First, When the Lord upon some special command requires it, as he did the young man expressly; now for him to stick for money, for want of parting with it, he lost Christ; upon the same point Ananias and Sapphira lost Christ, ⟨p. 384⟩because they kept back some of the price, Acts 5.1, 2, 3, 4. a fearful judgement felt on them, to show how dangerous it is to stand upon terms with Christ; in this case money must be parted withal.

First, When the Lord upon some speciall command requires it, as he did the young man expressely; now for him to stick for money, for want of parting with it, he lost Christ; upon the same point Ananias and Saphira lost Christ, ⟨p. 384⟩because they kept back some of the price, Acts 5.1, 2, 3, 4. a fearfull judgement felt on them, to shew how dangerous it is to stand upon tearms with Christ; in this case money must be parted withall.

Secondly, When in times of persecution, a man cannot have Christ with peace and purity, unless he be willing to part with all for him, as sometimes the market goes higher, sometimes lower, but at what rate soever it goes, a Christian is resolved to take Christ at the highest rate; sometimes unless a man be content to be spoiled of all his goods, he cannot have liberty of conscie ce: in this case set money, and goods, and lands, and all go, and suffer joyfully the spoiling of your goods, Heb. 10.34.

Secondly, When in times of persecution, a man cannot have Christ with peace and purity, unlesse he be willing to part with all for him, as sometimes the m•rket goes higher, sometimes lower, but at what rate soever it goes, a Christian is resolved to take Christ at the highest rate; sometimes unlesse a man be content to be spoyled of all his goods, he cannot have liberty of conscie ce: in this case set money, and goods, and lands, and all goe, and suffer joyfully the spoyling of your goods, Heb. 10.34.

Thirdly, When sometimes by laying out money, we may win Christ, as in case we want a good Ministry among us, and cannot have it unless we be willing to lay out money for obtaining the Gospel, and this he calls sowing to the spirit, Gal. 6.8. As a man by laying out money provides things needful for him, so when a man lays out for spiritual uses, he shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. In these three case money must be parted with, and yet if you think money can purchase Christ, you are not worthy of him.

Thirdly, When sometimes by laying out money, we may win Christ, as in case we want a good Ministry among us, and cannot have it unlesse we be willi•g to lay out money for obtaining the Gospel, and this he calls sowing to the spirit, Gal. 6.8. As a man by laying out money provides things needfull for him, so when a man layes out for spirituall uses, he shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. In these three case money must be parted with, and yet if you think money can purchase Christ, you are not worthy of him.

I will heal their back-slidings and love them freely; the like means Ephraim useth, v. 8. Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with Idols? What saith God to this? I have heard him and observed him. When we begin to protest a solemn abandoning of all our corruptions, then God hears such a soul: many a soul cries hard for mercy, Take away all our iniquities, and receive us graciously, and God regards them not, but when we not only cry to God, but set to in earnest, to turn from all our evil ways, and say, What have I to do any more with Idols? Why then God hears and observes us: when we abandon all our lusts, then Christ shall suddenly come into his holy Temple.

I will heal their back-slidings and love them freely; the like means Ephraim useth, v. 8. Ephraim shall say, What have I to doe any more with Idols? What saith God to this? I have heard him and observed him. When we begin to protest a solemn abandoning of all our corruptions, then God hears such a soul: many a soul cryes hard for mercy, Take away all our iniquities, and receive us graciously, and God regards them not, but when we not onely cry to God, but set to in earnest, to turn from all our evill ways, and say, What have I to doe any more with Idols? Why then God hears and observes us: when we abandon all our lusts, then Christ shall suddenly come into his holy Temple.

2. We must purchase Christ sometimes, by parting with all confidence in his Ordinances; we may soon lose Christ, if we look for life in them, and not in Christ, not that we are to reject the Ordinances of God, but account them a great blessing, and earnestly desire them, Psal. 27.4. Psal. 84.10. but yet we should not put our trust in the Temple of the Lord, Jer. 7.3, 4. Part not with your fellowship in them, but yet trust not in them, Mat. 3.9. Rest not in the outward letter of any Ordinances, count all your best privileges, as dross and dung that you may win Christ, Phil. 3.8. Many that have lived under great means shall say at the last day, Lord thou hast eaten and drunken in our presence, and we have heard thee preach in our streets, but Christ shall say, Depart from me, I know you not, ye workers of iniquities: trust not therefore in often hearing, or in the great means you enjoy; for what is Paul, or Apollo? they are nothing, but it is God that giveth the increase, 1 Cor. 3.6, 7, 8.

2. We must purchase Christ sometimes, by parting with all confidence in his Ordinances; we may soon lose Christ, if we look for life in them, and not in Christ, not that we are to reject the Ordinances of God, but account them a great blessing, and earnestly desire them, Psal. 27.4. Psal. 84.10. but yet we should not put our trust in the Temple of the Lord, Jer. 7.3, 4. Part not with your fellowship in them, but yet trust not in them, Mat. 3.9. Rest not in the outward letter of any Ordinances, count all your best priviledges, as drosse and dung that you may win Christ,

2. Sometimes we must be content to part with the very Ordinances themselves: if we cannot enjoy the Ordinances of God in purity; without sin, let us part with them all, so when the Priests could not enjoy the liberty of their places in Jeroboam's days; except they would offer sacrifice in their course to the golden Calves, which were the Image of the Cherubims, they left all and came up to Jerusalem, 2 Chron. 11.14. where they might enjoy Gods Ordinances in purity, and as the Priests did, so did the people, vers. 16. as Christ wisheth them, Cant. 2.7, 8. which is spoken of Jeroboam's days; and so in case we cannot have the liberty of the Ordinances, without some impurity, which may defile the conscience, in this case part with all, for we come not to the Ordinance for the Ordinance sake, but for Christs sake; therefore if we cannot have them without sin, in this case part with them.

2. Sometimes we must be content to part with the very Ordinances themselves: if we cannot enjoy the Ordinances of God in purity; without sin, let us part with them all, so when the Priests could not enjoy the liberty of their places in Jeroboams dayes; except they would offer sacrifice in their course to the golden Calves, which were the Image of the Cherubims, they left all and came up to Jerusalem, 2 Chron. 11.14. where they might enjoy Gods Ordinances in purity, and as the Priests did, so did the people, vers. 16. as Christ wisheth them, Cant. 2.7, 8. which is spoken of Jeroboams dayes; and so in case we cannot have the liberty of the Ordinances, without some impurity, which may defile the conscience, in this case part with all, for we come not to the Ordinance for the Ordinance sake, but for Christs sake; therefore if we cannot have them without sin, in this case part with them.

4. We must part with all our good parts, and good gifts, and good natures for Christ, 1 Cor. 3.18. If any man seem wise in this world, let him become a fool that he may be wise; we must lay aside all carnal wisdom and reasonings, and be content to be counted fools, that we may win Christ.

4. We must part with all our good parts, and good gifts, and good natures for Christ, 1 Cor. 3.18. If any man seem wise in this world, let him become a fool that he may be wise; we must lay aside all carnall wisdome and reasonings, and be content to be counted fools, that we may win Christ.

2. We must part with all common graces, which commonly choke all hypocrites, who having received some common gifts and graces, they think they have part in Christ, or else he would not have vouchsafed them such graces, Matth. 7.21, 22. We see there they not only plead their privileges, but their gifts and graces, that they had prophesied in his Name, &c. and so trusting in them, they fell short of saving grace. And it is a wonder to think what a strange change a Spirit of Prophecy works, 1 Sam. 10.10. 1 Sam. 19.20. As in a Scholar, when a man hath been given to loose vain courses, yet when God begins to enlighten his mind, and to enlarge his affection, and comfort his soul; 'tis a wonder to think what a change it will work in a Scholar; so that now he will leave his old vain courses, and compose himself to more edification and spiritualness in his teachings: why; such a change works such a confidence in him, that he thinks all the Congregation may sooner perish then he; and if Ministers may be deceived upon those common gifts and graces, how much more may people be deceived? Herod's joy, and Jehues zeal, all these you may have and yet want Christ, a man may have these, and yet not prize Christ, not give up himself to him, he may still reserve some lust which he favours; therefore if thou hast such common graces, observe, in the midst of those, whether thou cleavest not to some lusts, for so Christ shall tell such at the last day, Depart from me ye workers of iniquities: if thou beest a worker of iniquity, all thy good gifts and parts will deceive thee in the end, but if in the midst of such gifts and graces, thou hast a care to keep thy heart clean, and doest favour no lust, and dost not place any confidence in these, but in Christ, thy case is safe; for this is a true rule: hypocrites though they have many good common gifts and graces, yet they are given up to some sinful way, by which the world shall know ⟨p. 386⟩what they are, by their fruits shall you know them. 3. We must part with all confidence, even in the saving graces of God, Spirit, trust not to them for justification, look not to be justified by them; if you think to be justified by your own works or graces, Christ shall profit you nothing, only by faith in Christ stands our justification,

I know nothing by my self, that is, wherein I have failed yet am I not thereby justified, and this is the error of the Romish Church, if God give them any common graces, they look to be justified by them.

I know nothing by my selfe, that is, wherein I have failed yet am I not thereby justified, and this is the errour of the Romish Church, if God give them any common graces, they look to be justified by them.

2 Trust not on them for the life of your sanctification, for though they be true parts of sanctification, and we may look at them as precious talents, yet if you shall trust your graces, and go about your performances in the strength of grace received, you will want Christ, the life and power of Sanctification; you may have Christ, and he lye like a dead Christ in your hearts; though you have saving graces, yet know that the life of a Christian is not a life of graces, but a life of faith in Christ, Gal. 2.20. If you would have Christ live in you, you must live by your faith, fetch all your grace and strength from him, Isa. 40.30, 3•. If we go about any duty in our own strength, we shall utterly saint; but if we wait daily upon Christ, we shall renew our strength as Eagles, we shall mount above all straights and difficulties, our graces are too weak to carry us through in our Christian course, and therefore live upon Christ daily.

2 Trust not on them for the life of your sanctification, for though they be true parts of sanctification, and we may look at them as precious talents, yet if you shall trust your graces, and goe about your performances in the strength of grace received, you will want Christ, the life and power of Sanctification; you may have Christ, and he lye like a dead Christ in your hearts; though you have saving graces, yet know that the life of a Christian is not a life of graces, but a life of faith in Christ, Gal. 2.20. If you would have Christ live in you, you must live by your faith, fetch all your grace and strength from him, Isa. 40.30, 3•. If we goe about any duty in our own strength, we shall utterly saint; but if we wait dayly upon Christ, we shall renew our strength as Eagles, we shall mount above all straights and difficulties, our graces are too weake to carry us through in our Christian course, and therefore live upon Christ dayly.

3. We are said to have Christ by way of Covenant, Isa. 49.8. Psal. 50.5.7. Gather my Saints together to me, those that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice, and then vers. 7. I am God, even thy God, and so the tenure of the Covenant runs, Gen. 17.17. Deut. 29.10. to 13. Deut. 26.17, 18. This day thou hast avouched God to be thy God, Sponsionem stipulatus es, Junius reads it, When Gods people give up themselves to the Lord, and yield themselves to what God requires, the God is their God, and they his people, 2 Cor. 6.17, 18. This Covenant is made by Sacrifice, Psal 50.5. and he means that solemn Sacrifice then offered before the Lord, Exod. 24.7, 8. wherein they promised before the Lord, to be obedient to all the Lord would command them, and on the other side Moses sprinkled the people, and said, Behold the blood of the Covenant, which the Lord hath made with you, which implies when we come to make a Covenant with God, we confess before God that death is our just portion▪ and therefore we look up to Christ, that his blood being sprinkled on us, he might impart life to us; this is to make a Covenant with God: for burnt offerings typed out Christ the meat offerings typed out the people, giving up themselves to God, and when we do thus, God for his part promiseth, to be our God, Gen. 17.7. I will be thy God, that is, not only a good Father a good Mother, a good King, a good friend, but whatsoever is good in the creature, that he promiseth to be to us, he will be a good Father, and Ruler, and Friend, and Husband to us, partly in his own person; that if all those fail, he will be all these unto us, or else he will dispense himself so in those instruments, that we shall see Gods goodness in every creature; when therefore we desire God to be our God, we desire him to do all that good for us that our estate in this life, or another world requires. 2 We on our parts offer our selves to be obedient to every command, and to expect from him all that goodness that he hath promised; and as we offer up our selves to God, so must we offer up all our children and servants and friends, all that are under our reach, we promise before God, that as much as in us lies, we and our household will serve the Lord.

There is a threefold Covenant that passeth between men in civil society in this world. 1 There is a Covenant between Prince and people, 2 Chron. 23.16. 2. Between man and wife, Matth. 2.14. 3 Between friend and friend, thus David and Jonathan made a Covenant together, 1 Sam. 20.16. Now in all these respects God makes a covenant with his people.

1. He makes the covenant of a Kingdom with them that as a King he will rule us and defend us, and we for our part promise to be at his command, and to be obedient subjects to him.

1. He makes the covenant of a Kingdome with them that as a King he will rule us and defend us, and we for our part promise to be at his command, and to be obedient subjects to him.

2. There is a covenant of marriage between God and his people. Jer. 3.14. Turn O back sliding children, for I am married to you, that as a wife promiseth to be for her husband alone, and he for her only; so doth the church promise, that she will be for Christ alone, and he for her, Hos. 3.3.

2. There is a covenant of marriage between God and his people. Jer. 3.14. Turn O back sliding children, for I am marryed to you, that as a wife promiseth to be for her husband alone, and he for her only; so doth the church promise, that she will be for Christ alone, and he for her, Hos. 3.3.

3. There is a covenant of friendship betwixt God and his people, 2 Chron, 13.5. Ought you not to know that the Lord gave the Kingdom to David, and his sons for ever by a Covenant of salt, that is, a covenant of friendship, such a covenant as friends that eat salt together, make and its a perpetual covenant, 2 Chron. 34.31, 32. and this covenant implies not only subjection and affection, but communication of secrets and counsels one to another, and to do all things out of friendship and love, heartily, and readily; thus God said of Abraham, I know that Abraham will command his family to keep the way of the Lord; therefore saith God, shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? If God be our friend, he will communicate many secrets to us, which the world shall not know of, Psal. 25.14. And 2. he will counsel us for the best, Psal. 25.22, so that in a doubtful case, he will still tell us what way to take, he will guide us by his eye, Psal. 32.8. 2. We on our parts shall communicate all our counsels to him, that we shall do nothing, but we shall acquaint him with it, we shall acknowledge, Lord we know not what to do, but our eyes are towards thee, and withal we are ready to do whatsoever God commands us, Psal. 119.5. & 24.

3. There is a covenant of friendship betwixt God and his people, 2 Chron, 13.5. Ought you not to know that the Lord gave the Kingdome to David, and his sons for ever by a Covenant of salt, that is, a covenant of friendship, such a covenant as friends that eat salt together, make and its a perpetua•l covenant, 2 Chron. 34.31, 32. and this covenant implyes not only subjection and affection, but communication of secrets and counsells one to another, and to doe all things out of friendship and love, heartily, and readily; thus God said of Abraham, I know that Abraham wil command his family to keep the way of the Lord; therefore saith God, shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to doe? If God be our friend, he will communicate many secrets to us, which the world shall not know of,