mould come to the knowledge and obedience of the truth, and be faved. He has fent forth his fon a propitiation, and given him a Saviour to take away the fins of the whole world, that thofe that believe and follow him may feel the righteoufnefs of God in the remiffion of their fins, and blotting out their tranfgrefiions for ever. 3 Now, be- hold the remedy ! an infallible cure, one of God's ap- pointing ; a precious elixir indeed, that never failed ; and that univerfal medicine which no malady could ever efcape. §. III. But thou wilt fay, what is Chrift, and where is he to be found ? And how received and applied in order to this mighty cure ? I tell thee then i firft, he is the great fpiritual light of the world, that enlightens every one that comes into the world ; by which he manifefts a Ezek. xviii. 20, 23, 24. Mat. i- 21. Luke i. 77. Ron 25. Hcb. ix. 24. to 28. x John ii. 1, 2, Pare I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. i 9 manifefts to them their deeds of darknefs and wicked- nefs, and reproves them for committing them. Se- condly, he is not far away from thee, as the apoftle Paul faidof God to the Athenians : behold (fays Chrift himfelf) c I ftand at the door and knock ; if any man c hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to \ him, and fup with him, and he with me.' b What door can this be, but that of the heart of man ? §. IV. Thou, like the inn of old, haft been full of other guefts : thy affedions have entertained other lovers : there has been no room for thy Saviour in thy foul. Wherefore falvation is not yet come into thy houfe,* though it come to thy door, and thou haft been often proffered it, and haft profeft it long. But if he calls, if he knocks ftill, that is, if his light yet fhines, if it reproves thee ftill, there is hopes thy day is not over; and that repentance is not hid from thine eyes ; but his love is after thee ftill, and his holy invitation continues to fave thee. Wherefore, O Chriftendom ! believe, receive, and apply him rightly ; this is of abfolute neceffity, that thy foul may live for ever with him. He told the Jews, c If you believe not that I am he, ye fhall die * in your fins ; and whither I go you cannot come.' And becaufe they believed him not, they did not re- ceive him nor any benefit by him : but they that be- lieved him, received him : * and as many as received * him,' his own beloved difciple tells us, ' to them ' gave he power to become the fons of God, which are ' born not of blood, nor of the will of flefh, nor of the c will of man, but of God.' d That is, who are not children of God after the fafhions, prefcriptions, and traditions of men, that call themfelves his church and people (which is not after the will of flefh and blood, and the invention of carnal man, unacquainted with the regeneration and power of the Holy Ghoft) but of God ; that is, according to his will, and the working and fandifi- b A&s xvii. 27. Rev. iii. 20. c I John viii. 22, 24 d John i. 12, 13. 20 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. fan&ification of his fpirit and word of life in them. And fuch were ever well verfed in the right application of Chrift, for he was made to them indeed propitiation., reconciliation, falvation, righteoufnefs, redemption and j nfHfictftton. So 1 fay to thee, unlefs thou believed, that he that ftands at the door of thy heart and knocks, and fets thy fins in order before thee, and calls thee to repentance, be the Saviour of the world, thou wilt die in thy fins, and where he is gone, thou wilt never come. For if thou believeft not in him, it is impofiible that he mould do thee good, or efte& thy falvation : Chrift works not aga'^ ft faith but by it. It is faid of old, he did not many mighty works in fome places, becaufe the people believed not in him. e So that if thou truly believeft in him, thine ear will be attentive to his voice in thee, and the door of thine heart open to his knocks. Thou wilt yield to the difcoveries of his light, and the teach- ings of his grace will be very dear to thee. §. V. It is the nature of true faith to beget an holy fear of offending God, adeep reverence to his precepts, and a rnoft tender regard to the inward teftimony of his fpint, as that, by which his children, in all ages, have been fafely led to glory. For as they that truly believe, receive Chrift in all his tenders to the foul, fo, as true it is, that thole who receive him thus, with him, receive poorer to become the fons of God : that is, an inward force and ability to do whatever he requires: ftrength to mortify their lu*is, controul their affections, refift evil motions deny themfelves, and overcome the world in its moil inticing appearances. This is the life of the blefTed Crofs of Chrift, which is the fubjeft of the following difcourfe, and what thou, O man, muft take up, if thou imeutiefl: to be the difciple of Jefus. Nor canft thou be faid to receive Chrift, or believe in him, whilfl thou rejedleft his crofs. For as receiv- ing of Chrift is the means appointed of God to falva- tion, fo bearing thy daily crofs after him is the only true e Markvi. 5. Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 2I true teftimony of receiving him; and therefore it is enjoined by him, as the great token of difciplefhip, * \Vhofoever will be my diiciple, let him take up his * daily crofs, and follow me. ,f This, Chriftendom, is that thou haft fo much wanted, and the want of which has proved the only caufe of thy miferable declenfion from pure chritlianity. To con- fider which well (as it is thy duty.) fo it is of great ufe to thy reftoration. For as the knowledge of the caufe of any diftemper guides the phyfician to make a right and fafe judgment in the application of his medicine, fo it will much en- lighten thee in the way of thy recovery, to know and weigh the -Rrft caufe of thy fpiritual lapfe and malady that has befallen thee. To do which, a general view of thv primitive Mate, and confequently of their work that firft laboured in the chriftian vineyard, will be needful; and if therein fomething be repeated, the weight and dignity of the fubj eel will bear it without the need of an apology. §. VI. The work of apoftlefhip, we are told by a prime labourer in it, was to turn people from darkuefs to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. 5 That is, inRead of yielding to the temptations and motions of Satan, who is the prince of darkneiV (or wicked- nefs, the one being a metaphor to the other) by whole power their underftandings were obfeured, and their fouls held in the fervice of fin, they fhould turn their minds to the appearance of Chrill, the light and Saviour of the world ; who by his light fhines in their fouls and thereby gives them a fight of their fins, and dil- covers every temptation and motion in them unto c\ il, and reproves them when they give way thereunto ; that fo they might become the children of light, and walk in the path of righteouf.iefs. And for this blefied work of reformation, did Crhifl endue his apoftles with his fpirit and power, that fo men might not longer fleep in a iecurity of fin and ignorance of God, but awake to f Mat. xvi. 24. * A&txxti. iS- 32 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part h to righteoufnefs, that the Lord Jefus might give them life, that is, that they might leave off finning, deny themfelves the pleafure of wickednefs, and by true re- pentance turn their hearts to God, in well-doing, in which is peace- And truly, God fo bleffed the faithful labours of thefe poor mechanicks, yet his great am- bafladors to mankind, that in a few years many thou- fands (that had lived without God in the world, with- out a fenfe or fear of him, lawlefsly, very Grangers to the work of his fpirit in their hearts, being captivated by flefhly lulls) were inwardly ftruck and quickened by the word of life, and made fenfible of the coming and power of the Lord Jefus Chrift, as a judge and law- giver in their fouls, by whofe holy light and fpirit, the hidden things of darknefs were brought to light and condemned, and pure repentance from thofe dead works begotten in them, that they might ferve the liv- ing God in newnefs of fpirit. So that thenceforward they lived not to themfelves, neither were they carried away of thofe former divers iufts, by which they had been feduced from the true fear of God ; but the law of the fpirit of life, by which they overcame the law of iin and death, was their delight; and therein did thev meditate day and night. h Their regard towards God was not taught by the precepts of men any longer, but from the knowledge they had received by his own work and impreffions in their fouls. 1 They had not quitted their old matters, the world, the flefrr, and the devil, and delivered up themfelves to the holy guidance of the grace of Chrift, that taught them to deny ungodlinefs, and the world's lufts, and to live foberly, righteoully, and godly in this prefent life ; k this is the Crofs of Chrift indeed; and here is the victory it gives to them that take it up : by this crofs they died daily to the old life they had lived; and by holy watchfulnefs agairrft the fecret motions of evil in their hearts, they crufhed fin in its conceptions, yea, in its temptations. So that they h Rom, vlii. 2. > Ifa. x:iix. 23. k Tit. II, 12. Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 23 they (as the apoftle John ad vifed them) keptthemfelves, that the evil one touched them not. 1 For the light, which Satau cannot endure, and with which Chrift had enlightened them, difcovered him in all his approaches and aiTaults upon the mind, and the power they received through their inward obedience to the manifeftations of that bleffed light, enabled them to refill and vanquifh him in all his ftratagems. And thus it was, that where once nothing was examined, no- thing went unexamined. Every thought muft come to judgment, and the rife and tendency of it be alfo well approved, before they allow it any room in their minds. 1 here was no fear of entertaining enemies for friends, whilft this Ariel: guard was kept upon the very wicket of the foul. ISow the old heavens and earth, that is, the old earthly converfation, and old carnal, that is Jewifh or fnadowy worfhip pafled away apace, and everyday ail things became new. * He was no more a Jew, that 1 was one outwardly, nor that circumcifion that was in ' the flefh ; but he was the Jew, that was one inwardly: c and that circumcifion, which was ofthe heart, in the 1 fpirit, and not in the letter, whofe praife is not of man ■ but of God.' ra §. VII. Indeed the glory of the Crofs fhinedfo con- fpicuouily through the felf-denial of their lives who daily bore it, that it ftruck the heathen with aitonifh- ment, and in a fmall time fo fhook their altars, dif- j^redited their oracles, ftruck the multitude, invaded the court and overcame their armies, that it led prietls magiftrates, and generals, in triumph after it, as the trophies of its power and victory. And while this integrity dwelt withchriflians, mighty was the pre fence and invincible that power that attended them : it quenched fire, daunted lions, turned the edge of the fword, out-faced inllruments of cruelty, convicted judges, and converted executioners. In fine, the ways their enemies took to deftroy, increafed them ; and by the deep wifdom of God, they were made 1 I John v. 1 3- m Rom. il, 28, 29. M KG CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. made great promoters of the truth, who in all their de- figns endeavoured to extinguifh it. Now not a vain thought nor an idle word, nor an unfeemly action was permitted : no, not an immodeft look ; no courtly drefs, gay apparel, complimental refpe&s, or per- Ibnal honours ; much lefs thoie lewd immoralities, and fcandalous vices now in vogue with chriftians, could find either example or connivance among them. n Their care was not how to iport away their precious time, but how to redeem it, that they might have enough to work out their great falvation (which they carefully did) with fear and trembling ;° not with balls and mafks, with play-houfes, dancing, feafling, and gaming : no not to make fure of their heavenly calling and election, was much dearer to them, than the poor and trifling joys of mortality. For they having with Mofes feen him that isinvifible, and found that his loving-kindnefs was better than life, the peace of his fpirit than the favour of princes ; as they feared notCsefar's wrath, fo they chole rather to luftain the afflictions of ChriiYs true pilgrims, than enjoy the pleafures of fin, that were but for a feafon ; efleeming his reproaches of more value than the periming treaiures of the earth. And if the tri- bulations of chriflianity were more eligible than the comforts of the world, and the reproaches of one than all the honour of the other ; there was then furely no temptation in it, that could fhake the integrity of Chriitendom. §. V1IL By this fhort draught of what Chriftendom was, thou mayell fee, O Chrillendom, what thou art not, and confequeutly what thou oughteft to be. But how comes it, that from a Chrillendom that was thus meek, merciful, ielf-denying, fuffering, temperate, holy, juft, and good, fo like to Chrift, whofe name (he bore, wc find a Chrillendom now. that is iuperftitious, idolatrous, periecuting, proud, paflionate, envious, malicious, felfifh, drunken, lafcivious, unclean, ly- ing. n Hcb. xi. 32, to the end. Ifa. Lxiii. 2. Dan. in. 12. to the end. Dan. vi. 16. to the end. ° Eph. v. 15, 16. Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 25 ing, fwearing, curfing, covetous, oppreffing, defrauding, with all other abominations known in the earth, and that to an excefs juflly fcandalous to the worit of hea- then ages, furpaliing them more in evil than in time; I fay, how comes this lamentable defection ? I lay this down, as the undoubted reafon of this de- generacy, to wit, the inward difregard of thy mind to the light of Chrift fhining in thee ; that firft fhewed thee thy fins, and reproved them, and that taught and en- abled thee to deny and refill: them. For as thy fear towards God, and holy abftinence from unrighteoufnefs was, at firft, not taught by the precepts of men, but by that light and grace, which revealed the moft fe- cret thoughts and purpofes of thine heart, and fearched the molt inward part of thy belly (fetting thy fins in order before thee, and reproving thee for them, not furTering one unfruitful thought, word or work of dark- nefs, to go unjudged) lb when thou didft begin to dif- regard that light and grace, to be carelefs about that holy watch, that was once fet up in thine heart, and didft not keep centinel there (as formerly) for God's glory, and thy own peace; the reftlefs enemy of man's good quickly took advantage of this flacknefs, and of- ten furprized thee with temptations, whofe fuitablenefs to. thy inclinations made his conqueft over thee not dif- ficult. In ihort, thou didft omit to take up Chrift's holy yoke, to bear thy daily crofs ; thou waft carelefs of thy affections, and kept no journal or check upon thy actions ; but didft decline to audit accounts, in thy own confeience, with Chrift thy light, the great bifhop of thy foul, and judge of thy works, whereby the holy fear decayed, and love waxed cold; vanity abounded, and duty became burdenfome. Then up came formality inftead of the power of godlinefs; fuperftition, in place of Chrift's inititution: and whereas Chrift's bufmefs was, to draw off the minds of his difciples from an outward temple, and carnal rites and fervices, to the inward and fpiritual worfhip of God ( fuitable to the mature of divinity ) a worldly, human, pompous worfhip D is 26 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I is brought in again, and a worldly priefthood, temple and altar re-eftablifhed. Now it was that the ' fons of c God once more faw the daughters of men were fair : p that is, the pure eye grew dim, which repentance had opened, that faw no comelinefs out of Chrift ; and the eye of luft became unclofed again, by the god of the world ; and thofe worldly pleasures, that make fuch as love them forget God (though once defpifed for the fake of Chrift) began now to recover their old beauty and intereft in thy affections; and from liking them to be the ftudy, care, and pleaiure of thy life. True, there ftill remained the exterior forms of wor- ship, and a nominal and oral reverence to God and Chrift; but that was all : for the offence of the holy crofs ceafed, the power of godlinefs was denied, felMenial loft ; and though fruitful in the invention of ceremoni- ous ornaments, yet barren in the blefTed fruits of the Spirit. And a thoufand fhells cannot make one kernel, or many dead corps one living man. §. IX. Thus religion fell from experience to tradi- tion, and worfhip from power to form, from life to letter ; that inftead of putting up lively and powerful requefts, animated by the deep fenfe of want, and the ailiftance of the Holy Spirit, by which the ancients prayed, wreftled and prevailed with God; behold a by-rote mumpfimus, a dull and inlipid formality, made up of corporal bowings, and cringings, garments, and furnitures, perfumes, voices and mufick ; fitter for the reception of fome earthly prince, than the heavenly worfhip of the only true and immortal God, who is an eternal, inviftble fpirit. But thy heart growing carnal, thy religion did fo too ; and not liking it as it was, thou fafhionedft it to thy liking ; forgetting what the holy prophet faid, c the e facrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord/* and what James faith, ■ Ye afk, and ye receive not (why ?) < becaufe ye afk amifs ;" that is, with an heart that is not right, but infincere, unmodified, not in the faith * Gen. vi. 2. q Prov. xv. & r James ir. 3. Part I- NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 27 faith that purifies the foul, and therefore can never re- ceive what is afked : fo that a man may fay with truth, thy condition is worfe by thy religion, becaufe thou art tempted to think thy felf the better for it, and art not. §. X. Well ! by this profpect that is given thee, of thy foul fall from primitive chriflianity, and the true caufeof it, to wit, a neglect of the daily crofs of Chrifl, it may be eafy for thee to inform thyfelf of the way of thy recovery. For look, at what door thou wentefl out, at that door thou mull come in : and as letting fall, and forbearing the daily crofs loll thee ; fo taking up, and enduring the daily crofs, mull recover thee. It is the fame way, by which the finners and apoflates become the difciples of Jefus. 'Whofoever (fays Chrifl) will come after ' me, and be my difciple, let him deny himfelf, and c take up his daily crofs, and follow me." Nothing fhort of this will do ; mark that, for as it isfufficient fo it is indifpenlible : no Crown, but by the Crofs ; no life eternal, but through death : and it is but jufl, that thofe evil and barbarous affecYions, that crucified Chrift afrefh, mould, by his holy crofs be crucified. Blood requires blood ; his crofs is the death of fin, that caufed his death; and he the death of death, according to that paflage, O death ! I will be thy death ! £ CHAP. III. §. 1. What the crofs of Chrifl is ? A figurative fpeech. But truly the divine power, that mortifies the world. §. 2. It is fo called by the apoflle Paul to the Corin- thians. §.3. Where it is the crofs appears, and mull be borne ? Within, where the lulls are, there they mufl be crucified. §. 4. Experience teaches every one this, to be fure Chrifl aflerts it, from within comes murder, &c. and that is the houfe where the flrong man mufl be bound. §. 5. How is the crofs to be borne ? The way f Mat. xvi. 21. Mark viii. 34. Luke x:v 27. r Hof. xiii. 14. 1 Cor. xv. 5 j. 28 NO CROSS, NO C RO W N. Part I. way is fpiritual, a denial of felf, the pleafure of fin, to pleafe God and obey his will, as manifefted to the ibu! by the light he gives it. §. 6. This lhews the difficulty, yet the neceflity of the crofs. THE daily crofs being then, and ftill, O Chriften- dom, the way to glory ; that the fucceeding mat- ter, which wholly relates to thedo&rine of it, may come with moil evidence and advantage upon thy confcience, it is moft feriouily to be confideredby thee, Firft, What the crofs of Chrift is? Secondly, "Where the crofs of Chrift is to be taken up ? Thirdly, How, and after what manner it is to be borne ? Fourthly, What is the great work and bufinefs of the crofs ? In which The fins it crucifies, with the mifchiefs that attend them, will be at large expreiled. Fifthly, aud lailly, I mall add many teftimonies from living and dying perfons, of great reputation either for their quality, learning, or piety, as a general con- firmation of the whole trad. To the firft, what is the crofs of Chrift? §. I. The crofs of Chrift is a figur?tive fpeech, bor- rowed from the outward tree, or wooden crofs, on which Chrift fubmitted to the will of God, in permitting him to i offer death at the hands of evil men. So that the crofs myftical, is that divine grace and power, which erodes the carnal wills of men, and gives a con- tradiction to their corrupt affections, and that conitant- ly oppofeth itfelf to the inordinate and flefhly appetite of their minds, and fo may be juftly termed the in- ftrument of man's holy dying to the world, and be- ing made conformable to the will of God. For nothing elle can mortify fin, or make it eafy for us to fabmit to the divine will, in things otherwife very contrary to our "own. §. II. The preiching of the crofs therefore in pri- mitive times was fitly called by Paul (that famous and fkilful apoftle in fpiritual things) the power of God, though Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. *g though to them that perifh, then, as now, foolifhnefs. That is, to thole that were truly weary and heavy laden, and needed a deliverer ; to whom fin was burdenfonie and odious, the preaching of the crofs, by which tin was to be mortified, was, as to them, the power of God, or a preaching of the divine power, by which they were made dilciples of Chriil, and children of God : and it wrought fo powerfully upon them, that no proud or licentious mockers could put them out of love with it. But tothofe that walked in the broad way, in the full latitude of their lulls, and dedicated their time and care to the plealure of their corrupt appetites, to whom all yoke and bridle were and are intolerable, the preach- ing of the crofs was, and is, foolifhnefs : to which I may add, in the name but of too many now-a-days, and the practice ridiculous ; embraced by none, if they maybe believed, but half-witted people of lUngy and lingular tempers, affected by the hypochondry, and opprefTed with the powerof melancholy ; for all this, and more, is bellowed upon the life ofthebleifed crofs of Chriil, by the very profelTors and pretended admirers of it, in the perlbnsof thole who truly bear it. §. III. Well, but then where does this crofs appear, and muil it be taken up? . I anfwer, within : that is, in the heart and foul ; for where the fin is, the crofs mull be. Now, all evil comes from within : this Chriil taught. ' From within (faith Chriil) * out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, c adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetoufnefs, < wickednefs, deceit, lafcivioufnefs, an evil eye, Maf- * phemy, pride, foolifhnefs : all thefe evils come from * within, and defile the man.' 11 The heart of man is the feat of fin, and where he is defiled, he nrull be fancTified ; and where fin lives, there it mull die : it mull be crucified. Cullom in evil hath made it natural to men to do evil ; and as the foul rules the body, fo this corrupt nature ftvays the whole man: but foil, it is all from within. §. IV. Ex- rk vii. 11,22, 23. 3 o NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. §. IV. Experience teaches every fon and daughter of Adam an aftent to this ; for the enemies temptations are ever directed to the mind, which is within : if they take not, the foul fins not ; if they are embraced, luft is prefently conceived (that is, inordinate defires)' luft c conceived, brings forth fin ; and fin finifhed (that is, c acled) brings forth death.' b Here is both the caufe and the effect;, the very genealogy of fin, its rife and end. In all this, the heart of evil man is the devil's mint, his work-houfe, the place of his refidence, where heex- ercifes his power and art. And therefore the redemp- tion of the foul is aptly called, the deftru&ion of the works of the devil, and bringing in of everlafting righ- teoufnefs. c When the Jews would have defamed Chrift's miracle of calling out devils, by a blafphemous impu- tation of it to the power of Beelzebub, he fays, c That no 4 man can enter a ftrong man's houfe, and fpoil his c goods, till he firft bind the ftrong man.' d Which as it fhews the contrariety that was between Beelzebub, and the power by which he difpolTelTed him ; fo it teaches us to know, that the fouls of the wicked are the devil's houfe, and that his goods, his evil works, can never be deftroyed, till firft he that wrought them, and keeps the houfe, be bound. Ail which makes it eafy to know, where the crofs muft be taken up, by which alone the ftrong man muft be bound, his goods fpoiled, and his temptations refifted : this is, within, in the heart of man. §. V. But in the next place, how, and in what manner is the crofs to be daily borne ? The way, like the crofs, is fpiritual : that is, an in- ward fubmiflion of the foul to the will of God, as it is manifefted by the light of Chrift in the consciences of men : though it be contrary to their own inclinations. For example : when evil prefents, that which fhews the evil does alfo tell them, they fhould not yield to. it ; and if they clofe with its counfel, it gives them power to b Jama ?. 75. * 1 John :ii. 8. d Mark iii. 27. Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 3* to efcape it. But they that look and gaze upon the temptation, at laft fall in with it, and are overcome by it ; the confequence of which is guilt and judgment. Therefore as the crofs of Chrift is that fpirit and power in men, though not of men, but of God, which crofTeth and reproveth their flefhly lufts and affections : fo the way of taking up the crofs is, an entire resignation of foul to the difcoveries and requirings of it ; not to confult their worldly pleafure, or carnal eafe, or in- tereft (for fuch are captivated in a moment) but con- tinually to watch againft the very appearances of evil, and by the obedience of faith, that is, of true love to and confidence in God, cheerfully to offer up, to the death of the crofs, that evil part, that Judas in themfelves, which, not enduring the heat of the fiege, and being impatient in the hour of temptation, would, by its near relation to the tempter, more eafily betray their fouls into his hands. §. VI. O this fhews to every experience, how hard it is to be a true difciple of Jefus ! the way is narrow in- deed, and the gate very ftrait, where not a word, no not a thought muft flip the watch, or efcape judgment : fuch circumfpeclion, fuch caution, fuch patience, fuch conftancy, fuch holy fear and trembling. This gives an eafy interpretation to that hard faying, c flefh and blood ' cannot inherit the kingdom of God :' e thofe that are captivated with flefhly lufts and affections ; for they cannot bear the crofs ; and they that cannot endure the crofs, muft never have the crown. To reign, it is ce- ceffary flrft tofuffer/ CHAP. IV. $. 1. What is the great work of the crofs ? The anfwer to this of great moment. §. 2. The work of the crofs is felf-denial. §. 3. What was the cup and crofs of Chrift ? §. 4. What is our cup and crofs ?§. 5. Our duty e Mat. xxiv. 42. xxv. 13. xxvi. 38,42. f Plu'I. ii. 12. 1 Th. iii. 5. 1 Cor. xv. 50. 3 2 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. duty is to follow Chrift as our captain. §. 6. Of the d : function upon felf, a lawful and unlawful felf. §. 7. "What the lawful felf is. §.8. That is to be denied in fome cafes, by Chrift 's dodirine and example. §. 9. By the apoftles pattern. §. 10. The danger of preferring lawful felf above our duty to God. §. 11. The reward of felf-denial, an excitement to it. § . 12. This doclrine as old as Abraham. §. 13. His obe- dience of faith memorable. §. I4« Job a great in- ftance of felf-denial, his contentment. §. 15. Mofes alfo a mighty example, his neglect of Pharaoh's court. §. 16. His choice. §. 17. The reafon of it, viz. the recompenfe of reward. §. 18. Ifaiah no inconftder- able inftance, who of a courtier became an holy pro- phet. §. 19. Thefe inftances concluded with that of holy Daniel, his patience and integrity, and the fuc- cefs they had upon the king. §. 20. There might be many mentioned to confirm this bieffed doctrine. §.21. All muft be left for Chrift, as men would be laved. §. 22. The way of God is a way of faith and felf-denial. g. 23. An earned fupplication and ex- hortation to alltoattend upon thefe things. QJO UT fourthly, what is the great work and bufinefs j[j) of the crofs refpecling man ? Anfw. §. I. This indeed is of that mighty moment to be truly, plainly, and thoroughly anfwered, that all that went before feems only to ferve for preface to it ; and mifcarryingin it, to be no lefs than a mifguidance of the foul about its way tobleiTednefs. I mall therefore purfue the queftion, with God's help, and the beft know- ledge, he hath given me, in the experience of feveral years difciplefhip. The great work and bufinefs of the crofs of Chrift, in man, is felf-denial ; a word, as of much depth initfelf, fo of fore contradiction to the world ; little undcrftood, but lefs embraced by it ; yet it muft be borne for all that. The Son of God is gone before us, and by the bitter cup he drank, and baptifm he fuffered, has left us an example, that we mould follow his fteps. Which made Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 33 made him put that hard queftion to the wife of Zebedee and her two fons, upon her foliciting that one might fit at his right, and the other at his left hand in his kingdom ; ' are ye able to drink of the cup that I fhall 1 drink of, and to be baptized with the baptifm I am f baptized with?' 4 It feems their faith was ftrong > c they anfwered, we are able. Upon which he replied, 4 Ye mall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with 1 the baptifm I am baptized with ;' but their reward he left to his Father. §. III. What was his cup he drank, and baptifm he fuffered ? I anfwer ; they were the denial and offering up of himfelf by the eternal fpirit to the will of God, undergoing the tribulations of his life, and agonies of his death, upon the crofs, for man's falvation. §. IV. What is our cup and crofs that we mould drink and iinTer ? They are the denying and ofTeringup of ourfelves, by the fame fpirit, t>o do or fuffer the will of God for his fervice and glory : which is the true life and obedience of the crofs of Jefus : narrow ftiil, but before, an unbeaten way. For when there w T as none to help, not one to open the feals, to give knowledge, to direcl: the courfe of poor man's recovery, he came in the greatnefs of his love and ftrength, and though clothed with the infirmities of a mortal man, being within fortified by the Almightineis of an immortal God, he travelled through all theftraits and difficulties of hu- manity ; and firft, of all others, trod the untrodden path tobleiTednefs. §. V. O come let us follow him, the moll; unwearied, the moil victorious captain of our falvation ! to whom ail the great Alexanders and mighty Csefars of the world are lefs than the pooreft foldiers of their camps could be to them. True, they were all great princes of their kind, and conquerors too, but on very differ- ing principles. For Chrift made himfelf of no repu- tation to fave mankind ; but thefe plentifully ruined people, to augment theirs. They vanquifhed others, E not d Mat. xx. 21, 22, 23. 34 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. not themfelves ; Chrift conquered felf, that ever van- quished them ; of merit therefore the moft excellent prince and conqueror. Befides, they advanced their empire by rapine and blood, but he by fuffering and periuafion ; he never by compulfion, they always by force, prevailed. Mifery and flavery followed all their victories ; his brought greater freedom and f licity to thofe he overcame. In all they did, they fought to pleafe themfelves ; in all he did, he aimed to pleafe his Father, who is God of gods, King of kings, and Lord oflords. It is this molt perfect pattern of felf-denial we muft follow, if ever we will come to glory ; to do which, let us confider felf-denial in its true diftinclion and ex- tent. §. VI. There is a lawful and unlawful felf, and both muft be denied, for the fake of him, that in fubmiffiori to the will of God counting nothing dear, that he might fave us. And though the world be fcarcely in any part of it at that pafs, as yet to need that lefTon of the denial of lawful felf, that every day moft greedily facrifices to the pleafure of unlawful felf: yet to take the whole thing before me, and for that it may poftibly meet with fome that are fo far advanced in this fpiritual warfare, as to receive foine fervice from it, I fhali at leaft touch upon it. §. VII. The lawful felf, which we are to deny, is that conveniency, eafe, enjoyment and plenty, which in themfelves are fo far from being evil, that they are the bounty and bleffings of God to us i as huiband, wife, child, houfe, land, reputation, liberty, aud life itfelf ; thefe are God's favours, which we may enjoy with lawful pleafure, and juftly improve as our honeft intereft. But when God requires them, at what time foever the lender calls for them, or is pleafed to try our affections by our parting with them ; 1 fay, when they are brought in competition with him, they muft not be preferred, they muft be denied. Chrift himfelf de- scended from the glory of his Father, and willingly made Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN 35 made himfelf of no reputation among men, that he might make us of fome with God; and, from the quality of thinking it no robbery to be equal with God, h he humbled himfelf to the poor form of a fervant ; yea, the ignominious death of the crofs, that he might de- liver us an example of pure humility, and entire fub- million .v> the will of our heavenly Father. § . VII I. It is the do&rine he teaches us in thefe words : € He that loveth father or mother, fon or daughter, ■ more than me, he is not worthy of me.' 1 Again, ' Whofoeverhe be of you, that forfaketh not all that he c hath, cannot be my difciple. ,k And he plainly told the young rich man, that if he would have eternal life, he mould fell all, and follow him : a do6lrine fad to him, as it is to thofe that like him (for all their high pre- tences to religion) in truth love their poffeflions more than Chrift. This do&rine of felf-denial is the conditi- on to eternal happinefs : ' He that will come after f me, let him deny himfelf, and take up his crofs, and c follow me.' 1 Let him do as I do: as if he had faid, he muft do as I do, or he cannot be as I am, the Son of Cod. §. IX. This made thofe honeft flfhermen quit their lawful trades, and follow him, when he called them to it ; and others, that waited for the confolation of Ifrael, to offer up their eftates, reputations, liberties, and alfo lives, to the difpleafure and fury of their kindred, and the government they lived under, for the fpiritual ad- vantage that accrued to them, by their faithful ad- herence to his holy doctrine. True, many would have excufed their following of him in that parable of the feaft : fome had bought land, fome had married wives, and others had bought yokes of oxen, and could not come ; m that is, an immoderate love of the world hindered them ; their lawful enjoyments, from fervants, became their idols ; they worfhipped them more than God, h 'Phil, ii. 5, 6, 7, 8. ■ Mat. x. 37. Luke xiv. 33. k Mark x. 21, 22. l Mat, xvi. 24. ra Luke xiv. 18, 19, 20. 36 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. God, and would not quit them to come to God. But this is recorded to their reproach : and we may herein fee the power of felf upon the worldly man, and the danger that comes to him by the abufe of lawful things. What, thy wife dearer to thee than thy Saviour ! and thy land and oxen preferred before thy foul's falvation ! O beware, that thy comforts prove not fnares firft, and then curfes; to over-rate them, is to provoke him that gave them to take them away again ; come and follow him that giveth life eternal to the foul. §. X. Wo to them that have their hearts in their earthly polTeifions ! for when they are gone, their hea- ven is gone with them. It is too much the fin of the belt part of the world, that they flick in the comforts of it : and it is lamentable to behold how their affecti- ons are bemired and entangled with their convenien- cies and accommodations, in it. The true felf-denying man is a pilgrim; but the felfifh man is an inhabitant of the world; the one ufes it, as men do fhips, to trans- port themfelves, or tackle in a journey, that is, to get home ; the other looks no farther, whatever he prates, than to be fixed in fulnefs and eafe here, and likes it fo well, that if he could, he would not exchange. How- ever, he will not trouble himielf to think of the other world, till he is fure he muft live no longer in this : but then, alas ! it will prove too late ; not to Abraham, but to Dives, he mull: go ; the ftory is as true as fad. §. XI. But on the other hand, it is not for nought that the difciples of Jems deny themfelves : and indeed, Chrift himielf had the eternal joy in his eye : for the joy that was fet before him (fays the author to the Hebrews) he endured the crofs ; that is, he denied himfelf, and bore the reproaches and death of the wicked : and defpifed the lliame, to wit, the difhonour and derifion of the world. It made him not afraid nor ihrink, he contemned it: and is fet down on the right hand of the throne of God. n And to their encourage- ment, and great confolation, when Peter afked him, what n Hcb. xii. 2. Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 37 what they fhould have that had forfaken all to follow him ? he anfwered them, ' Verily I fay unto you, that c ye which have followed me in the regeneration, when. * the Son of man mall fit on the throne of his glory, * ye alfo fhall fit upon twelve thrones, judging the ' twelve tribes of lira el, '° that were then in apoilaey from the life and power of godlinefs. This was the lot of his difciples ; the more immediate companions of his tribulations, and firft meffengers of his kingdom. But the next that follows is to all : ' And every one that c hath forfaken houfes, or brethren, or filters, or father, 6 or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my € name's fake, fhall receive an hundred fold, and fhall ' inherit everlafting life.' It was this recompenfe of reward, this eternal crown of righteouihefs, that in every age has raifed, in the fouls of the jail, an holy neglecl, yea, contempt of the world. To this is owing the conllancy of the martyrs, as to their blood the tri- umph of the truth. §. XII. Nor is this a new doctrine ; it is as old as Abraham. p In feveral mofl remarkable inftances, his life was made up of felf-denial. Firft, in quitting his own land, where we may well fuppofe him fettled in the midft of plenty, at leaft fufficiency : and why ? Becaufe God called him. Indeed this fhould be reafon enough ; but fuch is the world's degeneracy, that in fa 61 it is not : and the fame att, upon the fame inducement, in any now, though praifed in Abraham, would be derided. So apt are people not to underftand what they commend ; nay, to defpife thofe actions, when they meet them in the people of their own times, which they pretended to admire in their anceftors. §. XIII. But he obeyed : the confequence was, that God gave him a mighty land. This was the firft re- ward of his obedience. The next was, a ion in his old age ; and which greatened the blefling, after it had been in nature, pad the time of his wife's bearing of children. q Yet God called for his darling, their only child, •Mat,xix. 27,. 2$, 29. P Geo xii. q Gen. xviii. 3 8 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti. child, the joy of their age, the fon of a miracle, and he upon whom the fulfilling of the promife made to Abraham did depend. For this fon, I fay, God called : a mighty trial, that which, one would have thought, might very well have overturned his faith, and Humbled his integrity : at lead have put him upon this difpute in himfelf : this command is unreafonable and cruel ; it is the tempter's, it cannot be God's. For, is it to be thought that God gave me a fon to make a facrifice of him ? That the father mould be butcher of his only child ? Again, that he mould require me to offer up the fon of his own promife, by whom his covenant is to be performed ? this is incredible. I fay, thus Abraham might naturally enough have argued, to withftand the voice of God, and indulge his great af- fections to his beloved lfaac. But good old Abraham that knew the voice that had promifed him a fon, had not forgot to know it, when it required him back again : r he difputes not, though it looked ftrange, and perhaps with fome furprize and horror, as a man. He had learned to believe, that God that gave him a child by a miracle, could work another to preferve or re- ftore him. His affections could not balance his duty, much lefs overcome his faith ; for he received him in a way that would let him doubt of nothing that God had promifed of him. To the voice of this Almightinefs he bows, builds an altar, binds his only fon upon it, kindles the fire, and ftretches forth his hand to take the knife ; but the an- gel flopped the ftroke. ' Hold, Abraham, thy integrity c is proved.' What followed ? A ram ferved, and lfaac was his again. This fhews how little ferves, where all is rcfigned, and how mean a facrifice contents the Al- mighty, where the heart is approved. So that it is not the facrifice that recommends the heart, but the heart that gives the facrifice acceptance. God often touches our beft comforts, and calls for that which we moll love, and are leaft willing to part with r Gen. xxi. Part I. NO CROSS, MO CROW N 39 with. Not that he always takes it utterly away, but to prove the foul's integrity, to caution us from excefles, and that we may remember God, the author of thofe blellings we pofTefs, and live loofe to them. I fpeak my experience; the way to keep our enjoyments, is to re- iign them, and though that be hard, it is fweet to fee them returned, as Ifaac was to his father Abraham, with more love and biefling than before. O ftupid world! O worldly chriftians! Not only ilrangers, but enemies to this excellent faith ! and whilil fo,the reward of it you can never know. §. XIV. But Job prefTed hard upon Abraham; his felf-denialalfo was very fignal. For when the meiTen- gers of his affli&ions came thick upon him, one dole- ful ftory after another, till he was left as naked a^ when he was born ; the firft thing he did, he fell to the ground, and worfhipped that power, and killed that hand that dripped him; fo far from murmuring, that he concludes his loffes of eftate and children with theie words : c Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and ' naked fhall I return : the Lord gave, and the Lord c hath taken away, bleiTed be the name of the Lord/* the deep faith, patience, and contentment of this excellent man : one would have thought, this repeated news of ruin had been enough to have overfet his con- fidence in God : but it did not : that flayed him. But indeed he tells us why ; his Redeemer lived : ' I know c (fays he ) that my Redeemer lives. 1 And it appealed he did : for he had redeemed him from the world : his heart was not in his worldly comforts; his hope lived above the joys of time, and troubles of mortality, not tempted by the one nor fhaken by the other; but firmly believed, ■ that when after his flfin worms fhould 1 have confumed his body, yet with his eyes he iliould fee God.' Thus was the heart of job both ki'umitted to, and comforted in, the will of God. §. XV. Mofes is the next great example in facred fr.ory for remarkable ielf-denial, before the times of Ch rift's ( Job i. 21. c Job xix. 25, 26. 4 o NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part T. Chrift's appearance in the flefh. He had been faved, when an infant, by an extraordinary Providence, and it feems, by what followed, for an extraordinary fer- vice : Pharaoh's daughter (whofe compaflion was the means of his preferv ation when the king decreed the fiaughter of the Hebrew males) took him for her fon, and gave him the education of her father's court." His own graceful prefence and extraordinary abilities, joined with her love to him and intereft in her father to pro- mote him, mud have rendered him, if not capable of fucceffion, at lead: of being chief minifter of affairs under that wealthy and powerful prince. For Egypt was then what Athens and Rome were after, the molt famous for learning, arts, and glory. §. XVI. But Mofes, ordained for other work, and guided by a better ftar, an higher principle, no fooner came to years of difcretion, than the impiety of Egypt and the oppreffions of his brethren there, grew a bur- den too heavy for him to bear. And though !b wife and good a man could not wantthofe generous and grate- ful relentments that became the kinduefs of the king's daughter, to him; yet he had alfo c feen that God that 1 was invifible,' w and did not dare to live in the eafe and plenty of Pharaoh's houfe, whilfi: his poor brethren were required ' to make brick without ftraw.' x Thus the fear of the Almighty taking deep hold of his heart, he nobly refufed to be called the fon of Pharaoh's daughter, and chofe rather a life of affliction with the moll defpifed and opprelTed Ifraelites, and to be the companion of their temptations and Jeopardies, ' than to enjoy the pleaiures of fin for a ieafon ;' efteem- ing the reproaches ofChrifl (which he iuffered for mak- ing that unworldly choice) greater riches than all the treafures of that kingdom. §. XVII. Nor was he ib foolifh as they thought him ; he had reafon on his fide: for it is faid, c He had an c eye to the recompenfe of reward ;' he did not refufe a leffer benefit for a greater. In this his wifdom tran- fcended u Exod ii. 1 — 11. w Heb. xi. 24, 27. x Exod. v. 7> l $- M Pare I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 41 fcended that of the Egyptians ; for they made the pre- fent world their choice (as uncertain as the weather) and fo loft that which has no end. Mofes looked deeper and weighed the enjoyments of this life in the fcales of eternity, and found they made no weight there. He governed himfelf, not by the immediate pofTeflion, but the nature and duration of the reward. His faith corrected his affections, and taught him to facrifice the pleafure of felf to the hope that he had of a future more excellent recompenfe. §. XVIII. Ifaiah was no inconfiderable inftance of this blefTed ielf-denial ; who of a courtier became a pro- phet, and left the worldly interefts of the one for the faith, patience, and lufferings of the other. For his choice did not only loie him the favour of men ; but their wickednefs, enraged at his integrity to God, in his fervent and bold reproofs of them, made a martyr of him in the end. For they barbaroufly fawed him afunder in the reign of king ManafTes/ Thus died that excellent man, and commonly called the Evange- lical prophet. §. XIX. I ihalladd, of many, one example more, and that is from the fidelity of Daniel ; an holy and wife young man, that when his external advantages came in competition with his duty to Almighty God, he relin- quifhed them all : and inftead of being folicitous how to fecure himfelf, as one minding nothing lefs, he was, with utmoft hazard of himfelf, moft careful how to preferve the honour of God, by his fidelity to his will. And though at the firft it expofed him to ruin, yet, as an inftance of great encouragement to all, that like him will choofe to keep a good confeience in an evil time, at laft it advanced him greatly in the world ; and the God of Daniel was made famous and terrible through his perfeverance, even in the eyes of heathen kings. §. XX. What fhalllfay of all the reft, who, counting nothing dear that they might do the will of God, abandoned their worldly comforts, and expofed their eafe F and 1 Dorothefus in his lives of the prophets. m 4 a NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti. and fafety, as often as the heavenly vifion called them to the wrath and malice of degenerate princes, and an apoftate church ? z More efpecially Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Micha, that after they had denied themfelves in obedience to the divine voice, fealed up their teftimony with their blood. Thus was felf-denial the practice and glory of the ancients, that were predeceffors to the coming of Chrift in the flefh ; and fhall we hope to go to heaven without it now, when our Saviour himfelf is become the moll excellent example of it ? And that not as fome would fain have it, viz, ' for us, that we need c not ;' a but for us, that we might deny ourfelves, and fo be the true followers of his bleffed example. §. XXI. Whoever therefore thou art, that wouldefl do the will of God, but fainteft in thy defires from the oppofnion of worldly confiderations ; remember I tell thee, in the name of Chrift, that he that prefers father or mother, lifter or brother, wife or child, houfe or land, reputation, honour, office, liberty or life, before the teftimony of the light of Jefus in his own confcience, fhall be rejected of him, in the folemn and general in- queft upon the world, when all fhall be judged, and receive according to the deeds done, not the profemon made, in this life. It was the doctrine of Jefus, c that * if thy right hand offend thee, thou muft cut it off ; * and if thy right eye offend thee, thou muft pluck it c out :' b that is, if the moft dear, the moft ufeful and tender comforts thou enjoy eft, Hand in thy foul's way, and interrupt thy obedience to the voice of God, and thy conformity to his holy will revealed in thy foul, thou art engaged under the penalty of damnation to part with them. §. XXII. The way of God is a way of faith, as dark tofenfe, as mortal to felf. It is the children of obedience, who count with holy Paul, all things drofs and dung, that they may win Chrift, and know and walk in this narrow way. Speculation will not do, nor can re- fined 2 Dorotheus, ib. * I Pot. ii. 20, 2 1, 22. b Mat. r. 29, 30, Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 43 fined notions enter, * the obedient only eat the good of * this land :' ' They that do his wiir c (fays the blefTed Jefus) fhall know of my doctrine ; them he will in- jtrucl:. There is no room for inftrucYion, where lawful felf is lord, and not fervant. For felf cannot receive it : that which fhould, is opprefTed by felf; fearful, and dares not. O what will my father or mother fay ? How will my hufband ufe me ? Or, finally, what will the magiftrate do with me ? For though 1 have a moll powerful perfuafion, and clear conviction upon my foul, of this or that thing, yet confidering how unmodifh it is, what enemies it has, and how ftrange and Angular I fhall feem to them, I hope God will pity my weak- nefs : if I fink, I am but fiefh and blood ; it may be hereafter he may better enable me ; and there is time enough. Thus felfifh, fearful man. But deliberating is ever worfl ; for the foul lofes in parly : the manifestation brings power with it. Never did God convince people, but upon fubmiffion, he empowered them. He requires nothing without ability to perform it : that were mocking not faving of men. It is enough for thee to do thy duty, that God fhews thee thy duty ; provided thou clofeft with that light and fpirit, by which he gives thee that knowledge. They that want power, are fucli as do not receive Chrift in his convictions upon the foul ; and fuch will always want it: but fuch as do, they receive power (like thofe of old) to become the children of God, through the pure obedience of faith. §. XXIII. Wherefore, let me befeech you, by the love and mercy of God, by the life and death of Chrift, by the power of his fpirit, and the hope of immortality, that you, whole hearts are eftablifhed in your temporal comforts, and fo lovers of felf more than of thele hea- venly things, would c let the time paft fuffice :' that you would not think it enough to be clear of fuch im- pieties, as too many are found in, whilft your inordinate love of lawful things has defiled your enjoyment of diem, * Ifa. i. 19. John vii. 17. 44 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I- them, and drawn your hearts from the fear, love, obe- dience, and felf-denial of a true difciple of Jefus. Tack about then, and hearken to the ftill voice in thy confcience ; it tells thee thy fins, and of mifery in them. It gives a lively difcovery of the very vanity of the world, and opens to thy foul fome profpect of eternity, and the comforts of the juft that are at reft. If thou adhereft to this, it will divorce thee from fin and felf : thou wilt foon find, that the power of h>charms exceed that of the wealth, honour, and beauty of the world, and finally will give thee that tranquillity, which the itorms of time can never fhipwreck nor diforder. Here all thine enjoyments are bleft ; though fmall, yet great by that prefence that is within them. Even in this world the righteous have the better of it, for they ufe the world without rebuke, becaufe they do not abufe it. They fee and blefs the hand that feeds and clothes, and preferves them. And as by beholding him in all his gifts, they do not adore them, but him ; fo the fweetnefs of his bleffings that gives them, is an advantage fuch have upon thole that fee him not. Be- fides, in their increafe they are not lifted up, nor in their adverfities are they call down : and why? Becaufe they are moderated in the one, and comforted in the other, by his divine prefence. In fhort, heaven is the throne, and the earth but the footflool, of that man that hath felf under foot. And thofe that know that ftation will not eafily be moved ; fuch learn to number their days, that they may not be furprized with their diffolution; and to c redeem their c time, becaufe their days are evil ;' d remembering that they are but flewards, and rnuft deliver up their ac- counts to an impartial judge. Therefore, not to felf, but to him they live, and m him die, and are blefTed with them that die in the Lord. And thus I conclude my diicourfe of the right ufe of lawful felf. CHAP. d Eph. v. 15, 16. Part I. NO CROSS, NO CRO \V N. 45 CHAP. V. §. 1. Of unlawful felf, it is twofold, 1. In religion. 2. In morality. §. 2. Of thofe that are moft formal, fa- perftitious and pompous in worihip. §. 3. God's re- buke of carnal apprehenfions. §. 4. Chrift drew oif his difciples from the Jewifh exterior worfhip, and inftituted a more fpiritual one. §. 5. Stephen is plain and full in this matter. §. 6. Paul refers the temple of God twice to man. §. 7. Of the crofs of thefe worldly worfhippers. §• 8. Flefhand blood make their crofs, therefore cannot be crucified by it. §. 9. They are yokes without reftraint. §. 10. Of thegaudinefs of their crofs, and their refpect to it. §. 11. A reclufe life no true gofpel abnegation. §. 12. A companion, between Chrift's felf-denial and theirs : his leads to purity in the world, theirs to voluntary imprifonment, that they might not be tempted of the world. The mifchief which that example, followed, would do to the world. It deftroys ufeful fociety, honeft labour. A lazy life the ufual refuge of idlenefs, poverty, and guilty age, §. 13. Of Chrift's crofs in this cafe. The impoflibility that fuch an external application can remove an internal caufe. §. 14. An exhortation to the men of this belief, not to deceive themfeives. §• I. IT AM now come to unlawful felf, which, more or JL lefs is the immediate concernment of much the greater part of mankind. This unlawful felf is twofold. 1 ft, That which relates to religious worihip : 2dly, That which concerns moral and civil converia- tion in the world. And they are both of infinite con- lequence to be confidered by us. In which I fhall be as brief as I may, with eafe to my confeience, and no injury to the matter. §. II. That unlawful felf in religion, that ought to be mortified by the crofs of Chrift, is" man's invention and performance of worfhip to God, as divine, which is not fo either in its inftitution or performance. In this great 46 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. great error, thofe people have the van, of all, that at- tribute to themfelves the name of Chriftians, that are moft exterior, pompous, and fuperftitious in their wor- fhip ; for they do not only mifs exceedingly, by a fpiritual unpreparednefs,in the way of their performing worfhip to God Almighty, who is an eternal fpirit ; but the worfhip itfelf is compofed of what is utterly incon- fiftent with the very form and practice of ChrifVs doc- trine, and the apoftolical example. For whereas that was plain and fpiritual, this is gaudy and worldly : Chrifl's moft inward and mental ; theirs moft outward and corporal ; that fuited to the nature of God, who is a fpirit ; this accommodated to the moft carnal part. So that inftead of excluding flefh and blood, behold a worfhip calculated to gratify them : as if the bufinefs were not to prefent God with a worfhip to pleafe him, but to make one to pleafe themfelves. A worfhip dreiTed with fuch ftately buildings, and imagery, rich furniture and garments, rare voices and mufic, coftly lamps, wax-candles and perfumes; and all a died with that moft pleafing variety to the external fenfes, that art can invent, or coft procure: as if the world were to turn Jew or Egyptian again : or that God was an old man, indeed, and Chrift a little boy, to be treated with a kind of religious mafk, for fo they picture him in their temples ; and too many in their minds. And the truth is, fuch a worfhip may very well fait fuch an idea of God: for when men can think him fuch an one as themfelves, it is not to be wondered, if they addrefs to him, and entertain him in a way that would be moft pleafing from others to themfelves. §. III. But what faid the Almighty to fuch a fenfual people of old, much upon the like occafion ? ' Thou * thoughtefl 1 was fuch an one as thyfelf, but I will re- * prove thee, and fetthy fins in order before thee. Now 1 confidcr this, ye that forget God, left I tear you in ■ pieces, and there be none to deliver. But to him that ' ordereth his conversation aright, will I fhew the fal- 1 vation of God. ' a This is the worfhip acceptable to him, a Pfal. 1. 21, 22, 23. Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 47 him, ' To do juflice, love mercy, and walk humbly * with God;' for he that * fearcheth the heart, and 1 tries the reins of man, and fets his fins in order before ■ him, who is the God of the fpirits of all flem,' b looks not to the external fabric, but internal frame of the foul, and inclination of the heart. Nor is it to be foberly thought, that he, who is ' clothed with divine •• honour and majefty, who covers himfelf with light, * as with a garment, who ftretches out the heavens like c a curtain, who layeth the beams of his chambers in c the deep, who maketh the clouds his chariots, and ' who walks upon the wings of the wind, who maketh c his angels fpirits, and his minilters a flaming fire, who c laid the foundation of the earth that it mould not be c moved for ever,' can be adequately worfhipped by thofe human inventions, the refuge of an apoftate peo- ple, from the primitive power of religion, and fpiritual- ity of chriftian worfhip. §. IV. Chrilt drew off his difciples from the glory and worfhip of the outward temple, and inftituted a more inward and fpiritual worfhip, in which he in- ftrucled his followers, ' Ye fhall neither in this moun- * tain, nor yet at Jerufalem (fays Chrilt to the Samaritan ' woman) worfhip the Father. God is a fpirit, and ' they that worfhip him, muft worfhip him in fpirit and c in truth.' c As if he had faid : for the fake of the weaknefs of the people, God defcended in old time, to limit himfelf to an outward time, place, temple and fervice, in and by which he would be worfhipped : but this was during men's ignorance of his omniprefence, and that they coniidered not what God is, nor where he is. But I am come to reveal him to as many as re- ceive me. And I tell you that God is a fpirit, and he will be worfhipped in fpirit and in truth. People muft be acquainted with him as a fpirit, coufider him, and worfhip him as fuch. it is not that bodily worfhip, nor thefe ceremonious fervices, in ufe among you now, that will ierve, or give acceptance with this God that is a fpirit : b Mic. tL 8, c John iv. 21, z\. 4 s NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti. a fpirit : no, you muft obey his fpirit that (hives with you, to gather you out of the evil of the world ; that by bowing to the inftrudtions and commands of his fpirit in your own fouls, you may know what it is to worfhip him as a fpirit ; then you will underftand, that it is not going to this mountain, nor Jerufalem, but to do the will of God, to keep his commandments; and commune with thine own heart, and fin not, take up thy crofs, meditate in his holy law, and follow the ex- ample of him whom the Father hath lent. §. V. Wherefore Stephen, that bold and conftant martyr of Jefus, thus told the Jews, when a prifoner at their bar for difputing about the end of their beloved temple, and its lervices (but falfely accufed of blaf- phemy) 6 Solomon (faid Stephen) built God an houfe ; ' howbeit, God dwelleth not in temples made with 1 hands ; as faith the prophet/ Heaven is my throne, 1 and earth is my footftool ; what houfe will ye build * me, faith the Lord ? Or what is the place of my reft ? e Hath not mine hands made all thefe things ?' c Behold a total overthrow to all worldly temples, and their cere- monious appendences ! the martyr follows his blow upon thole apoftate Jews, who were ofthofe times, the pompous, ceremonious, worldly worfhippers : c Ye * ftiff-necked and uncircumcifed in heart and ears, ye 6 do always refill: the Holy Ghoft ; as did your fathers, * fo do ye.' As if he had told them, no matter for your outward temple, rites, and fhadowy fervices, your pre- tentions to fucceflion in nature from Abraham, and by religion from Moles ; you are refiflers of the fpirit, gainfayers of its inftru&ions : you will not bow to its counfel, nor are your hearts right towards God ; you are the fucceffors of your father's iniquity ; and though verbal admirers, yet none of the fucceflbrs of the pro- phets in faith and life. But the prophet lfaiah carries it a little farther than is cited by Stephen. For after having declared what is not God's houfe, ' the place where his honour dwells, immedi- d A&s vii. 47 — 51. c Ifa. lxvi. 1, 2. Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROW N. 49 immediately follow thcfe words: c But to this man will c I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite 1 lpirit, andtrembleth at my word. ,f Behold, O carnal and fu perditions man, the true worfhipper, and the place of God's reft ! This is the houie and temple of Him whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain; an houie felf cannot build, nor the art nor power of man prepare or confecrate. §. VI. Paul, that great apoftle of the Gentiles, twice cxprefsly refers the word temple to man : once in his firft epillle to the church at Corinth ; ' Know ye not c (fays he) that you are the temples of the Holy Ghoft, c which is in you, which ye have of God ?' g &c. and not the building of man's hand and art. Again, he tells the fame people (in his fecond epiftle) c For ye are 1 the temple of the living God, as God hath faid ;' h (and then cites God's words by the prophet) c I will ' dwell in them, and walk in them ; and 1 will be their c God, and they fhall be my people.' This is the evangelical temple, the Chriftian church, whofe orna- ments are not the embroideries and furnitures of worldly art and wealth, but the graces of the fpirit ; c meekneis, love, faith, patience, felf-denial, and 1 charity.' 1 Here it is, that the eternal wifdom, that was with God from everlafting, before the hills were brought forth, or the mountains laid, choofes to dwell, c rejoicing (fays Wifdom) in the habitable part of the c earth, and my delights were with the fons of men ;' not in the houfes built of wood and ftone. This living houfe is more glorious than Solomon's dead houfe ; and of which his was but a figure, as he, the builder, was of Chriil, who c builds us up an holy temple to God. ,iw It was promifed of old, that c the glory of the latter * fiiould tranfccnd the glory of the former ;' which may be applied to this : not one outward temple or houfe to excel another in outward luftrc ; for where is thebene- fit of that? but the divine glory, the beauty of holinrft G in f I fa Ixvi. 2. ;: I Cor. vi. 9. h 2 Cor. ti. ro. : Prov. viii. 22. *$i oVS 1 - k Hag, ii. 9. 5 o NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part h in the gofpel houfe or church, made up of renewed believers, mould exceed the outward glory of Solomon's temple, which in companion of the latter days, was but flefh to fpirit, fading reiemblances to the eternal iubftance. But for all this, Chriftians have meeting-places, yet not in Jewifh or Heathen ftate, but plain ; void of pomp and ceremony ; fuiting the fimplicity of their bleffed Lord's life and doclrine. For God's pre fence is not with the houfe, but with them that are in it, who are the gofpel-church, and not the houfe. O ! that fuch as call themfelves Chriftians, knew but a real fanctity in themfelves, by the warning of God's regenerating grace; inftead of that imaginary fan&ity afcribed to places, they would then know what the church is, and where, in thefe evangelical days, is the place of God's appear- ance. This made the prophet David fay, c The King's c daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is of c wrought gold.' What is the glory that is within the true church, and that gold that makes up that inward glory? Tell me, O fuperftitious man ! is it thy ftately temples, altars, carpets, tables, tapeftries ; thy veilments, organs, voices, candles, lamps, cenfers, plate and jewels, with the like furniture of thy worldly tem- ples ? No fuch matter ; they bear no proportion with the divine adornment of the King of heaven's daughter, thcbleflfed and redeemed church of Chrift. Miferable apoftacy that it is ! and a wretched fupplement in the lofs and abfence of the apoftolic life, the fpirhual glory of the primitive church. §. VII. But yet fome of thefe admirers of external pomp and glory in worfhip, would be thought lovers of the Crofs, and to that end have made to themfelves many. But alas ! what hopes can there be of reconcil- ing that to chriftianity, that the nearer it comes to its rcfemblance, the farther off it is in reality ? For their very crofs and felf-denial, are mod unlawful felf: and whilft they fancy to worfhip God thereby, they mod dangeroufly err from the true crofs of Chrift, and that holy abnegation that was ofhisblefTed appointment. It Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 51 It is true, they have got a crofs, but it feems to be in the room of the true one; and lb mannerly, that it will do as they will have it that wear it; for inilcad of mor- tifying their wills by it, they made it, and ufe it ac- cording to them : lb that the crofs is become their en- fign that do nothing but what they lilt. Yet by that they would be thought his difciples, that never did his own will, but the will of his heavenly Father. §. VIII- This is fuch a crofs as nefh and blood can carry, for nefh and blood invented it: therefore not the crofs of Chrift, that is to crucify flehh and blood. Thoufands of them have no more virtue than a chip; poor empty fhadows, not fo much as images of the true one. Some carry them for charms about them, but ne- ver repel one evil with them. They fin with them upon their backs, and though they put them in their bofoms, their beloved lulls lie there too without the leaft difqui- et. They are as dumb as Elijah's mock-gods; no life nor power in them : ' and how mould they, whofe matter is earthly, and whofe figure and workmanfhip are but the invention and labour of worldly artifts? Is it poffible that fuch crofTes mould mend their makers? Surely not. §. IX. Thefe are yokes without reftraint, and crofTes that never contradict : a whole cart-load of them would leave a man as unmortined as they find him. Men may fooner knock their brains out with them, than their fins : and that, I fear, too many of them know in their very conferences that ufe them, indeed, adore them, and (which can only happen to the falfe crofs ) are proud of them too, fmce the true one leaves no pride where it is truly borne. §. X. For as their religion, fo their crofs is very gaudy and triumphant : but in what ? In precious metals and gems, the fpoil of fuperftition upon the people's pockets. Thefe crofTes are made of earthly treafure, inftead of learning th"r hearts that wear them CO deny it 3 and like men they are rcfpecled by their Kings xviii nnery- 52 NO CROSS, NO CROW N. Part h finery. A rich crofs fhall have many gazers and ad- mirers ; the mean, in this, as other things, are more negle&ed. I could appeal to themfelves of this great vanity and fuperftition. O ! how very fhort is this of the blefTed crofs of Jefus, that takes away the fins of the world ! §. XI. Nor is a reclufelife (the boa,fted righteoufnefc of fome) much more commendable, or one whit nearer to the nature of the true crofs : for if it be not unlawful as other things are, it is unnatural, which true religion teaches not. The chriftian convent and monaftery are within, where the foul is encloiftered from fin. And this religious houfe the true followers of Chrift carry about with them, who exempt not themfelves from the con verfation with the world, though they keep themfelves from the evil of the world in their con verfation. That is a lazy, rufty, unprofitable felf-denial, burdenfome to others, to feed their idlenefs; religious bedlams, where people are kept up, left they mould do mifchief abroad ; patience per force ; felf-denial againft their will, rather ignorant than virtuous ; and out of the way of tempta- tion than conftant in it. No thanks if they commit, not what they are not tempted to commit. What the eye, vievys not, the heart craves not, as well as rues not. §. XI!. The crofs of Chrift is of another nature: it truly overcomes the world, and leads a life of purity in the face of its allurements : they that bear it, are not thus chained up, for fear they fhould bite: nor locked up left they mould be ftoien away : no, they receive power from Chrift their captain, to refill: the evil, and do that which is good in the fight of God; to defpife the world, and love its reproach above its praife : and not only not to offend others, but love thofe that offend them, though not for offending them. What a world fhould we have, if every body, for fear of traiifg re fling, fhould mew himfelf up within four walls! No fuch mattct; the perfection of Chriftian life c: to every honeft labour or traflick uied among men. This feverity is not the effect of Chrift's free i Fart I. NO CROSS, NO CRO W N. 53 free fpirit, but a voluntary, fiefhly humility; mere trammels of their own making and putting on, with- out prefcription or reafon. In all which, it is plain, they are their own law-givers, and fet their own rule, mulct and ranfom : a conftrained harfhnefs, out ofjoint to the reft of the creation ; for fociety is one great end of it, and not to be deftroved for fear of evil : but fin banifhed that fpoils it, by Heady reproof, and a con- fpicuous example of tried virtue. True godlinefs does not turn men out of the world, but enables them to live better in it, and excites their endeavours to mend it : ' not hide their candle under a bumel, but let it 6 upon a table, in a candleftick.' Befides, it is a felf- ifh invention : and that can never be the way of taking up the crofs, which the true crofs is therefore taken up to fubject. But again, this humour runs away by k- ielf, and leaves the world behind to be loft ; Chriftians ihould keep the helm, and guide the veffel to its port ; not meanly Heal out at the ftern of the world, and leave thofe that are in it, without a pilot, to be driven by the fury of evil times, upon the rock or fand of ruin. Ju fine, this fort of life, if taken up by young people, is commonly to cover idlenefs, or to pay portions ; to lave the lazy from the pain of punifhment, or quality from the difgrace of poverty : one will not work, and the other fcorns it. If aged, a long life of guilt fome- times flies to iuperflition for refuge ; and after having had its own will in other things, would flnifh it in a wilful leligionto make God amends. §. XIII. But taking up the crofs of Jefus is a more interior exercife: it is thecircumfpection and discipline of the foul, in conformity to the divine mind therein revealed. Does not the body follow the foul, and not the foul the body? Do not fuch confider, that no out- ward cell can fliut up the foul from lufl, the mind from an infinity of unrighteous imaginations ? The thoughts of man's heart are evil, a«d that continuall). Evil comes from within, and not from without : how then can an external application remove an internal caufe ; or a re'traint upon the body, work a confinement of the 54 NO CROSS, NO C RO W N. Part I. the mind ? Lefs much than without doors : for where there is leaft of aclion, there is moil time to think ; and if thofe thoughts are not guided by an higher prin- ciple, convents are more mifchievous to the world than exchanges. And yet a retirement is both an excellent and needful thing : crowds and throngs were not much frequented by the ancient holy pilgrims. §. XIV. But then examine, O man, thy bottom, what it is, and who placed thee there ; left in the end it fhould appear, thou haft put an eternal cheat upon thy own foul. I mult confefs I am jealous ofthefal- vation of my own kind, having found mercy with my heavenly Father : I would have none deceive themfelvcs to perdition, efpecialiy about religion, where people are moft apt to take all for granted, and lofe infinitely by their own flatteries and neglect. The inward fteady righteouinefs of Jefus is another thing, than all the contrived devotion of poor fuperftitious man : and to ftand approved in the eye of God, excels that bodily exercife in religion, refulting from the invention of men. And the foul that is awakened and preferved by his holy power and fpirit, lives to him in the way of his own inftitution, and worlhips him in his own fpirit, that is, in the holy fenfe, life, and leadings of it; which indeed is the evangelical worfhip. ISlot that I would be thought to flight a true retirement : for I do not only ac- knowledge, but admire folitude. Chrift himfelf was an example of it : he loved, and chofe to frequent moun- tains, gardens, fea-fides. They are requilite to the growth of piety ; and I reverence the virtue that feeks and ufes it : wifhing there were more of it in the world : but then it fhould be free, not confrrained. What be- nefit to the mind, to have it for a punifhment, and not a pleafure? Nay, I have long thought it an error among all forts, that uic not monaftick lives, that they have no retreats for the afiluSled, the tempted, the folitary, and the devout; where thev might undifturbedly wait upon God, pafs through their religious exercifcs ; and being thereby ftrengthened, may, with more power over their own fpirits, enter into the bufmefs of the world again ; though Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 55 though the lefs the better to be fure. For divine plea- lures are found in a free iblitude. CHAP. VI. §. 1. But men of more refined belief and practice are yet concerned in this unlawful felf about religion. §. 2. It is the rife of the performance of worfhip God regards. §. 3. True worfhip is only from an heart prepared by God's fpirit. §. 4. The foul of man dead, without the divine breath of life, and fo not capable of worshipping the living God. §. 5. We are not to ftudy what to pray for. How chriftians fhould pray. The aid they have from God. §. 6, The way of obtaining this preparation : it is by waiting, as David and others did of old, in holy filence, that their wants and fupplies are bed feen. §. 7. The whole and the full think they need not this waiting, and fo ufe it not ; but the poor in fpirit are of another mind ; wherefore the Lord hears and fills them with his good things. §. 8. If there were not this preparation, the Jewifh times would have been more holy and fpi ritual than the gofpei ; for even then it was required, and much more now. §. 9. As fin, fo formality cannot worfhip God ; thus Da- vid, Ifaiah, &c. §. 10. God's own forms and inftituti- ons hateful to him, unlefs his own fpirit ufe them ; much more thole of man's contriving. §. 11. God's children ever met God in his way, not their own ; and in his way they always found help' and comfort. In Jeremiah's time it was the fame ; his goodnefs was manifeft to his children that waited truly upon him : it was an inward l'enfe and enjoyment of him they thirikd after. Chiift charged his difciples alio to wait for the fpirit. §. 12. This doctrine of waiting farther opened, and ended withanallufion to the pool of Betheida ; a lively figure of inward waiting, andits blcffed effects. §. 13. Four things neceflary to woi- lliip ; $6 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. fhip ; the falsification of the worfhipper, and the confecration of the offering, and the thing to be pray- ed for : and lafHy, faith to pray in : and ail mufl be right, that is, of God's giving. §. 14. The great power of faith in prayer ; witnefs the importunate widow. The wicked and formal afk, and receive not; the reafon why. But Jacob and his true offspring, the followers of his faith, prevail. §. 15. This fhews why Chrifl upbraided his difcipies with their little faith. The neceffity of faith. Chrifl works no good on men without it. § . 1 6. This faith is not only pof- fible now, but neceffary. §. 17. What it is, farther unfolded. §. 18. Who the heirs of this faith are ; and what were the noble works of it in the former ages of the juft. §. I. 1QUT there be others of a more refined ipecu- J3 lation, and reformed practice, who dare not ufe, and lefs adore, a piece of wood or flone, an image of filver or gold; nor yet allow of that Jewifh, or rather Pagan pomp in worfhip, pra£lifed by others, as if ChrifYs worfhip were of this world, though his kingdom be of the other ; but are do£trinely averfe to fucli iu- perflition, and yet refrain not to bow to their own reli- gious duties, and efleem their formal performance of fe- veral parts of worfhip, that go againfl the grain of their flefhly eafe, and a precifenefs therein, no fmali crofs unto them; and that if they abflainfrom grofs and fcandalous fins, or if the a£l be not committed, though the thoughts of it are embraced, and that it has a full ca- reer in the mind, they hold themfelves fafe enough, within the pale of difciplefhip and wall of chriftianity. But this alio is too mean a character of the discipline of Chrifl's crofs : and thofe that flatter themfelves with fuch a fort of taking it up, will in the end be deceived with a fandy foundation, and a midnight cry. For faid Chrifl, c But 1 fay unto you, that every idle word that men c fllall fpeak, they fhall give an account thereof in the c day of judgment.'" 1 {. II. For m Mat. xii. 30. Part I- NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 5; §. II. For firft, it is not performing duties of religion but the rife of the performance, that God looks at. Men iiiay, and fome do, crofs their own wills, in their own wills; voluntary omiflion, or commifiion: ' who c has required this at your hands?' 11 laid the Lord of old to the Jews, when they feemed induftrious to have ferved him ; but it was in a way of their own con- triving or inventing, and in their own time and will; not with the foul truly touched and prepared by the divine power of God; but bodily worfhip only, that the apoftle tells us, profneth little. Not keeping to the manner of taking up the crofs in worfhip, as well as other things, has been a great caufe of the trouble- fome fuperftition that is yet in the world. For men have no more brought their worfhip to the teft, than their fins : nay lefs ; for they have ignorantly thought the one a fort of excufe for the other; and not that their religious performances fhould need a crofs, or an apo- logy. §. III. But true worfhip can only come from an heart prepared by the Lord. ° This preparation is by the fancUn* cation of the Spirit; by which, if God's children are led in the general courfe of their lives (as Paul teaches) much more in their worfhip to their Creator and Redeemer. p And whatever prayer be made, or do&rinc be uttered, and not from the preparation of the Holy Spirit, it is not acceptable witb>God : nor can it be the true evangelical worfhip, r^feich is in Fpirit and truth ; that is, by the preparation and aid of the Spirit. For what is an heap of the moft pathe- tical words to God Almighty ; or the dedication of any place or time to him ? He is a fpirit, to whom words, places and times (ftriclly confidered) are im- proper or inadequate. And though they be the inftru- mentsof public worfhip, they are but bodily and vifible, and cannot carry our requefts any farther, much lefs recommend them to the invifible God ; by no means : ihey are for the fake of the congregation : it is the lan- H guage n I fa. i. 12. ° Prov. xvi. r. p Rom. viii. 14. P NO CROSS, NO CROWN, Part I. guage of the foul God hears ; nor can that fpeak, but by the Spirit ; or groan aright to Almighty God, with- out the affiftance of it. §. IV. The foul of man, however lively in other things, is dead to God, till he breathe the fpirit of life into it : it cannot live to him, much lefs worfhip him without it. Thus God by Ezekiel tells us, when in a vifion of the reftoration of mankind, in the perfon of Ifrael (an ufual way of fpeaking among the prophets, and as often miftaken) ; I will open your graves (faith c the Lord) and put my fpirit in you, and ye mall live.' q So, though Chrift taught his difciples to pray, they were, in fome fort, difciples before he taught them ; not worldly men, whofe prayers are an abomination to God. And his teaching them is not an argument that every one muft fay that prayer, whether he can fay it with the fame heart, and under the fame qualifications, as his poor difciples and followers did or not, as is now too fuperflitioufly and prefumptuoufly pra&ifed. But rather, that as they then, fo we now, are not to pray our own prayers, but his ; that is, fuch as he enables us to make, as he enabled them then. §. V. For if we are not to take thought what wefhall fay when we come before worldly princes, becaufe it fhallthen be given us ; and that it is not we that fpeak, but the fpirit of our heavenly Father that fpeaketh in us ; r much lefs can our ability be needed, or ought we to ftudy to ourfelves forms of fpeech in our approaches to the great Prince of princes, King of kings, and Lord of lords. 8 For be it his greatnefs, we ought not by Chrift's command : be it our relation to him, as chil- dren, we need not : he will help us, he is our father ; that is, if he be fo indeed. Thus not only the mouth of the body, but of the foul is fhut, till God opens it ; and then he loves to hear the language of it. In which the body ought never to go before the foul ; his ear is open to fuch requefts, and his fpirit fhongly intercedes for thofe that offer them. §. VI. But q Ezck. x. xxvii. 12, 13, 14. r Mat. x. 19, 20. f Mat. vi. Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 59 §. VI. But it may be afked, how fhall this prepara- tion be obtained ? I anfwer : by waiting patiently, yet watchfully and intently upon God : ' Lord (fays the Pfalmift) thou ' halt heard the define of the humble ; thou wilt pre- c pare their heart, thou wilt caufe thine ear to hear :'* and (fays Wifdom) the preparation of the heart in man ' is from the Lord." 1 Here it is thou muft not think thy own thoughts, nor fpeak thy own words (which in- deed is the filence of the holy crofs) but be fequeftered from all the confufed imaginations, that are apt to throng and prefs upon the mind, in thofe holy retirements. It is not for thee to think to overcome the Almighty by the moft compofed matter, caft into the apteft phrafe : no, no ; one groan, one figh, from a wounded foul, an heart touched with true remorfe, a fincere and godly forrow, which is the work of God's fpirit, excels and prevails with God. Wherefore ftand ftill in thy mind, wait to feel fomething that is divine, to prepare and difpofe thee to worfhip God truly and acceptably. And thus taking up the crofs, and (hutting the doors and windows of the foul againft every thing that would in- terrupt this attendance upon God, how pleafant foever the object be in itfelf, how lawful or needful at another feafon, the power of the Almighty will break in, his fpirit will work and prepare the heart, that it may offer up an acceptable facrifice. It is he that difcovers and prelles wants upon the foul ; and when it cries, it is he alone that fupplies them. Petitions, not fpringing from fuch a fenfe and preparation, are formal and fl&itious; they are not true ; for men pray in their own blind de- fires, and not in the will of God ; and his ear is (topped to them : but for the very fighing of the poor, and cry- ing of the needy, God hath faid, he will arife; that is, the poor in fpirit, the needy foul, thofe that want his af- fiftance, who are ready to be overwhelmed, that feel a need, and cry aloud for a deliverer, and that have none 01 c Pfal. x. 17. u Prov. xvi. I. Co NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. on earth to help, w ' none in heaven but him, nor in c earth in companion of him : he will deliver (faid c David) the needy, when he cries, and the poor, and c him that has no helper. He fhall redeem their foul ' from deceit and violence, and precious fhall their < blood be in his fight. This poor man (fays he) cried, e and the Lord heard him, and faved him out of ail his ' troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round 1 about them that fear him, and delivers them ;' x and then invites all to come and tafte how good the Lord is. Yea, c he willblefs them that fear the Lord, both fmall c and great.' 7 §. VII. But what is that to them that are not hungry ? The whole need not the phyfician : x the full have no need to figh, nor the rich to cry for help. Thofe that are not feniible of their inward wants, that have not fears and terrors upon them, who feel no need of God's power to help them, nor of the light of his countenance to comfort them ; what have fuch to do with prayer ? Their devotion is but, at belt, a ferious mockery of the Almighty. They know not, they want not, they de- lire not what they pray for. They pray the will of God may be done, and do conftantly their own : for though it be foon faid, it is a moft terrible thing to them. They afk for grace, and abufe that they have : they pray for the fpirit, but refill it in themfelves, and fcorn at it in others . they requeft the mercies and good- nefs of God, and feel no real want of them. And in this inward infenfibility, they are as unable to praife God for what they have, as to pray for what they have not. c They fhall praife the Lord (fays David) that 4 feek him : for he fatisfleth the longing foul, and fill- c eth the hungry with good things.' 2 This alfo he re- fer ves for the poor and needy, and thofe that fear God. c Let the (fpiritually) poor and the needy c praife thy name : ye that fear the Lord, praife him ; c and ye the feed of Jacob, glorify him.' b Jacob was a plain w Pfal. xii. 5. x Pfal. Ixxii. 12, 14. Pfal. xxxlv. 6, 7, 8. * Pial. cxv. 13. * Mat. ix. 12. a Pfal. xxii. 26. Pfal. cvii. 9. b Pfal. lxxiv. 21. Pfal. xxii. 23. Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 61 a plain man, of an upright heart ; and they that are fo are his feed. And though (with him) they maybe as poor as worms in their own eyes, yet they receive pow- er to wreftle with God, and prevail as he did. §. VIII. But without the preparation and confecration of this power, no man is fit to come before God : elfe it were matter of lefs holinefs and reverence to worfhip God under the gofpcl, than it was in the times of the law, when all facrifices were fprinkled before offered; the people confecrated that offered them, before they preiented themfelves before the Lord. c If the touching of a dead or unclean beait then made people unfit for temple or facrifice, yea, fociety with the clean, till firil fprinkled and fanc\ified, how can we think fo meanly of the worfnip that is inftituted by Chrift in gofpel-times, as that it mall admit of unpre- pared and unfanclified offerings ? or, allow that thofe who either in thoughts, w r ords, or deeds, do daily touch that which is morally unclean, can (without coming to the blood of Jefus, that fprinkles the con- fcience from dead works) acceptably worfhip the pure God ; it is a downright contradiction to good fenfe : the unclean cannot acceptably worfhip that which is holy ; the impure that which is perfedt. There is an holy intercourfe and communion betwixt Chrifl and his followers ; but none at all betwixt Chrift and Belial ; between him and thofe that diibbey his commandments, and live not the life of his bleiTed crofs and felf- denial. d §. IX. But as fin, fo formality cannot worfhip God ; no, though the manner were of his own ordination. Which made the prophet, perfonating one in a great (Irak, cry out, c Wherewith fhall I come before the ' Lord, and bow myfelf before the high God ? Shall I 1 come before him with burnt-offerings ? With calves J of a year old? Will the Lord be pleafcd with thou- 1 fands of rams, or with ten thoufands of rivers of oil ? ■ Shall c Num." viii. and chap. xix. 2 Ch.'on. xxj'w $& and chap. xxx. 1 6, 17. d 2 Cor. u\ 15, 16. 6 2 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. c Shall I give my firft-born for my tranfgreflions, the c fruit of my body for the fin of my foul ? He hath ■ mewed thee, O man, what is good. And what doth 1 the Lord require of thee, but to do juftly, to love ( mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God ?' c The royal prophet, fenfibfc of this, calls thus alfo upon God ; * O Lord, open thou ray lips, and my mouth fhall c mew forth thy praife. ,f He did not dare open his own lips, he knew that could not praife God : and why? ' For thou defireft not facrrfice, elle would 1 give it :' (if my formal offerings would ferve, thou fhouldft not want them) c thou delighted not in burnt-offerings. c The facriflces of God, are a broken fpirit, a broken c and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not defpife :' and why ? Becaufe this is God's work, the effect of his power ; and his own works praife him. To the fame purpofe doth God himlelf fpeak, by the mouth of Ifaiah, in oppofnion to the formalities and lip-worfhip of the degenerate Jews : c Thus faith the lord, the \ heaven is my throne, and the earth is my foot-ftool, ' where is the houfe that ye build to me? And where ' is the place of my reft ? For all thefe things hath my 1 hand made. But to this man will I look, even him ■ that is poor, and of a contrite fpirit, and tremblethat * myword.' 8 O behold the true worfhipper ! one of God's preparing, cireumciied in heart and ear, that re- fiftt not the Holy Spirit, as thole lofty profefling jews did. Was this fo then, even in the time of the law, which was the difpenfation of external and fhadowy performances, rod can we nowexped acceptance with- out the preparation of the Spirit of the Lord in thefe gof pel-times, which are the proper times for the effu- iion of the Spirit ? By no means : God is what he was; arid none elfe are his true worfhippers, but fuch as worfhip him in his own fpirit ; thefe he tenders as the apple of his eye : the red do but mock him, and he deipiics them. Hear what follows to that people, for it is c Mic. vi. 6, 7, 8. ( Pfal. li. 15, 16, 17. 5 Pfal. lxvi. 1, 2, 3. Part to NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 63 it is the Hate and portion of Chriftendom at this day : * Hethatkilleth an ox, is as if he flew a man : he that * facrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck ; he 1 thatoffereth an oblation, as if he offered fwine's blood ; c he that burneth incenfe, as if he blefTed an idol. * Yea. they have chofen their own ways, and their foul ' dclighteth in their abominations.' Let none fay we offer not thefe kinds of oblations, for that is not the matter ; God was not offended with the offerings, but offerers. Thefe were the legal forms of facrifice by God appointed ; but they not presenting them in that frame of fpirit, and under that right difpofition of foul that was required, God declares his abhorrence, and that with great aggravation ; and elfeu here; by the fame prophet, forbids them to ' bring any more vain ' oblations before him : incenfe (fays God; isanabomi- ' nation to me : your fabbaths and calling of affemblies ? I cannot away with ; it is iniquity, even the folemn ' meeting. And when you fpread forth your hands, I c will hide mine eyes from you ; when you make many 1 prayers, I will not hear you. lh A moft terrible re- nunciation of their worfhip ; and why? Becaufe their hearts were polluted ; they loved not the Lord with their whole hearts, but broke his law, and rebelled againft his fpirit, and did not that which was right in his fight. The caufe is plain, by the amendments he requires : c Wafh you (fays the Lord) make you clean, ■ put away the evil of your doings from before mine c eyes: ceafe to do evil, learn to do well ; leek judg- c ment, relieve the oppreffed, judge the fatherleis, c plead for the widow.' Upon thefe terms (and no- thing fhort) hebids them come to him, and tells them, that though their ' fins be as fcarlet, they fhall be white ' as mow; and though they be ascrimfon, they ihaUbe ' white as wool.' So true is that notable pafiageofthe Pfalmift : c Come € and hear, all ye that fear GoJ, and I will declare * what he hath done for my foul : I cried to him with * my hlfa. I. 13 to 18. 6 4 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part L my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. But verily God hath heard me, he hath attend- ed to the voice of my prayer. Bleffed be God which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. §, X. Much of this kind might be cited, to mew the difpleafure of God againft even his own forms of wor- ship, when performed without his own fpirit, and that neceffary preparation of the heart in man, that nothing clfe can work or give : which above all other pe tncQ of facred writ, is moft frequently and emphatically commended to u by the example of the Pfalrriift, who ever and anon calling to mind his own great flips, and the caufe of them, and the way by which he came to be accepted of God. and obtain ftrength and co- n from him, reminds himfelf to wait upon God. c Lead me 1 in thy truth, and teach me, for thou art the God of 1 my falvation, on thee do I wait all the day long.'* His foul looked to God for falvation, to be delivered from the fnares and evils of the world. This fhews an inward exerciie, a fpiritual attendance, that ftood not in external forms but an inward divine aid. And truly, David had great encouragement fo to do y the goodneis of God invited him to it, and flrengthened him ink. * For (fays he) I waited patiently upon the 1 Lord, and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. ' lie brought me out of the miry clay, and fet my feet ■ upon a rock.' That is, the Lord appeared inwardly to confolate David's foul, that waited for his help, and to deliver it from the temptations and afflictions that were ready to overwhelm it, and gave him fecurity and peace. Therefore he fays, * The Lord hath eftablifhed my • going;' that is, fixed his mind in righteoufhefs. Before every itep he took bemiredhim, and he was fcarce able to go without falling : temptations on all hands ; but he waited patiently upon God; his inind retired watchful and intent to his law and fpirit ; and he felt the Lord to in- cline I Hal. ben. iC, 20. k Pfal. xxv. e. Pfcl. xl. i, 2, 3, Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 6 5 dine to him. His needy and fenfible cry entered hea- ven, and prevailed ; then came refcue and deliverance to David (in God's time, not David's) ftrength to go through his exercifes, and furmount all his troubles. For which he tells us, £ a new fong was put into his c mouth even praife,' lays he, c to our God.' But it was of God's making and putting, and not his own. Another time, we have him crying thus : c As the c hart panteth after the water-brooks, fo pa; teth my c foul after thee, O God. My foul thirfteth for God, ' for the living God : when mail I come and appear c before him ? This goes beyond formality, and can be tied to no lefTon. But we may by this fee, that true worfhip is an inward work ; that the foul mud be touched and raifed in its heavenly defires, by the hea- venly fpirit, and that the true worfhip is in God's prefeuce. ' When fhall I come and appear V Not in the temple, nor with outward facrifices, but before God, in his prefeuce. So that the fouls of true wor- il uppers fee God, make their appearance before him ; and this they wait, they pant, they third for. O how is the better part of Chriftendom degenerated from David's example ! No wonder, therefore, that this good man tells us, c truly my foul waiteth upon God ;' and that he gives it in charge to his foul fo to do 5 ' O my foul, wait thou upon God ; for my expectation 1 is from him.' As if he faid, None elfe can prepare my heart, or fupply my wants ; fo that my expectation is not from my own voluntary performances, or the bodily worfhip I can give him ; they are of no value : they can neither help me, nor pleafe him. But I wait upon him for ftrength and power to prefent myfelf f,> before him as may be molt pleafmg to him, for he that prepares the facriflce, will certainly accept \\. Wherefore in two vcrfes he repeats it thrice, c I wait c for the Lord — My foul doth wait — My foul waiteth ' for the Lord, more than they that watch for the e ihornii Yea, i'o iutenfely, and with that un- I weariednefs 31 Tfal. ex xx. s. 6. 66 NO CROSS, NO CROW N. Part I- weariednefs of foul, that he fays in one place, ' Mine ' eyes fail, while 1 wait for my God." 1 He was not con- tended with fo many prayers, fuch a fet of worfhip, or limited repetition ; no : he leaves not till he finds the Lord, that is, the comforts of his prefence; which bring the anfwer of love and peace to his foul. Nor was this his practice only, as a man more than ordina- rily inipired ; for he fpeaks of it in the way of worfhip then amongfl the true people of God, the fpiritual 11- rael, and circumcifion in heart, of that day. c Be- c hold (fays he; as the eyes of fervants look to the hand * of their mailers, and as the eye of a maiden unto ' the hand of her miflrefs, fo our eyes wait upon the c Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us.' In another place, c Our foul waiteth for the Lord, he is * our help and our fhield. I will wait upon thy name, c for it is good before thy faints. ' p It was in requefl with the truly godly of that day, and the way they came to enjoy God, and worfhip him acceptably. And from his own experience of the benefit of waiting upon God, and the faints practice of thole times, he recom- mends it to others : ' Wait upon the Lord, be of good 1 courage, and he fhall flrengthen thy heart : wait, I c fay, upon the Lord.'* That is, wait in faith and patience, and he will come to fave thee. Again, c Refl ' in the Lord, and wait patiently upon him :' r that is, cad thyfelf upon him ; be contented, and wait for him to help thee in thy wants : thou canft not think how- near he is to help thofe that wait upon him : O try, and have faith ! Yet again, he bids us, c wait upon the c Lord, and keep his way." Behold the realon fo few profit ! they are out of his way, and fuch can never wait rightly upon him. Great realon had David for what be laid, that had with lb much comfort and ad- vanl t i he Lord in his blefYed way. \I. The prophet Ifaiah tells us, that though the dbaftifementi of the Lord were lore upon the people for their i. P Phi. xxxiii. 20. Pfal. lii. o. wii. 7. f Pfal. xxx vii. 34. Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 6 7 their backflidings, 1 yet in the way of his judgments (in the way of his rebukes and difpleafures) they waited for him, and the defire of their foul (that is the great poiut) was to his name, and the remembrance of him. They were contented to be chid and chaftiled, for they had finned ; and the knowledge of him fo, was very defirable to them. But what ! did he not come at lalt, and that in mercy too? Yes, he did, and they knew him when he came (a do&rine the brutifh world knows not) c This is our God, we have waited for him, and he will c fave us' a O bleffed enjoyment ! O precious confi- dence. Here was a waiting in faith, which prevailed. All worfhip, not in faith, is fruitlefs to the worfhipper, as well as difpleafing to God ; and this faith is the gift of God, and the nature of it is to purify the heart, and give fuch as truly believe ' vi&ory over the world.' Well ! but they go on : ' We have waited for him, we c will be glad, and rejoice in his falvation.' w The prophet adds, ' Bleffed are all they that wait upon God:'* and why ? ' For they that wait upon the Lord, fhall re- * new their ftrength ; they fhall never faint ; never be ' weary :' y The encouragement is great. O hear him once more ! ' For fince the beginning of the world, c men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither * hath the eye feen, O God ! befides thee, what he hath c prepared for him that waiteth for him.' Behold the inward life and joy of the righteous, the true wor- fhippers ! thofe whofe fpirits bowed to the appearance of God's fpirit in them, leaving and forfaking all it ap- peared againft, and embracing whatever it led them to. In Jeremiah's time, the true worfhippers alfo waited up- on God ; and he affures us, ■ That the Lord is good to ' them that wait for him, to the foul that feeketh him.' Hence it is that the prophet Hofca exhorts the church then, to turn and wait upon God : ' Therefore turn thou ■ to thy God ; keep mercy and judgment, and wait on c thy God continually.'* And 1 Ifa. xxvi. 8. . u Ifa. xxv. 9. w Ifa. xxx. 18. x Ifa. xl. 31. ' Ifa. lxiv 4. z Jcr. xiv. 22. Lament, iii. 25. Hof. xii. 6. 6i NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti. And Mlcah is very zealous and refolute in this good life : ' I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the? < God of my falvation : my God will hear me.' a Thus did the children of the fpirit, that thirfted after an in- ward lenieof him. The wicked cannot fayfo: nor they that pray, unlefs they wait. It is charged upon Ifrael in the wildernefs, as the caufe of theirdifobedience and ingratitude to God, that they c waited not for his coun- ' fels.' We may be lure it is our duty, and expected from us ; for God requires it in Zephaniah : c There- 4 fore wait upon me, faith the Lord, until the day that c I arife, &c.' b O that all who profefs the name of God, would wait fo, and not offer to arife to worfhip without him ! and they would feel his ftirrings and arifings in them, to help,, and prepare, and fanctify them. Chrift exprefsly charged his difciples, they fhould not ftir from Jerufalem, but wait till they had received the promile of the Father, the baptifm of the Holy Ghoii, in order to their preparation for the preach- ing of the glorious gofpel ofChriir. to the world.' And though that were an extraordinary effufion for an ex- traordinary work, yet the degree does not change the kind. On the contrary, if fo much waiting and pre- paration by the Spirit was requiiite to fit them to preach to man ; fome, at leait, may be needful to fit us to fpeaktoGod. XII. I will clofc this great fcripture doctrine of waiting, with that paffage ip John, about thepoolofBe- !:t. ' There is at Jerufalem, by the fheep-rnarket, a >1, which is called in the Hebrew tongue, Bethefda, f having five porches, in thefe lay a great multitude of .nt folks, of blind, halt, and withered, waiting of the water. For an angel went vn at a certain feajoo into the pool, and troubled \er then fjrft after the troubling of ftej ped in 3 was made whole of whatfoever he had.' 4 A moil; exact reprefentation of nded by all that has been faid upon the fub- jea J. c Ads i. 4—8. d John v. 2, 3, 4. Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROW N. 6 9 jcvft of waiting. For as there was then an outward and legal, fo there is now a gofpel and fpiritual Jerusa- lem, the church of God, continuing of the faithful. The pool in that old Jerufalem, in fome fort, reprefented ihat fountain, which is now fct open in the New je» rufalem. That pool was for thole that were under in* firmities of body ; this fountain for all that are impotent in foul. There was an angel then that moved the wa- ter to render it beneficial ; it is God's angel now, the great angel of his prefence, that bleffeth this fountain with fuccefs. They that then went in beibre, and did not watch the angel, and take advantage of his motion, found no benefit of their ftepping in: thofe that now wait not the moving of God's angel, but by the de- votion of their own forming and timing, rum before God, as thehorfe into the battle, and hope for fuccefs, are fure to mifcarry in their expectations. Therefore, as then, they waited with all patience and intention upon the angel's motion, that wanted and defired to be cured ; fo do the true worfhippersof God now, that need and pray for his prefence, which is the life of their fouls, as the fun is to the plants of the field. They have often tried the unprofitablenefs of their own work, and are now come to the fabbath indeed. They dare not put up a device of their own, or oiler an un- fanclified requeft, much lefs obtrude bodily worfhip, where the foul is really inlenfible or unprepared by the Lord. In the light of Jefus they ever wait to be pre- pared, retired, and reclufe from all thoughts that caufe the lead diftradlion and difcompofure in the mind, till- they fee the angel move, and till their beloved pleafe to wake : nor dare they call him before his time. And they fear to make a devotion in his abfence ; for they know it is not only unprofitable, but reprovable : * Who has required this at your hands ?' ' He that be- f lieves makes not halle.' c They that worlhip with their own, can only do as the Ifraelites, turn their car-rings into a molten image, and be curfed for their pains. c Jfa. :. 12, ch. xxviii. K. 7 o NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. pains. Nor fared they better, c that gathered flicks of 9 old, and kindled a fire, and compaffed themfelves ( about with the fparks that they had kindled ;' f for God told them, c they fliould lie down in forrow.' It fhould not only be of no advantage, and do them no good, but incur a judgment from him ; forrow and anguifh of foul fhall be their portion. Alas ! flefh and blood would fain pray, though it cannot wait ; and be a faint, though it cannot abide to do or fufYer the will of God. With the tongue it bleiles God, and with the tongue it curies men, made in his fimilitude. It calls Jelus Lord, but not by the Holy Gholt ; and often names the name of Jefus, yea, bows the knee to it too, but de- parts not from iniquity : this is abominable to God. §. XIII. In iTiort, there are four things fo neceffary to worshipping of God aright, and which put its perform- ance beyond man's power, that there feems little more needed thanthe naming of them. Thefirft is, the fan£li- fication of the worihipper.' Secondly, the confecra- tion of the offering, which has been fpoken to before fomewhat largely. Thirdly, what to pray for ; which no man knows, that prays not by the aid of God's fpirit ; and, therefore, without that fpirit no man can truly pray. This the apoltle puts beyond difpute ; ' We know not (fays he) what we fhould pray for, as c we ought, but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities.' 2 Men unacquainted with the work and power of the Holy Spirit, are ignorant of the mind of God : and thofe, certainly, can never pleale him with their prayers. It is not enough to know, we want ; but we mould learn, betber it be not feiit us as a bieftiug : difappointments to the proud, loifes to the covetous, and to the negli- tmovethefe, were to fecure thedeftruc- tion, noi help the falvation of the foul. The file world knows nothing, but carnally, after a flefhly manner and. interpretation ; and too many that would be thought enlightened, are apt to call lencesb) mes. Forinflance, afflictions they f Ifu. I. II. 8 Rom. viii. 26. Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 7 i they fiyle judgments ; and trials (more precious than the beloved gold) they call niiieries- On the other hand, they call the preferments of the world by the name of honour, and its wealth, happinefs : when for once that they are fo, it is much to be feared they are fentof God an hundred times for judgments, at leafl trials, upon their polTeffors. Therefore, what to keep, what to reje&j what to want, is a difficulty God only can refolve the foul. And fince God knows better than we, what we need, he can better tell us what to afk, than we can him: which made Chrift exhort his difciples to avoid long and repetitious prayers ; telring them, that their heavenly Father knew what they needed, before they afked : h and therefore gave them a pattern to pray by : not as fome fancy, to be a text to human liturgies, which of all fervices are molt juftly noted and taxed for length and repetition ; but expreis- iy to reprove and avoid them. But if thofe wants that are the iubject of prayer, were once agreed upon (though that be a mighty point) yet how to pray is ffill of great- er moment, than to pray ; it is not the requeft, but the frame of the petitioner's fpirit. The what may be pro- per, but the how defective. As Ifaid, God need not be told of our wants by us, who mull tell them to us ; yet he, will be told them from us, that both we may feek him, and he may come down to us. But when this is done, ' To this man will I look, faith the Lord, even to 1 him that is poor, and of a contrite fpirit, and that 1 trembleth at my word ; n To the lick heart, the wound- ed foul, the hungry and thirfty, the weary and heavy la- den ones ; fuch iincerely want an helper. §. XIV. Nor is this fuificient to complete gofpel- worfhip ; the fourth requifite muft be had, and that is faith, true faith, precious faith, the faith of God's choien that purifies their hearts, that overcomes the world, and is the victory of the faints. k This is that which animates prayer, and preffes it home, like the impor- tunate h Mat. vi. 7, 8. I Ifa. hvi. 2. k 1 Tim. i. 5. A&s xv. 9. Tit, i. 1. 2 Pet. i 1. 1 John v. 4. ^ C R OSS, NO CROW N. Part I; tur.atc widow, that would not be denied ; to whom Chrift (feemingto admire) faid, c O woman, great is thy ' faith.' 1 This is of higheft moment on our part, to give our addrefTes fuccefs with God ; and yet not in our pow- er neither, for it is the gift of God : from him we mull have it ; and with one grain of it more work is done, more deliverance is wrought, and more goodnefs and mercy received, than by all the runnings, willings,andtoilings of man, with his inventions and bodily exercifes. Which, duly weighed, will eafily fpell out the meaning, why fo much worfhip fhould bring fo little profit to the world, as we fee it does, viz. True faith is loft. They afk, and receive not ; they leek, and find not ; they knock, and it is not opened unto them : m the cafe is plain : their requefts are not mixed with purifying faith, by which they mould prevail, as good Jacob's were, when he wreitled with God, and prevailed. And the truth is, the generality are yet in their fms, following their hearts lulls, and living in worldly pleafures, being ftrangers to this precious faith. It is the reafon render- ed by the deep author to the Hebrews, of the unpro- fitablenefs of the word preached to fome of thofe days ; 1 not being (fays he) mixed with faith in them that c heard it.' Can theminiiler then preach without faith ? No, and much lefs can any man pray to purpofe with- out faith, efpecially when we are told, c That the juft c live by faith.' For worfhip is the fupreme acl of man's life; and whatever is neceflary to inferior acls of reli- gion, mull not be wanting there. XV. This may moderate the wonder in any, why Chrift fo often upbraided his difciples with, 8 O ye of c Little faith !' yet tells us, that one grain of it (though as little as that of muiiard, one of the leall of feeds) if true and right, is able to remove mountains. As if he had faid, there is no temptation fo powerful, that it cannot fupply : wherefore thofe that are capti- 1 by temptations, and remain unfupplied in their fpi ritual 1 Mat. xv. 28. : ». iv. 3- Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 73 fpiritual wants, have not this powerful faith : that is the true caufe. So neceffary was it of old, that Chrift did not many mighty works where the people believed not, and though his power wrought wonders in other places, faith opened the way : fo that it is hard to fay, whether that power by faith, or faith by that power, wrought the cure. Let us call to mind what famous things a little clay and fpittle, one touch of the hem of ChriiVs garment, and a few words out of his mouth did, by the force of faith in the patients : c Believe ye * that I am able to open your eyes ?' Yea, Lord, fay the blind, and fee. To the ruler, only believe : he did, and his dead daughter recovered life. Again, c If thou ' canft believe : I do believe,' fays the father, < help c my unbelief;'" and the evil fpirit was chafed away, and the child recovered. He faid to one, c Go, thy c faith has made thee whole.' And to another, c Thy c faith has faved thee ; thy fins are forgiven thee." And to encourage his difciples to believe, that were admiring how foon his fentence was executed upon the fruitlefs fig-tree, he tells them, • Verily, if ye have c faith, and doubt not, ye fhall not only do this, which e is done to the fig-tree ; but alfo, if ye (hall fay unto c this mountain, be thou removed and call into the fea, c it fhall be done, and all things whatfoever ye (hall afic c in prayer, believing, ye fhall receive.' 1 * This one paffage convi&s Chrifteudom of grofs infidelity ; for (lie prays, and receives not. §. XVI. But, may fome fay, it is impoffible to receive all that a man may a(k. It is not impoffible to receive all that a man, that fo believes, can afk. The fruits of faith arc not impoffible to thofe that truly believe in the God that makes them poffible. q When Jefus faid to the ruler, £ If thou canft believe/ he adds, ' all ' things are poffible to him that believeth.'* Well, but then fome will fay, it is impoffible to have fuch faith : for this very faithlefs generation would excufe K their "John ix 6 Luke vili 47 48 Mat. ix 29 30 Mat. ix 23 Mark x $2 Luke vii 4950 r Mat. \\i 20 21 22 1 Mat. xviii 19 Lukexviii'27 r Mark b 74 NO CROSS, NO C II O W N. Part U their want of faith by making it impoffible to have the faith they want. But Chrift's anfwer to the infidelity of that age, will beft confute the difbelief of this. 1 The things that are impoffible with men, are poffible f with God." It will follow then, that it is not impoffi- ble with God to give that faith ; though it is certain, that 1 without it, it is impoffible to pleafe God ; H for fo the author to the Hebrews teaches. And if it be elfe im- poffible to pleafe God, it muft be fo to pray to God without this precious faith. §. XVII. But fome may fay, what is this faith, that is fo neceflary to worfhip, and that gives it fuch accept- ance with God, and returns that benefit to men ? I fay, it is an holy resignation to God, and confidence in him, teflified by a religious obedience to his holy requirings, which gives fure evidence to the foul of the things not yet feen, and a general fenfe and tafte of the fub- ftance of thofe things that are hoped for ; that is, the glory which is to be revealed hereafter. As this faith is the gift of God, fo it purifies the hearts of thofe that receive it. The apoftle Paul is witnefs, that it will not dwell, but in a pure confeience : he therefore in one place, couples a pure heart and faith unfeigned to- gether : in another, faith and a good confeience. James joins faith with righteoufnefs, and John with victory over the world : e This,' fays he, ' is the victory which c overcomes the world, even your faith.* 1 §. XVIII. The heirs of this faith are the true children of Abraham (though the uncircumcifion in the flefh) in that they walk in the fteps of father Abraham, ac- cording to the obedience of faith, which only entitles people to be the children of Abraham.* This lives above the world, not only in its fin, but righteoufnefs ; to which no man comes, but through death to felf, by the crofs of Jefus, and an entire dependence, by him, upon God. x Famous f Mat xix 24, 25 26 Luke xviii 25; 26 27 l Heh xi 6 u I Tim iii 9 ch. i 5 Jama ii 1 John v 4 " Ro»i ir 1 1 x Johnxvi 9 io Part r. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 7 $ Famous are the exploits of this divine gift : time would fail to recount them ; all facred ftory is filled with them. But let it fuffice, that by it the holy anci- ents endured all trials, overcame all enemies, prevailed with God, renowned his truth, finifhed their teftimony, and obtained the reward of the faithful, a crown of righteoufaeis, which is the eternal bieiTednefs of the juft. CHAP. VII. §. i. Of pride, the firft capital luft, its rife. §. 2. Its definition and diftincYion. §. 3. That an inordinate defire of knowledge in Adam, introduced man's mifery. §. 4. He thereby loft his integrity. §. 5 Who are in Adam's ftate. §. 6. Knowledge puffs up. §. 7. The evil effedts of falfe, and the benefit of true knowledge. §. 8. Cain's example a proof in the cafe. §. 9. The Jews' pride in pretending to be wifer than Mofes, God's fervant, in letting their poft by God's poll. §. 10. The effect of which was the perfecution of the true prophets. §. 11. The divine knowledge of Chrift brought peace on earth. . §. 12. Of the blind guides, the priefts, and the mif- chief they have done. §. 13. The fall of Chriftians, and the pride they have taken in it, hath exceeded the Jews : under the profeffion of their new-moulded Chriftianity, they have murdered the witnefs of the Lord Jefus. §. 14. The angels fang peace on earth, at the birth of the Lord of meeknefs and humility : but the pride of the Pharifees withftood and calum- niated him. §. 15. As Adam and the Jews loft themfelves by their ambition, fothe Chriftians, lofing the fear of God, grew creed and worfhip-makers,with this injunction, Conform or burn. §. 16. The evil effe&s of this in Chriftendom (fo called). §. 17. The way of recovery out of fuch miferable defection. 7 6 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part L §• I* TlfAVING thus difcharged my conscience it iL againft that part of unlawful felf, that fain would be a Chriftian, a believer, a faint, whilfl a plain ftranger to the crofs of Ch rift, and the holy exercifes of it ; and in that briefly difcovered what is true worfhip, and the ufe and bufinefs of the holy crofs, therein to render its performance pleafing to Almighty God ; I fhall now (the fame Lord affifting me) more largely pro- fecute that other part of unlawful felf, which fills the ftudy, care, and converfation of the world, prefented to us inthefe three capital lulls ; that is to fay, Pride, avarice, and luxury ; from whence all other m if chiefs daily flow, as ilreams from their proper foun- tains : the mortifying of which makes up the other ; and indeed a very great part of the work of the true crofs ; and though laft in place, yet fir ft in experience and du- ty ; which done, it introduces in the room of thofe evil habits, the blefled effecls of that fo-much needed reform- ation, to wit, £ mortification, humility, temperance, love, 1 patience, and heavenly-mindednefs,' a with all other graces of the Spirit, becoming the followers of the per- fect Jefus, that moll heavenly man. 1 he care and love of mankind are either directed to God or themfelves. Thofe that love God above all, are ever humbling felf to his commands, and only love felf in fubferviency to him that is Lord of all. But thofe that are declined from that love to God, are lovers of themfelves more than God : for fupreme love muft cen- ter in one ofthefe two. To that inordinate felf-love, thcapoitle rightly joins proud and high-minded. b For no fooner had the angels declined their love, duty, and reverence to God, than they inordinately loved and va- themfelV< s ; which made them exceed their Itation, and afpire above the order of their creation. This was their pride, and this lad defection their difmal fail : who are rcferved in chains of darknei's unto the judgment of t day of God. §, II. Pride, • Gal. v 22 23. b 2 Tim. iii 2 3. Pare I- NO CROSS, NO CROW N. 77 §. II. Pride, that pernicious evil, which begins this chapter, did alfo begin the mifery of mankind : a mofr mifchievous quality ; and fo commonly known by its motions, and fad effects, that every unmodified breaft carries its definition in it. However, I will fay, in fhort, tli at pride is an excefs of felf-love, joined with an undervaluing of others, and a defire of dominion over them : the mod troublefome thing in the world. There are four things by which it hath made itfelf bed known to mankind, the confequences of which have brought an equal mifery to its evil. The firft is, an inordinate purfuit of knowledge. The fecond, an am- bitious feekingand craving after power. The third, an extreme defire of perfonal refped and deference. The lad excefs is that of worldly furniture and ornaments. To the juft and true witnefs of the eternal God, placed in the fouls of all people, I appeal as to the truth of thefe things. §. III. To the firft, it is plain that an inordinate de- fire of knowledge introduced man's mifery, and brought an univerfal iapfe from the glory of his primitive ftate. Adam would needs be wifer than God had made him. It did not ferve his turn to know his Creator, and give him that holy homage, his being and innocence natu- rally engaged and excited him to ; nor to have an * un-« c derftanding above all the beads of the field, the fowls c of the air, and the fifties of the fea/ c joined with a power to rule over all the vifible creation of God, but he mud be as wife as God too. 4 This unwarrantable fearch, and as foolifn as unjuft ambition, made him unworthy of the blefiings he received from God. This drives him out of paradife ; and indead of being lord of the whole world, Adam becomes the wretcheded va- gabond of the earth. §. IV. A drange change ! that indead of being as god", they mould fall below the very beads; in com- panion of whom even God had made them as gods. The lamentable confequence of this great defection has be c Gen. ii u) 29 d Gtn. ii»£ e Ch. lii 4. 7 S NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti. been an exchange of innocency for guilt, and a para- dife for a wildernefs. Bat, which is yet worfe, in diis Hate Adam and Eve had got another god than the only true and living God : and he that had enticed them to all this miichief, furnifhed them with a vain knowledge, and pernicious wifdom : the fkill of lies and equivoca- tions, fhifts, evafions, and excufes. They had loft their plainnefs and fmcerity ; and from an upright heart, the image in which God had made man, he became a crook- ed, twining, twitting ferpent ; the image of that unrigh- teous fpint, to whofe temptations he yielded up, with his obedience, his paradifical happinefs. J. V. Nor is this limited to Adam ; for all who have fallen fhort of the glory of God, are right-born Ions of his difobedience. They, like him, have eaten of what they have been forbidden: they have ' committed the * things they ought not to have done, and left undone ' the things they ought to have done.' r They have finned again!! that divine light of knowledge, which God has given them : they have grieved his fpirit : and that difmal fentence has been executed, c In the day that 1 thou eateft thereof thou (halt die.' g That is, when thou doeft the thing which thou oughteft not to do, thou (halt no more live in my favour, and enjoy the comforts of the peace of my fpirit ; which is a dying to all thofe innocent and holy defires and aMe&ions, which God created man with : and he becomes as one cold and benumbed ; infenfible of the love of God, of his Holy Spirit, power and wifdom ; of the light and joy of his countenance, and of the evidence of a good conJcience, and the co-witnefiing and approbation of God's Holy Spirit. §. VI. So that fallen Adam's knowledge of God flood no more in a daily experience of the love and work of God in his foul, but in a notion of what he once did know and experience ; which being not the true and living wifdom that is from above, but a mere pi dure, it cannot preferve man in purity; but puffs up, makes people proud, high-minded, and impatient of con- tradiction. f Rom. yli. * Gen. ii j 7. Part I- NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 79 tradiction. This was the flate of the anoflate Jews be- fore Chrift came ; and has been the condition of apoftate Chriftians ever fince he came : their religion Handing ( lb me bodily performances excepted) either in what they once knew of the work of God in themfelves, and which they have revolted from ; or in an hiftorical belief, and an imaginary conception and paraphrafe upon the experiences and prophecies of fuch holy men and wo- men of God, as in all ages have deferved the ftyle and charadrer of his true children. §.VII. As fuch a knowledge of God cannot be true* lb by experience we find, that it ever brings forth the quite contrary fruits to the true wifdom- For as this is firft pure, then peaceable, then gentle, and eafy to be entreated : fo the knowledge of degenerated and un- mortified men is firil impure : h for it came by the corn- million of evil, and is held in an evil and impure con- science and heart, that difobey God's law, and that daily do thole things which they ought not to do; and for which they ftand condemned before God's judgment-feat in the fouls of men : the light of whofe prefence fearches the moft hidden things of darknefs, the molt fecret thoughts, and concealed inclinations of ungodly men. This is the fcience, falfely fo called ; and as it is impure, fo it is unpeaceable, crofs and hard to be entreated; fro ward, perverfe, and perfecuting : jealous that any fhould be better than they, and hating and abufing thole that are. §. VIII. It was this pride made Cain a murderer: it is a ipiteful quality ; full of envy and revenge. 1 What! was not his religion and worfn-p as good as his bro- ther's ? He had all the exterior parts cfworfhip: he offered as well as Abel, and the offering of itfelf might be as good; but it feems the heart, that offered it, was not. So long ago did God regard the interior worfhip of the foul. Well! what was the confequcuce of this difference? Cain's pride ltomached it; he could not bear to be outdone by his brother. Ke grew wrathful, and h Jam. ii£ 17. ' Cen. iv 8. gu NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. and refolved to vindicate his offering, by revenging the refufal of it upon his brother's life; and without any tteard to natural affection, or the low and early condi- tion of mankind, he barbaroufly dyed his hands in his brother's blood. §. IX. The religion of the apoftatized Jews did no better; for, having loft the inward life, power, and fpirit of the law, they were purled up with that know- ledge tiiey had ; and their pretences to Abraham, Mofes, and the promifes of God, in that frame, ferved only to blow them up into an unfufferable pride, arro- gance and cruelty. For they could not bear true viri- on, when it came to viiit them, and entertained the mefTengers of their peace as if they had been wolves and tygers. §. X. Yea, it is remarkable, the falfe prophets, the great engineers agaiuft the true ones, were ever fure to perfecute them as falfe ; and by their intereft with earthly princes, or the poor feduced multitude, made them the inftruments of their malice. Thus it was that one holy prophet was fawn afunder, another ftoned to death, &c. So proud and obftinate is falfe know- ledge, aud the afpirers after it ; which made holy Ste- phen cry out, ' O ye ftiff-necked, and uncircumcifed in * heart and ear, ye refill the Holy Ghoft; as did your ' fathers, fo do ye.'* §. XI. The true knowledge came with the joy of angels, finging, ' peace on earth, and good-will to- ' wards men :" the falfe knowledge entertained the melfage with calumnies: Chrift muft needs be an im- poftor ; and that muft prove him fo, to wit, his power of working of miracles ; which was that which proved the contrary. They ftoned him, and frequently fought to kill him ; which at laft they wickedly accomplished. But what was their motive to it? Why, he cried out ofl their hypocrify, the broad phylacteries, the honour they fought of men. To be fhort, they give the reaibu themielves in theft words; < If we let him c thus k AifU via 51. 1 Luke ii 14. Pare I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. $i c thus alone, all men will believe on him : m that is, he will take away oar credit with the people ; they will ad- here to him, and defert us; and fo we mail lofe our power and reputation with the multitude. §. XII. And, the truth is, he came to level their honour, to overthrow their rabbyfhip, and by his grace to bring the people to that inward knowledge of God, which they, by traufgreffion, were departed from : that fo they might fee the deceitfulnefs of their blind guides, who, by their vain traditions, had made void the righ- teouiheis of the law : and who were fo far from being the true doctors, and lively expounders of it, that in reality they were the children of the devil, who was a proud liar, and cruel murderer from the beginning. §. XIII. Their pride in falfe knowledge having made them uncapable of receiving the fimplicity of the gofpel, Chrift thanks his Father, that he had hid the myfteries of it from the wife and prudent, and revealed them to babes. n It was this falfe wifdom fwelled the minds of the Athenians to that degree, that they de- fpifed the preaching of the apoftle Paul, as a vaiu and fooliih thing. But that apoftle, who of all the reft had an education in the learning of thofe times, bitterly reflects on that wifdom, fo much valued by Jews and Greeks : ' Where (fays he) is the wife ? where is the c fcribe ? where is the difputer of this world ? Hath e not God made fooliih the wifdom of this world?' And he gives a good reafon for it, c that no flelh fhould ' glory in his prefence. >p Which is to fay, God will ftain the pride of man in falfe knowledge, that he Ihould have nothing on this occafion to be proud of ; it Ihould be owing only to the revelation of the Spirit of God. The apoftle goes farther, and affirms, c that the world ' by wifdom knew not God : :q that is, it was fo far from an help, that, as men uie it, it was an hindrance to the true knowledge of God. And in his firft epiftle to L his m John xlvii 11 n Mat. xi 25, ° 1 Cor. i 20 p I Cor. i 29 q 1 Cor. i 21 $ 2 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part L his beloved Timothy, he concludes thus : l O Timothy! c keep that which is committed to thy trull ; avoiding ■ profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of fci- 1 ence, faliely fo called;'' This was the fenfeof apofto- lical times, when the divine grace gave the true know- ledge of God, and was the guide of Chriftians. §. XIV. Well! but what has been the fuccefs of thofe ages, that followed the apoflolical? any whit better than that of the Jewifh times? Not one jot. They have exceeded them ; as with their pretences to greater knowledge, fo in their degeneracy from the tiueChrif- tia.i life; for though they had a more excellent pat- tern than the Jews, to whom God fpoke by Mofes his fervant, he, fpeaking to them by his beloved tion, the exprefs image of his fubftance, the perfection of all meeknefs and humility; and though they feemed ad- dicted to nothing more, than an adoration of his name, and a veneration to the memory of his blefiTed difciples and apoflles; yet fo great was their defection from the inward power and life of Chriftianity in the foul, that th«ir refpect was little more than formal and cere- monious. For notwithftanding they, like the Jews, were mighty zealous in garnilhing their fepulchres, and curious in carving of their images; not only keep- ing with any pretence what might be the reliques of their perfons, but recommending a thoufand things as reliques which are purely fabulous, and very often ridi- culous and to be lure altogether unchri^ian : yet, as to the great and weighty things of the Chriftian law, viz. love, meeknefs, and felf-denial, they were degenerated : they grew high-minded, proud, boafters, without na- tural aflccYion, curious, and controversial ; ever per- plexing the church with doubtful and dubious cjuefti- ons : filling the people with difputations, itrife wad ogling, drawing them into parties, till at laft they fell into blood; as if they had been the worfe for being once Chriftians. Othe T I Tim. vi 20. Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 83 O the miferable ftate of thefe pretended Chriflians ! that initead of ChrifVs, and his apoftles do trine, of lov- ing enemies, and bleiling them that curfe them, they fhould teach the people, under the notion of Chriftian zeal, moft inhumanly to butcher one another ; and in- ftead of fufTering their own blood to be fhed for the teftimony of Jefus, they fhould fhed the blood of the witneffes of Jefus, for hereticks : thus that fubtile fer- pent, or crafty evil-fpirit, that tempted Adam out of innocency, and the Jews from the law of God, has be- guiled the Chriftians, by lying vanities, to depart from the Chriftian law of holinefs, and fo they are become (laves to him ; for he rules in the hearts of the children of dilbbedience. §. XV. And it is obfervable, that as pride 'which is ever followed by fuperftition and obftinacy) put Adam upon feeking an higher ftation than God placed him in ; aiii as the Jews, out of the fame pride, to out- do their pattern, given them of God by Mofes upon the mount, let their port by God's poft, and taught for doctrines their own traditions, infomuch that thofe that refilled conformity to them ran the hazard of Crucify, crucify ; fo the nominal Chriitians, from the fame lin of pride, with great fuperftition and arrogance, have introduced, initead of a fpirituai worfhip and discipline, that which is evidently ceremonious and worldly ; with fuch innovations and traditions of men, as are the fruit of the wifdom that is from below : witnefs their nume- rous and perplexed councils and creeds, with, Conform, or burn, at the end of them. §. XVI. And as this unwarrantable pride fet them flrft at work, to prevent the fpirituality of the Chriftian cult, making it rather to refemble the fhadowy religion of the Jews, and the gaudy worfhip of the Egyptians, than the great plainnefs and fimplicity of the Chriftian inftitution, which is neither to refemble that of the mountain, nor the other of Jerufalem ; fo has the fame pride and arrogancy fpurred them on, by all imaginable cruelties, to maintain this great Diana of theirs. No meek fupplications, nor humble remonftrances of thofe that 8 4 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti. that kept clofe to primitive purity in worftiip and doc- trine, could prevail with thefe nominal Chriftians, to difpenfe with the impofnion of their un-apoftolical traditions. But as the minifters and bifhops of thefe de- generate Chriftians, left their painful visitation and care over Chrift's flock, and grew ambitious, covetous, and luxurious, refembling rather worldly potentates, then the humble-fpirited and mortified followers of the bleffed Jefus : fo almoft every hiftory tells us, with what pride and cruelty, blood and butchery, and that with unufual and exquifhe tortures, they have perfe- cuted the holy members of Chrift, out of the world ; and that upon fuch anathemas, that as far as they could, they have difappointed them of the bleffings of heaven too. Thefe, true Chriftians call martyrs; but the clergy, like the perfecuting Jews, have ftyled them blafphemers and hereticks ; in which they have fulfilled the prophecy of our Lord Jefus Chrift ; who did not fay, that they mould think they do the gods good fervice to kill the Chriftians, his dear followers (which might re- fer to the perfecutions of the idolatrous Gentiles) but that they fhould think they do God good fervice to kill them :' which {hews, that they fhould be fuch as pro- fefiedly owned the true God as the apoftate Chriftians have all along pretended to do. So that they muft be thofe wolves, that the apoftle foretold fhould arife out of themfelvGs, and worry the flock of Chrift, after the great falling-away mould commence, that was foretold by him, and made neceffary, in order to the proving of the faithful, and the revelation of the great myftery of iniquity.' 1 fhall conclude this head with this afifertion, that it is too undeniable a truth, where the clergy has been moft in power and authority, and has had the greateft influence upon princes and ftates, there has been moft confufions, wrangles, blood-fhed, , fequeftrations, im- prifonments, and exiles: to the juftifying of which, I call the teftimony of the records of all times. How it 1 T hn xvi 2 l A&s xx 29 Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 85 it is in our age, I leave to the experience of the living : yet there is one demonftration that can hardly fail us : the people are not converted, but debauched, to a de- gree, that time will not allow us an example. The worfhip of Chriftendom is vifible, ceremonious, and gaudy ; the clergy ambitious of worldly preferments, under the pretence of fpiritual promotions ; making the earthly revenues of church-men, much the reafon of their function ; being almoft ever fure to leave the prc- fent fmall incumbence, to folicit and obtain benefices of larger title and income. So that with their pride and avarice, which good old Peter forefaw would be their fnares, they have drawn after them, ignorance, mifer), and irreligion upon Chriftendom. §. XVII. The way of recovery from this miferable de- fection is, to come to a faving knowledge of religion : that is, an experience of the divine work of God in the foul ; to obtain which, be diligent to obey the grace that appears in thy own foul, Oman ! that brings fal- vation, it turns thee out of the broad way, into the narrow way ; from thy lulls to thy duty, from fin to holinefs, from Satan to God. u Thou muft fee and ab- hor fell, thou muft watch, and thou muft pray, and thou muft fa ft ; thou muft not look at thy tempter, but at thy preferver ; avoid ill company, retire to thy foli- tudes, and be a chafte pilgrim in this evil world : and thus thou wilt arrive to the knowledge of God and Chrift, that brings eternal life to the foul : a well- grounded afTurance from what a man feels and knows within himielf ; fuch fhall not be moved with evil tidings. u Tit. 84 11 12 14, CHAP 86 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. CHAP. VIII. j. i. Pride craves power as well as knowledge. §. 2. The cafe of Korah &c. a proof. §. 3. Abfalom's ambition confirms it. §. 4. Nebuchadnezzar's does the like. §. 5. The hiftoryof Pififtratus, Alexander, Caefar, &c. Ihews the fame thing. §. 6. The Turks are a lively proof, who have fried much blood to gratify pride for power. §. 7. The iaffc ten years in Chriftendom ex- ceed in proof of this. §. 8. Ambition refts not in courts, it finds room in private breafls too, and fpoils families and focieties. §. 9. Their peace is great, that limit their defires by God's grace, arid having power, ufe it to the good of others. §. I. "Tn)"UT let us fee the next moil common, eminent, ]{j ) and mifchievous efTeel of this evil. Pride does extremely crave power, than which, not one thing has proved more troublefome and deftructive to man- kind. I need not labour rnyfelf much in evidence of this, fmce moft of the wars of nations, depopulation of kingdoms, ruin of cities, with the flavery and mifery that have followed, both our own experience and ui> queftionable hiftories acquaint us to have been the ef- fect of ambition, which is the lull of pride after power. §. 11. How fpecious foever might be the pretences of Korah, Dathan and Abiram againlt Mofes, it was their emulation of his mighty power in the camp of Ifrael, that put them upon confpiracies and mutinies. They longed for his authority, and theimot having it was his crime, for they had a mind to be the heads and leaders of the people. The confequence of which was, a remark- able dcflru&ion, to themfelves, and all their unhappy accomplices. §. III. Abfalom too was forthe people's rights, againft the tyranny of his father and his king : a at leaft, with this pretence he palliated his ambition : but his rebel- lion 3 s Sam. xt. Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 87 lion mewed he was impatient for power, and that he relblved to lacrifice his duty, as a Ion and iubje£t, to the importunities of his reftlefs pride, which brought a miserable death to himielf, and an extraordinary llaughter upon his army. §. IV. Nebuchadnezzar is a lively inftance of the ex- celftve luft of pride for power. His fuccelTes and em- pire were too heady for him : fo much too ftrong for his underitanding, that he forgot he did not make him- felf, or that his power had a fuperior. He makes an image, and all muft bow to it, or be burnt. And when Shadrach, Mefhach, and Abednego refufed to com- ply, ' Who (fays he) is that God that fhall deliver you ' out of my hands ? 5b And notwithftanding the con- victions he had upon him, at the conftancy of thofe ex- cellent men, and Daniel's interpretation of his dreams, it was not long before the pride of his power had filled his heart, and then his mouth, with this haughty queftion, ' Is not this great Babylon that I have built 1 for the houfe of the kingdom by the might of my c power, and for the honour of my majefty ?' c But we are told, that while the words were in his mouth, ' a ' voice from heaven rebuked the pride of hisfpirit, and 1 he was driven from the fociety of men, to graze among ■ the beads of the field.' , §. V. If we look into the hiftories of the world, we fhall find many inftances to prove the mifchief of this lull of pride. I will mention a few of them for their fakes, who have either not read or confidered them. Solon made Athens free by his excellent conflitution of laws : but the ambition of Pififtratus began the ruin of it before his eyes. Alexander, not contented with his own kingdom, invades others, and filled with J'poii and daughter thofe countries he lubdued : and it was not ill laid by him, who, when Alexander accufed him of piracy, told him to his face, that Alexanderwas the greateil pirate in the world. It was the fame am- bition that made Cadar turn traitor to his mailers, ai?d with '* Dar. in c Dan. iv to. 38 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. with their own army, put into his hand for their fervice, lubdue them to his yoke, and ufurp the government ; which ended in the expulfion of freedom and virtue to- gether in that commonwealth ; for goodnefs quickly grew to be faclion in Rome ; and that fobriety and wif- dom, which ever rendered her fenators venerable, be- came dangerous to their fafety ; infomuch that his fuc- ceffors hardly left one they did not kill orbanifh : unlefs iuch as turned to be flatterers of their unjuft acquifition, and the imitators of their debauched manners. §. VI. The Turks are a great proof to the point in hand ; who to extend their dominion, have been the caufe of fhedding much blood, and laying many (lately countries wafte. And yet they are to be out-done by apoflate Chriftians : whofe practice is therefore more condemnable, becaufe they have been better taught : they have had a mailer of another dodlrine and example. It is true, they call him Lord {till, but let their am- bition leign : they love power more than one another ; and to get it, kill one another; though charged by him, not to ilrive, but to love and ferve one another. d And, which adds to the tragedy, all natural affection is facrificed to the fury of this luft ; and therefore are ftories fo often framed with the murder of parents, children, uncles, nephews, mailers, &c. §. VII. If we look abroad into remoter parts of the world, we mould rarely hear of wars ; but in Chriil- eiidom, of peace. A very trifle is too often made a ground of quarrel here : nor can any league be fo facred or inviolable, that arts fnall not be uied to evade and diflblve it, to incrcafc dominion. No matter who, nor how many, are (lain, made widows and orphans, oriole their ellates and livelihoods : what countries are ruined ; what towns and cities ipoiled; if by all thefe things the ambitious can but arrive at their ends ? To go no farther back than fixty years, that little period of time will fur- nifh us with many wars begun upon ill grounds, and ended rt Mat. xviii I to C Mark ix 33 to 37. Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 89 ended in great defolation. Nay, the laft twelve years of our time make as pregnant a demonftration, as we can furnifh ourfelves with from the records of any age. It is too tedious, nor is it my bufinefs to be particular: it has been often well obferved by others, and isalmoft known to all ; I mean the French, Spanifh, German, Englifh, and Dutch wars. §. VIII. But ambition does not only dwell in courts, and fenates : it is too natural to every private bread to ftrain for power. We daily fee how much men labour their utmoft wit and interefl to be great, to get higher places, or greater titles than they have, that they may look bigger, and be more acknowledged : take place of ttieir former equals, and fo equal thofe that were once their fuperiors ; compel frieiids 3 and be revenged on enemies. This makes Chriftianity fo little loved of worldly men, its kingdom is not of this world : and though they may fpeak it fair, it is the world diey love ; that without uncharitablenefs we may truly fay, peo- ple profels Chriftianity, but they follow the world. The}' are not for feeking the kingdom of heaven flrfV and the righteoufnefs thereof, and to truft God with the reft ; but for fecuring to themfelves the wealth and glory of this world, and adjourning the care of falvation to. a fick-bed, and the extreme moments of life ; if yet they believe a life to come. §. IX. To conclude this head ; great is their peace, who know a limit to their ambitious minds, that have learnt to be contented with the appointments and bounds of providence ; that are not careful to be great, but being great, are humble, and do good. Such keep their wits with their confeiences, and with an even mind, can at all times meafure the uneven world, reft fixed in themidftof all its uncertainties, and as becomes thofe who have an intereft in a better, in the good time and will of God, cheerfully leave this ; when the ambi- tious, confeious of their evil practices, and weighed down to their graves with guilt, mull go to a tribunal, that they can neither awe nor bribe. M CHAP. e Mat. vl 33. 9© NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. CHAR IX. §. i. The third evil effecl: of pride, is love of honour and refpcft. Too many are guilty of it. §.2. It had like to have coll Mordecai dear. Great mifchief has befall- en nations on this account. §. 3. The world is out in the b&Biiefs of true honour, as well as in that of true fcienceT §. 4. Reafons why the author, and the reft of the people he walks with, ufe not thefe fafhions. §. 5. The flrft is, the fenfe they had in the hour of their conviction, of the unfuitablenefsof them to the Chrif- tian fpirit and practice, and that the root they came from was pride and felf-love. §. 6. Reproach could not move them from that fenfe and practice accord- ingly. §. 7. They do it not to make feds, or fordif- tin&ion. §. 8. Nor yet to countenance formality, but pafiively let drop vain cuftoms, and fo are negative to forms. §. 9. Their behaviour is a teft upon the world. §. 10. And this crofs to the world a teft upon them. §. 11. The fecond reafon againft them is their emptinefs. §.12. Honour in fcripture, is not fo taken as it is in the world. It is ufed for obedience. §. 13. It is ufed for preferment. §. 14. A digreffion about folly in a fcripture fenfe. §. 15. Honour is ufed for re- putation. §. 16. Honour is alio attributed to functions and capacities, by way of efteem. §. 17. Honour is taken for help aud countenance of inferiors. §. 18 Honour is ufed for fervice and efteem to all ftates and capacities ; honour all men. §. 19. Yet there is a li- mitation in a fenfe to the righteous by the Pfalmifl : to honour the godly and contemn the wicked. §. 20. Little of this honour fouud in the world's fafhions. §. 21. The third reafon againft them is, they mock and cheat people of the honour due to them. §. 22. The author and his friendsare for true honour. §. 23. The fourth reafon is, that if the fafhions carried true honour in them, the debauched could honour men, which cannot be. §.24. Hie fifth reafon is, that then men of fpitc, hypocrify, and revenge, could pay Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 91 pay honour, which is impoffible. §. 25. The fixth reafon is drawn from the antiquity of true honour. § 26. The feventh reafon is from the rife of the vain honour, and the teachers of it, wherein the clown, upon a comparifon, excels the courtier for a man of breeding. §. 26. The eighth reafon againit tbefe honours is, that they may be had for mo/ney, which true honour cannot be. §. 28. The ninth and laft reafon is, becaufe the holy fcripture expiefsly forbids them to true Chriftians. §. 29. As in the cafe of Mordecai. §. 30. A paffage between a bifhop and the author in this matter. §. 31. Likewife the cafe of Elihu in Job. §. 32. Alfo the do&rine of Chrift to his difciples. §. 33. Paul againft conforming to the world's fafhions. §. 34. Peter againft fafhioning ourfelves according to the world's luft. §. 35. James againft refpect to perfons. §. 36. Yet Chriitians are civil and mannerly in a right way. §. 37. But un- like the world in the nature of it, and motives to it. §. 38. Teftimonies in favour of our diffent and practice. §. I. r S ^HE third evil erfecl of pride is, an exceflive JL deiire of perfonal honour and refpecl. Pride therefore loves power, that fhe might have homage, and that everyone may give her honour: and fuch as are wanting in that, expofe themfelves to her anger and revenge. And as pride, fo this evil effect, is more or lefs diffufed through corrupt mankind ; and has been the occafion of great animofity and mifchief in the world. §. II. We have a pregnant inftance in holy writ, what malice and revenge the ftomach of proud man is capa- ble of, when not gratified in this particular. It had almoft coft Mordecai his neck, and the whole people of the Jews their lives, becaufe he would not bow him- felf to Haman, who was a great favourite to king Ahafuerus. And the practice of the world, even in our own age,^ will tell us, that not finking a flag or fail ; and not faluting certain ports or garrifons; yea, lefs things have 92 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. have given rife to mighty wars between ilates and kingdoms, to the expenfe of much treafure, but more blood. The like has followed about the precedency of princes, and their ambaiTadors. Aifo the envy, quar- rels and mifchiefs, that have happened among private perfons, upon conceit that they have not been refpe£ted to their degree of quality among men, with hat, knee, or title : to be fure duels and murders not a few. I was once myfelf in France* fet upon about eleven at night, as I was walking to my lodging, by a perfon that way-laid me, with his naked fword in his hand, who demanded fatisfaclion of me, for taking no notice of him, at a time when he civilly faluted me with his hat; though the truth was, I faw him not when he did it. I will fuppofe he had killed me, for he made feveral paf- fes at me, or I in my defence had killed him, when I difarmed him (as the earl of Crawford's fervant faw, that was by) I afk any man of undemanding or con- ference, if the whole ceremony were worth the life of a man, confidering the dignity of the nature, and the importance of the life of man, both with refpeel to God his creator, himfelf, and the benefit of civil fociety ? §. J II. But the truth is, the world, under its degene- racy from God, is as much out of the way, as to true honour and refpect, as in other things : for mere fhews (and thofe vain ones too) are much of the honour and refpccl: that are expreffed in the world : that a man may fay concerning them, as the apoftle fpeaks of fcience, that is, they are honours and refpecls " falfelyfo called ;" having nothing of the nature of true honour and refpedl in them ; but as degenerate men, loving to be honour- ed, full deviled them ; fo pride only loves and feeks them, and is affronted and angry for want of them, Did men know a true Chriftian itate, and the honour that comes from above, which Jeius teaches/ they would not covet thcl'c very vanities, muchlefs infill up- on them. §. IV. * \V!i; ; b was before I profeffed the comrr.Hf.ion I am now of. * John v 44 Tart I. NO CKOoS, NO CROWN. 93 §. IV. And here give me leave to fet down the rea- fons more particularly, why I, and the people with whom I walk in religious ibciety, have declined as vain and foolifli, feveral worldly cuiloms and fafhions of refpeCt, much in requeft at this time of day : and I be- feech thee reader, to lay afide all prejudice and fcorn, and with the meeknefs and inquiry of a fober and dif. erect mind, read and weigh what may be here alledged in our defence : and if we are miftaken, rather pity and inform, than defpife and abuie, our limplicity. §. V. The firft and moll preffing motive upon our fpirits to decline the practice of thefe prefent cuiloms of pulling off the hat, bowing the body or knee, and giv- ing people gaudy titles and epithets, in our falutations and addrelTes, was, that favour, fight, and fenfe, that God, by his light and fpirit, has given us of the. Chriitian world's apoftacy from God, and the caufeand cffecls of that great and lamentable defection. In the difcovery of which, the fenfe of our itate came firft be- fore us, and we were made to fee him whom we pierc- ed, and to mourn for it. A day of humiliation over- took us, and we fainted to that pleafure and delight we once loved. Now our works went beforehand to judg- ment, and a thorough fearch was made, and the words of the prophet became well underitood by us : c Who c can abide the day of his coming ? And who fhallftand * when he appears ? He is like a refiner's fire, and like c fuller's foap.' b And, as the apoftle faid, c If the righ- ' teous fcarcely be faved, where fhall the ungodly and c the finner appear V ' Wherefore, fays the apoftle Paul, c knowing the terrors of the Lord, we perfuade men : ,c what to do ? To come out of the nature, fpirit, lulls, and cuftoms of this wicked world ; remembering that, as je- fiM has faid, for every idle word that man fpeaketh, he (hall give an account in the day of judgment.* 1 This concern of mind, and dejection of fpirit, waa vifibie to our neighbours ; and we are not amamed to own, -Vi. iii 2 c 4 Pet. iv 18 2 Cor. v 1 1 d Mat. xii 36. 94 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. own, that the terrors of the Lord took fuch hold upon us, becaufe we had long under a profeffion of religion grieved God's Holy Spirit, that reproved us in fecretfor our difobedience ; that as we abhorred to think of con- tinuing in our old fins, lb we feared toufe lawful things, left we fhould ufe them unlawfully. The words of the prophet were fulfilled on us : c Wherefore do I fee ' every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in ' travail ?' c Many a pang and throe have we had ; our heaven feemed to melt away, and our earth to be removed out of its place ; and we were like men, as the apoftle laid, c upon whom the ends of the world * were come.' God knows it was lb in this day, the brightnefs of his coming to our fouls difcovered, and the breath of his mouth deftroyed, every plant he had not planted in us. He was a fwift witnefs againft every evil thought, and every unfruitful work : and, blelTed be his name, we were not offended in him, or at his righteous judgments. Now it was, that a grand inqueft came upon our whole life : every word, thought and deed was brought to judgment : the root examined, and its tendency eonfidered. c The lult of the eye, the lull: *■ of the nefn, and the pride of life, were opened to our f " view ; the myftery of iniquity in us. ,f And by know- ing the evil leaven, and its divers evil effects in our- felves, how it had wrought, and what it had done, we came to have a fenfe and knowledge of the ftate of others : and what we could not, nay, we dare not let live and continue in ourfelves (as being manifefled to us to pro- ceed from an evil principlein the time of man's degene- racy) we could not comply with in others. Now this I fay, and that in the fear and prefence of the all-feeing juft : the prelent honours and re i peel of the world, among other things, became burdenfome to us ; we faw they had no being inparadife, that they grew in the night- time, and came from an ill root; and that they only de- lighted a vain and ill mind, and that much pride and folly were in them. §■ vi. c Jcr. xxx 6 f l John ii i6. Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 95 §. VI. And though we eafily forefaw the ftorms of reproach that would fall upon us, for our refufing to pra&ife them : yet we were lb far from being fhaken in our judgment, that it abundantly confirmed our fenfe of them. For ib exalted a thing is man, and fo loving of honour and reipecl even from his fellow-creatures, that fo foon as in tendernefs of confcience towards God, we could not perform them, as formerly, he became more concerned than for all the reft of our differences, however material to falvation. So that let the honour of God, and our own falvation, do as it will, it was greater herefy and blafphemy to refufe him the homage of the hat, and his ufual titles of honour : to deny to pledge his healths, or play with him at cards and dice, than any other principle we maintained ; for being lefs in his view, it feemed not fo much in his way. §. VII. And though it be frequently objected, that we feek to let up outward forms of precifenefs, and that it is but as a green ribbon, the badge of the party, the better tobe known : I dodeclare in the fear of Almighty God, that thefe are but the imaginations and vain con- ftruclions of unlbnfible men, that have not had that fenfe, which the Lord hath given us, of what ariles from the right and the wrong root in man : and when fuch cenfurers of our fimplicity fhall be inwardly touch- ed and awakened, by the mighty power of God, and fee things as they are in their proper natures and feeds, they will then know their own burden, and eafily acquit us without the imputation of folly or hypocrify therein- J. YlII. To fay, that we ftrain at fmall things, which becomes not people of fo fair pretenfions to liberty and freedom of fpirit : I anfwer with ineeknels, truth and fobriety : firft, nothing is fmall, that God makes mat- ter of confequence to do, or leave undone. Next, asin- confiderable asthey are made, by thofe that object upon us, they are much let by ; fo greatly, as forour not giv- ing them, to be beaten, impriibned, refufed juftice, &c. To fay nothing of the derifion and reproach that hath been frequently Hung at us on this account. So that if we had wanted a proof of the truth of our inward be- lief 9 5 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part J. li e f and judgment, the very practice of them that op- pofed it would have abundantly confirmed us. But let it iuffice to us, that ' wifdom is jultified of her I children :' s we only paffively let fall the practice of what we are taught to believe is vain and unchriftian; in which we are negative to forms ; for we leave off, we do not fet up forms. §. IX. The world is fo fet upon the ceremonious part and outride of things, that it has well befeemed the wifdom of God in ail ages, to bring forth his difpenfa- tions with very different appearances to their fettled cuftoms ; thereby contradicting human inventions, and proving the integrity of his confeffors. Nay, it is a tell upon the world : it tries what patience, kindnefs, Ibbriety, and moderation they have : if the rough and homely outfide of truth flumble not their minds from the reception of it (whofe beauty is within) it makes a great difcovery upon them. For he who refufes a pre- cious jewel, becaufe it is prefented in a plain box, will never efieem it to its value, nor fet his heart upon keeping it; therefore I call it a teft, becaufe it fhews where the hearts and affections of people flick, after all their g v eat pretences to more excellent things. §. X. It is alfo a mighty trial upon God's people, in that they are put upon the difcovery of their contradic- tion to the cufloms generally received and elleemed in the world ; which expofes them to the wonder, fcorn, and abufe of the multitude. But there is an hidden treafure in it ; it innures us to reproach, it learns us to defpife the falfe reputation of the world, and filently to undergo the contradiction and fcorn of its votaries ; and finally, with a Chriftian meeknefs and patience, to overcome their injuries and reproaches. Add to this ; it weans thee off thy familiars; for by being flighted of them as a ninney, a fool, a frantick, &c. thou art de- livered from a greater temptation, and that is, the power and influence of their vain converfation. And, laft of all, it lifts thee of the company of the bleffed, mocked, fat, xi 19 Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 97 mocked, perfecuted Jefus ; to fight under his banner, ft the world, the flefh, and the devil : that after having faithfully fuftered with them in a ftate of humi- hou mayeft reign with him in a flate of glorifi- catio h i glorifies his poor, defpifed, conftant follow- ers, with the glory he had with his father before the won J began. h This was the firft reafon of our declin- ing to praclife the before-mentioned honours, refpedls, &c. J, XI. The fecond reafon, why we decline and refufe the prefeut ufe of thefe cuftoms in our addrefles and falutationsis, from the coniideration of their very em pti- nefs and vanity ; that there is nothing of true honour aud refpedl in them, fuppofing them not to be evil. And as religion and worfhip are degenerated into form and ceremony (and they not according to primitive practice neither) fo is honour and refpeel too : there being little of that in the world, as well as of the other ; and to be lure, in thefe cuftoms, none that is juftifiable by fcripture or reafon. §. XII. In fcripture, we find the word Honour often and diverfely ufed. Firft, for obedience : as when God faith, ' They that honour me ;'* that is, that keep my commandments. c Honour the king;'* that is, obey the king. ' Honour thy father and mother ;'* that is (faith the apoftle to the Ephefians) ' Obey thy father ' and thy mother in the Lord, for that is right ; 5m take heed to their precepts and advice : prefuppofing always, that rulers and parents command lawful things, elfe they difhonour themfelves to enjoin unlawful things ; and fubjecls and children difhonour their fuperiors and parents, in complying with their unrighteous com- mands. Alfo, Chrifl ufes this word fo, when he fays, * I have not a devil, but I honour my Father, and ye ' difhonour me :' n that is, I do my Father's will, in what 1 do ; but you will not hear me ; you rejeel my counfel, and will not obey my voice. It was not re- ' N fuiing h John xvii 5 J 1 Sam. ii 30 k I Pet. ii 17 l Exod. xx 12 m Eph. vi 1 2 D John viii 49. 9 8 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti. fufing hat and knee, nor empty titles ; no, it was dif- obedience ; refilling him that God had fent, and not believing him. This was the difhonour he taxed them with ; tiling him as an impoftor, that God had ordain- ed for the falvation of the world. And of thefe dil- honourers, there are but too many at this day. Chrift has a faying to the fame effect: ' That all men mould ' honour the Son, even as they honour the Father; and c he that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the ' Father, which hath fent him: that is, they that hearken not to Chrift, and do not worfhip and obey him, they do not hear, worfhip, nor obey God. As they pretended to believe in God, fo they were to have be- lieved in him ; he told them fo. This is pregnantly maiiifeftedin the cafe of the centurion, whofe faith was fo much commended by Chrift, where, giving Jefus an account of his honourable ftation, he tells him, c He * had foldiers under his authority, and when he faid to c one, Go, he went ; to another, Come, he came ; and c to a third, Do this, he did it.' p In this it was he placed the honour of his capacity, and the refpecl of his foldi- ers, and not in hats and legs; nor are fuch cuftoms yet in uie among!! foldiers, being effeminate, and unworthy of mafculine gravity. • §. XIII. In the next place, honour is ufed for pre- ferment to trull and eminent employments. So the Pfalmifl, fpeaking to God ; ' For thou haft crowned him c with glory and honour : ?q again, c Honour and ma- * jefty haft thou laid on him :' r that is, God had given Chrift power over all his enemies, and exalted him to great dominion. Thus the wife man intimates, when he fays, ' The fear of the Lord is the inftru&ion of ' wiidom, and before honour is humility.' 3 That is, before advancement or preferment, is humility. Far- ther, he has this faying, < As fnow in fummer, and as ' rain in harveft, fo honour is not feemly for a fool :' : that is, a fool is not capable of the dignity of trull, em- ployment, ° lohn v 23 P Luke vii 8 q Pfal. viii 5 r )Pfel. xxi 5 f Piov. xv 33 r Prov. xxvi 1. Parr I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 99 ployment, or preferment ; they require virtue, wifdoro, integrity, diligence, of which fools are unfurnifhed. And yet, if the refpe&s and titles, in ufe amongft us, are to go for marks of honour, -olomon's proverb will take place, and doubtlefs doth, upon the practice of this age, that yields fo much of that honour to a great many of Solomon's fools: who are not only filly men, but wicked too ; inch as refufeinftru&ion, and hate the fear of the Lord : u which only maketh one of his wife men. §. XIV. And as virtue and wifdoni are the fame, fo folly and wickednefs Thus Sechem's ravifhment of Dinah, Jacob's daughter, w is called: lb is the rebellion and wickednefs of the Ifraelites in Jofhua.* The Pfalmill: exprelTes it thus : c My wounds ltink becaufe of my ' foolifhnefs ; ,y that is, his fin. And, c The Lord will c fpeak peace to his faints, that they turn not again to c folly ; z that is, to evil. ' His own iniquities (fays So- ' lomon) fhall take the wicked himfelf, and he fhall be 6 holden with the cords of his fins : he fhall die without c inftru&ion, and in the greatnefs of his folly he fhall c go aftray.' a Chrift puts foolifhnefs with blafphemy, pride, thefts, murders, adulteries, wickednefs, 5 &c. I was the more willing to add thefe paffages to fhew the difference that there is between the mind of the Holy Ghoft, and the notion that thofe ages had of fools, that deferve not honour, and that which is generally meant by fools and folly in our time ; that we may the better un» derftand the difproportion there is between honour, as then underftood by the Holy Ghoft, and thofe that were led thereby ; and the apprehenfion of it, and practice of thefe latter ages of profefTed Chriftians. §. XV. But honour is alfo taken for reputation, and \o it is underftood with us : c A gracious woman (fays £ Solomon) retaineth honour; that is, fhe keeps her credit; and, by her virtue, maintains her reputation of fobriety u Prov. xiii 18 w Gen. xxxiv 7 x Jofli. vii 14 15' y Pfal. xxxviii 5 z Pfal, lxxxv 3 a Pjroy. v 2 a b Mark vii 2 1 c Prov. xi 16 ioo NO CROSS, NO CROWN- Part I. fobriety and chaftity. In another place, c It is an fco- ' nour for a man to ceafe from ft rife ,' d that is, it makes for his reputation, as a wife and good man. Chriftufes the word thus, where he fays, ' A prophet is not with- c out honour, fave in his own country :' c that is, he has credit, and is valued, fave at home. The apoftle to the Theflalonians has a faying to that effecl : ' That every e one of you fhould know how to poflefs his veflel in ' fan edification and honour ;' f that is, in chaftity and fo- briety. In all which, nothing of the fafhions by us de- clined is otherwife concerned, than to be totally exclud- ed. §. XVI. There is yetanotherufe of the word [honour] in fcripture, and that is to functions and capacities : as * an elder is worthy of double honour :' g that is, he deienes double efteem, love, and refpe£t ; being holy, merciful, temperate, peaceable, humble, &c. efpecially one that c labours in word and doctrine. ' h So Paul recommends Epaphroditus to the Philippians : ' Re- * ceivehim therefore in the Lord with all gladnefs, and c hold fuch in reputation.' As if he had faid, let them be valued and regarded by you in what they fay and teach. "Which is the trueft, and moll natural and con- vincing way of teftifying refpeel to a man of God, as Ghrift faid of his difciples, ' If you love me, you will c keep my fayings. 5 Farther, the apoftle bids us ■ to * houour widows indeed ;' that is, fuch women as are of chafte lives, and exemplary virtue, are honourable. Marriage is honourable too, with this provifo, that the bed be undefiled :' fo that the honour of marriage, is the chaftity of the married. §. XVT. The word Honour in the fcripture, is alfo nfed of fuperiors to inferiors ; which is plain in that of Ahafuerus to Hainan : ' What fhall be done to the c man whom the king delightcth to honour ? ,k Why, he mightily advanced him, as Mordecai afterwards. And d Prov. xx 3 e Mat. xiii 57 f I Thef. iv 4 g 1 Tim. v 17 h Philip ii 29 * Heb. xiii 4 k Ellh. vi 6 Pare I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. ici And more particularly it is faid, c That the Jews had * light, and glfcdnefe, and joy, and honour *. that is, they cicaped the persecution that was like to fall upon them, and, by the means of Iifther and Mordecai, they enjoyed, not only peace, but favour and countenance too. In this fenfe, the apoftle Peter advifed men, ■ to * honour their wives ;' that is, to love, value, cherifh, countenance and eftcem them for their fidelity and af- fection to their huibauds ; for their tendemefs and care over their children, and for their diligence and cir- cutnfpeclion in their families:" there is no ceremonious behaviour, or gaudy titles, requifhe to exprefs this honour. Thus God honours holy men : ' Them (fays 1 the Lord) that honour me, I will honour ; and they c that deipife me, fhall be lightly efteemed :' n that is, I will do good to them, I will love, blefs, countenance, and profper them that honour me, that obey me : but they that defpife me, that refill: my fpirit, and break my law, they fhall be lightly efleeined, little fet by, or accounted of; they fhall not find favour with God, nor righteous men. And fo we fee it daily among men : if the great vifit or concern themiches to aid the poor, we fay, that fuch a great man did me the honour to come and fee or help me in my need. §. XVIII. I fhall conclude this with one pafTage more, and that is a very large, plain, and pertinent one : 1 Honour all men, and love the brotherhood :'° that is love is above honour, and that is referved for the bro- therhood. But honour, which is efteem and regard, that thou ou eft to all men ; and if all, then thy infe- riors. But why, for all men ? Becaufe they are the creation of God, and the nobleft part of his creation too ; they are alfo thy own kind ; be natural, have bowels, and alTift them with what thou canft ; be ready to perform any real refpeo:, and yield them any good or countenance thou canft. §. XIX. And 1 Eilli. viii 16 m I Pet. ill n iSam ii 30 • 1 Pet. xi 17. loa N O C R OSS, NO CROWN. Part I. §. XIX. And yet there feems a limitation to this command, honour all men, in that godly paflage of David, f Who mail abide in thy tabernacle ? who mail ' dwell in thy holy hill? He in whole eyes a vile per- * Ion is contemned ; but he honoureth them that fear 6 the Lord.' p Here honour is confined and affixed to godly perlbns, and difhonour made the duty of the righteous to the wicked, a*nd a mark of their being righteous, that they difhonour, that is, flight or dif- regard them. To conclude this fcripture-inquiry after honour, I fhall contract the fubject of it under three capacities ; fuperiors, equals, and inferiors : honour to fuperiors, is obedience ; to equals, love ; to inferiors, countenance and help : that is honour after God's mind, and the holy people's fafhion of old. §. XX. But how little of all this is to be feen or had in a poor empty hat, bow, cringe, or gaudy fluttering title ? Let the truth-fpeaking witnefs of God in all mankind judge. Fori muft not appeal to cor- rupt, proud, and felf-feeking man, of the good or evil of thefe cuftoms ; that, as little as he would render them, are loved and fought by him, and he is out of humour, and angry, if he has them not. This is our fecond reafon, why we refufe to pracYife the accuftomed ceremonies of honour and refpect, be- caufe we find no fuch notion or exprefiion, of honour and refpecl, recommended to us by the Holy Ghoft in the fcriptures of truth. §. XXI. Our third reafon, for not uling them as tef- timonies of honour and refpect is, becaufe there is no difcovery of honour or refpecl: to be made by them : it is rather eluding and equivocating it ; cheating peo- ple of the honour or refpecl that is due to them ; giv- ing them nothing in the fhew of fomething. There is in them no Obedience to fuperiors ; no love to equals ; no help or countenance to inferiors. §. XXII. We are, we declare to the whole world, for true honour and refpe£t : we honour the king, our parents, p Pfal. xv 4 . Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 103 parents, our matters, our magiftrates, our landlords, one another, yea all men, after God's \\ ay, ufed by holy men and women of old time : but we refufe thefe cuf- toms, as vain and deceitful ; not anfweriug the end they are ufed for. §. XXIII. But fourthly, there is yet more to belaid : we find that vain, loofe, and worldly people, are the great lovers and practifers of them, and mod deride our fimpiicity of behaviour. Now we afluredly know, from the facred tettimonies, that thofe people cannot give true honour, that live in a dishonourable fpirit ; they underftand it not : but they can give the hat and knee ; and that they are very liberal of; nor are any- more expert at it. This is to us, a proof, that no true honour can be tettified by thofe cuttoms, which vanity and loofenefs love and ufe. §. XXIV. Next to them ; I will add hypocrify and revenge too. For how little do many care for each other ? Nay, what fpite, envy, animohty, feeret back- biting, and plotting one againft another, under the ufe of tbefe idle reipecls ; till paffion, too ttrong for cunning, breakthrough hypocrify into open affront and revenge. It cannot be lb with the fcripture-honour : to obey, or prefer a man, out of fpite, is not ufually done; and to love, help, ferve, and countenance 'a perfon, in order to deceive and be revenged of him, is a thing never heard of: thefe admit of no hypocrify ; nor revenge. Men do not; thefe things to palliate ill-will, which are the tcftitnonies of quite the contrary. It is abfurdto imagine it, becaufe impoflible to be done. V. Our fixth reafon is, that honour was from the beginning, but hat-refpe&s and niott titles are of late : therefore there was true honour before hats or titles ; and confequently true honour ftands not in them. And that which ever was the way to exprefstrue honour, is the belt way ftill ; and this the fcri] teaches better than dancing-matters can '. /entbly, if honour confifts in fuch like ceremonies, then will it follow, th.it th< mod capable of (hewing honour, who perform it mott . I04 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti. a&ly, according to the mode or fafhion of the times ; consequently, that man hath not the meafure of true honour, from a juft and reafonable principle inhimielf, but by the means and fkill of the fantaftic dancing- mailers of the times : and for this caufe it is we fee, that many give much money to have their children learn their honours, falfely fo called. And what doth this but totally exclude the poor country people ; who, though they plough, fovv, till, reap, go to market ; and in all things obey their jufticcs, landlords, fathers, and mailers, with iincerity and fobriety, rarely ufe thofe ceremonies ; but if they do, it is io awkwardly and meanly that they are eiteemed by a court-critic fo ill- favoured, as only fit to make a jell: of, and be laughed at : but what fober man will not deem their obedience beyond the other's vanity and hypocrify ? 1 his bafe notion of honour turns out of doors the true, and fets the falfe in its place. Let it be farther confidered, that the way or fafhion of doing it is much more in the deiign of its performers as well as view of its fpec- tators, than the refpeet itfelf. Whence it is commonly faid, he is a man of good mein ; or, fhe is a woman of exaft behaviour. And what is this behaviour, but fantaftic, cramp poflures, and cringings, unnatural to their fhape, and if it were not fafhionable, ridiculous to 'the view of all people ; and therefore to the Eaflern countries a proverb. §. XXVII. But yet eighthly, real honour confiftsnot in a hat, bow, or title, becaule all thefe things may be had for money. For which reafon, how many dancing- fchoois, plays, &c. are there in the land, to which youth are generally fent to be educated in thefe vain fafhions? whiltl they are ignorant of the honour that is of God, and their minds are allured to vifible things that perifh ; and inllead of remembering their Creator, are taken up with toys and fopperies; and fomeumes fo much worfe, as to coil themfelves a diiinheriting, and ti'.eir indifcreet parents grief and mifery all .heir days. If parents would honour God in the help of his poor, with Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 105 with the fubftance they beftow on fuch an education, they would find a better account in the end. q §. XXVIII. But laftly, We cannot efteem bows, titles, and pulling off of hats, to be real honour, becaufe fuch like cuftoms, have been prohibited by God, his Son and iervants in days paft. This I fhall endeavour to fhew by three or four exprefs authorities. §. XXIX. My firft example and authority is taken from the ftory of Mordecai and Haman ; fo dole to this point, that methinks it mould at leaft command iilcnce to the obje&ions frequently advanced againft us. Haman was firft minifter of ftate, and favourite of king Ahaluerus. The text fays, ' That the king let his feat 4 above all the princes that were with him ; and all the * king's fervants bowed, and reverenced Haman; for ' the king had fo commanded concerning him : but * Mordecai (it feems) bowed not, nor cHd him reve- c rence.' r This, at firft, made ill for Mordecai : a gallows was prepared for him at Haman's command. But the fequel of the ftory fhews, that Haman proved his own invention, and ended his pride with his life upon it. Well now, fpeaking as the world fpeaks, and looking upon Mordecai without the knowledge of the fuccefs ; was not Mordecai a very clown, at leaft a filly, morofe, and humorous man, to run fuch a hazard for a trifle ? What hurt had it done him to have bowed to, and honoured one the king honoured ? did he not defpife the king, in difregarding Haman ? nay, had not the king commanded that refpecl ? and are not we to honour and obey the king ? One would have thought, he might have bowed for the king's fake whatever he had in his heart, and yet have come off well enough ; for that he bowed not merely to Haman, but to the king's authority ; befides, it was but an in- nocent ceremony. But it feems, Mordecai was too plain and flout, and not fine and fubtil enough to avoid the dilpleafure of Haman. Howbeit, he was an excellent man : c he feared God, * and wrought righteoufnefs.' And in this very thing O alfo, <* Prov. iii o r Eah. iii 1 2 J 206 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I- alfo, he pleafed God, and even the king too at laft> that had mod caufe to be angry with him : for he ad- vanced him to Hainan's dignity, and, if it could be, to greater honour. It is true, fad news fir ft came ; no lefs than deftru&ion to Mordecai, and the whole peo- ple of the Jews befides, for his fake : but Mordecai's integrity and humiliation, his falling and (hong cries to God prevailed, and the people were faved, and poor condemned Mordecai comes, after all, to be ex- alted above the princes. O this has great doctrine in it, to all thofe that are in their fpiritual exercifes and temptations, whether in this or any other refpect! They that endure faithful in that which they are convinced God requires of them, though againlt the grain and humour of the world, and themfelves too, they fhall find a bleffed recompense in the end. My brethren, re- member the cup of cold water ! ' We fhall reap, if we faint * not ;' and call to mind, that our captain bowed not to him that told him, 'If thou wilt fall down and wor- ' fhip me, 1 will give thee all the glory of the world :' 8 fhall we bow then? Ono! let us follow our bleffed leader. §. XXX. But before I leave this fection, it is fit I add, that in conference with a late bifhop (and none of the leaft eminent) upon this fubjecl and inftance, 1 re- member he fought to evade it thus : Mordecai (fays he) did not refufe to bow, as it was a teftimony of re- fpect to the king's favourite ; but he being a figure and type of Chrift, he refufed it, becaufe Haman was of the uncircumcifion, and ought to bow to him rather. To which I replied; that allowing Mordecai to be a figure of Chrift, and the Jews of God's people or church ; and that as the Jews were faved by Mordecai, fo the church is faved by Chrift; this makes forme; for then by that reafon, the fpiritual circumcifion, or people of Chrift, are not to receive and bow to the fafhions and cuftoms of the fpiritual uncircumcifion, who are the children of the world ; of which, fuchas were condemn- able fo long ago, in the time of the type and figure, can 1 Mat. iv 8 9. Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 107. can by no means be juftifiably received or pra&ifed in the time of the anti-type or iubihnce iifelf. On the contrary, this fhews exprefsly, we are faithfully to de- cline fuch worldly cuftoms, and not tofafhionourfelves according to the converfation of earthly-minded peo- ple : but be renewed and changed in our ways ; and keep clofe to our Mordecai, who having not bowed, we muft not bow, that are his people and followers. And whatever be our fuffering, or reproaches, they will have an end : Mordecai, our captain, that appears for his people, throughout all the provinces, in the king's gate, will deliver us at laft; and, for his fake, we fhali be favoured and loved of the king himfelf too. So powerful is faithful Mordecai at laic- Therefore let us all look to Jefus, our Mordecai, the Ifrael indeed ; he that has power with God, and would not bow in the hour of temptation, but has mightily prevailed : and therefore is a prince, for ever, and of his government there fhall never be an end. §. XXXI. The next fcripture inflance I urge again ft thefe cuftoms, is a palTage in Job, thus exprefTed : c Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's perfon ; 1 neither let me give flattering titles unto man, for I * know not to give flattering titles : in fo doing my * Maker would foon take me away.*'- The queftion that will arife upon the allegation of the fcripture, is this, viz. What titles are flattering ? The anfwer is as obvious, namely, Such as are empty and ficYitious, and make him more than he is. As to call a man what he is not, to pleafe him ; or to exalt him beyond his true name, office, or defert, to gain upon his affection : who, it may be, lufteth to honour and refpecl : fuch as thefe, Moft excellent, mo ft facred, your grace, your lordfhip, moll dread majefty, right honourable, right worfhipful, may it pleafe your majefty, your grace, your lordfhip, your honour, your worfhip, and the like un- necelTary titles and attributes ; calculated only to pleafe and tickle poor, proud, vain, yet mortal man. Like- wife to call man what he is not, as my lord, my mafter, 1 Job XXX' J 21 2 2. io8 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti. &c. and wife, juft, or good (when he is neither) only to pleafe him, or fhew him refpect. It was familiar thus to do among the Jews, under their degeneracy : wherefore one came to Chrift, and laid ; ■ Good mailer, what fhall I do to have eternal life ?' u It was a falutation or addrefs of refpec~l in thofe times. It is familiar now : good my lord, good fir, good mailer, do this, or do that. But what was Chrifl's anfwer ! how did he take it ? c Why called thou me good ?' fays Chrift, c there is none good fave one, that is God.' He rejected it, that had more right to keep it than all mankind : and why ? becaufe there was no one greater than he : and that he faw the man addreffed it to his manhood, after the way of the times, and not his divini- ty which dwelt within it ; therefore Chrift refufes it, mewing and inftrudling us that we fhould not give fuch epithets and titles commonly to men ; for good being due alone to God and godlinefs, it can only be faid in flattery to fallen man, and therefore fmful to be fo faid. This plain and exact: life well became him that was on purpofe manifefled to return and reftore man from his lamentable degeneracy, to the innocency and purity of his firfl creation, who has taught us to be careful, how we ufe and give attributes unto man, by that moll fevere faying, ' That every idle word that men fhall fpeak, £ they fhall give an account thereof in the day of judg- c ment.' w And that which fhould warn all men of the latitude they take therein, and fumciently juflify our tendernefs, is this, that man can fcarcely commit great- er injury and offence againft Almighty God, than to afcribe any of his attributes unto man, the creature of his word, and the work of his hands. He is a jealous God of his honour, and will not give his glory unto an- other. Befides, it is fo near the fin of the afpiring, fall- en angels, that affected to be greater and better than they were made and ftated by the great Lord of all : and to entitle man to a ftation above his make and orb looks fo like idolatry (the unpardonable fin under the law) that it is hard to think, how men and women pro felling Chriftianity, u Luke xvii 13 19 w Mat. xii 36. Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. ic 9 Chriftianity, and ferioufly reflecting upon their vanity and evil in thefe things, can continue in them, much lefs plead for them, and leaftof all reproach and deride thole that through tendernefs of conference cannot ufe and give them. It teems that Elihu did not dare to do it ; but put fuch weight upon the matter, as to giv< for one reafon of his forbearance, to wit, ' Lei ' Maker mould foon take me away :' that is, for feM God mould ftrike me dead, I dare not give man titles, that are above him, or titles merely to pleale him. I may not, by any means, gratify that fpirit which lutteth after fuch things.: God is to be exalted, and man abat- ed. God is jealous of man's being fet higher than his flat ion : he will have him keep his place, know his ori- ginal, and remember the rock from whence he came : and what he has is borrowed, not his own, but his Mak- er's, who brought him forth and fuftainecl him ; which man is very apt to forget. And leit I mould be accef- fary to it by flattering titles, inilead of telling him truly and plainly what he is, and ufmg him as he ought to be treated, and thereby provoke my Maker to difplea- fure, and he in his anger and jealoufy fhould take me ibon away, or bring fudden death, and an untimely end upon me, I dare not ufe, I dare not give fuch titles unto men. -§. XXXII. But if we had not this to alledge from the old-teilament-writings, it mould and ought to fuf- flce with Chriftians, that thefe cuftoms are feverelycen- fured by the great Lord and Mailer of all their religion ; who is fo far from putting people upon giving honour one to another, that he will not indulge them in ir, whatever be the cuftoms of the country they live in : for he charges it upon the Jews, as a mark of their apof- tacy : ' How can ye believe, which receive honour one * of another, and leek not the honour that cc * from God only ?' Where their infidelity concerning Chrift is made the effect of feeking worldly, and not heavenly honour only. And the thing is not hard to apprehend, if we confider, that felf-love, anddeiireof honour from men, is inconfiftent with the love and hu- mility no NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti. milky of Chrift. They fought the good opinion and re- fpeci of the world : how then was it poffible they fhould leave all and follow him, whofe kingdom is not of this world ; and that came in a wayfo crofs to the mind and humour of it ? and that this was the meaning of our Lord Jelos, is plain : for he tells us what that honour was, they gave and received, which he condemns them for, and of which he bid the difciples of his humility and crofs beware. His words are thefe (and he (peaks them not of the rabble, but of the doctors, the great men, the men of honour among the Jews) 'They love (fays he) c the uppermoft rooms at feails ;'* that is, places of great- eft rank and refpect : ' and greetings,' that is, falutati- ons of refpect, fuch as pulling off the hat, and bowing the body, are in our age ; c in the market-places,' 7 viz. in the places of note and concourfe, the public walks and exchanges of the country. And laftly, ' They love * (fays Chrift) to be called o'f men, Rabbi, Rabbi : 5 one of the molt eminent titles among the Jews. A word comprehending an excellency equal to many titles : it may ftand for your grace, your lordinip, right reverend father, &c. It is upon thefe men of breeding and quali- ty, that he pronounces his woes, making thefe practices fomeof the evil marks, by which to know them, as well as.fome of the motives of his threatenings again ft them. But he leaves it not here, he purfues this very point of honour, above all the reft, in his caution to his cUfci- pies ; to whom he gave in charge thug : 'But be not ye ( called Rabbi, for one is your mafter, even Chrift, and c all ye are brethren. Neither be ye called mafter : but c he that is greateft among you ftiall be your fervant, ' and whofoever fhall exalt himfelf mall be abafed.' Plain it is, that thefe paffages carry a feweite rebuke; both to worldly honour in general, and to thofe mem- bers and exprefllons of it in particular, which, as near as the language of fcripture and cuftoms of that age will permit, do diftin&ly reach and allude to thofe of our own x Mat. xxiii 6 T Maik xii 38 Luke xi 43. Parti, NO CROSS, NO CROWN. m own time ; for the declining of which we have fuffercd fo much (corn and abufe, both in our perfona audeftates; God forgive the unreasonable authors of it ! §. XXXIII. The apoftle Paul has a faying of great weight and fervency, in his epiftle to the Romans, very- agreeable to this doctrine of Chriit ; it is this : c I be- ' feech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, c that ye prefent your bodies a living facrifice, holy, ac- \ ceptable unto God, which is your reafonable fervice ; ' and be not conformed to this world, but be ye tranf- ' formed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may c prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect * will of God.' 2 He wrote to a people in the midfl of the enfnaring pomp and glory of the world ; Rome was the feat of Cadar, and the empire : the miftrefs of in- vention. Her fafhions, as thole of France now, were as laws to the world, at leaii at Pome : whence it is proverbial ; Cam fuer is Roma, Romano vivito wore. When thou art at Rome, thou muft do as Rome does. But the apoftle is of another mind : he warns the Chrif- tians of that city, c that they be not conformed ;' that is, that they do not follow the vain fafhions and cuftoms of this world, but leave them : the emphafis lies upon This, as well as upon Conformed : and it imports, that this world, which they were not to conform to, was the corrupt and degenerate condition of mankind in that age. Wherefore the apoflle proceeds to exhort thofe believers, and that by the mercies of God (the molt powerful and winning of all arguments) « that they * would be transformed ;' that is, changed from the way of life cuftomary among the Romans ; ' and prove what c is that acceptable will of God.' As if he had laid, ex- amine what you do and pra&ife ; fee if it be right, and that it pleafe God : call every thought, word, and ac- tion to judgment ; try whether they are wrought in God or z Rom. xii I 2. H2 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. or not ; that fo you may prove or know what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God. a §. XXXIV. The next fcripture-authority we appeal to, in our vindication, is a palTage of the apoftle Peter, in his firft epiftle, writ to the believing Grangers throughout the countries of Pontus, Galatia, Cappado- cia, Alia, and Bithynia ; which were the churches of Chrifl Jefus in thofe parts of the world, gathered up by his power and fpirit ; it is this, ' Gird up the loins ' of your mind ; be fober, and hope to the end, for 1 the grace that is to be brought unto you at the reve- ' lation of Jefus Chrifl: ; as obedient children, not * faihioning yourfelves according to the former lulls of * your ignorance." 9 That is, be not found in the vain fafhions and cuftoms of the world, unto which you con- formed in your former ignorance : but as ye have be- lieved in a more plain and excellent way, fo be fober and fervent, and hope to the end : do not give out ; ietthem mock on : bear ye the contradiction of finners conftantly, as obedient children, that you may receive the kindnefs of God, at the revelation of Jefus Chrifl. And therefore does the apoftle call them • ftrangers * (a figurative fpeech) people eftranged from the cuf- * toms of the world, of new faith and manners ; and fo * unknown of the world:' aud if fuch ftrangers, then not to be fafhioned or conformed to their pleafing re- fpecls and honours, whom they were eftranged from ; becaufe the ftrangenefs lay in leaving that which wa$ cuftomary and familiar to them before. The follow- ing words (ver. 17.) proved he ufed the word ftrangers in a fpiritual fenfe ; ' Pafs the time of your fojourning 1 here in fear;' that is, pafs the time of your being here as ftrangers on earth in fear; not after the fafhions of the world. A word in the next chapter further ex- plains this fenfe, where he tells the believers, that they are a peculiar people ;' to wit, a diftindl, a fn> gular and feparate people from the reft of the world : not any longer to fafhioh themfelves according to their cufloms a John iii 21 Z2 b 1 Pet. 113 14. Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 113 cuiloms : but I do not know how that could be, if they were to live in communion with the world, in its refpecls and honours ; for that is not to be a peculiar or Sepa- rate people from them, but to be like them, becaufe conformable to them. §. XXXV. I fliall conclude my fcripture-teilimonies agamft the foregoing reipe&s, with that memorable and dole pafifage of the apoftle. James, againit refpect to perfons in general, after the world's fafhion : c My ' brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jefus Chriit, * the Lord of glory, with refpect of perfons; for if c there come unto your atTembly, a man with a gold c ring, in goodly apparel : and there come in alfo a * poor man, in vile raiment, and ye have refpect to him c that weareth the gay cloathing, and fay unto him, ' fit thou here in a goodly place (or well and feemly, c as the word is) and fay to the poor, ftand thou there, ■ or fit here under my footftool ; are ye not then par- c tial in yourfelves, and are become judges of evil 4 thoughts [that is, they knew they did amifs] ? If ' ye fulfil the royal law, according to the fcripture, ' Thou fhalt love thy neighbour as thyfelf, ye do well : c but if ye have refpeft to perfons, ye commit fin, and ' are convinced of the law as tranfgre{Tors.' d This is lb full, there feems nothing left for me to add, or others to object. We are not to refpeel: perfons, that is the firft thing : and the next is, if we do, we com- mit fin, and break the law : at our own peril be it. And yet, perhaps, fome will fay, that by this we over- throw all manner of diitinclion among men, under their divers qualities, and introduce a reciprocal and rela- tional refpect in the room of it : but if it be fo, I cannot help it, the apoftle James mull: anfwer for it, who has given us this doctrine for Chriftian and Apo- llolical. And yet one greater than he told his dilciples, of whom James was one, viz. ' Ye know that the prin- 1 ces of the Gentiles exercile dominion over them, &c. 1 But it fnall not be fo among you ; but wholbever will P ' be c James ii 1 2 3 4 d James ii 8/ ii 4 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. c be great among you, let him be your minifter : and c whofoever will be chief among you, let him be your < fervant :' e that is, he that affects rule, and feeks to be uppermoft, fhall be efleemed lead among you. And to fay true, upon the whole matter, whether we regard thofe early times of the world, that were antece- dent to the coming of Chrift, or foon after, there was yet a greater fimplicity, than in the times in which we are fallen. For thofe early times of the world, as bad as they were in other things, were great ftrangers to the frequency of thefe follies ; nay, they hardly ufed fome of them, at leaf! very rarely. For if we read the fcrip- tures, fuch a thing as my lord Adam (though lord of the world) is not to be found ; nor my lord Noah neither, the fecond lord of the earth ; nor yet my lord Abraham, the father of the faithful ; nor my lord Ifaac ; nor my lord Jacob ; but much lefs my lord Peter, and my lord Paul, to be found in the bible : and lefs your holinefs, or your grace. Nay, among the Gentiles, the people wore their own names with more fimplicity, and ufed not the ceremoniouihefs of fpeech that is now praclifed among Chriftians, nor yet any thing like it. My lord Solon, my lord Phocion, my lord Plato, my lord Arif- totle, my lord Scipio, my lord Fabius, my lord Cato, my lord Cicero, are not to be read in any of the Greek or Latin ftories, and yet they were fome of the fages and heroes of thofe great empires. No, their own names were enough to diftinguifh them from othermen 3 and their virtue and employment in the public were their titles of honour. Nor has this vanity yet crept far into the Latin writers, where it is familiar for authors to cite the mod learned, and the moft noble, without any addition to their names, unlefs worthy or learned : and if their works give it them, we make confcience to deny it them. For inftance ; the fathers they only cite thus ; Polycarpus, Ignatius, Irenseus, Cyprian, Tertul- lian, Origen, Arnobius, Ladlantius, Chryibftom, Jerom, &c^ e Mat. xx 25 2627. Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 115 &c More modern writers ; Damafcen, Rabanus, Pafcha- fms, Theophylact, Bernard, &c. And of the laft age ; Luther, Malanclhon, Calvin, Beza, Zuinglius, Marlorat, Voilius, Grotius, Dalleus, Amaraldus, &c. And of our own country : Gildas, Beda, Alcuinus, Horn, Braclon, Grofteed, Littleton, Cramner, Ridley, Jewel, Whitakef, Seldeu, &c. And yet, Iprefume, this will not be thought uncivil or rude. Why then is our fimplicity (and ib honeftly grounded too, as conscience againlt pride in man, that fo eagerly and pernicioufly loves and fecks worftiip and greatnefs) fo much deipifed and abufed, and that by profefTed Chriftianstoo, who take themielves to be the followers of him, that has forbid thefe foolifh cuiioms, as plainly as any other impiety condemned in his doctrine ? I earneftly beg the, lovers, ufers, and ex- peclers of thefe ceremonies, to let this I have writ have fome confideration and weight with them. §. XXXVI. However, Chriftians are not fo ill bred as the world thinks : for they mew refpeft too : But the difference between them lies in the nature of the refpeel: they perform, and the reafons of it. The world's refpe£t is an empty ceremony, no foul or fub- ilance in it : the Chriftian's is a folid thing, whether by obedience tofuperiors, love to equals, or help and coun- tenance to inferiors. Next, their reafons and motives to. honour and refpeel, are as wide one from the other : for fine apparel, empty titles, or large revenues, are the world's motives, being things her children worfhip : but the Chriftian's motive is, the fenfe of his duty in God's fight; firft, to parents and magiftrates ; and then to inferior relations; and laftly, to all people, according to their virtue, wifdom, and piety: which is far from refpeel: to the mere perfons of men, or having their per- fons in admiration for reward : much lefs on fuch mean and bafe motives as wealth and fumptuous raiment. §. XXXVII. We fhall eafily grant, our honour, as our religion, is more hidden ; and that neither is fo difcernible by worldly men, nor grateful to them. Our plainnefs is odd, uncouth, and goes mightily againft u6 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part L againft the grain ; but fo docs Chriftianity too, and that for the fame reafons. But had not the heathen fpirit prevailed too long under a Chriftian profeftion, it would not be fo hard to difcern the right from the wrong. O that Chriftians would look upon themfelves, with the glafs of righteoufnefs, that which tells true, and gives them an exa& knowledge of themfelves ! and then let them examine, what in them, and about them, agrees with Chrift's dodrine and life : and they may foon re- folve, whether they are real Chriftians, or but Heathens chriftened with the name of Chriflians. Some teftimonies from ancient and modern writers infa* vour of our behaviour, §. XXXVIII. Marlorat out of Luther, and Calvin, upon that remarkable pafTage I juft now urged from the apoftie James, gives us the fenfe thofe primitive reformers had of refpe£t to perfons, in thefe words, viz, " To refpe£t perfons (here) is to have regard to the habit and garb : the apoftie fignifies that fuch refpe&ing perfons are fo contrary to true faith, that they are al- together inconliftent ; but if the pomp, and other worldly regards, prevail, and weaken what is of ChrilT, it is a fign of a decaying faith ; yea, fo great is the glo- ry and fplendor of Chrift in a pious foul, that all the glones of the world have no charms, no beauty, in com- panion of that, unto one fo righteoufiy inclined : the apoftie maketh fuch refpedVing of perfons, to be repug- naat to the light (within them) infomuch, as they, who follow thofe practices, are condemned from within themfelves. No that fandlity ought to be the reafon, or motive, of all outward refpe&s ; and that none is to be honoured, upon any account but holinefs : ,:, thus much Marlorat. But if this be true dodlrine, we are much in the right in refufing conformity to the vain refpe&s of worldly men. §. XXXIX. But I mail add to thefe the admonition of a learned ancient writer, who lived about 1 200 years iince, Parti. NO CRO^S, NO CROWN. iff fince, of great efleem, namely, Jerom, who, writing to a noble matron, Celantia, directing her how to live in the midft of her profperity and honours, amongft many other religious inftructious, ipeaks thus : " Heed not thy nobility, nor let that be a reafon for thee to take place of any ; efteem not thofe of a meaner extrac- tion to be thy inferiors ; for our religion admits of no refpeft of peribns, nor doth it induce us to repute men from any external condition, but from their inward frame and difpofuion of mind : it is hereby that we pronounce men noble or bale. With God, nottoferve fin, is to be free; and to excel in virtue is to be noble ; God has chofen the mean and contemptible of this world, whereby to humble the great ones. Befides, it is a folly for any to boaft his gentility, fince all are equally efteemed by God. The ranfom of the poor and rich coft Chrift an equal expenfe of blood. Nor is it material in what ftate a man is born ; the new creature hath no diftinclion. But if we will forget, how we all defcended from one Father, we ought at lead perpetually to remember, that we have but pjae Saviour." §. XL. But fmce I am engaged againft thefe fond and fruitlefs cufloms (the proper effects and delights of vain and proud minds) let me yet add one memo- rable pafYage more, as it is related by the famous Cau- fabon, in this Difcourfe of life and Cuftom ; where he briefly reports what paffed between Sulpitius Severus, and Paulinus, bifhop of Nola (but fuch an one as gave all to redeem captives, whilft others of that function, that they may fhew who is their matter, are making many both beggars aud captives, by countenancing the plun- der and imprifonment of Chriftians, for pure conieience to God) he brings it in thus : " He is not counted a en vil man now, of late years amongH: us, who thin' mueh, or refufeth, to fublcribe himfelf fervant, though it be to his equal or inferior. Yet SuLpitius Severus was once fharply chid by Paulinus, for fubferibing him- ielf his fervant, in a letter of his ; faying, Take heed hereafter, how thou, being from a fervant dlled into libcrtv, ii8 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti. liberty, doft fubfcribe thyfelf fervant unto one who is thy brother and fellow- fervant ; for it is a finful flattery, not a teftimony of humility, to pay thofe honours to a man, and a finner, which are due to the one Lord, and one matter, and one God." This bifhop was (as it feems) of ChritYs mind, ' Why called thou me good ? there is none f good but one.' By this we may fee the fenfe of fome of the more apoilolical biihops about the civilities and fafhions, fo much reputed with people that call themlelves Chriftians and Biihops, and who would be thought their fuccefTors. It was then a fin, it is now an accomplishment : it was then a flattery, it is now refpecl ; it was then fit to be feverely reproved ; and now, alas ! it is to deferve fevere reproof not to ufe it. O raon- ftrous vanity ! how much, how deeply, have thofe who are called Chriftians revolted from the plainnefs of the primitive davs, and practice of holy men and women in former ages ! How are they become degenerated into the loofe, proud, and wanton cuftoms of the world, which knows not God ; to whom ufe hath made thefe things, condemned by fcripture, reafou and example- almoft na- tural ! Andlhinfenfible are they of both their caufe and bad effects, that they not only continue to prac'Hfethem, but plead for them, and unchriilianly make a very mock of thofe who cannot imitate them. But I lhall proceed to what remains yet farther to be faid in our defence for declining another cuitom, which helps to make us fo much the itumbling-block of this Tight, vain, and ir> conliderate age. C K A P. X. I. Another piece of non-conformity to the world, which is ouriimple and plain fpeech, Thou for You. i : . 2. Juflifled from the ufe of words and numbers, lingular and plural. §. 3. It was, and is, the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin fpeech, in fchools and univerfnies. j$. 4. It is the language of all nations. §. 5. The original Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. n 9 original of the prefent cuflom defends our difufe of it. §. 6. If cuilom mould prevail, in a fenfe it would be on our fide. §. 7. It cannot be uncivil, or impro- per; for God himfelf, the fathers, prophets, Chrift and his apofUesufed it. §. 8. An inltance given in the cafe of Peter, in the palace of the high pried. §. 9. It is the pra&ice of men to God in their prayers: the pride of man to expect better to himfelf. §. 10. Tef- limoniesof feveral writers in vindication of us. §. 1 1. The author's convictions, and his exhortation to his reader. §. I. *HP*HERE is another piece of our non-con for- ^ mity to the world, that renders us very clownifh to the breeding of it, and that is, Thou for You, and that without difference or refpcil to perlbns : a thing that to ibme looks fo rude, it cannot well go down without derifion or wrath. But as we have the fame original reafon for declining this, as the foregoing cuiloms, fo I mail add what to me looks reaibuable in our defence ; though, it is very probable, height of mind, in feme of thofe that blame us, will very hardly allow them to believe that the word reafonable is reconcileable with fo filly a practice as this is efteemed. §. II. Words, of themfelves, are but as fo many marks fet and employed for neceffary and intelligible medi- ums, or means, whereby men may underftandingly ex- prefs their minds and conceptions to each other; from whence comes converfation. Now, though the world be divided into many nations, each of which, for the jnoft part has a peculiar language, fpeech, or dialecl,' yet have they ever concurred in the fame numbers and perfons, as much of the ground of right fpeech. For infrance ; I love, Thou loved, He loveth, are of the fingular number, importing but One, whether in the firlt, fecond, or third perfon : alfo, We love, Ye love, They love, are of the plural number, becaufe in each is implied More than One. Which undeniable gram- matical rule might be enough to fatisfy any, that have not forgot their Accidence, that we are not beiide Reafon l*b NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Pare I. Reafon in ourpra&ice. For if Thou loveft, be Angular, and You love, be plural, and if Thou loveit, fignifies but One ; and You love, Many ; is it not as proper to fay, Thou loveft, to Ten men, as to fay, You love, to One man ? Or, why not I love, for We love, and We love, inftead of I love ? Doubtlefs it is the fame, though moft improper, and in fpeech ridiculous. §. III. Our next reafon is ; if it be improper or un- civil fpeech (as termed by this vain age) how comes it, that the Hebrew, Greek, and Koman authors, ufed in 1'chools and univerfities, have no other ? Why fhould they not be a rule in that, as well as other things ? And why, I pray then, are we lb ridiculous for being thus far grammatical ? Is it reasonable that children fhould be whipt at fchool for putting You for Thou, as having made falfe Latin ; and yet that we mult be, though not whipt, reproached, and often abufed, when we ule the contrary propriety of fpeech ? §. IV. But in the third place, it is neither improper nor uncivil, but much otherwife ; becaufe it is ufed in all languages, fpeeches, and diale&s, and that through all ages. This is very plain : as for example, it was God's language when he firft fpake to Adam. viz. Hebrew : alfo it is the Affyrian, Chaldean, Grecian, and Latin fpeech. And now amongft the Turks, Tartars, Muscovites, Indians, Perfians, Italians, Spaniards, French, Dutch, Germans, Polonians, Swedes, Danes, Irifh, Scottifh, Welch, as well as Englifh, there is a diiYmcuon preierved ; and the word Thou, is not loll in the word which goes for You. And though fome of the modern tongues have done as we do, yet upon the fame error. But by this it is plain, that Thou is no upftart, nor yet improper ; but the only proper word to be ufed in all languages to a fingle perfon ; becaufe otherwife all fentences, fpeeches, and difcourfes may be very ambiguous, uncertain, and equivocal. If a jury pronounce a verdict, or a judge a fentence (Three being at the bar upon three occafions, very differently culpable) and fhould fay, You are here guilty, and to die : or innocent, and difcharged ; who knows who is guilty Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. m guilty or innocent ? May be but One, perhaps Two ; or it may be all Three. Therefore our indictments run in the lingular number, as Hold up thy hand : Thou art indicated by the name of, &c. for that Thou, c not having the fear of God, &c.' and it holds the fame in all converfation. Nor can this be avoided, but by many unnecelTary circumlocutions. And as the pre- venting of fuch length and obfcurity was doubtlefs the firft reafon for the diftin&ion, fo cannot that be jultly difufed, till the reafon be firft removed ; which can never be, whilft Two are in the world. §. V. But this is not all: it was firft afcribed in way of flattery to proud popes and emperors ; imitating the Heathens vain homage to their gods ; thereby afcribing a plural honour to a lingle perfon ; -as if One Pope had been made up of Many Gods, and One Emperor of many Men. For which reafon, You only to be ufed to Many, became firft fpoken to One. It feems the word Thou looked like too lean and thin a refpeel: ; and therefore fome, bigger than they fhould be, would have a ftyle fuitable to their own ambition : a ground Wc cannot build our practice on ; for what begun it, only loves it ftill. But fuppofing You to be proper to a prince, it will not follow it is to a common perfon. For his edict runs, " We will and require," becaufe perhaps in conjunction with his council ; and therefore You to a private perfon, is an abufe of the word. But as pride firft gave it birth, fo hath fhe only promoted it. - Monfieur, fir, and madam, were, originally, names given to none but the king, his brother, and their wives, both in France and England ; yet now the plowman in France is, called Monfieur, and his wife madam : and men of ordinary trades in England, fir, and their wives, dame; (which is the legal title of a lady) or elfe miftrefs, which is the fame with madam in French. So prevalent hath pride and flattery been in all ages, the one to give, and the other to receive rffpeel* as they term it. GL f VI. But * HowcPs Hlftory of France. 122 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti. , §. VI. But fome will tell us, cuftom mould rule us ; and that is againft us. But it is eafily anfwered, and more truly, that though in things reafonable or indif- ferent, cuftom is obliging or harmlefs, yet in things un- reafonable or unlawful, fhe has no authority. For cuftom can no more change numbers than genders, nor yoke One and You together, than make a man into a woman or one a thoufand. But if cuftom be to conclude us, it is for us : for as cuftom is nothing elfe but ancient ufage, I appeal to the practice of mankind, from the beginning of the world, through all nations, againft the novelty of this confuiion, viz. You to one peribn. Let cuftom, which is ancient practice and fact, iflue this queftion. Miftake me not : I know words are no- thing, but as men give them a value or force by ufe : but then, if you will difcharge Thou, and that You muft fucceed in its place, let us have a diftinguifhing word in the room of You, to be ufed in fpeech to Many. But to ufe the fame word for One and Many, when there are two, and that only to pleale a proud and haughty humour in man, is not reafonable in ourfenfe ; which, we hope, is Chriflian, though not modifh. §. VII. But if thou to a-fingle perfon be improper or uncivil, God himfelf, all the holy fathers and prophets, Chrift Jefus and his apoftles, the primitive faints, all lauguages throughout the world, and our own law- proceedings are guilty ; which, with fubmiflion, were great prefumption to imagine. Befides we all know it is familiar with the moft of authors, to preface their difcourfes to the reader in the fame language of Thee and Thou : as, Reader, Thou art defired, &c. or, Reader this is writ to inform Thee, of the occafton, &c. And it cannot be denied, that the moll: famous poems, dedicated to love or majefty, are writ in this ftyle. Read of each in Chaucer, Spencer, Waller, Cowley, Drydeu, &c. why then fhould it be fo homely, ill-bred, and infufferable in us? This, I conceive, can never be anfwered. §. VIII. I doubt not at all, but that fomething al- together as finguiar attended the fpeech of Chi ill and his Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN- 123 his difciples : for I remember it was urged upon Peter in the high prieft's palace, as a proof of his belonging to Jefus, when he denied his Lord : ' Surely (laid they) 4 Thou alfo art one of them ; for thy fpeech bewrayeth ' Thee :' f they had gueffed by his looks, butjufl be- fore, that he had been with Jefus ; but when they dif- courfed him, his language put them all out of doubt : furely then he was one of them, and he had been with Jefus. Something it was he had learned in his com- pany, that was odd and obfervable ; to be fure, not of the world's behaviour. Without queflion, the garb, gait, and fpeech of his followers differed, as well as his doctrine, from the world ; for it was a part of his doctrine it mould be lb. It is eafy to believe, they were more plain, grave, and precife ; which is more credible, from the way which poor, confident, fearful Peter took, to difguife the bufinefs ; for he fell to curling and fwearing. A fad fhift ! but he thought that the likeliefl way to remove the fufpicion, that was moll unlike Chrift. And the policy took : for it filenced their objections ; and Peter was as orthodox as they. But though they found him not out, the cock's-crow did ; which made Peter remember his dear fuffering Lord's word, and c he went forth and wept bitterly :' that he had denied his Mailer, who was then delivered up to die for him. §. IX. But our laft reafon is of moil: weight with me ; and, becaufe argumentum ad hominem, it is moil heavy upon our defpifers ; which is this : It mould not there- fore be urged upon us, becaufe it is a m'oft extravagant piece of pride in a mortal man, to require or expedl from his fellow-creature a more civil fpeech, or grateful language, than he is wont to give the immortal God, and his Creator, in all his wormip to him. Art thou, O man, greater than he that made thee ? Canft thou approach the God of thy breath, and great judge of thy life, with Thou and Thee, and when thou rifeil off thy knees, fcorn a Chriftian for giving to thee (poor mufhroom f Mat. xxti 71 73 74. I2 4 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. mufhroom of the earth) no better language than thou hall given to God but juft before ? An arrogancy not to be eafily equalled ! But again, it is either too much or too little refpeft ; if too much, do not reproach and be angry, but gravely and humbly refufe it ; if too little, why doll: thou fhew to God no more ? O whither is man gone ! to what a pitch does he foar ? he would be ufed more civilly by us, than he ufes God ; which is to have us make more than a God of him : but he ihall want worfhippers of us, as well as he wants the divinity in himfelf that Jeferves to be worfhipped. Certain we are. that the bpirit of God feeks not thefe refpe&s, much lefs pleads for them, or would be wroth with any that cQiifcientiouily refufe to give them. But that this vain generation is guilty of uling them, to gratify a vain mlr.d, is too palpable. What capping, what cringing, what fc raping, what vain unmeant words, moft hyper- bolical exprefiions, compliments, grofs flatteries, and plain lies 5 under the name of civilities, are men and women guilty of in converfation ! Ah, my friends ! whence fetch you thefe examples ? What part of all the writings of the holy men of God warrants thefe things? But to come near to your own profefhons : Is Chrifl your example herein, whofe name you pretend to bear ? or thofe faints of old, that lived in defolate places, of whom the world was not worthy? 5 Or do you think you follow the practice of thofe Chriftians, that, in obe- dience to their Mailer's life and doclrine, forfook the refpect of perfons, and reiinquifhed the fafhions, honour and glory of this tranfitory world : whofe qua- lifications lay not in external geilures, refpe&s, and compliments, but in a meek and quiet fpirit, h adorned with temperance, virtue, modeily, gravity, patience, aid brotherly-kindnefs, which were the tokens of true honour, and only badges of refpec-t and nobility in thofe Chriftian times ? O no ! But is it not to expofe ourfelves both to your contempt and fur} 7 , that we imitate them, and not you ? And tell us, pray, are not romances, 8 Heb. xi *• I Pet. ill 3 4. Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 125 romances, plays, mafks, gaming, fiddlers, &c. the en- tertainments that mod delight you ? Kad you the fpirit of Chriftianity indeed, could you confume your mod: precious little time in fo many unneceflary vifits, games, aud paftimes ; in your vain compliment's, courtfhips, feigned ftories, flatteries, and fruitlefs novelties, and what not ? invented and ufed to your diversion, to make you eafy in your forgetfulnefs of God ; which pever was the Chriitian way of living, but entertain- ment of the Heathens that knew not Gcd. O were you truly touched with a fenic of your fins, and in any meafure born again ; did you take up the crofs of Jelus, and live under it, thefe things (which fo much pleafe your wanton and fenfual nature) would find no place with you ! This is not feeking the things that are above/ to have the heart thus fet on things that are below ; nor, ' working out your own falvation with fear c and trembling,' to fpend your days in vanity. This is not crying with Elihu, c I know not to give flattering c titles to men; for in fo doing my Maker would foon c take me away :' this is not to deny felf, and lay up a more hidden and enduring fubfiance, an eternal in- heritance in the heavens, that will not pals away. Well, my friends, whatever you think, your plea of cuftom will find no place at God's tribunal : the light of Chrift in your own hearts will over-rule it, and this Spirit againft which we teftify, mail then appear to be what we fay it is, Say not, I am ferious about (light things : but beware you of levity and rafhneis in ferious thii §. X. Before Iclofe, I mall add a few tcfti monies from men of general credit, in favour of our non-conformirv to the world in this particular. Luther, the great reformer (whofe layings were ora- cles with the age he lived in, and of no lei;-, reputation now, with many that object againft us) was fo far from condemning our plain fpeech, that, in his LvJits, he fports himfelf with You to a (ingle perfon, as an incon- gruous and ridiculous fpeech, viz. Magi ft cr, rose/Iis itus) » CcJ. in I 126 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. iratus} Mafter are you- angry? as abfurd with him in Latin, as, My Matters, art thou angry? is in Englifh. Erafmus, a learned man, and an exact critic in fpeech (than whom, I know not any we may fo properly refer the grammar of the matter to) not only derides it, "hut bellows a whole difcourfe upon rendering it abfurd : plainly manifefting, that it is impoSible to preferve num- bers, if You, the only word for more than One, be ufed to exprefs One ; as alfo, that the original of this cor- ruption, was the corruption of flattery. Lipfius affirms of the ancient Romans, that the manner of greeting now in vogue, was not in ufe amongft them. To conclude ; Howel, in his Hiftory of France, gives us an ingenious account of its original ; where he not only allures us, That anciently the peafants Thou'd their kings, but that pride and flattery firft put inferiors upon paying a plural refpe&to the fingle perfon of every fupcrior, and Superiors upon receiving it. And though we had not the practice of God and man fo undeniably to juftify our plain and homely fpeech, yet fince we are perfuad- ed that its original was from pride and flattery, we can- not in confcience ufe it. And however we maybe cen- fured as lingular, by thofe loofe and airy minds, that, through the continual love of earthly pleafures, confider not the true rife and tendency of words and things, yet, to us, whom God has convinced, by his Light and Spirit in our hearts, of the folly and evil of fuch courf- es, and brought into a fpiritual difcerning of the nature and ground of the world's fafhions, they appear to be fruits of pride and flattery, and we dare not continue in fuch vain compliances to earthly minds, left we offend God, and burden our own- consciences. But hav- ing been fincerely afTe&ed with the reproofs of inftruc- r.ion, and our hearts being brought into a watchful Sub- jection to the righteous lav/ of Jefus, fo as to bring our deeds to the light, to fee in whom they are wrought, if in God, or not ; we cannot, we dare not conform our- : to the fafhions of the world thatpafs away, know- ing k John iii 19 20 Fart I- NO CROSS; NO CROWN, iXf ing affuredly, that 'for every idle word that men fpeak, * they fhall give an account in the day of judgment.' 1 §. XI. Wherefore, reader, whether thou art a night- walkiog Nicodemus, or afcofhngfcribe ; one that would vifn the bleffed Meffiah, but in the dark cuiloms of the world, that thou mighteil pafs as undifcerned, for fear of bearing his reproachful crofs ; or elfe a favourer of Haman's pride, and counteft thefe teltimonies but z foolifh fingularity ; I muft lay, divine love enjoins me to be a meffenger of truth to thee, and a faithful wit- nefs againft the evil of this degenerate world, as in other, lb in thefe things ; in which the fpirit of vanity and lull hath got fo great an head, and lived lb long un- controuled, that it hath impudence enough to term its darknefs light, and to call its evil off-fpring by the names due to abetter nature, the moreeaiily to deceive people into the practice of them. And truly, fo very blind and infenfible are moir, of what Spirit they are, and ignorant of the meek and felf-denying life of holy Jefus, whole name they profefs, that to call eaeh other Rabbi, that is, Mailer ; to bow to men (which 1 call worfhip) and to greet with flattering titles ; and do their fellow-creatures homage : to lcorn that language to themfelves that they give to God, and to ipend their time and eftate to gratify their wanton minds ; (the cuftoms of the Gentiles that knew not God) pafs with them for civility, good breeding, decency, recreation, accom- plifhments, &c. O that man would confider, fince there are but two fpirits, one good, the other evil, which of them it is that inclines the world to thefe things ! and whether it be Nicodemus or Mordecai in thee, that doth befriend thefe defpifed ChriiYians, which makes thee afhamed to difown that openly in converfation with the world, which the true light hath made vanity and fin to thee in fecret ? Or, if thou art a defpifer, tell me, I pray thee, which doit thou think thy mockery, anger, or contempt do molt refemble, proud Hainan, or 1 Mar. xii 36. 223 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part L or good Mordecai ? My friend, know, that no man hath more delighted in^ or been prodigal of thofe vanities called civilities, than myfelf ; and could I have covered my confcience under the fafhions of the world, truly I had found a fhelter from mowers of reproach that have fallen very often and thick upon me ', but had I, with Joieph, conformed to Egypt's cuftoms, I had iinned againft my God, and loft my peace. But I would not have thee think it is a mere Thou or Title, limply or nakedly in themfelves, we boggle at, or that we would beget or let up any form inconfiftent with fincerity or true civility : there is but too much of that: but the efteem and value the vain minds of men do put upon them, that ought to be croffed and {tripped of their delights, conftrains us to teftify fo fteadily againft them. And this know, from the fenfe God's Holy Spirit hath begotten in us, that that which re- quires thefe cuftoms, and begets fear to leave them, and pleads for them, and is difpleafed if not ufed and paid, is the fpirit of pride and flattery in the ground,- though frequency, ufe, or generofny, may have abated its ftrength in fome : and this being difcovered by the light that now fhines from heaven, in the hearts of the defpifed Chriftians I have communion with, neceffitates them to this teftimony, and myfelf as one of them, and for them, in a reproof of the unfaithful, who would walk undifcerned, though convinced to the contrary; and for an allay to the proud defpifers, who fcorn us as a people guilty of affectation and lingularity. For the eternal God, who is great amongit us, and on his way in the earth to make his power known, c will root up every c plant that his right hand hath not planted/ Where- fore let me befeech thee, reader, to confider the fore- going reafonSj which were rncftly given me from the Lord, in that time, when my condefcenfion to thefe fafhions would have been purchafed at almoft any rate ; but the certain fenfe I had of their contrariety to the meek and felf-denying life of holy Jefus, required of me my difuie of them, and faithful teftimony againft them. I fpeak the truth in Chrift ; I lie not ; I would Pinh NO CROSS, NO CROWN. „ 9 Would not have brought myfelf under cenfure and dii- dain for them, could I, with peace of confeience, have kept my belief under a worldly behaviour. It was ex- treme irkfome to me, to decline and expofe myfelf • but having an allured and repeated fenfe of the original of thele vain cuftoms, that they rife from pride, felf-love and flatter), I dared not gratify that mind in myfelf or others. And for this rcafim it is, that I am earaeft with my readers to be cautious how they reprove us on this occahon ; and do once more entreat them, that they would lenoufly weigh in themfelves, whether it be the fp.nt of the world, or of the Father, that is fo angry with our honeft, plain, and harmlefs Thou and Thee ■ that to every plant that God, our heavenly Father, hath not planted in the tons and daughters of men, may be rooted up. J C H A P. XL : . I. Pride leads people to an exceflive value of their pcrions. §. 2 . It i s plain from the racket that is made about blood and families: alto in the cafe offhape and beauty. §. 3. Elood no nobility, but virtue. %. 4. Virtue no upflart; antiquity, no nobility with- out it, elleage and blood would bar virtue in the prefent age. §.5. God teaches the true fenfe of nobility, who made of one blood all nations : there is the original of all blood. §. 6. Thefe men of Wood, out of their feathers, look like other men. ft. 7- This is not faid to reject, but humble the gentleman: the advantages of that condition above others. An exhortation to recover their loft eco- nomy m families, out of intereft and credit. §. 8. iiut the author has a higher motive ; the gofpel, and the excellencies of it, which they profefs. §, q. J he pride of pcrfons refpecting ftiape and beautv': the wafhes, patches, paintings, dreflings, &c. This excels would keep the poor : the mifchiefs that at- tend it. §. 10. But pride in the old, and homely, K yet i 3 o NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part 1. yet more hateful : that it is ufual. The madnefs of it. Counfel to the beautiful to get their fouls like their bodies ; and to the homely, to fupply want of that, in the adornment of their lafting part, their fouls, with holinefs. Nothing homely with God, but fin. The blelfednefs of thofe that wear ChriiVs yoke and crofs, and are crucified to the world. UT pride flops not here : fhe excites people to an exceffive value and care of their per- fons : they mull have great and punctual attendance, ftately furniture, rich and exad apparel : all which help to make up that pride of life, that John tells us, * is ' not of the Father, but of the world.'* A fin God charged upon the haughty daughters of Zion, Ifa. iii. and on the proud prince and people of Tyrus, Ezek. xxvii. 28. Read thefe chapters, and meafure this age by their fins, and what is coming on thefe nations by their judgments. But at the prefent I fhall only touch upon the firft, viz. the exceffive value people have of their perfons ; leaving the reft to be confidered under the lafl head of this difcourfe, which is luxury, where they may be not improperly placed. §. II. That people are generally proud of their per- fons, is too viiible and troublefome ; efpecially if they have any pretence either to blood or beauty; the one has railed many quarrels among men ; and the other among women, and men too often, for their fakes, and at their excitements. But to the firfl : what a pother has this noble blood made in the world, antiquity of name or family ? whofe father or mother, great grand- father, or great grand-mother, was belt defcended or al- lied ? what flock, or what clan, they came of? what coat of arms they gave ? which had, of right, the prece- dence? But, methinks, nothing of man's folly has leis fhew of reafon to palliate it. §. III. For firft, What matter is it of whom any one is defcended, that is notof ill-fame ; lince it is his own virtue a 1 John ii 16 17. Part I- NO CROSS, NO CROWN. i-i virtue that mud raife, or vice deprefs him ? An an- ceftor's character is no excufe to a man's ill actions, but an aggravation of his degeneracy : and fince virtue comes not by generation, I am neither the better nor the worfe for my fore-father ; to be fure, not in God's account, nor fhould it be in man's. Nobody would endure injuries the eafier, or rejed favours the more, for coming by the hand of a man well or ill defended. I confefs it were greater honour to have had no blots, and with an hereditary eftatc to have had a lineal defcent or worth : but that was never found, no, not in the molt blefled of families upon earth, I mean Abraham's. To be defeended of wealth and titles, fills no man's head with brains, or heart with truth : thofe qualities come from an higher caufe. It is vanity then, and moil condemnable pride, for a man of bulk and character to defpife another of lefs iize in the world, and of meaner alliance, for want of them ; becaufe the latter may have the merit, where the former has only the effecls of it in an anceftor : and though the one be great, by means of a fore-father; the other is fo too, but it is by his own : then, pray, which is the bravefl man of the two ? §. IV. O, fays the perfon proud of blood, it was never a good world, fince we have had fo many upftart gentle- men 1 But what fhould others have faid of that man's anceftor, when he flarted fir ft up into the knowledge of the world ? for he, and all men and families, ay, and all ftates and kingdoms too, have had their upftarts, that is, their beginnings. This is like being the true church becaufe old, not bercaufe good ; for families to be noble by being old, and not by being virtuous. No fuch matter : it mull be age in virtue, or ell'e virtue before age ; for otherwife a man fhould be noble by means of his predeceftbr, aud yet the predecefTor lefai noble than he, becaufe he was the acquirer: which is a paradox that will puzzle all their heraldry to explain ! Strange that they mould be more noble than their an- ceftor, that got their nobility for them ! But if this be abfurd, as it is, then the upftart is the noble man ; the man i 3 2 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part L man that got it by his virtue : and thofe are only in- titled to his honour, that are imitators of his virtue ; the reft may bear his name from his blood, but that is all. If virtue then give nobility, which Heathens themfelves agree, then families are no longer truly noble, than they are virtuous. And if virtue go not by blood, but by the qualifications of the decendants, it follows, blood is excluded: elfe blood would bar virtue ; and no man that wanted the one, fhould be al- lowed the benefit of the other; which were to ftint and bound nobility, for want of antiquity, and make virtue ufelefs. No, let blood and name go together; but pray let nobility and virtue keep company, for they are neareft of kin. It is thus pouted by God himfelf, that beft knows how to apportion things with an equal and juft hand. He neither likes, nor diflikes by defcent : nor does he regard what people were, but are. He re^ members not the righteoufnefs of any man that leaves his righteoufnefs ; b much lefs any unrighteous man for the righteoufnefs of his anceftor. §. V. But if thefe men of blood pleafe to think them- felves concerned to believe and reverence God, in his holy fcriptures, they may learn, that in the beginning he made of one blood all nations of men, to dwell upon all the face of the earth ; and, that we all defcendedof one father and mother. A more certain original than the beft of us can afiign. From thence go down to Noah, who was the fecond planter of human race, and we are upon fome certainty for our fore-fathers. "What violence has raped, or virtue merited fince, and how far we that are alive are concerned in either, will be hard for us to determine but a very few ages off us. §. VI. But, methinks it fhould fuffice to fay, our own eyes fee that men of blood, out of their gears and trap- pings, without their feathers and finery, have no more marks of honour by nature ftampt upon them, than their inferior neighbours. Nay, themfelves being judges b Ezek. xvfii * A6ls xvii 26 Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 133 judges, they will frankly tell us, they feel all thofe pailions in their blood, that make them like other men, if not farther from the virtue that truly dignifies. The lamentable ignorance and debauchery that now rages among too many of our greater fort of folks, is too clear and calling an evidence in the point : and pray tell me, of what blood are they come ? §. VII. Howbeit, when I have laid all this, I intend not, by debafing one falie quality, to make infolent another that is not true. I would not be thought to fet the churl upon the prefent gentleman's moulder ; by no means : his rudenefs will not mend the matter. But what 1 have writ is, to give aim to all where true nobility dwells, that every one may arrive at it by the ways of virtue and goodnefs. But for all this, I rauft allow a great advantage to the gentleman ; and there- fore prefer his ftation, jult as the apoitle Paul, who, after he had humbled the Jews, that infulted upon the Chriftians with their law and rites, gave them the ad- vantage upon all other nations in ftatutes and judg- ments. I mull: grant, that the condition of our great men is much to be preferred to the ranks of inferior people. For, firit, they have more power to do good : and, if their hearts be equal to their ability, they are bleflings to the people of any country. Secondly, the eyes of the people are ufually directed to them ; and if they will be kind, juit, and helpful, they ifiall have their affections and ferviccs. Thirdly, they are nor under equal ftraits with the inferior fort, and confe- quently, they have more help, leifure, andoccafion, to polifh their pailions and tempers with books and con- verfation. Fourthly, they have more time to obferve the actions of other nations ; to travel, and view the laws, cultoms and interests of other countries, and bring home whatever is worthy or imitable. And lb an ealier way is open for great men to get honour ; and filch as love true reputation, will embrace the bell: means to it. But becauic it too often happens, that great men do little mind to give God the glory of their profperity, and to live anfvverable to his mercies ; but on the i 3 4 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part L the contrary c live without God m the world,' fulfilling the lufts thereof, his hand is often feen, either in im- poverishing or extinguishing them, and railing up men of more virtue and humility to their eitates and dignity. However, I mult allow, that among people of this rank, there have been iome of them of more than ordinary virtue, whofe examples have given light to their fami- lies. And it has been fomething natural for fome of their defcendants to endeavour to keep up the credit of their houfes, in proportion to the merit of their found- er. And, to fay true, if there be any advantage in fuch defcent, it is not from blood, but education : for blood has no intelligence in it, and is often fpurious and un- certain : but education has a mighty influence, and ftrong bias upon the atleclions and actions of men. In this, the ancient nobles and gentry of this kingdom did excel : and it were much to be wifhed, that our great people would fet about to recover the ancient econo- my of their houfes, the ftri& and virtuous dilcipline of their anceftors, when men were honoured for their at- chievements, and when nothing moreexpofed a man to fhame, than his being born to a nobility that he had not a virtue to fupport. S. VIII. O but I have an higher motive ! the glorious gofpel of Jefus Chrift, which having taught this northern ifie, and all ranks pro felling to believe in it, let me pre- vail upon yen to feek the honour that it has brought from heaven to all the true difciples of it, who are iudeed the followers of God's Lamb, that c takes away the fins c of the world. ' d Receive with meekneis his gracious word into your hearts, that iubdues the world's lufts, and leads in the holy way to bleffednels. Here are charms no carnal eye hath feen, nor ear heard, nor heart perceived, but they are revealed to fuch humble converts by his Spirit. Uemember you are but crea- tures, and that you mult die, and after all be judged. §\ IX. But d John i 29. Pan L NO CROSS, NO CRO W N. 13J §. IX, But perfonal pride ends not in nobility of blood ; it leads folks to a fond value of their perfons, be they noble or ignoble ; especially if they have any pretence to fhape or beauty. It is admirable to fee, how much it is pofiible for lome to be taken with thein- felves, as if nothing clfe deferved their regard, or the good opinion of others. It would abate their folly, if they could find in their hearts to J pare but half the time to think of God, and their latter end, which they mo ft prodigally ipend in warning, perfuming, painting, patching, attiring and d re fling. In thefe things they are precife, and very artificial ; and for coit they fpare not. But that which aggravates the evil is, the pride of one might comfortably fupply the need of ten* 1 Grofs impiety that it is, that a nation's pride mould 1 not be fpared to a nation's poor !' But what is this for at lail ? only to be admired, to have reverence, draw love, and command the eyes and affections of beholders. And fo fantaftic are they in it, as hardly to be pleafed too. Nothing is good, or fine, or fafhionahle enough for them ; the fun itfelf, the blcfling of heaven and comfort of the earth, mult not fhine upon them, left- it tan them ; nor the wind blow, for fear it mould dis- order them. O impious nicety! yet while they Value themfelves above all elfe, they make themfelves the vaffals of their own pride : worfhipping their fhape, feature, or complexion, whichfoever is their excellency. The end of all which is, but too often, to excite un- lawful love, which I call luft, and draw one another into as miferable as evil circumftances. In (ingle perfons it is of ill confequence ; for if it docs not awaken un- chafte deiires, it lays no foundation for folic! and lafting union : want of which helps to make fo many unhappy marriages in the world : but in married people, the fill is aggravated ; for they have none of right to pleafe, but one another ; and to affect the gaiety and vanity of youth, is an ill lign of loving and living well at home : it looks rather like dreffing for a market. It has fad effects in families ; difcontents, partings, duels, poi- fonings, and other infamous murders. No age can bcucr i 3 6 NO CROSS, NO CROW N. fori I better tell us the fad efTedts of this fort of pride, thai! this we live in ; as, how exceflive wanton, fo how fatal it has been to the fobriety, virtue, peace, and health of families in this kingdom. §. X. But I muft needs fa) 7 , that of all creatures this fort of pride does leaft become the old and homely, if I may call the ill-favoured and deformed fo 5 for the old are proud only of what they had ; which fhews to their reproach, their pride has out-lived their beauty, and when they mould be a repenting, they are making work for repentance. But the homely are yet worfe, they are proud of what they never had, nor ever can have. Nay, their perfons feem as if they were given for a perpetual humiliation to their minds ; and to be proud of them, is loving pride for pride's fake, and to be proud without a temptation to be proud. And yet in my whole life I have obferved nothing more doating on itfelf : a flrange infatuation and enchantment of pride ! what ! not to fee right with their eyes, becaufe of the partiality of their minds ? This felf-love is blind indeed. But to add expenfe to the vanity, and to be coftly upon that which cannot be mended, one would think they fhould be downright mad ; efpecially if they confider that they look the homelier for the things that are thought handfome, and do but thereby draw their deformity more into notice, by that which does fo little become them. But in fuch perfons follies we have a fpecimen of man ; what a creature he is in his lapfe from his primitive image. All this (as Jefus 4 aid of fin of old) comes from within ; d that is the difregard that man and woman have to the Word of their Creator in their hearts, which fhews pride, and teaches humility and felf-abafement, and diredls the mind to the true object of honour and worfhip ; and that with an awe and reverence fuitableto his fovereignty and majefty. Poor mortals ! but living dirt; made of what they tread on ; who, with all their pride, cannot fecure themlelvcs from the fpoil of fick- nels 5 d Mat. xv 11 18 19 20. Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. i 37 ncfs much lcfs from the the ftroke of death. - O ! did people confider the inconftancy of all vifible things, the crofs and adverfe occurrences of man's life, the certainty of his departure, and eternal judgment, it is to be hoped, they would bring their deeds to Chrift's light in their hearts, and they would fee if they were wrought in God or no, as the beloved difciple tells us from his dear Mailer's mouth/ Art thou fhapely, comely, beautiful; the exact draught of an human creature ? admire that power that made thee fo. Live an harmonious life to the curious make and frame of thy creation ; and let the beauty of thy body teach thee to beautify thy mind with holinefs, the ornament of the beloved of God. Art thou homely or deformed ? mag- nify that goodnefs which did not make thee a beaft ; and with the grace that is given unto thee (for it has appeared unto all) learn to adorn thy foul with enduring beauty. Remember, the king of heaven's daughter, the church (of which true Chriftians are members) is all glorious within : and if thy foul excel, thy body will only fet oif the luftre of thy mind. Nothing is homely in God's fight but fin : and that man and woman that commune with their own hearts, and fin not: who in the light of holy Jefus, watch over the movings and incli- nations of their own fouls, and that fupprefs every evil in its conception, they love the yoke and crofs of Chrifl, and are daily by it crucified to the world, but live to God in that life which outlives the fading fatisfaclions of it. CHAP. XII i. The character of a proud man: a glutton upon himfelf. Is proud of his Pedigree. §• 2. He is in- folentandquarrelfome, but cowardly, yet cruel. §. 3. An ill child, fubjeft and fervant. §. 4. Unhofpitable. §. 5. No friend to any. §. 6. Dangerous and mif- S chievous e Dent, xxx 14 Rom. x 8 f John iii 20 31 i 3 8 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti. chievous in power. §. 7. Of all things pride bad in minifters. §. 8. They claim prerogative above all others. §. 9. And call themfelves the clergy; their lordlinefs and avarice. §. 10. Death fwallows all. §. 1 1. The way to efcape thefe evils. §. 1. r I ^O conclude this great head of pride, let us JL briefly fee upon the whole matter, what is the character of a proud man in himfelf, and in divers relations and capacities. A proud man then is a kind of glutton upon himfelf; for he is never fatisfied with loving and admiring himfelf; whilft nothing elfe with him is worthy either of love or care : if good enough to be the fervant of his will, it is as much as he can find in his heart to allow : as if he had been only made for himfelf, or rather that he had made himfelf. For as he defpifes man, becaufe he cannot abide an equal, fo he does not love God, becaufe he would not have a fuperior: he cannot bear to owe his being to another, left he mould thereby acknowledge one above himfelf. He is one that' is mighty big with the honour of his anceftors, but not of the virtue that brought them to it; much lefs will he trouble himfelf to imitate them. He can tell you of his pedigree, his antiquity, what eftate, what matches ; but forgets that they are gone, and that he mud die too. §. II. But how troublefome a companion is proud man ! ever pofkive and controuling ; and if you yield not, infolent and quarrelfome ; yet at theupfhot of the matter, cowardly : but if itrongeft, cruel. He has no bowels of adverfity, as if it were below him to be fenfi- ble; he feels no more of other men's miferies, than if he was not a man, or it was a fin to be fenfible. For not feeling himfelf interefted, he looks no farther : he will not dilquiet his thoughts with other men's infelicities : it fhali content him to believe they are juft : and he had rather churlifhly upbraid them as the caufe, than be rea- dy to commiferate or relieve them. So that compaflion and charity are with him as ulelefs, as humility and rneeknefs are hateful. §. III. A Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 139 §. III. A proud man makes an ill child, fervant, and fubject : he contemns his parents, mafter and prince : he will not be fubjecl;. He thinks himfclf too wife, or too old, to be directed ; as if it were a flavifh thing to obey ; and that none were free, that may not do what they pleafe ; which turns duty out of doors, and de- grades authority. On the other hand, if it be an hul- band, or father, or mafter, there is fcarcely any enduring. He is fo infufferably curious and tefty, that it is an af- fliction to live with him : for hardly can any hand carry it even enough to pleafe him. Some peccadillo about his clothes, his diet, his lodging, or attendance, quite diforders him : but efpecially if he fancies any want in the ftate and refpect he looks for. Thus pride deftroys the nature of relations : on the one fide, it learns to contemn duty : and on the other fide, it turns love into fear, and makes the wife a fervant, and the children and fervants, Daves. §. IV. But the proud man makes an ill neighbour too 5 for he is an enemy to hofpitality ; he defpifes to receive kindnefs, becaufe he would not fhew any, nor be thought to need it. Befides, it looks too equal and familiar for his haughty humour. Emulation and detraction are his element 5 for he is jealous of attributing any praile to others, where juft, left that mould cloud and lefTen him, to whom it never could be due; he is the man that fears what he fhould wifh, to wit, that others fhould do well. But that is not all ; he malicioufly mifcalls their acts of virtue, which his corruptions will not let him imitate, that they may get no credit by them. If he wants any occafion of doing mifchief, he can make one; either, they ufe him ill, or have lb me defign upon him ; the other day they paid him not the cap and knee, the diftance and refpect he thinks his quality, parts, 01 merits do require. A fmall thing ferves a proud man to pick a quarrel ; of all creatures the moil jealous, ful- len, fpiteful, and revengeful : he can no more forgive an injury, than forbear to do one. §. V. Nor is this all ; a proud man can never be a friend to any body. For befides that his ambition may always 156 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. always be bribed by honour and preferment to betray that relation, he is unconverfible ; he mult not be ca- techifed and counfelled, much lefs reproved or contra- dieted ; no, he is too covetous of himfelf to fpare ano- ther man a mare, and much too high, ftiff, and touchy ; he will not away with thofe freedoms that a real friend- ship requires. To fay true, he contemns the character ; it is much too familiar and humble for him; his mighty foul would know nothing befides himfelf, and vaiTals to flock the world. He values other men as we do cattle; for their fervice only ; and, if he could, would ufe them fo ; but as it happens, the number and force are une- qual. §. VI. But a proud man in power is very mifchievous ; for his pride is the more dangerous by his greatnefs, fmce from ambition in private men, it becomes tyranny in them : it would reign alone ; nay, live fo, rather than have competitors : out Cafar, aut nullus. Reafon mull not check it, nor rules of law limit it ; and either it can do no wrong, or it is fedition to complain of the wrong that it doe8. The men of this temper would have nothing thought amifs they do ; at leaft, they count it dangerous to allow it to be fo, though fo it be ; for 4 that would imply they had erred, which it is always matter of Hate to deny. No, they will rather choofe to perifh obftinately, than by acknowledging, yield away the reputation of better judging to inferiors : though it were their prudence to do fo. And indeed, it is all the fatisfaclion that proud great men make to the world for the miferies they often bring upon it, that firil or laii, upon a divifion, they leave their real intereft to follow fome one excefs of humour, and are al molt ever deftroy- ed by it. This is the end pride gives proud men, and the ruin it brings upon them, after it has punifhed others by them. §. VII. But above all things, pride is intolerable in men pretending to religion; and, of them, in minifters; for they are names of the greatefl contradiction. I fpeak without refpect or anger to perfons or parties; for I only touch upon the bad of all. What fhall pride do with Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 141 with religion, that rebukes it ? or ambition with minif- ters, whofe very office is humility ? And yet there are but too many of them, that, befides an equal guilt with others in the flefhly pride of the world, are even proud of that name and office, which ought always to mind them of felf-denial. Yea, they uieit as the beggars do the name of God and Chrift, only to get by it : placing to their own account the advantages of that reverend profeffion, and thereby making their function but a politic handle to raile themfelves to the great prefer- ments of the w r orId. But, O then, how can fuch be his miniiters, that faid, c My kingdom is not of this world? 7 Who, of mankind, more felf-conceited than thefe men ? If contradicted, as arrogant and angry as if it were their calling to be fo. Counlel one of them, he fcornsyou ; reprove him, and he is almolt ready to excommunicate you. 'lama minifler and an elder :' flying thitherto fecure himfelf from the reach of juft ceniure, which in- deed expofes him but the more to it : and therefore his fault cannot be the lefs, by how much is it worfeinami- niller do ill, and fpurnat reproof, than an ordinary man. §. VIII. Obut he pleads an exemption by his office ! What ! fhall he breed up chickens to pick out his own eyes ? be rebuked or inftrudfed by a lay-man, or parifh- ioner ? a man of lefs age, learning, or ability ! noluch matter ; he would have us believe that his miniilerial prerogative has placed him out of the reach of popular impeachment. He is not fubjecr. to vulgar judgments. Even queftions about religion are fchifm : believe as he fays : it is not for you to pry fo curiou fly into the myf- teries of religion : never good day fince lay-men med- dled fo much with the minifter's office Not confider- ing, poor man ! that the contrary is moil: true; not many good days fince miniflers meddled fo much in lay- men's bufinefs. Though perhaps there is little reafon for thediftinction, befides fpiritual gifts, and the improve- ment of them by a diligent ufe of them for the good of others, Such i 4 2 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti* Such good fayings as thefe, * Be ready to teach ; * anfwer with meeknefs : let every man fpeak as of the * gift of God, that is in him : if any thing be revealed ' to him that fits by, let the firft hold his peace ; be c not lords over God's heritage, but meek and lowly ; * warning the feet of the people, as Jefus did thofe of * his poor difciples;' 3 .are unreafonable and antiquated inftruclions with fome clergy ; and it is little lefs than herefy to remember them of thefe things : to be fure a mark of great difaffc&ion to the church, in their opi- nion. For by this time their pride has made them the church, and the people but the porch at beft ; a cypher that fignifies nothing, unlefs they clap their figure be- fore it ; forgetting, that if they were as good as they fhould be, they could be but minifters, ftewards, and under-fhepherds : that is, fervants to the church, family, flock, and heritage of God ; and not that they are that church, family, flock, and heritage, which they are only fervants unto. Remember the words of Chrift, ' Let him that would be greateft be your fervant.' b §. IX. There is but one place to be found in the holy fcripture, where the word clems (*&&%) can pro- perly be applied to the church, and they have got it to themfelves ; from whence they call themfelves the clergy, that is, the inheritance or heritage of God. Whereas Peter exhorts the minifters of the gofpef, 1 not to be lords over God's heritage, nor to feed them 1 for filthy lucre.' c Peter (belike) forefaw pride and avarice to be the minifter's temptations ; and, indeed, they have often proved their fall : and, to fay true, they could hardly fall by worie. Nor is there any ex- cufe to be made for them in thefe two refpecls, which is not worfe than their fin. For if they have not been lords over God's heritage, it is becaufe they have made themfelves that heritage, and dif-inherited the people ; fo that now they may be the people's lords, with afalvo to good old Peter's exhortation. And a 2 Tim. ii 2i 25 Tit. iii 1 Cor. xiv 30 b Mat. xx 26 c 1 Pet, v 2 3. Part I- NO CROSS, NO CROWN. i 43 And for the other fin of avarice, they can only avoid it, and fpeak truth, thus, * that never feeding the flock, * they cannot be faid to feed it for lucre :' that is, they get the people's money for nothing. An example of which is given us, by the complaint of God himfelf, from the practice of the proud, covetous, falfe prophets of old, ' that the people gave their money for that which 1 was not bread, and their labour for that which did not c profit them : ,d and why? Becaufe then the pried had no vifion ; and too many now delpife it: §. X. But alas ! when all is done, what folly, as well as irreligion, is there in pride? It cannot add one cubit to any man's ftature : What erodes can it hinder ? What difappointments help, or harm fruftrate? It de- livers not from the common ftroke; ficknefs disfigures; pain misfhapes ; and death ends the proud man's fa- brick. Six foot of cold earth bounds his big thoughts ; and his perfon, that was too good for any place, muft at laft lodge within the flrait limits of fo little and fo dark a cave : and who thought nothing well enough for him, is quickly the entertainment of the loweft of all animals, even worms themfelves. Thus pride and pomp come to the common end ; but with this differ- ence, lefs pity from the living, and more pain to the dying. The proud man's antiquity cannot fecure him from death, nor his heraldry from judgment. Titles of honour vanifh at this extremity; and no power or wealth, no diflance or refpedt can refcue or infurethem : as the tree falls, it lies; and as death leaves men, judg- ment finds them. §. XI. O, what can prevent this ill conclufion? and what can remedy this woful declenfion from ancient mecknefs, humility, and piety, and that godly life and power which were fo confpicuous in the authority of the preachings, and examples of the living, of the firft and pureft ages of Chriftianity ! truly, nothing but an inward and fmcere examination, by the teitimony of the holy Light and Spirit of Jems, of the condition of their fouls d Iiau lv 2 i 4 4 NO CROSS, NO CROWN- Parti. fouls and minds toward Chrift, and a better inquiry into the matter and examples of holy record. It was his complaint of old, c that light was come into the world, c but men loved darknefs rather than light, becaufe ' their deeds were evil.' If thou wouldeft be a child of God, and a believer in Chrift, thou mull be a child of light. O man! thou muft bring thy deeds to it, and examine them by that holy lamp in thy foul, which is the candle of the Lord, that fhews thee thy pride and arrogancy, and reproves thy delight in the vain fa- fhions of this world. Religion is a denial of felf; yea, of iclf-religion too. It is a firm tie or bond upon the foul to holinefs, whofe end is happinefs ; for by it men come to fee the Lord. c The pure in heart (fays Jefus) * fee God :' f he that once comes to bear Chrift's yoke, is not carried away by the devil's allurements; he finds excelling joys in his watchfulneis and obedience. If men loved the crofs of Chrift, his precepts and doc- trine, they would crofs their own wills, which lead them to break Chrift's holy will, and lofe their own fouls in doing the devil's. Had Adam minded that holy light in paradife more than the ferpent's bait, and ftayed his mind upon his Creator, the rewarder of fide- lity, he had feen the fnare of the enemy, and refilled him. O do not delight in that which is forbidden ! look not upon it, if thou wouldeft not be captivated by it. Bring not the guilt of fins of knowledge upon thy own foul. Did Chrift fubmit his will to his Father's, and, for the joy that was fet before him, endure the crofs, and defpife the fhame of a new and untrod- den way to glory? 5 Thou alfo muft fubmit thy will to Chrift's holy law and light in thy heart, and for the reward he fets before thee, to wit, eternal life, endure his crofs, and defpife the fhame of it. All delire to re- joice with him, but few will fuffer with him, or for him. Many are the companions of his table ; not many of his abilinence. The loaves they follow, but the cup of his agony they leave. It is too bitter : they like not to r John in 19 r Mat. y« * Heb. i 2 Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. i 4j to drink thereof. And divers will magnify his mira- cles, that are offended at the ignominy of his crofs. But, O man ! as he for thy falvation, fo thou for the love of him muft humble thyiclf, and be contented to be of no reputation, 11 that thou mayell follow him ; not in a carnal, formal way, of vain man's tradition and prescription, but as the Holy Ghoft by the apoftle doth exprefs it, ' In the new and living way," which Jeftu hath confecrated, that brings all that walk in it to the eternal reft of God : whereinto be himfelf is entered, who is the holy and only blefled Redeemer. CHAP. XIII. 5. i. Avarice (the fecond capital luft) its definition and diftincYton. §. 2. It confiirs in a defire of unlawful things. §. 3. As in David's cafe about Uriah's wife. §. 4. Alio Ahab's about Naboth's vineyard. §. 5. Next, in unlawful defires of lawful things. §. 6. Covetoufneis is a mark of falfe prophets. §. 7. A reproach to religion. $. 8- An enemy to govern- ment. §. 9. Treacherous. §. 10. Opprcfiivc. g. 11. Judas an example. §. 12. So Simon Magus. §. 13. Laftly, in unprofitable hoarding of money. §. 14. The covetous man a common evil. §. 15. His hy- pocrify. S. 16. Gold his god. §• 17. He is fparing to death. §. 18. Is reproved by Chrift and his fol- lowers. §. 19. Ananias and Sapphira's fin and judg- ment. §. 20. William Tindal's difcourfe on that fubjeel referred unto. §.21. Peter Charron's tcili- mony againft it. §. 22. Abraham Cowley's witty and iharp fatire upon it. §. I. T AM come to die fecond part of this difcourfe, . J^ which is avarice, or covetoufneis, an epidemical and a raging diftemper in the world, attended with all the miichief that can make men miferable in themfelves, T and Pkil ii - Hcb. x 19 20 i 4 6 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti. and in fociety : fo neara-kin to the foregoing evil, pride, that they are fcldorn apart : liberality being almoft as hateful to the proud as to the covetous. 1 fhall define it thus : Covetouihefs is the love of money or riches : ' which (as the apoftle hath it) is the root of all evil,' a It brancheth itielf into theie three parts : Firit, Defiring of unlawful things. Secondly, Unlawfully defiring of lawful things. And laftly, Hoarding up, or unprofit- ably with-holding the benefit of them from the relief of private perfons, or the public. I fhall firft deliver the fenfe of fcripture, and what examples are therein afforded againft this impiety : and next my own reafons, with fome authorities from authors of credit : by which it will appear, that the working of the love of riches out of the hearts of people, is as much the bufinefs of the Crofs of Chrifi, as the rooting out of any one fin that man is fallen into. §. II. And firft, of defiring or coveting of unlawful things : It is exprefsly forbidden by God himfelf, in the law he delivered to Mofes upon Mount Sinai, for a rule to his people, the Jews, to walk by : ' Thou 6 fhalt not covet (faith God) thy neighbour's houfe, - thou fhalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his c man-fervant, nor his maid-fervant, nor his ox, nor his ' afs, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.' 11 This God confirmed by thunderings and lightnings, and otherfenfible folemnities, to itrike the people with more awe in receiving and keeping of it, and to make the breach of theie moral precepts more terrible to them, Micah complains full-moutrfd in his time, * They covet 1 fields, and take them by violence;' but their end was mifery. Therefore was it laid of old, ' Wo to 1 them that covet an evil covctoufnefs :' this is to our point. We have many remarkable inllances of this in fcripture; two of which I will briefly report. §. III. David, though otherwife a good man, by un- vatchfulnefs is taken ; the beauty of Uriah's wife was too hard for him, being diiarmed, and off from his fpiritual a Ephef. v $ $ i Tim. vl. 9 10 b Excel, xx c Mic. i 2 Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. 147 fpiritual watch. There was no difluafive would do: Uriah mutt be put upon a defperate fervice, where it was great odds if he furvived it. This was to hafteu the unlawful fatisfaction of his dehres by a way that looked not like direct murder. The contrivance took ; Uriah is killed, and his wife is quickly David's. This interpreted David's covetoulhefs. But went it off fo ? No, David had (harp lauce with hie meat. ■ His plea- * fu re loon turned to anguilh and bittcrnefs of fpirit-: * his foul was overwhelmed with forrow : the wa\ 1 went over his head: he was contained within him: « he was ttuck in the mire and clay; he cried, he 1 wept; yea, his eyes were as a fountain of tears. « Guiltinefs was upon him, and he mutt be purged ; « his fins waflied white as fnow, that were as red as c crimfon, or he is undone for ever.' J His repeotan prevailed: behold, what work this part of covetoufneis makes ! what evil, what forrow ! O that the people of this covctoufnefs would let the fenfe of David's forrows fink deep into their fouls, that they might come to David's falvation ! ' Rettore me,' faith that good man : it feems he once knew a better ttate : yes, and this may teach the better fort to fear, and Hand in awe too, left they fin and fall. For David was taken at a diiadvan- * tage : he was off his watch, and gone from the crofs : the law was not his lamp and light, at that inftantj he was a wanderer from his fafety, his ftrong tower, and lb furprifed : then and there it was that the enemy met him, and vanquifhed him. # 6, IV. The fecond inliance is that of Naboth s vine- yard: it was coveted by Ahab and Jezebel: 6 that which led them to fuch an unlawful deiirc, found means to nccomplifh it. Naboth mull die, for he would not fell it. To doit, they accufe the innocent man of blaf- phemy, and find two knights of the pott, fons of Be- lial, to evidence againft him. Thus, in the name of God, and in (hew of pure zeal to his glory, Naboth mult '* P(a!. li PfaL UxVli Pial. xlii 7 P&t U« * 14 Pul. iv 67 c I Kings x:i i 4 8 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part L mull die ; and accordingly was floned to death. The news of which coming to Jezebel, fhe bid Ahab arife and take poiTeffion, for Naboth was dead ; butGod fol- lowed both of them with his fierce vengeance. ' In the ' place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth c (faith Elijah in the name of the Lord) lhall dogs lick c thy blood ; even thine : and I will bring evil upon c thee, and take away thy polterity;' and of Jezebel (his wife and partner in this covetoufuefs and murder) he adds, ' the dogs lhall eat her flefh by the walls of c Jezreel.' Here is the infamy and punifhment due to this part of covetoufuefs. Let this deter thofe that de- fire unlawful things ; the rights of others : for God that is juft, will certainly repay fuch with intereft in the end. But perhaps thefe are few : either that they do not or dare not fhew it, becaufe the law will bite if they do. But the next part hath company enough, that will yet exclaim againft the iniquity of this part of covetoufuefs ; and by their feeming abhorrence of it, would excufe themfelves of all guilt in the reft : let us confider that. §. V. The next and molt, common part of covetouf- uefs is, the unlawful defire of lawful things; efpecially of riches. Money is lawful, ' but the love of it is c the root of all evil,' if the man of God fay true. So riches are lawful ; but they that pur.fue them ' fail c into divers temptations, fnares aud lulls;' if the fame good man fay right. He calls them c uncertain' to lhew their folly and danger that fet their hearts upon them. Covetoufuefs is hateful to God : he hath de- nounced great judgments upon thofe that are guilty of it. God charged it on Ifrael of old, as one of the reafons of his judgments: ' For the iniquity of his £ covctoulhefs (faith God) was 1 wroth, and fmote c him.' In another place, £ Every one is given to c covetoufnefs ; and from the prophet to the prieft, ' every one dealeth falfcly ; therefore will I give their 1 wives unto others, and their fields to them that lhall * inherit them.' In another place, God complained thus: ' Cut thine eyes and thy heart are not but for 1 thy Parti. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. l A) e thy covetoufnefs.'* Ly Ezekiel God renews and re- peats li Is complaint againft their covetoufnefs : ' and ' they come to thee as the people, and fit before thee ' as my people : they hear thy words, but will oot do ' them; with their mouths they fhew much love, but < their hearts go after covetoufnefs. ' s Therefore God, in the choice of magillrates, made it part of their qualification, to hate covetoufnefs ; foreseeing the chief that would follow to that fociety or govern where covetous men were in power; that felf would bias them, and they would leek their own ends at the colt of the public. David defired, * that ' heart might not incline to covetoufnefs, but to the £ testimonies of his God.' h And the wife man prefsly tells us, that, ' He that hateth covetoufnefs, ' fhall prolong his days ;'' making a curie to follow it, And it is by Luke charged upon the Pharifees, as a mark of their wickednefs. And Chriir., in that cvan- gelift, bids his followers take c heed and beware of covetoufnefs :' k and he giveth a reafon for it, that car- rieth a moil excellent inftru&ion in it; ' for (faith he) * a man's life confifleth not in the abundan.ee oi ' things which he pofTeiTeth :" but he goeth farther : he joins covetoufnefs with adultery, murder, and blaf- phemy. m No wonder then if the apollle Paul is fo liberal in his cenfure of this e\il : he placet!) it with all unrighteoufnefs, to the Romans : n to the Ephehans he writeth the like ; and addeth, c Let not covetoul £ be fo much as named among you :'° and bids the Coloflians, ' mortify their members ;' p and names ie- veral fins, as fornication, uncleannefs, and fucfa but ends with covetoufnefs ; with this at the tail of it, ' which (faith he) is idolatry.' And we know th< not a greater offence agaiuft God : nay, this ver} calls' the love of money the root of all evil : which 4 (faith he) whilft fome have coveted after, the}' have E . red f Ifa. Ivii 17 Jcr. vi 13 ch. Tiii 10 and xxii kxziii 31 h Pfal. cxJx 36 ' Prov. xxvi 16 k Luke xvi 14 ' Luke xii 15 ■« Mark vii 22 n Rom. i 19 ° Eph. v 3 156, I r NO CROSS, NO C R O W N. Part I- * erred from the faith, and pierced themfelves through 1 with divers forrows : for they that will be rich, fall ' into temptation, and a fnare, and many foolifh and c hurtful J ufts. O man of God (faith he tohih beloved c friend Timothy) Sec thefe things, and follow after * righteouinefs, faith, love, patience, and meeknefs.' q §. VI. Peter was of the fame mind ; for he maketh eovetoufoefs to be one of the great marks of the falie prophets and teachers that fhould arife among the Chriflians; and by that they might know them : c Who * (faith he) through covetouihefs, fhall, with feigned ' words, make merchandize of you.' r To conclude, therefore, the author to the Hebrews, at the end of his epiftle, leaves this (with other things) not without great zeal and weight upon them : ' Let (faith he) your ,' converfation be without eovetoufoefs' (he refts not in this generality, but goes on) c and be content with * fuch things as you have : for God hath faicl, I will 1 never leave thee, nor forfake thee :" What then ? Muft we conclude that thole who are not content, but feek to be rich, have forfaken God r The conclufion feems hard; but yet it is natural : for fuch, it is plain, are not content with what they have ; they would have more ; they covet to be rich, if they may ; they live not with thofe dependencies and regards to Providence, to which they are exhorted : nor is godiinefs, with con- tent, great gain to them. §. VII. And truly it is a reproach to a man, especially the religious man, that he knows not when he hath enough ; when to leave off; when to be Satisfied : that notwithstanding God fends him one plentiful feafon of gain after another, he is fo far from making that the caufe of withdrawing from the trafneks of the world, that he makes it a reafon of launching farther into it : as if the more he hath, the more he may. He therefore renewcth his appetite, belli rs himfelf more than ever, that he may have his Share in the fcramble, while any thing Q i Tim. vio 10 ii ' 2 Pet. u i i lltb. xiii ?. Part I. NO QROSS, NO CROWN. i 5 t thing is to begot : this is as if cumber, not retirement, and gain, not content, were the duty and comfort of a Chriilian. O that this thi: was better confidered I for by not being io obfervable nor obno.xious to the Jaw as other vices are, there is more danger, for' of that check. It is plain that moft people (trive not for fubftance, but wealth. .Some there be that U» ftrongly, and fpend it liberally, when they have got it. Though this be finful, yet more commendable than to love money for money's fake. That is one of the baled paflions the mind of man can be captivated with : a perfect lull; and a greater, and more foul-defiling one there is not in the whole catalogue of concupifcence. Which confidered, fhould quicken people into a fertous examination, how far this temptation of love of money hath entered them ; and the rather, becaufe the ileps it maketh into the mind are almoll inlenlible, which renders the danger greater. Ihoufands think thernfelves unconcerned in the caution, that yet are perfectly guilty of the evil. How can it be othcrwife, when thole that have, from a low condition, acquired thoufands, labour yet to advance, \c-, double treble thofe thoufands ; and that with the lame care and contrivance by which they got them. Is this to live comfortably, or to be rich? Do we not fee how early they rife ; how late they go to bed ? how full of the change, the fhop, the warehoufe, the cuftom-houfe ; of bills, bonds, charter-parties, &c. they are ? running up and down as if it were to i'ave the life of a con- demned innocent. An inlatiable lull, and therein un- grateful to God, as well as hurtful to men ; who giveth it to them to ufe, and not to love: that is the abufei And if this care, contrivance, and induilry, and that continually, be not from the love of money, in thole that" have ten times more than they began with, and much more than thev fpend or need, 1 know not what teftimony man can gi\e of his love to any thing* g. VIII. To conclude, It is an enemy to government in magiftrates ; for it tends to corruption. Wherefore thole that God ordained, were fuch as feared him, and hated 132 NO CR.OSS, NO CROWN. Part I. hated covetoufnefs. Next, it hurts focicty ; for old traders keep the young ones poor : and the great reafon why ibme have too little, and fo are forced to drudge like fiaves to feed their families, and keep their chin above water, is, becaufe the rich hold faff, and prefs to be richer, and covet more, which dries up the little ftreams of profit from fmaller folks. There iliould be a itandard, both as to the value and time of traffick : and then the trade of the mailer to be fhared among his fervants that deferve it. This were both to help the young to get their livelihood, and to give the old time to think of leaving this world well, in which they have been fobufy, that they might obtain a ihare in the other, of which they have been fo carelefs. §. IX. There is yet another mifchief to government ; for covetoufnefs leads men toabufe and defraud it, by concealing or falfifying the goods they deal in : as bringing in forbidden goods by Health, or lawful goods so as to avoid the payment of dues, or owning the goods of enemies for gain ; or that they are not well made, or full meafure ; with abundance of that fort of deceit. §. X. But covetoufnefs has caufed deilructive feuds in families : for eftates falling into the hands of thofe, whofe avarice has put them upon drawing greater profit to themfelves than was confident with ju-ftice, has given birth to much trouble, and caufed great oppref- hon. It too often falling out, that fuch executors have kept the right owners out of pofTeflion with the money they mould pay them. §. XI. But this is not all ; for covetoufnefs betrays friendfhip : a bribe cannot be better placed to do an ill thing, or undo a man. Nay, it is a murderer too often both of foul and body : of the foul, becaufe it kills that life it iliould have in God : where money matters the mind, it extinguifhcs all love to better things : of the body, for it will kill for money, by aiTaffinations, poifons, falfe witncfs, &c. I fhall end this head of covetoufnefs, with the fin and doom of two covetous men, Judas, and Simon Magus. Judas's Part I. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. , 53 Judas's religion fell in thorny ground : love of money choked him. Pride and anger in the Jews endeavoured to murder Chrift ; but till covetoufnefs let her hand to effect it, they were all at a lofs. They found Judas had the bag, and probably loved money ; they would try him, and did. The price was fet, and Judas be- trays his Ma fie r, his Lord (that never did him wrong) into the hands of his moft cruel adverfaries. But to do him right, he returned the money, and to be re- venged on himfelf, was his own hangman. A wicked act, a wicked end. Come on, you covetous ! What fay ye now to brother Judas? Was he not an ill man t Did he not very wickedly ? Yes, yes. Would you have done fo? No, no, by no means. Very well ; but ib faid thole evil Jews of iioning the prophets, and that yet crucified the beloved Son of God; he that came to fave them, and would have done it, if they had received him, and not rejected the day of their violation. Rub your eyes well, for the dull has got into them ; and care- fully read in your own conlciences, and fee, if, out of love to money, you have not betrayed the jufi One in yourfelves, and fo are brethren with Judas in iniquity. I fpeak for God agaiuft an idol ; bear with me : have you not refilled, yea, quenched the good fpirit of thrift, in your purfuit after your beloved wealth :i 1 Examine yourfelves, try yourfelves ; know ye not c your ownfeives, that if Chrilt dwell not (if he rule c not, and be not above all beloved) in you, you are ' reprobates ;" in an undone condition ? §. XII. The other covetous man is Simon Magus, a believer too; but his faith could not go deep enough for covetoufnefs. He would have driven a bargain with Peter, fo much money for fo much Holy Ghoft ; that he might fell it again, and make a good trade of it ; corruptly meafuring Peter by himfelf, as if he had only had a better knack of cozening the people than himfelf, who had fet up in Samaria for the great power of God, before the power of God in Philip and Peter U undeceived 1 2 Cor. xiii 5. i 5 4 N O CROSS, NO CROW N. Part L undeceived the people. But what was Peter's anfwer and judgment? 'Thy money (fays he) perifh with 1 thee : thou hail neither part nor lot in this matter ; 1 thou ait in the gall of bitternefs, and in the bond of * iniquity :**■ a difmal fentence. Behdes, it tends to luxury and riles often out of it ; for from having much they fpend much, and fo become poor by luxury : fuch are covetous to get, to fpend more, which temperance would prevent. For if men would not, or could not, by good laws well executed, and a better education, be lb lavifh in their tables, houfes, furniture, apparel, and gaming, there would be no fuch temptation to covet earneftly after what they could not fpend : for there is but here and there a mifer that loves money for money's fake : §. XI I L Which leads to the laft and bafeft part of covetoufnefs, which is yet the moil: fordid : to wit, Hoarding up, or keeping money unprofitably, both to others and themfeives too. This is Solomon's mifer, 1 that makes himielf rich, and hath nothing :' w a great fin in the fight of God. He complained of fuch, as had ftored up the labours of the poor in their houfes ; he calls it their fpoils, and that it is a grinding of the poor, becaufe they fee it not again. x But he blelTeth thoie that confider the poor, and ccmmandeth every one, c to open freely to his brother that is in need :*' not only he that is fpiiitually, but naturally fo ; and, not to withhold his gift from the poor. The apoitle chargeth Timothy in the fight of God, and before jefus Chrift, ' that he fail not to charge them that are rich 1 in this world, that they truft not in their uncertain ' riches, but in the living God, who giveth liberally ; ' and that they do good with them, that they may be c rich in good works/' Riches are apt to corrupt ; and that which keeps themfweet and bed, is charity: he that ufes them not, guts them not for the end for which they are given ; but loves them for themfeives, and u Acts viii S 9 to 24 w Prov. xvii 7 - v - Ifa. ill 14 1 Pfal. xli 1 Deut. xv 7 z l Tim. ri i~. Part I. X O CROSS, N O CROWN. 755 and not their fervice. The avaricious is poor in his wealth; he wants for feaf of fpending ; and increafes his fear with his hope, which is his gain : and lb tor- tures himfelf with his pleafure : the moil like to man that hid his talent in a napkin, of all others ; for this man's talents are hid in his bags out of fight, in vaults, under boards, behind wainfcots ; elfe upon bonds and mortgages, growing but as under ground ; for it doth good to none. §. XIV. This covetous man is a monfter in nature ; for he has no bowels ; and is like the poles, always cold. An enemyto the itate, for he fpirits their money away. A difeale to the body politic, for he obft r the circulation of the blood, and ought to be removed by a purge of the law : for thefe are vices at heart, that deftroy by wholefale. The covetous, he hates alluleful arts and fciences as vain, left they mould cod him fomething the learning : wherefore ingenuity has no more place in his mind, than in his pocket. He lets houfes fall, and highways poach, to prevent the cL of repairs ; and for his fpare diet, plain clothes, and mean furniture, he would place them to the account of moderation. O monfter of a man ! that can take up the crofs for covetoufnefs, and not for Chrift. • §. XV. But he pretends negatively to fome religion too ; for he always rails at prodigality, the better to cover his avarice. If you would beftow a box of lpike- nard on a good man's head, to fave money, and to fhew righteous, he tells you of the poor : but if they come, he excufes his want of charity with the unwor- thinefs of the object, or the caufes of his poverty that he can beftow his money upon thoie that deierve it better ; who rarely opens his purfe till quarter-day, for fear of lofmg it. §. XVI. But he is more miferable than the poorcft ; for he enjoys not what he yet fears to lole ; they fear not what they do not enjoy. Thus he is poor by over- valuing his wealth ; but he is wretched, that hungers with money in a cook's ftiop : yet having made a god of hi* 156 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Parti. his gold, who knows, but he thinks it unnatural to eat what he worfhips ? §. XVII. But which aggravates this fin, I have myfelf once known fome, that to get money, have wearied themfelves into the grave ; and to be true to their prin- ciple, when fick, would not lpare a fee to a doctor to help the poor Have to live ; and fo died to lave charges : a conftancy that canonizes them martyrs for money. §. XVIII. But now let us fee what inftances thefcrip- ture will give us in reproof of the fordid hoarders and hiders of money. A good-like young man came to Chrift, and inquired the way to eternal life : Chrift told him he knew the commandments : he replied, he had kept tnem from his youth : (it feems he was no loofe perfon, and indeed fuch are ufually not fo, to fave charges) ' and yet lacked thou one thing (faith Chrift) ' fell all, diftribute it to the poor, and thou (halt have \ treafure in heaven, and come and follow me.' It feems Chrift pinched him in the fore place ; he hit the mark, and ftruck him to the heart, who knew his heart : by this he tried how well he had kept the command- ments, to love God above all. It is faid, the young man was very forrowful, and went his way : and the reafon which is given, is, that he was very rich. The tides met, money and eternal life : contrary defires : but which prevailed ? alas ! his riches. But what faid Chriil to this ? c How hardly fhall they that have ' riches enter into the kingdom of God ?' He adds, * It is eafier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, ( than for a rich man to enter into the. kingdom of * heaven ;' that is, fuch a rich man, to wit, a covetous rich man, to whom it is hard to do good with what he has : it is more than an ordinary miracle : O who then would be rich and covetous ! It was upon thefe rich men that Chrilt pronounced his wo, faying, ' Wo unto ' you that are rich, for ye have received your confola- c tion here :' What ! none in the heavens ? no, unlefs you become willing to be poor men, can re.fi gn all, live ioofe Parti. NO CROSS, NO CKOWX. , 57 loofc to the world, have it at arm's cad, yea, underfoot, a fervant, and not a mailer. §. XIX. The other inllanee is a vrerydifmal one too: it is that of Ananias and Sapphira. In the beginnii apoftolic times, it was cultomary for thole who ceived the word of life, to bring what fubftance they had, and lay it at the apollles feet: of thefe, J furnamed Barnabas, was exemplary. Among the Ananias and his wife Sapphira* confeiling to the truth, fold their pofTefiion, but covetoully referved fome of the purchafe-money from the common purfe to them- {'elves, and brought a part for the whole, and laid it at the apoftles feet. But Peter, a plain and a bold mau, in the majefty of the Spirit, laid, ' Ananias, why hath ' Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy CI, ■ and to keep back part of the price of the land? 1 whilft it remained, was it not thine own ? and after c it was fold, was it not in thine own power? why halt e thou conceived this thing in thine heart ? thou had ' not lied unto men, but unto God.' But what fol- lowed this covetoufnefs and hypocrify of Ananias ? why, Ananias hearing thefe words, ' he fell down, and c gave up. the ghoftV The like befel his wife, being privy to the deceit their avarice had led them to. .And it is laid, that c great fear came upon all the ' church, and thole that heard of thefe things:' and alio mould on thole that now read them. For if this judgment was fhewn and recorded, that we iliould be- ware of the like evils, what will become of thole, thai under the profeffion of Chrifh'anity, a religion teaches men to live loofc from the world, and to yield up all to the will and fervice of Chrift and his kingdom, not only retain apart, hut all; and cannot part with the leail thing for Chrift's fake. 1 befeeeh God to in- cline the hearts of my readers to weigh thefe tl: This had not befallen Ananias and Sapphira, if I had acted as in God's preface, and with chat entire love, truth, and. fmcerity, that became them. people would ufe the light that Chrift hath given tl tofearch and fee how far tl under the power of this 158 NO CROSS, NO CROWN. Part I. this iniquity ? For would they but watch againft the love of the world, and be lefs in bondage to the things that are feen, which are temporal, they would begin to fet their hearts on things above, that are of an eternal nature. Their life would be hid with Chrift in God, cut of the reach of all the uncertainties of time, and troubles and changes of mortality. Nay, if people would but confider how hardly riches are got, how uncertainly they are kept, the envy they bring ; that they can neither make a man wife, nor cure difeafes, nor add to life, much lefs give peace in death : no, nor hardly yield any folid benefit above food and raiment (which may be had without them) and that if there be any good ufe for them, it is to relieve others in diftrcfs : being but Rewards of the plentiful providences of God, and confequentiy accountable for our ftewardfhip, if, I fay, theie confiderations had any room in our minds, we fhould not thus poll to get, nor care to hide and keep, fuch a mean and impotent thing. O that the crofs of Chrift (which is the fpirit and Power of God in man) might have more place in the foul, that it might crucify us more and more to the world, and the world to us; that, like the days of paradife, the earth mig-ht again be the footftool; and the treafure of the earth a fervant, and not a god, to man ! — Many have writ againfl this vice : three I will mention. §. XX. William Tindal, that worthy apoftle of the Englifh reformation, has an entire difcourfe, to which I refer the reader, intitled, ' The Parable of the Wicked * Mammon. 3 The next is< — §. XXI. Peter Charron (a famous Frenchman, and in particular for the book he wrote of Wifdom) hath a chapter againft covetoufnefs, part of which take as followeth ; " To love and affefi riches, is covetouf- u nefs: not only the love and affeclion, but alio every