to carry themselves to God 351 352 How many wayes Gods People are the only beloved oneâ—â— 361 S. Peter what he was by name and office 1 2 Plagues Spirituall Plagues are worse than â—â—mporall 〈◊〉 for 〈…〉 reasons 302 Power Questions concerning Gods Power in keeping of us 43 Excellent uses of it 44 Prayer What we must doe that God may answer our Prayer 85 Prayer how it may be hindred both in the bearing and making of it 671 The excellencie of Prayer in 〈◊〉 respects 669 From whence its 〈◊〉 doe arise 670 Praise Wherein it is unlawfull to seeke the Praise of men 448 If 〈…〉 would be praised they must doe well 449 〈◊〉 to get Praise from men 450 Pâ—ecious Christ is so 〈…〉 wayes 254 255 The reasons why he is 〈…〉 with men â—55 What uses are 〈…〉 〈◊〉 256 Prescience Prescience 1. Absolute 2. Speciall 3. Of approbation 8 How God forâ—knoweth 9 How his Foreknowledge may comfort us in our distresses 9 10 What it may teach us 10 Terrible to the wicked in foure respects 11 Preservation Faith doth ten things to further our Preservation 45 46 Presumption How to know whether we sin presumptuously or no 115 Priests The godly are Priests in many respects 264 265 The uses of it 265 The Priesthood of Christians is a singular priviledge 320 Princes All good Christians must be obedient to their Princes 422 Ministers should teach and presse this duty 423 The submission that belongs to them hath sixe things in it 425 Pure In what respects godly men may be said to be Pure 597 A Christians Puritie hath in it many things 597 598 Q QUicken What we must doe to Quicken our hearts 260 Quiet Sixteene helps to a Quiet life in marriage 576 Five speciall causes of their unquietnesse 577 Helpes to cause them to bee Quiet 578 Helps to attaine quietnesse 616 〈◊〉 things of singular use to keepe us quiet in trouble 673 R RAiling Reviling The wicked are prone to it 687 It is a great sin ibid. Though we be reviled we must not revile againe ibid. Excellent uses of it ibid. c. Reason The facultie of Reason in the soule and wherein it excels 382 Recreations Rules for them 104 105 Redemption Of all other doctrines we must be sure to know the doctrine of our Redemption 137 138 Wee are redeemed from sixe things 139 Five degrees of Redemption from vaine conversation 141 Seven signes of it ibid. Two wayes our Redemption is ratified 159 Refuse Christ many waies refused 298 Regeneration How it depends on Christs resurrection 38 Rejoice Rejoicing Vide Joy 54 55 56 72 c. Religion How hard a thing it is to reduce a man from his Religion though it be never so absurd 390 A religious life is the best life 541 Repentance Against such as presume on late Repentance 417 Their vaine objections for it answered ibid. c. Repentance of sin doth in divers respects kill a man 538 Divers things in Christs death which ought to be in our Repentance 539 Why Repentance is called a new birth with five differences betweene false and true Repentance 184 Report The lot of the righteous is to be evill spoken of 393 The causes and causers ibid. c. How hurtfull it is to report evill of the good 394 Reasons against it ibid. c. In what cases it is odious 395 Helps to beare them 396 To have a good Report among men is a great blessing of God 447 Reproaches They are to be avoyded as much as in us lies 457 That onely fooles reproach good men 465 Reprobation Proofes of Reprobation 311 Observations for consolation in the point of Reprobation 312 Resurrection Foure benefits of Christs Resurrection 35 Christ risen in the Old Testament three waies 37 How our regeneration depends on Christs Resurrection 38 It is a great wonder with an excellent use thereof 159 The glory given to Christ after his Resurrection shewed in eight things 160 Revelation A twofold Revelation of Christ 69 God hath revealed his will three waies 1. By the light of nature 2. By the booke of the creatures 3. By his word 77 And by that many wayes ibid. Distinctions of Revelations 86 A difference betweene Revelation and Knowledge ibid. We have sixe sorts of Revelations under the Gospel 87 Why the day of judgement is called The Revelation of Iesus Christ 111 Revenge It is unlawfull 686 Reviling What it is 526 Who are guilty of it 527 Not to render Reviling for Reviling 528 Rich Riches The wofull estate of Rich men 138 139 Vertue and grace are a Christians best Riches 618 Righteous Righteousnesse Signes that desery a Righteous man in himself 542 Sixe other signes of Righteousnesse as it groweth 543 How the Righteousnesse of a Righteous man differs from the Righteousnesse of a Pharisee ibid. Why so few embrace Righteousnesse 544 Helps thereunto 545 Defects of Righteousnesse 546 Defects in the manner of doing Righteously 547 Royall Christians are Royall many wayes 318 S SAcrifices Christians have divers sorts of Sacrifices 266 Speciall lawes to be observed in offering our Sacrifices 268 269 The use of it ibid. What to doe to make our Sacrifices acceptable 270 271 Three comforts from an acceptable Sacrifice 271 Saints Saints are strangers 4 In foureteene things they should be strangers 4 5 See more 132 Salvation What it imperteth in the originall 48 Salvation may be said to be prepared for us five wayes 49 50 To whom revealed 50 In the last day revealed three wayes ibid. Excellent uses of this revelation of Salvation ibid. c. Foure signes of the perswasion of our Salvation 75 76 Such as have the Assurance of Salvation should looke to foure things 77 Why such a multitude of men enquire so little after Salvation 81 We ought to devote our selves to the study of it ibid. We must study our Salvation with diligence 82 Divers wayes from God to further our Salvation 594 Salutation Of the usuall forme of Salutations 27 Sanctification Man is sanctified three wayes 1. Ex non sancto privativè 2. Ex minùs sancto 3. Ex non sancto negativè 14 What need our spirits have to be sanctified 15 This lyeth in two things 1. In cleansing it from sin 2. In adorning it with grace ibid. The Spirit is cleansed by eight things 16 Three things which adorne the mind in Sanctification 1. A heavenly light 2. A humble mind 3. A pure imagination ibid. The nature subject forme cause and end of our Sanctification 162 163 164. c. Two things in our Sanctification 1. Healing 2. Cleansing 164 Scandall It is defined 302 Christ a Scandall to the wicked many wayes 304 Wherein we are not to regard the offence of wicked men 305 In what things we may be guilty in giving Scandall to wicked men 306 Rules for the preventing of a Scandall ibid. c. Rules for it in matter of Ceremonies 436 Scripture Proofes of doctrine are to be fetcht from Scripture 124 The Scripture why so
a spirit without guile a heart without hypocrisie But of this puritie he intreats not here The purity of heart that concernes men hath three things in it or there are three things required in our affections towards others whom we ought to love and with whom we converse in which we should shew the purity of our hearts 1. The first is the respect of holinesse In our love one to another wee should chiefly aime at holinesse and the furtherance one of another in the best things Our fellowship should be in the Gospell Phil. 1.5 and we should exhort one another to good works Heb. 10.25 we should cleave to that which is good and abhorre evill Rom. 12.10 2. The second is the respect of chastity we should take heed of worldly lusts and all impurity of heart or life that way we must mortifie inordinate affections and the evill concupiscence Col. 3.5 and avoid all those works of darknesse such as are chambring and wantonnesse c. Rom. 13.13 avoiding both the matter and appearance of evill 1 Thes. 5.22 1 Pet. 2.12 3. The third is the respect of truth and plainnesse of heart the heart is pure when it is without dissembling so we must love one another indeed as well as in shew 1 Iohn 3.18 and for right ends For Gods glory and the grace of God in them and for their good and not serve our owne turnes onely We may know that our hearts and affections are pure 1. If wee rejoyce not in iniquity but in the truth 1 Cor. 13. 2. If we make conscience of lesser sins and the very appearance of evill to avoid them 3. If wee love purity in others and admire commend and defend it in them 4. If daily we seeke a pure heart of God in secret judging our selves for what drosse wee finde in our natures 5. If we seeke not our owne things Phil. 2.4 6. If we cannot beare sinne in any 7. If our conversing with them make us grow more in holinesse and grace 1 Thes. 3.12 13. c. And therefore we should both try our selves and strive daily more and more after this uprightnesse and purity of our hearts that God requires of us and to this end we should 1. Pray daily to God to create cleane hearts in us 2. We should avoid society with impure persons 3. We should take heed of idlenes and fruitlesse mispending of the time For the heart gathers impurity with very emptinesse 4. We should often think of that rule Doe as thou wouldest have others doe to thee 5. Converse much with the pure For with the pure thou wilt be pure and with the froward thou wilt learne frowardnesse 6. Acknowledge your sins one to another This wonderfully fenceth the heart against impurity in conversation and excites a pure love one to another with much honor and delight This greatly convinceth and reproveth such as have taken upon them a profession of love to others but it is for corrupt ends their hearts are not pure nor are they stirred up with desire after the godly further then lust or their owne carnall ends give hope to their projects Fervently God in the second place requires a fervent love hee stands much upon it and therefore he requires else-where that above all things we should put on fervâ—â—â— love God is not contented with it that we doe not hate one another but we must love one another nor is he contented with a cold love but would have it fervent a burning ardent inflamed affection Quest. But how may the ferventnesse of our love be discerned if it be aright Answ. If thy love be a fervent love 1. Thou dost account it the greatest felicity on earth to enjoy Gods favour and the delightfull fellowship of the Saints Psal 16. â— 2. Thou mayest discerne it by the longings and infâ—amed desires after the godly such as were in Paul 3. Thou canst cover a multitude of sinnes thou levest as God loves 1 Pet 4.8 4. It is diligent thou shewest it by the paines and labour of love 5. It is speedy it seekes no delaies it faâ—â—h not goe and come againe to â—â—â—row 6. Thou dost greatly lament thy absence from the godly as a bitter crosse 7. Thou dost as Paul did in some measure thou dost daily and heartily pray for them and give thanks without 〈◊〉 as he shews in the most of his Epistâ—es standing before God often the heart doth take fire from thence which warâ—es the heart afterwards Quest. What is the cause this fervent love is so rarely found amongst men Answ. There are divers causes in divers sorts of men As 1. Unregeneracy Wee must know that no man can love his brother with this love but he that is borne of God 1 Ioh. 4.7 without repentance and the true love of God this love is never had 2. Prejudice in others The names of the godly are so buried under the disgrace of the world that this keeps off many from declaring their love to them though sometimes they have motions of good affections 3. The love of wicked persons 4. In others the cause is hatred of the good malice like Cain 1 Ioh. 3. 11. they can love any but the Saints 5. Security in prosperity Many when they be sick acknowledge the way of God and send for the Ministers and good people but when they are well they start back like a bow 6. Conceitednesse and a high opinion of themselves 7. Neglect of society with the godly 8. Worldlinesse 9. Suspitiousnesse Quest. But what must be done that wee might be abundant in love one towards another and that it might be more generall in the places where wee live Answ. First let the wicked turne from his wickednesse wee may not returne to them they must returne to us what peace or love while their whoredomes drunkennesse c. testifie to their faces Wee may love them with a generall love as Gods creatures but with a fervent love we may not nor may we converse freely with them as multitudes of places of Scripture shew Secondly to nourish affection amongst the godly wee must remember these rules 1. Remember much and often Gods love to us in Christ 1 Ioh. 4.9 10 11. Eph. 5.1 2. 2. Thinke much of the commandment of God and his acceptation Eph. 5.1 2. 3. Meditate often of our dwelling together in heaven Iam. 2.5 1 Pet. 4.8 else puâ—blind 2 Pet. 1.7 4. Converse much together have fellowship in the Gospell 5. Consider the promises made hereunto Eph. 4.15 16. 2 Pet. 1.9 10 11. Phil. 2.1 Esay 19. Verse 23. Being borne anew not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God which liveth and endureth for ever IN these words the Apostle intreats of the immortality of the soule of man Now there is a double immortality of the soule For sometimes immortality signifieth an everlasting continuance of man without ending dying or ceasing to be and so the soules of the wicked
neither will their Baptisme helpe them for neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but a new creature Gal. 6. Ob. If any say But though they be not now under mercy yet hereafter they may bee upon Repentance Answ. I answer that in this they say truly but yet not safely for many men that have promised themselves the late repentance and mercy have died in their sinnes before they could ever repent And thy times are in Gods hands thou knowest not when nor how thou shalt die and therefore the surest way is now to turne to God with all thy heart as they were counselled more at large Ioel 2.12 13. Now for the fourth it may awake some sort of offenders the more effectually that besides the generall threatnings against wicked men they in particular are assured that they are not under mercy As first such as shew no mercy to men Iam. 2.13 and such as transgresse of malicious wickednesse Psal. 59.6 and such as are people of no understanding Esa. 7.11 and such as walke after the imaginations of their owne wicked hearts and will not hearken unto God Ier. 15.5 10 12. and such as blesse themselves in their heart when they heare the curses of the Law Deâ—â— 29.19 and such as steale murther commit adultery and sweare falsly Ier. 7.9 and many other particulars Catalogues might be instanced in all the severall Scriptures the Prophet Malachy puts in such as deale corruptly in tything and offering Malach. 1.8 9. To conclude the counsell of the Prophet Ieremy is excellent in this case who most effectually speakes thus Heare yee give eare bee not proud for the Lord hath spoken Give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darknesse and before your feet stumble upon the darke mountaines and while yee looke for light hee turne it into the shadow of death and make it grosse darknesse But if yee will not heare my soule shall weepe in secret for your pride and mine eye runne downe with teares Ier. 13.15 16. Use 2. Secondly the consideration of this doctrine may justifie the practice of godly Ministers that denounce the judgements of God upon their heaâ—ers that live in sinne without repentance It is their duty to shew them that they are not under mercy they are required to cry aloud and to shew Gods people their sinnes Esa. 58.1 And the Prophets that cried Peace peace are extreamly threatned of God so as for not warning the people the blood of their soules is required of the Prophets Ezek. 33. vers 2. to 10. Use 3. The third use may be therefore for the singular humiliation of wicked men that live in the assemblies of Christians Though they have obtained a place in Gods Church yet they have not obtained mercy but live under the fearefull displeasure of God and this is the more terrible if they consider three things First that this is the case of multitudes of men in the Church but a remnant are under mercy Which will appeare more distinctly if you draw out of our assemblies such as in Scripture are expresly said not to bee under mercie as First take all such as yet live in their naturall Atheisme that mind not God nor Religion that onely care for earthly things and shew it by a constant either neglect or contempt of the publike assemblies of Christians amongst us These cannot obtaine mercy because they refuse to heare Gods voyce and to seeke to the ordinary meanes of mercy Isaiah 50.1 2. Heb. 3.7 Secondly draw out then secret offenders such as sinne in the darke and say Who seeth us There are many amongst us that for ought wee know live honestly who yet in secret are polluted with desperate abominations as fearfull deceit in their callings prodigious filthinesse of body or the like Thirdly remove from us likewise open and notorious offenders such as are drunkards outragious swearers knowne adulterers or fornicators murtherers railers and extortioners For to such belongeth not Gods mercy or Kingdome 1 Cor. 6.9 Fourthly then separate from us such as are onely civilly honest and not religious There are many that are farre from grosse offences either open or secret who are not yet under mercy which is discovered divers wayes as by their ignorance For God will not have mercy upon people that have no understanding Esa. 27.11 And by their impenitencie They never soundly and in secret confessed their sinnes to God they never mourned for their many corruptions there is a world of inward wickednesse which they were never humbled for And also by their unbeliefe They know no way how to be saved by Christ by effectuall beleeving on his mercy but thinke to bee saved by their owne good deeds or else they live in a generall security not looking after salvation but thinking it enough that they are well accounted of amongst men Lastly cast out hypocrites that onely make a shew of godlinesse and have not the power of it that draw neere to God with their mouthes but have their hearts farre from him These in vaine worship God These are Jewes outward but have not the circumcision of the heart and therefore their praise is not of God You may easily conceive how small a number will remaine if all these be deducted out of the societies of Christians Secondly if they withall consider that if mercy be not obtained all else is in vaine It doth not profit him to obtaine credit riches friends in this world long life or ought else if hee obtaine not mercy what shall it advantage thee to obtaine the whole world if for want of mercy thou lose thine owne soule Thirdly it increaseth their misery that they may die in the case they are in For either God may take away the meanes of mercy from them or may leave them to so much insensiblenesse as they may remove themselves from the means of mercy or God being provoked by their loâ—g obstinacie may deliver them up to a reprobate sense or God may suddenly take them away by death and then woe unto them it had beene better for them they had never beene borne Quest. But some may aske What should be the cause that so many obtain not mercy of God seeing God is in his owne nature so gracious and they are in so great need of mercy Answ. I answer that the cause why some obtaine not mercy is First because they seeke it not they be at a great deale of care and paines many times to seeke other things but they altogether neglect their owne mercy and seeke not for it Now God stands upon that that he will be sought unto the house of Israel must know that though God be many waies gracious as is shewed at large Ezek. 36.25 c. yet for all this he will be sought unto or else even Israel may want mercy vers 32. Secondly others are so farre from seeking mercy that they refuse mercy when God in the Gospel daily calls upon them and beseecheth them to bee
hearts break that is they let the doctrine runne out and never thinke of it when they are gotten out of the Church Heb. 2.1 Or else they have resisted the light of the truth so long that God hath now delivered them over to a spirit of slumber lest they should convert and he should heal them Mat. 13.15 16. Isa. 6.10 Secondly in some the world is the cause of it For either they are entangled with the examples of the multitude especially of the wise Ones and great Ones of the world 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28. Or else they are affrighted with the evill reports with which the good way of God is disgraced in the world Act. 28.22 Or else they are insnared with respect of their carnall friends they are loth to displease father or mother or sisters or brothers or any they have great hopes from or dependance upon Mat. 10.35 37. 1 Pet. 4.2 Or else they have so much businesse to doe and so many cares about their worldly affaires they cannot be at leisure â—o long as to thiâ—ke they cannot bring their lives into order Mat. 13.22 Luke 17. Or else they live at hearts-ease and prosper in their estate and so desire not to alter their course of life and so their prosperity destroyes them Prâ— 1.32 Thirdly in some men the cause is the lust after some particular wickednesse of life in which they live either secretly or openly which sinne is the very Idol of their hearts and hinders a good resolution Fourthly in some the cause is conceitednesse they are pure in their owne cicâ— and yet are not cleansed they rest in the outward profession of religion and the feare of godlinesse and regard not the sound power of it in their lives Lastly in all unregenerate men there are three causes why they are not perswaded to a religious life First the one is the forgetfulnes of their death therefore their filthinesse is still in their skirts because they remember not their latter end Lam. 1.9 Secondly the other is that they are dead in sin What should hinder the conversion of multitudes at once but that we preach to congregations of dead men Thirdly the divell workes effectually in all the children of disobedience striving to hide the Gospel from them and the glory of a righteous life that so they might perish 1 Cor. 4.4 And thus of the second Use. Use 3. Thirdly such as consent to obey and feele themselves raised from death to life and are now desirous to spend their daies in a religious and righteous course of life must observe all such rules as may further them and establish them in an orderly and fruitfull conversation Hee that would live in righteousnesse must thinke on these directions following as the very gates of righteousnesse First he must give over all needlesse conversation with vaine persons and profane men hee must shunne their company as he would such as have the plague running upon them hee must not come neere them as is urged Pro. 14.15 For what fellowship can bee between righteousnesse and unrighteousnesse 2 Cor. 6.14 Depart from me ye evill doers saith David for I will keep the commandements of my God Psal. 119.115 Secondly he must redeeme time he must buy time from his worldly occasions and settle such an order in his worldly estate or outward estate that he may provide to serve the Lord without distraction abstayning from all things that may intangle him or interrupt him Eph. 5.16 1 Cor. 7.29 35. and 9.28 2 Tim. 2.4 He must provide to him time for Gods service and for commerce and fellowship with the godly and for works of mercy Thirdly he must be wise for himselfe that is he must in all the meanes hee useth for or in religion especially apply what hee can for his owne use and study himselfe and to understand his owne way and provide whatsoever he doe for his justification and sanctification and finall salvation Prâ— 9. 12. and 14.8 And to this end he must meddle with his owne businesse and take heed of being a busie-body in other mens matters so much as in his thoughts 1 Thes. 4.11 12. And he must also avoid vaine janglings and doubtfull disputations in religion and quarrels that tend not to his edification but to shew wit or science Tit. 3.9.1 Tim. 6.20.2 Tim. 2.23 And he must keep his eye straight upon the mark to proceed directly and distinctly in building himselfe up in knowledge and grace not losing his time or going about but keeping a straight path to supply what he wants and grow in what he hath Pro 4.25 Ier. 31.32 Hee must take heed of uncertaine running but bee sure to take accounts of himselfe for all his courses to see that hee goe very straight towards the mark and finally hee must not respect company to goe the pase of other men but run as if hee alone were to obtaine striving to excell 1 Cor. 9.24 and 14 12. Fourthly he must esteeme the Word above all treasures Psal. 119.72 Mat. 1â— and take hold of the instruction thereof as that must bee the very life of his life Pro. 4 1â— For by the Word doth God sanctifie us and make us righteous Ioh. 17. And he must order his whole course of life so as that he may see the meanes of all his actions from the Word he must live by the rules of Scripture that will live righteously Gal. 6.16 Now that he may doe thus he must looke to divers things First that he place no confidence in the flesh neither trusting upon his owne wit nor carnall reason nor gifts nor yet yeelding himselfe to be a servant to any mans humour or opinions or example or commandement Secondly he must provide to live so as he suffer not a famine of the powerfull preaching of the Word hee must labour for the meat that perisheth not Ioh. 6.27 and so exercise himselfe in the Word morning and evening that the Word may dwell plenteously in him Psal. 1.2 Col. 3.16 Thirdly he must take heed of adding any more sinnes or duties than are discovered in the Word and of detracting from any thing that is forbidden or required there Psal. 30.6 detesting conceitednesse and singularity having his conversation in all meeknesse of wisedome Iam. 3.13 Fiftly he must daily lift up his heart to God to seeke a way of him whose glory it is to teach to profit and who giveth his Spirit to lead men in the paths of righteousnesse Psal. 23. Esay 48.17 Sixtly he must remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it For this will be both the meanes and the signes of his sanctification and true righteousnesse It is the market day for the soule Esay 58.13 14. Exod. 31.13 c. Seventhly he must haste to the comming of Christ hee must dispatch his worke as fast as he can and to this end he must cast about to finde out waies of well-doing and when he hath any projects or opportunities of well-doing he must not
number of his Elect fulfilled and therefore he dispatcheth away the generations one after another and so shortneth the daies of man for his Elect sake Now for the Uses Are our lives so short then it should teach us divers lessons 1. To pray God to make us able to thinke so and so to number our daies that we may not make any reckoning of any long continuance here Psal. 39. 3. 90.12 2. To make haste and dispatch our repentance and all the businesses that concerne our sound reconciliation and so to walke while we have the light and to use all good meanes while we enjoy them 3. To redeeme the time and save as much of it as we can for the uses of a better life Eph. 5. and to worke the harder to fulfill thy measure and dispatch that taske God hath set thee to doe 4. To lay fast hold upon eternall life 1 Tim. 6. and to make that sure 5. Every day to provide for our departure even all the dayes of our appointed time to wait when our changing shall come Iob 14.14 FINIS AN ALPHABETICALL TABLE OF THE MOST Principall things handled throughout the whole Booke ACtion What things marre a good Action 630 How we are said to doe well ibid. Adoption Wherein the greatnesse and glory of our Adoption appeares 645 their priviledges in this life 646 What kind of persons we must be to attain this Adoption with the markes of it 647 How they must carry themselves 648 Affection We must care that our Affection grow not either cold or corrupt 163 Foure things which abate Affection in the godly ibid. Afflictions The godlies Afflictions are but for a season 56 57 God tries man in Afflictions seven waies 62 63. comforts therein 63 Afflictions better than gold in divers respects 67 Angels Of their names and natures 96 The singular account that God makes of them 97 Their affection to man ibid. 98 Of the Cherubims looking upon the Ark Exod. 268. 98 Of their knowledge affirmatively and negatively 99 100 Antiquitie In what things Antiquitie is ill pleaded 621 What respect is to be had to old time 622 Apostacie twofold 1. inward 2. outward 237 Apparell Rules for it 105. Vide Attire 603 604 605 Application Rules of application of the word aright 288 Assurance Such as have the perswasion of the Assurance of salvation should looke to foure things 77 Astray What is meant by going astray 555 Their miserie that so doe ibid. An aggravation of their miserie 556 Causes of mens going Astray ibid. Signes of a lost sheepe 557 Attire Eleven reasons against vain Attire in women 603 604 Foureteene wayes by which Attiring of our selves becomes vicious 605 B BAbes Why most are Babes in religion 228 Speciall duties of new borne Babes 229 What Babes by nature should teach men in grace ibid. Backe-biters Vide Evill-speakers or Whisperers 215 216 Behold The diverse acceptation of the word 274 Beleeve Vide Faith Beleevers They onely have benefit by Christ 154 We may be said to beleeve five waies 156 What it is to be a true beleever 290 In how many things it is seen ibid. c. It s excellencie 625 Helpes to it ibid. Rules for a right trusting in God 626 It is by Christ that wee beleeve in God and that for divers reasons 157 Birth Borne The necessitie and hoâ—â—ur of our new Birth 32 Why repentance is called a new birth 184 We had need often to be put in mind of our new Birth 185 Lets of it with excellent uses thereof ib. Bishop The word expounded 566 Christ excels all other Bishops in ten respects 561 All are happy that live under the charge of such a Bishop 567 The duties of such as be under his charge 568 Blesse Blessing How man blesseth God how God man how man blesseth man 29 30 Divers kinds of Blessings 688 When we blesse indeed and wherein it stands 688 689 Godly men inherit the Blessing many wayes 694 In this life three wayes ibid. c. What we must do to get Gods blessing 695 How godly men may grow in the comfort of Gods Blessing 696 Bloud The benefits flowing from Christs Bloud 21 This his Bloud diversly taken 145 Why shed ibid. Why this is most urged ibid. c. The uses of it 146 The preciousnesse of it ibid. What makes it so precious ibid. Bowels What Bowels of mercy doth import 183 When they are right 684 Motives to affect the having such Bowels 685 Brother Brotherhood How we should expresse our love to the Brotherhood 477 In what respects godly men are Brothers 178 478 680 Reasons perswading to love as Brethren 680 With what kind of love we are to love the Brethren 681 Rules for Brotherly love 682 Build Builders Meanes to build up a Christian 260 Causes why men are so little edified 261 How farre wicked men may be said to be Builders 295 296 The causes why many great and learned are oft times Destroyers rather than Builders 296 How Builders that is Churchmen refuse Christ 298. and how Christ refuseth them 299 C Calling It is a matter of great weight to shew a good warrant for our Calling 2 3 Seven sorts of men transgresse about their Calling 3 Those sorts of lusts which must be hatefull to us after our Calling 114 Eight reasons why we should avoid lusts after our Calling ibid. How many waies God calleth us 119 120 What our effectuall Calling is 120 Why our conversion is termed our Calling ibid. How a true Calling may be discerned ib. Seven things which we are called to 121 Three sorts of Calling 1 personall 2 naturall 3 supernaturall 334 335 Distinction of Callings 335 Foure things in the order of working in our Callings ibid. Eight signes of effectuall Calling 336 Five rules to shew us how to walk worthy of our Calling ibid. The danger of such as refuse their Calling in eight things 337 Of the C. of the Gentiles in generall 345 Why Christians should be affected with the consideration of their Calling 689 The Calling of a Christian is a hard Calling 690 The necessity of knowing our Calling ib. By what meanes 691 Ceremonies About taking and giving scandall in the use of Ceremonies 436 Chastity twofold 1 of body 2 of mind 594 Chastity must be as well in married persons as in single 595 Motives to Chastity 596 It is specially charged upon the woman ib. Preservatives of Chastity ibid. How a chaste wife may be discerned 597 Christ. The benefits flowing from his bloud 21 22 His generation and ours how unlike 31 In three things wee should learne of Christ to carry our selves towards God as our Father 31 Christ hid till his second comming in sixe respects 69 Seven signes of his love in the sparkle 71 Seven more in the flame ibid. The word Christ is a word collective 144 His bloud precious 146. c. He is said to be a Lamb in sixe respects 147 Christ manifested five wayes 152 Beleevers onely have benefit
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
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
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
Christian may somewhat be helped against the testimony of those wise men of the world if hee mark but their lives for usually by their fruits they may be known Mat. 7. For commonly such as oppose Christ and the Gospel or the sincerity of the Gospel are men that may be apparantly detected of profanenesse as our Saviour Christ shews by divers instances in the Pharises Mat. 23. But because sometimes the messengers of Satan can transform themselves into Angels of light therefore I answer secondly that all the godly have the sure word of the Prophets and Apostles which may by the touch-stone to try the opinions of men by which in the points absolutely necessary to salvation is evident and plaine and infallible to the Law and to the Testimonies if they speak not according to these it is because there is no light in them Esay 8.20 And that they may be sure let them pray to God to teach them for hee hath promised to teach the humble his way if a man come to God with an humble mind and with desire of reformation of his life in that hee knows God hath bound himself to shew him his will Psal. 25.9 Iohn 7.17 Besides every childe of God hath the Spirit of God in his heart who knoweth the things of God which indited the Scriptures and is the onely supreme Judge of all controversies Hee that beleeveth hath a witnesse in himselfe the Spirit working much assurance in his heart and anointing him with eye-salve and leading him into all truth And by this help the entrance into the Scriptures gives light to the simple Vse The use of the point then is First to informe us concerning that great justice of God in hiding his truth from the wise and revealing it to babes and children or infants which our Saviour and Saint Paul take notice of Secondly to confirme us against the sinister judgement of wordly-wise and learned men and in matter of religion not to be swayed by that inducement since it is thus plainly told and foretold Thirdly to confute the Papists that plead unto the ignorant that their religion is the right because it is and hath been maintained by such a number of Popes and Cardinals which have excelled in leaâ—â—ing and greatnesse of place for here we see the builders reject the head stone of the corner Fourthly to shew us that whatsoever wicked wise great men pretend yet their quartell is against Christ and his Kingdome Fiftly to teach us therefore to pray for our teachers and governors that God would guide theÌ„ by his good Spirit and assist them in their callings c. Sixtly to be more thankfull to God when the Lord gives us builders not in name onely but in deed that settle about Gods work with all their hearts and labour with all faithfulnesse to promote the Kingdome of Christ. Hitherto of the persons The cause of their punishment is their refusing of Christ. Refused They refused Christ they disallowed him as unfit for the support of the building They cast him away as rubbish they rejected him or accounted him as a reprobate Christ is refused or disallowed many waies First when the Gospel of Christ is contemned or neglected that is when men neglect or contemne the doctrine of salvation by Christ and live still in their sin without repentance and seek not reconciliation with God through the bloud of Christ. Secondly when men goe about to establish their own righteousnesse and neglect the righteousnesse of Christ and so when men fly to the intercession of Saints or Angels and use not the intercession of Christ. Thirdly when men follow wicked company and leave the care of the service of Christ this is to choose Barabbas to be given unto them rather than Christ. Fourthly we may be guilty of this sinne in the time of the use of Christs ordinances as in the Sacraments when we discerne not the Lords body or in hearing or any other ordinances when we entertaine contemplative wickednesse and so commit spirituall dalliance with strangers before the face of Christ. Fiftly when men fall away from the grace of Christ and so joy with the Jews as it were to crucifie the Son of God afresh Heb. 6. and 10. And so he is also refused when in time of persecution he is denied before men Thus Peter refused him when he denied him Sixtly when his servants are rejected and so either in general when Christians are exposed to publique scorn and made as it were the off-scouring of all things or in particular when his Ministers are despised For he that despiseth them despiseth him c. Quest. But how doe the builders that is Church-men refuse Christ Answ. I answer many waies First when they will not preach in his name when they preach not at all For this is to let Christ live as it were in the rubbish still and not to separate him out for the building c. Secondly when in preaching they preach themselves and not Christ crucified leaving the word of Christ to shew their own wit and learning c. Thirdly when they oppose the sincerity of the Gospell in the conversion of the soules of mâ—n or in the practice of godly Christians Fourthly when they teach the doctrine of merit of works or prefer the traditions of men before the commandements of God as did the Pharises Vse The use of this doctrine concerning the refusing of Christ may be divers for First it may teach us patience when we are refused in the world it is no other thing then what did befall Christ himselfe especially it should confirme us against the scandall arising from the discountenancing of godly men which are crucified by all sorts of people in the world If Christ himself were no better used why should we wonder at it to see godly Christians so neglected And if the most powerfull doctrine of Christ were so securely despised what wonder is it if the good way of God be now evill spoken of Secondly it may much comfort us and that especially two manner of waies First by reasoning for the contrary For if it be a signe of a notorious wicked man to let Christ lie like rubbish or refuâ—e stufâ—e then is it an excellent sign of a godly mind to love the Lord Jesus and to account all things but dung in comparison of Christ and his merits and righteousnesse Secondly by considering the effect of Christs refusall For he was refused as our surety that we might be received to favour He was cast off by men as a reprobate that wee might enjoy the admirable priviledges of the Elect of God and besides by enduring this contempt of men he bare the punishment of all our neglect and contempt of God his holy Commandements Thus of the cause The punishment it selfe followes Is made the Head of the corner Two things are here intended as punishment to these builders First the one implied Secondly the other exprest First that which is
whom God will shew mercy not for what cause Secondly when he saith he will shew mercy it evidently excludes merit For it is mercy that God will bestow such great things upon men for their workes for there is no proportion betweene our workes and the goodnesse we receive from God When we have done all we should account our selves unprofitable servants Ob. But it seemes Gods mercy is caused by merit for God shewes us mercy for the merits of Christ If Christ deserve it then it seemes it is not free Sol. First mercy excludes merit in us though not in Christ. Secondly it was mercy that God gave us Christ to merit for us And thus of the third property of Gods mercy Fourthly Gods mercy is the more admirable yet in that it is eternall God will not change his Word Hee keepeth his covenant and mercy with his servants 1 King 8.23 Gods mercies have beene from all eternity Psal. 25.6 and he will not take away his mercy from his servants Psalm 89.34 but his mercy and loving kindnesse shall follow them all the dayes of their life Psal. 23. ult His mercies are new every morning hee hath never done shewing of mercy Lament 3.23 Isaiah 33.3 He is still building up his mercies and will never leave till he have finished them in an everlasting frame of unspeakable glory Psalm 89.2 His mercy is everlasting and endureth for ever Psalm 103.3 and 136. from everlasting to everlasting Psalm 103.17 God may forsake his people for a moment to their thinking in a little wrath he may hide his face but with everlasting mercies he will receive them As he hath sworne that the waters of Noah shall no more cover the earth so hath hee sworne hee will no more be wrath with his people The hills may be removed and the mountaines may depart but Gods covenant of peace shall not bee removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Isaiah 54.7 to 11. If Gods covenant be not with day and night and if he have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth then may he cast away his servants and their â—eed Ierem. 33.25 26. But we see the course of nature is firme and therefore ought to be more assured of the firmenesse of the covenant of Gods mercy to his people The effects of mercy follow To obtaine mercy is to obtaine those benefits which God hath promised to his people as the fruits of his mercy Where God shewes mercy First he will heare their prayers graciously this is promised Esa. 30.18 19. and pleaded by David Psal. 4.1 Secondly he sanctifies all afflictions so as whatsoever befalls the godly proceeds from mercy and not justice in God and shall worke for the best Rom. 8.28 It is Gods love that maketh him correct Heb. 12.6 7. Thirdly he heales their natures from the diseases of their mindes for to shew mercy is likewise to cure us and sanctifie us and God promiseth it Hos. 14.3 Fourthly he multiplies pardon Isa. 55.7 It is not grievous to forgive sâ—n daily when they seeke to him for forgivenesse Fifthly he delivers the soule absolutely from the pit they are free from condemnation Iob 33.27 Psal. 86.13 c. Sixthly in all dangers and weaknesses his mercy holds them up even when the godly say their foot slippeth Psal. 94.18 Seventhly he guides them in all their waies He that hath mercy on them saith the Prophet shall leade them even by the springs of water shall hee guide them Esa. 49.10 The World is like a wildernesse the wicked are like wild beasts in a desart Gods children are so provided for that God preserves them yea and himselfe findes them out meanes of singular refreshing all their dayes Eighthly he crownes them with blessings Psal. 103.4 Ninthly he gives them assurance of an immortall inheritance 1 Pet. 1.3 4. The consideration of this marvellous mercy which the godly have obtained may teach us divers things First with all thankfulnesse to acknowledge the mercy of God we should alwayes mention the loving kindnesse of God in all the experiences we have of the truth of his mercies toward us Esa. 63.7 Wee should frame our selves to an easie discourse of the glory of Gods Kingdome and talke of his power Psal. 145.8 9 10. We should bee so perswaded of this truth as freely to say that we know that the Lord is gracious and very mercifull Psal. 116.5 It is a great sinne not to remember the multitudes of Gods mercies Psal. 106.7 Oh that men would therefore indeed praise the Lord for his goodnesse c. Psal. 107. foure times repeated in that Psalme Christians should glory in it not in their riches strength wisdome c. but in this that they know God that exerciseth mercy Ier. 9.24 Secondly in all our wayes heartily to disclaime merits of workes or opinion of our worthinesse or deserts say still with the Prophet in the Psalme Not unto us not unto us Lord but to thy Name give the glory for thy mercy and truths sake Psal. 115.1 The whole frame of our salvation depends upon Gods grace not on workes Eph. 2. Tit. 3.5 Thirdly let us with David resolve to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever since our happinesse lieth in mercy and since we have the tidings of mercy in Gods house there the fountaine of this grace is daily opened unto us and we may draw water still with joy out of this Well of salvation in the Gospel Psal. â— 7 and 23. ult Fourthly wee should learne of God to be mercifull let us strive to comfort others with shewing them mercy as wee have received merâ—y from the Lord. Oh let us be mercifull as our heavenly Father is mercifull Luk. 6. Fifthly we should hence bee incouraged and resolved since we know our priviledges to goe boldly unto the throne of Grace upon all occasions to seeke mercy to helpe in the time of need We have obtained mercy of the Lord and therefore may and ought to make use of our priviledge Heb. 4.16 Secondly this doctrine of Gods mercy may serve for singular comfort to the godly and that both in the case of sinne and in the case of afflictions 1 Against the disquietnesse of the heart for sinne it should much refresh them to remember that they have obtained mercy yea though innumerable evils have compassed them about Psal. 40.11 12. and though our offences are exceeding grievous Psal. 51.1 Exod. 34.6 7. 2 Secondly in the case of afflictions many things should hence comfort us 1 That howsoever it goe with our bodies yet God hath mercy on our soules 2 That it is mercy that our afflictions are not worse that wee are not consumed Lam. 7.22 3 That in the worst afflictions God doth many waies shew mercy his mercies are new every morning Lam. 3.23 4 That though God cause griefe yet hee will have compassion to regard us according to our strength he will deale with us in measure Lament 3.32 Isaiah 27.7
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
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
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
sheepe Fourthly he that lives without God and Christ that can spend whole daies and nights without any communion with God yea that when he is present before God finds his heart continually carried with wandring distractions that constantly draw him away from all inward attendance upon God Ephes. 2.12 Esay 29.13 he erres in his heart Psal. 95.10 Fiftly he that hath no other companions of his life but swine and wilde beasts that is wicked men of all sorts especially when it is joyned with willing neglect and shunning of the society of the godly Psal. 5. 2 Cor. 6. Sixtly he that tastes nothing but earthly things and findes no savour in spirituall things it is a signe that he is out of the pasture and feeds in the wildernesse Rom. 8. 1 Iohn 2.18 Seventhly he that when he is told he is out of the way blesseth himselfe in his heart when it is plainely found that he openly wandereth Psal. 36.1 2. Deut. 29.19 Eighthly he that lives in any of the grosse sins expressely mentioned in the Catalogue in Scripture without repentance as swearing Com. 3. adultery covetousnesse drunkennesse railing extortion 1 Cor. 6.9 or the knowne sins of deceit Micah 6.10 Ninthly he that doth his workes of purpose to be seene of men resting only in the praises of men not seeking the praise of God Mat. 6. Rom. 2.26 Tenthly he that knowes not Gods wayes especially if he desire nor knowledge or entertaine wilfull objections against the meanes of knowledge Psal. 95.10 Eleventhly they that spend their zeale in meeting with other mens infirmities neglecting sound reformation in themselves It is the wisedome of the prudent to understand his owne wayes but to be a busie-body in other mens matters is erring and the folly only of fooles Pro. 14.8 Every busie-body is out of the way The Doctrines follow and so divers things may be observed out of these words Doct. 1. Even godly men before their calling were out of the way as lost sheep as well as others Ephes. 2.2 Tit. 3.3 Which should serve first to set out the riches of Gods free grace as the only first cause of the happinesse and salvation of the Elect. Secondly it should teach the godly divers duties both toward God other men and themselves As for God they should live to his prayse and spend their dayes in magnifying his great compassions in their deliverance that deserved so ill at his hands And withall it should teach them to put all their trust in God seeing they carry about them a nature that hath beene apt to wandring and therefore have cause to mistrust themselves And for other men that are out of the way they should pity them and carry themselves with all meeknesse and charity remembring what themselves have beene Tit. 3.1 2 3. And for themselves they should be the more humble and abased hating all pride and conceitednesse and contempt of others Doct. 2. A man may be a sheep and yet lost Not only Dogs Goats Swine Lyons c. may be out of the way but even sheep may wander and be clean lost Men of harmlesse natures and such as are profitable members of humane societies and such as are of a gentle disposition and free from grosse offenses yet may be utterly lost and cleane out of the way of happinesse and if they returne not by repentance may perish for ever And this is a point which should marvellously affect civil-honest men and move them at length to see the weake vanity of their confidence in their prayses for civillity of nature or life This is a doctrine very hardly entertayned by this sort of men and the rather because they think they want nothing unto the prayse of a good life never considering that they are not religious though they be civill and that they have a world of inward impurities though they are free from outward grosse uncleannesse of life and that they never felt the joyes of the holy Ghost to approove of them though they have beene tickled with the prayses of men and that they have not sought or desired the assurance of Gods favour or a better life but spend their time in a still dreame without providing for what is most necessary and that they never serve â—od not have had any sociable fellowship with him in any of his Ordinances in respect of the inward power of them Doct. 3. To breake out from the meanes of Religion and from the society of godly Christians is the very way to undo many a soule A sheep is 〈◊〉 when it is gotten from sheep and is out of the pasture and hath no discreet shepheard to take the care of it Thus of the first part that is mans misery by nature The meanes of recovery out of that misery followeth and that is noted in the word Returne Where first may be observed that wicked men may returne It is not impossible for men that have spent a 〈…〉 lives in sinne and vanity at the length to be saved And it is the first part of a mans work that would return to inform himselfe seriously of 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—ments that may proove that he may bee helped out of his misery The fiâ—â—t thing a diseased man inquires after is whether his disease be curable or no. Now there are divers things that give hope of curing and salvation even to men that are as yet cleane out of the way as First the disposition of God towards sinners which appears first because he sweares he desires not the death of a sinner but rather that he should return and live Ezech. 18.21 Secondly he is patient and hath been with thee all this while and he is therefore patient that men might repent and be saved Rom. 2.4 2 Pet. 3.9 Thirdly he hath declared himselfe to be willing to forgive all sinnes but only the sinne against the holy Ghost One sinne only is unpardonable all other sinnes may be forgiven Secondly the sufficiency of the sacrifice of Christ He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Iohn 1. Rom. 3.25 Thirdly the worke of Gods grace already shewed unto them For first God hath placed them in the visible Church where repentance and salvation may be had Secondly he hath bestowed upon them many temporall blessings to allure them to seeke to him for mercy Thirdly he causeth the Gospell to be preached to all sorts of men without exception And so grace is offred to them and there is no other let but their refusall of grace offred Fourthly the example of all sorts of sinners that have returned As great sinners as they have beene received to mercy and they are set out as examples to encourage other men to seeke mercy as Manasses Mary Magdalen David Peter Paul and others Many among the Corinthians have beene notorious offenders but were justified and sanctified The explication of the doctrine of returning followes where these things are to be considered of First the motives to perswade men to returne
here rendred a Bishop was a tearme given to watch-men and spies and over-seers of works and sometimes to any sort of Rulers In the Apostles time it seemes the tearme was impropriated and given onely to Ministers that had charge of soules For the Apostles appointing certaine men to looke to the bodies of Christians which they tearmed Deacons they appointed other eminent men to looke to the soules of Christians whom they termed Bishops as appeares Phil. 1.1 Acts 20.28 In the time of the Apostles the terme suffered yet a more strict impropriation and was given to some especiall Ministers that had charge not onely of the people but also of the Clergy and in time in some Churches unto these choice men of the Ministery were added the titles of Barons jurisdiction and power of censures sole power of ordination and the like In this place the Apostle gives the terme of Bishop to Christ as the first and principall Overseer of our soules to whom the charge of their originall doth belong Secondly we must note that Christ is not said to be a Bishop of our soules but the Bishop of our soules which imports that he is such a Bishop as there is no other like unto him That charge that Christ hath of our soules he hath it alone There is no Bishop like to Christ our Bishop for 1. There is no good Bishop but he for he died for the soules he hath charge of and so doe not other Bishops And whereas other Bishops may bee unrebukeable in respect of men sometimes he is unrebukeable in respect of God and men too never any Bishop lived so well or did so much good or loved good men and promoted Gods cause so much as hee 2. No other Bishop can instruct the flocke as he doth For hee can make his people profit because he teacheth inwardly whereas they can teach onely outwardly and hee instructs all his flocke and makes them all to know God from the greatest to the lowest of them which no other Bishop can doe 3. He is the onely Bishop because all other Bishops mâ— give accounts to him 1. Pet. 5.3 4. Hee is the universall Bishop of all soules other Bishops â—â—ve their particular charges or Churches but he hath the charge of all the flockes under heaven all Parishes are within his charge 5. All other Bishops have their ordination from him they have no authority but what they receive from him Acts 20.28 6. Because no other Bishop can take the absolute charge of our soules they are not able to keepe us our soules have many diseases which they cannot cure and are assaulted with many adversaries which they cannot resist 7. Because hee is a heavenly Bishop they are but earthly and divers parts of his office he executes in heaven whereas other Bishops can doe nothing for us but on earth 8. Because hee is the onely Law-maker the onely Law-giver to our soules other Bishops can make no Lawes but by his authority Iam. 4.11 9. Because the other Bishops may require goodnesse in their flocks but cannot make them good he can make all his people righteous he is the Lord and their very righteousnesse Ier. 23.6 10. Other Bishops die and leave their flockes unprovided but hee lives ever and never forsakes his Church but is with them to the end of the world Mat. 28. ult Thirdly who are the charge of Christ Not all that are found in the charges of other Bishops he will not stand to our division of Parishes he counts by Election and righteousnesse all that the Father hath given him are his charge and none else The coherence shews they are onely penitent sinners Fourthly the happinesse of such as are under his charge which must needs be great O! It is a great comfort to a poore sinner to know that Christ hath a charge of his soule for he shall be sure that Christ will feed his soule and nourish it up by his Ordinances and will keep him to eternall life and use him with all tendernesse and compassion A bruised Reed he will not breake and the smoaking Flaxe he will not quench The particulars are metaphorically handled before in the consideration of the benefits we receive from Christ as a Shepheard Uses The Uses follow and so First for information and so first we may here take occasion to thinke of the preciousnesse of our soules for as they' are made of better stuffe than all this visible world being spirits and were redeemed with a greater price than would have beene laid downe to redeeme this whole world so it here appeareth because God sets his owne Son to tend our soules which should make us make more reckoning of them and not be so carelesse of them It were an ill bargaine to win the whole world and lose our owne soules Secondly in that he takes charge of our soules it imports that his Kingdome is not of this world and that he leaveth our bodies and outward estates to the charge of the Kings and Rulers of the earth he claimes himselfe chiefly the charge of our soules Thirdly in spirituall things it is imported that we are to be subjected to such as have the over-sight of us onely so far forth as they command us in the Lord and not otherwise Other Bishops have their power subordinate to Christ and must in all things see to it that they doe nothing against Christ. We are subject first and originally to Christ the charge of our soules properly belongs unto him Fourthly we may here see what need our soules have of looking to if they were not in great danger and subject to many diseases and necessities Christ had never taken such a peculiar charge of them Fiftly it imports the abject estate of all grosse offenders for if Christ be the Bishop of soules they cannot belong to his charge For wise and godly men as much as lieth in them cast out notorious offenders and protest against them and therefore will Christ much more cast off and refuse all such servants of the Divell and the World and Antichrist as will not beare his yoke Sixtly it imports that all Bishops must have ordination from him and therefore such as cannot shew their calling from Jesus Christ are plants which he will root out Use 2. Secondly for consolation to all the godly All that have committed their soules to him may rest upon it that he is able to keepe them till the day of his comming 1 Tim. 1.2 They shall never be lost none can take them out of his hand Iohn 10.29 It is the will of God that none of them should be lacking Iohn 6. And therefore they may comfort themselves with those words of the Apostle Nothing shall ever be able to separate us from the love of God Rom. 8. ult Use 3. Thirdly for instruction and so it should teach us to take chiefe care of our soules For from his office we may learne that he accounts our soules to be the chiefe
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
then we shall see God by direct vision Moses that saw as much of God as a mortall man then could saw but his backe parts he saw God as we see a man going from us but then we shall see him face to face as he is comming to us yea as he is possessed by us Wee shall not need helpe to shew God to us as we doe now for God himselfe shall be our everlasting light as was shewed before There is a foure-fold vision of God the one is natuâ—all as when wee see him in the creatures the other is speculous or Symbolicall when we see God in certaine signes of his presence as in the burning fire in the Bush or in the Cloud or Pillar of fire at the Tabernacle The third is the vision of Faith when we know how good God is by the promises of his word to us in Christ. The last is the vision of â—lory which differs from all the former in a way of seeing unknowne to us Thirdly our knowledge will differ in the measure Now wee know bâ—t in part there are many things wee know not and what wee doe know wee know but obscurely and darkly then wee shall know perfectly even as wee are now knowne perfectly of God 1 Cor. 13.10 11. c. and so wee shall know both God and the Creatâ—res There is a world of most delightfull and rare knowledge of the Creatures which wee attaine not to in this life but the chiefe glory of our knowledge then shall bee in the perfect vision of God and those unspeakable beauties of his nature when wee shall behold perfectly the glory of every propertie or attribute in God which will be sufficient to breed everlasting wonder and delight In a word the knowledge of the meanest Christian in heaven shall be above the knowledge of Prophets or Apostles on earth The first difference is in the effect of our knowledge for from our knowledge and this celestiall light flowes righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost which the Apostle Paul makes to be the parts of the Kingdome of God and so both in this life and in heaven Rom. 14.17 And unto these three heads may bee referred all things that concerne the glory of eternall life and all these are held with great difference in each degree of eternall life For though we have righteousnesse and peace and joy now in the truth of them yet wee have â—hem not as we shall have them in heaven as will appeare if we consider of them distinctly First for righteousnesse Here it is the greatest burthen of life unto the godly that they are not able to serve God as they desire the imperfections of their gifts the corruption of their natures the daily infirmities that discover themselves in their conversations make life many times more bitter than death would be to them as appeareth by St. Paul Rom. 7. But there all that is imperfect shall be done away there shall be no danger of displeasing God for we shall be made perfect in all parts and degrees of holinesse our nature shall be perfect like the nature of God our members shall never more be servants unto unrighteousnesse and our soules shall exactly resemble God in all perfection of goodnesse and gifts Here the glory of mans inheritance lieth in the goodnesse of things without them there it shall consist principally in an everlasting goodnesse confirmed upon themselves We shall be without spot and wrinkle Eph 5.27 We shall be as he is in holinesse 1 Iohn 3.2 Here is our griefe that our hearts cannot be so filled with the love of God and the godly as they should be there our hearts shall burne with an eternall inflammation of affections towards God and the blessed ones without any interruption or decay we shall never morâ— be troubled with hardnesse of heart discouragement feare distractions inordinate desires and perturbations Yea our holinesse shall be better than Adams in Paradise for he had a power not to sin but we shall have no power at all to sin Yea in relation to Christ it shall be better with us then than it is now for now we are reckoned just men only by the benefit of Christs righteousnesse imputed to us but then we shall be made so perfectly holy by inherent righteousnesse that we shall stand everlastingly righteous before God by the righteousnesse that is in us Imputation shall there cease for ever when Christ hath delivered up the kingdome to God the Father and when faith shall be done away Lastly the difference in this point may further appeare in the freedome of our wills In this life many times our wills are not free to desire to doe the good we should doe and most an end want power to execute what we desire but there shall be all libertie so as we shall never want either desire or power to accomplish what may be for Gods everlasting glory or our owne felicity Secondly for peace there is great difference for first in this life we have but little peace in respect of the miseries of life Sometimes we have but little inward peace our hearts being unquiet with feare or griefe or discouragement or passions or else our consciences are unquiet either because God fights against us to trie us or to humble us or we fight against our selves through ignorance and unbeliefe or distresse for sin Sometimes when our spirits are quiet and there is a truce from inward war we then want out vard peace either men are unreasonable and molest us without cause in our estates or names or else God afflicts us in body with paine and weaknesse or in estate sometimes with easie crosses like small rain sometimes with greater crosses like some fierce storms Now in heaven there shall be an eternall cessation of all miserie there shall be no curse and affliction shall be cast into the Sea Rev. 22.23 Secondly our Sabbaths or dayes of rest which Gâ—d hath consecrated and blessed to us as the chiefe joy of our lives prove many times daies of sorrow affliction because either our bodies are molested with pain or our soules distressed for want of powerfull meanes or for want of abilitie to keepe a Sabbath unto God or for want of joy in our soules but in heaven we shall have an eternall Sabbath not one day in seven but all our dayes rest without labour and solace of heart without any difficultie in our selves or interruption without us God and the Lamb will be an eternall Temple to make our rest for ever glorious Wee shall be freed from all the labours of life and from all paine and difficultie in serving God and our works shall be all easie and full of delight even the praising of God for ever Rev. 14.12 Heb 4.9 Thirdly for joy There is great difference both in the causes and in the measure and in the continuance of it The causes of our joy shall be the highest can befall a
concerning the practice of true Christians it shewes That the rules of holy life have beene the same in all ages of the world before the Law and under the Law and now under the Gospel We may see by the carriage of holy men before the Law that they walked by such rules as these and the reason is because the rules of a religious and vertuous life were in the minde of God from all eternity and so given to men from the beginning and cannot change in as much as God is unchangeable in the formes of things And this point may shew us how hard the world is to learne in that these lessons have beene taught from the beginning and yet the most men have not learned them And besides godly Christians should be encouraged to live by rule and to walke circumspectly seeing this is no harder a taske required of them than what hath beene required in all ages Thirdly it is worth the observing who the persons are that give this counsell to strive as well as we can to live out of trouble and to lead a quiet life They were two great Champions that had endured a world of troubles themselves Peter I meane and David and yet we see they presse other men to seeke to live as quietly as is possible and thus did Paul doe also 1 Tim. 2.2 1 Thes. 4.11 Heb. 12.11 Now one maine reason why they doe so is because they themselves did feele by experience how unable they were to beat crosses when they fell upon them It was this Peter that denied his Master upon the very sight as it were of adversaries and it was this David that gave this advice after himselfe had changed his behaviour before Aâ—imâ—lech as you may see by the title of the Psalme Which should teach us to be thankfull for that publike or private quietnesse any of us doe enjoy and besides it should warne those unruly froward Christians that live not in quiet either at home or abroad to repent and amend their words and works They cannot imagine what singular comfort and contentment they withhold from their owne lives and the lives of others If they did but know how much God abhorrâ—s a froward Christian they would be more affraid than they are Thus of the generall observations The first part concernes the persons that are exhorted and they are described by two formes of speech the one such as will love life the other such as would see good daies If any man will love life From this forme of speech three things may be observed Doct. 1. That men by nature are prone to the love of life and so prone that the most men will breake all bounds and will love life whatsoever be said to them or done to them This is a point so sensibly felt by the experience of the most that heare it that it needs no proofe If any man aske what the reason should be why there is such an inordinate love of life in the most many things may be answered The first cause of it is the generall corruption of nature in the most men which came in by sin To love it selfe is nature but to love life so pertinaciously is from degeneration and the great abasement of the nature of man that cannot now move it selfe towards the perfection of it selfe for unto the godly the change of life is an alteration that brings perfection Secondly ignorance and unbeliefe is the cause of it If men did know and beleeve those glorious things God speakes of a better life they would loath this present life and long to be in heaven Thirdly the cause in many is that their hearts are ingaged upon such perplexed and intricate projects about profit or pleasure or greatnesse in the world that they are not at leasure to examine the reasons of the love of life the heart of man is usually oppressed with some one or other of these projects Fourthly in all sorts of people there is such an inâ—â—rable inconsideration that no warning from the Word or workes of God no experience of their owne or other mens can force them to a serious and constant meditation of the things concerne their true happinesse Fiftly the love of life ariseth in the most from the Idols of their hearts There is one thing or other that they have set their hearts upon in a vicious manner and this unreasonable love of their particular sins doth hold them downe in bondage to this present life and so cannot be cured of the disease till they repent of their beloved sins And the guiltinesse of their consciences makes them affraid of death and judgement and to embrace this present life upon any conditions And in godly people this inordinate love of life ariseth from the defect of particular repentance for it Thus of the first point Doct. 2. Men have cause to take off their affections and not to be so desperately bent to the love of this present life This is a point very profitable to be urged and most men and women have need of it and therefore I will shew more largely the reasons why wee should not love life or not so inordinately as to be unwilling to leave it upon any termes The first reason may bee taken from the commandement of Christ who gives this charge to all that will bee his Disciples that they must not love life As they must deny themselves in other things so in this particular And be so gives this in charge as he seemes to threaten them with the losse of life if they love it so Luk. 17.33 Ioh. 12.25 The second reason may be taken from the example of the godly that have not loved life Iob detested life Iobâ— Salomon tels of a multitude of occasions that he had to hate life in his book of Ecclesiastes and a multitude of godly men have shewed the proofe of it in laying down their lives willingly when they have beene calâ—â—â— to it Act. 20.24 Phil. 2.20 Heb. 11.35 37. The third reason may be taken from the consideration of life in it selfe both in the nature of it and in the end of it for the nature of it it is but a winde or a vapour Iames 4. so meane a thing that no man can well tell how to describe it perfectly which is the greater wonder that it should get the love of all the world and yet no body knowes what it is he loves And for the end of it it is not in the power of man to number his owne daies God hath set an appointed time for every mans death and though they love life never so much they cannot hold it beyond that time Iob 7.1 And besides our times are so hid that a man cannot be sure of a moneth a weeke a day an houre and shall our hearts be so bewitched with that which we know not how long we shall enjoy Iob 24.1 and the rather because there are so many wayes for life to goe out at though but
cloake of malice five wayes 470 How Christian Libertie is a cloake of malice in things indifferent 472 Cases in things indifferent wherein Christian Libertie is vilely abused 473 Life Live How we may live like Gods children 13 A religious Life is the best Life 541 Naturall Life but a meane thing in divers respects 649 The degrees of a spirituall Life 650 Whence it hath its originall even from God and that in three respects 651 Divers things nourish this spirituall Life 654 It differs from eternall Life in many wayes 657 Mans Life is grasse 193 Excellent uses of it 193 194 What we must doe to attain eternall Life 661 A Christians helps hereto 662 Sixe signes of it 663 Five properties of it 664 What duties this Life should imprint in us ibid. For what reasons men should take off their affections from the love of this Life 698 699 In what cases some men may be in love with this Life 702 Mans Life short in what respects and why 705 The uses of it 706 Light The acceptation of the word Light 342 Gods servants are brought into great Light ibid. Excellent instruction and consolation drawne from it 342 343 In how many respects the Light of the godly is called A marvellous Light 343 344 Excellent uses thereof 344 Love Seven signes of the Love of Christ in the sparkle and seven more in the flame 71 What we must doe to get that Love 72 Seven things to be observed to keepe our hearts in this Love ibid. Christs Love to the godly 332 How many wayes the people of God are Gods only beloved ones 361 How to preserve this Love ibid. How we should shew our Love to the Brotherhood 477 Nine signes of unfained Love 180 The impediments of brotherly Love 181 Seven signes of fervent Love 182 Nine causes of the want of it 183 What to doe that we may have and hold it ibid. Reasons to perswade to the Love of the Brethren 680 With what kind of Love we ought to love them 681 Rules for it 682 Three caveats to be looked unto in loving our Brother 683 Lusts. The sorts of Lusts which must be hatefull unto us after our Calling 114 Eight reasons why we should avoyd Lusts after our Calling ibid. Foure preservations against Lusts 115 Lusts how to be avoyded 362 Three differences of Lusts in the godly and wicked 363 Helpes to avoid them ibid. Lusts are fleshly in divers respects 365 How Lusts hurt the soules of godly and wicked men both 366 How we may get victory over our Lusts 387 How we may know that we have gotten this victorie ibid. M MAdnesse Signes of spirituall Madnesse 460 Magistrates They are to be submitted to 424 This submission hath in it sixe things 425 Objections against it answered 427 428 We must be subject to all sorts of Magistrates 428 429 In what things Magistrates are not to be obeyed 431 In what matters Ecclesiasticall Magistrates have no power ibid. In what he hath power 432 Whether we must obey Magistrates in things unlawfull 437 Divers motives in God to move man to the obedience of Magistrates 438 Excellent uses of the point 439. c. In what cases not fit to complaine to the Magistrates 529 Malice It s acceptation 203 Signes of it and reasons against it ibid. Remedies 204 Aggravations of it ibid. Men may use the libertie as a cloake of Malice five wayes 470 Man He is but grasse 193 194 c. His glory vaine in sixe respects 196 What his true glory is 197 Manifest Manifestation Christ manifested five wayes 153 We must shew our affection to this his Manifestation foure wayes 153 154 Marriage Sixteene motives for man and wife to live together quietly and comfortably in Marriage 576 Masters The originall of Masters 492 Signes of good Masters 493 Reasons against frowardnesse in Masters 494 Signes of good Masters 495 Meditation Rules for Meditation 289 Meeknesse It is shewed in foure things 330 What things are requisite to Meeknesse 613 Motives to it ibid. c. Helps to attaine to Meeknesse 616 Mercy Gods Mercy abundant 32 33 It ought not to be any cause of libertie either to the godly or wicked 33 Whether the Lord shewes any Mercy to the wicked 33 34 Shewed foure wayesâ— 331 What sorts of people God will not be mercifull unto 352 What wicked men in particular are not under Mercy 354 Why many obtaine not Mercy 355 Foure properties of Gods Mercy 356 It is tender many wayes ibid. It is free many wayes ibid. c. Eternall 357 Nine effects of it 358 Excellent uses of it 358 359 Helps to obtaine mercy 359 What Bowells of Mercy doth import 683 Milke The word called Milke in many respects â—30 Excellent uses thereof 231 â—32 Mind Vide Unitie Our Minds must be rightly ordered 6â—4 For what reasons we ought to be all of one Mind ibid. Minister This word Minister sounds Servicâ— 89 Miserie All Miserie referred to 〈◊〉 heads â— of 〈◊〉 â— Of 〈◊〉 3. Of adversities 4. Of death 77 The remembrance of our past Miserie is profitable in sixe respects 338 Mortification None but mortified Christians are true Christians 536 Repentance for sin doth in divers respects kill a man 538 Signes of Mortification 539 Men truely mortified shall live happily 540 N NAme Of a good and evill Name Vide Report Nature The naturall condition very miserable many wayes 608 New Newnesle The necessitie and honour of our New birth 32 The meanes of the New birth 34 The lets ibid. Foure signes of it 35 Uses of it 35 36 Speciall duties of such as are new borne 229 Priviledges of such ibid. Speciall-signes of a New heart 415 A New behaviour discovered divers wayes 416 Why repentance is called a New birth 184 Why we had need to be put in mind of our New birth 185 Lets of it ibid. O OBedience What the causes of it with sixe rules for it 19 Motives to it 20 Of obedience in wordâ— ibid. Our Obedience must be the Obedience of children in sixe respects 113 Our Obedience to God a speciall signâ— of his feare 482 Sixe things required to 〈◊〉 sound Obedience 588 The extent of our Obedience in respect of times truths places and persons 176 177 How 〈◊〉 may know their Obedience to be right 177 In 〈◊〉 things the Spirit worketh 〈◊〉 Obedience ibid. P PArents How many wayes children are infected by the traditions of their Parents 142 Why they are so infectious ibid. Seven rules for Parents ordering their children ibid. c. Passeover The manifold passages concerning the sprinkling of the Passeover expounded 25 26. c. Patience It is to be shewed foure wayes 331 People Many sorts of People in Scripture 346 Why wicked men are said not to be a People ibid. Who are not Gods People 347 Men are Gods people three wayes 348 The miserie of those that refuse their calling to be Gods People 337 How Gods people excell all others 349 The uses thereof 350 Rules for Gods People
thoughts of Gods glory â—â—o waies established Note A double caveat in glorifying God Foure things must be done by us to make others glorifie God 1 Men are said to visit diversly 2 God doth also visit many waies 1 The creatures But especially men and so either as â—e visits all men in generall or some men in speciall God visits men two waies especially 1 In justice What kind of men in particular are in danger of this kind of visitation 2 God visits in mercy and so either in temporall things as in the case of blessings or in case of afflictions God visits in spiritual things diversly Signes of such as are truly visited in mercy with true grace 1 Hee hath a new Lord. 2 New acquaintance 3 A new language 4 A new heart Speciall signes of a new heart 1 It hath no guile 2 It is void of malice 3 It is void of covetousnesse A new mind New affections A new behaviour discovered divers wayes Many sorts of daies noted in Scripture Note How the day and season of grace may bee knowne Note Against such as presume on late repentance First objection answered Note Second objection answered Third objection confuted Note Note What glorious things the day of visitation brings forth Use. Note Use 1. Use 2. Note Doct. 8. Note What Submission hath in it viz. six things Siquis tentat excipere conâ—tur decipere Agnoscit dominum suum â—â—erâ— Aâ—â—â— Ezra 1 Subjectivè 2 Objectivè 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In what things the Magistâ—ate is not to be obeyed In what things they are to be obeyed In what matters ecclesiastiâ—â—ll â—he Magistrate hath no power In what things he hath power ecclesiasticall Actions about Gods wâ—rshâ—â— of two sorts Quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whether any inventions of men ought to be obeyed Gal. 5. Mat. 15. Command 2. Circumcision was a burthen Acts 5 10 and these burthens 〈◊〉 necessary things v. 28. and they were 〈◊〉 to doe well if they observe them v. 29. Pretended inconveniences by humâ—ne Lawes surveyed Acts 15.1 Rules about taking and giving scandall at humane ceremonies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hypocrisie Originall of Kings Homo naturâ est animal politicum Divers kindes of societies Pagus a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The excellencie of Kings above others 1 Tim. 1.12 Bernard Epist. 170. Who are branded for evill doers Wherein it is unlawfull to seeke the praise of men 2 Cor. 12.11 Ioh. 5.36 37. Helps to get praise from men Ier. 8.18 21. Vide Ephes. 4.17 18. Signes of spirituall folly Prov. 17.16 Signes of spirituall madnesse Wherein godly men sometimes shew folly Why it is so hard to cure ignorance and silence ignorant men Speciall gifts of Christ bestowed on the godly Quanquam humantur non tamen damnantur From what a Christian is made free Electi sunt liberi à damnatione legis à dominatione regis peccati To what a godly man is made free In what respects we are but as free 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men may use their liverties as a cloake of maliciousnesse five wayes 2. Pet. 2. 19. 20. How Christian liberty is made a cloake of malice in things indifferent How we must serve God Rom. 12.45 Heb. 9.14 Who are rejected from the number of Gods servants Deut. 28.47 Prerogatives of Gods servants By what wayes we may expresse our honouring of men How we shew our love to the brother-hood In what respects godly men are brethren The Apostle doth especially urge the inwarâ— worship of God The fear of God what it is It is twofold Sixe things in God we are to stand in awe of Motives to get the feare of God What kindes of men do not fear God Signes of Gods feare Pro. 31.30 Note What a family is Three things required to make a society happy We are bound of God to the care of domesticall duties for divers reasons Why inferiors in a family are first and especially charged with their duties Servants of men are of divers sorts For what causes servitude came in Gen. 12.16 and 32.5 Eccles. 2.7 How a godly servant may comfort himselfe in that estate Servants must be subject three wayes Helps for servants to yeeld subjection The originall of masters The name father given to divers sorts How many waies servants shew the feare of God in their 〈◊〉 Signes of good masters Reasons 〈◊〉 frowardâ—â—â—â— Prov. 10.32 Prov. 16.28 Helpes against frowardnesse Reasons why men ought to be instructed about conscience What conscience is Rom. 2.15 and 9.1 The proper worke of Conscience These principles in the minde shâ—w a keeper they call Synteresis How consciâ—â—ce is imployed in us Chirâ—graphia Deâ— Prâ—râ—gatives or pâ—â—pertâ—â—s of conscience Kindes of conscience Difference of evill in mens consciences Note The signes of an evill Conscience 〈…〉 Signes of an ill stirring Conscience Hurt of an evill conscience Foure ill effects of an ill conscience Aggravations of the misery of an ill Conscience What must bee done to make an ill conscience good Two things for the guiding of conscience Signes of a good conscience Acts 23.1 Benefits of a good conscience How far conscience may be bound Use. Wherein vaine-glory is seene 1 Thes. 2.6 Wherein true glory consists Divers wayes of suffering Christ suffered for us in divers respects Ten things for us to follow in the example of Christs sufferings In what things Christs example binds not How farre examples binde conscience A man is said to make sinne many waies How Christ had no sinne Guile in words many waies Guile in Hypocrisie many wayes What reviling is Who are guilty of reviling Esay 5.20 Motives to patience In what cases it is not fit to complaine unto the Magistrate In what cases men may lanfully seeke redresse from the Magistrate Thâ—t God is a Iudge is terrible to wicked men and that in many respects God is comfortable to godly men How Go◠〈◊〉 rigâ—tâ—oâ—â—â—y Use. Rules in committing our cause to God In what respects Christ bare our sins Christs sufferings â—itted to the circumstances of sin 1 John 2.1 Rom. 3.26 Reasons why Christ suffered on a tree Men die divers wayes Naturall men aâ—e said to be alive to sin in divers respects Great is the misery of such as live in sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divers things in Christs death that ought to be in our repentance Signes of true mortification The happinesse of such as live spiritually A religious â—sâ— is the best liâ—e for 6. reasons Signes that describe a righteous mâ—n in himsâ—lâ—e Sixe other signes of righteousnesse as it groweth How the righteousnesse of a godly mâ—n disfers from that of the Scribes and Pharisees Why so many do not imbrace a righteous life Helpes unto righteousnesse Phil. 3.3 1 â—or 7.23 Defects of a righteous life of two sorts First in tâ—e parts of it And 〈◊〉 in respect of the fâ—rst table Psal. 27.3 5. Pro. 2â— 3. Psal. 55.22 Psal.
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
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