suspect it Lastly this joy in the holy Ghost in some is an habituall gladnesse of heart which constantly after assurance is found in them though they feele not the passions of joy but in others there is felt at sometimes the vehement passions of joy but not the constant gladnesse Now eyther may be the true joy of the holy Ghost if it agree to the former signes But what should wee doe to get the joyes of God 1 Thou must be in the generall Gods servant and devote thy selfe to holinesse else thou canst never feele them Esay 65.13 2 Thou must voluntarily seeke godly sorrow for thy sins for these joyes are promised to and most felt by such as mourne for sin Psal. 126.2 3 5 6. Esay 61.3 Prov. 14.10 Mat. 5.5 3. Thou must labour after the affections of godlinesse till thou come to love Christ and the Word and holy exercises thou canst not get the joy in the holy Ghost if we did once love to be Gods servants the Lord would refresh us with the joyes of his presence Esay 56.6 7. But what should we doe to preserve the joyes of God that'wee might more constantly rejoyce in the holy Ghost Observe these rules 1. Thou must get a meeke spirit For passion and pride hinder the refreshings of God wonderfully Esay 29.19 2. Preserve uprightnesse the upright shall have an harvest of joy But if thou nourish the love of any sinne it is impossible to keep the joyes of God Psal. 96.11 Prov. 29.6 12.20 3. Lose not Gods presence but set him in thy sight and walk before him There is fulnesse of joy at his right hand Psal 16.11 4. Be much in well-doing For that will make our joy abound Col. 1. 9 10 11. 5. Hang upon the brests of the Churches consolation and sincerity Esay 66.11 6. Take heed of much carnall or outward reioycing For the immoderate liking of earthly things hardens the heart in the things of God Hence wee may briefly note the causes why many professors have no more ioy 1. Some neglect the meanes 2. Others are mastered by strong affections as Envy or Passions c. 3. Others have neglected mortification 4. In many their very unprofitablenesse is the cause 5. In some the love of some secret sinne blasts all grace and joy Thus of the 8. verse Verse 9. Receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your soules THis Verse is a ratification of the former in which the Apostle labours to assure salvation to all such as have the former signes 1. The matter assured is the salvation of our soules 2. The certainty of the assurance is in the word receiving which imports it is as sure as if we had received it already 3. The instrumentall cause is faith for salvation is the end of faith Receiving If this word be marked in it selfe and the coherence foure things arise to be observed 1. First that wee should receive the graces and blessings of God with much joy and love of Christ who is the foundation of the merit of all This I note from the coherence with the former Verse 2. Secondly we are seldome glad at heart longer then we are receiving some blessing or promises from God Note that he joyns this word to the joyes of the holy Ghost in the end of the former Verse 3. Thirdly that salvation is received even in this life received I say 1. In the promises of it 2. In the graces which begin eternall life in this life 3. In the certainty of the assurance of it 4. The word in the Originall signifies to carry back againe or to fetch out of the field which imports we cannot get salvation nor any promises or graces that concerne it but we must fight for it there will be some bicketing before it can be carried away out of the field Of your faith Faith is here expresly made the instrument of our salvation This is a principle and should be unmoveable in the heart of every Christian that without faith our religion is to no end For wee cannot be saved without it which should teach us both to seek this faith and to account of it as most precious and to this end to make sure that our faith be right wee cannot be too oft urged hereunto I will instance but in foure signes of a true perswasion For I take it for granted that the most of us say we are perswaded God loves us and Christ died for us Now wee may try whether this perswasion be right foure waies 1. First if it will endure the tryall of manifold tentations as the coherence shews a true perswasion will If it will support us in adversity of all sorts in some measure especially if it will fence us against the scornes and oppositions of the world this will prove it to be a true perswasion 2. Secondly if it be such a faith as will beleeve all that is written Act. 24.14 so far as it sees it to be the will of God though it be against reason or affection or profit or the opinion of any other 3. Thirdly if it have the seale of the spirit For hee that truely beleeveth hath a witnesse in himselfe even the witnesse of the spirit of adoption testifying by unspeakable joyes the assurance of Gods love Eph. 1.14 1 Ioh. 5.10 4. Fourthly if it be accompanied with a sincere life and love of all that truely feare God for the image of God in them True faith will shew it selfe by this love Gal. 5.6 The end of your faith The word here rendred the end doth further signifie a reward or wages which is given at the end and so these things may be observed 1. First that in the end the Lord will take account of the use of all gifts or graces in men 2. Secondly that unlesse we hold out to the end we can never have reward 3. Thirdly that true faith will hold out to the end if it be true it will abide 4. Fourthly Faith it selfe will once have an end and therein love excels faith because that will never end 5. But the last and chiefest point is that it will be a glorious time when the end comes that God disposeth the rewards of beleeving which may serve for foure uses 1. First it may comfort Gods afflicted servants For the expectation of the poore shall not perish for ever Psal. 9.18 and God will certainly give an end and expectation Ier. 29.11 And have we not seene the end of the Lord in many things in our temporall troubles and can we doubt him for our last end why should any feare death Is it not the time of receiving wages No hireling is afraid of the time of receiving his wages 2. Secondly it should teach us therefore to wait upon God and possesse our soules with patience holding fast our confidence of assurance For the end shall come and it will not be long before it shall be 3. Thirdly for information we
then when we are dejected in the true feeling oâ— our owne unworthiness God will give grace to the humble And further wee must get an appetite or affection to the word For the full stomacke loatheth an hony-combe but to the hungry soule every little thing is sweet Proverbs 27.7 and lastly we must take heed that wee marre not our tastes before we come as they doe that have sweetned their mouthes with wickedness and spoyled their rellish with the pleasures of beloved sinnes Iob 20.12 Such as live in the delight of secret corruptions even thâ—y that account stoln waters sweet may be the guests of Hell but Gods guests they are not onely they that overcome eate of the hidden Manna Rev. 2. Secondly when we have found hony let us eate it Prov. 20.13 That is if the Lord be gracious unto us in his word let us with all care receive it into our hearts and with all affection make use of it Lose not thy precious oportunitie Thirdly it should teach us in all our griefes and bitterness to make our recourse to the word to comfort and sweeten our hearts against our feares and sorrowes For at this feast God wipes away all teares from our eyes Esay 35.6 8. Fourthly the sweetnes of the word when we feele it should satisfie us yea satisfie us abundantly Wee should give so much glory to Gods goodnesse as to make it the abundant satisfaction of our hearts Psal. 36.6 Fiftly Yea further we should labour to shew this sweet savour of the word in our conversations by mercy to the distressed by gracious communication by our contentation and by all well-doing that the perfume of Gods grace in us may allure and affect others that the very places where wee come may savour of our goodnesse even after wee are gone Sixtly we should bee alwaies praising of God for the good things of his Sanctuary acknowledging all to come from his free grace without our deserts Psal. 84.4 entertaining his presence with all possible admiration saying with the Psalmist O Lord how excellent is thy goodnesse Psal. 36.9 Seventhly wee should pray God to continue his goodnesse to them that know him and to vouchsafe us the favour to dwell for ever in his house Psalm 36.11 Eighthly and constantly the experience hereof should set us a longing our soules should long for the courts of Gods house and our hearts cry for the daily bread in Sion and we should constantly walke from strength to strength till we appearâ— before God in Sion Psalm 84 and the rather because besides the sweetnesse there is a plentifull reward in keeping Gods word Psalm 19.20 Secondly from hence we may be informed in two especiall things 1. Concerning the happinesse of the godly in this life notwithstanding all their afflictions and sorrowes Thou seest their distresses but thou seest not their comforts The stranger doth not meddle with their joyes Oh how great is the goodnesse of God in giving his people to drink out of the rivers of the pleasures in his house when he makes their eies to see the light in his light Psal. 36.8 9. Psal. 65.4 2. Concerning the office of Gods Ministers They are the perfumers of the world the Church is the perfuming-pan and preaching is the fire that heats it and the Scriptures are the sweet-waters Or the Church is the mortar preaching the pestle and the promises of God in Christ are the sweet spices which being beaten yeeld a heavenly and supernaturall smell in the soules of the godly hearers 2 Cor. 2.14 15. But then Ministers must take heed they corrupt not Gods VVord and see to it that their preaching be in sincerity and as of God and in the sight of God in Christ and with demonstration of the truth to mens consciences 2 Cor. 2.17 else any Preacher will not serve the turne And in both these respects Ministers have reason to cry out with the Apostle Oh! who is sufficient for these things If every Sermon must leave so sweet a savour behind it in the hearts of the hearers and in the nostrils of God too who can bee without the speciall assistance of God fit for these things Lastly this may serve for singular reproofe and terror to the wicked and that in divers respects First for such as are mockers and call sweet sowre that is speake evill of the good word of God Secondly for the miserable neglect of that they should account the life of their life Alas whither shall we goe or what is this miserable and wretched life if we want the sweet comforts of the word To dwell without the word is to dwell in the parched places of the wildernesse and this Ministery is the more dangerous in such or to such as are daily invited and have all things ready made and yet will not inwardly obey Gods calling nor profit by the meanes but find excuses to shift off the invitation of God How justly may that curse be inflicted upon them these men shall never taste of my supper Luke 14.17 c. 24. Thus much of the second doctrine Doct. 3. The third doctrine out of these words may be this that such as find a true taste of the sweetness of God in his VVord may conceive hopefully that their soules doe and shall prosper and growe There is no doubt to be made of our growth if once we come to feele the sweetnesse of the VVord For the clearer understanding of this doctrine I must answer two questions Quest. First what this true taste is Secondly whether this taste may not be in wicked men Answ. For the first A true taste of the sweetnesse of the VVord and Gods graciousnesse in it may bee knowne both by the cause and by the effects The cause of this taste is faith for by faith onely doth the soule taste Or that thing that raiseth so sweet a rellish in our hearts is a perswasion in particular of the graciousnesse of God to us even of that graciousnes which the VVord doth discover The effects of this taste are three For first it revives the heart and raiseth it from the dead and frames it to bee a new creature working an unsained change in the heart of man from the world and sinne to the care of Gods glory and salvation of their owne soules and thus it is called A savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2.15 Secondly it sesleth in the heart an estimation of the VVord and spirituall things and the assurance of Gods favour of all earthly things in the world Phil. 3.9 Psal. 84.10 Thirdly this taste workes a heavenly kind of contentment in the heart so as the godly when they have found this are abundantly satisfied they have enough Psal. 36.10 and 95.4 For the second question concerning wicked men and their rellishing of the sweetnesse of the VVord I say two things First that the most wicked men are without spirituall senses and finde no more taste in God or his VVord than in the VVhite of
fully cleere the secret of that place about the sin against the holy Ghost and therefore wish that these things be observed First that it doth not follow necessarily that whosoever hath that taste there mentioned shall not be saved for men may have that taste and finding it ineffectuall goe on till they find a true taste That taste is dangerous if men fall away else there may be good use of those tastes For it brings men neare the kingdome of God and makes preparation for true Grace Secondly that the sinne against the holy Ghost cannot be committed but by such as have beene enlightned and have set themselves to attend upon the Word either by solemne profession outwardly before men or by inward attendance upon it Two sorts of men in our times are in danger of this sin that is Hypocriticall professors and those they call the wits of the World who afterwards fell to all Epicurisme Thirdly that the failing away there mentioned is not to bee understood of any particular falling into some one or a few sinnes but of an universall falling away from the care of all godlinesse and into such a condition as to dislike no sinne as it is sinne and to believe from the heart no part of the Gospell nor be afraid to wallow in the sinnes which formerly hee in a sort repented Fourthly there is in them a personall hatred of the Sonne of God they doe with the Iewes as much as in them lieth crucifie him againe loathing him and inwardly swelling or fretting against the doctrine of Christ and striving as farre as they dare in his Ordinances and people to put him to shame by scornings and reproaches or what way else they can Heb. 6.6 and Chap. 10.29 Fiftly they abhorre from their hearts the graces of the Spirit and loath them in the godly despighting the Spirit of grace Heb. 10.29 so as they persecute to their power the truth being carried with incurable malice against it And thus of the third Doctrine The fourth Doctrine that may be gathered out of these words is that it is but a taste of the sweetnesse of God we can attaine to in this life we cannot reach unto the thousand part of the joyes of Gods presence and favour in this world These are part of his waies but how little a portion is heard of him Iob. 26. ult Eye hath not seene nor Eare heard nor heart of man perceived the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 The comforts we feele in this life may well be likened to the taste both because wee have them but in small quantity and because they are quickly growne out of sense they are but of short continuance There may be three uses made of this point First it may quiet them that complaine out of Scruple of Conscience that their joyes they have be not right because they are so quickly lost whereas they must bee informed that the comforts the best men can get in this World are but a little 〈◊〉 given out of the Rivers of Gods plea 〈◊〉 Secondly it should make us the more out of love with this life and kindle in us the love of the appearing of Jesus Christ. Why desire wee to live so king oâ— Earth where we must drinke downe continually the bitter 〈…〉 and â—oâ—row and can get but now and then the taste of the comforts of a better life Why long we not to enjoy those pleasureâ— for evermore Psal. 17. ult Yea we may know how good it is to be in Heaven by the taste we have sometimes on Earth If it doe us such unspeakable ease and joy to 〈◊〉 of the sâ—eetnesse oâ— God for a little moment Oh how great then is that goodnesse God hath 〈◊〉 up from them that feare him Psal. 31.19 The smalnesse of the quantity and shortnesse of the continuance of our tast of the graciousnesse of God on earth should make us to use the meanes of communion with God with so much the more servency and frequency and humility Doct. 5. A fifth doctrine is that many in the Churches of Christians never so much as tasted of the sweetnesse of Gods grace and word and that may bee a cause why the Apostle speakes with an If as knowing it was a great question whether many of them had had experience of the sweetnesse of the Word Question Now if any aske what should be the cause that many Christians have so little sense of the sweetnesse of the word and Gods graciousnesse and goodnesse in the Word Answer I answer that it is First with many so because they want the ordinances of God in their power and life of them They want powerfull preaching some congregations have no preaching at all and many that have preaching have it not in the life and power The spices of the word are not beaten to the smell as they should be 2 Cor. 2.15 16. Secondly In others because the tast of the pleasures and profits and lusts of the world are in their hearts when they come to the word and so by the cares of life all sense of sweetnesse is beaten out Mat. 13. Luke 14.24 Thirdly It is in the most because they consider not their misery in themselves nor remember their latter end A man never knowes the sweetnesse of Christ crucified till he be pricked in his heart and afflicted for his sinnes and forlorne estate in himselfe by nature and till men know how to number their dayes they will never apply their hearts to wisdome Psal. 90.12 Fourthly some men are infected with superstition and the love of a strange god They prepare a table for the troope and therefore are hungry when Gods servants eat and vexed when they sing for joy of heart They cannot feele the sweetnesse of the Gospell their hearts are so poisoned with secret popery Esay 65.11 13. Fiftly Some men tast not of wisdomes banquet because they leave not the way of the foolish All sense is extinguished by the evill company they keep Prov. 9.6 Sixtly Too many Christians are poisoned with some of the sins mentioned in the first verse of this Chapter and that destroyes both tast and appetite in them Seventhly Some are fearefully delivered to a spirituall slumber the Justice of God scourging their impenitency and disobedience that made no use of his judgements and the remorses they felt before and so are in the case of the Jewes Rom. 11. Eighthly Because God doth for the most part reserve these tastes as the onely portion of his owne people and therefore never wonder though the common multitude attaine not to it Psal. 36.8 9. Lastly the best Christians are often much restrained in their tast of the sweetnesse of Gods favour and presence because they are not carefull enough to attend upon God in his ordinances they doe not seeke God and strive to finde Gods favour and presence in the meanes they heare and pray loosely with too much slacknesse and remisnesse
same First then of the description of Christ. And therein the first point of doctrine that offerethit selfe to our consideration is that Christ is a gracious Lord. He is a Lord and Master to all true Christians and such a Lord and Master as never men served for wonderfull graciousnesse That he is a Lord to the faithfull is evident by other Scriptures also 1 Cor. 1.2 Hee is said to be a Lord to all that call upon him in every place Thus David cals him My Lord Psal. 110.1 And great Apostles confesse themselves to be his servants Rom. 1.1 Iâ—â—â— 1.2 Pet. 1.1 And that he is most gracious the Apostle shews when he telâ— that all Ages have cause to wonder at the marvellous kindnes that God hath shewed to men in Christ. The use may be both for information instruction and consolation First we may 〈◊〉 be informed that Christ is God with the Father For the which the Prophet David Psal. 34. whence the words of the for 〈…〉 borrowed Give to God the Apostle applies here unto Christ and the reason of the application may in the second place informe us that God is gracious to men onely by Jesus Christ. It is impossible ever to feele or taste of Gods graciousnesse but in his Sonne And thirdly wee are here told as it were that Christ is God visible God is made visible and sensible 〈◊〉 men by Jesus Christ This is that mystery of godlinesse God is manifested in the flesh Secondly is Christ our Lord and Master then these things will follow 1. That we must live and die to Christ Rom. 14.7 8 9. wee are not our owne men we must live to him that died for us 2 Cor. 5. ult The love of Christ must constraine us and all old things must bee passed and all things must become new unto us If Christ be our Lord where is his service he must rule us and rule over us If wee walke in the vanity of our minds according to the deceiveable lusts of our old conversation wee have not yet learned Christ nor the truth that is in Jesus Eph. 4. And therefore letus 〈…〉 looke to his wayes as hee that must one day give account of 〈…〉 Christ which will be judge both of quick and dead Rom. 14. 2. That every 〈◊〉 bow at the name Christ and every tongue must 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 to the glory of God Philip. 2.1 Rom. 14. Wee must all take motion of 〈◊〉 supreme authority and forme in our hearts all possible reverence toward him 3. VVee must not judge one another For what have wee to doe to judge another mans servant He stands or fals to his owne Master Rom. 14. 4 9. Thirdly it ought to bee the singular joy of our hearts that wee serve so glorious a Master Never servants served such a Lord as it may appeare by the enumeration of divers particular differences As First other masters are not wont to die for their vassals Christ shed his blood for us one drop of whose blood was more precious then all the bloods of all the men in the world and this he did onely to ransome and redeeme us that wee might be a peculiar people unto him Titus 2.13 Secondly never Master had such power to preferre his servants Christ hath all power in heaven and in earth Mat. 28. and all that to enrich us Thirdly we serve the best Master because we serve him that is King of Kings and Lord of all other Lords Revel 19. Fourthly in the service of other masters there is wonderfull difference of places and many of the servants serve in the lowest and basest offices without hope of any gaine or respect But in Christ Jesus there is no difference bond and free male and female Iewâ— and Grecian c. in Christ are all one Col. 3.11 Fiftly other Lords may advance their servants to great places but they cannot give them gifts to discharge them but Christ doth enrich his servants with every needfull gift for the discharge of their callings 1 Cor. 1.30 Eph. 1. ult Sixtly other servants know that their Lords may and doe die and so they leave their servants usually unpreferd But Christ lives for ever as the Author of eternall salvation to them that obey him Seventhly other Lords may take offence and doe often put away their servants But whom Christ loves he loves to the end so as whether they live or die they are still Christs Rom. 14.8 Eightly no Lord can give such sure protection to his servants as Christ gives to his No man shall pluck them out of his hands Efay 4.5 6. Iob. 10. And whatsoever wrong is done unto them he takes it as done to himselfe and therefore the afflictions of his servants are called the afflictions of Christ 2 Cor. 1.4 Ninthly and lastly never Lord was so boundlesse in his favour Christ makes his servants his fellowes 1 Cor. 1.9 They sit with him there in heavenly places Eph. 2.5 6. He is not ashamed to owne them as his brethren Heb. 2. His servants he makes sonnes and heires too yea heires with himselfe unto God Rom. 8. Never man was so fond of his wife as Christ is of his servants Rom. 7.4 and all the booke of Canticles shewes it Finally they shall all mign with him and be partners with him in his glory after they have laboured and suffered a little when hee appeares in glory they shall bee for ever glorified with him Secondly The second thing affirm'd of Christ is that hee is said to bee a living stone A living stone A stone and a living stone The holy Ghost is used in Scripture to liken God and Christ unto a stone so Gen. 49. 24. God is said to be the shepherd and stone of Israel and Revel 4.3 God is likened to a jasper stone and Psal. 118.22 Christ is said to be the stone which the builders refused and so in many other places Christ is said to be a stone three waies First For hee is either a rock or stone for refuge because in Christ men may safely rest against all the surges and waves of affliction in the sea of this world Psal. 18. Secondly Or else hee is a stone of stumbling as the Prophet Esaiah called him long since Chap. 8.14 And the Apostle Paul acknowledgeth the same Rom. 9.33 and this Apostle in verse 6. following Because wicked men take occasion from this doctrine of Christ to fall into sinne and mischiefe and because if Christ may not be the meanes of their salvation hee will bee an occasion of their falling but in neither of these senses is it taken here Thirdly But Christ is here likened to a foundation stone to signifie that it is hee upon whom all the Church must bee built This is that stone which was cut out of the mountaine without hands Dan. 2.45 that hard stone of which the Prophet Zachâ—ry speakes Chap. 4.7 10. He is said to be a living stone and some thinke to liken him
our faces toward Zion Ier. 51.4 5. Hosh. 14.2 3. 2 Chron. 6.24 37. Ierem. 3.13 Ioel 2.12 Thirdly we must order our wayes to a generall reformation The Prophet complaines that they would not frame their doings to turne to the Lord importing there can be no returning to God unlesse men cast their courses into a frame of reformation Hos. 5.4 Men must amend their doings and their workes Ier. 35.15 Fourthly we must returne in sincerity and that hath divers things considerable for 1. We must returne with our whole hearts nor fainedly Ier. 3.7 2 Chron. 6.38 our very faces must be turned from so much as looking after our abominations Ezek. 14.6 2. We must returne from our owne evill wayes every man from his way note it from his way that is from those courses in which he hath specially offended Iames 3.8 Esay 55.7 the wicked must forsake his way 3. WE must forsake not only outward sins but inward sins also we must reforme the wandring of our hearts as well as our lives the unrighteous must forsake his very thoughts Esay 55.7 and put downe the very Idols of his heart Ezek. 14.7 4. We must turne from all our transgressions It is not enough to forsake sin as some outward or inward sins but we must forsake all sorts of sins Ezek. 18.30 5. We must returne with resolution never to start backe we must not be like a deceitfull bow Hos. 7.16 Fiftly we must so returne as we must consecrate our selves to God to wait upon him continually Hos. 12.6 and to â—erve the true and living God 1 Thes. 1.9 and to doe workes meet for repentance Acts 26.20 The ninth point is the signes of returning or how we may trie whether we be effectually returned and that may be partly gathered by some of the points before and partly by some other things may be added He that is truely turned may know it First by the cause of his returning It was somewhat above his own power or disposition It was God that turned him by his Word neither did hee turne out of despaire as Iudas did but faith in God and perswation of Gods goodnesse in Christ made him returne He feares God and his goodnesse Secondly by the manner of his returning For if he returne in the manner before mentioned he needs not doubt the truth of his repentance especially if he be sure to have no hypocriticall or carnall ends of his reformation and that he doe desire to returne from all his transgressions making conscience of the least Commandement of God as well as the greatest and of secret sins as well as open and of the evill that leaves to his best workes Esay 1.16 Thirdly by the fruits of repentance of returning and so he may comfort himselfe 1. If he esteeme Christs pasture above all worldly things finding the sweetest savour in the Word of all things in this life Psalm 19. and 119. 2 Cor. 2. 2. If he have a mind to know God that he find that out of habituall disposition he have an earnest desire to know God and to be knowne of him Ier. 24.7 he will follow on to know the Lord Hos. 6.3 3. If he doe distinguish betweene the precious and the vile Ier. 15.19 and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Mal. 3.18 esteeming godly men to be the onely wise men Luke 1.17 4. If he be carefull to put iniquity far from his Tabernacle if he be carefull to reforme his house and cannot abide to dwell where sin dwels unreformed Iob 22.23 5. If he become as a little childe for humility and trust upon God for all things necessary as the little child trusts upon his father for diet clothes inheritance preferment c. without any doubting or carking care 6. If he be earnest with God to heale his nature and to perfect his worke Esay 19.22 Ier. 31.18 19. He prayes and that earnestly for the mending of his disposition to wander 7. If he be profitable according to his bignesse and pasture if he be full of mercy and good fruit if he be zealous of good workes These be things meet for repentance that is things that be of equall weight with it in the scales they each of them weigh just as much as repentance The last point is what should be the reason that men have so little minde to returne they will not be driven home againe though they know that they live sinfully and heare of Gods wrath and discerne vanity in all their pleasures and that sin hath usually proved it selfe to be a lie and that they are in danger of strange punishments and of eternall torment What I say should be the lets of returning or rather the causes that they minde not to returne Answ. The causes are First the Divell is the cause he hath blinded their eyes and workes effecâ—ually in them and leads them wandring and captive at his will 2 Cor. 4.3 Ephes. 2.2 2 Tim. 2.26 Secondly impotency of consideration is the cause they neither can nor doe thinke of the arguments should make them to returne or move them they cannot spend an houre in the consultations upon it whether they doe well not to returne Thirdly ignorance of the glory of Religion and the Kingdome of Jesus Christ Col. 1.26 there is a vaile upon their hearts 2 Cor. 3. Fourthly opinion that it is dishonour and shame to return this makes divers continue in erroneous and humorous conceits or in fantasticall conformity to the wicked yea the very excuses of sinning because they feare they shall be vilified laughed at and censured for it Fiftly expectation to have their particular courses to be proved to be sins Thus doe almost all men in their times persist in their sins under the coverture of this question Who can prove them to be sinners Thus scapes usury excesse and vanity of apparell excesse likewise in drinking of healths till the wine inflame them swearing prophanation of the Sabbath c. being willingly ignorant of this that God hath condemned sin in the generall in Scripture and layes it to men to looke unto it that they fall not into his hands for transgressing and if they doubt they must be ruled by their teachers Sixtly forgetfulnesse of their latter end Therefore is their iniquity in their skirts still because they remember not their last end for both the terrour of that day and the shortnesse of their life and the judements they would meet with of those things if they were to die would fright them out of those courses But they will not apply their hearts to wisedome because they cannot remember their dayes Lam. 1.9 Psal. 90.12 Seventhly evill teachers are a great hinderance for they strengthen the hands of the wicked and by preaching peace perswade them they are in no danger Ier. 23.14 Ezek. 13.22 Eighthly in some there is a very spirit of fornication in the midst of them they
the 〈◊〉 use of tâ—th Vse Vse Doct. 1. Vse Doct. Vse Doct. Vse Doct. The glory given to Christ after his resurrection shewed in 8. things Vse Difference betweene faith and hope Doct. 1. Vse Divers questions and doubts resolved Ten things that assault faith against which we should be armed Doct. 2. Vse Doct. 3. Vse A large explication of the ceremonies about the clensing of the Leper as it concerns the sanctification of the sinner Vse Vse Rev. 2.22 Iam. 4.8 8. Things to be done to get a cleane heart What truth is What it is to obey truth How our hearts are purified in obeying the truth Vse Vse Vse Vse 8 Things for the discovery of hypocrites How men may know their obedience be right or no. Doct. In 8 things the Spirit worketh our obedience Vse Vse Doct. Vse How we may know who are godly The good men may get by conversing with the godly Why the most men have no mind to converse with the godly Doct. Vse â— Signes of unfained love Vse The impediments of brotherly love Of purity of heart both as it respects God and man How we may know that our hearts are pure towards others What we must doe to get and increase purity of heart How the ferventnesse of love may be discerned 7. Signes Nine causes of want of fervent love What must be done that our love might be fervent 〈…〉 new birth Whâ—â—â—â— diffâ—rences between true repentance and false Vse Why it is needfull to be often put in minde of our new birth The lets of the new birth Vse Vse 1. Foure degrees of immortality Vse Vse The differenâ—e between true 〈◊〉 and temporary joyes Esay 4.6 Tit. 2.5 Vse Vse 8 Thinâ—s to be observed if wâ— will heare thâ— word as the wâ—rd oâ— God How the word may be said to live Vse Six waies to shew the life of the word in our conversation Mat. 13. Doct. Vse Mat. 6. Ioh. 1.12 2 Cor. 5.1 Gal. 5.24 Gal. 1.10 Psal. 16 10. Prov. Psal. 49. Ps. 92.6 7. Vse Ier. 9.24 Pâ—al 49. Dan. 2.37 Phil. 2.3 1 Thes. 2.6 â— Cor. 11 18. Esay 8.7 Doct. Mans glory vaine for six reasons Eccles. 5. What is mans true glory The inconveniences men bring upon themselves by forgetting death Quest. Answ. Esay 21.9 Quest. Answ. Doct. Ioh. â— 31 c. Vse The coherence The Analysis of the first part of this chapter 5. Things to be avoided if we would profit by the word Generall observations The benefit of briefe catalogues of sins or duties or graces How many wayes the sins â—ere mentioned doe hinder the word Of Malice Acceptation of the word Signes of malice Reasons against malice From the causes From the effects 1. In us 2. In God Vses Aggravations of malice Note Remedies for malice 1. In our selves Note 2. In others Of Guile The acceptation of the word Object Solut. Why Guile is to be avoided Vseâ— The misery of deceitfull persons The â—gâ—â—avaâ—ons of the sin of dâ—â—â—it 1. The maner of deceiving 2. The persons upon whom it is pâ—actised 3. The time Object 1. Solut. Oâ— the misery of such as 〈◊〉 by dâ—â—â—â—â— Note Object 2. Solut. Servants must not use lying and deceit to please thâ—â— mastâ—â—s Object 3. Solut. Of 〈◊〉 câ—◠〈◊〉 Object 4. Solut. Vse 2. The iniquity of the time Vse 3. Against â—quivocation Vse 4. The signes of a man without guile IncouragemeÌ„ts to such men Note that he sayes all malice and all Guile How many wayes men commit Hypocrisie 〈…〉 〈…〉 What may befall him What will befall â—hem The objections of hypocrites removed Vses For information Note For instruction The sorts of Hypocrisie we are most in danger of Preservatives against Hypocrisie Note Object Solut. About censuring other men for Hypocrisie Quest. Answ. How an open hypocrite may be discerned Object Solut. What makes an hypocrite Vse 3. Quest. Answ. First when a man had rather be good then seeme so How a man may know that he is not an hypocrite The haâ—â—fulnesse of the 〈◊〉 of envy Signes of a man free from envy The aggravation of evill speaking Râ—asons to disswadâ— from Evill speakâ—ng Note Rules against evill speaking What we should doe to avoid evill speaking in others 5. Generall doctrines Note For tryall How we may disâ—eâ—ne our desire and affection after the word Note Other signes of true desire Impediments to true desires externall Inwaâ—d 〈◊〉 wicked mâ—n 〈◊〉 of affection in the godly Meanes to get true desires â—o the word Rules for the preserving of good desires Rules for such as be afflicted with melancholy The Motives The causes why the most are but babes in religion Note Speciall duties of such as be but new borne babes Speciall praises in children by nature to be expressed by us Priviledges of weake Christians How far wicked men may desire after the word Note Note Divers kindes of growth In what graces christians ought especially to grow Philip. 1.10 1. Thes. 3.12 Philip. 2.13 Ephes 4 3.4 Rules to helpe our growth Impediments of growth Signes of growth Vnprofitablenesse of life aggravated in many respects Apostasie is twofold Encouragement for weake Châ—istians Wherein Gods graciousnesse is â—cene What we must doe to taste the goodnesse of God Doct. 2. Note A true taste is scene by the cause and effects of it Wherein the taste of wicked men and the godly differ How far the taste of wicked men may goe Vse Divers things noted for clearing the sin against the holy Ghost Doct. 4. The causes why so many have little or no taste of the word Christ is diversly described by the Apostle Eph. 1.7 Christ doth many waies excell earthly Lords towards his servants Christ is three waies called a stone 〈…〉 1 Cor. 7.8 Matth. 16.18 What kind of men disallow Christ. Christ chosen of God diversly Christ is precious many â—â—yes Causes why Christ is no more precious with men Pro. 8.11 16. Five points in generall We come to Christ many 〈◊〉 Esay 9.6 In what manner we must come to Christ. Psal. 40.7 Many are the reasons why we should come to Christ. Matth. 22. In what respects the godly are likened to stones Reasons why we ought to be lively stones How vve 〈◊〉 our livelinesse What vve must doe to quicken our hearts Means to build up a Christian. Prov. 24.17 Luke 14. 23. Causes why many are so little edified Ioh. 13. 21. Christ hath a five-fold Tabernacle Esay 40. 22. A godly man like the Tabernacle in divers respects Godly men are Priests in many respects Exod. 29.21 Vses Divers sorts of sacrifices for Christians Mark 8.34.35 1 Ioh. 2.2 Rom. 3.25 Prov. 23.26 Speciall laâ—es to be observed in offering up our sacrifices What we must doe to get our works acceptable to God What is meant by Scripture and why it isso called Wherein the Scriptures exceede all other writings Malach. 3.1 Esay 55.4 Esay 62.11 Math. 4.11 Vse That Christ is laid as a foundation-stone imports many things The Church is like Mount Sion in
adorning of the minde 2. The heart is adorned with 8. graces 1. Holy desires such as the heart felt not before such as these after remission of sins and righteousnesse by Christ Mat. 5. after the meanes of Gods kingdome and the power of it Psal. 42. 1 Pet. 2.2 after the presence of God even that of glory and the comming of Christ 2 Tim. 4.8.2 Cor. 5.8 after communion of Saints the heart longing after them and in a word after all sorts of heavenly things 2. Divine love and that of God Psal. 18.1 of Christ 1 Pet. 1.8 of the word Psal. 119.103 of Gods house Psal. 26.8 84.5 of the godly Psal. 16.3 1 Iohn 3.14 3. Ioy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 in such things as these 1. In the satisfaction of Christ for sinne Galat. 6.14 Rom. 5.11 15.13 2. In his Election Luke 10.20 3. In the breasts of the Churches consolation Esay 66.10 4. In the word both read and heard Psal. 119.77 Ier. 11.16 Iohn 3.29 and so in the sacraments 5. In the sabbath Esay 58.13 6. In well-doing Prov. 21.15 7. In suffering for righteousnesse Mat. 5.10 8. In the presence of God knowing the soule in adversity especially Ps. 31.7 Rom. 5.4 9. In the people of God Ps. 137.6 10. In all the good things the Lord hath given as the pledges of his love Deut. 26.11 11. In the things that pertaine to God Rom. 15.17 In these a Christian hath his seasons and though he may sow in teares yet he reapes in joy 4. A holy feare of God and that of his mercies Ps. 147.11 Hos. 3.5 of his word Esay 66.2 of his presence especially in time of his service Heb. 12.28 and of his name and glorious titles Deut. 28.58 and in all things a feare of his offence and displeasure in respect of which a man is jealous of his own infirmities Pro. 28.18 1 Pet. 1.17 5. Confidence in which the godly are as mount Sion that cannot be moved Psal. 125.5 by which he committeth his way to God Psal. 37.5 and runneth to God for refuge that he may be under his armes for ever Deut. 33.27 Gods name is to him a strong tower Prov. 18. in respect of which his place is on high even in the defence of the munitions of the rocks Esa. 33.16 c. yea such is the power of this confidence sometimes that though God trouble him with his owne hands yet he will hope Iob 15.19 By this signe God knowes his in the day of trouble and will owne them Neh. 1.7 and the eye of God is never off them because they trust in his mercies Psal. 33.18 6. A holy hatred by which he cannot abide sin Ps. 97.10 the garment spotted with the flesh Iude 23. any false way Ps. 119.128 wicked company Ps. 26.5 the worke of such as fall away Psal. 101.3 them that hate God and goodnesse Psalme 139 21. 7. Peace whereby a man is made to rest from passions and perturbations and enjoyeth tranquillity in the contemplation of Gods favour Rom. 14.17 8. Bowels of mercy Col. 3.12 I omit hope patience meeknesse and the rest either because they some way belong to some of these or because these are the most eminent and easie to be discerned and all these are put on by faith And thus much of the adorning of the heart 3. The conscience is also adorned with 9. gifts 1. Life it being quickned from the dead sleep it was in 2. Light from ignorance 3. Peace from terrors differing from security 4. Purity and care in all things to doe uprightly Acts 23.1 Heb. 13.1 2 Tim. 2.3 5. Ioy and refreshing it is now a continuall feast Prov. 15.15 6. Constancy Iob 27.6 so as no power can compell it 7. Plainenesse and harmelessnesse 2 Cor. 1.12 8. A divine sentence so as in determining it judgeth for God and as God 9. Tendernesse so as it will now smitâ— for lesser evills All this doctrine concerning the sanctification of the spirit may serve First for humiliation We may all say if God looke upon our spirits innumerable evills have compassed us Psal. 40. and therefore we had need to pray to God to cleanse us from secret sins even those sinnes of our spirits 2. For admonition to all men to take heed that they neglect not this great worke of inward sanctification especially if God have touched the heart with any inward feeling of thy estate and remorse of sinne Looke to thy selfe thy heart is deceitfull and sinne is a witch watch against security or relapse into security â—e perswaded it is a dangerous thing to sin against the purposes of amendment The axe is now laid to the roote of the tree and therefore trifle not let not thy righteousnesse be as the morning dew thou art come neare to the kingdome of God quench not the sparkles of light and remorse And much more this may warne such as will not be touched with the care of sanctification take heed of a swinish and dogged heart the Lord will not cast pearles before such swine still And thirdly it may warne such as rest in giving faire words If they praise the Sermons and speake faire to Gods servants they thinke all is well The Divell could speake Christ faire to be rid of him Mar. 1.24 and so did Herod Mar. 6.20 3. For instruction to all sorts of men that yet finde not comfort in this worke oh labour about it that thou maist be cleansed from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit even sanctified throughout following after holinesse without which no man shall see God 2 Cor. 7.3 1 Thess. 5.23 Heb. 12.14 and if there were in men a heart to returne there are many incouragements Christ is given to us of God to be our sanctification and in his intercession he remembred to pray for this that God would sanctifie us 1 Cor. 1.30 Iohn 17.14 17 19. and the word of Christ is able to sanctifie us Acts 20.32 and Christ hereby proves his resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.4 and God hath promised his spirit to help us Ezech. 33.37 4. For confirmation since this is so let him that is holy be holy still 5. For much thankfulnesse in such as have attained in any measure to the gifts of Gods grace herein 2 Thess. 2.13 Thus much of the sanctification of the spirit Vnto obediencâ— The first end of our sanctification is that our lives may be brought into obedience This obedience must be considered either in the 1. whole or in the 2. parts 1. In the whole it is profitable to observe three things 1. the originall of true obedience 2. The rules or properties of true obedience in the maner of it 3. The motives that might stirre us up to the care of obedience 1. The cause of this obedience is 1. either without us or 2. within us without us it is both God and the word of God God the Father causeth it by electing c. the Sonne by
the generall First that Gods last workes are his best works which should teach us to imitate God and never feare the forbearance of God time cannot change him he will be never the worse or the colder for delay Secondly if woe marke what daies these last daies are wee may also note that God doth his best workes when men doe their worst For of these last daies it is that the Apostle speaks that they should be such wicked and perillous daies and this we should learne of God also to let our piety and patience then shine most when impiety and violence doe beare most sway Thirdly there is a time when God will at once fully deliver and save his servants and judge for them and therefore wee should not be weary of well-doing Fourthly Gods servants must not think to be fully delivered till these last times and therefore they must walk circumspectly redeeming the time and alwaies stand upon their guard seeing the daies will be ever evill wee should remember and hold fast and lay up provision for many daies Fiftly it is the will of God that the day of Judgement should not be known to any man or Angell for the moment of it and therefore it is here described by ages not by dayes and howers which may confute curiosity and teach us to watch at all times Sixtly the world shall have an end there is a last time there will be an end of all perfection and therefore we should learne to use the world as if we used it not and therefore woe is to them that so greedily mind transitory things and that place all their happinesse in the things of this life Why is the time of the last Judgement called the last time It is called the last time 1. because time shall thenceforth be no more 2. Because after that day there shall be no space left for repentance or salvation for wicked men 3. Because Christians shall be delayed no longer but then all their wrongs shall be righted all their sinnes shall be pardoned all their wants shall be supplyed all their infirmities shall be removed all their promises shall be fulfilled all their graces shall be perfected all their desires shall be satisfied 4. Because all things shall then be fully determined ended and finally ordered But why is this time deferred so long First to demonstrate Gods wonderfull patience and to cleare his justice in that eternall vengeance shall then be exercised on the wicked For by this deferring it will be made manifest that hee did it not suddenly or passionately or privately or before hee had used all other meanes Secondly it is forborne till all Gods eternall decrees in the government of the world be accomplished especially it is stayed til the number of the Elect be gathered and the fulnesse both of Gentiles and Jewes be come in And thus much of this verse and so of the first part of the consolation that is to say the proposition of arguments now followeth the confirmation Verse 6. Wherein ye rejoyce greatly though now for a season if need require ye are in heavinesse through manifold tentations IN this Verse and the rest to the 13. is contained the confirmation of the proposition and that is performed two waies 1 By prolepsis or the answer of objections vers 6 7 8. 2. By propheticall testimony ver 10 11 12. For the first the Apostle labours to confirme them especially against two objections whereof the first might be taken from their crosses For they might say they were so pressed with the multitude of tentations inward and outward that they were much disheartned in the contentation of their estates Now unto this the Apostle answers that Christians have no cause to hang down their heads for their afflictions and that for foure reasons 1. Because one may have many crosses and yet have exceeding much joy 2. The molestation that comes by tentations or crosses is but for a season 3. That a Christian is not bound alwaies to trouble himselfe or be grieved at his troubles It is but when need requires 4. Because great profit comes by afflictions and tentations that is to say the tryall of our faith ver 7. Secondly they might object that they know not whether the former consolation doe belong unto them And to this he answers Verse 8 9. by shewing that there were three things in them by which they might know that those comforts did belong unto them 1. The first was their love of Christ. 2. The second their faith in Christ. 3. And the third their unspeakable and glorious joyes the consequent end of all which would undoubtedly be the salvation of their souls this answer is contained in the 8. and 9. Verses and thus of the order of those words Now whereas all these Verses containe answers to secret objections in the minds of men before I come to the opening of the particulars in the answers I note divers things briefly from the generall and which is here implyed First that God seeth the secret thoughts of mens hearts he seeth all the risings of their thoughts and affections and the inclinations to object any thing any way whatsoever which should make us carefull to looke to our selves for the very thoughts and risings of our hearts especially if there be in men a wicked rebellion against the truth let them not deceive themselves For certainly God will judge them for their very inward boilings and indignations against the truth even those which they doe not or dare not utter For contrary thoughts aswell as contradictions Secondly not onely God seeth but the word of God meeteth with the very secret thoughts in the heart or life of man though they were never knowne or uttered it ransacketh the spirit of man and will search strangely into the secrets of mens courses There can hardly be an objection in a mans minde but if hee constantly attend the Word it will meet with it which may encourage humble Christians to rest upon the Word for it will heale them of all sorts of spirituall diseases The Lord can strangely be their Physitian when no creature knowes it and withall it confutes their stomack that being met withall in the word think the Preacher aimes at them and that it comes of very spleene against them wilfully being ignorant of this that the Word would search them though the Preacher never knew their faces For it is the Word of him that knows all the hearts of men and was framed of purpose by the all-seeing Spirit of God that it might discover what was hid and converse secretly in the very bosomes of men Thirdly wee see here that there may be objections in the minds of the very Elect even of such as have true grace we may not imagine that they are absolutely freed from all doubts and feares Fourthly objections In that the holy Ghost is so
Solomon Eccles. 11.9 Dan. 7. Mal. 4. and many more after the Law by Christ Mat. 24. Paul 2 Thes. 1. Peter 2 Pet. 3. Iohn Rev. 2â— 2. The types of it which are so many pledges doe certainly though fearfully foretell it such as were those dreadfull executions done upon wicked men in all ages as the drowning of the world the burning of the Cities Sodome c. the opening of the earth to swallow Corah Dathan and Abiram the destruction of Ierusalem c. yea he spared not the very Angels Iud. 6.2 Pet. 2.4 These stupendious works are monuments of a strange judgement to come 3. The exact fulfilling of the signs so many of them as belong to times past and present which were given as fore-runners of that judgement such as were 〈◊〉 Christs warres the apostacie of the Church the detection and falling of Antichrist c. 4. From the need of it for in this world the godly are oppressed and not righted and the wicked flourish and are not punished many times therefore of necessity there must be a time wherein all these things must be set in order 1. Let every man repent Act. 17.30 Here is no trifling it will certainly be and therefore repent or perish 2. Judge nothing before the time let us not judge one another but leave all judgement to God 1 Cor. 4.4 3. Let us not be impatient or fret at the prosperity of the wicked or be discouraged at the afflictions of the righteous for there shall come a time wherein the godly shall have full reward and honor and wicked men everlasting shame and paine Every man The whole world must come to judgement good and bad wee must all appeare before the Tribunall seat of Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 5.10 not onely all the godly but all the wicked of all sorts which will appeare by a distribution 1. The Pagans shall come to judgement such as have sinned without the law Rom 2. 2. The Iewes that crucified Christ or still doe deny him to be come in the flesh Rom 2. 3. Papists 2 Thes. 2. 4. Atheists that mock at his comming 2 Pet. 3.3 In the true Church 1. Grosse offenders Mal. 3.7 Rev. 21. 22. 2. Civill honest men Mat. 5.19 3. Rich and mighty men of the world God will not accept the person of Princes Iob 34.19 Iam. 5.1 3. 4. Hypocrites Mat. 23. Psal. 5â— 16 5. The unmercifull Mat. 25. Iam. 2.13 6. Apostates Heb. 10.27 2 Pet. 2. 7. All that trouble the godly 2 Thes. 1. Gal. 5 1â— 8. Inordinate censurers Rom. 2.1 2.3 Iam. 3.1 9. All unruly persons that will not be ordered according to Gods ordinances Mat. 25. goates 10. All that use scant measures wicked balances and false weights Mat. â— 10 11. Yea as I said before all the godly must be judged we must all appeare It is said the godly shall not be judged Iob. 3.18 6.54 They shall not be judged with the judgement of condemnation The Use. Therefore every man should stir up his heart to a carefull examination of himselfe and make his account and provide for his answer at that day and the rather should wee attend hereunto because the most men are after an unspeakable manner forgetfull of their latter end and suffer themselves to be drowned in the cares of life as if there were no time of chaâ—ging or reckoning The fourth and last point is the cause of the judgement imported in these words according to their works According to their works It shall be tâ— every man at that day according to his works if his works be evill he shall be damned if his works be good he shall be saved 2 Cor. 5 1â— Rom. 2. For the better understanding of this doctrine divers questions and objections are to be resolved It seemes then faith shall not be inquired after It shall yea and that chiefly as appeares in the 7. verse of this Chapter and in many other Scriptures which avouch we are saved by faith yea and works are mentioned to this end because by them Christ shall evidently prove to the world the faith of his Elect hee will thâ—n shew their faith by their works yea faith is comprehended under the word works as being indeed the noblest of all works and that which most shineth in the life of a Christian it is the chiefe obedience required in the Gospell and the just live by their faith But how can works be looked upon in the Elect seeing they are not acknowledged as having merit in them Can they be saved by their works Works shall be inquired after in the godly not as meritorious causes of their salvation for the merit of heaven is onely in Christs works which onely are perfect But works shall be examined and judged 1. As the witnesses in that Assise that give in evidence concerning their calling and faith 2. As the conditions of Gods promises concerning reward in heaven not for their merit but of Gods free grace that will so crowne them Observe that the Scripture no where saith for their works but according to their works But how can the works of men be numbred they are so infinite The books shall then be opened viz. first the booke of Gods remembrance in which are fast graven the deeds of all men Rev. 20. Mal. 3.16 Secondly the consciences of all men shall be extended to an exact view of all the works of their life past By what law shall mens works be examined seeing the Pagans have not the Scriptures to guide them and the faithfull have not fulfilled the morall law in their owne persons The infidels shall be judged by the law of nature Rom. 2. the wicked in the Church by the morall law and the godly by the Goâ—pâ—ll Shall not wicked men be judged for their originall sin but onely for their evill works By works may be meant 1. both the worke of our fall in Adam as well as 〈…〉 worke 2. This phrase according to workes doth include all workes and yet not exclude the respect of other things besides workes aâ— faith in the godly and originall sinne in the wicked 3. Workes are but the â—ruits of corruption of nature and so synâ—â—dochically it is comprehended under them But shall no man be then judged for other mens workes as well as for their owne may not children be iudged for their fathers sinnes or one man iudged for the evill done by another as the Pharises for the blood of Abel and Zacharâ—as God as an absolute Monarch and iust governor may with temporall punishments chastise the posterity of wicked Parents and to warn the world 〈…〉 but hee cannot iudge them to eternall damnation further then they be guilty of their fathers sinnes either by consent assistance or 〈…〉 the Pharises be sent to hell for Abels bloud onely to farre as they were not warned by that example to avoid bloud To con 〈◊〉 no man
divers consolations 1. Christ our Ioseph whom our fathers sold into Aegypt hath provided for us before we came into the world 2. God hath promised to go down with us and to soiourn with us there Gen 45.4 3. Ever the more we are oppressed the more we may grow the godly lose nothing by their troubles Exod. 1.8 4. God is I am still ever the same howsoever the world use us Exo. 3.14 5. God can give us favour in the sight of the Aegyptians when and as often as he will Exod. 3.22 6. God hath promised covenanted yea sworne that he will bring us home and take us to himself be our God he will surely bring us up againe 7. God hath given us Moses and Aaron even his two witnesses daily to comfort us with the glad tidings of his Gospell even the good newes of our departure hence 8. The very time is appointed and at the very self-same time without faile we shall depart out of Aegypt Exod. 12. 9. God can and doth work many wonders for the proofe of the love of his people and his power to subdue the mightiest adversaries 10. Our part we have in this world is the best part of the world wee dwell in Goshen in comparison of the servile estate of the rest of the Aegyptians we are free from many a misery lights upon them And if Goshen bee so good what is Paradise If there be some comfort sometimes on earth oh how doth milke and hony flow in heaven 11. In all our distresses our cries are heard to heaven and God pities us with wonderfull compassion Exod. 2.23 3.7 Onely this is our misery in this world that many times if the very godly enjoy not the ministry of Moses and Aaron they grow very secure and are much infected with the manners of the world And againe if they have them and they tell the world Gods message if any trouble follow they are too often ready to murmure as if they had much hurt by the ministry of Gods servants Thus of the first point namely that we are sojourners The second followes namely that there is a time of our sojourning here Time Duration or the continuance of a thing is either infinite or finite The one is the continuance of God the other of the creatures â—he measure of the one is eternity absolutely considered the measure of the other is time Time may be considered in the meanes of it either the meanes of effecting or appointing which is the decree of God with all the meanes of execution of it or else the meanes of declaring or numbring which is the course of the Sun and Moone our continuance on earth is not disposed by the course of the heavens but by the decree and providence of God By time here is meant that space of continuance on earth which God in his counsell hath set us and is numbred by the motion of the Sun or Moone This time we may number as it is past but know it not as it is to come it being ordinarily hidden from the sonnes of men Neither may we reckon of the time of man upon earth as we doe of the continuance of heaven and earth for the time of man is wonderfull short in comparison of many other creatures This time also once set is unchangeable we cannot passe it Iob 14.5 The maine doctrine is that God hath unchangeably set us a time for our continuance here knowne unto him though unknowne unto us The Uses may be divers 1. It may comfort us against the inconveniences of our sojourning our time is set we shall not alwayes be from home we shall shortâ—y be gathered to our fathers and the afflictions of this present condition are not worthy the joy and glory we shall enjoy for ever Rom. 8.18 2. This should the rather make us willing to have little to doe with this world but use it as if we used it not 1 Cor. 7.29 3. This should order us to a care of our preparation for death and lessen in us the feare of dangers and adversaries and make us resolve never to use ill meanes to save or prolong or shorten our lives say with David My times are in Gods hands Psal. 31. and with Christ I will worke to day and to morrow and the third day I shall c. The third thing is that this time passeth it runneth out it is continually going away and therefore the use should be 1. To doe good while we have time Gal. 6.10 2. To redeeme the time past ill spent by providing by forecast for the more fruitfull employment of the time to come The more of this time past that hath been spent on sin or the world the more resolute we should be to be conscionable in the strict use of the time that yet we are to remaine in the flesh 1 Pet. 4.2 3. Col. 4.5 3. Especially we should be carefull that we discerne and use the opportunities of grace the accepted times the dayes of our salvation they may passe and never returne againe 2 Cor. 6.1 Mat. 16.3 4. Since the godly are sojourners here but for a time and this time passeth too let us entertaine them as the Princes of God and make all possible use of their fellowship in the best things for they will be gone they will not abide with us long In feare This word expresseth how we should spend the time of our sojourning viz. with all carefulnesse and due respect But that wee may reach the meaning of this feare we must know that there is a worldly feare a servile feare and a godly feare There is also a vaine feare as in the melancholy of thingâ— that are not The worldly feare is about things of the world as reproaches losses dangers adversaries c. this is a wicked feare and the godly are commanded not to feare the feare of the wicked Esay 8. A servile feare is chiefly in spirituall things called the spirit of bondage such was the immoderate feare of the law or justice of God such is also that feare of traâ—sgression where Gâ—d hath given no law The godâ—y feare iâ—â—ither restrained unto our respects of God only and so it is a part of his inward worship or elâ—e it is that feare which is required all parts of holy life and so it iâ— taken here It may not be denied but that this feare may be referred in part to wicked men the Apostle warning them to be afâ—â—aid lest this day come upon them before they have repenâ—ed of their sinneâ— and so they fall into Gods eternall wrath Wickâ—d men have goâ—d cause to â—eare for the threatnings of God are against them the wrath of God hangs over their heads sinne lyeth at the doore their owne conscieâ—ce will witnesse against them the devill is ready to devâ—ure them death may fall 〈◊〉 upon them and then they must beare the open and eternall shame and confusion of
The fore-ordination of Christ. 2. The time of it before the foundation of the world Who â—â—â—â—ly was fore-ordained This word leads us beyond time into the secret and eternall counsell of God giving us a glimpse of Gods eternall statutes especially concerning the eternall happinesse of the Elect by Christ. All Scripture intreats either of God or his works The works of God are either internall or externall The internall are likewise eternall before time The externall are in time Of God the Scriptures draw us a perfect image as the weaknesse of man can be capable of it Of the works of God externall and in time the Scripture likewise plentifully discourseth as far as is needfull to salvation Of the works of God internall there is also some little glimpse given in Scripture not so much to satisfie the curiosity of mens minds as to ravish the hearts of the godly with incitations that might the better guide them to contentment in their happy estate yet there is but little because men should not be led aside from attending the present meanes of their everlasting happinesse and because as yet the nature of man is not capable of so glorious revelations The works of God before time are either personall or essentiall The personall works are such works ad intra as passe from the three persons in the Trinity one to other incommunicably as the begetting of the Sonne the proceeding of the holy Ghost The essentiall works are such as all the three persons doe joyne in without division and these are those eternall statutes or decrees the making of those unsearchable lawes concerning the disposing of the Kingdome of God in time in the erecting and ordering of the world God as a wise Carpenter before he build resolves upon the plot in his head and as a wise King before he enters into the administration of the Kingdome resolves upon the lawes by which to governe it These statutes have in Scripture foure singular praises 1. They are in respect of us unsearchable far beyond the reach of any mortall braine Rom. 11. 2. They are marvellous glorious for the wonderfull majesty and mercy and justice of them such as to looke in at them but through a chincke as it were ravisheth the Apostle into that exclamation depthsâ— c. Rom. 11. 3. They are unchangeable like the lawes of the Mâ—der and Persians so as they never lose a jot of their force till they come â—or the last pâ—â—iod Rom. 8.30 4. They are eternall as here is said before the foundation of the world so Eph. 1.5 Mat. 25.34 The Lord hath drawne these statutes in foure books each containing a severall draught of them 1. The first is the booke of nature Hee hath iugraven certaine ordinances unchangeable in the creatures by viewing which impressions man might be made without excuse 2. The second is the booke of conscience The Lord in the hearts of the Elect causing an impression of immortall truths wherein he declares his will so far as may concerne the salvation of that particular Elect of God 3. The third is the booke of Scripture in which he hath drawne a most exact draught of his lawes and will for so much as may concerne the salvation of all or any of Gods Elect. 4. Now the fourth and most absolute booke of statutes is that booke of life wherein from all eternity God hath enrowled the nature and ends of all things and there are also many other things besides the salvation of the Elect Psal. 139.16 a speciall part of which is the Lambes booke of life Revel 21.27 Now unto this booke doth this word fore-ordained leade us The word in the Originall is properly fore-seâ—ne Now there are three kinds of fore-sight 1. First that bare knowledge of things and this reacheth to all things that ever shall be 2. Secondly that knowledge of approbation God knowing man above others with his speciall favour this reacheth onely to the Elect. 3. Now there is a third kind of knowledg or fore-knowledg when God is said to know things as a Judge doth in giving sentence Hence Plebiscitum was an ordinâ—â—ce made by the commons and so when the Judge had sentenced a cause he was said to have knowne the cause In this last sense the word is here taken and therefore well rendred fore-ordained to note such a fore-sight as had a determination and statute in it The decrees of God are by some Divines distinguished by the names of Providence and Predestination Providence they would have containe all that order that the Lord tooke from all eternity concerning all things in the world whatsoever so as there is nothing but is lyable to Gods decree Now Predestination comprehends onely those decrees that concerne the reasonable creatures and especially those that concerne the Election of some of them There is a threefold Election or the Elect may be cast into three ranks 1. There is the Election of man unto salvation 2. There is the Election of Angels unto confirmation in their estates 3. There is the Election of Christ unto the Mediatorship and headship over Angels and men Of this hee meanes here and the decree concerning the Election of Christ is the most illustrious of all the rest and concernes the execution of the most glorious worke that ever was to be in the world The summe then is that the Lord in his booke of eternall statutes hath recorded and determined concerning this course of saving man by the mediation of his Sonne Christ is fore-ordained in respect of his office of Mediatorship not simply in respect of his person as God for so hee is not the person predestinated but with the Father and holy Ghost it is he that doth predestinate 〈◊〉 s he was to shew himselfe God made man as Mediator beâ—weene God and man so he was subject to that ordinance Quest. Now what use may be made of this that we here find that God is so carefull to make all sure concerning our redemption in Christ Answ. First it may serve for consolation we need never doubt but God will accomplish all his goodnesse to us in his Sonne seeing hee hath bound himselfe and Christ to it by his everlasting decrees it is an ordinance must never be changed we see God after all this time acknowledgeth it in this texâ— to be belâ—eved to the worlds end Secondly it may serve for instruction 1. Shall we not be ashamed of our negligence that have not with all diligence laboured to make our calling and election sure when wee see God so carefull to make all sure 2. Shall wee not ever willingly be subject to Gods statutes and lawes when we see Christ himselfe subject himselfe to Gods ordinances and that from all eternity 3. Shall we not long for those times when those eternall statutes shall be opeâ—ed and Gods counsels displayed to our infinite joy Thirdly it may informe us concerning Gods wonderfull hatred of sinne in that from eternity he cannot
is the temptations of unbeliefe 2. Against present affliction when wee consider what wee are borne to 3. Against the scornes of the world we are borne not of blouds but which is better of the bloud of Christ Ioh. 1.12 2. For Instruction for the remembrance of our new birth quickens us to a care to live as becomes our new birth which is the true reason why it is mentioned here The Use is first 1. First for Ministers to bend the whole course of their ministery hitherto what doe we profit them if we gain them not to God Yea hereby the glory of many Ministers is to be judged He is the excellentest teacher that can convert most to God Here God will be free 2. For all sorts of men as 1. For all godly men 1. If they be strong to build themselves up in the contentment of their birth 2. If they be weake to looke to the establishing of their hearts in the assurance of it 2. For unregenerate men it should awaken them to a care to shake off their lamentable security procrastination prejudice silence sinfulnesse or what else hinders them from this glorious worke To this end Think of death and the threatnings and anger of God seriously Judge thy selfe for thy sinnes Pray with David for a cleane heart beg a new heart Ezech. 36. Parable Get out of ill company Be warned to fly from the wrath to come Neglect not so great salvation Be not deceived Gal. 6.7 1 Cor. 6.9 Take heed lest God leave you with the very discourse of regeneration What shall it profit to be borne of great bloud c. if thy soule perish for ever I beseech you therefore by the mercies of God save your soules that you perish not in the condemnation of the world Consider God would not have you die c. The second thing that may be noted from hence is that our blessed immortality begins at our new birth for by the Gospell God brings immortality to life and light 2 Tim. 1.10 and by the Spirit of Christ we are then quickned Eph. 2.1 4. being by nature dead in respect of true immortality For from this moment of time Christ lives in us Gal. 2.20 we are alive to God though we be dead to the world The Use should be first to put vs in mind of the marvellous power and glory of the Gospell that brings this life light unto us 2 Tim. 1.10 2. We should be comforted against all our feares and doubts and against all the afflictions or temptations of our naturall life for immortality is begun in us already Those divine sparks are so kindled as they shall never be quenched God hath kindled the light of heaven in us This is very eternal life we have here on earth Ioh. 17.3 God hath made us immortall creatures already for though we have not yet attained to the full degree of the shining brightnesse of our immortall happinesse yet from degree to degree wee shall proceed till we be like the aâ—â—ient of dayes Immortality may be distinguished into foure degrees or states 1. The first iâ— the life of the infant in grace and then we live as babes two things being eminent companions of that estate viz. weaknesse and crying that is many frailties and much griefe for sinne and wants 2. The second is the life of young men in grace 1 Ioh. 2.14 Heb. 5.13 and here two things are eminent 1. affections and 2. strength or might or power of gifts 3. The third is the life of them of ripe age or of fathers in grace 1 Ioh. 2. 14. Heb. 5.13 Here likewise two things more shine 1. greatnesse of judgment or experience 2. an habituall conquest over all sorts of sinnes so as the very taste of them or temptations to them are enseebled and more seldome These three are on earth 4. The fourth estate is that wherein we shall be like the anâ—ient of dayes even God himselfe in the perfection of all gifts and possession of all happinesse Lastly this doctrine may shew the miserable estate of all such as will not be informed by the Gospell They faile of immortality and must die in their sinnes for if they be not borne againe they perish for ever Thus much of the fountaine of new birth The manner followes considered 1. negatively 2. affirmatively Not of corruptible seed Two things are here imported concerning the naturall birth and propagation of all men The first is that our naturall birth doth not advance our immortality and everlasting happinesse we hold not our happinesse by any title from our carnall birth Mat. 3. Rom. 9. We are not borne heires of heaven In our birth we receive the beginning of naturall life from the seed of our naturall parents but not of eternall life The second is that this naturall seed is corruptible we so live that we must die we cannot hold out even in that estate for men will die and they come of men that have dyed Hâ—b 9. Iob 10. Ps. 89. and therefore the Use should be 1. To abate the great thoughts that arise in great persons about the noblenesse of their birth 2. We should all be thereby the more quickned to the care of new birth 3. Therefore we should looke for death and prepare for it and patiently beare the infirmities accompany our mortall bodies till the time of our change come 4. Impenitent sinners should awake to live righteously seeing their perfections must come all to an end they cannot long abide in the greatest glory of the world they can attaine to 5. Here is a manifest difference betweene the children of the two Adams the children of the first Adam are borne corruptible the children of Christ are borne incorruptible 6. Lastly here is a singular consolation to the godly about their perseverance They are confirmed as the Angels of heaven they cannot fall away they are not borne of corruptible seed Thus of the manner negatively considered In the affirmative observe two things 1. what the meanes is 2. and by what it is Or thus The meanes is seed described by the properties It is incorruptible and by the cause or instrument of generation viz. the word of God Seed To omit the usuall acceptation of the word seed It is taken in Scripture in a restrained sense many wayes Sometimes for Christ Hee is that seed in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed Sometimes for the godly The children of the promise are the â—eed Rom. 9.8 Sometimes for the body of man within the grave which is cast into the earth as seed in the day of buriall 1 Cor. 15.43 Sometimes spirituall things in generall 1 Cor. 9.11 Sometimes the fruits of righteousnesse or mercy Iames 3.18 2 Cor. 9.6 So there is sowing to the Spirit Gal. 6.7 8. Sometimes for the word of God Mat. 10.13 Sometimes for saving graces conceived in the hearts of the godly and so I take it here And thus grace is like seed either
sparkles of appetite after it and delight in it and care to have recourse unto it in all estates It quickens to a continued diligence in exercising themselves in it and therefore we should study the continuall praises of it and pray God also that he would give his Ministers a doore of utterance to set out the glory of those mysteries contained in it Col. 4.3 and besides it should much humble us for our marvellous neglect both in faith and obedience especially if any way wee have caused the word of God to be blasphemed by our indiscretion or sinne wee cannot worse vexe God then by neglecting or despising or dishonouring his word and contrariwise God is wonderfully pleased with us if hee may finde his word to be had in honour and respect with us and therefore such as love the word heartily have great cause to comfort themselves For they are deare to God and Christ ever for that reason as these places shew Ioh. 14.23 17.6 1 Ioh. 2.5 Revel 3.10 The particular doctrine may be raised either from the coherence or from the words in themselves From the coherence wee may note that the Word is the onely ordinary instrument outwardly for the begetting of the seed of true grace in us Iam. 1.18 Rom. 10.14 c. The Uses are divers 1. For first this may inform us concerning the distinct offices of the word and Sacraments The Word begets grace the Sacraments confirme it the beginning of grace we have from the Word the strengthning and nourishing of grace from the Sacraments 2. This may informe us how much we are bound to God for his Word and how much we are beholding to the ministry of the Word 1 Tim. 5.17 spirituall things are hereby ministred unto us Hereby we are begot againe to God we had perished for ever without the Word 3. This may informe us concerning the wofull estate of all such congregations or particular persons as live without the Word of God in the life and the power of it they sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death There is neither wombe to beare thee nor breasts to give thee suck Oh the depth of the judgements of God upon millions of wretched men Oh the sore famine of the Word and this distresse is the more miserable because people are lesse sensible of it Oh if men would think without grace I cannot be saved without the Word I cannot have grace and therefore what shall it profit me to win the whole world if I lose my owne soule by living in places where I cannot heare the voice of Christ Note that the Spirit of God as the internall efficient is not mentioned of purpose it is lest out to compell in us a care of the outward means in which we are sure to find the Spirit working Ministers should therefore speake it boldly and pray that God would open their â—ouâ—hes to speak of these mysteries as becomes the mysteries of God and Christ Phil. 1.14 Col. 4.2 Hence wee may know also how to judge of those that consent not to the wholsome words of God See 1 Tim. 6.3 4. In themselves the words afford us three doctrines 1. The Word is of God and it is of God as the Author of it For man wrote it by the inspiration of the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. ult and men preach it now by the commandement of the everlasting God Tit. 1.3 And it is of God that disposeth of the due times of publishing it Tit. 1.3 and God is the subject of it For the Word principally intreats of God his nature and his works All the successe also of the Word it depends upon God There are divers Uses may be made hereof 1. It should set us on longing after Gods word to heare God speake or write to us wee see men long to reade or heare the speeches of the King much more of GOD the King of Kings 2. It should teach us to heare the word as the word of God and not of men 2 Thes. 2.13 that is 1. Reverently as if the Lord himselfe spake to us from heaven 2. Without ascribing to men the praise and glory is due to God wee should glorifie the word Act. 13.48 3. Not daring to let it run out lest God require it Heb. 2.2 If the Angels keep them how much more we Rev. 22.9 4. With confident assurance trusting upon it infallibly 2 Pet. 1.19 5. With subjection of our reasons and conscience to it nothing but the word hath this soverâ—ignty 6. Without adding or detracting Rev. 22.18 19. 7. With passion or wickednesse Iam. 1.18 c. 8. With all possible care to practice it Iam. 1.18 3. We may be assured it will have effect it cannot be bound no malice of men can hinder the will of God 2 Tim. 2.9 4. Therefore let not men despise it for the Ministers sake It is of God and that will appear when the dust which we have shaken off our feet shall witnesse against the world that receives us not Mat. 10.24 Which liveth This which may be referred to either seed or God or the Word but that in the originall the word for seed is not of the same gender and the testimony of Esay in the next verse quoted shewes it must be referred to the word The word lives in God It is a fountaine issuing out of the spring of Gods knowledge and will It lives in Christ the personall word of the Father The word of life is attributed to Christ 1 Ioh. 1.1 to the Scriptures Phil. 2.15 It lives also in the heart of a Christian who conceives by vertue of the seed cast in by the word It lives by effect as it makes us live and so it doth in divers respects both in respect of our naturall life and in respect of eternall life In respect of naturall life First Man liveth not by bread but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Deut. 8.3 and the creatures are sanctified by the word of God and prayer 1 Tim. 4.4 5. Secondly because the word upholds the godly in their afflictions David saith heâ— had long since perished in his affâ—â—ctions but for the word and our Saviour Christ prayes that God would keepe his by his word Ioh. 17.14 15 16 17. Now for spirituall life The word lives by effect in that it enlives us three waies For first it quickens us in regeneration so in this verse 2. It sanctifies us to live holily Ioh. 17.17 3. It preserves us in the most deadly spirituall assaults in which else we might perish 1 Ioh. 2.14 The word may also be said to live because it is lively Heb. 4.12 It may be said to live because of the sure performance of that which God promiseth though the promise were made many ages since and because the efficacie of the Scriptures abideth still they are as lively now as in Davidâ— time or in Christs time There may be many Uses made hereof First
of the former Chapter In these words and those that follow to the thirteenth verse is contained an exhortation to the right use of the meanes by which we might grow up in all holinesse and acceptation with God In the exhortation two things must be distinguished first the substance of the exhortation secondly the conclusion of it The substance is contained from verse the first to the eleventh the conclusion in the eleventh and twelfth verses For the first there are two things in which if we bee rightly ordered it cannot be but we must grow wonderfully in grace and holinesse first The one is the word secondly The other is Christ. To a right order of our selves in respect of the word he exhorts verses 1 2 3. To a right order of our selves in respect of Christ he exhorts ver 4. to 11. The part of the exhortation that concernes the word hath three things First what we must avoid we must lay aside Malice Guile Hypocrasie c. Secondly what we must doe we must desire the word as the childe doth the breast thirdly Why so where divers reasons are imported First we are babes Secondly we are but as new born babes Thirdly the word is sincere milke Fourthly it will make us grow fiftly have we not already tasted of the sweetnesse of it verse the third That part of the exhortation that concernes Christ hath likewise three things in it which I will here but touch First what we must doe ver 4. Secondly how we must doe it ver 5. Thirdly why so viâ— for two reasons First the one taken from the testimony of Scripture which is alleadged ver the sixt and expounded ver 7 8. Secondly the other taken from the consideration of our prerogatives we injoy in Christ which are set downe first positively ver 9. Secondly and comparatively ver 10. And this is the briefeorder of the whole first part of this Chapter The first thing then in the exhortation is about the word and therein the first thing is about the things which must be avoided if we would profit by the word of which in the first verse THere are five things we should lay aside and be sure we be free from when we come into Gods presence to heare his word or to be exercised in it viz. Malice Guile Hypocrisie Envy and Evill speaking Two things distinctly must be considered in verse first the sinnes to be avoided viz. those five before named Secondly the maner of avoiding them imported in the metaphoricall tear me laying aside In generall divers things may be noted First that it is exceeding profitable to gather speciall catalogues of our sinnes which we should avoid to single out such sinnes as we would specially strive against and doe more specially hurt us and hinder good things from us I meane not of all sins so much as of speciall certaine choice evills that yet remaine in greatest force in us We may observe a great wisdome of the holy Ghost in many places of Scripture drawing such catalogues according to the state of the people to whom they are given and so it were of excellent use if we did gather catalogues of the duties which especially concerne us or of the graces we would strive most to excell in to the intent to keep them daily in our mindes and memories striving to force in us the speciall holinesse required in them It were exceeding usefull to observe in severall Scriptures how the holy Ghost singles out choice directions according to the divers states of the people whom they concerne Secondly the Minister ought to informe his flock concerning the particular and speciall faults that hinder the worke of his Ministery where hee lives and accordingly to set himselfe against those sinnes It is not enough to reprove sin but there is a great deale of discretion and judgement to bee expressed in applying himselfe to the diseases of that people Thirdly the Apostle doth not name here all the sinnes that hinder the word but he imports that in the most places these five sinnes here named doe much raigne and usually doe marvellously let the course of the word they are the five most usuall sinnes in the auditories of Christians Fourthly it would be considered how these sinnes doe hinder the word These sinnes doe hinder the word many wayes 1. These sinnes make wicked men many times to set themselves against the word and to strive to suppresse the liberty of the word 2. These sinnes hinder the word in that they hinder many times other men from the love of the word The word is not glorified yea it is evill spoken of and why Doe not many men and women say they like not this going to Sermons c for they see that such persons can live in malice and deceit and envy â—â—e another c. 3. These siâ—â—es hinder the Ministers from discerning the worke of their Ministery in their hearers Paul cannot see or judge that the Corinthians are any more then carnall or at the best but babes in Christ because there was so much envy and strife and division among them 1 Cor. 3. verse 1 2 3. 4. These sinnes cause God many times to take the word from men When the Jews grew so untoward and envious at the Gentiles and to have such ill tongues in their heads toward their Teachers what followes but that the Lord should turne the labor of his servants from them and imploy it among the Gentiles Acts 13. c. 5. These sinnes hinder the word because they hinder the persons in whom they are from a right disposition to or use of the word Any of these sinnes are like poyson lying at the stomach that infects all the food which comes there And therefore for these reasons and many moe which might be alleged we should bring a generall resolution to make conscience of our wayes and to avoide these and all and each of these sinnes The first then of these sins is Malice The originall word is diversly accepted For sometimes it signifies misery or griefe for affliction and so it is used to signifie the evill of the day Mat. 6. ult Sometimes it is rendred naughtinesse or wickednesse in generall and so it importeth vile crimes or notorious offences and so it is taken Iames 1.21 Acts 2.22 In this sense it may be takâ—n here For it is certaine that if men be guilty of wickednesse and come in the love of any sin the word is poysoned in them especially whoredome and wine take away mens hearts from the word Hos. 4. Lastly it is rendred in divers places malice as 1 Cor. 5.8 Col. 3.8 and so it is here Malice then is the first sinne we should be carefull to avoide Malice in short is anger inveterate It is an inward hatred or grudge harboured in the heart against others and it may be knowne by divers signes As 1. When a man beares a constant base estimation of another and inwardly loathes him
very complement of discoursing extracteth evill speaking to fill up the time especially he must avoide the company of censurers for their ill language though at first disliked is insensibly learned Eighthly hee must especially strive to get meekenesse and to bee soft and shew his meeknesse to all men Tit 3.1.2 Ninthly if he have this way offended then let him follow that counsell Let his owne wordes grieve him Psal. 56.5 that this let him humble himselfe seriously for it before God by hearty repentance this sinne is seldome mended because it is seldome repented of Quest. But what should I doe to avoid evill speaking in others Ans. First live honestly and without offence and then though men be never so crooked and perverse yet either they will be silent or in the day of Gods visitation they will glorifie God Phil. 2.15 1. Pet. 2. verse 13. Secondly if men will yet revile learne of David and Christ and the godly to be patient and not revile againe but rather blesse them 1. Pet. 3.5 and 2.23 1. Cor. 4.12 Thirdly if men be still unreasonable and absurd betake thy selfe to prayer and then either God will turne their hearts or quiet thine Psal. 104.2.3.4 Fourthly thou must not give thy heart to all that men say but be sometimes as a deafe man that heares not and as a dumbe man in whose mouth are no words of reproofe Eccles. 7.23.24 Psalm 38.13.14 Fiftly if yet thou be pursued then remember this comfort The curse that is causelesse shall not come Prov. 26.2 and though they curse yet God wil blesse Psal. 109.28 God will turne their cursing into a blessing and he will curse them that curse thee Numb 24.9 and if thy reproaches be for the cause of religion and righteousnesse blessed art thou that art accounted worthy to suffer for it For Great is thy reward in heaven Mat. 5.11 Acts 5.41 thou hast cause to rejoice in such contumelies 2. Cor. 12.10 Hitherto of the catalogue of sinnes to be avoided The manner here followes to be considered of and that may be noted from the word Laying aside and from the manner of the expressing the sinnes Out of all there are briefly five things may be noted First that by nature wee are all enclined to and clogged with these sinnes for that the word layed-aside imports For it shewes that by nature they hang upon us Tit. 3.3 which should teach us to watch our hearts against these sinnes seeing they are so naturall to us and to pursue the reformation of them with so much the more constancy and diligence by how much it is the more hard to shake off what is naturall to us Secondly it should teach us to forbeare intemperate words and carriage toward others in whom we discerne these sinnes so farre as they are infirmities but rather we should be soft and shew all meeknesse to all men considering that we our selves also were infected with the same faults Secondly that the naturall man is daily guilty of these sinnes and useth them as if they were necessary to his well-being He cannot be without them he weares them as his garments or betakes himself to them as to his weapons hee thinkes he is adorned by them This is imported by the metaphor Hee thinkes if he did not ease himselfe by hypocrisie the service of God would destroy his contentment If hee did not use guile he should never thrive If he did not use violent speeches hee should bee despised and so of the rest This may serve to put a difference betwixt the wicked and the godly in the guiltinesse of these sinnes for a godly man may by frailty be tainted with some of these but then he doth not account them necessary or place contentment in them or daily fall into them he dislikes them and would faine be rid of them whereas the wicked thinke their lives naked without them Thirdly that true grace and respect of the word of God must put off and banish all these things He that would have comfort in his conversion or bring sound affections to the word must take a course to mend these faults Eph. 4. 22. Col. 3.8 This should be for great reproofe of such Christians as shame their profession of godlinesse by not shaking off these faults and besides greatly darken the comfort of their calling by walking so carnally herein 1. Cor. 3.1.2.3 Fourthly for the manner how these sinnes are to bee avoided in speciall Here are diverse things to be noted The metaphor imports that wee must lay these things aside as the Porter layes aside his heavie burden or as the Rebell layes aside his Armes and weapons or as the weary Pilgrime laies aside his foule and troublesome long garments or as the captive Maid when shee was to bee married laid aside the garments of her captivitie Deut. 21.13 Now we thus lay them aside chiefly two wayes First by confessing them and mourning for them Heb. 12. Secondly by renouncing and forsaking the practice of them but then we must further note that they must be so laid aside as they be never taken up againe Wee must not lay them aside as wee ordinarily doe our garments to weare them againe the next day or the next weeke Besides it is here to bee observed that these sinnes are not rooted out in a moment A Christian is long laying them aside He doth speake of the present endeavour It must be an every-dayes worke to judge our selves for them and resist them till the power of them be broken Lastly we may hence note that wee should give over the practice but not the remembrance of our former sinnes For hee saith laying-aside not burying them or renting to pieces or the like phrase which might import the utter forgetting of them To remember our fauâ—tinesse in these things will keepe us humble and make us more innocent and free from them and more compassionate over others Fiftly note the extent in setting downe the sinnes to be avoided whence observe two things 1. First that he saith all malice all guile and all evill speaking to note that a Christian should not beare with himselfe in the least measure of failing in any of these For a little of this leaven will sowre the whole lumpe and a small roote of any of these will growe up to a great deale of trouble and infection 2. Secondly In that hee saith Hypocrisies and Envies in the plurall number and so evill â—peakings To note that we should search our hearts so as not to tolerate in our selves any kind of these evils It is not enough to be free from some kinds of Hypocrisy but we must be free from all and our sincerity shews it selfâ— herein that seeing we cannot bee wholly rid of hypocrisie yet we will hate it and strive against every part and kinde of it Verse 2. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow thereby Hitherto of the things to be avoided NOw followes the
measure of true appetite to the word may be discerned by some of these signes that follow First it is a signe that we doe heartily love the word when wee can from our hearts love and blesse them that doe love the word accounting them happy for their very love to the word Psal. 119.1.12 Secondly it is a sign of desire after the word when we can stick to the word and the constant frequenting of it notwithstanding the scornes and shame of the world Psal. 119.31.46 141. It is a sure testimony of our love to the Gospell when we can forsake father and mother brother and sister house and land for the Gospels sake Mark 10.29 Thirdly It is a signe of love to the word and of desire after it when we can mourne for the famine of the word as a bitter crosse Psal. 42.3.4 Fourthly Yea when men have the word and yet find not comfort in it it is a signe of their true affection when they long for those comforts with heavinesse of heart and account themselves in an uncomfortable distresse yea bitter distresse till the Lord returne to them in his person in the power of the meanes Psal. 119.82 83 123 131. Fiftly It is a signe we love the word when such as feare God are glad of us it is a signe that the Godly doe discerne appetite in us though we do not when they are tenderly affected toward us Psal. 119 74. Sixtly We may know our affection to the word by our willingnesse to be ruled by it if we can make the word our Counseller it is sure we do delight in it whatsoever we conceive of our selves Psal. 119 24. Lastly to strive against our dulnesse constantly and to pray to be quickned is a good signe that we have some desire to the word One may love Gods precepts and yet need to be quickned Psal. 119.159 Vse 2. Secondly this doctrine of desire and appetite after the word may much humble the most of us some being altogether void of all desire after it more then for fashion sake and the better sort have their appetites either dull or decayed Quest. Whence comes it that people have no more affection to the word or that men are so cloyed with the word Ans. The lets of appetite and affection to the word may bee considered two wayes First as they are without us Secondly as they are within us Without us the cause of want of affection is sometimes in the Minister sometimes in the Divell sometimes in the company men sort withall and sometimes in God himselfe 1. In Ministers there are two things which marvelously hinder the admiration and desire after the word The first is the manner of their teaching when they teach unskilfully deceitfully vaingloriously negligently or coldly When there is not a majesty and purity and life in the teacher it is no wonder if there be no affection in the people 2. Cor. 4 2. 1. Thessa. 2. 2 3 4 6 8. 1. Cor. 2.4 2. Tim. 2 15. The second is their ill lives What made the people in Elies time so loath the service of God but the wicked lives of Hophnâ— and Phineas 1. Sam. 3. Ministers must teach by example as well as by doctrine if they will not be despised 1 Tim 4 12. 2. The Divell that god of this world doth mightily labour in this point to keepe men from affecting the Gospell If he cannot hinder men from hearing then his next worke is by all possible indeavours to blinde their mindes and marre their tastes that they may not perceive nor regard the glorious things of God in Christ 2. Cor 4.4 3. Evill company is a wonderfull impediment it causeth perpetually hardnesse of heart and carelesness it keepes the hearts of the wicked men in a continuall habituall deadnesse and the best men seldome light into prophane company but they get some degree of dulnesse and deadnesse of affections by it Prov. 9.6 Psal. 119.115 4. God himselfe being provoked by mans extreame wilfulnesse in sinning gives them over to a spirit of slumber and curseth their very blessings yea restraineth sometimes the very gifts of his servants that so hee may execute his judgements upon a rebellious people The Lord hideth his statutes from them and with-holding his spirit keeps backe the life of the word in their hearts Esay 6.10 Yea many times to scourge the unthankfulnesse and unprofitablenesse of his owne people he doth for a time hide his testimonies from them Psal. 119.19 Thus much of the lets without us The internall lets must be considered First in the wicked Secondly in the godly The cause of this heartlessenesse and want of affection in the wicked is First their ignorance they know not either the word or the worth of the word or their owne need of it Secondly their prophanenesse and irreligiousnesse they live without God or without Christ in the world they make no conscience of their wayes They forget their later end they mind not the good of their soules but only earthly things they never tasted of the bountifulnesse of the Lord but were altogether corrupt and strangers from the life of God only greedy in sinning Thirdly Atheisme there is in the hearts of all wicked men in some degree abominable conceits concerning God and his word They either doubt whether the Scriptures be the true word of God or else they are strongly carried to resolve there is no profit in the knowledge of Gods wayes or in serving the Almighty Iob. 21.14 Malac. 3.15 Fourthly Cares of life The love of the profits or pleasures of this life cheak the word and the power of it as is apparent by these places Matth. 13. Luke 14. Psal. 119.36 37 c. Fiftly In some eyther whoredome or wine for these two sinnes together or either of them take away mens hearts they are voide of all due consideration and of all affection to Gods word They are senselesse creatures Hosh. 4. Thus of the chiefe lets of the wicked The lets of affection in the godly are divers First Sometimes it is their worldlinesse their too much minding and plodding about the things of this life or their excessive burthening of their heads about their calling they have too much to do or they have too much care care I say that is distrustfull and câ—rking care Psal. 119.36 Secondly Sometimes it is want of comfortable fellowshippe in the Gospell Affection that is alone is seldome constant in the same degree There is much quickning and comfort and incitation in a constant and tender and profitable society with such as love the word Psalm 119. verse 63. Thirdly Sometimes it is some secret sinne that gets too much dominion over them As affection may stand with meere frailties and infirmities So on the other sidâ— if any sinne once get head and men yeeld to it and agree to obey it their affections to the word presently dye within them Psal. 119.133 Yea if this sinne be but in the
and judge of their estate by what it was before Thirdly they may bee infallibly assured that they are in a right way because they desire to live uprightly and to forsake the corruptions that are in the world Fourthly they must know that it is a greater glory in faith to beleeve now when they feele not then to beleeve when the heart abounded with joy Fiftly they may judge of their affection to the word by their preparation before they come and by their onely liking of such as love the word and by their constant frequenting of it and by their sorrow for their dulnesse and unprofitablenesse Hitherto of the duty to which hee exhorteth the motives follow and they are some First ye are new borne babes Secondly the word is sincere milk Thirdly ye may thereby grow Fourthly ye have tasted the sweetnesse of the bounty of God in his word already The first reason tels what they are the second what the word is the third what they shall be the fourth what the word hath beene As new borne babes These words are taken in diverse senses For properly they signifie infants while they are tender and unweaned from the breast Sometimes they signifie unable men and such as have no fitnesse for their callings so Isay. 3.4 Sometimes they signifie such as be weake in saith and in the gifts of the spirit whether they be newly regenerated or lying in sinne 1. Cor. 3.1 Heb. 5.13 and so it is taken here And so the words are a reason to induce them to an affectionatâ— desire after the word in as much as they are so weake they can no better live without the word then the childe in nature can live without milk Divers things may be from hence noted First that grace is wrought in Christians by degrees Christ is revealed in us by foure degrees First as a childe or little babe new formed and borne Secondly as a young man in more strength and vigour and comelinesse and activenesse Thirdly as a father or old man setled with long experience these three are in this life and mentioned 1. Iob. 2.14 Now the fourth is when Christ shall appeare in us as the Ancient of daies like God himselfe in a marvelous glorious resemblance of the holinesse and properties of God And this shall be in another world The use should be both for thankfulnesse if Christ be formed in us to any degree and to inâ—iâ—e our industry in all the meanes appointed of God seeing we receive gifts by degrees and not all at once Secondly that true grace may stand with many weaknesses A childe doth truely live and yet it is very ignorant and infirme and wayward and fit for little or no imploiment such may Christians be for a time such were the very disciples of Christ for a time such were the Corinthians 1. Cor. 3.1 and the Hebrewes Heb. 5â— 3 The use should be to restraine censuring of others because of their infirmities to have no grace at all Whereas wee should rather bear with them and beleeve all things Rom. 15.2 1. Cor. 13.5 And besides those that are distressed in minde should comfort them-selves with this they may bee full of weaknesses and very unprofitable and yet have the true life of Christ in them Thirdly that the most Christians are but new borne babes infants in grace not only such as are newly converted but such as have spent a longer time in the profession of godlinesse the Apostle here takes it for granted that all they to whom he writes were little better or stronger and so it is usuall in all times and places Question How comes it to passe that the most Christians live still but as weak ones and babes in Christ especially why thrive they not according to the time of their age in Christ. Answer In nature a child gets out of his childhood as his yeares grow upon him but in religion and grace it is not so It is not time brings any of necessity out of the cradle of Religion Now the cause why the most are but babes and that after a long time may be such or some of these First some as soone as they are borne are destitute of the breast have no nurse are taken away from their meanes and deprived of the powerfull preaching of the word which did beget them unto God this comes to passe sometimes by the violence of others or by the afflicting hand of God upon their bodies or sometime by their owne carelesnesse that for worldly respects remove to places where they have not the meanes to build them up Secondly some are infected with some bitter root of passion or envy or malice which was left behind in their repentance not fully subdued and this holds them so downe that they cannot thrive but are stocked in godlinesse that after many yeares they shew little bigger or better then they were in knowledge or grace 1. Cor. 3. 1.2.3 1. Pet. 2.1.2 Eph. 4.15.16 â— Pet. 3. 7. Thirdly others at their first setting out are intangled with doubtfull disputations and carried about with odde opinions or strange doctrines and so insnared with controversies about words or things of lesse value that misplacing their zeale and mis-led in their knowledge they thrive little or nothing in the maine substance of godlinesse but need be taught the very principles Rom. 14.1 Heb. 13.7 2. Pet. 3.17 Especially when they be apt to receive Scandall and admit offence such were the beleeving Iewes the most of them Fourthly some are meerely held back by their worldlinesse they relapse to such excessive cares of life and so devour up their time about earthly things that they cannot profit not prosper in better things Fiftly many thrive not or not sensibly being hindred by the ill company which either voluntarily or necessarily they are plunged into and cheefly for want of fellowship in the Gospell with such as might bee patterns to them in knowledge and the practice of faith and piety Sixtly spirituall lazinesse and idlenesse is the cause why many grow not They wil take no paines but after they have repented and beleeved in some measure Heb. 5.13 and be gotten a little whole of the wounds they were diseased withall in their conversion they fall into a kinde of security and rest in the outward and formall use of the meanes and neglect many precious things which from day to day they are moved and counselled to by the word and spirit of God and this disease is the worse when it is joyned with spirituall pride and that vile conceitednesse which is seene to come daily in many Seventhly some Christians after calling are insnared and deceived by the methods of Satan and so live in some secret sinne against their own knowledge In fâ—vour of which they forbeare the hearty regard and use of Gods ordinances and so dangerously expose themselves to the raigne of hypocrisie These are wonderfully stocked and grow worse and not better These are the reasons why
possible obedience of heart and life Psal. 2.11 Sixthly wee should follow his Colours and take his paâ—t and contend for the truth against all the world and in particular against Antichrist that man of sinne Revel 17.14 Seventhly We should imitate the praises and vertues of this chosen One especially in two things to weet humility and constancy as the Prophet Esay sheweth 42.2 3 4. Lastly And specially this Chosen or rather this knowledge of this Chosen of God should teach us to relie upon Christ without wavering with all trust and confidence for our reconciliation with God for the obtaining of knowledge comfort deliverance preservation yea and salvation too for this is he whom God hath given for a covenant to all people and his soule delights in him And therefore also wee may runne boldly to the Throne of grace and put up our petitions by Christ. For wee are here assured that God will denie him nothing as these places evidently shew Psal. 42.6 7 8 16. Psal. 49.6 8 9 10 11 12. Math. 12.17 to 22. But then we must looke to it that wee observe the seasons and opportunity of grace Esay 49.8 2 Cor. 6. 2. Let us therefore embrace while God is to be found and offers us Christ for wee may seeke when God will not be found as Esâ—â— sought the blessing when it was too late Heb. 12.15 And further this may serve for singular terrour to all unbeleevers that will not have Christ to rule over them He is elected already of God and therefore will mightily pursue all the enemies of God and the Church and all those that disobey him whom God hath chosen hee will pursue them both with the terrours of his Word his mouth being made like a sharpe sword and with the plagues of his hand being made like a polished shaft Esay 49. â— He will appeare to wicked men in the day of wrath as a mighty man and as a man of warre though to his owne hee be as a Lamb to them hee will be as a Giant they shall not be able to resist and though hee lift not up his voice in the streets of his people yet hee will set upon them with roaring and singular terrour even with all the signes of furious displeasure and though for a time hee may seeme to put up the contempt of men that disallow him yet at the length hee will not refraine and will destroy at once c. Esay 42.13 14 15. Besides This doctrine of Christs chosen or of Gods choice should notably check that unbeliefe and fearefulnesse that is too often found even in 〈◊〉 in the deare servants of God When God hath published his election of Christ for the service of our redemption why doth some say The Lord hath forsaken and his Lord hath forgotten him Can God forget his people or will hee ever denie his Chosen Shall not Christ be regarded in our behalfe who is the person whom his soule loveth Esay 49.8 c. 13 14 15 16. Precious First in respect of his nature hee is the choicest 〈◊〉 in heaven and earth never such a man all the creatures in heaven and in earth are inferiour to him Secondly In respect of his gifts he is qualified with all the treasures of wisdome and grace above all his fellowes Col. 2.3 Psal. 45. Thirdly In respect of his works never creature did works of such price so usefull so exquisite so transcendent Fourthly In respect of his sufferings he paid such a price to God in the ransom of man as all the world besides could not raise or any way make Fiftly In respect of effects he gives the most precious things no treasures like those may be had from him his very promises are precious 2 Pet. 1.4 This may serve first to informe us in divers things as First Concerning that matchlesse love of God to us that gave us his Son who is so precious Rom. 8.34 Secondly Concerning the horrible sinne of Iudas and the high Priests that valewed him but at thirty pieces Thirdly Concerning the most miserable condition of all prophane people and persons even whole multitudes of people that so neglect Christ that can with Esau sell him for trifles pleasures or profits even as meane sometimes as a messe of pottage c. The more glorious Christ is the more vile is their sinne of neglect or contempt of Christ. Woe to them that disallow him then Even to all those sorts of men before mentioned â— Christ will not be a foundation stone to support them nor a precious stone to enrich them but as the upper and nether milstone to grinde them to pieces or as a rock falling upon them Quest. But what should be the reason that Christ is in no more request amongst men Answer First One cause is mans ignorance both of their owne misery out of Christ as also of the glory of Christ in himselfe and of the priviledges man might attaine by him and of the singular glory to come Secondly Another cause is unbeliefe Men have a secret kind of Atheisme in them and doe not beleeve the report of the servants of Christ out of the Word Esay 53.1 3. Thirdly Another cause is that the most men looke upon the out-side of the Kingdome of Christ and of the estate of Christians which because they finde it covered with afflictions and seated in a low condition without outward splendour they therefore contemne it Our life is hid with Christ in God Colos. 3.3 Fourthly But the maine reason is because men doe falsly esteeme of other things they set so high a price upon their pleasures profits lusts credits honours hopes c. that Christ is not remembered nor valued unlesse it be at Iudas his rate and yet many will not valew him at so much as thirty pence but they will make shipwrack of a good conscience even for a peny I meane for extreame small gaine in buying and selling and such like dealing And thus much of the third thing we may be informed of The last is concerning the wealthy estate of all true Christians How rich are they that possesse this Mine of treasure who have his spirit graces righteousnesse ordinances and glory And as it may thus informe us so it should â—each us Vse 2. First To account of Christ as most precious to esteeme of him as ever precious in our eyes and shew it 1. By seeking to get Christ above all gettings 2. By accounting all things but as dust and dung in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christ Phil. 3.8 3. By selling all to buy this precious stone Math. 13. forsaking father and mother house and land for Christs sake and the Gospels 4. By keeping our communion with Christ with all carefulnesse 5. By avoiding all the waies by which Christ is disallowed and disesteemed 6. By longing for and loving his appearing 2 Tim. 4. hasting to it and looking for his comming 2 Pet. 3. Secondly to consecrate our selves and
all these clouds and in the very dunghill of his unbeliefe and sinfulnesse can find out his owne part of faith In plaine tearmes there is no time after conversion but if a Christian were throughly sisted and put to it he would be found resolved in that point to rest upon the covenant of grace for all happinesse by Christ alone I say at all times in that part of him that is regenerate Christ can die in no man and if faith could die then should Christ also die in us seeing he liveth in us by faith A man may be without faith in the judgement of the world in his own judgement but never is without faith in the judgement of God A man may want this or that faith but not faith simply as that faith Luke 18. to rely upon God without failing and to call upon him with continuall perseverance as resolved that God will help us in that particular It is true If the Sonne of man come to search amongst men he shall scarcely finde that faith upon earth but yet a true faith in the generall he will find in the breast of every godly man and woman Peters faith did not faile when he denied his Master For Christ had prayed that his faith should not faile and was heard in that he prayed Shall not be confounded The Prophet Isaiah hath it thus He that beleeveth shall not make haste and it may be understood either as a precept Let him not make haste or as a promise He shall not make haste Men make haste two waies either in their behaviour when they runne headlong upon the duties they are to doe or when through impatience they will not tarry Gods leasure for their helpe and deliverance but fall to use unlawfull means and take that which comes next them without consideration of the lawfulnesse of it Now the beleever must avoid both these and God will in some measure sanctifie and guide the beleever thereunto The Apostle Paul Rom. 9.33 10.11 And the Apostle Peter in this place following the Greeke translation reade it He that beleeveth shall not be ashamed as in the Romans or confounded as here They swarve not from the meaning of the Prophet For by this tearme is avouched That the godly that beleeve shall never have cause to repent themselves or to fly from God to use ill meanes The holy Ghost then in this place is pleased to assure the beleever that he shall not be confounded To be confounded signifies sometimes to be reproached so Psal. 14.6 The wicked are said to confound the counsell of the godly that is they reproached it Sometimes it signifies to be daunted or dismayed Sometimes to be disappointed or broken in their purposes as Esay 19.9 10. Sometimes to be extreamly ashamed and so it is rendred Rom. 10.11 Sometimes to be put to a Non plâ—â— as Acts 9.22 Sometimes to be driven into amazement or wonder Acts 2.6 Sometimes to be brought into such a straite as one hath neither hope nor help 2 Cor. 4.8 9. Lastly it signifieth to perish utterly or to be undone or damned for ever and so confusion shall come to all that hate Sion or serve graven Images It is true that sometimes to be confounded is taken in the good sense and signifies either the affection of wonder as before Acts 2.6 or else a spirituall grace in the heart of a Christian by which his soule mourns and is abashed and ashamed with him And so there may be three reasons or rather causes assigned wherein the godly ought to be confounded As first in repentance for their sins of which these places intreat Ezech. 36.32 Ier. 31.19 Ezech. 16 61. and for this cause rebellious offenders must be noted their company shunned that they may be confounded in themselves for their sins 2 Thes. 3.14 and the Lord complaines that the people were not ashamed for their sins Ier. 6.15 Secondly when God or Religion or the godly are reproached and disgraced thus Psal. 44.15 16. Ier. 51.51 Thirdly the people that professe the truth doe erre through indiscretion or give offence or live in any grievous evill Esay 29.22 23. Ezra 9.6 7. Now because the confusion here mentioned is a misery God will turne away from the beleever therefore I will explaine that point and shew how many wayes God keeps the beleever from being confounded They shall not be confounded This God will make good unto them both in this life and in the day of Judgement In this life they shall not be confounded neither in respect of their outward estate nor in respect of their spirituall estate For their outward estate whether we respect their condition and credit or the meanes of their preservation For their credit God will doe one of these two things For either God will make them exceeding glorious and make them high in praises as Esay 49.2 3. or â—â— the least though they may passe through evill reports yet they shall not be utterly ashamed God will give them good report amongst the godly will greatly esteem them himselfe 2 Cor. 6.8 Heb. 11.2 Faith shall obtaine a good report And for the meanes of their preservation Either first God will save them from the temptations that fell on the world so as in the evill time they shall be provided for and preserved from distresse as Psal. 37.19 or else secondly God will not disappoint their trust but come to their succour and deliver them as Psal. 22.6 and 25.3 and Rom. 5.3 or else thirdly if God doe defer for a time hee will in the meane time refresh their hearts and lighten their faces with the comfort of his favour and presence as Psal. 34.6 Or else fourthly if the Lord let the affliction yet continue he will give theÌ„ strength to beare it and patience and magnaniâ—â—ity so as it shall be no great burthen to them as it is shewed of Christ Esa. 50.6 7. so of Paul Phil. 1.20 2 Tim. 1.12 Or else fiftly though they may be many wayes distressed yet they shall never be forsaken or perplexed so as to have cause to despaire They shall not be destroyed 2 Cor. 4.9 In all these senses they shall not be confounded in respect of their outward estate And for their spirituall estate they shall not be confounded and this may be shewed in divers things First in respect of illumination they shall not abide in darknesse Iohn 12.46 Secondly in respect of justification their sins are not imputed to them and the Lord so surely forgives the beleever that the conscience shal be satisfied with that propitiation is made in the bloud of Christ for it is not ashamed of the former evill waies because it beleeveth that they enjoy Gods pardon as if they had never been Zeph. 3.11 Thirdly in respect of Adoption because by beleeving they are made the sons of God so need not be ashamed at any time of their condition Ioh. 1.12 Fourthly in respect of accesse
Apostle expounds or applies the former testimony of Scripture which he urgeth both for the beleever and against the unbeleâ—ver The beleevers he cals upon to take notice of their felicity assuring them that that Scripture doth avouch that Christ is an incomparable treasure to them Concerning the unbeleevers he speaks terrible things whom he describes both by their sin and by their judgement The sinne is disobedience their judgement is to be considered as it is denounced first against their Leaders whom he cals Builders and then against the whole body of unbeleevers The plague upon the Builders is that the Kingdome of Christ shall be advanced in spight of their hearts they shall perish and be confounded but Christ shall raigne and flourish The plague upon the body of unbeleevers is that Christ shall be to them a stone of stumbling a rock of offence which is amplified by the consideration of the causes partly in themselves which is their stumbling at the Word and disobedience and partly in God who in his justice hath appointed them thereunto Thus of the order of the words Now before I come to the ful opening of each particular in these two verses I may observe divers things from the coherence and generall consideration of all these words First in that the Apostle doth not rest satisfied to alledge the Text but doth withall apply it it shewes the necessity of application We cannot profit by the Word if it be not laid particularly to our hearts as food doth not nourish if it be not eaten nor a medicine cure the disease if it be not taken nor a plaister heale the sore if it be not laid to it nor are our wants supplyed by comming to the market if we do not buy and carry home Which should work in us a sound care of application of the Word we heare or reade and withall it should waken us to a care of observing all the rules that may further us in applying which are these and such like First we must be carefull to understand rightly the Scriptures wee would apply this is the very foundation of all application that is profitable 2 Pet. 3. else we may grow perverse and wrong both the Word and our own selves Ob. But some private man might say This is hard how can we learne to know the cleer meaning of the Scripture and the sense of the Text Sol. For answer hereunto thou must know that there be divers rules that may help thee to understand or at least keep thee from wrong and dangerous mis-application First thou must be wise to sobriety not presume to know above what is meet nor to meddle with such secrets as should lead thee into knowledges that belong not to thy calling or are not evidently revealed in Scripture Secondly thou must have respect unto other Scriptures to take no sense that is contrary to other apparant Scriptures Thirdly thou must haue respect to the Analogie of faith to avoid all senses which oppose any article of faith or thy faith Rom. 12.3 Fourthly thou must avoid all doubtful disputations and unprofitable questions and vain â—anglings that tend not to edification and the salvation of thy soule and account it as a happinesse to be able to keep thy selfe free from intanglements therein And therefore stand at the doore of every opinion and before thou let it in ask this question What shall my soule be advantaged by this opinion at the day of Jesus Christ and if it cannot answer to it directly reject it Psal 119.66 David praies God to teach him good judgement and knowledge Fiftly let the publike Ministery of Gods servants be the ordinary rule of thy interpretation so long as no sense is taught there contrary to the former rules 1 Cor. 14.36 and where thou doubtest thou must seek the law at the Priests mouth and be very fearfull in any thing to be wiser than thy Teacher I meane to nourish private opinions which are not justified by publick doctrine Sixtly pray to God to teach thee and to give thee his Spirit to leade thee into all truth understanding is Gods gift 2 Tim. 2.7 and he will teach thee humbly his way Psal. 25. Thus of the first rule wee must first soundly understand the sense of the Scripture we would apply Secondly thou must bring a mind apt to be taught willing to be formed and to be all that which God would have thee to be thou canst never profit by application without a penitent mind a mind that will part with any sin God shall discover in thee and a mind carefull to observe the conditions required as well as the promise tendred Iames 1.21 This is indeed to glorifie the Word Thirdly it is an excellent help in application to follow the guiding of the holy Ghost in thy heart thou shalt finde in all doctrines a difference Some things read or heard have a speciall taste put upon them by Gods Spirit or a speciall assurance of them wrought at the time of reading or hearing Now thou must be carefull to take to thee these truths which the Spirit of God doth cause to shine before thee Eate that which is good Esay 55.2 Try all things and keep that which is good 1 Thes. 5.20 Fourthly know that serious and secret meditation upon the matter thou hearest is the principall nurse of fruitfull application it is but a flash can be had without an after and deliberate meditation and about meditation remember these rules 1. Let it be secret 2. Hee must let it be full Give not over till thou hast laid the truth up in thy heart take heed of that common deceit Psal. 119.45 of resting in the praise or liking of the doctrine be not a Judge against thine owne soule For if the doctrine be worthy of such praise why darest thou let it slip and run out Let not the devill steal it out of thy heart Mat. 13.20 or the cares of life choke it Luke 11.28 3. Let it be constant Be at the same point still from day to day till it be soundly formed and seated in thy heart How rich might many Christians have been if they had observed this rule Psal. 1.2 Psal. 119.3 5. Esayâ—6 â—6 9 Fiftly be wise for thy self take heed of that error of transposing thy applications say not This is a good point for such and such till thou have tried thine owne heart whether it belong not to thee Psal. 119.59 Pro. 9.7 Sixtly by any means be carefull of the seasons of doctrine be wise to understand the season There be many truths which if thou let passe the opportunity of informing of thy selfe thou maist perhaps never have it so againe and therefore take heed of losing precious things when thou hast the time and meanes to attaine them c. Thus of the first point The second thing is the speciall duty of Ministers to apply the Scriptures to the hearers that belong to their charge we see the Apostles
implied is that God will passe by these workmen and reject their service This I gather from hence that whereas these builders would not make use of Christ in the building it is here repeated that the building doth goe on and Christ is laid as the Head of the corner which imports that God had rejected them Now God rejects wicked Ministers two waies First one when he curseth or blasteth their gifts and refuseth to be glorified by them when he causeth the night to come upon their divination and puts out their right eyes Secondly the other is when he roots them out by death and makes their places spue them out The first is here chiefly intended and so it notes that it is a great curse of God upon learned men in the Ministery when God will not imploy them or make use of their gifts A learned man that either laboureth not or proposeth not in his labours Gods glory is a publike and standing Monument of Gods displeasure for men to stand and gaze at as it is a great argument of disgrace done to a Carpenter or Mason to stand by while the house is builded and they not intreated or suffered to work and yet have their tooles readie Oh it is a marvellous justice of God to see learned but not godly men passe by so as they have not the honour to doe any work in the Church for the salvation of the souls of men and contrariwise it should rejoyce the hearts of godly Ministers that God as Paul saith of himselfe will account them faithfull to put them into his service and to give their labours any successe Secondly the exprest punishment is the preferment of Christ and the promoting of his Kingdome Hee is made the Head of the corner which words must be considered either in relation to the builders or in themselves as they concerne the exaltation of Christ. First in relation to the builders it imports that it is a punishment to wicked Ministers that love not the Lord Jesus that Christ and his Kingdome should flourish As it fretted the Pharises so it doth and will fret the heart of wicked men till the day of Christ and it is a punishment because of their envie at it and because they finde that they have no part in Christ or the happinesse of his Kingdome their consciences accusing them and besides because they are openly crossed in their oppositions and so ashamed before men Which observation may serve for triall For it is a certaine note of a wicked man who loves not the Lord Jesus that he is crossed and accounts himselfe afflicted or ashamed because the Kingdome of Christ prospers The words in themselves concern the exaltation of Christ and shew how God raised him out of the heap of rubbish as it were and carried him up to heaven and made him their Head and King Head I say over all things giving him power over all things and in particular in respect of the Angels head of principalities and powers and in respect of men head of the Church Nor is it barely said he is head but head of the corner which is a Metaphor borrowed from the building where the holy Ghost intends to shew that he is the onely foundation of the Church as hath been shewed in the first verse of this Chapter And he is well said to be Head of the corner because upon Christ meet as the two sides meet in the corner stone both Angels and men and amongst men both the Saints in heaven and the godly on earth and amongst men on earth both Jewes and Gentiles even all the Elect of all nations ages and conditions in the world The uses of the exaltation of Christ briefly follow First it should teach us to strive by all means to get into his service that is so powerfull and able to doe so much for his servants Secondly It shews us the end of the oppositions of all wicked men Christ shall increase and prosper and they shall be confounded and perish Thirdly it should especially enforce the necessity of beleeving in Christ wee should lie upon him with all our waight as the building doth on the foundation Fourthly it should comfort us in all distresses considering what end God gave to the sufferings of Christ and so it is urged Heb. 12.2 The consideration of the manner and the time followes Is become or is made He doth not tell how but leaves that as granted to be effected without hands even by the speciall providence of God which gives us occasion to take speciall notice of the truth that in things of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ God is pleased to make his worke or to worke sometimes without using any of the meanes which the world takes notice of hee neglects all those meanes which fall within the expectation Psal. 118.20 21. as here for the proclaiming of the Messias there was not any one order or rank of men eminent in the world which God made use of But by a way altogether strange to the world erected the Christian Monarchie which should teach us not to limit God to the meanes which is likeliest to us but to live in all things by faith and where means seeme to faile then with Abraham above hope and under hope to give glory to God and cast our selves and all our care upon God Thus of the manner The time followes In that he said It is become Christ was Head of the corner according to the present time First if we consider the type of it Christ was become head of the corner in that David was made King of Israel as a type of Christs Kingdome over the Church Secondly Christ was head in that in the Apostles time he had received power after his Ascension over all things though as yet the Gentiles were not so fully converted Thirdly that hee is become the head may be taken prophetically For the Prophets to expresse the certainty of a thing to come utter it in the words of the present tense It is so because it shall as surely be so as if it were already done VERSE 8. And a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence even to them which stumble at the Word being disobedient unto the which thing they were even ordained HItherto of the punishments upon the builders The punishment upon the whole body of unbeleevers is contained in this verse Wherein note first the kindes of punishment Christ is a rocke of offence and a stone of stumbling Secondly the causes both in themselves and in God in the words that follow A rocke of offence and a stone of stumbling Since wicked men have refused Christ and will not beleeve in him hee that may not be a stone of foundation will prove a stone of stumbling and a rocke for them to dash on till they be dashed to pieces which words import the fearefull judgements of God spiritually afflicted upon unbeleevers which is two-fold First they shall be given up to
doctrines as this In the words of this verse then two things are to bee noted first the kinds of punishments inflicted upon the body of unbeleevers secondly the causes of it The kindes are two first God will deliver them up to scandall and then to despaire to scandall as Christ is a stone of stumbling to despaire as Christ is a rocke of offence These words are taken out of the Prophet Esay chap. 8. where the Lord intends by them to denounce the reprobation of the Jewes as some thinke or rather foretels the spirituall judgements which shall be inflicted upon them The Apostle in this place applies the words to the unbeleevers of his time among whom the obstinate Jewes were chiefe to shew that as the other Scripture was comfortable to the godly so were there places that did threaten the wicked and that as the former place did prove Christ a stone of foundation for the godly so this did shew that Christ was a stone in another sense to the wicked Christ is a stone of triall to all men in the Church because the doctrine of Christ tries men whether they bee elected or rejected good or bad so Esay 28.16 Againe Christ is a precious stone to the beleever and thirdly here a stone of stumbling to the unbeleevers Now that we may know what offence or scandall is we may be helped by the Etymologie of the originall words For scandall in the originall is either derived of a word that signifies to halt or else it noteth any thing that lieth in a mans way a stone or a piece of wood against which hee that runneth stumbleth so hurteth or hindreth himselfe It most properly signifieth rest or a certain crooked piece with a baite upon it in instruments by which mice or wolves or foxes are taken and thence the Church translated the name of scandall to note the snares by which men are catched as beasts are in grins and baites so the word it seemes is used So then a scandall is any thing which causeth or occasioneth offences by which a man is made to halt or is brought into a snare or made to stand still or fall in matter of religion or salvation And so the sorcerers were a stumbling blocke to Pharaoh and the false prophets to Ahab and the lying signes of Antichrist to such as love not the truth Now all scandall may be thus divided Scandall is either active or passive that is given or taken Scandall given is when the authour of the action is likewise the cause of the hurt that comes by it Thus Elias sonnes were scandalous thus David by his grievous sinnes gave offence 1 Sam. 2.17 2 Sam. 18.22 c. and thus Scandall is given either by evill doctrine first whether hereticall secondly or superstiâ—ious or else by wickednesse of life or by wilfull abuse of Christian liberty Offence taken is either from our selves or from others A man may be an offence a stumbling blocke to himselfe by dallying with some speciall beloved corruption of which our Saviour Christ saith If thine eye offend thee pull it out or thy hand or thy foot c. Matth. 3.29 Scandall taken from others is either that they call humane or that they call diabolicall Scandall taken which they call humane may either bee found in godly men or wicked men godly Christians that are weake may be offended or hindred in religion divers wayes as either by reason of the persecution and oppression of the godly or by the heresies or dissentions of men in the Church or by the flourishing estate and prosperity of the wicked as also by the liberty some of the godly take in things indifferent for the advancing of the Gospel in case of necessity As when Paul for the gaining of the Gentiles neglected Moses Law This was an offence to many beleeving Jewes contra c. Wicked men also take offence as here in this text is manifest Now the offence which they call diabolicall is that when men wilfully and perversly will provoke themselves to sinne freely because of the examples of the vices of godly men as when the drunkennesse of Noah the incest of Lot the adultery and murther of David the perjury of Peter or the like is alledged to maintaine themselves in a liberty of sinning It is the scandall of wicked men which is here meant Now wicked men make themselves miserable in this case of scandall both wayes By giving offence and by taking offence By giving offence and so Christ curseth them for offending his little ones Mat. 18. Wicked men offend them either by the subtilty of false and corrupt doctrine or by provocation and inticement or by evill example or by discouraging them with reproaches threats or oppositions or the like but this kind of offence is not meant here It is offence taken which is noted here as a grievous curse upon them and amongst offences taken this is their misery that they gather offence from what should have been the cause of their holinesse and happinesse even from Christ. Might some one say What should men be offended at in Christ The Jewes were offended First at the vilenesse of his person or his meane condition Secondly at the poverty and simplicity of his Disciples Thirdly at the obscurity of his Kingdome being without wordly pompe and glory Fourthly at his conversation because he kept company with sinners Fifthly at his doctrine partly because he reproved their superstition and hypocrisie and the traditions of their fathers and partly because he taught that justification could not bee had by Moses Law but must bee sought by beleeving in him as also by other particular directions as that man must eate of his flesh that he was the Sonne of God that he was older than Abram c. lastly at his miracles for they thought he did it by some Divell Thus in our times the Papists they take offence at the newnesse of our Religion as they pretend at the freenesse of the people that professe it at the doctrine of justification by faith alone c. Thus also wicked men in the Church are offended at the small number of such as are sincere at the plainnesse of the preaching of the Gospell or such like Quest. 2. Might some one say What if wicked men be offended is that such a great misery Answ. Yes for it is many times the occasion of their ruine For wee see many men keepe these objections in their hearts till their death by which they are hardned from all care of salvation by Christ at the best it is a notable hindrance for the time it frustrates them of the Gospel and of the communion of Saints c. â—se The use may bee first for information Wee may hence see what an infectious sorceresse unbeleefe is It can make things exceeding good to prove exceeding evill to them it can make God the Word the Sacraments and Christ himselfe all good to be occasions of extreme evill to
an infallible assurance that there is a God or that there shall be a hell of wofull torments or the like but it should especially make us thinke of God with all reverence and be afraid to displease him for dominion and feare are ever with him Iob 25.2 This doctrine should make us resolute to goe our wayes and sinne no more the counsell of the wicked should be farre from us seeing he can thus put out their candle and make them drinke of the wrath of the Almighty Iob 21.17 20. Thirdly it should worke in all of us a care to use all meanes that we may be kept from despaire Quest. What then should we do that we fall not into despaire Answ. Some things are to be avoided some things are to be done If we would not fall into despaire First we must take heed of wilfull unbeliefe such as was in the Jewes when men not onely neglect the assurance of salvation brought by Christ but contemne it and strive to put all such cares out of their heads Secondly we must take heed of stumbling If men feele their hearts to bee insnared in respect of Christ and that they are tossed with vile objections c. let them looke to themselves and amend in time for if Christ be a stone of stumbling he may be a rocke of offence Thirdly we must take heed of security and contempt of the knowledge of God's waies Despaire will worke terribly when it lights upon 2 minde that hath contemned knowledge and lived in all ease and security Iob 21.1 to 20. Fourthly we must take heed of apostasie from the profession of the love of the truth for despaire is many times a wofull scourge to such kinde of creatures as the stories record and experience shewes Fifthly we must in generall take heed of all grosse and presumptuous sins especially the sinnes against the third sixt and seventh Commandements for usually these sinnes goe before in the desperation such as are swearing and cursing and perjury and murther and incest and whoredome c. The wicked flee when no man pursues them but the righteous are bold as a Lion Prov. 28.1 and 14.14 Now secondly there are other things which we must doe that wee may avoid despaire First we must not smother our doubts in matters of Religion especially in the cases of our conscience but take the paines to aske and seeke resolution else that which is but doubting at the first may prove to be despaire in the end Those lesser sores in mens hearts may fester and rankle within us till they prove to this great disease Secondly we must store our heads with the promises of the Gospell and those comfortable places of Scripture as may breed in us a full perswasion of Gods singular compassion and mercy towards all penitent sinners and withall do shew us that plentifull redemption in Jesus Christ and the marvellous efficacie of his blood to cleanse us from all our sinnes Thirdly we should above all things put on the shield of faith I meane we should use all diligence to get the assurance of Gods favour in Christ for assurance will preserve us safe from despaire For as unbeliefe brings it so faith preserves us from it Fourthly we should be carefull upon all occasions to keepe our assises and if wee bee endangered by any sinne wee should make haste to judge our selves that we be not condemned of the Lord. For the attendance upon this point maketh all safe whereas the long neglect of our daily sinnes without any humiliation for them may turne in the end to the pangs of some miserable despaire Use 4. Fourthly hence the godly may comfort themselves because Christ is to them a rocke to build on Mat. 16.2 rocke for refuge and safety Psal. 18.2 a rocke for shadow Esa. 32.2 And therefore let the Inhabitants of the earth sing Esa. 42.11 and withall if they consider how God sheweth them they should account their other afflictions but light in comparison of what falls upon wicked men Object But we reade that godly men have beene in despaire as David Iob and others Sol. It is true but yet there was ever great difference betweene the despaire of the godly and the wicked which I will briefly note First they differed in the causes The honours of the wicked proceeded from the curse of God whereas the sorrowes of the godly proceeded from his mercy Secondly they differed sometimes in the object for godly men despaire of themselves wicked men despaire of God It is a grace usuall in repentance to despaire of all happinesse from our selves but now wicked men are out of all hope of Gods mercy and helpe Thirdly they differ in the effects For Cain blasphemes God in his despaire and saith his punishment is greater than he can beare or his sinnes greater than can be forgiven but the godly give glory to God and account him alwaies just and good Againe wicked men rage and repent not but godly men bewaile their sinnes and cry mightily to God Rev. 16.9 10. Ier. 18.12 Wicked men bee in travell but they bring forth nothing but wind they are never the better when they come out of their affliction no though they poured out a prayer to God in the time of distresse Esa. 26.16 17 18. Thirdly the confidence of the wicked man is swept downe as the house of a spider they have no hope at all Iob 8.13 and 11. ult whereas godly men at the worst are supported with some kind of hope or perswasion of mercy and therefore usually they rather aske whether Gods mercy be cleane gone than say it is so Psalm 77. and they rather complaine that God hides himselfe from them than that God hateth them Psal. 88.15 Fourthly they differ in the measure too For God alwayes hath respect to the strength of his children to lay no more upon them than they are able to beare whereas hee respects the sinne of wicked men and regards it not though they cry out with Cain they cannot beare it Fifthly God gives issue out of the triall and returnes from his displeasure in a moment when he deales with the godly Esay 54. whereas wicked men can have no such hope Lastly seeing despaire is such a curse and is so farre from leading men to Christ that it makes them suffer shipwracke upon Christ Ministers and all others should take heed of driving the people upon any pretence into this kind of desperation let men be taught to despaire of themselves but never to despaire of God Hitherto of the kindes of punishments The causes follow first in themselves secondly in God In themselves it is their stumbling at the word and their disobedience To them which stumble at the Word There is a divers reading The old reading was thus To them that offend in the Word noting either in generall that Gods word or Christ doth not profit these men that were guilty of evill speaking and the grosse abuses of the tongue
or in particular it should note the sinnes of the stubborne Jewes who offended in word when they blasphemed Christ and denyed him But I rather take it as here it is translated and so it notes the causes why many men fall into scandall and from thence into despaire viz. because they bring ill hearts to the Word of God they have mindes that are rebellious and will not be subject to the Gospell but intertaine it with diseased and cavilling mindes Those persons are likely not to receive any good by Christ that quarrell at the word of Christ. Now that this may not be mistaken or neglected I will shew first what it is not to stumble at the Word leâ—t some weake ones should be dismayed then secondly how many waies wicked men stumble at the Word For the first To be grieved in heart for the reproofes of the Word is not an offence but a grace so wee are troubled not with dislike of the Word but of our owne sinnes Secondly to inquire of the truth and that which is delivered and to trie the doctrine by turning to the Scriptures as the Bereans did this is not condemned here nor is it a stumbling at the Word to put a difference betweene the teaching of Christ and the teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees Secondly but men are said to be offended at the Word when their hearts rise against it or they ensnare themselves through their owne corruption by occasion of the Word To speake distinctly wicked men are offended at the Word with a threefold offence First with the offence of anger when they rage and fret at the Word or the teachers thereof because their sinnes are reproved or their miseries foretold And this offence they shew either when they envie the successe of the Word Acts. 4.2 or raile and revile Gods Saints as Ahab did Michaiah for telling him the truth or when they mocke at the Word as the Pharisees did Luk. 16.14 Secondly with the offence of scandall when they take occasion from the doctrine they heare to fall off from hearing or from the true religion or from the company of the godly Thus they stumbled at those hard sayings of Christ that departed from him for that cause or reason Ioh. 6. Thirdly with the offence diabolicall when men pervert the good word of God to inflame themselves the more greedily to sinne making it a doctrine of liberty or taking occasion to commit sin from the Law that rebukes sinne Uses The use may be first for information and so two wayes For first we may hence see the reason why many hearers profit not by the Word It is not because the Word wants power but because they stumble at it They nourish cavils and objections against it they oppose reason to faith Secondly we may hence take notice of the difference of a regenerate and unregenerate heart To the one the Word is a savour of life to the other it is a deadly savour and full of offence to them And withall this may humble wicked men For this is a sure truth that so long as they are offended at the Word so long they have no part in Christ and withall it may comfort all those that love the Word and receive it with joy constantly For that is a meanes and signe of their interest in Christ. Being disobedient These words containe another cause why Christ was no better rellished by them and why they found such an ill taste in the word of Christ it was the wickednesse that was in them Sinne had marred their tastes Sweete meates have but an ill rellish with those who have corrupt and diseased stomackes and the cause is apparent the ill humors in their stomackes and nothing in the meates they eate But of their disobedience before and therefore this shall suffice in this place And thus of the cause in themselves The cause in God followes Whereunto they were appointed There is much difference of the reading of the originall words in the translations Some read thus They stumble at the Word and beleeve not in him in whom they are placed or set and expound it thus In whom they live move and have their being some read in stead of disobedient They beleeved not but for these words read them as here But then their meaning is that the Jewes beleeved not though they were thereunto appointed that is though they had the promise of salvation and were a people separate thereunto and so it is an aggravation of their unbeliefe This sense and reading is not to be despised But I take it as I find it in the translation and so the sense is That these men whether Jews or Gentiles that are here spoken of were appointed to this misery by the decree of God and so they are words that expresse the substance of this part of Gods decree which Divines call Reprobation And so it is to bee observed from hence That wicked men are appointed from everlasting to the enduring of the miseries which are inflicted upon them in this life or in hell This is a doctrine which is extreamly distasted by flesh and blood and proves many times more offensive to the common people and is alwayes to be reckoned as strong meat and therefore that I may fairely get off this point I offer two things to your considerations First the proofes that plainly avouch so much as is here observed Secondly I will set downe certaine infallible observations which tend to quiet mens minds and perswade them against the seeming difficulty or absurdity of this truth For the first the Apostle Iude saith that the wicked men he treateth of were of old ordained to this condemnation Iude 4. and the Apostle Peter saith that the ungodly were reserved unto the day of judgement to bee punished 2 Pet. 2.9 and vers 12. he saith that they are naturall brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed and it is manifestly implied 1 Thess. 5.8 that God hath ordained wicked men to wrath so Rom. 9.22 For the second though this doctrine seeme wonderfull hard yet to assure us there is no hard dealing at all in God there be many things may confirme us and ease our mindes though for the present we cannot understand how this should be and perhaps are much troubled about this point and therefore seriously consider First for thy selfe that if thou have truly repented and doe beleeve in Jesus Christ and hast in thee the signes of a child of God for thy part thou art free from this danger and out of all question art in safe estate and therefore oughtest not to grieve but rejoyce with singular praise to God Secondly seeing God hath comforted us with many doctrines and trusted us with many cleere points of knowledge can we not be contented that God should speake darkely to us in one point especially when wee are told beforehand that there is an Abyssus a depth yea many depths in this doctrine Shall we bee wayward because
reconciled yet they are so busily imployed in following foolish vanities that they forsake their owne mercy Ionah 2.8 They will not answer when God calls but reject his Word and grieve his good Spirit and abuse his patience and bountifulnesse and so heape up wrath against the day of wrath Thirdly others seeke mercy but they seeke it not aright they faile in the manner as either they seeke it coldly and carelesly praying but for fashion sake or with their lips without power of affections They speake for mercy but they doe not care for mercy they neither observe nor regard whether their petitions bee granted or denied and this is the condition of the ordinary sort of men Or else they seeke mercy corruptly without sincerity of of the heart as when men pray God to forgive them the sinnes which yet they mind not to leave Now this is a shamefull kinde of seeking mercy For God stands upon it that we must forsake our wickednesse or else he will not forgive Esa. 55.6 2 Tim. 2.19 Or else lastly men seeke it too late â—â— Esau sought the blessing when it was gone Heb. 12.15 They may call when God will not answer Pro. 1. Zachar. 7. And this is the case of some that put off their repentance untill the latter end But have now obtained mercy Doct. The godly are exceeding happy in the obtaining of Gods mercy All that are called in Christ Jesus even all that have truly repented themselves of their sinnes are certainly under mercy and in thâ—t respect in a marvellous safe and happy condition Three things are distinctly imported in the observation First the onâ— iâ— that God is mercifull Mercy may bee obtained Ionah 4.2 Psal. 116.5 and 86. Secondly that penitent sinners doe obtain mercy Iâ—â—l 2.13 Esâ— 55.7 Thirdly that such as have obtained Gods mercy are in a marvellous happy case in comparison of what they were before in It is enough if wee obtained mercy whatsoever we obtaine not Hence the phrase Thou hast covered him with thy mercy And our happinesse in respect of the interest we have in Gods mercy is the greater if we consider either the properties or the effects of Gods mercy There are foure admirable properties in the mercy of God which he shews to his people First his mercy is tender mercy Psalm 51.1 which hee shewes in divers things as First that he is full of compassion in pitying the distresses of his people no father can so pitty his child Psalm 103.13 Hence his bowels are â—aid to bee troubled for them or to sound in him Where is the sounding of thy bowels saith the Prophet Esa. 63.15 Ier. 31.20 The word Misericordiam imports as much for it sounds misery laid to the heart God then is mercifull in that he layes our miseries to his heart Secondly that he waits to shew mercy Esa. 30.18 watching for all opportunities as it were to prevent us with his blessings Thirdly that he is slow to anger not easily stirred to displeasure when he hath shewed his favour Psalm 103.1 He is a God of judgement that considers the weaknesses and infirmities of his servants as knowing whereof they are made Esa. 30.18 Psal. 103. Fourthly that if he do see some more prevailing evills in his people yet hee will spare as a father spares his onely sonne Mal. 3.17 And if he doe chide yet he rebukes his people still with great affection Ier. 31.19 and he will quickly give over and not chide alwayes Psal. 103. He is ready to forgive as soone as they call unto him Esa. 65.23 and 55 7. Psal. 103. Fifthly that if he doe bring affliction upon his people to humble them yet he will not consume them but will repent him of the evill Ioel. 2.13 Deut. 32.36 Amos 7.36 Sixthly that in shewing his love he is of great kindnesse called the marvellous loving kindnesse Psal. 17.7 hence resembled to marriage kindnesse Hos. 2.19 No husband can be so fond of his wife as God is of his people nor can any man devise such wayes to expresse kindnesse as God doth to his people Seventhly that his mercy is without all grievance to him Mercy pleaseth him Mic. 7.18 It breeds as it were an unspeakable contentment in God himselfe when he hath dealth mercifully with his servants Secondly his mercy is immense unmeasurable and this is exprest by divers formes of speech in the Scripture Thus God is said to bee plenteous in mercy Psal. 86.5 aboundant in mercy 1 Pet. 1.3 rich in mercy Eph. 2.4 His mercy is great above the heavens Psal. 108.5 Gods Word herein hath magnified his name above all things Psal. 138.2 He hath a multitude of mercies Psal. 51.1 manifold mercies Nehem. 9.19 They are unsearchable high as the heaven is from the earth Psal. 103.11 His kindnesse is said to be marvellous loving kindnesse Psal. 17.7 Which must needs appeare to be so because he is a Father of mercies all mercies in the world flow from him 2 Cor. 1.3 and all his paths are mercie and truth Whatsoever hee doth to his people is in mercy Psal. 25.6 And therefore the Prophet that could find similitudes to expresse the faithfulnesse and judgements of God by yet is faine to give over when he comes to his speciall mercy to his chosen and vents himselfe by exclamation Oh how excellent is thy mercy Psal. 36.7 8. Thirdly this mercy is the more admirable in that it is free which appeares divers wayes First in that it is shewed without deserts on our parts which the tearme gracious every where given to God in Scripture doth import Secondly in that God is tyed to no man nor to any posterity of men hee hath mercy on whom he will have mercy Rom. 9. Thirdly because it is extended to all sorts of people If the rich mercy of God could have been obtained only by Kings or Apostles or the like it had beene the lesse comfortable unto us but bond as well as the free the Barbarian as well as the Grecian the Gentile as well as the Jew the poore as well as the rich may bee possessed hereof Hee doth not spend all his mercy on Abraham or David but hee reserveth mercy for thousands Exod. 34.6 and will bestow the true mercies of David upon meaner men Esa. 55.4 His mercy is over all his workes especially over all his spirituall workes in Jesus Christ Psal. 145.9 Fourthly it appeares to be free because it can be alone God can love us though no body else doe though Abraham know us not yet God will be a father unto us and never leave us nor forsake us Esa. 63.15 16. Ob. But might some one say In the second Commandement it is plaine that God shewes mercy to them that keepe his Commandements It seemes then his mercy is not free but he hath respect to deserts in us Sol. First our keeping of the Commandements is not alledged as the cause of mercy but as the signe of mercy The words shew to
and not rest satisfied till they can make all sorts of men discerne that Religion hath made them even in those things to goe beyond them And thus they should not suffer themselves to bee put downe by Papists or any carnall persons in workes of mercy or truth in their words and promises or quietnes of disposition or magnanimity or the like and the rather because their praise is of God whereas carnall men have onely the praise of men And besides the true Christian shall have a recompence of reward in heaven Ephes. 6.8 whereas the Pharisee hath his reward onely in this life And further we should bee more carefull to winne praise to our God and the true Religion than they are to get applause to themselves or a strange god And wee are in the light they are in darknes it were a shame they should do their worke better in the darke than we in the light Rom. 13. Thus of the first reason The second reason why they should be careful of their conversation is because the Gentiles are apt to speake evill of the Christians as evill doers That where as they speake evill of you as of evill doers From hence three things may bee observed First that it hath beene the lot of godly men to bee evill spoken of and traduced as wee see the Christian Churches in the primitive times were exposed to the infamous reports of the Gentiles Two things would be here explained First that it hath alwaies beene so And then the causes of it For the first that it hath alwaies beene so is cleare by instances of all times before the Law under the Law and in the time of the Gospell 1. Before the Law Ismael scoffes at Isaacâ— and Iosephs brethren scorne and revile him Iob was accused as an Hypocrite by his owne friends and scorned by the basest of the people Iob. 30.1 So was it with Moses and the Israelites Heb. 11.26 2. Under the Law David was slandered by many Psal. 31.12 The abjects tare his name and ceased not Psal. 35.15 the drunkards sang of him Psal. 69.13 he was a reproach of men a by-word a proverb c. So in the Prophet Esays time Esay 8.18 and 59.16 and 51.8 Ieremy complains that they consulted how to devise devices against him and to smite him with the tongue 3. Under the Gospell 1. Look to the Author and finisher of our faith Christ Jesus he was charged with gluttonie Mat. 11.18 blasphemy Mat. 26.65 madnes Ioh. 10.20 to bee a deceiver Ioh. 7.22 and to have a divel work by the prince of divels 2. The Apostles were made a spectacle to men and Angels and accounted as the off-scowring of all things 1. Cor. 4.9 10 13. 3. Yea it is foretold to be the case of all Christians Mat. 5.12 Gal. 4.29 The causes of those reproaches follow First in wicked men it is their naturall hatred of the truth and goodnes 1. Ioh. 2. and 3. Secondly in the divell it is his policy hereby 1. To keepe men from embracing a religion that is so traduced Acts 28. 2. To discourage and hinder the weake Christian and to make him fearefull in the way of God 3. To pull back certain men which were going towards the Kingdom of God Thirdly in Gods will hereby to trie the constancy of his servants â— and to make them live more watchfully Fourthly in Christians themselves it is Sometimes long of hypocrites that breake out into scandalous courses and so make the way of God evill spoken of Sometimes it is the indiscretion and weaknesses of some Christians which first set wicked men aworke But chiefly it is their goodnesse because they will not run with the wicked into the same excesse of riot 1 Pet. 4.5 Psal. 38.1 Ioh. 3. Thus of the first doctrine Doct. 2. The second thing may be noted from hence is That to speake evill of the godly is a property of wicked men of men not yet visited of God Such as dishonour godly Christians did never indevour to glorifie God himselfe 1 Cor. 6.9.10 Psal. 15. Rom. 1.29 30. and therefore their tongues that are given to reviling of the godly are said to bee set on fire from hell Iam. 3. Doct. 3. The third thing is That to speake evill of the good is a vice that all wicked men are guilty of as here hee supposeth it to bee the sinne of all the Gentiles so of all men by nature Rom. â— 12 13. It followeth that I should shew the uses may be made of the three doctrines together but first a question may be asked and that is Quest. Whether may not evill bee spoken of godly men at all and in no case I answer Evill may not at all be spoken of them in these cases following First in things that are hidden thou maist not judge them as thou maist not meddle with them for the thoughts and intents of their hearts 1 Cor. 4.5 Secondly in things doubtfull of which there is no proofe for in such cases all men must speake and judge the best Thirdly in things indifferent they may not bee censured either for their judgement or practice Rom. 14. Fourthly things secret though evill yet may not bee carried about or discovered for hee that reveales a secret goeth about as a slanderer Fiftly they must not bee evill spoken of for meere frailties and infirmities for love must cover a multitude of those evils and their nakednesse herein must bee covered Sixthly they must not be evill spoken of behind their backes for any evils unlesse it bee when they are incorrigible or may infect others or otherwise that their sinnes bee spoken of for some manifest glory of God Backbiting is directly condemned Seventhly not for any faults for which they have truely repented Eighthly not in any case so as to judge them with a finall sentence to pronounce absolutely of their estates that they are hypocrites or shall be damned Lastly evill must never bee spoken of them for weldoing no man may dare to call good evill Otherwise in things that are apparently evill they may bee reproved by Magistrates or Ministers or Parents or Masters yea and by any that is able to admonish so as their sinnes bee not spoken of with hatred or meere desire to disgrace them The uses of all this are for instruction and so both to wicked men and godly men And so it is needefull to bee attended because all of us either doe reproach or are reproached Wicked men should be warned if it be possible to repent of this sinne and forbeare it and that for many reasons First if they consider Gods commandement which forbiddeth all excesses of this kind Psal. 33.13 Tit. 3.1 Secondly if they consider the causes of their evil speaking which as was shewed before is the malice of their owne hearts against the truth and the especiall working of the divell who is the fire of hell that sets their tongues aworke Iam. 3. Thirdly if they consider that
earnestly for their conversion The wolfe doth not alwaies devoure nor the foxe alwaies deceive nor the dogge alwaies barke but yet so long as they keepe their natures they will occasionally discover themselves And therefore also Christians should learne discretion not to trust worldly men over-farre upon new pretences Doct. 2. Secondly hence we may note that God hath his time wherein hee will certainly visit his people hee hath his day of visitation All that God hath given unto Jesus Christ shall be gathered in Gods due time That which was beleeved concerning the gathering of the Israelites out of Egypt into Canaan that God would surely visit them and bring them out Gen. 50.24 25. is much more certainly to be beleeved of the spirituall gathering of the elect out of this world into the Canaan of God And the reason is because their conversion dâ—pends upon Gods eternall decree and the foundation of God remaineth 〈◊〉 and hee knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 and not one of them shall be lacking in the season of their calling Ier. 23.3 4. The use may be for the confirmation of our faith concerning the calling of such Jewes Gentiles or Christians as yet sit in darknesse and want the meanes of their calling God hath his day and he will provide for the calling of all his Elect how unlikely soever the worke seeme to us Doct. 3. We may hence note that when God hath visited a man with his grace he is suddenly become another man he is wonderfully altered from that which he was before Use. The use should be for triall No Christians can have comfort that they are visited with the grace of God if old things be not past with them and all things become new For every man that is visited with true grace First hath a new Master Hee will no longer serve any strange Lord for he hath covenanted firmly with God to worke righteousnesse Rom. 6.16 18. Secondly hath new acquaintance He that was wont to walke onely in the way of the wicked is now a companion onely with them that feare God all his delight is in them Psal. 16. and 26. Thirdly hath a new language he speaks not as he was wont to do For first his Mother-tongue he hath utterly forgotten He cannot curse and lie and sweare and raile and speak bawdily as he was wont to do which the coherence shewes here Secondly in divers things he is furnished on a sudden with language he could never speake before as in the gift of prayer he can now speake to God and discourse with him that before was dumbe and opened not his mouth Zeph. 3.9 Fourthly he hath a new heart Zech. 36.27 Which appeares in what hee hath not which was wont to be in his heart and in what hee hath which was never there before And for the first branch there is not in him any of these things following by the way understand that these things are not in him as they were wont to be that is they raigne not or they lie adying and so 1 There is not guile there his spirit is without guile Psal. 32.2 which he shewes in that he avoids lesser sinnes as well as greater is good in secret as well as in company and serves God in his spirit as well as his body and is more desirous to be good than to seeme so 2 There is not malice and passion there Esa. 11. His outragious and boisterous passions are subdued of a Lyon he is become a Lambe 3 There is not covetousnes or the love of the world there 1 Ioh. 2.14 Iam. 4.3 hee useth the world but he admires it not His taste in earthly things is lost he savours them not as he was wont to do Rom. 8.5 And as in these things he is new so in the furniture of his heart he is in many things new for First hee hath a new minde he is renewed in the spirit of his mind which appeares first by his capablenesse in spirituall things Hee that lately could not perceive the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 now heares as the learned he sees in a mirrour he lookes and wonders The vaile is taken away that before covered him 2 Cor. 3. Secondly by the transcendencie of the things he knowes he can now looke upon the very Sunne hee knowes God and Jesus Christ and the glory to come and the excellent things given of God which the heart of the naturall man never perceived Ioh. 17.3 1 Cor. 2.9 10. Thirdly by the instrument by which he understands hee sees by faith and not by reason in many things hee is fully assured in divers mysteries where sense and reason can give-in no evidence Secondly he hath new affections I will instance but in two of them sorrow and love He is another man in his sorrowes which appeares both in the causes and in the remedies of his sorrowes For the causes he was wont never to be sorry for any thing but his crosses now hee is seldome sorry for any thing but his sinne And for the remedies he was wont to drive away his sorrowes with time sleepe merry company but now nothing but good words from God will ease him His love may be tried by the objects and so whom he can love truly or whom he doth love vehemently He can love his very enemies which hee could never doe before And he doth love Jesus Christ though hee never saw him 1 Pet. 1.9 and so fervently as hee accounts all things in the world which hee was wont so much to dote upon but as losse and dung in comparison of Jesus Christ Phil. 3,8,9 Fiftly hee hath a new behaviour with him hee is wonderfully altered in his carriages which appeares in divers things First in respect of the rule of his life he walkes by rule Gal. 6.16 He commeth daily to the light to see whether his workes be wrought in God Ioh. 3.21 This is a signe given by our Saviour Christ in that place Hee is carefull to order his behaviour by the warrant of the word Phil. 2.15,16 Secondly in respect of the meanes he useth for the ordering of his conversation And so he taketh presently hold on Gods Sabbath he is carefull to keepe the Sabbath honouring that day above all others and esteeming and desiring it for the imployment thereof Thus the Lord of the Sabbath saith that it is a signe by which hee knowes the people whether they be truly sanctified or not Exod. 31.13 Esa. 56.2.6 Thirdly in respect of the things he imploies himself in he chooseth the things that please God Esa. 56.4 his desire is now in all his waies to do such things as might be acceptable to God whereas before he was most carefull to please men or to satisfie his owne lusts Fourthly in respect of the manner of his conversation In which foure things especially shine first humility He shewes that the great opinion of himselfe is taken
Christians as in the manner shew no scruple nor feare nor trouble of minde for breaking Gods expresse Law in requiring obedience to Magistrates while they are ignorant whether it be a sinne or no to obey and yet on the other side are extremely fearefull and troubled in themselves to vary from the advice or example of such men as they account godly or fathers to them or others in Religion and so are more fearefull to breake mens traditions than Gods Commandements Tradition is ill as well when it comes from good men as when it comes from bad men 3. The Jesuites that maintaine that horrid doctrine of deposing or murthering of Princes so farre are they from obeying them Persons rather to be confuted by strokes than by arguments as men that offend not onely against the Lawes of God but the Lawes of Nations and the Law of Nature Hitherto of the things to which they must submit themselves viz. to every ordinance of man The motive or manner followes For the Lords sake These words doe import both the cause and the manner of submission they must submit for the Lords sake and so First there are divers things in God which should move Christians to all possible care of pleasing and obeying their Magistrates as First Gods and mens Magistrates were ordained of God and therefore for his sake that set them up we should obey them Secondly Gods Commandements God hath required our submission and therefore for the respect of the dutie wee owe to God we should obey them Thirdly Gods Image Magistrates are little Gods in the world they resemble Gods soveraignty or Majesty and therefore because they are like God we should obey them even for so much of the similitude of God as wee may behold in them or their authority Fourthly Gods mercies we are infinitely bound unto God and therefore for his sake even for the love we beare to him wee should doe this which hee requireth Fifthly Gods glory God shall get much honour and his religion will be well spoken of if Christians live obediently and contrariwise if Christians be not obedient God may be much dishonoured thereby and great stormes of affliction may be brought upon the Church by the wrath of Princes Sixthly the judgements of God because they must give account to God for their behaviour toward Magistrates as well as for their behaviour towards God himselfe Secondly these words may note the manner of obedience we must obey Princes for Gods sake not onely for conscience sake but even as if wee did obey God himselfe and with a due respect unto God and so it may make also a limitation We must so obey man as we still have respect unto God so as nothing be done against the Word or pleasure of God Use. The use should be therefore for instruction to teach us to looke carefully to our selves in our submission and so to obey First from the heart because God is intituled to this service Secondly with feare because God will be an avenger of disobedience and resisting of the powers Thiâ—dly though our subjection should be to our losse or discredit or danger or hurt any way yet for the Lords sake we should doe it There is motive enough in God though there were not worthinesse in the Magistrate or recompence to us Againe it serves to shew the hatefulnesse of those transgressors that resist the power and will not make conscience of it to submit themselves to the ordinances of Magistrates For this is to resist God himselfe this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and God will certainly be a revenger of this disobedience it being his owne cause as well as the Magistrates Besides it serves to informe us concerning the admirable power and wisdome of God in effecting the subjection of man to authority of Magistrates All men naturally affect to excell and like not superiority in other men And besides it is needfull that one man should governe and keepe in order millions of men disposed as before Now this well points at the cause of this order and suâ—jection which is the respect of God God naturally hath planted in the hearts of men a feare to rebell or disobey even for feare of God himselfe more than Princes and besides God hath made man to see by experience that he doth defend the persons and rights of Kings by revenging the disobedience of men this naturall conscience keepes under naturall men Now though the Apostle would have godly men to obey for the same reason yer it iâ— upon an higher ground for godly men are instructed by the Word of God to obey Princes yea herein differâ— the obedience of the godly from the wicked that the godly man obeyes for the meere love hee beares to God and the wicked only for feare of vengeance from God so both obey for an higher reason than the respect of Princes themselves even for the Lords sake the one for the love of God and the care of his glory the other for feare of his punishments and judgements Lastly it shewes men must so acknowledge the glory of Princes as that especially we have respect unto the glory of God who is King of Kings we must obey Kings in the land so as God be not disobeyed Thus of the Proposition the Exposition followeâ— The Apostle labours to cleare this doctrine from divers scruples might be conceived by Christians whether they arise from the diversitie of the sorts of Magistrates or from their soveraigntie For the sorts hee shewes they must obey Magistrates of all sorts both superiour and inferiour the highest and those which are subordinate to them both Kings and Governours also for their soveraigntie Hee teacheth them to observe the supremacie of Kings and Monarchs In generall we may learne from the Apostles care to prevent mistaking herein that he accounts it a pernicious thing to erre about the authoritie of Princes and their Goverâ—ours And experience shewes it to be pernicious sometimes to the persons of Kings who are often by treason murthered upon wicked and erroneous grounds and sometimes to the subjects who draw upon themselves not onely fearefull sinnes but miserable punishment also by erring herein sometimes it is pernicious to religion it selfe and religious causes giving not onely scandall but procuring desolation in the Churches through errours sometimes on the left hand and sometimes on the right hand Whether to the King It may be questioned whom the Apostle meanes by the word King Such as understand the Epistle to be written to the Jewes may perhaps conceive that the Kings that ruled by deputation in Judea should bee meant such as were Herod and Agrippa But in as much as the Jewes were scattered thorow the Provinces and those provinciall Jewes were most in quiet and in as much as for the reasons afore given it is likely that the Epistle was written to all Christians both Jewes and Gentiles therefore by the King hee meant Caesar. And then a more scruple ariseth for the Romans
love to be his servants Isai 56.7 and in matters of his worship or the meanes thereof the zeale of his House should eat us up 3. Wisely and discreetly Kings get the wisest men they can light upon to serve before them and therefore the King of all kings will not bee served with fooles Since we serve God we should be circumspect and bee sure we understand what the will of God is Ephes. 5.15 16. And therefore wee have need to pray with David that God would give us true understanding hearts to search his Law Psal. 119.124 4. Sincerely Iosh. 24.14 And this sincerity in Gods work we should shew five wayes First in seeking none but him Deut. 6.13 We must not be the servants of men 1 Cor. 7.23 to satisfie mens humours or stand upon their liking or disliking Wee may not serve Mammon in our owne lusts No man can serve two masters God refuseth us for his servants if wee serve riches Luke 16.13 Secondly we should shew our sincerity in obeying him in all things there is no work he requires that we should think our selves too good to do it we must not dare to neglect any thing he requires They are none of Gods servants that will do only what they list in Religion Thirdly we should shew it in doing all things that may be best for his advantage seeking his glory in all things 1 Cor. 10.31 Wee must not seeke our owne praise or profit but his whom wee serve Fourthly by doing his will indeed without dissimulation 1 Chron. 28.9 Fifthly in newnesse of Spirit bringing new hearts to his worke not trusting the old man to doe any worke for God Rom. 7.6 5. Wee must doe his worke constantly A servant is not he that doth a dayes worke and so is gone but he that works all the yeere nor hath God any servants that he hires not by life He hath none from yeere to yeere Psal. 119.17 Wee must finish his worke and never give over till wee fulfill the taske appointed us Luke 1.74 Rev. 7.17 6. We must serve him with our spirits God is a Spirit and will bee served in spirit and truth If he may not have the service of our hearts he rejects the service of our bodies we must serve him with all our hearts and all our soules Deut. 10.12 Phil. 3.3 7. Confidently Servants to ill or poore masters are faine to trust them for diet and wages how much more should wee relye upon God and commit our selves wholly to him taking no care but onely to doe his worke leaving all the rest to him Esay 43.11 8. With one shoulder or with one consent they must agree one with another Zeph. 3.9 9. With all modesty Acts 20.19 without pride or selfe-conceit or conceitednesse acknowledging that when wee have done all wee are unprofitable servants Luke 17.10 and with sorrow for our failings Acts 20. Luke 15.29 and the rather because God can finde faults in his best servants Iob 4.18 Use 3. Thirdly since Gods people are Gods servants they should learne in all places to stand for the honour and glory of their Master and not suffer God to be dishonoured by the servants of a strange god Lastly since all Gods people are his servants and doe his worke it serves for the discovery of the miserable condition of multitudes in the visible Church who are hereby proved not to be Gods people because they are not Gods servants And so these sorts of men following are rejected as none of Gods people because they are none of his servants First all profane persons that aske what profit it is to serve God Iob 21. 15. Malac. 3.15 and serve their owne lusts Matth. 24 49. Secondly all worldlings that worke about nothing more than the things of this life Luke 16.13 Thirdly all unprofitable Christians that live and doe no good will doe no worke but spend their dayes in spirituall idlenesse and unfruitfulnesse making no conscience of the meanes or opportunities of well-doing Matt. 25.26 28. Fourthly all backward and dull Christians to whom it seemes evill to serve the Lord that account all religious duties to bee tedious and irksome and never from their hearts consent to obey but doe what they doe upon compulsion from the lawes of men or feare of shame c. They are Gods servants no otherwise than the divell is For the devill is forced to doe God some worke sometimes but it is alwayes against his will that God hath any glory by it Fifthly all ignorant Christians that are so farre from doing good workes that they understand not Gods will nor are carefull to redeeme the time that they might get knowledge Sixthly all hypocrites that have the forme of godlinesse but deny the power thereof promise to doe much worke but doe it not These especially so many of them as know their Masters will and doe it not shall one day feele the weight of Gods hand Seventhly all quarrelsome and contentious Christians that make division and cause offences contrary to the doctrine of Gods word These the Apostle saith serve not the Lord Jesus but their owne belly and by smooth pretences deceive the simple Rom. 16.18 Use. 4. Lastly since Gods people are Gods servants they are to bee much reproved that take liberty to judge and censure other men for infirmities or things doubtfull or indifferent for what have they to doe to judge anothers servant They are Gods servants and must make their reckoning to him and therefore stand or fall to their owne Master Thus of the first doctrine Doct. 2. Secondly we may hence learne that it is an excellent freedome to be Gods servant They are all freemen that serve God as the coherence shewes No freemen can enjoy better priviledges than Gods servants doe and never were there any servants that enjoyed such prerogatives as Gods servants doe And this may appeare many wayes for First all sorts of men are Gods servants All his subjects are his servants Psal. 135.14 yea all his sonnes are servants yea Christ himselfe Esay 42. all his elect are servants yea his friends are his servants so Abraham that had the honour to be the friend of God accounted it no disparagement to be Gods servant the Kings of the earth accounted it to be the best part of their title to be Gods servants Psal. 36.1 All which proves that it is a most free and honourable estate to be servant unto God else those eminent persons would never have sought them out such a service And this is the more evident because God accepteth not of persons but the poorest Christian may be as well entertained of God as any of those States Gal. 3.28 Col. 3.11 Secondly Gods service may become any freeman in the world if we consider what kinde of entertainment God gives his servants For First all his worke is faire worke It is no disgrace for any man to doe it and he requires no more of the meanest servant hee hath than hee
men especially about doubtfull or indifferent actions of men 1 Cor. 5.10 Iam. â— 17 2. To shew all meeknesse and gentlenesse to all men striving to bee soft and amiable in all their occasions of conversing Tit. 3.1 2. Iam. 3.17 studying to be quiet and to meddle with their owne businesse 1 Thess. 4.12 following peace towards all men Heb. 12.14 Rom. 12.19 Onely in this generall respective behaviour towards all sorts of men Christians must looke to two rules First the one is that they never justifie the wicked nor condemne the righteous Prov. 17.15 Secondly the other is that by needlesse society they make not themselves companions with open evill doers Psal. 1.1 Love the Brother-hood The second thing requisite to the framing of a complete citizen or subject is the soundnesse of his affection or carriage towards such as bee religious in the Common-weale where he lives The brother-hood is the society or company of so many as are true Christians in the place of a mans aboad or acquaintance that which is required is that howsoever wee should shew a generall respect of all sorts of men to carry our selves fairely towards them yet we should in a speciall manner set our love upon such as bee religious persons and should shew upon all occasions that wee doe honour and affect them as heartily and as tenderly as if they were our very brethren in the flesh or rather more stricter in that they are allied unto us in a far greater and better bond than that naturall consanguinity This is that which is also earnestly required and urged in other Scriptures as Rom. 10.12 Heb. 13.1 1 Pet. 1.22 Ioh. 13.34 Ephes. 2.5 Now this love to the godly of our acquaintance wee should shew divers wayes First by making choice of them as the onely companions of our lives Phil. 1.5 All our delight should bee in them Psal. 16.3 And so wee should receive them and intreat them as Christ received us to glory that is freely and with all heartinesse of affection thinking nothing too deare for them Rom. 15.7 1 Pet. 4.9 This is the noblest kinde of hospitality no fellowship like the brotherly society of true Christians so it bee without dissimulation and constant Rom. 12.10 1 Pet. 4.5 Secondly by imploying our gifts the best that we can for their good 1 Pet. 4.10 Now our gifts are either spirituall or outward gifts First spirituall gifts are knowledge utterance prayer or the like Now these are given to profit withall not our selves onely but others 1 Cor. 12. Thus Christians should help others with what they have learned when they meet together Prov. 15.7 1 Cor. 14.26 Col. 3.16 And thus they must help one another by prayer whether they be absent or present 2 Cor. 1.11 Secondly outward gifts are riches friends authority and the like and these should be imployed especially for the good of the brethren Psal. 16.3 Gal. 6.10 Phil. 2.4 And all this we should doe with all faithfulnesse 3 Ioh. 3.5 and with all compassion putting under our shoulders to beare their burthens Gal. 2.6 Now their burthens are either inward temptations or outward afflictions in both these we should help to beare their burthens If they bee burthened with infirmities or temptations wee should beare their burthens by laying their griefes to our hearts and by striving to comfort them and if their sorrows be for wrongs done us we should let them see how easily we can forgive them If it bee outward afflictions that burthen them we beare their burthens when wee sorrow with them that sorrow and are ready to the uttermost of our power to advise them or releeve and help them Thirdly wee should shew our speciall love to them by striving together with them in the cause and quarrell of Religion striving by all meanes to bee of one opinion and affection with them in matters of Religion and to the uttermost of our power to defend them by word and deed according to our callings and occasions Phil. 1.27 1 Cor. 1.10 Phil. 2.3 Uses The use may be first for the discovery of the notable wickednesse of multitudes of Christians that are so farre from loving godly men in the places where they live that of all other men they most dislike them and shew it by reproaching them by traducing them by avoyding their society by divers hatreds of them and by many injurious causes against them And this is the condition of multitudes of Christians that imbrace any fellowship with other sorts of men though never so vile and stand in direct opposition to the godly yea so blinde are the most that they almost thinke they doe God good service if they could rid the countrey of them Esay 65.5 The misery of such men is manifestly described in divers Scriptures and by this signe they are discovered to be no Christians indeed 1 Ioh. 2.9 but rather of the race of Cain or Ismael 1 Ioh. 3.20 Gal. 4.29 and therefore most hatefull to God 1 Ioh. 3.15 Secondly we may hence gather a signe of such as are in the state of salvation actually For if we love the brother-hood we shall be saved as the Apostle is peremptory 1 Ioh. 3.14 and the more apparent will be the signe if we love all the godly and for godlinesse sake both which the word brotherhood imports Thus of the first doctrine Doct. 2. Secondly I might hence observe also that all the godly are brethren and so they are in divers respects First in respect of profession they have all one faith and weare one and the same livery of Baptisme and serve all one Lord Ephes. 4.4 Secondly they have all one Father Mat. 2.10 one God begate them Thirdly they have all one mother the Church Fourthly they must needs be brethren they are so like one another they are all fashioned in the image of God and are all like the Father Use. 1. The use should be first for instruction and so to teach Christians to take heed of judging and censuring one another Rom. 14.10 of offending and grieving one another Rom. 14.13 21. of contentions and schisme one from another 1 Cor. 1.10 of going to law one with another 1 Cor. 6.1 2 c. to verse 8. of coozening and defrauding one another 1 Thess. 4.6 of accepting of persons to preferre a rich man before a poore beleever Iam. 2.1 2. of detracting one from another or grudging or complaining one of another Iam. 4.11 so also Matth. 23.8 of all dissimulation and guilefull courses Rom. 12.9 All these things ought to bee avoided in our carriage toward godly men because they are our brethren Have wee not all one Father why then doe we transgresse even more against our brethren Thus Mal. 2.10 And secondly it should teach us divers things to be done or sought after as for instance 1. It should teach us unity to live together with all concord because we are brethren For how comely a thing is it for brethren to live together in
unity Psal. 133.1 2. It should teach us mercy and that both spirituall and corporall as was in part shewed before they are brethren and therefore if thou bee converted strengthen them Luke 22.32 If they trespasse against thee and confesse it forgive them Mat. 18. If they fall by temptation into any sinne of infirmity hate them not but reprove them plainly Lev. 19.17 If they offend more freely separate from them but yet hope the best as of a brother reject them not as enemies 2 Thess. 3.15 And if they be in any outward adversity remember that a brother was borne for the day of adversity Prov. 17.17 And therefore if thy brother be impoverished let him be releeved to the uttermost of thy power Lev. 25.35 3. All just and faithfull dealing should we shew one towards another because wee are brethren yea none of us should allow himselfe liberty so much as to imagine evill against his brother Zach. 7.9 10. Thirdly Superiours also should learne here not to be tyrannicall or hard-hearted or proud or arrogant in their carriage towards their inferiours for they rule their brethren not their slaves Deut. 17.19 Phil. 10. Nor yet should inferiours for this reason grow carelesse or disobedient for the Apostle shewes that that were an abuse of this doctrine 1 Tim. 6.1 2. Use. 4. Fourthly all poore Christians that are true Christians have much cause to rejoyce Iam. 1.9 for they have a great kinred All the Godly are their brethren yea the Apostles Acts 15.23 yea the godly Kings Psal. 122.8 yea the Angels Rev. 19.10 yea Christ himselfe is not ashamed to call them brethren Rom. 8.29 Heb. 2.10 Mat. 12.49 I might adde that wicked men should take heed how they oppose godly men there are a great kinred of them and they never prospered that wronged them yea some great Ones have bin fain to humble themselves to lick the very dust of their feet sometimes that they might be reconciled to them Esay 60.14 Mat. 7.17 And thus of the second part of the Apostles Charge The third part forms the Christian in respect of pietie to God Feare God Piety to God consists either in knowing him or in worshipping of him and the right knowledge of God is conceived in the godly not for contemplations sake oâ—ly but for practice 1. Ioh. 2.3 4. And all the use of our knowledge in respect of practice toward God is comprehended in his worship This worship is a religious honour we giue to God I say religious honour to distinguish it from that civill honour which in generall we give to all men or inspeciall to some men either for their graces as to the godly or for their authority as to Kings and Superiours This worship of God is either internall or externall The internall is the worship of the heart the externall is the worship of the body The internall is the very life and soule of the externall without which the externall is but a dead and contemptible carcase The fear of God here commanded belongs to the inward worship and so it is to be noted that the Apostle when he would charge Christians about piety and devotion to God doth not enjoyne them to come to Church to hear the Word receive the Sacraments or pray though these be else-where required but especially requires that they looke to the heart within that the true feare of God be preserved in them and that especially for two causes First because men may doe that which belongs externally to the outward worship and yet be still but hypocrites and wicked men as is manifest in the case of the Jews Esay 1. and of the Pharisees Mat. 23. Secondly because if they be rightly formed in the inward devotion of the heart that will constraine them to the care of the outward worship he would have them then to be sure of the fear of God in their hearts The fear of God is sometimes taken generally for the whole worship of God sometimes more especially for one part of the inward worship of God and so I thinke it is to be taken here The feare of God is either filial or servile the one is found only in the godly the other in the wicked A servile fear is the terrour which wicked men conceive concerning God only as a Judge whereby they only fear God in respect of his power and will to punish for sinne and it is therefore servile because it is in them without any love to God or trust in God and would not be at all if his punishments be removed It is the filiall feare is here meant this feare of God is here peremptorily required of Christians as it is in other Scriptures Psal. 2.11 and 38.8 Prov. 3.7 Esay 8.13 â—his filiall fear to God is an affection which Gods children bear to God whereby they reverence his glorious nature and presence and withall carefully honour him in his Word and Workes being affraid of nothing more than that they should despise him that hath been so wonderfull good unto them That this definition of the true and filiall fear of God may be rightly understood and formed in us we must knoâ— that there are six distinct things we should feare and stand in awe of in God First his Majestie and glorious Nature We cannot rightly thinke of the transcendent excellency of Gods Nature and supreme Majestie as King of all kings but it will make us abase our selves as dust and ashes in his sight Gen. 18. If we feare Kings for their Majestie how should we tremble before the King of kings If the glory of Angels have have so amazed the best men how should we be amazed at the glory of God! Secondly his justice and singular care to punish sinne should make the hearts of men affraid and wo to men if they fear not for according to their fear is his anger Psal. 90. Thirdly his goodnesse is to be dreaded of all that love God and this is the proper fear of Gods Elect. To fear God for his justice may be after a sort in wicked men but to fear God for his goodnesse is only found in true Converts Hos. 3.5 Fourthly his Word is to be feared because it is so holy and pure and perfect and mighty in operation this trembling at Gods Word God doth not onely require but accept very graciously Esay 66.3 And so godly men do tremble as much at Gods Word as at his blowes Fiftly his mighty works and marvellous acts are to bee exceedingly reverenced of what kinde soever Revel 15.3 4. Lastly if God would never punish sinne nor chide men for it by his Word yet the very offence of God ought to be feared and is in some measure by all godly Christians Uses The Use may be divers First we should be hence incited to seeke the true feare of God and to labour to fashion our hearts to it it being a speciall part of the Apostles charge wee should specially respect it And
is laid downe verse 19. and avouched and made good verse 20. In the ninteenth verse then it is the drift of the Apostle to shew that though masters should be so froward as to beat their servants causelesly yet they should be subject and indure it for conscience sake unto God because this is a Christian mans case and a great praise when out of conscience to God he doth his duty and suffers wrongfully The reason is so intended for the particular case of servants so abused as it holds in all cases of injury for conscience sake In this verse then the Apostle intreates of suffering and we may note foure things about suffering First what is to be suffered griefe Secondly how is it to be suffered viz. wrongfully and with enduring Thirdly the cause of suffering it conscience toward God Fourthly the effect which is praise and acceptation Doct. 1. In this world all sorts of men are liable to suffer grief For though the Apostle in the scope intends to speake of servants suffering griefe yet the Argument with the uses concerne all sorts of men In this world then we must looke for griefe and how can it be otherwise since first there are such mines in our owne nature made by sinne and so many abominations round 〈◊〉 us to Gods dishonour Secondly the creatures which we are to use in this world are empty and vaine and so occasion much vexation in the users that are disappointed by them All is vanity and vexation of spirit saith the wise man Thirdly wee are liable to so many crosses and losses every day hath his griefe and his crosse which must bee taken up Mat. 6. â—lt Luke 9.14 Fourthly how can we be long without griefe that live in a world so full of sinne and divels and divellish men Fiftly our owne bodies often grieve us being liable to so many paines and diseases What should I say Our owne houses are full of causes of griefe if the disorders of masters husbands wives servants children bee considered of and therefore we should be weary of the world and long for heaven we shall never be long together without griefe till we come thither Doct. 2. We must not only endure grief but many times suffer it wrongfully Besides all the griefe befals men otherwise the world is full of wrong and injury and the waies of doing wrong are so many as cannot easily be reckoned Who can recount what wrongs are done daily by deceit violence oppression lying false witnesse slanderings and other base indignities Which should teach us not to thinke it strange if wrongs befall us and withall it imports that woe shall be to all them that doe wrong That God that discovers them that doe wrong will repay them according to all the wrong they have done Doct. 3. It may bee here noted too that usually they suffer most wrong that are most carefull to doe their duties which ariseth partly from that fearfull Ataxie in mens natures that are falne into such distemperature of disposition and partly from that naturall malice ungodly men bear to them that are good and partly such as are indeed godly will not use such meanes of revenge as others will doe and partly because the Lawes of men doe not reach to a sufficient way of correcting and reforming such indignities and especially it proceeds from the pride and unthankfulnesse and discontentments which raigne in the hearts of froward and corrupt minded persons And from hence wee may gather the necessity of Gods generall Judgement because in this world it is ill many times with good men and there is no remedy seeing their wrongs are not righted here It must needs be that there will be a time appointed of God for the redresse and revenge of all wrongs Secondly it should the more incourage such as suffer wrong to endure it patiently seeing it is the lot of the best Thirdly wrong should not measure the goodnesse oâ— mens cases or the badnesse of it by the things they suffer For many times they suffer wrongfully Doct. 4. That God takes notice of the wrongs that are done to the meanest even the wrongs that Masters doe to their servants and so other Scriptures shew that if the poorest bee oppressed or defrauded God will require it at the hands of them that oppresse or defraud them bee they never so mighty or rich in the world And so if the weakest Christian be wronged by scandall or otherwise it were better for those that give the scandall or doe the wrong that a milstone were hanged about their necks and they cast into the sea And for that cause the Scriptures shew that God takes great notice of the wrongs done to widows and orphanes that have little meanest to helpe or protect themselves and there is reason for it for the meanest Christians are Gods servants and belong to him and therefore hee must protect them And besides Gods Law is so powerfull that it condemneth wrongs of all sorts to all men And further there is a cry in oppression or wrong that goeth up to heaven which will not cease till God heare it which as it may be a comfort to such as are wronged that they have so great a Patrone as God is so it should warne all Superiours to looke to their behaviour for though man doe not punish them yet God will Doct. 5. That barely to suffer griefe is not a praise but to suffer it in a right manner and for the manner this likewise tels us of two things first that we suffer not as evill doers justly and secondly that we endure it that is continue with patience to abide it especially when oâ—â—ward and lawfull redresse may not be had in the world And therefore Papists are no Martyrs though they lose their lives when it is for treason Nor are wives to bee regarded if they complaine of their husbands that they are bitter to them love them not so entirely when they suffer this for their pride or wilfull hardinesse or lasciviousnesse or frowardnesse or contention or wastefulnesse or the like Nor are those servants to bee moned that suffer blowes justly for their disobedience or wilfull negligence or unfaithfulnesse Doct. 6. That whereas wrongs cannot bee redressed by a lawfull meanes on earth they must be endured without using unlawfull meanes and leave the injuries to the judgement of God Which condemnes servants that being hardly used runne away from their Masters as Hagar did from Sarah or else with wicked murmuring and reviling back-bite their masters and so it condemnes the wicked practice of our Gentry in righting their wrongs by their owne private revenges which case is abominable First because their wrongs may be righted by the Magistrate Secondly because the desired revenge is far above the injuries for they seeke satisfaction in bloud for a supposed wrong in reputation Thirdly because it is a course directly against the Lawes of God and of Kings and hath been condemned in all well governed States
and preached hee received the Sacrament in a private chamber at night and gave it onely to Clergy-men and used unleavened bread c. Quest. But what rules are then left to ground our practice upon and how far are our consciences bound by examples and so by the example of Christ Answ. Examples and so the example of Christ binde us in the things hee did which were required by the morall Law or the Word of God For an example is but the illustration of a precept it is but like the seale to a blank if there be no precept Secondly in other things which Christ did not required by the Law we are so farre forth tied to follow his practice as hee hath for those specialties given himselfe a precept as here we are bound to suffer from others and for others if need require by the force of Christs example but so as it is specified that his example bindes in this and other things But where the Scripture doth not make use of his example there we are not boâ—nd in things indifferent iâ— their owne nature to follow any example out of necessity Verse 22.23 Who did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth Who when he was reviled reviled not againe when be suffered bee threatned not but committed it to him that judgeth righteously HItherto of the end of Christs suffering the manner followes set down both negatively and affirmatively Negatively Hee suffered without sinne in this verse and without reviling in the next verse Affirmatively He committed himselfe and his cause to him that judgeth righteously He did no sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words of this verse doe commend the innocency of this our Saviour which doth much increase the price and value of his sufferings He suffered for the sinnes of others that never committed any sinne himself in thought word or deed and as he was innocent in all the course of his life so did hee beare his sufferings without fault and carried himselfe so as no man could finde any just occasion against him The first thing affirmed of Christ to shew his innocency is that hee did no sinne In the Originall it is expressed by a word of great force which signifies to make or frame or fashion with art or to make sinne and it may be rendâ—ed as I conceive more fitly He 〈◊〉 sinne To make sinne being a phrase somewhat unusuall the sense is to be 〈◊〉 red into Now a man may be said to make sinne many waies First when a man 〈◊〉 and commits a sinne never heard of before Thus Onan made that sin of filthinesse Thus the Sodomites and Gentilish men and women made sinnes of lust Thus drunkards make strange kindes of drinkings Thus the 〈…〉 of our times 〈◊〉 the sinnes of strange apparell And thus the Papists make that horrible sin of murthering of 〈…〉 And thus swearers now make their monstruous oaths Secondly when a man sinnes having not so much as temptation to sinne in himselfe or pronenesse of nature to sinne and so he sinnes that sinnes wilfully and not by infirmitie or weaknesse of nature Thus Adam made the first sinne for he had no corruption of nature to intice him or incline him nor could any temptation from without compell him but he sinned wilfully Thus those men of bloud make sin that kill their brethren in cold bloud And so many whoremongers and drunkards make sinne when they are not inticed but intice themselves and strive by all meanes to fire and force themselves to wickednesse And thus swearers and usurers and such like make sinne Thirdly when a man commits such a sinne as other men condemne by the very light of nature though he doe it by corrupt inclination or though it bee sinne which others commit so to make sinne is to be a malefactor or one that is guilty of any grosse sinne Fourthly when a man studies mischiefe and sinnes not suddenly but imagines and deviseth and forecasts and plots how to compasse his sinne and thus all wicked men make sinne because they sinne not suddenly or by meere frailty but doe study iniquitie every wicked man is a great student Psal. 36.4 Fiftly when a man causeth others to sinne by evill counsell or example or compulsion Thus Tyrants made sinne that forced men to deny the faith and thus they make sinne that make their neighbours drunke and thus Stage-plaiers and Minstrels make sinne that call and provoke others to licentiousnesse and wantonnesse and thus superiours make sinne when by their evill example or negligence in not punishing offences they tempt others to sinne Sixtly when a man makes a trade of sinning and thus men are said in Scripture to bee workers of iniquity which is a Periphrasis of wicked men Now he that is said to make a trade of sinne or to bee a worker of iniquity first is one that makes it his daily custome to follow his sinfull course of life or that followes sinne as the trades-man doth his trade Secondly that cannot live without his sinne that accounts his sinne the life of his life that had as liefe be dead as restrained of his sinne as the trades-man accounts himselfe undone if his trade be destroyed Seventhly when a man calls good evill and evill good when a man makes that to bee a sinne which is no sinne Thus they make sinne that call those things sinne which God by his Law never called sinne and thus men make sinne both out of superstition on the left hand and out of rash zeale on the right hand thus also profane persons make godlinesse and a body conversation to be Schismes and truth to be Heresie thus the Jewes called Pauls religious course Heresie when he by that way which they called Heresie worshipped the God of his fathers and the Professors of Christian Religion they called a Sect Acts. 2â— Isa. 5.20 Thus Lawyers many times make sinnes when they make a good cause bad and a bad cause good Eightly when a man by slander casts foule aspersions upon other men that are innocent speaking evill with any manner of evill report of such as live religiously And this art of making sinne the slanderer learned of the divell that accuser of the brethren Thus many godly persons are many 〈◊〉 by wicked reports made grosse offenders in the common acceptation of the world and in the rumours speed abroad of them in many places Thus they made Christ and the Apostles grievous sinners and a spectacle to men and Angels Ninthly when a man in adversity deviseth 〈…〉 to get out of trouble or deliver himselfe from the crosse is laid upon him And this sense may in some sort be applyed to the case of our Saviour who never used ill meanes to deliver himselfe though he suffered extreme things Lastly in a generall sense every man that is guilty of sinne may be said to make sinne And so it is commonly by way of removall said of Christ that he made no sinne that is
the case of prayer he is called a God that delighteth to heare prayer in the case of infirmities a God that takes away iniquity and passeth by transgression and in cases of great difficulty he is conceived of as Almighty and so forth Doct. 4. It is evident from hence that God is a Judge and this point is both terrible to the wicked and comfortable to the godly It is terrible to the wicked many waies First because he is Judge of all the world all must bee judged by him Gen. 18.25 Heb. 12.23 1 Sam. 2.10 He is not a Judge of some one circuit as Judges amongst men are Secondly because hee is a Judge that needs no evidence be brought in for hee knowes all causes and is witnesse himself Ier. 29.23 and so Judges among men are not Thirdly because he judgeth for all offences he tries the hearts and the reines as well as the words and works of men Psal. 7.9 11. Earthly Judges try malefactors but in one or some few cases Fourthly because hee hath Armies of executioners hee can call to the heavens or speake to the earth and have hostes of servants to doe his will and execute his judgements Dan. 7.9 10. Psal. 50.4 22. so as none can deliver out of his hands Fiftly because hee is Judge himselfe Psal. 50.6 and 75.8 He doth not doe justice by Deputies but will heare all cases himselfe Sixtly because his judgement is the last and highest judgement and therefore there lieth no appeale from it Seventhly because he can bring men to judgement without any warning hee standeth before the doore and often seizeth upon the offender without serving any writ or giving him any summons Iames 5.9 And therefore wicked men doe very foolishly that ruffle here in the world and lift up their hornes so high and speake with such a stiffe neck and walke on in their sinnes and injuries so securely Psal. 75.5 6 7 8. Againe if God be Judge it is comfortable to penitent sinners First because repentance will alter the judgement if it be after the fact and before the sentence even in such offences as deserve everlasting death as appeareth in the case of David and the Ninivites is notified to the world Act. 17.31 whereas earthly Judges must proceed in their judgement whether the parties be penitent or no. Again it is the more comfortable that God is Judge because all parties wronged or grieved may have accesse to God and put up their supplications at any time he is ready to be found and willing to hear which is seldome true of earthly Judges Thirdly because godly men know their sentence already God hath acquitted them by his Word and by his Sonne and by his Spirit and therefore they need not feare his last judgement Doct. 5. God will judge righteously Gods judgement is a most righteous judgement Psal. 9. 8. Rom. 2.5 2 Tim. 4.8 Hee is the righteous Judge by an excellency because there is no Judge but misseth it some way only Gods judgement is alwaies righteous and it must needs be so for many reasons First because he judgeth the high as well as the low Iob 21.22 Secondly because his judgement extendeth to every offender in the world Iude 15. Earthly Judges may punish some malefactors but they leave thousands of men that are as great as they I meane as great offenders as they as for other reasons it is because they cannot apprehend them Thirdly because he judgeth for the breach of most righteous Lawes Fourthly because he will take no gifts Iob 36.18 19. Fiftly because he hateth heartily what he condemnes severely so the day of judgement is called A day of wrath Rom. 2.5 whereas man may censure other men for such faults as they themselves commit or at least are not moved to the sentence simply out of the disliking of the fault Sixtly because he is not deceived with shewes and outward appearances but his judgement is according to truth Rom. 2.2 Seventhly because it is generall according to mens works 2 Cor. 5.10 Eighthly because in the day of his judgement hee will specially honour the righteous Rom. 2.7 c. Ninthly because when a man can have no justice from men hee shall be sure to have justice from God and this is especially here intended Tenthly because he doth not judge rashly but as we see after wonderfull patience and the many daies men have had of sinning he appoints his day of judging Uses The Uses may be divers for First it shewes the wofull case of wicked men that forget God and in the hardnesse of their hearts runne on in sinne and so heap up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.4 5. Secondly it should teach all men that have any care of themselves to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live godly and righteously and soberly in this present world Tit. 2.12 13. Thirdly it should be a singular comfort to all such as suffer wrongs and injuries in this world whether in their names or bodies or states or any way let them but be patient God will doe them justice as these places shew 2 Thes. 1.5 Psal. 4.5 Iam. 5.6 7 8. Iude 15. Doct. 6. It is the duty of Gods servants in all distresses to commit themselves and their causes to God and to his righteous providence and judgement This the example of Christ here shews us there is reason for it First because God requires we should doe so as these places shew Psal. 37.5 6. Prov. 16.3 1 Pet. 4. ult Secondly because it is not in man to direct his owne way Ier. 10.23 Thirdly because God never disappointed the trust of them that committed themselves to him Nabum 1.7 Pro. 16.3 The Use should be to teach us as we would shew our selves to beare the image of Christ and to be true Christians to practise this duty in all cases of wrong danger affliction or temptation But then withall when we have committed our cause to God we must remember these rules First never to use ill meanes to get out of distresse Esay 28.16 Secondly not to limit God but to let him doe whatsoever pleaseth him Thirdly not to be impatient or troubled but quiet our selves in God and waite and trust in him and if we finde any difficulties wee must then roule our way upon the Lord as the Psalmist saith Psal. 37.5 6 7. Fourthly we must acknowledge him in all our waies and give him glory when he doth us justice Pro. 3.6 Verse 24. Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that we being delivered from sinne should live in righteousnesse by whose stripes you were healed HItherto of the manner of the suffering of Christ. Now follows in the fift place the matter he suffered viz. He bare our sinnes amplified by shewing how and that three waies first his own selfe secondly in his body thirdly on the tree He bare our sinnes Christ may be said to beare our
as can do two things that never Physician could doe For first he can take away the first cames of diseases which is sinne which no physick can doe Mat. 9. Secondly he can cure our bodies when they are starke dead which never any Physician could doe they may helpe some living bodies but they could never helpe one dead body Yea such as finde not cure for the paines of the bodie should be of good comfort because they should have had cure of it if it had beene good for them and they must consider it is the Lord that doth it Psal. 39. and that all shall worke together for the best Rom. 8. and that nothing can separate them from the love of Christ and that they are delivered from eternall paine and that Gods deare children have suffered as great torments or weaknesses Use 2. Secondly all men should be taught to seeke to Christ for cure since it is his office to heale and so this end men are bound to looke to divers rules if they would have Christ to heale them First they must seeke to him for cure they must pray him to heale them we doe not read that ever Christ healed any sicke person unlesse he were brought to him or he intreated to heale him wee must pray for our bodies as well as our soules thus did David Psal. 6. and 31. and Hezekiah c. Secondly wee must use the lawfull meanes wee can get for our healing Our Saviour shews that when he said the whole needed not the Physician but the sicke the sicke then doe need and must with conscience and care use all lawfull and outward helps that they can attaine to that are fit for them Mat. 9. Thirdly they must take heed of trusting upon the Physician or physick given them that was Asa his great sinne For if we bee cured it is not physick but Christ that healeth us Fourthly we must bring faith to bee healed for our bodies also this our Saviour often asketh after when he is about to cure mens bodies as the Evangelists shew Fiftly wee must bee carefull to seeke the removing of the cause of our diseases which is sinne especially if wee finde that God hath a quarrell with us for any speciall fault we are falne into thus David got the punishment of his sinne remitted by judging himselfe for his sinne Psal. 32.4.5 Sixtly we must submit our selves to Gods will and in the case of our bodies must refigne our selves into his hands to let him doe with us what it shall please him since hee knowes what is best for us and if Christ will not heale us now yet to comfort our selves as Iob did in the hope of that time when our Redeemer will be seene of us in the body when it shall be utterly and for ever freed from all paines and infirmities whatsoever Iob 19. Doct. 4. It is further to be noted that we are not only healed by Christ but it is by his stripes The wounds made in his bodie doe heale our bodies Which should make us so much the more to love the Lord Jesus and the more patiently to beare it if we be not presently healed became hee did beare more grievous paines even in the bodie and because if it were good for us he would heaie us in that he paied so deare for our healing Verse 25. For you were as sheepe going astray but are now returned unto the Shepheard and Bishop of your soules HItherto of the effects of Christs sufferings in respect of us in respect of himselfe the effect was his exaltation to become the Shepheard and Bishop of our soules even the soules of all the Elect which is so implied in the words of this verse as withall in a passage is expressed both our misery without Christ and our happinesse under his government The words of this verse in themselves containe three things First our misery by nature in our selves wee are as sheep deceived or going astray Secondly the meanes of our recovery ouâ— of that estate and that is the causing of us to returne Thirdly our happinesse under the government of Jesus Christ to whose charge we are committed when we returne The first words expressing our misery are words borrowed out of the Prophet Esay chapter 53.6 7. and in the words unregenerate men even Gods Elect among them are likened to sheep A sheep is a certaine image to resemble a man by And so we finde in Scripture that a sheep is the image or resemblance first of Christ-man He is likened to a sheep dumb before his shearer for his silence and patience at his arraignment Esay 53.7 Secondly of men that are â—rue beleevers for the harmlesnesse tractablenesse and profitablenesse Mat. 25.33 Thirdly of men that erre and wander out of the way of godlinesse And so wicked men before their calling are likened to wandring sheep yea godly men after their calling in respect of their fals or failings are likened to sheep going astray as David saith of himselfe Psal. 19. ult But here it is understood of the Elect of God before their calling The word here rendred Going astray properly signifies deceived and is so used in divers places of the new Testament but the metaphor to the which it is joyned requires it should bee expressed Going astray or wandring or erring but so as it doth import two things First the evill condition of the unregenerate they are like wandring sheepe Secondly the curâ—e of it and that is they are deceived they are as sheep deceived Now that this point may be distinctly understood I propound five things to bee considered of First what faults in men are meant by the tearme of going astray Secondly what the misery of their condition is that doe goe astray Thirdly what the cause is of their going astray Fourthly by what signes a lost sheepe may be knowne especially such as are within the Church which seemes to be the Fold And lastly the doctrines that may be briefly noted out of all the words of that part of the verse For the first Under the tearme of erring or going astay are construed in Scripture errors in opinion Iames 1.16 Mat. 22.29 called erring from the faith 1 Tim. 6.10 whoredome Numb 5.12 idolatry Deut. 13.5 drunkennesse Esay 28.1 7. bribery and all wayes of unrighteousnesse 2 Pet. 2.15 all devising of evill Pro. 14.12 yea the Propheâ— Esay expounds it of every turning after our owne wayes for which we have no warrant in the Word of God and in which men persist without repentance Esay 53.6 It is implied Psal. 119.110 For the second The misery of men living in their sinnes without repentance is very great I am tied to the consideration of it only so far forth as the simihâ— e of a sheep going astray will import Every wicked man then is like a lost sheep and that in divers respects 1. Because hee is not within the compasse of Gods speciall providence God doth not tend him nor locke
to him he is no part of his flocke he is without God in the World and without Christ as the lost sheepe is without the protection and keeping of the shepheard Wicked men have no keeper they are left to the way of their own hearts which is a fearefull curse Esay 53.6 The wicked shall be as a sheep that no man takes up Esay 13.14 2. Because hee hath no certaine pasture The provision for his life for soule and body is altogether uncertaine Hee is like Cain a vagabond upon the earth Hee is here to day he knowes nor where he shall be tomorrow God hath not given him any assurance of the keeping or getting of any thing he hath or desires Hee is like the stray sheep that hath all the world before him but knowes not where to settle Mat. 9.26 3. Because in the midst of all the best possessions of this life they have no peace Esay 57. ult The sound of feare is alwaies in their eares If a stray sheep get into a good pasture yet he is still in feare apt to be frighted with every sound ready to runne away upon every occasion so is it with them that are rich in the world and not riâ—h with God 1 Tim. 6.10 4. Because he is shut out from all comfortable society with the godly he enjoyes not the sound fruit of communion with Saints The stray sheep may sort with hogges or wilde beasts but from the sheep it is gone away Evill company is a miserable plague of a mans life to sort with such all a mans daâ—es from whom he may have a world of vanity and filthinesse but not any thing scarce worthy of the nature of men in an age Every wicked man is an alien a stranger and forainer from the Common-wealth of Israel Ephes. 2.12 5. A sheepe going astray is easily taken by a strange Lord it is driven any whither by anybody it is so silly And such is the fearefull estate of a man living in sinne strange Lords may easily surprize him false teachers may easily seduce him evill company may carry him to any wickednesse a Prince may turne him to any religion a very Atheist or Divell incarnate may easily lead him captive 6. A Sheep is apt to be worried with Dogs or devoured with Wolves or wilde Beasts when there is no Shepheard to tend him So it is with wicked men their soules their bodies their estates are all in danger to bee seized upon by Divels by unjust and unreasonable men especially as any of them are more simple so they are more liable to become a prey to the mighty ones of the earth 7. Men that wander out of the way of understanding shall remaine in the congregation of the dead Ps. 49.15 Pro. 21.16 And therefore he that converts a man from the erâ—our of his way is said to save a soule from death Iam. 5 ult And this going astray of unregenerate men is the more grievous because they are liable to many aggravations for First they goe astray from the womb they were never yet in the right way Psalm 58.3 Secondly because they wander in every worke they do as was said of Egypt Esay 19.14 All their works are abominable Psal. 14. All things are impure Thirdly because this is the curse of all unregenerate men we are turned every one to his owne way Esay 53.6 Fourthly because they delight to wander place their felicity in their sins and will not be reclaimed or advised Fiftly because they may provoke God so long that he may sweare they shall never enter into his rest Psal. 95.10,11 The third point is the cause of their going astray and that is noted in the originall word They were deceived Now then it is to bee considered distinctly who are the great deceivers of the world that cause millions of â—oules to goe astray First the Divell is the Arch-deceiver he hath beene a lier and a murtherer from the beginning he deceived our first Parents and made them and all their posterity goe astray Iohn 8.44 1 Tim. 2.14 And by him are all wicked men drawne out of the way and led captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 Secondly Antichrist is the next great deceiver who by his sorceries made all Nations in the time of the Gospell goe astray Eccles. 18.23 with his divellish doctrine and by wicked sorceries he deceived the Christian world Thirdly a â—â—arme of wicked ministers have deceived whole Townes and Countries and made the sheep goe astray even their whole flocks in many places some of them because they take the fleece and never feed the flock Ezech. â—4 2 c. Iohn 10.12 some of them by preaching lies and flattering the people with devices of men and say Peace when there is no peace Ierem. 23.17 19 20 32. Fourthly the world is a mischievous deceiver and it deceiveth by evill example and evill company and evill report raised against the godly and the good way and the inticements of profits and pleasures and vanities of all sorts and honours and the like Fiftly mans owne heart deceiveth him yea the heart of man is deceitfull above all things Ier. 17.19 It will use such carnall reasons pretend such vaine excuses entertaine such deceivable hopes and joyne it selfe to such swarmes of temptations and lusts as it cannot avoid wandring if there were no other deceivers to go withall the way of our own harts is alwaies to go out of the way Sixtly ignorance of the Scripture is a chiefe cause of erring and going astray both in opinion and life Mat. 22.29 Seventhly the love of some particular sin doth utterly undoe many a man that will not be warned of the deceitfulnesse of sin Heb. 3.12 Thus covetousnesse made many a man to erre from the faith 1 Tim. 6.20 Eighthly God himselfe in a fearefull kinde of justice many times not only consents but permits a very spirit of perverinesse and errour to seize upon some men that refused to be guided or kept by God so as they are given over to eternall perdition and destruction by reason of it Fourthly the signes of a lost sheepe follow and they are First he that refuseth reproofe is out of the way Men that cannot abide to be told of their faults are not healed Pro. 10.17 as he is in the way of life that keepeth instruction Secondly he that liveth in any knowne sinne without repentance is a lost sheepe Thirdly he that fouleth with his feet that which the good sheepe should eate or drinke and he that thrusts with the side and pusheth the diseased with his hornes is no good sheepe Ezek. 34.17 19 21. They are so farre from feeding upon the good Word and Ordinances of God that by wicked reproaches they soule it as much as they can and they that if they find a poore Christian that is diseased with some infirmities will push at him to dishearten him utterly from a religious course these are wicked beasts they are no good
Secondly the persons that need returning Thirdly the time when men must returne Fourthly the false wayes men must avoyd in returning Fiftly what a number of lost sheep doe usually returne Sixtly the aggravations against certaine persons for not returning Sevently the means of returning Eightly the manner how we must returne or the rules to be observed in returning Ninthly the signes of a lost sheepe returned Lastly the lets of returning For the first I meane not to insist upon all sorts of motives but to follow the word Returne as it is used in Scripture and take a few of the fittest motives as it is used in this place And so divers things should make a man to returne as First the consideration of Gods marvellous goodnesse and amiablenesse of nature to all such as turne unto him he is wonderfull gracious to them and mercifull and will repent him of the evill Ioel 2.12 13. Ier. 3â— 19 20. The parable of the lost sheepe shewes this fully Secondly the great danger that men are in if they returne not God is angry with the wicked every day Psal. 7.12 And his fury may breaks forth suddenly upon them like fire Ier. 4.4 For the words of his servants will certainly take hold upon them Zech. 1.4 6. And iniquity will be their ruine Ezech. 18. verse 30. Except they repent they must perish Luke 13.5 And therefore if we warme men of their sinnes and they will not return we are delivered and their blood will be upon themselves Ezech. 3.19 Thirdly if a man consider but the happinesse of such as doe returne God will forgive them all their sinnes he will aboundantly provide for them Esay 55.7 If they return they shall live and not die Ezech. 18.23 and 32.11 And everlasting joy shall bee upon their heads and sorrow and mourning shall flee away Esay 51.11 And in this verse the Apostle shewes their happinesse For they shall alwayes live under Jesus Christ as the Shepheard and Bishop of their soules For these and many other reasons it is the only wise course to returne Luke 1.16 And there is not one wise man amongst all them that returne not Iob 17. And thus of the motives The second point is the persons that need returning It is certaine that those that live out of the visible Church or in false Churches need returning As Pagans Turks Jewes Papists Schiâ—maticks and all Hereticks Yea Juda and Jerusalem need repentance Ier. 4.4 and 26.2 3. Men that live in the visible Church and are baptized need to returne or else they will perish Luke 13.5 Iohn 3.3 The third point is the time of returning and in short the best time to returne is the present time while it is called to day while we have the means of returning when God calls upon us by the ministry of his servants especially when he knockes at the doore of our hearts and layes the axe to the root of the tree It is wonderfull dangerous to defer repentance for even the longer thou livest in sin the more hard will thy heart be Heb. 3.13 and the meanes of grace even the Kingdome of God may be taken away or God may cut thee downe even by sudden death or may cast thee into a reprobate sense and give thee up to a heart that cannot repent Rom. 2.4 5. The fourth point is the false wayes to be avoyded in returning and these are first to returne with despaire or to goe backe without the guide faith in in Gods mercy or to goe the way that despaire leades In this way Cain and Iudas perished Secondly to returne fainedly and not with a mans whole heart to make a shew of returning when men doe not returne indeed Ier. 3.10 Thirdly to returne but part of the way and to repent by halfes as Ahab and Herod did Fourthly to returne when it is too late even when the doore is shut to repent when it is too late Iob 27.9 The fift point is the aggravations that lye against divers persons about their not returning For if it be evill in it selfe for any not to returne then how fearefull is their case first that are proud of their skill in going out of the way that are wise to doe evill Ier. 4.22 Secondly that are deeply revoiced that is that are such as live in horrible and fearefull sins Esay 31.6 Thirdly that will not returne though their transgressions be upon them and they pine away in them Ezek. 33.10 They will not give over though they have no peace and are daily buffered for their evill-doing and their consciences beare the shame and trouble of their offending Fourthly that will not returne though the servants of God openly testifie against them Neb. 9.29 2 Kings 17.13 14. Fiftly that will not returne though the hand of God he upon them even to consume them Ier. 5.3 Sixtly that are turned backe by a perpetuall backsliding Ier. 8.4 that hold fast their sins and refuse to returne Ier. 8.5 The sixt point may be this viz. what number of lost sheep doe usually returne Not all that goe astray our Saviour tels us of a parable of one lost sheep returning and the Prophet Ieremie tels us of one of a Tribe and two of a Tribe Ier. 3.14 Multitudes of men perish and never returne The seventh point is the meanes or cause of our returning and these are either Principall or Instrumentall The principall causes are God and Christ that good Shepheard It is God that turneth backe the captivity of his people Psal. 14. ult and three times in one Psalme the people pray God to turne them againe Psal. 80.3 7 19. This is Ephraims suite Turne thou me O Lord and I shall be turned Ier. 21.18 So the Church faith Lam. 5.21 And Christ is that good Shepheard that seekes that which is lost yea layeth downe his life for his sheep Iohn 10. The instrumentall causes of returning are either externall or internall The externall meanes of returning is the Word preached and so both the reproofes of Gods servants testifying against the wicked to make them turne from their sins Nehem. 9.26 29. as also the promises of the Gospell by which the sinner in the name of Christ is as it were wooed and intreated to returne with assurance of salvation The internall meanes is Faith for that is it which turnes a man cleane about and causeth him to set his face upon God and Jesus Christ and to leave all his old courses and by-wayes Acts 15.9 The eight point is the manner how we must returne and so we shall find in Scripture divers things urged upon us First that we in returning make a thorow search and triall of our wayes to finde out distinctly in what particulars we have gone astray Lam. 3.40 They must remember and be thinke themselves and turne Psal. 23.28 Secondly we must with true sorrow bewaile our former wandrings and judge our selves for them going and rejoycing we must goe with
rule Gal. 6.16 and do all in faith Heb. 11.6 4. We must serve God in our spirits as well as in our outward man not as men-pleasers or with eye service or with outward worship but from the heart and with the spirit Rom. 2.28 29. Eph. 6.5 6 7. 5. We must make conscience of the least sins to avoide them and of the least Commandements to obey them if we would be great in heaven Mat. 5.19 Divers of these are exprest in one sentence Micah 6.8 Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to doe justly and to love mercy and to humble thy selfe to walk with thy God 6. We must avoide those sins that God especially hates such as are swearing Commandement 3. Deut. 28.58 lukewarmnesse in religion Rev. 3.15 16. persecuting such as feare God 1 Thes. 2.15 16. wilfull fashioning our selves after this world Rom. 12.1 2. to blesse our selves in our hearts against Gods curses Deut. 29.19 through impatience or unbeliefe to withdraw our selves in adversity Heb. 10 38. and in generall all grosse sins Rev. 22.15 Doct. 3. The best riches a Christian hath are his vertues and gifts of his mind and therefore he saith here they are rich in Gods sight Now they are his best riches in divers respects 1. Because they are riches in Gods sight whereas all worldly treasures commend not any man to God Gal. 3.28 He gives us naked into the world and takes us himselfe naked againe 2. Because they furnish the best part of man viz. his mind whâ—â—eas worldly riches doe only furnish mens houses or bodies 3. Because no violence can take these treasures away A man may be vertuous spight of the hearts of all the Divells in hell or divellish men on earth whereas worldly treasures may be many waies lost 4. Because those things doe make a man rich to immortality whereas worldly riches can serve at best but for a mortall life And therefore this point shewes that godly men that seeke vertue and grace have chosen the better part and that we should all covet spirituall gifts with more earnest affections than worldlings doe outward riches And it shewes the happy estate of poore Christians they may be very rich for all their poverty outward Rev. 2.8 Neither may hypocrites please themselves with saying they are rich Rev. 3.17 for God will discover their counterfeit wares And in generall we may hence gather that the richest men in the Parish are vertuous men Doct. 4. It is evident from hence that God sees the spirits of men our hearts are all open and manifest before him Ier. 17.9 1 Kings 8.39 1 Sam. 17. Heb. 4.13 And this must needs be so because God is omniscient all eye and sees all things The Sun may cease shining but God cannot cease seeing Secondly because God formed the hearts of all men and therefore must needs know them Psal. 33.15 Thirdly because God by his providence doth specially watch over the world of spirits add daily visits mens hearts Iob 7.18 Psal. 17.3 and receives presentments of all abuses He daily tries the hearts and reins and weighes the heart of man Pro. 21.2 And therefore the Use should be divers first to reach men to labour for inward and secret goodnesse as well as outward and open conformity and to be afraid of sin in secret for no darknesse can hide from God the day and night are all one to him and though no eye of man see thee yet art thou alwaies before the eye of God We should therefore keepe our hearts with all diligence Pro. 4.23 And it may be a great comfort to the godly against all the scornes and censures of the world that traduce them as hypocrites for God sees their hearts yea it may comfort them against the imperfections of their workes for God seeth the preparations and desires of their hearts and that they would faine doe better But especially this is terrible to wicked men for if God see the hearts of men in what case are they that have such evill hearts Ob. Why will some one say what fault can God find with our hearts Sol. God sees the deadnesse and dulnesse that is in thy heart in his service He sees thy directions and how far off thy heart is from him when thou drawest neere to him with thy lips he sees thy hypocrisie and securitie and thy double and divided heart he sees thy carnall cavils and the boiling risings of thy heart against him and his truth he sees thy fâ—â—â—fulnesse and unbeliefe and the uncircumcision of thy heart thy unreâ—â—hâ—blenesse and forgetfulnesse he sees all the vanities and errours of thy imaginations all thy lusts and passions and wicked desires and all thâ—â— framâ— of thy imaginations that are only evill continually he sees thy filthy nakednesse and all the Idols thou entertainest in thy heart and therefore if thou wilt not perish in the eternall abomination of God make haste to wash thine heart from wickednesse and seriously to repent of the sins of thy spirit Lastly the scope of this place teacheth us distinctly That God makes a great reckoning of such men and women as have meeke and quiet spirits There is reason for it because a quiet mind is like to Gods mind which is never stirred nor moved from everlasting to everlasting but is alwaies the same and because where the spirit is meeke and quiet there all sin is mortified and every good gift and grace doth prosper And this should be a great encouragement to all Christians and in particular to Christian wives that are meek and live quietly with their husbands for though their husbands should not love them the more or esteeme of this grace hence they may see that God will like them much the better for it and they are very comely and richly cloathed in Gods sight Ver. 5. Por even after this manâ—r in times past did the holy 〈◊〉 which trâ—sted in God 〈◊〉 themselves and were subject to their husbands Ver. 6. As Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord whose daughters ye are while ye doe well not being affraid of any terrour IN these two verses is contained the confirmation of the Proposition exhorting wives to be subject to their owne husbands ver 1. And this is made good by two reasons both taken from example the one in generall from the practice of holy women of ancient times that did so carry themselves towards their husbands ver 5. the other in particular from the practice of Sarah the mother of faithfull women ver 6. The example generally considered ver 5. is described and commended sixe wayes First for the maner of it it was in this maner that is just according to the precept now given by the Apostle Secondly for the anâ—iquitie of it it was so in old time Thirdly for the subject persons in whom it was found viz. not only women that did so but the holiest women Fourthly for the cause of it viz.
not the duties of wives though they did never so much good other wayes yet they have not the praise of well-doing unlesse they doe their duties to their husbands the like may be said of Magistrates Ministers Husbands Parents Servants c. 7. Confidence in the flesh mars good duties when men trust to their own wits reason skill or any gifts and doe not all they doe in the name of Jesus Christ Col. 3.17 Phil. 3.3 and in particular conceitednesse and to be wise in themselves and proud will mar any action All should be done in meekenesse of wisedome 8. Inconstancie shames any action when we are wearie of well-doing or wavering or decline and goe backwards their righteousnesse being as the morning dew Quest. Can any thing we doe be well done seeing all our righteousnesse is as a menstruous cloth Esay 64.6 Answ. Our workes in themselves are none well done but by Gods indulgence assured unto us in the new Covenant where he 1. Accepts the will for the deed It is well done when our desire and endevour is to doe it as well as we can 2. He beholds the worke in Christ and for his intercession passeth by the evill that cleaves to our best workes 3. He regards it as proceeding from his owne Spirit in us who causeth us to doe good and worketh our workes for us as in the instance of prayer Rom. 8.26 Thus of the fourth observation Doct. 5. From the maner of the terme in the originall which hath a continuall respect to the present time and imports a continuall well-doing I note That a Christian should strive to be alwaies doing good he should let no time passe without well-doing 2 Tim. 2.21 2 Cor. 9.8 Psal. 106.2 Col. 3.10 1 Thes. 5.15 1 Tim. 5.10 And that for many reasons 1. Because he hath so little time left to worke in He should walke in the light while he hath the light the night will come when no man can worke and the rather since he hath lost so much time in doing workes of darknesse he should now redeeme the time Eph 5.15 1 Pet. 4.2 3. 2. Because he is Gods servant and therefore should be alwaies working Rom. 6. yea he is Gods Sacrifice therefore should he be wholly devoted to the doing of good Rom. 12.1 3. Because we have our taske set us and ever the more worke we doe the sooner we shall fulfill the measure prescribed us 4. Because hereby we shall much glorifie God Mat. 5.19 and silence wicked men 1 Pet. 2.12 15. 5. Because God is faithfull and will not forget our workes and labour we shall be rewarded accordingly If we sowe sparingly we â—hall reape sparingly 2 Cor. 9. Heb. 6.11 Gal. 6.9 God giveth us richly to enjoy all things in this world 1 Tim. 6.17 and our continuance in well-doing will be marvellously rewarded in heaven Rom. 2.7 Now that we may doe much good we must pâ—ay God to establish us in every good word and worke 2 Thes. 2.17 and withall we must furnish our selves with directions out of the Scriptures and studie the rules of life there prescribed 2 Tim. 3.10 17. Iames 3.17 and then we must be sure to make use of all the opportunities of well-doing And be not affraid with any amazement These words may be diversly referred and so diversly expounded If they be referred to the exhortation to subjection to their husbands in the maner before shewed then the sense may be that they should not feare that they should be misused if they were subject or else it limits the maner of subjection that they should not be subject only for feare or out of basenesse of mind feare should not be the ground of their obedience but conscience of Gods Commandements and love to their husbands If they be referred to the example of Sarah they may be taken either as a promise or as a condition as a promise thus If they imitate Sarah in well-doing they need not be affraid of the troubles of a married estate for by this course those troubles will be prevented or the tribulation they shall have in the flesh will not be great Or they may bethe second as a condition of their filiation if they will be Sarahs daughters then they must learne of Sarah to beare the troubles and afflictions may befall them and their husbands without disquietnesse and amazement Sarah could leave her owne countrey and was a comfort to her husband and we never reade that shee any way discouraged her husband or complained of miserie though she was faine to live in many strange places and had not at any time any certain abode any where But I thinke the words may be interpreted in generall as containing a prohibition of excessive feares and consternation of mind which is often found in women to the great offence and disquieting of their husbands The word translated Amazâ—ment notes such a perplexitie of minde in which one is almost at his wits end and therefore the Verb of which this Noune is derived is used in the New Testament only in these cases as in the cases of rumours of wars or seditions readie to seize upon a people Luke 21.9 or in the case of a conceit that one sees a ghost or spirit Luke 24.37 And such as either of these doe women sometimes fall into and this the Apostle forbids He doth not forbid all feare for they must feare their husbands Ephes. 5. ult and they must feare God 2 Cor. 7.11 Nor doth he severely taxe that naturall fearefulnesse in women which followes their sexe but only such desperate vexations or passions as suffer them not to make use of their trust in God or love to their husbands Quest. What causes can there be imagined why these Christian wives should be in danger of any such consternation of minde Answ. The Apostle might well imagine divers causes of this frailtie 1. They had husbands that were Infidels which might be a great grievance to them and besides those husbands might perhaps absolutely forbid them or labour to restraine them from the exercises of Christian Religion which might put them into a great strait 2. Their profession of Christian Religion might bring upon them many tribulations and persecutions which women are not so able to beare 3. It may be the Apostle had observed that women were apt to fall into these desperate fits of passion and grieving when they were crossed by their husbands or servants or children Sure it is that many women now a daies if their husbands doe but crosse them in reasonable things they will cry and grieve as if they would die in the vexation of their hearts These strange humours and perplexities and desperate fits the Apostle absolutely forbids hee would not have any of them found in a Christian wife Ver. 7. Likewise ye husbands dwell with them according to knowledge giving honour unto the wife as unto the weaker vessell as being heires together of the grace of life that your
God is upon him he hath sworne before the Lord to doe his duty Thus of the generall motives Further in that he said Husbands indefinitely he shewes thereby That all husbands are bound to observe this charge and all alike God chargeth rich learned wise godly husbands as much and as well as poore unlearned and ill disposed men Two Uses may be made of this point for first hereby we may see cleerely that outward things make no difference before God when God gives a law he gives it to all men as if they were but one man Civill difference of bloud nations calling condition or common gifts makes no exception from any when God gives his law Secondly such husbands as finde an outward difference from other husbands either in their gifts or greatnesse of meanes or highnesse of office or calling should lay aside all thought of such things and shew as much respect to their wives as any other men that have no such things to boast of And yet one thing more I may add to such hearers as heare this doctrine seeing God chargeth all they should take heed of that common fault of thinking of other husbands and how the doctrine will fit them and so neglect application to themselves Dwell with them The duty charged upon husbands is contained briefly in these words and under this phrase of dwelling with them is comprehended in effect all essentiall matrimoniall duties for it imports 1. Not only cohabitation but also 2. Separation from all the world to a speciall fellowship with that woman 3. Communion of goods They that must be partners of Gods treasures in heaven must be partners in all outward blessings All things should be common so as the husband must provide maintenance for his wife and that not only while he lives with her but he ought as he is able to provide for her maintenance after he is dead 4. Mutuall benevolence or the mutuall use of each others bodies 1 Cor. 7. 5. Delight in her company so as to be loath to be absent from her it is not enough to be with her but he must dwell with her Pro. 5.19 6. Serving of God together as the last reason in the end of the verse shewes Now divers reasons may be given of this why husbands should dwell with their wives 1. From the institution of marriage divers things may be noted as that God said hee would provide a helper for man to be before him Gen. 2.18 and besides Adam confessed she was bone and flesh of his flesh which the Apostle urgeth Eph. 5. And further it is said For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and cleave to his wife and they shall bee one flesh All which imports a necessity of living together 2. From the example of Christ husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the Church Now how Christ desires to be with the Church may bee seene in the Canticles and hee hath promised he will be with his Church to the end of the world Mat. 28. 3. From the unnaturalnesse of the offence of living asunder Did ever any man hate his owne flesh saith the Apostle Ephes. 5. or can the arme or head in the naturall body live well from the other parts of the body no more either comely or convenient is it for husbands to live from their wives The use is therefore for great reproofe of many husbands that have so little desire or delight to converse in this holy and loving manner with their wives but study all occasions to draw them from home yea some men had rather live abroad with their dogs or hawkes than at home with their wives But especially those beasts are abominable that leave the society of their wives to follow strange women that is Whores Secondly here is somewhat for wives too If they would have their husbands to keepe home and delight in their company they must labour to be amiable and pleasing and study to be quiet and obedient that their husbands may be encouraged with delight to live with them Againe the indefinite propounding of the duty shews that they must dwell with them at alltimes not for the first quarter after they are married but for ever and that for conscience sake not only to avoide shame or the displeasure of the wives friends or onely while her portion lasts or for such like carnall respects But before I leave this point something would be said of foure cases of absence which may bee put as first the case of absence in respect of calling secondly the case of separation from bed and boord thirdly the case of nullities fourthly the case of divorce For the first when God gives a man a just calling to live from his wife or to goe into forraine parts it is lawfull to forbeare cohabitation for the time as in the case of Souldiers or Merchants or Ministers that are called to exercise their Ministeries in remote places In these cases when the wives cannot or will not goe with them they may lawfully live absent yea though their wives consent not to it because all relations to man must give place to our relation to God Now when God calls any man to any imploiment no man can disannull that calling and therefore such in the Ministery as have lawfull callings to exercise their Ministeries in other countries and have not fit imploiment at home doe very sinfully when they refuse to preach the Gospel in such places upon that silly pretence that they cannot get their wives to consent For the second viz. the case of separation from bed and boord it is for the most part very wicked and abominable because we have not either commandement or permission or example of any such in the Word of God And besides experience shews it breeds a world of scandalous inconveniences though I doubt not but in some speciall cases the Magistrate or Church may cause such a separation for a time but as it is ordinarily practised by divers husbands and wives it is very vile For the third viz. the case of nullities we must understand in divers cases though the man have bound himselfe by the contract or consummation of marriage to the woman yet he must not dwel with her because such contracts and marriages are meere nullities in the sight of God and of no force 1. If he marry her that is divorced for any other cause than fornication Mat. 19.9 2. If the marriage be incestuous that is within any of the degrees prohibited in the law of God see Lev. 18. Which lawes were not ceremoniall or politicall but morall and naturall which may appeare as by other reasons so by this one God saith he did destroy the Nations for such incestuous matches Lev. 18.24 Now God could not punish the Nations for breaking a law was never given them The ceremoniall and politicall lawes were given to the Jewes and not to the Gentiles thus it was not lawfull for Herod to
have his brothers wife nor must the Corinthian that married his fathers wife be suffered to dwell with her 1 Cor. 5. 3. Diviâ—es generally agree that if there be a precontract with another person in verbis de praesenti in the words of the present time made with consent of parents c. then the marriage after with another is a meere nullitie and such dwelling together is whâ—redome Zanchius brings reason for this from the law of God and Nature and civill and common lawes 4. If a marriage be made without the free consent of the parties or in cases where they are not able to give a free conâ—ent as in the marriage with children under age or with mad men or persons that are drunk when they give consent and doe disclaime it when they are sober These are nullities in the common opinion of Divines of all sorts and the reason is because the consent of parties is essentially requisite to such a bond 5. If there be error personae an errour of the person that is if a man mean to contract marriage with one person and another person is given him as when Leah was given in stead of Rachel to Iacob Divines agree that Iacob might have rejected Leah and that his owne consent afterwards did onely bind him to dwell with her But yet errour about the condition or state of the person is no nullitie If a man contract himselfe to a woman he thinkes to be a free woman and she proves a bond woman or he thinkes he marries with a rich woman and she proves a poore woman these errours do not cause a nullitie he must live with her for all this 6. If marriage be contracted with such as are utterly and incurably unapt for marriage this marriage is a nullitie as in the case of Eunuchs some kinds of incurable palsies or the like And about this I finde no difference amongst Divines Zanchius and some other Divines goe further and pronounce nullities in the cases following as If marriage be contracted yea and celebrated without the consent of parents He brings many arguments from the Law befoâ—e Moses and from the Law of Moses from the testimony of the Apostle Paul and from the lawes of Nations and from the Fathers If marriage be contracted or celebrated with such as have any notorious contagious disease which is knowne to be incurable as the Elephantiasis or worse kind of leprosie or the like because this will prove a mischiefe to the party cleere and to his children and to the Common-wealth and God ordained not marriage to be a mischiefe but a help If marriage be celebrated with a woman that is found to be with child by another man Yea he enclines to those that thinke the marriage of a Christian with an Infidell as a Jew Turke or Pagan as being the knowne and professed enemies of Christ is likewise a nullitie Hee gives many probable reasons and quotes divers authors for the opinion But for my part I dare not venture so farre especially to be peremptorie in it much lesse have I attained to the learning of those Divines that thinke Veneficium versus hanc Witchcraft disabling a man towards that woman onely to be a sufficient cause of a nullitie in the marriage Thus of the case of nullities For the case of divorce I thinke that rule of our Saviour binds peremptorily that no man may put away his wife but only in the case of fornication Mat. 19.9 In that case a man making a lawfull divorce is not bound to cohabitation but freed from it and must not dwell with her any more If it be objected that in the case of disertion when an Infidell forsakes a beleever the Apostle faith the beleever is free I answer that this is not a case of divorce The beleever doth not for the businesse of Religion put away the unbeleever yea the Apostle shewes he ought not 1 Cor. 7. onely if the unbeleever will depart let her depart And so by the wilfull departure of the Infidell the Christian is freed from the bond of marriage as Divines conceive which is a kind of nullity but not a divorce But then a great respect must be had to the kind of unbeleever not every wicked man or woman nor everie person that professeth a false religion but such an unbeleever as is a profest enemie to the Name of Christ is the unbeleever the Apostle speakes of Yet one thing more I must adde about the case of disertion when the disertion is for other causes than Religion if it be wilfull or inevitable then the party diserted is freed from this charge of cohabitation freed I say for a time till the diserted returne and if he never returne the party forsaken is for ever free Thus of the proposition of their duties the exposition of it followes According to knowledge By knowledge I take it here meant that Christian knowledge of Religion and the Word of God which godly husbands had attained by the Gospel for in the end of the verse he speakes of husbands as heires of the grace of life And so before I come to shew what speciall things in the manner of cohabitation this knowledge doth charge upon husbands I would consider of some doctrines in generall implyed by the words as Doct. 1. That the knowledge of Gods Word is a gift of God to bee much accounted of and therefore the Apostle here for honour sake to the man mentions this grace rather than any other And that knowledge is a precious thing or a great treasure may appeare divers waies First by the seat and use of knowledge it is a gift that adornes the mind of man making him by his inward understanding to see excellent things It is a great benefite to have senses to discerne things without us but this divine light that God puts into the understanding of man gives to the understanding power to see admirable things especially when it is spirituall light it shews a man the differences betweene good and evill and reveales such glorious things as no senses can reach to Secondly by the author of it God is the father of light and dwelleth in light Iam. 1.17 and it is the speciall glory of Christs divinity to lighten every man that comes into the world Iohn 1. and the holy Ghost claimes a part in this glory to give illumination to the minde 2 Cor. 3. Thirdly by the testimony God gives of the worth of knowledge eâ—pecially when it is spirituall and religious knowledge 〈◊〉 is called riches 1 Cor. 1.5 and preferred before all outward things in the world Ier. 9 2â— and Christ accounts it a great signe of speciall friendship to communicate knowledge to his Disciples Ioh. 15.15 and God gave Iacob a greater portion when hee gave his word to him than hee did give to all the world besides He did not so with other Nations Psal. 1. Fourthly by the accounts Christ gives unto his Father of the discharge of
his office he is carefull to prove that he hath given knowledge to the men God gave him to prepare them for eternall life Iohn 17.6 7 8 26. Fifthly by the relation it hath to God himselfe it is a part of the image of God in the new man Col. 3.10 Sixthly by the contrary it is accounted a great sinne and a curse to want knowledge Hosh. 4.11 and other gifts or services are rejected as vaine if this grace be not had as Zeale Rom. 10.2 Sacrifice Hos. 6.6 and therefore such as want knowledge should shake off profane sluggishnesse and vaine objections and seeke to be rich in knowledge as the men in the world doe to abound in wealth Pro. 4.7 2.4 And such as have knowledge should strive to encrease it and be thankfull to God for his great mercy in giving them knowledge and the meanes of it Doct. 2. Knowledge is required of all sorts of men Not of Ministers only but of private men of all husbands yea and of all men before they be husbands because so soone as they have wives they are charged to shew their knowledge Iohn 1.9 1 Cor. 8.1 1 Tim. 2.4 This condemnes the sacrilegâ—ous humour of those persons that are like the wicked Lawyers our Saviour speakes of Luke 11.52 which take away the key of knowledge from private men either by their opinions hindering others from seeking knowledge with their errours mudding the cleere fountaine of Gods Word or by their power restraining the meanes of knowledge from the people And withall this should stirre up all sorts of men to seeke knowledge and use all meanes to attaine it as they will give their account unto God of the use of their time at the last day Doct. 3. Knowledge is given us for use and practice not for idle speculation it is given as other gifts of the Spirit to profit withall it is a light to lighten our paths Our knowledge should be after godlinesse Tit. 1.1 It should some way help forwards the worke of godlinesse that we get by hearing should be shewed by practise Iames 1.22 23 24. They that have knowledge and will not use it shall have that knowledge taken from them Mat. 13.11 Nor is the use of knowledge only for discourse but for conversation The words of knowledge or utterance is given to some Christians onely 1 Cor. 12.8 And such as cannot talke much may yet have comfort if they have knowledge to stay their hearts in faith and that they can shew their knowledge by a good conversation Doct. 4. The knowledge seated in our minds should have a commanding power of our actions all should be according as a mans knowledge faith Those parcels of divine truth put into our minds should rule us and dispose of us and make us ordered according to them Those lawes in our mindes should make us master all that rebels against them and make the members be subject to them to obey them Our knowledge should be lively and indued with soveraigne power This is the honour we should give to the light that is in our minds to let it rule us in all things And this point may much humble all sorts of Christians for want of stirring up their knowledge or for want of obeying it Most Christians have their knowledge so feeble that the Divell or the world may lead them aside to all sorts of temptations and yet their knowledge makes not opposition and doth not take arms to subdue what exalts it self against the light of it as it should do 2 Cor. 10.4 Now if men would hearten and give life and power to those notions of knowledge are in their minds and would have their knowledge to have full power they must observe these rules 1. They must daily wound and mortifie and resist the law of the members that is such humours in them as are wâ—nt to be incorrigible Most persons have some faults in their natures that they are guiltie of with a kind of wilfulnesse such faults as must be allowed such as if they be crossed in there will be no peace but open rebellion such faults as sticke so fast to them as if God and man must let them alone in them these members must obey them as a law Now these men must find out and be sure they resist them or else the lawes of the minde will be but feeble and sacred notions infused will starve and wither and never appeare in their life and power 2. Men must be sure they study profitable things and avoide such knowledges as are fruitlesse as belong not to them 1 Tim. 6.20 2 Tim. 2.23 Tit. â— 9 There is knowledge that will puffe up 1 Cor. 8 1. But men must be wiâ—e for themselves and strive to understand their owne way Pro. 9.12 3. They must pray God to put a spirit and life into their knowledge and give them grace to shew all good conscience in their obedience and withall they must pray hard for their Teachers that their word may be a word of power to give fire to the sparkles of light are already in their minds Finally let all men that professe the knowledge of Gods word remember that their knowledge should make them differ from all other men Their lives should excell others according to the knowledge in which they differ from them A man must hold forth thâ— life and light of the knowledge he hath Phil. 2.15 They have a great taske to doe that have received much knowledge much is required of them if they doe ill their example may doe much mischiefe 1 Cor. 8.10 11. Doct. 5. True knowledge makes an impression upon every part of a manâ— life it makes him better in all his wayes both towards God and man as here true knowledge makes a man a better husband He must carrie himselfâ— as a husband according to his knowledge he hath of Gods word Truâ— knowledge enricheth a man in every thing 1 Cor. 1.5 The favour of our knowledge should be manifest in every place 2 Cor. 2.14 The knowledge that will not doe thus is falsely so called 1 Tim. 6.20 There is use of knowledge in the most ordinarie things of the life of man as meats marriage and the things of our calling 1 Tim. 4.3 and therefore this should stirre up all godly Christians to shew this proofe of their knowledge and to pray that they may abound in knoâ—ledge and all judgement Phil. 1.9 Câ—l 1.9 and gives cause to Christians of ill behaviour in their callings or private carriage to mistrust that their knowledge is noâ— tight and in particular wives should pray God to give their husbands knowledge of his Word and to blesse all meanes to that end for that will make them the better husbands Doct. 6. It is an ill thing for men to transgresse against their knowledges when they doe things that are not according to their knowledge or leave undone things they know they should doe The servant that knowes his masters will and
preserving his authority as he judge not partially but with equall judgement shewing the fault wheresoever he find it else he may extremely harden his servants against them both Giving them honour This is the second thing required in the Exposition They must honour their wives and this the husband doth 1. When he useth her with signes of his estimation of her according to her ranke in the family and her relation to him entertaining her as his companion and not as his servant or slave To honour her is to carry himselfe with such respect towards her that all may see that he makes a great account of her as the companion God hath given to him for his life to be a helper to him 2. When he is carefull to protect her from wrongs and dangers and indignities 1 Sam. 30.5 3. When he provides for her maintenance both in his life time and after his death as well as he may allowing her such apparell and other things as may shew manifestly how great account he makes of her and doing all with cheerefulnesse and not like chuâ—lish Nabal and the rather because for the most part they are not able to make shift and provide for themselves 4. By the speciall delight he takes in her above others cherishing her as his owne flesh and making as much of her as he can doe of himselfe Pro. 5. 19. Eph. 5.28 5. By suffering himselfe to be intreated and in some cases advised and admonished by her Gen. 21.12 6. By giving her such emploiment as her gifts are fit for leaving to her trust such things in the family and his estate as she is fit to dispose of It is a dishonour to the wife when the trust of businesse is committed to servants or others when she is able and willing to undertake it Pro. 31.11 7. By yeelding a free and just testimonie of her praises upon all fit occasions both to her selfe and others Pro. 31.28 29. 8. By covering her infirmities passing by meere frailties and not speaking to her to provoke her when she is wayward or else giving soft answers and forbearing as much as may be to speake to her disgrace before others 9. When he gives her leave to dispose of some things at her pleasure not exacting account of her allowing her as a reward of her care or diligence some such overplus as his estate will beare that she may be free to give for pious or charitable uses what may be for her credit or encouragement Ob. But my wife was of mean birth condition or portion when I married Sol. So and much worse was the Church before Christ married her and yet Christ loves the Church Ob. But since marriage she is idle and froward and wastefull c. Sol. If shebe so thou hast cause to pray for and admonish her but for all that thou must love her and yeeld her due honour The Church sinneth after calling and yet Christ honours the Church both by praying for her in heaven and by labouring to clense her by his Spirit and Word in earth Ephes. 5. Ob. But she is profane and carnall a wicked woman a scorner of religion or perhaps of a contrary religion Sol. Thou must love and honour her not because she deserves it but because God requires it Thus of the Exposition The reasons follow and the first is because they are the weaker vessell As the weaker vessell The word translated Vessell is diversly accepted in Scripture sometimes properly sometimes metaphorically As it is taken properly it is sometime taken for goods or any houshold-stuffe Mat. 12.29 Luke 17.31 Sometimes againe it signifies any instrument used in the house or without the house so the instruments used in the Temple about any part of Gods service were called Vessels of the Ministery Heb. 9.21 So a Bushell is called a Vessell Luke 8.16 So that which held the foure footed beasts and fowles c. in the vision Acts 10.11 16. is called a Vessell yet like a sheet so is a saile of a ship called by this terme Acts 27.17 Now in a metaphoricall sense this terme signifies either the parts or members of the body of man or woman that serve for generation 1 Thes. 4.4 or else it signifies any person that God hath set apart for some speciall service or ministration Thus Paul was a Vessell of election or a chosen Vessell to beare Gods name among the Gentiles and Kings and the people of Israel Acts 9.15 Or else such persons upon whom God will declare either his mercy or justice Thus Vessels of honour and mercy and Vessels of dishonour Rom. 9.21 23. and in generall any man or woman that God appoints to doe any worke or his instruments either publikely or privately Thus all men in respect of the worke God requires of them are Vessels 2 Tim. 2.20 21. and so women are Vessels here because they are instruments God makes use of for the helpe of man Now for the word Weaker It signifies the frailties and defects in the sexe of women in respect of which they are inferiour to men not so much for their sinfull defects as their naturall defects defects of negation rather than defects of privation So then the sense is that in as much as women whom God hath given unto man instruments of his blessing and their help are by nature fraile and have many weaknesses and defects men should be the more tender and carefull in their carriage towards them And so here are three points of doctrine may be observed Doct. 1. In that men and women are called Vessels in respect of the service God doth cause them to performe we may learne That in workes of grace or matters of holinesse we are rather Patients than Agents Not but that by Gods assistance men and women doe worke that which is good but because thereby God would have us to ascribe all to his grace And therefore he compares us not to active instruments as tooles are in the hands of the workemen but to passive instruments such as Dishes are that beare and carry treasure or meat or such like Hence it is the Apostles call themselves earthen Vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 and Paul in converting the Gentiles did but beare Gods name Acts 9.21 And therefore we should all acknowledge our insufficiency and flye to the bloud of Jesus Christ to sanctifie us for all the Vessels of the Ministery in the Temple were sprinkled with bloud Heb. 9.21 And further such as are unprofitable should repen t and amend for they are but as the vessell in the hands of the Potter and God will breake them in pieces with his rod of iron Rev. 2.27 Doct. 2. Women are weake and fraile called here the weaker Vessell and I take it this weaknesse is attributed to them not in respect of sin so much as in naturall defects so as he meanes not personall faults but such weaknesses as are found in all women or the most But yet I would not be understood to
yet it is so rich as the tongue of man cannot utter if it be in any measure true and sincere Besides how should this fire our desires after wisedome and spirituall understanding in the world of Christ seeing it is our life and in the same degree we encrease in eternall life that we encrease in acquaintance with God in Christ and therefore above all gettings we should be getting understanding And finally it shewes the wofull estate of ignorant persons that are carelesse of the studie of the Word of God and of hearing of the Gospel preached This is their death and will be their eternall death if they prevent it not by repentance and sound redeeming of the time for the service of the soule about this sacred knowledge Now for the fourth point the things that nourish life are greatly to be heeded both to shew us what we should apply our selves to and with what thankfulnesse to receive the meanes of our good herein 1. We must know that the principall cause of the nourishment and increase of spirituall life is the influence of vertue from Christ our mysticall head by the secret and unutterable working of the spirit of Christ which is therefore called the spirit of life because it both frees us by degrees from the feares of death and from the power and blots of sin Rom. 8.2 and withall it quickens and encreaseth life in us for the better exercise of righteousnesse Rom. 8.10 2. The contemplation of Gods favour and presence doth wonderfully extend and inflame life in us To marke God any where or by any experience to find effectually his love and to taste of the sweetnesse of his goodnesse this is life from the dead better than all things in naturall life it doth a godly mans heart more good than all things in the world can doe as these places shew Psal. 30.5 63.7 8. 36.3 16. ult with coherence 3. The entertainment God gives his people in his house is one speciall cause of encrease of this life in us as it encreaseth both knowledge and joy and all goodnesse and satisfies the heart of man especially amongst all the things that are without us the Word of God as it is powerfully preached in Gods house is the food of this life called the savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2.16 Christ words are the words of eternall life Iohn 6. see Psal. 36. 8. Iohn 12.50 Pro. 4.22 4. Fellowship with the godly is singular to quicken and excite the life of grace and joy and knowledge in us therefore it is an amiable thing for brethren to dwell together in unity because there God hath commanded the blessing even life for evermore Psal. 133. ult Pro. 2.20 The mouth of the righteous is a veine of life Pro. 10.11 Yea the very reproofes of instruction are the way of life Pro. 6.23 And therefore weake Christians should be instructed from hence with faith to rest upon the God of their lives who by the spirit of Christ can enable them to eternall life and with thankfulnesse to embrace all signes of Gods favour and presence and above all things in life to provide for themselves powerfull meanes in publike and good societie in private and not to be turned off from either of these by slight either objections or difficulties and to resolve to labour more for these than carnall persons would doe to have their naturall lives if they were in distresse or danger It is also excellent counsell which Saint Iude gives in this point concerning eternall life he would have us looke to foure things The first is to edifie our selves in our most holy faith striving to get in more store of Gods promises and divine knowledges and to strive to establish our hearts in our assurance of our right to them The second is to pray in the holy Ghost for he knew that powerfull prayer doth greatly further eternall life in us The third is to keepe our selves in the love of God avoiding all things might displease him chusing rather to live under the hatred of all the world than to anger God by working iniquity The fourth is to looke as often and as earnestly as we can after that highest degree of mercy and glory we shall have in the comming of Christ Iud. 1.19 20. I will conclude this point with that one counsell of Solomon Keepe thy heart with all diligence for thereout come the issues of life Christians that would prosper in spirituall life should be very carefull of the first beginnings of sin in their thoughts and desires and be very diligent in nourishing all good motions of the holy Ghost preserving their peace and joy in beleeving with all good consciences Pro. 4.23 Thus of the fourth point 5. Now for the differences of life in these degrees especially the first and last degree they are very great for though eternall life in the first degree be a treasure of singulaâ— value yet the glory of this life doth greatly excell as it is to be held in another world I intend not to compare life in heaven with naturall life here for that is not worthy to be mentioned in the ballance with that eternall life of glory but with eternall life it selfe as it is held by the godly only in this world And so the difference is very great 1. In respect of the place where the godly live in each degree 2. In respect of the meanes of preservation of life in each degree 3. In respect of the company with whom we live in each degree 4. In respect of the quality of life it selfe 5. In respect of the effects of life eternall in each degree For the first There is great difference betweene the life of grace and the life of glory in the very place of living Here we live in an earthly tabernacle in houses of clay there we shall live in eternall mansions buildings that God hath made without hands 2 Cor. 5.1 Here we live on earth there in heaven Here we are strangers and pilgrims far from home Hâ—b 11. there we shall live in our Fathers house Here we are in Egypt there we shall live in Canaan Here wee live where death sorrow and sin and Divels dwell there we shall live in a place where God and immortality and all holinesse dwels 2 Pet. 3.13 Here we are but banished men there we shall live in the celestiall Paradise Here we have no abiding City but there we shall abide in the new Jerâ—sâ—lem that is above The glory of the whole earth can but shadow out by similiâ—ude the very walls and gates of that Citie Rev. 21. Here wee can but enter into the holy place there we shall enter into the most holy place Heb. 10.19 To conclude there we shall enter into the heaven of heavens which for lightnesse largenesse purenesse delightfulnesse and all praises almost infinitely excells the heavens we enjoy in this visible world For the second In this life unto the
as God can curse the very blessings of the wicked so can he and doth blesse the seeming curses of the godly All shall worke together for the best to them that love God Rom. 2.28 All things are to bee measured for good or ill according to the use of them to us That which doth us hurt cannot be a blessing and that which doth us good cannot be a curse Now for the particular unfolding of this blessing they inherit we must know that godly Christians inherit blessing divers wayes 1. From other men and so the poore blesse them for their charity The blessing of him that is ready to perish many times comes upon them Iob 29.13 Their very loynes blesse them Iob 31.20 and their neighbours blesse them for peace making Mat. 5.8 and the godly blesse them for their gifts of grace and pray for Gods blessings upon them Psal. 134.3 and if they have any publike employments for God in Church or Common-wealth the eare that heareth them blesseth them Iob 29.11 And at some times God doth so guide and prosper the wayes of his servants that all sorts of men doe acknowledge them for the seed which the Lord hath blessed Esay 61.8 2. From their owne consciences if the world at any time testifie against him or revile him yea if Divells and men set against him yet he inherits this blessing that his owne conscience will witnesse for him to his singular joy 2 Cor. 1.12 The daily encouragements of a good conscience are like a continuall feaâ—â— within 3. From God and so they have Gods blessing certaine and this is a great inheritance and hath so much happinesse in it as it should swallow up all the grievance of afflictions and the contempts and scornes of the world It is enough if we have Gods blessing Now that this point may be distinctly beaten out we must understand that true Christians may be said to inherit Gods blessing first in a more restrained sense and then in a more large sense In a restrained sense blessing may here be taken for Gods comfortable speaking for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies blessing by words and so it answers to the coherence If they will use good words to men God will speake good words to them And in this sense we may hence gather That Gods naturall language to the called of Jesus Christ is blessing or comfortable words God will speake to his people peace Psal. 84.5 and therefore he gives a charge to his Ministers to speake comfortably to Jerusalem Esay 40.1 2. Secondly that Gods Elect never find this till they have their calling Thirdly that it is a great inheritance in this life to have God to speake well to us Fourthly that if the fault be not in us we shall never have God speake otherwise It is our inheritance to comfort us against all the miseries of life And therefore Ministers that are the mouth of God should studie comfort much and those Christians that desire to have the fruit of their inheritance in this thing should provide to live in such places where God speakes to men And those Ministers have a great account to make that set themselves to speake disgracefully and terribly to such as feare God striving to discourage their hearts and to strengthen the hands of the wicked Thus of the restrained sense onely note by the way That God speaks good words both for his people behind their backs and to his people before their faces They inherit Gods good word for them in their absence Thus God speakes excellently in the praise of Iob to the Divell before the Angels Iob 1. 2. and thus he can speake in the consciences of the greatest on earth in praise of his people as Esay 41.9 Now in the generall sense Gods people enjoy this blessing many waies and that both in this life and in the life to come In this life they have his blessing 1. In temporall things of all sorts he makes the earth blesse them and the heavens and the waters Gen. 49.25 he blesseth them in the Citie and in the field in the fruit of their bodies and of the ground and of their cattell in their basket and in their store when they come in and when they goe out yea God will command the blessing upon them in their store-houses and upon all they set their hands to and he will open his good treasures unto them and blesse all the worke of their hands Deut. 28.2 3 4 5 6 8 12. And if they enjoy not so much in quality of these things as some wicked men yet they have a faire portion and a good blessing because that they have is blessed both in the originall of it and in the nature of it and in the use of it and in their right to it 2. In the meanes of grace and salvation and so they enjoy the blessing of God in his house-keeping and great is that blessing wherewith God blesseth his people in his house on his holy hill and round about The Lord hath long since promised to make all the places about his holy hill blessings Yea there Gods people doe receive showers of blessing every powerfull Sermon is a shower of blessing every doctrine being as a blessed drop of instruction or comfort Ezek. 34.26 Exod. 20.24 Psal. 132.15 3. In the gifts of grace and so he hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things A poore Christian carrieth about with him in his heart more treasure than all the Monarchs of the world being not true Christians can any way possesse or command Eph. 1.3 Thus of Gods blessing in this life After this life who can recount the glory of their inheritance in the blessing they shall have then from God Oh that our hearts could be enlarged to thinke of the power of these words of Christ at the last day Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world The Use should be for great comfort to all true Christians They have great cause to rejoyce in their fathers blessing all their dayes and the rather if they consider that Gods blessing as a Father is better than the blessing of any earthly father for an earthly fathers blessingis most an end but verball in words Gods blessing is reall indeeds A father on earth cannot derive blessing to his child from himselfe but from God whereas Gods blessing is from himselfe Besides if an earthly father would blesse his childe yet he wants power to give him what he desires but God our Father is Almighty able to give as much as he wisheth Gen. 28.3 Finally an earthly fathers blessing may be lost as Chams was but Gods blessing cannot be lost he will blesse with everlasting mercy Secondly such as yet enjoy not the priviledge of Gods called ones should be greatly stirred up with desire to get this blessing even to have Gods blessing Let no man be
beare it 396 The wicked usually speake Evill of the godly 456 Example Excellent documents from the word Example 519 520 Ten things for us to follow in the Example of Christs sufferings 521 In what cases Christs Examples binde not 522 Two singular vertues in a good Example 620 When an Example binds 621 Excell The godly Excell others in divers respects 313 F FAith It doth ten things to further our preservation 45 46 What Faith will not preserve us 47 How to shew it in affliction 65 The praises of it then ibid. Seven things should move us to trust on God in affliction 60 Faith is onely seated in the hearts of the Elect 155 God is the object of our Faith and that not only in his nature but in his mercies and promises also 156 It is Faith that makes difference among men before God 282 Its necessitie ibid. Markes of true saving Faith 290 Signes of a true though weake Faith in a weake Christian 291 The Christians continuall use of Faith 157 What we should doe for comfort when the sense of Faith is gone 158 Seven rules for the daily use of Faith ibid. The difference between Faith and Hope 160 Helpes to continue in the Faith 161 All Faith and Hope in other than in God iâ— vaine 162 Faithfull The life of the Faithfull is a joyfull life 54 Seven things should move â—â— to be Faithfull in affliction 66 The Faithfull bow precious in Gods sight ibid. Familie Vide Houshold What makes a Familie happie 484 We are bound of God to care for Familie duties ibid. Why inferiours are first commanded Familie duties 485 Fashion Fashioning our selves to sinne hath seven things in it 115 Father How God is a Father to Christ Angels and Man 11 12 His affection is Fatherly that is first Free secondly Tender thirdly Constant 12 So iâ— his provision both in respect of first Attendance secondly Diet thirdly Preservation in trouble fourthly Portion ibid. Of what excellencie Gods Fatherly love iâ— first 〈◊〉 godly men secondly to carnall men thirdly to earthly Fathers 13 14 The name of Father given to divers sorts 492 Feare Three sorts of it first worldly secondly servile thirdly filiall 134 Our conversation must be coupled with Feare ibid. The Feare of God what 480 Sixe things in God of which we are to stand in awe 480 481 Motives to get this Feare 481 What kinds of men doe not Feare God 481 482 The signes of it 482 Reasons why wicked men are stricken with a servile Feare 597 598 A conversation coupled with Feare required of all Christians 598 599 How we should shew this Feare 600 What sorts of men have not Gods Feare 601 Wherein wives should shew Feare to their Husbands 601 602 Fight Vide Warre The Flesh fighteth against the Soule five waies 384 Why God doth suffer this Fight 385 How we may get victorie in this Fight 387 Flesh. Lusts are Fleshly in divers respects 365 Eight evill properties and effects of the Flesh ibid. How they hurt the soules of wicked men 366. as also of the godly ibid. The Flesh fights against the Soule five waies 384 Fooles Unregenerate men are Fooles 459 Signes of spirituall Follie ibid. Wherein godly men sometimes shew Follie 462 463 Fore-knowledge Vide Prescience 3. Vide Foresight 149 Fore-sight Vide Fore-knowledge 8 Three kinds of Fore-sight 149 150 Foundation diversly accepted 151 Christ the maine Foundation of all grace and holinesse 247 With the use of it ibid. c. The only Foundation of his Church 250 That Christ is laid as a Foundation stone imports many things 276 Freedome Vide Libertie From what Christ is made Free 467 To what a godly man is made Free 468 The Freedome of the Old and New Testaments 469 In what respects we are But as Free 469 470 Hypocrites in bondage whilst they seeme Free-men 471 Frowardnesse Reasons against Frowardnesse both in Masters and Servants 494 495 Helpes against it ibid. Frowardnesse how odious shewed by the causes and effects 615 G GEneration It is threefold first corporeall secondly metaphysicall thirdly singular 30 Three things wherein Christs and our Generation is not alike 31 The acceptation of the word Generation 316 Onely Christians come of the best Generation 317 Gentiles Of the Calling of the Gentiles in generall 345 Gird We must Gird up our minds and that divers wayes 103. c. Eight rules for it ibid. Glorie Glorifie How God is glorified by himselfe 404 How of us in generall how in particular 406 Motives to the care of glorifying God 408 409 Helpes thereto ibid. The thoughts of Gods glory two wayes established 411 Foure caveats for making others to Glorifie God ibid. c. Vaine-glory wherein it is seene 512 Wherein true Glorie doth consist ibid. The Glory of man but vaine in sixe respects 196 What is his true Glory 197 God Of his fore-knowledge 8 9 10 How a Father to Christ Angels and Men 11 12 Gods power in keeping us 43 Excellent uses of it 44 Wherein Gods graciousnesse is seene 238 By what meanes God may be brought to our minds 410 Helpes to conceive of God aright ibid. By what meanes he is to be magnified in our hearts 411 God is a Iudge 529 And thereby terrible to wicked men 530 Comfortable to the godly 531 Rules of committing our selves to God ib. Godly The Godly dispersed and the good that comes thereby 6 The Godly are Priests in many respects 264 The Godly excell others in divers respects 313 314 How the Godly come to be Gods heirs 645 That the Godly are Brethren 178 Godlinesse It hath many lets 102 The use of it ibid. Foureteene internall lets of Godlinesse 102 103 Gospel The word taken divers wayes 90 91 Eight effects of this Gospel 91 Eight things required of every one that would have part in it ibid. How it differs from the Law 92 Excellent uses of it both to Priest and People 92 93 Grace what and how it and Peace is multiplied 27 28 What we must doe that it might be multiplied 28 That we may not faile of the Grace of God we must doe foure things 8 How we frustrate the grace of God ibid. We must labour to walke worthy of that grace by doing foure things ibid. c. The divers acceptations of the word Grace 109 The glory of heaven called Grace in three respects 110 111 Seven things in which we should imitate Gods Grace in shewing mercy 111 Why God giveth not heaven as soone as he giveth Grace 112 Wherein Gods Graciousnesse is seene 238 The state of such as have but temporary Grace 338 Grace is either a gift in us or an attribute in God 665 Grace as it is in God considered two waies 666 What priviledges such have as enjoy Gods Grace ibid. Men transgresse against the Grace of God many wayes 667 Grasse Mans life is but Grasse 193 194. c. Grow Growth Divers kinds of it 232 In what graces Christians ought to grow 233 234 Helpes thereto 234 Lâ—ts
called 272 Wherein it exceeds all other writings ibid. Servants Service How we are to serve God 473 Who are rejected from the number of Gods Servants 474 It is an excellent freedome to be a Servant of God 475 Their prerogatives ibid. Servants are of divers sorts 486 For what cause Servitude came in ibid. How a godly Servant may comfort himselfe in his estate 488 They must be subject three wayes 490 Helps in their subjection ibid. They are to shew their feare of God in their callings 492 Their feare towards their Masters shewed divers wayes 493 Sheep Signes of a lost Sheep 557 Hopes of returning 558 Motives to returne 559 The time when the number and meanes 560 The maner and signes of returning 561 The lets 562 Shepherd What attributes are given to Christ as a Shepherd 563 564 He is the one true great and good Shepherd 564 The happinesse of such as live under this Shepherd appeares in ten things 565 Shew Seven wayes whereby we may offend by outward Shewes 333 Motives to the Shew of vertue 334 Sicknesse Vide Healing How it comes into the soule 548 The Sicknesse of the soule grievous many wayes 549 Why many feele not the Sicknesse of the soule ibid. Silence To put to Silence is diversly accepted 455 Sin Sixe wayes by which one mans Sin is derived on another 141 How many wayes Sin hinders the growth of the word 200 A man may be said to make Sin many wayes 522 523 How Christ had no Sin 524 Inwhat respect Christ bare our Sins 531 His sufferings fitted to our Sins 532 Men are said to be alive in Sin many wayes 535 Their miserie great that so doe ibid. Sinner To be a worker of Iniquitie what and three wayes manifested 397 Sion The Church is like Mount Sion in many respects 276 How the Citizens of this City may be knowne 277 Their speciall priviledges 279 Sober Sobrietie A fixefold Sobrietie 104 Sojourners Vide Saints and Strangers 4 5 132 Soule What it is 76 Soule taken many wayes 367 Its description ibid. Seven things considerable in it ibid. c. It is a substance but not bodily 368 It is immortall 369 Its originall 371 Anima non est ex traduce 372 God creates the Soule 373 374 Objections against it answered 374 375 Of the union of the Soule with the body 376 Shewed by many similies 377 By what band the Soule is bound to the body ibid. The faculties of the Soule 378 Its five senses 379 The inward senses three 380 The Soule gives to the body a threefold motion 311 The facultie of reason in the Soule and wherein it excells 382 The end of its creation 383 Foure kinds of warre against the Soule 384 The Flesh wars against the Soule five wayes ibid. How the Soule comes to be diseased 548 The sicknesse of the Soule grievous many wayes 149 Many feele it not ibid. The Soule synechdochically signifieth the whole man 17â— Speaking Vide Evill-speaking and Report Spirit What need our Spiritâ— have to be sanctified â—5 In what its sanctification consisteth ibid. Eight things belong thereto 16 Why the Spirit is called the Holy Ghost 93 Why the Holy Spirit ibid. Sprinkling The meaning of that ceremonie of Sprinkling Christs bloud 22 A fourefold legall Sprinkling 22 23 c. The manifold passages of Sprinkling the Passeover opened 25 26 Statutes God hath foure Statute books 149 Foure praises of those Statutes ibid. Stone How Christ is said to be first a Stone secondly a living Stone 249 250 This Stone disallowed how and by whom 251 252 Wicked men compared to Stones in many respects 258 So the godly also ibid. Reasons why we ought to be lively Stones 259 That Christ is laid as a foundation Stone imports many things 276 A corner Stone 282 Elect and precious ibid. Strangers Who and why man is a Stranger even in five respects 3 4 The Elect are Strangers 4 And in foureteene things they should be like Strangers 4 5 The word Stranger literally and mystically taken 132 Prettie allusions from Israels being in Egypt 132 c. We should carry our selves as Strangers 364 Submission The Submission which belongs to Princes and Magistrates hath sixe things in it 425 Objections against this Submission answered 427 Suffer The markes of such as truely suffer with Christ 315 Divers wayes of Suffering 514 Christ Suffered for us in divers respects 517 518 His Sufferings were for our examples 519 Ten things to be followed by the examples of Christs Sufferings 521 Christs Sufferings 〈…〉 532 He suffered in his body and soule 533 Why he suffered on a tree 534 T TAbernacle Christ hath a fivefold Tabernacle 261 A godly man like a Tabernacle in many respects 262 Excellent uses hereof 263 Taste What will bring us unto a good Taste of Gods goodnesse 239 240 Our true Taste is seene both by the causes and effects 241 Wherein the Taste of the godly and wicked differ 242 How far the Taste of the wicked may goe 243 The uses of it 243 244 We can have but a Taste of Gods sweetnesse in this life 244 The uses of it ibid. The true causes of the want of Taste to the Word 245 When we have tasted of it we must not lose our Appetite 246 Temptation Foure sorts of it 57 Sathan tempts five wayes 58 Thirteene degrees of it ibid. c. How Sathans Temptations differ from our owne concupiscence 59 60 Comforts against Temptation 60 Twelve rules in Temptation 61 God tempts man sixe wayes 62 Seven wayes in affliction 62 63 Testimonie The Scripture is our sure Testimonie and thence how our Testaments are to be fetcht 124 125 Time Times Foure sorts of men have enquired about Times 1. The curious 2. The weake 3. The superstitious 4. The wise 83 Tradition The word is taken five waies 89 90 How many wayes children are infected by the Tradition of their fathers 142 Why those Traditions should be so infectious ibid. c. Trust. Five things pertaining to a perfect Trust 105 Nine wayes to shew our Trust 108 Truth What it is 175 What it is to obey the Truth how 176 V VAine-glory Wherein it is seene 512 Verily The word oft used in Scripture and that for three speciall causes 150 151 How many wayes we shew forth the Verilies of Christ 332 333 Why the Verilies that are in us are called Christs Verilies 334 Vertue How the word is taken in the Originall 327 Nine Vertues in Christ which we should shew forth 329 Vertue and Grace are a Christians best riches 618 Vessell The word Vessell diversly taken 642 Visit Visitation Men are said to visit diversly 412 So God also ibid. c. First in judgement 413 Secondly in mercy 414 Signes of such as he visits in mercy 415 What glorious things the day of Visitation brings forth 419 Uncleannesse Two waies contracted 25 Unitie Of Unitie in mind or judgement 674 675 Helpes thereto 676 Aggravations against discord in opinion 677 Many ill causes of
it was revealed thâ—â— not unto themselves but unto us they did the things which are now reported unto you by them which have preached the gospel unto you with the holy ghost sent down from heaven which things th Angels desire to looke into Verse 13. Wherefore gird up the loynes of your minde be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Iesus Christ. Ver. 14. As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former luâ—â—s in your ignoraÌ„ce Verse 15. But as hee which hath called you is holy so be yee holy in all manner of conversation Verse 16. Because it is written Be yee holy for I am holy Verse 17. And if yee call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according unto every mans worke passe the time of your sojourning here in feare Verse 18. Forasmuch as yee know that yee were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vaine conversation received by tradition from your fathers Verse 19. But with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot Verse 20. Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last timeâ— for you Verse 21. Who by him doe beleeve in God that raised him vp froÌ„ the dead and gave him glory that youâ— faith and hope might be in God Verse 22. Seeing you have purified your soules in obeying the truth through the spiriâ— unto unfained love of the brethren see that yee love one another with a pure heart fervently Verse 23. Being borne againe not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever Verse 24. For all flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man as the flower of grasse the grasse wiâ—hereth and the flower thereof falleth away Verse 25. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the wor which by the Gospell is preached unto you The scope of the Epistle The parts of the Epistle The parts of the salutation Who Peter was a Mat 4.15 b Mat. 3.16 c I Cor. 10.3 d Iohn 1.42 e Gal. 2. f Mat. 4. Ioh. 1. g Mark 3. h Iohn 21. i 1 Pet. â— ult Seven sorts of men transgresse about their Callings k I Cor. 7. l 2 Thess. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Advenis dispersionis Lyâ—a m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beda Glâ—ss Heming Ares Man is a stranger in five respects n Ephes. â— 12 4.17 o Psal. 69.8 p 1 Pet. 4.12 Doctrine Vses 14 Things wherein wee should be like strangers 2 Cor. 5 6 7. The good that comes by the dispersion of the godly q Tertull Cypâ— Cassiod r Beza Heming s Beda Gloss A fourefold Election t Deut. 4.37 u Ephes. 1.4 5. * Iohn 15.19 x Iohn 6.70 From what they are elected y Deut. 7.7 How they may be knowne z 1 Cor. 1.27 Iames 2.5 a 1 Sam. 16.7 b Mat. 20.16 8 Priviledges of Gods chosen Vses c Psal. 106 3 4 5 Distinctions about praescience Praesciâ—â—tia 1. absoâ—uâ—â— 1. specialis approbationis How God knowes things Vses How the fore-knowledge of God may comfort us in divers distresses Doctrine Vses Comforts to the godly as God is their father Object Solut. Object Solut. Object Solut. Object Solut. Object Solut. Vse 2. How we may live like Gods children Vse 3. 1 Ex non sancto privative 2 Ex minus sancto 3 Ex non sancto negative Thomas Aquinas What need our spirits have to be sanctified Wherein the sanctification of the spirit lyeth Of cleansing the spirit of man from what and how Answ. 8 Things to cleanse the spirit of man Of the adorning of the spirit Three things which adorne the minde in sanctification The light of the minde hath 5. things in it Humblenesse of minde hath 6. things in it Purity of imaginations The heart adorned with 8. graces 11 Things wherein a sanctified heart rejoyceth The Conscience adorned with 9. things Vses Of obedience in generall Of the causes of our obedience Rules or sixe things to be observed in all true obedience Motive to obedience Of obedience in words Our estate in Christ better then our estate in Adam here in this life The benefits flowing from the blood of Christ. Vses An explication of the whole Ceremony of the sprinkling of the blood of the red Heifer Numb 19. Coccus bis tinctâ—â— Of the sprinkling at the Passeover Exod. 24. Of the sprinkling at the ratification of the Covenant Of the sprinkling Levit. 16. Vse The forme of the Salutation Vses What we must doe that grace and peace may be multiplied in us The order of the body of the Epistle 2. Observation from the coherence a Psal. 129.8 b Psal. 67.1 Man blesseth God 3. wayes c Psal. 1 16.12 d 1 Cor. 10.16 Reasons of blessing God e Psal. 50.23 f Psal. 67.3 Vse g Psal. 145.10 11 12. How God is the God of Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How God is the Father of Christ. How Christ is without father or mother A threefold generation Per se de se extra se. Nâ—â— de se sed per se iâ— se. Three things wherein Christs generation is not like ours Vses h Iohn 5.18 6.42 8.19 i 1 John 4.15 In three things we should learn of Christ to carry our selves towards God as towards our Father k Ioâ— â— 17 1â— 6. â—8 l Iohn 10. â—6 m Mâ—â— 4.3 n Heb. 2.10 o Heb. 5.7 8. p Iohn 13.1 q Rom. 1.4 1 Iohn 3.8 r Iohn 14.12 13 14 16 23 24 26 27. The necessity of the new birth s Iohn 3.5 2 Cor. 5.17 The honor of the new birth Gods mercy is abundant t Psal. 145.8 9. u Psal. 36.5 6 7 1. In the fountaine 2 In the streamâ—s to all * Psal. 33.5 Mat. 5. 2. To all the godly and that three wayes x Psal. 32.10 y Exod. 20. z Esay 55.4 Acts 13. a Psal. 86.5 b Psal. 100.4 c 2 Cor. 1.3 d Psal. 123.2 3. e Luke 6.36 f Exod. 34.6 7 Mich. 7.18 Esay 55.8 Zeph. â— 17 Object Solut. How mercy is no occasion of liberty either to godly or wicked men g Psal. 89. h Exod. 34.7 i Deut. â—9 19. k Psal. 62.12 l Prov. â—8 13 m Ionas 2.8 n Esay 27.11 o Ioel 2. â—2 13. Quest. Answ. What mercy God shewes to the wicked The meanes of the new birth The lets of the new birth Foure signes of new birth p Iohn 3.5 q Tiâ— 3.5 r Mat. 19.28 s Luke 9.24 Iohn 15.18 Rom. 8.29 1 Iohn 5.4 t Mat. 11.29 u 1 Iohn 3.14 5.1 * 1 Iohn 5.2 x Phil. 1.5 y Rom. 12.16 z Psal. 16.3 a 1 Pet. 2.2 The Vse a Iob 5.16 b Zach. 9.11 c Ephes. 1.18 d Rom. 5.3 e Ephes. 2.12 f Iob 8.13 g Iob 11. ult h Eph. 4.3 4 5. The differences
16.8 Or else in respect of the second table 2. Defects in the manner of doing righteously and so 1. In generall 5. waies Many defects in Gods worship How the 〈◊〉 comâ— 5 to be diseased The diseases of the soule are grievous many wayes Why many feel not the diseases of their soules Wherein Christs healing excels for our comâ—ort Ezek. 36. Hâ—s 14.2.3 Esay 19 2â— Jer. 17.14 What we must doâ— to be healed of Christ. Psal. 147.3 Esay 57.15 18. Gal. 6.14 Rules for such as desire Christ to heale or help their bodily griefes What is meant by going astray The misery of such aâ— goe astray â—ppears in divers râ—spects Aggravations of their misery 〈…〉 mens 〈◊〉 asâ—ray Esay 16 1â— Job 12.28 Signes of a lâ—sâ— sheepâ— Divers things that give hope of curing to such as be out of the way 〈…〉 〈…〉 The time of returning 〈…〉 returning 〈…〉 against dâ—vers the 〈◊〉 aggravations against divers that returned 〈…〉 of lost 〈◊〉 do 〈…〉 The meanes of returning 〈…〉 〈…〉 Qâ—â—st 〈…〉 What attributes are given to Christ as a Shepheard Christ is one Shepheard He is the true Shepheard He is the good Shepheard 1 Tim. 1.13 16 1 Cor. 9 10 11 Hee is the great Shepheard and that in divers respects The happinesse of such as live under this Shepheard appeares in ten particular priviledges Cant. 1.7 Zach. 11 9.10 Explanation of the tearme Bishop Christ excels all other Bishops in ten respects Such are happy that live under the charge of this Bishop Duties of such as be under the charge of this Bishop Generall scope Note Sixteene motives fâ—r man and wife to live quietly and comfortably together Use. Five speciall causes of disorder betweene man and wife Helps for man and wife to attain an orderly and quiet life Reasons to prove that women ought to be taught their duties as well as men Why the Apostle is so large in setting down wives duties What thingâ— are imported by often repeating of them Note Eight reasons why Wives ought to be subject Why the Apostle chargeth wives only with subjection In what things they are to be subject The maner how they must submit In what cases the wife ought not to subjâ—ct her selfe Particular sins of the wife again subjection Divers waies of winning men Note Causes oâ— revolting in many are divers Nine signes to know whether we be won effectually Sixe things required to sound obedience Divers kinds of winning Note What a Minister must doe to win soules To be won what it imports Note Why all are not converted at once Divers waies from God to further our salvation Doct. 1. By what meanes we may win wicked men in our conversation What things a wife must especially practise to win her husband Note Use. In what respects godly men are said to be pure Note Motives to chastity Preservatives of châ—stity How a chaste wife may be discerned Reasons why wicked men are sinitten with a serviâ—e feare Feare two 〈…〉 Reasons why we ought to expresse this fâ—â—re of God in our conversation By what waies we must shew this feare of God By what waies we are to expresse this feare of God towards men What sorts of men have not Gods feare Wherein wives shew their fear of their husbands Elâ—vâ—n reaâ—oâ—â— against vâ—ine â—ttâ—re in â—omen Foureteene waies by which appâ—râ—ll or dressing our sâ—lâ—â—s becomes vicious Whâ—t the man of the â—eart iâ— His originall Whâ—râ—in he eâ—cells the outward man His naturall condition very miserable many wayes Especially in his workes which are abominable By what means the man of the â—eart may be menâ—ed How we may know when the man oâ— the heart is right Not◠〈…〉 Note What things are requisite to meâ—knesse Motives to meeknesse Oâ—iousnesse of frowardnesse from the cause and effects of it Helps for the attaining of quietnesse and meeknesse Rules for our practise so as God may bee pleased with 〈◊〉 Two singular vertues in a good example When an example binds In what things Antiquity is ill pleaded In what cases respect is to be bad unto old times Use. Signes of such as trust in God Reasons proving the excellency of this trusting in God Admirable effects of this trusting in God Helps to attain this grace of trusting in God Rules to be observed in our right trusting in God Vid 1 Tim. 5.5 Ier. 49.11 Note Doct. Gaâ—ly women daâ—gâ—ters of Sarâ—h three waâ—es What things mar a good action How we are said to do well Reasons why we 〈◊〉 alwaies to be doing well Causes of amazement in wives Why Husbands duties are noted in the last place Moâ—â—vâ—◠〈◊〉 persâ—ade Husbands to be carefull of their duties What things cohabitatâ—â—n doth import In what cases it is 〈◊〉 full for the husband to be absent Whether separation from bed and brood be lawfull Cases of nullitie Concerning divorce what rule is to be observed Excellency of divine knowledge in many respects Means to give power to our knowledge What this dwelling with knowledge imports How many waies husbands honour their wives In what things women are more fraile than men Hâ—w godly men come to be heires Wherein the greatnesse and glory of our adoption appeareth What kind of persons we must be to attaine this adoption Marks of Gods heirs and adopted children How Gods â—eires must carry themselves Naturall life but a meane thing in divers respects Degrees of spirituall life The originall of this life It hath its originall from God three waies The nature of it consists in a saving knowledge or celestiall light Which knowledge must have these properties and effects in it Divers things nourish this life This life differs from eternall life many waies 1. In respect of place 2. In respect of the means that preserve this life 3. In respect of the company 4. In respect of the quality of the life it selfe 5. In resect of the effects of life in â—â—ch degree 1. For righteousnesse 2. â—â—r peace 3. For joy Whâ—t men must dâ—e to attaine this life A Christian hath many helps to attaine it Signes of this life are six Properties of this life are five What duties this doctrine should compell godly men to practise Grace manifold What is meant here by grace Two wayes considered What it excludes What it includes What priviledges follow on such as enjoy Gods grace Men trâ—nsgresse against the grace of God many wayes Godly men and women are heires together many wayes The excellency of prayer appeares in many respects Fâ—om whence the sorts and difference of Prayer doth arise Prayer may be hindred seven waies in the hearing of it How it is interrupted in the making of it Five things of singular use to keep us quiet in trouble Note For what reasons we ought to be all of one mind Helps unto unity of mind 2 Pet. 1. ult Aggravations against discord in opinion Many are the ill causes of dissenting In what things we may not be of one minde with the Church of Rome Wherein â—e expresse our compassâ—on The motives or reasons to perswade us to it Who are brethren Reasons to perswade us to love as brethren With what kind of love we are to love the brethren Rules to be observed that brotherly love many continue Either such things we are to avoid Or such things we are to practise How to order our selves towards our brethren in case of sinne against God or trespasse against us Three caveats to be looked unto in our loving of them What things bowels of compassion or mercy import When our bowels of mercy are right Motivés to be pitifull What things are comprehended under courtesie Divers kinds of blessing When we blesse in deed Wherein particularly For what reasons â— Christian should be much affected with the conâ—ideration of his calling Reasons proving the necessity of knowing our calling and assurance By what means a Christian comes to know his calling Divers sorts of Christians Causes why many weake Christians know not their calling Note Godly men doe inherit blessing many wayes 1. From men 2. From their own consciences 3. From God and that divers wayes In this life godly men have Gods blessing three wayes What we must doe to get Gods blessing How godly men may grow in the comforts of Gods blessing Note Note For what reasons men ought to take off their affections from the love of this life In what respects the vanity of earthly things appeare Men have no reason to be in love withearthly commodities and that for divers causes In what cases it may be lawfull for some persons to be in love with this life What such must doe to prolong their life What daies are evill in respect of wicked men Wherein godly mens daies are evill Great difference betweenâ— the evill daies of wicked and godly men Evill daies common to wicked and godly men 2 Sam. 19.36 What are good daies in generall In particular there are divers sorts of good daies to the godly Mans life is short In what respect it is short Causes why most mens lives are so short Uses
their trust in God Fiftly for the effect of it it adorned them Sixtly for the matter of it viz. they were obedient to their owne husbands Thus of the order of the words Before I enter upon the particulars divers things may be noted in generall about examples of goodnesse in others First we may hence evidently gather That it is not enough for us to doe good but we should strive so to doe it that we might be examples to others 1 Tim. 4.12 Mat. 5.16 Phil. 2.15 and that for divers reasons For first God is interessed in us and our workes and there is a glory due to God which must be collected from our workes doâ—â— before men Mat. 5.16 Secondly we must so act our parts in godlinesse upon the Stage of this world that we may thereby silence and convince wicked men that out of their hatred to the truth and frowardnesse of hearts would else take all occasions to speake evill of us and the good way of God Phil. 2.15 Thirdly our Teachers have a part in our workes and we should hold forth the patternes of sound practice that they might be comforted in our learning from them and graced in their Ministerie Phil. 2.16 Fourthly by this meanes we may doe much good in helping forwards weake Christians For as the wicked take fire from evill examples so doe the godly from good examples both in piety 1 Thes. 4.7 and mercie 2 Cor. 8.16 c. Which should worke aâ— effectuall care in all godly Christians to strive to expresse such conscience and power of godlinesse as may be profitable to others and so chiefly in such things as may most grace thâ— profession of religion or profit others as wisedome mercie meeknesse just dealing contempt of the world affectionatenesse in Gods service patience undauntednesse or the like especially those that be Parents Masters Magistrates Ministers that have charge of others And this greatly reproves such Christians as undoe the soules of those that belong to them as much as lies in them by their wicked examples as Ministers that are examples to their people of drunkennesse usury covetousnesse pride or the like and Masters of families or Parents that give such wretched examples to their children and servants in swearing vanitie of apparell filthinesse of life passion or the like Secondly we may hence note two singular vertues in a good example the first is That it may profit a world of people 1 Thes. 1.7 Rom. 16. It is like the fire you may light many candles at it and yet it is neither the worse nor the lesse Many that we know noâ— of may receive good from our good conversation and example in well-doing as was true in the case of those holy women And the reason is because men are more apt to understand things when they are practised than when they are taught And besides good examples are so rare that they shine as a Beacon on fire in a darke night Phil. 2.15 And therefore one Use should be to teach Christians by an humble acknowledgement of the praises of others to spread abroad the light of good examples â—s far as they can 1 Thes. 1.7 8. And withall he shewes the horrible sin of those wretches that strive to blemish the good conversation of the godly and so rob the world of the profit of their examples The second vertue in a good example is the lasting of it It may doe good for a long time after yea in some cases to the worlds end The sweet savour of it may be freshly sented many yeeres after which was never true of any perfume in the world It is a light that will not out of a long time as here the example of these holy women and Sarah in particular have a fresh power to doe good many hundred yeares after it was given and will still have to the worlds end The memoriall of the Just is blessed They that are to live hereafter may praise God for the good they receive from the examples of those that are long since dead in their graves Their workes live long after they are dead Which should be a wonderfull consolation to eminent Christians that excell in gifts and good workes and have held forth a good profession before many witnesses And in as much as God by his providence keeps burning so long the light of the good examples of his children it will make the more to encrease the condemnation of such persons as will not learne goodnesse from such examples Especially their case is fearefull that have had this light in such as have beene neere to them as in Parents Masters Ministers â—pâ—ciall acquaintance kindred or the like and yet make no good use of it Thirdly we may hence gather That a good example ought to be given and may be taken from women as well as men Pro. 31.28 29. Mat. 26.13 Tit. 2. 3 4. And the reason is because God is no respecter of persons but gives his gifts and graces to women as well as men as Scripture experience shews And besides as their ill example may make the word of God to be blasphemed Tit. 2.5 so why should not their good example become godlines profit others And this point should teach women if they will professe Religion to looke to their waies and strive to give good example especially aged women Tit. 2.3 And withall it may be a comfort to that Sexe that God should use their service to doe his worke and many times to teach men by their waies and works God hath raised up the glory and light of many worthy women and they have bin as eminent for holines good workes as men have bin Thus in generall In this manner The first thing in the description is the manner of the pattern about which we may note three things 1. That the patterns of well-doing or the rules of life have beene the same in all ages There is no more required of Christians now than was required of Gods servants in former time which should make us the more willing to beare Gods yoake and to doe the taske that God sets us 2. That an example is then of power to bind when it agrees to some precept as here the example of holy women is urged because it did agree to the doctrine of the exhortation before named This rule is of great use in ordering of conclusions taken from examples in Scripture examples have but the power of illustration of what was before in the precept And againe it should teach us not to esteeme of any men above what is written but to follow them as they follow Christ or as their actions are warranted by the Word of God 3. God did ever stand upon subjection and an amiable and meeke behaviour in women in all ages Which should much prevaile with Christian women to teach them to make more conscience of their carriage towards their husbands seeing God had ever required such a behaviour in all holy women of
the Law Rom. 4.4 11.16 nor can our best workes after calling deserve life and salvation Tit. 3.4 5. And on the other side the grace of God includes all things in life as wholly caused by Gods free favour to us in Christ. For first our election to life is from the meere grace of God Eph. 1.4.6 Secondly the meritorious cause of life is by grace Gal. 4.4.5 Thirdly the promise of life is by grace Rom. 4. 14. Gal. 3.18 Fourthly the inchoation of life is from grace whether we respect vocation Gal. 1.15 or justification Tit. 3.7 Gal. 2. ult Lastly in respect of the consummation of it in the perfection of glorie in heaven Rom. 6. ult Thus of grace in relation to life In it selfe grace is a most amiable attribute in God extending his goodnesse unto the creature without respect of deserts And that we may the more admire the glorious grace of God it will be profitable to give a touch of the fruits of it unto man upon whom he sets his favour for looke what men have interest in the grace of God these things flow upon them from the beames of that grace 1. God knowes them by name Exod. 33.12 2. When God is angry with all the world and about to declare his wrath by terrible judgements yet still they finde favour in his sight Gen. 6.8 19.19 3. When they offend and are sorrie for their offences and seeke for mercy he pardons iniquitie and takes them for his inheritance and repents him of the evill Exod. 34.9 Ioel 2.12 13. 4. He will with-hold no good thing from them Psal. 84.12 and bestowes of his best gifts upon them liberally in all sorts of gifts 1 Cor. 1.4.5 5. He will give them any thing they aske of him without hitting them in the teeth Iames 1.5 Lastly we see by this Text he gives them the inheritance of eternall life and all things that belong to life and godlinesse 2 Pet. â— 4 The Use should be to teach us many things as 1. To celebrate the praise of this graciousnesse of God seeing God doth all things so freely he stands upon it greatly to have this glory in his nature acknowledged Psal. 111.1 149.3 4. Eph. 1.6 2. To acknowledge that all good things we enjoy either in temporall or spirituall things we receive from his free grace Psal. 44.4 Eph. 2.8 for by the grace of God we are that we are 1 Cor. 15.10 3. When wee would wish the best good to others either in publike to the Churches of Christ or in private at home or abroad to any that are deare to us our cry should be Grace Grace to them Zech. 4.7 4. We should especially be moved to seek this grace of God to our selves as the sufficient and the only happinesse in the world Col. 1.6 Now that this point may the more effectually be understood I will shew you how this grace of God comes to men and then what we should strive to be that we may be sure to receive the comfort of it that God is gracious to us For the first we must know that all grace from God is given to Jesus Christ and comes by him Iohn 1.17 and therefore called The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ in the blessing at the end of the Epistles Without Christ no grace can come to sinfull men Further we must againe know that the grace of God is extended unto us from Christ by the Gospel that brings the doctrine of it to us therefore is the Word called the Word of his grace and the Gospel the Gospel of the grace of God And yet further we must know that there must be wrought in us that supernaturall gift of faith by which only we can be capable to receive this grace of God we have our accesse only by faith Rom. 5.2 Now for the second point There are many things God stands upon to finde in the persons that should receive the comfort of his grace not for the merit of them but for the honour of his owne grace that it be not abused as first we see by that which went before we must have faith to beleeve and apply to our selves the doctrine of Gods grace Secondly we must be good men not such as are men of wicked devices or such as make a mocke of sin but such as are carefull in all their waies to avoid what may displease so gracious a God Pro. 12.2 14.9 Tit. 2.11 12. Thirdly we must be lowly and humble persons that attribute nothing to our selves but all to Gods goodness Pro. 3.34 Iames 4.6 1 Pet. 5. And therefore it concernes all Christians to take heed that they rest not in the hearing of the doctrine of Gods grace but must labour truely and effectually to know Gods grace to themselves Col. 1.6 5. This doctrine of Gods grace may wonderfully comfort the godly and establish their hearts in the assured expectation of heaven when they die for nothing can hinder their comfort and hope herein but only their unworthinesse and that is removed by this doctrine of Gods grace thus the Apostle faith We have good hope through grace 2 Thes. 2.16 and againe We have accesse unto this grace by which we stand and rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 6. It may wonderfully embolden us in our suits and requests to goe to Gods Throne seeing it is a Throne of grace where petitions are granted freely and great suits as easily as lesser Heb. 4.16 7. Men should be warned to take heed that they doe not transgresse against this doctrine of the grace of God And men sin against the grace of God fearefully foure wayes First when they frustrate it in the doctrine of it which they doe partly when they receive the doctrine of it in vaine and faile of the right knowledge of it 2 Cor. 6.1 Heb. 1â— 15 partly when they trust upon the merits of their owne workes Gal. 2. ult Secondly when they fall away from grace either by relapsing to the world by entertaining the corruptions they had forsaken or by removing the sincere doctrine of Gods grace Gal. 5.4 Thirdly when men turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and draw wicked and licentious conclusions from the pure doctrine of Gods grace making it a cloake for their sinfull liberties Iud. 1.4 Rom. 6.1 Fourthly when men despite the spirit of grace that shewes it selfe either in the power of Gods ordinances or in the practice of true Christians Heb. 10.29 8. It should be a wonderfull comfort to a Christian against his owne frailties and daily infirmities according to that of the Apostle We are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 15. Lastly even the more gracious God is the more carefull we should be to walke worthy of his grace for as the Apostle saith The grace of God that bringeth salvation unto all men teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live righteously and soberly
and religiously in this present world Tit. 2.11 12. Thus of the third point viz. the cause of inheriting The maner followes viz. They inherit together Together The godly are heires together their inheritance lies all together Which may appeare by reckoning up the particular priviledges of the godly in which they all meet and are joynt heires and fellow heires as the Apostle calls them Rom. 8.17 Eph. 3.6 Christians hold their inheritance in Gavelkind I thinke that is the terme the Lawyers give for that tenure where all the brethren have the same inheritance divided amongst them and all alike heires And as they are so in the matter they inherit so in the manner of comming to their right for they are all the children of God and children by adoption and not by naturall generation so Christ only is Gods heire Now that it may distinctly appeare that they are heires together I will number some particulars as 1. They have all the same Father Eph. 4.6 who is in them all 2. They are all of the same body viz. members of the mysticall bodie of Christ Eph. 3.6 3. They have all one spirit Eph. 4.3 4. 4. They weare all the same apparell being cloathed with the same righteousnesse of Christ Gal. 3.27 28. 5. They weare all the same livery and badge of distinction they have all one Baptisme Eph. 4.6 6. They are all fed with the same commons at the Lords Table the bread is the communion of the body of Christ and so the wine of his bloud I say communion because all partake of it 1 Cor. 10.16 17. 7. They have all the same gifts for though in outward administrations and callings there be difference and in naturall endowments and in common graces yet in the gifts of saving grace they have all a part of all gifts and differ onely in the measure as they have but one faith and one hope and so in all other saving graces Ephes. 4.4 5. 1 Cor. 12. Ephes. 5.7 Rom. 12. 8. They have all the same promises Eph. 3.6 9. They have all the same or the like attendants viz. the Angels of heaven Heb. 1.13 10. They are governed by the same lawes have all one Lord Eph. 4.5 and have all the same way to heaven which is by Christ and have all interest in the Teachers of the Word of Christ their Lord 1 Cor. 3.22 11. They shall have all the same glory after this life for the inheritance of them all is immortall and undefiled and without end 1 Pet. 1.4 12. They shall hold their glory in the same place after this life viz. in heaven 1 Pet. 1.4 The Use of this should be greatly for the comfort of weake and poore Christians for though they differ from other men in outward calling or the measure of gifts yet they are in the substance of the inheritance provided for as well as the greatest Kings or Prophets or Apostles And besides it should teach the brethren of higher degree to carry themselves with all humility towards their poore brethren and it should teach all Christians to love as brethren to be courteous and tender hearted one towards another as followes in the next verse of this Chapter Thus of the fourth point 5. The fift point is concerning the persons that doe inherit and so the coherence shewes That both sexes are capable of inheriting women as well as men wives as well as husbands God is no respecter of persons but in all conditions of people such as feare him and believe in Christ and worke righteousnesse are accepted and adopted of him as these places shew Act. 10.35 Gal. 3.28 Col. 3.11 And this should teach all Christians not to have the glorious faith of Christ in respect of persons Iam. 2.1 2. And in particular such husbands as have religious wives should make the more account of them though God hath made them inferiour to them in outward condition yet he hath made them equall in the inheritance of life Lest praier be interrupted Hitherto of the second reason to perswade husbands to make conscience of their dutie towards their wives The third reason is taken from the ill effect if it be not done and that is that Gods service and in particular praier will be hindred and that divers waies First if he dwell not with her praier in the family is like to be omitted it being his worke as the head of the family to performe that duty and to see that his houshold serve God with him Josh. 24.14 And if he carrie not himselfe as a man of knowledge there may arise such discord amongst them that they will have no minde either to pray together or one for another at least their passions will tempt them many times to omit prayer and if he give not honour but despise her he will have no heart to pray for her whom he contemnes There are many observations to be gathered out of these words as Doct. 1. Prayer is a part of Gods service that is necessarily required and not left arbitrary for men to doe or not to doe it Psal. 105.1 1 Thess. 5.17 Mat. 7.7 Rom. 12.12 Eph. 6.18 Col. 4.2 Doct. 2. The exercise of prayer is not only a part of Gods service but it is an excellent part a chiefe part that which much excels Which may appeare first by the nature of it It is an exercise in which a mortall creature talkes with the immortall Creator Secondly by the antiquitie of it It is an exercise that godly men have betaken themselves to with great devotion from the first times of the world Gen. 4.26 21.33 Thirdly by the efficient cause of it God poures out his owne Spirit upon his people of purpose to make them able to pray and therefore is called The Spirit of prayer Zech. 12.11 Ioel 2.28 Rom. 8.26 Fourthly because they are things so precious as Christ takes them and presents them to God covering our imperfections and making them acceptable Rev. 8.3 Fiftly by the great priviledges this exercise enjoyes For first God is greatly delighted in it Pro. 15.8 and therefore one of his titles is that he is a God that heareth prayer Psal. 65.1 and heares with great attention his eares are open Psal. 34.15 and will not despise prayer for the infirmities of his servants Psal. 102.17 nor reproach them Iames 1.5 Secondly any man of any condition that hath an honest heart may be regarded with God in prayer Marke 7.7 Luke 11.10 Thirdly whatsoever is asked is obtained which is an unspeakable benefit Marke 11.24 Psal. 85.5 Lastly God hath promised salvation to all them that call upon his name Ioel 2. ult And this point should be a great encouragement to all true Christians to be much in prayer and to resist all dulnesse in themselves or temptations and objections against the exercise of prayer Doct. 3. Prayer is a dutie required of private Christians as well as of learned men or Ministers Husbands and wives are supposed to practise