and to vtter nothing for certaine but the word of God From these words the beloued our fellow-seruant I obserue first that common affliction for the cause of God workes in men tendernesse of loue The Prison makes a great Apostle imbrace with singular loue a poore and meane Minister the smell of the prison and sight of the stake if such times should euer come againe would frame a better amity amongst our Church-men ambitious men might then lay downe their personall and guilefull eagernesse of hast and hate and humorous men would then bee ashamed to deuise how to inlarge the dissention by coyning new exceptions and vrging of peremptory new scruples modest and humble men on both sides that haue sought the peace of Sion would then haue double honour Secondly that hee that is faithfull is beloued beloued I say of God and Gods houshold It is an ill signe in a Minister that hee is not sound when hee findes no tokens of Gods loue in his heart nor signes of respect with Gods seruants in his life Thirdly that to be Gods Seruant is an high dignitie it is here the speciall glory of an Apostle and was acknowledged and proclaimed to be the best part of a Kings title Psal 36. the title of it Which may serue for comfort to poore Christians they can get no Wealth offices nor Honours in the world but here is their ioy they may get to bee Gods seruants which is better and more worth than all Honour Besides it condemnes the aspiring of the Cleargie yet when they haue done all they can to make themselues great men hee is a better man in Gods bookes that by faithfull seruice can winne soules to God then he that by his money or paines can only purchase many liuings and great dignities to himselfe Which is for you a faithfull Minister or Deacon Concerning the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred Minister it is expressely a Deacon and it is a title of Office Seruice or Administration giuen sometimes to Christ hee is called The Deacon of Circumcision u Rom 14.8 sometimes to Magistrates x Rom. 13.4 yea sometimes to Women y Rom. 16.1 sometimes to a speciall calling or sort of Church officers z Phil. 1.1 1 Tim. 3.8.12 sometimes to the Ministers of the Gospell both ordinary and extraordinary so Timothy is a Deacon 1 Tim. 4.6 so Iudas Acts 1.17.15 But the Doctrine I obserue is That euery faithfull Minister is Christs Deacon and this may comfort painefull Ministers for to be Christs Deacon is no base office or to be called so a title of disgrace for it is a title giuen to Christ and the greatest Magistrates And concerning them is that promise that hee that receiueth one of them in Christs name shall not be without his reward * Mar. 9.35 with 37. Besides Christ saith of them that where hee is there shall his Deacon or Seruant bee and his father will honour him though the world doe not a Iohn 12.26 Further it may refresh them that they are said to be Deacons not of the Letter but of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6.7.8 Lastly wee may see what power these Deacons haue Math. 22. They call they perswade they are heard of the great King if they complaine and informe and they binde men hand and foote and cast them into vtter darkenesse Onely if Ministers would haue the priuiledges of Christs Deacons they must put on and practise their properties First they must become as little Children for humblenesse of minde and confidence in Gods fatherly care and prouidence and for freedome from malice b Mark 9.35.36 Secondly they must follow their Master Christ in doctrine in life and in sufferings c Iohn 12.26 Thirdly seeing they haue this Deaconship as they haue receiued mercy they should not faint but cast from them the cloakes of shame and not walke in craftinesse nor handle the word of God deceitfully but in declaration of the truth should approue themselues to euery mans conscience in the sight of God d 2 Cor 4.1.2 So as for the daily expressing of their doctrine vpon the hearts and liues of the people their people might be their Epistle e 2 Cor. 3.2.3 Thus of the 7. Verse Out of the 8. Verse I obserue diuers things First from the word declared as it is here vsed and applyed to reports I note that those things are to be reported and spoken that may giue light to the hearers A good mans report tends to cleare things in the mindes of them that heare him there should be light and a Lantherne in our words f Prou. 6.23 To this end wee should vse wisedome and truth and meekenesse when wee speake Wisedome by preparing our selues to speake Truth to report things as they are and meekenesse to auoide passion for anger is a great darkener We should also take heede of diuers sinnes in both Tables that greatly corrupt the hearers not onely in the generall but in this that they greatly darken and make muddy the vnderstanding of man As in the first Table discourses or disputes of Atheisme against the Word Religion or Ordinances of God Apologies for Idolaters or Idolatrous Religion in whole or in part the very naming of vices or Idols without disgracing or hating of them Impatiencie or murmuring against God and such like And in the second Table flattery tale-bearing false accusing rash iudgement answering of matters before they be heard are great darkeners of the vnderstanding Secondly in that Epaphras intending to complaine of them for their corruptions in opinion and worshippe doth here first declare their praises and graces of Gods Spirit It shewes that it is a worthy grace to be apt to expresse others iust praises especially when we are to speake of their faults for that will shew that we are free from enuie ostentation or disdaine and that wee seeke not our owne things that wee are not suspitious nor thinke euill nor reioyce in euill Loue in the spirit Loue is either in God or in man in God there is the personall loue of Christ the loue of the Creature the loue of man and the loue of goodnesse or good men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In man there is both the loue by which hee loues God and the loue by which hee loues man I take it here it is meant of whatsoeuer loue the Spirit worketh in man Of Loue I haue spoken at large before here onely I note briefely two things in generall First the necessitie of Loue Secondly the tryall of it both in the negatiue For the first If the true loue of God and Gods children bee not in vs wee haue not faith g Gal. 5.6 nor the Spirit of God for Loue is the fruit of the Spirit h Gal. 5.22 2. Tim. 1.7 nor the Seale of our Election i Ephes 1.4 nor a pure heart or good conscience k 1 Tim. 1.5 nor strength to holde out against errours
afflictions but reioyce in them rather that for diuers reasons First because they are the afflictions of CHRIST that is such as he accounts to be his Secondly because I know that in Gods Decree I haue my part of troubles assigned me and it is my ioy to think that in so good a cause I haue almost fulfilled them Thirdly because these Afflictions extend but to my flesh and outward man And lastly because it is for your good I suffer euen for the confirmation of your Faith and for the good of the whole body of Christ which is the Church Thirdly Verse 25. Whereof I am a Minister according to the dispensation of God which is giuen mee vnto you ward to fulfill the word of God Verse 26. Which is the mystery hid since the world beganne and from all ages but now is made manifest to his Saints I haue receiued this Commission concerning the Gospel immediately from GOD himselfe with strict charge that for your good I should pursue the execution of it till not only Faith and Hope were wrought but till we saw the worke and word of God euen accomplished and fulfilled Fourthly what can there be more excellent and worthy to be beleeued and trusted in then this Gospell of IESVS CHRIST and our reconciliation in him seeing it is that dreadfull Mystery which worlds of men haue wanted as being hid from whole Ages and Generations hitherto and now by the vnspeakeable mercy of GOD is reuealed by preaching vnto the Saints as a peculiar treasure entrusted to them And fiftly the rather should you hereupon settle Verse 27. To whom God would make knowne what is the riches of this glorious mystery among the Gentiles which riches is Christ in you the hope of glory considering the admirable subiect of the Gospell for it is the good pleasure of GOD in this rich and glorious Mystery of the Gospell to make known to the poore Gentiles Christ Iesus himselfe and that by giuing him therein to dwell in your hearts by Faith and as your assured and onely hope of immortall glory Sixtly Verse 28. Whom we preach admonishing euery man and teaching euery man in all wisedome that we may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus neyther should you euer cast away the confidence of your assurance and hope or grow weary heerein seeing it is the drift and end of all our preaching wherein wee eyther admonish or instruct you leading you through all sorts of wisedome in the word of GOD. I say the end of all is to present you at the length perfect and compleate euery one of you in CHRIST IESVS in some acceptable measure of Sinceritie and Knowledge in him Verse 29. Whereunto I also labour and strâ—â—e according to his working which worketh in me mightily And sâ—â—â—hly being incouraged with that successe which the LORD hath giuen to my ministery I will labour at I haue laboured and still striue with all possible diligence and endeauour in this glorious worke hoping that this also may proue a motiue among the rest to perswade with you to keepe Faith and Hope to the end with all Constancie and holy perseuerance CERTAINE OF THE Chiefest things obserued in the Notes vpon this first CHAPTER WHat rules wee must obserue in alledging the examples of godly men sinning fol. 4. The assurance of a lawfull Calling serues for many vses fol 5. Gods Children called Saints in this life in foure respects fol. 7. Comforts for the dispised Saints with answere of some Obiections fol. 7. 8. How Saints may be knowne fol. 9. Christian faithfulnesse is to be shewed in fiue things in spirituall things and in three things in temporall things fol. 10. 11. Idlenesse in Professors taxed fol. 11. Seuerall Vses arising out of the consideration of this that wee are Brethren fol. 13. How wee may get into Christ and how we may know whether we be in Christ fol. 13. 14 Spirituall things are the best things for nine reasons fol. 15. The Motiues and the manner of Thankesgiuing to God fol. 20. Foure Rules of tryall in our Thankesgiuing to God for others fol. 21. A Child of God neuer giues thankes but he hath cause to pray and contrariwise fol. 21. Foure sorts of prayers for others fol. 21. 68. Fiue reasons to warrant praying euery day fol. 22. The Sorts Obiects Parts Degrees Benefits Le ts Signes of Faith with the misery of the want of Faith the incouragements to beleeue and the defects of the common Protestants Faith fol. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28 29. 30. 31. 32. Indiscretion is not the cause of the reproaches and troubles of Christians fol. 33. The surest way to get Credit is to get Grace fol. 34. Foure Signes of Vaine-glory fol. 34. Seauen Obseruations about Loue. fol. 35. Seauen things to be shewed in Christian Loue. fol. 36. Foure things in the manner of our loue fol. 37. Motiues to perswade to the exercise of mutuall loue fol. 38. 39. 40. Eight helpes of Loue. fol. 41. 42. The defects of the common Protestants Charitie or Loue. fol. 42. 43. Eight Differences betweene true Hope and common Hope and seauen meanes to breede true Hopâ— fol. 45. 46. What wee must doe if we would haue heauen when we die fol. 46. What profit good men get by hearing Sermons fol. 49. 50. The sorts of euill hearers with their miserie fol. 50. 51. How the Word is said to be a word of truth and that it worketh truth in vs six wayes fol. 52. Concerning the Gospell what it containes who may and who doe receiue it and the effects of it fol. 53. 54. Motiues to fruitfulnesse what fruit wee should beare and the meanes to make vs more fruitfull fol. 55. 56. There is a season for fruit fol. 58. Seauen things to be done that we may heare the Word in truth fol. 59. The causes of fruitlesse hearing fol. 60. The great commodities of assurance ibid. Who loue not God and who loue not men fol. 64. To loue as Christ loued vs hath foure things in it ibid. Incouragements to prayer fol. 66. 67. Why many pray and speede not fol. 67. What wee should seeke to know Motiues to knowledge and rules for attaining knowledge fol. 70. 71. Signes of a naturall man fol. 73. Who make Schisme in the Church fol. 73. Rules for Contemplation fol. 75. Tenne Obiections against Knowledge answered out of Prou. 8. fol. 75. 76. Wherein Wisedome consists Wisedomes order in seauen things Wisedomes specialties in the behauiour first of the Heart in fiue things secondly of the tongue in seauen things thirdly of the Conuersation in eight things fol. 76. 77. 78. Motiues to holy life the causes of prophanenes rules for holinesse and the gaine of holinesse fol. 78 79. 80. Nine Reasons against merit fol. 81. What it is to walke worthy of the Lord it hath sixe things in it fol. 82. Eight rules to be obserued if we would please God and sixe rules if we would please men fol. 83.
beleeue the word of God to be true or especially if they can be willing to heare Sermons c. Fiftly they regard not Gods promises to apply them nor to liue by Faith they hold both to be absurd Sixtly they want the iudgement that Diuines call the iudgement of goodnesse Lastly they doe not beleeue that application is of the nature of Faith Heard of In that their graces are heard of and by seuerall relation the fame of them is spread foure things may be obserued Obser 1 1 It is hard to haue any sauing grace but it will bee perceiued and obserued Grace will be heard of and obserued if it be true Grace and that for diuers causes First Grace cannot be without fruit externall and by their fruite yee shall know them Secondly God doth not ordinarily giue sauing Grace but it is gotten in or after some great affliction A man may get much generall knowledge and goe farre in a temporary Faith without any great paine or perplexitie but the paines of trauaile do vsually accompany the birth of any sauing Grace Neyther is there any such hearkening after a childe borne in nature as there is after an afflicted conscience now ready to bee deliuered of any eternall Grace Thirdly Grace cannot be receiued but it workes a great change and alteration Vse 3 of disposition and practise of affection and carriage it will worke an alteration generall inward and outward Now all this stirre in reforming is lyable to obseruation Fourthly the Diuell vsually lieth still whiles men please themselues with Obser 4 the effects of Historicall and Temporary Faith because they feed presumption but so soone as Iustifying Faith is got in the least measure and workes by purifying both the heart and life from beloued sinnes though it worke neuer so weakely he bestirres himselfe and his agents by carnall counsell temptations reproches slanders difficulties and a thousand deuises to make this birth painefull and if it were possible abortiue the Flesh boyles the Diuell darts fire by iniection the World hatefully pursues and wonders at the suddaine restraint and retyring if Men runne not into the same excesse of riot Iohn 16. 1 Pet. 4.4 Esay 59.15 Hee that restraineth himselfe from euill maketh himselfe a prey Lastly the Graces of God are like Lampes on a hill in a darke night and Obser 5 like shining Pearles and therefore cannot be hid Vse is first for confutation of their resolution that will serue God Vses but it must be secretly they will be sincere but they like not to doe it so as euery body may note them they will goe to heauen but for ease it must bee in a fether-bed and for closenesse it must be out of their Closets Indiscretion not the cause of the reproaches and troubles of true Christians these men meane to steale their passages and these kinde of people commonly thinke that the true cause why others are so talked of is their indiscretion and rash and needlesse thrusting out of themselues into obseruation but in the whole businesse they deceiue themselues for it is not possible to be friends with God and the World to haue God his Word People and Spirit to witnesse to vs and to haue the World to praise and applaud vs. And for Indiscretion it is a preiudice let fall by the Diuell and taken vp by carnall men without considering that reproachfull obseruation hath beene the lot of the wisest and holiest Saints that euer liued yea the portion of the Prince of the Saints Secondly it may be an especiall comfort to all the Seruants of God that finde their names encountred with strange reports and the World sodainely bent against them round about when yet many times they rather finde purposes then practises of Grace I say they may gather comforts diuersly first it is the portion of all Gods people secondly it is a signe they are now no more carnall persons for if they were of the world the World would not thus hate his owne thirdly their praises are with the Saints Iohn 7.7 and as now they taste of the cup of their affliction so they shall reape the incomparable priuiledges of their communion A Question in the second place may be propounded and that is how their Faith can be heard of seeing it is an inward Grace Quest how it can so outwardly be knowne Answ Faith in it selfe hidden and secret Ans Faith makes it selfe knowne diuers waies doth in people conuerted make it selfe knowne by certaine demonstratiue effects of it as by Confession in time of persecution when the defence of the truth in any part of it is required by constant Profession notwithstanding the scornes and disgraces of the World by Victorie ouer the World when men retire themselues and will not liue by example contemne all earthly vanities and vse the world as if they vsed it not by their loue to the word of God more then their appointed food by the reformation of their owne liues by the exercise of Faith in their callings not hasting to vse ill and vnlawfull meanes not sacrificing to their owne nets and lastly by their loue to Gods people Seeing Grace and Fame are companions wee may learne that the surest way to get a good name The surest way to get credit is to get Grace Philip 4 3. Math. 18. Psal 15.4 Psal 16.3 Prou. 19.1 is to get Grace for then their names are written in Heauen they are knowne of Angells they are imprinted in the hearts of Gods people A good man honoureth them that feare God And Dauid saith They are the onely excellent ones and all his delight is in them And of the same minde is Salomon euen of the poore Childe of God Prou. 19.1 Yea they haue a name in the very conscience of wicked men yea their very enemies which appeares in this that they spend more thoughts about them then the greatest Potentate and would gladly die their death yea a faithfull man is honoured when he seemes contemned And on the other side a wicked man is euer at the greatest in his owne eyes and is not able to conceiue that they that so much depend vpon him A sinfull person is a shamefull person and crouch to him should contemne him as certainly they doe for euery sinfull person is a shamefull and vile person Yea so soueraigne and sure a meanes is Grace for the attayning of a good name Esay 25.8 that it causeth the staines and blemishes of former infamous sinnes to be blotted out When God takes away sinne in the Soule hee will take away rebuke from the name And this God that hath the hearts of all men in his hands workes both wonderfully and secretly Who doth not honour Dauid Peter Magdalene and Paul notwithstanding their great sinnes and faults The last thing here to be inquired after is whether it be not Vaine-glory to seeke fame and estimation It is not alwaies vaine-glory to seeke fame Eccles. Math.
without shewing extremitie r Math. 5.25 18.15 Rom. 12.18 1 Cor. 6.5 Gods people haue cause to be ioyfull Ioyfulnesse A Christian estate is a ioyfull and comfortable estate Sauing knowledge makes a man liue ioyfully and comfortably True ioy is one of the fruits Gods Spirit beareth in the heart of a Christian yea it is a chiefe part of that kingdome that God bestoweth on his people on earth None haue cause of ioy but the children of Sion and none of them but haue great reason to shout for ioy to reioyce and be glad with all their hearts Å¿ Zeph. 3.14 Zeph. 3.14 Is it not a great Mercy to haue all the iudgments due vnto vs for sinne taken away and the great enemy of our soules cast out Is it not a great honour that Iehouah the King of Israel should be in the middest of vs and that our eyes should not see euill any more What sweeter encouragement then that the Lord should cause it to be said vnto vs feare not and againe Let not your hands be slacke If we haue great crosses enemies dangers wants temptations c. wee haue a mighty God if there be none to helpe vs he will saue yea he will reioyce to doe vs good yea he will reioyce ouer vs with ioy yea he so loues vs that he will rest in his loue and seeke no further Shall man be sorrowfull when God reioyceth Shall the Lord reioyce in vs and shall not we reioyce in God t Zeph. 2.14 c. c. And if these reasons of ioy be contayned in one place of Scripture how great would the number of reasons grow if all the Booke of God were searched such a ioy and contentment is the ioy of Christians that crosses cannot hinder it Life is not deare to a childe of God so that he may finish his course with ioy u Acts 20.24 They suffer the spoyling of their goods with ioy knowing that in heauen they haue a more enduring substance x Heb. 10.34 Yea in many crosses they account it all ioy to fall into tentation y James 1.2 They seeme as sorrowfull when indeed they are alwayes reioycing z 2 Cor. 6.10 Quest What might we doe to get this constant ioyfulnesse and vnmoueable firmenesse and contentment of heart Quest Ans In generall thou must bee sure to be Gods seruant a Esay 65.13 14. Ans a man iustified and sanctified b Jer. 33.8 Esay 61.10 12.5 thou must know that thy name is written in the Booke of life c Luk. 10.20 What wee must doe that we might get constant ioyfulnesse of heart which cannot be without Faith d 1 Pet. 1.8 Phil. 1.25 Rom. 15.13 12. In particular there are many things which haue a sure promise of ioy and comfort annexed to them First thou must lay the foundation of all eternall ioyes in godly sorrow for thy sinnes Iohn 16.20 Mat. 5.4 Psal 126 5.6 Secondly thou must hang vpon the breasts of the Church viz. the Word and Sacraments continually with trembling and tender affection wayting vpon the word of God the Law must be in thy heart thou must buy thy libertie herein at the highest value Esay 66.2.5.11 and 51.7 Mat. 13.44 Thirdly in thy carriage thou must be a counsellor of peace Prou. 12.20 and liue in peace as neere as may be 2 Cor. 13.11 Fourthly take heede thou be not insnared with grosse sinne Prou. 29.6 Fiftly wouldest thou reape ioy sow good seede to bee much in well-doing procures as a blessing a secret and sweet gladnesse vpon the heart of man a barren life is an vncomfortable life Many would reape that will not be at the paine to sow Iohn 4.36 Gal. 6.7 8. He that vseth his Talents to aduantage enters into his Masters ioy a ioy liker the ioy of God then man meeter for the Master then for the Seruant yet such a Master wee serue as will crowne vs with this ioy Mat. 15.21 Sixtly be constant beare fruit and get the knowledge of the loue of Christ and abide in it Iohn 15.10 Lastly in the 2 Thes 5.16 to 24. there are seauen things required in our practise if wee would alwayes reioyce 1. We must pray alwayes if we be much in prayer wee shall be much in ioy 2. Wee must in all things giue thankes a heart kept tender with the sense of Gods mercies is easily inflamed with ioyes in the Holy Ghost 3. We must take heed of quenching the Spirit when a man puts out the holy motions of the Spirit hee quencheth his owne ioyes 4. We must by all meanes preserue an honourable respect of the word publikely preached despise not prophecying 5. And whereas there be some things we heare doe specially affect vs and concerne vs wee must be carefull with all heedfulnesse to keepe those things whatsoeuer wee forget try all things but keepe that which is good 6. In our practise wee must not onely auoyd euill but all appearance of euill else if wee disquiet others with griefe or offence of our carriage it will be iust with God we should finde little rest or contentment in our selues Lastly wee must endeauour to bee sanctified throughout inwardly and outwardly in soule body and spirit hauing respect to all Gods Commandments and retayning the loue of no sinne so shall wee reape the blessing of all righteousnesse and procure to our hearts the ioyes that are euerlasting Hitherto of the Preface Verse 12 Giuing thankes vnto the Father which hath made vs meete to bee partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light HItherto of the Exordium of this Epistle as it contained both the Salutation and Preface The second part both of the Chapter and Epistle followeth The order of this second part of the Epistle and is contained in the 12. Verse and the rest to the 23. And it hath in it the proposition of Doctrine This Doctrine propounded stands of two parts for it concerneth eyther the worke of Redemption or the person of the Redeemer The worke of Redemption is considered of in the 12.13 and 14. Verses the person of the Redeemer is entreated of from Verse 15. to the 23. The worke of Redemption is two waies considered of first more generally in the 12. Verse secondly mâ—re particularly Verse 13.14 In the worke of our Redemption as it is propounded in this Verse three things are to be obserued 1. The efficient cause God the Father 2. The subiect persons redeemed vs. 3. The Redemption it selfe as it is either in the inchoation and first application of it on earth and so it lyeth in making vs fit or in the consummation of it what it shall be in the end and so it is praised first by the manner of tenure inherit secondly by the adiunct companie Saints thirdly by the perfection of it in light Giuing thankes The blessings of God vpon euery true Christian are such as they require continuall thankefulnesse to
God for them such I say for the worth of them for number for freenesse of gift for continuance and as they are compared with what God bestowes vpon others in the world To the Father A sanctified heart that hath sense of grace so sees God the first cause of all blessings through the second and next causes that it maketh God the principall obiect both of praier and praises it is a great sin not to acknowledge the instrument by which wee receiue any good but it is a great impietie not to giue that which is due to the principall Efficient The Father Father is a tearme of relation and is giuen sometimes to the whole Trinitie a Math. 23.9 Luke 3.38 sometimes to Christ b Esay 9.6 sometimes to the first Person in Trinitie so commonly and so here God may be said to be a Father in this place two waies first in respect of Christ secondly in respect of the Christian 1. In respect of Christ God is a Father both by Nature and by personall Vnion and in this sense two questions may be moued Quest Quest 1. Whether prayer is to be made to the whole Trinitie or but to one person Ans Ans It is to bee made to the whole Trinitie Acts 7.59 1 Thes 3.2 2 Cor. 13.13 Obiect Obiect But praier is here made to one person Sol. Solut. Though but one person be named yet the rest are included for the Persons may be distinguished but seuered or diuided they may not be Quest Quest 2 Is the Father a Redeemer in that Redemption is here giuen to him Ans Ans The actions of God are two-fold some are inward as to beget to proceede c. Some are outward as to create redeeme c. Now the outward actions are common to all the three Persons they are distinguished onely in the manner of doing the Father beginnes the Sonne executes the holy Ghost finisheth as in the workes of Redemption the Father redeemes vs in that hee beginnes it by deuising this course and willing it from eternitie by calling sanctifying sending and accepting of CHRIST in time the Sonnes redeemes vs by taking our nature and in obeying the Lawe and suffering death euen the death of the Crosse for vs the holy Ghost redeemes vs by applying the merits and benefits of CHRIST to euery Beleeuer Vses 2. In respect of the Christian God is a Father and the meditation hereof should serue for a three-fold Vse 1. For tryall 2. For instruction 3. For Consolation For tryall for it stands vs much vpon to bee assured of this that God is our Father in Christ by Adoption for this is the foundation of true hope for what we want and of true thankefulnesse for what wee haue Now such men as are borne of God by regeneration Markes of a childe of God as well as of man by generation are wont to be described in Scripture by such markes as these They haue in them the Spirit of Adoption both in the working and witnesse of it c Rom 8.15.16 Rom. 8.15.16 Gal. 4.6.7 Gal 4.6.7 They are separate from sinners they cannot delight in the workes of darkenesse or in the wicked fellowship with workers of iniquitie they hate vngodly company d 2 Cor 6.17 c. 1 Iohn 2.15 c. c. They haue consolation and good hope through grace e 2 Thes 2.16 Christ is to them their way the truth and their life and they loue their Sauiour more then any Creature and shew it in this that they will rather obey his words then the commandement of any man or Angell f Ioh 14.6.21 They are a people that in respect of Mortification purge themselues by voluntary sorrowes for their sinnes and in respect of new obedience Come to the light that their workes may be manifest that they are wrought in God g 1 Ioh 3.1.2.3 1.6.7 1 Pet 1.17 c. They honour God with great honour and tender his Name more then their owne credits h Mal 1.6 they worship God not for shew or with the adoration of the lips and knees only but in spirit and Truth i John 4.23 They labour for the meate that perisheth not and esteeme it aboue their appointed food k Iohn 6.27 Lastly they loue their enemies and pray for them that persecute them and are willing to doe good to them that hate them and hurt them l Math 5.45 c. Secondly if God be our Father it should teach vs First to care lesse for the world and the things thereof wee haue a Father that both knowes our wants and hath all power and will to helpe vs and care for vs m Math 6.32 Secondly to come to him in all crosses and make our moane to him that seeth in secret for if euill fathers on earth know how to giue good things to their children when they aske them how shall not our heauenly Father giue vs whatsoeuer wee aske in the Name of Christ n Mat 7.11 Yea it should teach vs patience vnder and a good vse of all crosses o Hos 12.9 Thirdly to be willing to die and commend our spirits to God that gaue them seeing in so dying we commit them into the hands of a Father This made Christ willing to die and this should perswade with vs also p Luke 13.46 Lastly it should teach vs to glorifie God as a Father wee call God Father many of vs and thus wee speake but wee doe euill more and more and dishonour him not liuing like the children of the most High q Jer 3.4.5 If hee be our Father let the light of our good workes shine before men that they may glorifie our Father r Math 5.6 Herein is God the Father glorified that wee beare much fruit Å¿ Iohn 15.8 Thirdly this point serues for Consolation and that many wayes First against the feare of our owne weakenesse It is not our Fathers will that one of the little ones should perish t Mat. 18.14 None is able to take them out of his hand u Iohn 10.29 Secondly against our doubts about prayer Whatsoeuer you aske the Father in Christs name it shall be giuen you x Iohn 16.23 Thirdly against all the troubles of this world if hee haue beene a Father of Mercy to forgiue thy sinnes and giue thee grace hee will be a Father of Glory to crowne thee in a better world in the inheritance of his Sonnes y Ephes 1.17 Who hath made vs fit Doct. Wee are neither naturally happy nor vniuersally so not naturally for wee are made fit not borne so not vniuersally for hee hath made vs fit not all men Christ died for his sheepe onely z Iohn 10. for his Church onely * Ephâ—s 1. not for the World a Iohn 17. How Christ died for all And therefore when the Scripture saith Christ died for all men wee must
him For him In diuers respects first as it is hee onely All things are for Christ in diuers respects in whom the Father is well pleased and so the loue of God to the World is for his sake Secondly as all the Creatures doe serue to point out the Sonne as well as the Father and that because they shew Christ as the wisedome of the Father And be sides their changes and corruptions doe cry for the libertie of the sonnes of God in Christ and further they are all at commaund for the propagation and preseruing of the kingdome of Christ Thirdly as he is heyre of all thingss they are for him that is for his glory so as hee is not onely the Efficient but the finall cause of all things The Carpenter makes his House perhaps fot one more honourable then himselfe but not so Christ in making this great House the World The consideration of this point that all things are for Christ should teach vs diuers things First wee should lesse dote vpon the world and the things thereof Vses in as much as these things were principally made for Christ and not for vs. And secondly wee should vse all these things as helpes to lead vs to CHRIST Thirdly in the vse of the Creatures wee should be carefull to expresse the glory of Christ by giuing thankes by magnifying his Wisedome Power Goodnesse c. and by distributing them according to his appointment as to the poore and to the maintenance of the worship of God for seeing they are his and for him wee should despose of them as hee requires Lastly it should keepe vs from the vse of all ill meanes for seeing it is for Christ wee should not lye deceiue vse false weights runne to Witches or take any other vngodly course for hee needes not our lye nor desires to bee helped by any sinnefull course The fourth thing which Christ is commended for is his Eternitie Hee was before all things Eoure things in the immensitie of Christs diuine nature The Immensitie of Christs Diuine Nature hath foure things in it First infinitenesse in respect of it selfe Secondly incomprehensiblenesse in respect of our sense and vnderstanding Thirdly incircumscriptiblenesse in respect of place Fourthly Eternitie in comparison of time That Christ is eternall these places proue Prou. 8.22 c. Mich. 5.2.4 c. Reuel 1.8.11 and 21.6 and 22.13 The Eternity of Christ may be thus defined it is a pleasant and at once perfect possession of endlesse life The Eternity of Christ described and explained And hereby may the eternitie of Christ appeare to differ from the eternity of all other things The Heauens haue an endlesnesse of Essence but they want life The Diuels haue an endlesse not onely being but life but it is not a pleasant life The Saints in Heauen haue a pleasant life till the day of Iudgement but they haue not whole possession The Angels in Heauen haue a whole possession but it is not at once but successiuely both in reuelation and ioy I say it is whole in them because their whole Nature or Essence is possessed of pleasant and endlesse life And lastly Christs eternitie differs from all eternitie of all the Creatures because no creature hath the former things absolutely perfect that is such a possession of endlesse life as vnto which nothing is wanting for they want many of the perfections that are in Christ though they bee perfect in their owne kinde Seeing Christ was before all things wee should preferre him before all things wee should acknowledge his Title as heyre of all things as the eldest among all things wee should willingly heare him speake and honour his words wee should trust in him and liue by faith c. And in him all things consists That is hee vpholds rules and gouernes all things by his prouidence and this is the fift thing by which our Redeemer is described in relation to the World That prouidence is giuen to the Son as well as Creation these places proue Heb. 1.2.3 Prou. 8.15 Iohn 5.12 Christ is not like the Carpenter that makes his house and then leaues it or like the Shipwright How al things consist in Christ Conseruando Prescribendo Mouendo Ordinando Disponendo that frames his Ship but neuer after guides it All things are said to consist in him in respect of Conseruation in that he keepes all things in their being in respect of Precept in that from him are prescribed the Lawes by which Nature Policie and Religion are gouerned in respect of Operation in that all things moue in him in respect of Ordination in that hee appointeth all things to their end in respect of Disposition of the meanes to the end and lastly as the vniuersall cause of Nature and naturall instincts in all Creatures by which they further their owne preseruation Obiect But we see the meanes by which all things are wrought and preserued as by their causes Sol. The meanes notwithstanding all things consist in Christ first because Christ vseth not the meanes necessarilie secondly hee ordaines the meanes as well as the end thirdly the meanes is many times euill in matter or forme yet the worke is made good by Christ fourthly he is not tied to the meanes but he can worke either with without or against the meanes fiftly all meanes hath his efficacie from Christ But the words would be particularly weighed As Christ is God al things consist in him foure wayes In him All things consist in Christ both in generall as hee is God and in speciall as he is Redeemer Foure waies all things consist in or by CHRIST as hee is God first in respect of Vbiquitie hee comprehends all things and is comprehended of nothing The Nations are but a droppe of his Bucket and time it selfe is but a drop of his Eternitie secondly in respect of power in his power this whole frame stirreth thirdly in respect of Omniscience and Wisedome for all is within his knowledge and receiueth order from his Wisedome fourthly in respect of decree for the world to be made did from euerlasting hang in the fore knowledge and pre-ordination of Christ As Christ is Redeemer all things consist in him three wayes first And as he is Redeemer three waies because he is that attonement which kept the world from being dissolued for Adams sinne secondly because the respect of him and his Church is that that keepes vp the world to this day if his body were once compleat the world would not stand one houre thirdly because the promise made to man concerning his prosperity in the vse of all Creatures are made in Christ All things Euen all things which are or are done in Earth or Heauen Act 17.25 things visible or inuisible which haue either being life sense or reason past present or to come aduersitie as well as prosperitie c. Consist This word notes foure things Order Continuance Cooperation The word Consist notes foure things
a fault in Cities when the people chuse vnto themselues vnmeete men to be their Heads God may chuse Saul following his Fathers Asses because if he make Princes he can giue spirit vnto Princes but it is not so with men they may giue the Office but they cannot giue the gifts to execute it And it is likewise a great shame to such Rulers of the people as are so farre from repressing disorders that they are disordered themselues and their housholds So domesticall Heads likewise if they would not see swearing lying whoring passions idlenesse c. in their Children and Seruants they must be free from ill example themselues and be as heads excelling the rest of the family in gifts and good behauiour It pleased The mouing cause and foundation of all the grace shewed to the Creature is the good pleasure of the will of the Creator a Ephes 1.5 2 Thess 1.11 Why is Israell planted b Psal 43.3 why are the great mysteries of God hidden from the wise and reuealed to Babes c Mat. 11.27 why hath the little Flocke a Kingdome d Luke 12.32 why hath God mercy on some and not on others e Exod 33.19 why hath Iob riches and why are they taken away f Iob. 1. why is Iudgement and righteousnesse in a forlorne world that deserued nothing g Ier 9.24 why is Iuda as Potters clay h Ier. 18.6 why is the world saued by preaching i 1 Cor. 1.21 why are some predestinate to be adopted k Ephes 1.5 why is the Mysterie of Gods will opened now and not before l Ephes 1.9 To conclude why is all fulnesse in the Head or any grace in the Members but onely because it pleased him Vses The vse of this is first to teach vs to doe likewise that is to doe good without respect of desert it is Royall yea it is Diuine Secondly it should teach vs if we would get any grace or blessing from God to examine our selues whether wee be in his fauour and to labour in all things so to serue him as to please him Thirdly to subiect our Reasons and Affections to Gods Will though hee should shew vs no other Reason of his doings but his Will for wee must alwaies know that things are alwaies iust because hee willed them Fourthly in our troubles and vnder crosses it should teach vs patience m Psal 39.9 and to labour to pacifie God by Prayer and Humiliation in the Name of Christ and to acknowledge the soueraigntie of God referring our selues to his pleasure for deliuerance n Psal 40.13 not trusting vpon the meanes o Psa 4.4.3.6 Lastly it may be a comfort that nothing can befall my Christian but what pleaseth God Doct. 2. God is well pleased in p Esay 42.1 CHRIST Heâ— loues him infinitely hee can bee content hee haue any thing yea all things and therefore it should teach vs to flie to Christ for helpe and heare him q Mat. 17.5 2 Pet. 1.17 And wee should neuer seeke nor acknowledge any other Mediator or Aduocate seeing God is well pleased in him That in him should all fulnesse dwell All fulnesse is in Christ in fiue respects Doct. There is a fulnesse and absolute compleatenesse in Christ 1. In respect of Members so the Church is the fulnesse of Christ r Ephes 1.23 2. In respect of the inhabitation of the Diuine Nature in the Humane for the God-head dwels in him bodily Å¿ Col. 2.9 3. In respect of Power so all power and fulnesse of authority was giuen to him ouer all things in heauen and earth t Mat. 28. Fourthly in respect of merit for here is great fulnesse if we consider either who merited not man onely but God also or when hee merited viz. from the very moment of Conception or for whom not for himselfe but for millions of others or what hee merited viz. remission of all Sinnes Graces of all kindes Glory that will last for euer 5. In respect of Grace there is a compleatnesse of Grace in Christ not onely in respect of the grace of personall Vnion or of Office or of Adoration but in respect of habituall graces or gifts and endowments of his soule The last is heere meant all fulnesse of gifts dwell in him The Vses Vses follow First Great is the mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the Flesh iustified in the Spirit c. u 1 Tim. 3.16 Secondly this is ioyfull newes to all Christs members for of his fulnes they receiue Grace for Grace Thirdly this confutes Papicolists in the opinions of their head hee cannot bee a Head in whom there is not fulnesse to serue the whole body and therefore the Pope can bee no head of the whole Church Lastly let the rest of Christ bee glorious to our soules x Isay 11.10 Hee hath the words of life whither shall wee goe from him Thus in generall This fulnesse hath increase of praise three wayes 1 It is all fulnesse 2 It is in him 3 It dwels in him For the first there is in Christ all fulnesse both in respect of the number of Graces y Esay 11 2. and in respect of the measure of them z Iohn 3.34 and therefore let the Christian reioyce in the Lord * 1 Cor. 1.30 and in all wants of the soule seeke to him by Prayer in Faith for from him and out of his fulnesse may bee had Wisedome and Sanctification a 1 Cor. 1.30 Counsell and Strength b Esay 11.2 Ioy and Gladnesse c Esay 61.3 yea a Christian should bee couetous seeing heere is enough to bee had and therefore should labour to be full of Knowledge d Esay 11.9 and of the feare of God e Prou. 19.23 and of good fruits f Iames 3.17 Phil. 1.11 This also reprooues the Iusticiaries and Sancti-colists Pharises and Saint-worshippers A fulnesse is no where to be had but in Christ and there is so much as needeth no supply from Saints or Angels It shewes also that the common Protestant serues an Idoll in stead of Christ in as much as hee gets in his relation to Christ no more Ioy Grace and Holinesse The true Christ hath all fulnesse not onely in himselfe but by influence for the good and according to the state of his Members For the second this fulnesse is in Christ and this hath matter of great weight for thereby is implyed the misery of all vnregenerate men There is no fulnesse compleatnesse sufficing felicitie wheresoeuer to bee had out of Christ And besides the Emphasis imports great comfort to the true conuert for this fulnesse is in Christ God doth not looke to haue the members actually absolute in themselues it will serue turne that all fulnesse bee in the head And in as much as the perfect blisse of a Christian is in his Christ it is well for his safety against the malice of
God who as a nurse shall daily feed them with distinct and particular counsell and comfort Thus of the vnstedfastnes that acompanieth faith weake Now there is an vnstedfastnes accompanieth faith weakened that is such a faith as was sometimes stronger For the clearer vnderstanding hereof I consider three things 1. The causes of this weaknes of faith 2. The signes to discerne it 3. The remidies Causes of faith vveakned There may be diuers causes or meanes to weaken strong faith 1. Losse of meanes 2. secret sinnes ordinarily committed not lamented not reformed 3. Presumptiously to vse ill meanes to get out of aduersitie 4. Relapse to the loue of the world Signes of faith vveakned The signes to discerne it are 1. the sleepinesse of the heart 2. feare of death 3. constant neglect or secret contempt of fellowship with the godly 4. The ceasing of the sensible working of Gods spirit within 5. Raigning discontentment 6. Securitie vnder knowne sinne Remedies for faith vveakned The remedies are 1. A serious and sound examination of the wants and faults which by this weaknes they are fallen into 2. A constant and daily iudging of themselues for their corruptions till they recouer tendernesse of heart and some measure of godly sorrow for them 3. It will be expedient that they plant themselues vnder the droppings of a daily powerfull ministerie 4. The meditation of their former feelings 5. The vse of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper this is a meanes to confirme faith both weake and weakned Lastly they must hold a most strict watch ouer their hearts and liues till they be re-established in a sound course of reformed life Thus of faith weakned 3. Stedfastnes may be lost note that I say stedfastnes of faith may be lost I say not that faith may be lost that is true faith this stedfastnes was lost in Dauid Salomon and it is likely in Iob too Causes of the losse of stedfastnesse The causes of this losse of stedfastnes are diuers in some it is the inundation of afflictions violently and vnresistably breaking in vpon them especially raising the fierce perturbation of impatiencie thus it was in Iob. 2. In some it is some horrible sinne I say horrible sinne either because it is some foule transgression as in Dauid and Salomon or made horrible by long continuance in it Steps in falling avvay Now into this euill estate some fall suddenly some by degrees commonly it begins at spirituall pride and proceeds after from the carelesse vse of the meanes to the neglect of them and from thence to a secure disregard of the inward daily corruptions of the heart ioyned with a bold presumption of some infolded mercie of God till at length they fall into some speciall sinne or wilfull relapse The effects The effects and concomitants of this relapse and losse of stedfastnes are diuers and fearefull as 1. The ceasing of the comforts of the spirit the spirit being a sleep and in a manner quenched 2. The heart is excommunicated from the power of Gods ordinances as they may feele when they come to vse them 3. Spirituall boldnes or incouragement to come vnto God is lost with it 4. They are secretly deliuered to Satan to be whipped and buffeted with tentations many times of blasphemie or atheisme or otherwise through his spirituall wickednesse held in internall vassalage 5. Most an end the outward prouidence of God is changed towards them yea some times they are scourged with horrible crosses 6. Many times they are giuen ouer to be punished with other sinnes Yet for the more full vnderstanding heereof Distinctions about apostasie it will be profitable to consider of some distinctions both of the persons and the cause and the effects For of these that fall from their stedfastnes some are sensible of it some are insensible Those that haue their hearts wakened after this losse doe vsually feele a strong conflict of terrours the conscience being wearied with the tortures that their wounded spirit is tormented withall vnder the sence of Gods fierce anger and in many of these their terrour is renued vpon euery crosse yea almost at euery word of God so doth the conceit of Gods fighting against them preuaile with them Now in the insensible the speciall effect is a spirituall slumber or lethargy with the rest of the ill effects before in common propounded Secondly a distinction must bee made of the cause for the sinne is sometimes secret sometimes open now the consequents or fruits of open falling by open sinne is diuers vsually the fall thereof is great it makes a wonderfull noyse in the Church besides it wounds the hearts of Gods children and breeds exceeding great distaste in them Further their fals makes them wonderfull vile before the world the mouth of euery beast will bee open to raile against them wicked men will keepe the assise for them yea the bankes of blasphemie in wicked men will bee broken downe so as they will with full mouth speake euill of the good way of God besides it cannot bee auoyded but many will bee defiled by it and wonderfully fired and confirmed in sinning Againe wee must distinguish of effects or consequents for some are ordinarie some extraordinarie for sometimes besides the ordinarie euents the Lord scourgeth those fals with Satanicall molestations either of their persons or houses yea sometimes they are smitten with death 1. Quest But doe all these come alwaies for sinne Answ Not alwayes but where sinne is presumptuous they doe 2. Quest But doe all these things befall all such as fall into presumptuous sinne Answ The iudgements of God are like a great depth and he afflicts how hee will but these are his rods he may vse all of them or any of them as pleaseth him 3. Quest But are these things found in those that lose their stedfastnesse by the violence of crosses Answ Though many of them are when the crosse hath a mixture with any speciall impatiencie as in Iobs case yet properly they are rods for presumptuous sinnes Obiect But is it not better may some say to continue as we are then to acknowledge and make profession and bee in this danger to fall into so euill an estate Solut. Is it best to liue and die a begger because some one great heire through his owne default hath ruined for a time his house Or is the condition of a begger better then of a Prince because Nabuchadnetzar was seauen yeeres like a beast 4. Q. But if his losses be thus many and miserable is there any thing left in him Answ There is 1. His seede abides in him the holy seede of the word can neuer be rooted out of him wholly 2. Hee hath faith though it bee in a trance 3. Grace is aliue in him though hee bee in the state of a palsie man or as one that hath a dead palsie and yet is aliue 4. Hee hath the spirit of God in him but he is locked vp
the ordinary course of nature 4. When the truest and best things in philosophie are vrged as necessary to saluation and imposed as meet to be ioyned with the Gospell Philosophie may yet be vsed so as she be content to be a seruant not a mistresse If when Gods word reueales any thing absurd in her that then shee will humble her selfe and acknowledge her blindnesse and bee admonished by diuine light And on the other side men may be corrupted with philosophie When men are corrupted by philosophie and that diuers wayes 1. If men vse any part of philosophie that is deuillish as too many doe 2. If men neglect the studie of the Scriptures and spend their time onely in those humane studies 3. When men measure all doctrine by humane reason and philosophicall positions 4. When men depend not vpon God but vpon second causes 5. When men striue to yoake mens consciences with the plausible words of mens wisedome Hence also we may note that false doctrine may be supported with great appearance of wisdome and learning as was the corruption of those false teachers Wee may not thinke that Papists are fooles and can say nothing for their religion but if the Lord should let vs fall into their hands to trie vs wee must expect from diuers of them great shewes of learning colours of truth The diuers acceptation of the word Tradition Thus of Philosophie After the traditions of men The word Tradition hath beene vsed 3. wayes Sometimes to expresse the doctrine of Gods seruants by authoritie from God deliuered to the Church by liuely voice but afterward committed to Scripture so the doctrine of Christ and the Apostles and of the Patriarkes before the Law was first deliuered by tradition Sometimes to signifie such opinions as are in Scripture but not expressed they are there but not spoken therein that is are drawne but by consequence or impliedly Sometimes to expresse such obseruations as were neuer any way written in the word Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but altogether vnwritten in the Scripture as being deuised meerely by men So it is taken ordinarily and so traditions are to be condemned There is another distinction about traditions and that is this 1. Some things are founded vpon Scripture and did alwaies tend to further godlinesse A distinction about tradition and are therefore Apostolicall and to be obserued as all the doctrines of the word and the publike assemblies of praier and preaching 2. Some things were founded in Scripture and were sometimes profitable but now are out of all needfull vse and therefore though they be Apostolicall yet they binde not as the tradition of abstaining from things sacrificed to Idols and strangled and bloud 3. Some things haue not foundation in the word yet may further pietie if vsed without superstition and therefore not vnlawfull as the obseruation of the Feast of the Natiuitie of Christ and such like 4. Some things haue no foundation in Scripture nor doe at all further pietie but are either light or vnnecessary or repugnant to the word those are simply vnlawfull Traditions were both in the Church of the Iewes Traditions in the Church of the Iewes and in the Churches of the Gentiles the Iewish traditions were called the traditions of the Elders not because they were enioyned them by their Sanadrim or Colledge of Elders but because they were brought in by their fathers after the captiuitie the most of them after the rising of the sect of the Pharisies For among them was that distinction of the Law written and the Law by word of mouth this Law by word of mouth is the Cabalisticall Theologie Cabalisticall Diuinitie a Diuinitie so greatly in request amongst the Pharisies but how well our Sauiour Christ liked those traditions may appeare Matth. 15. The traditions in the Churches of the Gentiles Traditions in the Churches of the Gentiles may be considered two wayes 1. As they were in the times of the Primitiue Church 2. As they were in the times after vnder Antichrist In the Primitiue Church they had by degrees one after another a great number of traditions such as these To stand and pray euery Sabboth from Easter to Whitsontide The signe of the Crosse to pray towards the East the anointing of the baptized with oyle the canonicall houres Lent and diuers kindes of fasts the mixing of water with wine the addition of diuers orders in the Church as Canons Exorcists Ostiaries c. Holidaies to sing Halleluiah at Easter but not in Lent and such like Now if any aske what we are to thinke of those and the like traditions then in vse I answer Quest Answ 1. That the Church had power to appoint traditions in indifferent rites so that the rules of the Apostles for indifferent things were obserued as that they were not offensiue nor against order or decencie or edification As to appoint the time and place of publike praier to set downe the forme of it to tell how often the Sacraments should bee administred c. 2. We must vnderstand that the word Traditions vsed by the Fathers Traditions in the times of the Fathers in the primitiue Church did not alwayes signifie these and such like things deuised by men but sometimes they did meane thereby such things as were warranted by Scripture though not expressely As the baptizing of Infants the obseruation of the Sabboth c. 3. There were some Traditions in some Churches in the first hundred of yeeres that were directly impious as the Inuocation of Saints and Images 4. Some other things were then vsed that were not euery way impious in their owne nature and yet not greatly iustifiable in their vse and such were diuers of the aforenamed obseruations 5. That diuers things at the first brought into the Church with good intents and to good purpose afterwards grew into abuse as for example In the Primitiue order of Monkes 6. The worser traditions were brought in by false teachers and too pertinaciously obserued by the people the Fathers bewailing it and sometimes complaining of it 7. The Fathers themselues in some things shewed leuitie and vnconstancie of iudgement sometimes to please the people approuing things and againe sometimes standing vpon the sole perfection of the Scriptures Lastly it cannot well be denied but that the libertie taken in the Primitiue times to bring in traditions opened a doore to Antichrist Traditions in Poperie Now concerning the traditions in Popery vnder Antichrist their doctrine is abominable for they say that the word of God is either written or vnwritten and they say their vnwritten verities are necessary as well as Scripture yea that they are of equall authoritie with Scripture And those traditions they would thus exalt Scriptures against traditions are for number many for nature childish vnprofitable impious and idolatrous But that we may be fully settled against their impious doctrine of traditions wee may
it then be said to be put away Answ Sinne is put away first if it reigne not not hold a constant dominion ouer vs it may be put away euen when it leads vs captiue if it be an vnwilling captiuitie if the power of it seeme vnto vs as a most base seruitude It is put away if men take no care to fulfill the lusts of it Secondly if there bee a constant cumbat in some degree against it if we finde a striuing and constant fighting against the corruptions of our nature if we pray against it iudge our selues for it and mourne ouer it with an vnfeined desire to forsake it this desire to be put off is one true degree of forsaking of sinne Sinne is put off fiue waies That this may yet be better vnderstood we must know that sinne is put off fiue waies euen in this life 1. Sacramentally in the signe couenant and seale that is in baptisme 2. In the guilt of it though not in the act of it thus God puts off by not imputing 3. In act too by inchoation though not perfectly 4. Perfectly though not in vs yet in Christ our head it is already put away in his person though not in ours 5. It is put away in hope in that we do by hope waite for an absolute and full redemption from all sinne and miserie Thus of the forme of this circumcision the efficient cause followes By the circumcision of Christ There is a twofold circumcision of Christ A twofold circumcision of Christ First that which he suffered in himselfe Secondly that which he works in vs the vertue of the first is a great cause of the second Quest But why was Christ circumcised Why Christ was circumcised seeing there was no cause of circumcision in Christ for nothing could be signified by it seeing he was the Messias himselfe perfect God and man nor was there any impuritie in him the amputation whereof should thereby be signified he was a Lambe without spot a high Priest separate from sinners the couenant of the promised seede was in him fulfilled and he came to abolish circumcision and lastly t is he that circumciseth the hearts of others Answ 1. Christ was circumcised thereby to shew himselfe to be true man 2. Thereby to honour the institution of circumcision as he had done other parts of the Law 3. That the Iewes might not cauill and say they would not receiue an vncircumcised Christ 4. To commend the vertue of obedience by his example 5. That he might beare the burthens of them that being vnder the law were not able to beare the burthens of the law God by this signe as by an initiating rite did subiect him to the law he hereby professing himselfe a seruant to the Law to make vs free 6. Hee was circumcised and baptized to signifie his vnion with both Churches both of the old and new Testament and that he came of twaine to make one 7. To ratifie and sanctifie the circumcision of the Fathers as his baptisme now sanctifieth ours 8. To signifie the cleansing of our nature especially by bearing of the imputation of our impurities 9. He did in his circumcision begin to satisfie God by those first fruits of his bloud it was as an earnest or pledge of his bloud to be more plentifully powred out it was a part of his humiliation and of the price of our sinnes Lastly he was circumcised that our hearts by the vertue of it might be circumcised for as his death killeth sinne in vs and his resurrection raiseth vs vp to newnesse of life so doth his circumcision circumcise our hearts Hence we may gather comfort against the difficulties of mortification for Christ will be pleased to deriue vertue from his owne circumcision yea it is a pledge to assure vs that as certainly as he was circumcised himselfe so he will see to it that our hearts be circumcised if we will cast our selues vpon him and by faith come vnto him there is no sinne so linked but in Christ we may haue some deliuerance from it On the other side it shewes the miserie of all such as liue in the loue of their sinnes and minde not mortification this shewes they are not in Christ yet for they cannot be in Christ except they be circumcised Lastly it may serue for instruction at once to all that hope for freedom in Iesus Christ to shew the proofe of their interest by their circumcision spiritually and to speake distinctly of it we must vnderstand that the Lord that requires this circumcision of vs extends his precept both to the heart * Jerem. 4.4 and the eares x Ierem. 6.10 7.51 and the tongue and contrariwise complaineth of vncircumcised both heart and eares and lips y Exod. 6. The sinnes in the heart to be circumcised Sinnes in the eares to be circumcised Sinnes in the tongue to be circumcised in the heart we must especially looke to the circumcision or mortification 1. of ignorance 2. of wicked thought 3. immoderate care 4. prophanenes in Gods seruice in a wretched securitie or a neglect of inward worship 5. disordered affections as lust anger suspition 6. discontent with our estate 7. vnbeleefe Now for our eares they must be circumcised 1. in the vnpreparednes or want of attention in hearing the word 2. in receiuing tales 3. incommunicating with the sinnes of others by a willing hearing of their wickednesse Lastly looke to the circumcision of the tongue and that in the care to auoide 1. the polluting of Gods name either by swearing or blasphemie 2. rash censuring 3. rotten speech 4. lying 5. bitter and furious words and the spirit of contradiction 6. flattery 7. tale-bearing 8. idle and vaine words And thus much now of the spirituall circumcision and of the 11. verse VERS 12. In that yee are buried with him through baptisme in whom yee are also raised vp together through the faith of the operation of God which raised him from the dead IN the former verse the Apostle hath laid downe the first reason directed it principally against Iudaisme we haue spirituall circumcision in Christ and therefore we neede not carnall circumcision and so by consequent none of the ceremoniall law Now in this verse he meeteth with obiections Ob 1. The reason seemeth not to follow they were spiritually circumcised therefore needed not the outward for so was Abraham yet he receiued outward circumcision Answ The reason is of no force now in the new Testament because Christ hath appointed another sacrament in stead of it for we are buried with Christ by baptisme Ob 2. But was not Circumcision a more liuely signe Answ It was not which he sheweth to be true both in respect of mortification and in respect of viuification baptisme liuely representing and sealing vnto both Quest But haue all that are baptised these things signified by baptisme Answ They are offered to all but they are inioyed onely by such as haue faith in
5. and the reasons v. 6.7 Diuision of the verse In the fifth verse there are 2. things First the proposition of mortification in these words mortifie therefore your members that are on earth Secondly a catalogue of vices to be mortified or the enumeration of certaine speciall sinnes a Christian should be carefull to keepe himselfe from viz. fornication vncleanesse c. The necessity of mortification The generall consideration of the whole exhortation to mortification should imprint this deeply in our hearts that vnlesse we doe repent of those sinnes haue been in our natures and liues and be carefull to flee from the corruptions that are in the world we shall neuer haue comfort that we are accepted with God We should bring to the particular opening of all the verses a mind resolued of the generall And to quicken vs a little the more to the respect of this doctrine and to enforce the care of parting with our sins I will briefly touch by the way some few reasons why we should bee willing to entertaine all counsell that might shew vs any course to get rid of sin First our vices are the fruits of our corrupted nature They arise not from any noble or diuine instinct but are the effects of base flesh in vs. And we should carry the thoughts of it in our minds Gal. 5.19 when wee are inclined or tempted to vice wee should say within our selues this euill proceedes not from any thing that might declare greatnesse or true spirit in a man what is passion or lust or couetousnesse but the base worke of the filthy degenerated flesh Secondly our vices are the onely things that defile vs and make vs loathsome before God and men T is not meane clothes nor a deformed body or a poore house or homely fare or any such thing that makes a man truely contemptible no no it is only sin can defile Å¿ Mat. 15.19 and bring that which is true contempt Thirdly the bond and forfeiture of the law or couenant of workes lieth vpon the backe of euery man that liues in sinne without repentance For the law is giuen to the lawlesse and disobedient as the Apostle shewes to vngodly and sinners to whoremongers and liers to all that liue in any sinne contrary to wholesome doctrine t 1 Tim. 1.9.10 Fourthly are not strange punishments to the workers of iniquitie is not destruction to the wicked u Ioh. 31.2.3 what portion can they haue of God from aboue and what inheritance from the almighty from an high the hearts of holy men that haue considered the fearefull terrors of God denounced in scripture against the vices of men haue euen broke within them and their bones haue shaken for the presence of the Lord and for his holy word x Ier. 23.9 Fiftly Christ will be a swift witnesse y Mal. 3.7 against all fearelesse and carelesse men that being guilty of these vices or the like z 1 Cor. 6.9 Eph. 5.6 make not speed to breake them off by repentance Lastly know yee not that the vnrighteous shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen be not deceiued for these things the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience Now I come to the words particularly Therefore This word caries this exhortation to something before If it be referred to our rising with Christ v. 1. then it notes that we can neuer haue our part in Christs resurrection till we feele the vertue of his death killing sinne in vs. If it be referred to the meditation of heauenly things then it notes that we can neuer set our affections on things that are aboue till we haue mortified our members that are on earth The corruption of our natures and liues are the cause of such disability to contemplate of or affect heauenly things And as any are more sinfull they are more vnable thereunto If the word be referred to the appearance of Christ in the former verse then it imports that mortification is of great necessity vnto our preparation to the last iudgement and will be of great request in the day of Christ Mortifie To mortifie is to kill or to apply that which will make deade The Lord workes in matters of grace God vvorkes by contraries in the iudgement of flesh and bloud by contraries Men must be poore if they would haue a kingdom a Mat. 5.3.4 men must sorrow if they would be comforted Men must serue if they would be free b Ioh. 8. And here men must die if they would liue Gods thoughts are not as mans but his waies are higher then mans waies as the heauens are higher then the earth c Esay 55.10 Which may teach vs as to liue by faith so not to trust the iudgement the world or the flesh in the things of God But the manifest doctrine from this word is this that true repentance hath in it the mortification of sinne And so it implies diuers things First that we must not let sinne alone till it die it selfe Note but we must kill sinne while it might yet liue It is no repentance to leaue sinne when it leaueth vs or to giue it ouer when we can commit it no longer Secondly that true repentance makes a great alteration in a man Thirdly that it hath in it paine and sorrow men vse not to die ordinarily without much paine and sure it is sinne hath a strong heart it is not soone killed it is one thing to sleep another thing to die Note many men with lesse a doe get sinne asleepe that it doth not so stirre in them but alas there must be more ado to get it dead by true mortification Fourthly true repentance extinguisheth the power of sinne and the vigour of it It makes it like a dead corps that neither it stirs it selfe nor will be stirred by occasions perswaâ—ions commandements or stroaks It is a wonderfull testimony of sound mortification when we haue gotten our old corruption to this passe and constancy in prayer and hearing and daily confession and sorrow for sin will bring it to be thus with vs especially if we striue with God and be earnest with spirituall importunity watching the way of our owne hearts to wound sinne so soone as we see it begin to stirre Yet I would not bee mistaken as if I meant that a Christian could attaine such a victory ouer sinne that it should not be in him at all nor that hee should neuer be stirred with the temptations or enticements or occasions of euill But my meaning is that in some measure and in the most sinnes a Christian doth finde it so and in euery sinne his desire and endeuour is daily to haue it so And his desire is not without some happy successe so as sinne dyeth or lyeth a dying euerie day But heere a question may arise Quest Did not the Apostle grant they were dead before and if they were dead to the world they
aske it of him Thirdly if the contention be yet secret follow Salomons counsell say nothing of it to others but debate thy cause with thy neighbour himselfe and discouer not thy secret to another c Prou. 25.4 peace might soone be made with many men if the discord were not made so publike Now for auoiding of contention and malitious discords there are diuers rules of great vse I. Meddle not with the strife that belongs not to thee d Pro. 26.17 II. Contend not with fooles thou shalt neuer haue done if thou meddle with foolish persons for whether they rage or laugh there is no rest e Pro. 29.9 III. Let nothing be done through vaine-glory f Phil. 2.3 IV. Speake euill of no man g Tit. 3.2 V. Be courteous and tender-hearted h Eph. 4.31 32 VI. Wrong no man but follow that which is good both amongst your selues and towards all men i Thess 5.11 Lastly pray for a couering loue for hatred stirreth vp strife but loue couereth all sinne k Pro. 10.12 The vse of all this may be both for reproofe for instruction For reproofe of many men that are fearefully sowred with this leauen they doe not onely let the Sunne goe downe vpon their wrath but they let the Sunne goe his whole course and can finde no time from the one end of the yeere vnto the other to compound and lay aside their discords Nay so hath malice seated it selfe in some dogged and spightfull natures that it seemeth to proclaime it will neuer loose possession till the deuill the father of malice hath full possession both of soule and body But let euery godly minde be perswaded to auoide this monstrous sinne yea let vs striue to auoide the very beginning of it or if nature haue such corruption that for the present we cannot get our hearts rid of all secret poyson of dislike let vs be sure we be but children in malitiousnesse it is a monstrous wickednesse to haue a head that is exercised to strife and a heart that hath a kinde of sinfull dexteritie in framing and plodding for malitious courses And thus much of malice Cursed speaking The word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blasphemie Now blasphemie or cursed speaking it is a sinne either against piety or against righteousnesse As it is against piety it is blasphemie to reproch or reason against the person or nature of God or against the prouidence and works of God or against the worship of God and the meanes thereof and so it is cursed speaking and a kinde of blasphemie to repine at Gods works m 1 Cor. 10.10 to reproch Gods sabboths n Lament 1. or messengers o 1 Cor. 16.16 or his word Also there is a cursed speaking which is against righteousnesse in the second table and thus it is cursed speaking When subiects curse the King p Eccl. 10. vlt. When Masters threaten their seruants q Ephes 6.9 When Parents prouoke their children r Ephes 6.4 When Husbands are bitter to their Wiues ſ Colos 3.19 When wiues brawle and chide with their Husbands t Pro. 25.24 When great men lord it ouer the poore u Prou. 13.8 and the like Cursed speaking is either before the face and so it is strife of words or behinde the backe and so it is backbiting or whispering * 2 Cor. 12.20 It is cursed speaking to mocke and scorne it is cursed speaking to iudge and censure it is cursed speaking to slander and disgrace it is cursed speaking to be euer complaining in all places Finally it is cursed speaking when men speake euill of any man and there is a speciall kinde of it in speaking euill of godly men and this properly is blasphemie in the second table for the Lord for the honor he beares to his people is pleased to afford the name of blasphemie to their reproches as importing that he takes it as if he were reproched himselfe We should all of vs take heede of cursed speaking of what kinde soeuer for it ariseth of ill causes as enuie or malice and it hath effects for it is certaine thou werest as good pierce others with a sword as smite them with thy tongue And therefore a bitter and cursed tongue is often compared in the scripture to the stinge of adders and to a sword yea a sharpe sword to a razor and to arrowes and the like besides the hurt it doth to thy selfe for if thou bite and deuoure take heede thou be not deuoured x Gal. 5.15 And it is iust with God thou shouldest be iudged and censured that accustomes thy selfe to iudge and censure y Matth. 7.1 And though thou speake euill neuer so secretly yet God doth many times wonderfully discouer the shame of it before others and if man would not iudge thee for thy euill tongue yet it is certaine God will z Jam. 5.9 And it is many times seene that men and women of distempered and spightfull tongues are made a very abhomination amongst men a Prou. 24. so as all men are weary of them and shun them Lastly scornefull and cursed speaking proues a notable hinderance to the successe of the word b 1 Pet. 2.1 2. and that these kinde of people might obserue when they come to heare they receiue not a blessing and why but because blessing is so farre from their lips as they loued cursing so it commeth to them The vse of all may be to exhort vs to put away far from vs a froward mouth and peruerse lips c Prou. 4.24 and that nothing be done through strife but rather that all things be done without murmuring or reasonings or brawlings or reuilings And herein such as feare God should striue to giue good example seeing they are as lights in the middest of crooked and peruerse people Q. Quest But what are the remedies of cursed speaking Answ Answ If we haue sinned through bitternesse Remedies we should obserue two rules 1. Let thy owne words grieue thee d Psal 56.5 that is labour by prayer and godly sorrow to beate downe the power of they peruersnesse without defending excusing or extenuating of thy frowardnesse 2. Keepe thy heart with all diligence e Prou. 23.24 Looke to the first risings of thy passions For bitternesse is first in the heart before it can come into the tongue Now for preuenting of euill speaking in others the only rule is to giue them no occasion either by words or iniurious and wicked life Ob. Obiect But they will raile and reuile without a cause Answ Answ Then obserue these rules 1. Betake thy selfe to prayer so did Dauid f Psal 104.2 3 4. 2. It is good oft-times to be as deafe man that heareth not g Psal 38.13 14 3. Be sure thou be carefull thou wrong not the names of others else though thou be innocent in the things imputed yet thou art iustly
them but more especially they are in a cursed condition that seeke lies u Psal 4.4 and teach their tongues to lie * Ier. 9.5 neither let men please themselues that they can doe it couertly For liars are for the most part easily found out there is amongst the rest 3. signes of a lyar and in one of the three he vsually discouers himselfe Three signes of a lyar 1. To vary incontinently x Pro. 12.19 2. To hearken to a false tongue y Pro. 17.4 3. To loue lies z Reuel 22.15 But let euery one that feareth God obey this counsell of the Apostle to put lying in the Catalogue of sinnes he would daily watch against And because by nature wee are all prone vnto this sinne we should remember it euen in our praiers to God that he would remoue farre from vs vanitie and lies a Pro. 3.8 Before I passe from this vice there are certaine questions a Quest to be answered a Answ as first whether all lying be sinne or no. That this may be vnderstood men vse to diuide lies into three sorts There is an officious and a pernicious and a iesting lye All men condemne the pernicious lie many excuse the lie in iest and some commend the officious lie but the truth is all are naught And therefore the Apostle saith lie not at all for he speaketh indefinitely But it will be obiected that the midwiues and Rahab and Micholl did lie but it must be answered that their zeale and piety was to be praised Obiect but the meanes they vsed was not to be imitated If any obiect that the Patriarches vsed lying they must know that diuers speeches of theirs which to some seeme to bee lyes indeed were not For Sarah was Abrahams sister and Iacob was Isaacks first borne by diuine dispensation and prophetically and so Pauls speech about the high Priest may be excused when he saith he knew not that he was the high Priest For from the death of Christ the right of the Priesthood ceased If it bee further obiected Obiect that of two euils the lesse is to be chosen I answere Answ that that rule is to be vnderstood of euils of inconuenience not of euils of sinne Now that it may further appeare that it is not lawfull to lie no though it were to saue others from great danger These reasons may be weighed First we may not do euill that good may come of it b Rom. 3. 2. Peter was rebuked for dissembling though it were as hee conceiued to a good end euen to auoide offence and scandall c Gal. 2. 3. Nay it is not lawfull to him though it were to defend Gods cause or to preuent his dishonour therefore Iob saith earnestly and in great heate will yee speake wickedly for God and talke deceitfully for him will yee accept his person d Iob 13.7.8.9 c. 4. If wee might lye to saue others out of danger then wee might lye to saue our selues also for we are not more bound to care for the safety of others then our owne but wee may not lye to saue our selues for then Peter had not sinned by denying his Master keeping his faith and his heart seeing it was to saue his owne life Lastly wee might as well commit fornication with the Moabites to draw them to our religion or steale from rich men to giue to the poore as to lye to profit Quest Quest But is it not lawfull to suppresse the truth sometimes Answ Answ Truth is either religious or politicall For religious truth being asked of our faith we are ingenuously to professe it Now politicall truth is to be considered either as it is required in iudgment or as it is to be vsed in cases out of iudgement As for the truth before a iudge it may not bee concealed when thou art called to answer the truth but in priuate conuersing wee are not alwaies bound to reueale all the truth for the precept Speake euery man the truth e Eph. 4.15 is an affirmatiue precept and so doth not binde alwaies and at all times and in all places Besides charitie bindes vs to conceale and couer many infirmities and a wise man keeps in some part till afterwards and besides it is apparant men are not bound to discouer their secret sinnes to all men Samuel also is taught to conceale a part of the truth when he went to annoint Dauid And thus of the catalogue of iniuries Seeing you haue put off the old man with his workes In these words with the verses that follow to the 12th is contained three reasons to inforce the mortification of iniuries I. They are the workes of the old man vers 10. and they haue by profession put off the old man and so they should doe his workes II. They are now in the state of grace they are new men and therefore haue new manners they are by the meanes renued in knowledge vers 11. and therefore ought to grow in practise euen in the mortification of what remaines of corruption they are renued after the Image of Christ and Christs image is the patterne of all holinesse and they must therefore leaue those sinnes because how like soeuer they bee to the humors and dispositions of the most men yet they are not found in the Image of Christ III. God is vnpartially righteous and iust if men minde not mortification he cares not for them though they were Iewes circumcised freemen And contrariwise if they doe conscionably striue after the holinesse of Christ and the mortification of sinnes hee will accept them though they were Graecians Scythians bond c. In these words is heedfully to be noted the matter to be auoided both the old man and his workes 2. The maner imploied in the metaphor put off with the time haue and the persons yee The old man is by some taken to be their old condition of life in the time of Idolatrie by others to be their custome and habit in sinne vvhat the old man signifieth but it is generally by the most taken to be the corruption of nature and inborne prauitie that vicious humor and ill disposition that naturally is in euery one of vs it is the image of the first Adam in our hearts This corruption is here said to be the man Why corruption is called the man because it is seated in euery part of man and because it rules and frames a man and because it liues in man so as sinne only seemes to be aliue and the man dead and because God will take notice of nothing in the sinner but his sinne And vvhy it is called the old man 2. The old man partly in respect of the first Adam whose sinne is ours by propagation and who is called old to distinguish him from the second Adam a 1 Cor 15.4.5 and partly in respect of our state of corruption which in the renued
weakenesse f 2 Cor. 12.9 and hee came into the world of purpose to dissolue the worke of the Deuill g 1 Ioh. 3.7 Thirdly are they dismaide with the sense of their own weaknesses and ignorances why they haue such an high Priest as is touched with their infirmities h Heb. 4.15 and knowes how to haue compassion on the ignorant i Heb. 5.1 he will not breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flaxe k Esay 42.2.3 Fourthly are they pressed with outward troubles Why Christ is the merit of their deliuerance from this present euill world l Gal. 1.4 hee is the sanctification of their crosses so as all shall worke together for the best to them that loue God m Rom. 8.28 yea hee will be their consolation so that as their sufferings abounds his comfort shall abound also n 2 Cor. 1.5 or if he doe not deliuer then hee makes a supply by giuing them better things out of the riches of his glory He is a husband to the widow and a father to the fatherlesse and as the shadow of the rocke in a weary land o Esay 33.2 to them that are persecuted and driuen to and fro by the hot rage of euill men Lastly are they in the feare or in the danger of death Why Christ is all in all here also for he hath ouercome death for them p Hos 13.14 he hath opened the way to heauen q Heb. 10.19 he hath destroyed him that had power ouer death r Heb. 2.14 hee hath freed them from the wrath to come Å¿ 1 Thes 1. vlt. he hath begotten in them a liuely hope t 1 Pet. 1.3 of a happy issue from the passage of death he is the first borne of the dead u Colos 1.17 and hee will be the resurrection and the life vnto them * Ioh. 11. What shall I say but conclude with the Apostle Christ is in life and death aduantage x Phil. 1. onely that Christ may be all in all to vs we must heare him we must beleeue in him wee must deny our selues and take vp our crosse and follow him and finally we must liue to him and die in him And thus of this eleuenth verse and so of the second part of the generall exhortation VER 12.13 Therefore as the elect of God holy and beloued put on bowels of mercy kindnesse humblenesse of minde meeknesse long-suffering Forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any haue a quarrell against another euen as Christ forgaue you so also doe you The diuision of this part of the text THere are three things requisite to holy life First the meditation of heauenly things Secondly the mortification of vice Thirdly the exercise of holy graces and duties Of the first the Apostle hath intreated from verse 1. to verse 5. Of the second from verse the 5. hitherto Now in these words and those that follow to the 18. verse hee intreats of the third for he giues rules for the obedience of the new man and those rules are more speciall or more generall The more speciall rules are from the 11. verse to the sixteenth The more generall rules are in the 16. 17. ver the one concerning the means of holy life v. 16. and the other concerning the end of holy life v. 17. The speciall rules giue in charge the exercise of nine graces and in the setting downe of these rules I obserue 1. The Motiues to perswade to the obseruation of them and they are three the one taken from their election the other from their sanctification the third from the loue of God to them And these are briefly thrust together in a parenthesis in the beginning of the twelfth verse 2. The manner how they be charged with these graces that is noted in the Metaphor put on 3. The graces themselues and they are in number nine Some of them haue their greatest praise in prosperitie principally as mercy kindnesse meeknes humblenesse of minde some of them concerne the times of aduersitie principally as long-suffering and clemencie in forbearing and forgiuing Some indifferently belong to all times as loue peace thankefulnesse or amiablenesse ver 14.15 Obseruation from coherence Now from the coherence imported in the word therefore diuers things may be noted 1. In that he prescribes the mortification of vices before the exercise of graces it shewes that till vice be mortified grace will not grow nor prosper the true reason why many men thriue no better in the gift of Gods spirit is because they are so little and so sleightly in confessing and bewailing of their corruptions of heart and life 2. In that he rests not in the reformation of vices but prescribes also rules of new obedience it shewes that it is not enough to leaue sinne but wee must be exercised in doing good It will not serue turne for the husbandman that his fruit trees beare no euill fruit but hee will cut them downe if they bring not forth good fruit barrennesse is cause great enough of hewing downe 3. Men that are truely renued after the Image of Christ are willing to bee appointed and prescribed for the attaining and exercise of euery holy needfull grace and dutie he that hath true experience of the beginning of any true grace hath a true desire and a willing endeauour and a iust estimation of all grace For as he that repents of one sinne loues no sin so he that trauels in the birth of any grace desires all grace so farre as in conscience he knowes them to be required of God and in some degree except it be in the time of violent temptations or that the losse of the meanes occasion any deadnesse or faintnesse in the desires of the heart or that there be a relapse into some presumptuous sinne after calling 4. If this therefore carry vs to the former verse then we are informed that our indeauour after mercy meeknesse patience loue peace or the rest will neuer want acceptation with God And withall wee may take comfort if we would seriously set about the practise of these though wee found many lets and doubts and difficulties yet Christ will be all in all to help vs and giue good successe Thus of the coherence The motiues follow and first of Election Of Election Two kinds of Election Elect Gods seruants are Gods elect and that both in respect of election before time and also in respect of election in time for the Lord hath in his eternall counsell chose them in Christ to the obtaining of saluation to the praise of his grace a Eph. 1.4.5 Rom. 8.19 And besides at some time in their life the Lord doth select and separate them from out of the world and worldly courses to the profession of sincerity hauing sanctified them by the spirit The doctrine of Election hath both consolation and instruction in it Vse it is full of comfort if we
singular comfort to all distressed soules if they consider that he that is their brother head Sauiour euen he that shed his bloud for them is he that disposeth of all pardons What actions in Christ are imitable and applies remission of sinnes sure it is no hard matter to get a pardon from him that is so ingaged in his loue to vs. Here also we see that the action of Christ is the instruction of the Christian Christ forgaue so must he wee must remember the distinctions of Christs actions some were miraculous as fasting 40 daies raising the dead these are not to be imitated because they cannot some are peculiar actions belonging to his office as to redeeme or make intercession c. these also are proper to him onely Now some are morall these last are only imitable Or thus some actions of Christ he did as God some as Mediator some as man The last onely binde vs to follow Againe in that we are bound to forgiue as he forgaue To forgiue as Christ forgaue hath six things in it it not onely teacheth that we must doe it as well as he but for the manner of it as he did And how was that First Christ forgaue his inferiors Secondly Christ forgaue great faults aswell as lesse yea all sorts of faults yea though they were often fallen into Thirdly nothing was too deare to Christ to merit or confirme his forgiuenesse therefore he shed his owne bloud he stood not vpon his profit or his ease Fourthly Christ vses all meanes to preuent offending Fifthly where Christ forgiues he forgets Sixthly Christ forgiues two waies First vpon the Crosse before men did repent Secondly by the Gospell publishing his pardon vpon mans repentance he did not carry them grudge till they repented and all these wayes should we imitate Christ Lastly obserue here the certainty of assurance For if a man did not certainely and infallibly know that Christ did forgiue him how could that be made a reason if he did not know it to be And thus of clemencie and so of the two first sorts of graces VERS 14. And aboue all these put on loue which is the bond of perfectnes THE vertues that ought to raigne at all times are loue peace and thankfulnesse Of loue in this verse which the Apostle sets out as the most noble ample and profitable of all the vertues Two things are here to be considered First the dignitie of loue where he saith Aboue all put on loue c. Secondly the vse of it it is the bond of perfectnesse Aboue all these Some read with all these Some read for all these meaning that all the former doe flow from this and therefore we should get loue that we might be mercifull humble c. And so it would import that we should get loue that we might approue our selues that these are not meere complements or dissembled offices or things taken vp for wrong ends But most properly and commonly it is read as here Aboue all these How loue is aboue all vertues And so notes the dignitie of loue aboue all other vertues for it is indeed more excellent both in respect of causation as they say in Schooles because it begets the rest as the efficient cause and for the preseruation of it other vertues are practised or the finall cause of them as also it is aboue the rest in acceptation whether we respect God or men And thirdly it is aboue the rest in respect of continuance a 1 Cor. 13.8 And this may serue to reproue our great neglect of so noble a grace and it may teach vs in our prayers to remember to pray for this and in our practise to prouoke vnto loue b Heb. 10.24 Obiect A cauill of the Papists must be auoided here For they absurdly reason thus If loue be aboue all vertues then it is loue that makes vs iust in Gods sight But for answer we may easily satisfie our selues with this that before men Sol. and in conuersing with men loue is aboue all But before God faith is aboue all loue is aboue faith onely in some respects as in continuance but faith is aboue loue in iustification Put on Loue is not naturall t is a vertue that in the truth of it is wonderfull rare in the world for man is vnto man naturally a wolfe a fox a beare a tygre a lion yea a very deuill and that is the reason why men are so constant in malice it is naturall with them and this is the reason why vnitie and louing concord is found in no calling amongst men Loue Loue is of diuers kindes there is naturall ciuill morall and religious loue It is naturall loue for a man to loue himselfe his parents kinred c. T is ciuill loue that is framed in vs by the lawes of men by authoritie from God whereby we are brought not to violate the rules of iustice or society In morall loue that loue of friends is of eminent respect but it is religious or Christian loue is meant here Christian loue is caried both towards God and towards men and both may be here meant For the very loue of God may be required as needfull in our conuersing with men because we can neuer loue men aright till we first loue God and besides we are bound in our cariage to shew our loue to God by zeale for his glory and auoyding sinne in our callings for the loue we beare to him Sure it is that the true loue of God is exceeding needfull to be put on as a most royall robe I say the true loue of God and therefore I aduise all sorts of men as to labour for it so to try themselues whether this loue of God be right in them if we loue God we receiue them that come in his name b Ioh. 5.42 and the loue of the world doth not raigne in vs c 1 Ioh. 2.15.17 and we are much in thinking of God and godlinesse for we often thinke of what we loue and we loue the word of God d Ioh. 14.27 Signes of the loue of God and in aduersitie we runne first to God for help denying our selues to bring glory to God subiecting our wills to his will glorying in the hope of his mercy and it is certaine also if we loue God aright we desire his presence both of grace and glory And this loue will compell vs to holinesse e 2 Cor. 5.14 causing vs to hate what he hates and to obey his commandements f Ioh. 14. What it is to loue our enemies and besides kindnesses from God will wonderfully inflame vs and content vs. The loue to men is loue of enemies or brotherly loue of Gods children Christians are bound to loue their very enemies and this kind of loue must be put on as well as the other onely let vs aduisedly consider what the loue of enemies hath in it When God requires vs to loue our enemies he doth
the flocke that depends vpon them it is not sufficient that men preach somwhere God cals for an account of their stewardship in their owne charge they must tend their owne heards he were a strange Husbandman that would plow his neighbours field and let his owne lie vntilled it is vile corruption to be intent when we labour for others and remisse when we labour for our owne people Luke the beloued Phisition There is some adoe amongst Interpreters who this Luke should be but I incline to them that thinke it was Luke the Euangelist but whosoeuer it was three things may be here obserued 1. That the Church of God hath alwaies consisted of men of diuers callings so as no lawfull calling is excluded nor yet any only taken 2. That Phisicke hath beene of ancient honour and vse in the Church we see it here in the Apostles time and it was long before also for there were Phisiâ—ions in Iosephs time n Gen. 50.2 4. Sorts of men may be reproued concerning Phisick 4. Sorts of men reproued about Phisicke or Phisitions 1. Such as totally neglect them though they haue neede to vse them yet our Sauiour Christ saith the sicke neede a Phisition o 2. Such as are waiward and will not be cured that is such as through impatiencie will not be ordered by this meanes in the manner they should be 3. Such as put their whole trust in phisicke as Asa did neglecting to seeke vnto God for helpe yea it is to be noted in Asa that his disease being but ordinary yet to neglect the Lord in it was a great sinne for though God hath allowed phisicke as an helpe yet it was neuer his meaning to robbe himselfe of his owne glory 4. Such as will out of pride and nicenesse be tampering with their bodies in phisicke when there is no need contrarie to that of our Sauiour Christ The whole neede not the Phisition Now in as much as many times it is manifest phisicke doth no good to the diseased we are to vnderstand three things first that this may be the fault of carelesse and ignorant Phisitians 2. That as we grow monsters in the world by sinning ouer-passing the deedes of the wicked so the Lord sometimes by bringing in strong and new diseases doth ouerpasse the skill of the Phisitians 3. God for sinnes or triall may restraine the blessing vpon the meanes which else would be auaileable The third thing I note is that the holy Ghost giues this praise to a godly Phisitian importing that a Phisitian should be a man sound in religion and zealous for the truth and knowne and beloued in the Church for as it is certaine godly and religious Phisitians may doe much good in the dangers of their patients so miserable experience shewes that popish and superstitious Phisitians doe exceeding much hurt by working vpon those opportunities to seduce and peruert men And Demas This is that Demas that afterward forsooke Paul and imbraced this present world from the consideration of whose estate wee may obserue three things 1. That the vices of men by the profession of the truth may bee restrained when they are not cured This mans loue of the world was in him when he was at the best but it was curbed and held downe and so it is with many hypocrites and therefore men should be warned and looke to themselues that they be not deceiued by taking the restraint of the outward practise of some euill for the true mortification of them It is many times a great hand of God vpon vnsound hearted men that at their best they are seene into and not greatly esteemed it seemes it was so with this man for if we marke it the Apostle not only reckons him in the last place but he names him also without any manner of praise as if he would import that hee durst not commend him to the Churches Wee should here learne what to doe towards such from the example of the Apostle Now if any would know more fully what is to be done and how they should carry themselues towards such as they iustly doubt and feare not to be right though they make profession there are three rules to be obserued 3. Rules for our practise concerning such as vvee suspect in their profession 1. Pity them pray for them and admonish them 2. Commit not thy selfe vnto them but bee well aduised before thou conuerse inwardly with them It is true that the practise of this rule is strangly censured when those kinde of people perceiue themselues not to be regarded so much as they would bee for vsually if in discretion men prooue before they trust they are taxed of pride and haughtinesse yet considering the vile hypocrisie that is in many it is better to be so censured without cause then to be beguiled by men that make their religion but a cloake to their owne ends The third rule is that while they stand and fall not into open sinne thou maiest not traduce them but conceale thy dislikes till God lay them open vnlesse greater danger might ensue by the concealement for the Lord may make him sound and giue him repentance Paul doth not dispraise Demas here as he doth not commend him Thirdly we may in this man note the propertie of many hypocrites they will not be discountenanced they are vsually impudent this man thrusts himselfe into the Apostles company and will be commended to the Churches he will haue a place though it be the last place VER 15. Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea and Nymphas and the Church which is in his house HItherto of salutations signified now the Salutations required follow and these are particular vers 15.16.17 generall v. 18. The particulars concerne either Laodiceans v. 15.16 or the Colossean preacher vers 17. who is not onely saluted but exhorted or rebuked by intimation In the salutation of the Laodiceans obserue two things first the persons who are to be saluted v. 15. 2. A speciall direction for the open reading of two Epistles v. 16. The persons are the brethren in generall and Nymphas in speciall and the houshold of Nymphas Salute the brethren which are at Laodicea 1. Christian curtesie ought to haue in it a holy remembrance of absent friends 2. It is not vanitie or weakenesse but may stand with singular gifts and graces of minde to be industrious and large hearted in the many remembrances of all sorts of Christians 3. It is profitable that men of great gifts and place should preserue their memory with others though it be but in these lighter complements of salutation for many times it may inflame much affection to godlinesse in such to whom they send their salutations 4. God hath his choice amongst men for here he takes notice of the brethren in Laodicea onely God doth not driue in whole townes of men into the field of his grace at once for as it was then in turning men from gentilisme so it is now in
4. Men lay not downe their cares and lusts they haue marred their taste before they come they doe not empty their heads and separate themselues to seeke the wisdome of the word care or lust will choake the word 5. Men reade not all Gods word nor doe they reade constantly they will not wait daily at the gates of wisdome to reade seldome or by starts and here and there will doe little good 6. One great cause of not profiting is the not seeking of the Law at the Priests mouth that is want of conference and propounding of doubts 7. In many vnprofitablenesse is the scourge of vnthankfulnesse for the good they haue found in reading 8. In reading men do not minde their owne way for if men did propose vnto themselues what sinne of their owne they might finde rebuked and what directions might be collected out of that they reade for their liues or did note how the word did offer comfort when they need it they could not but finde many excellent experiences of Gods prouidence and power in the word they could not liue in any sinne but either reading or hearing would discouer it nor could they goe long without some word of comfort when they needed it yea they might obserue how God in the word they reade did counsell them too when they were in distresse therefore let him that readeth marke and reade for himselfe Lastly the cause is in the most that their hearts are not turned to God and so the vaile is not taken away 2 Cor. 3.16 Cause to be read Obserue here 1. That it is not enough to reade our selues but wee must cause others to reade by exhorting incouraging commanding c. especially Parents and Ministers should see to it so should Magistrates also 2. From the coherence note that we must cause others to reade when wee haue read our selues it is vile hypocrisie for a Minister or Parent to vrge their children or seruants to reade the Scriptures when they neglect reading themselues In the Church Here we haue a plaine proofe for reading of the Scriptures publikely in the Church we see it was anciently both required and practised Adde for the further confirmation hereof these places Deut. 31.11.12 Neh. 8. Luk. 4. Act. 13. And this may assure vs 1. That publike reading is no inuention or ordinance of man 2. That the people of God haue found in all ages great need of this helpe And therefore they are miserably transported with humor that so vilifie or neglect this ordinance of God and it may bee iust with God that thou shouldst not profit by reading at home when thou carest not for reading in the Church Thus of the reading of the Epistle to the Colossians Epistle from Laodicea Here is a great adoe among Interpreters to finde out what Epistle this was 1. Theophylact thinkes it was the first Epistle to Timothie which was written from Laodicea another towne of that name not this Laodicea before mentioned 2. Some thinke Paul did write an Epistle to the Laodiceans which was Apocrypha and so Dionysius tels of a third Epistle to the Corinthians Iacobus Stapulensis caused such an Epistle to bee printed but Catharinus could easily auouch that it was a bastard and counterfet 3. Some thinke the Laodiceans wrote to the Apostle and propounded their doubts vnto which the Apostle hath answered in this Epistle and therefore required that his answer might be compared with their doubts this is the most publike opinion But in the generall it shewes vs thus much that wee must reade other good bookes as well as Scriptures Thus of the 16. verse VERS 17. And say to Archippus take heed to the Ministerie which thou hast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it THese words concerne the Colossean Preacher who is not onely saluted but exhorted This Archippus as it seemes was their Pastor ioyned with Epaphras who was now at Rome with Paul it is likely he was growne negligent in teaching and carelesse and idle Painfull Preachers many times grovv idle Many times it comes to passe that men that sometimes were painfull in their Ministerie doe afterwardâ— grow slacke and negligent 1. Sometimes from very discouragements from their people either because they profit not or because they weary their Teachers with indignities and wrongs thus the very Prophets haue beene sometimes so tired that they could haue been almost willing neuer to speake more in the name of the Lord. 2. Sometimes this comes from the corruption of their owne natures they grow soone weary of Gods worke or else hauing taken more worke to doe then they are sufficient for they grow to neglect all or else they are drawne away with the loue of the world or else forbeare of purpose to preach often lest they should be thought to be too precise or else to winne applause they set out at first with such a strife to seeme eloquent learned that they quickly spend their store and then rather then they will be obserued to want they will giue ouer preaching 3. Sometimes God himselfe for the wickednesse of their liues casts a barrennesse vpon their hearts and blasteth their gifts In this exhortation foure things may be noted 1. Who he is that is exhorted say to Archippus 2. The matter charged vpon him see to thy ministerie 3. The reason by which it is vrged thou hast receiued it of the Lord. 4. An explication of the matter charged by the extent of it to fulfill Say to Archippus Here I obserue 7. things 1. The sinner must be told of his sinne Leuit. 19.17 2. Such as offend publikely must be told of it publikely 3. Ministers as well as others may be rebuked though some Clergie men are so sore and so proud that they may not be touched and many times it is a iust iudgment of God that no man should rebuke them that their sores might not be medicined but like vnsauorie salt they should be cast out of God No mans learning or greatnesse of place can so protect them but that they may bee told of their faults it is too commonly knowne they can sinne as well as others why then should they not be rebuked as well as others Doth Archippus need to be told The Lord be mercifull to the Land and Church There bee many Archippusses in the Church of England had neede to be wakened with a loud trumpet of rebuke and to be told of their faults euen of their ignorance silence sloth pride couetousnesse simonie dissolutenesse ambition contempt of their brethren and soule-murder of many kinds 4. The people may put their Teachers in minde of their faults as they ought to incourage them in well doing so may they admonish them for what is euill Therefore Ministers should striue so to liue and so to teach as their people should not haue cause to finde fault 5. Ministers must be told of their faults by their people with great reuerence and heedfulnesse and wisdome according to that direction
Pet 1 13 b Joh 1 14 16 the truth of Sanctification and new Obedience together with the perfection of Redemption and Iustification To conclude euery faithfull man may say as the Apostle said By the grace of God I am that I am c 1 Cor 15. The vse is first for instruction euen to labour so much the more earnestly for the certaintie of assurance of Gods grace and free fauour to vs in particular because it will make vs abundant in the worke of the Lord and inrich vs with those things that may further our reckoning against the last day But that wee may speede in suing for Gods grace and waiting for the tydings of his speciall loue wee must labour to be good men and shew it by this that wee be men of holy imaginations d Pro 12 2. Our vnderstanding will neuer be capable of this knowledge till the euills of the thoughts be in some measure purged out and subdued Besides we must take heede of scorning and contemning the meanes of grace e Pro 3 34. and labour for a hatred of euery sinne for till then wee neuer get any sound experience of Gods fauour So long as a man makes a mocke of any sinne and securely against the light will commit it so long he remaines vnder the power of folly and vnregeneration f Prou 14 6. but especially wee must labour to get and grow in humilitie for God bestowes his graces on the humble g 1 Pet 5 4. Iames 4 7. And if God euer comfort vs with his grace let vs so learne to make it our portion and to trust perfectly vpon it h 1 Pet 1 13 as not to receiue it in vaine i 2 Cor 6 2. but obey all the counsell of God and his Ministers that beseech vs to expresse the power of it in our liues Secondly the doctrine of the power of Gods grace doth bitterly reproue foure sorts of men First such as neglect Gods grace and seeke not any particular euidence for it Secondly such as fall away from the grace of God and giue ouer the vse of the meanes of grace k Gal 1 6. which apostasie many times befals such men as will not wash off the pollution nor by mortification stay the springing vp of some bitter roote or other within their hearts Such Apostates when they were at the best had in their hearts some imperious lusts and passions or other that they made not conscience of to subdue l Heb 12 15. Thirdly such as turne the grace of God into wantonnesse men that before they haue any reason of comfort vpon the bare hearing of the promises of the Gospell take libertie to liue licentiously and follow their sinnes with presumptuous abuse of Gods mercy These are vngodly men ordained before to condemnation m Iud 4. Lastly such as cannot abide the doctrine of GODS grace but despise and hate the very Spirit of Grace how sore shall their pupunishment be n Heb. 10 29. Thus farre of the Thankesgiuing for the principall meanes of Grace The Instrumentall followes Verse 7. As yee also learned of Epaphras our fellow-seruant who is for you a faithfull Minister of God Verse 8. Who hath also declared vnto vs your loue which you haue in the spirit HEe hath giuen thankes for the Ministery Diuision now hee giues thankes for the Minister who is here described by his name Epaphras by the adiunct Loue of others to him beloued and by his Office a Seruant by his willingnes to ioyne with others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fellow-seruant by his faithfulnes in the execution of his Office which is for you a faithfull Minister of Christ lastly by his loue to his people which hee shewes by the good report hee thankefully giues of them Vers 8. Doct. 2 From the generall consideration of all the words I obserue What a Minister should be First it much matters to the efficacie of the doctrine what the Ministers be hee that would profit his hearers must be First able to teach Secondly hee should be beloued not a man against whom the hearts of the people had conceiued vncurable preiudice or such a one as was scandalous Thirdly hee had neede to be a fellow-seruant one that will draw with others Fourthly hee must consecrate his seruice to God and the Church Fiftly he must be faithfull And lastly one that will loue his people Doct. 2 Secondly Ministers of greater gifts or places or learning may here learne how to carry themselues towards their fellow-Ministers Paul commends Epaphras confirmes and countenances his doctrine and giues him the right hand of fellowship Which example much condemnes the haughtie pride and arrogancy of many great Cleargy-men in whose eyes their brethren are despised sometime swelling against them with enuie sometimes openly pursuing them with censures especially if God blesse their labours with any good successe easily setting out with the formost to detract from their iust praises for gifts sinceritie or paines woe and a fall will be to the great pride of Cleargy-men Thirdly the Apostle striues to winne a greater estimation to the Minister that so hee might the better fasten their respects to his Ministery to note that where the Messenger is not in credit the Message is easily neglected or contemned And therefore as men would desire good successe in the Ministery of the Word they should labour to get and retaine an honourable opinion of the Ministers And to this end consider that they are called Gods Coadiutors o 1 Cor 3. Ministers of the Spirit p 2 Cor 3 6. Gods Stewards q 1 Cor 4 1. Tit 1 2. 1 Tim 3 4. Candlestickes r Reuel 11 4. the mouth of Christ ſ Reuel 1 16. Starres Angels t Reuel 1.20 and haue many other titles of dignity From these words as ye also haue learned of Epaphras I obserue First that if men would bee effectually wrought vpon by the word they must plant themselues vnder some setled Ministerie they that heare now one and then another at one end of the quarter heare a sermon of this man and at the other end of that man haue their knowledge much like their paines Secondly he is a true member of the Church that can shew sound grace and knowledge learned of the Teachers of the Church It is neither the account of the world nor profession of true Religion nor comming to Church demonstrates necessarily a true member of the Church but the effectuall subiection of the soule to be formed and wrought vpon by the Ministery of the Word Thirdly it is an ordinary infirmity in the better sort of hearers that in many points they receiue Doctrine vpon the credit of the teachers yeelding no other reason but Epaphras taught so which should awaken affection and conscience in Ministers out of the feare of God and sound and infallible knowledge and premeditation to deliuer what they doe deliuer